bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness of Messenger RNA-1273 Vaccine Booster Against Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Immunocompetent Adults
Authors: Florea Ana , Sy Lina S , Qian Lei , Ackerson Bradley K , Luo Yi , Tubert Julia E , Lee Gina S , Ku Jennifer H , Bruxvoort Katia J , Talarico Carla A , Qiu Sijia , Tian Yun , Tseng Hung Fu
Published: September 2022

Background

We conducted a prospective cohort study at Kaiser Permanente Southern California to evaluate the relative vaccine effectiveness (rVE) of a booster dose vs 2-dose primary series of messenger RNA (mRNA)-1273 in immunocompetent individuals.

Methods

Immunocompetent adults who received a booster dose of mRNA-1273 from October 2021 through December 2021 were matched 1:1 to randomly selected 2-dose mRNA-1273 recipients by age, sex, race/ethnicity, and second-dose date and followed up through January 2022. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), comparing outcomes (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 [SARS-CoV-2] infection and coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19] hospitalization and hospital death) in the booster-dose and 2-dose groups. Adjusted rVE (%) was calculated as (1 − aHR) × 100. aHRs and rVE were also estimated by subgroup and month of follow-up.

Results

The study included 431 328 booster-dose vaccinated adults matched to 431 328 2-dose vaccinated adults. rVE was 61.3% (95% CI: 60.5%–62.2%) against SARS-CoV-2 infection, 89.0% (86.2%–91.2%) against COVID-19 hospitalization, and 96.0% (68.0%–99.5%) against COVID-19 hospital death. rVE against SARS-CoV-2 infection ranged from 55.6% to 66.7% across all subgroups. rVE against SARS-CoV-2 infection decreased from 67.1% (0 to <1 month of follow-up) to 30.5% (2 to <3 months). For COVID-19 hospitalization, rVE decreased from 91.2% (0 to <1 month) to 78.7% (2 to <3 months).

Conclusions

Among immunocompetent adults, the mRNA-1273 booster conferred additional protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19 disease compared with the 2-dose mRNA-1273 primary series during periods of Delta and Omicron predominance.
Refining a Driving Retirement Program for Persons With Dementia and Their Care Partners: A Mixed Methods Evaluation of CarFreeMe™-Dementia
Authors: Peterson Colleen M , Birkeland Robyn W , Louwagie Katie W , Ingvalson Stephanie N , Mitchell Lauren L , Scott Theresa L , Liddle Jacki , Pachana Nancy A , Gustafsson Louise , Gaugler Joseph E
Published: September 2022

Objectives

We adapted the CarFreeMe™-Dementia program created by The University of Queensland for drivers in the United States. CarFreeMe™-Dementia aims to assist drivers living with dementia and their care partners as they plan for or adjust to driving retirement. This semistructured program focuses on driving retirement education and support. Topics include how dementia affects driving, lifestyle planning, stress management, and alternative transportation options. This study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and utility of the CarFreeMe™-Dementia intervention.

Methods

This pilot phase of the study included 16 care partners and 11 drivers with memory loss who were preparing for or adjusting to driving retirement. Participants completed 4–8 CarFreeMe™-Dementia intervention telehealth sessions. Online surveys (baseline, 1- and 3-month) and postintervention semistructured interviews informed evaluation of the intervention program using a mixed methods approach.

Results

This study established initial support for CarFreeMe™-Dementia in the United States. Participants indicated the program facilitated dialogue around driving retirement and provided guidance on community engagement without driving. Respondents appreciated the program’s emphasis on overall well-being, promoted through lifestyle planning and stress management. They also reported the program offered practical preparation for transitioning to driving retirement.

Discussion

The CarFreeMe™-Dementia intervention, tailored to an American audience, appears to be a feasible, acceptable, and useful support program for drivers with memory loss (and/or their care partners) who are preparing for or adjusting to driving retirement. Further investigations of the efficacy of the CarFreeMe™-Dementia intervention in the United States, as well as in other countries and cultural contexts, are warranted.
Genetic tuning of β-carotene oxygenase-1 activity rescues cone photoreceptor function in STRA6-deficient mice
Authors: Moon Jean , Ramkumar Srinivasagan , von Lintig Johannes
Published: September 2022

Rod and cone photoreceptors in the retina mediate dim light and daylight vision, respectively. Despite their distinctive functions, rod and cone visual pigments utilize the same vitamin A-derived chromophore. To sustain vision, vitamin A precursors must be acquired in the gut, metabolized, and distributed to the eyes. Deficiencies in this pathway in inherited ocular disease states deplete cone photoreceptors from chromophore and eventually lead to cell death, whereas the more abundant rod photoreceptors are less affected. However, pathways that support cone function and survival under such conditions are largely unknown. Using biochemical, histological, and physiological approaches, we herein show that intervention with β-carotene in STRA6-deficient mice improved chromophore supply to cone photoreceptors. Relieving the inherent negative feedback regulation of β-carotene oxygenase-1 activity in the intestine by genetic means further bolstered cone photoreceptor functioning in the STRA6-deficient eyes. A vitamin A-rich diet, however, did not improve cone photoreceptor function in STRA6-deficiency. We provide evidence that the beneficial effect of β-carotene on cones results from favorable serum kinetics of retinyl esters in lipoproteins. The respective alterations in lipoprotein metabolism maintained a steady supply of retinoids to the STRA6-deficient eyes, which ameliorated the competition for chromophore between rod and cone photoreceptors. Together, our study elucidates a cone photoreceptor-survival pathway and unravels an unexpected metabolic connection between the gut and the retina.
Wave Function for GL(n, ℝ) Hyperbolic Sutherland Model
Authors: Kharchev S , Khoroshkin S
Published: September 2022

