Effect of frequency of feed delivery on the feeding behaviour, growth, and rumen temperature of limit-fed dairy heifers

2014 ◽  
Vol 94 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-20
Author(s):  
A. M. Greter ◽  
O. Alzahal ◽  
T. F. Duffield ◽  
B. W. McBride ◽  
T. M. Widowski ◽  
...  

Greter, A. M., AlZahal, O., Duffield, T. F., McBride, W. B., Widowski, T. M. and DeVries, T. J. 2014. Effect of frequency of feed delivery on the feeding behaviour, growth, and rumen temperature of limit-fed dairy heifers. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 94: 11–20. The objective of this experiment was to determine the effect that frequency of provision of feed, provided in a restricted amount, had on feeding and lying behaviour, growth, and rumen temperature of growing dairy heifers. Twenty-four Holstein heifers (178.2±9.3 d of age; mean±SD), divided into six groups of four, were assigned to each of three treatments using a 3×3 Latin square design with 28-d periods (21-d adaptation, 7-d data collection). Treatments were delivery of daily allotment of total mixed ration (fed at 2.0% of body weight): (1) once per day (1×; 0800), (2) twice per day (2×; 0800 and 1600), and (3) four times per day (4×; 0800, 1200, 1600, and 2000). Average daily gain (ADG) was similar across treatments (0.8 kg d−1). There was a tendency for within-pen variation of ADG (average, per pen, of the absolute difference between individual heifer ADG and pen mean ADG) to be greater with 4× (0.3 kg d−1) and 2× (0.3 kg d−1) compared with 1× (0.2 kg d−1). Both feeding (63.1 vs. 44.2 vs. 51.5 min d−1) and unrewarded (presence at the feed bunk when no feed was present; 49.5 vs. 27.7 vs. 33.1 min d−1) time at the feed bunk decreased with increasing frequency of feed delivery (1×, 2×, and 4×, respectively). Frequency of displacements (3.1 displacements d−1) and number of displacements per unit of feeding time (0.06 displacements min−1) were similar between treatments. Lying time was similar between treatments (802.5 min d−1), while there was an increase in the amount of time spent standing without eating as frequency of feed delivery increased (558.9 vs. 590.0 vs. 604.7 min d−1 for 1×, 2×, and 4×, respectively). Thus, feeding 1× d−1 may prove beneficial for limit-fed heifers as it increases the time spent feeding, and decreases time spent standing without eating and within-pen variation in ADG.

Author(s):  
Hyun-Su Hwang ◽  
Jae-Kang Lee ◽  
Tae-Kyung Eom ◽  
Dong-Ho Lee ◽  
Shin-Jae Rhim

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of a toy on the behaviour and body weight of weaned pigs after mixing. Two groups (192 pigs in total, control: without toy; treatment: with toy placed on the floor) of weaned pigs housed in pens (1.8 m × 1.4 m, 4 pigs/pen) were This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of a toy on the behaviour and body weight of weaned pigs after mixing. Two were observed with the aid of video technology for nine consecutive hours in the early (days 1 and 2) and late (days 38 and 39) period after mixing. Bodyweight of pigs at the end of the study (Mann-Whitney U-test, Z = –2.46, P = 0.01) and the average daily gain (Z = –2.75, P < 0.01) were 10% higher in the treatment group than in the control group. The presence of the toy in the pen influenced the pig behaviours. In pens enriched with toys, there was an increase in feeding behaviour and a decrease in agonistic and belly nosing behaviours. Toy supply reduced negative social behaviours and thereby improved the bodyweight of weaned pigs. The results of this study suggest that toys used as environmental enrichment are useful for enhancing pig welfare and effective for farmers.  


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1543
Author(s):  
Sang-Ho Moon ◽  
Yeong Sik Yun ◽  
Na Yeon Kim ◽  
Sanguk Chung ◽  
Qi Man Zhang ◽  
...  

