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Seasonal variations in gastrointestinal tract fill of grazing Zebu cattle in the Sahel
- E. SCHLECHT, M. SANGARÉ, K. BECKER
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- Journal:
- The Journal of Agricultural Science / Volume 140 / Issue 4 / June 2003
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 07 October 2003, pp. 461-468
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The gastrointestinal tract (gut) contents of male Zebu cattle (Bos indicus) were studied in the southern Sahelian zone of Mali. Measurements were carried out on 39 animals in mid-dry season (MDS) and 15 at the end of the dry season (late dry season, LDS).
After overnight fasting, the animals were weighed and then slaughtered. The different gut compartments were emptied and representative samples of their fill were analysed for contents of dry matter (all) and NDF (reticulo-rumen only).
Related to fasted live weight (FLW), gut fresh matter (FM) fill (g FM/kg FLW) increased from 165·7±4·81 g in MDS to 227·5±3·05 g in LDS (P[les ]0·001), liquid gut contents (g fluid/kg FLW) increased from 138·9±4·65 to 193·5±2·49 g (P[les ]0·001) and gut dry matter fill (g DM/kg FLW) increased from 26·8±0·88 to 34·0±0·97 g (P[les ]0·001). Fresh matter content of the reticulo-rumen accounted for 77% and 80% of the entire gut FM fill in MDS and LDS, respectively. While the NDF component in reticulo-rumen fill (g NDF/kg DM) increased from 778·5±5·63 g in MDS to 836·6±6·37 g in LDS (P[les ]0·001), the ratio between dry matter and fluid in the reticulo-rumen (g DM/g fluid) decreased from 193·2±10·17 g in MDS to 169·0±5·54 g in LDS (P[les ]0·05).
The data support the notion that African breeds of Zebu cattle adjust to deteriorating feeding conditions by increasing reticulo-rumen dry matter and fluid contents. In-depth studies are needed to quantify the physiological benefits resulting from this strategy.
Food intake, milk production and growth of kids of local, multipurpose goats grazing on dry season natural Sahelian rangeland in Mali
- M. Sangaré, V. S. Pandeyt
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- Journal:
- Animal Science / Volume 71 / Issue 1 / August 2000
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 18 August 2016, pp. 165-173
- Print publication:
- August 2000
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A study was carried out in the dry season, from October 1993 to May 1994 at an institutional farm in Niono (14º5’N, 6ºE, 295 m), on the Sahelian border of Mali with a semi-arid climate. Thirty-four local Sahelian goats in their first to fifth lactation weighing about 27 kg were used. Eleven of them suckled twin and 23 suckled single kids. The does were herded on natural rangeland for 8 to 9 h/day and received no food supplements. Dry season forage mass, intake and nutritive value of diets selected by goats, milk yield and effects on kids’ growth were measured.
The vegetation cover consisted of a herbaceous stratum dominated by annual gramineae plants and a woody stratum composed of 26 species of plants, whose relative abundance varied according to the topography and soil type. The goats spent between 0·126 (early dry season) and 0·004 (late dry season) of grazing time on herbaceous cover and the remaining time on consuming leaves, flowers and fruits of woody plants. The phytomass decreased as the dry season advanced. However, nutrient intake was relatively constant during the course of the study period, as the goats compensated for low biomass by walking more and grazing larger areas and for longer periods. On average, goats selected diets with 121 g crude protein and 7·6 MJ metabolizable energy per kg dry matter.
The milk yield and milk fat were measured weekly for 29 weeks but data for only 12 weeks are interpreted and discussed. Mean daily actual and fat-corrected milk (40 g fat per kg milk) production for the first 12 weeks of lactation was 692 (s.e. 139) g and 627 (s.e. 73) g respectively. The milk yield was maximum in the 1st week of lactation followed by a gradual decline. Milk yield was affected by litter size, number of lactation, weight and age of does at parturition. The does with twin kids produced significantly more milk (762 (s.e. 110) g/day) than the does with singles (656 (s.e. 158) g/day) (P < 0·05). The milk yield increased from the first lactation (542 (s.e. 49) g/day) to the third lactation (739 (s.e. 49) g/day) (P < 0·05) with no difference between the third and fifth lactation. Does over 27 kg produced more milk than those under 27 kg (P < 0·001) and does over 2·5 years produced more milk than younger does (P < 0·01). Milk fat was inversely related to milk production. Kids born as singles were heavier (2194 (s.e. 76) g) than those born as twins (1966 (s.e. 78) g) (P < 0·05). The kid growth rate was affected by birth weight (P < 0·001) and milk yield of dams (P < 0·01). Within litter size (single or twins), sex had no significant effect on the growth rate of kids, however the singles grew faster than twins (P < 0·001) throughout the 12 weeks of measurement. Single kids were 1·41 times as heavy as twins at 12 weeks.
