The objective of the study was to assess the dimensionality of seven linear traits (body condition score, body stature, body length, heart girth, navel height, body depth and flank circumference) in Nguni cows using factor analysis and indicate the relationship between the extracted latent variables and calving interval (CI) and age at first calving (AFC). The traits were measured between December 2012 and November 2013 on 1559 Nguni cows kept under thornveld, succulent karoo, grassland and bushveld vegetation types. Low partial correlations (−0.04 to 0.51), high Kaiser statistic for measure of sampling adequacy scores and significance of the Bartlett sphericity test (P<0.01) showed that there were significant phenotypic correlations between the linear traits and the data were suitable for factor analysis. Two factors had eigenvalues >1. Factor 1 included body condition score, body depth, flank circumference and heart girth and represented body capacity of cows. Factor 2 included body length, body stature and navel height and represented frame size of cows. CI and AFC decreased linearly with increase of factor 1. There was a quadratic increase in AFC as factor 2 increased (P<0.05). It was concluded that the linear type traits under study can be grouped into two distinct factors, one linked to body capacity and the other to the frame size of the cows. Small-framed cows with large body capacities have shorter CI and AFC.

Gene banks are usually used for storing general genetic variability of endangered living populations but can be also used for storing alleles of a particular locus that are being eradicated through artificial selection programmes. In such scenarios gene banks would allow future re-introduction of one or more of the alleles being eradicated (and the associated diversity) into living populations. Frequencies within the bank for the locus of interest should have pre-determined target values. In this study, an algorithm is derived to obtain the optimal contributions of all candidate donors to achieve the target frequencies of the removed alleles in the bank while maintaining at the same time genetic variability in other loci unlinked to those targeted in the eradication programme. The efficiency of the algorithm is tested using the case of gene banks storing prion protein alleles currently disfavoured in scrapie eradication programmes (i.e., the AHQ, ARH, ARQ and VRQ alleles). Results showed that the algorithm was able to find the combinations of candidate contributions fulfilling different objectives regarding target frequencies and restrictions on coancestry. The most important factors influencing the optimal contributions were the allelic frequencies and the levels of diversity (coancestry) of the living population. Heterozygotes were favoured over homozygous individuals as, for a given number of animals contributing to the bank, the use of heterozygotes leads to lower levels of coancestry. Notwithstanding, almost all donors were sampled when restrictions on the global genetic diversity to be stored were severe.

Farm animal genetic resources are threatened worldwide. Participation in markets, while representing a crucial way out of poverty for many smallholders, affects genetic management choices with associated sustainability concerns. This paper proposes a contextualized study of the interactions between markets and animal genetic resources management, in the case of sheep markets in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. It focusses on the organization of marketing chains and the valuation of genetic characteristics by value chain actors. Marketing chain characterization was tackled through semi-structured interviews with 25 exporters and 15 butchers, both specialized in sheep. Moreover, revealed preference methods were applied to analyse the impact of animals’ attributes on market pricing. Data were collected from 338 transactions during three different periods: Eid al-Adha, Christmas and New Year period, and a neutral period. The neutral period is understood as a period not close to any event likely to influence the demand for sheep. The results show that physical characteristics such as live weight, height at withers and coat colour have a strong influence on the animals’ prices. Live weight has also had an increasing marginal impact on price. The different markets (local butcher, feasts, export market, sacrifices) represent distinct demands for genetic characteristics, entailing interesting consequences for animal genetic resource management. Any breeding programme should therefore take this diversity into account to allow this sector to contribute better to a sustainable development of the country.

