Factors Affecting the Utilization of Food by Dairy Cows

Cc, Balch; Da, Balch; Bartlett, S.; Vw, Johnson; Rowland, SJ

doi:10.1079/bjn19520038

Cited by 19 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…In considering the present results it would be possible to explain the reduced weight of the gastro- Balch et al (1952) produced evidence from their cattle studies that thyroxine slightly speeded up the rate of food passage through the reticulo-rumen. Should this also occur in thyroxine-treated ewes, it could explain the reduction in the mean weight of the gastric tract contents reported in the present study.…”

Section: -mentioning

confidence: 63%

“…The above-mentioned conclusions should be considered in relation to the findings of Balch et al (1952) who showed that thyroxine therapy did not measurably increase the rate of passage of food through the digestive tract of cattle. In this connexion the weight of the intestinal contents in the NP thyroxine implanted ewes was reduced by slightly over 1 lb., while the weight of the intestinal contents of the LP thyroxine implanted ewes was reduced by a lesser amount.…”

Section: -mentioning

confidence: 89%

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Live weight loss and its components in Romney ewes subjected to L-thyroxine therapy and a low plane of nutrition. Part II. Effects on some non-carcass components of live weight

Kirton

Barton

1958

J. Agric. Sci.

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1. The effects of l-thyroxine therapy and a low plane of nutrition on some of the non-carcass components of live weight in New Zealand Romney ewes were investigated.2. Thyroxine treatment significantly lowered the weight of the gastrointestinal tract contents. A low plane of nutrition and a longer total starvation immediately pre-slaughter had little effect in lowering the weight of the gastrointestinal contents. Alimentary tract ‘fill’ accounted for a group mean loss of live weight of up to 5 lb.3. Thyroxine treatment lowered the weight of the empty gastric tract, while a low plane of nutrition reduced the weight of both the empty gastric and intestinal tracts. The combined treatment effects accounted for a loss of up to 3 lb. in the weight of the empty gastrointestinal tract.4. Neither treatment significantly reduced the weight of the omental and mesenteric fat depots.5. The weight of the thyroid gland was unaffected by either treatment.6. A low plane of nutrition significantly reduced the weight of the liver, kidneys and the heart but had no effect on the weight of the spleen. Thyroxine therapy significantly reduced the weight of the liver and tended to increase the weight of the kidneys and the heart.

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Section: -mentioning

confidence: 63%

Section: -mentioning

confidence: 89%

Live weight loss and its components in Romney ewes subjected to L-thyroxine therapy and a low plane of nutrition. Part II. Effects on some non-carcass components of live weight

Kirton

Barton

1958

J. Agric. Sci.

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“…Alfalfa ash (250) increased the digestibility of crude protein and crude fibre in a ration of timothy hay and a concentrate mixture. This probably has a bearing on the necessity of maintaining an optimal roughage intake in order to maintain the percentage of fat in the milk (255,256). Tarroni(25i) found that dried tomato waste could replace hay for fattening cattle.…”

Section: Movements Of Food In the Alimentary Tractmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section A. Physiology of dairy cattle: Part II. Physiology and Biochemistry of Rumination

Owen

1954

Journal of Dairy Research

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Since the time of the previous review in this series by the present author it has been increasingly realized that the ruminant's adaptation to its herbivorous diet is very far-reaching. The biochemical consequences of its need for coarse roughage are still being worked out and have necessitated a reassessment of the causes of bovine ketosis, of the function of lower fatty acids in its blood and of the reasons for its large requirement of cobalt. Recent work on all these three aspects of ruminant metabolism is discussed in this review. The cow's chief function is to convert into milk vegetable materials, many of which are unsuitable for human consumption. Ac-, cordingly, some of the nutritional aspects of this conversion process have been discussed in the review. The literature on the subject has been reasonably well listed, but the author cannot claim that he has not perhaps inadvertently omitted certain pertinent new work. GENERAL Sherwood & Jones(l) found that alfalfa hay plus a mixture of wheat, barley and oats gave 20% more milk than the hay alone. Milk yield was also enhanced by adding the succulents squash and Jerusalem artichoke to the hay diet. Groups of cows receiving the concentrates needed 5-6 lb. more total digestible nutrients to produce 100 lb. milk, and the authors conclude that feeding of succulents is profitable only if they produce nutrients as cheaply as does hay. Watson, Davidson, Kennedy & Sylvestre(2) compared the digestibility of rations of hay plus increasing amounts of oats. As oats increased the digestibility decreased. This effect was most marked with barley, not so marked with oats and was only slight with linseed oil meal. Feeding standards are still the subject of informed criticism in Europe(3,4,5). Nehring(3) concludes that Kellner's starch equivalents cannot be used for pigs without prior respiration calorimetry. Blaxter(4) finds large discrepancies between different methods of computing rations for livestock, and Nicholls(5) enters a plea for food recording as a complement to milk recording. The trouble with all attempts to define standards for grazing animals is the extreme variability from year to year, from field to field, from treatment to treatment and from animal to animal of the nutrients provided by grass and hay or silage. Much current research all over the world is designed to measure more accurately the nutrient intake of cattle and sheep from pasture, with a view to striking a better balance between protein and fibre in the diet, always remembering that the content of fibre biologically best for maximal production per cow may not necessarily give the maximal production per acre. This may come from more cows per acre at somewhat more fibre per cow than would give maximal production per cow. In this connexion the observations of Hancock (6) are pertinent. He points out that the maximum production per animal does not necessarily yield the greatest net returns. In practice this can be achieved by a number of cows per acre too high for maximum productivity per cow or fo...

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“…Under abnormal conditions, the digesta are more or less homogeneous and have the consistency of oatmeal porridge. This latter condition occurred during experiments at Shinfield (Balch, Balch, Bartlett & Rowland, 1953) with rations that depressed milk-fat percentage. The rations were either high in concentrates and low in long hay, or contained hay in a finely powdered condition.…”

Section: Procision Of Suitable Rationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…My colleague, Dr C. C. Balch, has found that under what may be called normal conditions, the digesta in the rumen of a cow consist of a lower layer of liquid and an upper layer which has the consistency of damp long hay (Balch & Kelly, 1950). Under abnormal conditions, the digesta are more or less homogeneous and have the consistency of oatmeal porridge.…”

Section: Procision Of Suitable Rationsmentioning

confidence: 99%