bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Report of Meeting on Dairying
Authors: A. D. S.
Published: September 2010

The theme of the meeting was ‘Dairying’. After an introduction and talk on the Shropshire Landscape on the first evening, the first day's programme consisted of three invited papers in the morning, followed by visits to two dairy farms in the afternoon. The second day was spent visiting contrasting types of dairy farm. On the last day of the meeting the morning session consisted of three invited papers. In the afternoon a local farmhouse-cheese dairy was visited, and finally members had a tour of the College dairy herd.
A scientific assessment of welfare
Authors: Duncan I. J. H.
Published: September 2010

‘Welfare is a wide term that embraces both the physical and mental wellbeing of the animal. Any attempt to evaluate welfare, therefore, must take into account the scientific evidence available concerning the feelings of animals that can be derived from their structure and functions and also from their behaviour.’ So stated the Report prepared by the Technical Committee to Enquire into the Welfare of Animals kept under Intensive Livestock Husbandry Systems under the chairmanship of Professor Rogers Brambell (Command Paper 2836, 1965).
The contribution of science to the improvement of hill pasture production
Authors: Alcock M. B.
Published: September 2010

At a recent conference on marginal land (Jenkins, Oxley and Gething, 1974) a conclusion was reached that hill land must ultimately contribute more to the growing requirements of food production. Setting aside the economic and sociological constraints, which at present are large, it is clear that increased animal production from the hills is basically a problem of providing sufficient feed. Improved pasture production is therefore a primary prerequisite for this aim.
Valuing complex environmental goods: landscape and biodiversity in the North Pennines
Authors: BLACK JULIE , MILNER-GULLAND E.J. , SOTHERTON NICK , MOURATO SUSANA
Published: September 2010

Human activities may have detrimental effects on biodiversity, and appropriate economic valuation of biodiversity can provide additional motivation to protect it. To date, there are no estimates of visitor values for landscape and wildlife changes in the North Pennines (UK) and very few studies have explored competing influences of landscape and biodiversity in public preferences. Contingent valuation estimates of visitor values for the North Pennines landscape and biodiversity, as expressed in voluntary contributions, were used to assess the importance of different factors in influencing these valuations. Policy-linked scenarios were developed, each representing the outcome of a particular policy direction such as grouse-moor specific subsidies, back-to-nature subsidies, or a ban or decline in red grouse shooting. The influence of management information provision was tested and economic values were elicited for a number of alternatives. Landscape and biodiversity were both found to be important in preference formation. In particular, respondents highly valued a mosaic landscape with increases in blanket bog and the associated increases in rare and threatened birds and mammals. Notably, significant negative valuations were obtained for some of the scenarios presented. Provision of land use information did not significantly influence visitors' valuations, a surprising result given the controversial nature of one of the primary land uses, namely red grouse shooting.
Stable isotope (δ13C and δ15N) composition of particulate organic matter, nutrients and dissolved organic matter during spring ice retreat at Terra Nova Bay
Authors: Cozzi Stefano , Cantoni Carolina
Published: September 2010

Concentration and isotope composition of particulate organic matter were analysed from five coastal sites on the annual fast ice and in the underlying water column at Terra Nova Bay. The highest increases of POC (< 2767 μM C) and PON (< 420 μM N) were reached in bottom ice and the unconsolidated platelet layer, linked with a large accumulation of nutrients and dissolved organic matter. Isotope POM composition in ice habitats was highly varied (δ13CPOC: -30.7 to -15.0‰, δ15NPON: 1.8–9.9‰). Constant negative δ13CPOC (> -29.3‰) and positive δ15NPON (< 9.4‰) values characterized the upper ice horizons, indicating the prevalence of aged detritus in these assemblages. By contrast, isotope composition (δ13CPOC: -15.0 to -29.7‰, δ15NPON: 1.8–9.6‰) and POC/PON ratios (6.2–12.6) changed markedly in bottom ice and interstitial water, even on short time scales, because of the combined effects of internal growth and mixing among freshly produced biomass. Sea ice breakout caused a large settling of particulates in the water column. It changed δ13CPOC (from 7.9 to 1.8‰) and δ15NPON (7.9–1.8‰) values in suspended particulate matter, indicating that inputs from fast ice strongly affect the isotopic signature of the particulate assemblage Antarctic coastal waters.
Cloning and sequence analysis of Bufo arenarum oviductin cDNA and detection of its orthologous gene expression in the mouse female reproductive tract
Authors: Barrera Daniel , Valdecantos Pablo A. , García E. Vanesa , Miceli Dora C.
Published: September 2010

The glycoprotein envelope surrounding the Bufo arenarum egg exists in different functional forms. Conversion between types involves proteolysis of specific envelope glycoproteins. When the egg is released from the ovary, the envelope cannot be penetrated by sperm. Conversion to a penetrable state occurs during passage through the pars recta portion of the oviduct, where oviductin, a serine protease with trypsin-like substrate specificity, hydrolyzes two kinds of envelope glycoproteins: gp84 and gp55. The nucleotide sequence of a 3203 bp B. arenarum oviductin cDNA was obtained. Deduced amino acid sequence showed a complete open reading frame encoding 980 amino acids. B. arenarum oviductin is a multi-domain protein with a protease domain at the N-terminal region followed by two CUB domains and toward the C-terminal region another protease domain, which lacked an active histidine site, and one CUB domain. Expression of ovochymase 2, the mammalian orthologous of amphibian oviductin, was assayed in mouse female reproductive tract. Ovochymase 2 mRNA was unnoticeable in the mouse oviduct but expression was remarkable in the uterus. Phylogenetic relationship between oviductin and ovochymase 2 opens the possibility to understand the role of this enzyme in mammalian reproduction.
Hammond Memorial Lecture 1994 Growth and development of the scientific qualities of the British Society of Animal Production
Authors: Wilson P. N.
Published: September 2010

