Pooled follicular fluid is easily accessible during ovum pick-up (OPU) and can be a potential source of non-invasive biochemical predictors for oocyte competence. Using the OPU procedure, oocytes recovered from a total of 60 Holstein heifers were used in in vitro embryo production. Pooled follicular fluid was collected at the time of OPU in order to establish a relationship between follicular biochemical

The concentration of Co in the herbage of a large proportion of grassland farms in Ireland is lower than that required by sheep. The effects of supplementing ewes with Co, and method of supplementation, on ewe and offspring performance, were evaluated over 2 years. The ewes (359 in year 1, 241 in year 2), representing 3 genotypes, were allocated to one of 3 treatments. The treatments were: Control

The present study was conducted to assess the effect of a microencapsulated mixture of organic acids (MOAs) supplementation on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood profile, fecal gas emission, fecal microbial, and meat-carcass grade quality in growing-finishing pigs. A total of 90 crossbred pigs (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire) with mean initial body weight (BW) of 22.68 ± 0.01 kg were

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of cinnamon oil supplementation of the lactation diet on sows’ daily feed intake, milk production, and pre-weaning piglet performance and mortality. A total of 85 crossbred Landrace × Yorkshire sows were distributed in two groups: i) control: sows (n = 43) received a conventional lactation diet; and ii) treatment: sows (n = 42) received the same lactation

Nano-zinc particles was synthesized using the Bacillus subtilis and the particles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) methods. Treatment was applied in a completely randomized design with three sources of zinc (zinc sulfate, organic zinc, and nano-bio zinc) along with a control diet nonsupplemented with zinc, resulting in a total of 4 treatments with 6 replicates of 10 chicks

Dairy cow performance is affected by both the nutritional composition and the physical structure of the diet. The structure of total mixed rations (TMR) largely depends on the ingredient composition and structure of forage, dry matter (DM) content, mixing time and type of mixer used. This study investigated feed intake, eating time, milk production, DM digestibility, ruminal pH, time budget, and sorting

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of diets supplemented with nucleotides and guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) on broiler chickens growth performance, blood metabolites, leukocyte differential count, mitotic activity of satellite cells, carcass yield, meat quality, chemical analysis of breast muscle, incidence of breast myopathies, and skin lesions from 0 to 42d. A total of 600 one-day-old

Pork is one of the most consumed types of meat globally and it contributes considerably to environmental impact. The aim of this study was to investigate the development of the environmental impact of Danish pork between 2005 and 2016 in relation to biological and technological changes that have occurred at the primary production and slaughterhouse level at that time. A life cycle assessment approach

The dairy industry worldwide is confronting unprecedented challenges including climate change and consistently increasing feed costs, the latter representing a major issue for dairy farmers. Thus, renewed efforts for improving feed efficiency by focusing on biological components within the rumen and peripheral tissues of the animal that contribute to feed efficiency are taking center stage. These efforts

This study aimed to compare therapeutic efficacy of procaine penicillin, Phyllanthus emblica fruit extract and Cocos nucifera oil against subclinical mastitis, and its effects on milk composition. A total of 30 lactating beetal goats were selected, and divided into three groups (GA, GB and GC), each having 10 goats. GA was treated with procaine penicillin and GB with Phyllanthus emblica fruit extract

The main objective of the study was to identify early risk factors associated with the development of umbilical outpouchings (UOs) in pigs. Secondly, to describe 1) the nature of UOs, 2) the age when UOs become visible, and 3) at which age UOs spontaneously may regress and disappear. A longitudinal study following pigs (n=3031) from birth to slaughter was carried out in two commercial Danish herds

Seaweeds are functional feed sources that contain biocompounds with growth-stimulating, antimicrobial and meat-enhancing properties. However, the presence of non-starch polysaccharides such as cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin and xylan may limit its utilization in broiler diets. Thus, this study evaluated the effects of pre-treating dietary green seaweed (Ulva sp.) with a fibrolytic enzyme mixture

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of previous supplementation strategies (mineral and corn-based supplementation in the growing-phase) on intake and performance of different beef cattle group genotypes in the finishing phase on pasture or feedlot. Two experiments for the finishing phase were conducted simultaneously. For Exp.1, 60 bulls were finished on tropical grass with supplementation

Projected climatic changes are expected to change temperature and precipitation patterns and to increase the frequency of extreme events in many regions of the world. This will affect livestock systems through direct effects on animal performance as a result of thermal stress. The purpose of this work is to develop a model that is able to estimate the potential impact of thermal stress on the productivity

This study investigated the performance, carcass traits, and greenhouse gas emission of Nellore and F1 Angus × Nellore yearling bulls raised under two [lenient (S1) and intensified (S2)] production systems during the backgrounding and finishing phases. S1 was practiced on a 18.6 ha palisade grass pasture, divided into eight paddocks, which was not fertilized and managed using continuous stocking at

