bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
45 Imaging and Phenotyping Technologies for Poultry Welfare Evaluation
Authors: Chai Lilong 
Published: October 2022

Abstract
United States is currently the world’s largest broiler producer and the second largest egg producer (e.g., poultry and eggs had a sale value of $40 billion in 2021), but poultry and egg productions are facing grand challenges of animal welfare concerns, food safety issues, and environmental impacts. The rapid growth rate of broilers is associated with welfare concerns such as leg issues and lameness. Broilers with lameness suffer behavior restrictions, physical discomforts, and impingement of fundamental freedoms. Those welfare concerns have triggered the attention of the general public and the food industry to improve broiler well-being, and well-being evaluation. Animal welfare evaluation is currently performed manually by farm workers daily or occasionally in the poultry houses, which is time consuming, labor intensive, and subject to human errors. This task calls for the design of an automated system that can monitor poultry welfare automatically. Sensing technologies, such as ultra-wideband, radio frequency identification, accelerometer, and computer vision-based monitoring, have been and are being adapted and tested for livestock and poultry farming systems to aide well-being evaluation. Computer vision-based phenotyping technologies have been tested efficient in monitoring large animals such as cattle and pigs. However, it is technically challenging to monitor smaller animals such as broiler and layer chickens. Researchers at the University of Georgia are developing specific imaging and phenotyping technologies (e.g., deep learning models) for monitoring/tracking floor distribution patterns of broiler chickens and individual birds’ moving in different zones of feeding, drinking, and resting. The imaging technologies have also been applied to monitor laying hen’s behaviors of perching, pecking, and floor egg laying in the cage-free houses. Those imaging and phenotyping technologies will be further innovated for developing integrative sensing systems to evaluate poultry welfare indicators in commercial broiler and cage-free layer houses.
267 AQualitative Exploration of Barriers and Recommendations from Women Leaders in Science and Agriculture
Authors: Owens Casey M , Harlin Julie F , Alvarado Christine 
Published: October 2022

Abstract
The purpose of the study was to conduct a qualitative exploration of barriers and recommendations from women leaders in science and agriculture. This study used a voluntary sample descriptive survey design that included 8 demographic, 11 importance/satisfaction, 7 negative/positive attribution, 11 barrier, and two open-ended questions. Responses were collected over a one-week period using social networking sites for women leaders in science and agriculture resulting in 60 respondents. The average respondents were all women in leadership roles in science and agriculture, 44years old, married, with no children, making between $60-120,000 per year, who were also highly educated with a Masters or Doctoral degree and traveled more than two-three times per month. This study focused on responses of the two open-ended questions. Comments to the questions: “If there was one piece of advice you could go back and give yourself when you began your career, what would you share?” and “Please let us know if there was something else you wanted to share related to women in leadership roles in science and agriculture” resulted in 72 individual responses analyzed using the constant comparative method. Peer debriefings and inter-coder reliability were used to ensure trustworthiness and credibility. The qualitative analysis resulted in the following emerging themes: Having it all, Personal Development and Education, Personal Advocacy, and Networking. Though the results of this study are limited to this group of respondents, it is an important step in understanding the nuanced issues women face in leadership roles. One participant summed it up by stating: “The "take this opportunity now because it might never happen again" advice Iwas given for my career, Iused too much... and sometimes…the opportunities DO happen again... your life doesn't though, and at the end of the day, it's your family and health that stick.”
5 Effect of Species and Maturity on Winter Hardy Small Grain Silage Yield and Quality
Authors: Sartin Abigail , Calus Kallie , Hall Alyssa , Grabau Morgan , Redfearn Daren , Drewnoski Mary E 
Published: October 2022

