Knowledge of how grazing cattle utilize heterogeneous landscapes in Mediterranean silvopastoral a... more Knowledge of how grazing cattle utilize heterogeneous landscapes in Mediterranean silvopastoral areas is scarce. Global positioning systems (GPS) to track animals, together with geographic information systems (GIS), can relate animal distribution to landscape features. With the aim to develop a general spatial model that provides accurate prediction of cattle resource selection patterns within a Mediterranean mountainous silvopastoral area, free-roaming Sarda cows were fitted with GPS collars to track their spatial behaviors. Resource selection function models (RSF) were developed to estimate the probability of resource use as a function of environmental variables. A set of over 500 candidate RSF models, composed of up to five environmental predictor variables, were fitted to data. To identify a final model providing a robust prediction of cattle resource selection pattern across the different seasons, the 10 best models (ranked on the basis of the AIC score) were fitted to seasonal data. Prediction performance of the models was evaluated with a Spearman correlation analysis using the GPS position data sets previously reserved for model validation. The final model emphasized that watering point, elevation, and distance to fences were important factors affecting cattle resourceselection patterns. The prediction performances (as Spearman rank correlation scores) of the final model, when fitted to each season, ranged between 0.7 and 0.94. The cows were more likely to select areas lower in elevation and farther from the watering point in winter than in summer (693 ± 1 m and 847 ± 13 m vs. 707 ± 1 m and 635 ± 21 m, respectively), and in spring opted for the areas furthest from the water (963 ± 12). Although caution should be exercised in generalizing to other silvopastoral areas, the satisfactory Spearman correlations scores from the final RSF model applied to different seasons indicate resource selection function is a powerful predictive model. The relative importance of the individual predictors within the model varied among the different seasons, demonstrating the RSF model's ability to interpret changes in animal behavior at different times of the year. The RSF model has proven to be a useful tool to interpret the spatial behaviors of cows grazing in Mediterranean silvopastoral areas and could therefore be helpful in managing and preserving ecosystem services of these areas.
International audienceKnowledge on the use of PLF technologies (Tech) at different levels of the ... more International audienceKnowledge on the use of PLF technologies (Tech) at different levels of the value chain for small ruminants (SR) was updated. Their uses for addressing animal welfare (Care) were analysed with a scientific literature review (SciRev).Keywords (n=67) were identified and SciRev was launched by TechCare partners, using several engines. A total of 991 abstracts were identified. Records entailing both Tech and Care (TC papers) were retained and classifiedaccording to the Tech and targeted Care indicators, animal species, production type and farming system. The outcome was a shared database compiling details of 368 TC for which a corresponding Mendeley PDF database was builtand made available online. Preliminary analyses shows that most frequent Care issues are related to malnutrition (monitored by behavioural sensors), general or chronic fear, transport and heat stress. Image analysis (video camera)is the most quoted Tech, followed by GPS (mainly for animal geo-refere...
The multiple roles of grassland in the European bioeconomy. Proceedings of the 26th General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation, Trondheim, Norway, 4-8 September 2016, 2016
The relationships between N excretion and diet in sheep an d goats are reviewed. A database of 15... more The relationships between N excretion and diet in sheep an d goats are reviewed. A database of 154 mean values concerning diet composition, nutrient intake a nd digestibility , faecal (FNE) and urinary (UNE) N excretion in sheep and goats at different physiological stages was developed. For each animal species and physiological stage, average and range values of li ve weight, fat-corrected milk, nutrient intakes, chemical composition of diets, crude protein (CP) apparent digesti bility, FNE and UNE were calculated. Total N excretion (TNE) was calculated as the sum of FNE and UNE. Additi onally a similar database for goats fed diets containing condensed tannins (CT) was developed and an alysed. Values for UNE were higher (P<0.05)
Abstract Automated classification and identification of feeding behaviour through sensors, has the ... more Abstract Automated classification and identification of feeding behaviour through sensors, has the potential to allow improvements in animal health and welfare. Sensor position, as well as epoch setting of segmented signal data, affects classification accuracy in behavioural activity discrimination. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of position, at different time epoch setting, of a tri-axial accelerometer-based device (BEHARUM) on the classification of behaviour types such as grazing, ruminating and other activities in sheep grazing a chicory-based sward. Sheep were video recorded, during accelerometer deployment, by fixed camera. Mean, variance and inverse coefficient of variation (i.e., mean/ standard deviation), of the raw acceleration data for each axis, as well as the resultant variance and inverse coefficient of variation values of the three axes, were calculated for the following positions: mouth, nape, collar and epoch settings: 5 s, 10 s, 30 s, 60 s, 120 s, 180 s, 300 s. Video recordings were coded manually assigning to each position and epoch the prevailing behaviour. Multivariate discriminant analysis (DA) was used to distinguish between the three behaviour types. To evaluate the performance of DA in discriminating the three activities, overall accuracy and Coehn’s k coefficient were calculated, based on the error distribution in assignment. Mouth position recorded the highest accuracies and Coehn’s k coefficient in 300 s time epoch setting (88 % and 0.8 respectively), as well as collar position (90 % and 0.8 respectively), while nape position showed the best performance in 180 and 300 s (80 % and 0.6 respectively). Overall, the best performance of DA was obtained using collar position in particular at 300 s time epoch.
