Colostrum intake from birth to 24 h after the onset of parturition (T24) was estimated for 526 piglets from 40 litters. Plasma concentrations of immunoglobulin G (IgG), lactate, glucose and cortisol were determined at T24 for six piglets per litter. Plasma IgG concentration was also assayed at weaning (28 days) on the same piglets. Rectal temperature was measured at T24 on all piglets. Mortality was recorded until weaning and comparisons were made between piglets that died before weaning and those that were still alive at weaning. The piglets that died before weaning had lower birth weight, lower colostrum intake, lower weight gain between birth and T24, and had a lower rectal temperature, higher plasma cortisol concentration and lower plasma IgG and glucose concentrations at T24 than piglets still alive at weaning. In addition, a higher proportion of piglets that died before weaning had difficulty taking their first breath after birth and were affected by splayleg. Considering all piglets, colostrum intake was positively related to rectal temperature and plasma glucose concentration and negatively related to plasma cortisol concentration at T24. Plasma IgG concentration at T24 was explained by colostrum intake, IgG concentration in the ingested colostrum, birth weight and birth rank (P < 0.0001). Plasma IgG concentration at weaning was related to plasma IgG concentration at T24 (r = 0.54; P < 0.0001) and to colostrum intake (r = 0.32; P < 0.0001). Finally, body weight was explained by colostrum intake, birth weight and age until 6 weeks of age (P < 0.0001). These results show that colostrum intake is the main determinant of piglet survival through provision of energy and immune protection and has potential long-term effects on piglet growth and immunity.

This review brings together research findings on cervical relaxation in the ewe and its pharmacological stimulation for enhancement of the penetration needed for transcervical insemination and embryo transfer. On the basis that the success of artificial insemination is the percentage of ewes lambing, a review is made of recent research aimed at understanding and minimising the sub-lethal effects of freezing and thawing on the viability of spermatozoa, their membrane integrity and their ability to migrate through cervical mucus, as these characteristics have a major influence on fertility, particularly when semen is deposited, artificially, in the os cervix. Milestones of achievement are given for transcervical intrauterine insemination, embryo recovery and transfer and the birth of lambs of pre-determined sex, firstly following intracytoplasmic sperm injection, then laparoscopic intrauterine insemination using highly diluted flow-cytometrically sorted fresh semen and subsequently by os cervix insemination using sexed semen that had been frozen and thawed. Diversity of research endeavour (applied, cellular, molecular), research discipline (anatomy, histology, immunology, endocrinology) and research focus (cell, tissue, organ, whole animal) is embraced within the review as each has significant contributions to make in advancing recent scientific findings from the laboratory into robust on-farm transcervical insemination and embryo transfer techniques.

Bacitracin is an antibiotic used in rabbit husbandry to control microbial digestive pathologies. Collateral effects on absorption and mucosal development have been reported and these may impact on protein metabolism. This study aims to analyse the effect of the antibiotic on protein synthesis in lactating does because mammary gland metabolism and milk output should provide a sensitive index of any undesirable action of bacitracin. Rates of protein synthesis were measured in mammary gland, liver, intestinal mucosa and muscle of lactating rabbits does by injecting a flooding dose of [2H5]phenylalanine into the auricular artery of two groups (each n = 8) of New Zealand White does fed different experimental diets. The control group (C) received the basal diet and the bacitracin group (B) ingested the same diet but supplemented with bacitracin (100 mg/kg). Animals received the experimental diet from day 28 of pregnancy until day 26 of lactation when they were slaughtered. Just after birth, litter size was adjusted by cross-fostering either to five or nine pups (four does per dietary treatment). The relative weight of the liver tended to be greater in those females receiving the B diet (27 v. 22.5 g/kg BW; P < 0.07), while diet did not affect mammary gland weight (255.7 ± 10.59 g). Fractional protein synthesis rate (FSR) was higher for intestinal mucosa (duodenum; 51.7% ± 2.09%/day) followed by mammary gland and liver (38.29 ± 2.62%/day and 40.2 ± 1.98%/day, respectively), and the lowest value was observed in muscle (2.92 ± 0.26%/day; P < 0.0001). Bacitracin treatment lowered FSR in the mammary gland by 23% (P = 0.024) and this was independent of litter size. Conversely, FSR in the duodenum was not affected by antibiotic treatment but reduced by 15% (P = 0.021) for the larger litter size.

