Understand why forage quality is often a more important issue than is grain quality

Understand why forage quality must be viewed in the context of the animals for which the forage is intended

Understand the functional relationships between the four compartments of the ruminant stomach

Understand the function of rumination in forage digestion

Know that forage quality is influenced by many things including: fertility, weather, harvest management, maturity, species, etc.

Understand the two broad classes of constituents that comprise forage dry matter

Know the major constituents that comprise cell contents and their relative availability to livestock

Understand the main factor limiting cell contents utilization by ruminant livestock

Understand the structure and availability of cell wall constituents including: cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, pectin, cutin,

Be able to compare and contrast the Proximate Analysis System and the Van Soest Detergent Fiber Analysis System for forage fiber analysis

Understand how to use NDF values to predict intake

Understand the limitations to intake by ruminant animals

Understand how intake can be estimated using bite weight, biting frequency, and grazing time

Understand how to use ADF values to predict digestibility

Know how to calculate relative feed value (RFV) and its meaning

Understand how in vivo, in vitro, and cellulase techniques can be used to estimate digestibility and the (dis)advantages of each method

Understand how crude protein concentrations are determined and what they mean

Understand how put-and-take stocking can be used to determine forage quality.

Understand how NIRS is used to estimate forage quality and the (dis)advantages of this approach

Understand why maturity influences forage quality

Understand how environment (i.e., temperature, water stress, N, ....) alters forage quality

Know that genetic differences in forage quality can occur and be able to discuss how this can happen

Understand how biotic stresses (pathogens, insects,..) can alter forage quality

Be aware of the impact of weathering on forage quality

Understand the concept of palatability and factors that contribute to it.

Understand the concept of rate of passage and factors that contribute to it.

Be aware of forage quality issues that relate to use of weeds as forage

Know the cause and proper management of the following animal-livestock problems: bloat, prussic acid (HCN) poisoning, grass tetany, nitrate toxicity, alkaloids, and tannins