The effects of restricted access time to pasture (2, 4 or 6 h d−1; 2H, 4H or 6H) on ingestive beh... more The effects of restricted access time to pasture (2, 4 or 6 h d−1; 2H, 4H or 6H) on ingestive behaviour and performance were assessed on four occasions per target grazing day (D1, initial day; D4, intermediate day; and D7, final day) in dairy ewes rotationally grazing berseem clover with a 7-day grazing period and a 21-day recovery period. A randomized block design with two replicates per treatment was used. All ewes were supplemented daily with 700 g per head of concentrates and 700 g per head of ryegrass-based hay. Pasture subplot and animal group data were analysed by a factorial model including access time (AT), grazing day (D) and their interaction as fixed factors. Sward height decreased from D1 (P < 0·001) and green leaf mass from D4 (P < 0·001) onwards during the grazing period. Grazing time as a proportion of AT was higher in 2H than in 4H and 6H ewes on D1 and D4 but not on D7 (P < 0·05 for AT × D). Herbage intake rate was higher in 2H than in 4H and 6H ewes (P < 0·001). Herbage and total intakes were higher in 4H and 6H than in 2H ewes (P < 0·001), with herbage intake varying non-linearly during the grazing period (P < 0·05). Milk yield was higher in 4H and 6H than in 2H ewes (P < 0·01). To conclude, despite the evidence of compensatory behaviour, restricting access time to 2 h d−1 constrained intake and performance of dairy ewes rotationally grazing berseem clover.
Animal propensity towards a food is mainly based on pre-ingestive stimuli, and could be measured ... more Animal propensity towards a food is mainly based on pre-ingestive stimuli, and could be measured by the intake rate. A short-term test, using the micro-swards method, was carried out to measure lambs propensity for different accessions of Psoralea genus, a perennial legume widely distributed in Mediterranean regions. The following 4 accessions of Psoralea were evaluated: Psoralea bituminosa crassiuscula Vilaflor; Psoralea bituminosa bituminosa Llano del Beal; Psoralea bituminosa bituminosa Monte Rosello; Psoralea morisiana Punta Giglio. The forages were offered, in a 4x4 latin-square design with 3 replicates, to 12 Sarda lambs, first adapted to the test routine with Hordeum vulgaris L.. Fresh matter intake (FMI) and DM intake (DMI, g head-1), number of bites (NB, n.), eating time (ET, min), bite frequency (BF, n. min-1) and intake rate (IR, g min-1) were measured in 5 min sessions. Overall, lambs showed a low propensity for all accessions of Psoralea with a slightly higher DM IR for Vilaflor (P≤0.05).
Part of the Plant Sciences Commons, and the Soil Science Commons This document is available at ht... more Part of the Plant Sciences Commons, and the Soil Science Commons This document is available at https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/22/2-4/29 The 22nd International Grassland Congress (Revitalising Grasslands to Sustain Our Communities) took place in Sydney, Australia from September 15 through September 19, 2013. Proceedings Editors: David L. Michalk, Geoffrey D. Millar, Warwick B. Badgery, and Kim M. Broadfoot Publisher: New South Wales Department of Primary Industry, Kite St., Orange New South Wales, Australia
The effects of restricted time allocation (2, 4 or 6 h/day) to pasture and grazing day (Day 1, in... more The effects of restricted time allocation (2, 4 or 6 h/day) to pasture and grazing day (Day 1, initial; Day 4, intermediate; Day 7, final) on feeding behaviour, intake and performance were assessed in Sarda dairy ewes, rotationally grazing Italian ryegrass plots for 7 days, with 21 days of regrowth. A randomised block design with two replicates per access time was used with six groups of six ewes each. The ewes were supplemented daily with 400 g/head of a commercial concentrate at milking, 300 g/head of lupin after grazing and 700 g/head of ryegrass hay overnight. Pasture variables, feeding behaviour, herbage and supplement DM intake, and milk yield and composition were measured on 12 days (4 per target grazing day). Plot average data were analysed by a bifactorial model with interaction, which was not significant. Sward height and herbage mass decreased between Day 1 and Day 4 (P < 0.05). Leaf area index dropped from Day 1 to Day 7 (P < 0.05). Eating time, as proportion of ac...
