bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In vitro hydrolysis of urea-formaldehyde complexes made with or without molasses in the presence of phosphoric acid
Authors: Lall D. , Lohan O. P. , Makkar H. P. S. , Negi S. S.
Published: March 2009

The high activity of rumen urease is a major limiting factor in the usefulness of urea as a protein replacement supplement in ruminant diets (Bloomfield, Garner & Muhrer, 1960). The efficiency of urea utilization can be increased by decreasing the activity of rumen urease or by modification of urea in the products which are slow ammoniareleasing (Helmer & Bartley, 1971). An arbitrary formaldehyde treatment of urea was observed to lower the hydrolysis in the intact rumen (Pal & Negi, 1977). In a systematic study carried out in our laboratory a series of urea formaldehyde complexes (UFC) was prepared and their in vitro hydrolysis studied (Lall et al.1980; Makkar et al. 1981). Phosphoric acid is known to catalyse the reaction between aldehyde and urea. In the present study the complexes of urea and formaldehyde (UFC) and urea, formaldehyde and molasses (UFMC) in the presence of a catalyst (phosphoric acid) were prepared and their in vitro ammonia production is presented.
Fodder legumes affecting sequential crop production and fertilizer N use efficiency
Authors: De R. , Khan M. A. Salim , Katti M. S. , Raja V.
Published: March 2009

Experiments made with winter fodder crops, lucerne (Medicago sativa), berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum) and oats (Avena sativa) and summer fodder crops, cow pea (Vigna unguiculata), guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba), sunhemp (Crotolaria juncea) and pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum) showed that a sequential crop of Sudan grass yielded more after the legumes than after the cereal fodders, oats or pearl millet. The legume advantage was noted in the crop not given fertilizers but also when Sudan grass was given N fertilizer. The yield increase in Sudan grass grown after legumes was equivalent to 32–60 kg fertilizer N/ha applied to Sudan grass following pearl millet.

After harvesting the legumes more available N and NO3-N was present in the soil and the apparent recovery of fertilizer N by a subsequent crop was increased by the legume.
Seasonal distribution of dry-matter production in grass varieties from different latitudes in northern Europe
Authors: Hay R. K. M.
Published: March 2009

Work in controlled conditions (Cooper, 1964; østgård & Eagles, 1971) has indicated that, under short photoperiods and low temperatures, Scandinavian grass varieties tend to grow more slowly than those from lower latitudes, and are, therefore, more resistant to cold and freezing stresses. This has been confirmed in field experiments (Håbjørg, 1979). These grasses would therefore be expected to cease growth earlier in the autumn when grown in the British Isles. However, this mechanism does not appear to operate under lengthening days; indeed, there is evidence to suggest that their growth is particularly stimulated by the combination of cool temperatures and long days (Cooper, 1964; Hay & Heide, 1983, 1984). This raises the possibility that varieties from Norway and Sweden could produce more dry matter than grasses of more southern provenance in the spring in upland areas, when low temperatures are associated with rapidly lengthening photoperiod (12·5–15 h) and moderate to high levels of irradiance (> 200 W/m2) (Hay, 1985).
Repelling foraging honeybees with alarm pheromones
Authors: Free J. B. , Pickett J. A. , Ferguson A. W. , Simpkins Jacqueline R. , Smith M. C.
Published: March 2009

The honeybee alarm pheromones 2·heptanone and isopentyl acetate were repellent to honeybee foragers when applied to plots of oil-seed rape and field beans and to sunflower heads. Their possible use to repel bees from crops before insecticide application is discussed.
Green manuring for barley at Woburn
Authors: Dyke G. V.
Published: March 2009

Three short-term experiments on green-manuring are described. In the first, trefoil (T) and ryegrass given fertilizer N (RN) increased the yield of a following barley crop grown without fertilizer N by 500–900 kg/ha, but did not affect yield of barley given N. In the second, T and RN increased yield by 1400 kg/ha whether or not fertilizer N was given to the barley. Ryegrass without fertilizer N (R) had smaller effects in both experiments. The third experiment (with different treatments) suggested that the effect of trefoil was caused by the greenstuff turned in, not by any physical or microbiological change in the soil.
Heritability estimates and correlations of agronomic characters in cowpea (Vigna sinensis L.)
Authors: Kheradnam M. , Niknejad M.
Published: March 2009

Heritability in the broad sense and correlations were determined for six agronomic traits in cowpea (Vigna sinensis L.) using four parental and six F2 lines. Heritability values were found to be 75, 64, 47, 44, 35 and 15% for 100-seed weight, number of seeds per pod, number of clusters per plant, number of pods per plant, yield per plant and number of branches per plant, respectively. All of the traits studied, except number of branches per plant, showed positive significant correlations with yield. It is concluded that, for yield improvement in cowpea, number of pods per plant and number of seeds per pod have selective value equal to seed yield per plant, whereas 100-seed weight and number of clusters per plant have less selective value and number of branches per plant has no selective value.
Evaluation of the sulphur status of some grasses for silage in Northern Ireland
Authors: Stevens R. J.
Published: March 2009

