Strategies of food comminution
Description:
Within a group of herbivores like e.g. the ruminants specialisation on particular types of food plants such as grass or dicotylous plants like browse or herbs occurs regularly. From certain characteristics in the chewing apparatus of the respective herbivores some conclusions can be drawn on respective differences between plants. But while there is some evidence for systematic differences in the chemical composition of the plant types, differences in mechanical characteristics of plants are less well understood. Well-known is the higher abrasiveness of grass compared to browse, and differences in the shape of particles resulting from the comminution process. It is the goal of project C4 to evaluate such differences in mechanical characteristics of plant groups. On the one hand this is done via feeding trials with goats on the other hand laboratory methods are used to evaluate characteristics of plants like their comminution resistance or the influence of comminution on their degradation rate.
Executive Institute:
Institute of Animal Science (ITW) Details of Institute of Animal Science
Parent institution:
Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms University of Bonn Details of Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms University of Bonn (North Rhine-Westphalia)
Contract period:
01. 01. 2007 - 31. 12. 2010
Collaborative Project:
FOR 771 Details of FOR 771
Funding Programme:
- DFG Research Unit Details of DFG Research Unit
Subject:
- Animal nutrition
Purpose of research:
Basic research
Funding Institutions:
- German Research Council (DFG) (DFG) Details of (DFG)
Project Management Agency:
- German Research Council (DFG) (DFG) Details of DFG