Life Sciences Commons^™

The Changing Cost Of Cattle Transportation, Elliott James Dennis

Center for Agricultural Profitability

Diesel is one of the primary inputs in the transportation of goods throughout the United States. Livestock hauling is no exception. Feeder cattle are generally transported long distances in the fall as they move from summer grazing to placement in backgrounding operations or directly into feedlots. Cattle, and other livestock in general, can handle transportation stress fairly well – to a point. Trucking feeder cattle long distances can impact animal health outcomes, and improper animal handling can lead to bruised or injured cattle. These negative impacts can generally be offset by appropriate stocking densities, proper trailer ventilation, correct animal handling …

Patch-Burn Grazing Impacts Forage Resources In Subtropical Humid Grazing Lands, Elizabeth H. Boughton, Nuria Gomez-Casanovas, Hilary Swain, Carl Bernacchi, Raoul K. Boughton, Keith Brinsko, Haoyu Li, Alan Rivero, Evan H. Delucia, Jed Sparks

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Subtropical humid grazing lands represent a large global land use and are important for livestock production, as well as supplying multiple ecosystem services. Patch-burn grazing (PBG) management is applied in temperate grazing lands to enhance environmental and economic sustainability; however, this management system has not been widely tested in subtropical humid grazing lands. The objective of this study was to determine how PBG affected forage resources, in comparison with the business-as-usual full-burn (FB) management in both intensively managed pastures (IMP) and seminative (SN) pastures in subtropical humid grazinglands. We hypothesized that PBG management would create patch contrasts in forage quantity …

Annotating Gene Expression And Regulatory Elements In Tissues From Healthy Thoroughbred Horses And Identifying Candidate Mutations Associated With Perosomus Elumbis In An Angus Calf, Alexa Barber

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Genome annotation has a direct impact on the success of genomic studies. Transcriptome analyses and chromatin immunoprecipitation and sequencing (ChIP-seq) have been used to functionally annotate genomes. These methods can identify protein-coding genes, non-coding transcripts, and cis-regulatory elements across the genome. The primary objective of the first study was to functionally annotate the equine genome through the assessment of nine tissues: adipose, brain, heart, lamina, liver, lung, skeletal, muscle, testis, and ovary. In the first project, 150 bp, paired-end RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) libraries were generated in stallion tissues and compared to previously generated mare RNA-seq libraries to quantify variation in …

Management-Intensive Grazing Impacts On Total Escherichia Coli, E. Coli O157: H7, And Antibiotic Resistance Genes In A Riparian Stream, Laura M. Rubeck, James E. Wells, Kathy Hanford, Lisa M. Durso, Walter H. Schacht, Elaine D. Berry

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

The impacts of management-intensive grazing (MIG) of cattle on concentrations of total Escherichia coli, total suspended solids (TSS), and nitrate-nitrite nitrogen (NO₃+NO₂-N), and occurrence of E. coli O157:H7 and selected antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in stream water and/or sediments were evaluated. Cattle were grazed for twoweek periods in May in each of three years. Overall, grazing increased total E. coli in downstream water by 0.89 log10 MPN/100 mL (p < 0.0001), and downstream total E. coli concentrations were higher than upstream over all sampling intervals. Downstream TSS levels also increased (p ≤ 0.0294) during grazing. In contrast, there was …

The Role Of Fatty Acids In Ruminant Diets And Novel Feed Ingredients High In Omega– 3 Fatty Acids Fed In Feedlot Diets, Mitchell M. Norman

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

A finishing study evaluated the performance, carcass characteristics and fatty acid profiles of steers fed four inclusions of a novel feedstuff Green Grass. Green Grass is a product comprised of sesame meal, giant kelp, cassava, and sorghum containing high concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids. No differences were observed in initial BW, final BW, BW gain, HCW, LM area, 12^th rib fat depth, calculated YG, or liver abscess %. Dry matter intake linearly increased as Green Grass inclusion increased in the diet. Steers fed Green Grass had lower G:F than control cattle, and steers fed 30% Green Grass had a …

