Food intake, eating rate, weight gains, metabolic rate and efficiency of feed utilization in Bos taurus and Bos indicus crossbred cattle

1977 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 343-358 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. Frisch ◽  
J. E. Vercoe
Keyword(s):  
Food Intake ◽  
Metabolic Rate ◽  
Bos Taurus ◽  
Bos Indicus ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Dietary Treatment ◽  
Eating Rate ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Voluntary Food Intake

SUMMARYFood intake, eating rate, weight change and fasting metabolic rate were measured on 12 animals of each of the following breed-types: Hereford × Shorthorn (HS), Brahman × HS (BX) and Africander × HS (AX). Measurements were made on ad libitum and fixed levels of lucerne and ad libitum and fixed levels of low-quality tropical pasture hay (approx. 1·2% N) during feeding periods of about 100 days' duration.The BX and AX were heavier and either gained more weight or lost less weight than the HS on all diets. At feeding levels close to maintenance, which included the ad libitum pasture hay diet, adjustment for differences in either live weight or intake did not alter the unadjusted ranking of the breeds. On ad libitum lucerne, however, adjustment for either weight or intake showed higher gain in the HS than in the BX. The voluntary food intake per kg live weight was consistently and significantly highest for the HS and lowest for the BX. Rates of eating were not significantly different for the different breed-types but they were higher for high-quality lucerne and for the lower level of feeding. Fasting metabolic rate per kg live weight was highest for the HS and lowest for the BX; the difference between the breeds varied with the previous dietary treatment. The ratio of voluntary food intake to fasting metabolism was practically constant between breeds and animals within breeds, though different between diets.Correlations for animals within breeds and years between the various parameters within diets and between diets are presented.

scholarly journals Reduction of energy requirements of steers fed on low-quality-roughage diets using trenbolone acetate

1987 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 477-483 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. Hunter ◽  
J. E. Vercoe
Keyword(s):  
Metabolic Rate ◽  
Bos Taurus ◽  
Plasma Concentrations ◽  
Bos Indicus ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Lower Plasma ◽  
Trenbolone Acetate ◽  
Low Protein ◽  
Experiment Control ◽  
The Difference

1. Six steers implanted with 300 mg trenbolone acetate and six steers not implanted were fed on low protein, low-quality-roughage dietsad lib.in two experiments. The steers were Hereford (Bos taurus) × Brahman (Bos indicus) crossbreds (50:50), initially of about 400 kg mean live weight (LW). In the first experiment of 8 weeks duration roughage was given alone. In the second experiment of 6 weeks duration the diet was supplemented with 100 g urea and 4.6 g sulphur daily. The same steers were implanted in each experiment. At the conclusion of each experiment metabolic rate was measured after a 72 h fast.2. In the first experiment control and implanted steers had similar rates of LW loss (0.57 and 0.59 kg/d respectively). Implanted steers had significantly (P < 0.01) lower feed intakes (12.8v.10.9 g dry matter (DM)/kg LW), significantly (P < 0.01) lower fasting metabolic rates even after adjustment for intake (83.3v. 74.5 kJ/kg per d) and significantly (P < 0.01) lower plasma insulin concentrations (24v.19 μunits/ml). Differences in plasma concentrations of free 3,5,3′-triiodothyronine (T3), non-esterified fatty acids and urea-nitrogen were not significant.3. In the second experiment intake of the supplement diet was similar in both control and trenbolene acetate treated steers (19.5 and 20.0 g DM/kg LW respectively). LW gains were 0.23 and 0.41 kg/d for control and implanted steers respectively, the difference being s ignificant (P < 0.05). Fasting metabolic rate (76.9v.70.7 kJ/kg per d) was significantly (P < 0.05) lower in implanted steers.

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.

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.

