Measurements of feed intake and excretion in fish using radiography or chemical indicators

1995 ◽  
Vol 31 (10) ◽  
pp. 131-136
Author(s):  
O. Gudmundsson ◽  
S. V. Tryggvadottir ◽  
Th. Petursdottir ◽  
K. Halldorsdottir

Experiments were conducted to determine the effectiveness of measuring feed consumption and excretion in salmonid fish by radiographic and chemical indicator methods. To do this it was also necessary to measure concurrently the digestibility. Digestibility was determined in 16 diets of different origin comparing n-alkanes (C28 and C32) as indigestible indicators with chromium sesquioxide and celite. Research was also conducted comparing the radiographic method for measuring feed intake with that of using C32 alkane as an external indicator to measure faecal output. The results show that n-alkanes can be used as internal and external indicators in measuring faecal output, digestibility and intake in fish. The radiographic method and the n-alkane indicator method are compatible for the measurement of feed consumption, but both methods give high variability, making small differences in feed consumption difficult to detect.

2001 ◽  
Vol 2001 ◽  
pp. 34-34
Author(s):  
E.M.A.M. Bruininx ◽  
C.M.C. van der Peet-Schwering ◽  
J.W.G.M. Swinkels

The provision of creep feed to suckling pigs is considered to stimulate early food intake as well as health post weaning. However, Barnett et al. (1989) found no effects of creep feeding on post-weaning performance. Research by Pajor et al. (1986) indicated that there is a high variability in creep feed intake both among and within litters. This variability in creep feed intake is probably the main cause of disagreement on the effects of creep feed provision. The objective of the present study was to assess the effect of creep feed consumption on individual food intake characteristics and performance of group-housed weaned pigs. Chromic oxide was added to the creep feed to identify piglets that consumed food during the suckling period. In the piggery, IVOG®-feeding stations were used to measure individual food intake after weaning.


2010 ◽  
Vol 79 (9) ◽  
pp. S29-S34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miroslav Macháček ◽  
Vladimír Večerek ◽  
Nora Mas ◽  
Pavel Suchý ◽  
Eva Straková ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of two levels of clinoptilolite administered in feed (2% and 4%) on some selected performance indicators, metabolic utilization of basic nutrients and the health status of laying hens. The selected 24 Bovans Goldline hybrid laying hens were divided into three equal groups, two experimental groups (E1 and E2) and one control group (C). The laying hens were housed individually in cages with an automatic supply of drinking water, manual feeding, in a setting with controlled light and temperature regimens. Hens from individual groups were all fed a complete feed mix of the same composition and the only difference was in clinoptilolite supplementation: feed mixes for E1 and E2 groups contained 2% and 4% of clinoptilolite (commercial additive ZeoFeed) respectively, replacing the same amounts of wheat. The hens received feed mixes and drinking water ad libitum. During this 28-day experiment, feed consumption and the number and weight of eggs laid were monitored individually for each hen. At the end of the experiment, the balance test using the indicator method (Cr2O3) was performed in all eight hens in each of the groups. The results of balance tests were then used to calculate the metabolic utilization of selected nutrients (nitrogen, fat, ash, nitrogen-free extracts, starch, gross energy, Ca, P). After the balance tests, blood samples for haematological and biochemical examinations were collected via puncture of the vena basilica. The addition of 2% clinoptilolite to feed mix resulted in a highly significant (P ⪬ 0.01) increase in mean egg weight to 64.69 g, but the addition of 4% clinoptilolite in group E2 resulted in a highly significant (P ⪬ 0.01) decrease in mean egg weight to 62.20 g compared to the control (63.73 g). Moreover, daily feed mix consumption in group E1 decreased to 114 g per one laying hen/day compared to the controls (118 g per one laying hen/day). In group E2 (4% clinoptilolite), daily consumption of feed mix increased compared with the controls to 124 g. The 2% clinoptilolite supplementation of E1 group feed slightly increased metabolic utilization of fat, nitrogen-free extracts, starch and gross energy compared to group C. Results of haematological test of the hens’ blood showed significant changes in haemoglobin, whose values in groups C and E1 were significantly higher (P ⪬ 0.05) than in group E2. Differences in the values of the biochemical indicators monitored (total protein, glucose, cholesterol, triacylglycerols, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and the AST enzyme) between group C and experimental groups E1 and E2 were not significant and remained within the range of reference values.


