Foraging behaviour and performance of steers from two local breeds (Asturian Valley and Asturian Mountain) grazing in Cantabrian (N Spain) summer pastures

Steer meat production in northern Spain is deficient to attend market demand. This research aimed to compare the foraging behaviour and production of yearling steers from two local breeds differing in body weight (BW), Asturian Valley (AV, 372 kg) and Asturian Mountain (AM, 307 kg), grazing in summer pastures consisting of 70% grassland and 30% heathland. Bodyweight gains from a total of 42 steers were recorded during four grazing seasons (from June to October). In two years, in July and September, plant community selection and diet composition were estimated by direct observation and using faecal markers, respectively. Grazing time increased from July to September (488 vs. 557 min/day; p<0.001) as sward height in the grassland decreased. Although AV steers grazed proportionally for longer on herbaceous pastures than AM steers (81.3 vs. 73.3%; p<0.05), no differences between breeds were found in diet composition. AM steers showed greater mean daily BW gains than AV steers (252 vs. 133 g/day; p<0.01). From June to August, steers from both breeds gained BW (487 vs. 360 g/day for AM and AV, respectively; p<0.01), but thereafter BW gains decreased (120 vs. –12 g/day for AM and AV, respectively; p<0.05), because of reduced availability of grassland herbage. Yearling steers from AM breed seem to be better suited to mountain conditions than those from AV breed, probably because of their smaller body size and lower total nutrient requirements for maintenance.

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Daily Ration of Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) from Lake Memphremagog, Quebec–Vermont, with a Comparison of Methods for In Situ Determinations

Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada ◽

10.1139/f78-249 ◽

1978 ◽

Vol 35 (12) ◽

pp. 1597-1603 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Brian S. Nakashima ◽

William C. Leggett

Keyword(s):

Body Weight ◽

Body Size ◽

Yellow Perch ◽

Diet Composition ◽

Seasonal Pattern ◽

Feeding Activity ◽

Perca Flavescens ◽

Complex Method ◽

Daily Ration

In situ estimates of daily ration for yellow perch (Perca flavescens) range from a high of 5.5–6.7% body weight in July to a low of 2.2–2.4% body weight in October. The seasonal pattern corresponds well to known patterns of growth. Comparison of three methods for in situ determination of daily ration levels indicated the method outlined here and the more complex method of Thorpe yield similar results. The method of Keast and Welsh and derivatives of this method which correct for digestion between sampling periods give unreliable values that are 50% below the other two and, in general, are below maintenance ration levels. Diet composition and feeding activity varied seasonally and with body size. Key words: body size relationships, diet composition, seasonality

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Estimasi Potensi dan Kinerja Sapi Bali di Kabupaten Timor Tengah Utara, Propinsi Nusa Tenggara Timur (The Potency Estimation and Performance of Bali Cattle in Timor Tengah Utara Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province)

Buletin Peternakan ◽

10.21059/buletinpeternak.v33i1.132 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 33 (1) ◽

pp. 30 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Trimeldus Tulak Tonbesi ◽

Nono Ngadiyono ◽

Sumadi (Sumadi)

Keyword(s):

Population Dynamics ◽

Body Weight ◽

Body Size ◽

Secondary Data ◽

Animal Husbandry ◽

Natural Increase ◽

Carcass Weight ◽

Female Age ◽

Bali Cattle ◽

And Performance

The objective of the reseaech was to recognize the output and population dynamics, correlation between body weight and body size, and also correlation between body weight and carcass weight and the most accurate body weight estimation on Bali cattle in Timor Tengah Utara Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province. This research was done in 6 districts in 20 villages. The research material included 289 breeders as respondent, 530 Bali cattles and secondary data from local Department of Animal Husbandry. The results showed that reproduction efficiency 83.60%, 21.72% natural increase, 21.47% potency of the population or 16,204 animals. There was annual increased with average 8.16% follows regression equation Y = 63,151+5,376 X and by year of 2011 the population could be estimated as many as 100,783 animals with potency 21,638 animals. Correlation between body weight with body size in male Bali cow age >1 to 2 years old followed equation Y = -286.13+2.11 X1+1.59X4 with r = 0.92 and R2 = 0.85. Male with age >2 to 3 years old, Y = -441.16+2.23X1+2.96X3 with r = 0.95 and R2 = 0.90. Female age >2 to 3 years old, Y = -153.27+2.19X1 with r = 0.78 and R2 = 0.60. Male with age >3 to 4 years old, Y = -385.10+4.13X1 with r = 0.96 and R2 = 0.91. Female age >3 to 4 years old, Y = 89.72+0.96X2 with r = 0.34 and R2 = 0.12. Correlation between body weight and carcass weight in female age >2 to 3 years old, Y = -3.84+0.56X with r = 0.97 and R2 = 0.94, female age >3 to 4 years old, Y = 4.0+1.50X with r = 0.87 and R2 = 0.76, and female age >4 years old, Y = 3.16+0.52X with r = 0.96 and R2 = 0.92. Djagra Formula could be used to estimate male and female Bali cattle body weight in regency north middle Timor with correction factor each -0.34% and -16.71%.(Key words: Bali Cattle, Performance, Potency, Population dynamics)

