bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Hormone and metabolite concentrations in beef steers of two maturity types under two systems of production
Authors: Beeby Janet M. , Swan H. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTSixteen British Friesian-cross steers of early- or late-maturity types were reared on either a 16- or a 24-month system of production. The steers on the 24-month system were subjected to a reduced nutrient intake during two phases of growth: 1) during early growth when the steers were approximately 9 months old and 2) during a store period when the steers were 13 to 19 months old. Animals on the 16-month system were fed to appetite throughout. Blood sampling was carried out at various periods during growth and serum samples were analysed for growth hormone, insulin, prolactin, glucose and blood urea nitrogen. Serum growth hormone concentrations were elevated during reduced nutrient intake, whilst serum insulin concentrations fell. Serum prolactin followed a seasonal pattern, but was lower in the underfed steers. Serum glucose concentrations also tended to fall during underfeeding, but blood urea nitrogen results were inconclusive. Hormone concentrations were not influenced by the maturity type of the steer, suggesting that the hormones measured are not primarily involved in determining the differential growth patterns in steers of different maturity types.
Effects of season of birth, breed of sire and sex of calf in a single-suckled Aberdeen Angus Holstein beef herd
Authors: Wilson L. L. , Abdul-Jamak E. , LeVan P. J. , Todd R. F. , Watkins J. L. , Ziegler J. H. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTData were obtained from 233 heifers and 246 steers born in the autumn (September) or spring (March) seasons. The calves were sired by Polled Hereford (British) and Charolais, Chianina, Limousin. Maine- Anjou and Simmental (Continental European) bulls, from Aberdeen Angus (♂ × Holstein ♀ cows. Autumn-born calves weighed more at birth than did spring-born calves ( P < 0·01 ). Season of birth did not affect 205-. 305-. 365-day or slaughter weights. Incidence of dystocia was greater for Maine-Anjousired calves than for Polled Hereford calves (P < 0·05) with the other breeds intermediate. Significant sex differences were observed in practically all live and carcass traits with the exception of Warner- Bratzler tenderness and taste panel evaluations.There were significant breed effects in which Continental European-sired calves gained weight more rapidly than did Polled Hereford-sired calves (P < 0·01) within each 90-day period, with the exception of 180 to 270 days. Slaughter weight and carcass weight per day of age followed the same trend. At slaughter at a mean age of 416 days, mean live weight of calves from Continental European breeds of sire was 1·075 of that of the Polled Hereford-sired calves. Proportion, weight and gain per day of edible meat in the carcass were greater for calves sired by Continental European bulls (P < 0·01). Although fat thickness and marbling score means were greater for Polled Hereford-sired cattle (P < 0·01), there were no significant differences in taste panel evaluations. There were no important two-way interactions between the main effects (sex, season of birth or sire breed).
High mating frequency for boars: predicting the effect on sexual behaviour, fertility and fecundity
Authors: Hemsworth P. H. , Winfield C. G. , Hansen C. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTIn the first experiment there were significant correlations between the average product of the length and width of the boar's testicles and the sperm output of the boar under a high collection frequency over two 6-h periods and over a 6-week period (r = +0·80, d.f. = 4, P < 0·05 and r = +0·77, d.f. = 7, P < 0·05, respectively). In the second experiment there were no significant differences in the fertility or fecundity of mature boars that had either two or six copulations per week over a 25-week period. However, there was a significant correlation between the average width of the boar's testicles and the fertility of the boar under the high mating frequency (r = +0·74, d.f. = 8, P < 0·05). There were also significant correlations between the number of copulations achieved in two mating tests and the number of copulations achieved and the refusal rate to mate under the high mating frequency (r = +0·86, and r = –0·89, respectively, d.f. = 6, P < 0·01). The implication of these results to the development of tests to predict mating performance of boars is discussed
Studies in the prophylaxis of induced copper deficiency in sheep grazing reseeded hill pastures
Authors: Whitelaw A. , Russel A. J. F. , Armstrong R. H. , Evans C. C. , Fawcett A. R. , Davies G. J. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTThe paper reports an experiment conducted with 50 Scottish Blackface and 10 South Country Cheviot ewes all suckling twin lambs and grazing, from parturition for some 18 weeks, pasture previously shown to cause a molybdenum-sulphur induced copper deficiency. The objectives were to examine the efficacy of various means of prophylaxis and the susceptibility of the two genotypes to copper deficiency.The treatment of ewes at parturition with copper, either as an injection of 90 mg copper as copper methionate or orally with cupric oxide needles (3·2 g copper), delayed the onset of signs of copper deficiency in their lambs but did not prevent completely the development of hypocupraemia or hypocuprosis.The treatment of lambs with a single injection of 15 mg copper as copper calcium edetate at about 6 or 10 weeks of age was not effective in preventing the development of hypocupraemia. Four injections (1 × 5 mg and 3 × 15 mg) at approximately equal intervals maintained normocupraemic values in lambs, but the most effective treatment, as judged by plasma and liver copper concentrations and by live-weight gain, was the administration of cupric oxide needles (1.6 g copper) to lambs at about 6 weeks of age.The between-genotype comparison indicated that the Cheviot ewes and their lambs were as severely affected by the induced copper deficiency as were the Blackfaces.
