bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Chemical composition of carcass soft tissues of serially slaughtered Hereford × Friesian, Friesian and Charolais × Friesian steers finished on two diets differing in energy concentration
Authors: Keane M. G. , Allen P. , Connolly J. , O'Ferrall G. J. More 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTThe chemical composition of the muscle and fatty carcass tissues of Hereford × Friesian (HE), Friesian (FR) and Charolais × Friesian (CH) steers finished on high (H) (12·6 MJ/kg dry matter) and medium (M) (10·4 MJ/kg dry matter) metabolizable energy (ME) concentration diets and slaughtered at low (L), normal (N) and heavy (W) carcass weights was determined in a 3 × 2 × 3 (no. = 9) factorial experiment. There were also pre-finishing slaughter groups of nine animals of each breed type. Target L, N and W carcass weights were 260, 300 and 340 kg, for HE and FR and 260, 320 and 380 kg, for CH, respectively.Main effect side soft tissue weights of the finished groups were 128, 125 and 134 (s.e.d. 1·3) kg for HE, FR and CH, 133 and 125 (s.e.d. 1·1) kg for H and M and 108, 129 and 150 (s.e.d. 1·3) kg for L, N and W, respectively. Soft tissue chemical composition was 540, 562 and 590 (s.e.d. 5·0) g/kg moisture, 162, 174 and 181 (s.e.d. 1·7) g/kg protein and 288, 254 and 220 (s.e.d. 6·6) g/kg lipid for HE, FR and CH and 558 and 570 (s.e.d. 4·1) g/kg moisture, 170 and 175 (s.e.d. 1·4) g/kg protein and 262 and 246 (s.e.d. 5·4) g/kg lipid for H and M, respectively. The allometric regression coefficients for moisture, protein and lipid weights on soft tissue weight were 0·65, 0·69 and 206, respectively. The coefficients for moisture and protein weights on muscle and fat weights were < 1·0, whereas for lipid, they were >1·0. The breed differences in soft tissue chemical composition paralleled differences in physical composition. Dietary ME concentration had little effect on the chemical composition of individual tissues. For the M diet, HE, FR and CH were calculated to have similar soft tissue lipid concentrations (250 g/kg) at side soft tissue weights of 113, 125 and 157 kg, respectively. Corresponding side muscle weights at similar muscle lipid concentration (70 g/kg) would be 77, 90 and 108 kg.
Studies on the effects of milking on calf growth and viability and on cow reproductive performance in traditionally managed N'Dama herds
Authors: Agyemang K. , Dwinger R. H. , Grieve A. S. , Little D. A. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTThe effects of milking on the overall productivity of N'Dama cattle kept under village conditions were studied using three groups of cows during a 27-month period. One group of 46 cows in 16 herds in Nioro Jattaba village was not milked for human consumption and their calves had access to all of their milk (group 1). Another group of 46 cows in the same herds was partially milked for human use once a day while the calves had access to the residual milk (group 2), the normal husbandry practice in this village. A third group of 70 cows in six herds, managed similarly in a similar production environment in the nearby village of Keneba, was milked twice daily with the residual milk for their calves, the normal husbandry in this village. A mean extraction of 296 (s.d. 110·7) kg milk per cow occurred in group 2 during a lactation period of 517 days while the figure for group 3 was 450 (s.d. 177·7) kg per cow over 430 days. At the end of the observation period, calf mortality to 12 months averaged 6% and was similar in all groups. Calf weights at 12 months in group 1 (98·1 kg) exceeded that of groups 2 and 3 by proportionately 0·26 and 0·38 (P < 0·001) respectively. Mean calving rate was 53% in groups 1 and 2, and 72% in group 3. Post-partum body-weight losses were most severe in group 1, followed in order by groups 2 and 3. A herd productivity index (incorporating calf weight, live weight equivalent of milk extracted for human use, cow and calf viability and calving rate) was 100·7 kg calf weight per 100 kg metabolic weight of cow per year for group 1, 110·2 for group 2 and 166·1 kg for group 3. These values suggest that recommendations to small-holder farmers for enhancing livestock productivity should include strategies to improve milk yields in general rather than advocating no milk extraction or changing the milking regime currently practised.
