scholarly journals Effect of leaf type on browse selection by free-ranging goats in a southern African savanna

PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. e0242231
Author(s):  
Casper C. Nyamukanza ◽  
Allan Sebata

Broad- and fine-leaved woody species respond to seasonal changes from wet to dry season differently. For example, broad-leaved species shed their leaves earlier, while fine-leaved species, especially acacias retain green foliage well into the dry season. These differences are expected to result in variation in selection of broad- and fine-leaved woody species as browse by free-ranging goats. We tested the hypothesis that free-ranging goats select broad-leaved woody species more than fine-leaved species during wet (growth) season and fine-leaved woody species more than broad-leaved species during dry season. In addition, we tested if broad- and fine-leaved woody species had different foliar dry matter digestibility and chemical composition (crude protein, neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre, total phenolics and condensed tannins concentration). Free-ranging goats were observed foraging on broad- and fine-leaved woody species over a two-year period (2014 and 2015) during three seasons: early wet (October/November), late wet (February/March) and dry (May/June). Ivlev’s selectivity or Jacob’s index (Ei) was calculated for five woody species (two broad-leaved and three fine-leaved) browsed by goats during wet and dry season. Jacob’s selectivity index was higher for broad–leaved (Ziziphus mucronata and Searsia (Rhus) tenuinervis) than fine-leaved woody species (Acacia nilotica, Acacia karroo and Dichrostachys cinerea) during wet season. However, the trend was reversed during dry season with fine-leaved species having higher Jacob’s selectivity index than broad-leaved species. Leaf dry matter digestibility and chemical composition was similar between broad- and fine-leaved woody species throughout the year. We conclude that goats selected broad-leaved woody species during wet season when browse was plentiful and then switched to fine-leaved species which retained leaves during dry season.

1975 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 949-954 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. C. J. VAN ADRICHEM ◽  
J. N. TINGLE

The effects of spring-applied nitrogen (0, 56, 112 and 224 kg/ha) and phosphorus (0 and 27.4 kg/ha) on the dry matter (DM) yield and forage quality of successive harvests of meadow foxtail (Alopecurus pratensis L.) were investigated. Nitrogen increased DM yield, crude protein, Cu, K and Zn contents and decreased P, Ca, Mg and Mn contents. Application of P in combination with N increased K content in the first cut and arrested the decline of P content due to N application in all cuts. The levels of dry matter digestibility and Cu declined in successive cuts whereas Mn content increased. At low N rates, Ca and Mg contents increased as the season advanced.


1972 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 1377 ◽  
Author(s):  
RFH Dekker ◽  
GN Richards

The dry matter digestibility (DMD) of poor quality roughages such as spear grass (Heteropogon contortus) by sheep and cattle has been shown to increase on addition of sulphur to the diet. The sulphur is added most frequently as inorganic sulphate, either alone (Playne 1969) or supplemented with urea (Bray and Hemsley 1969; Kennedy and Siebert 1972; Siebert and Kennedy 1972) or gluten (Playne 1969). These supplements have also increased feed intake in sheep (Playne 1969; Kennedy and Siebert 1972; Siebert and Kennedy 1972) and cattle (Siebert and Kennedy 1972), and have improved the nitrogen and sulphur balance (Moir, Somers, and Bray 1967; Bray and Hemsley 1969; Playne 1969; Kennedy and Siebert 1972) within the animal. Sulphates have been shown to increase the in vitro rumen digestion of starch (Kennedy, Mitchell, and Little 1971), crude fibre (Bray and Hemsley 1969), and acid-detergent fibre and cellulose (Barton, Bull, and Hemken 1971).


2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (14) ◽  
pp. 10773-10797 ◽  
Author(s):  
John E. Shilling ◽  
Mikhail S. Pekour ◽  
Edward C. Fortner ◽  
Paulo Artaxo ◽  
Suzane de Sá ◽  
...  

