Animal husbandry Books

Book SynopsisThis book and its case studies focuses on typical local products and breeds, descriptions of the production systems and conservation techniques of endangered breeds/products in the Mediterranean area. Traditional and extensive systems, involving local breeds, which meet the needs of the population requiring safe foods at a reasonable costs, are validated for their specific meaning to the region. It is acknowledged that natural constraints of the Mediterranean area of climate and geography, make it unfavourable to mass production at low cost. Profit related aspects are discussed considering the different economic realities of the northern part of the basin compared to the southern part. Characteristics of typical animal production with consideration for positive and negative impacts on production systems and on the environment as well as the need to adjust to climate uncertainty and seasonal variability of feed resources, is also discussed. A focus is given to the following areas: animal production economy and social impact in the Mediterranean area; utilisation of natural resources and environmental impact of the animal production systems; possibilities for improving traditional systems; quality and traceability of typical products; moving from traditional to certified animal products.Table of ContentsPreface I; Session 1. Animal production economy and social impact in the Mediterranean area Main papers; Mediterranean products: moderate consumption, diversified production 3; Vitor Barros & Antonino Rodrigues; The future of dairy products in the Mediterranean market: specialties or commodities? 11; D. Rama; Pale meat from young ruminants in the Mediterranean. Diversity and common traits. Implications for trade 21; J.-P. Boutonnet; The role of livestock typical Mediterranean products in sustainable rural development: the case of small ruminant herdings in less favoured mountainous areas of Southeastern Spain 27; J. Calatrava & S. Sayadi; Session 2. Utilisation of natural resources on the animal production systems Main papers; Annual legume species for the improvement of pastures 43; N.M. Simoes, M.S. Pereira, A. Quintas, A.M. Barradas, C. Vicente, C.C Belo & M.M. Tavares de Sousa; Effects of climate variability on animal productions 51; B. Ronchi & A. Nardone; Importance of biological diversity in the foraging of herbivores on Mediterranean rangelands 63; J. Rogosic; The conservation of natural resources as an extrinsic quality attribute of lamb in Mediterranean areas 73; A. Bernues, J.L. Riedel, I. Casasus & A. Olaizola; Goat milk cheese: A mean of development of the Northern Moroccan provinces 83; A. Boukallouch; Herbage mass production and utilization in mountain pastures of northern Greece 91; A. Karalazos, B. Skapetas, D. Nitas & I. Hatziminaoglou. Natural resources feeding free grazing bovines in Peneda mountain 99; J. Corte-Real Santos; Characterising and improving the traditional goat production system on the highlands of eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey 113; O. Gursoy; Session 3. Possibilities for improving traditional systems Main Papers; Animal genetic resources and sustainable development in the Mediterranean region 127; L. Telo da Gama; Genetic characterization of local genetic resources and its use for sustainable management 137; A. Georgoudis, Ch. Ligda & J. Al Oarayreh; Local breeds and genetic improvement 145; G. Gandini, R. Rizzi, A. Bagnato, A. Montironi, F. Panzitta, F. Pizzi, A. Stella & G. Pagnacco; Nutrition and feeding of dairy sheep and goats in traditional systems and their effect on typical products' quality 151; G. Zervas & E. Tsiplakou; Typicity of Mediterranean sheep products: improvement of nutrition and feeding 155; F. Bocquier, C.H. Moulin & P. Hassoun; Traditional cheese production systems in Mediterranean areas 167; G. Licitra, I. Piccitto & P. Campo; Evolution of production system of Iberian pigs in Spain 177; A. Daza, J. Ruiz, A.I. Rey, A. Olivares & C. Lopez Bote; The role of pasture improvement in the rehabilitation of the "montado/dehesa" system and in developing its traditional products 185; D.G. Crespo; Animal production and farm animal genetic sources utilization in Turkey 197; M.I. Soysal; Improvement in general traditional livestock management practices in South Lebanon through different interventions 205; M.T. Farran, C. Kayouli, A. Soukehal, R. Metzger, M.L. Hayek, I. Nahhal, Z. Jaber, N. Fahd & V.M. Ashkarian. Session 4. Quality and traceability of typical products Main papers; Pork meat and processed products deriving from Mediterranean pig production: Quality and origin as sustainability conditions 215; F. Casabianca; Traceability of typical products: possibilities and difficulties to trace out the specificities of typical products 221; D. Chaisemartin; Discrimination of production system and origin of animal