Restoring The Fire–Grazing Interaction Promotes Tree–Grass Coexistence By Controlling Woody Encroachment, Jane F. Capozzelli, James R. Miller, Diane M. Debinski, Walter H. Schacht

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Woody encroachment can convert grasslands and savannas to shrublands and woodlands, so understanding the processes which regulate woody encroachment is necessary to conserve or restore these ecosystems.We hypothesized that recreating the fire–grazing interaction would limit woody encroachment because focal grazing increases fuel accumulation on unburned areas and increases browsing on emergent woody plants in burned areas. This study was conducted in the Grand River Grasslands of Iowa and Missouri (USA) on 11 sites (15.4–35.0 ha). Each site was assigned to one treatment: patch-burn-graze (n = 4), with spatially discrete prescribed fires and free access by cattle (the fire–grazing interaction); graze-andburn …

Use Of Uav Imagery And Nutrient Analyses For Estimation Of The Spatial And Temporal Contributions Of Cattle Dung To Nutrient Cycling In Grazed Ecosystems, Amanda Shine

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Nutrient inputs from cattle dung are crucial drivers of nutrient cycling processes in grazed ecosystems. These inputs are important both spatially and temporally and are affected by variables such as grazing strategy, water location, and the nutritional profile of forage being grazed. Past research has attempted to map dung deposition patterns in order to more accurately estimate nutrient input, but the large spatial extent of a typical pasture and the tedious nature of identifying and mapping individual dung pats has prohibited the development of a time- and cost-effective methodology. The first objective of this research was to develop and validate …

Impact Of Feeding Distillers Grains Or Isolated Components In Distillers Grains To Growing And Finishing Cattle, And The Comparison Of Protein Content And In-Situ Digestibility Of Feeds Commonly Used In Feedlot Diets, Brianna B. Conroy

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The use of distillers grains originating from biofuel production has become widely used in feedlot diets. Distillers grains has been identified as having an increased feeding value relative to dry-rolled corn, in recent years the composition of distillers grains has begun to change due to greater refinement in the ethanol production process. Two feedlot trials were conducted to evaluate the contribution of fat, fiber, and protein from distillers grains in the diets of growing and finishing cattle. Growing steers were fed a grass hay-based ration, including a corn control diet compared to a diet containing modified distillers grains plus solubles, …

The Utilization Of Brown Midrib Corn Silage Hybrids And Kernel Processing To Improve Corn Silage Value And The Use Of High Protein Distillers Grains To Evaluate Starch Digestion, Lauren A. Ovinge

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Three studies evaluated the effects of corn silage hybrid, inclusion level and kernel processing in growing and finishing diets. Two more studies were conducted on high protein dried distillers grains and its effect in finishing diets. Experiment 1 and 2 evaluated three corn silage hybrids; standard (CON; hybrid-TMF2H708), brown midrib (bm3; hybrid-F15579S2) and Unified™ brown midrib with SilaSoft™ kernel technology with a floury endosperm (bm3-soft; hybrid-F15578XT) harvested with or without kernel processing on growth and metabolism. Experiment 3 evaluated a brown midrib hybrid (bm3; hybrid-F27F627; Mycogen® Seeds) or a control (CON; hybrid-TMF2H708) in the diet …

Predicting Spatial Risk Of Wolf-Cattle Encounters On Rugged And Extensive Grazing Lands, Patrick R. Clark, Joe Chigbrow, Douglas E. Johnson, John Williams, Larry L. Larson, Tyanne Roland

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Cattle grazing lands in the mountainous western United States are rugged, complex, and extensive. Terrain, vegetation, and other landscape features vary greatly across space. Risk of wolf-cattle encounters and potential for depredation loss certainly differ spatially as consequence of this variability. Yet, our understanding of this spatial risk is quite poor and this knowledge gap severely hampers our abilities to manage wolf-livestock interactions and mitigate conflicts. During 2009-2011, a research study was conducted at four study areas (USFS cattle grazing allotments) in western Idaho to evaluate and predict risk of wolf-cattle encounters. Each year, a random sample of 10 lactating …

