Feed Conversion Efficiency Values Research Articles

Feed profile analysis of oil palm‐integrated beef cattle farming systems by metabolic energy budgeting and implications for beef production and pastoral system design

AbstractBackgroundOil palm is a tropical crop with worldwide plantings approaching 20 million ha and large areas in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. The plantations are readily managed as silvopastoral systems incorporating cattle grazing (Oil Palm Silvopastoral System for Cattle, OPSC) but there is a need for analytical tools and data to understand system herbage supply and feed conversion efficiency (FCE).MethodsMetabolic energy budgeting was used to estimate herbage harvested by cattle in three OPSC subsystems, 9 and 12 years after oil palm establishment, and FCE of the subsystems was determined. Understorey herbage was also analysed for nutritive value, botanical composition and herbage accumulation within one grazing‐regrowth cycle.ResultsThe herbage‐harvested estimate was 2.0−2.4 t dry matter (DM) ha−1 year−1 for 9 year old subsystems and 1.4−1.7 t DM ha−1 year−1 for a 12 year old subsystem. Herbage metabolisable energy (ME) was 8.3−8.5 MJ kg−1 DM and crude protein (CP) was 15%−16% DM. FCE values for subsystems ranged from 32 to 94 kg DM kg−1 liveweight‐gain.ConclusionsHerbage DM yield is declining, while herbage ME is marginal but CP is adequate. FCE is suboptimal but can be optimised by defining the trajectory of declining herbage production with canopy closure as plantations age and matching stocking rate to herbage supply using a comparative‐stocking‐rate‐type statistic.

Effects of feeding dried olive (<i>Olea europaea</i>) leaves with wheat strawconcentrate rations on feed conversion efficiency in Awassi rams

Three groups of Awassi rams were fed for 6 weeks either a conventional wheat straw-concentrate ration (Control) or 2 experimental rations, where 30 (G1) and 60% (G2) of the wheat straw was replaced with dried olive leaves following oil extraction. All rations were isocaloric and isonitrogenous. Feed intake (FI), bodyweight gain (BWG) and feed conversion efficiency (FCE) were measured. BWG and FI during the 6-week period were not significantly (P>0.05) different for the different rations, averaging 4.75 and 116 kg/animal, respectively. In addition, there were no significant (P>0.05) differences in FCE values between the Control and experimental groups fed wheat straw + olive leaves, averaging 24.6 kg feed/kg gain. These results suggest that dried olive leaves can replace wheat straw in wheat straw-concentrate rations at levels up to 60% without affecting performance. Further studies are needed to determine optimal combinations of straw, olive leaves and concentrate to achieve different goals as well as intakes and performance when offered rations ad lib. Economic assessments would determine if including olive leaves would reduce the costs of feeding.

Evaluation of five commercial diets used for fish feeding in Basra governorate, southern Iraq

An nine week laboratory study was carried out to compare the quality of five commercial diets with the brand name Alsabah (SD), Marine Science Center (CD), Aljanaby (JD), Efico sigma 860 (ED) and Arasco (AD) diets in order to ascertain the extent to which they meet the nutritional requirements of common carp Cyprinus carpio fingerlings with mean initial weight 15.74+1.04 g. Fish fed AD diet exhibited significantly (P<0.05) highest specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion efficiency (FCE) and protein efficiency ratio (PER). While the lowest values were obtained in fish fed CD and JD diets. Fish fed diets containing approximately 30% protein (AD and SD) had significantly (P<0.05) higher PER values indicating maximal protein utilization. Also, results mentioned that satiation level (SL) were affected by energy content, bulk density and water stability of the diets. The lowest SL was observed for fish fed AD and ED diets. Significantly (P<0.05) higher water stability was recorded in AD and ED than SD, CD and JD diets. However, the markedly high SGR, FCE, PER and water stability values along with lower SL obtained with AD diet suggested that diet promoted better characteristics for cultured fish comparing with the other diets.

