One of the benefits of the genomics revolution for animal production will be knowledge of genes that can be used to select more profitable livestock. Although it is possible to use genetic markers linked to genes of economic importance, tests for the genes themselves will be much more successful. Consequently finding genes of economic importance to livestock will be a major research aim for the future. Most traits of economic importance are quantitative traits affected by many genes. Mutations at many genes (e.g. 500) and at many positions within a gene (e.g. 1000 coding and non-coding bases) can affect a typical quantitative trait. The effect of these mutations on phenotype is usually small (e.g. 0·1 standard deviation) but occasionally large. Many mutations are lost from the population through genetic drift and selection, so that polymorphisms exist at only a subset of the relevant genes (e.g. 100 genes). Finding these genes, that have relatively small effects, is more difficult than finding genes for a classical Mendellian trait but, as the genomic tools become more powerful, it is becoming feasible and some successes have already occurred. The standard approach is to map a quantitative trait loci (QTL) to a chromosome region using linkage and linkage disequilibrium. Then test polymorphisms in positional candidate genes for an effect on the trait. Tools such as genomic sequence, EST collections and comparative maps make this approach feasible. Candidate genes can be selected based on functional data such as gene expression obtained from microarrays. At present the gain in rate of genetic improvement from use of DNA-based tests for QTL is small, because selection without them is already quite accurate, not enough QTL have been identified and genotyping is too expensive. However, in the future, with many QTL identified and inexpensive genotyping combined with decreased generation intervals, large gains are possible.

Data from the F2 generation of a Large White (LW) ✕ Meishan (MS) crossbred population were analysed to detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) for leg and gait scores, osteochondrosis and physis scores. Legs, feet and gait score were assessed in 308 F2 animals at 85 ( + 5) kg and osteochondrosis and physis scores were recorded for the right foreleg after slaughter. A genome scan was performed using 111 genetic markers chosen to span the genome that were genotyped on the F2 animals and their F1 parents and purebred grandparents. A QTL on chromosome 1 affecting gait score was significant at the genome-wide significance level. Additional QTL significant at the chromosome-wide 5% threshold level (approx. equivalent to the genome-wide suggestive level) were detected on chromosome 1 for front feet and back legs scores, on chromosome 13 for front legs and front feet scores, on chromosome 14 for front legs, front feet and back legs scores and on chromosome 15 for back feet score. None of the QTL for osteochondrosis score exceeded the chromosome-wide suggestive level, but one chromosome-wide QTL for physis score was found on chromosome 7. On chromosome 1, gait and front feet scores mapped to the middle of the chromosome and showed additive effects in favour of the LW alleles and no dominance effects. The QTL for back legs score mapped to the distal end of the chromosome and showed a dominant effect and no additive effect. On chromosomes 14 and 15, the LW allele was again superior to the MS allele. On chromosome 13, there were both additive and dominance effects in favour of the MS allele. The MS alleles on chromosome 13 may have potential for introgression into a commercial LW population. The other putative QTLs identified may have value in marker-assisted selection in LW or MS-synthetic populations.

The survival rates of Dorper, Red Maasai and crossbred lambs born over a period of 6 years at Diani Estate, Coast Province, Kenya were compared using the Cox mixed proportional hazards model with a random (frailty) term for sire. Of the 1785 lambs born, proportionately 0·44 died before they were 1 year old. Almost half of these deaths occurred before weaning; a third were associated with mis-mothering and a fifth with gastro-intestinal nematode parasite (endoparasite) infections. Half of the deaths post weaning were associated with endoparasite infections, predominantly Haemonchus contortus. The Red Maasai lambs had a lower risk of death than the Dorper lambs with a relative hazard of 0·27 pre-weaning and 0·25 post weaning. Other crosses and back crosses had relative hazards in between these values and 1; there was no evidence of heterosis. Survival rates were different among years and appeared to be associated to some degree with variations in rainfall. There were highly significant effects of both birth weight and weaning weight on survival. Body weight, together with packed red cell volume and faecal egg count, were also introduced into the proportional hazard model as time-varying covariates. All three variables had major influences on survival. The risk of death over the following month in animals individually treated with an anthelmintic drug pre weaning was reduced by 0·61 compared with those not treated. The sire frailty variance estimate was similar to its standard error pre-weaning but larger post weaning. When adjusted for lamb body weight the sire variance post weaning increased to three times its standard error.

