Energy requirements of young female cattle. 5. Energy intake and energy expenditure

From 6 experiments dealing with the development of young female cattle, partly from calf to calving, 660 metabolism periods were evaluated as to energy intake, live weight gain (LWG) and energy expenditure. Growth intensity was deliberately regulated through energy intake. In the experiment with the highest growth rate the average LWG was greater than 850 g/animal and day and in the experiment with the lowest growth rate at about 550 g/animal and day. Energy expenditure increased from 15 MJ net energy fatcattle/kg LWG at a live weight of 50 kg to 50-80 MJ NEFcattle/kg LWG in clear dependence on growth intensity. Comparative examinations of energy intake and energy requirement, estimated with equations forming the basis of recommendations for the energy supply of young female cattle in the framework of the GDR system of feed evaluation, lead to the conclusion that a new concept of identifying the energy requirement of young female cattle has to be developed.     

Energy metabolism of growing broilers in relation to the environmental temperature

7 experiments with 6 chickens each (origin Tetra B) in the live weight range between greater than 100 and less than 300 g and up to 1800 g were carried out at environmental temperatures (ET) of 35, 30, 25 (2 experiments) 20 (2 experiments) and 15 degrees C. In the course of each experiment the chickens alternatively received feed mixtures containing 20 and 40% crude protein (3 animals/variant) for maintenance and weight gain (semi ad libitum). Energy metabolism was measured according to indirect calorimetry over a total of 645 metabolism periods. In the temperature range studied there was no compensation between thermoregulatory heat and heat from other metabolic processes. The partial utilization of metabolizable energy for energy retention in the body was independent of ET and remained in the limits between 71 and 73%. Energy utilization was dependent on the protein content of the feed. It decreased from 75 to 69% with the increase of the protein content from 20 to 40%. Energy requirement for protein retention varied between 1.67 and 1.89 kJ metabolizable energy/kJ and was independent of ET. Energy requirement (metabolizable energy) for the maintenance of the energy balance was independent of the protein content of the feed. It increased from 433 kJ/kg LW0.75.d at 35 degrees C to 693 kJ/kg LW0.75.d at 15 degrees C ET. The relationship between heat production and ET is parabolic. The thermoneutral temperature decreased from 35 to 25 degrees C in the course of development. In the live weight range of 300-500 g thermoregulatory heat production had its maximum with 19 kJ/kg LW0.75.d.K and decreased in the further development to 10-13 kJ/kg LW0.75.d.K.     

Energy requirements of pregnant and lactating sows

The energy requirement of pregnant and lactating sows is derived on the basis of extensive experimental studies of the energy metabolism (indirect calorimetry, slaughtering) according to the factorial method. For the first reproduction cycle (RC) 0.41 MJ metabolizable energy (ME) or 0.29 MJ net energy fat, pig (NEFpig) resp. were necessary for energy maintenance requirement for pregnant and lactating sows and, depending on age, 0.44 MJ ME or 0.31 MJNEFpig in the second or third RC and 0.47 MJ ME/kg LW0.75.d or 0.33 MJ NEFpig/kg LW0.75.d in the 4th-8th RC. A linear increase of up to 6% of the energy requirement caused by pregnancy between the 85th and 115th day of pregnancy is taken into consideration. Energy requirement per 1 MJ retention both in pregnancy and lactation is 1.45 MJ ME or 1.03 MJ NEFpig, per 1 MJ milk yield it is 1.33 MJ ME or 0.91 MJ NEFpig. 1 MJ body energy for milk yield corresponds to 1.20 MJ ME or 0.82 MJ NEFpig. Equations describing energy retention in the products of conception, uterus and udder are established as well as equations characterizing the connections between live weight gain or loss and energy content of the gain or loss.     

Energy metabolism and energy requirements of growing boars

The nitrogen and energy metabolism and the energy consumption of growing boars were measured in 2 metabolic and feeding trials using 8 parallel animals each. The studies covered the 30 to 150 kg live weight range. The growth intensity of the boars was found strongly influenced by the protein level of the ration. At a crude protein level of 18% in the ration, the boars gained, on the average, 780 g per day during the fattening period under study. Energy conversion was found to decline as the protein amount went up. The energy expediture for protein deposition was estimated at 1.8 to 2.0 kcal metabolizable energy per kg deposited. The energy and feed expenditures were calculated to be 7.1 Mcal net energy--fat retention for the whole development period or 3.0 kg dry matter per kg live weight. Boars proved to have an energy requirement differing from that of barrows and gilts; equations are presented for derivation.     

