Determining the optimal sheep stocking rate is a complex task with significant implications on farm profit. This paper reviews previous research on sheep stocking rate and provides a summary of the interactions between stocking rate and key aspects of the farm system. The review establishes the gap in our knowledge about optimising sheep stocking rates and provides suggestions for future research.

Embryo transfer has been used as a tool to increase the profitability of production animal herds. The selection of fertile cows has a direct impact on the result of this biotechnique and Doppler ultrasound emerges as a exam capable of assessing fertility. However, in herds that use low-cost hormonal treatments to synchronise the cycle of recipients, based only on estrogen and progesterone, Doppler was not effective in predicting fertility.

Intake of ionophores in grazing systems is variable, leading to inconsistent production responses. This experiment evaluated how the frequency of narasin intake affects ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestibility and growth. We found that narasin was able to increase the energy efficiency of ruminal fermentation and the lamb performance, but its effectiveness was reduced when offered at intervals of >48 h. These results demonstrated that regular consumption of supplements is required for their effectiveness.

Use of antibiotics in the poultry industry has caused the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and led to antibiotic residues in animal tissues; hence, phytobiotics have been examined as part of alternative feed strategies. We evaluated the in vitro and in vivo characteristics of encapsulated and non-encapsulated rosemary essential oils. Both forms showed antioxidant and antimicrobial potential and can improve growth performance of broilers, with the non-encapsulated form recommended.

Heat stress is a significant factor limiting efficient animal protein production, thus continue to compromise food security in developing countries. Gastro-intestinal tract is one of the most affected systems in heat stress, with a consequent reduction in feed intake, in vitro digestibility and a changed ruminal microbial population. We can conclude that heat stress has great potential to change microbial community and exert effects on in vivo and in vitro nutrient digestibility.

Generally, hen performance is related to the bodyweight and feed intake capacity of the birds. In this paper, we showed that inappropriate feeding supply reduces hen performance and that Lohmann Brown hens perform better than do Embrapa 051 (a free-range laying hen, resulting from crossing the breeds Rhode Island Red with white Plymouth Rock, and selected by Embrapa-CNPSA, Brazil). We also showed negative correlations between laying rate and both bone mineralisation and bone strength.

Extraction of valuable bioactive peptides from blood can be a promising strategy to add value to underutilised slaughterhouse blood and reduce waste. In the present study, bioactive peptides were recovered by enzymatic hydrolysis of blood waste from sheep, goat and rabbits. Comparative assessment of antioxidant, antimicrobial and metal-chelating properties of bioactive peptides recovered showed their potential applications as functional additives in food and pharmaceutical industries.