Twelve adult (10 months old) castrated Korean black goats, with an average initial body weight of 24.98 ± 3.7 kg, were used in this experiment to determine their maintenance energy requirements. Dry matter intakes (g/d, p = 0.945) were not affected by energy levels, but metabolic energy intake (kcal/d, p < 0.002) and average daily gain (g/d, p < 0.001) were significantly increased at higher energy levels. Nutrient digestibility was similar in the treatments, but crude fat digestibility increased with the addition of protective fat powder (p = 0.001). The energy required for fattening the castrated Korean black goats was estimated using the correlation between metabolic energy intake per dietary body weight and average daily gain per dietary body weight. The Y-axis intercept value was calculated to be 108.76 kcal/kg BW0.75 (p < 0.05, r2 = 0.6036), which was the metabolic energy requirement for maintaining the lives of the fattening Korean black goats. The estimated energy requirements of the black goat can improve specification techniques, such as the energy level and the amount of feed supply required for domestic black goats.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 218
Author(s):  
Yousef Abbaslou ◽  
Davood Zahmatkesh ◽  
Ehsan Mahjoubi ◽  
Mehdi Hossein Yazdi ◽  
Hamed Beiranvand ◽  
...  

The positive effects of nucleotide (NU) supplementation in milk replacer have been elucidated in infants and in dairy calves; however, NU addition to whole milk has not been evaluated previously. This study aimed to assess NU supplementation in the whole milk on calf growth and health. Thirty Holstein calves (body weight: 39.1 ± 1.0 kg; 3 d after birth) were randomly assigned to the following treatments: whole milk without any supplementation (NU0), whole milk + 0.5 g/d added a NU-containing supplement to whole milk (NUCS0.5), and whole milk + 1 g/d added a NU-containing supplement to whole milk (NUCS1). Calves were weaned at d 55 and stayed on study until d 75. Calves had free access to feed and water throughout the study. Dry matter intakes (DMI) were similar among treatments (p > 0.05) during the pre-weaning period; however, increasing NU resulted in a linear (p < 0.05) increase in DMI during the post weaning period (2158, 2432, and 2518 g/d for NU0, NUCS0.5, and NUCS1, respectively). Treatments did not affect body weight (BW) at the first and second month of study, but final BW linearly increased as NU was added (87.1, 90.6, and 95.4 kg for NU0, NUCS0.5, and NUCS1, respectively). Neither pre-weaning average daily gain nor post-weaning average daily gain was affected by treatments; accordingly, feed efficiency was similar among treatment groups. Days with loose fecal score were linearly decreased as NU was added to whole milk during the first month of life, while the fecal score did not differ among treatments until the end of the study. No difference was observed in the skeletal growth of calves in the current study. Therefore, it can be concluded that NU supplementation in the whole milk has some beneficial effects on calf performance in terms of final BW, post-weaning DMI, and less days with loose feces.


2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_4) ◽  
pp. 74-74
Author(s):  
Ellen M Herring ◽  
Elizabeth B Kegley ◽  
Ken Coffey ◽  
Shane Gadberry ◽  
Jeremy G Powell ◽  
...  

Abstract This research evaluated the effects of ensiled edamame soybean processing waste on ruminant intake and total tract digestibility. Waste from processing stored edamame was obtained (3 trips) and wilted (28%, 25%, and 37% DM), then treated with or without inoculant (Lactobacillus buchneri) and ensiled in 167 L plastic barrels (2 or 3 barrels/treatment from each trip) for 72 (Trip 1) or 69 (Trip 2 and 3) days. Pregnant ewes (n = 18; body weight = 55.5 ± 1.2 kg; 2 to 3 years old) were blocked by body weight and assigned randomly within a block to treatments within a trip, then each ewe was assigned to a barrel of silage. Ewes were housed individually in 1 × 1.5-m pens and offered silage for a 10-day adaptation period followed by 7 days of total feces and urine collection. Ewes were offered silage to allow for 10% orts and were offered 0.2% of their body weight of soyhulls and 32 g of mineral supplement/day to meet their predicted nutrient requirements for gestating ewes. Ewes consumed 1,616 ± 54 g DM/day (X ± SEM) or 2.9 ± 0.12% of their body weight and there was no effect (P ≥ 0.85) of inoculant treatment on DM intake (g/day or % of body weight). Dry matter digestibility was not affected (P = 0.98) by inoculant and averaged 55.7 ± 0.66%. Ewe average daily gain for the 17-day trial tended to be greater (P = 0.08) for the ewes offered the silage without inoculant (0.18 vs. 0.04 kg/d). Ensiling edamame processing waste yielded a feed that ewes consumed in adequate amounts to maintain their body weights over 17 days when also supplemented with soyhulls. The addition of silage inoculant had minimal effects on intake, digestibility, or ewe body weight change.


