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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 64(2)

Nutritional characteristics estimated by faecal protein in cattle fed with heterogeneous natural grassland

E. B. Azevedo https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4541-8043 A B * , F. Q. Rosa C , R. R. Dornelles C , E. G. Malaguez C , J. K. Da Trindade https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5022-2320 D , D. D. Castagnara C , C. Bremm D , G. R. Liska E and D. B. David B F
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.

B Federal University of Pampa (UNIPAMPA), Itaqui, RS, Brazil.

C Federal University of Pampa (UNIPAMPA), Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil.

D Department of Agricultural Diagnosis and Research (DDPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.

E Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Araras, SP, Brazil.

F Department of Agricultural Diagnosis and Research (DDPA), São Gabriel, RS, Brazil.

* Correspondence to: eduardo.azevedo@ufsm.br

Handling Editor: Robert Dixon

Animal Production Science 64, AN22418 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN22418
Submitted: 26 February 2022  Accepted: 1 January 2024  Published: 18 January 2024

© 2024 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing

Abstract

Context

Improved knowledge of the quality of the diet ingested by grazing cattle requires measurement of the diets selected, including in native pasture rangeland.

Aims

The goal of the present study was to develop empirical equations to predict the intake, digestibility and protein concentration of the diet selected from faecal crude protein concentration of cattle grazing heterogeneous native grasslands through seasonal cycles in the Pampa biome of southern South America.

Methods

In Experiment 1, cattle held in metabolism pens were fed native pasture at 15 and 22.5 g DM/kg bodyweight, or ad libitum. In Experiment 2, cattle also housed in metabolism pens were offered mixtures of the native pasture and Italian ryegrass at a proportion of 0.33 and 0.66 of the mixture, or pure ryegrass. Organic-matter intake (OMI), faecal crude protein excretion (fCP), faecal crude protein concentration (fCPc), OM digestibility (OMD) and diet crude protein concentration (dCPc) were measured in Experiments 1 and 2 and relationships were developed between the diet attributes and faecal crude protein (CP). In the Experiment 3, steers grazed native grasslands (NatG), or native grasslands overseeded with Italian ryegrass (NatG + RyeG). Intake and digestibility equations generated in Experiments 1 and 2 were then evaluated in Experiment 3 to estimate diet attributes from faecal protein measures.

Key results

Three non-linear models (exponential, hyperbolic and mixed, i.e. exponential + hyperbolic) were examined to evaluate the OMD. The mixed model had the highest R2 value (0.74) and the lowest relative prediction error. OMI and dCPc were both linearly related to fCP. The OMD, OMI and dCPc equations were able to detect differences among diets in Experiment 3.

Conclusions

It was verified that the faecal CP can be used to estimate key nutritional characteristics in cattle grazing heterogeneous grasslands in the Pampa biome in South America.

Implications

Relationships between faecal CP and key diet attributes can be used to support further research and models for nutritional assessment of the diet and productivity of grazing cattle in the rangeland system examined.

Keywords: beef cattle, crude protein, digestibility, faecal marker, grazing, intake, native pasture, Pampa biome, rangelands.

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