Disturbances in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract caused by internal and external influences can cause large economic losses in both the pig and poultry industries. Traditionally, diseases and conditions of the GI tract that can cause losses have been controlled by antimicrobial compounds administered in the feed and (or) water, such as antibiotics, coccidiostats, zootechnical feed additives and trace elements such as zinc and copper. However, legislation and rulings in various parts of the world coupled with a growing sentiment to reduce the use of these compounds in the intensive livestock industries have caused a reassessment of measures to influence GI tract structure and function ('gut health'), and have caused unparalleled interest in alternative strategies (genetic, dietary, management, environmental) to effectively manage the GI tract under conditions of external and internal challenge. Despite the wide array of products and strategies available to the pig and poultry industries that influence 'gut health', a term in itself that is often misunderstood and misinterpreted, it is important that the industries continue to investigate and understand the underpinning sciences that influence GI tract structure and function, especially at critical life stages. Ultimately, the cost-benefit of adopting such practices to influence 'gut health' requires consideration.

This practical research text provides an invaluable resource for all animal and veterinary scientists designing, analysing and interpreting results from nutrition and feed experiments in pigs and poultry. The emphasis throughout is on practical aspects of designing nutrition experiments. The book builds on the basics and proceeds to describe the limitations of experiment design involving different ingredients. It goes on to describe the characterization of experimental diets including ingredient selection, composition and the minimum proximate analysis required. The text details measurements and the tools available for understanding diverse data sets, data analysis and eventual publication of the research. This fully balanced and extensively referenced, yet practical, text is an invaluable resource to all animal, veterinary and biomedical scientists involved in the designing of nutrition experiments in pigs and poultry, and the publication of their research.

Covering a variety of essential topics relating to commercial poultry nutrition and production—including feeding systems and poultry diets—this complete reference is ideal for professionals in the poultry-feed industries, veterinarians, nutritionists, and farm managers. Detailed and accessible, the guide analyzes commercial poultry production at a worldwide level and outlines the importance it holds for maintaining essential food supplies. With ingredient evaluations and diet formulations, the study's compressive models for feeding programs target a wide range of commercially prominent poultry, including laying hens, broiler chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, and game birds, among others.

Nutrition of poultry-scientific progress and economic development; Intake of food and water; Digestive physiology; Energy metabolism; Metabolism of water and minerals; Physiology and nutritional role of vitamins; Feeding of growing birds; The egg and feeding of the laying hen; Feeding of breeders; Raw materials employed in poultry production; Processing of diets and nutritional consequence; Modelling of requirements and diet formulation.

Advancements and Technologies in Pig and Poultry Bacterial Disease Control provides the most up-to-date knowledge on the tools and technologies used in the economics, prevention, monitoring and control of the most important bacterial diseases in these two important livestock species. Written by international experts in veterinary medicine, veterinary science, agricultural economics and environmental monitoring, this book provides state-of-the-art information regarding the application of technology to the prevention and control of bacterial disease in pigs and poultry. It presents the most up-to-date information on the major bacterial pathogens, why they are important, their epidemiology, pathogenesis and molecular basis of their virulence. Additional sections examine how genomic sequencing addresses the development of disease biomarkers for faster and highly specific diagnosis and how next generation sequencing can identify good and bad microflora. This book will be a valuable resource for veterinarians, epidemiologists, animal scientists, technologists, and researchers studying precision livestock farming. Students in veterinary, animal science and bio-science courses will also find it useful for its coverage of diseases and monitoring tools. - Highlights crossover technologies from human to veterinary medicine, including the use of bioinformatics and genomics for disease prevention - Uses results from the EU FP7-funded ProHealth project, the largest of its type ever awarded by the EU - Examines how genomic analysis via next generation sequencing and microarray platforms can be exploited to develop novel biomarkers of bacterial disease in animals - Reports on novel environmental monitoring tools and their use in determining disease threshold levels within herds and flocks

Nutrition is the key driver of animal health, welfare and production. In agriculture, nutrition is crucial to meet increasing global demands for animal protein and consumer demands for cheaper meat, milk and eggs and higher standards of animal welfare. For companion animals, good nutrition is essential for quality and length of life. Animal Nutrition examines the science behind the nutrition and feeding of the major domesticated animal species: sheep, beef cattle, dairy cattle, deer, goats, pigs, poultry, camelids, horses, dogs and cats. It includes introductory chapters on digestion and feeding standards, followed by chapters on each animal, containing information on digestive anatomy and physiology, evidence-based nutrition and feeding requirements, and common nutritional and metabolic diseases. Clear diagrams, tables and breakout boxes make this text readily understandable and it will be of value to tertiary students and to practising veterinarians, livestock consultants, producers and nutritionists.