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Dr. M. Jordana Rivero
Rothamsted Research, North Wyke, Devon

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0 Cattle
0 Sheep
0 Forage
0 Grazing Management
0 ruminant production

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Cattle
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Forage
Grazing Management
ruminant production
pasture management
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Communication
Published: 15 August 2021 in Sustainability
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Increasing demands for land is necessitating the optimisation of grazing land used for livestock production. Hormonal growth promoter implants (HGPI) are widely used to improve cattle performance and thus land-use efficiency. However, there is limited information on their efficacy in grazing systems. Forty grazing steers, 10 of each breed (Angus, Hereford, Holstein, Overo Colorado), had growth rates monitored for 85 days after which half received HGPI and half continued as a control. Growth rates were monitored for an additional 61 days and performance between the groups compared. Implants had a significant impact on liveweight gain (LWG; p = 0.013), and whilst breed did not (p = 0.65), there was an interaction effect of breed × treatment (p = 0.029). For three of the four breeds, the LWG was greater in the implant group (mean +14.3%). The exception was for Holstein steers which did not respond to the implant. In general, HGPI were found to be effective in increasing LWG of grazing cattle and thus has the potential to increase yield densities and relieve pressures of land use and competition. The efficacy may be affected by breed and other extraneous factors not covered in this study. Furthermore, the use of HGPI must be carefully considered in a wider context since its use might have secondary impacts.

ACS Style

M. Jordana Rivero; Luis Araya; Marcelo Oyarzo; Andrew S. Cooke; Sarah A. Morgan; Veronica M. Merino. Efficacy of Hormonal Growth Promoter Implants on the Performance of Grazing Steers of Different Breeds in Southern Chile. Sustainability 2021, 13, 9135 .

AMA Style

M. Jordana Rivero, Luis Araya, Marcelo Oyarzo, Andrew S. Cooke, Sarah A. Morgan, Veronica M. Merino. Efficacy of Hormonal Growth Promoter Implants on the Performance of Grazing Steers of Different Breeds in Southern Chile. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (16):9135.

Chicago/Turabian Style

M. Jordana Rivero; Luis Araya; Marcelo Oyarzo; Andrew S. Cooke; Sarah A. Morgan; Veronica M. Merino. 2021. "Efficacy of Hormonal Growth Promoter Implants on the Performance of Grazing Steers of Different Breeds in Southern Chile." Sustainability 13, no. 16: 9135.

Journal article
Published: 11 August 2021 in Animals
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Climate change is an imminent threat to livestock production. One adaptation strategy is selection for heat tolerance. While it is established that the ATP1A1 gene and its product play an important role in the response to many stressors, there has been no attempt to characterize the sequence or to perform expression profiling of the gene in production animals. We undertook a field experiment to compare the expression profiles of ATP1A1 in heat-tolerant Vechur and Kasaragod cattle (Bos taurus indicus) with the profile of a heat-susceptible crossbreed (B. t. taurus × B. t. indicus). The cattle were exposed to heat stress while on pasture in the hot summer season. The environmental stress was quantified using the temperature humidity index (THI), while the heat tolerance of each breed was assessed using a heat tolerance coefficient (HTC). The ATP1A1 mRNA of Vechur cattle was amplified from cDNA and sequenced. The HTC varied significantly between the breeds and with time-of-day (p< 0.01). The breed–time-of-day interaction was also significant (p< 0.01). The relative expression of ATP1A1 differed between heat-tolerant and heat-susceptible breeds (p = 0.02). The expression of ATP1A1 at 08:00, 10:00 and 12:00, and the breed–time-of-day interaction, were not significant. The nucleotide sequence of Vechur ATP1A1 showed 99% homology with the B. t. taurus sequence. The protein sequence showed 98% homology with B. t. taurus cattle and with B. grunniens (yak) and 97.7% homology with Ovis aries (sheep). A molecular clock analysis revealed evidence of divergent adaptive evolution of the ATP1A1 gene favoring climate resilience in Vechur cattle. These findings further our knowledge of the relationship between the ATP1A1 gene and heat tolerance in phenotypically incongruent animals. We propose that ATP1A1 could be used in marker assisted selection (MAS) for heat tolerance.

ACS Style

Muhammed Elayadeth-Meethal; Aravindakshan Thazhathu Veettil; Muhasin Asaf; Sathiamoorthy Pramod; Shane K. Maloney; Graeme B. Martin; M. Jordana Rivero; Veerasamy Sejian; Punnoth Poonkuzhi Naseef; Mohamed Saheer Kuruniyan; Michael R. F. Lee. Comparative Expression Profiling and Sequence Characterization of ATP1A1 Gene Associated with Heat Tolerance in Tropically Adapted Cattle. Animals 2021, 11, 2368 .

AMA Style

Muhammed Elayadeth-Meethal, Aravindakshan Thazhathu Veettil, Muhasin Asaf, Sathiamoorthy Pramod, Shane K. Maloney, Graeme B. Martin, M. Jordana Rivero, Veerasamy Sejian, Punnoth Poonkuzhi Naseef, Mohamed Saheer Kuruniyan, Michael R. F. Lee. Comparative Expression Profiling and Sequence Characterization of ATP1A1 Gene Associated with Heat Tolerance in Tropically Adapted Cattle. Animals. 2021; 11 (8):2368.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Muhammed Elayadeth-Meethal; Aravindakshan Thazhathu Veettil; Muhasin Asaf; Sathiamoorthy Pramod; Shane K. Maloney; Graeme B. Martin; M. Jordana Rivero; Veerasamy Sejian; Punnoth Poonkuzhi Naseef; Mohamed Saheer Kuruniyan; Michael R. F. Lee. 2021. "Comparative Expression Profiling and Sequence Characterization of ATP1A1 Gene Associated with Heat Tolerance in Tropically Adapted Cattle." Animals 11, no. 8: 2368.

Review
Published: 11 April 2021 in Sensors
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Understanding the behaviour of grazing animals at pasture is crucial in order to develop management strategies that will increase the potential productivity of grazing systems and simultaneously decrease the negative impact on the environment. The objective of this review was to summarize and analyse the scientific literature that has addressed the site use preference of grazing cattle using global positioning systems (GPS) collars in the past 21 years (2000–2020) to aid the development of more sustainable grazing livestock systems. The 84 studies identified were undertaken in several regions of the world, in diverse production systems, under different climate conditions and with varied methodologies and animal types. This work presents the information in categories according to the main findings reviewed, covering management, external and animal factors driving animal movement patterns. The results showed that some variables, such as stocking rate, water and shade location, weather conditions and pasture (terrain and vegetation) characteristics, have a significant impact on the behaviour of grazing cattle. Other types of bio-loggers can be deployed in grazing ruminants to gain insights into their metabolism and its relationship with the landscape they utilise. Changing management practices based on these findings could improve the use of grasslands towards more sustainable and productive livestock systems.

