Other Animal Sciences Commons^™

The Use Of Buffer Zones In Dingo Control, P C. Thomson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The aim of dingo control is to protect livestock, not to eliminate dingos from Australia's vast ininhabited areas. However, with labour costs rising, dingo control must become more cost effective.

In this article, P.C. Thomson discusses the "buffer zone" control strategy which involves removing dingos from a strip of country adjacent to stocked land.

Although variations of this strategy have existed for some time, detailed knowledge of dingo behaviour and movement patterns was required to ensure that the concept was soundly based. Much of this information came from a long-term study of dingos carried out in unstocked country and adjacent …

Dingoes And Sheep In Pastoral Areas, P C. Thomson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Since 1975, a long-term study of dingoes in the Fortescue River area of northern Western Australia has sought to provide the detailed information necessary to devise efficient dingo management strategies.

Dingoes have been fitted with radio-transmitter collars, then tracked and observed from a specially equipped aircraft. Their movements, breeding, hunting and social behaviour have been monitered in the rugged, spinifex-covered ironstone terrain which represents typicaldingo refuge country, and in neighbouring sheep country.

Although the pastoral and agricultural industry have long recognised the need to control dingoes to protect livestock, particularily sheep, there is little published evidence about the type of …

Rabbits North Of Carnarvon, D R. King

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

In Westeern Australia rabbits are mainly a pest along the south-western coastal parts of the State, but there are populations north of the Tropic of Capricorn. Rabbits after crossing the Nullarbour plain from South Australia and colonising the South-West of the State, were reported to have reached the west coast near Geraldton by 1912 and then spread northwards.

There is little information on the biologhy of rabbits in the northan parts of their range, but pastoralists in some areas are concerned about erosion and damage to vegetation on their stations when rabbits reach high numbers.

The Agricultural Protection Board undertook …

Myxomatosis In Western Australia, D R. King, S. H. Wheeler

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Since myxomatosis was introduced to Western Australia in the early 1950s rabbit plagues have ceased. However, myxomatosis has not proven to be the whole answer to the rabit problem.

Rabits continue to damage crops and pastures in many areas and resurgences of rabbit populations are reported from time to time.

Drs D.R. King and S. H. Wheeler of the Agricultural Protection Board's research section have been studying the way myxomatosis epidemics occur and spread in rabbit populations in a range of Western Australian environments. This research will provide data for planning effective control strategies intergrating the various control options available …

Feeding Bulls-A Practical Evaluation, D. Simms, L. Corah, Gerry L. Kuhl, R. Schalles

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Bull calves on nine Kansas ranches were either castrated and implanted with Ralgro, left intact and not implanted, or left intact and implanted with Ralgro, with performance evaluated through slaughter. Bulls produced leaner carcasses and gained slightly faster and more efficiently than steers. However, based on actual prices received, bulls returned $16.09 less to their owners than steers. Implanting with Ralgro during the suckling phase did not influence any of the traits measured. It is evident that marketing is a major problem which makes bull feeding risky

Comparison Of Synovex-S And Steer-Oid Implants For Feedlot Steers, B. Lee, S. Laudert

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Synovex-S and STEER-oid were compared in a 133-day finishing trial to evaluate their effects on growth and carcass traits of yearling steers. No significant differences in average daily gain, feed intake, feed to gain ratio, carcass weight, ribeye area, fat thickness, quality grade or yield grade were detected between the two implants at the end of the trial. However, significant differences in feed efficiency were detected during days 0-35 and 36-63, possibly due to different release rates of the implants.

Effects Of Low Voltage Electrical Stimulation On Quality Characteristics Of Young Bulls Fed To 14, 16 And 18 Months Of Age., D.G. Gray, John A. Unruh, Curtis L. Kastner, Michael E. Dikeman

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Low voltage electrical stimulation of young bulls at 30 to 45 min after bleeding resulted in a lower muscle pH, higher marbling score, lighter cherry red color and reduced incidence of heat ring formation when compared to non-stimulated controls. Ribeye steaks from electrically stimulated sides were more tender than non-stimulated controls, but bottom round steaks were not different. Our results indicate that low voltage electrical stimulation, incorporated into a continuous slaughter operation as late as 30 to 45 min after bleeding, can improve USDA quality characteristics and tenderness of meat from young bulls.

Medication Programs For Newly Received Calves, D. Axe, M. Spire, Jack G. Riley

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Three medication programs for newly purchased feeder calves were compared and found to be similar in effectiveness. There was considerable variation in cost between the three medication programs which indicates a potential cost saving opportunity. Twenty-three percent of the calves received were diagnosed as sick at least once during the 56-day trial.

