Journal Articles

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Sustainability aspects of milk production in Sweden
(Wiley, 2021-05-28) Krizsan, Sophie J.; Chagas, Juana C.; Pang, Degong; Cabezas-Garcia, Edward H.; Sustainable Livestock
Resource use efficiency and economic initiatives point towards using less human-edible input in ruminant food production. This could also promote the nutrient-rich dairy products to consumers in comparison with alternative plant-based drinks. The global population is growing and food production will need to increase to feed more people in the future. The Swedish government has launched a national food strategy, which aims to move Swedish food production towards self-sufficiency and sustainability, and greater exports. Simultaneously, strong economic development has stimulated consumers to request more high-value foods, such as meat and refined dairy products. At the same time, public opinion states that today's food production from ruminants is negative for the environment and contributes to climate change. This review assesses some aspects of dietary ingredient composition and feeding choices that can contribute to making Swedish dairy production more sustainable. Efficient dietary methane mitigating strategies can decrease emissions of greenhouse gases in line with European Union targets and avoid major changes in dietary consumption patterns of meat and milk from ruminants. Although feeding management seems to be the most important approach to decrease nitrogen losses, rational use of fertilizers and improved manure management practices on dairy farms should also be considered to decrease the impact of nitrogen losses to the environment.
The impacts of a reduction in British meat and dairy consumption on Northern Ireland’s agri-food sector
(SAGE Publications, 2021-07-20) Greig, Alastair; Wu, Ziping; Sustainable Livestock
In 2020, the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) recommended that British consumers reduce their beef, lamb and dairy consumption by 20% for both environmental and health reasons. For a region like Northern Ireland, this presents a significant challenge. Northern Ireland, considered to be performing poorly local economy within the United Kingdom and Ireland, has an export-orientated agri-food sector with an extensive domestic supply chain. This study shows the likely trade-offs required for a small regional economy with a large, established cattle herd to sustainably transition from one agri-food system to another. In so doing, the study uses the most comprehensive agricultural data collections to rebalance Northern Irish input–output tables, to better account for the nature of NI intermediate consumption within an agri-food system. The results show that a large-scale transition from beef, lamb and dairy to fruit and vegetable production would create a more emission efficient agricultural sector. The worst economic effects could be offset within current NI policy parameters, although there would still likely be some economic costs.
Removal of autumn-growth herbage using sheep: Effects on yield and quality of first cut silage and subsequent cow performance
(Wiley, 2024-02-15) Craig, Aimee-Louise; Gordon, Alan W.; Ferris, Conrad; Sustainable Livestock
Grass which grows during the autumn is perceived by some farmers to have a negative impact on the nutritive value of silage produced the following spring. The impact of removing herbage in the autumn using sheep, on silage yield and quality the following spring, and on performance of cows offered these silages, was investigated in two experiments. Following harvest of third-cut silage in September, a grass sward was split into blocks which were either grazed by sheep during November and December or left ungrazed. Herbage was harvested and ensiled the following May and offered to late-lactation Holstein cows in a two-period balanced change-over design feeding experiment comprising two 28-d periods. In Experiment 1, silage quality was unaffected by autumn grazing treatment but in Experiment 2, silage from swards grazed in autumn had a higher metabolizable energy concentration (0.5 MJ kg−1 dry matter [DM]; p = .016). In Experiment 1, intakes were unaffected, while cows offered silage from the grazed sward (GS) had a greater milk (0.8 kg d−1; p < .001) and protein yield (0.03 kg d−1; p = .014) than cows offered silage from the ungrazed sward, but fat plus protein yield was unaffected. In Experiment 2, cows offered GS had greater DM intake (1.5 kg d−1; p < .001) and fat yield (0.15 kg d−1; p = .047), but fat plus protein yield was not significantly different between treatments. In conclusion, winter grazing using sheep has potential to improve silage quality, but with marginal benefits on individual cow performance.
The invasive land flatworm Arthurdendyus triangulatus has repeated sequences in the mitogenome, extra-long cox2 gene and paralogous nuclear rRNA clusters
(Nature Research, 2024-04-03) Gastineau, Romain; Lemieux, Claude; Turmel, Monique; Otis, Christian; Boyle, Brian; Coulis, Mathieu; Gouraud, Clément; Boag, Brian; Murchie, Archie K.; Winsor, Leigh; Justine, Jean-Lou; Grassland and Plant Science
Using a combination of short- and long-reads sequencing, we were able to sequence the complete mitochondrial genome of the invasive ‘New Zealand flatworm’ Arthurdendyus triangulatus (Geoplanidae, Rhynchodeminae, Caenoplanini) and its two complete paralogous nuclear rRNA gene clusters. The mitogenome has a total length of 20,309 bp and contains repetitions that includes two types of tandem-repeats that could not be solved by short-reads sequencing. We also sequenced for the first time the mitogenomes of four species of Caenoplana (Caenoplanini). A maximum likelihood phylogeny associated A. triangulatus with the other Caenoplanini but Parakontikia ventrolineata and Australopacifica atrata were rejected from the Caenoplanini and associated instead with the Rhynchodemini, with Platydemus manokwari. It was found that the mitogenomes of all species of the subfamily Rhynchodeminae share several unusual structural features, including a very long cox2 gene. This is the first time that the complete paralogous rRNA clusters, which differ in length, sequence and seemingly number of copies, were obtained for a Geoplanidae.
