Two experiments were made. In experiment 1, dairy cows in early lactation (2 to 4 weeks) and dairy cows in late lactation (34 to 36 weeks) were given aflatoxin B, (AFBt)at a level of 34 to 39 fig/day by feeding them contaminated compound food. The aflatoxin Mrcontent(AFMj) of raw milk was determined four times during the experimental period of 14 days. The milk yield was measured daily.

The carry-over rate of aflatoxin was proportionately 0·062 and 0·018 for cows in early and late lactation respectively. This difference was not only due to milk production level but possibly also associated to AFB, liver metabolism.

In experiment 2, eight high (40 kg milk per day) and eight low (16 kg milk per day) milk yielding cows, carry-over of AFB1 from compound food into AFM, in milk was measured at different levels ofAFB7 intake ranging from 7 to 57 fig/day. Independent of AFBj-intake, high-producing dairy cows had a higher carry-over rate than low producing animals (proportionately 0·038 v. 0·025). Carry-over ofAFB1 to AFM, was linearly correlated with milk yield. Variations in the level of AFM1 in milk of individual cows were not due to variations in milk yield. The relationship between AFB2 intake per day and AFM^content in milk per kg could be described by the formula: AFMj (ng/kg milk) = 119 AFB, intake (fig per cow per day) + 1·9. This means that in order to produce milk with less than 0·05 fig AFM, per kg milk the average daily individual intake in a herd should be limited to 40 fig AFB7 per day.

As dairy cows in their early to mid lactation period consume large quantities of compound food, a maximum level of AFB3 in dairy foods has to be set at an acceptable daily intake (ADI) value to guarantee that AFM1 levels in milk do not exceed tolerable levels.

Cardio-respiratory and mechanical work output variables were measured for four F1 crossbred dairy cows (average weight 475 kg) over a range of work levels. Resting (standing prior to exercise) heart rates (average 62 beats per min) and respiratory rates (average 21 breaths per min) were similar to those previously reported for cattle of similar weight. Minute ventilation was 0·146 l/min per kg. Resting oxygen uptake (average 0·0057 l/min per kg) was higher than values that have been reported for cattle under more relaxed conditions.

The cows were exercised on an oval track by undertaking two bouts of activity for 500 m with a 5-min intervening recovery period. Walking increased minute ventilation by approximately 60 I/min and heart rate by 30 beats per min. Pulling a loaded sledge increased these variables further to approximately 200 l/min and 135 beats per min at 32 kg/min (530 W), the highest work level studied. The calculated oxygen pulse was 72 ml per heart beat, with maximum oxygen consumption approximately 9 l/min.

Overall ivorking efficiency increased with work level to a maximum of approximately 26% at the highest work level. At this level the cows were pulling proportionately about 0·14 of their body weight.

During periods of recovery after work, the cardio-respiratory parameters varied as would be expected and recovery was usually complete within 7 min.

Birth-weight data recorded between 1986 and 1991 on 3453 N'Dama calves from the village production systems of The Gambia were analysed to identify major factors influencing this trait and to quantify the relationship between birth weight and early calf mortality. Birth weights were measured over a range of time, from a few hours to 14 days after birth. Least-squares analysis of the fixed effects of site, year and season of birth, parity of dam, sex, age in days at which birth weight was recorded and random effects of herd and cow nested within site showed that all these factors significantly influenced this trait.

A subset of these data (no. = 2452) was used to derive adjustment factors which were applied to the larger data set to standardize birth weights to a common age measurement. Results from these adjustments showed that birth weights recorded between the 7th and 14th day after birth should be decreased by proportionately 0·12 to 0·14 to be comparable with those measured on day of birth.

Maximum likelihood analyis of cumulative calf mortality to 30, 60, 90 and 120 days of age using age-standardized data (no. = 3156), which excluded deaths of traumatic origin, showed that mortality was highly influenced by birth weight. Calves were grouped into three classes, namely below-average, average and above-average of sitemates' values. Mortality rates among the three groups during the first 30 days of life were 3·6, 0·9 and 0·3%. The corresponding values at day 120 were 13·8, 6·3 and 5·0%. The average age at death during the first 120 days in the three groups were 51, 58 and 73 days. Mortality rates among calves born in the wet season were higher than those born in the dry season (e.g. 9·9 v. 5·9% for mortality to day 120).

