An assessment of immune and stress responsiveness in Holstein-Friesian cows selected for high and low feed conversion efficiency

2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 244 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. W. Aleri ◽  
B. C. Hine ◽  
M. F. Pyman ◽  
P. D. Mansell ◽  
W. J. Wales ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Plasma Cortisol ◽  
Significant Negative Correlation ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Immune Responsiveness ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Feed Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Holstein Friesian ◽  
Stress Responsiveness ◽  
Friesian Cows

The objective of this study was to assess the immune and stress responsiveness of cows identified as extremely high and low feed conversion efficiency phenotypes. The study utilised 16 Holstein-Friesian cows in their third to fourth lactation, and identified as having either extremely high (n = 8) or extremely low (n = 8) feed conversion efficiency. A commercial vaccine was used to induce measurable antibody- and cell-mediated adaptive immune responses and assess general immune responsiveness. Stress responsiveness was assessed by measuring changes in plasma cortisol concentrations in response to yarding and handling. No significant differences in antibody- or cell-mediated immune responsiveness were observed between the extreme high and low feed conversion efficiency phenotypes (P = 0.343 and 0.546, respectively). However, results suggested that plasma cortisol concentrations trended higher in the low feed conversion efficiency phenotype cows than their high feed conversion efficiency counterparts (P = 0.079) 48 h post-yarding and handling. A significant negative correlation was observed between antibody-mediated immune responsiveness and stress responsiveness (r = –0.44, P = 0.043) but not with cell-mediated immune responsiveness (r = 0.135, P = 0.309). This study provides preliminary evidence that cows selected for feed conversion efficiency may have improved stress-coping abilities and immune responsiveness.

Nitrogen-containing fertilisers restrict grain intake by cattle

1995 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 7
Author(s):  
GM Hough ◽  
GJ Sawyer ◽  
FJ Coupar ◽  
JE Baker ◽  
RJ Morris
Keyword(s):  
Ammonium Sulfate ◽  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Prior Exposure ◽  
Previous Exposure ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Feed Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Holstein Friesian ◽  
Average Intake ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
Supplement Intake

Supplements of barley, a barley-lupin mix (BL), or lupin grain containing urea plus ammonium sulfate (4% + 0.5%, low N; 6% + 1.0%, high N) were offered ad libitum to Holstein-Friesian steers. Supplement intake was restricted by increasing the amount of urea and ammonium sulfate (average intake of 1.7 and 1.4 kg DM/day.100 kg LW for cattle offered low and high N supplements). Supplement intakes were 14-56% greater than predicted from previous studies. Despite the high N content of the diet consumed by steers offered supplements containing lupin (up to 4.8% N with the high N supplement), feed conversion efficiency (FCE) of these cattle was better (P<0.01) than for cattle offered barley supplements (5.3, 5.8, 6.1 kg DM/kg LW gain for lupin, BL, barley). In another experiment, Holstein-Friesian steers offered grain immediately before an ad libitum supplement of barley containing 8% urea consumed 30-50% more grain than those without immediate prior exposure to grain. When the intakes of Holstein-Friesian steers offered ad libitum supplements of either barley or lupin containing either 8% urea or 5.7% diammonium phosphate (DAP) were compared, supplement intakes across grains averaged 1.3 and 0.6 kg DM/day. 100 kg LW. These levels of urea and DAP were predicted to result in similar intakes. However, to achieve a desired level of supplement intake, less DAP was required than urea. Both liveweight gain and FCE were 22-24% greater for cattle offered lupin than those offered barley supplements. Adding urea at 0, 0.5, or 1.0% to a barley supplement containing 4% DAP did not affect supplement or hay intakes by Holstein-Friesian steers, which averaged 0.8 and 1.7 kg DM/day.100 kg LW, respectively. Liveweight gain and FCE were increased by 25% by adding urea to a barley supplement containing DAP. Finally, 3 different methods of introducing a grain supplement containing DAP to Holstein-Friesian steers were compared: a 4-phase, 16-day introductory period; a 2-phase, 7-day introductory period; no introductory period. In steers with and without immediate prior exposure to grain, neither method of introduction nor previous exposure to grain affected supplement intake, liveweight gain, or FCE.

