The effect of a dietary supplement of calcium soaps of fatty acids on luteal steroidogenic activity was studied in sheep. Mature 3- to 5-year-old North Country Cheviot ewes were given either a pelleted control diet (C; grass, beet pulp, barley; no. = 15) providing daily, 29⋅8 g nitrogen and 13⋅7 MJ of metabolizable energy (ME) or the same diet with 5% (w/w) of the ingredients replaced with protected lipid (C + CaFA; calcium soaps of fatty acids, Megalac, Volac Etd; no. = 15) for 21 days. The latter diet provided daily 30⋅2 g nitrogen and 15⋅9 MJ ME. At the end of the feeding period the ewes were slaughtered and blood samples and ovaries were collected from individual animals. The numbers of large- (≤ 4 mm diameter) and small- to medium-sized (1 to 3 mm diameter) follicles were recorded and follicular fluids from both size groups were stored for later analyses following centrifugation. Each mature corpus luteum (CL) was isolated from its ovary and sliced to provide a pair of ca. 0⋅3 mm diameter sections. These sections (mean = 163 (s.e.12) mg) were cultured separately (4 h; 39°C; 5% CO2) in 3 ml Medium 199 in the absence or presence of 100 μIU LH. Dietary supplementation of calcium soaps of fatty acids increased progesterone concentrations in the plasma (P < 0⋅05) and follicular fluid (P < 0⋅01 and P < 0⋅05 for large and small to medium follicles, respectively); trigylcerides in plasma (P < 0⋅05); total cholesterol in plasma (P < 0⋅001) and follicular fluid (P < 0⋅001); HDL-cholesterol in plasma (P < 0⋅001) and follicular fluid (P < 0⋅01) and LDL-cholesterol in plasma (P < 0⋅01). Progesterone released by luteal tissue into the culture medium in vitro from ewes given protected lipid was higher than that from tissue of control ewes (P < 0⋅05) and supplementary LH in vitro stimulated progesterone secretion by luteal tissues from both groups (P < 0⋅05). In conclusion, a dietary supplement of calcium soaps of fatty acids altered the intra-follicular environment surrounding the oocyte and follicular cells and enhanced luteal function in sheep.

In a multibreed experiment in which 292 heifers from 25 breeds were given a single complete pelleted diet ad libitum, body weight and food intake were recorded every 2 weeks. Relative growth rate, relative food intake and food conversion efficiency were calculated as the ratio of weight gain to body weight, food intake to body weight and weight gain to food intake respectively. The traits were measured over 12-week intervals from 12 to 72 weeks of age, and also over longer intervals of 24, 36, 48 and 60 weeks, each beginning at 12 weeks of age. Relative growth rate and food conversion efficiency declined continuously with increasing age, whereas relative food intake increased to a maximum in the 24- to 36-week period and then declined continuously.

The between-breed genetic coefficient of variation (CVb) for relative food intake was very stable at about 0·04 whether measured over 12-week or longer intervals, whereas the CVVs for relative growth rate and food conversion efficiency were usually higher when measured over 12-week intervals compared with longer intervals. For the entire period from 12 to 72 weeks, the CVb was estimated as 0·029 for relative growth rate, 0·040 for relative food intake and 0·034 for food conversion efficiency. The corresponding intraclass correlations (t2) measuring the between-breed variation as a proportion of the total variation were estimated as 0·08, 0·18 and 0·15. Within-breed variation was thus much greater than between-breed variation for all three traits. Using published estimates of within-breed heritabilities, the parameters g21 measuring the between-breed genetic variation as a proportion of the total genetic variation, and g22, measuring the between-breed genetic variation as a proportion of the immediately selectable genetic variation, were estimated as 0·28 and 0·61 for food conversion efficiency and 0·25 and 0·57 for relative growth rate. Thus, for all three traits, despite their low CVb and t2 values, between-breed selection would be useful prior to within-breed selection.

