Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Production System On Cow And Calf Performance, Shelby E. Gardine, Jason M. Warner, Robert G. Bondurant Bondurant, F. Henry Hilscher, Karla H. Jenkins, Galen E. Erickson, Terry J. Klopfenstein

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Limited traditional forage resources have prompted interest for alternative cow-calf production systems. This study evaluated the effects of two winter cow-calf production systems (cornstalk grazing and dry-lot feeding) on cow-calf performance in a summer-calving, intensively managed cowherd at two locations. Grazing cow-calf pairs on cornstalks resulted in similar or lower ending BW of cows and lower ADG of calves when compared to cow-calf pairs wintered in the dry-lot. A partial budget of incorporating winter cornstalk grazing into an intensive production system suggests that cows wintered on cornstalks may be $137 more profitable compared to cows wintered in the dry-lot.

Effects Of Production System And Post-Weaning Management On Finishing Performance And Carcass Characteristics Of Steer And Heifer Calves, Shelby E. Gardine, Bradley M. Boyd, Curtis J. Bittner Bittner, F. Henry Hilscher, Karla H. Jenkins, Galen E. Erickson, Terry J. Klopfenstein

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

This study evaluated the effects of cow-calf production system and post-weaning management on finishing performance and carcass characteristics of steer and heifer calves. Calves that were wintered on cornstalks prior to weaning had lighter initial BW compared to calves that were wintered in the dry-lot; however, final BW and carcass weight were similar between treatments. Post-weaning management was either adapting calves to a finishing diet following weaning or feeding a grower diet prior to the finishing phase. When harvested at similar back fat, calves that were fed a grower diet for 76 days prior to the finishing phase had 71 …

Evaluation Of Protein From Distillers Grains In Finishing Diets On Nutrient Digestibility, Zachary E. Carlson, Jana L. Gramkow, Hannah C. Wilson Wilson, Melissa L. Jolly-Breithaupt, Galen E. Erickson, Jim C. Macdonald, Matt K. Luebbe

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A metabolism trial was conducted to evaluate protein from modified distillers grains plus solubles (MDGS) in finishing diets on nutrient digestibility and ruminal fermentation characteristics. Isolated protein from corn was not different than MDGS for dry matter, organic matter, or neutral detergent fiber digestibility. However, steers fed MDGS tended to have lower total tract organic matter digestibility compared to corn and protein from corn. Protein had greater total tract organic matter and starch digestibility than MDGS. Protein from corn did not contribute towards the lower digestibility of MDGS. Protein is more easily digestible than the other components in distillers grains …

Potential Variation In Determination Of Longissimus Muscle Area In Carcasses From Heifers Fed With Or Without Zilpaterol Hydrochloride, Chris R. Calkins, Jenna J. O'Daniel, Govindarajan Konda Naganathan Naganathan, Kellen B. Hart, Katherine I. Domenech-Perez, T.B. Schmidt

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

This study was conducted to evaluate some sources of potential variation in determination of longissimus muscle area between the 12th and 13th ribs of carcasses from heifers fed with or without zilpaterol hydochloride. Cross sections of the rib-loin were taken cranial to the 11th rib and caudal to the 13th rib, about 3–4 millimeters thick at 90 degrees perpendicular to the long axis of the longissimus muscle. Potential variation of longissimus muscle area can arise from the natural variation of muscle size when cutting between the 12th and 13th ribs (up to 9%). Deviation in cutting perpendicular to the long …

Impact Of Feeding Distillers Grains With Or Without Oil Removal As Well As Supplemental Corn Oil On Nutrient Digestibility By Finishing Cattle, Jordan E. Burhoop, Melissa L. Jolly-Breithaupt, Jana L. Gramkow Gramkow, Matthew K. Luebbe, Jim C. Macdonald, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A digestion trial was conducted to determine the effects of the removal of corn oil from modified distillers grains plus solubles (MDGS) and the impact of supplemental corn oil on finishing cattle nutrient digestion. Four treatments were evaluated: a corn control diet (CON), 40% de-oiled MDGS (DO MDGS), or 38% de-oiled MDGS plus 2% corn oil (MDGS + Oil) formulated to equal the fat content of FF MDGS, or 40% full fat MDGS (FF MDGS). Treatment differences were observed for digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, and fiber, but not for fat. When oil was added to de-oiled MDGS, digestibility …

Effects Of Late Gestation Supplementation, Synchronization, And Creep Feeding In A Spring Calving Beef Herd In The Nebraska Sandhills, Devin Broadhead, L. A. Stalker, Jacki A. Musgrave Musgrave, Richard N. Funston

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Supplementation during winter grazing increased cow BW and BCS but had no effect on reproduction or calf performance, thus increasing production costs without increasing returns. Using a CIDR for estrus synchronization in a herd with existing acceptable reproductive performance did not increase cow pregnancy rate or advance calving date. Feeding creep feed to calves is an effective means of increasing weaning BW which resulted in increased live and carcass weight. Under the conditions of this study, when additional feed and price slide for heavier calves was considered, feeding creep feed did not result in added profits.