Quantification Of Macrophages And Mycobacterium Avium Subsp. Paratuberculosis In Bovine Intestinal Tissue During Different Stages Of Johne’S Disease, Caitlin J. Jenvey, Jesse M. Hostetter, Adrienne L. Shircliff, John Bannantine, Judith R. Stabel

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Johne’s disease is an enteric disease caused by the intracellular pathogen Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). Upon ingestion of MAP, it is translocated across the intestinal epithelium and may be killed by intestinal macrophages, or depending on the bacterial burden and immunological status of the animal, MAP may thwart innate defense mechanisms and persist within the macrophage. This study aimed to determine the numbers of macrophages and MAP present in bovine midileal tissue during different stages of infection. Immunofluorescent (IF) labeling was performed on frozen bovine midileal intestinal tissue collected from 28 Holstein dairy cows. The number of macrophages in …

Divergent Antigen-Specific Cellular Immune Responses During Asymptomatic Subclinical And Clinical States Of Disease In Cows Naturally Infected With Mycobacterium Avium Subsp. Paratuberculosis, Judith R. Stabel, J. P. Bannantine

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Infection of the host with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis results in chronic and progressive enteritis that traverses both subclinical and clinical stages. The mechanism(s) for the shift from an asymptomatic subclinical disease state to advanced clinical disease is not fully understood. In the present study, naturally infected dairy cattle were divided into subclinical and clinical infection groups, along with noninfected control cows of similar parity, to study host immune responses in different stages of infection. Both infection groups had higher levels of secretion of gamma interferon (IFN-􏰇), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-􏰈), and interleukin-2 (IL-2) than control cows, whereas only clinical …

Growing Yeast For Livestock, Zachary Christman

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Over 500,000 tons of organic materials such as food scraps are disposed of each year in Wisconsin. A large percentage of this material could be composted or turned into useful products. The purpose of this article is to educate farmers and organizations on how to turn food waste into a high value food source for livestock. Yeast can be grown at any time of the year without the large inputs of agricultural chemicals and machinery that is common with other feed production methods. A yeast growing facility can be scalable to any size the producer wants such as a small …

U.S. Drought Monitor, May 26, 2015, Brad Rippey

United States Agricultural Commodities in Drought Archive

Drought map of U.S. for May 26, 2015 (5/26/15) plus: U.S. crop areas experiencing drought (map), Approximate percentage of crop located in drought, by state (bar graph), Percent of crop area located in drought, past 52 weeks (line graph) for: Corn, Soybeans, Hay, Cattle, Winter wheat.

The Influence Of The Bovine Fecal Microbiota On The Shedding Of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia Coli (Stec) By Beef Cattle, Nirosh D. Aluthge

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

During the past three decades, Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC) have emerged as an important food safety concern. Although initially E. coli O157 was the main focus, recent outbreaks and resulting investigations have shown that certain non-O157 STEC are as much a threat to food safety as their O157 counterparts. To the beef industry, STEC have been of particular concern due to the frequent association of beef and beef products as vehicles of STEC infection. As a result, along with E. coli O157, six non-O157 STEC serogroups (known as the ‘big six’) are now regulated as adulterants in certain raw beef …

Characteristics Of White-Tailed Deer Visits To Cattle Farms: Implications For Disease Transmission At The Wildlife-Livestock Interface, Are R. Berentsen, Ryan S. Miller, Regina Misiewicz, Jennifer L. Malmberg, Mike R. Dunbar

