bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The relationships between plasma glucose and insulin concentrations, and growth performance in German Pietrain and Large White porcine genotypes
Authors: Litten J. C. , Corson A. M. , Drury P. C. , Hall A. D. , Clarke L.
Published: June 2019

Insulin is a central regulatory factor in the control of nutrient partitioning during growth and development. It has been demonstrated that the rate of protein deposition is elevated in porcine muscle following insulin infusion (WrayCahen 1998), and that the degree of adiposity is positively associated with plasma insulin concentration (Wood et al., 1977; Polonsky 1995). The objective of the study was to examine the effect of plasma glucose and insulin concentrations on growth performance in two porcine genotypes.
Relationship between fish oil intake by dairy cows and the yield of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in their milk
Authors: Rymer C. , Dyer C. , Givens D.I. , Allison R.
Published: June 2019

The dietary essential fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are predominantly found in fish oil, but fish consumption in the UK is low. Increasing the yield of EPA and DHA in cows’ milk would increase human intakes of EPA and DHA, and this can be achieved by including fish oil in cows’ diets. However, because EPA and DHA are susceptible to rumen biohydrogenation, their transfer efficiency into milk is low.In vitroobservations by Gulatiet al. (1999) suggested that if the concentration of fish oil in the rumen exceeded 1 mg/ml, EPA and DHA were not hydrogenated. The objectives of this study were therefore to determine the relationships between fish oil intake by dairy cows, and the probable concentrations of fish oil in the cows’ rumen, with the yield of EPA and DHA in their milk.
Comparison of changes in peripheral plasma inhibin in relation to estrous cycle between cows and buffaloes
Authors: Mondal S. , Prakash B. S. , Palta P.
Published: June 2019

Lower reproductive efficiency of buffalo than that of cattle hampers efficient utilization of tropical buffaloes. Heat detection in buffaloes poses problem because overt signs in buffaloes are of less intense and of shorter duration than in cattle. Moreover, buffalo tends to exhibit overt signs during night or early morning and most farmers are ignorant of physical signs of estrus. Inhibin, a glycoprotein hormone produced by ovarian granulosa cells, suppresses production and / or secretion of FSH through negative feedback effect at pituitary level (Burger, 1992). There is no information available on comparison of peripheral plasma inhibin profiles in Sahiwal cows and Murrah buffaloes reared under identical feeding and management condition. The present study was, therefore, designed to compare inhibin profiles in Sahiwal cows and Murrah buffaloes reared under tropical condition.
Genetic Improvement of Beef Cattle – the Scientist
Authors: Pullar Duncan
Published: June 2019

For thousands of years, perhaps ever since the domestication of cattle, farmers have favoured, and therefore selected, certain animals above others in an attempt to create a population of beasts best suited to their needs. Over time the sophistication with which breeding cattle have been selected has improved as technology and understanding has developed. In Great Britain today the genetic improvement of cattle makes use of the three main methods available: breed substitution, crossbreeding and within-breed selection. This paper concentrates on the last of these but recognises the importance of the first two in commercial practice. For example there has been considerable substitution of native British beef breeds with continental breeds during the 1960s and 70s and there is continued use of crossbreeding on dairy cows and in suckler beef production. Within breed selection and performance recording is valuable for the continued improvement of pedigree beef cattle and as a means for commercial producers to select suitable herd sires.
Responses to ACTH challenge of previously stall-housed sows, housed in groups with free-access stalls
Authors: Boyle L.A. , Tergny A. , Lynch P.B.
Published: June 2019

There is some concern among Irish producers converting from stall to loose housing for pregnant sows that sows will be unable to adapt to these systems having spent several parities in stalls. The objective of the 2 experiments referred to in the current paper was to assess the welfare of sows previously housed in stalls when changed to group housing. In the 1st experiment housing constraints meant that it was not possible to measure sow welfare in the loose housing treatment for more than one month. With the advent of additional loose pens it was decided to conduct a second experiment whereby sow welfare was measured up to the end of the gestation-housing period. The current paper presents the findings from both experiments on responses of sows to an ACTH challenge at different stages.
Treatment with Gonadotrophin Releasing Hormone increases male-male mounting behaviour in 8-week-old beef bull calves
Authors: Madgwick S. , Beard A. P. , Bartlewski P.M. , Barrett D. , Huchkowsky S. , Rawlings N. C.
Published: June 2019

Gonadotrophin Releasing Hormone (GnRH) is secreted in a pulsatile manner by the hypothalamus. GnRH is the major hormone controlling the pituitary-testicular axis and therefore influences aggressive and sexual behaviour in bulls. In 6 to 10 week old bull calves an increase in GnRH pulse frequency is responsible for a short-lived rise in circulating levels of LH. It has been shown that bulls with a higher rise in LH attain puberty at younger ages and have comparatively enhanced semen quality once they mature (Evans et al., 1995). Furthermore testicular growth has been enhanced in calves with a premature increase in LH brought about by GnRH treatment (Chandolia et al., 1997). This experiment tests the hypothesis that bull calves with increased GnRH pulsatility engage in more male-male mounting behaviour during this early period while the pattern of hormone secretion is becoming established. Studying this behaviour may give an indication of reproductive potential from as early as 8 weeks of age.
The effect on litter performance at birth of feeding gilts fermented liquid feed (FLF), non-fermented liquid feed (NFLF) or dry feed (DF) for 14 days pre-farrowing
Authors: Tsourgiannis C.A. , Demečková V. , Eddison J. , Brooks P.H.
Published: June 2019

