The effect of slaughter weight and sexual status on performance characteristics of male Holstein-Friesian cattle offered a cereal-based diet

2006 ◽  
Vol 82 (3) ◽  
pp. 397-404 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. M. Kirkland ◽  
T. W. J. Keady ◽  
D. C. Patterson ◽  
D. J. Kilpatrick ◽  
R. W. J. Steen
Keyword(s):  
Live Weight ◽  
Conversion Ratio ◽  
Food Conversion ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Slaughter Weight ◽  
Fat Depots ◽  
Food Conversion Ratio ◽  
Holstein Friesian ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
Friesian Cattle

AbstractA total of 180 Holstein-Friesian male calves, mean age and live weight (LW) at start of the study 112 (s.d. 26·0) days and 134 (s.d. 37·6) kg, respectively, were used to evaluate the effect of slaughter weight on food efficiency and animal performance. Animals were offered concentrates ad libitum and a restricted quantity of straw and slaughtered at one of six LWs as bulls: 300, 350, 400, 450, 500 or 550 kg. A further group of cattle were slaughtered as steers at 450 kg LW. Mean age at slaughter was 247 and 434 days for bulls slaughtered at 300 and 550 kg LW respectively. Neither rate of LW or carcass gain was influenced by weight at slaughter ( P>0·05), with mean values of 1·31 and 0·70 kg/day, respectively. Food conversion ratio, killing-out proportion, carcass conformation, fat classification and weight of internal fat depots increased ( P<0·001) as slaughter weight of the bulls increased. In the comparison of steers and bulls slaughtered at 450 kg, steers had lower ( P<0·001) rates of LW and carcass gains and had a higher ( P<0·001) food conversion ratio than comparable bulls. Steers had lower ( P<0·001) estimated carcass lean, and higher ( P<0·01) estimated carcass fat concentrations than bulls slaughtered at the same LW.

Selection for improved food conversion ratio on ad libitum group feeding in pigs

1983 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 375-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. Webb ◽  
J. W. B. King
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Conversion Ratio ◽  
Food Conversion ◽  
Daily Food Intake ◽  
Food Conversion Ratio ◽  
Daily Food ◽  
Group Feeding ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
Selection For

ABSTRACTAn experiment was conducted to show the effectiveness of selection for improved food conversion ratio on ad libitum group feeding. Selection (32 ♀♀ and 8 ♂♂) and unselected control (32 ♀♀ and 16 ♂♂ lines were maintained for seven generations at the rate of one per year. Progeny were fed ad libitum from 27 to 82 kg live weight: boars singly or in pairs, and gilts in litter groups. Selection was on pen average food conversion ratio (food/live-weight gain), recalculated as each pig reached 82 kg.In spite of selection differentials averaging 0·61 s.d. per generation, there was no response (selection minus control) in food conversion at Generation 6 (−0·03, s.e. 0·08). However, there were correlated increases in daily live-weight gain (56, s.e. 18 g), daily food intake (145, s.e. 59 g) and ultrasonic backfat (2·4, s.e. 0·4 mm). In Generation 7, 146 full-sib pairs (male castrate and gilt) were tested on ad libitum or scale (0·77 g/g ad libitum daily food intake) feeding. Line by feeding regime interactions were absent for all traits except killing-out proportion and belly thickness.The increased fatness of the selection line on ad libitum feeding was retained on the scale (2·2 v. 2·4, s.e. 10 mm), suggesting a primary difference in partition of nutrients rather than intake. The selection procedure adopted was not successful in improving food conversion, but no clear conclusions could be drawn from the experiment. Uncertainty remains as to the value of group food consumption measurements in selection programmes.

