Feeding Management Practices Research Articles

Positive impact of moderate food restriction on reproductive success of the rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) egg production is a key sector for aquaculture. This industry relies on well-controlled reproductive cycles and the extensive use of photoperiod control to obtain year-round egg production. However, feed management practices are very diverse among producers and not always designed to optimize egg production. Among these different practices, feed restriction is of major interest due to its direct impact on the reduction of egg production costs. It is however not always used under optimal conditions. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of moderate feed restriction on reproductive performances and egg quality in rainbow trout. For that purpose, two feeding strategies were implemented during the last five months before the second reproduction. Females were either fed (1) ad libitum, or (2) 80% of ad libitum (i.e. restricted) with a commercial diet. An artificial photoperiod was applied to trigger reproduction during the summer. As expected, feed restriction resulted in smaller females in comparison to those fed ad libitum whereas gonado-somatic index was significantly higher in restricted females. In addition, hatching rate was significantly higher for eggs from originating from restricted females. Feed restriction led to the production of bigger eggs with less size variability and lower number of non-viable eggs. These restricted females also exhibited lower viscero-somatic index suggesting an impact of feed restriction on the allocation of reserves. However, lipid content in eggs and muscle were not different between groups, while fatty acid profile of eggs presented some differences. PUFA analysis revealed that proportions of ALA, AA and EPA were higher in eggs from restricted females, a feature possibly linked to higher egg quality. Together, these results demonstrate that feed intake of female rainbow trout broodstock can be reduced by at least 20% without any negative impact on egg production and egg quality.

Smallholder goat production in the Namaacha and Moamba districts of southern Mozambique

Goat rearing is one of the most common livestock farming activities in Mozambique and has the potential to play a powerful role in improving the livelihoods of resource-poor farmers. This study was conducted to investigate the status of goat husbandry practices in rural areas of southern Mozambique. Data were collected from a total of 45 smallholder goat keepers in three different villages through questionnaires complemented by interviews. Most households were dependent on crop production and livestock as their main source of income. Goats were reared under extensive systems where free grazing and tethering were the common feeding management practices with limited supplementation during the dry season. The flock sizes per household were predominantly small (13 ± 2.4) with uncontrolled breeding of goats. The goats were reared mainly as a source of meat for home consumption and a means of reserve cash income. All household members were involved in goat production but women and children had a minor role in terms of decision making. The main constrains limiting goat production were diseases, lack of veterinary services, limited size of grazing land and scarcity of feed resources. Intervention programs focused on improving the husbandry practices and veterinary assistance should be initiated to improve goat production and thereby improve the income and livelihood of the resource-poor farmers in Mozambique. This paper presents a summary of the results of a baseline study in the Namaacha and Moamba districts of Mozambique.

PSV-6 A survey of New England sheep producers.

Maternal nutrition during gestation impacts offspring BW, body composition, and metabolism, thereby affecting productivity. Several sources of information are available to producers for guidance in managing their breeding flocks; however, it is unknown if sheep producers in New England utilize these resources. In previous USDA surveys of sheep producers, New England was not included, thus leaving a gap of knowledge. Our objective was to conduct a survey of New England sheep producers to determine flock size, breeds, pregnancy detection methods, feeding management practices, and producer learning styles. In particular, we wanted to determine if flock size influenced management practices, and if flock purpose (eg., meat, fiber) and feed type (eg., hay) influenced feed management. A 12-question survey was developed and disseminated via Qualtrics using e-mail survey links, with a 33.2% response rate (n = 96 responses). Data were analyzed using SPSS. Of the respondents, 61.5% had flocks sizes of 11 to 50 sheep. Most producers (63.5%) maintain 1 breed of sheep; however, larger flocks (> 50 sheep) are more likely to maintain multiple breeds (P < 0.05). The majority (79.2%) use their sheep for meat production, 61.5% for fiber, and 37.1% manage sheep for both. Spring (January to May) is the primary (59.4%) lambing season. The majority (76.0%) of New England sheep producers do not analyze their feed, which presents an opportunity for improved outreach. There were correlations (P < 0.05) between flock size and flock purpose, flock size and number of breeds owned, flock size and feed type, feed types and number of feed types used, feed type and feed analysis, and source of feed information. In conclusion, New England sheep producers have flocks of varying size and purpose, and would likely benefit from outreach education on the benefits of diet analysis and formulation for their breeding flocks.

