NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
June, 1956]
S.
S.
PRABHU
27
Experiment I
There was no marked change, as judged from the analysis, when a male was
substituted for the routine teaser.
As for reaction time, however, statistically significant differences were observed
in both ejaculates following the substitution of teaser. The over-all bulls' average
reaction time with routine cow was 107 seconds and with male teaser 59 seconds.
In the second series, however, no such significant difference was noticed in re-
action time. The respective over-all bulls' average reaction time with routine cow
was 100 seconds and with the male teaser 67 seconds. Detailed examination of the
bulls in the experiments showed that in the first series all the bulls recorded a higher
reaction time (total of 1st and 2nd ejaculates) with the routine cow. In the second
series, out of the 10 bulls, 7 bulls behaved as before, while the remaining 3 bulls,
showed slightly higher values with male as a teaser.
As regards semen quality, the only departure from the results of the first series
was the significant variation observed in respect of percentage of abnormal sperma-
tozoa in the second ejaculate. The respective average values with routine cow
and male teaser were 8.3 and 7.8 per cent.
Experiment II
No significant difference in respect of both reaction time and different criteria of
semen was observed when two different males were used as teasers.
Experiment III
The colour of the cow in the service crate at collection also did not yield, in
general, any significant influence on the reaction time and quality of semen. Only
in respect of percentage of abnormal spermatozoa there was a significant variation
between first ejaculate values with the two different coloured cows. The actual
averages over bulls were 19.1 and 24.9 per cent respectively with light and black
cows. The difference was significant at 5 per cent level. Incidentally, this experi-
ment also indicated lack of marked effect with use of different females as teasers.
Experiment IV
The results obtained under this experiment showed that five minutes cold water
shower bath administered to bulls prior to collection had no marked effect on reaction
time and quality of semen—except on initial motility. A significant difference
was observed in motility in the first ejaculate. The average for the first ejaculate
with bulls given shower was 2.6 and without shower 2.3.
Experiment V
There was no significant difference in variation between collections made during
the morning and the evening. The reaction time also showed no marked variation.
This finding contradicts the belief of certain workers in the laboratory that morning
collections are superior to evening collections,
June,
1956]
S.
S.
PRABHU
29
In addition to the results discussed already, certain peculiarities in the sex behaviour were exhibited by certain bulls which
are briefly described below :
TABLE III
Sex-drive and reaction of bulls to different stimuli
Experiment
No.
Average
overall
I (a)
(b)
II
III
IV
V
VI
Stimuli tried
R. T.
On male
On female
On male
On female
On 31
On 40
Shower
No shower
On light coloured cow
On black cow
Day
Night
Morning
Evening
No. of bulls
23
145
(24)
..
..
..
..
..
..
150
155
80
125
125
176
150
155
40
128
(20)
48
134
125
228
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
24
116
(24)
..
..
..
..
..
..
128
143
87
61
132
140
129
143
26
76
(10)
58
92
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
25
63
(52)
33
36
15
41
91
91
53
120
67
75
108
56
120
53
22
53
(52)
77
79
50
48
47
62
34
50
68
34
33
32
50
34
37
43
(52)
10
12
61
21
174
152
14
60
15
15
21
16
14
60
33
38
(44)
14
65
11
55
..
..
34
46
29
27
40
52
46
34
20
34
(36)
18
58
21
36
24
43
..
..
37
32
..
..
..
..
28
24
(52)
15
29
37
26
19
30
23
37
21
21
24
26
37
22
36
21
(36)
14
16
15
18
13
24
..
..
31
37
..
..
..
..
31
19
(32)
..
..
15
16
..
..
..
..
20
26
20
21
..
..
38
15
(16)
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
13
16
16
14
..
..
