Perspectives for reproduction and production in grazing sheep and cattle in Australasia: The next 20 years

IF 2.4 2区 农林科学 Q3 REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
{"title":"Perspectives for reproduction and production in grazing sheep and cattle in Australasia: The next 20 years","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.09.017","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>We offer a perspective on the major challenges that are confronting the management of reproduction in sheep and cattle in Australia and New Zealand, over the next two decades. An important context is the dominance of grazing systems in which large flocks or herds are managed over large areas where it is challenging to manage reproduction with precision. Consequently, the variable forage supply usually dominates reproductive outcomes, a problem that will be exacerbated by global heating. Thus, in extensive grazing systems, there is a great need for technological solutions to improve the management of nutrition. Global heating will also exert direct effects on reproductive function. Therefore, for the foreseeable future, reproduction will remain a focus for industry. In addition, as the industries develop, we foresee continued societal pressure to reduce medication, mitigate environmental damage, and improve animal well-being.</p><p>Management solutions for extensive grazing systems must involve minimal interventions with the animals and be applicable to diverse genotypes and environments. Clearly, genetics and breeding will be at the heart of solutions and elegant strategies will be needed that focus on developing animals that are robust, if perhaps a little less productive. A high rate of genetic gain is the main reason for pursuing reproductive technologies, but highly advanced reproductive technology is not likely to be the best fit in extensive management systems. Even for AI, the simplest technology, uptake is limited and lateral thinking is needed to find ways to improve the rates of genetic gain.</p><p>We conclude that there are many opportunities for improving reproductive performance in sheep and cattle in Australia and New Zealand. As we gain deeper understanding of the processes involved, we should be able to make progress in fertility and fecundity, embryo survival, and postnatal survival. Improvements in reproductive performance will increase productivity, and should also be associated with significantly improved animal well-being and a reduction in methane emissions intensity. To capture these benefits, the development of new management options will require lateral thinking about reproductive technology for extensive grazing systems, and a transdisciplinary approach that brings together the systems biology of grazing animals with an understanding of the barriers to adoption by farmers.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.4000,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Theriogenology","FirstCategoryId":"97","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0093691X24003868","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0

Abstract

We offer a perspective on the major challenges that are confronting the management of reproduction in sheep and cattle in Australia and New Zealand, over the next two decades. An important context is the dominance of grazing systems in which large flocks or herds are managed over large areas where it is challenging to manage reproduction with precision. Consequently, the variable forage supply usually dominates reproductive outcomes, a problem that will be exacerbated by global heating. Thus, in extensive grazing systems, there is a great need for technological solutions to improve the management of nutrition. Global heating will also exert direct effects on reproductive function. Therefore, for the foreseeable future, reproduction will remain a focus for industry. In addition, as the industries develop, we foresee continued societal pressure to reduce medication, mitigate environmental damage, and improve animal well-being.

Management solutions for extensive grazing systems must involve minimal interventions with the animals and be applicable to diverse genotypes and environments. Clearly, genetics and breeding will be at the heart of solutions and elegant strategies will be needed that focus on developing animals that are robust, if perhaps a little less productive. A high rate of genetic gain is the main reason for pursuing reproductive technologies, but highly advanced reproductive technology is not likely to be the best fit in extensive management systems. Even for AI, the simplest technology, uptake is limited and lateral thinking is needed to find ways to improve the rates of genetic gain.

We conclude that there are many opportunities for improving reproductive performance in sheep and cattle in Australia and New Zealand. As we gain deeper understanding of the processes involved, we should be able to make progress in fertility and fecundity, embryo survival, and postnatal survival. Improvements in reproductive performance will increase productivity, and should also be associated with significantly improved animal well-being and a reduction in methane emissions intensity. To capture these benefits, the development of new management options will require lateral thinking about reproductive technology for extensive grazing systems, and a transdisciplinary approach that brings together the systems biology of grazing animals with an understanding of the barriers to adoption by farmers.

澳大拉西亚放牧牛羊的繁殖和生产前景:未来 20 年
我们对澳大利亚和新西兰未来二十年牛羊繁殖管理所面临的主要挑战进行了展望。一个重要的背景是放牧系统的主导地位,在这种系统中,大型羊群或牛群在大面积区域内进行管理,而在这些区域内进行精确的繁殖管理具有挑战性。因此,多变的饲料供应通常会主导繁殖结果,而全球变暖将加剧这一问题。因此,在大面积放牧系统中,亟需技术解决方案来改善营养管理。全球变暖也会对繁殖功能产生直接影响。因此,在可预见的未来,繁殖仍将是工业发展的重点。此外,随着工业的发展,我们预计社会将继续面临减少用药、减轻环境破坏和改善动物福利的压力。大面积放牧系统的管理解决方案必须尽量减少对动物的干预,并适用于不同的基因型和环境。显然,遗传学和育种将是解决方案的核心,我们需要制定优雅的战略,重点培育体格健壮的动物,尽管它们的产量可能略低。基因增殖率高是追求繁殖技术的主要原因,但高度先进的繁殖技术不可能最适合广泛的管理系统。我们的结论是,在澳大利亚和新西兰,提高牛羊繁殖性能的机会很多。随着我们对相关过程的深入了解,我们应该能够在繁殖力和受胎率、胚胎存活率和产后存活率方面取得进展。繁殖性能的提高将提高生产率,同时还将显著改善动物福利,降低甲烷排放强度。为了获得这些益处,开发新的管理方案将需要对大面积放牧系统的繁殖技术进行横向思考,并采用跨学科方法,将放牧动物的系统生物学与对农民采用障碍的理解结合起来。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
求助全文
约1分钟内获得全文 求助全文
来源期刊
Theriogenology
Theriogenology 农林科学-生殖生物学
CiteScore
5.50
自引率
14.30%
发文量
387
审稿时长
72 days
期刊介绍: Theriogenology provides an international forum for researchers, clinicians, and industry professionals in animal reproductive biology. This acclaimed journal publishes articles on a wide range of topics in reproductive and developmental biology, of domestic mammal, avian, and aquatic species as well as wild species which are the object of veterinary care in research or conservation programs.
×
引用
GB/T 7714-2015
复制
MLA
复制
APA
复制
导出至
BibTeX EndNote RefMan NoteFirst NoteExpress
×
提示
您的信息不完整,为了账户安全,请先补充。
现在去补充
×
提示
您因"违规操作"
具体请查看互助需知
我知道了
×
提示
确定
请完成安全验证×
copy
已复制链接
快去分享给好友吧!
我知道了
右上角分享
点击右上角分享
0
联系我们:info@booksci.cn Book学术提供免费学术资源搜索服务,方便国内外学者检索中英文文献。致力于提供最便捷和优质的服务体验。 Copyright © 2023 布克学术 All rights reserved.
京ICP备2023020795号-1
ghs 京公网安备 11010802042870号
Book学术文献互助
Book学术文献互助群
群 号:481959085
Book学术官方微信