scholarly journals Effects of Energy-Restricted Feeding during Rearing on the Performance, Uniformity, and Development of Rugao Layer Breeders at the Initiation of the Laying Period

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 2222
Author(s):  
Jian Lu ◽  
Liang Qu ◽  
Yongfeng Li ◽  
Meng Ma ◽  
Manman Shen ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of energy-restricted feeding during rearing on the performance, uniformity, and development of layer breeders at the initiation of the laying period. A total of 2400 8-week-old Rugao layer breeders were randomly assigned to one of five groups (480 pullets per group) with eight replicates and were fed one of five diets that were nutritionally equal with the exception of apparent metabolizable energy corrected for nitrogen (AMEn) content (2850, 2750, 2650, 2550, and 2450 kcal AMEn/kg) from 8 to 18 weeks of age. The daily amount of feed was restricted to the absolute quantity of the diet consumed by laying hens fed 2850 kcal AMEn per kg diet ad libitum (control). From 18 to 21 weeks of age, all hens were fed a basal diet ad libitum. The body weight (BW) of the laying pullets decreased linearly with increasing energy restriction (p < 0.001) but recovered within 3 weeks of ad libitum feeding (p = 0.290). A gradual increase in the degree of energy restriction resulted in a gradual decrease in average daily weight gain (ADG) and a gradual increase in the feed conversion ratio (FCR) and energy conversion ratio (ECR) from 8 to 18 weeks of age (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.008). In contrast, the ADG and ADFI (p < 0.001, p < 0.001) gradually increased, while the FCR and ECR (p < 0.001, p < 0.001) gradually improved from 18 to 21 weeks of age. From 8 to 21 weeks of age, ECR improved (p = 0.005) with an increasing degree of energy restriction. The energy-restricted feeding for 6 weeks to the end of the trial improved BW uniformity (p < 0.05). The relative length and circumference of tarsus (p < 0.001, p < 0.001), and the relative weights and lengths of the small intestine, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and caeca increased linearly (p < 0.001, p = 0.012, p < 0.007, p = 0.012, p = 0.040; p < 0.001, p = 0.003, p = 0.032, p = 0.029, p = 0.040) with increasing energy restriction at 18 weeks of age. After switching to ad libitum feeding for 3 weeks, the relative weights and lengths of the small intestine, duodenum, and jejunum of laying pullets increased linearly with increasing energy restriction (p < 0.001, p = 0.016, p = 0.011; p = 0.009, p = 0.028, p = 0.032). In conclusion, moderate energy restriction (85.97%, 2450 vs. 2850 kcal AMEn/kg) from 8 to 18 weeks of age and switching to ad libitum feeding from 18 to 21 weeks of age can be used to improve BW uniformity and stimulate the development of the duodenum and jejunum of native layer breeders at the initiation of the laying period without compromising BW.

2011 ◽  
Vol 91 (2) ◽  
pp. 231-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vivi Hunnicke Nielsen ◽  
Steen Henrik Møller ◽  
Bente Krogh Hansen ◽  
Peer Berg

Nielsen, V. H., Møller, S. H., Hansen, B. K. and Berg, P. 2011. Response to selection and genotype-environment interaction in mink (Neovison vison) selected on ad libitum and restricted feeding. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 91: 231–237. Mink were selected for high November weight (AL line) and low feed conversion ratio (FC line) on ad libitum feeding and for high November weight on restricted feeding (RF line). After three generations of selection, the average estimated breeding value for November weight was 533, 326, and 150 g in males and 168, 82, and −85 g in females in the AL, RF, and FC lines. The breeding value for feed conversion ratio was −1.39, −0.84 and −0.68 kg feed kg−1 gain in males and −0.39, −0.31 and −0.23 kg feed kg−1 gain in females in the selection lines. In generation 4, the AL, RF and FC lines were tested on both ad libitum and restricted feeding. The estimated breeding value for November weight in males in the AL line (533 g) was significantly greater than that in the RF line (384 g) on ad libitum feeding. The corresponding values on restricted feeding were 297 and 326 g, respectively, which were not significantly different. This indicates genotype×environment interaction. In the AL line, selection improved feed conversion ratio by increased appetite. In the RF line, it was improved by increased feed utilization. Environmental sensitivity in males, estimated from breeding values for November weight was 236 g in the AL line and 58 g in the RF line suggesting that the RF line was more robust to changes in feeding conditions. A smaller litter size in the AL line (4.1) than in the RF line (5.6) indicates that selection for large weight affects reproduction.


2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-100
Author(s):  
Włodzimierz Nowak ◽  
Robert Mikuła ◽  
Ewa Pruszyńska-Oszmałek ◽  
Barbara Stefańska ◽  
Paweł Maćkowiak ◽  
...  

