bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Influence of type and dietary rate of inclusion of oil on meat quality of finishing pigs
Authors: Wiseman J. , Redshaw M.S. , Jagger S. , Nute G.R. , Wood J.D. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractTwo trials were conducted to examine the influence of dietary oil type and rate of inclusion on fatty acid profiles of adipose tissue and eating quality of griddled pork. Trial 1 was based on three sources high in specific fatty acids: palm oil (palmitic acid), tallow (stearic acid) and linseed oil (linolenic acid) each at three rates of inclusion (palm at 44·6, 88·7 and 133·3 g/kg; tallow at 44·1, 87·6 and 131·7g/kg; linseed oil at 40·1, 79·8 and 120·0g/kg into a synthetic fat-free diet. Trial 2 was based on systematic replacement of soya-bean oil (incorporated at a rate of 0, 34, 69 and 104 g/kg diet) with olive oil (rate of 62, 46, 29 and 13 g/kg diet) to alter dietary concentrations of oleic acid. Diets were offered to pigs over the live-weight range 55 to 90 kg. Samples of subcutaneous fat were analysed for fatty acid composition and samples of loin assessed for meat quality with taste panels. There were no significant effects (P> 0·05) of treatment on daily live-weight gain, food conversion ratio or gross carcass composition, with the exception of anterior loin fat for trial 1 (P< 0·05) although not in a manner that was consistent between treatments and, in trial 2, anterior loin fat, minimum loin fat and posterior loin fat (allP< 0·05) but, again, not consistently between treatments allowing no meaningful conclusions to be drawn. Fatty acid profiles of adipose tissue reflected dietary levels to a variable degree, the more so with oleic acid and the greatest for linoleic and linolenic acids. The quality of the pig meat as measured by sensory analysis was related to the fatty acid profile in the situation where the most extreme changes in fatty acid profile occurred, as was apparent for the diets based upon linseed oil. No other major influences on meat quality were obtained.
Effects of incremental changes in forage: concentrate ratio on plasma hormone and metabolite concentrations and products of rumen fermentation in fattening beef steers
Authors: Thorp C. L. , Wylie A.R.G. , Steen R.W. J. , Shaw C. , McEvoy J. D. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractAs part of an investigation of factors responsible for a previously reported lower efficiency of carcass lean gain in steers offered grass silage diets, 16 Simmental × Friesian steers (515 (s.e. 6·4) kg) were offered perennial ryegrass silage ad libitum (C0) or silage plus rolled barley at 200 (C20), 400 (C40) or 600 (C60) g/kg total diet dry matter (DM). Barley-supplemented diets were intake-restricted to provide equal DM and metabolizable energy (ME) intakes to those offered C0. Eight steers were selected at random to determine the ME contents of the diets by open-circuit respiration calorimetry. The other eight steers were offered the same diets and were blood-sampled at 20- to 60-min intervals, for 10 h, to monitor changes in the concentrations of a number of nutritionally related plasma metabolites and hormones. Estimated ME intakes in these steers were 85·7, 83·1, 84·4 and 86·2 (s.e. 0·91) MJ/day from diets C0, C20, C40 and C60 respectively. Rumen-fistulated Hereford × Friesian steers provided 24-h rumen data for the same diets offered at equal amounts of ME per kg metabolic live weight.Mean 24-h plasma concentrations of insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) were linearly and positively related (P < 0·01 and P < 0·001 respectively) and glucagon quadratically related (P < 0·05) to the proportion of barley in the diet. Plasma insulin increased after feeding on all diets but concentrations on diets C40 and C60 were significantly higher than those on C0 and C20 at all post-feeding sampling times up to 9 h after feeding. Plasma IGF-1 concentrations increased above pre-feeding levels following feeding of the higher barley diets (C40 and C60; P = 0·053) but remained unchanged in steers offered C0 and C20. Mean plasma concentrations of glucose were unaffected by diet but those of β-hydroxybutyrate (BOHB) and urea were positively and negatively related respectively (both P < 0·001) to the proportion of barley in the diet. Plasma BOHB and urea concentrations also changed with time after feeding (P < 0·001). Amongst the rumen parameters measured (pH; ammonia and volatile fatty acid concentrations and proportions) only the mean 24-h concentrations and proportions of butyrate were positively related to the proportion of barley in the diet (P = 0·051 and P < 0·05 respectively). All rumen parameters were affected by time after feeding (acetate, P < 0·01; others, P < 0·001) but there was no interaction between treatment and time for any parameter.
