The 50 most-cited articles in Journal of Animal Science, 2018

Precision animal agriculture is poised to rise to prominence in the livestock enterprise in the domains of management, production, welfare, sustainability, health surveillance, and environmental footprint. Considerable progress has been made in the use of tools to routinely monitor and collect information from animals and farms in a less laborious manner than before. These efforts have enabled the animal sciences to embark on information technology-driven discoveries to improve animal agriculture. However, the growing amount and complexity of data generated by fully automated, high-throughput data recording or phenotyping platforms, including digital images, sensor and sound data, unmanned systems, and information obtained from real-time noninvasive computer vision, pose challenges to the successful implementation of precision animal agriculture. The emerging fields of machine learning and data mining are expected to be instrumental in helping meet the daunting challenges facing global agriculture. Yet, their impact and potential in "big data" analysis have not been adequately…

Probiotics reduce stress-related inflammation and abnormal behaviors in humans and rodents via regulation of the microbiota-gut-brain axis. The objective of this study was to determine if probiotic, Bacillus subtilis, has similar functions in broiler chickens under heat stress (HS). Two hundred forty 1-d-old broiler chicks were assigned to 48 pens with 4 treatments: Thermoneutral (TN)-RD (regular diet), TN-PD (the regular diet mixed with 1 × 106 CFU/g feed probiotic), HS-RD and HS-PD. Probiotic (Sporulin) was fed from day 1; and HS at 32°C for 10 h daily was initiated at day 15. The data showed that final BW, average daily gain , and feed conversion efficiency were improved in PD groups as compared to RD groups regardless of the ambient temperature (P < 0.01). Heterophil to lymphocyte ratio was affected by treatment and its value was in the order of HS-RD > HS-PD > TN-RD > TN-PD birds (P < 0.01). Compared to TN birds, HS birds spent more time in wing spreading, panting, squatting close to the ground, drinking, sleeping, dozing, and sitting but spent less time in eating, standing,…

The importance of the rumen microbiota on nutrient cycling to the animal is well recognized; however, our understanding of the influence of the rumen microbiome composition on feed efficiency is limited. The rumen microbiomes of two large animal cohorts (125 heifers and 122 steers) were characterized to identify specific bacterial members (operational taxonomic units [OTUs]) associated with feed efficiency traits (ADFI, ADG, and G:F) in beef cattle. The heifer and steer cohorts were fed a forage-based diet and a concentrate-based diet, respectively. A rumen sample was obtained from each animal via esophageal tubing and bacterial community composition was determined through 16S rRNA gene sequencing of the V4 region. Based on a regression approach that used individual performance measures, animals were classified into divergent feed efficiency groups. Within cohort, an extreme set of 16 animals from these divergent groups was selected as a discovery population to identify differentially abundant OTUs across the rumen bacterial communities. The remaining samples from each cohort were…

In the current era of genomic selection, there is an increased demand to collect semen from genomically selected sires at a young age. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of bull age, ejaculate number, and season of collection on semen production (ejaculate volume, sperm concentration, and total sperm number; TSN) and sperm motility (prefreeze and post-thaw total and gross motility) parameters in Holstein Friesian bulls in a commercial artificial insemination (AI) center. The study involved the interrogation of a large dataset collected over a 4-yr period, (n = 8,983 ejaculates; n = 176 Holstein Friesian bulls aged between 9 mo and 8 yr). Bulls aged less than 1 yr had the poorest semen production and sperm motility values for all parameters assessed compared with bulls older than 1 yr (P < 0.01). First ejaculates had greater semen production and greater prefreeze motility values than second consecutive ejaculates (P < 0.01), but despite this, there was no difference in post-thaw motility. When subsequent ejaculates were collected from bulls aged less than 1 yr,…

In the present study, we investigated the influence of diquat-induced oxidative stress on intestinal barrier, mitochondrial function, and the level of mitophagy in piglets. Twelve male Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire 35-d-old pigs (weaned at 21 d of age), with an average body of 9.6 kg, were allotted to two treatments of six piglets each including the challenged group and the control group. The challenged pigs were injected with 100 mg/kg bodyweight diquat and control pigs injected with 0.9% (w/v) NaCl solution. The results showed that diquat injection decreased ADFI and ADG. Diquat decreased (P < 0.05) the activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase and increased (P < 0.05) the malondialdehyde concentrations. The lower (P < 0.05) transepithelial electrical resistance and higher (P < 0.05) paracellular permeability of fluorescein isothiocyanatedextran 4 kDa were found in diquat challenged piglets. Meanwhile, diquat decreased (P < 0.05) the protein abundance of claudin-1, occluding, and zonula occludens-1 in jejunum compared with the control group. Diquat-induced…

Chlorogenic acid (CGA) is a natural phenolic acid, which is an important component of biologically active dietary phenols isolated from various species. Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of CGA on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, nutrient digestibility, diarrhea incidence, intestinal digestion and absorption function, and the expression levels of intestinal digestion and absorption-related genes in weaned pigs. In Exp. 1, 200 weaned pigs were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments and fed with a basal diet or a basal diet supplemented with 250, 500, or 1,000 mg/kg CGA, respectively, in a 14-d trial. Pigs on the 1,000 mg/kg CGA-supplemented group had greater (P < 0.05) G:F compared with those on the control (CON) group. In Exp. 2, 24 weaned pigs were randomly allotted to two groups and fed with a basal diet (CON group) or a basal diet supplemented with 1,000 mg/kg CGA (the optimum does from Exp. 1; CGA group). After a 14-d trial, 8 pigs per treatment were randomly selected to collect serum and intestinal samples. Compared with the CON group, the…