1964 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 301-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henning E. Nielsen

Sixteen blocks of eight littermate pigs were weaned at 3 weeks of age and each divided into four groups. Various levels of nutrition were applied to the pigs so that the four groups reached 20 kg. at 59, 68, 80 and 91 days of age, respectively.Only small differences were observed between groups in feed conversion ratio to 20 kg.; however, Group 4 required more feed per kg. gain than the three other groups.During the second period (20–90 kg.) the pigs in each group were divided into two sub-groups, which were on a high and a low plane of nutrition respectively. In both sub-groups the type of feeding before 20 kg. influenced the average daily gain and feed conversion ratio. The older the pigs were at 20 kg. the higher the daily gain and the lower the feed conversion ratio in the following period. There was an increase in daily feed intake with increased age at 20 kg. for pigs fed ad lib. during the second period.An increase in age at 20 kg. caused a significant decrease in thickness of backfat, a greater area of eye muscle and a smaller area of fat overlying muscle. For pigs fed ad lib. the area of eye muscle was significantly increased by a higher age at 20 kg. live-weight.


2009 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 1081-1087 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vitor Visintin Silva de Almeida ◽  
Augusto César de Queiroz ◽  
Robério Rodrigues Silva ◽  
Fabiano Ferreira da Silva ◽  
Aline Cardoso Oliveira ◽  
...  

This experiment was carried out with the objective of determining the macrominerals (Ca, P, Mg, K and Na) requirements of Nellore steers under grazing. Twenty four Nellore steers (371 ± 14 kg of BW and 26 mo old) were used. Four steers were slaughtered at the beginning of the experiment (reference group), serving as a reference in subsequent study. The remaining 20 animals were weighed and distributed into a completely randomized design with four supplementation levels offer: 0.0 (mineral mixture - control), 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9% of BW, with five replications. The supplements, based on ground corn, soybean meal and/or urea, were previously balanced to achieve an average daily gain of 350, 650 and 850g, respectively, for the different supplementation levels offer. The contents of macrominerals retained in the animal body were determined by regression equations of the macrominerals body content logarithm in function of the empty body weight logarithm (EBW). Net macrominerals requirements for a gain of 1kg of EBW were obtained using the equation Y'= b.10ª.Xb-1, with a and b, respectively, the intercept and the regression coefficient of the prediction equations of macrominerals in the animal body contents for each macromineral considered. The concentrations of all macrominerals, in the empty body weight and gain of the empty body weight, decreased with the increase in the body weight. Total calcium and phosphorus dietary requirements are higher than those recommended in the literature.


2011 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 929-937 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Lucila Sobrinho ◽  
R.H. Branco ◽  
S.F.M. Bonilha ◽  
A.M. Castilhos ◽  
L.A. Figueiredo ◽  
...  