Government policies relating to red meat production take account of the carbon footprint, environmental impact, and contributions to human health and nutrition, biodiversity and food security. This paper reviews the impact of grazing on these parameters and their interactions, identifying those practices that best meet governments’ strategic goals. The recent focus of research on livestock grazing and biodiversity has been on reducing grazing intensity on hill and upland areas. Although this produces rapid increases in sward height and herbage mass, changes in structural diversity and plant species are slower, with no appreciable short-term increases in biodiversity so that environmental policies that simply involve reductions in numbers of livestock may not result in increased biodiversity. Furthermore, upland areas rely heavily on nutrient inputs to pastures so that withdrawal of these inputs can threaten food security. Differences in grazing patterns among breeds increase our ability to manage biodiversity if they are matched appropriately to different conservation grazing goals. Lowland grassland systems differ from upland pastures in that additional nutrients in the form of organic and inorganic fertilisers are more frequently applied to lowland pastures. Appropriate management of these nutrient applications is required, to reduce the associated environmental impact. New slurry-spreading techniques and technologies (e.g. the trailing shoe) help reduce nutrient losses but high nitrogen losses from urine deposition remain a key issue for lowland grassland systems. Nitrification inhibitors have the greatest potential to successfully tackle this problem. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are lower from indoor-based systems that use concentrates to shorten finishing periods. The challenge is to achieve the same level of performance from grass-based systems. Research has shown potential solutions through the use of forages containing condensed tannins or establishing swards with a high proportion of clover and high-sugar grasses. Relative to feeding conserved forage or concentrates, grazing fresh grass not only reduces GHG emissions but also enhances the fatty acid composition of meat in terms of consumer health. It is possible to influence biodiversity, nutrient utilisation, GHG emissions and the nutritional quality of meat in grass-based systems, but each of these parameters is intrinsically linked and should not be considered in isolation. Interactions between these parameters must be considered carefully when policies are being developed, in order to ensure that strategies designed to achieve positive gains in one category do not lead to a negative impact in another. Some win–win outcomes are identified.

Livestock farming has recently come under close scrutiny, in response especially to environmental issues. Farmers are encouraged to redesign their livestock farming systems in depth to improve their sustainability. Assuming that modelling can be a relevant tool to address such systemic changes, we sought to answer the following question: ‘How can livestock farming systems be modelled to help farmers redesign their whole farming systems?’ To this end, we made a literature review of the models of livestock farming systems published from 2000 to mid-2009 (n = 79). We used an analysis grid based on three considerations: (i) system definition, (ii) the intended use of the model and (iii) the way in which farmers’ decision-making processes were represented and how agricultural experts and farmers were involved in the modelling processes. Consistent rationales in approaches to supporting changes in livestock farming were identified in three different groups of models, covering 83% of the whole set. These could be defined according to (i) the way in which farmers’ decisions were represented and (ii) the model's type of contribution to supporting changes. The first type gathered models that dynamically simulated the system according to different management options; the farmers’ decision-making processes are assumed to consist in choosing certain values for management factors. Such models allow long-term simulations and endorse different disciplinary viewpoints, but the farmers are weakly involved in their design. Models of the second type can indicate the best combination of farm activities under given constraints, provided the farmers’ objectives are profit maximisation. However, when used to support redesigning processes, they address neither how to implement the optimal solution nor its long-term consequences. Models of the third type enable users to dynamically simulate different options for the farming system, the management of which is assumed to be planned according to the farmers’ general objectives. Although more comprehensive, these models do not easily integrate different disciplinary viewpoints and different subsystems, which limits their usefulness as support tools for redesigning processes. Finally, we concluded about what specific requirements should be for modelling approaches if farmers were to be supported in redesigning their whole livestock farming systems using models.

