Animal Production Science
Volume 64
Number 1 2024
The New Zealand Thoroughbred breeding industry optimises return by producing early born foals and appealing to the export market. The foal’s parent and sibling performance history can influence sales return. These commercial pressures condense and displace the commercial breeding season from natural breeding season, and influence sire and mare selection. This study describes the influence of the commercial and biological constraints on the breeding management of the mare, structure of breeding herd, and the recruitment and replacement of breeding stock.
This article belongs to the collection Equine Science Part II.
There has been noticeable consolidation within the New Zealand Thoroughbred industry in the past 30 years. This is thought to be the result of the reducing focus on domestic market and increasing focus on export market. This study described the breeding population changes (domestic and export sector), commercial career, management and reproductive workload of New Zealand stallions between 2005 and 2015 in relation to the influence of the breeding focus and economic drivers.
This article belongs to the collection Equine Science Part II.
A structured literature review into nine common extension methods, and evidence of their effect on the adoption process, found that group-learning and consultancy methods have greater effects on adoption, as did combinations of a range of methods. Case studies of two dairy projects applying combinations of methods found that scientists have a role in addressing the human and social dimensions of adoption through collaborating with the private sector, being directly involved with on-farm demonstrations, and supporting group-learning.
This article belongs to the collection ADSS 2022: A Changing Climate for Dairy Science.
In comparison to other livestock, the respective role and perception of the horse in society differs dependent on the production system or use; for some, a horse is a pest, a production animal or a pet. This review examines how these perspectives alter the identification of equine-welfare issues and the primary issues associated with pasture-based equine production.
This article belongs to the collection Equine Science Part II.
It is imperative for agriculture to move towards low-emission production systems. This study provided a baseline for the Western Australian beef industry and examined emission reduction pathways. The study reported an emission intensity of 15.3 kg CO2-e/kg LW and removals associated with land use and direct land-use change of −8.5/kg CO2-e kg LW. Residual emissions will need to be balanced through removals via sequestration of carbon in soil and vegetation and accelerated adoption of anti-methanogenic supplements.
We provide technical details behind the development of the Wagyu Feeder Check, a genomic-based tool designed to provide predictions for five feedlot growth and carcase traits and to examine the quality of its predictions. We conclude that commercial feedlot operators finishing animals with a strong Wagyu component will benefit from using Wagyu Feeder Check by identifying and discarding low genetic merit animals from long-fed programs, as well as by minimising days on feed required to achieve a high marbling product.
Fodder beet is low in protein, phosphorus, and fibre, but high in sugar; therefore, if not balanced with other feeds, can cause animal performance issues. Although first-lactation milk production was not affected, heifers wintered on fodder beet, whose mother ate fodder beet while pregnant, had lower liveweights and an indication of poorer reproduction than heifers in comparable kale systems. Understanding dietary nutrient intake is important to ensure that animal requirements are met considering a long-term view of performance and welfare.
This article belongs to the collection ADSS 2022: A Changing Climate for Dairy Science.
In the breeding period of horses, protein is mainly used for the synthesis of myin, and mainly used for the maintenance of body state, pregnancy, lactation and other production activities in adulthood. Therefore, sufficient protein should still be provided after the breeding period of horses. Adding amino acids to the diet can promote protein synthesis in animal organisms, thus promoting growth and development. At present, in the amino acid study of horses, only the requirement of lysine is specified, while the requirement of other amino acids is not clear.
Sharing information on product quality can benefit the entire supply chain, but its monetary value in Australian beef and sheep meat supply chains remains unclear. This study found that most producers want to provide or pay for feedback on slaughter and production methods, and the value of information increases with its quality and quantity. However, the value differs by information type and farmer characteristics. Improving information measurement and sharing requires investments that account for these variations.
The buffalo is an important livestock resource in the agricultural system. The low efficiency of buffalo reproduction needs to be overcome. Sperm-injection technique and an increased production efficiency of in vitro embryos in somatic cell co-culture are among the technologies that can assist, enhance and increase the population of buffaloes.
