Translational Animal Science最新文献

The instrument grading assessment portion of the National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA)-2022 allowed for the evaluation of beef carcass traits over a 12-mo period. One week of instrument grading data was collected each month from 6 major beef processing companies from July 2021 to June 2022 (n = 4,418,768 carcasses). The sample pool was composed of 58.0% steer carcasses and 42.0% heifer carcasses, and the breed type distribution was 98.0% native, 1.6% dairy, and 0.3% Bos indicus. Means for USDA Yield Grade (YG) and YG factors were YG, 3.26, adjusted fat thickness, 1.55 cm, HCW, 400.6 kg, ribeye area, 91.6 cm², and KPH, 2.1%. Frequency distribution of USDA YG was YG 1 = 7.87%, YG 2 = 31.70%, YG 3 = 40.03%, YG 4 = 17.07%, and YG 5 = 3.35%. Mean marbling score was Modest¹⁶, and the distribution of USDA quality grades was Prime = 8.19%, Choice = 74.84%, Select = 15.68%, and other = 1.31%. Frequency of carcasses grading Prime on Monday (10.89%), a 3.27%-point increase compared to the Prime average for the other days of the week (7.72%), demonstrates the potential advantage of additional postmortem chilling over the weekend from Friday and/or Saturday slaughter days. Comparisons of breed type and sex class revealed differences (P < 0.05) in marbling with dairy heifers (Modest⁵⁵) > native heifers (Modest³¹) > dairy steers (Modest¹²) > native steers (Modest⁰³), and ribeye area with native steers (93.3 cm²) > native heifers (90.9 cm²) > dairy steers (81.8 cm²) > dairy heifers (80.3 cm²). Month-to-month frequency distributions in beef carcass traits revealed numerical differences in marbling, USDA quality grade distribution, HCW, and adjusted fat thicknesses. Percentage distribution of dark cutting carcasses revealed numerically higher incidences during the summer and fall seasons compared to winter and spring. Findings from the instrument grading assessment of the NBQA-2022 provide the beef industry with the most comprehensive and current beef carcass quality and yield information available.

The experiment was conducted at the Animal Production Center (NUPRAN), Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Sector, Midwestern Parana State University (UNICENTRO), aiming to evaluate the effect of a blend of natural additives compared to a mix of antibiotics commonly used as ruminal fermentation modifiers on the weight gain performance, dry matter intake, feed efficiency, dry matter apparent digestibility and carcass performance of feedlot finished steers. The experiment lasted 112 d, with 28 d for adaptation and 84 d for evaluation, divided into three periods of 28 d each. Thirty-six crossbred steers (Angus × Nellore in equal proportions), whole males, with an average initial weight of 400 ± 14.0 kg and an average age of 12 ± 1 mo, were used. Steers were allotted in 18 pens (2 steers/pen) under a complete randomized block design experiment (9 replications/treatments). Treatments consisted of a basal diet 35:65 forage to-concentrate supplemented as follows: 1- diet with sodium monensin + Virginiamycin (MO + VM), and 2-diet with a blend containing essential oils + exogenous α-amylase + 25-hydroxy-vitamin-D3 (EO + ENZ + HYD). There were no differences between additives tested on the use of different food additives did not change animal performance, which at the end of 84 d of confinement showed an average daily gain of 1.354 kg (P = 0.1709), dry matter intake of 10.39 kg day^-1 (P = 0.7811) and 2.12% of live weight (P = 0.5133), and feed efficiency of 0.137 kg. Steers that receive EO + ENZ + HYD reduced 24% fecal starch (P = 0.0001) and improved the apparent digestibility of DM (1.40%, P = 0.0210), NDF (5.55%, P = 0.0007) and starch (1.30%, P = 0.0001). Animals supplemented with EO + ENZ + HYD showed greater (P = 0.0456) rump fat thickness (12.22 mm) than those supplemented with MO + VM (10.42 mm) at slaughter, and greater marbling and rump fat thickness gain (0.58 points and 5.93 mm) than those supplemented with MO + VM (0.32 points and 7.50 mm) after 84 d of confinement. The blend of essential oils + exogenous α-amylase + 25-hydroxy-vitamin-D3 was effective in replacing the combination of sodium monensin + Virginiamycin on productive performance, apparent digestibility of DM, NDF, and starch, as well as for the disposition of fat in the carcass of steers finished in confinement.