Balanced bacterial communities within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of animals are a key component of gut health, resulting in optimal performance and the prevention of disease. The purpose of this study was to characterize the commercial pig's baseline bacterial microbiome over time and across anatomical site. Several anatomical sites (duodenum/jejunum, ileum, cecum, and colon) were examined across multiple ages (days 0, 10, 21, 33, 62, 84, and market) for bacterial microbiome structure using 16S rRNA V4 region sequencing with Illumina MiSeq. General trends in the succession of the bacterial microbiome were observed over age, such as increasing populations of Clostridia and decreasing populations of Gammaproteobacteria (P < 0.05). However, apparent disruptions in the microbiome were also observed that did not follow these trends, specifically at sampling 24 h post-weaning where Lactobacillaceae were drastically reduced in relative abundance (P < 0.05). The introduction of solid feed between days 21 and 33 had the greatest overall impact on bacterial community structure as…

The study objective was to evaluate the combined effects of supplementing monensin (MON) and the methane (CH4) inhibitor 3-nitrooxypropanol (NOP) on enteric CH4 emissions, growth rate, and feed conversion efficiency of backgrounding and finishing beef cattle. Two hundred and forty crossbred steers were used in a 238-d feeding study and fed a backgrounding diet for the first 105 d (backgrounding phase), transition diets for 28 d, followed by a finishing diet for 105 d (finishing phase). Treatments were as follows: 1) control (no additive); 2) MON (monensin supplemented at 33 mg/kg DM; 3) NOP (3-nitrooxypropanol supplemented at 200 mg/kg DM for backgrounding or 125 mg/kg DM for finishing phase); and 4) MONOP (33 mg/kg DM MON supplemented with either 200 mg/kg DM or 125 mg/kg DM NOP). The experiment was a randomized complete block (weight: heavy and light) design with 2 (NOP) × 2 (MON) factorial arrangement of treatments using 24 pens (8 cattle/pen; 6 pens/treatment) at the main feedlot and 8 pens (6 cattle/pen; 2 pens/treatment) at the controlled environment building (CEB) feedlot.…

Farrowing duration is rather long in sows most likely due to selection for large litters, and we hypothesized that prolonged farrowings would compromise sow energy status during farrowing and in turn the farrowing process. Two studies were performed as follows: 1) to evaluate whether sow energy status during farrowing compromise the farrowing kinetics (FK, i.e., farrowing duration and birth intervals) and 2) to study the underlying mechanisms potentially affecting stillbirth rate and farrowing assistance. In study-1, parameters affecting FK were characterized based on data from a total of 166 farrowings from 7 feeding trials focused on sow colostrum production. The data were screened for associations with FK using the CORR procedure of SAS. Traits that were correlated with the FK at P < 0.05 were included in a multivariate regression model. Time since last meal until the onset of farrowing greatly affected the farrowing duration (r = 0.76; n = 166; P < 0.001) and a broken-line model was fitted to describe that relationship. According to the model, farrowing duration was constant…

In the present study, we investigated the influence of weaning on antioxidant status, intestinal integrity, mitochondrial function, and the mitophagy level in piglets (weaned at 21 d) during the 1 wk after weaning. The redox status was measured by antioxidant enzymes activities, related genes expression, and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in jejunum. The intestinal barrier function was assessed by the Ussing chamber and expression of tight junction proteins in the jejunum. The function of intestine mitochondria was measured by mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content and activities of mitochondria oxidative phosphorylation complexes. The levels of light chain 3-1 (LC3-I), light chain 3-II (LC3-II), PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1), and Parkin were determined to investigate whether mitophagy is involved in the weaning process. The results showed that, as compared with the preweaning phase (d 0), weaning suppressed (P < 0.05) the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) on d 3 and d 7 postweaning, decreased (P < 0.05) the expression of copper and zinc…

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of Lactobacillus reuteri LR1, a new strain isolated from the feces of weaned pigs, on the growth performance, intestinal morphology, immune responses, and intestinal barrier function in weaned pigs. A total of 144 weaned pigs (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire, 21 d of age) with an initial BW of 6.49 ± 0.02 kg were randomly assigned to 3 dietary treatments with 8 replicate pens, each of per treatment and 6 pigs. Pigs were fed a basal diet (CON, controls), the basal diet supplemented with 100 mg/kg olaquindox and 75 mg/kg aureomycin (OA) or the basal diet supplemented with 5 × 1010 cfu/kg L. reuteri LR1 for a 14-d period. At the end of study, the ADG, ADFI, and G:F were calculated, and 1 randomly selected pig from each pen was euthanized for sample collection. The LR1 increased ADG (22.73%, P < 0.05) compared with CON. The villus height of the ileum was increased (P < 0.05) and crypt depth in duodenum was reduced (P < 0.05), along with increased (P < 0.05) villus height to crypt depth ratio of the jejunum and ileum by LR1 compared…

At all times, prior to slaughter, pigs may experience stress from a range of handling practices, such as fasting, loading and transport, mixing, and interaction with humans. These factors can affect the welfare of pigs and carcass and meat quality, both individually and collectively. Preslaughter stress is both an animal welfare and a meat quality issue. Behavioral and physiological studies have revealed that poor handling practices at the farm, during transport and at the slaughter plant, have an adverse effect on pigs and may result in the loss of profits due to animal losses during transport and in lairage. Also, poor preslaughter handling can also lead to losses in carcass value as a result of reduced yield, the presence of lesions and bacterial contamination, and meat quality defects (e.g., pale, soft, exudative and dark, firm, dry pork). These economic losses can be limited by improving the design of facilities, controlling the environmental conditions, and implementing training programs for the correct animal handling at any stage preslaughter. The objective of this review…

Sustainable intensification of land-use practices has never been more important to ensure food security for a growing world population. When combined under thoughtful management, cover cropping and crop-livestock integration under no-till systems can benefit from unexpected synergies due to their unique features of plant-animal diversification and complex agroecosystem functions. Mimicking the nutrient coupling/decoupling processes of natural ecosystems by diversifying plant and animal components of no-till integrated crop-livestock operations is an essential feature of the design of agroecological systems that support self-regulating feedbacks and lend resilience while increasing productivity and ecosystem service provision. Focusing on grazing animals as drivers of agroecosystem change, we highlight the benefits of grazed cover crops in rotation with cash crops for primary and secondary production and for soil physical, chemical, and biological parameters. However, careful management of grazing intensity is imperative; overgrazing drives soil deterioration, while light to moderate…

