The effects of castration and of the poll gene on prime lamb production

1964 ◽  
Vol 4 (15) ◽  
pp. 386 ◽  
Author(s):  
WA Pattie ◽  
AC Godlee ◽  
PE Bouton

During 1961 and 1962 experiments were conducted at Tamworth Agricultural Research Station to evaluate the effect of several castration treatments and of the poll gene on prime lamb production. Ram lambs and lambs sterilized by removal of the cauda epididymis had significantly heavier live weights at 16 weeks of age than did partially castrated lambs (half of each testis removed). These in turn were significantly heavier than wethers and ewes. Among single lambs, rams and sterilized rams had carcasses that were nine per cent heavier than those of wether and ewe lambs (P<0.01). With twins this difference was reduced to 1.3 per cent for wethers (n.s.) and eight per cent for ewes (P<0.05). The average carcass weight of partially castrated lambs was between these two groups. Mean horn volumes and preputial adhesion scores suggested that these lambs had less endogenous androgen than rams and sterilized lambs. All single lamb carcasses were classed as First Grade. There were no significant differences in the number of twin lambs that were down-graded in each treatment. Fifty-four per cent of the ram and sterilized ram carcasses were classed as Ram and would be subject to a price penalty regardless of their carcass grade. Taste panel tests of meat from the hind legs of wether and sterilized ram carcasses showed that the sterilized ram meat was slightly more acceptable. There were no significant differences in live weight, carcass weight or carcass grade between polled and horned lambs.

1999 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. F. Carson ◽  
B. W. Moss ◽  
R. W. J. Steen ◽  
D. J. Kilpatrick

AbstractThis study investigated the effects of the percentage of Texel or Rouge de l’Ouest (Rouge) genes in lambs (0, 50, 75 or 100%; the remainder being Greyface (Border Leicester × Scottish Blackface)) on lamb carcass characteristics and meat quality. Ewe lambs were slaughtered at 34, 40, 46 and 52 kg and ram lambs were slaughtered at 40, 46, 52 and 58 kg live weight. Dressing proportion increased (P < 0·001) by 0·53 and 0·27 g carcass weight per kg live weight for each 1% increase in Texel or Rouge genes respectively. Carcass conformation classification increased (P < 0·001) by 0·016 and 0·007 units (on a five-point scale) for each 1% increase in Texel or Rouge genes respectively. Carcass fat depth measures were reduced by Texel and Rouge genes such that at a constant fat depth end point, carcass weight could be increased by 0·029 and 0·023 kg for each 1% increase in Texel or Rouge genes. Carcass lean content increased (P < 0·001) by 0·99 and 0·27 g/kg for each 1% increase in Texel or Rouge genes. Subcutaneous fat content was reduced (P < 0·001) by 0·36 and 0·29 g/kg for each 1% increase in Texel or Rouge genes. Intermuscular fat content was reduced (P < 0·01) by 0·38 g/kg per 1% increase in Texel genes, whereas Rouge genes had no effect. Similarly, bone content was reduced (P < 0·01) by Texel genes only (0·31 g/kg per 1% increase in Texel genes). Warner-Bratzler shear force values showed a quadratic effect with increasing Texel and Rouge genes, with an initial decrease from 0 to 50% followed by an increase to 100%. Cooking loss increased (P = 0·05) as the percentage of Rouge genes in lambs increased. Increasing the percentage of Texel or Rouge genes significantly increased L* values (P < 0·01 and P < 0·05 respectively), b* values (P = 0·05 and P< 0·05 respectively) and H° values (P < 0·001).


