The effect of urea on the utilization of ground, pelleted roughage by penned sheep: I. Food intake, live-weight change and wool growth

1969 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 251-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. B. Coombe ◽  
G. K. Preston
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Food Intake ◽  
Weight Change ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Basal Diet ◽  
Experimental Period ◽  
Mineral Supplement ◽  
Wool Growth ◽  
Crystalline Urea ◽  
Oat Straw

SUMMARYIndividually-penned adult Merino wethers were fed for 16 weeks on a basal diet of ground, pelleted oat straw or Phalaris straw. Urea was supplied either in a salt-urea block containing 30% urea, or as crystalline urea incorporated into the pellets. A commercial mineral supplement was given during the first 8 weeks, but this was replaced with a laboratory-prepared mineral mix during the second 8 weeks.Urea supplementation significantly reduced live-weight loss. Over the 16 weeks control sheep lost a mean of 14·5 kg, and supplemented sheep 8·7 kg body weight. Most of this response to urea occurred during the second half of the experimental period.Food intakes of all sheep increased over the first 2 weeks and then fell. In the unsupplemented groups, levels of intake then remained fairly low, whereas in the sheep fed urea food intakes rose over the final 6 weeks of the experiment. There was a significant linear regression of live-weight change on food intake only with the urea-fed sheep. Intakes of urea-N from the blocks were extremely variable between individual sheep and between periods within sheep; in most cases, however, they appeared to be adequate, as this type of supplementation gave results similar to those obtained by mixing urea throughout the roughage.There was no significant effect of urea on total wool growth during the experimental period, although wool growth in the supplemented shepp showed a rise towards the end of the experiment. Wool growth in any 4-weekly period was closely related to food intake and live-weight change during that period.

The effect of urea on the utilization of ground, pelleted roughage by penned sheep: III. Mineral supplements

1971 ◽  
Vol 77 (1) ◽  
pp. 159-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. B. Coombe ◽  
K. R. Christian ◽  
M. D. Holgate
Keyword(s):  
Live Weight ◽  
Basal Diet ◽  
High Serum ◽  
Mineral Supplement ◽  
Inorganic P ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Mineral Supplements ◽  
Weight Losses ◽  
Wool Growth ◽  
Sheep Production

SummarySeven, groups of adult Merino wethers were fed for 16 weeks on a diet of pelleted oat straw and urea, either alone or supplemented with trace minerals and various combinations of the major minerals. In some treatments, the same diet was fed throughout; in others, diets were changed after 8 weeks.Sulphur (S) was by far the most important mineral supplement; sheep fed diets supplemented with all minerals except S performed as poorly as those on the basal diet. Of the other minerals, only calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg), which were fed in combination, had a small, additional beneficial effect. Supplementary phosphorus (P) had no effect whether or not S was included.Intakes of sheep on S-supplemented diets increased over the first 6 weeks to reach stable levels of 1200–1400 g D.M./day compared with approximately 800 g/day for controls, while O.M. digestibilities stabilized at about 40 and 33% for S-supplemented and unsupplemented diets respectively. Live-weight change and wool growth were closely related to intake. Mean live-weight losses during the first and second 8 weeks for sheep without supplementary S were 9·5 and 4·8 kg respectively, and were about 50% of this for supplemented sheep. Sheep which were changed from diets without supplementary S to S-supplemented diets after 8 weeks showed slight increases in live weight from then on. Wool growth was about 115 g clean wool/sheep on all treatments during the first month, after which it remained steady at about 105 g/month on S-supplemented diets and fell to 60 g/month on diets without supplementary S.Sheep without supplementary S were in negative nitrogen (N) and S balance throughout. With the S-supplemented diets, urinary excretion of N and S was high, and few positive balances were recorded until the final 4 weeks of the experiment. Serum urea levels were high (60–130 mg/100 ml) throughout, and showed no effect of diet or period. Phosphorus balances were uniformly negative in sheep without supplementary P, and generally positive in P-supplemented sheep. Serum inorganic P levels were apparently affected by P intake and by live-weight loss, but mean values never fell below 4·5 mg/100 ml.Sheep without supplementary Ca were in negative Ca balance throughout the experiment; however, Ca supplementation generally resulted in high faecal Ca losses and few positive balances were recorded. In some sheep, serum Ca fell to moderately low levels (7·5 mg/100 ml), but this appeared to be associated more with high serum inorganic P levels than low Ca intake or retention. All sheep were practically in Mg, Na and K balance throughout, and supplementation had little effect on the retention of these elements.All sheep were in very poor condition at the end of the experiment, even when their D.M. intakes had been high, and wool growth rates were mediocre throughout. It appears that urea was poorly utilized in this experiment, and that satisfactory sheep production on diets of ground straw supplemented only with urea and minerals is unlikely.