The use of insects as a sustainable source of animal-based food and in the human diet is increasing. However, the black soldier fly larvae (BSFL), as well as any other insect species, present some challenges regarding their low consumer acceptance and limited insect-specific legislation and regulatory standards related to their food safety. We have reviewed the current literature on conditions and characteristics of BSFL as a sustainable source of nutrients. In addition, we summarise the nutritional profile, the main bioactive compounds, and the human-consumption challenges of BSFL.
Dietary fibre is an important nutrient in gestation and lactation sow feed, but effects of alternative fibre sources are little known. We compared three fibre sources and measured sow productive performance and biochemical parameters. Diverse fibre sources minimally impacted sow performance; coffee husks emerged as a potentially advantageous choice.
Data routinely captured during milk recording can be used for different management purposes, including predicting which cows are likely to be most fertile. We found that these predictions could be used to identify the most and least fertile cows on Australian dairy farms, which has practical applications such as allocating dairy sexed semen in breeding programs. A decision tool that reports fertility predictions derived from milk recording data alongside other measures of cow fertility can add value to breeding programs.
This article belongs to the collection ADSS 2022: A Changing Climate for Dairy Science.
The study of enzymatic activity in gametes is essential for understanding the mechanisms that control the energy production required to achieve successful fertilisation. In this work, we demonstrated the activity of an enzyme named succinate dehydrogenase in porcine gametes and its participation in very important processes that occur before fertilisation. This discovery contributes to the knowledge about gamete biochemistry and has significant implications for the development of assisted reproductive technologies.
Overseer® is the primary software tool used to estimate farm-level nutrient cycle and management for regulatory purposes in New Zealand. The model compares feed demand among different livestock by using ‘revised stock units’ (RSUs). The current RSU does not consider allometric scaling of metabolism to liveweight or the differences in digestive physiology and nutrient metabolism between ruminants and monogastric hindgut fermenters (horses). This paper investigates the implication of the current RSU values on feed-demand and N-intake estimations for equine stock classes.
This article belongs to the collection Equine Science Part II.
The selection of broiler breeder strains thatproduce the greatest returns is one of the major issues facing poultry production in emerging nations. This study evaluated the performance of three broiler breeder chicks grown to puberty in a tropical climate using the standard open-sided housing. Under the tropical conditions of Nigeria, Marshall broiler breeder had a higher potential to perform better reproductively than the other two strains. The observations in this study are beneficial to farmers who may have to make a choice among the broiler breeders available in the tropical environments.
A review of the literature was undertaken to investigate the potential impact of freight rail corridors through farmland in Australia on livestock, focusing on physiological, behavioural, welfare and production impacts of rail noise, vibration, and visual and other disturbances associated with rail corridors. Current literature suggests that impact on livestock production and welfare will vary depending on the proximity to the rail corridor, and subsequent noise of the trains and their contribution to livestock stress.
Health and physiological status of cattle can be reflected in the structural changes of their coat hair. X-ray diffraction measurements showed that the interference in the self-assembly of the keratin fibrils would occur when the vitamin A concentration was lowered to ~10 μg/dL in plasma or the cattle was suffering chronic renal failure. However, the physiological conditions during pregnancy may be advantageous for retaining the normal self-assembly of the keratin fibrils.
The aim of farm-systems research is to test concepts in a holistic context that enables results to be as applicable as possible to commercial farmers. Providing information to farmers in a credible, yet rapid, way is a challenge with long-term farm-systems studies. We analyse a case study of a project focused on capturing farm-systems data on the application of flexible milking strategies on New Zealand dairy farms. The engagement and communications approach of the 3-year project is reviewed, and a framework for communicating farm-systems research is presented.
This article belongs to the collection ADSS 2022: A Changing Climate for Dairy Science.
Changing the number of times a cow is milked, and the time they are milked is becoming increasingly popular to attract more workers to dairy farming; however, the impact on cow behaviour has had little research. The number and timing of milkings affected cow activity, both when walking to the dairy was included and excluded from the data. Farmers should limit the time away from the paddock to keep changes to natural behaviour to a minimum.
This article belongs to the collection ADSS 2022: A Changing Climate for Dairy Science.
The use of genomic tools contributes to the identification of markers to be used by providing faster selection responses. However, the genetic evaluation of horses is not commonly performed, reducing the efficiency in the selection of horses. Thus, genomic regions and candidate genes that were identified in this study for measures of height in the Campolina horse can be used as molecular markers or further developed by fine-mapping to increase selection efficiency.
