Studies on the diet of the grazing animal. I. Seasonal changes in the diet of sheep grazing on pastures of different availability and composition

1966 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 543 ◽  
Author(s):  
GW Arnold ◽  
J Ball ◽  
WR McManus ◽  
IG Bush
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Composition ◽  
Seasonal Changes ◽  
Grazing Intensity ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Soluble Carbohydrate ◽  
Sheep Grazing ◽  
Annual Grasses ◽  
Species Declines ◽  
Carbohydrate Contents ◽  
Clover Pasture

The diet of grazing sheep was studied by using animals with oesophageal fistulas. Seasonal changes in the botanical and chemical composition of the diet when grazing Phalaris–annual grasses–subterranean clover pasture are described. The effect of grazing intensity on diet is considered. A comparison was made of diets on seven pasture species. None of the species examined had a useful qualitative superiority over Phalaris either in winter or in summer, when the digestibility of this species declines considerably. Relations between botanical and chemical composition of the diet and the pasture are discussed. Significant relations were established between the nitrogen and soluble carbohydrate contents of diets and their digestibility.

The performance of young sheep grazing pastures sown to combinations of lucerne or subterranean clover with ryegrass or phalaris

1972 ◽  
Vol 12 (56) ◽  
pp. 240 ◽  
Author(s):  
KFM Reed ◽  
RW Snaydon ◽  
A Axelsen
Keyword(s):  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Animal Production ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Legume Species ◽  
Sheep Grazing ◽  
Wool Production ◽  
High Production ◽  
Supplementary Feed ◽  
Stocking Rates ◽  
Clover Pasture

Young sheep were rotationally grazed, at two stocking rates, on pasture sown to combinations of two legume species (lucerne or subterranean clover) and two grass species (a mixture of annual and biennial ryegrass or phalaris) at Canberra. Liveweight gains were 45 per cent greater, and wool production was 10 per cent greater, on the lucerne dominant pasture (87 per cent lucerne) than on the grass dominant subterranean clover pasture (8 per cent subterranean clover). The differences were maximum during summer, but also occurred during spring. Mortality and supplementary feed requirement on grass dominant pasture was double that on lucerne pasture. Liveweight gains were 13 per cent greater on pasture sown to ryegrass than on pasture sown to phalaris. Sheep mortality was eight times greater on the phalaris than on the ryegrass pasture, and survival feed requirements at least double. The superior animal production from lucerne pasture was due mainly to the ability of lucerne to grow during periods of low rainfall and to maintain a high production of legume in the pasture.

Changes in the Distribution and Chemical Composition of Hymenolepis diminnta, and the Intestinal Nutritional Gradients of Uninfected and Parasitized Rats following a Glucose Meal

1972 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 407-429 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. F. Mettrick
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Chemical Composition ◽  
Hymenolepis Diminuta ◽  
Soluble Carbohydrate ◽  
Test Diet ◽  
Protein Nitrogen ◽  
Rat Duodenum ◽  
Amino Acid Contents ◽  
Lower Ileum ◽  
Carbohydrate Contents

1. The protein nitrogen, carbohydrate and amino acid contents of the rat duodenum, jejunum, upper and lower ileum have been determined for up to 3 hr following the feeding of a glucose-containing test diet.2. The changes in distribution of Hymenolepis diminuta within the intestine and the changes in worm total nitrogen and carbohydrate have been followed over the same period following the same diet.3. The glucose and TCA-soluble carbohydrate contents of the uninfected gut were approximately double those of the parasitized animals.

Observations on the removal of Oesophagostomum columbianum Curtice from sheep grazing on green oats and on pastures.

