Studies on the intake and utilization of wet feed by calves

1974 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. J. Fitzgerald ◽  
M. Kay
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Latin Square ◽  
Nitrogen Retention ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Experimental Period ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Dry Matter Content ◽  
Main Site ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
The Mean

SUMMARYA latin square design with three periods of 3 weeks was used to measure the dry-matter intake, live-weight gain and water intake of 12 British Friesian calves offered an all-concentrate diet ad libitumin wet form. The diets contained 30% (B), 20% (C) or 15% (D) dry matter. A further six calves were given the same diet in dry form (A) throughout the experimental period. Digestibility and nitrogen balance were measured on four calves on each treatment at the end of the experimental period. In addition, two Ayrshire calves, each fitted with a permanent abomasal cannula, were used to study the site of digestion of the feed when given in dry or wet form.The mean dry-matter intakes of the calves given the dry and wet feeds were 75·5 and 80·8 g/kg W0·75 per day respectively and mean daily live-weight gains were 849 g for the calves on both types of feed. The mean dry-matter intakes of the calves given the wet diets were 80·9 (B), 81·2 (C) and 75·5 (D) g/kg W0·75 per day, and the live-weight gains (g/day) were 857 (B), 879 (C) and 812 (D). None of these differences were significant. The intake of water by the calves was significantly increased by reducing the dry-matter content of the diet. The form or dry-matter content of the diet offered had no effect on the digestibility of dry matter (76·1%), organic matter (77·9%), energy (75·8%) or crude protein (75·8%) or on nitrogen retention (32·5% of N intake).The rumen was the main site of digestion for all Tour diets and an average of only 7% of dietary starch passed undigested through the abomasum.

Further studies on the fattening value of grass silage and on the effect of the dry-matter percentage of the diet on dry-matter intake in ruminants

1954 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 383-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. L. Dodsworth
Keyword(s):  
Crude Protein ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
The Other ◽  
Dry Matter Intake ◽  
Dry Matter Content ◽  
Feeding Trial ◽  
Grass Silage ◽  
Weight Gains

1. A feeding trial is described including four groups of cattle fed on silage only, two mixtures of silage and roots, and roots, straw, hay and oats.2. The live-weight gains made are recorded together with the rate of dry-matter intake.3. The efficiency of the dry matter of the diets was calculated.4. Silage fed alone produced a significantly greater rate of fattening than the other three diets.5. Cattle receiving roots in the morning and silage at night consumed 10·78% more dry matter and made greater live-weight gains than cattle fed on silage in the morning and roots at night.6. Calculation of the starch values of the roots and silage showed that these are higher when fed together than when silage is fed alone or when roots are fed with straw, hay and oats.7. An experiment is described designed to determine the effect of the dry-matter percentage of the diet on dry-matter intake in ruminants and of sudden changes in dry-matter content on digestibility.8. Sheep receiving 19·46% dry-matter silage consumed 16·7% more dry matter and 19·8% more starch equivalent than sheep eating 15·85% dry-matter silage.9. When the dry-matter percentage of the silage fell from 19·46 to 15·77 the digestibility of the dry matter fell by over 10%.10. The starch equivalent of the silage when fed alone was determined from the results of a digestibility trial and according to the performance of the cattle in the feeding trial. The values found were 65·88 and 66·15% respectively.11. The losses suffered in silage-making in twentyfive silos are recorded and discussed. The loss of dry matter and crude protein both average approximately 40% of that ensiled. The need for finding methods of reducing these losses is again stressed.

The voluntary intake by cattle of four silages differing in dry matter content

1970 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 591-599 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Jackson ◽  
T. J. Forbes
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Dry Matter Content ◽  
Meadow Fescue ◽  
Digestible Organic Matter ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Voluntary Intake ◽  
Daily Intakes

SUMMARYHerbage from the same timothy/meadow fescue/white clover sward was ensiled at four different dry matter contents. The resulting silages had dry matter contents of 19·0, 27·3, 32·3 and 43·2%, the dry matter content increasing with the length of the wilting period. An experiment was carried out to determine the voluntary intake of the silages. Each silage was given to 7 animals individually, the mean live weight of these being 334 kg.Although the silages made from wilted herbage were lower in digestibility than that made from unwilted herbage, wilting increased dry matter intake and metabolizable energy (ME) intake. The mean daily intakes of digestible organic matter were 53·0, 58·1, 59·6 and 59·6 g/kgW0·73, for silages of increasing dry matter content. The corresponding ME intakes, expressed as a multiple of the ME requirement for maintenance, were 1·17, 1·29, 1·30 and 1·28. The percentage of acetic acid in the silage dry matter was significantly (r= −0·56) and linearly related to voluntary intake. The relationship between lactic acid concentration and voluntary intake was significantly curvilinear (r= 0·48).

