bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Variation in the low temperature growth and frost tolerance of natural genotypes of Trifolium repens L. from Britain and Norway
Authors: Ollerenshaw J. H. , Haycock R.
Published: March 2009

Sixty-two genotypes of Trifolium repens (white clover) collected from latitudes 52° to 68° N and five selected genotypes of the cultivar S.184 were screened for shoot growth at low temperature and short daylengths in a controlled environment cabinet and in the field, and subjected to cold hardiness treatments ranging from – 2·5 to – 14·0 °C.

Considerable variation was discovered in several of the growth characteristics and in the frost tolerance of the genotypes. Genotypes exhibiting the highest rates of stolon extension were found in the more southerly latitudes. A high proportion of leaves produced during winter on the primary stolons of the selected cultivar plants subsequently died during the late spring at the upland field site, but several of the naturally occurring genotypes were able to retain more leaves per stolon in spring. Some genotypes appeared to maintain either short or long internodes throughout the spring in the field, whilst others produced relatively short internodes in early spring and long internodes later in the season, and vice versa. Only a small percentage of the genotypes possessed relatively long leaflets. A correlation was found between maximum leaflet length of the genotypes in early spring, and maximum leaflet length in late spring.

No relationship was found between frost tolerance and the growth of plants at low temperature. Frost sensitive and tolerant genotypes were found throughout the latitudinal and altitudinal ranges studied. Exposure to prevailing winds and possibly snow cover at the site of origin appeared to be important factors associated with the frost tolerance of T. repens plants.
Changes in phosphorus metabolism of sheep in response to the increased demands for P associated with an intravenous infusion of calcium
Authors: Braithwaite G. D.
Published: March 2009

The effect on phosphorus and calcium metabolism of a high rate of Ca infused directly into the blood of 10-month-old sheep, already receiving an adequate Ca and P intake, has been studied by a combination of balance and radioisotope techniques. Ca retention was significantly increased during the infusion and most of the extra Ca was retained in bone. Urinary Ca excretion also showed a small but significant increase and the efficiency of Ca absorption a small but significant decrease. Because of the close association of Ca and P in bone, the increased skeletal retention of Ca resulted in an increased skeletal P retention and hence an increased demand for P. This increased P demand was met partly by a decrease in the rate of endogenous faecal loss of P and partly by an increase in the rate and efficiency of P absorption. Because the increase in P demand was relatively small, it was not possible to decide whether the endogenous faecal loss of P can be reduced in response to increased demands to the level found at zero P intake as suggested by the Agricultural Research Council (1980) or whether higher losses at normal P intakes are inevitable.
Changes in soil fertility status as influenced by continuous cropping and fertilizer application
Authors: Sharma K. N. , Singh Bijay , Rana D. S. , Kapur M. L. , Sodhi J. S.
Published: March 2009

Changes in soil fertility status brought about by the application of P and K fertilizers and farmyard manure (FYM) to a fixed wheat-maize rotation for 10 years in a calcic ustochrept are reported. The treatments comprised three rates of P (0, 30 and 60 kg P2O5/ha), two rates of K (0 and 30 kg K2O/ha) and two rates of FYM (0 and 15 t/ha) applied to maize or wheat alone or to both the crops. Organic carbon and available P and K contents of the soil increased significantly with the addition of FYM. P application at 60 kg P2O5/ha nearly maintained the original level of available P even after 10 years of continuous cropping. However, a considerable and highly significant increase in available P was obtained with the combined application of P and FYM. Available K status of the soil remained more or less unaffected by K application. Organic carbon content, and available P and K contents were significantly higher in the plots that received fertilizers and manure for both the crops than in those where the application was to maize or wheat alone.
The effects of subsoil loosening and deep incorporation of nutrients on yield of broad beans, cabbage, leck, potatoes and red beet
Authors: Stone D. A.
Published: March 2009

Experiments were made on a sandy clay loam soil with five crops to determine the effects of thorough loosening of the subsoil and deep incorporation of nutrients on yields during the subsequent 4 years.

Loosening to 0·9 m increased fresh-weight yields by between nil and 95% depending on the crop and season. Responses were still considerable 4 years after the initial loosening and there was no evidence of any decline with time. Deep incorporation of nutrients did not improve yields.

Loosening gave a durable increase in the volume of coarse pores and decreases in bulk density and penetrometer resistance. It also nearly doubled the rate of root extension when estimates were made for one crop, consistently increased water extraction from below 30 cm and, on occasion, reduced plant water stress.

It is concluded that most of the benefits from deep loosening resulted from improvements i the rate at which plants could extract water rather than nutrients from the subsoil.
A study of mole drainage with simplified cultivation for autumn-sown crops on a clay soil
Authors: Harris G. L. , Goss M. J. , Dowdell R. J. , Howse K. R. , Morgan P.
Published: March 2009

The soil water regimes, flow paths of water and concentrations of nutrients in this water were measured for a clay soil growing winter wheat in 1978–9 and 1979–80. The soil was either drained with mole drains at 2 m spacing connected to plot drains 46 m apart or undrained. In the 1st year a compacted layer at about 20 cm depth caused a perched water table in the Ap horizon in both drainage treatments, and prevented the mole drains at 60 cm from affecting the water table. In 1979–80 after cultivation to disrupt the compacted layer, midway between the mole drains the depth to the winter water table was 20 cm greater than in undrained soil.

