bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Sources of variation in the fertility of a herd of zebu, British, and zebu × British cattle in Northern Australia
Authors: Seebeck R. M. 
Published: March 2009

SummaryResults of matings made in the Belmont breeding programme from 1954 to 1968 have been analysed. The analysis has been made within three groups. (1) The foundation cows in the years 1954–9; (2) theF1generation which were mated within line in the years 1957–62; (3) theF2andF3generations which were mated within Africander cross (AX), Brahman cross (BX) and Shorthorn-Hereford (SH) lines in the years 1960–8. Fertility was based on the number of calves born, whether alive or dead, to the number of cows mated.In the foundation cows, Hereford cows had a fertility 9% higher than the Shorthorns. The difference between the bull breeds was not significant although the mean for the Brahman bulls was 16% below the mean of the other three breeds. There was a large variation in the fertility of the Brahman bulls. The fertility of the Shorthorn cows was depressed (by 8%) in the lactating cows as compared with dry cows, while there was an opposite effect in the Herefords. These latter effects showed year to year variation.In theF1generation the differences between the breeds were not significant although both the AX (76·4%) and the BX (81·2%) were more fertile than the SH (70·1%). Estimates of heterosis in theF1generation were 42% for the AX, 43% for the BX and 12% for the SH. Lactating cows were 7% more fertile than non-lactating cows. There were significant differences between the BX bulls used but not between bulls of the other two breeds. The effect of sires within breed on fertility of daughters was significant only within the SH, and the heritabilities of fortuity were estimated from the variance components for sires within breed to be 9%, 14% and 22% for AX, BX and SH respectively.In theF2andF3data the breeds were significantly different in fertility with averages of 77%, 61% and 67% for AX, BX and SH respectively. Thus by comparison with the fertilities of theF1cows no loss of heterosis for fertility occurred in the AX, a very marked loss in the BX and only a slight loss in the SH. A significant interaction between age of cow and lactational status showed that in the mature cows, wet cows had a higher fertility than dry, while the converse applied in the 3-year-old cows. The interaction of lactational status with breed consisted of the wet zebu cross cattle having a relatively low fertility while the wet British cattle had a relatively high fertility. There were significant differences between bulls within each of the three breeds. The effect of sires was significant in the BX and SH. Heritabilities estimated from between sires within breeds variance components were – 12%, 22% and 25% for the AX, BX and SH respectively.
Sodium toxicity and cation imbalance in dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)
Authors: Ayoub Ali T. , Ishag H. M. 
Published: March 2009

SummaryLeaf burn and gradual death were the characteristic symptoms of injury in P. vulgaris sown on a sodic soil. Plant growth, total leaf area per plant, number of stomata and epidermal cells per unit leaf area, and relative water content were drastically reduced in injured plants; these were associated with large sodium accumulation in the shoot resulting in cation imbalance.
Isozyme genetic similarity among rye (Secale cerealeL.) cultivars
Authors: Ramirez L. , Pisabarro G. , De La Vega M. Perez 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARYThe genetic structure of six rye (Secale cerealeL.) cultivars bred as forage cultivars was investigated by means of nine isozyme loci. The isozyme systemselectrophoretically studied were glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase; phosphoglucose mutase; phosphoglucose isomerase; acid phosphatase; malic dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase. Alleles present and their frequencies were very similar in all cultivars; thus genetic distances between cultivars ranged from 0·000 to 0·005. Likewise, a general excess of homozygotic plants compared with the expected number was observed in cultivars. The genetic structure of these populations is closely similar to other rye cultivars, bred for grain production, which were previously analysed.
The influence of seed type and plant density on variation in plant size of red beet (Beta vulgaris L.) crops
Authors: Benjamin L. R. , Bell N. 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARYIn each of three experiments, five seed lots, representing multigerm, monogerm, open pollinated and hybrid types, were grown at three plant densities and the time of seedling emergence, uniformity of within-row spacing, the weight of individual shoots and roots at four occasions were recorded.Seedling emergence was more rapid in a May-sown experiment than in a March-sown experiment. The monogerm seed lot had a lower standard deviation of emergence time in the May-sown experiment and in all experiments had a more uniform within-row spacing than the other seed lots, but there was no consistent relationship between these two attributes and uniformity of root weight.The mean weight of shoots and roots increased rapidly until 600 day °C above 6 had accumulated. The yield of shoots then remained constant at about 30 t/ha at 47 plants/ m2 and at about 40 t/ha at 188 plants/m2. The weight of roots increased throughout the experiments and yields of over 100 t/ha were achieved. The monogerm seed lot gave a ceiling shoot yield about 20% less than that of the other seed lots, whereas there were no large or consistent differences in root yield between the different seed lots. Shoot yield increased with plant density, especially at very early harvests, whereas root yield showed a variable response to density. At early harvests in all experiments, root yield increased with increasing density; at late harvests in one experiment, yield de-creased with density, but in another there was no marked response to density.Coefficient of variation (c.v.) of root weight was only about 30% in young unthickened roots, but in older thickened roots was between 70 and 117% at 47 plants/m2, and in-creased to over 180% at 188 plants/m2. The c.v. of root weight of the monogerm seed lot was approximately 20% less than that of the other seed lots.In a fourth experiment, plots were thinned to leave within each row either a uniform or a clumped distribution of seedlings of either uniform or variable size. Uniformity of spacing had no effect on variation in root weight 126 days after sowing, but selecting for seedlings of uniform size reduced the c.v. of root weight by approximately 20%.
Transferrin (β-globulin) type and milk and butterfat production in dairy cows
Authors: Ashton G. C. , Fallon G. R. , Sutherland D. N. 
Published: March 2009

