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Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.) is a perennial legume recently reappraised for some positive charac- teristics leading to highly satisfactory animal perfor- mance. Sainfoin’s characteristics may be partly explained by the presence of moderate levels of condensed tannins (CTs) able to protect dietary protein from microbial degradation in the rumen. Decreased CH4 emissions have been reported for ruminants consuming CT-containing forage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of CT content on the in vitro fermentation characteristics and kinetics and methane production of four samples of O. viciifolia cut at different phenological stages. Sainfoin hays and one sample of alfalfa hay were incubated at 39C in anaerobiosis using the in vitro gas production technique. The chemical composition, tannin content and fermentation charac- teristics and kinetics of sainfoin samples were signifi- cantly affected by phenological stage. After 48 h, the CH4 production in sainfoin hays showed a tendency to increase with the advancement of phenological stage [from 38Æ6 to 49 Æ8 mL g )1 of degraded organic matter (OM)]. The best period to cut sainfoin for hay making is between early and late flowering, when the forage combines high OM digestibility, low CH4 production and more efficient microbial fermentation.

La coltivazione del grano duro riveste da sempre un ruolo molto importante per Puglia e Campania per il numero delle aziende coinvolte e perché rappresenta uno dei maggiori bacini di produzione a cui si rivolge l’industria di trasformazione. La sperimentazione nazionale consente di identificare le varietà agronomicamente più stabili e quindi capaci di garantire un buon livello quali-quantitativo. Così Dipartimento di ingegneria agraria e agronomia del territorio dell’Università di Napoli ha contribuito alla realizzazione di 3 campi in Puglia e 2 in Campania, al fine di valutare il comportamento produttivo e merceologico delle 30 varietà previste dal protocollo sperimentale Rete nazionale di confronto varietale.

Experimental results of trials on pastures management and improvement, conducted by 10 University Institutes within the study team «Characterization of italian pastures» are reported. The trials carried out in different soil and climate conditions, ranging from the Alps to the southern Appennines and to the Islands, in different years, provide some conclusive and generaI considerations. With periodical cuts, the forage availability period becomes longer, while using one cut at flowering yield results are higher. As far as management techniques are concerned, fertilization with the three main nutrients affects positively quanti-qualitative yield, although in real situations the application of one or two elements may be sufficient and more economically convenient, and in relation to the botanical composition. Undersowing determines positive effects both on botanical composition and on pasture utilization. Positive results, furthermore, are obtained by mechanical scrub clearing. Vengono riferiti i risultati sperimentali delle prove sulla gestione e sul miglioramento dei pascoli condotte da dieci Istituti Universitari costituenti il gruppo di studio «Caratterizzazione di pascoli italiani», Dalle prove condotte in ambienti pedoclimatici diversi, dalle alpi all'appennino meridionale ed alle isole, e in annate differenti, sono emerse come generalizzabili alcune considerazioni conclusive. Con sfalci periodici si allunga il periodo di disponibilità di foraggio verde, mentre con quello unico alla fioritura la produzione risulta più elevata. Per gli interventi tecnici, la concimazione con i tre macroelementi influisce favorevolmente sull'entità e sulla qualità della produzione, anche se, nelle situazioni concrete, può essere sufficiente, e più vantaggioso dal lato economico, la somministrazione di uno o due elementi, anche in relazione alla facies floristica. La trasemina determina effetti favorevoli sia sulla composizione floristica sia nella migliore utilizzazione del pascolo. Risultati positivi, infine, si conseguono con il decespugliamento meccanico.

The mixture legume/grass determines agronomic advantages (i.e. lower N fertilization) and more equilibrate energy/N ratio in the forage for ruminant (Betti et al., 1992). In South of Italy, the most utilized intercropped forages are barley-fava bean and vetch-oats due to the particular climatic conditions.

The aim of the paper was to study the fermentation of the neutral detergent soluble fraction (NDS) using a 2x3x2 factorial arrangement of two intercropped forages (barley/broad bean and vetch/oats) collected at three growth stages and preserved by haymaking. Each feed sample and its isolated NDF were fermented in vitroand gas production was monitored utilizing the in vitrogas production technique (IVGPT). NDS gas yield was determined by the difference between gas from the unfractioned forage and that of its respective NDF. Haymaking decreased gas yield and rate of gas production from the unfractioned forage. Increasing maturi- ty did not change the final gas volume, but reduced the rate of gas production from the NDS fraction. The rate of gas production from the NDS fraction of hay decreased on average by 2.9 ml/h compared with fresh forage. On average, haymaking reduced the gas yield from the NDS fraction by 18.70%. The curve subtrac- tion technique can be used to study the effects of haymaking on the neutral detergent soluble fraction of for- ages.