bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
391 Common Knowledge Or Common sense? Identifying Systematic Misconceptions of Animal Agriculture and Food Familiarity in Higher Education Individuals
Authors: Corbitt Katie , Hiltbrand Karen A , Coursen Madison , Rodning Soren P , Smith Brandon B , Mulvaney Donald
Published: November 2023

Knowledge gaps in the context of agriculture contribute to mistrust and negative worldviews of the animal agricultural sector. The purpose of this quasi-experimental survey study stood on three tiers: quantify perceived connection to food production (FP) of the participants, their understanding, knowledge and perceptions of animal agriculture (AA) and FP, and determine predictors which may have contributed to their knowledge and perceptions of food animal production. A southeastern land grant institution served as the convenience sample for this study, where 265 completed responses were returned. The electronic survey collected several types of data including a Gapminder-influenced (Rosling et al., 2019) Animal Agricultural Knowledge and Perceptions Questionnaire, a Food Familiarity Index Questionnaire, and demographic questions. The study reports that almost 50% of participants demonstrated a negative worldview (P < 0.05) of animal agriculture, regardless of food familiarity scores. Natural and self-identified demographic characteristics impacted AA knowledge and perceptions, including gender, ethnicity, dietary preference, perceived connection to FP, and affiliation with the College of Agriculture. Additional research should be done to replicate the findings with broader question pools and other demographic groups to identify areas that need improvement in agriculture communication efforts designed to dispel misinformation.
7 Contribution of the Beef Industry to the Economy of the Great Plains and Western U.S.: Past, Present, and Future
Authors: Luke Jaime R , Tonsor Glynn T
Published: November 2023

The Great Plains and Western U.S. are home to over 60% of all beef cows and over 80% of all cattle on feed in the U.S. While the dynamics of the beef industry in these regions continue to evolve, the significant economic impact generated by the sector remains steadfast. The main objective of this presentation is to provide foundational information on the economic contributions of the beef industry in the Great Plains and Western U.S. to set the stage for subsequent presentations regarding climate adaptation strategies in the sector. The presentation is comprised of three key components. First, a high-level view of the historical progression of the beef industry in the Great Plains and Western U.S. is documented to provide a basis for deeper discussion surrounding the present and future state of the industry. Second, the current conditions of the beef industry in the regions are explored including existing challenges faced by industry participants. Producer profitability in 2023 and the state of the cattle cycle are briefly discussed. Drought conditions are highlighted along with their continuing effects on the industry. Third, we look to the future and dive into prospective opportunities for the sector. The dynamic nature of the beef industry lends itself to adaptation and innovation. As producers and industry participants explore climate adaptation methods going forward, a primary factor in making decisions to alter existing practices or adopt new technologies is the economic return (or lack thereof) generated by proposed strategies. Ongoing work at Kansas State University examines producer sentiment surrounding various strategies, including new technologies aimed at reducing livestock enteric methane emissions. Preliminary findings of this work are outlined along with identified areas for future research in the space. In conclusion, the beef industry significantly contributes to the economy of the Great Plains and Western U.S. This presentation explores the history of the industry in the regions, the present state of the industry and current challenges it faces, and the potential opportunities to come in the future.
PSVI-18 Effects of Sow Vocalization and Scent on Complete Blood Cell Count During Early Weaning Period
Authors: Paladino Mason A , Tsai Tsungcheng Cheng , Shelby Sarah , Still Mattie , Maxwell Charles V , Huang Yan
Published: November 2023

Piglets are deprived of the touch, sound, and smell of their sow after weaning which results in biological stress. The present study investigated continuing exposure of sow vocalization and scent during the early weaning period on complete blood cell count. A total of 12 litters, 8 piglets (4 male and 4 female) per litter were selected at weaning and assigned to 1 of 4 experimental treatments: control, O (olfactory group with scent and no vocal stimulation), V (non-olfactory with vocal stimulation), VO (vocal stimulation and olfactory stimulation) as a 2x2 factorial arrangement. Vocal stimulation was emulated by an audio recording of the sows, which was gathered between day-7 and day-14 of sow lactation. It was collected from 6 sows and compiled into a comprehensive audio file including all the vocal output of the sow. The VO group was exposed to sow vocal for 20 minutes, followed by an empty hour on loop for seven days postweaning. For olfactory stimulation, cotton fabric was rubbed on the udders of the sow and vacuum sealed. The respective scent of the sow was placed in a mesh basket outside of the pen for approximately 48 hours. Blood samples were collected on day-1, day-2, day-6, and day-28 into K2EDTA vacutainer tubes. The blood was processed within 6 hours of collection using an automatic hematological analyzer (Hemavet 950S). Data were analyzed using mixed procedure of SAS (Cary, NC) with vocal, scent and day as main effects. Interactions between day x vocal showed statistical significance (P = 0.0215) with both the vocal and non-vocal groups having a reduction on mean platelet volume (MPV) from d 0 to d 2 and while the non-vocal group continued an upward trend from d 2 to d 28, vocal group failed to restore MPV levels until d 28. As for Platelet (PLT) in the day x scent interaction, non-scent group increased PLT from d 0 to d 2 and a sharp decrease from d 2 to d 6. However, a similar level PLT from d 0 to d 2 observed in scent group (P = 0.0433). Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) decreased from d 0 to d 2 in all treatment groups. While control, V, and VO groups showed similar levels of NLR from d 2 to d 6, O group had increased NLR. This response on NLR is mainly driven by percentage of neutrophil (P = 0.0028) since no statistically significant difference on lymphocyte percentage was found. Results of this study indicated that continuing exposing scent potentially influences complete blood cell of weaning pigs, while the same effect was not found in sow vocal.
PSVII-7 Genetic Evaluation of Feed and Water Intake Behavior Traits in Feedlot Cattle
Authors: Dressler Elizabeth , Shaffer Will , Ahlberg Cashley , Allwardt Kristi , Bruno Kelsey , Krehbiel Clint , Calvo-Lorenzo Michelle S , Richards Chris , Place Sara E , DeSilva Udaya , Kuehn Larry A , Weaber Robert L , Bormann Jennifer M , Rolf Megan M
Published: November 2023