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Isoquinoline Alkaloids in Sows’ Diet Reduces Body Weight Loss during Lactation and Increases IgG in Colostrum

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11082195 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 2195

Author(s):

Ester Arévalo Sureda ◽

Xuemei Zhao ◽

Valeria Artuso-Ponte ◽

Sophie-Charlotte Wall ◽

Bing Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Weight Loss ◽

Body Weight ◽

Body Weight Loss ◽

Muscle Thickness ◽

Passive Immunity ◽

Isoquinoline Alkaloids ◽

Back Muscle ◽

Fat Thickness ◽

And Performance

Isoquinoline alkaloids (IQ) exert beneficial antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects in livestock. Therefore, we hypothesized that supplementing sows’ diets with IQ during gestation would decrease farrowing stress, affecting the piglets’ development and performance. Sows were divided into: IQ1, supplemented with IQ from gestation day 80 (G80) to weaning; IQ2, supplemented from gestation day 110 (G110) to weaning, and a non-supplemented (NC) group. Sow body weight (BW), feed intake, back-fat thickness and back-muscle thickness were monitored. Cortisol, glucose and insulin were measured in sows’ blood collected 5 d before, during, and after 7 d farrowing. Protein, fat, IgA and IgG were analyzed in the colostrum and milk. Piglets were monitored for weight and diarrhea score, and for ileum histology and gene expression 5 d post-weaning. IQ-supplemented sows lost less BW during lactation. Glucose and insulin levels were lower in the IQ groups compared to NC-sows 5 d before farrowing and had higher levels of protein and IgG in their colostrum. No other differences were observed in sows, nor in the measured parameters in piglets. In conclusion, IQ supplementation affected sows’ metabolism, reducing body weight loss during lactation. Providing IQ to sows from their entrance into the maternity barn might be sufficient to induce these effects. IQ improved colostrum quality, increasing the protein and IgG content, improving passive immunity for piglets.

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Use of Pelleted Diets in Commercially Farmed Decapods during Juvenile Stages: A Review

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11061761 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 1761

Author(s):

Mohd Amran Aaqillah-Amr ◽

Ariffin Hidir ◽

Mohamad N. Azra ◽

Abdul Rahim Ahmad-Ideris ◽

Muyassar H. Abualreesh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Feeding Behavior ◽

Optimal Growth ◽

Careful Consideration ◽

Physical Characteristics ◽

Market Demand ◽

Nutrient Requirements ◽

Natural Diet ◽

Feed Formulation ◽

Juvenile Stages ◽

Formulated Feed

The increasing market demand for decapods has led to a considerable interest in cultivating decapod species at a larger scale. Following the development of hatchery technologies, most research has focused on the development of formulated feeds for commercially farmed decapods once they enter the juvenile stages. The use of formulated feed for decapods at a commercial scale is still in the early stages. This is probably because of the unique feeding behavior that decapods possess: being robust, slow feeders and bottom dwellers, their feeding preferences change during the transition from pelagic larvae to benthic juveniles as their digestive systems develop and become more complex. The current practice of decapod aquaculture involves the provision of juveniles with food such as natural diet, live feed, and formulated feed. Knowledge of nutrient requirements enables diets to be better formulated. By manipulating the levels of proteins and lipids, a formulated feed can be expected to lead to optimal growth in decapods. At the same time, the pellet’s physical characteristics are important factors to be considered upon formulating commercially farmed decapod feeds, considering the unique feeding behavior of the decapod. However, most published studies on decapod nutrition lack data on the physical characteristics of the feed types. Thus, it is difficult to establish a standard feed formulation that focuses on the physical pellet properties. Moreover, careful consideration must be given to the feeding behavior of species, as decapods are known as bottom feeders and are robust in terms of handling feed. Information on the pellet forms, diet composition, and unique feeding behaviors in commercially farmed decapods is gathered to suggest potential better formulated diets that can optimize growth and reproduction. Thus, the purpose of this review is to summarize the information that has been published to date and to come up with suggestions on ways to improve the feed formulation in decapods that comply with their feeding behavior and nutrient requirements. Further research is needed to explore the potential of the pelleted feed at the adult stage so the decapod can take full advantage of the nutrients present in the pellets.

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Field Observations on the Common Striped Possum (Dactylopsila Trivirgata) in North Queensland.

