scholarly journals Seasonal Effect on Feed Intake and Methane Emissions of Cow–Calf Systems on Native Grassland with Variable Herbage Allowance

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 882
Author(s):  
M. Soledad Orcasberro ◽  
Cecilia Loza ◽  
José Gere ◽  
Pablo Soca ◽  
Valentín Picasso ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to measure methane emissions (CH4) and herbage intake, and, on the basis of these results, obtain the methane yield (MY, methane yield as g CH4/kg dry matter intake (DMI) and Ym, methane yield as a percentage of Gross Energy intake), from beef cows grazing on native grasslands. We used forty pregnant heifers, with two treatments of herbage allowance (HA) adjusted seasonally (8 and 5 kg dry matter (DM)/kg cattle live weight (LW), on average), during autumn, winter and spring. Methane emissions (207 g CH4/d), organic matter intake (OMI, 7.7 kg organic matter (OM)/d), MY (23.6 g CH4/kg DMI) and Ym (7.4%), were similar between treatments. On the other hand, all variables had a marked increase in spring (10.8 kg OM/d and 312 g CH4/d), except for Ym. The methane emission factor from Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Tier 2 estimated with these results was 78 kg CH4/head/year. The results show that methane emissions and intake were influenced by the season, but not by the HA analyzed in this study. This information for cow–calf systems in native grasslands in Uruguay can be used in National greenhouse gases (GHG) inventories, representing a relevant contribution to global GHG inventories.

2018 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-36
Author(s):  
F.C.D. Araújo ◽  
M.G. Cruz ◽  
J.C.C. Balieiro ◽  
M.L. Menezes ◽  
C.G. Moreira ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of odontoplasty on apparent digestibility of diet for horses, consumption time, and particle size of feces. Nine horses were used, aged 14.5±3.3 years and weightng 531±38.7kg. The diet consisted of 1.5% of live weight (LW) in Tifton 85 hay and 0.75% of LW in concentrate for both assays. The experiment consisted of two tests of apparent digestibility using the method of total collection, before and after the odontoplasty, where the consumption time of hay and concentrate was also evaluated and the particle size of the feces was analyzed. An effect (P<0.05) of odontoplasty on the apparent digestibility coefficients of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber was observed. Effect of the consumption time for the concentrate (P<0.05) was observed, but not for the forage (P<0.05). There was more retention (P<0.05) of the fecal particles in the sieves of bigger granulometry. The odontoplasty increases the digestibility of dietary nutrients and feces particle size, without changing feces quality. Animals after the procedure have shorter concentrate consumption time.


1983 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 371-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. G. Kaiser ◽  
D. F. Osbourn ◽  
P. England

ABSTRACTPrimary growths of perennial ryegrass and red clover were ensiled with formic acid (2 1/t fresh crop), o an equal quantity of formic acid together with formaldehyde (46 or 49 g/kg crude protein in the ryegrass or red clover respectively). The four silages were offered ad libitum to 12 groups, each of five British Friesian steer calves, either alone or with urea or maize starch supplements at 18·4 or 185·2 g/kg total dry-matter intake respectively.Digestible organic matter and digestible energy intake, live-weight gain, carcass weight, nitrogen retention and all digestibility measurements were higher on the ryegrass silages than on the red clover silages. However, dry-matter intake was higher on the red clover silages.Formaldehyde treatment reduced lactic and total acid content, and protein degradation in the silages. It also increased intake, live-weight gain and nitrogen retention on ryegrass but not on red clover, the effect being greater when the urea supplement was given. Digestibility measurements were depressed by formaldehyde treatment, although cellulose digestibility was only depressed in the ryegrass silage.Supplementation with starch depressed silage intake and nitrogen and cellulose digestibility, but increased dry matter, organic matter and energy digestibilities, digestible organic matter and digestible energy intakes, live-weight gain and carcass weight. The positive intake, live-weight gain and carcass weight responses were greater on the silages treated with formic acid, while the digestibility and the live-weight gain responses were greater on the red clover silages. Starch supplementation did not improve nitrogen retention.The different animal production responses to formaldehyde treatment on the ryegrass and red clover silages are discussed.


