Kg Increase In Liveweight Research Articles

Effect of Different Levels of Red Sumac Powder Rhus Coriria L. on Productive Performance, Coefficient of Digestion And Some Rumen Fluid Characteristics of Awassi Lambs Females

The main aim of this study is to find out the effect of adding different levels of sumac powder in the diets of female Awassi lambs. The field experiment lasted three months, in which 12 female Awassi lambs were used at the age of 4 months with a weight rate of (16.48 ± 1.39) kg, and distributed randomly into 4 treatments at a rate of 3 replicated / treated females The experimental animals were fed individually in cages with dimensions of 2.5 * 1.5 The animals of the first treatment (T1) were fed on a diet without adding 0% of sumac powder, the second treatment (T2) were fed on a diet with 1% sumac powder added to it The third (T3) I was fed on a legume plus 3% sumac powder, the fourth treatment (T4) I fed it on a leech with 5% sumac powder added to it. The results showed that there were no significant differences between the transactions in growth rates, including the final weight as it was limited between (23.14 - 23.84) kg and the rates of increase and the rate of daily weight gain (104, 98, 102, 102) g / day for the four treatments, respectively. As for the feed conversion efficiency, it reached (6.2, 6.4, 6.2, 6.1) kg of feed / kg increase in live weight, respectively. The results also indicated a significant improvement (P<0.01) in the material digestibility factor with an increase in the level of sumac powder, it reached (75.44, 78.17, 79.77, 82.68%) and the organic matter reached (76.95, 80.47, 82.02, 84.50)%, and the protein digestibility factor reached (73.63, 75.10, 76.79, 79.22%), and in the digestibility factor of ether extract, and that this improvement was in line with the increase in sumac powder level, as it reached (61.61, 63.95, 68.08, 70.09)% for the four treatments respectively. Whereas, the results indicated that there were no significant differences in a number of rumen fluid characteristics, including pH values, ammonia concentration, protozoa numbers and bacteria numbers.

Fertility in South Australian commercial Merino flocks: relationships between reproductive traits and environmental cues

High levels of reproductive loss have been reported in commercial Merino flocks ( n = 68) from the cereal/livestock and high rainfall zones in South Australia (Kleemann DO, Walker SK. Fertility in South Australian commercial Merino flocks: sources of reproductive wastage. Theriogenology 2005;63:2075–88). Relationships between reproductive traits (estrus, ovulation, fertility, fecundity, lamb survival) and environmental end points (liveweight, condition score, temperature at mating, chill index at lambing) are reported in this paper. They were analysed within season of mating (October to December; January to March) and age of ewe (maiden as 1.5-year-old, mature as older). Incidence of estrus was positively related ( P < 0.05) to condition score in the October to November interval. Return rate to service was positively ( P < 0.05) influenced and fertility was negatively ( P < 0.05) influenced by the number of days ambient temperatures were ≥32.0 °C during mating, indicating that high ambient temperatures may reduce embryo survival. Liveweight and, to a lesser extent, condition score, accounted for significant proportions of variation associated with ovulation rate (39.3 and 12.7%, respectively). Ovulations per 100 ewes increased by 1.8 per kg increase in liveweight over all flocks. Ovulatory response to liveweight increased ( P < 0.01) from the October to December to the January to March period of mating (1.5 versus 3.4 ovulations per kg, respectively). Overall, a flock's fertility and fecundity increased by 0.27 and 1.42% per kg increase in liveweight, respectively. Reproductive wastage from partial failure of multiple ovulations (PFMO) was positively related to liveweight ( P < 0.01) and ovulation rate ( P < 0.001). Survival of single lambs was positively and curvilinearly related to maternal liveweight and condition score measured in late pregnancy ( P < 0.05). Linear relationship of these variables for twin lamb survival was significant for condition score only. Single and twin lamb survival were also positively related to liveweight and condition score at mating ( P < 0.05). We concluded that nutritional cues have a major impact on reproductive traits in commercial Merino flocks in South Australia; it sets the potential number of lambs (ovulation rate) and influences survival of lambs as early as at mating. Indications are that high ambient temperatures may influence embryo survival. It is recommended that future research efforts focus on: (a) prenatal nutritional influences on the physiology of mother-offspring behaviours at birth; and (b) possible peri-conceptional dietary factors controlling embryo loss resulting from partial failure of twin ovulations, to improve reproductive efficiency in the Merino.

