ABSTRACT The aim of the study was to develop an index to measure sustainability in production systems. This sustainability index (iSus) was developed to be adhered to the Brazilian Pampa biome based on experts’ perceptions, in five regions of the Brazilian Pampa biome: Western border, Northwestern border, Campanha, Central, and South. The Sustainability Assessment of Food and Agriculture Systems guidelines, developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization, were used as reference for the indicators that formed the iSus. After selecting […]

ABSTRACT We evaluated the association of monthly milk urea N (MUN) concentrations before conception and days open in high-producing dairy cows from commercial herds in Southern Brazil. Other herd traits were also investigated regarding their relationship with days open. A database containing 16,569 monthly test-day records (obtained from 3,926 lactations of 2,145 cows) for productive, reproductive, and milk quality data was assembled from three different herds. Maximum MUN before conception was divided into quartiles as follows: ≤15.5 mg/dL (1), from […]

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to survey and analyze milking practices of commercial Holstein-Friesian farms. A total of 43 Hungarian dairy farms with 31,430 cows was surveyed by using a questionnaire via personal interviews. Furthermore, seven in-depth, individual interviews were conducted with farm managers. In the statistical analysis, we used ANOVA models. The results showed that 57.8% of the milking parlors had a herringbone design, followed by parallel (20.0%) and rotary (17.8%) milking systems. For the interviewed farm […]

ABSTRACT The objective was to evaluate factors that influence calving probability in the first and second reproductive years of beef heifers that reached the minimum recommended body weight (BW) in the first breeding season. Two hundred twenty-seven 24-month-old Charolais × Nellore heifers that mated between 2003 and 2012 were analyzed. The parameters evaluated were: year effect; individual and maternal heterozygosis; percentage of Charolais genotype; average daily gain (ADG) from weaning to the end of the first breeding season; BW at […]

ABSTRACT The objective was to evaluate the effect of three stocking rates (2, 3.9, and 5.8 animal units ha−1) and three fertilization levels (0, 150, and 300 kg N ha−1 yr−1) on herbage mass and nutritive value of elephantgrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) cv. IRI-381. The experiment was conducted from May to August of 2009 and 2010 in Itambé, PE, Brazil, during the rainy season. Treatments were allocated in a split-plot arrangement in a completely randomized block design. The variables measured […]

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to develop a feedlot beef cattle calculation model and production cost analysis and, from the results obtained, devise a production cost index. A case study was conducted to understand the characteristics of the productive processes of a commercial feedlot. Then, based on the Economic Theory, cost items of the farm under analysis were identified and transferred to a spreadsheet. The survey included ten feedlot farmers from the state of São Paulo and other […]

ABSTRACT This study aimed to characterize the current production system of the Bísaro pig breed. Between February and April 2017, 194 questionnaires covering different aspects of the system were sent as a disclosed identity mail survey. A response rate of 31.4% was obtained. The typical Bísaro farmer is 46 years old, male, has five years of experience rearing pigs, and has a secondary or higher education degree. Piglets represented the majority of animals sold for slaughter (91.1%) and constituted 41.1% […]

ABSTRACT There is an urgent need for sustainable animal production systems. A system or procedure is sustainable if it is acceptable now and if its expected future effects are acceptable, in particular in relation to resource availability, consequences of functioning, and morality of action. What might make any animal usage system unsustainable? The system might involve depletion of resources such that a resource becomes unavailable or a product of the system might accumulate to a degree that prevents the functioning […]

ABSTRACT The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of three different intensive silvopastoral systems (ISPS) on cattle animal welfare (AW) in Colombia. The three ISPS differed in area, plant composition, and grazing periods as follows: ISPS1 – low plant diversity in paddocks of 1200 m2, with grazing period of 24 h; ISPS2 – middle plant diversity in paddocks of 600 m2, with grazing period of 12 h; and ISPS3 – high plant diversity in paddocks of 600 […]

ABSTRACT Despite tremendous advancements in the livestock sector, additional opportunities exist to improve even further livestock production around the globe. Forecasting is not an exact science and it relies heavily on past and current knowledge. Improvements in the nutritional sciences (both human and animal) include a better understanding of agents that cause deterioration of human health, improving the quality of animal products, applying effective fetal programming, developing new feeds and feeding strategies, and revisiting longstanding technologies. Improvements in the understanding […]