Computer vision applications in livestock are appealing since they enable measurement of traits of interest without the need to directly interact with the animals. This allows the possibility of multiple measurements of traits of interest with minimal animal stress. In the current study, an automated computer vision system was devised and evaluated for extraction of features of interest, as body measurements and shape descriptors, and prediction of body weight in pigs. From the 655 pigs that had data collected 580 had more than 5 frames recorded and were used for development of the predictive models. The cross-validation for the models developed with data from nursery and finishing pigs presented an R2 ranging from 0.86 (random selected image) to 0.94 (median of images truncated on the third quartile), whereas with the dataset without nursery pigs, the R2 estimates ranged from 0.70 (random selected image) to 0.84 (median of images truncated on the third quartile). However, overall the mean absolute error was lower for the models fitted without data on nursery animals. From the body…

Sustainability of animal agriculture requires efficient use of energy and nitrogen (N) by ruminants fed high-forage diets. Thus, there is a need to decrease methane (CH4) emissions and prevent excessive N release into the environment. Therefore, this experiment examined the long-term effects of feeding hydrolyzable tannin (HT) with or without condensed tannin (CT) on animal performance, rumen fermentation, N use, and CH4 production in beef cattle fed a high-forage diet. A total of 75 weaned crossbred steers (292 ± 4.1 kg) were grouped by body weight (BW), housed in individual pens, and randomly assigned to 1 of 5 dietary treatments (15 animals/treatment) in a completely random design. The animals were fed a basal diet of alfalfa:barley silages (50:50; dry matter [DM] basis) with a crude protein content of 17.1% and supplemented with HT extract (chestnut, CN) or a combination (50:50) of HT and CT extracts (quebracho, Q) in a powdered form at different levels of dietary DM. The treatments for determining animal performance and N use were control (no tannin), 0.25% CN, 1.5% CN,…

The present study was conducted to assess the effects of a mixture of essential oils and organic acids on the growth performance, immune system, major fecal volatile fatty acids (VFAs), and microflora community in the weaned piglets. We also evaluated the antibacterial activity of the essential oil mixture on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Three hundred weaned piglets (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire) were randomly divided into the following 3 treatment groups: basal diet (C), basal diet supplemented with the mixture of essential oils and organic acids (T1), and basal diet supplemented with antibiotics (T2). The mixture of essential oils and organic acids comprised of cinnamaldehyde (15%), thymol (5%), citric acid (10%), sorbic acid (10%), malic acid (6.5%), and fumaric acid (13.5%). In vitro studies showed that the mixture of essential oils extremely damaged the cell structure of pathogenic bacteria by deforming the membranes and disorganizing the intracellular components. In vivo studies revealed that diet supplementation with a mixture of essential oils and organic…

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition attenuates inflammation in rodents and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are effective HDAC inhibitors. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the role of the SCFAs sodium propionate (SP) and sodium butyrate (SB) as HDAC-dependent regulators of inflammatory gene expression in bovine mammary epithelial cells (MAC-Ts). We postulated that SP and SB would decrease inflammation in MAC-Ts by inhibiting HDAC activity and increasing histone H3 acetylation and consequently decreasing inflammatory gene expression. For this study, MAC-Ts stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were used as a model for bovine mammary epithelial cell inflammation. MAC-Ts were cultured in a basal medium. Cell lysates were incubated with SP or SB (0 to 5 mM) for 2 h prior to HDAC substrates incubation for an additional 2 h and HDACs activity was determined. Next, cells were pretreated with SP or SB (0 to 3.0 mM) for 2 h prior to LPS (1 µg/mL) stimulation for an additional 2 h and assessed for histone H3 acetylation. Then, cells were pretreated with SP or SB (1…

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of sodium butyrate (SB) infusion on rumen papillae growth and volatile fatty acid (VFA) uptake and metabolism in neonatal lambs. Seven pairs of newborn twin lambs were used. Within each pair, lambs were assigned to receive an oral infusion of SB at 0.36 g/kg body weight (BW) (SB, n = 7) or the same volume of saline (Con, n = 7). Treatments were administered from 10 to 49 d of age, when all lambs were slaughtered. Results showed that the average daily feed intake (ADFI) of starter, average daily gain (ADG), BW of lambs at ages of 5 and 6 wk in SB group were greater (P < 0.05) than those in Con group. Infusion of SB increased (P < 0.05) the concentrations of acetate, butyrate, and total VFA in the rumen fluid and elevated (P < 0.05) the levels of β-hydroxybutyrate acid (BHBA), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and insulin in plasma. Infusion of SB promoted rumen papillae growth, depicted by higher emptied rumen weight, larger rumen papillae length, width, and surface area, and greater thickness of stratum corneum and total…

The microbes inhabiting the rumen convert low-quality, fibrous, plant material into useable energy for the host ruminant. Consisting of bacteria, protozoa, fungi, archaea, and viruses, the rumen microbiome composes a sophisticated network of symbiosis essential to maintenance, immune function, and overall production efficiency of the host ruminant. Robert Hungate laid the foundation for rumen microbiome research. This area of research has expanded immensely with advances in methodology and technology that have not only improved the ability to describe microbes in taxonomic and density terms but also characterize populations of microbes, their functions, and their interactions with each other and the host. The interplay between the rumen microbiome and the host contributes to variation in many phenotypic traits expressed by the host animal. A better understanding of how the rumen microbiome influences host health and performance may lead to novel strategies and treatments for trait improvement. Furthermore, elucidation of maternal, genetic, and environmental factors that influence…

