bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Double scaup in sheep
Authors: Cresswell E. 
Published: March 2009

1. This investigation into double scaup in hill sheep took the form of a series of field experiments combined with the gathering of incidental information.The field experiments were designed to test the currently held view that double scaup is a ‘disease’ caused by mineral deficiencies (probably phosphorus) complicated by parasite infestation, which can be cured by the offering of, or treatment with, mineral mixtures combined with the use of anthelminthics.2. The experiments involved the use of a proprietary mineral mixture containing feeding bone flour, lime salt and trace elements, freely offered in troughs. Phenothiazine, dicalcium phosphate and trace elements administered orally were also used. Vitamin D2 (calciferol) was introduced into the investigation following a suggestion by Innes (1934) that double scaup may be a form of rickets.3. Statistical analysis of the weight records obtained from these experiments revealed no beneficial effect on weight gains from any of the treatments given. Field examination indicated that the treatments also had no effect upon the incidence of detectable double scaup in each of the flocks studied.4. It was found that double scaup is not a condition affecting only poorer hill farms in the north of England and in southern Scotland, but is in fact an indication of the generalized thinning of the skeleton of vast numbers of young and apparently healthy sheep in these areas.
The effect of plane of nutrition on the growth and development of the East African dwarf goat. I. Effect of plane of nutrition on the live-weight gains and the external measurements of kids
Authors: Wilson P. N. 
Published: March 2009

1. Fifty-five kids of the East African dwarf goat were used in the experiment. The kidding percentage was 107·8%, and the twinning percentage 12·7%; the proportion of twin births increased in the latter stages of the experiment, related to the longer period the late-kidding dams had spent on the rising plane of nutrition.2. The percentage of female kids to total kids born was 56·4%, male kids 43·6%. The mean birth weight of female kids was 4·5 lb., compared to 5·2 lb. for male kids.3. The sex difference in live-weight increase increased markedly after 16 weeks of age. The growth of females slowed down to approximately ½ lb. per head per week, whereas that of males continued to increase at the rate of approximately 1 lb. per head per week. H-plane female kids reached 33 lb. at 31 weeks, H-plane males achieved the same weight at 20 weeks of age.4. The effect of plane of nutrition on the live weights of experimental kids of both sexes was statistically significant as from the third week of age. H-plane kids reached 33 lb. live weight at approximately 26 weeks of age, L-plane kids at about 48 weeks.5. The kids initially placed on a L-plane of nutrition exhibited a marked resilience when switched to the H-plane. The live-weight gains after switching were for females as great as, and for males greater than, the gains made by kids on a H-plane of nutrition throughout the growing period.This recuperative capacity of animals changed from L to H levels of diet, at or before the point of inflexion of the growth curve, has now been clearly established for all types of farm livestock examined, the pig, the sheep, the chicken and the goat. Both sexes exhibited this capacity to recover from initial low-plane feeding.
Effect of ammonium sulphate and farmyard manure on the yield of paddy and on soil
Authors: Digar S. 
Published: March 2009

1. The results of an experiment to study the effect of continuous application of ammonium sulphate, with and without f.y.m. in an alluvium clay soil for a period of 10 years on the yield of paddy and soil, have been reviewed.2. The grain yield was increased significantly by ammonium sulphate in all the years except in the last two. The increases in straw yield were significant in all years.On consolidating the results, it was found that both the grain and straw yields were significantly increased by the effect of ammonium sulphate. The grain yield was not increased by the effect of f.y.m., but the straw yield was increased by this significantly at 5% level.3. The straw:grain ratio increased with the increasing doses of nitrogen.4. The maximum grain yield was obtained by the combination of ammonium sulphate at the rate of 30 lb. N plus f.y.m. at 100 md. per acre. This combination was significantly better than f.y.m. alone, but was not significantly better than ammonium sulphate at 30 lb. N. On economical consideration at the prevailing market price level, the dose 30 lb. N of ammonium sulphate applied alone is the most suitable.5. No deleterious effect on the yield of paddy or change in the composition, hardness and percentage aggregation in soil have been observed after a 10-year period of continuous application of ammonium sulphate in the same paddy soil.