Digestibility and voluntary intake of roughages by wild boar and Meishan pigs
Authors: Wieren S. E. van 
Published: August 2016

AbstractThe digestibility and voluntary intake of fibrous roughages and acorns was studied in six wild boar and five Meishan pigs. The neutral-detergent fibre (NDF) concentration of the diets ranged from 139 to 767 g/kg of the organic matter. Organic matter digestibility of acorns, mixed grass and wheat straw was higher in wild boar (P < 0·05) while voluntary food intake of the Meishan pigs was higher for mixed grass, hay and wheat straw (P < 0·05). Organic matter digestibility (P < 0·01) and NDF digestibility (P < 0·05) were both negatively related to NDF concentration of the diet. No relationship existed between voluntary food intake and NDF concentration of the diet. The apparent nitrogen (N) digestibility was positively related (P < 0·01) to dietary N while no relationship was found with dietary NDF. The negative effect of NDF on digestibility could only be partly explained by the lignin concentration of NDF. Much more important was the lower efficiency of the carbohydrate fermentation in the caecum and colon when compared with the direct absorption of glucose from the small intestine. It was estimated that digestible NDF at a maximum contributed proportionately 0·26 to the metabolizable energy intake of the animals. It was concluded that wild boar and domestic pigs should be able to maintain themselves on an all fresh grass diet when NDF concentration of the diet does not exceed about 550 g/kg and N concentration is not too low.
Effect of aα-galactosidase supplementation of cereal-soya-bean-pea diets on the productive performances, digestibility and lower gut fermentation in growing and finishing pigs
Authors: Baucells F. , Pérez J. F. , Morales J. , Gasa J. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractAn experiment was carried out to study the effect of addingα-galactosidase to the diet on the performance and digestive parameters of growing-finishing pigs. Fifty-four gilts, average body weight (BW) of 43 (s.e. 0·4) kg, were allocated to 18 pens and used in a production experiment divided in two consecutive periods of 28 days each (growing and finishing). In each period gilts were given a diet based on cereals, soya-bean meal and peas, supplemented (Enzyme) or unsupplemented (Control) with 200 units per kg ofα-galactosidase. All diets included 2 g Cr2O3per kg as a digestibility marker. Food intake and body weight were recorded every 2 weeks and faecal samples by pen were collected at the end of each period. Average daily gain (ADG), food: gain ratio and faecal digestibility of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP) and neutral-detergent fibre (NDF) were calculated. At the end of the production experiment nine gilts from each treatment were selected and given the finishing diet for a further 10 days before being slaughtered. Samples of digesta from the ileum and caecum were collected and ileal digestibility of monosaccharides determined. Short chain volatile fatty acids (SCVFA ) and purine bases (PB) in caecal digesta were analysed. The use ofα-galactosidase improved the ADG (P< 0·01) and the food: gain ratio (P< 0·01) simultaneous to increases in the faecal digestibility of DM (P< 0·05), CP (P< 0·05) and NDF (P= 0·07) in the finishing period. Alpha-galactosidase supplementation also improved the ileal digestibility of some monosaccharides (galactose, rhamnose, mannose and fucose) of the dietary fibre fraction (P< 0·05); and reduced total caecal concentration of SCVFA (P= 0·15), proportion of branched-chain VFA (P< 0·001), and concentration of total PB (P< 0·001). It is concluded that addingα-galactosidase to a cereal-soya-bean meal-pea diet improves ADG, food: gain ratio and digestibility in fattening pigs, and reduces the amount of fermentable substrate flowing to the large intestine.
