Mean Final Liveweight Research Articles

Final Fattening Live Weight Prediction in Anatolian Merinos Lambs from Some Body Characteristics at the Initial of Fattening by Using Some Data Mining Algorithms

This study's objective was to compare the performances of Random Forest (RF), eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and Bayesian Regularization Neural Network (BRNN) algorithms, which are some data mining algorithms used in final fattening live weight prediction. As the independent variable in the design of the algorithms, some body characteristics taken before fattening of 54 heads of Anatolian Merino lambs, with single birth and male, were withers height (WH), rump height (RH), body length (BL), chest girth (CG), leg girth (LG), and chest depth (CD) was used. The mean±standart errors for the body characteristics of Anatolian Merino lambs were determined to be 63.481±0.538, 63.315±0.501, 78.930±1.140, 60.037±0.549, 47.704±0.543, and 29.926±0.377, respectively. The mean initial live weight (ILW) and the mean final live weight (FLW) were found as 35.89±0.84 and 49.49±0.88 kg, respectively. There was difference of 13.60 kg between ILW and FLW means. The ILW and FLW were shown to positively correlate with body characteristics, and this correlation was statistically significant (P

Effect of processing methods on the utilization of shrimp waste by broiler chickens

Two hundred and forty unsexedd broiler birds of Anak breeds af one week of age were used to study the utilization of potash treated shrimp waste meal (SWM) in broiler diets fed as mash or pellet form in a 2x2x2 factorial experiment. The birds used were randomly allotted to eight treatment groups with three replications. SWM used was either polash treated or untreated, plate willed or hammer milled. Growth performance, muirient utilization, and carcass characteristics were measured. Potash treatment of SWM led to a significant increase (P<0.05) in final live weight of the birds at starter phase, but such effear was not noticed at finisher phase. Starter broilers fed mash diets had a significantly (P<0.05) higher mean final live weight (579.08), than those seed pellet diet (493.12). but the difference at fisher phase was not significant. The processing methods did nor significantly (P>0.05) improve the performance of the birds or finisher phase, though slight improvement was noticed in bird's fed pelleted diets. The processing methods did not significantly (P>0.05) influence the protein retention, ash and ether extract digestibility at starter phase. Crude fibre digestibility was significantly (P<0.05) improved by plate milling and pelleting of the diets, and the interactions of the processing methods. Dry marier digestibility and crude protein retention of finisher broilers were significantly (P<0.05) improved by the dietary treatments. It was concluded that the treatments employed yielded no commendable performance in broilers. Pelleting of SWM based diets slightly improved iis utilization by finishing broiler chickens.

Effects of replacing different proportions of barley grain by barley fibre on performance of dairy bulls

The objective of the present experiment was to study the effects of partial replacement of barley grain with barley fibre (BF) on animal performance, carcass traits and diet digestibility of growing dairy bulls. The feeding experiment comprised 20 Finnish Ayrshire bulls and 12 Holstein-Friesian bulls, and four treatments (8 bulls per treatment). There were four diets with two offered at stage 1 (from the initiation of the study to 450 kg live weight) and four at stage 2 (from 450 kg live weight to slaughter). The control diet (BF0) included grass silage (460 g kg–1 dry matter) and barley grain (540), BF25 diet included grass silage (460), barley grain (405) and BF (135), BF50 diet included grass silage (460), barley grain (270) and BF (270), and BF75 diet included grass silage (460), barley grain (135) and BF (405). At stage 1 there were only two treatments (BF0 and BF50) and at stage 2, all four treatments were included. All bulls were fed total mixed ration ad libitum. The mean initial live weight of the bulls was 261 kg and the mean final live weight 650 kg. At stage 1 there were no significant treatment differences in dry matter, energy or protein intakes or in live weight gain. At stage 2, replacing barley grain with BF led to a linear decrease of daily live weight gain (P < 0.05) and a linearly reduced feed conversion (kg dry matter kg–1 live weight gain) (P < 0.05). The apparent digestibility of the organic matter and neutral detergent fibre decreased linearly with increasing BF supplementation (P < 0.001). The dressing proportion and the carcass fat score decreased linearly (P < 0.05) with partial replacement of barley grain with BF. On carcass conformation, treatment had a significant (P < 0.05) quadratic effect: the BF25 and BF50 diets were classified highest. The results indicate that 50% of barley starch can be replaced with BF without affecting growth, but feed efficiency factors may decrease when barley starch is replaced with BF. At 75% replacement, feed intake was reduced, which resulted in a lower energy intake and reduced level of performance.;

Sex and porcine somatotropin impact on variation in growth performance and back fat thickness

