Effect of feeding forage characteristic of wet-or dry-season tropical C4 grass in northern Australia, on methane production, intake and rumen outflow rates in Bos indicus steers

Perry, L.A., Al Jassim, R., Gaughan, J.B., and Tomkins, N.W. (2017) Effect of feeding forage characteristic of wet-or dry-season tropical C4 grass in northern Australia, on methane production, intake and rumen outflow rates in Bos indicus steers. Animal Production Science, 57 (10). pp. 2033-2041.

[img] PDF (Published Version) - Published Version
Restricted to Repository staff only

View at Publisher Website: https://doi.org/10.1071/AN15314
 
6
1


Abstract

Methane production (MP) from Bos indicus steers fed Chloris gayana hay characteristic of the 'dry season' (LQH), and a fresh Urochloa mosambicensis grass (PAS) or a C. gayana hay (HQH) characteristic of the 'wet' season was determined. A longitudinal feeding trial incorporated a 42-day covariate period (P1) in which Brahman steers (total n = 12) were fed ad libitum LQH (g/kg DM: crude protein (CP) 25; acid detergent fibre expressed exclusive of residual ash (ADFom) 487; DM digestibility (DMD) 380) followed by a 42-day treatment period where steers (n = 4 in each) were randomly assigned to PAS, HQH or remained on LQH (control). The diet composition in P2 was HQH (g/kg DM: CP 88; ADFom 376; DMD590), PAS (g/kg DM: CP 90; ADFom 324; DMD630) and LQH (g/kg DM: CP 31; ADFom 461; DMD 410). For each period, on Days 35-41, individual dry-matter intakes (DMI), rumen fermentation parameters and both fluid and particulate fractional rumen outflow rates were measured. On Days 41 and 42, MP was determined using open-circuit respiration chambers. There were diet effects on MP, DMI, volatile fatty acids, and ammonia-N. Both PAS-and HQH-fed steers had greater MP (g/day; P < 0.05) and DMI (P < 0.05) than did those fed LQH, but a lower MP per kilogram DMI digested. The use of predictive equations compared with measured data confirmed prior observations that MP from tropical grasses in the northern Australian rangelands may be overestimated using the current equations for greenhouse gas accounting.

Item ID: 50870
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1836-5787
Keywords: cattle, forage quality, greenhouse gas, northern rangelands, respiration chamber
Funders: CSIRO Sustainable Agriculture Flagship scholarship, University of Queensland (UQ)
Projects and Grants: UQ Centennial and International Postgraduate Research Scholarships
Date Deposited: 27 Sep 2017 07:41
FoR Codes: 30 AGRICULTURAL, VETERINARY AND FOOD SCIENCES > 3003 Animal production > 300302 Animal management @ 100%
SEO Codes: 96 ENVIRONMENT > 9601 Air Quality > 960103 Farmland, Arable Cropland and Permanent Cropland Air Quality @ 100%
Downloads: Total: 1
More Statistics

Actions (Repository Staff Only)

Item Control Page Item Control Page