Simulation of the nutritional requirements and energy balance of adult cows in a northern temperate grassland
The forage-livestock balance is an important component of natural grassland management, and realizing a balance between the nutrient energy demand of domestic animals and the energy supply of grasslands is the core challenge in forage-livestock management. This study was performed at the Xieertala R...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Veterinary Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2024.1414096/full |
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| author | Tianqi Yu Ruirui Yan Xiaoping Xin Xiaoying Zhang Guomei Yin |
| author_facet | Tianqi Yu Ruirui Yan Xiaoping Xin Xiaoying Zhang Guomei Yin |
| author_sort | Tianqi Yu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The forage-livestock balance is an important component of natural grassland management, and realizing a balance between the nutrient energy demand of domestic animals and the energy supply of grasslands is the core challenge in forage-livestock management. This study was performed at the Xieertala Ranch in Hulunbuir City, Inner Mongolia. Using the GRAZPLAN and GrazFeed models, we examined the forage-livestock energy balance during different grazing periods and physiological stages of livestock growth under natural grazing conditions. Data on pasture conditions, climatic factors, supplemental feeding, and livestock characteristics, were used to analyze the metabolizable energy (ME), metabolizable energy for maintenance (MEm), and total metabolizable energy intake (MEItotal) of grazing livestock. The results showed that the energy balance between forage and animals differed for adult cows at different physiological stages. In the early lactation period, although the MEItotal was greater than MEm, it did not meet the requirement for ME. MEItotal was greater than ME during mid-lactation, but there was still an energy imbalance in the early and late lactation periods. In the late lactation period, MEItotal could meet ME requirements from April–September. Adult gestational lactating cows with or without calves were unable to meet their ME requirement, especially in the dry period, even though MEItotal was greater than MEm. Adult cows at different physiological stages exhibited differences in daily forage intake and rumen microbial crude protein (MCP) metabolism, and the forage intake by nonpregnant cows decreased as follows: early lactation > mid-lactation > late lactation, pregnant cows’ lactation > dry period. For the degradation, digestion and synthesis of rumen MCP, early-lactation cows were similar to those in the mid-lactation group, but both were higher than those in the late-lactation group, while pregnant cows had greater degradation, digestion, and synthesis of MCP in the lactation period relative to the dry period. For lactating cows, especially those with calves, grazing energy requirements, methane emission metabolism and heat production were highest in August, with increased energy expenditure in winter. Overall, grazing energy, methane emissions and heat production by dry cows were low. In the context of global climate change and grassland degradation, managers must adopt different strategies according to the physiological stages of livestock to ensure a forage-livestock balance and the sustainable utilization and development of grasslands. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-945a14b552424e1584b7e9ca8bccd0ae |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2297-1769 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Veterinary Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-945a14b552424e1584b7e9ca8bccd0ae2024-12-05T09:16:53ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Veterinary Science2297-17692024-06-011110.3389/fvets.2024.14140961414096Simulation of the nutritional requirements and energy balance of adult cows in a northern temperate grasslandTianqi Yu0Ruirui Yan1Xiaoping Xin2Xiaoying Zhang3Guomei Yin4State Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-Arid Arable Land in Northern China, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-Arid Arable Land in Northern China, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-Arid Arable Land in Northern China, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, ChinaHulun Buir Agricultural Technology Extension Center, Hailar, ChinaGrassland Research Institute of Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural & Animal Husbandry Sciences, Hohhot, ChinaThe forage-livestock balance is an important component of natural grassland management, and realizing a balance between the nutrient energy demand of domestic animals and the energy supply of grasslands is the core challenge in forage-livestock management. This study was performed at the Xieertala Ranch in Hulunbuir City, Inner Mongolia. Using the GRAZPLAN and GrazFeed models, we examined the forage-livestock energy balance during different grazing periods and physiological stages of livestock growth under natural grazing conditions. Data on pasture conditions, climatic factors, supplemental feeding, and livestock characteristics, were used to analyze the metabolizable energy (ME), metabolizable energy for maintenance (MEm), and total metabolizable energy intake (MEItotal) of grazing livestock. The results showed that the energy balance between forage and animals differed for adult cows at different physiological stages. In the early lactation period, although the MEItotal was greater than MEm, it did not meet the requirement for ME. MEItotal was greater than ME during mid-lactation, but there was still an energy imbalance in the early and late lactation periods. In the late lactation period, MEItotal could meet ME requirements from April–September. Adult gestational lactating cows with or without calves were unable to meet their ME requirement, especially in the dry period, even though MEItotal was greater than MEm. Adult cows at different physiological stages exhibited differences in daily forage intake and rumen microbial crude protein (MCP) metabolism, and the forage intake by nonpregnant cows decreased as follows: early lactation > mid-lactation > late lactation, pregnant cows’ lactation > dry period. For the degradation, digestion and synthesis of rumen MCP, early-lactation cows were similar to those in the mid-lactation group, but both were higher than those in the late-lactation group, while pregnant cows had greater degradation, digestion, and synthesis of MCP in the lactation period relative to the dry period. For lactating cows, especially those with calves, grazing energy requirements, methane emission metabolism and heat production were highest in August, with increased energy expenditure in winter. Overall, grazing energy, methane emissions and heat production by dry cows were low. In the context of global climate change and grassland degradation, managers must adopt different strategies according to the physiological stages of livestock to ensure a forage-livestock balance and the sustainable utilization and development of grasslands.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2024.1414096/fullpasture managementenergy balanceHulunbuir grasslandforage-livestock balancelivestock management |
| spellingShingle | Tianqi Yu Ruirui Yan Xiaoping Xin Xiaoying Zhang Guomei Yin Simulation of the nutritional requirements and energy balance of adult cows in a northern temperate grassland Frontiers in Veterinary Science pasture management energy balance Hulunbuir grassland forage-livestock balance livestock management |
| title | Simulation of the nutritional requirements and energy balance of adult cows in a northern temperate grassland |
| title_full | Simulation of the nutritional requirements and energy balance of adult cows in a northern temperate grassland |
| title_fullStr | Simulation of the nutritional requirements and energy balance of adult cows in a northern temperate grassland |
| title_full_unstemmed | Simulation of the nutritional requirements and energy balance of adult cows in a northern temperate grassland |
| title_short | Simulation of the nutritional requirements and energy balance of adult cows in a northern temperate grassland |
| title_sort | simulation of the nutritional requirements and energy balance of adult cows in a northern temperate grassland |
| topic | pasture management energy balance Hulunbuir grassland forage-livestock balance livestock management |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2024.1414096/full |
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