bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of eleven cattle breeds for crossbred beef production: carcass data from males slaughtered at two ages
Authors: Morris C. A. , Baker R. L. , Carter A. H. , Hickey S. M. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTAn experiment was carried out to compare sire breeds for carcass traits and to estimate heritabilities and phenotypic and genetic correlations. There were 1908 male cattle from 5 birth years. The sire breeds, each evaluated over three locations, were Blonde d'Aquitaine, Charolais, Chianina, Limousin, Maine Anjou, Simmental (four strains: Austrian, French (Pie Rouge), Swiss and West German) and South Devon (i.e. seven imported breeds) and Angus, Friesian, Hereford and Jersey (four local breeds), with a total of 161 sires represented. Each location contained Angus cows and additionally one location contained Hereford cows. Proportionally 0·72 of the cattle were slaughtered at about 20 months of age, whilst random samples from each of the first 4 years were retained for slaughter at about 31 months of age.Sire breeds ranked similarly for live weight at 13 months of age and for pre-slaughter weights at both 20 and 31 months of age. Relative to the Hereford-cross, the seven imported breeds were proportionally 0·054 to 0·072 heavier at slaughter (depending on slaughter age) and they had 0-065 to 0·077 heavier carcasses. Dressing proportions for the Blonde d'Aquitaine, Chianina and Limousin sire breeds were higher by at least 0007 units than for the Hereford-cross. The seven imported breeds were all leaner and had larger areas of m. longissimus than the Hereford-cross cattle. Friesian-crosses also had high live or carcass weights although they were intermediate for fat depth.The interaction of sire and dam breeds were only significant for fat depth (both slaughter ages) and for pre-slaughter and hot carcass weights (31-month slaughter age only). Interactions between sire breed and location were not important.Heritability estimates on data adjusted to a slaughter age of 595 days were: pre-slaughter weight 0·29, hot carcass weight 0·28, dressing proportion 0·14, fat depth 0·03 and m. longissimus area 0·30. Corresponding values on cattle whose records were adjusted to an age of 935 days were 0·56, 0·44, 0·39, 0·37 and 0·29. These values were from cattle grazed on pasture, and were generally lower than those from America (from cattle offered high energy rations). Phenotypic correlations among all pairs of traits were positive, whilst genetic correlations were positive for all pairs except those involving fat depth (where standard errors were large).
An investigation into palatability as a factor responsible for reduced intake of silage by sheep
Authors: Buchanan-Smith J. G. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTTo separate ingestive factors involving palatability from post-ingestive factors responsible for forage intake being depressed by ensiling, silages were evaluated using sham-fed animals. Protocol for all experiments was to formulate low dry matter (DM) silages from a high DM lucerne silage reconstituted with either water, solutions containing constituents commonly found in silage, or extracts of low DM silage. Solutions of silage constituents were adjusted before reconstitution to a pH typical of silage. Tests were performed by offering silages one at a time once daily to oesophageal fistulated sheep, maintained on lucerne hay, but starved for 5 h prior to the test. Intake was measured over 30 min. Sheep were adapted to intermediate levels of each test ingredient(s) before experiments were done to evaluate effects of four to five levels of each ingredient using Latin-square designs. Animals were sham fed during both periods of adaptation and of testing ingredient levels. Mean of 30-min intakes for control silages was 573 g DM. Lactic and acetic acids added together, to levels of 53·2 and 35·4 g/kg, respectively, enhanced intake with a linear response due to level (P < 0·05). Acetic acid added by itself to 88·0 g/kg depressed intake with a linear response due to level (P < 0·05) in which 10 g/kg added acetic acid depressed 30-min intake by 13·5 g. Acetic and butyric acids added together to levels of 36·2 and 54·4 g/kg respectively, were without effect as was ammonia added to 3·8 g/kg as ammonia nitrogen (N). A mixture of free amino acids added to a level of 9·2 g amino-N per kg was without effect, but at a level of 13·8 g/kg, intake was depressed to proportionately 0·75 of the control. A mixture of two amines and gamma amino butyric acid added to a level of 4·6 g N per kg caused a quadratic response (P < 005) in which intermediate levels enhanced intake but the highest level was without effect. An extract from good-quality silage had no effect on intake and that from a poor-quality silage enhanced intake in a linear manner (P < 0·05). These data indicate that elevation of acetic acid in silage without increases in amounts of other constituents decreased intake of silage through an effect on palatability. This conclusion modifies interpretation on the significance of palatability, determined from studies of ingestive behaviour of ruminants, as a factor to explain reduced intake of sheep given silage.