Equine industry housing and feeding management strategies vary widely. Management choices are important as horses spend most of their time in housing environments and demonstrating ingestive/foraging behavior. As of 2023, over 1.4 million Ohioans identified as horse owners and/or enthusiasts. The objectives of this survey were to determine demographics of the Ohio horse industry, commonly used sources of information, knowledge gaps regarding equine management practices, and to explore what may influence equine management choices. Using Qualtrics (Provo, UT), a 52-question online, anonymous survey was made available to Ohio horse owners and industry personnel through local horse organizations and social media from October to December 2023. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics (mean, percentage, frequency) and relationships between variables were explored using Pearson chi-square tests or Kruskal-Wallis H and Mann-Whitney U tests in SPSS (Armonk, NY). A total of 1,011 usable survey responses were collected. Most respondents had between 1 to 10 yr of horse experience (64%) and identified as primarily white (63%), females (61%), between 35 to 44 yr of age (31%). Quarter Horses (29%) were the most represented breed. Overall, the primary sources of equine management information were internet (15%), veterinarians (14%), and personal contacts (12%). There were differences between respondents' main source of equine information based on horse owners' experience level (X² = 60; P < 0.01) and awareness of resources provided by Ohio State University (OSU) Extension (X² = 80; P < 0.01). Respondents' familiarity/use of body condition scoring differed based on awareness of OSU Extension resources (H = 234; P < 0.01). For housing management, most respondents either stalled horses with unlimited turnout (31%) or group housed horses on pasture (32%). For feeding management, most respondents fed concentrates (96%), primarily measuring concentrates either by weight (42%) or visual estimation (46%). However, forages were more commonly fed by visual estimation (52%) rather than by weight (18%). Feeding forage twice per day was most common, regardless of access to pasture (49%) or not (30%). Concentrates were more commonly provided once per day (41%) with 21% feeding twice per day. The results from this study can be used to assist in developing educational opportunities and resources and to design horse management research to benefit Ohio's equine stakeholders.

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of the proportion of a litter that was cross-fostered and the number of source litters used to form a cross-fostered litter on piglet pre-weaning performance. The study was carried out at 2 commercial farrowing facilities using a RCBD with 53 blocks (265 litters, 3675 piglets). Sows within a block were of similar parity, body condition score, and functional teat number that farrowed at the same facility on the same day. Litters within a block were the same size after cross-fostering (13 or 14 piglets), with similar average and CV of piglet birth weight. Treatments involved the percentage of piglets in the litter that were cross-fostered (0% = none; 50% = half from birth sow, half from other litters; 100% = all from other litters) and number of source litters (sows to which piglets were born) contributing piglets to the cross-fostered litter. The 5 cross-fostering treatments (% of litter cross-fostered/number of source litters) were: 1) 0%/1 (all piglets from birth sow); 2) 100%/1 (all piglets from one other sow); 3) 100%/multiple (all piglets from 6 to 11 other sows; mean 6.8); 4) 50%/multiple (half piglets from birth sow; half piglets from 4 to 8 other sows; mean 5.5); 5) 50%/2 (half piglets from birth sow; half piglets from one other sow). Piglets were weighed and allotted to treatment 24 hour after birth and weighed at weaning (WW; 19.2 ± 0.97 d); pre-weaning mortality (PWM) was recorded. Data were analyzed using SAS; models accounted for the fixed effect of cross-fostering treatment and random effects of farrowing facility and block within farrowing facility. There were no interactions (P > 0.05) between farrowing facility and cross-fostering treatment. There were no differences (P > 0.05) between 0%/1 and 100%/1 treatments for PWM or WW, indicating no effect of cross-fostering per se. There were no differences (P > 0.05) between 100%/multiple and 50%/multiple treatments for PWM or WW, indicating no effect of proportion of the litter cross-fostered. Pre-weaning mortality for the 0%/1 and 100%/1 treatments was greater (3.2 to 5.7 percentage units; P ≤ 0.05) compared to the other 3 treatments, which were similar (P > 0.05). Neither cross-fostering per se nor the proportion of the litter cross-fostered affected piglet performance; however, cross-fostered litters created with piglets from multiple sources had lower pre-weaning mortality than those created with piglets from a single litter.

