Meta-analysis of the effects of dietary inclusion of sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) forage on performance, digestibility, and rumen fermentation of small ruminants

Abstract A short survey was conducted in 2019 to determine knowledge of bioactive forages for parasite control, including specifically Sericea Lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata), before or during small ruminant workshops (also available online via SurveyMonkey® - link sent to a small ruminant email list). Questions also included livestock owned, hay grown and/or fed, and interest in bioactive forages, among others. Descriptive statistics were obtained by using weighted (by region for goat numbers) SURVEYMEANS procedures (SAS). A total of 151 surveys were completed, including paper (n = 45) and online responses (n = 106). Response rate for paper surveys was 90%. Twenty-six of the fifty states were represented and assigned to regions: Southeast (SE), Midwest (MW), Northeast (NE), and southwestern and western combined (SWW). The highest responses came from the SE (unweighted), but after weighting, the SWW region was represented at the highest level (P < 0.001). Nearly 100% of respondents had small ruminants on their farm, most fed both grass and legume hay (P < 0.001), 36.5 ± 8.6% raised hay, but very few sold hay (4.9 ± 1.5%; less than those that did not, P < 0.001). The most popular method of marketing for hay was “word of mouth” (P < 0.001). Prior knowledge of forage plants with bioactivity was noted for 78.0 ± 8.1% (P < 0.001) vs those without. Approximately a third of respondents had used or grown sericea lespedeza (32.8 ± 8.4%; P < 0.05) and most (tendency, P < 0.07) thought of it favorably. Almost half of respondents indicated they were willing to grow sericea lespedeza (P < 0.02). Other sericea lespedeza products of interest to respondents included primarily pellets (around 85.3 ± 8.3%), with little interest in silage (2.2 ± 1.1%; P < 0.0001). Producer surveys, such as this, help inform efforts for researchers and Extension staff.

Download Full-text

Feeding panicled tick-clover to growing goats reduces Haemonchus contortus infection without negative effects on growth

Journal of Applied Animal Nutrition ◽

10.1017/jan.2014.9 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 2 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

N.M. Cherry ◽

M. Bullinger ◽

B.D. Lambert ◽

J.P. Muir ◽

T.W. Whitney ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Feed Efficiency ◽

Control Diet ◽

Average Daily Gain ◽

Small Ruminants ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Lespedeza Cuneata ◽

Sericea Lespedeza ◽

Perennial Legume ◽

Growing Goats ◽

Desmodium Paniculatum

SummaryIn an effort to identify a forage legume with condensed tannins (CT) that reduce gastro-intestinal nematodes (GIN) in small ruminants without negative effects on nutrition, the following trial looked at the effects of two legumes containing CT on average daily gain (ADG) and faecal egg counts (FEC) in kid goats. Lespedeza cuneata (sericea lespedeza, SL) and Desmodium paniculatum (panicled tick-clover; PTC) were pelleted into isonitrogenous complete feeds containing 3.8% CT in a four week feeding trial. Compared to the alfalfa (Medicago sativa) control diet, SL decreased (P ≤ 0.05) feed efficiency and ADG while PTC had the same (P > 0.05) feed efficiency as alfalfa. The SL and PTC pelleted feeds increased (P = 0.006) daily feed intake by 4.5 kg and 3.7 kg, respectively, compared to alfalfa control, while kids consuming SL and PTC showed an average 44% reduction (P ≤ 0.05) in FEC compared to those fed alfalfa. The results showed that feeding PTC, an herbaceous, perennial legume native to much of North America, to goats may provide a natural means of reducing ruminant GIN while simultaneously providing a source of protein.

Download Full-text

Antioxidant and α-Glucosidase Inhibition Activities of Solvent Fractions from Methanolic Extract of Sericea Lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata G. Don)

Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition ◽

10.3746/jkfn.2012.41.11.1508 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 41 (11) ◽

pp. 1508-1514 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Hyun Young Kim ◽

Jee Yeon Ko ◽

Seuk Bo Song ◽

Jung In Kim ◽

Hye In Seo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Methanolic Extract ◽

Lespedeza Cuneata ◽

Sericea Lespedeza

Download Full-text

Geospatial Soil and Plant Tissue Analysis of Sericea Lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) Invasion around Lake Issaqueena, South Carolina

Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis ◽

10.1080/00103624.2016.1146746 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 47 (5) ◽

pp. 630-638 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Elena Mikhailova ◽

Donald Hagan ◽

Julia Sharp ◽

Tristan Allerton ◽

Kylie Burdette ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South Carolina ◽

Plant Tissue ◽

Tissue Analysis ◽

Lespedeza Cuneata ◽

Sericea Lespedeza

Download Full-text

Effects of Sericea Lespedeza on Feed Intake, Digestion, and Ruminal Methane Emission in Hair Sheep