Abstract
Winter-hardy small grains offer an opportunity to improve soil health as a cover crop, and they can also be used as a forage source for cattle. Winter-hardy small grains differ in the time needed to reach various maturity stages. Species selection may also impact yield and nutritive value. A two-year study was conducted in eastern Nebraska to determine the effect of species and maturity on yield and nutritive value of winter-hardy small grains used for silage. Three species were evaluated; cereal rye, winter wheat, and winter triticale at four stages of maturity: boot, anthesis, milk, and soft dough. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with four blocks per year. Small grain species were considered whole plots with maturity at harvest considered sub-plot. Each year, the small grain species were randomly assigned within each block. Within each plot, maturity was randomly assigned to one quarter of each plot. Dry matter (DM) forage yield, crude protein (CP), digestible organic matter (DOM), and nutrient yield per hectare were measured and analyzed using the mixed procedure of SAS. Forage yield increased for all species (P &lt; 0.01) with maturity, except for wheat, where there was a decrease at soft dough. Forage yield of cereal rye and triticale did not differ (P&gt;0.05), except at soft dough where triticale was greater (P &lt; 0.01) than cereal rye. Forage yield of triticale and cereal rye yield was greater (P£0.05) than wheat at anthesis and soft dough. Crude protein (% DM) decreased (P &lt; 0.01) with maturity across all species. Among species, CP for cereal rye was greater (P£0.01) than triticale at boot, anthesis, and soft dough, but not different (P³0.10) from wheat at boot, milk, and soft dough. At boot, anthesis, and milk stages, CP of triticale was not different (P³0.07) than wheat, but triticale was lower than wheat (P &lt; 0.01) at soft dough. The DOM (% DM) decreased (P &lt; 0.01) with maturity, except at soft dough. The DOM of cereal rye and wheat did not differ (P &gt; 0.05), but both were greater (P &lt; 0.01) than triticale. Cereal rye and triticale had greater (P £ 0.05) nutrient yields than wheat in terms of energy (DOM) and CP. There was no difference for CP yield across stages (P = 0.10), but there was an effect of maturity on DOM yield. The DOM yield increased from boot to anthesis, (P = 0.05), anthesis and milk did not differ (P = 0.08) and increased (P &lt; 0.01) again at soft dough. This suggests that planting either cereal rye or triticale resulted in the greatest nutrient yield per acre. Harvest at anthesis had increased yield compared to boot with minimal loss in nutritive value; for maximizing energy yield per acre, harvesting at soft dough was the best option.
9 Strategically Supplementing Yearling Cattle on Cool Season Pasture: Implications for Cattle Performance and Return to Management
Authors: Wheeler Kaylee E , Wilke Karla , Drewnoski Mary E , Parsons Jay , Dustin Dean 
Published: October 2022

Abstract
The cattle industry and its associated markets are inherently volatile, leading producers to search for more economically sustainable production practices. Supplementation with high protein feed increases yearling gain. However, strategically supplementing in the latter half of the grazing season, as forage quality declines, could provide a more economical increase in gain and return to management. Therefore, a three-year experiment was conducted at the High Plains Agriculture Laboratory, in Sidney, NE. The effects of strategically supplementing dry distillers grains (DDG) on yearling cattle performance and return to management were compared among a variety of economic conditions. Yearlings (313±46 kg) were stocked at 4.3 ha/animal on crested wheatgrass pastures for an average of 112 days beginning in mid-May. They were supplemented either throughout the entire period (FULL), only during the latter part (STRAT), or not at all (CONT) (n = 4 reps/treatment in years 1 and 2, 3 reps/treatment in year 3). Supplemented yearlings received 1.59 kg of DDGs 6 days/week. On average, CP (%DM) of crested wheatgrass declined from 10.2 (May) to 6.8 (September), while IVDMD (%DM) declined from 51 (May) to 37 (September). There were no significant (P &gt; 0.53) experimental year and treatment effects for cattle performance. However, there was an effect (P &lt; 0.01) of treatment and year on ADG and final body weight. On average, non-supplemented yearlings had an average daily gain (ADG) of 0.68 kg/d. Providing supplement increased ADG by 0.23 kg/d (P &lt; 0.01). Performance did not differ (P &lt; 0.01) between STRAT and FULL, despite STRAT receiving nearly half (54%) the amount of supplement. Cattle and DDG prices from the previous decade (2012–2021) were applied to experimental data to create various potential marketing scenarios. Return to management was calculated as the return to labor costs for providing supplement. On average, FULL returned $14.96 more and STRAT returned $32.21 more per yearling than CONT. Within economic year, return of STRAT was greater (P ≤ 0.05) than CONT in all years except 2012, 2019 and 2021. Return of FULL was greater (P ≤ 0.05) than CONT in all years except 2012, 2018, 2019, and 2021. Numerically, STRAT was always greater than CONT and FULL. Higher DDG prices coupled with lower live cattle prices caused less return in those years. Breakeven DDG costs for STRAT averaged $530/909 kg and ranged from $268/909 kg to $822/909 kg. Applying a $0.30/yearling/day labor cost, the average breakeven for this strategy declines to $345/909 kg of DDG. These results suggest that strategically supplementing DDG as forage quality of crested wheatgrass declines in the summer will provide similar yearling performance to supplementing throughout the entire grazing season. Strategic supplementation also appears to have a high likelihood increasing return to management.
12 Growth Performance, Physiology, and Carcass Merit of Supplementing Brahman Steers with Zilpaterol Hydrochloride Under Heat Stress Conditions
Authors: Rios Andrea , Grijalva Pablo , Garcia Samuel , Webster Chelsea , Beard Joslyn , Petersen Jessica L , Yates Dustin T , Schmidt Ty B , Diaz Duarte E 
Published: October 2022

