School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences - Theses
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ItemFinishing prime lambs using pulse stubbles, and pulse and cereal grains in the Wimmera region of Victoria( 1998)Three trials were conducted as part of this study. The first trial evaluated faba bean and chick pea stubble as feed source for the finishing of lambs. The second trial evaluated the use of barley and field peas in feed lot rations for lambs, and the final trial evaluated narbon beans and vetch as substitute grains for field peas in feed lot rations for lambs. In the first experiment one hundred and twenty six Poll Dorset x (Border Leicester x Merino) mixed sex lambs with a mean liveweight of 40.0 kg � 0.3 kg were grazed on faba bean (FB) or chick pea (CP) stubble at a stocking rate of 6.5/ha and received a supplement of 300 g/hd/day of barley (+B) or were unsupplemented (-B). There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in average daily gain (ADG) over the duration of the trial between lambs grazing faba bean and chick pea stubble, supplemented with barley or unsupplemented. Lambs supplemented with barley tended (P- 4.06) to have a lower ADG in the first fortnightly period, and had significantly lower (P<0.05) ADG in the second period. This result is supported by the observation of supplemented lambs not grazing the stubble but waiting to be fed the barley supplement. This result was reversed in the third period when supplemented lambs tended (P~.06) to have a higher ADG, and in the final period when the ADG was significantly higher (P<0.05) than the unsupplemented lambs. There was a significant correlation (P<0.01 for faba bean stubble and P<0.05 for chick pea stubble) between ADG of unsupplemented lambs and the quantity of grain residue in the stubble. In the second experiment eighty Border Leicester x Merino mixed sex lambs with a mean liveweight of 27.3 kg � 0.2 kg were fed barley (B) or barley + field peas (B+FP) (60:40) either daily at 800 g/hd/day or ad libitum for 56 days following a 14 day introductory period. Hay was provided ad libitum. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in ADG between lambs fed the treatment rations. Lambs fed B+FP were significantly different to lambs fed barley in the following: higher carcass weight (P<0.05); fatter (P<0.05); higher dressing percentage (P<0.01); higher estimated carcass weight gain (P<0.05) and lower dry matter intake to estimated carcass weight gain ratio (P<0.05). There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in any of the measured characteristics between lambs fed restricted or lambs fed ad libitum. In the third experiment twenty four Poll Dorset x (Border Leicester x Merino) lambs with a mean liveweight of 28.8 kg � 0.45 kg were individually penned and fed ad libitum a ration of narbon beans (NB), vetch (V) or field peas (FP) mixed with wheat and formulated to 16% crude protein. Milled hay was provided separately ad libitum. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in growth rate, carcass weight, dressing percentage, feed intake, or dry matter intake to liveweight gain ratio between lambs fed the three rations. The growth rate and feed intake of lambs fed FP was more consistent than lambs fed NB or V. Scouring was observed in lambs fed V. There was highly significant (P<0.001) separation and selection of wheat in the NB and FP based rations. Further research needs to be carried out to evaluate meat quality of lambs fed narbon beans and vetch, in particular to determine if there is any effect on flavour of the meat. The use of pulse stubbles, combined with lot feeding can form a feeding system to enable lambs to be finished in the autumn-winter period in the Wimmera region. The growth rate of lambs grazing pulse stubbles is dependent on the quantity of grain residue on the ground. The growth rate can be maintained as grain level declines by the introduction of a barley supplement. Lot feeding can be used to finish lambs when pulse stubbles have been grazed out. A combination of a cereal grain and a pulse grain formulated to 16% crude protein can be fed ad libitum. Hay can be provided separately ad libitum, or a more controlled intake of hay can be achieved by feeding a calculated amount daily.