Seventy-five grass samples for first-cut silage and 131 samples for second-cut silage were collected in 1983 from intensively managed farms with coarse-textured soils. Samples with total sulphur less than 2·0 g/kg or Kjeldahl nitrogen greater than 28 g/kg, together with nitrogen to sulphur ratio greater than 14, and adequate phosphorus and potassium, were selected as suboptimal in sulphur. The extent of sulphur deficiency was assessed using water-soluble sulphate values of 300–500 and 200–300 mg S/kg to indicate yield depressions of less than 5 and 10% respectively. In the first cut, 20 and 8% of sites were likely to have suffered yield depressions of less than 5 and 10% respectively. Soil-extractable sulphate values less than 10 mg S/kg indicated marginal sulphur reserves for second-cut silage at 49% of the sites. Grass analyses of the second-cut samples showed that 11 and 3% of the sites were likely to have suffered yield depressions of less than 5 and 10% respectively. Incidental sulphur inputs from deposition, organic manures and mineralization may have obviated much of the potential sulphur deficiency for second-cut grass.
Growth of body components in young weaned pigs
Authors: Whittemore C. T. , Aumaitre A. , Williams I. H.
Published: March 2009

Four experiments with 133 piglets of between 21 and 55 days of age were used to examine, by slaughter and chemical analysis, the composition of the body of young pigs. Following removal from the sow, the lipid content of the empty body decreased from about 15 to 7·6%, and in the subsequent 4 weeks had recovered only slightly to between 7·7 and 10·9%; with the exception of pigs with a particularly high intake of energy whose 42-day lipid content had increased to 13·2%. Where Y3 was the lipid gain, X1 the digestible energy intake (MJ) and X2 the ratio of digestible energy to digestible crude protein (g), over all experiments Y3 = 7·83X1 + 4945X2−1260. There was little change in the protein content of pigs consequent upon the effects of either removal from the sow, pig age, diet type or nutrient intake. Over all experiments and slaughter weights; P = 0·164W−100, where P was the protein content of the body (g) and W the empty body weight (g). The efficiencies of conversion of digestible energy to energy gain in body protein and lipid were 0·36 and 0·33 respectively, associated with a constant (daily maintenance) term of 0·462 MJ ME/kg LW0·75. The low value for lipid is as would be expected for animals catabolizing lipid within the experimental period.
The fatty-acid composition of the subcutaneous brisket fat from steers obtained from Angus cows mated to 13 different beef breeds
Authors: Pyle C. A. , Bass J. J. , Duganzich D. M. , Payne E.
Published: March 2009

Marked significant differences were found between the crossbreed means in the percentages of palmitoleic, stearic, octadecenoic and the ratio of palmitoleic to stearic acids and in the percentages of subcutaneous, intramuscular and internal fats.

The percentage of carcass fats and age were strongly correlated with the acids palmitoleic, stearic (negative), octadecenoic and the ratio of palmitoleic to stearic. Covariance adjustment for percentage carcass fat and age made little difference to the significant differences of the variates which indicates that significant breed differences exist between these variates.
Effects of the addition of starch on the utilization by sheep of the protein and crude fibre contained in lucerne hay and soya-bean meal
Authors: Tagari H. , Gedalya D. Ben , Shevach Y. , Bondi A.
Published: March 2009

A sheep-feeding experiment was carried out to compare the influence of starch supplementation on the utilization of protein contained in a roughage (lucerne hay) and in a concentrated feed (soya-bean meal). Twelve young rams were divided into four groups, all of which received 150% of the theoretical protein requirement for maintenance. Two groups received soya-bean meal, and the two other groups were given alfalfa hay as protein source. One soya-bean group and one lucerne hay group served as control groups and received the theoretical requirement of energy, whereas the energy content of both experimental groups was raised by addition of grain to 150% of the theoretical energy requirement.

A N-balance experiment carried out with both control groups did not indicate the superiority of lucerne hay over soya-bean meal as had been found in previous experiments in which the sheep were fed diets just supplying the theoretical protein requirement. The advantage of roughage protein disappeared as a result of changes of dietary regime, such as the ingestion of protein surpluses and the reduction in the amount of cottonseed hulls.

The N retention from the lucerne-hay ration was enhanced much more than the soya-bean meal ration by the addition of maize. Biochemical analyses of the rumen oontent showed that a much higher metabolic activity of the micro-organisms was induced by feeding a lucerne-hay diet supplying 150% of the theoretical protein requirement than that induced by ingestion of a corresponding amount of soya-bean meal. It was concluded that the increased biochemical potential of the lucerne-hay diet could be used advantageously only in presence of ample amounts of soluble carbohydrates. The digestibility of the carbohydrates contained in all four diets was examined by in vivo and in vitro methods. The digestibility of crude fibre in the lucerne-hay ration was somewhat raised by the addition of maize whereas the digestibility of crude fibre in the soya-bean meal ration was considerably depressed by the addition of maize.