ACS Style

M. Rivero; Patricia Grau-Campanario; Siobhan Mullan; Suzanne Held; Jessica Stokes; Michael Lee; Laura Cardenas. Factors Affecting Site Use Preference of Grazing Cattle Studied from 2000 to 2020 through GPS Tracking: A Review. Sensors 2021, 21, 2696 .

AMA Style

M. Rivero, Patricia Grau-Campanario, Siobhan Mullan, Suzanne Held, Jessica Stokes, Michael Lee, Laura Cardenas. Factors Affecting Site Use Preference of Grazing Cattle Studied from 2000 to 2020 through GPS Tracking: A Review. Sensors. 2021; 21 (8):2696.

Chicago/Turabian Style

M. Rivero; Patricia Grau-Campanario; Siobhan Mullan; Suzanne Held; Jessica Stokes; Michael Lee; Laura Cardenas. 2021. "Factors Affecting Site Use Preference of Grazing Cattle Studied from 2000 to 2020 through GPS Tracking: A Review." Sensors 21, no. 8: 2696.

Physiology
Published: 30 March 2021 in Frontiers in Physiology
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The field of bio-sensing refers to studies where the physiology of an animal, its behavior and movement, as well as the characteristics of the environment it moves in, is measured either by electronic sensor-carrying devices that store the data (bio-logging), or those that transmit the data directly (bio-telemetry).1 One of the first bio-sensing studies was conducted over 80 years ago with the attachment of a capillary tube to a fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) to assess the dive depth of a free-ranging marine mammal (Scholander, 1940). In humans, the stethoscope was developed by Rene Laennec in 1819 as the first non-invasive heart monitor, which solved the challenge of listening to the heart by placing an ear on the patient's chest (not always welcome in the Victorian era) (Roguin, 2006). Quickly the system found new uses eventually leading to a shift from subjective to objective data about the internal body. The field of bio-sensing has since increased exponentially and revolutionized our understanding of animal ecology. With the technological development of miniaturized sensors, numerous studies of movement ecology, behavior, and communication in a diverse range of animals (e.g., species of fish, reptiles, birds and mammals) have been reviewed in (Frost et al., 1997; Davis, 2008; Ropert-Coudert et al., 2009a; Rutz and Hays, 2009; Swain et al., 2011; Hussey et al., 2015; Wilmers et al., 2015; Endo and Wu, 2019; Börger et al., 2020; Wassmer et al., 2020). While determining the physiological limits and plasticity of a species is essential for understanding its ecology and evolution, studies that measure the physiological responses of free-ranging animals (i.e., physio-logging) have not seen the same exponential increase, even though physiological questions were at the origin of the use of data loggers in seminal work done by field physiologists such as Gerry Kooyman, Paul Ponganis, Warren Zapol, and Patrick Butler (Butler and Woakes, 1979; Falke et al., 1985; Kooyman, 1985; Ponganis et al., 1991). The slower growth of the physio-logging field could be due to the commercial unavailability of physiological sensors, or that the available sensors were too large, based on static-technologies, or required specialized surgical training and extensive knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the animal for successful implantation. Despite these challenges, studies using bio-sensing tools have renewed the interest in physio-logging and attempted to understand the physiology of an animal through inference from their behavior (Wilson et al., 2002; Hooker et al., 2009; Goldbogen et al., 2011, 2019b; Kolarevic et al., 2016; Føre et al., 2018b; Quick et al., 2020). Physio-loggers have recently been used on farmed animals (livestock) to record physiological variables (e.g., body temperature, respiration and heart rates) in order to monitor water intake, the occurrence of diseases, energy expenditure in grazing activities, and effect of diet on body temperature under cold and warm conditions (Brosh et al., 2006; Eigenberg et al., 2008; AlZahal et al., 2011; Arias et al., 2011; Aharoni et al., 2013; Cantor et al., 2018). In the human arena – where early bio-telemetry approaches were born – technological advances such as movement sensors initially allowed anyone with a “smartphone” or “smartwatch” to assess their daily energy consumption, leading to the so-called “quantified health” movement (Scully et al., 2012). Indeed, subsequent development of non-invasive sensing (photoplethysmography) enabled new and exciting possibilities to track health and fitness in a large number of people (Dörr et al., 2019; Seshadri et al., 2020). In addition, recent developments in wearable medical and nanotechnology, with increased battery life, storage capacity and a range of sensors have increased our ability to study physiological function both non-invasively and continuously over months and years (Kang et al., 2016; Kaidarova et al., 2018, 2019; Lee et al., 2019; Lazaro et al., 2020). Thus, tools capable of measuring a range of important and informative physiological parameters are now available, and are continuously being improved and adapted to work on an increasing range of species. These developments will revolutionize the capacity to measure and assess the physiology of animals and humans over extended periods of time, which will allow a comprehensive evaluation of the physiological function of animals in their natural environment. This new era of physio-logging will enable long-term studies to better understand fundamental physiological function, health, welfare or well-being of animals and humans, as well as their responses to environmental and/or anthropogenic changes. Much of what we know about animal physiology has been obtained by measuring physiological parameters on captive, semi-captive, or restrained animals including measures of heart rate, blood flow, blood chemistry, blood gases, and metabolic rate (Berkson, 1967; Kooyman et al., 1970; Kooyman and Campbell, 1972; Kooyman and Sinnett, 1982; Lutcavage et al., 1989; Ponganis et al., 1990; Reed et al., 1994, 2000; Gräns et al., 2010; Kang et al., 2016; Brijs et al., 2018; Berenbrink, 2021; Svendsen et al., 2021). Unfortunately, in such situations, it is difficult to assess the magnitude of potential confounding factors such as stress or manipulation on the measured physiological variable. In recent years, there has been a focus on measuring physiology in free-ranging animals. For example, trained animals that are desensitized to the experimental procedures have been used to study diving energetics, cardiorespiratory and vascular physiology, and cerebrovascular physiology (Elsner, 1965; Olsen et al., 1969; Ridgway and Howard, 1979; Williams et al., 1993; Hurley and Costa, 2001; Fahlman et al., 2008, 2019, 2020a,b; Mortola and Sequin, 2009; Rosen and Trites, 2013; Worthy et al.,...

ACS Style

Andreas Fahlman; Kagari Aoki; Gemma Bale; Jeroen Brijs; Ki H. Chon; Colin K. Drummond; Martin Føre; Xavier Manteca; Birgitte I. McDonald; J. Chris McKnight; Kentaro Q. Sakamoto; Ippei Suzuki; M. Jordana Rivero; Yan Ropert-Coudert; Danuta M. Wisniewska. The New Era of Physio-Logging and Their Grand Challenges. Frontiers in Physiology 2021, 12, 1 .

