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The E.A.A.P. Annual Meeting in Munich, early September 1980
Livestock Production Science, 8 (1981) 161--189
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Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam -- Printed in The Netherlands
Conference Reports THE E.A.A.P. ANNUAL MEETING IN MUNICH, EARLY 1980
SEPTEMBER
The 31st Annual Meeting of the European Association for Animal Production was in Munich, capital of Bavaria. Again the numbers of participants surpassed those of preceding years; there were 832 delegates and 146 accompanying participants had registered. Almost 300 delegates came from the host country, the others from 43 different countries. In total 358 papers were submitted. Unfortunately no precirculation of papers could be realised, partly due to the overwhelming numbers to be produced, but also because of lack of discipline by authors in respecting deadlines. In order to improve the efficiency of E.A.A.P. Annual Meetings, by adequate distribution of working papers, the Board has set up an ad hoc committee to examine and advise on future procedures. The ever growing numbers of participants and papers poses problems of organisation. These were adequately met by the German organisers; the standard of organisation of meetings and special events was very high. The German Society of Animal Production and further organisations representing German animal production were at their best in the presentation of their areas. There was a special double issue of "Z~chtungskunde", with authoritative reviews on the research disciplines, on the development, state and outlook of animal production, on testing procedures in the different species, and on public programmes of improvement. The interesting livestock show in Miesbach demonstrated fine examples of the various breeds found in Bavaria, presented in a pleasant setting of folklore.
Ever growing numbers . . . .
162 In his address to the General Assembly the President of E.A.A.P. focussed on the progress made with the current Long Range Study on Future Developments in European Livestock Production. Interim reports had been prepared by subcommittees for discussion in the Study Commissions, and a final version will be presented at the 198]. Annual Meeting in Zagreb. Some concern was expressed about maintaining the right balance, in the Annual Meetings, between scientific exchange and the presentation of synthesised scientific knowledge for practical application. Future planning should give due attention to the accommodation of both the needs of scientists and those of people with more applied interests. Prior to the E.A.A.P. Annual Meeting the 22nd Session of the International Committee for Recording the Productivity of Milk Animals (I.C.R.P.M.A.) was held, and there was one joint technical meeting. The conjunction of the activities of the allied international organisations was of advantage to all.
Reports o n sessions JOINT SESSIONS OF STUDY COMMISSIONS
Genetics~Cattle Production Theme: Improvement o f fertility in cattle This joint session of the Commissions on Genetics and on Cattle Production attracted extraordinarily great participation (ca. 300). There were 6 invited papers and in addition 21 short papers were included in a poster presentation. Two scientists in the field of physiology of reproduction, H. Karg (Federal Republic of Germany) and J.M. Sreenan (Ireland), gave excellent reviews on the present state of knowledge and on biotechnical methods of improving fertility. The progesterone test provides better parameters of fertility both for experiments and in the field. It is to be expected that more objective parameters of fertility could be an effective tool in management and breeding. Three other main papers dealt with genetic aspects. It was felt that rethinking of ideas in this area was required and that more information on the economics of poor fertility seemed necessary. It was a pity that the discussion had to be brought prematurely to an end, and that there was not quite enough time for study of the posters. H.K.
Genetics~Pig Production Theme: The effect o f monofactorial factors on quantitative traits in pig production Before embarking on the theme Professor Pirchner took the opportunity to give an appreciation of the scientific work of Professor F. Haring. The theme was discussed with P. Glodek (Federal Republic of Germany) in the chair. The papers were directed largely to the genetics of halothane susceptibility. Most of the evidence points to a single-locus model; only in certain populations may it not be differentiated from a multifactorial-threshold model. Four invited papers dealt with these aspects in depth, two others dealt with frequencies of important single genes in pig populations and with breeding strategies in order to benefit from the heterozygote in practice. The five short papers on the theme were summarised by Glodek. Important matters raised in the general discussion concerned the effects on meat quality, ham shape, litter performance and feed intake, if selection against halothane sensitivity is undertaken. D.S.
Nutrition~Horse Production Theme: Digestion in the non-ruminant herbivore The joint session of the Commissions on Nutrition and Horse Production on "Digestion in the non-ruminant herbivore" was chaired by W.V. Engelhardt in a stimulating manner.
163 This created a lively atmosphere in which papers were presented by J.L. Tisserand (France) on "Protein requirements and digestion in the horse", H. Meijer (Federal Republic of Germany) on "Metabolism and requirements of sodium and magnesium in the horse", G. Bj~rnhag (Sweden) on "Separation and retrograde transport in the large intestine of herbivores", and H. HSrnicke (Federal Republic of Germany) on "Digestion in the hind gut of the rabbit". There was a most interesting discussion. H.S.
Nutrition/Sheep Production Theme: Developments in sheep nutrition This joint session was under the enthusiastic chairmanship of J. MacRae (U.K.). A review paper was read by E. Pfeffer (Federal Republic of Germany) on "Developments in the understanding of digestion"; the chairman covered a second review paper, "Developments in the understanding of metabolism", because the programmed speaker could not attend the meeting. The formal part of the session closed with a paper by E.R. Orskov and J. Robinson (U.K.), "Application of modern concepts of protein metabolism to sheep production systems". The discussion was somewhat stilted despite the Chairman's valiant efforts at resuscitation. H.S.
