scholarly journals Effect of feeding systems on live-weight, reproductive performance, milk yield and composition, and the growth of lambs in native Spanish Ojalada sheep

2011 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 769 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Miguel-Romera ◽  
J. L. Calvo-Ruiz ◽  
J. Ciria-Ciria ◽  
B. Asenjo-Martin
2004 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 453-467 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Horan ◽  
J. F. Mee ◽  
M. Rath ◽  
P. O' Connor ◽  
P. Dillon

AbstractThree strains of Holstein-Friesian (HF) cows: high production North American (HP), high durability North American (HD) and New Zealand (NZ) were assigned, within strain, to one of three pasture-based feeding systems: Moorepark (MP), high concentrate (HC), and high stocking rate (HS). The effects of strain of HF, feeding system and parity on milk production, body condition score (BCS), live weight, energy balance and reproductive performance were studied using a repeated measures model with a factorial arrangement of strain ofHF and feeding systems. Associations between these variables and conception to first service (CONCEPT1), conception to first and second service (CONCEPTl_2), pregnancy rate at 6 weeks (PREG6) and overall pregnancy rate (PREG) were assessed using logistic regressions. When treatment means were compared, the NZ strain had a shorter gestation length and a higher CONCEPT1J2 than both the HP and HD strains. Similarly, the NZ strain had a higher PREG6 and PREG than the HP strain. Feeding system had no significant effect on reproductive performance. The HP strain had the highest milk yield at first AI and peak milk yield, the NZ strain had the lowest milk yield while the HD strain was intermediate. The energy balance of the NZ strain was higher than that of the HP and HD strains. The NZ strain had the lowest live weight and highest BCS; the HD strain had the highest live weight and the HP strain had the lowest BCS. The results show that dairy cows with superior genetic merit for fertility traits have better reproductive performance.


Author(s):  
Mesut Yıldırır ◽  
Orhan Karadağ ◽  
Mustafa Yilmaz ◽  
Mehmet Akif Yüksel ◽  
Tamer Sezenler ◽  
...  

The aims of this study were to evaluate the traits of reproductive, milking and growth performance of Saanen and Saanen × Hair crossbreds (F1, B1 and B2) raised at the Bandırma Sheep Research Institute. The data were collected from 868 goats for reproductive performance and milk yield and from 1077 kids for survival performance between 2009-2012. Milk components (fat, protein, lactose and non-fat dry matter) of goats (n=162) and body weight changes of kid’s (n=64) were evaluated for one year in 2012. Estrus rates and survival rates were similar among all genotypes. Kidding rate was significantly higher in F1 goats than Saanen goats. Saanen goat had the lowest average mean daily milk yield compared with other genotypes. The effect of year and age were significant on milk yield. Goats in F1 and B1 genotypes had higher milk protein percentage and non-fat dry matter content in comparison with Saanen and B2 genotype. Milk fat and lactose contents were similar among genotypes. Birth weight and monthly live weight were similar between genotypes while weaning weight, six month live weight and yearling live weight were higher in B1 kids in comparison with Saanen kids. The effect of dam age and birth type were significant on birth weight, monthly live weight and weaning weight. The findings related to performance characteristics in goat genotypes investigated show that B1 genotype could be recommend for semi-intensive production system in the Western Anatolia.


1992 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 249-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. G. Gunn ◽  
J. R. Jones ◽  
D. A. Sim