Lamb mortality remains a significant welfare and economic issue for sheep production. Lamb survival is to a degree dependent upon an easy delivery and the expression of appropriate behaviours from both mother and offspring, such as rapid standing, udder seeking and sucking by the lamb. Genetic solutions have the potential to improve birth assistance and lamb behaviour but large amounts of data are needed. Therefore, to achieve this objective, simple, proxy methods (scoring systems) were developed to quantify the level of birth difficulties and lamb vigour on farm. In the first study, detailed historical behavioural data from 1156 lambs (Scottish Blackface and Suffolk (S)) were analysed to develop criteria for 3 scores: birth assistance, lamb vigour and sucking assistance. The birth assistance score was developed by analysing the relationships between birth presentation and intervention levels, and intervention level and labour length. Lambs with abnormal birth positions required more assistance than normally presented lambs and lambs with long labours required more and greater assistance than those with short labours. Lamb vigour score was developed by analysing the latencies for the lamb to first perform specific behaviours; more vigorous lambs reach landmark behaviours faster than low vigour lambs. The sucking assistance score was developed from the relationship between the latency to suck successfully and assistance level, where lambs that were slow to suck required more assistance than lambs that were quick to suck. In the second study, the behaviour scoring systems (5-point categorical scales) were validated using a commercial flock of 80 twin-bearing crossbred ewes mated with either Texel (T) or S sires by simultaneously recording scores and the latency to perform specific landmark behaviours (i.e. to stand, seek the udder and suck). The vigour scores (recorded at 5 min of age) were compared with the latency from birth to standing and showed that lambs with lower (better) vigour scores were faster to stand after birth than those with higher scores. The sucking assistance scores were compared with the latency from birth to sucking, and showed that lambs with lower sucking assistance scores are quicker to suck than those with high scores. These results showed that the scoring systems could provide a practical and reliable assessment of birth assistance and lamb behaviour on farm and were sufficiently sensitive to discriminate vigour levels between lambs sired by either S or T rams.

In recent years, broiler mortality during transport to the slaughterhouse has become a cause for concern because of animal welfare considerations and associated economic losses. A descriptive and analytical epidemiological study was carried out to estimate the extent of DoA in poultry broiler production in the main producing regions of France and to determine factors influencing the DoA rate. Data regarding animal characteristics and rearing, catching, transport and lairage conditions were collected on farm and at the slaughterhouse for 404 chicken broiler flocks processed during 2005. The average DoA rate was 0.18% (from 0% to 1.4%). Variables found to be associated (P < 0.05) with the DoA rate in a multivariable negative binomial model were flock cumulative mortality on farm, the catching system (mechanical being more at risk than manual), the density in crates (more space allowance being associated with less mortality) and climatic conditions (rain and wind being associated with more DoA). Mortality during transport is thus related to all production steps from the farm to the slaughterhouse. Efforts have therefore to be made by all professionals to contain mortality on farm and during catching and transportation.

