Growth and herbage consumption of grazing Merino and Border Leicester lambs reared by their mothers or fostered by ewes of the other breed

1972 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 317-322 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. P. Langlands
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Food Intake ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
The Other ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
Voluntary Food Intake

SUMMARYEight Border Leicester castrated male lambs (wethers) were fostered on to 8 Merino ewes (MB) at birth, and 10 Merino wethers were fostered on to Border Leicester ewes (BM). Two additional groups of 10 wethers consisted of Border Leicester lambs (BB) and Merino lambs (MM) reared by their natural mothers. The lambs and ewes grazed together and growth rate, and milk and herbage consumption of the lambs were recorded.Live-weight gains to weaning at 74 days were 275, 245, 204 and 184 g/day for groups BB, MB, BM and MM respectively. Lambs reared by Border Leicester ewes received more milk and consumed less grass than lambs of similar genotype reared by Merinos, but BM lambs consumed less milk than BB lambs. Merino lambs also consumed less grass than Border Leicester lambs.It was concluded that Merinos grew more slowly than Border Leicester lambs primarily because of their lower voluntary food intake. The lower milk production of Merino ewes was considered to be of secondary significance since if herbage is available ad libitum, lambs with high voluntary intakes will compensate for the lack of milk by consuming more forage.

Effects of nutrition in late pregnancy on subsequent milk production in Ewes

1970 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. T. Treacher
Keyword(s):  
Milk Production ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Late Pregnancy ◽  
Lower Content ◽  
Weight Changes ◽  
Total Birth ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
Voluntary Intake

SUMMARY1. Scottish Half-bred ewes carrying twin foetuses were fed individually to make live-weight gains in the last six weeks of pregnancy of (1) 20%, (2) 10% and (3) 0% of their live weight in week 14 of pregnancy. In lactation the ewes were fed ad libitum. The lambs were removed 12 to 16 hr after parturition and the ewes were machine-milked twice daily for the first six weeks of lactation.2. Total birth weights per ewe of twin lambs from the treatments were (1) 10·10 kg, (2) 9·44 kg and (3) 8·18 kg and differed significantly.3. The level and pattern of voluntary intake in lactation did not differ significantly between the treatments. Total dry-matter intakes in the six weeks of lactation were (1) 121·9 kg (2) 105·9 kg and (3) 109·5 kg.4. The pregnancy treatments affected the level of milk production and the shape of lactation curves. The total yields in the first six weeks of lactation were (1) 58·8 kg, (2) 43·5 kg and (3) 26·9 kg. Higher contents of fat and protein and the lower content of lactose in the milk from treatment-3 ewes on days 1 and 3 of lactation indicated a slower onset of lactation in these ewes. Between days 7 and 35 of lactation the contents of fat and SNF were lowest on treatment 3 but the differences were not significant.5. The live-weight changes in lactation, which were in inverse order to the gains in late pregnancy, were (1) 3·4 kg, (2) 5·5 kg and (3) 9·5 kg.

The effect of body reserves at farrowing on the reproductive performance of first-litter sows

1989 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 449-457 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. P. Mullan ◽  
I. H. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Food Intake ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Body Reserves ◽  
H 30 ◽  
Voluntary Food Intake

ABSTRACTThe level of body reserves in first-litter sows was manipulated by giving gilts one of three levels (high (H), medium (M) or low (L)) of food from selection (44 kg live weight) to parturition. The aim of this experiment was either to maintain or to mobilize these reserves during lactation (31·4 days) by feeding sows to appetite (high (H)) or 2·0 kg/day (low (L)).When the level of body reserves was increased prior to farrowing (171 kg live weight, 32 mm backfat) sows had a lower voluntary food intake during lactation than those animals that farrowed with a low level of body reserves (126 kg live weight, 20 mm backfat) (H-H v. L-H, 3·4 v. 4·9 kg/day; P < 0·001). Both groups had a normal return to oestrous activity after weaning (mean interval between weaning and mating of 14 days) but the heavier animals mobilized more of their body reserves (H-H −30·7 kg live weight, -4·3 mm backfat; L-H -3·6 kg live weight +0·9 mm backfat; P < 0·001). When food intake during lactation was restricted to 2·0 kg/day the interval between weaning and mating was increased by 50% regardless of the level of body reserves present at farrowing. For the same animals, there were insufficient body reserves to support milk production at the same level as for those animals given food t o appetite.

