Effects of night enclosure and extensive walking on the productivity of zebu cattle

1987 ◽  
Vol 109 (3) ◽  
pp. 445-452 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Nicholson

SummaryThe effects of night enclosure and walking 3000 km on growing and breeding cattle were examined over an 8-month period. Walking consisted of an 8 h walk of 40 km every 3rd day and experimental cattle were enclosed each night for 11 h. In addition, all cattle were allowed water once every 3 days. In cattle which both walked and were enclosed, a reduction of nearly 40% in grazing time was recorded. This was associated with a depression of dry-matter intake of only 12%, suggesting an intensification of eating in response to a restriction of grazing time. The overall effects of walking and enclosing on productivity, as determined by adult weight loss, calf and weaner growth, calving percentage and birth weight, were negligible and masked by the greater effects of poor nutrition during the dry season which affected all the animals. It is concluded that the additional energetic requirements for walking are small and this is attributed to adaptation, fitness and a possible depression of metabolic rate. These factors may explain why the observed costs of walking were lower than those reported in the literature.

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 226
Author(s):  
Dheynne Alves Vieira ◽  
Andréia Santos Cezário ◽  
Wallacy Barbacena Rosa dos Santos ◽  
Jeferson Corrêa Ribeiro ◽  
Tiago Neves Pereira Valente ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of crossbred Holstein × Zebu steers fed on the diets containing sugarcane in natura or ensiled with two levels of concentrate (30% and 70%). A total of 32 males of 394 kg of body weight were used in a completely randomized experimental design with four treatments and seven repetitions. The animals reported a high dry matter intake (DMI) (P < 0.05) when fed on the high concentrate levels. The increase in concentrate levels resulted in an approximately 25% to 60% higher DMI as compared to the lowest level offered by silage-based diets and sugarcane in natura. The highest apparent digestibility coefficients of dry matter were observed in the diets based on sugarcane in natura (P < 0.05). The sugarcane based diets also affected (P > 0.05) the digestibility of organic matter, neutral detergent fiber, crude protein, ether extract, and non-fiber carbohydrates. There were no differences (P > 0.05) between the diets for average daily weight gain, carcass dressing, carcass gain, and feed conversion. The diets based on sugarcane in nature or ensiled with 30% and 70% concentrates do not influence the performance of crossbred Holstein × Zebu cattle.


2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 431-432
Author(s):  
Cibelle B Figueiredo ◽  
Mauricia B Silva ◽  
Juliano Fernandes ◽  
Alana M Calaça ◽  
Higor Rocha ◽  
...  

Abstract The aim of this trial was to evaluate the effect of encapsulated calcium ammonium nitrate as a partial substitute for soybean meals in the concentrate dry matter intake, average daily gain and feed efficiency of Nellore young bulls under grazing conditions, during the dry season. Sixty-four weaned Nellore (initial BW = 177.46±3.77 kg and 9 mo old) were used in a completely randomized assay. The study lasted 84 days on the dry season. Animals were allotted into 16 paddocks of 1.0 ha each of Urochloa brizantha, randomly assigned into one of two treatments: (CTL) supplement with 25% CP, without nitrate inclusion and; (ENP): supplement with 25% CP, with a inclusion of 50 g of encapsulated calcium ammonium nitrate to each 100 kg of body weight. Animals were fed with concentrate at 1.0% of body weight. Concentrate offered was monitored daily as well as his refusals were collected and weighed to determine daily concentrate dry matter intake (DMI) and feed efficiency (F:G). Animals were weighed every 28 d for calculating average daily gain (ADG). Data were analyzed as a completely randomized design, using ANOVA (α = 0.05). No effects of treatments (P &gt; 0.3487) were observed for final BW (246.69 kg). The same for concentrate dry matter intake (P &gt; 0.0550). Animals consumed 2.34 kg of supplement per day. The average daily gain (0.832 kg, P &gt; 0.2649) and feed efficiency (0.356 kg, P &gt; 0.7315) were not affected by the inclusion of nitrate. The inclusion of encapsulated calcium ammonium nitrate in supplement to Nellore young bulls under grazing conditions during the growing phase did not affect the performance.