Genetic parameters for pre-weaning live weights and ultrasonic scanning measurements were estimated from a flock of Scottish Blackface sheep undergoing an embryo transfer programme. Maternal environmental effects could be evaluated without confounding with maternal genetic effects because embryos were transferred to unrelated recipient ewes. The data for the study were collected over a 7-year period (1993-1999) and related to a conventional hill farming system. The data were from 1465 lambs, the progeny of 60 sires, 263 donors and 784 recipient ewes. The only exception to the conventional farming system was at mating time when embryos were collected from selected donor ewes, following superovulation, and transferred to unrelated recipient ewes. Maternal environmental effects were important for birth weight (BW), 4-week weight (W4) and weaning weight (WW) but of less importance for ultrasonic fat depth (UFD), muscle depth (UMD) and muscle width (UMW). The heritabilities of the pre-weaning weights were moderate (0·17 to 0·23). The heritabilities of UFD and UMD were 0·44 and 0·27 respectively and were higher than found in previous similar studies. The heritability of UMW was low, 0·06. The genetic and phenotypic correlations among the pre-weaning weight traits were positive and moderate. There was a positive genetic ( + 0·25) and phenotypic ( + 0·24) correlation between UFD and UMD. The phenotypic and genetic correlations between BW and W4 and the scanning traits (UFD, UMD and UMW) were close to zero, and the correlations of WW with UFD, UMD and UMW were positive. The results of this study clearly demonstrate the importance of maternal environmental effects for lamb weights up to weaning and also suggest that genetic improvement for carcass composition in some populations of extensively reared hill sheep could be achieved more rapidly than previously thought possible.

Advantages of the use of test-day records for genetic evaluation of dairy cattle are now widely accepted. In particular, longitudinal models such as random regression avoid using ad hoc extrapolation procedures to reconstruct complete lactations as they provide individual predictions even for incomplete data. However, these predictions and parameter estimates obtained in the model do not take into account the lactation length. This can be an important drawback for phenotypic and genetic analysis of milk production of cows with shorter lactations. The aim of this paper is to propose a methodology that would correct these predictions, weighting them by the probability at each point in time of each cow being dried off. The proposed procedure is easy to implement and calculations are fast to compute. A simulation study and an application on real data for daily milk records show that the proposed methodology provides a more accurate estimation for individual cumulative production as well as genetic values, and avoids predicting negative productions at the end of the lactation as is often the case with random regression models.

Genetic variation in host resistance to nematode infection was studied in two calf crops of Angus cattle under natural pasture challenge conditions in New Zealand, using faecal egg count (FEC) as a marker trait. Genetic and phenotypic correlations of FEC with anti-nematode antibody (Ab) level and live weights were also estimated. Ab to the third larval stages of Cooperia curticei (Cc), Cooperia oncophora (Co), Ostertagia ostertagi (Oo) and Trichostrongylus colubriformis (Tc) were assayed, along with Ab to the adult stages of Co and Oo. Calves were born in the late winter/early spring of 1995 and 1996 over a 7-week period each year; they were weaned at an average of 4 months of age, and faecal samples for FEC were taken at 10 months of age (1995 crop) and at 7 months of age (1996 crop). Blood samples for Ab were taken from both calf crops at intervals between 4 and 20 months of age, and later in peri-partum heifers and cows (23 to 25, and 36 to 37 months of age). For the two calf crops combined, there were 370 animals by 24 sires. Additional blood samples were taken on related animals from the 1993 and 1994 calf crops (218 extra animals, 19 different extra sires). The heritability of loge (FEC + 100) was 0•32 (s.e. 0•16), and heritabilities of loge Ab between 4 and 9 months of age averaged 0•30, between 11 and 20 months of age 0•22, and peri-partum 0•30. Between-animal repeatabilities of Ab levels from samples taken between 4 and 9 months of age averaged 0•40, between 11 and 20 months 0•48, and peri-partum 0•35. Genetic and phenotypic correlations among loge Abs for various nematode species (in hosts aged 4 to 9 months) averaged 0•82 and 0•61, respectively. The corresponding genetic and phenotypic correlations between loge Ab and loge(FEC + 100) averaged –0•48 and –0•07, respectively, whilst those between loge Ab and yearling weight averaged 0•29 and 0•13, respectively. It was concluded that direct selection to reduce FEC should be feasible if required, but index selection combining increased live weight and reduced FEC would often be preferable; anti-nematode Ab levels were repeatable, and FEC and Ab levels were negatively associated genetically.