The objective was to evaluate the effects of feeding increasing energy by increasing fat (corn oil) levels to growing-finishing pigs when fed with or without narasin (Skycis; Elanco Animal Health, Greenfield, IN). A total of 2,194 pigs with an initial body weight of 35.6 ± 3.6 kg were housed in 88 mixed-sex pens (25 pigs/pen). Each treatment combination was replicated 11 times. Pigs were fed in a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments in a randomized complete block design. Factors included added fat level (0.0%, 1.3%, 2.6%, or 4.0%) and narasin (0 mg/kg or 15 mg/kg). Pigs were provided ad libitum access to feed and water throughout the study and weighed on day 0 (start of experimental feeding period), 30, 54, and 80. Pigs were marketed over the course of 4 wk with the heaviest pigs removed during each marketing event. There were significant interactions between narasin and energy on overall grow-finish average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and gain-to-feed (G:F) (P ≤ 0.05). Pigs that were fed 0% added fat and 15 mg/kg narasin gained 0.03 to 0.04 fewer kg per day (P ≤ 0.05) compared to pigs fed 2.6% added fat and 15 mg/kg narasin and pigs fed 4% added fat with narasin or no narasin. Pigs fed 0% added fat and no narasin ate at least 0.10 more kg per day (P ≤ 0.03) compared to all other treatments. Pigs fed 0% added fat and no narasin had the lowest (P ≤ 0.01) gain to feed (G:F) by at least 0.009 compared to all other treatments. The G:F of pigs fed 0 mg/kg narasin increased (P ≤ 0.01) by approximately 0.01 with each increase in added fat level. However, when 15 mg/kg narasin was fed, there were no differences (P ≥ 0.06) in G:F between pigs fed 0% and 1.3% added fat, or between pigs fed 2.6% and 4% added fat. Adding narasin at 15 mg/kg improved G:F by 3.18% (P < 0.01) with 0% added fat but provided no additional benefits (P = 1.00) when fed with 4% added fat. The additive benefits of feeding narasin diminished on G:F as fat level increased and it may not be beneficial to include both additional fat and narasin at the same time to growing-finishing pigs.

