bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Friesian, Canadian Hereford × Friesian and Simmental × Friesian steers for growth and carcass composition
Authors: Keane M. G. , O'Ferrall G. J. More 
Published: September 2010

AbstractOne hundred and twenty spring-born steers comprised of 40 Friesians (FR), 40 Canadian Hereford × Friesians (HF) and 40 Simmental × Friesians (SM) were reared together from shortly after birth to slaughter after a mean period of 740 days. During the finishing winter there was a 3 (breed types) × 2 (3 and 6 kg supplementary concentrates per head daily with grass silage ad libitum) × 2 (222- and 225-day finishing periods) factorial arrangement of treatments. One side from each of 96 carcasses (eight per treatment) was completely separated into bone, muscle, intermuscular fat and subcutaneous fat and a 10th rib sample of m. longissimus was chemically analysed.Carcass weights per day of age and carcass weights were 404, 433 and 449 (s.e. 4·6) g and 301, 320 and 330 (s.e. 3·4) kg for FR, HF and SM, respectively. Corresponding proportions of carcass muscle were 602, 577 and 628 (s.e. 4·8) g/kg. FR and HF had similar proportions of their total muscle in the hindquarter, whereas SM had more of their muscle in the hindquarter. M. longissimus lipid concentrations for FR, HF and SM were 36, 39 and 26 (s.e. 1·96) g/kg. Increasing supplementary concentrate level from 3 to 6 kg/day increased side weight by 7 kg, of which proportionately 0·48 was fat. Extending the finishing period from 121 to 225 days increased side weight by 22 kg of which proportionately 0·45 was fat. Both the higher concentrate level and the longer finishing period reduced carcass muscle and bone proportions, and increased carcass fat proportion. Allometric regression coefficients for side muscle, bone and fat weights on side weight were 0·75, 0·51 and 2·13, respectively. It was calculated that FR, HF and SM would have similar carcass fat proportions at approximate carcass weights of 320, 290 and 380 kg, respectively.
Chemical composition, intake, apparent digestibility and nylon-bag disappearance of leaf and stem fractions from straw of four barley genotypes
Authors: Herbert F. , Thomson E. F. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractFour experiments examined the chemical composition, intake, dry matter (DDM) and organic matter (DOM) apparent digestibilities and rates of disappearance from nylon bags of hand-separated leaf and stem fractions of straw from four genotypes of barley: Arabi Abiad, Beecher, C63 and ER/Apam. In experiment 1, 900 g leaf from each genotype was offered to three or four wethers together with 200 g soya-bean meal (SBM), and in experiment 2 the leaf from the same four genotypes was offered ad libitum with 200 g SBM. In experiment 3, 500 g stem from Arabi Abiad and Beecher was offered with 100 g SBM to six wethers in two groups. Experiment 4 measured the rate and extent of disappearance of the leaf and stem fractions from nylon bags incubated in the rumen of wethers. The genotypes had widely contrasting morphological characteristics. Stems contained about half as much ash and crude protein as leaves and differences within fractions were small. The leaf and stem fractions of the two-rowed barleys Abiad and Apam contained less modified acid-detergent fibre than the six-rowed Beecher and C63 genotypes.When leaf was offered with SBM, both restrictedly and ad libitum, the DDM and DOM of this fraction were similar between genotypes (P > 0·05) and in experiment 2 the intake of leaf was also similar between genotypes (P > 0·05). The apparent digestibility of stem differed significantly between Arabi Abiad and Beecher in experiment 3 (P < 0·05). Significant differences were apparent between genotypes in the extent and rate of disappearance of leaf and stem from nylon bags after 48 h incubation in the rumen.