EFFECT OF WED FEED ON COCKEREL CHICKEN PERFORMANCE

An experiment was conducted with 66 day-old Hyperco cockerels. Cassava (Manihot esculenta) peels of mized varieties were used for this study which lasted for 8 weeks. The peels were harvested at between 9 - 10 months of age from the cassava plantation of the Institute of Agriculture Research and Training (I.A.R. & T), Moor Plantation, Ibadan. The chicks were randomly allotted to the two dietary treatments A (dry mash) and B (wet, "moist" mash). Each treatmet consisted of 3 replicates. The mean daily feed intake, water consumption, body weight gain and feed conversion efficiency values showed significant differences (P<0.05) between treatments. Considering the ease in producing wet ("moist") feeds, their use in cockerel nuitrition offers tremendous commercial benefits if suitable equipment are developed for mixing and delivering them to the birds.

Inferring Relationship of Blood Metabolic Changes and Average Daily Gain With Feed Conversion Efficiency in Murrah Heifers: Machine Learning Approach.

Machine learning algorithms were employed for predicting the feed conversion efficiency (FCE), using the blood parameters and average daily gain (ADG) as predictor variables in buffalo heifers. It was observed that isotonic regression outperformed other machine learning algorithms used in study. Further, we also achieved the best performance evaluation metrics model with additive regression as the meta learner and isotonic regression as the base learner on 10-fold cross-validation and leaving-one-out cross-validation tests. Further, we created three separate partial least square regression (PLSR) models using all 14 parameters of blood and ADG as independent (explanatory) variables and FCE as the dependent variable, to understand the interactions of blood parameters, ADG with FCE each by inclusion of all FCE values (i), only higher FCE values (negative RFI) (ii), and inclusion of only lower FCE (positive RFI) values (iii). The PLSR model including only the higher FCE values was concluded the best, based on performance evaluation metrics as compared to PLSR models developed by inclusion of the lower FCE values and all types of FCE values. IGF1 and its interactions with the other blood parameters were found highly influential for higher FCE measures. The strength of the estimated interaction effects of the blood parameter in relation to FCE may facilitate understanding of intricate dynamics of blood parameters for growth.

Growth performance and carcass characteristics of three chicken strains in response to incremental levels of dietary Moringa oleifera leaf meal

A 90-day feeding trial was conducted to determine the effect of Moringa oleifera leaf meal supplementation on growth performance and carcass characteristics of three chicken strains (male and female) that are normally reared under extensive production systems in South Africa. Moringa leaves were harvested by hand, air-dried and milled into M. oleifera leaf meal (MOLM). The MOLM was chemically analysed and used to dilute a commercial broiler finisher diet at 0 (MOLM0), 25 (MOLM25), 50 (MOLM50), and 100 (MOLM100) g/kg DM, producing four dietary treatments. Two hundred and sixteen (216) Potchefstroom Koekoek (PK), Ovambo (OV) and Black Australorp (BA) chickens were raised on a commercial starter mash for 4 weeks. On the fourth week, experimental diets were offered and growth performance data were collected over a period of 13 weeks. Carcass characteristics were measured upon slaughter at the end of the 13-week feeding period. Diet×strain interaction was significant (P<0.001) for feed intake but not (P>0.05) for growth rate and FCE. Feed intake responded to incremental levels of MOLM in an asymptotic fashion. Maximum feed intake was achieved at dietary MOLM inclusion levels between 50 and 70g/kg DM. Black Australorp chickens had the highest feed conversion efficiency (FCE) of 2.35, while OV and PK chickens had lower FCE values of 2.09 and 2.05, respectively. Diet, strain and gender, all had significant effects on dressing percent (P<0.001), leg and thigh weight (P<0.05), and wing weight (P<0.05). Male chickens attained higher (P<0.05) carcass weight, leg and thigh weight, dressing percent, and breast mass than female chickens (P<0.001). In female chickens, diets containing MOLM resulted in chickens with better carcass weight, leg and thigh weight, dressing percent, and breast mass compared to the control. In conclusion, Black Australorp chickens were better at utilizing diets with higher levels of MOLM compared to OV and PK strains. Inclusion of MOLM in chicken diets positively affected growth performance and carcass characteristics of the birds.