Partial replacement of a total mixed ration with annual ryegrass herbage: effects on dairy cow dry matter intake and milk production
(Taylor & Francis, 2023-09-05) Civiero, Maurício; Ferris, Conrad; Ribeiro-Filho, Henrique M. N.; Sustainable Livestock
Studies with dairy cows receiving mixed ration and grazing annual pastures, which have low tiller density, are scarce. This study examined the effect of partial replacement of a total mixed ration (TMR) with annual temperate pasture. Treatments were ad libitum TMR (TMR100), 75% ad libitum TMR + ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum ‘Maximus’) (pTMR75), and 50% ad libitum TMR + ryegrass (pTMR50). Twelve multiparous Holstein and F1 Jersey × Holstein cows were divided into six groups (experimental units), taking account of milk production (26.6 ± 4.55 kg/day), days-in-milk (129 ± 50.8) and body weight (546 ± 30.6 kg). Treatments were compared using two 3 × 3 Latin square arangements, comprising three 21-day periods (measurements during final 5 days). Herbage DM intake increased from 4.8 kg/day with pTMR75 to 6.7 kg/day with pTMR50. Total DM intake decreased from 19.4 kg/day (TMR100), to 18.1 and 15.8 kg/day (pTMR75 and pTMR50, respectively). Milk production, energy corrected milk production (ECM), and milk fat content were similar between treatments, averaging 25.6, 28.4 kg/day and 44.6 g/kg, respectively. Ryegrass pastures were able to replace up to 50% of TMR offered to mid lactation dairy cows with no adverse effects on ECM production
Prediction of key milk biomarkers in dairy cows through milk mid-infrared spectra and international collaborations
(Elsevier, 2023-10-19) Grelet, C.; Larsen, T.; Crowe, M.A.; Wathes, D.C.; Ferris, Conrad; Ingvartsen, K.L.; Marchitelli, C.; Becker, F.; Vanlierde, A.; Leblois, J.; Schuler, U.; Auer, F.J.; Köck, A.; Dale, L.; Sölkner, J.; Christophe, O.; Hummel, J.; Mensching, A.; Fernández Pierna, J.A.; Soyeurt, H.; Calmels, M.; Reding, R.; Gelé, M.; Chen, Y.; Gengler, N.; GplusE Consortium; Dehareng, F.; Sustainable Livestock
At the individual cow level, suboptimum fertility, mastitis, negative energy balance, and ketosis are major issues in dairy farming. These problems are widespread on dairy farms and have an important economic impact. The objectives of this study were (1) to assess the potential of milk mid-infrared (MIR) spectra to predict key biomarkers of energy deficit (citrate, isocitrate, glucose-6 phosphate [glucose-6P], free glucose), ketosis (β-hydroxybutyrate [BHB] and acetone), mastitis (N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase activity [NAGase] and lactate dehydrogenase), and fertility (progesterone); (2) to test alternative methodologies to partial least squares (PLS) regression to better account for the specific asymmetric distribution of the biomarkers; and (3) to create robust models by merging large datasets from 5 international or national projects. Benefiting from this international collaboration, the dataset comprised a total of 9,143 milk samples from 3,758 cows located in 589 herds across 10 countries and represented 7 breeds. The samples were analyzed by reference chemistry for biomarker contents, whereas the MIR analyses were performed on 30 instruments from different models and brands, with spectra harmonized into a common format. Four quantitative methodologies were evaluated to address the strongly skewed distribution of some biomarkers. Partial least squares regression was used as the reference basis, and compared with a random modification of distribution associated with PLS (random-downsampling-PLS), an optimized modification of distribution associated with PLS (KennardStone-downsampling-PLS), and support vector machine (SVM). When the ability of MIR to predict biomarkers was too low for quantification, different qualitative methodologies were tested to discriminate low versus high values of biomarkers. For each biomarker, 20% of the herds were randomly removed within all countries to be used as the validation dataset. The remaining 80% of herds were used as the calibration dataset. In calibration, the 3 alternative methodologies outperform the PLS performances for the majority of biomarkers. However, in the external herd validation, PLS provided the best results for isocitrate, glucose-6P, free glucose, and lactate dehydrogenase (coefficient of determination in external herd validation [R2v] = 0.48, 0.58, 0.28, and 0.24, respectively). For other molecules, PLS-random-downsampling and PLS-KennardStone-downsampling outperformed PLS in the majority of cases, but the best results were provided by SVM for citrate, BHB, acetone, NAGase, and progesterone (R2v = 0.94, 0.58, 0.76, 0.68, and 0.15, respectively). Hence, PLS and SVM based on the entire dataset provided the best results for normal and skewed distributions, respectively. Complementary to the quantitative methods, the qualitative discriminant models enabled the discrimination of high and low values for BHB, acetone, and NAGase with a global accuracy around 90%, and glucose-6P with an accuracy of 83%. In conclusion, MIR spectra of milk can enable quantitative screening of citrate as a biomarker of energy deficit and discrimination of low and high values of BHB, acetone, and NAGase, as biomarkers of ketosis and mastitis. Finally, progesterone could not be predicted with sufficient accuracy from milk MIR spectra to be further considered. Consequently, MIR spectrometry can bring valuable information regarding the occurrence of energy deficit, ketosis, and mastitis in dairy cows, which in turn have major influences on their fertility and survival.
