Agriculture Commons^™

Print Grades Prime: A Quantitative Analysis Of Producer Communication Preferences Of U.S. Beef Breed Association Magazines Through The Lenses Of Uses, Gratifications, And Gatekeeping, Megan Underwood, Katherine J. Starzec, Nellie Hill-Sullins, R. L. Weaber

Journal of Applied Communications

The United States beef industry is a major stakeholder in national and international agriculture and is driven by technological innovations and beef producers in all 50 states. Beef cattle breed associations are essential to the success of the industry as they not only maintain breed pedigrees but also disseminate vital information to their members. The magazines of beef cattle breed associations are a primary source of communication for U.S. beef producers. Goals for this study were to determine what information beef producers use from their beef breed association magazines, what information they want to see more of in beef breed …

Instagram As A Tool Of Diffusion For The Livestock Industry, Savannah Locke, Karen Hiltbrand, Katie Corbitt, Darcey Richburg, David Shannon, Soren P. Rodning, Jason T. Sawyer, Don Mulvaney

Journal of Applied Communications

Studies have shown that more people are getting their information through social media (SM). With so much misinformation presented in global media, it is difficult for consumers to distinguish what is true and what isn’t. With negative images and minimal context, consumers have a tendency to believe and trust what they see on SM. After IRB approval, a survey study was launched on Qualtrics and accessed via email. Using Instagram as platform, this study presented 5 cognitively and 5 emotionally oriented posts focused on the aspects of animal welfare, diet/health, and environment/sustainability. Prior to viewing the Instagram posts, study participants …

Autobiography Of George Washington Owens: First African American Graduate Of Kansas State University, Anthony R. Crawford

Special Publications

George Washington Owens was the son of former slaves who migrated to Kansas in the early 1870s to find free land, finally settling in Wabaunsee County, Kansas, near Alma. It was there that he was born in 1875. In his handwritten autobiography, Owens chronicles the difficulties and successes of working hard growing up on the plains and as a student at District School #3 of Alma, and then at Kansas State Agricultural College. After learning that no African American had graduated from KSAC (now Kansas State University), “he resolved to be the first.” He did so, graduating in 1899. Owens …

Assessment Of Soy-Based Imports Into The Us And Associated Foreign Animal Disease Status, Allison K. Blomme, Cassandra K. Jones, Jordan T. Gebhardt, Jason C. Woodworth, Chad B. Paulk

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Soy-based products are known to pose a viable risk to US swine herds because of their ability to harbor and transmit virus. This study evaluated soy imports into the US as a whole and from foreign animal disease positive (FAD+) countries to determine which products are being imported in the highest quantities and observe potential trends in imports from FAD+ countries. Import data were accessed through the United States International Trade Commission website (USITC DataWeb) and summarized using R (version 4.0.2, R core team, Vienna, Austria). Twenty-one different Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) codes were queried to determine quantities (US tons, …

A Sentiment And Content Analysis Of Twitter Content Regarding The Use Of Antibiotics In Livestock, Garrett M. Steede, Courtney Meyers, Nan Li, Erica Irlbeck, Sherice Gearhart

Journal of Applied Communications

On January 1, 2017, the final rule of the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) was put into place requiring antibiotics approved for both humans and animals to be discontinued for growth promotion. This change was brought on by the role growth promoters in livestock production play in the development of antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance increases the costs associated with human health care by increasing the length of stays in the hospital and requiring more intensive medical care for patients. The purpose of this study was to explore sentiment and characteristics of social media content and the characteristics of the key influencers …

Developing Prediction Equations For Fat Free Lean In The Presence Of An Unknown Amount Of Proportional Measurement Error, Zachary J. Hass, Bruce A. Craig, Allan Schinckel

Conference on Applied Statistics in Agriculture

Published prediction equations for fat-free lean mass are widely used by producers for carcass evaluation. These regression equations are commonly derived under the assumption that the predictors are measured without error. In practice, however, it is known that some predictors, such as backfat and loin muscle depth, are measured imperfectly with variance that is proportional to the mean. Failure to account for these measurement errors will cause bias in the estimated equation. In this paper, we describe an empirical Bayes approach, using technical replicates, to accurately estimate the regression relationship in the presence of proportional measurement error. We demonstrate, via …