Energy metabolism of growing rats in relation to the environmental temperature

8 experiments were carried out with 9 albino rats each (Wistar line, bred at the institute) in the live weight range between 70 and 200 g and at environmental temperatures (ET) of 34, 32, 30, 28, 26, 24, 22 and 20 degrees C. In the course of each individual experiment the rats were alternatively fed for maintenance and weight gain (semi ad libitum) with feed mixtures containing 10, 25 and 40% crude protein (3 animals/variant). Energy metabolism was measured according to the method of indirect calorimetry over a total of 780 metabolism periods. In the temperature range studied there was no compensation between thermoregulatory heat and heat from other processes of the metabolism. The partial utilization of metabolizable energy for energy retention in the body was independent of ET and ranged between 73 and 80% for the 7 experiments with ET between 32 and 20 degrees C. Energy utilization depended on the protein content of the feed and decreased from 81 to 79 or 73 resp. when the protein content increased from 10 to 25% or to 40% resp. Energy requirement for protein retention varied between 1.61 and 2.09 kJ metabolizable energy/kJ and was independent of ET. Energy maintenance requirement (measured at 28, 30 and 32 degrees C) increased with the growing protein content from 415 to 439 and 447 kJ/kg LW0.75.d resp. (regression analysis) and from 411 to 420 and 432 kJ/kg LW0.75.d (measuring at maintenance level). The relative weight gain with the increased protein content of the feed largely corresponds to the expected values according to the efficiency of ATP synthesis in the oxidative degradation of nutrients. The relationship between heat production and ET is parabolic. In the live weight range studied the average thermoneutral temperature (TNT) was 32 degrees C. It decreased during the course of development from 34 to 30 degrees C. TNT decreased with the growing protein content of the feed. Thermoregulatory heat production depended on both environmental temperature and the stage of development. Its average value in the development range studied decreased with an increase of the environmental temperature by 2 K each, starting from 20 degrees C and rising to 32 degrees C, in the following linear sequence: 23.3, 21.0, 16.8, 12.5, 8.3, 4.0 and 0.3 kJ/kg LW0.75.d.K.     

Energy requirement of young female cattle. 3. Reproduction and products of conception

The results with regard to reproduction obtained from a study lasting several years of the energy requirement of young female cattle reared with different intensity are described. It becomes apparent that there are relations between feeding, rearing intensity and insemination expenditure. Age and weight at the time of conception in the individual test series averaged between 290 and 630 days and 270 and 430 kg respectively. The weight of the conceptional products of 31 calvings was registered and, according to Jakobsen (1956, 1957), the energy and N content of the conceptional products was proportionally assigned to the prenatal test periods. In the last 140 days of gravidity the N balance per animal and day increases from 16 to 23 g. N retention of the cows is low in the last days of gravidity. The utilization of metabolizable energy for the development of conceptional products is calculated as a conventional comparative value provided the maintenance requirement per unit metabolic body weight of the cows and the utilization of metabolizable energy for energy retention in the cows on an average of 156 individual values of 12 +/- 8% are the same and correspond in their magnitude to analogous findings of other authors, mainly compiled from dairy cows.     

Nutrient dependence of energy conservation requirements in rats. 4. The influence of protein levels of food on energy conservation requirements of rats during growth and after conclusion of the intensive growth phase

Albino rats bred in the institute (Wistar line) divided into 3 groups of 9 animals each received, beginning at the age of 4 weeks, feed mixtures with 10, 40 and 70% protein in the rations over a period of 24 weeks divided into 14 subperiods of study. The feed mixture changed cyclically for the groups of animals after each sub-period. Every period was divided into a growth period (8 days) with the rats kept in metabolism cages and a period of feeding on maintenance level (4 days) with the rats kept in respiration chambers. In both periods the temperature was kept constant at 30 degrees C. On 3 days of feeding on the maintenance level the metabolism parameters of energy, C and N metabolism were measured and energy maintenance requirement was ascertained. Both the energy maintenance requirement of the growing rats (up to 200 g live weight) and that of the nearly fully grown and fully grown rats resp. (greater than 200 g live weight) significantly depended on the nutrient composition of the feed mixtures supplied. It increased with the increasing protein and simultaneously decreasing carbohydrate quotas in the feed. On an average of the studies the rats had, in the sequence of 10, 40 and 70% protein content, an energy maintenance requirement of 383 +/- 31 (n = 105), 415 +/- 31 (n = 106) and 459 +/- 36 kJ metabolizable energy/kg LW0.75.d (n = 102). Energy maintenance requirement behaved relatively like 100:108:120. Based on the fact that energy maintenance requirement may be considered the requirement of ATP, relative expectancy values for energy maintenance requirement can be calculated with the energetic efficiency of the ATP synthesis (kJ metabolizable energy/Mol ATP gain) in nutrient catabolism from the relation of the experimentally ascertained nutrient metabolism at a variant supply of protein of 100:110:118. The hypothesis that the efficiency of ATP synthesis in the catabolism of the main nutrients supplying energy can be considered a relative measure of the dependence of the energy maintenance requirement on nutrient composition has been confirmed in this experiment. Different findings in earlier experiments raise the question if those findings were influenced by adaptation effects. An experimental solution of this question is considered important.     

