Premium
Effects of Euphorbia esula L. (leafy spurge) on cattle and sheep in vitro fermentation and gas production
Author(s) -
Waterman Richard C,
Richardson Kimberly D,
LodgeIvey Shanna L
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.4419
Subject(s) - hay , rumen , leafy , grazing , fermentation , biology , dry matter , ruminant , agronomy , rangeland , zoology , botany , pasture , food science
BACKGROUND: Euphorbia esula L. (leafy spurge) is indigenous to Eurasia and has been known to cause grazing aversion in ruminant species. As a result, E. esula encroachment has negatively impacted rangelands in the Northern Great Plains and Intermountain West of the USA, as well as southern Canada. Our objectives were to evaluate the effect of increasing concentrations of E. esula on in vitro dry matter digestibility (DMD) and gas production. Two ruminally‐cannulated cows and ewes were used as rumen inoculum donors. To accomplish objectives, two studies were conducted. In study 1, animals were fed exclusively a barley hay (12% crude protein (CP), 55.4% neutral detergent fiber (NDF), DM basis) diet; whereas in study 2, animals were fed a diet of 15% E. esula (21.9% CP, 48% NDF, DM basis) and 85% barley hay based on previous day intake. RESULTS: The 24 and 48 h in vitro and 96 h gas production indicate that, regardless of inoculum source or substrate fermented, DMD was not influenced. Differences, however, were consistently observed across studies for NDF disappearance. CONCLUSION: Regardless of inoculum source NDF disappearance was greater when substrate being fermented contained 0%, 80%, or 100% E. esula . Published 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.