1. The transferrin types of 225 Jersey cows in thirteen herds, and 433 Australian Illawarra Shorthorn cows in twenty-four herds in Queensland were determined. The effect of transferrin type on lactation length, milk yield, butterfat yield and butterfat percentage was assessed by a leastsquares multiple linear regression analysis.2. The results for the two breeds did not differ significantly. Combining the data from both breeds, it was found that on average D/D cows had lactations 13·9 days longer than A/A cows (P < 0·01), and yielded 449·7 lb. more mills (P < 0·01). The results for A/D cows were intermediate.
Studies in the muscles of meat animals. IV. Comparative composition of muscles from ‘doppelender’ and normal sibling heifers
Authors: Lawrie R. A. , Pomeroy R. W. , Williams D. R. 
Published: March 2009

1. Fourteen muscles from a normal 46-week-old Friesian heifer and from its 40-week-old half-sister, which showed the pronounced muscle hypertrophy of ‘doppelender’ cattle, were analysed for moisture, hydroxyproline, sodium, potassium, total nitrogen, and intramuscular fat: the iodine number of the latter was determined. In four of the muscles sarcoplasmic, myofibrillar and stroma nitrogens were also estimated.2. Hypertrophy was associated with a mean increase in the percentage of total nitrogen, with markedly lower percentages of hydroxyproline and of intramuscular fat, and with a decreased K/Na ratio.
A semi-micro dry-block and automated analyser technique suitable for determining protein nitrogen in plant material
Authors: Starr Carol , Smith D. B. 
Published: March 2009

SummaryA dry-block digestion system suitable for the estimation of total protein nitrogen in plant material has been evaluated. The method was found to be as accurate as Kjeldahl flask digestion, required much less fume cupboard space and enabled samples to be dealt with in large batches through weighing, digestion and analysis. The batch size can be designed to be compatible with the autoanalyser capacity. These advantages result in more rapid analysis with less chance of errors and accidents. A 45 min digestion period was found suitable for several crop species of widely different protein content, only field bean seeds required longer digestion time. Using the technique described samples are digested at a relatively low temperature (330 °C) for a short time and digests do not solidify on cooling. The autoanalyser method for determining ammonia concentrations in barley and malt digests (Micheson & Stowell, 1970) has been slightly modified for use with the plant materials studied. The dry-block and autoanalyser system is rapid, precise and compact, requires small amounts of tissue and is suited to the routine analysis of breeding material.
The influence of formic acid and formaldehyde additives and type of harvesting machine on the utilization of nitrogen in lucerne silages: 2. Changes in amino-acid composition during ensiling and their influence on nutritive value
Authors: Barry T. N. , Mundell D. N. , Wilkins R. J. , Beever D. E. 
Published: March 2009

