Digital Commons Network^™

Milk Production Potential Of Different Dairy Pasture Types In Southern Australia, J. Tharmaraj, D. F. Chapman, Z. N. Nie, A. P. Lane

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The growth rate of traditional perennial ryegrass-based pastures commonly fails to meet herd feed requirements through winter and summer in non-irrigated dairy systems in southern Australia. Alternative pasture species can improve seasonal feed supply in this region (Tharmaraj & Chapman, 2005). However, the feeding value and milk production of these pastures must at least match perennial ryegrass if they are to be adopted successfully on dairy farms. This paper reports results of a comparison of the milk production potential of pasture types similar to those investigated by Tharmaraj & Chapman (2005) for their agronomic performance.

Effect Of Strain Of Holstein-Friesian Cow And Feed System On Reproductive Performance In Seasonal-Calving Milk Production Systems Over Four Years, B. Horan, J. F. Mee, Myles Rath, P. O'Connor, P. Dillon

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In Ireland most dairy farms operate seasonal calving grass-based milk production systems. Feed demand and supply are matched by having calving highly concentrated in spring. This requires high pregnancy rates within a short time following the start of mating in late April or early May, but has become increasingly difficult to achieve due to declining fertility in Irish dairy herds (Mee, 2004). In New Zealand, cows of North American Holstein-Friesian origin have poorer fertility than New Zealand Holstein-Friesians on pasture-based seasonal calving systems (Harris & Kolver, 2001). The present study sought to determine the effect of strain of Holstein-Friesian (HF) …

Phenotype X Herbage Allowance Interactions In Reproduction Of First Calf Heifers Grazing Semiarid Rangeland, J. W. Holloway, B. G. Warrington, M. K. Owens

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Cattle are differentially adapted to nutritional environments. The most sensitive measure of adaptation is reproduction of first-calf heifers. We studied the role of maturation rate and milk production on reproductive performance of first-calf heifers allowed different levels of herbage in semiarid rangeland.

The Impact Of The Level Of Feed-On-Offer Available To Merino Ewes During Winter-Spring On The Wool Production Of Their Progeny As Adults, Chris Oldham, M. Ferguson, B. Paganoni, A. Thompson, G. Kearney, M. A. Van Burgel

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

New opportunities for developing optimum ewe management systems, based on achieving liveweight and body condition score (CS) targets at critical stages of the reproductive cycle, have emerged from the acceptance that nutrition during pregnancy can have substantial impacts on the lifetime wool performance of the progeny (Kelly et al,. 1996). However, most studies of the impacts of nutrition on foetal growth and development tended to focus on late pregnancy and have also only considered extreme nutritional regimes often outside the boundaries of commercial reality. Hence, the Lifetime Wool team (Thompson & Oldham, 2004) conducted dose-response experiments to determine the …

Effects Of Forage Chicory (Cichorium Intybus) On Farmed Deer Growth And Internal Parasitism, S. O. Hoskin, P. R. Wilson, W. E. Pomroy, T. N. Barry

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Internal parasitism (particularly lungworm - Dictyocaulus sp) significantly limits post-weaning growth of deer. Endoparasite control using anthelmintics may be unsustainable, due to the increasing risk of anthelmintic resistance and the risk or perception of chemical residues in animal products. Chicory has a high feeding value and contains sesquiterpene lactones and low levels of condensed tannins, both with anti-parasitic activity (Molan et al., 2003). Grazing chicory during autumn may reduce the requirement for anthelmintic treatment of young deer compared with grazing ryegrass-based pasture (Hoskin et al., 1999). The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of withholding …

Gene Discovery And Molecular Dissection Of Lignin Biosynthesis In Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium Perenne), A. Lidgett, M. Emmerling, R. Heath, R. Mcinnes, D. Lynch, A. Bartkowski, K. Fulgueras, T. Sawbridge, E. K. Ong, K. F. Smith, A. Mouradov, G. C. Spangenberg

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Lignification of plant cell walls has been identified as a major factor limiting forage digestibility. It limits the amount of digestible energy available to livestock, resulting in an incomplete utilisation of cellulose and hemicellulose by ruminant animals. Modification of the lignin profile of ryegrasses (Lolium spp.) and fescues (Festuca spp.) is undertaken through modulating the expression of genes encoding enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of monolignols.