Feed and water intake are two economically relevant traits of cattle production. These traits can impact producer profitability and efficiency. Feed intake and, to a lesser degree, water intake have been studied previously. However, there is limited research on the animal behaviors associated with intake and the literature lacks standardized phenotypes for these behaviors. The objective of this study was to estimate heritabilities and variance components for feed and water intake behavior traits in feedlot steers. An Insentec system (Hokofarm Group, The Netherlands) was used to obtain feed (n = 824) and water (n = 786) intakes from crossbred steers for 70 days. Daily dry matter intake (DMI) and daily water intake (DWI) records were used to compute five behaviors for both feed and water intake: number of sessions (NS), intake rate (IR), session size (SS), time per session (TS), and session interval (SI). A mixed linear model was fit for all traits to estimate variance components and heritabilities with a base model including the fixed effects group(pen) and breed composition and the random effect animal. Additional covariates were tested and added to the base model if improved model fit. Heritabilities for feed intake behaviors were 0.50 ± 0.12, 0.63 ± 0.12, 0.40 ± 0.13, 0.35 ± 0.12, and 0.60 ± 0.12 for NS, IR, SS, TS, and SI, respectively. Heritabilities for water intake behaviors were 0.56 ±0.11, 0.88 ± 0.07, 0.70 ± 0.11, 0.54 ± 0.12, and 0.80 ± 0.10 for NS, IR, SS, TS, and SI, respectively. Dry matter intake and DWI had heritabilities of 0.57 ± 0.11 and 0.44 ± 0.11, respectively. Bivariate models including feed intake behaviors and DMI as well as bivariate models including water intake behaviors and DWI were used to obtain correlations between intake and intake behaviors. Phenotypic correlations varied widely between pairs of traits for both feed and water intake behaviors (-0.83 to 0.82). Genetic correlations between DMI and feed intake behaviors were moderate to high (-0.64 ± 0.34 to 0.49 ± 0.16), while genetic correlations between DWI and water intake behaviors were low to moderate (-0.37 ± 0.14 to 0.48 ± 0.15). Significant (log10P-value ≥ 4.5) SNPs were identified for the feed and water intake behaviors. The number of significant SNPs identified for feed intake traits, NS, IR, SS, TS, SI, and DMI were 3, 10, 8, 8, 5, and 5, respectively. The number of significant SNPs identified for water intake traits, NS, IR, SS, TS, SI, and DWI were 4, 8, 3, 2, 5, and 4, respectively. Candidate genes and previously reported quantitative trait loci near significant SNPs were identified. The results indicated that feed and water intake behaviors are heritable and may be one additional route to evaluating feed and water intake.
PSXII-11 Comparison of Egg-Laying Ability Among Eight Lines Including Korean Native Chicken (KNC)
Authors: Jin DaeHyeok
Published: November 2023

Chicken egg production capacity is an important economic trait in the poultry industry. To improve the usability of Korean Native chicken (KNC), we measured the egg traits [age of first egg (AFE), first egg weight (FEW), egg number (EN), egg weight (EW)] and performed a comparative analysis. Age of first egg is the number of days an individual starts producing eggs. FEW is the weight of the first egg produced. EN and EW are the number of eggs produced between 20 and 40 weeks old and the weight of the eggs. The chicken breeds we used in our study were KNC (GBY, GWY, CNB, CNW, CNY, CNK), Ameraucana (AMR) and Leghorn (LEG). The CNK line started laying eggs at 140.75 ± 6.23 days. The AFE of CNK was faster than LEG (142.35 ± 7.20, P < 0.05). The weight of the first egg after starting egg production AMR line (44.1 ± 5.20g) produced the heaviest egg among the investigative groups (P < 0.05). The CNY line laid the lightest egg (31.9 ± 3.80g). FEW of KNC was less than that of both LEG and AMR breeds (P < 0.05). The AFE was late and FEW was the greatest in the AMR breed. The LEG which is a representative laying hen laid the most EN between 20 and 40 weeks of age (118.35 ± 10.07). LEG was greater than the CNK (106.85 ± 14.66), which laid the second most (P < 0.05). The CNB (82.45 ± 20.68) showed the least EN. The EW of the AMR (54.20 ± 4.30) was the heaviest (P < 0.05). On the contrary, Six KNC (CNK: 45.70 ± 3.00, GBY: 45.20 ± 3.10, GWY: 45.20 ± 2.20, CNB: 44.60 ± 3.20, CNY: 43.70 ± 3.90, CNW: 43.50 ± 3.40) lines produced lighter eggs than LEG (51.50 ± 3.50) and AMR (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the average egg production performance of the KNC six lines was generally less than that of the LEG and AMR breeds. However, some lines of KNC confirmed that the start date of egg production was faster than other breeds. These results will be used to investigate the genomic pattern of egg production in KNC population and provide fundamental data for gene-based selection to improve egg production.
PSI-19 Neonatal Lamb Growth and Thermoregulation After Nutrient Specific Restriction in Gestation
Authors: Stucke Rachael M , Kuderka Alison M , Gabel Sarah L , Roberts Ellen , Archibeque Shawn L , Engle Terry E , Cadaret Caitlin N
Published: November 2023

