A model to maximize hay intake when formulating rations for pregnant ewes

1985 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather D. St C. Neal ◽  
J. France ◽  
R. J. Orr ◽  
T. T. Treacher
Keyword(s):  
Live Weight ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Energy Concentration ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Interactive Program ◽  
Original Experiment ◽  
Concentrate Level ◽  
Weight Number

ABSTRACTA model is described, which maximizes hay intake in the formulation of rations for pregnant ewes in the last 6 weeks of pregnancy. A regression of hay intake upon hay digestibility, concentrate level, ewe live weight, number of foetuses carried and week of pregnancy, derived from an experiment on individually-recorded ewes, is used as the intake constraint in a linear programme. This is solved in an interactive program which can be implemented on several makes of microcomputer. The intakes of hay predicted by the model are lower than those reported elsewhere, reflecting the more accurately recorded intakes of the original experiment compared with most other published data. The rations formulated by the model show that in weeks 16 to 18 of pregnancy hay could provide most of the ewes' requirements and especially when hays of high metabolizable energy concentration are used. The ease of changing the values of the inputs and the speed of the ration formation enable any number of rations to be formulated quickly for a range of hays and individual conditions.

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

1971 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. Crabtree ◽  
G. L. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Weight Changes ◽  
Ewe Lambs ◽  
Unit Increase ◽  
Level 3 ◽  
Voluntary Intake ◽  
Four Levels ◽  
Concentrate Level

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.

The apparent digestibility of Atriplex barclayana and its effect on nitrogen balance in sheep

1992 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 259-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. W. Benjamin ◽  
E. Oren ◽  
E. Katz ◽  
K. Becker
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Concentration ◽  
Latin Square ◽  
Nitrogen Retention ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Energy Concentration ◽  
Apparent Digestibility ◽  
The Mean

AbstractAn in vivo digestibility trial was conducted by feeding sheep the leaves, fruits and twigs of Atriplex barclayana in a proportion roughly equivalent to that eaten by sheep grazing freely in Atriplex plantations. Four treatments were imposed on each of four sheep in a 4 × 4 Latin-square experimental design: Atriplex offered alone or with 100, 200 or 300 g/day tapioca meal.The mean apparent digestibility of the Atriplex dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) consumed were 0·59 and 0·56, respectively. Addition of tapioca to the Atriplex in the diet did not improve these digestibility coefficients. The low OM content of 760 g/kg together with its digestibility of 0·56 resulted in the Atriplex having a low metabolizable energy concentration of 6·28 MJ per kg DM. The in vitro apparent DM digestibility of Atriplex was approximately 0·09 higher than the in vivo apparent digestibility.The mean nitrogen concentration of the Atriplex DM was 16·6 g/kg, and its apparent digestibility 0·73, which was not improved by the addition of tapioca to the diet. Nitrogen retention of the sheep eating only Atriplex was proportionately 0·17 of the nitrogen intake. The addition of 300 g tapioca improved nitrogen retention to 0·27 but was not significantly different from the other treatments.Water intake and urine excreted were as high as 14 and 12 I/day respectively, for an Atriplex DM intake of about 1300 g/day. During the experiment the sheep only maintained live weight, despite daily intakes of up to 1200 g Atriplex DM and up to 300 g tapioca.

The effect of dietary metabolizable energy concentration upon the pre- and post-weaning performance of growing rabbits

1983 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 229-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine Butcher ◽  
M. J. Bryant ◽  
E. Owen ◽  
I. Leach ◽  
D. H. Machin
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Post Partum ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Energy Concentration ◽  
Adaptation Period ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Weight Gains