SummaryLucerne was made into ten silages using either a flail or a precision-chop harvester with application of formaldehyde or a range of rates of formic acid during harvesting. Amino-acid analyses were done on the silages and on samples taken from the herbage at ensiling.In excess of 70% of aspartic acid, serine, glutamic acid, tyrosine, threonine, lysine, histidine and arginine were destroyed in untreated silages when a flail harvester was used and in excess of 50% when a precision-chop harvester was used. Glycine, leucine, iso-leucine, valine and methionine showed little change, with net losses or increases of up to 10%, whilst proline, cystine + cysteine and phenylalanine were intermediate between these two categories. Net synthesis of alanine and α and γ amino-butyric acids occurred in the untreated silages. Increasing rates of formic acid addition, and the use of the precision-chop harvester, reduced the loss of the amino acids which were extensively degraded in the untreated silages and minimized the increases in alanine and α and γ amino-butyric acids. Formaldehyde treatment also reduced amino-acid degradation, apart from apparently high losses of lysine, histidine and tyrosine. It was concluded, however, that these losses arose through problems of estimation in formaldehyde-treated silages following HCl hydrolysis.It is suggested that the most probable precursors for alanine and α and γ aminobutyric acids were respectively aspartic acid, threonine and glutamic acid. Voluntary intake and the utilization of silage nitrogen by young sheep were related to the net changes in amino acids involved in decarboxylation reactions, the best measures of this being the interconversions involving the formation of alanine and α and γ aminobutyric acids. Deamination reactions appeared to be of much less importance in limiting silage nutritive value than those involving decarboxylation.
An evaluation of pasture quality with young grazing sheep. I. Live-weight growth and clean wool production
Authors: Gallagher J. R. , Watkin B. R. , Grimes R. C. 
Published: March 2009

1. In a grazing trial with sheep, cocksfoot, ryegrass and tall fescue were grown with and without white clover, under ‘short’ and ‘long’ management systems, and also white clover.2. Live weights were recorded every 2-3 weeks, and wool production was estimated by clipping midside patches every month.3. Sheep on grass plus clover plots were significantly superior to sheep on grass plots in terms of live-weight gain, final live weight and clean-wool production.4. Sheep on ‘long’ pastures were significantly heavier than sheep on ‘short’ pastures for a month in the early part of the trial. Thereafter, differences in live weight were not significant.
Animal production studies in Jamaica. II. The development and evaluation of a field programme of calf weighing
Authors: Creek M. J. 
Published: March 2009

1. The age of 210 days was selected for calf weight standardization. In general this is a preweaning weight under prevailing Jamaican conditions, and it represents a compromise between a very early age (90–120 days) which would reflect closely the milking ability of the dam, and the actual weaning age (approximately 260 days) when the grazing management of the herd would constitute a major unpredictable variable.2. Either one or two weighings taken between the fourth and the ninth months of life was used to standardize calf weights to 210 days of age. In either instance for groups of calves, a mean estimate was derived which was very close to the actual mean 210-day weight, and which was suitable for data relating to groups of animals.
Animal production studies in Jamaica. III. The effect of dam age upon the 210-day weights of calves, and the response of male and female calves to different environments
Authors: Creek M. J. , Nestel B. L. 
Published: March 2009

1. The data used in this study were the estimated 210-day weights of 2351 calves born on eight farms in the years 1958–61. In each year data were only used from herds which recorded at least five calves of each sex in that year. One hundred such herd years were included in the study.2. The mean 210-day difference in weight between male and female calves was 27 lb. 1202 male calves had a mean weight of 380 lb. and 1149 female calves had a mean weight of 353 lb.3. The response of calf weight to age of dam was different in the two sexes. The weight of the female calf was found to increase with dam age in a linear fashion, whereas the response of male calves was best described by a quadratic relationship with the maximum response at a dam age of 8 years.
Some liver enzyme levels in the late pregnant and early parturient ewe and the effect of dietary restriction in late pregnancy
Authors: Patterson D. S. P. 
Published: March 2009