The effects of plane of nutrition and slaughter weight on the performance and carcass composition of continental beef bulls given high forage diets

1994 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. C. Patterson ◽  
C. A. Moore ◽  
R. W. J. Steen
Keyword(s):  
Energy Intake ◽  
Subcutaneous Fat ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Body Cavity ◽  
Carcass Composition ◽  
The Body ◽  
Slaughter Weight ◽  
Fat Depots ◽  
Increase With Increase ◽  
Ad Libitum

AbstractBulls (½ Blonde d'Aquitaine ⅜ Charolais) were used in a 2 × 3 factorial design experiment with two planes of nutrition in the finishing period and three slaughter weights. High and low planes of nutrition were based on diets with similar forage to concentrate ratio (0·40 of dry matter (DM)) offered ad libitum or at 0·78 of ad libitum DM intake at equal live weight respectively. The target slaughter live weights were 550, 625 and 700 kg. Twelve bulls were taken to each slaughter point and an additional five animals were killed as a pre-experimental slaughter group. Mean initial live weight was 412 (s.e. 5·3) kg at a mean age of 342 (s.e. 2·5) days. No significant interactions were found between the main factors. For the high and low planes, live-weight and estimated carcass gains were 1251 and 989 (s.e. 47·7), and 816 and 668 (s.e. 35·3) g/day respectively, the reduction in gains being similar to the proportional degree of nutritional restriction. Plane of nutrition had no effect on live-weight or carcass gain per unit of energy intake. The low plane of nutrition produced significant decreases in body cavity fat depots, subcutaneous fat in the sample joint and increased the proportions of both saleable beef and high-priced joints in the carcass.With increase in slaughter weight, energy intake per unit of live weight0·75 and rates of both live-weight and carcass gain tended to decline. The dressing proportions were 583,579 and 609 (s.e. 9·1) g/kg for the slaughter live weights of 550, 625 and 700 kg. Carcass conformation improved while fat depots in the body cavity and estimated concentration of separable fat in the carcass increased with increase in slaughter weight, and both estimated lean and bone concentrations decreased. Forequarter as a proportion of total side tended to increase with increase in slaughter weight. Slaughter weight had no effect on concentration of saleable meat or ultimate pH of carcass muscle. It is concluded that bulls of this genotype can be taken to high slaughter weights on diets having a relatively high proportion of forage as grass silage, with high rates of growth and acceptable carcass leanness.

The effect of an anabolic steroid on the performance and carcass measurements of gilts and barrows in the finishing stages of growth

1975 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 293-301
Author(s):  
I. H. Williams ◽  
A. C. Dunkin
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Anabolic Steroid ◽  
Crude Protein ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Conversion Ratio ◽  
Daily Weight Gain ◽  
Food Conversion ◽  
Significant Treatment ◽  
Food Conversion Ratio ◽  
Different Levels

Summary1. An experiment involving 64 individually-penned pigs (32 females (gilts) and 32 castrated males (barrows)) was conducted over the live weight range 50 to 83 kg, to study the effects of a parenterally administered anabolic steroid upon the performance and carcass measurements of gilts and barrows given either a 15·0% or an 18·8% crude protein (CP) diet at two different levels.2. The steroid significantly improved both daily weight gain (+5·2%) and food conversion ratio (+4·8%) of gilts and barrows.3. There were no significant treatment interactions for either daily weight gain or food conversion ratio, but the data suggest that gilts responded to the hormone to a greater extent than barrows at the particular dose level of the steroid administered.4. The steroid significantly improved the carcass, as assessed by linear backfat measurements, of pigs given the higher CP diet but had no effect upon carcass measurements of pigs given the lower CP diet.

The influence of feeding level from 20 to 45 kg live weight on the performance and body composition of female and entire male pigs

1983 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. G. Campbell ◽  
M. R. Taverner ◽  
D. M. Curic
Keyword(s):  
Body Composition ◽  
Energy Intake ◽  
Crude Protein ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Conversion Ratio ◽  
Restricted Feeding ◽  
Food Conversion ◽  
Digestible Energy ◽  
Protein Deposition ◽  
Ad Libitum