Culbac® And Add-F® (Formic Acid) Additives For Sudangrass And High Moisture Shelled Corn Silages, K. Bolsen, M. Hinds, H. Ilg

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Laboratory silos were used in three trials to evaluate sudangrass (slightly or moderately wilted) and high moisture corn silages, each receiving the following treatments: (1) control (no additive); (2) CULBAC® dry; (3) CULBAC® liquid; and (4) ADD-F® (formic acid). Although the 12 silages were well preserved visually, there were differences in their chemical compositions. Silages treated with CULBAC dry had the highest DM recoveries and probably the most efficient fermentations. As expected, formic acid restricted the amount of fermentation, but surprisingly, it did not improve DM recovery.

Comparison Of Compudose With Ralgro Or Synovex-S Reimplant Programs For Finishing Steers, S.B. Laudert, G.V. Jr. Davis

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Finishing yearling steers reimplanted with Synovex-S or Ralgro gained 6.8 and 4.2% faster, respectively, than those implanted with Compudose. However, feed efficiency was not significantly different among treatments. Steers implanted with Compudose gained 5.1% faster and more efficiently than those implanted with a single Ralgro.

Relationship Of Cow Weight, Cow Condition And Dosage Of Prostaglandin On Synchronized Heat, D. Simms, L. Corah

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Simmental cows on two Kansas ranches received either 2 or 3 ml injections of prostaglandin cloprostenol (Estrumate). Dose levels had little effect on response rate in either small or large cows. However, for each unit increase in body condition score, 12% more cows expressed heat.

Performance Of Young Pigs Fed Sorghum Grain Damaged By Lesser Grain Borer Or Fungal Invasion (1984), J C. Dietz, Keith C. Behnke, C W. Deyoe, G L. Allee

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Nutritional quality and physical conditions were used to evaluate grain sorghum damaged by either the lesser grain borer Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) or by nontoxin-producing fungi. Experimental treatments were: 1) control 04.0% moisture), 2) lesser grain borer (LGB) (14% moisture with initial infestation of 4.5 adults/lb of grain) and 3) fungal (Fungal) (15.5% moisture). Control grain was used to formulate a 17% crude protein diet. The remaining dietary treatments were formulated by replacing the control grain with the two damaged grains on a weight basis. Forty-five female Yorkshire and 12 crossbred male pigs, with an average initial weight of 22 lb …

Cellular Immune Responses In Artificially Reared Pigs (1984), Frank Blecha, D S. Pollmann, E F. Kluber Iii

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

An experiment was conducted to determine the influence of artificial rearing on the cellular immune response of young pigs. Artificially reared pigs had lower cellular immune reactivity than sow-reared controls. These results indicate that artificial rearing may result in immunosuppression in young pigs.; Swine Day, Manhattan, KS, November 15, 1984

Effects Of Exposure To Boars And Other Gilts On The Estrous Response After Synchronization With Altrenogest (1984), Duane L. Davis, Jeffrey S. Stevenson

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Estrus was synchronized in gilts by feeding altrenogest for 18 days. All gilts were penned in gestation stalls. Beginning the day before the last altrenogest treatment and continuing until 3 days after treatment, gilts were either exposed to a boar for 2 hr /day, group-penned with other gilts for 2 hr /day, both exposed to a boar and group-penned, or given neither treatment. Boar exposure shortened the interval to estrus but group-penning had no effect. None of the treatments improved the synchrony of estrus.; Swine Day, Manhattan, KS, November 15, 1984

Limiting Amino Acids In Sorghum Grain Protein For Adult Female Swine (1984), A J. Thulin, G L. Allee, D S. Pollman

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Two 4 x 4 Latin square designs were used with 16 gilts at 10 mo of age and weighing 341 lb (gravid) and 301 lb (nongravid) to determine the limiting nitrogenous factors in sorghum grain protein for adult gravid (70th day postcoitum) and nongravid swine. Supplementation of the fortified sorghum grain diet with lysine increased (P<.05) nitrogen retention in both nongravid and gravid gilts. A further addition of threonine also increased (P>.05) nitrogen retention in both nongravid and gravid gilts. However, addition of both lysine and threonine to the sorghum diet failed to result in nitrogen retention equal to that observed for the control diet. Percentage of nitrogen digested was higher (P<.05) for the control diet than for the basal diet or the two diets with lysine and threonine added. Blood urea nitrogen was reduced (P<.05) when lysine was added to the basal diet with an additional reduction when threonine also was added to the diet. However, the control diet caused higher blood urea values when compared to both supplemented diets. These results suggest that another amino acid may be limiting in the sorghum grain diet supplemented with both lysine and threonine. These data and other published data demonstrate that lysine and threonine are the first and second limiting amino acids in sorghum grain for adult gravid and nongravid swine.; Swine Day, Manhattan, KS, November 15, 1984

Effect Of Oxytetracycline Hydrochloride Coating Added To Compudose Implants In Grazing Steers, Lyle W. Lomas

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Adding an oxytetracycline coating to Compudose implants did not change their effectiveness. Implanting with Compudose significantly increased gain of grazing steers an average of 17% compared to non-implanted controls.

