The key lairage requirements for livestock include sufficient space to lie down, sufficient time to allow recovery from travel, and access to water to allow recovery from dehydration. Current recommendations for lairage of adult sheep include that holding pens should provide no less space than 0.6 m2 per sheep. Particularly during periods when large numbers of sheep are culled, space allowances may be limited to 0.3 m2 or less, which may reduce the ability of individual sheep to lie down or access water. Adult Merino-cross sheep were allocated to one of four space allowance treatments during unloading from commercial transport vehicles at a commercial abattoir after an average transport time of 3 h. The treatments were 0.3, 0.45, 0.6 and 1.0 m2/sheep and each pen measured 18 m2. Differences in space allowance were achieved by varying the number of sheep per pen, with pens holding 18 (1 m2), 30 (0.6 m2), 40 (0.45 m2) and 60 (0.3 m2) animals. In each pen, eight focal sheep were randomly selected and marked on the back for identification on video records. The sheep remained in the lairage treatments for 24 h and were continuously recorded on video using low light cameras. The data were subsequently analysed for both lying and drinking behaviours after 8 and 24 h in lairage. There were five replicates of all treatments over a 3-week period. A space allowance of 0.3 m2/sheep reduced the time sheep spent lying and the proportion of sheep that lay down at least once, compared with greater space allowances. Space allowances between 0.3 and 1 m2/sheep showed a linear relationship with the time sheep spent lying during the first 24 h. Optimal space allowance may be greater than 1 m2, based on lying behaviour. Drinking behaviour was not affected by space allowance in a 24 h period in lairage although overall 20% of sheep were not observed to drink after 24 h in lairage.
{"title":"Reduced space allowance for adult sheep in lairage for 24hours limits lying behaviour but not drinking behaviour","authors":"E. Jongman, M. K. Edge, K. Butler, G. Cronin","doi":"10.1071/EA08039","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/EA08039","url":null,"abstract":"The key lairage requirements for livestock include sufficient space to lie down, sufficient time to allow recovery from travel, and access to water to allow recovery from dehydration. Current recommendations for lairage of adult sheep include that holding pens should provide no less space than 0.6 m2 per sheep. Particularly during periods when large numbers of sheep are culled, space allowances may be limited to 0.3 m2 or less, which may reduce the ability of individual sheep to lie down or access water. Adult Merino-cross sheep were allocated to one of four space allowance treatments during unloading from commercial transport vehicles at a commercial abattoir after an average transport time of 3 h. The treatments were 0.3, 0.45, 0.6 and 1.0 m2/sheep and each pen measured 18 m2. Differences in space allowance were achieved by varying the number of sheep per pen, with pens holding 18 (1 m2), 30 (0.6 m2), 40 (0.45 m2) and 60 (0.3 m2) animals. In each pen, eight focal sheep were randomly selected and marked on the back for identification on video records. The sheep remained in the lairage treatments for 24 h and were continuously recorded on video using low light cameras. The data were subsequently analysed for both lying and drinking behaviours after 8 and 24 h in lairage. There were five replicates of all treatments over a 3-week period. A space allowance of 0.3 m2/sheep reduced the time sheep spent lying and the proportion of sheep that lay down at least once, compared with greater space allowances. Space allowances between 0.3 and 1 m2/sheep showed a linear relationship with the time sheep spent lying during the first 24 h. Optimal space allowance may be greater than 1 m2, based on lying behaviour. Drinking behaviour was not affected by space allowance in a 24 h period in lairage although overall 20% of sheep were not observed to drink after 24 h in lairage.","PeriodicalId":8636,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"58803002","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The performance of heifers at their first (maiden heifers) and second matings (first lactation heifers) was recorded between 2003 and 2008 to establish current heifer fertility levels on 14 commercial cattle properties in the Northern Territory (NT). Pregnancy rates in maiden heifers (joined first at ~2 years of age) were generally adequate (>75%) to produce enough pregnant replacement breeders. Pregnancy rates in first lactation heifers were often very low ( 70%). Calf loss between pregnancy diagnosis and weaning in first lactation heifers was often high (>30%). The average of the calf loss figures from all the herds studied was 22%.