The digestibility of the carbohydrates contained in all four diets was examined by in vivo and in vitro methods. The digestibility of crude fibre in the lucerne-hay ration was somewhat raised by the addition of maize whereas the digestibility of crude fibre in the soya-bean meal ration was considerably depressed by the addition of maize.
Effects of shifting and continuous cultivation of cassava (Manihot esculenta) intercropped with maize (Zea mays) on a forest alfisol in south-western Nigeria
Authors: Aweto A. O. , Obe O. , Ayanniyi O. O.
Published: March 2009

Soils in farmlands near Ibadan, Nigeria, where shifting or continuous cultivation of cassava intercropped with maize is practised, were sampled in February 1990 and their characteristics compared with those of similar, uncultivated, forest soil. Organic matter, total nitrogen, exchangeable calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium, cation exchange capacity and pH were lower in the cultivated soils. Continuous cultivation exerted a greater effect on soil organic matter, total nitrogen and available phosphorus status then did shifting cultivation. It is suggested that inorganic and organic fertilizers and mulch should be applied to cultivated soil to conserve the soil nutrients. Fallows of 3–6 years following 1–3 years of cropping appeared incapable alone of adequately restoring soil fertility. They should, therefore, be supplemented with fertilizer applications.
Effects of poultry manure and mineral fertilizers on the quality of crops
Authors: Pimpini F. , Giardini L. , Borin M. , Gianquinto G.
Published: March 2009

Poultry manure and mineral fertilizers at two rates of application (medium and high) and in different combinations, together with a non-fertilized control, were tested at the Experimental Station of the Agricultural University of Padova, Italy (45° 21′ N, 11° 58′ E) in 1985–89.

Compared to the control, all the fertilization treatments increased the incidence of larger-sized bulbs of onion and tubers of potato, improved the fruit colour of processing tomato and the raw protein content of spinach, but reduced the acidity and acids: soluble solids ratio of tomato and the dry matter content of spinach leaves.

In addition, the application of 140 kg/ha of N, 140 kg/ha of P2O5 and 100 kg/ha of K2O as mineral fertilizer or as poultry manure gave the best scores of processing suitability of potato, both for sticks and chips. All the fertilization formulae, except for 140 kg/ha of N, 140 kg/ha of P2O5 and 100 kg/ha of K2O as poultry manure alone, showed significant decreases in the extractable sucrose ratio in sugarbeet, compared with the control. In processing tomato, the best scores of suitability for paste transformation were obtained with mixed fertilization (1/3 poultry manure and 2/3 mineral fertilizers) applying 210 kg/ha of N, 210 kg/ha of P2O5 and 150 kg/ha of K2O and the plots receiving only mineral fertilizers produced fruits with less favourable values of pH and electrical conductivity compared to the poultry manured ones.
The effect of adding a compound feed to herbage, at the time of ensiling, on intake and milk yield
Authors: Wilman D. , Williams S. P. , Brigstocke T. D. A. , Baker D. H.
Published: March 2009

The idea that the addition of compound feed to grass at ensilage can result in adequate preservation of the crop without the need for an acid additive, and that less compound feed would then need to be given when the silage is subsequently fed, was tested with dairy cows. Two diets were compared: (1) a conventional grass silage, to which acid had been added at the time of ensiling, plus concentrates supplied at the time of feeding, and (2) grass silage, to which a compound feed had been added at the time of ensiling, plus a lower rate of concentrates. Each diet was fed to 12 lactating cows for 82 days.

The total intake of dry matter was 17·3 kg per cow per day on diet 1 and 18·3 kg on diet 2. Daily milk yields per cow were 24·5 and 26·1 kg, respectively, with similar milk composition. The estimated diet costs per kg of milk were 9·3 p on (1) and 8·3 p on (2). It is concluded that the addition of compound feed to grass at ensilage is worth considering on dairy farms as an alternative to conventional grass silage, but that a more comprehensive study is needed.
Feeding behaviour, feed intake, chemical and botanical composition of the diet of indigenous goats raised on natural vegetation in a semi-arid region of Zimbabwe
Authors: Nyamangara M. E. , Ndlovu L. R.
Published: March 2009

The feeding behaviour of indigenous goats grazing on natural vegetation in a semi-arid region of Zimbabwe was studied over five seasons covering a period of one year (March 1989 to March 1990). The goats were randomly allocated to two groups, A and B, which grazed for 8 h (08.00–16.00 h) and 5 h (11.00–16.00 h) daily, respectively. These grazing times were based on the current practices of smallholder farmers. The botanical and chemical composition of the diet was determined by analysing samples collected from oesophageal fistulated goats. Daily feed intake was estimated by the total faecal collection method. Feed selection varied markedly with season and was similar in both groups. From January to March (wet season) grass formed 55–70% of the forage consumed, while from May to early November (dry period) browse, herbs and fruits formed 77–91% of the diet. Dietary crude protein levels ranged from 128 to 157 g/kg over the seasons. Neutral detergent fibre content ranged from 590 to 790 g/kg, and was highest in wet months and lowest in dry months. Feed intake ranged from 33 to 60 g/kg BW0·75 or 16–28 g/kg of body weight. It appeared that a feeding duration of 5 h per day was adequate for maintenance but insufficient for optimum production.
Effects of single and repeated applications of chlormequat on early crop development, lodging resistance and yield of winter oats
Authors: Leitch M. H. , Hayes J. D.
Published: March 2009

The effects of single and repeated early applications of chlormequat (at up to and including Zadoks growth stage (GS) 32) on the growth and development of the winter oat cultivar Bulwark were investigated in two seasons of field experiments at Tenby, UK. Early dry matter production, shoot initiation and subsequent shoot survival were unaffected by all treatments. At maturity, reductions in stem length and lodging were best achieved by chlormequat applied at GS 32; this treatment shortened stems by an average of 24% in 1985/86 and 31% in 1986/87. Earlier applications were significantly less effective.