products using chemical markers 231; R.J.B. Bessa, S.P. Alves, R. Figueiredo, A. Teixeira, A. Rodrigues, A. Janeiro, M.C. Costa, J. Santos-Silva & J.A.M. Prates; A new SNPs panel for cattle traceability 241; E. Genzini, A. Lanza, A. Sassano & M. Blasi; Session 5. Free communications and Posters; Sardinian goat breeding and utilisation of environmental resources 249; V. Carcangiu, M.C. Mura, G.M. Vacca & P.P. Bini; Milk yield and composition in Sarda goats and their relations across lactations 255; G.M. Vacca, V. Carcangiu, M. Porqueddu, M.L. Dettori & P.P. Bini; Evaluation and improvement of a traditional practice in the salting of artisanal ham: salt and moisture diffusion 261; C. Diaferia, G. Madonia, S. Margiotta, S. Palmisano, V. Pruiti, S. Iori & P. Baldini; Characterization of Zerasca ovine population: breeding management and zoometric data 267; J. Goracci, L. Giuliotti, N. Benvenuti & P. Verita; Rediscovering the niche products of Sardinia: "Sartizza a lorika" 273; S. Porcu, C. Diaferia, E. Daga, M. Delrio & S. Ligios; Technical-economic characterization of dehesa farms using cluster analysis 279; P. Gaspar, F.J. Mesias, M. Martin, M. Escribano, A. Rodriguez & F. Pulido; Study of gastrointestinal parasite dynamics in Zerasca sheep aimed at reducing anthelmintic treatment 283; N. Benvenuti, L. Giuliotti, J. Goracci & P. Verita; Effect of rearing system on meat quality and on fatty acid composition of subcutaneous fat in Cinta Senese pigs 289; C. Pugliese, F. Sirtori, L. Pianaccioli, O. Franci, A. Acciaioli, R. Bozzi & G. Campodoni. Rumen-protected amino acids in diets for lactating buffaloes 295; A.M. Kholif, M.A. El-Ashry, H.M. El-Sayed, H.A. El-Alamy & T.A. Aly; Elemental analysis of salted yoghurt produced from goat milk 301; Z. Guler & H. Sanal; Small ruminants projects in LEADER-PRODER European Rural Development Programs in the South of Spain: A survey analysis 307; S. Sayadi & J. Calatrava; Introduction of legume plants in irrigated pastures, with no tillage, to avoid nitrogen fertilization 313; R. Amaro, A. Oliveira, A. Arantes, G. Feio & A.J.D. Ferreira; Effect of the stocking rate on economic indicators of dehesa's cattle farms 319; P. Gaspar, A. Rodriguez de Ledesma, M. Martin, M. Escribano, F.J. Mesias & F. Pulido; Besnoitia besnoiti impact on fertility of cattle exploited in Mediterranean pastures (Alentejo) 323; H. Cortes, J. Chagas e Silva, M.C. Baptista, R.M. Pereira, A. Leitao, A.E.M. Horta, M.I. Vasques, J.P. Barbas & C.C. Marques; Reproduction in the ovine Saloia breed: seasonal and individual factors affecting fresh and frozen semen performance, in vivo and in vitro fertility 331; C.C. Marques, J.P. Barbas, M.C. Baptista, C. Cannas Serra, M.I. Vasques, R.M. Pereira, S. Cavaco-Goncalves & A.E.M. Horta; Reproduction in the Serrana goat breed: seasonal and individual factors affecting fresh and frozen semen performance, in vivo and in vitro fertility 337; J.P. Barbas, C.C. Marques, M.C. Baptista, M.I. Vasques, R.M. Pereira, S. Cavaco-Goncalves, R.M. Mascarenhas, N. Poulin, Y. Cognie & A.E.M. Horta; The effect of ram exposure previous to progestagen oestrus synchronization on corpus luteum function and fertility in crossbred ewes 343; M.I. Vasques, S. Cavaco-Goncalves, C.C. Marques, J.P. Barbas, M.C. Baptista, T.P. Cunha, & A.E.M. Horta; Consumer's choice of small ruminants products in relation to sustainability in Lebanon 349; R. El Balaa,, M. Marie & S. Abi Saab; The economic incidence of adopting a new feeding system in Aragonese sheep farms 355; A. M. Olaizola Tolosana, T. Chertouh & E. M. Persiva; Relationships between the variability of the global quality of cow's milk in Morocco and milking conditions 361; M.T. Srairi, O. Nebia, A. Hamama, S. Messad & B. Faye; Utilization of maize silage by growing finishing Bisaro pigs (50-100 kg LW) 367; J. Santos e Silva, J. Pires da Costa, J. Ramalho Ribeiro & J.M. Abreu. 13C stable isotope for the authentication of lamb meat 373; A. Janeiro, L. Ramalho, B. Henriques, A. Teixeira, C. Costa, M.J.M. Curto, J. Santos-Silva & R. Bessa; Contribution to a better definition of the production standards of the lamb "Borrego do Nordeste Alentejano - PGI" 377; J. Santos-Silva, A. Esteves, N. Alexandre, S. Alves, A.P. Portugal, I.A. Mendes, M. Silva Pereira, M. Vacas de Carvalho & R.J.B. Bessa; Characterization of collagen and fatty acid composition of "Carne Mirandesa PDO" veal 385; L. Galvao, O.C. Moreira, R.J.B. Bessa, S.P. Alves, F. Sousa, J. Ramalho Ribeiro & V. Alves; Session 6. Round table and Conclusions; Round table; From traditional to certified animal products. Products perception by consumers, marketing systems and interaction with producers: what future role for organic animal farming in the Mediterranean? 391; J.M.C. Ramalho Ribeiro; Conclusions of the Symposium: Modernisation of the Mediterranean animal products through certification? 395; J.-C. Flamant.