16
14
(52)
6
11
10
11
28
24
13
20
15
11
14
13
13
20
Indian J. vet. Sci. Vol. XXVI PART II]
PLATE VIII
PLATE VIII. Photographs taken of some of the bulls at the time of collection
1. Bull No. 23 near the ' dummy '. Note the characteristic exhibition of teeth denoting sexual
excitement
2. Bull No. 25 showing sexual excitement
3. Bull No. 23 giving the ' thrust' in the A. V.
4. Bull No. 25 giving the ' thrust' in the A. V. This bull was in the habit of stroking the A. V.
and dancing
5. Bull No. 25 resting on the back of the ' dummy' after giving the ' thrust'
6. Bull No. 23 resting on the back of the ' dummy'
Indian J. vd. Sci. Vol. XXVI PART II ]
PLATE IX
1. Bull No. 22 ejaculating in the A. V. in the standing posture
2. Bull No. 37 ejaculating in the A. V. in the standing posture
3. Photograph of the light coloured ' dummy ' cow
4. Photograph of the dark coloured ' dummy ' cow.
32
INFLUENCE OF FACTORS AFFECTING SEX-DRIVE
[Vol. XXVI, Part II,
the bulls had got used to the new change. The significant differences observed
in respect of semen quality offer a problem on which further work alone can throw
some light.
SUMMARY
1. Experiments were carried out with 14 buffalo-bulls to study the effect of (1)
substituting a male for a female as teaser, (2) using different males as teasers, (3)
using different coloured females as teasers, (4) giving 5 minutes cold water shower
bath prior to collection, (5) making collections in the evenings and (6) making collec-
tions at night by artificial light, on the reaction time and quality of semen.
2. Only limited period consisting of 3 ' tries ' of 5 minutes duration was given
for the trial. The treatments were changed following the ' switchback' design of
experimentation.
3. Significant variation was obtained in respect of (i) 'reaction time' when a
male was substituted for the routine female as teaser, (ii) 'percentage of abnormal
sperm' in the second ejaculates of the second series of experiment with male as
teaser, (iii) ' percentage of abnormal sperm ' in the first ejaculates of the experiment
with different coloured teasers, (iv) ' initial motility ' in the first ejaculate of the
experiment in which the bulls were subjected to a shower bath prior to collection
and (v) 'sperm concentration ' in the first ejaculate of the experiment in which
collections were made at night. In the rest of the cases, and in items studied no
significant differences could be detected.
4. It was observed that bulls with lower sex-drive showed greater reaction to
change in the excitatory object or change in the time of collection than bulls with
higher sex-drive. Estimates of sex-drive for this purpose was the over-all experi-
ment.
5. Certain peculiar sex behaviour patterns of buffalo bulls are described.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author is thankful to Dr P. Bhattacharya, Head of the Division of Animal
Genetics for his keen interest in this work and for encouragement. To the Dire-
ctor, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, thanks are due for providing
all facilities.
REFERENCES
Ball, J. (1939). Male and female mating behaviour in prepubertally castrated male rats receiving
estrogens. J. Comp. Psychol., 28, 273-283
———(1940).
The effect of testosterone on the sex-behaviour of female rats. J. Comp. Psychol.
29, 151-165
Beach, F. A. (1940). Effects of cortical lesions upon the copulatory behaviour of male rats. J. Comp.
Psychol., 29, 193-245
———(1942)
(a). Analysis of factors evolved in the arousal, maintenance and manifestation of
sexual excitement in male animals. Psychosom. Med. 4, 173-198
———(b).
Analysis of the stimuli adequate to elicit mating behaviour in the sexually inex-
perienced male rat. J. Comp. Psychol., 33, 163-207
———(c).
Effects of testosterone propionate upon the copulatory behaviour of sexually
inexperienced male rats. J. Comp. Psychol., 33, 227-247
June, 1956]
S.
S.