Nursing and suckling behaviour of sows and their litters before and after grouping in multi-accommodation pens
Authors: Bryant M. J. , Rowlinson P. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTTwo groups of six sows and their litters were observed continuously the day before (day 19 post partum) and the 2 days following (days 20 and 21) movement from individual farrowing crates to multiaccommodation pens. Grouping was associated with a decline in the frequency of true nursing events, particularly in the 6-h period immediately following grouping, and with an increase in the number of false nursing events. There was a trend for a reduction in the duration of the milk let-down phase of the suckling sequence in four litters studied in detail and cross suckling was observed in all four litters. Lactational oestrus occurred in nine of the 12 sows. The study yielded little evidence for an association between nursing and suckling behaviour, and the occurrence of lactational oestrus.
A note on effects of glyphosate and quinine on the palatability of hay for sheep
Authors: Jones R. , Forbes J. M. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTSix sheep were used in a Latin-square experiment to investigate the effect of pre-harvest treatment of pasture with glyphosate (Roundup, a translocated herbicide) on the palatability of hay. Four hays were used: control (C), Roundup (R), quinine (Q, 100 mg/kg) and Roundup with quinine (QR). During each week one of the following choices was given to each animal: (a) C/C; (b) C/R; (c) R/R; (d) Q/C; (e) Q/R; and (f) C/QR. There were no significant effects of treatment on the proportion chosen or on total daily intake, mean meal size or rate of eating. It was concluded that neither pre-harvest treatment with Roundup nor post-harvest treatment with quinine affected the palatability of hay.
Influence of energy source and dietary protein degradability on the voluntary intake and digestibility of barley straw by pregnant beef cows
Authors: Alawa J. P. , Fishwick G. , Parkins J. J. , Hemingway R. G. , Aitchison T. C. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTThree experiments, designed as three simultaneous 4 × 4 Latin squares (21-day feeding periods), were conducted using pregnant beef cows. Diets were based on barley straw given ad libitum together with 1·7 kg dry matter (DM) of either molassed sugar-beet pulp (MSBP) (experiment 1), unmolassed sugarbeet pulp (USBP) (experiment 2), or rolled barley (BARLEY) (experiment 3). In the respective experiments, MSBP, USBP and BARLEY were given either alone, to provide about 200 g crude protein (CP) per day (CONTROL) or were supplemented with urea (U), untreated soya-bean meal (SBM) or formaldehyde-treated soya-bean meal (FT-SBM) to provide a further 200 g CP per day. The contrasting dietary treatments in the three experiments provided intakes of rumen-degradable protein (RDP) ranging from 16 to 388 g/day.All protein supplements improved overall straw DM intakes, the improvement being significant for U only (P < 0·01). A linear relationship between the daily intake of RDP (g) and straw DM (kg) was obtained. The regression equation was:DM intake = 5·03 + 0·0035 × RDP (R2 = 0·703; residual s.d. 0·561; d.f. 35; P < 0·001).All protein supplements also improved the apparent digestibility of straw organic matter (OM) (P < 0·05) and the metabolizable energy (ME) obtained from straw (P < 0·01). Blood urea was increased due to supplementation with urea (P < 0·001), SBM (P < 0·01) and FT-SBM (P < 0·05). Supplementation with BARLEY appeared to improve straw DM intake over MSBP and USBP but this was not reflected in improved ME intake from straw.