Daily gain, food intake and food efficiency in pigs during the growing period
Authors: Kanis E. , Koops W. J. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTThe non-linear modely = ae(−hW−c/W)was fitted to weekly calculated daily gain (DG), daily food intake (FI) and food efficiency (FE) of 653 barrows and gilts fedad libitumor restrictedly during a growing period from 27 to 108 kg live weight. Whereywas DG, FI or FE, W was live weight anda, bandcwere parameters. The model fitted well to the expected course of the traits, with an accuracy similar to that of quadratic polynomials. Parameters for one trait could simply be derived from the parameters for the other two traits. For each trait, four basic patterns were distinguished, depending on the signs ofbandc. Curves with a maximum (b> 0 andc> 0) occurred most frequently. In cases of curves with a maximum, the model could be reparameterized to a model with parameters having a simple biological meaning.Coefficients of determination in barrows averaged 0·29 for DG, 0·88 for FI and 0·45 for FE, whereas these values were somewhat lower in gilts. Withad libitumfeeding, a DG curve with a maximum was fitted in proportionately 0·83 of the barrows and 0·61 of the gilts. The maximum DG was on average at live weights of 64 kg for barrows and 77 kg for gilts. A maximum in the FI curve was predicted in proportionately 0·60 of the barrows and 0·39 of the gilts. Curves for DG and FI in gilts were less curvilinear than in barrows. FE curves, withad libitumfeeding, had a maximum in proportionately 0·59 of the barrows and 0·52 of the gilts. This predicted maximum FE was, on average, before the start of the growing period. Gilts had a higher FE than barrows from 35 kg body weight onwards, and the difference increased with increasing live weight. Differences in FE betweenad libitumand restricted feeding were small, with a tendency for animals fed at a restricted feeding level to be more efficient at the end of the growing period.Average FE curves and individual FI or DG curves were used for indirect prediction of individual DG or FI curves, respectively. The correlation between directly and indirectly predicted values of DG and FI at live weights of 30, 65 or 100 kg was about 0·7 inad libitumfed barrows and gilts, and greater than 0·8 in pigs fed at a restricted level. This indicates that the model is suitable to predict and control the course of individual daily gain by influencing the course of food intake.
Comparative study of chronic copper poisoning in lambs and young goats
Authors: Zervas G. , Nikolaou E. , Mantzios A. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTEighteen lambs (L) and 18 goats (G), 12 weeks of age, were allocated in equal numbers to three diets. The basal (B) diet had no added copper (Cu) while the other two had 30 or 60 mg added Cu per kg dry matter (DM) as CuSO4.5H2O. Lambs and goats were housed and fed individually. After 67 days, deaths from Cu toxicity occurred only in lambs from groups L-30 (basal diet + 30 mg Cu per kg DM) and L-60 (basal diet + 60 mg Cu per kg DM). The remaining lambs and all of the goats were slaughtered at 91 and 137 days respectively.A decreased food intake and loss of weight were observed in some lambs towards the end of the experiment which appeared to be associated with an approaching haemolytic crisis. The additional dietary Cu had a positive effect on food conversion efficiency only in the early stages of the experiment in both lambs and goats. None of the goats died or lost weight.Plasma Cu concentrations and serum glutamate oxalacetate transaminase and creatine kinase activities were elevated in lambs of groups L-30 and L-60 after 2 months, while in goats the concentrations were in normal ranges during the whole experimental period.Additional dietary Cu increased significantly the Cu concentrations of liver, kidney, muscle, spleen, heart, brain, hair and faeces in both lambs and goats. Additional Cu decreased the fresh and dry liver weights of lambs and the liver to live weight ratio whereas the corresponding values for kidneys were increased. The differences between groups of goats in fresh or dry liver and kidney weights were not significant, though the fresh and dry liver weights tended to be higher in groups G·30 and G·60 compared with those in the group G·B.The amount of Cu stored in the livers of the lambs was six to nine times higher than that of the goats. Differences in Cu storage between lambs and goats may be related to species differences in Cuutilization and hence resistance to Cu toxicity.
