bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Acclimatisation of Scottish Blackface sheep to cold. 1. Rectal temperature responses
Authors: Slee J. , Sykes A. R. 
Published: September 2010

Closely shorn Scottish Blackface female sheep aged 9–14 months, half on high plane and half on low plane nutrition, were subjected, in climate chambers, to two short acute cold exposures down to – 20° C. The exposures were separated by a period of two weeks in either a thermoneutral environment ( + 30° C.) or a subcritical environment ( + 8° C.). Thirty-seven out of 40 sheep showed a greater resistance to body cooling at the second exposure. The mean rates of fall of rectal temperature (in° C. per 100 min. exposure) were 0·42 at the first exposure and 0·22 at the second exposure. One group of sheep showed virtually complete resistance to cooling at second exposure under the specific test conditions used. The highly significant increase in cooling resistance was taken as a measure of acclimatisation.The main conclusions were as follows:1. Blackface sheep could acclimatise to cold as a result of one acute exposure to cold lasting about 8 hours.2. Acclimatisation was slightly greater amongst sheep kept at a subcritical temperature (+8° C.) between acute exposures.3. Additional data suggested that some acclimatisation resulted from 2 weeks prior exposure to +8° C. alone; but none was induced by 2 weeks prior habituation to the climate chamber environment at + 30° C.4. Sheep on high plane nutrition showed greater initial cold resistance and slightly greater ability to acclimatise than those on low plane nutrition.5. Cold resistance was more closely related to recent weight gain than to absolute body weight.6. There was great individual variation in initial cold resistance and in ability to acclimatise.7. Sheep kept at + 8° C. between acute cold exposures maintained significantly lower rectal temperatures than those kept at +30° C.
The effect of inbreeding on feed consumption and utilisation by sheep
Authors: Doney J. M. 
Published: September 2010

Twelve inbred (coefficient of inbreeding 25%) and 12 outbred, singlereared, Scottish Blackface castrated male lambs were taken at six months of age from amongst the progeny of three rams. They were housed and fed individually on a pelleted diet in three separate phases. In the first two phases restricted amounts were offered. These were calculated to produce, firstly, a small rate of live-weight gain and, secondly, a small rate of live-weight loss. In the third phase feed was offered to maximum voluntary intake during 2 two-hour periods daily.On restricted intakes there were no significant differences between the groups. In the third phase the outbred sheep consumed 17% more feed than the inbred group and the daily rates of live-weight gain and wool growth were 33% and 27% higher, respectively. Since the inbred lambs were smaller, the voluntary intake per unit live-weight did not differ significantly between groups.The estimated requirements of feed for maintenance (20·1 ± 0·4 and 21·9±0·6 g./kg. live-weight, respectively, for the outbred and inbred groups) differed significantly. There were no apparent differences in the estimated efficiency of conversion of available surplus feed to body tissue or wool growth.
The relationship between live weight of ewe at mating and weight of newborn lamb
Authors: Donald H. P. , Russell W. S. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYRegression of litter weight of newborn lambs on the live weight of ewes at mating has been estimated from data on 15 breeds after conversion of group means of ewes and lambs to natural logarithms. Regression coefficients were estimated to be 0·721 for single lambs, 0·741 for twins and 0·773 for triplets. These values are not signi-ficantly different from each other. Data from ewes with single lambs and from ewes with twins are consistent with the hypothesis that litter weight at birth as a proportion of ewe weight at mating tends to dechne as ewe weight rises from small to large breeds. In a breed with ewes averaging 25 kg the expected birth weight of singles is 9·6% and of twins 15·2%, of ewe weight. For a breed with ewes of 100 kg the corresponding weights would be 6·5% and 10·6% of ewe weight. Since the estimated regression coefficient and the coefficient in the expression for metabolic weight (0·730) are alike, the regression equations can be interpreted as showing that single lambs were 22·6% and twin pairs 36·1% of ewes' metabolic weight.