Wildlife Research ◽

10.1071/wr9960755 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 23 (6) ◽

pp. 755 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

KA Handasyde ◽

RW Martin

Keyword(s):

Body Weight ◽

Home Range ◽

Foraging Behaviour ◽

Male Body ◽

Radio Tracking ◽

Minimum Convex Polygon ◽

Far North ◽

Large Trees ◽

The Common ◽

Primary Habitat

Habitat utilisation and foraging behaviour by the common striped possum (Dactylopsila trivirgata) was investigated by means of spotlighting and radio-tracking at Shiptons Flat, far north Queensland. Vine forest was the primary habitat of D. trivirgata; however, animals were also observed in open eucalypt (Eucalyptus tereticornis) woodland. Information collected on foraging behaviour suggests that D. trivirgata are generalist insectivores consuming some fruit and other foodstuffs, such as honey. Radio-tracking data were used to calculate the home-range areas of two subadult males. The home range of the smaller male (body weight 290 g) was 5.2 ha (by the 95% harmonic mean (HM) method) or 6.5 ha (by the minimum convex polygon (MCP) method), and that of the larger male (body weight 415 g) was 21.2 ha (95% HM) or 21.3 ha (MCP). Large trees with hollows, which are utilized for denning, appear to be an important feature of the habitat for this species. D. trivirgata exhibits a pronounced degree of sociality and may breed seasonally. Observations suggest that amethystine pythons (Morelia amethistina) may be major predators of D. trivirgata at Shiptons Flat.

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Defense of differfing body weight set points in diet-induced obese and resistant rats

AJP Regulatory Integrative and Comparative Physiology ◽

10.1152/ajpregu.1998.274.2.r412 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 274 (2) ◽

pp. R412-R419 ◽

Cited By ~ 60

Author(s):

Barry E. Levin ◽

Richard E. Keesey

Keyword(s):

Body Weight ◽

Diet Composition ◽

Energy Homeostasis ◽

Energy Content ◽

Sprague Dawley ◽

Fat Pad ◽

Insulin Levels ◽

Diet Induced Obesity ◽

Sprague Dawley Rats ◽

Plasma Leptin

Among outbred Sprague-Dawley rats, approximately one-half develop diet-induced obesity (DIO) and one-half are diet resistant (DR) on a diet relatively high in fat and energy content (HE diet). Here we examined the defense of body weight in these two phenotypes. After HE diet for 13 wk, followed by chow for 6 wk, DR rats gained weight comparably but their plasma leptin levels fell to 54% of chow-fed controls. When a palatable liquid diet (Ensure) was added for 13 wk, other DR rats became obese. But when switched to chow, their intakes fell by 60%, and body and retroperitoneal (RP) fat pad weights and plasma leptin and insulin levels all declined for 2 wk and then stabilized at control levels after 6 wk. In contrast, comparably obese DIO rats decreased their intake by only 20%, and their weights plateaued when they were switched to chow after 13 wk on HE diet. When a subgroup of these DIO rats was restricted to 60% of prior intake, their weights fell to chow-fed control levels over 2 wk. But their leptin and insulin levels both fell disproportionately to 30% of controls. When no longer restricted, their intake and feed efficiency rose immediately, and their body and RP pad weights and leptin and insulin levels rose to those of unrestricted DIO rats within 2 wk. Thus diet and genetic background interact to establish high (DIO) or low (DR) body weight set points, which are then defended against subsequent changes in diet composition and/or energy availability. If leptin affects energy homeostasis, it does so differentially in DIO vs. DR rats since comparably low and high levels were associated with differing patterns of weight change between the two phenotypes.

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Respiratory Exchange and Body Size in the Aldabra Giant Tortoise

Journal of Experimental Biology ◽

10.1242/jeb.55.3.651 ◽

1971 ◽

Vol 55 (3) ◽

pp. 651-665 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

G. M. HUGHES ◽

R. GAYMER ◽

MARGARET MOORE ◽

A. J. WOAKES

Keyword(s):

