bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effect of bovine somatotropin administration during the last trimester of gestation on maternal growth, and foetal and placental development in primigravid ewes
Authors: Stelwagen K. , Grieve D. G. , Walton J. S. , Ball J. L. , McBride B. W. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractTwenty-five primigravid ewes were used in a preliminary study to investigate the effect of bovine somatotropin (bST) between 97 and 124 days of gestation, on maternaland foetal growthand development. Five ewes (reference group) were slaughteredat 96 days of gestation, and the remaining ewes were injected daily with saline (control group: no = 10) or 0·1 mg/kgbody weight of bST (bST group: no. = 10). Following bST treatment, five control- and five bST groupewes were slaughtered (slaughter group). The remaining ewes (production group) were allowed to lamb, after which the lambs were slaughtered within 2 h of birth. Bovine somatotropin reducedthe proportion of maternal body fat, but had no major impacton wool growth, maternal gain and gross skeletal measurements, and foetal growth and development. Maternal bST treatment tended to affect the number of placentomes. It should, however, be emphasized that these results are based on small numbers of animals and that further research in this area is required.
The ability of piglets 4 to 8 weeks old to digest and perform on diets containing two contrasting sources of non-starch polysaccharide
Authors: Longland A. C. , Carruthers J. , Low A. G. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractTwelve Large White × Landrace boars, initial mean live weight (kg) 5·51 (s.e. 0·8) were offered cereal-based diets containing 0 (diet C) or 150 g sugar-beet pulp per kg (containing no molasses or other additive) (diet 15SB) and the indigestible marker titanium dioxide from 21 to 57 days of age. The daily intakes, live-weight gains and food conversion ratios of the piglets were monitored from day 28. The apparent digestibilities of nitrogen (N), gross energy (GE) and non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) were measured on days 32 and 56. There were no significant differences either in voluntary intakes, or in the daily live-weight gains and food conversion ratios between the two diets. Likewise, there were no significant differences in the apparent digestibility of N and GE of the two diets. However, the capacity at 56 days of age to digest N from diet 15SB was greater than at 32 days of age. The apparent digestibility of total NSP at both 32 and 56 days of age was significantly greater for diet 15SB (averaging 0·75) than for diet C (averaging 0·54) (P < 0·001). The major NSP components of diet 15SB were arabinose, glucose and uronic acids, but the predominant NSP constituents of diet C were arabinose, xylose and glucose. The apparent digestibilities of arabinose (P < 0·05), mannose (P < 0·05), glucose (P < 0·05) and uronic acids (P < 0·001) were significantly greater from diet 15SB than from diet C. The apparent digestibility of NSP components from both diets tended to increase with age of piglet. These results are discussed in relation to the early establishment of an efficient gut microflora and indicate that the fermentative capacity of very young pigs may be higher than previously thought.
Effects of breed, rapid inbreeding, crossbreeding and environmental factors on fleece weight and fleece shedding in sheep
Authors: Wiener G. , Lee G. J. , Woolliams J. A. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractFleece weight and shedding score, a measure of premature fleece loss, were examined at first shearing and in older female sheep of three hilt breeds and their reciprocal crosses. Starting from a non-inbred base, the sheep were mated, mostly by younger-parent × offspring, for four generations, to produce inbreeding coefficients from 0·25 to 0·59. Crosses of inbred lines were also produced within breed type. The experimental design allowed the effects of inbreeding of the individual to be separated from the effects of maternal inbreeding.Inbreeding of the individual significantly and linearly reduced fleece weight. This effect was still apparent after adjustment for body weight. Maternal inbreeding significantly reduced only the weight of first fleeces, but the trends were similar at the later ages, especially among the purebreds. There was no significant interaction of purebred/crossbred status with level of inbreeding. Inbreeding did not significantly affect shedding score. The pure breeds and the crosses did not differ, on average, in fleece weights or shedding scores, but within the purebred and within the crossbred classes breed variation was significant. Fleece weight declined and the incidence of shedding increased with increasing age. The larger the number of lambs born in the year of shearing the lower the fleece weight and the greater the extent of fleece shedding.The effects of inbreeding could not be fully explained, statistically, in terms of dominance alone. Therefore, it seems probable that epistasis also plays a role in producing the observed changes with inbreeding in these traits.