Examination of data on calving distribution and milk production patterns of the dams of the calves used in this study as well as the causes of deaths among the calves indicated that although dam effect was an important determinant of calf survival other factors such as the vigour of the calf at birth, weather conditions and disease environment at the tethering and grazing areas were important as well.

Estimates of genetic parameters for test day records of yields of milk, fat and protein and concentrations of fat and protein were obtained on 47 736 British Holstein-Friesian heifers in 7973 herds, progeny of 40 proven (to improve connectedness) and 707 young sires (comprising about one-fifth of the progeny), using multivariate restricted maximum likelihood methods with a sire model.

Heritability estimates for lactation yields of milk, fat and protein and concentrations of fat and protein were 0·49, 0·39, 0·43, 0·63 and 0·47, respectively. Estimates for individual test day records of these traits ranged from 0·27 to 0·43, 0·16 to 0·34, 0·22 to 0·33, 0·11 to 0·48 and 0·21 to 0·43, respectively. Generally, heritability estimates for test day records were lowest at start and highest in mid lactation.

Estimates of genetic correlations among yields of a trait on different test days ranged from 0·57 to 0·99, and for fat and protein concentrations from 0·34 to 0·99, the correlations being highest for adjacent tests. Phenotypic correlations were lower than genetic correlations. Genetic correlations of test day records with corresponding lactation traits were high (0·76 to 0·99), being highest in mid lactation.

Genetic correlations of test day milk yield with test day yields and concentrations of fat and protein throughout the lactation were similar to those for complete lactation.

The high heritabilities of test day yields and their high genetic correlations with complete lactation, except for the first 1 or 2 test days, suggest that lactation performance may be predicted from test days in early and mid lactation.

Multiparous cows were assigned before calving to three calving to first insemination intervals. Records of cows conceiving at first or second insemination, were used to construct a model of the lactation curve which incorporated peak production and the effect of progressing pregnancy. The model was used to simulate milk yield during a 4-year period for three production levels and five calving intervals. The model separated the descending part of the lactation curve into a linearly and an exponentially declining component, with the latter becoming distinct at about 20 weeks after conception. Peak yield was negatively correlated with the slope of the linear decline. Within a simulated 4-year period, cumulative milk yields at fixed time periods after calving depended upon the period chosen and the calving-to-conception interval of the cow. Late conceptions resulted in higher cumulative yields at the end of the 1st year, and in lower yields at the 2nd year end, with respect to early conceptions. Smaller differences were found between the intermediate calving intervals. During the 3rd and 4th years the early conceptions had a distinct advantage. Different rates of the linear decline, obtained for the different production levels, changed the magnitude of the yield differences between the calving intervals but not their relative ranking. The model presented offers a means for the suitable choice of the calving cycle according to the length of the period for which a cow is expected to remain in the herd.

Ninety-six October calving, multiparous Friesian dairy cows were given from week 2 of lactation perennial ryegrass silage ad libitum, supplemented with one of four compound foods, offered at a flat rate of 3 kg/day. The compound foods differed in crude protein (CP) concentration (210 (LP) and 350 (HP) g/kg dry matter (DM)), achieved by including fish meal at 50 and 250 kg/t respectively; and in metabolizable energy (ME) concentration (12·8 (LE) and 14·0 (HE) M/kg DM), achieved by adding protected fat (approx. 100 kg/t). There were no significant interactions between supplement type in terms of animal performance. Over an average feeding period of 152 days, milk yields were significantly increased by 0·49 kg/day per 100 g supplementary CP (P < 0·01) and 0·50 kg/day per MJ of supplementary ME (P < 0·05).

Increasing the level of supplementary CP had no effect on milk composition but significantly increased yield of milk protein (67 g/day). An increase in supplementary ME significantly reduced protein concentration in the milk (1·1 gjkg) but had no effect on protein yield. Yield of milk fat was significantly increased (76 g/day). The additional energy also significantly improved cow fertility in terms of a reduced interval from calving to both first service and conception.