PRABHU
33
Beach, F. A. (1944). Experimental studies of sexual behaviour in male mammals. J. Clin. Endocr., 4
126-134
———and Holz, A. M. (1946). Mating behaviour in male rats castrated at various ages and in-
jected with androgen. J. Exp. Zool., 101, 91-142
Branton, C., D' Arensbourg, G. and Johnston, J. E. (1952). Semen production, fructose content of
semen and fertility of dairy bulls as related to sexual excitement. J. Dairy Sci., 35, 801-807
Collens, W. J., Bratton, R. W. and Henderson, C. R. (1951). The relationship of semen production
to sexual excitement of Dairy bulls. J. Dairy Sci., 34, 224-227
Evlampieva, N. A. (1945). Vnutrennu tormozenie polovyh refleksov U. Krolikov samcov (Internal
inhibition of sexual reflexes in male rabbits). Trud. Lab. iskusst. osemen Zivotn (Mosk.) 2
80-100
Hart, G. H., Mead, S. W. and Regan, W. M. (1946). Stimulating the sex-drive of bovine males in arti-
ficial insemination. Endocrinology, 39, 221-223.
Hellström, P. (1947). Häll tjuren tillbaks om han visar sig vara för ivrig. (Bulls which appear too
eager should be checked). Lantmannen (Stockh.), 31, 198-199
Milovanov, V. K. and Smirnov-Ugrjumov, D. V. (1940). Problema racionalinogo is poljzo vanija
Plemennyh proizvoditelei V streti uc enija, akad. I. P. Pavlova. (Problems of the rational
use of stud animals in the light of Pavlov's teachings). Vestn. seljskohoz. Nauki Zivotn No. 5.
138-153
Moore, C. R. (1938). Endocrines and male reproductive behaviour. Proc. Amer. Soc. Anim. Prod.
31st meeting, 26-29
Petersen, W. E., Spielman, A., Pomeroy, B. S. and Boyd, W. L. (1941). Effect of thyroidectomy upon
sexual behaviour of the male bovine. Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. (N. Y), 46, 16-17
Prabhu, S. S. and Bhattacharya, P. (1954). Influence of factors affecting sex-drive on semen production
of buffaloes. I. Physiological state of the ' teaser' cow. Indian J. vet. Sci., 24(1), 35-50
Rasmussen, E. W. (1952). The relation between strength of sexual drive and fertility as evident from
experimental investigations. Rep. 2nd Int. congr. Physiol. Path. Anim. Reprod. Artif. Insem
1, 188-192
Sarthou-Mountengou, J. (1950). The loss of libido in sires used at artificial insemination centres
Riv. Zookec., 24. 105, A. B. A., 19, 3
Smirnov-Ugrjumov, D. V. (1945). O tepah nervonoe dejateljnostic (temperamentah) samcov—
proizvoditeleï. (Types of nervous activity (temperament of sires.)). Trud. Lab. iskusot. oesemen.
Zivotn. (Mosk), 2, 101-110
Stone. C. P. (1939).
Copulatory activity in adult male rats following castration and injections of
testosterone propionate. Endocrinology, 24, 165-174
Walton, A. (1950). Patterns of male sex-behaviour. Proc. Soc. Stud. Fertil (Camb.). No. 1, Edinb.
Conf. 40-44.
2 AR/56
7
LIMITED VERSUS AD LIBITUM FEEDING OF WHITE
LEGHORN PULLETS
By ALEX REED1 and JOHN G. VELU 2 , Department of Animal Husbandry,
Allahabad Agricultural Institute, Allahabad, U. P.
(Received for publication on November 26, 1955)
I N most commercial egg producing areas the usual practice in feeding the birds is
to feed either all or a part of the ration ad libitum. Approximately three-
fourths of the feed consumed by a laying hen is used for body maintenance and
only one-fourth for egg production [Vernon et al., 1942]. The maintenance require-
ment will be satisfied before any feed is utilised for egg production [Halerow 1947].
Halerow [1947] reports that Montana flocks with the highest income were fed
90-100 lb. of feed per hen annually. This amount is more than 4 oz. per hen per day.
Jull [1938] states that a Leghorn hen laying approximately 200 eggs annually should
consume about 81 lb. of feed per year. This is about 3.5 oz. per day. Heuser
[1946] reporting on work of Temperton and Dudley states that restrictions on feed
of laying pullets resulted in lower egg production and lower final body weight as
compared with pullets fed ad libitum. Romanoff and Homanoff [1949] report a
positive correlation between body weight and total egg production of pullets.
