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Nutrition of draught oxen in semi-arid west Africa. 1. Energy expenditure by oxen working on soils of different consistencies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

A. Fall ,
R. A. Pearson  and
P. R. Lawrence
A. Fall
Affiliation:
Centre for Tropical Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RG
R. A. Pearson
Affiliation:
Centre for Tropical Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RG
P. R. Lawrence
Affiliation:
International Livestock Research Institute, International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Sahelian Centre, BP 12404, Niamey, Niger
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Abstract

The Oxylog, a portable breath-by-breath gas analyser, was used on seven animals to determine standing metabolic rate, energy cost of walking on soils of different consistencies and efficiency of work ploughing and carting. The average standing metabolic rate of animals was 5·63 (s.e. 0·12) W/kg M00·75. The consistency of the soil on which animals worked had a marked effect on their energy cost of walking which was 1·59 (s.e. 0·069) on unploughed soil, 2·15 (s.e. 0·084) on ploughed soil and 1·0 (s.e. 0·10) J/m per kg live weight on laterite tracks. The efficiency of ploughing sandy soils (i.e. ratio of work done to energy used for work) was 0·32 and was not significantly different from the efficiency of carting with different loads. The efficiency of doing work was not influenced by the type of work performed, the draught force exerted or the walking speed.

Keywords

draught animalsenergy expenditurework
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Science , Volume 64 , Issue 2 , April 1997 , pp. 209 - 215
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1997

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