Preference of cattle grazing conterminous monocultures of centipedegrass ( Eremochloa ophiuroides ) and bahiagrass ( Paspalum notatum ) with contrasting regrowth durations

作者：Masahiko Hirata, Eri Kunieda, Manabu Tobisa · 发表于：Animal Science Journal · 年份：2016 · DOI：10.1111/asj.12699 · 被引用次数：7 · 研究领域：Ruminant Nutrition and Digestive Physiology、Agroforestry and silvopastoral systems、Plant Taxonomy and Phylogenetics

Abstract This study conducted four experiments to assess preference of cattle between centipedegrass ( Eremochloa ophiuroides ; CG) and bahiagrass ( Paspalum notatum ; BG) under manipulated vegetation conditions. In each experiment, three Japanese Black cows ( Bos taurus ) were individually allowed to graze four plots of conterminous monocultures of CG and BG (30 min for each 10 × 10 m plot). Vegetation of the plots was the combinations of two patch sizes (coarse and fine; 5 × 10 m and 5 × 5 m, respectively) × two relative availabilities of the grasses (CG tall /BG short and CG short /BG tall ). Tall and short patches were created by varying regrowth durations after cutting, and almost always offered a clear CG–BG contrast in availability (height and mass) and quality (digestibility and protein) with the trade‐off relationship. Cows always preferred or equally selected CG to BG, with the preference being affected by the relative availability of grasses in three of the four experiments but not by the patch size at all. Test of intake rate maximization on both short‐term and daily bases indicated that cows chose between the grasses to simultaneously enhance daily potential intake of dry matter, digestible energy and protein. The results strengthen the value of CG as a forage.