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Title: Prediction of Cell Wall Polysaccharide and Lignin Concentrations of Alfalfa Stems from Detergent Fiber Analysis

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Submitted to: Biomass And Bioenergy
Publication Acceptance Date: April 9, 2004
Publication Date: October 1, 2004
Citation: Jung, H.G., Lamb, J.F. 2004. Prediction Of Cell Wall Polysaccharide And Lignin Concentrations Of Alfalfa Stems From Detergent Fiber Analysis. Biomass And Bioenergy. 27(4):365-373.

Interpretive Summary: Accurate measurement of the amount and composition of fiber in forage crops is needed for formulating diets that will support high levels of milk production and rapid growth by dairy and beef cattle. An analysis system based on extraction with a series of detergent solutions is commonly used for this purpose even though this method of analysis has known inaccuracies. Unfortunately, more accurate methods of fiber analysis are both slower and more expensive. This research investigated the possibility of predicting the results of a more accurate fiber method from detergent fiber results based on correlations between these two methods of analysis. While fiber concentration and composition results from the two methods of analysis were correlated, prediction of the more accurate fiber method's results from detergent fiber analysis was not successful. The accuracy of the predictions varied with forage maturity and growth conditions, preventing the development of a useful fiber prediction tool. Livestock nutritionists and agronomists will not be able to adapt the common detergent fiber method for more accurate measurement of forage fiber.

Technical Abstract: A study was undertaken to determine if Uppsala dietary fiber cell-wall characteristics could be predicted from detergent fiber data. Spring and summer growth lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) stems were harvested from two germplasm sources for two years. Samples were analyzed for neutral sugars, uronic acids, and Klason lignin using the Uppsala dietary fiber method, and dneutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber, and acid detergent lignin (ADL) by sequential detergent analysis. Cell-wall, hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin concentrations derived from these two methods were positively correlated, but detergent estimates of cell-wall and lignin concentration were lower and hemicellulose and cellulose concentrations were higher than for the Uppsala method. These patterns were attributed to solubility of pectin in neutral detergent solution and poor lignin recovery in ADL. Regression equations for prediction of Uppsala dietary fiber values susing detergent results were significant and accounted for 35 to 92% of th variation in the data. However, significant deviations between predicted and observed Uppsala dietary fiber results were observed when the equations were tested using an independent sample set. It does not appear that cell- wall characteristics of lucerne stems obtained using the Uppsala dietary fiber method can be accurately predicted using detergent fiber results.

   
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