1955 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 456 ◽  
Author(s):  
WH Southcott
Keyword(s):  
Considerable Increase ◽  
Red Clover ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Sheep Grazing ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Oesophagostomum Columbianum ◽  
Clover Pasture

Field trials in 1951 and 1952 confirmed previous observations on the evacuation of adult Oesophagostomum columbianum Curtice from sheep which graze continuously on green oats. Ingestion of phalaris-subterranean clover or red clover pasture also resulted in the evacuation of some O. columbianum but was much less effective in this regard. Evacuation of O. columbianum from sheep on green oats was not complete and was associated with softening, and lowering of the pH, of the faeces. The phenomenon occurred both with and without a considerable increase in liveweight. Some of the factors associated with oat-grazing which may influence removal of O. columbianum are discussed.

scholarly journals GRAZING INTENSITY AND SOIL NITROGEN ACCUMULATION

1985 ◽  
pp. 65-69
Author(s):  
J.H. Hoglund
Keyword(s):  
Soil Nitrogen ◽  
Carbon Balance ◽  
Grazing Intensity ◽  
N Fixation ◽  
Nitrogen Accumulation ◽  
Sheep Grazing ◽  
Carbon And Nitrogen ◽  
Animal Excreta ◽  
Grazing Intensities ◽  
Clover Pasture

The balance between the litter and animal excreta pathways was varied by imposing a range of sheep grazing intensities on a dryland ryegrass-white clover pasture for 3 years. In contrast to laxly grazed treatments, hard grazed treatments lost soil carbon and nitrogen. Greatest overall losses occurred in the driest year, and lowest losses occurred in years of greatest pasture growth. The importance of allowing some litter cycling, by avoiding continual hard grazing is discussed. Keywords: N-fixation, soil nitrogen, grazing, carbon, balance, litter, pasture.

Urinary sediments in sheep feeding on oestrogenic clover. V.* Seasonal changes in the excretion of components of calculi and sediments

1976 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 867 ◽  
Author(s):  
MC Nottle
Keyword(s):  
Urinary Tract ◽  
Seasonal Changes ◽  
Urinary Tract Obstruction ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Biochanin A ◽  
Sheep Grazing ◽  
Urolithin A ◽  
Urolithin B ◽  
Layer Chromatography ◽  
Clover Pasture

Urine collections (24-hr) were made at 14-day intervals from early July to late October on six sheep grazing a pasture with oestrogenic Trifolium subterraneum cv. Dinninup dominant. Thin-layer chromatography was used to estimate urinary concentrations of formononetin, equol and 4'-O-methyl equol and to demonstrate the presence of benzocoumarins (urolithins A and B), biochanin A, indigotin and indirubin, which have been found in calculi or sediments from sheep grazing oestrogenic clover pastures. Formononetin levels ranged from 0.6 to 1.0mg% until late August and then from 1.2 to 1.7 mg %, the latter level occurring in late September. Equol concentration fluctuated between 8 and 15 mg % for the first eight collections but in the last two, in early and late October, levels reached 30 and 60 mg % respectively. The concentration of 4'-O-methyl equol ranged from 3 to 8 mg % until mid August and attained a peak of 29 mg % in late August. Between early September and early October values ranged from 15 to 23 mg % but by late October only trace amounts were present. Urolithin B appeared in all or most samples at each collection but urolithin A occurred in relatively few samples per collection until mid September. From mid September to late October the highest concentrations of both urolithins were attained. Indigotin generally occurred in only one urine at each collection but from mid August to mid September it was present in three or four urines per collection. Indirubin was present in all urines in all collections except the last, when it was present in only one urine. Biochanin A was detected only in urines collected in late September and early October. The relevance of these results to the period of formation of different calculi or sediments found in sheep grazing oestrogenic clover pasture and the implications of the metabolism of formononetin to equol and 4'-O-methyl equol in relation to urinary tract obstruction are discussed. ________________ *Part IV, Aust. J. Agric. Res., 26: 313 (1975).