A note on the response of pigs weaned at 28 days to dietary protein

1986 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 427-429 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. G. Campbell ◽  
M. R. Taverner
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Food Intake ◽  
Dietary Protein ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Gain Ratio ◽  
Digestible Energy ◽  
Voluntary Food Intake

ABSTRACTThirty-six piglets were used to investigate the effect of six concentrations of dietary protein ranging from 155 to 235 g/kg, and corresponding dietary lysine concentrations from 10·1 to 15·4 g/kg, on the performance of pigs weaned at 28 days of age and growing between 7·5 and 20 kg live weight. Voluntary food intake was not significantly affected by dietary protein, and growth rate increased with increase in dietary protein and lysine up to 167 and 10·9 g/kg respectively (0·75 g lysine per MJ digestible energy (DE)). Food: gain ratio improved significantly with each increase in dietary protein and lysine up to 177 and 11·6 g/kg (0·79 g lysine per MJ DE) respectively.

scholarly journals Effect of age upon utilisation of iron in chickens

2011 ◽  
Vol 49 (No. 9) ◽  
pp. 407-410
Author(s):  
E. Fajmonová ◽  
J. Zelenka ◽  
K. Holendová
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
The Body ◽  
Fast Growing ◽  
Fe Content ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
Iron Retention ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
Effect Of Age ◽  
Meat Type

The effect of age upon iron retention in cockerels of laying and meat type hybrids was examined within 46 subsequent balance periods. Chickens were fed ad libitum a diet with the content of 312 mg Fe per 1 kg. The dependence of Fe utilisation upon age from Day 3 to Day 100 was expressed by the second degree parabolas with minimum values in the tenth week of age. The dependence of Fe content in weight gains on age was highly significant (P &lt; 0.01). The course of this dependence was expressed by parabolas with minimum values on Day 38 and Day 28 in slow and fast growing chickens, resp. The growth rate of total amount of Fe in the body was by 6&nbsp;per cent lower (P &lt; 0.01) than that of live weight of chickens. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Photoperiodic requirements for rapid growth in young male red deer

1998 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 363-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. Webster ◽  
I. D. Corson ◽  
R. P. Littlejohn ◽  
S. K. Stuart ◽  
J. M. Suttie
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Food Intake ◽  
Rapid Growth ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Young Male ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Reproductive Development ◽  
The Other ◽  
Plasma Prolactin ◽  
Lower Amplitude

AbstractWinter growth of young male red deer can be increased by exposure to 16 h of light (L) and 8 h of dark (D) per day (16L: 8D). This study tested the duration of photoperiod required for this growth response, determined if the time to reach slaughter weight can be reduced and monitored plasma IGF-1, prolactin and reproductive development. Fifty male calves were allocated to five equal groups. Four groups were housed indoors and for 33 weeks from the winter solstice (22 June, southern hemisphere) until 11 February were placed under either 16L: 8D (16L), 13·25L: 10·75D (13L), 10·751:13·25D (111) or 8L: 16D (8L) photoperiods. The fifth group of deer (OC) remained outside in a gravelled enclosure. All groups were given a pelleted diet ad libitum. Group food intake was recorded daily, individual live weight was measured weekly and testes diameter and blood samples taken at weekly or 2-week intervals.Plasma prolactin concentrations in 16L increased within 4 weeks of treatment and were different (P < 0·001) between groups from 14 August to 4 September. IGF-1 increased in both 16L and 13L 4 weeks after treatments and then increased further in 16L above that of 13L (P < 0·01). All groups grew at the same rate for the first 7 weeks. 16L then gained more weight (P < 0·001) than the other groups over the next 19 weeks (50·7 kg v. 38·5 for 13L, 35·7 for 11L, 37·0 for 8L and 37·4 for OC; s.e.d. 3·76). Food intake was positively related to growth rate in a similar way among the inside groups (P < 0·001), however there was a higher energy requirement outdoors (P < 0·05). A target live weight for slaughter of 95 kg was reached 7 weeks earlier for 16L than the other groups (P < 0·01). Testes diameter of 16L was larger than in the other groups from 13 November until 24 December (P < 0·001). The growth oflSL slowed from 1 January while that of OC increased and the live weight ofOC was equal to 16L by the end of the experiment. OC also had the largest testes diameter from 5 February onwards (P < 0·01). The live-weight increase in OC was associated with increases in both prolactin and IGF-1 levels.This study confirmed that 16L: 8D stimulates rapid growth of young male red deer during winter for sufficient time to achieve an earlier slaughter date. The live-weight advantage was lost by late summer however. The increased growth rate was mediated by food intake and associated with increases in IGF-1 and prolactin and earlier reproductive development. Photoperiods of 13 h of light per day or less did not stimulate growth and increases in IGF-1 and prolactin were of a lower amplitude than under 16L: 8D.