In this study, breeding structures and commercial sow lines were evaluated by economic and genetic simulation studies for their suitability to provide the Dutch organic pig sector with replacement gilts. Sow and litter performance from over 2000 crossbred sows from 2006 to 2007 were collected on 11 to 14 Dutch organic pig herds, respectively, and compared with conventional herds. Results showed that organic herds had lower farrowing rates (3.6% to 7.5%), more live born piglets per litter (0.4% to 1.2%) and higher preweaning mortality rates (7% to 13%) compared to conventional herds. These results were used to simulate economic performance of various combinations of breeding structures and sow lines under organic conditions, under the assumption of absence of genotype–environment interactions. Sow and litter performance data under organic conditions (total piglets born/litter, stillborn piglets/litter, mortality until weaning, lactation length, interval weaning-oestrus and sow culling rate) and the costprice calculation for the Dutch organic pig sector were used as input for the economic simulation studies. The expected genetic progress was simulated for three potential breeding structures of the organic sector: organic breeding herds producing F1 gilts (OrgBS), a flower breeding system (FlowerBS) and a two-line rotation breeding system (RotBS). In FlowerBS, an organic purebred sow line is bred, using on-farm gilt replacement. The OrgBS with a Yorkshire × Landrace cross had the highest margin per sow place (€779), followed by RotBS with Yorkshire × Landrace cross (€706) and FlowerBS with Yorkshire sow line (€677). In case that an organic purebred sow population of 5000 sows would be available, FlowerBS gave the highest genetic progress in terms of cost price reduction (€3.72/slaughter pig per generation), followed by RotBS and OrgBS (€3.60/slaughter pig per generation). For FlowerBS, additional costs will be involved for maintaining a dedicated breeding programme. In conclusion, OrgBS using conventional genetics is economically the most viable option for the organic pig sector. However, this structure has clear disadvantages in terms of risks with regard to disease transmission and market demand. FlowerBS using a dedicated purebred organic line will only be cost-effective if sow population size is sufficiently large. RotBS might be a viable alternative, especially in combination with artificial insemination (AI) boars that are ranked according to an organic selection index. Regardless of breeding structure, the Yorkshire sow line gave the highest prolificacy and the highest economic returns on organic herds.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of incorporation into pig diets of 20% of different co-products from the biofuel industries, which are rich in fibre, on animal growth performance, on nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) excretions, and on the subsequent ammonia volatilisation and methane production during the storage of slurry. Five experimental diets mainly based on wheat and soyabean meal were formulated: two control diets, a control high-protein (CHP) diet with 17.5% of crude protein (CP) and a control low-protein (CLP) diet with 14.0% of CP and three experimental diets with 20% of (i) dried distiller’s grain with solubles (DDGS), (ii) sugar beet pulp (SBP) or (iii) fatty rapeseed meal (FRM). The animals used (20 castrated males) were housed individually in metabolism cages and fed one of the five diets (i.e. four pigs per diet). Urine and faeces were collected separately from each pig in order to measure nutrient digestibility and the excretory patterns of N and C. For each diet, ammonia volatilisation was measured from samples of slurry subsequently produced, over a 16-day storage period in a laboratory pilot scale system. The ultimate methane potential (B0, expressed in litres CH4/kg organic matter (OM)) was measured from the same slurry, for each diet, in anaerobic storage conditions over 100 days. The addition of sources of fibres to the diet decreased (P < 0.05) the animal growth performance by 13% and increased (P < 0.05) the amount of faeces excreted by 100%, whereas the amount of urine was not affected. For the high-fibre diets, there was a shift of N partitioning from urine to faeces, resulting in a much higher faecal N excretion (10 v. 5 g N/pig per day). Concurrently, the fibre enrichment in diets significantly increased (P < 0.05) the C content of the faeces by 68%. Ammonia emission from slurry was significantly reduced (P < 0.05) by 19% to 33% for the high-fibre diets, compared to the CHP diet. Ammonia emission was also reduced (P < 0.05) by 33% for the CLP compared to the CHP diet. B0 values ranged from 428 to 484 l CH4/kg OM. When these are expressed per pig and per day, the B0 from slurry was, on average, 70 l for the two control diets, and 121, 91 and 130 l for the slurry originating from the DDGS, SBP and FRM diets, respectively.

One of the main aims of pasture-based systems of dairy production is to increase the proportion of grazed grass in the diet. This is most easily achieved by increasing the number of grazing days. However, periods of inclement weather conditions can reduce the number of days at pasture. The two objectives of this experiment were: (i) to investigate the effect of restricting pasture access time on animal production, grazing behaviour and dry matter intake (DMI) of spring calving dairy cows in early lactation; and (ii) to establish whether silage supplementation is required when cows return indoors after short grazing periods. In all, 52 Holstein–Friesian spring calving dairy cows were assigned to a four-treatment study from 25 February to 26 March 2008. The four treatments were: full-time access to pasture (22H; control); 4.5-h- pasture access after both milkings (2 × 4.5H); 3-h pasture access after both milkings (2 × 3H); 3-h pasture access after both milkings with silage supplementation by night (2 × 3SH). All treatments were offered 14.4 kg DM/cow per day herbage from swards, with a mean pre-grazing yield of 1739 kg DM/ha above 4 cm, – and were supplemented with 3 kg DM/cow per day of concentrate. The 2 × 3SH treatment was offered an additional 4 kg DM/cow of grass silage by night. Restricting pasture access time (2 × 3H, 2 × 3SH and 2 × 4.5H) had no effect on milk (28.3 kg/cow per day) and solids-corrected milk (27.2 kg/cow per day) yield when compared with the treatment grazing full time. Supplementing animals with grass silage did not increase milk production when compared with all other treatments. Milk protein concentration tended to be lower (P = 0.08; 32.2 g/kg) for the 2 × 3SH animals when compared with the 22H animals (33.7 g/kg). The grass DMI of the 2 × 3SH treatment was significantly lower (−2.3 kg DM/cow per day) than all other treatments (11.9 kg DM/cow per day), yet the total DMI of these animals was highest (16.6 kg DM/cow per day). The 22H cows grazed for 481 min/cow per day, which is significantly longer than all other treatments. The 2 × 3H animals grazed for 98% of the time, whereas the 2 × 3SH grazed for 79% of their time at pasture. Restricting pasture access time did not affect end body weight or body condition score. The results of this study indicate that restricting pasture access time of dairy cows in early lactation does not affect milk production performance. Furthermore, supplementing cows with grass silage does not increase milk production but reduces grazing efficiency.