Correlated responses in physiological traits to divergent selection on components of efficient lean growth identified physiological traits for use as predictors of genetic merit and provided a biological explanation for the between-selection line differences in protein and lipid deposition. Responses (differences between high (H) and low (L) selection lines) in protein metabolism during ad-libitum feeding were associated with divergent selection for daily food intake (DFI) (reduced serum creatinine concentration (H = 1·30 v. L = 1·56, s.e.d. 0·08 mg/dl)) and for lean growth rate on an ad-libitum feeding regime (LGA) (increased serum urea (H = 48 v. L = 36, s.e.d. 4 mg/dl) and creatinine (H = 1·74 v. L = 1·45 mg/dl)) concentrations, but not with selection for lean growth on a restricted feeding regime (LGS). Following 24-h fasting, responses in lipid metabolism, in the form of higher serum non-esterified fatty acid concentrations, were detected with divergent selection for both LGA (399 v. 248, s.e.d. 66 µmol/l) and LGS (H = 361 v. L = 107 µmol/l). The high LGS line appeared to ‘preserve’ protein to a greater extent than the high LGA line and similarly there was greater maintenance of lipid depots by the low LGS line compared with the low LGA line. A tentative ranking of the two pairs of lean growth selection lines on the basis of ‘importance’ of protein deposition would be high LGS, high LGA, low LGA and low LGS.

Coheritabilities for serum creatinine concentration with predicted lysine balance and lysine required for protein deposition (-0·17 and 0·17, s.e. 0·08) indicated that serum creatinine concentration may usefully be included in breeding value prediction for lysine requirement and protein deposition to increase the accuracy of predicted genetic merit.

Fasting did not increase the coheritabilities for serum creatinine concentration, so inclusion of serum creatinine concentration in a selection criterion for dietary lysine requirement or protein deposition does not require withdrawal of food before blood sampling animals.

The effect of selection for high phenotypic value in the presence of a genotype by environment interaction (G ✕ E, i.e. genetic variation for environmental sensitivity) and an improving environment was studied in a simulation. Environmental sensitivity was evaluated by using reaction norms, which describe the phenotype expressed by a genotype as a function of the environment. Three types of reaction norms (linear, quadratic and sigmoid), and two selection schemes (mass selection and progeny test selection) were studied. Environmental sensitivity was measured as the weighted average of the absolute value of the first derivative of the reaction norm function. Results showed that environmental sensitivity increased in response to selection for high phenotypic value in the presence of G ✕ E and an improving environment when reaction norms were linear or quadratic. For sigmoid reaction norms, approximating threshold characters, environmental sensitivity increased within the environmental range encompassing the threshold. With mass selection and/or non-linear reaction norms, environmental sensitivity increased even without environmental change.

The sensitivity to dietary lysine: energy content of pigs from lines divergently selected over seven generations for components of efficient lean growth rate was quantified by the within-selection line regression of performance test traits on diet class. Large White pigs were performance tested over three 14-day test-periods starting at 30, 50 and 75 kg and offered, to appetite, isoenergetic diets differing in dietary total lysine: energy (0•59, 0•69, 0•81, 0•91, 1•01, 1•12 and 1•23 g/MJ digestible energy (DE)). Within each litter, full-sibs were performance tested on different diets. Pigs were also performance tested on a diet-choice procedure using diets with total lysine: energy of 0•69 and 1•12 g/MJ DE to determine the correlation between performance on phase-feeding and diet-choice.

