Genetic improvement of meat sheep. 3. Heritability of weaning weight of Dorset and Border Leicester sheep

1977 ◽  
Vol 17 (84) ◽  
pp. 38 ◽  
Author(s):  
IP Gregory ◽  
EM Roberts ◽  
JW James

The heritability of weaning weight, uncorrected and corrected by three different methods has been estimated from several Dorset properties and one Border Leicester property. The estimates varied greatly over properties. The half-sib heritabilities of uncorrected weaning weight exceeded those of all corrected weights in all properties but one and the reason was found to be non-random use of sires over the joining period. The pooled half-sib heritabilities of uncorrected weaning weight and weaning weight corrected by average daily gain, pooled regression and least squares were 0.27, 0.11, 0.15 and 0.18 respectively for the Dorsets and the corresponding estimates for the Border Leicester were 0.46, 0.20, 0.15 and 0.16 respectively. In the Dorsets the pooled heritabilities calculated by dam-offspring regression were 0.04, 0.06, 0.09 and 0.10 for uncorrecred weaning weight and weaning weight corrected by average daily gain, pooled regression and least squares respectively. There was no significant difference between the heritabilities of weaning weight corrected by least squares or pooled regression but the heritability of weaning weight corrected by least squares significantly exceeded that of weaning weight corrected by average daily gain.

1976 ◽  
Vol 16 (80) ◽  
pp. 325 ◽  
Author(s):  
IP Gregory ◽  
EM Roberts ◽  
JW James

Several methods of correcting lamb weaning weight for age were compared. Lambs were weighed at birth, at 90 � 1 day of age, when the oldest and when the youngest lamb was 90 days and when the average age of lambs was 90 days. Weights were adjusted to 90 days by the methods of regression, regression pooled within sire groups, average daily gain with and without a standard birth weight and weight per day of age. All the correction methods examined gave similar results and there was no significant difference between methods. The correlations between the actual 90-day weight and the adjusted weights ranged from 0.922 to 0.960 and were highest when the weights taken when the average age of lambs was 90 days were used as the basis for adjustment. All adjusted weights were significantly biased as estimates of actual 90-day weight, but the bias was least for weights when average age was 90 days.


1977 ◽  
Vol 17 (84) ◽  
pp. 31 ◽  
Author(s):  
IP Gregory ◽  
EM Roberts ◽  
JW James

Data from 14635 Dorset and 1214 Border Leicester lambs from nine properties and five years were used to estimate the effects on weaning weight of age of lamb, sex, birth-rearing status and parity of dam, using three methods (average daily gain, pooled regression and least squares). Corrections for all effects varied greatly over properties and years, indicating that weaning weight cannot be satisfactorily adjusted for these environmental factors by the use of standard corrections. The correlations between estimated effects from the three methods were significant, and correlations between the three adjusted weaning weights exceeded 0.9 in most cases. All three methods accounted for similar fractions of variance in weaning weight, but average daily gain correction actually increased the variance on some occasions. Since least squares estimation is complicated, it is concluded that the pooled regression method is better suited to performance recording applications, especially if corrections are estimated within weaning groups, as they should be in view of their variability.


2017 ◽  
Vol 62 (No. 5) ◽  
pp. 185-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Tian ◽  
N. Wang ◽  
G. Su ◽  
B. Shi ◽  
A. Shan

