To determine the effect of adding β2 agonist zilpaterol hydrochloride during different periods on growth performance, dietary energetic, carcass traits and fatty acid profile, forty male lambs Pelibuey × Katahdin (37.70 ± 0.83 kg) were blocked by body weight and randomly assigned to pens. Treatments consisted in: 1) control, no zilpaterol supplementation, 2) zilpaterol supplementation for 20 d (ZIL20), 3) zilpaterol supplementation for 30 d (ZIL30), and 4) zilpaterol supplementation for 40 d (ZIL40). Compared with control treatment, zilpaterol supplementation increased final live weight (FLW) (3.5 %; P = 0.0563), average daily gain (ADG, 14.8 %; P = 0.0598) and gain:feed ratio (10.3 %; P = 0.0324). As well as hot carcass weight (6.1 %; P = 0.0064), dress out percentage (2.6 %; P = 0.0139) and Longissimus dorsi muscle area (13.7 %; P = 0.0015). Compared to control group, zilpaterol increased (P = 0.0413) observed vs. expected dietary of NEm (net energy requirements for maintenance) and NEg (net energy requirements for growth) (5.7 and 8.1 %, respectively). Twenty days of zilpaterol treatment improved FLW (4.4 %, P = 0.0566) and tended to improve ADG (17.4 %, P = 0.0718) when compared to control group. Only intramuscular fat showed a positive linear effect (P = 0.0006) in stearic fatty acids proportion and negative linear effect (P = 0.0585) in araquidonic fatty acid proportion. We conclude that zilpaterol hydrochloride improved variables of growth performance, energy retention and carcass traits with noticeable effects from 20 d of zilpaterol supplementation.

Bruises threaten the welfare of cattle because they cause pain, suffering, and stress during the pre-slaughter stage. Thus, we used meta-analyses to estimate the prevalence of carcass bruising in cattle from the American continent, determined the characteristics of the bruises, and calculated the odds ratio (OR) of risk factor categories associated with bruising. We searched electronic databases to retrieve primary studies conducted in the American continent, which reported cattle carcass bruising, analyzed the size, location, shape, and age of the bruises, and assessed risk factors for bruising. We included 46 studies from nine countries comprising 928 447 cattle carcasses with an overall prevalence of 59.5 % (95 % CI: 51.9 – 66-9) and 2.9 (range 3.4 – 7.4) bruises per carcass in average. The prevalence doubled from 30.7 % during 1991 – 2000 to 64.2 % during 2011 – 2020. Fresh, small-sized bruises of the lowest severity and located mainly in the hindquarter were highly prevalent (37.5 – 66.4 %). The removed meat due to bruising ranged 0.11 – 1.12 kg/carcass with an accumulated weight of condemned meat between 15.6 – 647 kg. Among intrinsic factors, older cattle, dairy cattle, and female cattle had greater odds of bruising (OR=1.57 – 1.98). For extrinsic factors, the odds for bruising increased 1.4 – 2.2 in cattle sourced from auction markets and exposed to poor handling, suboptimal transportation conditions, and deficient facilities. In cattle from America, bruises are a concern because their prevalence is growing and 60 % of cattle assessed in the studies suffered a bruise. Improving facilities and transportation conditions together with proper training of the personnel during the handling and transportation of the cattle will reduce bruising incidence.

This study evaluated the impact of supplementing ZH in combination with D3 on the growth performance, energy efficiency, carcass traits, and meat quality of feedlot lambs. Thirty-two Dorper × Katahdin cross lambs (37.3 ± 5.72 kg) were utilized in a 29 d experiment in a completely randomized block design with a 2 × 2 factorial structure consisting of two levels of ZH for 26 d (0 and 0.20 mg/kg PV⁻¹) and two levels of D3 for 7 d (0 and 1.5 × 10⁶ IU/d⁻¹). ZH improved (p ≤ 0.05) the average daily gain (ADG) and feed efficiency by 9.9% and 17.8%, respectively, as well as hot carcass weight (HCW) and dressing carcass by 4.3% and 2.6%, respectively. (p ≤ 0.03). However, ZH increased (p < 0.01) muscle pH and Warner–Bratzler shear force (WBSF) (2.5 and 23.0%, respectively). D3 supplementation negatively affected (p ≤ 0.02) dry matter intake (DMI) (last 7 d) and ADG by 15.7% and 18.1%. On the other hand, D3 improved the pH of the longissimus thoracis muscle by 1.7% (p = 0.03) without affecting WBSF. When D3 was supplemented in combination with ZH, it was observed that meat quality was improved by reducing muscle pH compared to lambs treated only with ZH. However, D3 did not improve the meat tenderness negatively affected by ZH supplementation.

Moringa oleifera has great ecological plasticity, capable of adapting to the most diverse edaphoclimatic conditions. Its nutritional value and high biomass yield make it an important phytogenetic resource in production systems. This chapter details the botanical, morphological, and agronomical characteristics of the Moringa tree that are of interest to determine planting viability and the care that this tree needs to be used for producing the raw material. Sowing and planting methods are analyzed according to the use of vegetative or botanical seed. Alternatives to the use of different planting densities are evaluated according to productive purpose and economic implications. An assessment of the cutting frequency is also carried out, considering the volume, the quality of the biomass, and the useful life in the cultivation areas. The implications of pruning in their productive life are examined, including insect pests, diseases, and an assessment of seed production.

Sheep are a species exploited in different areas of production. They are prone to different pathogens, highlighting parasites such as Haemonchus contortus. The prevailing climate and husbandry management practices are considered the main factors driving the spatial and temporal distribution of the nematode. Its distribution is worldwide, causing economic losses due to morbidity and mortality, and prevalence studies have been reported in different countries such as India, Spain, Nigeria, and Mexico; therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the edaphoclimatic factors of the different zones of the municipality of Culiacan and the production system that influence the prevalence of Haemonchus spp. in lambs. The research was carried out in the municipality of Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico, over a period of one year. It was an observational study, which included 23 sheep production units distributed in 10 districts of the municipality, with a total of 1520 samples of feces from animals under 3 months of age. The feces were processed individually by flotation technique. The overall prevalence was 13.42 %, and the autumn season (OR 2.38 (1.69-3.34) P<0.001), valley zone (OR 2.70 (1.21-6.02); P<0.016) and extensive system (OR 4.81 (3.38-6.85); P<0.0001) were risk factors associated with the presence of the nematode in lambs, so they should be considered for the establishment of preventive measures and control of parasitosis.

Heat stress induces failures in the physiological mechanisms that regulate the body temperature of farm animals and causes a loss in their productive and reproductive potential. Thus, we performed a scoping review to systematically map, describe, and classify primary research that assessed the effect of heat stress on the reproductive, physiological, and productive parameters of livestock. Electronic databases were searched to retrieve full-text, peer-reviewed experimental or cohort studies published from 1980 to August 2018. We included in vivo and in vitro studies exposing animals or cells to heat stress conditions and used a control group. Studies were evaluated based on title and abstract and then selected for final inclusion based on full text. We performed data charting to describe and visualize the evidence. In total, we included 466 studies, among which bovines and porcines were the most frequent species studied. Reproductive and physiological parameters were the main groups of outcomes assessed, and studies using adult females predominated. Seventy percent of the studies were experimental, and almost half of the studies used natural environmental conditions to assess the effect of heat stress in animals. Most of the studies were performed in the Americas and Asia, and three journals provided one-third of the publications. The systematic evidence synthesis presented herein outlines the trends of research performed to assess the effect of heat stress on livestock and allowed us to define future secondary studies to extend our knowledge about the negative impact of heat stress on the productivity of farm animals.