Management and Health~Horse Production Theme: Ethological problems in horse management In this joint session 8 papers were presented, dealing with aspects of stabling, breeding, training, and how to manage horses. The papers were of a practical and qualitative nature rather than scientific and quantitive. Evidently, ethological research in the area of horse behaviour to date has developed less than for other species. However, the carefully prepared session introduced many starting-points for a rethinking of ideas in this area. H.H. COMMISSION ON ANIMAL GENETICS During the 31st E.A.A.P. Meeting the Commission on Animal Genetics held six sessions. Two of them were held jointly with other Commissions and have already been reported above. The first session of the Genetic Commission dealt with "Selection and antagonistic traits". The main invited papers were presented by F. Pirchner, who discussed the general aspects of this question. In two short invited papers, this problem was discussed in the selection of cattle and pigs. The large number of short papers (12) submitted to this session caused the discussion to be limited. The fourth session concerned the "Systems analysis approach in breeding and management programmes". The main papers were presented by D. Fewson from the host country, L. Gjbl Christensen from Denmark and ~. Danell from Sweden. In addition 6 short papers were presented. The theme covered important parts of the strategy concerning genetic improvement as well as the strategy in planning and in analysing results from breeding experiments and investigations. Session 5, for free communications, comprised 26 papers. Because of the large number of papers, this session was split into three separate meetings held simultaneously. We chose this alternative instead of presenting all these papers as posters, which was practised last year. Having tried both systems we are, with one degree of freedom, now able to choose the best alternative. The sixth session was devoted to the "Use of computer aids in teaching animal breeding". P.M. Hocking from Great Britain, who has been chairman in a Working Group concern-
164 ing c o m p u t e r aids in t e a c h i n g a n i m a l genetics, was to a great e x t e n t r e s p o n s i b l e for t h e p r o g r a m m e for this session. It was held at t h e c o m p u t e r c e n t r e o f t h e Bavarian M i n i s t r y of A g r i c u l t u r e , a n d we t h e r e f o r e h a d very realistic d e m o n s t r a t i o n s o f c o m p u t e r t e a c h i n g in a n i m a l breeding. T h e p r o g r a m m e for t h e 1981 m e e t i n g in Z a g r e b will have sessions o n : - - P r e s e r v a t i o n o f genetic resources: t h e n e e d a n d m e t h o d s . -- T h e c o n c e p t o f h e t e r o s i s {invited papers only). - - G e n e t i c p r o b l e m s in h o r s e b r e e d i n g . {Jointly w i t h t h e C o m m i s s i o n o n Horse P r o d u c t i o n . ) -- The Long Range Study on Future Developments. -- Possibilities o f genetic i m p r o v e m e n t of d e f e n c e m e c h a n i s m s . {This m a y b e a j o i n t session w i t h t h e C o m m i s s i o n o n M a n a g e m e n t a n d Health.) -- P r o b l e m s r e l a t e d to a n i m a l b r e e d i n g in t h e tropics. T h e C o m m i s s i o n elected Dr. G o t t f r i e d A v e r d u n k as Vice-President, a n d Dr. Maurice Bichard as t h e n e w Secretary. H. S K J E R V O L D C O M M I S S I O N ON A N I M A L N U T R I T I O N T h e m e e t i n g b e g a n w i t h a c o m p l e t e day, Sessions 1 a n d 2, d e v o t e d t o a c o n s i d e r a t i o n of t h e e v a l u a t i o n of e n e r g y - s y s t e m s for farm animals. This m e e t i n g was c o n d u c t e d u n d e r t h e c h a i r m a n s h i p of K.H. M e n k e {Federal R e p u b l i c of G e r m a n y ) a n d a t t r a c t e d m o r e t h a n 200 scientists. F a c t o r s i n f l u e n c i n g energy losses were reviewed b y J.D. S u t t o n (U.K.), A. J u s t (Denm a r k ) , E. Pfeffer {Federal R e p u b l i c o f G e r m a n y ) , G. T h o r b e k ( D e n m a r k ) , J. M a c R a e (U.K.) a n d W.H. Close (U.K.). T h e n e w a p p r o a c h b y M a c R a e a n d L o b l e y to energy aspects of protein t u r n o v e r seems t o j u s t i f y f u r t h e r w o r k o n p r o t e i n r e t e n t i o n . All s h o r t c o m m u n i c a t i o n s were p r e s e n t e d b y p o s t e r a n d this left m o s t o f t h e a f t e r n o o n for a full a n d detailed discussion o f t h e subject. T h e t h i r d a n d f o u r t h sessions were held j o i n t l y w i t h t h e C o m m i s s i o n s o n Horse P r o d u c t i o n a n d o n S h e e p P r o d u c t i o n , respectively. T h e y have already b e e n r e p o r t e d above. Session five c o v e r e d t h e s u b j e c t o f " C h e m i c a l analysis for t h e p r e d i c t i o n of n u t r i t i v e v a l u e " u n d e r t h e c h a i r m a n s h i p o f A.J.H. v a n Es ( T h e N e t h e r l a n d s ) . G. A l d e r m a n (U.K.) i n t r o d u c e d t h e t o p i c " A n a l y s i s of feeds for r u m i n a n t h u s b a n d r y " . T h i s was f o l l o w e d b y 2 p a p e r s f r o m F r a n c e , " C h e m i c a l m e t h o d s for p r e d i c t i n g t h e e n e r g y a n d p r o t e i n value of forages", b y R. Jarrige {presented in s u m m a r y b y D. S a u v a n t ) , a n d " P r e d i c t i o n o f t h e n u t r i t i v e value of c o n c e n t r a t e s " , b y D. S a u v a n t . V a n Es s u m m a r i s e d t h e p r o c e e d i n g s of t h e C.E.C. W o r k s h o p o n t h e M e t h o d o l o g y of Analysis of F e e d i n g s t u f f s . A f t e r p r e s e n t a t i o n of t h e several p o s t e r s t h e r e was a lively discussion, f r o m w h i c h it b e c a m e e v i d e n t t h a t t h e activity h a d raised a b r o a d i n t e r e s t in d i f f e r e n t c o u n t r i e s . A t t h e e n d o f t h e discussion it was c o n c l u d e d t h a t a follow-up s h o u l d be given to t h e w o r k h i t h e r t o . T h e final version of t h e C.E.C.]E.A.A.P. W o r k s h o p proceedings* will include t h e m a i n papers p r e s e n t e d in t h e session. T h e w o r k of t h e S t u d y C o m m i s s i o n m e e t i n g was c o n c l u d e d b y a session in w h i c h 9 free c o m m u n i c a t i o n s were read. I n t h e business m e e t i n g t h e following t o p i c s were agreed for t h e 1981 m e e t i n g in Zagreb: - - M e t h o d s t o p r e d i c t t h e n u t r i t i v e value of feeds, b o t h for t e m p e r a t e z o n e s a n d for (sub)t r o p i c a l areas; in t h e last case special a t t e n t i o n will be given t o t h e p r e d i c t i o n of feed ingestibility. - - Digestion in t h e pig. ( J o i n t l y w i t h t h e C o m m i s s i o n o n Pig P r o d u c t i o n . ) F e e d i n g o f dairy cows in t h e grazing season. ( J o i n t l y w i t h t h e C o m m i s s i o n o n Cattle Production.) Due t o a c h a n g e o f p o s i t i o n t h e P r e s i d e n t H. S w a n (U.K.) r e t i r e d ; H. Bickel {Switzerl a n d ) was u n a n i m o u s l y elected as his successor. -
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H. SWAN *See p. 160 in this issue for a review o f t h e p u b l i s h e d proceedings.