In villages in India, generally eggs are produced without feeding the hens. The
only feed which the hen receives is what she can pick up for herself around the
village. The villager, therefore, assumes that the eggs he obtains from these hens
is a profit. There are differences of opinion in India as to whether it is profitable
to feed a laying flock for maximum production. One common practice in feeding
the laying flock is to limit the amount of feed provided daily.
In an attempt to determine the effect of a limited feeding as compared to ad
libitum feeding for egg production, it was considered desirable to compare the two
systems of feeding in the case of two similar groups of pullets.
EXPERIMENTAL
Sixty-two White Leghorn pullets about six months of age raised on the Agri-
cultural Institute Farm from day-old chicks were divided into two groups—those
with even numbered wing bands into one group and those with odd numbered bands
into the other. The groups were given by turn, ad libitum or limited feeding. They
were assigned by turn one of the two pens of equal size and type. Two Leghorn
1 University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, U.S.A.
2 Allahabad Agricultural Institute. Allahabad. U. P.. India.
35
2
AR/56
9
36
FEEDING OF WHITE LEGHORN PULLETS [Vol. XXVI, Part II,
cocks were placed in each pen. The following ingredients in the ratios indicated
were ground together, thoroughly mixed and fed to both groups of layers.
Maize
Groundnut cake
Wheat bran
Gram
Wheat
Fish meal
Limestone
Mineral mixture
36 per cent
22 per cent
12 per cent
8 per cent
12 per cent
5 per cent
2 per cent
3 per cent
(50 per cent salt, 50 per cent steamed bonemeal, 0.05 per cent potassium iodide)
Group A received this mixture ad libitum offered in a self-feeder. Group B
received the same mixture at the rate of 3 oz. per hen per day fed in two parts,
morning and evening. Fresh greens were fed daily to both groups in equal amounts.
Clean fresh water was supplied to both groups. Body weight of each bird was deter-
mined and recorded at the beginning of the project on October 1 and each month
thereafter throughout the six months of the test. Trap-nests were provided and the
eggs produced daily were recorded for individual hens. The eggs produced on the
first and third Wednesday of each month were weighed and the average weight of
eggs for these two days was considered the average for that month. The experi-
mental period, October to March, is the cooler part of the year in Allahabad, the
maximum air temperature being about 90°F and minimum about 40°F.
At the end of November after a two-month period the feeding systems were
reversed. The Group A was put on limited feeding and Group B on ad libitum.
At the end of January the systems were reversed again to the original procedure
with Group A on ad libitum and Group B on limited feeding which continued up
to April 1. Under this procedure Group A was fed ad libitum through October
and November, limited feeding during December and January and ad libitum again
during February and March. Group B was on limited feeding during October and
November, on ad libitum during December and January and on limited feeding
through February and March.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
There was wide variation in the number of eggs produced by individual hens
(Table I). With the exception of Group B during Period I, there was a direct
relationship between the total production by periods and the system of feeding.
Statistical analysis of the data shows a highly significant difference in egg production
in favour of ad libitum feeding [Snedecor, 1946, page 422], (Appendix Table I).
Ad libitum feeding resulted in greater egg production to the extent of 3.60 eggs per
two-month period, with standard error of 1.02 eggs. Data on egg production and
feed consumption are summarized in Table II.
June, 1956]
ALEX
REED
AND
JOHN
G.
VELU
37
TABLE I
Egg production per hen in two-month feeding periods from October 1 to March 31
Group A
Period I
(ad lib.)
36
43
28
42
43
19
26
27
16
21
44
51
41
43
7
33
20
34
38
17
42
5
36
8
Period II
(limited)
11
8
13
42
28
13
25
27
11
16
41
43
40
45
23
31
28
39
27
29
32
9
37
17
Period III
(ad lib.)
5
39
33
42
30
36
26
34
21
37
31
38
35
28
28
25
30
44
25
35
43
17
38
32
Group B
Period I
(limited)
19
43
41
43
14
26
21
28
34
31
36
33
38
21
41
33
35
33
33
31
18
46
35
41
Period II
(ad lib.)
