• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.1536-1541
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• 2000

The present study was carried out to measure changes of feed intake and thirst level caused by water deprivation in goats fed on dry feed and to elucidate the relationship between those two parameters. Water deprivation significantly (p<0.01) decreased cumulative feed intake and rate of eating at 30, 60, 90 and 120 min, respectively, after feed presentation. Cumulative feed intake, after completion of 2 h feeding, was reduced by about 20, 21 and 64 % due to water deprivation during feeding for 2 h (WD2), for 22 h (WD22) and for 46 h (WD46), respectively, compared to free access to water (FAW). Compared to the FAW, WD2, WD22 and WD46 increased thirst level by about 5, 5 and 9 times, respectively. Mean thirst level (X, g/30 min) was negatively correlated with cumulative feed intake (Y, g DM) after completion of 2h feeding (Y=1302-0.2 X, $r^2=0.97$, p<0.05). Water deprivation depressed plasma volume and there was a significant positive regression between plasma volume (X, ml) and cumulative feed intake (Y, g DM) after completion of 2h feeding (Y=-1003+0.6 X, $r^2=0.99$, p<0.01). Mean plasma osmolality (X, mOsmol/l) correlated significantly and negatively with cumulative feed intake (Y, g DM) after completion of 2h feeding (Y=27004-84.9 X, $r^2=0.95$, p<0.05). In conclusion, a decrease of feed intake during water deprivation is mainly due to an increase of thirst level quantitatively, and the act of feeding itself induces thirst more than the length of water-deprivation periods in goats fed on dry feeds. The present findings suggest that plasma osmolality and plasma volume which affect thirst level are involved in the decrease of feed intake in water-deprived goats.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.32-37
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• 2005

Under a typical Mediterranean environment in southern Australia, the evaporation rate increases significantly in hot summers, resulting in highly saline drinking water for grazing animals. Also in the cropping areas, dryland salinity is a problem. Grazing animals under these environments can ingest excessive amount of salt from feed, drinking water and soil, which can lead to a reduction in growth rate. To understand the impact of high salt intake on grazing deer, two experiments were conducted to assess the effect of salt levels in drinking water on feed intake and growth rate of red and fallow weaner deer. The results revealed that fallow deer did not show any abnormal behaviour or sickness when salt level in drinking water was increased from 0% to 2.5%. Feed intake was not affected until the salt content in water exceeded 1.5%. Body weight gain was not affected by 1.2% salt in drinking water, but was reduced as salt content in water increased. Compared with deer on fresh water, the feed intake of red deer on saline water was 11-13% lower when salt level in drinking water was 0.4-0.8%. An increase in salt level in water up to 1% resulted in about a 30% reduction in feed intake (p<0.01). Body weight gain was significantly (p=0.004) reduced when salt level reached 1.2%. The deer on 1% salt tended to have a higher (p=0.052) osmotic pressure in serum. The concentration of P, K, Mg and S in serum was affected when salt level in water was over 1.0%. The results suggested that the salt level in drinking water should be lower than 1.2% for fallow weaner deer and 0.8% for red weaner deer to avoid any reduction in feed intake. Deer farmers need to regularly test the salt levels in drinking water on their farms to ensure that the salt intake of grazing deer is not over the levels that deer can tolerate.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.638-642
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• 2004

In Australia, many cropping areas are affected by salt. In these regions, Chenopodiaceous plants, such as Atriplex, Kochia and Bassia spp have been planted to improve soil conditions. These plants have become invaluable feed resources for grazing animals in dry summers, but have a high sodium content. To assess the impact of high salt intake on grazing deer, two experiments were conducted. The first experiment used 30 fallow weaner deer to examine the effect of salt level in the diet on feed intake, water intake and body weight of fallow deer. Salt was added to lucerne chaff at 0, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5 and 6% and fresh water was offered all the time. Increasing the salt level in the diet from 0 to 6% didn't affect feed intake, osmotic pressure and mineral concentration in blood of fallow deer. However, water intake was significantly higher (p<0.05) in deer fed diets containing more than 3% salt. Body weight was lower (p${\leq}$0.056) for fallow deer in July and August when salt content was over 3%, suggesting they can ingest over 15 g sodium/day without significant depression in both feed intake and growth rate if the fresh water is available. In the second experiment, 18 red weaner deer were fed lucerne chaff diets containing 1.5, 4.5 and 6.0% salt with 6 deer/diet. The results revealed that feed intake and blood osmotic pressure were similar (p>0.05) for red deer fed different levels of salt although the feed intake declined from 1.91 to 1.67 kg with the increase of salt level from 1.5% to 6.0% in the diet. Water intake was significantly higher for deer fed diets containing over 4.5% salt, but there was no difference in body weight during the experiment. However, no recommendation can be made on the salt tolerance of red deer due to limited increment of salt level in the diet.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.929-934
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• 2001

