bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
187 Utilizing automation to improve efficiency, health, and production in the dairy industry
Authors: DeVries Trevor 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
The dairy industry has an increasing availability of equipment that is readily available for the automation of management tasks, including milking and feeding, as well as the monitoring of dairy cow behavior. Such automation not only has the ability to improve production and time efficiency on farm, but also increases our ability to monitor individual cows. Rapid adoption of automated (robotic) milking systems (AMS) is a good example of such benefits. Producers who have adopted this technology suggest they gain more time flexibility, find work to be less stressful and physically demanding, and report improved quality of their own life as well as that of their cows. At the same time, adoption of AMS may be associated with improvements in cow health and productivity. Similar findings apply for the adoption of automated milk feeders for dairy calves. The adoption of automated milk feeders has been done in effort to provide higher milk allowances, and thus raise healthier and better growing calves, reduce labor, and improve working conditions on farm. While less studied, automation in feeding of lactating cows also holds much promise for improving feeding accuracy and precision; thus not only reducing labor needs, but also having positive effects on cow production and efficiency. Finally, there is also rapid adoption of automated technologies for individual behavioral monitoring of dairy cows. These technologies have widely been adopted for estrus detection. In addition, they are also useful for detection of health disorders, both in occurrence and in advance of clinical symptoms. This, in turn, allows producers to identify and implement prevention and treatment protocols at earlier time points. It is anticipated that in the future such behavioral monitoring will play a larger role in terms of informing management decisions on farm.
189 Choices ahead for dairy cattle breeding programs
Authors: Lohuis Michael M 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Dairy cattle breeding programs have been transformed from conventional progeny-testing schemes to genomic selection paired with nucleus herd breeding in the span of one decade. This was spurred by the simultaneous advances in low-cost SNP genotyping, genomic selection methodology and reproductive biotechnologies. The rates of genetic progress have approximately doubled in this time but so have increases in inbreeding levels. This was driven by intense competition between AI studs and farmer adherence to common selection indices which has concentrated selection on very elite segments of juvenile age groups. This has led to speculation on the need for alternative indices and selection for novel traits in order to differentiate breeding programs and customize selection for unique farm conditions. This will be made more possible by the advent of on-farm sensor technology and artificial intelligence algorithms. Large commercial dairies are increasingly experimenting with crossbreeding with varying levels of success and this will require a new approach by breeding programs to focus both on purebred and crossbred performance. In addition, the potential exists for use of gene-editing to further enable value-added traits to be added into breeding programs. In parallel with breeding program advancements, consumer trends are also changing to include more interest in specialty dairy products with implied differences in digestibility, health or environmental impacts. Identifying technologies and traits that will add value either on the farm as well as at the consumer level will be a challenge for today’s breeders and producers. Some new technologies, such as gene editing, can pose consumer acceptance challenges if they are perceived to be used carelessly or for the wrong reasons. Careful choices will need to be made to continue to improve profitability, functionality and health of dairy cattle while also meeting higher consumer standards for animal welfare, health and the environment.
190 ASAS-EAAP Exchange Speaker Talk: Beyond stainless steel and milk pumps: precision technology in the milking equipment world
Authors: Charlton Nancy 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
What do you think of when you hear the words: milking equipment? Do you think of the different brands? Boumatic, DeLaval, GEA or Lely? Do you think of parlours, parallels or rotaries? Do you think of teat cups, liners or rubber hosing? Do you think of teat dips and cleaners? If you think of mostly hardware – I can’t blame you. If I look at DeLaval, the company I work for, it has a 136-year history of offering dairy producers revolutionary innovations. In 1878, Gustaf de Laval patented the cream separator, which was the basis for forming our company in 1883. (That was even before Old MacDonald’s farm.) DeLaval has since made other significant improvements in animal health and welfare, milk production, food safety and labor efficiency with technologies like: the vacuum operated milking machine (1917); a commercial rotary (1930); animal identification systems (1978); variable speed vacuum pumps (1977); milking robots (late 1990s); an on-farm lab called Herd Navigator; Clover-shaped liners (2013); a teat spray robot (2015); a body condition score camera (2015); and our latest robot, the VMSTM V300 (2018). DeLaval has been pushing the Brave New World for many years. Today, we have a software program called DelProTM Farm Manager – a powerful data management tool providing valuable information and analysis. It enables the dairy producer to make efficient daily actions and for advisors to monitor and provide profitable and sustainable management actions. As animal scientists, what is your role in this? One avenue is to consider working with the data to provide relevant summaries on what the information is telling us. You can have a role in influencing management changes for dairy farms for the future. While not all farms have access to this data and information, your research projects can help dairy farmers wanting to make improvements to their operations. Producers need non-bias, third party sources they can reference. The dairy farming world is changing; we all need to keep up. Make sure the research that you decide upon fits into this rapid pace.