Methane (CH4) emission traits were previously found to be heritable and repeatable in sheep fed alfalfa pellets in respiration chambers (RC). More rapid screening methods are, however, required to increase genetic progress and to provide a cost-effective method to the farming industry for maintaining the generation of breeding values in the future. The objective of the current study was to determine CH4 and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions using several 1-h portable accumulation chamber (PAC) measurements from lambs and again as ewes while grazing ryegrass-based pasture. Many animals with PAC measurements were also measured in RC while fed alfalfa pellets at 2.0 × maintenance metabolizable energy requirements (MEm). Heritability estimates from mixed models for CH4 and CO2 production (g/d) were 0.19 and 0.16, respectively, when measured using PAC with lambs; 0.20 and 0.27, respectively, when measured using PAC with ewes; and 0.23 and 0.34, respectively, when measured using RC with lambs. For measured gas traits, repeatabilities of measurements collected 14 d apart ranged from 0.33 to…

The aim of this study was to investigate how dietary supplementation of tea polyphenols (TP) and tea catechins (TC) affect laying performance, albumen quality, ovomucin composition, and magnum morphology of laying hens in the late phase of production. Two hundred seventy Hy-Line Brown laying hens (64 wk old) were assigned to a basal diet (the control), the basal diet supplemented with 200 mg/kg tea polyphenols (TP200) or 200 mg/kg tea catechins (TC200). Each treatment had 6 replicates with 15 hens each. The feeding trial lasted 10 wks. Over the course of the trial, dietary supplementation with TP200 significantly increased the egg production (EP) and improved the feed conversion ratio (FCR) in wk 6 to 10 and wk 1 to 10 (P < 0.05). The albumen height and the Haugh unit (HU) of hens fed TP200 were higher than those of hens fed the control diet at wks 8 and 10 (P < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in the albumen height and the HU between the TP200 and TC200 groups (P > 0.05). The SDS-PAGE analysis indicated that bands of the ovomucin fractions in the TP200 group…

Despite their popularity, little research has been performed on lightly cooked and raw diet formats for pets. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the apparent total-tract macronutrient digestibility (ATTD); fecal characteristics, metabolites, and microbiota; serum chemistry metabolites; urinalysis; and voluntary physical activity levels of adult dogs fed commercial diets differing in processing type. The diets included: 1) extruded dry kibble (EXT) diet; 2) high-moisture roasted refrigerated (RR) diet; 3) high-moisture grain-free roasted refrigerated (GFRR) diet; and 4) raw (RAW) diet. Eight dogs (mean age = 3.6; mean BW = 13.0 kg) were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design. Each period consisted of 28 d, with a 14-d adaptation phase followed by a 7-d phase for measuring voluntary physical activity, 1-d adaptation phase to metabolic cages, 5-d phase for fecal and urine collection, and 1 d for blood collection. Except for microbiota, all data were analyzed statistically by mixed models using SAS. Microbiota data were analyzed using Quantitative Insights…

The objective of this study was to develop and validate a customized cost-effective single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) panel for genetic improvement of feed efficiency in beef cattle. The SNPs identified in previous association studies and through extensive analysis of candidate genomic regions and genes, were screened for their functional impact and allele frequency in Angus and Hereford breeds used as validation candidates for the panel. Association analyses were performed on genotypes of 159 SNPs from new samples of Angus (n = 160), Hereford (n = 329), and Angus-Hereford crossbred (n = 382) cattle using allele substitution and genotypic models in ASReml. Genomic heritabilities were estimated for feed efficiency traits using the full set of SNPs, SNPs associated with at least one of the traits (at P ≤ 0.05 and P < 0.10), as well as the Illumina bovine 50K representing a widely used commercial genotyping panel. A total of 63 SNPs within 43 genes showed association (P ≤ 0.05) with at least one trait. The minor alleles of SNPs located in the GHR and CAST genes were associated with…

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary curcumin supplementation on the performance, mitochondrial redox system, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) integrity, and antioxidant-related gene expression in the liver of broiler chickens after heat stress treatment. At day 21, a total of 400 Arbor Acres broiler chickens with similar body weight (BW) were divided into 5 groups with 8 replicates per group and then reared either at a normal temperature (22 ± 1 °C) or at a high ambient temperature (34 ± 1 °C for 8 h and 22 ± 1 °C for the remaining time) for 20 d. Broilers in the 5 groups were fed a basal diet at a normal temperature (NT group) and a basal diet with 0, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg curcumin at a high ambient temperature (HT, CUR50, CUR100, and CUR200 groups), respectively. The serum and liver samples were analyzed for the parameters related to hepatic damage, mitochondrial function, and redox status. The results showed that the G:F was increased in the CUR50 and CUR100 groups, and the final BW was increased in CUR100 group in comparison with the HT group (P < 0.05).…

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of cooling upon calving in alleviating the adverse effects of heat stress in Holstein lactating cows. Production performance, indicators of metabolic status, immune response, and biomarkers of oxidative stress were measured. Based on mature equivalent milk production, parity, and calving date, 46 multiparous lactating cows were allotted to groups of equal sizes (n = 23); heat stressed (HS; BW = 658 ± 28 kg [mean ± SD]; BCS = 2.7 ± 0.18; parity = 3 ± 0.12) and cooled (CL; BW = 668 ± 23 kg; BCS = 2.8 ± 0.14; parity = 3 ± 0.25). Cows were housed in sand-bedded individual stalls equipped with misters and fans which were on from 1000 to 1800 hours for CL group. DMI and milk yield were measured from calving for 7 wk. Body condition score and BW were recorded weekly. Blood samples were collected weekly to measure the metabolic and antioxidant status, inflammatory cytokines, and immunoglobulins. Rectal temperature was measured daily at 1400 hour. Mean daily maximum temperature, minimum relative humidity, and maximum…

