HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Goetsch, A. L. Articles by Piper, E. L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Goetsch, A. L. Articles by Piper, E. L.

Effects of Frequency of Offering and Type of Supplemental Forage on Intake and Digestion in Calves Consuming Endophyte-Infected Fescue Hay¹

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville 72701

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of frequency of offering and type of supplemental forage on intake and digestion in calves consuming endophyte-infected fescue hay (I). In Exp. 1, five Holstein steers, averaging 128 kg body weight (BW), were used in a 5 x 5 Latin square experiment. All steers were given free access to I in the afternoon. Morning meals consisted of 1) ad libitum access to I daily (control), 2) .5% BW of Bermuda-grass hay (BG) daily, 3) 1.0% BW of BG every 2nd d, 4) 1.5% BW of BG every 3rd d and 5) 2.0% BW of BG every 4th d. Steers receiving BG consumed less (P<.01) I and more (P<.01) total dry matter (DM) than did steers given I alone. Within treatment, I intake was similar (P>.10) among days of the feeding cycle without BG. Organic matter (OM) digestion was lower (P<.05) with than without BG. In Exp. 2, 12 beef calves (Angus and Hereford x Angus; 6 mo of age, 155 kg initial BW) were used in a completely randomized-design experiment. Calves were given ad libitum access to I daily (control) or to BG or wheat hay (WH) on d 1 and I the following 3 d. Hay (I, BG or WH) intake d 1 of the feeding cycle was higher for BG and WH than for the control treatment (16 and 45%, respectively) and higher for WH than BG (25%; P<.05). Fescue intake other days was similar among treatments, and differences within treatments between days were nonsignificant. Digestion of OM ranked WH>control>BG (P<.05). Intake of diets high in I can be elevated by daily or intermittent offering of nontoxic forage.

¹ Published with the approval of the Director of the Arkansas Agric. Exp. Sta.