Identification Of Putative AtTt2 R2r3-Myb Transcription Factor Orthologues In Tanniferous Tissues Of L. Corniculatus Var. Japonicus Cv Gifu, D. N. Bryant, P. Bailey, P. Morris, Mark P. Robbins, C. Martin, T. Wang

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

R2R3-MYB plant transcription factors are sequence–specific DNA-binding proteins, which regulate the expression of specific gene(s) following the R2R3 DNA-binding domain interacting with the corresponding promoter sequence(s). The biosynthetic pathway leading to the production of anthocyanins has been demonstrated to be under MYB transcriptional regulatory control (Cone et al., 1986), while the accumulation of proanthocyanidins (PAs) in Arabidopsis seed coats is determined by the R2R3-MYB AtTT2 (Nesi et al., 2001). Using an informatics approach, partial sequences of putative AtTT2 orthologues have been identified and cloned from the forage legume Lotus corniculatus var. japonicus cv Gifu.

Inhibitory Effect Of Sulfur Dioxide Inhalation On Hering–Breuer Inflation Reflex In Mice: Role Of Voltage-Gated Potassium Channels, Nai-Ju Chan, Chun-Chun Hsu, You Shuei Lin, Ruei-Lung Lin, Lu-Yuan Lee

UK CARES Faculty Publications

Slowly adapting receptors (SARs), vagal mechanosensitive receptors located in the lung, play an important role in regulating the breathing pattern and Hering–Breuer inflation reflex (HBIR). Inhalation of high concentration of sulfur dioxide (SO 2), a common environmental and occupational air pollutant, has been shown to selectively block the SAR activity in rabbits, but the mechanism underlying this inhibitory effect remained a mystery. We carried out this study to determine if inhalation of SO 2 can inhibit the HBIR and change the eupneic breathing pattern, and to investigate further a possible involvement of voltage-gated K þ channels in the inhibitory effect …

Emt-Activated Secretory And Endocytic Vesicular Trafficking Programs Underlie A Vulnerability To Pi4k2a Antagonism In Lung Cancer, Xiaochao Tan, Guan-Yu Xiao, Shike Wang, Lei Shi, Yanbin Zhao, Xin Liu, Jiang Yu, William K. Russell, Chad J. Creighton, Jonathan M. Kurie

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Hypersecretory malignant cells underlie therapeutic resistance, metastasis, and poor clinical outcomes. However, the molecular basis for malignant hypersecretion remains obscure. Here, we showed that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) initiates exocytic and endocytic vesicular trafficking programs in lung cancer. The EMT-activating transcription factor zinc finger E-box–binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) executed a PI4KIIIβ-to-PI4KIIα (PI4K2A) dependency switch that drove PI4P synthesis in the Golgi and endosomes. EMT enhanced the vulnerability of lung cancer cells to PI4K2A small- molecule antagonists. PI4K2A formed a MYOIIA-containing protein complex that facilitated secretory vesicle biogenesis in the Golgi, thereby establishing a hypersecretory state involving osteopontin (SPP1) and other prometastatic …

Leukocyte Tyrosine Kinase (Ltk) Is The Mendelian Determinant Of The Axolotl Melanoid Color Variant, Mirindi Kabangu, Raissa Cecil, Lloyd Strohl Ii, Nataliya Y. Timoshevskaya, Jeramiah James Smith, Stephen Randal Voss

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

The great diversity of color patterns observed among amphibians is largely explained by the differentiation of relatively few pigment cell types during development. Mexican axolotls present a variety of color phenotypes that span the continuum from leucistic to highly melanistic. The melanoid axolotl is a Mendelian variant characterized by large numbers of melanophores, proportionally fewer xanthophores, and no iridophores. Early studies of melanoid were influential in developing the single-origin hypothesis of pigment cell development, wherein it has been proposed that all three pigment cell types derive from a common progenitor cell, with pigment metabolites playing potential roles in directing the …

In Situ Microwave Fixation Provides An Instantaneous Snapshot Of The Brain Metabolome, Jelena A. Juras, Madison B. Webb, Lyndsay E. A. Young, Kia H. Markussen, Tara R. Hawkinson, Michael D. Buoncristiani, Kayli E. Bolton, Peyton T. Coburn, Meredith I. Williams, Lisa P. Y. Sun, William C. Sanders, Ronald C. Bruntz, Lindsey R. Conroy, Chi Wang, Matthew S. Gentry, Bret N. Smith, Ramon C. Sun

