bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An investigation of the total and airborne dust dynamics on two equine arena surfaces
Authors: Bell A. , Brigden C.V. , Northrop A.J. , Martin J.H.
Published: June 2019

Respiratory disease poses a significant threat to the health and athletic performance of both horses and riders, necessitating the reduction of potential pollutants within equine environments (Deaton and Marlin, 2004). Enhanced management protocols for minimising respiratory irritants within equine housing have been developed, however knowledge of such pollutants in exercise areas remains ambiguous. The aim of this project was to investigate total dust levels and airborne surface dust dynamics during riding sessions on two different widely used arena surfaces.
An investigation into daily fluctuations in faecal pH in healthy equine
Authors: Hale C.E. , Tompson A.L.
Published: June 2019

Laminitis is often recognised as one of the most common causes of lameness in horses. This painful condition has obvious far-reaching implications for the welfare of affected animals, yet, despite the prevalence and seriousness of laminitis, the exact aetiology of the disease has still to be unanimously identified. It is generally accepted that acidosis within the hind gut of the horse is a predisposing factor to the onset of laminitis (Bailey et al., 2003). Fast digestive transit times and low production rates of α-amylase, result in the horse being relatively inefficient at the breakdown of starch within the small intestine. Rapid fermentation of cereal starch in the caecum and dorsal colon will ultimately yield lactic acid and can culminate in changes to the caecal bacterial populations (Bailey et al, 2003). Rising lactic acid levels, coupled with a drop in pH will result in the development of acidosis. It is believed that a window of opportunity exists between the occurrence of acidosis and the development of the symptoms associated with laminitis (Al Jassim, 2005) in which changes to diet could be made, thus preventing the eventual onset of the disease. It has been established that faecal pH is intrinsically linked to caecal pH, and studies reporting diet-induced pH changes in both horses (McLean et al., 2000) and pigs (Cahn et al., 1998), have shown close correlation between faecal and caecal pH. It is therefore postulated that faecal pH may be an indication of acidotic conditions within the hindgut of the horse and a faecal test to indicate acidotic status would obviously be of benefit. The aim of this study was to investigate optimal collection times of faecal samples destined for pH analysis, and to establish whether time of feeding significantly altered faecal pH, thus enabling further work to be carried out on the development of a faecal test for acidosis.
Investigation into the substitution of alfalfa with sugar beet pulp on milk yield and composition of Holstein cows
Authors: Bojarpour M. , Godarzi A M , Dabire N.
Published: June 2019

The non-NDF carbohydrates (NFC) are important sources of energy in the ration of high producing cows. The fibre must be proper quality and particle size to insure maximum DMI, optimal chewing activity, normal ruminal fermentation, and milk fat percentage. The NRC (1989) recommends 25 to 28% NDF in the rations of lactating cows; a minimum of 75% of the NDF should come from forages. These recommendations provide no adjustment for the physical effectiveness of the fibre, interactions among fibre sources and non fibre carbohydrates, or animal characteristics that may influence ration design. Few data are available to document the effect of the substitution of by-product NDF for forage NDF; our objective was to determine the effect of the substitution of alfalfa NDF from sugar beet on DMI, milk yield and composition, chewing activity, faecal and rumen pH, and apparent digestibility of DM.
Responses of early lactating dairy Holstein cows to diet containing acid treated lucerne silage
Authors: Danesh Mesgaran M. , Behgar M. , Nasirimoghaddam H. , Kermanshahi H. , Hassanpour Fard Khorashad M.
Published: June 2019

Ensiling of forage rather than drying for hay become more common in many areas because of weather condition, field losses and other risks. Lucerne protein is subjected to extensive degradation during ensiling. Organic and inorganic acids as silage additives could decrease protein degradation of lucerne during ensiling. Cows fed on formic acid treated lucerne silage produced more daily milk and milk per ton of harvested forage. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of diet containing untreated (U) or treated (T) lucerne silage with formic and sulphuric acids on performance of early lactating dairy Holstein cows.
Effects of substitution barley grain with dried citrus pulp on performance of Holstein dairy cows
Authors: Bayat J. , Valizadeh R. J. , Eftekhari Shahroudi F. , Naserian A. A. , Tahmasebi A. , Safari R.
Published: June 2019

Dried citrus pulp (DCP) as a by-product from juice extraction of citrus fruit can be used as a feedstuff for ruminant animals (Belbaskis and Tsirgogianni, 1996). The DCP is composed of peel, inside portions, and culled fruits of the citrus family (e.g., orange, lemons, and grapefruit). The DCP is a pectin-rich bulky concentrate that is rich source of energy, fibre and calcium, but poor in CP and phosphorous. There is a different of opinion among researchers about the effect of DCP on milk yield, milk composition and blood metabolites components. The main objective of this experiment was to evaluated effects replacement of dried citrus pulp with barley grain on milk yield, milk composition and blood metabolites of dairy cows.
Effects of birth weight and sex on some economic traits in Brown Swiss calves
Authors: Saremi Behnam , Rahimi Atieh
Published: June 2019

