Real-time pair-feeding of animals

Automatic pair-feeding system was developed which immediately dispenses same amount of food to control animal as has been consumed by experimental animal that has free access to food. System consists of: master feeding system; slave feeding station; and control mechanism. Technique performs real time pair-feeding without attendant time lag

Animal production and feeding

Organic livestock farmers will try to accommodate the natural needs and behaviour of their animals as much as possible. They pay extra attention to animal health and welfare, but also set high standards for housing, outside access and feed. Dutch researchers are looking for practical solutions to the problems that currently limit the sustainability and growth of organic animal production. The ultimate objective of current research is to ensure that Dutch organic dairy farms use organic rations made up of locally or regionally produced raw materials, and that they supply manure for the production of these raw materials

Animal Health and Welfare in Organic Agriculture

A brief report is given of the 4th Network for Animal Health and Welfare in Organic Agriculture (NAWHOA) workshop at Wageningen in the Netherlands, held in March 2001. The workshop focussed on breeding (especially dairy, pigs and poultry) and feeding, as opposed to yield and productivity, with the emphasis on food quality. Feeding was discussed from two angles: feeding for production, and feeding to protect the animal from disease or parasitic infection. A vision of the future was described, in which higher prices are gained for fewer animals, better housed and with a regional approach to breeding, processing and marketing

Feeding and the Equilibrium Feeder Animal Price-Weight Schedule

Feeder animal prices depend on fed animal prices, the biological growth technology, and feed costs. In addition, daily maintenance costs can be avoided through accelerated feeding. These observations allow us to model optimal feeding under equilibrium feeder animal pricing. Our model enables a better understanding of regulation in feedstuff markets. The feeder animal price-weight schedule is likely decreasing and convex in weight. Prices for animals with better growth potential should be less sensitive to feed and fed animal prices. Prices for lighter animals should be more sensitive to these prices. Regression analyses on Southern Great Plains cattle prices provide support for this model.days on feed, energy use, feed ban, growth hormones, Kleiber's law, ration density, veal market, Livestock Production/Industries,

Feeding and the Equilibrium Feeder Animal Price-Weight Schedule

The feeder animal price is a derivative in the sense that its value depends upon the price of animals for the consumption market. It also depends upon the biological growth technology and feed costs. Daily maintenance costs are of particular interest to the husbander because they can be avoided through accelerated feeding. In this paper, the optimal feeding path under equilibrium feeder animal prices is established. This analysis is used to gain a better understanding of feeding decisions, regulation in feedstuff markets, and the consequences of genetic innovations. It is shown that days on feed can increase or decrease with a genetic innovation or other improvement in feed conversion efficiency. The structure of comparative prices for feeder animals at different weights, the early slaughter decision, and equilibrium in feeder animal markets are also developed. Feeder animal prices can increase over a weight interval if biological feed efficiency parameters are low over the interval.

Breeding and feeding for animal health and welfare in organic livestock systems (4th NAHWOA Workshop)

content: Part A: Breeding for animal health and welfare in organic livestock systems Part B: Feeding for animal health and welfare in organic livestock systems Part C: Posters and additional papers The theme of the 4 th NAHWOA Workshop was Breeding and feeding for animal health and welfare in organic livestock systems . According to most organic certification body standards and the current EU legislation, breeding and feeding are the two cornerstones of health and welfare in organic livestock systems. It is apparent form these proceedings that the concept of organic breeds or organic breeding is far from clear and that a lot of work needs to be carried out before 2005, when the current EU derogation allowing sourcing of livestock from conventional breeding systems to organic systems runs out. Similarly, the requirement to feed 100% organic feedstuffs from 2004 onwards makes heavy demands on the development of organic rations for monogastric livestock in particular. These proceedings show that a substantial amount of work is already being carried out to satisfy these requirements, and that some encouraging results are already there. In addition to the thematic papers, these Proceedings also include a paper by Kat Bazeley et al., presented at the third NAHWOA workshop in France in October 2000. Due to an editorial error this paper was left out form the appropriate proceedings. We would like to apologise for this and hope that those who have searched for this reference in the past will now be able to locate it. Also, abstracts of three posters presented both in Wageningen are presented. precise content: Part A: Breeding for animal health and welfare in organic livestock systems W. Nauta: Breeding strategies for organic animal production, an international discussion R. Baumung, J. Sölkner, E. Gierzinger, A.William: Ecological total merit index for an Austrian dual purpose cattle breed D. Endendijk, T. Baars, H. Endendijk: Family breeding at Rivelinohoeve B. Bapst: Swiss experiences on practical cattle breeding strategies for organic dairy herds P. Sørensen :Breeding strategies in poultry for genetic adaptation to the organic environment P. Koene: Animal welfare and genetics in organic farming of layers: the example of cannibalism H.R.C. Kelly, H.M. Browning, A.P. Martins, G.P. Pearce, C. Stopes, S.A. Edwards: Breeding and feeding pigs for organic production G. Rahmann: Breeding goats for organic production in Germany T. BAARS, W. NAUTA: Breeding for race diversity, herd adaptation and harmony of animal build: a breeding concept in organic farming H. Hirt, M. Bestmann, W. Nauta, L. Philipps, H. Spoolder: Discussion report: Breeding for health and welfare Part B: Feeding for animal health and welfare in organic livestock systems B.S.E. Jonsson: Results from the Öjebyn-project. Eleven years of organic production T. Kristensen, S. Struck: Organic dairy cow feeding with emphasis on Danish conditions W.F. Knaus, A. Steinwidder, W. Zollitsch: Energy and protein balance in organic dairy cow nutrition model calculations based on EU regulations B. NIELSEN, S.M. THAMSBORG: Organic beef production with emphasis on feeding and health of dairy bred bull calves Knud Erik Bach Knudsen: Influence of feed and feed structure on disease and welfare of pigs A. SUNDRUM: Managing amino acids in organic pig diets A. Walker, S. Gordon: Nutrition issues in organic poultry systems M. Hovi, A. Sundrum: Discussion report: Feeding for health and welfare Part C: Posters and additional papers K. Bazeley, A. Hibbert, G. Anderson: The measurement of quality of stockmans hip for dairy farm assurance schemes A. Martini, A., Giorgetti, D. Rondina, C. Sargentini, R. Bozzi, M. Moretti, C. Pérez Torrecillas, R. Funghi, M. Lucifero: The Maremmana, a rustic breed ideal for organic production. Experimental experiences G. Smolder:s Growth and development of young stock on organic dairy farms M. Plomp: Feeding of dairy cattle on organic farms in the Netherlands List of Delegate

