In commercial egg production, hen productivity declines over time, leading to flock disposal for economic reasons at 72–80 weeks of age. Identifying and removing low-producing hens can enhance economic sustainability by maximising the performance of high-performing hens and conserving feed…
This study investigated the efficacy of a commercial phytogenic-based premixed feed additive (PFA) in treating combined Lawsonia intracellularis and Brachyspira hyodysenteriae infections in finishing pigs, with tiamulin/lincomycin treatment as the control. Pigs aged 20 weeks were allocated to PFA treatment…
Despite the large genetic diversity within South Africa’s sheep population, average productivity on smallholdings remains low. This study therefore aimed to identify the breeding practices and trait preferences of sheep farmers in the Makurung and Lenting villages, Limpopo Province, for…
This study investigated the effects of Nguni cattle ecotype and year on the production and reproductive performance of cows in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. Production data for 471 calvings (142 Venda, 65 Shangaan, and 264 Pedi ecotype Nguni…
The poultry gastrointestinal microbiome consists of more than 900 bacterial species and their metabolites; it serves as an indicator of bird health and is influenced by nutrition, medication, and other factors. Dysbiosis is a form of reduced microbial diversity, characterised…
In this study, the broiler performance of Turkish Gerze chickens was investigated. One hundred and thirty day-old chicks were reared under intensive conditions until 20 weeks of age to examine whether administering a vitamin supplement via their drinking water would…
Heat stress has been identified as one of the major challenges for livestock production. Global temperatures are steadily increasing, with South African temperatures increasing at nearly twice the global rate. Of the livestock used for food production, dairy cows are…
This study was conducted using the first-lactation records of 1092 Vrindavani crossbred cattle to compare the relative efficiency of an artificial neural network (ANN) versus multiple linear regression for predicting the first-lactation 305-day milk yield (FL305DMY). The two input sets…
This study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with grape pomace powder (GP) on the performance, egg quality and hatchability, and blood biochemistry of quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica). A total of 200 quails (323.90 ± 1.991 g body weight) were…
This study assessed ultrasound scanning as a proxy for observed reproduction records, quantified the effects of lambing year and ewe age, and estimated repeatability of traits to predict current-flock gains. Data for number of lambs recorded per ewe scanned, lambs…
Temperature increases due to climate change induce heat stress in livestock, resulting in economic losses for farmers. This study investigated the physiological responses of Hanwoo cattle to heat stress, and the effects of heat stress on the vaginal microbiome. Four…
The Eşme district was chosen for this study based on food safety concerns in the area. Campylobacter spp. are the most prevalent bacteria responsible for food-borne bacterial diseases globally and are present in significant amounts in fowl gut flora. There…
Neonatal mortality in small ruminant production is a significant economic challenge for farmers, requiring techniques to improve survival rates among newborn lambs. This study focused on mitigating neonatal lamb mortality and enhancing growth rates under semi-intensive farming conditions in the…
This study evaluated the effects of habituation and electro-ejaculation techniques on semen quality in merino-type rams in South Africa, aiming to refine the electro-ejaculation method to improve semen quality. Parameters assessed included semen volume, sperm motility, sperm viability, sperm concentration,…
This study aimed to compare the efficacy of a native probiotic (indigenously produced Saccharomyces cerevisiae) with that of commercial S. cerevisiae in terms of the effects on blood metabolites, gut histology, the expression of genes related to the ruminal epithelium,…
This study explored the genome sequence, genetic diversity, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the STAT5B and BMPR-1B genes, and their association across Red Jungle Fowl (RJF), Fayoumi (Fay), and Hilly chickens, as well as in Hilly Reddish Brown (RB)…
The response of growing pigs to a range of dietary protein contents was both simulated and measured over a 12-w period from 74 d of age. Six dietary protein concentrations of 0.7 to 1.2-times the TOPIGS recommended levels were used…
The deep body temperature (Tb) of broiler breeder hens was measured in a pilot trial conducted as part of an experiment in which the response of the birds to dietary protein was evaluated at different cyclical air temperatures (Ta). Temperature…
A trial was conducted to investigate the response of broilers to changing levels of calcium and non-phytate phosphorus. A total of 1344 chicks were allocated to 96 cages in a controlled-environment house. Limestone and phosphoric acid were added to a…
This study tested the importance of non-genetic effects on average lactation performance in yields of milk, fat, protein, and lactose; urea concentration; persistency; somatic cell count; net returns; as well as estimated phenotypic relationships between dam kidding age and these…
