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livestock

11/07/2018 / By Ralph Flores

Cows supplement their diet with leaves from trees such as ash, alder, willow: Scientists evaluate their nutrition

Feeding cattle isn’t just about grass: Trees also play a part in providing nourishment, according to a study published in the journal Agroforestry Systems. There is a caveat to this process, however – the amount of nutrition it gives is heavily reliant on factors such as tree species, soil type, and season. Researchers from the Louis Bolk Institute in […]

10/21/2018 / By Ralph Flores

Replacing antibiotics in meat production: Feeding pigs probiotics found to improve gut health, nutrient use, growth

The notion that antibiotics are a silver bullet for better health, both for humans and animals, is slowly losing its weight. In meat production, this is reflected in the current restrictions placed on antibiotic growth promoters. In line with the need for ideal alternatives to in-feed antibiotics to fill the gap, scientists from the Mississippi State University and the University of […]

10/09/2018 / By RJ Jhonson

The effects of probiotic supplementation on animal gastrointestinal parasites

Haemonchus contortus, more commonly known as barber pole worm, and specific species of coccidia cause severe parasitic diseases in goats. A study published in the American Journal of Animal and Veterinary Sciences looked into the effects of drenching with probiotics on the populations of these gastrointestinal parasites. The researchers drenched three kid goats with a […]

09/21/2018 / By Edsel Cook

Adding cattle to wetland management practices benefits migratory bird populations, environment

In a bid to protect the dwindling wetlands of southeastern Nebraska from the encroachment of aggressive reed canarygrass and preserve them from conversion into farmland, researchers suggest using the lush region of the Rainwater Basin as grazing or haying grounds for domesticated cattle, reported a Newswise article. This way, an aggressive invasive species gets reduced, the cattle receive plenty of natural […]

09/20/2018 / By Janine Acero

Balance is key: Farmers must maintain soil health to successfully grow both free-range pigs and energy crops

Owning livestock is a huge responsibility. Free-range farmers must ensure that their pigs do not cause permanent harm to the environment. Free-range pig farming is typically associated with a high risk of nitrogen loss in the soil known as leaching, as the pigs cause an uneven distribution of mineral nitrogen in the soil through their […]

09/19/2018 / By Edsel Cook

Looking at ways to decrease agricultural greenhouse gas emissions by producing eco-friendly animal feed

Feeding livestock is very costly for the environment. To ensure our cattle, chickens, and pigs eat well – so that we, in turn, will also eat well – we cut down biodiverse forests and jungles and fill the air with pollution. In an article in Science Daily, researchers are looking for more environment-friendly options to […]

09/12/2018 / By Edsel Cook

A feasibility study on converting food waste into viable livestock feed

American researchers examined the viability of recovering food waste and turning it into livestock feed. They reported that a modernized version of the ancient practice would be able to greatly reduce the wastage of food, provide sufficient nutrition for food animals, and improve the food supply at global and national levels. The University of Pennsylvania […]

09/10/2018 / By Rhonda Johansson

Chickens that drink untreated water don’t grow as fast as poultry given clean water

Cutting corners when it comes to husbandry may seem like a tempting idea at first – especially for the beginner. However, smart preppers and experienced poultry farmers understand the importance of clean water in raising healthy and safe-for-eating chickens. This was recently validated with an experimental study published in OnLine Journal of Biological Sciences, which looked at […]

08/08/2018 / By Ralph Flores

Cover crops help farmers maintain soil health and biodiversity by protecting carbon content

Cover crops have long been recognized for its benefits – they can reduce erosion, reduce nitrogen leaching, and improve overall soil health. However, they can also be used to attenuate the effects of crop residue removal in the soil, according to researchers from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The study, which was published in Agronomy Journal, comprehensively reviewed […]

06/05/2018 / By David Williams

Gene editing industry officials lobbying to take power to regulate away from FDA, says report

Will gene editing ever become a widely accepted practice when it comes to raising livestock and other animals? While the answer to that question is still unclear, it appears that industry officials are now doing everything in their power to remove regulations that are standing in their way. Indeed, there is reportedly a lobbying effort […]

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