Marketing channels used by farmers are of great importance to the prosperity of farming due to the structure of farming, the fact that agricultural products tend to be “undifferentiated” and the remoteness of the agricultural producer from the final consumer (Ritson 1985). Generally, little is known about the strategic management process of farmers and particularly about the factors and the farmers’ characteristics that influence them to choose a particular marketing strategic alternative. This paper aims to examine the factors affecting the choice of marketing channel by dairy cow farmers in the County of Cornwall in UK.

Little is known about the strategic management process of farmers and particularly about the factors and the farmers’ characteristics that influence them to choose a particular strategic alternative. Some studies have attempted to identify the characteristics of farmers using particular channels. Distribution risk and transaction cost are some factors that influcence marketing decision making (Royer 1995, Hobbs 1996). This paper examines which farm and farmer’s characteristics affect the choice of marketing channel by sheep producers in the county of Cornwall in UK.

Sheep meat has an unfavourable ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids (P) to saturated fatty acids (S) but feeding plant oils rich in P improved this ratio (Wachira et al., 2002). Due to ruminal biohydrogenation, the increase in muscle P is small relative to dietary supply. Some biohydrogenation is desirable since conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), considered to have human health promoting properties, is synthesised in the rumen by incomplete biohydrogenation of linoleic acid and in tissue by desaturation of ruminally derived trans-vaccenic acid (TVA). Controlling the rate of oil release to the rumen might increase the efficiency of transfer of dietary P to tissue while allowing the production of CLA. The objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness of linseed and camelina oil, and oil protection strategies, for increasing the CLA and n-3 P content of muscle.

Carcass conformation has been found to be associated with fatness among carcasses of similar weight and subjectively assessed fat cover (Kempster et al., 1981), leading these authors to suggest that assessments of conformation in live animals were even more likely to be confounded with fatness. Consequently, selection for improved shape would likely be opposed to the overall objective of reduced fatness in lamb carcasses. However, conformation remains a highly valued trait among lamb producers and breeders. In principle, shape can also be related to variation in lean: bone ratio and muscularity, defined as the depth of muscle relative to the skeletal dimension. The objectives of this work were to compare a live animal assessment of the conformation of the hind leg and ultrasonic measures of muscle and fat depths as predictors of carcass composition and muscularity.

Human dietary science gives preference to animal products low in fat and rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), especially n-3 (Goodnight, 1993). Dietary n-3 PUFA decreased the level of cholesterol and its low-density lipoprotein fractions in blood serum (Ulbricht, 1992). The problem of how to decrease the cholesterol content of meat by way of nutrition is still unresolved. Full-fat flax seeds and linseed oil are particularly rich in n-3 PUFA. Our studies failed to show a clear effect of linseed on cholesterol content of fattening pig tissues (Barowicz et al., 1997). The aim of the studies was to determine the effect of Ca salts of fatty acids made partly from linseed oil (Erafet M), linseed oil and full-fat flax in diets for finishing fatteners on total cholesterol content in the longissimus dorsi muscle. Moreover, the influence of fatteners sex was also taken under consideration.

The nutritionally important fatty acid cis-9, trans-11 18:2 (conjugated linoleic acid, CLA) is formed from the major plant fatty acid cis-9, cis-12 18:2 in the rumen. An important intermediate in the biohydrogenation process is trans-11 18:1 (18:1 tr) and CLA is also synthesized from 18:1 tr in adipose tissue by the action of stearoyl CoA ∆-9 desaturase. Diet is known to affect CLA levels in meat (particularly adipose tissue) and this study examined the effects of a predominantly grass or concentrate diet fed to cattle and slaughtered at 3 ages.

The indiscriminate use of antibiotics to increase animal production may lead to residues in animal products, what justifies the monitoring of those chemicals (Heitzman, 1996). The intensification of livestock production in the world has been observed with an increasing use of drugs and growing promoter substances used as animal treatment or disease prevention. Several analytic techniques have been used to detect antibiotics residues of animal products such as fluorometry, liquid-gas chromatography, high performance liquid chromatography and immunological methods. The use of ELISA (“enzyme-linked-immunosorbent assays”) combined to specific antibodies has been employed on routine clinic diagnosis, identifying and quantifying species and substances. In this study, the objective was the production of polyclonal antibody to detect the norfloxacin antibiotic by indirect ELISA method.

The intensification of cattle in the world and the use of veterinary substances as growing promoters in bovines, sheep, goats and poultry represent a large amount of the total cost of livestock production. Antimicrobial additives when used in animal production for long periods can accumulate residues in animal tissues, including the risk of interactions with other drugs. Global control and monitoring of the use of antibiotics in animal production are significant questions for public health due to the dissemination of microbial resistance to antibiotics drugs. In this study, the objective was to detect the gentamicin antibiotic by indirect PTA-ELISA method (plate trapped antigen. enzyme linked immunoassay), producing polyclonal antibodies from rabbits.

In intensive poultry meat production, breeders have for many years tended to reduce the time of rearing broiler chickens. This coincides with an increasing growing number of those who oppose intensive production systems and with a growing interest in health food products among consumers in Western Europe. The results of many studies with birds kept in the Label Rouge system have shown the possibility of using slow-growing, local varieties of chickens in broiler chicken production (Kijowski, 2000; Laszczyk-Legendre, 1999; Peter et al., 1997). This study was therefore aimed to assess and compare the slow-growing native breeds of chickens (Rhode Island Red and Greenleg Partridge) for meat quality.