Unveiling the Genetic Landscape of Feed Efficiency in Holstein Dairy Cows: Insights into Heritability, Genetic Markers, and Pathways via Meta-Analysis
(Oxford University Press, 2024-02-13) Jiang, Wentao; Mooney, Mark H.; Shirali, Masoud; Sustainable Livestock
Improving the feeding efficiency of dairy cows is a key component to improve the utilization of land resources and meet the demand for high-quality protein. Advances in genomic methods and omics techniques have made it possible to breed more efficient dairy cows through genomic selection. The aim of this review is to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the biological background of feed efficiency (FE) complex traits in purebred Holstein dairy cows including heritability estimate, and genetic markers, genes, and pathways participating in FE regulation mechanism. Through a literature search, we systematically reviewed the heritability estimation, molecular genetic markers, genes, biomarkers, and pathways of traits related to feeding efficiency in Holstein dairy cows. A meta-analysis based on a random-effects model was performed to combine reported heritability estimates of FE complex. The heritability of residual feed intake, dry matter intake, and energy balance was 0.20, 0.34, and 0.22, respectively, which proved that it was reasonable to include the related traits in the selection breeding program. For molecular genetic markers, a total of 13 single-nucleotide polymorphisms and copy number variance loci, associated genes, and functions were reported to be significant across populations. A total of 169 reported candidate genes were summarized on a large scale, using a higher threshold (adjusted P value < 0.05). Then, the subsequent pathway enrichment of these genes was performed. The important genes reported in the articles were included in a gene list and the gene list was enriched by gene ontology (GO):biological process (BP), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways analysis. Three GO:BP terms and four KEGG terms were statistically significant, which mainly focused on adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis, electron transport chain, and OXPHOS pathway. Among these pathways, involved genes such as ATP5MC2, NDUFA, COX7A2, UQCR, and MMP are particularly important as they were previously reported. Twenty-nine reported biological mechanisms along with involved genes were explained mainly by four biological pathways (insulin-like growth factor axis, lipid metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation pathways, tryptophan metabolism). The information from this study will be useful for future studies of genomic selection breeding and genetic structures influencing animal FE. A better understanding of the underlying biological mechanisms would be beneficial, particularly as it might address genetic antagonism.
Exposure to artificial ultraviolet-B light mediates alterations on the hepatic transcriptome and vitamin D metabolism in pigs
(Elsevier, 2023-11-19) Hasan, Maruf; Reyer, Henry; Oster, Michael; Trakooljul, Nares; Ponsuksilli, Siriluck; Magowan, Elizabeth; Fischer, Dagmar-Christiane; Wimmers, Klaus; Sustainable Livestock
In the currently prevailing pig husbandry systems, the vitamin D status is almost exclusively dependent on dietary supply. Additional endogenous vitamin D production after exposure to ultraviolet-B (UVB) light might allow the animals to utilize minerals in a more efficient manner, as well as enable the production of functional vitamin D-enriched meat for human consumption. In this study, growing pigs (n = 16) were subjected to a control group or to a daily narrowband UVB exposure of 1 standard erythema dose (SED) for a period of 9 weeks until slaughter at a body weight of 105 kg. Transcriptomic profiling of liver with emphasis on the associated effects on vitamin D metabolism due to UVB exposure were evaluated via RNA sequencing. Serum was analyzed for vitamin D status and health parameters such as minerals and biochemical markers. The serum concentration of calcidiol, but not calcitriol, was significantly elevated in response to UVB exposure after 17 days on trial. No effects of UVB exposure were observed on growth performance and blood test results. At slaughter, the RNA sequencing analyses following daily UVB exposure revealed 703 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in liver tissue (adjusted p-value < 0.01). Results showed that molecular pathways for vitamin D synthesis (CYP2R1) rather than cholesterol synthesis (DHCR7) were preferentially initiated in liver. Gene enrichment (p < 0.05) was observed for reduced cholesterol/steroid biosynthesis, SNARE interactions in vesicular transport, and CDC42 signaling. Taken together, dietary vitamin D supply can be complemented via endogenous production after UVB exposure in pig husbandry, which could be considered in the development of functional foods.
