The effect of body condition and previous nutrition on the herbage intakes of ewes grazing autumn pastures at two sward heights

1994 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 231-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Sibbald ◽  
W. G. Kerr
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Day Treatment ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Feeding Level ◽  
High Body ◽  
Sward Height ◽  
Herbage Intake ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Grazing Period

AbstractTo examine the effects of body condition and previous nutrition on the herbage intake of ewes grazing swards of different heights in autumn, 96 Scottish Blackface X Border Leicester ewes with a wide range of body condition (score 1·75 to 3·50), were initially housed and given 50 g dry matter (DM) per kg metabolic live weight (M)0·75 per day (treatment L) or 95 g DM per kg M0·75 per day (treatment H) of a pelleted dried grass diet (11·6 MJ metabolizable energy per kg DM) for 6 weeks after weaning in July. The H ewes gained more live weight (9·0 v. 2·7 kg) and body condition score (0·39 v. 0·17) than the L ewes. Half the animals from each treatment were then allocated to each of two ryegrass pastures with a sward height of 5 cm (LS) or 10 cm (HS) for a further 6-week grazing period. During the grazing period there was no significant effect of indoor feeding level on herbage intake, but the L ewes gained more live weight (6·4 v. 5·0 kg) than the H ewes. On the HS, compared with the LS sward, mean herbage intakes were higher (70·0 v. 60·5 g DM per kg M0·75) as were gains in live weight and condition score (7·9 v. 3·4 kg; 0·18 v. 0·0). There were no interactions between the effects of sward height and previous feeding level on herbage intake. Ewes in low body condition (< 2·5) at the start of the grazing period ingested the same amount of herbage on both swards (70·3 g DM per kg M0·75) whereas ewes in high body condition (> 2·5) ingested more (67·0 v. 51·6 g DM per kg M0·75) on the HS compared with the LS sward. The responses of ewes in low and high body condition to different sward heights are discussed in relation to appetite drive and aspects of grazing behaviour.

Effect of body condition and pasture type on herbage intake, performance during lactation and subsequent ovulation rate in Scottish Blackface ewes

1981 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 241-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Doney ◽  
R. G. Gunn ◽  
J. N. Peart ◽  
W. F. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Ovulation Rate ◽  
Herbage Intake ◽  
Digestible Organic Matter ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Daily Milk Yield ◽  
Daily Milk

ABSTRACTScottish Blackface ewes in uniform, good, body condition at mating were differentially fed during pregnancy, such that two groups lost 0·15 to 0·20 (groups A and B) and one group gained 0·05 (group C) of maternal live weight by lambing time. The treatments had little effect on the number of lambs born per ewe lambing (1·39, 1·46 and 148 respectively).Prior to parturition, group A was transferred to a poor hill pasture, and groups B and C to an improved upland reseeded pasture. Herbage intake by six single- and six twin-suckling ewes from each group was estimated in the 3rd, 6th and 8th week after parturition, and mean daily milk production was estimated on 1 day following each intake measurement period. Herbage intake by six dry ewes in each of groups A and B was also estimated.There were significant differences amongst groups A, B and C, respectively, in mean organic matter digestibility of the herbage consumed (0·701, 0·771 and 0·773), mean daily digestible organic-matter intake (1·06, 1·46 and 1·46kg), mean live-weight change over the period ( –2·9, +5·4 and +l·3kg) and mean daily milk yield (0·64, 1·93 and 1·95 kg).By the following mating time, after grazing the same pasture from weaning, there was still a difference in body condition score according to pasture type during lactation (2·08, 2·36 and 2·29, respectively). Ovulation rate measured after mating was consistent with the direct effect of body condition (1·34, 1·56 and 1·52, respectively).

