The effect of chewing by sheep in the release of nitrogen and soluble carbohydrates from plant cells

Abstract

Three sheep in pens were fed cut white clover (Trifolium repens L.). On six separate days samples were collected through oesophageal fistulas and the length of the extruded pieces was taken as a measure of the amount of chewing and was related to the quantities of nitrogen and soluble carbohydrate released. Correlation coefficients of 0.84 and 0.77 were found between the amount of chewing and the release of nitrogen and soluble carbohydrate respectively.