Genetic variances were estimated from different types of relatives for a data set of 19038 first lactation fat yield (FY) and fat concentration (FC) records. For FY, h2 estimates were 0·377, 0·322 and 0·377 from an animal model, a sire model and a model using only female relationships. The corresponding estimates for FC were 0·632, 0·628 and 0·610. Regarding sires with most progeny in the data set as levels of a fixed effect slightly increased h2 estimates, most likely through accounting for selection of proven sires. Statistical models were presented to account for heterogeneous genetic variances for males and females in the prediction of breeding values or in estimating variance components. Simultaneously estimating genetic variances for FY from paternal half-sibs, maternal half-sibs, and daughter-dam comparisons, resulted in heterogeneous genetic variance estimates from male v. female comparisons and similar variance estimates from mhs and dd comparisons. For FC, h2 estimates from different types of relatives were similar.

Dam-daughter comparisons provide 0·75 to 0·80 of the information on heritability from female relationships and provide 0·42 to 0·55 of the total information on heritability.

Lifetime productivity of 408 Aberdeen Angus cows from the Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria (EEA) of Balcarce, Argentina, was analysed during the 1972 to 1983 period according to their date of calving. Cows were allocated to two groups: one group of early first calving (Fl) when cows calved within the first 25 days of the calving period; the other, of late first calving (F2) when cows calved after that date. Independently using similar criteria, the effect of date of second calving on lifetime productivity was analysed in the same cows, groups SI and S2. Early first calving cows weaned more kg of calf when their first four calvings were considered than cows of late first calving (659 v. 628 kg). The same tendency was observed when cows were compared according to their second calving date (653 v. 634 kg). Differences in weaning weight between calves from early and late cows were only significant for the first calving (group Fl v. F2) and for first and second calving (group SI v. S2). This fact was a consequence of the shorter initial calving interval for late cows (F2 and S2) so that subsequent ages of their calves at weaning were similar to early cows (Fl and SI). Groups F2 and S2 cows had first and second calving intervals respectively of 351 and 356 days, while groups Fl and SI cows had intervals of 372 and 371 days. It is concluded that the date of the first calving and the high overall reproductive performance of the herd contributed to a high concentration of early calvings and a high productive efficiency.

Monthly and fortnightly milk production records were analysed from 59 autumn-calving Angus and Angus × Holstein crossbred cows. Half the cows had been administered 10 mg thyroxine per day from day 60 to 120 of lactation and half were controls. Four published equations to characterize individual lactation curves were compared. These were: (1) log Y(n) = log –a1 + b1log n – c1n (Wood); (2) equation 1 with each log Y(n)2 weighted by Yin)2 (Wood weighted); (3) log [Y(n)/n7 = log l/a3 – k3n(Jenkins); and (4) log Y(n) = a4 – b4n‘(l + 25·5 n’) + c4n2 = d 4/ n (Morant), where Y(n) is milk yield on day n of lactation, n' is n–110 (the mid point of lactation), and the a, b, c, k and d parameters are estimated from solution of the equations. The lactation curve from the Jenkins equation projected peak milk yield to occur some 30 days later than estimates from the other equations. It underestimated production early and late in lactation and overestimated it during mid lactation. For several cows, the Morant equation projected that peak production occurred at the end of lactation. Also, analysis of variance of milk production variables was less sensitive when the traits were estimated by the Morant equation than when they were estimated by one of the others. The Wood weighted equation resulted in estimates of peak day of lactation and peak yield that were less variable and more realistic than estimates from the Wood equation. Collectively, therefore, the Wood weighted equation was deemed most suitable to characterize variability among and within these beef cows in milk production. All four equations, however, ranked the 59 cows similarly for estimated 220-day yield.

Leaves of Leucaena leucocephala, Sesbania sesban and Calliandra callothyrsus were harvested in Rwanda from young shoots at 8 weeks after the first cutting. They were dried, ground and incubated at the same time in polyester bags in three non-lactating Holstein-Friesian cows each fitted with a ruminal cannula. The bags were removed at 0, 2, 4, 8, 24, 48, 72 and 144 h after the start of incubations. The different parameters characterizing extent and rate of ruminal degradation of organic matter (OM), neutral-detergent fibre (NDF), and crude protein (CP) were calculated. In vitro digestibility of residual protein after 24 h and 48 h incubation was also determined. Sesbania sesban had lowest cell wall contents and gave highest ruminal degradability for OM, NDF and CP. Leucaena leucocephala was degraded to a lesser extent, but its undegraded protein had a somewhat higher in vitro digestibility. In contrast, protein of Calliandra callothyrsus was poorly degraded and digested. The proportion and composition of cell wall could not explain these differences in digestion characteristics and other measurements, such as tannins, were incriminated. Increased ruminal incubation time augmented the extent of ruminal degradation and reduced in vitro digestibility of undegraded protein but did not affect the undigestible protein fraction.