The feeding of urea supplements to sheep and cattle: the results of penned feeding and grazing experiments

1962 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. B. Coombe ◽  
D. E. Tribe
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Food Intake ◽  
Phosphoric Acid ◽  
Beneficial Effect ◽  
Crude Protein ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
General Effect ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Wool Growth

1. A number of penned feeding and grazing experiments are described in which sheep and cattle, fed diets of low-quality roughage, were given supplements of urea and molasses, or urea and starch.2. Starch was unsatisfactory as a source of supplementary carbohydrate, and it was concluded that this was mainly due to its low palatability. Molasses added without urea to a diet of straw for penned sheep increased intake and reduced the rate of live-weight loss in one experiment, but had no effect in another.3. In general, supplementing low-quality rough-age with urea and molasses in both penned feeding and grazing experiments increased food intake and reduced the rate of live-weight loss. A supplement of urea alone increased food intake, but did not affect live-weight loss. The addition of ethanol or phosphoric acid to urea-molasses supplements had no additional beneficial effect. Supplementation with urea and molasses increased wool growth, but this increase was not always significant.4. The general effect of urea on rumen contents was to increase pH, V.F.A. and ammonia N levels; the effect of molasses was to decrease pH and ammonia N levels, and increase V.F.A. levels.5. Spraying of dry, standing herbage with urea and molasses increased the crude protein (N × 6·25) content, but this effect disappeared in 3–4 days. Sprayed herbage was markedly preferred by grazing animals, and generally one third of the sprayed herbage was removed within 24 hr. of spraying.6. The advantages and disadvantages of the pasture-spraying technique, and the possibilities of other methods of feeding supplements containing urea to grazing animals, are discussed.7. In no experiment where unsupplemented animals were losing weight did urea and molasses supplementation cause substantial increases in weight. It is concluded that the main value of supplementing low-quality roughage with urea and molasses would be for the survival, and possibly the maintenance, of animals.

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.

Genetics of food intake, live weight, condition score and energy balance

1999 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 63-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. F. Veerkamp ◽  
E. P. C. Koenen
Keyword(s):  
Energy Balance ◽  
Food Intake ◽  
Weight Change ◽  
Genetic Selection ◽  
Metabolic Stress ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Food Utilization ◽  
Score Change ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Selection For

AbstractThe objectives of this study were to investigate genetic variation for traits that are part of the food utilization complex and to investigate the scope for future genetic improvement of traits possibly linked to metabolic stress: live weight (change), condition score (change) and energy balance. Many aspects of the food utilization complex appear to be heritable and are affected by genetic selection for yield. In general, genetic selection for yield increases intake and body tissue mobilization and energy balance is expected to decrease. However, unfavourable effects of genetic selection can be compensated for by measuring additional traits to be included in breeding programmes. Food intake, live weight (change) and condition score (change) are all potential options. Which traits should be measured, at what lactation stages and in which (nutritional) environment will merely depend on the coheritability with health and fertility, the genetic correlation with milk yield and the cost of measuring the trait effectively in a breeding programme.