AMA Style

Andreas Fahlman, Kagari Aoki, Gemma Bale, Jeroen Brijs, Ki H. Chon, Colin K. Drummond, Martin Føre, Xavier Manteca, Birgitte I. McDonald, J. Chris McKnight, Kentaro Q. Sakamoto, Ippei Suzuki, M. Jordana Rivero, Yan Ropert-Coudert, Danuta M. Wisniewska. The New Era of Physio-Logging and Their Grand Challenges. Frontiers in Physiology. 2021; 12 ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Andreas Fahlman; Kagari Aoki; Gemma Bale; Jeroen Brijs; Ki H. Chon; Colin K. Drummond; Martin Føre; Xavier Manteca; Birgitte I. McDonald; J. Chris McKnight; Kentaro Q. Sakamoto; Ippei Suzuki; M. Jordana Rivero; Yan Ropert-Coudert; Danuta M. Wisniewska. 2021. "The New Era of Physio-Logging and Their Grand Challenges." Frontiers in Physiology 12, no. : 1.

Journal article
Published: 24 March 2021 in Animals
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The aim was to determine the effect of the herbage allowance (HA) and supplement type (ST) on dry matter intake (DMI), milk production and composition, grazing behavior, rumen function, and blood metabolites of grazing dairy cows in the spring season. Experiment I: 64 Holstein Friesian dairy cows were distributed in a factorial design that tested two levels of daily HA (20 and 30 kg of dry matter (DM) per cow) and two ST (high moisture maize (HMM) and cracked wheat (CW)) distributed in two daily rations (3.5 kg DM/cow/day). Experiment II: four mid-lactation rumen cannulated cows, supplemented with either HMM or CW and managed with the two HAs, were distributed in a Latin square design of 4 × 4, for four 14-d periods to assess ruminal fermentation parameters. HA had no effect on milk production (averaging 23.6 kg/day) or milk fat and protein production (823 g/day and 800 g/day, respectively). Cows supplemented with CW had greater protein concentration (+1.2 g/kg). Herbage DMI averaged 14.17 kg DM/cow.day and total DMI averaged 17.67 kg DM/cow.day and did not differ between treatments. Grazing behavior activities (grazing, rumination, and idling times) and body condition score (BCS) were not affected by HA or ST. Milk and plasma urea concentration increased under the high HA (+0.68 mmol/L and +0.90 mmol/L, respectively). Cows supplemented with HMM had lower milk and plasma urea concentrations (0.72 mmol/L and 0.76 mmol/L less, respectively) and tended (p = 0.054) to have higher plasma β-hydroxybutyrate. Ruminal parameters did not differ between treatments.

ACS Style

Verónica Merino; Lorena Leichtle; Oscar Balocchi; Francisco Lanuza; Julián Parga; Rémy Delagarde; Miguel Ruiz-Albarrán; M. Rivero; Rubén Pulido. Metabolic and Productive Response and Grazing Behavior of Lactating Dairy Cows Supplemented with High Moisture Maize or Cracked Wheat Grazing at Two Herbage Allowances in Spring. Animals 2021, 11, 919 .

AMA Style

Verónica Merino, Lorena Leichtle, Oscar Balocchi, Francisco Lanuza, Julián Parga, Rémy Delagarde, Miguel Ruiz-Albarrán, M. Rivero, Rubén Pulido. Metabolic and Productive Response and Grazing Behavior of Lactating Dairy Cows Supplemented with High Moisture Maize or Cracked Wheat Grazing at Two Herbage Allowances in Spring. Animals. 2021; 11 (4):919.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Verónica Merino; Lorena Leichtle; Oscar Balocchi; Francisco Lanuza; Julián Parga; Rémy Delagarde; Miguel Ruiz-Albarrán; M. Rivero; Rubén Pulido. 2021. "Metabolic and Productive Response and Grazing Behavior of Lactating Dairy Cows Supplemented with High Moisture Maize or Cracked Wheat Grazing at Two Herbage Allowances in Spring." Animals 11, no. 4: 919.

Research article
Published: 01 January 2021 in Reproduction, Fertility and Development
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Ruminant livestock are raised under diverse cultural and environmental production systems around the globe. Ruminant livestock can play a critical role in food security by supplying high-quality, nutrient-dense food with little or no competition for arable land while simultaneously improving soil health through vital returns of organic matter. However, in the context of climate change and limited land resources, the role of ruminant-based systems is uncertain because of their reputed low efficiency of feed conversion (kilogram of feed required per kilogram of product) and the production of methane as a by-product of enteric fermentation. A growing human population will demand more animal protein, which will put greater pressure on the Earth’s planetary boundaries and contribute further to climate change. Therefore, livestock production globally faces the dual challenges of mitigating emissions and adapting to a changing climate. This requires research-led animal and plant breeding and feeding strategies to optimise ruminant systems. This study collated information from a global network of research farms reflecting a variety of ruminant production systems in diverse regions of the globe. Using this information, key changes in the genetic and nutritional approaches relevant to each system were drawn that, if implemented, would help shape more sustainable future ruminant livestock systems.

ACS Style

M. Jordana Rivero; Nicolas Lopez-Villalobos; Alex Evans; Alexandre Berndt; Andrew Cartmill; Andrew L. Neal; Ann McLaren; Anne Farruggia; Catherine Mignolet; Dave Chadwick; David Styles; Davy McCracken; Dennis Busch; Graeme B. Martin; Hannah Fleming; Helen Sheridan; James Gibbons; Lutz Merbold; Mark Eisler; Nicola Lambe; Pablo Rovira; Paul Harris; Paul Murphy; Philip E. Vercoe; Prysor Williams; Rui Machado; Taro Takahashi; Thomas Puech; Tommy Boland; Walter Ayala; Michael R. F. Lee. Key traits for ruminant livestock across diverse production systems in the context of climate change: perspectives from a global platform of research farms. Reproduction, Fertility and Development 2021, 33, 1 -19.

AMA Style

M. Jordana Rivero, Nicolas Lopez-Villalobos, Alex Evans, Alexandre Berndt, Andrew Cartmill, Andrew L. Neal, Ann McLaren, Anne Farruggia, Catherine Mignolet, Dave Chadwick, David Styles, Davy McCracken, Dennis Busch, Graeme B. Martin, Hannah Fleming, Helen Sheridan, James Gibbons, Lutz Merbold, Mark Eisler, Nicola Lambe, Pablo Rovira, Paul Harris, Paul Murphy, Philip E. Vercoe, Prysor Williams, Rui Machado, Taro Takahashi, Thomas Puech, Tommy Boland, Walter Ayala, Michael R. F. Lee. Key traits for ruminant livestock across diverse production systems in the context of climate change: perspectives from a global platform of research farms. Reproduction, Fertility and Development. 2021; 33 (2):1-19.