We obtain certain Mellin–Barnes integrals that present wave functions for $GL(n,{\mathbb {R}})$ hyperbolic Sutherland model with arbitrary positive coupling constant.
8 Prediction of Culling and Mortality Risks in Group-Housed Broilers Using Machine Learning Methods Trained with Time-Series Data of Feeding Behavior Traits
Authors: Alves Anderson A Carvalho , Fernandes Arthur F A , Lopes Fernando B , Breen Vivian , Hawken Rachel , Rosa Guilherme J J M
Published: September 2022

In this study, we investigated the performance of different machine learning (ML) methods for predicting withdrawing events (culled or dead animals) according to feeding behaviors (FB) time series. The raw data comprised a total of 1,492,482 daily observations for six FB traits from 55,400 birds allocated into 88 trials. After data editing, the overall class distribution was 17:1 (44,352 healthy animals and 2,689 culled or dead). The event classification (0 or 1) was performed one day in advance, by treating healthy birds randomly as control groups for each day. The FB daily trends were used for extracting 21 time-series features per trait, generating a structured feature dataset (day before the event + 126 time-series features). The trained ML algorithms were the gradient boosting machine (GBM), multilayer perceptron neural network (MLP), naïve Bayes (NB), random forest (RF), and support vector machine (SVM). The models were compared based on the area under the ROC (AUC) and precision-recall (AUPRC) curves, computed with 20-fold cross-validation. The performance metrics ranged from 0.76 to 0.85 for AUC and from 0.32 to 0.48 for AUPRC, so that models achieved considerable superior performance than that expected for a random classifier (0.50 for AUC and 0.06 for AUCPR). The better classifier in terms of AUC was the RF (0.85±0.02), although not statistically different from the average performance obtained with the GBM and SVM (0.84±0.02 in both cases). The MLP achieved the greatest AUPRC (0.48±0.05), while the NB performed poorly considering this criterion (0.32±0.02), indicating that a low precision-recall gain is expected for this model. Broiler barns presenting a critical number of animals with high-risk scores could be indicative of a disease outbreak or management failures. Hence, the proposed approach offers a potential tool for real-time monitoring of health status and welfare in broilers.
5 The Use of Alginate Hydrogel Beads During Pig Transportation
Authors: Salinas Emerald Julianna , McGlone John J , Johnson Anna K , Garcia Arlene
Published: September 2022

During marketing, pigs are exposed to multiple stressors, including feed/water withdrawal, physical assertion, and mixing with unfamiliar pigs. These stressors can disrupt the homeostasis of the market pig, that in-turn could result in non-ambulatory-non-injured, non-ambulatory injured pigs or death. The objective of this study was to provide pigs electrolytes and a glucose source in alginate hydrogel beads (AHB) to determine if they could mitigate transportation stressors. A maternal neonatal pheromone was added to the AHB to encourage consumption. Sixty (PIC USA Camborough-22 sow line) market pigs (BW 122.27± 32.72 kg), including barrows and gilts were allocated to two treatment groups, either AHB (n= 30) or control (CON) without AHB (n= 30). Pigs were acclimated to the AHB 72-h prior to transport and fasted 12-h before being loaded on a straight trailer and transported for a total of 4-h. Pig body weights were collected before and after transport and blood samples were collected via jugular venipuncture. Active and inactive postures and drinking behavior were recorded using GoPro Cameras during transport and 24-h post-transport using a DVR in one min scan sample. The study was a complete randomized design with pen as the experimental unit. The AHB did not affect the pigs body weight (P > 0.05). Blood chemistry and blood hematology measures showed treatment by time interactions for PH, PCO2, HCO3, BE, TCO2, TBIL and GLU (P ≤ 0.05). During transport AHB pigs displayed more lying than CON pigs (P < 0.05). After transport AHB pigs sat more (P < 0.05) and tended (P > 0.05) to move more than CON pigs. CON pigs engaged in more drinking than AHB pigs after transport (P < 0.05). In conclusion, AHBs had some positive welfare effects on pig physiology and behavior during and immediately after short transportation and show promise as a tool that could be practically implemented by the industry.
19 How can Artificial Intelligence Accelerate Phenotyping Efforts in Animal Breeding?
Authors: Morota Gota , Ha Dong , Chen James
Published: September 2022