Joint research on the precise determination of the energy and protein requirements of fattening pigs. 2. Energy and nitrogen metabolism of fattening hybrids in the fattening range of 30 to 120 kg

In 3 experiments a total of 242 total metabolism experiments with ad libitum feeding (experiment 1), 75% (experiment 2) and 62% (experiment 3) of the energy level of the 1st experiment and approximately equal protein and amino acid doses in experiments 1-3 were carried out with 8 castrated male fattening hybrids each (large white X land race pig) X line 150) in the live weight range between 30 and 120 kg. On average, feed intake over the whole live weight range was 2.24; 1.79 and 1.50 kg/animal and day, the corresponding daily live weight gain was 729, 533 and 396 g. With regard to the digestibility of the energy and the nutrients and the metabolisable energy in % of the gross energy there was no relation to the development of the animals. The intake of metabolisable energy per kg live weight decreased with ad libitum feeding and with the advancing development at the end of the experiment in contrast to the beginning of the experiment to 53%, energy retention to 56%. The utilisation of metabolisable energy for body energy retention, taking account of a maintenance requirement of 450 kJ/kg live weight 0,62 on the average of the 3 experiments was 68.4 +/- 1.9, 70.3 +/- 2.0 and 64.3 +/- 2.6%. Energy retention in experiments 1 to 3 amounted to 8.6, 6.8 and 5.3 MJ at the beginning and to 18.1, 12.2 and 8.0 MJ per animal and day at the end of the experiment. Protein energy retention of the pigs (live weight 40 kg) was 26% of the total energy retention in experiments 1 and 2 and 49% in experiment 3. In experiments 1 and 3 protein retention decreased to 15% of the total energy retention, in experiment 2 protein retention remained constantly at 22% between 60 and 110 kg live weight and then decreased to 18%. Consequently, the N-balances were 23-16 g, 16-20 g and 16-9 g/animal and day. The chemical composition of the carcasses was strongly influenced by the level of nutrition. At the beginning of the experiment the protein content averaged between 49 and 57% and the total fat content between 31 and 38% of the dry matter. At the end of the experiment the carcasses of the animals from experiments 1-3 had crude protein contents of 28, 33 and 42% and total fat contents of 66, 61 and 50% of the dry matter.     

Methodologic studies on protein metabolism and bioenergetics of protein deposition in growing animals. 4. Energy metabolism in chickens in connection with measurement of parameters of protein metabolism

In connection with the measuring of parameters of the protein metabolism in parallel experiments, the energy metabolism of 6 chickens (origin Tetra B) in the live weight range between approximately 100 and 1,800 g was determined under conditions of restricted energy supply. 3 animals each received a feed mixture containing 20% (animal group 1) and 38% (animal group 2) crude protein. The amount of feed was daily increased by 1.5 g DM. The digestibility of energy and nitrogen was independent of the age. 66.3 +/- 3.3% and 64.0 +/- 5.0% resp. of the metabolisable energy were utilised for protein and fat retention. The energy maintenance requirement, determined at a live weight of 2,000 g, was independent of protein supply and averaged in the two animal groups 434 +/- 40 kJ metabolisable energy/kg live weight 0.75 . d. The result of multiple regression was, for the growth period investigated, an energy maintenance requirement of 403 +/- 32 kJ metabolisable energy/kg live weight 0.75 . d. 1.77 and 1.38 J metabolisable energy resp. were required for 1 J protein or fat retention. The energy requirement for protein retention was independent of the degree of protein supply. The results from the measuring of energy metabolism are discussed in connection with the kinetic parameters of protein metabolism ascertained in parallel experiments.     