Grouping of sows and piglets during lactation can cause performance problems associated with disruption of suckling. Cross-suckling and an increase in the number of piglets at the udder during milk let-down have been observed. To investigate the role of these factors, 24 sows and litters were used to study their independent effect on sucking behaviour and performance. Control sows (C) remained in farrowing pens with crates until weaning at 28 days. In treatment 1 (Tl) on day 14 after farrowing, five piglets were removed from the resident (Rl) litter and replaced by five piglets (cross-suckers; CS1) of the same age from a different litter. In treatment 2 (T2) on day 14, five additional piglets (CS2) from other litters were added to the 10 resident (R2) piglets for a period of 24 h. Behaviours of the sows and piglets were video recorded prior to mixing and for 3 days after mixing. Litter weight gain of 11 was significantly reduced in the week after mixing (2–06,1·61 and 2·00 (s.e.d. 0·18) kg/day, P < 0·05 for C, Tl, T2, respectively). Within Tl the growth rates ofRl and CS1 piglets were not significantly different. In the 24 h after mixing, C, Rl, CS1 and R2 piglets gained weight whilst CS2 lost weight (247,186,182,151 and -116 (s.e.d. 44·2) glday, P < 0·01). On the day of mixing, the proportion of suckling attempts which resulted in milk letdown was reduced in treatment groups (0·93, 0·75 and 0·70 (s.e.d. 0·04), P < 0·02 for C, Tl, T2 respectively) and the proportion ofT2 piglets lying near the sow's udder between milk let-down was higher than on C and Tl (0·15, 017 and 0·29 (s.e.d. 0·06), P < 0·05). There was no significant difference in piglet behaviour from 2 days after mixing. Both cross-suckling and introduction of additional piglets transiently disrupted sucking behaviour and adversely affected the performance of the piglets. Increased competition had a much greater effect than unfamiliarity with the environment, with added cross-sucking piglets being greatly disadvantaged relative to substituted cross-sucking piglets.

Temporary crating may be a more acceptable housing system for lactating sows than permanent crating and loose-housing because it combines benefits of both systems while reducing some of their limitations. It remains unclear whether nursing and sucking behaviour is influenced after crate opening. The aim of this study was to assess the short- (24 h post-crate opening) and long-term (day 25 postpartum (pp.)) effects of opening the farrowing crate from day 3 pp. to weaning on nursing and suckling behaviour. Sows were crated from 5 days prepartum either to weaning (permanently crated group; n = 14) or 3 days pp. (temporarily crated group; n = 13). Sows and their litters were observed on days 4 and 25. Duration of pre- and post-massages, nursing termination, number of piglets missing milk ejection and number of piglets fighting during pre- and post-massages were scored at 15-s intervals. Nursing success (i.e. with or without milk ejection) was also recorded. Data were analysed using PROC GLM and PROC GENMOD of SAS including housing, litter size and parity as fixed effects. Nursing behaviour did not differ between sows housed in temporary crates and those housed in permanent crates on days 4 and 25 pp., that is, same number of nutritive nursings (NNs), same proportion of non-NNs, same duration of post-massages and same proportion of termination of post-massages. There was only a housing effect on day 25; with sows having longer pre-massages in permanent crates (P < 0.05). Suckling behaviour was overall similar between treatments. There were no differences in the number of piglets attending pre- and post-massages, proportion of piglets fighting during pre-and post-massages and the proportion of piglets missing milk ejection on both days. The only housing effect was found on day 25 during which fewer piglets attended post-massages (P < 0.05) in permanent crates. Sows with larger litters terminated post-massages more often (P < 0.05), allowed shorter post-massages (P < 0.05) on day 4, and had more piglets miss milk ejection on days 4 and 25 (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the results of this study showed that housing had a very limited effect on nursing and suckling behaviour. Sow and piglet behaviours were not altered after crate opening (short-term effect) and nursing was to some extent calmer (shorter pre-massages and more piglets attended post-massages) in temporary crates on day 25. Increased litter size impaired nursing and suckling behaviour of sows and piglets independently of the housing system.

A survey was carried out of 1 640 British Friesian heifers calving predominantly in the autumn of 1979. The monthly samples of 1 055 animals showing no reported evidence of udder infection were used to evaluate the parameters of a lactation curve in milk cell count. The model was

C = 190 n−0.4880exp(0·178n)

where C is the monthly cell count in millions per 1 during the nth month of lactation. The cell count varied from 230 × 106 in week 1 and 190 × 106 in week 11 to 400 × 106 in week 44 of lactation.

On applying the model to the whole sample, milk sampled within a month before or after antibiotic treatment for clinical mastitis contained more than 200 × 106 cells per 1 above the level suggested by the lactation curve. Lactation mean cell counts of treated cows were 400 × 106 cells per 1 higher than those of untreated cows. It was not possible to identify periods in which cows required treatment, or those with high cell counts, by reference to the lactose concentration in the milk samples. Among the untreated cows, the cell count at the third monthly test-day was lower than at any other time, and was more highly correlated with the lactation mean cell count.

