Forage quality can be defined as the capacity of a forage to supply animal nutrient requirements. It includes the acceptability of the forage, the chemical composition, and the digestibility of the nutrients. Will the animal consume it and be able to digest it? Once digested, will the forage provide the needed nutrients for growth and good health? Forage quality includes characteristics that make forage valuable to animals, the capacity to supply animal requirements, the characteristics affecting consumption and utilization which are palatability, chemical composition, and digestibility. All that technical phrasing really says that forage quality lies in the potential of that forage to produce milk, meat, wool, or work. The animal is the machine that tests forage quality and the animal's production is the critical measurement.
Plant chemistry and antiquality components
Laboratory methods for evaluating forage quality
Factors affecting forage quality
Forage Quality and Testing PowerPoint Slides
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