1966 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. C. Everitt ◽  
K. E. Jury

The influence of sex and gonadectomy on liveweight growth and its components was examined in a comparative slaughter experiment using Southdown – Romney cross lambs run under New Zealand pastoral feeding conditions.Twenty ram lambs were castrated and 20 ewe lambs spayed at docking, at approximately 4 weeks of age. Ten ram and 10 ewe lambs were killed at this age and 5 lambs from each of the four ‘sexes’ (entire and gonadectomized, male and female) were killed 4, 8,12 and 24 weeks after docking.Live-weight gain was higher for males than females and higher for entire than gonadectomized lambs, with some evidence of a greater depression in growth associated with castration than spaying. Effects on carcass weight followed those on live weight; weights for entire rams, wethers, entire and spayed ewes were 16.92, 14.72, 14.02 and 12.46 kg. respectively at approximately 7 months of age.


1984 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 104-104
Author(s):  
B. W. Butler-Hogg

Improving the efficiency of lean meat production is a major objective of producers. With cattle and, particularly, pigs, this has resulted in an increase in the use of entire male animals but not apparently so in the sheep sector, despite similar advantages. Ram lambs have traditionally been castrated for ease of management, particularly when they are ‘stored’ during winter. However, in early maturing breeds which can be finished off grass, considerable advantages may be gained from leaving ram lambs intact.In a trial which examined growth, composition and the eating quality of meat in 15 rams and 15 ewes of the Dorset Down breed (noted for early maturity), there were clear advantages in favour of the rams. In particular, ram lambs grew 28g/day faster on average than ewes, taking 2 weeks less to achieve 35 kg live weight. At the mean carcass weight of 16.8 kg, rams contained more lean (42 g) and bone (20 g) per kg carcass weight but less subcutaneous fat (33 g), intermuscular fat (28 g) and KKCF (kidney knob and channel fat) (13 g).


2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 51
Author(s):  
R Chitra, P Hemalatha

The initial growth of turmeric is rather slow and takes about 4-5 months to cover the inter space. Therefore, the available space between the rows of turmeric could be effectively utilized by growing short duration crops like, vegetables, cereals etc. Hence, it is worthwhile to explore the possibilities of growing compatible crops with turmeric. With this background the experiment on effect of intercrops on growth and yield of turmeric was conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Bhavanisagar. Among the different intercrops, turmeric with cowpea recorded the maximum fresh rhizome yield per hectare (30.78 t ha-1) while turmeric + bhendi registered the maximum B:C ratio (2.68:1). Monocropping of turmeric recorded the lowest B:C ratio (1.67:1) among all the treatments.  


2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
SUDHEENDRA A. ASHTAPUTRE

A field experiment was conducted during kharif, 2005 at Agricultural Research station, Devihosur, Haveri, Karnataka to assess the progress of powdery mildew at different time interval of sowing dates. Totally 20 different dates of sowings were imposed in the experiment at an interval of 10 days. The crop sown on last week of May to mid of June recorded minimum disease severity compared to rest of the date of sowings. This clearly indicated that crop sown during this period suffers less, which may be due to low inoculum potential, whereas late sown crop suffers more because of the readily available inoculum in the early sown crops. Low disease severity in last week of May to mid of June sowing may be attributed to the non-congenial weather factors for the development of the disease.


Author(s):  
Kasthuri Rajamani ◽  
A. Madhavi ◽  
T. Srijaya ◽  
P. Surendra Babu ◽  
Pradip Dey

