Reactions to saline drinking water in Boer goats in a free-choice system

Salinization of groundwater and soil is a prevalent global issue with serious consequences on animal health and production. The present study was conducted to investigate the capacity of Boer goats to adjust their salt intake from saline drinking water in a free-choice system. In total, 12 non-pregnant Boer goats aged between 1 and 8 years with an average BW of 46.4±8.3 kg were kept in individual pens for 4 weeks. In the control phase (1 week), only fresh water was supplied in five identical buckets for each pen. During the subsequent treatment phase (3 weeks), fresh water and four different concentrations (0.75, 1.0, 1.25 and 1.5% NaCl) of saline water were offered simultaneously in a free-choice system. The positions of the concentrations were changed daily at random. Cut hay and water were provided ad libitum, and a mineral supplement was allocated. Feed and water intake, mineral supplement intake, ambient temperature and relative humidity were recorded daily, whereas BW and body condition score were measured weekly. Dry matter intake, total water intake and total sodium intake were significantly (P<0.001) higher during the treatment phase. Body weight and body condition were not affected by saline water intake. Across the treatment phase, saline water consumption was significantly (P<0.001) lower in young (19.6±27.1 g/kg BW^0.82 per day) than in adult goats (27.9±31.5 g/kg BW^0.82 per day), indicating that young goats were more sensitive towards the saline water. All goats had a significant preference for fresh water (0% salt) over saline water. At the first offering of the simultaneous choice situation (week 2), animals did not differentiate between the salt concentration of 0.75% and 1.0%. However, with successive treatment (weeks 3 and 4), animals distinguished between saline water concentrations and preferred the 0.75% salt concentration. Salt concentrations of 1% to 1.5% were avoided. The total sodium intake of the goats ranged between 0.37 and 0.55 g /kg BW^0.75 per day during the treatment phase, being 8- to 11-fold higher than the daily requirements of sodium for body maintenance. The results suggest that goats are able to differentiate between saline water concentrations and to adjust their sodium intake by quick adjustments in self-selection in a free-choice system. Compared with two-choice preference tests, the present free-choice situation allows evaluating changes in saline water acceptance with prolonged exposure.     

Feed Intake of Young Double-Muscled Bulls Fed on Grass and Supplemented with Sugar-Beet Pulp

Daily dry matter intake in young growing double-muscled bulls, fed indoors on grass, was estimated based on forty-four intake data from 28 animals, ageing at least five months and weighing up to 400kg live weight. Intake was measured during five consecutive days using one of eighteen cuts of grass. Fresh meadow grass (mainly Lolium perenne ) was fed ad libitum and twokg dried sugar-beet pulp was offered per animal and per day. Animal live weight averaged 278 ± 82kg and mean total daily dry matter intake amounted to 5.05 ± 1.59kg or 73.6 ± 13.7g perkg metabolic weight, while pulp dry matter intake amounted to 1.49 ± 0.50kg per day. Regression analysis showed that animal as well as feed characteristics could explain up to approximately 90% of the variation in daily dry matter intake. The supplementation resulted in an extra daily dry matter intake of 0.68g perg pulp dry matter. Intake of double-muscled animals was considerably lower than previously reported for non-double-muscled cattle. An extra supplementation of young grazing double-muscled animals could be advised from these findings, while extra protein should also be considered.     

Liquid supplementation of grazing cows and calves

One hundred and one Angus cows (average weight 614 kg) and their bull calves (average weight 213 kg) grazing improved summer pastures were used to determine cow and calf intake of liquid supplement, and its effect on forage intake and performance. Forty-seven pairs had access to a 410 g CP/kg DM molasses-based liquid supplement in an open feeder and 54 pairs were not supplemented. The study was conducted in southwestern Montana from July 28 to October 3, 1997. Cows consumed significantly more supplement (0.3 kg/day) than calves (0.1 kg/day) but both consumed 0.5 g/kg bodyweight per day. Supplemented cows gained 0.12 kg/day more (p<0.05) than unsupplemented cows; however, there was no difference (p>0.10) in body condition score change. Average daily gain by supplemented calves was 30% greater (p<0.01) than average daily gain by unsupplemented calves. Forage intake (g/kg body weight) by both supplemented cows and calves was 64% greater (p<0.01) than forage intake by unsupplemented cows and calves. There was no difference (p>0.10) in milk intake between supplemented and unsupplemented calves. There was no difference (p>0.10) in time spent at the supplement feeder between cows and calves, averaging 5.0 min/day. Time at the feeder was lowest for 7-year-old cows, intermediate for 6- and 8-year-old cows, and highest for 9-year-old cows (p<0.10). There was no difference (p>0.10) in supplement feeding bouts/day between age groups of cows. Calf liquid supplement intake (g/kg body weight) and time spent at the supplement feeder were similar to intake and time spent at the feeder by cows. Liquid supplementation increased forage intake and average daily gain by cows and calves grazing improved forages in late summer. The cost for additional weight gained by the supplemented calves was US$ 0.33/kg and October cattle prices in Montana were US$ 1.64/kg. Liquid supplementation was cost effective under the conditions of this study.     