An experiment with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments (n = 12 sows/treatment) was conducted to investigate the effect of maternal dietary supplementation with 2 different L-carnitine levels (0 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg) and 2 fat types (3.5% soybean oil and 3.5% fish oil) from day 107 of gestation until weaning (day 21) on performance, milk composition and immunoglobulin, and on the immunological variables of sows and piglets. Blood and milk samples of sows were obtained on days 0 (farrowing), 14, and 21 of lactation. One 21-day-old piglet per litter was selected for the collection of plasma. The average piglet weaning weight and the average daily gain (ADG) were significantly influenced by supplementation with 100 mg/kg of L-carnitine (P < 0.05). Furthermore, fish oil (FO) treatment exhibited an increasing trend in average piglet weaning weight and ADG over soybean oil (SO) treatment (P < 0.1). The concentrations of fat, immunoglobulin G (IgG), and immunoglobulin A (IgA) were increased in colostrums and milk by day 21 by supplementation with 100 mg/kg of L-carnitine (P < 0.05). Supplementation with 100 mg/kg of L-carnitine enhanced the IgG and IgA concentration in the plasma of sows and piglets (P < 0.05). Additionally, the concentrations of IgG and IgA were improved in colostrums by the addition of FO (P < 0.05). The FO treatment also advanced the IgA concentration in the plasma of sows and the IgG concentration in the plasma of piglets (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the addition of 100 mg/kg L-carnitine improved the weight of piglets at weaning, ADG, IgG, and IgA levels in colostrums, and IgG and IgA concentration in the plasma of sows and piglets (P < 0.05). The concentrations of IgG and IgA were significantly increased in colostrums by supplementation with 3.5% FO (P < 0.05). Overall, no significant difference was observed between L-carnitine and FO or SO treatment in immunological variables in this study.


2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 238-238
Author(s):  
Olivia Harrison ◽  
Samantha Tauer ◽  
Brent Frederick

Abstract Number of pigs born alive has been a key factor of the increasing efficiency of the U.S. swine industry. However, with increased pigs in the uterus, birth weight has been negatively impacted, with more small or at-risk pigs being born per litter. In order to overcome these changes, a study testing three commercial oral drenches against a control to determine which would increase average daily gain and decrease preweaning mortality. In a completely randomized design, 877 one-day-old suckling pigs from a high-health farm were selected for the experiment if they appeared to be in the bottom 20% of bodyweight compared to their contemporaries. Selected pigs were given one of four drenching treatments: 1) none (control), 2) bioactive proteins (BP), 3) high energy sugars (HES), and 4) immunoglobulins (IgY). Pigs were weighed on d 1 and d 19 of age (weaning), with mortality tracked during the suckling period. Data were analyzed using SAS v 9.4 (Cary, NC), with pig as the experimental unit and an accepted alpha of 0.05. Treatment had no detected effect on birth weight, weaning weight, ADG, or mortality (P = 0.79, 0.96, 0.86, 0.38 respectively). Likewise, statistical contrasts were used to determine there was no detected impact (P > 0.10) of drench, regardless of type, compared to the control in any measured response criteria. Interesting, pigs drenched with BP or IgY had numerically lower preweaning mortality (11.2 and 11.5% respectively), than those administered the control or HES (15.4 and 15.2%, respectively). In conclusion, this experiment showed no significant difference in the performance between piglets given no product vs. those drenched with bioactive proteins, high energy sugars, or immunoglobulins. However, additional research is warranted with greater replication or disease stressors to better understand if oral drenches may improve preweaning performance or mortality in different situations.


1978 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 743-752 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. J. KENNELLY ◽  
F. X. AHERNE ◽  
A. J. LEWIS

Forty-eight crossbred pigs of average initial weight 21 kg were fed 10% Tower rapeseed meal (RSM) and 10% Candle RSM as partial replacements for soybean meal (SBM). Diets were formulated to be isocaloric. Pigs fed the SBM diet consumed less feed, gained significantly (P < 0.01) faster and were more efficient at converting feed to gain than those fed the RSM diets. Performance of pigs fed Candle RSM was not significantly different to that obtained with Tower RSM. In a second experiment, dehulled Tower RSM and Tower RSM hulls were mixed in amounts to produce RSM with crude fibre levels of 6.8, 10.8, 13.5 and 15.8%. The simulated RSM and Tower and Candle RSM were used to completely replace SBM in the diets of weanling (75 g) Sprague-Dawley rats. Rats fed SBM had significantly (P < 0.05) higher average daily gain (ADG) than those fed Tower or Candle RSM, or diets containing the rapeseed meats. There was no significant (P < 0.05) difference in ADG, feed intake or feed to gain ratio of rats fed either Tower or Candle RSM. Feed intake, feed to gain ratio and fecal volatile fatty acid concentrations increased while average daily gain decreased with increasing level of hulls in simulated RSM diets. There was no significant difference (P < 0.05) in thyroid weight between rats fed SBM, Tower RSM or Candle RSM.


