Meat Science Commons^™

The Effects Of Thawing Method On Consumer Palatability Ratings Of Beef Strip Loin Steaks, Stephanie L. Witberler, Lindsey K. Decker, Erin S. Beyer, Morgan D. Zumbaugh, Michael D. Chao, Jessie L. Vipham, Travis G. O'Quinn

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Objective:The objective of this study was to determine palatability differences in beef strip loin steaks among various U.S. Department of Agriculture approved thawing methods and those commonly utilized by consumers.

Study Description:Paired Low Choice beef strip loins (n=15) were collected and fabricated into six sections, each section was fabricated into 1-in steaks and assigned one of six thawing methods including: countertop, cook from frozen, cold water, hot water, microwave, and refrigerator. Steaks were cooked to an internal peak temperature of 160°F and consumers were given samples which they evaluated for juiciness, tenderness, flavor liking, overall liking, …

The Effects Of Thawing Methods On Trained Sensory Evaluation Of Beef Palatability Traits And Instrumental Measurements Of Quality, Lindsey K. Decker, Erin S. Beyer, Michael D. Chao, Morgan D. Zumbaugh, Jessie L. Vipham, Travis G. O'Quinn

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Objective:Using beef strip loins steaks, evaluate six common thawing methods and assess the quality attributes through a trained panelist evaluation and an array of instrumental quality measures.

Study Description:Paired Low Choice strip loins (n = 15) were collected from a beef packing facility. The paired loins were fabricated into 1-in steaks and blocked into six blocks of four steaks. Each block was assigned a different thawing method, and each steak within the block a test, then aged 21 days and frozen. Thaw methods consisted of the four USDA-approved thaw methods: refrigerator (REF), cold water (CW), microwave (MIC), cooking …

Evaluation Of Thawing Curves Of Beef Strip Loin Steaks Using Various Thawing Methods, Lauren M. Frink, Lindsey K. Decker, Erin S. Beyer, Michael D. Chao, Morgan D. Zumbaugh, Jessie L. Vipham, Travis G. O'Quinn

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Objective:The objective of this study was to evaluate and determine thaw rate and time of strip steaks thawed using methods that are recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and those commonly used by consumers.

Study Description:Strip steaks collected from a beef packing facility were randomly assigned a thaw method. Initially, steaks were vacuum packaged and then frozen at -40°F until thawed. Two thawing methods were USDA-approved: thawing in a refrigerator (REF) and in cold water (CW); while the other two methods evaluated are commonly used by consumers: thawing on the countertop (CT) and in hot water (HW). …

A Novel Approach Of Using Electrostatic Field To Reduce Thawing Time And Improve Frozen Beef Quality, Grace E. Corrette, Haley J. Jeneske, Sara R. Hene, Linnea A. Rimmer, Larissa A. Koulicoff, Morgan D. Zumbaugh, Travis G. O'Quinn, Scott J. Eilert, Bret Flanders, Michael D. Chao

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Objective:The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of applying an electrostatic field (EF) on thawing characteristics, such as thawing speed and purge loss, as well as its impact on quality attributes during subsequent aging and retail display of beef.

Study Description:Striploins from both sides of USDA Choice carcasses (n = 12) were collected and portioned into four equal parts (n = 48). Portions were vacuum packaged and frozen at -40°F for 14 days and randomly assigned to one of four EF thawing treatments: 0 kV (control), 2.5 kV (EF-2.5), 5 kV (EF-5), and 10 kV …

2024 Cattlemen's Day Full Report

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

This report includes research conducted in 2023 on beef cattle management, nutrition, and meat science conducted at Kansas State University. Specific topics include effects of prescribed burning and grazing in the Flint Hills, managing livestock pests with prescribed range burning, feeding techniques and methods in feedlots, nutrition supplements for improved health management, and beef thawing methods and consumer palatability preferences.

The Effects Of Sous Vide Cooking And Cysteine Proteases On Instrumental And Sensory Textural Properties Of Lower Value Cuts Of Beef, Ian Smith

All Theses

Sous vide cooking has the potential to increase the value of lower quality cuts of beef. Understanding the textural properties following a cook-chill sous vide process is crucial to maximizing this potential. The use of enzymes may further increase the value of these products if able to positively alter the texture of the final product.