Low fatness is one of the reasons why chicken meat is considered healthier than the meat of other farm animal species (Kijowski, 2000). Many research findings show, however, that the level and composition of fat in the body are subject to constant change, while the rate and direction of these changes are related to origin, sex, age and growth rate of the chickens (Komprda et al. 2000; Sütö et al., 1998). The results of studies available for the effect of body weight on meat quality of broiler chickens usually concern birds of different origin or those subjected to different length of the rearing period. The aim of the present experiment was to determine the effect of final body weight on crude fat percentage and fatty acid profile of breast and leg muscles of 42-day-old broiler chickens.

Legume trees are potential sources of protein, vitamins and minerals. However, the presence of tannins may limit the utilization of many leguminous fodder trees and shrubs. The aim of this work was to investigate intake and apparent digestibility of three legume plants fed to sheep in iso-nitrogenous diets with three levels of crude protein (CP) supply.

The presence of condensed tannins (CT) in sorghum grain can limit its use as animal feed. High proportions of tannin-rich sorghum grains in diets may affect intake and digestibility, resulting in low animal performance. Microbial fermentation is able to neutralise these effects and some tannins molecules are degradable in the rumen (Selinger et al., 1996). Other studies indicated positive effects on nutrient absorption and disease control when sheep are fed diets with low concentrations of CT (Aerts et al., 1999). High concentrate diets are commonly used for finishing lambs and sorghum grain is an important source, thus the observation on tannins effect in these diets are important to evaluate possible advantages or negatives effects on the use of tannin-rich sorghum hybrids. The aim of this work was to study the effects of tannin-rich sorghum grain in high concentrated diets for finishing lambs.

Mineral deficiencies represent an important factor responsible for the low ruminant productivity in Brazil, and cause a decrease in growth rate and weight gain, low reproductive efficiency and low meat and milk production. Calcium is one of the minerals most studied in animal nutrition due to its great number of functions in animal metabolism. It is located in soft tissues and mainly in bones. Citrus pulp, Lucerne hay, limestone, oyster shell meal and dicalcium phosphate have been studied as low cost alternative Ca sources. Using the isotopic dilution technique, it is possible to obtain the true availability for this mineral. The aim of this experiment was to study the effect of different Ca sources on true Ca availability in sheep.

With the use of radioactive calcium (Ca) it is possible to study the kinetic aspects of Ca metabolism. Research in Brazil has been carried out to study mineral metabolism in sheep and cattle, especially phosphorus, by using isotope dilution techniques. However, there is very little information on Ca metabolism in sheep. The objective of this experiment was to study the effects of various Ca sources on the Ca metabolism in sheep by using isotope and balance techniques.

It has long been known that a large part of organic phosphorus of cereals which are the principal constituents of concentrate mixtures usually fed to ruminants occurs in the form of phytic acid (inositolhexaphosphoric acid) or phytin (salt of phytic acid). It is also well known that in ruminants hydrolysis of dietary phytate occurs by action of phytase produced by rumen microorganisms, which renders phosphorus completely available for these animals. However some authors found that availability of phosphorus in phytate may be affected by other dietary constituents or by some features of the diet. The aim of this study was to study assimilation of phytate by ruminants and to ascertain if this form of phosphorus can be used as a good source of this mineral for ruminants.

In some part of world for intensive production of fattening of lambs, they are fed with high amount of concentrate. However this pattern of feeding often affect negatively of rumen fermentation (Mould et al 1983). Ionophores act by interrupting transmembrane movement and intracellular equilibrium of ions in certain classes of bacteria and protozoa that inhibit the gastro intestinal tract (McGuffey et al 2001).The ionophore monensin can improve cellulose digestion of diets high in readily available carbohydrate by inhibition the growth of lactate-producing bacteria (Russell and Stroble 1989). An alternative method to reduce these negative effects could be the using step-up feeding by supplementation of monensin. The objective of this study was to obtain information on animal performance receiving diets high concentrate: forage ratio with different level of monensin.

An understanding of amount of the sulphur and pyridoxine required for growth of ruminal bacteria is of importance for optimizing ruminal microbial protein and total sulphure amino acids synthesis. Whereas the results of some experiments indicate that sulphur and water soluble B vitamin stimulate growth of rumen bacteria in vitro condition. For example, Cho et al. (1988) reported average microbial protein yields were 35.14, 37.67, 36.02 and 36.07 mg/100ml, respectively, with control, and N:S ratio of 10:1, 15:1 and 20:1, and higher in rumen fluid containing S than the control. The objective of this experiment was to determine the effect of different level of S and B6 on ruminal microbial protein synthesis.

The sulphur and pyridoxine are necessary for synthesis of total sulphur amino acids by ruminal bacteria and required for optimizing growth of ruminal microorganisms. For example, Caneiro et al (2000) reported the concentration of total sulphur amino acids in rumen bacterial DM changed quadratically (p<0.08) as dietary S increased. NRC (1985) suggested an N:S requirement of 10:1 for ruminants. Low dietary S concentration can also depress microbial protein synthesis (Kandylis, 1984). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of dietary sulphur and pyridoxine level on microbial protein synthesis in Ghezel male lambs on the in vivo condition.

The determination or estimative of microbial protein supply is important to study the protein nutrition for ruminants. Microbial protein contribution to the total gut protein flow is very often considered as a constant based on feed intake. There are a great number of factors that can interfere on microbial synthesis and they are very difficult to be studied all together. The use of the in vitro radiophosphorous (32P) incorporation technique allows studying isolated factors, because it is possible to control some of the factors involved. The aim of this work was to evaluate microbial nitrogen yield from poor, moderate and good quality hays and its influence on quality of rumen microbial population of sheep fed these hays.

The best amino acid profile for ruminants is indeed the rumen microbial protein profile. Thus feeds that promote a good microorganism growth are desirable to be a component of ruminant diets. The aim of this work was to estimate microbial protein supply to ruminant fed three protein level hays based on urinary excretion of purine derivatives.