Poor oestrous detection is considered by many the most important management problem in the UK dairy herds. Various detection aids are available to the farmer, but in spite of these the average oestrous detection rate in Britain is low, only about 40 - 60% (Poole and Mabey, 1986).

Cows in oestrus tend to be more active than non-oestrous cows and results from various workers indicate that activity is a good indicator of oestrus (Kiddy 1976, Lewis and Newman, 1984). Three experiments were conducted to investigate the relationship between the distance walked and oestrous state of cows.

Pedometers designed to measure human walking activity were used to measure the physical activity of the dairy cow. These were attached to the hind leg of the cow. In experiment 1 distance walked (miles/day) was recorded twice daily for 20 cows in a cubicle shed on the day of oestrus and 5 days pre - or post - oestrus. In experiment2 pedometers were evaluated in two environments for oestrous detection with 20 cows allocated to a cubicle shed or a straw yard. In a third experiment behavioural observations of 20 cows were recorded four times daily with pedometer readings.

Previous work has indicated that the optimum calving interval for Friesian/Holstein dairy cattle is 365 days. However, a number of studies in the UK, USA and Israel have suggested that this is difficult to achieve with high yielding cows. This apparent conflict prompted ADAS to undertake a national study to investigate the link between milk production, body condition and reproductive performance in high yielding herds.

The objective of the trial was to examine the effect of recombitant bovine somatotrophin (bSTH) on voluntary intake, milk solids output, body weight change, health and reproduction in lactating dairy cows given either a complete mixed diet or fed concentrate at a flat rate and forage ad libitum.

Avoparcin is a feed antibiotic growth promoter used widely in Europe for broiler chickens, pigs and beef cattle.

This paper presents the results of 17 trials conducted in the UK (13), France (3) and Germany (1) to determine the efficacy of avoparcln at levels of 50-150mg per head per day for improving milk production of lactatlng dairy cows.

The possibility of farming deer and goats as alternatives to other forms of ruminant livestock for meat production in the UK has been investigated only relatively recently. The collaborative research between the Rowett Research Institute and the Hill Farming Research Organisation on red deer (Cervus elaphus) was initiated in 1970 and serious consideration of goats as a source of meat has only taken place in the last 5 years. Consequently there is considerably more research information on the red deer than the goat and this is reflected in the length of the discussion on each species in this paper. Moreover the number of red deer being farmed commercially in the UK, estimated to be approximately 7000 animals, is currently greater than the number of goats being reared for meat production. Goat meat is mainly a by-product of the production of milk.

Both species have the attributes of producing a lean carcass (5-10% fat), which is acceptable to the consumer, and of having the capability of being farmed over the whole spectrum of hill, upland and lowland swards. Systems of management are firstly described, followed by a discussion of the biological potential that could be exploited by further research and by a consideration of marketing and the economics of current production systems.

The overproduction of many traditional forms of agricultural production in the EEC has stimulated an interest in alternative land-use enterprises. Of these, non-food products such as animal fibres are of particular interest, although it must be borne in mind that these too will generate meat as a by-product. Fibre production from a number of animal species is being examined in different countries throughout the world; this paper is concerned with fibre production from only the goat and sheep.

As farmers seek alternative enterprises to boost falling incomes, interest is focussed on sheep and goat farming. In recent years the number of sheep and goat dairy units in the United Kingdom has increased. There are now 20-30 sheep milking units accounting for around 6000 ewes and about 150 commercial goat dairy units milking a total of over 12000 goats, with many more part-time units milking small numbers of goats.

The recent increase in the demand for speciality cheese and yoghurt has created good market outlets for sheep and goat milk and milk products. The small size of the animals and the facilities required for them means much less start-up capital is required than for many other livestock systems. It also means the units can be operated by female family labour. The current growth of the industry also means sale of female replacers can make a significant contribution to the income. There is already a well established sheep industry in the UK and milking can be seen as an extension of this.

