bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A comparison of the growth performance and blood composition of twin and singleton calves
Authors: Kay R. M. , Little W. , Kitchenham B. A. 
Published: September 2010

Summary1. The growth rate, feed-conversion ratio and blood composition of 14 twin calves were compared with those of 14 contemporary singletons.2. The growth rate and feed-conversion ratio from weaning to 3 months were similar for twin and singleton calves.3. The twin calves weighed significantly less at birth, weaning and 3 months of age but differences in weight were not significant at 1 year of age.4. The mean packed cell volume (PCV) and the mean concentrations of blood glucose and haemoglobin, serum albumin, urea nitrogen, calcium, inorganic phosphate, magnesium, potassium, sodium, copper, iron and total iron binding capacity, at 11, 12 and 13 weeks of age were similar in the two groups. Concentrations of globulin were significantly lower in the serum of twin calves than those in the serum of singletons.5. There was significantly less variation between twin calves than among offspring from different dams for PCV and concentrations of blood haemoglobin and serum potassium and calcium.6. The results did not reveal any overall disadvantage in twins as compared with singletons.
Evaluation of pelleted dried grass as a supplement to grass silage for fattening steers
Authors: Drennan M. J. , Lawlor M. J. 
Published: September 2010

SummaryTwo experiments were carried out using 130 Friesian-type castrated males (steers) to compare pelleted dried grass with rolled barley as supplements to high quality grass silage for fattening steers. There were six treatments in each experiment and, in addition, Experiment 1 had a pre-experimental slaughter group. The animals on each treatment were group-fed grass silage ad libitum for 98 and 112 days in Experiments 1 and 2 respectively. The treatments were (1) no supplement, (2) 1·5 kg dried grass, (3) 3·0 kg dried grass, (4) 4·5 kg dried grass, (5) 1·5 kg barley and (6) 3·0 kg barley per head daily. Each increase in the level of supplement depressed silage DM intake but there was no difference between dried grass and rolled barley. At each level of supplementation, live-weight and carcass-weight gain for animals fed dried grass and barley were similar. Responses in terms of live weight and carcass weight to increasing increments of supplementary feed declined as the level of supplementation was increased.
Some effects of handling reindeer during gatherings on the composition of their blood
Authors: Hyvärinen H. , Helle T. , Nieminen M. , Väyrynen P. , Väyrynen Raija 
Published: September 2010

Summary1. The effect of gathering reindeer on the composition of the blood was studied in female reindeer and their calves herded in northern Finland. Blood samples were taken in summer at three gathering places, under differing conditions and in autumn at the same places during gatherings which lasted for longer than 2 days. These were compared with samples taken from little-disturbed animals during winter.2. Measurements were made of concentrations of glucose and lactate in whole blood and of urea, calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium in serum, together with serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) and glutamine oxalacetic transaminase (GOT) activities.3. Gatherings affected nearly all the blood parameters studied. In summer the temperature during separation seemed to influence glucose and lactate concentrations. The duration of the gathering and the distance the animals were driven clearly affected serum GOT and urea values.4. During the long autumn gathering serum urea concentration increased about eight-fold in 2 days accompanied by a simultaneous decrease in serum calcium.5. Serum CPK and GOT activities were higher during the summer and autumn than during the winter. Serum CPK and blood glucose concentrations were higher in young calves than in adult females.
