Pub Date : 2024-07-23DOI: 10.3390/ruminants4030024
Deborah O. Okedoyin, Joel O. Alabi, Chika C. Anotaenwere, Michael Wuaku, DeAndrea Gray, Oludotun O. Adelusi, K. Ike, P. Dele, O. Oderinwale, M. Idowu, I. Ogunade, U. Anele
Essential oils are natural feed additives that improve animal health and enhance their performance. This study investigated the effects of the rumen infusion of five essential oil blends (EOBs) on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, rumen fermentation parameters, and rumen metabolome and metabolic pathways in Black Angus cows. Using a 6 × 6 Latin Square experimental design, a 90-day study was conducted with six cattle. A daily dosage of 4 mL of EOBs was administered during each infusion. Volcano plot analyses between the control (CON) and each of the EOBs (EOB1, EOB2, EOB3, EOB4, and EOB5) revealed several differentially abundant (p ≤ 0.05; absolute fold change ≥1.5) metabolites. The EOB5 treatment exhibited the most significant impact, with 26 differentially abundant metabolites, including elevated valine and reduced gallic acid. Volatile fatty acids (VFAs), including valerate, isobutyrate, and isovalerate, were significantly increased (p < 0.05). GHG emissions were not significantly affected, but a numerical decrease was observed in the animals infused with the EOB5 treatment. Ammonia nitrogen concentrations remained within the suitable range for rumen microbes’ growth, indicating a normal internal environment for microbial crude protein synthesis. In conclusion, the study has demonstrated that the direct infusion of EOBs significantly improved the generation of VFAs and impacted the energy production, protein synthesis, and microbial activity of the animals.
{"title":"Metabolomic Profiling, Volatile Fatty Acids, and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Beef Cattle Infused with Different Essential Oil Blends","authors":"Deborah O. Okedoyin, Joel O. Alabi, Chika C. Anotaenwere, Michael Wuaku, DeAndrea Gray, Oludotun O. Adelusi, K. Ike, P. Dele, O. Oderinwale, M. Idowu, I. Ogunade, U. Anele","doi":"10.3390/ruminants4030024","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/ruminants4030024","url":null,"abstract":"Essential oils are natural feed additives that improve animal health and enhance their performance. This study investigated the effects of the rumen infusion of five essential oil blends (EOBs) on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, rumen fermentation parameters, and rumen metabolome and metabolic pathways in Black Angus cows. Using a 6 × 6 Latin Square experimental design, a 90-day study was conducted with six cattle. A daily dosage of 4 mL of EOBs was administered during each infusion. Volcano plot analyses between the control (CON) and each of the EOBs (EOB1, EOB2, EOB3, EOB4, and EOB5) revealed several differentially abundant (p ≤ 0.05; absolute fold change ≥1.5) metabolites. The EOB5 treatment exhibited the most significant impact, with 26 differentially abundant metabolites, including elevated valine and reduced gallic acid. Volatile fatty acids (VFAs), including valerate, isobutyrate, and isovalerate, were significantly increased (p < 0.05). GHG emissions were not significantly affected, but a numerical decrease was observed in the animals infused with the EOB5 treatment. Ammonia nitrogen concentrations remained within the suitable range for rumen microbes’ growth, indicating a normal internal environment for microbial crude protein synthesis. In conclusion, the study has demonstrated that the direct infusion of EOBs significantly improved the generation of VFAs and impacted the energy production, protein synthesis, and microbial activity of the animals.","PeriodicalId":508508,"journal":{"name":"Ruminants","volume":"44 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141813454","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-07-12DOI: 10.3390/ruminants4030023
Lily A. Martin, Edward C. Webb, C. L. Runyan, Jennifer A. Spencer, Barbara W. Jones, Kimberly B. Wellmann
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of breed, lactation number, and lameness on lying time, milk yield, milk urea nitrogen concentration (MUN), progesterone concentration (P4), and the calving-to-conception interval (CCI) of lactating dairy cows in Central Texas. A total of 84 lactating dairy cows (Holsteins, Jerseys, and crossbreeds) from a commercial dairy farm in Central Texas were randomly selected and enrolled in this study from October 2023 to February 2024. Cows (60 ± 7 DIM) were enrolled in cohorts weekly for five weeks and were randomly fitted with an IceQube pedometer (IceRobotics, Edinburgh, UK) to track lying time. Lameness and body condition scores (BCS) were recorded, and blood samples were collected once a week. Parameters of reproductive performance included insemination rate, conception rate, pregnancy rate, and the CCI. Monthly dairy herd improvement association (DHIA) testing included milk yield and MUN concentrations. Breed and lactation number had a significant effect on milk yield, MUN concentration, lying time, BCS, and lameness (p < 0.001). Lactation number had a significant effect on P4 concentrations (p < 0.001). There was a positive correlation between lameness and milk yield (p = 0.014) and a negative correlation between lameness and MUN concentrations (p = 0.038).
