The surprising findings in mice of an important role in energy metabolism of osteocalcin raised the question ‘why would a bone-specific hormone (osteocalcin) regulate energy metabolism’. We identify evidence to support a similar role for calcium and bone in energy metabolism of cattle to that found in mice. These relationships, identified in mice and cattle, and probably represent important adaptations of metabolism in mammals to the challenges of lactation.

When toxins produced by moulds are ingested by ruminants, the adverse impacts may range from sub-clinical effects to overt disease manifestations. This paper covers such effects which are not only witnessed at the farm level but which may also result in public health concerns should such metabolites be transferred into milk.

Researches in animal welfare are carried out in various disciplines (ethology, animal health, sociology...) that rarely exchange with each other. We argue that it is time to reinforce links between disciplines and develop interdisciplinary projects (between scientific disciplines) or even transdisciplinary projects (beyond scientific disciplines and with stakeholders) to address animal welfare in a holistic way and to be able to efficiently improve the welfare of animals.

Indigenous cattle species may possess traits that are beneficial in the face of declining global ruminant feed availability. The energy requirements for maintenance and gain of liveweight of Bali cattle, indigenous to Indonesia, were determined across a range of diets.

This study examined the dose-dependent supplementation effects of fermented-Monascus purpureus red rice (FRR) containing the natural lovastatin monakolin K and other secondary compounds on dry matter intake, rumen fermentation, body growth, animal safety and methane emissions. Although to our knowledge this is the first trial that reports the anti-methanogenic potential of FRR in cattle, it is recognised that tolerance and abatement efficacy are required to be assessed in the long term. Our findings provide a framework to assess potential additive opportunities for improving the environmental performance of livestock and develop further research.

Organic acids and their enantiomers (L-tartaric acid, D-tartaric acid, DL-tartaric acid, L-malic acid, DL-malic acid, fumaric acid and citric acid) were investigated at four concentrations (0, 5, 10 and 15 mM) using in vitro incubations for their methane mitigation potential as feed additives. None of the organic acids and their enantiomers were identified as potential mitigation agents.

Composite, bioactive packaging films developed from potato starch and chitosan as base material impregnated with antimicrobial substances nisin (60 000 IU/g) and cinnamaldehyde (0.5% v/v) extend the storage life of meat and meat products while keeping the product free from antimicrobial substances. These films inhibit post-processing surface spoilage and provide oxidative stability, leading to improvement in colour, flavour and maintenance of the sensory attributes during storage.

Marked variation exists between cows in their ability to maintain extended lactations which is partly regulated by hormones that affect nutrient partitioning. Growth hormone promotes milk production and persistency and was measured following infusion of insulin in dairy cows during an extended lactation, with the greatest response occurring in early-mid lactation. The insulin tolerance test could potentially be used to identify cows with greater growth hormone secretory responses and improved milk production.

Australian Merino bloodlines are known to vary in their wool production and potential for meat production, as such, the process of identifying more profitable bloodlines needs to consider the impact of wool and meat market price changes. This study defines the price risk profiles of Merino bloodlines which are influenced by fibre diameter and clean fleece weight, and to lesser extent bodyweight. By using this process, sheep producers have the capacity to identify more profitable and risk-efficient bloodlines.

The intake of pasture by sheep is influenced by its height. This study showed that the relationship between pasture height and mass differs between pasture types, but is highly variable within pasture types. Prediction of intake and liveweight change by sheep can be improved if appropriate pasture height for mass is used, and the relationships shown in this study may assist with the development of simulation models.

Feeding nitrogen in the form of nitrate, rather than urea, reduces methane emmissions by ruminants. This paper discusses why this particular abatement strategy may be considered attractive to the extensively managed, grazing beef cattle industry. The potential for adverse consequences arising from nitrate supplementation may be elevated in this environment, necessittating further investigation prior to this strategy being considered effective and safe.