The fatty acid profile, vitamins A and E, cholesterol, antioxidant power colour and the phenols p... more The fatty acid profile, vitamins A and E, cholesterol, antioxidant power colour and the phenols profile of Sarda sheep milk from 11 commercial sheep flocks managed under permanent grassland were investigated. In each farm, the structural and managerial data and milk samples were collected during four periods (sampling dates, SD): January, March, May, and July. Data from the milk composition (fat, protein, casein, lactose, and somatic cell count), 68 fatty acids, 7 phenols, 1 total gallocatechin equivalent, ferric reducing antioxidant power, vitamins A and E, cholesterol, degree of antioxidant protection, and the colour (b *, a * and L *) were analyzed by multivariate factorial analysis using a principal component analysis approach. A proc mixed model for repeated measurement to point out the studied factors affecting significant macro and micro milk composition was also used. Only the first five components were detailed in this paper, with approximately 70% of the explained variance...
Psoralea bituminosa C.H. Stirton (syn. Bituminaria bituminosa L.) is a perennial legume usually c... more Psoralea bituminosa C.H. Stirton (syn. Bituminaria bituminosa L.) is a perennial legume usually considered of low palatability because of the strong smell that can be emitted by oil glands located on its foliage. However the nutritive value of P. bituminosa in terms of forage composition and digestibility was proven similar to or even better than that of other legumes. The aerial part of this species may contain a high concentration of furano-coumarins, out of which psoralen and angelicin are the most abundant (Pecetti et al. 2007). These substances could be harmful to animals, being responsible for contact photodermatitis, in addition to possibly limiting forage intake. Nevertheless there are some examples of the utilisation of P. bituminosa either as green or dry forage. In the Canary Islands, it is grazed all year and also is collected from late spring to mid-summer to make hay used to feed goats (Ventura et al. 2009). In Israel P. bituminosa is grazed by cattle in particular in ...
Abstract The accurate estimation of herbage intake is a key to adequately feed grazing ruminants.... more Abstract The accurate estimation of herbage intake is a key to adequately feed grazing ruminants. Ten dairy Sarda sheep fitted with a halter equipped with an accelerometer (BEHARUM device) were allowed to graze micro-swards of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.), alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), oat (Avena sativa L.), chicory (Cichorium intibus L.) and a mixture (Italian ryegrass and alfalfa) for six minutes. Accelerometer data and video recordings of behaviour were collected simultaneously. The raw acceleration data were processed to calculate 15 variables: sum, mean, variance and inverse coefficient of variation (ICV, mean/standard deviation) for the X, Y and Z axes and the resultant. A database was created that included the acceleration variables and herbage intake (FMI, DMI, g), intake rate (FMIR, DMIR, g/minute), bite mass (FMBM, DMBM, g) either on fresh (FM) or dry matter basis (DM) and the logarithm of number of bites (LB) and bite rate (LBR) measured during the tests. Partial least square regression analysis (PLSR) was used to verify if acceleration variables could be used as predictors of behavioural traits. The precision and accuracy of PLSR were evaluated implementing the Model Evaluation System, in which predicted values were regressed against observed ones, based on r2 and Dent & Blackie test. The PLSR showed an overall good accuracy (Dent & Blackie test P = ns) and was proven precise for the estimation of LB (r2 = 0.87), LBR (r2 = 0.86), DMI and DMIR (r2 = 0.71). To conclude, BEHARUM can accurately estimate with high to moderate precision number of bites and herbage intake of sheep short term grazing Mediterranean forages.