With the development of high-throughput technologies, biology has become a large-scale and data-rich field, especially for genomics and phenomics. Concurrent with this expansion in the availability of high-throughput technologies, their use in the livestock sectors has accordingly increased. This expansion has occurred most notably in the field of animal breeding, where high-throughput technologies hold promise as a means for more efficiently connecting animal phenotypes with pedigree and genomics to drive genetic improvement of production and health-related traits. The rate of genetic gain is closely related to the quantity and quality of phenotyping data. However, there are still considerable manual tasks that are involved in phenotyping processes. Precision livestock farming or smart farming uses sensing technology that is supported by artificial intelligence and machine learning to monitor morphometric changes in animal growth dynamics and animal activity status. In particular, the development of two sensing technologies, computer vision and wearable sensor systems, plays a pivotal role in accelerating phenotyping efforts by providing non-intrusive measurements of animals with high temporal and spatial resolution. The presentation will provide a recent update on current approaches to artificial intelligence and machine learning in computer vision and wearable sensor systems to monitor the body mass and behaviors of animals.
22 Sustainable Livestock Breeding: Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: Baes Christine F , Rochus Christina M , Houlahan Kerry , Oliveira Jr Gerson A , Van Staaveren Nienke , Miglior Filippo
Published: September 2022

Animal breeders have exploited many technological advances for increasing genetic gain in economically and functionally important traits. The implementation of such technologies in routine breeding programs has permitted genetic gains in traditional milk, meat and egg production traits as well as, more recently, in low-heritability traits like health, fertility, and even behavior. As global demand for animal products increases, animal breeders must ensure the technologies, methods and strategies employed are sustainable, to consider the many emerging technologies that are currently being investigated in various fields, and to ensure a social license to continue producing animal products. Here we discuss the societal, ethical, environmental, and economical aspects of sustainability in the context of livestock breeding. We review a number of technologies that have helped shape livestock breeding programs in the past and present, along with those potentially forthcoming. These tools have materialized in the areas of reproduction, genotyping and sequencing, genetic modification, epigenetics, and other areas of “omics” technologies. Although many of these technologies bring encouraging opportunities for genetic improvement of livestock populations, their applications and benefits need to be weighed with their impacts on sustainability.
49 Effects of Dietary Supplementation with Lespedeza on the Semen Quality and Fertility of Male Goats
Authors: Heikal Rania , Hicks Jayla , Holmes Bryanna , Brown Jalani , Dykes Gregory , Wartley Lauren , Mendez Nallely , Neha Ayesha , Shaik Arshad , Chelkapally Sai Chandan , Brown Davia , Crumpler Jeslyn , Whitley Niki C C , Pech-Cervantes Andres a , Reese Tiffany , Woldemeskel Moges , Terrill Thomas H , Moawad Adel R
Published: September 2022

Infertility is a major cause of economic losses in livestock production systems. Parasitic infections are a significant cause of infertility in small ruminants. Sericea lespedeza (SL; Lespedeza cuneata) is a potent anthelmintic in sheep and goats. Positive impacts of lespedeza on male fertility have been reported in rats and rabbits; however, no studies have been conducted on goats. Here, we investigated the effects of feeding male goats with SL or annual lespedeza (AL; Kummerowia stiulacea) on their semen quality and fertility. Forty-nine mature intact Spanish bucks were randomly assigned into three groups and fed diets of 60% hay and 40% concentrate in an 8-week pen study. The treatment hays were SL (n=16), AL (n=17), and bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) as a control (n=16). At the end of the trial, scrotum circumferences (SC) were measured and the animals were transported to a processing facility for slaughtering. Testicles and epididymides were collected after slaughter for measuring their weights and lengths. Epididymal spermatozoa were retrieved and evaluated for their motility, concentration, viability, abnormalities, and membrane integrities. Sections from testicles and epididymides were also prepared for histopathological examination. Results showed that SC was higher (P≤ 0.05) in SL than AL groups. Testicular and epididymal weights were comparable (P > 0.05) among the three groups. Sperm motility, concentration, viability, and membrane integrities were higher (P≤ 0.05) in SL compared with the AL and control groups. Sperm abnormalities were higher (P≤ 0.05) in control and AL groups than in the SL group. Histopathological examination revealed mild focally extensive seminiferous tubular degeneration and necrosis in AL group. These results suggest that feeding of male goats on SL enhances their sperm quality and fertility parameters.
7 Characterization of Feeder Cattle Behavior Using an Integrated Machine Vision Learning System
Authors: Robbins Jesse , Demochkina Polina , Szasz Josh , Bryant Tony C , Mauck Ross , Robertson Tim , McKenzie Andrew
Published: September 2022

Animal behavior can be a valuable indicator of the health and welfare status of an animal. Current assessments of cattle behavior in commercial settings rely upon human observers who are only capable of observing a relatively small proportion of animals for a small proportion of time. Moreover, the mere presence of human observers may alter normal behavioral patterns, making data difficult to interpret. To overcome these challenges, we developed a machine vision learning system to monitor cattle behavior on a commercial feedlot. Using continuous data collected from solar powered cameras, we set out to characterize the standing and lying patterns of feedlot cattle. A series of solar powered cameras were installed on a single pen of calves at a commercial feedlot (n=280; mean weight = 632lbs +/- 45). To characterize standing and lying behavior, a neural network model (YOLOv5) was trained and applied to pen images captured every 5 minutes during the day for weeks 2-20 of the feeding period (n=19,152). Algorithm precision and recall were 96% and 92%, respectively. Standing and lying behaviors showed a pattern of temporal cyclicity with the greatest proportion of cows standing at 0800 (92%) and 1700 (96%). The mean proportion of animals observed lying down increased during the feeding period (wk 2-8=36%; wk 9-14=39% and wk 15-20=45%). Machine vision learning systems can be an accurate and efficient means of quantifying behavioral patterns in commercial environments. Future work will examine how environmental and management factors (e.g. weather, pen moves) and morbidity alter behavioral patterns throughout the feeding period.
62 Impact of Feeding Male Goats with L-Carnitine on Viability of Their Semen Stored at 4 °C for 72 Hours
Authors: Holmes Bryanna , Brown Jalani , Hunter Lazar , Woodard Joshua , Johnson Allana , Schauston Miller , Kouakou Brou , Moawad Adel R
Published: September 2022

