Pekin ducks are easily reared in a wide range of conditions. As waterfowl, the growth, digestive system and visual perception of Pekin ducks are different to chickens. Generally, ducks are raised for meat production. The fat content as well as the myoglobin and haemoglobin content of duck meat are higher than that of chicken meat. In duck rearing, both the fattening performance and the quality of meat are important from the consumer's and the producer's point of view. Different rearing systems are used for ducks which affect the welfare, fattening performance, quality of meat and economics of the products. The aim of this review is to discuss the effects of different rearing systems used for Pekin ducks on fattening performance and quality of meat.

Sensor feeding is a liquid feeding system for fattening pigs that is operated with a restricted animal/feeding-place ratio (AFR). The aim of the present study was to quantify the effect of three different AFRs (4:1, 7:1 and 13:1, calculated with a feeding space of 33 cm per animal) on the performance and behaviour of fattening pigs (mean initial weight 26·3 (s.d. 3·3) kg, live weight at slaughter 102 (s.d. 5) kg). The pigs were housed in groups of 40 and each AFR was tested with seven groups (21 groups in total). The daily weight gain of the individual pigs was calculated from the beginning of the experiments until slaughter. Additionally, the lean meat percentage was recorded (AutoFOM). Feeding behaviour was observed by means of 24-h video recording at the ages of 14 and 17 weeks with scan sampling every 5 min. The daily weight gain decreased with increasing AFR ( P<0·01) and females had lower weight gains than barrows ( P<0·001). The lean meat proportion was influenced by the AFR ( P<0·01) and sex of the pigs ( P<0·001). Proportions were highest with the AFR 13:1 and in females. The average number of pigs feeding simultaneously was highest for the AFR of 4:1 ( P<0·01). Moreover, the ingestion rate per day (kg/min) increased with increasing AFR ( P<0·05). The average number of pigs waiting behind other pigs feeding at the trough was highest with the AFR 13:1 ( P<0·001).In conclusion, growth performance and pig behaviour were negatively affected by an AFR of 13:1, which cannot be recommended for use with this feeding system. With an AFR of 4:1 lean meat values were low.

Thirty-six young fattening bulls from three breeds (Belgian Blue, Limousin and Aberdeen Angus) were fattened over 5 months with fattening diets based either on sugar-beet pulp or on cereals. Fattening performance as well as carcass and meat characteristics were measured. There were few relevant effects of the diets on the parameters. The breeds also showed similar fattening features. However, the BB had higher killing-out proportion and their carcasses presented better scores in terms of conformation and fattening. The meat quality of the breeds differed, especially in terms of luminosity, redness and cooking losses. There were also significant influences of breed on the chemical composition of meat; fat content was lowest in Belgian Blue and highest in Aberdeen Angus. Such specificities could help to allocate breeds in appropriate niches in Belgium.

A comparison was made between fattening systems with Belgian Blue bulls of the double-muscle type, in order to assess the reponse in terms of compensatory growth when the bulls were grazed at a high stocking rate. Two groups of eight bulls were grazed on Lolium perenne and Trifolium repens pasture during an initial period of 135 days (period I). One group grazed at a stocking rate of six animals per ha allowing for normal growth at pasture (NGP); the other group grazed at stocking rate of 10 animals per ha (low growth at pasture, LGP). Both groups were then finished indoors (period II) with a concentrate based on dried sugar-beet pulp. Eight control bulls were also fattened indoors on the concentrate diet during periods I and II (CG). The bulls were slaughtered according to similar finishing fattening state. Live-weight gains were 1·47, 1·10 and 0·52 kg/day (P < 0·002) during period I in CG, NGP and LGP groups respectively. Corresponding live-weight gains during period II were 1·22, 1·37 and 1·50 kg/day (P > 0·05). The LGP group had lower food conversion ratios, slaughter weights (P < 0·05) and dressing proportions (P < 0·01). The meat from the grazed bulls had lower cooking losses (P < 0·05) and tended to have lower drip losses (P > 0·05) and higher tenderness (P > 0·05). It also had a higher cholesterol (P < 0·05) content. Large differences were observed in the fatty acid composition according to fat location (subcutaneous, intermuscular or intramuscular). The proportions of mono and polyunsaturated acids were increased in the fats of the animals previously grazed (P > 0·05, P < 0·05).

In a lifetime study of spring born cattle managed in a 20-month beef system, four feeding treatments were imposed during the 5-month winter period and two grass heights (low 6 to 8 cm, high 8 to 10 cm) during the subsequent grazing period. Three slaughter weights were imposed over the grazing period, early, mid and late, at an average of 67,110 and 154 days post turn-out. A multi-factorial design was used with three animal factors — maturity (early maturing Hereford crosses v. late maturing Charolais crosses), sex (heifer v. steer) and method of rearing (suckled calves v. bucket-reared calves). There were significant differences in growth rate for both sex and maturity (P < 0·001) and a highly significant negative effect of winter food level on summer growth rate (P < 0·001), the growth rate of food treatment 4 being proportionately 0·61 of that treatment 1.

Sward height significantly influenced summer growth rate (P < 0·001) but showed no interaction with winter food level in any of the three grazing periods. Growth rates increased over the summer but differences between winter food treatments decreased with daily gains for food treatment 4 being proportionately 0·44, 0·81 and 0·84 of food treatment 1 as the grazing season progressed.

Eliminating winter feeding treatment as a factor and including condition score at turn-out as a co-variate improved the variation explained and reduced differences in growth rate for the main effects with only the main effect of grass height remaining significant. This suggests that the condition of animals at turn-out in conjunction with the subsequent grazing sward height provides a simple practical guide to subsequent animal performance.

A comparison was made between two different finishing systems with Belgian Blue bulls. Two groups of bulls were grazed during an initial 140-day period and then finished indoors with concentrates. There were two stocking rates during the grazing period: a medium at six bulls per ha (MGFI) and a high at eight bulls per ha (HGFI). A third group of bulls was finished indoors on a concentrate diet during the whole finishing period (FI). The experiment was repeated over 2 years consecutively. The pasture which was grazed at the medium stocking rate was characterized by a higher sward height (P < 0·01), more refusals (P < 0·001), less Lolium perenne (P < 0·05) and more Trifolium repens (P<0·05) than that grazed at eight bulls per ha. The live-weight gain was 1·15 kg/day during the grazing period for the MGFI bulls and 1·00 kg/day when they were taken indoors. The increase in stocking rate reduced the gain at grass (1·00 kg/day, P < 0·001) and improved the gain indoors (1·24 v. 1·01 kg/day, P < 0·001). In the groups which were initially grazed when compared with the indoor system, the fattening period was longer (236·0 and 241·0 v. 186·9 days, P<0·01) and the live-weight gain lower (1·11 and 1·10 v. 1·44 kg/day, P < 0·001 for MGFI, HGFI and Fl respectively). The dressing proportion was greater also (P < 0·05), and there were higher concentrations of muscles (P < 0·05) and bones (P < 0·05) in the carcass of the bulls which were grazed initially. With these bulls, the lean meat was darker (P<0·05) and lost more water although there were no effects on the myoglobin content or on shear force. The net profit was in favour of the groups which were grazed.