bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Calcium hydroxide treatment of malt distillers' grains 2. Effects on apparent digestibilityin vivo, intake and performance in sheep
Authors: Offer J. E. , Offer N. W. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractThe effects of calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2)treatment of malt distillers' grains (MDG) on apparent digestibilityin vivo, food intake and lamb performance were measured in three experiments. Experiment 1 measured effects on intake and apparent digestibility of wet MDG either untreated (C), mineralized with a high-calcium mineral (M), Ca(OH)2treated at ambient temperature (L) or at 70°C for 72 h (LH) and offeredad libitumto mature wether sheep (approx. 75 kg live weight). Dry matter (DM) intakes for MDG were 1251,1585,1838 and 1889 (s.e. 93) g/day for C, M, L and LH respectively when given with 780 g DM per day of a standard complete diet (diet A). Corresponding values for whole diet organic matter (OM) apparent digestibility when MDG was given at a fixed rate (1250 g DM per day) with a standard diet (660 g DM per day diet A) were 049, 049, 0·58 and 0·60 (s.e. 0·008) respectively. Experiment 2 compared mineralized wet MDG (M) with a prototype dried food made from Ca(OH)2-treatedensiled MDG (neutralized with NaOH before treatment) held at 60°C for 18 h before drying (NID) and a proprietary lamb finishing compound (PC). The supplements were offered at an increasing rate (350 g DM per day to 1200 g DM per day) to 30 Blackface lambs of approximately 31 kg initial live weight, penned in pairs, and givenad libitumaccess to hay and water. Mean DM intakes (g DM per day) to day 60 for supplements were 925, 750 and 934 (s.e. 19) and for hay were 258, 200 and 311 (s.e. 17) for NID, M and PC respectively. Corresponding values for live-weight gain (g/day) were 136, 123 and 130 (s.e. 11); for condition score (day 59) were 3·9, 3·6 and 4·0 (s.e. 0·06) and for number of lambs finished at day 60 were 8, 2 and 10. Experiment 3 evaluated the apparent digestibility and effects on rumen function of NID, M and PC fed at a fixed rate with chopped hay (804 g DM per day supplement + 396 g DM per day hay) to rumen fistulated wethers (approx. live weight 70 kg). Apparent digestibility values for OM were 0·63, 0·53 and 0·65 (s.e. 0·015) and for neutral-detergent fibre were 0·69, 0·55 and 0·57 (s.e. 0·037) for NID, M and PC respectively. Rumen pH, volatile fatty acid concentrations or hay digestibility in sacco were not significantly affected by supplement. Ca(OH)2treatment greatly improved the nutritional characteristics of MDG giving substantial improvements in apparent digestibility, intake and performance.
The response of weaner pigs to a choice of foods differing in protein content
Authors: Bradford M. M. V. , Gous R. M. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractTwo experiments were designed to test the hypothesis that young growing pigs between 7 and 25 kg live weight are capable of selecting a diet which closely matches their changing requirement for amino acids, when offered a choke between two balanced foods differing only in their protein content. In the first experiment, three single-food treatments (8·6,11·7 and 17·4 g lysine per kg food) and one choice-feeding treatment (8·6 v. 17·4 g lysine per kg food), were used. In the second experiment, three foods of similar nutrient composition (approx. 14·7 g lysine per kg food) were formulated using different ingredients (fish meal, soya-bean oilcake meal and a combination of sunflower-, cottonseed- and groundnut-oilcake meals). These were fed either alone or as a choice with each other or with a low protein food (8·3 g lysine per kg food) to test whether palatability or anti-nutritional factors would override the selection based on protein alone. In both experiments, 10 pigs were housed per pen, with males and females being penned separately. One food bin with a central partition was supplied per pen, and an initial 6-day training period was used, in which pigs experienced each of the two foods on offer, separately, at daily intervals. All pigs were weighed weekly, as was the amount of food consumed in each pen. The conclusions reached were that growing pigs are able to differentiate successfully between two foods on the basis of their amino acid contents, and of changing the selected diet to match their changing requirement for dietary amino acids. However, one of the foods on offer appeared to contain either anti-nutritive factors or unpalatable components, and whereas the piglets performed as well on this as on the other foods of similar nutrient content when these foods were offered as the sole source of food, they actively selected against this food when it was offered as a choice, even if this meant their growing at a significantly slower rate than that of which they were capable.
