Liquid feed has to be pumped through pipes to deliver it to pigs. The dry matter content of the diet and the distribution of particle size affects a number of physico-chemical properties of the process. These determine the initial power needed to start a pump from the stationary position and to circulate the feed through the system. Particle size also affects the homogeneity of the diet and the extent to which separation occurs during pumping and after delivery to the trough. In ad lib. feeding systems there is an opportunity for feed particles to hydrate and increase in size. These changes could have a significant effect on viscosity and hence the DM concentration of the diet that could be pumped at a particular power loading. In dry diets, particle size distribution is normally assessed and described on the basis of simple dry sieving. However, this method cannot be used with liquid diets. In other applications, the sizes of particles in a suspension have been assessed using laser particle size analysis (Chmelik et al. 2001). This study was designed to 1) Determine the extent to which particle size distribution was changed by different disk mill settings; 2) Examine the change in particle size distribution resulting from steeping the cereal component in water for 24h; 3) Determine the effect of particle size on viscosity.

The MLC-coordinated Finishing Pigs Systems Research (FPSR) programme addresses industry and Government policy requirements through a multidisciplinary approach that investigates several priorities including the potential for improving production efficiency of pigs through liquid feeding. Research activity is centred at the Meat and Livestock Commission’s Stotfold Pig Development Unit and uses the purpose built Finishing Systems Research Unit. Two housing systems, fully slatted versus straw-based, will be evaluated over four production trials designed to investigate different aspects of liquid feeding technology. This paper is based on the results of the first production trial, which compared dry and liquid feeding in a fully slatted or straw-based housing system. The objective of the current study was to determine the effect of offering the same diet in the form of either dry pellets or liquid feed, on the growth performance, carcase quality and meat eating quality of pigs growing/finishing pigs.

There is potential for improving the growth performance of pigs through a better understanding of factors that influence the digestibility of nutrients and energy in liquid feeds, and developing standard operational procedures for liquid feeding forms an important part of the MLC-coordinated Finishing Pigs Systems Research programme. The objective is to determine how changing the dry matter concentration of liquid feeds, or the particle size of dry ingredients used in liquid feeds, affects digestibility and retention of nutrients and energy in growing/finishing pigs.

There is a need to identify finishing systems for pigs that meet the requirements of both pig producers and society. These require that a system is economically efficient, but also takes due account of animal welfare, food safety and environmental considerations. As part of an integrated investigation, this study assessed the health and welfare implications of giving pigs either dry or liquid feed when housed in either fully-slatted or straw-based accommodation.

There is a need to identify finishing systems for pigs that meet the requirements of both pig producers and society. These require that a system is economically efficient, but also takes due account of animal welfare, food safety and environmental considerations. As part of an integrated investigation, this study assessed the effects of giving pigs either dry or liquid feed when housed in either fully-slatted or straw-based accommodation on the microbial status of the pig and its finishing environment, with particular reference to gut health and food safety.

There is a need to identify pig finishing systems that meet the requirements of both pig producers and society. These require that a system is economically efficient, but also takes due account of animal welfare, food safety and environmental considerations. As part of an integrated investigation, this study assessed the environmental implications (gaseous emissions and waste output and composition) of giving pigs either dry or liquid feed, when housed in either fully-slatted or straw-based accommodation.

Grazed grass is often considered to be one of the cheapest feeds for dairy cows, the cost of grazed grass is largely determined by the yield of herbage produced and the efficiency of utilisation by the grazing animal. Recent farm surveys and an assessment of detailed costings suggest that alternative forages may be cheaper than grazed grass in some situations, particularly if herbage yields are low and utilisation is poor (Kilpatrick et al., 2002). The objective of this experiment was to examine the effect of altering the grazing interval, in a rotational grazing system, on grass growth and utilisation, and on animal performance.

Although significant progress in milk production efficiency has been achieved in recent years with the Holstein-Friesian breed, it is now realized that dairy cow breeding programmes with a primary focus on yield have resulted in increased levels of infertility, and reduced health and longevity. In contrast, Norwegian dairy cattle (NRF) have been bred within multi-trait selection programmes for approximately 25 years. As a consequence of the latter, the incidence of mastitis within Norway continues to decline, while fertility levels are increasing. In view of these positive trends within the NRF population in Norway, two studies were established to evaluate Norwegian dairy cattle under Northern Ireland conditions. The first of these was conducted at the Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland (Keady and Mayne, 2002), while the second was established on 19 commercial dairy farms. The aim of the latter was to compare the production, fertility and health of animals of the NRF and Holstein-Friesian dairy breeds across a range of production systems.