The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of feeding reduced CP, AA-supplemented diets on meat quality in growing and finishing pigs as well as the related mechanism. In experiment 1, 18 growing pigs (36.5 kg BW) were assigned randomly and fed 1 of 3 corn-soybean meal diets containing either 18% CP (normal protein, NP), 15% CP (low protein, LP), or 12% CP (very low protein, VLP). In experiment 2, 18 finishing pigs (62.3 kg BW) were allotted randomly into 1 of the following diets: 16% CP (NP), 13% CP (LP), or 10% CP (VLP). In both experiments, the LP and VLP diets were supplemented with crystalline AA to achieve equal content of standardized ileal digestible lysine, methionine, threonine, and tryptophan. At the end of each experiment, all pigs were slaughtered to collect longissimus dorsi muscle (LM) samples. Samples were used for determining meat quality, intramuscular fat (IMF) content, fatty acid composition, free AA profile, and expression of genes for myosin heavy chain isoforms. Results showed that growing and finishing pigs fed the LP diets increased (P < 0.05)…

Eight ruminally cannulated crossbred beef heifers (427 ± 41.2 kg, body weight) were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square to determine the effects of feeding a condensed tannin (CT) extract with high protein diets containing corn dried distillers grains and solubles (DG) on ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestibility, and route of nitrogen (N) excretion. Dietary treatments included [dry matter (DM) basis]: 0 (0DG), 20 (20DG), and 40% DG (40DG), and 40% DG with 2.5% CT extract (1.33% CT) from Acacia mearnsii (40DGCT). The DG and CT extract were substituted for grain in a barley-based diet that contained 91% concentrate and 9% silage (DM basis) and was fed as a total mixed ration once daily. The crude protein concentrations of the diets were 12.9, 16.8, 20.4, and 20.5% for 0DG, 20DG, 40DG, and 40DGCT, respectively. Periods were 5 wk with 2 wk for transition to the DG level of the diets, 1 wk for adaptation to CT, and 2 wk for measurements. Feed offered and refused were measured daily. Total urine and fecal output were collected daily for 4 d consecutively. Data were analyzed using…

This study investigated the influence of sow backfat thickness at 109 d of gestation on sow and piglet performance. Data from 846 farrowing multiparous Yorkshire sows with parity from 3 to 5 were collected from a pig breeding farm. Sows were divided into six groups based on backfat thickness (≤16, 17-18, 19-20, 21-22, 23-24, and ≥25 mm) at 109 d of gestation. The evaluation of reproductive performance included the litter size, litter weight at birth and at weaning of 21 d, weight of placenta at parturition, placental efficiency, and sow daily feed intake of lactation. Parameters related to plasma lipids and the placental-lipid concentration were measured. Data were analyzed to determine the relationships among backfat thickness, placental lipids, and piglet performance. No differences were observed in the number of piglets born, born alive, after cross-foster, and at weaning among groups (P > 0.05). The litter weight at birth and weaning, piglet birth weight, weaning weight, placental efficiency, and the number and percentage of piglets born with weight of <800 g showed a…

Arginine (Arg) has traditionally not been considered as a deficient nutrient in diets for gestating or lactating swine due to the assumption that these animals can synthesize sufficient amounts of Arg to meet their physiological needs. The lack of full knowledge about Arg nutrition has contributed to suboptimal efficiency of pork production. Over the past 25 yr, there has been growing interest in Arg metabolism in the pig, which is an agriculturally important species and a useful model for studying human biology. Arginine is a highly abundant amino acid in tissues of pigs, a major amino acid in allantoic fluid, and a key regulator of gene expression, cell signaling, and antioxidative reactions. Emerging evidence suggests that dietary supplementation with 0.5% to 1% Arg maintains gut health and prevents intestinal dysfunction in weanling piglets, while enhancing their growth performance and survival. Also, the inclusion of 1% Arg in diets is required to maximize skeletal muscle accretion and feed efficiency in growing pigs, whereas dietary supplementation with 1% Arg reduces muscle…

This study aimed to determine how quality grade and degree of doneness (DOD) influence the development of volatile compounds among beef whole muscle and ground patties. Volatile compounds were quantified via head space solid phase microextraction from samples tempered in refrigerated temperatures (3 to 5 °C), room temperature (24 to 26 °C), or cooked on an electric clamshell-style grill to an endpoint temperature of 55, 60, 71, or 77 °C. Collected samples were subsequently determined by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Prominent compounds known to be the result of the Maillard reaction or lipid degradation were retained for comparison. Four Strecker aldehydes, 4 pyrazines, and one ester had a 3-way interaction between quality grade, DOD, and product type (each P < 0.001). Pyrazine concentrations did not differ (P > 0.05) in ground patties and was comparably greater (P < 0.05) in steaks; in Prime and Low Choice steaks, pyrazine concentration increased (P < 0.05) as DOD increased. A 2-way interaction between quality grade and product type was observed for acetaldehyde, dimethyl…

Dietary fiber content and composition affect microbial composition and activity in the gut, which in turn influence energetic contribution of fermentation products to the metabolic energy supply in pigs. This may affect feed efficiency (FE) in pigs. The present study investigated the relationship between the fecal microbial composition and FE in individual growing-finishing pigs. In addition, the effects of diet composition and sex on the fecal microbiome were studied. Fecal samples were collected of 154 grower-finisher pigs (3-way crossbreeds) the day before slaughter. Pigs were either fed a diet based on corn/soybean meal (CS) or a diet based on wheat/barley/by-products (WB). Fecal microbiome was characterized by 16S ribosomal DNA sequencing, clustered by operational taxonomic unit (OTU), and results were subjected to a discriminant approach combined with principal component analysis to discriminate diets, sexes, and FE extreme groups (10 high and 10 low FE pigs for each diet by sex-combination). Pigs on different diets and males vs. females had a very distinct fecal microbiome,…

