Animal Production Science

Australian governments have policies that mandate the blending of ethanol with petrol, setting up competition for grain between the cattle feedlot and ethanol production industries. This investigation documents the annual fluctuations in grain supply in three major feedlotting regions and determines the capacities to support both a feedlot and an ethanol production industry. Northern New South Wales can support both, the Murrumbidgee region can in all but drought years and southern Queensland struggles in all but years of highest grain yield.

Biogenic amines (BAs) are products of microorganism metabolism, being useful indicators of protein deterioration in foods. BAs increase as food hygienic quality decreases. The present review aims to discuss BAs in food/feed and their implication on health. Only histamine has safety limits established by worldwide legislation. There is need to broad the scope of BAs in food and feed to guarantee the quality of these products.

Visual scores are widely used in breeding programs in Brazil. However, as they are categorical data, the model to obtain the breeding values must be chosen carefully. If scores are attributed in relation to the average of the management group of animals, linear animal models can be used. However, when the score is evaluated in relation to an ideal type of animal or performance level, threshold animal models are recommended.

In heat-stress conditions, tremendous economic losses occur in the poultry industry. This study was to evaluate heritable responses to tolerance through generations were selected for high body weight in high ambient. Heat tolerance is inherited through generations. Selection procedure for heat tolerance can be used to optimise the productivity traits of commercial broiler strains reared under hot climate conditions.

Dairy Gyr (Bos indicus) × Holstein (Bos taurus) cattle are widely used in tropical regions. The oocyte quality is essential to in vitro production (IVP) success and for this reason, the simulated physiological oocyte maturation (SPOM) system was applied on these animals and was able to prolong the meiotic arrest, which can offer the oocytes more similar in vivo conditions and contribute to improve the IVP.

Hydrolysates from pork liver can be a potential substitute for artificial preservatives commonly used in meat industry, owing to their antioxidant and antimicrobial action in addition to therapeutic use. Enzymatic hydrolysates obtained from pork liver were evaluated for their antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. The results showed that pork liver hydrolysate can be used as a natural preservative for enhancement of storage life of meat products.

The bacterial-cell recycling by protozoal engulfment is considered responsible for the N utilisation efficiency in ruminants’ rumen. This work discovered for the first time that long-chain fatty acids on rumen microbial protein recycling relate to their degree of unsaturation, with α-linoleic acid possessing a better ability. The findings might be used to suppress bacterial-cell recycling and enhance bacterial protein yield in the rumen.

Livestock farming has been concerned with changing the environment, and therefore, search strategy sustainability of the system, developing diets and management strategies to mitigate methane emissions. The goal of the present study was to assess the combined effects of high- or low-starch supplements with or without a source of oil on intake, digestibility, performance, and CH₄ emissions of Nellore bulls. Soybean grain supplementation is effective at reducing enteric CH₄ emissions from Nellore bulls grazing on tropical pasture.

With the consideration of maximising nutrient utilisation, diet synchrony was investigated in the present research. Diets with a higher synchrony index improved nitrogen utilisation and digestibility of organic matter and neutral detergent fibre and cow productive performance and immunity status. The integration of synchrony index in a ration system would improve cow welfare and productive performance.

Threonine is the third essential amino acid, and plays an important role in improvement of growth and regulation of lipid metabolism. Dietary threonine supplementation increases growth performance of ducks, and threonine deficiency increases accumulation of hepatic lipid by disturbing the lipid synthesis, transport and oxidation of ducks. Knowing the action of dietary threonine on lipid metabolism opens the possibility of manipulating more-economic diets adjusted for meat-production ducks.

The measurement of digestibility has been suggested as the preferred method to assess phosphorus and calcium availability for poultry. True phosphorus digestibility of maize and soybean meal were determined to be 33.8% and 42.3%, respectively. True calcium digestibility of soybean meal was determined to be 45.9%. The data of phosphorus and calcium digestibility could be useful for the industry to become more efficient in the use of feed ingredients.

Despite the considerable amount of starch in tropical legume grains (up to 60% of the total grain), it is poorly digested. This study aimed to determine the effect of different processes (heating and soaking) to increase starch digestion. In general, a specific combination of processes is required to improve starch digestion of each of the studied tropical legume grains.

Leucaena is a highly valuable tree legume, which produces high quality feed for cattle in northern Australia and in many tropical countries. However, it contains toxic secondary compounds that have deleterious effects on animal production and health. Since 1984, toxicity has been controlled with a bacterium inoculum supplied as rumen fluid, and more recently as a fermenter cultured inoculum. Our findings indicate that the artificially grown inoculum does not fully protect cattle consuming leucaena from toxicity. Addressing this issue, both with improved inoculum and/or with new alternate solutions for managing toxicity, will have significant implications for improving cattle production and health in tropical regions.

Ruminants developed the ability to produce meat and milk by utilising feeds that humans cannot use. However, during ruminal fermentation of feed, methane is produced, which is a potent greenhouse gas and waste of energy. Strategies to decrease methane emissions from ruminants must be implemented and the use of natural products is likely to be more acceptable to the public than the use of in-feed antibiotics. The present work has demonstrated that essential oils from novel sources can decrease methane production by ruminal microbes in vitro.

Sugarcane silage shows high energy value and is an important feed for beef cattle and dairy cows in tropical regions. Chemical and microbial additives were evaluated with the objective of improving chemical and fermentative characteristics in sugarcane silage. Calcium oxide reduced fibre content and ethanol production in sugarcane silages.

In a tropical savanna environment, beef systems produce a variety of animal types differing in feed efficiency and meat yield, but the environmental impact of the systems is still limited. Growth on pastures in decreasing order were steers, cull cows, yearlings and heifers. Compared to steers, daily methane emissions were lower in cows, but their emissions per kg of edible protein were slightly higher. Trade-offs between growth, carcass characteristics, and methane emissions faced by the beef industry are illustrated but need further study.

The information of forage intake is very important for sheep production systems. Our research aimed to evaluate markers and the faecal collection method to help to estimate dry-matter intake and output of faeces over 3- and 5-day periods. Independent of the method and period evaluated, titanium dioxide was the best marker available for predicting output of faeces in sheep fed fresh Brachiaria brizantha (cv. Marandu) grass on an ad libitum basis.

This experiment deals with grazing management effects on milk production and grazing behaviour of dairy cows, which is an area of interest to those involved in pasture-based dairy industries. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of pasture allowances on forage production, milk yield and composition, and grazing behaviour, so that the pasture managements with low pasture allowances provided better conditions for milk yield per area and provide little measurable changes on grazing behaviour. Thus, farmers may increase stocking rate to reach higher milk production when lactating dairy cows graze mixed pasture swards. However, the impact of higher stocking rates on the persistence of pasture species needs to be investigated.

