Life Sciences Commons^™

Four Legs Good, Two Legs Bad: How Slaughterhouse Safety Hasn’T Kept Up With The Times, Emily Ziemski

Capstones

From legal loopholes and outdated rules to undetectable infections and understaffing, the United States Department of Agriculture may not be doing all it can to make sure the American public’s health isn't at risk. As the people of the United States consume over 500 million pounds of beef a year, food safety policy and slaughterhouses are falling behind in proper procedural measurements in the beef industry.

emziemski.com/capstone

Effects Of Carbon Dioxide On Turkey Poult Performance And Behavior, M G.L Candido, Y Xiong, R S. Gates, I F.F. Tinoco, K W. Koelkebeck

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Appropriate ventilation of poultry facilities is critical for achieving optimum performance. Ventilation promotes good air exchange to remove harmful gases, excessive heat, moisture, and particulate matter. In a turkey brooder barn, carbon dioxide (CO₂) may be present at higher levels during the winter due to reduced ventilation rates to maintain high temperatures. This higher CO₂ may negatively affect turkey poult performance. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of subjecting tom turkey poults (commercial Large White Hybrid Converters) to different constant levels of atmospheric CO₂ on their growth performance and behavior. In …

Expression And Role Of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone 2 And Its Receptor In Mammals, Amy Desaulniers, Rebecca A. Cederberg, Clay A. Lents, Brett R. White

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone 1 (GnRH1) and its receptor (GnRHR1) drive mammalian reproduction via regulation of the gonadotropins. Yet, a second form of GnRH (GnRH2) and its receptor (GnRHR2) also exist in mammals. GnRH2 has been completely conserved throughout 500 million years of evolution, signifying high selection pressure and a critical biological role. However, the GnRH2 gene is absent (e.g., rat) or inactivated (e.g., cow and sheep) in some species but retained in others (e.g., human, horse, and pig). Likewise, many species (e.g., human, chimpanzee, cow, and sheep) retain the GnRHR2 gene but lack the appropriate coding sequence to produce a full-length …

A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment Of Nutritionally Equivalent Meals With And Without Pork, Kelli Young

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The following report details a life cycle assessment of several dietary and meal scenarios with and without pork. The goal of the LCA was to identify the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions, water use, and land use of pork containing and porkless diets and meal plans in a field-to-fork analysis. The dietary and meal plan scenarios are iso-caloric meaning they contain the same number of calories. The first set of diets is based on a USDA consumption pattern, 2000 kcal per day. This diet was used to create three other dietary scenarios with and without pork. The USDA recommended food …

The Effects Of Feed Additives In Beef Finishing Systems And The Effect Of Rumen Degradable Protein Supplementation In Corn Residue Grazing Systems With The Use Of Distillers On Growth Performance, Robert M. Jones

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

One receiving trial evaluated the effect of the feed additive monensin (trade name: Rumensin) on steer growth performance in the receiving period while evaluating the effects of two receiving vaccinations on morbidity and mortality of newly received calves. No differences were observed in growth performance, morbidity rate or mortality rate between treatments for the first 28 d of receiving. A finishing trial evaluated the effect of the feed additive ractopamine hydrochloride (trade name: Optaflexx) on feedlot growth performance and carcass characteristics of crossbred yearling steers fed to differing degrees of finish. Feeding ractopamine hydrochloride at 300 mg improved ADG, G:F, …

Evaluating The Impact Of Two Contrasting Tillage Practices On Soil Properties In Central Kentucky, Emily Cook

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Farming practices such as no tillage and plowing can institute change on soil physical and chemical characteristics. In this research, the effects of long-term conventional and no-tillage systems on the selected soil properties were determined in a continuous corn system on a farm with Maury silt loam soil. These samples were taken from University of Kentucky's Research Farm (Spindletop Farm). The field used was tilled in 1969 from bluegrass sod and the first time research was conduced was in 1970. Each plot is 20 ft. by 40 ft. and for many years each plot was split with winter cover crop …

Growth And Development Of Two Broiler Strains With Low Protein And Crystalline Amino Acid Supplemented Diets, Chaoyang Li

LSU Master's Theses

The objective of this research was to compare the growth performance of broilers from two commercial breeds with control, low protein and low protein supplemented with crystalline amino acids diets. This was a randomized block design, and identical experiments were conducted on successively in two years. In each experiment, day-old chicks, Ross 708 broilers and Cobb 405 broilers, were randomly assigned into three dietary treatments: 1) positive control, 2) low crude protein (LP), and 3) LP + crystalline amino acids (CAA). A three phase feeding program was used. Feed and water were provided ad-libitum. On d 12, 19, 26, 33, …