Effect of prolonged intermittent water restriction on the reproductive performance of ewes in the Indian desert
Authors: Mittal J. P. , Ghosh P. K. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTThe reproductive performance of female Magra and Marwari sheep of the desert areas of north-western India was studied in relation to intermittent water deprivation, for a period of 39 months during which four breedings were completed. The control group received an ad libitum supply of water every day, while the water-restricted group was provided with water on the same 2 days each week only throughout the experimental period, except during the monsoon season. All the ewes were maintained on cultivated Cenchrus ciliaris pasture. No ill effect was noticed on the general health of the animals. Reproductive measures such as incidence and duration of oestrus, length of the oestrous cycle, conception rate, lambing rate, length of gestation, post-partum interval, inter-lambing period, post-lambing weight of ewes and birth weight of lambs were not significantly affected by the imposed water deprivation. The dailywatered ewes had a slightly, but not significantly higher gain in body weight than the water-restricted ewes. It wa^ concluded that ewes of these two breeds could be maintained on a twice weekly watering schedule for prolonged periods of time without having any adverse effect on their reproductive performance.
A note on dried, molassed sugar-beet pulp and unmolassed, pressed sugar-beet pulp as comparative foods for dairy cows
Authors: Parkins J. J. , Hemingway R. G. , Fraser J. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTSugar-beet pulp as normally produced in Great Britain contains about 400 g molasses per kg dry matter (DM). It has been demonstrated that either a reduction in the amount or even the full removal of the molasses did not affect the yield or composition of the milk of cows (e.g. Ronning and Bath, 1962; Hemingway, Parkins and Fraser, 1986). The dried, shredded pulp without molasses was, however, generally less palatable.
The utilization of wilted and unwilted silages by lactating cows and the influence of changes in the protein and energy concentration of the supplement offered
Authors: Gordon F. J. , Peoples A. C. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTTwenty-four lactating British Friesian cows were used in a four-period partially balanced change-over design experiment to evaluate eight treatments consisting of two silage types (wilted and unwilted), each offered in addition to supplements containing both two crude protein (CP) levels (160 and 210 g/kg fresh weight) and two energy levels (10·8 and 12·9 MJ metabolizable energy (ME) per kg fresh weight) obtained by including 100 g spray-dried tallow per kg, in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. All supplements were offered at ttie same rate of 6·8 kg/day and total diet digestibility and food utilization studies were carried out on all animals at the end of the final period of the experiment. A separate two-period change-over design expeximent, using two lactating cows fitted with rumen cannulae, was undertaken to determine the influence of the two silages on volatile fatty acid (VFA) proportions in the rumen and to measure the rates of disappearance of dry matter (DM) and nitrogen in the silages and supplements from the rumen.There were no significant interactions between silage and supplement type in terms of animal performance. Animals offered unwilted silage consumed proportionately 003 less DM but produced 0·03 more milk than those offered wilted silage. Although total diet digestibility was not influenced by silage type because of the higher gross energy concentration of the unwilted silage the ME intake with this diet was higher than with the diet based on wilted silage and the ratios of milk energy output to ME available for production (0·54) were similar with both silages. Silage type had no effect on the rumen VFA proportions but influenced the jates of disappearance of DM and nitrogen from the rumen.Increasing the CP concentratioryof the supplement had no effect on the intake of silage DM but resulted in a significant incrase in milk yield (0·55 kg/day) but due to a reduction in milk fat concentration there was np etfect on yield of either fat-corrected milk or milk energy. The use of the higher energy supplement depressed the intake of silage DM by 0·46 kg/day but resulted in an increase in milk yield of 0·74 kg/day. Neither CP nor energy concentration of the supplement had any effect on DM or energy digestibility of the total diet but there were considerable differences between supplements in the patterns of nitrogen and DM disappearance from the rumen.