Genetic and environmental factors affecting the incidence of difficult calving and perinatal calf mortality in Israeli-Friesian dairy herds
Authors: Bar-Anan R. , Soller M. , Bowman J. C. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYRecords of 178 593 monoparous births between 1964 and 1970 in Israeli-Friesian dairy cattle were analysed for information on environmental and genetic factors affecting calving difficulties and perinatal mortality. The incidence of difficult calvings (DC) and peri-natal calf mortality (PM) were 6·9 and 9·1% in heifer calvings, and 1·6 and 4·1% in cow calvings. Calving characters were not related t o heifer age nor cow parity, but there was a seasonal trend in heifer calvings, with both DC and PM being high in winter and low in summer calvings.Heritability estimates for calf-genotype effects on PM were 0·042 in heifer calvings and 0·013 in cow calvings. Heritability estimates for dam-genotype effects on PM were 0·018 and 0·004 respectively. Heritability estimates for DC were similar t o those for PM. The genetic correlations between DC and PM in the same class of calvings ranged between 0·8 and 0·9, while the environmental correlations were considerably lower, about 0·3. The genetic correlations between the calf-genotype effects in heifer and cow calvings were about 0·5, indicating that different factors may affect heifer and cow calvings.It is proposed that sires already proven for milk yield be tested for their calf effects in heifer calvings, using contemporary comparisons within herds and seasons. Results will be available when the sires are 6 to 6½ yr old. Sires causing fewest calving difficulties would be nominated for heifer matings, so that most heifer inseminations would be by sires proven for both yield and calving characters. Some long-term progress might be obtained if sires with a high incidence of difficulties in their heifer mates were not used to produce young sires.
The importance of physical contact with other pigs during rearing on the sexual behaviour of the male domestic pig
Authors: Hemsworth P. H. , Findlay J. K. , Beilharz R. G. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTFive groups of four boars were reared from an early age under various social conditions. The sexual and social behaviour of these boars was studied from 32 to 52 weeks of age. Boars reared in a group from 3 weeks of age achieved a significantly greater (0·10 > P > 0·05 and P < 0·05) number of copulations and displayed significantly more (P < 0·05 and P < 0·05) courting behaviour than boars reared from 3 weeks of age in the absence of either physical contact or of both physical and visual contact with other pigs, respectively. On average, lack of physical contact with other pigs accounted for approximately 70% of the impairment in the copulatory performance of boars reared in the absence of visual and physical contact with other pigs. There were no significant differences between the copulatory performance of the boars reared in a group from 3 weeks and either those reared from 12 weeks of age in the absence of visual and physical contact with other pigs or those that were housed as a group during rearing and the testing period.
Development and characteristics of adipose deposits in male kids during growth from birth to weaning
Authors: Morand-Fehr P. , Bas P. , Rouzeau A. , Hervieu J. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractThe variation of weight, degree of lipid infiltration and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity were studied in seven adipose tissues of Alpine and Saanen kids during five trials where animals were fed with milk replacer, were either weaned or unweaned, were either unfasted or fasted during 24 h and were slaughtered at 8, 10, 12, 14, 18 or 20 kg live weight.At every live weight, kid carcasses were characterized by a relatively-high proportion of visceral adipose tissues: omental, mesenteric, perirenal and pericardic tissues (about half of total adipose tissues) and by a low deposition of external fat and a low lipogenic activity in the subcutaneous tissues. The intermuscular adipose tissue of the leg was the most rapidly developing tissue (coefficient of allometry 2·26) followed by omental (2·13), mesenteric (1·55), perirenal (1·48) and pericardic (1·38) tissues.The perirenal, omental and inguinal tissues had the highest lipid content and LPL activity, and the sternal, caudal and mesenteric the lowest. There was a positive intertissue correlation (+0·80) between the lipid concentration and the LPL activity of adipose tissues, However, the lipid concentration of the omental tissue increased while its LPL activity per g tissue decreased with increasing live weight of the animal.After a 24-h fast, a tendency to a proportional decrease in the weight of all adipose tissues by 0·20 to 0·35 and in the LPL activity by 0·36 to 0·88 was observed; the weight and LPL activity losses of the perirenal tissue were the greater.Fourteen days after weaning the weight losses of adipose tissues remained high but the LPL activities increased again, showing an early recovery of lipogenic activity after weaning. However, they did not reach the values recorded during the pre-weaning period.In kids, each adipose tissue had its own characteristics and played a specific role in lipid metabolism both during lipogenesis and lipolysis.