Feeding minerals to cattle on pasture

Mineral deficiencies and imbalances for cattle are reported from almost all regions of the world. The mineral elements most likely to be lacking under grazing conditions for ruminants are Ca, P, Na, Co, Cu, I, Se and Zn. In some regions, under specific conditions, Mg, K, Fe and Mn may be deficient and excesses of F, Mo and Se can be extremely detrimental. In most countries of the world, the principal means by which cattle producers attempt to meet mineral requirements of their grazing herds is through use of free-choice dietary minerals. As a low cost insurance to provide adequate mineral nutrition, a modified ‘complete’ mineral supplement should be available free-choice. Calcium, Cu or Se, when in excess, can be more detrimental to cattle production than any benefit derived by providing a mineral supplement. The major disadvantage to free-choice minerals is lack of uniform consumption by animals. Factors influencing consumption of mineral mixtures include: (1) soil fertility and forage type, (2) season of year, (3) available energy and protein, (4) individual requirements, (5) salt content of water, (6) palatability of mineral mixture, (7) availability of fresh minerals and (8) physical form of minerals. Safe, biologically available and palatable forms of minerals, at a fair price, allow both the user and manufacturer to realize a profit from their use. Mineral supplements need to be evaluated for accuracy of formulation and suitability for cattle. Most studies have shown positive responses of mineral chelates and complexes when compared to inorganic sources.     

Herbage intake,methane emissions and animal performance of steers grazing dwarf elephant grass v. dwarf elephant grass and peanut pastures

Management strategies for increasing ruminant legume consumption and mitigating methane emissions from tropical livestock production systems require further study. The aim of this work was to evaluate the herbage intake, animal performance and enteric methane emissions of cattle grazing dwarf elephant grass (DEG) (Pennisetum purpureum cv. BRS Kurumi) alone or DEG with peanut (Arachis pintoi cv. Amarillo). The experimental treatments were the following: DEG pastures receiving nitrogen fertilization (150 kg N/ha as ammonium nitrate) and DEG intercropped with peanut plus an adjacent area of peanut that was accessible to grazing animals for 5 h/day (from 0700 to 1200 h). The animals grazing legume pastures showed greater average daily gain and herbage intake, and shorter morning and total grazing times. Daily methane emissions were greater from the animals grazing legume pastures, whereas methane emissions per unit of herbage intake did not differ between treatments. Allowing animals access to an exclusive area of legumes in a tropical grass-pasture-based system can improve animal performance without increasing methane production per kg of dry matter intake.     

Chitosan Supplementation and Fecal Fat Excretion in Men

Objective : Few weight loss supplements are clinically tested for efficacy, yet their proliferation continues. Chitosan‐based supplements are sold as fat trappers and fat magnets. They purportedly block fat absorption and cause weight loss without food restriction. We quantified the in vivo effect of a chitosan product on fat absorption. Research Methods and Procedures : Participants (n = 15) consumed five meals per day for 12 days. Energy intake was not restricted. Participants consumed no supplements during a 4‐day control period and two capsules five times per day (4.5 g chitosan/d), 30 minutes before each meal, during a 4‐day supplement period. All feces were collected from days 2 to 12. Oral charcoal markers permitted division of the feces into two periods. The two fecal pools were analyzed for fat content. Results : Participants were male, 26.3 ± 5.9 years old, BMI of 25.6 ± 2.3 kg/m². Subjects consumed 133 ± 23 g of fat/d and 12.91 ± 1.79 MJ/d (3084 ± 427 kcal/d). Individual meals averaged 26.3 ± 9.3 g of fat. With chitosan supplementation at 10 capsules/day, fecal fat excretion increased by 1.1 ± 1.8 g/d (p = 0.02), from 6.1 ± 1.2 to 7.2 ± 1.8 g/d. Discussion : The effect of chitosan on fat absorption is clinically negligible. Far from being a fat trapper, at 0.11 ± 0.18 g of fat trapped per 0.45‐g capsule or 1.1 g (9.9 kcal) fat trapped per day, this product would have no significant effect on energy balance. The fat trapping claims associated with chitosan are unsubstantiated.     

