Sheep and Goat Science Commons^™

Comparison Of Sheep And Cattle Rumen Microbiological And Physiological Responses To An Abrupt Transition From A High-Forage To A High-Concentrate Diet, Katherine Purvis

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Sheep and cattle are often used interchangeably due to having the same gastrointestinal anatomy; however literature directly comparing the two species is minimal. Previous in vitro studies have pointed towards potential species differences in rumen carbohydrate utilization and acidosis susceptibility. The objective of this study was to evaluate in vivo microbiological and physiological responses of wethers and steers when abruptly transitioned from a high-forage to a high-concentrate diet. We hypothesized there are differences between species in response to abrupt dietary transition with respect to intake, rumen microbiology, and the rumen environment. Individually housed, rumen cannulated purebred Polypay wethers (n = …

Incorporation Of Summer Annual Mixtures Into Grazing Systems In Kentucky, Kelly Marie Mercier

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Utilizing summer annual grass-legume forage mixtures has the potential to improve forage yield and nutritive characteristics, and/or animal performance during times when cool-season pasture growth is limited by high temperatures. Legumes can utilize atmospheric nitrogen, which can increase crude protein and forage digestibility in mixtures. As nitrogen application generally improves both the yield and nutritive characteristics of summer annual forages, but can have a negative effect on legume competitiveness, nitrogen fertilizer recommendations for legume-containing summer annual mixtures are not well established.

Two experiments were conducted to determine the feasibility of utilizing summer annual mixtures in Kentucky, USA. The first experiment …

Selection Of Breeding Stock By U.S. Meat Goat Producers, Narayan Nyaupane, Jeffrey Gillespie, Kenneth Mcmillin, Robert Harrison, Isaac Stienei

Community & Leadership Development Faculty Publications

Using nationwide survey data, we investigate U.S. meat goat producer preferences and willingness to pay for meat goat breeding stock attributes. Discrete choice experiments were employed, and mixed logit and latent class models were used for analysis. Results showed that producers preferred animals that were highly masculine/feminine, had good structure and soundness, and were of the Boer breed, whereas they preferred fewer animals that were older, of Kiko and Spanish breeds, and priced higher. Significant preference heterogeneity was found among the respondents. Larger-scale producers had greater preference for high masculinity/femininity, good structure and soundness, and Boer bucks.

Mitigation Of Ergot Vasoconstriction By Clover Isoflavones In Goats (Capra Hircus), Glen E. Aiken, Michael D. Flythe, Isabelle A. Kagan, Huihua Ji, Lowell P. Bush

Kentucky Tobacco Research and Development Center Faculty Publications

Ergot alkaloids produced by a fungal endophyte (Epichloë coenophiala; formerly Neotyphodium coenophialum) that infects tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum) can induce persistent constriction of the vasculature in ruminants, hindering their capability to thermo-regulate core body temperature. There is evidence that isoflavones produced by legumes can relax the vasculature, which suggests that they could relieve ergot alkaloid-induced vasoconstriction and mitigate the vulnerability to severe heat stress in ruminants that graze tall fescue. To test if isoflavones can relieve alkaloid-induced vasoconstriction, two pen experiments were conducted with rumen-fistulated goats (Capra hircus) to determine with ultrasonograpy if …

Post Weaning Supplementation Of April-Born Polypay And White Dorper Lambs Grazing Alfalfa/Orchardgrass Pasture, Lauren N. Wood

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

The effect of post-weaning supplementation of April-born Polypay and White Dorper lambs grazing alfalfa/orchardgrass pasture during two grazing seasons from June to September was studied. One hundred seventy Polypay and 133 White Dorper lambs were randomly allotted to supplemented (2% BW daily) and unsupplemented groups. It was discovered that Polypay lambs weighed more than White Dorpers at wearning, when the grazing season began, and at the end of the 80 (Year 1) and 85 (Year 2) grazing season (P < 0.01). Polypay lambs gained faster (P < 0.01) than White Dorpers. Supplemented lambs gained faster (P < 0.01) than unsupplemented and Polypays had a greater response to supplementation (P < 0.01) than White Dorpers. Polypays had higher (P < 0.01) fecal egg counts, an indicator of Haemonchus contortus infestation. Supplementation did not have any consistent effect on reducing Haemonchus contortus infestation. Differences in forage characteristics of Polypay and White Dorper lambs did appear. Differences in alfalfa and orchardgrass dry matter, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and crude protein availability were measured by subtracting enter from exit availabilities. The largest decrease of alfalfa components from exit to enter was found with unsupplemented Polypays. No consistent effect was found for orchardgrass components.