________________________________________________________________________________ Abstract Feed efficiency is of major economic importance in beef production. The objective of this work was to evaluate alternative measures of feed efficiency for use in genetic evaluation. To meet this objective, genetic parameters were estimated for the components of efficiency. These parameters were then used i...

Estimated breeding value (EBV) was calculated based on either individual phenotype (SP), an index of individual phenotype and full- and half-sib family averages (SI) or Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (BLUP). Calculations were done with correct data or data with 5, 10, 15 or 20% of the records per generation containing pedigree errors. Traits considered were litter size (LS), backfat (BF) and a...

in order to investigate the effect of diets contained urea and molasses on fattening performance and blood urea nitrogen (bun) density of male lambs, 72 arabic male lambs were used in a completely randomized design with a 3×4 factorial experiment, for 90 days. the experimental diets contained; 0, 0.5, 1 and 1.5% of urea each with 0, 7.5 and 15% of molasses, in isoprotein and isocalaric diets. t...

A study was conducted to evaluate effects of age at weaning on various growth characteristics and stress measures of Zandi lambs. The lambs were weaned at 45 and 90 days of age. The body weights and average daily gain (ADG) were monitored during the experimental period and 5 months of age. Cortisol, glucose, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and lamb behavior (agitation, vocalization) were recorded bef...

Twenty-four 35-day-old lambs were distributed to a completely randomized design with 3 treatments to study the effects of number of feeding buckets per pen on performance, haematology and behaviour indicators. Treatments consisted of 8 (T1), 4 (T2) or 2 (T3) feeding buckets/pen (8 lambs/pen). During the experiment, concentrate was fed at 08:30 in individual feeders. Daily dry matter intake (DMI...

The importance of birth-to-weaning average daily gain as a determinant of weight at a final age and yield of marketable pork was investigated. Treatments were imposed to create variation in birthto-weaning ADG independent of birth weight. Newborn pigs were cross-fostered to create litters of four through 14 pigs/litter. Creep feed was offered to pigs from 5 d of age or during last 2 d before we...

To identify genetic markers associated with economic traits in pigs, 157 microsatellite markers were examined in Yorkshire pigs. Thirty eight female Yorkshire pigs were initially examined and six of them were selected as progenitors; half were more than 1.5 standard deviations (SD) above the mean for average daily gain (ADG) and backfat thickness (BFT), and the remaining half were more than 1.5...

There is a limited amount of peer reviewed data on feeding milk replacers (MR) containing either hydrolyzed wheat gluten (HWG; 80% CP) or rice protein concentrate (RPC; 80% CP) to calves under 2 mo of age. Male Holstein calves less than 7 d old from multiple farms (trial 1) and 2to 3-d-old calves from one dairy farm (trials 2 and 3) were used. Trial 1 compared feeding 0.454 kg/d of 20% CP, 20% ...

A 49-d feeding trial, using 192 growingfinishing pigs (avg initial wt, 32 kg), was conducted to identify pigs of widely differing average daily gains (ADG) when fed 16% crude protein diets containing either 0, 7.5 or 15% corn cobs. There were linear decreases in both ADG (P<.01) and gain/feed (P<.001) with increasing levels of dietary corn cobs. Average daily feed intake increased linearly (P<....

A total of 975 barrows and gilts from lines divergently selected for postweaning ADG were evaluated for front-end structural soundness (scored on a scale from 1, extreme leg weakness, to 8, superior leg structure) at approximately 100 kg, as well as growth performance and backfat thickness. Selection was for either fast (line F) or slow (line S) ADG from 9 wk of age to 100 kg and was replicated...