433 Late-Breaking: Immune responsiveness of neonatal beef calves is altered by late gestational Cu, Zn, and Mn supplementation
Authors: Stephenson Emma L , Heller Meera C , Kenny Ann L , Rathert Abigail R , Tucker Heather , Meyer Allison M 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Multiparous, fall-calving, Sim-Angus cows (n = 48) were individually-fed tall fescue-based hay and supplemented to meet/exceed nutrient recommendations except Cu, Zn, and Mn. From 91.2 ± 6.2 d pre-calving, cows received: no additional Cu, Zn, or Mn (CON); Cu, Zn, and Mn sulfates supplying 133% NASEM recommendations (ITM); Cu, Zn, and Mn metal methionine hydroxy analogue chelates (MMHAC, MINTREX®, Novus International) supplying 133% recommendations (CTM); or Cu, Zn, and Mn sulfates and MMHAC supplying 100% recommendations (reduce and replace, RR). Calf whole blood was collected at 48 h of age for ex vivo stimulation with toll-like receptor agonists lipopolysaccharide (LPS), lipoteichoic acid (LTA), and peptidoglycan (PGN) at low (-L) and high (-H) concentrations for 4 h at 37°C. Expression of inflammation-related mRNA was determined using RT-PCR (reference gene: S9). Data were analyzed with treatment and breeding group as fixed effects. When treatment P &lt; 0.15, LS means were separated. Pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL) 1β and IL-8 were greater (P ≤ 0.10) in calves born to RR cows than all other treatments when exposed to PGN-L. Expression of IL-1β was greater (P ≤ 0.09) in CTM and CON than ITM when exposed to LPS-L and in RR than ITM when exposed to LTA-L. Expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in CTM calves was greater (P ≤ 0.09) than ITM and CON when exposed to LTA-L and PGN-H and than all other treatments when exposed to LPS-L. When exposed to PGN-L, iNOS was greater (P ≤ 0.06) in CTM and RR calves than CON. Treatment did not affect (P ≥ 0.22) IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor α expression. Data demonstrate that late gestational chelated trace mineral supplementation may alter neonatal calf pro-inflammatory pathways. These changes may increase innate immune response to bacterial pathogens during the challenging neonatal period, potentially increasing survival.
431 Late-Breaking: The effects of including cotton byproducts in a finishing ration on the performance, carcass characteristics, and fecal characteristics of crossbred beef steers
Authors: Warner Andrea L , Beck Paul A , Foote Andrew P , Robison Colton , Pierce Kaitlyn , Wilson Blake K 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Increased cotton production in the Southwest U.S. has increased the availability of cotton byproducts for use in cattle diets. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the inclusion of cotton byproducts in feedlot finishing rations on the performance, carcass characteristics, and fecal characteristics of steers. Crossbred beef steers (n = 64; BW = 318 ± 12.3 kg) were assigned to 1 of 2 experimental treatments in a randomized complete block design (8 pens/treatment; 4 steers/pen). Treatments included a control (CON) diet (7% hay, 15% wet corn gluten feed, 67% rolled corn, 5% liquid supplement) and a cotton byproduct (CTN) diet (7% gin trash, 15% whole cottonseed, 72% rolled corn, 5% water). Both diets included 0.75% urea and 5% dry supplement. The CTN steers tended to have a heavier final BW (P = 0.09) and greater ADG (P = 0.08). Over the entire feeding period, DMI was greater for CTN steers than CON steers (P = 0.04) with no difference in G:F between treatments (P = 0.89). The CTN steers had heavier HCW (P = 0.02) and greater fat thickness (P = 0.03) than CON steers, but marbling score and REA were not different between treatments (P ≥ 0.64). Steers fed the CON diet tended to have a lower YG (P = 0.07), less KPH fat (P = 0.09), and lower dressing percentage (P = 0.10) than CTN steers. Liver scores did not differ between treatments (P ≥ 0.17). Fecal scores were lower for CTN steers on d 56 (P = 0.03) and fecal pH tended to be higher for the CTN steers on d 28 (P = 0.09), but neither differed during other periods (P ≥ 0.18). These results suggest that cotton byproducts can be used in feedlot rations without adverse effects on performance or carcass characteristics.