From birth to weaning calves tolerate most stress include metabolic stress and parturition and at new environment obtained nutrients from milk instead of mother blood. In order to successful production of calves, a set of nutritional and environmental management is needed. Calves mortality from birth to weaning is too much and cost effective for dairy industry. Instead, there is low mortality of heifers from weaning to parturition (1). Brown Swiss breed has low population in respect to Holstein in Iran. Low data is available about Brown Swiss population especially Brown Swiss calves. This study conducted to determine some information about Brown Swiss calves from birth to weaning and factors affecting economic traits at this period.
Analysing the risk of a bovine brucellosis epidemic in Great Britain using the cattle tracing scheme: have we just been lucky so far?
Authors: Wright A. J. , Green D. M. , Kao R. R.
Published: June 2019

Bovine Brucellosis is a widespread, economically devastating and highly infectious zoonosis caused by Brucella abortus. In cattle it causes premature abortion around five to seven months into the normal nine month gestation and the disease can be transferred to humans through milk. Great Britain (GB) has been “Officially Brucellosis Free” (OBF) since 1991 and it is in the country’s best interest to maintain this status. There have been three reintroductions of the disease since 2003, the most recent in a beef herd in Cornwall 2004 (DEFRA, 2004). Such outbreaks threaten the UK’s OBF status. By identifying epidemiological risk factors and using data from the Cattle Tracing Scheme for GB (CTS) we examined the spatial and temporal patterns of births for both the whole of GB and the South West region in particular and used this information to identify risk periods due to cattle births. Then cattle movements originating from, or ending in Cornwall (the location of the last outbreak) were identified from the CTS database. A subset of 57 000 high-risk, potentially infectious, moves were identified and examined to establish the potential spatial spread of the disease from these movements.
Dietary zinc oxide supplementation in weaner piglets does not cause differential expression of digestive enzymes
Authors: Sargeant H. , Miller H.M. , Shaw M.A.
Published: June 2019

Piglet weaner diets are often supplemented with the antimicrobial mineral zinc oxide (ZnO) to minimise the characteristic growth check post weaning in commercial systems. Zinc has been shown to decrease the incidence of scours, maintain gut morphology and feed intake, and increase growth rate, although the mechanism for these effects remains unclear. Weaning is often accompanied with a decrease in digestive enzyme production by enterocytes, decreasing digestive and absorptive capacity. Digestive enzyme requirements also alter with the dietary change from milk to a solid cereal-based diet, and improvements in enzymatic adaptations may increase digestion and absorption and improve feed utilisation. It is hypothesised in this study that the growth effects of ZnO are linked to improvement in digestion by altering digestive enzyme expression and activity. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the effects of ZnO are linked to expression of the digestive enzymes lactase phlorizin hydrolase (LPH) and aminopeptidase N (ANPEP) in the small intestine (S.I.).
Sustainable utilisation of cassava plant for feeding monogastric animals
Authors: Akinfala E.O. , Matanmi O.
Published: June 2019

Nigeria, which produces an estimated 34 million metric tons of cassava annually, is the leading producer of cassava world-wide (FAO, 2004a). There have been several studies by many scientists on the use of cassava for livestock feeding. Most of these studies centred on the use of either flour or peels or leaves. Besides, most of these studies confirmed the suitability of cassava flour to replace maize partially or wholly in the diets of all species of livestock. The replacement of maize with cassava flour was reported to be economical. These findings appeared to have been over taken by events and recently in Nigeria, cassava has been attracting interest as an industrial crop having found various uses in the starch, pharmaceutical, bread, and biscuit industries. This has made the price of cassava flour to be on the increase. Based on the high cost of cassava flour, its use to replace maize is becoming unattractive economically. As a result of this, attempt was made to reduce the flour content in the diets of monogastric animals considerably by adding more of peels, leaves, and tender-stems. Most of these by products from cassava especially peel, leaves, and tender-stems are under-utilised as they are often left to rot away after harvest on farms and homesteads where cassava is grown in Nigeria. Hence, the objective of these studies was to evaluate the effect of inclusion of various products and by products obtainable from cassava in a single or composite diet on the performance of monogastric animals.
The effect of mixed enzyme and chemical treatment of bagasse, untreated and steam pre-treated sugarcane pith on in vitro digestion of dry matter
Authors: Chaji Morteza , Naserian Abasali , Valizadeh Reza , Eftekharishahroodi Freidon
Published: June 2019

