Percentage Of Empty Body Weight Research Articles

Effects of legume seeds and processing treatment on growth, carcass traits and blood constituents of fattening lambs

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of faba bean, white lupin and pea seed when fed as protein supplements on growth performance, carcass characteristics and haematological characteristics of growing lambs. Forty-eight Gentile di Puglia male lambs, weaned at 38 ± 2 days old with an average initial bodyweight of 12.8 ± 0.5 kg, were divided into six homogenous groups. The six dietary treatments were RFB (diet containing raw faba bean seeds); EFB (diet containing extruded faba bean seeds); RL (diet containing raw lupin seeds); EL (diet containing extruded lupin seeds); RP (diet containing raw pea seeds); and EP (diet containing extruded pea seeds). Feeding lupin seeds reduced average daily feed intake compared with the other protein sources. Carcass conformation, loin weight as a percentage of half-carcass weight, and fat weight as a percentage of loin weight improved in the lambs that consumed both EP and RP diets. Extrusion reduced hide weight as a percentage of empty bodyweight and fat weight as a percentage of leg weight. The protein source had a significant effect on glucose and total cholesterol concentrations, albumin, α1-globulin, β-globulin, and γ-globulin percentages and albumin-globulin ratios. The processing treatment decreased total cholesterol concentrations. Thus, feeding the various legumes did not affect growth performance, but only carcass characteristics; changes which may be due to the differences in feed intake. Extrusion also had minor effects, and further work is required to investigate the use of these protein sources, both raw and extruded.Keywords: extrusion, faba bean, haematology, lupin, pea, protein source, slaughter data

COMPONENTES NÃO CARCAÇA DE NOVILHOS DE CORTE SUBMETIDOS À CASTRAÇÃO CIRÚRGICA OU IMUNOLÓGICA

Resumo Objetivou-se avaliar as características dos componentes do corpo vazio que não integram a carcaça de novilhos castrados cirurgicamente ou imunologicamente. Foram utilizados 48 bezerros Aberdeen Angus, monitorados a partir de idade média inicial de seis meses e peso médio inicial de 160 kg. Os animais foram distribuídos nos seguintes tratamentos: castrados cirurgicamente ao nascimento; castrados cirurgicamente à desmama; imunocastrados com três doses de vacina (6º, 9º e 14º meses de idade dos animais) e imunocastrados com quatro doses (6º, 7º, 10º e 15º meses de idade dos animais). O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado. Durante o abate, todos os componentes internos e externos do corpo do animal foram separados e pesados individualmente. O total de órgãos internos expressos em percentual do peso de corpo vazio diferiu entre os dois protocolos de imunocastração, com superioridade quando aplicou-se quatro doses (3,61 vs. 3,39 kg). Novilhos castrados ao nascer depositaram mais gordura cardíaca, renal e pélvica, e gordura do trato gastrintestinal que imunocastrados com três doses, independentemente da forma como foi expressa. A castração cirúrgica ao nascimento promove maior deposição de gordura visceral, em novilhos abatidos em idade jovem, em relação à imunocastração com dosagem definitiva com nove meses de idade.

Growth performance, carcass and non-carcass characteristics of Mubende and Mubende×Boer crossbred goats under different feeding regimes

