Contents

1: INTRODUCTION

1.1 ANIMAL PRODUCTION OR RESOURCE UTILISATION.

1.2 TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

1.3 FOOD ENERGY

1.4 LIVESTOCK MANAGEMENT AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC ASPECTS.

1.5 EDUCATION & RESEARCH: DEVELOPMENTAL TOOLS

1.6 A LIVESTOCK DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY ...

1.7 CHOICE OF SPECIES & PRODUCTION SYSTEM

1.8 COMMUNICATION

1.9 CONCLUSIONS

 

2: LIVESTOCK DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES

2.1 MAJOR ISSUES

2.2 DRAUGHT ANIMALS

2.3 DUAL PURPOSE MILK & BEEF PRODUCTION

2.4 RESTRICTED SUCKLING

2.5 GENOTYPE-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTIONS

2.5.1 Effects on production traits.

2.5.2 Heat tolerance

2.5.3 Parasitism

2.6 INTEGRATION: LIVESTOCK WITH CROPS

2.6.1 Livestock and food crops

2.6.2 Livestock and tree crops

2.6.3 Livestock and waste disposal

 

3: DIGESTIVE PHYSIOLOGY OF RUMINANTS

3.1 INTRODUCTION

3.2 THE DIGESTIVE TRACT OF HERBIVORES

3.2.1 Ruminant digestive tract

3.2.2 The rumen environment

3.2.3 Rumination

3.2.4 Rumen microbial ecosystem

3.3 RUMEN ORGANISMS  

3.3.1 The phycomycetous fungi

3.3.3 Bacteria

3.3.4 Other organisms in the rumen

3.4 MICROBIAL INTERACTIONS IN THE RUMEN

3.4.1 Bacteria-bacteria interactions

3.4.2 Protozoa-bacteria interactions

3.4.3 Interactions of bacteria, fungi and protozoa

3.4.4 Conclusions

3.5 ENERGY TRANSACTIONS IN THE RUMEN.

3.5.1 Fermentation of carbohydrate .

3.5.2 Fate of dietary fat in the rumen.

3.5.3 Microbial growth and fermentation

3.5.4 Factors affecting the quantities of rumen microbes available for digestion in the small intestines

3.5.5 Maintenance-ATP (MATP) requirements of rumen micro-organisms

3.6 MODEL OF FERMENTATION IN THE RUMEN

Fermentation of carbohydrate . . . .

Fate of dietary fat in the rumen . . .

Microbial growth and fermentation.

Factors affecting the quantities of rumen microbes available for digestion in the small intestines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

3.5.5 Maintenance-ATP (MATP) requirements of rumen micro-organisms

MODEL OF FERMENTATION IN THE RUMEN

3.6.1 Stoichiometry ...................................................................... .

3.6.2 Energy losses in ferulentation ..................................... .

3.6.3 The balance of microbial protein to VFA energy (P IE ratio)

3.6.4 Protein fermentation and P IE ratio

3.6.5 Significance of PIE ratio .....

N-TRANSACTIONS IN THE RUMEN ..

3.7.1 Dietary nitrogen ................................................ .

3.7.2 Degradation of dietary protein in the rumen.

3.7.3 Outflow of dietary and endogenous nitrogenous materials from the rumen.

3.7.4 Peptides and amino acids in rumen fluid ...................... .

3.7 .. 5 Rumen amnlonia pool. ". ................................................. .

3.7.6 Recycling of N to the rumen from plasma urea

3.7.7 Urea (ammonia) toxicity

3.7.8 Other sources of non-protein nitrogen (NPN)

SULPHUR NUTRITION OF RUMINANTS.

3.8.1 Sulphur utilisation in the rumen

3.8.2 Toxicity of sulphur

FERMENTATION IN THE LOWER GUT.

ABSORPTION

4: METABOLISM                                                                 

      4.1 VFA METABOLISM. . . . . . . . . . .                                                                                                                                      

      4.2 GLUCOSE METABOLISM. . . . . . .                                                                                                                                     

                 4.2.1 Glucose as an essential nutrient                                                                                                                                  

                 4.2.2 The contribution of propionate to glucose synthesis                                                                                                  

                 4.2.3 Amino acid metabolism and glucose synthesis . . . .                                                                                                  

                 4.2.4 Long-chain fatty acid synthesis and glucose metabolism.                                                                                          

4.2.7 Acetogenic/glucogenic ratios in rUUlen end-products:  requirements for body fat synthesis. . . . .                                                                              

 4.2.8 Conclusion

4.3 THE BALANCE OF NUTRIENTS ABSORBED                                                                              57

  4.4 NUTRIENTS FOR WORK. . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                                                               57