The main purpose of the study was to compare the capacity of the major sheep breeds in Morocco to cope with climate changes through the ranges of several climate parameters in which they can be found. We first delimitated the climatic ‘domains’ of each breed by constructing a database including altitude and climatic parameters (minima mean of the coldest month, maxima mean of the hottest month, annual rainfall, pluviothermic coefficient of Emberger Q2, annual minima mean and annual maxima mean) on a 30-year period using the representative stations of each breed distribution. The overlap between each breed combination was quantified through a canonical analysis that extracted the most discriminant parameters. The variance analysis of each climatic parameter evidenced two breeds remarkable by their tolerance. The first one is the Timahdite, mainly settled in areas over 1100 m, which can tolerate the greatest variations in annual rainfall and pluviothermic coefficient. In spite of this feature, this breed is endangered owing to the decreasing quality of pastures. The second one is the D’man which apparently can support high variations in extreme temperatures. In fact, this breed is not well adapted to pastures and requires a special microclimate offered by oases. The information reported in this study will be the basis for the establishment of characterization and selection strategies for Moroccan sheep.

Muscle colour has been recorded on pigs tested at the national pig progeny testing stations in Great Britain since 1958. From September 1960 a muscle colour score on a scale of 1 to 7 points has been given by comparing the muscle colour with a series of seven coloured discs of increasing colour intensity. These discs were prepared specifically (by Tintometer Ltd. Of Great Britain) to score muscle colour in pigs. The higher the colour score the more desirable the colour was adjudged to be by the testing station personnel. However, scores of 6 and 7 were very infrequent and no assessment of their desirability was made. Carcasses were cut at the last rib on the day after slaughter at about 200 lb. live-weight and muscle colour was scored on the cut surface of the longissimus dorsi muscle (eye muscle).

Twenty crossbred lactating multiparous cows were used in a 28-day study to compare dry matter intake (DMI), milk yield, milk composition and Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) protein concentrations in plasma when fed diets containing Bollgard II® cottonseed (BGII) or a control non-genetically modified isogenic cottonseed (CON). Bollgard II cottonseed contains the Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab insecticidal proteins that protect cotton plants from feeding damage caused by certain lepidopteran insects. Cows were assigned randomly to the BGII or CON treatments after a 2-week adjustment period. Cows consumed a concentrate containing 40% crushed cottonseed according to milk yield and green maize forage ad libitum. All cows received the same diet but with different crushed cottonseed sources. Cottonseed was included to provide approximately 2.9 kg per cow daily (dry matter basis). The ingredient composition of the concentrate was 40% crushed cottonseed, 15% groundnut cake, 20% corn, 22% wheat bran, 1% salt and 2% mineral mixture. Milk and blood plasma were analyzed for Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab proteins. DMI, BW, milk yield and milk components did not differ between cows on the BGII and CON treatments. Although milk yield and milk fat percentage were not affected by treatment, 4% fat-corrected milk (FCM) production and FCM/kg DMI for cows on the BGII treatment (14.0 kg/cow per day, 1.12 kg/kg) were significantly improved compared with cows on the CON treatment (12.1 kg/cow per day, 0.97 kg/kg). Gossypol contents in BGII cottonseed and conventional cottonseed were similar. Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab2 proteins in Bollgard II cottonseed were 5.53 and 150.8 μg/g, respectively, and were not detected in the milk or plasma samples. The findings suggested that Bollgard II cottonseed can replace conventional cottonseed in dairy cattle diets with no adverse effects on performance and milk composition.

The progress in animal improvement depends on the accuracy with which the breeding value of each individual in the breed, or herd, is estimated, and how the animals chosen on the basis of our estimates are combined in matings. We are concerned here only with the first part of the problem, i.e. the estimation of breeding values. The estimates are made in regard to certain characters, or traits, which are of particular interest from an economic point of view, and they may be based on the phenotypic merit of the individual, or on the merits of its ancestors or collateral relatives, or on the merits of its progeny, in regard to the character in question. Often a combination of two, or three, or all four methods may be used. Their relative importance depends on the heritability of the character, as will be discussed later.

Milk yields of 66 nursing does recorded in Zaria, Nigeria were used to characterize the lactation curve and study the influencing factors in Red Sokoto goats. Lactation curve parameters obtained by fitting the model: Yt = atbe –ct were subjected to statistical analysis, using herd, season, parity, litter size and litter composition of dams.