A growth and economic comparison of two crosses of pigs when fed ad libitum and to a scale and slaughtered at two weights
Authors: Frape D. L. , Wilkinson J. , Chubb L. G. , Wolf K. L. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYWeaner Hampshire × Landrace × Large White (Hampshire cross) and Landrace × Landrace × Large White (Landrace cross) pigs were given combinations of three diets differing in crude protein content (high: H, low: Land very low: vl). Hampshire cross pigs at 90 kg, both under ad libitum and restricted feeding had greater rates of gain and eye muscle measurements and shorter carcasses than Landrace cross pigs, but were fatter after ad libitum feeding and more efficient food converters after restricted feeding. The HLL treatment led to improved gain and food conversion compared to the LLH or LLL treatment, whereas the LLH treatment led to larger eye muscle measurements. The LvlH treatment led to greater efficiency and eye-muscle area than treatment Lvlvl at 114 kg. An economic analysis was carried out to assess the relative profitability of slaughtering at a range of live weights. Curves were fitted to the data on food intake and live weight. Values were assumed for major costs, and a seven-day interval was allowed between batches of pigs. The calculations indicated that the H diet led to a slight increase in monetary return per pig per day when it was given in the post-weaning period to pigs fed to a scale. Although the Hampshire cross pigs showed a response to the H diet in the finishing period when slaughtered either at 90 or 114 kg, their calculated return was not increased. Ad libitum feeding led to a greater return for heavy but not, on average, for bacon pigs. Maximum return occurred at slaughter between 70 and 115 kg live weight and was only margin-ally greater for restricted baconers at 90 kg than for ad libitum heavy pigs at 110–115 kg. However, return as a percentage of working plus fixed capital was greater for baconers, but the ratio rose throughout the range of hypothetical slaughter weights in both groups. In-clusion of the cost of borrowing money had a negligible effect on the slaughter weight for maximum return with pigs managed in batches.
A note on the effect of bulk density and digestibility on the voluntary intake of concentrate diets by sheep of two ages
Authors: Andrews R. P. , Ørskov E. R. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYThree pelleted diets based on rolled barley, whole oats and ground oats respectively were offered ad libitum to mature wethers and growing lambs. With wethers, intakes on the whole oat diet were significantly greater than on the barley diet but digestible dry-matter intakes were not significantly different. On average, growing lambs ate significantly greater quantities of the ground oat diet and whereas digestible dry-matter intakes on the ground oat and barley diets were not significantly different, both were higher than on the whole oat diet. Examined at successive live weights, intakes on the whole oat diet were, at 15 kg, initially lower than on the barley diet but were ultimately higher at 60 kg, when there were no significant treatment differences in digestible drymatter intakes.
Errata
Authors: Bowman J. C. , Hendy C. R. C. 
Published: September 2010

Revised SummeryAnimal Production: Volume 12, part 1, pp. 55–62: A number of arithmetical errors have been found in the paper entitled: The incidence, Repeatability and effect on dam performance of twinning in british friesian cattleAn estimate of the frequency of twin calvings was obtained from the analysis of over 38 000 calvings of Friesian cows in M.M.B, milkrecorded herds. The incidence of twinning increased from 0·54% in the first parity to 3·37 % in the fifth parity. A significant excess of cows above expected produced either more than one set of twins or no twins at all. Repeatability ranged from 0·028 for cows with three calvings to 0·063 for cows with five calvings.Data on lactation yield and duration, butterfat percentage and calving interval showed some significant effects of twinning. Consistent trends were noted showing that dams which calve twins have longer subsequent lactations, higher whole lactation yields and lower fat percentages than contemporary dams with single calves. The possible causes for these trends are discussed and are considered to be the lower breeding efficiency and longer calving intervals of dams of twins.