165 COMMISSION ON ANIMAL MANAGEMENT AND HEALTH The Commission held 4 sessions of its own and another one jointly with the Commission on Horse Production. This last session has already been reported above. For Session 1, six speakers were invited to cover different aspects of "International legislation and other directives in health, welfare and production" which may influence farm animal production in the years to come. H.C. Adler (Denmark) outlined the Conventions of the Council of Europe and their impact on national legislation on the protection of farm animals when ratified by member countries of the Council of Europe. Ph.L. Brown (U.K.) critically reviewed the conflicts of interest between legislation, conventions, directives and the public as well as political, social and religious attitudes, and the prevalence of economic considerations involved in the complexity of today's situation. Further speakers stressed the importance of the direct involvement of scientists in the procedures for evaluation of production systems and welfare, and contributed to the applicability of production systems within a legislative framework. Session 2, on "External environmental factors in health control in farm animals", was chaired by G. Koller (Federal Republic of Germany). Most of the 12 presented papers originated from the host country. Three of these focussed on the lactating cow, underlining the importance of the management factor for the optimal functioning of milking-cows through prevention of physical damage of the udder, and of mastitis. Further papers dealt with methods for testing the stress-susceptibility of fattening bulls, and with the influence of housing systems on the health of cattle. Apart from the 7 papers on cattle, another 3 focussed on rather diverse topics in pigs, i.e. on factors involved in the transfer of antibodies to piglets, on the effect of ultraviolet irradiation on the density of bacterial flora in intensive pig production, and on the social behaviour of sows kept in groups. The third session was chaired by D. Bronsch (Federal Republic of Germany). The theme was "The use of growth-promoting implants and feed additives". Five of the 10 presented papers dealt with the effects of oestradiol and trenbolone acetate; various physiological and metabolic aspects, growth promotion, residue studies and human health considerations were dealt with. In the discussion, the economic advantages of using hormone implants in calves raised for slaughter were outlined. However, problems of residues, withdrawal time and eventual consumer risks are crucial points and under current debate. The fourth session, on "Recent advances in techniques for oestrus detection", was chaired by D. Smidt (Federal Republic of Germany). Two main papers, by E. Schilling (Federal Republic of Germany) and E. Esslemont (U.K.), outlined the importance of early heat-detection for overall productivity in cattle herds. Further papers dealt with a variety of special techniques for the routine detection of oestrus. The discussion underlined the importance of employing handy and reliable methods in oestrus detection, and of further research on the applicability of various methods. In the final business meeting several officials of the Commission retired because their six-year term had come to a close. The President J.B. Ludvigsen (Denmark), the VicePresidents F. Kovfics (Hungary) and D.R. Melrose (U.K.), and the Secretary K. Zeeb (Federal Republic of Germany) delegated their responsibilities. F. Grommers (The Netherlands) was agreed upon as the succeeding President of the Commission; J.B. Ludvigsen (Denmark) and H. Willinger (Austria) were elected new VicePresidents, and J. Unshelm (Federal Republic of Germany) a new Secretary. The proposals were put to the General Assembly and unanimously accepted. J.B. LUDVIGSEN
166 COMMISSION ON CATTLE PRODUCTION This Commission held six sessions, in which from 60 to 300 delegates participated. Because the President, H.A. Jasiorowski, was unable to attend, the Vice-President, H. Kr~usslich, replaced him in the chair. The first session was held jointly with the International Committee for Recording the Productivity of Milk Animals (I.C.R.P.M.A.), on the theme "Milk recording and herd management". In three main papers the role of milk records in providing information on behalf of the herd management, the feeding of cows in milk, and within-herd selection were discussed. Four additional short papers on the subject were presented. The discussion once more underlined that efficient utilisation of collected milk records is essential. This first joint meeting of I.C.R.P.M.A. and our E.A.A.P. Commission was well attended and was considered very successful by both sides. It will certainly encourage further cooperation between the International Committee and E.A.A.P. Commissions. The second session, on "Improving fertility in cattle", held jointly with the Commission on Genetics, has already been reported above. Session 3 dealt with "Performance testing of bulls in AI". Since a former E.A.A.P. Working Group made recommendations in 1971, performance testing has very much increased in importance, and more knowledge on the subject has accumulated. Therefore another E.A.A.P. Working Group, coordinated by B. Bech Andersen, was set up in 1979. The group, whose work was supported from E.E.C. funds, presented its report in three sections -- potential traits for testing and selection, a summary of present performance testing in E.A.A.P. countries, and recommendations for application and further research. The recommendations were broadly accepted; they include the period of testing, the feeding system, management and housing, the assessment of characteristics, and the presentation of test results. The importance of performance testing became evident from the available facilities: in Western European countries there were 63 stations with 7947 places, and 5 countries in Eastern Europe have testing facilities for 6460 young bulls. The Working Group report will be published*. Some additional papers on the subject focussed on specific points to improve performance testing techniques, i.e. on measurement of carcass properties, marker traits for disease resistance, and measuring of feed conversion efficiency with different feeding regimes. The different aspects still need to be discussed further. In the fourth session the Study Group on " L o n g range developments in European cattle production", which is coordinated by R.D. Politiek, presented an intermediate report. The final version will be discussed in Zagreb in 1981. Almost 30 free communications had been announced for Sessions 5 and 6. A major part was presented as posters. The short presentations dealt with a very wide range of topics. The business meeting outlined the programme for the 1981 meeting in Zagreb, which includes the following topics: Breed and strain comparisons: dairy and dual-purpose breeds. Breed and strain comparisons: beef breeds. -- Control of mastitis and foot problems in dairy and dual-purpose breeds. (Jointly with the Commission on Management and Health.) -- Feeding of dairy cows in the grazing season. (Jointly with the Commission on Nutrition.) -- Final report of the Long Range Study Group. -
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H. KRAUSSLICH COMMISSION ON SHEEP AND GOAT PRODUCTION The attendance at the meetings varied between 50 and 75, with an increased participation from Mediterranean countries. *See pp. 101--119 in this issue.