The physiological role of brain somatostatin in the central regulation of feed intake in sheep was investigated through a continuous intracerebroventricular (ICV) infusion of somatostastin 1-28 (SRIF) at a small dose of $5{\mu}g/0.2ml/hr$ for 98.5 hours from day 1 to day 5. Sheep (n=5) were fed for 2 hours once a day, and water and 0.5 M NaCI solution were given ad libitum. Feed, water and salt intake were measured during ICV infusion of artificial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and SRIF. The feed intake during SRIF infusion on days 2 to 5 increased significantly compared to that during CSF infusion. Water intake, when compared to that during CSF infusion, only increased significantly on day 4. NaCI intake during SRIF infusion was not different from that during CSF infusion. Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and heart rate during SRIF infusion were not different from those during CSF infusion. The plasma concentrations of Na, K, Cl, osmolality and total protein during SRIF infusion were also not different from those values during CSF infusion.There are two possible mechanisms, that is, the suppression of brain SRIF on feed suppressing hormones and the direct actions on brain mechanisms controlling feed intake, explaining how SRIF works in the brain to bring about increases in feed intake in sheep fed on hay. The results indicate that brain SRIF increases feed intake in sheep fed on hay.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.974-980
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• 2014

In semi-arid areas of Southern Africa, dehydration can compromise the performance and welfare of local chickens, particularly during the growing period when confinement is curtailed and birds are left to scavenge for feed and water. The effect of water restriction on the growth performance was compared in Naked Neck (NNK) and Ovambo (OVB) chickens that are predominant in Southern Africa. A total of 54 eight-wk-old pullets each of NNK and OVB chickens with an initial average weight of $641{\pm}10g/bird$ were randomly assigned to three water intake treatments, each having six birds for 8 wk. The water restriction treatments were ad libitum, 70% of ad libitum and 40% of ad libitum intake. Nine experimental pens with a floor space of $3.3m^2$ per strain were used. The pens were housed in an open-sided house with cement floor deep littered with a 20 cm layer of untreated wood shavings. Feed was provided ad libitum. Average daily water intake (ADWI), BW at 16 weeks of age (FBW), ADG, ADFI, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and water to feed ratios (WFR) were determined. Ovambo chickens had superior (p<0.05) FBW, ADG and ADWI than NNK chickens. Body weight of birds at 16 weeks of age, ADG, ADFI, ADWI, and WFR declined progressively (p<0.05) with increasing severity of water restriction while FCR values increased (p<0.05) as the severity of water restriction increased. Naked Neck chickens had better FCR at the 40% of ad libitum water intake level than Ovambo chickens. The dressing percentage per bird was higher in water restricted birds than those on ad libitum water consumption, irrespective of strain. Heart weight was significantly lower in birds on 40% of ad libitum water intake than those on ad libitum and 70% of ad libitum water intake, respectively. In conclusion, NNK chickens performed better than OVB chickens under conditions of water restriction and would be ideal to raise for meat and egg production in locations where water shortages are a major challenge.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.850-854
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• 2001

Feed intake, egg weight, rate of lay and shell quality characteristics were measured in an Australian tinted egg laying strain from 31-42 weeks of age, housed at $30^{\circ}C$ and provided drinking water at 5, 10, 17 and $30^{\circ}C$. In a second experiment a European brown egg laying strain (59-66 weeks of age) housed at $30^{\circ}C$ were provided drinking water at 5, 10, 15 and $30^{\circ}C$. Brown egg layers given cool drinking water (5, 10 and $15^{\circ}C$) consumed more (p<0.05) feed and produced significantly (p<0.05) thicker and heavier shells than hens given drinking water at ambient temperature ($30^{\circ}C$). However the tinted egg layers given chilled drinking water only consumed more (p<0.05) feed and produced thicker (p<0.05) and heavier (p<0.05) shells when consuming drinking water at $5^{\circ}C$. As the tinted egg layers acclimatised to the environmental temperature there was a decline in the influence of cool drinking water on feed intake and shell quality. For brown egg layers, however, cool drinking water resulted in an improvement (p<0.05) in feed intake and shell quality over the entire period birds were provided cool water. These studies suggest that there is potential for using cool drinking water to improve feed intake and shell quality of hens housed under hot conditions. The combination of high ambient temperature and high drinking water temperature, a common occurrence in Australian layer sheds, should be avoided.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.64.1-64.9
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• 2022

