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Fiber digestibility is a crucial factor in forage quality, yet it's often overlooked in standard feed tests and marketing systems.
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Key components to consider when evaluating forage:
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Energy content (from sugars, digestible fiber)
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Protein content
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Fiber content (NDF, ADF)
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Fiber digestibility (NDFD)
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Standard marketing tools, such as Relative Feed Value (RFV) and Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN), do not account for fiber digestibility.
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Relative Feed Quality (RFQ) is superior to RFV as it includes a digestibility fraction.
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Color is not a reliable indicator of forage quality. Sun bleaching doesn't significantly affect nutritional value.
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Particle size and buffering capacity of alfalfa contribute to rumen health, which is valuable but often not accounted for in pricing.
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Ash content is essential to consider - higher ash often indicates soil contamination and lower quality.
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Proper sampling techniques are critical for accurate feed testing. Certification for hay sampling is available at foragetesting.org.
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When interpreting feed tests, focus on:
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NDF (Neutral Detergent Fiber)
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NDFD (NDF Digestibility)
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Crude protein
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Ash content
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Alfalfa's combination of energy, digestible fiber, and protein makes it uniquely valuable compared to other protein or energy sources.