The growth performance and the carcass and physical and chemical characteristics of the meat of 24 Landrace X Large White pigs were compared when reared under a free-range or a conventional housing system. The free-range pigs had lower feed intakes…
The effects of tail docking on growth performance and carcass characteristics of fat-tailed male Karakas lambs were investigated. A total of 23 Karakas single-born male lambs was used in this study. Nine were docked at one day of age using…
Nutrition of breeding female birds can influence egg quality and is therefore extremely important for the development of the embryo and the successful hatching of a high quality chick. We investigated the effect of combining different levels of dietary energy…
The aim of this study was to evaluate the suitability of Illius and Gordon's simulation model for predicting the digestibility and intake of tropical roughages by ruminants. Data from seven suitable empirical studies (i.e. studies that reported all requisite data…
Selection accuracy for resistance to mastitis may be increased by combining somatic cell score (SCS) and udder type into an udder health index, using genetic parameter estimates among them. A multi-trait animal model was used to estimate genetic parameters among…
This study was designed to investigate the effects of storage temperature on the quality of eggs from conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)-fed laying hens. For 40 days laying hens (20 per group) were fed a diet containing either 0.5% maize oil…
A trial was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary vitamin E (E) and thyme oil (TO) supplementation on the growth performance, lipid oxidation, fatty acid concentration of tissues and the serum lipoprotein levels of male broilers. Two-hundred day-old Ross…
The effects of hot-deboning on the physical meat quality characteristics and shelf-life of ostrich m. gastrocnemius, pars interna (gastroc) and m. iliofibularis (iliof) were investigated during 42 days (d) of refrigeration. The hot-deboned gastroc was initially tougher than the cold-deboned…
An 80-day feeding trial was conducted in a recirculation system aquarium operating at 26 ± 0.3 °C, to evaluate the nutritive value of Vicia peregrina seed as a possible protein source in the diet of mirror carp (Cyprinus carpio) fingerlings…
A study was conducted to evaluate the growth performance of indigenous and Rhode Island Red (RIR) chickens under intensive management conditions for 22 weeks using standard commercial diets. Eggs from seven indigenous chicken lines were collected from the respective administrative…
A study was conducted on growth performance of the Lesotho indigenous chicken (LES) compared to two exotic lines, the New Hampshire (NH) and Rhode Island Red (RIR), from 3-days to 70 weeks of age, when moulting occurred. Growth traits that…
Silages made from directly cut or wilted Digitaria eriantha treated with or without molasses were evaluated to determine fermentative characteristics. The grass was harvested at the boot stage of growth and the material was ensiled in 1 kg mini-silos. Treatments…
The objective of this study was to determine the effects of the long-term feeding of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on laying hen performance, egg fertility and hatchability of fertile eggs of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). One hundred and sixty…
Two maize milling by-products (maize gluten feed; MGF and maize by-product feed; MBPF) were compared with shelled maize (SM) and soyabean meal (SBM) for their in situ nutrient disappearance. In situ experiments were conducted in two rumen fistulated Holstein cows…
The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary supplements of either an essential oil mixture (EOM) or a mannan oligosaccharide (MOS) as alternatives to an antibiotic feed additive (avilamycin) for layers kept under hot summer conditions. Four hundred…
Embryonic mortality in developing ostrich embryos has been linked to water loss in eggs during artificial incubation. Traits possibly related to water loss were assessed on shell samples obtained from 512 hatched ostrich eggs. Moderate to high repeatability estimates (0.43…
The efficiency of Simmentaler cross (SX), Bonsmara cross (BX), Afrikaner (AF) and Nguni (NG) cowherds to produce weaner calves under natural sweetveld conditions was investigated. The respective cowherds were selected to differ with regard to frame size (SX > BX…
To compare growth performance of Brown Swiss calves fed acidified milk replacer (AMR) at 8% of birth weight, 20 newborn calves were reared under a new calf-feeding programme. Body weights, total weight gains and gains in body measurements, feed intake…
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…
Feeding systems in which young ostriches feed on pasture but have access to concentrates provide better welfare than confined systems but are sustainable only if nutrition is carefully controlled. This study was conducted to evaluate the potential of "excretal NIRS",…