ABSTRACTTwenty-five Californian does were mated and given pelleted diets of either 8(LE) or 10(HE) MJ/kg dry matter (ruminant metabolizable energy values) throughout gestation and lactation. Litter sizes were adjusted to six offspring per doe. Milk yield was estimated from the weight differences of the litters before and after suckling, when the opportunity for nursing was confined to once daily. The young rabbits were allowed access to either the LE or HE diets from 18 days of age. Weaning took place at 32 days of age when four rabbits from each doe grouP × pre-weaning diet were slaughtered. Diet had no effect on litter size or birth weight, but does on the LE diet had lower live weights post partum (P < 0·05). Dry-matter consumption by the does on the LE diet was greater than for the HE diet (P < 0·05) both during gestation and lactation, but calculated metabolizable energy intakes were lower during lactation. There were no statistically significant differences between treatments for milk yield or live-weight gain to weaning and dry-matter intakes of the young at weaning, but daily live-weight gain from fostering to 18 days of age was greater for litters of does fed the HE rather than the LE diet (P < 0·05). There were no statistically significant differences between diets for carcass traits at weaning.After weaning, 32 rabbits were given either the LE or HE diet until 2 kg live weight when they were slaughtered. A post-weaning × pre-weaning diet interaction (P < 0·05) occurred for live weights of the rabbits at the start of the post-weaning trial (i.e. after a 10-day adaptation period) with LE: LE rabbits being lighter than other rabbits as a results of poor live-weight gains during the adaptation period. Live-weight gains to slaughter were greater for the pre-weaning LE diet (P < 0·05) and the post-weaning HE diet (P < 0·01), although dry-matter intakes of the HE diet were less (P < 0·05). Rabbits on the LE diet had greater empty gut weights (P < 0·05) and lighter livers (P < 0·05) at slaughter.

Nutrition of the early-weaned calf. XI. Intake of diets differing in energy concentration

1970 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 413-418 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Kay ◽  
N. A. MacLeod ◽  
Margaret McLaren
Keyword(s):  
Energy Intake ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Low Energy ◽  
Energy Ratio ◽  
Dry Matter Intake ◽  
Energy Concentration ◽  
Dry Matter Digestibility ◽  
Low Energy Diet

SUMMARY1. A growth and digestibility trial was carried out with 27 British Friesian calves given diets having either 3·1, 2·8 or 2·4 Meal metabolizable energy per kg dry matter and either the same concentration of protein or the same protein-to-energy ratio.2. Daily dry-matter intake and rate of gain in live weight increased significantly as the energy concentration of the diet was reduced. There were no significant differences in digestible-energy intake between calves given the different diets, although the trend was the same as for dry-matter intake.3. Both dry-matter digestibility and energy digestibility were lowest for the low-energy diet.

Effect of phytase supplementation with two levels of phosphorus diets on ileal and faecal digestibilities of nutrients and phosphorus, calcium, nitrogen and energy balances in growing pigs

2005 ◽  
Vol 81 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Z. Fan ◽  
T. J. Li ◽  
Y. L. Yin ◽  
R. J. Fang ◽  
Z. Y. Tang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Live Weight ◽  
Basal Diet ◽  
Growing Pigs ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Energy Output ◽  
Energy Concentration ◽  
Total Output ◽  
Large White ◽  
Ileal Digestibility ◽  
Energy Balances

AbstractThe experiment was conducted to assess the effects of phytase supplementation to diets with two levels of phosphorus (P) on ileal and faecal digestibility of nutrients and phosphorus, calcium, nitrogen and energy balances in growing pigs. Fifteen Landrace × Large White × Chinese Black barrows, with an initial live weight of 22·2 kg fitted with a simple T-cannula at the distal ileum, were randomly allocated to one of the five diet treatments, according to a of cross-over design with two periods. The basal diet was typical of southern Asia with maize/rice and rapeseed/cottonseed meals. A normal (NP, supplemented with 4·8 g/kg of CaHPO4) and a low-P diet (LP, not supplemented with CaHPO4) were formulated. Both of the diets were supplemented with and without Natuphos® Phytase (500 phytase units (FTU) per kg diet). An enzyme hydrolysed casein (EHC) diet (diet 5) was also formulated to determine the flow of the ileal endogenous amino acids (AA). The results showed that both the higher level P treatment and phytase supplementation increased (P < 0·05) the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP) and energy. Phytase supplementation also increased (P < 0·05) the AID of Ca and P. Pigs given the higher level of P or the phytase diet increased apparent faecal digestibility (AFD) of DM, OM and energy. Phytase supplementation reduced (P < 0·01) faecal Ca output and increased (P < 0·05) proportional Ca retention. The higher level of P increased (P < 0·001) total P intake and P retention (P < 0·05) but did not affect the proportion of P retained (P > 0·05). Phytase supplementation did not affect P balance (P > 0·05). Pigs given the higher level P or the phytase diet had reduced (P < 0·05) faecal energy concentration, although there was no affect on urine energy output, digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME). However, there were P × phytase effects on DE and ME (P < 0·05). There were no P × phytase effects (P > 0·05) on AID of AA except with isoleucine (P < 0·01). Phytase supplementation increased (P < 0·05) AID of histidine, isoleucine, threonine and glutamine and there was a numeric increase in AID for most of the other AA. There was P × phytase effect on AFD of histidine (P < 0·05), isoleucine (P < 0·05), methionine (P < 0·05) and threonine (P < 0·01). Phytase supplementation increased the AFD of isoleucine (P < 0·05), threonine (P < 0·01) and tended to increase AFD of tyrosine (P < 0·05). The level of MCP affected the AFD of lysine (P < 0·01), threonine (P < 0·05), aspartic acid (P < 0·05). Phytase supplementation increased true ileal digestibility of histidine (P < 0·05), isoleucine (P < 0·001), threonine (P = 0·001), glutamine (P < 0·01), respectively. These results indicate that phytase used in the present study was able to improve the utilization of DM, OM, CP, Ca, P, energy and amino acid in a maize/rice and rapeseed/cottonseed meal based diet and reduce total output of them in manure.