Developing processes which reduce enteric methane production while increasing animal productivity has become critical for sustainable livestock production. Cysteamine hydrochloride, a naturally derived metabolic compound of cysteine, is capable of achieving both goals by reducing methane emissions while increasing wool growth and weigh gain in sheep. Therefore, CSH has the potential to meet the global rise in livestock product demand with a reduced greenhouse gas footprint.

Barrier function of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is an essential component of the innate immune system and for efficient nutrient transport. The objective of this study was to characterise the regional variation in the barrier function of the GIT in Holstein calves. This study indicates that the translocation of inulin across the omasum and rumen is greatest while the translocation of mannitol and G_t were greatest in the jejunum.

In Uruguay, spring-born lambs are weaned in summer, when native pastures present low energy and protein content. Some feeding alternatives, such as supplementation and grazing on summer annual crops (soybean and brown midrib sorghum) have been tested. Brown midrib sorghum is selected for its high energy content, and good responses have been obtained when protein supplements are supplied. However, protein supplements are expensive, and it is essential to determine performance response curves of lambs to increasing levels of protein sources.

Farmers in central Lombok Indonesia have uniquely integrated cattle fattening with intensive paddy rice production by planting the forage tree legume Sesbania grandiflora along the paddy bunds. This research provides the first detailed analysis of the production parameters of the system including: area of rice paddy and number of sesbania trees planted; harvesting and feeding practices; cattle purchases and sales; and monthly liveweight gain. This work has confirmed the high productivity of the feeding system and has highlighted the opportunity for its wider adoption, both in Indonesia and other regions in South-east Asia.

Subacute rumen acidosis (SARA) is a subclinical digestive disorder, which reduces welfare and performance (milk production, milk fat content, fertility) of dairy cows. A single measurement of the ruminal pH has been proposed to diagnose SARA, but our study supports the inconsistency between the ruminal pH 6 h after feeding and several markers of performance (milk yield and composition) and health status (large metabolic profile). Thus, more sensitive and specific rumen or metabolic indices should be investigated to identify herds at risk of SARA.

In the rumen of dairy cattle, fibre-rich feed such as grass is degraded by microbes, and products of degradation represent the major supply of nutrients to the cow. We evaluated the effect of rate of nitrogen fertilisation and grass maturity stage at harvest on rumen degradation, and found significant interaction effects. The present findings indicate that the effect of nitrogen fertilisation rate on nutrient supply to the cow is not constant but depends on grass maturity stage.

This study compares the partial genomic sequence of goat, sheep, cattle and water buffalo leptin (LEP) genes and evaluate the effects of the genetic variation at this locus on some metabolic, hormonal, and dairy traits in goats. All the four species showed a microsatellite region in Intron 1. Our data bring further evidence for the role of leptin as an indicator of metabolism and mammary gland health in dairy ruminants.

Holstein-Friesian dairy cows, identified as either efficient or inefficient for feed use during growth have been evaluated during lactation to measure changes in live-weight post-partum. The groups retained their divergence for efficiency during lactation, and post-partum live-weight losses were not affected by selection. Selection for efficiency should not affect tissue mobilisation, or contribute to consequences of excessive weight loss.

Previous modelling has shown that ewes with increased fecundity can increase production and reduce net farm greenhouse gas emissions. This study showed that a prime lamb enterprise incorporating high-fecundity ewes can also increase annual whole-farm profit compared with a baseline system typical of those in south-western Victoria. However, risk, or variability in farm profit, increased. Assuming higher fertility and weaning rates could be achieved consistently, ewes with high-fecundity offer producers the potential to increase profit with decreased emissions.

We hypothesised that as digesta retention time affects rumen microbial protein outflow, differences in digesta kinetics may contribute to genetic divergence in fleece weight of sheep. However, sheep of divergent genetic merit for wool growth differed in wool growth rate but not digesta retention time. Feeding level affected both wool growth and digesta kinetics consistently, irrespective of animal genetic merit.

Beef feedlot cattle, fed high-grain diets with limited forage content, often experience ruminal acidosis challenges, particularly when transitioning from a forage-based diet. As theorized, it was found that greater experience of ruminal acidosis resulted in a greater change in dietary selection for higher-fibre dietary particles. The results provide further evidence cattle will alter their diet selection behaviour in response to rumen discomfort.

