Retention of energy and nitrogen by young sheep on different feeding patterns

1972 ◽  
Vol 78 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Freer ◽  
D. B. Jones ◽  
K. R. Christian
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Body Fat ◽  
Daily Intake ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Negative Energy ◽  
The Other ◽  
Feeding Pattern ◽  
Rotational Grazing ◽  
Feeding Patterns ◽  
Cyclic Feeding

SUMMARYIn each of two experiments the comparative slaughter technique was used to compare the retention of energy by young Border Leicester × Merino wethers when the same total amount of food was offered according to two different feeding regimens. These were designed to simulate, in pens with a diet of pelleted lucerne, feeding patterns typical of continuous and intensive rotational grazing.In the first experiment ten 9-month-old sheep that were offered the same amount of food daily (mean intake 367 g digestible organic matter) during each of 14 weeks made mean daily gains of 39 g live weight, 6·3 g body fat and 0·59 MJ (140 kcal) energy compared with a gain of 30 g live weight, a loss of 1·4 g body fat and a gain of 0·28 MJ (67 kcal) energy by a similar group that ate the same total quantity of food but in amounts that ranged, during each week, from 1·8 to 0·1 times the daily intake of the other group. This cyclic feeding pattern caused a small decrease in the digestibility of dietary organic matter.In the second experiment two similar feeding patterns were compared with ten pairs of 3-month-old sheep eating twice as much food each week as in the first experiment. One member of each pair was, in each of 13 weeks, offered food ad lib. for 3 days and then amounts falling to 20% of voluntary intake on the seventh day; the other one ate the same amount of food each week but in seven almost equal feeds. The latter sheep gained, on average, 132 g live weight daily and retained 58 g body fat and 2·96 MJ (707 kcal) energy compared with 124 g live weight, 49 g body fat and 2·61 MJ (624 kcal) energy by the sheep on the cyclic feeding pattern. In neither experiment was wool growth affected by feeding pattern.The greater effect of the cyclic feeding pattern in reducing the efficiency of energy retention in the first experiment is attributed to the higher number of days each week during which these animals were estimated to be in negative energy balance. These results suggest that adverse nutritional effects of a fluctuating feeding pattern in rotational grazing are likely to be most important where sheep are being rationed near their maintenance level and only small where food is ample.

Some aspects of energy metabolism of the sow during pregnancy

1971 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 677-683 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. W. A. Verstegen ◽  
A. J. H. van Es ◽  
H. J. Nijkamp
Keyword(s):  
Energy Requirement ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Negative Energy ◽  
The Other ◽  
Positive Energy ◽  
Dietary Energy ◽  
Respiration Chamber ◽  
Dietary Energy Intake ◽  
Energy Balances ◽  
Balance Trials

SUMMARYSixteen energy and N-balance trials with six sows were performed to study the energy requirement and protein gain of the animals during different stages in the second half of pregnancy. Energy and N-balances were measured during periods of 1 week and gaseous exchange was measured in a respiration chamber. The animals received 2·0,2·5,2·75 or 3 0 kg/day of a normal concentrate ration for sows. In one experiment, one animal had a negative energy balance on the 2 kg ration in the sixth week of pregnancy but in the other experiments the dietary energy intake was sufficient for positive energy balances until a few days before parturition. The N-balances were about 20 to 32 g/day in the second half of the gestation period. With 2·5 and 2·75 kg feed there was a negative deposition of fat at about 2 weeks before parturition. Heat production increased during pregnancy, but at a greater rate during the last 2 weeks. Until 2 to 3 weeks before parturition 2·5 to 2·75 kg of feed seemed to be adequate to meet the energy requirement of a pregnant sow of 180–200 kg live weight. During the last 2 weeks 3 kg was sufficient.