Feeding and management during gestation focuses on preparing the sow for parturition and lactation. Despite improvements in husbandry in recent years, mortality remains around 10% and may be increasing (Herpin et al., (1993). Cole, (1990) found that foetal growth rate in the last trimester of pregnancy increases dramatically compared with early and mid-gestation and Cromwell et al., (1989) reported that a 75% increase in feed intake during the last 23 days of gestation increased reproductive performance and also increased birth weight of piglets (1.48 vs. 1.44, P < 0.003). Results from previous studies have also shown that an increase in feed intake from 2.3 kg to 3.9 kg per day can reduce sow backfat loss during the reproductive cycle and increases reproductive life (Miller et al., 2000). The study reported here investigated the influence of three different diet forms fed to gestating gilts for 14 days pre-farrowing, on litter characteristics at birth.
Extensive finishing of weaned suckled heifers sired by Aberdeen-Angus or Charolais bulls from autumn-calving continental cross cows
Authors: Chapple D.G. , Wheeler K.P.A. , Hyslop J.J.
Published: June 2019

Suckled calf production is the only financially viable cattle enterprise for the hills and uplands. The use of continental cross cows derived from the dairy herd has increased dramatically, in pursuit of faster-growing, higher-value progeny, and as a strategy to compensate for the adverse effect of the Holstein on carcass conformation. Continental sires are normally used on these types of suckler cows but the traditional Aberdeen-Angus sire is now selling at a premium and might be better suited for upland production. Previous ADAS trials have shown the potential of continental cross cows to increase calf growth rates in a hill environment (Keatinge et al., 1994), and to improve carcass quality when the progeny are finished intensively (Chapple et al., 1995). The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the performance of weaned heifers finished extensively at 22-24 months of age.
Prediction of in vivo organic matter apparent digestibility of grass silage by means of the gas production technique
Authors: Garcia-Rodriguez A. , Igarzabal A. , Oregui L. M. , Flores G.
Published: June 2019

In the Basque country and Galicia conditions, forage is usually conserved as silage, which accounts for a great part of cows winter rations. Robust techniques that predict the quality of forages for developing improved feeding strategies and screening of large number of forage samples are needed. In this sense, the gas production technique has proved to be of great interest when considering hays (Khazaal et al., 1995) and grass (Chenost et al., 2001), but information concerning grass silage in vivo data and gas production parameters is scarce. Therefore, the objective of this work is to try to assess in vivo grass silage apparent digestibility by means of gas production parameters.
The prediction of in vivo methane production and animal performance from the in vitro gas production technique
Authors: Bortolozzo A. , Lovett D. K. , Lovell S. , Stack L. , O’Mara F. P.
Published: June 2019

The in vivo determination of methane (CH4) production requires specialist equipment which is costly to maintain. Whilst the in vitro gas production technique has been demonstrated to show potential to rank diets for their methanongenic potential at maintenance planes of nutrition (Moss and Givens, 1997) no study has investigated this relationship when feedstuffs are fed ad libitum. The objective of this study was to assess the ability of the technique to predict in vivo CH4 production and animal performance from six diets differing in their chemical composition.
Voluntary feed intake, apparent digestibilities and nutritive values in ponies given ad libitum access to complete pelleted diets made from wheat straw and unmolassed sugar beet pulp
Authors: Hyslop J. J.
Published: June 2019

Although overall intake figures were high, critical levels (~400 g/kg DM) of unmolassed sugar beet pulp (USBP) inclusion suppressed dry matter intake (DMI) in ponies by up to 35% when included in complete pelleted diets made with dried grass (Hyslop, 2002). Dulphy et al (1997) have concluded that horses consume straw-based forages at lower levels than grass or legume-based forages. Given this observation with straw based diets, the objective of this study was to examine DMI, in vivo apparent digestibilities and nutritive values in ponies offered pelleted complete diets made from ground wheat straw and containing USBP at inclusion levels between 400 – 800 g/kg DM.
Effect of dual feeding program and heat stress on broiler performance
Authors: Zadeh H. Hossain , Tahmasbi A. M. , Moghadam Gh. , Alijani S.
Published: June 2019

Heat stress is a major concern of the broiler industry due to the resulting decreased growth, feed intake and increased FCR ratio and mortality (Cooper and Washburn, 1998). Heat exposed birds decrees feed intake in order to reduce metabolic heat production and maintain hometheremy, resulting in slower growth. Genetic variation in responses to heat stress has been shown to exist between breeds (Yalcin, et al., 1997). The dual feeding program may have transitory effects on heat production during the heat stress (De Basilio et al., 2001). The aim of this research was to evaluate the response of broiler performance when a two different type of diet were offered during the heat stress.
Intake and apparent digestibility of Leucaena leucocephala for Santa Inês sheep diet
Authors: Longo C. , de A. Oliveira A. A. M. , Gobbo S. P. , Bueno I. C. S. , Abdalla A. L.
Published: June 2019