Crossbred sheep production I. Factors affecting production from the crossbred ewe flock
Authors: Yalçin B. C. , Bichard Maurice 
Published: September 2010

Donald (1962) has recently pointed out the paucity of available data on production from British sheep, though some information is available for hill sheep (see for example Donald, 1958; Purser and Roberts, 1959; Purser and Young, 1959; Dalton, 1962). Most of these refer mainly to the Scottish Blackface and Welsh Mountain breeds. Hill sheep form approximately 40% of the national flock of over 11 million breeding ewes. Another 40% of ewes are found in crossbred flocks mainly kept on the lowlands; these produce fat lambs and hoggets with wool as a secondary product. Very little information has so far been published on these crossbred ewes, exceptions being work reported by Bywater (1945) and Rennie (1957). This is the first of three papers to be presented with the object of providing such information, and is based mainly on the work of Yalçin (1963). It is hoped that these papers will be of use on two counts:1. To provide a documentation of one specific cross, the Border Leicester × Cheviot ewe and her Suffolk-cross lambs under North of England grassland conditions.2. To analyse the usefulness of keeping production records within such flocks as aids to good commercial management, to culling and to selective breeding.In this paper the traits studied are body weight, fleece weight and litter size of the ewes, and the weights of the lambs between birth and slaughter or weaning. Estimates were obtained for the effects upon some of these traits of age and live-weight of ewe, and of sex, year and type of birth and rearing of the lambs. The usefulness of such correction factors is considered within recording schemes. In subsequent papers the effects on production of differences between crossbred ewes and between the rams used as fat lamb sires will be considered.
Variation in the responses of shorn sheep to cold exposure
Authors: Slee J. 
Published: September 2010

Thirteen Blackface and Merino × Cheviot female sheep were shorn and each exposed for a maximum of 10 hours to intense cold (—18° C, 4 m.p.h. wind). Individual exposures were terminated earlier if rectal temperatures fell by 4·5° C. In the first year of the experiment (1963) 11 out of 13 of the sheep were in late pregnancy. There were also 12 control sheep, 9 of them pregnant, which were not subjected to cold treatment. In 1964, 12 of the previously treated sheep were subjected again to similar cold exposures. This time they were unmated and there were no controls.The cold treatment apparently caused increased variation in gestation length, but the effects on neo-natal lamb mortality were inconclusive.In 1963 and 1964 there was wide variation between individual sheep in cold tolerance—defined as the ability to maintain rectal temperature during cold exposure. Repeatability for this character was approximately 0·73, suggesting the existence of a genetic component. The average decline in rectal temperature was similar in both years: 3·9·2° C. in 1964. Pregnancy and breed had no detectable effects on cold tolerance.Skin temperatures on the midside, ear and hind foot (pastern) were measured in 1964. They all declined during cold exposure. Midside skin temperatures typically fell to about 10° C., ear temperatures to about 3° C. and foot temperatures to zero. There were temperature fluctuations due to periodic vasodilation on the ears but the feet generally showed sustained vasoconstriction.Superior cold tolerance tended to be associated with low mean body skin temperatures and a previous history of live-weight gain. It is suggested that subcutaneous fat deposition may be one factor responsible for improving skin insulation and thereby reducing heat loss in shorn sheep, but direct evidence for this was lacking.
Sires' own performance as an indication of progeny performance in testing Suffolk rams for growth rate
Authors: Broadbent J. S. , Watson J. H. 
Published: September 2010

Comparisons of performance for growth rate were made on 15 Suffolk rams and their 362 Suffolk × Welsh progeny from 2 to 16 weeks of age or to 100 lb. live-weight, whichever was earliest.The Suffolk rams were reared artificially from 7 days of age.A high negative correlation was found between growth rate and efficiency of food conversion.The correlation between the sires' growth rate and the growth rate of their progeny was 0·25. This was increased to 0·46 by limiting the performance test of progeny to the period between 8 to 16 weeks of age.Heritability estimates increased as animals grew older. An estimate of 0·52 ±0·012 was obtained for the period 8–16 weeks of age.
