The dynamics of cattle body chemical composition during growth and fattening periods determine animal performance and beef carcass quality. The aim of this study was to estimate the empty body (EB) and carcass chemical composition of growing beef-on-dairy crossbred bulls (Brown Swiss breed as dam with Angus, Limousin or Simmental as sire) using three-dimensional (3D) imaging. The 3D images of the cattle\'s external body shape were recorded in vivo on 48 bulls along growth trajectory (75-520 kg BW and 34-306 kg hot carcass weight [HCW]; set 1) and on 70 bulls at target market slaughter weight, including 18 animals from set 1 (average 517 ± 10 kg BW and 289 ± 10 kg HCW; set 2). The linear, circumference, curve, surface and volume measurements on the 3D body shape were determined. Those predictive variables were used in partial least square regressions, together with the effect of the sire breed whenever significant (P < 0.05), with leave-one-out cross-validation to estimate water, lipid, protein, mineral and energy mass or proportions in the EB and carcass. Mass and proportions were determined directly from postmortem grinding and chemical analyses (set 1) or indirectly using the 11th rib dissection method (set 2). In set 1, bulls\' BW and HCW were estimated via 3D imaging, with root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) of 12 kg and 6 kg, respectively. The EB and carcass chemical component proportions were estimated with RMSEP from 0.2% for EB minerals (observed mean 3.7 ± 0.2%) to 1.8% for EB lipid (11.6 ± 4.2%), close to the RMSEP found for the carcass. In set 2, the RMSEP for estimation via 3D imaging was 9 kg for BW and 6 kg for HCW. The EB energy and protein proportions were estimated, with RMSEP of 0.5 MJ/kg fresh matter (10.1 ± 0.8 MJ/DM) and 0.2% (18.7 ± 0.7%), respectively. Overall, the estimations of chemical component proportions from 3D imaging were slightly less precise for both sets than the mass estimations. The morphological traits from the 3D images appeared to be precise estimators of BW, HCW as well as EB and carcass chemical component masses and proportions.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) causes respiratory disease in weaning and growing pigs. A vaccination against PRRSV is one of the most important control measures. This trial aimed to evaluate the effect of the intradermal (ID) administration of a PRRSV-1 modified live virus (MLV) vaccine in comparison to the intramuscular (IM) administration on the piglets’ health and performance. A total of 187 suckling piglets of a PRRSV-positive commercial farrow-to-finish farm were assigned to four groups: group A—PRRSV ID, group B—PRRSV IM, group C—control ID, and group D—control IM. At 2 weeks of age, all the study piglets were either vaccinated with a PRRSV-1 MLV vaccine or injected with the vaccine adjuvant (controls). The collected blood serum samples were tested by ELISA and qRT-PCR. The side effects, body weight (BW), average daily gain (ADG), mortality rate, and lung and pleurisy lesions scores (LLS, PLS) were also recorded. The ELISA results indicated that the vaccination induced an important seroconversion at 4 and 7 weeks. Significant differences in the qRT-PCR results were noticed only at 10 weeks in group A vs. group C (p < 0.01) and group B vs. group C (p < 0.05). High viral loads, as evidenced by the qRT-PCR Ct values, were noticed in animals of both non-vaccinated groups at 7, 10, and 13 weeks. An ID vaccination has a positive impact on the BW at the piglets’ slaughter, while both an ID and IM vaccination had a positive impact on the ADG. The mortality rate was lower in vaccinated groups at the finishing stage. The LLS and PLS were significantly lower in the vaccinated groups. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that the ID vaccination of suckling piglets with a PRRSV-1 MLV vaccine has a positive effect on the piglets’ health and performance, including an improved BW and a lower LLS and PLS index at their slaughter, as well as a decreased mortality rate at the growing/finishing stage.