The behavioural and production responses of finishing pigs to increasing workload to obtain food ad libitum from hopper feeders
Authors: Morrow A. T. S. , Walker N. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractTwo randomized-block experiments were carried out with growing pigs housed in groups of 10 from about 36 to 92 kg live weight and offered non-pelleted diets from single-space feeders containing separate food and water dispensers both operated by the pigs. The dispensing rate of food could be adjusted and rates of 1·4, 2·7 and 5·3 g per press of the nose plate were compared in experiment 1 and 4·8, 6·9 and 9·3 g per press compared in experiment 2. As dispensing rate increased in experiment 1 there were significant increases in food intake, growth rate and backfat thickness and a significant improvement in food conversion ratio on a carcass gain basis. There was no effect on the variation in growth rate between pigs within pens nor were there treatment effects in experiment 2 on any of the above measurements. The amount of food accumulating in troughs increased with feeder setting in both experiments.Behaviour at feeders was observed in each pen for 24 h during the 5th week using time-lapse video recording. The number of visits to feeders was not significantly affected in either experiment but time spent feeding was significantly increased at the lowest setting in experiment 1. Both the number of withdrawals from feeders accompanied by aggressive encounters and the number of pigs queuing decreased up to the dispensing rate of 6·9 g per press. There were tendencies for all parameters of behaviour to continue changing up to the highest dispensing rate.
The effect of pre- and post-partum energy and protein supply on the blood metabolites and reproductive performance of single- and twin-suckling beef cows
Authors: Sinclair K. D. , Broadbent P. J. , Hutchinson J. S. M. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractChanges in certain blood metabolites, serum progesterone concentration and pregnancy rate, were monitored for single- and twin-suckling cows in two experiments. In experiment 1, cows were managed to achieve condition scores at calving of 2·1 (low) and 3·1 (moderate). Subsequently, these animals were placed on a fixed level of energy intake (80 MJ metabolizable energy (ME) per day) for 16 weeks. Post-partum diets contained differing amounts of digestible undegradable protein (DUP), but similar amounts of effective rumen degradable protein (ERDP). In experiment 2, all cows were fed to achieve a condition score at calving of around 2·75. These animals were subsequently placed on two levels of energy intake (80 MJ and 130 MJ ME per day) for 16 weeks. The diets providing these levels of energy intake also contained differing amounts of DUP. Pregnancies were established by embryo transfer following induced oestrus.Cows in moderate body condition at calving subsequently had higher (P < 0·05) serum non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentrations. Cows on 130 MJ ME per day had lower serum NEFA concentrations than cows on 80 MJ ME per day. Cows given higher DUP diets had higher (P <0 ·05) serum NEFA concentrations when in negative energy balance and lower serum NEFA concentrations when close to energy equilibrium than cows given lower DUP diets. Twin-suckling cows had higher (P < 0·05) serum NEFA concentrations than single-suckling cows, but only during the first 3 weeks post partum. Plasma glucose concentrations were below 3 mmol/lfor twin-suckling cows until week 7 post partum when they became similar to the values for single-suckling cows. Serum D-3-hydroxybutyrate concentrations mirrored those of plasma glucose. Serum urea-nitrogen concentrations were high for twin-suckling cows on 80 MJ ME per day and single-suckling cows on 130 MJ ME per day.Neither body condition at calving nor post-partum energy intake significantly influenced the time taken for cows to overcome anovulation nor did they significantly influence the proportion of cows which eventually resumed normal oestrous cyclicity. DUP concentration in the post-partum diet had no overall effect on the various measures of fertility assessed but thin cows at calving subsequently placed on the high DUP diet took longer to ovulate (55 days; P < 0·05) and had the lowest pregnancy rate (0·30). The post-partum anovulatory period was longer (P < 0·01) by 27 days in experiment 1 and 12 days in experiment 2 for hvin-suckling cows compared with singlesuckling cows. A lower proportion (P < 0·001) of twin-suckling cows regained oestrous cyclicity and became pregnant in experiment 1. Fertility traits were improved when twin-suckling cows were in moderate body condition at calving and/or offered 130 MJ ME per day during the post-partum period.
