bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Litter productivity in Large White pigs: 1. The relative importance of some sources of variation
Authors: Strang G. S. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYData from 38000 Large White litters farrowed in 146 British herds were analysed to investigate the relative importance of various sources of variation affecting litter productivity. The effects of the season and the year of farrowing were very small relative to the effect of the herd of farrowing which was particularly large on the litter and average pig weights at three weeks. There was a small increase in the size of gilt litters as the age of the gilt at first farrowing increased. Litter size increased progressively with parity up to around the fourth litter and then declined gradually at higher pari-ties. There was a suggestion that the sire of a litter may hve a very small effect on litter size at birth but not at three weeks or eight weeks.
Litter Productivity in Large White Pigs: 2. Heritability and repeatability estimates
Authors: Strang G. S. , King J. W. B. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYEstimates of the heritability, the repeatability and the genetic cor-relation coefficients of litter performance traits were calculated from data on 38000 Large White litters farrowed in 146 British herds.The repeatability estimates of number of live pigs per litter at birth, three weeks and eight weeks were 0·15, 0·14 and 0·14 respectively. The corresponding heritability estimates were 0·07±0·02, 0·07±0·02 and 0·09±0·03, respectively. The repeatability estimates of litter weight at three weeks and eight weeks were 0·15 and 0·04, while the corresponding heritabiUty estimates were 0·08±0·02 and 0·03±0·02. High positive genetic and phenotypic correlations were obtained between litter size and litter weight.A number of model culling schemes were considered and it was found that even at relatively high culling levels the improvement in overall herd mean performance was very small. Direct selection for litter size may yield a useful rate of improvement if selection is con-fined to one trait and large selection differentials are achieved, but could not be economically justified.
The rumenitis and liver abscess complex and vitamin A status in beef cattle
Authors: Rowland A. C. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYThe seasonal incidence of rumen and liver lesions is recorded in traditional and in intensively managed cattle, together with the vitamin A status of the two groups. Rumen lesions were observed to reach a peak in the late winter and early spring in traditional cattle, at which time the liver vitamin A levels fell to the lowest point; liver lesions reached a peak in the late summer. No specific trend was observable in rumen and liver lesions in the barley beef group. The mean levels of vitamin A were approximately one-third of those shown by the traditionally managed animals.It did not prove possible using the agglutination test to identify the sera of animals showing active hepatic necrobacillosis at the time of slaughter.
The effect of energy, protein and vitamin supplementation on the performance and voluntary intake of barley straw by cattle
Authors: Lyons T. , Caffrey P. J. , O'Connell W. J. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARY1. Daily allowances of 1·37 kg of concentrates, containing either 8·9 (treatment A), 13·6 (B), 19·1 (C) or 29·2% crude protein (D) were given to 40 individually-fed steers eating long barley straw to appetite over a 112-day winter feeding period. Voluntary straw intake on treatment B was 25% higher than that on treatment A. There were no signiicant differences in straw intake between treat-ments B, C, and D. Mean daily live-weight gains (kg) for the treatment groups were A, −0·22; B, 0·05; C, 0·04; D, 0·15. When the animals were turned out to pastore, group A showed very rapid compensatory growth, and it was concluded that this was mainly due to differences between the groups in their changes in alimentary tract contents. Vitamin A and D supplementation did not affect straw intake or performance.2. When the above supplements were given to steers in metabolism crates receiving barley straw in restricted or unrestricted quantities, it was found that an increase in the crude-protein content of the supplement significantly increased the digestibility of the organic matter, crude fibre and crude protein of the whole diet when straw intake was restricted, and significantly increased the digestibility of crude fibre and crude protein when straw was unrestricted.3. It was concluded that voluntary straw intake was limited, at the lowest level of supplementary protein, by a deficiency of absorbed protein. At the higher levels of supplementary protein, intake was probably limited by the capacity of the alimentary tract.