Surface flow, interflow at the depth of the plough layer and deep drainflow from mole and pipe drains responded rapidly to winter rainfall events. During both winters the mole and tile system removed most of the rainfall on the drained plots and the peaky hydrographs were typical of a mole system in a clay soil. In the undrained plots only a small proportion of the winter rainfall was accounted for in flow from the top 30 cm, and up to 75% of the water was able to percolate downwards possibly to below the barriers that separated the plots. Long-term water-balance studies indicated that a proportion of the water moving to depth in the undrained plots was probably entering the deep drainage system of the drained plots. As a result, the mole and pipe drainage system often removed more water than the rainfall input less evapotranspiration. This problem did not affect the depth to the water tables.

For each flow component concentrations of nitrate, ammonium, nitrous oxide, phosphorus, potassium and calcium were measured in the drainage water. Concentrations of nitrate-N from all drained plots were largest in autumn, being in the range 50–95 mg N/1, but then decreased to 1–5 mg N/1 by the end of March. Losses of nitrate-N were mainly through the mole drains and amounted to 43·6 and 59·7 kg N/ha in the 2 years. The quantities of nitrate-N lost in surface runoff or in flow in the cultivated layer were small on both treatments. Gaseous nitrous oxide, ammonium and phosphorus contents were very small. Potassium concentrations were somewhat larger, but not exceeding 3·5 mg/1. The calcium concentrations were in the range 40–210 mg/1. Concentrations of herbicides measured in November 1980 were negligible.

In the 2nd year water was taken up from a greater depth in the drained than in the undrained plots from April onwards. These results are discussed in relation to water supply to the crops at this site.
The relative feeding value of kale (Brassica oleracea) containing normal and low concentrations of S-methyl-L-cysteine sulphoxide (SMCO)
Authors: Barry T. N. , Manley T. R. , Millar K. R. , Smith R. H.
Published: March 2009

Kale of normal and low S-methyl-L-cysteine sulphoxide (SMCO) content was produced by growing the same cultivar in soils of normal (20–30 mg/kg) and low (5–10 mg/ kg) soil sulphate-S concentration. Compared with normal S plots, kale grown in low S plots showed little or no reduction in D.M. yield or total N content, but contained lower concentrations of inorganic sulphate, SMCO and glucosinolates.

Replicated plots of normal and low SMCO kale were grazed by lambs for 12-week periods in two consecutive years, using a fixed crop allowance of 2·5 kg D.M./animal/ day. All animals were given injections of copper and iodine, and oral supplements of selenium, to ensure that effects upon animal performance could largely be attributed to differences in kale SMCO concentration.

SMCO concentration in the diet consumed by lambs grazing normal and low SMCO kale was respectively 0·60 and 0·35% D.M. Following the onset of kale feeding, all animals developed subclinical haemolytic anaemia which stabilized by week 6, and was more marked during weeks 1–6 than during weeks 7–12. Animals grazing low SMCO kale showed a less severe anaemia than those grazing normal SMCO kale, which was associated with lower blood concentrations of dimethyl disulphide and Heinz bodies, and higher reduced glutathione (GSH) and packed cell volume (PCV) levels. Liveweight gain and wool growth were greater for lambs grazing low than normal SMCO kale during weeks 1–6, corresponding to the period of most severe haemolytic anaemia, but during weeks 7–12 there were no differences between the two groups.

It was concluded that SMCO content depressed kale feeding value, with most of the depression occurring in the first 6 weeks of grazing, and that in these experiments the lambs were able to adapt to kale containing 0·6% D.M. as SMCO after 6 weeks of feeding. Endocrine factors involved in this adaptation are discussed.
Changes in amino acid compounds of wheat plants during ensiling and aerobic exposure: the influence of propionic acid and urea phosphate-calcium propionate
Authors: Ashbell G. , Theune H. H. , Sklan D.
Published: March 2009

Changes in distribution of amino acid nitrogen of chopped wheat plants ensiled at shooting and flowering when wilted, and at the milk and dough stages as fresh material, were determined as affected by addition of 0·8% propionic acid (PrA) or 2·2% urea phosphate-calcium propionate (UP-CaPr). Analyses were carried out after an ensiling period of 90 days and after a further aerobic exposure period (AE) of 7 days.

Total amino acid (TAA) contents in the dry matter (D.M.) during the fermentation period and in the AE were stable in untreated material (UM) and treated material. Concentration of essential amino acids decreased during fermentation, this decrease being higher in the UM. The free amino acids were low in the fresh material (18·6% of TAA) but increased in the ensiled material to ca. 71 % of the TAA in the silage. In the AE this level was 63% in UM and 69% in treated material. The ammonia-N contents increased during fermentation in UM and especially in the UP-CaPr treatments, while the opposite occurred in the PrA treatments.

