Net assimilation rate of forages and forage intake of ruminants as relatedusing a hypothetic equation suggested to growth analysis of both forages and ruminants

In this study another-type hypothetic equation with three parameters, which was slightly different in the form from the previous equation (Shimojo et al., 1998b), was suggested to the growth analysis of both forages and rumin ants. From the present hypothetic equation, absolute growth rate [AGR] and relative growth rate [RGR] of forages and those of ruminants were derived a s special cases. In addition, when a certain substitution was made for para meters, AGR and RGR equations each were shown to be composed of daily forag e intake [DFI] per animal or per unit body weight, net assimilation rate [N AR] per plant, and the term suggesting a sort of relationship between rumin ant DFI and forage NAR. This relationship was suggested by adjusting growth period and yield of the forage to be equal to its feeding period and cumul ative intake in the ruminant, respectively.