British Cattle Research Articles

The Diffusion of the Improved Shorthorn Breed of Cattle in Britain during the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries

The modernization of the British countryside during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries presents a lengthy agenda for historico-geographic research. This paper considers the progress of the improvement of British cattle by focusing on the diffusion of the important Improved Shorthorn breed. The changing distribution of pedigree Shorthorn breeders is plotted decade by decade from the contents of Coates's Herd Book of recorded pedigrees. The patterns indicate that the spread of the improvement from its area of origin in north-east England was spatially coherent and rational, but not rapid. Tardiness in adopting the innovation may be related both to distance from place of origin and competition from rival breeds. The final section stresses that the pedigree breeders were an elite whose exact influence on the overall character of the Shorthorn improvement has yet to be established.

British Cattle Veterinary Association Conference

A wide variety of subjects were discussed at the British Cattle Veterinary Association Conference and there was a strong emphasis on practical items. The meeting was held at the Seale Hayne Agricultural College and was blessed with more than its fair share of April showers. Over seventy people from all over Great Britain descended on the college in time to hear its Principal, Dr. Dowrick deliver the welcoming address.

Prevalence and molecular epidemiology of antibiotic-resistant Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella dublin in Danish cattle.

Among 130 strains of S. typhimurium and 191 strains of S. dublin, all from cattle, 80% and 63%, respectively, were resistant to one, two or three antibiotics. Mono-resistance to sulphonamides was most common. Plasmid load was analysed by conjugation, transformation, extraction of plasmid DNA and subsequent electrophoresis in agarose gels. Plasmid DNA from 38 strains was further analysed by restriction with endonuclease EcoR1. On the basis of this, the strains were classified into four groups. Two groups held S. typhimurium, one held S. dublin and one group held both serotypes. This suggests that dissemination of strains and plasmids mainly occurs through clonal spread of strains. However, plasmid transfer per se also takes place, as exemplified by the fact that indistinguishable plasmids were found in two different serotypes. Strains of one group had contaminated a water-course. Strains of this group were furthermore isolated from humans in the same area as the infected cattle. Strains of this group had an R pattern and a phage-type similar to the R pattern and phage-type of the early isolates of a strain that became epidemic in British cattle. It is discussed whether Denmark, which was previously almost free of cattle salmonellosis, is experiencing the first warnings of an epidemic similar to the one in the UK.

British Cattle Veterinary Association Annual Congress

Report from the British Cattle Veterinary Association Congress,

Anatomical and joint dissection studies of tissue weight distribution in buffalo bulls and cows: Part 1—Distribution of muscle and bone

Carcasses from six buffalo bulls (slaughtered between 430 and 560 kg liveweight) and six buffalo cows (slaughtered between 405 and 583 kg liveweight) were dissected, the left sides by the anatomical approach, the right sides being jointed and the joints being dissected into fat, muscle, bone and other tissues. Weights of the anatomically dissected muscles and bones, and weights of muscle and bone dissected from each cut, were regressed on weight of the respective tissue in the side. The influence of the animals' sex on tissue distribution was investigated using a one-way analysis of covariance. Results were consistent with those reported on cattle in that (i) sex had no influence on the amount of total muscle occurring in the distal parts of limbs or surrounding the spinal column and connecting the fore limb to the thorax and neck, (ii) females had more of their total muscle in the flank or abdominal wall and less in the loin than males, and (iii) females tended to have less of their total side bone in the appendicular skeleton and more in the axial skeleton than males. However, the influence of the animal's sex on the amount of total muscle in the proximal parts of its limbs was significant in buffaloes but not in cattle; the reverse was true for the muscle group of the thorax and neck. The overall sex differences in bone-weight distribution for buffaloes were as small as previously reported for cattle, sheep and pigs. Features of better muscle-weight distribution in buffalo males as compared with females and in Egyptian buffaloes as compared with Australian buffaloes and British cattle breed types are discussed.

Survey of lameness in British dairy cattle.

During 1977 a survey was undertaken by practising veterinary surgeons of the incidence of different lesions causing lameness in dairy cattle. Forty-eight veterinary practices participated and they treated 7526 cases of lameness in 1821 herds. The average incidence of lameness among all cows was 5.5 per cent and the annual incidence among practices ranged from 1.8 to 11.8 per cent. Most lesions (88.3 per cent) occurred in the feet; the commonest were foul of the foot (16.7 per cent), white line abscess (15.6 per cent), sole ulcer (13.6 per cent), punctured sole and pus (10.4 per cent) and underrun heel (8.7 per cent). These proportions varied in different parts of the country. Eighty-four per cent of foot lesions occurred in the hind feet and of these lesions 85 per cent occurred in the outer claw; 42 per cent of foot lesions occurred in abnormally shaped claws. The remaining 11.7 per cent of lesions occurred in the legs and trunk, 76 per cent of which occurred in the hindlimb. Trauma was the main cause of leg lesions, which occurred most frequently in the joints and ligaments.