Effect of supplementation on the performance of grazing Belgian Blue double-muscled heifers

Six experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of a feed supplement on the performance of grazing Belgian Blue double-muscled (BBDM) heifers with an initial weight and age of 195 ± 43 kg and 190 ± 52 days. Treatments included were: Exp. 1: supplementation with beet pulp (BP): 2 kg/day per head v. ad libitum intake; Exp. 2: supplementation ad libitum with BP v. a mixture of BP and soybean meal (SBM; BP/SBM ratio of 80/20; FW (fresh weight) basis); Exp. 3: supplementation with 4 kg/day per head of a mixture of BP/SBM (80/20; FW basis) v. BP/formaldehyde-treated SBM (BP/FSBM); Exp. 4: supplementation with 4 kg/day per head of a mixture with a similar protein content (125 g DVE per kg dry matter (DM)), consisting of 80/20 BP/SBM v. 92/8 BP/FSBM; Exp. 5: supplementation with 3 kg/day per head of a mixture of BP/SBM (80/20; FW basis) v. BP/DDGS (dried distillers grains and solubles; 70/30, FW basis); and Exp. 6: supplementation with 3 kg/day per head of 80/20 BP/SBM v. maize silage (MS) and SBM, on the basis of a similar protein concentration in the DM as the 80/20 BP/SBM supplement, and fed at a similar amount of DM as in the BP/SBM group. Supplementing BP ad libitum did not affect daily gain (0.54 v. 0.48 kg) and partial feed conversion (3.62 kg on average) compared with 2 kg/day. Supplying SBM besides BP increased growth rate compared with BP (0.87 v. 0.62 kg/day; P < 0.001), but partial feed conversion was similar. Supplying FSBM did not affect growth rate and partial feed conversion (P > 0.10), but blood urea levels were reduced by FSBM (P < 0.05). DDGS tended to increase growth rate (0.77 v. 0.59 kg/day; P < 0.10) compared with BP/SBM, without effect on partial feed conversion. Replacing BP by MS did not affect daily gain, but partial feed conversion tended to be higher (3.21 v. 3.60 kg/kg body weight (BW) gain; P = 0.062). Increasing the supplement (80/20 BP/SBM) level from 3 to 4 kg daily, corresponding to 1.02% and 1.18% of the mean BW, respectively, resulted in a tendency (P = 0.121) for an increased growth rate. Grazing BBDM heifers of <1 year of age necessitate extra protein besides an energy supplement to improve their performance. DDGS can replace SBM and BP can be replaced by MS.     

Improvement of biosustainability of a goat feeding system with key supplementation

A one-year study was conducted to measure the effects of balanced supplementation to improve biosustainability of a 110 head goat herd in Mexico in terms of economic feasibility on limited pasturing range land complemented with an alfalfa hay forage bank and grazing corn stubble. Average weight of adult females was 52.410±5 kg, yearlings 40.0±3 kg at first kidding. Average total lactation milk production was 455±21 kg in 210 days. Feeding strategy included balanced concentrate (BC) from December to May, gradually changing the supplementation when grazing started by offering a multinutritional block (MB) and complex catalytic granulate feed (CCF), which was used at the beginning of range pasture and continued, when goats were fed on corn stubble starting October. The initial BC was composed of corn, barley, wheat bran, soybean oil meal, but the latter was withdrawn from the mixture in May (3 Mcal ME and 12% CP; 10% from May on), offered twice a day. Animals on pasture from May until November were supplied ad libitum with MB prepared from molasses, urea, salt, cottonseed meal, limestone, cement kiln dust, corn stubble, and a mineral mixture, composed of triple superphosphate and a commercial mineral mix for ruminants and salt. Beginning in August, 200 g of CCF was added from a mixture of molasses, urea, salt, limestone, cottonseed meal, rice polishing, corn, poultry litter, commercial mineral salts, ammonium sulfate, cement kiln dust, and animal lard. Late pasture on corn stubble was from October to December. CCF was kept with the diet. Average voluntary feed intake (VFI) was 1.880 kg DM/d with an annual total of 828 kg; of which 248 kg DM was provided by alfalfa hay from a forage bank corresponding to 30% of the total feed intake; 182 kg or 22% of the diet was concentrate (BC, MB, CCF), and 398 kg or 48% was from range land (grasses, shrubs and tree leaves) or corn stubble pasturing. Balancing concentrate diminished the protein intake from 2.10 times requirements to 1.19. Changes in supplementation according to forage availability permitted nutritional optimization of the system. It was possible to improve biosustainability (forages produced on the farm) from 33% before to 48%, while increasing milk production from 400 to 455 kg/year and diminishing production cost from 20 to 17 US cents per liter of milk.     

