Post-weaning growth performance was studied for 342 steers out of Africander cows and by Africander, Brahman, Charolais, Hereford and Simmentaler sires. In a system of intensive fattening, the latter three Bos taurus sire-breed progeny-groups performed strikingly better than the former…
The effect of replacing increasing amounts of cottonseed cake meal with urea in isonitrogenous (40 per cent CP) supplements for growing weaner steers has been investigated over a period of three years. Each year six groups of 30 Hereford x…
The question is posed of the applicability to cattle feeding, of digestibility data obtained with sheep. An experiment is described where the same high concentrate diet was fed at three levels, equalised per kg body mass between species. In energy…
Plasma LH and progesterone levels were measured daily from the sixth to the fifteenth day of the oestrous cycle in Friesland cows during December (summer) of one year, and April/May (autumn), June/July (winter) and September (spring) of the following year…
The effect of protein, energy and phosphorus supplements, fed individually or in various combinations, on roughage intake and livemass change was measured in a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. The experiment was conducted under controlled conditions…
A simple practical technique is described for the collection of blood samples from at least six cattle concurrently at short time intervals for up to 48 h. The technique is advantageous in that it is carried out under minimum stress…
A simplified method, whereby tick resistance in cattle is assessed by counting all ticks under the tail and on the scrotum or udder only, was compared to the Australian method, where tick resistance is assessed by counting successful females on…
Mechanisms that have been proposed to account for (i) premature regression or (ii) subnormal secretory activity of corpora lutea (CL) in cows or in ewes are reviewed. Processes which occur prior to, at the time of, or following, ovulation are…
This study was conducted to assess the effect of greenleaf desmodium (Desmodium intortum) and sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatus) supplementation of napier grass on dry matter intake, degradation and rumen fermentation in Friesian steers. Four fistulated steers were offered napier…
The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the use of neem seed extract for controlling common cattle ticks of the Ixodidae species. Three bulls and three cows of the Tswana, Brahman and Simmentaler breeds were cleared of ticks using…
Available information on the selenium (Se) status of grazing herbivores in South Africa is reviewed and collated in the form of a geographical distribution map. Marginal to acute Se deficiencies have been reported to occur in the Midlands region and…
The type and frequency of bovine GAD1 and GAL alleles have not yet been studied in beef cattle. Initial, partial characterization of several polymorphism sites of GAD1 and GAL genes was reported, and association analyses with feed intake, growth and…
This study provides the first account of genetic relationships between three indigenous cattle breeds from Mozambique. Forty-two blood group factors and six blood proteins revealed genetic variation of 84% (Angone), (Bovine de Tete) and 90% (Landim) at the loci studied…
A questionnaire-based survey was conducted among a purposive sample of 60 small-scale cattle farmers in the Mopeane Rustenburg district, all of whom owned five or more head of cattle. Results showed that small-scale cattle farming is a part-time activity for…
Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is a cell-surface receptor that activates innate and adaptive immune responses. Recognizing a broad class of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), TLR4 is implicated as a receptor mediating cellular activation in response to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a…
Mitochondrial DNA cleavage patterns from representative animals of the Afrikanerand Nguni sanga cattle breeds, indigenous to Southern Africa, were compared to the mitochondrial DNA cleavage patterns of the Brahman (zebu) and the Jersey (taurine) cattle breeds. Identical restriction patterns were…
Four simulations (RANGEPACK Herd-Econ) of a beef weaner enterprise, each subjected for a period of 30 years to a different rhythm of the long-term variation in rainfall and simulated dry matter production (PUTU 11) of veld at Glen, were compared…