Bruising and muscle pH in zebu crossbred and British breed cattle.

Five trials in Queensland compared the bruising of 302 zebu (Bos indicus) crossbred and 254 British breed (B taurus) steers. The pH of the Longissimus dorsi muscle 24 hours post mortem was measured in three of the trials. Breed groups were transported separately to the abattoir in the first four trials and travelled as mixed breed groups in the fifth one. Differences in bruising between breed types were not significant in any trial. Zebu crossbred animals had significantly (P less than 0.05) lower muscle pH values in trials 1 and 3, whereas the difference was not significant in trial 5. There were also fewer dark cutters among the zebu crossbred animals in trials 1, 3 and 5.

The relationship between conformation and the yield and distribution of lean meat in the carcasses of British pigs, cattle and sheep: A review

Information available on the value of conformation as a predictor of carcass composition in the British livestock population is reviewed, particular reference being made to recent Meat and Livestock Commission (MLC) trials using the visual conformation assessments employed in national carcass classification schemes. In mixed breed populations, the visual conformation assessments are positively related to lean to bone ratio and muscle thickness, although the correlations are generally low. Their relationship with carcass lean content depends on the effectiveness with which variation in fatness is eliminated since fatter carcasses tend to be given higher conformation scores. Conformation provides little information about the proportion of total lean occurring in the higher priced joints. The value of conformation in a mixed breed population depends to an important extent on its ability to identify breed differences in carcass characteristics. Although of some value in this respect, it is less effective than actual breed identification. Within-breed regressions on conformation are generally in the same direction as those in the mixed breed populations, although the precision of prediction is lower. The results indicate that conformation has little practical value as a predictor of carcass composition within breed.

British Cattle Veterinary Association Conference

A conference sponsored by the British Cattle Veterinary Association involved twenty-six speakers contributing over a three-day period, as well as a large poster display. The meeting was held at the Nottinghom School of Agriculture, Sutton Bonington, on April 13-15, 1981, and attracted just under a hundred veterinary surgeons to all or part of the meeting. The main topics covered were reproduction, computers, milk quality, breeding, practice laboratories and growth promoters as well as several clinical contributions. Credit for this comprehensive programme must go to Dr. David Weaver, B.C.V.A. Programme Secretary.

Molecular heterogeneity and lesion site specificity of cutaneous bovine papillomaviruses

We have characterized the DNA of papillomaviruses from cutaneous papillomas of British cattle using restriction enzymes and physical mapping. We have found three main types of BPV: one is a newly reported distinct type (BVP-5) specifically associated with a very common tumor of the skin of the teat and udder, descriptively known as “rice grain” papilloma; a second is associated with papillomas of the neck and shoulder (BVP-2); and a third is associated with papillomas of the penis and teat (BVP-1). We have investigated the DNA sequence homology between these viruses by nucleic acid cross-hybridization. We discuss the relationship between the five bovine papillomaviruses which have been characterized so far.

Sebum output and water metabolism in different genotypes of cattle in hot environments

1. 1. The sebum output (SO), rectal temperature ( T re) and water metabolism were compared in British (sleek and woolly coated) and Brahman (white and brindle coloured coats) steers at the same level of food intake in thermoneutral (24°C) and hot (32 and 38°C) environments. 2. 2. At 24°C, there were different levels of SO characteristic of breed but at 32°C the SO also varied with coat type. The SO was higher in hot environments than at 24°C and higher in Brahman than in British cattle. 3. 3. Within breeds, T re and evaporative water loss (EWL) were influenced by coat type with a positive association betwee T re and SO. 4. 4. Other experiments confirmed that during hyperthermia the EWL was similar in British, Brahman and zebu-crossbred steers.

Hair remains throw light on early British prehistoric cattle

A new find of hair on a neolithic ox skull from Skara Brae, Orkney, is compared with previous British prehistoric finds, and found to have features that have been previously suggested to belong to Bos primigenius.

Ostertagia leptospicularis Asadov 1953 as a pathogen in British cattle

Ostertagia leptospicularis Asadov 1953 as a pathogen in British cattle

British Cattle Veterinary Association: A report on the 1980 Annual Conference

The West Midlands provided the setting for this year's Annual Conference of the British Cattle Veterinary Association which was held at the Shropshire Farm Institute, Baschurch, near Shrewsbury.