{"title":"Heifer fertility on commercial cattle properties in the Northern Territory","authors":"T. Schatz, M. Hearnden","doi":"10.1071/EA08057","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/EA08057","url":null,"abstract":"The performance of heifers at their first (maiden heifers) and second matings (first lactation heifers) was recorded between 2003 and 2008 to establish current heifer fertility levels on 14 commercial cattle properties in the Northern Territory (NT). Pregnancy rates in maiden heifers (joined first at ~2 years of age) were generally adequate (>75%) to produce enough pregnant replacement breeders. Pregnancy rates in first lactation heifers were often very low ( 70%). Calf loss between pregnancy diagnosis and weaning in first lactation heifers was often high (>30%). The average of the calf loss figures from all the herds studied was 22%.","PeriodicalId":8636,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"58803719","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A5 ·4 factorial experiment was designed in which lambs representing five genotypes were slaughtered at four ages (110, 236, 412 and 662 days of age). The genotypes represented were Poll Dorsetgrowth ·Border Leicester Merino, Poll Dorsetgrowth ·Merino, Poll Dorsetmuscling ·Merino, Merino ·Merino and Border Leicester ·Merino. Both sexes (ewes and wethers) were represented for each genotype and slaughter age combination. In total, 595 animals were slaughtered and the carcass composition and intramuscular fat were measured. Carcass composition (fat, ash and protein (lean)) was determined by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, with the intramuscular fat percentage determined using near- infrared spectroscopy following removal and weighing of the entire longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LL) muscle. Analysis revealed that the proportion of intramusular fat in the loin relative to total carcass fat decreases as animals mature, thus indicating that intramusular fat deposition occurs early in the maturation of sheep. Furthermore, as animals became heavier and older the accretion rate of intramuscular fat in the LL muscle slowed down. Both genotype (P < 0.05) and sex (P < 0.001) were found to impact on this pattern, with Border Leicester ·Merino animals exhibiting the largest increase in intramuscular fat proportion in the LL muscle (4.92 and 5.50% at 22 months of age for ewes and wethers, respectively). The Poll Dorsetgrowth ·Border Leicester Merino animals were found to have the greatest absolute levels of intramuscular fat in the whole LL muscle (80.95 and 97.60g at maturity for ewes and wethers, respectively). The amount of intramuscular fat significantly increased as the sheep became older and fatter; however, these differences were quantitatively small. As such, finishing prime lambs to high levels of total carcass fatness would have little effect on any eating quality benefits associated with increased intramuscular fat proportion.
{"title":"Intramuscular fat levels in sheep muscle during growth","authors":"M. McPhee, D. Hopkins, D. Pethick","doi":"10.1071/EA08046","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/EA08046","url":null,"abstract":"A5 ·4 factorial experiment was designed in which lambs representing five genotypes were slaughtered at four ages (110, 236, 412 and 662 days of age). The genotypes represented were Poll Dorsetgrowth ·Border Leicester Merino, Poll Dorsetgrowth ·Merino, Poll Dorsetmuscling ·Merino, Merino ·Merino and Border Leicester ·Merino. Both sexes (ewes and wethers) were represented for each genotype and slaughter age combination. In total, 595 animals were slaughtered and the carcass composition and intramuscular fat were measured. Carcass composition (fat, ash and protein (lean)) was determined by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, with the intramuscular fat percentage determined using near- infrared