No description available.

Group housing of sows and piglets during the lactation period in a multisuckling system was studied to identify the factors affecting the behaviour and performance of sows and piglets. Comparison was made with sows and piglets in a conventional farrowing pen with crate system. Cross-suckling, additional piglets at the udder during nursing periods, grouping piglets and changing sow location, which might all have contributed to the observed differences in behaviour and performance of the sows and piglets, were each studied separately in more controlled farrowing house conditions. It was shown that welfare of the sow as improved in the multisuckling system as the sows had free movement, expressed more natural behaviour and had social interaction, relative to a sow in a crate. Fighting at grouping was low when using a docile breed (Manor Meishan). The production of the sow was comparable to sows in the conventional system. Welfare of the piglets during grouping was impaired, as they suffered from being placed in a cooler environment (below their Lower Critical Temperature) compared to a conventional farrowing pen with crate system. Piglet mortality rate by being crushed was slightly increased when sows had free movement. Disruption of nursing with adverse effect on the performance of the piglets was observed following grouping with an increased incidence of cross-suckling and a greater number of piglets at the udder during nursing. It can be concluded that grouping sows and piglets during the lactation period can enhance the sows welfare and still provide similar piglet production to the farrowing pen with crate system. However, problems occur for the piglets and good management is needed as the ill-thriving animals are more difficult to identify and treat in such a loose housing system.

Three experiments were carried out to determine i) the quantity and composition of maize forage harvested at different stages of growth, ii) the effect on the milk yield of dairy cows fed on maize forage silages harvested at two stages of maturity together with two levels of dairy concentrate, iii) the effect of supplementing early and late cut silages with either dairy concentrate or cottonseed cake on dry matter intake and milk yield of dairy cows. Forage dry matter yield showed a small non-significant increase with advancing maturity. The contents of dry matter, ash, acid detergent fibre and lignin increased significantly with crop maturity. Crude protein content and dry matter degradability declined significantly as the crop matured. Grain and stover production were significantly reduced by early defoliation. The effects of stage of maturity on the composition of forage and the yields of grain and stover were smaller in the last three stages of defoliation. The effect of type of silage on dry matter intake was inconsistent in the three feeding trials. Dairy cows consumed similar amounts of either early or late cut maize silage in the first year. In the second trial, cows that were fed on early silage ate significantly higher amounts of silage dry matter than those fed on late silage. In the third year the opposite trend was observed. Within each silage, level and type of concentrate offered to the animals had no influence on silage intake. There were no substitution effects in the two feeding trials when different amounts of concentrate were fed with the silages. Milk production from cows that were fed on early silage was about 10% higher than that of cows fed on late silage. This difference was significant in two years. The higher level of concentrate supplementation gave 9% more milk than the lower level. Feeding the silages with dairy concentrate rather than cottonseed cake gave more milk per cow per day. There were no interactions between silage and concentrate effects on milk yield. Milk production when cows were grazing followed similar trends to those recorded in the silage feeding periods. The cows that were supplemented with four kg of concentrate partitioned more energy towards body weight gain than those fed on two kg of concentrate. Efficiency of utilisation of energy for milk production was lower when cows received four rather than two kg of concentrate. Metabolisable energy in early silage was better utilised for milk production than that in late silage. Feeding the two silages with cottonseed cake improved efficiency of energy utilisation for milk production.

No description available.

This study reviews the factors affecting reproductive efficiency in PAC pigs and identifies the major constraints in traditional pig production systems in relation to climatic environment, nutrition and management practices in the hills of eastern Nepal. The different factors affecting reproductive efficiencies were investigated and the possible means to overcome these problems are outlined under Nepalese situations. The majority of the pigs in the hills of Nepal are reared below their LCT throughout the year, causing an estimated loss of 43 % of the total feed intake requirements by climatic penalty. If this feed loss could be effectively utilised by improving housing conditions, the productivity of pigs could be greatly improved. Improvement in housing conditions seem to be the cheapest alternative for improving efficiency in Nepalese situations. Improvements in nutrition of rearing gilts and lactating sows resulted in improvements of reproductive outputs in both station and village experiments. Modified suckling management in late lactation resulted in shorter weaning to remating interval and needs to be introduced in the villages for better reproductive efficiency of pigs. Farmers in the hills of Nepal do not rear boar and sows together due to limitation of feed availability. Under such circumstances, an artificial boar pheromone (Boar Mate) had a beneficial effect on stimulating and detecting oestrus in PAC pigs. However, Boar Mate is not easily available and hence it is recommended to carry out further critical evaluation of boar urine, which gave promising pilot results, as an alternative.

No description available.

No description available.