The study consisted of 578 animals with 459 pigs tested with phase-feeding and 119 tested on diet-choice procedures. The study detected significant selection line and dietary effects on performance test traits, but no significant between-selection line differences in sensitivity to dietary total lysine: energy. When combinations of performance test traits were transformed into predicted lysine and energy utilization traits there were significant selection line effects on predicted nutrient allocation, but not in responses to increasing dietary total lysine: energy. The lack of between-selection line differences in sensitivity to dietary total lysine: energy indicated that the consequences of changing dietary total lysine: energy will be broadly similar across a range of genotypes, as spanned by the selection lines of the study.

Genetic correlations between performance traits of phase-fed and diet-choice pigs suggested that predictions of genetic merit will be similar with animals tested on either procedure between 30 and 75 kg but post 75 kg predicted genetic merit for growth rate and lysine intake should be estimated separately for performance on diet-choice or for performance on a given diet. In contrast, predicted genetic merit for fat deposition with performance testing on diet-choice will be highly correlated with predicted genetic merit with testing on a single diet.

Fertility data collected on 17131 Holstein-Friesian cows from 158 dairy herds in Australia were used to estimate heritabilities for and correlations among several fertility traits using a sire model. Pregnancy rate (PR), survival (Surv), calving interval (CI), calving to first service interval (CFS), insemination rate (coded as 1 if a cow received a service or 0 otherwise) (InsemR) and first service non-return rate (FNRR) were the main traits analysed in a six-trait model. Among the traits, CFS had the highest h2 (0·13) and FNRR had the lowest h2 (0·01). Genetic correlations among the traits were higher than environmental correlations in all cases. The genetic correlations of PR with InsemR, FNRR, CFS, CI and Surv were 0·74, 0·79 and -0·84, -0·57, and 0·67, respectively. The genetic correlation between InsemR and CFS was high (-0·95) indicating that they almost measure the same trait. Analysis of data from cows that did not return to service after the first service despite not being pregnant (so-called ‘phantom’ cow syndrome) showed that the syndrome is not heritable. The relatively high genetic correlation of PR with traits such as CI and Surv that can be extracted from milk recording data and CFS, FNRR and InsemR that can be obtained from mating data suggests that routine genetic evaluation of sires for daughter fertility based on these traits can be implemented in national selection programs.

The quality of grilled steaks was assessed by experienced panellists in longissimus thoracis (LT), semitendinosus (St) and triceps brachii (TB) muscles of Aubrac, Charolais, Limousin and Salers breeds raised in two production systems: 15-, 19- and 24-month-old bulls and 4-, 6- and 8-year-old cull cows.

Scores for sensory ‘initial tenderness’, ‘overall tenderness’, ‘juiciness’, ‘residue after mastication’ and ‘flavour intensity’ for all 497 meats were pooled to derive three eating quality classes.

Meats from the bulls and cows and from the four breeds were evenly distributed among the three eating quality classes. The highest quality class, representing one third of all the meats, contained 45% of the LT, 35% of the TB and 21% of the St muscles and one third of the meats from the 8-year-old cull cows. The meats in this class tended to have finer fibres, a greater proportion of slow oxidative fibres, slower post-mortem glycolysis, lower connective tissue and higher fat contents than those in the lower classes.

Lipid content accounted for proportionately 0·56 of the variation in flavour intensity and pH at 3 h post mortem, 0·52 of the variation in tenderness due to muscle and slaughter age.

Considering both young bulls and cull cows together, tenderness was highest in the meats from 15-month-old bulls and low in the meats from the intermediate age groups, and flavour and juiciness was highest in the meats from the oldest animals from each production system.

Thirty cull Scottish Blackface ewes were scanned three times over a period of 1 week using X-ray computed tomography (CT). Cross-sectional CT reference scans were taken at seven anatomical sites per ewe: ischium (ISC), femur (FEM), hip (HIP), 5th lumbar vertebra (LV5), 2nd lumbar vertebra (LV2), 8th thoracic vertebra (TV8) and 6th thoracic vertebra (TV6). Ewes were then slaughtered and dissection measurements collected.