Other Publications in Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is endemic in free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in MI, USA. Currently, the rates of farm visitation by deer and co-use of forage resources by cattle and deer are poorly understood. To evaluate the extent deer and livestock may share forage resources, we investigated farm, yard, and cattle-use area visitation by white-tailed deer and compared visitation with common livestock management practices. We fitted 25 female white-tailed deer near the bTB-infected zone in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula with global positioning system collars. Livestock management practices associated with farm visitation included presence of confined feeding pastures, number of …

Life Cycle Boundaries And Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Beef Cattle, Quentin M. Dudley

Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations and Theses

Beef cattle are estimated to directly contribute 26% of U.S. agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and future climate change policy may target reducing these emissions. Life cycle assessment (LCA) of GHG emissions from U.S. feedlot beef cattle was conducted to compare methods of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with a more complete evaluation of emissions. The inclusion of emissions from crop production for feed, associated land use change, and other minor factors nearly doubled GHG emissions associated with beef feedlots from the EPA Annual Inventory estimate of 1611 kgCO₂e hd^-1 yr^-1 to 3182 ± 167 …

Evaluation Of Dry Distillers Grains Plus Solubles Inclusion On Performance And Economics Of Finishing Beef Steers, C. D. Buckner, T. L. Mader, G. E. Erickson, S. L. Colgan, D. R. Mark, V. R. Bremer, K. K. Karges, M. L. Gibson

Panhandle Research and Extension Center

A 167-d feedlot study was conducted to evaluate feeding increasing levels of dry distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS) to finishing cattle and the impact on performance and profitability. Crossbred steer calves (n = 240, BW = 306 ± 24.5 kg) were used in 30 pens with dietary treatments of 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40% DDGS dietary inclusion (DM basis). Quadratic relationships (P < 0.05) were observed for final BW and ADG as dietary DDGS increased, with the greatest ADG observed at 20% inclusion. The DMI was not affected (P > 0.15) by DDGS level, but G:F tended to be quadratic (P = 0.10) as 20% DM inclusion had the greatest value, although steers fed all levels of DDGS had numerically greater G:F compared with steers fed no …

2006 Beef Cattle Report, Dennis R. Brink

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This publication was prepared by the Animal Science staff, research technicians, unit managers, and crew involved in research programs at various locations across Nebraska. It deals with the results that were done in cow/calf, growing, beef feedlot (finishing) and beef products research.

Ec05-883 Crop And Livestock Prices For Nebraska Producers, 1960-2005, Darrell R. Mark, Dillon Feuz, Brad Heinrichs

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This report contains historical price data for the major crops and livestock commodities produced in Nebraska. Prices received by producers are reported for 1960-2005 for most of the commodities.

The data was compiled from Nebraska Agricultural Statistics Service and Agricultural Prices, National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA; Oil Crops Situation and Outlook, Economic Research Service, USDA; Cotton and Wool Outlook, Economic Research Service, USDA; and Livestock and Grain Market News, Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA. Sources of prices for each commodity are indicated on the tables.

Ec05-835 Hedging And Basis Considerations For Feeder Cattle Livestock Risk Protection Insurance, Darrell R. Mark

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) Insurance for feeder cattle is a price-risk management tool available to feeder cattle producers with cattle in Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. LRP indemnifies against declines in feeder cattle sales prices, as determined by the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) Feeder Cattle Can Index, which represents a national average cash feeder steer price.

This extension circular examines historical LRP basis and demonstrates its use in hedgling with LRP.

Ec05-185 Grazing Winter Wheat In Nebraska, Tom Holman, Drew J. Lyon, David D. Baltensperger, Ivan G. Rush, Ray Weed

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Grazing cattle on winter wheat, often prior to grain harvest, is common throughout the southern Great Plains. Grazing generates about $50 million in income for Texas wheat producers and reduces the risk of growing wheat by providing a substantial income source other than grain. Benefits can be realized by grazing prior to the primary environmental risk period for drought, heat stress, and hail, all of which frequently reduce grain yield while having limited impact on forage production. Cattle also are grazed on winter wheat fields in western Nebraska and the surrounding region. Typically in Nebraska, fall forage would be used …

G05-1587 Understandng Effective Fiber In Rations For Dairy Cattle, Paul J. Kononoff

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Fiber type, quality and length are key to herd health and production.