The effect of virginiamycin on sow and litter performance
Authors: Kyriakis S. C. , Vassilopoulos V. , Demade I. , Kissels W. , Polizopoulou Z. , Milner C. K. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractThe present paper discusses the results of a trial study, which was carried out to demonstrate the potential beneficial effects of virginiamycin (VM) on sow and litter performance. VM was added to the sow food at the levels of 0, 20 and 40 mg/kg, for a period of two breeding cycles, covering pregnancy and lactation. VM supplementation of the sow food improved sow performance by: (i) decreasing sow weight loss from farrowing to weaning (first period: 8·78 v. 3·54 v. 2·88 kg, P < 0·05; second period: 8·98 v. 3·93 v. 2·32 kg, P < 0·05), (ii) decreasing the duration of the reproductive cycle (first period: 154·5 v. 152·2 v. 151·2 days, P < 0·05; second period: 153·8 v. 151·5 v. 250·6 days, P < 0·05) and (in) increasing milk fat content (second period: 63·7 v. 81·3 v. 83·3 g/kg, P<0·05). Litter performance was also improved in terms of: (i) litter size at weaning (first period: 8·16 v. 8·88 v. 9·18, P < 0·05; second period: 8·98 v. 9·30 v. 9·76, P < 0·05), (ii) body weight at weaning (first period: 5·78 v. 6·29 v. 6·56 kg, P < 0·05; second period: 5·88 v. 6·38 v. 6·60 kg, P < 0·05), (Hi) average daily gain (first period: 172 v. 189 v. 197 g, P < 0·05; second period: 178 v. 292 v. 198 g, P < 0·05) and (iv) food conversion ratio (first period: 0·356 v. 0·331 v. 0·324, P < 0·05; second period: 0·363 v. 0·334 v. 0·325, P < 0·05). These beneficial effects of VM were more pronounced at the higher of the two inclusion levels.
Relationships among post-calving anoestrous interval, oestrous cycles, conception rates and calving date in Angus and Hereford × Friesian cows calving in six successive years
Authors: Pleasants A. B. , McCall D. G. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractThe records of 1397 cows calving in the spring were collected in the years 1979 to 1984. They were from 638 Angus and 759 Hereford × Friesian cows, and were used to examine the dependencies of post-partum anoestrous interval (ppai), length of oestrous cycle after calving, and conception rate to each oestrus after calving.Two-year-old cows had longer ppai (P< 0·05) than older cows (76v.72 days), and Hereford × Friesian cows had shorter (P< 0·05) ppai than Angus cows (68v.72 days). Cows due to begin calving on 8 August (early calving) had longer (P< 0·01) ppai than cows due to begin calving on 19 September (71v.55 days).The linear regression between ppai and calving date (−0·60) did not differ between years, nor between early and late calving. Non-parametric regressions showed that the dependence between ppai and calving date was linear between plus or minus 20 days of the mean ppai in both early- and late-calving herds. Outside these limits variability of ppai increased and there was no relationship with calving date.The length of the first oestrous cycle after calving was 22 days in 2-year-old cows and 24 days in older cows. Second and third oestrous cycles after calving were 20 days for all breeds and age classes. There was a correlation of −0·41 between the ppai and the length of the first oestrous cycle after anoestrum. There was no significant deviation from normality of ppai or the succeeding post-partum oestrous cycle lengths.The conception rate to the first oestrus after calving was significantly lower (P< 0·01) than for later oestrous periods. The conception rate to first post-partum oestrus showed dependence on the ppai, logit regressions showing a 0·005 to 0·01 proportional improvement in conception at first oestrus per day increase in ppai.The significance of these results to the construction of mathematical models of reproduction in the beef cow is discussed.
Initial growth rates of Charolais cross and Hereford cross steer and heifer calves on two methods of rearing
Authors: Lowman B. G. , Scott N. A. , Hinks C. E. , Hunter E. A. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractOver 3 years a total of 204 bucket-reared calves (from Holstein/Friesian dams) and 187 suckled calves (from Hereford × Friesian dams) were monitored during the first 9 or 6 months of life respectively. Within each rearing system there were approximately equal numbers of calves sired by Charolais and Hereford bulls and also about equal numbers of heifer and steer calves. All breeds and sexes within each rearing system were managed as a single group.Differences in daily live-weight gain from arrival (January) for the bucket-reared calves and from birth (April) for the suckled calves through to the autumn were significantly different at 0·66 and 1·01 kg/day respectively (P < 0·001). By comparison, differences in growth rate between sex and breed within each rearing system were small. Hereford cross calves from both systems however carried significantly more condition in the autumn compared with Charolais crosses (P < 0·01).The results suggest that when animals are reared on the same plane of nutrition and given similar management, differences in initial growth rate between early and late maturing breeds and sexes may be less than those perceived by commercial producers the views of whom are influenced by the fact that the types are often managed differently in practice.
