Animal Sciences Commons^™

Controlling Weeds In Horse And Cattle Pastures, Byron Sleugh, Robert Masters

Forage Symposium at the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention

Weed control is one of the most talked about concerns of forage-animal systems. Producers will sometimes pay more attention to some pests than others and more so in some crops than others. For example, a producer may have a very low threshold for weed infestation in their corn, soybean or tobacco field but will have a very high tolerance for weeds in their pastures. This is usually because the “direct” dollar value of the forage is not seen while we can “see” how a reduction in soybean or corn yield will affect the bottom line of our operation. Vegetation manipulation …

Endophyte In Tall Fescue: Impact On Horses And Cattle, S. Ray Smith, Krista Cotton

Forage Symposium at the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention

Tall fescue [Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) Darbysh.] is an introduced cool-season perennial grass from Europe. Originally imported for regularly flooded pastures, tall fescue is now widespread across the United States due to its adaptability of a wide range of soils and climate. Kentucky 31 tall fescue is the ecotype discovered in 1931 by E.N. Fergus, which launched its popularity as a dependable, adaptable, and palatable pasture crop. In the mid-1970s, the negative effects caused by consuming tall fescue were termed fescue toxicosis. The source of fescue toxicosis was not identified until Charles Bacon first reported evidence of an endophytic fungus …

Strategies For Reducing Losses To Forage Related Disorders, Jeff Lehmkuhler

Forage Symposium at the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention

Forage induced disorders are not uncommon. These may be the result of poor harvesting and storage, symbiotic relationships with other organism such as endophtye-infected tall fescue, or environmentally induced. Poisonous plants can also be problematic when they are present in areas where cattle actively graze or forage is harvested. Yet, in many instances, problems are rare and often limited not affecting the entire herd. A primary management strategy is to ensure forage availability is not limiting forcing cattle to consume poisonous plants. Additionally, farming involves a given amount of management in all daily activities and one cannot simply ignore the …

Hay For Horses: Needs And Wants, Laurie Lawrence

Forage Symposium at the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention

Hay producers have to satisfy two types of clients, horses and humans. Horses need clean hay that has a nutritional value that is appropriate for the requirements of the horse. Clients want hay that IS consistent, convenient and cost effective. So, in many cases the “needs” of the horse and “wants” of the human are not exactly the same.

Forages: Back To Basics, Garry D. Lacefield

Forage Symposium at the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention

Over the past fifteen years, we have covered many forage-related topics ranging from the species we grow through marketing our final products. Through all of these themes, we have attempted to address the “basics” in a practical way. We will continue that theme today as we deal with some very important-practical topics.

Foreword [2011], Garry D. Lacefield, Christi L. Forsythe

Forage Symposium at the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Adipogenic Compounds On Growth Performance, Hormonal Status And Fat Deposition Of Finishing Beef Steers, Susanna Elizabeth Kitts

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Processes that regulate site of fat deposition in beef cattle are poorly understood. For the producer to procure the greatest profit, it is ideal to maximize intramuscular fat. Furthermore, to understand the physiological mechanisms affecting fat depots, it is necessary to evaluate hormones involved in growth regulation. Using a 2 x 2 factorial design of treatments, four experiments were conducted to examine two adipogenic compounds, chlortetracycline and dexamethasone. Synovex-S® and Revalor-S® were used to investigate potential interactions between growth implants and adipogenic compound. Growth performance, carcass quality, organ and fat mass and plasma hormone concentrations were measured in these studies. …

Use Of Copper Sulfate To Control Haemonchus Contortus Infestation In Hampshire Ewes, Melinda Mallory Simpson

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Two studies were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of using copper sulfate (CuSO₄) as a drench in Hampshire ewes to control stomach worms (Haemonchus contortus).

A study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of CuSO₄ to control gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) over a three year period. Ewes were FAMACHA scored, hematocrit evaluated for packed cell volume (PCV), and fecal egg counts (FEC) were determined from 2007 through 2009. Ewes received only CuSO₄ to control GIN. Ewes with FEC exceeding 6,000 eggs/g feces were drenched.