The effects of age and plane of nutrition on the body and carcass composition and mohair fibre yield and quality of British Angora wether goats slaughtered at six, 12, 18 and 24 months of age were investigated. Carcass yield, composition and conformation improved with increasing age and plane of nutrition. Greasy fleece weight also increased with increasing age and plane of nutrition but fibre quality declined since the increase in mass was achieved by means of increased fibre diameter with no effect of age or plane of nutrition on the fibre elongation rate. There was a constant relationship between the increase in fibre diameter with age and fleece mass which was not affected by plane of nutrition. Similarly there was no significant effect of plane of nutrition on the relationships between fibre diameter and the weight of various body and carcass components. A strong relationship between fibre diameter and the weight of fat in the body or carcass suggested that the increase in fibre diameter with age of the goat was influenced by cumulative feed intake rather than by fat-free body size. The allometric growth patterns of the body and carcass of the Angora goat conformed with the patterns established for other domestic species, with early maturity of the external offal and vital organs, later maturity of the carcass and body fat, and a centripetal pattern of development. There was no effect of plane of nutrition on the allometric growth patterns of the fat-free body or carcass, but decreasing the plane of nutrition resulted in a uniform retardation of all body parts and carcass tissues and a significant effect on the relative growth rate of body and carcass fat. Regression equations were formulated to predict the half carcass composition of Angora wether goats using sample joint dissection data. The most accurate predictions were achieved with data from the leg and the best end of neck combined in multiple regression equations. A second experiment to investigate the effects of long term undernutrition followed by realimentation on the growth rate and composition of empty body weight gain revealed no evidence of compensatory liveweight gain in the Angora goat.

This study consisted of a series of experiments which investigated the water use of growing/finishing pigs (25-90 kg), newly weaned pigs (5- 12 kg) and gestating sows. Drinker type was found to affect water use in growing pigs. For example significantly more water (28 %) was used from Mono-flo nipple drinkers than Arato bite drinkers (P<0.01). For all classes of pigs studied water use was significantly increased by increasing the water delivery rate. The percent increase in water use over the extremes of water delivery rate tested in individual trials were respectively: ration fed growing pigs, 105 % (300-900 cm³ /min P<0.001); ad libitum fed growing pigs, 52% (200-1100 cm³/min P<0.01); gestating sows, 25% (500-2500 cm³/min P<0:01); and newly weaned pigs 109% (175-700 cm³ /min P<0.001). In newly weaned piglets, increasing the water delivery rate from 175 to 700 cm³/min resulted in a significant increase in feed intake (44 g/piglet/day, P<0.001) and growth rate (37 g/piglet/day, P<0.01). For growing pigs (27-55 kg), a relationship was established between water intake, feed intake and liveweight, from which it could be hypothesised that the pig had a limit to daily volumetric intake. This was found to be 12.0 ±1.2 % of liveweight. When feed intake was restricted, water intake increased to maintain the 12% volumetric limit. This hypothesis was validated from other published work extending the weight range to 105 kg. Evidence was produced indicating that newly weaned pigs also have a constant volumetric daily limit. It is suggested that in cases where feed intake needs to be restricted, water intake could be manipulated in order to limit feed intake. This would permit the wider use of ad lib feeding systems and the welfare benefits these allow. The water use of a grower/finisher unit was modelled according to a 12 % volumetric limit and the factors affecting water intake and wastage. The water intake of grower/finisher pigs was predicted using this model. This enabled the percentage of water wasted by different drinker types and delivery rates to be estimated. For wet fed pigs, increasing the water to feed ratio from 1.63:1 to 3. 25: 1 significantly increased feed digestibility (P<0. 05). As many experiments conducted to evaluate the digestible energy of feeds may have used low feed to water ratios (generally around 2:1) it is suggested that many of these studies have attributed incorrect nutritional values to raw materials used in diets for pigs.

A programme of study was undertaken to assess the welfare status of multiparous gestating sows housed in dynamic groups in a straw yard and fed by electronic sow feeders (ESF). Comparison of production figures from the Seale-Hayne herd with those nationally confirmed its status as a typical commercial unit. In an initial series of investigations, detailed ethograms were compiled to describe the animals' repertoire of activities and interactions. Lying and straw manipulation were found to be the predominant behaviours and attacks directed towards the head were the most commonly performed type of interaction. Although there was little evidence of aggressive behaviour, most interactions were found to occur in areas where there was an obvious source of competition, namely the feeding and lying areas. A recording scale was devised to assess the level of skin damage arising from aggressive interactions. Whilst data revealed a relationship between parity and the extent of injury, both the frequency and intensity of injury were found to be low for all animals and there was very little evidence of vulva biting, commonly cited as a major criticism of group-housing systems. Animals were observed to rest predominantly in the lying area. There was an association between parity and resting location, with older animals occupying those areas perceived to be more favourable. Recently introduced gilts and sows were observed to integrate gradually with the main group. An argument is put forward for the existence of sub-groups based upon parity within the main group, although it was concluded that it was difficult to prove such a theory. A series of voluntary feed intake (VFI) trials revealed that the animals' feeding motivation was not satisfied by the allowance fed in gestation. Results from a trial when animals were offered a high fibre, low energy diet in comparison with their conventional feed suggested that the animals had a requirement for a certain level of energy and were not motivated simply by a desire for gut-fill. However, a subsequent investigation into the animals feeding behaviour did not reveal any evidence of a frustrated feeding motivation; there was little evidence of non-feeding visits and few animals were recorded in the feed queue throughout the day. It is concluded that sows can be group-housed in a dynamic system on a restricted feed intake without detriment to their welfare or productivity status. A number of factors were found to be critical to the success of such a system including the freedom for animals to behave as individuals, the regular provision of fresh straw and adequate space for newly introduced animals to integrate gradually with the herd.