Reproductive rate is an important profit driver in sheep enterprises. The aims of this study were to quantify the relationships between age at first oestrus and yearling reproductive performance, and reproduction performance across age classes in sheep. Our results support the current practice of analysing yearling reproductive performance as a separate trait from later reproductive performance in Australia’s genetic evaluation system and indicate that age at first oestrus is not a reliable measure of sexual maturity in sheep.

The paper follows on from previous analysis within the series and examines the potential to select for reduced fluctuations in weight and fat across the production cycle in Merinos. The results suggest that the ewe’s genes do not influence the magnitude of fluctuations in weight or fat in response to environmental and reproductive stress. It is concluded that the ability to select against weight and condition change across the production cycle is limited and selection should instead be focussed on optimising ewe condition.

The paper is the first in a series and examines the potential to select for reduced fluctuations in weight and fat across the production cycle. The results suggest that neither sire breed nor sire influenced the magnitude of fluctuations in ewe weight or fat in response to environmental and reproductive stress. It is concluded that to avoid low fat reserves and low fertility during ‘tough’ periods, to improve adult ewe body condition and weight selection can be made on post-weaning measurements.

Embryo loss represents a major source of reproductive wastage in Merino ewe lambs. Their mean ovulation rate was 150%; however, up to 84% of this potential was lost by weaning. The major contributor to this deficit were losses occurring during the first 17 days after mating. Pregnancy success was significantly higher for ewe lambs from sires with higher breeding values for weight and fat at post-weaning age (8–10 months).

TOC Abstract

Birthweight is the single largest determinant of survival in lambs and can be predicted from ewe liveweight at conception and liveweight changes during pregnancy. Coefficients relating ewe liveweight change during pregnancy to lamb birthweights are similar for Merino and Maternal ewes, whereas conception weights of Maternal ewes are significantly heavier than Merino ewes when run together, and lamb birthweights from Maternal ewes are less responsive to ewe conception weights.

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.

Improving the reproductive performance of sheep is a national research priority, but identifying which components of the reproductive process should be the highest priority for further research is complex. This analysis determined the potential benefit to industry from increasing conception, survival of single- or twin-born lambs, survival of ewes at lambing, weaner survival and early reproductive success. Increasing the survival of twin-born lambs was the area with the highest pay-off, whereas increasing weaner survival had the lowest pay-off.

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 paper follows on from previous analysis within the series and examines the potential to select for reduced fluctuations in weight and fat across the production cycle. The results suggest that the ewe’s genes do not influence the magnitude of fluctuations in weight or fat in response to environmental and reproductive stress. It is concluded that to avoid low fat reserves and low fertility during ‘tough’ periods, selection to improve ewe body condition can made at any time.

Genetic variation in lamb autopsy traits may offer selection opportunities to improve lamb survival. Lambs autopsied in the Australian Sheep CRC information nucleus flocks were used to estimate heritabilites and genetic correlations between traits. While the heritability of lamb survival is low, Lamb ease and thorax circumference appear to be useful indicator traits to improve lamb survival.

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.

Poor lamb survival limits the achievement of good reproductive efficiency of sheep in many countries. The opportunities for genetic improvement of lamb survival are reviewed, with the prospects found to be better than previously thought. Notwithstanding the importance of good nutrition and management, combinations of direct and indirect selection may ultimately make a valuable contribution to improving lamb survival.

Nutrient and environment related oxidative stress can impact rams and ewes during the reproductive period, resulting in low reproductivity and high lamb mortality. Managing oxidative stress of the newborn by giving ewes large dose of dietary antioxidants, like vitamin E and selenium, could boost immune competency of ewes and lambs to improve lamb survival. A number of related issues remain to be resolved for Australian environments.

Achieving higher lamb weaning percentages by reducing lamb mortality can improve the profitability of sheep enterprises. We estimated the financial benefits from providing shelter to reduce the mortality of twin lambs on two modelled sheep enterprises in south-west Victoria. The reduction in mortality that could be achieved was a key factor determining benefits and the profitability of sheep enterprises lambing during high chill weather conditions could be improved by providing low cost shelter.

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.

Rice straw has generally not been considered as a feed for dairy cattle in the developed world, partly due to its tough physical character. While our results confirmed the lower nutritional value of rice vs. wheat straw, they demonstrated the practical utility of using energy restriction/re-alimentation feeding systems to increase heifer growth efficiency.