Monitoring behaviour of grazing animals is important for the management of grazing systems. A stu... more Monitoring behaviour of grazing animals is important for the management of grazing systems. A study was run to discriminate between the main behaviours (grazing, ruminating and other activities) of sheep at pasture wearing a halter equipped with an accelerometer (BEHARUM device), and to identify the epoch setting (5, 10, 30, 60, 120, 180 and 300 s) with the best performance. The BEHARUM device includes a three-axial accelerometer sensor and a force sensor positioned under the lower jaw of the animal. The halter was fitted to eight Sarda dairy sheep that rotationally grazed either a spatial association (mixture) or a time association of berseem clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.) and Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) for 6 h day −1. The behaviour of the animals was also video-recorded. The raw acceleration and force data were processed for each epoch setting to create 15 variables: the mean, variance and inverse coefficient of variation (ICV; mean/standard deviation) per minute for the X-, Y-, Z-axis and force, and the resultant. Multivariate statistical techniques were used to discriminate between the three behavioural activities: canonical discriminant analysis (CDA), and discriminant analysis (DA). To validate the derived discriminant functions, a bootstrap procedure was run. To evaluate the performance of DA in discriminating between the three activities, the sensitivity, specificity, precision, accuracy and Coehn's k coefficient were calculated, based on the error distribution in assignment. Results show that a discriminant analysis can accurately classify important behaviours such as grazing, ruminating and other activities in sheep at pasture. The prediction model has demonstrated a better performance in classifying grazing behaviour than ruminating and other activities for all epochs. The 30 s epoch length yielded the most accurate classification in terms of accuracy and Coehn's k coefficient. Nevertheless, 60 and 120 s may increase the potential recording time without causing serious lack of accuracy. inexpensive, and easy to wear (Brown et al., 2013). Accelerometers have been widely used to automatically detect and classify several behaviours in cattle, e.g. oestrus detection (Ueda et al., 2011), walking (Robert et al., 2009) feeding and standing activities in a free-stall barn (Arcidiacono et al., 2017), sleeping posture (Fukasawa et al., 2018) and time (Hokkanen et al., 2011), and eating, ruminating and resting activities (Watanabe et al., 2008). Fewer research studies have been conducted to classify sheep behaviours than cattle behaviours. Umstätter et al. (2008) used integrated pitch and roll tilt sensors, and found that they could distinguish between two categories: active and inactive, with more than 90%
The relationships between N excretion and diet in sheep and goats are reviewed. A database of 154... more The relationships between N excretion and diet in sheep and goats are reviewed. A database of 154 mean values concerning diet composition, nutrient intake and digestibility, faecal (FNE) and urinary (UNE) N excretion in sheep and goats at different physiological stages was developed. For each animal species and physiological stage, average and range values of live weight, fat-corrected milk, nutrient intakes, chemical composition of diets, crude protein (CP) apparent digestibility, FNE and UNE were calculated. Total N excretion (TNE) was calculated as the sum of FNE and UNE. Additionally a similar database for goats fed diets containing condensed tannins (CT) was developed and analysed. Values for UNE were higher (P<0.05) than those for FNE in each physiological stage examined both in sheep and goats. Lactating sheep showed higher (P<0.001) FNE (g/d per head) than lactating goats. Positive relationships were found between TNE, UNE (expressed as g/kg of dry matter (DM) intake) and dietary CP (% DM) in sheep and goats for each physiological stage. Dry goats fed diets with low CP (mean±S.E.: 10.8±1.7% DM) and high condensed tannin levels (8.1±1.9 % DM) showed higher (P<0.05) FNE than UNE (mean±S.E.: 8.0±1.4 and 4.3±1.4 g/d per head), in contrast with what usually found in animals fed free-tannin diets.
The global consumption, notably in developing countries, and production of beef are increasing co... more The global consumption, notably in developing countries, and production of beef are increasing continuously, and this requires the industry to improve performance and to reduce the environmental impact of the production chain. Since the improvement in efficiency and the highest impacts occur at farm level, it is appropriate to focus on the profitability and environmental sustainability of these enterprises. In many areas of the world, beef production is economically and socially relevant because it accounts for a significant portion of the agricultural production and represents a vital economic activity in mountain and hill districts of many regions, where few alternatives for other agricultural production exist. Due to the important role in the agricultural and food economy worldwide, the future of the beef industry is linked to the reduction of ecological impacts, mainly adopting the agroecological mitigation practices, and the simultaneous improvement of production performances and of product quality. This review analyses the technical and managerial solutions currently available to increase the efficiency of the beef industry and, at the same time, to reduce its environmental impacts in response to the growing concerns and awareness of citizens and consumers.