Experiments on the nutrition of the dairy heifer:IX. Food utilization in lactation

1975 ◽  
Vol 84 (1) ◽  
pp. 173-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. H. Broster ◽  
Valerie J. Broster ◽  
T. Smith ◽  
J. W. Siviter
Keyword(s):  
Milk Yield ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Basal Diet ◽  
Experimental Period ◽  
Fat Content ◽  
Food Utilization ◽  
Similar Response ◽  
Intake Rate ◽  
Early Lactation ◽  
Additional Food

SUMMARYFood utilization by lactating dairy cows was studied in a randomized experiment covering the first 24 weeks of lactation, with further observations on performance over the remainder of the lactation under farm conditions. Over a 3-year period 90 firstcalf cows each took part in the experiment for one lactation, making six groups of 14–16 animals.For the experimental period a fixed basal diet was given of hay, concentrates, and wet brewer's grains. One group received only the basal ration. Four groups received in addition a fixed concentrates supplement for 4, 8, 12, 16 weeks from calving onwards respectively. The sixth group also had supplementary concentrates for 16 weeks but for weeks 5–12 inclusive the amount was doubled so that this group's diet simulated broadly ad libitum feeding in early lactation.Milk yield was increased by extra concentrates. The greater part of the effect was apparent in the first 2 weeks of different levels of intake, with a further build-up over the next 6–8 weeks. The size of the response fell as time from calving to initiation of different intakes increased. Additional food increased and delayed peak yield level. Persistency of milk yield was not affected by fixed differences in intake. Rate of liveweight change was improved by extra concentrates, less so in the third compared with the first month on treatment.A higher level of feeding in early lactation led to a greater partition of nutrients in mid-lactation to milk at the expense of gains in body reserves. This advantage to milk production extended to the end of lactation. In it the greatest response per unit concentrates was obtained from supplementation in the first 4 weeks of lactation but the total effect was increased by giving a double allowance of concentrates, and by extending the period of extra feeding to 8 weeks after calving.Solids-not-fat content and yield, and fat yield but not fat content, showed a similar response pattern to milk yield.Animal-to-animal variation in output on constant diets was characterized by negative regressions of live-weight change on milk yield. The regression coefficients were greater in early than in mid-lactation but they were constant in size at any one time for the various groups. A change in ration induced a change in output of the individual in which that production pathway favoured naturally by the animal was the more affected.

Effects of shelter, exposure and level of feeding over winter on the productivity of Welsh Mountain ewes and lambs

1973 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. I. Robinson ◽  
W. Brown ◽  
I. A. M. Lucas
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Body Weight ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Outdoor Exposure ◽  
Wool Growth ◽  
Digestible Organic Matter ◽  
Maintain Body Weight ◽  
Fourth Experiment ◽  
Different Levels

SUMMARYPregnant Welsh Mountain ewes were kept over winter on a hill. All were penned individually, either in a shed or out of doors. In Experiments 1 and 2 different levels of digestible organic matter (DOM) were given in each environment and in Experiment 3 only a single level was offered. In Experiment 2 all ewes were grazed together after lambing; in Experiment 3 some from each treatment were moved to a shed after lambing and their milk yields recorded between 10 and 15 days later.In a fourth experiment on low land, pregnant ewes were either housed or kept in an exposed or a sheltered paddock. All were grazed together after lambing.The results indicated that the requirement of indoors penned sheep to maintain body weight and produce a single lamb is 9·5 g DOM/kg live weight per 24 hr at 16 weeks pre-partum, rising to 15·0 g DOM/kg live weight per 24 hr at 1 week pre-partum. A 10% weight loss during pregnancy would be expected in ewes receiving 75 to 80 % of these requirements. Low intakes during pregnancy reduced wool growth and lamb birth weights.Outdoor exposure reduced pre-partum ewe weight by about 1·5 kg, and so was equivalent to a 10% reduction in daily DOM intake. The magnitude of this effect was not changed significantly by level of feeding. Exposure did not affect wool growth and its influence on lamb birth weight and growth was variable.