I am very honoured to be invited to give this Lecture. I knew John Hammond well, and am personally in his debt for the many kindnesses and considerations he extended to me early on in my career. He was, in more ways than one, a giant of a man, and it is most fitting that this Society should honour his memory by inviting special lectures in his honour, and especially on the 50th anniversary of the founding of the British Society of Animal Production (BSAP) in 1944.
The effect of supplementation with Leucaena leucocephala and maize bran on voluntary food intake, digestibility, live weight and milk yield of Bos indicus × Bos taurus dairy cows and rumen fermentation in steers offered Pennisetum purpureum ad libitum in the semi-humid tropics
Authors: Muinga R. W. , Topps J. H. , Rooke J. A. , Thorpe W.
Published: September 2010

An experiment was carried out to evaluate dairy performance and rumen fermentation from a forage-based diet supplemented with Lucaena leococephala (leucaena) and maize bran. Bos indicus (Ayrshire/Brown Swiss) х Bos taurus (Sahiwal) cattle were offered Pennisetum purpureum (napier grass) ad libitum either unsupplemented (N) or supplemented on a dry-matter (DM) basis with 1 kg (LL) or 2 kg leucaena (LH) or 2 kg leucaena together with 1 kg DM maize bran (LHM). Food intake, milk yield, diet apparent digestibility and nitrogen balance were measured using eight cows (mean live weight 384 (s.d. 41) kg in two 4х4 Latin squares. Rumen fermentation was measured using four rumen fistulated steers (mean live weight 352 (s.d. 12) kg in a 4 х 4 Latin square. Performance was recorded during the last 7 days of each 21-day experimental period. Supplementation increased food intake (6·3, 7·6, 7·9 and 8·7 kg DM per day; P < 0·01; s.e.d. 0·24) and milk yield (5·1, 5·4, 5·5 and 6·5 kg/day; P < 0·01; s.e.d. 0·28) for N, LL, LH and LHM respectively. Supplemented diets tended to be more digestible compared with napier grass as the sole food (organic matter apparent digestibility coefficients 0·54, 0·55, 0·57 and 0·57; s.e.d. 0·020; N, LL, LH and LHM, respectively) and N balance increased progressively with supplementation.

Supplementation progressively increased rumen ammonia-nitrogen concentrations in steers and the rate of rumen degradation of napier grass increased when leucaena (diets LL and LH) was offered. The results suggest that supplementation of napier grass with leucaena increased DM intake owing to increased ammonia concentrations and rates of napier degradation in the rumen. Supplementation of the forage diet with 1 kg DM maize bran did not significantly reduce the rumen degradation of napier grass and increased the molar proportions of propionate which may have increased the efficiency of utilization of metabolizable energy and therefore milk production.
Synchronization of ingestive behaviour by grazing dairy cows
Authors: Rook A. J. , Huckle C. A.
Published: September 2010

The synchronization of eating, ruminating and idling activity by lactating dairy cows grazing a perennial ryegrass-white clover sward was studied. Synchronization was defined as the number of pairs of cows engaged in a particular activity as a proportion of the total possible number of pairs and was compared with random expectation using a kappa statistic. All three activities were significantly more synchronized than random expectation. This suggests that wherever possible individual cows should not be treated as replicates in grazing experiments.
Effect of prolactin inhibition on thermoregulation, water and food intakes in heat-stressed fat-tailed male lambs
Authors: Salah M. S. , AlShaikh M. A. , Al-Saiadi M. Y. , Mogawer H. H.
Published: September 2010

Two groups each of six lambs of the fat-tailed Naeimi breed, well adapted to a semi-arid climate, were housed under semi-controlled temperature (43·2 to 43·8°C) with low relative humidity (<0·8). After a 1-week adaptation period, the first group (control) was injected subcutaneously with 1 ml vehicle solution of 40% ethanol in saline, twice daily at 08.00 and 17.00 hfor the 11-day experimental period. In the other group, each lamb was injected daily for 6 days with 0·18 mg/kg per day of the prolactin inhibitor, 2 bromo-a-ergocryptine (CB154) dissolved in the vehicle solution. Treatment during the next 5 days was as for the control animals. Rectal temperature (RT), respiratory rate (RR), water and food intakes were recorded before injections. Daily average data were used in the statistical analysis, except those of the 1st day of bromocryptine injection. Lambs of the control group were able to maintain their RT (39·5 (s.e. 0·04) °C) during heat exposure, but those treated with the bromocryptine could not (40·3 (s.e. 0·07) °C). However, the latter group continued to respire more rapidly (P < 0·01) after cessation of the CB154 treatment, reducing their body temperature slightly (39·9 (s.e. 0·06) °C). This shows that, following prolactin suppression, heat-stressed lambs were unable to regulate their body temperature despite their RR. Water intake did not change during bromocryptine treatment, but the ratio of water to dry-matter intake did increase due to lower food consumption. These results suggest that prolactin might have an important role in thermoregulation of the fat-tailed male sheep during elevated ambient temperature.
Heritabilities and genetic correlations of body weight, testis growth and ewe lamb reproductive traits in crossbred sheep
Authors: Fossceco S. L. , Notter D. R.
Published: September 2010

