This chapter discusses the production efficiency of ruminants, particularly cattle, in relation to feeds, nitrogen excretion and methane emission. Focus is given on the production efficiency of cattle, primarily that of dairy cattle, at the animal level. Improvements in production efficiency are...

The primary purpose of each of the subsequent chapters of this book is to promulgate quantitative approaches concerned with elucidating mechanisms in a particular area of the nutrition of ruminants, pigs, poultry, fish or pets. Given the diverse scientific backgrounds of the contributors of each...

The role and practice of mathematical modelling with regard to animal nutrition and growth are discussed; also, an overview of the different mathematical approaches that may be adopted in this respect is presented.

A brief overview of linear regression is presented in this chapter, followed by an appraisal examining the use of linear models to estimate digestibility, one of the main components of the nutritive value of feedstuffs, and hence one of the most studied variables in quantitative animal nutrition.

The aim of this chapter is to describe two key aspects in the supply of absorbed nutrients, i.e. the quantitative representation of protozoal metabolism, and the quantitative representation of volatile fatty acid production in the rumen.

This chapter briefly reviews processes and controlling factors involved in greenhouse gases (GHG) production and emission associated with animal production as well as the currently used models that describe GHG emissions for animal production. Supporting measurements and reporting standards for GHG ...

This chapter describes a mobile, open-circuit ventilated hood system for measuring real-time gaseous exchange in large ruminants at the farm level. It uses improvements in technology for the determination of O₂, CO₂ and CH₄ contents, measurements of air flow, absolute pressure, temperature and...

In this chapter, the applications in the animal sciences of dynamic modelling, based on the rate:state formalism, with Type I solutions are illustrated. This chapter deals with modelling animal processes, i.e. specific components or functions of an individual organ or tissue (or whole organism)....

In this chapter, examples of empirical, kinetic and mechanistic models of phosphorus (P) metabolism in ruminants and monogastric animals, viz. cattle, goats, sheep, horses, pigs and poultry, are discussed. The mechanistic models of P flow in ruminants and monogastric animals described in this...

Discussions on the use of sugarcane, either as a whole plant or in the form of sugar processing byproduct, as a source of forage for cattle in Brazil are presented. Focus is given on the influence of sugarcane feeding on dairy cattle performance.