TY  - JOUR
T1  - Energy and Nitrogen Provided by Native Herbage to Sheep Grazing in Alpine Grasslands of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau
AU - Jinyu, Xiao AU - Changji, Zhang AU - Yuexiang, Lu AU - Qin, Wang AU - Yufeng, An 
JO  - Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances
VL  - 11
IS  - 7
SP  - 919
EP  - 923
PY  - 2012
DA  - 2001/08/19
SN  - 1680-5593
DO  - javaa.2012.919.923
UR  - https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?doi=javaa.2012.919.923
KW  - Grazing
KW  -Qinghai-Tibetan plateau
KW  -Gansu Alpine Merino
KW  -energy
KW  -nitrogen utilization
KW  -China
AB  - In Alpine pasturelands animals switch from higher land for summer and autumn grazing to lower land for winter and spring grazing. A grazing experiment using nine Gansu Alpine Merinos was carried out in Alpine grassland on the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau. Results for the quality of consumed herbage from the autumn pasture showed that the Digestible Energy (DE), Crude Protein (CP) content and CP:DE ratio were 9.15 MJ kg<SUP>-1</SUP>, 10.8 g/100 g and 11.8 g MJ<SUP>-1</SUP>, respectively and the CP level and the CP:DE ratio were optimal for nitrogen utilization. The dry matter intake changed significantly with seasons (p&lt;0.05). For sheep grazing on winter pasture, the actual metabolizable energy intake was lower than maintenance requirements with a negative nitrogen balance (p&lt;0.05), supplements should include both energy and protein feed. While grazing on spring pasture, sheep should be supplemented with energy feed expected to improve N utilization.
ER  -