A surge in the demand for goats׳ meat both locally and internationally has prompted many goat farmers in Uganda to venture into commercial goat production. However, goat production is highly challenged by breed characteristics and extreme fluctuations in feed quantity and quality. This study evaluated the effects of supplementing grazing Mubende goats and their crossbreds (Mubende×Boer) with concentrates on growth, carcass and non-carcass characteristics. A 2×3 factorial treatment arrangement was used to randomly allocate 96 pure Mubende and Mubende×Boer castrates (mean±SE; 31.3±2.2kg initial weight) aged between 9 and 15 months, to three feeding regimes. The feeding regimes included (i) sole grazing (SGZ) as control, (ii) control+concentrate containing molasses (MCM) and (iii) control+concentrate without molasses (MCC). Concentrate dry matter intake was higher (P<0.001) in the crossbreds regardless of concentrate type, however, inclusion of molasses resulted in lower concentrate intake. The Mubende goats were more efficient in utilising concentrate with molasses while the crossbreds utilised concentrate without molasses more efficiently. Average daily gain (ADG) was higher (P<0.001) in the crossbreds and in the supplemented groups. Slaughter weight, empty body weight and hot carcass weight were also higher (P<0.001) in the crossbreds than the pure Mubende. Supplementation reduced gut fill (P<0.001) and increased (P<0.001) hot carcass weight and dressing percentage in both genotypes. Proportion of non-carcass components as percentage of empty body weight did not vary between genotypes but supplementation reduced (P<0.01) proportion of skin with hocks and empty stomach. Kidney fat, omental fat and scrotal fat increased (P<0.001) with supplementation. Therefore, crossbreeding together with supplementation of grazing can considerably improve goat meat production, however, caution should be taken on the level of concentrate supplement offered as tendency for absolute substitution of concentrate for grass/browse by goats was observed in this study.

Effect of Forage Feeding on Goat Meat Production: Carcass Characteristics and Composition of Creole Kids Reared Either at Pasture or Indoors in the Humid Tropics

Forage diets provide good quality carcasses in sheep but very little is known in tropical goats. An experiment was designed with Creole male goats using grass-based systems to assess carcass yield, scores, cuts and composition. After weaning (84 d, 9.2 kg LW) two modes of forage feeding were compared with two replicates of each. Feeding groups were: PF for animals reared at pasture (n = 62) and IF when reared indoors (n = 60). Given that forage finishing will result in low ADG it appeared necessary to study different fattening lengths. The kids were equally divided into 4 groups: group A (n = 32), 4mo after weaning; group B (n = 32), 4mo after A; group C (n = 30), 3mo after B and group D (n = 28), 2mo after C. The animals grazed (in two sub-flocks) on irrigated tropical pastures managed in rotational system (28 d of re-growth) at mean stocking rate of 1,200 kg/ha/yr LW. The IF groups were reared in collective pens on slatted floor (2 replicates of 7 or 8 kids each). They were fed the same stand of tropical grass (25% DM, 12% CP) as that of pasture that was cut daily and provided ad libitum. The ADG (-10%), the weights of omental fat (-60%) and fat in shoulder (-18%), the ultimate pH of carcass (-12%), the meat colour score (-24%), the a parameter accounting for redness (12%) and the DM and lipid contents (-4%) were significantly lower (p<0.05) in PF than in IF, while the liver was heavier (+23%, p<0.05). Feeding conditions seemed to be similar, thus, differences could be related to gastrointestinal parasitism in the PF system and hypotheses are discussed. Increasing the fattening duration, resulted in significant difference (p<0.01) in many traits: the weights at slaughter and of carcass increased by 40% and 60% from groups A to D and consequently the weights of body compartments and carcass cuts (1.5 to 2.0 fold more). When the results were presented as percentage of empty body weight and carcass weight, these preliminary results (carcass weight 9kg and yield 53%, muscle proportion 70%) and qualitative parameters (low fat score 2/5, fat proportion 5%), seem to be good incentive for the sector to develop niche market to meet consumer lean meat expectations. The indoors system could be implemented where there was low availability of grazing areas or problems of dog attacks.

Growth and distribution of non-carcass components of Small East African and F1 Norwegian crossbred goats under concentrate diets

