Evaluation of internal and external markers to estimate faecal output and feed intake in sheep fed fresh forage

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.


1983 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. E. V. Williams ◽  
A. Macdearmid ◽  
G. M. Innes ◽  
A. Brewer

ABSTRACTThe nylon bag technique was used to determine the effects of offering to steers an allowance of turnips in a diet based on straw on the degradation of dry matter and acid-detergent fibre of the straw. Rumen-cannulated steers were offered basal diets of (a) sodium hydroxide (NaOH)-treated strawad libitum, (b) NaOH-treated straw plus turnips (50 g dry matter per kg W0·73) offered once daily or (c) turnipsad libitum. Samples of straw, treated with NaOH, anhydrous ammonia (NH3,) or untreated straw were incubated in nylon bags in the rumen along with each of the basal diets. Additionally molasses (66 g dry matter per kg W0·75) was infused into the rumen of the steers offered the NaOH-treated straw. Dry matter and fibre losses of straw from nylon bags were in the order NaOH-treated > NH3,-treated > untreated; there was no interaction (P> 0·05) between method of straw treatment and effect of basal diet on 40-h or 72-h dry matter or fibre degradability. Supplementation of the basal straw diet with either turnips or molasses depressed (P< 0·01) degradability of both dry matter and fibre of the incubated straw at 40 and 72 h, molasses infusion producing a greater depression (P< 0·05) than offering turnips. There was a fall in rumen fluid pH shortly after steers consumed their turnip allowance or molasses was infused into the rumen, minimum pH values were 6·09 ± 0·241 and 5·75 ± 0·205 respectively. The pH of rumen fluid and degradability of dry matter and fibre of barley straw were depressed by the presence of carbohydrates in turnips and molasses. A reduction in the activity of cellulolytic bacteria may have been the cause of the depression in straw degradability.



1990 ◽  
Vol 115 (2) ◽  
pp. 277-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Baumont ◽  
N. Seguier ◽  
J. P. Dulphy

SUMMARYFive sheep were fitted with rumen cannulas and fed once daily ad libitumat 09.00 h with a low-quality mixed-grass hay or a good-quality lucerne hay. The effects of a second amount of the same hay or of the second hay distributed at the end of the large meal following the morning distribution, when rumen fill reaches its daily maximum, were investigated for feed intake, alimentary behaviour and rumen fill. The second distribution induced a true meal (200–400 g dry matter intake), except in the case of mixed grass offered after lucerne. On the basis of initial eating rate and the amount ingested, the highest palatability was for lucerne offered after mixed grass, and the lowest for mixed grass offered after lucerne. Diet selection was more pronounced with lucerne than with mixed grass, as indicated by the larger decrease in the neutral detergent fibre content of the fraction ingested. The true meals following the second distribution were associated with an increase in rumen fill up to 10% of the daily maximum observed without the second distribution. However, rumen fill with lucerne remained 1 kg lower than with mixed-grass hay, even after a second meal. It is concluded that the sensory response induced by a distribution of a sufficiently palatable hay is able to override the satiety signals due to rumen fill, and that there is a permanent balance between the stimuli related to the characteristics of the food available and those related to reticulo-ruminal digesta.



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.



2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 332-341
Author(s):  
B. M. Munza ◽  
M. R. Hassan ◽  
R. J. Tanko ◽  
S. M. Otaru ◽  
D. J. U. Kalla ◽  
...  

During the dry season, forages are low in quantity and quality; hence lacks the essential nutrients that are prerequisite for growth in ruminants, suggesting a supplemental feeding. Thus, this study was conducted to investigate the dry matter intake, nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance in growing Red Sokoto bucks fed Sorghum bicolor hay supplemented with concentrate. Eight growing Red Sokoto bucks with average body weight of 15±1.0 kg were randomly allotted to two dietary treatments containing S. bicolor hay/concentrate mixture (100:0 and 60:40). The bucks were individually fed at 3.5% body weight daily for a period of 21 days in a completely randomised design with four replicates per treatment. The parameters measured were dry matter intake, water intake, amount of faeces voided, volume of urine and costs of feeding. Total dry matter intake (424.64g/day) was significantly (p<0.05) higher in 60:40 dietary treatment than 100:0 treatment (353.57g/day). The digestibility coefficients of crude fibre (92.34 %), acid detergent fibre (71.46 %) and neutral detergent fibre (69.77 %) were significantly (p<0.05) higher in Red Sokoto bucks fed Sorghum bicolor hay:concentrate ratio of 100:0 compared to bucks fed 60:40 diet with crude fibre (87.25 %), acid detergent fibre (59.67 %) and neutral detergent fibre (60.08 %) digestibility coefficient values. However, crude protein (78.49 %) and ash (70.04 %) digestibility coefficients in bucks fed 60:40 diet were significantly (p<0.05) higher than those fed 100:0 diet with 38.14 % crude protein and 21.45 % ash digestibility coefficients. There was an increasing trend (p<0.05) in all parameters measured when concentrate was supplemented. The nitrogen retained (7.55 g/day), nitrogen retained as % intake (68.76 %) and nitrogen absorbed as % intake (78.46 %) were significantly (p<0.05) higher in Red Sokoto bucks fed 60:40 diets when compared with that of 100:0 diet which recorded 0.69 g/day nitrogen retained, 23.87 % nitrogen retained as % intake and 38.15 % as nitrogen absorbed as % intake, respectively. Total costs per kg of feed (N78.13K) and costs of feeding per buck (N696.72K) were significantly (p<0.05) higher for 60:40 diet than 100:0 diet with N45.83K total costs per kg feed and N340.29K costs of feeding per buck. It is therefore, concluded that concentrate supplementation on Sorghum bicolor hay enhances its utilisation by growing Red Sokoto bucks in terms of increased dry matter intake, nutrient digestibility and nitrogen retention in Northern Guinea Savannah of Nigeria.



