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Twenty-five animals that were randomly selected on the basis of sex and age from among the animals feeding exclusively on communal grazing in Mogosane village and were used to investigate the mineral (P, Ca and Mg) status, especially P, based on blood and faecal P and to estimate the quantity of P they consumed from the pasture they were grazing. The project was conducted in the same area each month for one year, and no supplement was given. Months were blocks and seasonal changes were factors and the animals were experimental units within a block. Faecal, blood and grass samples were used as indicators of P, Ca and Mg minerals within experimental units, and Analysis of Variance was done to determine whether the P status of native pastures had a significant effect on the total P, Ca and Mg utilization and movement in and out of the blood and throughout the faeces during different periods the year. Body mass, condition scores and rainfall were also recorded during this trial. When the mineral status was investigated in this trial, it was found that mineral content in blood and faeces was directly related to the minerals in the pasture since these indicators were curvilinear increasing from winter months to spring months peaking in summer months with highly (P< 0.05) significant values when grazing was best and declining as the grazing became worse during autumn and winter months. The values of the body condition of the animals increased and declined with the values of body mass. Blood P concentration was very inconsistent and varied greatly and did not follow the same increasing and decreasing pattern followed by faeces and the grass. This emphasizes the fact that the P content of blood is not always good indicator of the P status in the animal. The mean faecal P concentration during winter was lower with the value of 1.23 ± 0.13 mg/g, during spring was low with the value of 1.8 ± 0.06 mg/g, during summer was higher with the value of 3.22 ± 0.12 mg/g and during autumn was high with the value of 1.98 ± 1.04 mg/g. The mean concentration of P in the grass during winter was lower with the value of 0.92 ± 0.04 mg/g, during spring was low with the value of 1.16 ± 0.08 mg/g, during summer was higher with the value of 1.68 ± 0.06 mg/g and during autumn was high with the value of 1.22 ± 0.09 mg/g. The seasonal rainfall correlated with the faecal and grass P values vary much with the value of 0 mm in the winter season, with the value of 26.33 mm in the spring, the value of 90.4 mm during summer and the value of 44.83 mm during autumn. Condition scores and body masses had the values of 2.08 units/201.4 Kg during winter season, had the values of 3.07 units/272.29 Kg in spring season, had the values of 3.88 units/371 Kg during summer season and the values of2.75 units/286.65 during autumn season, respectively. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Agric.)) --North-West University (Mafikeng Campus), 2005.

Thesis (MSc. Agriculture (Animal Production)) -- University of Limpopo, 2015 / A series of experiments were carried out to investigate the effect of replacing calf starter feed with lucerne leaf-meal (LLM) on diet intake, rumen degradation and growth of Holstein heifer calves. The treatments were calf starter pellets (PEL), a mixture of 65% calf starter concentrate pellets and 35% LLM (P65L35), and a mixture of 50% calf starter concentrate pellets and 50% LLM (P50L50). The first part of the study determined nutrient composition of lucerne leaf-meal (LLM), calf starter pellets and lucerne leaf-meal substituted diets. The experimental design was a completely randomised design (CRD). Lucerne leaf-meal had high protein (25% DM) and gross energy (GE) (16.2 MJ/kg DM) levels; low starch (0.2% DM) and fibre fractions. All diets had similar (P>0.05) crude protein (CP) and GE values. The concentrate diet was higher (P<0.05) in starch, ether extracts and fibre bound CP (neutral detergent insoluble crude protein). The second part of the study estimated the supply of energy and protein fractions and carbohydrate composition from LLM and the diets. A CRD was used. Lucerne leaf-meal had high energy density and protein supply with low unavailable fibre and protein contents. All the treatments had TDN above 80%. Non-fibre carbohydrate levels differed (P<0.05) across treatments. The energy fractions were similar (P>0.05) across all dietary treatments. However, Diets P65L35 and P50L50 had higher (P<0.05) soluble and non-fibre carbohydrates than PEL diet. The third part of the study determined in vitro degradation of LLM and the three dietary treatments using the ANKOM DaisyII incubator system. Lucerne leaf-meal had high in vitro dry matter (IVDMD), organic matter (IVOMD), crude protein (IVCPD) and neutral detergent fibre (IVNDFD) degradation. All diets had similar (P>0.05) IVDMD and IVOMD at 0, 4, 10 and 48 hours of incubation. Higher (P<0.05) IVNDFD, IVCPD and effective degradation (ED) were observed in Diets P65L35 and P50L50 than in Diet PEL. No differences (P>0.05) in IVNDFD and IVCPD were observed at 24 and 48 hours of incubation. The rate of degradation (‘c’) was similar (P>0.05) across all the diets. The data demonstrated that LLM diets had higher (P<0.05) degradation values than Diet PEL. vi The fourth part of the study determined the effects of replacing calf starter pellets with lucerne leaf-meal on diet intake, feed conversion ratio and growth of pre-weaned (21 to 42 days old calves) and transition (43 to 56 days old calves) Holstein heifer calves. The experimental design was a completely randomised design, with a total of 24 calves housed in individual pens. This study was divided into two experimental phases, namely, pre-weaning (Experiment 1) and transition (Experiment 2) phases. In each experiment, different calves were used. Body weights were taken weekly. The balance of ruminal nitrogen (% RNB) was predicted using Large Ruminant Nutrition System (LRNS) model. In Experiment 1 calves had free access to clean water and fed 4 litres/calf/day of unpasteurised milk. During the pre-weaning phase, differences (P<0.05) were observed in solid feed dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and starch intakes with Diet P50L50 having higher (P<0.05) intakes than Diets PEL and P65L35. Similarly, higher (P<0.05) % RNB and daily weight gains (ADG) were observed with calves on Diet P50L50. However, calves had similar (P>0.05) initial and final weights and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Calves in Experiment 2 were fed 2 litres/calf/day of unpasteurised milk. Calves were weaned at the age of 56 days. During the transition phase, calves on Diet HP50L50 had higher (P<0.05) CP intake and % RNB than those on HPEL and HP65L35 diets. However, higher (P<0.05) solid feed starch intake was observed with calves on Diet HPEL. All dietary treatments had similar (P>0.05) DM intake, initial and final live weights, ADG and FCR. The fifth part of the study predicted diet concentrations of Holstein heifer calves under specific conditions using the level 1 solution of Large Ruminant Nutrition System (LRNS) model. During the pre-weaning phase, P65L35 and P50L50 diets indicated higher (P<0.05) energy density values than Diet PEL. However, all diets had similar (P>0.05) metabolisable energy levels. No differences (P>0.05) in net energy for maintenance (NEm) and gain (NEg) during the transition phase were observed. However, Diet HPEL had higher (P<0.05) apparent TDN and ME levels compared to other dietary treatments. Diets P65L35 and P50L50 had higher (P<0.05) protein, energy density and degradation values than Diet PEL. It is concluded LLM inclusions in the calf diet improved Holstein heifer calves’ performance. / Agricultural Research Council (ARC)