1970 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 37-40
Author(s):  
Damodar Neupane ◽  
Mukesh Karki ◽  
C. R. Upreti ◽  
Tribhuveneshor Dhaubhadel

An investigation was undertaken on 180 day-old Hy-line layer chicks to assess the effect of herbal products on feed consumption, egg production and profitability. The experimental chicks were randomly divided in three groups with three replicates in each and were housed in identical management and environmental conditions. Dietary treatments were prepared by addition of herbal liver stimulants such as Livoliv 250 @500 g/ton (D2) and Superliv @500g/ton (D3) in the basal diet (D1). Feed intake, egg production and mortality were recorded throughout the observation period of 50 weeks. Feed per unit of egg production, hen day percentage, additional income of supplemented diet over the basal diet were calculated. Average daily intake (g) of the diets per bird were observed as 59.19±1.05 g, 58.31±0.337 g and 57.67±0.163 g up to 20 weeks and 108.94±0.06 g, 109.01±0.05 g and 108.26±0.41 g during the laying period fed with D3, D1 and D2 diets respectively. Similarly, higher hen day egg % (76.9%) was recorded in the birds fed with Superliv supplemented diet (D3), followed by Livoliv supplemented diet (D2) (73.4%) and Basal diet (D1) (72.1%) with feed intake per unit egg production of 179.3 g, 178.1 g and 193.0 g, respectively. Total egg production was found higher with D3 (161.49 egg), followed by D2 (154.15 egg) and basal diet (151.45 egg) with layer house cumulative mortality only in D3 (3.75%). Additional profits of Rs. 35.18 and Rs. 12.86 in terms of egg selling over feed cost per layer were calculated for the bird fed with Superliv supplemented diet (D3) and Liveloliv supplemented diet (D2) than that of the basal diet. Key words: layer; herbal products; liver stimulant; feed efficiency; profit DOI: 10.3126/njst.v9i0.3162 Nepal Journal of Science and Technology 9 (2008) 37-40


1999 ◽  
Vol 1999 ◽  
pp. 47-47
Author(s):  
R.M. Herd ◽  
S.C. Bishop

Net feed efficiency refers to variation in feed consumption between animals net of requirements for maintenance and production, and may be measured as residual feed intake (RFI). Because RFI is independent of liveweight (LW) and growth rate, selection for improved net feed efficiency is likely to reduce feed intake with little change in growth. The purpose of this study was to establish whether there exists genetic variation in RFI in young British Hereford bulls, and to determine the phenotypic and genetic correlations of RFI with key production traits.The data consisted of performance measurements on 540 bull progeny of 154 British Hereford sires, collected over ten 200-day postweaning performance tests conducted between 1979 and 1988. The traits analysed were food intake (FI), 200 to 400-day daily gain (ADG), 400-day weight (W400), predicted carcass lean content (LEAN), lean growth rate (LGR), food conversion ratio (FI/ADG) and lean FCR (LFCR; FI/(ADG x LEAN), described by Bishop (1992).


2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 119 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Annongu ◽  
O. R. Karim ◽  
A. A. Toye ◽  
F. E. Sola-Ojo ◽  
R. M. O. Kayode ◽  
...  