Genetic relationships between predicted and dissected carcass composition in Scottish Blackface sheep
Authors: Bishop S. C. 
Published: September 2010

Carcass composition was measured on 133 Blackface ram lambs from a flock divergently selected for predicted carcass lean proportion. Prediction equations for different carcass components were developed using combinations of live weight and ultrasonic backfat and muscle depth. Both carcass lean and carcass fat proportion were best predicted using only live weight and fat depth, and a genetic transformation of the equation predicting carcass lean proportion was highly correlated (genetic correlation = 0·97) with the index on which the sheep were selected. Weights of carcass tissues were more accurately predicted than proportions. Lean weight was best predicted using live weight and muscle depth, and the weights of different fat components were best estimated using live weight, muscle depth and fat depth.The equations predicting carcass lean proportion, carcass fat proportion, lean mass and fat mass had heritabilities of 0·29, 0·27 0·20 and 0·23, respectively. Heritabilities for carcass lean and carcass fat proportions, and the subcutaneous and intermuscular fat components were 0·43, 0·48, 0·24 and 0·49, respectively. Genetic correlations of the equation predicting carcass lean proportion with lean and fat proportions were 0·52 (s.e. 0·21) and –0·45 (s.e. 0·22), respectively. The same correlations for the equation predicting carcass fat proportion were –0·47 (s.e. 0·22) and 0·57 (s.e. 0·21). The equations predicting carcass lean and fat proportions were strongly correlated with subcutaneous fat proportion but weakly genetically correlated with intermuscular fat proportion.
Factors affecting the time to first suckling in dairy calves
Authors: Edwards S. A. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTThe time from birth to first suckling was recorded for 161 dairy calves. Of these calves, 0·32 failed to suckle within the first 6h of life. The most important factor determining the time to first suckling was the udder conformation of the dam but delays were also attributable to abnormal maternal behaviour, especially in heifers, and poor calf vigour, especially after difficult calvings. Delayed suckling was more common as the parity of the dam increased. Heifers' calves that were sired by a Sussex bull stood up earlier and suckled earlier than those sired by a Friesian bull. Offspring of different Friesian sires differed in the time to first standing and suckling. Delayed suckling became more common as the calving season progressed. Calves born within a group of animals suckled no later than calves born in individual calving pens but 0·15 of those calves first suckled from a cow other than their dam.
Thyroid hormones and daily gain in cattle. Relationships between plasma total thyroxine, free thyroxine, triiodothyronine and average daily gain during the first year of life in Belgian blue and Friesian cattle
Authors: Fabry J. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTCorrelation between circulating thyroid hormones and live-weight gain during the first year of life were observed in four trials on cattle of the two main Belgian breeds: Belgian Blue and Friesian. Thyroid hormones assayed and considered as potential predictors of growth rate were: thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3) and free thyroxine (FT4). Triiodothyronine uptake (T,U), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and free thyroxine index (FTI) were also estimated.No significant correlation was found between live-weight gain and T4 or T3 in 13 Belgian Blue heifers (trial 1). In 49 bulls submitted to a performance test, T4 and FTI increased from 3 to 12 months whilst T3U decreased (trial 2). Significant correlations between live-weight gain and T4 and between live-weight gain and FTI were obtained from samples taken between 66 and 95 days. Live-weight gain was correlated with T3U when animals were between 96 and 125 days, and 126 to 155 days of age. It is possible that the interaction between total T4 and T3U is important in controlling growth. In 13 young calves, beef merit, expressed as live-weight gain in 1 year, was highly correlated with T4 concentration at 8 to 10 days of age (trial 3). T3 and FT4 did not seem to be directly associated with the growth processes. In trial 4, live-weight gains of 42 young animals housed on a commercial farm were negatively correlated with T4 and with FTI. The conflicting results encountered may perhaps be explained by the lack of information on the use of anabolic preparations in field conditions. T4 concentration and FTI may be considered as potential parameters for the estimation of beef merit but the results are insufficient to draw definite conclusions.