Field Evaluations Of Insecticide Modes Of Action Classes For Control Of Horn Flies In Nebraska, David J. Boxler, Gary J. Brewer, Richard N. Funston Funston, Jacqueline A. Musgrave

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Insecticides of different Mode of Action (MoA) classes were tested for their ability to reduce horn fly populations on cattle in Nebraska pastures between 2009 and 2016. Macrocyclic lactone products were the most efficacious, reducing horn fly numbers by an average of 93% over ten location years of testing. Organophosphate and pyrethroid MoA products, tested in 7 and 12 location years, reduced fly numbers by 75% and 73%. Classes tested only once were METI (88% reduction) and a combination of organophosphate + pyrethroid (64%).

Letrozole: A Steroid-Free Estrous Synchronization Method, Sarah M. Romereim, Sarah C. Tenley, Mohamed A. Abedal-Majed Majed, Jeffrey W. Bergman, Scott G. Kurz, John S. Davis, Jennifer R. Wood, Andrea S. Cupp

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Most bovine estrous synchronization protocols utilize progesterone plus estrogen to control ovulation timing. A drug that inhibits estrogen production (Letrozole) may be an alternative, steroid-free synchronization method (not yet commercially available). However, low estrogen can negatively affect the health of follicles/oocytes and impact fertility. To determine its effects, Letrozole was administered intramuscularly while tracking follicle growth and circulating hormones. Letrozole response was variable. Two of three cows experienced delayed luteolysis/ovulation and extended progesterone production. This preliminary data indicates that Letrozole treatment allows normal follicle progression but drug response may vary and little is known about effects on oocyte quality.

Effect Of Supplementation During The Breeding Season On A May-Calving Herd In The Nebraska Sandhills, Alicia C. Lansford, Jacki A. Musgrave, Richard N. Funston Funston

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Females in their first and second breeding season received either a 32% crude protein (DM) supplement or no supplement throughout the breeding season. Supplementation did not affect heifer BW, BCS, and pregnancy rate at pregnancy diagnosis. Supplementation impacted primiparous cow BW and BCS at pregnancy diagnosis, but did not affect pregnancy rates. Calf birth weight and dystocia rates were unaffected by supplementation for both heifers and primiparous cow. Calves nursing supplemented dams were heavier at weaning. Greater supplementation may be needed to affect pregnancy rate.

The National Wildlife Strike Database: A Scientific Foundation To Enhance Aviation Safety, Richard A. Dolbeer, Michael J. Begier, John R. Weller

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) National Wildlife Strike Database (NWSD) documents reports of civil aircraft collisions with wildlife in USA. The NWSD has been managed by the Wildlife Services Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture through an interagency agreement since its inception. Although the NWSD includes about 170,000 reports of civil aircraft collisions with wildlife (97% birds) from 1990-2015 (14,000 in 2015), the overriding focus has been the quality control of data entered for over 90 variables ranging from species and numbers of wildlife struck, location and time of day, phase and height of flight, aircraft type, components …

Anticoagulant Rodenticide Residues In Game Animals In California, Stella C. Mcmillin, Robert H. Poppenga, Shannon C. Chandler, Deana L. Clifford

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) are used to control rodents around homes, buildings, and in agriculture. They have been found widely in predatory and scavenging wildlife as a result of secondary exposure and less commonly in herbivores and omnivores from primary exposure. While predators and scavengers have been monitored for AR exposure, very little information is available about AR residues in edible muscle tissue of game animals. Game animals may be exposed to ARs through direct consumption of bait, ingestion of contaminated food or vegetation, or consumption of contaminated prey items. Carcasses of three species of game animals (black bear, wild pigs, …

To Live And Fly In La: Using Bird Strike And Management Program Information To Improve Safety At Airports In The Los Angeles Basin, Todd J. Pitlik, Elizabeth Hermann, Eric Peralta, Brian E. Washburn