ABSTRACTForty-two pigs representing equal numbers of entire males and females were used to study the effects on the performance and body composition of four restricted levels of feeding (14·5, 20·3, 24·9 and 29·4 MJ digestible energy per day), and of offering the same diet (14·5 MJ digestible energy per kg and 210 g crude protein per kg) ad libitum between 20 and 45 kg live weight.Over the four restricted feeding treatments there were no significant differences between the sexes for the performance and body composition of four restricted levels of feeding (14·5, 20·3, 24·9 and 29·4 MJ digestible energy per day), and of offering the same diet (14·5 MJ digestible energy per kg and 210 g crude protein per kg) ad libitum between 20 and 45 kg live weight.Although ad libitum energy intake was the same for both sexes (34·2 MJ digestible energy per day), raising digestible energy intake from that provided by the highest restricted feeding treatment (29·4 MJ/day) to ad libitum resulted in marked differences between the sexes for performance and body composition.For males, raising digestible energy intake from 29·3 to 34·2 MJ/day improved the rate of live-weight gain and protein deposition by 0·15 and 0·10 respectively but had no further effect on food conversion ratio or body fat. The same increase in digestible energy intake for females improved growth rate by only 0·065, had no further effect on the rate of protein deposition but increased markedly food conversion ratio and body fat.

The association of food conversion ratio, age at slaughter and carcass quality in pigs fed ad libitum

1969 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 317-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. B. Owen ◽  
J. R. Morton
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Correlations ◽  
Conversion Ratio ◽  
Residual Effects ◽  
Progeny Testing ◽  
Restricted Feeding ◽  
Food Conversion ◽  
Large White ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Food Conversion Ratio ◽  
Ad Libitum

SUMMARYData from a boar progeny testing scheme based on ad libitum feeding were analysed to test the hypothesis that the resultant correlations of food conversion ratio with related factors would differ from those found under conditions of restricted feeding.The results support the hypothesis, showing that the primarily genetic correlations derived from boar effects for growth and conversion ratio, are lower than those reported elsewhere for restricted feeding. It was also shown that these primarily genetic correlations could vary between breeds, the leanness associated with rapid growth in Wessex not being found in Large White, and that the correlations due to residual effects containing a greater environmental component varied widely from test to test.It is concluded that the parameters used in the design of a genetic improvement scheme should be derived specifically for each breed and feeding system. However, if the marked variability in phenotypic correlations noted here is generally applicable, this could present a difficult problem in the design of pig improvement programmes with multiple objectives.

A note on performance traits of crossbred beef × dairy steers finished on fast- and slow-gaining feeding regimes

1975 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gaspard Lalande ◽  
M. H. Fahmy
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Conversion Ratio ◽  
Feed Conversion Ratio ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Live Weight Gain ◽  
Slaughter Weight ◽  
Holstein Friesian ◽  
Performance Traits ◽  
Feeding Regimes

SUMMARYA total of 178 castrated male cattle (steers), the progeny of Charolais, Hereford and Limousin bulls mated to Holstein-Friesian and Ayrshire cows, were raised from 8 months of age to 545 kg (slaughter weight) on fast- or slow-gaining regimes. The steers on the fast gaining regime were fed a grain mixture with little hay, while those on the slow-gaining regime grazed all summer and were wintered on hay supplemented with a little grain.The steers on the fast-gaining regime were more efficient in feed conversion ratio, had 0·42 kg per day higher live-weight gain, reached slaughter weight 306 days earlier, and had 2% higher dressing-out percentage, 5·7 mm thicker fat and 5 mm2 larger area of m.longissimus thoracis than those on the slow-gaining regime.Charolais-sired steers on both regimes had the fastest gain and were the first to reach slaughter weight. Limousin-sired steers raised on the fast-gaining regime had the highest dressing-out percentage, and the largest area of m. longissimus thoracis on both regimes. Hereford-sired steers had the thickest fat cover and the smallest area of m. longissimus thoracis. Little difference was found between the steers from Holstein and Ayrshire cows.