Impact of grazing intensity on herbage quality, feed intake and live weight gain of sheep grazing on the steppe of Inner Mongolia

2013 ◽  
Vol 152 (1) ◽  
pp. 153-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. MÜLLER ◽  
U. DICKHOEFER ◽  
L. LIN ◽  
T. GLINDEMANN ◽  
C. WANG ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Weight Gain ◽  
Chemical Composition ◽  
Inner Mongolia ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Grazing Intensity ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Sheep Grazing ◽  
Live Weight Gain

SUMMARYThe grassland steppe of Inner Mongolia is traditionally used for sheep grazing. However, overgrazing reduced vegetation cover in winter, thereby increasing soil erosion and consequently, degradation of the steppe vegetation. Grazing intensity (GI) is still the most important factor in pasture management. Hence, the aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of GI on grassland and sheep performance. A grazing experiment was conducted from July until September in 2005, 2006 and 2007 in which six different GI ranging from very light (GI 1), light (GI 2), light-moderate (GI 3), moderate (GI 4) and heavy (GI 5) to very heavy (GI 6) were tested. Each GI treatment comprised two adjacent plots that were alternately used for grazing or hay-making each year. Variables measured included herbage mass (HM) and chemical composition, digestibility of ingested organic matter (dOM), organic matter intake (OMI) and live weight gain (LWG) of sheep. The HM decreased significantly with increasing GI from 1·01 t (GI 1) to 0·45 t dry matter (DM)/ha (GI 6). There were only minor effects of GI on chemical composition and digestibility of standing herbage. Moreover, dOM, OMI and hence, digestible OMI did not differ between GI. Across all study years, LWG of sheep was not influenced by GI so that LWG per hectare increased with increasing GI, reaching a maximum of 730 g/d at GI 6 compared with 181 g/d at GI 1. However, a strong decrease in LWG per sheep with increasing stocking rate was found in 2005 when annual rainfall was less than half of the long-term average, resulting in a similar LWG per hectare across the range of tested stocking rates. The results therefore show that intensive grazing does not reduce growth of individual animals in most years, but increases LWG per unit of land area and thus, income of farmers. The alternating use of pastures for grazing or hay-making might have mitigated the negative effects of heavy grazing on herbage and animal performance. Nevertheless, high GI may negatively affect grassland productivity in the long term and the lack of HM on offer on heavy grazed pastures in dry years will require supplement feeding at the end of the vegetation period or the untimely sale of animals.

The effect of the quantity and quality of pasture available to sheep on their grazing behaviour

1960 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1034 ◽  
Author(s):  
GW Arnold
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Content ◽  
Practical Implication ◽  
Latin Square ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Linear Increase ◽  
Sheep Grazing ◽  
Rate Of Increase ◽  
Clover Pasture ◽  
Grazing Behaviour

During the spring of 1969 four originally similar plots of a Phalaris tuberosa subterranean clover pasture were grazed at different stocking levels to produce a range in levels of pasture availability. The plots were subsequently grazed at 12, 16, 20, and 24 sheep per acre in a 4 x 4 Latin square design. On these pastures, as the amount of pasture available decreased, there was a significant increase both in the nitrogen content of available material and in the diet selected by oesophageal-fistulated sheep grazing them. These differences in the quantity and quality of available pasture produced significant changes in the grazing behaviour of sheep. Grazing time showed a linear increase with decreasing pasture availability, but the rate of increase in grazing time was insufficient to maintain liveweight. Ruminating time was significantly reduced as pasture availability declined. There were considerable differences between sheep in their ability to increase their grazing times as pasture availability decreased. These differences could be of considerable practical implication.

The effects of grazing intensity on herbage consumption and animal production: III. Dairy cows grazed at two intensities on clean or contaminated pasture

1969 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 223-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. D. Greenhalgh ◽  
G. W. Reid
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Grazing Intensity ◽  
Milk Composition ◽  
The Other ◽  
Soluble Carbohydrate ◽  
Digestible Organic Matter ◽  
Carbohydrate Contents

