Eleven sire breeds were evaluated in New Zealand from the performance of their calves at two sites using Aberdeen-Angus cows, and at a third site using Angus and Hereford cows. The experiment was carried out over 5 years, generating a total of 4519 calves by 161 different sires. There were seven recently imported sire breeds, Blonde d'Aquitaine, Charolais, Chianina, Limousin, Maine Anjou, Simmental (including strains from four countries) and South Devon, and four local breeds, Angus, Friesian, Hereford and Jersey. Overall, 92% of calves survived at birth and through to weaning, with a range from 86% for the Charolais sire breed to 96% for the Friesian and Jersey breeds. The proportion of calves (from cows aged 3 years and over) experiencing birth difficulty averaged 8·6% and ranged from 17·7% for the Charolais, 15·1% for the Chianina and 13·7% for the Maine Anjou, to 2·3% for the Hereford and 0·9% for the Jersey. Birth weights by sire breed had a range of 7·2 kg, proportionally 0·23 of the mean for the Hereford × Angus cross. The birth weights of calves by imported sire breds were greater than those of calves sired by local breeds by 4·7 kg. Sire breeds were ranked in approximately the same order for the weights of calves at weaning (5 months of age) and at 13 months of age. As a proportion of the mean for the Hereford × Angus crosses, there was a range due to sire breed of 0×17 for weaning weight and 013 for 13-month weight. As a group, the imported sire breeds had calves with 13-month weights 11·5 kg heavier than Hereford × Angus or 250kg heavier than straightbred Angus calves; proportionally these advantages in weight were 005 and 011, respectively. There was no evidence of any major interaction between sire breed and location. The heritability estimates ranged from 0·01 to 0·05 for calving difficulty and survival traits, from 0·13 to 0·33 for live weights and from 0·06 to 0·12 for pre-weaning live-weight gains. For gestation length the estimate was 0·48.

The precision of a number of new models for predicting silage intake by beef cattle was investigated with independent data using the mean-square prediction error and compared with two previously published models (Agricultural Research Council, 1980; Lewis, 1981). The new models generally performed well relative to the previous models.

The new models included a number constructed using the technique of ridge regression which were shown to be consistently better predictors than the models obtained from the same estimation data by stepwise least-squares regression. Better prediction was also obtained by reducing the number of variables in the least-squares models below that required to maximize R2 in the estimation data. The poor performance of the least-squares models with the best R2 may be attributed to collinearity between the independent variates in the estimation data.

Most of the models considered overpredicted relative to observed intakes. This may have been the result of differences in breed type and management of the animals between the test data and the estimation data used to construct the models, that is the use of the models with the test data involved a degree of extrapolation.

It is concluded that ridge regression and deletion of variables offer a positive step forward in intake prediction compared with models based on maximizing R2 in the estimation data. However, further work is needed to clarify the effect of factors such as breed and rearing system on intake and to clarify the usefulness of various fibre measures in intake prediction. A number of new models are proposed which utilize a range of input variables thus allowing flexibility in their use in practical situations.

The study examined early measures of growth and their relationships with mature body size. Data on 792 purebred females of the Chios breed, born and reared on two experimental farms between 1978 and 1986, were analysed. Pedigree information and records on live weight at birth, at weaning, 105 days of age and at first and subsequent matings was recorded. There were flock-year differences for all traits studied (P < 0·01) and birth type was important for all traits except post-weaning growth rate. Dam lactation number had no significant effect on birth weight and pre-weaning growth rate, but it significantly affected all subsequent weights and post-weaning growth rate. Estimated heritabilities increased with age and ranged from 0·13 (s.e. 0·14) (birth weight) to 0·30 (s.e. 0·15) (mature weight). Genetic correlations were generally positive between weights and growth traits. Phenotypic correlations were positive and followed the pattern of the genetic correlations. The results suggest that selection for 105-day weight will result in increased mature weight.