Oestrous synchronization in ewes: the effect of combining a prostaglandin analogue with a 5-day progestagen treatment
Authors: Beck N. F. G. , Davies B. , Williams S. P. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractAn experiment was designed to determine whether combining a single injection of 125 μg prostaglandin F2α analogue (PGF) with a 5-day progestagen pessary treatment (PPT) would obviate the problem with refractory animals that occurs when randomly cycling ewes are synchronized with PGF alone. The efficacy of the combined treatment, in comparison with single and double dose PGF regimes, was also assessed.A total of 210 ewes were used in this investigation conducted during the 1989 and 1990 breeding seasons. In both breeding seasons, 100% of the ewes treated with PGF combined with PPT were mated by fertile rams within a 3-day period, compared with 52·9% of ewes treated with a single injection PGF or 100% of ewes treated with two injections of PGF, 11-days apart. Returns to service for the three groups were 14·2%, 16·2% and 17·4%, respectively. There was no effect of treatment on lambing performance in 1989. However, in 1990 there were differences between groups in gestation length and birth weight, but these were attributable to enzootic abortion. The results demonstrate that PGF combined with PPT will produce levels of oestrous synchronization and fertility comparable with other methods.
Evaluation of pig genotypes 1. Theoretical aspects of measuring genetic parameters
Authors: Ferguson N. S. , Gous R. M. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractPredicting the performance of animals is a general problem in animal production, the solution to the problem depending, in part, on being able to describe the animals adequately. Numerous approaches have been made to model the growth of pigs, with different methods being employed to describe the genotype. A simple approach is to describe the potential rate of growth of body protein using a Gompertz equation, and to predict the growth of the other chemical components of the body using allometry. These components are added to determine the body weight of the animal.In this paper an experimental procedure is proposed that will predict values for the parameters of the Gompertz growth equation under non-limiting conditions. These parameters include the rate of maturing of the animal and the mature protein weight. The lipid-to-protein ratio at maturity is required to describe the allometry between protein and lipid. With these few parameter estimates the potential growth rate of animals can be described. It is then possible to use this information to predict the growth rate of animals under conditions constrained by the food or the environment.
Some attributes of very high-yielding British Friesian and Holstein dairy cows
Authors: Wood P. D. P. , Wilson P. N. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTIn 1979/80, 390 cows of black and white breeds produced more than 750 kg fat plus protein in a 305-day lactation, compared with a mean of 390 kg for all recorded black and white cows. The cows were distributed in 207 herds and were the daughters of 177 sires whose breeding values (with population means in brackets) were +220 kg milk ( + 100), +8 kg fat (+5) and +6 kg protein (+2). The farms on which they were kept were not markedly different from average holdings in England and Wales. Management was characterized by high labour input, with high intakes of diets containing a high energy and protein concentration, and care was taken to ensure that food was on offer at all times. Grassland management tended towards conservation by silage rather than hay. Calving intervals were slightly longer than average (393 days v. 386 days for all recorded cows of a similar age).The most obvious characteristic of management was the close attention given to ways of persuading the animals to eat enough food to satisfy their nutritional requirements.
The influence of plane of feeding in early life on the fertility of gilts
Authors: Lodge G. A. , MacPherson R. M. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYThe results of a previous experiment suggested that a scale of feeding at about 60% of full-feed level from weaning onwards could result in a high incidence of infertility in gilts, but numbers were insufficient to confirm this. The present trial was carried out, therefore, with 18 Large White gilts per treatment fed to scales rising from either 1·4 lb. meal per day at 36 lb. live-weight to 5·0 lb. at 200 lb. live-weight, or from 1·9 lb. to 6·5 lb. over the same weight range. Average growth rate of the low-plane gilts was 76·5% of that of the medium-plane group but none of the low-plane gilts failed to conceive.
