bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A note on the effect of dentition and age in sheep on the intake of herbage
Authors: Newton J. E. , Jackson Caroline 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTThe intake of ten 5-year-old Masham ewes with good teeth, five 7-year-old Mashams with poor teeth and nine 10-year-old ewes with poor teeth was measured when they were offered long (35·1 cm) or short grass (3·8 cm) outdoors or poor quality hay indoors. The young ewes ate significantly more grass and hay than the old ewes, but the difference in daily intake was greater with long grass (1473 v. 751 g organic matter per head) and with hay (895 v. 421) than with short grass (617 v. 407). The intermediate age ewes ate as much of the long grass and of the hay as the young ewes, but less of the short grass. This suggests that age influenced intake more than did tooth condition, except when short grass was offered.Within the oldest but not within the intermediate group of ewes, there was a significant correlation between the number of incisors and organic matter intake, except with the long grass, but there was no correlation between the number of cheek teeth and intake. When offered hay, the only group with a reduced in vivo digestibility was the intermediate group of ewes, the other two groups having a similar digestibility.There was no correlation between number of incisors or number of molars and in vivo digestibility.
Comparative performance of F1Friesian × Zebu heifers in Ethiopia
Authors: Alberro M. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTThe performance of 200 F1Friesian ♂ × zebu ♀ and 90 zebu heifers on 14 dairy cooperative farms near Addis Ababa was compared over a 2-year period. The farms varied in management and feeding but in general the standards were low. Each farm had zebu and Friesian × zebu cows given the same management and feeding. Measurements were made of milk production traits of economic importance, including physiological and behavioural factors important for management purposes.The Friesian ♂ × zebu ♀ crossbred heifers showed an advantage in having an earlier age at puberty and at first calving, higher milk production, longer lactations, better disposition at milking and better reproductive performance. The calves from these crossbred heifers were larger at birth but there were more problems at calving. The zebu heifers withstood better the two periods of drought that occurred during the study. No significant differences were found in disease incidence, parasitic resistance, mastitis incidence or mortality. The interval between oestrus was normal in the F1heifers but longer in the zebus. The duration of gestation was much longer in the zebus (mean 291 days). The duration of oestrus was 4·5 h for the zebu and 10·0 h for the F1heifers, the latter being-much longer than the mean of 7·4 h reported in the literature. The F1heifers showed the first oestrus after calving much sooner than did the zebus.
Lactation performance, herbage intake and lamb growth of Scottish Blackface and East Friesland × Scottish Blackface ewes grazing hill or improved pasture
Authors: Doney J. M. , Peart J. N. , Smith W. F. , Sim D. A. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTScottish Blackface (BF) and East Friesland × Scottish Blackface (EFX) ewes rearing single or twin lambs grazed for 14 weeks of lactation on two different pasture types in two consecutive years. Mean daily milk production, live-weight change and herbage intake of the ewes and live-weight gain of the lambs were measured each week.In the first year the ewes grazed a ryegrass/clover sward. There were significant differences in milk production associated with breed of ewe and number of lambs reared. Peak yields, achieved in the 3rd or 4th week, reached 2·25, 2·5 and 3·25 kg/day for BF ewes with a single lamb and EFX ewes with single or twin lambs, respectively. Corresponding yields in the 14th week were 0·5, 1·35 and 1·15 kg/day. Live weight of ewes in all groups declined during the first 2 weeks but recovered by week 6. Herbage intake increased in all groups until the 8th week and then declined much more rapidly in the BF than in the EFX ewes. Lamb growth was related to milk intake to give weaning weights of 31·5, 39·0 and 29·0 kg, respectively.In the second year, when ewes grazed a hill pasture dominated by an AgrostislFestuca community, differences in milk production, though significant, were smaller than in the previous year. Peak yields were 2·1, 2·25, 2·25 and 3·1 kg/day, respectively, for BF ewes with single or twin lambs and EFX ewes with single or twin lambs. At 14 weeks, yields had fallen to between 0·6 and 1·0 kg/day. The patterns of live-weight change and food intake were similar to those in the previous year. The EFX ewes consumed more food than BF ewes throughout lactation, particularly in the second half. Lamb growth rate was again related to milk supply and was lower than in the previous year. Weaning weights were 31·0, 25·5, 34·5 and 27·0 kg for single or twin lambs reared by BF or EFX ewes, respectively.