Goats have the ability for genetic improvement. Artificial insemination (AI) is a significant technique used to increase genetic gain. Low fertility in goats with AI was attributed to semen quality, which can be affected by cooling/freezing procedures. Cooling of spermatozoa causes reduction in viability, and loss of fertility, mainly because of oxidative stress. L-carnitine (LC) is important for fatty acid metabolism and acts as antioxidant. Many studies have reported positive impact of LC on quality of cooled spermatozoa in different species; however, no research has been done on goats. Here, we investigated the impacts of dietary supplementation of LC on the quality of cooled goat semen. Six mature Alpine bucks were allocated into two groups; control (three bucks were fed a regular diet without LC supplementation), and treatment (three bucks were fed the normal diet plus 0.022 g/kg of BW, LC). Bucks were fed their respective diet for sixty days from January to March (non-breeding season). Semen was collected once/week and evaluated for color, consistency, volume and sperm concentrations. Diluted semen was then stored at 4 °C for 72 h. Sperm motility, viability, and membrane integrity were assessed at 0, 24, 48, and 72 h post-cooling. Results showed that colors of samples collected from the two groups were white to yellow, consistency ranged from watery to creamy, and sperm concentrations ranged from 8.1 to 12.2 x 109 sperm/ml. Sperm motility, viability and membrane integrity reduced (P≤ 0.05) in a time dependent manner in both groups. At 72 h, motility decreased by one-half as compared with 0 h (48.9% vs. 91.4% and 32.5% vs. 80.8%, in LC and control groups, respectively). In conclusion, under our experimental conditions, goat spermatozoa can be stored at 4°C for 72 h without severe loss in their quality. LC treatment has less impact on the quality of cooled goat semen.
59 Effects of Feeding Nutragen on Clinical Signs and Leukocytes in Calves Following Natural Exposure to Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus and Subsequent Mannheimia Haemolytica Infection
Authors: Markey Jazmin A , Gong Wendy , Schneid Kasi N , Liuzzo Avianna , Farran Garrett , Rudd Jennifer , Snider Tim , Montelongo Marie , Humphrey Brooke , Chapman James D , Sharman Evin D , Garcia Miriam , Reuter Ryan R , Beck Paul A , Foote Andrew P , Bruno Kelsey , Wilson Blake K
Published: September 2022

Two experiments (EXP1 and EXP2) evaluated the effects of NutraGen (NG) on calf health following exposure to bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) on d -3 and Mannheimia haemolytica (Mh) infection on d 0. For each EXP, steers (BW = 251 ± 38.2 kg) were randomly allocated to 1 of 3 treatments (TRT). Treatments included a placebo (CON; EXP1 n = 5; EXP2 n = 5), a placebo fed from d -18 to d -3 followed by NG fed from d -3 to d 28 (CHLG; EXP1 n = 5; EXP2 n = 6), and NG fed from d -18 to d 28 (PREC; EXP1 n = 6; EXP2 n = 5). There was no treatment by time interaction (TRT×TME) or TRT effect for rectal temperatures (RT) or clinical scores (CS) in EXP1 or CS in EXP2 (P ≥ 0.26). There was a TRT×TME for respiration rates (RR) during the first 24 h following Mh infection (P = 0.04), and a tendency for a TRT effect from d -3 to d 14, and overall in EXP1 (P ≤ 0.10). There was a tendency for a TRT×TME for RT from d -3 to d 14 in EXP2 (P = 0.04). There was a TRT effect for RR from d -3 to d 14 and overall in EXP2 (P ≤ 0.05). There was a TRT×TME for leukocytes during the first 24 h following Mh infection in EXP1 (P = 0.03) and overall in both EXP (P ≤ 0.001). There was no TRT×TME or TRT effect for neutrophils (NEU), lymphocytes (LYM), or NEU:LYM in EXP1 (P ≥ 0.19); however, there were multiple TRT×TME and TRT effects for NEU, LYM, and NEU:LYM in EXP2 (P ≤ 0.05). These experiments suggest that NG has the potential to alter clinical and cellular responses during a bovine respiratory disease challenge.
54 The Effect of Supplementing Clostat 500 (Bacillus Subtilis PB6) to Yearling Steers in a Commercial Feedyard on Health, Salmonella spp. Prevalence, Feedlot Performance and Carcass Characteristics
Authors: Trojan Sara J , Broadway Paul Rand R , Burdick-Sanchez Nicole C , Carroll Jeff A , Hales Kristin E , Word Alyssa B , Karr Kendall J , Holland Ben P , Ellis Guy , Maxwell Casey , Canterbury Landon , Leonhard Tyler , LaFleur Doug , Hergenreder Jerilyn
Published: September 2022

