The consumers of nowadays market can find various products of pork, but in accordance with a higher step of living standards and a lower one of the physical work concerning to human habitual changes, the EU and world market go to the demand for muscle pork. Due to the new price regulation of May 2002, every specialized enterprise has to run the accountance for meat accordingly to new valuation of prices, where the main criteria are as follows: carcass mass, muscularity (quantity of red meat) and thickness of bacon. The muscle-meat with thin slices of bacon is becoming even the higher rating. Therefore the meat corporations have to breed the more muscled fattened-pigs. The mass-production of pork have to run this obligation through a large complex of measures: best of fattening food, optimal micro-climat condition in piggery, consequent use of breeding methods as well as a systematic promoted selection. The aim of work is both to compare some carcass of quality measures of fattened-pigs in agricultural companies and corporate complexes (in connection with carcass weight/kg, bacon thickness/mm, muscularity/% (FOM), muscularity class) and to compare the average measures of carcass of fattened pigs in Lithuania with the average measures of carcass of fattened-pigs in Poland. Research results. The research was completed in 7 agricultural companies “A”, “B”, “C”, “D”, “E”, “F”, “G”, as well as in the corporate complexes: “H”, “I”, “J”, “K”, “L”, “M”, “N”. There were gathered... [to full text]

Forage halophytes such as saltbush (Atriplex spp) are being widely used to revegetate Australian saline land and can also provide a medium quality fodder source. There is widespread anecdotal evidence that sheep grazing on saltbush are leaner, tastier and juicer. This thesis investigated the potential to produce a high quality carcass with improved eating quality from grazing sheep on saltbush on saline land. The first experimental chapter in this thesis details an animal house experiment investigating the carcass, eating and wool quality and physiological responses of sheep ingesting a 60:40 dried saltbush (Atriplex nummularia):barley grain (S+B), ration verses a 33:25:42 lupin grain:barley grain:oaten hay ration (Control, C) for 10 weeks prior to commercial slaughter (Chapter 4). Subsequently, two field experiments were conducted to examine the effects of grazing saltbush on saline land compared to dry senesced pasture on carcass and eating quality of lambs (Goomalling 2003) and hoggets (Wickepin 2004) (both chapter 6) for 14 weeks. Both chapters demonstrated that the ingestion of saltbush resulted in significantly less fat and in the 2 field experiments the ingestion of saltbush resulted in more lean on the carcass compared to sheep grazing a stubble/pasture (control) ration. These are positive findings for processors as costs of fat denudation are high so the lower the fat content and for farmers because less fat is deposited on the carcass per unit of liveweight gain. The decreased deposition of fat was attributed to the higher protein:energy ratio available for production, secondary compounds in saltbush and lower circulating insulin and higher growth hormone of the S+B fed sheep compared to the control fed sheep. Further work is needed to determine if these beneficial improvements in carcass composition can be achieved without compromising animal production. The long term grazing of saltbush did not result in commercially desirable hot carcass weights unless the sheep were supplemented with a high energy source such as barley. The low growth rates are attributed to a decreased availability of energy substrates, low feed intake and increased energy output of sheep fed high salt diets. The low energy intake of the S+B fed sheep also resulted in an a significantly lower percentage of unsaturated fat and unchanged levels of saturated fat in the fat depots compared to the C treatment. Consumer taste tests conducted on meat from experiments in both chapter 4 and 6 indicated no difference between the treatments for any of the eating quality traits assessed. This can be considered a positive result as sheep can be finished on saltbush without any detriment to eating quality. High vitamin E levels in the meat may have also prevented the development of rancid flavours and aroma. It can be speculated that saltbush does not impart beneficial flavour and aroma volatiles as previously thought; instead the high vitamin E levels inhibit off-flavour and aroma development compared