Little information is available on the nutritional value of fresh browse for ruminants. This study examined the nutritive value of Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii Nutt.) for Spanish goats. Fresh Gambel oak browse was harvested at 2 phenological stages and mixed with chopped alfalfa hay to formulate 6 diets, varying in oak content. Diets included 95% juvenile oak/5% alfalfa (95J), 80% juvenile oak/20% alfalfa (80J), 65% juvenile oak/35% alfalfa (65J), 80% mature oak/20% alfalfa (80M), 40% mature oak/60% alfalfa (40M), and an alfalfa control (ALF). Diets were evaluated for goats using a series of digestion-balance trials, in a completely randomized design. Dry matter intake was highest (P < 0.01) for animals on diets with mature oak (80M-37.8, 40M-34.5 grams kg-1 day-1, and lowest on diets containing juvenile oak (95J-23.6, 80J-31.6, 65J-29.9 grams kg-1 day-1). Digestibility of dry matter and cell wall components was lower (P < 0.01) for mature oak diets, and higher for juvenile oak diets. Digestibility coefficients for dry matter were as follows: (80M-57.8%, 40M-58.8%, 95J-68.6%, 80J-65.3%, 65J-66.3%. Digestibility coefficients for cell wall were: 80M-33.1%, 40M-37.4%, 95J-53.7%, 80J-45.8%, 65J-47.3%. All diets provided nitrogen and energy in excess of maintenance requirements, as reflected by weight gains for all animals in every trial. Fecal and urinary nitrogen losses did not appear to be related to tannin content of the diets, since juvenile oak diets resulted in reduced nitrogen outputs, presumably due to reduced nitrogen intakes for these diets. We conclude that Gambel oak, even juvenile material in high dietary percentages (95%), provides adequate nutrients and should be considered a valuable forage for goats in oakbrush habitats. This material was digitized as part of a cooperative project between the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact lbry-journals@email.arizona.edu for further information. Migrated from OJS platform August 2020
Scholarly peer-reviewed articles published by the Society for Range Management. Access articles on a rolling-window basis from vol. 1, 1948 up to 5 years from the current year. Formerly Journal of Range Management (JRM). More recent content is available by subscription from SRM.