Crossbred beef steers, n = 2,100; 313 ± 38 kg initial body weight (BW) were used to evaluate Bacillus Subtilis PB6 supplementation to yearling steers. Cattle were blocked by arrival date and assigned randomly to pen within block; pens were randomly assigned to treatment within block. Treatments, replicated in 15 pens/treatment with 70 steers/pen, included: 1) control (CON), diets containing no supplemental direct fed microbials; 2) CLOSTAT (CLO), diets supplemented with 0.5 g/animal/d Bacillus subtilis PB6 (CLOSTAT 500, Kemin Industries, Des Moines, IA). Supplementing CLO decreased morbidity (P = 0.03), 10.38% (CLO) vs. 13.43% (CON), decreased the percentage of cattle treated once for bovine respiratory disease (BRD; P < 0.01), 9.14% (CST) vs. 12.76% (CON), and decreased BRD re-treatment rate (P = 0.03). Mortality did not differ among treatments (P = 0.23). Cattle removed from the study tended to be less for CLO than CON (53 vs. 73 animals, respectively, P = 0.06). The prevalence of fecal Salmonella was not different among treatments, (P ≥ 0.35). Overall fecal Salmonella counts tended to be less for CLO (1.59 log CFU/g) than for CON (2.04 log CFU/g; P = 0.07). Concentration of Salmonella in subiliac lymph nodes did not differ by treatment (P = 0.62); however, mean prevalence of lymph node Salmonella decreased 46% by CLO (28.66% vs. 15.48%, CON vs. CLO, respectively, P = 0.46). With dead animals and removals included, final BW was heavier for CLO steers than CON, (P = 0.05), and average daily gain (ADG; P = 0.08), and gain efficiency (G:F, P = 0.06) tended to be greater for CLO than CON. With dead animals and removals excluded, final BW, ADG, and G:F did not differ among treatments (P ≥ 0.30). Carcass traits were not different between treatments (P ≥ 0.15). Supplementing CLO improved health outcomes of yearling steers.
72 Developing Machine Learning Models When Data is Limiting
Authors: Tedeschi Luis O
Published: September 2022

Animal scientists have become more enthusiastic about developing machine learning (ML) models to improve the predictability of variables of interest. However, adequate data is limited either because ways to collect the data are scarce or because the process is expensive, time- or labor-consuming, or it simply takes too long to be collected. In addition to the usual hurdles in developing ML models, e.g., appropriate technique, the number of layers, and their activation, enough high-quality data is an essential requirement for ML that is often neglected. Should the data come from longitudinal or cross-sectional experiments of how many subjects? When enough high-quality, reliable data is limiting, one alternative is to create synthetic datasets that reflect the correlation among input and output variables of interest. The probability distribution for each variable needs to be well defined, and the correlation among variables must be taken into account. The normal distribution may not always be a reasonable assumption for all variables; thus, variable-specific distributions must be used with their appropriate parameters. An adequate range (min and max) must be provided for each variable to represent it. Shortcomings might occur when nonlinear relationships occur between variables. The synthetic dataset will also fail to provide good predictability when the new inputs do not have similar correlations, as did the variables used to build the synthetic dataset. It is common to standardize or normalize each variable during ML development. Each variable is normalized based on its minimum and maximum values. A common mistake during the ML development process is that training and evaluation subsets are normalized independently when both should be normalized using the range of the complete dataset; otherwise, normalization becomes dependent on the subset, and the ML weights will differ from one epoch to another. This might weaken the ML predictability because the correct range for back-transforming the output to its original value is unknown.
87 Awardee Talk: Frequency of Energy Supplementation Modulates Growth, Reproduction, Immune Function, and Fetal Programming in Beef Cattle
Authors: Moriel Philipe
Published: September 2022

Fluctuations in nutrient intake and metabolism can be detrimental to beef cattle performance. Multiple studies evaluated the impacts of reducing the frequency of energy supplementation from daily (7X) to once (1X) or 3 times (3X) weekly during heifer development, calf preconditioning, and late gestation of beef cows on growth, reproduction, immune function, and progeny performance. Reducing the supplementation frequency from 7X to 3X weekly: (1) did not impact average daily gain (ADG; P = 0.52) but hastened (P ≤ 0.05) puberty and pregnancy attainment of beef heifers; and (2) reduced ADG (P = 0.02), increased (P ≤ 0.03) plasma indicators of physiological stress (cortisol and haptoblogin), and decreased (P ≤ 0.05) humoral immune response against pathogens associated with bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in preconditioning beef steers. Reducing the supplementation frequency from 7X to either 3X or 1X weekly during late gestation did not (P ≥ 0.21) impact cow prepartum body condition score and reproduction, but linearly decreased (P = 0.05) calf preweaning growth. The negative effects of infrequent energy supplementation may be attributed to greater fluctuations in plasma concentrations of insulin growth factor-1, glucose, insulin, and urea nitrogen compared to frequent energy supplementation. Later attempts to offset such negative effects of infrequent supplementation observed that neither increasing the supplementation amount (P ≥ 0.21) nor altering the timing of vaccination relative to weaning (P ≥ 0.12) prevented performance reductions in beef cattle supplemented infrequently. Only a gradual reduction in supplementation frequency for preconditioning calves prevented a reduction on growth and improved (P ≤ 0.05) the immune response against BRD pathogens. Combined, these results revealed that frequent energy supplementation during preconditioning of beef steers, development of replacement beef heifers, and late gestation of beef cows was required to optimize their growth, immunity, and reproduction, and the growth performance of their progeny.
84 Awardee Talk: Managing Reproduction: A key to Profitability
Authors: Anderson Les
Published: September 2022