A comparison among equations to characterize lactation curves in beef cows
Authors: Hohenboken W. D. , Dudley A. , Moody D. E. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractMonthly and fortnightly milk production records were analysed from 59 autumn-calving Angus and Angus × Holstein crossbred cows. Half the cows had been administered 10 mg thyroxine per day from day 60 to 120 of lactation and half were controls. Four published equations to characterize individual lactation curves were compared. These were: (1) log Y(n) = log –a1 + b1log n – c1n (Wood); (2) equation 1 with each log Y(n)2 weighted by Yin)2 (Wood weighted); (3) log [Y(n)/n7 = log l/a3 – k3n(Jenkins); and (4) log Y(n) = a4 – b4n‘(l + 25·5 n’) + c4n2 = d 4/ n (Morant), where Y(n) is milk yield on day n of lactation, n' is n–110 (the mid point of lactation), and the a, b, c, k and d parameters are estimated from solution of the equations. The lactation curve from the Jenkins equation projected peak milk yield to occur some 30 days later than estimates from the other equations. It underestimated production early and late in lactation and overestimated it during mid lactation. For several cows, the Morant equation projected that peak production occurred at the end of lactation. Also, analysis of variance of milk production variables was less sensitive when the traits were estimated by the Morant equation than when they were estimated by one of the others. The Wood weighted equation resulted in estimates of peak day of lactation and peak yield that were less variable and more realistic than estimates from the Wood equation. Collectively, therefore, the Wood weighted equation was deemed most suitable to characterize variability among and within these beef cows in milk production. All four equations, however, ranked the 59 cows similarly for estimated 220-day yield.
Supplementation of silage-based diets for finishing lambs
Authors: Chestnutt D. M. B. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractIn three experiments with 60, 72 and 72 housed Greyface (Border Leicester × Scottish Blackface) and Suffolk × Greyface lambs on silage-based diets, a range of barley and fish-meal supplementation levels was compared. In experiment 1, six barley levels ranging from 0 to 625 glday were offered to lambs on flail-harvested and precision-chopped silages. In each of experiments 2 and 3, three levels of barley, 200, 400 and 600 g/day, were factorially arranged with four levels of fish meal, 0, 40, 80 and 120 g/day. The daily intake of flail-harvested silage was proportionately 0·76 of that of precision-chopped silage but because of a slower rate of gain the total requirement of silage dry matter (DM) per kg carcass gain was greater with flail-harvested than with precision-chopped silage. On average, over all barley supplemented diets in experiment 1, the requirement per kg carcass gain was 9·2 kg silage DM and 4·9 kg barley DM, with flail-harvested silage, compared with 8·2 kg silage DM and 3·4 kg barley DM with precision-chopped silage. Increasing barley supplementation in experiment 1 from 125 to 625 gl day reduced the silage DM requirement for carcass gain by 4·7 kg/kg increase in barley DM given. The corresponding figure over the range 200 to 600 g barley in experiments 2 and 3 was 2·6 kg silage DM per kg increase in barley DM given. The reduction in silage requirement with increasing barley was generally greater at low than at high levels of barley supplementation within the ranges examined. On silage-based diets optimum barley supplementation level was estimated to be in the region of 500 g/day.Increasing fish-meal supplementation from 0 to 40 g/day, in experiments 2 and 3, reduced the requirement per kg carcass gain by 2·78 kg silage DM and 1·25 kg barley DM for an increase of 0·40 kg in input of fish meal DM. A further increase from 40 to 80 g/day fish meal reduced the silage DM requirement per kg carcass gain by 1·44 kg and the barley DM requirement by 0·50 kg, for an increase in input of 0·26 kg fish meal DM. A further increase to 120 g/day fish meal resulted in increases in both the silage and barley requirement per kg carcass gain. The optimum level of fish-meal supplementation was between 40 and 80 g/day and was not affected by the level of barley given.There was evidence of an increase in carcass fat at the higher levels of gain achieved through increasing barley supplementation, but no evidence of increase in carcass fat at the higher levels of gain achieved through fish-meal supplementation.
Feed intake of grazing cattle. IV. A study with milk cows of the influence of pasture restriction combined with supplementary feeding on production per animal and per acre
Authors: Holmes W. , Jones J. G. W. , Adeline C. 