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ItemThe relative value of tagasaste and lucerne as supplementary feeds for sheep( 1993)Chamaecytisus palmensis (Tagasaste) is a leguminous perennial shrub which grows well in a range of climatic zones. Tagasaste was introduced from the Canary Islands to Australia in 1879 and a number of farmers are growing the shrub for fodder production and soil conservation. The most economical means of utilizing tagasaste in Australia appears to be direct grazing by sheep. This thesis reports on a study of tagasaste and lucerne as a supplementary summer feed for sheep in the Strathfieldsaye Research Station, East Gippsland, Victoria. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relative value of feeding tagasaste and lucerne (Medicago sativa) as a supplementary feed for sheep during summer. Growth performance of sheep, dry matter consumed and the chemical composition of feeds were examined over the four months of the experimental period. The 240 two year old Merino sheep were divided into 12 groups for grazing eight plots of tagasaste and four plots of lucerne as a supplement to summer pasture. Each plot had been fenced into four or six subplots for tagasaste or lucerne respectively, to allow stock to be rotated in four months. The estimation of the dry matter consumed in each subplot was done by selecting 50 sample quadrats before and after grazing for each experimental month. The mean liveweight gain for all sheep in the lucerne plots (11.3 kg/head) was not significantly different from tagasaste (10.6 kg/head) at the end of the experiment. The mean total change in standing dry matter due to grazing in the tagasaste treatment (5360 kg/ha) over the four months was greater than for the lucerne treatment (3384 kg/ha). The overall daily growth efficiency over the daily dry matter (LW (g)/DM (g)) eaten by sheep in tagasaste was 0.20% and 0.34% for lucerne over the experimental period. In both treatments the pattern of pasture dry matter consumption did not resemble the pattern of liveweight gain. The digestibility and total nitrogen content of feed types were not significantly different between trial months. However, the leaf part of tagasaste had significantly greater values than other feed types during the trial although lucerne leaf was not measured. During the trial there was no loss of liveweight in sheep fed tagasaste or lucerne as a supplement. A second experiment indicated that tagasaste regrowth after grazing was significantly better in lightly grazed plots than in heavily grazed plots suggesting that farmers remove stock before all leaf has been eaten. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that there is scope for the summer grazing tagasaste as a supplement to dry pasture however lucerne remains a better feed than tagasaste on this site. The high quality of tagasaste foliage (leaf) and low rate of liveweight gain of the experimental sheep suggest that further study is necessary to identify the cause of low stock performance.
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ItemCowpea and navy bean seeds as supplements for sheep( 1992)This study was conducted to determine the feeding value of cowpea and navy bean seeds as supplements for growing sheep fed equal amounts of oaten chaff and barley straw (basal diet) and the digestibility of the basal diet when cowpea and navy bean seeds were used. Thirty-six sheep were used both in period 1 and period 2 of the feeding trial (Experiment 1), randomly assigned to no supplement, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0% LW of lupin, cowpea and navy bean, and 2.0% LW of lupin and navy bean plus antibiotics, and twenty-four sheep were used in the digestibility trial (Experiment 2) using 1.0% LW of lupin, cowpea and navy bean and no supplement. Results indicated that navy bean seeds and cowpea seeds when used as supplements should be limited by up to 0.5 and 1.0% LW respectively for sheep fed equal amounts of oaten chaff and barley straw.
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ItemAnti-nutritional factors in legume seeds( 1990)The aim of this study was to assess the presence of lectins and trypsin inhibitors in the seeds of selected species of legume namely: lab lab purpureus L. (lablab) Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp. (cowpea) and Phaseolus vulgaris (navybean) and to examine the degradation of these anti-nutritional factors in the rumen of sheep. This study also attempted to investigate whether laboratory measures of haemagglutinating activity or trypsin inhibitor activity of the legume seeds could be related to in vivo measurements i.e. animal growth and d-xylose absorption. Seeds of the selected legume species were tested with erythrocytes from three animal species (sheep, goat and cattle) to determine their haemagglutinating activity . Enterocytes were also used in the in vitro measurements of lectin content of the legume seeds. The results indicated that the legume seeds contain various levels of haemagglutinating activity and trypsin inhibitor activity, with navybean exhibiting the highest amount, followed by Lablab batch A, Lablab batch B, cowpea and lupin, the lowest. No significant difference was observed in the haemagglutination reactions when red blood cells from three animal species (sheep, goat and cattle) were used in the test. There was a high correlation (r=0.994) obtained between the haemagglutination activity of erythrocytes and enterocytes. A feeding trial was conducted over a 4-week experimental period . Twenty-five Merino wethers were housed indoors in metabolism crates and were divided into five treatment groups. All sheep were offered daily a mixture of equal parts of oaten chaff and barley straw ad libitum and of the five supplements at 1% of LW. The supplements were lupins, lablab batch A, lablab batch B, cowpea and navybean. The amounts of legume seed supplements given were on an air dry basis. (The five diets offered were; T1= 1% LW Lupin + roughage ; T2= 1% LW Lablab batch A + roughage ; T3= 1% LW Lablab t batch B + roughage ; T4= 1% LW cowpea + roughage ; and T5= 1% LW navybean + roughage. The roughage, which consisted of a mixture of equal parts of oaten chaff and barley straw, was offered ad libitum. The amounts of legume seed supplements given were on an air dry basis.) Samples of legume seeds placed in nylon bags were incubated in the rumen of the sheep at different periods (3, 6, 12, 24 ,48 hour) and examined for haemagglutination and trypsin inhibitor activity. A diminishing trend in activity was observed for all the legume seeds as the incubation time progressed. Minimal activity was still detected at 12 hour post incubation and virtually no activity was measured at 24 and 48 hour periods. The reduction in activity could probably be due to washing of the seeds in the rumen, hence, no apparent symptoms of toxicity were demonstrated by the sheep in contrast to a previously reported study of Ismartoyo (1989) Results of d-xylose test , feed intake and growth of sheep showed no significant difference among the treatment diets including other related experiments which involved supplementation of similar legume seeds. There was no clear relationship observed between the in vitro and in vivo measurements obtained in this experiment. Therefore, the anti-nutritional role of legume seeds on the sheep appeared to be of lesser significance compared to the monogastrics. This has been substantiated by the diminishing levels of toxic activity as determined in this experiment and absence of toxic symptoms in the sheep fed with legume of seeds at 1% of LW.
