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The trials and tribulations of estimating the pasture intake of grazing animals

The trials and tribulations of estimating the pasture intake of grazing animals The present paper reviews estimation methods for measuring pasture intake of individual grazing animals, in particular, the use of indigestible plant markers. Natural alkanes and alcohols function essentially as an internal marker and thus accommodate differences in forage digestibility among individuals and those arising from interactions between supplement and forage. An estimate of diet composition partitions total intake into its component plant species. Estimates of diet composition require correction for incomplete faecal marker recovery, where relative recoveries (i.e. the recovery of the alkanes relative to each other) suffice. If estimates of whole-diet digestibility are also wanted, actual faecal alkane recoveries must be used. Using known labelled supplement intakes as a means of estimating the intake of all other diet components avoids the need to dose animals separately with synthetic alkanes. The results, problems and possible workarounds for a commercial system under development to estimate individual animal pasture intakes using known labelled-supplement intakes are outlined. A prototype bin system was trialled and, despite many initial technological problems, it showed enough promise for Sapien Technology to continue to develop the system with Proway Livestock. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Animal Production Science CSIRO Publishing

The trials and tribulations of estimating the pasture intake of grazing animals

Cottle David J.
Animal Production Science , Volume 53 (11) – Sep 18, 2013
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References (61)

Publisher
CSIRO Publishing
Copyright
CSIRO
ISSN
1836-0939
eISSN
1836-5787
DOI
10.1071/AN13164
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

The present paper reviews estimation methods for measuring pasture intake of individual grazing animals, in particular, the use of indigestible plant markers. Natural alkanes and alcohols function essentially as an internal marker and thus accommodate differences in forage digestibility among individuals and those arising from interactions between supplement and forage. An estimate of diet composition partitions total intake into its component plant species. Estimates of diet composition require correction for incomplete faecal marker recovery, where relative recoveries (i.e. the recovery of the alkanes relative to each other) suffice. If estimates of whole-diet digestibility are also wanted, actual faecal alkane recoveries must be used. Using known labelled supplement intakes as a means of estimating the intake of all other diet components avoids the need to dose animals separately with synthetic alkanes. The results, problems and possible workarounds for a commercial system under development to estimate individual animal pasture intakes using known labelled-supplement intakes are outlined. A prototype bin system was trialled and, despite many initial technological problems, it showed enough promise for Sapien Technology to continue to develop the system with Proway Livestock.

Journal

Animal Production Science – CSIRO Publishing

Published: Sep 18, 2013

Keywords: indigestible plant markers, maintenance requirements.

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