Some factors related to the voluntary intake of silage by individual dairy cows housed as a group during two winter-feeding periods
Authors: Little W. , Manston R. , Wilkinson J. I. D. , Tarrant M. E. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTThe consumption of grass silage by each individual cow in a group housed during two consecutive winter-feeding periods was continuously recorded. During the first winter, one of two concentrates, containing high starch or high fibre, were offered on a sliding scale and half the cows were injected with bovine somatotropin (bST). During the second winter, one of two concentrates, containing high or low rumen-undegradable protein were offered at a flat rate ivith two-thirds of the cows receiving bST. The cows injected with bST had significantly greater yields of milk but their consumption of silage was similar to that of cows not treated with bST. The type of concentrate offered had no significant effect on silage consumption. Although there were significant variations in the consumption of silage from day to day, there were highly significant variations in consumption attributable to individual cows. This individuality of intake persisted in a consistent manner throughout a feeding period and could not be explained on the basis of milk production, body weight, age or parity. In 24 of the cows which were used in both years, their individual intakes for the two periods were significantly correlated. The possibility that this individuality may be of economic importance is discussed.
Effect of hyperketonaemia, feeding frequency and intake of concentrate and energy on milk yield in dairy cows
Authors: Gustafsson A. H. , Andersson L. , Emanuelson U. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractThe effects of acetone concentration in milk, feeding frequency, and intake of concentrates and energy in total diet on milk yield were studied in 38624 lactations from 474 herds during 3 years. Herd-related data on feeding factors were collected once per indoor feeding period. Milk acetone concentrations higher than 0·40 mmol/l were deemed to denote hyperketonaemia, whether subclinical or clinical. The lactation curves of ketotic cows had an abnormal shape, with an inverted peak in early lactation. Most of the reduction in milk yield took place during the first 100 days of lactation with an estimated loss of proportionately 0·085 (acetone concentration ≤0·40v.>2·00 mmol/l). The loss in 200-day milk yield was estimated to 328 kg 40 g/kg fat-corrected milk (FCM) at an overall mean of 5056 kg. If a herd's performance is monitored by lactation curves, a low peak — and hence an apparently high persistency – can indicate a ketosis problem. More frequent feeding of concentrates was correlated with a proportionately 0·033 to 0·074 higher milk yield in multiparous cows, but inconsistent between years. A more variable proportional response (−0·035 to 0·131) was observed in primiparous cows depending on interactions with, for example, breed. A greater total energy supply, including a larger amount of concentrate (maximum in lactation), was correlated with a higher milk yield, about 0·06 kg FCM per day per MJ metabolizable energy and 0·5 kg FCM per day per kg concentrate, respectively. However, increased feeding of concentrates at calving (parity 1) and 15 days after calving (multiparous cows) was correlated with decreased milk yield, by about −0–3 and −0–5 kg FCM per day per kg concentrate, respectively.
Influence of pen rearing system and stocking density on post-weaning performance of two breed types of rabbits
Authors: Hamilton H. H. , Lukefahr S. D. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractEffects of alternative pen rearing system, stocking density, breed-type and their interactions on post-weaning rabbit performance were investigated in a replicated experiment. Californian purebred and terminal crossbred weanlings (no. = 502) were randomized amongst four pen treatments: CSD = conventional wire pen (61 × 76 × 46 cm) stocked with five rabbits; PSD = iron framed, wire-fitted, pen (76 × 244 × 46 cm) stocked with 20 rabbits; PDD = pen stocked with 40 rabbits, and PTD = pen stocked with 60 rabbits. Pen traits measured were average daily food intake (Fl), food efficiency (FE), survival rate (SR), and final weight uniformity (CV). Individual traits were initial (IW) and final (FW) weights and average daily gain (ADG) over 6 weeks.In CSD v. PSD pen trait comparisons, FI was increased (P < 0·05), and numerically poorer FE and greater CV were detected (P > 0·05) in CSD; however, SR means were similar. Non-significant differences were observed in the PSD v. (PDD + PTD)/2 contrast (P > 0·05). For PDD v. PTD, pen FE was numerically better in the former but CV was greater (P > 0·05). Individual FW and ADG were increased (P < 0·05) in PSD v. (PDD + PTD)/2 groups; no other significant contrast differences were observed. Breed-type (B) × pen treatment (P) interaction was not significant (P > 0·05) for IW, ADG and FW; and individual sire/B × P interaction accounted for proportionately less than 0·05 of the total random variation. These results suggest the commercial potential of large pen rearing of rabbits.
