Nutritional and Managerial Strategies to Increase Annual Liveweight Gain and Improve Product Quality

The project demonstrated how returns on cull cows and heifers could be increased through various pasture and grain feeding methods. Increasing the nett value of steers and surplus heifers by paddock grain supplementation during the last 12 months pre-slaughter was achieved. Various combionations of supplements, HGPs and men modifiers increased turn-off liveweight by up to 100 kg in steers grazing native pasture in north Queensland. Lifting turn-off weights of steers grazing sown grass pastures in central Queensland was also possible with additional grain or protein supplements. Ways to provide better supplements for young weaners were identified and a number of supplemen6 and additives to supplements were investigated for weaners. A dose response was established for cottonseed meal supplements both in the dry season and wet season. Transferring cattle at different ages to finishing pastures established that, the younger the age of transfer, the quicker the cattle reached turn-off weight. Many of the results were incorporated into a booklet as a management package to help producers identify and reach various carcase markets

Food Policy Development in the Australian State of Victoria: A Case Study of the Food Alliance

This article explores the development of a food policy body called the Food Alliance and the role of the organization in encouraging the development of food policy that integrates health and ecological issues. The Food Alliance is located within the Australian state of Victoria. A policy triangle is used as a framework to describe and analyse the work of the Food Alliance. Lessons are drawn about effective strategies for influencing integrated food policy. This occurs in a context where food policy typically favours powerful industry and agricultural interests and where relationships between the health and environmental sectors are in their infancy. The implications for planning and organizing a state-wide food policy are explored from the perspective of policy and the ways in which this can be influenced through working with key stakeholders

Marine recreational fishing and the implications of climate change

Marine recreational fishing is popular globally and benefits coastal economies and people's well-being. For some species, it represents a large component of fish landings. Climate change is anticipated to affect recreational fishing in many ways, creating opportunities and challenges. Rising temperatures or changes in storms and waves are expected to impact the availability of fish to recreational fishers, through changes in recruitment, growth and survival. Shifts in distribution are also expected, affecting the location that target species can be caught. Climate change also threatens the safety of fishing. Opportunities may be reduced owing to rougher conditions, and costs may be incurred if gear is lost or damaged in bad weather. However, not all effects are expected to be negative. Where weather conditions change favourably, participation rates could increase, and desirable species may become available in new areas. Drawing on examples from the UK and Australia, we synthesize existing knowledge to develop a conceptual model of climate-driven factors that could impact marine recreational fisheries, in terms of operations, participation and motivation. We uncover the complex pathways of drivers that underpin the recreational sector. Climate changes may have global implications on the behaviour of recreational fishers and on catches and local economies

Wastewater irrigation: the state of play

As demand for fresh water intensifies, wastewater is frequently being seen as a valuable resource. Furthermore, wise reuse of wastewater alleviates concerns attendant with its discharge to the environment. Globally, around 20 million ha of land are irrigated with wastewater, and this is likely to increase markedly during the next few decades as water stress intensifies. In 1995, around 2.3 billion people lived in water-stressed river basins and this could increase to 3.5 billion by 2025. We review the current status of wastewater irrigation by providing an overview of the extent of the practice throughout the world and through synthesizing the current understanding of factors influencing sustainable wastewater irrigation. A theme that emerges is that wastewater irrigation is not only more common in water-stressed regions such as the Near East, but the rationale for the practice also tends to differ between the developing and developed worlds. In developing nations, the prime drivers are livelihood dependence and food security, whereas environmental agendas appear to hold greater sway in the developed world. The following were identified as areas requiring greater understanding for the long-term sustainability of wastewater irrigation: (i) accumulation of bioavailable forms of heavy metals in soils, (ii) environmental fate of organics in wastewater-irrigated soils, (iii) influence of reuse schemes on catchment hydrology, including transport of salt loads, (iv) risk models for helminth infections (pertinent to developing nations), (v) microbiological contamination risks for aquifers and surface waters, (vi) transfer efficiencies of chemical contaminants from soil to plants, (vii) health effects of chronic exposure to chemical contaminants, and (viii) strategies for engaging the public.<br /

Novel vaccination approaches to improve the growth rate of cattle

This project aimed to develop a vaccine alternative to clenbuterol, which could be used to increase muscle growth, reduce fat deposition and improve feed efficiency in cattle. However, unlike the B-agonist drug, the vaccine would be convenient for use in grazing livestock, and acceptable to the consumer because there would be no risk of harmful tissue residues. It has already been shown that the vaccine causes cattle to produce antibodies which have a 'clenbuterol-like' effect, when they are purified and tested on muscle samples in the laboratory. Unfortunately, the present work showed that such antibodies are not produced in sufficient strength in the live animal, to have a detectable influence on its growth or metabolism. Thus, without further investigations, there will be no immediate or long-term benefit of this work to the industry