Two experiments were conducted to ascertain the effects of feeding an all-concentrate diet to growing heifers on performance, ruminal fermentation, behaviour and welfare. In experiment 1, eight tethered rumen fistulated Holstein heifers (143 ± 8.7 kg, initial BW) were used to study the effects of treatment on intake, ruminal changes and behaviour. In experiment 2, 48 Friesian female calves (initial BW = 84.5 ± 1.37 kg) were used to study the effects of treatment on performance, behaviour and welfare in feedlot conditions. In both experiments, treatments consisted of concentrate with barley straw (BS) or without barley straw (NBS) and feed was offered at 0830 h on an ad libitum basis. Experiment 1 was performed in four 42-day periods, and sampling was carried out in the last week of each period. Ruminal samples were collected over 3 days at 0, 4, 8 and 12 h post-feeding to measure pH, and volatile fatty acids (VFA) and NH3-N concentrations. Maintenance behaviour was video-recorded for 24 h over three consecutive days of each experimental period and feed intake pattern was studied by means of feed bunks mounted on digital platform scales. There were no statistical differences in average daily gain (ADG), concentrate dry matter (DM) intake or CP intake. In contrast, NDF intake and ADF intake were greater in heifers fed BS than NBS. Average ruminal pH was lower, whereas total VFA was greater, in heifers fed NBS diet. There were no differences in NH3-N, and in d- and l-lactate concentrations. Time spent in ruminating was shorter, and stereotypies were more frequent in heifers fed diet NBS compared with those fed BS. In experiment 2, nine 28-day periods were established, in which DM intake and ADG were measured, blood and faecal samples were taken for haptoglobin and glucocorticoid metabolites determination, respectively, as welfare indicators, and behaviour was monitored by video recording. Concentrate intake was similar in both treatments, but total feed intake was greater in heifers fed BS diet. As there were no differences in ADG between treatments, gain efficiency was lower in those fed BS than those fed NBS. Blood haptoglobin and faecal glucocorticoids metabolites were not different between treatments. In these competitive conditions, rumination was also reduced and stereotypic behaviour increased by straw exclusion. In conclusion, performance was either not affected or improved by straw exclusion, but animal behaviour was affected, suggesting a negative effect on animal welfare.

The relationship among parasitological parameters, abomasal size and body size measurements was investigated in lambs following an experimental infection with Haemonchus contortus. In total, 100 lambs from five different genotypes (German Merino (GM), Texel × GM, Suffolk × GM, German Blackhead Mutton × GM and Ile de France × GM) were experimentally infected with 5000 infective third stage larvae of H. contortus at the time of weaning at 12 weeks of age. Four and six weeks after infection, individual faecal samples were collected for estimation of faecal egg counts (FECs). Furthermore, wither height, shoulder width, heart girth, loin girth and body length were taken at 18 weeks of life. Lambs were slaughtered and necropsied 7 weeks post-infection, and worm counts, abomasal volume and surface area were determined. Positive correlations were found between different body size parameters, body weight and abomasal sizes. FEC and worm counts were not significantly correlated either with body size parameters or with abomasal size. The mean worm burden was higher in GM than in crossbred lambs. There was no significant difference in abomasal size between GM and crossbred lambs. The results suggest that the variations between animals in worm burden following an experimental infection with H. contortus (worm resistance) are not influenced by body size parameters or abomasal sizes. Therefore, other factors, including genetic-based differences in resistance, must cause these findings between and within breeds.

