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Patch-Burn Grazing Impacts Forage Resources In Subtropical Humid Grazing Lands, Elizabeth H. Boughton, Nuria Gomez-Casanovas, Hilary Swain, Carl Bernacchi, Raoul K. Boughton, Keith Brinsko, Haoyu Li, Alan Rivero, Evan H. Delucia, Jed Sparks

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Subtropical humid grazing lands represent a large global land use and are important for livestock production, as well as supplying multiple ecosystem services. Patch-burn grazing (PBG) management is applied in temperate grazing lands to enhance environmental and economic sustainability; however, this management system has not been widely tested in subtropical humid grazing lands. The objective of this study was to determine how PBG affected forage resources, in comparison with the business-as-usual full-burn (FB) management in both intensively managed pastures (IMP) and seminative (SN) pastures in subtropical humid grazinglands. We hypothesized that PBG management would create patch contrasts in forage quantity …

Wild Ruminants As Reservoirs Of Domestic Livestock Gastrointestinal T Nematodes, Carly D. Barone, Janneke Wit, Eric P. Hoberg, John S. Gilleard, Dante S. Zarlenga

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infections in cattle cause appetite suppression which leads to poor feed conversion, reduced weight gain and reduced milk production. Overuse and exclusive reliance on anthelmintic drugs has resulted in widespread resistance in many parasitic nematode species infecting livestock making control increasingly difficult. Wild ruminants are competent hosts of a number of nematode species that typically infect and are best adapted for cattle, sheep, and goats. Thus, the potential exists for wild ruminants to act as reservoirs in the translocation of domestic GIN, including those carrying anthelmintic resistance mutations as well as susceptible genotypes. The potential for parasite …

Predicting Spatial Risk Of Wolf-Cattle Encounters On Rugged And Extensive Grazing Lands, Patrick R. Clark, Joe Chigbrow, Douglas E. Johnson, John Williams, Larry L. Larson, Tyanne Roland

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Cattle grazing lands in the mountainous western United States are rugged, complex, and extensive. Terrain, vegetation, and other landscape features vary greatly across space. Risk of wolf-cattle encounters and potential for depredation loss certainly differ spatially as consequence of this variability. Yet, our understanding of this spatial risk is quite poor and this knowledge gap severely hampers our abilities to manage wolf-livestock interactions and mitigate conflicts. During 2009-2011, a research study was conducted at four study areas (USFS cattle grazing allotments) in western Idaho to evaluate and predict risk of wolf-cattle encounters. Each year, a random sample of 10 lactating …

Quantification Of Macrophages And Mycobacterium Avium Subsp. Paratuberculosis In Bovine Intestinal Tissue During Different Stages Of Johne’S Disease, Caitlin J. Jenvey, Jesse M. Hostetter, Adrienne L. Shircliff, John Bannantine, Judith R. Stabel

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Johne’s disease is an enteric disease caused by the intracellular pathogen Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). Upon ingestion of MAP, it is translocated across the intestinal epithelium and may be killed by intestinal macrophages, or depending on the bacterial burden and immunological status of the animal, MAP may thwart innate defense mechanisms and persist within the macrophage. This study aimed to determine the numbers of macrophages and MAP present in bovine midileal tissue during different stages of infection. Immunofluorescent (IF) labeling was performed on frozen bovine midileal intestinal tissue collected from 28 Holstein dairy cows. The number of macrophages in …

Divergent Antigen-Specific Cellular Immune Responses During Asymptomatic Subclinical And Clinical States Of Disease In Cows Naturally Infected With Mycobacterium Avium Subsp. Paratuberculosis, Judith R. Stabel, J. P. Bannantine

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Infection of the host with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis results in chronic and progressive enteritis that traverses both subclinical and clinical stages. The mechanism(s) for the shift from an asymptomatic subclinical disease state to advanced clinical disease is not fully understood. In the present study, naturally infected dairy cattle were divided into subclinical and clinical infection groups, along with noninfected control cows of similar parity, to study host immune responses in different stages of infection. Both infection groups had higher levels of secretion of gamma interferon (IFN-􏰇), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-􏰈), and interleukin-2 (IL-2) than control cows, whereas only clinical …

The Transcriptomes Of The Cattle Parasitic Nematode Ostertagia Ostartagi, Sahar Abubucker, Dante S. Zarlenga, John Martin, Yong Yin, Zhengyuan Wang, James P. Mccarter, Louis Gasbarree, Richard K. Wilson, Makedonka Mitreva

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Ostertagia ostertagi is a gastrointestinal parasitic nematode that affects cattle and leads to a loss of production. In this study, we present the first large-scale genomic survey of O. ostertagi by the analysis of expressed transcripts from three stages of the parasite: third- stage larvae, fourth-stage larvae and adult worms. Using an in silico approach, 2284 genes were identified from over 7000 expressed sequence tags and abundant transcripts were analyzed and characterized by their functional profile. Of the 2284 genes, 66% had similarity to other known or predicted genes while the rest were novel and potentially represent genes specific to …