Protein-sparing effect of carbohydrate in diets for juvenile turbot Scophthalmus maximus reared at different salinities

The aim of the present study was to investigate the protein-sparing effect of carbohydrate in diets for juvenile turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) reared at five salinities (12, 18, 24, 30, and 36). The fish were fed three isocaloric and isolipidic diets for 60 days. The results show that specific growth rate (SGR) and feed conversion efficiency (FCE) were higher in fish reared at salinities of 18 and 36, but lower at 12. Fish fed with diet C25P40 (25% carbohydrate and 40% protein) had lower SGR and FCE values compared with those fed with the C5P52 (5% carbohydrate and 52% protein) and C15P46 (15% carbohydrate and 46% protein) diets; however, there was no statistical difference between diet C5P52 and C15P46. SGR and FCE values were unaffected by diet composition in fish reared at salinity 36. Hepatic lipogenic enzyme activities were higher in fish reared at 18 and 36, but lower at 12, while glucokinase (GK) activity was higher in fish reared at 12, and lower at 18 and 36. Dietary starch enhanced GK activity while depressing lipogenic enzyme activity. However, lipogenic enzyme activity increased with increasing dietary starch in fish reared at 36. It is recommended that salinity should be maintained >12 in the farming of juvenile turbot. In addition, an increase in gelatinized starch from 5% to 15% could spare 6% dietary protein in fish reared at salinities of 18–30, while higher salinity (36) could improve dietary carbohydrate use and enhance the protein-sparing effect, which is linked with the induction of lipogenic capacities.

Sub-chronic oral toxicity study in Sprague-Dawley rats with hypoxia mimetic cobalt chloride towards the development of promising neutraceutical for oxygen deprivation

The present study evaluates the toxicity from sub-chronic administration of CoCl 2 (12.5 mg cobalt kg −1 BW for 7 days) to male Sprague-Dawley rats in view of the beneficial effects of CoCl 2 in animals and for developing efficacious therapeutic regimen in humans. 32 rats weighing 200±25 g were used for all experiments. Blood was collected for hematological and biochemical analysis and various organs were dissected after perfusion of animals under anesthesia for other analyses. Mean feed consumption and feed conversion efficiency values were comparable across all study groups; however, hematological analysis depicted a significant increase in hemoglobin, hematocrit and RBC in the entire cobalt-supplemented groups, which are a component of its beneficial effect. There was a significant increase in monocytes, granulocytes and WBC after 1 and 24 h, which were comparable with control after 7 days. Other biochemical analyses also showed no change with respect to control. Though the metal content increased significantly in liver initially (1 and 24 h) after treatment, it was equivalent to control after 7 days. Moreover, histopathological analysis revealed no evidence of changes that could be attributed to cobalt pretreatment. It is therefore reasonable to conclude that the present study supports further use of the present dose of CoCl 2, which was found to be nontoxic.

Performance and Intestinal Coliform Counts in Weaned Piglets Fed a Probiotic Culture (Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei CECT 4043) or an Antibiotic

The production of biomass and antibacterial extracellular products by Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei CECT 4043 was followed in both batch and in realkalized fed-batch cultures. Enhanced concentrations of biomass and antibacterial extracellular products were obtained with the use of the latter fermentation technique in comparison with the batch mode. The culture obtained by fed-batch fermentation was mixed with skim milk and used to prepare a probiotic feed for weaned piglets. To test the effect of the potentially probiotic culture of L. casei on body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion efficiency, and on fecal coliform counts of piglets, two groups of animals received either feed supplemented with the probiotic preparation or avilamycin for 28 days. The control group was fed nonsupplemented feed. At the end of the administration period (day 28), the groups receiving probiotic and avilamycin exhibited the highest average body weight gain values, although the mean feed intake and feed conversion efficiency values were not different among the groups (P > 0.05). For the entire experimental period (42 days), the control group exhibited the lowest feed intake value, the probiotic group exhibited the highest feed conversion efficiency value, and the antibiotic group exhibited the highest body weight gain (P < 0.05). Interestingly, no significant difference in body weight gain was observed between the probiotic and the control groups by day 42 (P > 0.05). Fecal coliform values decreased (although not significantly) by day 28 in the three groups. However, the mean counts returned to pretreatment levels by day 42 in all groups.