The effect of sward height and active immunization against androstenedione on reproductive performance of ewes of two Welsh breeds in different body conditions

1988 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 417-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. G. Gunn ◽  
S. M. Rhind ◽  
T. J. Maxwell ◽  
D. A. Sim ◽  
J. R. Jones ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Active Immunization ◽  
Corpora Lutea ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Sward Height ◽  
Period 2 ◽  
Condition Score

ABSTRACTIn a 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 factorial experiment, the effects on reproductive performance of active immunization against androstenedione and of two sward heights in two periods, August to October (period 1) and October to November (period 2), were investigated in 144 Beulah Speckled-face and 146 Brecknock Cheviot ewes. Sward heights of either 5 to 6 cm (2200 kg dry matter (DM) per ha) (high) or 2 to 3 cm (650 kg DM per ha) (low) were achieved by adjustment of stocking rate during period 1. Two groups of ewes were balanced for body condition score across breed and sward height and the ewes of one group were actively immunized against androstenedione by injection with Fecundin® at 8 and 5 weeks before mating at the second synchronized oestrus after progestagen pessary withdrawal. Ewes were reallocated to the high (at 15 ewes per ha) and low (at 20 ewes per ha) swards at the start of period 2 by breed and immunization treatment, balanced for live weight, body condition score and sward height in period 1. After mating in mid November, all ewes were run at 19 ewes per ha on the residual pasture of the high sward until slaughtered either at return to service or at 4 weeks after first mating when corpora lutea and embryos were counted.There were no effects or interactions due to sward height in period 1 on the reproductive responses to sward height in period 2. Ovulation and potential lambing rates were greater in the Beulah breed than in the Cheviot, and on the high sward than on the low in period 2. Ovulation rates were higher in immunized ewes than in control ewes but the effects of immunization and sward height on potential lambing rate were not independent. Potential lambing rates were higher in immunized ewes than in control ewes at the low sward height but not at the high sward height.Adjustment of stocking rate during period 1 served to increase the range in ewe body condition at the start of period 2 in mid October. Reproductive response to body condition at this time differed between the breeds, the relationship being strongly positive in the more prolific Beulah control ewes but less so in the less prolific Cheviot control ewes. The response to immunization in both breeds was relatively greater at lower levels of body condition, thereby reducing the effect of body condition in immunized ewes.The use of Fecundin® is therefore unlikely to produce much advantage when pre-mating nutrition or body condition are high but there may be some advantage in using it when nutritional resources are limited in the autumn, particularly in ewes in poorer body condition.

scholarly journals DEPENDENCE OF BEEF CATTLE BODY CONDITION ON ALIVE WEIGHT AND ITS ADJUSTMENT BY FEEDING LEVEL

2018 ◽  
pp. 19-26
Author(s):  
Исмагиль Хакимов ◽  
Ismagil Khakimov ◽  
Ринат Мударисов ◽  
Rinat Mudarisov ◽  
Александр Акимов ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Economic Efficiency ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Beef Production ◽  
Feeding Level ◽  
Hereford Cattle ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Cow Calf ◽  
The Cost

The purpose of the research is to increase the economic efficiency of beef production by the system of cow – calf by adjusting the feeding taking into account the point assessment of fatness of meat cows. For the effective production of beef is not enough to have highly productive animals and high quality feed. It is necessary to organize their rational use of feed. In technological groups animals have different live weight, and norms of feeding of meat cattle are calculated, generally, depending on live weight of animals. This is the wrong approach, because in the group (in the herd) animals can have the same living mass and have different energy requirements depending on the state of fatness. Adjusting the level of feeding depending on the fatness of animals will save expensive feed, as in the structure of the cost of beef a large share of the cost falls on feed (about 60%). In the course of the research, a high positive relationship between the live mass and the point assessment of the cows fatness (r=0.93 for Hereford and r= 0.95 for the Kazakh white-headed breed) was established, which allowed to determine the regression coefficients between the features. It is found that increasing body condition by 1 point increases the live weight of Hereford cattle 40.4 kg and in cows of Kazakh white-headed breed of 48.1 kg. This allowed us to determine the required changes in the feeding level for 90-100 days prior to calving to increase for cows with a body condition score of 1 by 3.02; 2 points – 2.67 to 3.02; 3 points on 1.70-2.55; 4 points at 1.32-1.70; 5-6 points to 0.85-0.91 EKE, for cows with a body condition score of 8 to reduce the level of feeding of 0.47-0.85 and EKE with fatness 9 points lower on 0,85-1,70 ECE. Thus, studies show that the organization of feeding depending on the condition, is a necessary tool for achieving economic efficiency of beef production on the system cow-calf.