Fish-protein hydrolysate as a substitute for milk protein in calf feeding
Authors: Dodsworth T. L. , Owen J. B. , Mackie I. M. , Ritchie A. , Ørskov E. R. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYTwo milk replacers identical in composition except for the protein source, which was either fish-protein hydrolysate (FPH) or dried skim milk, were offered either twice or four times daily to castrated British Friesian male calves in four ratios: 100 FPH 0 Milk; 67 FPH 33 Milk; 33 FPH 67 Milk and 0 FPH 100 Milk. Concentrates and hay were offered ad libitum, and the calves were weaned at 42 days of age. Feed intake and calf live weight were recorded to 100 days of age.There were no differences in growth rate up to weaning due to frequency of feeding. Up to 67% FPH there were no differences in growth rate but calves on the 100% FPH diet showed a 40% depression in growth compared with the other three levels. Up to 100 days there was no apparent effect of treatment on live-weight gain, but only differences of 12 to 13% would be significant.The results indicate that at least two-thirds of the milk protein could be replaced by FPH. The need for further work using dried material and FPH from other species is discussed.
A note on the effect of Probioticum feed additive on the live-weight gain, feed conversion and carcass quality of bacon pigs
Authors: Burnett G. S. , Neil E. L. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARY1. Two experiments were conducted, one with pigs fed individually on a restricted scale of feeding, and one with pigs fed ad libitum in groups, to test Probioticum as a feed additive with and without nitrovin and zinc bacitracin.2. Growth rate, feed conversion, killing-out percentage and carcass quality were measured.3. No significant difference was shown in any of the characteristics measured between diets containing any of the additives, singly or in combination.
A note on transferrin genotypes and their relationship with weight gain in sheep
Authors: Rahman M. F. , Konuk T. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYBody weights were recorded at birth, 45 and 90 days on 199 Merino lambs. Serum samples were obtained and analysed with horizontal starch gel electrophoresis to identify the transferrin types. Sixteen transferrin phenotypes, TfAA, TfAB, TfAM, TfAD, TfAE, TfBB, TfBM, TfBD, TfBE, TfMM, TfMD, TfMS, TfME, TfDD, TfDE and TfEE were detected in this study. The phenotypes were confirmed on the basis of international nomenclatures. Lambs were grouped according to their transferrin types. The average weight of different groups at birth and the weight gains in the first and second 45-day periods were estimated. TfDE was the poorest weight gainer but the differential value was significant only in the second 45-day period.
A note on the effect of diet on the inoculum used in digestibility determination in vitro
Authors: Nik-Khah A. , Tribe D. E. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYThe in vitro dry-matter digestibilities (IVDMD) of three rations containing different proportions of hay and a mixed concentrate (pellets) were each determined by fermenting the feeds with inocula obtained from rumen contents of sheep fed on either the hay, hay and pellets, or pellets. These inocula had no significant effect on the IVDMD which averaged 60·9, 68·8 and 77·8% for the hay, hay and pellets, and pellets respectively.
Studies of pedigree Hereford cattle breeding. 1. Herdbook analyses
Authors: Özkütük K. , Bichard M. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARY1. Analyses were based mainly upon entries in Volume 101 of the Hereford herdbook (horned section) for 1971, but also used details published between 1900 and 1970.2. During the calving period July 1969 to June 1970, 2705 herds in Great Britain and Eire registered 17 297 calves. It was estimated that there were some 21 900 cows in pedigree herds; 2664 bulls were used for pure breeding, more than half in one-sire herds. During the period 1964 to 1970 approximately 60% of all bull calves registered by about 6 mo of age were later licensed for pure- or crossbreeding.3. From a sample of calves, 87% of their sires and 37% of their dams had not been bred in the same herds where the calves were registered. More than half the herds had been established for fewer than 10 yr and the average age was 12·2 yr. The mean generation interval was 5·25 yr.4. Pedigree analyses revealed a particularly well developed hierarchy within the breed; the effective number of herds at the great-great-grandparental level was only four. The dominant herd (Vern) had made a total genetic contribution to the breed of over 24% judged by the number of independent occurrences of Vern animals in the four-generation pedigrees of sample animals. The average increase per generation in inbreeding over the past 12 generations had been only 0·48%, and there was no evidence of any subdivision of the breed into separate strains.