To assess the effects of levels of concentrate diet on growth and distribution of non-carcass components of feedlot-finished goats, 23 castrated Small East African-SEA (14.5 ± 0.5 month old and 20.1 ± 1.2 kg BWT) and 32 castrated F1 Norwegian crossbred (9.5 ± 0.5 month old, 17.1 ±1.2 kg BWT) goats were allotted to four levels of concentrate supplementation. The concentrate levels were: Zero access to concentrate (T0), 33% access to ad libitum concentrate allowance (T33), 66% access to ad libitum allowance (T66) and 100% access to ad libitum allowance (T100). Each animal had access to ad libitum grass hay. The weight of head, hocks and empty gastro intestinal tract as percentage of empty body weight (EBW) decreased ( P < 0.05) with increasing levels of concentrate supplementation. The weight of liver as percentage of EBW increased ( P < 0.05) with increasing levels of supplementation. Similarly, percentage of total non-carcass fat in both total body fat (TBF) and EBW increased ( P < 0.05) with increasing levels of supplementation, mainly due to omental fat. Seemingly, percentages of total non-carcass fat in TBF for crossbred goats were numerically greater than that of SEA goats. Relative to EBW, liver had allometric growth coefficient greater than one, for both genotypes. Relative to both EBW and TBF, growth rate of omental fat was the fastest followed by kidney, mesenteric and pelvic fats. It is concluded that liver mass is responsive to dietary nutrient density and goats preferentially deposit fat internally as omental fat. Moreover, crossbred goats have higher proportion of non-carcass fat than SEA goats.

Distribuição de gorduras internas e de descarte e componentes externos do corpo de novilhos de gerações avançadas do cruzamento rotativo entre as raças Charolês e Nelore

Foram avaliados os efeitos de heterose e grupo genético na distribuição das gorduras internas e de descarte e dos componentes externos do corpo de novilhos puros, Charolês (C) e Nelore (N), e mestiços de segunda (¾C × ¼N e ¾N × ¼C), terceira (5/8C × 3/8N e 5/8N × 3/8C) e quarta gerações (11/16C × 5/16N e 11/16N × 5/16C) de cruzamento terminados em confinamento. Em comparação à média dos puros, os novilhos de segunda geração apresentaram maior peso absoluto das gorduras renal, intestinal e total, resultando em heterose de 39,88; 43,96 e 31,80%, respectivamente. A gordura ruminal dos novilhos da quarta geração foi 41,48% maior que a média dos puros. Quando expressa em porcentagem do peso do corpo vazio (PCV), os animais da segunda geração foram superiores aos puros somente em relação à gordura intestinal, apresentando heterose de 28,06%. Os animais de quarta geração foram 21,67% inferiores aos puros quando a gordura de toalete foi expressa por 100 kg de PCV. Novilhos Charolês tiveram maior peso absoluto de gordura de descarte em relação aos novilhos Nelore (2,85 vs 1,30 kg). Nos novilhos ¾C × ¼N, a gordura intestinal foi maior que nos ¾N × ¼C, em pesos absoluto (10,15 vs 7,83 kg) e relativo (2,59 vs 2,02%). O peso de gordura ruminal nos animais 11/16N × 5/16C foi maior que nos 11/16C × 5/16N (6,93 vs 4,94 kg). A heterose para o peso relativo da cabeça foi significativa na terceira (-15,54%) e quarta (-13,12%) gerações de cruzamento, enquanto a heterose para o peso relativo das patas foi significativa apenas na terceira geração (-11,08%). O peso relativo das patas nos novilhos Charolês foi maior que nos Nelore (2,18 vs 1,88%). As gorduras não-integrantes da carcaça apresentam heterose significativa no cruzamento rotativo entre as raças Charolês e Nelore.

Effects of feeding system on carcass and non-carcass composition of Churra Tensina light lambs