Abstract
Supplementation with a β- adrenergic agonist (β-AA) for 21 days in Brahman steers under heat stress conditions (HS) was evaluated with respect to feedlot performance and carcass merit. Twenty-four Brahman steers (kg = 338 ± 39) were housed in two controlled environment chambers with one of two environmental (ENV) conditions 1) heat stress (HS; THI = 73 to 85) and 2) thermoneutral (TN; THI = 68) with either Zilpaterol hydrochloride (ZL) or soymeal supplementation (CN) using a randomly assigned in a 2 x 2 factorial design (n=6/group). Daily data were collected for dry matter intake, water intake, respiratory rate (RR), and rectal temperature (RT). At the end of 21 d period, total weight gain was used to calculate average daily gain (ADG) and gain to feed. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein on days -7, 3, 10, and 21 for cortisol analysis, and biological impedance analysis (BIA) was determined on days 3, 10, and 21 on each animal. Steers were harvested at 544 kg on average post supplementation/environment conditions, and carcass merit was determined. There were no differences (P &gt; 0.05) in feedlot performance. Brahmans exposed to heat stress had greater RR during the heat stress periods of the experiment, regardless of supplementation. Environment and day interactions (P &lt; 0.04) were observed for RT, HS steers had a greater RT on d 8 but similar RT on d 15 and 19. Stressed steers with ZL had higher RT (P &lt; 0.05) than TN/CN steers on d 11. There was no interaction (P &gt; 0.05) between environmental conditions and CN and ZH supplementation for cortisol concentrations. Regardless of environmental treatment or supplementation, no difference (P &gt; 0.05) was associated with BIA characteristics. There were no differences (P &gt; 0.05) for hot carcass weight, cold carcass weight, USDA yield grade, 12th rib loin eye area, marbling score, KPH percentage, and 12th rib fat thickness between groups. Twelfth-rib loin eye area lean color from HS/CN had higher lightness (L*) (P &lt; 0.05) than TN/CN steers. HS/CN steers present a similar (L*) to ZL in TN and HS conditions. Redness-greenness (a*) was greater (P = 0.01) in carcasses from HS steers with or without ZL than TN/ZL but similar to TN/CN. Steers exposed to HS and CN had a higher (P = 0.02) change of 12th rib lean color from yellow to blue (b*) than TN steers with CN and ZL. Supplementation with β-AA did not negatively impact growth, carcass performance, or carcass merit in heat-stressed steers.
14 Effect of Pulmonary Arterial Pressure and Precipitation Interaction on Reproductive Performance in Angus Heifers in South Central Wyoming
Authors: Duggan Kelley L , Holt Timothy N , Speidel Scott E , Enns R Mark , Thomas Milton G 
Published: October 2022