spectroscopy following removal and weighing of the entire longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LL) muscle. Analysis revealed that the proportion of intramusular fat in the loin relative to total carcass fat decreases as animals mature, thus indicating that intramusular fat deposition occurs early in the maturation of sheep. Furthermore, as animals became heavier and older the accretion rate of intramuscular fat in the LL muscle slowed down. Both genotype (P < 0.05) and sex (P < 0.001) were found to impact on this pattern, with Border Leicester ·Merino animals exhibiting the largest increase in intramuscular fat proportion in the LL muscle (4.92 and 5.50% at 22 months of age for ewes and wethers, respectively). The Poll Dorsetgrowth ·Border Leicester Merino animals were found to have the greatest absolute levels of intramuscular fat in the whole LL muscle (80.95 and 97.60g at maturity for ewes and wethers, respectively). The amount of intramuscular fat significantly increased as the sheep became older and fatter; however, these differences were quantitatively small. As such, finishing prime lambs to high levels of total carcass fatness would have little effect on any eating quality benefits associated with increased intramuscular fat proportion.","PeriodicalId":8636,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1071/EA08046","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"58802932","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Three drafts of Bos indicus cross steers (initially 178-216 kg) grazed Leucaena-grass pasture [Leucaena leucocephala subspecies glabrata cv. Cunningham with green panic (Panicum maximum cv. trichoglume)] from late winter through to autumn during three consecutive years in the Burnett region of south-east Queensland. Measured daily weight gain (DWGActual) of the steers was generally 0.7-1.1 kg/day during the summer months. Estimated intakes of metabolisable energy and dry matter (DM) were calculated from feeding standards as the intakes required by the steers to grow at the DWGActual. Diet attributes were predicted from near infrared reflectance spectroscopy spectra of faeces (F.NIRS) using established calibration equations appropriate for northern Australian forages. Inclusion of some additional reference samples from cattle consuming Leucaena diets into F.NIRS calibrations based on grass and herbaceous legume-grass pastures improved prediction of the proportion of Leucaena in the diet. Mahalanobis distance values supported the hypothesis that the F.NIRS predictions of diet crude protein concentration and DM digestibility (DMD) were acceptable. F.NIRS indicated that the percentage of Leucaena in the diet varied widely (10-99%). Diet crude protein concentration and DMD were usually high, averaging 12.4 and 62%, respectively, and were related asymptotically to the percentage of Leucaena in the diet (R2 = 0.48 and 0.33, respectively). F.NIRS calibrations for DWG were not satisfactory to predict this variable from an individual faecal sample since the s.e. of prediction were 0.33-0.40 kg/day. Cumulative steer liveweight (LW) predicted from F.NIRS DWG calibrations, which had been previously developed with tropical grass and grass-herbaceous legume pastures, greatly overestimated the measured steer LW; therefore, these calibrations were not useful. Cumulative steer LW predicted from a modified F.NIRS DWG calibration, which included data from the present study, was strongly correlated (R2 = 0.95) with steer LW but overestimated LW by 19-31 kg after 8 months. Additional reference data are needed to develop robust F.NIRS calibrations to encompass the diversity of Leucaena pastures of northern Australia. In conclusion, the experiment demonstrated that F.NIRS could improve understanding of diet quality and nutrient intake of cattle grazing Leucaena-grass pasture, and the relationships between nutrient supply and cattle growth.