1. The effect of undernutrition on the levels of five enzyme activities has been observed in liver biopsy specimens taken from Suffolk-cross ewes in late pregnancy.2. There was no significant effect on the levels of three important NADPH2-generating enzymes (i.e. glucose-6-phosphate, 6-phosphogluconate and tsocitrate dehydrogenases) when comparisons were made between groups of animals at the same stage of pregnancy. However, the proportion of very low 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase levels assayed in livers of the undernourished ewes was significantly increased as parturition approached.
Studies on forage cell walls: 2. Conditions for alkali treatment of rice straw and rice hulls
Authors: McManus W. R. , Choung C. C. 
Published: March 2009

SummaryA number of studies on sodium hydroxide treatment of rice hulls and straw are reported. Alkali levels ranged from 0 to 100 g NaOH/100 g for hulls and from 0 to 50 g NaOH/100 g for straw.Effects of prior grinding, prior irradiation with gamma rays (0–50 Mrads), alkali reaction time (0–24 h), neutralization of excess residual alkali with acids, and rinsing effects were studied in terms of increased salt (ash) content, test material solubility in water and in vitro and in vivo (terylene bag) fermentation.Moderate increases in solubility and digestibility of straw followed irradiation but not for hulls. Major increases were found for irradiated straw further treated with alkali but hulls were little affected by 5 g NaOH/100 g D.M. except at the 50 Mrad level. Nutrient fortification of inocula media did not help dissimilation. Grinding had little effect on degradation of alkali-treated hulls. Straw responses were greater than for hulls.Alkali treatment removed encrusting silica and lignin from rice hulls and increased in vitro and in vivo digestibility. Above levels of 12·5 g NaOH/100 g dry matter in vitro digestibility was depressed unless residual alkali was neutralized. Alkali-treated hulls were reduced in silica content better by rinsing or by no neutralization and no rinsing: neutralization or neutralization followed by rinsing were less effective. Lignin was best removed by alkali or alkali and acid without rinsing. Alkali reaction time on hulls was not critical, but alkali concentration was.Animal trials indicated useful intake and digestive responses to alkali-treated rice hulls. Raw rice hulls were rejected by sheep.When fed in a mixed diet with lucerne chaff (40% whole rice hull, 60% lucerne chaff) daily voluntary intake of rice hull dry matter was 345 g (nil NaOH); 361 g (10 g NaOH/ 100 g rice hull); 193 g (20 g NaOH/100 g rice hull) with apparent dry-matter digestibility values for the hulls of 20%, 41% and 51% respectively.
Large-scale isolation of fraction 1 leaf protein (18S) from lucerne (Medicago sativaL)
Authors: Jones W. T. , Mangan J. L. 
Published: March 2009

SummaryFraction 1 protein (18S) can be isolated in large quantities (order 100 g) in a soluble state by heating lucerne juice, adjusted to pH 6·7 to 6·9, from a Pirie extractor to 63 °C for 10 min. Low speed oentrifugation (2500g) removed coagulated chloroplast fragments and most of the heat-denatured Fraction 2 proteins. Fraction 1 (18S) protein (> 95% pure) was purified from low molecular weight materials (sugars, phenolics etc.) by ammonium sulphate fractionation and gel filtration on Sephadex G-75 gels.
The phosphorus requirement of pregnant sheep
Authors: Sykes A. R. , Dingwall R. A. 
Published: March 2009

SummaryThirty-eight mature Scottish Blackface sheep were mated at pasture and 32 brought indoors when 3–4 weeks pregnant. Eight were killed at this stage as controls (CI). The remaining 24 were offered a basal hay ration (200 g/head/day) supplemented with a semi-purified diet containing 84 g crude protein/kg and either 1·5 (P1), 2·8 (P2) or 9·3 (P3) g P/kg dry matter. The rate of feeding of the supplement allowed a mean daily P intake (g/day) in groups P1, P2 and P3 of 1·1, 1·6 and 4·7 and 1·6, 2·5 and 7·9 during weeks 4–15 and 16–21 of pregnancy, respectively. Six well-nourished sheep, fed conventionally, provided control ewes and lambs.Balance trials were conducted on four sheep from each of groups P1 P2 and P3 during weeks 9–10, 14–15 and 19–20 of pregnancy. All sheep were slaughtered at parturition and selected bones of ewes and lambs removed for histological and chemical examinations. Whole body fat, nitrogen, Ca and P contents of the ewes and mineral content of the lambs were determined.The faecal P excretion of the P1 sheep ranged from 10·8 to 19·1 mg/kg body weight/ day; urinary P excretion ranged from 0·7 to 2·9 mg/kg body weight/day in early and mid-pregnancy and from 1·0 to 8·1 mg/kg body weight/day in late pregnancy. It is suggested that on this evidence the minimum net faecal and urinary endogenous P loss can be no greater than about 13·5 mg/kg body weight/day. Carcass analysis and bone histology and chemical composition confirmed that the P requirement of pregnant ewes is much smaller than has been generally assumed.It is suggested that for a 50-kg ewe carrying twins the P requirement increases from an average of 1·1 g/day during the first to about 2·5 g/day during the last month of pregnancy.
Thin sows: 1. Observations on the fecundity of sows when underfed for several parities
Authors: DeB. Hovell F. D. , MacPherson R. M. 
Published: March 2009