Without knowledge of potential protein growth, nutrient requirements of pigs cannot be accurately determined. Daily protein retention [Pr] was estimated with 45 crossbred pigs serially slaughtered between 20 and 200 kg body weight. An understanding of growth to maturity is vital for the adequate nutrition of pigs grown to slaughter at heavier weights and for breeding sows, but the determined function: Pr(kg) - 0.125 [±0.009] -0.0002 [±0.0001] mean live weight, having no significant slope, was an inadequate descriptor of instantaneous Pr for pigs of more than 110 kg. Allometry was therefore used to predict protein weight at any given body weight and the Gompertz function to express body weight changes with time and derive values for weight at maturity. Predicted values for Pr attained maxima at 75 kg body weight of 130 g for entire males. 120 g for females and 105 g for castrates. Between 45 and 110 kg body weight Pr was within 10 g of the maximum rate (Figure 1); mature body weights were estimated to be 240, 215 and 225 kg. Allometric expressions for dissected carcass and chemical components as a function of empty body weight are given in Table 1. Figure 2 compares currently predicted potential rates of protein retention with those of Carr et al. [1977] and Thorbek (19751. It is evident that weight and age at maturity are crucial to the quantification of protein growth; such measurements are prerequisite to the provision of a quantitative description of improved pig genotypes.

The experiment described here was designed to test the proposition that growing pigs can control their overall intake of protein: on a feed with a low level of crude protein (CP) by increasing their daily feed intake (up to a limit) and, given a choice of two feeds with different levels of CP, by selecting a diet with optimal protein content.

Ad libitum feeding from hoppers offers a simple system for feeding growing pigs and maximises liveweight gain. High feed intake in the later stages of production often results in excessive backfat deposition, making it difficult to achieve optimum carcass gradings with pigs kept to bacon weight. Both nutrient density of the diet and ambient temperature may influence voluntary feed intake. This experiment investigated the extent to which these factors could be used under commercial conditions to manipulate growth rate and fat deposition of pigs on an ad libitum feeding system.

The success of the oilseed rape crop in Northern Europe for the production of high quality oil has not been matched by the quality of the extracted meal as a source of supplementary protein for simple stomached farm animals such as pigs and poultry .The meal of most autumn-sown and winter-hardy varieties of rapeseed contains a range of antinutritive factors. These include glucosinolates, tannins, sinapines and saponins. Earlier attempts to improve the feed value using heat treament have been disappointing and it is clear that the same procedures which were so successful in enhancing the value of the soyabean crop are not particularly appropriate for rapeseed. The purpose of the study described below was to examine the effect of different treatments of defatted rapeseed on its nutitive value to rats and to project the work to simple methods for improving the feeding value of conventional rapeseed meals for pigs.

’Partial’ or ‘split’ weaning involves the earlier weaning of part of the litter before the normal weaning date. There have been isolated reports which claim that such a practice can reduce final weaning to service and conception interval and increase the size of the subsequent litter. However, these possible effects have not been quantified adequately and accordingly a study was carried out to further evaluate this practice.

The study was conducted on a 700 sow commercial unit in Aberdeen-shire with crossbred Large White (LW) x Landrace (LR) sows mated to LW, LR or LW x LR boars. Sows and litters were accomodated in conventional farrowing pens and weaning took place when litters averaged 17 days of age. Following weaning, sows were transferred to dry sow stalls adjacent to boar pens. Newly weaned pigs were transferred to flat-deck nursery accomodation.

A depression in sow reproductive performance at the second litter is frequently experienced in modern production. Reducing the loss of body reserves during lactation and increasing energy intake between weaning and service have been suggested as ways of increasing the size of the second litter. This trial investigated these possibilities.

The role of nutrition in determining the reproductive performance of sows is still controversial. Much of the dispute arises because in many published experiments there were very few sows in each treatment group. In addition, there have been substantial changes In the husbandry of sows over recent years, and these include the much earlier weaning of the litter at as little as three weeks of age, the breeding of the gilt at a younger age since she reaches 100 kg very much more quickly, and the development of facilities which allow each sow to be treated as an individual. A further change has been in the genotype of the breeding female which means that quite often she enters the reproductive phase of her life carrying very much less adipose tissue than hitherto. The recent development of equipment and techniques to monitor the backfat thickness of sows during life has introduced a new management tool, for which guidelines are readily given, but for which hard experimental evidence is often lacking. The purpose of the coordinated experiment reported here was to attempt to establish critical factors in the history of the sow which put her reproductive performance at particular risk and to evaluate widely recommended practices of Increasing the feed Intake at over the terminal phase of pregnancy, The work was jointly funded by the Department of Agriculture for Scotland and each of the centres.

