bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Failure to recycle after weaning, and weaning to oestrus interval in crossbred sows
Authors: Fahmy M. H. , Holtmann W. B. , Baker R. D. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTFailure to recycle after weaning and the interval from weaning to oestrus were studied using sows representing 28 crosses from eight breeds at three stations. Of the sows farrowing their first litter, 12·9% failed to recycle within 50 days. The least squares mean for weaning to oestrus interval for all crosses was 13·5 days. Hampshire × Landrace, followed by Hampshire × Yorkshire sows had the shortest intervals (8·0 and 8·7 days respectively) whereas Large Black × Lacombe sows had the longest interval (22·1 days). Crosses involving the Yorkshire, Hampshire, Berkshire and Tamworth breeds had shorter intervals than those involving Landrace, Duroc, Large Black and Lacombe. Season of farrowing had significant effect (P < 0·05), with the shortest interval (11·4 days) occurring in autumn and the longest (15·1 days) in spring and summer. Weaning to oestrus interval increased with the increase in litter size. The interval was longer (15·7 days) at Lennoxville but similar at the other stations. There was a steady increase in size in the following litter with the increase in the weaning-oestrus interval. The heritability estimate (full-sib analysis) for the weaning-oestrus interval was 0·25 ± 0·10. Repeatability based on limited data was calculated at 0·28.
The administration of sugar solutions to pigs immediately prior to slaughter 2. Effect on carcass yield, liver weight and muscle quality in commercial pigs
Authors: Fernandes T. H. , Smith W. C. , Ellis M. , Clark J. B. K. , Armstrong D. G. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTThree field trials were undertaken to determine the influence of feeding sugar solutions to pigs immediately prior to slaughter on carcass yield, liver weight and muscle quality. In the first, which involved 168 pigs of 85 to 95 kg live weight, provision of a glucose syrup solution in lairage (4 h) followed by water (12 h), compared with water-only (16 h) increased carcass yield (3%) and liver weight (27%) and reduced muscle ultimate pH (0·1 to 0·4 unit). When water was not made available after consumption of the sugar there was no response in carcass yield. In the second trial conducted with 169 pigs of 110 to 125 kg live weight, and involving the same treatments as in Trial I, except that sugar was provided for a longer period (6 h), corresponding responses in carcass yield, liver weight and muscle ultimate pH were +2·7%, +24% and a decrease of 0·2 to 0·3 units. In both trials responses to sugar feeding were less when compared with pigs slaughtered shortly after arrival at the abattoir. In the final trial, which also involved heavy pigs (88), access to a glucose syrup solution (9 h), but not a sucrose one, followed by water (8 h), relative to water-only in lairage, improved carcass yield (1·1%). Liver weight was increased with glucose (34·2%) and markedly so with sucrose (49·7%) and both sugars reduced muscle ultimate pH (0·1 to 0·6 units).
Effect of fermentation and palm oil on the performance of broilers receiving cassava diets in the tropics
Authors: Adeyanju S. A. , Pido P. P. , Adegbola A. A. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTThe effect of fermentation on cassava meal diets supplemented with 0, 2, 4 and 6% levels of palm oil on the performance, carcass characteristics and economic value of broiler chickens was studied. During the growing phase, fermentation had no influence on growth rate, but resulted in reduced mortality and improved efficiency of feed utilization in the chickens. However, there were greater intakes of fermented cassava meal diets, higher efficiency of feed utilization, better growth rate and reduced mortality during the finishing phase. Abdominal fat was lower during both phases in chickens given the fermented cassava meal diets than those given the cassava meal diets. There was evidence of economic benefits in reduced feed cost, increased gross revenue and higher revenue less feed cost values in fermented cassava meal than in cassava meal diets. There were non-significant reductions in feed intake, mortality rate, daily rate of gain, final body weight and carcass quality, but significant economic benefits during both growing and finishing phases as the level of supplementary palm oil increased in the diets. The results suggest that while about 2% palm oil might be required in fermented cassava meal diets, 2 to 4% would be needed in cassava meal diets by broiler chickens for comparable performance.