Appropriate mathematical models for describing the complete lactation of dairy sheep
Authors: Pollott G. E. , Gootwine E. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractDespite milk being an important product from sheep, there are very few reports of milk production from the complete lactation of dairy sheep. The Improved Awassi in Israel is kept under an intensive system of management with lambs being weaned soon after birth. Records from one such flock were analysed to investigate the suitability of various mathematical functions for describing milk yield from the complete lactations of dairy sheep. This included a consideration of whether the functions could cope with short lactations, a characteristic of dairy sheep, and a limited number of test-day records per lactation.Four non-linear mathematical functions were investigated (Wood, Morant, Grossman and Pollott), two of which could also be fitted in a linear and a linear weighted form (Wood and Morant). These functions were fitted to weekly data from a ‘typical Awassi lactation curve’, represented by least squares means of daily milk yield from each week of a 40-week lactation derived from an analysis of 25605 test day records. Characteristics of the lactation were calculated from the functions, such as total milk yield, day and level of peak yield and persistency. These functions were also fitted to 1416 individual lactation records of up to 10 test-day records per lactation. The value of the functions was investigated using the residual mean square (RMS) of the fitted curve as an indicator of how well each function described the lactation. Forms of these functions with a reduced number of parameters were also investigated.The non-linear functions always fitted the data with a lower RMS than their linear equivalent and the weighted form of the linear functions always had a lower RMS than the unweighted form. Of the linear functions, Morant fitted better than Wood. Of the non-linear functions Grossman, Morant and Pollott (additive and multiplicative) fitted the data equally as well but better than Wood. The various functions predicted characteristics of the lactation curve differently; the Wood functions tended to overestimate yield in early lactation and the Morant functions underestimated peak yield.No function was better suited to short lactations than another. However the three-parameter function of Morant, Pollott multiplicative and Pollott additive were considered to be the most suitable for describing the complete lactation of dairy sheep.
Maternal and lamb carrier effects of the Booroola gene on food intake, growth and carcass quality of male lambs
Authors: Visscher A. H. , Dijkstra M. , Lord E. A. , Süss R. , Rösler H.-J. , Heylen K. , Veerkamp R. F. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractPossible correlated or pleiotropic effects on food intake, growth rate and carcass traits (meat quality and carcass composition traits) were investigated for the prolificacy related Booroola gene (FecB). This gene was introgressed in a Texel sheep population by systematic backcrossing with sires carrying the Booroola gene. In a 3-year experiment 273 spring-born male lambs were offered concentrates ad libitum, after weaning. Lamb carrier effects and dam carrier effects for the FecB gene were estimated, accounting for year, backcross generation, slaughter weight, weaning age, concentrate type, rearing code, age of the dam and litter size as fixed effects. Carriers of the FecB had a higher dressing percentage (+1·15%), longissimus muscle depth (+0·26 mm to +0·7 5mm) and cross-sectional area (+0·98 cm2). However the gene also had a positive effect on subcutaneous fatness (+0·12 points), KKCF (+30 g) and a substantial positive lamb carrier effect on carcass fat tissue content (+3·09%), which reflects a relative increase in fatness of 11·9%. The FecB gene had also very small, significant effects on some meat colour traits. The dam carrier effects of the Booroola gene were negatively associated with food efficiency and with longissimus muscle depth (–1·38 to –2·25 mm). The increased fatness of lambs could imply that for optimal use of FecB, non-carrier terminal sires should be used on heterozygous dams.
The post-weaning behaviour of indoor-bred and outdoor-bred pigs
Authors: Webster S. , Dawkins M. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractThe effect of two different lactation environments on the development of pig behaviour was examined at weaning and on days 1, 8, 15 and 57 post weaning. Ten focal indoor-bred pigs and 10 focal outdoor-bred pigs were weaned and mixed together into a group of 60 to 80 mixed indoor- and outdoor-bred pigs. There were six replicate groups. Scans of all focal animals were made using time sampling with a 2-min interval, for 3·0 h immediately following weaning and from 06:00 to 11:00 h on days 1, 8, 15 and 57 post weaning. All pens were straw bedded with two different types of feeder system: one seven-space ad libitum hopper and two rooting-action feeders each accommodating up to four piglets at one time.From weaning to day 1 post weaning, outdoor-bred pigs were observed to feed more than were indoor-bred pigs (115·6 v. 97·0 observations per pen per day,P< 0·05, s.e.d. = 1·18). From days 8 to 57 post weaning, outdoor-bred pigs were observed to root more than were indoor-bred pigs (22·5 v. 14·7 observations per pen per day,P< 0·05, s.e.d. = 1·22). These findings support the hypothesis that the lactation environment has a significant effect on the behaviour of pigs in their subsequent growing environment. However, such effects appear not to lead to differences in carcass weights, rigor following dressing or carcass blemish at slaughter.