                4.4.1 Availability of su bstrates for muscle metabolism                                                                                                        58

                4.4.2 The effects of work on overall metabolic activity                                                                                                         58

                4.4.3 Physiology of muscle contraction . . . . . .                                                                                                                    58

                4.4.4 Types of striated muscle. . . . . . . . . . . .                                                                                                                       59

                4.4.5 High-energy phosphate balance in muscles                                                                                                                 60

                4.4.6 Sources of energy for muscle . . . . . . . . .                                                                                                                    60

                4.4.7 Pathways of metabolism of substrates by skeletal muscle                                                                                           60

                4.4.8 Substrate use and heat production . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                                                                                      62

                4.4.9 Substrates used by resting muscle. . . . . .                                                                                                                    62

                4.4.10 The effect of exercise on substrate use in the hind limb                                                                                             63

                4.4.11 Preferred substrates of skeletal muscle. .. ................................................................................................................ 64

4.5 NUTRIENTS FOR WORK OR PRODUCTION

                 4.5.1 Work ............................................. .

4.5.2 Work vs milk production

                 4.5.3 Work vs pregnancy ................ .

                 4.5.4 Conclusion ................................. .

4.6 NUTRIENT REQUIREMENTS FOR PRODUCTION

                 4.6.1 Tissue growth ................................................. .

                 4.6.2 Growth of the foetus and placenta ........................... .

                 4.6.3 Milk production ................................................................. .

4.7 GLUCOSE AVAILABILITY & PRODUCTIVITY

                 4.7.1 Evidence from feeding trials ....................................... .

                 4.7.2 Evidence from infusion of metabolites .................. .

4.7.3 Evidence from studies with lactating animals

      4.8 OTHER CONSIDERATIONS ....................................................... .

                 4.8.1 Stress and glucose availability ........................................ .

4.8.2 Glucose availability from forage/sugar versus grain based diets

                 4.8.3 Balance of nutrients in starving animals ............................................ .

4.8.4 Physiological state: balance of nutrients and feed intake

4.8.5 Genotype: balance of nutrients

      4.9 CONCLUSIONS .

 

5: MANIPULATION OF FEEDING & THE RUMEN ECOSYSTEM

      5.1   CHEMICAL TREATMENTS OF ROUGHAGE

5.1.1 Ammoniation .....

5.1.2 Acid gas treatments

5.1.3 Steam treatment ...

5.2 INCREASING FIBRE DIGESTIBILITY IN THE RUMEN

                 5.2.1 Rumen ammonia <,/ ................................................................................ .

5.2.2 Availability of peptides and amino acids

                 5.2.3 Other nutrients ............................................................. .

5.2.4 Maintenance of a large 'free-floating' pool of cellulolytic organisms

5.2.5 Protozoa and digestibility of fibrous feeds .. -fI/. •....

      5.3 ENHANCING RUMEN PROPIONIC ACID PRODUCTION ....................... .

      5.4 ALTERING THE P /E RATIO ..................................................................................... .

5.4.1 Chemicals inhibiting proteolysis or amino acid deamination

                 5.4.2 Dilution rate ...................................... .

                5.4.3 Protozoa - defaunation ................. .

5.5 MANIPULATING DIETARY FAT

 

6: CONTROL OF FEED INTAKE IN RUMINANTS

      6.1   SOME PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS 6.1.1 Animal behaviour

                 6.1.2 Selection ....................................................... .

                 6.1.3 Dysphagia .................................................... .

6.2 FACTORS IN FEED THAT AFFECT INTAKE

      6.3 ANIMAL FACTORS & FEED INTAKE ........................... .

                 6.3.1 Physiological state ......................................................... .

6.3.2 Major factors involved in decreasing feed intake

                 6.3.3 Palatability and unpalat.ability .................................... .

                 6.3.4 Effects of exercise on feed intake ............................ .

6.3.5 Animal genotype and voluntary feed intake 6.3.6 Rumen distension and nutrient imbalance

                 6.3.7 Fatigue ................................................................................. .

6.3.8 Acetate clearance and feed intake control.

 

7: GUIDELINES FOR FEEDING SYSTEMS                                                                              103

       7.1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................................. 103

                 7.1.1 Limitations to "conventional" feeding standards                                                                         103