Water content, weight change, and activity of apterous and alate virginoparous Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) (Homoptera: Aphididae)

1979 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 363-367 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. A. MacKay ◽  
R. G. H. Downer
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Weight Gain ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Water Loss ◽  
Weight Change ◽  
Acyrthosiphon Pisum ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Mature Adults ◽  
Final Moult ◽  
Third Instar Larvae

Changes in weight, water content, and activity of alate and apterous virginoparous Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) were observed during development from third instar larvae to mature adults. Apterous aphids gained weight steadily until the 4th day of adulthood, and showed no dramatic changes in activity during this period. The live weights of alate aphids decreased during the 24 h immediately following the final moult, but increased gradually after this lime. The onset of weight loss occurred before the active nonfeeding period during which dispersal would normally lake place. Recommencement of weight gain followed the resumption of feeding. After the adult moult, the water content of alatae expressed as a percentage of live weight decreased for 24 h. whereas that of apterae remained constant. During the next 24 h, the water content of alatae increased to a level slightly below that of apterae. Thereafter, both morphs maintained a constant water content until about the 5th day, when a slight increase was evident. Eighty-five percent of the weight loss of adult alatae is attributable to water loss. It is suggested that dehydration of newly moulted adult alatae is an adaptation to facilitate dispersive flight.

scholarly journals The effects of kumiss supplementation on body weight, food intake, nesfatin-1 and irisin levels in BALB/C mice

2020 ◽  
Vol 90 (6) ◽  
pp. 627-636
Author(s):  
Canan Gulmez ◽  
◽  
Onur Atakisi
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Food Intake ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Feed Consumption ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Male Mice ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Bacterial Colony ◽  
Metabolic Functions ◽  
Significant Difference

The aim of this study was to investigate the plasma and tissue levels of nesfatin-1 and irisin hormones, which were discovered in recent years and are associated with endocrine and metabolic functions, in kumiss-supplemented mice. Sixteen BALB/C male mice were divided into two groups as control and kumiss groups. During the experiment, the kumiss was added to the drinking water of mice at a ratio of 1:1 to obtain a daily 2×108 cfu/mL bacterial colony, and was given once a day orally for 20 weeks. The weights and food intake of the animals were monitored during the experiment. The nesfatin-1 and irisin levels in plasma and tissue samples were determined using ELISA kits. Kumiss supplementation reduced the live weight for 2-12 weeks (P<0.05). However, no significant difference was observed after the 12th week. The feed consumption of the kumiss group was lower at the beginning and the 10th week, and at the end, compared to the control group (P<0.05). The plasma levels of nesfatin-1 and irisin (P<0.001) decreased while the liver levels increased (P<0.05 and P<0.001, respectively). The results indicate that plasma and liver levels of nesfatin-1 and irisin are regulated by diet and are effective in weight loss and food intake.

Formaldehyde treated diets for drought feeding of sheep

1973 ◽  
Vol 13 (65) ◽  
pp. 630
Author(s):  
KW Entwistle
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin A ◽  
Growth Rates ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
Basal Diet ◽  
Experimental Period ◽  
Meat And Bone Meal ◽  
Bone Meal ◽  
Wool Growth ◽  
Sorghum Silage ◽  
Sorghum Grain