Published: September 2010

The possibility that restriction of pasture and controlled supplementation of the diet of milking cows with concentrates might improve the efficiency of utilisation of grazing was examined in a double reversal grazing experiment with 9 Ayrshire cows per treatment which extended over 4 months.Cows received either pasture alone allocated daily by electric fence (treatment B), or half the pasture area plus one-third of their expected DOM intake offered as concentrates (treatment A).In the first two periods, treatment A resulted in closer defoliation of the pasture.Over the whole experiment there was no significant difference in yield of fat-corrected milk between treatments, although treatment A depressed butterfat percentage and raised milk yield significantly. Treatments did not influence live-weight gain significantly and toth groups gained over the season.Feed intake estimated by chromic oxide-faecal index methods was similar for both treatments except in period 1. Intake estimates by clipping methods or by faecal index methods were in close agreement in period 1 for treatment B and in reasonable agreement in periods 2 and 3.The results are discussed particularly with a view to the possibilities of replacing some grazing with barley or other concentrated feeds. On the available evidence this is economically feasible only where very profitable uses of the grassland saved are possible.
The use of specific gravity and its reciprocal in predicting the carcass composition of pigs slaughtered at three weights
Authors: Adam J. L. , Smith W. C. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARY1. Carcass dissection data and specific gravity determinations from 76 pigs slaughtered at either 120 lb., 200 lb., or 260 lb. live-weight have been analysed to study the value of specific gravity and its reciprocal in predicting fat and lean in the carcass.2. Possible effects that the bone content of the carcass might have on the accuracy of prediction have been investigated.3. Specific gravity was highly correlated with percentage fat and lean in the half carcass. Correlation coefficients for the reciprocal were of similar magnitude but opposite in sign.4. The residual standard errors in percentage lean and fat at constant specific gravity were 1·74% and 1·72% respectively.5. The replacement of specific gravity by its reciprocal did not increase the accuracy of prediction for either lean or fat tissue expressed as a percentage of the trimmed half carcass.6. The muscle/fat ratio exerted a markedly greater influence on specific gravity than did the muscle/bone ratio. However, the inclusion of the latter ratio in equations relating specific gravity and percentage lean in the carcass, reduced the residual variation.7. Application of the pooled regression equations to independent data, obtained by the use of identical techniques, has given promising results.
The behaviour of dairy bulls kept in groups
Authors: Dalton D. C. , Pearson M. E. , Sheard M. 
Published: September 2010

(1) Observations were made on a group of dairy bulls at pasture during the summer of 1964. The grazing behaviour of the bulls was similar to that of cows except that they were more sensitive to disturbance and the herd instinct as seen in cows was absent.(2) Dairy bulls in a group formed a restless community. Apart from dis turbances within the group, the presence of men, dogs, vehicles and bulls from other groups could disturb the group equilibrium. The signs of disturbance were bellowing, pawing and horning the ground, fighting and outbursts of sexual activity.(3) No clearly defined order of social dominance could be detected and the bulls retained their individuality at all times.
The quantitative effects of feed restriction in fattening pigs on weight gain, efficiency of feed utilisation and backfat thickness
Authors: Vanschoubroek F. , De Wilde R. , Lampo Ph. 
Published: September 2010

From the published data summarised in Table 1, it was calculated that, at an average degree of feed restriction of 15·8 %, daily weight gain decreased by 12·50% (or 0·78% for each 1% restriction), feed conversion efficiency improved by 3·96% (or 0·31% for each 1% restriction) and backfat thickness diminished by 7·63% (or 0·53% for each 1% restriction).Equations were calculated to show the degree to which daily weight gain, feed conversion efficiency and backfat thickness change with increasing feed restriction (Figures 1, 2 and 3).As the degree of feed restriction increases, the decrease in daily weight gain becomes relatively greater and the decrease in backfat thickness relatively smaller. Efficiency of feed utilisation, however, improves at first, but eventually decreases as restriction becomes more severe.It is thought that the equations found can be used, within certain limits, to calculate the average effects of feed restriction for different breeds of pigs, which when fed ad libitum consume 2·7 kg. meal ration (of normal composition) per day and have a growth rate of about 750 g. daily from 30 to 90 kg., and backfat thickness of about 37 mm. when kept under average environmental conditions.
Factors affecting voluntary feed intake in pigs. I. The effect of digestible energy content of the diet on the intake of castrated male pigs housed in holding pens and in metabolism crates
Authors: Cole D. J. A. , Duckworth J. E. , Holmes W. 