The concentrations of and changes in 21 amino acids (AAs) are given. The highest AA concentrations recorded in the fresh material were those of arginine, lysine, glutamic acid, alanine, leucine, proline and glycine. The most marked increments in AAs as a result of fermentation were those of ornithine, γ-amino butyric acid, threonine and methionine. Marked decreases were observed in glutamine, arginine and glutamic acid. PrA increased mainly arginine, asparagine and glutamine, whereas γ-amino butyric acid decreased; UP-CaPr increased arginine, asparagine, lysine and glutamic acid (in silage only) and reduced γ-amino butyric acid and glutamine (in AE only).
The availability of nitrogen in liquid sewage sludges applied to grassland
Authors: Hutchings N. J.
Published: March 2009

The availability to grass of the nitrogen in liquid anaerobically digested sludge (LDS) and liquid aerobic sludge (LAS) was investigated in a 2-year field trial. The mean availability of the nitrogen in the LDS over the 2 years was 44% on a freely drained sandy soil and 34% on a poorly drained clay soil. The corresponding values for the LAS were 56 and 44%. A greater inhibition or organic-matter decomposition by clay particles or a greater loss of nitrogen by either ammonia volatilization or denitrification were all possible reasons for the lower availability of the sludges on the clay soil. Investigation of the magnitude of gaseous losses of nitrogen from sludge-amended grassland under U.K. conditions is required. Current models of the availability of the nitrogen in liquid sludges may not be realistic if these losses are significant.
Field trials assessing the effect of inoculating agricultural soils with endomycorrhizal fungi
Authors: Hall I. R.
Published: March 2009

Four field experiments were established to gauge the effect of inoculating white clover with selected strains of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi. The four sites chosen ranged in fertility from undeveloped, phosphorus-impoverished tussock grassland to high fertility alluvial flats. As far as practicable conventional agronomic practices were followed prior to and during sowing. The soils were otherwise untreated and contained the normal complement of indigenous VAM fungi. Infested soil pellets were used to introduce the fungi into the soils as this was considered more appropriate to pastoral farming than for example transplanting infected seedlings.

Initially the introduced fungi tended to have little or no effect on dry-matter yields but by the end of the first season there were significant responses to Gigaspora margarita, Glomus mosseae, Glomus macrocarpum or a mixed inoculum of Glomus pallidum and Glomus tenue. In the second season, dry-matter yields were increased on the two tussock grassland sites by up to 760 kg D.M./ha (ca. 30%), 825 kg D.M./ha on the moderately fertile site (14%) and 640 kg D.M./ha (5%) on the high fertility site. The growth responses tended to decrease with time probably owing to the spread of fungi from the inoculated to the control plots though growth responses were still present at the end of the 3rd year on two of the sites. Within each experiment the application of up to 50 kg P/ha per year did not reduce the size of the responses to inoculation. This and herbage chemical analyses suggested that a more efficient use of phosphatic fertilizers may have been only part of the reason for the responses to inoculation.
A winter wheat crop simulation model without water or nutrient limitations
Authors: Weir A. H. , Bragg P. L. , Porter J. R. , Rayner J. H.
Published: March 2009

A whole crop computer simulation model of winter wheat has been written in FORTRAN and used to simulate the growth of September- and October-sown crops of Hustler wheat at Rothamsted for the years 1978–9, 1979–80 and 1980–1. Results of the simulations, which are for crops with adequate water and nutrients, are compared with observations from experiments at Rothamsted. The model uses daily maximum and minimum temperatures and daylength to calculate the dates of emergence, double ridge, anthesis and maturity of the crops and the growth and senescence of tillers and leaves. In the simulations, the canopy intercepts daily radiation and produces dry matter that is partitioned between roots, shoots, leaves, ears and grain. Partial simulations, using observed LAI values, produced dry matter in close agreement with observations of late-sown crops, but consistently overestimated the total dry-matter production of the early-sown crops. Full simulation described satisfactorily the average difference in dry-matter production to be expected with changes in time of sowing, but did not give as close correspondence for individual crops. A grain growth submodel, that linked maximum grain weight to average temperatures during the grain growth period, correctly simulated the observed growth of individual grains in the 1981 crop. The benefits to be obtained by combining whole crop modelling with detailed crop observations are discussed.
A model of canopy development in winter wheat
Authors: Porter J. R.
Published: March 2009

A computer simulation model of canopy development in a crop of winter wheat is described. The principal features of the model are the simulation of the emergence, growth and senescence of individual leaves and the production of tiller groups (cohorts) during a defined phenological period, with their survival depending on cohort age and shoot population density.

Comparison is made between the model output and early- and late-sown crops from three seasons. The behaviour of the model in response to changes in leaf senescence and tiller production is discussed for crops sown in 1978.
Desalinization of a salt-affected soil in plots of various sizes under two modes of water application
Authors: Dahiya I. S. , Grewal K. S. , Anlauf R. , Richter J.
Published: March 2009