Relationships between egg size, body weight and pelvic dimensions in turkeys
Authors: Hocking P. M. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractFemales of four strains of commercial turkeys, including one large strain with a characteristically high rate of oviducal prolapse, were given food either ad libitum or controlled to reach proportionately 0·8 or 0·6 of the body weight of birds fed ad libitum at 24 weeks of age. Two pens of five turkeys from each treatment were photostimulated at 24 and 30 weeks of age. Each turkey was autopsied after it had laid its first egg. The relationships between egg weight and body weight, and between the weight of abdominal fat, diameter of the vent and distance between the pubic bones and egg weight were studied by regression analysis. Egg weight was a function of body weight raised to the power 0·29 which was significantly different from the allometric relationship for Galliform species of 0·64. There was no evidence that differences existed in the quantity of abdominal fat which could impede oviposition and contribute to oviducal prolapse. There were strain differences in the diameter of the vent and distance between the pubic bones in relation to egg weight but the smallest and largest strains were similar. It was concluded that artificial selection had changed the species relationship between egg weight and body mass and that the susceptibility to oviducal prolapse in sire line turkeys was probably physiological in origin.
The effects of quantity and duration of milk feeding on the intake of concentrates and growth of castrated male Saanen kids to slaughter
Authors: Yan T. , Cook J. E. , Gibb M. J. , Ivings W. E. , Treacher T. T. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractTo examine the possibility of reducing milk substitute costs in artificial rearing of goat kids, 36 castrated male Saanen kids at 2 days of age were randomly allocated across six treatments in a 2×3 factorial design experiment. Milk substitute was provided for the kids over a period of 28 or 39 days, and daily levels of milk substitute dry matter (DM) intake were 0·140,0·176 or 0·272 kg.Increasing the level of milk substitute offered had no significant effect on intake of concentrate up to weaning, but did significantly reduce the total intake of concentrate through to slaughter. Weaning after 39 days, as opposed to 28 days, also significantly reduced the total intake of concentrates. However, there was no difference when the same total quantity of milk substitute was consumed over different periods. Increasing the daily intake of milk substitute significantly increased daily live-weight gain to weaning, but tended to increase the time taken by kids to regain their weaning weight following cessation of milk substitute intake. However, milk substitute level and weaning age did not significantly affect overall daily live-weight gain or the length of time taken to reach 28 kg.Eight additional kids were slaughtered at 2 days of age to develop regression equations relating initial body composition to live weight. These relationships were similar to others published for 2-day-old Saanen kids. Treatments had no significant effect on overall rates of fat, crude protein, water, ash and energy gain or on final body composition, carcass weight or carcass composition when kids were slaughtered at a live weight of 28 kg. These data suggest that savings in milk substitute may be achieved by reducing the weaning age and/or the daily intake level.