{"title":"The Effects of Breed, Lactation Number, and Lameness on the Behavior, Production, and Reproduction of Lactating Dairy Cows in Central Texas","authors":"Lily A. Martin, Edward C. Webb, C. L. Runyan, Jennifer A. Spencer, Barbara W. Jones, Kimberly B. Wellmann","doi":"10.3390/ruminants4030023","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/ruminants4030023","url":null,"abstract":"The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of breed, lactation number, and lameness on lying time, milk yield, milk urea nitrogen concentration (MUN), progesterone concentration (P4), and the calving-to-conception interval (CCI) of lactating dairy cows in Central Texas. A total of 84 lactating dairy cows (Holsteins, Jerseys, and crossbreeds) from a commercial dairy farm in Central Texas were randomly selected and enrolled in this study from October 2023 to February 2024. Cows (60 ± 7 DIM) were enrolled in cohorts weekly for five weeks and were randomly fitted with an IceQube pedometer (IceRobotics, Edinburgh, UK) to track lying time. Lameness and body condition scores (BCS) were recorded, and blood samples were collected once a week. Parameters of reproductive performance included insemination rate, conception rate, pregnancy rate, and the CCI. Monthly dairy herd improvement association (DHIA) testing included milk yield and MUN concentrations. Breed and lactation number had a significant effect on milk yield, MUN concentration, lying time, BCS, and lameness (p < 0.001). Lactation number had a significant effect on P4 concentrations (p < 0.001). There was a positive correlation between lameness and milk yield (p = 0.014) and a negative correlation between lameness and MUN concentrations (p = 0.038).","PeriodicalId":508508,"journal":{"name":"Ruminants","volume":"55 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141653922","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-07-02DOI: 10.3390/ruminants4030022
Ryan Flynn, Haley Cremerius, Lisa Ebner, P. Mulon, Jessica Garcia, Kailee Bennett, Jessica Gerbert, Lainey Harvill, Olivia G Escher, Channing Cantrell, Windy Soto-Gonzalez, Rebecca R. Rahn, Jeff D. Olivarez, L. Yuan, J. Mochel, A. Kreuder, Joe Smith
(1) Background: Multiple point-of-care (POC) glucometers are in use in veterinary medicine, but few are compared to each other. This leaves the potential for clinicians to be unaware of the effect of bias when comparing results from different POC glucometers. (2) Methods: Samples from healthy calves and ewes were simultaneously compared with two POC veterinary glucometers, the Precision Xtra and the AlphaTrak2, under both the “canine” and “feline” settings. The results of each sample were statistically analyzed with linear regression and Bland–Altman analysis. (3) Results: 170 samples from healthy calves and 108 samples from healthy ewes were available for comparison. Calves: The AT2 consistently overestimated blood glucose concentrations when compared to the PX device with the calves. Correlationt with the PX was r = 0.8496 (canine setting) and r = 0.8861 (feline setting). Both the canine and feline settings demonstrated a consistent bias (41.11 and 33.64 mg/dL, respectively). Ewes: The AT2 consistently overestimated blood glucose concentrations when compared to the PX device with the ewes. Correlation with the PX was R = 0.4710 (canine setting) and R = 0.7269 (feline setting). Both the canine and feline settings demonstrated a consistent bias (21.23 and 14.54 mg/dL, respectively). (4) Clinicians should be aware of the potential for consistent bias when evaluating calf and sheep blood glucose concentrations as the AT2 device, at both settings, overestimated blood glucose compared to the previously validated PX. This reliability appears to change when the values are farther from the normal ranges, which should be considered when making clinical decisions based on data from these devices.