An experiment was carried out to compare sire breeds for carcass traits and to estimate heritabilities and phenotypic and genetic correlations. There were 1908 male cattle from 5 birth years. The sire breeds, each evaluated over three locations, were Blonde d'Aquitaine, Charolais, Chianina, Limousin, Maine Anjou, Simmental (four strains: Austrian, French (Pie Rouge), Swiss and West German) and South Devon (i.e. seven imported breeds) and Angus, Friesian, Hereford and Jersey (four local breeds), with a total of 161 sires represented. Each location contained Angus cows and additionally one location contained Hereford cows. Proportionally 0·72 of the cattle were slaughtered at about 20 months of age, whilst random samples from each of the first 4 years were retained for slaughter at about 31 months of age.

Sire breeds ranked similarly for live weight at 13 months of age and for pre-slaughter weights at both 20 and 31 months of age. Relative to the Hereford-cross, the seven imported breeds were proportionally 0·054 to 0·072 heavier at slaughter (depending on slaughter age) and they had 0-065 to 0·077 heavier carcasses. Dressing proportions for the Blonde d'Aquitaine, Chianina and Limousin sire breeds were higher by at least 0007 units than for the Hereford-cross. The seven imported breeds were all leaner and had larger areas of m. longissimus than the Hereford-cross cattle. Friesian-crosses also had high live or carcass weights although they were intermediate for fat depth.

The interaction of sire and dam breeds were only significant for fat depth (both slaughter ages) and for pre-slaughter and hot carcass weights (31-month slaughter age only). Interactions between sire breed and location were not important.

Heritability estimates on data adjusted to a slaughter age of 595 days were: pre-slaughter weight 0·29, hot carcass weight 0·28, dressing proportion 0·14, fat depth 0·03 and m. longissimus area 0·30. Corresponding values on cattle whose records were adjusted to an age of 935 days were 0·56, 0·44, 0·39, 0·37 and 0·29. These values were from cattle grazed on pasture, and were generally lower than those from America (from cattle offered high energy rations). Phenotypic correlations among all pairs of traits were positive, whilst genetic correlations were positive for all pairs except those involving fat depth (where standard errors were large).

Digestibility (DE) and metabolizability (ME) of a single pelleted diet was examined with growing Angus and Holstein cattle. One hundred and ninety-one individual digestion trials were conducted with bulls, steers and heifers. Food was offered ad libitum or restricted with a daily meal frequency of four. Data were analysed by two covariate models. The first included relative dry matter intake (RDMI) defined as the ratio of DMI to body weight (M0·73). In the second model, covariates were defined by genetic-size scaling; the first covariate scaled DMI by mature weight (A) raised to the power 0·73 (DMI/A0·73) and the second covariate was degree of maturity (μ) defined as body weight divided by A. Model 2 also allowed separation of size and DMI effects. No breed differences were detected. There was a consistent trend for increasing ME and ME/DE from heifers to steers to bulls which was significant between heifers and the average of bulls and steers (575·3 v. 589·3 and 832·8 v. 844·3 J/kJ for ME and ME/DE, respectively). Independent of animal effects, DE, ME and urinary energy (UE) decreased and ME/DE and faecal energy (FE) losses increased as RDMI or DMI/A0·73 increased. Per unit rise in RDMI equivalent to maintenance, the corresponding changes for DE, ME, ME/DE, FE and UE were –33·9, –13·6, 21·3, 34·1 and 9·6 J/kJ, respectively. DE increased 1·5 and ME increased 0·8 J/kJ GE for each 01 unit increase in degree of maturity.

Sheep were given diets containing 0, 30, 50 or 90 g/kg added free fatty acids from palm oil or from calcium soaps prepared from the same fatty acids in a three period switch-over design. Addition of free fatty acids to the diet enhanced metabolizable energy (ME) intake when added at 30 and 50 g/kg but not at 90 g/kg. On feeding 90 g/kg free fatty acids, rumen volatile fatty acid levels decreased and acid-detergent fibre and protein digestion was reduced. Calcium soaps of fatty acids enhanced ME intake at all levels added and had no effect on rumen fermentation. Addition of both free fatty acids and calcium soaps of fatty acids enhanced apparent digestibility of total fatty acids and of all fatty acids except stearic acid. The ME of free fatty acids added at 30 g/kg was 35·56 MJ/g and of calcium soaps of palm oil was approximately 33·05 MJ/g.

