title: Relationship between hydroxycinnamic acid content, lignin composition and digestibility of maize silages in sheep.
abstract: Cell wall-bound hydroxycinnamic acids and the composition of lignin were studied in relation to the digestibility of a collection of 91 maize silages in wethers. Total lignin and guaiacyl content showed the highest correlation coefficients with digestibility. Using the above-mentioned chemical parameters, eight equations were also developed to predict digestibility. The prediction of organic matter digestibility produced a high adjusted R2 value (0.487) using total lignin, guaiacyl, esterified ferulic acid and esterified p-coumaric acid content as predictors. The prediction of in vivo dry matter digestibility produced a higher adjusted R2 value (0.516) using the same variables as predictors. Cell wall digestibility depends on a multiplicity of factors and it is not possible to attribute a causal effect on in vivo digestibility to any single factor. However, total lignin, guaiacyl and p-coumaric acid content emerge as good predictors of digestibility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Biology, Plant Biology and Ecology, University of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Novo-Uzal
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taboada
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rivera
authors.forename: Gonzalo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Flores
authors.forename: Alfonso Ros
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Barceló
authors.forename: Antón
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Masa
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pomar
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D003373:Coumaric Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D004063:Digestion / Q000502:physiology*; D008031:Lignin / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D012756:Sheep / Q000502:physiology*; D012820:Silage / Q000032:analysis*; D003313:Zea mays / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D003373:Coumaric Acids; D008031:Lignin