167 The first t w o sessions dealt w i t h "Carcass quality in lambs and kids", under the chairmanship of F. C o l o m e r - R o c h e r (Spain). T w o invited papers outlined the main characteristics involved in lamb and in kid carcasses. The p r o b l e m of evaluating carcass c o m p o s i t i o n was discussed by A. Kempster, w h o focussed a t t e n t i o n on the instability o f equations for predicting c o m p o s i t i o n f r o m measurements of different kinds. One short paper illustrated this point; others dealt with heritabilities of carcass traits and the c o n s t r u c t i o n of selection indices, w i t h cross-breeding, and with the p r o b l e m of soft fat in lambs fed cereal diets. In the a f t e r n o o n there was a practical session, in which carcasses were judged according to different national systems. The d e m o n strations were very informative. In the third session, the " I n f l u e n c e of pre-natal d e v e l o p m e n t and post-natal environm e n t on suckling behaviour and survival of the n e o n a t e " was discussed, w i t h W. Sheenan (Ireland) in the chair. This covered a wide range of factors involved in lamb losses; data f r o m s o m e countries showed that these losses could be as m u c h as 15% before weaning. J. R o b i n s o n (U.K.) drew a t t e n t i o n to events in early pregnancy which can influence prenatal growth and lamb birthweight. Uterine capacity is limited in the ewe, and animals with very high ovulation rates have increased levels of e m b r y o n i c m o r t a l i t y in early pregnancy. This results in a reduced placental size, as the area of the uterus f o r m e r l y occupied by the dead e m b r y o s is not utilized, which thus reduces the availability of nutrients and the size of the surviving foetuses. Several speakers stressed the high r e q u i r e m e n t of the foetus for nutrients at the end of pregnancy and the importance of avoiding underfeeding the ewe at this time. Light, weak lambs lack the vigour at birth to obtain milk, which in the undernourished ewe will be in short supply. It was suggested that the administration of c o l o s t r u m by s t o m a c h t u b e to the lamb very shortly after birth may greatly reduce these losses. The i m p o r t a n t effect of e n v i r o n m e n t at the time of lambing was discussed in several papers. J. Slee (U.K.) considered the evidence for genetic variation in resistance to cold, and indicated a general trend for lambs f r o m breeds adapted to m o u n t a i n regions to show greater resistance to cold in climatic chambers. P. Morand-Fehr (France) showed that m o r t a l i t y in kids is similar to the level in lambs and can be reduced substantially by adequate feeding in late pregnancy and careful a t t e n t i o n at parturition. The f o u r t h session, on " D e v e l o p m e n t s in sheep n u t r i t i o n " , was held jointly with the Commission on N u t r i t i o n and has already been r e p o r t e d above. In the fifth session 17 short papers on a wide range of topics were presented. In the business meeting, T. Treacher (U.K.) reported the progress of the F.A.O. cooperative research n e t w o r k on sheep and goat production. Since the last C o m m i s s i o n meeting the first steps towards c o o p e r a t i o n on goat research had been taken. In addition there was a progress report by J.C. F l a m a n t (France) on the Long Range S t u d y by the Sheep and G o a t s u b c o m m i t t e e . It was agreed to deal with the following topics in the 1981 meeting: - - G e n e - - e n v i r o n m e n t interaction. -- Problems of goat p r o d u c t i o n in the Mediterranean regions. -- F r e q u e n t lambing in sheep flocks. -- Final report of the L o n g Range S t u d y Group. Finally, L. Veress (Hungary) was re-elected Vice-President for another period of three years; J.C. F l a m a n t (France) was newly elected Vice-President. R. W A S S M U T H COMMISSION ON PIG P R O D U C T I O N The six sessions o f the commission included three main themes: (I) the physiology of genetic change, (II) the i m p r o v e m e n t of sow fertility, and (III) the use of bulk feeds. In a d d i t i o n there was a joint session with the Commission on Animal Genetics dealing with
168 the effect of monofactorial factors on quantitative traits in pig production. Two sessions were devoted to free communications. Apart from the joint session 80 to 150 participants attended the various sessions. The first session was opened by a well-documented survey on pig production in the Federal Republic of Germany, by K. Herbst. Theme I was discussed under the chairmanship of V.R. Fowler (U.K.). A recurrent point was the physiological background to differences in carcass composition between genotypes. D. Lister (U.K.) focussed on the regulation of fat deposition, and on the hormonal status of different breeds. Results obtained by N. Standal (Norway) indicate that physiological changes cannot easily be brought about by selection. In a basic paper R.B. Land (U.K.) argued that physiological parameters could help in achieving a greater efficiency in selection; the approach had appeal. In the second session 7 invited papers were presented on "Improving sow fertility". The paper by D.H. Smith (U.K.) focussed on economic aspects, the others reviewed the great many physiological, genetic, environmental and management factors involved. The causes leading to prenatal loss in the different stages and to perinatal death were reviewed by A. Wrathall (U.K.). Both K. Johansson (Sweden) and C. Legault (France) dealt with the possibility of making progress via selection in spite of low heritabilities, also in relation to selection on growth and carcass characteristics. Session 3, jointly with the Commission on Genetics, dealt with the "Ef f ect of monofactorial factors on quantitative traits in pig production". It has been reported above. The theme "Bulk feeds for pig feeding" was discussed in the fourth session, with S. Thomke (Sweden) in the chair. An increasing awareness regarding the proper use of different feed resources in pig meat production has enhanced interest in bulky feedstuffs. The contributions to the topic were of a rather different nature. As a general conclusion it may be established that pigs are capable of adapting their feed intake to the nutrient density of diets, and of consuming large amounts of bulk feeds. This ability is age-related and more knowledge is still needed on associative effects. A synthesising report will be published.* In further sessions the draft report of the Long Range Study subcommittee and some 40 free communications were discussed. A quarter of these dealt with aspects of breeding, others were on feeding and physiology, the halothane test, and sow fertility. The very great number caused problems of presentation and alternatives were considered for future meetings. The main themes planned for the 1981 meeting in Zagreb were: Sow production in large units in Eastern Europe. -- Environmental influences on sow fertility. (Jointly with the Commission on Management and Health.) Digestion in the pig. (Jointly with the Commission on Animal Nutrition.) Pig carcass grading. -- Final report of the Long Range Study Group. -
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D.H. SMITH COMMISSION ON HORSE PRODUCTION In the sessions 61 papers were presented; the average attendance was 63. The theme of the first session was "Performance testing and breeding planning". A. Dassonville (France) was the discussion leader. The two main papers, by B. Langlois (France) and E. Bruns (Federal Republic of Germany), both dealt with selection indices and the estimation of breeding value from progeny test results. Both contributions showed that an intermediate object was achieved, for in recent years a methodical solution to these questions has been pursued. The question of methods has now to a great extent been clarified. The great *See pp. 188--189 in this issue.
169 thing now is to collect, in conjunction with practice, meaningful data as a basis for improved results. Further discussion concerned the estimation of breeding value in trotters and thoroughbreds, which led again to the conclusion that in trotters the time, and in thoroughbreds the subjectively awarded handicap, are the best criteria. In the second session, on "Aspects of diseases in horses", A. Darenius {Sweden) was in the chair. The theme has grown in interest since in sportive use the achievement of champion performances counts more. In spite of this, however, only 4 contributions could be discussed, which shows clearly that knowledge in this area is still scanty. Here breeders depend on veterinarians, who, however, have not hitherto been in a position to define disorders of limbs and respiratory organs in such a way as to allow compilation for breeding purposes. During this same session there was a discussion on the work of the Subcommittee of the Long Range Study Group. There was confidence that the Commission's part will be ready in good time. Session 3, on "Digestion in the non-ruminant herbivore", was held jointly with the Commission on Nutrition. It has been reported above. Some of the short papers presented in the fourth session dealt with interesting reviews on aspects of horse breeding. Some of the other papers got a follow-up in the 1981 meeting. The thorough paper by B. Senft and F. Meyer encouraged the planning of a session on foal diseases, and the contribution by E. Minning and J.H. Weniger, adoption of the theme " R e p r o d u c t i o n and fertility" for the next meeting. Further short papers were presented in the last session; special interest was attracted by a contribution on the impairment of the limbs in various gaits of riding horses. The fifth session, on "Problems of ethology in horse management", was held jointly with the Commission on Animal Mangement and Health, and has already been reported above. In the business meeting the following topics were agreed upon for the Zagreb meeting in 1981: -- Reproduction and fertility. Relation between growth intensity and injuries of legs. -- Genetic parameters in horse breeding. {Jointly with the Commission on Genetics.) -- Diseases in the young foal. Design of stables and riding facilities. The President of the Commission, H. Haring {Federal Republic of Germany), was reelected for a second term of three years. B. Langlois {France) was nominated Secretary, and D. Forde {Ireland) as a Vice-President. -
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Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam -- Printed in The Netherlands
Conference Reports THE E.A.A.P. ANNUAL MEETING IN MUNICH, EARLY 1980
SEPTEMBER
The 31st Annual Meeting of the European Association for Animal Production was in Munich, capital of Bavaria. Again the numbers of participants surpassed those of preceding years; there were 832 delegates and 146 accompanying participants had registered. Almost 300 delegates came from the host country, the others from 43 different countries. In total 358 papers were submitted. Unfortunately no precirculation of papers could be realised, partly due to the overwhelming numbers to be produced, but also because of lack of discipline by authors in respecting deadlines. In order to improve the efficiency of E.A.A.P. Annual Meetings, by adequate distribution of working papers, the Board has set up an ad hoc committee to examine and advise on future procedures. The ever growing numbers of participants and papers poses problems of organisation. These were adequately met by the German organisers; the standard of organisation of meetings and special events was very high. The German Society of Animal Production and further organisations representing German animal production were at their best in the presentation of their areas. There was a special double issue of "Z~chtungskunde", with authoritative reviews on the research disciplines, on the development, state and outlook of animal production, on testing procedures in the different species, and on public programmes of improvement. The interesting livestock show in Miesbach demonstrated fine examples of the various breeds found in Bavaria, presented in a pleasant setting of folklore.