Progesterone concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay in fat-free milk samples obtained three times weekly from calving until day 60 of pregnancy from over 700 cows in commercial dairy herds. Profiles of progesterone concentration during the ovulatory cycle and early pregnancy were also examined. In 94% of the animals cycling had commenced by 60 days post partum and a further 3% had shown some ovarian activity. In 34% of cows, the resumption of regular ovulatory activity was preceded by short periods of progesterone secretion which did not meet the criteria for a 'normal cycle’. Peaks of progesterone cross-reactivity (>0·75 ng/1) were detected at the time of ovulation in proportionately 0·06 of all cycles. There was no relationship between the detection of oestrus and the length of the following progesterone cycle or the concentrations during that cycle. However, there was a tendency for the first progesterone cycle post partum to be more variable in length than later cycles (0·56 within the range 18 to 24 days compared with 0·70 of later cycles; P < 0·001). Extension of the length of the luteal phase occurred in 58 second and later cycles (proportionately 0·141) following inseminations which did not result in calving. However, since the comparable figure for 1053 cycles where no insemination was given was 0·048, the overall figure for embryo mortality later than 24 days after insemination was estimated as 9·3%. Concentrations of progesterone in pregnant animals, compared to non-pregnant animals, and the distributions of luteal lengths between 8 and 21 days long following inseminations not resulting in calving could both be explained by early maternal recognition of pregnancy.

This paper evaluates the consequences of using the wrong genetic model when predicting the merit of previously untested crossbred genotypes. Eight models are considered, seven including different biological interpretations of two-locus epistatic interaction, plus one excluding epistatic effects. Published results from 13 genotypes generated from Hereford and Angus parental breeds were analysed, and predictions of a further seven genotypes made using different models. Under a dominance model, the predicted superiority in pregnancy rate (%) of a ¾ Hereford: ¼ Angus composite over a two-breed rotation was +1·2%, yet under all other models this was a negative value ranging from –1·9% to –3·7%. However, few such cases were found in which significant decision errors could conceivably be made. It is concluded that decisions on the choice of crossbred genotypes are generally quite robust to differences in the genetic model of the type studied here

Two experiments were conducted in which growing sheep were given choices between foods differing in their contents of urea. The crude protein (CP) contents of both of the foods of the pair were also varied. The hypothesis tested was that the diets selected would be those that met the effective rumen degradable protein (eRDP) requirements of the animals and would avoid excess consumption of eRDP. Three basal foods, differing in CP were formulated. D was designed to be deficient in CP with 80 g CP and 58 g eRDP per kg DM; H was calculated to be adequate with 159 g CP and 114 g eRDP per kg DM; P had excess with 210 g CP and 148 g eRDP per kg DM. Other foods were made by adding 12·5 or 25 g urea per kg fresh matter to each of the three basal foods to make a further six foods. In both experiments Texel ✕ Greyface female sheep were used. In experiment 1, 34 sheep weighing 37·2 (s.d. 1·85) kg were randomly allocated to one of six groups and each group was offered a choice between a pair of foods. Groups 1 to 3 were offered pairs in the D series (D v. D + 12·5 g urea per kg (no. = 6), D v. D + 25 g urea per kg (no. = 6) and D + 12·5 g urea per kg v. D + 25 g urea per kg (no. = 5)). Groups 4 to 6 were offered the same pairs of foods but with H instead of D. In experiment 2, 96 sheep weighing 29·8 (s.d. 3·37) kg were randomly allocated to one of 12 groups. Groups 1 to 6 (no. = 6) were allocated a single food (D, D + 25 g, H, H + 25 g, P or P + 25 g urea per kg) throughout the experiment. Groups 7 to 12 were given a choice (no. = 10) between two foods. One food of the pair was the basal D, H or P. The other food was the same basal food supplemented with either 12·5 or 25 g urea per kg. On the single foods adding urea to D resulted in an increase in food intake and live-weight gain suggesting that D was deficient in eRDP. Adding urea to either H or P had no beneficial effects on intake or live-weight gain. This suggests that both contained sufficient eRDP in relation to energy. Across all choice treatments in both experiments there was a highly significant preference (P < 0·01) for the food with the higher urea content. In experiment 1 0·62 (s.e. 0·04) of the diet selected was the food with the higher urea content. In experiment 2 the figure was 0·64 (s.e.0·03). The general preference for the food with the higher urea content was unaffected by the CP contents of the foods used. The results do not support the hypothesis that sheep will avoid excess eRDP when given a choice and suggest that eRDP may not be a relevant dimension in diet selection in the conditions of these experiments.