Niveles de fumonisinas en rastrojo de maíz para consumo equino en el estado de Jalisco

A partir de casos confirmados de leucoencefalomalacia equina en el municipio de Juchitlán (estado de Jalisco), esta investigación tuvo como objetivo determinar la presencia y niveles de fumonisinas en el alimento. El área de estudio incluyó a los principales municipios en donde se concentra la población equina de Jalisco, teniendo en común el uso de prácticas similares en el manejo de la alimentación y conservación del alimento. Las determinaciones analíticas se realizaron mediante inmunoensayo de tipo competitivo y cromatografía de líquidos de alta resolución. Se detectó contaminación con fumonisinas en el 100 % de muestras analizadas de todos los municipios, los niveles fueron de 0.23 a 19.18 mg/kg. Se observó diferencia entre municipios (P&lt;0.001); la mayor concentración se observó en Ahualulco de Mercado (media: 12.83 mg/kg) y la menor en Concepción de Buenos Aires (media: 0.27 mg/kg). Del total de muestras analizadas, 62 % superaron el límite máximo recomendado para equinos.

Competitive Advantage of Broiler Production in District Mansehra

Poultry is an important sub sector of livestock and is ahead of all other sub sectors in economic growth. Broilers production is a specialized branch of poultry farming. This research was conducted in Mansehra is the region where considerable amount of commercial broiler production takes place. The region of the study has a high concentration of commercial activities, infrastructural facilities like veterinary care as well as climate that favor the production and marketing of poultry meat products. This research was conducted in nine villages of district Mansehra namely Kotli Pain, KotliBala, Kheil, Tanda, Bafa, Chatar Plain, Ahl, Batal and Mongandawraha. The purpose of the research was to analyze the competitive advantage of broiler farming. There were 276 broiler farms in District Mansehra. Simple Random Sampling Technique was used for data collection from 70 respondents. Average total cost of production was found Rs. 738238.11 having average farm size of 3605 broilers. Feed and one day old chick costs constitute 90.01% of the total cost. Average expenditure on production per broiler was Rs. 220.20 having net profit per broiler of Rs. 24.11.Based on Porter study (1990), average variable cost (C) was used as a proxy for competitive advantage. Results of regression analysis show that the main factors that significantly affect competitive advantage of broiler farming in the study area was feed cost, day old chick cost, labor and medication cost while capacity utilization and extension service contacts negatively and significantly affect cost. It means that reducing the above mentioned costs and using installed capacity and extension service contacts will reduce production cost and will promote competitive advantage of broiler production. Broiler production should be encouraged through better feed management practices and also by feeding broilers with nutritious feed. Broiler farmers should be encouraged to fully use their installed capacity of their farm.

The association of serum β-hydroxybutyrate concentration with fetal number and health indicators in late-gestation ewes in commercial meat flocks in Prince Edward Island

Late-gestation ewes are susceptible to ketonemia resulting from high energy requirement for fetal growth during the last few weeks of pregnancy. High lamb mortality is a possible consequence of effects of ketonemia on both ewes and lambs. Determining risk factors to ketonemia is a fundamental step to identify ewes at risk, in order to avoid losses caused by ketonemia. Serum β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) concentrations of 384 late-gestation ewe samples were determined. Physical examinations, including body condition, FAMACHA© and hygiene scoring, were performed. Udders and teeth were also examined. Fecal floatation was performed to detect gastrointestinal helminth eggs of the ewe fecal samples. General feeding management practices and season at sampling were recorded. Litter sizes were retrieved from lambing records. Factors associated with log serum BHBA concentration were determined using a linear mixed model, with flock and lambing groups as random effects. The mean serum BHBA concentration was 545.8 (±453.3) μmol/l. Ewes with a body condition score (BCS) of 2.5–3.5 had significantly lower log BHBA concentrations than ewes with a BCS of ≤2.0, by 19.7% (p = 0.035). Ewes with a BCS of >3.5 had a trend toward higher log BHBA concentrations compared to ewes with a BCS of 2.5–3.5. Ewes with a FAMACHA© score of 3 had significantly higher log BHBA concentrations than ewes with a FAMACHA© score of 1 or 2, by 12.1% (p = 0.049). Ewes in which gastrointestinal helminth eggs were detected had significantly higher log BHBA concentrations than ewes in which helminth eggs were not detected, by 12.3% (p = 0.040). An increased litter size was associated with higher log BHBA concentration (p ≤ 0.003), with the log BHBA concentrations of ewes having twins, triplets, and quadruplets or quintuplets were higher than those of ewes having singleton by 19.2%, 30.4%, and 85.2%, respectively. Season at sampling confounded the association between log BHBA concentration and FAMACHA© score, and therefore was retained in the final model even though it was not statistically significant. Intra-class correlation coefficients at the flock and lambing group levels were 0.14 and 0.32, respectively.

