Lameness is an important economic problem in the dairy sector, resulting in production loss and reduced welfare of dairy cows. Given the modern-day expansion of dairy herds, a tool to automatically detect lameness in real-time can therefore create added value for the farmer. The challenge in developing camera-based tools is that one system has to work for all the animals on the farm despite each animal having its own individual lameness response. Individualising these systems based on animal-level historical data is a way to achieve accurate monitoring on farm scale. The goal of this study is to optimise a lameness monitoring algorithm based on back posture values derived from a camera for individual cows by tuning the deviation thresholds and the quantity of the historical data being used. Back posture values from a sample of 209 Holstein Friesian cows in a large herd of over 2000 cows were collected during 15 months on a commercial dairy farm in Sweden. A historical data set of back posture values was generated for each cow to calculate an individual healthy reference per cow. For a gold standard reference, manual scoring of lameness based on the Sprecher scale was carried out weekly by a single skilled observer during the final 6 weeks of data collection. Using an individual threshold, deviations from the healthy reference were identified with a specificity of 82.3%, a sensitivity of 79%, an accuracy of 82%, and a precision of 36.1% when the length of the healthy reference window was not limited. When the length of the healthy reference window was varied between 30 and 250 days, it was observed that algorithm performance was maximised with a reference window of 200 days. This paper presents a high-performing lameness detection system and demonstrates the importance of the historical window length for healthy reference calculation in order to ensure the use of meaningful historical data in deviation detection algorithms.

The protein sources in feed have a huge impact on good-quality and -quantity meat traits. Yellow lupin (YL) seeds have a similar level of protein as soybean meal (SBM). The most popular is SBM that is genetically modified (GMO). During this age, the consumer market requires non-GMO products. Yellow lupin used as a high-protein substitute for SBM in feed has an effect on the quality of meat from broiler ducks. The aim of the study was to analyse and compare meat quality traits in breast and leg muscles as well as fatty acid (FA) composition in breast muscles from ducks fed mixtures containing YL as an alternative to SBM. Two hundred 1-day-old Cherry Valley ducks were kept in pens on litter in two equal dietary groups, four replications with 25 birds per group. The control group (1) received balanced feed containing SBM. The treatment group (2) received balanced feed containing YL. The feed provided to both groups contained 55% of concentrate and 45% of wheat. Birds received feed and water ad libitum and were reared for 8 weeks. After that, 16 ducks (eight from each group) of BW close to the mean for the whole group were slaughtered. Plucked and gutted carcasses were analysed in a laboratory for quality parameters. Meat was analysed for pH, colour, water-holding capacity and drip loss. Samples of breast muscles were analysed for the content of cholesterol, collagen, intramuscular fat and FA composition. The proposed feed mixture containing YL had no impact on meat traits, content of muscles or fat in duck carcasses (P > 0.05). The values of lightness (L*) and yellowness (b*) and collagen content in breast muscles were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in group 2 (YL). A lower ability to retain water, that is, higher water-holding capacity (percentage of water lost from meat) (P < 0.05), was found for leg muscles from group 2 (YL). The content of C16:0, C18:0, C20:4 n-6, C22:4 n-6, C22:5 n-3, total content of saturated fatty acids (SFA), values of atherogenic index and thrombogenic index were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in group 2 (YL) than in group 1 (SBM). The content of C18:2 n-6 and the polyunsaturated fatty acids-to-SFA ratio (P/S) were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in ducks fed the diet with the inclusion of YL. Diets with YL could be proposed as a partial substitute for SBM in duck-rearing.

