Advances in sheep production

by Prof. Raffaele Zanoli, Ms Hollie Riddell, Professor Neil Sargison, Dr Samir Id-Lahoucine, Dr Nerys Wright, Prof. Cathy Dwyer, Dr Rudolf Reichel, Dr Claire Morgan-Davies, Professor David Barker, Dr Liz Genever, Ms Alison Bond, Prof Zhongtang Yu, Dr Jude L. Capper, N. M. Schreurs, Prof. Ningtao Mao

2025 · Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing

Provides a detailed overview of the current challenges facing sheep production, including changing consumer and societal attitudes to sheep products Considers how sheep production can improve its sustainability through the implementation of key practices, such as the use of genetic improvements to reduce GHG emissions Reviews the recent advances in sheep breeding and genetic selection, as well as how it can be optimised to improve fertility and reproductive performance in sheep

Instant Insights: Developing immunity in poultry

by Dr Marie-Helene Pinard-van der Laan, Dr J. Kaufman, Dr A. Psifidi, Prof. Huaijun Zhou, Dr Mark Fife, Dr Michael H. Kogut, Professor Michael Kidd, Dr P. F. Surai, Rami A. Dalloul

2022 · Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing

This collection features four peer-reviewed reviews on developing immunity in poultry. The first chapter discusses the advances in genetic, genomic and functional genomic studies of immune and disease resistance in chickens. The chapter reviews multi-trait selection experiments and considers the potential trade-offs between production and immunocompetence in response to disease. The second chapter reviews the importance of the gut microbiome in optimising animal health and reducing susceptibility to major diseases affecting poultry production. The chapter examines intestinal immunity, as well as the microbiota interactions which occur within the poultry immune system. The third chapter addresses the nutritional strategies which can be implemented to boost immune function in poultry. The chapter considers the process of nutritional modulation and reviews the use of vitamins, minerals and amino acids to enhance, suppress and balance poultry immune systems. The final chapter provides an overview of the avian defence system and its role in tackling some of the major pathogens affecting global poultry production, such as coccidiosis. The chapter reviews the various elements of the host defence system and considers how supplements can modulate the immune system and its responses to specific challenges.