Results of multiple regression analyses suggested that five reference scans allow accurate prediction of total weights of bone, muscle and fat (carcass and internal). The most informative cross-sectional scans were ISC, HIP, LV5, LV2 and TV8, from which prediction equations were derived. Fat and muscle weights were predicted accurately (R2 = 80 to 99%) but bone weight was predicted less accurately (R2 = 56%). Repeatabilities were high for the CT measurements used to predict fat and muscle (0•82 to 0•99) but lower for those used to predict bone (0•19 to 0• 86).

While crossing of specialized sire and dam breeds can be biologically efficient overall, a by-product is produced in the form of (crossbred) males of the dam line that are unwanted for breeding. In the UK sheep industry, most commercial females are first crosses between males of ‘longwool’ crossing sire breeds, predominantly the Bluefaced Leicester, and females of hill breeds. Genetic improvement of carcass quality in longwool breeds would benefit the surplus F1 males as well as filter through to the terminal sire cross lambs produced by the F1 ewes. As a first step, this paper aims to describe the growth and carcass characteristics of crossbred ‘Mule’ wether offspring of Bluefaced Leicester sires and Scottish Blackface and Hardy Speckled Face dams, and relate the crossbred performance to the ‘lean’ index and live conformation score of the sires and the breed of the dams. In each of 3 years, 1500 hill ewes divided over three sites were mated to 15 ram lambs, selected using an elliptical design to best represent the full spectrum of lean index (designed to improve muscle and decrease fat content while keeping live weight unchanged) and live conformation score present in the Penglas Bluefaced Leicester Group Breeding Scheme. Full growth and slaughter records were available on 2192 Mule wether lambs slaughtered after reaching finished condition, defined as the borderline between MLC fat class 2 and 3L. Measurements included live weight, ultrasonic muscle and fat depth, live conformation score, carcass hot and cold weight, MLC fat score (on the standard seven-point scale) and conformation score (EUROP and 15-point scale) and a visual estimation of subcutaneous fat cover. Nearly 800 carcasses were dissected; 20% had a full side and 80% a shoulder dissection. In part-dissected carcasses, shoulder dissection results were used to predict the fat and lean content of the other joints. Fat and lean percentages and absolute weights were then regressed on the lean index and the residual live conformation score of the sire. At the same finished condition, Scottish Blackface offspring were heavier, older, and had less fat and more lean based both on ultrasound and on carcass dissection measurements compared with Hardy Speckled Face offspring. The index score of the sire had a positive effect on the lean content and a negative effect on fat content of all joints. Conformation of the sire did not have a significant effect on any of the carcass composition measurements, but most conformation traits measured on the animal itself (live or on the carcass) were positively related to fat and negatively to lean content in the carcass. When taking into account differences in visually assessed subcutaneous fat percentage, the carcass conformation traits persisted only in having a positive effect on carcass fat content; none of the conformation traits had an effect on carcass lean content. The results show that selection of sires on lean index is an effective way to improve carcass composition in Mule wethers, but selection on conformation is ineffective.

Classification of pig carcasses in the European Community is based on the lean meat percentage of the carcass. The lean meat percentage is predicted from instrumental carcass measurements, such as fat and muscle depth measurements, obtained in the slaughter-line. The prediction formula employed is derived from the data of a dissection experiment and has to meet requirements for authorization as put down in EC regulations. Requirements involve the sampling procedure and sample size for the dissected carcasses and the accuracy of prediction. Formulae are often derived by linear regression. In this paper we look at a particular type of sampling scheme. This involves selection of carcasses on the basis of carcass measurements not all of which are intended to be used as prediction variables. This sampling scheme frequently appears in requests for authorization of carcass measurement instruments and accompanying prediction formulae, despite the fact that it lacks formal statistical justification when used in conjunction with linear regression. The objective of this work was to assess the performance of the prediction formula that follows from this potentially faulty combination of sampling scheme and linear regression in relation to the requirements in the EC regulations. We show that this sampling scheme may produce poor predictions for lean meat percentage compared with proper sampling procedures with selection on prediction variables only or random sampling. We do so by computer simulation. Initially, simulated data were based on recent and historic data from The Netherlands. Prediction variables are fat and muscle depth measurements. The additional variable involved in sampling, but not included in the regression, was carcass weight. We also show that due to this faulty sampling scheme there is a serious risk that a new measurement instrument may not be authorized because performance criteria in the EC-regulations are not met.