Managing variation in carcass weight and composition is an enormous challenge for the pig producer. A means of improving growth performance and reducing back fat is porcine exogenous somatotropin (pST) treatment. It is possible that this technology may also reduce variation in these important growth and carcass parameters. This study was conducted to provide data on the effect of sex and pST on variation in growth and carcass characteristics. Sixteen on-farm studies involving 1495 pigs were conducted in various states within Australia. On each farm, groups of pigs were randomly assigned within sex to one of 2 management regimes (control or pST regime). The control regime consisted of feeding the typical finisher diet used on that farm while the pST regime involved feeding the typical grower diet used on the farm combined with daily injections of pST (5 mg/day). Data from individual pigs were collated and the summary descriptive statistics derived for each treatment group on each farm were then analysed. Daily liveweight gain was lower and feed conversion ratio (FCR) and back fat at the P2 site were higher in gilts than in boars. The pST regime increased average mean daily gain and reduced feed intake, FCR and back fat at the P2 site. The coefficient of variation (CV) around live daily gain was lower in gilts than in boars (19.3 v 22.3% for gilts and boars, respectively, P<0.001) and in pigs treated with the pST regime (22.1 v. 19.9% for the control and pST regimes, respectively, P<0.001). The CV around liveweight was higher in the control boars than in any of the other treatment groups as indicated by the main (P<0.001) and interactive (P<0.001) effects of both sex and pST regime. The coefficient of variation around P2 was reduced by pST (16.2 v. 14.2%, P<0.001) but was not different between gilts and boars. There was an interaction (P = 0.025) between pST regime and sex with the average kurtosis for the P2 distribution positive in gilts treated with pST but slightly negative in all the other groups. The distributions were on average skewed to the right, particularly in gilts (P = 0.017) and in pigs treated with pST (P<0.001). In conclusion, these data demonstrate that as well as improving mean final liveweight and P2 back fat, pST treatment can also reduce variation in these key production parameters that form the basis for economic returns to the producer.

Growth and carcass characteristics of three-way Africander multiply Simmental multiply Hereford crossbreds in south-western Queensland

Liveweight and carcass traits of 3-way Africander (A) x Simmental (S) x Hereford (H) crossbreds and purebred Herefords were monitored predominately on native pastures at Dirranbandi, Queensland, for 2 calf crops over 6 years. The relative breed compositions of the crossbreds were A4S2H2, A4S 1 H3 and A4H4. The mean liveweight of the A4S2H2 cattle ranked highest from about 250 days post-weaning to slaughter (520 days post-weaning) for steers, and at first joining for heifers (560 days post-weaning). Differences in liveweight were not significant at all times. The A4S2H2 and A4SlH3 steers had the highest (P<0.05) post-weaning average daily gains. Differences in weaning weight between crossbreds were carried through to slaughter for steers and to joining for heifers. The A4S2H2 steers had the highest (P<0.05) mean final liveweight (433 kg) and mean carcass weight (232 kg). There was no difference in carcass weight between the other crossbreds and Herefords. Fat depth at the P8 rump site of A4H4 crossbreds (8.5 mm) was higher (P<0.05) than that of Herefords (5.5 mm) and other crossbreds. Dressing percentages were similar for all breed types. The A4S2H2 maiden heifers had higher (P<0.05) liveweights at first joining (369 kg) than the A4S1H3 (353 kg) and A4H4 (337 kg) heifers. These data show that beef producers in southwestern Queensland can increase carcass weights with A4S2H2 crossbreds and produce carcasses that primarily meet the Korean-EC market and the requirements of domestic supermarket outlets.

Effect of short- and long-acting growth promotants on grazing beef cattle in south-west Queensland.

The effects of a single implantation of a short-acting (< 120 days) growth promotant - 36 mg zeranol (Ralgro) - were studied with one, two and three year old steers grazing Mitchell (Astrebla spp.) grasslands from March to June 1981 (107 days) in south-west Queensland. Implantation increased (P<0.05) mean final liveweight by 9.7, 18.1 and 11.0 kg for the one, two and three year old steers, respectively (control groups 317.6 kg, 432.3 kg and 519.1 kg). Tn a second experiment, the effects of a single implantation of a long-acting (400 days) growth promotant - 45 mg oestradiol 17 beta (Compudose 400) - were studied with steers grazing Channel pastures from October 1983 to April 1985 (540 days) in far south-west Queensland. Implantation increased (P<0.01) both mean final liveweight by 30.7 kg (control group 577.1 kg) and carcass weight by 14.2 kg (control 306.4 kg). Daily liveweight gains for implanted and control steers were 0.48 kg and 0.43 kg per day respectively @<0.01). There was no significant difference between the implanted and control steers in dressing percentage (52.7 cf. 53.2%) and fat ;hicknes.s at the P8 rump sGe (20.2 cf. 18.9 mm).