The first research objective was to use instrumental texture analysis to evaluate potential relationships between enzymatic treatments and sous vide processing time of lower value cuts of beef. Three cuts were evaluated: infraspinatus (top blade), semitendinosus (eye of round), and beef tongue. Infraspinatus and semitendinosus …

Impact Of Reducing Ammonia Concentration By Ozone Technology And Its Potential Improvement On Broiler Performance, Odilpio Quintana Ortega

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The employment of ozone in livestock production as a means of mitigating ammonia is used for enhancing air quality within animal confinement facilities, such as swine or poultry barns. Ammonia is a byproduct of animal excrement. Elevated ammonia concentrations can adversely affect the well-being of both animals and humans. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the effects of Ozone Technology Machine Unit (OTMU) utilization in poultry barns regarding ammonia concentration and its potential benefit in terms of broilers performance and welfare. In recent years, there has been a significant boom in technological advances. New devices that help mitigate …

Assessment Of Dietary Energy And Amino Acid Diet Formulation In The Modern Broilers, Matheus Freitas Costa

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As a result of the advancement of genetics, understanding broiler requirements for dietary energy and amino acids is essential for improving live performance and carcass characteristics. The energy system used to formulate diets in poultry is based on metabolizable energy (ME); this equation can be described as the total amount of energy in the feed minus gases and feces. However, the net energy (NE) system may be the best depiction of the energy utilized by birds for production and maintenance purposes once the heat increment (HI) is measured. Thus, a series of studies were conducted to establish the responsiveness of …

Functional And Evolutionary Analysis Of Host Synaptogyrin-2 In Porcine Circovirus Type 2 Susceptibility, Lianna R. Walker, Hiep L. Vu, Kristi Montooth, Daniel C. Ciobanu

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Mammalian evolution has been influenced by viruses for millions of years, leaving signatures of adaptive evolution within genes encoding for viral interacting proteins. Synaptogyrin- 2 (SYNGR2) is a transmembrane protein implicated in promoting bacterial and viral infections. A genome-wide association study of pigs experimentally infected with porcine circovirus type 2b (PCV2b) uncovered a missense mutation (SYNGR2 p.Arg63Cys) associated with viral load. In this study, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing of the porcine kidney 15 (PK15, wtSYNGR2^+p.63Arg) cell line generated clones homozygous for the favorable SYNGR2 p.63Cys allele (emSYNGR2^+p.63Cys). Infection of edited clones resulted …

Identification Of Lipids And Cytokines In Plasma And Follicular Fluid Before And After Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Stimulation As Potential Markers For Follicular Maturation In Cattle, Alexandria P. Snider, Renata S. Gomes, Adam F. Summers, Sarah C. Tenley, Mohamed A. Abedal-Majed, Renee M. Mcfee, Jennifer R. Wood, John S. Davis, Andrea S. Cupp

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The process of follicle maturation leading to ovulation is a key milestone in female fertility. It is known that circulating lipids and cytokines play a role in the follicle’s ability to go through follicular maturation and the ovulatory processes. However, the specific mechanisms are not well understood. We posit that dysregulation of granulosa cells influences the ovarian environment, which tries to adapt by changing released lipids and cytokines to achieve follicular maturation. Eleven non-lactating adult females underwent estrus synchronization with two injections of PGF2 14 days apart. Daily blood samples were collected for 28 days to monitor steroid hormone production …

Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 Has A Diverse Role In Energetic And Reproductive Physiological Functions Of Female Beef Cattle, Ligia D. Prezotto, Jessica A. Keane, Andrea S. Cupp, Jennifer F. Thorson

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) has been identified in multiple mammalian species as a molecular marker of energy metabolism while also providing negative feedback to the gonads. However, the role of FGF21 in regulating the energetic and reproductive physiology of beef heifers and cows has yet to be characterized. Herein, we investigated the temporal concentrations of FGF21 in female beef cattle from the prepubertal period to early lactation. Circulating concentrations of FGF21, non-esterified fatty acids, plasma urea nitrogen, glucose, and progesterone were assessed. Ultrasonography was employed to determine the onset of puberty and resumption of postpartum ovarian cyclicity as well …