The present study aimed to examine the impact of Magic Oil® (a Nano Emulsified Vegetable Oil (NEVO)) on growth and carcass traits, serum metabolites, and intestinal microbiota of New Zealand White (NZW) and V-line rabbits. A total of 450 rabbits of both breeds (male, five weeks old) with a 700 ± 19 g average live body weight was uniformly distributed into six groups (75 rabbits per each). Each group

Large variability in body composition is observed in pigs fed and raised in similar conditions. Part of this variation might be explained by the feeding behavior of pigs, given its effect on metabolic hormones associated with energy regulation and protein metabolism. The objective of this study was to elucidate this relationship by examining body composition with a new index describing feeding behavior

The availability of labour during a compact calving period, can pose a challenge to dairy farmers. The objective of this study was to investigate, in comparison to twice-a-day (TAD) milking, the effect of short-term once-a-day (OAD) milking for four (OAD4), six (OAD6) or eight (OAD8) weeks directly post-calving on milk production, cow health and welfare. After each treatment finished their respective

This study aimed to assess the productive performance and economic viability of intact, surgically castrated, and immunocastrated cattle. The experiment was completely randomized with 102 animals divided into three treatments: intact (control group), surgically castrated (group I), and immunocastrated (group II). Animal production indices, circulating testosterone levels, carcass yield and finishing

Body weights (BW) of 2,611 Muzaffarnagari lambs at birth and 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of age were used to compare five alternative growth curves. Four three-parameter functions (Brody, von Bertalanffy, Gompertz, and logistic) and the four-parameter Richards function were fit for each lamb. Estimates of the asymptotic final BW (A), a maturing-rate parameter (k), and the degree of maturity at birth (u0) = BW/A

Fertility, represented by calving interval, has been included in the genetic evaluation of Icelandic cattle since 1993. In spite of this an unfavourable genetic trend is seen and, recent implementation of test-day models for the genetic evaluation of milk production has changed the premise of using calving interval to represent fertility. The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters and

Since their domestication, sheep breeds have been a subject of artificial selection directed towards production of wool, meat and milk as well as natural selection associated with regional climates and nutritional conditions. These selection pressures created a large diversity of sheep breeds and the opportunity to study their genetic differentiation. Despite the existence of several studies on genetic

Digesta passage rate (kp) in ruminants is a very dynamic and complex process and is related to digestion, methane emission, and microbial growth. The objectives of this study were to identify variables related to kp in gastrointestinal tract (GIT) segments by creating latent variables using multivariate factor analysis (MFA) and access the important sources of variation (i.e., goats’ growth, sex, or

Procedures for genetic traceability of animal products and parentage testing mainly focus on microsatellites or SNPs panels. Nevertheless, current availability of high-throughput sequencing technologies must be considered as an appealing alternative. This research focused on the evaluation of low-coverage whole-genome sequencing for traceability and paternity testing purposes, within a context of evidential

The relationship between body maturation at puberty and pregnancy after fixed-time AI (FTAI) was investigated in young Nelore (Bos indicus) heifers. Heifers (n = 650; 13.9 ± 0.03 months; 252 ± 0.99 kg LW) were assessed for body condition score (BCS, scale 1–5), withers height (hWITHERS, cm), chest depth (cDEPTH), subcutaneous fat thickness (SCFT, mm), and the presence of a corpus luteum (puberty).

The objective was to evaluate meat quality of Rubia Gallega x Nelore (RGN) crossbred compared to Nelore (N) cattle, using mRNA analysis of calpain 1 and 2, calpastatin, myostatin, and TGFβ; and protein abundance profile post mortem based on aged beef of the different genetic groups. Sixteen N and 16 RGN were finished in feedlot by 120 days and harvested. RGN beef presented greater tenderness. Transcripts

Insufficient colostrum consumption within 24 h after birth is a major problem, causing an increased neonatal piglet mortality. The aims of the present study were to determine the risk factors associated with colostrum consumption by neonatal piglets and the proportion of piglets that had inadequate colostrum from hyper-prolific sows. In total, 861 live-born piglets from 59 Danish Landrace × Yorkshire

This study assessed the effects of breeder age, placement time and the use of a pre-placement feed (PPF) on yolk sac absorption, duodenum villus height and crypt depth and performance of male broiler chicks. A total of 1440 broiler chicks were randomly allocated to eight treatments. The study design was fully randomized in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial scheme (breeder age × placement time × PPF). The factors

Viscous camelid ejaculates present problems for sperm handling and sperm preservation. In the present study, a technique that had been used for dromedary camel semen was tested with alpaca semen. Ejaculates (n=9) were collected by artificial vagina at San Marcos University, Lima, and were liquefied by gentle pipetting in tris-citrate-fructose. Half of the sample was prepared by Single Layer Centrifugation

