No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1985 K74 / Master of Science

To evaluate the importance of non-linear relationships between Relative net income per day of productive life (RNI/DPL) and individual traits, 921,915 potential offspring were simulated from all possible matings of 20,487 Jersey cows and 45 active AI sires. Predicted milk yield, fat yield, and 13 linear type traits of potential progeny were used to predict RNI/DPL of all potential progeny. Five methods of mate selection and pairing were evaluated for their effectiveness in choosing mates and the amount of computer time required to choose those pairings. Results of a linear programming (LP) method were used as a comparison for the other four more easily applied methods. Two of the other four methods were not significantly (P > .01) different from the LP method. Although the random pairing method was significantly different, similarity of results, for this method indicated non-linear relationships between RNI/DPL and individual trait scores are of minor importance. A11 four methods used considerable less computer time than the LP method. Analysis of variance for predicted RNI/DPL (all possible offspring) indicated herd, dam within herd, sire, and inbreeding class to be significant (P < .01) variables in determining RNI/DPL. However the sire by dam within herd interaction did not significantly affect RNI/DPL, again indicating non-linear relationships between traits and RNI/DPL were not very important. Regressing PD's, Cl's, and their crossproducts for milk yield, fat yield, and 13 linear type traits showed the relative importance of crossproducts to be minimal in comparison to the linear effects of parental genetic evaluations. / Master of Science

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1961 L85

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1978 W37 / Master of Science

No description available.

Experiments were designed to assess the effects of energy and protein intake on metabolic function and reproductive efficiency in single and twin suckling beef cows and heifers. A role was proposed for endogenous opioid peptides in mediating the effects of photoperiod, suckling and nutrition on anterior pituitary hormone release, and tested with respect to nutrition. The first two experiments were designed to quantify the effects of pre- and post-partum energy and protein intake, on milk yield and composition, body tissue mobilisation, the post-partum anoestrous interval, and subsequent conception rates to artificial insemination and embryo transfer in single- and twin-suckling beef cows. Cows very quickly adjusted their metabolism and level of performance to be in line with their current level of energy and protein intake. Ovulation and the resumption of normal oestrous cycles occurred soon thereafter. The third experiment tested the hypothesis that post-partum energy and digestible undegradable protein (DUP) intake can influence hypothalamic opiodergic tone and the ability of the anterior pituitary to secrete luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin and growth hormone in response to naloxone (an opioid receptor antagonist) challenge. Results indicated that high energy diets allowed cows to overcome the opioid mediated block on LH release and resume oestrous cyclicity earlier than cows on low energy diets. High levels of DUP increased the opioid mediated block on LH release. The final experiment examined the interactive effects of body condition and energy intake on hypothalamic opioidergic tone and pituitary responsiveness, in terms of LH release, when challenged with an exogenous source of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH). Naloxone was unable to evoke consistent LH responses in this experiment but the LH response to GnRH was influenced by both body condition and energy intake. In conclusion opioid peptides may provide a means by which certain homeostatic regulators interface with homeorhetic hormones released from the anterior pituitary gland.

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