Body Weight ◽

Body Size ◽

Metabolic Rate ◽

Relative Proportion ◽

The Body ◽

O2 Consumption ◽

Weight Range ◽

Testudo Hermanni ◽

The Mean ◽

Good Agreement

1. The O2 consumption and CO2 release of nine giant tortoises Testudo gigantea (weight range 118 g-35·5 kg) were measured at a temperature of about 25·5°C. Four European tortoises Testudo hermanni (weight range 640 g-2·16 kg) were also used. The mean RQ values obtained were 1·01 for T. gigantea and 0·97 for T. hermanni. These values were not influenced by activity or size. 2. The data was analysed by plotting log/log regression lines relating body weight to O2 consumption. Both maximum and minimum metabolic rates recorded for each individual T. gigantea showed a negative correlation with body weight. For active rates the relation was O2 consumption = 140·8W0·97, whereas for inactive animals O2 consumption = 45·47W0·82. 3. The maximum rates were obtained from animals that were observed to be active in the respirometer and the minimum rates from animals that remained quiet throughout. The scope for activity increased with body size, being 82 ml/kg/h for animals of 100 g and 103 ml/kg/h for 100 kg animals. The corresponding ratio between maximum and minimum rates increases from about 2 to 6 for the same weight range. 4. Values for metabolic rate in T. hermanni seem to be rather lower than in T. gigantea. Analysis of the relative proportion of the shell and other organs indicates that the shell forms about 31% of the body weight in adult T. hermanni but only about 18% in T. gigantea of similar size. The shell is not appreciably heavier in adult T. gigantea (about 20%). 5. Data obtained for inactive animals is in good agreement with results of other workers using lizards and snakes. Previous evidence suggesting that chelonians show no reduction in metabolic rate with increasing size is not considered to conflict with data obtained in the present work.

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Diet composition and feeding habits of the eyespot skate, Atlantoraja cyclophora (Elasmobranchii: Arhynchobatidae), off Uruguay and northern Argentina

Neotropical Ichthyology ◽

10.1590/1982-0224-20160032 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 14 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Santiago A. Barbini ◽

Luis O. Lucifora

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Diet Composition ◽

Prey Size ◽

Prey Availability ◽

Feeding Habits ◽

Warm Season ◽

Cold Season ◽

The North ◽

Multiple Hypothesis ◽

Modelling Approach

ABSTRACT The eyespot skate, Atlantoraja cyclophora, is an endemic species from the southwestern Atlantic, occurring from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to northern Patagonia, Argentina. The feeding habits of this species, from off Uruguay and north Argentina, were evaluated using a multiple hypothesis modelling approach. In general, the diet was composed mainly of decapod crustaceans, followed by teleost fishes. Molluscs, mysidaceans, amphipods, isopods, lancelets and elasmobranchs were consumed in lower proportion. The consumption of shrimps drecreased with increasing body size of A. cyclophora. On the other hand, the consumption of teleosts increased with body size. Mature individuals preyed more heavily on crabs than immature individuals. Teleosts were consumed more in the south region (34º - 38ºS) and crabs in the north region (38º - 41ºS). Shrimps were eaten more in the warm season than in the cold season. Prey size increased with increasing body size of A. cyclophora , but large individuals also consumed small teleosts and crabs. Atlantoraja cyclophora has demersal-benthic feeding habits, shifts its diet with increasing body size and in response to seasonal and regional changes in prey availability and distribution.

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Developmental pattern of hypercapnic and hypoxic ventilatory responses from childhood to adulthood

Journal of Applied Physiology ◽

10.1152/jappl.1994.76.1.314 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 76 (1) ◽

pp. 314-320 ◽

Cited By ~ 59

Author(s):

C. L. Marcus ◽

W. B. Glomb ◽

D. J. Basinski ◽

S. L. Davidson ◽

T. G. Keens

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Body Weight ◽

Body Size ◽

Respiratory Rate ◽

Body Surface ◽

Vital Capacity ◽

Developmental Pattern ◽

Ventilatory Responses ◽

End Tidal ◽

Arterial O2 Saturation

The developmental pattern of ventilatory responses, through childhood and puberty into adulthood, is not known. Therefore we studied hypercapnic (HCVR) and hypoxic ventilatory responses (HOVR) in 59 subjects (29 males and 30 females) 4–49 yr of age, of whom 35 were children ( < 18 yr old). There was a significant correlation between HCVR and weight (r = 0.33, P < 0.02), vital capacity (r = 0.30, P < 0.05), and body surface area (r = 0.30, P < 0.05) but not height (r = 0.22, NS). There was no correlation between HOVR and any of the correcting factors. To account for disparities in body size, volume-related results were scaled for body weight. The HCVR corrected for weight (HCVR/WT) decreased with age (r = -0.57, P < 0.001). HCVR/WT was significantly higher in children than in adults (0.056 +/- 0.024 vs. 0.032 +/- 0.015 l.kg-1 x min-1. Torr end-tidal PCO2-1, P < 0.001). The (tidal volume/inspiratory duration)/weight, respiratory rate, and heart rate responses to hypercapnia were increased in the children, and the CO2 threshold was lower (36 +/- 5 vs. 40 +/- 6 Torr, P < 0.05). Similarly, the HOVR corrected for weight (HOVR/WT) decreased with age (r = 0.34, P < 0.05), and HOVR/WT was significantly higher in children than in adults (-0.035 +/- 0.017 vs. -0.024 +/- 0.016 l.kg-1 x min-1.% arterial O2 saturation-1, P < 0.02). The respiratory rate and heart rate responses to hypoxia were increased in the children. We conclude that rebreathing HCVR and HOVR are higher during childhood than during adulthood.

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