SummarySix pairs of gilts were taken at first mating. One of each pair was given about half the A.R.C. recommended amounts of protein and energy during pregnancy and lactation until she became anoestrus (thin group). The other gilt of each pair was given the same amount of protein, but double the amount of energy (standard group).All the thin sows lost condition and became infertile. Their appearance conformed to that of sows with the ‘thin sow syndrome’. This took up to three reproductive cycles. There was no clear effect on the number of piglets born, but the litters of the thin sows contained an increasing proportion of small piglets. One of the thin sows died in her second pregnancy. The standard sows performed well producing an average of 10·3 piglets weighing 1·4 kg over three parities.There were no differences between the two groups in their digestive efficiency. The thin sows retained less nitrogen in the later stages (days 80–100) of their first pregnancy than did the standard sows.There were no differences between the groups in milk production during the first lactation when litters were standardized at eight piglets. There was some evidence that in the second lactation the thin sows secreted less fat and lactose.The five remaining thin sows were repleted at the end of the experiment when their average weight was 96 kg. They were mated as quickly, produced litters which were as large, and piglets which were as heavy as those produced by the standard sows whose mating weight was 182 kg.
Dried poultry manure as a source of phosphorus for sheep
Authors: Field A. C. , Munro C. S. , Suttle N. F. 
Published: March 2009

SummaryFeeding and balance trials with32P were carried out to measure the true absorption of P in battery and broiler waste and to assess the risk of urolithiasis in sheep.Groups of six, 8-week-old Scottish Blackface lambs were given one of eight experimental diets containing barley and either 15, 30, 45 or 60% of dried broiler or battery waste. After about 12 weeks on the diet, balance trials with32P were conducted on a sample of the female lambs from each dietary group. The phosphorus intakes ranged from 4·6 to 15·9g/day.Poultry waste was a good source of P. The proportion of dietary P absorbed by the lambs (A) ranged from 0·49 to 0·90 and was inversely related to the dietary intake of P (I). The relationship was A = 0·893 – 0·0219I. All lambs were in positive P balance (0·24–2·81 g/day), but only the bones from the lambs consuming the diets containing 45 and 60% broiler waste were not osteoporotic.All lambs absorbed more P than they retained and the partition of the excess between urine and faeces were very variable.No clinical cases of urolithiasis were seen, but uroliths were found at post-mortem. The incidence was highest in lambs consuming broiler waste and in lambs consuming the diets containing 15% poultry waste.
Comparison of direct drilling, reduced cultivation and ploughing on the growth of cereals
Authors: Ellis F. B. , Elliott J. G. , Barnes B. T. , Howse K. R. 
Published: March 2009

SummaryThis paper gives measurements of soil physical conditions and root growth made in the experiment described in the previous paper. The effect of methods of tillage on soil properties (strength, bulk density, nutrient distribution and fauna) and the effects on root development and the absorption of nutrients from different depths in the soil were investigated. The procedures used for these measurements are described.Greater soil compaction occurred in all years after direct drilling. The growth of seminal roots of young plants was reduced by direct drilling in each year but only in the first year were there significant differences in root development between treatments at later stages of growth. Similarly, in each year early shoot growth was reduced by direct drilling but, with the exception of the first year, the plants were subsequently able to compensate adequately. Direct drilling resulted in more earthworms being present in the soil, and caused the surface soil to be more friable and contain a higher concentration of available phosphorus and potassium.