We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Effects of feeding Eragrostis tef hay harvested at different stages of maturity on nutrient intake, ruminal fermentation, and nitrogen utilization in beef cattle.
- Authors
Vinyard, J. R.; Hall, J. B.; Sprinkle, J. E.; Chibisa, G. E.
- Abstract
Eragrostis tef ('Tiffany' teff), a warm-season annual grass, could be an excellent forage for beef cattle. However, there is limited information on its nutritive value at different stages of maturity. Therefore, our objective was to determine the effect of feeding teff hay harvested at the boot (BT), early-heading (EH), or late-heading (LH) stages of maturity on nutrient intake, ruminal fermentation, and N utilization in beef cattle. Six ruminally cannulated beef heifers (476 kg [SD 32.6] initial BW) were used in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design with 28-d periods (18 d for adaptation and 10 d for measurements). Dietary treatments were BT, EH, or LH teff hay. Dry matter intake was measured daily, and indwelling pH loggers were used to continuously measure ruminal pH from d 21 to 28. Ruminal fluid for ammonia determination and spot urine samples for measurement of urine output, N, and urea N excretion were collected from d 26 to 28. Blood samples for plasma urea N (PUN) determination were collected 3 h after feeding on d 28. The NDF and ADF content were similar across diets. However, CP content was greater for the BT hay than for EH and LH hay (18.1, 14.1, and 11.5%, respectively, DM basis). Dry matter intake was higher (P = 0.03) for heifers fed the LH hay (11.6 kg/d) compared with heifers fed the BT hay (10.9 kg/d), whereas CP intake increased (P = 0.03) for heifers fed the EH hay (1.76 kg/d) compared with heifers fed the LH hay (1.65 kg/d). There was no diet effect (P > 0.05) on mean, minimum, and maximum pH and the duration and area pH < 6.2 and 5.8, but ruminal ammonia concentration was greater (P < 0.05) for heifers fed BT hay (14.04 mg/dL) than for heifers fed EH (8.82 mg/dL) and LH hay (5.01 mg/dL). Plasma urea N concentration also tended to be higher (P = 0.08) for BT hay compared with EH and LH hay (19.1, 15.9, and 14.1 mg/dL, respectively). Urine output increased (P = 0.01) in heifers fed the BT hay (15.2 kg/d) than in heifers fed the EH (11.5 kg/d) and LH hay (11.7 kg/d). Similarly, urine N and urea N excretion increased (P < 0.01) for heifers fed the BT hay compared with heifers fed the EH and LH hay. In conclusion, although there was no diet effect on ruminal pH, the decrease in CP content with advancing maturity resulted in a decrease in the ruminal ammonia and PUN concentrations and urine N and urea N excretion when teff hay was fed to beef cattle.
- Subjects
TEFF; NITROGEN in animal nutrition; BEEF cattle
- Publication
Journal of Animal Science, 2017, Vol 95, p137
- ISSN
0021-8812
- Publication type
Abstract
- DOI
10.2527/asasann.2017.276