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.

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.

Effect of parity and physiological state on intake, milk production and blood parameters in lactating mares differing in body size

1991 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Doreau ◽  
S. Boulot ◽  
W. Martin-Rosset
Keyword(s):  
Food Intake ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Physiological State ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Blood Parameters ◽  
Gross Energy ◽  
Blood Characteristics ◽  
Voluntary Food Intake ◽  
In Pregnancy

ABSTRACTVoluntary food intake, milk production and blood characteristics were measured in mares between the 3rd month before foaling and the first 5 weeks of lactation. The effect of breed during pregnancy was determined using 15 light mares and eight heavy mares (522 and 763 kg live weight (LW) after foaling respectively). The effect of parity was studied on light mares (seven were primiparous and eight were multiparous). In lactation, only four primiparous and four multiparous light mares were retained. Diet consisted of 900 g hay and 100 g concentrates per kg and was offered ad libitum. Voluntary food intake in pregnancy was higher for heavy mares than for light mares: 15·2 v. 10·3 kg dry matter (DM) daily. This difference was explained by differences in LW, since DM intake was the same when expressed as a fraction of LW or metabolic weight (M). Energy and nitrogen supply exceeded requirements, in the same way for light and heavy mares. No significant variations in blood measurements were observed between light and heavy mares, except for glucose. Primiparous mares ate less DM than multiparous mares in pregnancy: 9·7 v. 10·8 kg DM (P > 0·05), significantly so relative to LW and M. DM intake per kg LW or M depended on the parity. This difference had no effect on blood measurements, except for acetate. During lactation, no other differences in voluntary food intake were observed with regard to parity, whatever the week of lactation. Milk yield was higher for multiparous mares than for primiparous mares (16·6 v. 14·6 kg daily). Gross energy of milk varied according to a similar pattern, principally because of variations in fat concentration (20·2 v. 16·5 g/kg for multiparous and primiparous mares respectively). Energy balance was significantly more positive for multiparous than for primiparous mares.

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.

Effect of restricted food intake, before and/or after mating, on the reproductive performance of Greyface ewes

1989 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 149-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. M. Rhind ◽  
W. A. C. McKelvey ◽  
S. McMillen ◽  
R. G. Gunn ◽  
D. A. Eiston
Keyword(s):  
Food Intake ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Experimental Period ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Ovulation Rate ◽  
Daily Ration ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Lambing Rate

ABSTRACTThe effect on the reproductive performance of Greyface (Border Leicester × Scottish Blackface) ewes of a low level food intake and associated loss of live weight from either 14 days before mating, or from the time of mating, until 11 to 26 days after mating, was investigated. Ewes (252) were allocated to one of three treatments with ewes within each treatment divided into two flocks (flock A: 16 ewes per treatment; flock B: 68 ewes per treatment). Ewes of treatment LL were given a ration providing proportionately 0·5 estimated metabolizable energy (ME) requirements for maintenance from 2 weeks before mating. Those of treatment HL were given a daily ration providing 1·5 estimated ME requirements for maintenance until mating and the restricted ration thereafter. Ewes of treatment HH were given the higher ration throughout the experimental period. Flock A ewes were slaughtered at 11 days post mating and flock B ewes at between 18 and 26 days post mating. Treatment differences in the ovulation rates of flock A ewes were not statistically significant but in flock B, ewes of treatment LL had a lower mean ovulation rate (1·81) than those of treatments HL (2·23) and HH (2·09) (P < 0·001). The lower ovulation rate of LL ewes relative to HL ewes in flock B was reflected in a lower mean potential lambing rate per ewe pregnant than in the HL treatment (1·58 v. 1·79; P < 0·01) and per ewe put to the ram (1·37 v. 1·65; P < 0·01). HL ewes had a slightly lower mean potential lambing rate per ewe pregnant (1·79 v. 1·97; P < 01) and per ewe put to the ram (1·65 v. 1·82; P < 0·05) than HH ewes. Ova wastage rates of LL + HL and HH ewes were 0·26 and 014 (P < 001) respectively at 24 days post mating. Values for LL and HL ewes (0·27 and 0·25 respectively) were not significantly different.Estimated mean conceptus lengths were 370, 500 and 1400 μin for LL, HL and HH ewes respectively (P < 0·05).It is concluded that low food intake before mating reduced the mean ovulation rate and low intakes after mating compromised embryo growth rate and induced a higher rate of ova wastage; this increase in the incidence of ova wastage was not significantly exacerbated by the low levels of intake prior to mating.

