Serving capacity tests for beef bulls

Sir:— I would like to commend Don Fraser on his letter in the New Zealand Veterinary Journal Jan/Feb. issue, in bringing to the attention of the profession a practice that was exceedingly offensive for me to read about.     

Serving Capacity Test

Extract

Sir;- It is with a great deal of concern that I note that recent correspondence in your Journal has suggested that the Serving Capacity Test (S.C.T.) for bulls is unacceptable.     

Observations on the modified serving capacity test for beef bulls

Over the period 1979–83,466 beef bulls were examined physically and by Blockley's Modified Serving Capacity Test (M.S.C.T.). Seventy-eight bulls were diagnosed as unsound for breeding, of which 64 were detected by the M.S.C.T. Problems included locomotor abnormalities (6), low libido (14), penile deviation (33) and intromission failure (11). The animal welfare aspects of M.S.C.T. are discussed and its value in increasing herd fertility is illustrated with studies of two beef herds, whichshowed improvements of 4–5% in vetting in-calf rates after using the test.     

Serving capacity of crossbred yearling beef bulls. I. Single-sire mating behavior and fertility during average and heavy mating loads at pasture

Eighty crossbred, virgin, yearling beef bulls were subjected to three serving capacity (SC) tests. Ten low SC (LSC) and 10 high SC (HSC) bulls similar in weight (avg wt = 452 kg), testicular size and seminal traits but differing in average services were selected. Objectives were to evaluate the mating behavior and fertility of LSC and HSC bulls at pasture when exposed to an average and a heavy mating load and to determine the effect of sexual activity on body weight and testicular characteristics. One LSC and one HSC bull per block were exposed single-sire to 25 naturally cyclic (N) cows for 3 d and to 9 estrus-synchronized (S) cows for 1 d in a randomized complete block design consisting of 10, 4-d blocks. Bulls were fitted with pedometers to record distance travelled. Behavioral data were collected by periodic visual observation. During the N cow treatment, LSC bulls had fewer (P less than .05) services per cow, total services and a higher mount to service ratio than HSC bulls. During the S cow treatment, LSC bulls showed increased sexual activity, though they achieved fewer (P less than .09) services per cow. Pregnancy rates for LSC and HSC bulls did not differ (P greater than .20) and across SC groups averaged 53.6% for N cows and 31.9% for S cows. Distance travelled also was similar (P greater than .20) between SC groups for both treatments. Sexual activity during pasture exposure had no effect (P greater than .20) on testicular characteristics but resulted in an average decline in body weight of 25.7 kg across SC groups during the 4-d period. Post-exposure SC tests found that LSC bulls had increased (P less than .05) services, decreased mounts and mount to service ratio compared to pre-exposure measurements, but LSC were still lower (P = .06) than HSC bulls for average services. These results suggest that LSC virgin, yearling bulls should be offered sexual experience and retested before their inherent SC can be determined.     

Testing the Serving Capacity of Beef Bulls

Sir:- It is my wish to draw to the attention of colleagues a method for testing the serving capacity of beef bulls which has been adopted and is being advocated by the Advisory Services Division of the MAF, and which in the opinion of officers in the Animal Health Division in this region would almost certainly constitute an offence under the Animals Protection Act 1960.     

强化服务意识把协会建设成企业之家

吉林省饲料工业协会成立于1991年1月30日,至今已走过了15个年头.协会成立以来,始终坚持"为企业服务,为政府服务,为会员服务"的办会宗旨,强化服务意识,热心为企业排忧解难,充分发挥了沟通政府,联系企业的桥梁和纽带作用,在促进吉林饲料工业持续、稳定发展发挥了不可替代的作用.     

Testing the Serving Capacity of Beef Bulls

Sir:- Mr Packard's disappointing reply to my letter shows that he has failed to realise the seriousness of the situation.     

Serving capacity of crossbred yearling beef bulls. II. Summer grazing activity and body temperature patterns during average and heavy mating loads at pasture

Ten low (LSC) and 10 high (HSC) serving capacity yearling bulls were exposed individually to 25 naturally cyclic (N) cows for 3 d (average mating load) and subsequently to 9 estrus-synchronized (S) cows for 1 d (heavy mating load) in a randomized complete block design consisting of 10, 4-d blocks. Bulls were fitted with vibracorders and temperature acquisition modules to record grazing activity and body temperature (BT), respectively. During the N cow treatment, LSC bulls had fewer (P less than .05) services per cow and a higher mount to service ratio than HSC bulls, and LSC bulls tended (P = .12) to graze less total time than HSC bulls (7.8 vs 9.0 h/d, respectively). However, both groups of bulls exhibited similar diurnal grazing patterns with two major daily grazing periods; the first (0400 to 1300) peaked early in the morning (0600) and the second (1700 to 2200) occurred in late afternoon and evening. During the S cow treatment, LSC and HSC bulls did not differ (P = .60) in grazing time or pattern, but similar mating activity was exhibited by both SC groups while exposed to S cows. Bulls grazed little during the hottest part of the day (1300 to 1700), and LSC and HSC bulls spent only 2.2 and 2.4 h, respectively, grazing during dark, cooler periods near midnight. Body temperature did not differ between SC groups and averaged 39.3 degrees C during N cow treatment and 39.4 degrees C during S cow treatment. Body temperature had a distinct, monophasic diurnal pattern in bulls exposed to an average mating load.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