Effects of silage to concentrate ratio and duration of feeding on the fatty acid composition of ovine muscle and adipose tissue
(CSIRO Publishing, 2022-03-08) Gravador,R. S.; Fahey, A. G.; Harrison, S. M.; Gkarane, V.; Moloney, A. P.; Brunton, N. P.; Claffey, N. A.; Diskin, M. G.; Farmer, Linda; Allen, P.; Monahan, F. J.; Food Quality
Context: Dietary strategies may influence the fatty acid composition of sheep meat and ultimately its nutritional and sensory quality. Aim: This study investigated the effects of silage to concentrate ratio and feeding duration on the concentration of intramuscular fatty acids and branched chain fatty acid in subcutaneous adipose tissue of lambs. Methods: Pasture fed lambs were assigned in groups of 11 to one of nine dietary treatments consisting of silage to cereal concentrate at ratios (dry matter basis) of 100:0 (silage), 50:50 (silage:concentrate) or 0:100 (concentrate) for three feeding durations (36, 54 or 72 days) pre-slaughter. A 10th group of 11 lambs remained at pasture until slaughter. Fatty acid methyl esters were prepared using a microwave-assisted method and quantified by gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection. Results: The concentration of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and proportions of C18:3n-3 and C18:2 cis-9 trans-11 decreased for mixed feed and/or concentrate treatments, but not for silage, from 36 to 72 days. The C18:2n-6 and n-6 PUFA concentrations increased for mixed feed and concentrate, but not for silage, from 36 to 72 days. The animals that remained at pasture had lower C18:2n-6 and n-6 PUFA than those receiving mixed feed for 72 days, concentrate for 54 days and concentrate for 72 days, but higher C18:3n-3, C18:2 cis-9 trans-11 and n-3 PUFA concentrations than the indoor finishing groups. The n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio was lower in pastured lambs compared to the other groups. 4-Methyloctanoic acid and 4-ethyloctanoic acid were higher in concentrate and mixed feed treatments than in silage while 4-methylnonanoic acid increased with increase in concentrate level in the diet. Conclusion: The ratio of silage to concentrate in the diet and duration of feeding pre-slaughter influence the fatty acid composition of muscle and subcutaneous adipose tissue of lambs. Implications: The results are important for lamb producers in understanding the nutritional and sensory implications of altering lamb diets.
Effects of nutrient fertilization on root decomposition and carbon accumulation in intensively managed grassland soils
(Wiley, 2020-04-06) Fornara, Dario; Flynn, David; Caruso, Tancredi; Grassland and Plant Science
Our knowledge of root mass decomposition processes has greatly benefited from studies carried out in natural and semi-natural ecosystems. It is less known, however, how root mass loss might occur in intensively managed ecosystems, such as agricultural grasslands, which receive chronic additions of nitrogen (N) fertilizers. Key questions remain about (1) how repeated N applications either in organic or inorganic forms might influence fine root mass decomposition, and (2) what implications root mass loss might have for soil carbon (C) storage. Here, we use a long-term grassland experiment established in 1970 at Hillsborough, Northern Ireland (UK), to address how repeated additions of organic (i.e., liquid manures) and inorganic (i.e., NPK) fertilizers over >45 yr might influence fine root mass decomposition and how. We found that after a 10-month incubation period under field conditions, highest root mass loss (~43%) was associated with highest additions of organic slurries, whereas lowest root mass loss (~29%) occurred in inorganically N-fertilized and unfertilized soils. Root decomposition was significantly and negatively related to root C:N ratios and fungal-to-bacterial (F:B) ratios. Root decomposition, however, was not related to changes in soil C stocks or rates of soil C accumulation. N applications either maintained or increased (up to three times) soil C accumulation compared to unfertilized soils after five decades of intensive management. Our findings suggest that in the short-term organic fertilization can enhance root detritus decomposition (thus promoting N release in soils for plant uptake) while contributing in the long-term to soil C accumulation either through extra C inputs from manures or through N-induced effects on microbial activity or both. Further studies need to address how this dual effect of organic fertilization could contribute making grassland intensification more sustainable by reducing the use of artificial NPK fertilizers.
Effects of Mowing Times on Nutrient Composition and In Vitro Digestibility of Forage in Three Sown Pastures of China Loess Plateau
(MDPI, 2022-10-17) Chang, Shenghua; Xie, Kaili; Du, Wucheng; Jia, Qianmin; Yan, Tianhan; Yang, Hao; Hou, Fujiang; Grassland and Plant Science
Simple Summary This study was carried out to investigate the nutrient compositions of alfalfa, tall fescue and tall fescue + alfalfa mixed grassland under different mowing stubble times and clarify their correlation with in vitro digestibility. In vitro dry matter digestibility of alfalfa, tall fescue and tall fescue + alfalfa were predicted by their nutrient composition respectively. The results demonstrated that these models based on nutrient composition could accurately predict the in vitro dry matter digestibility of alfalfa monoculture, tall fescue monoculture and alfalfa + tall fescue mixture, respectively, and provide a forage utilization mode for sown pasture. Abstract Mowing, Mowing, which affects the nutritional levels of grasslands, is the main utilization of sown pasture. We sowed alfalfa monoculture grassland, tall fescue monoculture grassland and tall fescue + alfalfa mixed grassland in typical steppe of the Loess Plateau to investigate the nutrient compositions and in vitro degradability of those three grasslands under different mowing stubble times and to provide reference for nutrient management of sown pastures. The results showed that the stubble time significantly affected (p < 0.05) the nutrient compositions and mineral elements of forages in alfalfa monoculture grassland, whereas had no effects on the nutrient compositions and dry matter digestibility of forages in tall fescue monoculture grassland and alfalfa + tall fescue mixed grassland. The relative feeding value of mixed grassland of alfalfa and tall fescue was increased by 2.6–22.4% as compared to monoculture grasslands. The model constructed based on forage nutrient content could accurately predict the forage dry matter degradability of alfalfa monoculture, tall fescue monoculture and mixed alfalfa and tall fescue, respectively.