Daily gain, food intake and food efficiency in pigs during the growing period

1990 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 353-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Kanis ◽  
W. J. Koops
Keyword(s):  
Food Intake ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Restricted Feeding ◽  
Growing Period ◽  
Food Efficiency ◽  
Daily Food ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Predicted Values ◽  
Daily Gain

ABSTRACTThe non-linear model y = ae(−hW−c/W) was fitted to weekly calculated daily gain (DG), daily food intake (FI) and food efficiency (FE) of 653 barrows and gilts fed ad libitum or restrictedly during a growing period from 27 to 108 kg live weight. Where y was DG, FI or FE, W was live weight and a, b and c were parameters. The model fitted well to the expected course of the traits, with an accuracy similar to that of quadratic polynomials. Parameters for one trait could simply be derived from the parameters for the other two traits. For each trait, four basic patterns were distinguished, depending on the signs of b and c. Curves with a maximum (b > 0 and c > 0) occurred most frequently. In cases of curves with a maximum, the model could be reparameterized to a model with parameters having a simple biological meaning.Coefficients of determination in barrows averaged 0·29 for DG, 0·88 for FI and 0·45 for FE, whereas these values were somewhat lower in gilts. With ad libitum feeding, a DG curve with a maximum was fitted in proportionately 0·83 of the barrows and 0·61 of the gilts. The maximum DG was on average at live weights of 64 kg for barrows and 77 kg for gilts. A maximum in the FI curve was predicted in proportionately 0·60 of the barrows and 0·39 of the gilts. Curves for DG and FI in gilts were less curvilinear than in barrows. FE curves, with ad libitum feeding, had a maximum in proportionately 0·59 of the barrows and 0·52 of the gilts. This predicted maximum FE was, on average, before the start of the growing period. Gilts had a higher FE than barrows from 35 kg body weight onwards, and the difference increased with increasing live weight. Differences in FE between ad libitum and restricted feeding were small, with a tendency for animals fed at a restricted feeding level to be more efficient at the end of the growing period.Average FE curves and individual FI or DG curves were used for indirect prediction of individual DG or FI curves, respectively. The correlation between directly and indirectly predicted values of DG and FI at live weights of 30, 65 or 100 kg was about 0·7 in ad libitum fed barrows and gilts, and greater than 0·8 in pigs fed at a restricted level. This indicates that the model is suitable to predict and control the course of individual daily gain by influencing the course of food intake.

The prediction of the voluntary food intake of pigs on poor quality foods

1998 ◽  
Vol 66 (3) ◽  
pp. 713-723 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. N. Tsaras ◽  
I. Kyriazakis ◽  
G. C. Emmans
Keyword(s):  
Food Intake ◽  
Prior Experience ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Crude Fibre ◽  
Acid Detergent Fibre ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
Dry Food ◽  
Highly Correlated ◽  
Voluntary Food Intake

AbstractAn experiment was carried out to investigate the proposal that the voluntary food intake of pigs, when given foods based on bulky materials, can be accurately predicted from the water-holding capacity (WHC, g water per g dry food) values of the foods. A basal food (B), with 12·9 MJ digestible energy and 249 g crude protein per kg dry matter, was diluted to two extents by either sugar-beet pulp (S), grass meal (G) or soya hulls (H). The contents of the bulky materials in the total diets were either 320 g/kg (foods BS, BG and BH) or 800 g/kg (foods S, G and H). Each of these six foods was givenad libitumto six pigs in period I, which lasted for 21 days, with a further four given B. In period II, which lasted for 14 days and followed period I immediately, the pigs were also given their food ad libitum. Only the 36 pigs from the six ‘bulky“treatments (i.e. on treatments other than B) continued in a change-over design. Two pigs from each of the six ‘bulky’ treatments were allocated to the three foods of the same level of dilution (e.g. the six pigs from BS were changed to BS, BG and BH). Of the ‘bulk’ characteristics measured (crude fibre, acid-detergent fibre, neutral-detergent fibre, apparent digestibility of the organic matter, density and WHC) only WHC accounted sufficiently for the effects of the foods on the voluntary food intake of the pigs. The two methods of centrifugation and filtration that were used for the WHC determination were very highly correlated (r = 0·978), with food B having the lowest value, 3·86 g water per g dry food, and food S having the highest value, 8·48 g water per g dry food, when measured by centrifugation. In both periods the rate of intake was calculated as g/kg live weight per day, scaled intake (SFI). Live-weight gain and food conversion efficiency both decreased significantly (P< 0·001) as B was diluted with S, G and H. For the six ‘bulky’ feeding treatments SFI in the last 14 days of period I was proportional to the reciprocal of the WHC of the foods: SFI (g/kg per day) = 235 (s.e. 6·3). No effects of previous feeding treatment on site were observed in period II as a whole; however, intake initially increased when the food had lower WHC than the one previously offered and decreased when it had higher WHC. It was concluded that: (a) the WHC of a food is a sufficient descriptor of its ‘bulk’ and that it accounts for the effects on the voluntary food intake of pigs; (b) the detailed methods used for measuring WHC need to be standardized; (c) pigs can adapt more rapidly to bulky foods when they have had prior experience of such foods; (d) the length of time needed to observe an intake, which will be characteristic of the bulky food on offer, depends on the prior experience of the pig.

