scholarly journals A comparison of the digestion and reduction in particle size of lucerne hay (Medicago sativa) and Italian ryegrass hay (Loliurn italicurn) in the ovine digestive tract

1989 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 493-507 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Grenet
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Medicago Sativa ◽  
Microbial Degradation ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Italian Ryegrass ◽  
The Other ◽  
Once Daily ◽  
Adult Sheep ◽  
Ryegrass Hay ◽  
Voluntary Intake

Four types of hay were used: an early-cut and a late-cut lucerne (Medicago sativa) and an early-cut and a late-cut ryegrass (Lolium italicum). Digestibility and voluntary intake were measured on six adult sheep maintained in metabolism crates and fed 10% above the previous day's consumption, in equal portions at 08.00 and 16.30 hours. Lucerne intake was higher than that of ryegrass at similar digestibilities. The rate of digestion of the four hays was measured using nylon bags and the rates of digestion of dry matter for late-cut lucerne were faster than those for the late-cut ryegrass. Eleven adult sheep fitted with oesophageal (four), rumen (four) or duodenal (three) fistulas were used for collecting digesta samples at the different sites. They were fed successively with the four hay types. Each was offered to appetite, once daily, in a meal taken over 4 h. The rumen of rumen-fistulated sheep was completely emptied by hand once before feeding (08.00 hours) and once after removal of refusals (12.00 hours). The number of times the ingested hay was chewed during the meal and the time spent masticating was greater for the late-cut hays and greater for the ryegrass compared with the lucerne hays. The particle size of the boluses was greater than that of the rumen contents, which in turn was greater than that of the duodenal contents and faeces. The percentage of particles > 8 mm in the boluses from the ryegrass was higher than that of lucerne, and that of the early-cut ryegrass was greater than that of the late-cut ryegrass. This was also the case for the percentage of particles > 1.6 mm in the rumen contents after the meal. The rate at which dry matter disappeared from the rumen was greatest during the meal except with late-cut ryegrass; it was particularly high with late-cut lucerne, a little less with early-cut ryegrass and much lower with the other two hays. When nylon bags containing food boluses were placed in the rumen, it was apparent that without rumination, with the exception of the very digestible early-cut ryegrass, microbial degradation alone did not reduce the particle size.

Voluntary intake, digestibility and rate of passage of a hay and a silage fed to horses and to cattle

1995 ◽  
Vol 1995 ◽  
pp. 164-164
Author(s):  
B. McLean ◽  
A. Afzalzadeh ◽  
L. Bates ◽  
R.W. Mayes ◽  
F.D.DeB. Hovell
Keyword(s):  
Sugar Beet ◽  
Microbial Degradation ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
The Other ◽  
Alternative Strategy ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Beet Pulp ◽  
Voluntary Intake ◽  
Hind Gut ◽  
Adequate Nutrient

It is well established that the intake and digestibility of roughages by ruminants is positively correlated with rate of passage (ARC, 1980), presumably to enable as complete a microbial degradation of the poorer roughages as possible. On the other hand hind gut fermenters such as horses have been thought to have adopted the alternative strategy of using a high rate of passage to ‘cream’ off the rapidly degradable material of poor quality roughages so as to maintain adequate nutrient intakes. Surprisingly, there are remarkably few actual comparisons between ruminants and hindgut fermenters in the literature. Traditionally dried roughages (hay) and cereal and ‘by-product concentrates’ have been used as horse feeds (grains, brans sugar beet pulp). Recently there has been more interest in the use of silages with horses (eg Smoulders and Hobiers, 1988). However the information as to the utilisation of silages by horses is limited.

