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Animal Production Science Animal Production Science Society
Food, fibre and pharmaceuticals from animals

Animal Production Science

Animal Production Science

Animal Production Science is an international journal publishing original research and reviews on the production of food, fibre and pharmaceuticals from animals. Read more about the journalMore

Editor-in-Chief: Wayne Bryden

Publishing Model: Hybrid. Open Access options available

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Latest

These articles are the latest published in the journal. Animal Production Science is published under a continuous publication model. More information is available on our Continuous Publication page.

Published online 24 June 2025

AN24250Breed and sex class affect the intake, performance, and meat quality of Pantaneiro and Santa Inês lambs but do not alter carcass patterns

A. G. Gonçalves, A. Sasa, M. Vedovatto, A. R. D. Santos 0000-0001-5621-3353, P. R. O. Oliveira, R. V. Rohod, J. C. C. Belmonte, E. R. F. da Silva 0000-0001-9468-0569, A. R. P. Simões, A. L. J. Ferraz, M. V. M. Oliveira, M. N. Bonin Gomes and D. M. Oliveira 0000-0002-5038-9822
 

Pantaneiro sheep, native to the Brazilian Pantanal, are distinguished by their rusticity and adaptability to adverse environments. This study aimed to evaluate the growth performance, ingestive behavior and carcass characteristics and meat quality of Pantaneiros lambs and compare them with Santa Inês lambs. The performance of intact lambs and the observed carcass yields demonstrated the potential of Pantaneiro sheep as a breed for intensive production.

Published online 23 June 2025

AN24054Sustainable animal agriculture for developing countries – a brief history

Juan Boo Liang 0000-0001-6024-0856, Peter C. Wynn 0000-0002-4656-9329, Ruijun Long 0000-0001-6014-7192, Viengsakoun Napasirth and Su Chui Len Candyrine
 

Sustainable Animal Agriculture for Developing Countries (SAADC) is a biennial conference, serving as a platform for animal scientists, producers, and policy makers to share experiences on sustainable animal agriculture practices and research. The SAADC has successfully held eight conferences so far, with a total participation of approximately 2100 attendees from 38 countries. To move forward, SAADC will broaden the scope of its activities, including enhancing capacity building of young career scientists in developing countries.

This article belongs to the collection: Sustainable Animal Agriculture for Developing Countries 2023.

Published online 23 June 2025

AN24287Plantain-mixed pasture collected in different climatic seasons produced less methane and ammonia than ryegrass–white clover pasture in vitro

Komahan Sivanandarajah 0000-0002-3313-2742, Daniel Donaghy, German Molano, David Horne, Peter Kemp, Soledad Navarrete, Thiagarajah Ramilan and David Pacheco 0000-0002-9307-9197
 

This study found that incorporating 40% plantain into dairy pastures could reduce methane production, particularly in summer, and lower nitrogen excretion from cattle in spring and autumn, suggesting potential environmental benefits, although further research with grazing cows is needed to confirm these effects.

This article belongs to the collection: Australasian Dairy Science Symposium 2024.

We modelled the profitability of pregnancy scanning across a wide range of environments, times of lambing, and production systems in the winter and summer rainfall regions of southern Australia. The average increase in profitability enabled by scanning for litter size was A$5.75 per ewe in the winter rainfall regions and A$4.44 in the summer rainfall regions. Pregnancy scanning for litter size is a low-cost and high-profit tool for improving reproductive rate, lamb and ewe survival rates, and lamb growth rates.

Published online 19 June 2025

AN24276Integrating climate-change adaptation and greenhouse-gas mitigation in the livestock industry: a review

Sineka Munidasa 0000-0002-9510-4640, Brendan Cullen, Richard Eckard 0000-0002-4817-1517, Long Cheng and Natalie Doran-Browne
 

Climate actions in the livestock industry have primarily focused on reducing greenhouse-gas emissions, whereas adaptation has often been addressed separately. As climate change progresses, a more integrated approach is essential. This paper examines the co-benefits and trade-offs of combining adaptation and mitigation interventions at the ruminant livestock farm level, presenting two Australian case studies as examples. Strengthening this integration is crucial for developing resilient and low-emissions livestock production systems.

This article belongs to the collection: Australasian Dairy Science Symposium 2024.

Published online 19 June 2025

AN24311Seasonal effects of Moringa oleifera as a concentrate replacement on health parameters and production performance in Barbari goats

Apeksha K. Ukey, Sohan Vir Singh 0000-0002-9520-780X, Smaranika Biswal, A. K. Misra, Yallappa M. Somagond, Gaurav Kumar and Nikita Bhalakiya
 

The cornerstone of Indian society is livestock husbandry, which is providing rural populations with nutritional security and significant amount of jobs. In temperate, subtropical, and tropical locations, seasonal stresses result in significant losses in livestock productivity. Maintaining livestock productivity and livelihoods depends on innovative and versatile ways to deal with these challenges. Alternative feed resources such as Moringa oleifera with potential nutritional and medicinal benefits can improve the resilience and production performance of goats across various seasons.