Energy and mineral nutrition and water intake in the captive Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis)

In the captive Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis), two disease complexes with a high incidence—chronic foot problems and uterine leiomyomas—may be linked to excess body weight (BW). In this study, intake and digestion trials were conducted (by means of 7‐day weigh‐backs, and 5‐day total fecal collections, respectively) with 11 Indian rhinoceroses at four zoological institutions in Europe and the United States to quantify energy and mineral nutrition on conventional or roughage‐only diets. Diets comprising a variety of forages (grass hay only, a combination of grass hay and grass silage, straw, or a mixture of grass and legume hay) were offered as the roughage source, along with various concentrates, produce, and supplements. Water intake was quantified, and urine samples were obtained opportunistically. The animals consumed 0.5–1.1% of their BW in dry matter (DM) daily, with calculated digestible energy (DE, in megajoules MJ) values ranging from 0.27 to 0.99 MJ DE/kg BW^0.75/day compared to an estimated requirement of 0.49–0.66 MJ DE/kg BW^0.75/day. Seven of 11 rhinos (64%) fed restricted levels of concentrate plus forage consumed DE in excess of this estimate. Even on roughage‐only diets, some individuals consumed energy well above the presumed metabolic requirements. Hence, restriction of both concentrates and roughage may be important for weight management in this species. Water intake ranged from 30 to 49 mL/kg BW daily (3.4–5.2 L/kg ingested DM), similar to values that have been reported for domestic equids. Excretion amounts and patterns also resembled those found in horses. Endogenous fecal losses measured for Ca, P, Cu, Fe, and Zn indicate that the maintenance requirements of these minerals should be met in Indian rhinoceroses by diets that meet recommendations for domestic horses. It is particularly important to evaluate dietary adequacy in mineral nutrition in this species in concert with the need for restricted energy intake, especially with regard to the hypothetical involvement of a low Zn supply in chronic foot problems. Zoo Biol 24:1–14, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Pasture dry matter intake per cow in intensive dairy production systems: effects of grazing and feeding management

The competitiveness and sustainability of low input cost dairy production systems are generally supported by efficient use of pasture in the diets. Therefore, pasture intake directly affects overall efficiency of these systems. We aimed to assess feeding and grazing management main factors that affect pasture dry matter intake (DMI) in commercial dairy farms during the different seasons of the year. Fortnightly visits to 28 commercial dairies were carried out between June 2016 and May 2017 to record production and price, supplement offered and price, pasture access time (PAT), herbage mass (HM) and allowance (HA). Only farms with the most contrasting estimated pasture DMI per cow (eDMI) were compared as systems with high (HPI; N = 8) or low (LPI; N = 8) pasture DMI. Despite a lower individual milk production in HPI than LPI (19.0 v. 23.3 ± 0.7 l/cow, P < 0.01), daily margin over feeding cost was not different between groups (3.07 v. 2.93 ± 0.15 U$S/cow for HPI and LPI, respectively). During autumn and winter, HPI cows ingested more pasture than LPI cows (8.3 v. 4.6 and 5.9 v. 2.9 ± 0.55 kg DM/cow per day, respectively, P < 0.01) although PAT, HM and HA were similar between groups. Both groups offered high supplementation levels during these seasons, even though greater in LPI than HPI (14.7 v. 9.7 ± 0.7 kg DM supplement/cow per day, respectively, P < 0.01). On the other hand, differences between groups for both pasture and supplement DMI were more contrasting during spring and summer (13.1 v. 7.3 ± 0.5 and 4.0 v. 11.4 ± 0.4 kg DM/cow per day for HPI and LPI, respectively, P < 0.01), with higher PAT in both seasons (P < 0.05) and higher HA during summer in HPI than LPI (P < 0.01). Unlike LPI, during these seasons HPI adjusted offered supplement according to HA, achieving a higher pasture eDMI and making more efficient use of available pastoral resource than LPI. As there was no grazing limiting condition for pasture harvesting in either group, the main factor affecting pasture DMI was a pasture by supplement substitution effect. These results reinforce the importance of an efficient grazing management, and using supplements to nutritionally complement pasture intake rather than as a direct way to increase milk production.     