20
38
41
35
10
23
24
25
32
30
42
43
37
19
35
22
30
36
33
23
18
36
27
32
Period III
(limited)
14
31
35
39
18
22
28
32
19
18
27
20
27
23
36
38
23
24
27
24
14
29
35
21
38
FEEDING OF WHITE LEGHORN PULLETS [Vol. XXVI, Part II,
TABLE I—contd.
Egg production per hen in two-month feeding periods from October 1 to March 31
Group A
Period I
(ad lib.)
41
22
16
41
38
17
22
917
Period II
(limited)
14
16
33
8
32
14
12
765
Period III
(ad lib.)
28
17
42
26
32
39
30
966
TOTAL : 2648
Group B
Period I
(limited)
29
45
32
42
41
23
21
1009
Period II
(ad lib.)
39
47
30
38
38
42
31
976
Period III
(limited)
33
39
34
28
32
35
25
860
TOTAL : 2845
TABLE II
Total egg production by periods, total feed consumed and feed consumed per dozen egg
produced by White Leghorn hens under different systems of feeding
Period
Oct.-Nov.
Dec.-Jan.
Feb.-March
Group A
Egg system
917 Ad lib.
765 Limited
966 Ad lib.
Total
feed
(lb.)
422
334.4
451.5
Daily
feed
per
hen
(oz.)
3.44
3.0
3.7
Feed
per
doz.
eggs
(lb.)
5.6
6.0
5.6
Group B
Egg system
1009 Limited
976 Ad lib.
860 Limited
Total
feed
(lb.)
378.2
525.0
365.8
Daily
feed
per
hen
(oz.)
3.0
4.05
3.0
Feed
per
doz.
eggs
(lb.)
4.5
6.4
5.1
The hens in Group A showed a very definite reaction in production to the system
of feeding. The amount of feed consumed per dozen eggs produced was 5.6 lb.
in each period with ad libitum feeding and 6.0 lb. on limited feeding. This is the
expected pattern of efficiency ; as the maintenance requirement for a low producer
is the same as for a high producer of the same size ; so any reduction in feed would
tend to reduce egg production since body requirements will be met first. The hens
in Group B consumed only 4.5 lb. of feed per dozen eggs produced during Period I
and 5.1 lb. per dozen during Period III under limited feeding. They consumed
6.4 lb. feed per dozen eggs produced during Period II under ad libitum feeding.
The amount of feed consumed by Group B during Period II seems excessive when
compared to feed consumption of Group A under ad libitum feeding, yet it is only
slightly more than 4 oz. per hen per day, which is generally accepted as the usual
amount required. A portion of this extra feed consumed was used in producing
increased body weight as the average body weight of this group increased by 0.35 lb.
per hen during this period (Table III).
June, 1956]
ALEX
REED
AND
JOHN
G.
VELU
39
The hens in Group A on ad libitum feeding gained 0.52 lb. per hen during Period I
while those in Group B on limited feeding during this period gained only 0.39 lb.
per hen. During Period II when Group A was on limited feeding the birds gained
at an average 0.23 lb. per hen while those in Group B on ad libitum feeding gained
0.35 lb. per hen during the same period. During the third feeding period the average
weight per hen decreased in each group. The average weight per hen decreased by
0.62 lb. in Group A and 0.86 lb. in Group B respectively during the third feeding
period, on ad libitum and limited feeding. Although the average body weight
decreased more than half a pound, the hens in Group A produced more eggs during
this period than during any other period of the experiment. The hens in Group B
decreased by more than three-fourths of a pound per hen in body weight during
Period III and produced the smallest number of eggs of any period during the ex-
periment. The weights of individual hens at the beginning and end of each feeding
period are shown in Table III.
When changes in body weight of individual hens are calculated for the different
feeding periods and analysed in the same manner as for egg production, there is a
significant difference in body weight changes in favour of ad libitum feeding.
However, disagreement with regard to A and B would also arise if the natural
trend of weight is substantially curved, as the data suggest. The data show a
gain in body weight during the first two two-month periods followed by a loss in
the third period and even though the changes appear to be influenced by feeding
there is some doubt as to the true nature of the treatment effect.
