Variation in ruminants' preference for tall fescue hays cut either at sundown or at sunup

Fisher, Dwight S. and Mayland, Henry F. and Burns, Joseph C. (1999) Variation in ruminants' preference for tall fescue hays cut either at sundown or at sunup. Journal of Animal Science. 77:762-768.

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Abstract

Plants vary diurnally in concentrations
of nonstructural carbohydrates. If ruminants
prefer forages with higher total nonstructural carbohydrates
(TNC), then the preference for hays harvested
within the same 24-h period may vary. An
established field of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea
Schreb.) was harvested six times in the vegetative
stage. Harvests were paired such that each cutting at
sundown (P M) was followed by a cutting the next
morning at sunup (AM). We harvested in this manner
three times, resulting in six hays. The hays were field-dried,
baled, and passed through a hydraulic bale
processor prior to feeding. Experiments were conducted
with sheep, goats, and cattle, using six animals
in each case. During an adaptation phase, hays were
offered alone as meals. In the experimental phase,
every possible pair of hays (15 pairs) was presented
for a meal. Data were analyzed by multidimensional
scaling and by traditional analyses. Multidimensional
scaling indicated that selection was based on a single
criterion. Preference for PM hays was greater than for
AM hays (P < .01) in all experiments. Increased
preference was associated with increased TNC (P <
.01) and in vitro true DM disappearance (P < .01)
and decreased fiber concentration (P < .01; NDF,
ADF, cellulose, and ADL). Mowing hay late in the day
was effective in increasing forage preference.

Item Type:	Article
NWISRL Publication Number:	0984
Subjects:	Animal > Feed preference Irrigated crops > Grass forage > Time-of-day harvest difference Irrigated crops > Grass forage > Animal preference Mass Import - autoclassified (may be erroneous)
Depositing User:	Dan Stieneke
Date Deposited:	20 Nov 2010 21:54
Last Modified:	17 Nov 2016 16:04
Item ID:	710
URI:	https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/710