Fodder supply to dairy cows during the dry season in Tanzania: comparative evaluation of three silages and lupin green forage
Authors: Mbwile R. P. , Wiktorsson H. 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARYForty-eight Friesian cows in weeks 4–20 of lactation at the start of the trial were used in a comparative evaluation of Desmodium–grass silage, Rhodes grass silage, maize silage and lupin green forage. The forages were group-fed ad libitum and a concentrate was offered according to a standard lactation of 4200 kg milk in a 12-week test period. A digestibility trial with five wethers was used to evaluate the nutritive value of the forages.Cows offered the Rhodes grass silage had the highest forage dry-matter intake and those on maize silage had the lowest intake. There was no significant difference between the intake of Desmodium–grass silage and lupin green forage. Milk and FCM production were not significantly different on the four treatments although lupin green forage gave appreciably less than the silages. The expected milk production from the energy and protein consumed suggested that the milk produced was mainly from the concentrate. It is concluded that low energy concentration in all the forages, and low crude protein content in the silages, were the main limiting factors for high milk production.
A note on cutaneous loss of potassium in Chokla sheep
Authors: Rai A. K. , More T. , Singh Manohar 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARYThe loss of potassium through the cutaneous route was measured in three Chokla rams by balance trial and by washing the animals (ambient temperature 28–33 °C, 28–30 mmHg vapour pressure). The excretion of potassium through urine and faeces was 46·7 and 19·4% of the intake, respectively. The excretion through skin recorded by washing the animals was 29·1% against 33·7% potassium available for excretion through the thermoregulatory route. About 2·56 g potassium was thus excreted through the cutaneous route per day. There was a net retention of 9·8 g sodium/ram/day.
Performance of seed mixtures and multilines of Upland cotton in Uganda
Authors: Innes N. L. , Jones G. B. 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARYIn five experiments with binary mixtures of a wide range of Upland cotton varieties grown at three sites in Uganda in 1969–70 and 1970–1 there was no evidence to indicate that components interacted to give better yields than would be expected from their yield in pure stand. Moreover, in district variety trials over three seasons there was no evidence that mixtures of several lines of closely related material were more stable than the individual component lines. Problems related to a breeding programme based on the development of multiline varieties are discussed. Although the variable ecological conditions in Uganda should provide an excellent opportunity of developing multilines with a high degree of population buffering, it is concluded that pure lines tested in a wide range of environments are as good as, and are less costly to produce, than mixed populations that have been specially bred and tested. Multilines with components that differ little in yielding ability or stability do, however, provide an opportunity of more rapid seed multiplication, and there is also the possibility that multiline seed issues may show progressive increases in yield with each year of growing. Present practice in Uganda of releasing as seed issues multilines with closely related components that have been adequately tested as individual lines should therefore be continued.
Meat properties of lambs grown to 32 kg at various rates on phalaris or lucerne pastures and an apparent effect of pre-slaughter ambient temperature
Authors: Furnival E. P. , Corbett J. L. , Shorthose W. R. 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARYOne hundred and fifty-nine Corriedale x Dorset Horn lambs were slaughtered at 32 kg live weight at ages varying from 98 to 303 days. The youngest lambs were from ewes on a pasture with high herbage availability and had not been weaned; the next youngest were from the same group of ewes but had been weaned at 6 or 12 weeks of age. Older lambs had been weaned at 6, 12 or 29 weeks from ewes on a pasture with low herbage availability. The weaned lambs grazed either a phalaris or a lucerne pasture.Lambs that grazed lucerne had a greater dressing percentage and a heavier carcass. Over all lambs, ultimate pH of the m. semimenxbranosus ranged from 5·4 to 6·0 and Warner-Bratzler shear values increased twofold from lowest to highest pH. Minimum ambient temperatures during the nights before the slaughter days ranged from 13 to – 1°C; ultimate pH increased by 0·25 units with decreasing temperature over the range, equivalent to an increase in shear value of 26%. Shear values adjusted for pH differences increased from about 3·4 kg/cm2 at 130 days of age to about 7·5 kg/cm2 at 300 days.Visual attractiveness of 13th rib chops increased with increasing area of the m. longissimus dorsi. Attractiveness was least at intermediate dominant wavelength (redness) of this muscle, but was not related to its reflectance. Optimum fat depth was about 2·4 mm. In general, chops from younger lambs were more attractive than those from older lambs.
