Diet quality of cattle grazing grass or leucaena-grass pastures in Central Qld

Buck, Stuart, Thornton, Craig and Dixon, Rob (2011). Diet quality of cattle grazing grass or leucaena-grass pastures in Central Qld. In: Northern Beef Research Update Conference (NBRUC 2011), Darwin, Australia, (151-151). 3-4 August 2011.

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Author Buck, Stuart
Thornton, Craig
Dixon, Rob
Title of paper Diet quality of cattle grazing grass or leucaena-grass pastures in Central Qld
Conference Paper Type Published Abstract
Conference name Northern Beef Research Update Conference (NBRUC 2011)
Conference location Darwin, Australia
Conference dates 3-4 August 2011
Convener North Australia Beef Research Council
Place published Park Ridge, QLD, Australia
Publisher North Australia Beef Research Council
Publication date 2011
Start page 151
End page 151
Total pages 1
Collection year 2011
Language eng
Formatted Abstract/Summary Introduction Beef production from Leucaena-grass pasture can be double that from grass-only pasture due to both increased amount and nutritive value of the forage. However limited information is available on diet selection and nutrient intake of cattle grazing Leucaena-grass or grass-only pastures.

Methods Two drafts of weaner cattle grazed paddocks of either nominally buffel grass (n = 8 and 5) or a Leucaena-buffel grass pasture (n = 9 and 25) on the Brigalow Research Station in central Qld from May 2008 to May 2009 and June 2009 to June 2010 respectively. Faecal samples collected each 6 weeks were analysed by faecal NIR spectroscopy to measure diet selection and quality.

Results In the buffel pasture diet non grass was consistently <26%, and was likely woody browse species. Leucaena generally contributed 8-35% of the diet in the Leucaena-grass pasture during spring and summer, but increased to 83% during autumn when grass quality was rapidly declining. Similar seasonal changes in digestibility and crude protein occurred in both pastures. Digestibility was predominately >50%, and was consistently high (>65%) late summer in the Leucaena-grass pasture. Diet crude protein was likely limiting in cattle grazing the buffel grass between July to December 2009, but was not likely limiting in cattle grazing Leucaena-grass pasture.

Discussion and Conclusions In this study when stocking rate matched feed availability, beef production increased from 51kg/ha.yr on buffel to 103kg/ha.yr on Leucaena + buffel (Thornton and Buck 2011). This is attributable to an increased amount and nutritive value of the forage in Leucaena-grass pastures.
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Sub-type: Published Abstract
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Created: Fri, 10 Feb 2012, 17:27:43 EST by Dr Robert Dixon on behalf of Qld Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation