scholarly journals PSIII-4 Preliminary exploration of relationship of automated sensor data with feed intake and efficiency in lactating dairy cattle

2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 167-168
Author(s):  
Cori J Siberski ◽  
Brady M Goetz ◽  
Lance H Baumgard ◽  
James E Koltes

Abstract Feed costs represent the greatest expense on a dairy farm, making feed efficiency an important trait to consider among production traits. Current tools to measure feed intake have limited application in commercial settings, due to affordability and lack of portability of technologies. Therefore, development of automated sensor-based indicator traits for feed intake could prove to be valuable. The objective of the current study was to determine if automated eartag data was associated with feed intake. Activity and inner ear temperature were collected every 19 minutes utilizing Quantified Ag eartags (n = 48 lactating cows). Ear tags were placed 5 days prior to the start of the trial, with cows ranging from 67-192 days in milk (DIM). Daily feed intake, milk weights, milk components and body weight (BW) were also recorded. Data were analyzed using PROX GLIMMIX in SAS. Dry matter intake (DMI) was modeled including fixed effects for DIM, milk weight, component composition, metabolic body weight (BW0.75), eartag activity or temperature, as well as the random effects of parity and group. To identify informative timeframes with reduced influence of environmental noise, data were analyzed over 3-day rolling windows of time. Six windows were significantly associated with dry matter intake (P ≤ 0.05) when utilizing ear tag activity. Three windows of time of ear tag temperature were found to be significantly associated with DMI (P ≤ 0.05). These findings indicate that eartag sensor data may be useful indicators of feed intake; however, days in milk and season may impact the informativeness of sensor data. Additional studies are warranted to validate the efficacy of activity and ear temperature as indicators of feed intake and determine the impact of other variables on these potential sensor indicator traits over time.

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 789-789
Author(s):  
Marcia Monaco ◽  
Victoria Daniels ◽  
Mei Wang ◽  
Johanna Hirvonen ◽  
Henrik Max Jensen ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives Human milk contains both prebiotic oligosaccharides and live bacteria, which are thought to bring health benefits to breastfed infants. Herein, we investigated the impact of formula supplementation with 2'-fucosyllactose (2'FL) and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis (Bi-26) alone or in combination on growth, organ weights, and intestinal development of neonatal piglets. Methods Two-day-old intact male piglets (N = 53) were randomized to be fed a nutritionally-adequate milk replacer ad libitum without (CON) or with 1.0 g/L 2'FL (FL). Pigs were further stratified to receive either 12% glycerol solution alone or Bi-26 (109 CFU) in glycerol orally once daily (BI and FLBI). Body weights and food intake were monitored from postnatal day (PND) 2 to 33/34. On PND 34/35, animals were euthanized, intestine, liver and brain weights were assessed, and intestinal samples were collected for morphological analyses and disaccharidase activity. Dry matter of intestinal contents was also measured. Growth and food intake were analyzed as a 3-way, repeated-measures ANOVA with fixed effects of prebiotic, probiotic, and day, whereas all other variables were analyzed by a 2-way ANOVA with fixed effects of prebiotic and probiotic. Level of significance was set at P ≤ 0.05 and trends are reported at 0.05 > P < 0.1. Results All diets were well tolerated and food intake did not differ among the treatment groups. Daily body weights were affected by 2’FL, Bi26, and day, but no interaction was observed. However, there was a trend (p = 0.075) for greater body weight gain in CON vs. all other groups. No differences were observed for intestine, liver, or brain weight per kg body weight, jejunal or ileal lactase or sucrase activities, or fecal dry matter among the groups. Histomorphological outcomes in jejunum, ileum, and ascending colon were similar in all groups, except for a trend (p = 0.069) for larger ileal crypt volume in FL vs. CON piglets. Conclusions The addition of 2'FL and/or Bi-26 to milk replacer supported piglet growth with no detrimental effects on body and organ weights, or intestinal structure and function. Funding Sources DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
pp. 108-112
Author(s):  
A. A. Adeloye

The acceptability and efficacy of. combinations of cowpea husk (CH) and maize milling waste (MMW) as feed for the goat were tested. The experiment, in a 4x4 Latin square design involved digestion trials with 4 West African dwarf grower goats weighing 8.2 to 9.6 kg. and about 4 months old. There were 3 experimental diets made up of CH and MMW in 25:75, 50:50 and 75:25 ratio of mixture. The control diet was 60 percent chopped Pennisetum purpureum plus 40 percent concentrate ration. The animals were fed at 5 percent of body weight. All trials lasted 80 days. Parameters for assessment were dry matter intake, protein and energy intakes and utilization. Feed intake values (%of body weight) in all experiemental diets were higher than 3 percent and increased with increasing levels of cowpea husk, Only the intake of 4.38% of body weight from 75:25 CH-MMW supported weight gain. Increases in MMW in the experimental diets resulted in significant (P<0.05) increases in dry matter digestibility. The crude protein intake and digestion increased with increasing inclusion of cowpea husk, but intake and utilization were not adequate at CH-MMW 25:75 and 50:50. The energy intake and utilization increased (P<0.05) across the treatment. Increasing levels of cowpea husk enhanced dry matter, energy intakes and energy utilization, Decreasing levels of cowpea, consistent with increasing MMW improved dry matter digestibility but not dry matter intake. The high crude fibre of cowpea husk is implicated. The utilization of the available energy in the mixture is limited by protein intake.


1981 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 159-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. H. YUNGBLUT ◽  
J. B. STONE ◽  
G. K. MACLEOD ◽  
G. F. WILSON

Data were collected during three visits to each of 19 dairy herds in the Guelph area. Feed intake, body condition and heart girth of all milking cows were recorded during each visit. Samples of all feeds were taken and analyzed for dry matter and acid detergent fibre. Cow weight was estimated from heart girth after grouping cows according to body condition. Milk production and fat test data were obtained from DHI records. Four regression equations were used to predict total feed dry matter intake. The mean daily feed intake was 2.8% of body weight. Eleven of the herds were within ± 10% of this value, four were above this range and four were below. The number of herds in which mean predicted intake was within ± 10% of observed intake, above this range or below this range, were (1) 7, 5, 7 (2) 12, 2, 5 (3) 11, 2, 6 (4) 8, 9, 2 for the four equations, respectively. Equations 2 and 3 were more accurate in predicting mean dry matter intake than Eq. 1 or 4.


2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 2645 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raizza Fátima Abadia Tulux Rocha ◽  
Andréa Roberto Duarte Lopes Souza ◽  
Maria Da Graça Morais ◽  
Mayara Mitiko Yoshihara Carneiro ◽  
Henrique Jorge Fernandes ◽  
...  

This study aimed to assess the performance, carcass traits, and non-carcass components of feedlot finished Texel crossbred lambs from different residual feed intake classes (RFI). Forty-seven uncastrated male Texel crossbred lambs (¾ Texel + ¼ Pantaneira) tested here were 4-month-old with an initial weight of 29.9 ± 5.5 kg. The lambs were confined for 70 days for individual dry matter intake (DMI) and average daily gain (ADG) assessment. The diet containing corn silage was provided as roughage, while the concentrate consisted of corn grain, soybean meal, urea, and mineral mixture with a 40:60 roughage to concentrate ratio and 76.34% total digestible nutrients (TDN). After confinement for 70 days, the lambs were slaughtered to assess carcass traits and non-carcass components. Based on the RFI, lambs were divided into three classes according to the standard deviation (sd): Positive RFI (inefficient, 0.5 above the mean), Negative RFI (efficient, 0.5 below the mean), and Medium RFI (intermediate). Classes with Negative (efficient) and Positive RFI (inefficient) showed no differences in ADG (0.321 vs 0.306 kg; P > 0.05). Dry matter intake (g d-1), and percentage of body weight (BW) differed significantly between the RFI classes (P < 0.05). Compared to lambs in the inefficient class, those in the efficient class (Negative RFI) showed a 9% reduction in DMI and had the same ADG. The lambs in either Positive or Negative RFI classes showed no weight differences between non-carcass components (P > 0.05). The RFI classes showed no differences in shrunk body weight, hot carcass weight, hot dressing, and weight of commercial cuts (P > 0.05). They showed no differences in neck, shoulder + shank, loin, rack, flank steak, rack cap off, and leg weights (P > 0.05). Our results indicate that improvement in feed efficiency, as a function of the RFI index, does not compromise performance and carcass traits of Texel crossbred lambs.


Author(s):  
Niel L. Ningal

Three (3) female (rumen-cannulated goats) weighting 27.33±1.53 kg were housed in individual elevated metabolism stalls provided with 30% concentrate in the morning based on feed requirements (3% of their body weight (BW) dry matter (DM) basis) of the animals. Ad libitum feeding of napier grass follows thereafter. Clean drinking water were made available all the times in the respective animal watering troughs. All data were collected sequentially in every cycle of the study. There were 7 days lag period in every cycle for the animals to return to each natural state. On the 8 th day of every cycle animals were given different dietary treatment. Voluntary feed intakes were recorded for 3 days. This was done on the 11th to 13th day of feeding trial (3 days after treatment). The following were data collected, daily roughage dry matter intake (g/ kg metabolic body weight), daily concentrate feed intake (g DM/kg MBW) and daily total feed dry matter intake (g DM/ kg MBW). All data collected showed no significant difference (P > 0.05) among treatment means was observed. This implies that supplementing 3 to 5% dietary fats from two different sources (VCO and Lard) in ruminant diet do not influence the roughage, concentrate and total feed intake of mature female goats.