2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 171-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniele J. Ferreira ◽  
Anderson M. Zanine ◽  
Rogério P. Lana ◽  
Alexandre L. Souza ◽  
Marinaldo D. Ribeiro ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT: The objective was to evaluate the intake and the apparent digestibility in sheep fed on marandu grass silages added with dehydrated barley. Twenty crossbred Santa Inês lambs were used, with a mean initial weight of 30±4.5 kg and mean age of 14±2 months. The experimental sheep were distributed into a completely randomized design and lining, with five treatments and four repetitions, with treatments levels of inclusion of 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40% natural matter of naturally dehydrated brewery residue for 36 hours to the marandu grass silage to feed the sheep. The evaluation period lasted 21 days, 15 for adaptation to the diets and 7 days for data collection. The data was submitted to analysis of variance, and when significant (P<0.05) the treatment means were analysed by regression. The inclusion of dehydrated barley to silage showed a linear increase in water intake (P<0.05), increased by 0.02% per unit of dehydrated barley. A quadratic effect was observed for the levels of dehydrated barley on the dry matter intake (DM), estimating a maximum consumption of 2.86% DM for silages containing 17.8% dehydrated barley. The crude protein intake (CP) behaved quadratically, with the maximum value estimated of 0.29% CP at a level of 22.5% dehydrated barley. Ether extract (EE) intake also exhibited quadratic behaviour (P<0.05), with the maximum value estimated of 0.2% EE at a level of 28.25% dehydrated barley. The regression study showed quadratic behaviour; with the maximum estimated value of neutral detergent fibre was 2.33% at a level of 34.58% dehydrated barley. No statistical significance was found for the intake of acid detergent fibre or organic matter (P>0.05). It was concluded that the addition of levels of 20 to 30% of dehydrated barley to silage resulted in a positive response for the dry matter intake, crude protein, Ether extract and neutral detergent fibre.



2014 ◽  
Vol 153 (2) ◽  
pp. 353-360 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. S. RICHMOND ◽  
A. R. G. WYLIE ◽  
A. S. LAIDLAW ◽  
F. O. LIVELY

SUMMARYTwo experiments were carried out to evaluate different dosing and sampling regimes for estimating the dry matter intake (DMI) of vegetation by grazing beef cattle. Experiment 1 compared the DMI of a perennial ryegrass pasture by 48 grazing beef cattle dosed with C32n-alkane and faecally sampled at different time intervals. The cattle, of dairy and suckler origin, were balanced by origin and allocated to one of three alkane-dosing treatments (n=16): T1, dosed once daily (10.30 h) with two 500 mg boluses of C32 alkanes; T2, dosed twice daily (09.00 and 16.00 h) with a 500 mg bolus of C32n-alkane; and T3, dosed twice daily (07.00 and 19.00 h) with a 500 mg bolus of C32n-alkane. Faecal samples were collected concurrently with dosing in each treatment. Dosing interval had no effect on estimated DMI, when calculated using the n-alkane content of faeces sampled concurrently with dosing, suggesting that once-daily dosing with concurrent faecal sampling is adequate to estimate DMI by beef cattle. The objective of Expt 2 was to compare the accuracy of herbage DMI estimated using a once-daily C32 alkane dosing regime and n-alkane concentrations in faeces sampled at 09.00, 13.00, 17.00 and 21.00 h, against DMI measured directly. Twelve Holstein-Friesian bulls (mean body weight 265 kg) were housed individually in digestibility stalls and offered harvested perennial ryegrass or harvested semi-natural upland vegetation, both ad libitum. The DMI estimated by once-daily dosing with n-alkane and concurrent per rectum faecal sampling did not differ significantly from the directly measured DMI for either herbage type. It is concluded that a once-daily alkane dosing and concurrent faecal sampling protocol is adequate to reliably estimate the DMI of both upland and lowland pasture vegetation by beef cattle.



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



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.



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.



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