The voluntary intake of roughages by steers

Blaxter, K. L.; Wilson, R. S.

doi:10.1017/s0003356100040769

Cited by 61 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Herbage intake increases with digestibility of the feed on offer (Blaxter and Wilson 1962), apparently peaking at dry matter digestibilities of 56 to 67% in stall-fed cattle (Montgomery and Baumgardt 1965;Conrad 1966). Voluntary intake of legumes has been observed to be 28% greater than for equally digestible grasses (Minson 1971).…”

Section: Herbage Intakementioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancing pasture productivity with alfalfa: A review

Popp¹,

McCaughey²,

Cohen³

et al. 2000

Can. J. Plant Sci.

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, W. 2000. Enhancing pasture productivity with alfalfa: A review. Can. J. Plant Sci. 80: 513-519. Alfalfa has been recognized for its superior yield and quality in seeded pastures. However, when grazing immature alfalfa there is a risk of animal losses due to frothy bloat in some ruminant livestock. Inclusion of at least 50% grass in the pasture mixture is commonly recommended to reduce the risk of bloat. Two decades of plant breeding have resulted in the release of AC Grazeland, an alfalfa cultivar that reduces the incidence of bloat. Other bloat control agents such as pluronic detergents and ionophores can also be of value. Development of grazing-tolerant alfalfa varieties is solving some of the problems associated with lack of persistence of alfalfa in mixed stands; however, they are not bloat-safe. Animal productivity commonly increases when alfalfa is included in pasture mixtures. Improvements in cattle rate of gain are observed when alfalfa contributes as little as 35% to the sward. Grazing management is the principal method for controlling pasture yield and quality as well as animal performance and bloat incidence. When grazing management is used to optimize pasture production and nutrient intake, yearling steers can gain as much as 1.5 kg head -1 d -1 and liveweight production ranging from 107 kg ha -1 (on dryland) to 1946 kg ha -1 (under irrigation) can be expected. Limiting utilization of alfalfa-based pasture to ≤70% may be more important for maximizing gain per head than managing herbage quality. La luzerne est reconnue pour son rendement éléve, tant en quantité qu'en qualité, dans les pâturages de semis. Toutefois quand on fait pâturer de la luzerne trop jeune, on court le risque de pertes d'animaux dues au météorisme chez certaines espèces de ruminants, c'est pourquoi on conseille généralement d'inclure au moins 50 % de graminées dans les mélanges à pâturage. Deux décennies d'amélioration génétique ont abouti à la mise au commerce de AC Grazeland, un cultivar de luzerne moins météorisant. Des substances antimétéorisme comme les détergents pluroniques et les ionophores, peuvent avoir une certaine efficacité. La sélection de variétés de luzerne tolérantes à la pâture règle quelques-uns des problèmes liés au manque de longévité de la luzerne en peuplement mixte, mais elle n'apporte aucune solution au problème du météorisme. La productivité animale augmente généralement lorsque la luzerne est incluse dans les associations à pâturage. Une proportion d'aussi peu que 35 % de luzerne dans la prairie provoque des améliorations du taux de gain des bestiaux. La conduite du pâturage demeure le principal moyen de manipuler le rendement et la qualité de l'herbe, de même que les performances zootechniques et les risques de météorisme. Lorsque la conduite du pâturage est utilisée pour optimiser la production d'herbe et l'absorption d' éléments nutritifs, des bouvillons d'un an peuvent prendre jusqu'à 1,5 kg par jour et par animal avec une production en vif allant de 107 kg ha -1 en culture sèche et à 1 946 kg ha -...

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Section: Herbage Intakementioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancing pasture productivity with alfalfa: A review

Popp¹,

McCaughey²,

Cohen³

et al. 2000

Can. J. Plant Sci.

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“…For example LWC was positively related to apparent digestible energy intake in beef cattle (Blaxter and Wilson, 1962) and to net energy intake in stalled dairy cows (Davenport, 1964) but was not a significant term in the reports of and .…”

Section: The Significance Of the Variablesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prediction of the voluntary intake of food by dairy cows: 1. Stall-fed cows in late pregnancy and early lactation

1970

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SUMMARYData from 22, 28, 36 and 41 pregnant cows in weeks 4, 3, 2 and 1 before calving respectively and 51, 65, 56 and 36 cows in weeks 1 to 4, 5 to 8, 9 to 12 and 13 to 16 of lactation respectively were used in multiple regression analyses to study the feasibility of predicting the daily total and the roughage organic matter and digestible organic matter intakes of cows given known weights of concentrates plus roughage ad libitum. The digestibility of the total intake and of the roughage component, the weight of concentrates eaten per day, the proportion of roughage in the total intake, age, milk yield, fat-corrected milk yield, live-weight gain and the 1·0, 0·73 and 0·66 exponents of live weight were used as independent variables.The accuracy of the models was assessed from the significance of the partial regression coefficients, the size of the residual standard errors, and the population tolerance limits about predicted values, and by applying selected models to a set of data not included in the study. The results indicated that the precision likely to be achieved in the prediction of intake for individual cows was of limited practical application, but the mean intakes of groups of 30 similar cows could be predicted with an acceptable level of accuracy for practical application. In general, weight of concentrates offered and the digestibility of the roughage were the most effective independent variables in all cows, together with milk yield in lactating cows. The application of the results to conventional feeding systems and to complete diets offered ad libitum is discussed.

