Locomotion scoring is an important tool to detect dairy cow lameness. A number of locomotion scoring systems use the posture of the back to identify lame cows (score 3). For example Sprecher et al (1997) suggested the presence of an arched back standing and walking indicates lameness. Flower and Weary (2006) developed this system to score cows while walking where a score 3 cow has a more severely arched back than a score 2 cow. However to date no work has been published characterising the degree of arching of the spine observed in lame animals and its relationship with foot lesions. This is important in the early detection of lameness and could be incorporated into locomotion scoring systems to improve the objectivity. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of foot lesions on spine posture of Holstein dairy cows in early lactation by motion analysis.

It is well established that zinc is an essential micro-nutrient required to maintain health and performance in dairy cows (Underwood and Suttle, 2004). Cattle diets are traditionally supplemented with inorganic minerals (e.g. zinc oxide), but these may be poorly absorbed, resulting in an economic and environmental cost due to excess minerals being excreted. It is claimed organically bound minerals are able to resist interaction before and at the absorption site in the small intestine (Power, 2006), which may result in a lower dietary inclusion rate being required. The objective of the current experiment was to investigate the effect of an organically bound source of Zn as a replacement for inorganic Zn on dairy cow health and performance when supplemented at and below the recommended level.

The Irish milk payment system penalises against high milk somatic cell count (SCC). Previous studies have related farm management practices to herd SCC (Barkema et al., 1998); however similar study has never been undertaken in Ireland. Furthermore, these previous studies have generally been conducted in confined systems. The objective of this study was to investigate potential management factors affecting herd SCC in Irish, spring calving, grass based dairy herds.

It has been proposed that sucking by lambs is associated with transfer of microorganisms into the teat. There are three different sources of bacteria for the teat duct, namely the lamb (mouth, nasopharynx), the ewe (udder skin) or the environment (bedding). The bacteria can ascent to the mammary gland and cause mastitis. Objectives of the study were i) to determine differences in bacterial flora populations in the teat duct and mammary secretion of ewes before and after sucking and ii) to evaluate factors which affect these differences.

The association of salmonella infections with the consumption of poultry products and the fact that in the live bird the Salmonella carriage is mainly asyptomatic have led to a demand for finding ways of preventing infection of commercially reared poultry and product contamination (Revolledo et al., 2006). One approach is the use of probiotics. The probiotic properties of lactic acid bacteria have been widely studied. Their capacity for adhesion to mucus, ability to autoaggregate and potential for coaggregation with pathogenic bacteria are potential mechanisms for providing a competitive advantage in the intestinal microbiota (Ghadban et al, 2002) and forming a barrier that prevents colonization of pathogenic microorganisms (Kos et al, 2003). In this study, a total of 53 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated from the contents of the crop, caecum and small intestine, and from the mucosa of the crop, jejunum and ileum of three organically farmed chickens, were examined for autoaggregation and coaggregation with Salmonella enteritidis.

Decreasing dietary crude protein (CP) supply has been shown to decrease the occurrence of post weaning colibacillosis (PWC) in pigs by reducing substrate availability to enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) (Prohászka and Baron, 1980). However, associated with the decreased risk of PWC is a detrimental effect on performance (Wellock et al., 2006). Non-starch polysaccharides (NSP), such as those derived from inulin, are a main energy source for microbial fermentation. Increasing inulin inclusion in weaner diets may therefore decrease bacterial need to ferment protein as an energy source and counteract the negative effects of protein fermentation, such as the production of harmful fermentation end products. Consequently, this may allow greater levels of protein to be included in the diet without compromising health. This in turn should allow greater levels of performance to be achieved. The aim was to investigate interactive effects of dietary CP supply and inulin inclusion on the health and performance of newly weaned pigs when artificially challenged with ETEC.

Straw based production systems are common in the UK compared to European, Asian and American competitors. The effects of mycotoxins in cereal feed on livestock performance are relatively well documented with pigs being particularly sensitive to mycotoxicosis. The European Commission has recently set guideline limits for fusarium mycotoxins in animal feedstuffs (Anon, 2006). Guidance limits for feedstuffs for young pigs is 900 ppb deoxynivalenol and 100 ppb zearalenone. However, any possible effects of ingestion of fusarium mycotoxins from bedding have not been enumerated. This project was designed to evaluate the potential risk of mycotoxin challenge from straw bedding in the UK.