The effects of restricting time at pasture on intake and performance of dairy ewes are poorly known. To fill this gap, a study was conducted in rotationally grazing milked ewes, finding that time restriction below 6 h/day and depletion of herbage quality at the end of grazing period constrained intake and milk performance. Further studies are needed to evaluate the implications of these results at system level.

Indonesian smallholder farmers require cost-effective and accessible supplements to increase the liveweight and body condition score of Brahman cows fed rice straw-based diets. Cows fed rice straw supplemented with cassava by-products plus urea or a tree legume, were able to gain liveweight and maintain a body condition score of 2.2 on a 1–5 scale. Better supplementation strategies are required for cows to maintain a higher body condition score.

The complex metabolic interactions that control efficiency of animal production requires the use of systems biology research and mathematical models. An existing metabolic model of metabolism in the dairy cow was expanded to include more detail in describing adipose tissue metabolism and reproductive processes. Changes in adipose tissue metabolism alterthe energy expenditure of the animal, which altered the degradation of steroids and changed the pattern of cyclicity.

Increased demand for red meat throughout the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) presents smallholder cattle and buffalo farmers with an opportunity to supply better-quality animals to expanding regional markets. Cattle were target-fed introduced forages in Cambodia to gain 0.19 kg/day and over US$60 in value compared with traditional cut-and-carry feeding practices where animals lost 0.04 kg/day. To increase supply for the growing demand for red meat, as well as poverty reduction, an ongoing, multi-disciplinary extension program should be a priority for livestock improvement programs in the GMS.

Methane emissions from ruminant livestock have increased five-fold over the past century, heightening efforts to investigate the mitigation potential of feed additives. This study found no effects of dietary essential oils on methane and carbon dioxide emissions from lactating dairy cows. Identifying dietary additives which can consistently reduce methane emissions without compromising animal performance is a primary focus of most mitigation strategies.

Biofuel industry generates vast amounts of plant by-products, including rapeseed cake (RC) and distillers dried grain with solubles (DDGS). The aim of study was to determine whether RC and wheat DDGS can be used as components of diets for rabbits. Our study demonstrated that 5% RC can be incorporated into rabbit dietary as a substitute of soybean meal. Because the productivity of rabbits fed 2.5% of DDGS (with 2.5% RC) was comparable to the 5% RC, the incorporation of up to 2.5% wheat DDGS to a diet should also be taken as a dietary option. The higher content of DDGS (5%) in the diet deteriorated the growth of rabbits.

The study was conducted to observe the impact of simulated heat-stress model on productive and adaptive capability of Malpura ewes. Compared with constant heat-stress models, the simulated model inflicts less severe physiological strain as evidenced by relatively lower changes in the heat-stress markers such as RR, RT and plasma cortisol. However, their growth and reproductive performance are compromised during the process of adaptation.

This paper is about the inclusion of ingredients of soybean origin in supplements and the frequency of supplementation of grazing cattle during the drier periods of the year, evaluating the effects on animal performance. The main finding was that frequency of supplementation did not affect the weight gain of cattle, but suggested that supplementation could be done 3 days a week opposed to daily, and would decrease production costs.

Path analysis was used to investigate effects of some morphological measurements on slaughter and carcass traits. The direct effect of bodyweight on carcass weight was the strongest and positively influenced (P < 0.01). Finally, the optimum multiple regression equation on carcass weight was found bodyweight as R² of 0.7463.

As an alternative to traditional weaning by abrupt separation, weaning beef calves in two stages by fitting nose flaps to prevent nursing before the final separation might reduce the stress response. Although two-stage weaning positively influenced the post-weaning behaviour of the calves and cows, the devices caused heavy irritations of the nasal septum. Therefore, the design of the anti-suckling devices and the period the devices are fitted should be modified in order to minimise nasal abrasions.