432 Late-Breaking: Relationship between animal temperament and levels of stress hormones, blood parameters and social interactions of beef cattle
Authors: Fernandez Diego Moya , Johnson Paisley , Mills Tess D 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Forty-eight (427.4 ± 40.92) Hereford cross heifers were used to determine the relationship between different temperamental traits with blood parameters, levels of stress hormone and social interactions of beef cattle. The first day of the experiment, heifers were randomly distributed in two pens (24 hd/pen), and the temperament of each animal was evaluated using flight speed, chute movement score, and human and novel object reactivity tests. Each group of twenty-four heifers was placed in an observation pen (24 x 8 m) where social behaviors were recorded with video cameras and later analyzed. The second day, an open-field test was conducted on the seven calmest and seven most excitable heifers based on a temperament score developed based on the traits measured on day 1. Finally, on d 8 of the experiment, an ACTH challenge was conducted on the same seven calmest and seven most excitable heifers to assess HPA-axis reactivity. Blood samples were taken immediately prior and 60 and 120 minutes following the injection of exogenous ACTH to measure plasma cortisol and obtain a complete blood cell count. Animal’s exhibiting dominant behaviors had a greater level of plasma cortisol (P = 0.0435) and flight speed (P = 0.0371) than those with a balanced social status, while those with a balanced social status had a greater (P = 0.0115) white blood cells count than those heifers with a subordinate social profile. There was a strong positive correlation (P = 0.0094, R-square= 0.7386) between flight speed and plasma cortisol. The more excitable animals exhibited a blunted HPA-activity in response to administration of exogenous ACTH. These results show that there is a relationship between temperament, levels of stress hormones and social dominance, suggesting that temperament impacts the amount of stress individual animals experience as well as their health and social status.
192 Effects of dam relative calving date on progeny performance
Authors: Mercadante Vitor R G , White Robin R , Currin John , Bradford Heather L , Clarke Sherrie , Stewart Jamie F , Dias Nicholas W , Timlin Claire , Pancini Stefania 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
The objective of this study was to establish the relationships between when a cow was born within the calving season and the performance of her offspring. Data from the Virginia Department of Corrections beef cattle herds were collated for 7 locations over 7 years (2010 to 2017), with 2 calving seasons per year. Data from Spring of 2011 were missing. The full dataset contained 19,253 individual animal observations. Within each location, year, and calving season combination, the calving season was defined as starting when the first calf was born and terminating when the final calf was born. The relative calving date (RCD) within each calving season was defined by calculating the number of days between when the calving occurred and when the calving season started, divided by the length of the season in days. For heifer calves that were retained as replacement heifers (n = 2,800), the RCD and birth weight of their calves were used as response variables of a mixed-effect model with fixed effects of dam RCD, season (fall vs spring), and calf sex. All 2 and 3 way interactions were also included as fixed effects. Both calving year and sire were used as random effects. Fixed effects were iteratively removed from the model when non-significant; however, non-significant linear terms were retained if involved in a significant interaction term. The final calf RCD model included significant effects of dam RCD (P = 0.006), season (P &lt; 0.001), calf sex (P = 0.0737), and the interaction between dam RCD and calf sex (P = 0.055). The final calf birth weight model included only linear terms for calf sex (P &lt; 0.001) and dam RCD (P = 0.029). Least square means for these relationships are depicted in Table 1.