Feeding Management Practices Adopted by Goat Farmers in South West Punjab and Their Constraints

Present investigation was carried out to study feeding management practices adopted by goat farmers in South-West Punjab (Bathinda, Moga and Ferozepur districts). Information was collected through personal interview (multistage stratified sampling procedure) from 90 goat farmers (30 from each district). Majority of the goat keepers fed their animals on common property resources (85.56%) followed by cultivated fodder (13.33%) and purchased fodder (1.11%). Large chunk of goat farmers depends only on grazing (77.78%) for feeding their animals followed by grazing-cum-stall feeding (14.44%) and stall-feeding (zero grazing) alone (7.78%). However, in Bathinda significantly (p

Feeding Management Practices of Goats Adopted by Pantja Goat Keepers in Tarai Region of Uttarakhand

Feeding Management Practices of Goats Adopted by Pantja Goat Keepers in Tarai Region of Uttarakhand

Dairy system, parity, and lactation stage affect enteric methane production, yield, and intensity per kilogram of milk and cheese predicted from gas chromatography fatty acids

Ruminants (and milk production) contribute to global climate change through enteric methane emissions (EME), and any attempt to reduce them is complicated by the fact that they are difficult and expensive to measure directly. In the case of dairy cows, a promising indirect method of estimating EME is to use the milk fatty acid profile as a proxy, as a relationship exists between microbial activity in the rumen and the molecules available for milk synthesis in the mammary gland. In the present study, we analyzed the detailed fatty acid profiles (through gas chromatography) of a large number of milk samples from 1,158 Brown Swiss cows reared on 85 farms with the aim of testing in the field 2 equations for estimating EME taken from a published meta-analysis. The average estimated methane yield (CH4 emission per kg of dry matter intake, 21.34 ± 1.60 g/kg) and methane intensity (per kg of corrected milk, 14.17 ± 1.78 g/kg), and the derived methane production (CH4 emissions per day per cow, 357 ± 109 g/d) were similar to those previously published. Using data from model cheese makings from individual cows, we also calculated estimated methane intensity per kilogram of fresh cheese (99.7 ± 16.4 g/kg) and cheese solids (207.5 ± 30.9 g/kg). Dairy system affected all EME estimates. Traditional dairy farms, and modern farms including corn silage in the TMR exhibited greater estimated methane intensities. We found very wide variability in estimated EME traits among different farms within dairy system (0.33 to 0.61 of total variance), suggesting the need to modify the farms' feeding regimens and management practices to mitigate emissions. Among the individual factors, parity order affected all estimated EME traits excepted methane yield, with an increase from first lactation to the following ones. Lactation stage exhibited more favorable estimated EME traits during early lactation, concomitant with the availability of nutrients from body tissue mobilization for mammary synthesis of milk. Our results showed a coherence between the EME traits estimated from the analysis of milk fatty acids and the expectations according to current knowledge. Further research is needed to validate the results obtained in this study in other breeds and populations, to assess the magnitude of the genetic variation and the potential of these phenotypes to be exploited in breeding programs with the aim to mitigate emissions.

