Tissue mobilization rates in male fallow deer (Dama danta) as determined by computed tomography: the effects of natural and enforced food restriction

1997 ◽  
Vol 65 (2) ◽  
pp. 311-320 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. B. Jopson ◽  
J. M. Thompson ◽  
P. F. Fennessy

AbstractThe breeding season in temperate species of deer is characterized by the rut, a period of intense sexual activity when the male eats very little and competes for access to females. Males have been reported as losing proportionately up to 0·30 of live weight over a 6- to 8- week period. The majority of the live-weight loss is accounted for in loss of depot fat, with smaller losses in muscle reserves. The effects of body composition, hormone status and season on these changes in fat and muscle reserves were examined in mature fallow bucks (Dama dama).The experiment was conducted in two stages, the ‘rut’ (February to May), and ‘spring’ (June to November). For the ‘rut’ period, bucks were randomly allocated to either ad libitum feeding, entire (HiEnt), matched group feeding, castrated (CAST), or entire bucks restricted to 7·6 kg dry matter per week (LoEnt) treatment groups (no. =4, 4 and 6, respectively). Three bucks from each of the HiEnt and LoEnt groups were selected for the ‘spring’ period. Bucks were given food ad libitum until mid October, whereupon they were restricted to 2·5 kg dry matter per week for 4 weeks (SPRING). Group food intake and individual live weights were measured weekly throughout both, periods. Body composition was measured by computed tomography on five and three occasions during the ‘rut’ and ‘spring’ stages, respectively.Comparisons of the relative losses of total fat and muscle relative to empty body weight (EBW) using the allometric model (y = aXb) revealed significant treatment differences. HiEnt bucks had a high relative rate of fat and a low rate of muscle mobilization (b = 5·23 and 0·38, respectively). Only the CAST group had lower (P < 0·1) b coefficient for fat than the HiEnt group at 2·79. The LoEnt group was the only group in which the b coefficient for muscle (at 1·07) was not significantly lower than 1·0. Visceral organ weight was lost at the same rate as EBW across all treatments. There was no net loss or gain of bone for any treatment group as the b coefficients were not significantly different from zero. Fat depots were analysed relative to the total fat depot using the allometric model. The HiEnt group displayed a pattern of fat mobilization whereby the external depots were mobilized at the greatest relative rate and the internal fat depots at the lowest rate (b coefficients were 1·86, 1·23 and 0·68 for the subcutaneous, intermuscular and internal fat depots, respectively). CAST and SPRING groups were not significantly different from HiEnt bucks in the relative mobilization of fat depots. All fat depots in the LoEnt group were mobilized at the same relative rate as total fat, as the b coefficients were not significantly different from 1·0.

1977 ◽  
Vol 89 (2) ◽  
pp. 257-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. S. Davies ◽  
W. J. Pryor

SummaryThe subcutaneous, intermuscular and cavity fat depots of the half carcasses of 15 Large White × Landrace castrated male pigs, forming a growth series from 8 to 62 kg live weight, were dissected. Seventy individual muscles of these pigs were analysed for intramuscular fat content. The growth rates of each of the four fat depots, relative to total fat, were similar. Subcutaneous fat was the predominant fat depot over the growth range studied. Both intramuscular fat and non-fat dry matter grew faster than the entire muscles containing them. Growth gradients for the intramuscular fat of muscle groups, relative to either total intramuscular fat or to total fat, were similar to those for the entire muscles. The growth gradients for muscle groups were affected by neither the growth of the contained intramuscular fat nor the contained non-fat dry matter. Intramuscular fat density, but not non-fat dry-matter density, varied throughout the carcass. The fat content of muscles was highest in those that could be useful as subcutaneous insulators.


Author(s):  
M. Cropper ◽  
M.D. Lloyd ◽  
G.C. Emmans

The growth rate and body composition of lambs depend on their rate of feed intake and the composition of the feed given. The purpose of the experiment described here was to test predictions of the growth and composition of lambs given feeds of two protein contents at three levels of feeding.73 Scottish Blackface wethers were abruptly weaned at 49 days of age and an average live weight (LW) of 18 (sd 2.2) kg. Six, chosen to cover the range in initial liveweight, were killed and those remaining were put into individual pens and fed in one of six ways. Two feeds with 140g CP/kg fresh weight (FW), called LP, and 220 g CP/kg FW, called HP, were used. They were formulated using barley, maize and soyabean meal, and hay at 150g/kg FW, and were calculated to yield 11.8 MJ ME/kg FW. Each feed was given ad libitum (AL) and at daily rates of 1.2 or 0.8 kg FW. The numbers of sheepstarted were: ALHP, n = 8; ALLP, n = 8; 1.2 HP, n = 12, 1.2 LP, n = 13, 0.8 HP, n = 14, 0.8 LP, n = 12. Sheep were killed from each treatment at 5 kg LW intervals from 25 to 50 kg. After slaughter the weights of gut-fill and organs were taken and the carcase physically dissected into lean, bone and fat. The chemical composition - dry matter and the ash, N, lipid and gross energy contents of the dry matter - of the whole empty body, excluding wool, was measured. Wool weights were determined. The intakes and weights of each sheep were measured twice weekly.