Milk harvesting is a fundamental component of dairy farming, requiring significant labour input. Consequently, with increasing herd sizes, there is a constant drive to improve milking efficiency. Explaining differences in milking efficiency by monitoring milking practices and the adoption of new technologies can, therefore, be beneficial to the industry. The results of this work indicate the use of technology was associated with greater labour efficiency but the potential benefits of each technology require careful evaluation to ensure appropriate selection decisions are made by farmers to meet their requirements.

The search for solutions to safeguard animal performance and health while reducing antibiotic usage currently attracts worldwide interest. While certain feed additives such as probiotics and phytogenics show promising results, tailoring additive combinations as part of an overall efficacious dietary strategy is largely undeveloped. Our results support the concept of sequential or throughout probiotic and phytogenic administration as being beneficial for broiler performance and broiler antioxidant status, worth of further investigation.

In the arid zones of Mexico young kids graze/browse together with their mothers on rangeland. It is unknown if goat kids discern between forages, therefore the aim was to find out if 4-week-old goat kids display an efficient foraging behavior. Kids ingested a diet richer in nutrients than mature goats; thus, herbage selection seems to be shaped by physiological effort.

The present paper reports on application of extruded full fat soybean (EFFSB) in broiler diet to identify its potential toward improving production performance criteria. The FFSB extruded at 170°C had acceptable protein solubility in KOH, indicating a good EFFSB. The latter in turn indicates an optimum balance between degradation of ANFs and maintaining the bioavailability of essential amino acids, hence having the potential to exert positive effect on blood metabolites and intestinal morphology of broilers at market age.

Plant extracts in ruminant diets might have beneficial effects on nutrient degradation in the rumen while mitigating methane production. In this study the main bioactive components of black seed (Nigella sativa) oil and of the root powder of Ferula elaeochytris were identified and their effects were investigated in an incubation system. No significant changes on nutrient degradation and methane formation were observed, possibly depending on the low dosages tested.

At weaning, the welfare of piglets may decrease because they are exposed to several stressors.

The objective was to assess the physiological response of piglets weaned at three different ages under two different trip conditions. Piglets transported immediately after weaning at Ages 8, 15 and 22 days present significant metabolic, hydric and gas exchange imbalances.

To improve the spermatozoa fertility, cryodamages must be decreased by using suitable diluents and cryopreservation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different levels of trehalose and glycerol on the freezing process of ram semen, when lecithin is used as cryoprotectant. It was concluded that simultaneous use of glycerol and trehalose had a desirable effect on motility of ram frozen–thawed sperm.

As protocols for oestrus synchronisation shortened the time of exposure to progesterone, CIDR devices were able to be reused; however, they can be a health risk. This study demonstrated that new and previously used (and autoclaved) devices are equally effective for synchronisation of oestrus and ovulation during the breeding season in goats. This approach decreases the cost of oestrus synchronisation program and makes it more economically feasible for producers.

Although myo-inositol is proportionately equivalent to phosphorus in phytic acid, its contribution to the observed beneficial effects of phytase in poultry and swine nutrition is obscure. Evidence is presented herein to show substantial increases in myo-inositol concentrations in the plasma of poultry in response to phytase addition. As myo-inositol has recently been shown to be an insulin-mimetic, links between insulin pathways, glucose uptake, protein accretion and exogenous phytase are drawn.

Rumen degradation of dietary proteins should be minimised using appropriate feed additives and/or technological processing. We hypothesised that supplementing dairy cow ration with monensin and roasting whole soybean seed improves microbial protein synthesized in the rumen; however, such an effect was not observed in the present study. Interactions between the type of technological processing and monensin supplementation should be further investigated

The αs1-casein is the most polymorphic milk protein and its genetic variants influence the quali-quantitative characteristics and the technological properties of the milk. This study investigates the genetic variability at the CSN1S1 in the Mediterranean buffalo. A significant association between the c.628C>T SNP and the protein percentage was found. This result offers useful indications for future applications of marker-assisted selection programmes.

