Comparison of faecal output by faecal bag and indicator method for determining dry matter intake and pasture utilization in sheep
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Keywords:
Dry matter intake, Faecal bag, Faecal output, Grazing, Indicator method, Pasture utilization, SheepAbstract
In a round the year grazing study on cenchrus dominated silvipasture, indicator and faecal bag methods were compared for estimation of faecal output and plane of nutrition in sheep. DM content of diet increased from monsoon to winter and summer while CP and GE remained similar in the seasons. Faecal output, OM intake and digestibility of OM , CP and GE assessed both by faecal bag and indicator method declined from monsoon to winter and summer. The 2 methods had significant (P<0.01) positive correlation (r = 0.97) and that the indicator method could predict with 97% confidence limit the faecal output assessed by faecal bag method. The dry matter intake estimated by 2 faecal collection methods were statistically nonsignificant hence were pooled for predicting DMI. The faecal bag method could predict with 93 % confidence the DMI in grazing sheep. It is concluded that chromium sesquiox.ide indicator method could effectively estimate the total faecal output in grazing sheep. Further, DMI can be predicted with 93% confidence from faecal bag method in range managed sheep foraging on vegetation with digestibility ranging from 35 to 55 %.
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