AbstractThe aim of the study was to investigate experimentally the effects of restricted or ad libitum feeding in the far-off period on performance of dairy cows. Two groups of Polish Holstein-Friesian cows having 19 animals in each group were allotted to two planes of nutrition in the far-off period from -56 to -22 days. The ADLIB group was fed ad libitum (DMI 12.9 kg) while in the RES group the dry matter intake was restricted by 3 kg DM compared to the average dry matter during the last 7 days in the ADLIB group. Average daily energy intake decreased from 8.90 UFL in the ADLIB to 6.83 UFL in the RES group. In the close-up period and after parturition, the cows of both groups were given the same diet. In restrictively fed cows, there was a tendency to a greater decrease in BCS during both the dry period (P=0.09) and lactation (P=0.07). After parturition milk production, fertility indices and blood concentration of IGF-1, insulin and glucose were not significantly affected by the far-off treatment. In the RES group, lower BHBA 3 days before calving and on day 5 of lactation and lower NEFA on day 28 of lactation were recorded. Also in this group higher levels of glucose 3 days before calving, triiodothyronine (T3) on days -30 and 5, and thyroxine (T4) on days -3 and 28 were observed. It is concluded that restricted feeding in the far-off period positively affected blood indicators of lipomobilization during the transition period, but had little effect on performance of lactating cows. In spite of low energy, high-fibre diet offered ad libitum in the faroff period resulted in the energy overfeeding compared to the INRA system recommendation.


1983 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. G. Campbell ◽  
M. R. Taverner ◽  
D. M. Curic

ABSTRACTForty-two pigs representing equal numbers of entire males and females were used to study the effects on the performance and body composition of four restricted levels of feeding (14·5, 20·3, 24·9 and 29·4 MJ digestible energy per day), and of offering the same diet (14·5 MJ digestible energy per kg and 210 g crude protein per kg) ad libitum between 20 and 45 kg live weight.Over the four restricted feeding treatments there were no significant differences between the sexes for the performance and body composition of four restricted levels of feeding (14·5, 20·3, 24·9 and 29·4 MJ digestible energy per day), and of offering the same diet (14·5 MJ digestible energy per kg and 210 g crude protein per kg) ad libitum between 20 and 45 kg live weight.Although ad libitum energy intake was the same for both sexes (34·2 MJ digestible energy per day), raising digestible energy intake from that provided by the highest restricted feeding treatment (29·4 MJ/day) to ad libitum resulted in marked differences between the sexes for performance and body composition.For males, raising digestible energy intake from 29·3 to 34·2 MJ/day improved the rate of live-weight gain and protein deposition by 0·15 and 0·10 respectively but had no further effect on food conversion ratio or body fat. The same increase in digestible energy intake for females improved growth rate by only 0·065, had no further effect on the rate of protein deposition but increased markedly food conversion ratio and body fat.


1969 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 317-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. B. Owen ◽  
J. R. Morton

SUMMARYData from a boar progeny testing scheme based on ad libitum feeding were analysed to test the hypothesis that the resultant correlations of food conversion ratio with related factors would differ from those found under conditions of restricted feeding.The results support the hypothesis, showing that the primarily genetic correlations derived from boar effects for growth and conversion ratio, are lower than those reported elsewhere for restricted feeding. It was also shown that these primarily genetic correlations could vary between breeds, the leanness associated with rapid growth in Wessex not being found in Large White, and that the correlations due to residual effects containing a greater environmental component varied widely from test to test.It is concluded that the parameters used in the design of a genetic improvement scheme should be derived specifically for each breed and feeding system. However, if the marked variability in phenotypic correlations noted here is generally applicable, this could present a difficult problem in the design of pig improvement programmes with multiple objectives.


2019 ◽  
Vol 317 (5) ◽  
pp. E863-E870 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer L. Rosenbaum ◽  
R. Scott Frayo ◽  
Susan J. Melhorn ◽  
David E. Cummings ◽  
Ellen A. Schur

We studied the effects of multiple cycles of weight loss and regain on the defended body weight in rats. Thirty-six male Wistar rats were divided into three weight-matched groups: weight cyclers ( n = 18), ad libitum-fed controls ( n = 9), and maturity controls ( n = 9). Cyclers underwent four rounds of 20% weight loss from 50% caloric restriction, each cycle followed by recovery to stable plateau weight on ad libitum feeding. Controls ate ad libitum. Maturity controls ate ad libitum and then weight cycled the final two rounds to evaluate the effect of age in later cycles. Cyclers’ postdiet plateau weight became progressively lower than that of controls. With each weight loss, ghrelin increased, while insulin and leptin decreased; the magnitude of these changes did not differ across cycles. After four rounds, cyclers’ weight (504 ± 7 vs. 540 ± 22 g; P < 0.05) and percent body fat (11.7 vs. 15.2%; P < 0.05) were lower than in controls. After a 4-mo follow-up period of ad libitum feeding, cyclers maintained a lower total fat-pad mass versus controls (8.6 ± 0.5 vs. 15.9 ± 3.6 g; P < 0.01) and a lower glucose area-under-the-curve on oral glucose tolerance tests ( P < 0.05). Repeated weight-loss cycles exerted positive effects, durably lowering defended levels of body adiposity and improving glucose tolerance.