scholarly journals Evolution in Configuration and Productivity of New Zealand Hill Country Sheep and Beef Cattle Systems

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 531
Author(s):  
Januarius Gobilik ◽  
Stephen Todd Morris ◽  
Cory Matthew
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Beef Cattle ◽  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Metabolic Energy ◽  
Meat Production ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Feed Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Hill Country ◽  
Cattle Systems

Metabolic energy budgeting (MEB) was used to evaluate evolution over 30 years (1980–1981 to 2010–2011) in New Zealand southern North Island ‘hill country’ sheep and beef cattle systems. MEB calculates energy required by animals for body weight maintenance, weight gain or loss, pregnancy, and lactation to estimate the system feed demand and thereby provide a basis for calculating feed conversion efficiency. Historic production systems were reconstructed and modeled using averaged data from industry surveys and data from owners’ diaries of three case-study farms and reviewed for patterns of change over time. The modeling indicated that pasture productivity was 11% lower and herbage harvested was 14% lower in 2010–2011 than in the early 1980s. This productivity decline is attributable to warmer, drier summer weather in recent years. However, primarily through increased lambing percentage, feed conversion efficiency based on industry data improved over the study period from 25 to 19 kg feed consumed per kg lamb weaned, while meat production rose from 137 to 147 kg per ha per year. Similar improvements were observed for the three case farms. The New Zealand MEB model was found effective for analysis of tropical beef production systems in Sabah, Malaysia.

Heterozygous depletion of pik3r1 improves growth and feed conversion efficiency in Gibel carp (Carassius gibelio)

Aquaculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 737207
Author(s):  
Jianfei Huang ◽  
Chuang Shi ◽  
Yanping Gao ◽  
Jingzhi Su ◽  
Yuqin Shu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Gibel Carp ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Feed Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Carassius Gibelio

scholarly journals Effect of forage to concentrate ratio and duration of feeding on growth and feed conversion efficiency of male lambs

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 419-427 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noel A Claffey ◽  
Alan G Fahey ◽  
Vasiliki Gkarane ◽  
Aidan P Moloney ◽  
Frank J Monahan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Carcass Weight ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Fresh Weight ◽  
Viable Option ◽  
Financial Return ◽  
Feed Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Concentrate Inclusion

Abstract Rations (DM basis) for spring-born male lambs consisting of concentrates ad libitum (CON), 50:50 (50% concentrate:50% forage), and forage ad libitum (FORG) were evaluated across feeding periods of three durations (36, 54, and 72 d). Lambs on CON diets were offered ad libitum access to concentrate along with 400 g of fresh weight silage (daily), while 50:50 diets were offered 0.9 and 3.0 kg of concentrate and silage, respectively. Lambs on FORG were offered ad libitum access to 25.5% DM silage. These rations were fed to 99 spring-born male Texel cross Scottish Blackface lambs which were assigned to a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement. Lambs were slaughtered following completion of their respective treatments. Lambs fed CON diets had greater ADG, FCE, and carcass weight (P &lt; 0.001) and carcasses with greater conformation score (P &lt; 0.001) than lambs fed 50:50 or FORG diets. Duration of feeding had no effect on production variables across all three concentrate inclusion levels. It was concluded that the inclusion of concentrates is needed to adequately finish lambs fed indoors. Feeding lamb’s 50:50 diets resulted in modest responses and may be a viable option for finishing lambs or to maintain growth in lambs when the cost of concentrate feed is high relative to the financial return on the lamb meat.

scholarly journals Effects of feed intake and genetics on tissue nitrogen-15 enrichment and feed conversion efficiency in sheep1

2015 ◽  
Vol 93 (12) ◽  
pp. 5849-5855 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Cheng ◽  
C. M. Logan ◽  
R. J. Dewhurst ◽  
S. Hodge ◽  
H. Zhou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Feed Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Tissue Nitrogen

scholarly journals Feed Conversion Efficiency (FCE) in Relation to Reproductive Performance of Sow

