Biomaterial Database

Protein and energy utilization by ruminants at pasture. 1995

D P Poppi, and S R McLennan

Department of Agriculture, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.

Low live weight gain of cattle in the wet season of tropical areas was identified as a major limitation to achieving annual growth rates from tropical pasture systems sufficient to meet new market specifications of young animals of high carcass weight. Both protein and energy are limiting nutrients for growth. Net transfer of feed protein to the intestines is often not complete, and losses occur with grasses and legumes when CP content exceeds 210 g of CP/kg of digestible OM. This protein loss is important because a collation of experimental data indicated that cattle consuming low- and high-quality pasture and silage-based diets all responded to extra protein. The response was less for the higher-quality forage. The role of legumes in supplying this protein was investigated and, unless legumes can increase total DMI by at least 30%, they will not supply sufficient intestinal protein to increase live weight gain by about 300 g/d. The problem with legumes and some grasses is the loss of protein from the rumen, and increasing energy supply to the rumen, either through improved digestibility or energy supplements, is a strategy that could be used to reduce this. Strategies to increase the proportion of escape protein would be successful, but incorporation of lowly degradable protein fractions into legumes may be more difficult because of the level of expression of these protein fractions required for a significant live weight gain response. Cattle entering the wet season usually exhibit compensatory growth and are exposed to high ambient temperatures and often to high humidity. Intestinal protein above that stipulated in feeding standards may be beneficial in these circumstances, and more emphasis should be placed on the ability of legumes to supply protein postruminally. At present the protein delivery capacity of agronomically competitive legumes seems to be inadequate for the higher growth rates required in production systems, and supplements of energy and protein will be needed to achieve these higher targets until new cultivars appear.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007887	Fabaceae	The large family of plants characterized by pods. Some are edible and some cause LATHYRISM or FAVISM and other forms of poisoning. Other species yield useful materials like gums from ACACIA and various LECTINS like PHYTOHEMAGGLUTININS from PHASEOLUS. Many of them harbor NITROGEN FIXATION bacteria on their roots. Many but not all species of "beans" belong to this family.	Afzelia,Amorpha,Andira,Baptisia,Callerya,Ceratonia,Clathrotropis,Colophospermum,Copaifera,Delonix,Euchresta,Guibourtia,Legumes,Machaerium,Pithecolobium,Stryphnodendron,Leguminosae,Pea Family,Pithecellobium,Tachigalia,Families, Pea,Family, Pea,Legume,Pea Families
D008297	Male		Males
D010946	Plants, Medicinal	Plants whose roots, leaves, seeds, bark, or other constituent parts possess therapeutic, tonic, purgative, curative or other pharmacologic attributes, when administered to man or animals.	Herbs, Medicinal,Medicinal Herbs,Healing Plants,Medicinal Plants,Pharmaceutical Plants,Healing Plant,Herb, Medicinal,Medicinal Herb,Medicinal Plant,Pharmaceutical Plant,Plant, Healing,Plant, Medicinal,Plant, Pharmaceutical,Plants, Healing,Plants, Pharmaceutical
D002417	Cattle	Domesticated bovine animals of the genus Bos, usually kept on a farm or ranch and used for the production of meat or dairy products or for heavy labor.	Beef Cow,Bos grunniens,Bos indicus,Bos indicus Cattle,Bos taurus,Cow,Cow, Domestic,Dairy Cow,Holstein Cow,Indicine Cattle,Taurine Cattle,Taurus Cattle,Yak,Zebu,Beef Cows,Bos indicus Cattles,Cattle, Bos indicus,Cattle, Indicine,Cattle, Taurine,Cattle, Taurus,Cattles, Bos indicus,Cattles, Indicine,Cattles, Taurine,Cattles, Taurus,Cow, Beef,Cow, Dairy,Cow, Holstein,Cows,Dairy Cows,Domestic Cow,Domestic Cows,Indicine Cattles,Taurine Cattles,Taurus Cattles,Yaks,Zebus
D004044	Dietary Proteins	Proteins obtained from foods. They are the main source of the ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS.	Proteins, Dietary,Dietary Protein,Protein, Dietary
D004734	Energy Metabolism	The chemical reactions involved in the production and utilization of various forms of energy in cells.	Bioenergetics,Energy Expenditure,Bioenergetic,Energy Expenditures,Energy Metabolisms,Expenditure, Energy,Expenditures, Energy,Metabolism, Energy,Metabolisms, Energy
D006109	Poaceae	A large family of narrow-leaved herbaceous grasses of the order Cyperales, subclass Commelinidae, class Liliopsida (monocotyledons). Food grains (EDIBLE GRAIN) come from members of this family. RHINITIS, ALLERGIC, SEASONAL can be induced by POLLEN of many of the grasses.	Alopecurus,Arundo,Gramineae,Grasses,Imperata,Grass,Imperata cylindrica
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D000821	Animal Feed	Foodstuff used especially for domestic and laboratory animals, or livestock.	Fodder,Animal Feeds,Feed, Animal,Feeds, Animal,Fodders
D012418	Ruminants	A suborder of the order ARTIODACTYLA whose members have the distinguishing feature of a four-chambered stomach, including the capacious RUMEN. Horns or antlers are usually present, at least in males.	Goats, Mountain,Ruminantia,Oreamnos americanus,Goat, Mountain,Mountain Goat,Mountain Goats,Ruminant