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1093/jas/skab096.075 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 99 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 41-41

Author(s):

Luana L Ribeiro ◽

Ryszard Puchala ◽

Arthur L Goetsch

Keyword(s):

Methane Emission ◽

Feed Intake ◽

Dry Matter ◽

Coconut Oil ◽

Mixed Effects ◽

Repeated Measure ◽

Lespedeza Cuneata ◽

Hair Sheep ◽

Initial Body Weight ◽

Sericea Lespedeza

Abstract Eighteen Katahdin (initial body weight of 74 kg; SEM=1.8) and 18 St. Croix ewes (55 kg; SEM=1.3) were used in an experiment with four 6-wk periods to determine effects of dietary level of Sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) containing 5.8% condensed tannins (dry matter; DM) and other supplemental ingredients on feed intake, digestion, and ruminal methane emission. Diets were consumed ad libitum and included a concentrate supplement at 0.45% BW (DM). Alfalfa was the basal forage for control (CON), ionophore (ION; lasalocid at 33 mg/kg DM), coconut oil (3%; CCO), and soybean oil (3%; SBO) diets, and forage in moderate- and high-lespedeza diets was a 1:1 mixture of alfalfa and lespedeza and all lespedeza, respectively (MSL and HSL, respectively). Data were analyzed with a 2 x 6 factorial arrangement of treatments, period as a repeated measure, and a mixed effects model. Digestion and methane emission were determined in weeks 4, 10, 16, and 22. Total DM intake was similar among treatments (P = 0.070) but numerically greatest for HSL (1,197, 1,297, 1,491, 1,203, 1,195, and 1,207 g/d; SEM=81.1), OM digestibility ranked (P < 0.05) CON, ION, CCO, and SBO > MSL > HSL (69.2, 57.6, 50.3, 66.3, 66.0, and 68.7%; SEM=1.57), and digestible OM intake was similar among treatments (P = 0.517; 697, 607, 589, 598, 635, and 690 g/d for CON, MSL, HSL, ION, CCO, and SBO, respectively; SEM=50.4). There were no interactions involving time in ruminal methane emission, which was greatest among treatments for CON (P < 0.05) in MJ/d (1.39, 0.93, 0.90, 0.92, 0.85, and 0.96; SEM=0.069) and relative to digestible energy intake (20.6, 15.7, 16.8, 16.1, 13.7, and 13.9% for CON, MSL, HSL, ION, CCO, and SBO, respectively; SEM=1.223). In conclusion, dietary inclusion of Sericea lespedeza may offer a natural and sustainable means of decreasing ruminal methane emission by hair sheep as previously shown in goats, with a magnitude of impact similar to that of some other supplemental dietary ingredients.

Download Full-text

Worldwide Prevalence of Small Ruminant Lentiviruses in Sheep: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11030784 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 784

Author(s):

Ricardo de Miguel ◽

Marta Arrieta ◽

Ana Rodríguez-Largo ◽

Irache Echeverría ◽

Raúl Resendiz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Small Ruminant ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Geographical Area ◽

Small Ruminants ◽

Strong Positive Correlation ◽

Scientific Publications ◽

Serological Tests ◽

Gold Standard Method ◽

Small Ruminant Lentiviruses

Small Ruminant Lentiviruses (SRLV) are highly prevalent retroviruses with significant genetic diversity and antigenic heterogeneity that cause a progressive wasting disease of sheep called Maedi-visna. This work provides a systematic review and meta-analysis of the last 40 years (1981–2020) of scientific publications on SRLV individual and flock prevalence. Fifty-eight publications and 314 studies were included. Most articles used a single diagnostic test to estimate prevalence (77.6%), whereas articles using three or more tests were scarce (6.9%). Serological tests are more frequently used than direct methods and ELISA has progressively replaced AGID over the last decades. SRLV infection in sheep is widespread across the world, with Europe showing the highest individual prevalence (40.9%) and being the geographical area in which most studies have been performed. Africa, Asia, and North America show values between 16.7% to 21.8% at the individual level. South and Central America show the lowest individual SRLV prevalence (1.7%). There was a strong positive correlation between individual and flock prevalence (ρ = 0.728; p ≤ 0.001). Despite the global importance of small ruminants, the coverage of knowledge on SRLV prevalence is patchy and inconsistent. There is a lack of a gold standard method and a defined sampling strategy among countries and continents.