Published online 17 June 2025

AN24186Effects of by-product feed inclusion in a grass hay-based diet on nutrient disappearance, total gas and methane production, rumen fermentation and protozoal populations in an artificial rumen (RUSITEC)

S. Robinson, P. Tamayao, A. Saleem, K. Ominski, T. McAllister, G. Crow, K. Wittenberg and E. J. McGeough 0000-0001-7763-3306
 

As part of the natural process of feed digestion, cattle produce methane, which is a potent greenhouse gas. This study evaluated the impact of fat in grass hay-based cattle diets by including by-products from cereal/oilseed processing and determining the impact on methane emissions. Overall, higher dietary fat reduced methane emissions; however, it reduced digestibility of the diet, which is an important consideration for its impact on animal productivity.

South Africa and Western Australia have long histories of livestock production and predator management, which impacts livestock productivity and viability. A survey of producers in both regions found farm sizes to be generally similar. More predators reside in South Africa, and as poison use is illegal, most farmers rely on shooting as their primary control method. Losses to predators are higher in South Africa, where predator management is responsive rather than proactive, unlike the Recognised Biosecurity Groups in Western Australia.

Published online 17 June 2025

AN24415Mapping the use of insects in animal feed: scientific and technological data of Tenebrio molitor, Hermetia illucens, and Zophobas morio

Jade Silva Oliveira 0009-0002-4170-4760, Camila Duarte Ferreira Ribeiro, Carolina Oliveira de Souza 0000-0002-8028-5418 and Cláudio Vaz Di Mambro Ribeiro 0000-0001-8676-3225
 

Tenebrio molitor, Hermetia illucens, and Zophobas morio are species rich in nutrients essential for animal nutrition. However, it is still unclear whether these species are studied with the same frequency, which areas of animal production benefit the most from their use, and the main objectives of the most recent studies. Identifying these knowledge gaps can support the development of innovative research on the use of insects in animal feed.

Published online 16 June 2025

AN24372Effects of transport stress on gene expression and biomarkers in broilers with and without an anti-stress supplement

Jaydip Rokade 0000-0001-8202-5751, Sky Krishna Gopal, Sagar Khulape, Nagesh Sonale, Prashant Patel, Abhijeet Champati, Gautham Kolluri and Monika Madheswaran 0000-0002-3980-0983
 

Transportation stress in poultry negatively impacts bird welfare, productivity, and meat quality. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an anti-stressor supplement combined with suitable lairage conditions to alleviate such stress. Results, validated using molecular tools, showed significant improvements in bird health and meat safety. The formulated anti-stressor package effectively reduced stress, enhanced profitability for stakeholders, and supported the One Health approach by ensuring better meat quality and safety, highlighting its potential as a practical solution in poultry production systems.

Published online 16 June 2025

AN25047Effect of methionine and lysine supplementation on performance and intestinal morphometrics of finisher broiler chickens fed diets containing processed cassava peel meal

Tolulope O. Adebowale 0000-0002-7325-5691, Muhammed A. Arowolo, Mukaila Adekola, Tolulope Adeleye and Oyegunle E. Oke 0000-0002-9425-4217
 

Researchers have been exploring sustainable feed alternatives for broiler chickens due to the rising costs of conventional feed ingredients and environmental footprints associated with agricultural by-products. This study investigated the use of processed and fortified cassava peel meal as a replacement for corn in broiler diets and found that it supports growth and reduces production costs without compromising gut health. However, some morphological alterations were observed in the liver and intestinal tissues of the chickens, which require further investigation.

Published online 13 June 2025

AN25057Economic analysis of benefits from grazing unharvested standing lupin crops in a mixed farm enterprise in south-west Western Australia

Amelia Gooding 0009-0008-1717-7626, Serina Hancock, Andrew Thompson 0000-0001-7121-7459 and John Young 0009-0009-5557-5585
 

In the south-west of Western Australia, weaned lambs typically graze dry pastures and crop stubbles from late spring to autumn, which limits growth rates without supplementation and can contribute to ill-thrift and mortality. This study tested whether incorporating grazing of standing lupin crops improves whole-farm profitability. Grazing lupins on 7% of the farm area increased profitability by almost A$30,000 (A$200/ha), primarily by increasing stocking rate. Across a range of crop yields and prices, grazing was always more profitable than harvesting.