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Book Synopsis"It is widely acknowledged that the inclusion of antimicrobial growth promoters (AGPs) in the diet of livestock increases growth rate. However, many questions arise on whether the benefits outweigh the risks, or vice versa. Recent legislative developments in the European Union and USA, recommendations by the World Health Organization, initiatives taken by the food chain, and consumer concerns all point to a widespread (voluntary) removal of antibiotic feed additives for animal growth promotion. In particular, Regulation (EC) 1831/2003 lays down provisions phasing out the authorisations of AGPs in the European Union as from 1 January 2006. This book discusses how this will affect the use/non-use practice of AGPs. Attention is given to the current status and rational design of developments and strategies for animal feeding without the inclusion of AGPs. Topics covered include benefits and risks of AGPs, risk assessment, consumer concerns and demands, regulatory aspects and international developments, mode of action and innovative alternatives, and recent advances in the analysis of AGPs and related products. This book contains peer-reviewed papers presented at the international conference ""Antimicrobial Growth Promoters: Worldwide Ban on the Horizon?"". The book is filled with valuable information on the pros and cons of use of AGPs as well as on alternative nutritional solutions. It is aimed at professionals and researchers in the feed and food industry."Table of ContentsForeword 7; Current use of antimicrobial growth promoters in food animals: the benefits 19; S.W. Page; Abstract 19; 1. Introduction 19; 2. History 21; 3. Mode of action 22; 4. Applications and benefits of AGPs 26; 5. Variation in response to AGPs 28; 6. Recent reviews 30; 7. Emerging applications 33; 8. Conclusions 41; References 42; Use of antimicrobial growth promoters in food animals: the risks outweigh the benefits 53; H.C. Wegener; Abstract 53; 1. Introduction 53; 2. European perspective on AGPs 54; 3. Countries' experience with phasing out AGPs 54; 4. Risk-benefit considerations 56; 5. Conclusions 58; References 58; Antimicrobial growth promoters: consumer concerns and demands 59; L. Reijnders; Abstract 59; 1. Introduction 59; 2. Links with a wider debate about intensive animal husbandry 60; 3. Alternatives 61; 4. Trust in industry and regulators 61; 5. Nature of NGO concerns with risks of antimicrobial growth promoters 62. 6. Conclusion 64; References 65; Phasing out antibiotic feed additives in the EU: worldwide relevance for animal food production 69; A. Chesson; Abstract 69; 1. Introduction 69; 2. The European reaction 70; 3. The Danish "experiment" 72; 4. Relevance of the Danish experiment to other countries 74; 5. Responses in industrialised countries 75; 6. International bodies and AGPs 77; 7. AGPs in developing countries 78; 8. Conclusions 79; References 79; Non-human usage of antimicrobials: recent developments at FAO/WHO/OIE 83; H. Kruse and J. Schlundt; Abstract 83; 1. Introduction 83; 2. Past activities by WHO, FAO and OIE relating to non-human antimicrobial usage and antimicrobial resistance 85; 3. Outcome of the first joint FAO/OIE/WHO expert workshop on non-human antimicrobial usage and antimicrobial resistance: Scientific assessment 88; 4. Outcome of the second joint FAO/OIE/WHO expert workshop on non-human antimicrobial usage and antimicrobial resistance: Management options 91; 5. Follow-up of the joint FAO/OIE/WHO expert workshops on non-human antimicrobial usage and antimicrobial resistance 92; 6. Antimicrobial growth promoters 93; 7. Conclusion 94; References 94. Risk analysis applied to antimicrobial resistance: the OIE approach 97; J.F. Acar; 1. Introduction 97; 2. Risk assessment for analysing the risks to animal and public health from antimicrobial resistant microorganisms of animal origin 98; Potential human health impacts of banning antibiotics used in food animals: a case study of virginiamycin 107; T. Cox; Abstract 107; 1. Introduction 107; 2. Modelling approach, data and methods: The RRRT risk assessment framework 108; 3. Results 117; 4. Discussion 119; 5. Conclusions 121; Acknowledgments 122; References 122; Terminated use of antimicrobial growth promoters in pig production in Denmark: effects on pig welfare and productivity 127; N. Kjeldsen and J. Callesen; Abstract 127; 1. Introduction 128; 2. Impact of AGP termination on productivity 128; 3. Economic impact of AGP termination in Denmark 132; 4. Impact on the total consumption of antibiotics 133; 5. Impact on antimicrobial resistance 134; 6. Conclusion 134; References 135; Termination of AGP use and effect on subsequent production of broiler chickens in Sweden and Denmark during a 25-year period 137; M. Wierup and H.C. Wegener; Abstract 137; 1. Introduction 137; 2. Material and methods 138; 3. Results 139; 4. Discussion 145. 