The effect of pregnancy in heifers on voluntary intake, total rumen contents, digestibility and rate of passage

1969 ◽  
Vol 9 (40) ◽  
pp. 493 ◽  
Author(s):  
JL Lamberth
Keyword(s):  
Food Intake ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Late Pregnancy ◽  
Dry Matter Digestibility ◽  
Food Particles ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Voluntary Intake ◽  
Food Residues ◽  
Sorghum Silage ◽  
Voluntary Food Intake

In two experiments using twin heifers with one of each pair pregnant, the effect of advanced pregnancy on the voluntary food intake, dry matter digestibility and rate of passage of food residues, was studied. In the first experiment sorghum silage was fed ad lib. In the second experiment lucerne chaff was fed at ad lib. and restricted levels and, in addition to the measurements listed above, the quantity of reticulo-rumen contents was determined in each animal. In both experiments each of the pregnant heifers ate less than their non-pregnant CO-twins, and, on analysis of all the data on ad lib. feeding, the differences were significant (P<0.01). The mean coefficients of dry matter digestibility for the pregnant heifers were significantly (P<0.01) less than those for non-pregnant heifers. This caused a significantly (P<0.01) lower intake of digestible dry matter by the pregnant heifers. Measurements of the contents of the reticulo-rumen and the rate of passage of food particles gave inconclusive results. These experiments demonstrated that there was a depression of voluntary intake in late pregnancy the cause of which is not known. This would be nutritionally significant only when the quality and voluntary intake of food were marginal.

The effects of pregnancy of the passage of food through the digestive tract of sheep

1962 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 894 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graham N McC ◽  
AJ Williams
Keyword(s):  
Food Intake ◽  
Digestive Tract ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Late Pregnancy ◽  
Daily Food Intake ◽  
Mean Retention Time ◽  
Daily Food ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Food Residues ◽  
Four Levels

The rate of passage of food residues through the digestive tract of pregnant and non-pregnant Merino ewes was measured at four levels of feeding. The passage of digesta became more rapid as the level of feeding was increased, or, the intake being constant, as pregnancy advanced. The mean retention time fell by 3 hr per 100 g increase of food intake, and by 1 to 1½ hr per 100 g increase of estimated weight of concepta at constant intake. The digesta increased by about 150 g dry matter (depending on level of feeding) per 100 g increase of daily food intake and fell by about 150 g per 1000 g increase of estimated weight of concepta. Two alternative explanations of the changes of rate of passage during pregnancy are discussed. While reduction of the quantity of digesta by the increasing bulk of the uterus would tend to curtail appetite, increase of the flow of digesta as a physiological side-effect of pregnancy would tend to enhance appetite. In either case, more rapid passage of digesta would depress the digestibility of some rations and so contribute to undernutrition in late pregnancy.

Voluntary food intake in relation to body weight among British breeds of cattle

1986 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
St C. S. Taylor ◽  
A. J. Moore ◽  
R. B. Thiessen
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Food Intake ◽  
Linear Regression ◽  
Regression Coefficient ◽  
Natural Logarithm ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Voluntary Intake ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Voluntary Food Intake

ABSTRACTVoluntary food intake and body weight were examined over 4-week intervals between 14 and 70 weeks of age in 306 females from 25 British breeds of cattle. At each age, the relationship of the natural logarithm of voluntary food intake to that of body weight was examined by linear regression both within and between breeds.Of the total variation in voluntary food intake, the proportion accounted for by body weight was extremely high between breeds (phenotypically, 0·80 or more; genetically 0·88 or more, at most ages) but phenotypically low within breeds (0·33 or less). The mean voluntary intake of a breed at any age could be predicted from its mean body weight at the same age with a coefficient of variation (CV) among breeds that declined with age from 0·08 to 0·04. Within breeds, the corresponding CV for individual intake was between 0·12 and 0·15 beyond 9 months of age, and even higher at early ages.Within breeds, the regression coefficient of log intake on log body weight was close to the value of 0·7 at all ages. Between breeds, it was over 0·8 at early ages, declining to about 0·7 beyond 1 year of age. Thus, genetically larger breeds voluntarily consumed relatively more food at early ages compared with later ages. Breed size should therefore be taken into account when recommending food intake requirements. Breed deviations for high and low appetite are discussed.