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wildlife-aircraft collisions (wildlife strikes) pose a serious safety risk to aircraft. Wildlife strikes can be evaluated at different levels, include efforts to examine these problems at the national, regional, or state level, or for an individual airport. Similarly, wildlife strikes involving individual wildlife species or guilds can be examined at varying scales. Although wildlife strike analyses at the national, regional, or species/guild level are valuable, airport-specific analyses are essential for the effective implementation and evaluation of integrated wildlife damage management programs as these actions are conducted at the airport level. The species that present hazards to safe aircraft operations varies …

Chesapeake Bay Nutria Eradication Project: 2017 Update, Margaret Pepper, Kevin Sullivan, Robert Colona, Jonathan Mcknight

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Nutria, a semi-aquatic, South American rodent, was introduced to Maryland during the early 1940s. Originally brought to the area for fur farms, the market never established and animals were released or escaped. Nutria thrived, destroying coastal wetlands which resulted in negative environmental and economic impacts to the Chesapeake Bay region. To preserve and protect valuable wetland resources, the Chesapeake Bay Nutria Eradication Project (CBNEP) was established in 2002 through a partnership between the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the United States Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and many state agencies and non-governmental organizations. Since …

Prevalence Of Cytauxzoon Felis (Protista: Apicomplexa) In Feral Cats In Russellville Arkansas, Cynthia H. Jacobs

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Abstract

Cytauxzoon felis (C. felis) is a protozoan hemoparasite of domestic and wild felids. Transmitted by ixodid ticks, the sylvatic reservoir for this organism in North America is the bobcat (Lynx rufus) in which the infection is apparently self-limiting. In domestic cats (Felis catus), C. felis causes a highly fatal disease with a distribution that covers much of the central, southcentral and southeastern U.S. and parallels that of the primary vector, the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum). Interestingly, there appears to be an increased survival rate in domestic cats in the geographic …

Comparative Analysis Of Low Molecular Weight Fraction Of Conditioned Media Derived From Starvation-Dormant And Anaerobically-Dormant Mycobacterium Avium Subsp. Paratuberculosis, Marina Buciuc

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Johne's disease (JD) caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is a contagious chronic enteritis affecting all ruminants and causing economic loss of at least $250 million annually in the US dairy industry. One of the major limitations in the diagnosis of JD is the low sensitivity of fecal culture in animals with no clinical signs of the disease, but who are actively shedding MAP. Persistence of MAP in the host with no apparent signs of infection is attributed to its ability to enter a dormant state wherein the bacterium is viable, but is not able to replicate until conditions …

Impact Of Intake On Methane Production In Growing Steers, Tom M. Winders, Bradley M. Boyd, F. Henry Hilscher Hilscher, Samodha C. Fernando, Richard Stowell, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A study was conducted to evaluate the impact that level of intake has on methane and carbon dioxide production by growing steers. Two treatments were evaluated that included ad-libitum intake compared to limit-fed steers. The ad-libitum fed cattle had greater gains, similar feed efficiency and produced more methane and carbon dioxide per day, while the limit fed cattle produced more methane and carbon dioxide per pound of intake than the ad-libitum fed cattle.

Impact Of Ramaekers Immune Primer On Finishing Beef Cattle Performance And Liver Abscess Rate, Hannah C. Wilson, F. Henry Hilscher, Bradley M. Boyd Boyd, Jim C. Macdonald, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A feedlot study was conducted comparing a natural feed additive (Ramaekers Immune Primer) to Tylan or nothing on receiving and finishing performance. There were no differences for final BW, ADG, F:G, HCW, marbling, LM area, or fat thickness due to treatment. Liver abscess incidence and severity were reduced in steers fed Tylan, no differences were noted between Ramaekers Immune Primer and no additive. There was no difference in number of cattle treated for respiratory illness. Steers on the Ramaekers Immune Primer treatment had lower feed intake during the receiving period but had similar ADG and numerically better F:G at day …

Effects Of Movement And Activity Behavior In A Pasture System Compared To Time, Jace R. Stott, Mitchell B. Stephenson, Kathryn J. Hanford Hanford

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

During the summer of 2016 seventeen cows were fitted with Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking collars to evaluate activity characteristics of cattle on rangelands. Data collected included daily distance traveled, average distance from water, daily time spent at water, daily area covered, and percent of day spent active (traveling or grazing). These variables were analyzed weekly to assess changes in behavior as time within pastures increased during three time periods of the growing season. Based on data collected from mid-May to mid-September, cattle showed little changes throughout the grazing season as to levels of activity through different periods of a …