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ItemLablab purpureus seed as supplement for sheep fed roughage diets( 1990)The experiment was carried out using twenty-one rumen cannulated weaner wether Merino sheep in order to assess the feeding value of whole, untreated Lablab purpureus seed as a supplement for low quality roughage diets. Intake, production, digestibility and rumen fermentation measurements were examined over two periods each of 49 days. The sheep were kept in metabolism crates during measurements and in the paddock between periods. All sheep received a basal roughage diet of 50% chopped barley straw and 50% oaten chaff with the following amounts of seed legume supplements: Ti No supplement; T2 0.5% liveweight (LW) lablab; T3 1.0% LW lablab; T4 2.0% LW lablab; T5 0.5% LW lupins; T6 1.0% LW lupins; T7 2.0% LW lupins. Results indicated that digestion and productivity were higher for lupins than lablab at all levels of supplemental tion. Whole, untreated lablab seed at 1.0% LW supplementation resulted in higher (P<0.05) roughage and digestible organic matter (OM) intakes than the 0.5% LW and 2.0% LW level of supplementation. Dry matter (DM), OM and nitrogen (N) digestibility at 2.0%-LW of feed was higher for lupins than for lablab. Intake of roughage DM decreased (P<0.05) at 2.0% LW lablab or lupin supplement. However, total DM intake, digestible OM intake, LW gain and wool growth significantly increased as level of supplementation increased. Rumen ammonia nitrogen concentrations was significantly lower. with lablab than with lupins at all levels of supplementation. This could be due to a slower rate of consumption of lablab seed supplement, and lower DM disappearance from nylon bags. However, sheep fed on 2.0% LW lablab had higher fibre digestion than at the same level of lupins. There was also evidence that lablab is less palatable than lupins and that differences in the rate of ingestion might be due to the presence of anti-nutritional factors (ANF) being slowly degraded by microorganisms in the rumen. However, the presence of the ANF in lablab seed did not seem to depress roughage fermentation. There were significant differences between diets and between periods. Block effects as well as interaction between periods and diets were less significant than diets. Generally, supplemented diets increased liveweight while on the sole roughage plus mineral diets, sheep lost weight. Hence, lablab seed could be used as a supplement for sheep without adverse effects on intake and digestion of low quality roughage diets, although liveweight gain and wool growth tended to be lower than for the equivalent amount of lupin seed supplement.
