RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
A1 Lorensetti, Cassiano Albino
A1 da Silveira, Magali Floriano
A1 Farenzena, Roberta
A1 Lazzarotto, Eduardo Felipe Colerauz de Oliveira
A1 Lourenço, Jeferson Menezes
A1 Michailoff, Andressa Alaine
A1 Francisco, Lucas Felipe
A1 Sordi, Ana Carolini Barbosa
T1 Intake and digestibility in cattle grazing temperate grass associated with legume and/or energetic supplementation
JF Czech Journal of Animal Science
YR 2021
VO 66
IS 9
SP 349
OP 358
DO 10.17221/38/2021-CJAS
UL https://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/artkey/cjs-202109-0002.php
AB The intercrop between grasses and legumes is an alternative to maintain and increase animal production. The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of grass-legume mixtures with or without supplementations on rumen fermentation, nutrient intake, and microbial protein synthesis. Six Holstein steers fitted with ruminal cannula were kept in a double 3 × 3 Latin square design. The treatments were: 1) oat, annual ryegrass, and supplement (GS), 2) oat, annual ryegrass, and vetch (GL), 3) oat, annual ryegrass, vetch, and supplement (GLS). Supplementation of ground maize was given daily at 11 h at 1% of body weight. Total digestible nutrient intake was higher in steers fed GS and GLS. Animals on GL ingested higher concentrations of nitrogen (N) compared to animals on GS and GLS diets. Ruminal pH and ammonia concentration were higher in GL. Grass-legume mixtures and supplements showed higher concentrations of sugar, α-amino acids, and peptides. The ruminal fermentative parameters, ruminal pH, ammonia, and sugars ranged cubically across the day. Microbial protein synthesis was similar amongst the treatments. Animals exclusively consuming temperate grass produce higher ruminal pH and ammonia concentrations. Therefore, using temperate legumes in pasture systems can be included in the cattle diet in lieu of utilizing energy supplements.