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.

Ram reproductive potential is affected by nutrition and its action at testicular level may be mediated by leptin, although the specific compartment expressing its receptor (Ob-Rb) remains uncertain. After 14 weeks of improved nutrition, we promoted histological changes linked to increased spermatogenesis, and found that the Ob-Rb expression in the Leydig cell cytoplasm was similar among treatments.

A large source of reproductive wastage in the Australian sheep flock has traditionally been lamb loss at birth or in the neonatal period. This review examines the history of reported losses throughout Australia and the latest evidence for levels of lamb survival now that pregnancy scanning technologies are available. The review also examines the main causes of deaths and strategies for improving survival including nutrition, shelter and management choice to alter ewe-lamb bonding.

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.

We extracted acetic acid-soluble and pepsin-soluble collagen from antler velvet. Thermal denaturation temperature and peptide mapping were similar between antler and porcine type I collagen. There is a possibility of using collagen extracted from elk antler velvet as an alternative to using porcine or cattle collagen for industrial purposes.

There is no published data on the energy requirements of growing Bali cattle. Bulls were fed diets similar to those commonly used in East Timor and their metabolisable energy requirements for maintenance and production were measured. Bali cattle energy requirements are similar to those of other beef breeds. This information will help improve feeding management and food security.

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.

The main purpose of this study was to find out the effect of season on chemical composition and microbial quality of milk and yoghurt produced from sheep milk. Data revealed that the quality of yoghurt samples made in winter was better than those made in summer; so the marketability of dairy products could be affected by season.

Dry matter production and nutritive characteristics of the pasture feed-base during pregnancy and lactation are key drivers of ewe and lamb performance. A paddock-scale field experiment in Victoria, Australia, evaluated plantain as a forage alternative to perennial ryegrass for lambing ewes. There were rarely differences in forage or livestock performance between the forage species. Based on our experiment, there are no clear benefits of using plantain instead of perennial ryegrass for lambing ewes.

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.

Organic and inorganic Se supplementation would be useful for producers who raise animals in Se-deficient regions. There is higher efficiency of L-selenomethionin (Se-Met) than the sodium selenite (SS) supplement. The kids with adequate levels of Se obtain more maternal antibodies in colostrum. Both Se supplementations in pregnant goats improved Se status of goats and the newborn kids. The Se-Met supplement could have influenced passive immunity of kids.

The candidate-gene approach could identify genes influencing the superovulatory response. The study was to analyse associations between the number of embryos recovered and polymorphisms of LHβ and GnRHR genes and showed that two SNPs had significant effects on the number of embryos recovered. LHβ and GnRHR genes are potential markers for the number of embryos recovered.

We analysed the effect of body condition at calving (BCS) on endocrine and metabolic profiles during the transition period in primiparous Hereford cows grazing native grassland. Cows with a BCS of 4 or higher showed higher metabolic resilience during transition periods associated with BCS evolution, IGF-I levels and changes in NEFA profiles. These patterns reflected the short- and long-term cow nutritional history.

The effect of body condition score at calving, suckling restriction and flushing on metabolic and reproductive responses of primiparous beef cows were investigated. Suckling and flushing affected metabolic endocrine profiles temporarily. The increase in insulin and IGF-I by flushing depended on the body condition score at calving, which was consistent with reproductive outcomes.

Production of canola seed is increasing in the United States and alternate uses for seeds other than oil may be necessary in the future. On-farm use of whole canola seed for ruminant livestock production is discussed, but little is known regarding necessary processing to optimise digestion in grazing cattle. Grinding of whole canola seed should provide a viable protein supplement that requires minimal processing before feeding.

Yolk hormones play an important role in the regulation of offspring development through maternal effects. In this study, we aimed to determine whether the enzyme 3βHSD1 has an effect on yolk progesterone; we found that 3βHSD1 in the follicular wall may play a key role in the accumulation of yolk progesterone. This finding may be used to improve the quality of offspring by further research.

The combination of medicinal plants and probiotics is a new possibility for addition to cattle feed supplements, as it provides complementary antioxidant and antimicrobial activities and lacks side effects. This study aimed to ferment Alisma canaliculatum with multi-strain probiotics and investigate its effects on Hanwoo steers. Alisma canaliculatum probiotics showed a potential role in improving growth performance, carcass characteristics and meat oxidative stability of beef cattle.

