• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.67 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2022

In order to manufacture feed suitable for consumer use and provide feed value information, we analyzed the feed components of the four main forage rice varieties by plant parts harvested 30 days after heading. The contents of the six feed ingredients were significantly different (p<0.05) among harvested parts. In the panicle, the crude protein (CP) (6.97%) and lignin (3.11%) were the highest, while the crude ash (CA) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) contents were significantly lower, resulting in a total digestible nutrient (TDN) content of 77.29%, which is higher than that of the stem (64.82%) and leaf blade and sheath (LBS) (63.57%) (p<0.05). In contrast, the content of crude fat (CF) did not differ significantly among parts (p<0.05). In panicles from 'Jonong', 'Nokyang' and 'Yeongwoo', the TDN content of each cultivar was 78.48-79.07%, with no significant difference among the varieties. In 'Mogwoo' (Mw), the CP content was 8.70%, which was much higher than that of other varieties (p<0.05). In particular, the Mw TDN content was slightly lower in the panicle (72.95%) but higher in the stem (75.37%) and LBS (66.49%) than in the other varieties. The CA, NDF, acid detergent fiber (ADF), and lignin contents were also very low compared to other varieties; therefore, the feed value of the stem and LBS was excellent. In addition, the total dry matter weight (DMW) was 123 g per hill, which was much higher than 82-105 g per hill for other varieties. The distribution of DMW by part was LBS (56.9 g), stem (36.8 g), and panicle (29.3 g), and because the parts, except the panicles, were much higher than the 43-57% of other varieties (grain straw ratio: 76%), rice straw is advantageous in terms of quantity and feed value when used as forage on farms. The relative feed value (RFV) of the four cultivars ranged from 86.79-403.74 across all parts, and hay of grade 3 or higher with an RFV of 100 or more increased with delayed heading in both stems and LBS. This is due to the accumulation of starch into grains during ripening, which supports the observation that the RFV of the early flowering 'Jonong' and 'Nokyang' panicles increased.