Protein requirements of male cattle fattened on diets differing in energy concentrations

1980 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Levy ◽  
Z. Holzer ◽  
Y. Folman ◽  
M. Bleiberg ◽  
D. Ilan
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Protein Content ◽  
Crude Protein ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Energy Concentration ◽  
Crude Protein Content ◽  
Live Weight Gain

ABSTRACTThe effects of three levels of crude protein in the diet, 10, 12 and 14 %, on the performance of entire Israeli Friesian male cattle (bulls) during fattening, was studied in two experiments.The bulls were 5 months old and 200 kg live weight, and 7·5 months and 250 kg, at the start of Experiments 1 and 2, respectively, and were slaughtered after 178 to 268 days (Experiment 1) or 156 to 166 days (Experiment 2) on trial, at a live weight of 430 to 480 kg.In Experiment 1 mixed diets of two metabolizable energy concentrations (11·1 and 10·5 MJ metabolizable energy/kg dry matter) were used, each containing concentrates with 10, 12 or 14% crude protein content. In half of the treatments the crude protein content of the concentrate was increased by two percentage units for the first 61 days of the experiment. Daily live-weight gain was significantly higher at 14% and 16% crude protein than at 10% and 12% crude protein during the first 61 days for animals on the high energy diet, but liveweight gain was not affected by crude protein content on the low energy diet over this period, or at either energy concentration from 62 days to slaughter.In Experiment 2 the diet consisted of concentrate, wheat straw and cotton hulls, giving a metabolizable energy concentration of approximately 10·55 MJ/kg dry matter. Daily live-weight gain did not differ significantly between concentrates containing 10, 12 or 14% crude protein, but carcass weight gain was higher at 12% and 14% crude protein than at 10% crude protein.It is concluded that in order to ensure the best performance of bulls of the Israeli Friesian breed, diets with a high concentration of energy should contain 14% crude protein when fed to animals with a body weight of 200 to 300 kg, and 12% crude protein for heavier animals.

scholarly journals Tactical decisions of concentrate level, slaughter age and carcass weight of bulls of five beef breeds under Norwegian conditions

2008 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 101 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. BONESMO ◽  
L. NORDANG ◽  
L. DAVIES
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Energy Concentration ◽  
Net Energy ◽  
Beef Production ◽  
New Production ◽  
Daily Return ◽  
Slaughter Age ◽  
Concentrate Level

Beef production based on suckler cow breeds is a relatively new production system in Norway as in most Nordic countries. To ensure the continuation of this production, profitable management practices designed for Norwegian conditions have to be established. Thus a simulation model was developed that integrates the daily feed intake, the daily live weight (LW) gain, silage net energy concentration for beef production (feed units beef (FUb) kg?1 dry matter) and price, concentrate level and price, and carcass price for bulls of the country's five most common beef breeds. In this work the model was combined with production statistics to find general recommendations in the finishing of beef bulls under Norwegian conditions. Among all the five breeds the Limousin bulls had the highest estimated mean daily return and the Hereford bulls the lowest estimated mean daily return from 20 g concentrate kg?1 LW0.75 for the 940 FUb kg?1 silage dry matter, and from 40 g concentrate kg?1 LW0.75 for the 800 FUb kg?1 silage dry matter. Our estimated optimal slaughter ages and carcass weights shows that it pays to more intensively feed during the finishing period for all five breeds. Current farming practice in Norway for the five major breeds studied is that slaughter age is at least two months later with lighter carcass weights than the results expected from following our model estimated recommendations.