A study of the relationship between plane of nutrition during lactation and certain production characteristics in autumn-calving suckler cows
Authors: Somerville S. H. , Lowman B. G. , Edwards R. A. , Jolly G. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTHereford ♂ × British Friesian ♀ cows that had calved in September/October and were suckling mainly Charolais ♂ × calves were offered individually one of three planes of nutrition based on their estimated maintenance requirement during their first 150 days of lactation.The mean daily intakes of metabolizable energy were 95·8, 71·5 and 52·1 MJ for the high, medium and low planes of nutrition respectively. Data were collected from 122 lactations. The mean 150-day cumulative milk yields of the cows were 1 355, 1 258 and 1 187 kg for the high, medium and low planes of nutrition respectively (P < 0·001). A i-kg increase in calf birth weight was associated with an increase in 150-day cumulative milk yield of 14·7 ± 2·17 kg (P < 0·001). Losses in live weight and condition score were significantly greater for cows given the low plane of nutrition during lactation (P < 0001).Although there was a significant (P < 0·01) positive correlation between the growth rate of the calves and their dams' nutritional level during the winter there was evidence of compensatory growth at grass, since by the time of weaning in August, the plane of nutrition of the dam during the winter had no significant effect on the weight of the calves.The experiment demonstrates that energy-deficient beef cows will attempt to maintain milk production at the expense of body reserves and that when supplementary solid food is made available to the suckled calves, their weaning weights are unaffected by the plane of nutrition of the dam during the winter.
Genetic variation in the efficiency of energy utilization by the fattening pig
Authors: Foster W. H. , Kilpatrick D. J. , Heaney I. H. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTAn analysis was performed on data from three breeds recorded at the Pig Testing Station in Antrim in order to estimate and apportion variation in the measure of efficiency considered here, namely the daily food consumption after allowance had been made for maintenance and production requirements and other fixed effects. Results suggest that a considerable proportion of the variation in residual consumption is due to genetic causes (h2 = 0·3) and that selection to exploit this variation would result in an appreciable reduction in food costs. There were indications of considerable litter effects upon the trait.
Changes in body composition relative to weight and maturity of large and small strains of australian merino rams. 4. Fat depots and bones
Authors: Butterfield R. M. , Thompson J. M. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTMaturing patterns are established for the weight of bones relative to the weight of total bone and for the weight of fat depots relative to the weight of total body fat in two strains of Merino rams of different mature size. The maturing coefficients for all bone and fat depots are tabulated.In the mature animals the partitioning of fat in each strain was similar, except for scrotal fat which was more abundant in the smaller strain. The maturity patterns of the depots were not different for the strains and also not different from the pattern of total fat, except in the case of scrotal fat. Accordingly, comparisons of the partitioning of fat were similar at equal maturity to the comparisons made at equal weight.The distribution of weight among the bones was similar at maturity for both strains. However, unlike the fat depots, the individual bones had maturity coefficients which were mostly different from that of total bone. The limb bones, with the exception of the scapula, were early maturing relative to total bone. Accordingly, when compared at equal weight, limb bones, except the scapula, were a higher proportion of total bone weight in the larger strain and the differences between the strains were reduced when compared at equal maturity.A summary of conclusions from this series of papers shows that tissues and organs had similar maturity coefficients in both strains of rams, and that stage of maturity was important in comparisons of proportions of tissues which have maturity coefficients which differed greatly from 1·0, but of little consequence where the maturity coefficient was close to 1·0
Energy-budget strategies for growth in mammals and birds
Authors: Kirkwood J. K. , Webster A. J. F. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTThe concepts of metabolic time and size are used, respectively, to compare maturing time and energy exchanges during growth in homeotherms. Maturation rate, expressed per unit of mature size (A1/4) is relatively constant for mammals, irrespective of attempts by man to select for rapid growth. Precocial birds mature more rapidly, however, and altricial birds more rapidly still. These differences are explained in terms of different patterns of energy exchange. It is proposed that maturation time is ultimately determined by size-related constraints on rate of metabolism during growth.
