Md. Fraser et Dh. Baker, A comparison of voluntary intake and in vivo digestion in guanacos (Lama guanicoe) and sheep given fresh grass, ANIM SCI, 67, 1998, pp. 567-572
An experiment teas conducted to compare the voluntary intake and in vivo di
gestion for guanacos and sheep when offered perennial ryegrass at three dif
ferent growth stages: vegetative growth (VG), emerging inflorescence (EI) a
nd mature inflorescence (MI). Dry-matter (DM) intake ranged from 1.19 to 2.
12 kg/day for the guanacos and 0.79 to 1.52 kg/day for the sheep. When expr
essed on a metabolic live-weight (M-0.75) basis, the intake of the guanacos
(55.8, 43.1 and 44.1 g DM per kg M-0.75 daily On the VG, EI and MI grasses
respectively) and the sheep (54.4, 45.7 and 47.4 g DM per kg M-0.75 daily
respectively) were similar (s.e.d. = 3.70). Apparent digestibilities of all
food constituents were also similar. In terms of food choice, the response
of the two species to grass stem differed; the guanacos selected (EI) or t
olerated (MI) this fraction, while the sheep tolerated (EI) or avoided (MI)
it.