Massey Documents by Type
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/294
Browse
11 results
Search Results
Item Effects of Plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.) Metabolites Aucubin, Acteoside, and Catalpol on Methane Emissions In Vitro(American Chemical Society, 2025-05-21) Sivanandarajah K; Donaghy D; Kemp P; Navarrete S; Horne D; Ramilan T; Molano G; Pacheco DPlantain (PL) contains plant secondary metabolites (PSM), such as acteoside, aucubin, and catalpol, known for their bioactive properties. While acteoside and aucubin have been linked to reducing nitrogen losses in grazed pastures, their effects on enteric methane (CH4) emissions remain unexplored. Three in vitro batch culture experiments were conducted to assess the effects of PSM on rumen fermentation, using PL pastures with varying PSM concentrations, purified PSM compounds, and/or their combinations added to ryegrass (Lolium perenne, RG), which does not contain these PSM. Aucubin addition to RG extended the time to reach halftime for gas production (GP) and CH4 by 15-20% due to its antimicrobial effects. Acteoside, alone or with aucubin, promoted propionate production, an alternative hydrogen sink, which reduced the acetate to propionate ratio, increased GP by up to 13%, and decreased CH4 proportion in gas by 5-15%. Aucubin reduced ruminal net ammonia (NH3) production by up to 46%, with a similar reduction observed when combined with acteoside. This study highlights the potential of PSM to mitigate CH4 emissions and reduce nitrogen losses from dairy cows, warranting in vivo evaluation of PSM and targeted breeding of PL pastures with increased PSM content.Item Pasture Performance: Perspectives on Plant Persistence and Renewal in New Zealand Dairy Systems(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2024-08) Cartmill AD; Donaghy DJ; Hou FPasture systems dominate the landscape of Aotearoa, New Zealand, and are an integral component of sustainable and resilient livestock production. Predicting the response, performance, and dynamics of pasture species and adapting management practices is key to the long-term economic and environmental sustainability and resilience of the agricultural sector. However, there is limited information on the long-term productivity, performance, and persistence of forage cultivars and species for pasture production systems, particularly when linked to grazing and animal performance. Here, we sought to reduce scientific uncertainty, inform modelling efforts, and contribute to a predictive framework for understanding pasture performance, persistence, and renewal. Inter-annual pasture renewal (direct drilling and cultivation) rates vary by region and year, reflecting both opportunity and problem-based drivers, with the highest pasture renewal rates in Waikato and Canterbury on the North and South Island, respectively.Item Proteomic Profile of M. longissimus thoracis from Commercial Lambs Reared in Different Forage Systems(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2022-05-13) Ye Y; Maes E; Deb-Choudhury S; Hefer CA; Schreurs NM; Realini CE; Colgrave M; Mora LThis study compared the protein composition of M. longissimus thoracis of lambs from six commercial forage production systems in New Zealand. A total of 286 proteins were identified based on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. First, a binomial model showed that different production groups could be distinguished based on abundances of 16 proteins. Second, pair-wise comparisons were performed to search for protein abundance differences in meat due to animal sex (ewe vs. wether), diet (perennial ryegrass vs. chicory), and age (4 vs. 6-8 months old). Greater abundance of some myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic proteins were observed in lamb loins from ewes compared to wethers. Chicory diet and older age at slaughter were associated with meat with lower abundance of some myofibrillar proteins, possibly due to a greater proportion of muscle glycolytic fibres. The proteins that showed significant differences in their abundances due to production factors could be further investigated to understand their influence on meat quality.Item Commercial equine production in New Zealand 4: welfare implications of the New Zealand production systems(CSIRO Publishing, 2023-07-10) Rogers CW; Legg K; Gibson M; Gee EK; Bryden WFrom racehorses to family pets, equine production and management is primarily pasture-based in New Zealand. Pasture-based equine production systems largely reflect the horse’s ecological niche and have a unique set of management and welfare challenges. This review examines the potential welfare issues related to the management of horses in New Zealand. The economic value of horses varies greatly depending on their usage, which covers a wide spectrum from pest species (e.g. feral horses) to production (e.g. racehorses) and companion animals (e.g. leisure and sport horses). The view of where the horse is positioned on this spectrum may cause differing welfare threats to horses, due to the economic considerations, which drive the majority of welfare and managemental decisions. The organisation, management, racing and wastage metrics of the Thoroughbred racehorse industry are well documented, and the benefits of the pasture-based system have become evident through less stressful weaning practices and opportunity for early exercise (which has been associated with longer careers and fewer musculoskeletal injuries). Identification of equine-welfare research priorities in New Zealand remains challenging, given the lack of vertical integration of many sectors of the equine industry resulting in fragmented and limited availability of data.Item Suckling behavior of calves in seasonally calving pasture-based dairy systems, and possible environmental and management factors affecting suckling behaviors.