Pattern of intake of three roughage diets by non-pregnant, non-lactating Scottish Blackface ewes over a long period and the effects of previous nutritional history on current intake

1978 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet Z. Foot ◽  
A. J. F. Russel
Keyword(s):  
Food Intake ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Tritiated Water ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Dry Matter Digestibility ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Voluntary Intake ◽  
Positive Effect ◽  
Water Space

ABSTRACTThe voluntary intake of two hays and one dried grass by 48 mature non-pregnant Blackface ewes was measured for 33 weeks. The apparent dry-matter digestibility coefficients of the diets in vitro were 59, 61 and 77% respectively for the hays and the dried grass. At the end of the first phase of the experiment each group of 16 ewes was split into two subgroups of five animals, each of which was subsequently given one of the other diets, and one subgroup of six animals which remained on the same diet. Food intake was measured for a further 8 weeks. Body fat was estimated at intervals from tritiated water space.The amount of variation in voluntary food intake that could be attributed to variation in live weight and fatness of the animals and in apparent dry-matter digestibility and cell wall constituents of the diet was calculated for various periods.The range of live weight and fatness increased during the experiment. Initially, and after the change in diets, variation in apparent dry-matter digestibility had an important positive effect on intake, but at the end of the 33-week phase its influence was negligible or, when fat weight was not considered, negative. The negative effect of fat weight on intake increased during the experiment.Within individual diets during short periods of time (1 to 5 weeks) the highest proportions of the variation in intake that could be attributed to variation in live weight and fatness of the ewes were 50, 94 and 65% respectively for the hays and the dried grass. Taking all three diets together all the variables considered could explain 75% of the variation for a few weeks at a time, but for longer periods seasonal influences, and other factors not included among the independent variables, probably operated.

The digestibility and voluntary intake by sheep of six tropical grasses

1972 ◽  
Vol 12 (54) ◽  
pp. 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
DJ Minson
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Stages Of Growth ◽  
Dry Matter Digestibility ◽  
Digitaria Decumbens ◽  
Chloris Gayana ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Voluntary Intake ◽  
The Difference

The digestibility and voluntary intake of Chloris gayana, Digitaria decumbens, Panicimum maximum var tricboglume, Paspalm dilatatum, Pennisetm Clanhtinum, and Setaria splendih were measured with sheep in metabolism pens. All grasses were grown under the same conditions and cut at the same time. Each grass was cut after growing for 28, 70, and 98 days in the summer and then again (except for P. dilatatum) after 42, 70, and 105 days in the following autumn. Four successive 28-day regrowths of each grass (two cuts only for P. dilatatum) were also harvested during the summer. All 55 cuts were artificially dried and fed at the same time, each cut being fed to eight sheep. Differences in dry matter and organic matter digestibility between grass species were relatively small with a maximum mean difference of six digestibility units between S. splendida and P. clandestinzrm. For the 28-day regrowths S. splendida was 5.1 digestibility units higher but with the more mature regrowths the difference was 6.8 digestibility units. The mean voluntary intake of dry matter of S. splendida and P. clandestinum was 9 and 11 per cent lower than that of D. decmbens (P<0.01) with the largest differences in voluntary intake between grasses occurring at the mature stages of growth. Large differences were found between grass species in both the slope and intercept of regressions relating voluntary intake to dry matter digestibility.

scholarly journals Palatability of two artificial feeds for reindeer

Rangifer ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
Arne Rognmo ◽  
Karstein Bye
Keyword(s):  
Food Intake ◽  
Waste Product ◽  
Artificial Diets ◽  
Mixed Feed ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
Voluntary Intake ◽  
Mill Waste ◽  
Voluntary Food Intake

Two groups of 15 reindeer were used to test the palatability of two artificial diets. None of the animals had experienced the diets before. Trials were carried out from April to mid May. Each group of animals was kept in a separate corral (600 sq. meters). Both groups were fed lichens for three days befort trials began. Then they were offered a concentrate feed (RF-80) or &laquo;Mill Waste Product&raquo; (MWP) ad libitum. Both groups ate little or nothing for the first three days of the trial and so lichens were mixed with the two experimental feeds. The mean voluntary food intake of the RF-80-group increased from 0.8 Kg/day/animal to 1.8 Kg/day/animal after three weeks. A mixed feed, RF-80/lichen, was only used the first day for animals in the RF-80 group. Reindeer refused to eat MWP for twelve days despite mixing it with lichens. They were then offered RF-80 ad lib. without a mixture of lichens. The mean voluntary intake of these animals increased from 1.3 Kg RF-80/day/animal on day 13 to 2.3 Kg/day/animal by day 26. Two calves in the MWP-group got diarrhoea after refeeding with RF-80.

A pilot study to estimate the intake of grass by ponies with restricted access to pasture

2005 ◽  
Vol 2005 ◽  
pp. 109-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. C. Ince ◽  
A. C. Longland ◽  
M. Moore-Colyer ◽  
C. J. Newbold ◽  
C. Drakley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Food Intake ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Physiological Status ◽  
Restricted Access ◽  
Voluntary Intake ◽  
Animal Size ◽  
Voluntary Food Intake

It has been shown that horses and ponies at pasture usually graze for 15-17 hours per day, and consume between 16 and 33g dry matter (DM) /kg live weight per day, depending on animal size and physiological status. However, many predominantly stabled horses have restricted access to pasture, often only 1-3 hours/day. There is no information on voluntary food intake (VFI) of horses under such regimens. Therefore the aim of this pilot study was to determine the voluntary intake of fresh herbage by ponies when their access to pasture was restricted.

