Resource Allocation Theory Applied to Farm Animal Production

by W. Rauw

• ISBN13: 9781845933944
• ISBN10: 184593394X
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-02-15
• Publisher: Cab Intl

Summary

According to the Resource Allocation Theory, an individual's genetic potential can only be realized in an environment in which essential food resources are adequately supplied. This book describes resource allocation patterns in natural populations, the costs, preferences and trade-offs of maintenance, growth, reproduction and immune function, the consequences of selection for high production efficiency in livestock species, methods that can be used to quantify resource allocation patterns, and the application of resource allocation theory to improve animal production and wellbeing.

Table of Contents

Contributors	p. vii
Resource Allocation
Introduction	p. 1
Resource Allocation Patterns	p. 22
Trade-offs	p. 44
Metabolic Constraints to Resource Allocation	p. 61
Homeorhesis During Heat Stress	p. 72
Inputs and Outputs
Residual Feed Intake	p. 89
Allocation of Resources to Maintenance	p. 110
Allocation of Resources to Growth	p. 130
Genetic Size-scaling	p. 147
Allocation of Resources to Reproduction	p. 169
Allocation of Resources to Immune Responses	p. 192
Consequences of Selection for Increased Production Efficiency
Selection for High Production in Pigs	p. 210
Selection for High Production in Poultry	p. 230
Selection for High Production in Dairy Cattle	p. 243
Consequences of Biological Engineering for Resource Allocation and Welfare	p. 261
Animal Breeding and Resource Modelling
Breeding Goals to Optimize Production Efficiency	p. 275
Robustness	p. 288
Modelling of Resource Allocation Patterns	p. 302
Index	p. 321
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.