IJAFR, Volume 53, number 2, 2014
http://hdl.handle.net/11019/755
Irish Journal of Agricultural & Food Research, Volume 53, Number 2, 20142024-03-14T05:19:53ZA note on the chemical composition and in vitro digestibility of contrasting stover components of maize grown in climatically marginal conditions and harvested at differing maturities.
http://hdl.handle.net/11019/763
A note on the chemical composition and in vitro digestibility of contrasting stover components of maize grown in climatically marginal conditions and harvested at differing maturities.
Lynch, J.P.; O'Kiely, Padraig; Doyle, Evelyn M.
This study evaluated the nutritive value of three contrasting components of maize
stover (leaf, upper stem, lower stem) at three harvest dates. The leaf component had a
greater in vitro dry matter digestibility (DMD) and a lower NDF concentration, compared
to the stem components. Delaying harvest reduced the in vitro DMD of the stem
components to a greater extent than leaf, reflecting lower increases in the NDF and
lignin concentrations in leaf tissue. The stem components of maize stover had a lower
nutritive value than the leaf component, and had a larger decrease in digestibility with
delayed harvest.
peer-reviewed
2014-01-01T00:00:00ZA note on the comparison of three near infrared reflectance spectroscopy calibration strategies for assessing herbage quality of ryegrass
http://hdl.handle.net/11019/762
A note on the comparison of three near infrared reflectance spectroscopy calibration strategies for assessing herbage quality of ryegrass
Burns, G. A.; O'Kiely, Padraig; Grogan, D.; Gilliland, T. J.
Perennial ryegrass (n = 1,836), Italian ryegrass (n = 137) and hybrid ryegrass (n =
103) herbage was taken from harvested plots from the Irish national variety evaluation
scheme and analysed for in vitro dry matter digestibility, water soluble carbohydrate
concentration, crude protein concentration and buffering capacity. Spectral data were
obtained using near infrared reflectance spectroscopy and three calibration strategies
(global, species-specific or local) were utilised to relate the reference values to the
spectral data. The local strategy generally provided the poorest estimation of herbage
composition, with global and species-specific calibration strategies producing similarly
accurate estimates of each quality trait. The higher accuracy and easier maintenance of
the global strategy make it the recommended calibration method for analysing quality
of ryegrass.
peer-reviewed
2014-01-01T00:00:00ZEffect of housing on rubber slat mats during pregnancy on the behaviour and welfare of sows in farrowing crates
http://hdl.handle.net/11019/761
Effect of housing on rubber slat mats during pregnancy on the behaviour and welfare of sows in farrowing crates
Calderon Diaz, Julia; Boyle, Laura
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of flooring type during gestation,
lameness
and limb lesion scores on welfare and behaviour of sows in farrowing crates.
Sixty sows group-housed during gestation in pens with solid concrete floored feeding
stalls and a concrete, fully slatted group area either uncovered (CON; n = 30) or covered
with 10 mm thick rubber slat mats (RUB; n = 30) were transferred to the farrowing
crate at 110d of gestation (-5d). Lameness was scored on -5d and at weaning (28 d postfarrowing).
Limb lesions were scored on -5d, 24 h later (-4d), 3 to 5 days post farrowing
and at weaning (i.e., day 28 post farrowing). Sows were video recorded for 24 h on -5d,
after the last piglet was born (FARROW) and prior to weaning. Videos were sampled
every 10 min and an index of the proportion of time spent in different postures (standing
[S], ventral [VL] and lateral lying [LL] and total lying) and number of postural
changes was calculated. Median scores were calculated for limb lesions and classified
as ≤ median or > median. Postural data were tested for normality and analysed using
mixed model equations methodology. Flooring during gestation did not affect any of
the variables recorded in this study. However, RUB sows tended to make more postural
changes than CON sows (P = 0.10). Sows with swelling scores > median spent more time
LL (68.9 vs. 63.1 ± 2.19%; P < 0.05) and less time VL (19.9 vs. 25.8 ± 2.27%; P < 0.05)
than sows with swelling scores ≤ median. Time spent S and VL decreased and LL
increased at FARROW compared to -5d and prior to weaning (P < 0.01). We found no
effect of flooring type during gestation on welfare and behaviour in the farrowing crate.
Factors such as limb lesions and adaptation to confinement (i.e., time spent inside the farrowing crate) appeared to have a greater influence on sow welfare and behaviour in
farrowing crates than the flooring on which they were housed during gestation.
peer-reviewed
2014-01-01T00:00:00ZNitrogen dynamics in a mature Miscanthus x giganteus crop fertilized with nitrogen over a five year period
http://hdl.handle.net/11019/760
Nitrogen dynamics in a mature Miscanthus x giganteus crop fertilized with nitrogen over a five year period
Finnan, John; Burke, B.
The objective of this study was to investigate N dynamics and response to N fertilization
in a mature crop of Miscanthus x giganteus. A crop of Miscanthus x giganteus sown
in 1994 was fertilized with five N rates (0, 38, 63, 90 and 125 kg N/ha/year) over a five
year period (2008–2012) in Carlow, Ireland. Foliar chlorophyll concentrations were
directly related to N fertilization level throughout the study and rose after N applications
until July before falling with the onset of N remobilisation. Shoot numbers were
unaffected by N fertilization until the final years of the study when they increased with
N level. Crop height was unaffected by fertilization in the early years of the study but
in the final years of the study, it increased with N level until July after which the effect
diminished. There was a small but significant stimulation of harvested biomass yields
in autumn (average 15 t/ha) with increasing N fertilization, but there was no effect
on harvested yields in spring (average 10.5 t/ha). The N concentration in the rhizome
network gradually built up during the course of the study and was proportional to
N application. Aboveground biomass N content was also proportional to N application.
Nitrogen remobilisation between the October and February harvests was small;
abscissed leaves accounted for most of the N loss over this period. The deleterious environmental
consequences of N fertilizer may outweigh any potential economic benefits if
increases in biomass production are small or non-existent.
peer-reviewed
2014-01-01T00:00:00Z