Ever growing numbers . . . .
162 In his address to the General Assembly the President of E.A.A.P. focussed on the progress made with the current Long Range Study on Future Developments in European Livestock Production. Interim reports had been prepared by subcommittees for discussion in the Study Commissions, and a final version will be presented at the 198]. Annual Meeting in Zagreb. Some concern was expressed about maintaining the right balance, in the Annual Meetings, between scientific exchange and the presentation of synthesised scientific knowledge for practical application. Future planning should give due attention to the accommodation of both the needs of scientists and those of people with more applied interests. Prior to the E.A.A.P. Annual Meeting the 22nd Session of the International Committee for Recording the Productivity of Milk Animals (I.C.R.P.M.A.) was held, and there was one joint technical meeting. The conjunction of the activities of the allied international organisations was of advantage to all.
Reports o n sessions JOINT SESSIONS OF STUDY COMMISSIONS
Genetics~Cattle Production Theme: Improvement o f fertility in cattle This joint session of the Commissions on Genetics and on Cattle Production attracted extraordinarily great participation (ca. 300). There were 6 invited papers and in addition 21 short papers were included in a poster presentation. Two scientists in the field of physiology of reproduction, H. Karg (Federal Republic of Germany) and J.M. Sreenan (Ireland), gave excellent reviews on the present state of knowledge and on biotechnical methods of improving fertility. The progesterone test provides better parameters of fertility both for experiments and in the field. It is to be expected that more objective parameters of fertility could be an effective tool in management and breeding. Three other main papers dealt with genetic aspects. It was felt that rethinking of ideas in this area was required and that more information on the economics of poor fertility seemed necessary. It was a pity that the discussion had to be brought prematurely to an end, and that there was not quite enough time for study of the posters. H.K.
Genetics~Pig Production Theme: The effect o f monofactorial factors on quantitative traits in pig production Before embarking on the theme Professor Pirchner took the opportunity to give an appreciation of the scientific work of Professor F. Haring. The theme was discussed with P. Glodek (Federal Republic of Germany) in the chair. The papers were directed largely to the genetics of halothane susceptibility. Most of the evidence points to a single-locus model; only in certain populations may it not be differentiated from a multifactorial-threshold model. Four invited papers dealt with these aspects in depth, two others dealt with frequencies of important single genes in pig populations and with breeding strategies in order to benefit from the heterozygote in practice. The five short papers on the theme were summarised by Glodek. Important matters raised in the general discussion concerned the effects on meat quality, ham shape, litter performance and feed intake, if selection against halothane sensitivity is undertaken. D.S.
Nutrition~Horse Production Theme: Digestion in the non-ruminant herbivore The joint session of the Commissions on Nutrition and Horse Production on "Digestion in the non-ruminant herbivore" was chaired by W.V. Engelhardt in a stimulating manner.
163 This created a lively atmosphere in which papers were presented by J.L. Tisserand (France) on "Protein requirements and digestion in the horse", H. Meijer (Federal Republic of Germany) on "Metabolism and requirements of sodium and magnesium in the horse", G. Bj~rnhag (Sweden) on "Separation and retrograde transport in the large intestine of herbivores", and H. HSrnicke (Federal Republic of Germany) on "Digestion in the hind gut of the rabbit". There was a most interesting discussion. H.S.
Nutrition/Sheep Production Theme: Developments in sheep nutrition This joint session was under the enthusiastic chairmanship of J. MacRae (U.K.). A review paper was read by E. Pfeffer (Federal Republic of Germany) on "Developments in the understanding of digestion"; the chairman covered a second review paper, "Developments in the understanding of metabolism", because the programmed speaker could not attend the meeting. The formal part of the session closed with a paper by E.R. Orskov and J. Robinson (U.K.), "Application of modern concepts of protein metabolism to sheep production systems". The discussion was somewhat stilted despite the Chairman's valiant efforts at resuscitation. H.S.
