scholarly journals Comparative study of rumen activity in churra and merino sheep

Author(s):  
M.D. Carro ◽  
F.J. Giráldez ◽  
M.J. Ranilla ◽  
J.S. González ◽  
A.R. Mantecón

Some recent studies (Frutos et al., 1992) comparing Spanish sheep breeds have indicate possible differences between breeds in the digestive diet utilization. The aim of this experiment was to compare the activity of microbies in the rumens of Churra and Merino sheep which were kept in the same environment and received the same diets. The pH and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) concentration in rumen liquor were also determined in all animals.The experiment was conducted with 5 mature Churra sheep (47.2 ± 2.74 kg live weight (LW)) and 5 mature Merino sheep (45.0 ± 0.91 kg LW), which had been fitted with a rumen cannula of 35 mm diameter 4 months before the start of the experiment. All animals were housed in individual pens and had free access to water and mineral blocks. The animals received alfalfa hay at maintenance level through the experimental period, which was distributed in two equal amounts at 10:00 and 18:00 h.

1995 ◽  
Vol 1995 ◽  
pp. 85-85
Author(s):  
E. Gonzalez-Chábarri ◽  
P. Lavín ◽  
A.R. Mantecón

Some recent studies (Frutos et al, 1992; Giraldez et al, 1993) comparing Spanish sheep breeds have indicate possible differences between breeds in the digestive diet utilization. The aim of this study was to compare voluntary food intake and diet digestibility in three sheep breeds when offered three levels of concentrate supplementation.A latin square trial (3x3x3) involving three sheep breeds and three levels of concentrate in three periods, with three replicates was designed. The breeds compared were Merina (39.83±10.05 kg live weight (LW)), Churra (44.33±9.86 kg LW) and Assaf (55.83±7.65 kg LW) and three non-productive ewes of each breed were used. All animals were divided into three groups of three animals (one ewe per breed) and housed in individual pens with free access to water and mineral blocks.


1990 ◽  
Vol 114 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. J. Cruickshank ◽  
D. P. Poppi ◽  
A. R. Sykes ◽  
A. S. Familton

SUMMARYThe voluntary food intake, in vivo digestibility and site of nutrient digestion was measured in 12 Polled Dorset ram lambs, from 6 to 24 weeks of age, offered clover hay. Lambs were weaned at 6 weeks of age. Six were fitted with a permanent T-shaped cannula in the abomasum and a temporary rumen catheter during the periods of digesta flow measurement.Surgical modification of lambs did not influence intake (g/kg live weight (W) per day), in vivo digestibility or marker retention time in the rumen. However, intact lambs grew significantly faster than cannulated lambs (139 v. 109g/day, P < 0·05) apparently because of an overall higher cumulative intake over the whole experimental period rather than any change in efficiency of use of nutrients or maintenance requirement.Relative to live weight, intake increased rapidly until c. 10 weeks of age and remained relatively constant at c. 37 g DM/kg W per day for the remainder of the experiment. Age had no effect on in vivo digestibility of organic matter (OM) or neutral detergent fibre (NDF) (average 0·69).The proportion of digestible organic matter apparently digested in the rumen (DOMADR) decreased from 0·63 to 0·47 between 8 and 24 weeks of age whilst intake between these measurement periods increased. Nonammonia N (NAN) flow past the abomasum was similar at all ages in relation to digestible organic matter intake (55·1 g NAN/kg DOMI) but was higher at 16 and 24 weeks of age than at 8 and 12 weeks of age, respectively, in relation to organic matter apparently digested in the rumen (OMADR) (116 and 85 g NAN/kg OMADR, respectively, P < 0·05).Fractional outflow rate of digesta markers from the rumen, when estimated from abomasal digesta, was significantly higher than when estimated from faeces (103Ru-p 0·121 v. 0·09; 51Cr-EDTA 0·169 v. 0·111/h; P > 0·05).It was concluded that cannulation did not affect intake and digestion characteristics in these young lambs. The changes in the site of nutrient digestion as the animals aged may have been due to agerelated changes in digestive function but appeared to be associated with the increase in intake that occurred between measurement periods of the cannulated lambs.


2008 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-164
Author(s):  
Li Bo ◽  
Zhang He ◽  
Zhang Jing ◽  
Sun Bo-Xing ◽  
Chen Lu ◽  
...  