The response of early-weaned pigs to various protein levels in a high energy diet
Authors: Campbell R. G. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYThirty-six male piglets weaned at 20 days of age were allocated to an initial slaughter group and to five dietary treatments with proteinlevels of 15·0, 17·2, 19·1, 21·4 and 23·2% crude protein at a common energy level of approximately 3·6 Meal digestible energy/kg. All diets were offered ad libitum and growth response was compared between 5 and 20 kg and 10 and 20 kg live weight. In both periods there were significant improvements in growth and the food conversion ratio from 15·0 to 17·2%, and 17·2 to 19·1% crude protein. Between 10 and 20 kg live weight dietary protein levels above 19·1% were associated with a depression in growth. Carcass protein increased and ether-extractable material decreased with increased dietary protein over the entire range studied. Retention of digestible nitrogen was maximized on the lower protein diets. Conversion of food into carcass lean was maximized on the two highest protein diets.
Mating behaviour and testis growth of Finnish Landrace, Tasmanian Merino and crossbred rams
Authors: Land R. B. , Sales D. I. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYTwenty-one of 23 Finn and 23 of 28 Finn-Merino crossbred springborn males mated at about 6 mo of age during their first breeding season, whereas all of nine Merino males did not do so until the second breeding season at about 18 mo of age. The diameter of the testes of Finn and crossbred males at 6 mo of age was a higher proportion of their diameter at 18 mo than was that of the Merinos. Seasonal studies showed an earlier increase in the testis diameter of Merino males than that of the Finns or crossbred. At all seasons, the intensity of mating behaviour of Merinos was lower than that of the other breed types.The results support the hypothesis that the reproductive activity of males is correlated with that of related females, and the use of male reproductive activity as a criterion for genetic selection for that of the female is discussed.
Interrelationships between physical and metabolic control of voluntary food intake in fattening, pregnant and lactating mature sheep: a model
Authors: Forbes J. M. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYA model has been developed in which the voluntary food intake of sheep is related directly to metabolizable energy requirements unless physical or endocrine limitations intervene.Although no ‘set point’ for body weight or body fat is incorporated in the model, mature sheep offered food ad libitum are predicted to reach eventually a plateau of body weight due to progressive depression of gut capacity by the increasing volume of abdominal fat. The final body weight is proportional to the digestibility of the diet. During pregnancy and lactation metabolic, physical and endocrine factors interact in such a way as to give predicted patterns of feed intake similar to those observed in practice with several qualities of diet.
Meat production from pigs which have farrowed. 3. The effect of weaning-to-slaughter interval on food utilization and carcass quality
Authors: Brooks P. H. , Smith D. A. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYTwenty-eight Landrace × (Landrace × Large White) young female pigs (gilts) were allocated to one of four treatment groups at about 75 kg live weight. The gilts were mated at second oestrus and suckled their piglets for 35 days. Gilts were slaughtered 14, 21, 28 or 35 days after weaning. The ‘effective’ food conversion ratios (i.e. total gilt plus litter feed intake (kg) divided by total gilt weight gain plus litter weaning weight) of the four groups were 5·22; 4·70; 4·62; and 4·56 respectively. The differences were not statistically significant.Neither carcass weights nor individual joint weights were significantly affected by treatment. Samples of 11 middle sections from the 14-, 21- and 28-day slaughter groups were boned and cured. Bacon produced from the streak blocks had poor colour, texture and moisture-holding capacity. It was concluded that streak blocks from gilts that had farrowed were unsuitable for curing as streaky bacon.
Index selection for both current and future generation gains
Authors: James J. W. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTWhen economic returns from current and future generation gains are comparable in magnitude, selection decisions should take account of both sources of gain. A combined selection index is devised to maximize the present value of discounted returns from all sources. The index depends on genetic and phenotypic variances and covari-ances, population structure, discount rate and the relation of annual returns to individual traits. The combined index can be regarded as the sum of separate indices maximizing returns from each source. The method is illustrated with a simple example using wool weight and body weight in sheep.
