Life Sciences Commons^™

Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Increased Pregnancy In Suckled Beef Cows Not Detected In Estrus And Subjected To A Split-Time Artificial Insemination Program, S. L. Hill, D. M. Grieger, K C. Olson, J. R. Jaeger, K. R. Harmoney, C. R. Dahlen, M. R. Crosswhite, N. Negrin Pereira, S. R. Underdahl, B. W. Neville, J. Ahola, M. C. Fischer, G E. Seidel, J. Stevenson

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Estrus-synchronization programs allow insemination of all females in a herd at one fixed time on the first day of the breeding season. Inseminating cows after they have expressed estrus increases pregnancy rate (PR) compared with cows that do not display estrus in a timed AI (TAI) program. Identification of estrus status can be facilitated by using estrus-detection patches. Varying AI timing according to estrus status has increased PR in some previous studies. Reducing the number of injections in a TAI program decreases labor requirements, stress on cows, and overall cost of the program. Previous studies have demonstrated that PR is …

Agricultural Research Center-Hays, Roundup

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Roundup is the major beef cattle education and outreach event sponsored by the Agricultural Research Center–Hays. The 2018 program is the 104th staging of Roundup. The purpose is to communicate timely, applicable research information to producers and extension personnel.

The research program of the Agricultural Research Center–Hays is dedicated to serving the people of Kansas by developing new knowledge and technology to stabilize and sustain long-term production of food and fiber in a manner consistent with conservation of natural resources, protection of the environment, and assurance of food safety. Primary emphasis is on production efficiency through optimization of inputs in …

Cattlemen's Day 2018, E. A. Boyle

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Full report, Cattlemen's Day 2018.

Two Split-Time Artificial Insemination Programs In Suckled Beef Cows, J. Stevenson, S. L. Hill, D. M. Grieger, K C. Olson, J. R. Jaeger, K. R. Harmoney, J. Ahola, G. E. Seidel, R. K. Kasimanickam

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Successful programs to manipulate estrus and ovulation to maximize pregnancy out­comes in suckled beef cattle have been developed to limit animal handling and to elimi­nate the need to detect estrus, thereby providing more opportunity to incorporate AI to start the breeding season. The most successful and consistent synchronization scheme employs an intravaginal progesterone insert (controlled internal drug release, CIDR) in place for 7 d concurrent with GnRH treatment, and, upon removal of the insert, injection of PGF_2α, followed by timed AI at 60 to 66 h concurrent with a second dose of GnRH (CO-synch + CIDR).

Inseminating cows …

Feet And Leg Traits Are Moderately To Lowly Heritable In Red Angus Cattle, L. K. Giess, B. R. Jensen, R. L. Weaber, J. M. Bormann, W. A. Fiske

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Objective:The goals of this study were to identify feet and leg indicator traits to be used in beef breed genetic evaluations and develop a scoring method that can be easily adopted by cattle producers.

Description:Data were analyzed on 1,885 Red Angus cattle, and after editing, 1,720 records were used for analysis. Feet and leg phenotypes were obtained from August 2015 through September 2017 for 14 traits shown in the following table. Trained livestock evaluators collected measurements using an electronic tablet with offline data storage capabilities. Heritability estimates for all 14 traits were calculated from two different …

Bio-Economic Model Predicts Economic Values For Beef Production, W. S. Leal, R. F. Costa, L. L. Cardoso, F. S. Mendonça, F. F. Cardoso, M. J. Yokoo, R. L. Weaber

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Objective:The objective was to estimate economic values for production traits in a full life cycle system using a bio-economic model with Angus purebred and a terminal crossbreeding system with Nelore sires mated to Angus dams.

Study Description:Phenotypic performance data were collected from the Bifequali crossbreeding scheme at the Embrapa Pecuária Sul Research Center of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation. The data consisted of performance and carcass traits measured on progeny of Angus purebred and Nelore sires mated to Angus dams raised in a pasture-based production system from birth to slaughter (full life cycle). The economic characterization …

Cattlemen’S Day 2017, Full Report

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Full Cattlemen's Day 2017 publication, including research articles on beef cattle management, nutrition, and meat science.