Ileal and total tract digestibility in growing pigs given cassava root meal diets with inclusion of cassava leaves, leucaena leaves and groundnut foliage
Authors: Phuc B. H. N. , Lindberg J. E. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractGrowing pigs fitted with post-valve T-caecum cannulas were used in a change-over design experiment (5✕5) to determine the ileal and total tract apparent digestibility and hindgut disappearance of dietary components and energy in a cassava root and soya-bean meal-based diet with an inclusion rate at 0·15 of the dry matter (DM) of either cassava leaf meal, ensiled cassava leaves, groundnut foliage, or leucaena leaves.The ileal and total tract apparent digestibilities of organic matter (OM), crude protein, nitrogen-free extractives and energy of the diets were significantly reduced with inclusion of the foliages (P< 0·05). The digestibility of neutral-detergent fibre (NDF) and crude fibre was improved when groundnut foliage was included in the diet (P< 0·05).The dietary content of NDF was a better predictor of the total tract digestibility of OM (R2= 0·87) and energy (R2= 0·90) than the content of crude fibre (R2= 0·68 for OM digestibility and R2= 0·72 for energy digestibility).The disappearance of OM and energy in the hindgut of the foliage diets was 0·36 (s.d. 0·02) and 0·31 (s.d. 0·02), respectively, which was significantly lower (P< 0·05) than on the control diet (0·48 and 0·46, respectively).Ileal as well as total tract digestibilities of OM in groundnut foliage were higher than for the other leaf products (ileal, 0·55 and 0·42; and total tract, 0·64 and 0·55, respectively). For foliage products of cassava and leucaena an average digestible energy value of 11·4 MJ/kg DM was calculated, whereas for groundnut foliage the corresponding value was 10·9 MJ/kg DM.It was concluded that, inclusion of foliages in pig diets will reduce the dietary energy content, due to a high fibre content. However, under tropical conditions foliage at low levels of inclusion may be useful in low fibre diets for growing pigs to improve the dietary protein supply.
Monthly variations in some reproductive parameters of Barki and Awassi rams throughout 1 year under subtropical conditions 1. Semen characteristics and hormonal levels
Authors: Taha T. A. , Abdel-Gawad E. I. , Ayoub M. A. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractFifteen sexually mature rams, five each of Barki, Awassi (I, imported from Syria) and Awassi (LB, locally born in Egypt) were used in this study. Semen was collected monthly from rams for a period of 12 months to study semen characteristics. In addition, blood samples were collected from rams during the four seasons of the year to determine serum triiodothyronine (T3) and testosterone hormones. Results showed that Barki and Awassi (I and LB) rams are continuous breeders as they show sexual desire and produce semen all the year round. However, monthly variations in semen quality were detected. Relative testes volume, ejaculate volume, sperm concentration, total sperm output, sperm motility, percentage of live sperm and serum testosterone level were higher during summer months than at other months of the year. Serum T3was significantly higher in winter and spring than that observed in summer and autumn. In addition, percentages of dead spermatozoa were higher in winter and early spring than in autumn and summer. Furthermore, summer months showed moderate percentages of abnormal spermatozoa and spermatozoa without intact acrosomes. These results indicate that ram semen quality in the subtropics may be better during summer months than during other months of the year.