Lameness in broilers may be associated with pain and is considered a major broiler production and welfare concern. Manual gait score assessment in commercial broiler houses is discrete, time-consuming, and laborious. As such, automatic methods for broiler gait score assessment are urgently needed. The objective of this study was to identify the relation of broiler gait score with several productions and behavioral metrics (bird BW, age, activity, and distribution), and establish three gait score prediction models for automatic gait score estimations in broiler farms with automatic weighing systems, camera systems, or both. Sixteen pens were used to rear Cobb 500 and Ross 708 broilers for eight and nine weeks, respectively (eight pens/strain, 12 birds/pen). The gait scores of all birds were assessed weekly by trained assessors following a six-point (0-5) scoring protocol from the third week. The pen\'s average BW was measured weekly. Top-view cameras were installed to continuously record videos of broilers in all 16 pens. Images were extracted from video clips (10 min/hour) during a 16-hour light period to determine the activity index and distribution index through image processing. The gait score was positively correlated with BW (R2 = 0.97 for Cobb and R2 = 0.96 for Ross), while negatively correlated with activity (R2 = 0.78 for Cobb and R2 = 0.73 for Ross). The three models showed high accuracies in predicting broiler gait score based on variables of BW, age, activity index, and distribution index (R2 = 0.90-0.91, RMSE = 0.38-0.41). The findings of this study demonstrated the potential of estimating broiler gait score using bird BW, age, activity index, and distribution index. This information will assist in the development of automated gait score assessment systems in broiler production.

Community-based sheep breeding programs (CBBPs) have been adopted strategically to improve Bonga sheep, the most popular sheep breed in Ethiopia. The present study was undertaken to estimate genetic parameters and genetic trends for growth traits and inbreeding levels in each Bonga sheep CBBP. Data pertaining to growth traits, spanning a period of seven years (2012-2017), were collected from 14 Bonga sheep CBBPs. Data were analyzed using the General Linear Model procedure of SAS to study the performance of the breed over the years. The genetic parameters were estimated by univariate and multivariate animal model using restricted maximum likelihood method of WOMBAT software. The genetic trends were estimated by the regression of the average breeding values of the animals on the year of birth. The overall least square means ± SE of BW (kg) were 3.10 ± 0.010, 16.1 ± 0.07, 24.7 ± 0.20, 30.4 ± 0.40 and 34.0 ± 0.84 for birth weight (BWT), weaning weight (WWT), six-month weight (SMWT), nine-month weight (NMWT) and yearling weight (YWT), respectively. Direct heritability estimates from selected models were 0.56 ± 0.030, 0.36 ± 0.030, 0.22 ± 0.040, 0.17 ± 0.070 and 0.13 ± 0.150 for BWT, WWT, SMWT, NMWT and YWT, respectively. Six-month weight was the selection trait and presented positive trends for 10 CBBPs, and negative trends for four CBBPs. Moderate to high heritability estimates and positive genetic trends indicated scope for further improvement of BW. Additionally, the positive and high correlation between BW traits indicated that selection for just one trait would also improve the other traits through correlated responses.

An experimental population of chickens was developed from the cross between 2 indigenous Chinese breeds, Dongxiang blue eggshell and Jiangshan black-bone. This breeding was aimed at eventually combining dark heavy black-bone body and blue eggshell, into a single dual-purpose breed. BW was recorded and skin L∗, a∗, and b∗ color parameters were measured by a Chroma Meter at several ages (56, 105, 150, 200, 250, and 300 d). At 250 d, 3 independent observers classified skin darkness using a 3-level visual scale (1 = light, 2 = intermediate, 3 = dark). The 7-level average visual skin darkness, calculated for each chicken, was highly correlated (-0.658 and -0.612 in females and males, respectively) with skin L∗ (lightness), indicating that the accurately measured L∗ is reliable and useful reverse expression of visual skin darkness of black-bone chickens. Mean BW and skin L∗ of both sexes increased with age, to 2,063 and 1,522 g in males and females, respectively, at 300 d, and to 63 and 55 L∗ units in males and females, respectively, at 250 d. The population\'s full-pedigree allowed estimating heritability and genetic correlations between traits. The heritability estimates of BW were similar in both sexes, increasing from around 0.25 at 56 d, to 0.53 to 0.60 at 150 d, and 0.57 to 0.62 at 300 d. Over the 5 ages, heritability estimates of skin L∗ were moderate to high, ranging from 0.45 to 0.58 in females, and from 0.31 to 0.65 in males, and the genetic correlations between BW and L∗ ranged mostly from 0.20 to 0.45. These low-to-moderate correlations between high BW and high L∗ (low darkness) are unfavorable; hence they were combined into an index, standardized BW minus standardized L∗, allowing future selection for high BW with low L∗. With high heritability of this index, 0.487 (females at 300 d) and 0.410 to 0.555 (males at 150 d or older), simultaneous improvements in BW and skin darkness appear to be feasible. The methodology used in this study can be useful in chicken populations experimentally bred for combination of high BW and other body characteristics.