Effects Of Intensive Late-Season Sheep Grazing Following Early-Season Steer Grazing On Population Dynamics Of Sericea Lespedeza In The Kansas Flint Hills, J. Lemmon, W. H. Fick, J. A. Alexander, G. W. Preedy, C. A. Gurule, K C. Olson

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata; SL) is a high-tannin, invasive forb in the Tallgrass Prairie ecosystem. In Kansas, sericea lespedeza infests 980 square miles of pasture, primarily in the Flint Hills region. Sericea lespedeza infestations reduce native grass production by up to 92% through a combination of aggressive growth, prolific reproduction, canopy dominance, and chemical inhibition (allelopathy). Herbicides retard the spread of sericea lespedeza, but application is laborious and expensive; moreover, herbicides are lethal to ecologically-important, non-target plant species.

Increased grazing pressure on sericea lespedeza by domestic herbivores may slow its spread and facilitate some measure of biological control. …

Assessing Training Methods To Educate Dairy Workers, L. Mendonca, B. E. Voelz, A. Scanavez

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Training employees is fundamental for dairy producers to achieve efficiency in order to increase profitability. Training videos offered online are becoming more common and recommended to train employees. The goals of this survey were to evaluate the comfort level of dairy employees in using computers and tablets, and preferred training delivery methods. A total of 71 employees from 6 dairies were interviewed. Interviews were conducted in the preferred language of the interviewee – English or Spanish. Of the respondents, 52 and 65.6% of employees consider computers and tablets easy to use, respectively. More than half of the employees reported that …

Effects Of Growth-Promoting Technologies On Feedlot Performance And Carcass Characteristics Of Crossbred Heifers, S. M. Ebarb, K. J. Phelps, J. E. Axman, C. L. Van Bibber, J. S. Drouillard, J. M. Gonzalez

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The use of growth-promoting technologies has become a common practice in the beef cattle industry as producers strive for efficient growth and greater lean deposition. Two common technologies include exogenous hormonal implants and beta-adrenergic agonists (β-AA). Combination implants containing estrogen and testosterone increase muscle mass by elevating protein synthesis and/or reducing protein degradation. The increase in protein synthesis allows the animal to produce more lean muscle tissue. Optaflexx (Elanco Animal Health, Greenfield, IN) is a popular β-AA that works as a repartitioning agent to redirect nutrients toward muscle deposition and away from adipose tissue production. The two technologies utilize separate …

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

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A total of 200 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, and 2014. Daily gains of steers that grazed ‘MaxQ’ tall fescue, wheat-bermudagrass, or wheat-crabgrass were similar (P>0.05) in 2010, daily gains of steers that grazed wheat-bermudagrass or wheat-crabgrass were greater (P>0.05) than those that grazed ‘MaxQ’ tall fescue in 2011 and 2012, daily gains of steers that grazed wheat-crabgrass were greater (P>0.05) than those that grazed wheat-bermudagrass …

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

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

Effects Of Growth-Promoting Technologies On Muscle Structural Characteristics And Meat Tenderness, S. M. Ebarb, J. S. Drouillard, K. J. Phelps, J. A. Noel, M. A. Vaughn, D. D. Burnett, J. M. Gonzalez

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Skeletal muscle tissue consists of two main structures that elicit strong influences on cooked meat tenderness: myofibrillar and connective tissues. The myofibrillar component consists of contractile and cytoskeletal proteins that aid in muscle contraction and support. A large portion of meat science literature documents the effects that postmortem aging elicits in terms of weakening the myofibrillar component to improve tenderness. Connective tissue is primarily comprised of collagen, the most abundant protein within the body. The function of this tissue is to support the myofibrillar component and transfer the force of contraction. Collagen, characterized by its solubility, is most commonly identified …

Evaluation Of The Productivity Of A Single Subcutaneous Injection Of Longrange In Stocker Calves Compared With A Positive (Dectomax) And A Negative (Saline) Control, A. C. Vesco, A. K. Sexten, C. S. Weibert, B. E. Oleen, W. R. Hollenbeck, L C. Grimes, Dale Blasi