The results indicate that the lactation curve of these goats was characterized by milk production increasing in early lactation, attaining a peak at approximately 2 to 5 weeks post partum and thereafter declining slowly to the end of lactation. The observed total yield, peak yield, peak day and the estimated persistency defined as c–( b + 1) was 79·3 kg, 1·2 kg, 20·5 and 143·2, respectively. Parameters ‘ a‘ and ‘ c‘ were strongly but negatively correlated ( r = –0·53; P < 0·01). The curve parameters ‘ a‘ and ‘ c‘ differed by herd and season ( P < 0·05); and parity only affected ( P < 0·01) parameter ‘ a‘. None of the factors significantly influenced parameter ‘ b‘ ( P > 0·05).

The significant herd and season effects may have practical implications in determining optimal feeding management and season of breeding to maximize total lactation yield.

Two feeding experiments with housed lambs of the Spanish Manchega breed were carried out over 2 years with the aim of assessing the suitability of field beans in lamb finishing diets. In the 1st year field beans were compared with soya-bean meal as a protein source in a factorial experimental design with the proportion of maize in the diet being 0·15, 0·25 or 0·35. In the second experiment the effect of replacing soya-bean meal and sunflower meal by inclusion of field beans at proportions, 0, 0·1, 0·2, 0·3 and 04 of the diet was studied. All diets were isoenergetic and isoproteic. The composition of the diets had no significant effects on the average daily gain or the food conversion ratio in either experiment. Results from experiment 2 showed that the increasing amount of field beans in the basal diet did not affect protein, fat and water content of a loin sample of meat, or fatty acid composition of kidney fat.

The effect of intake level during the milk-feeding period and dietary protein content during the post-weaning period on performance, weight of components of the digestive tract and carcass and non-carcass chemical composition was investigated in 28 Churra lambs. A 2 × 2 factorial design was used with two intake levels during the milk-feeding period (Lmilk: 0·9 and Hmilk: 1·5 MJ gross energy per kg M0·75 daily) and two concentrate supplements (Lprotein:barley grain and Hprotein: barley grain plus 200 g/kg fish meal) during the post-weaningperiod. After selecting an initial slaughter group of four 2-day-old lambs, 12 lambs were assigned randomly to each of two intake levels during a 4-week milk-feeding period and given food individually. Four lambs from each intake level were slaughtered at weaning (30 days old) and the remaining 16 were weaned between 30 and 49 days old (weaning period). Eight lambs from each nutritional regimen during the milk-feeding period were further divided into two equal groups and given food individually ad libitum with hay and the post-weaning concentrate, according to the experimental design until thefinal slaughter weight (20 kg) (post-weaning period). Lmitk lambs showed a capacity to grow as well as the Hmilk during the weaning and post-weaning period and there were no differences (P > 0·05) in dry-matter intake and food conversion ratio among treatments. Before weaning, the weight of the reticulo-rumen was not affected by the intake level during the milk-feeding period. The most affected component of the gastrointestinal tract was the small intestine as proportion of the digestive tract which was lower in Lmilk lambs (P < 0·05). At 20 kg live weight, the relative size of the reticulo-rumen was greater (P < 0·01) and the abomasum (P < 0·05) and large intestine (P < 0·01) were smaller in lambs which were given the Hprotein concentrate after weaning. The organic matter apparent digestibility (OMD, P < 0·05) and crude protein apparent digestibility (CPD, P < 0·05) of the post-weaning diets was greater in Lmilk lambs and the Hprotein post-weaning diet was associated with a greater dry-matter apparent digestibility, OMD and CPD when lambs were close to final slaughter weight. At 20 kg live weight, the proportion of protein in the carcass of Lmilk lambs was greater (P < 0·05) than in Hmilk lambs. The greater growth of the reticulo-rumen of the Lmilk lambs might have increased solid food intake after the milk-feeding period, led to greater CPD of post-weaning diets and had consequences in terms of carcass composition.

One hundred and forty-four Large White weaner pigs were used in each of two experiments to investigate the nutritive value of liquid separated milk. Two experimental diets, one based on separated milk and barley meal, the other on separated milk, soya bean meal and barley meal were compared with control meals of the type used in the Pig Industry Development Authority's progeny testing stations. The amounts of milk in the experimental diets were adjusted so that the lysine concentrations in the dietary dry matter were similar to those of the control meals. All diets were given according to a restricted scale relating daily dry matter allowance to live weight, to a scale relating digestible energy allowance to live weight and to ‘appetite’. In the first experiment, pigs were slaughtered at 200 lb live weight, in the second at 260 lb live weight.

