Animal Sciences Commons^™

Effects Of Calf Age And Dam Age On Circulating Bvdv Ii Antibody Levels Prior To Vaccination In Angus Weanling Calves, Erika Diane Downey, Richard G. Tait Jr., Mary Sue Mayes, Dorian J. Garrick, Julia Ridpath, James M. Reecy

Richard G. Tait Jr.

Newborn calves passively acquire antibodies from their dams via consumption of colostrum immediately after birth. Colostrum quality and quantity may differ by dam age affecting the amount of circulating maternally derived antibodies. The objective of this study was to evaluate if there are differences in calf titers of maternal antibodies based on age of dam and age of calf. This knowledge is important for determining vaccination strategies because passively acquired antibodies for bovine viral diarrhea virus I and II (BVDV) have been shown to block the ability of calves to develop their own specific immune response to BVDV.

Prediction Of Retail Product And Trimmable Fat In Beef Cattle Using Ultrasound Or Carcass Data, Richard G. Tait Jr.

Richard G. Tait Jr.

The most widely used system to predict percent retail product from the four primals in beef cattle is USDA yield grade. The purpose of this study was to determine if routine ultrasound measurements and additional rump measurements could be used to more accurately predict the percent lean from the four primals than the carcass measurements going into the USDA yield grade equation. This study utilized market cattle (n = 471) consisting of Angus bulls, Angus steers, and crossbred steers. The right side of each carcass was fabricated into retail cuts, lean trim, fat, and bone; weights of each component were …

Usefulness Of Cross-Sectional Image To Predict Intramuscular Fat For Feedlot Application Using Real-Time Ultrasound, Kelley J. Vogel, Doyle E. Wilson, Gene H. Rouse, Jennifer A. Minick, Richard G. Tait Jr., Jodi Kruser

Richard G. Tait Jr.

The purpose of this project was to determine if it is possible to accurately calculate both %IMF and 12th–13th subcutaneous fat from the cross-sectional ribeye image with a guide in place, therefore eliminating the need for four %IMF images. This would make this technology less time consuming and more efficient. The correlation between the traditional longitudinal %IMF and the %IMF from the ribeye image was moderate and in both the case of ether extract %fat and marbling score, the traditional longitudinal %IMF was more highly correlated than the ribeye image %IMF. From this analysis, it can be concluded that the …

Growth And Development Of Angus-Wagyu Crossbred Steers, Gene H. Rouse, M. Ruble, S. Greiner, Richard G. Tait Jr., Craig L. Hays, Doyle E. Wilson

Richard G. Tait Jr.

Serially scanning Angus-Wagyu crossbred steers with real-time ultrasound suggests the following conclusions: · Comparing real-time ultrasound measurements, including fat cover, percent intramuscular fat and rib eye area, with carcass measurements at harvest time suggests ultrasound measurements are accurate enough to be used as a body composition evaluation tool. · Serial ultrasound measurements indicate that muscle deposition based on rib eye area occurred linearly from 772 to 1,406 pounds, and perhaps to a heavier weight than expected. · Subcutaneous fat ultrasonic measurements suggest a slow linear increase in fat cover until the cattle weighed 1,100 lbs., and then fat cover increased …

Correlations Between Carcass Traits And Mineral Concentrations In Angus Beef Raised In Iowa, Richard G. Tait Jr., Qing Duan, Qi Liu, Mary Sue Mayes, Donald C. Beitz, James M. Reecy

Richard G. Tait Jr.

Beef is a nutritious food that is known to have high bioavailability for several minerals such as iron and zinc. Although beef is typically high in these nutrients, there is much animalto-animal variation in mineral contents. The objective of this study is to report the relationship between traditional carcass traits and mineral concentrations within the longissimus dorsi.

Whole Genome Analysis Of Pinkeye Scores In Angus Cattle, Kadir Kizilkaya, Richard G. Tait Jr., Dorian J. Garrick, Rohan L. Fernando, James M. Reecy

Richard G. Tait Jr.

Infectious Bovine Keratoconjunctivitis (IBK), known as pinkeye, is a common infectious disease affecting the eyes of cattle. It is characterized by excessive tearing, inflammation of the conjunctiva, and ulceration of the cornea. Although pinkeye is non-fatal, it has a marked economic impact on the cattle industry, due to the decreased performance of infected individuals. Genetic effects on the susceptibility of IBK have been studied and Hereford, Jersey, and Holstein breeds were found to be more susceptible to IBK than Bos Indicus breeds. The objectives of our study were: 1) to estimate genetic parameters of IBK scored in different categories by …

The Use Of Real-Time Ultrasound To Predict Live Feedlot Cattle Carcass Value, Gene H. Rouse, S. Greiner, Doyle E. Wilson, Craig L. Hays, Richard G. Tait Jr., Abebe Hassen

Richard G. Tait Jr.