The effect of different levels of management on the assessment of differences within a variety of chicken
Authors: Oakes M. W. 
Published: September 2010

The data relating to twenty single location trials, involving the progeny of seven sires from one variety mated with random females from another, have been analysed to obtain estimates of sire × location (genotype–environment) interaction for egg production, 23- and 64-week body weights and 32-and 45-week egg weights. In no case was a significant interaction found, indicating genetic correlations not significantly different from unity.The between- and within-sire components of variance have been calculated for each trait on each location separately. The regressions of these components on the mean levels at the locations have been obtained. Though low and non-significant, they tend to support the use of those locations giving maximum expression of a trait for comparisons involving that trait.
The relationship between live-weight and herbage intake in grazing cattle
Authors: Hodgson J. , Wilkinson J. M. 
Published: September 2010

Six dry cows, six in-calf heifers and six yearling calves grazed in groups of six, arranged either in single age groups or mixed age groups; the arrangements alternated, and each was repeated three times in a continuous grazing sequence with six-day periods. All the animals grazed together for a preliminary period of seven days. Under each arrangement the cattle grazed on a mature sward for two periods, and on an aftermath for one period. Access to fresh and grazed herbage was restricted by electric fences which were moved daily, but the amount of fresh herbage offered was well in excess of appetite at all times.Records of live-weight, herbage intake, grazing behaviour and social dominance ranking were obtained for all individuals. There was a close relationship between live-weight (LW) and herbage organic matter intake (OMI) in each grazing period, and the regression equations for the six periods were very similar. The best-fit exponent of LW for the pooled results was 0·61±0·038; this was significantly different from 0·73 and 1·0. The exponent increased to 0·71±0·045 when the cow data were excluded. The inclusion of weight change as a third variable was only of value in the mature sward.The calves ate significantly more, and the cows tended to eat more, when grazing in mixed age groups. These differences could not be explained by differences in the time spent grazing.There were high simple correlations between LW and OMI, between social dominance rank and OMI, and between LW and rank, particularly in the mixed age groups. When variations in LW were excluded, dominance rank had little influence on OMI in the mixed age groups, but the independent effects of LW and social rank on OMI were of approximately equal importance in the single age groups.
A note on the utilization of urea nitrogen by sheep
Authors: Deif H. I. , Akkada A. R. Abou , El-Shazly K. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYThe effects of giving starch and sulphur, and of the frequency of administration of urea, were measured in N balance experiments with two Rahmany rams. Urea N utilization was greatly improved by dividing a single daily dose into three equal parts. Starch and sulphur also improved the utilization of urea N.
A note on the voluntary food consumption and the sodium-potassium ratio of sheep after shearing
Authors: Ternouth J. H. , Beattie A. W. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYThe daily voluntary food consumption (VFC), water intake and urinary excretion of water, sodium and potassium of eight sheep were studied before and after shearing. The extracellular volume of each sheep was measured twice before and three times after shearing. VFC was significantly higher for the first 3 weeks after shearing than for the 3 weeks immediately before shearing. There was a decreased excretion of Na in the urine and a smaller Na/K ratio for the first 2 weeks after shearing, although the extracellular volume was not significantly increased until 4 weeks after shearing. Within, but not between, the 3-week periods before and after shearing, there was a close linear relationship between VFC and water intake, the latter being significantly less for the same VFC after shearing. During weeks 4 and 5 after shearing, there was an increased loss of Na in the urine and a higher Na/K ratio, and the linear relationship between VFC and water intake was intermediate between that shown before and after shearing. The VFC of the sheep before shearing and in week 5 after shearing were similar.