1972 ◽  
Vol 78 (2) ◽  
pp. 173-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. B. Moran ◽  
J. E. Vercoe

SUMMARYPublished and unpublished results for apparent nitrogen digestibility from 107 digestibility trials with Zebu (Africander, Brahman and their crosses with British cattle) and British breeds of cattle were analysed by regression analyses to determine its relationship with dry matter intake and dietary nitrogen content.The linear regression of apparent nitrogen digestibility on the reciprocal of dietary nitrogen content was an adequate mathematical description of the relation (r = 0·92) and the addition of the reciprocal of nitrogen intake as an independent variable improved the description (r = 0·95) particularly for diets with a low nitrogen content. Both these equations have a physiological basis.Estimates of the true nitrogen digestibility and metabolic faecal nitrogen from the linear regression of apparent nitrogen digestibility on the reciprocal of dietary nitrogen content were 86·8% and 0·49 g/100 g dry-matter intake. Independent estimates of these parameters from a multiple regression of total faecal nitrogen on dry-matter intake and nitrogen intake were 88·7% and 0·46 g/100 g dry-matter intake. The analyses on the breeds suggested that the Zebu cattle may have a higher true digestibility and a lower metabolic faecal nitrogen than the British cattle, although the differences were small and could not be subjected to statistical tests.


1966 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 147 ◽  
Author(s):  
AD Wilson

Penned sheep were fed on species of Atriplex or Kochia, either alone or as supplements to a roughage diet. The intake and digestibility of the diets, and the weight change of the sheep were recorded. The digestible dry matter intake of A. nummularia and A. vesicaria was sufficient for maintenance of the sheep, provided that fresh water was available. There was little seasonal change in the quality of the Atriglex diets. The intake of a protein-deficient roughage was not altered by the addition of 150 g dry matter of Atriplex or Kochia as a supplement. Body weight loss was decreased or gain increased, but neither significantly, by the addition of these supplements which were high in nitrogen.


2003 ◽  
Vol 140 (4) ◽  
pp. 461-468 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. SCHLECHT ◽  
M. SANGARÉ ◽  
K. BECKER

The gastrointestinal tract (gut) contents of male Zebu cattle (Bos indicus) were studied in the southern Sahelian zone of Mali. Measurements were carried out on 39 animals in mid-dry season (MDS) and 15 at the end of the dry season (late dry season, LDS).After overnight fasting, the animals were weighed and then slaughtered. The different gut compartments were emptied and representative samples of their fill were analysed for contents of dry matter (all) and NDF (reticulo-rumen only).Related to fasted live weight (FLW), gut fresh matter (FM) fill (g FM/kg FLW) increased from 165·7±4·81 g in MDS to 227·5±3·05 g in LDS (P[les ]0·001), liquid gut contents (g fluid/kg FLW) increased from 138·9±4·65 to 193·5±2·49 g (P[les ]0·001) and gut dry matter fill (g DM/kg FLW) increased from 26·8±0·88 to 34·0±0·97 g (P[les ]0·001). Fresh matter content of the reticulo-rumen accounted for 77% and 80% of the entire gut FM fill in MDS and LDS, respectively. While the NDF component in reticulo-rumen fill (g NDF/kg DM) increased from 778·5±5·63 g in MDS to 836·6±6·37 g in LDS (P[les ]0·001), the ratio between dry matter and fluid in the reticulo-rumen (g DM/g fluid) decreased from 193·2±10·17 g in MDS to 169·0±5·54 g in LDS (P[les ]0·05).The data support the notion that African breeds of Zebu cattle adjust to deteriorating feeding conditions by increasing reticulo-rumen dry matter and fluid contents. In-depth studies are needed to quantify the physiological benefits resulting from this strategy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola Walshe ◽  
Raul Cabrera-Rubio ◽  
Roisin Collins ◽  
Antonella Puggioni ◽  
Vivian Gath ◽  
...  