Post-weaning growth rate in pigs is frequently poor and variable. Choice feeding may offer the opportunity to rectify this. In experiment 1, 24 mixed sex groups of 16 pigs weaned with an average weight of 6·8 kg were blocked on weaning weight and assigned at random to the following treatments: (A) starter diet (18·3 g/kg lysine and 16·6 MJ digestible energy (DE) per kg) for 11 days followed by link diet (15·0 g/kg lysine and 15·3 MJ DE per kg) to 27 days; (B) starter diet and link diet offered in a free choice to 27 days; and (C) starter diet and weaner diet (13·0 g/kg lysine and 14·3 MJ DE per kg) offered in a free choice to 27 days. In experiment 2, 66 pigs were weaned at 6·3 kg, blocked as individuals on sex and weight and were randomly assigned to treatments as in experiment 1. In experiment 3, 24 single sex groups of 16 pigs were formed from pigs weaned at 7·8 kg. The groups were blocked on the basis of weaning weight and randomly assigned to the following treatments: (A) starter diet for 11 days followed by link diet to 26 days, (B) starter diet and link diet offered in a free choice to 26 days and (C) starter diet and link diet offered in a free choice to 26 days with feeder position rotated twice weekly. In experiments 1 and 3 pigs were offered a common weaner diet (14·1 g/kg lysine and 14·4 MJ DE per kg) following the experimental period. In experiment 1, daily gain was 406, 410 and 397 g/day (s.e. 6·6; P > 0·05) and food coversion efficiency (FCE) was 1·24, 1·21 and 1·27 g/g (s.e. 0·01; P < 0·01) during the period from day 0 to 27 for treatments A, B and C, respectively. The proportion of the diet selected as starter diet was 0·20, 0·50 and 0·47 (s.e. 0·023; P < 0·001) for treatments A, B and C, respectively. Within-pen variation in pig weight was similar for all treatments at day 14, 27 and 56 (P > 0·05), respectively. In experiment 2, daily gain was 403, 436 and 394 g/day (s.e. 13·0; P = 0·07) and FCE was 1·19, 1·16 and 1·24 g/g (s.e. 0·02; P < 0·05) during the period from day 0 to 26 for treatments A, B and C, respectively. The proportion of the diet selected as starter diet was 0·20, 0·57 and 0·53 (s.e. 0·024; P < 0·001) for treatments A, B and C, respectively. In experiment 3, daily gain was 465, 486 and 488 g/day (s.e.9·4; P > 0·05) and FCE was 1·14, 1·11 and 1·07 g/g (s.e. 0·015; P < 0·01) during the period from day 0 to 26 for treatments A, B and C, respectively. The proportion of the diet selected as starter diet was 0·21, 0·49 and 0·55 (s.e. 0·022; P < 0·001) for treatments A, B and C, respectively. Pig weight at day 49 was 36·4, 37·1 and 37·3 kg (s.e. 0·27; P = 0·09). It was concluded from these experiments that choice feeding did improve pig performance when a choice of starter and link diet was offered.

Tissue depletion and repletion were investigated in 142 Scottish Blackface ewes using computed tomography (CT). Ewes of two ages (2 or 3 years) and differing reproductive status (barren, single- or twin-bearing) were studied through one annual production cycle to investigate mobilization of carcass fat (subcutaneous and inter-muscular), internal fat and muscle.