The effects of heterogeneity among herds in phenotypic variance (σ2p) and in heritability (h2) on the accuracy of evaluation of dairy sires and cows are discussed with reference to estimates from field data. It is argued that heterogeneity of σ2P can be accounted for by using a (Bayesian) regression procedure. While the same procedure could be used to correct for heterogeneity of h2, in most practical situations the sampling errors of the h2 estimates for individual herds are likely to be so large that regressed estimates of h2 will differ little from each other, so constant values can be assumed.

The diurnal changes in plasma concentration and urinary excretion of purine derivatives (PD) were examined in four steers given their food in either one or two meals daily in two 18-day periods. In period 1, two steers were fed once daily (at 08.00 h) and the other two twice daily (at 08.00 and 16.00 h). In period 2, the treatments were switched. In the last 4 days of each period, plasma samples were taken from 08.00 to 24.00 h at 2 to 3 h intervals, and daily urine was collected in several 4 to 8h periods. With once daily feeding, allantoin concentration in plasma varied from 090 to 1·07 of the daily mean and with twice daily feeding, from 0·97 to 1·05 of mean. The coefficient of variation (CV) for total variation was 0·14. In urine, the concentration and hourly excretion of PD varied with sampling times (P < 0·05) but the ratio of PD to creatinine was relatively constant even for once-daily feeding (CV, 0·02 for measurements at different times). The CV for total variation in the ratio was 0·19. The results suggest that diurnal variation in plasma allantoin concentration and in the ratio of allantoin (or total PD) to creatinine are relatively small even for once daily feeding. It thus seems that these measurements in spot samples may be suitable for use as a simple index of microbial protein supply if they are correlated with the daily PD excretion. The results also indicate that measurements in samples of plasma and urine taken between 15.00 and 20.00 h tended to give a better representation of the daily mean.

Scarce and poor-quality food resources limit smallholder dairy production in the tropics. Food resources for zerograzing may be improved by intercropping Pennisetum purpureum (napier grass) with Leucaena leucocephala leguminous hedgerows. To evaluate dairy cow performance from this alley cropping system, 36 Ayrshire/Brown Swiss × Sahiwal cows in a 2×3 factorial design were individually fed from the 3rd week of lactation for 14 weeks on diets of napier fodder harvested at 1·0 m or 1·5 m and offered ad libitum, supplemented with 0, 4 or 8 kg fresh weight leucaena fodder. Average daily milk yield during the 2nd week of lactation was a covariate in the analyses of milk yield, and post-partum live weight a covariate in the analyses of dry matter (DM) intake and live-weight change.

Napier harvesting height and leucaena level had independent effects on performance. Napier height (1·0 m or 1·5 m) significantly (P < 0·01) affected daily napier DM intake (9·3 and 6·8 kg), total daily DM intake (10·5 and 7·9 kg), daily live-weight losses (165 and 490 g) and daily milk yield (8·6 and 6·9 kg respectively). Leucaena supplementation (0, 4 or 8 kg) significantly (P<0·01) increased total daily DM intake (7·8, 9·3 and 10·4 kg), reduced daily live-weight loss (560,235 and 175 g), and increased daily milk yield (7·3, 7·7 and 8·3 kg respectively). The results show that reasonable dairy performance can be achieved in the tropics by supplementing a napier fodder basal diet with leucaena forage, and highlight the importance of the stage of harvesting of the napier fodder. The results are discussed in relation to the nutrient requirements for milk production given by the Agricultural Research Council (1980 and 1984).