to meat from sheep grazed on dry pasture. The long term ingestion of saltbush also resulted in significantly lower urine specific gravity (USG), muscle dry matter and higher urine weights suggesting that the saltbush fed sheep had a better hydration status compared to control fed sheep. However, this finding did not correspond with higher hot carcass weight or dressing percentages. The increases in muscle fluid content of the saltbush fed sheep were attributed to changes in body composition. The saltbush fed sheep had a higher lean and lower fat content which corresponded with a greater body fluid content as found in the animal house study. Under conditions where the body composition of sheep remains the same, the use of short term strategic feeding of components of saltbush was investigated (mimicked in the form of salt and betaine) to reduce dehydration and subsequent reductions in carcass weight and dressing percentages (Chapter 7). Salt and or betaine were fed for 1 week either prior to a 48 h period of water deprivation or prior to 48 h commercial slaughter process where water was available in lairage from 24-48 h. Under both scenarios the diets did not result in improved dressing percentages, hot carcass weights, muscle dry matter or muscle weights. The ingestion of high salt diet prior to slaughter, did increase fluid retention in the extracellular spaces prior to slaughter however by 48 h both groups were at a similar physiological and therefore similar hydration status. Therefore similar levels of fluid were present in the muscles and no difference in carcass weight or dressing percentage could be expected. An important observation from the second experiment was that the high salt group drunk more water than the low salt fed sheep but the low salt group consumed fluid in lairage also. The low salt fed sheep may have been encouraged to drink water after observing the frequent drinking patterns of the high salt group. This thesis has also shown that saltbush contains high levels of vitamin E (á-tocopherol) (193 mg/kg dry matter). As a result the concentration of á-tocopherol in plasma, liver and muscle of the saltbush fed sheep was elevated compared to those grazing dry pasture. The high muscle concentrations of vitamin E in the saltbush-grazed sheep resulted in improved meat colour stability. The high vitamin E levels did not influence the drip and cooking loss of the meat despite a decrease in the muscle dry matter of the meat. The browning of meat and increased drip loss results in large losses to the meat industry due to value deterioration at the supermarket. There is also great potential for the high vitamin E content in saltbush to be used for the prevention of nutritional myopathy instead of using expensive and labour intensive synthetic supplements. In conclusion, this thesis has provided an insight into the carcass and eating quality of sheep grazed on saltbush based saline pasture systems. The most significant findings were that

Submitted by CRISTIANE SANFELICE (crisanfelice@yahoo.com.br) on 2016-01-20T02:22:01Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese_Final_Sanfelice.pdf: 15997422 bytes, checksum: a1a90097c136912b96df2f1a5764a5f0 (MD5) / Rejected by Sandra Manzano de Almeida (smanzano@marilia.unesp.br), reason: Prezada Cristiane, Solicitamos que realize uma nova submissão seguindo as orientações abaixo: •No campo “Versão a ser disponibilizada online imediatamente” foi informado que seria disponibilizado o texto completo porém no campo “Data para a disponibilização do texto completo” foi informado que o texto completo deverá ser disponibilizado apenas 6 meses após a defesa. Caso opte pela disponibilização do texto completo apenas 6 meses após a defesa selecione no campo “Versão a ser disponibilizada online imediatamente” a opção “Texto parcial”. Esta opção é utilizada caso você tenha planos de publicar seu trabalho em periódicos científicos ou em formato de livro, por exemplo e fará com que apenas as páginas pré-textuais, introdução, considerações e referências sejam disponibilizadas. Se optar por disponibilizar o texto completo de seu trabalho imediatamente selecione no campo “Data para a disponibilização do texto completo” a opção “Não se aplica (texto completo)”. Isso fará com que seu trabalho seja disponibilizado na íntegra no Repositório Institucional UNESP. Por favor, corrija esta informação realizando uma nova submissão. Agradecemos a compreensão. on 2016-01-20T18:40:48Z (GMT) / Submitted by CRISTIANE SANFELICE (crisanfelice@yahoo.com.br) on 2016-01-23T16:48:30Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese_Final_Sanfelice.pdf: 15997422 bytes, checksum: a1a90097c136912b96df2f1a5764a5f0 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Juliano Benedito Ferreira (julianoferreira@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2016-01-25T12:41:12Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 sanfelice_c_dr_botu.pdf: 15997422 bytes, checksum: a1a90097c136912b96df2f1a5764a5f0 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-01-25T12:41:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 sanfelice_c_dr_botu.pdf: 15997422 bytes, checksum: a1a90097c136912b96df2f1a5764a5f0 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-12-18 / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Com objetivo de avaliar a influência dos minerais orgânicos (selênio e zinco) e vitamina E sobre a incidência e identificação microbiológica de pododermatite, lesões de carcaça, resistência da pele, desempenho, rendimento de carcaça e partes, qualidade da carne e sistema imune em frangos de corte, dois experimentos foram conduzidos no aviário experimental da FMVZ, UNESP, Câmpus de Botucatu. Para isto, utilizou-se 1260 pintos de um dia de idade, machos, da linhagem Cobb® 500 para cada experimento, alojados com densidade populacional de 12 aves/m², por 42 dias. O programa alimentar foi dividido em quatro fases e o delineamento experimental adotado foi o inteiramente casualisado em esquema fatorial 3x2+1, no experimento 1, três níveis de zinco orgânico (0, 45, 90 mg/kg de ração) dois níveis de selênio orgânico (0 e 0,3 mg/kg de ração) e uma dieta controle, no experimento 2 três níveis de vitamina E (100, 150 e 200UI/kg de ração) e duas fontes microminerais inorgânico (0,3 mg/kg Se + 60 mg/kg de Zn) ou orgânico (0,3 mg/kg de Se e 45 mg/kg de Zn) e uma dieta controle, com 6 repetições de 30 aves cada. Aos 10 dias de idade todas as aves foram vacinadas contra a Doença de Newcastle (experimento 2), os parâmetros imunológicos foram avaliados por meio de colheitas de sangue aos 10, 21 e 42 dias. Aos 41 dias de idade todas as aves foram avaliadas no aviário quanto a incidência de pododermatite. Foi avaliado o desempenho e aos 42 dias de idade as aves foram abatidas no abatedouro experimental da FMVZ, UNESP para avaliação da incidência de lesões de carcaça, resistência da pele, rendimento de carcaça e partes, qualidade de carne, quantificação microbiológica, histologia do coxim plantar e pele. Aves que receberam zinco e selênio orgânico apresentaram maior quantidade de colágeno e a epiderme mais espessa (P≤0,05). Para lesões de carcaça houve diferença (P≤0,05) com relação à percentagem de hematomas e contusões de asa. Houve redução da área cortical da Bursa para aves que receberam maior quantidade de vitamina E e fonte orgânica. Os resultados obtidos pelo uso de selênio e zinco orgânicos em menor quantidade que a fonte inorgânica não afetaram o desempenho, o rendimento de carcaça e partes e ainda, melhoram a estrutura histológica da região da pododermatite. Aves que receberam dieta com zinco e selênio orgânico apresentaram menor incidência de pododermatite, aumento da quantidade de colágeno e espessura da epiderme e estão melhor preparadas para reagir frente à um desafio imunológico. / FAPESP: 2011/220929

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:27:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-02-25Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:56:19Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 castelini_fr_me_jabo.pdf: 417828 bytes, checksum: 02ee0aa92f534d161ded8609d5db9ad9 (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Foram conduzidos dois ensaios para avaliar a utilização da casca de soja em programas de restrição alimentar qualitativa para suínos com elevado peso de abate. No primeiro ensaio foram utilizados 16 suínos machos castrados da linhagem Topigs, com peso inicial de 80,05 ± 0,16 kg, para a avaliação biológica da casca de soja. Por apresentar 2752 kcal de ED/kg, 65,42% de fibra em detergente neutro e 49,49% de fibra em detergente ácido, a casca mostrou-se como um ingrediente viável de ser utilizado em programas de restrição alimentar qualitativa. No segundo ensaio foram utilizados 36 suínos machos castrados com peso inicial de 80,40 ± 5,82 kg, recebendo rações com níveis de 0, 8, 16 e 24% de casca de soja. Os animais foram abatidos com peso próximo de 130 kg, sendo avaliados quanto a digestibilidade das