Author(s):  
D. C. Patterson

In previous experiments in this series, giving dry meal through a hopper with ad libitum feeding resulted in a poorer carcass feed conversion ratio than giving meal as porridge in a conventional trough (D. C. Patterson, unpublished data). In a further experiment a novel feed hopper was assessed with meal feeding. This hopper was designed to give a form of wet feeding and had nipple drinkers positioned within the trough so that pigs could not drink directly from the nipples, instead water was spilled directly onto the meal in the bottom of the trough. No other water was available to pigs on this treatment.


2003 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 305-319 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kinga Fodor ◽  
L. Zöldág ◽  
S. Gy. Fekete ◽  
A. Bersényi ◽  
A. Gáspárdy ◽  
...  

An experiment was carried out with young male New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits to establish live body weight changes, body measurements, body composition and sexual maturity as a function of feeding intensity. Animals in Group 1 ('AL', n = 10) were fed ad libitum, while those in Group 2 ('RS', n = 10) received restricted feeding corresponding to 70% of the ad libitum level. The starting liveweights were practically the same (0.907 ± 0.146 and 0.911 ± 0.147 kg in Group AL and Group RS, respectively). The feeding trial lasted from 6 to 22 weeks of age. The average body weight was significantly higher in Group AL from 7 to 22 weeks of age. At 22 weeks of age the body weight of RS rabbits was 85.64% of the weight of AL animals (3.22 ± 0.52 kg and 3.76 ± 0.33 kg, respectively). Average body weights of RS males at 8, 9, 11, 19 and 21 weeks of age were similar to those of ad libitum fed (AL) animals at 7, 8, 10, 15 and 16 weeks of age, respectively. The growth of bucks fed restricted tended to be allometric. The most significant difference was found at 16 and 18 weeks of age, while the lowest difference occurred at 6, 12, 15 and 19 weeks of age. It can be stated that low-intensity feeding up to slaughtering weight causes backwardness in rear cannon length and this backwardness remains also after the 15th week, which is well over the optimal slaughtering age. Based on the present data, the 70% restricted feeding cannot be recommended either for the future breeding bucks or for broiler males reared for slaughter. To determine the major chemical components of the body, rabbits were euthanised. Original dry matter and crude fat content of the body significantly (P < 0.05) decreased under restricted feeding (41.42%; 32.48% and 16.73%; 7.35%) while the percentage of protein within the dry matter increased (49.6%; 65.0%) and fat decreased (40.17%; 22.1%) significantly. Libido unambiguously decreases as a consequence of feed deprivation. The most conspicuous difference was found in the level of blood testosterone. Although a few RS bucks produced semen but only much later than the rabbits fed ad libitum. On the other hand, there was no difference in the motility of spermatozoa and ejaculate volume in comparison with AL animals. There was no relationship between the body fat content and the reproductive status of bucks in the present trial.


2011 ◽  
Vol 51 (6) ◽  
pp. 557 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. R. Kenyon ◽  
S. T. Morris ◽  
K. J. Stafford ◽  
D. M. West