The effect of interval between harvests and wilting on silage for milk production

1980 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. J. Gordon
Keyword(s):  
Milk Production ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Experimental Period ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Blood Analysis ◽  
Dry Matter Content

ABSTRACTSeventy-two British Friesian cows, with a mean calving date of 21 January, were used in a 3 × 2 factorial design experiment to assess the effects of the interval between harvest and wilting on the value of grass silage for milk production. Three regrowth intervals of 5, 7 and 9 weeks were used with each material ensiled both unwilted and after wilting to a dry-matter content of approximately 450g/kg. The six silages were offered ad libitum in addition to 7·6 kg concentrates per day, from day 8 of lactation until 13 April, with a mean experimental period of 67·5 days. The mean intakes of silage dry matter were 11·2, 9·8 and 8·7 kg/day for the 5-, 7 and 9-week regrowth intervals respectively and 9·6 and 10·2kg/day for the unwilted and wilted silages respectively. Regrowth interval significantly affected milk yield with mean yields of 24·7, 24·2 and 22·5 (s.e. 047) kg/day being obtained for the 5-, 7- and 9-week intervals respectively. Wilting significantly depressed milk yield with mean yields of 24·8 and 227 (s.e. 0·39) kg/day being recorded with the unwilted and wilted materials respectively. Live weight at the end of the experiment was not significantly affected by any of the treatments but the rate of live-weight loss, calculated by linear regression over the experiment, and loss in body condition score both significantly increased with increasing regrowth interval. Wilting had no effect on live weight or body condition. Increasing the regrowth interval also significantly reduced the solids-not-fat and protein contents of the milk produced during the final week of the experiment but no other significant effects were recorded on milk composition.Blood analysis data are presented: blood urea was the only component affected by the treatments and decreased significantly as regrowth interval increased.

The rate of passage of food through the alimentary tract of pigs

1956 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 196-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth J. Castle ◽  
M. E. Castle
Keyword(s):  
Retention Time ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Alimentary Tract ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Dry Matter Content ◽  
Mean Retention Time ◽  
A Value ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Fattening Pigs

A method for measuring the rate of passage of meal through the alimentary tract of pigs by feeding a stained marker is described. The results are given of sixty-four experiments made under standardized conditions on four fattening pigs with live weights ranging from 49·9 to 185·5 lb. and six experiments on a sow weighing 500 lb.Results were expressed by means of excretion curves. These were sigmoid in shape and from them a value termed R, the mean retention time (hr.) of all the stained particles in the alimentary tract, directly proportional to the area to the left of the curve, was calculated.In the fattening piga the first appearance of the marker in the faeces occurred 10–24 hr. after feeding, and the mean 5 and 95% excretion times were 21 and 53 hr. respectively. The marker was completely excreted after approximately 80–90 hr. The R value averaged 34·2 hr.A marker fed at the morning feed (9 a.m.) had earlier 5 and 95% excretion times and the R value was significantly smaller.There was no statistically significant relationship between the R values and live weight, digestibility of the dry matter of the ration or the dry-matter content of the faeces.In the sow the 5 and 95% excretion times were 38 and 68 hr. respectively, and the R value averaged 51·1 hr.Counts of stained particles in the intestines of two of the pigs after slaughter showed that food was delayed mainly in the large intestine.

The effect of dry matter concentration on component digestibility and retention in growing/finishing pigs fed diets varying only in water:dry matter ratio

2002 ◽  
Vol 2002 ◽  
pp. 82-82
Author(s):  
J.E. Thompson ◽  
J. Wiseman ◽  
B.P. Gill
Keyword(s):  
Growth Performance ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Liquid Diet ◽  
Dry Matter Content ◽  
Finishing Pigs ◽  
Dry Matter Concentration ◽  
Matter Concentration

There is potential for improving the growth performance of pigs through a better understanding of factors that influence the digestibility of nutrients and energy in liquid feeds. These factors include dry matter content and the size and distribution of particles of the dry feed components within the liquid diet. The objective of the current study was to determine if changing the dry matter concentration of liquid feeds affects the digestibility and retention of nutrients and energy in pigs growing from 35kg to 95kg live weight.

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 use of moist barley in diets for growing pigs

1970 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 561-568 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. M. Livingstone ◽  
D. M. S. Livingston
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Growing Pigs ◽  
Dry Matter Content ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
High Moisture ◽  
Large White ◽  
Large White Breed ◽  
White Breed

SUMMARYA total of 156 pigs of the Large White breed were used in a series of four experiments to test the suitability of barley which had been stored with a high moisture content as an ingredient in the diets of growing pigs. Barleys with mean moisture contents of 26·3%, 28·1% and 21·2% and a range from 19·6% to 30·5%, from three successive harvests were used.In all the trials there was evidence that the use of moist barley in diets for growing pigs had an adverse effect on live-weight gain and feed conversion ratio, the effect being independent of whether feed intakes were equated on the basis of the dry-matter content of the diets. In one of the experiments performance was depressed to the extent of causing changes in carcass characteristics. The performance of pigs given rolled barley was similar to that of others given ground barley.

scholarly journals Comparison between grass-silages of different dry matter content fed to reindeer during winter