Net field global warming potential and greenhouse gas intensity in typical arid cropping systems of China: A 3-year field measurement from long-term fertilizer experiments
(Elsevier, 2021-05-14) Lv, Jinling; Yin, Xinhua; Dorich, Chris; Olave, Rodrigo; Wang, Xihe; Kou, Changlin; Song, Xuan; Grassland and Plant Science
With the intensification of food production pressure, arid areas have increasingly become one of the key areas for cropland reclamation. However, due to the relatively low indigenous soil organic matter (SOM), it is worth pondering whether the introduction of integrated cropland management measures will affect the soil organic carbon (SOC), greenhouse gases (GHGs) and global warming potential (GWP) in the arid areas. Based on these, a long-term fertilization experiment was used for a three-year GHG study to gain insights into the GHGs and field-GWP accounting in the western arid region of China. Five treatments, including no fertilizer (CK), inorganic fertilizer (NPK), inorganic fertilizer and straw (NPKS) and two combinations of inorganic fertilizer and manure (NPKM and NPKM+) were selected. Moreover, three crops of cotton, wheat and maize were grown over the three-year period, respectively. Nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) concentrations were measured using the static chamber method from April 2012 to July 2014. The results revealed that the SOC of all fertilizer treatments in topsoil (0−20 cm) increased from approximately 27 Mg C ha−1 in 1990 to 25.5–66 Mg C ha-1 in 2014; furthermore, the SOCSR (SOC sequestration rate) values were from -0.035 to 1.70 Mg C ha−1 yr−1 in the 25 year experiment. The N2O and CH4 emissions across treatments, crops, and years ranged from 0.2 to 3.8 kg N2O-N ha−1 yr−1 and −2.3 to 13.0 kg CH4-C ha−1 yr−1, respectively, and the emission factor of CH4 and N2O ranged from −0.1 % to 1.3 % and 0.5 % to 1.0 %, respectively, displaying relatively low GHGs emissions compared with other cropping systems in China. Based on the GHGs and SOCSR results, we found relatively low net field-GWP existed in arid and extremely arid cropping system, especially for the manure amendment treatments, implying the sustainability of certain existing managements in the arid area.
Effects of an exogenous enzyme preparation extracted from a mixed culture of Aspergillus spp. on lactational performance, metabolism, and digestibility in primiparous and multiparous cows
(Elsevier, 2022-07-22) Martins, L.F.; Oh, J.; Harper, M.; Melgar, A.; Räisänen, S.E.; Chen, Xianjiang; Nedelkov, K.; Karnezos, T.P.; Hristov, A.N.; Sustainable Livestock
The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of an exogenous enzyme preparation from Aspergillus oryzae and Aspergillus niger on lactational performance of dairy cows. Forty-eight Holstein cows (32 primiparous and 16 multiparous) averaging (± SD) 36.3 ± 8.7 kg/d milk yield and 141 ± 52 d in milk were enrolled in a 10-wk randomized complete block design experiment (total of 24 blocks) and assigned to 1 of 2 treatments: basal diet, no enzyme supplementation (CON) or the basal diet supplemented with 4.2 g/kg dry matter intake (DMI) of an exogenous enzyme preparation containing amylolytic and fibrolytic activities (ENZ). After a 2-wk covariate period, premixes with the enzyme preparation or control were top-dressed daily by mixing with approximately 500 g of total mixed ration. Production data were collected daily and averaged by week. Milk samples were collected every other week, and milk composition was averaged by week. Blood, fecal, and urine samples were collected over 2 consecutive days at 0, 4, 8, 12, and 36 h after feeding during the last week of the experiment. Compared with CON, cows fed ENZ tended to increase DMI and had increased milk concentrations of true protein, lactose, and other solids. Milk fat content tended to be higher in CON cows. A treatment × parity interaction was found for some of the production variables. Primiparous cows receiving ENZ had greater yields of milk, energy-corrected milk, milk true protein, and lactose compared with CON primiparous cows; these production variables did not differ between treatments for multiparous cows. Intake and total-tract digestibility of nutrients did not differ between treatments. Concentrations of blood glucose and total fatty acids were not affected by ENZ supplementation, but β-hydroxybutyrate concentration tended to be greater in ENZ cows. Overall, the exogenous enzyme preparation used in this study increased milk protein and lactose concentrations in all cows, and milk production in primiparous but not multiparous cows. The differential production response between primiparous and multiparous cows was likely a result of a greater increase in DMI with ENZ supplementation in the younger animals.