Ultrasonic evaluation of cattle
Authors: Miles C. A. , Fursey G. A. J. , Pomeroy R. W. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTOne hundred and fourteen castrated male cattle of various breeds were measured ultrasonically immediately prior to slaughter and the data were examined for correlations with the proportion of adipose tissue in the carcasses. Two flaw detectors and a simple scanner, the Scanogram, were used to make ultrasonic pulse-echo measurements of tissue thicknesses and areas. These were used to compute volumes of adipose tissue and muscle in a region of the back of each animal and the ratio of the volumes of the two tissues was examined for correlation with carcass fatness. Three individuals interpreted the Scanogram photographs and two made measurements using flaw detectors.In general, pulse-echo measurements made by different individuals differed in magnitude and predictive value, even when identical scans were measured. Equally there were substantial differences between measurements when the same animals were measured by the same individual using different ultrasonic instruments.In a parallel experiment, the speed of ultrasound transmission was measured at various locations on the living animal and the data were examined for correlations with carcass fatness. Unlike the pulse-echo technique, the transmission method was not prone to errors of subjective interpretation and did not require skill to interpret. Predictions based on speed measurements at two sites in the hind limb were as well related to carcass fatness as were those made on the basis of the best estimate of tissue volumes in the back. The use of two speed measurements in a multiple regression with the best Scanogram data significantly improved the accuracy of predictions of side fatness made on the basis of speed or pulseecho measurements alone.Two types of analysis were used to examine the effectiveness of Ultrasonic selection of lean animals from a group of 50 Hereford castrated males of similar age and weight.
Estimation of milk fat, solids-not-fat and total solids production in zebu and their brown swiss crosses
Authors: Sharma K. N. S. , Jain D. K. , Bhatnagar D. S. , Sharma R. C. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTThe present study estimates the mean fat and solids-not-fat concentrations, and 305-day yields of fat, solids-not-fat, total solids and milk for three zebu breeds (Tharparkar, Sahiwal and Red Sindhi) and for halfbred F1 and F2 Brown Swiss ♂ × Sahiwal ♀ and ¾ Brown Swiss ♂ × Sahiwal 9 cattle maintained at this Institute during the period 1972–75. Mean fat and solids-not-fat concentrations ranged from 46·4 to 47·8 g/kg and 90·3 to 90·9 g/kg respectively, which were similar for all breeds. The 305-day fat, solids-not-fat, total solids and milk yields differed significantly between different breeds (P < 0–01). These yields were similar for the three zebu breeds (86 to 96 kg fat, 164 to 186 kg solids-not-fat, 250 to 282 kg total solids and 1 814 to 2 054 kg milk), but crossbreds showed significantly higher yields (125 to 171 kg, 242 to 332 kg, 368 to 503 kg and 2 670 to 3 676 kg, respectively), the highest being for F1 halfbreds. Season of calving had no significant effect on mean fat and solids-not-fat concentrations whereas the lactation yield parameters were found to be significantly higher for Tharparkar, Sahiwal and F1 Brown Swiss × Sahiwal cattle calving in the winter, followed in order by those calving in the monsoon and those calving in the summer. Selection of animals based on milk production alone was also found to increase the yield of milk constituents.
Effects of selection for low backfat thickness in pigs on the sites of tissue deposition in the body
Authors: Wood J. D. , Whelehan O. P. , Ellis M. , Smith W. C. , Laird R. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTThe effects of selection for low backfat thickness on tissue deposition in different body sites has been investigated in pigs. Eight castrated male and eight female pigs from each of the selection and control lines maintained at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne were used. One castrated male and one female from each line was killed at 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105 and 120 kg live weight following ad libitum food consumption and fully dissected.There were only small effects of line on carcass composition, selected pigs having 120 g/kg more bone than controls at the mean side weight (P < 0·001) and 40 g/kg more lean (NS). At the same mean weight of subcutaneous fat, selected pigs had thinner backfat than controls (approximately 3 mm) over m. longissimus at the last rib and over the shoulder but not at the mid-rump or mid-back positions. There appears to have been a slight shift in the sites of fat deposition from above m. longissimus in the loin towards the mid-line and rump as a result of selection, even though mid-rump, C and K measurements were all included in the selection index. However, there was no difference between the lines in the weight distribution of subcutaneous fat between six regions and so these shifts must have been very localized. There was no difference between lines in the relationship between P2 fat thickness and proportion of lean in the side.The effects of selection on the sites of deposition within tissues other than subcutaneous fat were small. In particular there was no evidence that selection has caused relocation of body fat from subcutaneous to the other sites.