Thirty-eight single male lambs (3.6 ± 0.08 kg live weight at birth) were used to study the influence of feeding system on carcass and non-carcass composition of Churra Tensina light lambs. Treatments: indoor (IND), lambs housed indoors consuming concentrate ad libitum until weaning at 53 days of age, and ewes grazing 8 h a day without their offspring and receiving a supplement of barley meal after grazing; grazing (GR), ewes and lambs grazed continuously without concentrate and lambs were unweaned. When lambs reached 22–24 kg live weight they were slaughtered. Carcass and non-carcass composition was recorded. GR lambs displayed higher carcass shrink ( P < 0.05) and lower dressing percentage ( P < 0.01) than concentrate-fed lambs. IND lambs had more body fat mainly due to the heavier kidney ( P < 0.001) and subcutaneous ( P < 0.001) fat depots. Total non-carcass weight was not affected by treatment ( P > 0.05), but red organ (heart, lung and trachea, thymus, liver, spleen, kidney, diaphragm, pancreas, gall bladder, bladder, and testicles and penis), digestive tract (stomach, small intestine and large intestine) and head, skin, and feet (HSF) weights differed between treatments ( P < 0.05). IND lambs had heavier red organs and HSF ( P < 0.05) although this difference disappeared when expressed as a percentage of empty body weight. Small intestine weight in grazing lambs was heavier ( P < 0.001) and, consequently, the total digestive tract differed similarly ( P < 0.01). Treatment influenced the weights ( P < 0.05) of all joints except leg ( P > 0.05), showing heavier joints for IND carcasses. The feeding system had a greater effect on subcutaneous fat ( P < 0.001) than on intermuscular fat ( P < 0.05) in most of the standardized joints. IND carcasses produced a greater proportion of muscle/bone in all joints, except neck, whereas GR produced a greater proportion of muscle/total fat due to the lower amount of fat recorded in this treatment. The percentage of fatty acids was not affected by treatment ( P > 0.05) although the percentage of C18:3 was greater and the ratio of C18:2/C18:3 was lower in grazing-fed lambs. The absence of any effect of treatment on the fatty acid percentages may be influenced by the short raising period and by the similar amount of intramuscular fat in both treatments. It is concluded that light lambs reared under grazing conditions can produce carcasses of acceptable quality, due to the lower percentage of subcutaneous fat, but with a similar intramuscular fat content.

Características de carcaça e dos componentes não-carcaça de cabritos Moxotó e Canindé submetidos a dois níveis de alimentação

Foram utilizados 22 cabritos não-castrados (10 Moxotó e 12 Canindé com peso médio inicial de 15 kg) confinados em baias individuais. Os animais foram distribuídos em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado, em arranjo fatorial 2 x 2 (duas raças e dois níveis de alimentação: AV = à vontade e AR = 30% de restrição). Foram avaliados os rendimentos de carcaça quente (RCQ), verdadeiro (RV) e comercial (RC), os cortes da carcaça e o rendimento dos componentes não-carcaça em relação ao peso do corpo vazio (PCV). Cabritos alimentados à vontade apresentaram maiores RCQ e RC e porções comestíveis da carcaça. O rendimento verdadeiro não foi influenciado pelo maior nível de alimentação. Após o abate e resfriamento da carcaça, foram feitos os seguintes cortes: pescoço, paleta, costelas (1ª-5ª), costelas (6ª-13ª), lombo, perna e baixo. Apesar do maior peso (kg) dos cortes dos animais alimentados AV, não foi observada diferença entre seus rendimentos em relação ao peso da carcaça fria. O rendimento da perna foi afetado pelo nível de alimentação, sendo menor para os grupos com nível de alimentação AV. Os rendimentos do fígado, da cabeça e do trato gastrintestinal foram influenciados pelo nível de alimentação. A raça não foi determinante de diferenças nas características de carcaça e dos componentes não-carcaça, assim como no rendimento dos cortes quando o peso e o tamanho à maturidade foram semelhantes. A restrição alimentar afetou o desenvolvimento e a deposição de tecidos nos animais, resultando em menores rendimentos e quilogramas de carcaça fria a ser comercializada.

Visceral Tissue Growth and Proliferation During the Bovine Lactation Cycle ,

Twenty one multiparous, nonpregnant, lactating dairy cows were used to assess the impact of stage of lactation on visceral tissue mass and small intestinal cell proliferation. Cows were slaughtered at each of 4 stages of lactation: 14, 90, 120, and 240 d of lactation. With stage of lactation, DMI increased through d 90 and thereafter remained similar through d 240 (quadratic). Carcass weight and empty body weight (EBW) declined with stage of lactation through d 120 and increased thereafter (quadratic). As a percentage of EBW, rumen, small intestine, and liver weights increased with increasing stage of lactation (quadratic), increasing from 14 to 120 d and declining through 240 d. Stage of lactation did not have a measurable affect on reticulum, omasum, abomasum, or large intestine weights as a percentage of EBW. Visceral adipose mass as a percentage of EBW declined with stage of lactation to a minimum at 120 d and increased by 240 d (quadratic). Concentrations of RNA and DNA of digestive tract organs were largely unaffected by stage of lactation with the exception of the liver DNA concentration through d 120 (quadratic). The proliferative growth fraction (Ki67) was unaffected by stage of lactation. However, bromo-deoxyuridine labeling of jejunal crypts exhibited a cubic response with stage of lactation and tritiated thymidine incorporation by duodenal epithelium increased with stage of lactation through d 120, declining thereafter (quadratic). Mass of visceral tissues increase to meet the energetic demands of lactation and that increased absorption capacity of the intestines is achieved by hyperplastic growth of the intestinal epithelium.