Crop residues are a major source of low-quality biomass that can be fed to ruminants. Sugarcane bagasse and sugarcane pith, the residue after rind removal, are highly lignified by products of the sugar and paper industries, respectively (Muller, 1978). The low digestibility, high lignin and very low nitrogen content, are considered the main reasons for unsatisfactory performance of animals fed this roughage. Steam-pressure treatment cleavage the bounds between lignin and the other component of the cell wall, These are associated with the improved utilization of cell wall polysaccharides in the steam pre-treated materials by cell-free enzymes and enzymes of the rumen microbial ecosystem. The possibility of increasing nutritive value of fibrous feedstuffs by enzymes treatment has been studied in recent years. A number of studies in the 1960s involving cattle and sheep showed that enzymes substantially improved feed digestibility and animal performance, but results were often inconsistent The objectives of our study were to characterize the response of sugarcane bagasse, pith, untreated and steam treated, to sodium hydroxide and enzyme mixtures treatment.
Microscopic Studies and Molecular Identification of Ruminal Zygomycetes Fungi in Sheep
Authors: Sekhavati Mohammad Hadi , Nassiry Mohammad Reza , Danesh Mesgaran Mohsen , Mohammadi Amir , Javadmanesh Ali , Esmaeilzadeh Hossein
Published: June 2019

Rumen is an area with high potential for growing of diverse living organisms including anaerobic fungi. The most studies on rumen fungi focused on anaerobic fungi classified asChytridiomycetes, familyNeocallimasticaceas, while few studies have done on determination ofZygomycetesthat can be native in the rumen. The most fungi within the subkingdomZygomycotinabelong to the classZygomycetes. Fungi in this class possess some distinctive properties that contain rapid growth, nonseptate mycelium, reproduction by sporangiospores (Pittet al., 1985) and production of some hydrolytic enzymes (Vinogradovaet al.,2003). The aim of this study was microscopic examination and molecular analysis of nuclear small subunit (SSU; 18S rDNA) of ruminal fungi,Zygomycete, and its reproductive manner in sheep.
Non-toxic plant tannins as silage additives: effect on proteolysis during ensilage
Authors: Deaville E.R. , Givens D.I. , Mueller-Harvey I.
Published: June 2019

Sustainable ruminant livestock systems must promote an efficient use of resources for food production and minimise their environmental impact. Intensive dairy cow production, based on grass silage, is a major contributor to nitrogen (N) loss to the environment, estimated as 18.2 t N/t milk for grass silage-based diets (Delaby et al., 1995). It is widely accepted that this low efficiency (milk N/dietary N) value reflects the low efficiency of capture in the rumen of the extensively degraded N fraction in grass silage (Givens and Rulquin, 2004). A common feature of plant tannins is their capacity to bind proteins and an improvement in N utilisation by ruminants has been reported for a number of tanniniferous feeds (Mueller-Harvey, 2006). Therefore, the aim of the present experiment was to study the potential of various commercial non-toxic tannin products to reduce proteolysis during ensilage.
Kale-based out-wintering systems for weaned Aberdeen Angus cross and Limousin cross steers during a winter store period
Authors: Hyslop J. J. , Fleming D. , Hill G. J.
Published: June 2019

Since de-coupling of CAP subsidy schemes from actual animal production, lowering the costs of finishing cattle production systems is one of the key challenges facing the beef industry. One of the largest costs associated with finished cattle production from spring-born suckled calves is the costs of over-wintering the weaned steer calf once the suckling phase is over. The capital tied up in buildings is a major component of these costs in countries such as the UK where the relatively harsh winter environments have traditionally led to many weaned suckled calves being housed and fed conserved forages over the winter months to ensure adequate performance. Previous work (Hyslop et al, 2006) has shown that under appropriate field conditions, non-lactating, spring calving suckler cows can be out-wintered on both grazed kale or turnip based-systems with an acceptable degree of animal performance. The objective of the current study was to determine liveweight (LW) changes in weaned spring-born suckled calf steers when managed outdoors on kale-based grazing systems during a short winter feeding period and to assess the dirtiness of steers hides at the end of the kale grazing period.
Effect of encapsulated conjugated linoleic acid isomers on carcass composition of beef steers
Authors: Richardson R.I. , Fisher A.J. , Wood J.D. , Shingfield K.J.
Published: June 2019

Dietary supplements of a mixture of CLA isomers have been shown to reduce body fat accretion in mice and pigs with the trans-10, cis-12 isomer probably being responsible for the anti-lipogenic effects. The efficacy of calcium salts of a mixture of CLA methyl esters containing trans-10, cis-12, on milk fat synthesis, is relatively low (Bernal-Santos et al., 2003) and reported lack of effects on growth may be due to low efficacy and the short duration of CLA supplementation, during the last 32 or 60 days before slaughter, and the relatively low level of trans-10, cis-12 CLA fed. Shingfield et al (2004) demonstrated the potential of rumen protected supplements of a mixture of CLA isomers to reduce milk fat content and improve the energy status of dairy cows during early lactation. The current experiment used a lipid-encapsulated supplement containing equal amounts of cis-9, trans-11 and trans-10, cis-12 CLA methyl esters to study the effects on the performance and carcass characteristics of Limousin steers during a 100d finishing period.
Performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens fed diets supplemented with graded levels of feed enzyme Roxazyme-G®
Authors: Adesehinwa A.O.K. , Omojola A.B.
Published: June 2019