SUMMARYOn three occasions in May—July one half of a ryegrass pasture was grazed intensively by cattle and the other was mown. In August and September these areas, designated fouled (F) and clean (C) respectively, were each strip-grazed by two groups of five cows. One group on each area had a herbage allowance of 11·4 kg dry matter per cow per day (C11 and F11) and the other 20·4 kg (C20 and F20).Before the August-September grazing the fouled area had 2·8% of its surface covered by faeces. After this grazing 23 % of the F n area and 34 % of the F20 area were classified as having been rejected by the cows. However, the upper parts of the sward on these rejected areas were in fact grazed. There were only small differences in N and soluble-carbohydrate contents between the herbages offered and rejected.Organic-matter digestibility (%) and intake (kg/cow per day) for the four groups were: C11, 73·0 and 10·5; C20, 74·9 and 11·7; F11 , 74·4 and 9·6; F20, 77·0 and 10·6. The C11 cows consumed all the herbage allowed to them, but the F11 rejected 13%. Digestible organic matter intake was affected more by grazing intensity than by fouling; this was the case also for milk yield, milk composition and the live-weight change of the cows.

scholarly journals Pasture production and liveweight gain from cocksfoot-subterranean clover pastures grazed at two stocking rates and closed at different times during spring

2008 ◽  
pp. 225-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Ates ◽  
R.J. Lucas ◽  
G.R. Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Dactylis Glomerata ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Sheep Grazing ◽  
Seedling Density ◽  
Pasture Production ◽  
Closing Date ◽  
Stocking Rates ◽  
Clover Pasture

The effect of stocking rate (8.3 (low) and 13.9 (high) ewes + twin lambs/ha) and time of closing in spring on lamb liveweight gain, pasture production and subterranean clover seedling densities was monitored over 2 years for a dryland cocksfoot-subterranean clover pasture in Canterbury. Keywords: cocksfoot, Dactylis glomerata, closing date, liveweight gain, seedling density, sheep grazing, stocking rate, subterranean clover, Trifolium subterraneum

Seasonal variations in the chemical composition and nutritive value of five pasture species in south-western Victoria

1987 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 807 ◽  
Author(s):  
GL Walsh ◽  
HA Birrell
Keyword(s):  
Perennial Ryegrass ◽  
Crude Protein ◽  
Nutritive Value ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Late Spring ◽  
The Other ◽  
Soluble Carbohydrate ◽  
Neutral Detergent Fibre ◽  
Western Victoria ◽  
Carbohydrate Contents

The dry matter digestibility (DMD), grinding energy, and the concentration of neutral detergent fibre, crude protein, soluble carbohydrate, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, and phosphorus in 5 pasture species were monitored over 2 years from pasture which was grazed at 14.8 sheep/ha in south-western Victoria. The species were: perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L. cv. Victorian), phalaris (Phalaris aquatica L. cv. Australian), Yorkshire fog grass (Holcus lanatus), subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum cv. Mount Barker), and capeweed (Arctotheca calendula). Perennial ryegrass and subterranean clover were the dominant species and contributed 50 and 20% DM, respectively, to the sward in winter and the opposite in spring. The DMD of the 5 pasture species did not vary greatly throughout the vegetative phase of growth (autumn-mid spring). In winter, fog grass was slightly less digestible (70-74% DMD), while the other grasses were similar (76-79% DMD). Subterranean clover was not digested (72-75% DMD) as thoroughly as the other species until after late spring; then it retained its digestibility while the digestibility of the others fell. None of the species provided digestible herbage above 65% DMD in the summer. The energy required for grinding herbage was lowest in the autumn-winter, and increased with a corresponding increase in neutral detergent fibre content as pastures matured in late spring. The crude protein content of all species declined from 27-30% in autumn to 18-20% in spring, while the soluble carbohydrate contents increased from about 54% in autumn to 10-13% by spring. The implications on animal production of these seasonal changes in nutritive value are discussed. Higher soluble carbohydrate contents in spring herbage than in autumn herbage possibly explain the better performance of animals when grazing spring pasture. The levels of magnesium, sodium and potassium were adequate for the dietary requirements of ruminants; however, on grass dominant pasture, shortages of calcium (0.14-0.25% DM) and phosphorus (0.11-0.24% DM) were likely in the summer when energy and protein were also deficient. The problem of a calcium deficiency is greatly reduced by the presence of legumes. Capeweed is an accumulator of minerals, but it is only occasionally eaten and is rarely present in summer; hence its presence is of marginal benefit to stock.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document