Physical and chemical carcass composition of springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis), blesbok (Damaliscus dorcas phillipsi) and impala (Aepyceros melampus)

The aims of the study were to determine the body composition of springbok, blesbok and impala and to compare the chemical composition (moisture, protein, fat, ash) of the 9th–10th–11th rib cut samples with that of the carcass. The proportional distribution of protein in the carcass, external (heart, feet and skin) and internal offal (heart, heart fat, liver, lungs and trachea, kidneys, kidney fat, spleen, testis, gastro intestinal tract (GIT) fat, diaphragm, stomachs and intestines) was also determined. The physical composition of all three game species followed the same pattern when expressed as a percentage of empty body weight. Impala had a higher (P<0.05) proportional percent protein in the carcass compared to springbok or blesbok. Male springbok, blesbok and impala recorded a significantly lower fat content, but higher moisture content in the carcass and 9th–10th–11th rib cut than the females. No significant correlation was evident between the chemical protein (on an as-is basis) content of the carcass and 9th–10th–11th rib cut samples for any of the game species studied (springbok: r2=−0.06, blesbok: r2=0.44, impala: r2=0.26). The protein content of only 9th–10th–11th rib cut samples from springbok (r2=0.76) correlated well with the protein content of the carcass on a dry matter basis. The three game species investigated have possible better potential for lean meat production compared to domestic livestock.

Effects of birth weight and postnatal nutrition on neonatal sheep: IV. Organ growth.

This study investigated effects of birth weight and postnatal nutrition on organ growth in neonatal lambs. Suffolk x (Finnsheep x Dorset) low- (mean +/- SD 2.29 +/- 0.34 kg, n = 28) and high- (4.84 +/- 0.45 kg, n = 20) birth-weight male lambs were studied. Lambs within each birth weight category were allocated to be individually grown rapidly (ad libitum fed, ADG 337 g, n = 20) or slowly (ADG 150 g, n = 20) on a liquid diet to live weights up to approximately 20 kg. All organs weighed less at birth in small than in large newborns (P < 0.001), except the adrenals (P = 0.10). At birth, as a percentage of empty body weight (EBW), small newborns had larger testes (0.14 vs. 0.10%, P = 0.023) and smaller thymus (0.17 vs. 0.37%, P = 0.009), and tended to have a larger heart (0.85 vs. 0.75%, P = 0.060) and a smaller spleen (0.10 vs. 0.14%, P = 0.054) than large newborns. During the first 2 to 3 wk postpartum, small newborns had greater fractional growth rates of organs than large newborns, most notably spleen, thymus, and liver. Postnatal growth of organs was more closely associated with EBW than age, except for lungs, testes, and stomach. At completion of rearing to 20 kg of live weight, small newborns had a spleen approximately 30% heavier than large newborns (P < 0.001). Testes weights were 37% and 24% greater in small newborns reared slowly and rapidly, respectively, compared with their high-birth-weight counterparts (P = 0.034). It was also evident that postnatal nutrition altered the mass of individual organs at the conclusion of the rearing period without affecting the combined weight of dissected organs. Slowly reared lambs had a larger pancreas (+27%, P = 0.002), stomach complex (+83%, P < 0.001), large intestine (+39%, P < 0.001), entire gastrointestinal tract (+18%, P = 0.002), and testes (+54%, P = 0.016) and tended to have a larger heart (+6%, P = 0.068) than their rapidly reared counterparts at 20 kg of live weight. Rapidly reared lambs had a larger thymus (+61%, P = 0.003), liver (+34%, P < 0.001), kidneys (+33%, P < 0.001), and small intestine (+17%, P < 0.001) and tended to have a larger thyroid (+13%, P = 0.054) at 20 kg of live weight than slowly reared lambs. The functional significance of the smaller thymus at birth and increase in spleen and testes weights at 20 kg of live weight in low- compared with high-birth-weight lambs warrants further investigation. It also remains to be established whether these differences at 20 kg of live weight persist.