No abstract provided.

Ibk (Pinkeye) In Black Angus Cattle, Jose E. Rodriguez, Abebe Hassen, Richard G. Tait Jr., James M. Reecy

Richard G. Tait Jr.

Infectious Bovine Keratoconjunctivitis (IBK), commonly known as pinkeye, is a contagious bacterial disease that affects cattle worldwide. IBK is characterized by excessive tearing, inflammation of the conjunctiva, and ulceration of the cornea. In severe cases, perforation of the cornea may occur, leading to permanent blindness. The incidence rates reported in the ISU beef herd range from 30–52% in the last four years(Figure 1). As a result of the economic impact of pinkeye in the cattle industry, estimated at $150 million/year, the lack of effective treatments against the disease and the increased demand for‘organic’ products, research in the area of disease …

Prediction Of Lean In The Round Using Ultrasound Measurements, Richard G. Tait Jr., Gene H. Rouse, Doyle E. Wilson, Craig L. Hays

Richard G. Tait Jr.

Real-time ultrasound (RTU) images were collected on 170 Angus sired steers. These steers had routine carcass data collected, as well as lean mass weights after round fabrication. Lean weight in the round was determined by adding the peeled knuckle, inside round, and outside round weights together. There were four significant independent variables (P < .05) used to predict lean in the round from live measurements. They were: live weight (WT), ultrasound fat thickness between the 12th and 13th ribs (UFT), ultrasound ribeye area between the 12th and 13th ribs (UREA), and gluteus medius lean depth (GM).

Comparison Of Calf-Fed Vs. Yearling-Fed Management For The Estimation Of Carcass Trait Genetic Parameters In Simmental Cattle, Richard G. Tait Jr.

Richard G. Tait Jr.

Selection indexes for feedlot performance have been developed by U.S. beef breed associations to help commercial producers with multiple trait selection decisions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the implications of backgrounding cattle after weaning on selection for feedlot profitability. Carcass data records for 11,011 animals and a three generation pedigree were obtained from the American Simmental Association database. Carcass traits of primary interest in this analysis were marbling score (MARB), 12^th rib fat thickness (CFT), 12^th rib ribeye area (CREA), and hot carcass weight (HCW). Estimated post weaning gain (EPWG) was determined using weaning weight …

Comparison Of Ultrasound And Carcass Measures To Predict The Percentage Of Lean Beef From Four Primal Cuts, Richard G. Tait Jr., Gene H. Rouse, Doyle E. Wilson, Craig L. Hays

Richard G. Tait Jr.

The objective of this study was to determine how realtime ultrasound (RTU) measurements would compare with carcass measurements to predict the percentage of lean from the four primals (PERL4P). Data were collected on market ready cattle (n=265). Traditional carcass measures collected were: 1) hot carcass weight (HCW), 2) 12-13th rib fat thickness (CFAT), 3) 12-13th rib ribeye area (CREA), and 4) percentage of kidney, pelvic, and heart fat (KPH). Live animal ultrasound measures collected were: 1) scan weight (SCANWT), 2) 12-13th rib fat thickness (UFAT), 3) 12-13th rib ribeye area (UREA), 4) subcutaneous fat thickness over the termination of the …

News Of The Department Of Animal Science, Department Of Animal Science

Animal Science Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Bacterial Community Profiling Of The Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea Virginica): Comparison Of Culture-Dependent And Culture-Independent Outcomes, Kenneth J. La Valley, Steve Jones, Marta Gomez-Chiarri, Joseph Dealteris, Michael A. Rice

Michael A Rice

Tissue-associated bacterial community profiles generated using a nested polymerase chain reaction–denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) approach and culture-dependent and culture-independent isolation techniques were compared. Oyster samples were collected from 2 harvest areas along the coast of Maine, in the United States. Profiles from both isolation strategies were evaluated using Sorensen’s index of similarity and cluster analysis of gel banding patterns. Cultureindependent profiles were further evaluated using the Shannon diversity index. In general, the culture-dependent strategy resulted in a greater number of bands within a profile. BacterialDGGEprofiles were found to be highly similar within an isolation strategy, with a higher degree …