Abstract
Variable precipitation in the western United States impacts forage availability, potentially influencing fertility. Furthermore, producers located above 1,500 meters contend with high altitude disease (HAD) due to reduced atmospheric oxygen, potentially resulting in right sided heart failure. Pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) score is an indicator trait of HAD. The physiological stress of elevated PAP score could compound environmental stress, such as variable precipitation. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the interaction of precipitation and PAP score on beef heifer fertility. Data for this study were sourced from the Colorado State University Beef Improvement Center (CSU-BIC; 1993-2019; n = 3,834; 2,150 to 2,411 m elevation) near Saratoga, Wyoming. Records included identification, birth year, yearling year, yearling weight (YW), PAP, first service conception (FSC), overall heifer pregnancy (HPG) and sire. Precipitation data were sourced from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Three classifications were created: cumulative precipitation from birth to breeding, precipitation from heifer birth to weaning, and precipitation from heifer weaning to breeding. Initial models contained sources of variation of precipitation classification, PAP, YW and a PAP by precipitation classification interaction for the response of HPG and FSC. Logistical regression was executed followed by analysis of variance. Yearling weight was a predictor of FSC (P &lt; 0.01) while weaning to breeding precipitation was a predictor for HPG (P &lt; 0.05). In general, the PAP by precipitation interaction was not detected; however, PAP by weaning to breeding precipitation tended to predict HPG (P &lt; 0.10). A favorable, positive relationship was detected between YW and FSC (bi=0.00120 to 00120 to 0.00124; P &lt; 0.01). A favorable, positive relationship also existed between weaning to breeding precipitation and HPG (bi=0.2528, P &lt; 0.05). Those results suggested that increased precipitation during the development period from weaning to breeding was advantageous to HPG. The results also provided evidence to suggest that precipitation and PAP may interact to influence breeding success. Thus, we conclude that increased precipitation during the weaning to breeding period appears advantageous to overall breeding success of Angus heifers in a high-altitude production system.
16 Genetic Parameter Estimates for Age at First Calving in Simmental and Red Angus Heifers
Authors: Giess Lane K , Boldt Ryan J , Culbertson Miranda , Thomas Milton G , Speidel Scott E , Enns R Mark 
Published: October 2022

Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine genetic parameter estimates for age at first calving (AFC) in Red Angus and Simmental heifers. The ability for a heifer to calve earlier has implications on calf performance and the heifer's successive re-breeding. Heifer pregnancy data were obtained from International Genetic Solutions, where females with exposure records were included in the population. Females with a subsequent record of calving between 630 and 810 days of age were included in the analysis. Females with embryo transfer or multiple birth progeny were excluded. Records from single-animal and contemporary groups with no variation were eliminated and after data filtering, there were 149,379 Simmental with a mean Simmental breed proportion of 0.58 ± 0.25, and 83,191 Red Angus records with a mean Red Angus breed proportion of 0.80 ± 0.13. A 3-generation pedigree file containing 291,530 Simmental animals with 25,585 unique sires and 161,921 unique dams, and a 3-generation pedigree file containing 174,914 Red Angus animals with 19,733 unique sires and 99,464 unique dams were used for the separate analysis. The mean AFC in Simmental and Red Angus was 724.8 ± 28.64 d, and 724.2 ± 29.93 d, respectively. Data for each breed were modeled separately using a single trait animal model with random additive genetic and residual effects, and the fixed effect of contemporary group using ASReml 3.0. Contemporary group was defined as breeder, herd, year born, birth group and yearling group. The additive, residual, and phenotypic variances for Simmental were 120.08, 520.37, and 640.45 d2, respectively. For Red Angus, 85.67, 543.56, and 629.24 d2 were the additive, residual, and phenotypic variances, respectively. The heritability estimates of AFC for Simmental and Red Angus were 0.19 ± 0.0059 and 0.14 ± 0.0076, respectively. These results demonstrate AFC in days is lowly to moderately heritable. Lower residual and higher additive variance in Simmental compared to Red Angus may suggest the Simmental population has larger variation for underlying fertility influences such as age at puberty. The mean breeding values for AFC in Simmental was 6.1 ± 8.0, with a minimum of -24.4 and maximum of 54.7. Whereas Red Angus breeding values for AFC resulted in a mean of 4.0 ± 5.6 and a minimum and maximum of -16.1, and 37.3, respectively. The comparable heritability estimates, low standard error, and range in breeding values suggest selection for improved AFC can be attained. It is worth further exploring the impact of breed effects and heterosis influences on age at first calving. While this study does not account for heifers that did not calve in their first year, tandem selection for heifer fertility and age at calving should be heavily emphasized due to the economic importance of both traits.
17 Heritability Estimate of Heart Score
Authors: Kukor Isabella , Enns R Mark , Thomas Milton G , Holt Timothy N , Cleveland Matthew , Holland Ben P , Word Alyssa B , Ellis Guy 
Published: October 2022

