The knowledge of the growth curve of female beef cattle is useful to determine the degree of maturity at first calving and optimise the reproductive performance. The aim of this work is to find the best model to describe the growth of females from birth to adult age. B-spline function showed the best fit to the actual weight and the best prediction ability.

Quails are used for meat and egg production, especially in developing countries. External egg quality is crucial for consumer acceptability, while interior quality is essential for the egg production industry. The present study aimed to clarify the role of genetic differences in egg quality traits. Quails selected for high body mass laid heavier egg weight with a greater external and internal egg quality score. Therefore, selection for greater body mass might result in heavier and superior egg quality.

It is important to clarify the synthesis mechanism in improving milk protein yield. Inhibitors were used to study the influence of hormones on the milk protein synthesis pathway. The results showed that the positive regulatory genes in mTOR and JAK–STAT pathways were the key to regulating milk protein synthesis of hormones. It has provided an important theoretical basis in bovine milk protein synthesis by endocrine regulation.

Lack of sexual activity in first calving animals is one of the main conditions affecting the efficiency of cattle in the tropics; this is important since they need to continue growing, support lactation and raise their calf. This study evaluated the effect of an energy diet on the onset of ovarian activity in these females. Energy diet supplementation did not influence the onset of ovarian activity and more research is needed to determine more efficient nutritional strategies.

Reproduction in tropical originated sheep breeds is not affected by the season of the year, whereas ewes from temperate climates such as the Suffolk breed cease cycling during long days. Close contact between these two breeds during the anestrous period induce Suffolk ewes to cycle. This phenomenon can be achieved at medium latitudes where both breeds coexist, allowing Suffolk ewes to conceive year round, making artificial light or hormonal treatments unnecessary to induce this same effect.

Spray-dried porcine plasma (SDPP) is a promising supplement for early feeding of broiler chickens. In the present study, different levels and feeding duration of SDPP were tested in the starter diet of broilers. The outcomes achieved showed that SDPP effectively enhances early growth and development of body functions. It would be more economic to use a low level (10 g/kg) of SDPP over a longer period (10 days post-hatch) to achieve the same benefits as using a higher (10 g/kg diet) of supplementation.

Seaweed by-product is an important source of biologically active components for calf antibodies. Calf morbidity and mortality is the main problem in livestock industry, which might be prevented by utilising seaweed by-product due to its functional activity. The increased growth performance and immunity of suckling calves as well as elevated colostrum composition and immunoglobulin level of cows will ultimately reduce calf mortality.

Transition from liquid to solid feed requires a fully developed and full-functioning rumen. The aim of this work was to evaluate the impact of different forms of butyrate (thought to stimulate development of rumen wall and alter glucose metabolism) on performance of calves. No advantages of supplementing milk replacer with sodium butyrate or tributyrin were found.

In all countries, local resources feed is important in ruminant feeding. The valorisation of natural resources can reduce the feed cost by replacing market feed in diets. The use of local feed resources can produce good quality animal product, without a negative effect on animal performance.

Increasing the efficiency of beef production systems is one of the most important challenges faced by producers and scientists within the context of rapidly growing emphasis on minimising impacts of livestock production on the environment. Thus, this paper aimed to define grazing management to achieve this goal. The results indicated that the adoption of a sward target-based grazing-management approach may be a useful strategy for improving the efficiency of herbage utilisation and animal performance.

We examined the effects of inclusion of alternative carbohydrate and protein sources in prestarter diets and the form of diet on subsequent performance broilers. Our results showed that the inclusion of casein in a prestarter diet adversely affected intestinal development, feed intake and bodyweight at slaughter. At the same time, using a corn–soybean–fish meal-based prestarter diet in semi-moist form improved chick development, optimised feed intake and utilisation and positively affected growth performance.