The effect of protein nutrition between 5–5 and 20 kg live weight on the subsequent performance and carcass quality of pigs

1978 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 223-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. G. Campbell ◽  
R. S. Biden
Keyword(s):  
Crude Protein ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Quality Parameters ◽  
Conversion Ratio ◽  
Carcass Quality ◽  
Food Conversion ◽  
Subsequent Performance ◽  
Food Conversion Ratio ◽  
Initial Treatment Period ◽  
Protein Diets

ABSTRACTThirty male pigs weaned at 5·5 kg were used to determine the effect of diets with 164, 192 and 219 g/kg crude protein offered ad libitum to 20 kg live weight on performance and carcass characteristics during this initial phase of growth and during the period subsequent to 20 kg live weight when all pigs were fed on a diet with 181 g/kg crude protein in restrictive amounts. Between 5·5 and 20 kg live weight, pigs offered the diet with 164 g/kg crude protein grew significantly more slowly and had a significantly poorer food conversion ratio than pigs offered the two higher protein diets. Both linear fat measurement and the proportion of ether extractable material in the carcass at 20 kg live weight decreased significantly with each increase in dietary protein. Pigs offered the 164 g/kg protein diet during the initial treatment period tended to grow faster subsequent to 20 kg and during the live-weight period 20 to 45 kg had a significantly lower food conversion ratio than pigs previously offered the two higher protein diets. Over the entire production period, 5·5 to 70 kg, there were no significant differences between treatments. Likewise there were no significant differences in carcass quality parameters between treatments at 70 kg live weight.

Management strategies to maximize pigmeat output: effect of group size and split-marketing

2005 ◽  
Vol 81 (1) ◽  
pp. 171-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. K. O'Connell ◽  
P. B. Lynch ◽  
J. V. O'Doherty
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Food Intake ◽  
Group Size ◽  
Unit Area ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Conversion Ratio ◽  
Carcass Weight ◽  
Food Conversion ◽  
Food Conversion Ratio ◽  
2D And 3D

AbstractTwo experiments were completed with grower-finisher pigs to determine if pigmeat output, as measured by carcass gain per m2 per year, could be increased, by 1: increasing group size or 2: split-marketing pen groups. In experiment 1, 390 pigs (mean initial live weight 36·7 (s.d. 1·99) kg) were assigned to one of three treatments each with 10 replicates: 11, 13 or 15 pigs per single-sex group in pens measuring 11·04 m2. Space allowance was 1·00, 0·85 and 0·74 m2 per pig, respectively. Pelleted food was provided ad libitum. There were no differences (P > 0·05) between group sizes in growth rate, food intake, food conversion ratio, carcass growth and carcass food conversion ratio, backfat and muscle depth or carcass lean content. Pigmeat output per unit area increased with each increase in group size (234, 279 and 314 kg/m2 per year for 11, 13 and 15 pigs: P < 0·001). In experiment 2, 26 groups of 13 pigs (mean initial live weight 38·3 (s.d. 2·15) kg) were assigned to one of three treatments: 1D - group sold on 1 day (no. = 9), 2D - group sold over 2 days (14 days apart, no. = 10), or 3D - group sold over 3 days (each 7 days apart, no. = 7). Pigs were given a standard liquid diet three times daily. No differences (P > 0·05) were observed between treatments for overall growth rate, food intake, food conversion ratio, carcass weight, carcass lean content, backfat and muscle depth, carcass growth and carcass food conversion ratio or killing-out proportion of pigs. Split-marketing increased cycle length (67·7, 75·9 and 76·8 days for 1D, 2D and 3D, respectively; P < 0·001). Live and carcass daily growth rates per pig place decreased with increase in number of sale days (live: 772, 680, 670 g/day and carcass: 658, 575, 571 g/day; P < 0·001). Carcass gain per unit area decreased in split-marketed groups (358, 318, 312 kg/m2 per year for 1D, 2D and 3D, respectively: P < 0·05). Carcass weight variation (s.d.) within pen decreased with each increase in number of sale days (s. d. 5·28, 3·81 and 1·74, respectively; P < 0·001). In conclusion, pigmeat output, as measured by carcass gains per m2 per year, was improved with increase in group size and by marketing all pigs in a group on a single day.