TABLE III
Body weight (in lb.) of individual hens at the beginning and end of different feeding
periods
Period I (ad lib.)
Oct. 1
2.8
3.1
3.1
3.5
3.1
3.3
34
3.1
Group A
Period II
(limited)
Nov. 30
3.1
3.3
3.3
4.0
3.6
3.9
3.9
3.8
Period III
Jan. 31
3.4
4.5
3.9
3.8
4.0
4.5
4.2
3.5
(ad lib.)
March 31
3.4
3.0
3.1
3.4
3.4
3.7
3.3
3.4
Group B
Period I
(limited)
Oct. 1
3.2
3.4
3.4
4.2
3.6
3.6
3.5
4.2
Period II
Nov. 30
3.8
3.9
3.8
4.4
4.1
4.1
3.9
4.9
(ad lib.)
Jan. 31
3.7
3.7
3.6
5.2
5.0
4.5
3.9
5.1
Period III
(limited)
March 31
3.4
3.5
3.5
4.1
3.6
3.5
3.3
4.3
40
FEEDING OF WHITE LEGHORN PULLETS [Vol. XXVI, Part II,
TABLE III—contd.
Body weight (in lb.) of individual hens at the beginning and end of different feeding
periods
Period I (ad lib.)
Oct. 1
2.9
3.4
3.2
2.9
3.3
3.1
2.8
2.6
3.5
3.6
2.8
3.9
3.3
3.3
3.4
3.3
3.3
2.8
3.5
3.6
2.8
3.3
2.4
Average
3.17
Group A
Period II
(limited)
Nov. 30
3.2
3.6
3.9
3.5
3.9
3.4
3.6
3.6
3.7
5.0
3.0
4.7
3.0
3.6
3.9
3.7
3.9
3.2
4.8
3.8
3.0
3.6
2.8
3.69
Period III (ad lib.)
Jan. 31
3.6
4.1
3.9
3.5
3.8
3.3
3.6
3.4
4.4
4.9
3.4
4.7
4.2
4.4
4.4
4.2
4.2
3.5
4.4
3.9
3.3
3.8
2.8
3.92
March 31
2.7
3.6
3.6
2.9
4.0
3.1
3.3
3.0
3.3
3.9
2.8
3.5
3.1
3.3
3.5
3.2
3.4
3.0
3.6
3.7
3.0
3.2
2.8
3.30
Group B
Period I
(limited)
Oct. 1
3.8
3.8
3.8
3.3
4.1
3.6
3.2
3.5
3.0
3.1
3.2
3.1
2.7
3.0
4.1
3.0
3.1
3.3
3.1
3.5
3.0
3.3
4.1
3.44
Period II
(ad lib.)
Nov. 30
4.3
3.9
4.3
3.8
4.4
3.8
3.5
3.8
3.4
3.6
3.6
3.2
3.1
3.1
4.3
3.2
3.7
3.6
3.5
4.0
3.2
3.6
4.9
3.83
Period III (limited)
Jan. 31
4.5
4.1
4.9
4.4
4.5
4.5
4.2
4.0
3.9
3.8
4.0
3.9
3.2
3.7
5.0
3.4
4.0
3.9
3.7
4.2
3.3
3.7
5.0
4.18
March 31
3.6
3.4
3.6
3.1
3.9
3.6
3.0
3.1
3.0
3.0
3.4
2.9
2.4
2.7
4.2
2.9
3.1
3.2
2.9
3.0
2.6
3.1
4.3
3.32
There was no evidence in this experiment indicating any correlation between
body weight at the beginning of the test and total eggs produced nor between body
weight and eggs produced during the first month of the test.
TABLE IV
Average weight of individual egg (by months) produced by White Leghorn hens over a
six-month period
Group
Group A
Group
October
2.02
2.17
November
1.97
1.98
December January
(Ounces per egg)
2.04
2.06
2.04
2.14
February
2.13
2.11
March
1.95
1.92