Beef production from additive-treated silages
Authors: Hinks C. E. , Henderson A. R. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARY1. Wilted (32% dry matter) Italian ryegrass was conserved: (A) untreated; (B) with 16·3 g/kg dry matter (4·6 1/t of fresh material) of an 85% w/w formic acid additive; (C) 12·1 g/kg dry matter (2·3 1/t fresh material) each of 85% formic acid additive and formalin (40% w/v formaldehyde); (D) 5·8 g/kg dry matter (1·3 1/t fresh material) each of 85% formic acid additive, formalin and a 96% w/v solution of propionic acid. The silages were individually fed ad libitum to 40 15-mo-old British Friesian steers of about 350 kg initial live weight.2. Treatment with additives inhibited fermentation, resulting in silages with higher levels of water soluble carbohydrates and lower levels of organic acids than untreated material. Lower levels of ammonia N and higher levels of true protein indicated that some protein protection resulted from the formaldehyde treatment.3. Formic acid alone (B) had little effect on digestibility but significantly (P<0·05) enhanced dry-matter intake, live-weight gain and nitrogen retention relative to the control (A)4. Whereas the application of formaldehyde (Treatments C and D reduced the digestability in vivo of nitrogen, significant increases in nitrogen retention were recorde relative to the control (A). Dry matter intake was not affected significantly by treatment with formaldehyde, but at the higher level of application (Treatment C) daily gain was significantly reduced compared with the control (A). These effects are discussed in relation to possible changes in VFA patterns within the rumen and to the levels of formaldehyde used.
Feeding value of wilted silages made using formic acid, formaldehyde and propionic acid
Authors: Donaldson Elizabeth , Edwards R. A. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYThe nutritive value of four silages was compared using eight rumenfistulated wethers. Wilted ryegrass was ensiled without additive (A); with formic acid (13·9 kg/t dry matter) (B); with formic acid (10·3 kg/t dry matter) plus formalin (formaldehyde at 4·8 kg/t dry matter) (C); with formic acid (4·9 kg/t dry matter) plus formalin (formaldehyde at 2·3 kg/t dry matter) plus propionic acid (5·6 kg/t dry matter) (D).Dry-matter intakes were 13·8, 15·1, 14·3 and 14·3 g/kg live weight for A, B, C and D respectively. Digestibilities of organic matter and dry matter were not affected by the additives. Digestibility of nitrogen and peak ruminal ammonia concentration were significantly (P<0·05) reduced by the addition of formaldehyde.The effect on rumen fermentation characteristics, of chemically restricting in-silo fermentation, is illustrated. Differences in the rumen volatile fatty acids and in the efficiency of utilization of the energy for growth, fattening and lactation are discussed.
Genetic and environmental factors influencing calf performance in pedigree beef cattle in Britain. 1. The influence of environmental effects on birth, 200-day and 400-day weights
Authors: Pabst W. , Kilkenny J. B. , Langholz H. J. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYData collected on the Meat and Livestock Commission's pedigree recording scheme have been analysed by least-squares procedures to measure the effect of environmental factors on calf performance. In total 5524 birth weights, 16 484 200-day weights and 6248 400-day weights were available for 765 herds and seven breeds. The model adopted included terms representing type of cattle within breed, sex of calf, age of dam, year and month of birth, pre-weaning management, herd average level of performance and herd size as fixed effects with sires as random effects. The model accounted for between 19 and 36% of the variation in birth weights and for 36 to 49% and 39 to 69% of variation in 200- and 400-day weights respectively, depending upon breed. For birth weights and 200-day weights age of dam was a significant effect in all breeds. Sex of calf was the main source of variation at all ages, its relative importance increasing with age. Calves from 2-yr-old dams had 200-day weights 5 to 11% lower and calves out of 3-yr-old dams 2 to 9% lower than calves from 5- to 8-yr-old dams. Month of birth was a significant source of variation in most breeds. Pre-weaning management system was confounded with sex and breed. Correction factors for use in the MLC recording scheme were derived from the data.
The length of gestation period of Ayrshire cows when mated with bulls of other breeds
Authors: Laird R. , Hunter E. A. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYLeast squares analyses were undertaken on 1519 gestation lengths of cows mated to Beef Shorthorn, Hereford, Charolais, German Simmental or British Friesian bulls. Gestation length was influenced largely by breed of sireand byindividual sires within breeds. Approximately 100 calvings are required to give a mean value with a standard error of 0·50 day. Heritability of gestation length was estimated to be 0·24±0·05. It is recommended that Artificial Insemination organizations survey and publish the mean gestation lengths of their bulls and that dairy farmers modify, where necessary, pre-partum feeding in the light of this information.