With increasing Holsteinisation of the dairy herd, the milk production potential of dairy cows has increased substantially over the past two decades. This development presents new challenges for managing dairy cows during grazing, particularly where the objective is to maximise the proportion of energy in the diet derived from forage (Mayne and Peyraud, 1996). The objective of the current study was to explore forage supplementation strategies to maintain high milk yields from grass and forage in dairy cows during the grazing season. A second objective of the study was to examine the effect of concentrates of contrasting degradability on milk production.

The use of a forage processor, which is fixed within the forage harvester and cracks the grains of whole-crop wheat (WCW) at harvest, has been shown to increase the digestibility of the starch component and improve the efficiency of forage utilisation in dairy cows (Jackson et al., 2002). This allows the wheat to be harvested over a much wider harvest window, although the optimum stage of maturity at which processed WCW should be cut is unclear. In addition, at the very high dry matter (DM) values that the forage processor allows WCW to now be harvested, the use of urea as a preservative may not be required. The objective of the current experiment was, therefore, to compare WCW harvested at different stages of maturity and investigate the effect of using a urea-based preservative on high DM processed WCW, on the performance of dairy cows.

Iodine value (IV) indicates the degree of unsaturation of milk fat, thus reflecting the presence of long chain unsaturated fatty acids (LCUFA), especially C18:1c. The higher the IV the greater the degree of unsaturation. Changes in dietary lipid content and composition can have a major effect on the IV of milk fat. The principal fatty acid in the forage component of the diet, namely grass or grass silage, is C18:3 (Murphy, 2000) while concentrate supplements contain varying proportions of C18:1 or C18:2 fatty acids. LCUFA undergo hydrolysis and biohydrogenation in the cow’s rumen producing mainly C18:0, the majority of which is converted to C18:1c by the desaturase enzyme systems, mainly in the mammary gland (Murphy, 2000). This experiment aimed to examine the relationship between milk fat IV and dietary lipid content, composition and diet type.

Mastitis is one of most frequent and costly diseases encountered on dairy farms. In 1998 mastitis costs UK dairy farmers approximately £80 million a year and this figure increases to over £100 million when further associated losses such as somatic cell count (SCC) penalties, antibiotic residue penalties and reduced cell count and bacteria count payments are accounted for. In the 1980’s and 1990’s there has been a continuing increase in the incidence of environmental mastitis and especially due to E coli (Brand, 1999),. Increasing SCC levels are set against a background of emphasis on higher milk price for low SSC milk by purchasers has led to the need to increase milk price by reducing losses from high SCC levels. The aim of the study was to monitor bulk milk SCC levels in milk supplied to a milk producer co-operative over a 12 month period and select a sub-sample of milk producers with high SCC, analyse the clinical incidence of mastitis, establish the pathogens involved and their response to antibiotics.

Parasitised sheep that consumed bioactive forages, i.e. forages that contain anthelmintic compounds, showed a lower level of parasitism than sheep grazing on grass/clover pastures (Marley et al, 2003). This may be due to direct anthelmintic effects of the bioactive forages or indirect nutritional effects, e.g. mediated through an increase in protein availability. Extra protein could improve the host’s ability to mount an effective response towards gastrointestinal parasites (Coop and Kyriazakis, 1999). The aim of this experiment was to investigate whether a two-week consumption of forages that contain potential anthelmintic compounds, have a direct anthelmintic effect towards i) an established Trichostrongylus colubriformis population and/or ii) incoming T.colubriformis larvae.

In grazing systems livestock contact with faeces and the faecal-oral route is a common mode of parasite transmission (Hutchings et al. 2003). Quantifying the faecal-oral route of transmission is thus central to predicting the force of infection of numerous diseases experienced by grazing livestock. Here our overall aim is to quantify the rate of faeces ingestion and thus disease risk by grazing herbivores using the example of rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and the risk of paratuberculosis (Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis) they pose to ruminants. The study had the secondary aims of determining the effects of level of contamination and sward height on the rate of faeces ingestion.

