Theme 08: Grazing Ecology
Description
A trial was designed to test the effect of herbage allowance (HA) on live-weight gain (LWG) and grazing behavior of heifers during spring as part of a combined field-modeling research programme. Low HA (L) and high HA (H) of 2.5 and 5.0 kg DM herbage mass 100 kg animal LW-1day-1 were fed respectively. H animals grazed longer and achieved a higher LWG than L (P < 0.05). H animals left a higher residual pasture (P < 0.051) with a significantly (P < 0.05) higher content of green, clover, non-lamina and petiole of a higher digestibility and NSC, with a lower NDF content. The significance of some factors involved in these results on intake and diet selection are discussed in relation to the predictability of animal performance.
Citation
Machado, Claudio F.; Di Croce, F.; Gonzalez, F.; Zeballos, H.; Auza, N. J.; Wade, M. H.; Morris, S. T.; and Hodgson, J., "Effects of Herbage Allowance upon Animal Performance and Grazing Behavior of Strip-Grazed Heifers" (2021). IGC Proceedings (1993-2023). 7.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/19/8/7
Included in
Effects of Herbage Allowance upon Animal Performance and Grazing Behavior of Strip-Grazed Heifers
A trial was designed to test the effect of herbage allowance (HA) on live-weight gain (LWG) and grazing behavior of heifers during spring as part of a combined field-modeling research programme. Low HA (L) and high HA (H) of 2.5 and 5.0 kg DM herbage mass 100 kg animal LW-1day-1 were fed respectively. H animals grazed longer and achieved a higher LWG than L (P < 0.05). H animals left a higher residual pasture (P < 0.051) with a significantly (P < 0.05) higher content of green, clover, non-lamina and petiole of a higher digestibility and NSC, with a lower NDF content. The significance of some factors involved in these results on intake and diet selection are discussed in relation to the predictability of animal performance.
