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Milk Index - the brand for high forage quality Euro Grass is in the forefront of forage quality Euro Grass varieties and mixtures with Milk Index What is important to know about forage quality? Why did Euro Grass introduce this brand?
Euro Grass is in the forefront of forage quality Not only been selecting for yield, disease resistance and other classical criteria, they also have been analyzing for Euro Grass takes a new step forward in forage grass breeding. For several years the Euro Grass breeders have the most important forage quality parameters. All varieties are tested on digestibility of organic matter, crude protein, water soluble carbohydrates (mainly sugar), cell wall-fraction, digestibility of cell wall and ash-content. So Euro Grass does more than sugar. How does “Milk Index” work? You can identify all high forage quality varieties or mixtures at the symbol „Milk index“ (MI). The marked varieties are not only tested by Euro Grass. The Milk Index-varieties are above average in forage quality, based on the NIAB list for recommended grass and clover varieties 2011/12 or other independent European institutes. Since a long time examination of forage quality is part of the NIAB recommendation in England and Wales, so it is already a very important part in variety recommendation there. In the meantime forage quality for grasses is discussed in nearly all European countries and may become part of the official recommendation there as well.
What is the farmer’s benefit? Forage quality – for British farmers essential since years Since a long time forage quality of grasses is an essential characteristic in variety recommendation in England and Wales. The characteristics in the official testing are:
According to NIAB (official institute for variety recommendation in England and Wales) trials have shown that
  Calculation feeding quality: When grass silage/fresh grass of AstonEnergy (unlimited intake) is given, then a dairy cow will produce additional 0,75 l milk per day compared to a dairy cow, fed with silage, which is produ-ced out of all other tetraploid intermediate perennial ryegrasses (without hybrids and AstonEnergy).
22.900 l more milk are possible with AstonEnergy!
Euro Grass varieties and mixtures with Milk Index Euro Grass started to analyze feeding quality for perennial ryegrass, as the most important forage grass specie in Europe. Since a few years Euro Grass decided not only to focus on perennial ryegrass, to look also in other species for varieties which are better in forage quality then others. Now Euro Grass can show with LITONIO, Italian ryegrass, and PRESTO, timothy, two new species and varieties which are ahead in forage quality. Perennial ryegrass
Italian ryegrass Timothy Forage grass mixtures
What is important to know about forage quality? The forage quality of grasses is determined by different factors, which as a whole influence palatability, digestibility and nutritive value of fresh grass or silage. High forage quality has influence on… Lactation The ratio of protein and energy in terms of amount and synchrony in time of availability in the rumen strongly influences the milk (protein) yield. Rumen microbes can rapidly degrade herbage protein and, depending on the available energy, synthesize this into microbial protein which can efficiently be utilised in milk protein production. To optimise the potential microbial protein synthesis rapidly available energy in form of sugar is necessary. When this energy is missing the rumen-degradable protein is not fully utilised in milk protein production. The rate of forage degradation i.e. cell wall digestibility is very important for the synchrony of protein and energy in the rumen. Once the cell wall is degraded, sugar is easily available as a rapidly degradable source of energy. In general, due to a higher passage rate, a higher cell wall digestibility increases the potential forage (DM) intake and as such also the animal performance. Silage making Cell wall digestibility (DNDF) and sugar content also play a major role in silage making. The ensiling process is based on exclusion of air (anaerobic environment) and acidification in which lactic acid bacteria convert sugar to lactic acid. The cell wall structure strongly determines the availability of sugar for lactic acid bacteria. When the cell wall is highly digestible, the cell wall is easily degraded and sugar in thecell contents can easily be reached by lactic acid bacteria. A high sugar content stimulates an ideal lactic acid fermentation resulting in a rapid pH reduction and consequently a high storage stability. Euro Grass Breeding analyses the quality parameters mentioned in the table for both new applicants and registered varieties. The aim of the comprehensive analyses is to develop varieties with improved performance compared to existing varieties regarding the multitude of quality parameters.  Why did Euro Grass introduce this brand?
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