The relationships between pre- and post-weaning growth traits in lambs of Iranian fat-tailed sheep and their crosses with Corriedale and Targhee rams
Authors: Farid A. , Makarechian M. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTThe pre-weaning records (birth weight, weaning weight and gain from birth to weaning) of 291 male and female lambs and the post-weaning records (body weight, feedlot gain and food conversion) of 136 male lambs were used to study relationships between different traits. The lambs were derived from three fat-tailed Iranian sheep breeds (Karakul, Mehraban and Naeini) and their crosses with Corriedale and Targhee rams. All lambs were weaned at 75 + 5 days of age and the males were fed in a feedlot for 100 days after weaning. Feedlot measurements were taken at 20-day intervals.Weaning weight and pre-weaning average daily gain showed positive and significant associations with birth weight. Birth weight, weaning weight and gain from birth to weaning were positively associated with body weight at subsequent ages in feedlot as well as with final weight (P<0·01). Birth weight, weaning weight and pre-weaning average daily gain were positively and significantly associated with total feedlot gain.Of the different traits, total gain during the first 20 days in feedlot (adjust period) had the lowest and total gain during the second 20 days had the highest association with total feedlot daily gain. There was no evidence that the heavier lambs at weaning and those showing high growth rate before weaning, were more efficient in the feedlot. Gain during the second 20-day period in the feedlot had a significant negative association with the total food conversion (unit food/unit gain) and therefore was a good predictor for food conversion.When the feedlot period was divided into two 40-day periods, it was found that gain during both had a significant negative association with the corresponding food conversion. A similar association was observed between total feedlot gain and food conversion, indicating that the rate and efficiency of gain improved simultaneously.
Chemical processing of wheat straw and cotton by-products for fattening cattle 3. Performance of animals receiving material in complete feeds
Authors: Levy D. , Holzer Z. , Folman Y. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTThe fibrous roughages, wheat straw (WS) and cotton stalks (CS), were left untreated or treated with 30 g sodium hydroxide per kg, and residual alkali was either neutralized with sulphuric acid or left unneutralized. All roughages were pelleted and used either in complete feeds or separately. The effects of these treatments on the nutritive value of the roughages were examined in digestibility trials in vitro and in vivo, and in a 7·month feeding trial of a factorial arrangement of 2 × 3 × 2, in which the roughages constituted 350 g/kg of the diets. Approximately 150 g/kg of the neutral-detergent fibre (cell wall) constituents of both roughages was solubilized by sodium hydroxide treatment, while the changes in acid-detergent fibre components (cellulose and lignin) were much smaller, although evident.In vitro-dry matter digestibility of wheat straw was 22 % higher than that of cotton stalks, and its increase due to NaOH treatment was 50% and 30% for wheat straw and cotton stalks, respectively. In vivo digestibility of organic matter of wheat straw was increased from 0·47 to 0·59, and that of cotton stalks from 032 to 037. The increase was evident in all components except protein, in which digestibility was reduced. The increase in the metabolizable energy values of wheat straw from 6·86 to 7·45MJ/kg dry matter and that of cotton stalks from 4·77 to 5·10MJ/kg dry matter following sodium hydroxide treatment was not reflected in daily live-weight or carcass-weight gain in the feeding trial. The animals offered NaOH-treated roughages had significantly more fat trim, and more fat in the large depots. Including roughages in complete feeds revealed no advantage in metabolizable energy conversion into live weight.