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Brain glucose metabolism is highly heterogeneous among brain regions and continues postmortem. In particular, we demonstrate exhaustion of glycogen and glucose and an increase in lactate production during conventional rapid brain resection and preservation by liquid nitrogen. In contrast, we show that these post- mortem changes are not observed with simultaneous animal sacrifice and in situ fixation with focused, high- power microwave. We further employ microwave fixation to define brain glucose metabolism in the mouse model of streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetes. Using both total pool and isotope tracing analyses, we identified global glucose hypometabolism in multiple brain regions, evidenced by …

Screening Genes For Association With Loci For Nitrogen-Use Efficiency In Perennial Ryegrass By PyrosequencingTm, O. Dolstra, D. Dees, J. -D. Driesprong, E. N. Van Loo

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The application of marker-assisted selection to improve quantitative traits in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) is cumbersome. It requires a priori knowledge on the association of markers and genes. The knowledge on the chromosomal location of major genes for quantitative traits as well as on gene sequences is rapidly growing. However, determination of the genetic constitution of parents prior to their use in breeding still is impractical. More realistic is to collect association data along with the testing activities needed for breeding new varieties. This study uses changes in allele frequency due to selection as a criterion for gene-trait …

Genetic Variation In The Perennial Ryegrass Fungal Endophyte Neotyphodium Lolii, E. Van Zijll De Jong, N. R. Bannan, A. V. Stewart, K. F. M. Reed, M. P. Dobrowolski, K. F. Smith, G. C. Spangenberg, J. W. Forster

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The common fungal endophytes (Neotyphodium species) of temperate pasture grasses are associated with improved tolerance to water and nutrient stress and resistance to insect pests, but are also the causal agents of animal toxicoses. Considerable variation exists among grass-endophyte associations for these beneficial and detrimental agronomic traits. The extent to which this variation may be attributed to the endophyte genotype, the host genotype or environmental interactions is currently unknown. The development of molecular genetic markers for endophytes based on simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci and the demonstration of the specific detection of endophytes in planta with these markers (van …

Metabolome Analysis Of The Interaction Between Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium Perenne) And The Fungal Endophyte Neotyphodium Lolii, P. Tian, S. Felitti, M. P. Dobrowolski, K. F. Smith, D. Edwards, R. Hall, J. Kopka, G. C. Spangenberg

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) frequently contain endophytic fungi (Neotyphodium lolii in perennial ryegrass and N. coenophialum in tall fescue). The presence of the endophyte has been shown to improve seedling vigour, persistence and drought tolerance in marginal environments as well as provide protection against some insect pests. Endophyte-infected grasses also produce a wide range of metabolites, including ergopeptine alkaloids, indole-isoprenoid lolitrems, pyrrolizidine alkaloids, and pyrrolopyrazine alkaloids. In contrast to information on alkaloids and animal toxicosis, the beneficial physiological aspects of the endophyte/grass interactions have not been well characterised. The physiological …

Productivity Of Sahiwal And Friesian–Sahiwal Crossbreds In Marginal Grasslands Of Kenya, W. B. Muhuyi, F. B. Lukibisi, S. N. Ole Sinkeet

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Dual-purpose cattle can be used to exploit the production potential of semi-arid grasslands of Kenya for milk and meat production. Although the Sahiwal is adapted to these grasslands, its productivity is low. In order to increase milk and meat productivity, the Sahiwal has been crossed with the Friesian to produce Friesian-Sahiwal crossbreds (McDowell et al., 1996) adapted to the tropical environment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the productivity of Sahiwal and Friesian-Sahiwal crossbreds.

Role Of The Banyuls(Ban) Gene From Arabidopsis Thaliana In Transgenic Alfalfa Expression Of Anthocyanins And Proanthocyanidins, S. M. Hesamzadeh Hejazi, Sergio Arcioni, F. Paolocci

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Condensed tannins (CTs) are flavonoid oligomers, many of which have beneficial effects on animal (bloat safe) and human health. The BAN gene encodes anthocyanidin reductase (ANR), an enzyme proposed to convert anthocyanidins to their corresponding 2,3-cis-flavan-3-ols (Xie et al., 2003). Ectopic expression of BAN in Alfalfa transgenic foliage results in accumulation of CTs. Thus, it has been assumed that the BAN gene also acts in starter units for the condensation of tannins in Alfalfa.