Eating and ruminating behaviour in cattle given forages differing in fibre content

1989 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 503-511 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. N. McLeod ◽  
B. R. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
The Other ◽  
Fibre Content ◽  
Eating Rate ◽  
High Fibre ◽  
Acid Detergent Fibre ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Voluntary Intake ◽  
Mean Time ◽  
Forage Diets

ABSTRACTA study was made of the effect of fibre level in forages on eating and rumination behaviour. Eight forage diets were prepared from the leaf and stem fractions of two grasses and two legumes and were given at hourly intervals to four steers under steady-state conditions. Eating and rumination behaviour were measured automatically by recording changes in intra-oesophageal pressure.Mean voluntary intake of leaf was higher than that of the stem fractions (9·9 v. 5·6 kg/day; P < 0·001). This was associated with a shorter mean retention time in the rumen of the leaf than that of the stem fractions (21·4 v. 30·6 h; P < 0·001) and a lower concentration (g/100 g dry matter (DM)) of fibre (52-0 neutral-detergent fibre (NDF) and 30·5 acid-detergent fibre (ADF) v. 68·2 NDF and 45·3 ADF). Similar values (P > 0·05) between diets were found for both the water and DM contents of the rumen (60·1 kg, 7·8 kg). Voluntary intake was not related to either.No difference was found between forage diets in the mean time (132 min) and number (18·7) of periods spent eating each day (P > 0·05). Legume leaf fractions were eaten at a faster rate (g/min) than either the grass leaf or the stem fractions. Voluntary intake was related to the rate at which food was eaten (r = 0·89; P < 0·01) but no relationship was found with the time taken to eat food (r = –0·14; P>0·05). Eating rate was related to the level of both NDF (r = –0·91; P < 0·01) and ADF (r = –0·96; P < 0·001).Differences between diets were found in rumination times (mean 425 min; P < 001), the number of boluses regurgitated during each period (27·6; P < 0·05) and during each day (485; P < 0·001), and in the weight of boluses (455 g; P < 0·05). No differences (P > 0·05) were found between diets in the mean number of rumination periods each day (17·6), the mean time spent ruminating during each period (24·3 min), the mean rate at which boluses were regurgitated (53·2 s per bolus), the interval between boluses (5·1 s), and the DM in a bolus (27·5 g). Rumination time and the number of boluses regurgitated either per period or per day were not related to the fibre content of the diet (P > 0·05).The regurgitated boluses from leaf fractions were chewed less than the stem fractions (43·7 v. 54·7 chews per bolus). The regurgitated boluses of lucerne leaf were chewed at a faster rate (1·13 chews per s; P > 0·05) than regurgitated digesta of the other diets which were chewed at similar rates (0·97 chews per s; P > 0·05). The total number of rumination chews made each day by animals given lucerne leaf (12 300) was much lower (P < 0·001) than that by animals given the other fractions (25 300). The number of chews made on each bolus was related to fibre levels in the diets (NDF, r = 0·78, P < 0·05; ADF, r = 0·91, P < 0·01).It is concluded that the voluntary intake of high-fibre diets is not always restricted by rumen fill or rumination. The ease with which forage is eaten should be investigated as a factor influencing intake of fibrous forages.

Studies of cattle and sheep eating leaf and stem fractions of grasses. 3. The retention time in the rumen of large feed particles

1981 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 123 ◽  
Author(s):  
DP Poppi ◽  
DJ Minson ◽  
JH Ternouth
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Retention Time ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Simulation Studies ◽  
Small Particles ◽  
Dry Matter Distribution ◽  
Rhodes Grass ◽  
Large Particles ◽  
Voluntary Intake ◽  
Cattle And Sheep