2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_4) ◽  
pp. 304-304
Author(s):  
Matthew D Garcia ◽  
Madelyn Kunzler ◽  
Kim Chapman

Abstract This study evaluated changes in performance of bulls enrolled in the Utah Beef Improvement Association’s (UBIA) annual performance tests conducted in accordance with central bull test standards established by the Beef Improvement Federation. Breeds with over 500 bulls enrolled over the period of 2004 to 2018 were included in the evaluation. The breeds with greater than 500 animals evaluated included the Angus, Red Angus, Hereford and Simmental Breeds. Traits evaluated included birth weight, initial weight, a 205-day adjusted weaning weight, final test weight, average daily gain, adjusted yearling weight, and weight per day of age. The mixed model procedure of SAS and interval regression analyses were utilized to evaluate the yearly rate of change for each breed and to determine if that rate of change was significantly different (P &lt; 0.05) between the evaluated breeds. When evaluating all breeds represented across years, significant differences (P &lt; 0.05) were observed for rate of change when evaluating birth weight and 205-day adjusted weaning weight. However, no differences were observed between breeds with more than 500 animals represented. Significant differences (P &lt; 0.05) for rate of change were observed when comparing the top four represented breeds, for average daily gain, initial test weight, final test weight, adjusted yearling weight and weight per day of age. Specifically, a declining trend was noted for all breeds when evaluation all significant traits. When evaluating the previously described traits, the Angus breed was significantly different in its rate of decline when compared to the Red Angus and Hereford breeds. The lone increasing trend was observed in the Hereford breed which had a positive increasing trend for initial test weight which was significantly different (P &lt; 0.05) from both the Angus and Red Angus breeds but not significantly different from the Simmental breed.


2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 977
Author(s):  
João Vinícius Barbosa Roberto ◽  
Bonifácio Benicio de Souza ◽  
Gabriel Jorge Carneiro de Oliveira  ◽  
Jaime Miguel de Araujo Filho ◽  
Thaiz Lamy Alves Ribeiro ◽  
...  

This study evaluated food intake and productive performance of crossbred (½ Santa Inês x ½ dorper) lambs supplemented with different levels of faveleira (Cnidoscolus quercifolius Pohl) fodder salt. Thirty male sheep fed tifton grass hay, water, and faveleira fodder salt were randomly allocated into five treatments with six replicates each. The treatments consisted of diets with different inclusion levels of faveleira hay in the fodder salt composition: Treatment 1 (1% mineral salt + 99% faveleira hay), Treatment 2 (3% mineral salt + 97% faveleira hay), Treatment 3 (5% mineral salt + 95% faveleira hay), Treatment 4 (7% mineral salt + 93% faveleira hay), and Treatment 5 (Control - 100% mineral salt). Intake of dry matter, tifton hay and water, average daily gain, feed conversion, and feed efficiency were not affected by fodder salt supplementation (P > 0.05). There was a significant difference (P < 0.05) in fodder salt intake between Treatments 4 and 5, and daily intake was higher in animals submitted to Treatment 4 (61.0 g day-1). Mineral salt intake increased significantly with increasing mineral salt levels in the diet. However, no significant difference was observed in average daily gain across treatments, indicating that faveleira hay, even in small quantities, and tifton hay were able to meet the nutritional requirements of animals to support a good average daily gain. The inclusion of up to 99% faveleira hay in fodder salt formulations did not affect voluntary intake of forage, water and dry matter, average daily gain, feed conversion, and feed efficiency. Lambs supplemented with faveleira fodder salt had average daily gains within the optimal range for slaughter and high feed conversion and feed efficiency values. Faveleira was shown to be an effective supplementary feed alternative in sheep.