Nitrogen mass balance in deep litter during the pig fattening cycle and during composting

For welfare reasons, fattening pigs on organic farms are raised on deep litter in the open with simple, flexible climate tents for shelter. Within this system, the nitrogen (N) flow both during fattening of the pigs from 17 to 100 kg liveweight in winter and during composting of the deep litter from the enclosures in summer was studied. During the fattening period, the pigs were provided with barley straw at four daily rates (0·67, 1·21, 1·32 and 1·87 kg) per kg increase in liveweight. During the summer period, N balances from four enclosures receiving straw at around the 1·32 kg rate were examined. Temperatures in the deep litter mat and in the compost heap were determined, as well as concentrations of ammonia (NH3) and nitrous oxide (N2O) in the compost heaps. The temperature increased after 4 weeks to between 40 and 70 °C in the deep litter mats receiving &gt; 1·21 kg straw; the highest temperatures were observed in the mats with the highest straw rate. Temperatures exceeded 50 °C in all compost heaps. In the deep litter mats and compost heaps the highest temperatures were recorded for the longest periods in the material containing the most straw. The initial concentration of NH3 in the gas phase of the compost heaps was &gt; 10 mg NH3-N/m3, which dropped to zero within 1 month. After the NH3 concentration had fallen, the amount of N2O increased significantly for a period in the two heaps with 1·21 and 1·32 kg straw. Over 120 days in summer, an average of 16·3±6% N was lost from the four enclosures strawed at a rate of 1·32 kg (±0·2 kg) straw per kg increase in liveweight. During the winter 12–24% of the N excreted was lost during a fattening period of 119–134 days, and 15–42% of the N stored was lost during the following composting period of 143 days. In total, 29–54% of the N added to the deep litter mat in excretion and straw was lost during the fattening period (119–134 days) and subsequent storage (143 days). The lowest loss was recorded from deep litter strawed daily with 1·32 kg straw per kg increase in pig liveweight.

The effects of grazing chicory (Cichorium intybus) and birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) on venison and velvet production by young red and hybrid deer

The effects of grazing chicory, Lotus corniculatus, and perennial ryegrass/white clover pasture on growth, voluntary feed intake (VFI), and venison and velvet production was studied in red and hybrid deer from weaning to slaughter at one year of age. Twenty five percent of red and 75% of hybrid stags attained the target slaughter weight (50 kg carcass or greater) when grazing pasture and spiker velvet antler weight was low (approximately 0.2 kg/stag). Mean carcass weight of deer grazing chicory was higher than for deer grazing pasture (P < 0.05), due to increased liveweight gain (LWG) in both autumn and spring, and to higher dressing‐out percentage at slaughter. Carcass weights for red and hybrid stags were 56.0 and 59.3 kg, respectively, when grazed on chicory and 48.6 and 53.3 kg, respectively, when grazed on pasture (P < 0.01). Hybrid hinds grazing chicory had a significantly higher carcass weight (P < 0.05) and dressing‐out percentage (P < 0.01) than those grazing pasture.Chicory had a higher organic matter digestibility (OMD) than pasture, and VFI was higher than on pasture during autumn but was similar in spring. Relative to pasture, chicory grazing increased total spiker velvet antler production (323 v 225 g/stag) by advancing the dates of pedicle initiation, antler initiation, and of first velvet cutting and increasing the rate of velvet antler length growth. Initiation of velvet growth was correlated with liveweight (LW), with each 10 kg increase in LW advancing the dates of pedicle initiation, commencement of velvet growth, and first velvet cutting by 10, 18, and 13 days, respectively. Earlier velvet growth in deer fed chicory could thus largely be explained by the higher liveweight of deer grazing this forage.Observations from deer grazing lotus were limited due to problems with lotus establishment. Grazing lotus increased LWG of stags during autumn compared with perennial ryegrass/white clover pasture (248 v 176 g/day) and increased the efficiency of growth in spring, with LWG being similar to deer grazing pasture, but VFI being lower (1.53 v 2.00 kg OM/day). OMD of lotus was higher than pasture during autumn, but not in spring. Stags grazing lotus produced similar velvet antler weight to stags grazing pasture.Total condensed tannin (CT) concentration in hand plucked and oesophageal fistulae (OF) extrusa samples, respectively, were 48 v 13 g/kg OM for lotus, 3.1 v 5.8 g/kg OM for chicory, and 0.3 v 1.5 g/kg OM for pasture. It was concluded that chicory was of high feeding value for increasing venison and velvet production from young deer. Results suggest that the CT content of lotus may improve the efficiency of growth in young deer.