scholarly journals Effect of Body Condition and Supplementary Feeding on the Reproductive Performance of Awassi Ewes

2009 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 138-145
Author(s):  
A. D. Salman
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Barley Straw ◽  
High Body ◽  
Randomized Design ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
Supplementary Feed

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of body condition score (BCS) and supplementary feedingon the reproductive performance of Awassi ewes.One hundred sixty Awassi ewes aged 3-5 years (Average live weight 47.41±0.76) were used in acompletely randomized design. Six weeks before mating ewes were screened for their body conditionscore (BCS) and divided into two groups, low BCS (<2.0) and high BCS (>2.0) and ewes in each groupwere subdivided according to BCS and to non-supplemented and supplemented groups (n=40 ewes).Therefore, the four groups were:1. Group (LBCN) = Low Body Condition Non-supplemented.2. Group (LBCS) = Low Body Condition Supplemented.3. Group (HBCN) = High Body Condition Non-supplemented.4. Group (HBCS) = High Body Condition Supplemented.All ewes received ad libitum barley straw, and (350g DM/ewe/day) whole barley grains. The supplementedgroups (groups 2 and 4) were fed Mating Feed Blocks (MFB) ad libitum. Mature fertile Awassi rams(Three rams / group) were run with each group.The results showed that the pre-mating, mating, andpost-mating condition scores and body weights of the non-supplemented Ewes (Groups 1 and 3) aremaintained throughout the trial. Ewes offered supplementary feed the supplemented ewes (Groups 2and 4) gained in body condition score and weights, the differences were not significant. The BCS andweights at mating for supplemented groups are 2.12, 2.64 and 46.11, 53.38 kg for groups 2 and 4respectively. The results showed that the reproductive performance of Awassi ewes improved considerablydue initial BCS and MFB supplementation. The percent of ewes lambed after mating during the first andsecond estrus cycles were significantly (P<0.05) affected by ewes' initial BCS and MFB supplementation.The percent of ewes lambed in first cycle were 50%, 77%, 72.3% and 87% for groups LBCN, LBCS,HBCN and HBCS respectively. Supplementation of low BCS ewes resulted a significant (P<0.05)improvement in conception rate (17.5%) and lambing rate (12%). The results have not shown anysignificant of initial BCS and supplementation on twinning percentage. The percent of barren ewes at endof the trial was higher (20%, P<0.05) in LBCN compared 

The independent effects of live weight and body condition on fecundity and productivity of Icelandic ewes

1979 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Adalsteinsson
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Mating Period ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Feeding Level ◽  
Weight Condition ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Independent Effects

ABSTRACTIn an experiment carried out on five farms in 3 years and comprising 1221 annual weight records of adult ewes, an increased level of feedingwas comparedwith feeding according to farming practice. The higher feeding level started 6 weeks before mating andfinishedjust before lambing. Significant effects of feeding level on ewe live weight and body condition, ewe fecundity and the birth and weaning weights of lambs were found.Ewe fecundity increasedlinearly with ewelive weight at 8 weeks prior t o mating (b=1·05 lambs/kg per 100 ewes), curvilinearly with ewe body condition score at 8 weeks before mating (maximum at score 3·32) and curvilinearly with weight gain from 8 to 2 weeks before mating (maximum at 2·3 kg gain). A 10% range in live weight, condition score and live-weight gain resulted in a predicted fecundity range of 21 lambs per 100 ewes alive at lambing. Changes in weight and condition score during the mating period did not affect ewe fecundity.