{"title":"Diet quality and liveweight gain of steers grazing Leucaena–grass pasture estimated with faecal near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (F.NIRS)","authors":"R. Dixon, D. Coates","doi":"10.1071/EA08007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/EA08007","url":null,"abstract":"Three drafts of Bos indicus cross steers (initially 178-216 kg) grazed Leucaena-grass pasture [Leucaena leucocephala subspecies glabrata cv. Cunningham with green panic (Panicum maximum cv. trichoglume)] from late winter through to autumn during three consecutive years in the Burnett region of south-east Queensland. Measured daily weight gain (DWGActual) of the steers was generally 0.7-1.1 kg/day during the summer months. Estimated intakes of metabolisable energy and dry matter (DM) were calculated from feeding standards as the intakes required by the steers to grow at the DWGActual. Diet attributes were predicted from near infrared reflectance spectroscopy spectra of faeces (F.NIRS) using established calibration equations appropriate for northern Australian forages. Inclusion of some additional reference samples from cattle consuming Leucaena diets into F.NIRS calibrations based on grass and herbaceous legume-grass pastures improved prediction of the proportion of Leucaena in the diet. Mahalanobis distance values supported the hypothesis that the F.NIRS predictions of diet crude protein concentration and DM digestibility (DMD) were acceptable. F.NIRS indicated that the percentage of Leucaena in the diet varied widely (10-99%). Diet crude protein concentration and DMD were usually high, averaging 12.4 and 62%, respectively, and were related asymptotically to the percentage of Leucaena in the diet (R2 = 0.48 and 0.33, respectively). F.NIRS calibrations for DWG were not satisfactory to predict this variable from an individual faecal sample since the s.e. of prediction were 0.33-0.40 kg/day. Cumulative steer liveweight (LW) predicted from F.NIRS DWG calibrations, which had been previously developed with tropical grass and grass-herbaceous legume pastures, greatly overestimated the measured steer LW; therefore, these calibrations were not useful. Cumulative steer LW predicted from a modified F.NIRS DWG calibration, which included data from the present study, was strongly correlated (R2 = 0.95) with steer LW but overestimated LW by 19-31 kg after 8 months. Additional reference data are needed to develop robust F.NIRS calibrations to encompass the diversity of Leucaena pastures of northern Australia. In conclusion, the experiment demonstrated that F.NIRS could improve understanding of diet quality and nutrient intake of cattle grazing Leucaena-grass pasture, and the relationships between nutrient supply and cattle growth.","PeriodicalId":8636,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1071/EA08007","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"58800070","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Merino weaner survival is poor under normal traditional management practices. Data from four trials conducted between 2001 and 2005 were used to assess the effectiveness of current industry recommendations to achieve 95% survival rates of Merino weaners. There was very little difference between 2001 and 2003 in survival of Merino weaners despite average weaning weight ranging from 20 to 24 kg between years. The recommended target weaning weight of 23 kg does not always appear to be a good predictor of survival. However, a target of 45% mature liveweight at pasture senescence achieved the industry recommendation of 95% weaner survival. Merino weaners were fed over the summer–autumn period to reach 40 kg liveweight by the time green feed became available. Weaner survival reached 93% compared with 89% survival to hogget shearing in weaners managed under normal growth paths. Furthermore, twice as many ewe weaners died in the traditional feeding program compared with the well fed ewe weaners. Differences in mortality between feeding levels in the wether weaners was less than that observed in the ewe weaners. Flock average growth rates were not useful indicators of weaner survival and there was no relationship between Merino ram estimated breeding values for weaning weight and the survival of the progeny.
{"title":"Putting Merino weaner management recommendations to the test","authors":"J. E. Edwards, R. Gould, K. J. Copping","doi":"10.1071/EA08003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/EA08003","url":null,"abstract":"Merino weaner survival is poor under normal traditional management practices. Data from four trials conducted between 2001 and 2005 were used to assess the effectiveness of current industry recommendations to achieve 95% survival rates of Merino weaners. There was very little difference between 2001 and 2003 in survival of Merino weaners despite average weaning weight ranging from 20 to 24 kg between years. The recommended target weaning weight of 23 kg does not always appear to be a good predictor of survival. However, a target of 45% mature liveweight at pasture senescence achieved the industry recommendation of 95% weaner survival. Merino weaners were fed over the summer–autumn period to reach 40 kg liveweight