The effects of a barley beef diet without (control) and with a yeast culture (YC) on rumen fermentation, in vivo diet digestibility, nitrogen retention, live-weight gain and food intake were evaluated using 13 Limousin × British Friesian bulls per treatment. The YC was composed of the yeast species Saccharomyces cerevisiae and its growth medium dried in such a manner that it maintained its fermentative capacity. The addition of YC significantly increased the concentration of acetate (P < 0·05) while propionate concentration tended to be higher for bulls given YC (P > 0·05). The acetate: propionate ratio remained unchanged. Concentration of total volatile fatty acid (VFA) was significantly higher in YC bulls compared with control bulls (P < 0·05). The in vitro studies using the Menke gas test confirmed these findings. Mean in vitro gas production in bulls receiving YC was lower than that in the controls (P < 0·05) and methane production was significantly reduced by the addition of YC after 12h (P < 0·01). Ruminal ammonia concentrations were not affected by treatment but ruminal pH was significantly depressed by the addition of YC (P < 0·05).

Apparent digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein and neutral-detergent fibre were unaffected by treatment but tended to be higher with the control diet. Nitrogen retention was not affected by the addition of YC and mean values for allantoin excretion and plasma urea were similar.

In a 28-week feeding trial, dry-matter intake was significantly greater for bulls given YC (5·55 kg/day) than for control bulls (5·32 kg/day, P < 0·05) but average daily gain, 1·55 and 1·58 kg/day for control and YC respectively, and food conversion efficiency were not improved significantly by YC (P > 0·05).

Forty-six Simmental × British Friesian bull calves were allocated to six treatment groups. In four groups (each of eight animals) half the animals were given a prime injection of gonadotropin-hormone-releasing-hormone (GnRH) either as the decapeptide or as an octapeptide (residues 3 to 10) conjugated to egg albumen. Prime injection times were at 3, 4, 5 or 6 months of age. All animals were boosted with a GnRH conjugate, similar to that used for the prime injection, at 8 months. At 8 months, six other animals were surgically castrated while the remaining eight were left as untreated bull controls. Weight gain and consumption of a barley-based diet offered ad libitum were recorded for individual animals. Blood samples were taken at a minimum of fortnightly intervals and the serum analysed for antibody titre against GnRH, testosterone and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). Animals were slaughtered at 12 months and chemical analyses performed on the dissectible material of the 10th rib for protein, lipid, ash and water content. Greater antibody titres and a longer period of low serum testosterone were achieved with the octapeptide conjugate compared with the decapeptide. Serum IGF-1 slowly decreased following both surgical- and effective immuno-castration. There were no significant differences in food intake between the groups. Both steers and the more responsive immunocastrates had higher fat (P < 0·01), lower protein (P < 0·05) and water concentrations (P < 0·01) in tissues from a rib sample joint compared with untreated bulls. As immuno-responsiveness decreased there were indications of compensatory changes in body composition. The technique may be applicable during periods of, for example, mixed grazing for bulls.

An experiment was conducted to examine the effects of body condition at calving and feeding level post partum on the duration of the post-partum anoestrous period in beef cows. Forty-seven cows were used in each of 2 years. Cows were fed differentially before calving to achieve two levels of body condition at calving in November and December and were then fed at one of two levels of feeding post partum in a 2 × 2 factorial experiment. At calving, mean body condition scores were 2·85 (F) and 2·23 (T) (P < 0·001) while live weights were 521 kg and 457 kg (P < 0·001) for F and T cows respectively. After calving metabolizable energy intakes were 111 and 118 MJ/day (H) or 56 and 64 MJ/day (L) in years 1 and 2 respectively. The H cows maintained live weight during the first 61 days of lactation while the L cows lost live weight (0·0 v. -1·1 kg/day, P < 0·001). The number of cows still acyclic on 1 May each year was higher (P < 0·01) on the TL treatment (10/24) compared with the other treatment combinations (FH: 2/22; FL: 5/22; TH: 2/24). The effect of level of feeding on the duration of the anoestrous period was significant in the T cows (89 v. 116 days for TH and TL cows respectively; P < 0·01) but not in the F cows (80 v.89 days for the FH and FL cows respectively; P > 0·05). At 3 weeks post partum LH pulse frequency was higher in F than in T cows and tended to be higher in H than in L cows. At 6 and 9 weeks post partum LH pulse frequency was higher in H than L cows. LH pulse amplitude was higher in F than T cows at 3 weeks post partum and tended to be higher at 6 weeks post partum. It is concluded that both body condition at calving and feeding level after calving influence the duration of the post-partum anoestrous period with the effect of feeding level being particularly pronounced in thin cows.