In this review, the potential for use of soy-derived bioactive compounds as immunomodulatory feed additives in pigs is discussed. Soy is a major component of the modern U.S. swine diet in today's commercial industry, providing the bulk of dietary AA necessary for growth and production. However, soy use has generally been limited in early growth phases, during which the risks of immunological insult and disease are among the highest. Improvements of soybean processing and development of soy protein products with little to no antinutritional factors have made soy more appropriate for use in young pigs but additional processing may affect bioactive compound levels in the feed. The bioactive compounds of interest for this review are soy isoflavones and soy saponins. Soy isoflavones are flavonoid compounds with a range of biological activity including moderate estrogenic effects at low biological concentrations. Although estrogenic effects are of more interest in human medical research, isoflavones are also known for their anti-inflammatory, antioxidative properties at cellular levels,…

Emerging knowledge shows the importance of early life events in programming the intestinal mucosal immune system and development of the intestinal barrier function. These processes depend heavily on close interactions between gut microbiota and host cells in the intestinal mucosa. In turn, development of the intestinal microbiota is largely dependent on available nutrients required for the specific microbial community structures to expand. It is currently not known what the specificities are of intestinal microbial community structures in relation to the programming of the intestinal mucosal immune system and development of the intestinal barrier function. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of a nutritional intervention on intestinal development of suckling piglets by daily oral administration of fructooligosaccharides (FOS) over a period of 12 d (days 2-14 of age). At the microbiota community level, a clear "bifidogenic" effect of the FOS administration was observed in the colon digesta at day 14. The former, however, did not translate into…

Improvement in growth and fatness traits are the main objectives in pig all breeding programs. Tenth rib backfat thickness (10RIBBFT) and days to 100 kg (D100), which are good predictors of carcass lean content and growth rate, respectively, are economically important traits and also main breeding target traits in pigs. To investigate the genetic mechanisms of 10RIBBFT and D100 of pigs, we sampled 1,137 and 888 pigs from 2 Yorkshire populations of American and British origin, respectively, and conducted genome-wide association study (GWAS) through combined analysis and meta-analysis, to identify SNPs associated with 10RIBBFT and D100. A total of 11 and 7 significant SNPs were identified by combined analysis for 10RIBBFT and D100, respectively. And in meta-analysis, 8 and 7 significant SNPs were identified for 10RIBBFT and D100, respectively. Among them, 6 and 5 common significant SNPs in two analysis results were, respectively, identified associated with 10RIBBFT and D100, and correspondingly explained 2.09% and 0.52% of the additive genetic variance of 10RIBBFT and D100. Further…

Eight healthy multiparous Saanen dairy goats (41.50 ± 1.84 kg) were assigned to a double 4 × 4 Latin square design. The four treatment diets were: (i) negative control, rice straw (NC); (ii) first positive control, sticky corn stover silage (PC1); (iii) second positive control, PC1 with 1 g/d commercial purple corn pigment (PC2); and (iv) anthocyanin-rich purple corn stover silage (PSS; AR). DMI did not differ (P > 0.05) among the treatments. Goats receiving the NC tended (P < 0.05) to reduce nutrient apparent digestibility, nitrogen (N) absorption, N retention, and volatile fatty acid production relative to the other groups. The levels of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in plasma were greater (P < 0.05) in goats fed PC2 and AR compared with NC and PC1. The inclusion of PC2 and AR increased (P < 0.05) the abundance of nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (NFE2L2), but decreased (P < 0.05) the level of tumor necrosis factor in the mammary gland. Moreover, goats receiving AR tended to increase (P < 0.05) the levels of…

In developed countries, dogs and cats frequently suffer from obesity. Recently, gut microbiota composition in humans has been related to obesity and metabolic diseases. This study aimed to evaluate changes in body composition, and gut microbiota composition in obese Beagle dogs after a 17-wk BW loss program. A total of six neutered adult Beagle dogs with an average initial BW of 16.34 ± 1.52 kg and BCS of 7.8 ± 0.1 points (9-point scale) were restrictedly fed with a hypocaloric, low-fat and high-fiber dry-type diet. Body composition was assessed with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan, before (T0) and after (T1) BW loss program. Individual stool samples were collected at T0 and T1 for the 16S rRNA analyses of gut microbiota. Taxonomic analysis was done with amplicon-based metagenomic results, and functional analysis of the metabolic potential of the microbial community was done with shotgun metagenomic results. All dogs reached their ideal BW at T1, with an average weekly proportion of BW loss of -1.07 ± 0.03% of starting BW. Body fat (T0, 7.02 ± 0.76 kg) was reduced by half (P <…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of adding mannan-oligosaccharides (MOS) on the following parameters in sheep: digestibility and retention rate of nutrients, ruminal fermentation, immunity, and antioxidant capacity. Twelve healthy crossbred wethers (Suffolk ♂ × Small tail Han-yang ♀) with external ruminal fistula and similar body weights (28.04 ± 2.07 kg) were fed individually four treatments, three repeats of each treatment. The wethers diets were supplemental MOS at 0%, 1.2%, 1.6%, and 2.0%·kg-1 of basal diet (as fed basis). The experiment lasted 17 d, including 10 d of acclimation and 7 d of formal experimentation. The results showed that MOS did not influence the apparent digestibility and retention rate of nutrients, ruminal fermentation, and immunity or concentration of serum nitric oxide and activity of serum nitric oxide synthase (P ≥ 0.07). However, the apparent digestibility of neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber at MOS supplementation rates of 1.6% and 2.0% both tended to be greater than the control group (P ≤ 0.103). There was also…

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of adding engineered biocarbon to a high-forage diet on ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestion, and enteric methane (CH4) production in a semi-continuous culture artificial rumen system (RUSITEC). The experiment was a completely randomized block design with four treatments assigned to sixteen fermentation vessels (four/treatment) in two RUSITEC apparatuses. The basal diet consisted of 60% barley silage, 27% barley grain, 10% canola meal, and 3% supplement (DM basis) with biocarbon added at 0, 0.5, 1, and 2% of substrate DM. The study period was 17 d, with a 10-d adaptation and 7-d sample collection period. Increasing biocarbon linearly increased (P < 0.05) disappearance of DM, OM, CP, ADF and NDF. Compared to control, increasing biocarbon enhanced (P < 0.01) production of total VFA, acetate, propionate, branch-chained VFAs, and tended to increase (P = 0.06) NH3-N. Microbial protein synthesis linearly increased (P = 0.01) with increasing biocarbon. Addition of biocarbon reduced overall CH4 production compared with the…