Grain yields were unaffected by single and repeated early applications of chlormequat. However, in both seasons, yields were significantly reduced by repeated treatments with chlormequat, including application at GS 32. Individual grain weight was the yield component principally affected.
Effect of rates and methods of urea-N application and presubmergence periods on ammonia volatilization losses from rice fields in a sodic soil
Authors: Kumar D. , Swarup A. , Kumar V.
Published: March 2009

In a field experiment with transplanted rice (Oryza sativa L.) during the wet season of 1990 at the Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal, India, the effects of four rates of N application (0, 80, 120 and 160 kg N/ha), two methods of urea application (before puddling, M,, and after puddling, M2) and two presubmergence periods (none, S0, and 1 week, S1,) were evaluated on ammonia volatilization losses in a sodic soil (pH 9·0, exchangeable sodium 29%). Cumulative ammonia volatilization losses were 1·43, 18·00, 22·54 and 28·29 kg/ha following applications of 0, 80, 120 and 160 kg N/a respectively; 17·08 and 18·01 kg/ha for treatments M1, and M2 respectively; and 18·63 and 16·34 kg/ha for treatments S0 and S1 respectively. Flood-water NH4+ and pH increased during days 1–4 and then there was a sharp decline on days 4–9, followed by a gradual decline. The highest flood-water NH4+ and pH values were found for the treatments which received urea at the rate of 160 kg N/ha, after puddling (M2) and with no presubmergence period (S0).
Effect of incorporating rolled barley in autumn-cut ryegrass silage on effluent production, silage fermentation and cattle performance
Authors: Jones D. I. H. , Jones R. , Moseley G.
Published: March 2009

Direct-cut silage was made in mid-October 1985 from established swards of predominantly hybrid ryegrass (Lolium perenne x Lolium multiflorum). The crop contained 161 g dry matter/kg and 94 g soluble carbohydrate/kg and was ensiled in bunker silos with (i) no additive (control), (ii), formic acid (5 litres/t) or (iii) addition of 45 kg rolled barley per tonne of grass in silo.

The inclusion of barley reduced effluent production to 27 litres/t of ensiled grass compared with 51 litres for the control and 60 litres for the formic acid treatment. Losses of DM in effluent were small but total in-silo DM loss was reduced from 25 % for the control to 11% by formic acid and to 13% by inclusion of barley.

DM content of the silage containing barley was 30 g/kg higher than that of the other silages. Silage treated with formic acid contained least ammonia-N, 6% of the total N, compared with 9% in the barley-added silage and 11% in the control. In vivo assessment in sheep gave metabolizable energy values of 98, 10·9 and 11middot;2 MJ/kg for the control, formic and barley silages, respectively; N retention was higher in the formic acid and barley-added silages.

The silages were fed ad libitum to beef cattle for 8 weeks, with a daily feed supplement to the control and formic acid groups to equate barley intakes. Silage DM intake was higher for the barley silage, daily live weight gain per animal was similar for the barley-added and formic acid silages (c. 1 kg), both being higher than the control (0·8 kg).

It was concluded that barley inclusion achieved similar improvements in silage quality, in-silo losses and cattle performance to formic acid treatment but with the additional benefit of markedly reducing effluent production.
Seed yield and yield stability of determinate and indeterminate autumn-sown white lupins (Lupinus albus) grown at different locations in France and the UK
Authors: Julier B. , Huyghe C. , Papineau J. , Milford G. F. J. , Day J. M. , Billot C. , Mangin P.
Published: March 2009

The seed yields and maturity dates of an indeterminate cultivar (Lunoble) and a determinate line (CH304/70) of Lupinus albus L. were measured at three locations in France (Lusignan, Dijon and Gotheron) and at Rothamsted, UK, in 1989/90 and 1990/91. Different combinations of sowing dates, plant densities and irrigation treatments were tested at some sites.

Averaged over all sites, CH304/70 yielded more than Lunoble (3·26 v. 2·98 t/ha) but there were significant genotype × location interactions for yield and date of maturity. Both genotypes gave similar yields at the three locations in France (3·13 and 3·06 t/ha, respectively). But under the cool and wet conditions at Rothamsted, CH304/70 yielded 4·26 t/ha compared with only 202 t/ha for Lunoble. Yields of CH304/70 were more stable than those of Lunoble across locations and years; the coefficients of variation about the overall means were 14 and 22%, respectively. CH304/70 ripened up to 16 days sooner than Lunoble in France, and 6 weeks earlier than Lunoble in the cooler conditions of the UK.

In wet growing conditions (Lusignan 1989/90, Rothamsted 1990/91) Lunoble had increased vegetative growth which decreased the proportion of yield produced by mainstem pods and correspondingly increased the proportion borne on second-order branches. This continued branching also delayed harvest, especially in the UK where the crop was not harvestable until early November. In these conditions, CH304/70 outyielded Lunoble at Lusignan (3·4 v. 2·7 t/ha) and at Rothamsted (4·3 v. 2·0 t/ha) and was harvested acceptably early in mid-September. However, under warm, dry conditions, Lunoble produced only one order of branches at Gotheron and two orders at Lusignan in 1990/91. At Gotheron, both genotypes matured at the same time but CH304/70 yielded slightly better (3·1 v. 2·8 t/ha) because it produced a higher proportion of its yield on the mainstem, whereas at Lusignan, Lunoble yielded better than CH304/70 (4·1 v. 3·4 t/ha) because of extra yield from pods on second-order branches.