Pangola grass (Digitavia decumbens) and Rhodes grass (Chlovis gayana) cut as 6 and 12 week regrowths were separated into leaf and stem fractions and fed ad libitum to four cattle and eight sheep fitted with ruminal fistulae to determine the importance of particle size in controlling the retention time of feed in the rumeno-reticulum (rumen). Particle size was determined by using a wet sieving technique, and based on the cumulative dry matter distribution on the sieves of faeces from cattle and sheep; all particles >1.18 mm were described as large particles. The proportion of large particles was measured in the chopped diet offered, the masticated diet, the ruminal contents and the faeces. Chopped leaf and stem fractions contained 0.85 and 0.86 g/g large particles respectively. Mastication by cattle reduced the proportion of large particles in leaf and stem to 0.58 and 0.76 (P < 0.01), and mastication by sheep to 0.56 and 0.67 (P < 0.01). The proportion of large particles in the rumen of sheep was 0.236 and 0.249 for leaf and stem respectively (P > 0.05) and in cattle 0.272 and 0.345 (P < 0.05). The faeces contained relatively few large feed particles (< 0.045 for cattle and <0.018 for sheep). Cattle eating leaf and stem produced faeces containing 0.027 and 0.040 (g/g) large particles (P <0.05), compared with only 0,008 and 0.013 (P < 0.05) in sheep. Most of the large particles entering the rumen in the masticated feed disappeared in the rumen by breakdown to smaller particles or by digestion. In cattle the proportions that disappeared were 0.978 and 0.976 (P > 0.05) for leaf and stem, and in sheep 0.993 and 0.991 (P > 0.05). Large particles in leaf and stem were retained in the rumen of the sheep for 11.0 and 11.7 h (P > 0.05). Cattle retained large particles in all diets for a longer time (P < 0.01); 16.1 h for leaf and 20,2 h for stem (P > 0.05). Differences in retention time of large particles in the rumen did not appear to be the only factor controlling the retention of dry matter in the rumen and voluntary intake. A model was developed to describe the flow of large and small particles through the rumen. Intake simulation studies indicated that the most important factor influencing dry matter retention time in the rumen was the retention time of small particles (> 1.18 mm). Changes in the rate of breakdown of large particles had a small effect on dry matter retention time.

Intake and digestibility by sheep of artificially dried forages in several physical forms

1972 ◽  
Vol 78 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Milne ◽  
R. C. Campling
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Italian Ryegrass ◽  
Crude Fibre ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
Voluntary Intake ◽  
Rate Of Decline ◽  
Fourth Experiment ◽  
Male Sheep

SUMMARYIn three experiments high quality, autumn-harvested dried Italian ryegrass and lucerne in the form of cobs and pellets and in one of these experiments in the chopped form were offered to mature castrated male sheep at a maintenance level of feeding. Only small differences were found between the physical forms of forage in digestibility of organic matter, retention of nitrogen and loss of energy in the urine, but the digestibility of crude fibre and the mean retention time of stained feed in the gut decreased with decreasing particle size. Increasing the level of feeding of cobs and of pellets from 800 g daily by three equal increments of 400 g caused a linear decline in digestibility but no difference was found between cobs and pellets in the rate of decline of digestibility. In three experiments the dried forages were offered ad libitum and in a fourth experiment a wide range of particle size was simulated by offering ad libitum five ratios of chopped and pelleted grass. Voluntary intake tended to increase as the particle size was reduced over the whole range, but there was no significant difference between the voluntary intakes of mixtures with a modulus of fineness of 4·4 or less. No difference was detected between the voluntary intake of cobs and pellets.

The effect in an intensive production system of type of cereal and time of weaning on the performance of lambs

1971 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 485-492 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. R. Ørskov ◽  
C. Fraser ◽  
J. C. Gill ◽  
Elizabeth L. Corse
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Feed Efficiency ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
The Other ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
High Feed ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
Voluntary Intake ◽  
Entire Male

SUMMARYTwo experiments were conducted to study the effect of type of cereal and time of weaning on the performance and voluntary intake of lambs.In the first experiment 20 early-weaned entire male lambs were given diets ad libitum during the fattening period from 15 to 40 kg live weight. The diets were based on either kibbled maize or rolled barley. A high feed efficiency and growth rate were achieved with both diets and differences between them were not statistically significant. The growth rates were 428 and 430 g/day. The cold carcass weights at 40 kg live weight were 19·0 and 19·9 kg and the conversion ratios of dry matter to live-weight gain were 2·33 and 2·22 for the rolled barley and kibbled maize diets respectively.In the second experiment a comparison was made of the performance of 36 sets of twin lambs, one of each set being weaned at either 6, 13 or 20 weeks of age and the other being left to suck the ewe outdoors. The lambs weaned at 6 weeks had better conversions of dry matter to live-weight gain than lambs weaned at 13 and 20 weeks. The respective conversions of dry matter to live-weight gain were 3·36, 5·64 and 5·52. The lambs weaned at either 13 or 20 weeks had a greater weight at weaning, a greater growth check at weaning and a lower rate of feed intake.