Comparative performance of six Holstein-Friesian × Guzera grades in Brazil 1. Gestation length and birth weight
Authors: Lemos A. M. , Teodoro R. L. , Barbosa R. T. , Freitas A. F. , Madalena F. E. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTGestation length and birth weight of 939 calves born at Santa Monica Experimental Station, Valenc, a, State of Rio de Janeiro, were studied. The calves were of six red and white Holstein-Friesian (HF) × Guzera (G) grades: 1/4, 1/2, 5/8, 3/4, 7/8 and ≥ 31/32.As the grade × sex interaction for birth weight was significant, data for each sex were analysed separately. A model, including the effects of grade, year-season of birth, grade × year season interaction and age of dam as a covariate, resulted in the following least-square means for the six grades in the above order (± s.e.): gestation length for cows carrying male calves, 290·0 (± 0·9), 281·2 (± 0·9), 285·3 (± 0·8), 278·8 (± 0·9), 280·5 (± 0·9) and 279·3 (± 0·9) days; gestation length for female calves, 287·5 (± 0·9), 280·1 (± 1·0), 285·3 (± 0·9), 274·5 (± 1·1), 279·2 (± 0·9) and 276·4 (± 1·0) days; birth weight for males, 34·6 (± 0·7), 28·6 (± 0·8), 34·2 (± 0·7), 32·4 (± 0·7), 35·0 (± 0·7) and 34·7 (± 0·7) kg; birth weight for females, 29·9 (± 0·6), 29·5 (± 0·7), 33·4 (± 0·6), 31·9 (± 0·7), 33·6 (± 0·6) and 32·6 (± 0·6) kg.Direct (g1) and maternal (gM) breed additive effects (HF - G), and direct (h1) and maternal heterosis (hM) were estimated. The estimates of g7, gM, h1 and hM were respectively, for gestation length for male calves: -21·5 (± 1·9), 10·6 (± 2·1), 1·5 (± 1·8) and -1·6 (± 11) days; for gestation length, for female calves: -21·9 (± 2·1), 14·6 (± 2·5), 5·7 (± 2·1) and -1·5 (± 1·2) days; for birth weight of male calves: -3·5 (± 1·5), 7·1 (± 1·8), -0·6 (± 1·5) and 1·0 (± 0·9) kg; and for birth weight of female calves: 4·7 (± 1·4), 4·1 (± 1·6), 2·8 (± 1·3) and 2·0 (± 0·8) kg. The difference in birth weight between males and females was 4·7 (± 0·9) for G-sired calves and 0·8 (± 0·4) for HF-sired calves.
Comparative Performance of Six Holstein-Friesian × Guzera grades in Brazil 2. Traits related to the onset of the sexual function
Authors: Teodoro R. L. , Lemos A. M. , Barbosa R. T. , Madalena F. E. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTAge and weight at puberty, age at first conception and number of services per conception of 90 females at Santa Monica Experimental Station, Valencia, State of Rio de Janeiro, were studied. The females were of six red and white Holstein-Friesian (HF) × Guzera (G) grades: 1/4, 1/2, 5/8, 3/4, 7/8 and ≥ 31/32.A model (1) including the effects of grade and season of birth resulted in the following least-squares means for the six grades in the above order (± s.e.): age at puberty, 770 (± 17), 725 (± 18), 799 (± 26), 788 (± 23), 777 (± 17) and 803 (± 24) days; weight at puberty, 309 (± 8), 334 (± 9), 316 (± 13), 311 (± 11), 303 ((± 9) and 298 (± 12) kg; age at conception, 865 (± 19), 773 (± 19), 867 (± 31), 808 (± 25), 852 (± 22) and 837 (± 25) days; number of services per conception, 1·9 (± 0·2), 1·7 (± 0·2), 1·5 (± 0·3), 11 (± 0·2), 1·6 (+ 0·2) and 1·3 (± 0·2).A second model (2) was fitted, including the effects of season of birth, direct (g1) breed additive effects (HF - G) and heterosis effects (hl). g1 and h1 were estimated by the partial regression coefficient of the traits studied on, respectively, the expected HF gene frequency and the expected heterozygosity of the females. The estimates of g7 were not significantly different from zero except for age at first conception (g7 = -102 (s.e. 46) days) (P < 0·05). Heterosis effects were significant for age at puberty (h1 = -86 (s.e. 34) days), weight at puberty (h1 = 44 (s.e. 17) kg) and age at first conception (h1 = —119 (s.e. 37) days). These three estimates of h1 amounted, respectively to —0106, 0151 and —0·132 of the estimated mean of the parental breeds.F-tests on the extra variation due to fitting model 1 after model 2 were not significant (P < 0·05) indicating that epistasis or other genetic effects, not included in model 2, were of little importance for the traits studied.
