Prediction of Metabolizable Energy Concentrations of Herbage in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau Using Tibetan Sheep Digestibility Data
Due to its extremely harsh environment, including high altitude, hypoxia, long cold season, and strong ultraviolet radiation in the Qinghai−Tibet Plateau (QTP), herbage species and nutritional value of the pasture may differ considerably from elsewhere across the world. The aim of the pres...
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MDPI AG
2020-02-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/3/376 |
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| author | Penghui Guo Peng Gao Fuhou Li Shenghua Chang Zhaofeng Wang T Yan Fujiang Hou |
| author_facet | Penghui Guo Peng Gao Fuhou Li Shenghua Chang Zhaofeng Wang T Yan Fujiang Hou |
| author_sort | Penghui Guo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Due to its extremely harsh environment, including high altitude, hypoxia, long cold season, and strong ultraviolet radiation in the Qinghai−Tibet Plateau (QTP), herbage species and nutritional value of the pasture may differ considerably from elsewhere across the world. The aim of the present study was to develop biologically relevant equations for estimating the metabolizable energy (ME) value of fresh native herbages in the QTP using digestibility variables and chemical concentrations in the herbage offered to Tibetan sheep at the maintenance level. A total of 11 digestibility trials (6 sheep/trial) were performed in different grazing seasons from 2011 to 2016. The herbage was harvested daily in the morning and offered to sheep at the maintenance feeding level. Thirty-seven equations were developed for the prediction of herbage digestible energy (DE) and ME energy values. The mean prediction error for ME was the lowest when using herbage gross energy digestibility as a sole predictor. When using other digestibility variables (e.g., dry matter and organic matter) as primary predictors, addition of herbage nutrient concentration reduced the difference between predicted and actual values. When DE was used as the primary explanatory variable, mean prediction error was reduced with the addition of ash, nitrogen (N), diethyl ether extract (EE), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) concentrations. The internal validation of the present equations showed lower prediction errors when compared with those of existing equations for prediction of DE and ME concentrations in the herbage. Equations developed in the current study may thus allow for an improved and accurate prediction of metabolizable energy concentrations of herbage in practice, which is critical for the development of sustainable grazing systems in the QTP. |
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| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T01:25:45Z |
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| spelling | doaj.art-3af4c472748943c7adeaf396e6c370102022-12-22T00:43:06ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152020-02-0110337610.3390/ani10030376ani10030376Prediction of Metabolizable Energy Concentrations of Herbage in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau Using Tibetan Sheep Digestibility DataPenghui Guo0Peng Gao1Fuhou Li2Shenghua Chang3Zhaofeng Wang4T Yan5Fujiang Hou6State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, ChinaAgri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Hillsborough, County Down BT26 6DR, UKState Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, ChinaDue to its extremely harsh environment, including high altitude, hypoxia, long cold season, and strong ultraviolet radiation in the Qinghai−Tibet Plateau (QTP), herbage species and nutritional value of the pasture may differ considerably from elsewhere across the world. The aim of the present study was to develop biologically relevant equations for estimating the metabolizable energy (ME) value of fresh native herbages in the QTP using digestibility variables and chemical concentrations in the herbage offered to Tibetan sheep at the maintenance level. A total of 11 digestibility trials (6 sheep/trial) were performed in different grazing seasons from 2011 to 2016. The herbage was harvested daily in the morning and offered to sheep at the maintenance feeding level. Thirty-seven equations were developed for the prediction of herbage digestible energy (DE) and ME energy values. The mean prediction error for ME was the lowest when using herbage gross energy digestibility as a sole predictor. When using other digestibility variables (e.g., dry matter and organic matter) as primary predictors, addition of herbage nutrient concentration reduced the difference between predicted and actual values. When DE was used as the primary explanatory variable, mean prediction error was reduced with the addition of ash, nitrogen (N), diethyl ether extract (EE), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) concentrations. The internal validation of the present equations showed lower prediction errors when compared with those of existing equations for prediction of DE and ME concentrations in the herbage. Equations developed in the current study may thus allow for an improved and accurate prediction of metabolizable energy concentrations of herbage in practice, which is critical for the development of sustainable grazing systems in the QTP.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/3/376keywords: alpine meadownative herbagemetabolizable energyprediction equationssheep |
| spellingShingle | Penghui Guo Peng Gao Fuhou Li Shenghua Chang Zhaofeng Wang T Yan Fujiang Hou Prediction of Metabolizable Energy Concentrations of Herbage in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau Using Tibetan Sheep Digestibility Data Animals keywords: alpine meadow native herbage metabolizable energy prediction equations sheep |
| title | Prediction of Metabolizable Energy Concentrations of Herbage in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau Using Tibetan Sheep Digestibility Data |
| title_full | Prediction of Metabolizable Energy Concentrations of Herbage in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau Using Tibetan Sheep Digestibility Data |
| title_fullStr | Prediction of Metabolizable Energy Concentrations of Herbage in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau Using Tibetan Sheep Digestibility Data |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prediction of Metabolizable Energy Concentrations of Herbage in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau Using Tibetan Sheep Digestibility Data |
| title_short | Prediction of Metabolizable Energy Concentrations of Herbage in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau Using Tibetan Sheep Digestibility Data |
| title_sort | prediction of metabolizable energy concentrations of herbage in the qinghai tibetan plateau using tibetan sheep digestibility data |
| topic | keywords: alpine meadow native herbage metabolizable energy prediction equations sheep |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/3/376 |
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