Heritabilities (h2) and genetic correlations (rc) involving body weights, measures of testes size and ewe lamb reproduction were calculated using 953 spring-born lambs produced during formation of a three-breed composite population containing 0·50 Dorset, 0·25 Rambouillet and 0·25 Finnish Landrace breeding. The h2of body weight ranged from 0·2 to 0·3 between 45 and 150 days of age, but increased to 0·41 at the start of breeding of ewe lambs at about 6 months of age. Additive maternal effects were not important, perhaps because intensive housing encouraged cross-suckling. Testes size was measured as scrotal circumference (SC), SC with linear adjustment for weight (SCW) and SC divided by the one-third power of body weight (RSC). The h2of SC traits was highest at 90 days (0·52 for SC, 0·62 for RSC and 0·57 for SCW), and h2for age at maximum SC growth rate (i.e. TI, the inflexion point of a logistic SC growth curve) was 0·49. The h2of ewe lamb fertility in autumn was 0·09 but the h2for frequency of remating the following spring was 0·41. The h2for ewe lamb litter size in these data was zero. At 90 days, rcbetween alternative measures of testes size exceeded 0·86; rGwith body weight were 0·67 for SC, 0·53 for RSC and –0·74 for TI. The rGwith ewe lamb fertility for 90-day weight, SC, RSC and SCW and for TI were –0·25, 0·20, 0·25, 0·38 and –0·32, respectively. The rcfor these traits with spring remating were 0·34, 0·34, 0·26, 0·10 and –0·48, respectively.
Automatic assessment of sheep carcasses by image analysis
Authors: Horgan G. W. , Murphy S. V. , Simm G.
Published: September 2010

The commercial value of animal carcasses depends not only on their weight but also on their composition and shape (termed conformation). This is usually assessed subjectively by a skilled inspector. In this paper an attempt is described to assess the saleable meat yield of sheep carcasses by automatic digital image analysis. A low-cost system based on a still video camera and a personal computer was used. The results indicate that better prediction of saleable meat yield can be obtained using objective measures of carcass shape than from subjective conformation scores. Information from the intensities of colour components was not found to be useful, possibly due to difficulties with lighting and image quality. Recommendations are made for implementing a practical system.
Comparative reproductive performance in Meishan and Large White pigs and their crosses
Authors: Haley C. S. , Lee G. J. , Ritchie M.
Published: September 2010

A crossbreeding trial extending over three generations was used to investigate the genetic components contributing to the prolificacy of the Meishan breed in comparison with the Large White breed. Information on the number of teats and on body weight and litter size in the first two parities was recorded on purebred Meishan and Large White females and on reciprocal F1 and backcross females. Ovulation rate was also recorded for all litters, allowing the estimation of per litter prenatal survival. Crossbreeding parameters for direct, maternal and grandmaternal effects were estimated using restricted maximum likelihood analysis. There was a consistent advantage of three to four piglets born alive to the Meishan female compared with the Large White female. This was controlled by the maternal genotype, with no effect of the genotype of the litter itself. Both additive and heterosis effects were important, the contribution of additive maternal effects to the breed difference being similar across parities (4·0 (s.e. 1·1) and 4·2(s.e. 1·1), in the two parities respectively) and the maternal heterosis increasing slightly across parities (2·2 (s.e. 0·8) and 2·9 (s.e. 0·8), in the two parities respectively). The number born alive to F 1 females was similar to, or greater than, the number born alive to Meishan females. Ovulation rate was significantly higher in Meishan than in Large White females and this was controlled by additive gene effects which had a similar effect across parities, the weighted average of their contribution to the breed difference being 5·7 (s.e. 0·8) ova. Differences between the breeds in prenatal survival were small, although there was significant maternal heterosis, however, the maternal additive effect became significant after the inclusion of ovulation rate as a covariate. After adjustment for ovulation rate, the weighted average estimates across parity of the maternal additive contribution to the breed difference and the maternal heterosis for the proportional prenatal survival loere 0-14 (s.e. 0·05) and 0·13 (s.e. 0·03), respectively. This suggests that a combination of a high ovulation rate and especially a high level of prenatal survival for that ovulation rate led to the prolificacy observed in this sample of Meishan pigs. The inclusion of ovulation rate as a covariate in the analysis of number born alive confirms this view, as the maternal additive effect on litter size was only reduced by about one third and the heterosis effect was largely unchanged. Both numbers stillborn and mummified were increased in litters born to Meishan sows due to maternal additive effects, but the effects seemed largely a consequence of the increased ovulation rate as they became non-significant after its inclusion as a covariate in the model.
Induction of maternal behaviour in non-pregnant, hormone-primed ewes
Authors: Dwyer C. M. , Lawrence A. B.
Published: September 2010