The forage system is critically important to lactation performance in dairy cows. Our results suggested that the expression of IGF-1R in the mammary glands and the number of mammary cells is significantly affected by forage system, and this is closely related to the milk production in early lactation cows. This research provided the basis for better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of lactation regulation.

Under the conditions of intensive farming, it is very important to improve poultry health. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of micro-encapsulated sodium butyrate (MSB)on oxidative stress and apoptosis in the intestinal mucosa of broilers and the main discovery was that dietary MSB can partially attenuate oxidative stress induced by corticosterone treatment and inhibit apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells. This could confirm again that nutritional regulation of pre-slaughter stress through feed additives may provide a simple way to improve poultry health.

The effects of Cr in pigs have been equivocal. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different-sized particles of CrPic in gilts; the results showed that small-sized particles CrPic improves carcass characteristics when pigs fed a high fat diet. Dietary supplement with small-sized particle CrPic can provide beneficial effects, particularly in high-fat diets.

Cattle fed nitrate risk methaemoglobinaemia, but with chronic feeding their red cells increase their ability to reduce methaemoglobin. In vitro studies suggest that phosphate plays a role in aiding the reduction of methaemoglobin and that the metabolic endpoint of red cells changes to maximise substrate availability for methaemoglobin reduction. It appears that both the animal and its rumen microbes adapt to nitrate feeding.

Beef producers in Korea try to increase marbling in beef muscles due to higher consumer demand towards such meat. Increasing marbling through extended feeding eventually burdens stakeholders of the beef industry and this study showed that medium (375–425 kg) carcass weight was optimal for achieving superior beef quality. Medium carcasses provide more health benefits at lower cost.

Excess salt in the sheep’s diet can impair digestion, but they may adapt to high concentrations in plants by reducing absorption. We found no evidence of adaptation, in fact their rumen developed a reduced ability to maintain a normal pH over time, with implications for accumulation of some elements in the brain and kidney. Thus farmers should beware exposing their sheep to high salt in their feed for prolonged periods.

Bituminaria bituminosa is a drought-tolerant, perennial legume that has been used for centuries as a part of the mixed sward in grazing systems around the Mediterranean sea and ‘cut and carried’ to feed as hay to dairy goats in the Canary Islands; varieties albomarginata and crassiuscula, commonly known as tedera, are native only to the Canary Islands. In south-western Australia, tedera will likely be directly grazed as green plants to help fill the feed gap in summer–autumn, due to its drought tolerance and capacity to retain green leaves. . Sheep fed fresh tedera exclusively for 34 days readily consumed the forage and remained in good health, they maintained their liveweight (42.5 kg) and body condition (condition score 3) throughout the experiment.

Feed costs are the largest single cost in any animal production enterprise with improvements in feed efficiency able to reduce feed costs. This study aimed to understand the basis for feed efficiency measured by residual feed intake and variation in maintenance requirements. The results obtained suggest that body composition, specifically fat deposition, is affected through inherent differences in feed intake or appetite rather than maintenance requirements.

Measuring blood stress indicators could be useful for improving animal welfare and meat quality. The current study measured various blood parameters from pigs under the standard pre-slaughter conditions using a portable analyser. Higher levels of blood lactate and glucose correlated with decreased pork quality. Therefore, measuring blood lactate and glucose could easily and quickly provide information about pork quality.

Whole-grain feeding regimes for chicken-meat production provide economic advantages by reducing feed costs while generating improvements in energy utilisation and feed conversion efficiency; however, the genesis of the performance improvements are not defined. The present paper considers the contexts in which these responses may be best realised. Identifying the drivers will enable the most appropriate WGF strategies to be adopted.

Accelerated lambing potentially increases biological efficiency of lamb production and affects seasonal patterns of feed requirements. Metabolisable energy requirements were used to calculate dry sheep equivalents (DSE) and showed that crossbred ewes in accelerated lambing weaned 16–47% greater weight of lamb per DSE over 4 years than ewes in traditional systems. The increased efficiency of accelerated lambing requires a more consistent feed supply throughout the year.