dietas, desempenho, parâmetros séricos, produção e características das fezes, características de carcaça, qualidade da carne, perfil de ácidos graxos, pesos de órgãos do trato digestório e avaliação econômica do uso das dietas. A inclusão de níveis entre 11,50 a 14,00% de casca de soja nas rações influenciam as características e qualidade da carcaça. Além disso, a diluição energética da dieta pode se constituir em importante ferramenta para diminuir o potencial de impacto ambiental da suinocultura, além de ser viável com a inclusão de 14,79% de casca de soja, pois neste nível o custo com a alimentação foi menor, além das receitas brutas e líquidas não terem sido afetadas / Two assay were conducted to evaluate the use of soybean hulls in qualitative feed restriction for pigs with high body weight. In the first assay, 16 barrows of Topigs lineage with 80.05 ± 0.16 kg of body weight were used to determine the biological value of soybean hulls. For present 2.752 kcal DE/kg, 65.42% neutral detergent fiber and 49.49% acid detergent fiber, and was considered as a viable ingredient to be used in qualitative feed restriction programs. In the second assay, 36 barrows initially weighing 80,40 ± 5,82 kg were allotted into four diets with different levels of 0, 8, 16 and 24% of soybean hulls. Animals were fed until they reached 130 kg. At this moment, pigs were abated and the effects on digestibility of diets, on performance, serum parameters, production and fecal characteristics, carcass traits, meat quality, fatty acid profile, weight of gastrointestinal tract organs and economical analysis were evaluated. The inclusion of levels between 11.50 to 14.00% of soybean hulls in diets affects the characteristics and carcass quality. Moreover, the energy dilution of the diet may be an important tool to reduce the potential environmental impact of swine production, besides being feasible with the inclusion of 14.79% of soybean hulls, because at this level the cost of feeding was smaller than the gross and net revenues were not affected

Made available in DSpace on 2014-07-29T15:13:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese dyomar.pdf: 1580308 bytes, checksum: a2e53efbdeebd5cd91d7ead9309e7368 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-01-13 / The objective of this study to estimate genetic parameters of traits indicative of male reproductive performance of Nellore to identify the best selection criteria for sperm quality, and check existence of genetic associations among carcass traits, obtained in vivo by ultrasound, and features andrologic. We obtained a measure of scrotal circumference (SC), we calculated the mean testicular volume (VTM), the average testicular weight (PTM), the testicular form (FORM) and has been evaluating the morphology of 1265 Nellore with a mean age of 21 months , animals were classified as suitable or immature (reproductive fitness - AR). There has been assessing housing in vivo by ultrasound, resulting in measures eye area (REA), backfat thickness (EG) and subcutaneous fat thickness in the rump (P8). To estimation of genetic parameters used the Bayesian inference using the software THRGIBBS1F90. The results suggest that selection for PE would not be effective in obtaining genetic gain for semen quality, and in view of its positive association, but of low magnitude, with the seminal qualitative-quantitative aspects. Among all traits, the VTM, PTM and FORM would be more suitable for use as selection criteria when the goal is to achieve genetic progress for semen quality of Nelore bulls because they have a moderate heritability and correlation favorably with the percentage of sperm defects. It is further argued that there are favorable correlated response between reproductive traits and substrate studied, allowing simultaneous genetic progress / Objetivou-se com este estudo estimar parâmetros genéticos de características indicadoras do desempenho reprodutivo de machos da raça Nelore visando identificar o melhor critério de seleção para qualidade seminal, além de verificar a existência de associações genéticas entre características de carcaça, obtidas in vivo por ultrassonografia, e características andrológicas. Obteve-se a medida do perímetro escrotal (PE), calculou-se o volume testicular médio (VTM), o peso testicular médio (PTM), o formato testicular (FORM) e realizou-se a avaliação da morfologia espermática de 1.265 touros Nelore com idade média de 21 meses, sendo os animais classificados em aptos ou imaturos (aptidão reprodutiva - AR). Procedeu-se a avaliação da carcaça in vivo por meio de ultrassonografia, obtendo-se as medidas de área de olho de lombo (AOL), espessura de gordura subcutânea (EG) e espessura de gordura subcutânea na garupa (P8). Para estimação dos parâmetros genéticos utilizou-se a inferência bayesiana por meio do software THRGIBBS1F90. Os resultados sugerem que a seleção para PE não seria eficiente na obtenção de progresso genético para qualidade seminal, tendo em vista sua associação favorável, porém de baixa magnitude, com os aspectos qualiquantitativos seminais. Dentre todas as características avaliadas, o VTM, o PTM e a FORM seriam mais adequados para uso como critério de seleção quando o objetivo é obter progresso genético para qualidade seminal de touros da raça Nelore por apresentarem herdabilidade de moderada magnitude e correlação favorável com a porcentagem de defeitos espermáticos. Acrescenta-se ainda que há resposta correlacionada favorável entre as características reprodutivas e de carcaça estudadas, possibilitando progresso genético simultâneo

En esta tesis se aborda el estudio de la grasa intramuscular como característica determinante de la calidad de la carne para ser utilizado en programas genéticos. El conejo se plantea no sólo por su interés como especie ganadera sino como modelo en otras especies. Este estudio se divide en tres experimentos, cada uno de ellos representa cada uno de los tres objetivos específicos de esta tesis: 1. Estudiar la variabilidad genética entre líneas de conejo de factores ligados directamente a la deposición de grasa tanto en músculo como en tejido adiposo, como son las enzimas que participan en la síntesis y degradación de la grasa y en la composición en ácidos grasos. 2. Puesta a punto de una calibración NIRS para estimar grasa intramuscular y la evaluación de su uso en programas de selección en conejo. 3. Selección divergente por grasa intramuscular. Estudio de las posibilidades de éxito de la selección por grasa intramuscular y conocer las relaciones genéticas entre caracteres examinando la respuesta correlacionada. Supone el inicio de una nueva línea de investigación en metabolismo lipídico, que puede servir tanto a la producción de conejo como animal de carne como al uso del conejo como modelo experimental. Es la primera vez que se propone un experimento de selección divergente por grasa intramuscular. Este experimento permitirá conocer mejor las relaciones genéticas entre la grasa intramuscular, la grasa de la canal, así como las relaciones con otros caracteres productivos. El conocimiento de estas relaciones genéticas va a ser fundamental para futuros programas de mejora genética en todas las especies ganaderas. / Zomeño, C. (2013). ANÁLISIS GENÉTICO DE LA GRASA INTRAMUSCULAR EN CONEJO-GENETIC ANALISYS OF INTRAMUSCULAR FAT IN RABBITS [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/31121

Orientador: Luis Roberto Almeida Gabriel Filho / Coorientador: Fernando Ferrari Putti / Coorientador: Marcelo George Mundai Chacur / Resumo: Diante da competitividade do mercado de carnes, a busca por maior produtividade, por meio de novas tecnologias e a melhor classificação das carcaças de bovinos podem ser um diferencial que aumenta a rentabilidade para produtores e frigoríficos, além de entregar carnes de qualidade superior para o consumidor. Com esse fundamento o presente trabalho buscou analisar quais os efeitos nos parâmetros produtivos dos bovinos com a ingestão da água tratada magneticamente. Assim neste trabalho realizou primeiro uma Revisão Bibliográfica Sistemática (RBS) sobre o uso água tratada magneticamente (ATM) em animais, que permitiu uma contextualização teórica sobre a metodologia e os principais resultados obtidos em pesquisas de relevância da área em estudo. Posteriormente verificou-se os efeitos do uso da água tratada magneticamente, na bioquímica sanguínea de bovinos de corte, peso final e qualidade do acabamento da carcaça. Os resultados iniciais mostraram que a água tratada magneticamente não apresentou inferência nos índices bioquímicos de K, iCa, Cl e Colesterol, assim como não alterou o peso final ou o acabamento de gordura de machos não castrados. Por fim desenvolveu-se um sistema de apoio à tomada de decisão, com base em modelagem com lógica fuzzy, para avaliação da carcaça de bovinos de corte. Esse sistema permitiu uma modelagem objetiva, que pode levar aos frigoríficos uma melhoria nos critérios de avaliação, permitindo que as carcaças tenham pontuações mais especificas com melhor