Low levels of antibiotics have been used in animal diets since the 1950’s to improve growth rates by stabilising the gut flora. At higher levels antibiotics have also been used as prophylactics against enteric diseases.

As a result of growing public concern of the the indiscriminate use of antibiotics in the animal industry there are now strict controls on their use. An alternative approach to the use of antibiotics in the control of the gut flora is the use of what have become known as probiotics. Probiotics include viable lactobacillus bacteria cultures and fermentation products which actively colonise the gut wall, and suppress further colonisation by potential pathogens such as virulent E. coli organisms. At times of stress in an animal’s life, such as weaning or re-grouping, the oral application of probiotic agents could be beneficial by both preventing disease and minimising the clinical use of antibiotics.

Early-weaned artificially-reared piglets are particularly at risk to enteric disease and therefore the purpose of the present study was to assess the efficacy of a probiotic agent in pigs weaned at 6 hours of age.

Pigs at weaning are usually regrouped to form batches of individuals similar in weight, and consequently of a similar potential for growth. This has the effect of disrupting the social organisation present amongst pigs sucking a sow. Re-establishing social order involves fighting and stress, both antagonistic to a high level of performance. The aim of the study was to observe the effect on performance of group size and of mixing pigs at weaning.

With progressive reduction in piglet mortality and increase in the number of piglets reared for litter over recent years, there has been interest in weaning the larger piglets in large litters several days prior to the planned final weaning date in an attempt to improve the growth rate and size of the smaller piglets prior to weaning. Such prior removal of larger piglets before their smaller litter mates are weaned is termed ‘partial’ or ‘split’ weaning’ and this practice was evaluated in a controlled experiment in terms of the liveweight gain to weaning of the smaller piglets within the litter.

Genetic improvement in commercially important traits of pigs produced under commercial conditions is generally achieved through selection of parents which are performance tested under special conditions. If pigs are performance tested in one environment and progeny tested in another environment, then the same animals may not be selected on the basis of the two tests, which would result in a genotype-environment interaction. The testing station and commercial unit often have feeding regime (ad-libitum, restricted or both) confounded with environment. This study estimated the genetic correlation between ad-libitum and restricted feeding in one environment for production traits to traits to determine the contribution 6T the genotype-feeding regime interaction to the genotype-environment interaction.

Pig improvement schemes have generally concentrated on producing lean, efficient pigs with rapid growth rates, but there is growing concern that pork is being produced which is too lean and that meat quality is deteriorating. The American Duroc breed may have an advantage over the Large White and Landrace breeds in eating quality through a higher level of intra-musclar fat. This study compares production and carcass traits in a three breed cross with Duroc and Large White boars as terminal sires and Large White x Norwegian Landrace dams. Pairs of sibs were penned and tested together and fed ad libitum or on a time based scale, and carcass measurements were taken at the end of test.

New developments in immunological techniques and increasing expertise in genetic manipulation, especially by gene transfer, have opened up a wide variety of approaches to the manipulation of the growth and metabolism of farm livestock. However, the most effective use of these techniques and the design of new pharmacological agents for growth promotion and nutrient “repartitioning” might well rest on a greater understanding of the factors and cellular mechanisms that coordinate growth and protein anabolism. It is this coordidnation that must be disturbed if persistent gains are to bke made. This greater understanding may well result from an examination of the mechanisms whereby currently available anabolic agents and techniques exert their effects and this paper will draw on these experiences. Growth is clearly a closely coordinated process and this has hampered many attempts to maintain accelerated protein deposition for long periods. For example forced increases in hormonal concentrations often induce hormonal insensitivity. It is possible that understanding and reducing the constraints on growth for example by reducing the levels of suppressive factors rather than concentrating on the active stimulation of anabolic factors may be more effective.