In agriculture, the ability to reproduce dictates gross revenue and reproductive success is the culmination of implementation of multiple management practices that optimize the probability the animal will reproduce. About four decades ago, Extension Specialists recognized the need to develop a holistic approach to beef cattle management. Integrated Resource Management (IRM) is a concept developed by the Cooperative Extension Service and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the concept represents a systems approach designed to enhance the competitiveness, efficiency, and profitability of the beef business. My Extension program has focused on enhancing reproductive efficiency, revenue, and profits using IRM concepts and a hands-on approach. Nearly 2,000 farm visits and multiple Extension programs to thousands of producers have demonstrated methods to improve productivity and profitability. Perhaps the most impactful program was the UK IRM Farm Program. This program combined standard educational meetings discussing health, nutrition, genetics, and reproduction with extensive farm visits. Baseline data was obtained from each cooperator and farm goals were ascertained. From these, production plans were developed and implemented with the help of local Extension Agents. At the conclusion of the program, 147 producers from 84 counties with 6,943 cows committed to this program. Data collection and management was central to this project. We obtained gross data from all cooperators and accurate impact data from a subset of these producers. Integrated, organized management decreased the length of the calving season, increased calving percent, weaning percent, weaning weight and pounds of calf per cow exposed. Revenue was increased by 34% on average with a range of 25-200%. During this project, we recognized the need for a new data collection and management application and developed X10D (pronounced “extend”). An IRM approach making data driven decisions is a key to increasing revenue and enhancing profitability in beef cow-calf operations.
97 Immunology and the gut: The key to Animal Health
Authors: Chase Chris
Published: September 2022

The gut immune system consists of three lines of defense systems: barriers, innate immunity and adaptive or acquired immunity that work together to give ruminant gastrointestinal tract (GIT) protection from disease. The gastrointestinal tract is the largest immune organ of the body. The mucosal barrier- the tight junctions and the “kill zone” along with the gut mucosa and maintaining an “anti-inflammatory” state are essential for “good gut health”. The microbiome- the microorganisms in the GIT, which has more cells than the entire animal’s body, is essential for immune development, immune response, and maximizing ruminant productivity. Homeostasis is an important function of the gut immune response to maintain health. Management of bovine GIT immune system is not a simple process. Stressors along with the intake of feed and hydration affect the microbiome and the intestinal epithelial cells resulting in important immune interactions. Nutraceuticals (i.e., probiotics, prebiotics, hen yolk IgY, essential oils, organic acids) aid in both microbiome stability “homeostasis” and immune function.
109 Effects of a Novel Dental Chew on the Oral Health Outcomes and Malodor of Adult Dogs
Authors: Sieja Kelly M , Oba Patrícia M , Schauwecker Amy , Hristova Teodora , Keating Stephanie , Somrak Amy , Swanson Kelly S
Published: September 2022

Periodontal disease is a common oral health condition occurring in adult dogs, yet it is a preventable disease. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a novel dental chew in adult dogs. All animal care and experimental procedures were approved by the University of Illinois Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee prior to experimentation. Twelve female beagles (mean age = 3.50 yr; mean BW = 8.77 kg) were used in a crossover design consisting of two 28-d periods. All dogs consumed the same commercial kibble diet throughout the study. Control dogs were offered only diet, while the treatment group received the diet plus a daily dental chew (Authority Dental Chew Orashield system formula containing sodium hexametaphosphate and texture) 4 h after their meal. On d0 of each period, teeth were cleaned by a veterinary dentist. Teeth were then scored for plaque, calculus, and gingivitis by the same veterinary dentist that was blinded to treatments on d28 of each period. Breath samples were measured for breath halitosis (volatile sulfur compounds) using a halimeter on d1, 7, 14, 21, and 27 of each period. All tooth scoring data were analyzed using the Mixed Models procedures of SAS. Halimeter data were analyzed using repeated measures using Mixed Models procedures. Oral calculus coverage and thickness were less (P< 0.05) in dogs consuming the novel chew than control dogs, while plaque was not different among groups. Gingivitis scores and gingival bleeding were also less (P< 0.05) in dogs consuming the novel chew compared with control dogs. Breath volatile sulfur compound concentrations were reduced (P< 0.05) in dogs consuming the novel chew than control dogs. Our results suggest that the novel dental chew tested in the study may aid in reducing the risk of periodontal disease in dogs.
105 Effect of a Yeast Product on Palatability, Fecal Microbiota, and Blood Values of Adult Cats
Authors: Lin Ching-Yen , Panasevich Matthew , Daristotle Leighann , Frantz Nolan
Published: September 2022