The incorporation of feed-use (FU) amino acids (AAs) in diets results in a reduced use of protein-rich ingredients such as soybean meal, recognized to have elevated contributions to environmental impacts. This study investigated whether the incorporation of l-lysine.HCl, l-threonine and FU-methionine reduces the environmental impacts of pig and broiler feeds using Life Cycle Assessment. The following impact categories were considered: climate change, eutrophication, acidification, terrestrial ecotoxicity, cumulative energy demand and land occupation. Several feeds were formulated either to minimize the cost of the formulation (with or without AA utilization), to maximize AA incorporation (i.e. the cost of AA was considered to be similar to that of soybean meal), or to minimize greenhouse gas emissions. For both pig and broiler feeds, calculations were made first using only cereals and soybean meal as main ingredients and then using cereals and several protein-rich ingredients (soybean meal, rapeseed meal and peas). In addition, these calculations were performed using two types of soybean meal (from Brazil, associated with recent deforestation or not). For broiler feeds, two types of maize (from France, irrigated, with mineral fertilization v. not irrigated, with animal manure fertilization) were also tested. Regarding the feeds formulated to minimize cost, incorporation of AA decreased the values for eutrophication, terrestrial ecotoxicity and cumulative energy demand of both pig and broiler feeds, regardless of the base ingredients. Reduction in climate change and acidification due to the incorporation of AA depended on the nature of the feed ingredients, with the effect of AA incorporation being greater when combined with ingredients with high impacts such as soybean meal associated with deforestation. Feeds formulated to maximize AA incorporation generally had a similar composition to those formulated to minimize cost, suggesting that the costs of AA were not the limiting factor in their incorporation. Feeds formulated to minimize greenhouse gas emissions had the lowest values for climate change and cumulative energy demand, but not for other impacts. Further research is needed to elucidate whether the incorporation of additional AA (tryptophan and valine) along with l-lysine, l-threonine and FU-methionine could decrease on the environmental impacts of pig and broiler feeds further.

The maturing sperm cells discard the majority of their cytoplasm during the final stages of spermatogenesis and lose some of their defense enzymes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of vitamin E supplementation on standard semen quality parameters and antioxidant activities of frozen-thawed bovine sperm. Vitamin E was added at concentrations of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mg/ml to bovine semen cryoprotective medium. The results showed that the sperm motility and VSL, STR values in the extender supplemented with 1.0 and 1.5 mg/ml of vitamin E, were significantly higher than that of other concentrations (P < 0.05). The percentages of acrosome-intact and membrane-intact sperm were significantly improved (P < 0.05) by supplementing with 1.5 mg/ml of vitamin E. In biochemical assays, the extender supplemented with vitamin E did not exhibit significant improvement in SOD (superoxide dismutase) levels, compared with the control (P > 0.05). Compared with other groups, CAT (catalase) levels were demonstrated to be greater with the supplementation of vitamin E at 1.0 and 1.5 mg/ml (P < 0.05). The extender supplemented with 1.5 mg/ml of vitamin E caused the highest levels of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), compared with other groups (P < 0.05). The glutathione (GSH) activity was significantly higher with the supplementation of 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mg/ml of vitamin E, compared with 2.0 mg/ml in the vitamin E group and control (P < 0.05). Moreover, increasing the doses of vitamin E decreased sperm antioxidant activities, the extender supplemented with 2.0 mg/ml of vitamin E, caused the lowest levels of GSH-Px and GSH activities, compared with other treatment groups (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the beneficial effects of vitamin E noted in this study can be attributed to the antioxidant characteristics. Vitamin E supplementation in the extender reduced the lipid peroxidation potential and improved semen quality during freezing-thawing. More researches are needed to evaluate and understand the precise physiological role of vitamin E in reproduction.