The energy metabolism of growing swine in the body weight range of 10-50 kg. 2. Nitrogen and energy metabolism

Investigations were carried out about nitrogen and energy metabolism feeding rations with 17-24 and 44-47% crude protein content on maintenance and growing level to castrated male hybrid pigs of line 150. In growing periods the N deposition amounted to 10 g/animal.d (15 kg live weight), 18 g/animal.d (30 kg LW) and 21 g/animal.d (greater than 40 kg LW) on lower protein feeding level. In experiments with higher protein feeding level the corresponding results were 17, 22 and 22 g N deposition/animal.d. The partial utilization of metabolizable energy for deposition amounted to 70% for the rations with 17-24% protein content and to 59% for the rations with 44-47% protein content, without correlation to the animals development and the alternation in the protein feeding level. The results of regression analysis about maintenance requirement were 814, 775 and 806 kJ metabolizable energy/kg LW0.62.d in trials feeding rations with 17-24% crude protein content as well as 764, 846 and 818 kJ metabolizable energy/kg LW0,62.d in trials feeding rations with 44-47% crude protein content. 1,5-1,8 MJ metabolizable energy were used per MJ protein energy deposition and 1,3-1,4 MJ per MJ fat energy deposition respectively. The energy deposition per kg live weight gain amounted to values between 9 (10 kg LW) and 18 MJ (60 kg LW).     

The energy metabolism of swine at a feed level of "live weight equilibrium"

10 castrated pigs each of a live weight (LW) of 35 kg and 115 kg were fed over 28 and 40 days resp. in a way that a live weight equilibrium was achieved. The pigs were kept individually and at a low mobility on perforated floors of zinc-plated sheet iron at an air temperature of 19 degrees C. The weighing 35 kg received 668 kJ ME/kg LW 0.75 per day and one half of the animals weighing 115 kg 635 kJ ME/kg LW 0.75 in a diet consisting of barley and bran. The other half of the animals weighing 115 kg received 514 kJ ME/kg LW 0.75 per day in a ration consisting barley, bran and dried skim milk. The crude protein content of the rations was 12.6 and 17.1% resp. of the DM, the crude fibre content amounted to 8-10% of the DM. Energy excretion in faeces and urine was calorimetrically measured. Up to the end of the experiment LW and the weight of the empty body (without ingesta) remained unchanged. For the measuring of energy retention, 4-5 zero animals each were analysed before the experiments. The pigs weighing 35 kg showed a daily loss of 39 g fat in the course of the 40-day experiment. The calculation of the energy balance showed that an intake of 790 kJ ME/kg LW 0.75 was necessary. This maintenance requirement, rather high in comparison with values from literature, can be explained with the emission of body heat on sheet iron floors and a crude fibre content of 9% in the rations. The pigs of the two groups of 115 kg LW were at an energy equilibrium at both nutrition levels. The lower maintenance requirement of the group fed with dried skim milk cannot exclusively be explained by the higher energetic utilization of the milk protein in the ration. The reason should be the more advanced age of the animals of the milk group. Although they had nearly the same live weight, their empty bodies contained 41% fat, the pigs of the barley/bran group, however, only 34%, both before and after the experiment.     

The energy maintenance requirement of growing pigs of different sexes given normal and high protein diets. 1. Experiments in castrates

Energy retention was measured alternately at 12 barrows, fattening hybrids of line 150 (150 X (L X E], at maintenance level (4 periods) and growth feeding (5 periods) in the live weight range between 32 and 134 kg, 6 animals each received rations with 17 and 45% crude protein resp. during the complete experimental period. The nutrition level did not have a significant influence on the digestibility level of the feed. The experiments carried out at maintenance level showed that the maintenance requirement of metabolizable energy in the experiments with 17% crude protein in the ration was 941, in the experiments with 45% crude protein in the ration 913kJ ME/kg LW0.62 and on average 927 kJ ME/kg LW0.62. Including the experiments with growth feeding one can conclude from a regression analysis, largely in agreement with the measured values, that 955 kJ ME/kg LW0.62 is the energy maintenance requirement. These values of maintenance requirement are by 50% higher than those derived from previous measurings. In contrast to expectations, the increase of protein concentration in the ration did not result in a higher energy maintenance requirement. The utilization of metabolizable energy for retention amounted to 74% for rations with a normal protein content and to 65% for those with a high protein content. The multiply regressive evaluation showed a utilization of metabolizable energy for fat retention of 79% and for protein retention of 53%.     