CH304/70 produced seeds of larger mean size and had greater stability of seed size across years and locations than Lunoble did. This was apparently the result of CH304/70's determinate structure, in which c. 75–100% of the yield was from pods on the mainstem and first-order branches, whose seeds were larger and less variable in size than those from pods on higher-order branches of indeterminates.

The development of autumn-sown genotypes with a determinate structure that combine adequate yield and early harvest under cool conditions offers the prospect of extending the geographical range of lupins, grown for grain, both to the cool regions of northern Europe and to hotter and drier regions in southern Europe where summer drought limits the yield of conventional indeterminate types.
Growth, milk intake and behaviour of artificially reared sambar deer (Cervus unicolor)and red deer(Cervus elaphus) fawns
Authors: Semiadi G. , Barry T. N. , Muir P. D.
Published: March 2009

Sambar deer (n = 8) and red deer (n = 8) fawns were successfully artificially reared to 70 days of age, using ewe milk replacer, at Flock House Agricultural Centre, New Zealand, during 1991. Sambar deer fawns had a lower overall milk consumption than red deer fawns (312 v. 359 g DM/day; P < 0·05), and showed an earlier peak in milk consumption, a faster rate of decline and earlier self weaning. Birth weight as a proportion of dam liveweight was lower for sambar than for red deer, but liveweight gains to weaning (347 v. 330 g/day) and 70 day weaning weights (300 v. 30·4 kg) were similar. The age at which deer commenced a range of activities, including eating forage and ruminating, was similar for both species, except that jumping activities commenced 5 days later in sambar than in red deer (P < 0·01). Following milk feeding, sambar fawns were less active than red deer fawns. It was concluded that sambar deer fawns can be successfully artificially reared using ewe milk replacer, but that extra precautions are needed to avoid scouring and abomasal bloat, which were more prevalent in sambar than in red deer fawns.
Evaluation of the nutritive value of jackseed (Artocarpus heterophyllus) meal for poultry
Authors: Ravindran V. , Ravindran G. , Sivakanesan R.
Published: March 2009

The starchy seeds of jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllusLam.) contain 124 g crude protein and 740 g total carbohydrates per kg. The possible replacement value of jackseed meal (JSM) for maize in chick diets was evaluated in Peradeniya, Sri Lanka between 1986 and 1989. In Expt 1, the inclusion of 125 and 250 g raw JSM/kg diet severely depressed growth performance and increased mortality in chicks. Organ weights, relative to body weight, were also affected in chicks fed on diets containing 250 g raw JSM/kg diet. Subsequent analyses revealed lectins and trypsin inhibitors to be responsible for the toxic effects of raw JSM. Processing of JSM by moist-heat treatment completely destroyed these antinutritional factors. This was demonstrated by the results of Expt 2, where the feeding value of processed JSM was found to be comparable to that of maize up to 250 g/kg diet. Moist-heat treatment also improved thein vitroprotein digestibility (56·7v.84·2%) and apparent metabolizable energy (8·97v.13·72 MJ/kg) values of JSM. In Expt 3, the inclusion of 500 g processed JSM/kg diet resulted in reduced broiler performance and lowered the apparent dry matter digestibility and apparent energy utilization of the diets. The non-starch polysaccharide component of the JSM may have been responsible for these negative effects.
The effect of concentrate composition and method of silage feeding on intake and performance of lactating dairy cows
Authors: Phipps R. H. , Sutton J. D. , Weller R. F. , Bines J. A.
Published: March 2009

Ninety-nine lactating British Friesian cows, in their second and subsequent lactations, were divided into two groups receiving ad libitum grass silage. The cows in group A were offered silage individually through Calan Broadbent gates while those in group B were given 24 h/day access to a self-feed silage clamp. The crude protein (CP), acid-detergent fibre (ADF), neutral-detergent fibre (NDF), in vitro digestible organic matter and estimated metabolizable energy (ME) values in the D.M. of the silage were 140, 373, 584, 610g/kg D.M. and 9·7 MJ/kg D.M. respectively. The cows in each group received either 11kg/day fresh weight of concentrate S in which the principal energy source was cereal starch or 9 kg/day fresh weight of concentrate F containing mixed high quality fibre sources plus 2 kg/day fresh weight of concentrate S. The CP, ADF, NDF, starch and sugar concentrations in concentrates S and F were 203, 71, 204, 444, and 44 and 202, 147, 329, 116 and 149g/kg D.M., respectively.

The only significant difference produced by method of silage allocation was that groupfed cows gained more live weight (P < 0·01) than those fed individually.

Over the whole experimental period the mean silage D.M. intake of cows fed concentrate F in group A was 0–5 kg/day higher than those fed concentrate S. However, in early lactation the benefit to silage intake in favour of concentrate F was 1 kg D.M./day.

In group A estimated intakes derived from calculated ME inputs and outputs were markedly lower than the observed intakes, but were similar to correspondingly derived estimates for group B.

Although concentrate type did not affect milk yield, concentrate F was associated with a higher fat concentration and yield (P <0–05) but a lower protein concentration (P < 0·001) and a slightly lower yield.

The in vivo digestibility coefficients for D.M. and organic matter determined in lactating dairy cows given concentrates S and F respectively were similar (0·724 v. 0·716 and 0·749 v. 0·742) but that for ADF was significantly (P < 0·001) higher (0·565 v. 0·673) in the ration containing concentrate F than in that containing concentrate S.

