Fuelling ruminent animals

Ruminant animals (cattle, sheep and goats) don't digest the feed they eat, instead billions of rumen bacteria, fungi and protozoa do. The animal functions by digesting these micro organisms for protein and absorbing their waste products for energy. The challenge for sheep and cattle producers is to ensure that the rumen (stomach) always contains enough of these micro-organisms.

Green forages act to "fertilise" the rumen of ruminant animals by providing protein for microbes to reproduce rapidly. More microbes mean more cellulose fibre digested, which leads to more nutrients for both meat and fibre production. Without a bit of "green pick", digestion slows down, feed intake drops, then the animal begins to loose weight and production falters.

Perennial edible shrubs and fodder trees are important sources of "green pick" in dry times. Their protein leverages up the use of old dry or frosted grass by supplying the protein necessary for the rumen microbes to multiply and break down this inferior grass. Their presence makes inferior grass or leaves useful for animal production.

Understanding how animals function, allows us to better predict how they are likely to impact on plants over time, given that they are always selective in their diet. Apart from impacting on any particular plant species, the animal's ability to influence carbon flows should not be under estimated. Animals have the ability to increase or decrease the amount of carbon plants introduce into the landscape.

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