Measuring The Phytochemical Richness Of Meat: Effects Of Grass/Grain Finishing Systems And Grapeseed Extract Supplementation On The Fatty Acid And Phytochemical Content Of Beef, Lucas Krusinski, Isabella C. F. Maciel, Stephan Van Vliet, Muhammad Ahsin, Guanqi Lu, Jason E. Rowntree, Jenifer I. Fenton

Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

Grass-finished beef (GFB) can provide beneficial bioactive compounds to healthy diets, including omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs), conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and secondary bioactive compounds, such as phytochemicals. The objective of this study was to compare fatty acids (FAs), micronutrients, and phytochemicals of beef fed a biodiverse pasture (GRASS), a total mixed ration (GRAIN), or a total mixed ration with 5% grapeseed extract (GRAPE). This was a two-year study involving fifty-four Red Angus steers (n = 54). GFB contained higher levels of n-3 PUFAs, vitamin E, iron, zinc, stachydrine, hippuric acid, citric acid, and succinic …

The Localization Of Centromere Protein A Is Conserved Among Tissues, Eleonora Cappelletti, Francesca M. Piras, Lorenzo Sola, Marco Santagostino, Jessica L. Petersen, Rebecca R. Bellone, Carrie J. Finno, Sichong Peng, Ted S. Kalbfleisch, Ernest Bailey, Solomon G. Nergadze, Elena Giulotto

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Centromeres are epigenetically specified by the histone H3 variant CENP-A. Although mammalian centromeres are typically associated with satellite DNA, we previously demonstrated that the centromere of horse chromosome 11 (ECA11) is completely devoid of satellite DNA. We also showed that the localization of its CENP-A binding domain is not fixed but slides within an about 500 kb region in different individuals, giving rise to positional alleles. These epialleles are inherited as Mendelian traits but their position can move in one generation. It is still unknown whether centromere sliding occurs during meiosis or during development. Here, we first improve the sequence …

Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course: Program Evaluation, Nicola Oosthuizen, Pedro Fontes, Graham C. Lamb, Jason J. Cleere

The Journal of Extension

Survey results (n = 3,748) collected over a period of 7 years from the Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course (BCSC) were analyzed to evaluate course demographics and the impact of the course on attendees. Results of this survey demonstrate that attendee demographics of the BCSC are representative of beef cattle producers in the United States and that the BCSC is effective at delivering information that positively impacts beef production in Texas. Extension professionals can make use of these findings to tailor future education programs to better serve the needs of beef cattle producers nation-wide.

Allostatic Load Index Effectively Measures Chronic Stress Status In Zoo-Housed Giraffes, Haley N. Beer, Lisa K. Karr, Trenton C. Schrader, Dustin T. Yates

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

For giraffes, few standardized methods exist for quantifying chronic stress. Allostatic load index is quantified from a panel of multi-system stress biomarkers to estimate cumulative stress. Our objective was to determine whether a panel of biomarkers selected for their role in allostatic load would reflect the number of documented stress events experienced by giraffes. Cortisol, DHEA-S, cholesterol, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), and fructosamine were determined in serum samples from zoo-housed giraffes (n = 18). These were correlated with the overall number and frequency of ZIMS-documented stress events experienced prior to blood collection. We also compared giraffes grouped by high vs. …

Animal Board Invited Review: Practical Applications Of Genomic Information In Livestock, D. P. Berry, Matthew L. Spangler

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Access to high-dimensional genomic information in many livestock species is accelerating. This has been greatly aided not only by continual reductions in genotyping costs but also an expansion in the services available that leverage genomic information to create a greater return-on-investment. Genomic information on individual animals has many uses including (1) parentage verification and discovery, (2) traceability, (3) karyotyping, (4) sex determination, (5) reporting and monitoring of mutations conferring major effects or congenital defects, (6) better estimating inbreeding of individuals and coancestry among individuals, (7) mating advice, (8) determining breed composition, (9) enabling precision management, and (10) genomic evaluations; genomic …