It has been suggested that the induction of maternal behaviour in non-pregnant ewes by treatment with oestrogen and progesterone followed by artificial, mechanical vaginocervical stimulation (VCS), could be used to produce foster mothers for orphan or triplet lambs. To investigate the reliability of the technique, 46 non-pregnant sheep of two breeds (Suffolk (S) and Scottish Blackface (BF)) and two levels of experience (nulliparous (N) and multiparous (M)) were used. All ewes were given 6 weeks of treatment with vaginal sponges containing oestradiol and progesterone, followed by 2 min of VCS and exposure to a neonatal (< 2 days old) foster lamb. Plasma oestrogen and prolactin concentrations were significantly elevated by the hormonal treatment; prolactin was significantly higher in M ewes compared with N ewes (BFN = 91, SN = 107, BFM = 301, SM = 687 μg/l,P< 0·005). Significant udder development was seen in most ewes (proportionately 1·0 Mv.0·62 N, P = 0·01) and more M ewes produced milk than N ewes (0·67v.0·19,P< 0·005). No ewes showed maternal behaviour to the lamb from hormone treatment alone. After VCS, one of 26 N ewes and five of 12 M ewes expressed maternal behaviour. In the M ewes, significantly more S ewes were maternal than BF ewes (proportionately 0·75 SMv.0·25 BFM,P< 0·05). It is concluded that the technique alone is not sufficiently reliable to be a useful fostering aid. It is suggested, however, that previous exposure to neonatal lambs, handling of ewes before testing and using newborn lambs, may be fruitful areas of investigation to improve the technique.
The growth and development of nine European sheep breeds. 2. Greek breeds: Boutsko, Serres and Karagouniko
Authors: Zygoyiannis D. , Kyriazakis I. , Stamataris C. , Friggens N. C. , Katsaounis N.
Published: September 2010

The objective of this study was to assess the growth and development of carcass composition of entire male and female lambs of three Greek dairy breeds (Boutsko, Serres and Karagouniko), from weaning to live weights approaching maturity, when kept under conditions designed to be nutritionally non-limiting. Lambs were weaned at 6 weeks of age and given a high quality pelleted food ad libitum until slaughter at one offive different degrees of maturity. As expected, there were significant effects of breed and sex on both food intake and growth rate. The Gompertz growth function was used to characterize, for each genotype, the growth curve and to provide estimates of mature weight and appeared to describe adequately growth rate. For two breeds (Serres and Karagouniko) food intake (g/day) increased in a linear fashion with time up to approximately 24 weeks of age and then remained static for the last 10 to 22 weeks of the experiment; this coincided with the increased environmental temperatures during summer. No such plateau in food intake was seen for the Boutsko sheep. The estimates of mature weight (kg) for the females of each breed were: Boutsko, 60; Serres, 66; Karagouniko, 77. These were substantially in excess (1·4 times on average) of the pre-trial calculations of mature weight. The mature weights of the males were found to be not significantly different from 1·3 times the mature weights of the females. Relationships between carcass composition and weight were derived by allometric regressions. This study provides the first full description of the growth and meat production potential of the three Greek breeds; as such it is part of an overall study that aimed to characterize (for thefirst time as far as the authors are aware) nine sheep breeds from diverse regions of the European Union.
Rates of oxalic acid degradation in the rumen of sheep and goats in response to different levels of oxalic acid administration
Authors: Duncan A. J. , Frutos P. , Young S. A.
Published: September 2010

Oxalic acid is found in high concentrations in some plants consumed by ruminants and may cause renal toxicity. To determine whether exposure to oxalic acid affects the capacity of the rumen of sheep and goats to degrade the compound, 20 animals (10 sheep and 10 goats) were dosed with free oxalic acid by gelatin capsule twice daily for 3 weeks at one of five levels (0·0, 0·3, 0·6, 0·9 and 1·2 mmol/kg live weight (M) per day). Rumen samples were collected by stomach tube in the week prior to the start of dosing and in each week of the 3-week experiment. Oxalic acid degradation capacity was measured by adding uC-labelled oxalic acid to rumen fluid in vitro and capturing evolved 14CO2. Rates of degradation increased with increasing level of administration (2·30, 4·71, 6·74, 9·83 and 13·90 mmol of oxalic acid degraded per I rumen fluid per day for doses 0·0, 0·3, 0·6, 0·9 and 1·2 mmol/kg M per day, respectively; P < 0·001). Rates of degradation increased during the dosing period (P < 0·001) with the largest increases occurring in the 1st week of dosing. Goats showed a greater response than sheep, with a higher mean oxalic acid degradation capacity (9·04 v. 5·95 mmol of oxalic acid degraded per I rumen fluid, P < 0·05). Oxalic acid administration did not influence plasma calcium concentration or cause renal function impairment as measured by plasma creatinine concentrations. The experiment demonstrated adaptation in the rumen to potential toxins in the host diet and suggests that the rumen micro-organisms of goats may have been more adapted to degrading oxalic acid than sheep.
Lysine requirements of pigs from 2 to 7 kg live weight
Authors: Auldist D. E. , Stevenson F. L. , Kerr M. G. , Eason P. , King R. H.
Published: September 2010