The use of leguminous forages is an alternative of protein supplementation in animal diets. Leucaena leucocephala (leucaena) is lifelong leguminous forage that can be directly grazed or harvested, offered fresh, hay or silage to animals. Many leguminous show anti-nutritional factors that may reduce the use of these plants in animal diets. Condensed tannin (CT) is one common anti-nutritional factor present in the leucaena. The objective of this work was to evaluate the use of Leucaena leucocephala in Santa Inês sheep diets on intake and digestibility parameters.
The cholesterol level in m.longissimus dorsi of pigs according to the type of cross and different body weight at slaughter
Authors: Paściak P. , Migdał W. , Wojtysiak D.
Published: June 2019

Consumers want meat with low levels of fat and cholesterol. The fatty acid and cholesterol content of pork could be influenced by nutritional and genetic factors, and cholesterol content can also be affected by slaughter weight (Barowicz and Pietras, 1988). This study therefore examined the cholesterol content of pork from three commercial pig breed crosses slaughtered at three live weights.
Knowledge transfer and dissemination: insights from the dairy sector in the UK and India
Authors: Garforth C.J.
Published: June 2019

‘Knowledge transfer’ and ‘uptake’ are high on the agenda of government departments and research institutes. In the U.K., the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is concerned that new knowledge generated by publicly funded research is not being taken up by the industry and has funded a series of knowledge transfer initiatives. On the international front, the Department for International Development (DFID) is pressing managers of its various research programmes to demonstrate that the outputs of research are being used by farmers in developing countries and are having an impact on their livelihoods. International institutes are increasing the proportion of their resources devoted to technology transfer and dissemination programmes. These concerns and initiatives raise important conceptual, institutional and methodological issues.
Enhancing the selenium content of food products from animals
Authors: Cottrill B. R. , Givens D. I.
Published: June 2019

Selenium (Se) was first recognised as an essential nutrient in 1957. Subsequent research has shown that Se, in the form of selenocysteine, is incorporated into a range of selenoproteins in the body, which are crucial to human and animal health. The best known of these is glutathione peroxidase (GPx), which is involved in protecting cell membranes from oxidative damage by free radicals. Other selenoproteins are essential in the functioning of the immune system, in thyroid hormone metabolism and in reproduction.
Organic livestock production in the hills and uplands
Authors: Keatinge R.
Published: June 2019

Extensively managed grassland (predominantly hill and upland) represents three quarters of the total land area converted to organic production in the UK. This has occurred because of the availability of conversion aid payments, the downturn in conventional lamb prices towards the end of the 1990’s, and a perception that hill and upland farming is already part way towards organic. Organic farming is further encouraged through the Hill Farming Allowance (HFA) scheme, which provides a 10% enhancement for organic production.
The Industry, European and Global aspects
Authors: Rana Krishen , Jauncey Kim
Published: June 2019

Aquaculture, the farming of aquatic organisms, is amongst the few animal food production sectors that has continued to show strong growth over the last 30 years and over the last decade achieved a annual increase of 7.5% compared with 2.5% for meat production. This blue revolution perhaps marks the last phase in animal domestication and the prognosis for sustainable growth of the global sector is good. In 2000 around 45.7 million tonnes of aquatic produce valued at US$ 56.5 billion was produced.
Genome scan to detect quantitative trait loci for economically important traits in Holstein cattle using a dense SNP map
Authors: Daetwyler H.D. , Schenkel F.S. , Sargolzaei M. , Robinson J.A.B.
Published: June 2019

Quantitative trait loci (QTL) are chromosome regions which are significantly associated with the expression of a phenotypic trait in a particular population. Detection of a QTL is carried out using association with a genetic marker, such as a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), which is in linkage disequilibrium (LD) with the QTL. The two main categories of association studies are linkage analyses (LA), which consider LD within families and linkage disequilibrium methods, which make use of LD across an entire population. The recent reduction in genotyping costs has allowed for testing individuals for a large number of SNP. This substantial increase in genotypic data has lead to denser marker distributions on the bovine genome thus potentially increasing the power of QTL detection studies. The objective of this study was to scan the bovine genome to detect QTL for 305 day lactation milk yield (MY), 305 day lactation fat yield (FY), 305 day lactation protein yield (PY), herd life (HL), somatic cell score (SCS), interval from calving to first service in cows (CTFS) and age at first service in heifers (AFS). HL is a measure of longevity measured in the number of lactations a cow stays in the herd. SCS refers to the amount of somatic cells a cow has in her milk and is an important indicator trait for mastitis. CTFS is the period from parturition to first insemination in days and AFS is the age in days at which a heifer was artificially inseminated for the first time. Fertility traits, such as CTFS and AFS, are indicators of reproductive efficiency.
Effect of dietary source of very long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on their concentrations in the edible tissues of the chicken
Authors: Gibbs R.A. , Rymer C. , Givens D.I.
Published: June 2019