Effect of time at pasture combined with restricted indoor feeding on production and behaviour in dairy cows

Extremely high nutrient loads have been reported in grazed grassland regimes compared with cutting regimes in some dairy systems that include the use of supplemental feeding. The aim of this study was, therefore, to investigate the effects on productivity and behaviour of high-yielding dairy cows with limited access to indoor feed and restriction in the time at pasture in a continuous stocking system. During a 6-week period from the start of the grazing season 2005, an experiment was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of restrictive indoor feeding combined with limiting the time at pasture on the productivity and behaviour of high-yielding dairy cows (31.0 ± 5.4 kg energy-corrected milk) in a system based on continuous stocking. The herd was split into three groups allocated to three treatments consisting of 4, 6.5 and 9 h at pasture, respectively. Each group of cows grazed in separate paddocks with three replicates and was separately housed in a cubicle system with slatted floor during the rest of the day. All cows were fed the same amount of supplement, adjusted daily to meet the ad libitum indoor intake of the cows at pasture for nine hours. The herbage allowance was 1650 kg dry matter (DM) per ha, and the intake of supplemental feed was 9.1 kg DM per cow daily. The limitation of the time at pasture to 4 h in combination with restrictive indoor feeding reduced the daily milk, fat and protein yield and live weight compared with 9 h of access to pasture. The proportion of time during which the cows were grazing while at pasture increased from 0.64 to 0.86 and the estimated herbage intake per h at pasture decreased from 2547 g DM to1398 g DM, when time at pasture changed from 4 to 9 h. It can be concluded, that in systems with a high herbage allowance, the cow was able to compensate for 0.8 of the reduction in time at pasture by increasing the proportion of time spent grazing and presumably also both the bite rate and mass, although the latter two have not been directly confirmed in the present study.     

Effect of timing of corn silage supplementation to Holstein dairy cows given limited daily access to pasture: intake and performance

The timing in which supplements are provided in grazing systems can affect dry matter (DM) intake and productive performance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of timing of corn silage supplementation on ingestive behaviour, DM intake, milk yield and composition in grazing dairy cows. In total, 33 Holstein dairy cows in a randomized block design grazed on a second-year mixed grass–legume pasture from 0900 to 1500 h and received 2.7 kg of a commercial supplement at each milking. Paddock sizes were adjusted to provide a daily herbage allowance of 15 kg DM/cow determined at ground level. The three treatments imposed each provided 3.8 kg DM/day of corn silage offered in a single meal at 0800 h (Treatment AM), equally distributed in two meals 0800 and 1700 h (Treatment AM-PM) or a single meal at 1700 h (Treatment PM). The experiment was carried out during the late autumn and early winter period, with 1 week of adaptation and 6 weeks of measurements. There were no differences between treatments in milk yield, but 4% fat-corrected milk yield tended to be greater in AM-PM than in AM cows, which did not differ from PM (23.7, 25.3 and 24.6±0.84 kg/day for AM, AM-PM and PM, respectively). Fat percentage and yield were greater for AM-PM than for AM cows and intermediate for PM cows (3.89 v. 3.66±0.072% and 1.00 v. 0.92±0.035 kg/day, respectively). Offering corn silage in two meals had an effect on herbage DM intake which was greater for AM-PM than AM cows and was intermediate in PM cows (8.5, 11.0 and 10.3±0.68 kg/day for AM, AM-PM and PM, respectively). During the 6-h period at pasture, the overall proportion of observations on which cows were grazing tended to be different between treatments and a clear grazing pattern along the grazing session (1-h observation period) was identified. During the time at pasture, the proportion of observations during which cows ruminated was positively correlated with the DM intake of corn silage immediately before turn out to pasture. The treatment effects on herbage DM intake did not sufficiently explain differences in productive performance. This suggests that the timing of the corn silage supplementation affected rumen kinetics and likewise the appearance of hunger and satiety signals as indicated by observed changes in temporal patterns of grazing and ruminating activities.     