The effect of level of environment on sex differences in pre-weaning growth rate in beef cattle
Authors: Hopkins I. R. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYUsing pre-weaning records of 3822 calves from 11 Victorian herds, mean male and female growth rates and corresponding sex differences were calculated for each dam age and herd-year class. From these means simple regression equations relating sex differences and growth rates were calculated. There was a close similarity between equations based on dam age means and those based on herd-year means while correlations between sex differences and male growth rates were high.These results showed that sex differences and female growth rates could be predicted reliably from the level of environment as measured by male growth rate. Sex differences predicted by these regression relationships differed markedly from those predicted by the simple multiplicative and simple additive models generally used in adjusting for sex differences in selection.The results also suggested that other differences such as breed differences may be predictable in the same way and that such differences are determined primarily by the level of environment per se rather than differences in the nature of the components contributing to that level.
The effect of density on the intake of dried forage pellets by young ruminants
Authors: Tetlow R. M. , Wilkins R. J. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYDried grass pellets of high density (1·3 g/ml) were fed ad libitum to British Friesian male calves 5 to 7 mo old (Experiment 1) or 2 to 5 mo old (Experiment 2). All eight animals in Experiment 1 and eight out of 12 in Experiment 2 were fitted with rumen fistulae. In some subperiods of both experiments, pellets were broken down in water and administered as a slurry directly into the rumen at a level equivalent to approximately one-third that of voluntary intake. Intake per os was significantly reduced by this treatment but total intake (per os+per rumen) was not affected.In Experiment 3 pellets of high (1·24 g/ml) or medium (1·14 g/ml) density were fed ad libitum to 40 9-mo-old Suffolk × Scottish Halfbred wether sheep, either alone or with access limited to 3 hr a day, in which case chopped hay was always available. Pellet density did not affect total intake, but when offered as supplements to hay the consumption of medium-density pellets was higher than that of high-density pellets. In all three experiments animals required 2 or 3 weeks to reach maximum intake of pellets. Over the 42 days of Experiment 3 the proportion of pellets in the feed consumed by animals given pellets as supplements to hay increased from 60 to 80%.
Effects of rumen stimulatory licks on reproductive performance and live-weight gain of beef cattle in Botswana
Authors: Capper B. S. , Pratchett D. , Rennie T. W. , Light D. , Rutherford A. , Miller M. , Buck N. G. , Trail J. C. M. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYThe effects of supplementary feeding of licks containing non-protein nitrogen on the reproductive performance of beef breeding cows and on the live-weight gain of growing stock in Botswana is described. The trials involved 1375 breeding cows at five artificial insemination centres, and 360 breeding cows and 269 growing stock under ranch conditions. These licks increased the percentage of pregnancies in cows under lactation stress by up to 20%, but had no effect on the reproductive performance of dry cows or cows with a calf older than 5 mo. In growing animals the provision of rumen stimulatory licks increased live-weight gain by an average of 12%, but was of doubtful economic value.
Effects of divergent selection for body weight on bone length and diameter in mice
Authors: Hooper A. C. B. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYThe length and diameter of the humerus, ulna, femur and tibia were studied at generations 10 and 14 in lines of mice selected for high and low body weight at 10 weeks of age.Although some deviations from control were not significant, a general pattern of correlated responses was evident. The divergences of high and low line means for bone length and diameter were significant in the four bones, confirming the contribution of these parameters to genetically determined alterations in body weight. Maternal effects did not affect bone length and diameter and heterosis was not important in the genetic control of these parameters. Unlike bone length, bone diameter continued to diverge in response to the additional four generations of selection. There may therefore be differences in the quantitative genetic control of bone length and diameter and consequently in the control of endochondral and intramembranous ossification.
Reproductive performance of group-synchronized Merino d'Arles and Romanov crossbred ewes. 1. A note on the effects of lactation on fecundity
Authors: Galindez F. J. , Prud'hon M. , Reboul G. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYFifty-six Merino d'Aries and 56 Romanov × Merino crossbred lactating ewes were divided into two treatment groups, one (T1) with a ewe-to-ram ratio of 48: 1 (24 Merino and 24 crossbred) and the other (T2) of 64: 1 (32 Merino and 32 crossbred).Intravaginal sponges with 40 mg FGA (Searle) were inserted in two subgroups at 8-day intervals and withdrawn after 12 and 16 days in situ, in four equal groups at 4-day intervals. A dose of 400 IU pregnant mare's serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) was applied at sponge withdrawal.Fertility after two oestrous cycles was equally satisfactory in both treatments, though it was lower in treatment group T2. This could be due to the significantly low (P<0·01) number of Merino ewes raddled by the T2 ram (0·33 Merino against 0·92 crossbred) suggesting preferential behaviour by the ram in this treatment.Comparisons between breeds show a slight superiority in the fertility of crossbred ewes and a highly significant superiority in prolificacy These results suggest that using the described method, 2% of rams seems more than adequate to mate with progestagen-synchronized ewes with a satisfactory fertility level. It is, however, recommended to use homogeneous groups of ewes.