Depending on seasonal availability and quality of range forage, extensively managed ewes can experience nutrient restriction during any point of gestation. Neonatal lamb performance after severe experimental nutrient restriction during gestation has been well studied; however, there is a gap in understanding of how practical nutrient restriction experienced over the course of a production cycle impacts lamb success. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the first week fetal growth and development, and thermoregulation biomarkers in neonatal lambs from ewes fed a diet that simulates winter forage. Time-mated and confirmed pregnant Rambouillet x Merino ewes were blocked by body weight and allocated to one of two dietary treatments. Treatments consisted of 1) Control diet (CONT) formulated to meet or exceed the National Research Council (NRC) nutrient requirements for gestating ewes fed throughout gestation; 2) Nutrient restricted diet (NR) formulated to meet 70% of total digestible nutrient (TDN) and 50% of protein requirements from 30 to 125 d of gestation (dGA) and then re-alimented with the CONT diet for the remainder of gestation. Ewes were individually fed from 25 dGA to 137 dGA, then group fed through lambing. From 30 dGA to lambing, weekly body weights, bimonthly body condition scores (BCS), and monthly blood glucose concentrations were recorded for all ewes. A treatment by time interaction was observed where NR ewes weighed less (P < 0.05) starting at week 8 of the treatment period through lambing. There were effects of treatment and time on BCS, as ewes receiving the NR diet had lesser (P < 0.05) BCS compared with CONT ewes regardless of time in gestation. There were no observed differences in blood glucose concentrations between groups. At lambing, rectal temperature, birth weight and morphometrics (crown-rump length, abdominal circumference, head circumference, and cannon bone length) were collected on all lambs. Collection of rectal temperature and bodyweight continued daily for the first week of life. There were no differences in birthweight or birth morphometrics; however, growth by body weight in the first week of life was greater (P < 0.05) in NR (n = 10) compared with CONT lambs (n = 12), with an effect of progeny number. Additionally, treatment by day interactions were observed with NR lambs having lower (P < 0.05) body temperatures on days one, four, and five compared with CONT lambs. These data suggest that sustained nutrient challenge during gestation, even when re-alimented in late gestation, may produce lambs that are at increased risk of hypothermia. While maternal nutrient supplementation in late gestation is a common practice, it is crucial for producers to consider nutritional supplementation strategies throughout gestation to limit the number of lambs that require increased intervention after birth.
PSI-3 Effects of Strategic Blending of Food Industry By-Products with Canola Meal on in Vitro and in Situ Fermentation and Nutrient Degradation
Authors: Bien Richard A , Kaplan Daisy , Embaby Mohammed , Pillai Prasanth S , Kumar Manoj , AbuGhazaleh Amer , Jones Karen , Sadeghpour Amir , Nair Jayakrishnan
Published: November 2023

Canola meal (CM) has become an increasingly available high protein feed source for beef cattle in North America, thanks to the expansion of the canola crushing industry in Western Canada and the United States. The inclusion of CM in diets has been reported to improve nutrient utilization and the performance of growing beef cattle. However, the energy value of CM was not as high as barley grain finishing diets, resulting in poorer performance of finishing feedlot steers. Pea starch and pea molasses are available as food industry by-products of industrial pea protein extraction. However, the utilization of these food industry by-products as a component of livestock feed has not been well evaluated. The strategic blending of food industry by-products, such as pea starch and pea molasses, with canola meal (CM) is a novel approach to improving the energy density of CM as animal feed. Nutrient synchrony, where the energy and protein availability in the rumen is synchronized to maximize the ruminal microbial fermentation, has been proposed to improve animal performance. The objectives of our study were to evaluate the in vitro and in situ fermentation and nutrient degradability of novel blended CM. Pea starch and pea molasses were added at 5% (CM5) and 10% (CM10) levels in CM (DM basis), with regular CM serving as control (CON). The in vitro study consisted of two runs of 24 h incubations with three replicates per treatment. The in situ study utilized three cannulated beef heifers and used the same number of replicates of samples and time periods as for the in vitro study. Results indicated a numerical improvement in DM degradation for CM5 and CM10 than CON both in vitro and in situ incubations. Total gas production (mmol) was numerically greater, while the proportion of methane (mmol and g/DM) was less for CM5 than CON. Results indicated that in vitro fermentation of CM5 was enhanced, while greater propionate production from CM5 likely reduced methane production. Further evaluation of these food industry by-products for beef cattle growth performance studies could provide valuable information about rumen fermentation, nutrient digestibility, and energy value of these novel blended CM.
PSI-20 Trans Vaccenic Acid Does Not Improve Insulin Resistance in Diet Induced Obese Mice
Authors: Xu Yanqing , Haj Fawaz , Hsu Ming-Fo , Vahmani Payam
Published: November 2023