196 Udder and teat score changes with advancing age in crossbred beef cows and heifers
Authors: Montgomery Sarah M , Parish Jane A , Rutherford William C 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Udder suspension and teat scores assess mammary organ conformation at calving. Study objectives were to evaluate udder and teat score changes with advancing age in crossbred beef cattle. Fall- (n = 436) and spring-calving (n = 394) Bos taurus crossbred primiparous heifers (n = 87) and multiparous cows (n = 743) in Prairie, MS were assigned udder (1 to 9 scale: 1 = very pendulous, 9 = very tight) and teat (1 to 9 scale: 1 = very large, 9 = very small) scores with 24 h of parturition. Effects of calving season (FALL: August through October; SPRING: February through April) and age (HEIFER: &lt; 3 yr; YOUNG: 3 to 5 yr; MID: 6 to 10 yr; OLD: &gt; 10 yr) and their interaction on annual change in teat and udder scores were analyzed using PROC GLIMMIX of SAS. Udder score change was not affected by season (P = 0.92) or age x season interaction (P = 0.37) but was influenced by age (P &lt; 0.01). Udder score annual decrease was greater (P &lt; 0.01) for HEIFER (-1.4 ± 0.3) than YOUNG (-0.3 ± 0.2), MID (-0.3 ± 0.2) or OLD (-0.3 ± 0.4). Likewise, teat score change was not affected by season (P = 0.50) or age x season interaction (P = 0.26) but was influenced by age (P &lt; 0.01). Teat score annual decrease was greater (P &lt; 0.01) for HEIFER (-1.5 ± 0.3) than YOUNG (-0.5 ± 0.2) or MID (-0.4 ± 0.2) but not different (P = 0.14) from OLD (-0.8 ± 0.3). Teat score change was not different (P = 0.23) among YOUNG, MID, and OLD. Results suggest that udder and teat scores change the subsequent year at a more rapid rate in heifers than in cows up to 10 yr of age.
201 Precision of gain estimates for beef cattle with an automated weighing system
Authors: Sainz Roberto 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Current standard protocols for feed efficiency trial in beef cattle require a trial period of at least 70 days. This was determined to be the minimum trial duration to obtain adequate estimates of average daily gain with infrequent collection of animal weights. Modern automated weighing systems (e.g., GrowsafeBeef, Intergado) enable collection of multiple body weights each day without the need to handle cattle. Due to the high volume of data generated, it is likely that adequate estimates of rate of gain may be obtained with a shorter trial duration. Data were obtained during two consecutive feed efficiency trials (21 and 22) with yearling Nelore bulls at Rancho da Matinha, Uberaba, Brazil. Individual ADG were estimated by regression of BW vs. time. During Trial 21, body weights were taken by manual weighing every 14 days, for 70 days. Trial 22 involved automated weighing (Intergado) for 49 days. For Trial 21, the mean ADG was 1.113 (se 0.1079) kg/d, and 95% of the animals had se below 0.2 kg/d. In Trial 21 with automated weighing, the mean ADG were 1.248 (se 0.542), 1.164 (se 0.430, 1.097 (se 0.351, 1.114 (se 0.254) and 1.080 (se 0.234) after 14, 21, 28, 35, 42 and 49 d, respectively, and 85% had se below 0.3 kg/d. These findings suggest that precision of estimates of ADG is a valid criterion to determine optimal trial duration. Further study will be required to determine optimal trial durations for different types of cattle, diets and facilities.