The effect of protein content on the response of lactating cows to level of concentrate feeding
Authors: Gordon F. J. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYSeventy-two lactating dairy cows were used in a 4x 3 factorial experiment to assess the effects of the protein content of concentrates on the response to concentrate feeding level. Concentrates containing 12,18 and 24% crude protein in the dry matter were given at each of four levels of feeding: 0·25, 0·36, 0·47 and 0·58 kg/kg milk for a 7-week experimental period. Milk yield, milk energy output, liveweight change and the percentage solids-not-fat and protein in the milk were significantly affected by both the level of concentrate feeding and the protein content of the concentrate. Response curves for the effect of level of concentrate feeding on milk output and liveweight change were computed for each of the three protein levels, and although there was no significant interaction between these two main factors the benefit from increased protein in the concentrate was shown to depend partly on the level of feeding at which the concentrate was used. At low feeding levels the response to an increase in protein content of the concentrate tended to be smaller than that obtained at high feeding levels. At no stage was there any marked response to protein content in the concentrate above 18%. The response curves have been used to demonstrate the interchangeability of level of concentrate feeding and protein content of the concentrate as means of supporting a given level of milk production.
The utilization of dried forage crops by growing ruminants
Authors: Owers M. J. , Swan H. , Wilton B. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYMixtures (1: 1) of whole-crop dried wheat or barley, with peas or beans as a nitrogen supplement, were fed ad libitum to four groups of 16 6-mo-old male castrate sheep for a period of 42 days in 1971. The mean dry-matter consumptions (kg/day) and live-weight gains (g/day) were: wheat+peas 1·69, 264; wheat+beans 2·05, 288; barley+peas 1·80, 282; and barley+beans 1·81, 229. This experiment was repeated in 1972. The differences between treatments were non-significant.Dried pelleted whole-crop maize was fed ad libitum to British Friesian steers for 90 days, in conjunction with molasses and one of three protein sources, soya bean meal, urea or whole crop beans. The dry-matter intakes (kg/day) and live-weight gains (kg) were: maize+soya 9·68, 1·26; maize+urea 9·38, 10·4; and maize+beans 9·72, 1·15.Dried maize in conjunction with urea, whole crop beans and dried grass to supply crude protein levels between 9 and 11% was fed to 48 Hereford × British Friesian steers. The dry-matter intakes (kg/day) and live-weight gains (kg/day) were: whole crop maize, 8·35, 0·87; whole crop maize+urea, 9·55, 1·0; whole crop maize+whole crop beans, 7·44, 0·70; whole crop maize+dried grass, 8·94, 1·15; whole crop maize+rolled barley, 9·30, 1·23; and dried grass + rolled barley, 9·24, 1·21. Although there was no significant difference in live-weight gain between the treatments, two levels of performance were apparent.
A note on purebred performance of Belgian Piétrain pigs
Authors: Howard A. N. , Smith W. C. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYIn an analysis of data from 211 litters in a Pietrain herd, litter size at birth and at weaning was lower than is generally found in indigenous breeds. Mortality in growing and breeding pigs was high with circulatory failure accounting for 23% and 95% of deaths respectively. Pietrains, fed ad libitum over the live-weight range 27 to 87 kg, grew more slowly by 130 g/day than contemporary Large Whites on the same feeding regime, had higher killing-out percentages (by 3 to 4 units) and larger eye muscles in cross-section (by 9·9 cm2) but tended to have higher feed conversion ratios. There was no breed difference in backfat measurements but Pietrain carcasses were shorter by 83 mm and their muscle quality was markedly inferior to that of the Large Whites.