Trans vaccenic acid (TVA, trans11-18:1) is a natural trans fatty acid that is exclusively found in ruminant fats such as dairy, beef, and lamb. Increased circulating concentrations of TVA and its metabolites are epidemiologically related to a reduced risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, direct causative evidence is lacking, and the mechanisms are poorly understood. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether TVA can alleviate insulin resistance in diet-induced obese mice when compared with oleic acid (OA, cis9-18:1, the major dietary cis 18:1 isomer) or trans10-18:1 (a major industrial trans fatty acid isomer). Forty-eight male C57BL/6J mice (7 weeks old) were fed either a low-fat diet (LFD,10% kcal total fat), a high-fat diet (HFD) enriched with OA (HFD-OA; 45% kcal total fat, 6% kcal from pure OA), an HFD enriched with TVA (HFD-TVA; 45% kcal total fat, 6% kcal from pure TVA), or an HFD enriched with trans-10 18:1 (HFD-T10; 45% kcal total fat, 6% kcal from pure trans-10 18:1) for 19 weeks. The metabolic phenotype was characterized using a glucose tolerance test (GTT) and insulin tolerance test (ITT). Insulin-sensitive tissues (muscle, liver, and adipose) were harvested and extracted for protein, which was analyzed for protein kinase B (Akt) and phosphorylated Akt (pAKT) by western blot using Vinculin as a loading control. The resulting band intensities were quantitated using the FluorChem 9900 program (Alpha Innotech). pAkt expression was normalized to Akt. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey’s test. Our GTT results suggested a greater (P < 0.05) glucose intolerance in both HFD-TVA and HFD-T10 groups compared with the LFD group. Whereas HFD-OA-fed mice maintained their glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity despite greater body weight and adiposity. In agreement with GTT and ITT results, we found reduced (P < 0.05) Akt phosphorylation in the muscle of both HFD-TVA and HFD-T10 groups compared with LFD while there was no difference in phosphorylation level in the liver and adipose. In conclusion, this work demonstrates that contrary to our initial hypothesis, a large dose of TVA (6% of calorie intake) promotes glucose intolerance and insulin resistance in HFD-fed mice. Further studies using the typical intake of TVA in humans (0.5 to 1% of calorie intake) are required to better understand the effects of TVA on glucose homeostasis.
PSIV-12 Monitoring Ewe Forage Selectivity and Consumption of Tall Larkspur (Delphinium Spp.) in Southern Utah Via Visual Observation and Fecal Metabarcoding
Authors: Petty Dillon , Spurling Ryan A , Gasser Chad , Violett Randall , Christensen Morgan , Heaton Andrew , Thacker Eric , Sweat Alexis , Rood Kerry , Thornton Kara J , Page Chad
Published: November 2023

In Southern Utah, sheep are utilized to a greater extent to graze rangeland due to the presence of Tall Larkspur (Delphinium spp.), which is known to be toxic to cattle. The objectives of this study are to quantify to what degree sheep consume Tall Larkspur and identify forage preferences on a diverse rangeland. We hypothesize that ewes consume tall larkspur based off preferences applied to other forages across range. In this study, ewes (n = 400) were grazed across four summer pastures on Cedar Mountain near Cedar City, Utah. Ewe breed types consisted of Suffolk, Targhee, Rambouillet, and their crosses. During the 116-day trial plant consumption type, time of day, forage availability, weather, range utilization, and apparent weight of sheep were monitored and recorded. Data were collected via a 5-minute bite count procedure, noting all variables above, for each observed ewe. Fecal samples were collected and used for fecal metabarcoding (fDNA) at approximately 30% pasture utilization, which measures the proportion of plant DNA in the feces to determine forage species consumed. Plant species were sorted into functional groups (forbs, grass likes, grasses, shrubs, and trees). Data were evaluated through a CART analysis in R v4.1.2 and stratified using the GLM procedure in SAS v9.4. There was an increase in consumption of forbs, shrubs, and grasses over time, (P < 0.001), (P = 0.01), and (P < 0.001), respectively. For the grass-like and lichen plant types, there is little evidence of forage preference, (P = 0.7) and (P = 1.00) respectively. Fecal metabarcoding analysis indicates that protein content of diet originated from forbs, grass likes, grasses, shrubs, and trees by approximately 57%, 1%, 5%, 6%, and 31%, respectively. Tall Larkspur appeared in fDNA samples, but did not represent a significant portion of the diet. Our findings indicate that sheep in Southern Utah utilize tall larkspur on range to a small extent in their diet, but do not preferentially graze it over other forb species.
PSIV-1 Effects of Poor Maternal Nutrition During Gestation on F0 and F1 Ewe Colostrum and Milk Composition and Colostrum Igg
Authors: Bosco Julianna , Tillquist Nicole M , Kawaida Mia Y , Reiter Amanda S , Bettencourt Alexandra , Gifford Ryan J , Engle Terry E , Reed Sarah A , Zinn Steven A , Govoni Kristen E
Published: November 2023

