Abstract: The present invention provides a method for the detection of inflammation in animals using infrared thermography. The invention also provides a method for the detection of diseases or disorders that induce inflammation using infrared thermography. The present invention further provides a method for the detection of infections in animals using infrared thermography.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for the detection of inflammation in animals using infrared thermography. The invention also provides a method for the detection of diseases or disorders that induce inflammation using infrared thermography. The present invention further provides a method for the detection of infections in animals using infrared thermography.

Abstract: A process for determining a tissue composition characteristic of a live animal or carcass involves the steps of: (a) obtaining either or both of at least one infrared thermographic image of the animal while it is alive, taken from at least one view, or at least one image of the carcass of the animal after slaughter, taken from at least one view, each thermographic image being capable of being represented as an array of pixels providing temperature data representative of temperature information at the corresponding part of the image; (b) calculating the value of at least one statistical measure of the temperature data for each thermographic image; (c) providing a predictive model wherein the tissue composition characteristic is included as an output variable, and the statistical measures of temperature data for each thermographic image are included as input variables; and (d) solving the predictive model to provide the value of the tissue composition characteristic.

Abstract: The invention relates to an antemortem stress supplement for livestock containing one or more sources of electrolytes including sodium, potassium and magnesium, one or more sources of amino acids including alanine, lysine, phenylalanine, methionine, threonine, leucine, isoleucine, valine, and glutamate, all in a bypass form; and a source of tryptophan.

Abstract: The invention provides methods of detecting poor meat quality in live animals using infrared thermography. Animals from a group of live domestic animals such as cattle or swine are scanned to produce thermographic images. The images are then statistically analyzed to determine a measure of central tendency such as the mean temperature for each animal's image and for all of the images in the group. A measure of dispersion from the measure of central tendency, such as standard deviation is determined. Then, animals are rejected as having a high probability of producing poor meat quality if the measure of central tendency for that animal's temperature differs from the measure of central tendency for the group by more than 0.9 standard deviations. Alternatively a set percent of animals are rejected, preferably up to 20%, these being animals whose measures of central tendency differ the most from the measure of central tendency for the group.

Abstract: The invention relates to an antemortem stress supplement for livestock containing one or more sources of electrolytes including sodium, potassium and magnesium, one or more sources of amino acids including alanine, lysine, phenylalanine, methionine, threonine, leucine, isoleucine, valine, and glutamate, all in a bypass form; and a source of tryptophan. The invention also extends to methods of administering the supplements to livestock to prevent or reduce antemortem stress.

Abstract: The invention provides methods of detecting poor meat quality in live animals using infrared thermography. In cattle, animals whose thermographs are predominantly outside the test temperature range, 28.degree.-32.degree..+-.2.degree. C., are rejected as having a high probability of producing poor meat quality. In swine, the test temperature range is 24.degree.-26.degree..+-.2.degree. C.