The benefits to human health from consuming the very long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLC n-3 PUFA) 20:5 (EPA) and 22:6 (DHA) are well known. In the human diet, oil-rich fish is a key source of VLC n-3 PUFA but fish consumption is so low that VLC n-3 PUFA intake is well below the minimum recommended. Other vehicles for increasing dietary supply have been explored and chicken meat is a potentially important contributor to human intakes if it is enriched with VLC n-3 PUFA, as it is responsive to dietary manipulation and is widely consumed. Enrichment of chicken meat can be achieved by supplementing the diets of growing birds with fish oil. However, reliance upon fish oil for this purpose is potentially unsustainable and the meat that is produced is more susceptible to constraints associated with its oxidative stability and organoleptic properties. Alternative sources of these fatty acids include marine algae (the primary producers of VLC n-3 PUFA) and fish oil encapsulated in a gelatin capsule. Both of these alternatives may increase the VLC n-3 PUFA content of the meat and also enhance its oxidative stability compared with meat that has been enriched by the inclusion of fish oil in the broiler diet. The objective of this study was to compare different sources of VLC n-3 PUFA in the broiler diet in relation to their effects on EPA and DHA concentration of the white and dark meat of the chicken.
Prevention of forelimb lameness and splint formation in young sport horses: A preliminary study and comparison of two pasture management systems
Authors: Murphy Jack
Published: June 2019

Good conformation and inherent soundness are major prerequisites in the performance horse (Holmstrom & Drevemo, 1997). One of the most common conformational faults associated with the equine forelimb is splint formation. Particularly in the case of young horses (<5 years old), the formation of splints along the medial and lateral aspects of the cannon bone (3rd metacarpal) is often a cause of lameness. The splint bones are the smaller 2nd (inner or medial) and 4th (outer or lateral) metacarpal bones that rest along-side the cannon bone and the inner splint bone tends to be more frequently affected. Several conditions/activities such as inappropriate nutrition, hard ground, direct trauma as in the opposing hoof hitting the inside splint bone of the opposite leg and poor conformation (off-set knees) create an increased risk of splint formation. Pasture management is an important feature of horse production and growing horses spend much of the year at grass. While at pasture, overly excessive play and motor activity (slipping, falling and jumping) might also induce splint formation and lameness. Splints generally result from inflammation of the ligament that knits the splint and cannon bones together leading to inflammation of the periosteum (periostitis) and new bone formation at the damage site. In cases where substantial blunt trauma occurs, it may also involve the cannon bone and the occurrence of single or multiple swellings. Newly formed splints can cause degrees of lameness of the affected limb, but rest is usually sufficient to overcome the damage. The objective of this study was to compare two different grassland husbandry systems for rearing young sport horses with regard to the prevention of occasional lameness and splint formation in the yearling while at summer pasture.
Insulin, metabolites and fatty acids concentrations in blood plasma of horses offered linseed oil in the concentrate
Authors: Istasse L. , Delobel A. , Dotreppe O. , Hornick J.L.
Published: June 2019

The most striking effect of effort in horses is an increase in energy requirements covered mainly by intakes of large amounts of cereals. Cereals are high in starch, an easily available carbohydrate. High starch feeding is a well known risk factor for the development of intestinal disorders and injuries such as laminites (Clarke et al., 1990). The use of oil in horses diets is an alternative to reduce cereals incorporation. Corn oil, soja oil or coconut oil are often incorporated owing to their good palatability. The aim of the present work was to propose linseed oil as an alternative for fat supplementation in horses rations.
The effect of absence of protozoa on methane emissions by lambs
Authors: Yanez-Ruiz D.R. , Hart K.J. , Belanche A. , Martin-Garcia A.I. , Newbold C.J.
Published: June 2019

Livestock are one of the largest single sources of methane emission, equivalent to 15-20 % of total anthropogenic methane. Selective suppression of the rumen protozoa has been suggested to be promising approach to reduce methane release (Moss et al., 2000) as up to 25 % of the methanogens in the rumen are associated with protozoa (Newbold et al., 1995). However, contradictory results have been reported between in vitro and in vivo data and short and long term defaunation experiments (Ranilla et al., 2003). This study was carried out to investigate the effect of the absence of protozoa in the rumen on enteric methane production by lambs.
Body condition score and reproductive performance in dairy cows in Greece
Authors: Oikonomou G. , Arsenos G. , Valergakis G.E. , Tsiaras A. , Banos G.
Published: June 2019

Various studies in dairy cows have shown that their Body Condition Score (BCS) effectively reflects their nutritional status and energy content (Ferguson et al. 1994). Extremes in BCS and BCS losses have been identified as a risk factor for health problems and reduced reproductive efficiency (Markusfeld et al. 1997, Lopez-Gatius et al. 2003). Body condition scoring is easy and inexpensive to perform and gives a reliable estimate of body energy reserves. Hence, in practice, BCS can be used as a tool for ration formulation and management decisions concerning reproduction of dairy cows (Banos et al. 2004). The objective of this study was to determine and quantify the impact of BCS in the reproductive performance of primiparous Holstein cows.
Combining direct and correlated traits into an aggregate index for dairy cattle fertility
Authors: Biffani Stefano , Canavesi Fabiola , Marusi Maurizio
Published: June 2019