Pre- and postnatal study of the carcass growth of sheep. 2. The cellular growth of adipose tissues
Authors: Broad T. E. , Davies A. S. , Tan G. Y. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTThe diameter of adipocytes from subcutaneous, intermuscular and internal cavity fat depots of 5 pre- and 14 postnatal Romney female sheep was measured, the volume calculated, and the number per depot computed from the weight of triglyceride in the depots.The rates of increase of adipocyte volume relative to the increase in weight of total side adipose tissue, and of the fat depots and their chemical components, were calculated using linear regression analyses of the natural logarithmic transformed data. These logarithmic regression equations were used to estimate the volume of adipocytes in sheep at different stages of development. The total numbers of adipocytes at each stage of growth were estimated using linear double logarithmic regressions of adipocyte number on carcass weight.The growth of total adipose tissue and of each of the fat depots occurred mainly by an increase in the adipocyte volume, which increased over 70-fold from 120 days gestation to 5 years of age. The increase in adipocyte volume during growth occurred at similar rates in all of the fat depots and no significant differences between the volumes of adipocytes from the fat depots were found within sheep of similar carcass weight. During the same growth period the total number of adipocytes increased about 6-fold. Differences in the relative rates of growth of the fat depots were attributed to cellular multiplication rather than to cellular enlargement.
A note on effect of starvation on the bovine alimentary tract and its contents
Authors: Bass J. J. , Duganzich D. M. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTFifty-one cattle were allocated into five groups varying in time of starvation (0, 17, 24, 41 and 48 h). Most of the loss in fasted live weight, stomach and intestinal contents occurred within 24 h. Weights of water, dry matter and potassium present in the stomach showed a significant decrease in the first 24 h, although the percentage of water in the stomach contents rose slowly over a 48-h period. It is suggested that cattle from pasture need be starved for no more than 24 h to minimize the effect of gut fill for body composition studies.
The intake and performance of ewes offered concentrates and grass silage in late pregnancy
Authors: Orr R. J. , Newton J. E. , Jackson Caroline A. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTMasham ewes carrying single, twin or triplet foetuses were offered a ration of concentrates which increased from 200 to 650 g per ewe per day over the last 7 weeks of pregnancy in 2 years. Silage was offered ad libitum and the voluntary intake of each ewe was measured. In the first year, 30 ewes were offered a poorly-preserved, wet silage (A) which had a low digestibility, followed by a better-preserved silage (B) which had a higher digestibility and dry-matter concentration. There was an increase in silage intake when the change was made from A to B. In the following year, 32 ewes were offered silage (C) which was well preserved, similar in digestibility to B but with a lower dry-matter concentration. The ewes ate more silage organic matter (g/kg live weight) with C than A (12·77 v. 9·34) in weeks 15 to 17 of pregnancy but more of B than C (13·76 v. 10·38) in weeks 19 to 20. Ewes carrying single lambs ate more silage and had a slower rate of decrease in silage intake when the concentrate ration was increased as pregnancy progressed. As litter size increased there-was either greater loss or smaller gain in body condition score.
The effects of the frequency of feeding concentrates on milk production and eating behaviour in Ayrshire dairy cows
Authors: Gill M. S. , Castle M. E. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTTwo separate experiments were conducted with 12 lactating and four non-lactating Ayrshire cows to compare three frequencies of feeding concentrates per day. Milk production was measured in a 16-week experiment in which the lactating cows were given either a low- or a high-protein concentrate 2, 4 or 22 times (×) per day. Eating behaviour was measured in a 15-week experiment in which the non-lactating cows were also given the low- and high-protein concentrates 2 and 22 × per day. The low- and high-protein concentrates had concentrations of 128 and 202 g crude protein/kg dry matter respectively. Grass silage with a digestibility of organic matter in the dry matter of 0·655 was offered ad libitum to all the cows. Frequency of feeding had no significant effects on silage intake, total nutrient intake, milk yield and live weight. The milk fat concentration increased as the frequency of feeding increased but none of the differences in this and the other milk constituents was significant. Total eating time per day and eating and ruminating time per kg dry matter were not significantly different on the 2 × and the 22 × feeding treatments. There were no interactions between the feeding-frequency treatments and the two types of concentrates. It is concluded that there were no advantages in offering concentrates in more than two separate feeds per day when the daily amount averaged about 7 kg per cow and good-quality silage was available ad libitum