Effects of habituation to the milking parlour on the milk production and reproductive performance of first calving Holstein-Friesian and Norwegian dairy herd replacements

2004 ◽  
Vol 78 (2) ◽  
pp. 345-354 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. C. F. Wicks ◽  
A. F. Carson ◽  
M. A. McCoy ◽  
C. S. Mayne
Keyword(s):  
Milk Production ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Dairy Herd ◽  
Control Treatment ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Cell Counts ◽  
Holstein Friesian ◽  
Norwegian Dairy

AbstractTwenty-nine Holstein-Friesian and 20 Norwegian dairy herd replacements were used to investigate the effect of habituating heifers to the milking parlour environment prior to calving on subsequent lactational performance. The heifers commenced the study at 3 weeks prior to calving when they were allocated on the basis of breed, genetic merit and live weight to either a habituation or no habituation (control) treatment. Heifers were housed together in cubicle accommodation with grass silage offered ad libitum along with 1 kg of concentrates per head per day offered in the feeding passage (control treatment) or in the food managers in the milking parlour (habituation treatment). Animals in the habituation treatment were exposed to the full milking parlour routine once daily (afternoon milking) in a 20-point rotary herringbone parlour. Holstein-Friesian heifers averaged 2.6 kg/day more milk than the Norwegian replacements. Holstein-Friesian heifers also had higher fat and protein yields than Norwegian heifers, however they also lost more body condition during the first 3 months of lactation. Habituated heifers yielded on average 1.3 kg/day more milk (P < 0.001) than the control group of heifers over the first 100 days of lactation (26.7 v. 25.4 (s.e.d. 0.38) kg/day), with the difference being greatest in the first 2 to 3 weeks of lactation. In early lactation, animals on the habituation treatment lost more live weight (0.16 v. 0.02 (s.e.d. 0.061) kg/day) (P < 0.05) and body condition than those on the control treatment. Duration of milking was longer (P < 0.001) (378.4 v. 340.5 (s.e.d. 6.53) s) and milk flow rate slower (P < 0.001) (2.20 v. 2.46 (s.e.d. 0.041) kg/min) respectively for the habituation compared with control group. Somatic cell counts (SCC) were lower (P < 0.001) for habituation group (1.66 v. 1.79 (s.e.d. 0.037) log10SCC per ml), but there was no significant treatment effect on locomotion scores. Reproductive performance was lower for habituated heifers, with increased intervals to conception (P < 0.05) (102 v. 83 (s.e.d. 9.22) days). Habituating heifers to the milking parlour environment prior to calving increased milk production but appeared to have some detrimental effects on reproductive performance.

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 interaction of ewe and lamb genotype on milk production of ewes and on growth of lambs to weaning

1981 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Doney ◽  
J. N. Peart ◽  
W. F. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Food Intake ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Milk Intake ◽  
Limiting Factor ◽  
Milk Output

ABSTRACTSingle and twin purebred Scottish Blackface lambs born to Blackface ewes, and Suffolk cross lambs born to East Friesland × Blackface ewes, were removed from their dams at birth and cross-fostered to give all combinations of breed of ewe, breed of lamb and number of lambs suckled, with no ewe rearing her own lamb.Milk production was measured on 1 day/week for 14 weeks. The effect of ewe breed was significant in all weeks, with the East Friesland cross ewes having a higher peak and a more sustained level of production than the Blackface ewes. Ewes suckling twins produced more milk than those suckling singles. Breed-of-lamb effect was significant during the first 5 to 6 weeks of lactation, with crossbred lambs inducing a higher milk output than Blackface lambs, irrespective of the breed of ewe suckled. Beyond this stage, lactation potential of the ewe replaced demand by the lamb as the first limiting factor.Food intake by ewes during the first 6 weeks differed slightly with both ewe and lamb breed but there were larger differences associated with number of lambs suckled.The data suggest that lambs on higher milk intake consume a smaller proportion of solid feed but that, in all groups, live weight at 14 weeks of age was closely related to milk intake.