Knowledge of how grazing cattle utilize heterogeneous landscapes in Mediterranean silvopastoral a... more Knowledge of how grazing cattle utilize heterogeneous landscapes in Mediterranean silvopastoral areas is scarce. Global positioning systems (GPS) to track animals, together with geographic information systems (GIS), can relate animal distribution to landscape features. With the aim to develop a general spatial model that provides accurate prediction of cattle resource selection patterns within a Mediterranean mountainous silvopastoral area, free-roaming Sarda cows were fitted with GPS collars to track their spatial behaviors. Resource selection function models (RSF) were developed to estimate the probability of resource use as a function of environmental variables. A set of over 500 candidate RSF models, composed of up to five environmental predictor variables, were fitted to data. To identify a final model providing a robust prediction of cattle resource selection pattern across the different seasons, the 10 best models (ranked on the basis of the AIC score) were fitted to seasonal data. Prediction performance of the models was evaluated with a Spearman correlation analysis using the GPS position data sets previously reserved for model validation. The final model emphasized that watering point, elevation, and distance to fences were important factors affecting cattle resourceselection patterns. The prediction performances (as Spearman rank correlation scores) of the final model, when fitted to each season, ranged between 0.7 and 0.94. The cows were more likely to select areas lower in elevation and farther from the watering point in winter than in summer (693 ± 1 m and 847 ± 13 m vs. 707 ± 1 m and 635 ± 21 m, respectively), and in spring opted for the areas furthest from the water (963 ± 12). Although caution should be exercised in generalizing to other silvopastoral areas, the satisfactory Spearman correlations scores from the final RSF model applied to different seasons indicate resource selection function is a powerful predictive model. The relative importance of the individual predictors within the model varied among the different seasons, demonstrating the RSF model's ability to interpret changes in animal behavior at different times of the year. The RSF model has proven to be a useful tool to interpret the spatial behaviors of cows grazing in Mediterranean silvopastoral areas and could therefore be helpful in managing and preserving ecosystem services of these areas.
International audienceKnowledge on the use of PLF technologies (Tech) at different levels of the ... more International audienceKnowledge on the use of PLF technologies (Tech) at different levels of the value chain for small ruminants (SR) was updated. Their uses for addressing animal welfare (Care) were analysed with a scientific literature review (SciRev).Keywords (n=67) were identified and SciRev was launched by TechCare partners, using several engines. A total of 991 abstracts were identified. Records entailing both Tech and Care (TC papers) were retained and classifiedaccording to the Tech and targeted Care indicators, animal species, production type and farming system. The outcome was a shared database compiling details of 368 TC for which a corresponding Mendeley PDF database was builtand made available online. Preliminary analyses shows that most frequent Care issues are related to malnutrition (monitored by behavioural sensors), general or chronic fear, transport and heat stress. Image analysis (video camera)is the most quoted Tech, followed by GPS (mainly for animal geo-refere...
The multiple roles of grassland in the European bioeconomy. Proceedings of the 26th General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation, Trondheim, Norway, 4-8 September 2016, 2016
The relationships between N excretion and diet in sheep an d goats are reviewed. A database of 15... more The relationships between N excretion and diet in sheep an d goats are reviewed. A database of 154 mean values concerning diet composition, nutrient intake a nd digestibility , faecal (FNE) and urinary (UNE) N excretion in sheep and goats at different physiological stages was developed. For each animal species and physiological stage, average and range values of li ve weight, fat-corrected milk, nutrient intakes, chemical composition of diets, crude protein (CP) apparent digesti bility, FNE and UNE were calculated. Total N excretion (TNE) was calculated as the sum of FNE and UNE. Additi onally a similar database for goats fed diets containing condensed tannins (CT) was developed and an alysed. Values for UNE were higher (P<0.05)
Abstract Automated classification and identification of feeding behaviour through sensors, has the ... more Abstract Automated classification and identification of feeding behaviour through sensors, has the potential to allow improvements in animal health and welfare. Sensor position, as well as epoch setting of segmented signal data, affects classification accuracy in behavioural activity discrimination. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of position, at different time epoch setting, of a tri-axial accelerometer-based device (BEHARUM) on the classification of behaviour types such as grazing, ruminating and other activities in sheep grazing a chicory-based sward. Sheep were video recorded, during accelerometer deployment, by fixed camera. Mean, variance and inverse coefficient of variation (i.e., mean/ standard deviation), of the raw acceleration data for each axis, as well as the resultant variance and inverse coefficient of variation values of the three axes, were calculated for the following positions: mouth, nape, collar and epoch settings: 5 s, 10 s, 30 s, 60 s, 120 s, 180 s, 300 s. Video recordings were coded manually assigning to each position and epoch the prevailing behaviour. Multivariate discriminant analysis (DA) was used to distinguish between the three behaviour types. To evaluate the performance of DA in discriminating the three activities, overall accuracy and Coehn’s k coefficient were calculated, based on the error distribution in assignment. Mouth position recorded the highest accuracies and Coehn’s k coefficient in 300 s time epoch setting (88 % and 0.8 respectively), as well as collar position (90 % and 0.8 respectively), while nape position showed the best performance in 180 and 300 s (80 % and 0.6 respectively). Overall, the best performance of DA was obtained using collar position in particular at 300 s time epoch.