Ewes were CT scanned five times during the 1-year study period: pre-mating; pre-lambing; mid-lactation; weaning; pre-mating the following year. For each animal at each of the five scanning events cross-sectional CT scans were taken at five anatomical sites (ischium, hip, 5th lumbar vertebra, 2nd lumbar vertebra and 8th thoracic vertebra). CT images were analysed to yield areas of carcass fat, muscle and internal fat and total weights of these tissues were estimated at each scanning event using prediction equations derived from a separate calibration data set.

The results show that both carcass and internal fat depots were depleted during pregnancy and early lactation and repleted from mid-lactation to mating the following year. In proportionate terms, internal fat was most labile, but carcass fat contributed more to total weight change because it was a bigger fat depot. Subcutaneous fat was the largest and most labile of the carcass fat depots. Muscle reserves were depleted only when fat reserves had fallen to very low levels. Older ewes carried more carcass fat in total than younger ewes when reserves were low. Mobilization of tissue reserves in twin-bearing ewes was less than in single-bearing ewes, probably due to preferential feeding.

Man-animal relationships are involved in the process of fox domestication. Handling being an important part of man-animal contacts, causes stress responses in farm-bred blue foxes. The purpose of this study was to determine how prenatal stress induced by handling pregnant vixens influences certain morphometric and hormonal parameters of adrenocortical and gonadal function in the prepubertal offspring. Blue fox females were subjected to daily handling sessions, each of 1 min, in the last trimester of pregnancy (term = 52 days). Plasma concentrations of ACTH, cortisol, progesterone, oestradiol and testosterone, as well as the in vitro adrenal and gonadal production of steroids were measured by radio-immunoassay in control (C, no. = 56) and prenatally stressed (PS, no. = 56) blue fox cubs of both sexes at the age of 6 to 7 months. Prenatal stress decreased plasma concentration of cortisol (C: 31·0 (s.e. 4·3) v. PS: 22·7(s.e. 1·6) ng/ml, P < 0·05) as well as progesterone (C: 1·00(s.e. 0·10) v. PS: 0·65(s.e. 0·05) ng/ml, P < 0·05) in female cubs. Prenatal stress did not cause any changes in adrenal or gonadal weights, plasma concentrations of testosterone or oestradiol, or in vitro adrenal or gonadal steroid production, in either sex. It is concluded that persistent handling of pregnant blue foxes did not affect the prepubertal development of the reproductive system but resulted in disregulation in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in the female offspring.

Betaine and its precursor choline were compared in their efficiency in affecting the performance, carcass traits, and liver betaine concentration of growing-finishing pigs. Individually penned Finnish Landrace and Yorkshire pigs and their crosses (30 kg; no. = 70) were offered the basal diet with no added betaine or choline, or the basal diet supplemented with low to moderate doses (250, 500 or 1000 mg/kg) of betaine (Betafin® S1), or with a similar molar amount of choline (578, 1155 or 2310 mg/kg of choline chloride). The maize-soya-bean-meal basal diet was formulated to contain 12·3 MJ/kg digestible energy, 155 g/kg crude protein and 7·4, 4·4 and 4·3 g/kg digestible lysine, threonine and methionine + cystine, respectively. Oat hull meal (100 g/kg) was added to reduce the dietary energy concentration. The pigs were on a restricted feeding level, 1·5 to 3·0 kg food per day (proportionately 0·8 of ad libitum intake) for 75 days. Daily weight gain and food-to-gain ratio improved linearly (P < 0·01) with increasing dietary betaine. Carcass weight increased linearly (P < 0·01) but slaughter loss proportion, backfat and sidefat thicknesses and lean proportions in ham and carcass were unaffected by dietary betaine level. Liver betaine level increased linearly (by up to a proportion of 0·62 in comparison with the control) with dietary betaine addition (F < 0·05) and betaine tended to improve linearly the tensile strength of the proximal ileum (P = 0·07). The presence of choline had no effect on any of these parameters. These results indicate that low to moderate doses of dietary betaine improved the growth and the efficiency of food utilization of growing-finishing pigs. Pigs on betaine diets had heavier carcasses without a relative increase in carcass fat. Choline had no such effects in pigs offered the restricted amount of diet. Liver betaine concentration increased with level of betaine in the diet whereas the betaine precursor choline did not affect hepatic betaine.