Intake, digestibility, rumen fermentation and performance of beef cattle fed diets based on whole-crop wheat or barley harvested at two cutting heights relative to maize silage or ad libitum concentrates

This experiment aimed to quantify the relative intake, digestibility, rumen fermentation, performance and carcass characteristics of beef cattle fed diets based on good quality whole-crop wheat and barley silages, each harvested at two cutting heights, and to rank these relative to good quality maize silage and an ad libitum concentrates-based diet. Ninety beef steers, initial live-weight 438 ± 31.0 kg, were allocated to one of the following dietary treatments in a randomised complete block design: maize silage (MS), whole-crop wheat harvested at a normal cutting height (WCW) (stubble height 0.12 m) or an elevated cutting height (HCW) (stubble height 0.29 m), whole-crop barley harvested at a normal cutting height (WCB) (stubble height 0.13 m) or an elevated cutting height (HCB) (stubble height 0.30 m), each being supplemented with 3 kg concentrates/head/day, and ad libitum concentrates (ALC) supplemented with 5 kg grass silage/head/day for the duration of the 160-day study. Mean dry matter (DM) of the maize silage, whole-crop wheat, head-cut wheat, whole-crop barley and head-cut barley was 301, 488, 520, 491 and 499 g/kg, respectively. There were no differences in total DM intake among treatments, or in rumen fermentation characteristics (except ammonia), or in DM digestibility among the forage-based treatments. Neutral detergent fibre digestibility was lower (P<0.05) for whole-crop wheat than head-cut barley, and starch digestibility was lower (P<0.05) for whole-crop barley and head-cut barley than maize silage. Steers fed ALC had a higher carcass gain (P<0.001) and carcass weight (P<0.05) than all other treatments, but there were no differences between any of the forage-based treatments. Steers fed MS had a better feed conversion efficiency (FCE) than those on WCW or WCB (P<0.05) but were similar to HCW and HCB. The FCE was better for ALC versus any of the other treatments, particularly compared to WCW or WCB (P<0.001). Subcutaneous fat from steers fed ALC was more yellow (P<0.01) than that from steers fed the other treatments. Neither intake nor performance were altered by raising the cutting height of cereals or by replacing whole-crop wheat by barley. However, head-cut cereals numerically favoured DM intake, carcass gain and feed conversion efficiency values nearer to that of maize than whole-crop cereal silages. Ad libitum concentrates supported superior levels of growth by steers compared to all other treatments.

Sub-chronic (13-week) oral toxicity study with d-ribose in Wistar rats

The present study evaluated the toxicity from sub-chronic administration of d-ribose (DR) to male and female albino Wistar rats. Groups of 20 male and 20 female rats were exposed via the diet to 0%, 5%, 10%, or 20% DR, seven days per week (mean daily intake of 0.0, 3.6, 7.6, and 15.0 g/kg body weight/day in males and 0.0, 4.4, 8.5, and 15.7 g/kg body weight/day in females), for 13 consecutive weeks. Mean feed consumption and feed conversion efficiency values were comparable across all study groups; however, and mean body weights of all treated animals were decreased relative to those of controls. Absolute cecal weights were increased in the mid- and high-dose animals, and the relative weights were increased in all treated animals. Analysis of microscopic histopathology revealed no evidence of changes that could be attributed to the DR treatment. It is scientifically reasonable to conclude that the present study supports a concentration of 5% DR in the diet, corresponding to an average daily intake of DR of 3.6 and 4.4 g/kg body weight/day in male and female rats, respectively, as being the absolute no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) for this substance.