A separate study during the summer of 2008 assessed the potential …

The Effects Of Nutritionally‐Modulated Prepartum Bcs On Pre‐ And Postpartum Metabolic Responses, In Vitro Lipid Metabolism And Performance Of Multiparous Beef Cows, Melissa Dale Hudson

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Increased BCS at calving due to nutritional manipulation during the prepartum period resulted in greater mobilization of body fat after calving, regardless of plane of nutrition during the last 60 d of gestation. Although fatter cows were shown to have greater mobilization of reserves during the postpartum period, they maintained greater BCS at all points from calving to weaning compared to cows calving with fewer reserves at calving. A unique finding of this experiment was that the variation in BCS at calving was positively associated with BCS loss for cows fed to accrete BC during the prepartum period but was …

Comparison Of Digestive Function In Young And Mature Horses, Jennifer Elizabeth Earing

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

While forage plays an important role in equine nutrition, little research has been conducted evaluating fiber utilization by young horses. Therefore, studies were conducted to compare in vivo digestibility and digesta passage in weanlings and mature horses (Exp 1) and yearlings and mature horses (Exp 2). All horses were fed forage-based diets at the same rate (on a metabolic BW basis; Exp 1: 67% alfalfa cubes, 33% concentrate; Exp 2: 75% timothy cubes, 25% concentrate). Ytterbium labeled hay and cobalt-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid were used to estimate digesta mean retention time (MRT), while in vivo digestibility (DM, OM, and NDF) was measured …

The Return Of The Black Bear To Eastern Kentucky: Conflict And Tolerance Between People And Wildlife, Hannah B. Harris

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

The black bear (Ursus americanus) has returned to Kentucky and is now part of a reproducing population in the southeastern Cumberland Mountain region. The broad objective of this project was to examine the interactions between people and bears, with the ultimate goal of improving bear management in a way that addresses stakeholder concerns. Using interviews of regional stakeholders, participant observation, and media reports collected between summer 2003 and fall 2006, I investigated how the presence of black bears in Harlan and Letcher counties in Kentucky has had an impact on area residents. I complemented this information with observations …

Adaptation Of Lambs To An Endophyte Infected Tall Fescue Seed Diet, Rachel Ann Rickly Zinner

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Ten wether lambs were used to determine the effects of ergovaline consumption from endophyte infected tall fescue, on nutrient utilization and metabolism. Lambs were fed a diet of 23% endophyte free tall fescue seed (E-) and 77% concentrate from d -14 to -1 (adaptation phase). On d 0, five lambs were switched to an endophyte infected seed diet (E+) where they remained through d 14. Nutrient digestibilities tended to increase from adaptation through the acute (d 1 to 4) to subacute (d 10 to 14) phases when E- was fed. E+ digestibilities were highest (P < 0.05) in the acute phase. Lambs fed E+ had higher rectal temperatures in the acute (P < 0.01) and subacute phases (P < 0.05). Fecal recovery of ergovaline increased as day of collection increased in the acute and subacute phases. Lysergic acid fecal recovery increased with day of collection in the acute phase, but no effect was found in the subacute phase. Serum enzyme analyses did not indicate tissue damage from alkaloid consumption. These results demonstrate lambs try to adapt to endophyte infected fescue seed consumption through increased nutrient digestibilities and increased ergovaline and lysergic acid excretion.

Fish Oil And Barley Supplementation In Diets For Adult Dogs: Effects On Lipid And Protein Metabolism, Nutrient Digestibility, Fecal Quality, And Postprandial Glycemia, Maria Regina Cattai De Godoy

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Obesity is the most prevalent nutritional disorder encountered in small animal medicine. Problems related with obesity are the higher incidence of morbidity and mortality. Nutritional and physical activity interventions have been common strategies employed; however, they have shown low compliance rates. Because of it more attention has been given to the nutrient composition of diets. Using the canine model, three experiments were conducted to examine the effect of fish oil or barley on protein and lipid metabolism, as well as postprandial glycemia, and nutrient digestibility in mature and in young adult dogs.

In Exp. 1, seven female dogs were randomly …

Factors Affecting Skeletal Muscle Protein Synthesis In The Horse, Ashley Leigh Wagner

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Skeletal muscle protein synthesis is regulated by the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. The first objective was to optimize the methodological procedures for assessing mTOR signaling in horses. The response of mTOR signaling (P-Akt Ser⁴⁷³, P-S6K1 Thr³⁸⁹, P-rpS6 Ser^{235/26 & 240/244}, and P-4EBP1 Thr^37/46 by Western blotting techniques) to meal consumption was determined at three gluteal muscle biopsy depths (6, 8, and 10 cm), and the repeatability of the contralateral side at 8 cm during 5 days of repeated biopsies. There was no effect (P > 0.05) of sampling side or biopsy …