{"title":"Evaluating the Bias of Two Point-of-Care Glucometers for Calves and Ewes: Awareness for Ruminant Practitioners","authors":"Ryan Flynn, Haley Cremerius, Lisa Ebner, P. Mulon, Jessica Garcia, Kailee Bennett, Jessica Gerbert, Lainey Harvill, Olivia G Escher, Channing Cantrell, Windy Soto-Gonzalez, Rebecca R. Rahn, Jeff D. Olivarez, L. Yuan, J. Mochel, A. Kreuder, Joe Smith","doi":"10.3390/ruminants4030022","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/ruminants4030022","url":null,"abstract":"(1) Background: Multiple point-of-care (POC) glucometers are in use in veterinary medicine, but few are compared to each other. This leaves the potential for clinicians to be unaware of the effect of bias when comparing results from different POC glucometers. (2) Methods: Samples from healthy calves and ewes were simultaneously compared with two POC veterinary glucometers, the Precision Xtra and the AlphaTrak2, under both the “canine” and “feline” settings. The results of each sample were statistically analyzed with linear regression and Bland–Altman analysis. (3) Results: 170 samples from healthy calves and 108 samples from healthy ewes were available for comparison. Calves: The AT2 consistently overestimated blood glucose concentrations when compared to the PX device with the calves. Correlationt with the PX was r = 0.8496 (canine setting) and r = 0.8861 (feline setting). Both the canine and feline settings demonstrated a consistent bias (41.11 and 33.64 mg/dL, respectively). Ewes: The AT2 consistently overestimated blood glucose concentrations when compared to the PX device with the ewes. Correlation with the PX was R = 0.4710 (canine setting) and R = 0.7269 (feline setting). Both the canine and feline settings demonstrated a consistent bias (21.23 and 14.54 mg/dL, respectively). (4) Clinicians should be aware of the potential for consistent bias when evaluating calf and sheep blood glucose concentrations as the AT2 device, at both settings, overestimated blood glucose compared to the previously validated PX. This reliability appears to change when the values are farther from the normal ranges, which should be considered when making clinical decisions based on data from these devices.","PeriodicalId":508508,"journal":{"name":"Ruminants","volume":"23 24","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141685542","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-06-06DOI: 10.3390/ruminants4020019
Octavio Guimaraes, Garrett Preedy, J. T. Fox, B. Cappellozza, Ty C. Davis, Jennifer S. Schutz, M. Theurer
Non-hormone-treated beef steers (n = 1625; 371 ± 8.4 kg) were used to determine the impact of a direct-fed microbial (DFM) on growth performance, carcass characteristics, health parameters, and economic outcomes in finishing beef cattle. Steers were blocked based on initial BW, sorted into three optimal marketing groups for each day of enrollment, randomly assigned to one of two treatments (12 replicates per treatment), and fed for an average of 133 days before harvest. Treatments included the following: (1) control (CON) and (2) 50 mg/head per day of a DFM (BDP) containing Lactobacillus animalis 506, Propionibacterium freudenreichii 507, Bacillus licheniformis 809, and Bacillus subtilis 597 (BOVAMINE DEFEND® Plus). Steers were weighed in drafts by pen on a certified scale at closeout, and both pens within a block were harvested on the same day. Carcass characteristics and liver scores were collected upon slaughter. Data were analyzed as part of a completely randomized block design with the pen as the experimental unit. There was no difference in dry matter intake and final body weight between treatments. The BDP steers exhibited a lower number of total outs (deads and removed) throughout the experiment (p < 0.01). Average daily gain (ADG) tended to be greater (p < 0.06), and feed efficiency (p < 0.01) was greater, for steers receiving BDP. Although there were no statistical differences in hot carcass weight and quality grade between treatments, there was a lower incidence of liver abscess scores (p < 0.01) in the BDP steers. These data suggest that BOVAMINE DEFEND® Plus supplementation improves growth performance during the finishing phase, reduces overall mortality, and improves feed to gain efficiency.