Fiber is a key component in dairy rations. When nutritionists are faced with herd challenges such as low milkfat tests, foot problems, or low feed conversions, ration fiber often is evaluated. Effective fiber depends on the type and amount of forages and nonforage fiber sources being fed, the particle size of those forages and the amount of available nonfiberous carbohydrates included in the diet.

G05-1582 How To Reduce Heat Stress In Dairy Cattle, Jeffrey F. Keown, Paul J. Kononoff, Richard J. Grant

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Four ways to reduce heat stress and maintain production and fertility in dairy cattle.

Heat stress is one of the leading causes of decreased production and fertility in Nebrasks dairy cattle during summer months. These losses are apparent in the decreased amount of milk shipped, increased days open and decreased breedings per conception. Some heat stress is unavoidable, but effects can be minimized if certain management practices are followed.

G05-1583 How To Body Condition Score Dairy Animals, Jeffrey F. Keown

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Routinely scoring the body condition of dairy animals can help detect potential problems that might cause a decrease in milk production.

As the production level of a herd increases, body condition scoring becomes more important. A routine program for body condition scoring can help detect potential health problems before they significantly reduce milk production. A herd of cattle in good body condition will produce more, and will be less susceptible to metabolic disorders, disease, mastitis and reproductive problems. Underconditioned cows are subject to health problems, and overconditioned cows are subject to calving difficulties, fatty liver syndrome and possible death.

Case Study: Tympanic Temperature And Behavior Associated With Moving Feedlot Cattle, T. L. Mader, M. S. Davis, W. M. Kreikemeier

Haskell Agricultural Laboratory (Northeast Research and Extension Center)

Body temperature is often used as an indicator of animal health status. In a series of handling experiments, tympanic temperatures (TT) were obtained in unrestrained feedlot cattle. In a January experiment (BW = 531 ± 54 kg), TT were increased (P

G05-1573 Meat And Fabrication-Room Temperatures For Food Safety, Alejandro Amezquita, L. Wang, Harshavardhan Thippareddi, Dennis E. Burson, Curtis Weller

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Within the last 20 years, several meat-borne pathogenic microorganisms have emerged in the United States, causing numerous outbreaks of disease and death, as well as drastic economical losses.

Guidelines in this NebGuide are suggested for controlling temperature of meat and meat products in fabrication rooms so as to prevent detrimental growth of meat-borne pathogens.

Ec04-835 Hedging And Basis Considerations For Feeder Cattle Livestock Risk Protection Insurance, Darrell R. Mark

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) insurnace for feeder cattle is a price-risk management tool initially offered in June 2003 to feeder cattle producers in Nebraska, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.

This extension circular examines historical LRP basia dn demonstrates its use in hedging with LRP.

Ec03-883 Crop And Livestock Prices For Nebraska Producers, 1960-2003, Darrell R. Mark, Dillon Feuz, Roger Selley, Tina N. Barrett

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This report contains historical price data for the major crops and livestock commodities produced in Nebraska. Prices received by producers are reported for 1960-2002 for most of the commodities.

The data was compiled from Nebraska Agricultural Statistics Services and Agricultural Prices, National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA; Oil Crops Situation and Outlook, Economic Research Service, USDA; Cotton and Wool Outlook, Economic Research Service, USDA; and Livestock and Grain Market News, Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA. Sources of prices for each commodity are indicated on the tables.

Cc02-426 Achieving Success With A Business Plan: Case Study Of A Cow/Calf Business Plan, Jody Wichmann, John Hanson, H. Douglas Jose

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This publication is a case study of a cow/calf business plan. It covers the business organization; history and overview of the operation; the operation layout; mission statement and goals; present business, legal and contractual situations; production, financial, marketing and personnel situations; job description, salary, benefits and labor training; and personnel summary.