Joint research on the precise determination of the energy and protein requirements of fattening pigs. 3. The energy requirement of hybrid swine

The energy requirement for hybrid pigs ((large white X land race pig) X line 150) in the live weight range between 35 and 120 kg is derived from 242 measurings of the total metabolism as the sum of energy requirement for maintenance and energy requirement for live weight gain. Energy requirement is estimated by means of the following equation: (Formula: see text). Energy maintenance requirement, energy content per 1 kg live weightgain in dependence of the daily gain and the derived energy requirement for growth and fattening are compared with corresponding results from investigations with pigs of the species large white and land race pig. Essential differences concerning parameters of energy metabolism determining the requirement could not be detected.     

Nutrient dependence of energy preservation requirements in rats. 1. Dependence of energy requirements for preservation in fully-grown rats on the type of nutrient offered as the sole energy source

In two experiments with fully-grown albino rats (Wistar strain) the energetic utilization of glucose, sunflower oil and casein in the maintenance metabolism was determined under thermoneutral conditions of keeping the animals. The relative requirement of metabolizable energy for maintenance was, with either glucose, sunflower oil or casein being the sole energy source of the feed, in experiment 1 100:105:133 and in experiment 2 100:102:135. The absolute values of the maintenance requirement of metabolizable energy were in experiment 1 347 +/- 26, 364 +/- 61 and 460 +/- 33 resp., and in experiment 2 330 +/- 11, 337 +/- 21 and 446 +/- 27 kJ/kg LW 0.75 resp. The results are discussed in connection with the efficiency of ATP synthesis (metabolizable energy/mol ATP gain) in the oxidative decomposition of nutrients.     

The energy maintenance requirement of growing pigs of different sexes give normal and high protein diets. 2. Experiments in sows

Six animals each out of 12 female fattening hybrids (150 X (L X E] were given rations containing 17 or 45% crude protein resp. 4 periods of growth feeding alternated with 5 periods of maintenance feeding in the live weight range between 33 and 146 kg. The feeding level did not have an influence on the level of digestibility. From the experiments with 17% crude protein in the ration 1004 and from those with 45% crude protein 947, on average 977 kJ metabolizable energy per kg LW0.62 in the maintenance periods and 980 in the growth periods were derived as maintenance requirement of metabolizable energy. These values for maintenance requirement are by 50% higher than those in previous experiments of our work team. In contrast to expectations, energy maintenance requirement did not grow due to the increase of the protein content of the rations. The utilization of metabolizable energy for retention was 73% for rations with a normal protein content and 66% for those with a high protein content. The partial utilization of metabolizable energy for fat retention was ascertained as 83% and as 49% for protein retention by means of multiply regressive evaluation.     

Dependence of energy maintenance requirements on nutrients in rats. 3. Effect of the protein levels of food on the energy maintenance requirements of growing rats

In addition to earlier experiments with growing rats on the protein levels 10, 25 and 40% crude protein in the dry matter of the feed (Hoffmann et al., 1982 a), two groups of nine male Wistar rats each received feed mixtures with 6 or 25% crude protein resp. and energy metabolism on the energy maintenance level in an N equilibrium or with a positive N balance resp. were measured on 6 levels of live weight between 65 and 250 g and additionally also at subsequent fasting day. Energy maintenance requirement on average of the 6 periods amounted to 381 and 377 kJ metabolizable energy/kg W 0.75 X d on a low or middle protein level resp. and thus did not show changes at the decrease of N retention to values of about zero even with regard to different ATP formation capacities of the nutrients.     

The energy metabolism of growing swine in a live weight range of 10-50 kg. 3. Energy maintenance requirement of growing swine]

Investigations into the energy maintenance requirement yielded the following results: For the energy maintenance requirement (EMR) in dependence on live weight (LW) using the relation EMR = aLWb from 13 experiments, an exponent of the live weight of 0.647 +/- 0.054 (0.57 to 0.73) was found out. Increasing the protein content in the feed from approximately 17 to approximately 45% in 6 experiments lowered the energy maintenance requirements about 14, 4, 6, 2, 6 and 12% respectively. The animals' development had no influence on the difference. The amount of the energy maintenance requirement varied greatly between the experiments. Exclusively in the experiments with barrows, a lowest value of 634 and a highest value of 931 kJ metabolizable energy per kg LW0.62.d was measured. On average of 19 comparisons the energy maintenance requirement derived from growth and maintenance periods by means of regression analysis was significant (alpha = 0.05), about 4% higher than the energy maintenance requirement measured on maintenance level directly.     