Automatic real-time pair-feeding system for animals

A pair feeding method and apparatus are provided for experimental animals wherein the amount of food consumed is immediately delivered to a normal or control animal so that there is a qualitative, quantitative and chronological correctness in the pair feeding of the two animals. This feeding mechanism delivers precisely measured amounts of food to a feeder. Circuitry is provided between master and slave feeders so that there is virtually no chance of a malfunction of the feeding apparatus, causing erratic results. Recording equipment is also provided so that an hourly record is kept of food delivery

Locations of marine animals revealed by carbon isotopes

Knowing the distribution of marine animals is central to understanding climatic and other environmental influences on population ecology. This information has proven difficult to gain through capture-based methods biased by capture location. Here we show that marine location can be inferred from animal tissues. As the carbon isotope composition of animal tissues varies with sea surface temperature, marine location can be identified by matching time series of carbon isotopes measured in tissues to sea surface temperature records. Applying this technique to populations of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) produces isotopically-derived maps of oceanic feeding grounds, consistent with the current understanding of salmon migrations, that additionally reveal geographic segregation in feeding grounds between individual philopatric populations and age-classes. Carbon isotope ratios can be used to identify the location of open ocean feeding grounds for any pelagic animals for which tissue archives and matching records of sea surface temperature are available

One-year oral toxicity study on a genetically modified maize MON810 variety in Wistar Han RCC rats (EU 7th Framework Programme project GRACE)

The GRACE (GMO Risk Assessment and Communication of Evidence; www.grace-fp7.eu) project was funded by the European Commission within the 7th Framework Programme. A key objective of GRACE was to conduct 90-day animal feeding trials, animal studies with an extended time frame as well as analytical, in vitro and in silico studies on genetically modified (GM) maize in order to comparatively evaluate their use in GM plant risk assessment. In the present study, the results of a 1-year feeding trial with a GM maize MON810 variety, its near-isogenic non-GM comparator and an additional conventional maize variety are presented. The feeding trials were performed by taking into account the guidance for such studies published by the EFSA Scientific Committee in 2011 and the OECD Test Guideline 452. The results obtained show that the MON810 maize at a level of up to 33 % in the diet did not induce adverse effects in male and female Wistar Han RCC rats after a chronic exposure

IDENTIFYING ECONOMIC RISK IN CATTLE FEEDING

Closeout data from two western Kansas commercial feedlots are examined to determine how cattle prices, feed costs, and animal performance impact the variability of cattle feeding profits. The relative impacts of these factors are studied across sex, placement weight, and placement month using standardized beta coefficients. Feeder cattle prices have a greater impact on profit variability for spring and fall placements. The effect of animal performance on variability of cattle feeding profits is greater for fall placements. Results suggest that fed cattle and feeder cattle prices should be emphasized in managing the overall risk in cattle feeding because they are the largest contributors to profit variability.cattle finishing profitability, cattle performance, feedlot closeouts, standardized beta coefficients, Livestock Production/Industries,