The objective of this study is to quantify the milk production response per cow and per hectare (ha) for an incremental stocking rate (SR) change, based on a meta-analysis of published research papers. Suitable experiments for inclusion in the database required a comparison of at least two SRs under the same experimental conditions in addition to details on experimental length and milk production results per cow and per ha. Each additional increased SR treatment was also described in terms of the relative milk production change per cow and per ha compared to the lower base SR (b_SR). A database containing 109 experiments of various lengths with 131 comparisons of SR was sub-divided into Type I experiments (common experimental lengths) and Type II experiments (variable experimental lengths). Actual and proportional changes in milk production according to SR change were analysed using linear mixed model procedures with study included as a random effect in the model. Low residual standard errors indicated a good precision of the predictive equations with the exception of proportional change in milk production per cow. For all milk yield variables analysed, the results illustrate that while production per cow is reduced, a strong positive relationship exists between SR and milk production per ha. An SR increase of one cow/ha resulted in a decrease in daily milk yield per cow of 7.4% and 8.7% for Type I and Type II data, respectively, whereas milk yield per ha increased by 20.1% and 19.6%, respectively. Within the Type II data set, a one cow/ha increase in SR also resulted in a 15.1% reduction in lactation length (equivalent to 42 days). The low predictability of proportional change in milk production per cow according to the classical SR definition of cows per ha over a defined period suggests that SR may be more appropriately defined in terms of the change in available feed offered per animal within each treatment.

The delivery of certain living microorganisms in food has long been suggested as having positive health effects in humans. This practice has extended into food animal production, with a variety of microorganisms being used; lactic acid bacteria, various Bacillus species and the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been particularly used in the pig industry. The increased interest in probiotics is essentially due to the problem of microbial resistance to antibiotics and following the ban of the use of antibiotics in animal production, probiotics being considered an alternative means to reduce pathogen infection and improve animal health especially around the time of weaning. However, there is still a need to clarify the probiotic effectiveness in pigs, and the underlying mechanisms. When assessing the efficacy of probiotics one must consider the particular strain of organism being used and the production stage of the pigs being treated. The reproducible delivery of probiotics in industrial pig production is problematic as maintenance of viability is key to their beneficial activity, but difficult to achieve with commonly used feed processing technologies. One specific context where probiotics organisms may be reliably delivered is in systems utilising fermented liquid feeds. Liquid feed may be fermented by the activity of wild lactic acid bacteria or may be stimulated using specific isolates as ‘starters’; the latter system has advantages in terms of reproducibility and speed of fermentation. The farm context in which the organism is used is likely to be critical; the use of probiotics is more likely to result in measurable economic gains in animals living in sub-optimal conditions rather than in those reared in the highest welfare and husbandry conditions. The establishment of a beneficial lactic acid bacteria population at birth may lead to healthier animals, this may be most effectively achieved by treating sows, which provide an amplification step and flood the neonatal pigs’ environment with desirable bacterial strains. In contrast, it may be sufficient to provide a supportive, protective microbiota around the time of weaning as this is a time of major crisis with instability and loss of certain bacterial populations.

The objective of this study was to identify possible risk factors for poor cow hind limb cleanliness in Danish loose-housed, lactating dairy cows. The study was conducted as a cross-sectional study of 1315 cows in 42 commercial Danish dairy herds with primarily Danish Holstein cows. The effect of four cow-level factors (parity, days in milk, daily lying time and lameness) and eight herd-level factors (herd size, milk production, milking system, floor type, access to pasture grazing, floor scraping frequency, hoof bathing frequency and hoof washing frequency) on the risk of having dirtier hind limbs were analysed using ordinal logistic regression fitting a proportional odds model. Cow hind limb cleanliness was scored using an ordinal score from 1 to 4: 1 being clean and 4 being covered in dirt. The odds ratios (ORs) estimated from the proportional odds model depict the effect of a risk factor on the odds of having a higher rather than a lower cleanliness score. First parity cows had an increased risk of being dirtier compared with third parity or older cows (OR = 1.70). Compared with late lactation, early and mid lactation were associated with an increased risk of being dirtier (OR = 2.07 and 1.33, respectively). Decreasing the daily time lying by 30 min was associated with an increased risk of being dirtier (OR = 1.05). Furthermore, an increased risk of being dirtier was found in herds with no pasture access (OR = 3.75).