Estimates of the mean efficiency of utilization of the production ME made on a weekly basis were unaffected by concentrate type.
Effect of DL-methionine supplementation on fleece growth by Australian cashmere goats
Authors: Ash A. J. , Norton B. W.
Published: March 2009

Australian feral goats have recently been found to produce commercially viable quantities of the luxury fibre cashmere (Smith, Clarke & Turner, 1973). Cashmere is the fine down produced by secondary follicles as an undercoat during winter. Fibre diameter ranges from 8 to 24 μm with a mean diameter of 16 μm. Unlike modern breeds of sheep such as the Merino which exhibit almost continuous wool growth, cashmere growth is distinctly seasonal with fibre growth commencing in summer (long daylength) and reaching a maximum length in early winter (short daylength) (McDonald, 1985). The cashmere is cast in spring with growth recommencing again in summer.
Effects of harvesting programme and sowing date on leaf growth in forage barley in Cyprus
Authors: Wilman D. , Droushiotis D. N.
Published: March 2009

All combinations of four harvesting treatments and two sowing dates were compared in each of 2 years in field experiments near Nicosia. In one of the years, two levels of applied nitrogen were compared. The harvesting treatments were: (1) a milk-stage cut, (2) a boot-stage cut and a regrowth cut, (3) a grazing-stage cut and a regrowth cut, and (4) three grazing-stage cuts and a regrowth cut. The sowing dates were (1) normal (12 November) and (2) early (15 October), with sufficient irrigation to ensure establishment.

Applied nitrogen had virtually no effect on leaf growth, evidently because of high reserves of available nitrogen in the soil. Early sowing increased the rates of leaf emergence, extension and expansion up to the time of the first ‘grazing’ cut (when the first node was showing) and reduced the number of leaves which died in that period. Where growth was uninterrupted to the milk stage, early sowing did not affect the number of leaves produced by a main stem or primary tiller, but increased the longevity of the later leaves. Where there were three ‘grazing’ cuts, early sowing allowed time for the production of more and larger leaf blades, with longer sheaths, between the third 'grazing’ cut and the final harvest.

The ‘grazing’ cuts considerably reduced the rates of extension and expansion and the final size of the leaves which emerged soon after a cut. There was good recovery subsequently, however, in rates of extension and expansion and final leaf size, particularly with October sowing.

During almost all the period of leaf production on a main stem or primary tiller, several leaves (up to six) were expanding at the same time. The stage, during the period between emergence and death, at which a leaf blade reached its full length was typically half-way between emergence and death. Where growth was uninterrupted, area per leaf blade was positively correlated with both the number of days between the emergence of successive leaves and the number of days between emergence and death.
Post-weaning growth performance, carcass characteristics and preliminary heritability estimates for some carcass traits of two types of Sudan Desert sheep on intensive feeding
Authors: Karim A. I. A. El , Owen J. B.
Published: March 2009

Twenty-five male Shugor, 25 female Shugor, 25 male Watish and 25 female Watish lambs, individually fed for 57 days, were used to study post-weaning growth performance and carcass composition of these breed types when subjected to a period of intensive feeding.

Means and standard error of means of daily gain on experiment were 191·0±5·81, 166·0±5·81, 150·0±5·81 and 134·0±5·81 g for Shugor males, Watish males, Shugor females and Watish females, respectively. The means and S.E. for feed conversion ratio (FCR) were 5·79±0·190, 7·30±0·190, 7·47±0·190 and 8·00±0·190 in the same order. Shugor and male lambs had better gain (P < 0·001) and FCR (P < 0·01)than Watish and female lambs respectively.

Shugor had heavier slaughter weight and cold carcass weight than Watish (P < 0·01). Males were superior to females in slaughter weight, carcass weight and dressing percentage (P < 0·01). No difference was detected in lean, fat or bone percentage between breed type or sex (P < 0·05). Males had larger muscle area (P < 0·001) than females. On the other hand, females had more percentage kidney knob and channel fat (P < 0·001) and thicker fat depth (P <0·01) than males. Shugor were superior (P < 0·01) in fat depth to Watish.

Percentage non-carcass components showed that females had more percentage omental and mesenteric fat (P < 0·001) and percentage full stomach (P < 0·01). Breed type and sex showed significant effect (P < 0·001) on percentage liver.

In linear measurements, Shugor had greater carcass length and femur length (P < 0·01). Males had bigger circumference of buttocks and chest depth (P < 0·001).

For carcass joints as a percentage of side weight, the only clear effect of breed type was on percentage loin (P < 0·05). Males had bigger percentage middle neck (P < 0·001) and shoulder and percentage scrag (P < 0·01) than females, whereas females had higher percentage loin and chump.

Heritability estimates of some carcass traits, admittedly based on limited numbers, ranged from 0·32 (S.E. 0·183) for leg to 0·18 (S.E. 0·180) for loin weights. Linear carcass measurements showed low heritability of around 0·10 (S.E. 0·160).
Testing the tuber deformation resistance of tetraploid and dihaploid potatoes
Authors: De Maine M. J.
Published: March 2009

Dihaploids obtained from two tetraploids showed variation in tuber deformation resistance using a pendulum test and there were significant differences between them when used as parents in 2x × 4x crosses. Their ranking by tetraploid progeny means was the same as by clonal performance.