Chemical composition of Moringa oleifera seeds obtained from the middle belt of Nigeria, Benue State, was determined and the seed was blended to form a seed meal. The Moringa oleifera Seed Meal, MOSM was included in diets at graded levels of 2.50, 5.00 and 7.50% and the dietary performance of the broiler chicks on the test diets was compared with that of a corn-soy reference diet. Results on the chemical/nutritional composition of MOSM showed that the full-fat seeds contained (%) on proximate basis, reasonable concentration of 90.38 dry matter, 25.37 crude protein, 14.16 crude fat, 4.03 mineral matter, 30.64 crude fiber, 25.80 soluble carbohydrate and 5.79 kcal/g gross energy. Analyses also gave appreciable quantities of the water and fat soluble vitamins, macro - and micro-minerals. Feeding chicks with the seed meal at graded levels in diets resulted in decrease in feed intake and body weight gain as the inclusion level increased in diets relative to the conventional diet (p < 0.05). Reduction in feed consumption could be attributed to the full-fat nature of the seed meal used which might have imparted extra-caloric effect in the test diets and slowed digestion and absorption as the analyzed nutrients content of diets. A higher ether extract value on Moringa based diets relative to the control diet was obtained. Phytochemical composition of Moringa namely phenols including tannins, saponins, phytate, cyanogenic glucoside, glucosinolates and other numerous chemical constituents affected the body weight of the chicks negatively with increasing dietary MOSM. Decrease in weight gain following increase in dietary seed meal could also be due to decrease in feed intake as a result of the bitter taste of alkaloids, saponins, acting in concert with the other Moringa phytotoxins in test diets. Survival rate (100%) was not affected indicating that the level of highest inclusion in this study (7.50%) was not fatal to the experimental animal models. Further research is progressing to ascertain the highest inclusion level possible to elicit fatality and attempts to detoxify or treat the seed meal before feeding to animals.


1979 ◽  
Vol 19 (101) ◽  
pp. 695 ◽  
Author(s):  
RH King

Sixteen sows and their progeny were allotted to treatments in a 23 factorial experiment involving two levels of feed flavour (0 and 50 ppm of Firanor No. 24) in each of the sow, creep and starter diets. Weaning occurred at a mean piglet age of 26.9 days and observations continued for 31 days after weaning. The feed flavour, when added to the sow diet, was incorporated in sow's milk; milk from one sow fed the flavoured diet contained 9 ppm of Firanor No. 24. The addition of the feed flavour to the creep diet failed to improve creep feed consumption or weaning weight; the average daily creep feed intake and daily growth rate prior to weaning being 47.8 g/head and 207 g/head, respectively. During the postweaning period, pigs that were weaned from sows receiving the flavour and then given the flavoured starter diet ate more feed (P<0.05) and tended to grow faster (839 and 400 g day-1, respectively) than pigs given the unflavoured starter diet, or those weaned from sows given no flavour; their average feed intake and growth rate being 764 and 362 g day-1, respectively.


1977 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 653-662 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. R. SHARMA ◽  
J. R. INGALLS ◽  
J. A. MCKIRDY

In experiment 1, 12 cows were used to compare the two (0–0) rapeseed meal (1788 and Tower) varieties with the commercial rapeseed meal (CRSM) and soybean meal (SBM). Feed intake, milk yield and fat content were not different (P > 0.05) among the four treatments; however, protein content was higher (P < 0.05) for the cows fed CRSM and SBM diets than for those fed the 1788–RSM diet. But more (P < 0.05) milk fat was produced by the cows fed 1788–RSM than by those fed CRSM and SBM diets. In experiment 2, eight cows were used to determine the effects of replacing SBM with Tower and also replacing a portion of Tower with urea (TU) in a mixed or extruded (TUE) form on feed intake, milk yield and nitrogen (N) retention. No differences were observed in feed consumption, milk yield or composition among the treatments. Serum thyroxine (T4) level was higher (P < 0.05) for the cows fed SBM than for those fed the 1788–SBM and was similar to levels for cows fed CRSM and Tower in the first experiment. However, no differences were found in thyroxine level in the second experiment. Extrusion of Tower–urea mixture increased (P < 0.05) the N retention compared with other treatments. These short-term studies suggest that up to 25% Tower RSM can be used in dairy rations without adverse effect on performance.