In January 2006, ANAFI (Italian Holstein Breeders Association) introduced a genetic evaluation for fertility based on a multiple-trait animal model (Biffani et al., 2005), which included the following traits: days from calving to first insemination (DTFS), calving interval (CI), first-service non return rate to 56 d (NR56), angularity (ANG) and mature equivalent milk yield at 305 d (ME305). Breeding values have been subsequently combined in an aggregate index (T), with the breeding goal to increase conception rate (CR). This paper will show how the breeding values have been combined into an aggregate index. At the same time the efficiency of selecting on alternative aggregate indexes versus the official aggregate index is presented.
Genetic analyses of piglet survival and individual birth weight on first generation data of a selection experiment for piglet survival under outdoor conditions
Authors: Roehe R. , Shrestha N. P. , Mekkawy W. , Knap P. W. , Smurthwaite K. M. , Jarvis S. , Lawrence A. B. , Edwards S. A.
Published: June 2019

Peri- and postnatal mortality of piglets is reported to be around 20% and genetic improvement in piglet survival has great potential benefits in terms of animal welfare, economics and the environment. The indication of an unfavourable genetic correlation between litter size and survival in particular points to the importance of including piglet survival in those pig breeding programmes that currently only aim to increase litter size. Phenotypically, individual birth weight is closely associated with piglet survival (Roehe and Kalm, 2000). Genetic parameters for piglet survival traits and individual birth weight therefore need to be estimated in order to genetically improve piglet survival efficiency
Effects of rearing environment, zinc oxide and butyrate upon gut structure in the newly weaned pig
Authors: Carroll S M , Slade R D , Reynolds F. H. , White K S , Miller H. M.
Published: June 2019

Outdoor reared pigs are said to suffer from less of a growth check post weaning than their indoor reared counterparts, Payne et.al (2003). Zinc oxide (ZnO) is often used to reduce the incidence of post weaning scours and the use of sodium butyrate as an additive in weaner pig diets has been shown to improve some aspects of small intestine structure (Miller et.al, 2006). The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the effects of butyrate supplemented weaner diets with or without a ZnO background (3.1 or 0g/kg ZnO) upon gut structure immediately post weaning in both indoor and outdoor reared pigs. We hypothesised that piglets reared outside would have a more developed gut than indoor reared pigs when weaned at 4 weeks and that the presence of ZnO and butyrate would further enhance gut development.
Both outdoor and indoor reared piglets respond to antimicrobial supplementation in post-weaning diets regardless of weaning age
Authors: Miller H.M. , Carroll S.M. , Reynolds FH , Slade RD , Toplis P.
Published: June 2019

Outdoor piglets are reported to eat more readily post-weaning than indoor pigs and show improved post weaning performance (Cox and Cooper, 2001). They are therefore likely to be less reliant on the inclusion of antimicrobial agents in the diet post weaning to enhance performance. Similarly piglets which are older at weaning should also be more resilient and less likely to benefit from antimicrobial agents in the feed. In this experiment we compared piglets reared indoors with those reared outdoors at two different weaning ages to determine whether performance was less dependent on dietary antimicrobial additives in the outdoor-reared older pig.
AGEWEAN – The effect of weaning age on sow performance over four parities
Authors: Edge H.L. , Breuer K. , Hillman K. , Morgan C.A. , Stewart A. , Strachan W.D. , Taylor L. , Theobald C.M. , Edwards S.A.
Published: June 2019

Weaning pigs from the sow at an older age, when their digestive systems are more mature, has been suggested as an approach to reduce the potentially negative effect of the in-feed antibiotic growth promoter (AGP) ban on the national pig herd. Whilst this approach has been shown to improve feed intake and piglet growth rate during the early postweaning period (Edge et al. 2006) it is also important to consider how changes in weaning age may influence sow productivity and longevity in the herd. The AGEWEAN programme of research followed 570 gilts whose piglets were weaned at either 4, 6 or 8 weeks of age through four successive parities; reproductive performance, litter data and the timing and reasons for any sow being culled from the herd were recorded.
Development of a model to investigate the interaction between host nutrition, genotype and gastro-intestinal parasitism in lambs
Authors: Vagenas D. , Bishop SC , Kyriazakis I
Published: June 2019

Gastrointestinal parasitism in lambs is usually manifested as a sub-clinical infection and causes significant losses in performance. Its control through the use of chemoprophylaxis is no longer sustainable due to the development of parasitic resistance to anthelminthics, but also due to environmental and consumer concerns. There is thus an urgent need to develop alternative, sustainable methods of controlling gastrointestinal parasitism. These include dietary supplementation of host with protein. The aim here is to develop a mathematical simulation model for the description of the joint effects of nutrition and host performance genotype on the outcome of sub-clinical challenge by gastrointestinal parasitism for growing lambs.
How does host nutrition affect the development of a microparasitic infection?
Authors: Brindle W.M. , Emmans G.C. , Kyriazakis I.
Published: June 2019

Models that predict phenotypic responses from the interaction between genotypic descriptors and the environment are desirable both in the context of both animal production systems and evolutionary ecology. Nutrient availability is often related to the ability of a host to control an invading parasitic population and mounting an immune response is often associated with a nutritional cost. This cost is shown by the peripartuient break down of immunity (Houdijk et al., 2003) and reports of negative correlations between production and resistance traits (Rauw et al., 1998). The aim was to develop a model which is able to make predictions relating to the effects of resource allocation as determined by nutrition and genotype, on the course of microparasitic infection in farm animal hosts.
Interactive effects of selection for growth and protein supply on the consequences of gastrointestinal parasitism on growth performance in mice
Authors: Houdijk J.G.M. , Bünger L.
Published: June 2019