AbstractNine prepubertal gilts (JunMu No. 1) were randomly allocated into three groups (n=3) and fed with a high-energy diet (Group H), a low-energy diet (Group L), or a moderate-energy diet (Group M) for 14 days. Free access to water was provided throughout the research period. Ovaries and uteri were collected after the energy treatments, and processed for determination of the absolute quantities of insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-1R) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mRNA, using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The expression of IGF-1R and EGFR mRNA in ovaries and uteri was significantly ranked as: Group H>Group M>Group L (P<0.05). This result suggests that high energy intake markedly enhanced the ovarian and uterine expression of IGF-1R and EGFR in prepubertal gilts, whereas insufficient energy intake markedly inhibited such expression. IGF-1R and EGFR may be involved in mediating the effects of energy intake on the development of the reproductive system in prepubertal gilts.


2005 ◽  
Vol 81 (2) ◽  
pp. 305-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Mahouachi ◽  
N. Atti

Abstract Fifty intact male Barbarine lambs were used to assess the effects of restricted feeding and re-alimentation on intake, growth and non-carcass components. Five lambs were slaughtered at the start of the trial, the remainder were randomly allocated into three groups. One group was offered only stubble grazing (low: L), another, also on stubble, received, indoors, an average of 80 g dry matter (DM) of soya-bean meal per day (medium: M); the third group was kept indoors and had free access to hay and 450 g of concentrate per day (high: H). At the end of this restriction period (70 days), five lambs per group were slaughtered. The 10 remaining animals in each group were divided into two groups receiving concentrate and hay ad libitum. The crude protein content (CP) of the concentrate was 160 and 210 g/kg DM for the two treatments, respectively. At the end of the trial all animals were slaughtered at 37·61 ± 2·05 kg live weight.In the restriction period, sheep from the H group had a significantly higher growth rate (108 g/day) than L group (61 g/day) with M intermediate. The empty body weight (EBW) as well as carcass weight were significantly higher in H than in restricted sheep. Digestive tract components and liver weight were the same for all treatments. However, skin weight was significantly (P < 0·01) affected by dietary treatment. The heart and lungs were also heavier in H lambs than in the two other groups. Conversely, the relative weights of gut and liver as proportion of EBW increased in restricted lambs, while that of skin and red organs was not affected by diet.In the re-alimentation period and with both CP levels, the compensating animals showed the same growth rate as the previous unrestricted ones. At the end of this period, organ weights, in both absolute and relative value, were comparable among lambs of the three nutritional histories and two CP level. The absolute and proportional daily gains were similar in all animals for visceral and external organs, but they were significantly higher in H lambs than in L and M ones for the omental and mesenteric fat and testis.


1965 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. S. Barber ◽  
R. Braude ◽  
Zena D. Hosking ◽  
K. G. Mitchell

SUMMARY1. Seventy-two individually fed pigs on six treatments were used to determine the effects on performance and in particular on carcass quality of (a) giving quantities of liquid skim-milk (preserved with formalin) in excess of those normally recommended; (b) replacing meal by skim-milk in the ration on a calculated dry-matter basis (1 gal. skim-milk equivalent to 1 · 1 lb. meal) as compared with a calculated energy basis (1 gal. skim-milk equivalent to 1 · 3 lb. meal) and (c) giving skim-milk for only a part of the growing period instead of throughout. The experimental period continued from 9–10 weeks of age until slaughter at an average live-weight of 135 lb.2. Extensive carcass measurements were taken and in addition assessment of the carcasses was made by a representative of the County Quality Pork Association and by an expert pork butcher.3. Carcasses from pigs given an all-meal diet were comparable in all respects with those from pigs given skim-milk throughout up to a maximum of either 5¼ or 10½ pints per pig per day.4. Carcasses from pigs given the highest level of skim-milk (maximum of 15¾ pints per pig per day) were superior in many respects to those on any of the other treatments, but the possibility that this was due to their slower rate of growth rather than to the high level of milk per se, is discussed.5. Pigs given skim-milk as replacement of part of their meal allowance on a calculated dry matter basis grew significantly faster than those in which the replacement was made on a calculated energy basis or than those given an all-meal diet. The importance is stressed of ensuring that in assessing the value of skim-milk for pigs the caloric value of the rations being compared is similar. The need for experiments based on actual determinations of the caloric value of the rations used is also emphasised.6. While the performance of pigs given skim-milk up to 75 lb. live-weight only was similar to that of pigs given skim-milk throughout, evidence was obtained that the quality of their carcasses was slightly inferior.7. There was some suggestion that as the level of skim-milk in the diet increased an eye muscle of a rather paler colour was produced.