Behavioural Factors Influencing the Intention to Adopt Sheep Scab Control Measures in Northern Ireland
(MDPI, 2024-03-15) Adenuga, Adewale Henry; Crawford, Paul; Aubry, Aurelie; Verner, Sharon; Strain, Sam; Burgess, Stewart T. G.; Sustainable Livestock
Simple Summary Sheep scab, caused by infestation with the ectoparasitic mite Psoroptes ovis, is endemic in Northern Ireland (NI). The disease continues to cause NI’s sheep farming industry significant challenges, negatively impacting sheep and farmer welfare. The diagnosis of sheep scab has traditionally been achieved by taking skin scrape samples from suspected lesional areas on sheep suspected of being infested with sheep scab. These skin scrape samples are then examined under a microscope to confirm the presence of Psoroptes ovis mites, which provides a definitive diagnosis of the disease. However, while this method of diagnosis is highly specific for sheep scab, there can be a high level of variability in the sensitivity of the method, which can be as low as 18 percent. The objective of this study was to analyse the behavioural factors influencing the intention of sheep farmers to adopt sheep scab control measures in the form of blood testing. To achieve our objective, we analysed data from a sample of 126 sheep farmers using quantitative techniques. The results show that the promotion of a positive attitude towards blood testing for subclinical diagnoses of the disease would go a long way in controlling sheep scab in NI. Abstract Sheep scab, caused by infestation with the ectoparasitic mite Psoroptes ovis, is an endemic disease in the Northern Ireland (NI) sheep flock and constitutes significant economic and welfare burdens for the NI farming industry. Despite its endemic nature, historically, little research has been undertaken to support the control of the disease in NI. This study offers the first attempt to analyse the psychological and behavioural factors influencing farmers’ intentions to implement effective sheep scab control measures in NI. To achieve our objective, quantitative data from a sample of 126 sheep farmers were statistically analysed using an extended theory of planned behaviour approach in an ordered logistic regression modelling framework. Our analyses showed that sheep scab remains an issue of concern in Northern Ireland. The attitudes of the farmers, as well as perceived behavioural control, emotional effect, membership of Business Development Groups (BDGs), and higher education qualifications, were found to be statistically significant factors influencing farmers’ intentions to adopt sheep scab control measures. This study provides a solid foundation for how to promote behavioural changes among sheep farmers to improve their ability to implement effective disease control measures, helping to tackle this challenging disease in a more sustainable way in the future.
The nutritional value of meat should be considered when comparing the carbon footprint of lambs produced on different finishing diets
(Frontiers Media, 2024-02-20) McNicol, Louise C.; Perkins, Lynda S.; Gibbons, James; Scollan, Nigel D.; Nugent, Anne P.; Thomas, Eleri M.; Swancott, Elizabeth L.; McRoberts, Colin; White, Alison; Chambers, Simon; Farmer, Linda; Williams, A. Prysor; Food Quality
Introduction: Lamb production systems are under increasing pressure to reduce their environmental footprint, particularly emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as methane. However, the metrics used to express the carbon footprint of lamb seldom consider its nutritional density and contribution to balanced diets in humans. Lamb production systems vary considerably, from low-input pastoral systems to higher-input systems feeding concentrates for the latter ‘finishing’ period. To date, no studies have explored the effect of finishing diet on the carbon footprint of lamb meat on a nutritional basis. Methods: Data from 444 carcasses were collected from four abattoirs across Wales, United Kingdom. Lambs were derived from 33 farms with one of four distinct finishing diets: forage crops (n = 5), grass (n = 11), concentrates (n = 7), and grass and concentrates (n = 15). Carcass data were analysed using mixed effects models. Significant differences were found in fatty acid composition of two large commercial cuts of meat from different finishing diets. To illustrate the effect of different measures of footprint, mass (kg dwt) and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid content (g omega-3) were selected as functional units. GHG emission estimates were calculated using Agrecalc. Results: The concentrates diet had the lowest average mass-based product emissions [25.0 kg CO2e/kg deadweight (dwt)] while the grass systems had the highest (28.1 kg CO2e/kg dwt; p < 0.001). The semimembranosus muscle cut from the forage crops diet had the lowest average nutrition-based product emissions (19.2 kg CO2e/g omega-3); whereas the same muscle cut from lambs finished on the grass and concentrates diet had the highest nutrition-based product emissions (29.4 kg CO2e/g omega-3; p < 0.001). Discussion: While mass-based functional units can be useful for comparing efficiencies of different farming systems, they do not reflect how farming systems impact the nutritional differences of the final product. This study demonstrates the importance of considering nutrition when expressing and comparing the carbon footprints of nutrient-dense foods such as lamb. This approach could also help inform discussions around the optimal diets for lamb production systems from both a human nutrition and environmental sustainability perspective.