Experiment 1 investigated the effects of calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2)treatment (80 g/kg malt distillers' grains (MDG) dry matter (DM) at ambient temperature (L) and at 60°C (LH). Organic matter digestibilities in vitro (1V0MD) were 0·30, 0·50 and 0·56 (s.e. 0·023) for untreated (C), L and LH respectively. The increase in IVOMD was less with MDG that had previously been ether-extracted (corresponding values 0·47, 0·53 and 0·54). The proportion of lipid in soap form was 0·03, 0·35 and 0·46 (s.e. 0·03) for C, L and LH respectively. Experiment 2 investigated the effects of treatment time, temperature and Ca(OH)2 concentration on composition, IVOMD and organic matter digestibility in sacco (ISOMD). Response was most dependent on Ca(OH)2 concentration. Mean values for 0, 40, 80 and 120 g Ca(OH)2 per kg DM were for neutral-detergent fibre (NDF) (g/kg DM) 704, 586, 422 and 382; for water-soluble carbohydrate (g/kg DM) 2, 4,40 and 44; for ISOMD 0 h (without incubation) 0·25, 0·25, 0·51 and 0·57; for ISOMD 24 h (24-h rumen incubation) 0·63, 0·66, 0·84 and 0·86 and for IVOMD 0·51, 0·55, 0·65 and 0·65. Increasing treatment temperature from 20 to 80°C increased mean ISOMD 0 h from 0·31 to 0·49 but had less effect on ISOMD 24 h (0·74 and 0·79 respectively). Experiment 3 investigated the effects of treatment with 80 g Ca(OH)2 per kg DM at 60°C for 16 h on rumen degradation in sacco. Instantaneous losses (a values%) for OM and NDF were increased by treatment from 14·6 to 45·5 and from 8·6 to 18·6 respectively. Treatment increased effective degradability (at 0·06 per h rumen outflow rate) from 0·43 to 0·66 for OM and from 0·40 to 0·46 for NDF. Total potentially digestible OM (a + b) increased from 0·65 to 0·91 for OM and from 0·58 to 0·84 for NDF. Ca(OH)2 treatment enhances the nutritional value of MDG. Its mode of action involves reduction of the toxicity to rumen micro-organisms of unsaturated lipid by soap formation and the effect of alkali on the composition of the carbohydrate fraction.

Changes in body composition of 54, second to fourth parity, autumn-calving Holstein-Friesian dairy cows offered grass silage ad libitum and 3(L), 6(M) or 9(H) kg concentrate dry matter per day were measured by serial slaughter at 0, 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 19, 24 and 29 weeks post partum.

Concentrate level had a significant effect on the fresh weights of many of the body fractions with the differences generally being greater between L and M than between M and H. Increasing concentrate level generally reduced the extent of weight loss of body fractions in early lactation and enhanced subsequent repletion. Empty body weight decreased to week 8 and then increased steadily over the remaining 21 weeks, but within this pattern different organs were concomitantly increasing and decreasing. Carcass weight and the weights of the internal fat depots showed a decline over the first 8 weeks and a subsequent increase, udder weight declined throughout, weights of various sections of the digestive tract showed an initial increase then remained steady, whilst liver weight increased throughout.

In week 0 the carcass accounted for proportionately 0-61 of the total energy in the body (6278 MJ), of which fat and crude protein (CP) comprised proportionately 0·67 and 0·33, respectively. In early lactation mobilization of fat and CP in the carcass was reduced with increasing level of concentrate. In the non-carcass fraction increasing concentrate level led to a higher weight of CP in the metabolically active organs such as the digestive tract and udder but had little effect on the weight of fat. Nevertheless, there was generally a positive effect of concentrate level on energy content. Total weights of fat, CP and water in the body declined to week 8 then increased over the following 21 weeks. Although weight of CP in the liver increased throughout lactation and weight of fat was elevated in weeks 0 and 2, the energy content of the liver remained fairly constant.

