The growth of young cattle fed on dried grass alone and with barley 1. Feed intake, digestibility and body gains

1971 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 461-471 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. R. Lonsdale ◽  
E. K. Poutiainen ◽  
J. C. Tayler
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Weight Gain ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Carcass Weight ◽  
Gut Contents ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Physical Form ◽  
Productive Potential

SUMMARY1. The primary growth of a sward of S24 perennial ryegrass was harvested between 23 April and 9 May 1968, artificially dried and either chopped or coarsely milled. The two physical forms of grass were wafered either alone or together with 50% by dry weight of rolled, anaerobically stored barley, and given to 7-month-old, Hereford × British Friesian steers in an experiment of 2 × 2 factorial design.2. A representative group of animals was slaughtered at the beginning of the experiment, and the remainder were individually fed ad libitum for 70 days, after which they also were slaughtered. During the feeding period digestibility was determined by total faecal collection from all the animals individually on two occasions.3. Dry-matter intake and live-weight gain were similar on all feeds. The weight of gut contents as a percentage of final live weight was significantly lower and the carcass-weight gain was significantly higher for animals given wafers containing barley compared with those for animals given wafers of grass alone.4. Coarse milling compared with chopping reduced the apparent digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, cellulose and energy; the addition of barley increased the digestibility of organic matter but further reduced that of cellulose.5. The efficiency of conversion of digested energy to empty-weight or carcass gain was similar for wafers containing the two forms of forage, but the digested energy of wafers containing barley was converted to carcass weight with significantly greater efficiency than that of wafers consisting solely of grass.6. Physical separation of the tissues of sample joints failed to show any significant differences in the proportion of fat, muscle and bone as a result of either differences in physical form or the inclusion of barley.7. The results indicate that live-weight gain is an insufficiently sensitive measurement by which to assess the true productive potential of feeds given to ruminants in short-term experiments.

The influence of formaldehyde application at ensiling and of supplementation with urea or maize starch on the utilization by calves of ryegrass and red clover silages

1983 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 371-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. G. Kaiser ◽  
D. F. Osbourn ◽  
P. England
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Weight Gain ◽  
Formic Acid ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Nitrogen Retention ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Red Clover ◽  
Carcass Weight ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Formaldehyde Treatment

ABSTRACTPrimary growths of perennial ryegrass and red clover were ensiled with formic acid (2 1/t fresh crop), o an equal quantity of formic acid together with formaldehyde (46 or 49 g/kg crude protein in the ryegrass or red clover respectively). The four silages were offered ad libitum to 12 groups, each of five British Friesian steer calves, either alone or with urea or maize starch supplements at 18·4 or 185·2 g/kg total dry-matter intake respectively.Digestible organic matter and digestible energy intake, live-weight gain, carcass weight, nitrogen retention and all digestibility measurements were higher on the ryegrass silages than on the red clover silages. However, dry-matter intake was higher on the red clover silages.Formaldehyde treatment reduced lactic and total acid content, and protein degradation in the silages. It also increased intake, live-weight gain and nitrogen retention on ryegrass but not on red clover, the effect being greater when the urea supplement was given. Digestibility measurements were depressed by formaldehyde treatment, although cellulose digestibility was only depressed in the ryegrass silage.Supplementation with starch depressed silage intake and nitrogen and cellulose digestibility, but increased dry matter, organic matter and energy digestibilities, digestible organic matter and digestible energy intakes, live-weight gain and carcass weight. The positive intake, live-weight gain and carcass weight responses were greater on the silages treated with formic acid, while the digestibility and the live-weight gain responses were greater on the red clover silages. Starch supplementation did not improve nitrogen retention.The different animal production responses to formaldehyde treatment on the ryegrass and red clover silages are discussed.