High-quality colostrum and milk are critical for proper neonatal growth and immune system development. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) is the predominant antibody class in colostrum and is vital for passive immune transfer in sheep. There is limited understanding of how poor maternal nutrition during gestation (restricted- and over-feeding) might influence colostrum and milk composition and colostrum IgG concentrations and how F1 offspring colostrum and milk are impacted as a result of F0 maternal diet. The objective of this experiment was to determine if poor maternal nutrition during gestation impacts F0 and F1 colostrum and milk composition, including IgG concentrations. We hypothesized that maternal restricted-feeding would decrease, and maternal over-feeding would increase total solids, fat, and protein during early and transitional lactation and that restricted-feeding would increase IgG concentrations and over-feeding would decrease IgG concentrations in F0 and F1 ewe colostrum. Multiparous Dorset ewes pregnant (n = 46) with twins were fed 100% (control; n = 13), 60% (restricted; n = 17) or 140% (over; n = 16) of National Research Council (NRC) requirements. After birth and during lactation, dams were fed 100% NRC for lactating ewes, so the nutritional insult only occurred during gestation. Resulting ewe offspring (n = 32) were raised on control diets and were bred between 16 and 19 mo of age. Colostrum samples were collected within 24 h of parturition and milk samples were collected at d 3 and d 21 postpartum. Colostrum and milk composition were evaluated using Brix Refractometry (total solids, g/dL) and spectrophotometry (crude fat, %; crude protein, %). Additionally, a radial immunodiffusion assay was used to determine IgG concentrations (mg/dL) in colostrum. A treatment by time interaction was observed for F0 colostrum crude fat where restricted-fed ewes had less fat than control-fed ewes (P ≤ 0.024). No interaction was detected for all other F0 and F1 composition variables (P ≥ 0.16). We did not detect a main effect of diet on F0 or F1 total solids, crude fat, and crude protein of colostrum nor milk (P ≥ 0.24). A main effect of time was observed for all variables where colostrum had greater total solids, crude fat, and crude protein compared with milk at d 3 and d 21 (P ≤ 0.0001). No effect of maternal diet on IgG concentrations were detected in F0 or F1 ewe colostrum (P ≥ 0.46). These data indicate that poor maternal diet has minimal effects on F0 and F1 ewe colostrum composition and IgG concentrations, and d 3 and d 21 milk composition. In addition, the impact of F0 diet on colostrum fat composition did not persist into the F1 generation.
PSIV-11 Effects of Sprouted Barley on Weights, Ribeye Area, Backfat in Growing Steers
Authors: Sego Mia , Crump Zachary C , Brown Bailee , Okamoto Lillian , Roholt Bryce W , Ranathunga Sanjeewa , Harding Rob , Blackett Brady , Thornton Kara J
Published: November 2023

As the climate of our world continues to change, alterations to traditional farming methods are necessary to adapt to the environment and available resources. Changes in weather and costs of feed, coupled with decreased availability of feed and labor necessitate alternative methods for livestock feed production. One alternative to traditional farming is the production of sprouted grains in controlled environment, vertical farming units. However, little research has been completed on how including these feeds in the ration of beef cattle impacts production. This research examined the effects of including sprouted barley in growing rations of steers relative to body weight gain, ribeye area (REA) and ribeye fat thickness (REFT). A group of 60 commercial Angus steer calves (328.24 ± 6.48 kg) were initially stratified by body weight into one of four different treatment groups (n = 15/group). The control group were fed a typical ration for the region and the three treatment groups were fed a ration that included barley sprouts at 5%, 10%, or 20% (DM). Steers were fed their treatment diets for 60 days and body weight and ultrasound images for REA and REFT were collected on days 0, 30, and 60. All data were analyzed using PROC MIXED procedure of SAS with day as a repeated measure to determine the main effect of treatment. Over time, REA, REFT, and body weight each increased (P < 0.05) in each treatment group. There were no differences (P > 0.10) in body weight or REFT due to treatment. REA tended (P = 0.09) to increase in steers receiving 20% sprouted barley compared with controlled steers, but no other differences (P > 0.10) were found in REA in other treatment groups. These data demonstrate that including sprouted barley in the ration at the levels analyzed has no negative effect on animal growth performance. Additional research needs to be conducted to determine whether there is an impact on other production parameters, such as economic viability.
PSVIII-13 Evaluating the Effects of a Dried brewer’s Yeast Product on the Fecal Characteristics, Metabolites, and Microbiota Populations of Adult Dogs
Authors: De La Guardia-Hidrogo Vanessa M , Rummell Lindsey M , Asquith Thomas N , Swanson Kelly S
Published: November 2023

Inclusion of brewer’s yeast in pet foods has become popular because of the potential health benefits it provides. However, more research is needed to evaluate the effects of different brewer’s yeast products on canine gut health outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a brewer’s yeast product on the fecal characteristics, metabolites, and microbiota populations of adult dogs. Sixteen healthy adult dogs (BW: 9.0 ± 1.7 kg) were acclimated for 7 days and then randomly assigned to a control diet containing no yeast or a brewer’s yeast-containing diet (n = 8/group) for a 21-day period. Fresh fecal samples were collected before and after treatment for measurement of fecal scores, pH, dry matter content, metabolite concentrations [short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), branched-chain fatty acids (BCFA), ammonia, phenols, indoles], and microbiota populations. All data were analyzed as a percent change from baseline using the PROC MIXED procedure of SAS, with treatment as the main effect and dog as a random effect. Significance was declared at P ≤ 0.05, and trends reported if 0.05 < P ≤ 0.10. The brewer’s yeast treatment tended to increase (P = 0.10) fecal butyrate concentrations more than that of controls, but fecal characteristics (pH; dry matter; fecal scores) and other metabolite concentrations were not affected by treatment. Fecal bacterial alpha diversity metrics were not affected by treatment, but beta diversity analysis (unweighted UniFrac distances) tended (P = 0.09) to show a shift between treatments. Change in relative abundance of fecal Blautia was less (P = 0.05) in dogs fed brewer’s yeast than controls, but other bacterial genera were unaffected by diet. In conclusion, this study suggests that the dried brewer's yeast products tested had little impact on fecal characteristics, metabolites, or microbiota populations of adult dogs. The tendency of greater fecal butyrate concentrations in dogs fed brewer’s yeast is encouraging, but further research is needed to identify the potential health benefits of these products in canine diets.
PSVIII-22 A Probiotic Blend Improves Fecal Quality and Enhances Gut Immunity in Dogs with Chronic Diarrhea
Authors: Lin Ching-Yen , Panasevich Matt , Daristotle Leighann , Franz Nolan
Published: November 2023