Four successive groups of four calves each (~ 4 mo old) were individually penned and observed during a 14 d trial period for choice of concentrate. Prior calf diets contained soybean meal (SBM) (for two groups and distillers grains in place of SBM for two groups. Concentrates contained approximately equal amounts of corn with either SBM, peanut meal (PNM), fish meal (FSM), or corn gluten meal (CGM). Each day of four trials, .45 kg of each concentrate was randomly assigned to one of four equal feed box sections. Calf feeding position was recorded every 30 sec for no more than 50 min or until calves stopped eating. In addition, 1.36 kg of first cutting orchardgrass hay was offered twice per day. Measurements of amount of each feed consumed, order of consumption and length of time spent eating each feed were analyzed statistically to determine preference. Overall preference was for SBM, closely followed by PNM, both over FSM and CGM, with the l preference status of FSM showing the most change over time by decreasing throughout the trial periods. Neither section in which feed was offered nor previous experience with SBM significantly influenced preference. In addition, twenty calves ranging in age from 4 mo to 7 mo were divided and housed in four groups of five and observed during a 30 d trial period for acceptability of the protein feeds tested for preference. Acceptability, measured subjectively as length of time required by calves to eat each feed, was greatest for SBM, closely followed by PNM and CGM, and least for FSM. Analysis of calf weight gain showed no differences between feeds. / Master of Science

Thie experiment was conducted by the Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station for the purpose of comparing the values of several feeds for wintering beef steers with especial regard for local conditions. 1st. 28 lbs. silage and 1 lb. cottonseed meal will maintain 1000-pound steers during the winter without a loss of more than 25 lbs. per head. 2nd. 38 lbs. silage per steer per day will give about the same results as above. 3rd. Steers will change from grass to silage and from silage to grass again with practically no loss in weight. 4th. Steers fed silage alone, and stover and corn meal during the winter were the only steers to average 2 pounds gain per day on grass. 5th. Steers fed on silage alone made greatest total gain at the lowest cost per 100 pounds gain. 6th. Steers fed on stover and corn meal made the least total gain at the greatest cost per 100 pounds gain. 7th. Silage is a very economical feed for wintering steers, while stover and corn meal is a very costly feed. 8th. One pound of cottonseed meal will replace ten pounds of silage and it may be advisable to make this substitution when silage is scarce, or cottonseed meal cheap, or both, although cottonseed meal is not absolutely necessary. 9th. Winter steers so that they will not lose more than 25 pounds each during the winter months, for greater losses cannot be overcome during the grazing season. / Master of Science

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