Advanced Studies in Improving the Nutritional Status of Forage Crops for Better Livestock Productivity

Dear Colleagues,

Forage crops refer to plants, usually grasses (Poaceae) or herbaceous legumes (Fabaceae), consumed by animals, particularly livestock. The nutritional status of forage plants depends on the concentration and proportion of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids. The composition of these organic nutrients determines the digestibility of each plant, which, along with minerals and vitamins, provides the amount of energy the animal can obtain. The problem is the presence of anti-nutritional substances and inherent toxins. The quality of feed used in livestock nutrition is very important, as it determines not only the animal’s performance but also the quality of milk and dairy products (butter, cheese and yogurt) and beef. Forage crop quality is determined by genetic constitution and agronomic practices (irrigation management, harvesting stage, the number of cuttings and many others). In addition, climatic changes and abiotic stress factors can also affect forage quality. Nutrient application rate and the source of the nutrient also influence the quality aspect of forage crops. Another important factor is preservation technology involving inherent nutrient losses. For this reason, a wide range of studies on improving the nutritional status of forage crops is carried out.

In this Special Issue, we are looking for publications that can bring together different aspects concerning the improvement of the nutritional status of forage crops. All types of articles, such as original research, opinions and reviews, are welcome.

Dr. Barbara Wróbel
Dr. Waldemar Zielewicz
Guest Editors

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