Probiotics have been fed to pets for their enhanced health benefits beyond basic nutrition, as well as to manage diarrhea. Species and strains of probiotics and the combinations may elicit different beneficial effects in dogs. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a probiotic blend (2 strains of Bacillus subtilis and 1 strain of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens) on digestibility, fecal characteristics, fecal microbiota, and fecal metabolites in healthy dogs and dogs with chronic diarrhea (CD = dogs with intermittent diarrhea persisting for more than 3 months before study start that were otherwise clinically healthy). Twenty-two adult dogs (11 healthy, 11 CD; mean BW = 14.1 kg; mean age = 8.1 yr) were enrolled in a cross-over design study, with two 3-week feeding periods and a 3-week washout between feeding periods. Protocols were approved by the facility’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Dogs were assigned to a control kibble or control kibble + probiotic blend (1.5 × 106 CFU/g) top dressed on the food. Fecal scores were evaluated daily during each period. Fecal samples were collected during days 14 to 18 for nutrient digestibility. Fresh fecal samples were collected on days 17 to 18 for dysbiosis index and fecal metabolites measurements. All data were analyzed using the Mixed Models procedure of SAS. Probiotic supplementation did not affect digestibility, dysbiosis index, or fecal volatile fatty acid concentrations in both healthy and CD dogs. Fecal scores were lower (P < 0.05; firmer stool) when dogs consumed the probiotic blends for both healthy and CD groups. In dogs with CD, consumption of the probiotic blend resulted in greater (P < 0.05) fecal IgA concentrations. These data demonstrate that the probiotic blend may elicit intestinal health benefits by improving stool quality and enhancing gut immunity, especially in dogs with CD.
PSVIII-A-7 Effects of New Forage Barley and Oat Varieties on Silage Fermentation Characteristics, and Feed Intake, Milk Production and Composition, and N Balance in Dairy Cows
Authors: Leach Christine , Beattie Aaron D , Christensen David , Mutsvangwa Timothy
Published: November 2023

Forages are the foundation of dairy cow diets and typically comprise 50% of the dietary dry matter and ≥40% of the total NEL intake. New forage barley (CDC Renegade; designated RENE) and forage oat (CDC Arborg; ARBO) varieties are available for feeding dairy cows in western Canada. The objectives were to determine the ensiling characteristics of RENE and ARBO and to compare the effects of feeding them as the major forage source on feed intake, milk yield and composition, ruminal pH, and nitrogen (N) balance in dairy cows. Eight multiparous Holstein cows (82 ± 12 days-in-milk at the beginning of the study) were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square design study with 14 d of dietary adaptation and 7 d of data and sample collection. Cows in one Latin square were ruminally cannulated to determine dietary effects on ruminal pH and N balance. The four diets tested contained RENE, ARBO, Conlon (CONL), and Rosser (ROSS) silages as the major source of forage, with ROSS and CONL being included for comparison as they are commonly used barley varieties in western Canada. Silage fermentation characteristics were largely similar for the four forages, except for total short-chain fatty acid concentrations which tended (P = 0.08) to be greater for RENE and ROSS when compared with CONL and ARBO. Silage starch contents were greater (P < 0.01) for CONL and ROSS when compared with RENE and ARBO, which were similar. Silage aNDFom contents were greater (P < 0.01) for RENE and ARBO when compared with CONL and ROSS, which were similar. Dry matter intake (mean = 34.3 kg/d) and milk yield (mean = 48.6 kg/d) were unaffected by treatment (P ≥ 0.42). Milk fat content was greater (P = 0.03) for cows fed RENE compared with those fed CONL, with that of cows fed ROSS and ARBO being intermediate and not different to RENE and CONL. Milk fat yield was greater (P = 0.02) for cows fed RENE compared with those fed ROSS, with that of cows fed CONL and ARBO being intermediate and not different to RENE and ROSS. Intake of N, urinary and fecal excretion of N, total N excretion, milk N, and apparent N balance were unaffected by diet (P ≥ 0.21). Mean ruminal pH was greater (P = 0.02) in cows fed ARBO compared with those fed ROSS, with that of cows fed CONL and RENE being intermediate and not different to CONL and RENE. Our results show that the new forage varieties, RENE and ARBO, can support similar levels of milk yield compared with forage varieties such as CONL and ROSS.
PSVIII-A-1 Effect of Source of Trace Mineral and Bismuth Subsalicylate on Growth, Ruminal H2s, and Trace Mineral Status of Growing Heifers
Authors: Evans Mikaela G , Campbell John R , Ribeiro Gabriel O , Henry Darren D H , Waldner Cheryl , Penner Greg B
Published: November 2023