                 7.1.2 An alternative approach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                                                                103

                 7.1.3 Anilnal response to non-conventional feed resources                                                             104

                 7.1.4 Nutritive value. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                                                                           105

       7.2 NUTRIENT SUPPLY Vs PRODUCTIVE STATE                                                                                     106

                 7.2.1 Introduction                                                                                                                                                  106

                 7.2.2 Work.....                                                                                                                                                         107

                 7.2.3 Maintenance                                                                                                                                                 108

                 7.2.4 Growth....                                                                                                                                                       108

                 7.2.5 Reproduction.                                                                                                                                              108

                 7.2.6 Milk production                                                                                                                                          110

                 7.2.7 Wool or hair production.                                                                                                                        111

                 7.2.8 Carry-over effects of imbalanced nutrition in early life                                                          111

       7.3 PRINCIPLES OF SUPPLEMENTATION . . . . . . . . . . . .                                                                      113

                 7.3.1 Balancing the rumen and the animal for critical nutrients                                                       113

                 7.3.2 The role of minerals ................................................................................................................................ 115

       7.4 CATEGORISATION OF FEED RESOURCES                                                                                           116

                 7.4.1 Fermentable carbohydrate .................................................................................................................... 117

                 7.4.2 Fermentable nitrogen. . . . . . . . . . . . .                                                                                               117

                 7.4.3 Supplements which contribute to creating an efficient rumen ecosystem                       117

                 7.4.4 Bypass protein . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                                                                                117

                 7.4.5 Bypass starch and glucogenic precursors .. . . . . . . . . . . .                                                      118

                 7.4.6 Long-chain fatty acids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                                           118

7.4.7 Feeds and other materials with a capacity to manipulate the

                               rumen microbial biomass . . . . . . . .                                                                                                118

       7.5 NON-CONVENTIONAL SUPPLEMENTS. . . . . .                                                                                    119

                 7.5.1 Livestock excreta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                                                                        119

                 7.5.2 Legume forages and foliages from food crops.                                                                           119

                 7.5.3 Attributes of legumes as supplements                                                                                               120

      7.6 METHODS FOR EVALUATING FEEDS. .                                                                                                  ]22

                 7.6.1 Sources of ferlnentable carbohydrates                                                                                             123

                 7.6.2 Fermentable nitrogen. . . . . . . . . . .                                                                                                    123

                 7.6.3 Rumen function and feed resources. .............................................................................................. 124

                 7.6.4 Bypass protein. . . . .                                        . /.                                                                                   124

                 7.6.5 Glucogenic precursors                                                                                                                              125

                 7.6.6 Long-chain fatty acids                                                                                                                              125

                 7.6.7 Minerals.........                                                                                                                                              125

      7.7 A STRATEGY FOR DEVELOPING FEEDING SYSTEMS                                                               

 

8: FEEDING SYSTEMS: STRAWS & AGRO-INDUSTRIAL BYPRODUCTS

      8.1   FIBROUS CROP RESIDUES ....

8.1.] Factors influenc.ing nutritive value

                 8.1.2 Draught animals .................................. .

                 8.1.3 Growing animals ................................ .

8.1.4 Long-chain fatty acids (LCFA)

                 8.1.5 Milk production .................................. .

                 8.1.6 Wool growth ........................................ .

8.1.7 Metabolic disorders associated with ammoniation of feeds

8.2 FIBROUS AGRO·INDUSTRIAL BYPRODUCTS

8.3 FRESHLY HARVESTED GRASSES.

                 8.3.1 Legume forages ...................................... .

8.3.2 Bypass nutrients.

       8.4 SUGARCANE ....................... .

                 8.4.1 Introduction .............. .

8.4.2 Whole sugarcane

8.4.3 Sugarcane tops.

8.4.4 Sugarcane pith ..

8.4.5 Final molasses ..

8.4.6 Metabolic disorders on molasses-feeding systems

                 8.4.7 Sugarcane juice ............................ .

8.4.8 Residual pressed cane stalk

8.5 SISAL BAGASSE & PULP.

                 8.5.1 Introduction ........................ .

      8.6   BANANAS & PLANTAINS

8.6.1 Banana fruit .

8.6.2 Banana foliage .....

 

9: PASTURE-BASED FEEDING SYSTEMS

9.1 PASTURE AS A FEED RESOURCE .

9.1.1 Extensive ranching .......................................... .

9.1.2 Improving pastures with legumes ..

 9.1.3 Management of legumes in pastures 9.1.4 Use of fertilisers to improve grassland 9.1.5 Pasture improvement and stocking rate