The effects of restricted access time to pasture (2, 4 or 6 h d−1; 2H, 4H or 6H) on ingestive beh... more The effects of restricted access time to pasture (2, 4 or 6 h d−1; 2H, 4H or 6H) on ingestive behaviour and performance were assessed on four occasions per target grazing day (D1, initial day; D4, intermediate day; and D7, final day) in dairy ewes rotationally grazing berseem clover with a 7-day grazing period and a 21-day recovery period. A randomized block design with two replicates per treatment was used. All ewes were supplemented daily with 700 g per head of concentrates and 700 g per head of ryegrass-based hay. Pasture subplot and animal group data were analysed by a factorial model including access time (AT), grazing day (D) and their interaction as fixed factors. Sward height decreased from D1 (P < 0·001) and green leaf mass from D4 (P < 0·001) onwards during the grazing period. Grazing time as a proportion of AT was higher in 2H than in 4H and 6H ewes on D1 and D4 but not on D7 (P < 0·05 for AT × D). Herbage intake rate was higher in 2H than in 4H and 6H ewes (P < 0·001). Herbage and total intakes were higher in 4H and 6H than in 2H ewes (P < 0·001), with herbage intake varying non-linearly during the grazing period (P < 0·05). Milk yield was higher in 4H and 6H than in 2H ewes (P < 0·01). To conclude, despite the evidence of compensatory behaviour, restricting access time to 2 h d−1 constrained intake and performance of dairy ewes rotationally grazing berseem clover.
Animal propensity towards a food is mainly based on pre-ingestive stimuli, and could be measured ... more Animal propensity towards a food is mainly based on pre-ingestive stimuli, and could be measured by the intake rate. A short-term test, using the micro-swards method, was carried out to measure lambs propensity for different accessions of Psoralea genus, a perennial legume widely distributed in Mediterranean regions. The following 4 accessions of Psoralea were evaluated: Psoralea bituminosa crassiuscula Vilaflor; Psoralea bituminosa bituminosa Llano del Beal; Psoralea bituminosa bituminosa Monte Rosello; Psoralea morisiana Punta Giglio. The forages were offered, in a 4x4 latin-square design with 3 replicates, to 12 Sarda lambs, first adapted to the test routine with Hordeum vulgaris L.. Fresh matter intake (FMI) and DM intake (DMI, g head-1), number of bites (NB, n.), eating time (ET, min), bite frequency (BF, n. min-1) and intake rate (IR, g min-1) were measured in 5 min sessions. Overall, lambs showed a low propensity for all accessions of Psoralea with a slightly higher DM IR for Vilaflor (P≤0.05).
Part of the Plant Sciences Commons, and the Soil Science Commons This document is available at ht... more Part of the Plant Sciences Commons, and the Soil Science Commons This document is available at https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/22/2-4/29 The 22nd International Grassland Congress (Revitalising Grasslands to Sustain Our Communities) took place in Sydney, Australia from September 15 through September 19, 2013. Proceedings Editors: David L. Michalk, Geoffrey D. Millar, Warwick B. Badgery, and Kim M. Broadfoot Publisher: New South Wales Department of Primary Industry, Kite St., Orange New South Wales, Australia
The effects of restricted time allocation (2, 4 or 6 h/day) to pasture and grazing day (Day 1, in... more The effects of restricted time allocation (2, 4 or 6 h/day) to pasture and grazing day (Day 1, initial; Day 4, intermediate; Day 7, final) on feeding behaviour, intake and performance were assessed in Sarda dairy ewes, rotationally grazing Italian ryegrass plots for 7 days, with 21 days of regrowth. A randomised block design with two replicates per access time was used with six groups of six ewes each. The ewes were supplemented daily with 400 g/head of a commercial concentrate at milking, 300 g/head of lupin after grazing and 700 g/head of ryegrass hay overnight. Pasture variables, feeding behaviour, herbage and supplement DM intake, and milk yield and composition were measured on 12 days (4 per target grazing day). Plot average data were analysed by a bifactorial model with interaction, which was not significant. Sward height and herbage mass decreased between Day 1 and Day 4 (P < 0.05). Leaf area index dropped from Day 1 to Day 7 (P < 0.05). Eating time, as proportion of ac...
