week 4 - 01/10/2024 Flashcards
(64 cards)
1
Q
Multispecies swards for ruminant production
A
- need to reduce N losses from farm
- most efficient method = reducing N inputs
- nitrogen fertiliser and concentrates feed
- con we reduce the level of N applied to swards, while maintaining biomass and milk production?
2
Q
what is the main source of nutrient losses in ireland - Nitrogen
A
pasture
followed by wastewater
3
Q
in 2018, what was the total tonnes of Nitrogen loss from catchments without N issues
A
20,000
4
Q
in 2018, what was the total tonnes of Nitrogen loss from catchments with N issues
A
45,000
5
Q
what does multispecies outperform?
A
Multispecies outperformed PRG only treatments at both low (90kg N/ha) and high (250kg N/ha) rates of N
6
Q
the effect of swards type annual herbage DM production:
PRG
PRG & WC
6 Species mix
9 species mix
A
PRG- 10,000 kg DM per ha
PRG & WC - 9,000 kg DM per ha
6 Species mix - 10,500 kg DM per ha
9 species mix - 10,000 kg DM per ha
7
Q
was more or less nitrate leached from the herbal ley compared to the binary control
A
less
8
Q
key benefits of (leys)
A
- Reduced fertiliser requirement: Legumes – essential component for N fixation
- Nutrient use efficiency – microbial protein: Animal performance = milk production, ADG
- Soil health and biodiversity
9
Q
what are multispecies forages
A
forages that contain 2 or more plant species from at least two functional groups
10
Q
what are the 3 primary functional groups of multispecies forages
A
- Grasses
- Legumes
- Herbs
11
Q
Functional groups - Grass (6)
A
- Nutritious and palatable
- Shallow, fibrous roots and vigorous growth – easy manage
- Ability to persist under adverse conditions and sub-optimal soils
- High energy – 10 – 11 ME
- Sensitive to drought/moisture deficits
- N dependent
12
Q
name the 4 functional groups of grass and there uses
A
- perennial ryegrass - grazing and silage
- timothy grass - grazing and silage
- italian ryegrass - silage - 2 year ley
- westerworld ryegrass - silage - annual ley
13
Q
the characteristics of perennial ryegrass
A
- very persistent - 5 years +
- flexible and tolerant of grazing
- palatable: high intake
- sensitive to climate - drought
14
Q
characteristics of timothy grass
A
- very persistent
- drought and frost tolerant
- better on heavy ground
- 1st year slow to establish
15
Q
the characteristics of italian ryegrass
A
- High production – up to 18T
- Highly digestible, reduced after 1st cut
16
Q
the characteristics of westerworld ryegrass
A
- High production – up to 18T
- Highly digestible – 68 – 75 DMD.
17
Q
functional groups: legumes
A
- Fix high amounts of N – 100 – 200+ kg N/ha annually
- Highly degradable and nutrient rich
milk solids and ADG - Energy rich : Red clover 10 ME, White clover 11 ME
- Can be slow to establish – sensitive to low temps, high moisture
- Needs to be sown with perennial forages: Spring growth, Reduce risk of bloat, Persistency
18
Q
is functional group important
A
vital
19
Q
why are legumes important
A
support forage growth and biodiversity
- earthworms and bees love WC
20
Q
name common legumes
A
- white clover
- red clover
- vetch (annual)
21
Q
characteristics of Italian ryegrass and red clover
A
- Good persistence – 3 years+
- Rapid growth
- Drought resistant, can oversow into grazing swards
-Avoid tight grazing, crown 6cm above ground - Cut silage higher.
22
Q
characteristics of perennial ryegrass and white clover
A
- Helps ground cover with upright PRG. - Medium leaf best for grazing. Persistent – 4 years+.
- Also suited to timothy but not on heavy soils.
- Under sow with trefoil in crops
23
Q
characteristics of Westerwold ryegrass and vetch
A
- Very vigorous growth
- Soil improver
- Annual green crop/ cover crop
- Frost tolerant
- Can sow late into Autumn and harvest in Spring
24
Q
Functional groups - Herbs
A
- Chicory, Plantain, Yarrow, Sheep’s parsley, Salad Burnet etc
- Mineral rich, tend to have deep rooting systems
- Highly degradable plants – high energy, low structural fibre, low DM
- High protein plants – 18% - 20%
- Can be sown in grazing ley mixtures or finishing mixes for dry stock
–> Chicory, plantain and white clover for finishing lambs
25
Characteristics of chicory
- Mineral rich, long taproot.
- Soil improver.
- Persistent when well managed – 3 years+
- Frost and drought tolerant.
- Weeds common when sown but removed once grazed/cut.
- Avoid over-grazing – 5/6 cm+.
- Graze at 7 leaf stage. 10 – 11 ME.
26
characteristics of plantain
- Mineral rich, long taproot. Soil improver.
- Similar persistency to well managed ryegrass.
- Avoid trampling.
- Frost and drought tolerant.
- Deep roots good for light soils.