5. Conclusion 146; Acknowledgements 146; References 146; Molecular basis for AGP effects in poultry 149; M.D. Lee, J. Lu, B. Harmon, C.L. Hofacre, and J.J. Maurer; Abstract 149; 1. Introduction 149; 2. Materials and methods 152; 3. Results and discussion 153; 4. Conclusions 159; References 160; Rational development of novel microbial modulators 165; J. Apajalahti and A. Kettunen; Abstract 165; 1. Introduction 165; 2. Antibiotics and coccidiostats as microbial modulators 167; 3. Important shifts in intestinal microbial community 171; 4. Ranking of microbial modulators by simulation 172; 5. Examples of product development by in vitro simulations 174; 6. Significance of the product comparison 178; 7. Conclusions 179; Acknowledgements 180; References 180; Use of in vitro models of the gastrointestinal tract (TIM systems and bioassays) for studying replacements for AGPs 183; R. Havenaar, M. Minekus and K. Venema; Abstract 183; 1. Introduction 184; 2. Dynamic gastrointestinal systems 184; 3. Digestion and availability for absorption 186; 4 Organic acids 187; 5. Probiotics 188; 6. Prebiotics and dietary fibres 189; 7. Impact on health of the activity of the large-intestinal microbiota 190; 8. Conclusion 192; References 192. An overview of the Feedstuffs-RADIUS project: rapid detection of banned antibiotics in animal feeds 195; C.T. Elliott, C. Situ, C. van Poucke; Abstract 195; 1. Introduction 196; 2. Banned growth promoters 197; 3. Development of RADIUS screening tests 197; 4. Development of confirmatory tests 206; 5. Survey of animal feeds 208; 6. The future of RADIUS methods 209; Acknowledgements 210; References 210; Towards a control strategy for banned antibiotics and growth promoters in feed: the SIMBAG-FEED project 211; J. de Jong, M.J.H. Tomassen, H.J. van Egmond, J.A. van Rhijn, T. Zuidema, J. Michard, C. Genouel, G. Brambilla, J.M.G. Nunes da Costa, E. Nordkvist, W. Wagner, A. Thalmann, A. Ploger, G. Rath and C. von Holst; Abstract 211; 1. Introduction 212; 2. Results 213; 3. The proposed control strategy 231; 4. Future work 233; Acknowledgements 234; References 234; Novel approaches for the determination of probiotics in feed in the context of official control 235; R.G.K. Leuschner; Abstract 235; 1. Introduction 235; 2. Methods of analysis 236; 3. Enumeration methods 237; 4. Molecular identification methods 240; 5. Conclusions 243; Acknowledgements 244; References 244. Pitfalls and challenges for the official control of enzymes in feed 249; R. Ziebal; Abstract 249; 1. Introduction 249; 2. Methods of analysis of enzyme activities in feed additives 250; 3. Methods of analysis of enzyme activities in premixtures and feeds 252; 4. Problems associated with official control 253; 5. Conclusions 253; References 254; New authorisation of feed additives in the EU: the role of the Community Reference Laboratory and the network of National Reference Laboratories 255; C. von Holst, A.M. Jensen and G. Simone; Abstract 255; 1. Introduction 255; 2. The tasks of the CRL 256; 3. The evaluation of analytical methods for feed additives - a challenging task 258; 4. The tools of the CRL 259; 5. The evaluation of the analytical methods 264; Acknowledgements 267; References 268; The role of enzymes and betaine in antibiotic growth promoter free nutrition 269; M. Hruby and A. J. Cowieson; Abstract 269; 1. Introduction 269; 2. The benefits of AGPs 270; 3. Alternatives to AGPs 271; 4. Nutrition and the intestinal microflora 271; 5. The role of feed enzymes in AGP-free nutrition 273; 6. The role of betaine in AGP-free nutrition 277; 7. Conclusions 281; References 281. Interfacing gut health and nutrition: the use of dietary pre- and probiotics to maximise growth performance in pigs and poultry 289; A. Kocher; Abstract 289; 1. Introduction 289; 2. Terminology: pre- and probiotics 290; 3. Gut microbial populations 291; 4. Indigenous beneficial bacteria 293; 5. Probiotics affect intestinal microflora - mode of action 294; 6. Role of carbohydrates in bacterial adhesion 296; 7. The use of oligosaccharides to control intestinal health - prebiotics: mode of action 297; 8. Immunomodulation: activity of pre- and probiotics 299; 9. Effectiveness: pre-and probiotic as a tool to maximise growth performance 301; 10. Conclusions 304; References 305; Acidification of diets as an alternative to antibiotic growth promoters 311; G. Diebold and U. Eidelsburger; Abstract 311; 1. Introduction 311; 2. Mode of action of organic acids 312; 3. Acidification of diets for pigs 314; 4. Effect of the acid anion 317; 5. Combinations of acid and salt 319; 6. Organic acids and phytase act synergistically 323; 7. Organic acids in poultry 324; 8. Conclusions 324; References 324; Are herbs, botanicals and other related substances adequate replacements for antimicrobial growth promoters? 329; C. Wenk; Abstract 329; 1. Introduction: Herbs and botanicals as alternatives for antibiotics 329; 2. What are herbs, botanicals or essential oils? 331; 3. Modes of action of herbs and botanicals 332. 4. Influence of herbs or botanicals on feed intake and growth performance 333; 5. Antimicrobial and coccidiostatic activity of herbs and botanicals 335; 6. Conclusions 338; References 339; Bacteriophage: a safe and natural alternative to AGPs 341; W.E. Huff, G.R. Huff, N.C. Rath, J.M. Balog and A.M. Donoghue; Abstract 341; 1. Introduction 342; 2. Materials and methods 345; 3. Results 348; 4. Discussion 354; 5. Conclusions 357; Acknowledgements 358; References 358; Intestinal genomics for the evaluation of alternatives to AGPs: current situation and perspectives 361; T.A. Niewold; Abstract 361; 1. Introduction 362; 2. Methodology 364; 3. Current situation and perspectives 366; 4. Conclusion 366; References 367; Nutrition: immunomodulation towards Th1 or Th2 responses 369; B.M. Goddeeris; Abstract 369; 1. Introduction 369; 2. The immune orchestra 371; 3. The acute phase response and the arachidonic acid cycle 373; 4. Nutritional modulation of immune responses 374; 5. Conclusion 380; References 380; Setting and meeting standards for the efficient replacement of pronutrient antibiotics in poultry and pig nutrition 381. G.D. Rosen; Abstract 381; 1. Introduction 381; 2. Materials and methods 382; 3. Results 384; 4. Applications and discussion 388; 5. Conclusions 395; References 396; Appropriate use of antimicrobial growth promoters: oxymoron or opportunity? 399; S.W. Page; Abstract 399; 1. Introduction 399; 2. Appropriate use 400; 3. Risk assessment 401; 4. Risk management 402; 5. Conclusions 407; References 407; Index 413.