Feed remains the most important cost in animal production. The need for feed ingredients, which will reduce the cost of production, is the basis for most livestock feed and production research. Man and his livestock are in competition for the basic ingredients. Availability of such feed ingredients thus becomes the key limiting factor in poultry production, hence the need for alternative and locally available feedstuffs. The presence of undegradable and complex carbohydrate, non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs) in some alternative and locally available feedstuffs exerts some anti-nutritional properties and thus can limit their use in livestock feeding (Yoruk et al., 2006). Worse still is the fact that chickens are not capable of hydrolyzing NSPs that mask protein carbohydrate (Petterson and Aman, 1989). Exogenous enzyme supplementation has been reported to be used in poultry diets to improve nutrient utilization, the health and welfare of the birds, product quality and to reduce pollution as well as to increase the choice and content of ingredients which are acceptable for inclusion in diets (Aderemi et al., 2006). Since most work with exogenous enzymes has been carried out to evaluate its effect on feed intake and growth characteristics of broilers, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of graded level of feed enzyme Roxazyme-G® on the performance, carcass and meat qualities of broiler finishers.
Performance response and carcass traits of broiler chicks which drank saline water and fed on diets supplemented with betaine
Authors: Honarbakhsh Shirin , Zaghari Mojtaba , Shivazad Mahmood
Published: June 2019

High levels of TDS in drinking water, has negative effects on broiler performance. Consumption of saline water results in increases blood pressure. In order to expulsion salt, water consumption increases, total amount of blood K decreases and an increment occurs in litter moisture. Consequently performance decreases, anion-cation becomes imbalance and some diseases such as ascites and coccidiosis happen. Change in anion-cation balance affects a lot of physiologic and metabolic functions of body, so can reduces performance and also increases FCR. Nowadays poultry producers in regions with high levels of NaCl in water, try to solve the problem by reducing NaCl content diet, purifying water or etc. Current study examined betaine supplementation for searching another way to get rid of this problem. Betaine implicated in methionine sparing and osmotic stress protection. It can protect intracellular proteins against hyper tonicity induced denaturation. Betaine is a naturally-occurring product present in relatively large quantities in sugar beet and aquatic invertebrates, but is not present in most animal feedstuffs (Wang et al., 2004). As a by-product of sugar beet processing, betaine is commercially available as a feed additive (Eklund et al., 2005).To date, concerning to our knowledge no information has been published about the osmolytic effects of betaine on performance and carcass traits of broilers in response to saline water consumption.
Niche market opportunities for rare livestock breeds
Authors: Wood J. D. , Lutwyche R. H. L.
Published: June 2019

Some of the many pig, sheep and cattle breeds in the British Isles are present in very small numbers and in only a few locations. The names of these rare/traditional breeds often reflect the place they originated from, e.g. Gloucesteshire Old Spots pigs. They are ‘unimproved’ in the sense that they have not been bred for greater production. The Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) has an important role in the conservation of these breeds. The Traditional Breeds Meat Marketing Co Ltd (TBMM) developed out of RBST to market meat from them on the basis that one of the best ways to conserve breeds is to develop markets for their produce, making it financially feasible for farmers to maintain them. Consumers are often prepared to pay a higher price for the meat, which offsets higher production costs.
Why Agriculture in the UK is as it is
Authors: Marsh J. S.
Published: June 2019

Agricultural activity is determined by the simultaneous operation of four underlying exogenous forces, natural resources, markets, science and social values. All these forces have been changing and the UK agricultural industry, including not only farms but all the businesses involved in turning raw materials into food and other consumer products are compelled to adapt. An account of agriculture today is in practice a single frame of a moving picture.
Enhancing crop-livestock systems for agricultural productivity, food security and reduced poverty in developing countries
Authors: Lenne J. M.
Published: June 2019

Mixed farming systems, in which crops and livestock are integrated on the same farm, are the backbone of small-scale agriculture in most developing countries (Lenné and Thomas, 2006). Crops and livestock contribute in a diversity of ways to enhancing the livelihoods of the poor through provision of food, income, draught power and employment. Livestock are a major source of high-quality protein, minerals, vitamins and micro-nutrients for developing country populations and livestock-derived food items contribute significantly to agricultural GDP. Animals also play a major role in improving food security in such countries, because cash income obtained from the sale of animals is regularly used to buy non-livestock food items and inputs to farming. It is predicted that the demand for livestock products in developing countries will increase substantially over the next 25 years (Delgado et al., 1999). Failure to meet the challenge of further growth in the livestock sector in these regions is likely to result in the growing urban demand for livestock products being met by subsidized imports. This will be to the detriment of small-scale producers and national and regional economic growth.
Regulation of gene transcription by fatty acids
Authors: Salter A.M.
Published: June 2019

Dietary lipids have the capacity to regulate many aspects of metabolism in a manner depend on chain length and the number, and position, of double bonds in the fatty acids they contain. For example, while long chain saturated fatty acids increase plasma cholesterol, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) have the opposite effect. PUFA also have a major impact on the activity of enzymes associated with carbohydrate metabolism and lipid biosynthesis and oxidation. The role of fatty acids as substrates in these pathways, and their conversion to eicosanoids, with different levels of activity depending on the parent molecule, represents two mechanisms whereby they exert such effects. However, more recently it has been established that fatty acids and/or their derivatives also have direct effects on the expression of genes for proteins regulating carbohydrate and lipid metabolism.
The effect of age and gender on the time taken for horses to learn an operant task
Authors: Moss K J , Greening L
Published: June 2019