Production and economic returns from Merino weaner sheep subjected to four frequencies of anthelmintic administration in East Gippsland, Victoria

In East Gippsland. Victoria. 4 treatment groups, designated 'weekly' (W), 'high' (H), 'low' (L). and 'salvage' (S), each consisting of 3 subgroups of 10 Merino weaner sheep, were given different numbers of anthelmintic doses during 1978, 1979 and 1980. The doses were respectively 5 1, 5 1, 50 (W); 9,9, 12 (H); 3,4. 6 (L); and 1, 3, 2 (S). Both anthelmintics were administered according to the manufacturers' recommendations. Subgroups were grazed on separate 1 ha plots and rotated between plots within treatments at 2-week intervals in an attempt to eliminate between paddock differences. Sheep were replaced annually. These programs resulted in major differences in wool production and final liveweight between groups. Over the 3 years of the experiment, sheep dosed frequently grew heavier (P< 0.05) and produced more wool than - did sheep in the Land S groups. Mean final liveweights for the W, H, L, and S groups respectively were 53.6, 51.4.47.0, and 46.4 kg (l.s.d. [P= 0.051 = 3.5 kg). Corresponding figures for wool growth were 5.96, 5.62. 5.07, and 5.17 kg (l.s.d. [P = 0.051 = 0.60). Mortality in the W (5.6%) and H (22%) groups was also lower than in the L (18.9%) and S (27.8%) groups. The H group gave the highest economic return of $21.81 per sheep compared with $17.61 (W group), $16.3 1 (L) and $15.06 (S group). This advantage was maintained throughout a wide cost-price range. However. as both the W and H programs selected strongly for strains of nematodes resistant to anthelmintics. anthelmintic therapy alone cannot be relied upon for long-term parasite control.

Título en español.

Se efectuaron dos experimentos, ambos con 200 polluelos híbridos, para comparar contenidos de mosto de destilería deshidratado de 0, 10, 20 y 30% en raciones, basadas principalmente en mafz molido y harinas de soya y de pescado, teóricamente isocalóricas e isonitrogenadas. En el experimento 1 se suplieron raciones de arranque (20.3 -21.9% PC) desde el primer día hasta 4 semanas de edad y luego raciones de crecimiento (15.7-16.6% PC) hasta la edad comercial a las 9 semanas. Las aves se alojaron en una batería de pisos durante las primeras 2 semanas y luego en jaulas de 20 pollos cada una sobre piso con camada. Los pesos medios finales para las cuatro raciones fueron 2446, 2341, 1614 y 1223 g, respectivamente, siendo el tratamiento con 10% de mosto no diferente significativamente pero las de 20% y 30% de mosto fueron inferiores al testigo (P <.01). Hubo 22 bajas por mortalidad, mayormente durante las primeras 2 semanas, pero éstas, aparentemente, no fueron por causa de las raciones experimentales. Las respectivas eficiencias alimenticias (ganancia de peso vivo/consumo de alimento) durante las 9 semanas de prueba fueron .46, .47, .34 y .29. Se logró una economía en otros insumos alimentarios sin perjudicar la eficiencia, mediante el uso de 10% mosto, mientras que los niveles mayores de éste no fueron tan beneficiosos. En el experimento 2 todos los pollos se criaron hasta 5 semanas de edad con una ración sin mosto. De 5 a 9 semanas se suplieron las mismas raciones de crecimiento que en el experimento 1. Los respectivos pesos medios finales fueron 2106, 2098, 1968 y 1628 g, habiendo las mismas diferencias significativas entre tratamientos que anteriormente. Las eficiencias alimenticias durante las 4 semanas de prueba fueron .41, .38, .37 y .25, siendo únicamente el 30% de mosto inferior al testigo (P <.01). La economía en otros insumos alimentarios debido al uso de mosto fue menor al 10%, pero mayor al 20% que en el experimento 1. Todas las raciones con mosto fueron bien aceptadas por las aves. Hubo una tendencia a mayor consumo diario como porcentaje del peso vivo a medida que aumentó el nivel de mosto en la ración . Las condiciones sanitarias se empeoraron progresivamente debido a la excreta negruzca y acuosa a mayores niveles de mosto. Se puede utilizar un 10% de mosto deshidratado, o posiblemente un nivel levemente mayor durante las últimas etapas de crecimiento, en raciones para pollos asaderos como método no contaminante de desechar el mismo, con tan solo una mínima reducción en la productividad animal.