Broken Tails In Holstein Dairy Cattle: A Cross-Sectional Study, Hannah E. Olsen, Karly N. Anderson, Katherine C. Creutzinger, Kurt D. Vogel

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Dairy cows are regularly handled when moved to the milking parlor and during other routine procedures. Low-stress handling methods are important in avoiding negative welfare states for dairy cattle. Tail twisting is used by some handlers to prompt cattle movement. However, when used inappropriately with excessive force, tail twisting can lead to a broken tail. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine cow-level factors that may be associated with the prevalence of broken tails in dairy cattle. A subset of 229 Holstein dairy cows (68 primiparous and 161 multiparous) at a single dairy were assessed for broken tails …

Daily Injection Of The Β2 Adrenergic Agonist Clenbuterol Improved Poor Muscle Growth And Body Composition In Lambs Following Heat Stress-Induced Intrauterine Growth Restriction, Rachel L. Gibbs, Rebecca M. Swanson, Joslyn K. Beard, Zena M. Hicks, Micah S. Most, Haley Beer, Pablo C. Grijalva, Shawna M. Clement, Eileen Marks-Nelson, Ty B. Schmidt, Jessica Lynn Petersen, Dustin T. Yates

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Background: Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is associated with reduced β2 adrenergic sensitivity, which contributes to poor postnatal muscle growth. The objective of this study was to determine if stimulating β2 adrenergic activity postnatal would rescue deficits in muscle growth, body composition, and indicators of metabolic homeostasis in IUGR offspring.

Methods: Time-mated ewes were housed at 40°C from day 40 to 95 of gestation to produce IUGR lambs. From birth, IUGR lambs received daily IM injections of 0.8 μg/kg clenbuterol HCl (IUGR+CLEN; n = 11) or saline placebo (IUGR; n = …

Identifying Early-Life Behavior To Predict Mothering Ability In Swine Utilizing NuTrack System, Savannah Millburn, Ty B. Schmidt, Gary A. Rohrer, Benny Mote

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Early indicator traits for swine reproduction and longevity support economical selection decision-making. Activity is a key variable impacting a sow’s herd life and productivity. Early-life activities could contribute to farrowing traits including gestation length (GL), number born alive (NBA), and number weaned (NW). Beginning at 20 weeks of age, 480 gilts were video recorded for 7 consecutive days and processed using the NUtrack system. Activity traits included angle rotated (radians), average speed (m/s), distance traveled (m), time spent eating (s), lying lateral (s), lying sternal (s), standing (s), and sitting (s). Final daily activity values were averaged across the …

Dousing The Flame: Reviewing The Mechanisms Of Inflammatory Programming During Stress-Induced Intrauterine Growth Restriction And The Potential For Ω-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Intervention, Melanie White, Dustin T. Yates

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) arises when maternal stressors coincide with peak placental development, leading to placental insufficiency. When the expanding nutrient demands of the growing fetus subsequently exceed the capacity of the stunted placenta, fetal hypoxemia and hypoglycemia result. Poor fetal nutrient status stimulates greater release of inflammatory cytokines and catecholamines, which in turn lead to thrifty growth and metabolic programming that benefits fetal survival but is maladaptive after birth. Specifically, some IUGR fetal tissues develop enriched expression of inflammatory cytokine receptors and other signaling cascade components, which increases inflammatory sensitivity even when circulating inflammatory cytokines are no longer elevated …

Role Of The Placenta In Developmental Programming: Observations From Models Using Large Animals, L. P. Reynolds, C. R. Dahlen, A. K. Ward, M. S. Crouse, P. P. Borowicz, B. J. Davila-Ruiz, C. Kanjanaruch, K. A. Bochantin, K. J. Mclean, K. L. Mccarthy, A. C.B. Menezes, W. J.S. Diniz, R. A. Cushman, J. S. Caton