Corn silage is the most utilised conserved forage to animal feeding in the world due to all the desirable characteristics of an ensilable crop, but problems such as aerobic instability and fermentation losses are frequent. To minimise these effects, bacterial inoculants are used at ensilage. In this study, silages inoculated with B. subtilis and L. plantarum maintained appropriate fermentative characteristics, decreased the neutral detergent fibre content and increased the in vitro digestibility. In addition, silages inoculated with B. subtilis had lower populations of yeasts and moulds and increased aerobic stability.

Selection for lower residual feed intake in purebred Yorkshires has an effect on temperament, as measured by a scale-activity score, but this relationship is complex and warrants further research. The observation that gilts become habituated to the process of weighing supports the conclusion that the process is not aversive.

Rangeland goats are a significant environmental problem for outback Australia, yet concurrently represent a valuable resource for meat production. To fully utilise this resource, animals must be caught and domesticated, and this paper examines a method of injectable castration to reduce agonistic behaviours, and hopefully lead to improved domestication protocols for male rangeland goats.

Mammary gland infection with bacteria commonly results in changes in milk components and decreases in milk yield. In this study, protein composition of plasma and milk were investigated in healthy cows, and cows infected with mild and severe Escherichia coli mastitis. Several differential milk proteins associated with the degree of severity of E. coli mastitis were found that could serve as potential diagnostic markers for E. coli mastitis.

This study compared methane emissions from young dairy heifers and adult cows in New Zealand using the sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆) tracer gas and respiratory chamber techniques. Methane yield (g/kg dry matter intake) assessed over eight separate measurement periods did not differ between heifers (24.5 ± 0.42) and cows (23.8 ± 0.43), while methane yields between heifers and cows obtained by the SF₆ (25.3 ± 0.52 vs 24.1 ± 0.55) and respiratory chamber (23.7 ± 0.66 vs 23.6 ± 0.66) methodologies were similar.

Artificial insemination is the most important reproductive technology that has improved the genetic quality of livestock, so that the effect of various management and meteorological factors on pregnancy rate of goats after artificial insemination was studied. All of the management factors had a significant effect on goat fertility; inseminations were significantly more successful when temperatures were higher and rainfall was lower than average. It remains to be determined whether scheduling the dates of insemination based on forecasted temperatures can improve the success of artificial insemination in goats.

Under pastoral conditions, the last trimester of gestation coincides with the lowest forage production of native pasture. Beef pregnant cows have high nutritional demands at that moment. A short-term supplementation (40 days) before calving, with a concentrate, would be an excellent and profitable tool to increase reproductive performance without change to the calve’s birthweight.

Spices and herbs are a new practical way in poultry nutrition for improving meat quality and stability. Application of spices including garlic, black pepper and hot red pepper in the poultry diet in the present study significantly improved chicken meat quality, meat stability and reduction of cholesterol. Spices and herbs are the new imperative for healthy food today and will be in the future.

This study is a comparison of the fatty acid concentration in the different lipids fractions of dry-cured loin obtained from Chato Murciano and from a modern crossbreed pig throughout the ripening stage. The results provide evidence that Chato Murciano dry-cured loin is a significant source of monounsaturated fatty acids. This fact is significant to increase the attraction of using the breed to obtain derived products.

This paper is aimed at researching the effect of processed sulphur supplementation for dry-cured loin quality. During the manufacture of dry-cured loin, storage stability and meat quality was enhanced by processed sulfur supplementation. Therefore, the meat industry can take advantage of the utilisation of meat processed with sulphur fed to pigs to improve meat quality.

Little is known about leather and skin quality, and meat composition of Ethiopian goats despite them being major sources for domestic and export purposes. The result of the present study indicate that all evaluated goat genotypes produced leather with quality parameters acceptable for industrial processing and meat that can meet the demand of diversified consumers. The result will help to stimulate the utilisation and marketing of skin and leather, and the consumption of meat by different stakeholders.

Development of biodegradable films utilising dairy industry by-product, whey, and using it as carriers for antimicrobial agents can be an innovative approach. These bioactive biodegradable films were used to wrap ready-to-eat meat products inside a secondary synthetic package during storage and transportation, and helped in the extension of storage life of food product substantially. This technology has the potential to be utilised in the meat or food industry.