Feeding value of high moisture ammonia-treated wheat straw for lambs
Authors: Streeter C. L. , Horn G. W. , Batchelder D. G. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACT1. Two experiments were conducted to determine the feeding value of high moisture wheat straw treated with ammonia. The straw was chopped, water added to attain 350 g dry matter per kg treated straw, then treated with 84 or 90 g anhydrous ammonia per kg wheat straw dry matter and stored in a large plastic bag.2. In Experiment 1, the treated straw was providedad libitumto lambs in individual pens with either a control supplement (molasses and minerals), or 200 or 400 g of a soya bean meal- or maize gluten meal-based supplement.3. Lambs fed the control supplement consumed 24·8 g of treated straw dry matter per kg live weight and lost 32 g live weight per day during the 28-day study. Source of supplemental protein did not affect live-weight gain or treated straw consumption. Level of supplement increased live-weight gains (P< 0·01) but did not affect treated straw consumption.4. In Experiment 2, the lambs were fed one of three levels of supplement that each supplied 58 or 116 g of crude protein per day. Supplemental protein level increased cellulose digestibility (P< 0·01) with no effect on hemicellulose digestibility. Protein level did not affect treated straw consumption or live-weight gain.5. Supplement level decreased cellulose digestibility (P< 0·01), hemicellulose digestibility (P< 0·01), and treated straw intake (P< 0·01) but increased live-weight gain.6. The results are discussed in relation to the effects of amount and type of supplemental protein and level of supplementation on utilization of the treated straw.
A note on a population model for breeding colonies
Authors: Kushner H. , Angelakos E. T. 
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACTA discrete-time population model is presented which is specific to the characteristics of a breeding colony. It is intended to be a rigorous yet an easily applied model. The model is based on a female-dominated demographic system with constraints on colony size. Fecundity and survival probabilities are incorporated into a net reproductive rate which is age-specific and time and population size invariant. The model is applied to solve an optimization problem for a breeding colony of African Green monkeys and to examine a set of external constraints imposed on the colony.
A note on the effect of oxygen-compared with nitrogen-ventilated hay on energy retention of steers
Authors: Menke K. H. , Schneider W. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYVentilation of hay with oxygen increased oxygen consumption (P< 0·001) and carbon dioxide formation (P<0·01) of two steers, when compared with nitrogen-ventilated hay. Heat production was about 5% higher in the oxygen-hay period than in the nitrogen-hay period (P< 0·001). No difference in digestibility of nutrients was observed between these treatments.
Genetic parameters of beef characters and the genetic relationship between meat and milk production in British Friesian cattle
Authors: Mason I. L. , Vial V. E. , Thompson R. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYA beef progeny test was organized for 66 British Friesian bulls standing at AI centres in England. Eighty-one progeny groups averaging 8-5 steers each were reared on the farms of various co-operating organizations and their growth and carcass characters were recorded. Heritability of various measurements of gain varied from 0 to 0·34, of carcass conformation measures from 0·24 to 0·50, of muscle and fat percentage in the rib joint was 0·58 and 0·46 respectively, of other measures of fatness varied from 0·04 to 0·18, of weight of feet was 0·4 and of weight of hide 0·5.Phenotypic correlations among beef characters gave no indication that carcass composition could be predicted from the external carcass measurements or subjective scores used in this study. Genetic correlations suggested that selection for weight for age would produce a fatter and more compact carcass. Genetic correlations were high and negative between milk yield (contemporary comparison) and weight for age, carcass weight/length, and blockiness of leg, and high and positive between milk yield, and carcass depth/length and percentage bone in the rib joint. Their standard errors were also high.