Intakes of silages, hays and straws by ewes in mid pregnancy
Authors: Orr R. J. , Treacher T. T. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTIn three experiments, seven grass silages, four grass hays and winter barley straw, with and without anhydrous ammonia treatment, were offered ad libitum to a total of 134 Finn Dorset ewes in weeks 11 to 15 of pregnancy and intakes were measured. The untreated straw diet was supplemented with 300 g fresh weight of concentrates per ewe. Number of foetuses carried did not affect intakes in mid pregnancy. Organic matter digestibilities measured in vivo in week 15, ranged from 0·39 to 0·69 for hays and 0·53 to 0·79 for silages. Generally, between weeks 11 to 15 of pregnancy, hay intakes showed either little change or slight increases whereas intakes of silages or straws showed little change or slight decreases. Forage intake was higher on the better quality hays and silages and ewes gained weight and body condition, compared with losses for the poorer diets. In late pregnancy, the ewes were offered grass silage ad libitum and rations of concentrates according to a rationing programme. There were no residual effects of the mid-pregnancy treatments on lamb birth weights but ewes offered the poorer diets in mid pregnancy still tended to be lighter and thinner post partum. Equations are presented to predict the intakes of hays and silages from food and animal factors.
Effect of protein intake on energy and nitrogen balance and chemical composition of gain in growing boars of high genetic potential
Authors: Rao D. S. , McCracken K. J. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTThe effects of dietary protein (151 to 282 g crude protein per kg dry matter (DM)) and lysine (8·5 to 16·4 g/kg DM) on the carcass composition and energy metabolism of entire male pigs, given food close to appetite, was studied from 33 to 88 kg. Four replicates (three Landrace and one Duroc) of four littermates were used. Energy and nitrogen (N) balances were conducted at approximately 35 to 43, 58 to 65 and 78 to 85 kg and body composition was determined at slaughter. There was no effect of dietary treatment on the crude protein content of the empty body (EBW) but the DM (P < 0·001), fat (P < 0·001) and ash (P < 0·05) proportions and fat: protein ratio in EBW (P < 0·01) increased with decreasing dietary protein level. The mean maximum protein retention was 183 g/day. Retention of protein (P < 0·05) and proportion of protein energy in the gain (P < 0·01) decreased linearly and fat retention (P < 0·001) and energy content of the gain (P < 001) increased with decreasing dietary protein. The N retention values calculated from balance data were proportionately 0·21 higher at high protein intakes (509 g/day) and 0·056 higher at low protein intakes (329 g/day) than the values obtained by slaughter. Using the ideal protein system the value for the efficiency of utilization of apparently digested ideal protein for protein deposition (a2) fell linearly (P < 0·001), based on the slaughter data, as dietary protein content increased. Heat production, calculated from slaughter data, was proportionately 0·07 higher than that measured by indirect calorimetry and 0·17 higher than the computed value for heat production using the standard values of energy costs for maintenance and for protein and fat deposition.