Reduced reproductive performance of dairy cows is a major challenge facing the dairy industry. Many potential replacement heifers fail to reach their first lactation because they are either born dead, die as juveniles, or fail to conceive. Perinatal mortality has previously been estimated across English herds as 7.8% (Esslemont & Kossaibati, 1996), whereas neonatal mortality in the UK has been estimated at 0 to 10% (reviewed by Mellor & Stafford, 2004). Calf mortality is often poorly documented and estimates that are available are possibly underestimated because a dead calf at birth is not always recorded at the farm level. Therefore, the objective of this study was to accurately calculate the incidence of perinatal and neonatal mortality of dairy calves on commercial farms in southern England.

Accurate estimates of carcass composition and eating quality are critical to the introduction and the success of a value-based marketing system (VBMS) and to help address increased consumer demands for leaner meat with higher quality. Currently in the UK, carcass composition is assessed by a subjective carcass classification system based on the EUROP conformation system, and a visual assessment of fat cover using a numeric fat score (“MLC Scoring”) (Anderson, 2003). Objective, image analysis based systems to classify carcasses into current classification categories have been studied (Allen and Finnery, 2000) and are in use in the beef industry in the EU. However, the introduction of automatic technologies such as VIA may also have considerable potential for prediction of lean meat yield of the carcass. There is growing interest in the possibility of developing payment criteria which are based on carcass meat yield. Therefore, the present research project investigated the potential of VIA technology to predict meat yield in terms of saleable meat yield (SMY), saleable primal meat yield (SPMY) and the carcass components leg, chump, loin and shoulder in lamb.

Diet has a large impact on the fatty acid composition of muscle lipids in cattle (Scollan et al., 2006). Grass relative to concentrate feeding increases the content of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) resulting in a low n-6:n-3 PUFA ratio and also increases the concentration of the antioxidant, vitamin E, in the meat. Ruminally protected plant lipids enhance PUFA content very significantly resulting in beneficial P:S and n-6:n-3 ratios, but without extra antioxidant input can lead to lipid oxidation and reduced colour shelf life. This study considered the effects of finishing steers (1) outdoors on grass ± concentrate versus (2) indoors on straw/concentrate ± a protected lipid supplemental with one of two levels of vitamin E on the sensory quality and lipid and colour stability of the loin muscle.

Any evaluation of breeds or production systems for beef must consider effects on production, carcass and meat quality characteristics. Holstein-Friesian (HF) cattle are bred for dairy traits only, while Norwegian dairy cattle (NOR) have been selected with some emphasis on beef characteristics. A comparison of production data from bulls of these two breeds has been presented previously (Kirkland et al., 2005). The objective of the present study was to evaluate specific carcass and meat quality parameters of HF and NOR bulls.

Lamb production is an important part of UK agriculture, contributing more than 10% of total livestock output. It is crucial for maintaining employment and infrastructure in rural communities, and in managing and enhancing the countryside and biodiversity. For the UK sheep industry to continue as a major producer and exporter of lamb, the improvement of its economic sustainability is essential and requires high product quality.

As one of the major terminal sire breeds in the UK, Texel sheep (TEX) have been selected over generations for rapid growth, muscularity and lean meat content. In contrast, Scottish Blackface sheep (SBF) have been selected for their hardiness and maternal ability, with less attention being paid to carcass traits. It is clear therefore that divergent selection goals are driving the breeding of TEX and SBF. Based on work in pigs in particular, where selection for lean tissue growth rate has been used extensively, it might be predicted that these two breeds would have diver-gent muscle fibre characteristics. The proportion of muscle fibre types and their size affect muscularity as well as functional properties of the musculature and meat eating quality (MEQ). Breed differences indicate a genetic basis for these traits. This study evaluates the effects of breed and sex, together with those of birthweight and litter size on fibre type characteristics.

Meat tenderisation results from the weakening of the myofibrillar structures and has been attributed to endogenous proteolytic enzymes. It has been proposed that tenderization is a mulitenzymatic system and the process of slaughter and exsanguination would engage muscle cells in a form of cell death (Ouali et al., 2006). Caspases are primarily associated with apoptosis and once activated they target and cleave a number of substrates including components of the Z-disk and costameres. Recent studies have shown that caspases are active in skeletal muscle during the postmortem conditioning period and our preliminary data indicates that there is a relationship between caspase activity and shear force (Kemp et al., 2006). The aim of this study was to investigate whether recombinant caspase 3 was capable of porcine degrading myofibrillar proteins in vitro.

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace mineral that when deficient, has been associated with increased disease evidence in sheep. Selenium deficient areas are widespread in UK and Ireland affecting, soils, forages and consequently livestock. Se supplementation of ewes throughout pregnancy has been reported to reduce peri-natal lamb mortality and improve lamb growth rates (Muñoz et al., 2005). The aim of this trial was to evaluate the effect of long term Se supplementation of adult ewes within a range of hill sheep systems.

