We analysed the effect of body condition at calving (BCS) on endocrine and metabolic profiles during the transition period in primiparous Hereford cows grazing native grassland. Cows with a BCS of 4 or higher showed higher metabolic resilience during transition periods associated with BCS evolution, IGF-I levels and changes in NEFA profiles. These patterns reflected the short- and long-term cow nutritional history.

The effect of body condition score at calving, suckling restriction and flushing on metabolic and reproductive responses of primiparous beef cows were investigated. Suckling and flushing affected metabolic endocrine profiles temporarily. The increase in insulin and IGF-I by flushing depended on the body condition score at calving, which was consistent with reproductive outcomes.

Different systems for feeding high amounts of supplements to grazing dairy cows were compared. Feeding supplements on a feedpad as a mixed ration containing canola meal can have milk-production advantages over feeding grain in the dairy at milking times. This information will be important for farmers needing to feed high amounts of supplements because of climate variability.

Autochthonous cattle breeds have been replaced by more productive cosmopolite breeds to maximise dairy and beef production. This study achieved positive results regarding beef production traits of Slovenian autochthonous Cika bulls compared to Simmental bulls fed two finishing diets. Farmers should finish their Cika male stocks for beef production to conserve this genetic resource and increase the energy density of the traditional grass-based diets.

There is potential for lamb to be promoted as a meat-based functional food. Carnitine from lamb has been found to reduce the liver fat content of rats. Meat-based functional foods are being seen as an opportunity to improve the ‘image’ of meat as a healthy product.

There is growing interest in converting castor cake to alternative feed sources for ruminants due to the nutritional content of this byproduct. Although the effects of castor cake feeding on livestock reproduction are not well understood, this study found that detoxified castor cake could be used as an alternative protein source without affecting goat reproductive performance. The findings from this study should provide information on alternative methods for reducing the costs of small ruminant feed.

Applied participatory research on large-ruminant health and production was conducted in northern Lao PDR to establish baseline production variables, including liveweight, average daily weight gain and reproductive performance. The study indicated that improved large-ruminant productivity, by improving health and nutrition practices, offers opportunities for smallholders to increase livestock income, reduce rural poverty and enhance regional food security.

There is no published data on the energy requirements of growing Bali cattle. Bulls were fed diets similar to those commonly used in East Timor and their metabolisable energy requirements for maintenance and production were measured. Bali cattle energy requirements are similar to those of other beef breeds. This information will help improve feeding management and food security.

Weaning and improved feeding of weaned Bali cattle can improve cash flow of smallholder farming households in eastern Indonesia. This experiment aimed to evaluate feeding strategies to increase growth of weaned Bali cattle that may be implemented in village cattle production systems. Feeding certain tree legumes to weaned Bali cattle can increase liveweight gain and potentially increase household cash flow.

Qualitative behavioural assessment (QBA) has been used to quantify the expressive behaviour of pregnant ewes at varying body condition score. Animals were assessed through QBA during a feed motivation test. Ewes maintained at BCS 3 scored low on GPA dimension 1 (i.e. were described as more calm/bored/comfortable) compared with ewes that had a slow declining BCS (described as more interested/anxious/excited).

High stocking densities can have adverse effects on the welfare of broiler chickens. The effects of stocking density and perch availability on the growth, behaviour, and health characteristics of broilers were investigated. The results suggest that perches have a limited effect on the performance, behaviour, and welfare of broilers stocked at high densities. The improvement of broiler welfare needs an all-encompassing solution rather than a modification of any single facility.

Vitamin D₃ and strontium have been closely aligned in human therapeutics for the treatment of osteoporosis. Consequently, a broiler experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of feeding various concentrations of vitamin D₃ with or without strontium on chicken performance, mineral retention, and bone composition. High levels of vitamin D depressed growth and feed efficiency but this was alleviated by the addition of strontium. Vitamin D and strontium together increased mineral retention but not bone mass. Further research needs to be undertaken.

It is well established that broilers show better performance when offered pelleted diets. This study examined the growth responses of broiler finishers to changes in pellet size, and showed that while broilers express a preference for a smaller pellet diameter, there is no negative effect of pellet length on performance. This approach suggests that only the manipulation of pellet length may be used to improve broiler production.

High quality maize is crucial raw material in modern chicken nutrition. This study examined the effect of maize endosperm hardness, drying temperature, and enzyme addition on chicken performance and nutrient utilisation. The results suggest that maize endosperm hardness and high drying temperature can negatively influence nutrient utilisation. Blends of phytase and xylanase have potential as a tool to improve the nutritional value of overheated maize.

Supplementation of poultry diets with selenium is becoming a common practice to sustain bird health and boost production. In this study we compared two organic selenium sources (selenohomolanthionine and selenomethionine) in relation to growth performance, nutrient utilisation, oxidative stress and selenium tissue concentrations. While the birds performed similarly irrespectively of the two sources of selenium used, the ones supplemented with selenohomolanthionine had higher selenium concentration in muscle tissue, therefore selenium-enriched chicken meat might provide an important delivery system for this trace element to humans.

Millrun, a by-product of wheat milling, is a low-cost ingredient that could be better utilised in pig diets. Millrun inclusion in diets for weaner pigs is generally restricted to 5–10% because of its high fibre content. This study showed that the inclusion level could be increased to 50% without compromising pig performance, if diets are formulated appropriately. Liquid feeding of diets increased feed conversion ratio, but adding enzymes to degrade fibre and improve its digestibility did not improve performance.