Rangifer ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Nilsson ◽  
Ingemar Olsson ◽  
Per Lingvall
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Abdominal Cavity ◽  
Daily Intake ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Carcass Weight ◽  
Rumen Content ◽  
Dry Matter Content ◽  
High Dry Matter ◽  
Significant Difference

A study was made of whether the dry matter content of silage influenced performance when 17-month-old male reindeer were fed solely silage outdoor during winter. Two kinds of round-baled silages with different wilting times were offered to the animals; low dry matter (LDM silage) with a mean of 39% DM, or high dry matter (HDM silage) with a mean of 53% DM. The 115 reindeer were allotted to slaughter at the start of the experiment in October or to be fed until slaughter in January or March. During the first three weeks of the experiment small amounts of lichens were mixed with the silages and the reindeer adapted to the feeding without problems. The daily intake of DM did not differ significantly between reindeer fed the LDM or the HDM silage despite a highly significant difference in daily silage intake. This resulted in small but significantly higher gains in live weight for animals fed the LDM silage, caused by increased weight of the rumen content. All groups of reindeer either retained or lost carcass weight during the experiment, and no improvements or differences were obtained between the kinds of silages in carcass assessment or gains in fat in the abdominal cavity. Animals slaughtered in January had a lower carcass weight and dressing percentage than reindeer slaughtered in October and March. Environmental conditions during the experiment were good but nonetheless mobbing and illness still occurred. The present results concur with those of earlier studies suggesting that it seems to be the bulk of the ration rather than the dry matter content of the silage that limits the intake.

A study of the effect of supplementing a concentrate diet with roughages of different quality on the performance of Friesian steers. I. Voluntary food intake and food utilization

1970 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 327-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. A. McCullough
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Nitrogen Retention ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Food Utilization ◽  
Stages Of Growth ◽  
Gross Energy ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Metabolizable Energy Intake

SUMMARYConcentrate diets supplemented with 5, 20 and 40% of a high- and a low-quality hay were given ad libitum to British Friesian steers from 9 weeks of age to slaughter. The intake of dry matter and metabolizable energy was studied over weight ranges from 91 to 363 kg live weight. The quality of hay did not significantly affect the drymatter intake at any of the weight ranges studied. From 91 to 182 kg live weight the daily dry-matter intake decreased as the proportion of hay in the diet increased. Over the weight range from 182 to 272 kg live weight, intake was maximum at the 20% level of hay supplementation, while from 272 to 363 kg live weight, intake increased with increasing levels of hay in the diet. The supplementation of high-quality hay significantly increased the intake of metabolizable energy by animals weighing 91–182 kg. Increasing proportions of hay in the diet significantly affected the metabolizable energy intake at all stages of growth studied.At 18 and 36 weeks of age digestibility and N balance studies were carried out. The metabolizable energy expressed as a percentage of the gross energy and the mean retention time of the diets were significantly affected by the age of animal, quality of the hay and the level of hay supplementation. Nitrogen retention was also affected by the age of the animal but not by the quality of the hay.The relationships between the voluntary intake of dry matter and the metabolizable energy of the diet expressed as a percentage of the gross energy, for different stages of growth, are also presented.The change in the digestibility and the mean time of retention of the diets in the digestive tract with age and the effect of this on the point where physical regulation to intake gives way to physiological regulation are discussed.

scholarly journals Digestion of dry and high-moisture maize diets in the stomach of the pig

1974 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 639-646 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. H. G. Holmes ◽  
H. S. Bayley ◽  
F. D. Horney
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Dry Matter Intake ◽  
Pancreatic Ducts ◽  
Dry Matter Content ◽  
High Moisture ◽  
Free Glucose ◽  
G 12 ◽  
Collection Period ◽  
The Mean

1. Pigs were fitted with re-entrant duodenal cannulas anterior to the pancreatic duct, and total collections of digesta were made for 12 h periods.2. Maize–soya-bean diets were made from maize which had been harvested with a dry-matter content of 770 g/kg and either dried, preserved with acetic or propionic acid or ensiled naturally. The pigs received two meals of these diets/d at 12 h intervals, and the amount of digesta flowing through their cannulas was measured.3. Between 4.5 and 5.25 l of digesta flowed through the cannulas in the 12 h collection period, 0.9 of the total 12 h flow passed through the cannulas in the first 9 h with the dry-maize diet and 0.8 with the acid-treated-maize diets.4. The mean total dry matter intake was 358 g/meal, and 304 g dry matter passed through the duodenal cannulas in the 12 h collection period. The corresponding intake and flow of nitrogen (g/12 h) was 11.1 and 9.6, and for chromic oxide 1.13 and 0.94.5. The pigs consumed 205 g starch (total α-linked glucose polymers)/meal, and 1.5 g free glucose/meal. Only 110 g starch and 4.1 g free glucose reached the duodenal cannulas, suggesting that digestion and absorption of up to 92 g glucose had taken place anterior to the pancreatic ducts.

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