Food intake of reindeer in winter

2003 ◽  
Vol 141 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. V. STOREHEIER ◽  
B. E. H. VAN OORT ◽  
M. A. SUNDSET ◽  
S. D. MATHIESEN

Management of semi-domesticated reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) in the northern regions have historically focused on reindeer–vegetation interactions, while few data on the food intake of these animals exist. Dry matter intake (DMI) was therefore estimated successively during winter in reindeer calves fed (i) ad libitum pelleted reindeer feed (RF-80; n=6), (ii) fed ad libitum mixed lichens (n=6) and (iii) in free-ranging reindeer calves (n=3) on natural winter pasture (March/April; 69 °N). Faecal output, determined with faeces collection bags, was 24±4, 6±3 and 22±3 g DM/day/kg BM0·75 in reindeer fed RF-80, mixed lichens and on winter pasture, respectively. Actual DMI of reindeer in captivity fed RF-80 and mixed lichens was 70±10 g DM/day/kg BM0·75 and 27±8 g DM/day/kg BM0·75, respectively. The DMI of the captive reindeer calves was accurately estimated on both diets on the basis of the digestibility of their diet and their faecal output. Using the same method, the DMI of free-ranging reindeer calves on natural winter pastures in northern Norway was estimated to be 34–61 g DM/day/kg BM0·75. The present study discusses factors that influence the food intake of reindeer in winter with emphasis on the seasonal regulation of appetite and DMI in these Arctic ruminants.

1985 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 483 ◽  
Author(s):  
JK Egan ◽  
PT Doyle

Six mature Merino sheep received three treatments in a randomized block design experiment. The treatments were: chopped oaten hay diet at 90% of ad libitum intake without urea (L); the ciet offered at the same level as for L with urea infused into the rumen at 11.5 g kg-1 dry matter intake (LU); and the diet offered at 90% of the ad libitum intake achieved with urea infused at 11.5 g kg-1 dry matter intake (HU). Sheep given HU consumed 37% more (P < 0.01) organic matter (OM) than those fed L or LU, but the apparent digestibility of OM did not vary (59.2-61.8%) between treatments. The addit onal food consumption was associated with c. 20% increase (P < 0.05) in the weight of OM in the reticulorumen and significantly higher (by 10-35%; P < 0.05) fractional outflow rates of most dietary and microbial constituents of digesta. The fractional digestion rate of potentially digestible plant cell walls was not affected by urea, but the flow of microbial non-ammonia nitrogen from the abomasum was enhanced (L, 7.0; LU, 8.2; HU, 12.5 g day-1; P < 0.05). The results of this study suggest that the stimulatory effect of urea upon food intake was associated with the provision of additional microbial protein for digestion in the intestines, rather than changes in the rate or extent of organic matter fermentation in the reticulorumen.


2019 ◽  
Vol 59 (4) ◽  
pp. 741 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. C. Mioto da Costa ◽  
L. C. V. Ítavo ◽  
C. C. B. Ferreira Ítavo ◽  
A. M. Dias ◽  
H. V. Petit ◽  
...  

The objectives of the present study were to estimate dry-matter intake and output of faeces using two external and four internal markers in sheep fed Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu on an ad libitum basis over 3- and 5-day periods. Six sheep fitted with ruminal cannulas were randomly assigned in a crossover design experiment to receive either of two treatments of external markers, namely titanium dioxide (TiO2) and chromic oxide (Cr2O3). Faecal output was obtained by total faecal collection and faecal grab sampling. Faeces were collected for 3- or 5-day periods, and, for each collection period, two sampling methods were compared; grab samples were collected directly in the rectum once daily, and a second sample was taken at the same time directly in faecal collection bags after having determined the daily total output of faeces. Faecal concentrations of the internal markers, indigestible dry matter, indigestible neutral detergent fibre, indigestible acid detergent fibre and indigestible acid detergent lignin (iADL), were determined. Faecal output was not accurately predicted with indigestible dry matter, indigestible neutral detergent fibre, indigestible acid detergent fibre and iADL. Dry-matter intake was predicted with iADL and TiO2 when faeces were collected for 5 days as grab samples once daily, or as total collection and with Cr2O3 when faecal grab samples were collected for 5 days. The results using external markers indicated that TiO2 is not a marker equivalent to Cr2O3 for estimating intake and faecal output. TiO2 was the only external marker to accurately estimate faecal output, independent of the method (total or grab) and time period (3 or 5 days) used; this suggests that TiO2 is the best marker tested for predicting the faecal output of sheep that are fed a diet of fresh Brachiaria brizantha (cv. Marandu) grass ad libitum.


2004 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 81 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. G. Lentle ◽  
I. D. Hume ◽  
K. J. Stafford ◽  
M. Kennedy ◽  
B. P. Springett ◽  
...  