Diversity Of Diet Composition Decreases With Conjoint Grazing Of Cattle With Sheep And Goats, A. M. Nicol, M. B. Soper, A. Stewart

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Conjoint or mixed grazing can affect the diet selected by each species (Nicol & Collins, 1990). Diet similarity coefficients are often used to compare pairs of diets (Krebs, 1999). However this approach is awkward when a number of contrasts are required in a multifactorial comparison. Species diversity is a descriptor of a particular environment. Many models provide an estimate of species diversity, the most common of these being a log-normal distribution (Tokeshi, 1996). We tested whether this model could be applied to dietary components selected from a pasture, and thus provide a coefficient of dietary diversity for the individual diets …

A Simple Vegetation Criterion (Ndf Content) May Account For Diet Choices Of Cattle Between Forages Varying In Maturity Stage And Physical Accessibility, Cécile Ginane, R. Baumont

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The management of extensively grazed pastures requires an understanding and prediction of the diet choices of herbivores grazing on vegetation that is qualitatively (maturity stage) and quantitatively (biomass, sward height) heterogeneous. The Optimal Foraging Theory (OFT, Stephens & Krebs, 1986), bases its predictions on the relative energy intake rate (EIR) of forages. However, as EIRs are difficult to assess at pasture and are subject to wide intra- and inter-individual variations, another vegetation criterion was sought (accessibility, quality), by-passing the animal's influence, to predict cattle diet choices quantitatively.

Spatial Scale Of Heterogeneity Affects Diet Choice But Not Intake In Beef Cattle, S. Mark Rutter, J. E. Cook, K. L. Young, R. A. Champion

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Previous research has shown that sheep (Champion et al., 1998) and dairy cattle (Nuthall et al., 2000) have a partial preference for clover of 70%, and achieve higher daily intakes when offered grass and clover as separate but adjacent monocultures compared with animals grazing mixed swards. This intake benefit could be utilised to increase intake and production on farms by grazing from adjacent strips of the two herbages. This study aimed to establish the minimum strip width required to achieve the benefits of monocultures.

Herders And Wetland Degradation In Northern Cameroon, E. Tedonkeng Pamo, F. Tendonkeng, J. R. Kana

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Livestock rearing in Northern Cameroon is carried out under two majors systems: the nomadic and the transhumance production systems (Pamo & Pamo, 1991). Nomadism is the practice of wandering from place to place, while transhumance involves seasonal displacement of flocks from one area to another by herders. These production systems involved large grazing areas, which may encompass different ecosystems. The Yaére, the only wetland of the northern Cameroon, is the major dry season grazing lands for livestock and wildlife. The main characteristic of this wetland is that the whole area is excluded from grazing during the growing season as a …

Eating Biodiversity: Investigating The Links Between Grassland Biodiversity And Quality Food Production, A. Hopkins, H. Buller, C. Morris, J. D. Wood

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Modern food production systems are generally detrimental to biodiversity, and the widespread loss of species-diverse grassland as a consequence of intensive farming methods is well documented. Since the 1980s, a range of policy measures and financial incentives for farmers have been introduced in Europe to halt (and in some cases, reverse) this trend, primarily to meet environmental objectives of species and habitat conservation and landscape protection. Biodiversity, where associated with agricultural production, has largely been regarded as a positive 'externality' to the process of food production; a ‘product’ which benefits wider society without necessarily conferring an agricultural benefit to the …

Grazing Impacts On Rangeland Condition In Semi-Arid South-Western Africa, A. Rothauge, G. N. Smit, A. L. Abate

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The savannah biome, consisting of a dense herbaceous layer and a relatively open woody layer in competitive balance, constitutes 64% of the land surface of Namibia, an arid country in south-western Africa, and is used mainly for extensive cattle and sheep ranching. About half of the savannah area is affected by dense to moderately dense bush-thickening, resulting in a ten-fold decrease in the rangeland’s grass-based carrying capacity and a concomitant loss in meat production of about US$115 million per year (De Klerk, 2004). Bushencroached areas typically have densities > 2 000 bushes/ha with > 90% belonging to a single species. High grazing …

Andean Pastures In The Fourth Region Of Chile: Marginal Lands And Vital Spaces For A Transhumance System, T. S. Koné, R. Osorio, J. -M. Fotsing

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In the fourth region of Chile, the high Andean pastures between Chile and Argentina are the summer destination for transhumant shepherds and sustain a part of the regional livestock. Since 2000, Chile has prohibited the passage of livestock to Argentina for animal health reasons in spite of official registers indicating that 60 to 75% of the summer transhumance livestock had an Argentine destination. Under those conditions it is questionable whether the Andean Chilean grasslands can absorb the increased pastoral demand without suffering damage. The objective is to provide elements of an answer to this question regarding the distribution and availability …

