School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences - Research Publications
Permanent URI for this collection
Search Results
1 - 3 of 3
-
ItemEffects of body weight and age at first kidding on milk yield and composition in primiparous dairy goats.(International Goat Association, 2022)This study aimed to characterize the effects of BW at kidding (KBW) and age at first kidding (AFK) on the likelihood of achieving 270d in milk (LK270), total milk yield at 270d (TMY), and milk components in primiparous dairy goats. Lactation data was collected from 2882 Saanen goats, from three different farms, from Mar/17 to Oct/19. Our results show that TMY increased with increasing KBW and AFK. The LK270 increased with increasing KBW but was not affected by AFK. Increasing AFK increased fat and decreased protein in early lactation, with no significant effects in mid and late-lactation. Our findings attest for the importance of monitoring BW and bringing goats as close as possible to their optimum BW before kidding, as KBW is likely to have a significant impact on lactation length, milk yield and milk composition in first-lactation goats.
-
ItemInsects: A Sustainable Feed Protein Source for Animal Nutrition(Proceedings MDPI, 2021)Animal products are a valuable source of nutrients and fibre for humans. Modern consumers are increasingly concerned with the environmental impact of animal production. Thus, a key agenda for agricultural production systems is to improve and develop more sustainable practices whereby food and feed can be produced in an environmentally efficient manner. One such process is the bioconversion of organic waste into insects in a no waste system, leading to the development of what is termed a ‘circular economy’. Insects are highly efficient and can rapidly convert substrates (such as feed/food waste and manure) into high value products high in protein and fat. Numerous production animal species, such as monogastric species and fish, naturally consume insects. Insect production is also estimated to be lower in Green House Gas emissions and have low land and water requirements compared to traditional animal and animal feed production systems. Insect species currently investigated for mass production include black soldier fly larvae (BSFL), mealworms, and crickets. Research into insect production on a mass scale for use as a food or feed source is receiving increased global attention, with multiple companies both in Australia and overseas working to scale up insect production to meet consumer needs. This presentation will introduce the current knowledge of insect rearing for food and feed production.
-
ItemImpacts Of Heat Stress On Retail Meat Quality Of 2ND Cross And Dorper Lambs(ICoMST 2019, 2019)