by the time green feed became available. Weaner survival reached 93% compared with 89% survival to hogget shearing in weaners managed under normal growth paths. Furthermore, twice as many ewe weaners died in the traditional feeding program compared with the well fed ewe weaners. Differences in mortality between feeding levels in the wether weaners was less than that observed in the ewe weaners. Flock average growth rates were not useful indicators of weaner survival and there was no relationship between Merino ram estimated breeding values for weaning weight and the survival of the progeny.","PeriodicalId":8636,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"58800215","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A grazing experiment in the seasonally dry tropics of north Queensland examined the diet selected and the growth responses of Bos indicus steers to urea supplement over two dry seasons and one wet season, from August 2001 to January 2003. There were two groups of 10 steers (control and urea-supplemented) and each group comprised two age cohorts, A and B, of five steers each with an age difference of ~1 year. In June 2002, cohort A steers were replaced with steers 2 years younger (cohort C). The steers grazed Bothriochloa pertusa pastures on a low fertility Red Chromosol soil. The groups were switched between two adjoining paddocks at fortnightly intervals when they were weighed and faecal samples were collected for faecal near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (F.NIRS) estimates of diet quality and growth rate. Rainfall and diet quality followed the expected seasonal pattern, but the 2001–02 wet season was very short (November–January) with only 65% of the long-term average rainfall. There was no rain during the 2001 dry season (DS-1) from August to mid November, and no effective rain (17 mm) between February and December 2002. Non-grass (i.e. herbaceous dicot plants) made only a small contribution to the diet, averaging 13%. In DS-1 and in the dry season of 2002 (DS-2) diet crude protein (CP) averaged 2.5% and 2.9%, and DMD/CP (ratio of dry matter digestibility to CP) averaged 18.6 and 17.1, respectively. Liveweight (LW) loss in control steers during DS-1 averaged 32 kg. Urea supplement reduced LW loss by 18 kg (P < 0.001), but most of the benefit was lost during the following growing season. During the extended dry period in 2002, average LW losses of control steers were 85 and 47 kg in the older and younger cohorts, respectively, and supplementation with urea reduced weight losses by 53 and 31 kg, respectively (P < 0.001). F.NIRS predicted the cumulative LW of the unsupplemented steers in cohorts A and B with acceptable accuracy, the difference between the observed and predicted final LW being 6 kg for cohort A after 10 months, 12 kg for cohort B after 17 months, and 27 kg for cohort C after 7 months. The results demonstrated that F.NIRS can be effectively used to monitor dietary CP and DMD levels in grazing cattle, to help develop an understanding of cattle responses to urea supplement relative to the quality of the basal forage diet, and to provide useful decision support information for the nutritional management of grazing cattle.
{"title":"Faecal near infrared reflectance spectroscopy estimates of diet quality and responses to nitrogen supplements by cattle grazing Bothriochloa pertusa pastures","authors":"D. Coates, R. Dixon","doi":"10.1071/EA08004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/EA08004","url":null,"abstract":"A grazing experiment in the seasonally dry tropics of north Queensland examined the diet selected and the growth responses of Bos indicus steers to urea supplement over two dry seasons and one wet season, from August 2001 to January 2003. There were two groups of 10 steers (control and urea-supplemented) and each group comprised two age cohorts, A and B, of five steers each with an age difference of ~1 year. In June 2002, cohort A steers were replaced with steers 2 years younger (cohort C). The steers grazed Bothriochloa pertusa pastures on a low fertility Red Chromosol soil. The groups were switched between two adjoining paddocks at fortnightly intervals when they were weighed and faecal samples were collected for faecal near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (F.NIRS) estimates of diet quality and growth rate. Rainfall and diet quality followed the expected seasonal pattern, but the 2001–02 wet season was very short (November–January) with only 65% of the long-term average rainfall. There was no rain during the 2001 dry season (DS-1) from August to mid November, and no effective rain (17 mm) between February and December 2002. Non-grass (i.e. herbaceous dicot plants) made only a small contribution to the diet, averaging 13%. In DS-1 and in the dry season of 2002 (DS-2) diet crude protein (CP) averaged 2.5% and 2.9%, and DMD/CP (ratio of dry matter digestibility to CP) averaged 18.6 and 17.1, respectively. Liveweight (LW) loss in control steers during DS-1 averaged 32 kg. Urea supplement reduced LW loss by 18 kg (P < 0.001), but most of the benefit was lost during the following growing season. During the extended dry period in 2002, average LW losses of control