Physical and chemical carcass composition of springbok ( Antidorcas marsupialis), blesbok ( Damaliscus dorcas phillipsi) and impala ( Aepyceros melampus)

The aims of the study were to determine the body composition of springbok, blesbok and impala and to compare the chemical composition (moisture, protein, fat, ash) of the 9th–10th–11th rib cut samples with that of the carcass. The proportional distribution of protein in the carcass, external (heart, feet and skin) and internal offal (heart, heart fat, liver, lungs and trachea, kidneys, kidney fat, spleen, testis, gastro intestinal tract (GIT) fat, diaphragm, stomachs and intestines) was also determined. The physical composition of all three game species followed the same pattern when expressed as a percentage of empty body weight. Impala had a higher ( P<0.05) proportional percent protein in the carcass compared to springbok or blesbok. Male springbok, blesbok and impala recorded a significantly lower fat content, but higher moisture content in the carcass and 9th–10th–11th rib cut than the females. No significant correlation was evident between the chemical protein (on an as-is basis) content of the carcass and 9th–10th–11th rib cut samples for any of the game species studied (springbok: r 2=−0.06, blesbok: r 2=0.44, impala: r 2=0.26). The protein content of only 9th–10th–11th rib cut samples from springbok ( r 2=0.76) correlated well with the protein content of the carcass on a dry matter basis. The three game species investigated have possible better potential for lean meat production compared to domestic livestock.

Effects of diet forage:concentrate ratio and metabolizable energy intake on visceral organ growth and in vitro oxidative capacity of gut tissues in sheep.

We used 28 crossbred wether lambs to determine the effects of dietary forage:concentrate ratio and metabolizable energy intake on visceral organ growth and oxidative capacity of gut tissues in lambs. Lambs were assigned randomly to a factorial arrangement of dietary treatments consisting of pelleted diets containing either 75% orchardgrass or 75% concentrate fed once daily at either .099 or .181 Mcal ME x (kg BW(.75))(-1) x d(-1). After a 52-d feeding period, lambs were slaughtered to obtain measurements of visceral organ mass and composition and oxidative capacity of isolated epithelial cells. Lamb performance, as measured by DMI, ADG, and efficiency of gain, was greater (P = .0001) for both diets at high ME intake. Likewise, lambs fed 75% concentrate gained faster and more (P < or = .01) efficiently than lambs fed 75% forage. Total digestive tract (TDT; includes rumen, reticulum, omasum, abomasum, and intestines) weight increased (P = .0001) with ME intake and was greater (P = .03) in lambs fed 75% forage than in those fed 75% concentrate. As a percentage of empty body weight (EBW), TDT weight increased with ME intake in lambs fed 75% forage, but it was unaffected by ME intake in lambs fed 75% concentrate (diet x intake, P = .03). Liver weight increased (P = .0001) with ME intake and was greater (P = .005) in lambs fed 75% concentrate vs 75% forage; however, liver weight as a percentage of EBW was increased (P = .0002) with ME intake but was unaffected by diet. Greater ME intake increased (P < or = .02) small intestinal (SI) epithelial and muscle mass of 15-cm sections, whereas jejunal epithelial mass was greater (P = .01) for lambs fed 75% forage vs 75% concentrate. Rumen epithelial concentrations of DNA and RNA increased (P < or = .02) with greater ME intake, whereas SI concentrations of DNA and RNA were largely unaffected by diet or ME intake. The activity of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase increased in ileal epithelium (P < or = .02) with ME intake and concentrate in the diet, but activity in ruminal epithelium increased (P = .05) with concentrate. Total oxygen consumption by isolated ruminal and intestinal epithelial cells was unaffected by treatment. These data suggest that ME intake and level of dietary forage affect ruminal and intestinal growth via changes in cellular hyperplasia. Additionally, this study supports the concept that ME intake and diet composition alter gut energy expenditure, at least in part, through changes in mass rather than mass specific metabolism.