The association between the age of a horse and their capacity for learning is understudied despite the large age range of horses used for both competition and leisure purposes in the UK and the considerable number of horses that swap over between different disciplines; for instance 4000 racehorse retire from racing each year and many go on to other careers including 900 each year going on to be polo ponies. A negative correlation between age and learning performance has been reported in test species to-date (Yagi et al., 1988); however relatively few studies have addressed this issue in equines (Madder & Price, 1980; Williams et al., 2004). The aim of the present study therefore was to investigate the association between a horse’s age and gender and the time taken to reach a pre-determined criterion during an operant learning task.
Genetic evaluation of UK sport horses for dressage competition
Authors: Stewart I , Woolliams J A , Brotherstone S
Published: June 2019

Many Northern European countries – including France, Germany, Sweden, Ireland, The Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark – perform genetic evaluations of sport horses (competing in dressage, show jumping or eventing). Publication of estimated breeding values (EBVs) aids selection of animals for breeding to produce progeny with high performance ability. At least 9 of the 10 top ranked horses in the 2008 Olympics individual grand prix freestyle dressage competition were from studbooks that perform genetic evaluations (5 Hanoverian, 2 each of Dutch and Swedish Warmblood). In the UK however, little genetic evaluation of our sports horses has been performed, and EBVs are not currently predicted. The aim of this study was to perform genetic evaluations of horses competing in dressage competitions in the UK.
Racehorse conformation and its’ potential to predict animal performance
Authors: Pocock L J , Litten-Brown J C
Published: June 2019

The conformation of horses can have a large effect on their movement and performance as working animals. This is particularly important for racehorses, as various aspects of body shape can increase or decrease racing performance. For example, steep shoulders are usually a hindrance for jumping, as well as more likely to be connected to lameness problems (Holstrom, 2003). Confirmation will have different effects depending on the type of race the horse is expected to run. A horse which is smaller and more compact will not perform as well in the same races as a larger horse, and the two animals are likely to do well over different styles of jump. For example, a horse with a lower, flatter jump is more likely to do well over hurdles than steeplechase fences, as the latter are larger and more likely to throw the horse off balance (Smith Thomas, 1974). Shoulder angle may prove to be a reliable indicator of success in performance horses, as sloping shoulders enables complete flexibility of the humerus, leading to longer strides and greater speed (Smith Thomas, 1974). Horses with shorter strides have been found to be more prone to lameness in the front legs as the shorter stride length causes the legs to be under more pressure from hitting the ground more frequently (Peham et al., 2001). It has been suggested that the length of the shoulder is also important (Schafer, 1981) and as it is linked to lung capacity -allowing for a deeper ribcage. The aim of this study was to compare conformation and performance in a number of racehorses.
An evaluation of the effect of nutritional strategy in early lactation on reproductive performance of Holstein-Friesian dairy cows
Authors: Gilmore H S , Young F J , Law R A , Wylie A R G , Patterson D C , Elliott C T , Mayne C S
Published: June 2019

Poor fertility is a major problem on dairy farms. On-farm studies indicate than pregnancy rates to first service have declined from approximately 55% between 1975 and 1982 to 39% between 1995 and 1998 (Royal et al., 2000), illustrating a decline of approximately 1% per year during this period. The cause is multifactorial and influenced by many factors including genetics, management and nutrition. Previous studies have reported improved fertility through nutritional modification in early lactation (Gong et al., 2002). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of nutritional strategy in early lactation on reproductive performance.
Changes in the bacterial populations in the equine hindgut following the addition of inulin to the diet
Authors: Newbold C J , Macías B , Crawford C , Elliott J , Harris P A , Bailey S R , McEwan N R
Published: June 2019

Laminitis in the horse is associated with the over consumption of rapidly fermentable carbohydrate, in the form of simple sugars, fructans and/or starch. The fermentation of excessive carbohydrate in the hind-gut can result in the production of lactic acid and other toxins which in turn may act as “laminitis trigger factors.” (Crawford et al., 2007). However, whilst it is known that susceptibility to laminitis varies within the equine population, little is known about the factors governing this variation. We have previously shown that 16S rRNA t-RFLP profile from bacteria extracted from equine faeces clustered weakly into two clades representing normal versus laminitis-prone ponies suggesting a difference in gut microflora between the two groups (Newbold et al., 2008). Here we have extended this observation using real time PCR to investigate changes in the number of streptococci and lactobacilli in the faeces of normal and laminitis-prone ponies following fructan administration.
Unravelling some mysteries of porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus (PRRSV) infections: new insights from modelling studies
Authors: Doeschl-Wilson A , Kyriazakis I , Galina-Pantoja L
Published: June 2019