Boneless meat yields and prediction equations from carcass parameters of Australian cashmere goats

Ninety adult, castrated cashmere goats, typical of animals kept for commercial cashmere production in southern Australia, were slaughtered at a commercial abattoir and carcasses boned out at a commercial boning works. Liveweights ranged from 27.5 to 79.0 kg and hot carcass weight from 12.1 and 32.6 kg. Hot carcass weight increased 427 g for every 1 kg increase in liveweight. GR tissue depth ranged from 3.4 to 11.0 mm (mean 6.4 mm). Goats weighing > 44 kg liveweight with body condition scores > 2 produced carcasses weighing more than 20 kg and had boneless meat yields of 64.2 ± 0.1% (mean ± SE) hot carcass weight and 66.8 ± 0.2% of cold carcass weight. Boneless meat yield declined to 61.1% of hot carcass weight for hot carcasses weighing 13.8 kg. Boneless goat meat increased 307 g and 670 g for every 1 kg increase in liveweight and hot carcass weight respectively. As hot carcass weight increased, boneless meat: bone ratios increased from 1.98 to 2.39 and fat trim from 2.2% to 6.6%. Boneless goat meat accounted for 95.8% of the total wholesale value and the fillet (mean weight 172 g) an additional 2.9%. Regression equations indicated liveweight and hot carcass weight were excellent predictors ( r ≥ 0.99) of boneless goat meat yields. The accuracy and use of carcass length, GR tissue depth and body condition score in precision of prediction equations are discussed. Economic value was related directly to liveweight and carcass weight ( r ≥ 0.99). The paper discusses the scope that exists for processors of boneless goat meat to encourage supply of heavier adult goats in good body condition.

Spring and summer and wool growth pasture feeding and ewe reproduction

Effects of pasture feeding level during lactation and over summer on ewe wool growth and ovulation rate were assessed in 1983-84 and 1984-85. Two levels of pasture feeding (lactation high and lactation low) from parturition to weaning (10 weeks) produced 8 to 10 kg liveweight difference in ewe liveweight at weaning. Groups (n = 40) were offered pasture allowances of 0.8, 1, 1.4, 2 or 5 kg DM/ewe/day from weaning until after the third synchronzied oestrus in April. Ewes on the lower allowances tended to reach a stable liveweight and those on 5 kg DM/ewe/day gained throughout. Other groups were offered low allowances during summer and then 5 kg DM/ewe/day after the first recorded oestrus. Mean dates for synchronised oestrus were 2 March, 19 March and 5 April. Ovulation rate increased by 0.15 corpora-lutea/ewe ovulating at each successive oestrus, and increased by 0.047 corpora lutes/ewe ovulating for each kg increase in liveweight at oestrus. These effects accounted for 77% of the variation in ovulation rate between treatments across years. The effects of flushing, lactation or summer liveweight change were small and generally non-significant. Lactation feeding affected wool growth during lactation as well and had carryover effects through the summer when lactation low ewes grew 10% less wool irrespective of the level of summer feeding. Keywords ewe, wool growth, ovulation rate, lactation, summer feeding, liveweight, flushing

Relationships in the sheep of ovulation rate with liveweight, breed, season and plane of nutrition