1975 ◽  
Vol 84 (2) ◽  
pp. 365-372 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Thomas ◽  
R. F. Wilson ◽  
R. J. Wilkins ◽  
J. M. Wilkinson

SUMMARYMaize was cut at 22·6, 27·0 and 41·6% dry matter and ensiled in 4 kg quantities in polythene bags without additive or after the addition of urea at 0·5, 1·0, 1·5 and 2·0% of the crop dry-matter content. Silos were opened at intervals up to 96 days. Maize of 23·4% dry-matter content was ensiled in 10 t butyl rubber silos without additive or after the addition of urea at 1·0% or fishmeal at 4·0% of the crop dry-matter content.Silages from the polythene bag silos were all well preserved. pH values increased and total acid content fell with increasing maturity of the crop. Addition of urea had little effect on these values. Only with the most mature crop did ammonia content increase markedly with increasing level of urea addition. All silages from the butyl rubber silos were well preserved with low pH values and similar total acid contents.Silages from the butyl rubber silos were used to measure voluntary, intake live-weight gain and efficiency of utilization of young beef cattle. The diets fed were silage without nitrogen supplement or supplemented with urea or fishmeal, added at ensiling, at feeding or included in a concentrate feed. One third of the total dry-matter intake of all cattle was provided by a pelleted concentrate feed consisting of equal quantities of dried grass and rolled barley.The increase in nitrogen content brought about by the addition of urea or fishmeal did not affect total dry-matter or organic-matter intake but was associated with 25% increase in nitrogen consumed. Live-weight gain on all treatments with added nitrogen was 20% higher than for the unsupplemented silage. This improvement in growth rate was accompanied by significant increases in efficiency of utilization of dietary dry matter and organic matter but efficiency of nitrogen utilization was reduced. The results indicate that neither the source nor site of addition of supplementary nitrogen significantly affect live-weight gain, dry-matter intake, organic-matter intake or utilization of dry matter or organic matter. They also demonstrate that urea can be used effectively to provide supplementary nitrogen to young cattle fed a maize silage-based ration.


1987 ◽  
Vol 108 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret Gill ◽  
D. E. Beever ◽  
P. J. Buttery ◽  
P. England ◽  
M. J. Gibb ◽  
...  

SummaryThe effect of oestradiol-17β on the response to fishmeal supplementation of grass silage was studied in young growing cattle. Voluntary intake and live-weight gain were recorded over 63 days with 36 British Friesian male castrates (initial live weight (LW) 119 kg) offered silage alone (C) or with 50 (FM1), 100 (FM2), or 150 (FM3) g fishmeal/kg silage dry matter. Twelve calves were allocated to each of treatments C and FM3 and six to treatments FM1 and FM2. Half of the calves on each treatment were ear-implanted with oestradiol-17β (Compudose 365) at the start of the experiment. The calves on treatments C and FM3 were slaughtered after 75 days and chemical analysis conducted on half of each carcass. The silage had an organic-matter digestibility in vivo of 0·794 and was well-fermented, with a pH of 3·7. Intake averaged 24·2±0·42 g D.M./kg LW over all the treatments and live-weight gain was 0·77 kg/day on the silage alone. There was a significant (P < 0·05) interaction between fishmeal and oestradiol-17β, such that response to the hormone was observed only in the presence of fishmeal at 100 or 150 g/kg silage D.M. A similar interaction was apparent between fishmeal at 150 g/kg silage D.M. and oestradiol-17β in the final weights of empty body and carcass. This level of fishmeal also increased protein gain from 96 to 147 g/day and this was further increased to 179 g/day in the implanted animals receiving fishmeal. However, the overall effect of oestradiol-17β on protein gain was not significant. Gross efficiency of energy utilization was significantly (P < 0·01) increased by fishmeal supplementation suggesting an improved balance of nutrients compared with the silage alone diet.


1979 ◽  
Vol 92 (2) ◽  
pp. 443-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. L. P. Le Du ◽  
R. D. Baker

SummaryThe effect of the amount of milk consumed upon the herbage intake and performance of calves at pasture, following a standard rearing period, was investigated using 50 Hereford × Friesian calves purchased at 10–12 days ofage. All calves were offered 6 kg reconstituted milk substitute for a 58 day period indoors and for a subsequent 31 days at pasture. Ten calves were then allocated to each of five milk treatments (0, 2, 4, 6, 10 kg/day) and grazed for a further 63 days. The calves were offered a daily herbage allowance of 60 g dry matter/kg live weight.Daily weight gain was increased by 59 g for each additional kilogramme of reconstituted milk consumed, and herbage intake per unit live weight decreased by 1–24 g/g milk organic matter consumed, equivalent to a reduction in metabolizable energy intake of 9 kJ. Clear effects of both age and diet upon the consumption of herbage were demonstrated. An explanation of the mechanisms governing intake of herbage in milk–fed calves is offered.