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is an endemic pig disease in most European countries, causing respiratory distress, fever and growth reductions in growing pigs and increased litter mortality in sows. The disease is characterised by exceptionally long-term viral persistence within the host, a weak innate host immune response and delayed adaptive host immune response, and large between animal variation in the immune response (Murtaugh et al., 2004). Although numerous in-vitro and in-vivo studies produced valid insight into the fine details of the virus dynamics and its interaction with the host’s immune response, several fundamental questions concerning the role of diverse immune components and host genetics remain unanswered. In this study mathematical models were developed to investigate the role of diverse processes caused by the virus or the immune response on the infection characteristics.
Quebracho (Schinopsis quebracho-colorado) tannin for the treatment of sheep gastrointestinal parasites. Effect on faecal egg counts and lamb growth
Authors: Jamieson S , Hovell F D DeB
Published: June 2019

Farmers have become heavily reliant on anthelmintics for the control of nematode parasites Due to the widespread development of anthelmintic resistance, alternative approaches for control of nematode parasites are needed. Cruden and Hovell (2008) reported that commercial lambs treated with quebracho tannin had reduced faecal egg counts and improved lamb growth. This paper reports a second in vivo study with quebracho tannins at higher dose rates in lambs.
Health status, production and reproduction performance in cattle herds as influenced by management
Authors: Knapp E , Chapaux P , Istasse L , Touati K
Published: June 2019

The overall trend of the reproduction performance is a reduction since at least 20 years. In Belgium, the pregnancy rate at artificial insemination decreases about 1% per year (Opsomer et al, 2006). To obtain good reproduction performance, many requisite factors are necessary. Health status, nutritional status or production level are some well-known examples. Many studies review these factors and their impact on the reproduction performance. The aim of this work was to describe the impact of health status, production and management on the reproduction performance in Walloon farms.
The effects of three muscling Quantitative Trait Loci on growth patterns of crossbred lambs
Authors: Lambe N R , Macfarlane J M , Masri A , Matika O , Haresign W , Bunger L
Published: June 2019

Texel Muscling QTL (TM-QTL) and LoinMaxTM (LM-QTL) are located on chromosome 18 in Texel and Poll Dorset sheep, respectively, and have been shown to positively affect muscling of the loin in crossbred lambs carrying one copy of the QTL (Macfarlane et al., 2008, Masri et al., 2009). MyoMaxTM (MM-QTL), found on chromosome 2 of Texel sheep, increases muscling and decreases fatness in lambs of different genetic backgrounds (Campbell and McLaren, 2007). No differences in live weights, carcass weights or growth rates have been associated with these QTL to date. However, there is further need to investigate the effects of the three QTL on growth patterns in commercial crossbred populations, where fast-growing slaughter lambs of good carcass weights and quality are a prerequisite.
Linkage disequilibrium in two divergent genetic groups of dairy cows using a high-density map of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms
Authors: Banos G , Coffey M P
Published: June 2019

A 50K bovine DNA array allows large scale genotyping of dairy cattle for around 50 thousand markers (Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms -SNP). This development opens the door to genomic prediction and selection, and also facilitates gene detection, mapping and association studies. Any such application requires knowledge of the Linkage Disequilibrium (LD) state of the markers. The objective of this work was to examine the LD in two divergent genetic lines of dairy cows genotyped with the 50K bovine DNA array.
Use of forage brassicas and bio-active chicory /plantain/clover mixtures for lamb finishing
Authors: Vipond J E , Matheson S , Veldhuis A , Houdijk J G M
Published: June 2019

Traditionally UK lamb finishers have used forage brassicas to extend the season of supply of lamb beyond the grazing season. Retailers however can now import low-cost chilled lamb from New Zealand from December to June so financially U.K. supply extension is now more risky. Here, two trials are described to i) evaluate the ability of currently used forage brassicas to finish lambs in Nov/Dec, and to ii) compare the most promising ones with mixtures containing chicory, plantain and clover for finishing lambs in August /Sept. The latter having shown to be bio-active with anthelmintic effects.
A comparison of steers and heifers of the Charolais and Limousin breed for animal performance, carcass parameters and meat quality
Authors: Lively F O , Keady T W J , Moss B W , Patterson D C , Gordon A
Published: June 2019

The beef herd in the UK comprises of a diverse range in suckler cow genotypes and terminal sires (Keady et al., 2004a), which results in major variability in the animals presented for slaughter each day. Recent data indicates that Charolais and Limousin progeny account for over 65% of the beef animals slaughtered in Northern Ireland (APHIS, 2008). The objective of this study was to evaluate sire breed (Charolais or Limousin) and gender (steer or heifer) on performance during the finishing period, carcass parameters and meat quality.
Genetic correlations between piglet birth weight, its variation and survival in different dam and sire lines using Bayesian analysis
Authors: Kapell D R N G , Ashworth C J , Knap P W , Roehe R
Published: June 2019