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Subclinical parasitism is commonly observed in stocker cattle. Treatment of internal parasites helps to improve weight gains, feed conversion, and immune status and decreases morbidity and mortality of beef cattle (Hawkins, 1993). Some of the most concerning classes of internal parasites includeCooperia,Haemonchus, andOstertagia. Commonly used anthelmintics come in the form of pour-ons, oral drenches, and subcutaneous injections. A majority of these drugs are designed to be administered in a single dose and provide defense against stomach worms for approximately 14 to 42 days, but the typical grazing season lasts for approximately 120 days. For …

Evaluation Of Calcium Hydroxide-Treated Stover (Second Crop) In Receiving And Growing Diets And Effects On Cattle Performance, T. Spore, S. Montgomery, C. Vahl, B. E. Oleen, W. R. Hollenbeck, J. W. Waggoner, J. Hill, D. A. Blasi

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Production of ethanol from corn as an alternative fuel source has significantly affected the pricing landscape for corn as an energy source for livestock. As ethanol usage has become more prevalent, corn prices have become more volatile, especially in critical corn-growing areas that have been affected by drought. Consequently, many beef cattle feeders have become interested in alternative energy sources in an effort to control cost of gain. Second Crop (ADM Corp., Decatur, IL) is a process in which calcium hydroxide is added to fibrous crop residues, such as wheat straw and corn stover. When applied to low-quality roughages, calcium …

Using Estrus-Detection Patches To Vary Time Of Insemination Improves Pregnancy Rates Compared With One Single Timed Insemination, S. L. Hill, D. M. Grieger, K C. Olson, J. R. Jaeger, J. S. Stevenson

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Timed artificial insemination (TAI) of beef cows at a predetermined time is a management tool that reduces labor costs associated with conventional heat detection before insemination. Multiple research trials have examined timing of the individual components of the developed protocols associated with TAI. The 7-day CO-Synch + progesterone insert (controlled internal drug release; CIDR) protocol has been shown to initiate ovulation effectively in cycling and noncycling suckled beef cows, often producing pregnancy rates greater than 50% in beef cows. In the current research, we examined using two targeted insemination intervals depending on the occurrence of estrus. We hypothesized that by …

An Injectable Trace Mineral Supplement In Yearling Bulls Causes A Short-Term Increase In Circulating Trace Mineral Levels But Does Not Improve Sperm Quality, A. A. Kirchhoff, K. E. Fike, R. Breiner

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Proper trace mineral supplementation is necessary for reproductive development and function. Supplementation with various trace minerals has been shown to improve overall sperm quality and morphology and increase the percentage of live sperm. When developing beef bulls, it is necessary to meet trace mineral requirements to ensure proper reproductive success. An injectable trace mineral product has been made commercially available for use in cattle as a supplemental form of chelated selenium, copper, zinc, and manganese. Considering the role of trace minerals in bull reproductive function, we posed the question of whether using an injectable trace mineral product beyond dietary supplementation …

Dietary Chromium Propionate Combined With Yeast Minimally Affects Growth Performance And Carcass Traits Of Finishing Steers, C. L. Van Bibber, J. E. Axman, J. M. Gonzalez, J. S. Drouillard

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Chromium (Cr) is an essential micromineral that serves to increase absorption of glucose from blood by potentiating the action of insulin. The ability to increase glucose tolerance could lead to more efficient use of glucose and ultimately to improved growth and efficiency. In addition, Cr may be beneficial in improving the immune response of cattle that are subjected to periods of stress. Organic forms of Cr (i.e., Cr propionate) increase absorption and are more physiologically active than their inorganic counterparts. Chromium propionate is currently the only approved form of organic Cr allowed for supplementation in cattle diets in the United …

Lactipro (Megasphaera Elsdenii) Increases Ruminal Ph And Alters Volatile Fatty Acids And Lactate During Transition To An 80% Concentrate Diet, J. Thieszen, C. L. Van Bibber, J. E. Axman, J. S. Drouillard