Female sexual precocity and cow productivity, under grazing conditions, are really important for beef-cattle production systems. This study aimed to explore the relationships between female puberty and potential predictive traits of easy and early measurement, related to the productive and reproductive efficiency. The rib fat thickness at 15 months was a good predictor of age at puberty in British and Argentine Creole breeds heifers, but lose some relevance as early selection criterion.

Lamb survival is crucial for welfare and economic performance of prime lamb production systems. Ewe management guidelines for Australian farmers are based on Merinos and it is unknown whether these guidelines are relevant for all ewe production systems. When managed together, crossbred ewes gained more weight and were fatter than Merino ewes; the current guidelines are therefore likely to be overestimating nutritional requirements or under estimating feed intake, however lamb survival will be optimised by managing single and multiple-bearing ewes differentially.

Grazing cows were fed supplementary mixed rations with or without canola meal. In early lactation, the addition of canola meal resulted in increased yields of milk, milk fat and milk protein when high amounts of ration were offered, but this effect was not seen in late lactation. These data could be used to formulate cost-effective rations for grazing dairy cows.

Smallholder cattle production in many developing tropical countries is compromised by widespread endoparasitism. This pilot study examined the potential for triclabendazole provided in medicated molasses blocks offered to control Fasciola gigantica in smallholder cattle production. The present study indicates that productivity was enhanced when triclabendazole was added to the blocks, delivering parasite suppression or potentially therapeutic doses on medicated molasses blocks.

Immunocastration offers a more welfare-friendly alternative to surgical castration in female pigs. The aim was to compare growth performance, gonadal development, and carcass and meat quality among entire, immunocastrated and surgically castrated female pigs. Results showed that immunocastration has no adverse effects. The two-dose Improvac regimens are especially recommended for application in traditional Chinese female pigs.

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) provides various health advantages. The present study showed that tropical forage species and grazing system have the potential to improve forage intake and CLA content in dairy goat’s milk, therefore providing useful information for dairy-goat farmers in tropical and subtropical countries to transform from an indoor-fed to grazing system to achieve better results.

Ribo-Zero RNA-Seq is emerging as a powerful tool to identify potential factor for endometrium development. In this study, we selected the non-pregnant goat endometrium on Days 5 and 15 of oestrus to systematically analyse mRNA and lncRNA expression. The results of the present study provide essential transcriptome data as useful supplementary regarding the goat genome.

Before novel forages are released to industry, we need to test for deleterious side-effects. Here, we matured ovine oocytes in vitro in the presence of methanolic extracts of forage plants, then fertilised them and allowed them to develop into embryos. None of the extracts caused any disruptions and the extract from Biserrula pelecinus appeared to improve the outcomes.

Faecal worm egg count (WEC) has been used very successfully to breed sheep for resistance to worms, but some of the resistant sheep still develop diarrhoea (dags). We studied the blood antibodies that resistant sheep produce to combat the worms. The data show that it is feasible to select simultaneously for low WEC and an antibody-based trait, perhaps avoiding the diarrhoea.

Existing condition score guidelines developed for Merino ewes may not be appropriate for the management of prime lamb producing maternal composite ewes. Three replicated experiments assessed four condition score treatments in mid to late pregnancy. The optimum condition score targets for multiple bearing maternal composite ewes may be higher than the industry recommended target for Merino ewes based on advantages in lamb survival and weaning weight.

The genetic gain in nutritive characteristics of perennial ryegrass cultivars has not been quantified in dairy environments in Victoria. This work aimed to quantify these improvements, but found that most cultivar differences could be attributed to cultivar maturity and ploidy factors, with little effect of the decade of release. These cultivar differences are likely to be of economic importance at the farm level.

Crude glycerin is an important alternative energy ingredient in the diet of pigs and the ractopamine is a feed additive that has been associated with improvements in animal performance and meat quality. The present study contributes to the advancement of the animal science, because it provides information about a subject that remains still little explored, namely, the glycerol metabolism in pigs fed diets containing glycerin and ractopamine. Such understanding is necessary to contribute to the formulation of diets that are nutritionally more adequate.

A higher dosage of nicotinic acid in the diet dramatically increases intramuscular fat content in finishing steers, but its mechanism is unknown. Here we show that dietary nicotinic acid upregulates the expression of the genes associated with adipocyte differentiation and adipogenesis, lipid and glucose metabolism, and fatty acid synthesis and esterification. As a feed additive, nicotinic acid can be used for the production of high-quality beef.

The uterine infections are caused by a diversity of microorganisms and are responsible for significant economic, productive and reproductive losses in dairy herds. Escherichia coli is the major pathogen that contaminates the bovine uterus in early postpartum and possesses complex virulence mechanisms. However, the virulent-factor profile of E. coli involved in uterine contamination in cows is not fully understood. In the present work, we investigated the prevalence of microorganisms in uterus of a dairy herd at 24 h and 14 days of physiological postpartum, a set of virulence factors and phylogroup characterisation of E. coli isolates, as well as leukogram, and cytology of uterine content.

The present study investigated the potential effects associated with dietary probiotic inclusion and the stocking density on carcass traits. We concluded that dietary probiotic supplementation has a positive significant effect on the ileal villus height, and significantly decreases the counts of Escherichia coli and Salmonella in the gut and litter. Moreover, colour and odour significantly improved in broilers fed a diet containing the probiotics.

The oxygen pulse technique allows the energy cost of animals in production conditions to be obtained. However, there are few studies evaluating if oxygen pulse changes as a function of weather. Temperature and humidity have a low effect on oxygen pulse and the technique can be used in production conditions. Walking in terrain with a low slope can increase the energy cost of heifers considerably.

The uptake of colostrum by neonatal calves plays a central role in determining the success or failure of the passive transfer of immunity. The aim of this study was to investigate colostrum components internalised in the small intestine using a proteomics approach. The results of the present study show the distribution and variation of internalised IgG in the small intestine after calves received colostrum. These findings may provide the fundamental data for improvements in calf rearing and management.

Understanding the regulation of cell proliferation and death in mammary remodelling during the transition from pregnancy to lactation is essential in order to be able to evaluate to what extent we can intervene in mammary development, e.g. via nutrition to manipulate lactation outcomes and animal productivity. Consider the effects of metabolisable energy (E) and metabolisable protein (P) levels on subsequent colostrum and milk production and expression of genes (qPCR) regulating mammary cell proliferation and apoptosis in the mammary of goat. We have found that expression of factors involved in cell proliferation and apoptosis is sensitive to the energy level and protein concentration supplied in the diet; changes in the expression of these factors are also related to simultaneous changes in expressions of factors involved in IGF-1 signalling and in paracrine synthesis of IGF-1 itself.