This study evaluated the effects of providing inorganic, chelated, and inorganic plus injectable trace mineral supplementation strategies with or without the inclusion of bismuth subsalicylate (BSS) on dry matter intake (DMI), water intake, ruminal hydrogen sulfide (H2S) concentration, and trace mineral status of growing beef heifers provided high sulfate (5,055 ± 228 mg/L) water. This study consisted of an 84-d feeding period with a 2×2 + 1 factorial treatment arrangement conducted using 2 blocks. Beef heifers (n = 15/block; 367 ± 33 kg BW) in each block were stratified according to their initial liver copper concentration. Mineral treatments included inorganic [added CuSO4 (7.76 mg/kg), ZnSO4 (22.92 mg/kg), MnSO4 (15.28 mg/kg)], chelated (100% of the Cu-methionine (7.68 mg/kg ), Zn-methionine (22.89 mg/kg), and Mn-methionine (15.27 mg/kg), and injectable trace mineral (15 mg/mL Cu, 10 mg/mL Mn, 60 mg/mL Zn) provided in combination with the inorganic mineral treatment. The BSS treatments were 0.0 (CON) or 0.2% (BSS) on a DM basis. Feed and water intake (weekly), ruminal H2S concentration (d 42 and 84), and liver (pre-study, d 42 and 84) and serum trace mineral concentrations (d 1, 28, 56, and 84) were evaluated. Initial liver trace mineral concentration was used as a covariate. Dry matter intake tended to be greater (mineral × BSS, P = 0.05) for heifers provided chelated minerals and fed CON, compared with BSS, and tended to be less for heifers fed inorganic and CON than BSS. Heifers fed chelated minerals drank 6.1 L/d more (P < 0.05) water than those provided inorganic minerals. Injectable trace-mineral provision did not affect DMI or water intake. Ruminal H2S was not affected by mineral type or BSS (P ≥ 0.33). The inclusion of BSS reduced (P < 0.01) liver Cu concentration from 60.5 to 31.3 ppm. Heifers provided the injectable minerals had greater (P < 0.01) liver Cu concentration than the inorganic without BSS treatment. Serum copper was not affected by BSS or mineral treatment (P ≥ 0.44). The liver concentration of Se was reduced (P < 0.01) by the inclusion of BSS. The serum Se concentration was not affected by mineral type, BSS, time, or any two- or three-way interactions (P ≥ 0.24). Bismuth subsalicylate did not affect ruminal H2S, and negatively affected liver Cu concentration. The use of organic trace mineral supplementation strategies did not affect the trace mineral status of beef heifers drinking high sulfate water, but use of an injectable trace mineral supplement increased liver Cu.
PSVIII-A-4 Evaluation of Blood Parameters Associated to Environmental Stress in Grazing Beef Heifers with Divergent Residual Feed Intake
Authors: Londono-Mendez Maria Camila , Lasso Sergio , Fitzsimmons Carolyn J , Plastow Graham , Bork Edward , Basarab John A , da Silva Gleise
Published: November 2023

There is considerable interest in improved feed efficiency to enhance sustainability in beef production, but a lack of understanding exists on the interaction between residual feed intake (RFI) and environment while grazing. Increasing variation in environmental conditions has been documented in western Canada with summers becoming warmer. This study evaluated blood parameters and rumen temperature (RT) of grazing beef heifers with divergent residual feed intake (RFI) during summer (July to August) of 2022. Forty-four crossbred beef heifers (358 ± 4.78 kg body weight; approximately 14 months of age) previously tested for RFI in drylot and classified as more (n = 21; LOW-RFI = -0.9 ± 0.70) or less feed efficient (n = 23; HIGH-RFI = 1.3 ± 1.00) were grazed at 2.72 AUM/ha over 7 wk in Alberta, Canada. Rumen temperatures were automatically recorded throughout the study using the Smart Rumen Bolus by Moonsyst. Plasma was collected every 14 ± 1 d for 42 d to determine concentrations of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), β-Hydroxybutyric acid (BHBA), leptin (LEP), free triiodothyronine (fT3), haptoglobin (HP), heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Environmental conditions were assessed by calculating the Climate Comprehensive Index using temperature, wind speed, solar radiation, and humidity data from a weather station within 1 km of the grazed pastures. Daily weather conditions were considered to impose risk to cause mild, moderate, severe, and extreme stress for 8, 21, 8, and 1 days, respectively. Plasma and RT data were analyzed as a completely randomized design with repeated measures. An RFI × day interaction was observed for BUN (P = 0.018). LOW-RFI had greater (P = 0.02) BUN on d 42 compared with HIGH-RFI heifers (42.5 vs. 32.6 mg/dL, respectively), while GABA tended to be greater (P ≤ 0.09) for HIGH-RFI heifers on d 0 and 42. Free T3 concentrations were greater (P = 0.04; 8.54 vs. 7.78 pmol/L, respectively), whereas HP was less (P = 0.01) in LOW-RFI heifers. However, HP concentrations were below the threshold for inflammation throughout the study. There was also an effect of day (P < 0.01) for fT3, IGF-1, LEP, NEFA, HSP70, and BHBA. Leptin and HSP70 concentrations were greatest on d 14 and 28, whereas BHBA was the greatest (P < 0.01) and IGF-1 the least on d 42 (P < 0.01). An RFI × hour interaction was detected for RT (P = 0.0003), where HIGH-RFI heifers had greater RT throughout the day. In summary, weather conditions in western Canada changed blood parameters of replacement beef heifers during summer. Feed efficient heifers had decreased RT and greater plasma concentrations of fT3, which could be associated with metabolic homeostasis and regulation of thermogenesis.
PSIX-30 Results from a Statewide Needs Assessment of Iowa Beef Producers
Authors: Culbertson Miranda M , Reynolds Mary E , Schwab Denise L , Wall Patrick B , Clark Christopher A , Doran Beth E , Lundy-Woolfolk Erika L , Euken Russell M , Loy Daniel D
Published: November 2023