Gonadal Cycle Of Northern Quahogs, Mercenaria Mercenaria (Linne, 1758), From Fished And Non-Fished Subpopulations In Narragansett Bay, Dora Marroquin-Mora, Michael Rice

Michael A Rice

To determine if population density in areas closed to fishing in Narragansett Bay is causing differences in the reproductive potential of the organisms, this study used two approaches to determine the reproductive condition of the animals. The first approach consisted in employing a gravimetric condition index (CI) to evaluate the general condition of quahogs from nine different sites, 3 sites open conditionally for fishing (conditional areas) and 6 sites closed to fishing. The second approach was a determination of gonadal index (GI) of a subset of the sample sites, by histological observation of gonadal tissue sections. Initial sampling included determination …

Agricultural Research Magazine, April 2013

Agricultural Research Magazine

Table of Contents

4 Irrigation Wastewater: Waste Not, Want Not

6 Two Approaches for Optimizing Water Productivity

8 Compounds in Whole-Grain Rice Varieties

10 New Discovery Makes Detecting Johne’s Disease Easier

12 House Fly Virus Stops Flies from Reproducing

14 Improved Vitamin B12 Test May Help Young and Old Alike

16 Rooting Out a Novel Stress Syndrome in Pigs

18 A Modeling Milestone for Soil Phosphorus Management

20 New Technologies for Studying Crops and Crop Diseases

23 Locations Featured in This Magazine Issue

New Technologies For Studying Crops And Crop Diseases, Dennis O’Brien

Agricultural Research Magazine

Agricultural Research Service scientists in New York and California have developed very different technologies that share a common thread. They offer scientists new, innovative ways to probe what happens when a crop is threatened by drought or disease.

Michelle Cilia and Stewart Gray, ARS scientists at the Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health in Ithaca, New York, and their colleagues at the University of Washington have found a way to map the structure of an elusive protein that gives certain plant viruses the ability to travel from plants to insects, through the insects, and back into plants.

Andrew …

New Discovery Makes Detecting Johne's Disease Easier, John Bannantine, Sandra Avant

Agricultural Research Magazine

Before a disease can be treated, it must first be identified. But that’s not always easy, especially in the case of Johne’s disease, which affects cattle, sheep, goats, deer, and other ruminants.

Johne’s disease—also known as “paratuberculosis”— is a costly, contagious disease that causes diarrhea, reduced feed intake, weight loss, and sometimes death. Annual estimated losses to cattle producers range from $40 to $227 per infected animal. For the U.S. dairy industry alone, losses exceed $220 million each year.

For years, scientists have been hampered by the fact that any antibody—a protein produced by the immune system to fight infections …

House Fly Virus Stops, Christopher J. Geden, Sandra Avant

Agricultural Research Magazine

The house fly is often considered merely a nuisance. But these flies are capable of transmitting animal and human pathogens that can lead to foodborne diseases, including Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Shigella bacteria.

Insecticides are important for control, but house flies are particularly good at developing resistance, and their larvae tend to stay deep enough within their gooey food to avoid exposure to sprays.

Scientists at the Agricultural Research Service’s Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology (CMAVE) in Gainesville, Florida, are looking at new methods that target adult flies. A promising biological control agent—salivary gland hypertrophy virus …

Challenge For Sustaining Agriculture, Mark Walbridge

Agricultural Research Magazine

With the climate changing and the world’s population expected to rise in the coming decades, supplying a hungry planet with food and fiber will become more of a challenge. By some estimates, food production will have to increase by up to 70 percent to feed the world over the next 40 years. Perhaps no resource is more critical to meeting that challenge than water.

How essential is water to agriculture? An estimated 17 percent of all harvested U.S. cropland is irrigated, accounting for about 56.6 million acres. Worldwide, more than 40 percent of the world’s food is grown on irrigated …

April 2013- Locations Featured In This Magazine Issue

Agricultural Research Magazine

The Agricultural Research Service has about 100 labs all over the country.

Locations Featured in This Magazine Issue

Davis, California 3 research units ■ 117 employees

U.S. Salinity Laboratory, Riverside, California 2 research units ■ 39 employees

U.S. Arid-Land Agricultural Research Center, Maricopa, Arizona 3 research units ■ 80 employees

Small Grains and Potato Germplasm Research Unit, Aberdeen, Idaho 1 research unit ■ 57 employees

Conservation and Production Research Laboratory, Bushland, Texas 2 research units ■ 55 employees

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, Nebraska 6 research units ■ 117 employees

Grassland Soil and Water Research …