Yield and Feeding of Prairie Grasses in East-Central Alberta

Suleiman, A.; Okine, E. K.; Goonewardene, L. A.; Day, Phyllis. A.; Yaremcio, B. J.; Recinos-Diaz, Guillermo

doi:10.2307/4003495

Cited by 9 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…1). The protein content of our high-quality supplementation was 30%, while crude protein levels in grasses (including Phleum pratense ) at the end of the growing season are about 10–15% of dry weight [56]. It is therefore tempting to entertain the idea that summer vole densities closely reflect the levels of dietary protein available to voles in their forage.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Diet Quality Limits Summer Growth of Field Vole Populations

et al. 2014

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Marked variation occurs in both seasonal and multiannual population density peaks of northern European small mammal species, including voles. The availability of dietary proteins is a key factor limiting the population growth of herbivore species. The objective of this study is to investigate the degree to which protein availability influences the growth of increasing vole populations. We hypothesise that the summer growth of folivorous vole populations is positively associated with dietary protein availability. A field experiment was conducted over a summer reproductive period in 18 vegetated enclosures. Populations of field voles (Microtus agrestis) were randomised amongst three treatment groups: 1) food supplementation with ad libitum high protein (30% dry weight) pellets, 2) food supplementation with ad libitum low protein (1% dry weight; both supplemented foods had equivalent energy content) pellets, and 3) control (no food supplementation), n = 6 per treatment. Vole density, survival, demographic attributes and condition indicators were monitored with live-trapping and blood sampling. Highest final vole densities were attained in populations that received high protein supplementation and lowest in low protein populations. Control populations displayed intermediate densities. The survival rate of voles was similar in all treatment groups. The proportion of females, and of those that were pregnant or lactating, was highest in the high protein supplemented populations. This suggests that variation in reproductive, rather than survival rates of voles, accounted for density differences between the treatment groups. We found no clear association between population demography and individual physiological condition. Our results demonstrate that dietary protein availability limits vole population growth during the summer growing season. This suggests that the nutritional quality of forage may be an underestimated source of interannual variation in the density and growth rates of widely fluctuating populations of herbivorous small mammals.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Diet Quality Limits Summer Growth of Field Vole Populations

et al. 2014

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“…1). The protein content of our highquality supplementation was 30%, while crude protein levels in grasses (including Phleum pratense) at the end of the growing season are about 10-15% of dry weight [56]. It is therefore tempting to entertain the idea that summer vole densities closely reflect the levels of dietary protein available to voles in their forage.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Food resources and intestinal parasites as limiting factors for boreal vole populations during winter

Forbes

Stuart

Mappes

et al. 2014

Ecology

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Processes limiting the growth of cyclic vole populations have stimulated considerable research and debate over several decades. In Fennoscandia, the peak density of cyclic vole populations occurs in fall, and is followed by a severe winter decline. Food availability and intestinal parasites have been demonstrated to independently and synergistically limit wildlife populations. The purpose of this study was to directly compare competing food and parasite hypotheses on the limitation of overwintering high‐density vole populations. Moreover, we evaluated the ability of food limitation and nematode infection to interact and thereby intensify population declines. A two‐factor experiment with food supplementation and antihelminthic medication was conducted on replicated, enclosed field vole (Microtus agrestis) populations in central Finland over one full boreal winter. Population abundance, survival, and demographic attributes were monitored through live trapping. Vole feces were concurrently examined for the eggs of Heligmosomidae nemadotes and oocysts of eimerian coccidians. We found that vole density declined in all treatment groups throughout winter. However, food supplementation mitigated this decline through positive effects on reproduction, and voles in food‐supplemented populations were generally in better physiological condition than non‐supplemented voles. Food supplementation and antihelminthic treatment reduced the prevalence of Heligmosomidae nematodes, while neither food nor medication affected the prevalence of eimerians, or infection intensity of either parasite group. Although food supplementation and antihelminthic medication aided in the clearance of Heligmosomidae nematodes, their prevalence did not influence vole population growth, and this parasite group is therefore unlikely to contribute to the cyclic winter decline of boreal vole populations. Instead food resources acting alone were the primary factor limiting vole population growth.