1994 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 381-387 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. R. Iason ◽  
D. A. Sim ◽  
E. Foreman ◽  
P. Fenn ◽  
D. A. Elston

AbstractVoluntary food intake (VFI) of chopped timothy hay and metabolic rate were each measured in each month of the year in six non-breeding ewes of each of three breeds. Metabolic rate was measured using indirect calorimetry over a range of food intakes and adjusted for intake to an estimated maintenance metabolic rate (MMR). The breeds compared were the Dorset Horn (DT), Scottish Blackface (BF) and Shetland (SH), the first being less seasonal in reproductive and other characteristics than the other two which are hill or northern latitude breeds. There was significant overall variation between months in VFI which was higher in the summer (July to September) than in the winter (December to February) months (P < 0·001). There was a significant breed × month interaction (P < 0·01), the seasonal effect being most strongly observed in the BF and SH ewes, whose VFI in summer was proportionately 0-1 greater than the year-round mean but was 0-1 lower in the winter. The DT ewes showed much less seasonal variation in VFI. There was no overall difference in VFI between breeeds (DT: 43-7; BF: 49-5; SH: 48-1 g dry matter per M075 live weight per day, P > 0·1). Although MMR varied significantly between months (P < 0·001), there was no systematic variation between summer and winter. There was no significant breed × month interaction, but the MMR differed significantly (P < 0·001) between breeds giving a high overall MMR in BF (DT: 322-7; BF: 356-6; SH: 324-5 kf/kg M0·75 per day). No significant correlation existed (P > 0·05) between the monthly mean MMR and VFI in any of the breeds. The causal relationship between seasonal cycles of basal metabolic rate and VFI is questioned.


1992 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 389-396 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Sanderson ◽  
C. Thomas ◽  
A. B. McAllan

AbstractSeventy-two, 4-month-old, British Friesian steers were used to investigate the effects of feeding a supplement of fish meal on the voluntary intake and live-weight gain by young growing cattle given a well preserved ryegrass silage. The silage was offered either alone or mixed with 50,100 or 150 g fish meal per kg silage dry matter (DM) and the diets were offered either ad libitum or intakes were restricted to 16, 19 or 22 g dietary DM per kg live weight (LW). Intakes were recorded daily, LW weekly and in vivo apparent digestibility over one 7-day period during the 132-day trial.For animals fed ad libitum, the absolute intake of dietary DM increased linearly with an increase in the level of fish-meal supplementation such that intake when the highest level of fish meal was given was significantly higher (P < 0·01) than when silage was given alone. However, DM intake per unit LW (approx. 24 g DM per kg LW) was not affected significantly (P > 0·05).Inclusion of fish meal in the diet did not affect the apparent digestibility of dietary DM, organic matter, acid-detergent or neutral-detergent fibre (NDF) although there was a trend for slightly higher (P > 0·05) gross energy apparent digestibility when fish meal was given. Increasing the level of feeding reduced NDF digestibility. The coefficients measured at the 22 g and ad libitum levels of intake were lower (P < 0·01 and P < 0·05 respectively) than that measured at the 16 g DM per kg LW level.Animals given silage alone to appetite achieved LW gains of 0·6 kg/day. LW gains increased linearly with increasing level of feeding (P < 0·001) and increasing level offish-meal supplementation (P < 0·001).


1988 ◽  
Vol 110 (2) ◽  
pp. 217-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Barlow ◽  
K. J. Ellis ◽  
P. J. Williamson ◽  
P. Costigan ◽  
P. D. Stephenson ◽  
...  

SummaryFaecal output of 287 beef cows consisting of Hereford (H × H), Simmental × Hereford (S × H), Friesian × Hereford (F × H) and Brahman × Hereford (B × H) breeding was estimated using controlled release of chromic oxide (Cr2O3). All cows were from 6 to 10 years of age and had grazed on one of three pasture systems in the subtropics of New South Wales since they were 7–8 months of age. These pastures were designated as being of high, medium and low nutritive value. Faecal organic matter output (FOMO) was estimated in each of four periods (early lactation, mid lactation, late lactation, and non-lactating) during one annual production cycle.Herbage mass exceeded 2 t/ha on all pasture systems, but estimates of organic-matter digestibility, nitrogen content and pasture composition indicated large differences in pasture quality (high > medium > low). Live weight of cows averaged 604, 488 and 393 kg live weight on the high, medium and low pastures, respectively. There were significant differences in live weight between genotypes on the medium (B × H > F × H and H × H) and low (S × H ≡ F × H ≡ B × H > H × H) pastures but not on the high pasture).FOMO and dry-matter intake (DMI) differed significantly between genotypes among lactating cows on all pasture systems. Rankings on high pastures were reasonably consistent in all periods: S × H ≡ F × H ≥ B × H ≥ H × H, as were those on low pastures, B × H ≥ S × H ≡ F × H ≥ H × H. Differences on medium pastures were significant only during mid-lactation when B × H ≡ S × H ≡ F × H > H × H. Significant differences between genotypes were observed among non-lactating cows on high pastures only, where H × H ≡ S × H ≡ F × H > B × H. Lactating females had significantly higher FOMO and DMI than non-lactating females when compared across genotypes during early lactation on all pastures.