Water balance, electrolyte and acid-base status of a group of five South African Mutton Merino wethers given chopped lucerne hay ad libitum was determined before and after ileorectal anastomosis. In general, the sheep recovered rapidly from surgery, resuming, within 10 days, a level of dry matter intake only slightly less than pre-operative levels (1323 (s.e. 147) and 1419 (s.e. 196) g/day respectively, P > 0·05). A new water balance was established at about the same time, when sheep with an ileorectal anastomosis drank about 2500 ml/day more water, while losing about 2400 ml/day more water in the faeces and about 365 ml/day less water in the urine than did the control sheep. Most of the electrolyte and acid-base parameters tested were not significantly affected by the anastomosis but the concentrations of oxygen and potassium in the blood of sheep with an anastomosis were significantly lower (P < 0·001), while those of chloride (P < 0·001) and bicarbonate (P < 0·05) were significantly higher, than before surgery. These observations, together with normal blood pH values, suggest that bypassing the large intestine caused a compensated metabolic alkalosis.

Energy balance was determined on the five sheep with an ileorectal anastomosis as well as five control animals in an indirect, open-circuit calorimeter. Despite a significantly lower (P < 0·05) loss of nitrogen and energy via the urine (due to a lower output of urine) in sheep with an ileorectal anastomosis, total heat loss, whether absolute or relative to energy intake, did not differ from control values and therefore indicated that basal metabolic rate was not significantly affected.

From post-mortem examinations, anastomoses appear to have induced a marked atrophy of the bypassed caecum and colon, whilst the mass of the large intestine was significantly less than in control animals, despite the significant enlargement of the rectum. On the other hand, the small intestine appeared unaffected, either macroscopically or histologically.

The most significant physiological changes that occurred on bypassing the large intestine were related to loss of water reabsorbtion. However, good adaptation to the increased turn-over of water was evident, providing free access to water and a salt lick was allowed.

Faecal egg counts, haematocrits, erythrocyte potassium contents and serum iron concentrations were determined in 1005, 3- to 5-month-old Merino lambs infected with a single dose of 11 000 Haemonchus contortus larvae. Live-weight gain and wool growth also were recorded. Lambs were infected in six different groups over a 3-year period. When infections were terminated after 5 weeks, faecal egg counts in the six infected groups had reached a peak of 5170 to 20 339 eggs per g (average 12 909), haematocrits had declined to between 196 and 309 ml/1 (average 233), erythrocyte potassium contents had risen to between 16·7 and 37·5 mequiv. per 1 (average 31·5) and serum iron concentrations, in some cases following an erratic course, had dropped to between 0·512 and 1·546 mg/1 (average 0·946).

Of the three haematological parameters, haematocrit correlated best with faecal egg count (r = 0·7 in four of six infected groups). However, in two groups with low faecal egg counts this correlation was much lower (r = 0·3). Erythrocyte potassium concentration and serum iron concentration significantly correlated with variability of haematocrit not accounted for by faecal egg count, suggesting that both erythropoiesis and iron availability influence the degree of anaemia.

The effect of H. contortus infection on productivity of lambs was best predicted by haematocrits: for each further 0·01 proportional decrease in haematocrit, a 0·03 reduction of live-weight gain over a 9-week post-infection period, a 0·007 reduction in clean wool growth and a 0·004 reduction in fibre diameter over a 4- to 9-week period were observed. Some evidence was obtained indicating a tolerance level of anaemia at approximately 280 ml/1 packed cell volume.