The enrichment of meat with selenium is important to improve the intake of selenium by humans. The effects of supranutritional doses of sodium selenite or selenium-enriched yeast on performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality were evaluated using 63 Nellore cattle in a completely randomized design with two sources (sodium selenite and selenium-enriched yeast), three levels (0.3, 0.9 and 2.7 mg Se/kg DM) and control treatment (without addition of selenium). Final body weight (BW), average daily gain, dry matter intake and gain to feed ratio (G : F) at the end of 84 days of supplementation were not influenced by treatments (P>0.05). Values of pH, ribeye area, back fat thickness and marbling score were also not influenced by treatments ( P>0.05). Dressing percentage was greater (P=0.02) in Nellore cattle supplemented with organic Se (58.70%) compared to animals supplemented with inorganic Se (57.94%). Hot carcass weight increased ( P=0.05) with the increasing of Se levels in the diet. Colour, shear force (SF), cooking and drip loss remained unchanged ( P>0.05); however thiobarbituric acid reactive substances was 15.51% higher with inorganic Se compared with organic Se. The selenium concentration in the meat of animals receiving organic selenium was higher ( P<0.001) than that of animals receiving sodium selenite, at all levels (0.3; 0.9 and 2.7 mg/kg DM). The meat of animals receiving 2.7 mg of organic Se/kg of DM presented concentration of 372.7 μg Se/kg in the L.dorsi muscle, and the intake of 150 g of this meat by humans provides approximately 100% of the recommended Se intake (55 μg Se/day for adults). Therefore, the use of supranutritional doses of 2.7 mg Se/kg of DM, regardless of source, is a way of naturally producing selenium-enriched meat without compromising performance, carcass characteristics and quality of Nellore bovine meat.

The Australian prime lamb industry is seeking to improve lean meat yield (LMY) as a means to increasing efficiency and profitability across the whole value chain. The LMY of prime lambs is affected by genetics and on-farm nutrition from birth to slaughter and is the total muscle weight relative to the total carcass weight. Under the production conditions of south eastern Australia, many ewe flocks experience a moderate reduction in nutrition in mid to late pregnancy due to a decrease in pasture availability and quality. Correcting nutritional deficits throughout gestation requires the feeding of supplements. This enables the pregnant ewe to meet condition score (CS) targets at lambing. However, limited resources on farm often mean it is difficult to effectively manage nutritional supplementation of the pregnant ewe flock. The impact of reduced ewe nutrition in mid to late pregnancy on the body composition of finishing lambs and subsequent carcass composition remains unknown. This study investigated the effect of moderately reducing ewe nutrition in mid to late gestation on the body composition of finishing lambs and carcass composition at slaughter on a commercial scale. Multiple born lambs to CS2.5 target ewes were lighter at birth and weaning, had lower feedlot entry and exit weights with lower pre-slaughter and carcass weights compared with CS3.0 and CS3.5 target ewes. These lambs also had significantly lower eye muscle and fat depth when measured by ultrasound prior to slaughter and carcass subcutaneous fat depth measured 110 mm from the spine along the 12th rib (GR 12th) and at the C-site (C-fat). Although carcasses were ~5% lighter, results showed that male progeny born to ewes with reduced nutrition from day 50 gestation to a target CS2.5 at lambing had a higher percentage of lean tissue mass as measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and a lower percentage of fat during finishing and at slaughter, with the multiple born progeny from CS3.0 and CS3.5 target ewes being similar. These data suggest lambs produced from multiple bearing ewes that have had a moderate reduction in nutrition during pregnancy are less mature. This effect was also independent of lamb finishing system. The 5% reduction in carcass weight observed in this study would have commercially relevant consequences for prime lamb producers, despite a small gain in LMY.

Livestock production provides a pathway for improving livelihoods and reducing poverty in semi-arid tropical regions. However, this contribution has been affected by low livestock productivity. Most livestock programmes have also failed due to, among other things, the inability to understand the dynamics in smallholder breeding preferences. Using data from the sub-humid region in Zimbabwe, this paper sought to provide evidence on smallholder cattle breeding preferences and the implication on livestock improvement programmes. It applies the choice experiment approach to model farmer preferences for selected cattle breeding attributes. The results show three attributes that significantly affect breeding preferences. The attributes ‘cow body condition score’ and the ‘useful life of a bull/semen’ have a positive influence while ‘artificial insemination/bull maintenance cost’ negatively affects farmer preferences. This means farmers prefer breeding strategies which improve the nutrition of their cows, have a longer lifespan for the bull/semen and whose cost of breeding services is low. However, access to education and income affected these preferences. Education made farmers to make informed choices while higher incomes increased the propensity of investing in livestock breeding technologies. The findings also show that existing institutional arrangements in animal management and community grazing do not promote investment in livestock improvement. Thus, more attention should be given to improving animal nutritional management which includes promoting sustainable grazing schemes. There is also a need to provide affordable livestock breeding services through recruiting and training more artificial insemination service providers. Strong and effective institutions that provide incentives for collective participation are integral to any community-based livestock breeding programme. There is also a need to promote access to information and enhance farmers’ knowledge and capacity in improved livestock management practices.

