Nelmy Narvaez1, Miguel Mellado Wolfgang Pittroff
This study was conducted to determine nutritional quality, and seasonal variation in diet composition, dry matter and nutrient intake, and dry matter digestibility of plants selected by sheep and goats grazing on California chaparral using the n-alkane technique. Crude protein ranged from 3.6% for herbaceous samples in fall to 10% for C. betuloides in spring. Neutral and acid detergent fiber values ranged from 27.7 and 21.2% for E. californicum in spring and B. pilularis in fall to 77 and 48.9% for herbaceous in summer, respectively. The highest digestibility and metabolizable energy values were found in spring, whereas the lowest values were occurred in fall. Proportions of browse in the diet were 78, 87, and 94.8% for goats and 72.9, 58.8, and 81.5% for sheep in fall, spring and summer, respectively. Daily DMI per kg BW ranged from 22.3 g in spring to 30.7 g in fall for goats, and from 12.6 g in summer to 17 g in fall for sheep. CPI ranged from 1.4 g∙kg-1 BW in summer to 1.6 g∙kg-1 BW in fall for goats, and from 0.58 g∙kg-1 BW in summer to 1.2 g∙kg-1 BW in spring for sheep. Daily MEI ranged from 0.18 MJ∙kg-1 BW in fall to 0.14 MJ∙kg-1 BW in spring and summer for goats; and from 0.07 MJ∙kg-1 BW in summer to 0.11 MJ in spring for sheep. DMD varied from 53% in spring to 61% in summer for goats and from 42% in the fall to 59% in spring for sheep. This study indicates that, mixed species grazing goats and sheep select fairly similar species, but in different proportions at different seasons. Goats can be more effective than sheep in reducing fuel load in California chaparral, as they do not appear to be nutritionally limited by the low quality forage of this landscape.
Abstract no. 2341-1
Nelmy Narvaez1, Miguel Mellado Wolfgang Pittroff
This study was conducted to determine nutritional quality, and seasonal variation in diet composition, dry matter and nutrient intake, and dry matter digestibility of plants selected by sheep and goats grazing on California chaparral using the n-alkane technique. Crude protein ranged from 3.6% for herbaceous samples in fall to 10% for C. betuloides in spring. Neutral and acid detergent fiber values ranged from 27.7 and 21.2% for E. californicum in spring and B. pilularis in fall to 77 and 48.9% for herbaceous in summer, respectively. The highest digestibility and metabolizable energy values were found in spring, whereas the lowest values were occurred in fall. Proportions of browse in the diet were 78, 87, and 94.8% for goats and 72.9, 58.8, and 81.5% for sheep in fall, spring and summer, respectively. Daily DMI per kg BW ranged from 22.3 g in spring to 30.7 g in fall for goats, and from 12.6 g in summer to 17 g in fall for sheep. CPI ranged from 1.4 g∙kg-1 BW in summer to 1.6 g∙kg-1 BW in fall for goats, and from 0.58 g∙kg-1 BW in summer to 1.2 g∙kg-1 BW in spring for sheep. Daily MEI ranged from 0.18 MJ∙kg-1 BW in fall to 0.14 MJ∙kg-1 BW in spring and summer for goats; and from 0.07 MJ∙kg-1 BW in summer to 0.11 MJ in spring for sheep. DMD varied from 53% in spring to 61% in summer for goats and from 42% in the fall to 59% in spring for sheep. This study indicates that, mixed species grazing goats and sheep select fairly similar species, but in different proportions at different seasons. Goats can be more effective than sheep in reducing fuel load in California chaparral, as they do not appear to be nutritionally limited by the low quality forage of this landscape.
Abstract no. 2341-1