Selecting the Right Species Anti-nutritional Factors
9.2.5. Selecting the Right Species
Success of a livestock enterprise often depends on selection of the forage species best suited to the production system and environment. There is little beneit in sowing a forage that is not well-adapted to a given environment, nor is there any point in growing a forage that is inappropriate within a given farming or management system. Having determined a number of forage options for a particular farm, it is then important to know the efect the forage might have on a particular type or class of livestock. Forages vary markedly in their dry matter productivity, feed quality, palatability and soil adaptation. Well fertilised grasses tend to produce higher dry matter yields than legumes, whereas legumes tend to have higher quality than grasses. Consequently, animal production per hectare may be higher with grasses, but production per animal higher with legumes. This is a generalisation, Table. 9.4. Common perennial grasses suited to most winter climates, and their tolerance to drought, and soil acidity and alkalinity. Adaptation of these species to local conditions is dependent on annual rainfall and requires local validation. Source: Forage Adaptation; Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. and is very dependent on the species involved and the level of management applied.9.2.6. Anti-nutritional Factors
Many forages have the potential to adversely afect certain livestock by virtue of anti-nutritional chemicals in the tissues e.g. alkaloids, coumarins, tannins, and oestrogenic compounds. However, the fact that a forage can produce an adverse efect in livestock should not necessarily preclude its selection. Many grasses and legumes can have a deleterious efect on animal health and production, but if managed correctly, they can produce greater beneit than a problem-free species. For example Alfalfa Medicago sativa, often referred to as the “King of legumes”, can cause bloat and death in grazing livestock, but in the right environment and system, and with careful management, it can be a wonderful asset. Common Name Scientiic Name Tolerance of Winter Drought Acidity Alkalinity Altai Wild Rye Elymus angustus High High Moderate Moderate Crested Wheatgrass Agropyron cristatum High High Low High Intermediate Wheatgrass Thinopyrum intermedium Good Moderate Low High Meadow Bromegrass Bromus biebersteinii Good High Moderate Moderate Kentucky Blue Grass Poa pratensis High Moderate High Low Meadow Fescue Festuca pratensis Good Moderate Moderate Low Meadow Foxtail Alopecurus pratensis Good Low High Moderate Orchard Grass Dactylis glomerata Moderate Moderate High Low Perennial Ryegrass Lolium perenne Poor Low Moderate Moderate Pubescent Wheatgrass Agropyron trichophorum Good High Low Moderate Russian Wildrye Elymus junceus High High Moderate High Smooth Bromegrass Bromus inermis High Moderate Moderate Moderate Tall Fescue Festuca arundinacea High Good High High Tall Wheatgrass Thinopyrum ponticum High Low Moderate Moderate Timothy Phleum pratense Good Low High Low 188 Beef Breeder MANUAL9.3. Establishing Pastures and Forages
Parts
» LEP Cold Climate Beef Breeder Manual 2016 (English).
» Importance of Planning LEP Cold Climate Beef Breeder Manual 2016 (English).
» Timing Trained Staff Planning for Arrival
» Quarantine Facilities Water on Arrival
» Management of Health on Arrival Feeding on Arrival
» Winter Feeding Planning for Arrival
» Monitoring In Quarantine General Health and Husbandry
» Arrival Checklist Planning for Arrival
» Paddocks and Fencing Developing the Property
» Cattle Yards Developing the Property
» Raceways Loading and Unloading Ramps
» Laneways Gates Developing the Property
» Yard Posts Electronic Scales Crush and Head Bail
» Water Troughs Developing the Property
» Modernising Traditional Winter Facilities
» Winter Confinement Feeding Sites
» Confinement Yards Winter Facilities
» Planning Requirements On-Farm Fodder Storage
» Ruminant Digestive System LEP Cold Climate Beef Breeder Manual 2016 (English).
» Feed Intake The First Limiting Nutrient
» Digestibility Fibre Concepts of Nutrition and Feeding
» Vitamins Nutrient Balance Essential Nutrients
» Water LEP Cold Climate Beef Breeder Manual 2016 (English).
» Moulds and Mouldy Feeds Cold Weather Impacts on Feed
» Body Condition Scoring Observational Skills
» How to Recognise Sick Animals
» Healthy Animal Behaviour Reading Manure Early Diagnosis and Treatment
» Prevention Rather than Treatment Nutritional Stress
» Understanding the Animal Welfare Requirement Features of Sight
» Flight Zones Education and Training
» Moving Animals Safe, Low Stress Cattle Handling
» Euthanasia Safe, Low Stress Cattle Handling
» Understanding the Animal Welfare Requirement Preventing Injury
» Features of Suitable Cattle Transport
» Preparing Animals for Transport Loading
» Loading Density In-Transit Care
» Unloading Transporting in Extreme Weather
» External Parasites Common Cattle Diseases
» Internal Parasites Common Cattle Diseases
» Diseases Affecting Reproductive Performance
» Clostridial Diseases Common Cattle Diseases
» Other Important Diseases Common Cattle Diseases
» Bloat Common Cattle Diseases
» Australian Health Status Developing a Breeding Objective
» Selecting the Most Appropriate Breed
» Crossbreeding With Local Breeds - Beef and Dairy
» Physical Evaluation of Bulls
» Structural Soundness and Body Conformation
» Penis and Prepuce Scrotum and Testicles
» Semen Sample Ability to Mate Serving Capacity
» Bull Management and Preparation for Mating Bull to Cow Ratio
» Reproductive Organs Oestrus Cycle and Heat Detection
» Mating After Calving Using Artificial Insemination in the Reproductive Cycle Pregnancy Detection
» Preparations for Calving Calving Management
» Abnormal Calving Calving Management
» Failure to Conceive Culling Unproductive Cattle from
» Failure to Produce a Live Calf Failure to Raise a Calf to a Healthy Weaner
» Cast-for-Age Culling Unproductive Cattle from
» Selecting Replacement Breeders Heifers
» Targets for Heifer Development
» Selecting Appropriate Sires for Heifer Mating First Calving
» Relationship Between Feeding LEP Cold Climate Beef Breeder Manual 2016 (English).
» Animal Identification Calf Processing
» Castration Dehorning Calf Processing
» Early Weaning Feeding Weaner Cattle
» Adaptation of Australian Cattle
» Winter Management Essentials LEP Cold Climate Beef Breeder Manual 2016 (English).
» Bedding Managing the Welfare of Cattle in Winter
» Water Managing the Welfare of Cattle in Winter
» Feeding in Confinement Opportunities to Manage Cattle
» Winter Grazing Opportunities to Manage Cattle
» Managing Winter Grazing Opportunities to Manage Cattle
» Grazing Stockpiled Forage Swath Grazing
» Bale Grazing Opportunities to Manage Cattle
» Developing a Winter Feed Budget
» Traditional Indoor Winter Backgrounding
» Finishing LEP Cold Climate Beef Breeder Manual 2016 (English).
» Plant Adaptation Forage Species
» Legumes Forages in Farming Systems
» Grasses Forages in Farming Systems
» Selecting the Right Species Anti-nutritional Factors
» Preparation for Sowing Seed Quality
» Area Required Stocking Rate Grazing
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