The influence of food intake and allyl trenbolone administration during lactation on plasma steroid concentrations and the reproductive performance of multiparous sows

1994 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. N. Costa ◽  
M. A. Varley
Keyword(s):  
Food Intake ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Post Partum ◽  
Plasma Concentrations ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Food Level ◽  
Large White ◽  
Influence Of Food ◽  
High Level

AbstractAn experiment was made to examine the effects of food intake and an orally active progestagen on plasma steroid concentrations and subsequent reproductive performance of multiparous sows. Thirty-five multiparous Landrace × Large White sows were assigned to one of four treatments immediately after parturition. Treatment H-AT sows were offered a high level of food intake throughout lactation: 3·5 kg of a diet containing 160 g/kg dry matter (DM) of crude protein and 13 MJ digestible energy per kg DM given twice daily. Treatment H+AT sows were offered the same food intake as H-AT sows and in addition they were given 20 mglday of allyl trenbolone (AT) mixed with the morning feed. Treatment L-AT sows were given 1·5 kg of the same diet offered twice daily during lactation and treatment L+AT sows were also offered this lower level of food intake and given AT. The respective levels of food intake were offered to sows from the 1st day of lactation onwards until weaning at 21 days post partum. Litter weights at weaning were influenced significantly by feeding level (P < 0·001) and also by AT administration (P <0·05). Sows on the high level of feeding had the heaviest litters and food-restricted sows had the lightest litters. AT treatment depressed litter weight at weaning. There was no effect of food level or AT on the plasma concentrations of progesterone or oestrogens during lactation. There was a highly significant (P <0·001) difference in mean plasma oestrogen concentration between high (H-AT and H+AT) and low (L-AT and L+AT) fed groups during early pregnancy in the subsequent cycle. Sows given a combination of high energy in lactation and AT (H+AT) exhibited shorter intervals from weaning to oestrus than both groups of food-restricted (L-AT and L+AT) sows fP <0·01) but treatment had no significant effect on either the farrowing rate or on the subsequent litter size. It is concluded that despite significant changes in the live weight and condition of sows and changes in steroid hormone concentrations due to food intake and the administration of allyl trenbolone, there were no significant effects on reproductive performance.

scholarly journals Seasonal variation in voluntary food intake and post-weaning growth in lambs: a comparison of genotypes

1991 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 279-285 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. R. Iason ◽  
A. R. Mantecon
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Variation ◽  
Food Intake ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Normal Rate ◽  
Seasonal Cycles ◽  
Negative Deviation ◽  
Individual Analysis ◽  
Growth Regime ◽  
Rate Of Increase ◽  
Voluntary Food Intake

ABSTRACTVoluntary food intake (VFI) was measured daily and live weight (LW) was measured weekly in a total of 39 growing lambs of six genotypes given a similar complete chopped-straw based diet in experiments in 1983, 1985, 1987 and 1988. The six genotypes and the years of study were: Scottish Blackface (BF), 1983 and 1988; Suffolk × (Border Leicester × BF) (BL × BF), Suffolk × (East Friesland × Cheviot) (EF × NCC), Suffolk × (East Friesland × BF) (EF × BF), 1985; Welsh mountain (WM) and Beulah (BH), 1985. Measurements were made on lambs penned individually within 6 weeks of weaning at 5 to 6 months of age through to slaughter in the following spring. During this period there was an increase in LW and VFI associated with growth. Regression lines were fitted to LW and weekly means of daily VFI against week for each individual. Analysis of deviations about these lines showed a decline in VFI in BF lambs around December and to a lesser e×tent in BL × BF from December to January. The decline in VFI in BF was observed in two different years. A negative deviation from the normal rate of increase in LW was also apparent although it was much less marked and present in EF × NCC lambs as well as BF and BF × NCC. Any such variability of seasonal cycles between genotypes of growing lamb would influence the e×tent to which nutrition and growth may be manipulated. This should be considered when choosing a feeding or growth regime for a particular genotype, or vice versa.

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