Effects of Prima gland clover (Trifolium glanduliferum Boiss cv. Prima) consumption on sheep production and meat quality
D. G. Masters A E , G. Mata A , C. K. Revell B , R. H. Davidson C , H. C. Norman A , B. J. Nutt B and V. Solah DA CSIRO Livestock Industries, Centre for Environment and Life Sciences, Private Bag 5, Wembley, WA 6913, Australia.
B Department of Agriculture Western Australia, Pasture Science Group, Locked Bag 4, Bentley DC, WA 6983, Australia.
C School of Animal Biology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
D Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Science, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia.
E Corresponding author. Email: david.masters@csiro.au
Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 46(3) 291-297 https://doi.org/10.1071/EA05036
Submitted: 8 February 2005 Accepted: 18 August 2005 Published: 28 March 2006
Abstract
Gland clover (Trifolium glanduliferum Boiss) is a recently introduced and released clover species for use in Mediterranean agricultural systems in southern Australia. There is little information on the expected animal production from this pasture plant although it is known to contain coumarins. Coumarins may have a direct effect on the production of grazing ruminants through a reduction in feed intake and may also have the ability to influence the flavour and odour of meat. In this study, Merino hogget ewes were grazed on eight 0.5 ha replicate plots sown to monocultures of either Prima gland clover or Dalkeith subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum ssp. subterraneum L.). The Prima gland clover was estimated to contain between 80 and 300 mg coumarin/kg dry matter. Three sheep were allocated to the plots on 7 September and 1 sheep from each plot was slaughtered on 29 September. Two additional sheep were allocated to the plots on 28 September and another 2 on 19 October. At the end of the experiment on 8 November, each plot contained 2 sheep that had grazed for 3, 6 or 9 weeks. All sheep were slaughtered at this time. The 2 sheep that remained on the plots from 7 September to 8 November were used for the comparison of animal production between the 2 clover species. Following slaughter, measurements were made of carcass characteristics and meat eating quality. The liveweight gain and wool growth of the 2 treatments were similar over the 9 weeks, however, the sheep on the Prima gland clover plots grew faster over the first 3 weeks. The faster growth rate is consistent with a higher in vitro digestibility of the Prima gland clover at this time. The similarity in feeding value of the 2 clover species indicates that there was no depression in feed intake associated with the Prima gland clover. There were some small significant differences in meat eating quality between the groups. Meat from sheep grazing the Prima gland clover was drier and had a more pleasant taste. These differences are unlikely to be large enough to have any commercial significance. The results indicate that the Prima gland clover has a feeding value at least equivalent to the Dalkeith subterranean clover and that, under the conditions of this experiment, the coumarin concentrations in the Prima gland clover are not high enough to affect either feed intake or the flavour and odour of meat.
Additional keywords: coumarin, duty-of-care, forage quality, new pasture, wool.
Acknowledgments
The staff of WAMMCO International were extremely helpful during sample processing. Ian Rose, Phil Bullock and Gerald Clune provided technical assistance with pasture establishment and Peter Newton helped with measurements of pasture biomass. The authors also acknowledge Shaofang Wang and Dean Revell for their constructive comments on the research.
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