The effect of energy intake and mating weight on growth, carcass yield and litter size of female pigs
Authors: Hovell F. D. DeB. , MacPherson R. M. , Crofts R. M. J. , Pennie K. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARY1. In a comparative slaughter experiment, 12 female pigs (six at 80 kg and six at 100 kg) were allocated at first oestrus to each of five treatments: Treatment 1, initial slaughter, or Treatments 2, 3 and 4, mated and given 19·5, 25·8 or 32·1 MJ ME/day for the last 100 days of pregnancy, or Treatment 5, not mated (virgin) and given 25·8 MJ ME/day over a similar period. Pigs on Treatments 2, 3, 4 and 5 were given the same amount of protein and were killed about 123 days after first oestrus. Piglets were removed at birth.2. There was no evidence of any special effect of pregnancy in the stimulation of permanent maternal growth. The average live weight, ingesta-free body and carcass gains of the pair-fed, mated and virgin gilts (±SE of difference) were, respectively, 32·3 and 36·9 + 2·8, 27·5 and 27·6 ± 3·4, and 26·0 and 26·7 + 2·1 kg. There were no statistically significant differences between these two treatments in carcass composition, specific gravity or backfat thickness. The mated pigs had lighter livers (P < 0·01) and heavier reproductive tracts (P < 0·05), and lost about 9 kg within a week of parturition.3. Increasing energy intake increased piglet birth weights (P<005) but had no effect on the number of piglets born. The pigs that were initially heavier (100 kg v. 80 kg) had 1·5 more piglets, though this was not statistically significant (P<0·1).4. Although there was no special effect of pregnancy on permanent maternal growth, the conversion of food by the once-mated pig was very efficient if an allowance was made for the food cost of producing the piglets.
A comparison of the voluntary intake and digestibility by beef cows of diets based on oat straw and supplemented with different forms of non-protein nitrogen
Authors: Fishwick G. , Parkins J. J. , Hemingway R. G. , Ritchie N. S. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTPregnant beef cows were given 2 kg barley per day and oat strawad libitum. The digestibility of the organic matter of the diet was approximately 53% when urea included in the barley was given in one or four feeds per day. Supplementation of the barley with di-ureido isobutane improved the organic matter digestibility to 56·7%. When a solution containing urea, phosphorus, calcium and sodium was included in the straw the digestibility of the diet was 59·0%. These improved digestibilities were not associated with any differences in the concentrations of ammonia in the rumen liquor or blood of the cows.
A note on the individuality of the intake of drinking water by dairy cows
Authors: Little W. , Shaw S. R. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTThe individual water intakes of 16 (four groups of four) lactating dairy cows, measured on 7 consecutive days, were significantly correlated with dry-matter (DM) intakes (range 4·6 to 14·4 kg/day) and milk yields (range 13·7 to 30·0 kg/day). There was no significant correlation with DM content of the feed (range 833 to 898 g/kg), body weight (range 400 to 620 kg) or mean air temperature (range 7·0 to 20·0°C). Applying a multiple regression analysis to the data, the following relationship was obtained: water intake (kg/day) = 2·15 (± 0·415) × DM intake (kg/day)+0·73 (± 0·197) × milk yield (kg/day) + 12·3 (+ 5·57). After adjusting the data for variations in DM intake and milk yield there was no significant difference between the mean daily water intakes of individual cows. There was, however, a significant day-to-day variation in the mean water intakes of the groups of four cows (P<001) which was not explained by variations in DM intake, milk yield or mean daily temperature.
Comparative performance of Holstein-Friesian, Dutch-Friesian and Friesian × Africander heifers in the coastal belt of Mozambique
Authors: Alberro M. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTThe performance of groups of Holstein-Friesian, Dutch-Friesian and Friesian × Africander heifers in the coastal belt of Mozambique was compared over a 3-year period. The three groups of heifers were kept together under a reasonable level of management and feeding, and measurements were made of age at first calving, milk yield, days i n production, milkability, udder wearability, mastitis incidence, calving difficulties, reproductive efficiency, disease incidence, parasitic resistance and mortality.The highest milk production was obtained with the Holstein-Friesians followed by the Dutch-Friesians. Last came the Friesian × Africander which also showed older age at first calving, poorer milkability, fewer days in production and more udder wear. No significant differences were found in calving difficulties, disease incidence, parasitic resistance, mastitis incidence and mortality. The fertility level was relatively low in all groups.The results corroborate reports made by several workers that acclimatized European breeds can produce milk efficiently in the not-too-harsh areas of the tropics and sub-tropics if they are properly managed and fed. The main problem seems to be the relatively low fertility rates that are common in these areas regardless of breed.