1971 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 351-361 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. R. Ørskov ◽  
I. McDonald ◽  
C. Fraser ◽  
Elizabeth L. Corse

SUMMARY1. Fifty lambs weaned at about 5 weeks of age were fed ad libitum on mixtures of barley and fish meal containing either 11·0, 15·7 or 19·4% crude protein in dry matter. Male and female lambs on each diet were killed at intervals, starting after they had been on the diets for 3 weeks. The last to be killed had attained a live weight of about 55 kg.2. The mean rate of voluntary feed consumption was less at all live weights for the lambs on the diet containing 11·0% crude protein than for those on the other diets and the difference was statistically significant at live weights of 30 and 35 kg. Mean rates of live-weight gain on the low, medium and high protein diets were respectively 191, 270 and 330 g per day for the male lambs and 177, 225 and 301 g per day for the females, the increase with protein concentration being highly significant. Feed conversion rate (kg feed/kg gain) over the whole experiment increased with increasing weight at slaughter. After adjustment for this effect the mean values showed significant dietary effects, and were least on the highest protein concentration.3. The percentages (y) of nitrogen or of ether extract in the dry matter of the carcass or of the whole empty body were found to be related non-linearly to the empty-body weight (x) at time of slaughter. The relationships were satisfactorily described by equations of the form y = A + Be-Cx, where A, B and C were fitted constants. The relationships for males and females had to be fitted separately, but a common value of A could be used with each of the three groups of male lambs and similarly for the three female groups.4. These relationships were used to obtain estimates of the nitrogen, ether extract and energy content of empty-body gain per unit live-weight gain. The estimated percentages of energy retained as fat were of the order of 76–83%, in agreement with ARC estimates (1965), except for male lambs between 14 and 20 kg live weight on medium or high-protein diets, for which the estimates were only 62 and 63%.5. The implications of these relationships are discussed with particular reference to the finding of dietary effects on body composition during the growth period of the lambs and to the tendency for these differences in body composition to diminish as mature live weight was approached. The differences in body composition between male and female lambs showed no such tendency to diminish.


1980 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. J. Bass ◽  
D. M. Duganzich

ABSTRACTFifty-one cattle were allocated into five groups varying in time of starvation (0, 17, 24, 41 and 48 h). Most of the loss in fasted live weight, stomach and intestinal contents occurred within 24 h. Weights of water, dry matter and potassium present in the stomach showed a significant decrease in the first 24 h, although the percentage of water in the stomach contents rose slowly over a 48-h period. It is suggested that cattle from pasture need be starved for no more than 24 h to minimize the effect of gut fill for body composition studies.


1970 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. T. Treacher

SUMMARY1. Scottish Half-bred ewes carrying twin foetuses were fed individually to make live-weight gains in the last six weeks of pregnancy of (1) 20%, (2) 10% and (3) 0% of their live weight in week 14 of pregnancy. In lactation the ewes were fed ad libitum. The lambs were removed 12 to 16 hr after parturition and the ewes were machine-milked twice daily for the first six weeks of lactation.2. Total birth weights per ewe of twin lambs from the treatments were (1) 10·10 kg, (2) 9·44 kg and (3) 8·18 kg and differed significantly.3. The level and pattern of voluntary intake in lactation did not differ significantly between the treatments. Total dry-matter intakes in the six weeks of lactation were (1) 121·9 kg (2) 105·9 kg and (3) 109·5 kg.4. The pregnancy treatments affected the level of milk production and the shape of lactation curves. The total yields in the first six weeks of lactation were (1) 58·8 kg, (2) 43·5 kg and (3) 26·9 kg. Higher contents of fat and protein and the lower content of lactose in the milk from treatment-3 ewes on days 1 and 3 of lactation indicated a slower onset of lactation in these ewes. Between days 7 and 35 of lactation the contents of fat and SNF were lowest on treatment 3 but the differences were not significant.5. The live-weight changes in lactation, which were in inverse order to the gains in late pregnancy, were (1) 3·4 kg, (2) 5·5 kg and (3) 9·5 kg.


2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katariina Manni ◽  
Marketta Rinne ◽  
Erkki Joki-Tokola ◽  
Arto Huuskonen

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of restricted feeding strategies on performance of growing and finishing dairy bulls. The feeding experiment comprised in total 32 Finnish Ayrshire bulls with an initial mean live weight (LW) of 122 kg and age of 114 days. Feeding treatments were silage ad libitum and daily barley allowance of 93 g kg-1 LW0.60 (A); restricted feeding (R) at 0.80 × A; increasing feeding (I) similar to R until LW of 430 kg and thereafter similar to A; and decreasing feeding (D) similar to A until LW of 430 kg and thereafter similar to R. Restricted feeding strategies decreased daily dry matter intake and LW gain and increased the time to reach the target carcass weight (300 kg). Bulls on I exhibited compensatory growth. There were no significant differences in feed efficiency between the treatments. The present experiment indicates that silage intake ad libitum and supplemented with concentrate resulted in most effective beef production.