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Developmental programming, which proposes that “insults” or “stressors” during intrauterine or postnatal development can have not only immediate but also long-term consequences for healthy and productivity, has emerged as a major biological principle, and based on studies in many animal species also seems to be a universal phenomenon. In eutherians, the placenta appears to be programmed during its development, which has consequences for fetal growth and development throughout pregnancy, and likewise has long-term consequences for postnatal development, leading to programming of organ function of the offspring even into adulthood. This review summarizes our current understanding of the placenta’s role in …

Evaluation Of Tissue Depth, Captive Bolt Penetration Force And Energy, And Potential For Bolt-Thalamus Contact In Cadaver Heads From Physically Castrated Market Barrows And Immunocastrated Boars, Emma M. Hamilton, Karly N. Anderson, Ashlynn A. Kirk, Katherine D. Bishop, Joseph Joseph Shakal, Kurt D. Vogel

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The main objective of this study was to describe tissue thicknesses of cadaver heads from physically castrated market barrows (PC MARKET BARROWS) and immunocastrated boars (IC BOARS) at the frontal penetrating captive bolt (PCB) placement. Other objectives were to describe differences in bolt force and energy requirements to penetrate and describe potential for bolt-thalamus contact. Forty-four heads were obtained from PC MARKET BARROWS (n = 22) and IC BOARS (n = 22) of similar age and size that were rendered insensible with CO₂. Mean HCW was 117.32 ± 3.52 kg. Snout to poll distance (cm) and …

Dna Methylation Networks Underlying Mammalian Traits, Amin Haghani

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: Comparative epigenomics is an emerging field that combines epigenetic signatures with phylogenetic relationships to elucidate species characteristics such as maximum life span. For this study, we generated cytosine DNA methylation (DNAm) profiles (n = 15,456) from 348mammalian species using amethylation array platform that targets highly conserved cytosines.

RATIONALE: Nature has evolved mammalian species of greatly differing life spans. To resolve the relationship ofDNAmwith maximum life span and phylogeny, we performed a largescale cross-species unsupervised analysis. Comparative studies in many species enables the identification of epigenetic correlates of maximum life span and other traits.

RESULTS: We …

Universal Dna Methylation Age Across Mammalian Tissues, A. T. Lu, Jessica Lynn Petersen, Steve Horvath, Et Al.

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Aging, often considered a result of random cellular damage, can be accurately estimated using DNA methylation profiles, the foundation of pan-tissue epigenetic clocks. Here, we demonstrate the development of universal pan-mammalian clocks, using 11,754 methylation arrays from our Mammalian Methylation Consortium, which encompass 59 tissue types across 185 mammalian species. These predictive models estimate mammalian tissue age with high accuracy (r > 0.96). Age deviations correlate with human mortality risk, mouse somatotropic axis mutations and caloric restriction. We identified specific cytosines with methylation levels that change with age across numerous species. These sites, highly enriched in polycomb repressive complex 2-binding locations, …

Non-Destructive Evaluation Of White Striping And Microbial Spoilage Of Broiler Breast Meat Using Structured-Illumination Reflectance Imaging, Ebenezer O. Olaniyi

Theses and Dissertations

Manual inspection is a prevailing practice for quality assessment of poultry meat, but it is labor-intensive, tedious, and subjective. This thesis aims to assess the efficacy of an emerging structured illumination reflectance imaging (SIRI) technique with machine learning approaches for assessing WS and microbial spoilage in broiler breast meat. Broiler breast meat samples were imaged by an in house-assembled SIRI platform under sinusoidal illumination. In first experiment, handcrafted texture features were extracted from direct component (DC, corresponding to conventional uniform illumination) and amplitude component (AC, unique to the use of sinusoidal illumination) images retrieved from raw SIRI pattern images build …

Combining Host And Rumen Metagenome Profiling For Selection In Sheep: Prediction Of Methane, Feed Efficiency, Production, And Health Traits, Melanie K. Hess, Larissa Zetouni, Andrew S. Hess, Juliana Budel, Ken G. Dodds, Hannah M. Henry, Rudiger Brauning, Alan F. Mcculloch, Sharon M. Hickey, Patricia L. Johnson, Sara Elmes, Janine Wing, Brooke Bryson, Kevin Knowler, Dianne Hyndman, Hayley Baird, Kathryn M. Mcrae, Arjan Jonker, Peter H. Janssen, John C. Mcewan, Suzanne J. Rowe