The utilization of maize silage for intensive beef production: II. The effect of urea on silage fermentation and on the voluntary intake and performance of young cattle fed maize silage-based diets

1975 ◽  
Vol 84 (2) ◽  
pp. 365-372 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Thomas ◽  
R. F. Wilson ◽  
R. J. Wilkins ◽  
J. M. Wilkinson
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Weight Gain ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Butyl Rubber ◽  
Dry Matter Content ◽  
Maize Silage ◽  
Total Acid ◽  
Live Weight Gain

SUMMARYMaize was cut at 22·6, 27·0 and 41·6% dry matter and ensiled in 4 kg quantities in polythene bags without additive or after the addition of urea at 0·5, 1·0, 1·5 and 2·0% of the crop dry-matter content. Silos were opened at intervals up to 96 days. Maize of 23·4% dry-matter content was ensiled in 10 t butyl rubber silos without additive or after the addition of urea at 1·0% or fishmeal at 4·0% of the crop dry-matter content.Silages from the polythene bag silos were all well preserved. pH values increased and total acid content fell with increasing maturity of the crop. Addition of urea had little effect on these values. Only with the most mature crop did ammonia content increase markedly with increasing level of urea addition. All silages from the butyl rubber silos were well preserved with low pH values and similar total acid contents.Silages from the butyl rubber silos were used to measure voluntary, intake live-weight gain and efficiency of utilization of young beef cattle. The diets fed were silage without nitrogen supplement or supplemented with urea or fishmeal, added at ensiling, at feeding or included in a concentrate feed. One third of the total dry-matter intake of all cattle was provided by a pelleted concentrate feed consisting of equal quantities of dried grass and rolled barley.The increase in nitrogen content brought about by the addition of urea or fishmeal did not affect total dry-matter or organic-matter intake but was associated with 25% increase in nitrogen consumed. Live-weight gain on all treatments with added nitrogen was 20% higher than for the unsupplemented silage. This improvement in growth rate was accompanied by significant increases in efficiency of utilization of dietary dry matter and organic matter but efficiency of nitrogen utilization was reduced. The results indicate that neither the source nor site of addition of supplementary nitrogen significantly affect live-weight gain, dry-matter intake, organic-matter intake or utilization of dry matter or organic matter. They also demonstrate that urea can be used effectively to provide supplementary nitrogen to young cattle fed a maize silage-based ration.

The effect of oestradiol-17 β implantation on the response in voluntary intake, live-weight gain and body composition, to fishmeal supplementation of silage offered to growing calves

1987 ◽  
Vol 108 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret Gill ◽  
D. E. Beever ◽  
P. J. Buttery ◽  
P. England ◽  
M. J. Gibb ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Weight Gain ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Energy Utilization ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Gross Efficiency ◽  
Grass Silage ◽  
Voluntary Intake

SummaryThe effect of oestradiol-17β on the response to fishmeal supplementation of grass silage was studied in young growing cattle. Voluntary intake and live-weight gain were recorded over 63 days with 36 British Friesian male castrates (initial live weight (LW) 119 kg) offered silage alone (C) or with 50 (FM1), 100 (FM2), or 150 (FM3) g fishmeal/kg silage dry matter. Twelve calves were allocated to each of treatments C and FM3 and six to treatments FM1 and FM2. Half of the calves on each treatment were ear-implanted with oestradiol-17β (Compudose 365) at the start of the experiment. The calves on treatments C and FM3 were slaughtered after 75 days and chemical analysis conducted on half of each carcass. The silage had an organic-matter digestibility in vivo of 0·794 and was well-fermented, with a pH of 3·7. Intake averaged 24·2±0·42 g D.M./kg LW over all the treatments and live-weight gain was 0·77 kg/day on the silage alone. There was a significant (P < 0·05) interaction between fishmeal and oestradiol-17β, such that response to the hormone was observed only in the presence of fishmeal at 100 or 150 g/kg silage D.M. A similar interaction was apparent between fishmeal at 150 g/kg silage D.M. and oestradiol-17β in the final weights of empty body and carcass. This level of fishmeal also increased protein gain from 96 to 147 g/day and this was further increased to 179 g/day in the implanted animals receiving fishmeal. However, the overall effect of oestradiol-17β on protein gain was not significant. Gross efficiency of energy utilization was significantly (P < 0·01) increased by fishmeal supplementation suggesting an improved balance of nutrients compared with the silage alone diet.

