Body linear measurements, and specifically heart girth (HG), have been shown to be useful predictors of cattle liveweight. To test the accuracy of body linear measurements for predicting liveweight, crossbred dairy cattle of different genotypes were measured and weighed. A total of 352 mature cows and 100 heifers were weighed using an electronic weighing scale and measurements of HG, body length, height at withers were taken using an ordinary measuring tape and body condition scored (BCS) using a five-point scale. The animals were grouped according to genotype and age. Genotype classification was undertaken from farmer recall and by visual appraisal as 40–60, 61–80 or 81–100 % exotic (non-indigenous). Age classification was simply as mature cows or heifers. Liveweight of the animals ranged from 102 to 433 kg. Liveweight was strongly correlated with HG (r = 0.84) and body condition scores (r = 0.70) and moderately correlated with body length (r = 0.64) and height at withers (0.61). Regressing LW on HG measurements gave statistically significant (P < 0.01) equations with R2 ranging from of 0.53 to 0.78 and residual standard deviation ranging from 18.11 to 40.50 kg. The overall model developed (adjusted R2 = 0.71) had a prediction error of 26 kg (or 11 % of the mean) and predicted LW of over 95 % of crossbred dairy cattle in the range of 100–450 kg, regardless of age and breed group. Including BCS in the model slightly improved the model fit but not the prediction error. It was concluded that the model can be useful in making general management decisions in smallholder farms.

Abstract. Measurement of liveweight of stock is one of the most important production tools available to farmersplaying a role in nutrition, fertility management, health and marketing. Yet most farmers in sub-Saharan Africa do not have access to scales on which to weigh cattle. Heart girth measurements (and accompanying algorithms) have been used as a convenient and cost-effective alternative to scales, however despite a plethora of studies in the extant literature, the accuracy and sensitivity of such measures are not well described. Using three datasets from phenotypically and geographically diverse cattle populations, we developed and validated new algorithms with similar R 2 to extant studies but lower errors of prediction over a full range of observed weights, than simple linear regression, that was valid for measurements in an unassociated animal population in sub-Saharan Africa. Our results further show that heart girth measurements are not sufficiently sensitive to accurately assess seasonal liveweight fluctuations in cattle and thus should not be relied on in situations where high precision is a critical consideration.

To understand farmers' preference and perceptions of breed attributes, breeding and feeding practices, 419 households in western Kenya were interviewed in a cross-sectional survey. Respondents scored their preference for cattle breeds, traits and breeding methods on a scale of 1 (most preferred) to 5 (least preferred). Preferences were compared using multinomial logistic regression models on weighted scores. The Ayrshire breed was most preferred followed by the Friesian. Using hardship tolerance as a reference trait, the Friesian was preferred 4.86 times more for high milk production and Ayrshire, Jersey and Guernsey breeds 4.61, 4.60 and 4.18 times (p < 0.01) more, respectively, for milk fat content. The Ayrshire was preferred 4.16 times more for its perceived low feed requirement and 1.22 times more (p < 0.01) for resistance to diseases. Friesian was the only breed preferred (3.18 times more) (p < 0.01) for high growth rate of calves. Artificial insemination (AI) was the breeding method of choice, but majority (>68%) of respondents used natural mating, because it was readily available and cheaper. The current study highlights the importance of taking into account farmers' objectives and the production environment when designing breed improvement programmes and recommends packaging of breeding together with feeding interventions.

Measurement of intake of individual grazing animals remains one of the fundamental challenges to improving efficiency of livestock production. The use of wireless sensor networks (WSN) shows potential for this purpose and requires benchmark data to underpin the necessary algorithm development. This study aimed to provide benchmark data and enable improved precision in estimating pasture intake when pasture availability is low and declining. Each of 10 Angus steers with a mean liveweight ± s.d. of 326 ± 46 kg was randomly allocated to an individual grazing plot. The plots comprised a monoculture of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum cv. Surge), with estimated initial pasture biomass availability ≤1100 kg DM/ha, provided at three levels of pasture availability (low, medium and high), achieved by varying plot sizes (0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 ha). Pasture intake was estimated using two pasture disappearance-based techniques (rising-plate meter and capacitance meter) using regression equations of daily pasture biomass estimates over an 11-day pasture intake period, and two chemical marker-based techniques (dosed n-alkanes and chromic oxide). Both pasture disappearance-based techniques showed high variability in estimating pasture biomass, with mean coefficients of variation between repeated-measurements of 28% for the capacitance meter and 44% for the plate meter, although daily biomass measurements over the duration of the study using the two devices were highly correlated (r = 0.82). Mean pasture intake estimates across all four techniques ranged from 3.4 to 10.7 kg DM/day. The estimates of pasture intake differed between techniques but not between biomass availability treatments. Mean of pasture intake estimates made using the plate meter were consistently higher than for the other three techniques. The correlation coefficients between the intake estimates determined using the pasture disappearance-based techniques, and between their rankings, were 0.61 and 0.58, respectively. Intake estimates obtained using pasture disappearance and the chemical marker methods were not correlated apart from between chromic oxide and the plate meter (r = 0.51). Further refinement of these techniques and more studies over a wider range of pasture conditions are needed. It is critical to understand the limits within which each of the pasture intake methodologies will produce reliable results that can then be used as benchmark data for the development of predictive algorithms using WSN.

In view of the emerging challenges of climate change and population growth, the need to ensure consumer health safety among other factors is paramount; this practice has not been standardised, and the health risks and impacts on the environment arising from the practice are not known. While the global consumption of chicken products especially chicken meat drastically increased over the years and the trend is expected to continue. Much of the increase in demand is in the developing countries coupled with demand for the four traditional feed ingredients; maise meal, soya bean meal, fish meal, and meat meal. In all three poultry production systems that are extensive, semi-intensive and intensive, a wide range of alternative feedstuffs should be available for use. Expanding populations will create greater demand for chicken products, and the importance of feed industry resources and production systems will increase. This therefore calls for a need to enhance efforts towards increased chicken productivity. This study, therefore, evaluated the growth performance, feed conversion efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of feed supplementation termite Macrotermes bellicosus for indigenous chicken diets. Three groups of twenty IC were placed on diets comprising prepared feeds with different termite inclusion levels (0%, 2.5% and 5%) for each group for six weeks. Results reveal that the termite supplementation provides high crude protein content (43.36%), which leads to enhanced weight gain but no significant differences in the FCR of ICs compared to conventional feeds. Supplementation at different levels offers varying outcomes regarding feed intake: IC on a diet T3 had a lower feed intake compared to T2 but registered higher FBW and SGR. The use of termites contributes to smallholder farms’ food security by providing a cheaper alternative to commercial poultry feeds; and also increases the market value of IC, thus, increasing the profitability of IC production