Yeast products have been fed to livestock for their benefits of modulating immune responses, enhancing gut health, and improving production. Although studies investigating the effects of yeast in companion animals have emerged in recent years, research on cats is still lacking. Therefore, these studies evaluated the effects of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product (SCFP) on diet palatability and digestibility, fecal microbiota, and blood values in adult cats. Twelve adult cats (mean BW=4.02 kg, mean age=3.4 y) were used in a cross-over design with two 28-day feeding periods and a 14-day washout between feeding periods. Cats were randomly assigned to a control dry kibble diet or a diet containing 1,380 ppm SCFP. Fecal samples were collected during days 22 to 27 for measurements of nutrient digestibility, stool quality, and fecal microbiome. On day 28, urine samples were collected for pH measurement and blood samples were collected for serum chemistry and complete blood count analyses. A separate standard 2-day palatability test was conducted using 30 cats fed the control and SCFP diets. Protocols were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee before studies commenced. All data were analyzed using Mixed Models procedure of SAS (v9.4). Nutrient digestibility, stool quality, and urine pH were not altered by SCFP. Blood values were all within the reference ranges. Serum cholesterol concentrations increased (P< 0.05) and monocyte percentage tended to increase (P< 0.10) when cats consumed SCFP. When consuming SCFP, cats had decreased (P< 0.05) relative abundances of Sutterella and Paraprevotella from the sequencing results and tended to have greater (P< 0.10) Bifidobacterium spp. from the PCR results. The SCFP diet had better palatability, with an intake ratio of 0.69: 0.31 (vs. control). Results of these studies suggest that SCFP is safe for cat consumption and palatable, and by altering intestinal microbial populations, may promote gut health.
111 Organic Matter Disappearance and Production of Short- and Branched-Chain Fatty Acids from Whole Soybeans and Selected Fiber Sources Used in pet Foods by a Canine in Vitro Fermentation Model
Authors: Kim Hee Seong S , Aldrich Charles G
Published: September 2022

Soluble fiber can be fermented by microflora in the colon resulting in short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production. SCFA can be used as an energy source for the host, enterocytes, colonocytes, and immune cells, supporting cell differentiation and gut health. An in vitro model has been used to predict the colonic fermentability of fibers. Whole soybean (WSB) contains oligosaccharides and non-starch polysaccharides that may behave as beneficial fermentable substrates. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of WSB oligosaccharides on in vitro fermentation using dog feces as inoculum. Treatments included total dietary fiber residues from WSB, soy hull (SH), pea fiber (PF), beet pulp (BP), soybean oligosaccharides (WSBOS), and raffinose, stachyose, and verbascose (WSBRSV). The fecal samples were collected from three Beagle dogs and maintained in anaerobic conditions until dilution and substrate inoculation. Test tubes containing enzymatic pretreated fiber sources and inoculum were incubated for 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 hours at 39°C. Organic matter disappearance (OMD), pH, and SCFA were determined for each fiber source and time point. The data were subjected to ANOVA using the general linear model procedure (SAS, v 9.4). Least square mean differences were assessed using Tukey’s post hoc test. WSBOS and WSBRSV had greater OMD and butyrate than BP (P < 0.05; 43.59 and 60.18% vs 40.96% OMD; 293.33 and 266.67 vs 130umol/g, respectively). BP and WSBRSV had the lowest pH (6.66 and 6.74, respectively) at 12 h (P < 0.05). WSB had similar butyrate compared with BP (average 118umol/g). PF and SH were poorly fermented with the least OMD (18.59% and 20.45%, respectively) and butyrate (46.67umol/g and 66.67umol/g, respectively) compared with other fiber sources. In conclusion, soybean oligosaccharides were highly fermentable and produced the greatest amount of butyrate, and WSB was moderately fermentable compared to the BP.
115 Effects of Probiotic and Heat-Killed Probiotic Supplementation on Systemic Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation and Fermentative end Products of Adult Cats
Authors: de Souza Sergio Miranda , He Fei , de Godoy Maria R , Davenport Gary M
Published: September 2022

Probiotics and heat-killed probiotics (postbiotic) have been linked with enhancement of the intestinal barrier function and mucosal immunity, anti-inflammatory properties, as well as production of fermentative end-products including short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), which may confer benefits to the gut microbiome and health. This study aimed to evaluate the longitudinal effects of daily supplementation of pro- and post-biotics on oxidative stress biomarkers such as malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), inflammatory biomarkers from a panel of 19 cytokines and chemokines, the hormone leptin, as well as the fecal metabolites, such as phenol and indole, SCFA, and ammonia, of adult cats. The study was a complete randomized design with 36 cats divided into 3 treatments (n=12/treatment). Animals were fed a standard extruded commercial diet. The treatments used were control diet + placebo (maltodextrin carrier; CON), control diet + Probiotic (Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. Lactis CECT8145; daily dosage: 109CFU/cat; PRO), and control diet + postbiotic (Heat-killed Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis CECT8145; daily dosage: 109CFU/cat; PST). Test articles were supplied by ADM Biopolis (Valencia, Spain). Longitudinal analyses were performed every 30 days for a total of 90 days. No interaction of day by treatment (P >0.05) was observed for any of the variables evaluated. For fecal metabolites, there was a main effect of treatment for butyrate concentration, PST was greater (P< 0.05) than PRO. It was also observed a main effect of treatment for some cytokines and chemokines, cats on CON had reduced (P< 0.05) GM-CSF, KC, and SDF-1, when compared with PST, PRO, and both PST and PRO respectively. Whilst for RANTES and IL-12(p40), cats on CON had greater concentration (P< 0.05) when compared with cats on PST and PRO, and PST, respectively. Overall, the supplementation of the probiotic and postbiotic showed no detrimental effects on oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers, and fermentative end-products in adult cats.
131 Rendering Effects on pet Food Ingredients
Authors: Meeker David L
Published: September 2022