Author(s):  
M. R. Cropper ◽  
N. Diaz

Taylor (1980) indicated the importance of mature size in the description of animals and its usefulness for standardising growth parameters. The mature size and body composition of the Gallego breed, a small meat-producing type first described by Mason (1967), have never been estimated under defined management conditions. Therefore, using the scaling rules and results of Thonney, Taylor, Murray and McClelland (1987) as a guide, a study was made to determine whether the reputation of Gallego lambs for producing lean carcases was borne out in the composition of mature animals.Twenty-one ewes (mean liveweight, LW, 32.7, sd 5.4 kg) and eight rams (LW 47.6, sd 8.6 kg) were selected as cast animals on the basis of age ( >4 years), body condition score (BCS, >1.75), health and teeth status and group-fed on concentrate (180 g crude protein/ kg dry-matter) and hay ad libitum. LW was measured fortnightly. When all animals had a LW and BCS which were stable for 2 months, 3 subgroups were slaughtered monthly. Weights of wool, body organs and hot carcase (HC) were recorded. Dissection of the cold carcase (CC) into commercial joints (Cabrero Poveda, 1984) and total lean, bone and fat.


1980 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 243-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Aston ◽  
J. C. Tayler

ABSTRACT1. Experiment 1. Six treatment groups of one British Friesian and four South Devon × British Friesian bulls, initially 432 kg mean live weight and aged 491 days, were offered individually maize or grass silage ad libitum plus 0, 5 or 10g barley dry matter per kg live weight daily for 80 days. The silages had similar digestible dry matter and estimated metabolizable energy contents but the grass silage contained more ammonia and acetic, propionic and butyric acids. Mean values for groups receiving respectively maize and grass silage diets were for dry-matter intake 17·7, 20·3, 20·4 and 13·0, 16·6, 18·7 g/kg live weight and for live-weight gain 1·00, 1·32, 1·46 and 0·65, 0·98, 1·22kg/day. Significantly more maize than grass silage dry matter was eaten when the silages were given alone and dry-matter intakes, live-weight and carcass gains were greater for maize silage diets. Dry-matter intake, live-weight and carcass gains, efficiency of feed use and carcass quality significantly improved when barley was given.2. Experiment 2. Six groups of five British Friesian bulls, initially 418 kg mean live weight and aged 474 days, were offered individually maize silage ad libitum with either urea or one of two quantities of aqueous ammonia mixed in at the time of feeding, plus 0 or 5 g barley dry matter per kg live weight daily for 90 days. The urea and ammonia-treated silages contained 125, 124 and 148 g crude protein per kg dry matter respectively, with pH values of 3·8, 3·9 and 4·3, and when given alone or with barley mean daily intakes (g dry matter per kg live weight) were 17·1, 18·6 for urea-treated silage diets, and 17·8, 18·8 and 16·9, 19·1 respectively for ammoniatreated silage diets. Live-weight gains were 0·69, 0·94, 0·63, 1·09, 0·64 and 1·07 kg/day. Ammonia treatment had no effect on intake or live-weight gain. Live-weight and carcass gains and carcass quality improved when barley was given.3. The maize silage offered in Experiment 1 contained similar metabolizable energy but more starch than that in Experiment 2 and was used more efficiently for live-weight gain.


1981 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Laird ◽  
J. D. Leaver ◽  
F. R. Moisey ◽  
M. E. Castle

ABSTRACTNinety-six lactating British Friesian cows were offered ad libitum two grass silages having the following analyses: 181 and 241 g dry matter per kg fresh weight, 108 and 96g digestible crude protein per kg dry matter and 617 and 619 g digestible organic matter per kg dry matter. In addition, four concentrate supplements were offered, containing either 360 g crude protein per kg on an air-dry basis and given at the rate of 015 kg/kg milk or 180 g crude protein per kg given at the rate of 030, 0375 and 0·45 kg/kg milk. Large and highly significant differences were recorded in silage intake, mil yield, milk composition, live weight and condition score during the winter feeding period. These differences in performance were associated more with differences in energy than in protein intake. During the post-experimental grazing period no significant differences between treatments were recorded in milk yield and composition, with the exception of fat concentration, and by midsummer no significant differences were apparent in live weight. The results of the experiment were appraised in economic terms and implications for commercial practice discussed.


1973 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Rutter

SUMMARYTwo experiments involving the sequential slaughter of intensively fattened store lambs were each carried out over a period of 12 weeks. In the first experiment the lambs were offered a concentrate diet ad libitum. In the second experiment they were offered swede turnips ad libitum with a limited amount of concentrates.In each experiment, similar groups of lambs were slaughtered at equal intervals in order to measure progressive changes in live weight, carcass weight and dry-matter intake. Carcass-weight gain as a proportion of live-weight gain was found to be 74% in the first experiment and 86% in the second experiment.


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