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“…Voluntary intake increases with digestibility of a feed (Blaxter and Wilson 1962) reaching a plateau between 56% (Montgomery and Baumgardt 1965) and 67% (Conrad 1966) dry matter digestibility. Voluntary intake of legumes has been observed to be 28% higher than that of equally digestible grasses (Minson 1971).…”

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confidence: 99%

Effect of grazing system, stocking rate and season of use on herbage intake and grazing behaviour of stocker cattle grazing alfalfa-grass pastures

Popp¹,

McCaughey²,

Cohen³

1997

Can. J. Anim. Sci.

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. 1997. Effect of grazing system, stocking rate and season of use on herbage intake and grazing behaviour of stocker cattle grazing alfalfa-grass pastures. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 77: 677-682. An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of grazing system (continuous and rotational), stocking rate (light, 1.1 steers ha -1 ; heavy, 2.2 steers ha -1 ) and season of use on forage intake and grazing behaviour of stocker cattle grazing an approximately 70% alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), 25% meadow bromegrass (Bromus biebersteinii Roem & Schult.) and 5% Russian wildrye (Psathyrostachys juncea (Fisch.) Nevski) pasture. To determine organic matter intake, grazed herbage was collected with esophageal fistulated cattle and analyzed for in vitro digestible organic matter while fecal output was determined using chromic oxide. These variables were used to calculate organic matter intake. Daily herbage consumption (g OM kg BW -0.75 d -1 and kg OM d -1 ) did not differ (P > 0.05) for either grazing system or stocking rate from 1991 to 1993, with the exception of greater (P < 0.05) intakes at light compared with heavy stocking rates (10.9 vs. 8.4; kg OM d -1 ) late in the 1991 season. Grazing time was usually lower (8.9 vs. 10.3 h (3-yr mean); P < 0.05) in lightly than in heavily stocked pastures. As available herbage increased, cattle spent less time grazing (y = 12.46 -0.00103 x; r = 0.48, RSD = 2.04, P < 0.001; where y = grazing time and x = herbage mass). Biting rates ranged from 28 to 32 bites min -1 , regardless of year, season, grazing system or stocking rate. Rate of intake (g OM kg -1 BW 0.75 h -1 ) did not differ (P > 0.05) for either grazing system, although it tended to be greater (P < 0.10) at light than at heavy stocking rates. As animals in lightly stocked pastures spent less time grazing, herbage was consumed at an increased rate, which was reflected in increased average daily gain (y = 0.28 + 0.067 x; r = 0.86, RSD = 0.14, P < 0.001; where y = daily gain and x = intake rate). Our results suggest that daily herbage consumption was not affected by grazing system or stocking rate; however, at lower stocking rates, grazing time declined and intake rate tended to increase. . Pour la mesure de la prise de matière organique, l'herbe ingérée était prélevée sur des bovins munis de fistules oesophagiennes et analysée sur la teneur en matière organique (m.o.) digestible in vitro, tandis que les excréments étaient mesurés à l'acide chromique. La consommation d'herbage journalière (g m.o. kg PV 0,75 j -1 et kg m.o. j -1 ) était sensiblement la même quels que soient le système pastoral ou le taux de chargement de 1991 à 1993 sauf qu'en fin de saison 1991, elle était plus forte (P < 0,05) au taux de chargement léger qu'à celui de chargement lourd, soit 10,9 contre 8,4 kg m.o. j -1 . Le temps de broutage était d'ordinaire également plus court (8,9 contre 10,3 h, moyenne de 3 ans, P < 0,05) au taux de chargement léger et à mesure que l'herbe devenait plus abondante, les bêtes passaient moins de temps à brouter (y = 12,46 -0,0...

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The voluntary intake of roughages by steers

Cited by 61 publications

References 3 publications

Enhancing pasture productivity with alfalfa: A review

Enhancing pasture productivity with alfalfa: A review

Prediction of the voluntary intake of food by dairy cows: 1. Stall-fed cows in late pregnancy and early lactation

Effect of grazing system, stocking rate and season of use on herbage intake and grazing behaviour of stocker cattle grazing alfalfa-grass pastures

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