Performance and Composition of Steers and Heifers of Two Biological Types Related to Net Energy for Production Efficiency2

Twenty-six Angus × Hereford reciprocal crossbred cattle (traditional British type) and 26 Simmental-sired cattle out of Maine-Anjou × Hereford, Maine-Anjou × Angus and Chianina × Angus dams (large biological type) were utilized in this research. Each cattle biological type included 13 steers and 13 heifers. Three head of each sex × biological type combination (e.g., steers, large type) were randomly assigned to one of four endpoints. Endpoints 1 through 4 represented net energy for production (NEp) efficiencies of 4.0, 5.0, 6.0 and 7.0 Meal NEp/kg gain measured the last 70 or 77 days of the feeding period. Least-squares means for NEp efficiency endpoints 1 through 4 were 4.1, 5.0, 6.0 and 7.3, respectively. As the ratio of available NEp to gain increased, carcass ether extract increased (P<.01), protein and water both decreased (P<.01), yield grade (YG) number increased (P<.01), F/G increased (P<.01) and average daily gains (ADG) decreased (P<.01). Quality grade did not show a consistent trend due to endpoint (P = .06). Large type cattle had higher (P<.05) ADG, higher (P<.01) percentages of both protein and water and lower (P<.01) YG numbers than British type cattle. No difference (P>.05) in quality grade was evident between British and large type cattle. Steers of both types produced carcasses with less (P<.05) ether extract and more (P<.01) water than heifer carcasses, despite having similar YG (P>.05). Heifers showed an advantage in F/G (P<.05), while ADG and quality grade did not differ (P>.05) between sexes. No differences (P>.05) in palatability of semitendinosus steaks were observed between endpoints, sexes or types.

A note on the effect of social rank on the feeding behaviour of young cattle on self-feed maize silage

ABSTRACTIn two experiments young British Friesian cattle were allowed restricted access to maize silage on a self-feed system. Restrictions were imposed by either limiting the width of feed face per animal or by reducing the time available for feeding.The social order of each group of cattle was determined by observing dominance-submission interactions between pairs of individuals. Dominance rank and angular dominance values were calculated for individuals in each group and related to silage intake, feeding time and rate of eating. Silage intake and rate of eating increased significantly with dominance value, and feeding time decreased although not significantly.

Preventive medicine for cattle

The third annual conference under this general theme was held by the British Cattle Veterinary Association at the University of Nottingham School of Agriculture, Sutton Bonington. Items were included under various subjects such as mastitis control, oestrous control, calf management and disease, computer utilisation, minerals, beef preventive medicine and parasites. About one hundred and thirty veterinary surgeons attended each day and they were augmented by about fifty farmers on the second day.

Variation in the carcass characteristics of commercial British cattle

Classification records for 1,150,000 beef carcasses, a one-third sampleof those classified by the Meat and Livestock Commission between 1973 and 1976, were used to examine the variation in weight, fatness and conformation of commercial British cattle. The overall ratio of male cattle (steers and young bulls) to heifers was 2·35 and young bulls comprised 4% of male cattle. There were only minor changes in the carcass characteristics over the three-year period considered. Mean carcass weights for steers (S), heifers (H) and young bulls (YB) were 264, 219 and 236 kg, respectively. Carcass subcutaneous fat percentages (SF e) were estimated from the distribution of carcasses between fat classifications. SF e for the three sexes were 8·21 (S), 8·81 (H) and 6·24 (YB). Regressions of SF e on carcass weight (kg) were 0·031 (S), 0·041 (H) and 0·026 (YB). There were important differences in the characteristics of carcasses from abbattoirs in different regions of the country. Carcass weights for steers ranged from 248 kg (northern England) to 280 kg (northern Scotland). Cattle slaughtered in northern Scotland were also fattest: SF e were 9·51 (S) and 10·2 (H). Using classification records, together with results from MLC dissection studies, national waste fat production in 1976 was estimated to be 48,000 t.

Further studies on bovine serum amylase--the effect of gel buffer pH.

This paper describes the effect of gel buffer pH on the resolution of bovine serum amylase (Amylase I) isozymes in starch gel and the consequences for the understanding of the genetics of this locus. The two main findings are: (1) the existence of a satellite isozyme E to isozyme C which at pH 7.3 has the same mobility as the B isozyme but which at pH 8.0 migrates slower than B, and (2) the finding of three alleles Aml A, Aml B and Aml C in British cattle populations previously reported as having only Aml B and Aml C.

Comparisons of serological tests for Babesia in British cattle

A comparison was made between the microplate enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) and complement fixation (CF) tests for the detection of antibodies in the serum of cattle experimentally infected with Babesia divergens and B major. Antibodies were detected using all three tests but they were detected earlier using the CF test. However CF titres were consistently lower than those obtained using the other tests. Although there was little to choose between the IFA and ELISA tests, it was suggested that the ELISA may be preferable since it is less subject to operator error and operator stress, and can be adapted readily to field use.