Tedera is a perennial pasture containing secondary compounds that has the potential to be utilised in the farm systems during the summer-autumn feed gap and reducing supplementary feeding. In our study, we showed that tedera was fermented without any adverse effects on digestibility or fermentability. These findings give further support for pursuing tedera as a fodder for growing regions of Australia.

Wavelet and linear regression methods were used to model time-of-day changes in behaviour due to available forage. The study concluded decreasing forage availability resulted in greater lying activity from 1000 to 1300 and greater grazing activity from 1300 to 2100. Understanding the dynamics between forage supply and behaviour could provide decision tools incorporating behaviour into drought management decisions.

Knowledge of genetic parameters of economic traits is very crucial to breeding plans. However, there is no information on genetic parameter estimates for many traits of Hainan Black goats. In this study, we estimated the genetic parameters of growth traits of Hainan Black goats using two different animal models of MTDFREML software. The results would greatly improve the breeding plans of Hainan Black goats.

The influence of pellet diameter and whole wheat inclusion on gizzard development and performance of broilers was investigated. Whole wheat and larger diameter pellets increased the energy utilisation and starch digestibility, but gizzard weights differed depending on the method of whole wheat inclusion. The data showed that improvements associated with whole wheat feeding cannot always be explained on the basis of gizzard development.

Ruminants ingest a diversity of forages, but in intensive feeding systems they are commonly fed single rations or pastures. The present study suggests that a diversity of flavours presented in the same ration has the potential to stimulate intake and alter eating behaviour in sheep. These effects may in turn contribute to enhance animal production and welfare.

The cost of feed is the largest recurring cost of producing beef. Inherited variation in feed efficiency is known and this experiment was to demonstrate the benefit in a large commercial feedlot of breeding cattle for improved feed efficiency. The results obtained confirm the feed saving advantages of inherited superior feed efficiency and that previously reported trade-offs in carcass traits, while confirmed, were minor.

The primary goal of this study was to assess the usefulness of rye-containing dry mixes (modern rye cv. Visello) for pig fattening. Feeding the mixes in which a proportion of barley was replaced with the rye grain has yielded significantly better results than barley-containing diets in terms of carcass quality and price. These observations warrant further studies of different rye cultivars to determine their utility in intensive pig farming.

We report the identification of five SSCP patterns in the sheep GH1 gene. The present study suggests a positive effect of SSCP patterns with carcass traits. We report the identification of two different protein structures in the GH1 protein. The identified SNPs in the GH1 gene could be used as molecular markers.

Pork makes a major contribution to worldwide meat consumption, and ways of improving meat quality are imperative. Variation in the rate of post-mortem pH decline is an important reason for variation in meat quality, but the mechanisms involved are not clear. In our research, we found that post-mortem energy status and metabolism might be important factors in the conversion of muscle to meat and might be important determinants of ultimate meat quality.

Dual-purpose wheat may be grazed by late-pregnant and lactating ewes during the winter in southern Australia. Results from two experiments with ewes grazing wheat crops during the lambing period identified that wheat forage may contain insufficient calcium, magnesium and sodium to meet ewe requirements. Providing a loose-lick mineral supplement to ewes can increase liveweight gain in twin-born suckling lambs.

A model of the sheep breeding industry examined the value of genomic information in sheep breeding programs. Benefits can be obtained by both the traditional three-tiered wool industry structure and studs using genomic information and selling directly to commercial producers, with most of the benefits retained by the commercial producers. The proportion of nucleus rams that use genetic tests must be optimised to achieve the maximum economic benefit.

The application of herbs and spice products as alternatives to antibiotics in raising broilers is receiving attention. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of cardamom seed and its essential oils on broilers and the results suggested that high levels of cardamom essential oils benefited feed efficiency and cholesterol metabolism. This could meet consumer demand for a safe feed additive.

The use of maize as a switch crop or the use of markets for roughage are the most efficient strategies to reduce financial risk of suckler cow farming. Applying a bio-economic optimization model we find that these strategies cause only low reductions of average gross margin. Our results also indicate that gross margin insurance is not attractive for farmers.

