This study explored the potential for producers to breed for improved survival rates in Australian Merino sheep during the post-weaning period and reported the survival trait to be lowly heritable. Unfavourable genetic correlations with key production traits mean that selection based on popular MERINOSELECT indexes is leading to a very small reduction in the survival rate of lambs after weaning. To prevent a decline in survival, producers are advised to record weaner survival and include it in their breeding objective.

The success of genomic selection depends on the accuracy of genomic predictions, which can be influenced by many factors such as genotype quality control, marker density and minor allele frequency. In the present study we assessed the effect of these three factors on genomic prediction of Nellore cattle and found no effect of quality control and marker density, whereas markers with low allele frequency showed poor prediction ability. Our results help identifying which genomic information should be used for genomic predictions.

Ruminant livestock production results in methane (CH₄) emissions, a greenhouse gas. The present research focussed on aspects of the host animal’s biology that influence between sheep variation in CH₄ emissions. Dry matter intake, liveweight, reticulo-rumen volume, the proportion of contents in the rumen compartments and digesta flow rate were important factors. Our expanded understanding of the host’s control of CH₄ emissions will inform the development of procedures to mitigate CH₄ production from sheep and improve ruminant nutrition.

The vegetation of tropical deciduous forests represent an important source of nutrients for small ruminants in many farms; however, feeding behaviour and nutrient intake of sheep and goats in that vegetation during the rainy season is unknown. We showed that both consumed similar plant species but had different feeding behaviour, goats browsed more than sheep, obtaining more protein and polyphenols. Sheep and goats consumed an imbalanced diet that would require dietary energy for goats and a protein : energy supplement for sheep.

It is generally agreed that the formulation and diet ingredients are, by far, the most important factors affecting pellet quality. Therefore, the aim of this research was to evaluate the effects of adding ingredients with binding properties on the physical quality of pellets, as well as growth performance and nutrient utilisation in broiler chickens. These results suggest that use of wheat gluten and wheat can improve pellet quality, while positively affecting the weight gain of broilers. This better performance can only be achieved, if the pellets remain intact until they are ingested by the birds.

Intact rapeseed supplementation in goat diet can improve the fatty acid composition of meat but high level of rapeseed may have negative impact on performance and health because of its anti-nutritional factors. The purpose of this study was to confirm the optimal supplementation level of intact rapeseed in goat total mixed ration pellets. Intact rapeseed can be added to 7.5% in goat total mixed ration pellets for reducing F/G and improving ruminal development and the meat quality without affecting growth performance, liver and thyroid function.

Common purslane is well known for its antioxidant and antilipogenic properties. This study compared the effects of dietary supplementation of herb powder, aqueous and methanolic extracts of this medicinal plant on growth performance, lipid metabolism and oxidative status of the plasma, liver and jejunum in broilers. The findings revealed that herb powder was the most suitable source of purslane, as its supplementation not only improved antioxidant status and plasma lipid levels, but also was associated with increased growth rate and decreased abdominal fat.

Probiotics can have a beneficial effect on growth performance and immune indicators in chickens. The use of a probiotic preparation containing Enterococcus faecium and vitamin D₃ and C during the entire fattening period in the amount of 0.25 g/L of water has a beneficial effect on the histology and microbiological composition of the small intestine of chickens. Administration of this probiotic preparation also stimulates immunity in the chickens and improves growth performance. Our research confirms the appropriateness of using probiotics in poultry nutrition.

Energy supplements used in feed rations for cows can affect the yield, composition and quality of milk. To improve the energy balance in the periparturient period and the composition of milk fat in the subsequent weeks of lactation, it can be profitable to supplement the feed with a mixture of a glucogenic preparation and free fatty acids.

The amount of water cattle consume and the frequency that cattle drink affects their productivity, but a practical and inexpensive method to record drinking behaviour does not exist. The results of this study show that although further development of a classification method is required, accelerometers can record beef cattle drinking behaviour. This brings us closer to collecting information critical to understanding cattle drinking behaviour and ensuring that the amount and frequency of water consumption is sufficient to meet their needs.

The present study evaluated the histomorphometric effect on the small intestine of the chicken embryo after in ovo methionine injection. The results indicated that injecting methionine into the yolk sac can improve intestinal histomorphometrical parameters and that 40-mg methionine injection showed the greatest changes.

The early weaning in pig husbandry has a tremendous impact on health condition and performance of piglets at the post-weaning period. The early weaning piglets are vulnerable to health ailments such as post-weaning scours and impaired immune response. Supplementation of BRM and ZnO in basal diet restored the important functions of neutrophils and reduced the inflammatory cytokine response. The important findings would help devise the strategies for effective and efficient management of early weanling piglets in farm conditions.

Beef heifer management to first mating affects growth in low-nutrition environments in the dry tropics. A study using 1368 heifers in six cohorts described highly variable annual growth, with compensatory gains in body condition, liveweight and hip height following low dry-season growth. This variability resulted in up to 67% and 25% of heifers weighing 100–150 kg and >150 kg at weaning, respectively, not reaching target weights by the end of first mating, with no significant benefit from low-level post-weaning dry-season supplementation.

A large proportion of the ammonia deposited by feedlots cattle is lost as gaseous ammonia and may subsequently be vulnerable to a greenhouse gas. This ammonia loss was measured (~60% of excreted N), while simultaneously measuring deposition to the area surrounding the feedlot (2–3% deposited within 600 m). Two implications are evident: (1) standard greenhouse gas inventory calculations tend to underestimate the gaseous loss of ammonia from beef feedlots; and (2) most of this ammonia is probably diluted and ultimately deposited in the wider landscape.

Among various approaches, diet plays an important role in lowering livestock-related methane emission. Thus, the effect of various energy levels on enteric methane emission was evaluated at two different seasons in growing Murrah buffaloes. Methane energy loss as % GE intake was 13% lower during the winter season. The present study revealed that adjustment in feeding system energy level lowered enteric CH₄ emission and will be helpful for intensive rearing under a tropical environment.

Poultry production is a huge source of animal protein to the people of Ghana. Drugs were commonly administered to the birds in a bid to achieve higher efficiency in production. This study determined the types of drugs used in poultry farming and found that drugs were used without heeding to withdrawal periods stipulated by the manufacturer. This practice could result in antimicrobial resistance and residue in poultry products.

Castration is a practice widely used in male cattle to reduce aggressive behaviour and improve meat quality. However, surgical castration negatively affects animal welfare, health and performance; therefore, immunological castration can be an alternative. Immunocastration decreases feedlot performance and improves meat quality compared with non-castrated males. Surgical castration and immunocastration affect performance and meat quality similarly, indicating that immunocastration can be used as a technique to replace surgical castration.

Dietary supplementation with Allium hookeri and whey powder in pigs influences the quality of dry-cured meat. Due to the dietary supplementation with Allium hookeri and whey powder, the dry-cured meat has a longer shelf-life and higher sensory characteristics. In conclusion, the high quality of dry-cured meat can be developed by the dietary supplementation of Allium hookeri and whey powder.