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Studies of method of conserving grass herbage and frequency of feeding in cattle

1. Voluntary feed intake, digestion and rate of passage

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

L. R. L. Thiago ,
M. Gill  and
M. S. Dhanoa
L. R. L. Thiago
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute for Grassland and Animal Production, Hurley, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 5LR
M. Gill
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute for Grassland and Animal Production, Hurley, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 5LR
M. S. Dhanoa
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute for Grassland and Animal Production, Hurley, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 5LR
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Abstract

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The effect of method of conserving grass herbage and the frequency of feeding on digestion in and passage from the rumen was studied in growing cattle. A single sward of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne cv. Endura) was cut on 1 d and conserved as silage or hay. These forages were offered as the only feed to twelve rumen-cannulated Friesian steers (average initial live weight (LW) 128 kg) either at a restricted level of intake (20 g dry matter (DM)/kg LW; Expt 1) or ad lib. (Expt 2). In Expt 1 the forages were offered either once or eight times daily. When fed once or eight times daily, in vivo digestibility of DM was very similar for hay and silage (0.771 and 0.783 respectively), while the fractional rate of digestion measured by incubation in Dacron bags was significantly (P < 0.05) higher for silage (0.069) than hay (0.057). The rate of passage of mordanted feed out of the rumen was significantly (P < 0.01) faster for silage when determined from concentrations of marker in the rumen (0.034 v. 0.028 /h). The volume of liquid in the rumen was lower (P < 0.01) for animals consuming silage (27.51) compared with hay (37.11), while the fractional rate of passage of liquid from the rumen was higher (0.141 v. 0.098 /h, P < 0.05). The volume of liquid in the rumen was also lower (P < 0.05) in steers offered feed eight times daily (29.51), compared with once daily (35.11), but frequency of feeding had no significant effect either on total digestibility or on rate of digestion in the rumen. The ad lib. intake of silage was significantly (P < 0.01) lower than that of hay (4.53 v. 5.16 kg DM/d) in Expt 2.

Keywords

Grass herbage conservationFeeding frequencyRumen digestionVoluntary intakeSteer
Type
Effects of Diet on Food Intake of Cattle
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 67 , Issue 3 , May 1992 , pp. 305 - 318
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1992

References

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