A note on the progressive carcass-weight changes of fattening store lambs

1973 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Rutter
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Carcass Weight ◽  
Dry Matter Intake ◽  
Weight Changes ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Ad Libitum

SUMMARYTwo experiments involving the sequential slaughter of intensively fattened store lambs were each carried out over a period of 12 weeks. In the first experiment the lambs were offered a concentrate diet ad libitum. In the second experiment they were offered swede turnips ad libitum with a limited amount of concentrates.In each experiment, similar groups of lambs were slaughtered at equal intervals in order to measure progressive changes in live weight, carcass weight and dry-matter intake. Carcass-weight gain as a proportion of live-weight gain was found to be 74% in the first experiment and 86% in the second experiment.

Intake and live-weight gain by British Friesian calves offered different ratios of dried grass and concentrates

1975 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 345-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Marsh
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Weight Gain ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Protein Concentrate ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
The Third ◽  
Digestible Organic Matter ◽  
Organic Matter Digestibility ◽  
Daily Gain

SUMMARYFour experiments were carried out with calves offered pellets containing different ratios of cereal/protein concentrate and dried grass together with 10% chopped hay. Organic matter digestibility of total ration declined by 5·2 percentage units for each 25% increment of dried grass.Dry matter (DM) intake of the total ration increased as dried grass content increased from 0 to 50% which led to similar intakes of digestible organic matter (DOM) and daily gain. When pellets contained 75% dried grass, total DM intakes were reduced in two experiments, leading to DOM intakes and daily gains similar to that of calves offered pellets of dried grass only. In the third experiment, DM intake of pellets containing 75 % dried grass was greater than the intake of pellets containing 50 to 100 % dried grass. When equal quantities of DM were offered, DOM intakes and daily gains tended to decline linearly as dried grass content in the pellet increased. The replacement value of the dried grass for concentrate at equal levels of live-weight gain was 1·36: 1.

The performance of early-weaned calves offered concentrates or artificially dried grasses

1974 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Marsh
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Weight Gain ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Dry Matter Intake ◽  
Causal Factors ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Digestible Organic Matter ◽  
Matter Basis

SUMMARYIn two experiments dried grass cobs or concentrate were offered to calves for 20 weeks after weaning. In Experiment 1 the grasses were harvested in the autumn and in Experiment 2 in the spring. Within each experiment three grasses differing in quality and two levels of concentrate were compared.Dry-matter intake of the dried grasses highest in digestibility was lower than that of medium digestibility grass, and hardness of package, palatability and mould infestation were implicated as possible causal factors.Live-weight gains by calves were closely correlated with digestible organic matter (DOM) intake. There was no significant difference between spring harvested grasses and concentrate in efficiency of utilization of DOM for live-weight gain but autumn grasses were used less efficiently than concentrate. At similar rates of gain the replacement value (dry-matter basis) of dried grass for concentrate averaged 142: 1.

Cereal processing and food utilization by sheep 2. A note on the effect of feeding unprocessed barley, maize, oats and wheat on food utilization by early-weaned lambs

1974 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. R. Ørskov ◽  
C. Fraser ◽  
I. McHattie
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Weight Gain ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Growth Period ◽  
Food Utilization ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
Effect Of Feeding

SUMMARYAn experiment was carried out with 64 lambs to determine the digestibility and efficiency of food utilization of barley, maize, oats and wheat when they were offered whole and loose, or roughly ground and pelleted.Apparent digestibilities of the organic matter (%) for the four cereals in the order given above were 81·1, 84·3, 69·9 and 82·7 for the whole and 77·2, 82·1, 67·5 and 86·6 for the ground and pelleted grains. The corresponding live-weight gains (g/day) were 340, 345, 241 and 303, and 347, 346, 238 and 323. The corresponding conversions of dry matter (kg) to live-weight gain (kg), over the growth period from 15 to 35 kg weight, were 2·75, 2·52, 3·07 and 2·97 and 2·79, 2·62, 3·33 and 2·56.