Pigs given the separated milk and barley meal diet performed similarly to those given the control meals; those given the separated milk, soya bean meal and barley meal diet had better feed conversion efficiencies than control pigs, particularly over the range 200 to 260 lb live weight. Pigs given diets containing milk had higher killing-out percentages and shorter carcasses than those given the control meals. Diet had no statistically significant effect on the percentages of fat and lean in the sides.

The effects of plane of nutrition were demonstrated by the faster rate of gain and poorer carcass quality of pigs fed to ‘appetite’.

It was concluded that the nutritive value of separated milk is explained by its high energy and lysine content. There was no evidence of any unknown beneficial factor in it.

Restricted breeding seasons used in beef cattle produce censored data for reproduction traits measured in regard to these seasons. To analyze these data, adequate methods must be used. The objective of this paper was to compare three approaches aiming to evaluate sexual precocity in Nellore cattle. The final data set contained 6699 records of age at first conception (AFC14) (in days) and of heifer pregnancy (HP14) (binary) obtained from females exposed to the bulls for the first time at about 14 months of age. Records of females that did not calve in the following year after being exposed to a sire were considered censored (77.5% of total). The models used to obtain genetic parameters and expected progeny differences (EPDs) were a Weibull mixed and a censored linear model for AFC14 and threshold model for HP14. The mean heritabilities obtained were 0.76 and 0.44, respectively, for survival and censored linear models (for AFC14), and 0.58 for HP14. Ranking and Pearson correlations varied (in absolute values) from 0.54 to 0.99 (considering different percentages of sires selected), indicating moderate changes in the classification. Considering survival analysis as the best selection criterion (that would result in the best response to selection), it was observed that selection for HP14 would lead to a more significant decrease in selection response if compared with selection for AFC14 analysed by censored linear model, from which results were very similar to the survival analysis.

Poor glucose tolerance may be an under-researched contributory factor in the high (10% to 20%) pre-weaning mortality rate observed in pigs. Insulin resistance commences at around week 12 of gestation in the sow, although there are conflicting reports in the literature about the extent to which insulin resistance is modulated by maternal diet. The aim of the study was to determine the effects of supplementing the maternal diet with different dietary oils during either the first half or the second half of gestation on the glucose tolerance of the sow. Sows were offered the control (C: n = 5) diet as pellets or the C diet plus 10% extra energy (n = 16 per group) derived from either: (i) extra pellets; (ii) palm oil; (iii) olive oil; (iv) sunflower oil; or (v) fish oil. Experimental diets were fed during either the first (G1) or second (G2) half of gestation. A glucose tolerance test (GTT) was conducted on day 108 of gestation by administering 0.5 g/kg glucose i.v. Blood samples were taken every 5 to 10 min for 90 min post administration. The change in body weight and backfat thickness during gestation was similar but both type and timing of dietary supplementation influenced litter size and weight. With the exception of the sunflower oil group, supplementing the maternal diet in G1 resulted in larger and heavier litters, particularly in mothers offered palm oil. Basal blood glucose concentrations tended to be more elevated in G1 than G2 groups, whilst plasma insulin concentrations were similar. Following a GTT, the adjusted area under the curve was greater in G1 compared to G2 sows, despite no differences in glucose clearance. Maternal diet appeared to influence the relationship between glucose curve characteristics following a GTT and litter outcome. In conclusion, the degree of insulin sensitivity can be altered by both the period during which maternal nutritional supplementation is offered and the fatty acid profile of the diet.

Individual dry matter intakes were measured using four groups of 16 ewes, indoors or at sparse winter grazing. In periods of varying duration (14 to 35 days) the ewe groups received 14 feedblock supplements competitively, eight trough supplements competitively or two feedblock supplements individually. In each period hay was available ad libitum. All supplements contained chromic oxide and individual supplement intakes were estimated by total faecal collection. Individual hay and total dry-matter intakes were estimated by faecal apportionment according to indigestibility of dietary components.

Metabolizable energy content (0·81 × digestible energy) of the feedblocks ranged from 7·9 to 9·2 MJ/kg dry matter compared with a value of 13·0 MJ metabolizable energy/kg dry matter for concentrates. The variation in individual supplement intake was large, irrespective of type of supplement. However the mean coefficient of intake variation for 14 feedblock supplements (0·56) significantly (P < 0·05) exceeded that (0·39) for eight trough supplements at equivalent mean dry-matter intakes.