The fatty acid profile, vitamins A and E, cholesterol, antioxidant power colour and the phenols p... more The fatty acid profile, vitamins A and E, cholesterol, antioxidant power colour and the phenols profile of Sarda sheep milk from 11 commercial sheep flocks managed under permanent grassland were investigated. In each farm, the structural and managerial data and milk samples were collected during four periods (sampling dates, SD): January, March, May, and July. Data from the milk composition (fat, protein, casein, lactose, and somatic cell count), 68 fatty acids, 7 phenols, 1 total gallocatechin equivalent, ferric reducing antioxidant power, vitamins A and E, cholesterol, degree of antioxidant protection, and the colour (b *, a * and L *) were analyzed by multivariate factorial analysis using a principal component analysis approach. A proc mixed model for repeated measurement to point out the studied factors affecting significant macro and micro milk composition was also used. Only the first five components were detailed in this paper, with approximately 70% of the explained variance...
Psoralea bituminosa C.H. Stirton (syn. Bituminaria bituminosa L.) is a perennial legume usually c... more Psoralea bituminosa C.H. Stirton (syn. Bituminaria bituminosa L.) is a perennial legume usually considered of low palatability because of the strong smell that can be emitted by oil glands located on its foliage. However the nutritive value of P. bituminosa in terms of forage composition and digestibility was proven similar to or even better than that of other legumes. The aerial part of this species may contain a high concentration of furano-coumarins, out of which psoralen and angelicin are the most abundant (Pecetti et al. 2007). These substances could be harmful to animals, being responsible for contact photodermatitis, in addition to possibly limiting forage intake. Nevertheless there are some examples of the utilisation of P. bituminosa either as green or dry forage. In the Canary Islands, it is grazed all year and also is collected from late spring to mid-summer to make hay used to feed goats (Ventura et al. 2009). In Israel P. bituminosa is grazed by cattle in particular in ...
Abstract The accurate estimation of herbage intake is a key to adequately feed grazing ruminants.... more Abstract The accurate estimation of herbage intake is a key to adequately feed grazing ruminants. Ten dairy Sarda sheep fitted with a halter equipped with an accelerometer (BEHARUM device) were allowed to graze micro-swards of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.), alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), oat (Avena sativa L.), chicory (Cichorium intibus L.) and a mixture (Italian ryegrass and alfalfa) for six minutes. Accelerometer data and video recordings of behaviour were collected simultaneously. The raw acceleration data were processed to calculate 15 variables: sum, mean, variance and inverse coefficient of variation (ICV, mean/standard deviation) for the X, Y and Z axes and the resultant. A database was created that included the acceleration variables and herbage intake (FMI, DMI, g), intake rate (FMIR, DMIR, g/minute), bite mass (FMBM, DMBM, g) either on fresh (FM) or dry matter basis (DM) and the logarithm of number of bites (LB) and bite rate (LBR) measured during the tests. Partial least square regression analysis (PLSR) was used to verify if acceleration variables could be used as predictors of behavioural traits. The precision and accuracy of PLSR were evaluated implementing the Model Evaluation System, in which predicted values were regressed against observed ones, based on r2 and Dent & Blackie test. The PLSR showed an overall good accuracy (Dent & Blackie test P = ns) and was proven precise for the estimation of LB (r2 = 0.87), LBR (r2 = 0.86), DMI and DMIR (r2 = 0.71). To conclude, BEHARUM can accurately estimate with high to moderate precision number of bites and herbage intake of sheep short term grazing Mediterranean forages.