Thirty-two male pigs were used to investigate the effects of nine levels of dietary lysine ranging from 0·41 to 1·30 g lysine per MJ gross energy (GE) on the performance of pigs weaned at 1 to 2 days of age and growing between 2 and 7 kg live weight. The nine dietary lysine treatments, which contained similar levels of GE and balance of essential amino acids, were offered to the pigs at a common feeding level of 2·0 MJ GE per kg metabolic live weight (M075) per day. Growth performance and protein deposition rates increased linearly with increasing dietary lysine content up to about 0·97 g lysine per MJ GE and remained relatively constant thereafter. The response of protein deposition (PD, g/day) in the whole body of pigs to dietary lysine (L, g lysine per MJ GE) was described by three models. The respective regression equation for the quadratic function was PD = -14·23 + 87·66 L – 36·00 L2 and maximum protein deposition occurred at 1·22 g lysine per MJ GE. The rectilinear model, which had an ascending linear phase (PD = 1·49 + 40·10 L, R2 = 0·98, P < 0·001) and a horizontal component representing a mean protein deposition rate of 39·7g/day revealed that maximum protein deposition occurred at 0·95g lysine per MJ GE. Finally, application of the asymptotic model also revealed a highly significant equation: PD = 43·40 — 79·99 × 0·07111, R2 = 0·94, P < 0·001; which indicates a dietary requirement of 1·07 g lysine per MJ GE assuming that the dietary requirement was estimated at 0·90 of the asymptote maximal value. The results indicate that the dietary lysine requirement for pigs during the first 3 weeks of life appears to have changed little over the past 20 years despite substantial changes in genotype.
The influence of diet before and after calving on the food intake, production and health of primiparous cows, with special reference to sole haemorrhages
Authors: Olsson G. , Bergsten C. , Wiktorsson H.
Published: September 2010

Sixty-five primiparous cows were used in two experiments to study the effects of feeding high or low levels of concentrate during the last 2 to 3 weeks before calving on performance in early lactation. During early lactation (until 12 or 16 weeks after calving) all the 23 cows in experiment 1 were given the same diet. In experiment 2, the 42 cows were given diets with a ratio of concentrate/forage of either 60:40 or 40: 60, each providing the same energy level.

The food intake of almost all the cows decreased in the few days before calving but the decrease was less pronounced among those on the low concentrate level before calving. The average daily food intake during the calving week gave a metabolizable energy intake about 30 MJ higher on the high compared with the low feeding level. The level of feeding before calving had no effect on the cows' food intake after calving, or on their milk yield, health and fertility, or on scores for udder oedema and sole haemorrhages. The high level offeeding before calving was associated with significantly higher concentrations of insulin and lower concentrations of free fatty acids in the calving week of lactation but the level offeeding either before or after calving had no effect on these concentrations in the 8th week of lactation. The feeding of a high ratio of concentrate/forage after calving was associated with a significantly lower milk fat content. It can be concluded that the concentrate/forage ratio at calving does not seem to have any significance for the performance after calving.
Application of the Gompertz model to describe the fermentation characteristics of chemical components in forages
Authors: Lavrenčič A. , Mills C. R. , Stefanon B.
Published: September 2010

In the experiment, four grass (tall fescue hay and Italian rye grass hay, harvested in March and May) and four legume (lucerne hay, harvested in March and May; and red clover hay, harvested in March and April) forages were used. Duplicate samples were incubated in sacco in the rumens of three fistulated mature cows for 2, 4, 8,16, 2i, 48 and 72 h and the degradabilities of dry matter (DM), nitrogen, neutral-detergent fibre (NDF), cellulose and hemicellulose were measured. The maximum degradation rate (MDR) and time of maximum degradation rate (TMDR) were calculated from the first and second derivatives of a Gompertz equation.

The MDR differed between chemical components and was generally higher for cellulose (from 2·31 to 6·95% per h) and nitrogen (from 2·06 to 6·75% per h) in all forages studied. Lignin content of forages was found to be well correlated with the MDR of the fibre components (r = -0·74 for NDF, -0·72 for cellulose and -0·84 for hemicellulose).

The TMDR values were much shorter for DM and nitrogen (< 4·2 h) than for the fibre fractions (from 6·8 to 14·0 h). Furthermore, in grasses, hemicellulose TMDR occurred before those of cellulose, while in legumes the order of TMDR was less clear. Elevated positive correlation coefficients between the fibre components and their TMDR possibly indicate that the structural arrangement and types of linkages within and between these components regulate their fermentation process.

The possibility of using the Gompertz first and second derivatives to study the synchrony of the release of nitrogen and organic matter into the rumen was examined.
Performance and nutrient utilization of growing pigs given an expanded and pelleted diet
Authors: Vande Ginste J. , De Schrijver R.
Published: September 2010

A grower diet containing barley, wheat and soya-bean meal was expanded at 110°C and subsequently pelleted at 80°C. This processing was evaluated in laboratory tests as well as in digestibility experiments involving 12 barrows with an average initial live weight of 40 kg. The unprocessed control diet was offered as a meal. Each diet was offered ad libitum to six pigs during a 5-week period. The 1st week was an adaptation period and measurements were not carried out. Each pig was used in two 5-day digestibility trials which were performed in weeks 2 and 4. Neither food intake, weight gain nor food: gain ratio during the whole 4-week experimental period, nor apparent faecal digestibility and apparent retention of protein were significantly affected (P > 0·05) by expanding and pelleting the diet. Processing caused an increase in the in vitro protein solubility (P < 0·05) and reduced the dietary contents of free lysine and methionine (P < 0·05) while the contents of available lysine and free threonine and tryptophan were not significantly changed (P > 0·05). Apparent faecal digestibility of crude fibre increased substantially (P < 0·05) when the diet was processed, resulting in significantly lower production of faecal mass (P < 0·05) as well as lowerfaecal moisture content (P < 0·05). These phenomena were parallelled by a smaller water consumption (P < 0·05). Apparent digestibility and retention of phosphorus and calcium were diminished (P < 0·05) when the diet was expanded and pelleted.
Premature parturition in commercial strains of rabbits in Egypt
Authors: El-Darawany A. A.
Published: September 2010