steers were 85 and 47 kg in the older and younger cohorts, respectively, and supplementation with urea reduced weight losses by 53 and 31 kg, respectively (P < 0.001). F.NIRS predicted the cumulative LW of the unsupplemented steers in cohorts A and B with acceptable accuracy, the difference between the observed and predicted final LW being 6 kg for cohort A after 10 months, 12 kg for cohort B after 17 months, and 27 kg for cohort C after 7 months. The results demonstrated that F.NIRS can be effectively used to monitor dietary CP and DMD levels in grazing cattle, to help develop an understanding of cattle responses to urea supplement relative to the quality of the basal forage diet, and to provide useful decision support information for the nutritional management of grazing cattle.","PeriodicalId":8636,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1071/EA08004","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"58800307","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A collaborative project between the Australian Meat Industry Council and the Animal Welfare Science Centre, a Centre partnered by the University of Melbourne, Department of Primary Industries (Victoria) and Monash University, that commenced in 2005, resulted in the development of a series of industry animal welfare standards designed to complement existing regulatory and commercial requirements. The project was the fourth in a series of similar projects conducted since 1998 for the poultry, pork and dairy industries, that was aimed at developing industry-wide animal welfare audit material. This concept was further developed to result in national industry animal welfare standards with accompanying audit material that could be integrated with existing industry, commercial and regulatory quality assurance documentation to demonstrate animal welfare practices. The resultant animal welfare standards were accompanied by additional implementation and reference information to enable integration and uptake within the industries and for the delivery of assurance on animal welfare to Governments, customers, trading partners and the consumer.
{"title":"Development and integration of animal welfare standards into company quality assurance programs in the Australian livestock (meat) processing industry","authors":"M. K. Edge, J. L. Barnett","doi":"10.1071/EA08024","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/EA08024","url":null,"abstract":"A collaborative project between the Australian Meat Industry Council and the Animal Welfare Science Centre, a Centre partnered by the University of Melbourne, Department of Primary Industries (Victoria) and Monash University, that commenced in 2005, resulted in the development of a series of industry animal welfare standards designed to complement existing regulatory and commercial requirements. The project was the fourth in a series of similar projects conducted since 1998 for the poultry, pork and dairy industries, that was aimed at developing industry-wide animal welfare audit material. This concept was further developed to result in national industry animal welfare standards with accompanying audit material that could be integrated with existing industry, commercial and regulatory quality assurance documentation to demonstrate animal welfare practices. The resultant animal welfare standards were accompanied by additional implementation and reference information to enable integration and uptake within the industries and for the delivery of assurance on animal welfare to Governments, customers, trading partners and the consumer.","PeriodicalId":8636,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"58801054","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
I. R. Johnson, D. Chapman, V. Snow, R. Eckard, A. Parsons, M. G. Lambert, B. Cullen
DairyMod and EcoMod, which are biophysical pasture-simulation models for Australian and New Zealand grazing systems, are described. Each model has a common underlying biophysical structure, with the main differences being in their available management options. The third model in this group is the SGS Pasture Model, which has been previously described, and these models are referred to collectively as ‘the model’. The model includes modules for pasture growth and utilisation by grazing animals, water and nutrient dynamics, animal physiology and production and a range of options for pasture management, irrigation and fertiliser application. Up to 100 independent paddocks can be defined to represent spatial variation within a notional farm. Paddocks can have different soil types, nutrient status, pasture species, fertiliser and irrigation management, but are subject to the same weather. Management options include commonly used rotational grazing management strategies and continuous grazing with fixed or variable stock numbers. A cutting regime simulates calculation of seasonal pasture growth rates. The focus of the present paper is on recent developments to the management routines and nutrient dynamics, including organic matter, inorganic nutrients, leaching and gaseous nitrogen losses, and greenhouse gases. Some model applications are presented and the role of the model in research projects is discussed.