Effects of plane of nutrition and environmental temperature on the growth and development of the early-weaned piglet 1. Growth and body composition
Authors: Close W. H. , Stanier M. W. 
Published: September 2010

1. Eighteen litters of piglets were weaned at 14 days of age and reared for a further 3 weeks at environmental temperatures of 18, 23 or 28°C. At each environmental temperature three levels of feeding were used. The changes in body composition of the piglets were studied by the comparative slaughter procedure, littermates being analysed at birth, and at 14, 22 and 36 days of age. For comparison, the bodies of suckled piglets of similar weights and ages were also analysed.2. In the 2 to 3 day period following weaning, body weight decreased, with the greatest reduction being 0·28 (s.e. 002) kg at 18°C. Following this, body weight gain was dependent on both environmental temperature and level of feeding, although at any given level of food intake there was little difference between the values at 23 or 28°C.3. There were marked changes in the chemical composition of the carcass in relation to the different temperature/feeding level combinations. The most variable component was fat. In the period following weaning there was considerable mobilization of fat, especially at the lower temperatures and feeding levels. The fat content of the early weaned piglets at 36 days of age (68 to 103 g/kg) was significantly less than that of the suckled piglets (169 g/kg) (P < 0·01). The decreases in fat content were accompanied by increases in the dry-matter content of the carcass.4. The protein content of the carcass remained relatively independent of the different treatments, ranging from 140 to 164 g/kg for the early-weaned piglets, compared with 139 g/kg for those that had suckled their mothers.5. The differences in the growth and body composition of the early-weaned piglet are discussed in relation to an inadequate food intake following weaning, to changes in nutrient supply and to variations in the climatic environment.
Studies on lambs from lines genetically selected for low and high copper status 1. Differences in mortality
Authors: Woolliams Carol , Suttle N. F. , Woolliams J. A. , Jones D. G. , Wiener G. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTMortality and its causes were studied during two consecutive years in a total of 934 lambs. The lambs were from two lines of sheep genetically selected for low (L) and high (H) concentrations of copper (Cu) in plasma within an interbred Scottish Blackface × Welsh Mountain population and from unselected Scottish Blackface (B) and Welsh Mountain (W) breeds. The lambs grazed improved hill pastures. Half of the lambs in each line or breed were given an oral Cu supplement by 7·5 weeks of age.Mortality from birth to 24 weeks in H was less than half that in L; mean proportional mortalities were L 0·28, H 0·12, B 0·37 and W 0·07, with a similar distribution in each year. Swayback accounted proportionately for 0·26 deaths in year 1, but proportionately for only 0·02 in year 2. The majority of other losses involved a variety of microbial infections.Genetic type (W < H < L < B) was a major determinant of, and Cu supplementation a protection against, swayback and non-swayback losses. For non-swayback losses L lambs were about twice (P< 0·01) and B lambs about four times (P< 0·001) more vulnerable than H and W lambs respectively. Unsupplemented lambs were more than twice as vulnerable to non-swayback causes of death in the 1st year (P< 0·05) and four times as vulnerable in the 2nd year (P< 0·01) as were Cu-supplemented lambs. There were no cases of swayback in supplemented lambs even though Cu treatment was in some lambs as late as 7·5 weeks after birth.Such marked differences in mortality rate, particularly between the selected lines, had not been apparent in the 5 years preceding pasture improvement, suggesting a genotype × environment interaction affecting survival.The results provide the first definitive evidence that decreased resistance to infection is a clinical consequence of ovine Cu deficiency in the field, amenable to control by Cu treatment and genetic selection.