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ItemEffect of hardness on intake and storage quality of urea molasses block by sheep( 1990)This thesis presents a research programme undertaken to examine the possibility to develop a suitable composition for urea molasses block ideal for Bangladesh climatic conditions, using locally available ingredients. The investigations were carried out within the general context of using rice husk ash (RHA) as a binding agent for urea molasses block and to replace a reasonable proportion of lime in the block. Attention was focussed on the extent of tooth wear and possible causes of variability in intake of urea molasses block and effects of long-term feeding of such blocks on animal performance. A review of literature enabled the presentation in chapter 2 of the various factors affecting intake of urea molasses block, properties of rice husk ash and its opportunity of uses for different purposes and finally the major causes of tooth wear with possible consequences on animals. Reported effects of the level of urea, essential mineral elements, sources of phosphorus in block, climatic conditions and placement of block, animal's previous experience with such food and hardness or compressive strength of urea molasses block are reviewed. It is concluded that increasing the level of urea from 5-10% in the block tends to stimulate intake. A very high level of calcium and low phosphorus or any mineral imbalances tend to decrease its intake through its effects in long-term. Pre-weaning experience and other management strategies have also been found to increase intake of urea molasses block. Supplementation of poor quality cereal straw diets with urea molasses blocks has given variable responses in the reviewed reports. The reasons for this variability are numerous and can be attributed in part to the characteristics of basal diet being supplemented, to animal factors such as species, physiological state and health and to the conditions under which measurements have been made. No studies have been made on the efficacy of use of rice husk ash as binding agent for urea molasses. Chapters 3 and 4 report on experiment in which six different types of urea molasses blocks with varying levels of lime and rice husk ash were prepared and their hardness was measured in terms of compressive strength (kg) both under normal environmental conditions and after placing these blocks in a hot room for 5 days at temperatures and relative humidity of 25- 35C and 50-80% respectively. It is found that 40% rice husk ash and 60% lime (out of total 8% binding agents) is the best ratio in terms of compressive strength. Blocks with more than 8% binding agent have better strength when both rice husk ash and lime are in equal proportion. After compressive strength test four different types of urea molasses blocks were selected for a feeding experiment lasting 13 weeks including two weeks of adjustment period. Barley straw and urea molasses block were offered ad libitum to sheep along with 30 g of lupin/day/sheep. The blocks and straw together constituted four different dietary treatments and three sheep received each dietary treatment. The average initial liveweight was 41.4 kg (range33-59). The organic matter contents of urea molasses blocks were 739-802 g/kg DM. The nitrogen content of straw was 7.1 g/kg DM. The nitrogen contents of blocks ranged from 54.4 to 56.3 g/kg DM. The in vitro organic matter digestibility of straw was 51.8% and of the urea molasses blocks ranged from 92-97%. Comparisons of straw offered with that refused indicated no difference in organic matter, nitrogen and acid detergent fibre content. However, there was a highly significant (P<0.001) difference in neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and silica content between straw offered and refused. The mean daily intake of straw among four different groups of sheep ranged from 31.6 to 40 g DM/kg W0.75. The highest being observed in the group consuming block with 6% rice husk ash and 6% lime. Mean daily intake of urea molasses block was also highest in that group and the range of intake among four different groups was 9.8- 15.2 g DM/kg W0.75. The ratio of intake of block: straw was highest for group D (0.44: 1), followed by blocks A, C and B. The overall correlation between straw and block intake was 0.70. There was no significant difference between intakes of straw and block among the four groups. However, some animals were found to reduce feed intake drastically at the beginning and at the end of the experiment. This reduction in feed intake was much frequently observed with group D consuming the lime only (8%) block. Two out of three animals in this group reduced feed intake during the last three weeks of the experiment. This reduction in feed intake was highly significant (P<0.01) compared to previous intake by the same group or others. There was no significant difference in mean daily liveweight change over the experimental period. Reduction in feed intake in group D during the last three weeks resulted in a highly significant (P<0.01) loss in liveweight compared to liveweight changes of the previous weeks of the same group or other groups of sheep. There was no significant difference in tooth wear among four groups of sheep. Addition of rice hush ash at higher level (10%) will not cause tooth wear. There was no significant difference in nitrogen balance of the four groups of sheep. The highest N balance was observed with group A. Three out of four groups of sheep were in positive nitrogen balance, but positive nitrogen balance was not reflected in liveweight gain, probably due to error in faeces and urine collection, sampling or nitrogen loss during analysis of sample. Alternatively nitrogen balance trial week may not be truly representative of the whole period. There was significant (P<0.05) difference in water consumption between group of animals. The level of silica excreted in faeces was related to silica level in urea molasses block (r=0.94). It is concluded that urea molasses block intake is related to straw intake, factors likely to increase straw intake will also increase block intake. Blocks with high level of lime (8% or more) has harmful effect on animal performance in long-term feeding probably due to mineral imbalances. The effect most likely to affect animal performance is severe reduction in feed intake. Urea molasses blocks containing rice husk ash have not been found to cause any such effect in long-term feeding and better compressive strength can also be obtained with rice husk ash. It is found that at least 40% of lime (out of total 8%) could be replaced with rice husk ash without altering the compressive strength (storage quality) and a better quality block could be made with 12% binding agent, 6% rice husk ash and 6% lime. So the use of rice husk ash as binding agent for urea molasses block could be recommended.