Seasonal variation of voluntary food intake and metabolic rate in three contrasting breeds of sheep

1994 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 381-387 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. R. Iason ◽  
D. A. Sim ◽  
E. Foreman ◽  
P. Fenn ◽  
D. A. Elston
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Variation ◽  
Food Intake ◽  
Metabolic Rate ◽  
Basal Metabolic Rate ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
The Other ◽  
Seasonal Effect ◽  
Seasonal Cycles ◽  
Voluntary Food Intake

AbstractVoluntary food intake (VFI) of chopped timothy hay and metabolic rate were each measured in each month of the year in six non-breeding ewes of each of three breeds. Metabolic rate was measured using indirect calorimetry over a range of food intakes and adjusted for intake to an estimated maintenance metabolic rate (MMR). The breeds compared were the Dorset Horn (DT), Scottish Blackface (BF) and Shetland (SH), the first being less seasonal in reproductive and other characteristics than the other two which are hill or northern latitude breeds. There was significant overall variation between months in VFI which was higher in the summer (July to September) than in the winter (December to February) months (P < 0·001). There was a significant breed × month interaction (P < 0·01), the seasonal effect being most strongly observed in the BF and SH ewes, whose VFI in summer was proportionately 0-1 greater than the year-round mean but was 0-1 lower in the winter. The DT ewes showed much less seasonal variation in VFI. There was no overall difference in VFI between breeeds (DT: 43-7; BF: 49-5; SH: 48-1 g dry matter per M075 live weight per day, P > 0·1). Although MMR varied significantly between months (P < 0·001), there was no systematic variation between summer and winter. There was no significant breed × month interaction, but the MMR differed significantly (P < 0·001) between breeds giving a high overall MMR in BF (DT: 322-7; BF: 356-6; SH: 324-5 kf/kg M0·75 per day). No significant correlation existed (P > 0·05) between the monthly mean MMR and VFI in any of the breeds. The causal relationship between seasonal cycles of basal metabolic rate and VFI is questioned.

The effect of housing and food restriction during winter on growth of male red deer calves

1997 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 171-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. Webster ◽  
I. D. Corson ◽  
J. M. Suttie
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Food Intake ◽  
Energy Expenditure ◽  
Food Restriction ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Normal Growth ◽  
Cold Weather ◽  
Ad Libitum

AbstractLow winter growth is a characteristic of male red deer and is caused, in part by a combination of reduced appetite and higher energy expenditure due to cold weather. This study aimed to determine whether housing during winter would reduce energy expenditure and increase the growth rate of male red deer calves. An additional aim was to investigate whether food restriction in winter would be compensated for by increased spring growth. In each of two consecutive years, 80 calves were randomly allocated to eight groups (no. = 10) comprising two replicates of four treatments during winter. Groups were housed inside (I) or outside (O) and given food either ad libitum (AL) or restricted (R) to maintain live weight. Winter treatments (southern hemisphere) ran from 22 May to 25 August (year 1) and from 5 June to 5 September (year 2). During these periods, animals were weighed weekly and group food intake recorded daily. At the end of winter animals were moved outside onto pasture and weighed monthly until the end of spring (27 November, year 1 and 7 December, year 2). In year 2 weighing continued during summer, until 4 April. The animals were slaughtered on 28 November and 18 January (year 1) and 5 April (year 2). The effect of housing on live-weight gain (LWG) and dry-matter intake (DM1) in AL groups was not significant in either year. However in R groups, O had a higher DMI than I in both years (P < 0·05) and a higher LWG than I in year 1 (P < 0·05). LWG was loiver in R than in AL groups in winter in year 1 (P < 0·05) and year 2 (P < 0·001) and live weight was lower in R than in AL groups at the end of winter in both years. Live weight was still lower in R than in AL groups at the end of spring in both years (P < 0·01). In year 2, this live-weight difference was not significant by the end of summer. Hot carcass weight (HCW) was greater in AL animals than R animals (P < 0·05) and dressing proportion was higher in R than in AL (P < 0·05) in year 1. GR (an index of body fatness) was greater (P < 0·05) in O than I in year 1 and was greater (P < 0·05) in AL than in R animals in year 2. Differences in GR between treatments were not significant in either year, with HCW as a covariate.In conclusion, housing calves given food ad libitum during winter did not reduce DMI or increase growth rate. When normal growth rates were prevented by restricting food intake, housing lowered DMI requirement, although such a situation is unlikely to be a useful farm management practice as recovery from the growth check was slow. Annual variations in climate may determine both the food savings made by housing and the extent of compensatory growth of food-restricted animals in spring.