Leaching in a salt-affected, permeable, sandy loam soil was evaluated under continuous and intermittent ponding conditions in 2 × 2 m (S1), 4 × 4 m (S2) and 6 × 6 m (S3) plots. The soil contained large amounts of soluble salts throughout the profile to the water table, chiefly chlorides and sulphates of sodium, calcium and magnesium. The leaching curves did not differ significantly between Slf Sa and S3 plots under continuous ponding but did under intermittent ponding. The leaching efficiency decreased sharply with increased plot size. The leaching efficiency in Sj plots was significantly greater with intermittent than with continuous ponding, but the reverse was true in S3 plots. The displacement of the resident soil solution in S1 plots under intermittent ponding was nearly piston-like. With increased plot size, it tended to deviate from this behaviour. The leaching curves from S3 plots (this size being reasonable in farmers' fields) were compared with those obtained from numerical solution of a simplified steady-state salt transport model. The model also included a source term, solubility rate constant, for the slightly soluble salts present in the experimental soil. The pore water velocity was estimated from field capacity and time-averaged infiltration rate. The effective dispersion coefficient and solubility rate constant were estimated by a least-squares minimization technique. A reasonably good agreement was obtained between simulated and experimental leaching curves. For practical purposes, this simple model may be adequate to predict leaching in salt-affected soils similar to the one under consideration.
Detection and estimation of components of genetic variation and genotype × environment interaction in three wheat crosses
Authors: Singh S. , Dahiya M. S.
Published: March 2009

The data obtained from 360 progeny families produced by crossing 40 F2 plants from each of three wheat crosses HD 2009 × HD 1949, Raj 821 × WH 147 and NP 876 × HD 1949, to three testers (the testers being the two parents of each original cross and their F1 in each case) were subjected to triple test cross analysis for detecting and estimating additive, dominance and epistatic components of genetic variation and interaction of these components with environment for plant height, spike length, number of tillers per plant, number of spikelets per spike, number of grains per spike, 1000-grain weight, number of days from sowing to heading and to maturity, grain yield per plant and grain yield/above ground dry matter ratio (harvest index). Epistasis was an important element for plant height, number of tillers per plant, number of grains per spike and grain yield per plant in all three crosses. Both the i type and j and l type epistasis were equally important. In general, the magnitude of additive component was larger than that of dominance component. The additive gene effects were more sensitive to environmental change than the dominance gene effects. Similarly, j and l type epistasis was relatively more sensitive to environment than the i type epistasis.
Evaluation of overseas pig breeds using imported semen 1. Growth and carcass performance
Authors: Sutherland R. A. , Webb A. J. , King J. W. B.
Published: March 2009

Although a given foreign breed may offer worthwhile genetic improvement, the cost of importing purebred stock makes its evaluation difficult. An experiment was performed in which the breeds compared were represented instead by semen from boars standing at national artificial insemination stations in their native countries. Contemporary groups of Large White × Norwegian Landrace females were inseminated, some with British Large White (LW) semen, and some with semen from Canadian Yorkshire (CY), Danish Landrace (DL), Norwegian Landrace (NL), or United States (American) Duroc (AD) or Yorkshire (AY). One pair (male castrate and gilt) from each litter was performance tested from 27 to 82 kg live weight fed ad libitum (AL), another pairwas tested over the same weight range but fed to a time-based scale (TS). The number of LW, CY, DL, AD, AY and NL sires used was 51, 12, 21, 7, 6 and 23 respectively; a total of 401 litterswas evaluated. The differences between the progeny of LW sires and those of CY, DL, AD, AY and NL were, respectively: in daily live-weight gain (g), AL, –30, 40, –80, –50, –40 (maximum s.E. 16) with no significant differences for TS; in food conversion ratio, AL,0·02, – 0·13, 0·03, –0·05, 0·00 and TS, 000, – 0·14, 0·05, –0·03, –0·06 (maximum S.E. 0·049 for both feeding regimens); in percentage of lean by weight in the rumpback joint, AL, –2·1, –1·9, –1·8, 2·3, –0·7 and TS, – 0·1, –0·9, –1·9, 3·0, – 1·4 (maximum s.E. 1·28 for both); in overall economic worth (pence per pig sired), AL, – 150, 50, – 170, 110, – 40 and TS, – 10, 100, – 200, 190, 30 (maximum s.E. 83 for both). The U.S. Yorkshire and Danish Landrace seem unlikely to be of use commercially in the U.K., while the most promising breeds, U.S. Duroc and Canadian Yorkshire, have not yet been evaluated with sufficient precision to reduce the risk involved in their use to an acceptable level.
Effect of source and rate of nitrogen on grain yield of rice and wheat
Authors: Thind H. S. , Singh Bhajan , Gill M. S.
Published: March 2009

It is well known that the uptake of fertilizer-N by crops is relatively inefficient, often amounting to less than half the quantity applied. Some becomes unavailable by combining with soil organic matter and some is lost from the system by surface runoff, leaching, denitriiication or ammonia volatilization. Most research has shown urea to be less effective than other sources of N when applied under conditions where ammonia volatilization becomes significant, especially when broadcast on the surface of alkaline and calcareous soils. Devine & Holmes (1964) found that ammonium sulphate was less effective than ammonium nitrate for wheat on a calcareous soil. Nitrogen recovery by wheat and barley tended to be similar for various N-fertilizers but further recovery in the following year was highest from calcium nitrate followed by ammonium sulphate and ammonium nitrate (Alessi & Power, 1973). On the other hand the efficiency of nitrate-N for flooded rice is less than that of ammoniacal fertilizers, owing to denitrification and leaching. Sarkar et al. (1978) found that rice grain yields with ammonium sulphate were significantly higher than with urea whereas Narain & Datta (1974) reported that urea and ammonium sulphate were equivalent and gave significantly higher yields of rice than ammonium nitrate. Therefore, yield responses to different sources of N vary depending upon soil, crop, climate and management factors; the study reported here was initiated to provide information on the relative performance of various N carriers applied to wheat and rice in the Punjab.
Effect of row arrangement on light interception and yield in sorghum-pigeonpea intercropping
Authors: Natarajan M. , Willey R. W.
Published: March 2009