Osteochondrosis is a growth disorder in the cartilage of young animals and is characterised by lesions found in the cartilage and bone. This study identified quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with six osteochondrosis lesion traits in the elbow joint of finishing pigs. The traits were: thickening of the cartilage, lesion in the subchondral bone, irregular cartilage surface, fissure under the cartilage, an irregular sagittal central groove and depression of the proximal edge of the radius. The study comprised 7172 finishing pigs from crossing 12 Duroc boars with 600 crossbred Landrace × Large White sows and included 462 single nucleotide polymorphism markers. The results showed 18 QTLs exceeding the 5% genome-wide threshold. The QTLs associated with lesions in the medial part of the condylus humeri (assumed to be the four main osteochondrosis traits) were, in most cases, at common locations, whereas the QTLs associated with depression of the proximal edge of the radius in general were on the same chromosomes but at separate locations. The detected QTLs explain a large part of the genetic variation, which is promising for incorporating osteochondrosis into a breeding programme using marker-assisted selection.

To understand the production factors that affect conclusive parameters of sow herd performance can improve the use of the resources and profitability of farm. The objective of this study was to identify associations and quantify the effects of a set of factors related to piglet weight at weaning (PWW), kilograms of piglets weaned per sow per year (kgPWSY) and sow feed conversion (SFC). Data from 150 farms were collected, for a total study population of 135 168 sows, including gilt replacement, breeding (mating), gestation and farrowing/lactation phases. A questionnaire focusing on reproductive performance, management, facilities, feeding, health and biosafety was administered. Multiple linear regression models were used to assess associations among factors with each of the three dependent variables. Increased duration of lactation was positively associated with PWW, kgPWSY and SFC. The increase in the number of live born pigs per litter was positively associated with kgPWSY and with SFC. Farms with higher PWW had farrowing room humidifiers, did not surgically castrate male piglets and used quaternary ammonia compounds for farrowing room disinfection. Farms with higher kgPWSY used lined ceilings in farrowing rooms and winter feeds with higher CP percentages in gestation; they also had more farrowings per sow per year. Sow feed conversion was worse in farms with partly slatted floors during gestation, in farms feeding lactating sows six times a day or ad libitum and farms with a higher sow-handler ratio. This study indicates that farms can increase PWW and kgPWSY and improve the SFC by changing one or more management, biosafety and feeding practices or facilities as well as by focusing on improving several performance parameters, particularly increasing the duration of lactation and the number of live born pigs per litter.

The rôle of body reserves stored during early pregnancy on the periparturient breakdown of resistance to nematode parasites was investigated. From the 35th day of pregnancy, 46 ewes were distributed in four groups and given access to a lucerne pelleted diet. Two groups were given food at maintenance (M and C) and the other two were offered food either ad libitum (H) or at 0·70 their maintenance requirements (L) in order to achieve three well differentiated levels of body reserves by the 90th day of pregnancy when backfat thickness reached a mean value of 10·6, 7·5, 7·4 and 5·0 mm for H, M, C, and L treatments respectively. After the 90th day of pregnancy all animals were given food at 50 g/kg live weight per day. All ewes in groups H, M and L received 5000 infective larvae per week (40% Teladorsagia circumcincta, 40% Trichostrongylus colubriformis, 20% Haemonchus contortus) from 5 weeks before to 3 weeks after lambing. The animals in group C remained as uninfected controls.

Host resistance, as measured by faecal egg counts, was significantly affected by the nutritional treatment established during early pregnancy, showing a mean excretion of 546, 766 and 1007 eggs per gram (e.p.g. ) for H, M, and L treatments, respectively, until 3 weeks post lambing. This response was accompanied by a significant effect on circulating eosinophils and better fed ewes showed a higher concentration with a maximum mean value of 10·1, 6·9, 5·5 and 4·0 cells per mm3 for H, M, L and C treatments, respectively, 2 weeks post infection. The effect of the worm infection per se was evident in that the lambs of the M treatment ewes grew at 0·90 of the rate of those in the control treatment (189 v. 213 g/day). Ad libitum feeding in early pregnancy appeared to sufficiently compensate for this depressive effect, with the H ewes producing lambs that grew at a rate similar to those of the C ewes (213 v. 213 g/day).

The results support the view that fat mass stored by ewes in early pregnancy is involved in the expression of immunity against gastro-intestinal nematode infection around parturition. Furthermore, the depressive effect of ewes’ infection on lambs’ growth rate can be overcome by increasing the plane of nutrition of their dams. These results have clear implications for grazing animals, particularly their nutritional management in early pregnancy and provide a simple management strategy in sustainable management systems.