Management and Health~Horse Production Theme: Ethological problems in horse management In this joint session 8 papers were presented, dealing with aspects of stabling, breeding, training, and how to manage horses. The papers were of a practical and qualitative nature rather than scientific and quantitive. Evidently, ethological research in the area of horse behaviour to date has developed less than for other species. However, the carefully prepared session introduced many starting-points for a rethinking of ideas in this area. H.H. COMMISSION ON ANIMAL GENETICS During the 31st E.A.A.P. Meeting the Commission on Animal Genetics held six sessions. Two of them were held jointly with other Commissions and have already been reported above. The first session of the Genetic Commission dealt with "Selection and antagonistic traits". The main invited papers were presented by F. Pirchner, who discussed the general aspects of this question. In two short invited papers, this problem was discussed in the selection of cattle and pigs. The large number of short papers (12) submitted to this session caused the discussion to be limited. The fourth session concerned the "Systems analysis approach in breeding and management programmes". The main papers were presented by D. Fewson from the host country, L. Gjbl Christensen from Denmark and ~. Danell from Sweden. In addition 6 short papers were presented. The theme covered important parts of the strategy concerning genetic improvement as well as the strategy in planning and in analysing results from breeding experiments and investigations. Session 5, for free communications, comprised 26 papers. Because of the large number of papers, this session was split into three separate meetings held simultaneously. We chose this alternative instead of presenting all these papers as posters, which was practised last year. Having tried both systems we are, with one degree of freedom, now able to choose the best alternative. The sixth session was devoted to the "Use of computer aids in teaching animal breeding". P.M. Hocking from Great Britain, who has been chairman in a Working Group concern-
164 ing c o m p u t e r aids in t e a c h i n g a n i m a l genetics, was to a great e x t e n t r e s p o n s i b l e for t h e p r o g r a m m e for this session. It was held at t h e c o m p u t e r c e n t r e o f t h e Bavarian M i n i s t r y of A g r i c u l t u r e , a n d we t h e r e f o r e h a d very realistic d e m o n s t r a t i o n s o f c o m p u t e r t e a c h i n g in a n i m a l breeding. T h e p r o g r a m m e for t h e 1981 m e e t i n g in Z a g r e b will have sessions o n : - - P r e s e r v a t i o n o f genetic resources: t h e n e e d a n d m e t h o d s . -- T h e c o n c e p t o f h e t e r o s i s {invited papers only). - - G e n e t i c p r o b l e m s in h o r s e b r e e d i n g . {Jointly w i t h t h e C o m m i s s i o n o n Horse P r o d u c t i o n . ) -- The Long Range Study on Future Developments. -- Possibilities o f genetic i m p r o v e m e n t of d e f e n c e m e c h a n i s m s . {This m a y b e a j o i n t session w i t h t h e C o m m i s s i o n o n M a n a g e m e n t a n d Health.) -- P r o b l e m s r e l a t e d to a n i m a l b r e e d i n g in t h e tropics. T h e C o m m i s s i o n elected Dr. G o t t f r i e d A v e r d u n k as Vice-President, a n d Dr. Maurice Bichard as t h e n e w Secretary. H. S K J E R V O L D C O M M I S S I O N ON A N I M A L N U T R I T I O N T h e m e e t i n g b e g a n w i t h a c o m p l e t e day, Sessions 1 a n d 2, d e v o t e d t o a c o n s i d e r a t i o n of t h e e v a l u a t i o n of e n e r g y - s y s t e m s for farm animals. This m e e t i n g was c o n d u c t e d u n d e r t h e c h a i r m a n s h i p of K.H. M e n k e {Federal R e p u b l i c of G e r m a n y ) a n d a t t r a c t e d m o r e t h a n 200 scientists. F a c t o r s i n f l u e n c i n g energy losses were reviewed b y J.D. S u t t o n (U.K.), A. J u s t (Denm a r k ) , E. Pfeffer {Federal R e p u b l i c o f G e r m a n y ) , G. T h o r b e k ( D e n m a r k ) , J. M a c R a e (U.K.) a n d W.H. Close (U.K.). T h e n e w a p p r o a c h b y M a c R a e a n d L o b l e y to energy aspects of protein t u r n o v e r seems t o j u s t i f y f u r t h e r w o r k o n p r o t e i n r e t e n t i o n . All s h o r t c o m m u n i c a t i o n s were p r e s e n t e d b y p o s t e r a n d this left m o s t o f t h e a f t e r n o o n for a full a n d detailed discussion o f t h e subject. T h e t h i r d a n d f o u r t h sessions were held j o i n t l y w i t h t h e C o m m i s s i o n s o n Horse P r o d u c t i o n a n d o n S h e e p P r o d u c t i o n , respectively. T h e y have already b e e n r e p o r t e d above. Session five c o v e r e d t h e s u b j e c t o f " C h e m i c a l analysis for t h e p r e d i c t i o n of n u t r i t i v e v a l u e " u n d e r t h e c h a i r m a n s h i p o f A.J.H. v a n Es ( T h e N e t h e r l a n d s ) . G. A l d e r m a n (U.K.) i n t r o d u c e d t h e t o p i c " A n a l y s i s of feeds for r u m i n a n t h u s b a n d r y " . T h i s was f o l l o w e d b y 2 p a p e r s f r o m F r a n c e , " C h e m i c a l m e t h o d s for p r e d i c t i n g t h e e n e r g y a n d p r o t e i n value of forages", b y R. Jarrige {presented in s u m m a r y b y D. S a u v a n t ) , a n d " P r e d i c t i o n o f t h e n u t r i t i v e value of c o n c e n t r a t e s " , b y D. S a u v a n t . V a n Es s u m m a r i s e d t h e p r o c e e d i n g s of t h e C.E.C. W o r k s h o p o n t h e M e t h o d o l o g y of Analysis of F e e d i n g s t u f f s . A f t e r p r e s e n t a t i o n of t h e several p o s t e r s t h e r e was a lively discussion, f r o m w h i c h it b e c a m e e v i d e n t t h a t t h e activity h a d raised a b r o a d i n t e r e s t in d i f f e r e n t c o u n t r i e s . A t t h e e n d o f t h e discussion it was c o n c l u d e d t h a t a follow-up s h o u l d be given to t h e w o r k h i t h e r t o . T h e final version of t h e C.E.C.]E.A.A.P. W o r k s h o p proceedings* will include t h e m a i n papers p r e s e n t e d in t h e session. T h e w o r k of t h e S t u d y C o m m i s s i o n m e e t i n g was c o n c l u d e d b y a session in w h i c h 9 free c o m m u n i c a t i o n s were read. I n t h e business m e e t i n g t h e following t o p i c s were agreed for t h e 1981 m e e t i n g in Zagreb: - - M e t h o d s t o p r e d i c t t h e n u t r i t i v e value of feeds, b o t h for t e m p e r a t e z o n e s a n d for (sub)t r o p i c a l areas; in t h e last case special a t t e n t i o n will be given t o t h e p r e d i c t i o n of feed ingestibility. - - Digestion in t h e pig. ( J o i n t l y w i t h t h e C o m m i s s i o n o n Pig P r o d u c t i o n . ) F e e d i n g o f dairy cows in t h e grazing season. ( J o i n t l y w i t h t h e C o m m i s s i o n o n Cattle Production.) Due t o a c h a n g e o f p o s i t i o n t h e P r e s i d e n t H. S w a n (U.K.) r e t i r e d ; H. Bickel {Switzerl a n d ) was u n a n i m o u s l y elected as his successor. -
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H. SWAN *See p. 160 in this issue for a review o f t h e p u b l i s h e d proceedings.