{"title":"A Novel Direct-Fed Microbial Impacts Growth Performance and Supports Overall Health of Feedlot Cattle","authors":"Octavio Guimaraes, Garrett Preedy, J. T. Fox, B. Cappellozza, Ty C. Davis, Jennifer S. Schutz, M. Theurer","doi":"10.3390/ruminants4020019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/ruminants4020019","url":null,"abstract":"Non-hormone-treated beef steers (n = 1625; 371 ± 8.4 kg) were used to determine the impact of a direct-fed microbial (DFM) on growth performance, carcass characteristics, health parameters, and economic outcomes in finishing beef cattle. Steers were blocked based on initial BW, sorted into three optimal marketing groups for each day of enrollment, randomly assigned to one of two treatments (12 replicates per treatment), and fed for an average of 133 days before harvest. Treatments included the following: (1) control (CON) and (2) 50 mg/head per day of a DFM (BDP) containing Lactobacillus animalis 506, Propionibacterium freudenreichii 507, Bacillus licheniformis 809, and Bacillus subtilis 597 (BOVAMINE DEFEND® Plus). Steers were weighed in drafts by pen on a certified scale at closeout, and both pens within a block were harvested on the same day. Carcass characteristics and liver scores were collected upon slaughter. Data were analyzed as part of a completely randomized block design with the pen as the experimental unit. There was no difference in dry matter intake and final body weight between treatments. The BDP steers exhibited a lower number of total outs (deads and removed) throughout the experiment (p < 0.01). Average daily gain (ADG) tended to be greater (p < 0.06), and feed efficiency (p < 0.01) was greater, for steers receiving BDP. Although there were no statistical differences in hot carcass weight and quality grade between treatments, there was a lower incidence of liver abscess scores (p < 0.01) in the BDP steers. These data suggest that BOVAMINE DEFEND® Plus supplementation improves growth performance during the finishing phase, reduces overall mortality, and improves feed to gain efficiency.","PeriodicalId":508508,"journal":{"name":"Ruminants","volume":"97 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141378080","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-06-04DOI: 10.3390/ruminants4020018
C. Ziadi, Sonia Bedhiaf-Romdhani, Antonio Molina
This study aimed to assess genetic parameters for ewe productivity in a Tunisian Barbarine sheep line. The traits studied were litter size (LS), birth weight (BW), weight at 90 days (W90), and average daily gain between 10 and 30 days (ADG13). A total of 3804 growth and 2726 lambing records were used. Bivariate linear and threshold animal models were fitted and analyzed using the Gibbs sampling methodology. Heritabilities for LS obtained with univariate threshold, bivariate linear, and threshold models were around 0.15, higher than the estimate obtained by a univariate linear model (0.09 ± 0.03). Direct heritability for growth traits remained consistent across models, except for W90 in the bivariate linear threshold model. Maternal heritability for growth traits was higher than direct heritability, ranging from 0.07 to 0.15, except for BW. The covariances between the direct and maternal effects of growth traits were slightly negative. Repeatability oscillated between 0.16 and 0.62. Direct genetic correlations between LS and the other traits were negative, varying from −0.18 (LS-BW) to −0.83 (LS-W90). Our results suggest that the threshold model may be the most appropriate for LS. A selection index including LS and growth traits may be proposed for routine genetic evaluation in this population.
{"title":"Estimation of Genetic Parameters for Litter Size and Growth Traits in a Prolific Line of Tunisian Barbarine Sheep","authors":"C. Ziadi, Sonia Bedhiaf-Romdhani, Antonio Molina","doi":"10.3390/ruminants4020018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/ruminants4020018","url":null,"abstract":"This study aimed to assess genetic parameters for ewe productivity in a Tunisian Barbarine sheep line. The traits studied were litter size (LS), birth weight (BW), weight at 90 days (W90), and average daily gain between 10 and 30 days (ADG13). A total of 3804 growth and 2726 lambing records were used. Bivariate linear and threshold animal models were fitted and analyzed using the Gibbs sampling methodology. Heritabilities for LS obtained with univariate threshold, bivariate linear, and threshold models were around 0.15, higher than the estimate obtained by a univariate linear model (0.09 ± 0.03). Direct heritability for growth traits remained consistent across models, except for W90 in the bivariate linear threshold model. Maternal heritability for growth traits was higher than direct heritability, ranging from 0.07 to 0.15, except for BW. The covariances between the direct and maternal effects of growth traits were slightly negative. Repeatability oscillated between 0.16 and 0.62. Direct genetic correlations between LS and the other traits were negative, varying from −0.18 (LS-BW) to −0.83 (LS-W90). Our results suggest that the threshold model may be the most appropriate for LS. A selection index including LS and growth traits may be proposed for routine genetic evaluation in this population.","PeriodicalId":508508,"journal":{"name":"Ruminants","volume":"10 30","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141265390","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-05-09DOI: 10.3390/ruminants4020017
Faisal Al-Barakeh, Ashraf Omar Khashroum, Radi Tarawneh, Fatima A. Al-Lataifeh, Azzam N. Al-Yacoub, M. Dayoub, Khaled Al-Najjar
This study examines the sustainability of livestock farming in Jordan’s arid regions, focusing on smallholder Awassi sheep and Baladi goat farming. It assesses breeders, economic factors, herd productivity, and sustainability, evaluating the vitality of these breeds by examining reproductive success through birth and survival rates. In 2021–2022, a total of 53 traditional Awassi sheep and Baladi goat farms in Northern Jordan’s Mafraq Governorate were surveyed using a comprehensive questionnaire to gather data on breeders’ information, farm economics, and herd indicators. Dry seasons in arid lands are tough on sheep and goats, with limited fodder and water availability harming their health and reproductive capacity. While wet seasons bring relief, they can also introduce diseases. Special care for these animals throughout the year is crucial to maintain healthy herds in arid regions. Linear models were employed to analyze sample data, with variance and correlation tests used to explore relationships among variables. Additionally, chi-squared analysis was utilized to assess the impact of male replacement plans on these herds. The main outcomes of this study reveal that breeder indicators pose challenges to the sustainability and growth of