The Weather In 1982 And 1983, L. Dean Bark

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The 1983 weather in Kansas upset carefully laid plans and confounded the best management techniques. Yet the averages for 1982 and 1983 appear very similar. In Manhattan, the average temperatures were 54.04 F for 1982 and 54.06 for 1983. Precipitation totals were 32.88 in. for 1982 and 35.74 in. for 1983. However, those who watched their crops dry up in the summer of 1983 after delayed planting because of wet fields, and suffered with their livestock through heat stress in July and August and cold stress during December know differently. Neither our crops nor our livestock ever experience "average" weather. …

Urea And Fermentrol® Additives For Forage Sorghum Silage, B. Janicki, K. Bolsen, M. Hinds, H. Ilg

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Adding urea to forage sorghum greatly increased the ensiling temperature, produced a more rapid and extensive fermentation, and resulted in more shrink loss in the silo. Fermentrol®, an enzyme-inoculant additive, had very little affect on the silage temperature or chemical composition, but it did reduce the shrink loss. Calves red urea-treated silage had the poorest performance. Control and Fermentrol® silages each produced about 90 lb of calf gain per ton of crop ensiled, however urea silage produced only 60 lb. All three silages had short bunk lives throughout the trial.

Comparison Of Compudose®, Ralgro® And Synovex-C® For Suckling Steer Calves, D.D. Simms, R. Schalles

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The comparative growth-promoting value of Compudose, Ralgro, Ralgro + Ralgro reimplant, and Synovex-C + Synovex-C reimplant was evaluated on five Kansas ranches with 674 suckling steer calves in seven trials conducted during 1982 and 1983. The Ralgro + Ralgro reimplant program increased gain significantly (P<.05) over controls, with an average improvement of 3.9%. Either a single Ralgro or Compudose implant at branding increased gain about 2.6%. Implanting with Synovex-C produced 1% improvement in gain.

Effects Of Compudose® Implants On Performance Carcass, Meat Quality Traits And Serum Testosterone In Young Boars (1984), T Timmis, Michael E. Dikeman, Melvin C. Hunt, G Highfill, Jeffrey S. Stevenson, Robert H. Hines

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Implanting boar pigs at 100 lb with 24 mg of Compudose 200® (estradiol 17β) had no significant effect on "boar odor" in meat, rate of gain, feed efficiency, carcass leanness or meat quality traits. The presence of a 7 to 8 mo old gilt in the pen decreased rate of growth in both control and implanted boars, but contrary to our expectations did not increase the incidence of "boar odor".; Swine Day, Manhattan, KS, November 15, 1984

Lecithin Addition To Starter Pig Diets With And Without Added Fat And Whey (1984), D M. Van Wormer, D S. Pollmann

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A total of 316 crossbred weanling pigs were used in two studies to evaluate the effect of the addition of edible-grade, unbleached soy lecithin on growth in starter pig diets with and without added fat and/or dried whey. Addition of fat to a corn-soybean meal diet improved (P<.05) feed efficiency but addition of lecithin did not affect performance. When lecithin and fat were added in combination, average daily gain was less (P<.05) than for diets without added fat. This may be due to a high level of undigestible fat having a limiting effect on intake and consequently decreasing gains. A low level of lecithin (1.5%) in diets without whey gave approximately the same response as a 4% fat diet without whey thus making lecithin a possible fat substitute should, it be economically feasible.; Swine Day, Manhattan, KS, November 15, 1984

Successful Induction Of Estrus During Lactation For Sows Separated From Their Litters (1984), Jeffrey S. Stevenson, Duane L. Davis

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Our objective was to determine the effectiveness of inducing estrus during lactation by temporarily separating the litter from the sow during the last week of lactation. Lactating sows were removed daily from their litters for either 1) 3 hr /day (n=20), 2) 6 hr /day (n=39), or 3) 12 hr /day (n=10) during the last 8 days of lactation and exposed to an intact boar for at least 1 hr during the separation period. Litters were weaned from control sows at either 2 (n=13) or 4 (n=15) weeks for comparison of intervals to estrus following complete weaning or temporary separation. …