Approximately 31 million tons of animal by-products are generated by livestock and poultry farming, meat processing, and retailing in the U.S. and Canada each year. Utilizing rather than discarding these resources prevents the release of large amounts of GHGs into the atmosphere. Renderers reclaim the carbon from these by-products and transform them into 6.3 million tons of refined animal fats and 8.9 million tons of rendered protein meals for use as animal food ingredients annually. In 2019, 1.5 million tons of rendered protein meals and 289 thousand tons of animal fats were used in pet food, and another 1.83 million tons of fresh and frozen meat and poultry by-products and organ meats were used in pet food without first being rendered. Rendering cookers break down tissues so that fats can be pressed out of muscle, bone, and connective tissues. Rendered products are safe from biological hazards as cooking is done at higher temperatures for longer times than necessary for food safety. The Prioritization of food safety in both rendering and pet food industries in recent years have delayed emphasis on some quality factors. Many citations in literature document that excessive heat damages proteins and decreases their quality and digestibility. Research is planned to provide guidance to renderers on cooking procedures that would meet the needs for processing and food safety without sacrificing quality and digestibility. Other factors that impact the availability and usability of rendered products include parts available for rendering after fresh parts are selected for pet food, upstream human food safety interventions, time and temperature conditions between slaughter and rendering, cooling, drying, storage, transport, and the use of antioxidants, antimicrobials, and other processing aids. Opportunities exist to modernize plants and processes to provide high quality ingredients. Renderers have invested with the pet food sector to collaborate on strategies to improve safety, quality, and sustainability of pet food ingredients.
151 Energy Metabolism, Digestive and Absorptive Capacity, and Fecal Microbiome of Nursery Piglets Selected for Feed Efficiency
Authors: Wu Yujia , Azevedo Paula , Jin Shunshun , Zhao Xiaoya , Xu Haoxiang , Lei Huaigang , Rodas Argenis , Nyachoti Martin , Yang Chengbo
Published: September 2022

Improving feed efficiency (FE) plays an important role in the economic and environmental sustainability of the swine industry. Genetic selection based on low estimated breeding value for feed conversion ratio (EBV_FCR) can effectively improve FE. This study investigated the growth performance, nutrient and energy digestibility, activity of hydrolyses, expression of nutrient transporters and tight junction proteins, and fecal microbiome of nursery pigs selected for high and low feed efficiency. A total of 128 pigs weaned at 21 + 2 days were selected from parents of low and high EBV_FCR calculated based on phenotypes for FCR during growing-finishing stage. Pigs were fed with corn-soybean meal-based diets in a two-phase feeding program for 4 weeks under similar rearing conditions. The results revealed that there were no differences in average daily feed intake, average body weight gain, FCR, energy, and nutrient digestibility between the two groups. Moreover, enzyme activity kinetics results showed no differences in the maximal activity of alkaline phosphatase, sucrase, maltase, and maltase-glucoamylase between the two groups (p > 0.05). Real-time PCR analyses showed that SGLT1, ASCT2, PepT1, EAAC1, and BoAT1 mRNA abundances were not affected by the pig groups (p > 0.05). There were also no significant differences in claudin-1 and ZO-1 protein abundances on the jejunum membrane between the two pig groups. The two pig groups had similar fecal microbial taxonomic composition and function. However, the microbiota diversity results showed that the high-efficiency pig group has higher species evenness, and there is a trend (p < 0.084) for beta diversity difference, which indicates that high-efficiency pigs might have a more homogenous and healthier gut environment. In conclusion, nursery pigs selected for high and low feed efficiency based on parents EBV_FCR did not differ in growth performance, nutrient digestibility and absorptive capacities, microbiota composition and function.
165 Environmental Concerns Identified Through an Anonymous Online Survey
Authors: McGill Staci , Hayes Morgan
Published: September 2022

Equine farms, typically, build either stables or barns for the horses to live in and additional facilities to train and work horses (Kidd, Winchell, & Burwash, 1997). Often these training facilities also include indoor riding arenas to ensure continuums in training programs. As the equine industry contributes a total of $122 billion dollars a year to the United States’ economy, it is important to research the farms and facilities that are built and used (American Horse Council Foundation, 2018). 71% of the 335 respondents of an anonymous online survey conducted in the summer of 2018 reported having environmental concerns in the indoor arenas they rode and trained in. The main environmental concerns were dust, moisture, and air movement, though light and temperature were also noted concerns. Analysis was conducted to examine the association of the environmental concerns with different aspect of the indoor arenas such as footing types, attachment to barn, presence of windows and wall openings, and temperature control mechanisms in the facility. A notable trend towards significance is the concern with air movement decreased with the presence of fans and temperature control mechanisms (p< 0.10), while significant associations between lighting concerns were impacted by the presence or absence of translucent panels (p< 0.05) and the number of lights in the indoor arena also impacted whether lighting was a concern (p< 0.05). Overall, dust was always a concern no matter the circumstances. As environmental concerns were expressed by the majority of respondents, it’s important to identify potential reasons for the issues and then work to mitigate the concerns. This involves more targeted research in the future, assessment of mitigation tactics, and resources to design and build indoor arenas and facilities in ways that minimize environmental issues.