Grazing, Biodiversity And Pastoral Vegetation In The South Sudanien Area Of Burkina Faso, E. Botoni-Liehoun, P. Daget

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grazing impact on plant diversity is dominated by two contradictory views. In some studies, it has been found to lead to an increase in diversity and in other studies to a decrease associated with dominance of a few species (Nösberger et al., 1998, Hiernaux, 1998). In an Isoberlinia doka forest ecosystem, considered as the climax vegetation in the South Sudanien area of Burkina Faso, a study was carried out to assess the impact of grazing on the diversity of herbaceous species. The Isoberlinia doka forest is one type of South Sudanien savanna. The woody stratum is open and allowed …

Optimization Of The Pasture Resource In Boundary Environments As A Basis For Regional Nature Management, M. V. Rogova

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In spite of the globalization processes encompassing all spheres of human life and activity, land remains the main resource and provides the feeding source for population and the fodder base for livestock rearing. On the other hand, the activity of local communities can have important global consequences. The study area that includes Lake Baikal’s western shore (East Siberia) and the lake’s largest island exemplifies the traditional type of nature management, namely, grazing management which was originated by an indigenous population within the context of suitable natural climatic conditions. This investigation furnished an opportunity to make an assessment of the status …

Effects Of Sowing Date And Phosphorus Fertiliser Application On Winter Survival Of Lucerne Cv. Aohan In The Northern Semi-Arid Region Of China, Z. L. Wang, Q. Zh. Sun, Y. W. Wang, Zh. Y. Li, Sh. F. Zhao

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In the northern semi-arid region of China, winter survival is always a limiting factor for lucerne production, because low temperatures and a dry climate in winter (Zhou et al., 1993; Ma, 2000; Sun & Gui, 2001; Sun et al., 2003). An experiment was conducted to find an appropriate sowing date and P application rate in order to improve lucerne winter survival.

Qtl Analysis And Trait Dissection In Ryegrass (Lolium Spp.), T. Yamada, J. W. Forster

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Key points

1. Molecular marker-based genetic analysis permits the dissection of complex phenotypes through resolution of the locations of pleiotropic and interacting genetic factors.
2. Several QTLs for agronomically important characters such as flowering time, winter hardiness and forage quality have been identified in perennial ryegrass by molecular marker-based map analysis.
3. Some QTLs were putatively orthologous to those for equivalent traits in cereals.
4. The identification of co-location between QTLs and functionally-associated genetic markers is critical for the future implementation of marker-assisted selection programs.

Leaves Of High Yielding Perennial Ryegrass Contain Less Aggregated Rubisco Than S23, A. Kingston-Smith, P. W. Wilkins

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Breeding diploid perennial ryegrass for improved dry matter yield under nitrogen-limiting conditions has reduced the nitrogen (N) concentration of the herbage (Wilkins et al., 2003). Reduced N concentration in the ruminant diet is one potential way to reduce losses of N to the environment by reducing the amount of N that animals excrete. The underlying physiological basis of this increased N-use efficiency in ryegrass was investigated.

Variability In Quantity And Composition Of Water Soluble Carbohydrates Among Irish Accessions And European Varieties Of Perennial Ryegrass, S. Mcgrath, S. Barth, A. Frohlich, M. Francioso, S. A. Lamorte, T. R. Hodkinson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The objective of this study was to identify perennial ryegrass accessions displaying high fructose and glucose contents and an improved ratio between fructose and glucose fractions across different time points throughout the year. Fructose and glucose are the main constituents of the water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) fraction in perennial ryegrass. For animal nutrition the amount of WSC is crucial as it is the primary energy source available to metabolise the intake of plant protein. The ratio between fructose and glucose fractions is important since fructosan chains, which are an excellent energy source for ruminants, are built from fructose. Furthermore the …

The Influence Of Fertiliser Application To Strip-Sown Grasslands On Herbage Production And Quality, A. Kohoutek, P. Komárek, V. Odstrčilová, P. Nerušil

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

To increase the productivity of dairy cattle in the Czech Republic requires an improvement in herbage quality and an increase in the net energy of herbage. The decrease in cattle numbers by 50 % and the expansion of the grassland area both result in a surplus of feedstuffs of low quality. Introduction of strip-seeding of legumes and grasses into grasslands in interaction with fertilisation provides a possible solution to this problem.