The effect of supplementation with Leucaena leucocephala and maize bran on voluntary food intake, digestibility, live weight and milk yield of Bos indicus × Bos taurus dairy cows and rumen fermentation in steers offered Pennisetum purpureum ad libitum in the semi-humid tropics

1995 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. W. Muinga ◽  
J. H. Topps ◽  
J. A. Rooke ◽  
W. Thorpe
Keyword(s):  
Food Intake ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Bos Taurus ◽  
Bos Indicus ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Rumen Fermentation ◽  
Napier Grass ◽  
Pennisetum Purpureum ◽  
Rumen Degradation ◽  
Maize Bran

AbstractAn experiment was carried out to evaluate dairy performance and rumen fermentation from a forage-based diet supplemented with Lucaena leococephala (leucaena) and maize bran. Bos indicus (Ayrshire/Brown Swiss) х Bos taurus (Sahiwal) cattle were offered Pennisetum purpureum (napier grass) ad libitum either unsupplemented (N) or supplemented on a dry-matter (DM) basis with 1 kg (LL) or 2 kg leucaena (LH) or 2 kg leucaena together with 1 kg DM maize bran (LHM). Food intake, milk yield, diet apparent digestibility and nitrogen balance were measured using eight cows (mean live weight 384 (s.d. 41) kg in two 4х4 Latin squares. Rumen fermentation was measured using four rumen fistulated steers (mean live weight 352 (s.d. 12) kg in a 4 х 4 Latin square. Performance was recorded during the last 7 days of each 21-day experimental period. Supplementation increased food intake (6·3, 7·6, 7·9 and 8·7 kg DM per day; P < 0·01; s.e.d. 0·24) and milk yield (5·1, 5·4, 5·5 and 6·5 kg/day; P < 0·01; s.e.d. 0·28) for N, LL, LH and LHM respectively. Supplemented diets tended to be more digestible compared with napier grass as the sole food (organic matter apparent digestibility coefficients 0·54, 0·55, 0·57 and 0·57; s.e.d. 0·020; N, LL, LH and LHM, respectively) and N balance increased progressively with supplementation.Supplementation progressively increased rumen ammonia-nitrogen concentrations in steers and the rate of rumen degradation of napier grass increased when leucaena (diets LL and LH) was offered. The results suggest that supplementation of napier grass with leucaena increased DM intake owing to increased ammonia concentrations and rates of napier degradation in the rumen. Supplementation of the forage diet with 1 kg DM maize bran did not significantly reduce the rumen degradation of napier grass and increased the molar proportions of propionate which may have increased the efficiency of utilization of metabolizable energy and therefore milk production.