It is concluded that, the milk yield of does and weight gain of kids under the precarious feeding conditions of the study indicate that the local goats monitored were adapted to local harsh conditions. Nutrition has been regarded as the main constraint to goat production from the range in the dry season. Further specific studies are needed to overcome the dry season nutritional stress and to improve goat production.
Supplementation of Zebu cattle grazing Sahelian pasture. I. Diet selection and intake
- E. SCHLECHT, M. SANGARÉ, K. BECKER
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- Journal:
- The Journal of Agricultural Science / Volume 133 / Issue 1 / August 1999
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 01 August 1999, pp. 69-81
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From 1990 to 1992, diet selection and nutrient intake of Zebu cattle grazing Sahelian pasture were studied in Central Mali. Forty-five intact males and 12 oesophageally fistulated animals were separated into three groups of 15 intact and 4 fistulated animals. The control group (C) grazed natural pasture only, while the moderately supplemented group (M) additionally received 0·8–1·5 kg OM/day of crop by-products during the dry season (November–June) and the first month of the rainy season. The third group (H) was highly supplemented with 1·2–2·7 kg OM/day in the dry season and 0·8–1·2 kg OM/day in the rainy season. Oesophageal extrusa was collected during 5 consecutive days at intervals of 4–5 weeks. Samples were analysed for contents of organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF). Digestible organic matter (DOM) and metabolizable energy content (ME) were calculated from in vitro gas release. Intake of organic matter (IOM) of the fistulated animals was determined from faecal organic matter excretion (FOM) and extrusa DOM content. Intake of CP (ICP) and ME (IME) were calculated from IOM and the respective nutrient contents of extrusa samples.
Extrusa CP, DOM and ME contents did not differ significantly between the three groups either in the dry or in the rainy season. The CP content was c. 230 and c. 197 g/kg OM during the rainy season, and declined to values [les ]70 and [les ]95 g CP/kg OM at the end of the dry season of 1990 and 1991, respectively. Average DOM and ME contents were c. 668 g DOM and c. 9·9 MJ ME/kg OM during rainy seasons. At the end of the dry seasons, these values decreased to <550 g DOM and <8·0 MJ ME/kg OM. Per kg of metabolic body mass, IOM of group C was c. 89 g/day during the early dry season. It was accompanied by a daily ICP of 8–10 g and by an IME of 691–765 kJ/day. Due to a higher nutrient content in the selected diet, energy intake was slightly increased and protein intake was significantly higher during the rainy than during the dry season, although IOM was only 77–81 g/day. At the end of the dry season, unsupplemented animals ingested <70 g IOM/day and the concomitant CP and ME intake were <6 g CP/day and <500 kJ ME/day, respectively. Feed intake from pasture was stimulated by a moderate supplementation, but reduced by a high supplementation. The results indicate that on slightly degraded Sahelian rangeland, the nutrient intake of cattle is in the first place limited by biomass availability and only secondly by the quality of the vegetation.
Supplementation of Zebu cattle grazing Sahelian pasture. II. Development of body mass and empty body composition
- E. SCHLECHT, M. SANGARÉ, A. SUSENBETH, K. BECKER
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- Journal:
- The Journal of Agricultural Science / Volume 133 / Issue 1 / August 1999
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 01 August 1999, pp. 83-95
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The growth of body mass and changes in empty body composition of three groups of 15 male Zebu cattle (Bos indicus) grazing natural pasture were studied in the Sahelian zone of Mali from 1990 to 1992. The control group (C) grazed natural pasture only, whereas the moderately supplemented group (M) received 0·8–1·5 kg OM/day of crop by-products during the dry season and the first month of the rainy season. Group H (high) was supplemented at 1·2–2·7 kg OM/day in the dry season and at 0·8–1·2 kg OM/day in the rainy season. Applying the deuterium dilution technique, empty body composition was measured at the beginning and end of the rainy season and in mid-dry season, using seasonal factors to correct for fill of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Energy retention was calculated from the contents of empty body protein and fat.
During the 2 years of study, body mass gains were 143 kg (S.E. 4·9) for group C, 196 kg (S.E. 5·8) for group M and 251 kg (S.E. 6·0) for group H. Total GIT fresh matter content accounted for 166 g (S.E. 4·6) per kg of fasted body mass (FBM) in the dry season and increased to 228 g/kg FBM (S.E. 2·9) at the beginning of the rainy season (P[les ]0·001). Throughout the period of study, the proportion of protein in the empty body varied between average values of 156 g/kg and 179 g/kg, and the proportion of empty body fat ranged from 124–257 g/kg. For all body components, the effect of supplement treatment over time was significantly different between unsupplemented and supplemented animals (P[les ]0·001). From linear regressions between metabolizable energy intake and energy retention the maintenance requirement of grazing cattle was determined at 732 kJ ME/kg0·75/day for the dry season and at 522 kJ ME/kg0·75/day for the rainy season.
It is concluded that the methodological approach yields useful results on empty body composition and energy requirement of Zebu cattle in extensive management systems.
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