Potentiation of porcine lipid mobilizing factor by porcine serum and its relationship with growth rate and leanness
Authors: Eckersall P. D. , Carr W. R. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTThe lipolytic activity of porcine lipid mobilizing factor, a pituitary peptide, was potentiated by porcine serum when measured in a rabbit fat-cell suspension. The potentiation caused by sera from 54 individual pigs which had been bred using backfat thickness and growth rate as selection criteria was examined. No significant correlation was found between the potentiation and either of these parameters.
A note on the use of chromium sesquioxide as a marker in nutritional experiments with dairy cows
Authors: Chamberlain D. G. , Thomas P. C. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTThe faecal recovery of chromium sesquioxide (Cr203) was examined in four experiments with non-lactating Ayrshire cows. In the first experiment Cr203-paper was given intraruminally twice daily to cows receiving a diet of hay. The mean recovery of the marker was 0·829 (s.d., (Mil, no. = 12). In the second experiment the marker was given as Cr203 powder to cows receiving a diet of hay and ground barley. The powder was mixed with the barley part of the diet and given in 24 hourly meals per day. The mean recovery of the marker was 0·944 (s.d., 0·079, no. = 8). In the third experiment cows receiving a hay and barley diet were given Cr203 powder suspended in ground-nut oil administered twice daily through a cannula in the duodenum. The recovery of the marker was 0·980 (s.d., 0·027, no. = 3).In the fourth experiment ground straw impregnated with Cr203 was used as a marker in cows receiving a hay and barley diet. The marker was mixed with the barley and given in eight meals per day. The faecal recovery of Cr2()3 was 0-941 (s.d., 0·022, no. = 7). It is concluded that when Cr203 is used as an indigestible marker in studies with dairy cows its recovery in faeces may be variable and low due to retention of the marker in the stomach. In digestion studies with cows there are considerable advantages in favour of the use of Cr2()3-impregnated straw rather than Cr203 powder or Cr203-paper.
Copper deficiency: a study of prophylaxis and the interaction with cobalt therapy in lambs on improved hill pastures
Authors: Whitelaw A. , Russel A. J. F. , Armstrong R. H. , Evans C. C. , Fawcett A. R. , White I. R. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTAn experiment was conducted with 84 suckling Scottish Blackface twin lambs on an improved hill pasture with a history of cobalt deficiency and molybdenum/sulphur-induced copper deficiency. The dams of 13 pairs of twins were treated with 90 mg copper at parturition (Cue) and one member of each pair was given a cobalt bullet (Co + ). One member of each of a further 29 pairs was treated periodically with 5 to 15mg copper to maintain plasma copper concentrations >0·6mg/l (Cu+) while their siblings received no supplementary copper (Cu). Fourteen of these pairs also received a cobalt bullet (Co + ). Lambs not treated with cobalt are designated Co−.The Cue treatment increased milk copper concentrations, but only for a short time, and resulted in transitory increases in lamb plasma copper concentrations and rate of live-weight gain. At the end of the grazing phase, at approximately 20 weeks of age, Cu+ lambs had gained 0-28 kg more weight than Cue lambs and 158 kg more than Cue lambs, and had higher liver copper concentrations. Cu+ and Cue lambs had heavier and fatter empty bodies and carcasses than Cu− lambs. The cobalt treatment produced no effects at this stage.Fifty-four of the lambs were housed and given dried grass pellets ad libitum. After 83 days liver copper concentrations were higher in Co− than Co+ lambs, and in Cu+ than in Cu− and Cue lambs. The copper treatments had no effect on rate or efficiency of live-weight gain, but Co− lambs gained weight more quickly and more efficiently than Co+ lambs.