‘Adapt to endure’ has become a necessity in agriculture, but the means to do so remain largely undefined. The aim of this literature review is to analyse how the herd contributes to a livestock farming system's capacity to adapt to a changing world and evolve when the future is uncertain. We identify six categories of elements linked to the herd, called ‘sources of flexibility’, that are used to manage perturbation. The first three are: using the animal's adaptive capacities, using the diversity of species and breeds and combining the diversity of animal products. The last three are: organising the mobility of animals and livestock farmers, juggling the herd numbers and mastering the balance between productivity and herd survival. These sources of flexibility are described in the literature by studying the different ways in which they are used. For example, the ‘juggle herd numbers’ source is described by volume, categories of animals, type of transfer, such as births, purchases or gifts, and timing of use, especially linked to the timing of the perturbation. Identified studies also compare or rank sources and analyse the connections between them. The flexibility framework (management science) is used for this analysis according to the levels of organisation of a livestock farming system: a strategic level referring to long-term options and to the capacity to modify the system structure, and an operational level referring to adjustment decisions during the productive cycle, the presence or absence of intervention by the livestock farmer, and the time scales involved. We conclude that the decision to use one or another source (in terms of modalities, alternatives, scheduling and combinations) is made according to the production objectives, the structural means, the type/frequency/intensity of perturbations and the context/environment. Consequently, the flexibility of a livestock farming system cannot be assessed in absolute terms. Enhancing flexibility needs management of all elements and scales involved (and not only the herd), and requires diversity to be organised at different scales.

A consensus of expert opinion was used to provide both face and consensual validity to a list of potential indicators of sheep welfare. This approach was used as a first step in the identification of valid welfare indicators for sheep. The consensus methodology of the National Institute of Health, using pre-meeting consultation and focus group discussions, was used to ascertain the consensus opinion of a panel of sheep welfare experts. The Farm Animal Welfare Council's five freedoms were used as a framework to organise a list of current on-farm welfare issues for sheep. The five freedoms were also the welfare criterion used to identify potential on-farm welfare indicators for sheep. As a result, experts identified 193 welfare issues for sheep and lambs managed on farms across England and Wales. Subsequently, a combination of animal- (n = 26), resource- (n = 13) and management- (n = 22) based indicators was suggested for (i) adult rams, (ii) adult ewes (male and female sheep, over 1 year old), (iii) growing lambs (male and female sheep, over 6 weeks to 1 year old) and (iv) young lambs (male and female lambs, 6 weeks old and under). The results from this study could therefore be used to inform the further development of valid methods of assessing the on-farm welfare of sheep.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of increasing levels of saponins from Quillaja saponaria on fatty acid (FA) composition and cholesterol content in muscle Longissimus dorsi of lambs. A total of 24 Barbarine lambs were assigned to four dietary treatments: control diet (C) consisting of oat hay ad libitum and 400 g of concentrate (80% barley, 17.5% soybean meal and 2.5% vitamin and mineral supplement); C diet plus 30 ppm of Q. saponaria L. (QS30); C diet plus 60 ppm of Quillaja (QS60); C diet plus 90 ppm of Quillaja (QS90). Saponin supplementation reduced the concentration of C14:1 cis-9 (P = 0.001) and of its desaturation index (P = 0.002). None of the FA intermediates of ruminal biohydrogenation (BH) was affected by Quillaja saponin supplementation (P > 0.05). The concentration of C20:4n-6 was higher in the meat of animals receiving 60 ppm of Quillaja than C and QS30 groups. Supplementing 60 ppm of Quillaja reduced the ratio between α-linolenic and linoleic acids compared with the C group (P = 0.023). We did not find any significant effect of Quillaja saponins on muscle cholesterol level. Further investigations are necessary to assess the metabolic fate of saponins in the rumen and to understand whether there is an effect of saponin on Δ9-desaturase enzyme activity, ruminal BH and cholesterol metabolism in ruminants. Supplementing up to 90 ppm of Quillaja saponins did not produce detrimental effects on the overall meat FA profile.