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Book Synopsis"South American Camelids are receiving increased interest not only in South America but also on a worldwide scale. They possess some unique features such as their fine fibre and their high adaptivity to many climatic regions across the world. Apart from the important productive aspects, their physical attractiveness also makes them popular as pet animals. However there are still many gaps in the scientific literature with regard to South American Camelids. This collection of papers brings experience of both South American and European experts together. It considers current trends in reproduction, nutrition, health, fibre morphology and genetics and discusses as new topic aspects of the potential of meat production and commercialization in South America. The particular advantages of South American Camelids for the sustainable use of fragile ecosystems with native pastures are outlined. Round tables discussions focus on the interaction between wild and domestic species, the management of alpaca populations outside of South America and health aspects under European conditions. South American Research is aimed at scientists and animal breeders as well as students studying veterinary, animal and applied biological sciences."

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Book Synopsis"This book contains over 300 offered papers in addition to 4 papers from invited speakers presented at the 52nd International Congress of Meat Science and Technology, held in Dublin, Ireland, from 13-18 August 2006. Under the theme of harnessing and exploiting global opportunities, areas covered in the congress included meat quality encompassing genomics and biotechnology, animal production and production systems, muscle biology and biochemistry; meat safety, meat processing and packaging technology, consumer topics and meat and health. A new approach this year was to address specific hot topics important to the industry and meat scientists, in particular, electrical stimulation and new instrumental methods for evaluation of meat quality characteristics. These proceedings reflect the truly global nature of meat research and give an insight into the current research issues for the industry."