The effect of time of mating on ovulation rate and potential lambing rate of Greyface ewes
Authors: Gunn R. G. , Doney J. M. , Smith W. F. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTOver 2 years, 104 Greyface ewes were mated at a synchronized oestrus either in early October or early November. From late September until slaughter at return to service or between 4 and 7 weeks after mating, ewes were fed to maintain their body condition score as previously adjusted by differential group feeding on grass. Ovulation rate and potential lambing rate were derived from counts of corpora lutea and viable embryos at slaughter. Both rates were higher in the early-mated ewes in comparable body condition. Stress factors were implicated as contributing to the decline in ovulation rate with time, while ewes which failed to hold to first mating were largely responsible for the decline in potential lambing rate.
The administration of sugar solutions to pigs immediately prior to slaughter. 3. Effect on bacon yield
Authors: Fernandes T. H. , Smith W. C. , Ellis M. , Clark J. B. K. , Armstrong D. G. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTTwo field trials were conducted with 138 and 123 bacon-weight pigs respectively from one farm to determine the effect on bacon yield of feeding the animals sugar solutions prior to slaughter. Three treatments were tested: immediate slaughter on arrival at the abattoir; lairage overnight with access to water only (15 h); and overnight lairage with access to a sugar solution (6 h) followed by water only (9 h) prior to slaughter. A glucose syrup solution was used in one trial and a sucrose solution of similar hexose-equivalent concentration (550 g/kg) in the other. Access to either of the sugar solutions, relative to water only or immediate slaughter, increased bacon yield. This was entirely due to glucose-fed pigs having a higher carcass yield (2·3 % and 1·5 % respectively) and a trend in this direction for the sucrose-fed animals (0·9% and 1·0% respectively). Carcasses of glucose-fed pigs actually gained less weight than those of their counterparts during the curing process, but this did not occur with the sucrose solution. Access to sucrose relative to water only and immediate slaughter increased liver weights by 32% and 42% respectively. Lower hepatic responses were obtained with glucose syrup (18% and 12%). Both sugar solutions reduced muscle ultimate pH (0·1 to 0·2 unit) relative to water only in overnight lairage.
Late pregnancy ewe feeding and lamb performance in early life. 1. Pregnancy feeding levels and perinatal lamb mortality
Authors: Khalaf A. M. , Doxey D. L. , Baxter J. T. , Black W. J. M. , FitzSimons J. , Ferguson J. A. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTOne hundred and thirty-nine Scottish Half bred ewes were studied during the last 8 weeks of pregnancy, through parturition and early lactation. They were divided, on the basis of their metabolizable energy intake during this period, into low (483 MJ/ewe; L), medium (742 MJ/ewe; M) or high (974 MJ/ewe; H) feeding groups.Ewe weight change (from mating to 12 h post lambing) was directly related to nutritional level and the number of lambs born, e.g. L ewes with triplets lost a mean 13·8 kg, while H ewes with single lambs gained 14·3 kg.Lamb birth weight and perinatal lamb mortality levels were affected by ewe nutrition and litter size. L twins weighed 19% less at birth than H twins; L triplets weighed 26% less than H triplets. The mortality rate of L twins was 23% greater than M twins; L triplets exceeded the H triplet mortality rate by 87%.Ewe energy feeding during late pregnancy affected the mean daily weight gain of lambs for at least 3 weeks after birth. H single, twin and triplet lambs grew 12%, 15% and 16% faster than M lambs and 19%, 31 % and 31 % faster than L lambs respectively.The H group produced 33 % more lamb live weight at 3 weeks of age for every lamb born than did the L group.Lamb serum immunoglobulin levels were related to litter size but did not reflect the differences in ewe feeding during late pregnancy.