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“…In a series of papers, Asay et al (2002), Jensen et al (2003), and Jensen et al (2008), utilizing a line source sprinkler design, reported that as water stress increased, observed forage crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD), and in vitro true digestibility (IVTD) values increased, but had no effect on neutral detergent fiber (NDF) values. Suleiman et al (1999) reported that CP values in stockpiled forage of 11 coolseason grasses declined by 55% from June to September. In the vegetative stage, Allen et al (2013) reported CP values in perennial ryegrass, quackgrass [Elymus repens (L.) Gould], and smooth bromegrass (B. inermis Leyss.)…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative trends in forage nutritional quality across the growing season in thirteen grasses

et al. 2016

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The objective of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is to convert erodible cropland to perennial vegetation. Under severe drought, CRP land is frequently utilized for grazing; thus, there is a need to better understand trends in forage nutritional quality in species used in CRP plantings. This study evaluated 13 cool-season irrigated and dryland grasses from May to August and regrowth from September to November in northern Utah during 2004 and 2005 for crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD), in vitro true digestibility (IVTD), and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) values. Species, sampling date, year, and sampling date × species interaction had a significant (P < 0.05) effect on CP, NDFD, IVTD, and NDF values. From May to August, there was a strong linear decline in CP, NDFD, and IVTD values. Mean CP values ranged from 68 to 251 g kg −1 in all species examined. Orchardgrass, smooth bromegrass, RS-hybrid, and crested wheatgrass had CP, NDFD, and IVTD values similar to orchardgrass and timothy, but less than perennial ryegrass. Crested wheatgrass had NDF values similar to timothy, but less than orchardgrass. Crested wheatgrass and smooth bromegrass had the greatest nutritional quality and were often similar to orchardgrass, tall fescue, and timothy. Résumé : Le Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) a pour but de transformer des terres arables sujettes à l'érosion en plantations persistantes. Quand survient une grave sécheresse, on recourt souvent aux terres du CRP pour la paissance. Par conséquent, il est important de mieux connaître la qualité nutritive du fourrage en regard des espèces plantées sur les terres du CRP, et les tendances qui s'y rapportent. Les auteurs ont évalué 13 graminées de saison fraîche et de terrain aride entre le mois de mai et le mois d'août, ainsi que leur repousse de septembre à novembre dans le nord de l'Utah, en 2004 et 2005, en vue d'en établir la concentration de protéines brutes (PB), la digestibilité des fibres au détergent neutre (DFDN), la digestibilité in vitro véritable (DIVV) et la teneur en fibres au détergent neutre (FDN). L'espèce, la date de l'échantillonnage, l'année et l'interaction entre la date d'échantillonnage et l'espèce ont une incidence significative (P < 0,05) sur les PB, la DFDN, la DIVV et la concentration de FDN. De mai à août, on remarque une forte baisse linéaire des valeurs PB, DFDN et DIVV. En moyenne, la concentration de PB varie de 68 à 251 g par kg, pour toutes les espèces examinées. Le dactyle pelotonné, le brome inerme, l'agropyre rhizomateux gazonnant hybride et l'agropyre à crête avaient des valeurs similaires à celles du dactyle pelotonné et de la fléole pour les PB, la DFDN et la DIVV, mais ces valeurs étaient inférieures à celles de l'ivraie vivace. La teneur en FDN de l'agropyre à crête est similaire à celle de la fléole. Toutefois, elle était plus faible que celle du dactyle pelotonné. L'agropyre à crête et le brome inerme sont les graminées les plus nourrissantes, et leur qualité équivaut souvent à celle du dactyle peloto...

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Yield and Feeding of Prairie Grasses in East-Central Alberta

Cited by 9 publications

References 13 publications

Diet Quality Limits Summer Growth of Field Vole Populations

Diet Quality Limits Summer Growth of Field Vole Populations

Food resources and intestinal parasites as limiting factors for boreal vole populations during winter

Comparative trends in forage nutritional quality across the growing season in thirteen grasses

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