Placental and colostral transfer of copper and vitamins A and D from sows to piglets is limited. This study aimed to determine, in commercial conditions, the effect of supplemental provision of copper, vitamins A and D and bovine colostrum (BC) to suckling piglets on their growth performance, antioxidant status and gut microbiota. One group of sows (n = 50) was fed a conventional diet, while another

Controlling disease, maintaining animal well-being, and sustaining production efficiency in Chinese dairy industry will depend on whether enough of China's dairy farmers can adopt proper calf management practices. Consequently, to provide insights into a number of beneficial management practices used by many Chinese dairy farmers, ninety-eight dairy farms, located in the country's three typical climate

In contrast to pigs and cattle, research focussed on sheep colostrum is limited, especially regarding measuring and defining colostrum quality. Colostrum is the first mammary gland secretion available to offspring and it is accumulated during the last term of gestation. Colostrum is an essential source of nutrition, immunoglobulins and bio-actives, and adequate consumption significantly increases the

Genealogical records of 6,631 animals were used to describe the population structure, evaluate the genetic variability, and estimate the effect of inbreeding on the growth traits of Morada Nova sheep. The depth of the whole population was shallow (t = 1.25), that the way we used a reference population (t = 2.99), formed by animals with both parents known and born in the last four year, to make the

To reduce prevalence of liver abscesses in finishing beef steers, we must evaluate the possibility of pathogens originating from the hind gut as well as the rumen. We hypothesized that pathogens promoting liver abscess formation are located throughout the gut, and increased dietary roughage levels could improve gut integrity over time. Two hundred sixty-three crossbred beef steers (BW = 258 ± 29 kg)

High twin lamb mortality in Merino sheep is a major cost for the Australian wool and sheep meat industry. Most lambs die within three days of birth due to low birthweight and/or complications arising during parturition. Maternal arginine supplementation can potentially increase birthweight by improving utero-placental haemodynamics; but availability and cost of rumen-protected arginine are barriers

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of different concentrations of rice straw (RS) and purple corn stover (PCS) treated with Volvariella volvacea fed in total mixed rations (TMR) on ruminal fermentation, blood metabolites, calculated methane (CH4) production, and milk fatty acid profile in mid-lactation crossbred Holstein Friesian cows. The experimental design was a 2 × 2 factorial

Our objective was to evaluate the effects of applying silage additives to high moisture grain silage (HMGS) on its quality (objective 1) and performance of dairy cows (objective 2). Additionally, this study aimed to investigate the effects of replacing dry grain (DG) with HMGS on performance of lactating dairy cows (objective 3). Silage quality (dataset composed by 8 studies with 32 treatment means)

Partly slatted pens can offer growing/finishing pigs a better house environment than pens with fully slatted floors. Under thermoneutral conditions, pigs prefer to rest on a solid area and some litter can be provided as enrichment. Ammonia emissions are lower in systems with partly slatted pens, provided the pens are kept clean. However, under high-temperature conditions, pigs in partly slatted pens

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of replacing ground corn with crude glycerin and soybean meal by cottonseed cake, in association or not, on digestibility and intake of dietary nutrients, performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality of feedlot lambs. Thirty-two non-castrated crossbred 1/2 Santa Inês x 1/2 Dorper lambs, with an average body weight of 18.52 ± 3.24 kg (mean ±

Nutritional strategies like using combination of phytogenics and natural feed additives that could improve productive performance and meat quality of rabbits are of great importance to the meat industry and consumers. Fenugreek seeds and probiotics are considered safe and important natural feed additives. This experiment was carried out to assess the impact of fenugreek seeds and probiotic combinations

This study aimed to examine the productive and metabolic parameters, carcass and meat characteristics from lambs fed sorghum silages amended with urea and Lactobacillus buchneri. Forty uncastrated male Santa Inês lambs fed with a diet roughage:concentrate ratio of 50:50, and randomly distributed into four groups considering roughage treatments SS - sorghum silage without additive; SSI - sorghum silage

To date, no study has tested the inclusion of bioclimatic variables or heat stress indicators in the formation of fixed regression for the genetic evaluation of dairy cattle. The objective of the present study was to investigate the inclusion of heat stress level in modeling of fixed regression in random regression models to predict population response and individual genetic components for fat and

This research aimed to compare single-step random regression models with third-order Legendre polynomials (RRLP) and splines with four (RRSP4) and five (RRSP5) knots for milk yield (MY) and fat percentage (FP) genomic-polygenic evaluations in the Thai multibreed dairy population. Models were compared using estimates of variance components, genetic parameters, goodness of fit, genomic-polygenic EBV