165 COMMISSION ON ANIMAL MANAGEMENT AND HEALTH The Commission held 4 sessions of its own and another one jointly with the Commission on Horse Production. This last session has already been reported above. For Session 1, six speakers were invited to cover different aspects of "International legislation and other directives in health, welfare and production" which may influence farm animal production in the years to come. H.C. Adler (Denmark) outlined the Conventions of the Council of Europe and their impact on national legislation on the protection of farm animals when ratified by member countries of the Council of Europe. Ph.L. Brown (U.K.) critically reviewed the conflicts of interest between legislation, conventions, directives and the public as well as political, social and religious attitudes, and the prevalence of economic considerations involved in the complexity of today's situation. Further speakers stressed the importance of the direct involvement of scientists in the procedures for evaluation of production systems and welfare, and contributed to the applicability of production systems within a legislative framework. Session 2, on "External environmental factors in health control in farm animals", was chaired by G. Koller (Federal Republic of Germany). Most of the 12 presented papers originated from the host country. Three of these focussed on the lactating cow, underlining the importance of the management factor for the optimal functioning of milking-cows through prevention of physical damage of the udder, and of mastitis. Further papers dealt with methods for testing the stress-susceptibility of fattening bulls, and with the influence of housing systems on the health of cattle. Apart from the 7 papers on cattle, another 3 focussed on rather diverse topics in pigs, i.e. on factors involved in the transfer of antibodies to piglets, on the effect of ultraviolet irradiation on the density of bacterial flora in intensive pig production, and on the social behaviour of sows kept in groups. The third session was chaired by D. Bronsch (Federal Republic of Germany). The theme was "The use of growth-promoting implants and feed additives". Five of the 10 presented papers dealt with the effects of oestradiol and trenbolone acetate; various physiological and metabolic aspects, growth promotion, residue studies and human health considerations were dealt with. In the discussion, the economic advantages of using hormone implants in calves raised for slaughter were outlined. However, problems of residues, withdrawal time and eventual consumer risks are crucial points and under current debate. The fourth session, on "Recent advances in techniques for oestrus detection", was chaired by D. Smidt (Federal Republic of Germany). Two main papers, by E. Schilling (Federal Republic of Germany) and E. Esslemont (U.K.), outlined the importance of early heat-detection for overall productivity in cattle herds. Further papers dealt with a variety of special techniques for the routine detection of oestrus. The discussion underlined the importance of employing handy and reliable methods in oestrus detection, and of further research on the applicability of various methods. In the final business meeting several officials of the Commission retired because their six-year term had come to a close. The President J.B. Ludvigsen (Denmark), the VicePresidents F. Kovfics (Hungary) and D.R. Melrose (U.K.), and the Secretary K. Zeeb (Federal Republic of Germany) delegated their responsibilities. F. Grommers (The Netherlands) was agreed upon as the succeeding President of the Commission; J.B. Ludvigsen (Denmark) and H. Willinger (Austria) were elected new VicePresidents, and J. Unshelm (Federal Republic of Germany) a new Secretary. The proposals were put to the General Assembly and unanimously accepted. J.B. LUDVIGSEN
166 COMMISSION ON CATTLE PRODUCTION This Commission held six sessions, in which from 60 to 300 delegates participated. Because the President, H.A. Jasiorowski, was unable to attend, the Vice-President, H. Kr~usslich, replaced him in the chair. The first session was held jointly with the International Committee for Recording the Productivity of Milk Animals (I.C.R.P.M.A.), on the theme "Milk recording and herd management". In three main papers the role of milk records in providing information on behalf of the herd management, the feeding of cows in milk, and within-herd selection were discussed. Four additional short papers on the subject were presented. The discussion once more underlined that efficient utilisation of collected milk records is essential. This first joint meeting of I.C.R.P.M.A. and our E.A.A.P. Commission was well attended and was considered very successful by both sides. It will certainly encourage further cooperation between the International Committee and E.A.A.P. Commissions. The second session, on "Improving fertility in cattle", held jointly with the Commission on Genetics, has already been reported above. Session 3 dealt with "Performance testing of bulls in AI". Since a former E.A.A.P. Working Group made recommendations in 1971, performance testing has very much increased in importance, and more knowledge on the subject has accumulated. Therefore another E.A.A.P. Working Group, coordinated by B. Bech Andersen, was set up in 1979. The group, whose work was supported from E.E.C. funds, presented its report in three sections -- potential traits for testing and selection, a summary of present performance testing in E.A.A.P. countries, and recommendations for application and further research. The recommendations were broadly accepted; they include the period of testing, the feeding system, management and housing, the assessment of characteristics, and the presentation of test results. The importance of performance testing became evident from the available facilities: in Western European countries there were 63 stations with 7947 places, and 5 countries in Eastern Europe have testing facilities for 6460 young bulls. The Working Group report will be published*. Some additional papers on the subject focussed on specific points to improve performance testing techniques, i.e. on measurement of carcass properties, marker traits for disease resistance, and measuring of feed conversion efficiency with different feeding regimes. The different aspects still need to be discussed further. In the fourth session the Study Group on " L o n g range developments in European cattle production", which is coordinated by R.D. Politiek, presented an intermediate report. The final version will be discussed in Zagreb in 1981. Almost 30 free communications had been announced for Sessions 5 and 6. A major part was presented as posters. The short presentations dealt with a very wide range of topics. The business meeting outlined the programme for the 1981 meeting in Zagreb, which includes the following topics: Breed and strain comparisons: dairy and dual-purpose breeds. Breed and strain comparisons: beef breeds. -- Control of mastitis and foot problems in dairy and dual-purpose breeds. (Jointly with the Commission on Management and Health.) -- Feeding of dairy cows in the grazing season. (Jointly with the Commission on Nutrition.) -- Final report of the Long Range Study Group. -
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H. KRAUSSLICH COMMISSION ON SHEEP AND GOAT PRODUCTION The attendance at the meetings varied between 50 and 75, with an increased participation from Mediterranean countries. *See pp. 101--119 in this issue.