Field experiments were conducted from 2015-16 to 2017-18 on a Typic Rhodustalfs (Alfisol) soils of Telangana at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Palem, Nagarkurnool, Southern Telangana Zone, India to validate targeted yield based fertilizer prescription equations which developed for hybrid castor by adopting eight treatments viz., Blanket recommendation (100% RDF:80:40:30 kg N, P2O5 and K2O ha-1), Blanket+5 t ha-1 of vermin-compost (VC), STCR-Target yield with NPK alone at 25q ha-1, STCR-Target yield with IPNS at 25q ha-1, STCR-Target yield with NPK alone at 30q ha-1, STCR-Target yield with IPNS at 30q ha-1, Farmer’s practice (40:20:0kg N, P2O5 and K2O ha-1) and Absolute control (without inorganic and organic fertilizers). The findings of these test verification trials clearly revealed that the percent achievement of the aimed yield target was within + 10 percent variation confirming the validity of the equations. Using STCR-NPK@25 and 30q ha-1 recorded significantly higher seed (20.74 and 22.30q ha-1) and stalk (24.63 and 26.36q ha-1) yield over blanket recommendation (19.40 and 23.13 q ha-1), while STCR-IPNS at 25 and 30 q ha-1recorde relatively higher seed (20.98 and 22.69q ha-1) and stalk (25.88 and 27.13q ha-1) yield over STCR-NPK alone treatments. The magnitude of built-up was higher with STCR-IPNS treatments as compared to STCR-NPK alone, blanket recommendations, farmer’s practice and absolute control.


1970 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 227-232
Author(s):  
ZA Firoz ◽  
MM Zaman ◽  
MS Uddin ◽  
MH Akand

An experiment was conducted at the Hill Agricultural Research Station, Khagrachari from September 2002 to February 2003 to find out the effect of mulching method (Mulching one month before planting, mulching just after planting and no mulching) and planting times (01 October, 16 October and 01 November) on the yield and yield attributes of tomato in hill slope. The highest yield (21.43 t/ha) was obtained from plant where mulch was given one month before planting. Among three planting times, the highest yield (15.27 t/ha) was obtained from 01 October planting. In case of combined effect, mulching one month before planting with 01 October planting produced the highest yield (28.06 t/ha) of tomato in hill slope. Key Words: Mulching; planting time; tomato yield; hill slope.  DOI: 10.3329/bjar.v34i2.5793Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 34(2): 227-232, June 2009


1975 ◽  
Vol 12 (S1) ◽  
pp. 9-16
Author(s):  
W. G. Cochran

A selection of Bartlett's work as an operating statistician in his first position as statistician 1934–38 at the I.C.I. agricultural research station at Jealott's Hill, Berks., is described. This illustrates some of the methods he used for the efficient detection of treatment effects and for an appraisal of the suitability of the experimental designs that were being used.


2017 ◽  
pp. 39-44
Author(s):  
R. Smitha ◽  
P. Rajendran ◽  
P.T. Sandhya ◽  
V.S. Aparna ◽  
P.C. Rajees

1994 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 365-372 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Mahgoub ◽  
G. A. Lodge

AbstractForty-five local Omani ram, wether and ewe lambs were reared from birth until slaughter at 18, 28 or 38 kg live weight (five of each ‘sex’ at each weight group) on an ad libitum concentrate diet and Rhodesgrass hay.Ram lambs grew faster from birth and reached predetermined slaughter weights earlier than wether and ewe lambs. At 28 kg live weight, ram lambs had: heavier heads, feet, reticulo-rumens and livers; higher muscle and bone and lower fat proportions in the carcass; lower muscle: bone and higher muscle: fat ratios; higher proportions of carcass but lower non-carcass fat than had wether and ewe lambs. The head, feet, alimentary tract, liver and heart of Omani sheep grew at a lower rate; the skin grew at a similar rate and the carcass grew at a rate faster than empty body weight (EBW). Relative to EBW, muscle grew at a similar rate, fat faster and bone slower. Both carcass and non-carcass fats grew at a rate higher than that of the growth of EBW, with non-carcass fat growing at a higher rate than that of carcass fat. The growth rate of omental fat was the fastest followed by kidney, mesenteric, subcutaneous, tail, scrotal, intermuscular and pelvic fats respectively.This study demonstrated that Omani sheep have good potential for growth if they are managed and fed satisfactorily. Omani sheep are early maturing for which reason it is recommended that they be slaughtered at lighter weights to avoid higher fat content in the carcass. Castration in Omani sheep is not recommended for production of meat lambs under intensive systems as it resulted in reduced growth rates and deposition of excess fat at lower slaughter weights.


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