Genomic prediction is crucial in animal breeding because it facilitates the selection of superior individuals based on genotype data. The success of genomic prediction is determined by its accuracy, which depends on the size of the reference population and relatedness between the reference and test populations. However, not all populations have large, highly genetically related reference populations. In this study, we evaluated the genomic prediction accuracy of three crossbreds and seven purebred populations using crossbred animals as a reference population and determined whether crossbred could be used as a reference population for small purebred populations. Genomic prediction accuracy was assessed using the genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP) for backfat thickness and carcass weight traits. Data from 29 Bisaro, 91 Duroc, 50 Duroc × Korean Native Pig (DK), 36 Iberian, 34 Korean Native Pig (KNP), 85 Landrace, 50 Landrace × Korean Native Pig (LK), 50 Landrace × Yorkshire × Duroc (LYD), 37 Meishan, and 49 Yorkshire pigs were used as test populations, whereas data from 245 DK, 964 LK, and 967 LYD crossbreds were used as the reference population. The findings indicated that the prediction accuracy of purebreds was higher when they were genetically related to the crossbred population, with accuracies ranging from 0.36 to 0.53 for backfat thickness and from 0.26 to 0.46 for carcass weight. In contrast, unrelated breeds showed lower accuracies, ranging from 0.16 to 0.48 for backfat thickness and from 0.13 to 0.40 for carcass weight. These results suggest that using crossbred populations related to the purebred population being predicted can improve prediction accuracy, especially for breeds with limited data. The prediction accuracy increased as the size of the reference population increased, regardless of genetic relatedness. Notably, small reference populations yielded higher accuracy when they were genetically related to the target animals, underscoring the importance of genetic similarity in addition to population size. These results highlight that using crossbred animals for reference populations is advantageous for genomic predictions because large populations can be rapidly established.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the partial replacement of soybean meal (SBM) with either Chlorella pyrenoidosa or Spirulina platensis in a high producing dairy cow diet on ruminal bacterial communities. A dual-flow continuous culture system was used in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin Square design. A control diet (CRT) with SBM at 17.8% DM; and 50% SBM biomass replacement with either Chlorella pyrenoidosa (CHL); or Spirulina platensis (SPI). All diets were formulated to provide 16.0% CP, 34.9% NDF, 31.0% starch DM basis. Samples were collected from the fluid and solid effluents at 3, 6, and 9 h after feeding; a composite of all time points was made for each fermenter within their respective fractions. Treatment responses for bacterial community structure were analyzed with the PERMANOVA test run with the R Vegan package. Orthogonal contrasts were used to test the effects of 1) partial replacement of SBM with algae (CRT vs. CHL, and SPI); and 2) the comparison of algae sources (CHL vs. SPI). The orthogonal contrasts were used to test the effects of the treatments on phylum, family, and genus differential abundance using the R limma package. The relative abundance of Ruminobacter in liquid fraction was greater for CHL and SPI than CRT, while the relative abundance of Butyrivibrio, and Pseudobutyrivibrio in solid fraction were lower for CHL and SPI compared to CRT, respectively. Moreover, the relative abundance of Ruminobacter in liquid fraction was greater for CHL compared to SPI. Our results demonstrate that Chlorella and Spirulina supplementation enhance the abundance of bacteria associated with propionate production in the rumen.

Calf handling for spring processing represents one of the few times calves are handled in extensive production systems for the purpose of welfare and productivity interventions. The objective of this study was to identify the perspectives and preferences for common beef calf handling methods from those with experience in beef production. This study is the quantitative analysis of an online survey of 863 participants in calf handling events in western Canada. The survey used video clips to highlight three common handling practices of roping and wresting (RW), roping and Nord forks (NF), and tilt tables (TT). Participants were asked to rate how acceptable it was to use a method on a 5-point Likert scale, as well as rank which method they would most prefer and least prefer to use. Additional questions included demographics, scoring empathy towards animals, factors important to animal welfare, their experience with different methods, performance of tasks within spring processing events, and factors influencing decision to use a method. The acceptability of a method had weak (TT: ρ = 0.21, p < 0.001) to no correlation (RW and NF: p > 0.05) with the preference to use the method, indicating that a method might be deemed acceptable to use but not what a participant would prefer to use for handling and restraining calves. Participants were more likely to prefer to use RW and NF if they had experience with these methods compared to those that indicated they had no experience with RW or NF (odds ratio = 7.98, 95%CI = 1.51-41.99, p = 0.01; odds ratio = 21.1, 95%CI = 3.25-138.46, p = 0.01 for RW and NF, respectively). The likelihood of ranking a method as most preferred was influenced by the tasks a participant had previously performed during processing and varied among methods. The influence of tasks an individual performed on preference to use a method highlights areas for potential innovation, particularly in the areas of needle administration with RW and NF, and calf handling and castrating with TT. Owners placed more importance on factors related to logistics than other factors when deciding which method to use (χ² = 107.9, df = 48, p < 0.001). Best practice recommendations and assurance programs should focus on calf experience and humane handling, with guidance on how that could be achieved within different types of handling methods.