Optimasi Pengelolaan Pakan Untuk Meningkatkan Pertumbuhan Ikan Nila Gesit Di Bak Terpal

Tilapia Genetically Supermale Indonesian (tilapia Gesit) was a kind superiormale, since 98-100 percent of the eggs they produce male sex. Today the growing business pisciculture using tub / pool tarp as cultivation containers placed in the yard. Swimming pool tarp was basically and the sides of the walls are made of tarpaulin material. In feeding the fish need to consider some important aspects namely: The use of good quality feed in accordance with the needs of the fish, determine how the minimum amount of feed given each day (Feeding Rate), determine the minimum number of times the farmed fish should be fed in a day (Feeding Frequency ), besides that determine how feeding. Furthermore the aspects related to feeding the fish have to consider some aspects of the physiological behavior of cultivation primarily eat fish (and how eating habits) and the optimal conditions of the environment. During maintenance agile tilapia fish fed artificial (pellets) with a protein content of 28%. As the treatment in this study is Feeding Rate (FR) which is 4%, 5%, and 6%, Feeding Frequency (FF) which is 3 times and 4 times per day administration, so there are 6 combinations of treatments. Feeding management practices in the maintenance of tilapia in the tub agile tarpaulin, the optimal feeding rate (FR) 5% and feeding frequency (FF) 3 times a day. Keyword: tilapia Gesit,feeding frequency, feeding rate

Comparative study of feeding and breeding management practices of dairy farmers in two different production systems

A field survey was conducted in peri urban and urban areas of Hyderabad city of Telangana state. The data was collected from hundred farmers selected from ten mandals by simple random sampling method for the study. The data on feeding and breeding management practices was collected by personal contact by using a pre-tested questionnaire. The study revealed that farmers followed colostrum feeding to new born calves, fed concentrates in soaked form before milking to the lactating animals, practiced hay making, provided extra allowance during advanced pregnancy and fed mineral supplements. Proper heat detection and insemination of the animals at right time was significantly (P&gt;0.01) higher in peri urban areas than urban area. Majority of farmers followed combination of A.I and natural service for mating of their animals. Most of the farmers followed pregnancy diagnosis at three months in the peri urban (82.0%) area than in urban (36.0%) area. Majority of the dairy farmers bred their animals between 3-5 months after calving in urban and peri-urban areas. Overall farmers were well aware of scientific and organized herd management practices.

Effects of different feed management treatments on water quality for Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

Increasing feeding rates may provide an increase in production, thus nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and organic matter will also increase. These nutrients promote a greater oxygen demand and concentrations of toxic metabolites which can lead to frequent problems with low dissolved oxygen and an abundance of blue-green algae. Four feed management practices were evaluated among sixteen 0.1 ha ponds culturing Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). Feeding treatments included hand feeding using the Standard Feeding Protocol (SFP), SFP plus 15% from 8 to 16 weeks, an automatic-solar timer which fed SFP+15%, and an AQ1 acoustic demand feeder allowing up to 12 kg/day·pond based on shrimps feeding response. Samples were analysed at weeks 0, 4 and 8–16 for the following parameters: chlorophyll a, total ammonia nitrogen, nitrite–nitrogen, nitrate–nitrogen, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, soluble reactive phosphorus, total suspended solids, total suspended volatile solids, turbidity, conductivity, salinity and biological oxygen demand. Samples were collected and shipped overnight to Auburn, Alabama for off-site analysis. On-site water quality was also obtained at the farm. The AQ1 acoustic demand feeder produced the most shrimp with a yield of 4,568 kg/ha; however, the AQ1 also had the highest total ammonia nitrogen and nitrite–nitrogen levels late in the growing season. The AQ1 feeder may be a viable, reduced labour and cost alternative for the shrimp commercial industry; however, such technologies must also be matched to the ability of the production system to process nutrients.

Problems faced by members and non-members of Dairy Co-operatives in adoption of improved management practices in district Saharanpur of U.P.