Two experiments examined the effect of improving the distribution of the pigeonpea plants in sorghum-pigeonpea intercropping by having an alternate row arrangement of the two orops (SP) instead of the two sorghum: 1 pigeonpea row arrangement (SSP) that was studied earlier. One experiment was under conditions of good moisture supply (a deep Vertisol site in the high rainfall year of 1978) but the other experienced early moisture stress and had much lower end-of-season soil moisture storage (an Alfisol site in 1979). In 1978 the proportional sorghum yield was not affected by row arrangement (86 and 85% of the sole crop yield for the SSP and SP treatments respectively). Under the drier Alfisol conditions of 1979, the proportional sorghum yield was lower, probably because of the increased competitive ability of the drought resistant pigeonpea, and it was adversely affected by the alternate row arrangement (72% for SSP and 60% for SP).

Compared with the SSP arrangement, the SP arrangement increased the level of light interception by the intercropped pigeonpea immediately after the sorghum harvest from 30 to 48 % in 1978 and from 44 to 60 % in 1979; the total energy intercepted during the whole post-sorghum period was increased by 23 and 12 % in the 2 years, respectively. However, these improvements in canopy cover were associated with only small increases in total dry matter of the intercropped pigeonpea at final harvest, from 69 to 74 % of the sole crop in 1978 and from 60 to 65 % in 1979. The increase in seed yield was even less than that in total dry matter in 1978 (from 90 to 93% of the sole crop) but similar in 1979 (71 to 76%); the value of this increase in 1979 was insufficient to offset the decrease in sorghum yield. None of the increases in total dry matter or seed yield of pigeonpea reached significance. It is concluded that with a good moisture supply alternate rows could be an alternative to the 2 sorghum: 1 pigeonpea arrangement, though it offers no additional yield advantage. With poorer moisture supply, alternate rows are not a worthwhile option because of the risk of reducing sorghum yield to an extent that cannot be offset by the small increase in pigeonpea yield.
The effects of carbohydrate supplements on ruminal concentrations of ammonia in animals given diets of grass silage
Authors: Chamberlain D. G. , Thomas P. C. , Wilson Wilma , Newbold C. J. , Macdonald J. C.
Published: March 2009

A total of 15 rumen-cannulated sheep and four rumen-cannulated goats (Expt 3) were used in five latin square experiments designed to investigate the effects of carbohydrate supplements on ruminal ammonia concentration in animals given grass silage diets. In Expt 1 barley supplements were given at the same time, 1 h before or 2 h before a meal of silage. The treatments were designed to alter the synchronization between energy release from fermentation of barley and ammonia release from the degradation of silage N compounds. As compared with the unsupplemented control diet, barley supplements reduced (P < 0–05) rumen ammonia concentration and increased (P < 0–01) the number of total protozoa, but the time at which barley was given was without effect. In Expt 2 animals receiving silage or silage-barley diets were defaunated chemically. This treatment led to a 20–25 % reduction in rumen ammonia concentration. In Expt 3 supplements of maize starch, glucose and sucrose were compared. Mean ammonia concentrations were 231 mg/1 for the control unsupplemented diet and 205, 155 and 160 mg/1 (S.E. 21) for the starch, glucose and sucrose treatments. Corresponding numbers of protozoa were 7–7, 15–1, 6–1 and 6–3 x 10s/ml (S.E. 1–8). In Expt 4 the diets were unsupplemented silage or the same diet plus supplements of sucrose or xylose. Xylose reduced ammonia concentration more than sucrose, the values (mg/1) being 236 (control), 206 (sucrose) and 125 (xylose) (S.E. 19). There was no difference between the supplements in numbers of protozoa. Xylose induced a smaller reduction in pH, a higher (P < 0–05) proportion of acetate and a lower (P < 0–05) proportion of butyrate in rumen fluid than did sucrose. Effects of rumen pH were examined in Expt 5 where supplements of sucrose were given alone or together with NaHCO3. Rumen pH values were 6–38 for the control unsupplemented diet and 5–99, 6–28 and 6–55 (S.E. 0–06) for the diets supplemented with sucrose, sucrose plus 50 g NaHC03 and sucrose plus 100 g NaHCO3. Corresponding values for ruminal ammonia were 193, 151, 93 and 41 mg/1 (S.E. 10). Differences in VFA proportions between sucrose treatments were small and significant (P < 0–05) only for butyrate. It is concluded that there are important differences between carbohydrate sources in their effects on nitrogen metabolism in the rumen. Differences between starch and sugars appear to relate to the influence of the carbohydrates on the microbial population of the rumen, as was indicated by the differential effects of the carbohydrate sources on the number of total protozoa; differences between sugars appear to depend in part on the rates of sugar fermentation and the associated reduction in rumen pH.
Game domestication for animal production in Kenya: feeding trials with oryx, zebu cattle and sheep under controlled conditions
Authors: Price M. R. Stanley
Published: March 2009

Digestibility trials were carried out with five individuals each of domesticated oryx, sheep and cattle, using three diets ranging from 12·5 to 7·4% crude protein. Feed intake, water consumption and urine production were measured.