Algae are a novel protein source which could be grown on farm to provide a cheap protein supplement to cattle. Algae were compared to urea and sulfur as a nitrogen supplement and markedly increased intake and microbial protein production in cattle, more so than a simple urea and sulfur supplement. Algae are thus a new protein supplement which has the potential to markedly increase liveweight gain of cattle.

Effects of reduced dietary protein on performance and nitrogen (N) excretion were assessed to reduce the environmental impact of pig production. Pigs were given a control diet or a diet with reduced protein content, either with (LP1) or without (LP2) amino-acid supplementation. Compared with the control, N excretion was reduced (~18%) in LP1 and LP2, but the feed-conversion ratio was poorer, as was growth in LP2, but not LP1. This indicates the difficulty in maintaining consistently high performance when dietary protein levels are reduced.

Within mixed swards containing herbs and legumes, little is known about ewe grazing preference. Ewe diet selection and grazing preference was found to be intrinsically affected by species availability, access and palatability across seasons. Overall, a herb and legume sward may allow livestock to preferentially select specific plants to meet their nutritional requirements at a given time point.

Nutritional approaches targeting improvement of animal performance and disease prevention are currently warranted and in this respect the dietary intake of beneficial microbes termed probiotics is being actively researched. The level of probiotic inclusion in broiler diets was shown to be relevant for benefits in performance, nutrient digestibility, gut microbiota composition and metabolic activities. Generally, this study supports further the role of probiotics for an improved gut function and as effective alternatives to dietary antibiotic growth promoters used in broilers.

Pork meat colour stability may differ between conventional and organic (not free-ranging) pig husbandry systems due to on-farm differences in feed ingredients and space allowance. Most objective measures of pork colour during ageing differed between husbandry systems, but canonical discrimination between conventional and organic pork based on colour was not possible. Three days of storage combined the best pork meat colour and haeminic pigment balance.

Monitoring ewe liveweight may help farmers make more profitable decisions with regard to the management of their sheep flock. This review brings together the relevant literature demonstrating why sheep liveweight is important, and identifies and assesses available technologies for monitoring sheep liveweight. The findings suggest that walk-over weighing, an emerging liveweight monitoring technology, offers considerable potential to provide sufficiently timely and accurate flock average liveweight data to aid farmer decision making.

Oak acorns have some adverse effects on animal production, which arise from the presence of some anti-nutritional factors such as tannins and phenolic compounds. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of ground oak acorn as source of hydrolysable tannin on growth performance of goat kids. The levels used had no adverse effect on growth performance.

High potassium (K) in the diet of sheep and cattle has been implicated in the incidence of milk fever and grass tetany (hypomagnesaemia). The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a high K diet on calcium (Ca) absorption in sheep. The results demonstrate that increased dietary K decreased Ca absorption and decreased magnesium (Mg) status of the sheep. Therefore, levels of both Ca and Mg should be considered when feeding high-K diets to ruminants, to reduce the risk of hypomagnesaemia and hypocalcaemia and to improve livestock health and productivity.

Little is known about the length of gestation in sows and its consequences for the health of neonate piglets. The aim of this study was to evaluate uterine activity at farrowing in sows with different gestation lengths, and its effect on the metabolic profile of neonates. Piglets born prematurely had lower birthweights and a higher incidence of apnoea, with severe physiometabolic alterations.

The cell wall digestibility (CWD) index is a suitable method for diet quality and fibre digestibility estimation. This manuscript provides a detailed description of fecal-NIRS calibrations for CWD ratio determination, which is a useful, non-invasive tool for monitoring variations in the diet quality of Mediterranean deer in their natural environment.

Models of louse prevalence in sheep were used to identify the management activities most likely to reduce costs associated with lice. The greatest predicted benefits were from improving the efficacy of treatment at shearing, and by greater attention to quarantine against lice entering on purchases or strays. A 25% increase in annual quarantine efficacy was predicted to reduce costs by one-third within 10 years of implementation.