- Graze at 6 leaf stage. 11 – 12 ME.
27
what do herb species =
- what must you do because of this
small seed size!
- adjust seeder and management accordingly
28
because small seed have less starch what do they need
more time to establish roots
29
which herb was the most consistent to supply nutrients
- chicory
30
what is the key energy source for ruminants
fibre
31
what does bacteria in the rumen digest
carbs to VFA's
- Acetate - increases in forage diets
- Propionate - increased in starch diets
- butyrate - formed from actetate
32
what is the challenge with fibre fermentation
provide forage which balances rapidly and slowly degradable carbs to maintain rumen function and production
33
what are the two forms of protein
1. rumen degradable protein (RDP)
2. rumen undegradable protein (RUP)
34
how is RDP degraded
degraded largely to ammonia
35
what does microbial protein equal to
energy + ammonia = microbial protein
36
what is another name for microbial protein
true protein
37
what can other measures indicate digestibility
- NDF and ADF – fibre density measures
- DMD = 88.9 – [0.779 × %ADF (on a dry matter basis)]
38
what is straw made up of
Straw
85% NDF,
55% ADF
6 – 6.5 ME
39
what is maize meal made up of
Maize meal
10% NDF,
3% ADF
13.5 ME
40
what is soya hulls made up of
soya hulls
60% NDF,
50% ADF
11.5 ME
41
what is nutrient availability influenced by
degradability
42
why is it difficult to manipulate nutrient supply in forage based diets
it is dependent on the plant composition of the forage
43
what can help improve nutrient supply and animal performance
including alternative species
44
what is the effect of sward type on lamb weaning weights
- Compared to a perennial ryegrass sward, lambs suckling ewes which grazed the 6 species sward had a 2.4kg higher liveweight at weaning
45
what is the effect of sward type on number of days required to reach target slaughter weight for a lamb
Compared to a perennial ryegrass sward, lambs fed any mixed sward reached slaughter 2 weeks earlier
46
what is the effect of sward type on dairy calf to beef
Compared to a perennial ryegrass sward, steers fed any mixed sward turned out and were housed > 40 kg heavier (P < 0.05)
47
slide 38 - The effect of treatment on dry matter intake (DMI) and milk production in lactating dairy cows.
48
The percentage of saturated FA
in the milk of cows offered PRG, PRGWC or MULTI
Saturated fat:
PRG - 66.55%
PRGWC - 69.11%
MULTI - 67.14
49
The percentage of monounsaturated FA in the milk of cows offered PRG, PRGWC or MULTI
Monounsaturated fat:
PRG - 25.67 %
PRGWC - 22.85%
MULTI - 24.64%
50
The percentage of polyunsaturated FA in the milk of cows offered PRG, PRGWC or MULTI
polyunsaturated fat:
PRG - 2.89 %
PRGWC - 3.74 %
MULTI - 4.21 %
51
examples of rapidly digestible fibre
- perennial ryegrass: high sugar (WSC)
- herb species - high pectin
52
what does improved nutrient use efficiency lead to (2)
1. Reduces ammonia loss as urea in urine – up to 50%
2. Increased milk production and ADG
53
what is the challenge with nutrient use efficiency
rapidly degradable nature of herb and clover species can impact milk fat production
54
In sacco effective degradability of DM of PRG, PRGWC and MULTI
and which is it highest in
PRG- 67.43%
PRGWC - 66.37%
MULTI - 76.52%
DM is highest in multi
55
In sacco effective degradability of crude protein of PRG, PRGWC and MULTI
and which is it highest in
PRG- 81.40%
PRGWC - 78.99%
MULTI - 79.61%
CP is highest in PRG
56
what sort of a correlation is there between forage DM % and FrWI
A positive correlation existed with forage DM % and FrWI
57
when is the best time for weed management
year previous if possible
- mid april to late july
58
list of weeds
Common/greater chickweed
Shepherds purse
Lambsquarters
Field pennycress
Common fumitory
Lady’s thumb
Wall rue
Dead nettle
Lad’s Bedstraw
59
grazing management
Approx. 8 weeks post sowing
- Chicory 7 fully grown leaves
- Plantain 6 fully grown leaves
60
what did multispecies forage consistently increase in dairy cows in mid and late lactation
the DMI and milk yield of dairy cows in mid and late lactation
61
what benefits was there in including clover and herbs species in grazing forages for late lactation cows
altered the milk fatty acid profile in milk from late lactation cows
62
what does multispecies reduces in dairy cows
the urinary nitrogen concentration of dairy cows and helps reduce N loss via leaching
63
benefits of multispecies swards (8)
High nutritive value
Increased animal performance
High summer growth rates
Increased drought tolerance
Reduced chemical N
Various levels of root depths
Increased biodiversity
Reduced anthelmintic usage (sheep)
64
disadvantages of multispecies swards
Poor autumn/early spring growth
Weed control
Increased rotation length
Persistency
Milk fat concentration
PRGWC swards – bloat risk