This study was carried out on Bauscat (B), New Zealand (N), Californian (C), N × C (NC) and B × NC (BNC) rabbits. Overall reproductive performance for does with premature parturition (pre-term) of the five breeds was determined and compared with that of does delivering at the normal time (full-term). Full-term does showed a reproductive performance superior to that of pre-term does in all five breeds with larger litter size at weaning, more pups weaned per doe and a lower proportion of stillbirths. Pre-term B, N and BNC does had a larger number of pups weaned than pre-term C and NC does (P < 0·01). There was a high incidence of pup mortality in premature litters, and the main causes of this high mortality were respiratory distress syndrome, crushing of the skull and starvation and chilling.

The mean serum oestradiol 17-β concentrations and degrees of cervical mucous ferning in pre-term B does were higher than in full-term does (P < 0·01) but the mean serum progesterone concentrations in pre-term B does were lower than in full-term does during the gestation period (P < 0·01). Treatment with either dexamethasone or progestin reduced pup mortality in pre-term does and the birth-to-remating interval was shorter in pre-term does treated with dexamethasone (P < 0·01) but longer when treated with progestin (P < 0·01).
Serum somatotropin concentrations in Holstein heifers administered growth hormone-releasing factor and somatostatin
Authors: Kazmer G. W. , Zinn S. A.
Published: September 2010

Dose-response experiments were designed to determine the dosage of somatostatin (SRIF) necessary to alter serum growth hormone (GH) response to administration of GH-releasing factor (1·44; GRF) in cattle. The objective of this experimentation was to develop a GRF/SRIF challenge model that might be useful in early identification of animals which are genetically superior for milk production traits. In experiment 1, calves received either 0, 5 or 10 /JLg GRF per 100 kg body weight (BW) or GRF 1·29 at 1 ug per 100 kg BW. Both the 5 and 10 ug GRF per 100 kg BW dosages increased GH concentrations (P < 0·05). In experiment 2, animals received 3 ug GRF per 100 kg BW concurrent with administration of 0, 0·5, 1 or 2 ug SRIF per 100 kg BW at 0 min, with second dosage of GRF at +120 min. Administration of SRIF in those dosages did not alter GH response to GRF. In experiment 3, animals received 5 ug SRIF per 100 kg BW at -2, -1, 0 or +1 min relative to 3 ug GRF per 100 kg BW, with a second GRF injection at +120 min. No differences (P < 0·05) were found in response due to timing of SRIF administration. In experiment 4, animals were administered 0, 5, 10 or 20 Xg SRIF per 100 kg BW concurrent with 3 ug GRF per 100 kg BW. SRIF delayed (P < 0·05) the occurrence of maximum GH concentrations but did not affect the maximum concentration nor the area under the GH response curve (AUC) following either the first or second GRF injection. Utilizing data from experiment 4, individual animal response to GRF was reasonably consistent, as repeatabilities of AUCs for 1 h following first and second GRF injections were 0·80 and 0·65, respectively. Furthermore, sufficient among-animal variation existed so that animals could be distinguished from each other. Thus we conclude the method described herein might be useful in identifying superior dairy calves but accuracy would potentially be enhanced by collecting blood samples more frequently during the 20 min immediately after GRF injection.
The effects of work and two planes of nutrition on trypanotolerant draught cattle infected with Trypanosoma congolense
Authors: Bennison J. J. , Clemence R. G. , Archibald R. F. , Hendy C. R. C. , Dempfle L.
Published: September 2010

Thirty-two N'Dama bulls aged 3 to 4 years were used to study the interactions between work, trypanosomosis and nutrition. The bulls were randomly allocated to two treatments, working (W) and non-working (N). Half in each treatment were placed on an andropogon hay basal diet (B), the other half on a better quality groundnut hay diet (H). Five days a week, four pairs of animals in the BW group and and four pairs in the HW group pulled weighted sledges four times around a 2056-m track. Loads were set to ensure energy expenditure was equivalent to 1·4 times maintenance. After 4 weeks all 32 bulls were injected intradermally with 104 Trypanosoma congolense organisms. The trial continued for a further 8 weeks.

Trypanosome infection caused a significant (P < 0·001) decline in packed cell volume (PCV), and the anaemia was more severe (P < 0·05) in working animals; three pairs in the HW group and two pairs in the BW group were withdrawn because PCV fell below 17%. Diet had no effect on PCV or parasitaemia. Infection caused a decline in food intake (P < 0·001) but with significant interactions between diet and work. Intake patterns were similar in the BN and BW groups whilst the HW animals consumed significantly more groundnut hay compared with the HN group (P < 0·01). However, nutrition had no significant effect on lap times or the team's ability to work under trypanosomosis challenge. Post-infection, diet was the dominant factor determining weight change, HN and HW animals weighed significantly more than BN and BW animals (P < 0·01) and the interaction between period, diet and work demonstrated that BWhad the lowest weights in the latter stages of the trial (P < 0·05).

