A set of pre-formulated hypotheses about the potentials of inland valleys to agricultural production in general, and livestock (dairy) - based enterprises in particular, were tested with data collected from five regions comprising 71 villages/towns and 630 households in three countries (Nigeria, Mali and Côte d'Ivoire). The study was undertaken to test hypothesis concerning the potentials of the inland valleys systems to agricultural production, and those pertaining to the intensification of livestock production in the valleys systems and their relationships with demand for livestock (dairy) products. Results from the analysis showed that many of the previously held views about inland valley and their potential were supported by the data from the three countries. Most of the hypotheses relating directly with inland valley potentials were accepted in the majority of locations. However, there were few hypotheses which were not supported by data from all countries and study sites. The overall assessment from the surveys is that the potentials of the inland valleys towards dairy production are currently good in all the countries and could be better if the resources available in the inland valley environments (for example crop residues) are better managed and utilized. Intensive use of inland valleys was related more to population density than access to market. Similarly consumption levels of domestic dairy products were influenced by population concentration. Instead access to market influenced positively farmers' practices towards specialization and intensification of dairy production. Increase demand for milk and dairy products is met by intensification and not by increase in herd size. Efforts to ensure continued milking through feeding was not related to herd size. As revenues (sales and home consumption) increased, more lands were left to fallow. These results confirm the assertion that the presence of inland valley systems for cropping and livestock rearing promotes diversification of agriculture, and presumably reduces farmers' production risks.

This study aimed at better understanding of the characteristics of feeding and breeding practices smallholder farmers adopt in intensifying their dairy production. Use of hired labour for fodder gathering, growing of fodder crops and purchase of feeds increased with increasing intensification, but Bos taurus breeds did not respond to increasing feeding intensification while Bos indicus cattle responded, calving at earlier age and yielding more milk. Overall, first calving occurred at 32 months, but days open prolonged to 250 days with milk yield of 4 litres per day of calving interval. A principal component analysis extracted six feeding and breeding components, explaining 71.79% of the total variations in feeding and breeding practices for dairy intensification. The six components were labelled: non-intensified feeding and breeding; breeding decisions based-intensification; high external resource based-intensification; moderate resource based-intensification; resource poor based-intensification; and moderate external resource based-intensification. These characteristics points to some 'evolutionary process' of intensification involving feeding and breeding decisions, depending on the risk-bearing capacity of the household. Intensification enhancing interventions for smallholders need be considered in the context of the household economy. Interventions on feeding and breeding have to be packaged together holistically if intensification is to enhance productivity. A selective intervention on only one of these is associated with low productivity levels, only contributing to sustaining family subsistence livelihoods.

Herbage of Cratylia argentea, Desmodium velutinum, Fleminigia macrophylla, Leucaena diversifolia, Canavalia brasiliensis, Centrosema brasilianum, Clitoria ternatea, Lablab purpureus, Stylosanthes guianensis and Vigna unguiculata from the CIAT (International Center for Tropical Agriculture) gene bank were assessed for their nutritional value and in-vitro digestibility for pigs in order to predict their potential as alternative protein supplement in a tropical smallholder context. Crude protein (CP) contents ranged from 137 to 257 g kg-1 dry matter (DM) (mean 191 g kg-1 DM), although a considerable proportion of it, 27 % on average, was bound to neutral detergent fiber (NDF). Interesting levels of lysine were found in Cratylia argentea (14 g kg-1 DM) and Leucaena diversifolia (13 g kg-1 DM), whereby the latter was also high in tannic acid concentration (49 g kg-1 DM) thus limiting the amino acid digestibility. Vigna unguiculatapresented highest in-vitro enzymatic degradability (521 g kg-1 DM), which even increased in a 40:60 mixture with maize. Lowest degradation was obtained with Flemingia macrophylla (248 g kg-1 DM), while the median of the forages approached 390 g kg-1 DM. It is concluded, that Vigna unguiculata herbage meal has the highest potential to be successfully included in pig diets, while Cratylia argentea meal should equally be assessed in vivo.

The feed resources base, the feeding systems and feed values of three indigenous trees Girawa, Anfare and Kelewa (Local (Amharic), Ethiopian names ) were studied for sheep in sub humid, mid altitude area of south western Ethiopia. The study involved a survey of the feed resources base and assessment of the feeding systems, chemical analysis and in vitro dry matter digestibility. In addition, Girawa was selected to study its effect on growth performances using 32 lambs. The levels of Girawa used for the growth performance study in groups I, II, III and IV, respectively were 100 g/d, 200 g/d, 300 g/d and 400 g/d. The main feed resources for sheep in Jimma area were found to be natural pasture, crop residues, crop aftermaths and indigenous multipurpose trees. Grazing on natural pasture constituted the main feeding system. The indigenous trees were cut and fed occasionally. The levels of CP ranged from 186.2 to 244.4 g/kg DM with minimum level in Anfare. Higher values were recorded for Girawa. Organic matter content was higher for Anfare (924.3 g/kg DM) and lower for Girawa (877.9 g/kg DM). In vitro dry matter digestibility values were 0.448, 0.422 and 0.458 for Girawa, Anfare and Kelewa, respectively. Supplementation of Girawa had an effect (p<0.01) on live weight gains of lambs. Lambs that were offered 400 g/d of Girawa had a higher daily live weight gain (95.1 g/d) compared to those supplemented with 200 (43.3 g/d) and 300 g/d (50.5 g/d) of Girawa as well as the control group (34.0 g/d). Weight gains were not different between the control group and those supplemented with 200 and 300 g/d of Girawa. It was concluded that these feed resources represent a great potential for sheep production in areas where the resources are available. It is also suggested that more studies are needed on higher level of Girawa than the present study on animal performances along with its anti-nutritional effects.