Lambs are born hypoimmunocompetent and are dependent on the absorption of immunoglobulin G (IgG) from colostrum for immunity in early life, similar to the situation with vitamin E (vit. E), which is also involved in maximising immunocompetence (Puls, 1994). High-level iodine supplementation during late gestation period of the ewe results in the production of progeny with an impaired ability to absorb colostral IgG and vit. E post partum (Boland et al., 2006). Iodine is essential in the synthesis of the thyroid hormones, thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3; McDonald et al., 2002) that regulate the metabolic pattern of most cells and play a vital role in the process of cellular differentiation, growth and development in the foetus and neonate (Stanbury, 1996). The objectives of this experiment were to determine the effects of offering supplementary iodine for the final three weeks of pregnancy on serum vit. E, IgG, T3 and T4 concentrations at 1h, 24h and 72h post partum.

The UK dairy industry currently suffers huge losses due to declining fertility. Although fertility in the sheep industry is good overall, the use of multiple ovulation and embryo transfer techniques would benefit from improved conception and embryo survival rates. Studies suggest that omega-3 supplementation may bring about a reduction in the secretion of prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α), which would favour the maintenance of the corpora lutea (CL) and hence, a successful pregnancy. Feeding fish meal to dairy cows has been found to improve pregnancy rates by 10% (Burke et al., 1997). Using sheep as a model, this study aimed to evaluate whether reproductive performance in ruminants is improved by feeding an algal source of omega-3 fatty acids, particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6 n-3). The study was also structured to determine whether prostaglandin production is affected by supplementing diets with omega-3.

It is essential to improve efficiency and reduce costs of production with decoupling of subsidy from production post Mid Term Review of the Common Agricultural Policy. Recent studies at this centre (Flanagan 2003, Keady et al., 2006) have shown that extended grazing (grazing during winter), either during mid, late or throughout pregnancy, provides a low cost system of wintering ewes. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effects of herbage allowance and frequency of allocation, and potential interactions during mid gestation on ewe performance, and lamb birth weight and subsequent performance. Furthermore a direct comparison of herbage allowance and grass silages of differing feed value was also undertaken.

Flock genetics has a very major effect on the level and quality of output from the hill sheep sector. For example, ram breed substitution can increase output per ewe by up to 24% with concomitant improvements in carcass quality (Carson et al., 2001). Major opportunities now lie in improving the output potential of hill ewes through breeding. Currently, hill sheep flocks in the UK and Ireland consist mainly of purebred Scottish Blackface, Welsh Mountain, Swaledale and, to a lesser extent, Cheviot ewes. Using purebreds, rather than crossbred ewes, means that the potential benefits of heterosis are not exploited in harsh hill conditions where they are likely to be of greatest benefit. Crossbreeding can also be used to take advantage of breed differences in genetic merit for different traits e.g. hardiness, ease of lambing, prolificacy and carcass traits. In view of this background, a research programme was initiated to investigate the relative merits of a range of crossbred ewe types within hill sheep systems in Northern Ireland. This paper presents the results from the second phase of the study in which the performance of mature ewes (1-3 lambings) was investigated.

Previous studies using X-ray computed tomography (CT) of Scottish Blackface hill ewes have shown that carcass fat, internal fat and muscle are depleted during pregnancy and early lactation and deposited during late lactation and the dry period (Lambe et al., 2003a). Muscle weights and proportions throughout the year are positively genetically correlated with total litter weight reared, largely due to increased litter size. Average weights of lambs reared were positively correlated with carcass fat weight or proportion pre-lambing and internal fat weight pre-mating, but negatively correlated with internal fat proportion pre-lambing (Lambe et al., 2005). However, is genetic potential to mobilise and regain increased amounts of tissue during the year positively associated with the ability to produce more and heavier lambs? The aim of this study was to address this question by relating total loss and gain of fat and muscle in ewes during the annual cycle with lamb production traits.

We have previously shown that the majority of muscle differentiation and fibre formation in sheep takes place around d 85 of gestation, with myoblast proliferation mainly occurring before this time (Fahey et al., 2005a). In a second study (Fahey et al., 2005b), maternal nutrient restriction during the proliferation stage immediately before the period of major fibre formation (d30-70 gestation) resulted in a reduction in the numbers of fast fibres in 14 d lambs. Maternal undernutrition during (d55-95) and after (d85-115) major fibre formation did not alter the muscle fibre characteristics of 14 d lambs. The objective of the present study was to determine whether the changes in muscle fibre development seen previously in 14 d lambs from ewes undernourished from d 30 to 70 of gestation are still evident in older animals, and what the long term consequences are in relation to growth rates and carcass composition.