The consequence of sub-clinical gastrointestinal parasitism in farm animals, i.e. reduced food intake and growth, is often more pronounced in breeds with a high production potential compared with breeds with a low one (Houdijk et al., 2001). It cannot be excluded that such differences in disease resistance may arise from between-breed differences in genetic resistance to parasites rather than production potential per se, as within-breed selected farm animals with sufficiently different production potentials are not readily available. However, appropriately selected mouse lines are available (Bünger et al., 2001) to explore the hypothesis that selection for growth may reduce the animal’s capacity to cope with pathogens. We have recently shown in mice divergently selected for growth potential that in some lines, the absolute penalty of sub-clinical parasitism on high growth mice was higher than in their low growth counterparts (Houdijk and Bünger, 2006). Here, we test the hypothesis that this penalty on growth in one of these lines can be reduced through increased protein supply.
The effectiveness of copper oxide wire particles as an anthelmintic in purebred Suffolk lambs exposed to a natural nematode challenge post weaning
Authors: Good B. , Hanrahan J.P.
Published: June 2019

Resistance to nematode parasites of sheep to broad spectrum anthelmintics is one of the main drivers in research on alternative solutions for parasite control. Previous work has shown clear differences between the Suffolk and Texel breeds in susceptibility to gastrointestinal nematode infection (Hanrahan & Crowley, 1999; Good, Hanrahan et al., 2006). The Suffolk being more susceptible to such parasitic infections has implications in the Irish industry where it plays a dominant role as both as a terminal sire and in the genetic makeup of the ewe population. Previous work has shown some beneficial anthelmintic effects following the administration of copper oxide wire particles (Bang, Familton et al., 2000; Knox, 2002). The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of copper oxide wire particles (COWP) as an anthelmintic for lambs that were exposed to a natural nematode challenge postweaning.
A comparison of sole lesion development for Norwegian dairy cattle and Holstein Friesian dairy cattle on three different systems in lactation 1 and 2
Authors: Baird L.G. , O’Connell N.E. , McCoy M.A.
Published: June 2019

Sole lesions and lameness are significant problems for dairy cow production and welfare. Producers are increasingly incorporating non-Holstein genetics into the make-up of dairy herds for a number of reasons, particularly to promote improved fertility and health. However, much of the evidence that alternative breeds improve hoof health characteristics is anecdotal. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of Holstein Friesian (HF) and Norwegian dairy cattle (N) genotypes on lameness parameters in dairy cattle within different production systems.
Effect of selenium supplementation on the performance of ewes from hill sheep systems
Authors: Muñoz C. , Carson AF , McCoy MA , Dawson LER , Irwin D.
Published: June 2019

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace mineral that when deficient, has been associated with increased disease evidence in sheep. Selenium deficient areas are widespread in UK and Ireland affecting, soils, forages and consequently livestock. Se supplementation of ewes throughout pregnancy has been reported to reduce peri-natal lamb mortality and improve lamb growth rates (Muñoz et al., 2005). The aim of this trial was to evaluate the effect of long term Se supplementation of adult ewes within a range of hill sheep systems.
The effects of forage maize and wheat and triticale whole crop silages on the performance of lactating dairy cows
Authors: Patterson D. C. , Kilpatrick D. J.
Published: June 2019

Pattersonet al. (2004, 2005) obtained positive intake and milk production responses to the inclusion of maize silage in grass silage-based diets under Northern Ireland conditions. However, fermented whole crop and high dry matter (DM) milled urea/urease-treated whole crop wheats both increased forage intake, but had no significant effect on milk production. The aim of the present study was to further investigate the milk production potential of milled high DM whole crop wheat, in both urea-treated and ‘fermented’ forms, and fermented triticale whole crop, as a partial replacement for grass silage.
Genetic variability in beta-lactoglobulin, calpastain and calpain loci in Kurdi sheep
Authors: Nassiry Mohammad Reza , Eftekhari Shahroudi Feridoun , Javadmanesh Ali
Published: June 2019

DNA-based molecular methods have made possible genotyping of animals of any age and sex for milk and meat genes, thus providing a potentially more efficient and flexible selection tool. Among specific genes that may affect economically important traits in sheep, the Beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) locus has been extensively studied [Barillet et al., 2005]. The genotype BB of BLG seems to be associated with higher milk yield; on the other hand genotypes AA and AB seem to be superior in protein and casein content and crude yield [Garzon et al., 1992]. Another genes intensively investigated in farm animal are that of calpastatin (CAST) and calpain (CAPN). Calpastatin and calpain (CAPN) deserves special attention because of their major role in meat production. The calpain-calpastatin system (CCS) comprises a family of calcium dependent neutral proteases. The CAPNs have been shown to play the major role in post mortem tenderization in beef, lamb, and pork by degrading specific muscle structural proteins. The aim of the present study was to identify genotypes of BLG, CAST and CAPN genes in Kurdi sheep breed by PCR.
Effect of organic zinc and selenium on dairy cow productivity and fertility
Authors: Macrae A. I. , Hodgson-Jones L. , Aitchison K. , Burton S , Lawson D. , Wilde D.
Published: June 2019