Sharemilking is an entry point for new dairy producers in the New Zealand industry, but growing milk price volatility increases the business risks for sharemilkers. We tested the hypothesis that flexible sharemilking arrangements will reduce the income variability of sharemilkers. The results illustrated the feasibility of a flexible model that shifts some of the risk from the sharemilker to the farm owner, while still allowing both to generate a positive return on assets and a positive net profit with high probability.

High calcium (Ca) oxalate limits the utilisation of giant taro (Alocacia macrorrhiza) corm by poultry. Feeding 200 g sun-dried whole corm meal/kg diet depresses performance of laying hens. Peeling the corm or increasing inorganic Ca level overcomes the deleterious effect of Ca oxalate and improves laying performance. These findings can be used to reduce feed cost where giant taro is readily available.

Daily herbage allowance is the major grazing management facet of pasture-based dairy-production systems. The study evaluated the long-term effects of daily herbage allowance on pasture condition and milk production of dairy cows. The results showed that using 20 kg DM/cow.day of daily herbage allowance was appropriate to improve both herbage utilisation and milk production per hectare, without affecting long-term pasture condition.

Corn silage quality is a result of silage fermentation and digestibility characteristics. Studies so far were focussed on the influence of either inoculant on fermentation characteristics, or genetically distant corn types on chemical composition and digestibility of main components. This research combines both approaches; it is a fermentation and digestibility study of diverse commercial hybrids ensiled with inoculant during storage. The study shows that even for commercial corn hybrids, when addressing silage fermentation characteristics and digestibility, a hybrid type is more relevant than inoculant.

Concern regarding the dietary use of synthetic antioxidants in animal production has resulted in studies with natural antioxidants. The inclusion of ethanolic mango seed extract (EECM) in growing-finishing pig diets was evaluated and greater protection against oxidative damage, in addition to benefits to animal health, was observed. Thus, EECM has the potential to replace synthetic antioxidants in pig diets.

The Australasian dairy industry is facing the challenge of increasing productivity while also reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This paper reviews the most promising technologies, concluding that substantial GHG abatement is possible, but the industry will need to consider further offsets in trees to achieve carbon-neutral dairy farming in Australia and New Zealand.

Milk fatty acid profile has implications on human health, processing quality and storage characteristics of milk products. This research compared milk fatty acid composition of cows grazing perennial ryegrass–white clover pasture with that of cows grazing herbs chicory or plantain. Forage herbs demonstrated the potential benefit to alter milk fatty acid composition, while increasing milk production.

The notion that nitrogen (N) fixed by clover in mixed grass–clover pastures should lead to lower N emissions to the environment than N supplied as fertiliser is attractive and commonly promoted. However, empirical evidence from published studies shows no difference in N leaching when the same total amount of N is supplied from different sources. We explain why this is so, and conclude that it is the total amount of N entering the system that matters, not where it comes from.

Plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.) can be included into perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.)-based pastures to increase the productivity and profitability of dairy farming systems in south-eastern Australia; nonetheless, plantain is often underutilised, partly due to the shorter life span of plantain compared with perennial ryegrass. This research tested the efficacy of different sowing methods (direct-drilling vs broadcasting) in establishing plantain during spring in existing perennial ryegrass-dominated pastures. Both direct-drilling and broadcasting were successfully used to establish plantain in these pastures.

Ruminants are major contributors, through methane, to greenhouse gas emissions from livestock. Improvements in efficiency through selection of superior animals for breeding reduces methane per unit of product sold – known as methane intensity. Directly selecting animals for lower methane would reduce emissions, but a focus on productivity is predicted to be almost as effective in improving methane intensity. However, a focus on better management and faster growth is likely to generate greater gains.

This study assessed the most profitable ways to incorporate high-quality forages (oats and leucaena) into whole-of-life growth paths of steers otherwise grazing buffel grass pastures in central Queensland. For both a steer turnover enterprise and a breeding and finishing enterprise the strategy of grazing steers on leucaena-grass pastures from weaning until they achieved feedlot entry weight was substantially more profitable than any of the other 21 growth paths. Incorporation of forage oats into a buffel grass growth path always reduced the profitability of beef cattle enterprises.

Horn flies, an external parasite of cattle, are not well understood in high-elevation rangelands. We measured horn flies on black Angus cows and white Charolais cows in 2016 and 2017. Annual fly infestations were four times greater or more on black cows both years. Not all cattle reached economic thresholds all years. Cow colour fly preference in our environment may be explained by external temperatures of black cows. Manipulating host colour and thermal preferences of horn flies could enhance beef production.

The yeast waste is by-product produced from industrial ethanol production. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of yeast waste powder on in vitro gas production technique. In conclusion, yeast waste could not negative effect on in vitro fermentation and digestibility, and would contribute to a reduction in environmental pollution when fed to animals.

The present study examined the effect of cold weather on lamb deaths within 5 days of birth. A model is given to estimate the proportion of lambs expected to die for any given chill index.

Due to its significant impact on anthropogenic greenhouse gases, there is ongoing interest in reducing methane production from ruminants. Nitrate has been shown to reduce methane, but can also be deadly if too much is consumed, and the present study showed that intake is self-regulated at safe levels. However, intake is so low as to be minimally effective in reducing ruminant greenhouse gases.

Feeding tannin to lambs alters the ecosystem of ruminal microorganisms, impairing the ruminal biohydrogenation process and changing the fatty acid profile in the meat. We have added condensed tannin from dry tamarind residue to lamb diets and observed the effect on the carcass traits, quality and fatty acid profile of the lamb meat. On the basis of our results, adding tannin to lamb diets is recommended to improve the fatty acid profile of the meat by reducing saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and increasing polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which may improve the health of consumers.

Corn is widely used in ruminants because of the low price and slow ruminal digestion rate, but wheat can sometimes be cheaper than corn. The present study evaluated the differences of lactation performance and inflammatory response between these two starch sources in different levels. The results indicate that wheat had a similar effect on lactation performance with corn, but led to more severe inflammatory responses.

The balance of omega-6 : omega-3 fatty acids is important for health and longevity rather than the absolute amount, therefore this study focused on evaluating the dietary supplementation of varying ratios of omega-6 : omega-3 fatty acids (25 : 1, 20 : 1, 15 : 1 and 10 : 1) on performance of sows and piglets. Reduction of the omega-6 : omega-3 fatty acid ratio in the diet did not affect reproductive performance but positively affected piglet performance.