qualidade atribuída. / Abstract: In face of the competitiveness of the meat market, the search for greater productivity through new technologies and the better classification of bovine carcasses can be a differential that increases profitability for producers and slaughterhouses, as well as delivering superior meat to the consumer . With this foundation the present work sought to analyze the effects on the productive parameters of cattle with the intake of magnetically treated water. Thus, in this work, the authors first carried out a Systematic Bibliographic Review (RBS) on the use of magnetically treated water (ATM) in animals, which allowed a theoretical contextualization about the methodology and the main results obtained in researches of relevance of the study area. Subsequently, the effects of the use of magnetically treated water in the blood biochemistry of beef cattle, final weight and finishing quality of the carcass were verified. The initial results showed that the magnetically treated water had no inference on the biochemical indexes of K, iCa, Cl and Cholesterol, nor did it alter the final weight or fat finishing of uncastrated males. Finally, a decision support system was developed, based on fuzzy logic modeling, to evaluate the carcass of beef cattle. This system allowed an objective modeling, which can lead the refrigerators an improvement in the evaluation criteria, allowing the carcasses to have more specific scores with better quality attributed. / Mestre

Studies were conducted to determine basic aspects of intake and digestion of native pastures by young sheep in the Falkland Islands, and to evaluate practical methods to improve the productivity of these animals. The studies were conducted in support of Industry and Government initiatives to reinvigorate Falklands’ agriculture. The current industry is based on broad diameter wools harvested from sheep grazing poor quality native pastures, and sheep suffer low growth rates, poor productivity and high mortality, and farmers rely on small flocks to produce a single commodity for their total income. The dramatic collapse of wool markets in the 1980’s crippled the Falklands’ wool industry and farmers have relied heavily on subsidies for more than 12 years. The studies in this thesis were initiated to support the efforts to reinvigorate Falklands’ agriculture, and they examined basic aspects of the nutrition provided to sheep by native pastures and evaluated practical methods to improve the survival of sheep, their subsequent rate of growth and productive value to the economy. Five studies examined specific hypotheses posed at the outset of the research programme and they were broadly supported by the data presented in the thesis: · A wether trial was used to benchmark the productivity of wool sheep in the Islands, and the trial demonstrated that substantial genetic variation exists within the national flock that may be exploited in the future to improve the productivity of the wool industry, · Microhistological techniques were used in conjunction with n-alkane marker technology to investigate the diets consumed by sheep grazing native pastures. The diet studies concluded that the low quality of native pasture in the Falklands during autumn, winter and spring restricts growth and productivity of young sheep, · Studies with weaner sheep treated with controlled release anthelmintics established that infection with gastrointestinal nematodes exacerbates poor nutrition of young sheep consuming native pastures, · A short-term metabolism study demonstrated that native pasture hay fortified with molasses and urea, or winter forage crops may be used as supplements to enhance sheep productivity, and · Forage crops were grown and evaluated under Falklands’ conditions, and when lambs were fed the resulting highly productive and nutritious forages, the study demonstrated that lamb growth can be increased significantly, and lamb carcasses offer local farmers the potential to diversify farm income by using existing Falklands’-bred lambs to develop an export meat industry The data presented in this thesis demonstrate that the potential to improve the productive and financial position of Falklands’ farmers is substantial. If both the local Industry and Government maintain their joint commitment to industry-restructure, pastoral development and enterprise diversification, the Falklands’ agricultural economy stands to benefit considerably by adopting low risk solutions to address widespread problems.