Environment and genetic factors affecting wool production from sub-tropical coarse wool sheep
Authors: Aboul-Naga A. M. , Afifi E. A. 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARYWool production from different flocks of Ossimi, Rahmani and Barki Egyptian local sheep, raised at six different locations in the country was studied. Different genetic parameters for greasy fleece weight of the three breeds were estimated.Location was of significant effect on annual greasy fleece weight of Rahmani sheep only. With the adjustment for differences in yield percentages, differences in clean wool production from one location to another were slight for the three breeds. Age of ewe was of highly significant effect on annual greasy fleece weight.Heritability estimates of annual greasy fleece weight of the ewes were found to be generally low in the three breeds (range 0·00–0·34). The estimates differed markedly with age; those of the yearling fleece weight of Rahmani and Barki ewes were the highest, being 0–19 and 0–34, respectively.Repeatability estimates of annual greasy fleece weight were also low, being 0·11–0·04 and 0·29 for Ossimi, Rahmani and Barki ewes, respectively.Estimates of genetic correlation between yearling greasy fleece weight of the Ossimi and Rahmani ewes and their weaning and yearling body weights were high and positive. Those between annual greasy fleece weight of the ewes and their reproductive performance traits differed greatly in the two breeds.
Growth And Development Of Indeterminate Bush And Climbing Cultivars of Phaseolus vulgaris L. Inoculated with Rhizobium
Authors: Graham P. H. , Rosas J. C. 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARYTwenty cultivars of P. vulgaris differing in growth habit, and inoculated with an efficient strain of R. phaseoli, were sampled weekly in the period 22—99 days after planting. Acetylene reduction and specific nodule activity were similar to or better than those reported for other grain legumes, and were higher than achieved by a soya-bean cultivar. Though the period of active fixation was limited, nitrogen gains estimated at 25—30 kg/ha/growing cycle were obtained. Climbing beans were superior to bush beans in acetylene reduction and specific nodule activity, but differed little in nodule development. Two varieties, Cargamanto and Sangretoro, were outstanding in fixation. Differences between varieties in nodule to root ratio, and in rate of N accumulation in the leaves were shown. Both groups of plants stored appreciable starch in the stem after flowering. The results are related to the need for N fertilization in Latin America.
Studies on the fungicidal control of bulb rot caused by Botrytis allii in onions for the production of seeds
Authors: Kritzman G. 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARYBotrytis allii, grey mould, is the major cause of bulb and seed yield losses of growing onion seeds in Israel. Nursery treatments with iprodione or vinclozolin significantly decreased the number of diseased onion bulbs which were supplied to the farmers from 24% in the control to 8% in the treated plots and resulted in higher yield of seed with increases of 45% in seed weight per plant. Onion bulbs under non-irrigated conditions in the mountains were found to be more susceptible to the disease, as well as to secondary infection, than irrigated onions that were grown in the plains. Chemical treatment of the bulbs before planting significantly reduced the rate of secondary infection in the field and decreased seed losses. The survival of B. allii propagules and their importance as a primary source of inoculum in growing onions for seed were studied in the central mountainous region of Israel. From 197 to 1532 B. allii propagules per g soil were found in the field plots, this as the result of only one season growing onion seed. Ninety-one per cent of the total planted healthy bulbs were infected in the highly contaminated plots after 150 growing days. The surviving B. allii propagules reduced the seed yield, from 14·4 in the less contaminated plots to 10·4 g/plant in the highly contaminated.