Livestock farming, a backbone of economy in developing countries, is a major source of greenhouse-gas emissions and highly exposed to the impact of climate change. This makes the livestock sector a prime target for mitigation efforts. Country-specific national adaptation planning is crucial to build climate resilience for food security and requires establishing baseline data and exploring mitigation potentials of greenhouse-gas emissions from livestock. The current study is an effort towards this end, for generating emission data and exploring interventions to reduce the intensity for supporting climate-smart livestock production in Pakistan.

Respiration chambers enable accurate and precise measurements of methane production and dry matter intake (DMI) from cattle, but this method cannot be used under field conditions. The present study analysed published data of New Zealand dairy cattle on methane estimated by the sulphur hexafluoride (SF₆) technique or a GreenFeed automated head chamber, with DMI measured or estimated in the field. The field methods enabled accurate prediction of methane per unit of DMI, but were less precise than respiration chambers.

Genotype by environment (G × E) interaction is a potential source of milk yield in genetic improvement programs in dairy cattle. The results indicate clear evidence of strong G × E interaction that would have a significant negative affect in breeding programs and selection for milk yield.

Animal temperament could affect not only meat production but also quality. Though temperamental animals, i.e. more reactive ones, get used to the production system as they spend time on it, they produce carcasses with less fat cover and lower glycogen content in the muscles. These traits could increase the risk of low meat quality obtained from temperamental cattle under severe stressful situations. Additional feeding or animal management strategies should be considered for them.

Rumen pH is important, affecting fermentation of end-products for ruminants. Banana flower powder (BAFLOP) was used as a rumen buffering agent in order to replace chemicals. Supplementation of BAFLOP resulted in higher rumen pH and volatile fatty acid, especially propionic acid.

Reducing the number of milkings to one per day may help the dairy industry to attract and retain quality staff. The aim of this study was to investigate the financial implications of adopting this strategy. Results indicate that profitability could be maintained or increased when expenditure was decreased (e.g. by improving labour efficiency). However, this was not achieved by all farms, highlighting the importance of planning prior to adopting once-a-day milking.

Lick blocks are used to supplement grazing livestock and increase the nutritional value of low quality pasture and they could be improved further by the addition of enzyme supplements. High temperatures used to make lick blocks could inactivate feed enzymes. The present research however shows that active enzymes could be incorporated into lick blocks. If these results were applied in lick block manufacturing then grazing livestock could benefit from enzyme supplementation using the established and convenient lick block delivery system.

Globally, dairy farmers face issues with attracting and retaining high-quality staff. Future management of dairy farms will demand farm teams with flexibility, understanding of consumer and community expectations, and the ability to effectively use technology, only exacerbating the challenge of finding the right staff. The present study used workshops and interviews with experts to examine people-related challenges associated with future dairy farms, and we suggest research and development priorities for the next decade.

Rice straw is a low-quality roughage source for ruminants and improving rice straw quality is very important. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of urea–lime treatment on nutritive values and rumen degradability of rice straw using the nylon-bag technique. Urea–lime-treated rice straw could improve the nutritional value of rice straw, especially 3% urea with 2% lime.

Every aspect of society and industry seems to be examining the potential benefits from applying artificial intelligence (AI). In the present paper, I examine the likely benefits to agriculture from applying AI and discuss some of the challenges. I identify 21 different areas, with the highest-value capabilities being those where multiple different areas of AI developments are brought together to form new capabilities such as farm robots, digital twins and supply-chain traceability.

Alternative feed resources for use as protein supplements are crucial for cattle productivity in Cambodia. The present study investigated the effects of sun-dried groundnut foliage (DGF) and sun-dried cassava tops (DCT) as feed supplements to diets based on rice straw and para grass. The results indicated that both DGF and DGF + DCT improved dry-matter intake and apparent digestibility, but supplement of DCT alone reduced digestibility of protein and fibre.

Longevity is a desirable trait that affects profitability in dairy cattle. Studies associating somatic cell scores with longevity can benefit farmers and help them in selecting animals. No study in Brazil has reported association between these traits in Holstein cows using survival analysis approach. The results denote a positive effect on longevity when cows are selected to reduce somatic cell scores.

Crossbred Holstein × Gir (HG) cows are crucial for the Brazilian dairy industry. In this study, the aim was to evaluate the effect of two diets of differing energy levels and two genetic groups on the metabolic and hormonal profiles and on oocyte and embryo production during the early postpartum period. The high-energy diet was more efficient in maintaining the energy status and 3/4 HG cows are were more efficient at producing oocytes.

Fatty acid (FA) profile of dairy bull beef from different production systems is an important issue on the end of milk quotas. Forage-fed beef had relatively better nutritional property, while nutritionally beneficial FA had a negative effect on palatability. There appears to be considerable scope to change FA of beef to make it more acceptable to consumers from both healthiness and taste perspectives.

The academic literature on nine important poultry production diseases contains few studies reporting financial impacts. Using data on physical disease impacts, bioeconomic models were constructed which showed that uncontrolled diseases caused major financial losses, although some effective disease controls were available. Without such secondary modelling, the academic literature does not allow financially optimal disease control decisions to be made.

Modulation of the immune response by using feed additives has been considered as one of the most important prophylactic strategies in animal production. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of different levels of dietary rutin by measuring the mRNA expression of immune response-associated genes in spleen tissue. This study demonstrated that rutin promoted the immune strength in birds, mainly at 1 g/kg diet, suggesting that rutin is a promising feed additive for broilers.

With the view of reducing the supplementation of antibiotics in poultry feeding, different attempts have been practiced to suggest other alternatives. Therefore, the present research was designed to explore the possible effects of a synbiotic, organic acids or their combination on the growing efficiency, carcass yields and haematological picture in broiler chickens. The dietary supplementation with a synbiotic or synbiotic plus organic acids can improve the growth performance, carcass traits and blood-related indices in broilers.

Generally, the term ‘sequestered’ in supplemental fats is confused with ‘inert’. The objective of the present experiment was to evaluate the comparative effects of some sequestered fat sources as a substitute for yellow grease on characteristics of digestion of growing diets for feedlot cattle. On the basis of nutrient digestion and FA digestibility, supplementation with sequestered fat did not afford advantages over yellow grease in growing diets fed to feedlot steers.