However, whereas the pendulum test was useful for the rapid measurement of rheological properties of tubers, there was found to be no correlation of control cultivar rankings using this test with those obtained using the squeezing test or farm survey data.
Assessments of the resistance of potato cultivars and breeder's clones to external mechanical damage
Authors: Maine M. J. De , Caligari P. D. S.
Published: March 2009

Twenty potato cultivars and breeder's clones were subjected to tests of external damage susceptibility at two sites. At one site tubers were, as in usual agricultural practice, lifted by mechanical harvester, and damage indices were subsequently assigned to each clone. At the other site tubers were harvested by hand on two dates. Drop tests were carried out on this material after 1 week in store and also, in the case of the laterdug (maincrop) material, after 3 months.

Ranks based on damage indices were approximately as expected from previous cultivar assessments carried out by other workers. The mean drop test scores showed varying degrees of rank correlation with the damage indices. The highest correlation was with ranks obtained from the drop test on early-harvested material. It was concluded that this was because damage had been inflicted in both cases before skin curing had occurred.
Chick rearing X. Roughage and protein as dietary factors influencing coccidiosis in chicks, with notes on the limitation of sulphamezathine in the control of coccidiosis
Authors: Barton Mann T.
Published: March 2009

Caecal coccidiosis of rather more than usual severity has been found to develop in chicks folded on a stemmy type perennial rye grass pasture at Hanns Hall Farm this season.

Subsequent brooder house experiments have demonstrated that chicks receiving a diet relatively low in protein and fibre content and relatively high in starch content, as cereals, failed to develop coccidiosis when subjected to severe infestation by coccidial oocysts, while the chicks in the same brooder house on a diet containing more roughage developed acute coccidiosis, and other chicks in the same brooder house on a diet containing a relatively high proportion of protein developed chronic coccidiosis.

As these experiments have shown that coccidiosis occurs on diets designed to promote proliferation of anaerobic bacteria in the intestines, and, conversely, does not occur when chicks are fed a diet designed to depress the proliferation of undesirable bacteria in the intestines, it would appear that coccidiosis in chicks is a secondary complaint, the primary aetiological agents being bacteria which proliferate to excess in the presence of roughage or protein.

Attention is drawn to the occurrence of postcoccidial abscesses which may occur after apparent successful treatment with Sulphamezathine for the cure of coccidiosis.
Productive and adaptive trait differences of Simmental, Hereford and Africander × Hereford cattle
Authors: Burns B. M. , Vercoe J. E. , Holmes C. R.
Published: March 2009

Adaptive and productive traits were studied in three genotypes of cattle, Simmental (≥ 7/8 Simmental with residual Hereford) (S), Hereford (H) and F2et seq. Africander × Hereford (AH), selected from the 1985 and the 1986 branded steer groups (Years 1 and 2, respectively) fed low- and high-quality diets.

There were significant (P < 0·01) differences between years, breeds and diets for the two groups for live weights at the beginning and end of the feeding period, voluntary feed intake and fasting heat production. However, there was no breed × year interaction except in heat production per unit live weight because the AH had a higher heat production per kg than the H in Year 1 but lower in Year 2. Significantly lower values for feed intake (P < 0·01) and heat production (P <0·01) were recorded for S relative to AH and H when expressed on a live-weight basis; however, the ratio of intake to heat production was similar for all breeds.

The S breed had the heaviest birth weights and highest pre-weaning weight gains (P < 0·01) and the AH, despite having birth weights similar to that of the H, had higher pre-weaning live-weight gains (P < 0·01). There were significant (P < 0·01) breed differences for adaptive traits (except for the estimate of helminth resistance), with the AH being more tick- and heat-resistant and having sleeker coats than the other breeds.

There were no significant correlations between any adaptive trait and pre-weaning gain despite the fact that ticks, helminths and heat loads were evident.

This experiment shows that provided a low plane of nutrition is the only stress imposed on growing cattle, breeds such as the S will perform similarly to British breeds and may perform slightly better.
Post-weaning growth of Hereford and first-cross heifers grazing three pasture systems
Authors: Hearnshaw Helen , Darnell R. E. , Barlow R. , Finch Virginia
Published: March 2009

The post-weaning growth, frame size and body condition of Hereford (H × H), Brahman × Hereford (B × H), Simmental × Hereford (S × H) and Friesian × Hereford (F × H) heifers were evaluated on three pasture systems in each of five years. One group of heifers was grown from weaning (at 8 months of age) to 18 months on the high-pasture system, which included supplementation with grain, while the other two groups were grown to 30 months on pastures of medium or low quality. Pasture effects were large compared with differences between years, with average daily gains between weaning and 18 months of 552, 275 and 97 g/day on high, medium and low pastures, respectively. Genotype had a significant effect on all measurements. Pasture × genotype interaction was significant in most instances. While crosses grew faster and were heavier than H × H on all pastures, S × H were heaviest by 18 months on high pasture, with B × H heaviest at all ages up to 30 months on both medium and low pastures. There was little difference in live weight between B × H and F × H on high pasture, or between S × H and F × H on medium pasture, whereas F × H was heavier than S × H on low pasture. There were concomitant differences in measures of skeletal size, but when adjusted allometrically to a common live weight, pasture effects were removed, while differences between genotypes remained. At a common live weight F × H had the largest height, length and pelvic area, but shared the lowest body condition with S × H. Pelvic height was greatest among B × H heifers, but this cross had similar body length, condition and subcutaneous fat cover to H × H. The pattern of genotype × pasture interaction observed in this study was similar to that observed by Darnell, Hearnshaw & Barlow (1987) for growth rate among contemporary steers located in different environments.
Effects of foliar-applied sulphur and nitrogen on grain growth, grain sulphur and nitrogen concentrations and yield of winter wheat
Authors: Griffiths M. W. , Kettlewell P. S. , Hocking T. J.
Published: March 2009

