Possible use of BHT to estimate carcass fat content in small ruminants

(South African J of Animal Science, 2000, 30, Supplement 1: 149-150

Effect of casein supplementation and hay quality on non-ammonia N flow to the abomasum in sheep

No Abstrac

Voluntary intake of several planted pastures by sheep and an assessment of NDF and IVDOM as possible predictors of intake.

The aim was to study the quality and quantity of pasture selected by sheep on various planted pastures. A further aim was to assess NDF and IVDOM as easy measurable parameters for use in equations to predict intake. Pasture samples were collected using oesophageal-fistulated sheep and from knowledge of the in vitro digestibility of these samples and the total faeces voided as measured with faeces bags, intake was calculated. Pastures observed included ryegrass, cocksfoot, C. dactylon, Smuts finger, triticale, E. curvula, Eragrostis - lucerne combination, lucerne and sainfoin. Nitrogen content of oesophageal samples varied between 2, 3 and 5, 15 NDF between 33 and 65% and IVDOM between 50 and 80%. Intake of grass DOM varied from 24, 4 to 43, 3 g/kg W 0, 75/day for lambs and from 29, 0 to 37, 4 g/kg/W 0, 75/day for mature whethers. DOM intake on the two legumes was generally poor and varied between 13, 7 and 22, 9 g/kg W 0, 75/day. Although some of the variation in voluntary intake is accounted for by the variation in NDF and IVDOM, these two parameters are of limited value as general predictors, but may be used in selection indices.Keywords: digestibility; digitaria eriantha; equation; grasses; in vitro digestibility; intake; ivdom; lambs; legumes; lucerne; neutral detergent fibre; nitrogen; oesophageal fistulas; oesophageal samples; pasture selection; pastures; ryegrass; sheep; smuts finger; south africa; university of pretori

Utilization of Lolium multiflorum by sheep: 1: Influence of dry matter content and correlated factors on voluntary intake.

The intake by young sheep of Lolium multiflorum cv. Midmar with dry matter contents of between 10.2 per cent and 20.5 per cent was studied. Intake was measured on pasture, while at the same time herbage was cut and fed either fresh or dry indoors. Quality parameters did not change much between DM contents studied; The intake by young sheep of Lolium multiflorum cv. Midmar (ryegrass) with dry matter (DM) contents of between 10.2% and 20.5% was studied. Intake was measured on pasture, while at the same time herbage was cut and fed either fresh or dry indoors. Additional variables were sward height at pasture and chop length indoors. Quality parameters did not change much between DM contents studied. Intake of wet herbage remained fairly constant irrespective of DM content, suggesting that moisture levels exert a controlling influence on intake. Organic matter (OM) intake increased dramatically with DM content, from 47.4 to 87.4 g kg -1W 0.75day -1. Sward height did not influence OM intake significantly, but chop length of cut herbage did. At low DM content the long chop length depressed intake, possibly because of increased chewing and rumination times, while no effect was observed at higher DM contents. It was concluded that if the intake of Midmar ryegrass is to be maximized the DM content or pasture should be at least 18-20%.Language: EnglishKeywords: Chop lengths; Digestibility; DM; Dry matter; Fresh herbage; Lolium multiflorum; Pastures; Ryegrass; Sheep; Sward heights; chop length; herbage; organic matter; pasture; quality; sward height; dry matter content; rumination; hutton soil type; hatfield experimental farm; pretoria; south afric