Veterinarians often give advice in a persuasive form, a style that has been shown to evoke resistance to change in clients experiencing psychological ambivalence (i.e. those who see both advantages and disadvantages to changing). With this style of communication, veterinarians run the risk of counteracting their purpose to encourage clients to follow recommendations. Motivational interviewing (MI) is a client-centered communication methodology that aims to facilitate clients’ internal motivation to change. In MI, Change Talk represents clients’ own statements expressing consideration of, motivation for or commitment to behavior change and has been shown to be strongly correlated with behavior change. Sustain Talk is corresponding statements related to maintaining the status quo. The aim of this exploratory study was to evaluate the potential of MI to facilitate behavior change in veterinary herd health management (VHHM) by investigating the effect of dairy cattle veterinarians’ MI skills on client Change and Sustain Talk. We recorded VHHM consultancies on 170 Swedish cattle farms performed by 36 veterinarians, randomly distributed into 2 groups: MI veterinarians (n = 18) had received 6-month training in MI and control veterinarians (n = 18) had not received any training. Veterinarians’ MI skills were assessed using the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity coding system 4.2.1 and categorized as poor_untrained, poor_trained, near moderate and moderate. Client communication was coded using the Client Language Easy Rating coding system. The effect of MI skills on Change Talk, Sustain Talk and Proportion of Change Talk(Change Talk divided by the sum of Sustain Talk plus Change Talk) was investigated using cross-classified regression models with random intercepts for veterinarian and client (farm). The models also included additional explanatory variables (e.g. type of veterinarian and client’s satisfaction with the consultation). The veterinarian’s MI skills were associated with the client’s Change Talk, but results regarding Sustain Talk or Proportion of Change Talk were inconclusive. Clients of veterinarians reaching the highest (i.e. moderate) MI skills expressed 1.5 times more Change Talk than clients of untrained veterinarians. Clients of general large animal practitioners expressed less Sustain Talk than clients of animal health veterinarians and had higher Proportion of Change Talk. Results indicate that learning to practice MI may be one means to improve adherence to veterinary recommendations and to improve efficiency in VHHM services.

In eight experiments, ewes nursing one or two lambs were offered restricted amounts of concentrate in the range 285 to 605 g dry matter (DM) per day and hay ad libitum, from lambing until day 42 of lactation.

Hay intake increased sharply during the first 2 weeks and reached its maximum during the 5th or the 6th week. Ewes' body weight at lambing, ewes' body-weight change, and milk production (estimated by litter growth rate) were significantly related to hay intake which depended also on breed (Romanov × Limousine ewes eating more than pure Limousine, P < 0·001) and age (mature ewes eating more than old ewes, P < 0·001) but not on number of suckled lambs.

Replacement rate of concentrates for forage increased as lactation progressed (0·53 to 0·86 from first to third fortnight) and varied with hay neutral detergent fibre (NDF) concentration (0·42 or 0·89 for hays with 700 or 500 g NDF per kg DM). Daily hay DM intake decreased by 1·28 g for each gram of hay NDF content increment. The NDF effect was increasingly more important as lactation progressed.

Utilization of present results in formulating diets for lactating ewes is discussed.