The flexibility of feeding patterns in individually housed pigs

2000 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 457-469 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. L. I. Bornett ◽  
C. A. Morgan ◽  
A. B. Lawrence ◽  
J. Mann
Keyword(s):  
Food Intake ◽  
Feeding Behaviour ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Feeding Pattern ◽  
Time Budgets ◽  
Feeding Patterns ◽  
Large White ◽  
Period 2 ◽  
Access To Food ◽  
The Impact

AbstractGroup-housed pigs may be prevented from expressing their desired feeding pattern by more dominant individuals in the group. Indeed, when compared with individually housed pigs, group housed pigs eat less frequent, but larger meals. Therefore, it would be advantageous for pigs to have flexible feeding patterns in order to decrease the impact of group housing. The aim of this study was to assess the flexibility of feeding patterns by restricting the time of access to food of pigs previously given food ad libitum and then returning them to 24-h access. Thirty-two Large White x Landrace pigs were used in an experiment of two blocks (16 pigs per block) each comprising three, 2-week periods. In each block; during period 1, all pigs were allowed 24-h access to food after which, in period 2, eight of the pigs had access to the feeder restricted between 11:00 and 13:00 h of each day. The remaining eight pigs continued on 24-h access to food and acted as controls. In period 3, all pigs were again returned to 24-h access to food. Daily feeding pattern and food intake were recorded throughout. Behavioural observations in the form of scan samples were made and pigs were weighed twice a week. In period 2 the restricted pigs had fewer visits to the feeder per day, 34·0 v. 70·1 (P < 0·001); of a longer duration, 98·3 v. 64·5 s (P < 0·01); with a higher food intake per visit, 64·9 v. 33·3 g (P < 0·001) than the control pigs. Daily food intake and live-weight gain were lower (P < 0·001) for the restricted pigs in period 2 than for the control pigs. Restricted pigs spent more time rooting (P < 0·05), and less time sleeping (P < 0·05) than the control pigs in period 2. In addition, there was a trend for pigs to spend more time alert in the observation session prior to access to food in the second period when they were restricted and they made attempts to gain access to the feeders in this session. An indication of flexibility was gained by comparing feeding behaviour and time budgets between periods 1 and 3. The pigs that experienced a period of restricted feeding either resumed their previous behaviour or showed the same trend as the controls. In periods 1 and 3 daily feeder visits were 66·2 and 68·1 for control pigs, and 65·6 and 67·1 for restricted pigs. Mean durations of visits were 79·3 and 47·5 s, and 74·4 and 61·7 s respectively. It was concluded that feeding behaviour was flexible and time budgets were resilient across periods.

The influence of package size and density on the intake of dried grass wafers fed to lambs

1972 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 335-341 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. M. Tetlow ◽  
R. J. Wilkins
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Daily Intake ◽  
The Other ◽  
Low Density ◽  
Package Size ◽  
Unit Density ◽  
Voluntary Intake

SUMMARYWafers made from dried ryegrass were fed to castrated male lambs in two experiments of 40 and 30 days' duration. In the first experiment, wafers of chopped feed were prepared which varied in unit density from 0·7 g/ml to 1·0 g/ml. In the second experiment, coarsely ground forage was passed through a ram press with a die of 5 cm diameter and the extruded material was then split into quarter and half wafers or left unsplit as whole wafers. Voluntary intake was measured throughout each experiment.For the wafers with density of 1·0 g/ml the daily intake of organic matter was 75 g/kg LW0·75 as compared with 64 g/kg LW0·75 for the wafers with density of 0·7 g/ml but this difference was not significant. There was a significant (P < 0·05) interaction between wafer density and sub-period of the experiment. The daily intake of low-density wafers, expressed in g/kg LW0·75, increased throughout the experiment, whereas that of the higher density wafers did not change.There was no overall effect of package size on organic matter intake, but the interaction between package size and sub-period of the experiment was significant (P · 0·001). The intake of the whole wafers was initially lower than that for the other treatments, but increased throughout the experiment, whereas the intake of the quarter and half wafers remained steady.