The results suggest that supplementation with better quality forages confers no benefit to an animal infected with trypanosomes. Nor can trypanotolerant cattle sustain long periods of work if subiected to a primary challenge of trypanosomes.
Annual energy intake and the performance of beef cows differing in body size and milk potential
Authors: Sinclair K. D. , Yildiz S. , Quintans G. , Broadbent P. J.
Published: September 2010

The accumulative effects of different levels of annual energy intake over the first two parities on four breeds of beef cow (small size and low milk potential, Aberdeen Angus; small size and high milk potential, Welsh Black; large size and low milk potential, Charolais; and large size and high milk potential, Simmental) were assessed for various production traits and calf performance. Heifers were allocated to each of two levels of annual energy intake relative to metabolic body weight (M0·75) (mean daily intakes equivalent to 705 and 820 kj M0·75) and for the next 2 years these animals (10 per breed) were continuously housed and given diets designed to represent energy intakes while grazing during the summer and conserved forage feeding during the winter. Changes in live weight and body composition were measured throughout both years and milk yield, milk composition and calf performance during both lactations.

Animals from each of the four breeds gained weight but lost body condition during their first two parities in a manner that was dependent on their annual level of dietary energy intake. Welsh Black cows grew more than Aberdeen Angus cows and Charolais cows more than Simmental cows so that, by weaning during the second parity, the rank order of live weights between breeds was Charolais > Simmental > Welsh Black > Aberdeen Angus. Welsh Black and Simmental cows produced higher yields of milk (7·9 and 8·7 kg respectively) than Aberdeen Angus and Charolais cows (6·5 and 5·7 kg respectively; P < 0·001). Calves from the two large breeds grew more quickly than those from the two small breeds (1·13 v. 0·99 kg/day; P < 0·01) and calf performance was influenced by milk consumption. Biological efficiency, defined as weight of calf at weaning per GJ metabolizable energy (ME) on an annual basis, increased as annual energy intake decreased and tended to be higher for large breeds on 33 GJ ME per year than for small breeds on the same level of annual energy intake (7·19 v. 6·75). The complex means by which the different breed types interacted with their nutritional environment is discussed.
The effect of nutrition during early life on voluntary food intake by lambs between weaning and 2 years of age
Authors: Sibbald A. M. , Davidson G. C.
Published: September 2010

Two experiments were carried out with Scottish Blackface lambs to investigate the effects of restricted nutrition during pregnancy and lactation on voluntary food intakes (VFI) between weaning and 2 years of age. Ewes were given diets providing 0·7 (LP) or 10 (HP) of their estimated metabolizable energy requirements during the last 6 weeks of pregnancy and subsequently grazed swards with mean sward surface heights of approximately 3 cm (LL) or 6 cm (HL) during lactation. All lambs were weaned at 17 weeks of age. In experiment 1, four treatment combinations (LP-LL, LP-HL, HP-LL and HP-HL) were applied and female lambs were studied. In experiment 2, two treatment combinations (LP-LL and HP-HL) were applied and male lambs were studied. In both experiments the lambs received a common level of nutrition between weaning and 2 years of age.

In both experiments, mean live weights were proportionately 0·2 higher for HP-HL than for LP-LL lambs at weaning (P< 0·001) and in experiment 2 mean live weights and body condition scores were still higher in HP-HL than in LP-LL lambs at 2 years of age (P< 0·05). Abomasum weights were higher in HP than in LP lambs at birth and higher in HP-HL than in LP-LL lambs at weaning in experiment 1 and the weights of the rumen and dimensions of the rumen villi were greater in HP-HL than in LP-LL lambs at weaning in both experiments (P< 0·05). The treatments had no effect on lipid content or mean adipocyte diameter in the main fat depots at birth or weaning. There were no treatment effects on VFI in either experiment. It was concluded that restricted nutrition during late pregnancy and early lactation does not affect VFI between weaning and 2 years of age in sheep, even though there are differences in live weight and the development of the gastrointestinal tract at weaning and there may be long-term effects on live weight and body condition, particularly in male animals.
Adaptations in muscle fibre characteristics induced by physical activity in pigs
Authors: Petersen J. S. , Henckel P. , Oksbjerg N. , Sørensen M. T.
Published: September 2010

The influence of regular exercise training and physical activity on distribution of muscle fibre types, fibre cross-sectional areas and the number of adjacent capillaries per fibre type and per fibre (capillarization) was studied in five muscles from 48 female and 48 entire male pigs. In the growth interval from 30 to 100 kg, the pigs were subjected to one of three treatments: individual housing in pens of 2·5 m2(treatment C), individual housing and treadmill training for 15 minlday at a speed of 4 kmlh, 5 days/week for a period of 70 days (treatment T), and housing in large pens (36 m2, 40 pigs per pen) allowing for spontaneous physical activity (treatment F). In m. longissimus dorsi, treatment F increased the ratio of fast-twitch oxidative (FTa-) to fast twitch glycolytic (FTb-) fibres, elevated the mean fibre cross-sectional area and the number of capillaries per fibre. In m. biceps femoris (BF) from female pigs, the only adaptation found was a marked training-induced (treatment T) increase in the cross-sectional area of the slow-twitch (ST-) fibres. In m. semitendinosus and BF from male pigs, treatments T and F increased the ratio of FTa- to FTb-fibres. Both training and spontaneous activity increased the proportion of ST-fibres in m. trapezius thoracis (0·48 in treatment C, 0·53 in T and 0·52 in F). Conversely in m. psoas major, treatment F increased the proportion of FTa-fibres (0·15 in C and 0·19 in F) at the expense of ST- and intermediate FTc-fibres. Spontaneous activity induced ST-fibre hypertrophy in the five muscles. For several muscles, the mean fibre cross-sectional area was significantly higher in female than in male pigs.
Cervix conformation: a first anatomical approach in baudet du poitou jenny asses
Authors: Vendramini O. M. , Guintard C. , Moreau J. , Tainturier D.
Published: September 2010