Thus, ‘free-access’ feedblocks did not allow a more uniform supplementation than trough supplements. Supplement intake variation was higher outdoors and increased as total feedblock intake reduced.

The variation in individual hay and total dry-matter intake was lower, and generally independent of that for the supplements. Mean coefficient of variation of 0·24 and 0·22 were obtained for hay and total dry matter, respectively, based on 22 collections with competitively fed sheep.

Total daily metabolizable energy intakes of individual ewes outdoors ranged from 5 to 22 MJ per collection.

Experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of weaning age on growth performance, feed intake, feed efficiency (FE) and blood metabolites in Nili-Ravi male buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) calves. Twenty-four male buffalo calves were assigned to one of the three treatment groups: continuous milk feeding (CMF), limited milk feeding (LMF) and early weaning (EW), and weaned off milk at 12, 10 and 8 weeks of age, respectively. For the first 3 days after birth, calves in all three treatments were fed colostrum, and were then moved to individual milk feeding at 10% of BW for the next 6 weeks. Thereafter, the provision of milk to the CMF group was gradually tapered to zero through week 12, using week 6 intakes as a base. The LMF calves were fed milk at 7.5%, 5.0%, 3.5%, and 1.5% of BW during weeks 7 to 10, respectively. Lastly, calves in the EW group were fed milk at 5.0% and 2.5% of BW at weeks 7 and 8, respectively. Calf starter (CS) feed was also provided ad libitum from weeks 2 to 12 and individual intakes were recorded on a daily basis. Blood samples were taken from weeks 6 to 12, on a weekly basis; whereas, the BW, heart girth, withers height and hip width were measured at the start of experiment and later on a weekly basis. Weight gain, average daily gain, and body measurements were the same across all three groups. Milk intake was lower (P < 0.05), whereas CS intake was greater (P < 0.05) in the EW calves compared with the other treatment groups. Dry matter intake was greater (P < 0.05) in the EW and LMF calves compared with the CMF calves. The FE was greater (P < 0.05) in the CMF calves compared with the LMF and EW treatment groups. Blood glucose concentration was similar among the treatments; however, blood urea nitrogen was greater (P < 0.05) in the EW calves compared with the CMF and LMF groups. Plasma concentration of non-esterified fatty acids was higher (P < 0.05) in the EW calves compared with the CMF calves. In light of these results, it is evident that buffalo calves can be successfully weaned as early as 8 weeks of age without negatively affecting their growth performance.

1. Measurements of digestible energy intake, live growth and carcass measurements were conducted with 96 individually housed pigs (48 male and 48 female) given the same diet at four feeding levels (ad libitum; Agricultural Research Council daily digestible energy intake (C); C–12·5%; and C–25% daily digestible energy intake. The pigs were slaughtered at one of six live weights (45, 60, 75, 90, 105, 120 kg).

2. Prediction equations of average daily live-weight gain and introscope P2 backfat thickness on the hot carcass (hot P2) were developed as functions of average daily digestible energy intake for males and females at varying live weights. The relationships found were 20·8 g live-weight gain per MJ digestible energy intake and 0·81 mm hot P2 backfat thickness per MJ digestible energy intake from 25 to 90 kg live weight.

3. Compared with feeding level C, C –25% produced no difference in feed conversion ratio, reduced shoulder maximum, mid-back and loin minimum backfat thickness by 6–8 mm (14–4%), 4–2 mm (168%) and 4–1 mm (17–5%) respectively (P<0·01) and increased eye-muscle area by 2908mm2 (10·9%).

4. Compared with females, males reached slaughter weight 9·4 days earlier, increased daily live-weight gain by 64g, increased feed conversion ratio by 0·3, had 1·6mm less hot P2 backfat thickness, had less backfat at all mid-line positions and showed no difference in eye-muscle area.

The sweating rate of N'Dama cattle was found to show a significant stepwise increase from 10.00 h to 14.00 h (P ><0·01).

Among breeds, the sweating rates (mg/10 cm2 per 5 min) in White Fulani and N'Dama cattle were similar (100·8 to 118·3), but were significantly higher than for N'Dama × German Brown (74·4), German Brown (62·6) and Friesian (56·7) cattle (P<0·10).

Sweating rate was significantly higher for the neck and midside (90·0 to 93·3) than for other sites (75·1 to 80·0) (P<0·05).