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Book Synopsis"Throughout the last century, specialisation and intensification were buzz words for farmers in the Western world. However, this approach has not resulted in sustainable development as evidenced by the fact that scientists now need to create technologies to reduce negative impacts. In this book we demonstrate that an alternative exists. Case studies from Bangladesh, Thailand, and Vietnam show that integration and diversification increase both farm productivity and farmers’ incomes. By adopting a participatory approach, farmers and scientists identified a range of technologies that strengthen the positive impacts of integrated aquaculture-agriculture systems for the environment. This book is a collection of refereed papers on a controversial subject in agricultural development. Arguing that sustainability of fish culture in ponds needs a new paradigm - feed the pond to grow fish - two chapters focus on nutrient cycling in such systems. Another chapter makes the case for breeding Nile tilapia for resource poor farmers and presents practical options to avoid the pitfalls that arise from natural tilapia mating in low-input ponds. The book contains chapters on livelihood and development aspects and ends with a general discussion completing the picture of the integrated aquaculture-agriculture systems. Overall it composes a review which addresses one of the key issues of the new century: how to sustainably produce food without compromising environmental integrity."

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Book SynopsisSouth American camelids (Llamas, Alpacas, Vicuñas and Guanacos) are receiving increased interest not only in South America but also on a worldwide scale. They possess some unique features such as their fine fibre and healthy meat, and their high adaptivity to many climatic regions across the world. Apart from the important productive aspects, their physical attractiveness and friendly temperament also makes them popular as pet animals. There are still many gaps in the scientific literature with regard to South American camelids. In part, this gap can be diminished by this collection of papers which brings the experience of both European and South American researchers working together. The main themes considered in this book are the following: nutrition and feeding, meat production and the meat market, ecology, fibre production and the fibre market, animal breeding, animal health and pathology and socio-economical aspects. The particular advantages of South American camelids for the sustainable use of fragile ecosystems with native pastures are also outlined. 'South American camelids research' is aimed at scientists and animal breeders as well as students studying veterinary, animal and applied biological sciences. It can be of further reference to farmers and traders of fibre and meat products. Please note that most articles are written in Spanish.

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Book Synopsis"Livestock production systems will only be sustained in the long term if their products continue to meet the demand of consumers. The quality of ruminant carcasses, meat and meat products is of predominant importance in a competitive market where consumers tend to have a preconceived idea about the criteria that define meat quality such as flavour, tenderness, juiciness, smell, colour and texture. The carcass evaluation could be interesting as a precocious classification of the final quality of meat coming from each carcass. Today the quality characteristics of the meat must be different according to its utilisation (supermarket, butcher, catering, refectory, etc.) and so it is very important to choose very early the final destination of the carcass. Obviously, the carcass classification must correlate with meat quality characteristics required by final consumer. Other important factors that have to be taken into account in order to maintain a demand for ruminant meat are safety and traceability. This book reviews the historical and recent developments for carcass evaluation and grading for meat quality assessment in beef and sheep. It places special emphasis on new concepts and approaches to define carcass and meat quality and on the use of modern technologies for composition and quality evaluation. A range of technologies are presented such as ultrasounds and colour reflectance, X-ray computerised tomography, spectral and thermal imaging, image analysis and NIRS. The use of phenotypic markers such as the plasma hormones and genetic markers to predict carcass composition and meat quality are also presented."