AbstractThe effects of feeding supplements in relation to sward height in the autumn on the reproductive performance of ewes grazing predominantly perennial ryegrass swards were studied in four experiments with three genotypes. Treatments in which either no supplements were given or supplements were offered according to the height of the sward were compared when ewes were grazed on swards which were managed to decline in height from > 5 cm to 2·5 cm either before or after mating. At a sward height of < 3·5 cm, 400 g ground and pelleted barley was offered per head per day; at < 3·0 cm, 700 g was offered; and, at < 2·5 cm, hay was offered in addition to the barley. Responses to these treatments were compared with that of a treatment in which a sward was maintained at > 5 cm. Sward heights were controlled by varying stocking rate. In experiment 1, with 305 Scottish Blackface ewes, supplementation was not necessary until after the start of the mating period. In experiment 2, with 200 Brecknock Cheviot ewes, the supplementation protocol was examined on swards declining in height either before or after a synchronized mating. Experiment 3 repeated experiment 2 with 200 Beulah Speckled-face ewes and experiment 4 repeated only the pre-mating phase of experiment 3 with 195 Beulah Speckled-face ewes.In experiment 1, ovulation, ova loss and potential lambing rates were determined from the number of corpora lutea and viable embryos at slaughter at 8 to 10 weeks after the start of mating in 103 ewes and lambing rate was determined from the number of lambs at lambing in the remaining 202 ewes. In experiments 2, 3 and 4, ovulation, ova loss and potential lambing rates were determined from the number of corpora lutea and viable embryos at slaughter at return to service or at 4 weeks after a synchronized first mating.Grazing a sward declining in height below 3·5 cm in the pre-mating period significantly reduced ewe live weight, body condition and reproductive performance, particularly in the relatively prolific Beulah Speckled-face breed, compared with grazing a sward maintained at > 5 cm. Supplementation at the levels offered overcame some of the effects of the lower sward height treatment in the pre-mating period but did not compensate fully. Grazing a sward declining in height below 3·5 cm in the post-mating period, although reducing ewe live weight and body condition, had little effect on reproductive performance, compared with that achieved on a sward maintained above 4 cm. Supplementation at the levels offered at the lower sward height during the post-mating period produced no increase in overall reproductive performance and had a negative effect on some reproductive parameters.


1999 ◽  
Vol 68 (3) ◽  
pp. 365-377 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Le Cozier ◽  
E. Ringmar-Cederberg ◽  
L. Rydhmer ◽  
N. Lundeheim ◽  
J. Y. Dourmad ◽  
...  

AbstractA 2 x 2 factorial experiment was designed in order to study the effects of feeding level during rearing and of mating policy on the reproductive performance and food intake of first- and second-litter sows. Gilts were offered food during rearing eitherad libitum(AL) or at 0·8 of the AL level (R) and served either at first (E1) or third (E3) detected oestrus. A total of 160 out of the 243 animals that started the experiment were culled by the end of the second lactation, with significantly more R than AL animals (71 and 60%, respectively). During the first pregnancy, the R sows gained more live weight (LW) and backfat thickness (BF) than their AL contemporaries (+5 kg and +1.2 mm, respectively) and lost less BF during the first lactation (1.2 mm less). At weaning, no difference remained in LW or BF between AL and R sows (174 kg LW on average). The E3 females gained less LW during both pregnancies compared with those on the E1 treatment, but they remained heavier until the second weaning (208 kg, on average). During the first lactation, R consumed more food during the weeks 2 and 3 (by 0·5 kg/day, on average) than those reared previously on the AL regime, and no difference was observed between E3 and E1 females. No difference in food consumption was noted during parity two. However, when measured over the first two parities, lean animals consumed more food than fat animals. The size and the weight of the litter at birth or at weaning were not influenced by the treatment prior to service. The weaning-to-oestrus interval was longer during parity one than during parity two (5·7 and 5·0 days, respectively;P< 0·01) but it was not affected by feeding or mating treatment.


2000 ◽  
Vol 2000 ◽  
pp. 101-101
Author(s):  
J K Margerison ◽  
B. Winkler ◽  
K. Mowll ◽  
R. Derrick ◽  
E. Mcintosh ◽  
...  