Influence of forage: concentrate ratio and type of starch in the diet on feeding behaviour, dietary preferences, digestion, metabolism and performance of dairy goats in mid lactation
Authors: Abijaoudé J. A. , Morand-Fehr P. , Tessier J. , Schmidely P. , Sauvant D. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractIn a 12-week trial, 12 Alpine and 12 Saanen dairy goats in mid lactation were housed in individual stalls for behavioural, digestive and metabolic studies. Eight of them were fitted with ruminal cannulae. They were offered ad libitum four complete diets CR, CS, FR and FS (450 g dry matter (DM) per kg) in a 4✕4 Latin-square design. Forage: concentrate ratio was either low (C = 30: 70) or high (F = 55: 45) and starch source either rapidly (R, barley) or slowly (S, maize) degraded in the rumen.Diet preferences were tested. DM intake, chewing activities and performance were determined. Ruminal pH and ammonia-nitrogen (NH3-N) concentrations were measured. Goats were also challenged intravenously with glucose (0·2 g/kg live weight) to assess glucose homeostasis.CR was the most preferred diet. The level of intake differed according to the type of starch (2·2 kg DM per day of CR and FR and 2·0 kg DM per day of CS and FS). FS lowered ruminal pH significantly less than the other diets after the meal. Ruminal NH3-N concentrations were lower in goats given CR and CS than FR and FS. Goats’ resistance to a glucose challenge was not different among diets. Milk yield was 2·00, 1·85, 2·01, 1·85 kg/day on CR, CS, FR and FS respectively. Milk fat content decreased significantly with diets rich in concentrate (24 v. 26 g/kg milk) but milk protein content varied only a little.In conclusion it appears that (1) higher forage: concentrate ratios were less preferred and decreased ruminal acidity but increased daily chewing, ruminal NH3-N and milk fat content; and (2) rapidly degraded starch increased intake, ruminal acidity and milk yield.
The effect of crop maturity on the nutritional value of maize silage for lactating dairy cows. 2. Ruminal and post-ruminal digestion
Authors: Sutton J. D. , Cammell S. B. , Phipps R. H. , Beever D. E. , Humphries D. J. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractTo evaluate the effect of crop maturity on digestion of maize silage in the rumen and post-ruminal digestive tract, four multiparous Holstein-Friesian cows fitted with a simple cannula in the proximal duodenum and a rumen cannula were offered four diets in a 4 ✕ 4 Latin-square design. Forage maize (cv. Hudson) was harvested and ensiled at target dry matter (DM) contents of 230, 280, 330 and 380 g per kg fresh weight (FW) to provide a range of starch contents. The mean values for volatile-corrected DM (VCDM) and starch content of the four maize silages as given were 221, 277, 308 and 372 g/kg FW and 173, 257, 328 and 382 g/kg VCDM respectively. Grass silage (GS) containing 250 g VCDM per kg FW was produced from the primary growth of a perennial ryegrass sward. The diets were 8·7 kg DM per day of a dairy concentrate supplement with one of four forage treatments offered ad libitum. The forage treatments were a 3 : 1 DM ratio of maize silage with GS, designated as T23, T28, T33 and T38. Each period lasted 6 weeks with rumen and duodenal samples being taken over 3 days in week 4 and faeces being collected in respiration chambers over 6 days in either week 5 or 6. Milk yield tended to increase with advancing maturity (30·5, 31·8, 32·5 and 32·3 kg/day) but individual treatment differences were not significant. DM intake increased from 19·62 to 21·30 kg/day (P < 0·05) but there were no significant effects on digestibility in the rumen, post-ruminal tract or total tract. Digestibility of neutral detergent fibre in the rumen declined with increasing starch content in the maize silage (P < 0·05) but total digestibility was not significantly affected. Starch intake increased from 3·11 to 5·04 kg/day (P < 0·001), duodenal flow from 0·40 to 0·89 kg/day (P < 0·01) and the amounts digested in the rumen and post-ruminal tract respectively from 2·72 and 0·34 kg/day to 4·16 and 0·71 kg/ day (P < 0·01). However the only significant effect on starch digestibility was a small fall in total digestibility from a mean of 0·981 for T23, T28 and T33 to 0·966 for T38. There were no treatment effects on nitrogen digestion. The molar proportions of acetic acid and n-caproic acid decreased and that of n-butyric acid increased with advancing maturity. It is concluded that the changes in composition of maize silage with increasing maturity result in large increases in the contribution of starch to DM digested in the rumen but only small differences in rumen fermentation. Post-ruminal starch digestion doubles but this is due to the increased starch concentration of the silage rather than major changes in digestion and the amount is small compared with that likely to result from feeding maize grain.