The influence of cereal type (wheat, maize or sorghum) and fat source (soybean oil or tallow) on the performance and utilisation of fat in young broiler chickens was investigated. The effect of fat source on weight gain of broiler starters differed depending on the cereal base used. It was found that the feed efficiency and fat utilisation were better in birds fed soybean oil diets compared to those fed tallow supplemented diets.

The genetic basis of sexual dimorphism of bodyweight in Zandi sheep was investigated. Except for birthweight, for which estimates of variance components and genetic parameters were higher in females, for other traits, estimates were higher in males. However, regarding direct and maternal effects, none of the differences between the sexes was significant, indicating no need for sex-specific selection strategies.

This study evaluated the ability of equations developed from the analysis of faecal material by conventional chemistry, and by near-infrared spectroscopy, to predict intake and digestibility of forages fed with or without supplements. Good agreement between the conventional chemistry and near-infrared spectroscopy methods was evident (according to a 95% limits-of-agreement test), and both predicted the reference values precisely and with small bias.

New approaches to improve post-thawed sperm quality in rams are needed. The results of this study showed that Tris-based extender containing 1.5% (w/v) soybean lecithin can maintain post-thawed sperm quality better than other commercial extenders investigated. The findings may be beneficial to improve artificial insemination efficiency in sheep industry.

The aim of this study was to highlight the potential risk factors that influence the reproductive outcome in automatic milking systems under pasture based condition. At the reported production levels and milking frequencies for Australian pastured cows, milk yield and milking frequency during 100 days in milk had no effect on reproductive measures. This type of study is important to minimise the reproductive losses by reviewing management strategies in automatic milking systems.

Lambs born in spring were weaned in summer when they began to graze natural pastures. In summer, natural pastures commonly present low protein content. Restricted grazing of natural pastures improved with legumes resulted in similar or better performance than supplementation with soybean meal. Including in the feeding plan natural pastures improved with high-protein forage species is an alternative as effective as the supply of soybean meal.

Dry-cured ham derived from native pig breeds is a highly valued product. The biochemical changes that take place during the processing are responsible of the final sensory characteristics. The effect of a short and a long ripening time on Chato Murciano dry-cured ham quality was studied. Results suggest that an appropriate time of processing is 22 months.

Greenhouse gas emissions from Australian agriculture are currently at 15% of national emissions and mitigation research is an important way of showing farmers how they might reduce their agricultural emissions. This research uses farm management practices to examine if producing more product across an animal’s lifetime affects emissions and profitability on farm enterprises. The results show that the potential for greater profitability on farm enterprises is driven more by increasing production than from claiming carbon offsets.

Substitution of corn with fibrous by-product into the diets of lactating dairy goats was studied. The fibrous by-product was beet pulp, and higher methane emission was observed than corn diet. Replacing corn with beet pulp did not compromise milk performance in dairy goats.

Molasses is a widely used energy source for cattle in the tropics but the extent to which it supports microbial protein production in the rumen is unclear. This study investigated the effect of increasing the molasses content in the diet of steers on protein synthesis in the rumen and on intake of the animals. Protein synthesis was within expected limits but low intake remains a limitation to cattle production from molasses-based diets.

Extended milking intervals have a negative effect on milk yield and udder health. Analysis of cow traffic data from an automatic milking system found that previous milking refusal was not the main cause of extended milking intervals. These cows could be sorted to an area close to the dairy; however, management should focus on reducing time cows spend between milkings in any one pasture allocation.

It is important to identify valuable alternative to antibiotics in rabbit production to control the problem of antibiotic resistance of bacteria. Mannanoligosaccharides and inulin are able to effect similar results to antibiotics in rabbit growth. Mannanoligosaccharides were more effective than inulin at improving rabbit performance during growing.

Ellagic acid present in fruits and nuts has been shown to have antioxidant and antiapoptotic properties. This study aimed to evaluate dietary supplementation of ellagic acid on rooster semen quality. The levels used had no effect on gross semen parameters.