New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research abstracts
Effect of condensed tannins in birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
and sulla (Hedysarum coronarium) on body weight, carcass fat depth, and
wool growth of lambs in New Zealand
G. B. DOUGLAS
M. STIENEZEN
G. C. WAGHORN
A. G. FOOTE
AgResearch
Grasslands Research Centre
Private Bag 11008
Palmerston North, New Zealand
R. W. PURCHAS
Institute for Food, Nutrition and Human Health
Massey University
Private Bag 11222
Palmerston North, New Zealand
Abstract The effects of dietary condensed tannins (CT) on
growth and performance of young male weaned lambs were measured during a
4-month grazing trial when either birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
cv. Grasslands Goldie or sulla (Hedysarum coronarium) cv. Grasslands
Aokau were fed. Each legume was offered at restricted and ad libitum
allowances and the effects of CT were determined by giving half the lambs in
each treatment a twice-daily drench of polyethylene glycol (PEG; mol wt 3350)
to deactivate the CT. Both agronomic and animal performance characteristics
were recorded. Sulla had higher (P < 0.01) pre-grazing herbage masses
than birdsfoot trefoil (11.6 cf. 7.1 t DM ha-1) and sulla stem
(<6 mm diam.) was eaten, in contrast to birdsfoot trefoil where stem was
rejected by the lambs. The sulla and birdsfoot trefoil diets had similar
protein concentrations in the DM, but sulla had a higher concentration of total
CT (88 cf. 50 g CT kg-1 DM) and less structural carbohydrate (189
cf. 328 g kg-1 DM) relative to birdsfoot trefoil. Lambs fed sulla
had a similar performance to those grazing birdsfoot trefoil at restricted
allowances, with average liveweight gains of 168 g d-1. At ad
libitum allowances liveweight gains averaged 273 g d-1, but the
CT in sulla reduced carcass weight from 21.2 kg (with PEG drenching) to 18.8 kg
(P < 0.05). The CT in birdsfoot trefoil did not affect wool growth,
liveweight gain, or carcass characteristics. The trial has shown that both
forages are able to provide a high level of productivity, but the CT in sulla
can be detrimental to carcass yield from young lambs given this forage as a
sole diet for a prolonged period. However, the sulla produces substantially
more DM and is better utilised by lambs than birdsfoot trefoil, and is able to
sustain high levels of animal production per hectare.
Keywords sulla; birdsfoot trefoil; herbage allowance; sheep;
condensed tannins; legumes
New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 1999, Vol. 42: 55-64
0028-8233/99/4201-0055 $7.00/0 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand
1999
PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (780K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)
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