Chicago/Turabian Style

M. Jordana Rivero; Nicolas Lopez-Villalobos; Alex Evans; Alexandre Berndt; Andrew Cartmill; Andrew L. Neal; Ann McLaren; Anne Farruggia; Catherine Mignolet; Dave Chadwick; David Styles; Davy McCracken; Dennis Busch; Graeme B. Martin; Hannah Fleming; Helen Sheridan; James Gibbons; Lutz Merbold; Mark Eisler; Nicola Lambe; Pablo Rovira; Paul Harris; Paul Murphy; Philip E. Vercoe; Prysor Williams; Rui Machado; Taro Takahashi; Thomas Puech; Tommy Boland; Walter Ayala; Michael R. F. Lee. 2021. "Key traits for ruminant livestock across diverse production systems in the context of climate change: perspectives from a global platform of research farms." Reproduction, Fertility and Development 33, no. 2: 1-19.

Journal article
Published: 22 June 2020 in Animals
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The objective of this study was to determine the effect of perennial ryegrass (PRG) forages differing in their concentration of water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) and crude protein (CP), and collected in spring and autumn, on in vitro rumen fermentation variables, nitrogen (N) metabolism indicators and methane (CH4) output, using a batch culture system. Two contrasting PRG pastures, sampled both in autumn and spring, were used: high (HS) and low (LS) sugar pastures with WSC concentrations of 322 and 343 g/kg for HS (autumn and spring), and 224 and 293 g/kg for LS in autumn and spring, respectively. Duplicates were incubated for 24 h with rumen inocula in three different days (blocks). Headspace gas pressure was measured at 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 18, and 24 h, and CH4 concentration was determined. The supernatants were analysed for individual volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentrations, and NH3-N. The solid residue was analysed for total N and neutral detergent insoluble N. Another set of duplicates was incubated for 4 h for VFA and NH3-N determination. The HS produced more gas (218 vs. 204 mL/g OM), tended to increase total VFA production (52.0 mM vs. 49.5 mM at 24 h), reduced the acetate:propionate ratio (2.52 vs. 3.20 at 4 h and 2.85 vs. 3.19 at 24 h) and CH4 production relative to total gas production (15.6 vs. 16.8 mL/100 mL) and, improved N use efficiency (22.1 vs. 20.9). The contrasting chemical composition modified in vitro rumen fermentation tending to increase total VFA production, reduce the acetate:propionate ratio and CH4 concentration, and improve N use efficiency through lower rumen NH3-N.

ACS Style

M. Jordana Rivero; Juan P. Keim; Oscar A. Balocchi; Michael R.F. Lee. In Vitro Fermentation Patterns and Methane Output of Perennial Ryegrass Differing in Water-Soluble Carbohydrate and Nitrogen Concentrations. Animals 2020, 10, 1076 .

AMA Style

M. Jordana Rivero, Juan P. Keim, Oscar A. Balocchi, Michael R.F. Lee. In Vitro Fermentation Patterns and Methane Output of Perennial Ryegrass Differing in Water-Soluble Carbohydrate and Nitrogen Concentrations. Animals. 2020; 10 (6):1076.

Chicago/Turabian Style

M. Jordana Rivero; Juan P. Keim; Oscar A. Balocchi; Michael R.F. Lee. 2020. "In Vitro Fermentation Patterns and Methane Output of Perennial Ryegrass Differing in Water-Soluble Carbohydrate and Nitrogen Concentrations." Animals 10, no. 6: 1076.

Concept paper
Published: 23 March 2020 in Agronomy
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Mixed crop–livestock long-term experiments (LTE) are critical to increase the understanding of sustainability in complex agroecosystems. One example is the ‘Palo a Pique’ LTE which has been running for 25 years in Uruguay (from 1995 to present), evaluating four pasture–crop rotations under livestock grazing with no-till technology in soils with severe limitations. The results demonstrate that cropping systems reduced soil organic carbon (SOC) compared with permanent pastures, and that perennial pastures rotating with crops were critical to mitigate SOC losses. Data from the ‘Palo a Pique’ LTE has contributed to the establishment of new national policies to secure the sustainability of agricultural-based systems. Although the original purpose of the LTE was oriented to crops and soils, a demand for sustainable livestock intensification has gathered momentum over recent years. As a result, the current approach of the ‘Palo a Pique’ LTE matches each pasture–crop rotation with the most suitable livestock strategy with the common goal of producing 400 kg liveweight/ha per year. General approaches to the pursuit of sustainable livestock intensification include shortening the cycle of production, diversifying animal categories, increasing liveweight gain and final animal liveweight, and strategic livestock supplementation. Prediction of trade-offs between environmental, economic, and production indicators can be addressed through monitoring and modeling, enabling the timely anticipation of adverse sustainability issues on commercial farms. The ‘Palo a Pique’ LTE serves as a framework to address contemporary and future questions dealing with the role of ruminants on climate change, competition for land, nutrient dynamics, and food security.

ACS Style

Pablo Rovira; Walter Ayala; Jose Terra; Fernando García-Préchac; Paul Harris; Michael R.F. Lee; M. Jordana Rivero. The ‘Palo a Pique’ Long-Term Research Platform: First 25 Years of a Crop–Livestock Experiment in Uruguay. Agronomy 2020, 10, 441 .

AMA Style

Pablo Rovira, Walter Ayala, Jose Terra, Fernando García-Préchac, Paul Harris, Michael R.F. Lee, M. Jordana Rivero. The ‘Palo a Pique’ Long-Term Research Platform: First 25 Years of a Crop–Livestock Experiment in Uruguay. Agronomy. 2020; 10 (3):441.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Pablo Rovira; Walter Ayala; Jose Terra; Fernando García-Préchac; Paul Harris; Michael R.F. Lee; M. Jordana Rivero. 2020. "The ‘Palo a Pique’ Long-Term Research Platform: First 25 Years of a Crop–Livestock Experiment in Uruguay." Agronomy 10, no. 3: 441.