Background: Fluralaner is a novel drug belonging to the isoxazoline class that acts on external parasites of domestic animals. It is used systemically via drinking water, especially against red poultry mite in layer chickens. Fluralaner is frequently used in layers infected with D. gallinae. However, no study to date has investigated the effects of feed intake and water hardness. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effects of variable water hardness and feed intake on the pharmacokinetic profile of fluralaner. Methods: Layer chickens were divided into four groups (n = 8): fed + purified water (Group 1), feed restricted + purified water (Group 2), feed restricted + hard water (Group 3), and feed restricted + soft water (Group 4). After administering a single dose of the drug with drinking water, the blood samples were collected for 21 days. Fluralaner concentrations in plasma samples were determined by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. The maximum plasma concentration (C_max), time to reach maximum plasma concentration (t_max), area under the concentration-time curve values (AUC_0-21d), half-life (t_1/2), and other pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated. Results: Although the highest maximum plasma concentration (C_max) was determined in Group 1 (fed + purified water), no statistically significant difference was found in the C_max, t_max, t_1/2, MRT_{0-inf_obs}, Vz/F_obs, and Cl/F_{_obs} parameters between the experimental groups. Conclusions: It was concluded that the feed intake or water hardness did not change the pharmacokinetic profile of fluralaner in layer chickens. Therefore, fluralaner could be used before or after feeding with the varying water hardness in poultry industry.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.440-452
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• 2007

The low feed intake immediately after weaning is responsible for villous atrophy and reduced growth rate in newly-weaned pigs. Overcoming this drawback will produce beneficial results for swine producers, and this warrants an understanding of the factors affecting the feed intake in newly-weaned pigs. In fact, a plethora of factors exert influences on feed intake in newly-weaned pigs, and these factors encompass health status, creep feeding, weaning age, mixing of litters, environment, dietary nutrient level and balance, palatability of ingredients, forms of diet presentation, water supply and quality, and stockmanship. Due to the complexity of the factors that affect the feed intake of weaned pigs, a comprehensive approach should be adopted to overcome the low feed intake problem right after weaning. It warrants mention that it is almost impossible to completely restore the feed intake just after weaning to pre-weaning level in terms of energy intake through dietary means which are available for being practiced economically and/or technically in current swine production. However, a refined dietary regime will certainly alleviate the low feed intake problem in the immediate postweaning period.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.291-294
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• 2022

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of hydrogen water on duck production in a field study. A total of 600 one-day-old ducks (Pekin) were randomly allotted to two treatment groups with three replicates each having 100 birds per pen in a completely randomized design. The duck production parameters measured included weight gain, feed intake, and feed efficiency. For duck drinking water, general water supplied from the farm was used as the control, and hydrogen water was supplied by installing a device that generates hydrogen (T1 groups). There was no statistical significance in duck weight gain between the two treatment groups (p>0.05). In addition, no significant difference in feed intake was found in both the control and T1 groups (p>0.05), and the range of values was similar. Feed efficiency was not significant different between the treatment groups (p>0.05), and there was no remarkable difference in the range of vaules. These results indicate that hydrogen water did not influence duck production.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.803-811
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• 2009

The chemical composition and water extractable dry matter (DM) of foliages from Erythrina (Erythrina variegata), Fig (Ficus racemosa), Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus), Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill), Kapok (Ceiba pentandra) and Mango (Mangifera indica) and the feed intake, digestibility and N retention when feeding these foliages were studied in two experiments. In Experiment 1, 12 male goats, 3.5 months old and weighing 14.6 kg, were randomly allocated to a diet consisting of one of the foliages in a change-over design with three periods. The foliages were offered ad libitum at the level of 130% of the average daily feed intake. The Erythrina foliage had a low content of DM and condensed tannins (CT) and a high concentration of crude protein (CP) in leaves plus petioles (193 g/kg DM) and stem, while the Mango foliage had a low CP (69 g/kg DM) and high DM content. The other foliages were intermediate. High content of CT was found in the leaves plus petioles of Jackfruit foliage and in the stem of Fig and Mango foliage. There was a difference in feed intake, nutrient intake, apparent digestibility and N retention between the foliages, with Erythrina, Jackfruit and Kapok foliage being significantly higher in these parameters than Fig, Jujube and Mango foliage. The water extractable DM could be used to estimate N retention, but not DM digestibility in this study. In Experiment 2, 4 male goats weighing 13.4 kg and 6 months old were allocated to a 4${\times}$4 Latin square design. The treatments were: water spinach ad libitum and Fig, Jujube or Mango foliage ad libitum +0.5% of BW as water spinach DM. Feed intake, apparent digestibility and N retention were not significantly different among the foliage diets, but higher than for water spinach alone (p<0.05). Supplementation with water spinach to a diet consisting of low quality foliages such as Fig, Jujube and Mango, increased DM and CP intake, apparent digestibility and N retention, compared to feeding these foliages as sole feeds.