Short-term elevated nutrition around mating is a potential means of increasing the number of lambs born to ewes. This study showed that ewes grazing live pasture for 7 days before and during the first 7 days of mating in autumn can produce more lambs than those grazing dead herbage. This method provides a simple, natural means of increasing lamb production.

Three tropical browse legumes were assayed in vitro to estimate the proportion of the response in different parameters when tannins are inactivated with polyethylene glycol (biological effect). Tannins differing in their amount or chemical nature may have different biological effect and this may be an easy and rapid index of the microbial fermentation pattern of tropical feeds.

Automatic monitoring of farm animals could be a useful tool in large-scale husbandry. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between pig activity and environmental parameters in a piggery by means of image analysis. Climate variations affected occupation and activity indices of animals, which could be used as indicators of the of pigs’ physiological status change in response to external inputs.

Feeding high amounts of supplements to grazing dairy cows as a mixed ration containing maize grain can increase milk production responses compared to traditional systems of feeding supplements. An experiment showed that cows fed PMR had higher ruminal pH than cows fed grain and silage separately, but that this did not result in any changes to whole tract digestibility. Benefits of PMR systems are presumably related to increased intake of both supplement and pasture rather than improvements in digestibility.

Commercial producers should access available crossbreeding systems using existing swine breeds before application. In this study, the profits of terminal, rotational and rotaterminal cross were evaluated using three imported swine breeds in south-western China, and their profits were ￥3895.15, 3749.02 and 3317.33/sow, respectively. The results suggested terminal cross or rotaterminal cross should maximise effective use of heterosis and breed complementarity in China.

Starvation/mismothering is a major cause of lamb loss in the early neonatal period and is related to the ability of the ewe–lamb unit to maintain contact during this time. This study investigates whether Merino lambs from sires selected for high or low loss due to starvation/mismothering differ in lamb vigour, particularly at a time when the ewe would be moving away from the birth site and ewe–lamb contact would need to be maintained. Differences in lamb vigour at this time could help to explain why some sires have consistently high losses due to starvation/mismothering and have potential to be used as a selection tool.

Supplementation of poultry diets with selenium is becoming a common practice to sustain bird health and boost production. In this study we compared two organic selenium sources (selenohomolanthionine and selenomethionine) in relation to growth performance, nutrient utilisation, oxidative stress and selenium tissue concentrations. While the birds performed similarly irrespectively of the two sources of selenium used, the ones supplemented with selenohomolanthionine had higher selenium concentration in muscle tissue, therefore selenium-enriched chicken meat might provide an important delivery system for this trace element to humans.

Aggression in pigs is a serious issue in pig farming since it poses enormous welfare and economic problems. This study aimed to use acoustic-reward learning as a new approach to reduce the incidence of aggression among pigs. The presented method showed some potential to reduce the frequency and duration of aggressive actions among young piglets.

Milk harvesting is a fundamental component of dairy farming and affects all parts of the business from cows to people and financial performance. Previous researchers have investigated strategies to improve the efficiency of different components of milking, without quantifying the effect that these strategies, or combinations of them, may have on the overall milking system. This study analysed the effect of rotary size, platform speed, cluster attachment time, milk yield and end-of-milking criteria on cow throughput, operator efficiency and return on investment.

Different systems for feeding high amounts of supplements to grazing dairy cows were compared. Feeding supplements on a feedpad as a mixed ration containing canola meal can have milk-production advantages over feeding grain in the dairy at milking times. This information will be important for farmers needing to feed high amounts of supplements because of climate variability.

There is potential for lamb to be promoted as a meat-based functional food. Carnitine from lamb has been found to reduce the liver fat content of rats. Meat-based functional foods are being seen as an opportunity to improve the ‘image’ of meat as a healthy product.

Qualitative behavioural assessment (QBA) has been used to quantify the expressive behaviour of pregnant ewes at varying body condition score. Animals were assessed through QBA during a feed motivation test. Ewes maintained at BCS 3 scored low on GPA dimension 1 (i.e. were described as more calm/bored/comfortable) compared with ewes that had a slow declining BCS (described as more interested/anxious/excited).