A note on the effect of dentition and age in sheep on the intake of herbage

1983 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. Newton ◽  
Caroline Jackson
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Daily Intake ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
The Other ◽  
Intermediate Group ◽  
The Difference

ABSTRACTThe intake of ten 5-year-old Masham ewes with good teeth, five 7-year-old Mashams with poor teeth and nine 10-year-old ewes with poor teeth was measured when they were offered long (35·1 cm) or short grass (3·8 cm) outdoors or poor quality hay indoors. The young ewes ate significantly more grass and hay than the old ewes, but the difference in daily intake was greater with long grass (1473 v. 751 g organic matter per head) and with hay (895 v. 421) than with short grass (617 v. 407). The intermediate age ewes ate as much of the long grass and of the hay as the young ewes, but less of the short grass. This suggests that age influenced intake more than did tooth condition, except when short grass was offered.Within the oldest but not within the intermediate group of ewes, there was a significant correlation between the number of incisors and organic matter intake, except with the long grass, but there was no correlation between the number of cheek teeth and intake. When offered hay, the only group with a reduced in vivo digestibility was the intermediate group of ewes, the other two groups having a similar digestibility.There was no correlation between number of incisors or number of molars and in vivo digestibility.

scholarly journals Studies of method of conserving grass herbage and frequency of feeding in cattle

1992 ◽  
Vol 67 (3) ◽  
pp. 319-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. R. L. Thiago ◽  
M. Gill ◽  
J. W. Sissons
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Contractile Activity ◽  
Daily Intake ◽  
Eating Behaviour ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Once Daily ◽  
Daily Feeding ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Spike Bursts ◽  
Daily Total

The influence of the method of conserving grass herbage and the frequency of feeding on eating behaviour, rumen motility and rumen fill was studied in growing steers. Silage and hay were offered to twelve rumen-cannulated Friesian steers (average initial live weight (LW) 128 kg) at a restricted level of intake (20 g dry matter (DM)/kg LW) either once or eight times daily. With once daily feeding, the daily intake of hay was consumed in a single large meal which lasted about 2 h, while silage was eaten in many small meals throughout the day. The proportion of the day spent ruminating was higher (0·39) for steers offered hay once daily than for those offered silage (0·28) or hay eight times per day (0·29). There was little effect of conservation method on frequency of rumen contraction, but contractile intensity (integration of frequency and amplitude) increased during the second half of the 24 h feeding cycle in steers offered hay either once daily or eight times daily, while the same effect was only observed when silage was offered once daily. Total daily contractile activity (the integration of the frequency and duration of myoelectric spike bursts) was significantly (P < 0·05) higher in steers offered hay, compared with silage, once daily. The mean weight of organic matter in the reticulo-rumen of steers offered hay was significantly higher than for silage both with once (1593 v. 1326 g organic matter (OM)/100 kg LW, P < 0·01) and eight (1367 v. 1160 g OM/100 kg LW, P < 0·05) times daily feeding. The proportion of the particulate pool which was present as small (< 1·2 mm) particles was always greater than 0·60.

The effect of herbage allowance on herbage intake and performance of lambs grazing perennial ryegrass and red clover swards

1976 ◽  
Vol 86 (2) ◽  
pp. 355-365 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Gibb ◽  
T. T. Treacher
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Perennial Ryegrass ◽  
Nitrogen Fertilizer ◽  
Daily Intake ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Red Clover ◽  
Asymptotic Curves ◽  
Digestible Organic Matter ◽  
The Relationship

SummaryThe effect of daily herbage allowance on herbage intakes and growth rates lambs grazing perennial ryegrass and red clover was investigated in two experiments. Herbage allowances defined as g herbage D.M./kg live weight (LW)/day were controlled by varying the areas of plots grazed for 2 days by groups of six lambs.In the first experiment five herbage allowances in the range 20–120 g D.M./kg LW/day were offered on two areas of a perennial ryegrass (cv. S. 23) sward that received nitrogen fertilizer applications of 39 or 78 kg N/ha/28 days. In the second experiment five herbage allowances in the range 30–160 g D.M./kg LW/day were offered on perennial ryegrass (cv. S. 23) and red clover (cv. Hungaropoly) swards.Asymptotic curves were fitted to describe the relationship between herbage allowance and daily intake of herbage. In Expt 1 nitrogen fertilizer rates did not affect the yield of herbage or animal performance. In Expt 2 intakes were higher on the clover sward than on the ryegrass sward at the higher herbage allowances.The asymptotic curves to describe the relationship between herbage allowance and growth rate of lambs differed widely between periods. Growth rate of the lambs increased linearly with increase in digestible organic matter intake. Live-weight gain per unit of digestible organic matter intake was higher on the red clover than on the ryegrass.The conclusion is drawn that if the herbage present to ground level is not more than three times the daily intake of the animals, intake of herbage of the animals may bo restricted.