This study investigated the effect of feed and water access time on yolk sac utilization and subsequent broiler live performance. Hatching eggs were collected from commercial flocks of Ross 308 breeders at 35 and 39 wk of age in experiments 1 and 2, respectively. Chicks already out of their shells that still had some dampness on their down were removed, recorded, feather-sexed, and weighed at 488 h of incubation in both experiments. Chicks were weighed individually and received feed and water at 2 (immediate feed; IF), 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, and 32 h after hatching (488 h) in experiments 1 and 2 (IF) and at 24, 26, 28, 32, 36, and 40 h after hatching in experiment 2. The residual yolk sac weight was determined at 32 and 40 h after hatching (day 0) in all groups in experiments 1 and 2, respectively. Feed consumption and BW were recorded at 7, 14, 21, and 35 d and at the same age relative to placement on feed and water at the end of the growing period. Mortality was recorded twice daily in both experiments. Feed and water access time did not influence yolk sac utilization in either experiment (P > 0.05). The IF group exhibited a higher (P < 0.05) BW than those that received feed at or after 28 h at 35 d in both experiments. There was a significant increase in feed consumption in the IF group compared with the groups with access to feed and water after 24 h at 35 d in experiment 2 (P < 0.05), with a similar trend in experiment 1 (P > 0.05). There were no significant differences in the feed conversion ratio (FCR) or mortality at 35 d of age, but the IF group tended to have a poorer FCR than the other groups in both experiments. When the total feed and water times were equalized among all groups, irrespective of the deprivation duration, there were no significant differences among the groups in the BW, feed consumption, the FCR, or mortality in both experiments. It can be concluded that feed and water deprivation for 28 h or longer after hatching (≥28 h) negatively affects the final BW but tends to improve the FCR at 35 d of age compared with chicks that receive feed immediately (2 h after hatching). When the feeding period was equalized in all groups, feed and water deprivation up to 40 h under optimum conditions had no detrimental effect on final live performance. These results suggest that the total feeding period is more critical for broiler performance than the time of posthatch access to feed and water.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of adding automated fetal fractional limb volume (FLV) with conventional 2-dimensional (2D) fetal weight estimation procedures in a cohort of diabetic pregnancies.
METHODS: A pilot study of diabetic pregnancies measured standard fetal biometry within 7 days of delivery. Fractional arm volume (AVol) and fractional thigh volume (TVol) soft tissue parameters were measured with a commercially available automated software utility (5D Limb Vol; Samsung Medison Co, Ltd, Seoul, Korea). Three conventional weight prediction models that included only 2D size parameters were compared to FLV models that included AVol or TVol. Estimated and actual birth weight (BW) were assessed for the mean percent difference ± standard deviation of the percent differences. Systematic errors were evaluated by the Student t test, and random errors were compared by the Pitman test for correlated variances. The proportion of neonates with estimated fetal weight within 10% of BW was compared between groups by the McNemar test.
RESULTS: Ninety gravid women were enrolled with pregestational (26.7%) or gestational (73.3%) diabetes. All prediction models were accurate, with the exception of small underestimations by the model of Schild et al (-3.8%; Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2004; 23:30-35). Random errors for the AVol (6.2%) and TVol (6.9%) models were significantly more precise than the other 3 prediction models: Hadlock et al (7.8%; Am J Obstet Gynecol 1985; 151:333-337), INTERGROWTH-21st (8.0%; Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2017; 49:478-486), and Schild et al (8.6%; P < .01). The greatest proportion of cases with BW ±10% was also classified by the AVol (91.1%) and TVol (91.1%) models, followed by Hadlock (83.3%), INTERGROWTH-21st (78.9%), and Schild (76.7%) predictions.
CONCLUSIONS: The addition of automated FLV measurements to conventional 2D biometry was associated with improved weight predictions in this cohort of diabetic pregnancies.