37 Genetic aspects of livestock adaptation
Authors: Riley David G 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Livestock adaptation to less than favorable ambient has a genetic basis. Estimates of additive genetic variance and narrow sense heritability for % intramuscular fat in Hereford varied across United States geography quantifications evaluated in random regression analyses. Shedding and regrowth of winter coats of Angus cows in subtropical areas may indicate differential adaptation in cattle not adapted to the subtropics. Acquired adaptation to local conditions (multiple generations across more than 50 years) may was evidenced by performance of Florida Angus relative to prominent U.S. Angus in subtropical Florida; later sexual maturation may be a prominent component of such adaptation, and increasing milk production may be antagonistic to adaptation in natural conditions. Cattle temperament may be indicative of adaptation and is highly heritable; however, results from random regression analyses suggest that the additive genetic component appears to decrease in importance and the permanent environmental component of phenotype appears to become more important as calves age. Crossbreeding represents a proven strategy to improve adaptation almost immediately. Heterosis influences cattle body temperature maintenance, reproduction, survival, and, to a lesser extent, temperament in subtropical or other stressful environmental conditions (for example, in toxic fescue). Prenatal stress alters patterns of methylation (and likely other epigenetic mechanisms) and thereby encourages or inhibits gene expression to promote postnatal fitness. Brahman exposed to prenatal stress exhibited substantially different patterns of methylation across the genome in lymphocytes in both male and female calves; those patterns differed by sex. Female longevity may be the ultimate adaptation trait, as annual compliance to reproductive standards may be an appropriate assessment of a combination of attributes that represent adaptation. Longevity has documented heterotic influence; the additive genetic component is less well characterized but real. A simple, effective way to improve longevity may be to select bulls from aged, proven cows.
34 Reproductive management of beef females in tropical and sub-tropical environments
Authors: Oosthuizen Nicola , Fontes Pedro Levy Piza , Lamb G Cliff 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Bos indicus and Bos taurus cattle diverged from an evolutionary standpoint more than 110,000 years ago. Since then, Bos indicus cattle have undergone genetic adaptations beyond the commonly discussed increased thermo-tolerance and parasite resistance. Several physiological differences exist between Bos indicus and Bos taurus cattle, and it is important to consider these differences when establishing reproductive management strategies. It has been well described that Bos indicus cattle have a delayed onset of puberty and longer periods of postpartum anestrus, yet through the utilization of estrus synchronization protocols these challenges can be attenuated. However, when Bos indicus females are exposed to these protocols, they are known to have smaller dominant follicles, lower expression of estrus, and decreased pregnancy rates to artificial insemination (AI) when compared to Bos taurus females. These factors can be overcome through the utilization of estradiol and progesterone based synchronization protocols, which improve follicular dynamics and yield acceptable pregnancy rates to assisted reproductive technologies in cattle adapted to tropical or subtropical conditions. However, the use of estrogens for synchronization purposes is not permitted in the United States, and cattle producers need to rely on GnRH-based protocols. Another key difference between subspecies, is that Bos indicus females have greater antral follicle counts than Bos taurus females, which proves beneficial for in vitro embryo production. Therefore, an opportunity exists to explore the greater productivity of donors in embryo production in order to improve genetics in herds that utilize these breeds.
209 Genomic selection for multiple maternal and growth traits in large white pigs using Single-Step GBLUP
Authors: Fragomeni Breno , Vitezica Zulma , Liu Justine , Huang Yijian , Gray Kent , Lourenco Daniela , Misztal Ignacy 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
The objective of this study was to implement a multi-trait genomic evaluation for maternal and growth traits in a swine population. Phenotypes for preweaning mortality, litter size, weaning weight, and average daily gain were available for 282K Large White pigs. The pedigree included 314k individuals, of which 35,731 were genotyped for 45K SNPs. Variance components were estimated in a multi-trait animal model without genomic information by AIREMLF90. Genomic breeding values were estimated using the genomic information by single-step GBLUP. The algorithm for proven and young (APY) was used to reduce computing time. Genetic correlation between proportion and the total number of preweaning deaths was 0.95. A strong, positive genetic correlation was also observed between weaning weight and average daily gain (r = 0.94). Conversely, the genetic correlations between mortality and growth traits were negative, with an average of -0.7. To avoid computations by expensive threshold models, preweaning mortality was transformed from a binary trait to two linear dam traits: proportion and a total number of piglets dead before weaning. Because of the high genetic correlations within groups of traits, inclusion of only one growth and one mortality trait in the model decreases computing time and allows for the inclusion of other traits. Reduction in computing time for the evaluation using APY was up to 20x, and no differences in EPD ranking were observed. The algorithm for proven and young improves the efficiency of genomic evaluation in swine without harming the quality of predictions. For this population, a binary trait of mortality can be replaced by a linear trait of the dam, resulting in a similar ranking for the selection candidates.