The effect of roughage quality on intake, digestion and rumen function in sheep

1988 ◽  
Vol 1988 ◽  
pp. 77-77
Author(s):  
F.D.DeB. Hovell ◽  
S.M. Masvaure ◽  
P.C. Gregory ◽  
D.J. Kyle
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Previous Experiment ◽  
The Other ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Particle Size Distributions ◽  
Outflow Rate ◽  
Voluntary Intake ◽  
Ruminal Contractions ◽  
Pool Sizes

In a previous experiment (Hovell et al. (1987)) it was found that with two roughages, one of good (hay) and the other of poor (straw) degradability, both ground and pelleted, that the voluntary intake of the hay was (60% greater than that of the straw. This was despite the fact that rumen DM pool sizes were very similar. The outflow of undegraded material from the rumen was much greater with the hay although particle size should not have been a constraint to outflow with either roughage (Poppi et al. (1980)), and indeed their particle size distributions were very similar. It was suggested that there might have been an effect of roughage quality on rumen outflow rate, possibly mediated through an effect on reticulo-rumen contractions.The objective of the experiment reported here was to examine the effect of roughages with different degradabilities on voluntary intake, rumen volume, rumen outflow rate, and on reticulo-ruminal contractions.

Feed comminution, particle composition and distribution between the four compartments of the stomach in sheep fed chaffed lucerne hay at two feeding frequencies and intake levels

1986 ◽  
Vol 106 (2) ◽  
pp. 287-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. C. Waghorn ◽  
C. S. W. Reid ◽  
M. J. Ulyatt ◽  
A. John
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Diurnal Changes ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Particle Size Distributions ◽  
Feeding Frequency ◽  
Rapid Loss ◽  
Particle Size Reduction ◽  
Once Daily ◽  
Particle Composition

SUMMARYChaffed lucerne hay was fed to wether sheep at two feeding frequencies (once a day (daily) and once an hour (hourly)) and at two levels of dry matter (D.M.) intake (700 (L) and 1020 (H) g/day). Sheep fed daily were slaughtered either prior to eating, immediately after eating ceased or 10 h after eating ceased to compare rumen, reticulum, omasum and abomasum pool sizes and particle size distributions within pools.Effects of level of intake, feeding frequency and time after feeding were confined mainly to the rumen which contained 77–91% of stomach D.M. Once-daily feeding resulted in a 2·6 fold variation in rumen D.M. pool size. Sheep fed hourly had a relatively small rumen and comparatively large reticulum D.M. pool. Diurnal changes in reticulo-rumen particle size pools are discussed in relation to the effectiveness of chewing.Particle size distribution in digesta was estimated by wet sieving. On average the proportion of D.M. retained on a sieve 1 mm or larger comprised 35, 28, 4 and 4% of D.M. in the rumen, reticulum, omasum and abomasum, respectively, D.M. passing a 0·25 mm sieve comprised 40, 46, 57 and 61% of D.M. in the respective organs.The reticulum usually contained significantly less D.M. retained on a 4 mm sieve than the rumen, and reticulum D.M. percentage was usually 3–5 units lower than rumen D.M. percentage. Reticulum digesta composition is discussed in relation to the efflux of particulate D.M. to the omasum.Chemical composition of rumen particulate D.M. retained on sieves > 0·25 mm was comparatively unaffected by intake level and feeding frequency. Analyses of particle composition showed a rapid loss of non cell wall constituents after feeding and an increasing contribution of rumination toward particle size reduction.