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 2915-2919
Author(s):  
Kandarpa Boruah ◽  
Jitendra Saharia ◽  
Simson Soren ◽  
Karuna Saikia ◽  
Arindam Chakraborty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Feed Conversion Efficiency

scholarly journals Effect of Diatomaceous Earth on Growth Rate, Egg Production, Feed Conversion Efficiency and Parasitic Load in Hens Raised on Deep Litter

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-103
Author(s):  
Robert Alex Isabirye ◽  
Savino Biryomumaisho ◽  
James Okwee-Acai ◽  
Samuel Okello ◽  
George William Nasinyama
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Diatomaceous Earth ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Ascaridia Galli ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Indigenous Chicken ◽  
Feed Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Treatment Groups

The efficacy of diatomaceous earth (DE) on growth rate, egg production and on increasing feed conversion efficiency in deep litter raised layer hens was evaluated. The study was conducted at Mukono Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MUZARDI) in Uganda. Worms were collected from fresh intestines of indigenous chicken obtained from Kalerwe chicken market near Kampala. The DE was mined in Pakwach (formerly Nebbi) district in Northern Uganda. Chickens of the Lohmann Brown breed raised on deep litter were studied. At 7 weeks the birds were divided into 5 treatment groups, A, B, C, D and E each composed of 40 birds. Groups C, D and E were given an oral dose containing 250 embryonated eggs of A. galli while groups A and B were not infected. The chicks were weighed; and subjected to feeding trials as arranged below: A – Non-infected birds on DE (4%) supplemented diet; B –non-infected birds on neither piperazine (a conventional de-wormer) nor DE; C – infected birds on DE supplemented diet; D – infected birds on piperazine; and group E – infected birds on neither DE nor piperazine applied. Fecal samples were collected and analysed in the laboratory biweekly at week 16 till week 22 respectively for fecal egg counts. In a subsequent experiment, day-old layer chicks from Lohmann Brown strain but different from those used in earlier experiments, were used to assess the effect of DE on egg production. At 17 weeks of age the 420 were divided as follows: 6 treatment groups each having 7 replicates and each replicate having 10 birds. This study showed that DE can be used successfully in growing pullet diets to correct nutritional mineral imbalance since it supplies more than 14 trace elements and other elements. Diatomaceous earth also enables pullets to cope with Ascaridia galli load; and 2% DE supplementation did not have significant improvement on egg production as compared to no supplementation at all. However, reduction in egg production was experienced when supplementation with levels of DE higher that 2% was applied. Results from biweekly fecal analyses showed significant differences in fecal egg counts (p<0.05); and treatment by group (p<0.05).

Effect of hypothyroidism on growth performance, carcass composition and meat quality of fat-tailed Lori-Bakhtiari lambs

2015 ◽  
Vol 55 (10) ◽  
pp. 1324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yousef Baghcheghi ◽  
Ahmad Zare Shahneh ◽  
Mahdi Ganjkhanlou ◽  
Mahdi Khodaei Motlagh ◽  
Ali Reza Yousefi
Keyword(s):  
Growth Performance ◽  
Meat Quality ◽  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Shear Force ◽  
Carcass Composition ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Feed Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Mild Hypothyroidism ◽  
Plasma Triiodothyronine

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of induction hypothyroidism by propylthiouracil (PTU) on the growth performance and meat quality of fat-tailed Lori-Bakhtiari lambs. Eighteen Lori-Bakhtiari male lambs were randomly assigned to one of three groups (n = 6) and received daily treatments (gavage) consisting of 0 (Control: C), 10 (Low: L) or 20 (High: H) mg PTU/kg bodyweight/day for 60 days. PTU decreased plasma triiodothyronine and thyroxine concentration in both L and H (P < 0.0001). Lambs treated with PTU (L and H) had lower feed intake (P < 0.004), feed conversion efficiency (P < 0.003), and greater intramuscular fat than C lambs (P < 0.035). Meat from the L and H lambs had lower cooking loss and shear force, and also higher L* (lightness) than C lambs (P < 0.004, P < 0.015 and P < 0.025, respectively). The meat of H and L lambs was more tender than C lambs (P < 0.032). However, the meat of H lambs required fewer chews before swallowing than C lambs (P < 0.041). Generally, induction of mild hypothyroidism appeared to improve feed conversion efficiency and meat quality of lambs.

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