One hundred and twenty-seven groups of cattle were studied in a slaughterhouse lairage to determine the factors affecting their ability to rest. The cattle were studied by direct observation over one 30-min period during their first 3·5 h in the lairage. An ethogram/time budget analysis of one focal Hereford × Friesian steer or heifer per group was undertaken and the lying behaviour of the whole group was recorded. Linear regression analysis was used to examine the effect of length of time in the lairage on behaviour. The effects of source, sex, group size, space allowance and bedding were examined by a comparison of regression lines. In cattle from markets, standing and moving behaviour, and the number of aggressive interactions decreased and lying behaviour increased with time in the lairage. This was not the case in cattle coming direct from farms. In cattle from markets, steers settled down at a faster rate than heifers, and cattle kept in group sizes >5 settled down at a faster rate than those kept in group sizes ≤5. The presence of straw bedding was associated with greater lying behaviour in market heifers and in market cattle kept in group sizes ≤5 than in similar cattle without straw bedding. Cattle from markets but not those from farms started to settle down within 3·5 h of arrival in the lairage and their behaviour was affected by the social and physical environment.

Carcass and meat composition and eating quality of m. longissimus lumborum (LI) and leg joints were compared in entire male (ram), castrated male (wether) and female (ewe) Dorset Down-cross and Suffolk-cross lambs at about 20 weeks old. Rams grew faster than wethers and ewes particularly in the earlier maturing Suffolk crosses. Carcass weights ranged from 13 to 24 kg and at the mean carcass weight of 17·7 kg ram carcasses yielded larger shoulder joints. Ram carcasses were assessed visually leaner than those from the other sexes with similar conformation scores. Dorset Down carcasses tended to be fatter than Suffolk carcasses and the leanest carcasses were from Suffolk rams. Intramuscular fatness in LI was similar in all sexes. Intramuscular collagen contents were higher in ram LI than in other sexes. There were no differences in protein content, pH or colour of raw or roast LI. In assessments of eating quality of LI by triangle tests, male and female assessors differentiated twin rams and wethers equally. Category scaling showed LI from ewes to be slightly tougher than those from rams and wethers. Consumer evaluation of leg joints did not detect any differences in odour due to sex and ram meat was assessed better than that from wethers or ewes.

Two trials were undertaken to investigate the effects of treating seasonally anoestrous ewes with melatonin implants on date of first oestrus and other aspects of reproductive performance.

Trial 1 involved a total of 368 Mule ewes and 79 Scottish Blackface ewes on five farms, approximately half of which were treated with a single subcutaneous implant of melatonin (Regulin®), containing 18 mg melatonin, between 23 July and 6 August 1986 and the remainder acted as untreated controls. Treatment had no significant effect on the date of first oestrus or conception rate in Mule ewes, although it increased the number of Scottish Blackface ewes mating (92% v. 73%) and the number of mated ewes conceiving (69% v. 54%) in a 5-week mating period, resulting in significantly more treated ewes lambing (63% v. 37%; P < 0·01). Litter size was higher in 4/5 flocks, although this only reached statistical significance in one Mule flock and the Scottish Blackface flock.

A total of 2116 ewes from 17 commercial flocks were used in trial 2, approximately half of which were Suffolk/Suffolk-cross ewes and the remainder Mule/Mule-cross ewes. Implantation with melatonin occurred between 22 June and 24 July 1987. Flocks with over 100 ewes were divided into three equal-sized groups and treated with either 18 mg melatonin (one implant of Regulin, 36 mg melatonin (two implants of Regulin given at the same time) or acted as untreated controls. Flocks with less than 100 ewes contained only the 18 mg melatonin and untreated control groups. Treatment with melatonin significantly advanced the date of first oestrus in most flocks of both breeds (P < 0·05) but the magnitude of this effect was variable. Significant (P < 0·05 at least) increases in ‘potential’ (from scanning) mean litter size (+0·13 to +0·18) and actual mean litter size (+0·11 to +0·14) resulting from treatment with melatonin were apparent in ewes of both breeds when the data were pooled across all flocks, but only in 4/17 of the individual flocks.

These results indicate that treatment with melatonin implants may be a simple and effective way of advancing the breeding season and enhancing litter size of early lambing flocks under commercial farming conditions in the United Kingdom, but treatment must be given >60 days before the start of the natural breeding season for benefits in date of first oestrus to be manifest.