High stocking densities can have adverse effects on the welfare of broiler chickens. The effects of stocking density and perch availability on the growth, behaviour, and health characteristics of broilers were investigated. The results suggest that perches have a limited effect on the performance, behaviour, and welfare of broilers stocked at high densities. The improvement of broiler welfare needs an all-encompassing solution rather than a modification of any single facility.

Weaning and improved feeding of weaned Bali cattle can improve cash flow of smallholder farming households in eastern Indonesia. This experiment aimed to evaluate feeding strategies to increase growth of weaned Bali cattle that may be implemented in village cattle production systems. Feeding certain tree legumes to weaned Bali cattle can increase liveweight gain and potentially increase household cash flow.

Applied participatory research on large-ruminant health and production was conducted in northern Lao PDR to establish baseline production variables, including liveweight, average daily weight gain and reproductive performance. The study indicated that improved large-ruminant productivity, by improving health and nutrition practices, offers opportunities for smallholders to increase livestock income, reduce rural poverty and enhance regional food security.

Vitamin D₃ and strontium have been closely aligned in human therapeutics for the treatment of osteoporosis. Consequently, a broiler experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of feeding various concentrations of vitamin D₃ with or without strontium on chicken performance, mineral retention, and bone composition. High levels of vitamin D depressed growth and feed efficiency but this was alleviated by the addition of strontium. Vitamin D and strontium together increased mineral retention but not bone mass. Further research needs to be undertaken.

Autochthonous cattle breeds have been replaced by more productive cosmopolite breeds to maximise dairy and beef production. This study achieved positive results regarding beef production traits of Slovenian autochthonous Cika bulls compared to Simmental bulls fed two finishing diets. Farmers should finish their Cika male stocks for beef production to conserve this genetic resource and increase the energy density of the traditional grass-based diets.

High quality maize is crucial raw material in modern chicken nutrition. This study examined the effect of maize endosperm hardness, drying temperature, and enzyme addition on chicken performance and nutrient utilisation. The results suggest that maize endosperm hardness and high drying temperature can negatively influence nutrient utilisation. Blends of phytase and xylanase have potential as a tool to improve the nutritional value of overheated maize.

It is well established that broilers show better performance when offered pelleted diets. This study examined the growth responses of broiler finishers to changes in pellet size, and showed that while broilers express a preference for a smaller pellet diameter, there is no negative effect of pellet length on performance. This approach suggests that only the manipulation of pellet length may be used to improve broiler production.

Poor post-weaning survival of sheep in Australia is an important problem but its variation across different production systems is not well described. In this survey of weaner management of 1410 woolgrowers, average weaner mortality was 4.6%, but 44% of farms overall, including 32% of crossbred enterprises, exceeded the recommended mortality benchmark.  However, farm and management factors were identified that could be manipulated to improve survival, in accordance with the findings of smaller, regional studies

There is growing interest in converting castor cake to alternative feed sources for ruminants due to the nutritional content of this byproduct. Although the effects of castor cake feeding on livestock reproduction are not well understood, this study found that detoxified castor cake could be used as an alternative protein source without affecting goat reproductive performance. The findings from this study should provide information on alternative methods for reducing the costs of small ruminant feed.

Millrun, a by-product of wheat milling, is a low-cost ingredient that could be better utilised in pig diets. Millrun inclusion in diets for weaner pigs is generally restricted to 5–10% because of its high fibre content. This study showed that the inclusion level could be increased to 50% without compromising pig performance, if diets are formulated appropriately. Liquid feeding of diets increased feed conversion ratio, but adding enzymes to degrade fibre and improve its digestibility did not improve performance.

Sheep are joined at different seasons to supply the year-round demand from domestic and export lamb markets. Lambing performance was generally higher from crossbred ewes joined in autumn than spring, with winter being intermediate, although there were significant ewe breed x season interactions. Ewe genotypes with higher out-of-season reproduction will be more suited to intensive and accelerated lamb production systems.

Artificial insemination is widespread in the Australian sheep industry so it is important to know if lamb mortality is comparable as with natural mating. This project showed that lamb mortality was similar to natural mating at around 20% with dystocia and starvation-mismothering accounting for 72% of lamb deaths. Therefore artificial insemination can be validly used for sheep reproduction studies.