Awassi sheep and Baladi goat farming. Conversely, economic indicators suggest a blend of financial stability alongside obstacles related to profitability and resource ownership. Breeder age emerges as a significant factor in livestock herd management, influenced by elements such as experience, resource availability, and adherence to traditional practices. Experience notably influences breeders’ decisions regarding male insemination replacements, likely due to acquired skills. Crop cultivation is shown to reduce fodder costs, thereby enhancing profitability for each young animal sold and consequently increasing the breeders’ returns. Winter conditions elevate animal mortality rates due to cold stress, while other animals within herds contribute to increased kid mortality by facilitating disease transmission. Breeder experience significantly impacts lamb survival, underscoring its importance in ensuring proper care. Increasing ewe proportions within herds enhances lamb production and lowers lamb mortality rates. Effective ram management and yearling lamb sales further contribute to herd health and productivity. A higher proportion of goats within a herd positively correlates with the number of young yearlings sold but inversely affects breeding males and overall kid numbers, indicating a delicate balance that influences herd productivity and mortality rates. Sheep (92.5%) and goat herds (90.6%) demonstrate reproductive success, indicative of superior long-term vitality. While sheep excel in birth rates, survival, and sales, they exhibit lower ewe and lambing percentages. Goat farming demonstrates high birth rates, sales, and overall success but requires particular attention to ensuring kid survival, especially durin
{"title":"Sustainable Sheep and Goat Farming in Arid Regions of Jordan","authors":"Faisal Al-Barakeh, Ashraf Omar Khashroum, Radi Tarawneh, Fatima A. Al-Lataifeh, Azzam N. Al-Yacoub, M. Dayoub, Khaled Al-Najjar","doi":"10.3390/ruminants4020017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/ruminants4020017","url":null,"abstract":"This study examines the sustainability of livestock farming in Jordan’s arid regions, focusing on smallholder Awassi sheep and Baladi goat farming. It assesses breeders, economic factors, herd productivity, and sustainability, evaluating the vitality of these breeds by examining reproductive success through birth and survival rates. In 2021–2022, a total of 53 traditional Awassi sheep and Baladi goat farms in Northern Jordan’s Mafraq Governorate were surveyed using a comprehensive questionnaire to gather data on breeders’ information, farm economics, and herd indicators. Dry seasons in arid lands are tough on sheep and goats, with limited fodder and water availability harming their health and reproductive capacity. While wet seasons bring relief, they can also introduce diseases. Special care for these animals throughout the year is crucial to maintain healthy herds in arid regions. Linear models were employed to analyze sample data, with variance and correlation tests used to explore relationships among variables. Additionally, chi-squared analysis was utilized to assess the impact of male replacement plans on these herds. The main outcomes of this study reveal that breeder indicators pose challenges to the sustainability and growth of Awassi sheep and Baladi goat farming. Conversely, economic indicators suggest a blend of financial stability alongside obstacles related to profitability and resource ownership. Breeder age emerges as a significant factor in livestock herd management, influenced by elements such as experience, resource availability, and adherence to traditional practices. Experience notably influences breeders’ decisions regarding male insemination replacements, likely due to acquired skills. Crop cultivation is shown to reduce fodder costs, thereby enhancing profitability for each young animal sold and consequently increasing the breeders’ returns. Winter conditions elevate animal mortality rates due to cold stress, while other animals within herds contribute to increased kid mortality by facilitating disease transmission. Breeder experience significantly impacts lamb survival, underscoring its importance in ensuring proper care. Increasing ewe proportions within herds enhances lamb production and lowers lamb mortality rates. Effective ram management and yearling lamb sales further contribute to herd health and productivity. A higher proportion of goats within a herd positively correlates with the number of young yearlings sold but inversely affects breeding males and overall kid numbers, indicating a delicate balance that influences herd productivity and mortality rates. Sheep (92.5%) and goat herds (90.6%) demonstrate reproductive success, indicative of superior long-term vitality. While sheep excel in birth rates, survival, and sales, they exhibit lower ewe and lambing percentages. Goat farming demonstrates high birth rates, sales, and overall success but requires particular attention to ensuring kid survival, especially durin","PeriodicalId":508508,"journal":{"name":"Ruminants","volume":" 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140996922","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-05-08DOI: 10.3390/ruminants4020016
Toriann Summer Winton, Molly Christine Nicodemus, K. Harvey
Stressors are directly related to major events throughout the beef cattle production cycle. Understanding the impact stressors have on productive outcomes is critical for the efficient implementation of management strategies. Such stressors include environmental extremes, nutritional deprivation, and common management procedures. Environmental extremes such as thermal stress can disturb gestating cows’ normal physiological responses, hindering reproductive efficiency. Thermal stress during the breeding season can affect embryo development causing a decrease in conception rates, although adjusting the scheduling of breeding activities can minimize losses. Additionally, suboptimal nutrition may negatively impact reproductive performance if management strategies including modifying seasonal grazing practices are not implemented. As gestation progresses, nutrient requirements increase; thus, without appropriate dietary management, poor calf performance, the loss of the body condition score, and reduced reproductive performance may result. While weaning is a common management procedure, this event is another major stress within the production system. Applying efficient strategies such as creep feeding or two-step weaning to mitigate weaning stress can maximize production efficiency. This review will explore in-depth the stressors associated with production events in the beef cattle industry and give insight into researched management strategies targeting these stressors that will improve the sustainability of the production system.