Groups of wether lambs were fed on four concentrate diets, from a live weight (LW) of about 25 kg until they had grown to about 50 kg, when they were killed, minced and analysed. A fifth group was killed at the start of the trial to provide data on their initial composition. The dietary treatments were identical except in their concentrations of calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) and supplied, with some approximations: (A) 0·75 times the requirements for Ca and P estimated according to the recommendations of the AFRC Technical Committee on Responses to Nutrients (TCORN, 1990); (B) a close match to the estimated requirements for both elements; (C) 1·5 times the estimated requirements for both elements; (D) 1·5 times the Ca requirement and 0·75 times the P requirement.

The retentions of Ca and P in the lambs were closely similar with diets B and C (6·8 and 7·3 g Ca per kg LW and 4·1 and 4·5 g P per kg LW) and significantly lower with diet A (4·8 g Ca and 3·0 g P per kg LW) and diet D (5·0 g Ca and 2·7 g P per kg LW). Parallel differences in response to diet were evident in the composition of the metacarpi. Plasma Ca and P concentrations showed no significant differences between the dietary treatments A, B and C, but plasma P concentrations were markedly depressed with lambs on diet D and plasma Ca concentrations were elevated in this group. Rumen P concentrations were also markedly lower in lambs on diet D and their food intakes and growth rates were lower than in lambs in other groups. The results indicate that Ca and P retentions were not increased by feeding these elements in excess of their estimated requirements and were reduced when Ca and P or P alone was reduced proportionately to about 0·75 times requirement. The data are in accord with the TCORN recommendations and suggests that they provide a satisfactory basis for defining Ca and P requirements for growing lambs.

Six mature sheep, each fitted with a rumen cannula, were assigned to six diets in a 6 × 6 Latin-square design experiment to examine the effects of a yeast culture on ruminal metabolism, rumen liquid outflow rate, fibre digestion in the rumen and overall nutrient digestibility. The yeast culture (YC) was a commercial product composed of a yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisae) and the media on which it grew and dried so as to maintain its fermentative capacity. The six dietary treatments were three diets differing in hay dry matter (DM): concentrate DM ratio (90: 10, 65: 35 and 40: 60 designated low, medium and high concentrate respectively) each given either without or with a supplement of 4 g/day of YC. Treatment periods were of 3 weeks duration. There were significant effects of dietary forage: concentrate ratio on rumen function (P < 0·05). Rumen pH, rumen liquid outflow rate, rumen ammonia concentration, total volatile fatty acids concentration, and molar proportions of acetate, propionate and butyrate were not significantly affected by the inclusion of YC (P < 0·05). Supplemental YC did not affect the overall nutrient digestibility of organic matter, neutral-detergent fibre or gross energy measured in vivo. However, at every forage:concentrate ratio, YC increased the disappearance of hay organic matter from nylon bags incubated in the rumen for 24 h (P < 0·05). The values with and without YC were 0·482 and 0·432 for the low, 0·423 and 0·366 for the medium, and 0·360 and 0·321 for the high concentrate diets respectively. However, YC had no effect on hay disappearance when bags were incubated for 48 h. YC appeared to increase the initial rate of forage digestion in the rumen without altering overall food digestibility or the patern of production of fermentation end products.

The body dimensions and live weight of 126 Mule (Bluefaced Leicester × Scottish Blackface) and Scottish Blackface ewes were measured during the 1986/87 housing season. Body dimensions included: head and neck length, body length, diagonal body length, height to withers, height to rump, girth at widest point, heart girth, width at widest point and width at shoulders. It was found that most body dimensions varied greatly with body weight. However, some body dimensions such as head length were found to be independent of weight within the weight range studied. Prediction equations are presented for each body dimensions for unshorn sheep.

These predictions can be used as a basis for the design of sheep housing, for example, trough space allowances, design of feeders or as a biological basis for space allowance.

