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ARS Home » Plains Area » Miles City, Montana » Livestock and Range Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #256130
Title: Challenges to Predicting Productivity of Grazing Ruminants. Where to now?

Author
item Petersen, Mark
item MULLINIKS, J - New Mexico State University
item Roberts, Andrew
item Waterman, Richard

Submitted to: Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/28/2010
Publication Date: 7/9/2010
Citation: Petersen, M.K., Mulliniks, J.T., Roberts, A.J., and Waterman, R.C. 2010. Challenges to Predicting Productivity of Grazing Ruminants. Where to now?. Proceedings 4th Grazing Livestock Nutrition Conference 180-188.

Interpretive Summary: The Fourth Grazing Livestock Nutrition Conference was convened at Estes Park July 9 and 10.There were over 28 poster presentations and 12 conference papers presented. The papers were organized in 6 topical sessions ranging from microbiology to supplementation. The first session covered the potential for rumen microbiological studies in grazing animals. Then the keynote address focused on methods to assess intake of grazed vegetation by the use of alkane as an internal and external marker. Followed was a discussion of the methodology and types of analysis for assessment of grazing animal behavior, which is considered a key component of livestock distribution. There was a very informative session covering the metabolic and practical consequences of weight loss, under-nutrition during pregnancy, and nutrient excess associated with high-quality forage diets. Integration of the previous session into discussion of prediction models and their value to predict animal productivity in Australia and US followed. The conference finished with a summary of the state of the art in regards to supplementation strategies and the implications of nutritional decisions on net returns. The conference provided current information and inspired a number of new research ideas by the participants.

Technical Abstract: The Fourth Grazing Livestock Nutrition Conference was convened at Estes Park July 9 and 10.There were over 28 poster presentations and 12 conference papers presented. The papers were organized in 6 topical sessions ranging from microbiology to supplementation. The first session covered the potential for rumen microbiological studies in grazing animals. Then the keynote address focused on methods to assess intake of grazed vegetation by the use of alkane as an internal and external marker. Followed was a discussion of the methodology and types of analysis for assessment of grazing animal behavior, which is considered a key component of livestock distribution. There was a very informative session covering the metabolic and practical consequences of weight loss, under-nutrition during pregnancy, and nutrient excess associated with high-quality forage diets. Integration of the previous session into discussion of prediction models and their value to predict animal productivity in Australia and US followed. The conference finished with a summary of the state of the art in regards to supplementation strategies and the implications of nutritional decisions on net returns. The conference provided current information and inspired a number of new research ideas by the participants.