The relationship of bovine rostral tooth development to age determined by post-mortem radiographic examination of cattle aged between 12 and 24 months
Authors: Andrews A. H. 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARYResults of rostral tooth development determined both visually and by post-mortem radiographic examination were used to provide age ranges and median ages for stages which could be seen between 1 and 2 years old. These showed that intra-oral eruption of the permanent rostral teeth was of little value in age estimation during the second year of life. However, utilizing the stages of tooth development which could be seen radiographically the maximum age range before differentiation was 5 months (1 year 1 month from 1 year 6 months and 1 year 5 months from 1 year 10 months). Thus it appeared that rostral tooth radiography was of more use in age estimation than intraoral eruption of the permanent teeth.
Persistence and growth of Lotononis bainesii–Digitaria decumbens pastures: 2. Sheep treading
Authors: Pott A. , Humphreys L. R. , Hales J. W. 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARYA pasture of Lotononis bainesii and Digitaria decumbens cv. Pangola at Mt Cotton, south-east Queensland was mown on six occasions at intervals of ca. 3 months and after each mowing was subjected in 1 day to the treading intensity expected from sheep grazing at 0, 7, 14, 21 and 28/ha. A movable corridor and folds were employed to walk the sheep the required number of times on eight replicates of each treatment.Lotononis regrowth was negatively related to sheep treading intensity, whereas Pangola was highly resistant to treading and grew vigorously from underground buds on rhizomes and from persisting stolons. Young lotononis seedlings were more vulnerable than older seedlings which had branched; plants developed from autonomous nodal roots were more resistant than seedlings. Attention is drawn to the contractile growth of the hypocotyl following epigeal germination which leads to a buried crown.Lotononis plants were short-lived, and seedling regeneration of ca. 27 and 47 plants/m2 occurred in the late summer of the 2nd and 3rd year after sowing. Soil seed reserves averaged 16900/m2. Studies might be undertaken of management systems directed to favouring lotononis plant replacement through accretion to seed reserves, seedling regeneration through the creation of ‘gaps’, and seedling survival through judicious timing of grazing.
Sire-breed comparison of carcass composition of steers from Angus dams
Authors: Bass J. J. , Carter A. H. , Johnson D. L. , Baker R. L. , Jones K. R. 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARYBody composition of 324 steers from Angus dams by ten different sire breeds was compared at constant age. Progeny of the large European breeds and the Friesian attained heavier fasted live weights and carcass weights than the local Angus and Hereford breeds. Friesian cross-breds had the lowest dressing percentage. The Blonde d'Aquitaine and Limousin crosses had the lightest bone weights and this was reflected in high meat yields. The European breeds had the leanest carcasses, the traditional beef breeds the heaviest subcutaneous fat weights and the dairy breeds the heaviest internal fat weights. The results are discussed in relation to overseas findings.
Effects of Age at Harvest and Fertilizer Application on the Yield, Available Carbohydrates and Hydrocyanic Acid Content of Cassava (Manihot palmata Pohl)
Authors: Obigbesan G. O. , Ketiku A. O. , Fayemi A. A. 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARYExperiments were carried out over two growing seasons to find out the effects of fertilizer application and age at harvest on the yield, available carbohydrates and hydrocyanic acid content of Manihot palmata.Fertilizers were applied at the following rates: 0–0–0; 45–45–0; 45–45–45; 45–45–67, and 45–45–90 kg/ha of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium respectively. Harvests were at 9 and 15 months after planting. Application of nitrogen and phosphorus resulted in significant yield increases. Fertilizer application had no significant effect on the hydrocyanic acid content of the tubers. Harvesting at 15 months gave more than double the tuber yields and a higher percentage of hydrocyanic acid than harvesting at 9 months. It is, therefore, desirable to use efficient methods of processing the tubers harvested at 15 months to obtain safe products for industrial and nutritional uses.