Published: September 2010

1. The voluntary feed intakes of pigs fed on diets having calculated digestible energy contents of 2,970, 3,356, 3,630 and 3,910 kcal/kg. dry matter were measured over four periods from 38 to 105 kg. live-weight.2. The pigs achieved similar daily digestible energy intakes regardless of the digestible energy content of the diet.3. When housed in metabolism crates pigs ate less than when housed in holding pens and the difference was greater than would be expected solely from the reduced exercise of the pigs in crates.4. Daily digestible energy intake was 575 kcal/kg. live-weight 0.675 when the pigs were in holding pens. The daily digestible energy intake of pigs in metabolism crates increased less with live-weight.5. The use of metabolism crates to obtain digestibility coefficients and values for nitrogen retention to be applied to animals housed under other conditions is discussed in relation to the differences found in apparent digestibility coefficients, feed intake and growth rates between pigs in crates and in holding pens.
The effect of artificial insemination on the breed structure of British Friesian cattle
Authors: O'Connor L. K. , Willis M. B. 
Published: September 2010

1. The effect of A.I. on the structure of the pedigree British Friesian breed has been assessed from analyses of pedigrees of systematic samples of 221 registered females and 200 registered males born in 1960. Samples of 200 registered females and 200 registered males born in alternate years from 1946 to 1958 inclusive were used to estimate the trend in the proportion sired by A.I. bulls.2. By 1960, A.I. had not affected the hierarchical structure of the breed and had not, therefore, narrowed its base. Current inbreeding was lower in artificially than in naturally sired stock but there was little difference between the two groups in the level of non-current inbreeding.3. Over 50% of artificially sired stock were sired by bulls likely to have progeny test information. Of the naturally sired stock, only 17% of females and 29% of males were sired by such bulls.4. 12·2% of genes of registered females born in 1960 derived from the 1950 importation from the Netherlands. At comparable points in time the contributions of earlier importations from the Netherlands were: 1914–39·9%; 1936–24·3%. The increased size of the pedigree breed and the development of progeny testing methods giving an earlier and more accurate assessment of the breeding worth of individual sires, probably contributed to the relatively small influence of the 1950 importation.
Genetic and environmental factors influencing calf performance in pedigree beef cattle in Britain. 2. The relationship between birth, 200-day and 400-day weights and the heritability of weight for age
Authors: Pabst W. , Kilkenny J. B. , Langholz H. J. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYData collected in the Meat and Livestock Commission's pedigree recording scheme have been analysed by least square procedures to assess the relationship between, and heritability of, birth, 200-day and 400-day weights. In total 5524 birth weights, 16 484 200-day weights and 6248 400-day weights were available for 765 herds, in which were represented 2031 sires of seven breeds. Heritability estimates were calculated using the complete data and a set restricted to the larger herds and sire progeny groups. The influence of single effects on the heritability estimates was computed. Linear relationships were established between birth and 200-day weights in the Aberdeen-Angus and Charolais breeds but in the Hereford, Devon and Sussex breeds they were curvilinear. The data from the Hereford breed indicated an optimum range of birth weights. The partial regressions of 400-day on 200-day weights were positive; they were not linear for the Charolais, Devon and Sussex breeds. In these cases there was a more than proportionate increase in 400-day weights for an increase in 200-day weights. The heritability estimates varied widely and were dependent on the method and underlying model used. The most reliable estimates were as follows: birth weight 0·23, 200-day weight 0·38 and 400-day weight 0·27.
A quantitative model of energy intake and partition in grazing sheep in various physiological states
Authors: Vera R. R. , Morris J. G. , Koong Ling-Jung 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYA quantitative model of energy intake and utilization by ewes in various physiological states grazing a pasture of perennial ryegrass is presented. The model consists of two major components: a forage intake component incorporating forage availability and maximum potential intake as affected by age of the grass and physiological state of the ewe; a second component representing energy utilization by the ewe for maintenance, growth, pregnancy, lactation and wool growth.The behaviour of the model was examined and found to be consistent with published information. Partial validation of the model was accomplished by comparing the model output with actual experimental data not used to construct the model.