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Direct-fed microbials commonly have been used to enhance performance or to decrease shedding of foodborne pathogens in beef cattle.Megasphaera elsdeniiis a recently introduced probiotic bacteria marketed under the trade name Lactipro (MS-Biotec Inc., Wamego, KS) and is a key lactate-fermenting bacterium in the rumens of cattle fed high-concentrate diets.Megasphaera elsdeniiis responsible for metabolizing up to 95% lactic acid within the rumen, and thus is an important species for controlling occurrence of ruminal acidosis. The objective of this study was to evaluate changes in ruminal pH and volatile fatty acid concentration during the transition from a diet …

Comparing Standing Heat And Estrotect Heat Detection Patches, S. K. Johnson, J. R. Jaeger

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A recent survey showed that 66% of producers surveyed used some amount of heat detection in their artificial insemination program, and 74% of producers that used heat detection aids had tried Estrotect (Rockway, Inc.; Spring Valley, WS) heat detection patches. The peel-and-stick application made Estrotect more popular than types that required adhesive application. The patches are designed so that when the animal is mounted the top surface layer is removed, much like scratching a lottery ticket. After several mounts the entire layer is removed, leaving a bright-colored surface behind. A new type of patch, Standing Heat (Standing Heat, LLC; Dannebrog, …

Hops Βeta-Acid Extract Yields Feedlot Performance Similar To Rumensin, J. E. Axman, C. L. Van Bibber, C. Alvarado, J. Thieszen, J. S. Drouillard

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Hops (Humulus lupulus) have played an integral role in beer manufacturing and are widely known for their antimicrobial and preservative properties. α-acids of hops are extracted and utilized to enhance beer flavor, leaving residues largely composed of β-acids. Beta-acid extracts of hops are structurally similar to ionophores and may express ionophore-like traits. Ionophores, including Rumensin (Elanco Animal Health, Greenfield, IN), are used to improve feed efficiency and to decrease the incidence of digestive disturbances in feedlot cattle. A large portion ofin vitrostudies show benefits from feeding hops or hop acids with results similar to ionophores; however, …

Menthol Supplementation Has Minimal Effects On Blood Components From Holstein Steers, C. L. Van Bibber, K. A. Miller, C. C. Aperce, C. Alvarado, J. J. Higgins, J. S. Drouillard

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Menthol is a naturally occurring compound classified as an essential oil that gives plants of theMenthaspecies their characteristic minty aroma and flavor. Menthol is used as a cooling compound in products ranging from common cold medications to pesticides and has been found to have a wide range of biological activities in different systems within the body. More recently, menthol and other essential oils have been identified as potential alternatives to feed antibiotics and growth promotants. Menthol has been observed to directly affect κ-opioid receptors. Kappa opioid receptors are located in the central nervous system, with a high density …

Effects Of Postmortem Aging Time And Muscle Location On Objective Measures Of Semitendinosus Steak Tenderness, M. B. Da Silva, L. D. F. Miranda, K. J. Phelps, S. M. Ebarb, C. L. Van Bibber, T. G. O'Quinn, J. S. Drouillard, J. M. Gonzalez

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Beef tenderness is the most important trait affecting consumer beef eating satisfaction. Cuts from muscles with superior tenderness (tenderloin, ribeye, striploin) are consequently most highly valued, but because of recent record-high beef prices, the need to identify more economical cuts that will meet consumer expectations for tenderness is greater than ever. The eye of round (Semitendinosus) has traditionally been marketed as a lower-value cut, primarily owing to its inherent toughness. Tenderness improves throughout postmortem aging and continues to improve in muscles aged for greater than 35 days. Retail steaks from theSemitendinosusreceive, on average, 17 days of …

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

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Thirty-six steers grazing smooth bromegrass pastures were used to evaluate the effects of a supplemental energy source on available forage, grazing gains, subsequent finishing gains, and carcass characteristics. 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 starchbased or fat-based supplement during the grazing phase resulted in higher (P<0.05) grazing gains than feeding no supplement. Supplementation during the grazing phase had no effect (P>0.05) on finishing gain, feed intake, and feed:gain. Steers supplemented with the starch-based …

Value And Use Of Artificial Insemination By Beef Producers, S. K. Johnson, Garland R. Dahlke

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Artificial insemination and estrous synchronization remain underutilized by U.S. beef producers. The most recent National Animal Health Monitoring Survey (NAHMS 2007–08) reported that 7.6% of producers used artificial insemination and 7.9% used estrous synchronization. The most common reason cited for not using these reproductive technologies was time and labor, followed by cost and difficulty. Little information is available on actual management practices used by producers who do use these technologies and their value to such operations.