Feeding the dairy cow during the transition phase (dry to lactating) has been found to effect subsequent feed intake and milk yield (Moorby et al., 1996; Olsson et al., 1998). The aim of this study was to compare the effect of feeding a liquid feed during the prepartum period on; feed intake, milk yield, milk composition, live weight loss and blood metabolite levels.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. e679007632
Author(s):  
Ricardo Zambarda Vaz ◽  
José Fernando Piva Lobato ◽  
João Restle ◽  
Pablo Tavares Costa ◽  
Otoniel Geter Lauz Ferreira ◽  
...  

The objective was to evaluate the development and reproductive performance of beef cows of different body weights at calving were evaluated. Milk yield and calf production efficiency were assessed in secundiparous Braford cows classified at calving according to weight as Light (325.2±3.7 kg), Moderate (347.7±4.0 kg), and Heavy (384.2±4.1 kg). Heavy cows had higher total milk yield than Light cows, but did not differ from Moderate, reflecting in calves weighing at weaning 82.1, 76.6, and 76.9 kg, respectively. Differences on pregnancy rates for Light (90.0%, 18 pregnant cows/2 of eligible cows), Moderate (70.2%, 12 pregnant cows/5 of eligible cows), and Heavy (62.5%, 10 pregnant cows/6 of eligible cows) were not detected. Light cows were more productive and efficient when production performance was adjusted for the pregnancy rates than Moderate and Heavy cows. Production of kilograms of calves adjusted for pregnancy was 20.5, 16.2±0.5, and 14.0±0.5 kg for the Light, Moderate, and Heavy cows, respectively. Heavy and Moderate cows were less efficient as compared with the Light ones for production of calves adjusted for their calving interval. Light cows produce more kilograms of calf/cow, requiring the same amount of milk to produce one kilogram of calf. Light cows also have higher efficiency converting milk into calf weight than Moderate and Heavy cows. The productivity and efficiency of breeding herds should be evaluated by the combination of pregnancy rate and kilograms of weaned calves per cow exposed to breeding.


2001 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 397-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. J. Fulkerson ◽  
J. Wilkins ◽  
R. C. Dobos ◽  
G. M. Hough ◽  
M. E. Goddard ◽  
...  

AbstractOne hundred and eight Holstein-Friesian cows in six herds were run on six separate farmlets over a 5-year period from 1995 to 1999 at Wollongbar Agricultural Institute, on the subtropical north coast of New South Wales, Australia. Three of the herds comprised high genetic merit (HGM) cows — Australian breeding value (ABV) of +49·1 kg for milk fat (F) plus protein (Pr) and three herds comprised low genetic merit (LGM) cows-ABV of 2·3 kg. Within genetic merit groupings, one herd was given 0·34 t (l), one herd was given 0·84 t (m) and one herd 1·71 t (h), of concentrate per cow per lactation. Within each genetic merit group, cows were matched for milk yield and live weight, and over all groups for time of calving and age at the commencement of the study. The 30 paddocks within each farmlet were matched between farmlets for pasture type and pasture growth rate and soil fertility. Half the cows within each herd calved over a 3-month period in spring and the other half in autumn. Strict management criteria ensured that there was no bias towards particular treatment groups.HGM cows were ‘open’ (days from calving to conception) for 8 days longer than the LGM cows (99 v. 91 days). The lHGM cows took 11 days longer to commence luteal phase activity and 21 days longer to first observed oestrus post calving than hLGM cows (P < 0·001), with the other groups being intermediate.After 24 days of mating, 22% of lHGM cows were pregnant, and this was less than half of the rate of the best herd-mLGM. After 9 weeks of mating, the chances of an LGM cow being pregnant was 87% greater than an HGM cow. After 12 weeks of mating, 70% of lHGM cows were pregnant compared with a mean pregnancy rate of 87% for the LGM cows.The number of cows treated for abnormal ovarian activity (anoestrus, cystic) was highest (P < 0·001) in the HGM herds given ‘l’ and ‘m’ levels of concentrate compared with the remaining herds (0·24 v. 0·12 treatments per cow mated, respectively).There was a significant positive relationship between live-weight change from 4 weeks before, to the start of, the mating period and the chances of a cow being pregnant at 24 days (P < 0·05) and at 6 and 9 weeks after the commencement of mating.There was a significant negative relationship (P < 0·001) between the change in daily F plus Pr yield, from the start to 4 weeks after mating began, and pregnancy rate at 9 weeks. The change in F plus Pr yield was +63 g/day for cows pregnant at nine weeks as opposed to +154 g/day for cows not pregnant.The results of the present study indicate that the reproductive performance of HGM cows, with a mean of 61% North American (NA) genes, is lower than LGM cows (22% NA genes) under a predominantly pasture-based system of farming. The influence on reproduction was possibly due to genes favouring partitioning of energy to milk yield rather than body-condition maintenance in the HGM cows and when food intake was inadequate, then being more willing to use body reserves.These reproductive problems may be reduced by more intensive reproductive management. However, such practices are costly and time consuming. Another approach may be to ensure that live-weight loss over the mating period is minimized by strategic supplementary feeding.