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Book Synopsis"Precision livestock farming ’07 contains the latest scientific results from worldwide research, field studies and practical applications. The peer-reviewed papers were presented at the 3rd European Conference on Precision Livestock Farming. The major topics in this book are: - Feed quality management - Sensor technology in animal husbandry - Environmental effects of precision livestock farming - Automation in livestock farming - Implementation, education and training The wide range of research topics reported will be a valuable resource for researchers, advisors, teachers and professionals in agriculture long after the conference has finished. Peer-reviewed papers from the 6th European Conference on Precision Agriculture are presented in a companion publication, Precision agriculture ’07."

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Book Synopsis"In The Netherlands an intense growth in animal husbandry has taken place during the past decades. This growth induced major shifts in the national nitrogen and ammonia balance, with feedstuff being imported from abroad and animal waste being used in excess in Dutch agricultural areas. Growing environmental responsibility, which was triggered by scientific observations on field-scale early-on, resulted in putting animal waste and ammonia on the political agenda. Governmental regulations were put in effect and research programs were set-up to develop techniques to measure and reduce ammonia emissions based on a scientific approach. Meanwhile, an inventory was made of the size of the animal waste problem. Additionally, the impacts on the environment were studied, as well as technical solutions to minimize the animal waste production were developed. This book aims to provide a full overview of all ammonia emission related aspects of animal husbandry in the Netherlands. Besides the background information as described above, it includes a technical and practical inventory of emission sources from cattle, pig, and poultry housings, followed by a listing of government approved housing systems and manure application techniques that have been measured according to standard protocols to quantify the on-farm decrease of ammonia emissions. For both traditional and low emission systems a list of emission factors is included. By presenting common practices in the Netherlands, this book also informs other EU countries about our ongoing insights regarding Dutch regulations, measurement protocols, abatement techniques and interpretation of measured farm-scale data to national emission values. In this way it will contribute to directing the development of livestock production throughout the EU member states towards a healthy and more sustainable future."

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Book Synopsis"Horse behaviour and welfare is a major issue as horses are mainly sport and recreational animals where the human-animal relation is essential. Scientific studies on this topic have increased greatly over the last decade and this publication enlightens some of the major issues raised such as horse temperament, early experience, horsing and social management and equine behaviour welfare. Precise studies are described here, that are placed in the more general context of the international scientific advances. Important behavioural aspects concern: how to measure temperament traits and the genetic/experimental influences on temperament, when, how and whether to handle foals in order to improve human/foal relation, the importance of the social environment on the behaviour of young and adult horses. On the other hand, the improvement of equine welfare through better practices is described such as housing design, feeding practices or social grouping. The use of behavioural cues in order to assess welfare is discussed and tested through experimental approaches. This book constitutes a very rich overview of the recent and new research lines in the field of horse behaviour and welfare."

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Book Synopsis"The content of this book arises from the Equine NUtrition COnference - Practice (ENUCO) 2007. The purpose of the conference is to supply scientifically validated practical hints and state of the art knowledge on equine nutrition and training. The topics dealt with in this publication are: - News on equine nutrition, training and medicine (2005-06). - Noteworthy changes to the Horse Nutrition Requirements by the National Research Council of USA. - Relevance and standardization of the terms Glycaemic Index and Glycaemic Response. - The role of nutrition in colic. - The use of herbs in the management of hyperadrenocorticism and other hormonal diseases of horses. - Diagnosis and management of insulin resistance and equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) in horses. - Food-allergy in horses."

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Book Synopsis"Increasing bio-fuel production in the future will have a major impact on the feed industry. Not only will the competition for food, fuel and feed decrease the availability of feedstuffs for animal production but, also new feedstuffs will become available for which the nutritional quality needs to be reviewed. The nutritional value and usability of the by-products as feedstuffs will be the main focus of the book. In particular, rapeseed meal and glycerine from biodiesel production and DDGS from bioethanol production are discussed. For each product comprehensive research data summarising the variation in quality and production systems, the energy and protein value for each animal category and the effects on animal production are presented. Additionally, this book gives an overview of the current and future developments of the emerging bioenergy production. Broad topics which are addressed are: the global potential for bioenergy production, the enormous increase in bioethanol production in the U.S. against the backdrop of a developing bioethanol production in the EU and the future effects on supply and demand of the grain and feedstuff market. This book will update nutritionists, researchers, traders and those working in the allied industry on the current 'state of knowledge' of the usability of the different by products from biofuel production in specific animal feeds."