In vivo estimation of carcass meat by ultrasound in ram lambs slaughtered at an average live weight of 37 kg
Authors: Fortin A. , Shrestha J. N. B. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTUltrasonic measurements of fat thickness and m. longissimus depth 25 and 50 mm lateral to the mid line at the last rib and 100 mm caudally to the last rib were made, before slaughter, on 273 ram lambs using two probes: the Scanogram and Krautkramer. The lambs were from three strains: a meat-type sire strain and two fecund dam strains. They weighed on average 37·3 kg at scanning, (range 29·0 to 51·3 kg), well within the weight range over which Canada Al-grade lambs are marketed in Canada. Their carcasses contained on average 437 g trimmed boneless meat per kg (s.d. pooled within strain = 24·1 g/kg).The precision with which the ultrasonic measurements combined with live weight at scanning predicted trimmed boneless meat (weight and proportion) was examined. Fat thickness measurements had no predictive value (P > 0·05). The residual standard deviations for the prediction of trimmed boneless meat in the half carcass (weight and proportion) from weight at scanning were 0·29 kg and 21·5 kg, respectively; the addition of the m. longissimus depth measurement reduced the residual standard deviations by 0·02 kg and 1·1 g/kg, respectively. The weight of trimmed boneless meat was predicted with more precision than the proportion of trimmed boneless meat. Strain, location of measurement site or type of instrument did not change the precision of prediction.It is concluded that prediction of trimmed boneless meat in young ram lambs based on live animal ultrasonic measurements made with the Scanogram or Krautkramer lacks the level of precision necessary for practical application.
The effect of body weight at calving on milk production and reproductive performance of Friesian × Zebu heifers
Authors: Deresz F. , Jaume C. M. , de Carvalho M. R. , González C. A. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTTwenty-six pregnant Holstein-Friesian × zebu heifers, arranged in pairs according to age, body weight, expected calving date and amount of zebu breeding, were allocated at random to two nutritional regimens during the last 12 weeks before calving. If was planned that the animals in treatment A should calve at a pre-calving live weight of 480 kg and those in treatment B should calve at 380 kg. The diet consisted of maize silage or elephant grass silage, soya-bean meal and minerals. During the first 21 days of the post-partum period both groups were given 6 kg concentrate per head daily. After this period, the feeding level was adjusted every 14 days according to the current milk yield. The mean total milk yields were 2132 kg and 1283 kg (P < 0·05) and the lengths of lactation were 239 days and 156 days (P < 0·01) for cows in treatments A and B, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between treatments in the intervals from calving to first heat or calving to conception.
Mammogenesis and first lactation milk yields of identical-twin heifers following pre-pubertal administration of bovine growth hormone
Authors: Sandles L. D. , Peel C. J. , Temple-Smith P. D. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTThe effects of long-term administration of bovine growth hormone (GH) on pre-pubertal mammogenesis and subsequent milk production were examined in pasture-fed dairy heifers. Purified bovine GH (specific activity 0·78 i.u. per mg) was administered daily for 21 weeks (0·6 mg GH per kg M 0·75) to one member of each of 12 sets of twins from 3·5 (range 2·5 to 4-5) months of age. GH administration resulted in a significantly smaller mammary gland compared with control heifers at slaughter at the end of treatment (717 v. 839 g; P < 005 (no. = 4)) and increased the proportion of mammary fat pad containing parenchyma (461 v. 383 g/kg; P < 0·01). Mammary parenchymal dry, fat-free tissue was increased in the GH-treated group (25·8 v. 22·5 g; P < 0·05), and fat-pad adipose tissue was reduced (323 v. 435 g; P < 005), compared with the control group. Morphometric analysis of the mammary gland revealed an increase in the volume fraction of connective tissue (P < 0·1) and a tendency toward less fat in GH-treated heifers compared with control heifers. Estimates of the composition of the whole gland confirmed that GH treatment reduced total mammary fat (372 v. 496 g; P < 0·05). At calving, udder volume was greater in the heifers treated with GH compared with the untreated group (14·8 v. 11·2 1; P < 0·05 (no. = 4)). However, there were no differences in the mean daily yields of milk or milk components between groups.