(Elsevier Inc and the Federation of Animal Science Societies (FASS) Inc on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association, 2022-07) Cuttance EL; Mason WA; McDermott J; Laven RAIn recent years, interest has been increasing in whether farmed animals are able to live a reasonably natural life, with one particular area of concern being calf-dam separation. The objectives of this study were to monitor the timing and frequency of suckling behavior of calves left on pasture to suckle their dams for up to 24 h (interquartile range 4.0-15.5 h) and to investigate possible risk factors that may contribute to any variability seen. Over 2 yr, a convenience sample of 8 farms (4 in the North Island, 4 in the South Island of New Zealand) were involved in an observational study where cows and calves were observed for 24 h a day over a 2-wk-long period per farm. During the observation period, farmers continued to remove calves at the same frequency they normally did (which ranged from once a day to 4 times a day). Cows (between 2 and 12 yr old) and calves were observed from a scissor lift in or beside the calving paddock. Cows had numbers written on them, and observers used binoculars and spotlights. Observers recorded the length of stage 2 labor, time of birth, standing, and first suckling, number of suckling events, time of calf removal from the dam, temperature where the cows were grazing, and size of the grazing area they were calving in. Dams were body condition scored before calving, and their age was extracted from farm records. A total of 697 calves were observed during the study. A total of 444 of 697 calves [63.7%; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 60.0-67.3%] suckled in the calving paddock (farm range 40.0% to 90.2%). Of the 444 calves that suckled in the calving paddock, 407 (58.4%; 95% CI 54.6-62.1%) suckled within the first 6 h after birth (farm range 33.0% to 83.6%). Individual risk factors associated with the hazard rate ratio (HR) for time to first suckling event were time to standing (calves who took more than 1.3 h to stand had a longer time from birth to first suckle) and age of the dam [compared with calves that were born from dams >7 years of age, calves born to dams that were 2-3 and 4-7 yr of age had a 1.49 (95% CI 1.07-2.06) and 1.19 (95% CI 0.89-1.60) HR, respectively, for time from birth to first suckle in the calving paddock]. Farm risk factors associated with the HR of suckling were frequency of calf collection [calves that were born on farms that collected calves once a day suckled earlier than calves on farms that removed calves more than once a day (HR 1.52; 95% CI 1.25-1.84)] and temperature [a minimum temperature of <10°C within 6 h of a calf being born was associated with a 0.69 (95% CI 0.53-0.89) hazard of suckling in the calving paddock]. We observed very large farm variability that urgently requires further investigation if pasture-based farms are ever to adopt a system where calves remain with their dams for longer than 24 h.Item Resilience of Faecal Microbiota in Stabled Thoroughbred Horses Following Abrupt Dietary Transition between Freshly Cut Pasture and Three Forage-Based Diets(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2021-09-06) Fernandes KA; Rogers CW; Gee EK; Kittelmann S; Bolwell CF; Bermingham EN; Biggs PJ; Thomas DG; Costa MThe management of competition horses in New Zealand often involves rotations of short periods of stall confinement and concentrate feeding, with periods of time at pasture. Under these systems, horses may undergo abrupt dietary changes, with the incorporation of grains or concentrate feeds to the diet to meet performance needs, or sudden changes in the type of forage fed in response to a lack of fresh or conserved forage. Abrupt changes in dietary management are a risk factor for gastrointestinal (GI) disturbances, potentially due to the negative effects observed on the population of GI microbiota. In the present study, the faecal microbiota of horses was investigated to determine how quickly the bacterial communities; (1) responded to dietary change, and (2) stabilised following abrupt dietary transition. Six Thoroughbred mares were stabled for six weeks, consuming freshly cut pasture (weeks 1, 3 and 5), before being abruptly transitioned to conserved forage-based diets, both offered ad libitum. Intestinal markers were administered to measure digesta transit time immediately before each diet change. The conserved forage-based diets were fed according to a 3 × 3 Latin square design (weeks 2, 4 and 6), and comprised a chopped ensiled forage fed exclusively (Diet