This paper presents a study in the ewe of the relationship between liveweight and ovulation rate and factors affecting this relationship. A series of 11 experiments conducted in Victoria are reported in which 3017 Saxon or Peppin Merino, Border Leicester x Merino or Perendale ewes were used. There was an increase in mean ovulation rate per ewe of 0 to 0.44 for every 10 kg increase in liveweight of ewes within a flock. However, in most flocks the increase was in the order of 0.25 to 0.30 for each 10 kg increase. The response was least when mean liveweights of ewes were lowest and when ewes were studied either about the summer solstice or about the beginning of the breeding season. Breed of ewe effects on the liveweight-ovulation rate relationship were greatest when the Saxon Merino and Border Leicester x Merino ewes were compared at a January-February joining compared with an April-May joining. The Merinos had entered their sexual season in October-November whereas the crossbreds failed to exhibit regular oestrous cycles until January. In the one experiment in which face cover was studied, open faced Merino ewes had lower ovulation rates than woolly faced ewes at a January-February mating but had Mgher ovulation rates at the April-May mating. Liveweight alone was found to be as accurate a predictor of ovulation rate as both liveweight and body condition. Plane of nutrition at mating was not shown to affect ovulation rates significantly in the experiments reported in this paper. However, further studies on the interrelationships between nutritional inputs, skeletal size, season and genotype are strongly recommended.

Analysis of production records from a lowland sheep flock. 4. Factors influencing the incidence of successful pregnancy in young females

SUMMARYOver a 15-year period nearly 2000 young females were exposed to the ram at 6 to 9 months of age. These Clun Forest females were born between January and April in the Cockle Park experimental flock, and mated between October and December of the same year. On average nearly 42% of those present at lambing did not produce a lamb. Analyses are presented of the reproductive efficiency of these animals and of some of the possible causes of their failure to lamb. Observations in 10 of these years suggested that only 12% had not been mated and might therefore be assumed to be prepuberal. Age at first oestrus for those animals achieving puberty in their first autumn was inversely related to date of birth. The number which lambed increased by 1·1% per kg increase in live weight before mating.In 3 years simple nutritional and housing treatments were applied to groups of female lambs. Feeding a cereal supplement to animals at pasture before, during and after mating, and housing 1 to 2 weeks after mating, appeared to increase the percentage which lambed. It is suggested that the effect was to reduce the amount of early embryo death caused by nutritional and climatic stresses on the normal grazing animal.

The voluntary intake and utilization of roughage–concentrate diets by sheep. 1. Concentrate supplements for hay and straw

SUMMARYFour levels of a proprietary concentrate (0, 100, 200 and 400 g/day) were offered to Welsh Mountain ewe lambs receiving hay or straw ad libitum for 14 weeks. The apparent digestibility of the energy and nitrogen in the various diets was determined in a concurrent digestibility trial.The voluntary intakes of the straw and hay dry matter when given alone were 242 and 451 g/day respectively (28·4 and 49·2 g/kg W0·73 per day). Straw intake increased with an increase in concentrate feeding up to a level of 25% concentrate in the total dry matter and then declined. Hay intake declined linearly with increasing concentrate level (3 g/day decline per unit increase in the percentage of concentrate). In each case the total intake of dry matter and digestible energy increased with an increase in concentrate level.There was a positive within-treatment relationship between initial live weight and voluntary intake, an additional 0·019 Meal ME/day being consumed per kg increase in live weight. Within treatment groups lambs consuming relatively more food also made relatively higher weight gains. Estimates based on published standards of the metabolizable energy intakes required to produce the live weight changes observed on each treatment were considerably higher than the intakes recorded in the trial.

Effects of nutrition, liveweight, and season on the incidence of twin ovulation in South Australian strong-wool Merino ewes

The effects of nutrition on the incidence of twin ovulation in strong-wool Merino ewes were studied at two seasons. Liveweight at the time of ovulation was the important determinant of twinning rate. Over the liveweight range 42-57 kg, the incidence of twin ovulation increased by about 2 . 5 % for each 1 kg increase in liveweight at ovulation due to variation in recent nutrition, and by about 1.3 % for each 1 kg of liveweight at ovulation due to inherent variation in liveweight. These relationships did not vary significantly between January and April. The incidence of twin ovulation was not enhanced by a state of increasing liveweight before ovulation ('flushing'), and did not vary significantly between January and April.