GRAZING BEHAVIOUR OF DAIRY COWS AND BODY CONDITION SCORE ASSOCIATED WITH SWARD CHARACTERISTICS OF FOUR PASTURE TYPES

2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 214-226
Author(s):  
O. A. CASTELÁN-ORTEGA ◽  
C. G. MARTÍNEZ-GARCÍA ◽  
F. L. MOULD ◽  
P. DORWARD ◽  
G. C. MIRANDA-DE LA LAMA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Nutrient Intake ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Bite Rate ◽  
Sward Height ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Native Pastures ◽  
Grazing Behaviour

SUMMARYThe objectives were to assess the following: (1) the relationship between sward height and chemical composition of four pasture types in association with grazing behaviour and body condition score (BCS) of dairy cows, and (2) the possibility of developing predictive equations of the nutrient intake and grazing behaviour within a continued grazing system. Pasture type had a significant (p < 0.01) effect on nutrient supply from January to June for all pastures investigated. Ryegrass–white clover pasture (RW) had the highest metabolizable protein and metabolizable energy, followed by kikuyu pasture (KP), which was significantly (p < 0.001) higher than native pastures 1 and 2 (NP1 and NP2). The highest values for effective grazing time, bite rate and BCS were found when dairy cows grazed RW followed by KP, NP2 and NP1. The results suggested that pasture type and sward height influenced grazing behaviour and BCS of dairy cows during the dry season. In the same vein, RW showed higher effective grazing time, bite rate, nutrient intake and BCS than the other three pastures suggesting that RW pastures that appear to be more expensive than native pastures could result in superior cow performance.

Estimation in vivo of the chemical composition of the bodies of mature cows

1984 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. A. Wright ◽  
A. J. F. Russel
Keyword(s):  
Body Composition ◽  
Body Fat ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Deuterium Oxide ◽  
Subcutaneous Fat ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Eye Muscle ◽  
Ultrasonic Measurements ◽  
Condition Score

ABSTRACTA number of possible indices of body composition (live weight, skeletal size, total body water as estimated by deuterium oxide dilution, blood and red cell volumes as estimated by Evans Blue dilution, ultrasonic measurements of subcutaneous fat depth and eye-muscle area, and body condition scoring) was examined using 73 non-pregnant, non-lactating, mature cows of Hereford × Friesian, Blue-Grey, British Friesian, Galloway and Luing genotypes, ranging in body condition score from 0·75 to 4·5. Direct measurements of body composition in terms of water, fat, protein and ash were made following slaughter.Live weight, deuterium oxide dilution, ultrasonic measurements of subcutaneous fat depth and eyemuscle area, and body condition score were all considered to be potentially useful predictors of body composition. Combinations of techniques offered better predictions than did any single index. Using a combination of measurements it was possible to predict body fat and protein with a residual s.d. of 13·1 kg and 3·15 kg respectively. Breed differences in the partition of fat among the main adipose tissue depots necessitated the development of specific prediction equations for body fat based on condition score and subcutaneous fat depth for different breeds. Equations remain to be developed for predicting body composition in cows in different physiological states.

Prediction of energy status in first lactation dairy heifers

1985 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Ducker ◽  
Rosemary A. Haggett ◽  
W. J. Fisher ◽  
S. V. Morant
Keyword(s):  
Energy Balance ◽  
Confidence Interval ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Weight Change ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Blood Metabolites ◽  
Energy Status ◽  
Dairy Heifers ◽  
Condition Score

ABSTRACTData from a large controlled experiment to investigate the effect of level of nutrition on reproductive performance were used to assess the value of production and blood measures as indicators of energy status in lactating dairy heifers. Live-weight change showed the strongest and most consistent relationship to mean energy balance (the difference between metabolizable energy intake and that used for milk production and maintenance) (P < 0·01 to P < 0·001). Body-condition score at a particular time was more closely related to mean energy balance in the preceding 4-week period (P < 0·05) than current energy balance. There was also a lag in the relationship between energy balance and live-weight change and mean body-condition score. Ultrasonic back fat measurements were significantly correlated with both loin and tailhead body-condition score (P < 0·001) but were more strongly related to mean energy balance in the preceding period (P < 0·05 to P < 0·001) than the body-condition scores.Blood samples were taken from all heifers 2 weeks before calving and 1, 5, 9, 13 and 18 weeks after calving and were analysed for 13 constituents. Concentrations of blood metabolites did not show consistently strong correlations with mean energy balance. The only blood metabolite to be measurably affected by the nutritional treatments applied in lactation was β-hydroxybutyrate.At best, combinations of production measures and blood metabolites were only able to predict the mean daily energy balance with a 95% confidence interval of ±20 MJ for an individual animal although this confidence interval was reduced to ±3 MJ for 100 animals.

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