The effect of feeding different sources of crude fibre during pregnancy on the reproductive performance of sows
Authors: Everts H. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTA long-term experiment was designed to study the effect of feeding different sources of crude fibre during pregnancy on the reproductive performance of sows. The four treatments imposed during pregnancy were: C, a control compound diet; CS, the same control diet with additional chopped straw (0·2 kg/day); CM, the same control diet in which 0·25 kg was replaced daily by 1·5 kg maize silage; and CFR, a compound diet with a higher crude fibre content. In total 567 sows were used. On the treatments C, CM, CS and CFR the number of sows was 147, 142, 147 and 133 respectively. The sows remained on the experiment for five successive parities on a treatment or until the moment of culling. Feeding levels were about 32 MJ digestible energy (DE) per day during the first months of pregnancy and about 40 MJ DE per day in the last month of pregnancy. During lactation the feeding level ranged between 75 and 90 MJ DE per day.In sows giving birth to five litters, the effect of parity was calculated irrespective of the treatments. The optimum litter size was observed in the fourth litter and the percentage of successful services within 10 days post weaning stabilized after the third parity. The live weight of the sows increased gradually up to the fifth parity.Compared with the sows on the control treatment the proportional changes in consumption of the sows on the other treatments were: 0·45 more crude fibre, up to 0·02 more digestible energy and up to 0·06 less digestible protein.There were only slight differences in reproductive performance. The mean number of weaned piglets per sow per year were 19·7, 19·3, 20·1 and 20·2, respectively for the treatments C, CM, CS and CFR. Higher piglet birth weights were observed for sows on the CM treatment and a higher proportion of the culled sows had leg disorders. On the CS treatment a higher number of weaned piglets per litter was observed and this was due to the higher number of piglets born and lower piglet mortality during lactation. The sows on this treatment tended to have more difficulty in becoming pregnant after the third and fourth parities. The sows on the CFR treatment had the highest body weights and had a higher number of litters per year mainly due to lower numbers returning to service and less nonproductive days. The results from this experiment gave no clear evidence that either the inclusion of roughage or a higher crude fibre content in the diet improved reproductive performance.
Response surface analyses of the effects of dietary fat on feeding and growth pattern in mice from weaning to maturity
Authors: Toyomizu M. , Matsukubo M. , Hayashi K. , Tomita Y. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTResponses of gross energy intake and live weight of mice from weaning to maturity to dietary fat level were studied. Six groups of ddY male mice were given purified diets covering the range (0 to 70%) of fat concentration on a gross energy basis for 72 days. The food intake and live weight data in each group were analysed by non-linear regression to obtain values of the six parameters in Parks feeding and growth equations. These parameters, found as a function of the fat content of diet, were then used to construct the response surfaces of food intake and live weight over the dietary fatv.age space. The daily energy intake rose rapidly with age to a plateau at about 7 to 14 days after weaning and was maintained throughout the experiment, independent of the dietary fat content. Live weight as a function of time after weaning increased to a plateau at every dietary fat level, but the details of the pattern of growth were affected by the dietary fat level. After about 30 days of feeding, the higher the fat content of the diet, the greater the gain in live weight. Apparent digestibility of dietary energy decreased with an increase in fat content, especially in the early period.
A comparative study of muscle-bone relationships in the hind limb of goats and sheep
Authors: Anous M. R. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTMuscle to bone weight relationships within anatomical regions (proximal-distal division into pelvic, thigh and lower leg groups) and subregions (division within regions into gluteal, intrinsic pelvic, cranial, caudal and medial thigh, and cranial and caudal lower leg groups) of the hind limb and also of its most important muscles (no. = 11) were compared between goats and sheep using the method of multivariate analysis of the centred data. In this comparison, a total of 39 animals was considered: 13 male kids of the Alpine breed (K) and a sample of 26 male lambs derived from different breeds or crossbreeds representing, in equal numbers, lambs having good conformation (LGC) and poor conformation (LPC). Lambs were chosen on the basis of the hindlimb length the means of which were 22·9 (s.e. 1·5), 29·3 (s.e. 1·8) and 29·1 (s.e. 2·5) cm for LGC, LPC, and K, respectively. Corresponding cold carcass weights were 19·71 (s.e. 347), 17·28 (s.e. 1·77) and 10·84 (s.e. 0·56) kg.In both comparisons (K-LGC and K-LPC) the two species were systematically distinguished by the size of the following ratios: (pelvic muscles/os coxae + leg muscles /tibia) relative to thigh muscles/femur (for regions), which was lower in lambs than in kids; intrinsic pelvic muscles/os coxae relative to caudal thigh muscles/femur (for subregions), which was higher in kids than in lambs. For individual muscles, they were distinguished by the size of the following ratios: rectus (emoris/femur relative to semimembranosus/femur (or gluteus medius/os coxae) in the comparison K-LGC, which was higher in lambs than in kids, and vastus lateralis/femur relative to sum of pectineus + gracilis/femur (or gastrocemius/tibia) in the comparison K-LPC, which was lower in kids than in lambs. The results show that the muscle-bone ratios of the anatomical regions, subregions and the most commercially important muscles in the hindlimb can be used as discriminant characteristics of species.