The aim of the present study was to determine the production response of triplet-bearing ewes and their lambs to two differing feeding treatments in mid to late pregnancy and to determine the effect of ewe body condition. Ninety-two days after the start of their breeding period (P92) triplet-bearing ewes, were allocated to either a Medium (n = 72) or ad libitum (‘Adlib’, n = 72) feeding treatment until P113, followed by both groups being merged and offered ad libitum feeding conditions until lambing. The Medium feeding treatment was designed to ensure pre- and postgrazing herbage masses were below 1200 and 1000 kg DM/ha, respectively. Each feeding treatment included ewes from the following body condition score groups: 2.0 or less (CS ≤2.0), 2.5 (CS2.5) or 3.0 or greater (CS ≥3.0). At P113, Medium ewes were lighter (P < 0.05) and had lower (P < 0.05) body condition scores than Adlib ewes (72.4 ± 0.80 vs 75.2 ± 0.85 kg and 2.8 ± 0.06 vs 3.3 ± 0.06, respectively). However, at P141 liveweight no longer differed (P > 0.05, 86.2 ± 0.94 vs 86.6 ± 0.99 kg, respectively), although a small difference in condition score remained (P < 0.05, 3.0 ± 0.07 vs 3.3 ± 0.08, respectively). Ewe feeding treatment had no effect (P > 0.05) on lamb liveweight or survival or ewe liveweight and body condition during lactation. Ewe body condition score group had no effect (P > 0.05) on lamb birthweight. Lambs born to CS2.5 group ewes were heavier 70 days after the midpoint of lambing (L70) than those born to CS ≤2.0 group ewes (20.9 ± 0.41 vs 19.6 ± 0.36 kg, respectively), although they displayed lower survival to L70 (56.0 vs 69.5%). Liveweight at L70 and survival of lambs born to CS ≥3.0 group ewes (20.0 ± 0.39 kg and 61.7%) did not differ (P > 0.05) from those born to either CS ≤2.0 or CS2.5 group ewes. In conclusion, these results suggest triplet-bearing ewes can be maintained under restricted feeding conditions until at least Day 113 of pregnancy without negatively affecting ewe or lamb performance when they are subsequently offered unrestricted feeding for the remainder of pregnancy and during lactation. Under these grazing conditions the body condition of triplet-bearing ewes had little to no effect on their subsequent performance or that of their lambs.


2002 ◽  
Vol 82 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. A. Boadi ◽  
K. M. Wittenberg

The effects of cattle breed type [dairy (Holstein) versus beef (Charolais × Simmental)] and forage quality (high, medium and low) on methane production were measured under ad-libitum and restricted feeding conditions. The in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) of the forage diets was high = 61.5%, medium = 50.7% and low = 38.5%. Each hay diet was fed to four animals (two dairy and two beef heifers) in three periods of four 3 × 3 Latin squares. Each period consisted of 23 d during which heifers were individually fed their assigned forage for 14 d on ad-ibitum feeding. Following this, intake was restricted to 2% of body weight (BW) for 9 d. Methane production was measured for five 24-h intervals in each period at both levels of intake using the SF6 gas technique. Methane production was not different (P > 0.05) between dairy (238.0 ± 6.9 L d-1) and beef cattle (228.6 ± 7.8 L d-1) under either level of feeding. Forage quality affected CH4 (L d-1) output, with high = medium > low during ad-libitum feeding. This effect of forage quality on CH4 production was absent during restricted feeding (P > 0.05). Day-to-day variation in CH4 production was 26.9 and 27.1% on ad-libitum and restricted feeding respectively (P < 0.05), whereas animal-to-animal variation (P < 0.05) was 26.6% (ad libitum) and 25.3% (restricted). On ad-libitum feeding, dry matter intake (DMI) was strongly correlated (P = 0.0001; r = 0.8) with CH4 production (L d-1), and accounted for 64% of daily variation in CH4 production. Methane [L kg-1 digestible organic matter intake (DOMI)] was highest (P < 0.05) on low-quality diets under both feeding regimes, and was not influenced (P > 0.05) by cattle type. Methane production as a percent of gross energy intake (GEI) was not influenced by diet. It can be concluded that the SF6 tracer technique provides a measure of enteric CH4 production directly from animals under production conditions. There were no differences in CH4 production between dairy and beef breeds, but the quality of forages affected CH4 production under both ad-libitum and restricted feeding. Key words: Methane, SF6 tracer technique, cattle breed type, forage quality, level of intake


1983 ◽  
Vol 245 (3) ◽  
pp. R339-R344 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. I. Honma ◽  
S. Honma ◽  
T. Hiroshige

The effects of food on plasma corticosterone levels were examined in rats under restricted daily feeding or prolonged food deprivation. High hormone levels before feeding were observed when the daily meal was restricted to 2 h at a fixed time of day, but it was not detected when food availability was extended to 6 h. The amount of food intake under the latter condition was comparable to that in 24 h of ad libitum feeding. After the termination of restricted feeding, the prefeeding hormone peak was maintained in rats fasted subsequently but disappeared when rats were returned to ad libitum feeding. Food deprivation for 10 days increased plasma corticosterone levels in the light period, resulting in abolition of the circadian rhythm. A subsequent meal decreased the hormone level such that the 24-h mean hormone level after food ingestion was inversely related to the amount of food intake. When rats were allowed to feed for 6 h after prolonged food deprivation, the prefeeding hormone peak observed at the second meal disappeared at the fourth meal. The amount of food consumption in these rats increased and reached a level comparable to that with ad libitum feeding at the third meal. It is concluded that the amount of food intake is critical for the development and maintenance of the prefeeding hormone peak under restricted feeding; prolonged fasting.


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