We applied tree-based machine learning techniques to predict weaning weight in Hair goat kids, offering a fresh approach to goat farming. We used these tree-based machine learning models to analyze a variety of data sources, such as herd features and environmental factors like weather and geography. We found that these methods achieved strong predictive performance, suggesting that incorporating diverse environmental data into weight prediction models can help goat farmers make better decisions, especially with the challenges posed by climate change.

Published online 05 June 2025

AN25092Growth curves of three broiler chicken strains fed diets of different nutritional densities

Josiane Carla Panisson, Isabella de Camargo Dias 0000-0003-0375-2462, Marley Conceição dos Santos, Leopoldo Malcorra de Almeida, Everton Luis Krabbe, Alex Maiorka and Simone Gisele de Oliveira
 

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the growth curves of three broiler chicken strains and the effects of different dietary nutritional densities on growth performance. The Gompertz model explained 99% of the variation in chicken weight. Chickens fed a regular diet had slower maturation and lower growth rates, whereas Strain A showed lower bodyweight and feed intake than did Strains B and C. Higher nutritional density diets increased growth rates, but all strains exhibited similar allometric growth patterns.

Published online 30 May 2025

AN24108Investigating the effect of larval instar, post-harvest treatments, and substrate on the nutritional profile of black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens)

Shanmugam Alagappan, Hung Hong, Deirdre Mikkelsen, Sandra Olarte Mantilla, Peter James 0000-0003-1237-0212, Olympia Yarger, Louwrens Hoffman 0000-0003-2736-1933 and Daniel Cozzolino 0000-0001-6247-8817
 

This study explored the nutritional quality of BSFL reared on five different food waste streams from two different commercial farms. Additionally, the effect of post-harvest treatments (blanching and drying) and larval instar (fifth and sixth) on the nutritional profile of BSFL was investigated.

Just Accepted

These articles have been peer reviewed and accepted for publication. They are still in production and have not been edited, so may differ from the final published form.

Most Read

The Most Read ranking is based on the number of downloads in the last 60 days from papers published on the CSIRO PUBLISHING website within the last 12 months. Usage statistics are updated daily.

Collections

Collections are a curation of articles relevant to a topical research area

This collection brings together selected research and review papers presented at the 2024 Australasian Dairy Science Symposium, Christchurch, NZ. The 2024 symposium was a special occasion, marking 20 years since the first ADSS conference in Shepparton, Victoria.

Collection Editors
Callum Eastwood (DairyNZ)
James Hills (Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania)
Arjan Jonker (AgResearch NZ)
Samuel Wilson (Massey University)
Omar Al-Marashdeh (Lincoln University)

Last Updated: 23 Jun 2025

The papers in this Collection of Animal Production Science were presented at the 9th biennial conference of Sustainable Animal Agriculture for Developing Countries (SAADC23), held in Vientiane, Laos in 2023. The meeting created a forum for collaboration among animal scientists, producers, and policy makers from developing countries, fostering the exchange of experiences and the development of sustainable animal agriculture practices.

Collection Editor
Wayne L. Bryden (University of Queensland)

Last Updated: 23 Jun 2025

This Collection follows the first Equine Science special issue of Animal Production Science published in 2020. Since the first Australian Equine Science Symposium (AESS) in 2006, there have been six biennial symposia that have provided a platform for equine researchers to enjoy a collegial atmosphere dedicated to the horse. The papers in this collection reflect the strength and diversity of Australasian Equine Science.

Collection Editors
Chris W. Rogers (Massey University)
Wayne L. Bryden (University of Queensland)

Last Updated: 13 Jun 2024

Animal Production Science brings together a Collection of research and review papers presented at the 2022 Australasian Dairy Science Symposium. The theme of the 2022 symposium was ‘A Changing Climate for Dairy Science’ so while this special issue includes papers on a range of topics, a common theme throughout the papers is addressing the challenges faced by the Australian and New Zealand dairy sectors.

Collection Editors
Keith Pembleton (University of Southern Queensland)
Callum Eastwood (DairyNZ Ltd)
James Hills (University of Tasmania)

Last Updated: 23 May 2024

Animal Production Science celebrated 60 years of publication in 2021 and to celebrate, we marked this milestone with this selection of key review papers published in the journal over the last decade, highlighting research breakthroughs, social and economic issues that have influenced primary producers, and the practice of animal production.

Last Updated: 30 Jul 2021

New genomic technologies have revolutionised our approach to animal breeding and increased the rate of genetic change. This Collection brings together a selection of research articles that review research progress and updates our knowledge of the delivery of livestock genomics research applications, specifically for the beef and dairy cattle and sheep industries globally.

Last Updated: 19 Aug 2013

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