The influence of a barrier on the behaviour and growth of early-weaned piglets
Authors: Waran N. K. , Broom D. M. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractWhen designing environments for animals, the quality of space as well as the amount of space should be considered. In this study the influence of an opaque barrier on the aggressive behaviour and growth of Large White Χ Landrace piglets that were weaned at 24 days was examined. The behaviour and weight gain of 120 piglets were recorded during a 4-week period following weaning. These piglets were housed in either a conventional flat-deck pen or a straw pen, with or without an opaque barrier. There was no significant difference between the two types of accommodation in the frequency of aggressive interactions that occurred during the weaning period but where a barrier was present the frequency of aggressive interactions was 40% lower during the 1st week after weaning and growth rate was proportionately 0·15 greater. Piglets that were the recipients of most aggressive behaviour used the barrier most frequently during the weaning period and barrier users gained the most weight during the week immediately following weaning.It was concluded that a barrier improved the weaning environment because it offered piglets an escape route during the period when most aggressive interactions occurred. A barrier may be an effective way of improving the welfare of animals housed in confined conditions.
Nutritional and toxicological evaluation of three deep-stacking methods for the processing of broiler litter as a foodstuff for beef cattle
Authors: Rankins D. L. , Eason J. T. , McCaskey T. A. , Stephenson A. H. , Floyd J. G. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractBroiler poultry litter was deep-stacked (2·5 m high) in three ways: (1) uncovered, (2) covered with 0·1524 mm clear polyethylene and (3) surface-watered to form a 2·5 cm crust upon drying. After 30 days, each litter was used to formulate two diets containing proportionately 0·25 or 0·50 poultry litter (dry-matter basis). Urea was used as the nitrogen source in the control diet. All diets contained 100 g/kg cottonseed hulls, 20 g/kg limestone and cracked maize. Each of the seven diets was offered to 12 crossbred steers (two pens per diet; initial body weight 204 kg) for 84 days. Blood was collected and body weights measured every 28 days. After 84 days, liver biopsies were obtained from four steers per diet and an additional three steers per diet were penned individually and nutrient apparent digestibilities were determined. Steers gained 1·6 kg/day on the urea diet and 1·2, 1·3 and 1·2 kg/day on the diets containing 0·25 litter, uncovered, covered or watered, respectively. Steers consuming the 0·50 litter diets gained 1·0, 0·9 and 1·0 kg/day, respectively (significant linear decrease; P < 0·01). Litter depressed (P < 0·04) apparent dry matter, organic matter and gross energy digestibilities regardless of stacking method. However, nitrogen apparent digestibility was decreased by uncovered and watered litter only. Increased proportion of litter in the diet resulted in increased serum sorbitol dehydrogenase and aspartate aminotransferase and liver copper concentrations (P < 0·07); however, clinical copper toxicosis (haemolytic crisis) was not observed. Dietary inclusion of broiler poultry litter also increased serum phosphorus and decreased serum calcium concentrations (P < 0·07). Covering deep-stacked litter preserved nitrogen quality, but improvements over uncovered litter were not of sufficient magnitude to elicit improved animal performance in this study.
Influence of body condition on maintenance energy requirements of Charolais cows
Authors: Ortigues I. , Petit M. , Agabriel J. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractThe objective of the experiment was to test whether maintenance energy requirements of non-lactating, non-pregnant beef cows increased with body fatness. Twelve Charolais cows were initially fed to attain either lean or fat body condition. Subsequently, over a period of 66 days food allowances were regularly adjusted for zero live-weight change. For the following 76 days, lean and fat cows received either 400 or 553 kJ metabolizable energy (ME) per kg initial live weight 0·75 per day, respectively. Fat cows maintained their body weight and composition whereas lean cows lost 296 g body weight, 221 g lipid and 65 g protein daily. Calculated maintenance energy requirements averaged 516 and 536kJ ME per kg live weight 0·75 per day for lean and fat cows respectively but were not significantly affected by body fatness. Diet dry matter, organic matter, crude protein and energy apparent digestibilities but not acid-detergent fibre digestibility were significantly higher in fat animals.