      9.2 NUTRITIVE VALUE .......................................................... .

9.2.1 Supplementation of ruminants on green pastures

      9.3 FEED INTAKE AT PASTURE ............................. .

      9.4 SUPPLEMENTATION ............................................. .

9.4.1 General supplementation practices

                9.4.2 Mineral supplements ................................... .

9.4.3 Fermentable nitrogen supplements

                9.4.4 Bypass nutrient supplements .................. .

                9.4.5 Other supplements ....................................... .

                9.4.6   Dietary history, physiological state and supplementary feeding on dry pastures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

9.5 TRADITIONAL SYSTEMS BASED ON PASTURE

                9.5.1 Communal grazing .............. .

                9.5.2 Cut-and-carry grass ............. .

9.5.3 Transhumance systems.

9.6 DROUGHT FEEDING

                9.6.1 Introduction ............................ .

                9.6.2 Water econonlY .................... .

9.6.3 Nutritional aspects of sub-maintenance feeding 9.6.4 Strategies for feeding in drought

9.6.5 Responsibility for drought feeding

9.6.6 Conclusions on drought feeding ..

 

l0: PARASITE/NUTRITION INTERACTIONS

10.1 PARASITES AS A CAUSE OF PRODUCTION LOSSES 10.2 LIFE CYCLES OF PARASITES

                 10.2.1 Nematodes .............................................................. .

                 10.2.2 Strategic use of drenches .................................. .

10.3 NUTRITION-PARASITE INTERACTIONS. 10.3.1 Effects of parasites on rumen function.

10.3.2 Protein digestion in the small intestine/abomasum.

                 10.3.3 Parasites of the large intestine .................................................... .

                 10.3.4 Effects of site of parasitism on protein nutrition                                                                     186

       10.4 METABOLISM IN THE ANIMAL                                                                                                               186

                 10.4.1 Effects of eetoparasites .                                                                                                                     187

                 10.4.2 Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . .          

                                                                                                        189

l1:NUTRITIONAL PRINCIPLES: SMALLHOLDER LIVESTOCK SYSTEMS                                                         191

       11.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................... 191

                    11.2 SUPPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES. . . . . .                                                                             192

                       11.2.1 Supplementing low-nitrogen fibrous diets                                                                             192

                 11.2.2 Use of molasses/urea blocks                                                                                                              193

      11.3 RESTRICTED SUCKLING ............................................................................................................................. 196

                                  11.3.1 Conclusions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                                                             198

                        11.3.2 Theoretical aspects of restricted suckling      

                                                                      199

12:PERSPECTIVES                                                                                                                        201

       12.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................... 201

       12.2 RESEARCH: FUTURE NEEDS.                                                                                                                    201

                 12.2.1 Digestive physiology                                                                                                                              202

                 12.2.2 Metabolism. . . . . . . . . .                                                                                                                        203

                 12.2.3 Feeding systems . . . . . . .                                                                                                                     203

                 12.2.4 Evaluation of supplements                                                                                                                 204

                 12.2.5 Fractionation of crops and crop residues                                                                                     204

       12.3 GUIDELINES FOR DEVELOPING FEEDING SYSTEMS                                                                206

                 12.3.1 The inadequacies of the Metabolisable Energy system                                                         206

                 12.3.2 The alternative approach of balanced nutrients                                                                        207

                 12.3.3 Computer models . . . . . . . . .                                                                                                            208

                 12.3.4 Conclusions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                                                                                    208

      12.4 DISEASE/PARASITE NUTRITION. . . . .                                                                                                  209

      12.5 LIVESTOCK & RURAL DEVELOPMENT                                                                                               209

                 12.5.1 Packaged supplements . . . . . . . . . .                                                                                                209

      12.6 MARKETING INFRASTRUCTURE. . . .                                                                                                   210

      12.7 SOIL CONSERVATION & SOIL FERTILITY                                                                                         211

                 12.7.1 Supplementation and overgrazing                                                                                                    211

                 12.7.2 Soil conservation and legumes                                                                                                          211

      12.8 EDUCATION & EXTENSION                                                                                                                        211

                 12.8.1 Training . . . . . . . . .                                                                                                                                211

                 12.8.2 Communication . . . .                                                                                                                              212

      12.9 CONCLUDING REMARKS           

                                                                                                            

13:REFERENCES                

                                                                                                     

14:INDEX