A well-balanced amino acid profile in the feedstuffs for livestock is essential to support adequate growth. This is well studied for monogastric species but still not well understood for ruminants and especially for the most unconventional species, like cervids. This study investigated the influence of ruminally protected lysine (Lys) and methionine (Met) supplementation during the fattening period, as well as two slaughter seasons (late autumn (LA) v. late winter (LW)), on the growth, carcass traits, body condition and blood plasma metabolites of fallow deer (Dama dama). Forty-five yearlings of fallow deer bucks were allocated into three groups, balanced by weight (40.2 ± 2.7 kg). The deer were pasture-fed and supplemented with barley, free-choice mineral premix, silage during the winter period, and varying levels of ruminally protected Lys and Met: no amino acids (Control), 9 g/day of Lys, and 9 g/day of Lys plus 3 g/day of Met (Lys+Met). Animals were slaughtered in two separate seasons, LA (six animals per group), and LW (nine animals per group). Animals culled in LA had higher average daily weight gain than LW (P = 0.002), due to the reduced growth during winter typical for seasonal cervids in temperate zone, mediated by the photoperiod. Dressing percentage was significantly higher in LW and in the Lys+Met group (P = 0.002). Body condition score (P = 0.024), kidney fat index (KFI) (P = 0.005), and internal fat (P < 0.001) increased significantly with Lys+Met supplementation. During LW, KFI (P = 0.004) and kidney fat (P = 0.001) were also significantly higher than in LA. Blood creatinine concentration increased significantly for deer receiving Lys (P = 0.002) and Lys+Met (P < 0.001). Also, triglycerides level increased in Lys group (P < 0.001). These findings highlight the effects of Lys and Met supplementation on the growth and internal fat storage for winter survival, suggesting a different use of the supplemented resource according to the season. Also, the observed effects on protein and fat metabolism of fallow deer may influence the production of farmed animals, and offer interesting insights about the physiology of the species.

Feed costs account for the largest proportion of direct cost within suckler beef production systems. By identifying the cow type with enhanced capability of converting grazed herbage to beef output across lactations, suckler cow systems would become more efficient and sustainable. The objective of this study was to estimate grass DM intake (GDMI) and production efficiency among lactating suckler cows of diverse genetic merit for the national Irish maternal index (Replacement Index) which includes cow efficiency components such as milk yield and feed intake. Data from 131 cows of diverse genetic merit within the Replacement Index, across two different replacement strategies (suckler or dairy sourced), were available over two grazing seasons. Milk yield, GDMI, cow live weight (BW) and body condition score (BCS) were recorded during early, mid and late-lactation, with subsequent measures of production efficiency extrapolated. Genetic merit had no significant effect on any variables investigated, with the exception of low genetic merit (LOW) cows being 22 kg heavier in BW than high genetic merit (HIGH) cows (P < 0.05). Beef cows were 55 kg heavier in BW (P < 0.001), had a 0.31 greater BCS (P < 0.05) and 0.30 Unité Fourragère Lait (UFL) greater energy requirement for maintenance compared to dairy sourced beef × dairy crossbred (BDX) cows (P < 0.001). The BDX had 0.8 kg greater GDMI, produced 1.8 kg more milk (P < 0.001), had a 0.8 UFL greater energy requirement for lactation and produced weanlings that were 17 kg heavier in BW than beef cows (P < 0.05). Subsequent efficiency variables of milk per 100 kg BW (P < 0.001), milk per kg GDMI (P < 0.001) and GDMI per 100 kg BW (P < 0.001) were more favourable for BDX. The correlations examined showed GDMI had moderate positive correlations (P < 0.001) with intake per 100 kg BW, net energy intake per kg milk yield, RFI and intake per 100 kg calf weaning weight but was weakly negatively correlated to milk yield per kg GDMI (P < 0.001). No difference was observed across genetic merit for beef cows for any of the traits investigated. Results from the current study showed that, while contrasting replacement strategies had an effect on GDMI and production efficiency, no main effect was observed on cows diverse in genetic merit for Replacement Index. Nonetheless, utilising genetic indexes in the suckler herd is an important resource for selecting breeding females for the national herd and phenotypic performance generated from this study can be included in future genetic evaluations to improve reliability of genetic values.