{"title":"DairyMod and EcoMod: biophysical pasture-simulation models for Australia and New Zealand","authors":"I. R. Johnson, D. Chapman, V. Snow, R. Eckard, A. Parsons, M. G. Lambert, B. Cullen","doi":"10.1071/EA07133","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/EA07133","url":null,"abstract":"DairyMod and EcoMod, which are biophysical pasture-simulation models for Australian and New Zealand grazing systems, are described. Each model has a common underlying biophysical structure, with the main differences being in their available management options. The third model in this group is the SGS Pasture Model, which has been previously described, and these models are referred to collectively as ‘the model’. The model includes modules for pasture growth and utilisation by grazing animals, water and nutrient dynamics, animal physiology and production and a range of options for pasture management, irrigation and fertiliser application. Up to 100 independent paddocks can be defined to represent spatial variation within a notional farm. Paddocks can have different soil types, nutrient status, pasture species, fertiliser and irrigation management, but are subject to the same weather. Management options include commonly used rotational grazing management strategies and continuous grazing with fixed or variable stock numbers. A cutting regime simulates calculation of seasonal pasture growth rates. The focus of the present paper is on recent developments to the management routines and nutrient dynamics, including organic matter, inorganic nutrients, leaching and gaseous nitrogen losses, and greenhouse gases. Some model applications are presented and the role of the model in research projects is discussed.","PeriodicalId":8636,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1071/EA07133","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"58791593","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Improving water management in rural towns such as Wagin, Western Australia, will decrease infrastructure damage caused by water and salinity and produce a ‘new water’ resource. The aim of this paper is to predict feedlot water demand using a bioeconomic model, H20Sheep, to determine if using such a ‘new water’ resource could be a viable option for this production system. Wagin (–33.3075 S, 117.3403 E), a township south-east of Perth, was chosen as the specific location for a sheep feedlot producing prime lambs. In this paper, the H20Sheep model was used to show how feedlot returns are influenced by the price of water, different feeding regimens and climate change. This was done by integrating feed and water intake of lambs, general feedlot water use and waste disposal. To show relative sensitivity of changing other model parameters that are not directly connected with water, changes in the purchase and sale price of lambs were also investigated. As might be expected, H20Sheep shows that returns from a sheep feedlot enterprise can be extremely sensitive to changes in lamb purchase (just over 7% increase will result in negative returns) and sale prices (a 4% decrease will generate a negative outcome). With respect to water, the findings indicate that, while increases in water use in the feedlot and price have to be greater than the increase in relative price of sheep, monitoring the biological parameters associated with water as well as water prices is still important both from a management and an economic perspective. Hence, if towns involved in the Rural Towns – Liquid Assets project, such as Wagin, decide to sell their water, the relevant policy makers should ensure that the sale price enables an effective water management system for the town and is also attractive to end-users such as feedlots.