The utilization of dietary energy by steers during periods of restricted food intake and subsequent realimentaion

1977 ◽  
Vol 88 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. P. Ledger ◽  
A. R. Sayers
Keyword(s):  
Food Intake ◽  
Digestive Tract ◽  
Bos Taurus ◽  
Weight Maintenance ◽  
Bos Indicus ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Progressive Increase ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Energy Utilization ◽  
Energy Concentration

SUMMARYGroups of Bos indicus (Boran) and Bos taurus (Hereford) × Bos indicus steers were kept at constant live weights of 185, 275 and 450 kg for periods of up to 24 weeks. Maintenance of these live weights was achieved by control of the daily ration of a diet having an energy concentration of 10·477 MJ metabolizable energy (ME)/kg d.m. AS time progressed it was noted that less of the diet had to be fed daily to maintain constant live weight. Body composition of steers slaughtered at 0, 12 and 24 weeks showed that the live weights had been maintained by the compensating effect of empty body weight gains and digestive tract content-weight losses.No significant differences were found between slaughter groups for the energy values of the boneless carcass meat nor the internal deposits of empty digestive tract, omental and mesenteric fat. It was therefore concluded that there had been a progressive increase in the efficiency of energy utilization for the production of edible meat.The percentage reduction of daily food intake from 3 to 24 weeks necessary to maintain the prescribed live weights ranged from 51·8% for the 185 kg Borans to 17·9% for the 450 kg ¾ Boran × Hereford cross-breds.Comparison with published estimates for maintenance of live weight showed that after 24 weeks at constant live weight the 185 and 275 kg Borans and the 450 kg ¾ Borans needed 50·5, 37·9 and 34·2% less and the 275 kg Hereford × Boran cross-breds and 450 kg ¾ Herefords 40·8 and 37·9% respectively less food than estimated.Correction for age effects on the fasting metabolic rates of the 185 and 275 kg weight groups reduced the difference between theoretical and actual maintenance requirements from 50·5, 37·9 and 40·8% to 37·3, 29·3 and 33·8% respectively.Attention is drawn to the need to differentiate between the live-weight maintenance needs of fast and slow growing animals which may be of similar live weights but differing ages.

A two-diet system andad libitumlactation feeding of the sow 1. Sow performance

1996 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 337-347 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Neil ◽  
B. Ogle ◽  
K. Annèr
Keyword(s):  
Food Consumption ◽  
Post Partum ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Backfat Thickness ◽  
Conventional Diet ◽  
Feeding Regimes ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Depth Condition

AbstractEffects of a two-diet system combined withad libitumlactation feeding of sows on food consumption, sow live weight (LW), backfat depth, condition scoring, rebreeding interval, symptoms of agalactia and culling were studied on 60 sows followed for four parities. Feeding regimes were: CR, conventional i.e. restricted during gestation and lactation; SA, a simplified diet offered at a restricted level during gestation and a conventional dietad libitumduring lactation; CA, conventional during gestation and the same dietad libitumduring lactation. During lactation CR sows consumed 5·9 kg food daily (71 MJ metabolizable energy (ME)), whereas SA and CA sows consumed on average 7·0 kg (85 MJ ME), the difference being larger in multiparous than in primiparous sows and larger in the first than in later weeks of lactation. From the second farrowing onward sows on CR treatment were lighter and had thinner backfat and lower condition scores than sows on CA treatment, with sows on SA treatment in between, i.e. approaching the CR sows in the gestation periods and the CA sows in the lactation periods. At first service LW was 130 kg and backfat thickness 14 mm. During the fourth lactation LW averaged 190 kg in CR sows and around 220 kg for SA and CA sows, and backfat thickness was 11 mm in CR sows and around 16 mm in SA and CA sows. SA sows tended to rebreed earlier after weaning than did CR or CA sows. CA sows and in particular SA sows had higher incidences of agalactia symptoms and higher rectal temperatures post partum than CR sows. The culling rates did not differ between feeding regimes, although the predominant causes for culling did, being shoulder lesions and abscesses in thin CR sows and leg disorders in SA and CA sows. At the end of the experiment, however, more SA sows than others were retained in the experimental herd. It was concluded that the SA feeding regime was superior in terms of sow performance, despite an increased incidence of agalactia symptoms.

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.

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