Temporal response of rabbits to beta-adrenergic agonist feeding: tissue weight, calpains and calpastatin activities, and nucleic acid and protein concentrations.

Forty-eight crossbred rabbits were used in three replications of a 2 x 4 factorial arrangement to investigate the short-term responses of tissue accretion, calpains and calpastatin activity, and nucleic acid and protein concentrations to beta-adrenergic agonist (BAA) feeding. Rabbits were fed a 17% CP diet with or without 7 ppm of L644,969 and slaughtered after 1, 4, 8, or 16 d of treatment. Empty body dressing percentage and biceps femoris weight (as a percentage of empty body weight [EBW]) were significantly higher in the treated rabbits than in the controls after 16 d of treatment. Heart and liver weights (as a percentage of EBW) were higher (P < .05) after 1 d and liver weight (as a percentage of EBW) was lower (P < .05) after 16 d in treated vs controls. Except for an elevation of skeletal muscle m-calpain after 16 d, BAA-supplementation did not affect the calpain-calpastatin system. Muscle RNA concentrations and RNA:DNA ratios were higher (P < .05) in treated rabbits after 1 d and remained higher thereafter. Protein:RNA ratios were lower (P < .01) in treated than in control rabbits after 4 d and remained lower throughout the trial. Muscle DNA content was lower after 4 d and higher after 16 d; RNA content was higher after 4, 8, and 16 d; and protein content was higher after 16 d in treated vs control rabbits. Liver nucleic acid and protein concentrations were not affected by BAA treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Level of nutrition and visceral organ size and metabolic activity in sheep

Thirty-two crossbred wether lambs (initial live-weight 31 kg) were fed on a diet (metabolizable energy (ME) 12.8 MJ/kg) ad lib. (ADLIB) or restricted to maintain body-weight (MAINT) for a 21 d period. On days 0, 7, 14 and 21, four lambs per treatment were slaughtered, visceral organs weighed and tissues sampled. During the 21 d period, ME intake in ADLIB lambs increased quadratically with an average rate of live-weight gain of 425 g/d. In MAINT lambs, live weight (30 kg) was maintained, and daily ME intake (kJ/kg empty body-weight (EBW)0.75) declined (P less than 0.01) quadratically with time. Weights of liver, stomach and small intestines as a percentage of EBW were increased in ADLIB lambs and decreased by 10-33% in MAINT lambs (treatment x day, P less than 0.01). In vitro liver oxygen consumption was not affected by level of feed intake. Estimates of whole-liver O2 consumption (mmol O2/d per kg EBW) increased in ADLIB lambs and were relatively constant in MAINT lambs. These findings suggest that level of feed intake changes the relative proportion of visceral organs to body mass. In addition, the effect of level of feed intake on changes in the relative contribution of visceral organs to whole-body metabolic rate appears to be primarily a result of differences in organ size rather than tissue-specific metabolic activity.

Correlated responses in body composition based on selection for different indicator traits in mice.

Correlated responses in whole-body composition were determined in 12-wk-old male mice from replicate lines selected for 12 generations for high (HF) or low (LF) epididymal fat pad weight as a percentage of body weight (EPID) and high (HL) or low (LL) hind carcass weight as a percentage of body weight. The HF and LF lines diverged (P less than .01) in body fat percentage (FAT) and subcutaneous depot fat by 93 and 71%, respectively, of the control line (RC) mean. EPID increased (P less than .01) proportionately more than FAT in the HF line; EPID decreased (P less than .01) proportionately less than FAT in LF. Protein, fat and water as a percentage of empty body weight showed negative correlated responses (P less than .01) due to selection for EPID, but lean body mass, body weight and body length had positive correlated responses (P less than .01). Correlated responses of fat-free protein and ash percentage were minor. Correlated responses in HL and LL were the mirror images of those in HF and LF, but they generally were of smaller magnitude. The results indicate that, although there are high positive genetic correlations between fat depots in mice, local control of lipogenesis and(or) lipolysis exists at different sites of fat deposition. Further, the lack of correlated responses in fat-free percentage of protein (and percentage of ash) suggests that additive genetic variances are low for these traits and(or) the genetic correlations of these traits with the selection criteria are low.