{"title":"Water management as a future necessity in sheep feedlots","authors":"J. Pluske, A. Schlink","doi":"10.1071/EA06282","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/EA06282","url":null,"abstract":"Improving water management in rural towns such as Wagin, Western Australia, will decrease infrastructure damage caused by water and salinity and produce a ‘new water’ resource. The aim of this paper is to predict feedlot water demand using a bioeconomic model, H20Sheep, to determine if using such a ‘new water’ resource could be a viable option for this production system. Wagin (–33.3075 S, 117.3403 E), a township south-east of Perth, was chosen as the specific location for a sheep feedlot producing prime lambs. In this paper, the H20Sheep model was used to show how feedlot returns are influenced by the price of water, different feeding regimens and climate change. This was done by integrating feed and water intake of lambs, general feedlot water use and waste disposal. To show relative sensitivity of changing other model parameters that are not directly connected with water, changes in the purchase and sale price of lambs were also investigated. As might be expected, H20Sheep shows that returns from a sheep feedlot enterprise can be extremely sensitive to changes in lamb purchase (just over 7% increase will result in negative returns) and sale prices (a 4% decrease will generate a negative outcome). With respect to water, the findings indicate that, while increases in water use in the feedlot and price have to be greater than the increase in relative price of sheep, monitoring the biological parameters associated with water as well as water prices is still important both from a management and an economic perspective. Hence, if towns involved in the Rural Towns – Liquid Assets project, such as Wagin, decide to sell their water, the relevant policy makers should ensure that the sale price enables an effective water management system for the town and is also attractive to end-users such as feedlots.","PeriodicalId":8636,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1071/EA06282","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"58788333","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
R. J. Lawrence, R. Elliott, B. Norton, M. B. Thoefner, I. Loxton, G. Webber
Biotin was supplemented at three levels (0, 10 and 20 mg/steer.day) to 108 F1 Wagyu/Black Angus steers of known genotype, which were fed a wheat-based ration, to evaluate the effect on hoof growth, wear and integrity within feedlot pens. One hundred and eight steers of known sire lines were assigned to three biotin treatments (0, 10 and 20 mg/steer.day) with each treatment replicated four times using an unfasted liveweight of 410.5kg (s.e. ± 2.27, s.d. ± 24.41). A subset of 36 steers was randomly selected for monitoring of hoof growth on seven occasions, over a period of 301 days. Front hooves from selected steers within turn-off group were collected at the abattoir and investigated for hoof integrity through claw lesions, white line width and dry matter of both white line and hoof. Hoof growth rates over time remained relatively consistent. In contrast, hoof wear rates increased (P 0.05) hoof growth or wear. Examination of collected hooves revealed lesions present on both lateral and medial claws. Biotin supplementation had no effect (P > 0.05) on lesion number, white line width of the lateral and medial claws, or hoof and white line dry matter of the medial claw. In contrast, Grandsire had an effect on total hoof length at measurement periods 0, 167, 251 and 301 (P < 0.05), and also on white line width of both lateral (P = 0.015) and medial (P = 0.002) claws. Rainfall and related increase in pen moisture weakened hoof integrity by increasing hoof moisture content and hoof wear. Genotype appears to play a role in hoof integrity.
{"title":"Influence of biotin supplementation on hoof growth and integrity in long-fed F1 Wagyu/Black Angus feedlot steers of known genotype","authors":"R. J. Lawrence, R. Elliott, B. Norton, M. B. Thoefner, I. Loxton, G. Webber","doi":"10.1071/EA07010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/EA07010","url":null,"abstract":"Biotin was supplemented at three levels (0, 10 and 20 mg/steer.day) to 108 F1 Wagyu/Black Angus steers of known genotype, which were fed a wheat-based ration, to evaluate the effect on hoof growth, wear and integrity within feedlot pens. One hundred and eight steers of known sire lines were assigned to three biotin treatments (0, 10 and 20 mg/steer.day) with each treatment replicated four times using an unfasted liveweight of 410.5kg (s.e. ± 2.27, s.d. ± 24.41). A subset of 36 steers was randomly selected for monitoring of hoof growth on seven occasions, over a period of 301 days. Front hooves from selected steers within turn-off group were collected at the abattoir and investigated for hoof integrity through claw lesions, white line width and dry matter of both white line and hoof. Hoof growth rates over time remained relatively consistent. In contrast, hoof wear rates increased (P 0.05) hoof growth or wear. Examination of collected hooves revealed lesions present on both lateral and medial claws. Biotin supplementation had no effect (P > 0.05) on lesion number, white line width of the lateral and medial claws, or hoof and white line dry matter of the medial claw. In contrast, Grandsire had an effect on total hoof length at measurement periods 0, 167, 251 and 301 (P < 0.05), and also on white line width of both lateral (P = 0.015) and medial (P = 0.002) claws. Rainfall and related increase in pen moisture weakened hoof integrity by increasing hoof moisture content and hoof wear. Genotype appears to play a role in hoof integrity.","PeriodicalId":8636,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1071/EA07010","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"58790000","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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