SUDAN GRASS HAY 



TABLE VI. 



COMPOSITION OF D'RiY MATTER OF SUDANI GRASS AT 

 VARIOUS STAGES OF GROWTH. 



483 



Before 

 Heading 



Headed 

 Out 



Full 

 Bloom 



Half 

 Ripe 



Ripe 



Total Dry Matter . 



Protein 



Nitrogen-free-extract 



Crude Fiber 



Ether Extract 



Ash 



Per 

 Cent 

 30.08 



5.02 

 53.32 

 32.98 



2.10 



6.58 



Per 

 Cent 



31.92 

 4.29 



53.73 



33.83 

 1.66 

 6.49 



As the moisture decreases and the dry matter content increases 

 in the later stages of oTO'■v^'th of Sudan grass, a few minor changes 

 take place in the relative proportions of the individual constitu- 

 ents of the dry matter. In the earlier stages of ripening the 

 protein seems to increase while it decreases in the later stages. 

 The changes in the fat content are very similar to but lag behind 

 those of the protein content. The changes in the proportions of 

 nitrogen-free extract and ash are in the opposite direction to 

 those of the protein and ether extract. Peculiarly, the relative 

 proportion of the crude fiber to the other constituents of the dry- 

 matter appears to Ibe greater when the plants have headed out 

 than when the crop is ripe. The difference is not great, how- 

 ever, and can probably be explained by the fact that the seed, of 

 which the yield is quite heavy, is very low in crude fiber. It has 

 been found at the Maryland Station* that cleaned Sudan grass 

 seed contains only 1.19 per cent of crude fiber. Considering the 

 changes broadly it is evident that from the time the crop heads 

 out until it is ripe no very marked alterations take place in the 

 relative proportions of the various constituents of the dry mat- 

 ter present and consequently Sudan grass does not materially de- 

 teriorate in feeding value on ripening. 



The hay used in the digestion trial was from a plot yielding 

 2.94 tons of field-cured hay per acre at one cutting. It was cut 

 on Augaist 5, 1916, when in full bloom and was harvested in good 

 condition. It was kept in the mow till used for the digestion 

 trial in December, 1916. 



The animals used were two three-quarter blood Guernsey heif- 

 ers about a year and a half old and averaging 600 pounds in live 



^Bull. 194 ; Md. Sta. 