1956 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Holmes ◽  
R. Waite ◽  
D. S. MacLusky ◽  
J. N. Watson

1. The effect of feeding levels of protein and energy appreciably higher than the Woodman standards on the yield and composition of the milk from twelve Ayrshire cows has been studied in two winter-feeding experiments.2. In the first experiment the S.E. of the concentrate ration was held constant at 63½% and the D.C.P. content adjusted to 10, 15 and 17%. The 10 and 15% D.C.P. concentrates derived their protein from home-grown feedingstuffs, whereas the 17% D.C.P. concentrate was a bought-in commercial mixture. Feeding the three levels of D.C.P. led to no statistically significant differences in milk yield, milk composition or live-weight gain, although the commercial mixture (17% D.C.P.) resulted in milk with a slightly lower fat content.3. The second experiment reversed the feeding conditions of the first, i.e. D.C.P. was held constant at 16% and three concentrates were fed which contained 59, 67 and 75% S.E. respectively. The two rations of higher S.E. content gave significantly more milk than the low S.E. ration and tended to give slight increases in live weight. There was a slight increase in the S.N.F. content of the milk when the S.E. of the concentrate was raised from 59 to 67% S.E. This was due almost entirely to an increase in the protein content of the milk. There was no further increase in S.N.F. with the 75% S.E. concentrate, and this latter concentrate produced milk with a slightly lower fat content.4. Comparison of costs and returns showed that the cheap low protein concentrate, ration C, even though it gave the least milk, yielded the highest profit. It was shown, however, that at any reasonable fixed cost of starch equivalent the most profitable level of feeding above the Woodman maintenance standard was 3–3·3 lb. S.E./10 lb. of milk of 3·8–4·0% fat. Alternatively, the total ration should be 110–117% of the Woodman standard.


Author(s):  
H. Yang ◽  
P. Phillips ◽  
C.T. Whittemore ◽  
P.R. Eastham

To help resolve the dynamics of fatty tissue mobilisation, and interactions with milk yield and reproductive performance, the experiment reported here takes gilts and sows over four parities to one of two levels of strategic fatness at parturition, and then studies the consequences of high or low lactation feed intakes in conjunction with strong or weak milk withdrawal potentials as achieved by manipulation of litter size.One hundred and two Large White x Landrace F1 hybrid gilts were purchased from the Cotswold Pig Development Company Limited at about 30 kg live weight. At mating, animals were allocated at random to one of B treatments comprising: two levels [fat and thin) of target backfat thickness at parturition (10-14 mm. T vs 20-24 mm. F): two daily feeding levels (high and low) during 4-week lactation [3 kg, L vs ad libitum to a maximum of 7 kg. H): and two sizes of sucking litter (5 vs 9 in parity I. and 6 vs 10 in parities 2. 3 and 4).


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