Efficacy of feed additives in enhancing performance of growing pigs
Authors: Veum T. L. , Lauxen R. , Yen J.-T. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTThe efficacy of feed additives in enhancing the performance of growing pigs, together with the effect of different protein levels (18 v. 16% from 13 to 18 kg body weight and 16 v. 14% from 18 to 39 kg body-weight), were evaluated in three experiments with 412 pigs. In Experiment 1, from 13 to 39 kg body weight, pigs receiving 55 p.p.m. carbadox (C) produced a greater (P<0·05) average daily live-weight gain than did the non-medicated (NM) pigs and those receiving 275 p.p.m. chlortetracycline-sulphamethazine-penicillin (ASP) with a similar but non-significant (P>0·05) trend n i daily feed intake and gain/feed ratio. The ASP pigs also produced a greater (P<0·05) weight gain than the NM pigs. The higher dietary protein level sequence produced a greater (JP<0·05) weight gain and gain/feed ratio.In Experiment 2, from 16 to 39 kg body weight, NM control pigs achieved high weight gains, and all the feed additive treatments studied [C+106 p.p.m. of the worming agent pyrantel tartrate (C+P); ASP+8 mg of the worming agent levamisole-HCl per kg body weight fed once on day 7 of the experiment (ASP+L); and 113 p.p.m. tylosin+13 p.p.m. of the worming agent hygromycin B] were similar to the NM controls in daily feed intake, weight gain and gain/feed ratio. However, in Experiment 3, the C+P and ASP+L treatments resulted in a greater (P<0·05) weight gain with a trend toward greater daily feed intake than did the NM control treatment from 17 to 35 kg. The weight gain of the ASP+L pigs was also greater (P<0·05) than that of 165 p.p.m. oxytetracycline and NM pigs from 35 to 57 kg. From 57 to 96 kg all the pigs received the same NM control diet and their weight gains were similar. The gain/feed ratio was similar among the treatments within each of the weight periods in Experiment 3. Pigs slaughtered at the beginning and at various stages during Experiments 2 and 3 were free of internal parasites and migration damage.
Breed and sex differences in muscle distribution in equally mature sheep
Authors: Taylor C. S. , Mason M. A. , McClelland T. H. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTSheep from the Soay, Southdown, Finnish Landrace and Oxford Down breeds were serially slaughtered at 40, 52, 64 and 76% of their estimated mature body weight. Breed and sex comparisons of muscle distribution wee made at these degrees of maturity. Comparisons were based on 12 individual muscles obtained from the prime retailjoints. Together, these 12 muscles represented about 41 % of total weight ofmuscle in the carcass. Highly significant breed and sex differences in the weight of individual muscles were obtained, but these differences were greatly reduced when values were expressed as a percentage of total muscle weight.On a percentage basis, there were significant changes with stage of maturity in only three of the muscles studied, although most individual muscles showed an initial percentage decrease with increasing maturity (from 40 to 52%) but almost no change thereafter. Significant breed differences in muscle distribution were found. The individual muscles examined, when combined, comprised 40·8, 43·4, 40·5 and 39·8 % of total muscle weight respectively in the Soay, Southdown, Finnish Landrace and Oxford Down. No breed was significantly above average for every individual muscle, but the Southdown had the highest percentage in 6 out of 12 and might therefore be said to have had the most preferred muscle distribution. For most muscles examined, the percentage was slightly higher for females than for males, with totals for all 12 muscles of 41·9 and 40·4% respectively.
Abnormal patterns of ovarian activity in dairy cows and their relationships with reproductive performance
Authors: Claire Bulman D. , Wood P. D. P. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTProgesterone profiles were obtained from 533 dairy cows during the interval from calving to the re-establishment of pregnancy by twiceweekly radioimmunoassay of milk progesterone. The importance of abnormal patterns of ovarian activity on herd fertility was determined. Animals were divided into five categories based on profile analysis: A, normal; B, delayed start to ovarian cycles; C, cessation of cycles; D, prolonged luteal activity; and E, silent oestrus. Animals in categories B to E were subdivided into treatment groups: categories B and C either (i) untreated controls, (ii) single injection 0·5 mg luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (Hoechst) or (iii) progesterone-releasing intravaginal device (Abbott Laboratories Ltd) inserted for 14 days; categories D and E either (i) untreated controls or (ii) single injection 0-5 mg cloprostenol (Imperial Chemical Industries).The proportion of cows in each category was: A 77·5%; B 4·9%; C 5·1%; D 1·9%; and E 10·7%. The incidence of ‘normal’ cows was 75% (first lactation), 80% (2nd to 5th lactations) and 69% (5th to 11th lactations). For normal cows (no. = 413) the interval to the start of cyclicity varied significantly with season but was not correlated with either the intervals to first insemination or to conception. In categories B to E the open period, the number of services per conception, and the days from first insemination to conception were greater than in category A, but only in category C were any differences significant. None of the treatments reduced calving-toconception intervals.