Estimation of Boron Intake and its Relation with Bone Mineral Density in Free-Living Korean Female Subjects

In this study, the status of boron intake was evaluated and its relation with bone mineral density was examined among free-living female subjects in Korea. Boron intake was estimated through the use of the database of boron content in frequently consumed foods by Korean people as well as measuring bone mineral density, taking anthropometric measurements, and surveying dietary intake of 134 adult females in order to relatively evaluate the intake of boron as a nutrient to supplement the low level of calcium intake and to verify its relationship with bone mineral density. Average age, height, and weight of the subjects were respectively 40.84 years, 157.62 cm and 59.70 kg. Also, average bone mineral density of lumbar spine L1–L4 and average bone mineral density of the femoral neck were 0.92 g/cm² and 0.80 g/cm², respectively. Their average intakes of energy and boron per day were 6,538.53 kJ and 926.94 μg. Intake of boron through vegetables, fruits, and cereals accounted for 61.72% of the overall boron intake. The food item that contributed most to their daily boron intake was rice. Also, 65.41% of overall boron intake was from 30 varieties of other food items, such as soybean paste, soybeans, red beans, watermelons, oriental melons, pears, Chinese cabbage Kimchi, soybean sprouts and soybean milk, etc. Boron intake did not show significant relation to bone mineral density in lumbar vertebra and femoral region. In summary, the average daily intake of boron was 926.94 μg and did not display significant relation to bone mineral density in 134 free-living female subjects. The continuous evaluation of boron consumption by more diverse targets will need to be conducted in the future.     

Use of deciduous woody species as a diet supplement for goats grazing Mediterranean shrublands during the dry season

Nutritional stress during the dry summer period is considered as a primary factor limiting goat production in the Mediterranean region. This study was conducted to determine if the browse of deciduous woody fodder plants is useful as a supplement for goats grazing kermes oak shrublands during July and September. Browses used were of Amorpha fruticosa L., Carpinus orientalis Mill., Colutea arborescens L., Fraxinus ornus L., Ostrya carpinifolia Scop. and Robinia pseudoacacia L.. Treatments included: (1)–(6) kermes oak (Quercus coccifera L.) shrubland plus fresh branches (2 kg/animal/day) of one of the above fodder plants as browse supplement, (7) kermes oak shrubland plus 0.25 (July) or 0.5 (September) kg alfalfa pellets/animal/day and (8) grazing in kermes oak shrubland as a control. Fodder plants produced high amounts of grazable material during summer whose quality ranged from medium (Carpinus, Fraxinus, Ostrya) to high (Amorpha, Colutea and Robinia). Goats ingested higher (p ≤ 0.05) browse of Fraxinus (268 g DM) and Ostrya (285 g DM) than the remaining browses (22–177 g DM) and alfalfa pellets (170 g DM) during July, but of Robinia and alfalfa (469 and 434 g DM, respectively) in September. During September, intake of all supplement feeds increased compared to July except for Ostrya, which remained constant. Goats supplemented by alfalfa pellets and browse supplements gained weight in both these periods in contrast to the animals grazing only kermes oak shrubland, except for Amorpha and Colutea in July. It is concluded that during summer, when the forage quality of kermes oak shrubland declines, browse supplement with certain deciduous woody fodder plants allows weight gains similar to those of alfalfa pellets; thereby, improving grazing animal performance.     

Quantitative assessment of feeding in a free-ranging group of Przewalski horses, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Equus przewalskii</Emphasis>, in a steppe habitat (the Askania Nova Biosphere Reserve)

The daily food intake and digestibility by Przewalskii horses were estimated under conditions of free ranging in the steppe Askania Nova Reserve. The digestibility was determined from the proportions of inert plant components (silica and lignin) in forage and feces; the daily food intake, from the amount of feces and the digestibility of forage. A free-ranging Przewalskii horse consumed 6.7–10.9 kg of phytomass (dry weight) per day, with its digestibility varying from 32 to 54%, depending on quality. The relatively poor digestibility of low-nutrient forage was counterbalanced by an increase in its consumption. Feeding tests were also conducted with horses kept in open-air pens. Under such conditions, a horse consumed 8.2–14.2 kg of hay and 8.5–11.4 kg of green steppe grass (dry weight) per day, with the digestibility of the latter forage being 49–52%. The indices of digestibility of rangeland forage in the Przewalskii horse proved to be similar to those in other large equines.     

