The effect of alkali treatment of barley straw on digestibility and V.F.A. patterns in the sheep: A report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Agricultural Science with Honours at Lincoln College

Abstract

Cereal straws are generally looked upon merely as bulky fodders, rich in fibre, poor in protein and of low digestibility. The use of straw as a roughage is limited by its bulky nature which limits the voluntary intake by an animal and by its tough and fibrous nature which both reduces its digestibility and increases the energy expended to secure the high degree of comminution necessary for effective digestion. The principal reason for the low digestibility of straw lies in the fact that much of the digestible matter is embedded in indigestible lignified tissue - the lignin being laid down in the plant cell walls as the plant matures.