Effects of vitamin E supplementation on performance and meat quality traits of Morkaraman male lambs

This research was carried out to determine the effects of vitamin E supplementation on meat quality traits of approximate 8 months of age Morkaraman male lambs. The lambs were divided into two groups—control (CG, n=7) and experimental (VG, n=6)—at the beginning of fattening period. The diet given to the CG and VG consisted of concentrate and grass hay. In addition, the VG received a supplement of 45 mg vitamin E per lamb in a day during a 75-day fattening period. At the end of the study, average daily weight gain and feed conversion efficiency values as to feed basis were found to be 208 g and 6.3 for CG and 223 g and 6.0 for VG groups, respectively. Vitamin E supplementation resulted in 8.8% improvement in feed conversion efficiency. In the same way, vitamin E supplementation resulted in 6.7% increase in daily weight gain. Slaughter and carcass characteristics of lambs were also determined, but fattening performance, slaughter and carcass characteristics were not significantly different between groups. The effects of vitamin E on meat characteristics, meat colour ( L*, a* and b*), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances content (TBARS), drip loss and pH were determined using m. longissimus dorsi (LD) muscles obtained from CG and VG. Though the effect of vitamin E supplementation on most of the meat quality traits was not statistically significant ( P>0.05), L* and a* values in LD muscle from VG were preserved for a period of 12 days of maturation. In addition, a* (redness) tended to increase slightly. TBARS values in samples from CG were found to be higher than those of vitamin E treatment group. In this study, it was also concluded that drip loss was relatively preserved by vitamin E supplementation. In conclusion, vitamin E supplementation of Morkaraman male lambs at an inclusion rate over the amount of nutritional recommendations, significantly reduced lipid oxidation, drip loss and tended to maintain meat redness.

The effect of dietary protein content on growth, digestion efficiency and nitrogen excretion of juvenile kuruma prawns, Penaeus japonicus

The effect of dietary protein contents on growth, digestion efficiency and ammonia and urea excretion of juvenile kuruma prawns, Penaeus japonicus, was investigated. Isocaloric, crab-protein-based, dry diets containing five protein contents (21 to 61%) were formulated and fed to prawns (initial mean wet wt 0.4 g) at a ration level of 6% body weight per day for 30 days. At the end of the trial, intermolt-staged prawns (0.5 to 2.0 g wet weight) were used for determination of digestion efficiencies for dry matter and protein, and ammonia and urea excretion rates. Weight gain, specific growth rates (SGR) and feed conversion efficiency (FCE) values for prawns fed diets containing 21 and 31.4% protein were significantly lower than those for prawns fed diets containing higher protein contents. There was no significant difference in weight gain, SGR and FCE values among prawns fed the 41.6, 50.3, and 60.7% protein diets. Digestion efficiencies for dry matter and protein ranged from 73 to 77% and 93 to 96%, respectively. After a 1-h feeding period, cumulative ammonia excretion over a subsequent 5-h period increased with increasing dietary protein content, and ammonia excretion reached a peak within the first 3-h period in all treatment groups. In contrast, ammonia excretion rates of prawns initially fed on diets with different protein contents then starved for 24 h, were constant at about 10 μg/g h −1, indicating that a 24-h starvation period eliminated differences in ammonia excretion rates due to variation in dietary protein content. Urea excretion rates were much lower than ammonia excretion rates in this species. Results indicated that 42% dietary protein sustained maximum growth of kuruma prawns under the conditions employed in this study, and that there was a positive correlation between SGR and ammonia excretion for juvenile P. japonicus.

Research Note: Palm Kernel Cake as a Broiler Feed Ingredient

A total of 600 Bosbek day-old broiler chicks (Akropong Farms, Kumasi, Ghana) were randomly allotted to six dietary treatments containing 0, 5,7.5, 10, 12.5, and 15% palm kernel cake (PKC), respectively. All diets were isoproteinaceous (21% crude protein).The addition of PKC had no significant influence on feed consumption and body weight (P<.05) up to 8 wk of age. Feed conversion efficiency, in contrast, significantly (P<.05) declined as PKC levels reached 12.5% of the diet or higher. Mean feed conversion efficiency values were 2.74, 2.85, 2.85, 2.89, 3.14, and 3.21, respectively, for birds fed 0, 5, 7, 5, 10, 12.5, and 15% PKC. The use of PKC considerably reduced feed costs, but profit over production costs nevertheless favored the control diet containing no PKC.