{"title":"Stressors Inherent to Beef Cattle Management in the United States of America and the Resulting Impacts on Production Sustainability: A Review","authors":"Toriann Summer Winton, Molly Christine Nicodemus, K. Harvey","doi":"10.3390/ruminants4020016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/ruminants4020016","url":null,"abstract":"Stressors are directly related to major events throughout the beef cattle production cycle. Understanding the impact stressors have on productive outcomes is critical for the efficient implementation of management strategies. Such stressors include environmental extremes, nutritional deprivation, and common management procedures. Environmental extremes such as thermal stress can disturb gestating cows’ normal physiological responses, hindering reproductive efficiency. Thermal stress during the breeding season can affect embryo development causing a decrease in conception rates, although adjusting the scheduling of breeding activities can minimize losses. Additionally, suboptimal nutrition may negatively impact reproductive performance if management strategies including modifying seasonal grazing practices are not implemented. As gestation progresses, nutrient requirements increase; thus, without appropriate dietary management, poor calf performance, the loss of the body condition score, and reduced reproductive performance may result. While weaning is a common management procedure, this event is another major stress within the production system. Applying efficient strategies such as creep feeding or two-step weaning to mitigate weaning stress can maximize production efficiency. This review will explore in-depth the stressors associated with production events in the beef cattle industry and give insight into researched management strategies targeting these stressors that will improve the sustainability of the production system.","PeriodicalId":508508,"journal":{"name":"Ruminants","volume":" 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140997903","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-04-17DOI: 10.3390/ruminants4020015
E. P. Romanzini, Vivienne McCollum, Sarah Mcilveen, Kawane Dias da Silva, William Luiz de Souza, Priscila Arrigucci Bernardes, Diogo Fleury Azevedo Costa
Two experiments were conducted to assess the effects of water medication technology on beef cattle behaviour and performance in tropical conditions. Experiment 1 involved 30 Droughtmaster yearling steers monitored over seven days in a controlled environment. Feed and water consumptions were monitored with Smart Feed Pro® systems, with three water treatments administered via uDOSE® technology. The results indicated an average water intake of 13.6 L/head/d. Experiment 2 had 120 yearling steers from four genetic groups grazing on an extensive pasture system. Throughout four 24-day periods, forage availability and chemical composition were measured once monthly. Experiment 2 revealed a variation in water intake, ranging from 16.2 L/head/d down to 4.75 L/head/d. Notably, the lower intake coincided with a rainfall event documented during the fourth experimental period. Overall, results from both experiments indicated that water medication did not alter cattle water preference. There was no preference for treated water sources in Experiment 1, while differences in Experiment 2 appeared to be influenced by external factors like weather and prior habits. These experiments demonstrate the feasibility of water medication for beef cattle without disruption of their natural behaviour.
