New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research abstracts
The effects of grazing chicory (Cichorium intybus) and birdsfoot trefoil
(Lotus corniculatus) on venison and velvet production by young red and
hybrid deer
B. R. MIN
T. N. BARRY*
Department of Animal Science
Massey University
Palmerston North, New Zealand
P. R. WILSON
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
Massey University
Palmerston North, New Zealand
P. D. KEMP
Department of Plant Science
Massey University
Palmerston North, New Zealand
Abstract The effects of grazing chicory, Lotus
corniculatus, and perennial ryegrass/white clover pasture on growth,
voluntary feed intake (VFI), and venison and velvet production was studied in
red and hybrid deer from weaning to slaughter at one year of age. Twenty five
percent of red and 75% of hybrid stags attained the target slaughter weight (50
kg carcass or greater) when grazing pasture and spiker velvet antler weight was
low (approximately 0.2 kg/stag). Mean carcass weight of deer grazing chicory
was higher than for deer grazing pasture (P < 0.05), due to increased
liveweight gain (LWG) in both autumn and spring, and to higher dressing-out
percentage at slaughter. Carcass weights for red and hybrid stags were 56.0 and
59.3 kg, respectively, when grazed on chicory and 48.6 and 53.3 kg,
respectively, when grazed on pasture (P < 0.01). Hybrid hinds grazing
chicory had a significantly higher carcass weight (P < 0.05) and
dressing-out percentage (P < 0.01) than those grazing pasture.
Chicory had a higher organic matter digestibility (OMD) than pasture, and VFI
was higher than on pasture during autumn but was similar in spring. Relative to
pasture, chicory grazing increased total spiker velvet antler production (323 v
225 g/stag) by advancing the dates of pedicle initiation, antler initiation,
and of first velvet cutting and increasing the rate of velvet antler length
growth. Initiation of velvet growth was correlated with liveweight (LW), with
each 10 kg increase in LW advancing the dates of pedicle initiation,
commencement of velvet growth, and first velvet cutting by 10, 18, and 13 days,
respectively. Earlier velvet growth in deer fed chicory could thus largely be
explained by the higher liveweight of deer grazing this forage.
Observations from deer grazing lotus were limited due to problems with
lotus establishment. Grazing lotus increased LWG of stags during autumn
compared with perennial ryegrass/white clover pasture (248 v 176 g/day) and
increased the efficiency of growth in spring, with LWG being similar to deer
grazing pasture, but VFI being lower (1.53 v 2.00 kg OM/day). OMD of lotus was
higher than pasture during autumn, but not in spring. Stags grazing lotus
produced similar velvet antler weight to stags grazing pasture.
Total condensed tannin (CT) concentration in hand plucked and oesophageal
fistulae (OF) extrusa samples, respectively, were 48 v 13 g/kg OM for lotus,
3.1 v 5.8 g/kg OM for chicory, and 0.3 v 1.5 g/kg OM for pasture. It was
concluded that chicory was of high feeding value for increasing venison and
velvet production from young deer. Results suggest that the CT content of lotus
may improve the efficiency of growth in young deer.
Keywords: Chicory; Lotus corniculatus; deer; venison;
velvet
New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 1997, Vol. 40: 335-347
0028-8233/97/4003-0335 $7.00/0 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand
1997
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