Massey Documents by Type

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/294

Browse

Subject: search.filters.subject.feed intake

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Predicting the Feed Intake of Artificially Reared Pre-Weaned Lambs from Faecal and Dietary Chemical Composition
    (MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2022-06) Anim-Jnr AS; Morel PCH; Kenyon PR; Blair HT; Leury BJ
    Predicting feed intake in suckling lambs consuming both milk and pasture can be challenging, and thus intake values are often derived from solely milk or solid feed consumption. The present study investigated if dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), and metabolisable energy (ME) intakes of lambs given a combination of milk and pellets under controlled conditions could be predicted with enough precision using dietary and faecal chemical composition. A total of 34 pre-weaned lambs bottle-fed milk replacer with or without access to pellets and kept in metabolic cages for four days were used. To develop the prediction equations, 54 faecal samples with detailed information on their chemical compositions, and the feed consumed by the lambs, were used. Pellet DMI was predicted from neutral detergent fibre concentration in faeces and pellets, pellets %DM, and live weight (LW) of lambs. Milk DMI was predicted from faecal Nitrogen concentration and LW. Milk and pellet DMI and their ME content were combined to predict DMI/d and ME intake/d. The equations developed were validated against 40 spot faecal samples randomly selected from the lambs. DM, OM, and ME intakes were predicted with high accuracy and precision. The results showed that the developed equations can be used with enough accuracy to predict ME, OM, and DM intakes in pre-weaned lambs ingesting milk and pellets concurrently, thus the results revealed that the established equations may be used to predict ME, OM, and DM intakes in pre-weaned lambs drinking milk and pellets at the same time, allowing feeding regimens for young lambs to be developed.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Comparison of gastrointestinal transit times in stabled Thoroughbred horses fed freshly cut pasture and three conserved forage-based diets
    (CSIRO Publishing, 2022-07) Fernandes KA; Rogers CW; Gee EK; Fitch G; Bolwell CF; Kittelmann S; Bermingham EN; Thomas DG
    Context: The type of forage offered to horses varies in physical form, moisture content and nutrient quality, and these variables could affect the intake, passage rate and digestibility of the forage consumed. Aims: To investigate the changes in passage rate of digesta through the gastrointestinal tract in horses fed four different forage-based diets (diet effect). Methods: Thoroughbred mares (n = 6) were stabled in loose boxes for 6 weeks. During Weeks 1, 3 and 5 (washout periods), all horses were fed freshly cut pasture, either in restricted quantities (Week 1) or ad libitum (Weeks 3 and 5). Using a 3 × 3 Latin square design during Weeks 2, 4 and 6, each pair of horses was abruptly transitioned to one of three conserved forage-based diets (chopped ensiled forage fed exclusively or with oats, or perennial ryegrass hay with oats) fed ad libitum. At the beginning of each week, indigestible polyethylene markers (n = 200) were administered to the horses via a nasogastric tube, followed immediately by transition to the new diet. Key results: There was a significant diet effect on the daily dry-matter intake of feed (P < 0.0001), percentage of time spent eating (P < 0.001), frequency of voiding faeces (P < 0.05) and quantity of faeces voided (P < 0.0001). There was a significant horse effect on the daily dry-matter intake of feed (P < 0.0001) and quantity of faeces voided (P < 0.0001), but no differences in the percentage of time spent eating or the frequency of voiding faeces. There were significant diet and horse effects on the time to recovery of the first marker in the faeces (P < 0.01 and P < 0.01 respectively) and the mean retention time of markers in the gastrointestinal tract (P < 0.05 and P < 0.001 respectively). Mean retention time was negatively correlated with feed intake and quantity of faeces voided (r2 =-0.51 and r2 =-0.64 respectively). Conclusions: Longer mean retention time was associated with a greater fibre content in the diet and a restricted feed supply, thus supporting the hypothesis that horses alter mean retention time on the basis of a nutrient absorption optimisation model. Implications: Feed composition, but also the quantities offered, may alter measurement of apparent feed digestibility in horses.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Effect of dietary fibre affecting ad libitum feed intake and feeding behaviour of growing-finishing pigs fed a using single-spaced electronic feeders : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Animal Science at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2021) Olumodeji, Shola Gabriel
    The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary fibre on the feeding behaviour of growing-finishing pigs. A total of 32 Duroc x (Large White x Landrace) pigs were used. The study consisted of 16 males and 16 females pigs. The initial liveweight was 22.4±2.2 kg for the male and 22.8±1.9kg for the female. Two pens of 8 females and two pens of 8 were used. The experiment was a 2 x 2 factorial design (2 finisher diets x two sexes), which lasted for ten weeks, and comprised of weeks 1-7 called the grower phase and weeks 8-10 called the finisher phase. The study consisted of two experimental groups (Group 1 and Group 2). The Group 1 pigs were fed the basal diet (13.5 MJ DE/kg + 0.65 g Lys / MJ DE) throughout the study, while the group 2 pigs were fed the basal diet during the growing phase then switched to the fibre-rich test diet (13.6 MJ DE/kg + 0.68 g Lys / MJ DE) during the finishing phase. All diets were pelleted. The test (6% and 24.6%) and basal diet (4.2% and 14.4%) had different CF and NDF levels. The pigs were fed using the Osborne™ electronic feeder. Feeding behaviour data recorded by the electronic feeders were the number of visits, feeding duration (min), feeding rate(g/min) and feed intake per visit (kg). Data cleaning techniques were used to improve the accuracy of the data. Data were transformed to meet the condition of normality and homogeneity of variance. Also, the data was sorted on an hourly basis to reflect the diurnal feeding variation and analysed using the proc mixed function of SAS 9.4 (SAS Institute, Cary NC). Multiple comparisons were made using Fisher’s LSD method (P<0.05). The pigs fed the basal diet; the female pigs frequently visited the feeder more often but spent a shorter feeding time because they only ate smaller feed quantities (P<0.05). However, the male pigs visited the feeder less often but spent more time feeding because of the large quantity consumed (P<0.05). During their growing phase, all pigs fed the basal diet had an extended feeding time because of their frequent feeding visits than the finishing phase (P<0.05). However, finishing pigs (fed the basal diet) irrespective of their sex had a higher feeding rate and feed intake than growing pigs (P<0.05). The fibre-rich test diet changed the feeding behaviour pattern of the finishing pigs. Overall, finishing pigs fed the fibre-rich diet exhibited reduced hourly feed intake and feeding rate than pigs fed the standard (basal) compound diet (P<0.05). In contrast, the pigs fed the fibre-rich diet's hourly feeding duration and feeding visit was increased than the pigs fed the standard compound diet. Overall, this study concluded that sex, diet, and age influenced the hourly feeding behaviour of the pigs.