Alkali-Treated Orchardgrass and Alfalfa: Composition and In Situ Digestion of Dry Matter and Cell Wall Components

The effect of varying levels of alkali treatment on composition and disappearance of OM and cell wall components of alfalfa and orchardgrass was measured.Three field replicates of first-cutting alfalfa (bud and midbloom) and orchardgrass (prehead and head) were treated at harvest with 0 (no solution applied or 100% water treatment), 2, 4, 6, or 8 g NaOH/lOO g forage OM.Forages were hand cut, hand sprayed, and sun cured as hay.Alka1i treatment decreased the NDF and ADF content of both maturities of orchardgrass; conversely, alkali treatment increased NDF concentration in both maturities of alfalfa.Regardless of maturity, CP cootent of alfalfa decreased as level of NaOH increased.After 72 h of in situ digestion, NaOH increased potentially digestible OM in both maturities of orchardgrass.Disappearance of NDF in mature orchardgrass increased as NaOH increased.Alka1i treatment increased the extent of ferolic acid disappearance in immature orchardgrass and increased the extent of p-coumaric acid disappearance in mature orchardgrass.Sodium hydroxide treatment linearly increased the potentially digestible OM and NDF fractions in