Follicle populations, ovulation rates and profiles of gonadotropins, inhibin and insulin-like growth factor-1 of heifers actively immunized against androstenedione and inhibin, separately or in combination
Authors: Rhind S. M. , Schemm S. R. , Schanbacher B. D. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractFour groups of 20 Simmental cross heifers were actively immunized against human serum albumin (control, (C), androstenedione (A), a 30 amino acid synthetic fragment of porcine inhibin alpha (I) or A and I in combination (AI). At the time of the third and final antigen injection and again 2 weeks later, all animals were injected with synthetic prostaglandin F2α (PG) to synchronize oestrus. Concentrations of LH, FSH, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and inhibin (C and A heifers only) in serum samples collected twice daily during 3 days before the second PG injection and at 15-min intervals from 24 to 32 h after PG injection were determined. Two weeks later, all heifers were administered PG and ovariectomized 24 h later. Ovarian follicles were dissected from the stroma, measured and cultured in medium 199 for 2h at 37°C. Numbers of small (3·0 to 7·9 mm diameter) and large (>8·0 mm diameter) follicles were not significantly altered by any of the immunization treatments. Intrafollicular concentrations and secretion rates of oestradiol, testosterone, progesterone and inhibin, determined in vitro, were not affected by immunization. Intrafollicular IGF-1 concentrations were not affected; this hormone was not detectable in the culture medium. Intrafollicular concentrations of oestrogen and testosterone and secretion rates of all three steroids were greater (P < 0·05) in animals which had regressing corpora lutea at the time of ovariectomy. Of the animals that had dominant follicles, one of 17, one of 13, four of 19 and six of 15 in the C, A, I and AI groups, respectively, had two or more. Only the difference between AI and C cows in the incidence of dominant follicles was statistically significant (P < 0·05). Mean circulating concentrations of LH, and inhibin (C and A groups only) and mean LH pulse frequency and pulse amplitude were unaffected by treatment but FSH concentrations were higher in A (P < 0·001) and lower in AI and I heifers (P < 0·001) compared with C animals while IGF-1 concentrations were lower in A heifers (P < 0·001) and higher in AI heifers (P < 0·05) compared with C heifers. It is concluded that immunization against inhibin, either alone or in combination with immunization against androstenedione increased the incidence of multiple dominant follicles in heifers but did not increase their ovulation rate.
A comparison of body components of indigenous Saudi sheep breeds related to relative mature size and growth rate
Authors: Gaili E. S. E. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractSix male lambs from each of Najdi, Azvassi and Hejazi breeds of sheep were given the same diet and serially slaughtered at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of age. Slaughter and growth data including estimates of body maturity were collected. Allometeric growth coefficients were obtained for body components and breed differences in the proportions of the components at the same degree of body maturity or groivth rate were computed.The live weight of lambs slaughtered at 6, 9 and 12 months of age differed between the breeds. Awassi lambs were less mature than Najdi or Hejazi lambs at slaughter. Hejazi lambs grew (relative to their mature size) faster than lambs of the other two breeds. The allometric regression coefficients of body components were similar1 in the breeds except those of the head, skin and genital organs.Body composition of the breeds was reasonably similar at the same degree of body maturity or growth rate except skin and feet proportions were higher in Awassi and Najdi lambs, respectively, than in the other two breeds. Thus the three breeds conform to the scaling rules relating growth characteristics to mature size.
On-farm performance of Bunaji (White Fulani) cattle 1. Herd structures and cattle disposal
Authors: Rege J. E. O. , von Kaufmann R. R. , Mani R. I. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractA study urns conducted to examine herd structures and cattle disposal patterns of Bunaji herds kept under traditional management at four locations in the subhumid zone of Nigeria. Sale for meat was the single most important disposal reason, accounting for proportionately 0·55 of all disposals. Mean age of cattle sold for meat was 8 years but the age range was wide: animals as old as 17·4 years were involved in such sales. Male animals were sold at a younger age (6·2 years) than females (9·3 years). Sale of calves was an important exit avenue for rural herds with less access to milk market. Calves were sold at a mean age of 1·1 years and male calves accounted for a larger proportion (0·62) of such sales. Animal sales were highest in the early dry season and lowest in the early wet season. The predominantly arable farming location, Ganawuri, had the highest frequency of animal sales and lowest frequency of exits for ‘social functions’ (exchanges, transfers and gifts). Animal transfers, gifts and exchanges were important disposal routes in the traditionally pastoral communities, especially in locations with good grazing (e.g. Abet). Exits involving exchanges, transfers and gifts were more frequent during the dry season and least frequent in the wet season. An average herd had 77 head of cattle composed proportionately of 0·54 adult females (>3 years), 0·13 adult males (>3 years), 0·08 young bulls (1 to 3 years), 0·13 heifers (1 to 3 years) and 0·11 calves (0 to 1 year). There was a tendency toward smaller herds in later years (97 in 1980 to 51 in 1989) and a decrease in the ratio of adult females to males (from 6:1 in 1980 to 3:1 in 1989). Substantial between-location differences existed in herd size ami herd structure, ranging from the ‘beef orientation’ of the arable Ganawuri with a high proportion of immatures and calves, to the pastoral situation in Abet and Kurmin Biri with high proportion of adult animals. The proportions of adults were lowest in the early dry season, reflecting seasonal pattern in disposal and calving. The pattern in disposal reasons over time indicated a decrease in the proportion of animals exiting herds through exchanges, transfers and gifts and signified a possible shift from tradition, probably a response to population pressures and emergence of cash economies.