We studied parameters that influence the efficiency of food acquisition and oral processing in the tammar wallaby (a grazer) and the parma wallaby (a grazer/browser), both in captivity and under free range on Kawau Island, New Zealand.In captivity, both species spent less time feeding per gram of dry matter intake when browsing than when grazing, and there were no significant differences between the species with respect to the rates of feeding per gram of dry matter intake of a given food. However, under free-ranging conditions, tammar wallabies spent longer feeding than did parma wallabies, so it was likely that tammar wallabies spent more time grazing than browsing. Differences in the relationships between feeding event and inter-feed interval duration in captive and free-ranging wallabies indicated that feeding behaviour was influenced by different factors in the two situations.Microtemporal analysis of the chewing sounds of free-ranging tammar and parma wallabies showed that the interval between the first and second sounds in a 'run' of chewing sounds was longer than that between subsequent intervals, indicating that there was a time cost associated with food aquisition. However, as there were no significant differences between the two wallaby species, either in the mean duration of 'runs' of chewing sounds within feeding events or in the mean duration of whole feeding events, this cost was similar for grazing and browsing. Chewing characteristics differed from those of larger (eutherian) herbivores in that the numbers of chews in a run were not randomly distributed, both species having a preponderance of runs with seven chews. Whilst, the intervals between the second and subsequent chewing sounds in a run did not vary in a periodic manner, such as would occur in batch processing of food, they were more prolonged in runs with more chewing sounds and were significantly longer in tammar wallabies than in parma wallabies. Thus, the slower rate of oral processing of grass was likely due to a generally slower rate of chewing when grazing than when browsing.


1994 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 339-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. Person ◽  
D. G. Smith

AbstractIn the first experiment the animals were worked for 5h/day and/or given 17 h access to food. In the second experiment they were worked for 4 h/day and/or given 20 h access to food. When animals were prevented from feeding on barley straw for 7 h/day their dry-matter intake (DMI) was significantly less than when they were given 24 h access to food. When feeding was prevented for only 4 h/day food intake was not significantly different from that with 24-h access.A study of feeding behaviour (experiment 2) suggested that when most animals were deprived of food for 4 h they maintained similar intakes to those on ad libitum feeding by increasing their rate of eating, rather than by increasing the time they spent eating. Preventing food intake for 4 h/day was associated with little change in time spent ruminating during the day. On all treatments, the buffalo spent significantly less time eating and more time ruminating than the cattle.Work, during the periods when food was withheld, had little effect on the DMI of either the buffalo or cattle compared with restricted feeding. No rumination occurred during the time that the animals were at work. However on working days, time spent ruminating was similar to that seen on restricted feeding days, but the animals spent more time ruminating later in the day than when they were able to ruminate during the middle of the day.


1985 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
pp. 897-903 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. VEIRA ◽  
M. IVAN ◽  
G. BUTLER ◽  
J. G. PROULX

Following weaning at 6–7 mo of age, 36 beef steers were used to determine production responses when grass silage was supplemented with barley or fishmeal. The silage was made from direct-cut, formic- acid-treated grass harvested from a mixed sward and had a high nitrogen content but poor fermentation characteristics. The silage was fed ad libitum for 98 days either alone or supplemented with 500 g fishmeal or 500 g barley per day. Both fishmeal and barley increased total dry matter intake (P < 0.01) by an amount equivalent to the quantity of supplement offered but had no effect on silage intake (P > 0.05). Steers fed the fishmeal grew substantially faster than either the barley (0.53 kg/day) or unsupplemented (0.54 kg/day) groups (P < 0.01). Fishmeal supplementation resulted in a large reduction (35%) in the amount of feed required per kilogram of gain. Key words: Cattle, grass silage, fishmeal, growth


2001 ◽  
Vol 72 (3) ◽  
pp. 595-606 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.G. M. Houdijk ◽  
I. Kyriazakis ◽  
F. Jackson ◽  
R. L. Coop

AbstractA nutritional hypothesis for the occurrence of the periparturient relaxation of immunity (PPRI) to gastrointestinal nematodes was tested within the bounds of a nutrient partitioning framework. It was hypothesized that at times of a scarce supply of metabolizable protein (MP), an increase in MP supply or a reduction in MP demand (having singles instead of twins) should lower the extent of PPRI in sheep. Twenty-one single- and 21 twin-bearing and -rearing Finn-Dorset ewes, 2 to 7 years old, and repeatedly infected withTeladorsagia circumcincta, were given one of three pelleted foods (no. = 7). The foods were formulated to supply 0·8 (L), 1·0 (M) and 1·2 (H) times the MP requirements during lactation, and were offeredad libitumfrom d–21to d35(d0 is day of parturition). Faecal egg counts (FEC) were assessed twice weekly as an indicator for host resistance. Dry-matter intake (DMI) during late pregnancy was higher than expected, and MP supply did not limit performance at this stage. In accordance with the hypothesis, there were no indications of a breakdown of immunity toT. circumcinctaduring late pregnancy. DMI during lactation did not differ between the single- and twin-rearing ewes. Calculated milk production was lower for the L than for the M and H ewes, especially for the twin-rearing ewes. A temporarily elevated FEC was observed during the first few days in lactation, which was probably mainly due to changes in faecal output rather than to PPRI. The FEC returned to low, late pregnancy levels at d12and remained low for the single- but not for the twin-rearing ewes (P< 0·001). Overall, the L ewes had higher FEC than the M and H ewes from d19onwards; this effect was more pronounced for the twin- than for the single-rearing ewes. It was postulated that DMI achieved overcame MP scarcity and thus prevented breakdown in immunity in the single-rearing ewes. The data support the view that, at times of MP scarcity, an increase in MP supply and reduction in MP demand can lower the extent of the breakdown in immunity towardsT. circumcincta.


