The effects of dam previous reproductive status (PRS) on the pre-adjustment of weaning weight for genetic evaluation (WWT) was examined for Santa Gertrudis (SANTA), Brahman (BRAH) and Tropical Composite (TCOMP) breeds of beef cattle. Weaning weight records were classified into 3 groups according to the dam’s PRS: whether in the last year, she had reared a bull calf (PBC), a heifer calf (PHC) or...

1. The aim of the present experiment was to examine the influence of whole wheat inclusion and a blend of essential oils (EO; cinnamaldehyde and thymol) supplementation on the performance, nutrient utilisation, digestive tract development and ileal microbiota profile of broiler chickens. 2. The experimental design was a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments evaluating two wheat forms (groun...

Economical and biological efficiencies of beef production to weaning and to slaughter were estimated in three groups, different in milk available (low, medium, and high) to the calves but with the same potential for growth. Data from different breed groups of cows (low [L] = Hereford x Angus, medium [M] = Red Poll x Angus, and high [H] = Milking Shorthorn x Angus) were used. Economical efficien...

Data from 69,525 animals were used to compare two types of analyses, one of them having the weaning management group (WEMANG) included as an effect in the contemporary group (F_WEMANG) and the other considering the weaning management group as a random effect, not related to the mathematical model (R_WEMANG) for post-weaning traits. The components of (co)variance were estimated for pre-weaning t...

The objectives of the present study were to investigate the effects of breed, sex, parity, year of birth and season of birth on birth weight, weaning weight and yearling weight recorded on 713 calves born between 1996 and 2008. The data included offspring from five local cattle breeds (Dhanni, Lohani, Dajal, Red Sindhi, Cholistani) and crossbreds (Holstein or Jersey crosses) maintained at Baran...

Colostrum intake from birth to 24 h after the onset of parturition (T24) was estimated for 526 piglets from 40 litters. Plasma concentrations of immunoglobulin G (IgG), lactate, glucose and cortisol were determined at T24 for six piglets per litter. Plasma IgG concentration was also assayed at weaning (28 days) on the same piglets. Rectal temperature was measured at T24 on all piglets. Mortalit...

The objective of this study was to determine if deworming nursing calves prior to weaning would increase calf weaning weight. A total of 568 calves from three different locations were randomly assigned to either a deworming treatment (doramectin injectable) or control (no treatment) 90 d prior to weaning. Dewormed calves had greater body weight gain prior to weaning compared to control calves. ...

Angus (A), Brown Swiss (S) and A X S reciprocal F t (AS) dams were mated to A, S and AS (also reciprocal F 1 ) sires resulting in nine breed groups of progeny with varying proportions of Angus and Brown Swiss breeding. Breed group of dam and of sire significantly influenced birth weight, preweaning daily gain, weaning weight, 205-d weight, condition score and frame size. The means for birth wei...

An experiment was conducted to evaluate feather meal as a source of Val in lactating sow diets. Sows (five farrowing groups; mean parity = 2.34) were allotted to one of two dietary treatments on the basis of ancestry, parity, and weight and date of d 110 of gestation. The treatment diets included 1) corn-soybean meal lactation diet (n = 40) or 2) corn-soybean meal lactation diet with 2.5% feath...