Variations in herbage mass and digestibility, and the grazing behaviour and herbage intake of adult cattle and weaned calves

Hodgson, J.; Jamieson, W. S.

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2494.1981.tb01537.x

Cited by 52 publications

(48 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Total volatile fatty acid concentration declined and the acetate:propionate ratio increased. Ruminal digestive disturbance in turn reduces DM intake (Hodgson and Jamieson 1981). The magnitude of weight loss, and time taken to regain turnout weight is affected by the previous rate of gain during the confinement period.…”

Section: Sward Characteristics and Weight Loss By Cattlementioning

confidence: 99%

Grazing behaviour and weight change of cattle turned out to pasture in spring

Charmley¹,

Jannasch²,

Boyd³

2003

Can. J. Anim. Sci.

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. Grazing behaviour and weight change of cattle turned out to pasture in spring. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 83: 801-808. In the first of two trials, 20 Hereford steers were allocated to two adjacent 1.6-ha pastures on 29 May 1996. Steers in one pasture were given no supplement, while those in the other received supplemental silage each day. All steers on each treatment grazed their allocated paddock continuously for 28 d. Steers on pasture were weighed and their behaviour was monitored periodically throughout the 4 wk of grazing. The dry matter (DM) availability at turnout (651 kg hd -1 ) was considered in excess to requirement, since neither availability nor sward height declined over 28 d. In spite of this, steers lost 15 kg after turnout and took 12 d to regain their initial weight. There were no treatment effects. Nutrient composition of the sward changed in accordance with advancing maturity. Percent of time observed grazing (51%) did not change over the 28-d period; however, rumination time increased from around 10 to 30%. Grazing behaviour was similar for steers on both treatments. Silage intake averaged only 1.3 kg DM hd -1 d -1 . In 1997, 28 yearling steers were used in a 2 × 2 factorial design to study the effect of turnout date to pasture [21 May (E) vs. 4 June (L)] and supplemental silage feeding on weight change, grazing behaviour, pasture productivity and forage quality over 28 d. The DM availability at turnout was 391 kg hd -1 . Available DM and sward height declined in both early and late treatments after turnout. The early group had to be removed from the trial after 16 d when sward height dropped below 4 cm. Sward quality after turnout declined only for the late group. Loss of body weight (BW) and days to regain initial BW after turnout were greater for early versus late steers. Steers ate only 0.5 kg silage DM hd -1 d -1 , but this reduced weight loss in late steers. Cattle turned out later spent less time grazing (P < 0.001 at 5 and 14 d) but no less time ruminating. Transient weight loss associated with turnout to pasture cannot be wholly explained by behavioural patterns. Other factors, such as altered ruminal conditions, must also play an important role. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 83: 801-808. Dans le premier de deux essais, le 29 mai 1996, on a placé 20 bouvillons Hereford dans deux pâturages adjacents de 1,6 ha. Seul les animaux du second pâturage ont reçu quotidiennement un supplément d'ensilage. Dans les deux cas, on a laissé les animaux brouter à satiété l'herbe de leur enclos pendant 28 jours. On a pesé et surveillé le comportement des animaux périodiquement durant les quatre semaines de paissance. La quantité de matière sèche disponible à la mise à l'herbe (651 kg par tête) dépassait les besoins des animaux, puisqu'au terme des 28 jours, ni les stocks ni la hauteur des graminées n'avaient diminué. Malgré cela, les animaux ont perdu 15 kg à la mise à l'herbe et il leur a fallu 12 jours pour retrouver leur poids original. Le temps passé à paître (51 %) n'a pas varié au cours des 28 jours, mais celui ...

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Section: Sward Characteristics and Weight Loss By Cattlementioning

confidence: 99%

Grazing behaviour and weight change of cattle turned out to pasture in spring

Charmley¹,

Jannasch²,

Boyd³

2003

Can. J. Anim. Sci.

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“…More simply, grazing can be considered as the alternation of 'step-sets/moving time' between feeding stations and of 'bitesets/grazing time' within feeding stations [52,76,134]. This breakdown makes it possible to determine for each diet the relative contribution of feeding station selection in the paddock and of bite choice on the feeding station.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Selection and use of feeding sites and feeding stations by herbivores: A review

Roguet¹,

Dumont²,

Prache³

1998

Ann. Zootech.

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-A better understanding of the animal x plant interaction is needed to develop management practices which will maintain a sufficiently rich and abundant vegetation in the pastures. Such practices would permit the animals to meet their nutritional requirements, and to ensure a sufficient production, while contributing to the maintenance of the environment. This review, drawn on a large number of experimental studies, takes stock of the factors influencing the selection and use of feeding sites and stations by herbivores. First, we present the theoretical framework in which the experimental observations are discussed. The general context of optimal foraging theory (OFT) and its predictions are described. Its 'applicability', usefulness and validity to study the foraging behaviour of herbivores are then discussed. Second, we analyse how forage (quantity and quality, plant species, distribution), environment (topography, distance to water, predator risk) and some animal factors (cognitive abilities, social organisation) affect the choice and use of feeding sites and stations. In spite of some problems of definitions ('patch', 'prey' for an herbivore?) and of the herbivores' specific characteristics, the OFT has been successfully used to explain the foraging behaviour of herbivores. However, animals' choices are rarely as absolute as predicted. Under

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“…The weight and the number of bites were used to calculate the fresh and dry weight of consumed material and the amount of water. This technique was applied also by Jamieson & Hodgson, 1979;Chamber et al 1981;Hodgson & Jamieson 1981;Illius & Gordan 1987;andHeneidy (1992, 1996). The total number of bites per animal per day of each plant species multiplied by the average weight of material removed in each bite will express the amount of material removed per animal per day.…”

Section: Consumptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rangelands in Arid Ecosystem

Heneidy¹

2012

Diversity of Ecosystems

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Variations in herbage mass and digestibility, and the grazing behaviour and herbage intake of adult cattle and weaned calves

Cited by 52 publications

References 19 publications

Grazing behaviour and weight change of cattle turned out to pasture in spring

Grazing behaviour and weight change of cattle turned out to pasture in spring

Selection and use of feeding sites and feeding stations by herbivores: A review

Rangelands in Arid Ecosystem

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