Abstract
Feedlot heart disease (FHD), also known as bovine congestive heart failure, affects feedlot cattle at low to moderate elevations. This disease can cause feedlot death and preliminary research suggests unfavorable influences on performance and carcass quality in those individuals reaching their harvest endpoint. The severity of FHD for an individual animal at harvest can be determined by a heart scoring system that ranges from 1 to 5 corresponding to the increasing degree of heart failure with a score of 1 a normal heart and larger scores indicative of increased malformations. Heart scores (HS) are collected on individual animals at harvest. Previous research indicated that differences exist between sires as to their progeny’s propensity for developing FHD as indicated by HS of 3, 4 and 5. As a result of these sire differences, the objective of this study was to estimate heritability of HS obtained from a group of fattened feedlot cattle. Heart scores, numbers of cattle (Grade 1: 290 ; Grade 2: 728; Grade 3: 340; Grade 4: 64; Grade 5: 0) pedigree, and feedlot pen information were collected from 1,422 individual animals. The pedigree used in the evaluation consisted of the 1,422 individuals and 89 unique sires. No dam information was available on the scored animals. Heritability was estimated using a mixed effect animal model and the statistical software package ASReml 3.0. Fixed effects included scorer, sex, and kill age. Sex was not found to be significant in the model. Individual animal was included as the sole random effect. Scorer (P &lt; 0.05) and kill age (P &lt; 0.1) were found to influence variability in heart score, although kill age was detected as a tendency (P = 0.07). The heritability of HS was estimated to be 0.27 ± 0.10. The genetic variation was 0.15 and the phenotypic variation in the model was 0.40. These results suggest, HS is moderately heritable and has the potential to respond to genetic selection.
19 Heterosis Effects on Pre-Weaning Traits in a Multibreed Beef Cattle Herd in Panama
Authors: Gonzalez Murray Roderick A , Martinez Pedro Guerra , Vigil Virginia , Moreno Edwing , Ramirez Alexandra , Carreño Luis , Vargas Dimas , Lezcano Endhier , Enns R Mark , Speidel Scott E , Thomas Milton G 
Published: October 2022

Abstract
The aim of this study was to estimate the influence of heterosis and breed percentage on birth weight (BW) and weaning weight (WW) in beef cows in a tropical environment. Data from 900 calves and 2,843 individuals in the pedigree, from the multibreed herd of the Panama Agricultural Innovation Institute (IDIAP) in Gualaca, Panama were used. The herd was comprised of the following genetic groups and according to their breed percentage: tropical adapted Brahman (BR), Nellore (Ne), Un define Bos indicus (BI), Guaymi Creole (CR), Senepol (SP) Romosinuano (RS); Bos taurus (BT), Simmental (SM), Angus (A), Red Angus (AR), Limousin (LM), Charolais (CH), Wagyu (Wa), and Others (Oth); crossbreeds (cx), Beefmaster (BF), Three cx(F1 x different BT), R1(Backcross BR), R2 (Backcross BT), Composite (combination of at least 4 different breeds with less than 25% of Zebu), Upgrade (87.5% BR 12.5% BT), B1 (62.5% Zebu + 37.5% BT), B2 (62.5% BT + 37.5% Zebu). A bivariate animal model for BW and WW, was utilized to estimate variance components. Contemporary group was defined as year of birth. The effects of sex, birth season, weaning season, and age of dam were included as categorical fixed effects. Weaning age, degree of outcross and breed percentage were included as linear covariates. The estimated regression coefficient for BW on heterosis was not significant (P &gt; 0.05), and for WW was 0.072 ± 0.027 kg (P &lt; 0.05). Lower BW and WW were observed for the Japanese, and B1, while R2 and Upgrade had the highest average (P &lt; 0.05). Heritability for BW was found to be low (0.14 ± 0.06) and moderate for WW (0.26 ± 0.09). The proportion of variation of WW accounted by maternal permanent environment for WW was (0.2 ± 0.09). The estimated genetic correlation between additive genetic BW and WW was 0.63 ± 0.30, while a negative, additive genetic correlation was observed for WW and WW maternal (-0.43 ± 0.37). These results suggested that heterosis had a beneficial influence on WW but limited effect on BW. Additionally, increasing the percentage of Wa, and BR negatively influenced WW measurements in a multibreed beef cattle herd in Panama.