Two studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of organic acid (OA) supplementation in a highly digestible (Exp. 1) or a less digestible diet (Exp. 2) on the growth performance and intestinal health of weaned pigs. In Exp. 1, a total of 240 pigs weaned at day 21 were assigned to one of five dietary treatments: negative control (NC) (basal diet, 3,000 ppm zinc oxide (ZnO) in the first 2 wk only); positive control (PC) (NC plus 10 mg/kg zinc bacitracin, 5 mg/kg colistin sulfate, and 5 mg/kg olaquindox); OA1 (NC plus a 0.2% blend of encapsulated butyrate, medium-chain fatty acids [MCFA], OA, and phenolics); OA2 (NC plus 0.3% blend of free and buffered short-chain fatty acids [SCFA] combined with MCFA); and OA1 plus OA2 (NC plus 0.2% OA1 plus 0.3% OA2) for 49 d. All treatments in Exp. 1 used the same highly digestible basal diet. At day 28, eight pigs from each group were sacrificed, to collect intestinal and digesta samples for biochemical analysis. Growth performance and intestinal morphology were not affected by the treatments. However, pigs subjected to the OA2 treatment had…

To better utilize native pasture at the high altitude region, three-consecutive-year feeding experiments and a total of seven metabolism trials were conducted to evaluate the impact of three forage stages of maturity on the chemical composition, nutrient digestibility, and energy metabolism of native forage in Tibetan sheep on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). Forages were harvested from June to July, August to October, and November to December of 2011 to 2013, corresponding to the vegetative, bloom, and senescent stages of the annual forages. Twenty male Tibetan sheep were selected for each study and fed native forage ad libitum. The digestibility of DM, OM, CP, NDF, ADF, DE, DE/GE, and ME/GE were greatest (P < 0.01) from the vegetative stage, intermediate (P < 0.01) from the bloom stage, and least (P < 0.01) from the senescent stage. Nutrient digestibility and energy parameters correlated positively (linear, 0.422 to 0.778; quadratic, 0.568 to 0.815; P < 0.01) with the CP content of forage but correlated negatively with the content of NDF (linear, 0.343 to 0.689; quadratic, 0.444…

To ensure long-term sustainability and ecological resilience of agroecosystems, agricultural production should be guided by policies to ensure regenerative cropping and grazing management protocols. Changing current unsustainable high-input agricultural practices to low-input practices that regenerate ecosystem function will be necessary for sustainable, resilient agroecosystems. Effective soil management provides the greatest potential for achieving sustainable use of agricultural land with rapidly changing, uncertain and variable climate. With appropriate management of grazing enterprises, soil function can be regenerated to improve essential ecosystem services and farm profitability. Affected ecosystem services include carbon sequestration, water infiltration, soil fertility, nutrient cycling, soil formation, biodiversity, wildlife habitat, and increased ecosystem stability and resilience. Collectively, conservation agriculture managed regeneratively supports ecologically healthy, resilient agroecosystems and enhances watershed function. To accomplish this, it is important for…

The objective of this study was to determine effect of ruminal acidosis (RA) and low feed intake [LFI] on the regional barrier function of the gastrointestinal tract. Twenty-one Holstein steers were fed for ad libitum intake for 5 d (control [CON]), fed at 25% of ad libitum intake for 5 d (LFI), or provided 2 d of ad libitum intake followed by 1-d of feed restriction (25% of ad libitum intake), 1 d where 30% of ad libitum dry matter intake (DMI) was provided as pelleted barley followed by the full allocation (RA) and fed for ad libitum intake the following day. Tissues and digesta from the rumen, omasum, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, cecum, proximal, and distal colon were collected. Permeability was assessed using the mucosal-to-serosal flux of inulin (JMS-inulin) and mannitol (JMS-mannitol). Digesta pH was 0.81, 0.63, and 0.42 pH units less for RA than CON in the rumen, cecum, and proximal colon; while, LFI had pH that was 0.47 and 0.36 pH units greater in the rumen and proximal colon compared to CON. Total ruminal short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentration were less for LFI (92 mM; P…

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance responses of finishing feedlot cattle to dietary addition of essential oils and exogenous enzymes. The treatments in each experiment consisted of (DM basis): MON-sodium monensin (26 mg/kg); BEO-a blend of essential oils (90 mg/kg); BEO+MON-a blend of essential oils plus monensin (90 mg/kg + 26 mg/kg, respectively); BEO+AM-a blend of essential oils plus exogenous α-amylase (90 mg/kg + 560 mg/kg, respectively); and BEO+AM+PRO-a blend of essential oils plus exogenous α-amylase and exogenous protease (90 mg/kg + 560 mg/kg + 840 mg/kg, respectively). Exp. 1 consisted of a 93-d finishing period using 300 Nellore bulls in a randomized complete block design. Animals fed BEO had higher DMI (P < 0.001) but similar feed efficiency to animals fed MON (P ≥ 0.98). Compared with MON, the combination of BEO+AM resulted in 810 g greater DMI (P = 0.001), 190 g greater average daily gain (P = 0.04), 18 kg heavier final body weight (P = 0.04), and 12 kg heavier hot carcass weight (P = 0.02), although feed efficiency was not significantly…

Erratum to: “RUMINANT NUTRITION SYMPOSIUM: Tiny but mighty: the role of the rumen microbes in livestock production” by Kristi M. Cammack et al. Journal of Animal Science 2018; doi: 10.1093/jas/skx053. The title “RUMINNAT NUTRITION SYMPOSIUM: Tiny but mighty: the role of the rumen microbes in livestock production” should be “RUMINANT NUTRITION SYMPOSIUM: Tiny but mighty: the role of the rumen microbes in livestock production.”