Reliable estimates of genetic parameters for economic traits in buffaloes can be achieved through a meta-analysis that brings together several studies and accounts for the variation among them. This study aimed to perform a meta-analysis for 27 traits, including growth, reproduction, milk production and quality, and mastitis resistance, to estimate both heritability and genetic correlation parameters

This study investigated the effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnON) on growth performance, gut health, and zinc and copper excretion in piglets. A total of 144 piglets (Duroc × Landrace × Large White, weaned at 21 days; mean initial weight 6.15 ± 0.01 kg) were assigned to six groups with six replicates of four pigs per pen for a 26-day feeding trial. The groups were: antibiotic group (basal diet + 75 mg/kg

The aim of this work was to determine the net energy requirement for maintenance (NEm) of commercial crossbred beef heifers. Six crossbred (Bos taurus x Bos indicus) heifers cannulated in the dorsal sac of the rumen and with an initial body weight (BW) of 414 ± 52 kg were used. Heifers had an adaptation period to ration and management of 28 days. They were fed daily with a maintenance ration based

Lameness, predominantly caused by footrot and interdigital dermatitis, is a common issue in sheep flocks with negative consequences for animal welfare and productivity. Simple and cheap methods to prevent and monitor lameness are desirable to decrease prevalence within flocks. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a high foot temperature threshold can be used as an early warning for the

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of moxidectin (MOX – 200 µg/kg/sc) administered on Day Zero of a fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI) protocol on fecal egg counts and the reproductive efficiency of primiparous and multiparous Nellore beef cows kept in the pasture. A simulation was performed of the possible correlation between the fecal egg count and helminth load per animal

This aim of this study was to analyze the influence of socieoconomic, environmental and farm variables on the existing genetic values (Expected Progeny Differences - EPDs) of the different clusters of Nelore animals in Brazil. The data evaluated included EPDs of 1,462,485 animals, males and females born between 2000 to 2011, same period of the compiled variables used (socieoconomic, environmental and

Although conventional battery hen cages are still prevalent in the global market, the movement towards greener methods is gaining momentum beyond Europe. However, egg quality and the degree to which it is affected by the different systems of production remains a controversial subject and there is still no consensus among researchers. Using PRISMA guidelines the literature reporting the housing systems

Modern dairy farms generate vast amounts of data, with different sections of the operation having the ability to produce its own uniquely structured data stream depending on the specific hardware and software used. As a result of this heterogeneity, these streams are difficult to link to each other, thus it is rarely done. This creates an opportunity to add value to the data by integrating and homogenizing

The objectives of this study were to estimate genetic parameters for longevity and reproductive and to evaluate their likely consequences on selection. We used calving records of 10,517 Aberdeen Angus cows, born between 1975 and 2012, with first calving in spring, from bulls with 5 or more daughters, herds with 25 or more observations, and pertaining to contemporary groups of 5 or more cows. Longevity

A large number of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in livestock, especially in dairy cows, provide favorable conditions to integrate multiple independent studies. Methods such as meta-analysis provide the identification of effective QTLs with higher precision and power. A meta-analysis for milk production traits between different countries was conducted using the GWAS summary statistics (i.e

The aim of this study was to estimate genetic associations between body weight (BW), scrotal circumference (SC), and age at first calving (AFC) in Guzera cattle using random regression models. The analyses used 159,366 and 23,780 records of BW and SC obtained between 335 and 724 days of age and divided into classes at intervals of 10 days, as well as 63,596 records of AFC. A multitrait animal model

In the breeding plans of animals, it is essential to have sound estimates of genetic parameters for economically important traits. Over the previous years, genetic parameter estimates have been reported for conformation traits in horses. However, these estimates have been got from studies based on various horse populations. This has resulted in considerable variability among heritability and genetic

Weight of lambs produced per ewe is an important economic-related trait for French meat sheep farmers. Consequently, genetic improvement of their ewes is based on selecting maternal traits using a global index, called MAT, which combines estimated breeding values for litter size at lambing (LS), weight at 30 days of age (W30D) and viability over the same period. The frame of this study is to compare

One factor influencing the extent of feed degradation is the length of time feed resides at the site of digestion. Traditionally, mean retention time (MRT) is measured for the entire equine gastrointestinal tract (GIT), but retention time in specific organs may be more relevant to understanding digestion. Multi-compartment models theoretically partition the GIT to potentially represent MRT in individual

Breeding companies want to use semen from bulls as soon as possible to take advantage of their desirable genetics. It takes several weeks for the sperm quality of young bulls to stabilize and for post-thaw sperm quality to become acceptable for artificial insemination. Seminal plasma proteins protect spermatozoa during cryopreservation; it may take some time for the seminal plasma protein profile to