Intensive beef production 2. The effect of three, twelve or sixteen week weaning on the performance of Aberdeen-Angus crossbred cattle
Authors: Aitken J. N. , Preston T. R. , Whitelaw F. G. , MacDearmid A. , Charleson Euphemia P. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARY1. Some characteristics are described of 10 steer progeny of a Friesian bull which is known to have carried the factor for muscular hypertrophy.2. On average these steers had a higher birth weight, lighter hide and liver, smaller feet and cannon bones, a lower percentage of fat and higher percentage of lean in the 10th rib joint, than the progeny of three other Friesian bulls reared at the same time and under the same conditions.3. No one character was an adequate criterion for separating affected from normal progeny. It appears possible that the bull concerned was homozygous for the double muscling gene, and that all his progeny showed one or more symptoms of the condition.
Herd-by-cow interaction effects in dairy production records
Authors: Searle S. R. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYRecords of cows each milked in two different herds have been used to estimate a component of variance due to cows that is free of variation arising from cow-by-herd interaction effects. By making use of a prior estimate of within-herd repeatability the variance component due to cow-by-herd interaction effects was estimated, and found to represent 35% of the total within-herd variance of butterfat yields and 9% of that of butterfat percentage records.
Birthcoat shedding in Wiltshire horn lambs
Authors: Slee J. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYObservations on 160 Wiltshire lambs showed that shedding of the birth-coat occurred as a seasonal (normally May–July) phenomenon between the ages of 2 and 5 months. Denudation was usually considerable but not always complete. The average extent of denudation in 3 successive lamb crops was 89 %, 74 % and 92 %. Shedding usually spread progressively across the body according to a consistent, bilaterally symmetrical pattern.Shedding did not appear to be influenced by the sex of the lamb, birthcoat type (hairy or smooth), or by follicle density, ratio of secondary: primary follicles, or fibre diameter. However, a number of different causes of variation in shedding behaviour were found.1. Lambs born at different times tended to synchronise in onset of shedding so that they were more alike in the dates when they shed than in the ages at which they did so. Very early and very late-born lambs showed least effective synchronisation. Early lambs were older but still earlier than normal in commencing to shed; late lambs shed when younger than normal and in an atypical fashion. It was concluded that the age of the lamb, and an unknown environmental stimulus both interacted to influence shedding.2. There was a positive association between rate of gain in live-weight and earliness of shedding. Differences in level of nutrition seemed associated with differences in rate of shedding between individual lambs and also with overall differences in the average rates of shedding between years.3. Genetic variation in shedding was suggested by twins being more alike than half-sibs in some aspects of shedding, particularly when differences in level of nutrition were discounted.4. In Wiltshire foetuses the order and pattern of development of embryonic follicles in different body areas resembled closely the sequence and pattern of subsequent birthcoat shedding. A causal connection was postulated.In discussion it was suggested that there was a seasonally fluctuating environmental factor (possibly daylength), which was capable of reacting upon the Wiltshire lamb between the months of March and July. A hypothesis was developed to explain how such a stimulus could react upon the pelage follicles to produce the observed patterns of birthcoat shedding.
Social behaviour of domestic animals. IV. Growing pigs
Authors: McBride G. , James J. W. , Hodgens N. 
Published: September 2010

1. The normal pattern of social behaviour in growing Large White and Berkshire pigs is described. The pigs were observed from 8 to 16 weeks of age in pens of 6 to 10 pigs. Large Whites were more aggressive than Berkshires.2. Social rank was found to be positively correlated with initial weight.3. Initial weight and social rank both influenced growth; the relative effect of rank compared with that of initial weight was greater in the second month than in the first.4. The contribution of social rank to the total variance in growth over the 2-month period was estimated at about 13%.5. It is suggested that the use of individual housing in pig progeny test schemes may not be desirable because of the absence of social environmental effects.
Progeny testing of Suffolk rams on three maternal breeds
Authors: Broadbent J. S. , Bowman J. C. 