Estimates of the change in net energy (NE) associated with live-weight loss and with live-weight gain showed a slight though non-significant difference between the two, despite evidence of a higher concentration of fat associated with gain than with loss, and CP concentration being the same in both cases. The mean value was 19·3 MJ/kg live-weight change.

Fish meal and monensin, as supplements to grass silage, were offered either separately or together to Friesian steers from 5 to 9 months of age (period 1). At 9 months, six steers from each of the supplemented treatments were slaughtered to determine body composition. Of the remaining steers, from 9 months of age to slaughter at 490 kg live weight (LW) (period 2), six continued on each of the same treatments, whilst six received silage unsupplemented. A further group of six steers which had received fish meal and monensin during period 1, received monensin only as a supplement to their silage.

During period 1 fish-meal supplementation increased LW, empty body and carcass weight gains, and tissues gains, while monensin had no apparent effect. During period 2, continued supplementation with both fish meal and monensin significantly increased LW, empty body and carcass gains compared with the continuously unsupplemented steers, whilst fish meal and monensin separately produced intermediate increased gains. All three supplement regimes significantly reduced the time taken to reach slaughter.

The only significant effect on body composition was that steers receiving fish meal and monensin had a higher crude protein concentration in the empty body than those receiving only fish meal as a supplement. They also had the highest crude protein concentration in the carcass, although this was not significant. Steers which had their supplements withdrawn after 9 months of age generally maintained gains intermediate between those continuing to receive supplements and those steers unsupplemented throughout. Only those not continuing to receive fish meal and monensin together appeared to perform appreciably worse. Nevertheless, although time taken to reach slaughter from 4 months of age varied by as much as 96 days, there were no other significant differences in body or carcass composition, hi terms of cost effectiveness, use of monensin showed distinct advantages over fish meal.

The effects of calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2 )treatment of malt distillers' grains (MDG) on apparent digestibility in vivo, food intake and lamb performance were measured in three experiments. Experiment 1 measured effects on intake and apparent digestibility of wet MDG either untreated (C), mineralized with a high-calcium mineral (M), Ca(OH)2 treated at ambient temperature (L) or at 70°C for 72 h (LH) and offered ad libitum to mature wether sheep (approx. 75 kg live weight). Dry matter (DM) intakes for MDG were 1251,1585,1838 and 1889 (s.e. 93) g/day for C, M, L and LH respectively when given with 780 g DM per day of a standard complete diet (diet A). Corresponding values for whole diet organic matter (OM) apparent digestibility when MDG was given at a fixed rate (1250 g DM per day) with a standard diet (660 g DM per day diet A) were 049, 049, 0·58 and 0·60 (s.e. 0·008) respectively. Experiment 2 compared mineralized wet MDG (M) with a prototype dried food made from Ca(OH)2-treatedensiled MDG (neutralized with NaOH before treatment) held at 60°C for 18 h before drying (NID) and a proprietary lamb finishing compound (PC). The supplements were offered at an increasing rate (350 g DM per day to 1200 g DM per day) to 30 Blackface lambs of approximately 31 kg initial live weight, penned in pairs, and given ad libitum access to hay and water. Mean DM intakes (g DM per day) to day 60 for supplements were 925, 750 and 934 (s.e. 19) and for hay were 258, 200 and 311 (s.e. 17) for NID, M and PC respectively. Corresponding values for live-weight gain (g/day) were 136, 123 and 130 (s.e. 11); for condition score (day 59) were 3·9, 3·6 and 4·0 (s.e. 0·06) and for number of lambs finished at day 60 were 8, 2 and 10. Experiment 3 evaluated the apparent digestibility and effects on rumen function of NID, M and PC fed at a fixed rate with chopped hay (804 g DM per day supplement + 396 g DM per day hay) to rumen fistulated wethers (approx. live weight 70 kg). Apparent digestibility values for OM were 0·63, 0·53 and 0·65 (s.e. 0·015) and for neutral-detergent fibre were 0·69, 0·55 and 0·57 (s.e. 0·037) for NID, M and PC respectively. Rumen pH, volatile fatty acid concentrations or hay digestibility in sacco were not significantly affected by supplement. Ca(OH)2 treatment greatly improved the nutritional characteristics of MDG giving substantial improvements in apparent digestibility, intake and performance.