Forage evaluation: Concepts and techniques

Forage evaluation: Concepts and techniques

Livestock Production Science, 9 (1982) 633--636 633 Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam -- Printed in The Netherlands Book Redews FOR...

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Livestock Production Science, 9 (1982) 633--636

633

Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam -- Printed in The Netherlands

Book Redews FORAGE EVALUATION

Forage Evaluation: Concepts and Techniques. J.L. Wheeler and R.D. Mochrie (Editors). CSIRO Editorial and Publications Service, Melbourne, Australia, 1981, 582 pp., 76 tables, 22 plates and figures, hardcover $ 25.00, ISBN 0-643-02753-x. This is the Proceedings of a workshop that was held in Armidale (NSW, Australia) under the auspices of the United States/Australia cooperative Science program. The major objectives of this workshop were: (1) to review methods of evaluating forage in laboratories and with confined or freely grazing animals, (2) to discuss the concepts of both forage evaluation and the means of utilizing pastures, (3) to appraise recent developments in methodology and (4) to formulate agreed procedures for evaluating pastures and pasture treatments. The volume contains 46 papers that have been prepared by the twenty participants from Australia and the U.S.A. They are relevant to six sections: (1) the use of forage, (2) evaluating forage in the laboratory, (3) evaluating forage with confined animals, (4) evaluating forage with grazing animals, (5) constructing grazing systems and (6) synthesis. The papers are of two types, review articles and shorter articles presenting results of relevant research. They are followed by summaries of the discussions. Sections 4 and 5 on grazing animals are of particular interest. They illustrate the progress that has been made in the techniques, especially in Australia where virtually all sheep and the vast majority of cattle subsist on pasture from birth until slaughter. Techniques are described for measuring, (a) the herbage yield before and after grazing with a capacitance meter, (b) the flows of digesta through the digestive tract (c) the faeces output with a simplified administration of markers, (d) the voluntary intake by telemetry, etc. This development results from a fruitful combination of specifically designed electronic equipment, radioisotope technology, surgical preparation of animals and improved laboratory evaluation procedures. R. J A R R I G E

(I.N.R.A., Theix, France)

ANIMAL A G R I C U L T U R E IN CHINA

Animal Agriculture in China. CSCPRC Report No. 11. Edited by J.A. Holfer and P.J. Tsuchitani, National Academy Press, Washington, 197 pp.,