Measurements have been made of the length and diameter of the cervix and caudal ostium position in relation to the vaginal floor in 30 jenny asses of Baudet du Poitou breed and crosses. These measurements were obtained on the 4th, 5th and 6th days of oestrus and the 6th and 8th days of dioestrus. The observed anatomical modifications were mainly associated with the animal's physiological state, age and morphological type (size). The cervical anatomy of the female donkey differs from that of the mare not only in size but also in the existence of a large cervical protrusion into the vagina which can lead to the occurrence of cervical lesions during parturition or from the mechanical action of mating, especially when the female is small. This anatomical conformation also makes intrauterine ejaculation difficult whether by natural service or by artificial insemination.
Effect of photoperiod and light intensity on the performance of intact male turkeys
Authors: Lewis P. D. , Perry G. C. , Sherwin C. M.
Published: September 2010

Injurious pecking can be a major cause of mortality in growing turkeys, particularly if given a long photoperiod. Consequently, birds are usually reared under low light intensity (<1 lux) and/or have their beaks trimmed. The influence of an 8, 12, 16 or 23 h photoperiod at an intensity of 1 or 10 lux on the performance of intact (not beak trimmed or de-snooded) BUT8 male turkeys was assessed in a 4 X2 empirical study.

Excessive injurious pecking in groups exposed to 10 lux light intensity on >12 h photoperiods necessitated an unscheduled reduction to 1 lux light intensity. Overall, light intensity did not significantly affect food intake, food conversion efficiency, growth or carcass composition. Groups exposed to 10 lux light intensity for all or part of the trial had higher losses and a greater incidence of pecking than birds maintained on al lux light intensity.

Growth was inconsistently affected by photoperiod, with birds on 12 h having the highest body weight at 108 days but no significant differences at 136 days. Patterns of food intake were variable but cumulatively to 136 days food intake was not significantly affected by daylength. Overall, but particularly after 108 days, birds on longer photoperiods converted food more efficiently. Mortality and the incidence of injurious pecking was positively correlated with photoperiod and breast meat yield and testicular weight were greater in birds on longer daylengths. There were no significant interactions between photoperiod and illuminance.
Automatic blood sampling equipment for use in studies of animal physiology
Authors: Goddard P. J. , Gaskin G. J. , Macdonald A. J.
Published: September 2010

A device for the collection of discrete blood samples from large animals has been developed to allow studies of physiology to be undertaken without the confounding effect of restraint. A microprocessor controlled unit (measuring 180 × 110 × 90 mm), weighing less than 1-2 kg, is mounted on the back of the experimental subject using a simple harness. A sampling line is connected to a previously inserted jugular vein catheter. Samples of blood (approx. 5 ml) are collected at pre-determined times following a start time which can be delayed by up to 48 h to allow the subject to recover from any effects of attachment of the sampler. The results from three studies suggest that the device offers a novel way to overcome a number of difficulties which occur when conventional methods are used to collect blood in experiments.
Genotype differences in responses of growth and carcass characteristics to the intrauterine cohabitant phenomenon in twin lambs
Authors: Gill J. W. , Hosking B. J. , Holst P. J. , Fogarty N. M. , Hopkins D. L. , Egan A. R.
Published: September 2010

The preweaning growth and carcass characteristics offour lamb genotypes were analysed for variation attributable to the intrauterine cohabitant (IUC) phenomenon, where within-sex variation is attributed to the sex of a twin's womb-mate. The four genotypes resulted from the following matings: Poll Dorset rams × Merino ewes, Poll Dorset rams × (Border Leicester × Merino) ewes, Texel rams × Merino ewes and Texel rams × (Border Leicester × Merino) ewes. Four hundred and twenty twin lambs participated in the preweaning study and of these, 209 were slaughtered to generate carcass data. Some of these genotypes displayed within-sex variation in weaning weight and fat score, preweaning average daily gain, skin-fold thickness, carcass fatness and eye muscle dimensions attributable to the IUC phenomenon. Genotypic differences in the responses of lambs to the IUC phenomenon were also observed. The IUC phenomenon appears to involve prenatal programming, an hypothesis that attributes postnatal characteristics to events during differentiation. The IUC phenomenon is analogous to the intrauterine position phenomenon in fecund mammals, where variations in prenatal steroid concentrations programme for permanent alterations in postnatal reproductive characteristics. The growth responses reported in this paper provide evidence of variation due to prenatal programming. While the magnitude of the responses to the IUC phenomenon were not large, the data presented indicate that under field conditions, the magnitude of growth responses to the IUC phenomenon may be as great as those observed between breeds. If so, further examination of the role that an animal's IUC may have on its subsequent performance could aid the development of more sensitive indices for breed evaluation and progeny selection.