Genetic and environmental influences on beef cattle production in Zambia 1. Factors affecting weaner production from Angoni, Barotse and Boran dams
Authors: Thorpe W. , Cruickshank D. K. R. , Thompson R. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTFactors influencing reproductive performance and calf and dam live weights were examined for two indigenous breeds, Angoni and Barotse, and an introduced breed, Boran, under ranching conditions in Zambia.Over 5 years, 675 Angoni, 731 Barotse and 815 Boran records gave calving percentages of 82·5, 78·1 and 75·4 respectively. Year was an important influence on calving and weaning percentages in all breeds; age of dam had little effect and status at mating was only important in the Angoni breed, in which lactating dams produced more calves than dry dams.Mean calf weaning weights were 147·3, 167·0 and 169·5 kg for the Angoni, Barotse and Boran dam breeds respectively. Hereford, Friesian and Boran bulls sired heavier progeny than Angoni and Barotse. Dam age and status did not influence calf weights, which were positively correlated with dam weights and negatively correlated with dam weight change during lactation.Dam live weights at the beginning of the breeding season were 313, 357 and 348 kg for the Angoni, Barotse and Boran breeds respectively. Angoni and Boran dams reached maximum live weight at 7 years and Barotses at 9 years. Subsequent calving rate was not influenced by live weight at the beginning of the breeding season nor, in lactating dams, by live-weight change between the autumn peak and mid breeding season.
The effect of subclinical nematode parasitism on digestion and performance in growing pigs
Authors: Pattison H. D. , Thomas R. J. , Smith W. C. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTA preliminary trial established a subclinical level of infection with Oesophagostomum dentatum capable of affecting the performance of growing pigs. Thereafter a slightly higher level of infection (100 000 larvae) was administered to each of 24 individually- and scale-fed pigs to investigate the effect of O. dentatum on performance, digestibility and nitrogen retention over the live-weight range 32 to 64 kg. Worm-free but otherwise similar pigs served as controls. Infection reduced growth rate (12·9 %) and decreased efficiency of feed conversion to body weight (14·9%). There was no effect on killing-out percentage or area of eye muscle in cross-section, but infected pigs had relatively lower backfat depths (5·5 to 12·5 %). Infection did not influence nitrogen retention, but apparent digestibility of the dry matter, organic matter, nitrogen, gross energy and crude fibre was reduced. Possible explanations for these effects are discussed in relation to tissue changes associated with larval development in the large intestine.
The influence of nutrition in early lactation on the performance of spring-calving suckler cows and their calves
Authors: Hodgson J. , Peart J. N. , Russel A. J. F. , Whitelaw A. , Macdonald A. J. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTTwenty-four Hereford × Friesian cows (HF) and 24 Blue-Grey (Whitebred Shorthorn × Galloway) cows (BG) were housed in individual stalls. For the last 12 weeks of pregnancy they were fed hay to supply 75% of estimated maternal maintenance energy requirements. From calving (11 February to 9 April) until turning out to graze on 15 May they were given hay for maintenance, and a concentrate sufficient for either 2·25 kg (L) or 9·0 kg (H) milk per day, balanced within genotype. From 15 May until the end of the experiment on 7 September the cows and calves grazed as a single herd in a paddock grazing system, at a controlled daily herbage allowance of 50 g dry matter, measured to ground level, per kg total weight of cows and calves.Cows on Treatment L lost more weight between calving and turnout than those on Treatment H, gave less milk, and their calves grew more slowly and were lighter at turn-out. Milk yields increased substantially after turn-out. Subsequently, milk yields and calf growth rates, and herbage intakes by the cows, did not differ significantly, although all were marginally higher for animals previously on Treatment L. Final calf weights, cow weights and cow body condition scores did not differ significantly.Calves from HF cows were heavier at all stages than calves from BG cows. HF cows were heavier at calving than BG cows, gave more milk (though the difference was not significant) and lost more weight in early lactation. Final live weights and condition scores did not differ significantly.The limited evidence suggested that conception to artificial insemination following oestrus synchronization was not affected by plane of nutrition in early lactation.