A note on the maintenance requirement of adult conditions

1966 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 155-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martyn H. Butterworth
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Adult Male ◽  
Daily Intake ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Maintenance Requirement ◽  
Tropical Conditions ◽  
Digestible Organic Matter ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Male Sheep

The maintenance requirement for digestible organic matter of adult sheep has been derived by Wood and Capstick (1926) and more recently by Lang-lands, Corbett, McDonald and Pullar (1963) by means of regression analysis of data for feed intake, live-weight and live-weight gain.As data from digestibility trials carried out both in Trinidad and Venezuela were available, similar equations were derived for adult male sheep under tropical conditions. Groups of six adult male sheep were housed individually and total collections of faeces and urine were made for periods of 10 days after preliminary periods of 7 or 10 days. The quantity of forage offered was generally that which the individual sheep would eat without leaving a large residue. The results obtained in these trials and a more detailed description of the methods used have been described elsewhere (Butterworth, 1963; 1965). In all, 178 sets of data were used. Each set for an individual animal consisted of daily intake of digestible organic matter (D), the mean (W) of initial and final body weights, and daily change in weight (G) all in lb. Values of D and G were means obtained from the results for the 10-dayperiod. The value of G was subject to high error in determination as periods were short and measurement of weight change in ruminant animals over short periods is most unreliable (see for example, Lush, Christensen, Wilson and Black, 1928; Whiteman, Chambers, Loggins, Pope and Stephens, 1954). Mean values and ranges of the values were as follows: D=0·96 lb. (0·46–1·87 lb.), W=84·2 lb. (56·0–149·0 lb.) and G=0·02 lb. (-0·5-+0·5 lb.). The digestibility coefficients for the dry matter of the various forages used ranged from 47·3 to 68·0%.

The effects of grazing intensity on herbage consumption and animal production: III. Dairy cows grazed at two intensities on clean or contaminated pasture

1969 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 223-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. D. Greenhalgh ◽  
G. W. Reid
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Grazing Intensity ◽  
Milk Composition ◽  
The Other ◽  
Soluble Carbohydrate ◽  
Digestible Organic Matter ◽  
Carbohydrate Contents

SUMMARYOn three occasions in May—July one half of a ryegrass pasture was grazed intensively by cattle and the other was mown. In August and September these areas, designated fouled (F) and clean (C) respectively, were each strip-grazed by two groups of five cows. One group on each area had a herbage allowance of 11·4 kg dry matter per cow per day (C11 and F11) and the other 20·4 kg (C20 and F20).Before the August-September grazing the fouled area had 2·8% of its surface covered by faeces. After this grazing 23 % of the F n area and 34 % of the F20 area were classified as having been rejected by the cows. However, the upper parts of the sward on these rejected areas were in fact grazed. There were only small differences in N and soluble-carbohydrate contents between the herbages offered and rejected.Organic-matter digestibility (%) and intake (kg/cow per day) for the four groups were: C11, 73·0 and 10·5; C20, 74·9 and 11·7; F11 , 74·4 and 9·6; F20, 77·0 and 10·6. The C11 cows consumed all the herbage allowed to them, but the F11 rejected 13%. Digestible organic matter intake was affected more by grazing intensity than by fouling; this was the case also for milk yield, milk composition and the live-weight change of the cows.

Studies in grazing management IV. A comparison of close-folding and rotational grazing dairy cows on intensively fertilized pasture

1952 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 304-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Holmes ◽  
R. Waite ◽  
D. L. Fergusson ◽  
D. S. MacLusky
Keyword(s):  
Crude Protein ◽  
Harmful Effect ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
The Other ◽  
Rotational Grazing ◽  
Nitrogenous Fertilizer ◽  
Permanent Pasture ◽  
Regular Production ◽  
Digestible Crude Protein ◽  
Grazing Dairy Cows