Obesity is endemic in human populations in the western society, and with mounting evidence that the intestinal ecological environment plays a major role in its pathogenesis, identification of therapies based on intestinal microbiota modulation are gaining attention. Obesity in companion animals is also a common clinical problem. We set out using a multidimensional approach, to determine the effectiveness and safety of a weight loss program for horses incorporating diet restriction and exercise. In addition, we aimed to investigate the effect of this program on the overall intestinal health of overweight sedentary horses. The investigation comprised of a randomized, controlled, 6-week study of 14 overweight sedentary horses and ponies who were blocked for age, gender, and breed (controls n = 7, treatment n = 7). The treatment group were fed a restricted diet (1.4% of body weight dry matter intake) and the control group a maintenance diet (2% of body weight as dry matter intake) over the study period. The treatment group were subjected to a prescribed exercise regime, while the control group were exercised to mimic foraging conditions. Several clinical measurements were taken at the start and end of the study, including morphological parameters, ultrasound measurements of subcutaneous fat, and blood pressure. Fecal microbiota analysis was performed using 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, and fecal metabolome was analyzed using NMR spectroscopy, on samples taken at weeks 1, 3, and 6 of the study. All horses completed the study period successfully. However, two of the treatment group had to have modified exercise regimes. The treatment group showed significant weight loss (p &lt; 0.00001) and an associated decrease in waste circumference (p &lt; 0.0001) when compared with the control group. The alpha-diversity of the fecal microbiota in the treatment group showed a significant increase from the start to the end of the study period (p &lt; 0.05); however, there was no significant difference between groups at any sampling point. There were significant changes (p &lt; 0.05) in the metabolome in both groups between the start and end of the study, but not between groups at any sampling point. Finally, the resting blood pressure of all horses was significantly lower by the end of the study.


1987 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. Vipond ◽  
Margaret E. King ◽  
D. M. Inglis ◽  
E. A. Hunter

ABSTRACTThe effects of winter shearing on the food intake and performance of housed ewes was studied in a series of three experiments. Winter shearing resulted in a proportional increase of dry-matter intake in ewes of 0·16 and 0·43 on two silage-based diets, of 0·09 on swede-based diets, but of only 0·02 on a hay-based diet. Shearing increased intake by a greater amount in smaller ewes and a similar trend occurred on diets containing a greater proportion of barley. Shearing increased average lamb birth weight by about 600 g (4·65 kg v. 4·06 kg), apparently as an effect of shearing per se rather than as a result of the increased energy intake. An increase in gestation length of around 1·8 days accounted for one-fifth of this increased birth weight. The effect on gestation length of shearing was to increase the unnaturally short gestation of housed unshorn ewes, this short gestation being attributed to problems of heat stress in late pregnancy. Results indicated management advantages of winter shearing in favourable climatic environments.


1969 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Walker

SUMMARYAt Ukiriguru, in Western Tanzania, cattle often lose weight appreciably in the first few weeks of the wet season. Three levels of supplementary hay feeding, compared over this period, showed initial effects, but the final weight differences between treatments were not significant due to the effects of later compensatory growth. Differences between treatments during the weight loss and compensatory growth phases can be mainly attributed to differences in dry matter intake, rather than differences in actual body weight.


1985 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 287-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. M. Apolant ◽  
D. M. B. Chestnutt

ABSTRACTOver a period of 3 years, silages subjected to various mechanical treatments by the use of conventional silage harvesters were offered ad libitum to pregnant ewes and to castrated male lambs and the effects on intake and productivity were measured. The intake of silage made from grass harvested with a precision-chop harvester was substantially greater than the intake of silage made with other types of harvester (especially, a flail harvester), causing a lower degree of comminution.Mean daily silage dry-matter intake of ewes was 0·99 kg and 1·28 kg in mid-pregnancy, and 0·85 kg and 1·10 kg in late pregnancy with flail-harvested and precision-chop silages respectively. Silage was supplemented with various levels of concentrate in late pregnancy and an increasing level of concentrates did not reduce silage intake. In early lactation, when 800 g concentrate was given daily, ewes consumed 1·00 kg flail-harvested silage and 1·39 kg precision-chop silage. Compared with flail-harvested silage, precision-chop silage increased ewe body weight immediately post lambing by 5·1 kg, lamb birth weight by 0·27 kg and lamb growth rate by 58 g/day. Increases in intake of precision-chop silages by hoggets were on average greater, though more variable, than by ewes and were reflected in increased carcass weight.The reason for the increased intake of the finely-chopped silage was examined. It would appear that the major factor is the physical size of particle involved though there was some evidence that improved fermentation resulting from finer chopping may have been partly responsible for increased intake.


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