Journal article
Published: 13 February 2020 in Animals
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The present study aimed to investigate whether different lines of a composite breed (5/8 Charolais × 3/8 Zebu), formed at different times, and genetically improved, would result in differences in animal performance, enteric methane emissions, and carcass traits. Forty-six Canchim steers (15 months, 280 ± 33 kg liveweight) from three different lines were used: old, new, and their cross. These three breed lines were considered the treatments (arranged in four randomized blocks based on initial liveweight) and were evaluated under grazing and feedlot conditions in relation to the performance and emission of enteric methane. During the grazing period, the new line was found to be superior to the old only in relation to the average daily liveweight gain (0.692 vs. 0.547 kg/day), and with no differences in relation to the cross line (0.692 vs. 0.620). In the feedlot finishing phase, only the average daily liveweight gain was significantly higher in the new line compared to the cross and old line (1.44 vs. 1.32 and 1.23 kg/day). The new and cross lines demonstrated higher dry matter intake when compared to the old line (10.25 and 10.42 vs. 9.11 kg/day), with the crossline animals demonstrating the best feed conversion. The new line showed higher enteric methane emissions compared to the old line (178 vs. 156 g/day). The line had an effect on the carcass dressing of the animals, with greater fat thickness in carcasses from the new and cross lines than the old line (4.4 and 3.8 vs. 3.2 mm). Canchim cattle selected for improved productive performance characteristics does not guarantee animals with lower methane emissions under grazing conditions; while in feedlots, can lead to increased daily feed consumption, and hence, to higher emissions of methane.

ACS Style

Paulo Méo-Filho; Alexandre Berndt; Cintia R. Marcondes; André F. Pedroso; Leandro S. Sakamoto; Daniella F. V. Boas; Paulo H. M. Rodrigues; M. Jordana Rivero; Ives C. S. Bueno. Methane Emissions, Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Different Lines of Beef Steers Reared on Pasture and Finished in Feedlot. Animals 2020, 10, 303 .

AMA Style

Paulo Méo-Filho, Alexandre Berndt, Cintia R. Marcondes, André F. Pedroso, Leandro S. Sakamoto, Daniella F. V. Boas, Paulo H. M. Rodrigues, M. Jordana Rivero, Ives C. S. Bueno. Methane Emissions, Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Different Lines of Beef Steers Reared on Pasture and Finished in Feedlot. Animals. 2020; 10 (2):303.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Paulo Méo-Filho; Alexandre Berndt; Cintia R. Marcondes; André F. Pedroso; Leandro S. Sakamoto; Daniella F. V. Boas; Paulo H. M. Rodrigues; M. Jordana Rivero; Ives C. S. Bueno. 2020. "Methane Emissions, Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Different Lines of Beef Steers Reared on Pasture and Finished in Feedlot." Animals 10, no. 2: 303.

Journal article
Published: 29 December 2019 in Animals
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The aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term effects of daily herbage allowance (DHA, defined as the product of pre-grazing herbage mass and offered area per animal) on pasture conditions and milk production of Holstein-Friesian dairy cows. Forty-four early lactation dairy cows were randomly assigned to one of four treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial design that tested two levels of DHA (17 and 25 kg DM/cow.day) and two levels of maize silage supplementation (MSS, 4.5 and 9 kg DM/cow.day) over a 77-day period. Low DHA decreased the post-grazing herbage mass from 1546 to 1430 kg DM/ha and the compressed sward height from 5 to 4.4 cm, while the grazing efficiency remained unaffected. Low DHA induced a faster herbage mass reduction, while the sward-height and pasture characteristics did not differ from the high DHA regime. Low DHA decreased the tiller production rates and daily lamina growth, while the leaf-production rate was not affected by the DHA. Daily increases of herbage mass were greater in the high DHA than in the low DHA treatments. Individual milk production and milk protein concentration decreased at a low DHA compared to high DHA, while the milk fat concentration was greater and the milk output per hectare increased by 1510 kg. Neither the MSS level nor the interaction DHA by the MSS level had any effect on the sward characteristics or the productivity of the cows. From these results, it is suggested that, in a high-quality pasture, using 17 kg DM/cow.day was appropriate for improving both herbage utilization and milk production per hectare while maintaining the short-term conditions of a pasture grazed by dairy cows in the autumn.

ACS Style

Verónica M. Merino; Oscar A. Balocchi; M. Jordana Rivero; Rubén G. Pulido. Short-Term Effect of Daily Herbage Allowance Restriction on Pasture Condition and the Performance of Grazing Dairy Cows during Autumn. Animals 2019, 10, 62 .

AMA Style

Verónica M. Merino, Oscar A. Balocchi, M. Jordana Rivero, Rubén G. Pulido. Short-Term Effect of Daily Herbage Allowance Restriction on Pasture Condition and the Performance of Grazing Dairy Cows during Autumn. Animals. 2019; 10 (1):62.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Verónica M. Merino; Oscar A. Balocchi; M. Jordana Rivero; Rubén G. Pulido. 2019. "Short-Term Effect of Daily Herbage Allowance Restriction on Pasture Condition and the Performance of Grazing Dairy Cows during Autumn." Animals 10, no. 1: 62.

Review article
Published: 02 December 2019 in Grass and Forage Science
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Grazing plays an important role in milk production in most regions of the world. In this review, some challenges to the grazing cow are discussed together with opportunities for future improvement. We focus on daily feed intake, efficiency of pasture utilization, output of milk per head, environmental impact of grazing and the nutritional quality to humans of milk produced from dairy cows in contrasting production systems. Challenges are discussed in the context of a trend towards increased size of individual herds and include limited and variable levels of daily herbage consumption, lower levels of milk output per cow, excessive excretion of nitrogenous compounds and requirements for minimal periods of grazing regardless of production system. A major challenge is to engage more farmers in making appropriate adjustments to their grazing management. In relation to product quality, the main challenge is to demonstrate enhanced nutritional/processing benefits of milk from grazed cows. Opportunities include more accurate diet formulations, supplementation of grazed pasture to match macro‐ and micronutrient supply with animal requirement and plant breeding. The application of robotics and artificial intelligence to pasture management will assist in matching daily supply to animal requirement. Wider consumer recognition of the perceived enhanced nutritional value of milk from grazed cows, together with greater appreciation of the animal health, welfare and behavioural benefits of grazing should contribute to the future sustainability of demand for milk from dairy cows on pasture.

ACS Style

J. Michael Wilkinson; Michael R. F. Lee; M. Jordana Rivero; A. Thomas Chamberlain. Some challenges and opportunities for grazing dairy cows on temperate pastures. Grass and Forage Science 2019, 75, 1 -17.

AMA Style

J. Michael Wilkinson, Michael R. F. Lee, M. Jordana Rivero, A. Thomas Chamberlain. Some challenges and opportunities for grazing dairy cows on temperate pastures. Grass and Forage Science. 2019; 75 (1):1-17.

Chicago/Turabian Style

J. Michael Wilkinson; Michael R. F. Lee; M. Jordana Rivero; A. Thomas Chamberlain. 2019. "Some challenges and opportunities for grazing dairy cows on temperate pastures." Grass and Forage Science 75, no. 1: 1-17.