{"title":"Drinking Behaviour of Beef Cattle Subject to Water Medication in Various Environmental Conditions","authors":"E. P. Romanzini, Vivienne McCollum, Sarah Mcilveen, Kawane Dias da Silva, William Luiz de Souza, Priscila Arrigucci Bernardes, Diogo Fleury Azevedo Costa","doi":"10.3390/ruminants4020015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/ruminants4020015","url":null,"abstract":"Two experiments were conducted to assess the effects of water medication technology on beef cattle behaviour and performance in tropical conditions. Experiment 1 involved 30 Droughtmaster yearling steers monitored over seven days in a controlled environment. Feed and water consumptions were monitored with Smart Feed Pro® systems, with three water treatments administered via uDOSE® technology. The results indicated an average water intake of 13.6 L/head/d. Experiment 2 had 120 yearling steers from four genetic groups grazing on an extensive pasture system. Throughout four 24-day periods, forage availability and chemical composition were measured once monthly. Experiment 2 revealed a variation in water intake, ranging from 16.2 L/head/d down to 4.75 L/head/d. Notably, the lower intake coincided with a rainfall event documented during the fourth experimental period. Overall, results from both experiments indicated that water medication did not alter cattle water preference. There was no preference for treated water sources in Experiment 1, while differences in Experiment 2 appeared to be influenced by external factors like weather and prior habits. These experiments demonstrate the feasibility of water medication for beef cattle without disruption of their natural behaviour.","PeriodicalId":508508,"journal":{"name":"Ruminants","volume":"122 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140694399","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-04-09DOI: 10.3390/ruminants4020013
Jaira de Oliveira, Joseph Grajales-Cedeño, Mariana Parra Cerezo, T. Valente, M. P. D. Paranhos da Costa
This study aimed to characterize the hot iron branding (HIB) procedure by assessing its implications for animal welfare and its efficiency for cattle identification. The study was carried out in two stages: First, with 37 Nellore calves, by measuring the skin temperatures in the place of HIB application (ONB) and 10 cm above it (OFFB) immediately after its application and during four consecutive days, the time required for application of each HIB digit and the occurrences of rebranding; second, with two batches of cows (N = 97 and N = 94, respectively, by measuring the time spent to read cattle ID and comparing the efficiency of HIB vs. EET (electronic ear tag) and visual ear tags (VET) vs. EET. Skin temperature was significantly affected by the interaction between the place where the skin temperatures were taken (on and 10 cm above the HIB) and assessment day, with temperatures in ONB on days d0 and d2 being higher than in OFFB (p < 0.05), and 86% of the calves required at least one rebranding. EET reading was faster than HIB and VET (p < 0.001), and fewer errors were made when reading EET than HIB (1/97 vs. 17/97) and VET (2/94 vs. 12/94). We concluded that HIB potentially compromises cattle welfare and has a lower efficiency for cattle identification than EET and VET.
{"title":"Hot Iron Branding of Beef Cattle: Process Characterization, Implications for Animal Welfare, and Its Efficiency for Cattle Individual Identification","authors":"Jaira de Oliveira, Joseph Grajales-Cedeño, Mariana Parra Cerezo, T. Valente, M. P. D. Paranhos da Costa","doi":"10.3390/ruminants4020013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/ruminants4020013","url":null,"abstract":"This study aimed to characterize the hot iron branding (HIB) procedure by assessing its implications for animal welfare and its efficiency for cattle identification. The study was carried out in two stages: First, with 37 Nellore calves, by measuring the skin temperatures in the place of HIB application (ONB) and 10 cm above it (OFFB) immediately after its application and during four consecutive days, the time required for application of each HIB digit and the occurrences of rebranding; second, with two batches of cows (N = 97 and N = 94, respectively, by measuring the time spent to read cattle ID and comparing the efficiency of HIB vs. EET (electronic ear tag) and visual ear tags (VET) vs. EET. Skin temperature was significantly affected by the interaction between the place where the skin temperatures were taken (on and 10 cm above the HIB) and assessment day, with temperatures in ONB on days d0 and d2 being higher than in OFFB (p < 0.05), and 86% of the calves required at least one rebranding. EET reading was faster than HIB and VET (p < 0.001), and fewer errors were made when reading EET than HIB (1/97 vs. 17/97) and VET (2/94 vs. 12/94). We concluded that HIB potentially compromises cattle welfare and has a lower efficiency for cattle identification than EET and VET.","PeriodicalId":508508,"journal":{"name":"Ruminants","volume":"49 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140724045","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-04-09DOI: 10.3390/ruminants4020014
E. M. Bortoluzzi, K. Aubuchon, Nicole D. Robben, Nicole Stafford, M. J. Goering, Claiborn Bronkhorst, J. A. Odde, Clay Breiner, Karol Fike, Lindsey E. Hulbert, Kenneth G. Odde