1. In continuation of experiments made in 1949 (Holmes et al. 1950) an experiment was carried out from 7 May until 23 September 1950, to compare close-folding and rotational grazing of cows on pastures which were liberally treated with nitrogenous fertilizer. With close-folding the cows were moved daily to an area of fresh pasture calculated to supply the day's feed requirements; the rate of stocking for the day ranged from thirty to sixty-five cows per acre. With rotational grazing the cows were stocked on pasture at the rate of seven to eight cows per acre and moved from one pasture to the other at intervals of 3–4 days. Two uniform groups of six Ayrshire cows were used in a double reversal layout with four periods each of 5 weeks. The same pastures as in 1949—a permanent pasture and a cocksfoot ley—suitably divided by electric fences were used. No supplementary feeding was given.2. The average yield per acre from close-folding was 241 cow-days, 732 gal. of milk and 320 lb. live-weight gain—equivalent to 632 lb. digestible crude protein and 4316 lb. starch equivalent. Rotational grazing on similar adjoining paddocks gave 181 cow-days, 557 gal. of milk and 285 lb. liveweight gain per acre, equivalent to 486 lb. digestible crude protein and 3371 lb. starch equivalent.3. The average daily milk yield per cow was 29·5 lb. for one group and 30·2 lb. for the other. For close-folding it was 29·6 lb. and for rotational grazing it was 30·1 lb., none of the differences being significant. Nor were any differences in the average live weight of the groups or in their live-weight gains significant.4. The increased production per acre from closefolding compared with rotational grazing—amounting to 20–40%—could be related to the increased efficiency with which the available pasture was consumed.5. Close-folding had no harmful effect on the pastures. Although the season was exceptionally wet, poaching occurred only in the gates and alleyways. 6. The frequent applications of nitrogenous fertilizer throughout the season maintained regular production of good herbage. In June and July, however, despite the fertilizer applied, the crudeprotein content dropped on some paddocks to 13% of the dry matter, a figure barely sufficient to maintain high milk yields.7. Comparison of the production per acre in 1950 with that in 1949 where close-folding was used, showed an increase of 34% in starch equivalent utilized on the permanent pasture. For each extra cwt. ‘Nitro-Chalk’ applied in 1950 over that in 1949, 190 lb. starch equivalent were produced. On the cocksfoot the response to additional nitrogen was reduced because of potash deficiency induced by cropping for grass-drying in 1948.8. The factors affecting the increased production from close-folding and the fertilizer requirements of pasture are discussed.

The ability of sheep at different stocking rates to maintain the quality and quantity of their diet during the grazing season

2003 ◽  
Vol 140 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. GARCIA ◽  
P. CARRÈRE ◽  
J. F. SOUSSANA ◽  
R. BAUMONT
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Daily Intake ◽  
The Other ◽  
Intake Rate ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Grazing Season ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Digestible Organic Matter ◽  
Managed Trade ◽  
Stocking Rates

The degree to which grazers maintain the amount (organic matter intake) or the quality (organic matter digestibility) of their diet without adversely affecting the other component was addressed by investigating how sheep managed trade-offs between quantity and quality throughout the grazing season in an upland area of central France. Two groups of five dry ewes, grazing two plots of contrasting areas from April to the end of September 2000, were studied. On the smaller plot (1500 m2), the application of a high stocking rate (HSR) produced a resource of good quality but in low quantity; and on the larger plot (3000 m2), a low stocking rate (LSR) created a sward of low quality but in good quantity. In spring, in both conditions, the sheep maintained their intake of digestible organic matter (OM) at between 1000 and 1250 g/day. Both organic matter intake and digestibility remained high at both stocking rates. In summer, the intake of digestible OM decreased to between 750 and 1000 g/day. On HSR, this was mainly due to a decline of intake in relation to the decrease of intake rate and bite weight. On LSR a decrease in digestibility and to a lesser extent in intake was involved. At both stocking rates, the sheep maximized the digestibility of their diet by selecting the green laminae throughout the grazing season. In spring, the sheep modulated their daily grazing time to compensate the decrease in intake rate and maintained a high daily intake. In summer and autumn, the sheep failed to maintain their daily intake at the same level as previously observed. On both plots they modulated their daily grazing time to cover their needs (730 g/day), but they did not increase it further to maximize daily intake. This may be attributable to the costs involved in selecting (LSR) or taking (HSR) the best components from the sward.

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