This article belongs to the collection Equine Science Part II.
Enteric methane represents a major source of energy loss from the dairy cows, contributing to global warming. By using a case-study approach, this study estimated lactating cows’ enteric-methane emissions and emissions per unit of milk. Findings suggest that if the goal is to reduce emissions per unit of milk, it requires more intensive systems that have higher absolute emissions than do pasture-based systems. However, pasture-based systems may have an advantage over intensive systems in the future, as these farms can have lower emissions.
This article belongs to the collection ADSS 2022: A Changing Climate for Dairy Science.
Changing climate is predicted to result in higher temperatures, changes to annual rainfall patterns and more extreme weather events. The health and welfare of dairy cattle will be affected directly due to the changing climate and indirectly from responses to climate change. Strategies to minimise impacts require a multi-disciplinary approach, should take account of the animals’ physical and psychological needs, the complexity of farming systems, animal welfare expectations of public and consumers, and be underpinned by surveillance and monitoring.
This article belongs to the collection ADSS 2022: A Changing Climate for Dairy Science.
A 3-year herd data were examined to evaluate the effect of temperature–humidity index on the yield parameters (daily milk yield, protein and fat concentration, somatic cell count in milk) and rumination. Milk yield pattern showed a plateau between THImax 60 and 65 and then declined after 65. Rumination was maximum at mid-range THImax and declined for high and low values, cell count in milk declined with an increasing THImax. Management strategies are needed to minimise heat stress and attain optimal animal productivity.
This article belongs to the collection ADSS 2022: A Changing Climate for Dairy Science.
The influence of maternal diet on the growth of future generations is a pivotal concern for agriculture. The present study delved into this by exploring the impact of mothers’ 25OHD3 intake on the reproductive development of their mouse offspring. The findings showed that higher maternal dietary 25OHD3 concentrations were associated with improved gonadal development in the mice offspring. These insights shed light on the potential significance of maternal nutrition in ensuring healthier animal populations and offer valuable considerations for animal husbandry practices.
This research investigated the effects of plant-derived phytogenic feed additives on the gut microbiota and productivity of grower-finisher pigs. The study showed that these additives significantly affect the pig’s gut microbiota, resulting in an increased microbial diversity and specific changes in genera abundance. The findings highlighted the potential of phytogenic feed additives to improve gut health and enhance livestock productivity without relying on antibiotics, offering a sustainable approach for the livestock industry.
The results presented in this paper indicate the involvement of leptin, IGF-I and estradiol in the up-regulation of meat production in pigs. Furthermore, the present study demonstrated the applicability of blood concentration of leptin, IGF-I and estradiol (but not of progesterone) for characterisation and early prediction of porcine meat and fat production and the resulted carcass traits. The present data could help the breeders in early selection of pigs for meat production.
Meat quality has recently been paid more attention by customers and enterprises. Although the improvement of pig breeding and management has increased pork yield, this has led to a decline of pork quality. We demonstrated that dietary supplementation with GAA significantly increases the postmortem muscle energy reserves and has beneficial effects on meat quality by achieving the transformation of muscle fibre types of finishing pigs. Our finding has important practical significance in discovering effective means to improve the meat quality.
Vitamin K (VK) has received considerably less attention over the past 50 years than other fat-soluble vitamins. Intakes of VK beyond that required for normal blood coagulation were believed to confer no additional benefits, and were therefore rarely investigated. Over the past decade, evidence has mounted for its intrinsic and essential roles in other functions within the body. In this review, we assess the current state of knowledge of VK as it pertains to metabolism and nutrition, particularly in the horse.
This article belongs to the collection Equine Science Part II.
The lamb meat production system can contribute to the increased demand for meat worldwide. Given that, the production of lambs for early slaughter has been increasing. Early weaning can be an alternative to achieve this because it can shorten the production time, improve growth and carcass quality, and provide a better meat quality. We found that weaning lambs at the age of 45 days provides similar performance and carcass characteristics to those of lambs weaned older. Therefore, it can be an option for farmers.