服务奶业惠及万家

武汉市奶业协会是在中国奶业协会和市农业局的指导下、在市奶业管理办公室的直接领导下开展工作，同时接受市社团管理机构的监管。多年来，市奶协积极稳妥地推进武汉市奶业的发展。     

充分发挥畜牧行业协会作用 为牧业产业化建设服务

20世纪80年代,行业协会的身影便出现在我国经济领域里,而它的作用真正被重视起来,则是进入21世纪的今天。尤其是中国加入WTO后,各行各业都加快了与国际接轨的步伐。随着政府部门职能的转变,行业协会在经济发展中的作用显得日趋重要,应该说,这是市场经济的呼唤,是产业发展和经济结构调整的需要。本文仅就畜牧业行业协会的现状及如何充分发挥自身作用,更好地为牧业产业化建设服务这一业界共同关心的话题提出一些观点,仅供参考。     

Relationship between serving capacity of beef bulls as predicted by the yard test and their fertility during paddock mating

Six experiments were conducted to determine the relationship between the serving capacity of bulls as predicted by a 40-min yard test and their fertility during paddock mating, measured by the conception rate at first oestrus and the pregnancy rate at the end of 10 weeks of mating. Twenty bulls varying in serving capacity from 1 to 11 were mated to 40 heifers each. As serving capacity of the bulls increased from 1 to 7, conception rate increased from 18 to 70%. Average conception rates achieved by 4 bulls with low serving capacity (25.3%), 8 bulls with medium serving capacity (61.4%) and 7 bulls with high serving capacity (72.3%) were all significantly different from one another. Bulls of low serving capacity (1 or 2 services) impregnated a significantly lower proportion of their heifers (40.3%) than bulls with medium (91.2%) or high (95.3%) serving capacity. It was concluded that bulls of serving capacity 1 or 2 (in 40 min) should be considered unsound for breeding. An explanation for the results and their implication in beef production is discussed.     

Observations on the Modified Serving Capacity Test for beef bulls

Over the period 1979-83, 466 beef bulls were examined physically and by Blockley's Modified Serving Capacity Test (M.S.C.T.). Seventy-eight bulls were diagnosed as unsound for breeding, of which 64 were detected by the M.S.C.T. Problems included locomotor abnormalities (6), low libido (14), penile deviation (33) and intromission failure (11). The animal welfare aspects of M.S.C.T. are discussed and its value in increasing herd fertility is illustrated with studies of two beef herds, which showed improvements of 4-5% in vetting in-calf rates after using the test.     

The effect of canola meal tannins on the intestinal absorption capacity of broilers using a D‐xylose test

In three D‐xylose absorption experiments, the effect of 1% HCl/methanol, 70% methanol or 70% acetone extracts of canola meal (CM) or 70% acetone extract of soybean meal (SBM) containing polyphenols, phenolic acids, tannins and phytic acid on intestinal absorption capacity of broilers was determined. In Exp. 1, the experimental groups received orally D‐xylose solution alone or with methanol/HCl, methanol or acetone extracts of CM. In Exp. 2, the experimental groups received D‐xylose alone or with acetone extracts of CM or SBM. In Exp. 3, the experimental groups received D‐xylose plus sucrose solution or D‐xylose plus acetone extracts of CM or SBM. In Exps. 2 and 3, the CM extracts contained 2.7 and 2.6, 2.4 and 2.3, 3.2 and 3.2, and 2.4 and 2.2 times higher polyphenols, phenolic acids, tannins and condensed tannins than the corresponding SBM extracts respectively. Blood samples were collected in 40‐min intervals, and plasma D‐xylose was measured. Compared to the Control, plasma D‐xylose in Exp. 1 was lower (p < 0.001) by 81, 69 and 73% at 40‐min, by 41, 44 and 37% at 80‐min and by 22, 31, and 23% at 120‐min post‐ingestion of the HCl/methanol, methanol and acetone extracts respectively. In both Exps. 2 and 3, plasma D‐xylose level was lower (p < 0.001) in groups dosed with CM extract or SBM extract at each time of blood collection, when compared to the respective Control group. However, in Exp. 3, birds dosed with SBM extract had higher plasma D‐xylose than CM extract‐dosed birds by 28, 8 and 21% at 40, 80 and 120 min respectively (p < 0.01). In conclusion, although CM extract caused a lower absorption of D‐xylose, based on 5 to 10% of CM inclusion levels in practical broiler rations, the soluble bioactive components of CM will likely have minor impact on the absorption capacity of the chicken intestine.     

家禽生产上使用单宁作为抗生素替代物的前景

畜禽饲料中禁用抗生素类促生长剂后,迫切需要寻找其替代物。从功效以及经济角度看,单宁可以作为替代品来显著提高畜禽的生产性能。目前,已将单宁成功运用于家禽饲料添加剂中来控制疾病和提高动物的生产性能。主要综述单宁在家禽生产上的应用及其作用机制,以期为今后单宁的实际应用提供借鉴。