The objective of the present study was to examine the dietary inclusion of crude palm oil (CPO) on egg quality and vitamin E distribution in the laying hen. The vitamin E tocotrienol in the CPO, especially at 40 g/kg diet, helps reduce cholesterol concentrations and improve the quality of the egg. The distribution and concentration of both forms of vitamin E (tocopherol and tocotrienol) in the liver, adipose tissues and plasma were enhanced by inclusion of CPO in the diet of laying hens.

The most expensive cured products of Iberian pigs come from animals finishing in open range and eating mainly acorns from oak trees, which is a shift from a balanced to an unbalanced diet. With time, the energy expenditure of viscera involved in the digestion process increased, but the use of the nutrient studied – volatile fatty acids – did not. Adaptation to an unbalanced diet implies adjustments in the use of nutrients by the digestive viscera.

Usually, bulls are castrated to improve meat quality, but physical castration can negatively affect animal welfare. The effects of immunisation against the gonadotropin-releasing factor depend on the stage of puberty of the animal, and the effects differed for light and heavy bulls, with a decrease in the formation of metmyoglobin in light bulls and improved meat tenderness. Immunisation is an effective technique for producing tender meat without long periods of refrigerated storage, thereby reducing the costs of production.

The productive performance of beef cows is directly correlated with the nutritional level. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of increasing levels of prepartum and postpartum protein supplementation on nutrient intake, productive performance, and metabolic status of beef heifers on tropical pasture. The supply of protein supplement for beef heifers optimises forage intake and average daily gain before calving.

Early maturing lambs that are excessively fattened could be rejected by consumers. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of increases in carcass weight in 1-kg steps on carcass characteristics and meat colour, and intramuscular fatty acid composition. The increases in lamb carcass weight increased fat depots, but the percentage increase in renal fat weight was twice that of fat scores.

Australian Merino sheep can be bred with horns or without (polled). There is evidence suggesting polled rams are becoming more desirable due to increased welfare standards for both the individual sheep and their human handlers. As such there is indication that ram buyers will pay a premium for polled rams at present. This paper investigates breeding strategies to infuse the poll gene into a flock and the cost–benefit to the ram breeder.

The determination of the nutritional energy requirements for bovines of different genetic groups and under different feeding conditions allows the appropriate adjustment of feed formulation for each animal category. Knowledge of the energy partition of the diet and methane production allows the development of appropriate nutritional strategies respecting the environment.

Lucerne is difficult to ensile and the relationship between fermentation characteristics and bacteria community during ensiling is poorly understood. The present study evaluated the changes of fermentation characteristics, aerobic stability, and bacterial community of Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus buchneri application during lucerne ensiling, the inoculation improved quality of lucerne silage and influenced the abundances of other community members to affect the silage nutritional values. This description of the bacterial community dynamics that occurred during ensiling expands our knowledge of fermentation processes.

Grazing vegetative wheat, barley and oats is a strategic and tactical option for crop and livestock farmers; however, metabolic disorders have been reported and many producers avoid grazing crops with reproducing ewes. This research aimed to investigate the mineral status in pregnant ewes grazing vegetative crops and measure the effectiveness of mineral supplements for improving mineral status. The calcium status of ewes grazing cereal crops in late pregnancy was improved by providing supplements and this may decrease the risk of metabolic disease.

Increasing scrutiny in New Zealand over the impact of dairy farming on water quality has prompted research to investigate alternative feeds that will maintain milk production, while reducing urinary nitrogen (N) excretion. This experiment investigated the impact of substituting fresh pasture with up to 60% of the diet dry matter as fodder beet in late lactation and demonstrated that including fodder beet significantly reduced urinary N excretion, but above 40% of the diet, it decreased animal health.

Intestinal health plays an important role in promoting the healthy growth of animals. The present study showed that the two Lactobacillus strains exhibited excellent probiotic characteristics in vitro and in vivo for growing-finishing pigs. The results contribute to our understanding of the probiotic activity of the strain and its application in animal production.

An accurate determination of feed intake starts with the amount of nutrients required by pre-laying hens to meet the desired bodyweight and body composition. In this study, the feed intake of pre-laying hens was estimated, accounting for maintenance, body and reproductive growth, and the desired feed intake was predicted. Thus, we expect this study will provide valuable information towards nutrient utilisation, allowing nutritionists to formulate feeds closer to pre-laying hen needs, reducing the impact on the environment.

Selecting animals with adequate degree of finishing for slaughter can increase meat quality. However, the available technologies to in vivo measure subcutaneous fat thickness, such as ultrasonography, may not be accessible to most beef farms. As an alternative, by monitoring the degree of finishing on the farm using a simple method such as internal angle of the rump (IAR), farmers can potentially provide better carcasses for processing by the industry.

The price that can be obtained for a pig carcass depends on the amount of meat. A method for quick assessment of meat content in the most valuable parts of the carcass (i.e. ham, loin, belly and shoulder) was developed. There is a need to modify the classification method towards obtaining more information on the percentage of main carcass cuts.

Poultry meat is probably the healthiest and nutritional strategies to improve this quality and increase poultry production is crucial in animal studies. This study examines the effect of high dietary niacin supplementation on health and performance of turkeys. High niacin supplementation increased bodyweight gain, resistant to stress ability, and decreased cholesterol deposition in meat tissue of the turkeys. The result has implications for producing animals with improved bodyweight, health, and reduced meat fat accumulation. Furthermore, these results could suggest that increased niacin supplementation might be required for modern strains of turkeys.

The study investigated the use of porcine bile, as an emulsifier, in starter broiler diets. The bile powder was added at 0, 1.25, 2.5 and 5.0 g/kg to a high fat diet containing crude palm oil. A diet containing 5.0 g/kg lecithin served as a positive control and low fat diet as the negative control. The results showed that 2.5 g/kg porcine bile is appropriate for use in a high fat broiler starter diet. This demonstrated the potential of this by-product from pig production as a potential additive for poultry.

Hens using the outdoor range on free-range layer farms is beneficial to welfare as this can reduce injurious feather pecking and encourages a more natural repertoire of behaviours. The objective was to encourage as many hens as possible to utilise the range; the project achieved this on commercial farms by providing a highly enriched range with the addition of shelters, dust baths, hay and pecking objects. Our results can be readily adopted by commercial egg farmers due to simplicity and low cost of the structures used.

Slower growing Merino sheep often become yearlings, however may still produce meat of acceptable eating quality. Sensory differences of untrained consumers on Merino lamb versus yearling sheep were tested, and results demonstrated the better eating quality of lambs compared to yearlings but highlighted a very acceptable eating quality of the yearling loin. This opens the possibility of developing a high quality yearling product for this cut for Australian consumers.