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Background Rumen microbes break down complex dietary carbohydrates into energy sources for the host and are increasingly shown to be a key aspect of animal performance. Host genotypes can be combined with microbial DNA sequencing to predict performance traits or traits related to environmental impact, such as enteric methane emissions. Metagenome profiles were generated from 3139 rumen samples, collected from 1200 dual purpose ewes, using restriction enzyme-reduced representation sequencing (RE-RRS). Phenotypes were available for methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, the ratio of CH4 to CH4 plus CO2 (CH4Ratio), feed efficiency (residual feed intake: RFI), liveweight at the time …

Effects Of Feeding A Vitamin And Mineral Supplement To Cow-Calf Pairs Grazing Native Range, Jennifer L. Hurlbert, Friederike Baumgaertner, Kacie L. Mccathy, Timothy Long, Cody Wieland, Kevin K. Sedivec, Carl R. Dahlen

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Our objectives were to evaluate the impacts of providing vitamin and mineral (VTM) supplements to cow-calf pairs during the summer grazing period on cow and calf performance and liver concentrations of minerals. During a two-year period, 727 crossbred cows and their calves (initial cow BW = 601.7 ± 48.1 kg; calf BW = 87.8 ± 5.0 kg; n = 381 in year 1, n = 346 in year 2) from the Central Grasslands Research Extension Center (Streeter, N.D.) were blocked by parity (young [parity 1 to 3], and old [parity 4+]) and randomly assigned to pastures at the beginning …

Genotype By Environment Interaction And Heteroscedasticity Influence The Expression Of Parasite Resistance In Katahdin Sheep, Brian C. Arisman, Joan M. Burke, James L. M. Morgan, Ronald M. Lewis

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Increasingly, sheep producers are choosing breeds that express resistance to gastrointestinal parasites due to reduced efficacy of anthelminthic drugs. One such breed is Katahdin. Katahdins are raised in various climates and management systems in the United States, which can be combined into eco-management clusters to describe production environments more holistically. The objectives of this study were to determine if genotype by environment interaction (G × E) and heteroscedasticity existed across these eco-management clusters for traits indicative of parasite resistance. Body weights (BW), FAMACHA scores (FAM), and fecal egg counts (FEC) were collected at around 90 d in 3,527 Katahdin lambs …

Estimating Body Weight And Body Condition Score Of Mature Beef Cows Using Depth Images, Yijie Xiong, Isabella C.F.S. Condotta, J. A. Musgrave, Tami M. Brown-Bandl, J. Travis Mulliniks

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Obtaining accurate body weight (BW) is crucial for management decisions yet can be a challenge for cow–calf producers. Fast-evolving technologies such as depth sensing have been identified as low-cost sensors for agricultural applications but have not been widely validated for U.S. beef cattle. This study aimed to (1) estimate the body volume of mature beef cows from depth images, (2) quantify BW and metabolic weight (MBW) from image-projected body volume, and (3) classify body condition scores (BCS) from image-obtained measurements using a machine-learning-based approach. Fifty-eight crossbred cows with a mean BW of 410.0 ± 60.3 kg and were between 4 …

Influence Of Maternal Dietary Protein Precursor On Reproductive Endocrinology Of Neonatal Bovine Offspring, Jennifer F. Thorson, Ligia D. Prezotto

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Bovine oogenesis and follicular maturation are initiated during in utero development, a process that is stringently orchestrated by the endocrine milieu. Of paramount importance are the three major biologically active estrogens: estron, estradiol, and estriol that are involved in the development and maintenance of germ cells. Previous work using the current model have revealed that maternal urea (protein precursor) supplementation reduces the ovarian follicular reserve without compromising the number of secondary and tertiary follicles. Therefore, we did not anticipate an influence of dietary treatment on biologically active estrogens. However, as the ovarian reserve is positively associated with circulating concentrations of …