Changes associated with pregnancy and lactation in some extra–reproductive organs of the ewe

1972 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 397-407 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. F. Fell ◽  
Rosa M. Campbell ◽  
W. S. Mackie ◽  
T. E. C. Weekes
Keyword(s):  
Small Intestine ◽  
Food Intake ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Late Pregnancy ◽  
Reproductive Organs ◽  
Reproductive Status ◽  
Maximum Weight ◽  
Pregnancy And Lactation ◽  
The Mean

SUMMARYThe food intake, the apparent digestibilities of dry matter, and of nitrogen were measured in housed Blackface ewes during late pregnancy, lactation, and after the lambs were weaned. The ewes were slaughtered serially together with non-breeding controls, and the liver, ruminal mucosa, intestines, CNS and carcass were weighed. In association with differing reproductive status marked changes occurred in the content of dry matter and protein in the alimentary organs, but not in the CNS, and the mean weight of DNA in the CNS for all the animals was 130 ± 20 (S.D.) mg.All of the alimentary organs became hypertrophied during lactation, and regressed after weaning. Maximum values for the liver and ruminal mucosa occurred in the sixth week of lactation, and were maintained until weaning. The small intestine reached maximum weight after 4 weeks of lactation.

EVALUATION OF TIMOTHY CULTIVARS FOR VOLUNTARY INTAKE AND NUTRIENT COMPONENTS

1988 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 1121-1129 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. N. MASON ◽  
P. M. FLIPOT
Keyword(s):  
Key Words ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Phleum Pratense ◽  
Dry Matter Intake ◽  
Dry Matter Yield ◽  
Dry Matter Digestibility ◽  
Flower Stage ◽  
Voluntary Intake ◽  
Phleum Pratense L

Five timothy (Phleum pratense L.) cultivars, Clair, Champ, Milton, Climax and Bounty, were harvested at first flower stage during 2 consecutive years and in the regrowth for 1 yr. The forages were each offered as hay to 15 young rams to evaluate voluntary intake. Five animals were used to determine initial harvest dry matter digestibility. The cultivars varied significantly in voluntary intake at first flower stage. The highest intake (g kg−0.75 d−1) averaged for the years was obtained in the early cultivar Champ (65.9), which was 10% more than that of the medium-late cultivar Climax. The cultivars did not differ significantly in dry matter digestibility. In the regrowth, the relative intakes of the cultivars were essentially reversed from that of the initial harvest. The voluntary intake was substantially higher but the differences among forages were less marked. Climax regrowth voluntary intake was higher (P < 0.05) than all cultivars, except Bounty. A 15% range in digestible dry matter intake was present among cultivars. The ranking of the culivars for digestible dry matter was different than for dry matter yield. Key words: Timothy, Phleum pratense L., voluntary intake, dry matter digestibility

Effects of nutrition in late pregnancy on subsequent milk production in Ewes

1970 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. T. Treacher
Keyword(s):  
Milk Production ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Late Pregnancy ◽  
Lower Content ◽  
Weight Changes ◽  
Total Birth ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
Voluntary Intake

SUMMARY1. Scottish Half-bred ewes carrying twin foetuses were fed individually to make live-weight gains in the last six weeks of pregnancy of (1) 20%, (2) 10% and (3) 0% of their live weight in week 14 of pregnancy. In lactation the ewes were fed ad libitum. The lambs were removed 12 to 16 hr after parturition and the ewes were machine-milked twice daily for the first six weeks of lactation.2. Total birth weights per ewe of twin lambs from the treatments were (1) 10·10 kg, (2) 9·44 kg and (3) 8·18 kg and differed significantly.3. The level and pattern of voluntary intake in lactation did not differ significantly between the treatments. Total dry-matter intakes in the six weeks of lactation were (1) 121·9 kg (2) 105·9 kg and (3) 109·5 kg.4. The pregnancy treatments affected the level of milk production and the shape of lactation curves. The total yields in the first six weeks of lactation were (1) 58·8 kg, (2) 43·5 kg and (3) 26·9 kg. Higher contents of fat and protein and the lower content of lactose in the milk from treatment-3 ewes on days 1 and 3 of lactation indicated a slower onset of lactation in these ewes. Between days 7 and 35 of lactation the contents of fat and SNF were lowest on treatment 3 but the differences were not significant.5. The live-weight changes in lactation, which were in inverse order to the gains in late pregnancy, were (1) 3·4 kg, (2) 5·5 kg and (3) 9·5 kg.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document