167 The first t w o sessions dealt w i t h "Carcass quality in lambs and kids", under the chairmanship of F. C o l o m e r - R o c h e r (Spain). T w o invited papers outlined the main characteristics involved in lamb and in kid carcasses. The p r o b l e m of evaluating carcass c o m p o s i t i o n was discussed by A. Kempster, w h o focussed a t t e n t i o n on the instability o f equations for predicting c o m p o s i t i o n f r o m measurements of different kinds. One short paper illustrated this point; others dealt with heritabilities of carcass traits and the c o n s t r u c t i o n of selection indices, w i t h cross-breeding, and with the p r o b l e m of soft fat in lambs fed cereal diets. In the a f t e r n o o n there was a practical session, in which carcasses were judged according to different national systems. The d e m o n strations were very informative. In the third session, the " I n f l u e n c e of pre-natal d e v e l o p m e n t and post-natal environm e n t on suckling behaviour and survival of the n e o n a t e " was discussed, w i t h W. Sheenan (Ireland) in the chair. This covered a wide range of factors involved in lamb losses; data f r o m s o m e countries showed that these losses could be as m u c h as 15% before weaning. J. R o b i n s o n (U.K.) drew a t t e n t i o n to events in early pregnancy which can influence prenatal growth and lamb birthweight. Uterine capacity is limited in the ewe, and animals with very high ovulation rates have increased levels of e m b r y o n i c m o r t a l i t y in early pregnancy. This results in a reduced placental size, as the area of the uterus f o r m e r l y occupied by the dead e m b r y o s is not utilized, which thus reduces the availability of nutrients and the size of the surviving foetuses. Several speakers stressed the high r e q u i r e m e n t of the foetus for nutrients at the end of pregnancy and the importance of avoiding underfeeding the ewe at this time. Light, weak lambs lack the vigour at birth to obtain milk, which in the undernourished ewe will be in short supply. It was suggested that the administration of c o l o s t r u m by s t o m a c h t u b e to the lamb very shortly after birth may greatly reduce these losses. The i m p o r t a n t effect of e n v i r o n m e n t at the time of lambing was discussed in several papers. J. Slee (U.K.) considered the evidence for genetic variation in resistance to cold, and indicated a general trend for lambs f r o m breeds adapted to m o u n t a i n regions to show greater resistance to cold in climatic chambers. P. Morand-Fehr (France) showed that m o r t a l i t y in kids is similar to the level in lambs and can be reduced substantially by adequate feeding in late pregnancy and careful a t t e n t i o n at parturition. The f o u r t h session, on " D e v e l o p m e n t s in sheep n u t r i t i o n " , was held jointly with the Commission on N u t r i t i o n and has already been r e p o r t e d above. In the fifth session 17 short papers on a wide range of topics were presented. In the business meeting, T. Treacher (U.K.) reported the progress of the F.A.O. cooperative research n e t w o r k on sheep and goat production. Since the last C o m m i s s i o n meeting the first steps towards c o o p e r a t i o n on goat research had been taken. In addition there was a progress report by J.C. F l a m a n t (France) on the Long Range S t u d y by the Sheep and G o a t s u b c o m m i t t e e . It was agreed to deal with the following topics in the 1981 meeting: - - G e n e - - e n v i r o n m e n t interaction. -- Problems of goat p r o d u c t i o n in the Mediterranean regions. -- F r e q u e n t lambing in sheep flocks. -- Final report of the L o n g Range S t u d y Group. Finally, L. Veress (Hungary) was re-elected Vice-President for another period of three years; J.C. F l a m a n t (France) was newly elected Vice-President. R. W A S S M U T H COMMISSION ON PIG P R O D U C T I O N The six sessions o f the commission included three main themes: (I) the physiology of genetic change, (II) the i m p r o v e m e n t of sow fertility, and (III) the use of bulk feeds. In a d d i t i o n there was a joint session with the Commission on Animal Genetics dealing with
168 the effect of monofactorial factors on quantitative traits in pig production. Two sessions were devoted to free communications. Apart from the joint session 80 to 150 participants attended the various sessions. The first session was opened by a well-documented survey on pig production in the Federal Republic of Germany, by K. Herbst. Theme I was discussed under the chairmanship of V.R. Fowler (U.K.). A recurrent point was the physiological background to differences in carcass composition between genotypes. D. Lister (U.K.) focussed on the regulation of fat deposition, and on the hormonal status of different breeds. Results obtained by N. Standal (Norway) indicate that physiological changes cannot easily be brought about by selection. In a basic paper R.B. Land (U.K.) argued that physiological parameters could help in achieving a greater efficiency in selection; the approach had appeal. In the second session 7 invited papers were presented on "Improving sow fertility". The paper by D.H. Smith (U.K.) focussed on economic aspects, the others reviewed the great many physiological, genetic, environmental and management factors involved. The causes leading to prenatal loss in the different stages and to perinatal death were reviewed by A. Wrathall (U.K.). Both K. Johansson (Sweden) and C. Legault (France) dealt with the possibility of making progress via selection in spite of low heritabilities, also in relation to selection on growth and carcass characteristics. Session 3, jointly with the Commission on Genetics, dealt with the "Ef f ect of monofactorial factors on quantitative traits in pig production". It has been reported above. The theme "Bulk feeds for pig feeding" was discussed in the fourth session, with S. Thomke (Sweden) in the chair. An increasing awareness regarding the proper use of different feed resources in pig meat production has enhanced interest in bulky feedstuffs. The contributions to the topic were of a rather different nature. As a general conclusion it may be established that pigs are capable of adapting their feed intake to the nutrient density of diets, and of consuming large amounts of bulk feeds. This ability is age-related and more knowledge is still needed on associative effects. A synthesising report will be published.* In further sessions the draft report of the Long Range Study subcommittee and some 40 free communications were discussed. A quarter of these dealt with aspects of breeding, others were on feeding and physiology, the halothane test, and sow fertility. The very great number caused problems of presentation and alternatives were considered for future meetings. The main themes planned for the 1981 meeting in Zagreb were: Sow production in large units in Eastern Europe. -- Environmental influences on sow fertility. (Jointly with the Commission on Management and Health.) Digestion in the pig. (Jointly with the Commission on Animal Nutrition.) Pig carcass grading. -- Final report of the Long Range Study Group. -
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D.H. SMITH COMMISSION ON HORSE PRODUCTION In the sessions 61 papers were presented; the average attendance was 63. The theme of the first session was "Performance testing and breeding planning". A. Dassonville (France) was the discussion leader. The two main papers, by B. Langlois (France) and E. Bruns (Federal Republic of Germany), both dealt with selection indices and the estimation of breeding value from progeny test results. Both contributions showed that an intermediate object was achieved, for in recent years a methodical solution to these questions has been pursued. The question of methods has now to a great extent been clarified. The great *See pp. 188--189 in this issue.
169 thing now is to collect, in conjunction with practice, meaningful data as a basis for improved results. Further discussion concerned the estimation of breeding value in trotters and thoroughbreds, which led again to the conclusion that in trotters the time, and in thoroughbreds the subjectively awarded handicap, are the best criteria. In the second session, on "Aspects of diseases in horses", A. Darenius {Sweden) was in the chair. The theme has grown in interest since in sportive use the achievement of champion performances counts more. In spite of this, however, only 4 contributions could be discussed, which shows clearly that knowledge in this area is still scanty. Here breeders depend on veterinarians, who, however, have not hitherto been in a position to define disorders of limbs and respiratory organs in such a way as to allow compilation for breeding purposes. During this same session there was a discussion on the work of the Subcommittee of the Long Range Study Group. There was confidence that the Commission's part will be ready in good time. Session 3, on "Digestion in the non-ruminant herbivore", was held jointly with the Commission on Nutrition. It has been reported above. Some of the short papers presented in the fourth session dealt with interesting reviews on aspects of horse breeding. Some of the other papers got a follow-up in the 1981 meeting. The thorough paper by B. Senft and F. Meyer encouraged the planning of a session on foal diseases, and the contribution by E. Minning and J.H. Weniger, adoption of the theme " R e p r o d u c t i o n and fertility" for the next meeting. Further short papers were presented in the last session; special interest was attracted by a contribution on the impairment of the limbs in various gaits of riding horses. The fifth session, on "Problems of ethology in horse management", was held jointly with the Commission on Animal Mangement and Health, and has already been reported above. In the business meeting the following topics were agreed upon for the Zagreb meeting in 1981: -- Reproduction and fertility. Relation between growth intensity and injuries of legs. -- Genetic parameters in horse breeding. {Jointly with the Commission on Genetics.) -- Diseases in the young foal. Design of stables and riding facilities. The President of the Commission, H. Haring {Federal Republic of Germany), was reelected for a second term of three years. B. Langlois {France) was nominated Secretary, and D. Forde {Ireland) as a Vice-President. -
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H. HARING