Supplemental Zinc Oxide Does Not Interact With Zilmax In Feedlot Steers, C. L. Van Bibber, K. A. Miller, J. M. Gonzalez, J. S. Drouillard

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Zilmax (Merck Animal Health; Summit, NJ) is in a class of feed additives known as beta agonists and is designed to improve production efficiency in cattle when fed 20 days prior to harvest. Zilmax works by altering deposition of body tissue to more lean muscle than fat. Zinc is an essential mineral necessary for normal growth and development of all mammals. Zinc functions largely in enzymes involved in protein synthesis and carbohydrate metabolism along with many other biological reactions. The purpose of this study was to assess changes in blood components and to evaluate the interactive effects of zinc and …

Genetic Improvement Made Through Dna Testing And Artificial Insemination To High- Growth, High Carcass Value Angus Sires, L C. Grimes, L. R. Corah, T. Brink, M. R. Gardiner, A. K. Sexten

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The beef industry has improved the recording of pedigrees and performance data through the use of breed associations and herd health databases. Constant evaluation of genetics and performance has allowed producers to make more informed breeding decisions that help improve herd productivity. As a result of recent droughts and elevated feed and grain prices, however, the American beef cowherd is at a record-low 29 million head. For the United States to continue to be the leading producer of beef in the world, the industry must adopt technologies that improve efficiency of the cowherd and the quality of beef being produced. …

Genetic Variance And Covariance Components For Feed Intake, Average Daily Gain, And Postweaning Gain In Growing Beef Cattle, K. J. Retallick, J. M. Bormann, R. L. Weaber, M. D. Macneil, H. L. Bradford, Harvey C. Freetly, W. M. Snelling, Mark Thallman, D. Moser, Larry Kuehn

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Feed is the greatest cost for a beef cattle production enterprise. Data collection to determine feed efficiency of animals is also costly, because both gain and intake records are needed to calculate feed efficiency. Electronic intake monitoring systems such as GrowSafe or Insentec to collect feed intake data are expensive and thus limit the number of animals that can be tested. Scientists have worked to pinpoint optimal test durations for collecting both weight gain and feed intake records to lessen costs.

A 70-day performance test is currently recommended for accurate calculation of efficiency, with growth data as the limiting factor. …

Effects Of Cultivar And Distillers Grains Supplementation On Grazing And Subsequent Finishing Performance Of Stocker Steers Grazing Tall Fescue Pasture, L. W. Lomas, J. L. Moyer

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Four hundred thirty-two yearling steers grazing tall fescue pastures were used to evaluate the effects of fescue cultivar and dried distillers grains (DDG) supplementation during the grazing phase on available forage, grazing gains, subsequent finishing gains, and carcass characteristics. Fescue cultivars evaluated were high-endophyte ‘Kentucky 31’ and low-endophyte ‘Kentucky 31,’ ‘HM4,’ and ‘MaxQ.’ Steers were either fed no supplement or were supplemented with DDG at 1.0% body weight per head daily in 2009 or 0.75% of body weight per head daily in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014 while grazing. Steers that grazed pastures of low-endophyte ‘Kentucky 31,’ ‘HM4,’ or …

Developing Prediction Equations For Carcass Lean Mass In The Prescence Of Proportional Measurement Error, Zachary J. Hass, Ziqi Zhou, Bruce A. Craig

Conference on Applied Statistics in Agriculture

Published prediction equations for carcass lean mass are widely used by commercial pork producers for carcass valuation. These regression equations have been derived under the assumption that the predictors, such as back fat depth, are measured without error. In practice, however, it is known that these measurements are imperfect, with a variance that is proportional to the mean. In this paper, we consider both a linear and quadratic true relationship and compare regression fits among two methods that account for this error versus simply ignoring the additional error. We show that biased estimates of the relationship result if measurement error …

2014 Agricultural Research Southeast Agricultural Research Center, Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station And Cooperative Extension Service

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

No abstract provided.