1958 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Braude ◽  
Pamela M. Clarke ◽  
K. G. Mitchell ◽  
A. S. Cray ◽  
A. Franke ◽  
...  

1. Results are reported of an experiment carried out under commercial conditions to obtain information on the comparative value of dried skim-milk and white fish meal as protein supplements for fattening pigs.2. There were four treatments. Control pigs (i) received a meal mixture containing 10% white fish meal, reduced to 7% from 130 lb. live weight. In the other experimental groups, the fish meal was replaced by dried skim-milk, (ii) on a weight for weight basis, (iv) on a protein basis and (iii) intermediate between (ii) and (iv). All pigs were fed the meal dry and ad lib. up to a maximum of 6½ lb./head daily. Unrestricted water was available.There were five pens of nine group-fed pigs on each treatment, involving a total of 180 pigs. The pigs were on experiment from approximately 10 weeks of age to bacon weight. Comprehensive carcass measurements were made on all the pigs.3. The results showed that a significantly better rate of growth was obtained when the white fish meal was replaced by dried skim-milk on a weight for weight basis. Increasing the percentage of skim-milk in the diet up to 15% resulted in a slightly better performance of the pigs, but no further improvement was obtained by raising the level of skim-milk to 20%. These results were discussed in relation to an apparent set-back that the control pigs suffered at the start of the experimental period.4. The inclusion of dried skim-milk in the diet had an adverse effect on the carcass grading, particularly in so far as it resulted in a thicker layer of back fat over the loin as compared with that in the control pigs.5. There was also some indication that the carcasses from the animals given dried skim-milk had slightly thicker bellies and a smaller breadth of eye muscle than the carcasses of the control animals that received fish meal.6. The results have been compared with those of an earlier trial, which was in most details the same as that reported here, the main difference being that in the earlier experiment individual feeding and one breed of pig were used.


1993 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. W. J. Steen

AbstractTwo randomized-block experiments were carried out to examine the relative value of wheat and barley as supplements to grass silage for finishing beef cattle. In each experiment unwilted, formic acid-treated silage was offered ad libitum and supplemented with 500 g soya-bean meal and 50 g minerals and vitamins to 44 12-month-old bulls for 157 and 172 days in experiments 1 and 2 respectively. Twelve of the animals also received 2·5 kg rolled spring barley (LB), 12 received 4·0 kg barley (HB) and 20 received 3·25 kg rolled wheat (W). For experiments 1 and 2 respectively the barley contained 796 and 787 g dry matter (DM) per kg; 118 and 105 g crude protein (CP) per kg DM; 47 and 57 g crude fibre per kg DM; the wheat contained 845 and 800 g DM per kg; 112 and 116 g CP per kg DM; 23 and 25 g crude fibre per kg DM; and the silages contained 190 and 177 g DM per kg; 153 and 176 g CP per kg DM; 80 and 104 g ammonia-nitrogen per kg total nitrogen. On average over the two experiments, for treatments LB, HB and W respectively, silage DM intakes were 5·4, 4·7 (s.e. 0·14) and 4·9 (s.e. 0·11) kg/day; total DM intakes 7·9, 8·3 (s.e. 0·14) and 8·1 (s.e. 0·11) kg/day; metabolizable energy intakes 91·4, 97·8 and 94·2 MJ/day; live-weight gains 1·04,1·19 (s.e. 0·029) and 1·10 (s.e. 0·023) kg/day and carcass gams 0·65, 0·77 (s.e. 0·017) and 0·70 (s.e. 0·013) kg/day. It is concluded that the feeding value of wheat was proportionately 0·98 of that of barley for finishing beef cattle when given as a supplement to grass silage, and that the type of cereal offered did not affect silage intake or carcass composition.