The effect of concentrate level on the intake of hays by ewes in late pregnancy

1984 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. J. Orr ◽  
T. T. Treacher
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Late Pregnancy ◽  
Predictive Equation ◽  
Fresh Weight ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
Organic Matter Digestibility ◽  
Concentrate Level ◽  
Weight Number

ABSTRACTIn two experiments, ewes carrying two, three or four foetuses were offered restricted amounts of concentrates in the range 0 to 1050 g fresh weight per day and hay ad libitum from day 105 of pregnancy until lambing. The replacement rates of concentrates for forage were similar for both Teeswater × Dalesbred and Finnish Landrace × Dorset Horn ewes in experiment 1 (mean −0·63) when the ewes were offered hay which had an organic matter digestibility (OMD) in vitro of 0·56. There was no significant effect of number of foetuses carried on hay intake. As pregnancy progressed, hay intake increased slightly when hay alone was given and decreased at the higher levels of concentrates.In experiment 2, hay intake by Finnish Landrace × Dorset Horn ewes was significantly higher when hay of higher digestibility was offered (0·52, 0·69 and 0·84 OMD) and decreased when higher levels of concentrates were given. Ewes carrying two foetuses ate more than ewes with three or four foetuses particularly when hay was offered as the sole food. Generally, hay intake decreased as pregnancy progressed and this was more evident when concentrates were offered.A predictive equation is given to enable hay intake to be derived from hay digestibility, concentrate level, ewe live weight, number of foetuses carried and week of pregnancy.

The utilization of dietary energy by steers during periods of restricted food intake and subsequent realimentation

1977 ◽  
Vol 88 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. P. Ledger
Keyword(s):  
Food Intake ◽  
Energy Cost ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Energy Concentration ◽  
Standard Diet ◽  
Dietary Energy ◽  
Additional Energy ◽  
Total Distance ◽  
Daily Energy

SUMMARYAn investigation was carried out to determine the daily energy intakes necessary to maintain, the live weights of ‘maintenance-stabilized’ steers (i.e. those held at constant live weight in pens for not less than 15 weeks) when walked at 5 km/h for distances of 5, 10 and 15 km/day.The experiment utilized groups of Boran Zebu and Hereford × Boran Zebu steers at live weights of 275 and 450 kg.Fed a standard diet of energy concentration 10·477 MJ metabolizable energy (ME)/kg D.M. it was found that the Hereford × Boran steers required significantly less food per day, at both live weights, than did the Borans to maintain live weight when walking distances of 15 km/day.Based on the data relating to the total distance walked of 1120 km in 133 days it was calculated that the additional energy cost of maintaining live weight when walking was close to 4·184 kJ ME/kg/km walked. The efficiency of conversion of ME for walking was 50%.For ‘maintenance-stabilized’ steers it was calculated that the 275 kg steers required 24, 49 and 73% more daily D.M. intake and the 450 kg steers 34, 69 and 97% more daily D.M. intake when walked 5, 10 and 15 km/day respectively than would have been the case if they had been kept inactive in pens.

Effect of inclusion of protected and unprotected tallow in the supplement on the performance of lactating dairy cows

1983 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. J. Murphy ◽  
D. J. Morgan
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Control Diet ◽  
Latin Square ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Energy Concentration ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Bean Meal ◽  
Soya Bean Meal ◽  
Spray Dried

ABSTRACTThree concentrate mixtures were compared in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square feeding trial with cows in early lactation to evaluate the effect of inclusion of tallow. The concentrates were based on barley and soya bean meal (223 g crude protein per kg dry matter) with either no tallow addition (control group) or with the addition of a protected tallow premix (0·75 spray-dried formaldehyde-treated tallow, 0·25 casein) or an unprotected tallow premix (0·75 spray-dried tallow, 0·25 casein), both added at 138 g/kg. Each concentrate was given at a rate of 8 kg per cow per day and silage was offered ad libitum. The inclusion of unprotected tallow in the concentrate did not significantly change milk yield, fat concentration, lactose concentration or live weight compared with those in the control group. The inclusion of the protected tallow supplement resulted in significantly higher yields of milk (22·9 kg/day), fat (0·95 kg/day) and lactose (1·05 kg/day) compared with those of the control group (21·3 kg/day, 0·79 kg/day, 0·95 kg/day), whilst milk protein concentration was significantly reduced. A digestibility trial with steers showed that, when hay was given with the diets, inclusion of tallow in the concentrate significantly increased the digestible and metabolizable energy concentration of the diets compared with the control diet, but dry matter, energy and fibre digestibility was reduced.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document