Elemental sulphur (32 kg S/ha) and urea (30 kg N/ha) were applied to the foliage of different winter wheat cultivars, halfat flag leaf emergence and halfat ear emergence, in factorial experiments in 1986, 1987 and 1988. There were no clear visual symptoms of S deficiency, but there was evidence from soil analysis, grain S concentration and grain N:S ratio that the crops were marginally deficient in sulphur. Disease severity was generally negligible. Leaf senescence at the end of grain growth was delayed by sulphur in two of the three years, both with and without urea in 1987, but only with urea in 1988. Sulphur, both alone and mixed with urea, increased grain S concentration from early grain growth in 1986 and 1987, but not until the end of grain growth in 1988. Urea alone reduced yield in 1986 and 1987, but mixing S with the urea compensated for this phytotoxic effect. Yield was not significantly increased by S when compared with plots receiving neither urea nor S.
Prediction of the excretion of allantoin and total purine derivatives by sheep from the ‘creatinine coefficient’
Authors: Faichney G. J. , Welch R. J. , Brown G. H.
Published: March 2009

The urinary excretions of creatinine, allantoin and total purine derivatives by Merino ewes were compared with predictions based on the assumptions that creatinine excretion scaled to liveweight (the creatinine coefficient) was constant and was not affected by diet. The creatinine coefficient varied between individuals and was found to be affected by diet (P<0·01). As a result, there were systematic deviations (p<0·01) in the predictions of allantoin and total purine derivative excretion. If predictions of purine derivative excretion are to be made for individual animals in the absence of total urine collections, prior determination of individual creatinine coefficients is required and predictions may be confounded by diet effects on creatinine excretion. Predictions for groups on the basis of general relationships between the creatinine coefficient and liveweight may be subject to errors between diets of > 10%.
Assessments of visible mechanical damage to barley grain and its effect on seed germination and seedling vigour
Authors: Whytock Gillian P. , Powell Alison A.
Published: March 2009

Damage to barley grain cv. Golden Promise was induced in the laboratory by putting seed at 8·7, 14, 18, 22, 26 and 35% moisture content (MC) through a mechanical laboratory thresher for 10, 20 or 45 sec. The extent of visible external damage was greatest at 8·7 and 14% MC with reduced and similar levels of damage after handling at 18–35% MC. At moisture contents up to and including 26%, seeds could tolerate extensive mechanical damage with little effect on seed quality. Seed germination and seedling vigour were, however, reduced after handling at 35% MC despite similar levels of external damage to those seeds handled at 18, 22 and 26% MC. Samples of grain of cv. Triumph produced by whole-crop harvesting included mainly slightly damaged seeds with little effect of harvest moisture content, which ranged from 22·5 to 44%, on the incidence of damage. Seed germination and seedling vigour increased when seeds were harvested at progressively lower moisture contents, with the largest increase between 36% MC (56% germination, 6·1 vigour rating) and 29·5% MC (94% germination, 7·8 vigour rating). The seed quality of whole-crop harvested seed at 29% MC was similar to that of combined seed harvested at the same moisture content. It is suggested that 30 % is the maximum harvest moisture content at which commercially acceptable seed may be produced by the whole-crop harvesting method.
Effect of seed rate and row spacing on the performance of early and late maturing rice cultivars in mixed crop systems under intermediate deepwater conditions (15–50 cm)
Authors: Sharma A. R.
Published: March 2009

A field experiment was conducted in 1990 and 1991 under intermediate deepwater conditions (15–50 cm) at Cuttack, India with two rice cultivars - Banaprabha, a semi-tall (130 cm), short duration (95 days), upland cultivar and Gayatri, a photosensitive, semi-dwarf (100 cm), lowland cultivar of long duration (170 days). The cultivars were direct-sown either in pure stands using 400 seeds/m2 at 20 cm row spacing or in mixed stands composed of alternate rows sown with 200, 300 or 400 seeds/m2 each at 10, 15 or 20 cm inter-row spacing. Mixed-row cropping of Banaprabha and Gayatri produced 17–21% higher grain yield than a pure crop of Gayatri. Panicles/m2 increased with higher seed rate and decreased with wider row spacing but a reverse trend was observed in panicle weight. Maximum grain yield was obtained at a row spacing of 15 cm but the effect of varying seed rates at each row spacing was non-significant. Gayatri produced up to 82% of its pure crop yield and contributed up to 70% of the total yield in the mixed crop system. Therefore, the yield advantage under mixed cropping was due to the late maturing cultivar benefitting from the increased area available after the harvest of the early cultivar. A crop stand using 200–300 seeds/m2 of each cultivar at a 15 cm row spacing was found to achieve the optimum productivity from the mixed cropping system.
The Digestibility and Feeding Value of Dreg Meal
Authors: Watson S. J.
Published: March 2009

This material which is also known as distillery dregs, dried dreg or slummage is a by-product of the production of alcohol. In this process a mixture of coarsely ground cereals is used and, after fermentation, the liquid extract is drawn off leaving behind the distillers’ grains or draff.