Abstract. The Green Ocean Amazon (GoAmazon 2014/5) campaign, conducted from January 2014 to December 2015 in the vicinity of Manaus, Brazil, was designed to study the aerosol life cycle and aerosol–cloud interactions in both pristine and anthropogenically influenced conditions. As part of this campaign, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Gulfstream 1 (G-1) research aircraft was deployed from 17 February to 25 March 2014 (wet season) and 6 September to 5 October 2014 (dry season) to investigate aerosol and cloud properties aloft. Here, we present results from the G-1 deployments focusing on measurements of the aerosol chemical composition and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation and aging. In the first portion of the paper, we provide an overview of the data and compare and contrast the data from the wet and dry season. Organic aerosol (OA) dominates the deployment-averaged chemical composition, comprising 80 % of the non-refractory PM1 aerosol mass, with sulfate comprising 14 %, nitrate 2 %, and ammonium 4 %. This product distribution was unchanged between seasons, despite the fact that total aerosol loading was significantly higher in the dry season and that regional and local biomass burning was a significant source of OA mass in the dry, but not wet, season. However, the OA was more oxidized in the dry season, with the median of the mean carbon oxidation state increasing from −0.45 in the wet season to −0.02 in the dry season. In the second portion of the paper, we discuss the evolution of the Manaus plume, focusing on 13 March 2014, one of the exemplary days in the wet season. On this flight, we observe a clear increase in OA concentrations in the Manaus plume relative to the background. As the plume is transported downwind and ages, we observe dynamic changes in the OA. The mean carbon oxidation state of the OA increases from −0.6 to −0.45 during the 4–5 h of photochemical aging. Hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol (HOA) mass is lost, with ΔHOA∕ΔCO values decreasing from 17.6 µg m−3 ppmv−1 over Manaus to 10.6 µg m−3 ppmv−1 95 km downwind. Loss of HOA is balanced out by formation of oxygenated organic aerosol (OOA), with ΔOOA∕ΔCO increasing from 9.2 to 23.1 µg m−3 ppmv−1. Because hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol (HOA) loss is balanced by OOA formation, we observe little change in the net Δorg∕ΔCO values; Δorg∕ΔCO averages 31 µg m−3 ppmv−1 and does not increase with aging. Analysis of the Manaus plume evolution using data from two additional flights in the wet season showed similar trends in Δorg∕ΔCO to the 13 March flight; Δorg∕ΔCO values averaged 34 µg m−3 ppmv−1 and showed little change over 4–6.5 h of aging. Our observation of constant Δorg∕ΔCO are in contrast to literature studies of the outflow of several North American cities, which report significant increases in Δorg∕ΔCO for the first day of plume aging. These observations suggest that SOA formation in the Manaus plume occurs, at least in part, by a different mechanism than observed in urban outflow plumes in most other literature studies. Constant Δorg∕ΔCO with plume aging has been observed in many biomass burning plumes, but we are unaware of reports of fresh urban emissions aging in this manner. These observations show that urban pollution emitted from Manaus in the wet season forms less particulate downwind as it ages than urban pollution emitted from North American cities.


1970 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. W. Allinson ◽  
D. F. Osbourn

SUMMARYThe relationships between the cellulose-lignin complex, voluntary consumption and dry-matter digestibility were examined using forages of two varieties of Italian ryegrass and two legumes, lucerne and sainfoin. These forages had previously been shown to exhibit different intake-digestibility relationships. The cellulose, acid detergent lignin and acid detergent fibre contents of these forages as well as their digestibility coefficients were determined. Lignins were extracted from the fibre fractions and their ultraviolet difference spectra determined.Changes in maturity of a forage during a single growth phase, produced changes in dry-matter digestibility which were closely associated with changes in the digestibility of the cellulose and inversely related to the lignin content of the forage. Differences in digestibility between varieties of forage were less closely associated with lignin content. As the grasses matured a lignin fraction forming a difference peak at 350 mμ became evident and this was associated with decreased cellulose digestibility.Differences in voluntary food consumption resulting from changes in maturity of a single forage variety, in one growth phase, were also closely correlated with both dry matter and cellulose digestibility and inversely with lignin content. Differences between varieties and growth phases of the ryegrasses and between grasses and legumes were related less to the nature of the cellulose-lignin complex and more closely to the percentage of the total digesta deriving from cellulose.Sainfoin was characterized by the formation post-ruminally of an artifact that analysed quantitatively as lignin and qualitatively resembled a non-conjugated phenolic lignin fraction. The production of this artifact apparently disturbed fibre digestibility estimates and may have affected dry-matter digestibility estimates. Degradation of lignin apparently occurred both in the rumen and in the hind gut.


2016 ◽  
Vol 94 (suppl_5) ◽  
pp. 307-307
Author(s):  
J. A. Santos-Haliscak ◽  
J. Kawas ◽  
H. Fimbres-Durazo ◽  
G. Moreno-Degollado ◽  
R. E. Vázquez-Alvarado ◽  
...  

1989 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 573 ◽  
Author(s):  
RL McCown ◽  
BH Wall

In the semi-arid tropics, accumulated shed leaf of certain pasture legumes can provide highly nutritious feed for cattle in the dry season. Previous papers in this series have dealt with the fungal spoilage of leaf of Caribbean stylo in response to dew and unseasonal rainfall and the threat to acceptability by cattle. This paper focuses on the effects of varying degrees of moulding and leaching on dry matter digestibility of leaf of this legume. Uniform leaf material of high digestibility was exposed at six locations during the dry season and samples retrieved at 4-weekly intervals. From initial values of 75%. in vitro digestibility dropped to as low as 50%. Degree of moulding, as indicated by a quantitative index of discoloration, accounted for about 80�/o of loss. Moulding was much more important than leaching. This latter finding in the winter-dry tropics contrasts with previous findings in the summer-dry Mediterranean climate.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document