Methionine could be key to improving pregnancy rate in dairy cattle.

Research at the University of Illinois has shown that adding methionine to the diets of Holstein cows during the prepartum and postpartum periods may impact the preimplantation embryo in a way that enhances its capacity for survival. "Methionine is the first limiting amino acid for dairy cattle," says U of I animal scientist Phil Cardoso. "We know that the lack of methionine limits cows in producing protein in the milk.He explians

BOAR FEEDING AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH.

In pig farming the major aim is to produce large litter sizes that are healthy with high reproductive capacity.The success in pig farming is hinged on genetics as the pig cannot exceed the genetic capacity hence a good genetic line is chosen. Housing and management also influences the outcome of venture, proper housing and animal management is another crucial point. The major key to success is feeding programme,the animals must have access to good quality feed ,balanced and readily available. The importance of feed in the boar cannot be overemphasized as the quality of sperm produced will set the genetic track for the farm. When preparing the feed,you need to ensure that all ingredients that will ensure the following are available; proper muscle development, proper bone development and production of high quality and quantity of sperm. The feed should provide the necessary daily feed intake which must contain dietary energy and protein, additives and vitamins such as organic selenium, vitamin E, zinc, biotin, vitamin C. The breeding boars must be mature animals, so also must the to sows. An underweight or overweight boar or sow will often result in breeding failure,hence feeding should be monitored. Boar libido unlike sperm production, cannot be easily manipulated by changing dietary protein and energy levels but its a known fact only prolonged conditions of over-feeding or under-feeding, and excessive extreme cases of body condition change, can negatively impair boar libido. Scientific research proves that protein and amino acids lysine and methionine + cystine, play an important role in sperm production. In particular, the sulphur-containing amino acids methionine/cystine affect the secretory activity of the epididymis, thus significantly enhancing sperm volume. This effect is very marked in intensively used boars, where sperm production has been shown to be positively influenced when extra protein and methionine was added to the diet. Protein combined with adequate energy intake is very crucial for optimal sperm production.

Strategies for improving broiler feed conversion.

Studies carried out on broilers and finishing pigs have allowed the identification of feeding strategies that improve Feed Conversion Efficiency (FCE) in monogastrics. That was reported in a recent press release by the Catalan research institute dedicated to agri-food research & development (IRTA), headquartered in Barcelona, Spain. Efficient use of nutrients;regarding nutritional conditioning, tests in broiler chickens revealed that the use of diets that are limiting in specific nutrients during the first days of life improves the efficiency of use of such nutrients later in life. In the case of phosphorus, it has been observed that conditioning for this nutrient has a positive effect on bone mineralisation, while conditioning for methionine improves feed efficiency in subsequent stages. Preliminary tests were also out with a wide range of combinations of exogenous enzymes with the purpose of identifying those with a higher potential of improving FCE to be studied in the future. This work will further contribute to improved knowledge on how to optimise feeding strategies for pigs and broiler chickens such that feed efficiency is maximised and ecological footprint minimised. FCE is one of the key factors in cost-efficiency of production. For this reason European scientists are working on the ECO-FCE project, aimed at proposing strategies to optimise feed efficiency in monogastrics, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and nitrogen and phosphorus excretion story credit; world poultry.