Livestock production in tropical regions is developed under extensive systems, where an important proportion of an animal’s diet comes from non-conventional sources of fodders. Lucerne is one of the main dietary forage in ruminant production because of its high quality; however, it is expensive. Enterolobium cyclocarpum is a tropical tree fodder that can be used to replace lucerne in ruminant’s diets. Therefore, its use contributes to sustainable animal production by using local resources.

Faecal worm egg count (WEC) is an important trait for breeding for host resistance to parasites in sheep. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether genetic parameters differed for WEC measured at weaning, post-weaning, yearling and hogget age stages. The results showed lower variation and heritability at younger ages, and genetic correlations across ages significantly lower than unity, indicating that breeders would benefit by recording WEC at two or more different ages.

In the search for new alternatives in the treatment against gastrointestinal parasites of ruminants, Bacillus thuringiensis was highlighted by its nematicidal activity, related to the presence of toxic crystals. The rumen provides a favourable environment for the development of the microbial population and the inclusion of Bt 2036 spores in the sheep diet did not cause changes in the health of the animals. In this way, the supplementation of Bt 2036 spores, which contain toxic proteins, can be safely included in ruminant feed.

Ruminants given high-concentrate diets are at risk of acidosis. Use of tannin extracts as dietary additives may slow down the fermentation rate, thus reducing the pH drop. The magnitude of the effect depends on the type of tannin but is not related to its chemical classification. Effect on fermentation is not dose related.

Consumers demand animal products from grazing animals and that such products are guaranteed. The effects of the type of forage and the inclusion of quebracho, as a natural additive, in the concentrate during the lactation period on the FA profiles of milk and the meat of suckling lamb were evaluated. The FA profile of milk was mainly affected by the type of forage and can be used to trace ewe diet more accurately than can the FA profile of the meat of suckling lambs.

The successful application of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) to a broad variety of species requires an improvement in its efficiency. We have seen, especially during the past 5 years, several technical strategies for improving SCNT, including strategies based on histone modification, embryo aggregation and mitochondrial function. These strategies will ultimately allow the promotion of SCNT technology to practical purposes.

Oilseed meal, a by-product of oil production, is a protein source incorporated into dairy and feedlot rations. The present study examined general and digestibility characteristics of protein in Australian produced oilseed meals for dairy cattle utilisation. Ruminal protein digestibility differed among oilseed types and oil-extraction techniques. Research findings highlighted an opportunity to improve the quality of Australian oilseed meals by refining conditions of oil-extraction technique. Monitoring of ruminal protein digestibility of oilseed meals may benefit future feed formulation for improved dairy cattle utilisation.

Optimal marketing decisions on the grower farms were explored. The analysis of key factors such as transportation cost, when and how many pigs to deliver to the abattoir and weight homogeneity, permitted to gain insight into marketing decisions. A time window of 4 weeks was deemed as optimal for deliveries to the abattoir and the subsequent revenue was 15% higher than with traditional marketing rules.

Post-mortem pH has been implicated as a major factor affecting pork quality. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of muscle pH on pork quality and to identify some relationships with eating quality using physical and chemical characteristics of pork. Results suggest that the muscle pH might be an indicator of pork quality and flavour that is affected by pH, water-holding capacity, nucleotides, free amino acids, fatty acids, and the interactions among these constituents.

Brassica crops are used to supply feed in times of seasonal shortage, or when pasture quality is low. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is little information about the fermentation characteristics of these forages in the rumen. The present study assessed the nutrient concentration, in vitro fermentation and in situ rumen degradation characteristics of Brassica rapa ssp. rapa L. (turnips) and Brassica napus ssp. biennis L. (forage rape). Turnip and forage rape showed different nutrient concentrations and fermented rapidly and extensively in the rumen; however, most of the differences that were observed in the nutrient concentrations and degradation kinetics did not result in differences in in vitro fermentation products.

The increasing litter sizes in modern pig breeds have led to a significant number of pigs being born undersised. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of piglet head shape as an identification method on performance indices during the suckling period, organ weight at birth and mortality. The present study showed that piglets born with a ‘dolphin-like’ head shape have an impaired growth and increased risk of dying in the suckling period.

The beef sector of China and Southeast Asia has undergone dramatic change over the past 20 years, with important implications for rural development, biosecurity, food security and trade. Beef production in the region is lower than has been officially reported, has not kept pace with burgeoning consumption, and has not responded to price increases, which has led to a surge in trade of 16% per year, the majority of which is informal imports. The paper quantifies and explains these macro trends so as to improve decision-making of scientists, policy-makers, companies and development agencies working in the region.

Space allowance is a key element for pig welfare in intensive farming systems. However, to determine the adequate space allocation for pigs kept in groups is difficult and current spatial requirements are mostly based on theoretical calculations. In the present study, an innovative computer-assisted measurement was performed so as to gain precise data on the amount of space that is needed by the pigs’ bodies kept in groups of eight. A first basis for assessment of current space recommendations is provided.

Exogenous melatonin, inserted at different times during the year, induces ovarian activity in goats in the absence of males. The best results are obtained in females with a high body condition score (≥3.00).

Due to the negative effects of high calcium diets on nutrient utilisation, it is highly important to determine the upper limits of broiler chickens to dietary calcium concentration. We evaluated the effects of concentration and sources (oyster shell and limestone) of calcium in broiler chickens. The results suggest that reducing dietary calcium concentration from both sources to below the current recommendations has beneficial effects on performance, but severe reduction may have a detrimental influence on performance and bone mineralisation.

Farmers need forages that are tolerant of dry conditions, so fescue grass was fed to dairy cows as a sole diet, and with either lucerne or lucerne and plantain. The best combination was fescue with lucerne and plantain because digestibility and production were highest and the urine nitrogen concentration was lowest. This combination of three forages will enable dairy production in dry conditions with less urinary nitrogen pollution than feeding fescue alone or with lucerne.

The present study aimed to introduce a sinusoidal function into dairy research and production by applying it to bodyweight records from six dairy cow breeds reported by the Dairy Heifer Evaluation Project of Penn State Extension (USA) from 1991 to 1992. The function was evaluated to describe the weight–age relationship in dairy heifers, and then compared to seven standard growth functions, namely monomolecular, logistic, Gompertz, von Bertalanffy, Richards, Schumacher and Morgan. The sinusoidal function introduced here could be considered as an appropriate alternative for standard growth functions when modelling the growth pattern in dairy cows.