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Book Synopsis"Globally, dairy and meat production has become an extremely competitive industry. The world milk production is predicted to grow significantly by 2020 with the emergence of new consumers in developing countries. Yet, there is still intense competition for the industry to attract and retain consumers in the more established markets. Consumers continue to demand safe, high quality milk and meat products at competitive prices compared to other high protein food alternatives. To ensure the sustainability of both dairy and beef industries, producers must endeavour to seek new technologies to improve production efficiency whilst lowering the cost of production to produce a quality product. This edited collection of papers is taken from a seminar that brought together some of the world’s leading authorities in the field of ruminant nutrition and production. The fundamental theme is to re-examine the current trends in productivity within the dairy and beef industries, and to identify nutritional and managerial means to improve competitiveness. The papers also consider the importance of animal health together with novel strategies for disease control. ‘Gaining the edge in ruminant production: Nutritional strategies for optimal productivity and efficiency’ is aimed at nutritionists, veterinarians and animal producers as well as students and researchers studying animal and applied biological sciences"

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Book SynopsisThe current scientific literature contains reviews and articles on specific aspects of pig production and farm animal welfare. This book is intended to be a reference text that covers all aspects of pig production, on the basis of scientific results. This work contains current, easy-to-understand scientific reviews on animal welfare with over 700 specific references to animal welfare. All aspects of animal welfare with respect to pigs are discussed, from genetic selection and breeding to transportation and slaughter. This work was written by scientific experts renowned for their knowledge and work in the area of pig welfare. Their common goal was to provide an in-depth review and empirical assessment of pig production concepts, knowledge and techniques in use today. Through scientific examples, the authors explain how improving animal welfare increases profitability. This work is intended for academics, researchers, students, animal welfare associations, industry and anyone who is involved in the production chain or concerned about the welfare of pigs being raised on farms.

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Book SynopsisSelenium (Se) is an essential dietary trace element participating in the regulation of various physiological functions in both animals and humans through its incorporation into selenoproteins as the amino acid selenocysteine. Among many minerals Se has a special place being the most controversial trace element with a narrow gap between essentiality and toxicity. Indeed there are important environmental issues considering selenium as a pollutant from the one hand and global selenium deficiency on the other. In fact, Se deficiency is considered as a risk factor for the development of various diseases in human and animals. Decreased Se availability from soils as a result of low soil pH and usage of synthetic fertilizers is the major concern in European countries causing inadequate Se levels in food and feeds. Furthermore, it seems likely that sodium selenite used for the last 30 years as a feed supplement is not an optimal form of Se and the usage of organic selenium in animal diets could help to maintain optimal Se status as well as high immunocompetence, productive and reproductive performance. The aim of the present volume is to provide updated information on several important Se-related subjects, including Se status in Europe and ways of its improvement, advances in Se analysis and speciation in biological material, roles of selenium in poultry, pig and ruminant nutrition. Production of functional Se-enriched food, the relationship between selenium and mycotoxins, polyunsaturated fatty acids as well as reoviruses are also addressed. This collection of articles will provide nutritionists, veterinarians, human doctors, researchers and any other readers with new insights into the exciting world of the goddess of the moon - SELENIUM.

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Book SynopsisNO DESCRIPTION

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Book SynopsisThis is the book of abstracts of the 16th International Conference on Production Diseases in Farm Animals, held in Wageningen, the Netherlands, June 20-23 2016.

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Book SynopsisUnderstanding animal behaviour is the overall theme of this 51st Congress of the International Society for Applied Ethology and the red thread through the chosen scientific topics. Understanding animal behaviour is essential in order to improve the interaction between animals and the environments in which they are kept and to improve animal welfare. The abstracts in this proceedings book give an overview of the scientific topics discussed at the conference. The world of animals: senses and perception Human-animal interactions Animal learning and cognition Animal stress responses Social behaviour of animals Applying ethology in the keeping of animals Animal affective states Maternal and neonatal behaviour

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Book SynopsisThis Book of Abstracts is the main publication of the 68th Annual Meeting of the European Federation of Animal Science (EAAP). It contains abstracts of the invited papers and contributed presentations of the sessions of EAAP's eleven Commissions: Animal Genetics, Animal Nutrition, Animal Management and Health, Animal Physiology, Cattle Production, Sheep and Goat Production, Pig Production, Horse Production and Livestock Farming Systems, Insects and Precision Livestock Farming.

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Book SynopsisThis Book of Abstracts is the main publication of the 69th Annual Meeting of the European Federation of Animal Science (EAAP). It contains abstracts of the invited papers and contributed presentations of the sessions of EAAP's eleven Commissions: Animal Genetics, Animal Nutrition, Animal Management and Health, Animal Physiology, Cattle Production, Sheep and Goat Production, Pig Production, Horse Production and Livestock Farming Systems, Insects and Precision Livestock Farming.

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