The fatty acid composition of chicken’s meat is largely influenced by dietary lipids, which are often used as supplements to increase dietary caloric density. The underlying key metabolites and pathways influenced by dietary oils remain poorly known in chickens. The objective of this study was to explore the underlying metabolic mechanisms of how diets supplemented with mixed or a single oil with distinct fatty acid composition influence the fatty acid profile in breast muscle of Qingyuan chickens. Birds were fed a corn-soybean meal diet supplemented with either soybean oil (control, CON) or equal amounts of mixed edible oils (MEO; soybean oil : lard : fish oil : coconut oil = 1 : 1 : 0.5 : 0.5) from 1 to 120 days of age. Growth performance and fatty acid composition of muscle lipids were analysed. LC-MS was applied to investigate the effects of CON v. MEO diets on lipid-related metabolites in the muscle of chickens at day 120. Compared with the CON diet, chickens fed the MEO diet had a lower feed conversion ratio (P < 0.05), higher proportions of lauric acid (C12:0), myristic acid (C14:0), palmitoleic acid (C16:1n-7), oleic acid (C18:1n-9), EPA (C20:5n-3) and DHA (C22:6n-3), and a lower linoleic acid (C18:2n-6) content in breast muscle (P < 0.05). Muscle metabolome profiling showed that the most differentially abundant metabolites are phospholipids, including phosphatidylcholines (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamines (PE), which enriched the glycerophospholipid metabolism (P < 0.05). These key differentially abundant metabolites – PC (14:0/20:4), PC (18:1/14:1), PC (18:0/14:1), PC (18:0/18:4), PC (20:0/18:4), PE (22:0/P-16:0), PE (24:0/20:5), PE (22:2/P-18:1), PE (24:0/18:4) – were closely associated with the contents of C12:0, C14:0, DHA and C18:2n-6 in muscle lipids (P < 0.05). The content of glutathione metabolite was higher with MEO than CON diet (P < 0.05). Based on these results, it can be concluded that the diet supplemented with MEO reduced the feed conversion ratio, enriched the content of n-3 fatty acids and modified the related metabolites (including PC, PE and glutathione) in breast muscle of chickens.

Finishing late-maturing bulls on grass may alter the antioxidant/prooxidant balance leading to beef with higher susceptibility to lipid oxidation and a lower colour stability compared to bulls finished on cereal concentrates. In this context, lipid oxidation and colour stability of beef from late-maturing bulls finished on pasture, with or without concentrate supplements, or indoors on concentrate was assessed. Charolais or Limousin sired bulls (n = 48) were assigned to four production systems: (1) pasture only (P), (2) pasture plus 25% dietary DM intake as barley-based concentrate (PC25), (3) pasture plus 50% dietary DM intake as barley-based concentrate (PC50) or (4) a barley-based concentrate ration (C). Following slaughter and postmortem ageing, M. Longissimus thoracis et lumborum was subjected to simulated retail display (4°C, 1000 lux for 12 h out of 24 h) for 3, 7, 10 and 14 days in modified atmosphere packs (O2 : CO2; 80 : 20). Lipid oxidation was determined using the 2-thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances assay; α-tocopherol was determined by HPLC; fatty acid methyl esters were determined using Gas Chromatography. Using a randomised complete block design, treatment means were compared by either ANOVA or repeated measures ANOVA using the MIXED procedure of SAS. Total polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) concentrations were not affected by treatment, n-3 PUFAs were higher (P < 0.001) and the ratio of n-6 to n-3 PUFAs was lower (P < 0.001) in muscle from P, PC25 and PC50 compared to C. α-Tocopherol concentration was higher in muscle from P compared to PC50 and C bulls (P = 0.001) and decreased (P < 0.001) in all samples by day 14. Lipid oxidation was higher in muscle from C compared to P bulls on day 10 and day 14 of storage (P < 0.01). Finishing on pasture without supplementation did not affect beef colour stability and led to lower lipid oxidation, possibly due to the higher α-tocopherol concentration compared to concentrate finished beef.