Published: September 2010

1. Six Suffolk rams (two purchased from each of three breeders) were each progeny tested on 10 Scottish Halfbred (Border Leicester ♂ × North Country Cheviot ♀), 10 Welsh and 10 Clun ewes. The progeny of the Clun ewes were reared at a different location from the progeny of the Halfbred and Welsh ewes.2. Progeny were weighed at birth and every 3 or 4 weeks thereafter so that 56 and 112 day weights could be calculated. Growth rate was considered for the periods 0–8 weeks, 8–16 weeks and 0–16 weeks. The growth rates were corrected for birth type and sex, but not for birth weight. The growth rates of a ram's progeny for a ewe type were converted into a deviation from the mean of all progeny of that ewe type, and measured in standard deviation units. An overall deviation for all ewe types for each ram was also calculated; 0–16 weeks was considered the best period over which to compare ram progeny performance and the difference between the best and worst ram for this trait represented 0·81 of a standard deviation or a 10% increase in growth rate for the progeny of the best ram over the progeny of the worst ram. There was some evidence of ram × ewe-type interaction for this trait.3. A number of progeny of each ram were sent to a central abattoir and dissected into commercial joints. All pieces were weighed and a total carcass value obtained by multiplying each joint weight by an average retail price per pound and summing. The total carcass value was converted to terms of yield in pence per pound. Subjective assessments were made for colour and texture of meat and for tenderness and flavour of cooked meat. There was little variation between ram progeny groups for any of the carcass traits.
The use of specialised sire and dam lines in selection for meat production
Authors: Smith Charles 
Published: September 2010

Progress by selecting in a single line for overall merit is compared with the progress by selecting and crossing specialised sire and dam lines. The sire line is selected for growth and carcass traits, the dam line for number of offspring produced. The rate of improvement through specialised lines is never less than that in a single line and can be considerably greater but only i f there is an unfavourable genetic correlation between progeny number and performance and if there is a certain balance between the heritabilities and economic weights of the two sets of traits. In a sire line the selection may ignore progeny number without loss in efficiency but in a dam line progeny growth and carcass performance must be considered in addition to the number of offspring or else substantial losses in the efficiency of improvement may be suffered.From estimates of the relative economic weights and relative heritabilities of number of progeny produced and the efficiency of feed conversion in several meat species it was concluded that selecting in specialised lines will have little advantage over selecting for overall performance in a single line.
The feed intake of milk cows I. Intake of winter rations during pregnancy and lactation and the influence of change to pasture
Authors: Holmes W. , Jones J. G. W. , Drake-Brockman R. M. , White N. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARY1. For 4 weeks before calving in December or January a group of 7 Ayrshire cows each received daily 6 lb. hay and silage to appetite, whilst a second group of 9 received the same roughages and 6–10 lb. concentrates. After calving, cows from both of the pre-calving treatments were placed in each of two post-calving groups of 8 cows. A High treatment received approximately 8 lb./day more concentrates at the same milk yield than the Low treatment. Both groups continued to receive 6 lb. hay/cow/day and silage to appetite. The cows were allowed to graze by day from 21 February and by day and night from 13 April. Hay, at 5 lb./cow/day and reducing rates of concentrates were offered until 8 May.2. Individual feed intakes were estimated from faecal output and digestibility. Direct measures of the intakes of different treatment groups on indoor feeding agreed fairly closely with the mean individual estimates.3. The digestible organic matter intake (DOMI) of 1,300 lb. cows in the last stages of pregnancy was increased from 10 up to 14–16 lb./day by giving 8–10 lb./day concentrates. Immediately after calving, the increases in DOMI compared with pre-calving levels were about 2.5 lb./day for cows which received concentrates before calving and 8.5 lb./day for cows which received no concentrates before calving.4. When all cows had calved and were in full milk production there were no significant differences in DOMI, milk yield or rate of live-weight gain attributable to pre-calving treatment. Mean DOMI on the High and Low post-calving treatments were 23.8 and 19.4 lb./day, mean fat-corrected milk yields 44.5 and 38.8 lb./day and mean rates of live-weight gain 05 and nil lb./day, respectively.5. DOMI increased by 0.7 and 4.9 lb./day for High and Low post-calving treatments when cows were turned out to night as well as day grazing, and milk yields increased by 1.0 and 2.2 lb./day respectively.6. Regression equations relating animal production and feed intake, and substitution rates of concentrate usage were calculated. Faecal output and DOMI were closely related to milk yield. When additional concentrates were given the resulting increase in total DOMI was greater when the bulk feed was of low digestibility than when it was of high digestibility.