The effect of nutrition on the reproductive performance of first-litter sows 4. The relative effects of energy and protein intakes during lactation on the performance of sows and their piglets
Authors: King R. H. , Dunkin A. C. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTEighty-eight first-litter sows were used in a factorial experiment to examine the effects of energy and protein intakes during lactation on subsequent performance. Some received either 45 MJ (E,) or 60 to 63 MJ (E2) digestible energy per day and either 508 to 511 (P,) or 703 to 815 (P2) g crude protein per day during a 28-day lactation.Sows on the E2P2 treatment lost less body weight during lactation than sows on the other three treatments (P < 0·05). Average live-weight losses during lactation were 21·8, 20·8, 17·8 and 9·6 kg for the E1P1, E1P2, E2P1, and E2P2 sows, respectively. The corresponding reductions in backfat measurements during lactation were 5·5, 7·9, 3·2 and 4·0 mm. Backfat losses were greater for sows given either moderate energy intakes or high protein intakes (P < 0·01).Neither protein intake nor energy intake during lactation affected subsequent ovulation rate, but piglets sucking sows given high protein intakes grew faster, particularly during the last week of lactation, than piglets sucking sows receiving low protein intakes (P < 0·05).Within 8 days of weaning, more sows given high intakes of protein during lactation exhibited oestrus than did sows which received lower intakes of protein (27/44 v. 14/44, x2 = 7·7, P < 0·01). Protein intake during lactation affected the nitrogen balance of sows in a similar way. The nitrogen balances were estimated during the 3rd week of lactation, and for sows given rations E1P1, E1P2, E2P1, and E2P2were -20·2, -11·5, -17·5 and -7·2 g/day respectively.
Reproduction in the gilt 6. The effect of various degrees of mature boar contact during rearing on puberty attainment
Authors: Eastham Philippa R. , Dyck G. W. , Cole D. J. A. 
Published: September 2010

AbstactForty-eight Landrace × (Landrace × Large White) gilts were randomly allocated at 70 days of age to each of three rearing treatments: (1) fence-line contact with a mature boar, (2) olfactory/aural contact with a mature boar, (3) no boar contact. At 160 days of age, all gilts were relocated adjacent to a novel mature boar and exposed to full contact with a mature boar for 30 min each day. At the first, second and third oestrus, 16 gilts from each treatment group were mated twice and the reproductive tracts were examined at slaughter 21 days later, to determine ovulation rate and embryo survival. The rearing treatments had no significant effects on the attainment of puberty. Neither rearing treatment nor oestrus of mating had any significant effect on behaviour, sexual receptivity at first service, conception rate, ovulation rate, the number of embryos and embryo survival at 21 days of pregnancy.
The responses of growing pigs to dietary lysine, as free lysine hydrochloride or in soya-bean meal, and the influence of food intake
Authors: Fuller M. F. , Wood J. , Brewer A. C. , Pennie K. , MacWilliam R. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTOne hundred and ninety-two individually fed pigs, half of them castrated males and half females, were used to examine the effects of reducing the concentration of dietary lysine below the value of 0·84 g/MJ digestible energy suggested by the Agricultural Research Council (1981). Lysine was varied by altering the inclusion of either free lysine hydrochloride or soya-bean meal. Over the whole experiment from 18 to 65 kg live weight, there were significant reductions in live-weight gain and increases in food: gain ratio in response to reducing lysine concentration; these changes were greater with soya-bean meal than with free lysine. During later growth (45 to 65 kg) alterations in lysine concentration had no significant effect.For pigs given soya-bean supplements, both the live weights after fasting and the carcass weights were significantly lower than for those given free lysine hydrochloride, suggesting that at least part of the difference in growth between pigs given free lysine hydrochloride and soya-bean was attributable to this difference. The food required per kg carcass weight gain, or per kg lean tissue gain, was not affected by the source of lysine.In a subsidiary experiment using nitrogen balance, supplements of five amino acids in addition to lysine did not increase nitrogen retention, providing further evidence that lysine was the only amino acid responsible for the response seen with soya-bean meal. It was concluded that for growing pigs with daily food intakes of 1·5 to 1·8 kg, a lysine concentration of at least 0·81 g/MJ digestible energy is required to maximize performance.