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The measurement of yield, voluntary intake and animal production of tropical pasture mixtures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

F. O. Olubajo  and
V. A. Oyenuga
F. O. Olubajo
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
V. A. Oyenuga
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
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Summary

The consumption of three different tropical pastures by the conventional clipping method and by the nitrogen–chromic oxide technique were assessed and compared over a 2-year period. The clipping method was found to give consistently higher estimates of consumption of herbage dry matter by grazing steers than the chromic oxide method by approximately 16, 14 and 25% respectively for treatments E (Gynodon + Centrosema), F (Mixture E + Stylosanthes) and G (Digitaria + two legumes), when data for the 2 years were pooled for each treatment.

The mean live-weight gain over the 2-year period was 0·19 kg per head per day. This figure is essentially in agreement with that obtained for the same group of animals in the previous 2 years. As would be expected the lowest gain was recorded during the dry season when there was little or nothing to graze. It was similarly observed that during a severe attack of trypanosomiasis the animals sustained some losses even though there was abundant pasture to graze.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 77 , Issue 1 , August 1971 , pp. 1 - 4
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1971

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