Three experiments are reported in which formaldehyde treatment of various components of survival rations was examined. In experiment 1, Merino weaner ewes were fed survival diets composed of either wheat or sorghum grain with meat and bone meal and low quality roughage. The grain and the meat and bone meal components were treated or untreated with formaldehyde (HCHO), and half the animals were treated with vitamin A. Both HCHO treatment of the grain and vitamin A treatment significantly increased liveweight gains over the 20-week experimental period. There was no wool growth response to HCHO treatment but wool growth rates were higher in sheep on the wheat based diets. Vitamin A treatment had no effect on survival rates, which were, however, lower in sheep on wheat diets. In experiment 2, similar sheep, maintained on a basal diet of low quality sorghum silage, were supplemented with meat and bone meal treated or untreated with HCHO and half the sheep were treated with vitamin A. HCHO treatment resulted in a lower rate of liveweight loss but only for the first 30 days of the experiment. Neither wool growth rates nor survival rates were affected by HCHO or by vitamin A treatment. In experiment 3, Merino wethers were used and the effectiveness of HCHO treatment of either wheat or sorghum grain diets was further examined. HCHO treatment had no effect on either liveweight or clean wool production, which was, however, higher in sheep on wheat based diets.

Evaluation of formaldehyde-treated lucerne hay for protecting protein from ruminal degradation, and for increasing nitrogen retention, wool growth, live-weight gain and voluntary intake when fed to young sheep

1976 ◽  
Vol 86 (2) ◽  
pp. 379-392 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. N. Barry
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Moisture Content ◽  
Treatment Period ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Post Treatment ◽  
Wool Growth ◽  
Formaldehyde Treatment ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
Voluntary Intake

SummaryIn three separate experiments, lucerne hay was sprayed with solutions of formaldehyde as it was being baled. Moisture content at baling was respectively 20, 28 and 34% in Expts 1, 2 and 3, the latter being considered higher than normal. Dry matter lost during 4 months of storage averaged 6·7% and was unaffected by formaldehyde treatment.Increasing rates of formaldehyde application decreased the amount of plant nitrogen digested in the microbial stage of an in vitro system and increased the amount of nitrogen digested in the subsequent acid-pepsin stage (Expt 1 only). When the hays were fed at constant intake to sheep in metabolism cages, formaldehyde treatment depressed the concentration of ammonia and volatile fatty acids (VFA's) in rumen fluid and lowered the molar proportions of iso- and n-valeric acids, but caused either very little or no depression in apparent energy digestibility. It was concluded that formaldehyde treatment of the hays reduced protein degradation by rumen microorganisms and probably increased the amount of protein digested in the post-ruminal region of the digestive system, and that this was achieved without any serious effect on energy digestion.The hays were also fed for 50 days at restricted and ad libitum intakes to young Komney sheep kept in outdoor pens, followed by a 55-day post-treatment period on spring pasture. Voluntary intake was high in both experiments and was unaffected by formaldehyde treatment in hay baled at normal moisture content. There was a tendency for formaldehyde treatment to cause a small increase in voluntary intake in hay baled at the highest moisture content, but this was counteracted by its effect in depressing digestibility, giving no increase in digestible dry-matter intake. Live-weight gains were low in relation to intake, giving a weight loss in most treatment groups. Formaldehyde treatment significantly reduced weight loss and the effect was still present at the end of the post-treatment period. From regressions of weight change on digestible energy intake, it was considered that formaldehyde treatment had brought about a small improvement in the efficiency with which energy was used below maintenance.Wool growth rates appeared normal for the levels of intake achieved and were increased 14·5% by formaldehyde treatment at ad libitumintake and 5·5% at restricted intake. Residual responses to formaldehyde treatment in the post-treatment period averaged 8%. The total amount of extra clean wool produced from formaldehyde treatment over both periods was 46and94g respectively at the restricted and ad libitum intakes, representing only 1·5 and 3·0% of the annual fleece production. Wool growth on diets treated with formaldehyde in sheep feed at the maintenance level of energy intake is discussed in relation to the concentration of protein-bound sulphur-containing amino acids (SAA's) in the diet dry matter. It was concluded that large responses in wool growth from protein protection of forage diets are unlikely unless the concentration of SAA's in the dry matter can be considerably increased from their present low levels. It is suggested that the possibility of achieving this through plant breeding techniques be investigated.

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