During weaning-to-estrus interval (WEI), the sows are usually fed with high feed level to improve the reproductive performance. However, the WEI has been reduced over the years which may reduce the impact of feed level on performance in the modern genetic lines. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of two feeding levels (moderate feeding level (MFL): 2.7 kg/day and high feeding level (HFL): 4.3 kg/day) and two diet types (gestation: 13.67 MJ/kg of metabolizable energy (ME) and 0.62% of standard ileal digestible lysine (SID Lys) and lactation: 14.34 MJ ME/kg and 1.20% of SID Lys) offered during the WEI on reproductive performance. In total, 19.0% of sows were excluded from the analysis due to feed intake below 75% (9.6% and 28.5% in MFL and HFL groups, respectively), remaining 254 primiparous and 806 multiparous sows. Follicular size and change in BW were measured in subsamples of 180 and 227 females, respectively. Data were analyzed considering the sow as the experimental unit. Feeding level, diet type, parity and their interactions were included as fixed effects, whereas the day of weaning was considered as a random effect. The feed intake of MFL and HFL groups averaged 2.5 ± 0.02 and 3.8 ± 0.02 kg/day, respectively. There was an interaction between feeding level and parity for daily feed intake. Within HFL, multiparous sows consumed 181 g/day more than primiparous sows (P < 0.01), but no difference was observed within MFL (P > 0.05). Both primiparous and multiparous sows lost proportionally less weight when fed HFL than MFL gestation diet during WEI. The percentage of weight loss was lower in HFL than in the MFL group in multiparous sows fed the lactation diet. The WEI was not affected by feeding level, diet type or its interaction (P > 0.05), but it was longer in primiparous than in multiparous sows (P = 0.001). There was no effect of feeding level, diet type, parity or their interactions on anestrus and farrowing rates. Multiparous sows showed greater follicular size, and greater numbers of total born and born alive piglets in the subsequent cycle than primiparous sows (P < 0.05). In conclusion, feeding weaned primiparous and multiparous sows with 4.3 kg/day of a gestation (58.78 MJ ME and 26.66 g SID Lys) or a lactation diet (61.66 MJ ME and 51.60 g SID Lys) does not improve follicular size and reproductive performance in the subsequent cycle.

The cull ewes represent an important part of sheep flock. However, this category of animal is often submitted to under nutrition leading to poor BW and skeletal carcasses. Their rehabilitation using a high energy diet can be an alternative to improve their body condition. The objective of this experiment was to study the BW gain and carcass characteristics of Barbarine cull ewes using rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) distillation residues (RR) and extruded linseed. For this, 28 ewes above 6 years old and 33±0.5 kg of BW were divided into four groups: CCC was fed 500 g of barley-straw with concentrate, RCC received 300 g of straw and 200 g of RR as basal diet with concentrate; whereas two other groups received the experimental concentrate, containing 10% of linseed, with 500 g of straw for CLC and 300 g of straw plus 200 g of RR for RLC group. At the end of experiment (90 days), all animals were slaughtered. For all ewes, the daily concentrate intake averaged 700 g; the average daily gain was 131 g and the slaughter BW 43.4 kg without significant difference between groups. Neither basal diet nor concentrate type did affect the carcass\' weight, yield and composition. In addition, the organ\'s proportions were similar for all groups. The RR intake slightly improved muscle\'s protein content (P=0.03) and tended to decrease initial pH (P=0.06) and to increase meat redness (P=0.06), whereas linseed concentrate had no effect on meat color and its chemical composition. The subcutaneous fat color and firmness score relived a good quality trade for carcasses from all diets, in spite of higher yellowness and lower firmness recorded for linseed diet (P<0.05), which were moderately improved by rosemary combination with linseed. To conclude, the Barbarine cull ewes could gain up to 120 g/day in BW. The used diets permitted this BW gain without undesirable effects on carcass characteristics and meat quality. However, the study of meat fatty acid profile and antioxidant status should continue.

Genetic parameters and genetic trends for growth, reproduction, milk production and composition traits were estimated for Syrian (S) and Turkish (T) Awassi sheep and their crosses maintained at the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas Tal Hadya station, Aleppo, Syria (now in Terbol station in Lebanon). The data were spread over 9 years. The individual breed additive effects of T were positive and significant (P0.05) for most growth traits. Crossing of T with S, however, resulted in desirable and significant (P<0.05) individual heterosis effects for all the reproduction, milk production and constituent yields. The heritability (h²) estimates, both direct and maternal, were low for BW, WW, WG and all reproductive traits indicating major influence of environmental factors, whereas milk yield and composition had medium values. Birth weight had moderate genetic correlation with WW and WG. The genetic correlation between WW and WG was high (0.724±0.951). Lambing interval had large negative genetic correlation with LWB and LWW. However, LI had medium significant correlations with all the milk production and composition traits. Larger litter weights at birth had high and negative influence on milk yield of the dam and its constituents. Genetic changes over years for all traits were non-significant. The lack of genetic change in the studied traits calls for systematic and organized selection scheme.