In the UK, mean stillbirth rate is reported to be 6.7% (BPEX, 2008), which indicates a considerable loss for pig producers. Lately much research has been carried out to improve piglet survival by genetic improvement, but correlations between survival and reproduction traits showed contradictory results and seldom distinguished between maternal and direct piglet genetic effects. Some studies considered birth weight as a trait that is likely to be closely related to survival, but few looked at individual piglet birth weight. The aim of this study was to estimate genetic correlations between birth weight or its variation within litter and survival to examine if selection on individual birth weight is a viable way to improve survival.
Including muscularity in Holstein-Friesian dairy breeding goals
Authors: Wall E , Winters M , Coffey M P
Published: June 2019

The role of the dairy herd as a provider of beef has proportionately reduced as the dairy animal has become more specialised over the years. High milk production per cow and a decreasing national herd has resulted in a reduction in calves born, and genetic changes have led to dairy bred bull calves being less suited to beef production. This has led to the market for purebred dairy bull calves being severely curtailed and, in some instances, the male purebred calf has had no value. The study develops tools to allow Holstein-Friesian (HF) dairy breeding goals to include muscling and carcass quality to help improve the value of dairy bred bull calves as beef animals.
Genetic variation of rectal temperature and its relationship to milk production in Holstein dairy cows
Authors: Khalajzade S , Jomeh N Emam , Salehi A , Esfandabadi A Moghimi
Published: June 2019

Milk production is significantly decreased by thermal stress. The survival and performance of an animal during heat stress periods depend on several weather factors, especially temperature and humidity. Researchers reported dramatic decreases in milk production as temperature rose above 30 degree of centigrade. Very high environmental temperature is common during the summer months in Iran. Rectal temperature is as indicator of heat tolerance and has been the most frequently used physiological variable for estimating heat tolerance in cattle. Some dairy cows are more heat tolerant and productive when subjected to heat stress. Identification and selection of heat stress resistant cattle offers the potential to increase milk yield in tropical environment. The aim of the present study was to estimate genetic parameters of heat tolerance and its relationship to milk production in Holstein Dairy Cows in Iran.
Hindgut fermentation in dogs
Authors: Singh I , Hendriks W , Tucker L , Thomas D G , Fahey G
Published: June 2019

There is a large body of research investigating the nutritional needs of the dog at different life-stages and the use of different feed ingredients in commercial diets (Clapper et al, 2001; Schroeder & Smith, 2008). Despite this, though there has been relatively little published work looking at the role the large intestine plays in nutrient digestion in the dog. The dog’s gastro-intestinal tract has been compared to the cat’s in terms of relative length. However the cat is a true carnivore and has little need to ferment fibre from the diet, whereas the dog is a scavenger and will consume a much wider range of food, and therefore may need to ferment fibrous material from the diet. The dog may therefore require a more developed large intestine to harbour a microbial population to aid in the digestion of this fibrous material. This study was performed to determine differences in digestion of nutrients in this segment of the canine gastrointestinal tract.
Effects of mild early-and mid-pregnancy under-nutrition on foetal and placental development in Scottish Blackface and Suffolk sheep
Authors: Werkman M , Rooke J A , McIlvaney K , Dwyer C M , Ashworth C J
Published: June 2019

Nutrient intake during pregnancy affects foetal development and placental function in a range of species, often with long-term effects on offspring viability. Maternal nutrient supply is believed to affect the ability of the placenta to deliver nutrients to the foetus (Fowden et al., 2006). In ruminant species, the majority of placental nutrient transport occurs in specialised structures called placentomes, which are categorised into 4 types (A-D) based on their morphological appearance. In type A placentomes, maternal tissue surrounds foetal tissues, whereas type D placentomes are typically everted and have a higher ratio of foetal:maternal tissue. It has been suggested that the distribution of placentome types may reflect the ability of the placenta to deliver nutrients (Vonnahme et al., 2006). This study tested the hypothesis that levels of under-nutrition typically encountered by hill ewes during pregnancy would alter the distribution of placentome types and that the relationship between ewe nutrition and placentome type would differ between breeds selected for lean tissue growth (such as the Suffolk) compared to less selected breeds (such as the Scottish Blackface).
The effect of a short extended grazing period in the spring and straw allocation on the milk yield and composition of autumn calving dairy cows
Authors: Sinclair L A , McAleer C
Published: June 2019

Milk production from grass by autumn calving dairy cows can be increased through extending the grazing season in early spring, therefore reducing the reliance on more expensive conserved forage and concentrates (Peyraud et al., 2004). Turning cows out to pasture earlier in the spring has also been associated with an increase in milk and milk protein yield (Sayers and Mayne, 2001). In contrast, milk fat content may be decreased, possibly due to the lower fibre content of spring grass (Sayers and Mayne, 2001). The inclusion of chopped straw in the ration offers the potential of increasing dietary fibre intake and therefore maintaining milk fat levels (Ferris et al., 2000). The objectives of the current study were to determine the effect of extending the grazing season in spring and increasing the fibre content of the ration on the intake and performance of autumn calving dairy cows.
Prediction of metabolisable energy concentration of fresh grass – which digestibility variable is better, organic matter or energy?
Authors: Yan T , Ferris C P , Mayne C S
Published: June 2019