Communication
Published: 21 November 2019 in Animals
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Grazing ruminant systems can be sustainably intensified by improving efficiency while reducing their environmental impact. The objective of the present study was to examine the potential of pastures differing in water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) and crude protein (CP) contents to affect milk production and composition as well as the behaviour of cows grazing perennial ryegrass (PRG) swards. By modifying the nitrogen (N) fertilisation rate (83 and 250 kg/ha per year) and the defoliation frequency (two or three leaves per tiller) in combination with cultivar selection (high-sugar vs. standard cultivars), we obtained two swards differing in WSC and CP contents. The two contrasting swards were each grazed by six dairy cows in nine daily strips in autumn. Pasture samples were collected to determine herbage mass and quality. Cow behaviour was recorded by direct observation. Herbage offered and apparently consumed were similar between swards (averaging 37.3 and 18.2 kg/cow, respectively), although the residual was lower in the high-sugar sward (1735 vs. 2143 kg/ha). Cows spent less time grazing in the high-sugar sward (66.9% v. 71.6%), but the rumination times was similar (14.6%). Milk production and composition were similar between groups, suggesting that high-quality pastures would require a greater difference in nutritional composition to affect animal performance.

ACS Style

Verónica M. Merino; Oscar A. Balocchi; M. Jordana Rivero. Milk Production, Milk Quality, and Behaviour of Dairy Cows Grazing on Swards with Low and High Water-Soluble Carbohydrates Content in Autumn: A Pilot Trial. Animals 2019, 9, 1012 .

AMA Style

Verónica M. Merino, Oscar A. Balocchi, M. Jordana Rivero. Milk Production, Milk Quality, and Behaviour of Dairy Cows Grazing on Swards with Low and High Water-Soluble Carbohydrates Content in Autumn: A Pilot Trial. Animals. 2019; 9 (12):1012.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Verónica M. Merino; Oscar A. Balocchi; M. Jordana Rivero. 2019. "Milk Production, Milk Quality, and Behaviour of Dairy Cows Grazing on Swards with Low and High Water-Soluble Carbohydrates Content in Autumn: A Pilot Trial." Animals 9, no. 12: 1012.

Review
Published: 18 July 2019 in Animals
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Due to its distinct properties, wild boar meat is considered a highly desirable consumer product, in a market that is expanding. Outdoor production is also favoured by consumers who value animal welfare and environmental sustainability when choosing meat products. There is evidence that farms that include pasture for grazing typically have reduced feeding costs. Such production systems can also be more environmentally sustainable as the input (pasture) is inedible to humans, compared to conventional indoor systems, which use human-edible feeds (e.g., soya). However, some wild boar farms have performed poorly compared to those rearing other swine such as hybrid wild boar and domestic pigs. Diet is central to all livestock production and is likely a significant influencing factor of wild boar performance, both in terms of forage consumption and nutritional composition. Other factors may also influence performance, such as weather, behaviour and grazing management. Wild boar production systems hold their own intrinsic value in a growing marketplace. However, information gathered through the study of wild boar has external applications in informing outdoor domestic pig production systems to encourage the use of pasture as part of the habitat of domestic pigs.

ACS Style

M. Jordana Rivero; Vicente Rodríguez-Estévez; Silvana Pietrosemoli; Cecilia Carballo; Andrew S. Cooke; Anne Grete Kongsted. Forage Consumption and Its Effects on the Performance of Growing Swine-Discussed in Relation to European Wild Boar (Sus scrofa L.) in Semi-Extensive Systems: A Review. Animals 2019, 9, 457 .

AMA Style

M. Jordana Rivero, Vicente Rodríguez-Estévez, Silvana Pietrosemoli, Cecilia Carballo, Andrew S. Cooke, Anne Grete Kongsted. Forage Consumption and Its Effects on the Performance of Growing Swine-Discussed in Relation to European Wild Boar (Sus scrofa L.) in Semi-Extensive Systems: A Review. Animals. 2019; 9 (7):457.

Chicago/Turabian Style

M. Jordana Rivero; Vicente Rodríguez-Estévez; Silvana Pietrosemoli; Cecilia Carballo; Andrew S. Cooke; Anne Grete Kongsted. 2019. "Forage Consumption and Its Effects on the Performance of Growing Swine-Discussed in Relation to European Wild Boar (Sus scrofa L.) in Semi-Extensive Systems: A Review." Animals 9, no. 7: 457.

Communication
Published: 16 July 2019 in Agronomy
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The objective of this study was to assess the joint effect of perennial ryegrass cultivars and drying methods on concentrations of water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) and crude protein (CP) and WSC/CP ratio. AberMagic AR1 and Expo AR1 forage were collected in December 2016, March, June, September and November 2017 and either oven-dried at 60 °C for 48 h (OD_60), at 80 °C for 16 h (OD_80), frozen at −80 °C for 48 h then freeze-dried (−80_FD), or flash-frozen with liquid N then freeze-dried (LN_FD). Data were analyzed by ANOVA in a factorial design with cultivar and drying method as factors. AberMagic AR1 had between 9.0 to 31.5% higher WSC concentration than Expo AR1 in the four samplings. Freeze-drying preserved more WSC than oven-drying treatments (+22.7%), particularly in June. The CP concentration of Expo AR1 was higher only in December (+6.8%), and was 22.9 and 10.9% higher in OD_60 samples compared to LN_FD samples in December and November, respectively. The WSC/CP ratio varied in June, being greater in AberMagic AR1 (+36.1%). Drying method affected WSC/CP ratio in December, June and November where freeze-drying produced greater ratios. Drying techniques generated differences in WSC, CP and WSC/CP ratio, which may affect the accuracy of the estimated impacts of forages on productivity and N use efficiency.

ACS Style

Cristian J. Moscoso; Sarah A. Morgan; M. Jordana Rivero. The Effect of Drying Methods on Water-Soluble Carbohydrates and Crude Protein Concentrations and Their Ratio in Two Perennial Ryegrass Cultivars. Agronomy 2019, 9, 383 .

AMA Style

Cristian J. Moscoso, Sarah A. Morgan, M. Jordana Rivero. The Effect of Drying Methods on Water-Soluble Carbohydrates and Crude Protein Concentrations and Their Ratio in Two Perennial Ryegrass Cultivars. Agronomy. 2019; 9 (7):383.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Cristian J. Moscoso; Sarah A. Morgan; M. Jordana Rivero. 2019. "The Effect of Drying Methods on Water-Soluble Carbohydrates and Crude Protein Concentrations and Their Ratio in Two Perennial Ryegrass Cultivars." Agronomy 9, no. 7: 383.