The present study was made to sort out the problems related to breeding, feeding, veterinary care, marketing and financial management practices faced by the members and non-members of dairy co-operatives of weaker section's communities and to suggest suitable measures to overcome these problems in Saharanpur district of U.P. in the year 2008-09. The data were collected from 75 members and 75 non-members of dairy co-operatives of weaker section's families (small, marginal farmers and landless labourers) through interview schedule. The major problems reported by members and non-members of dairy co-operatives were related to breeding i.e. lack of availability of improved breed, distance location of artificial insemination centre and another problem was related to feeding i.e. lack of knowledge about balanced feeding, nonavailability of green fodder throughout the year, the other problem was related to veterinary care i.e. distant location of veterinary hospitals, no knowledge about vaccination schedule and another problem related to marketing and finance i.e. lack of finance for working capital and low price of milk and lack of marketing facilities in the village were perceived as the most serious problems faced by members and nonmembers of dairy co-operatives. The non-members of dairy co-operatives face major problems with high severity in comparison to members of dairy co-operatives. Thus, there is a need to remove these problems to increase dairy business through weaker section's families to raise their income.

Biosecure Shrimp Feeds and Feeding Practices: Guidelines for Future Development

AbstractFor the purposes of this paper, biosecure shrimp feeds and on‐farm feeding strategies refer to the “feed, whether live, fresh, or formulated, and the management of the feed on the farm, should not be an entry point of potential pathogens to the shrimp and/or to the culture system.” The paper reviews the different feeds commonly used for the production of farmed shrimp and discusses their potential risks from a disease perspective, including the use of live hatchery and nursery feeds, the use of live and/or fresh food organisms for the production of broodstock, and the use of dry formulated shrimp feeds for shrimp growout operations. In addition, the paper discusses the critical role played by feed‐processing techniques for the pasteurization and destruction of pathogens within shrimp feeds and the need for nutritionists to formulate feeds for optimal nutrition and health, and not just for optimal growth. The importance of the development and implementation of good on‐farm feed management practices by farmers is discussed, including the prohibition of the top‐dressing of pelleted feeds on farm by farmers with unapproved feed additives such as antibiotics. Finally, the paper discusses the responsibilities of farmers, feed manufacturers, and traders regarding the development and use of recommended biosecure shrimp feeds and feeding practices.

Adoption Level and Training Need in Scientific Feeding Management Practices among Hill Korwa Tribes of Chhattisgarh

The present study was aimed at finding out the level of adoption of scientific feeding management practices among Hill Korwa tribes with relation to the independent socio-economic variables and also the perceived training need in feeding management practices. Data were collected from 160 respondents of Surguja district, Chhattisgarh, through a pre-tested structured interview schedule. Results depicted that majority of respondents were partial adopter (48.8%) followed by low (43.1%) and high (8.1%) adopters. Total annual income, income from livestock, extension agency contact and mass media exposure had positive and significant correlation with adoption of feeding management practices whereas, age and material possession had negative and significant correlation with adoption of feeding management practices. In the area of training, the feeding of sick animals was ranked first with a mean score of 2.70 followed by feeding of newly born calf (2.24), feeding of pregnant animals (2.09), preparation of balanced ration (1.86), importance of clean drinking water (1.42) and preparation of mineral mixture (1.39), was as perceived by the farmers in study area.

Adequacy of green fodder in commercial dairy farms of Punjab

The present study was conducted to examine the season wise adequacy status of green fodder in the ration of dairy animals and its underlying effect on milk productivity in the Punjab state. The data, pertaining to the crop year 2014–15 related to fodder and feed management practices from 30 commercial dairy farms formed the basis of the study. The empirical evidence from commercial dairy farms of Punjab, with an average herd size of 83.5 ACUs, brought forth the pronounced use of maize and berseem as green fodder. The study brought forth that 60 per cent of the sampled dairy farms had adequate total dry matter intake in all three seasons, 16.6 per cent in two out of the three seasons, while 23.3 per cent were having nutritionally inadequate dry matter intake. As regards the sufficiency status of green fodder, 60 per cent sampled dairy farms were having nutritionally inadequate dry matter intake from green fodder, while 13.3 per cent attained adequacy in this respect in all the three seasons, 16.6 per cent in two seasons and 10 per cent in only one season. This inadequacy, in terms of green fodder norms for high yielders, has not significantly affected the productivity of dairy animals of different breeds in the sampled dairy farms, the plausible reason could be the adequacy in terms of total dry matter intake. The analysis calls for the sensitization of dairy farmers on the use of nutritionally adequate quantity of green fodder for enhancing the milk productivity, which would translate into higher income, a step towards the realization of goal of doubling the farm income by 2022.