The objective of this study was to evaluate net returns for Central U.S. high plains feedyard cattle identified with acute interstitial pneumonia (AIP) ante-mortem and postmortem (n = 5,339) and to examine economic outcomes across sex, placement weight, and number of AIP treatments. A decision tree framework was implemented to estimate net returns of cattle identified with AIP, where decision nodes represented choices made by the producer, and branches represented potential outcomes following a decision. The initial decision node was whether to treat cattle for AIP after the first identification for illness or to sell (cull) soon after diagnosis at reduced weight and price compared to cattle in the cohort sold at finished weight. Following initial treatment, cattle that remained in the feedyard either finished (with or without further treatment), were culled, or died after additional diagnosis and treatment. Probabilities of incidents at each node were obtained from the data distribution. This research indicates that estimated net returns for feedyard cattle identified with AIP vary by sex, placement weight, and number of AIP treatments. The expected net return to feeding healthy cattle was $193.67/animal, while the expected net return for cattle that finished after AIP treatment was -$639.71/animal for cattle treated once for AIP, -$612.41/animal for those treated twice for AIP, and -$529.57/animal for those treated three or more times for AIP. However, other health indicators and risk factors not included in this analysis should be considered when deciding whether to keep or cull feedyard cattle identified with AIP.

Trypsin inhibitor proteins are antinutritional compounds innate to soybeans that reduce protein digestibility, amino acid bioavailability, and growth performance of pigs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of increasing levels of dietary trypsin inhibitor unit activity (TIU/mg) on nursery pig growth performance and health. In a 41-d study, 1,140 newly weaned nursery pigs (5.9 ± 0.34 kg BW) were allotted into split sex pens, blocked by body weight, assigned randomly to one of five dietary treatments (n = 19 pens/treatment) varying in TIU/mg concentration, and fed over three dietary phases. Treatments targeted 0.41, 1.32, 2.20, 3.08, and 3.96 TIU/mg of complete feed averaged over the three phases and were achieved by using a corn-soybean meal basal diet with added soybean flour. Analyzed dietary treatments averaged 0.61, 1.22, 2.19, 3.41, and 3.51 TIU/mg. Pen BW and feed disappearance were recorded at the start and end of each phase to calculate ADG, ADFI, and G:F. Fecal consistency was scored and recorded daily. On d 21 of the study, 10 pigs per treatment were sacrificed for intestinal sample collection. Data were analyzed with pen as the experimental unit, the random effect of block, and the fixed effect of TIU, including polynomial contrasts for linear and quadratic effects of 0.61 to 3.51 TIU/mg treatments. No quadratic responses to dietary TIU/mg activity were reported in any parameters. Overall, as active dietary TIU/mg increased, ADG, ADFI, and G:F linearly decreased (P < 0.001). Pigs fed the highest level (3.51 TIU/mg) exhibited reduced ADG by 25%, ADFI by 17%, and G:F by 8% compared to pigs fed the lowest level (0.61 TIU/mg). Dietary TIU/mg did not affect fecal consistency, mortality, or removals (P > 0.10). Individual and total concentrations of colonic biogenic amines and short chain fatty acids did not differ (P > 0.10). Histological lesions of the ileum and colon did not differ (P > 0.10). Ileum VH tended to decrease (P = 0.078) and CD linearly decreased as TIU/mg increased (P = 0.004), but VH:CD and colonic CD were similar (P > 0.10). Moderate relationships between TIU intake and G:F (R² = 0.393), caloric efficiency (R² = 0.378), and lysine efficiency (R² = 0.376) were observed. In conclusion, soybean-derived active TIU concentrations negatively impact nursery pig performance above 1.22 TIU/mg, with minimal impacts on intestinal and pig health.