The utilization of maize silage for intensive beef production: I. The effect of level and source of supplementary nitrogen on the utilization of maize silage by cattle of different ages

1975 ◽  
Vol 84 (2) ◽  
pp. 353-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Thomas ◽  
J. M. Wilkinson ◽  
J. C. Tayler
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Crude Protein ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Maize Silage ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Main Effect ◽  
Urea Addition

SUMMARYFifty-four British Friesian castrated male calves, initially 3, 6 or 9 months of age (107, 180 and 249 kg initial live weight, respectively), were individually fed for 83 days on maize silage (27·9% dry matter (D.M.), 10·7% crude protein in D.M.), offeredad libitum. Silage was offered either alone or supplemented with cobs of dried lucerne (21% of total D.M. intake). Three levels of urea (0, 1 and 2% of silage D.M.) were added to the silage before feeding.Total D.M. intakes averaged 23·0, 23·4 and 21·6 g/kg live weight (LW) for the 3-, 6- and 9-month-old animals, respectively. Addition of urea increased silage intake by 11% in the 6-month-old group but there was little effect in the 3- and 9-month-old groups. Lucerne supplementation reduced silage D.M. intake from 22·0 to 18·4 g/kg LW (P< 0·001) and increased total D.M. intake by 1·4 g/kg LW (P< 0·001).Live-weight gain (LWG) of the cattle fed on silage alone increased (P< 0·001) with increasing age of animal. The main effect of urea was to elevate (P< 0·001) LWG from an average of 0·79 (no urea) to 0·94 kg/head/day (2% urea). However, it appeared that most of this effect was confined to the 6-month-old group. The effect of lucerne on LWG decreased with increasing age of animal (P< 0·001). Inclusion of lucerne in the diet significantly reduced the response to urea (P< 0·05).Feed conversion efficiency (LWG/100 Mcal DE intake) decreased (P< 0·01) with increasing age of animal but increased with urea addition from an average of 4·7 (no urea) to 5·3 kg LWG/100 Meal DE intake (2% urea). The response to lucerne supplementation in terms of efficiency was greatest in the 3-month-old group and thereafter declined markedly with increasing age of animal.The results of this experiment indicated that cattle older than 6 months of age (180 kg LW) could achieve a rate of growth of 1·0 kg/head/day on maize silage supplemented solely with urea, but that younger animals required supplementary lucerne to support a high rate of live-weight gain.

Dry-matter intake and live-weight gain of cattle and sheep offered different grass varieties with and without clover

1969 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. G. Miles ◽  
R. J. K. Walters ◽  
E. M. Evans
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Red Clover ◽  
Dry Matter Intake ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Feeding Value ◽  
Feeding Trials ◽  
Animal Feeding

SUMMARYA series of animal feeding trials was designed to determine differences between grasses in dry-matter intake and animal live-weight gain, with a view to indicating better selection criteria for improving the feeding value of herbage.Wide differences were demonstrated in feed intake and live-weight gain between single-variety grass feeds at similar levels of digestibility.S.37 cocksfoot gave consistently good and S.51 timothy, consistently poor responses.Supplementation of grass feeds with red clover frequently resulted in marked improvement in feed intake and animal performance.

Single cereal diets for bacon pigs: 2. The effect of methods of storage and preparation of barley on performance and carcass quality

1970 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. J. A. Cole ◽  
G. W. Dean ◽  
J. R. Luscombe
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Propionic Acid ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Chromic Oxide ◽  
Carcass Quality ◽  
Apparent Digestibility ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Feeding Value

SUMMARYBarley which had been stored after treatment with 0·8 % propionic acid was incorporated into pig diets in either the milled or the rolled form and its feeding value compared with that of barley stored dry and then ground, and of moist barley stored anaerobically and then rolled. The pigs were fed from 50 to 200 lb live weight on the four diets. Their performance was not affected by the method of storage of the barley, but those given rolled barley required 11% more dry matter per unit of live-weight gain than those given milled barley. There were no significant differences between the treatments in carcass measurements, or in apparent digestibility coefficients as measured by the chromic-oxide method.

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