1990 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
pp. 441-450 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. I. CHRISTISON ◽  
H. H. NICHOLSON ◽  
N. F. CYMBALUK

Dry matter (DM) intake was recorded daily for 12 pens of young bulls for 140 d in each of eight winters. Monthly means for DM intake ranged from 1.94 to 2.62 kg 100 kg−1 body weight (BW) and average daily gains (ADG) ranged from 1.15 to 1.46 kg d−1. Stepwise multi-variable procedures indicated that days on test (age) accounted for most of the variation in feed intake (partial R2 = 0.380). Climatic variables provided little additional explanation. Dry matter intake was scaled to 100 kg BW to minimize the influence of increasing weight with time. The multi-variable model which described weight-scaled DM intake included age (partial R2 = 0.509) and daily temperature (partial R2 = 0.013). Weight-scaled intake declined with age; the temperature effect represented a 2% increase in response to a drop in temperature from 0 to −15 °C. Equivalent increases in weight-scaled DM intake of 4.5 and 6.5%, respectively, were calculated by simple linear regressions based on daily or monthly temperature and intake values. Temperatures below −20 °C had no greater effect on intake or weight-scaled intake than those in the −10 to −20 °C range. It was also concluded that silage was unlikely to reduce DM intake at low temperatures and that European breeds of bulls had a twofold greater (P < 0.01) increase in weight-scaled DM intake in response to cold than did British breeds. Key words: Cattle, cold, environment, feed intake, winter


2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 245-246
Author(s):  
Amanda J Hubbard ◽  
Jason Sawyer ◽  
Reinaldo F Cooke ◽  
Courtney L Daigle

Abstract This study evaluated the impact of commingling two sources of cattle on productivity during the feedlot phase of production. Angus crossbred steers (n = 96), similar in genetic composition and age, from two research stations (n = 48 McG and n = 48 BCS) were transported (833.64 ± 85.29 km) to a feedlot 39-d prior to study commencement. Steers were blocked by source and stratified by d -34 body weight (BW) before being randomly assigned to one of 12 pens (n = 8 steers/pen) for the 42-d study. Pens were assigned to one of two treatments (n = 6 pens/treatment): 1) NOMIX—100% of cattle from either McG (n = 3 pens) or 100% of cattle from BCS (n = 3 pens) and, 2) MIX—50% of cattle from BCS and 50% from McG (n = 6 pens). Body weight was collected on d0, on d24, and at the end of the study on d42. Orthogonal contrasts analyzed effects of commingling (NOMIX vs. MIX) and source (BCS vs. McG) on dry matter intake (DMI), average daily gain (ADG), and gain to feed (G:F). Linear mixed models (PROC MIXED) evaluated impact of source × treatment on ADG. No effects of commingling (P &gt; 0.05) or source (P &gt; 0.05) were detected on DMI (MIX 8.25, BCS 8.70, McG 8.14 kg/steer/day), ADG (MIX: 1.48, BCS: 1.67, McG: 1.59 kg/steer), and G:F (MIX: 0.18, BCS: 0.19, McG: 0.19). There was no effect of source × treatment on ADG (P &gt; 0.05); however, McG-MIX had the smallest ADG (1.42 kg/steer) compared to BCS-MIX, BCS-NOMIX, and McG-MIX (1.61, 1.59, and 1.60 kg/steer, respectively). Source and mixing treatment did not statistically impact productivity or efficiency, however, mixed cattle were numerically less productive than non-mixed cattle, and the impact of mixing on productivity may vary by source.


2016 ◽  
Vol 96 (3) ◽  
pp. 434-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Bilal ◽  
R.I. Cue ◽  
J.F. Hayes

The objective of the present study was to estimate genetic parameters of milk yield (MY), intake traits, type traits, body condition score (BCS), and number of breedings (NOB) in first lactation Canadian Holsteins with a focus on the possibility of using type traits as an indicator of feed intake. Data were obtained from the Canadian Dairy Network and Valacta. A mixed linear model was fitted under REML for the statistical analysis. The multivariate (five traits) model included the fixed effects of age at calving, stage of lactation, and herd-round-classifier for type traits; age at calving, stage of lactation, and herd–year–season of calving (HYS) for BCS; age at calving and HYS for MY, feed intake, and NOB. Animal and residual effects were fitted as random effects for all traits. Estimates of heritabilities for MY, dry matter intake (DMI), angularity, body depth, stature, dairy strength, final score, BCS, and NOB were 0.41, 0.13, 0.24, 0.30, 0.50, 0.30, 0.22, 0.20, and 0.02, respectively. Genetic correlations between type traits and DMI ranged from 0.16 to 0.60. Results indicate that type traits appear to have the potential to predict DMI as a combination/index of two or more traits.


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