The composition and degradability of four varieties of rice straw were examined. The varieties were tall or short and early or late maturing. The straws and their botanical parts (leaf blade plus leaf sheath, internode, node and chaff) varied in acid-detergent fibre, ash and silica contents, but not in nitrogen and neutral-detergent fibre. There were some trends but no significant difference in proportions of parts between varieties. Milled samples of whole straw and its parts were either untreated, treated with a cellulase preparation plus propionic acid, treated with ammonia, or treated with cellulase then ammonia. Rumen degradability was measured by incubating the samples in polyester bags suspended in the rumen of sheep. The soluble fraction and potential degradability were greater in untreated short and early than in tall and late varieties, but rates of degradation did not vary significantly. Internode was more degradable than leaf. Cellulase and/or ammonia treatments increased the soluble fraction, especially in tall and late varieties, and increased potential degradabiiity except in internode. Degradability correlated positively with ash and silica contents.

The effects of an increase of rumen fill obtained with polystyrene cubes, and able to stimulate mechanically the rumen wall were investigated on alimentary behaviour and reticulo-rumen motility in sheep. The introduction through a rumen cannula of a volume of polystyrene cubes equal to one-quarter of the ruminal pool size depressed the daily intake of both low-quality cocksfoot hay and good-quality lucerne hay (P < 0·05). Surprisingly, the time spent ruminating was slightly increased and the frequency of contractions during rumination was significantly increased (P < 0·05). In addition, in the sheep fed enterally with a liquid into the rumen, either the mechanical stimulation of the rumen dorsal wall or the introduction of hay (200 g) into the rumen, induced a rumination molility pattern. It is concluded that the intensity of mechanical stimulation of the dorsal sac of the rumen by food particles, which depends upon rumen fill, reduces the time spent eating to increase the duration and intensity of rumination.

Eighteen lambs (L) and 18 goats (G), 12 weeks of age, were allocated in equal numbers to three diets. The basal (B) diet had no added copper (Cu) while the other two had 30 or 60 mg added Cu per kg dry matter (DM) as CuSO4.5H2O. Lambs and goats were housed and fed individually. After 67 days, deaths from Cu toxicity occurred only in lambs from groups L-30 (basal diet + 30 mg Cu per kg DM) and L-60 (basal diet + 60 mg Cu per kg DM). The remaining lambs and all of the goats were slaughtered at 91 and 137 days respectively.

A decreased food intake and loss of weight were observed in some lambs towards the end of the experiment which appeared to be associated with an approaching haemolytic crisis. The additional dietary Cu had a positive effect on food conversion efficiency only in the early stages of the experiment in both lambs and goats. None of the goats died or lost weight.

Plasma Cu concentrations and serum glutamate oxalacetate transaminase and creatine kinase activities were elevated in lambs of groups L-30 and L-60 after 2 months, while in goats the concentrations were in normal ranges during the whole experimental period.

Additional dietary Cu increased significantly the Cu concentrations of liver, kidney, muscle, spleen, heart, brain, hair and faeces in both lambs and goats. Additional Cu decreased the fresh and dry liver weights of lambs and the liver to live weight ratio whereas the corresponding values for kidneys were increased. The differences between groups of goats in fresh or dry liver and kidney weights were not significant, though the fresh and dry liver weights tended to be higher in groups G·30 and G·60 compared with those in the group G·B.

The amount of Cu stored in the livers of the lambs was six to nine times higher than that of the goats. Differences in Cu storage between lambs and goats may be related to species differences in Cuutilization and hence resistance to Cu toxicity.

Different procedures for measuring cold resistance and metabolic rate of newborn lambs were evaluated by varying the extent of induced hypothermia, the rate of cooling and the method of rewarming. Relatively fast cooling followed by a simple self-rewarming procedure proved harmless and satisfactory.

The effect of age, from birth up to 2 weeks, on thermoregulation was studied. There was no difference in cold resistance between 0·5 h and 30 h after birth, and between 1 day and 2 weeks after birth, despite a large increase in insulation, body weight and coat depth over this period. Weight-specific resting metabolic rate and cold-induced peak metabolic rate similarly did not change significantly in the first 30 h, although resting metabolic rate tended to be lower at birth than at 30 h of age. Peak metabolic rate decreased significantly between 1 day and 2 weeks of age.