Major changes have been occurring over the last 20 years in the UK dairy industry, with improvements in cow genetics and nutritional management resulting in a doubling of average milk yields to 6,750 litres/cow/year by 2004 (DEFRA, 2005). The same period has resulted in a decline of dairy cow fertility parameters with recent studies having identified a 1% fall in conception rates per annum (Royal et al., 2000). The role of organic forms of trace minerals has been examined in ruminant diets with particular regard to their role in immune function (Spears, 2000). The aim of the study was to examine the effect of feeding an organic source of zinc (Bioplex Zinc™, Alltech Inc. USA) and selenium yeast (Sel-Plex™, Alltech Inc. USA) to high yielding Holstein dairy cows on production and reproductive performance.
Effect of first 60-day cumulative milk yield on days open in Holstein dairy cows in Iran
Authors: Heravi Moussavi A. , Danesh Mesgaran M. , Vafa T.
Published: June 2019

Reproduction and milk production are the principal factors that are influencing dairy farm profitability. The dairy industry in Iran has changed dramatically in the last decade. The shift toward more productive cows and larger herds in Iran is associated with a decrease reproductive efficiency (Heravi Moussavi et al., 2004). Increased knowledge about the principal causes of reduced fertility is essential. The root cause of the declining fertility is probably a combination of a variety of physiological and management factors that have an additive effect on reproductive efficiency. Dairy cattle are inseminated and pregnancy is established while dairy cows are lactating. Based on the analyses of large datasets, there is clearly an antagonistic relationship between milk production and reproduction in dairy cattle (Lucy, 2001). It was shown that the hazard ratio for cumulative first 60-day milk yield and conception in high producer cows was 8 percent less than the others and also high milk yield was a risk factor for several reproductive disorders (Grohn and Rajala-Schultz, 2000). The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of first 60-day cumulative milk yield on days open in Iranian Holstein dairy cows.
Effect of level of fish oil in the diet on flow of fatty acids to the small intestine in steers
Authors: Kim E. J. , Wood J. D. , Richardson I. , Huws S. A. , Scollan N. D.
Published: June 2019

Previous studies have shown that including fish oil (FO) in the diet of beef cattle resulted in increased long chain C20n-3 PUFA (C20:5n-3 and C22:6n-3) in muscle resulting in a lower n-6:n-3 ratio (Scollan et al., 2005). Fish oil is considered to be a good inhibitor of biohydrogenation in the rumen, resulting in increased production of C18:1 trans-11 (Vaccenic acid), the precursor for conjugated linoleic acid (CLA cis-9, trans-11) in muscle. This study investigated the effects of incremental levels of FO in the diet on fatty acid metabolism in the rumen.
A missense mutation in the bovine leptin gene in Iranian Taleshi cattle
Authors: Nassiry Mohammad Reza , Heravi Moussavi Alireza , Javadmanesh Ali , Foroutani Far Saheb , Pourseifi Reza
Published: June 2019

Candidate gene approaches facilitate discovering and localizing causative genes for quantitative traits and polymorphisms within selected candidate genes can be tested for association with variationin the quantitative trait (Campbell et al., 2003). Leptin is a 16-kDa protein that is synthesized and secreted predominantly by white adipocytes tissue and its expression is regulated by body fatness and energy balance. Leptin gene expressed in a variety of tissues including adipose tissue, placenta, mammary glands, skeletal muscles, gastric mucosa, brain and pituitary glands. In cattle, the leptin gene is located on chromosome 4 and consists of three exons. Several studies shown the association between polymorphism at the leptin gene and feed intake, energy balance, fertility and immune functions. It has been shown that leptin gene influences milk performance in cattle and reproduction in beef cattle(Liefers et al., 2002). Buchanan et al. (2002) described a cytosine (C) to thymine (T) substitution in exon 2 of the leptin gene of the B. taurus breeds, suggesting the existence CC, TT and CT genotypes. The aim of this study was to identify the single nucleotide polymorphism of exon 2 in Iranian Taleshi cattle.
The effect of hoof lesion severity on stride characteristics of early lactation Holstein dairy cows measured using locomotion scoring and computerised motion analysis
Authors: Blackie N. , Bleach E.C.L. , Amory J.R. , Nicholls C.R. , Scaife J.R
Published: June 2019

Kinematic assessment of gait has been widely used in sports and equine science, this method gives objective and accurate information on the movement of the subject. Most locomotion scoring systems incorporate stride length however this is subjective and is difficult to compare observers. Kinematic studies have shown that cows with sole ulcers have a shorter stride length than those showing no hoof lesions (Flower et al, 2005). Telezhenko and Bergsten (2005) found a similar effect with moderately lame cows having a shorter stride length measured objectively from footprints than non lame cows. Increased locomotion score can also affect the tracking distance of the animal (Telezhenko and Bergsten, 2005). The aim of this study was to assess the effect of increasing locomotion score on stride length and tracking distance of Holstein dairy cows in early lactation.
Plasma essential amino acids concentrations of early lactating Holstein dairy cows fed diet containing raw or roasted Iranian soybean
Authors: Tabatabaie Forouzan , Fathi Hassan , Danesh Mohsen
Published: June 2019