Abomasal Mucosal Immune Responses Of Cattle With Limited Or Continuous Exposure To Pasture-Borne Gastrointestinal Nematode Parasite Infection, Wenbin Tuo, Lei Li, Jose Carrillo, Dedra Brown, William C. Davis, Jiuzhou Song, Dante Zarlenga, Zhengguo Xiao

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

It has been well documented that cattle raised on pasture are slow in weight gain when compared to those fed with grain. Inflammation in the digestive system commonly caused by pasture-transmitted gastrointestinal (GI) nematode parasites that could negatively impact feed conversion has never been compared in cattle raised with no pasture exposure (NPE, uninfected), limited pasture exposure (LPE, exposure until weaning), or continuous pasture exposure (CPE, life time exposure). In the present study, the abomasal mucosal immune responses and inflammation of LPE and CPE cattle were investigated. Our results indicate that CPE cattle displayed inflamed abomasa with enlarged draining lymph …

Ostertagia Ostertagi Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor Is Present In All Developmental Stages And May Cross-Regulate Host Functions Through Interaction With The Host Receptor, Guanggang Qu, Raymond Fetterer, Lin Leng, Xin Du, Dante Zarlenga, Zhiqiang Shen, Wenyu Han, Richard Bucala, Wenbin Tuo

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) of Ostertagia ostertagi, an abomasal parasite of cattle, was characterised in the present study. Phylogenetic analysis identified at least three O. ostertagi MIFs (Oos- MIFs), each encoded by a distinct transcript: Oos-MIF-1.1, Oos-MIF-1.2 and Oos-MIF-2. Oos-MIF-2 is only distantly related to Oos-MIF-1s, but has higher sequence similarity with the Caenorhabditis elegans MIF2. Oos-MIF-1.1 and Oos-MIF-1.2 are similar (93%) and thus collectively referred to as Oos-MIF-1 when characterised with immunoassays. Recombinant Oos-MIF-1.1 (rOos-MIF-1.1) is catalytically active as a tautomerase. A mutation (rOos-MIF-1.1P1G) or duplication of Pro1 residue (rOos-MIF-1.1P1+P) resulted in reduced oligomerisation and loss of tautomerase …

Evaluation Of Ethanol Vortex Elisa For Detection Of Bovine Tuberculosis In Cattle And Deer, Ashutosh Wadhwa, Rachel E. Johonson, Keiko Eda, W Ray Waters, Mitchell V. Palmer, John Bannantine, Shigetoshi Eda

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Background: The use of serological assays for diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis (TB) has been intensively studied and use of specific antigens have aided in improving the diagnostic accuracy of the assays. In the present study, we report an in-house enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), developed by using ethanol extract of Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis). The assay, named (ethanol vortex ELISA [EVELISA]), was evaluated for detection of anti- M. bovis antibodies in the sera of cattle and white-tailed deer.

Methods: By using the EVELISA, we tested sera obtained from two species of animals; cattle (n = 62 [uninfected, n = 40; …

Evaluation Of Response To Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus Type 2 Vaccination And Timing Of Weaning On Yearling Ultrasound Body Composition, Performance, And Carcass Quality Traits In Angus Calves, R. G. Tait Jr, E. D. Downey, M. S. Mayes, C. A. Park, J. F. Ridpath, D. J. Garrick, J. M. Reecy

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

There are concerns about antagonisms between immunity and animal productivity in livestock production. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of antibody levels through a response to vaccination protocol, weaning timing, and their interaction on performance and carcass quality traits in Angus beef cattle. Final antibody level and response to vaccination were based on neutralizing serum antibodies against bovine viral diarrhea virus type 2 (BVDV2). Calves were followed through development and the feedlot phase, with collection of yearling ultrasound (n = 957), preharvest (n = 762), and carcass (n = 673) data. In this …

Toxicokinetics And Pathology Of Plant-Associated Acute Selenium Toxicosis In Steers, T Zane Davis, Bryan L. Stegelmeier, Kip E. Panter, Daniel Cook, Dale R. Gardner

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Sixteen of approximately 500 yearling steers died of acute selenium (Se) toxicosis after grazing on a Secontaminated range for only a few days. Field studies and chemical analyses identified the predominant toxic plant as western aster (Symphyotrichum ascendens, previously Aster ascendens), which contained over 4,000 ppm Se (dry weight). Several dead animals that were necropsied had acute severe myocardial necrosis characterized by edema and myocyte swelling, with hypereosinophilia, clumping, and coagulation of myocardial proteins. Whole blood from 36 surviving steers was collected and analyzed, and 10 steers with elevated Se concentrations were selected for close monitoring and clinical evaluations. Each …

Chapter 20 Rainfed Farming Systems In The Usa, Alan Franzluebbers, Jean L. Steiner, Doug Karlen, Tim Griffin, Jeremy Singer, Don Tanaka

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

This chapter describes characteristics of four major rainfed farming regions and systems in the USA: Great Plains wheat-sorghum-cattle; midwestern corn-soybean-hogs, southern cotton-peanut-poultry, and coastal diversified cropsdairy. Rainfed farming systems in the USA are highly productive, economically important, ecologically diverse and technologically driven. Management approaches to achieve resource efficiency and agricultural sustainability are described, including the use of improved genetic seed sources, crop rotations, appropriate fertiliser application techniques, conservation tillage and integrated crop-livestock production systems. Issues of increasing oil and fertiliser prices, sustainability of soil and water resources, and climate change are current challenges facing agriculture in the USA.