2009 ◽  
Vol 54 (No. 8) ◽  
pp. 359-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z. Vykoukalová ◽  
A. Knoll ◽  
S. Čepica

Perilipin, encoded by the <I>PLIN</I> gene, is a lipid droplet-associated phosphoprotein that functions as a key regulator of triacylglycerol storage and hydrolysis in adipocytes. In this study, structure and variability of the porcine <I>PLIN</I> gene were characterised. PCR fragments encompassing exons 1 to 9 and interspersed introns were sequenced and the obtained sequence was deposited in EMBL/GenBank/DDBJ databases (AM931171). Seven silent polymorphisms and one nonsynonymous polymorphism were detected in the coding sequence. The nonsynonymous polymorphism g.627G>A causing an amino acid substitution p.Val3Ile was found only in Meishan and Meishan × Piétrain cross. Associations were studied between loci g.4119A>G and g.7966T>C, and average daily gain (ADG), backfat thickness (BFT) or lean meat content (LMC) in 166 gilts from two herds. Due to supposed complete linkage disequilibrium between loci g.4119A>G and g.7966T>C only genotype combinations <I>AA-TT, AG-TC</I> and <I>GG-CC</I> were detected. A significant difference (<I>P</I> = 0.0290) between <I>GG-CC</I> and <I>AG-TC</I> genotype combinations for BFT in herd 2 and a suggestive difference (<I>P</I> = 0.0516) between <I>GG-CC</I> and <I>AA-TT</I> genotypes for ADG in herd 1 were detected.


Author(s):  
V. Sravanthi ◽  
D. Suresh Babu ◽  
A. Anitha ◽  
P. Asha Latha

The behavioural pattern and growth performance of three groups of LWY piglets weaned at different ages was studied for six months. The first, second and third groups were weaned at 25, 40 and 56 days, respectively. The playing and huddling behavior was more in group 1 piglets. While fighting, standing, locomotion and tail biting behavior was more in group 2 piglets. Whereas the lying behavior was more in group 3 piglets. There was a significant difference (P is less than 0.01) among the three groups of piglets for all behavioral patterns. The post weaning weight (kg) gains reached 56.63 ± 0.41, 65.03 ± 0.36 and 63.09 ± 0.38 Kg for group 1, group 2 and group 3 respectively, at the end of study period. A significant difference (P is less than 0.01) was observed among the three groups for all the fortnightly interval body weights. The mean average daily gain for group 1, 2 and 3 was 0.33, 0.38 and 0.36 respectively. Significant difference (P is less than 0.01) had been observed between the groups for average daily gain. The present study had suggested that early weaning at 40days age was more advantageous than 25 days age and conventional 56days weaning age.


1978 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 359
Author(s):  
R Barlow ◽  
EB Dettmann ◽  
LG Williams

Weaning weight (ww) and conformation score (cs) records from Angus calves in five New South Wales herds were analysed by least-squares procedures to assess the nature and magnitude of variation. Herd, year, age of dam and sex were considered as main effects. Covariates included in the models were weaning age (WA) for ww and average daily gain (ADG), and both WA and ww for cs. Male calves (steers and bulls) were 16.6 kg heavier at weaning than female calves. Dams that were 5-8 years of age weaned calves that were 30.1 kg, 15.4 kg and 6.7 kg heavier than 2-, 3- and 4-year-old dams respectively. When ww was not included as a covariate in the model, age of dam effects on cs reflected those on ww, and there was little difference in cs between males and females. When adjusted for differences in ww, males had poorer cs than females, and calves from 3-year-old dams, and from dams over 8 years old, had poorer cs than those from dams of all other ages. Partial regressions of ww and ADG on WA, and of cs on ww, varied considerably between herd/year/sex subgroups.


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