Diet quality and liveweight gain of steers grazing Leucaena-grass pasture estimated with faecal near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (F. NIRS)

Dixon, R. M. and Coates, D. B. (2008). Diet quality and liveweight gain of steers grazing Leucaena-grass pasture estimated with faecal near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (F. NIRS). In: D. G. Barber, R. T. Cowan, C. A. Anderson and L. E. Webb, From science to application: Proceedings of the Australian Society of Animal Production 27th biennial conference. 27th Biennial Conference of the Australian Society of Animal Production, Brisbane, Australia, (835-842). 24-27 June 2008.


Author Dixon, R. M.
Coates, D. B.
Title of paper Diet quality and liveweight gain of steers grazing Leucaena-grass pasture estimated with faecal near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (F. NIRS)
Formatted title Diet quality and liveweight gain of steers grazing Leucaena-grass pasture estimated with faecal near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (F. NIRS)
Conference Paper Type Fully Published Paper
Conference name 27th Biennial Conference of the Australian Society of Animal Production
DOI 10.1071/EA08007
Conference location Brisbane, Australia
Conference dates 24-27 June 2008
Proceedings title From science to application: Proceedings of the Australian Society of Animal Production 27th biennial conference  (ERA 2012 Listed)    (ERA 2010 Rank A)   Check publisher's open access policy
Journal name Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture  (ERA 2012 Listed)    (ERA 2010 Rank A)   Check publisher's open access policy
Editor D. G. Barber
R. T. Cowan
C. A. Anderson
L. E. Webb
Place published Collingwood, Vic., Australia
Publisher CSIRO Publishing
Publication date 2008
Volume number 48
Issue number 6-7
ISSN 0816-1089; 1836-5787
Start page 835
End page 842
Total pages 7
Language eng
Formatted Abstract/Summary Three drafts of Bos indicus cross steers (initially 178–216 kg) grazed Leucaena–grass pasture [Leucaena leucocephala subspecies glabrata cv. Cunningham with green panic (Panicum maximum cv. trichoglume)] from late winter through to autumn during three consecutive years in the Burnett region of south-east Queensland. Measured daily weight gain (DWGActual) of the steers was generally 0.7–1.1 kg/day during the summer months. Estimated intakes of metabolisable energy and dry matter (DM) were calculated from feeding standards as the intakes required by the steers to grow at the DWGActual. Diet attributes were predicted from near infrared reflectance spectroscopy spectra of faeces (F.NIRS) using established calibration equations appropriate for northern Australian forages. Inclusion of some additional reference samples from cattle consuming Leucaena diets into F.NIRS calibrations based on grass and herbaceous legume–grass pastures improved prediction of the proportion of Leucaena in the diet. Mahalanobis distance values supported the hypothesis that the F.NIRS predictions of diet crude protein concentration and DM digestibility (DMD) were acceptable. F.NIRS indicated that the percentage of Leucaena in the diet varied widely (10–99%). Diet crude protein concentration and DMD were usually high, averaging 12.4 and 62%, respectively, and were related asymptotically to the percentage of Leucaena in the diet (R2 = 0.48 and 0.33, respectively). F.NIRS calibrations for DWG were not satisfactory to predict this variable from an individual faecal sample since the s.e. of prediction were 0.33–0.40 kg/day. Cumulative steer liveweight (LW) predicted from F.NIRS DWG calibrations, which had been previously developed with tropical grass and grass–herbaceous legume pastures, greatly overestimated the measured steer LW; therefore, these calibrations were not useful. Cumulative steer LW predicted from a modified F.NIRS DWG calibration, which included data from the present study, was strongly correlated (R2 = 0.95) with steer LW but overestimated LW by 19–31 kg after 8 months. Additional reference data are needed to develop robust F.NIRS calibrations to encompass the diversity of Leucaena pastures of northern Australia. In conclusion, the experiment demonstrated that F.NIRS could improve understanding of diet quality and nutrient intake of cattle grazing Leucaena–grass pasture, and the relationships between nutrient supply and cattle growth.
Q-Index Code C1
Q-Index Status Provisional Code
Institutional Status Non-UQ
Additional Notes Meeting held jointly with the 68th Annual Conference of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production

Document type: Conference Paper
Sub-type: Fully Published Paper
Collections: Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation
ERA 2012 Admin Only
 
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Created: Mon, 07 Mar 2011, 14:52:58 EST