Report on Research Undertaken at the Animal Production Research Unit Old House Farm Reading Between July and September 1989.

Abstract

The potential of a forage to support animal production depends upon a number of factors, of which voluntary dry matter intake and the nutritive value of the feed per unit of dry matter are most important. The latter is a function of the chemical composition of the forage, the digestibility and hence availability of the nutrients to the animal and the efficiency with which they are utilized by the animal for maintenance, growth, lactation and pregnancy.