2020 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
pp. e48152
Author(s):  
Dandara Silva Barros ◽  
Jean kaique Valentim ◽  
Silvana Lúcia dos Santos Medeiros ◽  
Sandra Regina Faria ◽  
Isabelli Dias Brito Pereira ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to verify the impact of adding vinasse as an acidifier in sows diet during the lactating period and its effect on litter. A total of 14 agroceres females were used from the first day of lactation until weaning. The vinasse was obtained in a mill near the experimental facility and was stored in sterilized barrels. Animals were distributed in a completely randomized experimental design into two treatments: control liquid diet and liquid diet with the inclusion of vinasse in each feed supply of the day. The diets were supplied four times a day, containing a mixture of ½ L of vinasse and ½ L of water. Feed leftovers were weighted daily. Feed intake was used to evaluate sows’ performance. The piglets were weighted every week after birth until weaning in order to obtain weight gain. Vinasse inclusion showed an increase (p < 0.05) in feed intake of lactating sows, improving diet palatability. Inclusion of acidifier in the diet did not show (p > 0.05) difference in weight gain of piglets. Vinasse consumption by sows did not influence litter performance. The inclusion of vinasse in the diet of lactating sows is beneficial because increases feed consumption.


1998 ◽  
Vol 130 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. PEIRIS ◽  
R. ELLIOTT ◽  
B. W. NORTON

Sorghum grain was included in a basal diet of molasses (molasses 505, urea 21, sunflower meal 191, pangola grass hay 250, minerals 31 g/kg as fed) at rates of 0, 202, 391 and 707 g/kg, generating diets in which grain replaced 0 (diet A), 33 (diet B), 66 (diet C) and 100% (diet D) of the molasses and hay. The four diets were fed to groups of four Hereford steers (293–334 kg liveweight) over a 96-day period. One half of each treatment group was implanted with a growth promotant (zeranol), and all were slaughtered at a commercial abattoir at the end of the trial. The inclusion of 33% grain increased voluntary feed consumption, digestible dry matter (DM) intake (from 57·6 to 82·0 g digestible DM/kg0·75 per day and significantly increased liveweight gain from 592 to 900 g/day. Zeranol implantation also increased liveweight gain but not feed intake. Steers given only grain (diet D) had the highest liveweight gains (1127 g/day). The addition of grain to molasses diets decreased urinary N excretion and increased ammonia and volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations in rumen fluid. Molar proportions of propionic acid in total VFA increased from 0·15 to 0·20, and butyric acid decreased from 0·36 to 0·29 when 33% of the molasses was replaced by sorghum grain. The fat content (depth at sacral position) of the carcasses of steers given grain only (diet D) was significantly greater (14 mm) than that of steers given the basal diet of molasses (4 mm), and carcass fat contents were intermediate (10 and 11 mm) for steers given diets B and C respectively. It was concluded that the inclusion of small amounts of grain in molasses-based diets increased cattle growth principally by increasing digestible energy intake without decreasing molasses intake, thus improving the efficiency of utilization of molasses in molasses-based diets.


1984 ◽  
Vol 106 (2) ◽  
pp. 234-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chun Chin Chao ◽  
Robert D. Brown ◽  
Leonard J. Deftos

Abstract. Seasonal levels of serum parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcitonin (CT), and alkaline phosphatase (AP) were studied in relation to antler growth cycles in 8 male (2.5–6 years old) white-tailed deer. Feed consumption was recorded weekly, whereas body weight was recorded biweekly. Antler length was measured from the pedicle to the tip after velvet growth was initiated. Serum samples were obtained biweekly while animals were tranquilized with xylazine hydrochloride. Serum Ca was significantly (P < 0.05) elevated during the summer. Serum P was significantly (P < 0.05) elevated only during early fall. There was an increase in serum PTH during velvet initiation in April–May, but not thereafter. CT increased during the rapid antler growth period. Serum PTH levels were significantly (P < 0.05) elevated (0.628 vs 0.884 ng/ml) during post-velvet shedding and decreased (0.602 vs 0.346 ng/ml, P < 0.05) during postantler casting. Serum AP activity was highest during rapid velvet antler growth. Feed intake was lowest in early winter, but a compensatory increase was found in late winter. Feed intake peaked in May, then gradually decreased. Body weight was maximum in November and minimum in March. It is concluded that increased PTH during velvet initiation is responsible for Ca absorption and/or mobilization. Increasing PTH levels are related to final mineralization of antlers post-velvet shedding. Higher levels of serum Ca in June–July inhibit continued increase in PTH. Increased CT during rapid antler growth may have prevented excessive bone resorption.


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