The effect of bovine saliva on growth attributes and forage quality of two contrasting cool season perennial grasses grown in three soils of different fertility

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the response of Dactylis glomerata L. (Orchardgrass) and Festuca ovina L. (Sheep fescue), to bovine saliva application in a loamy soil (most fertile), a sandy loam and a sandy soil (least fertile). The effects of cutting and cutting + saliva on relative height growth rate (RHGR), above- and belowground biomass and forage quality attributes [crude protein, NDF (neutral detergent fibre) and ADF (acid detergent fibre)] were investigated. The results showed that the cutting and cutting + saliva treatments resulted in greater RHGR than the control, but only with D. glomerata in the sandy soil did the application of saliva increase the RHGR. However, saliva applied after cutting increased the aboveground biomass averaged over all species and all three soils. Saliva applied to D. glomerata increased the belowground biomass in the sandy loam and sandy soils but decreased it in F. ovina in the sandy soil. The application of saliva had no effect on the crude protein or the NDF content of either species in any of the soils. On the other hand, the application of saliva after clipping increased the ADF of F. ovina but decreased that of D. glomerata averaged over all three soils. Averaged over both species, the ADF was increased by the addition of saliva in the sandy soil, had no significant effect in the sandy loam (P > 0.05) and was slightly increased in the loam.

Farming autonomy: Canadian beef farmers reclaiming the grass through management-intensive grazing practices

“…Harvesting Saliva contains a variety of nutrients, salts, and urea that work to help cattle digest cellulose and other fibrous materials, a unique characteristic of ruminants (Bocquier and González-García 2010;Gullap et al 2011;Lamy and Mau 2012;Nardone et al 2010). Research shows that saliva from ruminants may also stimulate plant growth that could result in increased density and biomass, depending on the grass species and soil type (Gullap et al 2011;Lamy and Mau 2012). Consequently, this suggests a symbiotic coproduction; as cattle graze, they stimulate the plants, which grow back with more density, thus providing even greater volumes of feed for grazing animals.…”

Saliva proteomics as an emerging, non-invasive tool to study livestock physiology, nutrition and diseases

“…On the other hand, animal salivary secretions may additionally influence growth and development of certain food plants [69] -a both surprising and exciting hypothesis that has regained scientific interest and produced first supporting data in goats, cattle and sheep in recent years [70][71][72][73]. Salivary growth factors, such as EGF, NGF or TGF, are discussed as the most probable enhancers of plant re-growth [73] and because of their peptide nature they are accessible by proteomic studies.…”

An efficient estimation of crop performance in sheep fescue (Festuca ovina L.) using artificial neural network and regression models

“…This study was done as a factorial experiment based on a randomized block design (RCBD) with three replications. The experimental factors were (1) planting time in two seasons (autumn and spring) and (2) facilitators in nine levels, including control, PSN (500 and 1000 mg/lit), EM (1 and 2%), Super absorbent (10 and 30 g/kg soil), Organic fertilizer (cattle manure) (100 and 200 g/kg soil). Table 1 shows the characteristics of the growth facilitators used in the present study.…”

“…Festuca ovina L. (sheep fescue) is a perennial grass plant with good quality for grazing 1 . The main F. ovina usage is for cultivation as forage in rangelands revegetation programs 2 .…”