Heavy weight gilts commonly show signs of oestrus during the late finishing phase, which results in a period of reduced feed intake and growth rate. Immunization against gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) (IM, immunocastration) was developed for finishing boars and recently extrapolated to females. Immunocastration acts by suppressing reproductive activity and improving the growth potential. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of IM on growth performance, reproductive activity and carcass characteristics of late finishing gilts. Seventy-two gilts (63.49 ± 0.39 kg) were either injected with saline (Intact) or immunized against GnRH (Immunized). The study consisted of three experimental periods: between the first to second immunization (V1 to V2, 15 to 19 weeks of age), from the second immunization to the beginning of daily boar exposure (DBE) (V2 to DBE, 19 to 21 weeks of age) and from the beginning of DBE to slaughter (S) (DBE to S, 21 to 25 weeks of age). Immunized gilts showed an overall increase (from 15 to 25 weeks) of 3.90 kg (P < 0.05) of live weight, 56 g (P < 0.05) of average daily gain (ADG) and 250 g (P < 0.001) of average daily feed intake (ADFI). Immunized gilts had a greater ADFI (+240 g, P < 0.05) and worse feed conversion ratio (+0.26, P < 0.05) from 19 (V2) to 21 weeks of age (before DBE). Furthermore, those females had higher feed intake (+410 g; P < 0.001) plus greater daily weight gain (+92 g; P < 0.05) from V2 to S, and from DBE to S (+470 g of ADFI, P < 0.001; +129 g of ADG, P < 0.01, respectively). Immunocastration had no effect on backfat thickness, lean meat percentage and weight, cold carcass yield or loin depth (P > 0.05). Immunized gilts showed 4.4% increased cold carcass weight (P < 0.01) and 10.6% greater gross flank weight (P < 0.001). Immunization against GnRH did not influence shoulder, collar, loin, belly or ham weights. Nor did it influence belly fat thickness, or meat, skin plus fat and bones yields of cold ham (P > 0.05). Immunocastration reduced ovarian and uterine weights by 82% (P < 0.001) and 93% (P < 0.001), respectively, and suppressed oestrus manifestation in all gilts in the immunized group (P < 0.001). These results indicate that immunization against GnRH is a promising tool for stimulating growth performance with no detrimental effects on carcass quality of heavy weight finishing gilts, by means of oestrus suppression.

Mice were selected for high and low growth (i.e. weight gain from 3 to 6 weeks of age), within litters for thirteen generations. This was carried out on a full and on a diluted diet which provided a good and a poor plane of nutrition. A randomly bred control line was maintained on each diet. Responses to selection were obtained in both directions and on both diets, although the diluted diet was subject to an unexplained deterioration. The indirect responses on either plane of nutrition were equal to the direct responses on the same plane. Hence selection for growth could be as well carried out in the environment in which the animal was to perform, as in any other environment. These results were discussed in relation to similar studies and to their practical implications.

Two groups of six bulls were offered a fattening diet based on barley or sugar-beet pulp in the proportions of either 500: 200 g/kg or 200: 500 g/kg to compare the effects of starch and degradable fibre on rumen fermentations, plasma hormones and metabolites. The bulls were fed twice daily at 08.00 and 16.00 h.

The large proportion of sugar-beet pulp in the diet induced higher levels of acetic and butyric acids and less propionic acid than the high proportion of barley. The diurnal patterns over a 24-h period of rumen pH, volatile fatty acids, glucose and ammonia were characterized by two cycles. Sugar-beet pulp in large proportions induced more even fermentations as indicated by flatter curves with less extreme values than those produced by a large inclusion of barley in the diet. Ammonia concentration was high before feeding and decreased subsequently during 4 to 6 h after the meal.

No typical patterns were observed in plasma concentrations of glucose and alpha-amino nitrogen. Plasma urea concentration rose 2h after feeding and dropped during the following 6 to 8 h. There were no effects of dietary carbohydrate composition on growth hormone concentration but plasma insulin was significantly reduced with the diet high in sugar-beet pulp. Furthermore, the insulin profile showed peaks after each meal with the barley diet but only after the afternoon feeding with the diet high in sugar-beet pulp.

Results of two-way selection for multiple births are reported, in a flock of Australian Merinos.

Base ewes, selected for having multiple or single births at each of two lambings at 5 and 6 years of age have shown a good repeatability, the T group (multiple-bearers) having averaged 31 more lambs per 100 ewes mated than the O group (single-bearers) for 6 subsequent lambings.

Unselected daughters of the base ewes, now ranging in age from 2 to 6 years, have also shown a difference in lamb drop, those in the T group averaging 21 more per 100 ewes mated. The difference in lamb drop has increased with the age of the daughter ewes, reaching 31 lambs per 100 ewes mated at 6 years of age.

A small group of Merino ewes from a property where selection for multiple births is practised has produced 1·60 lambs per ewe mated at 2 and 3 years of age.

It is suggested that earlier low estimates of heritability for the incidence of multiple births have led to unwarranted pessimism, and that in some circumstances selection for multiple births may be successful.