Whole soybean has 40-42 percent CP and used as high energy-protein supplement for early lactation dairy cows. However, the protein is highly degradable, so small amounts of amino acids can be reached to small intestine to meet high amino acid requirements of early lactating cows. Therefore, various chemical and physical treatments have been suggested to decrease ruminal protein degradability of soybeans. The practical use and application of any one method to lower ruminal feed degradability is dependent not only on its efficacy but also on its cost effectiveness, safety and ease of application. For these reasons, heat treatment is the most commonly used physical method (Plegge et al., 1985). The purpose of this study was to determine how roasting of soybeans affect plasma essential amino acid concentrations in early lactation cows.
Effect of diets containing rapeseed meal or soybean meal on lactating Holstein cow responses
Authors: Mazhari Mozhgan , Danesh Mesgaran Mohsen , Heravi Mousavi Alireza
Published: June 2019

Rapeseed meal (RSM) is becoming an increasingly important source of protein for ruminants and nonruminants in the world. In some studies, inclusion of RSM instead of other protein sources such as SBM in dairy cow diets caused to increase milk production (Emanuelson, 1994). There was a positive association between the milk protein content and content of RSM in the ration (Emanuelson et al., 1993). Present experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of inclusion of RSM or SBM in a basal diet on the responses of lactating Holstien dairy cows.
Investigating the relationship between protein-fat difference and milk yield and somatic cell counts of Iraninan Holstein dairy cows
Authors: Saremi Behnam , Ghaseminejad Jalil , Eslami Javad
Published: June 2019

Milk quality control is one of the most important management tools used on dairy farms. Periodic recording and accurate analysis of data is needed. Management decisions and genetic evaluations are based on these data (Miglior, 2002; Wiggans, 1985). Good nutrition management is important for economical production (improvedmilk yield and protein% and fat%) and health of animals (Schroeder, 1996). It is possible to evaluate the management system and nutrition program in a herd according to the protein% and fat% of milk. Cows that produce low milk with high fat are generally weak or have a low DMI. Low milk fat is caused by metabolic disorders or unbalanced feed composition. Low milk protein is due to lack of energy in diet (JafariKhorshidi, K. and J. Soltaniha. 1382). The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of protein % to fat % difference on milk production of Holstein dairy cows.
Effects of dried and ensiled tomato pomace on dry matter intake, milk yield and composition of dairy cows in Iran
Authors: Safari R , Valizadeh R , Shahroudi F Efteljaro , Tahmasebi A , Bayat J.
Published: June 2019

In Khorasan province of Iran about 1 million tonnes of tomatoes are grown annually. They are either directly sold to the customers as vegetable (200,000 tonnes) or further processed to products such as paste, ketchup, sauces etc. After the juice is extracted from fresh tomatoes, a residue primarily consisting of water, tomato seeds and peels is left. Tomato processing residues which is called tomato pulp accounts about one fifth of fresh weight or 160,000 tonnes in the area (ministry of Jahad-Agriculture, 2004). Fresh tomato pulp becomes sour and mould rapidly because it is traditionally processed during summer time and has high moisture content. Consequently, it is advisable to be ensiled or dried. Although it is commonly fed to ruminants but little data is available on its effect on milk yield, milk composition and dry matter intake in dairy cows.
Prevalence of bovine tuberculosis among Fulani cattle in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja-Nigeria
Authors: Abubakar A. A. , Brooks P. H. , Abdullahi S. U. , Kudi A. C.
Published: June 2019

The re-emergence of tuberculosis (TB) has been observed in both developing and developed countries in recent years. Tuberculosis, a major public health and zoonotic problem, is responsible for 2 to 3 million human deaths annually (WHO 2003) and also causes great economic loss in the animal industry. Tuberculosis has been declared a global emergency by WHO in 1993; the first to be declared as such. Nigeria with a population of over 120 million people and cattle population of about 19.8 million has been ranked 4thamong the world’s 22 countries with a high TB burden. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of bovine tuberculosis among Fulani cattle, which are the main source of milk and milk products to the public. The culture of consuming raw milk as a local delicacy known as ‘fura da nono’ among Nigerians especially in the study area informed this study.
Nutritive value index of treated wheat straw with Pleurotus fungi fed to cow
Authors: Fazaeli Hassan , Mirhadi Seyed Ahmad
Published: June 2019

Biological de-lignification of straw by white-rot fungi seems a promising way of improving its nutritive value. The bio-conversion of lignocellulosic materials is circumscribed to the group of white-rot fungi, of which some species of Pleurotus are capable of producing upgraded spent-straws as ruminant feed (Fazaeli et al., 2004). Treating of cereal straw with white-rot fungi as animal feed was studied by several workers (Gupta et al., 1993; Zadrazil, 1997). However, most of the trials were conducted at in vitro stage and used cell wall degradation and in vitro digestibility as an index to evaluate the biological treatments. This experiment was conducted to study the effect of fungal treatment on the voluntary intake, in vivo digestibility and nutritive value index of wheat straw obtained from short-term and long-term solid state fermentation (SSF).