FE) or with whole oats (Diet FE + O), and perennial ryegrass hay fed with whole oats (Diet H + O). Faecal samples were collected at regular intervals from each horse following the diet changes. High throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to evaluate the faecal microbiota. There were significant differences in alpha diversity across diets (p < 0.001), and a significant effect of diet on the beta diversity (ANOSIM, p = 0.001), with clustering of samples observed by diet group. There were differences in the bacterial phyla across diets (p < 0.003), with the highest relative abundances observed for Firmicutes (62 - 64%) in the two diets containing chopped ensiled forage, Bacteroidetes (32-38%) in the pasture diets, and Spirochaetes (17%) in the diet containing hay. Major changes in relative abundances of faecal bacteria appeared to correspond with the cumulative percentage of intestinal markers retrieved in the faeces as the increasing amounts of digesta from each new diet transited the animals. A stable faecal microbiota profile was observed in the samples from 96 h after abrupt transition to the treatment diets containing ensiled chopped forage. The present study confirmed that the diversity and community structure of the faecal bacteria in horses is diet-specific and resilient following dietary transition and emphasised the need to have modern horse feeding management that reflects the ecological niche, particularly by incorporating large proportions of forage into equine diets.Item The Influence of Rotational Length, along with Pre- and Post-Grazing Measures on Nutritional Composition of Pasture during Winter and Spring on New Zealand Dairy Farms(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2022-08) Kumara SN; Parkinson TJ; Laven R; Donaghy DJThe quality of ryegrass−clover pasture was investigated between August (winter: start of calving) and November (spring: end of breeding) on pasture-based dairy farms (>85% of total feed from pasture) that had short (n = 2, Farms A and B; winter ~30 days, spring ~20−25 days) or long (n = 2, Farms C and D; winter ~35 days, spring ~25−30 days) grazing rotations to determine whether quality was affected by grazing rotation length (RT). Weekly assessments of pasture growth and herbage quality were made using a standardised electronic rising plate meter, and near-infrared spectroscopy, respectively. Data were subjected to repeated measure mixed model analysis, in which herbage quality was the outcome variable. The highest pre-grazing dry matter (PGDM) and height, post-grazing dry matter (DM) and height, and number of live leaves per tiller (leaf regrowth stage, LS) were present in late spring. Neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF), metabolisable energy (ME), and organic matter digestibility (OMD) were positively correlated to each other (r2 ≥ 0.8) whilst ADF and lipid, and ADF and OMD were negatively correlated (r2 ≥ −0.8; p < 0.01). Metabolisable energy content was negatively correlated with ADF and NDF (r2 = −0.7, −0.8, respectively), and was inversely related to PGDM. Metabolisable energy was higher (p < 0.05) in farms with shorter (overall mean: 11.2 MJ/kg DM) than longer (10.9 MJ/kg DM) RT. Crude protein was also inversely related to PGDM and was higher with shorter (23.2% DM) than longer (18.3% DM; p < 0.05) RT. Pre-grazing DM affected the amount of pasture that was grazed and, hence, the amount of DM remaining after grazing (post-grazing DM or residual), so that PGDM was correlated with post-grazing height and residual DM (r2 = 0.88 and 0.51, respectively; both p < 0.001). In conclusion, RT, LS, and PGDM during winter and spring influenced the herbage quality, therefore, better management of pastures may enhance the productivity of dairy cows.Item Biochar increases soil enzyme activities in two contrasting pastoral soils under different grazing management(CSIRO Publishing, 2022-12) Garbuz S; Mackay A; Camps-Arbestain M; Devantier B; Minor M; Solaiman ZContext: Soil enzyme activities are key regulators of carbon and nutrient cycling in grazed pastures. Aims: We investigated the effect of biochar addition on the activity of seven enzymes involved in the carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycles in a Sil-Andic Andosol and a Dystric Cambisol under permanent pastures. Methods: The study consisted of a one-year field-based mesocosm experiment involving four pastures under different nutrient and livestock practices: with and without effluent under dairy cow grazing on the Andosol, and with either nil or high phosphorus fertiliser input under sheep grazing on the Cambisol. Soil treatments were: (1) willow biochar added at 1% w/w; (2) lime added at the liming equivalence of biochar (positive control); (3) no amendments (negative control). Key results: Compared with the Cambisol, the Andosol had higher dehydrogenase, urease, alkaline and acid phosphatase and, especially, nitrate-reductase activities, aligning with its higher pH and fertility. In both soils, biochar addition increased the activity of all enzymes, except for acid phosphatase and peroxidase; lime addition increased peroxidase and nitrate-reductase activity. Conclusions: The increased enzyme activity was strongly positively correlated