Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-nmvwc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-06T17:07:18.462Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Kale for beef production

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

A. Macdearmid
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB2 9SB
G. M. Innes
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB2 9SB
P. E. V. Williams
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB2 9SB
M. Kay
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB2 9SB
Get access

Abstract

Effects on animal health and productivity of offering diets composed wholly or partly of kale to Hereford × Friesian steers were examined in two growth trials and a digestibility trial. Rates of daily gain (kg), daily dry-matter intake (kg) and coefficients of dry-matter digestibility by 24 steers offered proportions of 0·50 or 0·75 kale with rolled barley or 100 kale were respectively 1·05, 7·5, 0·76; 0·72, 5·8, 0·72; and 0·48, 5·3, 0·70. Of 48 steers given 0·25 or 0·50 kale with rolled barley, fodderbeet or swede turnips, the food intakes and daily gains of those offered barley were greatest on the higher proportion of kale whereas with fodderbeet and turnips the food intakes and gains were higher (P<005 and P<0·01) respectively on the lower proportion of kale. Although daily intakes of S-methylcysteine sulphoxide were high, reaching 0·25 and 0·33 g per kg body weight in trials 1 and 2 respectively, and moderate changes in blood metabolism occurred, there were no cases of haemolytic anaemia. Steers given only kale produced the poorest daily live-weight gain and the results suggested that the inclusion of kale should be limited to 0·50 of the total diet.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1982

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Agricultural Research Council. 1965. The Nutrient Requirements of Farm Livestock. No. 2, Ruminants. Agricultural Research Council, London.Google Scholar
Davidson, J., Mathieson, J. and Boyne, A. W. 1970. The use of automation in determining nitrogen by the Kjeldahl method, with final calculations by computer. Analyst, Lond. 95: 181193.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Greenhalgh, J. F. D., Aitken, J. N. and Gunn, J. B. 1972. Kale anaemia. III. A survey of kale feeding practices and anaemia in cattle on dairy farms in England and Scotland. Res. vet. Sci. 13: 1521.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Greenhalgh, J. F. D., Sharman, G. A. M. and Aitken, J. N. 1969. Kale anaemia—I. The toxicity to various species of animal of three types of kale. Res. vet. Sci. 10: 6472.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Greenhalgh, J. F. D., Sharman, G. A. M. and Aitken, J. N. 1970. Kale anaemia. II. Further factors concerned in the occurrence of the disease under experimental conditions. Res. vet. Sri. 11: 232238.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kay, M., MacDearmid, A. and Massie, R. 1972. Intensive beef production. 13. Replacement of concentrates with root crops. Anim. Prod. 15: 6773.Google Scholar
MacDearmid, A. 1978. Changes in the chemical composition and nutritive value of forage crops. Anim. Prod. 26: 376377 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
MacDearmid, A. 1980. The nutritive value of some new brassicae. Anim. Prod. 30: 446447 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland and Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland. 1975. Energy allowances and feeding systems for ruminants. Tech. Bull. 33. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London.Google Scholar
Smith, R. H. 1980. Kale poisoning: the brassica anaemia factor. Vet. Rec. 107: 1215.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Smith, R. H., Earl, C. R. and Matheson, N. A. 1974. The probable role of S-methylcysteine sulphoxide in kale poisoning in ruminants. Biochem. Soc. Trans. 2: 101104.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smith, R. H. and Greenhalgh, J. F. D. 1977. Haemolytic toxin of the Brassicae and its practical implications. Proc. U.K. Conf. Dep. Agric. Fish. Scotl., pp. 98101.Google Scholar