Effects of ardacin supplementation on food intake and growth rate of growing and finishing steers

1995 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. 409-417 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. G. Keane ◽  
M. P. Read ◽  
A. P. Moloney
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Food Intake ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Basal Diet ◽  
Initial Weight ◽  
Grazing Season ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Grass Silage ◽  
Finishing Steers ◽  
Ad Libitum

AbstractArdacin is an antibacterial glycopeptide with ruminal activity. The objective of this study was to measure its effects on food intake and growth rate of growing and finishing steers. Two experiments were carried out simultaneously using the same foods and the same ardacin supplementation levels. In experiment 1, 72 growing steers (8 months old and 240 kg initial weight) in four treatment groups were individually offered a basal diet of grass silage ad libitum. In experiment 2, 44 finishing steers (19 months old and 463 kg initial weight), also in four treatment groups were individually offered a basal diet of grass silage ad libitum plus 3 kg (5 kg for the final 28 days) concentrates per head daily. The four treatments were 0, 50, 125 and 210 mg ardacin per head daily incorporated into 1 kg ground barley. This was offered in addition to the basal diet. The duration of the experimental period was 154 days after which 48 of the growing steers were put to pasture for a 196-day grazing season. The finishing steers were slaughtered following a withdrawal period of 7 days. Mean daily silage dry-matter intakes, and mean daily total metabolizable energy intakes for the treatments as listed above were 4·91, 5·15, 5·10 and 5·03 (s.e. 0·083) kg and 63, 66, 65 and 65 (s.e. 0·7) MJ (experiment 1), and 5·63, 5·62, 5·51 and 5·54 (s.e. 0·059) kg and 108, 108, 107 and 107 (s.e. 0·4) MJ (experiment 2), respectively. In the same order, mean daily live-weight gains during the treatment period were 612, 758, 784 and 798 (s.e. 25·2) g (experiment 1) and 911, 942, 851 and 860 (s.e. 40·0) g (experiment 2). In the growing steers proportionately 0·64 of the weight response to ardacin was retained to the end of the following grazing season. It is concluded that ardacin supplementation increased live-weight gain and improved the efficiency of conversion of food to live weight in growing steers but had no significant effect on finishing steers in this study.

Effect of energy source or fibre level in concentrates fed to finishing Swaledale lambs

2002 ◽  
Vol 2002 ◽  
pp. 121-121
Author(s):  
C A Middlemass ◽  
C M Minter ◽  
M Marsden
Keyword(s):  
Energy Source ◽  
Weight Gain ◽  
Food Intake ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Basal Diet ◽  
The Other ◽  
Secondary Infections ◽  
Selection Of ◽  
Voluntary Food Intake ◽  
Effective Growth

Concentrate finishing systems for store lambs often involves a dramatic change in the basal diet as lambs are moved from being managed on, e.g. grass and / or roots to concentrates. If this is done too quickly there is a risk of digestive disturbances leading to acidosis and secondary infections. Hence, the selection of the carbohydrate balance between starch and digestible fibre is crucial as ruminants fed high levels of starch-based concentrates can develop sub-clinical acidosis and liver abscess, leading to decreased voluntary food intake and daily live weight gain (DLWG). The aim of this study was to evaluate two concentrate formulations for effective growth for finishing of Swaledale lambs, one concentrate being starch biased the other digestible fibre biased.

The influence of dietary protein and level of feeding on the growth performance and carcass characteristics of entire and castrated male pigs

1982 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. G. Campbell ◽  
R. H. King
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Food Intake ◽  
Growth Performance ◽  
Dietary Protein ◽  
Protein Level ◽  
Carcass Characteristics ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Conversion Ratio ◽  
Food Conversion ◽  
Ad Libitum

ABSTRACT1. Three isocaloric diets containing 170, 210 or 231 g crude protein per kg were given at two levels, and offered ad libitum to entire and castrated male pigs growing from 20 to 70 kg live weight.2. Between 20 and 45 kg, growth rate improved with each increase in level of feeding (P < 005) and, on the ad libitum treatment the food intake and growth performance of both entire and castrated pigs were similar. On the restricted feeding treatments the growth performance of entire, but not of castrated pigs, improved when dietary protein was raised from 170 to 210g/kg (P < 005).3. During the live-weight periods 45 to 70 and 20 to 70kg, raising food intake improved growth rate (P < 005) but increased the food conversion ratio and carcass fat measurements at 70 kg (P < 0·05). However, food conversion ratio and the majority of carcass characteristics of entire pigs fed ad libitum were equivalent to those of castrated pigs fed at the lowest level.4. Dietary protein level had no significant effect on growth performance from 20 to 70 kg or on carcass fat measurements at the latter weight. However, each increase in dietary protein in the live-weight period 45 to 70 kg depressed the performance of castrated pigs (P < 0·05) while that of entire pigs was reduced when the protein level of the diet was raised from 210 to 231 g/kg.

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