A cellulase digestion technique for predicting the dry matter digestibility of grasses

Abstract A digestion technique using a commercially‐available crude cellulase preparation from Trichoderma viride is described. The enzyme showed cellulase, hemicellulase and proteolytic activity when tested on herbage or herbage polysaccharides. A high correlation (r = 0.92, P < 0.001, residual standard deviation 2.5) was found between a simple one stage enzyme digestion and in vivo dry matter digestibility for a range of grass species and varieties. In vitro dry matter digestibility and detergent fibre were also determined on the same samples and the results correlated with in vivo dry matter digestibility. The cellulase method is rapid and reproducible and particularly well suited for the evaluation of plant material in breeding programmes.