Studies were conducted to determine basic aspects of intake and digestion of native pastures by young sheep in the Falkland Islands, and to evaluate practical methods to improve the productivity of these animals. The studies were conducted in support of Industry and Government initiatives to reinvigorate Falklands’ agriculture. The current industry is based on broad diameter wools harvested from sheep grazing poor quality native pastures, and sheep suffer low growth rates, poor productivity and high mortality, and farmers rely on small flocks to produce a single commodity for their total income. The dramatic collapse of wool markets in the 1980’s crippled the Falklands’ wool industry and farmers have relied heavily on subsidies for more than 12 years. The studies in this thesis were initiated to support the efforts to reinvigorate Falklands’ agriculture, and they examined basic aspects of the nutrition provided to sheep by native pastures and evaluated practical methods to improve the survival of sheep, their subsequent rate of growth and productive value to the economy. Five studies examined specific hypotheses posed at the outset of the research programme and they were broadly supported by the data presented in the thesis: · A wether trial was used to benchmark the productivity of wool sheep in the Islands, and the trial demonstrated that substantial genetic variation exists within the national flock that may be exploited in the future to improve the productivity of the wool industry, · Microhistological techniques were used in conjunction with n-alkane marker technology to investigate the diets consumed by sheep grazing native pastures. The diet studies concluded that the low quality of native pasture in the Falklands during autumn, winter and spring restricts growth and productivity of young sheep, · Studies with weaner sheep treated with controlled release anthelmintics established that infection with gastrointestinal nematodes exacerbates poor nutrition of young sheep consuming native pastures, · A short-term metabolism study demonstrated that native pasture hay fortified with molasses and urea, or winter forage crops may be used as supplements to enhance sheep productivity, and · Forage crops were grown and evaluated under Falklands’ conditions, and when lambs were fed the resulting highly productive and nutritious forages, the study demonstrated that lamb growth can be increased significantly, and lamb carcasses offer local farmers the potential to diversify farm income by using existing Falklands’-bred lambs to develop an export meat industry The data presented in this thesis demonstrate that the potential to improve the productive and financial position of Falklands’ farmers is substantial. If both the local Industry and Government maintain their joint commitment to industry-restructure, pastoral development and enterprise diversification, the Falklands’ agricultural economy stands to benefit considerably by adopting low risk solutions to address widespread problems.

Studies were conducted to determine basic aspects of intake and digestion of native pastures by young sheep in the Falkland Islands, and to evaluate practical methods to improve the productivity of these animals. The studies were conducted in support of Industry and Government initiatives to reinvigorate Falklands’ agriculture. The current industry is based on broad diameter wools harvested from sheep grazing poor quality native pastures, and sheep suffer low growth rates, poor productivity and high mortality, and farmers rely on small flocks to produce a single commodity for their total income. The dramatic collapse of wool markets in the 1980’s crippled the Falklands’ wool industry and farmers have relied heavily on subsidies for more than 12 years. The studies in this thesis were initiated to support the efforts to reinvigorate Falklands’ agriculture, and they examined basic aspects of the nutrition provided to sheep by native pastures and evaluated practical methods to improve the survival of sheep, their subsequent rate of growth and productive value to the economy. Five studies examined specific hypotheses posed at the outset of the research programme and they were broadly supported by the data presented in the thesis: · A wether trial was used to benchmark the productivity of wool sheep in the Islands, and the trial demonstrated that substantial genetic variation exists within the national flock that may be exploited in the future to improve the productivity of the wool industry, · Microhistological techniques were used in conjunction with n-alkane marker technology to investigate the diets consumed by sheep grazing native pastures. The diet studies concluded that the low quality of native pasture in the Falklands during autumn, winter and spring restricts growth and productivity of young sheep, · Studies with weaner sheep treated with controlled release anthelmintics established that infection with gastrointestinal nematodes exacerbates poor nutrition of young sheep consuming native pastures, · A short-term metabolism study demonstrated that native pasture hay fortified with molasses and urea, or winter forage crops may be used as supplements to enhance sheep productivity, and · Forage crops were grown and evaluated under Falklands’ conditions, and when lambs were fed the resulting highly productive and nutritious forages, the study demonstrated that lamb growth can be increased significantly, and lamb carcasses offer local farmers the potential to diversify farm income by using existing Falklands’-bred lambs to develop an export meat industry The data presented in this thesis demonstrate that the potential to improve the productive and financial position of Falklands’ farmers is substantial. If both the local Industry and Government maintain their joint commitment to industry-restructure, pastoral development and enterprise diversification, the Falklands’ agricultural economy stands to benefit considerably by adopting low risk solutions to address widespread problems.