Kill rates and food consumption of leopards in Bardia National Park, Nepal

This is the first study presenting data on kill rates and food consumption among Asian leopardsPanthera pardus Linnaeus, 1758. In Bardia National Park, Nepal, we found leopard kills by searching within areas with clusters of locations from radio collared leopards (2 males and 1 female with 2 cubs aged 4–9 months). We used two tracking schemes, 24-h intensive radio-tracking and daily monitoring, and we defined food consumption as the product of average prey live weight and proportion consumed. The three leopards consumed 89.2 kg of meat from five chitalAxis axis, one domestic dog and two birds during 19 days of 24-h intensive tracking, rendering an average (± SE) daily food intake of 4.7 ± 0.3 kgper capita. Twenty-five prey items (14 chital, one muntjacMuntiacus muntjak, four primates and six birds) were found during 180 days of daily monitoring of the female. All edible biomass was consumed in all kills, except for three chital, and the rate of kill consumption was positively related to the age of her cubs. The average daily food consumption of the female was 4.0 ± 0.3 kg/day, the kill rate (days/kill) including all prey categories was 5.6 ± 0.4 days, and the kill rate of ungulates was 10.6 ±0.7 days. Our food consumption estimates are higher than reported from arid African environments. We suggest that the high food consumption rate in our study is a consequence of a release from time-energy constraints due to high prey abundance.     

Soil intake of lactating dairy cows in intensive strip grazing systems

Involuntary soil intake by cows on pasture can be a potential route of entry for pollutants into the food chain. Therefore, it appears necessary to know and quantify factors affecting soil intake in order to ensure the food safety in outside rearing systems. Thus, soil intake was determined in two Latin square trials with 24 and 12 lactating dairy cows. In Trial 1, the effect of pasture allowance (20 v. 35 kg dry matter (DM) above ground level/cow daily) was studied for two sward types (pure perennial ryegrass v. mixed perennial ryegrass–white clover) in spring. In Trial 2, the effect of pasture allowance (40 v. 65 kg DM above ground level/cow daily) was studied at two supplementation levels (0 or 8 kg DM of a maize silage-based supplement) in autumn. Soil intake was determined by the method based on acid-insoluble ash used as an internal marker. The daily dry soil intake ranged, between treatments, from 0.17 to 0.83 kg per cow in Trial 1 and from 0.15 to 0.85 kg per cow in Trial 2, reaching up to 1.3 kg during some periods. In both trials, soil intake increased with decreasing pasture allowance, by 0.46 and 0.15 kg in Trials 1 and 2, respectively. In Trial 1, this pasture allowance effect was greater on mixed swards than on pure ryegrass swards (0.66 v. 0.26 kg reduction of daily soil intake between medium and low pasture allowance, respectively). In Trial 2, the pasture allowance effect was similar at both supplementation levels. In Trial 2, supplemented cows ate much less soil than unsupplemented cows (0.20 v. 0.75 kg/day, respectively). Differences in soil intake between trials and treatments can be related to grazing conditions, particularly pre-grazing and post-grazing sward height, determining at least in part the time spent grazing close to the ground. A post-grazing sward height lower than 50 mm can be considered as a critical threshold. Finally, a dietary supplement and a low grazing pressure, that is, high pasture allowance increasing post-grazing sward height, would efficiently limit the risk for high level of soil intake, especially when grazing conditions are difficult. Pre-grazing and post-grazing sward heights, as well as faecal crude ash concentration appear to be simple and practical tools for evaluating the risk for critical soil intake in grazing dairy cows.     