Journal article
Published: 20 May 2019 in Animals
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The objective of this study was to evaluate the pasture performance of different cultivars of perennial ryegrass, two "high sugar" and two standard cultivars, under two contrasting agronomic managements (aimed at either decreasing or increasing water soluble carbohydrates concentration), and their effects on the grazing preference of dairy cows. Eight treatments arising from the factorial combination of four cultivars and two managements were randomly applied to 31-m2 plots in three blocks. Pasture dry matter production and growth rate were measured for one year. Three grazing assessments were performed to establish the grazing preferences of six dairy cows in spring, summer and autumn. High sugar cultivars produced less dry matter per hectare than the standard cultivars. Cows consumed more grass and harvested a greater proportion of the pasture under the agronomic management aimed at decreasing sugar concentration, i.e., with a greater nitrogen fertilization rate and under a more frequent defoliation regime, which could be explained by the greater crude protein concentration achieved under this management. The results suggest that the genetic selection for greater levels of sugars was at the expense of herbage yield, and that cows preferred to graze herbage with a greater crude protein level instead of a greater sugar concentration.

ACS Style

M. Jordana Rivero; Oscar L. Balocchi; Fabián L. Neumann; Juan A. Siebald. Grazing Preference of Dairy Cows and Pasture Productivity for Different Cultivars of Perennial Ryegrass under Contrasting Managements. Animals 2019, 9, 253 .

AMA Style

M. Jordana Rivero, Oscar L. Balocchi, Fabián L. Neumann, Juan A. Siebald. Grazing Preference of Dairy Cows and Pasture Productivity for Different Cultivars of Perennial Ryegrass under Contrasting Managements. Animals. 2019; 9 (5):253.

Chicago/Turabian Style

M. Jordana Rivero; Oscar L. Balocchi; Fabián L. Neumann; Juan A. Siebald. 2019. "Grazing Preference of Dairy Cows and Pasture Productivity for Different Cultivars of Perennial Ryegrass under Contrasting Managements." Animals 9, no. 5: 253.

Journal article
Published: 21 February 2019 in Agronomy
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Here we describe the livestock performance and baseline productivity over a two-year period, following the establishment of the infrastructure on the North Wyke Farm Platform across its three farmlets (small farms). Lowland permanent pastures were continuously stocked with yearling beef cattle and ewes and their twin lambs for two years in three farmlets. The cattle came into the farmlets as suckler-reared weaned calves at 195 ± 32.6 days old weighing 309 ± 45.0 kg, were housed indoors for 170 days then turned out to graze weighing 391 ± 54.2 kg for 177 days. Therefore, it is suggested for predominantly grass-based systems with minimal supplementary feeding that target live weight gains should be 0.5 kg/day in the first winter, 0.9 kg/day for summer grazing and 0.8 kg/day for cattle housed and finished on silage in a second winter. The sheep performance suggested that lambs weaned at 100 days and weighing 35 kg should finish at 200 days weighing 44 to 45 kg live weight with a killing out percentage of 44%. Good levels of livestock production are possible with grass and forage-based systems using little or no additional supplementary concentrate feeds.

ACS Style

Robert J. Orr; Bruce A. Griffith; M. Jordana Rivero; Michael R. F. Lee. Livestock Performance for Sheep and Cattle Grazing Lowland Permanent Pasture: Benchmarking Potential of Forage-Based Systems. Agronomy 2019, 9, 101 .

AMA Style

Robert J. Orr, Bruce A. Griffith, M. Jordana Rivero, Michael R. F. Lee. Livestock Performance for Sheep and Cattle Grazing Lowland Permanent Pasture: Benchmarking Potential of Forage-Based Systems. Agronomy. 2019; 9 (2):101.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Robert J. Orr; Bruce A. Griffith; M. Jordana Rivero; Michael R. F. Lee. 2019. "Livestock Performance for Sheep and Cattle Grazing Lowland Permanent Pasture: Benchmarking Potential of Forage-Based Systems." Agronomy 9, no. 2: 101.

Original article
Published: 28 January 2019 in Grass and Forage Science
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The objective was to evaluate water‐soluble carbohydrate (WSC) and crude protein (CP) concentration of perennial ryegrass (PRG) cultivars with different genetic potential for producing WSC under two contrasting agronomic managements in temperate climate (southern Chile). A 4 × 2 factorial design was randomly allocated to 24 plots (31 m2 each, three blocks): four PRG cultivars (diploid standard cultivar, “2nSt”; tetraploid standard cultivar, “4nSt”; diploid high sugar cultivar developed in New Zealand, “2nHSNZ”; and tetraploid high sugar cultivar developed in Europe, “4nHSEU”) and two agronomic managements (“favourable,” defoliations at three leaves per tiller and nitrogen (N) fertilization rate of 83.3 kg N ha−1 year−1; “unfavourable,” defoliations at two leaves per tiller and N fertilization rate of 250 kg N ha−1 year−1). Herbage samples were collected in early spring, spring, summer and autumn. Concentration of WSC did not differ among cultivars in spring and summer, averaging 194 and 251 g/kg DM, respectively. The cultivar 4nHSEU had the greatest WSC concentration in early spring and autumn (187 and 266 g/kg DM, respectively) and the greatest CP concentration across samplings (average 230 g/kg DM). Favourable management improved WSC concentrations in early spring and summer and decreased CP in spring, summer and autumn. Annual DM yield did not vary with cultivar or management, averaging 8.43 t/ha. Within a 12‐month study at one site in a temperate environment in southern Chile, PRG cultivars have not shown a consistent expression of the “high sugar” trait, where a genetic × environment interaction might be operating.

ACS Style

M. Jordana Rivero; Oscar A. Balocchi; Cristian J. Moscoso; Juan Agustín Siebald; Fabián Lukas Neumann; Don Meyer; Michael R. F. Lee. Does the “high sugar” trait of perennial ryegrass cultivars express under temperate climate conditions? Grass and Forage Science 2019, 74, 496 -508.

AMA Style

M. Jordana Rivero, Oscar A. Balocchi, Cristian J. Moscoso, Juan Agustín Siebald, Fabián Lukas Neumann, Don Meyer, Michael R. F. Lee. Does the “high sugar” trait of perennial ryegrass cultivars express under temperate climate conditions? Grass and Forage Science. 2019; 74 (3):496-508.

Chicago/Turabian Style

M. Jordana Rivero; Oscar A. Balocchi; Cristian J. Moscoso; Juan Agustín Siebald; Fabián Lukas Neumann; Don Meyer; Michael R. F. Lee. 2019. "Does the “high sugar” trait of perennial ryegrass cultivars express under temperate climate conditions?" Grass and Forage Science 74, no. 3: 496-508.