Intakes of dry matter (as g/day or g/kg W0·75/day) did not differ between diets for any species. On a metabolic weight basis the sheep and oryx ate the same amount. The cattle ate more than the sheep of all three diets, and more than the oryx in two of the three.

For all three species, digestibility of dry matter, crude protein and crude fibre was lower when the lower quality food was given. On any single diet, significant differences in digestive efficiency for any diet component between species were few and small.

Total daily intakes of water (ml/kg W0·85/day) were lower for each species when eating the diet with the lowest protein content. On each diet total intakes were significantly different in the decreasing order cattle > sheep > oryx, in the mean ratio 3·3:l·7:10.

Urine production (ml/kg W0·85/day) varied slightly between diets for each species. On each diet the cattle produced significantly more urine than the sheep or oryx. The ratio of urine produced to water drunk decreased in the order oryx > cow > sheep, in the mean ratios 0·63, 0·34 and 0·27. Despite some interspecific differences in nitrogen concentration, there were few differences in the proportion of total excreted nitrogen that was lost through the urine.

Calculations of evaporative water loss showed that loss of water by this avenue was significantly less in oryx than in sheep or cattle, which did not differ significantly.

In the absence of any evidence of a more efficient digestion, the low metabolic intake of food by oryx suggests a low metabolic rate. The oryx's low water consumption and small evaporative loss are obvious adaptations to its desert habitat.
The influence of plane of nutrition and diet composition on the performance of dairy cows
Authors: Broster W. H. , Sutton J. D. , Bines J. A. , Broster Valerie J. , Smith T. , Siviter J. W. , Johnson V. W. , Napper D. J. , Schuller E.
Published: March 2009

Seventy-six first-calf cows (heifers), 32 second·calf cows and 39 adult cows participated in a trial in which three diets composed of 60:40, 75:25, 90:10 proportions of compound to hay (hay dry-matter digestibility 0·6) were given for the first 36 weeks of lactation in amounts to provide daily an estimated 125, 156 MJ and ad libitum digestible energy (DE) for heifers, and 156, 187 MJ and ad libitum DE for the other parities. The ad libitum intakes were 150 and 200 MJ DE daily for heifers and for older cows respectively. Greater compound content of the diet and larger daily allowance of DE were associated with increased occurrence of mastitis and lameness but not digestive upsets. Dry·matter (D.M.) digestibility was increased with a greater proportion of compound in the diet but was not affected by the amount consumed or stage of lactation. Milk yield and live·weight change were increased linearly and additively by a greater intake of digestible dry matter and by a greater proportion of compound in the diet, throughout the lactation save for no effect of diet composition on live·weight change in early lactation. On equal feed intakes older cows gave more milk and lost more live weight than heifers in early lactation but not thereafter; responses to additional feed were equal for all parities studied. Milk fat concentration was reduced both by increased allowance and by the high compound diet. Milk solids·not·fat (SNF) concentration was not affected by the treatments. Yield of milk fat was not affected by amount eaten and was reduced by the 90:10 diet. Yields of SNF and milk energy were increased by amount eaten and by increased compound in the diet. Thirty-two primiparous cows continued on their experimental treatments without interruption to the end of the second lactation. In the second lactation the effects on yields of milk, milk energy, and SNF were magnified indicating a cumulative effect from lactation to lactation. Little cumulative effect was observed on either milk fat yield, or concentrations of fat and SNF in milk. More generous feeding was associated with reduced milk output/unit D.M. consumed in the first but not the second lactation. More generous feeding improved live·weight change less in the second than in the first lactation. No cumulative effects over two lactations were observed consequent upon variation in diet composition.
Meat production from cattle in West Wales 1943–8
Authors: Phillips R.
Published: March 2009

1. The data from a survey of beef production in West Wales has been subjected to analysis by the various regression equations deduced by Callow. The calculations have elucidated the quantitative proportions of fatty tissue, muscular tissue and bone tissue as well as the calorific values of the beef carcasses derived from animals of the various grades.

2. It is suggested that the method can be used as a basis to determine the controlled prices of fat cattle. The scale of prices thus obtained might encourage a better finish of the cattle and would tend to modify the seasonality of deliveries.

3. The process of fattening cattle alters the proportions of fatty, muscular and bone tissues in the carcass meat, but the increase in the quantity of muscular tissue is always greater than that of the fatty tissue. At all grades, the quantity of muscular tissue in the carcass is always greater than of fatty tissue.
The seasonality of milk sales in England and Wales from 1936–7 to 1951–2
Authors: Ashby Andrew W.
Published: March 2009

1. The seasonal variation of farm sales of milk was measured for each year from 1937– 8 to 1951– 2 for England and Wales, and for each of the eleven marketing regions into which the country is divided.

