Forage Intake of Alpacas Grazing Andean Rangeland in Peru

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Abstract
This study estimated forage intake of free-ranging alpacas grazing an Andean Festuca/Muhlen-bergia pasture during the dry and wet seasons. The ratio of fecal output to diet indigestibility was used to estimate intake. Total fecal output from six adult castrated male alpacas was collected for 5 d during each season. Average body weight was 62.0 kg during the wet season and 61.7 kg during the dry season. Alpaca diets were concurrently collected with four esophageally cannulated alpacas. Diet in vitro organic matter digestibility was determined with two forage standards, ryegrass and oat hay, developed in a separate in vitro digestibility trial. Organic matter intakes (percent of body weight) of caged alpacas consuming ryegrass or oat hay were 1.08 ± .21 vs 1.13 ± .13 (P<.05; mean α 95% confidence interval), respectively. Organic matter intakes of free-ranging alpacas during the wet and dry seasons were 1.6 ± .11% vs 1.8 > .06% (P<.05), respectively. These values are generally lower than those that have been reported for sheep. Copyright © 1987. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1987 by American Society of Animal Science.

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