Water is an essential nutrient, but there are few recent studies that evaluate how much water individual beef cattle consume and how environmental factors affect an individual's water intake (WI). Most studies have focused on WI of whole pens rather than WI of individual animals. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of environmental parameters on individual-animal WI across different seasons and develop prediction equations to estimate WI, including within different environments and management protocols. Individual daily feed intake and WI records were collected on 579 crossbred steers for a 70-d period following a 21-d acclimation period for feed and water bunk training. Steers were fed in 5 separate groups over a 3-yr period from May 2014 to March 2017. Individual weights were collected every 14 d and weather data were retrieved from the Oklahoma Mesonet's Stillwater station. Differences in WI as a percent of body weight (WI%) were analyzed accounting for average temperature (TAVG), relative humidity (HAVG), solar radiation (SRAD), and wind speed (WSPD).…

Pregnancy loss is a major contributing factor to reproductive inefficiency in both the beef and dairy industries. Sires can have a significant influence on the amount of pregnancy loss; however, this relationship is still poorly investigated. The primary objective of this study was to identify sires associated with high or low incidence of pregnancy loss (between d 30 and 100 of gestation) and investigate their effect on concentration of circulating pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (PAGs). Postpartum multiparous Nelore cows were inseminated artificially at a fixed time (FTAI, d 0) after synchronization of ovulation. A total of 736 cows were assigned randomly to be inseminated with semen from either of 6 Angus sires, whereas a separate subset of 492 cows were inseminated randomly with semen from either of 3 Nelore (n = 235) or either of 2 Angus sires (n = 257). Estrus expression was evaluated on d 0 using Estrotect Heat Detector patches. Blood samples were collected on d 30 of gestation for quantification of PAGs and pregnancy diagnosis was performed by ultrasound on d 30 and 100…

The objective of the current study was to quantify loss of energy in feces, urine, heat, and milk, to evaluate feed efficiency and to evaluate optimal ratio of dietary CP to energy for lactating sows fed increasing dietary CP. A total of 72 sows were included in the experiment from day 2 after parturition until weaning at day 28. Sows were allocated to 6 dietary treatments formulated to be isocaloric (9.8 MJ NE/kg) and increasing standardized ileal digestible (SID) CP (11.8, 12.8, 13.4, 14.0, 14.7, and 15.6% SID CP). Sows were weighed and back fat scanned within 2 d after farrowing, at days 18 ± 3 and 28 ± 3. Litters were standardized to 14 piglets within 2 d after farrowing and weighed at day 1 or 2 and at days 11, 18, and 28 (within ± 3 d). Feed intake (feed supply minus residue) was registered, and milk, urine, and fecal samples were collected at days 4, 11, and 18 (within ± 3 d). Sow milk yield was estimated from litter gain and litter size, and sow heat production was calculated factorially. On days 4 and 18 (±3 d), sows were enriched with D2O (deuterated water) to estimate…

This experiment evaluated the impacts of estrus expression and intensity, estimated by physical activity during a timed-AI protocol, on reproductive performance of Bos indicus-influenced beef cows. A total of 290 lactating, primiparous, and multiparous nonpregnant Nelore × Angus cows received a 2 mg injection of estradiol benzoate and an intravaginal progesterone (P4) releasing device (CIDR) on d -11, a 12.5 mg injection of PGF2α on d -4, CIDR removal in addition to 0.6 mg injection of estradiol cypionate and 300 IU injection of eCG on d -2, and timed-AI on d 0. Cows were fitted with a pedometer behind their left shoulder on d -4. An estrus detection patch was attached to the tail-head of each cow on d -2. Pedometer results were recorded on d -2 and 0. Estrus expression was defined as removal of >50% of the rub-off coating from the patch on d 0. Net physical activity during estrus was calculated by subtracting total steps from d -4 to -2 (nonestrus basal activity) from total steps from d -2 to 0 (proestrus + estrus period) of each cow. Cows that did not express estrus were…

Diets offered to lactating and weaned piglets are the most expensive diets within pig production; however, the effect of these diets on lifetime pig performance is inconsistent. The objective of the current study was to investigate the impact of creep feed consumption during lactation and different starter diet allowances on piglets' gut structure and lifetime growth performance. In total, 320 pigs and 80 pigs (Landrace × Large White) were used after weaning in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement to study growth performance and gut structure, respectively. At weaning, piglets that ate creep feed and piglets that were not offered creep feed during lactation were allocated to 2 kg/pig [low level (LL)] or 6 kg/pig [high level (HL)] of starter 1 diet (16.5 MJ DE/kg, 22.5% CP, and 1.7% total Lys) allowance. At weaning and at 1 and 3 wk after weaning, 8 piglets per treatment were sacrificed, and their small intestine morphology was evaluated (villus height and crypt depth). Piglets that ate creep feed had increased feed intake during the first week after weaning (P < 0.05), but no effect of…

The increased use of by-products in finishing diets for cattle leads to diets that contain greater concentrations of crude protein (CP) and metabolizable protein (MP) than required. The hypothesis was that excess dietary CP and MP would increase maintenance energy requirements because of the energy costs of removing excess N as urea in urine. To evaluate the potential efficiency lost, two experiments were performed to determine the effects of feeding excess CP and MP to calves fed a finishing diet at 1 × maintenance energy intake (Exp. 1) and at 2 × maintenance intake (Exp. 2). In each experiment, eight crossbred Angus-based steers were assigned to two dietary treatments in a switchback design with three periods. Treatments were steam-flaked corn-based finishing diets with two dietary protein concentrations, 13.8% CP/9.63% MP (CON) or 19.5% CP/14.14% MP (dry matter basis; ECP), containing corn gluten meal to reflect a diet with excess CP and MP from corn by-products. Each period was 27 d in length with a 19-d dietary adaptation period in outdoor individual pens followed by a 4-d…