2012 ◽  
Vol 92 (4) ◽  
pp. 493-500 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. N. Bernier ◽  
M. Undi ◽  
J. C. Plaizier ◽  
K. M. Wittenberg ◽  
G. R. Donohoe ◽  
...  

Bernier, J. N., Undi, M., Plaizier, J. C., Wittenberg, K. M., Donohoe, G. R. and Ominski, K. H. 2012. Impact of prolonged cold exposure on dry matter intake and enteric methane emissions of beef cows overwintered on low-quality forage diets with and without supplemented wheat and corn dried distillers’ grain with solubles. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 92: 493–500. This study was conducted to determine the impact of prolonged cold exposure on dry matter intake (DMI) and enteric methane (CH4) emissions of overwintering beef cows consuming low-quality forage with and without supplemented protein in the form of dried distillers’ grain with solubles (DDGS). The study was carried out with 30 mature, dry, open beef cows (663±52.9 kg) that were fed a low-quality (deficient CP, 6.0% CP) forage (control), low-quality forage supplemented with 10% DDGS (sufficient CP, 8.7% CP; DDGS10) or 20% DDGS (excess CP, 11.6% CP; DDGS20). Carrying out the study from October through February allowed assessment under thermal neutral and prolonged cold conditions typical of the prairie region of Canada (Manitoba, Alberta and Saskatchewan). Average minimum and maximum daily temperatures were 2.7 and 13.8°C in the thermal neutral period, and –23.5 and −11.0°C in the prolonged cold period, respectively. When no protein supplements were offered, cows exposed to prolonged cold consumed less (P=0.01) forage than when exposed to thermal neutral conditions. Enteric CH4 emissions, when measured as litres per day, were not influenced (P>0.05) by dietary protein supplementation, averaging 285.6±11.71, 311.9±11.49 and 282.6±13.02 L d−1 for cows fed control, DDGS10, and DDGS20 diets, respectively. When expressed as a percentage of energy consumed, cows consuming low-quality forage supplemented with 20% DDGS produced 18.5% less (P=0.01) enteric CH4 relative to cows consuming the low-quality forage only, with emissions of 5.3±0.38 and 6.5±0.33% GEI, respectively. Mature beef cows maintained at the same physiological status and dietary regime produced 26.8% less (P=0.001) enteric CH4 (7.1±0.30 vs. 5.2±0.26% GEI) under prolonged cold as compared with thermal neutral conditions. Based on these results, enteric CH4 emissions for the Canadian cow herd that is overwintered outdoors may be overestimated using current International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) methodology.


1987 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Bruckental ◽  
A. R. Lehrer ◽  
M. Weitz ◽  
J. Bernard ◽  
Hanna Kennit ◽  
...  

AbstractTwo experiments were carried out with 12 non-pregnant, non-lactating beef cows (Simmental x Hereford cross), six in each experiment. In experiment 1, the cows were grazing stubble pasture and each cow was hand fed 750 g/day soya-bean meal. In experiment 2, the cows were grazing green pasture at the pre-blossom stage. Paraffin-coated magnesium ferrite (MF) was used as an external marker. A capsule containing 5 g marker was administered to each cow twice daily at about 08.00 and 14.00 h. At the same time the cows were also weighed and faecal grab samples (GS) were taken. Each experimental period lasted 18 days: a 10-day period for attaining steady state of the marker, followed by an 8-day period during which faecal GS were taken.Average live weight (LW, kg) and daily faecal output (DFO, kg dry matter (DM) per day) were, respectively 364·2 and 3·39 for cows in experiment 1, and 484·4 and 4·62 in experiment 2. DFO (g): LW (kg) ratios were 9·31: 1 and 9·53: 1 in experiments 1 and 2, respectively.In-vitro digestibilities were used for calculating the voluntary intake (kg DM per day), which was found to be 6·8 and 13·6 for cows grazing stubble and pre-blossom pastures, respectively. The relationships between LW of grazing cattle and their DFO and voluntary food intake are discussed.


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