Gestation length and maternal ability are important to improve the sow reproduction efficiency and their offspring survival. To map quantitative trait loci (QTL) for gestation length and maternal ability related traits including piglet survival rate and average body weight of piglets at weaning, more than 200 F2 sows from a White Duroc × Erhualian resource population were phenotyped. A genome-wide scan was performed with 194 microsatellite markers covering the whole pig genome. QTL analysis was carried out using a composite regression interval mapping method via QTL express. The results showed that total number of born piglets was significantly correlated with gestation length (r = −0.13, P < 0.05). Three QTL were detected on pig chromosome (SSC)2, 8 and 12 for gestation length. The QTL on SSC2 achieved the 5% genome-wide significant level and the QTL on SSC8 was consistent with previous reports. Four suggestive QTL were identified for maternal ability related traits including 1 QTL for survival rate of piglets at weaning on SSC8, 3 QTL for average body weight of piglet at weaning on SSC3, 11 and 13.

A 3 × 2 factorial experiment was used to investigate the influence of the breed type of gilts (Meishan synthetic 50% (M), purebred Large White (LW) and purebred Landrace (LR)) on response to insoenergetic diets of differing protein levels (180 g crude protein (CP) per kg, 9 g lysine per kg; or 240 g CP per kg, 12 g lysine per kg) offered to appetite over a 28-day lactation. Body fat reserves were adjusted during pregnancy by supplementing a set quantity of basal diet (131 g CP per kg, 12·7 MJ digestible energy (DE) per kg) with an energy source (maize starch + soya oil), to attain a backfat at P2 (6·5 mm off midline at last rib) of 25 mm at farrowing for all breeds. There were no significant diet effects or breed ×diet interactions on lactational performance. On day 1 of lactation, backfat was: M = 25·9, LW = 24·9, LR = 23·9 mm (P < 0·005). M gilts were lighter at farrowing (M = 173, LW = 192, LR = 182 kg; P < 0·001) and had more piglets than LW and LR. LR gilts had heavier piglets at birth (M = 1·13, LW = 1·18, LR = 1·38 kg, P < 0·001) than M and LW gilts. M gilts had a higher food intake (M = 6·4, LW = 5·2, LR = 5·1 kg/day; P < 0·001) but higher fat (M = 4·1, LW = 2·2, LR = 2·9 mm; P < 0·05) and weight (M = 15·9, LW = 1·0, LR = 4·7 kg; P < 0·001) loss over lactation than LW and LR gilts. LW gilts had a lower lactation output as reflected by lower litter weights at weaning than M and LR gilts (M = 73·7, LW = 59·3, LR = 75·2 kg; P < 0·002). It is concluded that lactation of gilts is not improved by provision of a very high protein diet (240 g CP per kg) and that performance still differs between breeds when backfat levels are standardized.

Cottonseed hulls are co-product of agribusiness that can be used in beef cattle rations, decreasing the cost of feed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different cottonseed hull levels, display and ageing times on visual and sensorial meat acceptability. Longissimus thoracis muscle from 30 crossbred young bulls finished on three high-grain diets (210, 270 or 330 g/kg of cottonseed hulls on dry matter, respectively) were visually evaluated during 10 days of display by 37 appraisers. Tenderness, flavour and overall acceptability from the three diets and three ageing times (1, 7 and 14 days) were evaluated by 120 consumers. On the visual study, time of display (P⩽0.001) was a more significant factor than diet. Cottonseed hull level had no effect on sensorial analyses, with tenderness acceptability improving with ageing time (P⩽0.001). Results indicate the possibility of using the three studied levels of cottonseed without damaging consumer meat acceptability.

The effect of grain processing and form of the concentrate mixture were studied on early-weaned Chios lambs (42 days of age) and Damascus kids (56 days of age). Forty-five, 36, 33 and 33 animals were used in trials 1 (lambs), 2 (lambs), 3 (kids) and 4 (kids), respectively. Within trials animals were divided on the basis of live weight and age into three groups. Treatments (three forms of concentrate mixture) were randomly allocated to one of the three groups. The treatments were: whole cereal (WGP) grains mixed with pellets made from the other ingredients of the concentrate mixture; pelleted (P), where all ingredients were ground and pelleted in 5-mm cubes; rolled cereal grains (RGP), where cereal grains were rolled and then mixed with pellets (5-mm cubes) made from the other ingredients of the concentrate mixture. Cereal grains comprised 774 g/kg concentrate mixture. Fattening diets were based on ad libitum feeding of concentrates and a daily allowance of 01 kg per animal of long lucerne hay. Digestion coefficients, outflow rate of small particles from the rumen and rumen metabolites were measured using five animals per species per treatment.