Performance and nutrient utilisation of dairy cows offered silages produced from three successive harvests of either a red clover–perennial ryegrass sward or a perennial ryegrass sward
(Compuscript, 2020-11-30) Johnston, D.J.; Laidlaw, A.S.; Theodoridou, K.; Ferris, Conrad; Sustainable Livestock
The need to reduce reliance on imported protein feeds within the UK and Ireland has stimulated interest in locally grown forage legume crops, including red clover (Trifolium pratense L.). This 13-wk study examined the performance of 28 dairy cows offered silages produced from three successive harvests (H) of either a pure grass sward (GS) receiving 315 kg N/ha per annum or a red clover–perennial ryegrass sward (RCGS) receiving 22 kg N/ha per annum. The crops of H1, H2 and H3 were wilted for 48, 72 and 72 h, respectively. Silages from H1, H2 and H3 were offered for 5, 5 and 3 wk, respectively, with cows supplemented with 8.0 kg concentrate/d throughout the experiment. Digestibility of DM and the effectively degradable protein content were lower, while protein degradability was higher, for RCGS than for GS. Silage DM intakes (DMIs) were higher for RCGS than for GS at H1 and H2, with no differences at H3. Milk yield was higher with RCGS than with GS at H3, with no differences at H1 and H2. Milk fat and milk protein contents were lower with RCGS than with GS at H3 but did not differ at H1 and H2. Faecal N/N intake was higher in the RCGS group than in the GS group at H1, with no differences at H2 and H3. Gross energy digestibility was lower for RCGS than for GS at H2. Although cow performance was higher with RCGS treatment, the responses were variable between harvests, largely reflecting the changing proportion of RC in the swards as the season progressed.
Effect of dietary restriction and compensatory growth on performance, carcass characteristics, and metabolic hormone concentrations in Angus and Belgian Blue steers
(Elsevier, 2021-05-23) Keady, S.M.; Keane, M.G.; Waters, S.M.; Wylie, Alastair R.G.; O'Riordan, E.G.; Keogh, K.; Kenny, D.A.; Sustainable Livestock
Compensatory growth (CG) is the ability of an animal to undergo accelerated growth after a period of restricted feeding. However, there is a dearth of information in relation to the effect of genotype on CG response, thus the objective of this study was to evaluate CG response in two contrasting breed types, namely Aberdeen Angus (AN) and Belgian Blue (BB). Crossbred AN × Holstein-Friesian or BB × Holstein-Friesian steers were assigned to one of two treatment groups in a two (genotypes) × two (diets) factorial design. For 99 days, one group (11 AN and 12 BB) was offered a high energy control diet (H-H) whereas the second group (11 AN and 12 BB) was offered an energy restricted diet (L-H). At the end of the differential feeding period (99 days), both groups of animals were then offered a high energy control diet for a further 200 days. All animals were then slaughtered on day-299 of the study. During feed restriction, L-H had lower DM intake (DMI), had greater feed conversion ratio (FCR) and lower plasma concentrations of insulin, IGF-1, leptin, glucose, urea, betahydroxybutyrate and smaller M. longissimus thoracis or lumborum muscle and fat depths compared to H-H steers. During realimentation, there was no difference in DMI between diets; however, L-H had greater live weight gain compared to H-H steers. Overall, H-H consumed greater quantities on a DM basis, however, had a higher FCR compared to L-H steers. By the end of the realimentation period, there was no difference in plasma metabolite or hormone concentrations, linear body measurements, ultrasonically scanned fat depths, carcass conformation, dressing percentage or fat class between H-H and L-H steers. At slaughter, carcass weights were affected by diet with greater values for H-H compared to L-H steers. Genotype affected measures associated with body composition including pelvic width and both muscle and fat depths (P < 0.05). Overall, L-H had a CG (or recovery) index of 0.52 and did not make up for the loss of gains during the differential feeding period; however, M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum, a tissue of high economic value, recovered completely making it a target of interest for further investigation.
Dietary supplementation of Allium mongolicum modulates rumen-hindgut microbial community structure in Simmental calves
(Frontiers Media, 2023-06-07) Xie, Kaili; Chang, Shenghua; Ning, Jiao; Guo, Yarong; Zhang, Cheng; Yan, Tianhai; Hou, Fujiang; Sustainable Livestock
Compared to traditional herbage, functional native herbage is playing more important role in ruminant agriculture through improving digestion, metabolism and health of livestock; however, their effects on rumen microbial communities and hindgut fermentation are still not well understood. The objective of present study was to evaluate the effects of dietary addition of Allium mongolicum on bacterial communities in rumen and feces of claves. Sixteen 7-month-old male calves were randomly divided into four groups (n = 4). All calves were fed a basal ration containing roughage (alfalfa and oats) and mixed concentrate in a ratio of 60:40 on dry matter basis. In each group, the basal ration was supplemented with Allium mongolicum 0 (SL0), 200 (SL200), 400 (SL400), and 800 (SL800) mg/kg BW. The experiment lasted for 58 days. Rumen fluid and feces in rectum were collected, Rumen fluid and hindgut fecal were collected for analyzing bacterial community. In the rumen, Compared with SL0, there was a greater relative abundance of phylum Proteobacteria (p < 0.05) and genera Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group (p < 0.01) in SL800 treatment. In hindgut, compared with SL0, supplementation of A. mongolicum (SL200, SL400, or SL800) decreased in the relative abundances of Ruminococcaceae_UCG-014 (p < 0.01), Ruminiclostridium_5 (p < 0.01), Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes_group (p < 0.05), and Alistipes (p < 0.05) in feces; Whereas, the relative abundances of Christensenellaceae_R-7_group (p < 0.05), and Prevotella_1 (p < 0.01) in SL800 were higher in feces, to maintain hindgut stability. This study provided evidence that A. mongolicum affects the gastrointestinal of calves, by influencing microbiota in their rumen and feces.