The size and body condition of female livestock are closely linked to physiological maintenance and reproduction, which are critical for improving production efficiency. Therefore, it is important to investigate the effects of the traits selected by breeding programs on the size of mature cows in order to avoid animals of undesirable size. Direct selection for weight, height or body condition score at the mature stage should be more efficient in controlling the adult size of cows, compared with selection of yearling traits.

Equine chorinic gonadotrophin is a hormone produced by the pregnant mare that can be used to stimulate the gonadal activity. Administration of equine chorinic gonadotrophin to rams increased their sexual behaviour both during the breeding and the non-breeding seasons, and may be used to increase ram sexual behaviour.

This study explored whether breeding values for bodyweight are equally expressed in lambs with different birth or rearing type. The correlation between breeding values for early growth of lamb when expressed in single or twin birth types was less than one whereas different rearing type influenced expression of breeding value at late growth. However, this interaction between genotype and birth or rearing type did not affect ranking of sire’s breeding value in these two different environments, implying that there is no need to account for the effect of genetic evaluation.

Crossbreeding pattern is an effective measure for improving total production performance of native pig breeds. Here, the crossbreeding of Chinese Yanan pigs with Duroc and Berkshire breeds improved growth and carcass parameters, while maintaining superior meat quality. The results indicated that the two crossbred pigs, especially DBY crossbred pigs, could be extensively used in commercial pig production to provide superior pork.

Knowledge of genetic parameters for mastitis and its indicator traits is essential for the prediction of response to selection. The aim of the present study was to estimate genetic correlations between milk production traits, mastitis and different measures of somatic cells in Holstein cows. Genetic correlations between milk production and udder health traits were unfavourable, which implies that breeding programs with an emphasis on milk production will experience deterioration in udder health.

Non-protein nitrogen and free amino acids were compared in dry-cured loin obtained from the native pig breed Chato Murciano and from a modern crossbreed pig genotype during processing. The breed affected proteolytic activity in dry-cured loin. The results suggest that, from the point of view of proteolysis, the optimum processing time for Chato Murciano dry-cured loin is 45 days.

Optical techniques measurements have the advantage over traditional methods of being faster, non-destructive and applicative on-farm. In this work visible and near-infrared spectroscopy coupled with chemometrics was used to discriminate between milk samples and to predict milk’s fat, protein and lactose content. Visible and near-infrared spectroscopy was a useful technique applicative on-farm for measurement with low cost.

The limited domestication and pre-slaughter management of farmed deer may lead to high ultimate pH, especially within some muscles types. The aim of the research was to analyse the effect of the ultimate pH value on the quality of three muscles of farm-raised fallow deer. The high pH limits the use of venison for packaging, which is the major method involved in the distribution of this product.

Several small populations of cattle are important genetic resources for the milk production systems, mainly in the Tropics. Obtaining accurate evaluation of the genetic merit of the animals in these populations requires consideration of some particularities. We compare alternatives to include the contemporary group in the model for genetic evaluation and our results showed that consider the contemporary group as a fixed effect without clustering herds is a better option than clustering herds to increase the size of contemporary groups.

The provision of effective extension services to the smallholder farmers significantly increases their farm productivity and profitability. The main objective of the present study was to demonstrate the impacts of improved extension services on awareness, knowledge, adoption rates and perceived benefits of smallholder dairy farmers. A country-wide extension program has great potential to significantly increase on-farm efficiency and livelihoods of millions of smallholder farming households across Pakistan.

There is a growing interest in diverse pastures containing grasses, legumes and herbs, especially those with a greater tolerance for dry conditions and those that decrease nitrogen excretion from dairy cows. However, the effect of grazing these diverse pastures on the main agricultural greenhouse gas, enteric methane, is not known. Milk solids production was greater in cows grazing diverse pasture than those grazing ryegrass-based pasture, whereas methane production was similar.

A greater knowledge of ovarian structures and function are essential to the increase and improvement of animal reproduction. To our knowledge, the present study is the first investigative research seeking to provide data on the locational relationship between ovarian corpus luteum and ovulatory follicles in beef cows of Asian origin. The growth rate and diameter of a further ovulatory follicle during luteolysis increased more significantly in Thai indigenous beef cows with an ipsilateral relationship (same ovary), than in cows with a contralateral relationship (opposite ovaries).

The identification of the best crossbred sires is not an easy task as these animals are composed of distinct genetic materials from different breeds. The objective of the present study was to compare different models under ridge regression methodology to identify the best method for selecting crossbred bulls. This selection is a requisite to guide future multiracial genetic evaluations. The model that contemplated all tested effects (breed additive, complementary, heterosis and epistatic loss, both direct and maternal) proved to be the best.

Calcium requirements recommended by the NRC (1994) based on large-type ducks might not be applicable to Sheldrake ducks. Dietary calcium requirements of Sheldrake ducklings were investigated and estimated at 0.60% and 0.64–0.87% based on maximal weight gain and bone mineralisation. The results provide the reference data for the feed formulation of small-type ducks.

Pre-slaughter transportation is a stressful event that can affect both meat quality and animal welfare. We administered ascorbic acid to lambs and kids before 3-h transportation. We found that some physiological-stress indicators and meat quality traits were negatively affected, and ascorbic acid could partly reduce the adverse effects of road transportation stress in lambs. Thus, where the effects of stress factors are inevitable, ascorbic acid may be used.

The commensal gut microbial communities play an important role in the health and production efficiency of growing-finishing pigs. This study analysed the pig gastrointestinal microbiota by pyrosequencing from phylum to species level. It will broaden our perspective of pig gastrointestinal microbial ecology and provide a scientific basis for the animal production.

Bacterial arthritis in sheep is a painful and debilitating condition that is widespread across all sheep-raising regions and climatic zones of Australia. The aim of the present study was to investigate the economic cost of arthritis in lambs presenting to an abattoir in southern Australia using a combination of the prevalence of arthritis detected during meat inspection, condemnation rates, trim weight and carcass weight, and GR fat measurement.

This study aimed to identify genomic variation regions in two Sicilian dairy cattle breeds. Several copy number variant regions were identified using two different algorithms implemented in SVS GoldenHelix and PennCNV software. A lot of annotated genes and quantitative trait loci were found within copy number variant regions involved in milk production, reproduction and behaviour, the immune response, and resistance/susceptibility to infectious diseases.

Nutritional requirements for calves are not yet well established. Aspects such as environment, genetics of the herd, and characteristics of feed should be considered. Therefore, this study presents information on the estimates of energy and protein requirements for crossbred calves fed with milk replacer. Calves up to 60 days may require higher energy and protein requirements due to immunological challenges. The replacer, although supplemented with amino acids, is less efficiently used by calves when compared with milk.