Determination of an optimal daily dietary ration for large two-year-old mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) using current commercial feed management practices.

Determination of an optimal daily dietary ration for large two-year-old mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) using current commercial feed management practices.

Case Study: Farm characteristics and total mixed ration particle size issues on Parmigiano Reggiano farms in northern Italy

ABSTRACT A convenience sample of 20 farms in the geographic bounds of the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese producing region of northern Italy were studied. All farms used a TMR feeding system consisting of all dry hay (primarily alfalfa and grass) diets and adhering to the specific limitations of feeds as described by the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese consortium. Farms were visited twice for a survey of general farm characteristics and feeding management practices and collection of feed intake and samples at 0, 8, and 24 h after feeding to measure particle size characteristics of TMR in the feed bunk at each time. Many farms added 1 to 10 L of water per cow to the TMR in an attempt to reduce sorting and enhance intake. Based on particle size analysis it appeared that cows were not sorting diets to any great degree either with or without added water. However, it is likely that adding water to the TMR enabled cows to eat faster, thereby producing less saliva per kilogram of feed, and helped to create a situation for more slug feeding in the warm summer months of this study when the water-added TMR heated due to molding several hours after feeding. There was a positive correlation (r = 0.41) between the amount of added water and the percentage of cows on a farm that had an inversion of milk fat and protein or low fat percentage. Farms using pelleted concentrates also had less milk fat (r = −0.41). Overall there appeared to be no advantage of adding water to reduce TMR sorting on these farms.

Inclusion of branches and fruits of Jurema preta and bran and the diet of Santa Inês sheeps- A review

The sheep industry is an important activity in several continents, adapting itself to a wide variety of climas. O Brazilian Northeast is the region with the largest herd sheep in Brazil, but most animals have no breed standard is defined and created extensively and without proper feed management practices, and reproductive health. Moreover, the abundance of forage in four to five months of the wet season contrasts with the lack of quality food in the pasture during hot, dry season, which stretches for seven to eight months of the year and is an obstacle to the viability of livestock in the region. The forage plants native to the savanna are essential for the sheep industry in the Northeast, since they are adapted to the harsh climate of the region and participate in the diet of animals on pasture throughout the year. However, there is the possibility to collect and store some of this grass in full vegetation period for providing the animals at the time of food shortages, in the form of hay or silage. The jurema preta is a caatinga woody legume that is highly resistant to drought, is one of the first species to colonize degraded areas, and their fine branches and seeds are eaten fresh or naturally fenadas when they ripen and fall to the ground during the dry season, providing a food enjoyed by ruminants. The palm is a cactus forage adapted to hot, dry conditions in northeastern Brazil, supporting long periods of drought due to their physiology characterized by a photosynthetic process that results in huge water savings. Has high digestibility and low fiber content, despite the drawback of low dry matter and protein. It can be also used in the form of bran, which facilitates their storage and mixing in feed. Given the above, it is necessary to study the potential of these alternative foods in the diet of sheep, with the aim of improving and making the system sustainable production of sheep breeding and farming in the Northeast of Brazil.

Major factors influencing the reproductive performance of dairy farms in Mekelle City, Tigray, Ethiopia

The study was conducted from November 2011 to April 2012 with the objective of assessing major factors influencing the reproductive performance of dairy cattle in selected farms of Mekelle city. Thirty two dairy farms; 19 from private, 11 from cooperative and 2 from government were randomly selected. Total number of dairy cattle were 798; of which, 380 were from private farm, 373 were from cooperatives and 45 were from governmental. Data were collected by using questionnaire survey and observational study through regular visit during the study periods with the interval of once per week. According to the collected data from the respondents, 203 (25.44%) Repeat breeder, anestrus, retained fetal membrane, abortion and dystocia were the major reproductive disorders with the prevalence rate of 27.2%, 18.2%, 15.8%, 13.3% and 8.7%, respectively; whereas metritis, uterine prolapse and vaginal prolapse prevalence rate were 6.9%, 5.9% and 3.9%, respectively. According to the data collected from respondents and observational study, there were variations in feeding, watering, housing, hygienic and reproductive management practices. Hence, in addition to reproductive disorders, managemental practices had an effect on the reproductive performance of dairy cattle.