Utilization of glucosev. lactose in an isolated soya bean protein diet by neonatal piglets reared artificially
Authors: Mateo J. P. , Veum T. L. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTForty-eight 1-day-old pigs were used to compare lactose and glucose as the carbohydrate source for piglets from 1 to 22 days of age. Average daily gains, gain over feed ratios and the apparent digestion coefficients for crude protein, ether extract, nitrogen-free extract, ash, energy and dry matter were similar for the two groups. Apparent net protein utilization was greater with the glucose diet than with the lactose diet (P<0·05), although their apparent biological values and metabolizable energy values were similar. The serum levels of total glucose, total protein and urea nitrogen were also similar for both groups. Serum levels of total protein and urea nitrogen declined with age while the trend for total glucose was inconsistent. Subsequent nursery performance from 22 to 64 days of age when all pigs were fed the same diet was not influenced by the previous neonatal dietary treatment.
Live-weight growth from embryo to adult in domesticated mammals
Authors: Taylor C. S. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTThe inter-species relationship between mature body weight and time taken to mature in body weight was studied empirically in nine domestic species with data ranging from early embryonic to late postnatal growth. When examined in terms of genetic size scaling, the results showed that metabolic age provided a readily useable comparative age scale which would allow results obtained from one species to advance the study of growth and nutrition in other species.A standardized growth curve was therefore calculated for each species in terms of degree of maturity in body weight and metabolic age. The two standardized regression curves gave mean growth curves that estimated expected degree of maturity at a given metabolic age and expected metabolic age at a given degree of maturity. The two mean curves scarcely differed.Deviations of each species from these mean curves were analysed. There were significant standardized differences between species in earliness of maturing. Rabbits were estimated to mature in 30% less time than expected for their size, a deviation which (if repeatable) could be of great potential importance to animal production.
Effects of supplementing maize and grass silages with barley, and maize silage with urea or ammonia, on the intake and performance of fattening bulls
Authors: Aston K. , Tayler J. C. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACT1. Experiment 1. Six treatment groups of one British Friesian and four South Devon × British Friesian bulls, initially 432 kg mean live weight and aged 491 days, were offered individually maize or grass silage ad libitum plus 0, 5 or 10g barley dry matter per kg live weight daily for 80 days. The silages had similar digestible dry matter and estimated metabolizable energy contents but the grass silage contained more ammonia and acetic, propionic and butyric acids. Mean values for groups receiving respectively maize and grass silage diets were for dry-matter intake 17·7, 20·3, 20·4 and 13·0, 16·6, 18·7 g/kg live weight and for live-weight gain 1·00, 1·32, 1·46 and 0·65, 0·98, 1·22kg/day. Significantly more maize than grass silage dry matter was eaten when the silages were given alone and dry-matter intakes, live-weight and carcass gains were greater for maize silage diets. Dry-matter intake, live-weight and carcass gains, efficiency of feed use and carcass quality significantly improved when barley was given.2. Experiment 2. Six groups of five British Friesian bulls, initially 418 kg mean live weight and aged 474 days, were offered individually maize silage ad libitum with either urea or one of two quantities of aqueous ammonia mixed in at the time of feeding, plus 0 or 5 g barley dry matter per kg live weight daily for 90 days. The urea and ammonia-treated silages contained 125, 124 and 148 g crude protein per kg dry matter respectively, with pH values of 3·8, 3·9 and 4·3, and when given alone or with barley mean daily intakes (g dry matter per kg live weight) were 17·1, 18·6 for urea-treated silage diets, and 17·8, 18·8 and 16·9, 19·1 respectively for ammoniatreated silage diets. Live-weight gains were 0·69, 0·94, 0·63, 1·09, 0·64 and 1·07 kg/day. Ammonia treatment had no effect on intake or live-weight gain. Live-weight and carcass gains and carcass quality improved when barley was given.3. The maize silage offered in Experiment 1 contained similar metabolizable energy but more starch than that in Experiment 2 and was used more efficiently for live-weight gain.