The effects of litter size, sex, age, body weight, dam age and genetic selection for cold resistance on the physiological responses to cold exposure of scottish blackface lambs in a progressively cooled water bath
Authors: Stott A. W. , Slee J. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTThe resistance to body cooling of 594 newborn Scottish Blackface lambs was measured in a water bath during a programme of upwards and downwards genetic selection. Cold resistance was defined as the time taken for rectal temperature to fall to 35°C in the water bath.Upwards selection produced increased cold resistance which was genetically associated with increased skin thickness, increased total body insulation and greater persistence of high metabolic rate during cold exposure. The first two correlated responses to selection were more pronounced in twins than in singles.High cold resistance was phenotypically, but not genetically, associated with greater body weight, increased coat depth and higher levels of cold-induced metabolic rate (heat production). Single lambs showed higher weight-adjusted metabolic rates and higher cold resistance than twins. Singles recovered from hypothermia faster than twins in the low selection line only.Female lambs showed higher metabolic rate (whether weight-adjusted or not) and greater total body insulation than males. Their greater cold resistance was not quite significant. Increasing age (range 0·3 to 36 h) was associated with a small but significant decline in cold resistance.Thermoneutral metabolic rate was proportional to body surface area, whereas peak metabolic rate was proportional to body weight such that peak metabolic rate per unit body weight was independent of changes in body weight. These findings are discussed in relation to lamb survival.
The effect of additive treatment of grass silage and the food additive avoparcin on the response of calves to supplementation of silage-based diets with fish meal
Authors: Steen R. W. J. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTTwo experiments have been carried out to examine the effects of the fermentation quality of grass silage and the inclusion of avoparcin in the diet on the response in the performance of calves to supplementation of silage-based diets with fish meal. The eight treatments used in each experiment consisted of untreated and formic acid-treated (2·5 1/t) silages offered ad libitum and supplemented with either barley (B) or a barley/fish meal (BF) concentrate (200 g fish meal per kg), without or with 150 mg avoparcin per head daily in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design. All animals received 1·25 and 1·0 kg concentrates per head daily in experiments 1 and 2 respectively. In each experiment, the diets were offered to 40 castrated male cattle which were initially 126 and 110 kg live weight in experiments 1 and 2 respectively. On average over the two experiments the untreated and formic acid-treated silages contained 24·8 and 24·5 g nitrogen (N) per kg dry matter (DM); 475 and 571 g protein N per kg total N; 76 and 62 g ammonia-N per kg total N and 45-9 and 27·5 g volatile fatty acids per kg DM respectively. Silage DM intakes for the untreated silages supplemented with B and BF and the acid-treated silages supplemented with B and BF without avoparcin and for the untreated silages supplemented with B and BF and the acid-treated silages supplemented with B and BF with avoparcin were 3·0, 3·2, 3·2, 3·0, 2·9, 3·0, 3·0 and 3·2 (s.e. 0·16) kg/day respectively. Live-weight gains for the corresponding treatments were 0·97, 1·12, 0·98, 1·01, 1·00, 1·07, 1·10 and 1·13 (s.e. 0·032) kg/day respectively. It is concluded that the inclusion of fish meal in diets based on well preserved, grass silage and barley did not affect intake and produced a small response (70 g/day) in the live-weight gain of calves. The inclusion of avoparcin in the diet did not significantly affect the response to fish meal.
Amino acid requirements of the growing meat rabbit 1. The amino acid composition of rabbit whole-body tissue — a theoretical estimate of ideal amino acid balance
Authors: Moughan P. J. , Schultze W. H. , Smith W. C. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTWhole-body amino acid composition was determined in six male and six female 53-day-old New Zealand White rabbits. There were no significant sex differences in whole-body amino acid compositition except for arginine and glycine where whole-body concentrations (g/16 g N) were significantly lower in the females (P< 0·05). Overall mean whole-body essential amino acid levels (relative to lysine = 100 units) were methionine = 20; cystine = 41; histidine = 50; phenylalanine = 65; tyrosine = 50; threonine = 64; leucine = 112; isoleucine = 51; valine = 62; arginine = 109. The lysine concentration of rabbit whole-body tissue was 6·12 g/16 g N. There was close agreement between rabbit whole-body amino acid composition and corresponding published values for the rat and pig, although the rabbit whole-body cystine was high and methionine concentration low compared with the rat or pig. The rabbit whole-body amino acid pattern can be regarded as approximating an ideal balance of dietary amino acids and as such indicates discrepancies in current recommendations on the essential amino acid requirements for growth in the meat rabbit.