The effect of the halothane gene on certain growth and meat quality characteristics were investigated by comparing the three known halothane genotypes (NN, Nn, nn), fifty nine Landrace x Large White pigs (gilts = 25, castrates = 34; NN =…
The aim of this study was to determine the potential of Smuts finger grass as summer grazing for sheep on two soil types at different stocking rates and fertilization levels. The four seasons during which the trial was executed, were…
During 1993, different ratios of cattle : sheep grazed maize-crop residues at the Dundee Research Station. The treatments comprised cattle only (T1; 8 heifers), high cattle : low sheep (T2; 6 heifers : 8 wethers), low cattle : high sheep…
Estimated breeding values and genetic trends were obtained in Ayrshire cattle by using DFREML procedures for 9 050 first lactation records calving down from 1977 to 1992. Environmental trends were calculated as the difference between the phenotypic and genetic values…
For the estimation of additive and error variances and resulting heritability estimates 9 050 first and 5 541 second lactation records were used. Analyses were conducted using DFREML procedures. The heritabilities for first (and second) lactation for milk, fat and…
Three Pennisetum selections, Bana, Greengold and Pennaris, were evaluated asforage for sheep. Dry matter yield, 1eaf:stem ratio and intake were determined at two regrowth heights, namely 300 mm and 800 mm. The trials were repeated in autumn, spring and summer…
In this study economic weights for production and functional traits of the HolsteinFriesians in South Africa were calculated using a simulation model. The production traits were milk, butterfat, protein and lactose yield and the functional traits included feed efficiency, survival…
The isozymes described in this study provide the first account of the amount, patternand distribution of genetic variation within this genus. Twenty-five enzyme coding loci in two populations of H. vittafus, from Namibia and South Africa, were analysed by horizontal…
Six indigenous (Pedi) goat wethers (18 months old) with an average body mass of25.1 kg were fed five diets, consisting of a mixture of lucerne (Medicago sativa) and teff (Eragrostis teff) in a cafeteria style arrangement (Trial 1). The diets…
The performance of young cattle, grazing Coastcross 2 (a cynodon hybrid) was studied at two sites in the Eastern Cape (Republic of South Africa). The rainfall and the fertilization rates at the two sites differed. Three stocking rates were applied…
The performance of 98 Merino weaner lambs at two stocking rates (55 and 68 lambs/ha), with access to either no supplementation, 250 g molasses meal/lamb/day or 250 g molasses meal plus 35 mg ionophore (lasalocid)/lamb/day, with or without a growth…
The selenium (Se) status of lambs grazing kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum) or ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands was determined during four trials and their growth response to Se supplementation was measured. Two methods of Se supplementation were evaluated using…
The investigation entailed four trials in which selenium (Se) was supplemented to lambs grazing kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum) pastures during two summer periods or Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) pastures during two winter periods. Two methods of supplementing the lambs were tested,…
The hatching success of artificially incubated ostrich eggs can be influenced by egg management prior to setting the eggs in the incubator. This can include the length of time and conditions to which eggs are exposed in nests prior to…
Data of 5342 progeny from 232 sires from 30 genetically linked flocks, collected through the National Progeny Testing program for Merino sheep from 1991 to 1996, were used to estimate heritabilities for several production and type traits. The traits analysed…
The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of a herbal essential oil mixture on the performance of broilers produced by a young (30 wk) or an old breeder (80 wk) flock. One thousand and eight unsexed…
The aim of the experiment was to determine the effect of feeding low (2.4 kg/d), medium (4.8 kg/d) and high (7.2 kg/d) levels of a barley-based concentrate on milk production and in sacco ruminal disappearance of dry matter (DM) and…
Rearing broilers on 6-h photoperiods and transferring them to 23 h at 21 d has been shown to reduce mortality and the incidence of leg disorders without adversely affecting final body weight or feed conversion efficiency. However, in many countries,…
The effect of tanniniferous browse meal on faecal egg counts (FEC) and intestinal worm burdens was investigated in sheep and goats infested experimentally with gastrointestinal nematodes. Initially, leaves of different browse tree species were assayed for condensed tannin (CT) content…