Estimation of body water and fat in cattle using tritiated water space and live weight with particular reference to the influence of breed
Authors: Chigaru P. R. N. , Holness D. H. 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARYThe body composition of 18 each of Mashona, Afrikaner and Hereford heifers was measured at the beginning and after 16 and 32 weeks of the experiment. The heifers not slaughtered at the beginning of the experiment were fed a complete diet containing 132 g crude protein and 12·0 MJ metabolizable energy/kg dry matter. Before slaughter, the animals were deprived of food and water for 24 h. Each animal was infused with 1 mCi of tritiated water (TOH) in order to measure total body water (TBW) and to estimate body fat.The growth rate of the three breeds of heifers was similar despite differences in age and initial live weight. Both TBW and fat proportions, however, differed significantly (P < 0·01) between slaughter stages for each breed and between breeds at each slaughter stage. At the first, second and final slaughter stages the proportions of TBW were: 68·0, 59·4 and 54·5% for Mashona; 70·;5, 64·3 and 58·3% for Afrikaner and 65·3, 57·6 and 46·2% for Hereford heifers respectively. The corresponding proportions of body fat were: 10·2, 18·4 and 24·2% for Mashona; 6·6, 12·0 and 20·0% for Afrikaner and 13·7, 20·8 and 25·8% for Hereford heifers respectively.There was a close relation between empty body weight and live weight at slaughter which was not influenced by breed. Both TBW and fat were estimated more accurately when TOH space and live weight were used jointly. However, the slopes of the prediction equations for each breed were significantly different (P < 0·05) in the case of both total body water and fat. It was necessary to use separate equations for each breed in order to predict either body water or fat. The significance of these findings for the estimation of body fat in live cattle is discussed.
Evaluation of phosphorus in savannah soils of western Nigeria under bush fallow systems
Authors: Ayodele O. J. , Agboola A. A. 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARYYield calibration of soil tests in western Nigeria savannah has been difficult owing to low response to P and response to only low P rates despite low available P in the soils. A study on the distribution of P forms in 60 surface soils of the savannah derived from igneous and metamorphic rocks and grouped into 11 classes was made. Average total P was 0·018% and organic P, which varied between 44 and 114 mg/kg, constituted 41% of total P. Active P components made up 40% of total inorganic P, the bulk of which was in the Fe-P fraction. All P forms except non-extractable P correlated significantly with organic matter.The amounts of P needed to increase available P by 1 mg/kg in the soils, an index of P fixation, was correlated with pH and the free oxides of Fe and Al. The direct role of Fe-oxides and probable indirect effect of organic matter were indicated by regression analysis.There was minimal maize yield response to P application and this was obtained only at low P rates from which an optimum rate of 20 kg P/ha was suggested. An attempt to use phosphorus sorption capacity (PSC) for P recommendation was not successful probably because of the low PSC values. A quick P recommendation based on available P status, fertilizer factor of 3·0 mg/1 and an optimum available P level derived from the relative yield v. soil P calibration curve was therefore suggested.
Edge effects on yield, yield components and other traits in mechanized durum wheat and barley trials
Authors: Hadjichristodoulou A. 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARYA series of trials were conducted during 1979–82 under semi-arid conditions in a Mediterranean-type environment to study the edge effects in mechanized durum wheat and barley variety trials when uncropped pathways are left between plots. Varietal differences in edge effects on grain yield were in most trials not significant. Thus, edge effects do not distort significantly the relative ranking of varieties.Edge effects were significant for all traits studied and higher in grain and straw yields. These effects were also higher in drier seasons. The overestimation of grain yield from whole plots was 13–18% in relatively high rainfall seasons and 29% in a dry season. In two seasons the scores on the two outer rows were higher than on the two central rows by 89 and 117 % for grain yield, by 72 and 73% for straw yield, by 44 and 48% for numbers of tillers, by 6% for 1000-grain weight and by 14 and 40% for number of grains per tiller. The edge effect was not confined to the outer rows, but it extended to the inner rows of the plot; the magnitude of this effect varied with season and trait.Rows adjacent to the pathway and unprotected from wind had a lower value for all traits than the opposite rows of the pathway, which were protected by the inner rows.