The energy preservation requirements of growing pigs of different sexes fed normal and high protein diets. 5. Comparison with the results obtained from castrated pigs, sows and boars

In one experiment each with castrated pigs, sows and boars (hybrid pigs of line 150), two groups of six animals received rations containing 17 and 45% crude protein resp. over the complete test period from 35 to 130 kg (castrated pigs), 150 kg (sows), 170 kg live weight (boars) and passed alternatively through a total of 60 metabolism periods on growth and 48 on maintenance level. There were significant differences between the 3 categories of animals with regard to energy maintenance requirement in the relation of 100:105:110 for castrated pigs less than sows less than boars. In contrast to the estimated values derived from previous studies for energetic maintenance requirement of 650 kJ/kg LW0.62.d the measured values for all 3 animal categories are by approximately 50% higher. The protein content did not have an influence on the maintenance requirement of metabolizable energy of the animals. The utilization of metabolizable energy of the two rations for body energy retention corresponds to the expectations with regard to its dependence on nutrients. The requirement of metabolizable energy for protein and fat retention is 1.7:1.0. The energy content of the weight gain of boars was, on average, 85% of that of castrated pigs and sows. The studies of blood parameters did not show any deviations in the parameters tested.     

Nutrient dependence of energy preservation requirements in rats. 2. Effect of the protein level of feed and the environmental temperature on the energy preservation requirement and heat production in fully-grown rats

The influence of protein in exchange for carbohydrates on the energy maintenance requirement was studied with nearly fully-grown rats at ambient temperatures between 33 and 21 degrees C. The levels of the crude protein content were 10, 25, 40 and 70%. At an ambient temperature of 33 and 30 degrees C energy maintenance requirement increased with the growing protein content in the feed. At a temperature of 30 degrees C the following values of energy maintenance requirement were measured in the sequence of the protein levels mentioned: 330 +/- 11, 347 +/- 18, 360 +/- 15 and 399 +/- 15 kJ metabolizable energy/kg live weight 0.75 X d. The occurring changes largely coincide with the expected values calculated from the efficiency of the ATP synthesis in the oxidative catabolization of protein and carbohydrates. At ambient temperatures of less than 30 degrees C, thermogenous effects after the exchange of protein versus carbohydrates could only be observed partly or not. 30 degrees C in feeding on the maintenance level and 33 degrees C in the state of hunger are estimated as the lower critical temperatures. Below the critical temperatures down to 24 degrees C heat production increased less per 1 degree C temperature decrease both in hungry and fed rats than in the temperature range between 24 and 21 degrees C. By the decrease of the ambient temperature from 24 to 21 degrees C the heat production of the hungry or fed rats increased by 39 or 33 kJ/degrees C X kg live weight 0.75 X d.     

生长期秦川牛能量代谢规律与需要量研究

本试验旨在研究生长期秦川牛能量代谢规律与需要量。选择30头体况良好、体重[(336.33±18.28)kg]相近的生长期秦川牛公牛,随机分为5组,每组6头牛,分别饲喂按我国《肉牛饲养标准》(NY/T 815—2004)提供的预期平均日增重900 g/d所需净能的85.0%(Ⅰ组)、92.5%(Ⅱ组)、100.0%(Ⅲ组)、107.5%(Ⅳ组)、115.0%(Ⅴ组)配制的5种试验饲粮。采用饲养试验和消化代谢试验测定秦川牛生长性能及能量代谢指标,并建立消化能和代谢能需要量预测模型。预试期10 d,正试期42 d。结果表明,Ⅲ组秦川牛平均日增重为880.15 g/d,较预期的结果略低;Ⅳ组平均日增重达到最大值(1 160.10 g/d),能量利用效率最高;总能消化率、总能代谢率和消化能代谢率平均值分别为(76.44±3.23)%、(66.75±3.16)%、(87.31±0.54)%;秦川牛的消化能和代谢能需要量的回归方程分别为:DER=0.778W0.75+37.05ADG;MER=0.668W0.75+33.49ADG[DER为消化能需要量(M J/d),MER为代谢能需要量(M J/d),W0.75为单位代谢体重(kg),ADG为平均日增重(kg/d)]。综合得出,生长期秦川牛的维持消化能和代谢能需要量分别为0.778、0.668 MJ/(kg W0.75·d),每千克增重的消化能和代谢能需要量分别为37.05、33.49 M J。