A note on forage solubility and fermentation characteristics in winter and summer feeds of Finnish reindeer

Abstract

The fiber and nitrogen composition and fermentation and solubility characteristics of a few typical summer browses and a sample of winter lichens were studied. The lichen sample was very high in hemicellulose, but low in acid detergent fiber (ADF). The summer browses were much higher in ADF. Fermentation losses were low for all samples but were lowest for lichens. Solubility losses in boiled rumen fluid were relatively low, but dry matter losses with amylase treatment accounted for over half of the in vitro digestible dry matter of summer browses and eventually all of the dry matter losses from lichens. Nitrogen disappearance from all samples was uniformly high. There appears to be ample reason to pursue similar studies with reindeer forages.