Digestion of the dry matter, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulphur, calcium and detergent‐fibre fractions of the seed and pod of stylosanthes humilis contained in terylene bags in the bovine rumen

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Abstract
The rates of digestion of the separated seed and pods of Stylosanthes humilis in Terylene bags in the rumen of cattle were studied. The rates of disappearance of dry matter, N, P, S, Ca and detergent fibre fractions and lignin were examined. The magnitude of the errors of determination were assessed statistically for dry matter digestion. Four bag replications were necessary to detect differences of 20% between samples.The cell contents constituted 80% of the seed dry matter, but only 20% of the pod dry matter. Lignin content of seed was negligible (0.5%), but was high in pods (18%).The seed was rapidly digested (77% of dry matter after 48 h). This was largely due to almost complete digestion of the cell contents. The pod was only slightly digested (14% at 48 h). Protein and phosphorus appeared to be selectively solubilised, but calcium was only slowly solubilised in both seed and pod.The cell‐wall constituents present were compared to the concentrations of hemicellulose and cellulose found in seed and pod by more definitive chemical methods.