Voluntary dry-matter intake and digesta kinetics of twin- or single-bearing Manchega ewes given Italian ryegrass hay or alfalfa hay in late pregnancy

1998 ◽  
Vol 67 (3) ◽  
pp. 559-566 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Ferret ◽  
J. Gasa ◽  
G. Caja ◽  
P. Prió
Keyword(s):  
Litter Size ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Late Pregnancy ◽  
Italian Ryegrass ◽  
Intake Rate ◽  
Alfalfa Hay ◽  
Outflow Rate ◽  
Ryegrass Hay ◽  
Forage Type ◽  
Kinetics Of

AbstractForty-eight pregnant Manchega dairy ewes bearing twins or singles penned in groups of six during the last 11 weeks of gestation were used to study the effects offorage type (Italian ryegrass hay or alfalfa hay) and number of foetuses (one or two) on voluntary dry-matter (DM) intake and digesta kinetics. Hays were supplemented with 0·6 kg/day of concentrate. When measured directly for group-fed ewes, forage DM intake was affected byforage type (P < 0·01), whereas litter size had no significant effect. An internal (rumen-undegradable DM) and an external (chromium III oxide) marker were also used to determine intake of individual ewes to account for errors in diagnosing litter size. Estimated DM intake confirmed the effect offorage type on DM intake and revealed the effect of litter size on food intake (F < 0·05). Forage type also affected chromium III oxide fractional outflow rate and flow of undegradable DM, whereas litter size only had an effect at the end of pregnancy by reducing hay intake, rate of passage and digesta flow mainly with alfalfa diets. In conclusion, DM intake, rate of passage and digesta flow was higher with alfalfa hay than with ryegrass hay, in spite of the similar DM apparent digestibilities of both hays. Furthermore, litter size affected DM intake at the end of pregnancy causing an intake decline, which was greater with alfalfa hay than with ryegrass hay.

A comparison between ryegrass and cocksfoot hay for milk production

1962 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. E. Castle ◽  
A. D. Drysdale ◽  
J. N. Watson
Keyword(s):  
Milk Production ◽  
Crude Protein ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Daily Intake ◽  
Milk Composition ◽  
The Other ◽  
Fat Percentage ◽  
Ryegrass Hay ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Daily Milk

SummaryFour hays were compared in a 20-week winter feeding trial using eight Ayrshire cows. The hays consisted of either ryegrass (variety S 24) or cocksfoot (S 37), and each grass was cut either on 23–25 May (cut 1) or 3 weeks later on 13–15 June (cut 2). The ryegrass cut 1 hay (R1) had the highest content of digestible dry matter, the cocksfoot cut 2 hay (C2) had the lowest content. The ryegrass cut 2 hay (R2) and cocksfoot cut 1 hay (Cl) had intermediate values. On all the treatments the cows were offered 19 lb of hay daily plus concentrates at the rate of 3½ lb/10 lb of milk.The consumption of concentrate dry matter was almost identical on the four treatments and averaged 10·1 lb per cow per day but the intake of C2 was slightly, but significantly, below that of the other three hays. On average the hays contributed 62% of the total daily intake of dry matter. The total weight of starch equivalent (S.E.) eaten per day increased from 13·6 lb on the C2 treatment to 15·2 lb on the R1 treatment.The mean daily milk yields on the four hay treatments were: Rl, 32·1 lb; R2, 29·9 lb; C1, 30·5 lb and C2, 26·9 lb. On average the milk yields from cut 1 hays were significantly higher than the yields from cut 2 hays, and the yields from the ryegrass were significantly higher than the corresponding yields from the cocksfoot. The differences in milk composition between treatments were small. The fat percentage of the milk on C2 was higher than that with the other three hays, and with the higher yielding cows the solids-not-fat (S.N.F.) and crude protein percentages were significantly higher on R1 than on the other hays.It is concluded that the nutritional value of ryegrass hay is superior to that of cocksfoot hay for milk production.

scholarly journals Effect of Forage Type and Particle Size on Intake and Ruminal Disappearance of Dry Matter Pools in Steers Fed Once Daily

1989 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 396-397
Author(s):  
A. S. Vaage ◽  
Y. Dong ◽  
L. P. Milligan ◽  
J. G. Buchanan-Smith
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Once Daily ◽  
Forage Type
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