Effects Of Prescribed Fire And Herbicide Application On Cattle Grazing And Herbage Production From Yellow Bluestem Pastures, S. A. Gunter, R. L. Gillen

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Forage management practices influence the quantity and quality of forage available to grazing cattle. The objectives of this experiment were to determine the effects of prescribed fire or herbicides on the density of forbs, the production and nutritive value of the herbage, and the performance of beef steers grazing Yellow bluestem [Bothriochloa ischaemum (L.) Keng var. ischaemum (Hack.) Celarier and Harlan] pastures. The experiment was conducted in northwestern Oklahoma from 1998 through 2000, and the untreated pastures (control) were not burned or sprayed. The prescribed-fire treatment (PFT) occurred annually between March 27 and April 10. The herbicide treatment (HT) consisted …

A Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay To Simultaneously Distinguish Cryptosporidium Species Of Veterinary And Public Health Concern In Cattle, Mónica Santín, Dante S. Zarlenga

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Four species of Cryptosporidium are routinely found in cattle: Cryptosporidium parvum, Cryptosporidium bovis, Cryptosporidium ryanae, and Cryptosporidium andersoni. It is important to determine the species of Cryptosporidium in infected cattle because C. parvum is the only serious pathogen for humans as well as cattle. Identification of Cryptosporidium species and genotypes currently relies on molecular methods such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) or gene sequencing. Incorporation of these techniques in a routine veterinary diagnostic laboratory is cost prohibitive. As such, their applications are limited primarily to research and a few public health laboratories. To …

Use Of A Candidate Gene Array To Delineate Gene Expression Patterns In Cattle Selected For Resistance Or Susceptibility To Intestinal Nematodes, Ricardo N. Araujo, Terezinha Padilha, Dante Zarlenga, Tad Sonstegard, Erin E. Connor, Curt Van Tassel, Walter S. Lima, Evaldo Nascimento, Louis C. Gasbarre

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

In the present study, we use microarray technology to investigate the expression patterns of 381 genes with known association to host immune responses. Hybridization targets were derived from previously characterized bovine cDNAs. A total of 576 reporters (473 sequence-validated cDNAs and 77 controls) were spotted onto glass slides in two sets of four replicates. Two color, comparative hybridizations across both mesenteric lymph node (MLN) and small intestine mucosa (SIM) RNA samples were done between animals with previously demonstrated phenotypic differences based on natural exposure to gastro- intestinal (GI) nematodes over a 6-month exposure period. A total of 138 significant hybridization …

Effects Of Graded Levels Of Sorghum Wet Distiller’S Grains And Degraded Intake Protein Supply On Performance And Carcass Characteristics Of Feedlot Cattle Fed Steam-Flaked Corn-Based Diets, J. T. Vasconcelos, L. M. Shaw, K. A. Lemon, N. A. Cole, M. L. Galyean

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Two experiments evaluated different levels of sorghum wet distiller’s grains plus solubles (SWDG) and effects of increasing the degraded intake protein (DIP) concentration in diets containing SWDG on performance and carcass characteristics of feedlot cattle. In Exp. 1, 200 beef steers (average BW = 404 kg) were fed increasing levels of SWDG (0, 5, 10, and 15% of DM) and one level of corn wet distiller’s grains plus solubles (10% of DM), which replaced steamflaked corn in a high-concentrate diet. Final BW (P = 0.04) and overall ADG (P = 0.01) decreased linearly with increasing levels of SWDG. Increasing SWDG …

Accumulation And Consumption Of Odorous Compounds In Feedlot Soils Under Aerobic, Fermentative, And Anaerobic Respiratory Conditions, D. N. Miller

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Agricultural odors present an increasingly difficult challenge to livestock producers, yet very little information is available on the microbiology of odor production or microbial factors that regulate the emission of odors. This study examined the microbial potential for odor production and odor consumption in two soils from a cattle production facility in central Nebraska. The two soils tested were collected from a feedlot pen and a runoff ditch below the pen and contained high- and low-fecal matter content, respectively. These soils were tested for their ability to produce and consume a mixture of VFA and aromatic compounds (phenols and indoles) …

Genetic And Phenotypic (Co)Variances For Growth And Carcass Traits Of Purebred And Composite Populations Of Beef Cattle, K. E. Gregory, L. V. Cundiff, R. M. Koch

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Least squares means, genetic (σ_g), and phenotypic (σ_p) standard deviations, and phenotypic coefficients of variation (CV) were estimated on an age-constant basis for growth, carcass, and meat traits of castrate males from 12 breed groups combined, for 9 purebreds combined, and for the F3 generation of three composite populations combined to which the nine purebreds contributed. Also, heritabilities ( h²) and genetic ( r_g) and phenotypic ( r_p) correlations were estimated among growth, carcass, and meat traits for all breed groups combined involving 1,594 individuals that were the progeny of …