Guizhou black goat is an important meat goat breed in China, but its reproduction rate is very low. Ellagic acid affected the growth and development of granulosa cells in the in vitro culture of goat ovarian granulosa cells by regulating immune factors and apoptotic proteins. In addition, ellagic acid promoted the expression of reproductive genes and the secretion of oestrogen in granulosa cells. These results have provided preliminary guidance for further research on the effects of ellagic acid on the in vitro maturation and development of goat oocytes.
Formulating cattle rations in smallholder enterprises to include locally available agro-industrial by-product concentrates provides an opportunity to increase beef cattle productivity, with a resultant increase in farmer profitability. The evaluation of supplementing agro-industrial by-product supplements at different inclusion rates into village enterprises demonstrated that all supplementation increased liveweight gain; however, feeding at 1% BW was more profitable than feeding at 2% BW. Feeding formulated rations using local agro-industrial by-products is an important strategy to increase profitability of smallholders and to increase meat production.
The development and health of the digestive system in pullets during the rearing period is one of the influential factors in the production period to achieve maximum production. The addition of fibre to the diets is considered one of the factors contributing to the growth and development of the GIT of pullets during the rearing period. It has been well documented that dietary insoluble-fibre inclusion enhances the grinding competence and functionality of gizzards, increasing the retention time of digesta in the gastrointestinal tract.
Improving reproductive rate in Australian Merino sheep by increasing litter size would be counter-productive if the performance of females born with a male co-twin were negatively affected. Our results indicated that there was little effect of sex of co-twin on survival and growth of the lambs, and that the reproductive rate of females born with a male co-twin was not impaired. Sexual development in males was also unaffected by co-twin status. Increasing twinning rate by managerial or genetic means will not result in undesirable side effects.
With the prohibition of antibiotics as animal growth promoters, it has become necessary to use other additives that achieve an adequate balance of the intestinal microbiota and that do not cause bacterial resistance, both for animals and for humans. The symbiotics are a viable alternative, because with the action of their constituents (probiotics and prebiotics), they modulate the intestinal microbiota and promote better results in the use of nutrients and health of the birds, such as this better productive performance.
For Merino sheep industries, flystrike causes a loss of about A$320 million per year. Blow flies use their antennae to detect odours, so odour chemistry could help accelerate breeding for flystrike resistance. Blowfly olfaction is studied with electrophysiology, mass spectrometry and behaviour. We now know that octanal and nonanal attract blow flies and are affected by flystrike resistance.
Supplementing Bali cattle rations in leucaena-based smallholder enterprises to include locally available energy sources provides an opportunity to increase productivity, extend the utilisation of leucaena and increase farmer profitability. The evaluation of supplementing locally available energy supplements into leucaena-based Bali cattle enterprises demonstrated that all supplementation increased liveweight gain and the cassava-based energy sources increased profitability. Adding a local energy supplement to leucaena-based diets is an important strategy to markedly increase profitability and to increase meat production nationally.
Many studies have examined the regulatory function of estrogen in the female reproductive system, but the genes and pathways involved in estrogen-mediated regulation of the uterus and breast remain poorly understood. Functional annotation and pathway analysis were performed, suggesting that Alb was a marker protein in estrogen regulation of uterus development. Prom1, Prom2, Fam84a and Padi2 were common differentially expressed genes in regulation of the uterus and mammary gland by estrogen.
The association between fat intake, mainly from beef, and the incidence of cardiovascular diseases is a concern; however, beef consumption plays a beneficial role in human health. The quality of beef can be influenced by genetics, as the subcutaneous fat from Nellore animals contained high levels of conjugated linoleic acid and had a healthier fatty acid profile, while Nellore × Angus beef had increased carnitine. These findings suggest that genetic manipulation could potentially be used to improve beef quality.
Using DNA metabarcoding, we examined genetic RNA sequences in ruminal fluid from Nellore cattle on concentrate-rich diets. Buffering additives, specifically calcarea seaweed (Lithothamnium calcareum) and sodium bicarbonate, were introduced to mitigate acidity. Results showed a decrease in acetic acid concentration, an increase in valeric acid, and enhanced ruminal diversity—potential biomarkers of reduced acidity. This suggests that supplements like L. calcareum and sodium bicarbonate can enhance ruminal function, holding promise for improved weight gain in Nellore cattle.
, C. W. Rogers 