The effect of fasting, for 3 to 4 h after birth, on thermoregulation was also studied. Cold resistance and peak metabolic rate were not significantly affected by fasting. Recovery from hypothermia was slightly slower in fasted lambs.

These results may reflect the newborn lamb's initial reliance on heat production derived from brown fat and non-shivering thermogenesis. Older lambs, which benefit from better insulation, rely more upon shivering. Fasted lambs showed a tendency to rely more on insulation and slightly less on heat production than suckled lambs.

The effects of sex (wethers v. ewes), diet (chopped lucerne hay v. lucerne-barley pellets) and cimaterol on energy utilization by Suffolk cross lambs were determined by comparative slaughter. Quadratic regression of energy retention (RE) on metabolizable energy intake (MEI) enabled estimation of maintenance energy requirements (Em), efficiencies of gain (ktotal) and maximum rates of gain (REMAX). Regressions using RE in fat and protein v. MEI yielded analogous parameters for fat and protein deposition (Em fat, kfat, REMAX fat and Emprotcin, kprolein, REMAXprotcin respectively). Em was lower in wethers than ewes (455 v. 510 kJ/kg M0·75 per day respectively), but was unaffected by diet or cimaterol. Sex and cimaterol did not affect ktotai. which was higher in lambs given pellets compared with lambs given hay (0·417 v. 0·224 respectively). Similarly, REMAX was higher in lambs given pellets than in lambs given hay (326 v. 114 kJ/kg 0·75 per day respectively). None of the groups differed significantly in the parameters of fat deposition, which averaged 480 kJ/kg 0·75 per day for Em fal, 0·224 for ktat, and 250 kJ/kg M0·75 per day for REMAX, fat- Em.protein was lower in wethers than in ewes (466 v. 569 kJ/kg 0·075 per day, respectively), and was further reduced by cimaterol (418 and 507 kJ/kg 0·75 per day for wethers and ewes respectively). Estimates of kprotcin were higher in wethers than in ewes (0·091 v. 0·064 respectively), and were increased by cimaterol (0·115 and 0·089 for wethers and ewes respectively). Similarly REMAX protein was higher in wethers than in ewes (47 v. 37 kJ/kg 0·75 per day respectively), and was increased by cimaterol (58 and 48 kJ/kg 0·75 per day for wethers and ewes respectively). The repartitioning action of cimaterol was additive with effects of diet, intake and sex.

Effects of food intake (FI) and ad libitum food intake capacity (FIC) were investigated in 438 pigs fed in seven batches. Batches 1 to 6 consisted of barrows and batch 7 of gilts. Restrictedly fed animals had one to three ad libitum fed litter mates. In batches 6 and 7, animals were fed ad libitum until 48 kg live weight. Thereafter, two-thirds of the animals were fed according to a fixed weight scale. FIC is considered as a trait of the animal, independent of its actual FI. With ad libitum feeding FIC can be measured directly, with restricted feeding FIC has to be estimated.

Two methods of estimating average FIC from about 27 to 107 kg live weight were applied. The first method consisted of assigning to each restrictedly fed animal the average FI of one to three ad libitum fed litter mates. The second method was applied in batches 6 and 7 only and consisted of estimating FIC with multiple regression based on individual 'ad libitum performance' in the first part of the growing period.

Effects of FI and FIC on daily gain, food conversion ratio, backfat thickness, lean tissue proportion, fatty tissue proportion, lean tissue growth rate, fatty tissue growth rate and lean tissue food conversion were investigated. FI had significant effects on each trait, except on lean tissue food conversion. FIC had significant effects on body composition traits, but not on daily gain and food conversion ratio.

Irrespective of the method used to estimate FIC, results showed that animals with a higher FIC produced more fat and less lean from the same amount of food than animals with a lower FIC. It was suggested that the partition of food energy between energy for maintenance, protein deposition and fat deposition is associated with FIC. The findings confirmed that selection for leaner and more efficient pigs may result in animals with lower FIC, irrespective of the feeding regimen during performance testing.