Monitoring behaviour of grazing animals is important for the management of grazing systems. A stu... more Monitoring behaviour of grazing animals is important for the management of grazing systems. A study was run to discriminate between the main behaviours (grazing, ruminating and other activities) of sheep at pasture wearing a halter equipped with an accelerometer (BEHARUM device), and to identify the epoch setting (5, 10, 30, 60, 120, 180 and 300 s) with the best performance. The BEHARUM device includes a three-axial accelerometer sensor and a force sensor positioned under the lower jaw of the animal. The halter was fitted to eight Sarda dairy sheep that rotationally grazed either a spatial association (mixture) or a time association of berseem clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.) and Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) for 6 h day −1. The behaviour of the animals was also video-recorded. The raw acceleration and force data were processed for each epoch setting to create 15 variables: the mean, variance and inverse coefficient of variation (ICV; mean/standard deviation) per minute for the X-, Y-, Z-axis and force, and the resultant. Multivariate statistical techniques were used to discriminate between the three behavioural activities: canonical discriminant analysis (CDA), and discriminant analysis (DA). To validate the derived discriminant functions, a bootstrap procedure was run. To evaluate the performance of DA in discriminating between the three activities, the sensitivity, specificity, precision, accuracy and Coehn's k coefficient were calculated, based on the error distribution in assignment. Results show that a discriminant analysis can accurately classify important behaviours such as grazing, ruminating and other activities in sheep at pasture. The prediction model has demonstrated a better performance in classifying grazing behaviour than ruminating and other activities for all epochs. The 30 s epoch length yielded the most accurate classification in terms of accuracy and Coehn's k coefficient. Nevertheless, 60 and 120 s may increase the potential recording time without causing serious lack of accuracy. inexpensive, and easy to wear (Brown et al., 2013). Accelerometers have been widely used to automatically detect and classify several behaviours in cattle, e.g. oestrus detection (Ueda et al., 2011), walking (Robert et al., 2009) feeding and standing activities in a free-stall barn (Arcidiacono et al., 2017), sleeping posture (Fukasawa et al., 2018) and time (Hokkanen et al., 2011), and eating, ruminating and resting activities (Watanabe et al., 2008). Fewer research studies have been conducted to classify sheep behaviours than cattle behaviours. Umstätter et al. (2008) used integrated pitch and roll tilt sensors, and found that they could distinguish between two categories: active and inactive, with more than 90%
The relationships between N excretion and diet in sheep and goats are reviewed. A database of 154... more The relationships between N excretion and diet in sheep and goats are reviewed. A database of 154 mean values concerning diet composition, nutrient intake and digestibility, faecal (FNE) and urinary (UNE) N excretion in sheep and goats at different physiological stages was developed. For each animal species and physiological stage, average and range values of live weight, fat-corrected milk, nutrient intakes, chemical composition of diets, crude protein (CP) apparent digestibility, FNE and UNE were calculated. Total N excretion (TNE) was calculated as the sum of FNE and UNE. Additionally a similar database for goats fed diets containing condensed tannins (CT) was developed and analysed. Values for UNE were higher (P<0.05) than those for FNE in each physiological stage examined both in sheep and goats. Lactating sheep showed higher (P<0.001) FNE (g/d per head) than lactating goats. Positive relationships were found between TNE, UNE (expressed as g/kg of dry matter (DM) intake) and dietary CP (% DM) in sheep and goats for each physiological stage. Dry goats fed diets with low CP (mean±S.E.: 10.8±1.7% DM) and high condensed tannin levels (8.1±1.9 % DM) showed higher (P<0.05) FNE than UNE (mean±S.E.: 8.0±1.4 and 4.3±1.4 g/d per head), in contrast with what usually found in animals fed free-tannin diets.
The global consumption, notably in developing countries, and production of beef are increasing co... more The global consumption, notably in developing countries, and production of beef are increasing continuously, and this requires the industry to improve performance and to reduce the environmental impact of the production chain. Since the improvement in efficiency and the highest impacts occur at farm level, it is appropriate to focus on the profitability and environmental sustainability of these enterprises. In many areas of the world, beef production is economically and socially relevant because it accounts for a significant portion of the agricultural production and represents a vital economic activity in mountain and hill districts of many regions, where few alternatives for other agricultural production exist. Due to the important role in the agricultural and food economy worldwide, the future of the beef industry is linked to the reduction of ecological impacts, mainly adopting the agroecological mitigation practices, and the simultaneous improvement of production performances and of product quality. This review analyses the technical and managerial solutions currently available to increase the efficiency of the beef industry and, at the same time, to reduce its environmental impacts in response to the growing concerns and awareness of citizens and consumers.
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