POTENTIAL OF THERMAL-ANALYSIS TO ESTIMATE CHEMICAL-COMPOSITION AND IN-VITRO FERMENTATION CHARACTERISTICS OF MAIZE

Organic matter and cell wall degradation (OMD and CWD) are important q uality traits of maize which may be estimated by in vitro assays using rumen fluid. However, these assays have some large disadvantages whic h stimulate research for alternative methods. The objective of this st udy was to evaluate the potential of the thermal analysis techniques, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TG), to estimate OMD, CWD, and related forage quality traits of maize. For all DSC and TG properties distinguishable in DSC and TG thermograms, larg e variations existed among 25 maize samples. Multiple linear regressio n models including both DSC and TG variates could explain a major part of the variation of most forage quality traits. The relatively short analysis time, the high reproducibilty of measurements, and the high p redictive potential as shown by the low standard error of prediction i ndicate that DSC and TCT may be used to predict forage quality charact eristics of maize.