Fat deposition in Hereford and Friesian steers: 1. Body composition and partitioning of fat between depots

SUMMARYIn this paper, the first of a series of three in which fat deposition is examined in 42 castrate male Hereford and Friesian cattle, details are given on the experimental material and procedures used in all papers. Whole body composition (anatomical and chemical) and the partitioning of fat within the body are also reported in this paper.Four, two and 15 animals were slaughtered at 6, 13 and 20 months of age, respectively, afterad libitumfeeding of a complete pelleted diet.The Friesians were heavier than the Herefords, having 10%, 20% and 14% heavier empty bodies at 6, 13 and 20 months, respectively.At the same age, the Friesians had a greater percentage of empty-body weight as carcass muscle, carcass bone, total body water and total body ash than the Herefords but a lower percentage as dissectible fat and total body lipid. An analysis of linear body measurements showed no difference between breeds in the stage of development of external body dimensions at 20 months of age, and it was concluded that at the same age and stage of development of live weight or size, the Friesians were leaner than the Herefords.Relative growth coefficients of the fat depots showed late developmental growth in some intra-abdominal depots (omental and perirenal–retroperitoneal) but not in another (mesenteric). Relative growth coefficients of the omental, mesenterie and intermuscular depots were different between breeds. The Herefords deposited more dissectible fat subcutaneously than the Friesians whereas the Friesians deposited more in the intraabdominal depots. A multivariate index of fat partitioning, which was not influenced by age or stage of development of the fat depots, was not significantly correlated with fatness, suggesting no direct link between the pattern of fat partitioning and body-fat content.Breed differences in the distribution of fat within the subcutaneous and intermuscular depots were minor compared with the large difference in the partitioning of fat between depots. It was thus concluded that the factors controlling fat partitioning do not influence the distribution of fat within depots.

A study of the effect of supplementing a concentrate diet with roughages of different quality on the performance of Friesian steers. II. Growth rate, efficiency of food conversion and carcass yield

SUMMARYConcentrate diets supplemented with 5, 20 and 40% high- and low-quality hay were given ad libitum to British Friesian steers from 9 weeks of age to slaughter.The performance of the animals was studied over 91 kg weight ranges from 91 to 363 kg live weight and from 9 weeks of age to slaughter. In the whole experimental period the daily live-weight gain was significantly greater on diets containing high-quality hay. There was also an increase in the daily live-weight gain in each of the weight ranges studied on diets supplemented with high-quality hay but this increase was not significant at the stage of growth from 272 to 363 kg live weight. As the level of concentrate in the diet increased there was a significant increase in the daily live-weight gain at each stage of growth studied and over the complete experimental period.The mean feed conversion ratio was greater for diets containing low-quality hay. Except during the stage of growth from 272 to 363 kg live weight the proportion of hay in the diet significantly affected the mean concentrate conversion ratio. With increasing levels of hay in the diet there was a significant increase in the total dry-matter conversion ratio.The conversion ratio of metabolizable energy was also increased on diets containing low-quality hay. The proportion of concentrate in the diet significantly affected the conversion ratio of metabolizable energy at all stages of growth studied.There were significant differences in the killing-out percentages, weight and contents of the reticulo-rumen and the omasum plus abomasum expressed as a percentage of empty body weight, with increasing levels of hay in the diet. These measurements were not significantly affected by the quality of hay in the diet.Indirect measurements of carcass composition indicated that the level of hay in the diet tended to affect the amount of fat in the carcass but the amount of lean was similar at the different ratios of concentrate to hay. The ratios of the weight of separable lean to the weight of separable bone in the 9–10–11th rib cut were similar at different levels of hay supplementation. The organoleptic appraisal of sample joints indicated that carcass quality was satisfactory.