Under organic regulations, farmers in the uk are allowed to drench periparturient ewes with an anthelmintic drug before returning them to pasture. Although such practice is against the principles of organic farming, it is allowed as it reduces parasite contamination of the pastures and consequently reduces the risk of parasitism in growing lambs. Alternatives to control parasitism, which do not jeopardise the health and welfare of grazing ruminants and also minimise anthelmintic input in organic systems are currently being investigated. Grazing bioactive forages, such as chicory has resulted in a lower level of parasitism than sheep grazing on grass/clover pastures (Marley et al, 2003). The objective of this experiment was to investigate whether grazing on chicory can affect the epidemiology of gastrointestinal parasitism, so that control of sub-clinical parasitism could be achieved without the use of anthelmintics.

Cottonseed Meal (CSM) is a byproduct of the process used to extract oil from cotton seeds and contains 28- 35% crude protein in the Iran, depending on the amount of hull separation prior to the oil extraction process. Although CSM is high in protein, due to its low lysine levels and presence of toxic substance, gossypol, its utilization in poultry feed as a protein supplement is limited. Problems related to lysine and nutrient density are easily rectified by addition of synthetic lysine to poultry diets. However, solutions to the problems related to gossypol in CSM have been elusive. Gossypol, a naturally occurring anti-nutritional factor that is reduced broiler performance and increased their mortality (Smith, 1970). However, it has been shown that several factors, such as age, strain of chicks, dietary iron, and dietary lysine may affect birds’ tolerance to gossypol (Clawson and Smith, 1966; Martin, 1990). The objective of this research was to evaluate the response of broiler performance when high levels of CSM were offered with Lysine (Lys), Ferrous sulphate (FS), and both in diet.

One of the richest sources of commercially available home grow protein is rapeseed meal (RSM), but its inclusion in livestock diets is approximately half that of soyabean meal (SBM, DEFRA statistics). Compared with SBM, both protein content and quality in RSM is inferior, but it is possible that particular varieties of rapeseed, together with an appropriate protocol for the extraction and subsequent treatment of rapeseed meal, may reduce the difference in the nutritive value of RSM and SBM. This would make the inclusion of larger amounts of RSM in livestock diets more attractive. The objective of this experiment was to determine how great the variation in the chemical composition and predicted amino acid availability for poultry of RSM was when prepared from modern UK varieties of rapeseed.

Quillaja saponins are known to have immunomodulatory properties and are commonly used as vaccine adjuvants to promote immune response. Curcumin is an extract of the spice turmeric and has also been suggested to have immunomodulatory activity. Commercial weaning occurs before the piglet active immune system is developed and this alongside the withdrawal of sow milk antibodies, results in immuno-incompetence during the initial post-weaning period (Krakowski et al., 1998). The hypothesis that dietary Quillaja saponin or Curcumin will enhance piglet immune status, health and performance during the first 20 days post weaning was therefore tested.

Introduction of a ram to anoestrous ewes induces an almost instantaneous rise in LH pulse frequency. This is commonly sufficient to overcome the seasonal suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis and induce a synchronous first ovulation (Martin et al., 1986). A preliminary study at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne identified a significant positive effect of repeated fence-line ram exposure on the synchrony of breeding and lambing in ewes (Hawken et al., 2003). The ram effect is widely accepted to be predominantly mediated through pheromones however previous studies have emphasised the importance of other exteroreceptive cues. Optimal response to the ram effect during anoestrus is obtained when ewes are exposed to the full complement of male sensory signals (Pearce and Oldham, 1988). This study investigated the application of repeated exposure to vasectomised rams during the beginning of the breeding season as a non-pharmacological method of synchronisation of oestrus and lambing in ewes.

Most ovarian stimulation protocols in ruminants utilise pituitary extracts that contain FSH with varying amounts of LH contamination. Protocols utilising these extracts in sheep generally give superovulation responses that are highly variable in the range of 0-15 ovulations. The use of pure recombinant human FSH (rhFSH) is widespread in clinical medicine. The aims of the study are: a) to determine if rhFSH will induce superovulation in sheep and whether this differs in response to human menopausal gonadotrophin (HMG), which is more similar to pituitary extracts with an equal amount of LH to the FSH; b) to monitor the effect of the human FSH’s on the endogenous LH and FSH concentrations.