ABSTRACT.- Animal performance, carcass and meat quality characteristics of beef cull cows under different feeding strategies were compared. Cows were assigned to one of four grazing treatments combining different levels of forage allowance (FA) and supplementation rate (%of body weight, BW) using rice bran (RB):T1= FA2 % + RB0,T2 = FA4 % + RB0, T3= FA2 %+ RB 0.8 % and T4 = FA2 % + RB 1.6 %. Cows from T1 presented lower (P 0.05). Nonetheless, differences between treatments were found in n6 and n3 fatty acid contents (P 0.05).
ABSTRACT. - An international project ('Grass To Gas', 2019-2024) to combine expertise and generate new knowledge for the reduction of the potent methane (CH4) greenhouse gas (GHG) from sheep is underway.
ABSTRACT.- Potential trade-off among weaning (WWT) and yearling weights (YWT), greasy fleece weight (GWT) genetic resistance to gastrointestinal nematodes assessed by faecal worm egg account (FEC), residual feed intake (RFI) and methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions were investigated in 217 Corriedale female lambs. Improving RFI was strongly associated with lower dry matter intake (DMI) and independent of metabolic body weight (MWT) and average daily gain (ADG).
ABSTRACT.- Residual feed intake (RFI) and methane (CH4) emissions are potential new selection objectives in beef and sheep breeding programmes to assist reaching greenhouse gas mitigation targets and to support economic, social, and environmental sustainability. Phenotyping platforms in both species are in place in Uruguay, linked with the genetically evaluated populations of main breeds (Hereford, Merino, Corriedale, Dohne and Texel), being the basis of the reference populations for genomic selection. Current progress and main findings are described here.
ABSTRACT.- Residual feed intake (RFI) and methane (CH4) emissions are potential new selection objectives in beef and sheep breeding programmes to assist reaching greenhouse gas mitigation targets and to support economic, social, and environmental sustainability. Phenotyping platforms in both species are in place in Uruguay, linked with the genetically evaluated populations of main breeds (Hereford, Merino, Corriedale, Dohne and Texel), being the basis of the reference populations for genomic selection. Current progress and main findings are described here.
ABSTRACT.- The purpose of the present study was to estimate genetic parameters of growing globally important traits such as feed intake, residual feed intake, methane, carbon dioxide, oxygen consumption and greasy fleece weight in Uruguay. Data of three Australian Merino generations which integrate the Uruguayan National Genetic Evaluation for sheep were recorded (from 2019 to 2021). Heritabilities and genetic and phenotypic correlations were estimated for 930 animals sired by 19 rams.