Accurate prediction of the ME concentration of fresh grass is vital in developing appropriate feeding regimes for grazing animals. While AFRC (1993) proposed an equation to calculate grass ME concentration from digestible OM in total DM (DOMD), the accuracy of this approach has been questioned (Yan and Agnew, 2004). The objective of the present study was to develop a prediction method for ME concentration of fresh grass from nutrient digestibility.
Effect of dairy management (conventional, organic) and season (winter, summer) on fatty acid composition of retail whole milk
Authors: Stergiadis S , Seal C J , Leifert C , Butler G
Published: June 2019

Milk fat is characterised by the complexity of its components both in biosynthesis and structure. It has often been linked with negative effects on human health although some milk fatty acids (FA) have been found to have a beneficial effect on human health (German and Dillard, 2006). Saturated fatty acids (SFA) have been associated with the increase of risk of cardiovascular heart disease, high concentrations of LDL-cholesterol and insulin resistance. However, milk also contains unsaturated fats both monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated (PUFA) which have been reported to benefit human health (Givens and Shingfield, 2004). PUFA can be further categorized as ω-3 and ω-6 FA. The main ω-3 FA in milk is α-linolenic acid (ALA) and the main ω-6 FA in milk is linoleic acid (LA) both of which are important, since they cannot be synthesised in mammals and have to be supplied from dietary origins (Ruxton et al., 2005). Other beneficial FA in milk include cis-9,trans-11 conjugated linoleic acid (c9t11 CLA) and trans-11 C18:1 (VA), a precursor of CLA. PUFAs have been shown to be involved with protection against coronary heart disease, prevention of cancer, neurological functions, brain and visual development on infants and antiobesity (Shingfield et al., 2005). The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in fatty acid composition between organic and conventional commercial whole milk during winter and summer seasons.
Fermentation kinetic, chemical composition, organic matter degradation and metabolisable energy of three non-cultivated pastures located in the central plateau of Mexico
Authors: Rayas-Amor A A , Dorward P , Rehman T , Mould F L , Castelan-Ortega O A
Published: June 2019

Approximately 80% of all production costs are related to the purchase of forages and other feeds in dairy enterprises in Mexico. Resource poor, smallholder (campesino) systems are heavily reliant on the use of maize stover, noncultivated/cultivated grass species and weeds to feed their dairy cattle, thus a nutritional understanding of local forage resources would be of considerable economic benefit. The objective of this study was to determine the nutritive value of non-cultivated pastures (NcP) across the growing season.
The prevalence of hock lesions in UK dairy cattle and the significance of risk factors associated with the development of the condition
Authors: Potterton S , Green M , Harris J , Millar K , Whay H , Huxley J
Published: June 2019

The term hock lesion describes incidences of hair loss, thickened skin, wounds, scabs, and swellings occurring over the tarsal joint. Hock lesions in dairy cattle are a widespread problem around the world. In the UK, a recent study found approximately 99% of examined cows had at least some callused area over a hock (Haskell et al., 2006). The presence of hock lesions is correlated with injuries of the teat, carpal joints and skin, as well as increases in mobility score, high somatic cell counts, a greater incidence of clinical mastitis, and higher culling and annual death rates. Differences in the prevalence and severity of hock lesions according to the lying surface and cubicle design have been identified. Cow-related factors and management variables have also been postulated as possible risk factors. Recognition of the condition and practical solutions aimed at resolving it have however, been limited. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of hock lesions in lactating cattle on dairy farms in the East Midlands of the UK, and the significance of potential risk factors in the development of the lesions.
Evaluation of alternative methods to predict the lean meat percentage of pig carcasses
Authors: Magowan E , McCann M E E , Moss B W , Kilpatrick D
Published: June 2019

The value of a pig carcass is largely based on its lean meat percentage (LM%). The ultimate method of accurately measuring the lean meat percentage is a full dissection of the carcass. However, this is both time consuming and expensive. Lean meat percentage prediction equations have been established for various ‘probes’ and indicator cuts. Although these prediction equations have low (less than 2.5) Root Mean Square Errors of Prediction (RMSEP) and high R_a2 values, research continues to investigate other methods to produce equations with greater accuracy and to identify alternative techniques to full dissection. The aim of this experiment was to investigate the accuracy of lean meat percentage prediction equations using data gathered from 1) grading probes, 2) primal cuts and 3) photographs from cross sections of the loin.
The effect of a mixture of encapsulated fatty acids on performance of growing pigs
Authors: Beattie V E , Allan G M , Magowan E , McCann M E E
Published: June 2019

Efficiency of feed is of primary commercial importance in pig production. Interest in nutritional solutions to increase feed efficiency has increased since the bans/restrictions on the use of antibiotic feed additives and heavy metals. DeviGuard® is a mixture of short, medium and long chain fatty acids all of which are encapsulated to reach the hind gut. Fatty acids have been shown to be the preferred energy source of the entrocytes in the gut, active against pathogenic bacteria and anti-inflammatory. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of fatty acid supplementation on the performance and digestibility of growing pigs.