2. The effect of changes between years in the amount of seasonal variation in milk values on the amount of seasonal variation in sales was examined and little direct connexion found.

3. Despite the fact that high milk prices in winter do not make production at that time more profitable, farmers get their cows to calve when prices are rising or are at their highest.

4. An inverse correlation was found between the number of calves born alive and sales of milk in the same month, but a positive correlation between the total number of cows in milk and the volume of sales in the same month.

5. That part of seasonal variation in sales which cannot be explained by variations in the number of animals in milk was shown to be mainly due to variations in the shape of lactation curves of animals calving in different months.

6. The importance of feeding, particularly the availability and condition of grass, in affecting the shape of the lactation curve is discussed.
The influence of time, temperature, pH and calcium carbonate on the activity of the phytase of certain cereals
Authors: Hill R. , Tyler C.
Published: March 2009

1. Tests have been carried out to investigate the hydrolysis of phytate in wheat, bran, and oats.

2. Oats showed practically no phytase activity.

3. Wheat phytase had an optimum pH of 5·0–5·1 and functioned at pH values down to 3·0. When hydrolysis had been arrested by acidifying to pH 2·5 for 5 min. or longer, the phytase did not recover when the pH was raised to 5·0 by the addition of sodium bicarbonate.

4. There was an almost uniform increase in the rate of hydrolysis between 15 and 50° C.

5. The rate of phytate hydrolysis decreased as the reaction proceeded, but the reaction continued until only a very small amount of soluble substrate remained.

6. The presence of calcium, under conditions in which it could form insoluble phytate, reduced phytate hydrolysis to a considerable degree.

7. These reactions are considered in relation to phytate hydrolysis in the digestive tracts of animals.
The reaction between phytate and protein
Authors: Hill R. , Tyler C.
Published: March 2009

1. The solubility of phytate in the presence of protein has been determined over a pH range 6·5 to 0·5.

2. The fall in solubility of phytate in the region of pH 2·5 is shown to be due to a reaction with protein.

3. The reaction could be reduced considerably by adding calcium.

4. The mechanisms of these reactions are discussed.
Economies in the use of animal by-products in poultry rations: II. Vitamin and amino-acid provision for laying hens
Authors: Carpenter K. J. , Duckworth J. , Ellinger G. M.
Published: March 2009

1. Birds fed on rations devoid of animal byproducts from hatching until 18 months of age were equal in laying performance and health to those that had received animal supplements.

2. The stimulation of early growth by feeding aureomycin did not affect the final weight of pullets, their egg production or the incidence of broodiness.

3. The ‘animal protein factor(s)’ was of limited importance for egg production. There was a suggestive indication of an effect of a deficiency of the factor(s) when birds on an all-plant ration had been laying for 6 months without access to their droppings. Limited access to ‘unfermented’ droppings, which provided the only dietary source of the factor(s) during both rearing and laying periods, was sufficient to meet the need of the birds for sustained egg production.
Influence of the rice crop on the loss of nitrogen gas from water-logged soils
Authors: De P. K. , Digar S.
Published: March 2009

The investigation shows that when ammonium sulphate or oil cake was applied to cropped rice soils 4 weeks after transplantation, a considerable amount of the added nitrogen was lost as gas. This loss, however, was less than the loss that took place when the crop was absent. Placement of ammonium sulphate 3 in. below the soil surface reduced the loss of nitrogen, but did not significantly increase the crop yield. Gases evolved from cropped rice soils, whether unmanured or treated with ammonium sulphate, were free from hydrogen and contained practically no methane, while those formed in the uncropped soil under similar treatments contained large volumes of these two gases.
Studies in selective weed control I. The control of annual weeds in winter wheat
Authors: Blackman G. E. , Roberts H. A.
Published: March 2009

Since 1943 numerous multifactorial field experiments have been concerned with the development of methods for selective weed control in a variety of crops. Between 1943 and 1947 simultaneous comparisons have been made as to the relative effectiveness of sulphuric acid, cupric chloride, dinitro-o-cresol and the two growth-regulating substances—2-methy1-4-chloro -phenoxyacetic acid and 2:4-dichloro-phenoxyacetic acid—when applied as sprays (100 gal./acre) for the destruction of annual weeds in winter wheat.

There is a highly specific relationship between the weed species and the potential toxicity of any one compound. For the eradication of Ranunculus arvẹnsis and Scandix pecten-veneris, the two growth-regulating substances, as the sodium salts, are greatly superior, but for other species, such as Galium aparine, they.are wholly ineffective or only partially effective, e.g. Matricaria chamomilla. For Papaver rhoeas and Fumaria officinalis in the young seedling stage, sodium methyl-chloro-phenoxyacetate and ammonium dinitro-o-cresylate are equally toxic, while the indications are that Matricaria chamomilla and Centaurea cyanus are best killed with sulphuric acid or ammonium dinitro-o-cresylate. All these species are resistant or partially resistant to cupric chloride.

As a result of weed eradication, increases in grain yield ranging from 6 to 113% have been recorded, and over the twelve experiments the average increase for the most appropriate treatment was 23%.