There were no significant differences between diets for live-weight gain in lambs. On the other hand, kids on the P diet gained more weight and had better food to gain ratio than the other two diets. Feeding the P diet resulted in a significant decrease of acetate and butyrate molar proportion ( P < 0·001) and an increase (P < 0·001) of propionate molar proportion. Similarly, feeding the P diet resulted in a significant reduction in ruminal pH (P < 0·01) and NH,-N (P < 0·05) concentration. Outflow rate (% per h) of small particles from the rumen was lower from lambs and kids on the P diet (P < 0·001). There were no significant differences between species and/or among diets for apparent digestion coefficients and nitrogen balance.

The objective was to reduce the incidence of liver abscesses (LAs) in young bulls by reducing the starch content of the concentrate and increasing the straw intake by adding molasses without reducing performance. Eighty-five Danish Friesian bulls (146 ± 2.6 kg live weight (LW)) were allocated to four treatment groups in a 2 × 2 factorial design and were ad libitum fed either a high (H) (43%) or a low (L) (25%) starch concentrate, and either chopped barley straw (S) or a mixture (Sm) of chopped barley straw and sugar-beet molasses (75:25). The bulls were slaughtered at 440 (±4.2) kg LW (11.3 months of age) on average. The concentrate dry-matter intake (DMI) was 7.5% higher (P < 0.001), the roughage DMI was 12% higher (P < 0.01), whereas the total net energy intake was 7% lower (P < 0.001) for the L compared with the H concentrate. By adding molasses to the straw, roughage DMI increased from 0.50 to 0.96 kg/day (P < 0.001). Average daily gain (ADG) was not affected by treatment. Feed conversion efficiency (FCE) for dry matter (FCEDM) was decreased (P < 0.001), whereas FCE for net energy (FCENE) was increased with the L concentrate (P < 0.01), suggesting a lower utilisation of the cell wall fraction with the H starch concentrate. There were no major effects of treatment on carcass characteristics. The higher roughage intake with Sm prevented rumen wall damage, but did not reduce the number of animals with LAs. The L concentrate did not affect the rumen wall but reduced the level of LA (2 v. 9 animals, P < 0.02). There was a higher level of respiratory diseases in animals fed the H concentrate (P < 0.05). The experiment showed that it was possible to maintain performance and reduce LA by using a lower starch content of the concentrate.

In recent years, researchers have given emphasis on the differences in physiological parameters between early and late hatched chicks within a hatch window. Considering the importance of intestine development in newly hatched chicks, however, changes in gene expression of nutrient transporters in the jejunum of early hatched chicks within a hatch window have not been studied yet. This study was conducted to determine the effects of egg storage duration before incubation and hatch window on intestinal development and expression of PepT1 (H+-dependent peptide transporter) and SGLT1 (sodium–glucose co-transporter) genes in the jejunum of early hatched broiler chicks within a 30 h of hatch window. A total of 1218 eggs obtained from 38-week-old Ross 308 broiler breeder flocks were stored for 3 (ES3) or 14 days (ES14) and incubated at the same conditions. Eggs were checked between 475 and 480 h of incubation and 40 chicks from each egg storage duration were weighed; chick length and rectal temperature were measured. The chicks were sampled to evaluate morphological parameters and PepT1 and SGLT1 expression. The remaining chicks that hatched between 475 and 480 h were placed back in the incubator and the same measurements were conducted with those chicks at the end of hatch window at 510 h of incubation. Chick length, chick dry matter content, rectal temperature and weight of small intestine segments increased, whereas chick weight decreased during the hatch window. The increase in the jejunum length and villus width and area during the hatch window were higher for ES3 than ES14 chicks. PepT1 expression was higher for ES3 chicks compared with ES14. There was a 10.2 and 17.6-fold increase in PepT1 and SGLT1 expression of ES3 chicks at the end of hatch window, whereas it was only 2.3 and 3.3-fold, respectively, for ES14 chicks. These results suggested that egg storage duration affected development of early hatched chicks during 30 h of hatch window. It can be concluded that the ES14 chicks would be less efficiently adapted to absorption process for carbohydrates and protein than those from ES3 at the end of the hatch window.