Adding grain to the diet of dairy cows reduced methane emissions, but different grains could have different sized effects. Cows fed similar amounts of wheat or corn grain produced similar volumes of milk, but cows fed wheat had lower milk fat concentration and lower methane emissions than cows fed corn. The inclusion of wheat in the diet of dairy cows has the potential to be an effective strategy to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

Fat tail in sheep represents a valuable energy reserve for future climate changes. By comparing genotypic data of Italian thin-tail sheep with six fat-tail sheep of the Mediterranean area we provide evidence that genes involved in fat deposition, energy storage and adaptation to desert areas play a role in the fat-tail phenotype.

The dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) consists of a method that determines the chemical body composition of animals without the need for slaughter. One of the greatest difficulties of using this method for birds is the imprecision of the results, which makes it necessary to conduct standardisation studies. Since birds vary considerably in their individual composition, the DXA method can be useful in following the growth of broiler chickens and the differences among breeds.

Using high quality cassava top silage (CTS) will increase nutrients for ruminant production. CTS can be well consumed by cattle and enhanced rumen fermentation efficiency and reduced methane production. Feeding CTS can be a good fodder and reduce global warming.

Pre-slaughter factors have paramount consequence on meat quality. The present study evaluated age and body condition effects on meat quality of camels and found that 11–17-year-old camels with medium body condition could provide meat that met the required levels for many quality traits. Variations due to age and body condition dictate the need for designing strategy to supply camels that produce meat with optimum quality traits.

Carcass and meat quality of Dexter cattle were analysed and compared with the high-quality standard meat produced by suckler calves. Dexter cattle had an inferior carcass quality and darker meat. Shear force of the M. longissimus thoracis of Dexter beef did not differ from that of Charolais-cross suckler calves. Sensory analysis confirmed the lack of a significant difference in tenderness between meat of Dexter cattle and that of suckler calves, but panellists clearly preferred the Dexter meat because of superior flavour and juiciness.

The technology of vitamin A restriction in Korean native steers has not yet been clearly established. Therefore, the present research was to determine the effect of vitamin A restriction on serum metabolites and carcass performance in Korean native steers during a fattening period, and our results showed that vitamin A restriction with a vitamin premix could affect serum vitamin A concentration and carcass performance as well as causing metabolic changes. This makes a contribution to the marbling development and health management of steers.

Femoral head separation is a frequent disorder affecting performance and welfare of fast growing broiler worldwide. Dietary omega-3 fatty acids and anti-inflammatory additives (meloxicam) were investigated for their effects on histopathological changes and gross lesion of femoral head with burden on modified speed bump. We demonstrated that meloxicam alleviated the lameness as well as deferring histopathological changes at the beginning of femoral head separation.

Fatty acids determine the health-promoting properties of meat products, which contain a mixture of muscles and fat. In this paper, we showed that it is possible to estimate the health-promoting properties of such meat products based on fatty acid content in single muscle. These results added beneficial information to improve meat quality and allowed to determine the amount of the meat product that should be consumed by human to meet fatty acid requirements.

Dehorning is a common practice in cattle farming, although it can generate a pain-induced response. Meta-analysis can provide new insights into animal welfare. Dehorned cattle showed higher cortisol concentration, whereas local anaesthesia did not reduce cortisol level and these animals tended to vocalise more. Finally, with the lack of pain-specific measures, the choice of indicators of welfare and their relationship with dehorning may be difficult.

Severely phosphorus-deficient cattle demonstrate pica, a behaviour where materials such as sticks, soil and old bones are investigated and chewed. This behaviour has been considered innate. An experiment demonstrated that bone chewing in phosphorus-deficient cattle is primarily a learned behaviour conditioned by a positive post-ingestive feedback metabolic response to the deficiency of an essential mineral. This behavioural response allows severely deficient grazing animals to obtain additional dietary phosphorus from a concentrated source of phosphorus in natural rangelands.

Several issues have been raised about conventional electrical stunning methods. We studied the effect of different electrical stunning systems on welfare indicators. High frequency head-to-back removes the potential for pain. High frequency head-to-back does not induce cardiac arrest like low frequency head-to-back stunning making it appropriate for halal.

The unexpected losses of genetically valuable animals has led to possibilities to preserve their genetic material. This study aimed to evaluate viability of frozen–thawed bull semen collected from the bull cauda epididymis after cooling at 5°C for 24 h. The results revealed that cooling of epididymides before the recovery of sperm cells was efficient in preserving epididymal sperm viability.

Fatty acid profile plays an important role in meat quality, as it is related to differences in organoleptic attributes, and meat nutritional value. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of feeding concentrates that included alternative ingredients on the intramuscular fatty acid profile of feedlot lambs. The concentrate rich in fibrous by-products might improve the fatty acid profile of meat fat from a nutritional point of view.

Tick-borne bovine babesiosis is a problem for cattle production systems in Brazil. Repeatability and correlation coefficients were estimated for traits associated with tick resistance and level of infection by babesia in animals of distinct breeds. The breeds exhibited similar characteristics of resistance to babesiosis, but the higher tick resistance of Nelore must have contributed to high prevalence of this breed in Brazilian territory.

Animal vocalisations provide information related to age, gender, rank and breeding status. A vocalisation-parameter analysis of Hanwoo cattle in different situations enabled the classification of an auditory communication system on the basis of their physiological and emotional states. Such vocalisation research data can be used for animal welfare and to enable more advanced and precise cattle farming.

Enzymatic treatment significantly reduced the crude fibre and increased the crude protein contents of palm kernel expeller (PKE). However, these improvements were not reflected in the growth performance of broilers chickens, and the benefits of enzymatic treatment diminish when higher percentages of PKE were included in the broiler diets.

The utilisation of pasture as a predominant source of nutrition for broodmares and young stock is a unique feature of the New Zealand commercial equine industry. The export focus of the Thoroughbred industry has a large influence on many husbandry practices and industry structure.

Breeding mares are kept at pasture in New Zealand and reproductive efficiency is improving. However, Thoroughbred breeders face significant pressures from industry with a short breeding season that does not match the timing of the natural breeding season, and popular stallions are required to breed many mares. Breeding horses require excellent stud management and veterinary management to achieve industry targets.

This review presents data on the size, scope and organisation of equestrian sport and racing within New Zealand. The keys features of which are shaped by pasture-based management and a large export focus for the Thoroughbred industry. Describing the racing and sport-horse industries is essential to aid understanding of the production process of the equine athlete in New Zealand.