The influence of dietary protein and level of feeding on the growth performance and carcass characteristics of entire and castrated male pigs

1982 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. G. Campbell ◽  
R. H. King
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Food Intake ◽  
Growth Performance ◽  
Dietary Protein ◽  
Protein Level ◽  
Carcass Characteristics ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Conversion Ratio ◽  
Food Conversion ◽  
Ad Libitum

ABSTRACT1. Three isocaloric diets containing 170, 210 or 231 g crude protein per kg were given at two levels, and offered ad libitum to entire and castrated male pigs growing from 20 to 70 kg live weight.2. Between 20 and 45 kg, growth rate improved with each increase in level of feeding (P < 005) and, on the ad libitum treatment the food intake and growth performance of both entire and castrated pigs were similar. On the restricted feeding treatments the growth performance of entire, but not of castrated pigs, improved when dietary protein was raised from 170 to 210g/kg (P < 005).3. During the live-weight periods 45 to 70 and 20 to 70kg, raising food intake improved growth rate (P < 005) but increased the food conversion ratio and carcass fat measurements at 70 kg (P < 0·05). However, food conversion ratio and the majority of carcass characteristics of entire pigs fed ad libitum were equivalent to those of castrated pigs fed at the lowest level.4. Dietary protein level had no significant effect on growth performance from 20 to 70 kg or on carcass fat measurements at the latter weight. However, each increase in dietary protein in the live-weight period 45 to 70 kg depressed the performance of castrated pigs (P < 0·05) while that of entire pigs was reduced when the protein level of the diet was raised from 210 to 231 g/kg.

Evaluation of overseas pig breeds using imported semen 1. Growth and carcass performance

1984 ◽  
Vol 103 (3) ◽  
pp. 561-570 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. Sutherland ◽  
A. J. Webb ◽  
J. W. B. King
Keyword(s):  
Live Weight ◽  
Conversion Ratio ◽  
Food Conversion ◽  
Large White ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
Carcass Performance ◽  
Economic Worth ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Sufficient Precision ◽  
Imported Semen

SummaryAlthough a given foreign breed may offer worthwhile genetic improvement, the cost of importing purebred stock makes its evaluation difficult. An experiment was performed in which the breeds compared were represented instead by semen from boars standing at national artificial insemination stations in their native countries. Contemporary groups of Large White × Norwegian Landrace females were inseminated, some with British Large White (LW) semen, and some with semen from Canadian Yorkshire (CY), Danish Landrace (DL), Norwegian Landrace (NL), or United States (American) Duroc (AD) or Yorkshire (AY). One pair (male castrate and gilt) from each litter was performance tested from 27 to 82 kg live weight fed ad libitum (AL), another pairwas tested over the same weight range but fed to a time-based scale (TS). The number of LW, CY, DL, AD, AY and NL sires used was 51, 12, 21, 7, 6 and 23 respectively; a total of 401 litterswas evaluated. The differences between the progeny of LW sires and those of CY, DL, AD, AY and NL were, respectively: in daily live-weight gain (g), AL, –30, 40, –80, –50, –40 (maximum s.E. 16) with no significant differences for TS; in food conversion ratio, AL,0·02, – 0·13, 0·03, –0·05, 0·00 and TS, 000, – 0·14, 0·05, –0·03, –0·06 (maximum S.E. 0·049 for both feeding regimens); in percentage of lean by weight in the rumpback joint, AL, –2·1, –1·9, –1·8, 2·3, –0·7 and TS, – 0·1, –0·9, –1·9, 3·0, – 1·4 (maximum s.E. 1·28 for both); in overall economic worth (pence per pig sired), AL, – 150, 50, – 170, 110, – 40 and TS, – 10, 100, – 200, 190, 30 (maximum s.E. 83 for both). The U.S. Yorkshire and Danish Landrace seem unlikely to be of use commercially in the U.K., while the most promising breeds, U.S. Duroc and Canadian Yorkshire, have not yet been evaluated with sufficient precision to reduce the risk involved in their use to an acceptable level.

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