On-farm performance of Bunaji (White Fulani) cattle 2. Growth, reproductive performance, milk offtake and mortality
Authors: Rege J. E. O. , von Kaufmann R. R. , Mwenya W. N. M. , Otchere E. O. , Mani R. I. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractAn on-farm study was conducted over a 12-year period (1979 through 1990) at four locations in the subhumid zone of Nigeria to estimate levels of performance of Bunaji cattle and to examine factors affecting productivity in these production systems. Average weight at birth, at 9 months and at 12 months were 19·6 kg, 76·2 kg and 93·1 kg, respectively. Average daily gain between birth and 9 months was 211 g/day. The corresponding figure between 9 months and 12 months was 176 g/day. Cumulative calf mortality at 9 months and at 12 months were proportionately 0·14 and 0·15, respectively. Mean age at first calving was 62·5 months while interval between consecutive calvings averaged 22·5 months. Mean daily milk offtake was 510 ml. Mean length of offtake period varied substantially between locations ranging from 339 days in Kurmin Biri to 425 days in Madauchi. Lactation milk offtake was estimated at between 200 and 260 I. Peri-urban Madauchi had the highest daily milk offtake, the longest milk extraction period but the poorest calf growth and survival rates. Locations with low milk offtake had superior calf performance both in terms of growth and survival. Calves born in late wet and early dry seasons had superior growth and survival rates. Most calvings occurred in the dry season mainly because of the effect of season on conception rates. There was a tendency towards improved productivity on a per-animal basis over the years. This ivas so for age at first calving, calving interval, calf survival and milk offtake. Improved reproductive performance provided opportunity for higher offtakes. However, growth between 9 months and 12 months and weight at 12 months declined during the study period.
Effects of rapeseed-meal and fish-meal supplementation of maize silage-based diets upon voluntary intake, live-weight gain and wool growth of store lambs
Authors: Kossaibati M. A. , Bryant M. J. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractThirty-six individually penned lambs (mean live weight 32·4 (s.d. 2·27) kg) were offered maize silagead libitumand one of three concentrate mixes, two of which contained extracted rapeseed meal (control and HR) and the other fish meal (FM). The concentrates were given according to live weight and in sufficient quantities to provide proportionately about 0·4 of the dry matter (DM) intake of the lambs. The dietary concentrations of nitrogen (N) g/kg DM were 22·4, 27·4 and 27·5 and of rumen undegradable N 6·6, 7·3 and 11·6 for the control, HR and FM diets respectively.Both the HR and FM diets depressed maize silage intakes compared with the control during the first 21 days (P < 0·05) and lambs given the FM diet continued to have lower intakes than control lambs (P < 0·05) throughout the experiment. The live-weight gain of HR lambs was considerably depressed in comparison with the control and FM lambs during the first 21 days of the experiment (P < 0·05). Overall HR lambs gained weight more slowly than control and FM lambs up to 45 kg live weight but the difference was not statistically significant. Food conversion ratio was better for FM than HR (P < 0·01). There were no treatment differences in wool growth.The results obtained provide little evidence that fish meal had any beneficial effects upon lamb growth compared with the control diet except a possible increase in the efficiency of metabolizable energy utilization.