Extension personnel routinely conduct needs assessments to develop programs addressing challenges faced by cattle producers. The objective of this project was to identify and evaluate the needs of cattle producers in Iowa. Needs assessment listening sessions were conducted by the Iowa Beef Center across six regions of the state of Iowa. A total of 54 stakeholders across the six regions participated, representing cow-calf, feedlot, veterinary, and allied industries. During each session, participants were asked to write down a list of challenges or opportunities they observed in the beef industry. Each producer was asked to share an item on their list that they perceived or experienced as the most challenging and briefly expand on the topic. Once every attendee had an opportunity to engage, the process was repeated until topics had been exhausted. Each listening session lasted approximately 2 to 3 hours. Notes from all six meetings were compiled, and major themes were aggregated. Common themes were found across all six regions, while others were only addressed within specific regions. Producers statewide addressed challenges in cattle marketing (n = 31), land use and availability (n = 22), herd health (n = 20), and feed costs (n = 19). Farm transition (n = 14), consumer education (n = 14), and animal handling and welfare (n = 8) were discussed in five of the six regions. Production profitability (n = 8) and labor (n = 5) were only addressed in four regions. Topics discussed in fewer than four regions tended to be specific to either cow-calf or feedlot enterprises. For example, traceability (n = 4) was only discussed in the northwestern and northcentral regions with a large feedlot presence. In contrast, heifer development (n = 4) was discussed in three regions with more cow-calf operations. In conclusion, this project illustrates the diversity and commonality of challenges facing cattle producers in the state of Iowa and is indicative of issues facing cattle producers nationally. Although these listening sessions were specific to Iowa cattle producers, the methods used to gain insight into challenges facing cattle producers have applications beyond Iowa. The diversity of responses reinforces the need for routine needs assessments for extension program development to address the needs of the beef industry nationally and globally.
PSVIII-27 Beef Cattle Body Weight Forecast Monitored on Pasture Through Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Isaac Júnior Marcos Antônio , Ferreira dos Santos Murilo Garrett Moura , Da Silva Vinícius YujiMendes , Albertini Thiago Zanetti , Biase Adriele Giaretta
Published: November 2023

The use of artificial intelligence through forecasting models for the weight of beef cattle allows decision-making regarding the production chain, which makes it more efficient and respects social, environmental and economic aspects, with ever-increasing predictions. Approaches adopting separately stochastic and deterministic components were adopted. Thus, this work, based on deterministic dynamic systems, aims to forecast the body weight of cattle simultaneously with the variables temperature, atmospheric pressure and global radiation, for the first time being monitored on pasture. Data were collected on a commercial farm located in Britânia/GO/Brazil, 158 male animals of crossbread origin,kept in 101 hectares of pasture, in a rotational system, receiving 0.3% BW day-1 of protein supplement and water ad libitum were weighed. Based on Takens' embedding theorem, it was possible to represent the phase spaces and facilitate data entry into the regression model. The models used were Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP), eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), LightGBM, Support Vector Machine (SVM), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and Echo State Network (ESN). To fit the models, the dataset was separated into 110 animals for K-fold cross-validation with 5 subsets and 48 animals for validation. Bayesian optimization was implemented to find the best hyperparameter values for each model. Three scenarios were evaluated: 7, 14 and 28 days of forecast horizon (fp), respectively. The evaluation metric used was the mean squared error (MSE), which verifies the accuracy of the models. As result, we verified according to Table 1 that the SVM presented the least MSE values for the 3 scenarios. After this step, the best model was selected, and the model was adjusted with the 110 animals and validated with the validation data. The result obtained from the MSE was 0.000071 kg². 0.000176 kg² and 0.000478 kg² for 7, 14 and 28 days of fh, respectively. According to Figure 1, the predicted values in relation to the observed values showed good results for the 3 scenarios; however, for the scenarios of 14 and 28 days, a small overestimation was observed for the body weights with the greatest values. The adjusted SMV model demonstrated that it was possible to predict meat production with deterministic models. Thus, the use of artificial intelligence methods is efficient to assist in decision making on the beef cattle production chain.
PSVII-15 Heart Rate Variability in Post-Race Thoroughbred Racehorses
Authors: Wendorf Kathryn , Olivier Clelie , Ferguson Clarence Edward
Published: November 2023

Performance horses can require a tremendous amount of time, training, and finances to maintain optimal health and reach maximum fitness levels. Racehorses are one of the many performance horses that require such vigorous maintenance schedules to compete. Measuring heart rate variability (HRV) in these equine athletes can allow for post-training, post-competition recovery and stress analysis. In this study, we measured HRV parameters in 13 Thoroughbred (TB) racehorses at Delta Downs Racetrack, located in Vinton, Louisiana. Data were recorded in short-term readings of 5 minutes at 0 to 1 hour post-race (depending on if they went to test-barn), 12 hours, and 24 hours post-race, in 7 TB racehorses. An additional 6 TB racehorses were recorded only at rest (no race or strenuous workouts for over a week). The R-R readings were less (P < 0.0001) at 0 to 1 hour post-race (753.6 ± 43.2) compared with 12 hours (1382.8 ± 44.5), 24 hours (1503.7 ±40.0) and rest (1370.9 ± 39.3). The heart rate (HR) was greater (P < 0.0001) at 0 to 1 hour post-race (82.8 ± 4.6) compared with 12 hours (43.9 ± 1.4), 24 hours (40.3 ± 1.4) and rest (44.0 ± 1.4). The RMSSD was less (P < 0.0001) at 0 to 1 hour post-race (16.9 ± 2.8) compared with 12 hours (31.6 ± 3.1), 24 hours (33.6 ± 1.6) and rest (33.6 ± 3.4). The SDNN was less (P < 0.0003) at 0 to 1 hours post-race (23.7 ± 2.9) compared with 12 hours (38.7 ± 2.9), 24 hours (36.8 ± 1.6) and rest (36.2 ± 2.7). The pNN50 was less (P < 0.0044) at 0 to 1 hour post-race (3.5 ± 3.2) compared with 12 hours (8.9 ± 1.8), 24 hours (11.8 ± 1.3) and rest (11.7 ± 2.9). None of the 12- and 24-hour readings were different from each other or at rest indicating these horses appeared to have recovered from their race within 12 hours.