title: Nutrient sufficiency in beef cows grazing on a dwarf bamboo-dominated forestland pasture in Japan.
abstract: The nutritional status of cows grazing on a 120-ha public alpine forestland pasture dominated by the dwarf bamboo Sasa senanensis located in central Japan was evaluated over the course of 2 years. Data were collected during grazing seasons in three periods: early (June), mid- (August) and late (late September-early October) periods. During these periods, the number of experimental Japanese Black cows varied between three and six. With the exception of the dry matter (DM) intake in 2005 and the crude protein (CP) digestibility in 2006, the DM and CP intake and digestibility were lower in the mid- and late periods than in the early period for both years (P < 0.05). Metabolizable energy intake was slightly insufficient for the requirement of the cows in the late period of 2005; in the mid- and late periods of 2006, the metabolizable energy intake was 0.4 to 0.5 times the requirement. These results suggest that the energy intake of cows grazing on forestland pasture dominated by S. senanensis would not satisfy their requirements starting in the mid-period (August) grazing, even though the pasture had abundant herbage resources during these periods.
authors.affiliation: The United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan.
authors.forename: Miwa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Applied Biological Science, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan.
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yayota
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Applied Biological Science, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan.
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohtani
mesh_terms: D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004063:Digestion / Q000502:physiology; D004435:Eating; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D065928:Forests; D060434:Herbivory / Q000502:physiology*; D007564:Japan; D009752:Nutritional Status / Q000502:physiology*; D031787:Sasa; D012621:Seasons; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins
keywords: Japanese Black cow; Sasa senanensis; alpine forestland pasture; extensive grazing; nutrient intake