Effects of weight and age on carcass yield and conformation of cattle

The aim of this research was to analyse effects of weight and age of dairy cattle breeds and their crossbreeds (423 bulls, 492 heifers and 567 cows) on carcass yield and conformation scores according SEUROP standard data. All animals were divided into groups according to pre-slaughter weight (50 kg interval) and according to age (2 months interval). For research, average ages of the animals were: bulls 19 months, heifers 20 months and cows 38 months. The highest average weight was determined in cows 521.2 kg, followed by heifers 461.7 kg and the least got bulls 456.2 kg however, on the average carcass yield bulls got the highest value of 51.3 percent, 50.1 percent of heifers and the least 47.8 percent of cows. When animals pre-slaughter weight an average increase of 50 kg, the carcass yield of bulls on average increased by 11.1 percent, of heifers - 0.72 and cows - 0.94 percent. In all studied groups of animals were obtained weak correlation links between age of animal and carcass yield. The strongest correlation links were obtained between the animal's weight and carcass weight of bulls (r = 0.93, p <0.001), heifers (r = 0.94, p <0.001) and cows groups (r = 0.91, p <0.01). It was revealed that, if age of cattle moderately increases for 2 months, then there was a moderate increase on carcass yield such as 0.21 percent in heifers (p <0.05) and 0.12 percent in cows groups (p <0.05). This relationship was not statistically significant in the bulls group. Mostly, the O muscularity class of carcasses were evaluated in all analysed animals groups, both depending from pre-slaughter weight and age. In the group of bulls evaluated O muscularity class carcasses were found moderate (76.8 percent), heifers (74.3 percent) and in group of cows (49.7 percent). However, a trend was observed that with animal's weight and age improved carcass yield and arise carcass muscularity class

The effectiveness of fibrolytic enzymes and active yeast on improving reticulorumen pH in dairy cows.

Exogenous fibrolytic enzymes (EFE) and yeast are feed supplements that improve forage digestion in rumen, but their influences on physical reticulorumen parameters are not well studied. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of the EFE:endo-β-xylanase (37x104 U/cow/day), endocellulase (45x104 U/cow/day), endo-β-glucanase (12x104 U/cow/day), and active yeast – Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM-1077 (10x109 CFU/cow/day) supplements on reticulorumen pH (RpH) and temperature (RT) in dairy cows. Nine Lithuanian Red cows were allocated into three groups (3 cows/group): control group (C) – farm diet without supplementation, enzyme group (E) – farm diet supplemented with EFE, enzyme and active yeast group (EY) – farm diet supplemented with EFE and active yeast. The feeding trial lasted for 60 d. All cows were equipped with reticuloruminal telemetric pH and temperature sensor device. Data provided by the device were used to calculate the mean RpH (RpH/24h), the mean minimal RpH (minRpH/24h) and mean of the time that RpH was below the threshold value of 6.0 (RpH<6.0/24h, min.). The highest RpH/24h (6.37±0.22) was observed in group EY and it was by 1.62% (p<0.05) and 1.27% (p<0.001) higher as compared with groups E and C, respectively. Also minRpH/24h (6.24±0.24) was highest in group EY and values were by 0.63% (p<0.001) and 0.65% (p<0.001) higher as compared with groups C and E, respectively. The shortest duration of RpH<0.05) and 47.87% shorter as compared with groups C and E, respectively. In conclusion, feed supplementation with EFE and Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM-1077 had beneficial effect on RpH.202

The influence of probiotic additives or multienzyme composition on blood biochemical parameters and milk quality of Lithuanian Black-and-White cattle

ABSTRACT The aim of the study was to determine the effect of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, multienzyme composition supplementation on milk yield, quality, blood biochemical parameters of Lithuanian-Black-and-White cows. For this reason 28 cows were divided into four groups (three experimental and one control) each with seven cows fed balanced ration (control group) and following experimental groups: addition of 40g supplement of live yeast with organic selenium (group A); 40g supplement of live yeast with aromatic additives (group B); and 0.2g supplement of multienzyme composition (group C) during a 90 days period. The study showed that milk yield was 2.64%, 1.75%, 1.4% higher in groups A, B, C respectively, comparing with the control group. The milk SCC in experimental groups were lower comparing to the control group. The percentage of milk fat was significantly higher in group A - 0.33%, B - 0.31% and C - 0.16% comparing with the control group. All used additives ensure positive dynamics of investigated biochemical parameters in cattle blood. The results indicated that probiotic additives and multienzyme composition supplementation to dairy cows increased cows productivity and milk fat as well. Probiotic additives supplementation decreased SCC values in milk

The influence of probiotic additives or multienzyme composition on blood biochemical parameters and milk quality of Lithuanian Black-and-White cattle

<div><p>ABSTRACT The aim of the study was to determine the effect of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, multienzyme composition supplementation on milk yield, quality, blood biochemical parameters of Lithuanian-Black-and-White cows. For this reason 28 cows were divided into four groups (three experimental and one control) each with seven cows fed balanced ration (control group) and following experimental groups: addition of 40g supplement of live yeast with organic selenium (group A); 40g supplement of live yeast with aromatic additives (group B); and 0.2g supplement of multienzyme composition (group C) during a 90 days period. The study showed that milk yield was 2.64%, 1.75%, 1.4% higher in groups A, B, C respectively, comparing with the control group. The milk SCC in experimental groups were lower comparing to the control group. The percentage of milk fat was significantly higher in group A - 0.33%, B - 0.31% and C - 0.16% comparing with the control group. All used additives ensure positive dynamics of investigated biochemical parameters in cattle blood. The results indicated that probiotic additives and multienzyme composition supplementation to dairy cows increased cows productivity and milk fat as well. Probiotic additives supplementation decreased SCC values in milk.</p></div