Original research
Published: 05 October 2018 in Ecology and Evolution
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The adaptive potential of livestock under a warming climate is increasingly relevant in relation to the growing pressure of global food security. Studies on heat tolerance demonstrate the interplay of adaptation and acclimatization in functional traits, for example, a reduction in body size and enhanced tolerance in response to a warming climate. However, current lack of understanding of functional traits and phylogenetic history among phenotypically distinct populations constrains predictions of climate change impact. Here, we demonstrate evidence of parallel evolution in adaptive tolerance to heat stress in dwarf cattle breeds (DCB, Bos taurus indicus) and compare their thermoregulatory responses with those in standard size cattle breeds (SCB, crossbred, Bos taurus indicus × Bos taurus taurus). We measured vital physiological, hematological, biochemical, and gene expression changes in DCB and SCB and compared the molecular phylogeny using mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) analysis. Our results show that SCB can acclimatize in the short term to higher temperatures but reach their tolerance limit under prevailing tropical conditions, while DCB is adapted to the warmer climate. Increased hemoglobin concentration, reduced cellular size, and smaller body size enhance thermal tolerance. Mitogenome analysis revealed that different lineages of DCB have evolved reduced size independently, as a parallel adaptation to heat stress. The results illustrate mechanistic ways of dwarfing, body size‐dependent tolerance, and differential fitness in a large mammal species under harsh field conditions, providing a background for comparing similar populations during global climate change. These demonstrate the value of studies combining functional, physiological, and evolutionary approaches to delineate adaptive potential and plasticity in domestic species. We thus highlight the value of locally adapted breeds as a reservoir of genetic variation contributing to the global domestic genetic resource pool that will become increasingly important for livestock production systems under a warming climate.

ACS Style

Muhammed Elayadeth-Meethal; Aravindakshan Thazhathu Veettil; Shane K. Maloney; Nichola Hawkins; Tom H. Misselbrook; Veerasamy Sejian; M. Jordana Rivero; Michael R. F. Lee. Size does matter: Parallel evolution of adaptive thermal tolerance and body size facilitates adaptation to climate change in domestic cattle. Ecology and Evolution 2018, 8, 10608 -10620.

AMA Style

Muhammed Elayadeth-Meethal, Aravindakshan Thazhathu Veettil, Shane K. Maloney, Nichola Hawkins, Tom H. Misselbrook, Veerasamy Sejian, M. Jordana Rivero, Michael R. F. Lee. Size does matter: Parallel evolution of adaptive thermal tolerance and body size facilitates adaptation to climate change in domestic cattle. Ecology and Evolution. 2018; 8 (21):10608-10620.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Muhammed Elayadeth-Meethal; Aravindakshan Thazhathu Veettil; Shane K. Maloney; Nichola Hawkins; Tom H. Misselbrook; Veerasamy Sejian; M. Jordana Rivero; Michael R. F. Lee. 2018. "Size does matter: Parallel evolution of adaptive thermal tolerance and body size facilitates adaptation to climate change in domestic cattle." Ecology and Evolution 8, no. 21: 10608-10620.

Book chapter
Published: 27 July 2018 in Managing soil health for sustainable agriculture Volume 1
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ACS Style

Michael R. F. Lee; M. Jordana Rivero; John W. Cone. The role of pasture in the diet of ruminant livestock. Managing soil health for sustainable agriculture Volume 1 2018, 31 -54.

AMA Style

Michael R. F. Lee, M. Jordana Rivero, John W. Cone. The role of pasture in the diet of ruminant livestock. Managing soil health for sustainable agriculture Volume 1. 2018; ():31-54.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Michael R. F. Lee; M. Jordana Rivero; John W. Cone. 2018. "The role of pasture in the diet of ruminant livestock." Managing soil health for sustainable agriculture Volume 1 , no. : 31-54.

Journal article
Published: 01 January 2018 in Animal
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For livestock production systems to play a positive role in global food security, the balance between their benefits and disbenefits to society must be appropriately managed. Based on the evidence provided by field-scale randomised controlled trials around the world, this debate has traditionally centred on the concept of economic-environmental trade-offs, of which existence is theoretically assured when resource allocation is perfect on the farm. Recent research conducted on commercial farms indicates, however, that the economic-environmental nexus is not nearly as straightforward in the real world, with environmental performances of enterprises often positively correlated with their economic profitability. Using high-resolution primary data from the North Wyke Farm Platform, an intensively instrumented farm-scale ruminant research facility located in southwest United Kingdom, this paper proposes a novel, information-driven approach to carry out comprehensive assessments of economic-environmental trade-offs inherent within pasture-based cattle and sheep production systems. The results of a data-mining exercise suggest that a potentially systematic interaction exists between ‘soil health’, ecological surroundings and livestock grazing, whereby a higher level of soil organic carbon (SOC) stock is associated with a better animal performance and less nutrient losses into watercourses, and a higher stocking density with greater botanical diversity and elevated SOC. We contend that a combination of farming system-wide trials and environmental instrumentation provides an ideal setting for enrolling scientifically sound and biologically informative metrics for agricultural sustainability, through which agricultural producers could obtain guidance to manage soils, water, pasture and livestock in an economically and environmentally acceptable manner. Priority areas for future farm-scale research to ensure long-term sustainability are also discussed.

ACS Style

T. Takahashi; Paul Harris; Martin Blackwell; L. M. Cardenas; Adrian Collins; Jennifer Dungait; J. M. B. Hawkins; Tom Misselbrook; Graham McAuliffe; J. N. McFadzean; P. J. Murray; R. J. Orr; M. Jordana Rivero; L. Wu; Michael Lee. Roles of instrumented farm-scale trials in trade-off assessments of pasture-based ruminant production systems. Animal 2018, 12, 1766 -1776.

AMA Style

T. Takahashi, Paul Harris, Martin Blackwell, L. M. Cardenas, Adrian Collins, Jennifer Dungait, J. M. B. Hawkins, Tom Misselbrook, Graham McAuliffe, J. N. McFadzean, P. J. Murray, R. J. Orr, M. Jordana Rivero, L. Wu, Michael Lee. Roles of instrumented farm-scale trials in trade-off assessments of pasture-based ruminant production systems. Animal. 2018; 12 (8):1766-1776.

Chicago/Turabian Style

T. Takahashi; Paul Harris; Martin Blackwell; L. M. Cardenas; Adrian Collins; Jennifer Dungait; J. M. B. Hawkins; Tom Misselbrook; Graham McAuliffe; J. N. McFadzean; P. J. Murray; R. J. Orr; M. Jordana Rivero; L. Wu; Michael Lee. 2018. "Roles of instrumented farm-scale trials in trade-off assessments of pasture-based ruminant production systems." Animal 12, no. 8: 1766-1776.