Download Full-text

PSII-17 Program Chair Poster Pick: Effect of ruminal protozoa on methane emissions in ruminants – a meta-analysis

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1093/jas/skaa278.698 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 98 (Supplement_4) ◽

pp. 397-398

Author(s):

Xiaoxia Dai ◽

Kenneth Kalscheur ◽

Pekka Huhtanen ◽

Antonio Faciola

Keyword(s):

Dairy Cows ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Random Effect ◽

Negative Relationship ◽

Small Ruminants ◽

Methane Emissions ◽

Mitigation Strategies ◽

Positive Relationships ◽

Ruminal Fermentation ◽

The Relationship

Abstract The effects of ruminal protozoa (RP) concentration on methane emissions from ruminants were evaluated in a meta-analysis using 67 publications reporting data from 85 in vivo experiments. Experiments included in the database reported methane emissions (g/kg DMI) and RP (log10 cells/mL) from the same group of animals. Quantitative data including diet chemical composition, ruminal fermentation, total tract digestibility, and milk production; and qualitative information including methane mitigation strategies, animal type, and methane measurement methods were also collected. The studies were conducted in dairy cows (51%), beef steers (32%) and small ruminants (32%). 70% of the studies reported a reduction in methane emissions. Supplemental lipids reduced methane emissions 95% of the time. The relationship between methane emissions and RP concentration was evaluated as a random coefficient model with the experiment as a random effect and weighted by the inverse pooled SEM squared, including the possibility of covariance between the slope and the intercept. A quadratic effect of RP concentration on methane emissions was detected: CH4= -28.8 + 12.2 × RP-0.64 × RP2. To detect potential interfering factors in the relationship, the influence of several qualitative and quantitative factors were separately tested. Acetate, butyrate, and isobutyrate molar proportions had positive relationships with methane emissions and influenced the relationship between RP concentration and methane emissions, where the presence of ruminal fermentation variables reduced the effects of RP concentration in methane emissions. Total tract digestibility of DM, OM, and CP had negative relationships while NDF digestibility had a positive relationship with methane emissions; however, they only changed the magnitude of intercept and slope of RP and RP2 for the relationship. For dairy cows, milk fat and protein concentrations had positive relationships and milk yield had a negative relationship with methane emissions and changed the magnitude of intercept and slope of RP and RP2 for the relationship.

Download Full-text

Effects of Dietary Inclusion of Sericea Lespedeza Hay on Behavior, Heat Energy, and Ruminal Methane Emission by Growing Alpine Doelings and Katahdin Ewe Lambs

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1093/jas/skab096.069 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 99 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 38-38

Author(s):

Wei L Wang ◽

Luana L Ribeiro ◽

Italo L Portugal ◽

Terry A Gipson ◽

Arthur L Goetsch

Keyword(s):

Methane Emission ◽

Species Differences ◽

Average Daily Gain ◽

Open Circuit ◽

Heat Energy ◽

Repeated Measure ◽

Lespedeza Cuneata ◽

Sericea Lespedeza ◽

Ewe Lambs ◽

Daily Gain

Abstract Twenty-four Alpine doelings (initial body weight (BW) and age of 25.3±0.55 kg and 10.4±0.11 mo, respectively) and 24 Katahdin ewe lambs (28.3±1.02 kg and 9.6±0.04 mo, respectively) were used to determine effects of dietary level of Sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata; 10% condensed tannins) on heat energy and ruminal emission of the greenhouse gas methane determined with an open-circuit calorimetry system. Pens with Calan feeding gates were used in the study with four 6–7-wk periods. Diets (i.e., treatments) consumed ad libitum were 75% ground hay, alfalfa, a 1:1 mixture of alfalfa and lespedeza (AL), and lespedeza. Data were analyzed with a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement of treatments, repeated measure of period, and a mixed effects model. Feeders were open 195 and 205 min/d for Alpine and Katahdin (SEM=9.8) and longer (P < 0.05) for diets with lespedeza (159, 209, and 231 min/d for alfalfa, AL, and lespedeza, respectively). Rate of dry matter intake (DMI) was greater (P < 0.05) for Katahdin vs. Alpine (10.2 and 6.1 g/min) and for alfalfa than for AL and lespedeza (11.1, 8.1, and 6.7 g/min, respectively). Heat energy was greater (P < 0.05) in MJ/d for Katahdin than for Alpine (10.19 vs. 7.90) and similar among diets (9.20, 9.40, and 8.53; SEM=0.266), but values in kJ/kg BW0.75 were similar between animal types (560 and 579; SEM=8.4) and greatest (P < 0.05) among diets for AL (563, 592, and 553 for alfalfa, AL, and lespedeza, respectively). Ruminal methane emission differed (P < 0.05) between animal types in MJ/d (1.17 and 1.44), kJ/g DMI (1.39 and 1.23), and kJ/g average daily gain (ADG; 18.1 and 9.8 for Alpine and Katahdin, respectively). Regardless of period, diet did not impact methane emission in MJ/d or relative to DMI, BW, or ADG. In conclusion, it is unclear why dietary inclusion of lespedeza did not reduce ruminal methane emission as in previous studies. Species differences in methane relative to DMI and ADG (i.e., lower for sheep than for goats) deserve further attention.

Download Full-text