2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 254-255
Author(s):  
Alexey V Shakhin ◽  
Arsen V Dotsev ◽  
Tatiana E Deniskova ◽  
Gottfried Brem ◽  
Natalia A Zinovieva

Abstract Prolificacy is a very important trait in sheep. Romanov sheep, the well-known Russian sheep breed, are characterized by very high prolificacy; however, the genetic basis of this unique property of Romanov sheep is still unknown. It was reported that Ovine BMPR1B gene, located on the OAR6, is associated with prolificacy in several sheep breeds. The aim of our study was to identify candidate SNPs within BMPR1B gene, related to prolificacy. To achieve this goal, using NGS technology, we sequenced ovine BMPR1B gene in Romanov sheep (n = 6), which are characterized by high prolificacy (about 270 lambs per 100 ewes). The sequences of BMPR1B gene of Noire du Velay, Tan, Southdown and Australian Horned Merino sheep breeds as well as Asiatic mouflon (n = 1), which are characterized by significantly lower prolificacy (from 110 to 180 lambs per 100 ewes) were derived from publicly available sources and used for comparison. FST analysis performed in PLINK 1.9 program revealed 10 SNPs with values higher than 0.8. The majority of candidate SNPs under putative selection were localized in the region from 29,382,098 to 29,430,387 on OAR6 of Ovine reference genome (Oar_v3.1 (Ensembl release 98). Thus, we can suggest, that this region of the BMPR1B gene can be considered as the putative region, associated with high prolificacy of Romanov sheep. Additional studies will be needed to confirm the effect of identified candidate SNPs on prolificacy traits. The research results will be useful for artificial selection of sheep with higher prolific capacity, including the introduction of desired alleles in sheep populations using genome editing technologies. This work was supported by the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education No. 0445-2019-0024 and RFBR No. 20-516-56002.


2003 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 191-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
T.K. Chen ◽  
C.H. Ni ◽  
J.N. Chen ◽  
J. Lin

The membrane bioreactor (MBR) system has become more and more attractive in the field of wastewater treatment. It is particularly attractive in situations where long solids retention times are required, such as nitrifying bacteria, and physical retention critical to achieving more efficiency for biological degradation of pollutant. Although it is a new technology, the MBR process has been applied for industrial wastewater treatment for only the past decade. The opto-electronic industry, developed very fast over the past decade in the world, is high technology manufacturing. The treatment of the opto-electronic industrial wastewater containing a significant quantity of organic nitrogen compounds with a ratio over 95% in organic nitrogen (Org-N) to total nitrogen (T-N) is very difficult to meet the discharge limits. This research is mainly to discuss the treatment capacity of high-strength organic nitrogen wastewater, and to investigate the capabilities of the MBR process. A 5 m3/day capacity of MBR pilot plant consisted of anoxic, aerobic and membrane bioreactor was installed for evaluation. The operation was continued for 150 days. Over the whole experimental period, a satisfactory organic removal performance was achieved. The COD could be removed with an average of over 94.5%. For TOC and BOD5 items, the average removal efficiencies were 96.3 and 97.6%, respectively. The nitrification and denitrification was also successfully achieved. Furthermore, the effluent did not contain any suspended solids. Only a small concentration of ammonia nitrogen was found in the effluent. The stable effluent quality and satisfactory removal performance mentioned above were ensured by the efficient interception performance of the membrane device incorporated within the biological reactor. The MBR system shows promise as a means of treating very high organic nitrogen wastewater without dilution. The effluent of TKN, NOx-N and COD can fall below 20 mg/L, 30 mg/L and 50 mg/L.


1956 ◽  
Vol 188 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Knut Schmidt-Nielsen ◽  
Bodil Schmidt-Nielsen ◽  
S. A. Jarnum ◽  
T. R. Houpt

The rectal temperature of normal healthy camels at rest may vary from about 34°C to more than 40°C. Diurnal variations in the winter are usually in the order of 2°C. In summer the diurnal variations in the camel deprived of drinking water may exceed 6°C, but in animals with free access to water the variations are similar to those found in the winter. The variations in temperature are of great significance in water conservation in two ways. a) The increase in body temperature means that heat is stored in the body instead of being dissipated by evaporation of water. At night the excess heat can be given off without expenditure of water. b) The high body temperature means that heat gain from the hot environment is reduced because the temperature gradient is reduced. The effect of the increased body temperature on heat gain from the environment has been calculated from data on water expenditure. These calculations show that under the given conditions the variations in body temperature effect a considerable economy of water expenditure. The evaporative heat regulation in the camel seems to rest exclusively on evaporation from the skin surface (sweating), and there is no apparent increase in respiratory rate or panting connected with heat regulation. The evaporation from isolated skin areas increases linearly with increased heat load. The critical temperature at which the increase sets in is around 35°C. The fur of the camel is an efficient barrier against heat gain from the environment. Water expenditure is increased in camels that have been shorn.


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