Abstract
The differences in cell wall digestibility using cellulase were compared among several warm-season forage crops. Greenpanic, bahiagrass, fall panicum, finger millet and rhodesgrass were sampled at three different growth stages while maize and sorghum were sampled two growth stages. 1) A high amount of cell wallconstituents (CWC) decreased digestibility of them (CWC D) and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) of all the warm-season forage crops. 2) CWCD of all forage crops decreased with late growth stage. CWCD of fall panicum was the highest of all the grasses and that of rhodesgrass was the lowest at all growth stages. 3) Increases in the proportion of lignin to CWC between young and old growth stages were found in all grasses. The greatest increase of lignin in the CWC was seen in fall panicum (52.9%) and the least increase was in bahiagrass (1.2%). 4) Differences in CWCD between various grasses were seen even when the proportion of lignin to CWC was similar. These results mean that differences in CWC among warm-season forage crops were influenced by other factors in the CWC as well as the proportion of lignin.