The effect of concentrate allocation on traffic and milk production of pasture-based cows milked by an automatic milking system

Increased economic, societal and environmental challenges facing agriculture are leading to a greater focus on effective way to combine grazing and automatic milking systems (AMS). One of the fundamental aspects of robotic milking is cows’ traffic to the AMS. Numerous studies have identified feed provided, either as fresh grass or concentrate supplement, as the main incentive for cows to return to the robot. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of concentrate allocation on voluntary cow traffic from pasture to the robot during the grazing period, to highlight the interactions between grazed pasture and concentrate allocation in terms of substitution rate and the subsequent effect on average milk yield and composition. Thus, 29 grazing cows, milked by a mobile robot, were monitored for the grazing period (4 months). They were assigned to two groups: a low concentrate (LC) group (15 cows) and a high concentrate (HC) group (14 cows) receiving 2 and 4 kg concentrate/cow per day, respectively; two allocations per day of fresh pasture were provided at 0700 and 1600 h. The cows had to go through the AMS to receive the fresh pasture allocation. The effect of concentrate level on robot visitation was calculated by summing milkings, refusals and failed milkings/cow per day. The impact on average daily milk yield and composition was also determined. The interaction between lactation number and month was used as an indicator of pasture availability. Concentrate allocation increased significantly robot visitations in HC (3.60±0.07 visitations/cow per day in HC and 3.10±0.07 visitations/cow per day in LC; P<0.001) while milkings/cow per day were similar in both groups (LC: 2.37±0.02/day and HC: 2.39±0.02/day; Ns). The average daily milk yield over the grazing period was enhanced in HC (22.39±0.22 kg/cow per day in HC and 21.33±0.22 kg/cow per day in LC; P<0.001). However the gain in milk due to higher concentrate supply was limited with regards to the amount of provided concentrates. Milking frequency in HC primiparous compared with LC was increased. In the context of this study, considering high concentrate levels as an incentive for robot visitation might be questioned, as it had no impact on milking frequency and limited impact on average milk yield and composition. By contrast, increased concentrate supply could be targeted specifically to primiparous cows.     

Determination of the daily selenium intake in slovakia

Three models were used to determine the daily dietary Selenium intake in Slovakia. The Selenium content of food produced and consumed in the Slovak Republic was used to estimate and calculate the daily Selenium intake based on food consumption data per capita and seven days, (24 h) eating protocol models. In a duplicate portion model, Selenium was analyzed in a whole day hospital diet during an eight-day period. According to these models the daily dietary Selenium intake was 38.2 μg; 43.3 ±6.5 μg for men and 32.6 ±6.6 μg for women; 27.1 ±7.8 μg for normal and 32.3 ±4.8 μg for nourishing hospital diets. The main contributors of Selenium to daily intake were the following: eggs, pork, and poultry. The obtained results indicate that the daily dietary intake of Selenium of the Slovak people is below the recommended values.     

Adjusting homestead feeding to requirements and nutrient intake of grazing goats on semi-arid, subtropical highland pastures

Intensive livestock grazing can largely deplete the natural fodder resources in semi-arid, subtropical highlands and together with the low nutritional quality of the pasture vegetation limit the growth and production of grazing animals. To evaluate the contribution of homestead feeding of grazing goats to rangeland conservation and animal nutrition, two researcher-managed on-farm trials were conducted in a mountain oasis of Northern Oman. Goats' feed intake on pasture in response to four rations containing different levels of locally available green fodder and concentrate feeds was determined in six male goats each (35 ± 10.2 kg body weight (BW)). Total feed intake was estimated using titanium dioxide as external fecal marker as well as the diet organic matter (OM) digestibility derived from fecal crude protein concentration. The nutritional quality of selected fodder plants on pasture was analyzed to determine the animals' nutrient and energy intake during grazing. The pasture vegetation accounted for 0.46 to 0.65 of the goats' total OM intake (87 to 107 g/kg0.75 BW), underlining the importance of this fodder resource for the husbandry system. However, metabolizable energy (7.2 MJ/kg OM) and phosphorus concentrations (1.4 g/kg OM) in the consumed pasture plants were low. Homestead feeding of nutrient and energy-rich by-products of the national fishery and date palm cultivation to grazing goats increased their daily OM intake (R2 = 0.36; P = 0.005) and covered their requirements for growth and production. While the OM intake on pasture was highest in animals fed a concentrate-based diet (P = 0.003), the daily intake of 21 g OM/kg0.75 BW of cultivated green fodder reduced the animals' feed intake on pasture (R2 = 0.44; P = 0.001). Adjusting homestead supplementation with locally available feedstuffs to the requirements of individual goats and to the nutritional quality of the pasture vegetation improves animal performance and eases the grazing pressure exerted on the natural vegetation. This management strategy therefore appears to be a valuable alternative to intensive livestock feeding in zero-grazing systems and may contribute to sustainable livestock production in ecologically fragile, semi-arid mountain regions.