Carcass measurements, commercial cuts and chemical composition of the meat of 32 Boer goat (BG) kids and 32 South African Mutton Merino (MM) lambs were investigated. Two pelleted diets (offered to 16 animals per species) with either a low (LE, 9·9 MJ/kg dry matter (DM)) or a high (HE, 121 MJ/kg DM) metabolizable energy level were offered, ad libitum, for either 28 or 56 days. Thereafter the animals were slaughtered and the carcasses dissected into South African commercial cuts. The 8-9-10-rib cut of each carcass was dissected and used for chemical analysis. MM had heavier carcasses (LE: 19·87w. 15·28 kg; HE: 2401 v 17·05 kg), and proportionally heavier ribs and buttocks than BG and therefore one can expect higher prices for sheep carcasses than for those of goats. BG had significantly more moisture and protein and lower fat and energy values than MM. DM, fat and energy values increased with an increase in slaughter age in both species. BG had significantly higher concentrations of 11 of the 18 measured essential amino acids in their 8-9-10-rib cuts than the MM. Goat carcasses had higher Ca, K, Mg, Na and P levels than sheep carcasses, regardless of the diet offered. BG had a lower carcass cholesterol content than lamb (66·77 v. 99·28 mg/100 g, respectively). Palmitic (C16: 0), stearic (C18: 0) and oleic (C18: 1n9) acids comprised the greatest proportions of the fatty acids in the 8-9-10-rib cut. On both diets there was a significantly higher saturated to unsaturated (SFA: UFA) fatty acid ratio in lamb than in goat meat (LE: 0·30 v 0·845; HE 1·407 v. 0·892). It can be concluded that chemically the meat from young feedlot goats is not inferior to that of lamb, and since it has a higher protein percentage and lower fat, cholesterol and SFA it can be considered as a healthy food commodity. Since diet had little or no significant influence on the carcass weight distribution or chemical composition of the goats, BGs can be finished on a LE-diet in the feedlot. This may decrease the food cost significantly.

Leptin has an important rôle in the control of appetite and energy expenditure. Several studies have reported the effects of leptin in ruminants. However, little is known about changes in circulating leptin concentrations in neonates of ruminant species, or the effects of weaning on plasma leptin concentrations. The main objectives of this experiment were: to examine plasma leptin concentrations in lambs, in the period from just after birth through to weaning; to examine the effect of weaning on plasma leptin concentrations, and to compare leptin concentrations measured using a ‘multi-species’ leptin radio-immunoassay (RIA) kit and a specific ovine RIA in lambs during the 6-month period after weaning. In a previous paper, we reported leptin concentrations using a commercial RIA during the post-weaning period. However, we were not able to measure plasma leptin concentrations from just after birth to weaning as they were apparently below the level of sensitivity of the assay. In the present study, five crossbred lambs were removed from their dams within 2 days after birth, and bottle-fed on milk replacer at a level sufficient to meet a 1•2 times maintenance metabolizable energy intake. Lambs were weaned 45 days after birth, and housed individually in pens. The lambs were offered timothy hay, rolled barley and soya-bean meal to meet a 200 g daily gain during the post-weaning period. During the pre-weaning period, blood samples were collected within 5 h of birth and thereafter at 09:00 h; every day from 2 to 6 days of age; at 2-day intervals from 6 to 14 days of age; and at 3-day intervals from 14 to 45 days of age. During the post-weaning period, blood samples were collected before and 3 and 6 h after the morning meal at the ages of 0•5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 months. Plasma leptin concentrations slightly increased (P < 0•05) just after birth and then remained constant until 45 days old (P > 0•05). Additionally, plasma leptin concentration was not significantly changed following weaning. During the post-weaning period, plasma leptin concentrations were compared using two RIA systems. The correlation between plasma leptin concentrations measured by the ‘multi-species’ leptin RIA kit and specific ovine RIA was poor (r = 0•41). These findings are consistent with other reports and suggest that the ‘multi-species’ leptin RIA kit is not suitable for estimating leptin plasma concentrations in ruminants.