Water Intake In Growing Beef Cattle, C. M. Ahlberg, K. Allwardt, A Broocks, K Bruno, A. Taylor, C. Krehbiel, C. Richards, S. Place, U. Desilva, D. Vanoverbeke, R. Mateescu, M. M. Rolf

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Water is an essential part of livestock and human diets and is often thought of as an inexpensive, readily available renewable natural resource. However, the amount of competition between humans, wildlife, feed production, and livestock for high-quality water is increasing, not only from the effects of drought but from the pressure of a growing global population (Nardone et al., 2010). With limited resources available for production agriculture, there is a need to identify and select for efficient animals that can produce more product with fewer inputs. Although some work has been done in dairy cattle, very little data is available …

Producer Opinions On Antibiotic Use In The Beef Industry, T. Lee, C. D. Reinhardt, E. F. Schwandt, D. U. Thomson

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Antibiotic use in the beef industry is of increasing interest to consumers and has become a point of discussion for producers, veterinarians, and professional scientists in recent years. With the vast amount of information available on the internet and social media, consumers are becoming more knowledgeable about beef production practices and the use of antibiotics in the food animal industries. Furthermore, scientists have devoted a large amount of time and money to research to investigate consumer opinions and perspectives about management practices used in food animal production. However, many of these investigations fail to include the opinions and perspectives of …

Acknowledgments, Livestock And Meat Industry Council Inc, Biological Variability

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Listed below are individuals, organizations, and firms that have contributed to the beef research program through financial support, product donations, or services. We appreciate your help!

Evaluation Of Supplemental Energy Source For Grazing Stocker Cattle, L. W. Lomas, J. K. Farney, J. L. Moyer

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Seventy-two steers grazing smooth bromegrass pastures were used to evaluate the effects of supplemental energy source on available forage, grazing gains, subsequent finishing gains, and carcass characteristics in 2014 and 2015. Supplementation treatments evaluated were: no supplement, a supplement with starch as the primary source of energy, and a supplement with fat as the primary source of energy. Supplements were formulated to provide the same quantity of protein and energy per head daily. Supplementation with the starch-based or fat-based supplement during the grazing phase resulted in higher (P<0.05) grazing gains than feeding no supplement during both years. In 2015, steers supplemented with the fat-based supplement had greater (P<0.05) grazing gains than those that received the starch-based supplement. In 2014, supplementation during the grazing phase had no effect (P>0.05) on finishing gain, feed intake, and feed:gain. Steers supplemented with the …

Effects Of Various Grazing Systems On Grazing And Subsequent Finishing Performance, L. W. Lomas, J. L. Moyer

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A total of 240 mixed black yearling steers were used to compare grazing and subsequent finishing performance from pastures with ‘MaxQ’ tall fescue, a wheat-bermudagrass double-crop system, or a wheat-crabgrass double-crop system in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. Daily gains of steers that grazed MaxQ fescue, wheatbermudagrass, or wheat-crabgrass were similar (P>0.05) in 2010. The daily gains of steers that grazed wheat-bermudagrass or wheat-crabgrass were greater (P>0.05) than those that grazed MaxQ fescue in 2011 and 2012. The daily gains of steers that grazed wheat-crabgrass were greater (P>0.05) than those that grazed wheat-bermudagrass and similar …

Effects Of Supplementation With Corn Or Dried Distillers Grains On Gains Of Heifer Calves Grazing Smooth Bromegrass Pastures, L. W. Lomas, J. L. Moyer

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A total of 60 heifer calves grazing smooth bromegrass pastures were used to compare supplementation of 0.5% of body weight per head daily of corn or dried distillers grains (DDG) in 2014 and 2015. Daily gains of heifers supplemented with corn or DDG were similar (P>0.05).