Performance Of Young Pigs Fed Sorghum Grain Damaged By Lesser Grain Borer Or Fungal Invasion (1984), J C. Dietz, Keith C. Behnke, C W. Deyoe, G L. Allee

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Nutritional quality and physical conditions were used to evaluate grain sorghum damaged by either the lesser grain borer Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) or by nontoxin-producing fungi. Experimental treatments were: 1) control 04.0% moisture), 2) lesser grain borer (LGB) (14% moisture with initial infestation of 4.5 adults/lb of grain) and 3) fungal (Fungal) (15.5% moisture). Control grain was used to formulate a 17% crude protein diet. The remaining dietary treatments were formulated by replacing the control grain with the two damaged grains on a weight basis. Forty-five female Yorkshire and 12 crossbred male pigs, with an average initial weight of 22 lb …

Effect Of Bacillus Subtilus On Sow And Baby Pig Performance And Bacterial Populations (1984), R R. Laforge, D S. Pollmann

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A Bacillus subtilus probiotic was tested using a total of 52 sows and 516 baby pigs to determine the effect on enteric colibacillosis control and on host bacterial population. The probiotic did not affect sow or baby pig performance nor influence host bacterial populations of the digestive tract.; Swine Day, Manhattan, KS, November 15, 1984

Rabbit Kitten Survival In The South-West, D R. King

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

In the South-West of Western Australis reliable winter rains allow the rabbit breeding season to extend through winter and spring, and thus a large number of kittens are produced each year.

Studies on the biology of rabbits at Cape Naturaliste (270 kilometres south-west of Perth) and Chidlow (40 kilometres east of Perth in the Datling Range) have shown that at these sites each doe produces about 30 and 27 kittens respectively a year. If all these youg rabbits survived, there would be a 15-fold increase in numbers. Within a short time the State would be covered "wall to wall" by …

How Rabbit Poisoning Methods Work, S H. Wheeler

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

While the "rabbit plauges" of the past are a distant memory for most farmers, rabbit numbers must still be controlled in many parts of Western Australia. Rabit control techniques rely heavily on poisoning, which given the right conditions can kill a high percentage of rabbits at risk.

Recent research by the Agricultural Protection Board has been aimed at determining how different poisons, baits and poisoning methods work. By knowing in detail how each method works and what influences its results, we can choose the best control method for a particular place and time, avoid costly failures, and increase the effectiveness …

Methionine Addition To Weanling Pig Diets (1984), Tze-Chow Ong, G L. Allee

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Three growth trials and two metabolism trials utilizing 236 pigs were conducted to evaluate the effects of amino acids additions to weanling pig diets and to estimate the methionine requirement of weanling pigs using growth and nitrogen retention as criteria. From these results, it was concluded that the total sulfur amino acid requirement of weanling pigs does not exceed 0.56% of the diet. Addition of methionine to a lysine supplemented 18% protein corn or sorghum-soybean meal did not improve pig performance.; Swine Day, Manhattan, KS, November 15, 1984

Creep Feeding And Phytohemagglutinin Skin-Test Responses In Pigs (1984), Frank Blecha, D S. Pollmann, D M. Vanwormer

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

An experiment was conducted to determine the influence of creep feeding on cellular immunity in young pigs. Creep feeding from 10 days of age to weaning did not influence phytohemagglutinin skin-test responses.; Swine Day, Manhattan, KS, November 15, 1984

Effects Of Low Voltage Electrical Stimulation During Bleeding And Hot Boning On Beef Loin Eye And Top Round Muscles, J.B. Axe, Melvin C. Hunt, Donald H. Kropf, D.G. Gray, Curtis L. Kastner, Michael E. Dikeman

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Our study evaluated the effects of low voltage electrical stimulation (ES) during bleeding and hot boning at 1 hr postmortem on loin eye (LE) and top round (TR) muscles. Possibly because of relatively slow initial chilling rate used in our study, hot-boned (HB) muscles, even without ES, were comparable to conventionally chilled and boned counterparts. In fact, coupling ES with HB proved less desirable than HB only.

Silo-Best® For Sorghum Silages, K. Bolsen, H. Ilg, M. Hinds

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Silo-Best lowered the ensiling temperature and increased the dry matter recovered from the silo by over 5 percentage units (82.3 vs. 77.3%). Calves fed the control silage gained faster and consumed more feed, but those fed treated silage were slightly more efficient. The more efficient gain and lowered shrink loss for Silo-Best silage gave 6.4 extra pounds of calf gain per ton of crop ensiled.