Comparative digestibility by cattle versus sheep: Effect of forage quality1,2

نویسندگان

  • S. A. Soto-Navarro
  • R. Lopez
چکیده

The objective was to determine the effect of forage quality on apparent total tract digestibility and ruminal fermentation in cattle versus sheep. Five yearling English crossbred (Hereford × Angus) steers (440.4 ± 35.6 kg of initial BW) and 5 yearling whiteface (Rambouillet × Columbia × Debouillet) wethers (44.4 ± 4.6 kg of initial BW), each fitted with a ruminal cannula, were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 forage sources within ruminant specie, and the study was conducted over 3 periods. For forage source, both animal and period served as the blocking factor with all forage sources represented once within each animal and all forage sources represented at least once within each period. The treatment structure was arranged in a 2 × 3 factorial with ruminant species (2) and forage source (3) as the factors. Forage sources were 1) alfalfa hay (Medicago sativa; 17.5% CP and 34.1% NDF, DM basis), 2) warm-season grass hay mix (Bothriochloa ischaemum and Cynodon dactylon; 7.3% CP and 74.7% NDF, DM basis), and 3) lovegrass hay (Eragrostis curvula; 2.5% CP and 81.9% NDF, DM basis). As a percent of BW, steers and wethers consumed similar (P ≤ 0.06) amounts of forage, and intake was more influenced by forage quality (P < 0.001) than ruminant species (P = 0.35). When expressed per unit of metabolic BW, cattle consumed more (P < 0.001) DM, NDF, and N than sheep. Apparent total tract digestibility was similar among steers and wethers when alfalfa or grass hay was fed, but decreased to a greater extent in wethers when low-quality lovegrass hay was fed (ruminant species × diet interaction, P ≤ 0.01). Rate (%/h) of ruminal NDF disappearance was greater (P = 0.02) for alfalfa and grass hay than lovegrass, but was not influenced (P = 0.12) by ruminant species. In addition, ruminal DM fill was influenced more (P < 0.01) by forage than by ruminant species (P = 0.07). Steers and wethers had greater (P < 0.01) DM fill from grass hay and lovegrass hay than alfalfa before and 5 h after feeding. Ruminal VFA were generally not influenced (P ≥ 0.06) by ruminant specie. Results suggest that apparent total tract digestibilities are more similar among ruminant species when moderateto high-quality forages are evaluated. However, sheep are not an adequate model for cattle when low-quality forages are compared because cattle digest low-quality forages to a greater extent than sheep. Expressing digestibility as digestible intake per unit of BW allows for a wider range of forage qualities to be compared when substituting sheep for cattle.

برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

منابع مشابه

Comparative digestibility by cattle versus sheep: effect of forage quality.

The objective was to determine the effect of forage quality on apparent total tract digestibility and ruminal fermentation in cattle versus sheep. Five yearling English crossbred (Hereford × Angus) steers (440.4 ± 35.6 kg of initial BW) and 5 yearling whiteface (Rambouillet × Columbia × Debouillet) wethers (44.4 ± 4.6 kg of initial BW), each fitted with a ruminal cannula, were randomly assigned...

متن کامل

Relationships between Nutrit Ive Quality and Fiber Components of Cool Season and Warm Season Forages:a Retrospective Study 1

Feeding trials were conducted with 428 forages in three forage classes (C a grasses, legumes, C 4 grasses) fed ad l ibi tum to sheep and with 170 forages fed to cattle over a 20-yr period. Of this total, 153 forages were fed concurrently to sheep and cattle. Where the same forages were fed, mean dry matter digestibility (DMD) and dry matter intake (DMI) were lower (P < .01) for sheep than for c...

متن کامل

Comparative digestion, rumen fermentation and kinetics of forage diets by steers and wethers.

Four rumen fistulated wether and beef steers were used to evaluate differences in dry matter digestibility (DMD) between cattle and sheep. They were fed either perennial ryegrass or switchgrass hay at an ad libitum or restricted level for four experimental periods. Significant ruminant species X forage and ruminant species X level of intake (P less than .05) interactions were observed for diges...

متن کامل

Competition and facilitation between a native and a domestic herbivore: trade-offs between forage quantity and quality.

Potential competition between native and domestic herbivores is a major consideration influencing the management and conservation of native herbivores in rangeland ecosystems. In grasslands of the North American Great Plains, black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) are widely viewed as competitors with cattle but are also important for biodiversity conservation due to their role in cre...

متن کامل

Intake and digestion of wheat forage by stocker calves and lambs.

Because wheat forage contains high concentrations of N, NPN, digestible DM, and water, beef cattle and sheep require an adaptation period before positive BW are seen. The objective of the present experiment was to determine the impact of length of exposure of lambs and steers to wheat forage on BW gains, N retention, and forage digestibility. Sixteen steer calves (average BW = 210 +/- 12 kg) an...

متن کامل

ذخیره در منابع من


  با ذخیره ی این منبع در منابع من، دسترسی به آن را برای استفاده های بعدی آسان تر کنید

برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

عنوان ژورنال:

دوره   شماره 

صفحات  -

تاریخ انتشار 2014