Statistics Used In The Nebraska Beef Report And Their Purpose

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

The purpose of beef cattle and beef product research at UNL is to provide reference information that represents the various populations (cows, calves, heifers, feeders, carcasses, retail products, etc) of beef production. Obviously, the researcher cannot apply treatments to every member of a population; therefore he/ she must sample the population. The use of statistics allows the researcher and readers of the Nebraska Beef report the opportunity to evaluate separation of random (chance) occurrences and real biological effects of a treatment. Following is a brief description of the major statistics used in the beef report. For a more detailed description …

Impact Of Winter Supplementation Of May Calving Cows And Heifer Development System In Two Different Breeding Seasons On Subsequent Growth And Reproduction, Shelby A. Springman, Alicia C. Lansford, Jacqueline A. Musgrave Musgrave, John Nollette, Andy Applegarth, Richard N. Funston

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

In Exp. 1, May-calving cows were utilized to evaluate the effects of winter supplementation on heifer progeny. Cows grazed either dormant upland winter range with or without a protein supplement or grazed dormant meadow with or without a protein supplement. In Exp. 2, replacement heifers from March and May calving herds were offered ad libitum meadow hay and 4 lb/d supplement or grazed meadow and offered 1 lb/d supplement from mid-January to mid-April. Calf weaning BW and ADG from birth to weaning was less for calves from cows grazing winter range with no supplement compared with all other dam treatments. …

Using A Cured Meat Model System To Investigate Factors That Influence Cured Color Development, Jennifer A. Posthuma, Faith D. Rasmussen, Gary A. Sullivan Sullivan

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Producing cured meats manufactured with natural ingredients could impact cured meat characteristics, including color. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of nitrite source (sodium nitrite or cultured celery juice powder), reducing agents (no reducing compound or sodium erythorbate/ ascorbic acid), and holding times prior to cooking on cured color development in a meat model system. The addition of reducing compounds had the largest impact on cured color development and reduced residual nitrite in a cured meat model system. Treatments cured with sodium nitrite had slightly greater cured color development than treatments cured with celery juice powder. …

Repeated Calm Handling Can Lead To More Docile Cattle, Jamie T. Parham, Amy E. Tanner, Mark L. Wahlberg Wahlberg, W. S. Swecker Jr., Ronald M. Lewis

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Changes in temperament in heifers when handled either frequently or infrequently were evaluated subjectively based on their behavior when restrained in (chute score) and exiting from (exit score) a squeeze chute. Chute scores decreased over time–a favorable direction–with more dramatic declines in heifers handled more frequently. Heifers with higher chute scores on the first day of handling had the largest reduction in score. Exit scores changed less over time. Chute score therefore may be more indicative of acclimation to a novel environment than exit score. Both scores appear to offer a fast, easy and inexpensive way to quantify docility in …

Experience Improves The Reliability Of Subjective Measurements Of Temperament In Beef Cattle, Jaime T. Praham, Amy E. Tanner, Mark L. Wahlberg Wahlberg, W. S. Swecker Jr., Ronald M. Lewis

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Reliability of experienced and inexperienced observers when assessing the behavior of cattle when restrained in a squeeze chute (chute score), and when exiting the chute (exit score), was compared. Overall, experienced observers had higher reliability than inexperienced observers. Increasing the number of individuals scoring an animal decreased the degree of agreement. However, within an acceptable tolerance for difference in scores, such disagreement may be beneficial; it allows for subtlety in interpretations of temperament, which when averaged, may better reflect docility. Reliabilities were higher for exit score than chute score. This may reflect the complexity of the trait being evaluated, with …

Effects Of Kernel Processing At Harvest Of Brown Midrib Corn Silage On Finishing Performance Of Steers, Lauren A. Ovinge, F. Henry Hilscher, Curtis J. Bittner Bittner, Bradley M. Boyd, John N. Anderson, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A 2 × 3 factorial finishing study evaluated kernel processing in three corn silage hybrids on finishing performance of yearling steers fed 40% silage. The three hybrids included a control corn silage (CON), a brown midrib (bm3), and a brown midrib with a softer endosperm (bm3-EXP). No interactions were observed between hybrids and kernel processing (P > 0.45). Feeding both bm3 hybrids increased dry matter intake and average daily gain over CON (P < 0.01). Cattle fed bm3-EXP and bm3 had lower feed to gain than CON (P = 0.04), with no differences between the two brown midrib hybrids. Feeding silage that has undergone kernel processing decreased dry matter intake with similar average daily gain, which decreased feed to gain by 2.6% at 40% inclusion compared to non-processed silage (P = 0.10). The improvement in silage is calculated to be 6.5% (2.6/40) when kernel processing was utilized as compared to not kernel processing the corn silage hybrids.

