Investigation of the potential ingestion rates of different sourveld grasses by cattle and sheep

Abstract

Quantification of the potential ingestion rates of different grasses is important for modelling purposes but is difficult to achieve under field conditions. The ingestion rates of the sourveld species Alloteropsis semialata, Andropogon appendiculatus, Cynodon dactylon, Eragrostis plana, Heteropogon contortus, Hyparrhenia hirta, Themeda triandra and Tristachya leucothrix were determined by presenting plants growing in pots to confined sheep and a single steer. Sheep intake rates were highest for H. contortus (6.82 g DM min−1) and lowest for A. appendiculatus (4.01 g DM min−1) but most between‐species differences were non‐significant. Steer intake rates were highest for E. plana and A. semialata (32 g DM min−1) and lowest for H. hirta (24.3 g DM min−1) but again, most between‐species differences were nonsignificant. The results obtained suggest that there is little difference in the potential ingestion rate of most sourveld species and indicate that the methodology employed has potential as research tool.