At the concentrations employed for sulphuric acid (max. 18.4%) ammonium dinitro-o-cresylate (max. 1.1%) and cupric chloride (max. 4.0%) direct injury to the wheat, resulting in a loss in yield, has not been found when spraying is carried out in the active tillering stage. When spraying is unduly delayed, the yield depressions may be very considerable, more particularly with cupric chloride and sulphuric acid.

With the growth regulating substances, the results of two experiments indicated that the greatest selectivity is obtained when the concentration does not exceed 0.2-0.3% (2–3 lb./acre), but in the remaining trials no injury was observed up to a maximum concentration of 0.5%. In none of the trials was the formation of abnormal ears noted.

When mixtures of sodium methyl-chloro-phenoxy-acetate and dinitro-o-cresol are employed,. no significant interaction on crop yield has been found.
The microbial content and morphological character of the normal bovine uterus and oviduct
Authors: Dawson F. L. M.
Published: March 2009

The genitalia of a control series of nineteen animals, slaughtered for other reasons than reproductive failure, were studied. Of these six were in various stages of pregnancy, one was in a ‘proliferative phase’, being slaughtered probably just before the first oestrus after calving, and twelve represented different phases of the oestrous cycle, more than half exemplifying the last 4 days before heat. Stages were judged from the appearance of the ovaries, and checked in five instances by repeated rectal examinations, and observation of behaviour during life. Of the nineteen uteri eight yielded bacteria on culture, sometimes in moderately high density; from two of them, pure cultures were recovered respectively of Pseudomonas and Neisseria catarrhalis; and in another, probably Proteus was found. No previous records of these three genera at such a site have been found. Only aerobic blood agar plate cultures, and those for tuberculosis organisms were made. Dissection results unequivocally supported the view of Tagliavini in opposition to that taken by Hammond, that the sanguineous elements in post-oestral discharge originated from endometrial extravasation. The cow slaughtered 4 days after heat indicated that congestion disappears from the caruncles before leaving the areas between them. Microscopically, no mast cells, as observed by the Italian workers, could be seen; it appeared that a ‘proliferative phase’ occurs in every cycle during the three pre-oestral days, when gland tissue proliferates from its nadir of development, surface epithelium grows in height, and vascularization progresses. The rate and interrelations of these changes seemed variable. Arterioles appeared to be withdrawn from the superficial mucosa during the secretory phase. Tagliavini's claim to have observed sloughing of epithelium about the 17th day, strictly equivalent to the process of menstruation in the Primates, must on the evidence be regarded with considerable reserve.
The formation of nitrates in soil following various crop rotations
Authors: Barnes T. W.
Published: March 2009

The difference between the power to accumulate nitrates in the soil after various rotations has been determined by incubating the soils at the termination of these rotations, and measuring the nitrate formed between January and May, a period of 4 months. The test has been repeated during 8 successive years, and the mean result is presented. The previous treatments, each of which lasted 3 years, consisted of (a) a ley grazed off each season by sheep, (b) a crop of lucerne which furnished two or three crops of hay each yer, and (c) and (d) an arable rotation of potatoes, wheat, and either a hoed crop of kale or a mixed ryegrass and clover crop of hay.

In each case, the ammonia capable of distillation with magnesia was reduced during the incubation to an amount which differed little in all the soils, while the nitrate made an almost steady increase—most regular, however, after the previous cropping with lucerne—at least for a period of 4 months. The soil after the previous grass and clover hay crop started at a lower level of nitrate than the others and, even after the longest incubation period, never quite reached the accumulation which occurred in the other cases. Comparing the accumulation which occurred after the two 3-year ley crops (grazed ley and hayed lucerne) with that after the arable cropping, there was very little difference.
Shell porosity and shell thickness in inbred lines of brown leghorn fowls
Authors: Erasmus J. E.
Published: March 2009

1. Egg-shells from six inbred lines of Brown Leghorn fowls were examined for porosity and thickness in March and in July.

2. For both characters studied the variation between-line means was found to be significant.

3. The line means for thickness were with a single exception lower in July.

4. Porosity coefficients increased from March to July.

5. No significant relationship between shell thickness and porosity was found in either season. Line differences in porosity values are therefore attributable to variations in other properties of the shell.
The nutritive value of Calluna Vulgaris: III. Digestibility at four and ten years after burning
Authors: Thomas Brynmor , Smith Allan N.
Published: March 2009

1. The necessity for further information on the digestibility of heather, with particular reference to the effect of age, has been discussed.

2. The digestibility of well-defined samples of heather of 4 and 10 years of age has been determined.

3. Four-year-old Blackface wethers in crates were fed diets containing 50% of heather and 50% of medium-quality meadow hay.

4. The younger sample of heather was found to have appreciably higher digestibility coefficients for all nutritive constituents other than crude fibre.

5. Agreement between duplicate sheep in respect of their capacity to digest crude protein was found to be good, and faecal metabolic nitrogen outputs were similar.

6. Faecal metabolic nitrogen output was inversely related to the percentage of heather contained in the diet. No relationship between faecal metabolic nitrogen and bulk, as measured on a basis of volume per unit weight, could be established.

7. It has been concluded that heather, though inferior as a source of protein, provides rather more energy than a poor-quality meadow hay, and is thus of value as a winter feed.