As the beef industry moves towards efficient animal production to improve sustainability in agriculture, new production and management approaches are emerging. Among the many facets of the beef industry, cow–calf operations have the most opportunity for efficiency improvement, including improvements in fertility. This project accounts for measures and methods of (1) twinning reproductive technologies and (2) twin calf perinatal care and pre-weaning rearing. The overall objective was to produce twin calves using two reproductive technologies—embryo transfer and artificial insemination. The subobjectives were to determine accuracy of twin pregnancies embryo/fetal losses using ultrasonography, evaluate parturition and dystocia, and determine the effects of different twin-raising methods on neonatal behavior and growth. A fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI) protocol was applied to 77 multiparous Angus-cross cows from a commercial beef herd in northcentral South Dakota during the summer of 2019. Cows were assigned to two different treatments groups: only artificially inseminated (AI) or received an embryo transfer following artificial insemination (ET + AI). They were estrous-synchronized, artificially inseminated (AI) with black Angus semen at day 0, and received and embryo transfer (ET) at day 7. Ultrasound examination detected 56% pregnancy risk for both groups, with sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 75%, 100%, and 90.5%, respectively, for bilateral twin detection. Calves were born during spring 2020. Twin calves (n = 34) and singleton calves (n = 11) were assigned to one of three raising methods: (1) twin born and twin raised (TT; n = 16), (2) twin born and single raised (TS; n = 18), and (3) single born and single raised (S; n = 11). Neonatal nursing behavior and birth weights were recorded, and adjusted day 200 and day 280 were calculated measures of vitality and growth. Blood samples were collected at age 24 h for colostrum intake measures (total serum protein, IgG1, and IgM). Twin calves were born 20% (p < 0.05) lighter in body weight than singletons; however, weights did not differ at day 280 between TT and S calves. TS calves had the shortest average latency to stand, but immunoglobulin concentrations did not differ among treatments. At weaning, cows that had birthed and raised twins produced more kilograms of live weight per pregnancy than cows birthing and raising singletons. Using ET + AI proved to increase twinning rate, and growth was maintained when raising both twins with their dam.
{"title":"Combining Embryo Transfer and Artificial Insemination to Achieve Twinning in Beef Cattle, and Effects of Different Twin Calf-Raising Methods on Neonatal Behavior and Growth","authors":"E. M. Bortoluzzi, K. Aubuchon, Nicole D. Robben, Nicole Stafford, M. J. Goering, Claiborn Bronkhorst, J. A. Odde, Clay Breiner, Karol Fike, Lindsey E. Hulbert, Kenneth G. Odde","doi":"10.3390/ruminants4020014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/ruminants4020014","url":null,"abstract":"As the beef industry moves towards efficient animal production to improve sustainability in agriculture, new production and management approaches are emerging. Among the many facets of the beef industry, cow–calf operations have the most opportunity for efficiency improvement, including improvements in fertility. This project accounts for measures and methods of (1) twinning reproductive technologies and (2) twin calf perinatal care and pre-weaning rearing. The overall objective was to produce twin calves using two reproductive technologies—embryo transfer and artificial insemination. The subobjectives were to determine accuracy of twin pregnancies embryo/fetal losses using ultrasonography, evaluate parturition and dystocia, and determine the effects of different twin-raising methods on neonatal behavior and growth. A fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI) protocol was applied to 77 multiparous Angus-cross cows from a commercial beef herd in northcentral South Dakota during the summer of 2019. Cows were assigned to two different treatments groups: only artificially inseminated (AI) or received an embryo transfer following artificial insemination (ET + AI). They were estrous-synchronized, artificially inseminated (AI) with black Angus semen at day 0, and received and embryo transfer (ET) at day 7. Ultrasound examination detected 56% pregnancy risk for both groups, with sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 75%, 100%, and 90.5%, respectively, for bilateral twin detection. Calves were born during spring 2020. Twin calves (n = 34) and singleton calves (n = 11) were assigned to one of three raising methods: (1) twin born and twin raised (TT; n = 16), (2) twin born and single raised (TS; n = 18), and (3) single born and single raised (S; n = 11). Neonatal nursing behavior and birth weights were recorded, and adjusted day 200 and day 280 were calculated measures of vitality and growth. Blood samples were collected at age 24 h for colostrum intake measures (total serum protein, IgG1, and IgM). Twin calves were born 20% (p < 0.05) lighter in body weight than singletons; however, weights did not differ at day 280 between TT and S calves. TS calves had the shortest average latency to stand, but immunoglobulin concentrations did not differ among treatments. At weaning, cows that had birthed and raised twins produced more kilograms of live weight per pregnancy than cows birthing and raising singletons. Using ET + AI proved to increase twinning rate, and growth was maintained when raising both twins with their dam.","PeriodicalId":508508,"journal":{"name":"Ruminants","volume":"41 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140722293","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
京公网安备 11010802042870号
京ICP备2023020795号-1
扫码关注我们
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：