with soil biological activity following biochar addition. Biochar caused a 40-45% increase in cellulase activity, attributed to increased root biomass following biochar addition. The response in acid and alkaline phosphatase activity can be attributed to the impact of biochar and lime addition on soil pH. Implications: The results provide more insights in realising the potential benefits of biochar to the provision of ecosystem services for grazed pastures.Item Comparison of gastrointestinal transit times in stabled Thoroughbred horses fed freshly cut pasture and three conserved forage-based diets(CSIRO Publishing, 2022-07) Fernandes KA; Rogers CW; Gee EK; Fitch G; Bolwell CF; Kittelmann S; Bermingham EN; Thomas DGContext: The type of forage offered to horses varies in physical form, moisture content and nutrient quality, and these variables could affect the intake, passage rate and digestibility of the forage consumed. Aims: To investigate the changes in passage rate of digesta through the gastrointestinal tract in horses fed four different forage-based diets (diet effect). Methods: Thoroughbred mares (n = 6) were stabled in loose boxes for 6 weeks. During Weeks 1, 3 and 5 (washout periods), all horses were fed freshly cut pasture, either in restricted quantities (Week 1) or ad libitum (Weeks 3 and 5). Using a 3 × 3 Latin square design during Weeks 2, 4 and 6, each pair of horses was abruptly transitioned to one of three conserved forage-based diets (chopped ensiled forage fed exclusively or with oats, or perennial ryegrass hay with oats) fed ad libitum. At the beginning of each week, indigestible polyethylene markers (n = 200) were administered to the horses via a nasogastric tube, followed immediately by transition to the new diet. Key results: There was a significant diet effect on the daily dry-matter intake of feed (P < 0.0001), percentage of time spent eating (P < 0.001), frequency of voiding faeces (P < 0.05) and quantity of faeces voided (P < 0.0001). There was a significant horse effect on the daily dry-matter intake of feed (P < 0.0001) and quantity of faeces voided (P < 0.0001), but no differences in the percentage of time spent eating or the frequency of voiding faeces. There were significant diet and horse effects on the time to recovery of the first marker in the faeces (P < 0.01 and P < 0.01 respectively) and the mean retention time of markers in the gastrointestinal tract (P < 0.05 and P < 0.001 respectively). Mean retention time was negatively correlated with feed intake and quantity of faeces voided (r2 =-0.51 and r2 =-0.64 respectively). Conclusions: Longer mean retention time was associated with a greater fibre content in the diet and a restricted feed supply, thus supporting the hypothesis that horses alter mean retention time on the basis of a nutrient absorption optimisation model. Implications: Feed composition, but also the quantities offered, may alter measurement of apparent feed digestibility in horses.Item Seasonal Variation in the Faecal Microbiota of Mature Adult Horses Maintained on Pasture in New Zealand(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2021-08-04) Fernandes KA; Gee EK; Rogers CW; Kittelmann S; Biggs PJ; Bermingham EN; Bolwell CF; Thomas DG; Costa MSeasonal variation in the faecal microbiota of forage-fed horses was investigated over a 12-month period to determine whether the bacterial diversity fluctuated over time. Horses (n = 10) were maintained on pasture for one year, with hay supplemented from June to October. At monthly intervals, data were recorded on pasture availability and climate (collected continuously and averaged on monthly basis), pasture and hay samples were collected for nutrient analysis, and faecal samples were collected from all horses to investigate the diversity of faecal microbiota using next-generation sequencing on the Illumina MiSeq platform. The alpha diversity of bacterial genera was high in all samples (n = 118), with significantly higher Simpson's (p < 0.001) and Shannon-Wiener (p < 0.001) diversity indices observed during the months when horses were kept exclusively on pasture compared to the months when pasture was supplemented with hay. There were significant effects of diet, season, and month (ANOSIM, p < 0.01 for each comparison) on the beta diversity of bacterial genera identified in the faeces. While there was some inter-horse variation, hierarchical clustering of beta diversity indices showed separate clades originating for samples obtained during May, June, and July (late-autumn to winter period), and January, February, and March (a period of drought), with a strong association between bacterial taxa and specific nutrients (dry matter, protein, and structural carbohydrates) and climate variables (rainfall and temperature). Our study supports the hypothesis that the diversity and community structure of the faecal microbiota of horses kept on pasture varied over a 12-month period, and this variation reflects changes in the nutrient composition of the pasture, which in turn is influenced by climatic conditions. The findings of this study may have implications for grazing management and the preparation of conserved forages for those horses susceptible to perturbations of the hindgut microbiota.