The objective of this study was to compare the growth performance of two Nguni ecotypes and its crosses (Nguni x Landim) raised under the same feedlot conditions at the Posto Fomento do Impaputo, in southern Mozambique. Live weight feedlot data, from entry to marketing, were collected every fortnight between 1999 and 2009 from 453 oxen of the Nguni and Landim male ecotypes, as well as the crosses. Year-season of birth had significant effects on live weight at entry in the feedlot and at marketing age. Overall means for average age at entry in the feedlot was 31.8 ± 4 months, with the Landim being younger than the Cross (p=0.07). The average live weight at entry in the feedlot was 390 ± 42.5 kg, with no differences between ecotypes (p>0.05). Males born in dry year-seasons were heavier than males born in wet years-seasons (p<0.0001 to p<0.05).The average age at marketing of the Nguni ecotypes was 34.4 ± 5.08 months, with the Landim being younger (p<0.05) than the Cross. The average live weight at marketing was 446 ± 42.2 kg. The average live weights at entry and at marketing were higher in dry years-seasons than in wet years-seasons. There were no differences between ecotypes for average daily gain (0.89 ± 0.79 kg) in this study. Growth rates for the feedlot in the Nguni cattle obtained in this study were substantially lower than that obtained for the Ngunis in South Africa albeit they entered the feedlot at a much older age. This study demonstrates that in Mozambique feedlot industry is still underdeveloped with main constraints on feed resources, especially concentrates.

The effect of dietary supplement with 17% high-amylose barley (Hordeum vulgare, HAB) 'Karmose' on boar taint was studied on 72 crossbred entire male pigs (Sus scrofa domestica) Swedish Yorkshire dams x Swedish Landrace sires). All pigs were fed the same commercial diet (12.4 MJ metabolised energy (ME) per kg, digestible crude protein (CP) 13.5%) twice a day until the average live weight (LW) in the pen reached 100 +- 11.8 kg. Then, 32 out of 72 pigs received an HAB diet. Half of these pigs received HAB for 14 days and the other half for 28 days. The pigs were slaughtered at an average LW of 122.3 +- 8.6 kg (age 167.2 +- 7.5 days). The HAB diet did not affect performance, carcass and meat quality characteristics, and puberty status, but reduced plasma skatole levels in the pigs (least squares means, 3.6 vs. 2.0 ng mlE-1, P = 0.037). However, this diet failed to reduce skatole, indole and androstenone levels in fat (P is greater than 0.10). Nevertheless, it is desirable to continue investigation of HAB to optimise the feeding procedure to improve efficiency of HAB effect on fat skatole levels. Additionally, validation of a greater amount of HAB in the diet should be performed.

The production of innovative composition (high omega group fatty acids and antioxidants-carotenoids) broiler chicken meat and egg opportunities in Latvia was assessed. After feeding the poultry with feed enriched with fatty acids and antioxidants, broiler meat and eggs of innovative composition containing a higher amount of omega-3 (in meat by 1.7%, in eggs by 2.7%), omega-6 (in meat by 3.9%, in eggs by 3.2%) and carotenoids (0.44 mg kg-1 in meat and in eggs by 6.9 mg kg-1) when compared with the content of commercial products are obtained. Nutrition costs of innovative composition-based broiler chicken meat production are LVL 20 higher and nutrition costs of egg production are LVL 1.49 higher per 1000 units of output than in the standard version of the poultry feeding-stuff. The poultry farming production of an innovative composition, however, is economically profitable due to the higher rates of poultry productivity. In the case of an innovative composition-based yield the potential profit at the currently equal cost realisation of poultry meat and eggs is higher when calculating 293.47 LVL per 1000 broiler chickens and 5.52 LVL per 1000 eggs in comparison with commercial production.

Estimating feed intakes of individual cows in a loose-housed system is difficult and unreliable. It is known that estimating intakes from the number of bites taken at grazing is unreliable. Feeding from a total mixed ration (TMR) is likely to have fewer confounding variables. All cows were over 30 months old, of three breeds: Holstein Friesian, Estonian Red and Estonian Native. There were 30 feeding bins and 66 cows. Cows were observed over the whole 24 hour period, from 1st July to October 22nd 2011, in Märja experimental farm, of the Estonian University of Life Sciences, and data from 37 cows were collected. Measures taken included: time spent at the feed bin, number of bites taken at each visit, weight lost from the bin, and evidence of stealing. Mean time spent at each visit to the feed bin with standard error was 4.4 + 0.68 minutes. The mean number of bites per visit was 7.1 + 1.01. There was a significant correlation between the number of bites and total time cows spent feeding (p is less than 0.001), with a regression R2 value of 79.8%. No correlation was found between the number of bites and feed removed at each visit (p=0.851) nor between the time per visit and amount of feed removed (p=0.681). Therefore, there is no evidence that either the number of bites taken per visit or the time spent at bin per visit is related to intakes. There was no effect of age. Stealing was evident and widespread.