Evaluation Of Ammoniated Wheat Straw In Receiving And Growing Diets, E. R. Schlegel, S. P. Montgomery, J. W. Waggoner, C. I. Vahl, W. R. Hollenbeck, B. E. Oleen, D. A. Blasi

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Drought conditions in the past have created a shortage of prairie hay and other grass hays that are used as roughage sources for growing beef diets. Ammoniated wheat straw historically has been available for purchase at a lower than prairie hay. Although some research has been conducted using ammoniated wheat straw as a feedstuff for mature cows, little information is available on the use and outcome its inclusion in beef cattle receiving and growing diets. Our objective was to compare the performance outcomes of newly arrived and growing calves fed total mixed rations containing either ammoniated wheat straw, wheat straw, …

Carryover Effects Of Crude Glycerin Fed During The Growing Phase On Finishing Cattle Performance And Carcass Characteristics, C. C. Aperce, J. S. Drouillard

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Crude glycerin is a byproduct of biodiesel production, and its use as a feedstuff for cattle has expanded in the last decade due to increased availability and favorable pricing compared with other energy concentrates such as cereal grains. Incorporation of glycerin into cereal-based finishing diets, at levels up to 8%, has been shown to improve cattle performance; however, it decreases activity of cellulolytic microorganisms in the rumen, ultimately decreasing fiber digestion. Most of the studies conducted to date have evaluated glycerin in finishing diets that contain relatively small amounts of fiber, but little is known of its value as an …

Effects Of Srp Vaccine In Reducing E. Coli O157:H7 In Cattle, A. B. Thornton, D. U. Thomson, J. T. Fox, G. H. Loneragan, D. Burkhardt, T. G. Nagaraja

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Cattle are the main reservoir ofEscherichia coliO157:H7, which is a foodborne pathogen that causes bloody diarrhea in adults and kidney damage in children .E. coliO157 is shed in the feces of cattle, which can be a contamination source of water, ground beef, fresh vegetables, and unpasterized milk and fruit juices. In 2003, shiga-toxin producingE. coliO157:H7 caused 73,000 illnesses, which resulted in over 2,000 hospitalizations and 60 deaths in the United States. The estimated annual cost of this illness was $405 million, which included $370 million for premature deaths, $30 million for medical care, and …

Mechanical Probes Used On Uncooked Steaks Can Predict Cooked Beef Longissimus Tenderness, J. W. Stephens, J. A. Unruh, Michael E. Dikeman, M. C. Hunt, T. E. Lawrence, T. M. Loughin

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

We investigated five mechanical probes, used on uncooked strip loin steaks at 2 days postmortem, to predict trained sensory panel (TSP) tenderness and Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) of steaks aged 14 days. Twenty-nine USDA Select strip loins were evaluated with sharp needle, blunt needle, sharp blade, and blunt blade probes in parallel and perpendicular orientations to the length of the strip loin. A steak from each loin was also measured with a plumb bob probe in a parallel orientation and with a Miniscan for instrumental color. None of the perpendicular orientation measurements were correlated (P>0.05) to TSP tenderness. The …

Effects Of Ralgro Implants On Growth, Sexual Development, Carcass Characteristics, And Eating Quality Of Bulls Implanted From Birth To Slaughter, J. R. Greathouse, M. C. Hunt, Michael E. Dikeman, L. R. Corah, Curtis Kastner, R. J. Pruitt

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Growth, performance, sexual development, carcass characteristics, and eating quality were evaluated on 40 fall-born Angus bulls. Twenty of the bulls were implanted five times with Ralgro at an average interval of 106 days, beginning near birth. The other 20 bulls served as nonimplanted controls. Bull calves remained with their dams on native southeast Kansas pasture for an average of 320 days; they were then allotted to drylot pens (feedlot beginning) and placed on a 75% concentrate ration. Bulls from each treatment were fed to target weights of 1000 and 1100 pounds, and then slaughtered.

Ralgro implanting increased average daily gain …

Hot Processing--Potential For Application In The Beef Processing Industry

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Three studies were conducted to evaluate the economics and quality of hot-processed beef. Study I compared two hot-processing techniques to conventional chilling and processing to determine efficiencies of energy, labor, and other resources. Substantial savings occurring with hot processing techniques include: 32 to 42% less energy need, significantly less cooler space requirement, eliminating the need to shroud carcasses, less labor, and reduced carcass shrinkage resulting in savings of $2.36 to $2.75 per head slaughtered. Study II compared the color and eating qualities of electrically stimulated and hot-processed beef with conventionally processed beef. Electrically stimulated and hot-boned loineye steaks were similar …