A valuation study to identify the determinants of the demand for time spent outdoors among users of hospital facilities, their willingness-to-pay for green infrastructure improvements, and the implications for planning.
(Taylor & Francis Group, 2024-03-06) Zachariou, Marios; Longo, Alberto; Environmental Protection
Green infrastructure has been promoted as an urban planning tool for the achievement of health and environmental policy objectives. The capacity of economic valuation methods to estimate monetary benefit values for intangible goods, such as mental health and wellbeing, renders them useful in justifying green infrastructure interventions and guiding their implementation. In this case study we used stated preference methods to elicit cross-sectional data on the preferences of staff (n=118), visitors (n=88), and inpatients (n=35) of Musgrave Park Hospital in Northern Ireland, for improvements in the hospital’s outdoor grounds. To our knowledge, this is the first paper to use the contingent behavior method to examine the demand for time spent on the improved outdoor grounds of a hospital and the first to use the contingent valuation method to obtain the respective willingness-to-pay values. The results show that the three hospital user groups differed in their preferred types of green infrastructure and their motivations for using the outdoor grounds, an important input for planning the transformation of the outdoors. Other findings suggest that to maximize health and well-being benefits, complementary measures to address the issues of sedentary lifestyles and inadequate use of the outdoors as a stress-coping mechanism are needed.
Development and verification of a novel isotopic N2O measurement technique for discrete static chamber samples using cavity ring-down spectroscopy
(Wiley, 2021-02-05) Bracken, Conor J.; Lanigan, Gary J.; Richards, Karl G.; Müller, Christoph; Tracy, Saoirse R.; Well, Reinhard; Carolan, Rachael; Murphy, Paul N.C.; Environmental Protection
Rationale: N2 O isotopomers are a useful tool to study soil N cycling processes. The reliability of such measurements requires a consistent set of international N2 O isotope reference materials to improve inter-laboratory and inter-instrument comparability and avoid reporting inaccurate results. All these are the more important given the role of N2 O in anthropogenic climate change and the pressing need to develop our understanding of soil N cycling and N2 O emission to mitigate such emissions. Cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) could potentially overcome resource requirements and technical challenges, making N2 O isotopomer measurements more feasible and less expensive than previous approaches (e.g., gas chromatography [GC] and isotope ratio mass spectrometry [IRMS]). Methods: A combined laser spectrometer and small sample isotope module (CRDS & SSIM) method enabled N2 O concentration, δ15 Nbulk , δ15 Nα , δ15 Nβ and site preference (SP) measurements of sample volumes <20 mL, such as static chamber samples. Sample dilution and isotopic mixing as well as N2 O concentration dependence were corrected numerically. A two-point calibration procedure normalised δ values to the international isotope-ratio scales. The CRDS & SSIM repeatability was determined using a reference gas (Ref Gas). CRDS & SSIM concentration measurements were compared with those obtained by GC, and the isotope ratio measurements from two different mass spectrometers were compared. Results: The repeatability (mean ± 1σ; n = 10) of the CRDS & SSIM measurements of the Ref Gas was 710.64 ppb (± 8.64), 2.82‰ (± 0.91), 5.41‰ (± 2.00), 0.23‰ (± 0.22) and 5.18‰ (± 2.18) for N2 O concentration, δ15 Nbulk , δ15 Nα , δ15 Nβ and SP, respectively. The CRDS & SSIM concentration measurements were strongly correlated with GC (r = 0.99), and they were more precise than those obtained using GC except when the N2 O concentrations exceeded the specified operating range. Normalising CRDS & SSIM δ values to the international isotope-ratio scales using isotopic N2 O standards (AK1 and Mix1) produced accurate results when the samples were bracketed within the range of the δ values of the standards. The CRDS & SSIM δ15 Nbulk and SP precision was approximately one order of magnitude less than the typical IRMS precision. Conclusions: CRDS & SSIM is a promising approach that enables N2 O concentrations and isotope ratios to be measured by CRDS for samples <20 mL. The CRDS & SSIM repeatability makes this approach suitable for N2 O "isotopomer mapping" to distinguish dominant source pathways, such as nitrification and denitrification, and requires less extensive lab resources than the traditionally used GC/IRMS. Current study limitations highlighted potential improvements for future users of this approach to consider, such as automation and physical removal of interfering trace gases before sample analysis.

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