Conventional pork production, based on highly selected breeds for growth efficiency and carcass leanness, is generally considered to decrease pork quality. In contrast, non-selected breeds produced in extensive systems are associated with high pork quality, which is generally attributed to higher intramuscular fat (IMF) content and less glycolytic muscle metabolism. The present study aimed to determine biochemical, histological and quality traits of loin and ham muscles of pigs from selected Large White (LW) and local French, non-selected Basque (B) breeds. Pigs were reared in a conventional indoor (C, slatted floor), alternative (A, indoor bedding and outdoor area) or extensive system (E, free range, B pigs only). A total of 100 castrated males were produced in 2 replicates, each containing 5 groups of 10 pigs based on breed and system: LWC, LWA, BC, BA and BE. The glycolytic longissimus muscle (LM) and semimembranosus muscle (SM), and the deep red (RSTM) and superficial white (WSTM) portions of semitendinosus muscle (STM) were studied at 145 kg BW. Overall, breed induced stronger effects on muscle traits than the rearing system, among which the E system induced greater changes. The lower muscle growth of B pigs was associated with fewer muscle fibers and a smaller cross-sectional area (CSA) of glycolytic fibers (P < 0.01). The SM was less glycolytic and more oxidative in B than in LW pigs (P < 0.001). The WSTM followed a similar trend, with a larger relative area of type I fibers in B pigs. In contrast, the LM and RSTM were more oxidative in LW pigs. B pigs had higher IMF content and ultimate pH in all muscles, along with lower glycolytic potential, less light and redder meat in the LM and SM (P < 0.001). Compared to the C system, the A system induced only a shift towards a more oxidative metabolism in the LM and a smaller fiber CSA in the RSTM of LW pigs (P < 0.05), without influencing pork quality traits. Compared to BC pigs, BE pigs had a more oxidative and less glycolytic muscle metabolism, along with higher ultimate pH, lower lightness and redder meat (P < 0.01), but similar IMF content. Overall, results indicate that influences of breed and rearing system on muscle properties depend on muscle type, and that IMF content and fiber-type composition are unrelated traits that can be modified independently by genetic or rearing factors.

Although dried orange pulp (DOP) may conveniently replace cereals in ruminant diets, few studies have considered similar diet substitution for goats. We hypothesised that DOP could replace cereal-based concentrate in goat diets without detrimental effects on growth performance and carcass quality of suckling kids and milk performance and blood biochemical parameters of dams in early lactation. We also hypothesised that DOP substitution may increase the levels of antioxidants, such as phenolic compounds and vitamin E, in milk and improve its total antioxidant capacity (TAC). Therefore, 44 primiparous Payoya dairy goats were allocated to three experimental groups, each fed a different diet: control (CD, n = 14) based on a commercial concentrate with alfalfa hay as forage; and DOP40 (n = 16) in which 40% and DOP80 (n = 14) in which 80% of the cereal in the concentrate were replaced by DOP. The experiment lasted from the final month of pregnancy to 55 days postpartum. The DOP diets did not affect suckling kids’ carcass quality, but at 28 days, led to improvement in live weight (LW) and average daily gain (ADG) from birth, although no differences were found between DOP40 and DOP80 (for CD, DOP40 and DOP80, LW at 28 days was 8.00, 8.58 and 8.34 kg and ADG was 184, 199 and 195 g/day, respectively). Diet had no significant effect on milk yield (average daily milk yield and total yield at 55 days were 1.66 l/day and 90.6 l, respectively) and commercial and fatty acid composition. Nevertheless, α-tocopherol, total phenolic compound (TPC) and TAC concentration in milk increased with substitution of cereals by DOP (for CD, DOP40 and DOP80, concentration of α-tocopherol was 21.7, 32.8 and 42.3 μg/100 g, TPCs was 63.5, 84.1 and 102 mg gallic acid equivalents/l, and TAC was 6.63, 11.1 and 12.8 μmol Trolox equivalents/ml, respectively). Every plasma biochemistry parameter considered was within reference values for healthy goats; therefore, no pathological effect was detected for these variables due to dietary treatment. However, DOP diets caused a reduction in plasmatic creatine kinase and aspartate aminotransferase, implying reduced oxidative damage to muscles. In conclusion, DOP may be an interesting alternative to cereals in early lactation goat diets for increasing farmers’ income and the healthy antioxidant capacity of milk.