The Effect Of Inoculants On Nutrient Losses Of Corn Silage And High-Moisture Corn Stored In Mini Silos, Colton R. Oney, Jana L. Gramkow, Andrea K. Watson Watson, Galen E. Erickson, Jim C. Macdonald, M. K. Biddlecome

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of inoculants (BONSILAGE CORN 200G and BONSILAGE HMC 200G) containing Lactobacillus buchneri, Lactobacillus plantarum and Pediococcus acidilactici on nutrient losses and aerobic stability of corn silage and high moisture corn. Corn silage and high moisture corn were inoculated and stored in mini silos with nutrient loss and spoilage characterizations at 30, 90, and 120 days with multiple inoculation levels. Longer ensiling times led to greater total acid production. The higher levels of inoculation led to lower total acid production and higher pH. Inoculating corn silage and high moisture corn also affected …

Antimicrobial Interventions And Application Time Effects On Ground Beef Quality, Ashley R. Mccoy, Dennis E. Burson, Gary A. Sullivan Sullivan

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Small business meat processors can use organic acid antimicrobial interventions to control Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) when producing ground beef; however, many small producers are concerned about the impact on ground beef quality. The effects of two commonly used organic acids, lactic acid and peroxyacetic acid, were evaluated at short (15 seconds) or extended (3 minutes) raw material dip times on ground beef quality parameters. Beef trim dipped in lactic acid for 3 minutes had a reduction in total aerobic bacteria plate count, but also increased ground beef discoloration and lipid oxidation during retail display. Use of a shorter …

Late Summer Planted Oat-Brassica Forage Quality Changes During Winter Grazing, Mary E. Lenz, Jordan L. Cox, Kristin E. Hales Hales, Hannah C. Wilson, Mary E. Drewnoski

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Oat, radish, and turnip samples were taken on pivots being grazed from November through January in Clay Center, Nebraska. The objective was to determine how the quality changed throughout the winter. The forage was observed to be high-quality (highly digestibility with moderate CP content). Digestibility did decline over this period but minimal changes in CP content were observed. From early November to early January, the digestibility of oats appeared to decline more (10% unit decline) than turnip and radish leaves (5% unit decrease). However, digestibility (67% IVOMD) and CP content (15%) of oats in early January were still as high …

Impact Of Syngenta Enogen Feed Corn On Finishing Cattle Performance And Carcass Characteristics, Melissa L. Jolly-Breithaupt, Curtis J. Bittner, F. Henry Hilscher Hilscher, Galen E. Erickson, James C. Macdonald, Matt K. Luebbe

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Two finishing experiments were conducted to evaluate Syngenta Enogen Feed Corn containing an alpha amylase enzyme trait compared to the near negative isoline control corn at two locations on cattle performance and carcass characteristics. No statistical differences were observed for final BW, DMI, ADG, or F:G for steers fed Syngenta Enogen Feed Corn versus the near negative isoline control corn. Fat depth and calculated yield grade were greater for steers fed Syngenta Enogen Feed Corn; however, HCW and marbling scores were not different. Previous research has observed a 2.6% to 16.4% decrease in F:G when Syngenta Enogen Feed Corn was …

Chopped Sugar Beets As A Component Of Beef Cow Diets, Karla H. Jenkins, Jacob A. Hansen

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Sugar beets not accepted for human consumption were evaluated as an energy source in a limit fed ration for confined beef cows. Initial and final body weight and body condition score were not different between wheat straw based diets containing wet distillers grains and either chopped sugar beets or corn. Body condition score change tended to be greater for the diet containing corn. However, cows on both treatments finished the study with a body condition score of 5.7. Chopped sugar beets mixed with wheat straw and stored in an agricultural bag underwent ensiling and did not result in choking issues. …

Evaluation Of Brown Midrib Corn Silage For Growing And Backgrounding Beef Steers, F. Henry Hilscher, Curtis J. Bittner, John N. Anderson Anderson, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A growing study evaluated three corn silage hybrids for growing crossbred steers. The three hybrids were: a standard corn silage hybrid which served as the control, a brown midrib hybrid, and an experimental brown mid rib hybrid with a softer endosperm. Intake, ADG, and ending BW were greater for steers fed either brown mid rib silage compared to control, but not different between the brown mid rib or experimental brown mid rib silage. While brown mid rib hybrids had greater DMI and ADG, there was no difference in F:G between all three treatments. Feeding brown mid rib hybrids as corn …