The objective of this work was to evaluate performance, efficiency parameters and phenotypic correlations among measurements of energy efficiency of Nellore cattle selected for post weaning weight and classified according to residual feed intake, calculated by the difference between observed and predicted intake, based on average metabolic body weight and average daily gain. Thus, animals were classified within three groups: high (> mean + 0.5 standard deviation, less efficient); medium (±0.5 standard deviation of the mean); and low (< mean - 0.5 standard deviation, more efficient) residual feed intake. No differences were observed at initial and final body weights, average daily gain and dry matter intake among groups. Animals with low residual feed intake also had greater feed efficiency, feed conversion and partial efficiency of growth and did not differ from the other animals regarding to relative growth rate and Kleiber ratio. Residual feed intake was significantly correlated to feed efficiency (-0.25), feed conversion (0.25), partial efficiency of growth (-0.37) and dry matter intake (0.16) but it did not present significant correlation with body weight (0.04), average daily gain (-0.02), relative growth rate (-0.03) and Kleiber ratio (-0.05). Significant correlations were found between feed conversion and initial body weight (0.34) and average daily gain (-0.46). Partial efficiency of growth presented significant correlation with all other efficiency parameters analyzed. Residual feed intake has high potential in productive efficiency, when compared to the other energy efficiency measurements, being independent of growth and size of the animals.


2007 ◽  
Vol 87 (4) ◽  
pp. 615-621 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. C. Swanson ◽  
M. Ko ◽  
C. J. Mader

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of corn or soybean hull incorporation into haylage-based diets on backgrounding calf performance and subsequent feedlot performance. Crossbred steers [n = 48, initial body weight (BW) = 303 ± 3.4 kg] were individually fed dietary treatments consisting of: (1) haylage [17.5% crude protein, dry matter (DM) basis; control], (2) haylage + 20% (DM basis) cracked corn, and (3) haylage + 20% (DM basis) soybean hulls during a 112-d backgrounding period. After the backgrounding period, all steers were adapted to a common high moisture corn-based finishing diet and fed until an ultrasound estimated backfat thickness of 7 mm was obtained. During the backgrounding period, steers fed cracked corn or soybean hulls had greater (P < 0.01) average daily gain, dry matter intake and gain:feed and lower (P = 0.05) plasma urea N as compared with controls. However, when finished on a common high-concentrate diet, steers previously fed cracked corn had greater (P < 0.08) average daily gain, final body weight, and longissimus muscle area than those fed soybean hulls, suggesting that source of supplemental energy during the backgrounding period may influence subsequent feedlot performance. Key words: Beef cattle, backgrounding, energy supplementation


2022 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 20
Author(s):  
Belal S. Obeidat

A study was conducted to examine how lupin grains (LUPs) feeding affected nutritional intake, digestibility, growth, and carcass characteristics in kids. A total of 24 growing black kids (initial body weight (BW) = 16.4 ± 0.49 kg) were allocated to one of three diets at random. Lupin was included in the diet at a rate of 0 (control; CON), 100 (LUP100), or 200 g/kg (LUP200) of total dry matter (DM). The trial lasted for 91 days divided into 7 and 84 days to be used for adaptation and data collection, respectively. Feed intake was evaluated daily throughout the study. At the commencement and the end of the study, each kid’s body weight was measured to determine its average daily gain (ADG). On day 70, 5 kids were chosen at random from each group to investigate nutrient in vivo digestibility and N balance. At the end of the study, all of the kids were slaughtered to examine carcass features. Nutrient intakes (neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and ether extract) were higher (p ≤ 0.01) in LUP-containing diets than in the CON diet. The average daily gain was greater (p ≤ 0.03) in diets containing lupin grains than in the CON diet. Cost of gain ($US/kg growth) was lower (p = 0.004) in kids fed diets containing lupin than the CON diet. Dry matter and CP digestibility rates were greater (p ≤ 0.03) in lupin diets. Retained N was higher (p = 0.04) in lupin-containing diets than in the CON diet. Cold carcass weight was higher (p < 0.05) for kids consuming the LUP100 diet than the CON diet. In lupin diets, carcass cut weights were higher (p < 0.05). Results of the current study indicate that feeding black kids diets containing lupin grains at 100 or 200 g/kg DM basis is cost effective and would increase profitability.


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