2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katariina Manni ◽  
Marketta Rinne ◽  
Erkki Joki-Tokola ◽  
Arto Huuskonen

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of restricted feeding strategies on performance of growing and finishing dairy bulls. The feeding experiment comprised in total 32 Finnish Ayrshire bulls with an initial mean live weight (LW) of 122 kg and age of 114 days. Feeding treatments were silage ad libitum and daily barley allowance of 93 g kg-1 LW0.60 (A); restricted feeding (R) at 0.80 × A; increasing feeding (I) similar to R until LW of 430 kg and thereafter similar to A; and decreasing feeding (D) similar to A until LW of 430 kg and thereafter similar to R. Restricted feeding strategies decreased daily dry matter intake and LW gain and increased the time to reach the target carcass weight (300 kg). Bulls on I exhibited compensatory growth. There were no significant differences in feed efficiency between the treatments. The present experiment indicates that silage intake ad libitum and supplemented with concentrate resulted in most effective beef production.


2008 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 351 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. KRÍZOVÁ ◽  
J. TRINÁCTÝ ◽  
M. RICHTER

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of leucine supplement in the form of rumen-protected tablets on milk yield and composition and plasma amino acids in four high-yielding lactating Holstein cows. The experiment was carried out as a cross-over procedure and was divided into 4 periods of 14 d (10 d preliminary period and 4 d experimental period). Cows were fed ad libitum a diet based on maize silage, lucerne hay and a supplemental mixture. The diet, defficient in methionine, lysine, and leucine, was supplemented with methionine+lysine (Control) or methionine+lysine+leucine (Leu) in rumen protected form. The dry matter intake, milk yield and milk yield expressed in energy corrected milk did not differ significantly between the treatments. Milk protein content and yield did not show statistically significant variation. The contents and yield of casein, fat, lactose and urea were unaffected by the treatment. Blood metabolites did not vary between the treatments. The introduction of Leu resulted in higher plasma levels of proline (p


2002 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 421-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla Maris Bittar Nussio ◽  
John Tal Huber ◽  
Luiz Gustavo Nussio

The large utilization of coccidiostats in dairy herds has raised the question regards the best product to use, based on better animal performance. Sixty-four Holstein calves were randomly assigned to four treatments at 10 (±4) d of age to evaluate calf performance when fed approved coccidiostats available on the market in Arizona, USA. Calves received a dry calf starter without (control) or with one of the following coccidiostats: lasalocid, 30 mg kg-1; decoquinate, 19 mg kg-1; and monensin, 30 mg kg-1. Calves received 3.6 kg d-1 of a commercial 22% CP:20% fat milk replacer until 6 wk of age. Calves were offered starter "ad libitum" up to 2 kg d-1, and calves had free access to water throughout the trial. Alfalfa hay was offered "ad libitum" after weaning. Performance and dry matter intake (DMI) were monitored for 20 weeks and broken down in different periods of measurement (0-6, 7-12 and 13-20 weeks, respectively). Despite the lower dry matter intake and weight gain for females on monensin treatment during the whole period, differences among coccidiostats were seldom observed under the conditions of this study. Good calf management and the dry, hot climate of Arizona perhaps diminished the chances for subclinical and chronic disease appearance which negated potential differences and differences in calf performances.


Foods ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. 264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lara Moran ◽  
Shannon S. Wilson ◽  
Cormac K. McElhinney ◽  
Frank J. Monahan ◽  
Mark McGee ◽  
...  

The objective was to compare the quality of beef from bulls reared in typical Irish indoor systems or in novel grass-based systems. Bulls were assigned to one of the following systems: (a) grass silage plus barley-based concentrate ad libitum (CON); (b) grass silage ad libitum plus 5 kg of concentrate (SC); (c) grazed grass without supplementation (G0); (d) grazed grass plus 0.5 kg of the dietary dry matter intake as concentrate (GC) for (100 days) until slaughter (14.99 months). Carcass characteristics and pH decline were recorded. Longissimus thoracis was collected for analytical and sensory analysis. Lower carcass weight, conformation and fatness scores were found for grazing compared to CON and SC groups. CON bulls had highest intramuscular fat and lighter meat colour compared with grazing bulls. The SC meat (14 days aged) was rated higher for tenderness, texture, flavour and acceptability compared with grazing groups. CON saturated and monounsaturated fatty acid (FA) concentration was highest, conversely, omega-3 FA concentration was higher for GC compared with CON, while no differences were found in polyunsaturated FA. In conclusion, while market fatness specification was not reached by grazed grass treatments, beef eating quality was not detrimentally affected and nutritional quality was improved.


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