Is Tb Testing Associated With Increased Blood Interferon-Gamma Levels?, Aideen E. Kennedy, Jim O'Mahony, Noel Byrne, John Macsharry, Riona G. Sayers

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

The Republic of Ireland reports a relatively low prevalence of Johne’s disease (JD) compared to international counterparts. Postulated reasons for this include a lower average herd size and a grass-based production system. Ireland also engages in high levels of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) testing. As interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) is believed to play a key role in protecting against JD, it is our hypothesis that administration of purified protein derivative (PPD), as part of the bTB test, is associated with a systemic increase in IFN-γ production, which may potentially limit clinical progression of the disease. We studied 265 cows (202 Friesian and 63 …

Serum Blood Metabolite Response And Evaluation Of Select Organ Weight, Histology, And Cardiac Morphology Of Beef Heifers Exposed To A Dual Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone And Vasopressin Challenge Following Supplementation Of Zilpaterol Hydrochloride1,2, J. O. Buntyn, David J. Steffen, N. C. Burdick Sanchez, S. E. Sieren, S. J. Jones, Galen E. Erickson, J. A. Carroll, Ty B. Schmidt

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The objectives of this study were 1) to determine if supplementation of zilpaterol hydrochloride (ZH) altered select organ weights, histology, and cardiac anatomical features at harvest and 2) to determine if administration of a corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and vasopressin (VP) challenge following 20 d of ZH supplementation altered the blood chemistry profile in cattle. Crossbred heifers (n = 20; 556 ± 7 kg BW) were randomized into 2 treatment groups: 1) control (CON), without ZH, and 2) zilpaterol (ZIL; ZH at 8.33 mg/kg [DM basis] for 20 d). On d 20 of supplementation, heifers were fitted with indwelling jugular …

Supplemental Effects Of Ruminal Bypass Arginine And Lysine For Improving Meat Quality And Oxidative Stability Of Aged Beef Loins, Jacob Tuell, Hyun-Wook Kim, Juliana Guedes, Derico Setyabrata, Jin-Kyu Seo, Jon Schoonmaker, Yuan H. Brad Kim

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Postmortem aging is widely practiced in the beef industry to improve eating quality characteristics. However, the oxidative stability of aged beef muscle could be negatively affected by extending aging period. The use of ruminal bypass amino acids allows levels of crude protein in the diet to be lowered and may also positively impact oxidative stability of aged beef muscle. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of ruminal bypass arginine (Arg) and lysine (Lys) supplementation on meat quality and oxidative stability of beef loins (M. longissimus lumborum, LL) under two durations of postmortem aging (14 and 28 days). …

Selection Of Breeding Stock By U.S. Meat Goat Producers, Narayan Nyaupane, Jeffrey Gillespie, Kenneth Mcmillin, Robert Harrison, Isaac Stienei

Community & Leadership Development Faculty Publications

Using nationwide survey data, we investigate U.S. meat goat producer preferences and willingness to pay for meat goat breeding stock attributes. Discrete choice experiments were employed, and mixed logit and latent class models were used for analysis. Results showed that producers preferred animals that were highly masculine/feminine, had good structure and soundness, and were of the Boer breed, whereas they preferred fewer animals that were older, of Kiko and Spanish breeds, and priced higher. Significant preference heterogeneity was found among the respondents. Larger-scale producers had greater preference for high masculinity/femininity, good structure and soundness, and Boer bucks.

Supplemental Trace Minerals (Zn, Cu, And Mn) As Sulfates Or Hydroxy Trace Mineral Sources For Beef Heifers, Randy Hunter Burnett

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Crossbred heifers (n = 286, 255 ± 4.5 kg initial BW, 295 ± 16.5 d of age) were used over a 2-yr period to determine the effects of mineral source on beef heifer development at 2 locations (n = 71 and n = 72, Fayetteville, blocks 1 and 4; n = 72 in each of 2 breeding groups, Batesville, blocks 2 and 3). Heifers were stratified based on initial BW, age, health, prior research projects, and sire, and then assigned to 6 groups of 12 heifers, that were assigned randomly to 1 of 2 trace mineral treatments. The 2 treatments …

Effects Of Labeling And Consumer Health Trends On Preferred Ground Beef Color Characteristics, Fat Content, And Palatability In Simulated Retail Display, Fred W. Pohlman Ii

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Nutritional concerns and attempts to limit fat in the diet over the past decades have impacted the protein market, decreasing red meat consumption as well as prompting the advent of lean and extra lean ground beef. Such lean blends of ground beef may suffer in palatability, however, resulting in less satisfied consumers turning to other protein sources. While consumers are demanding lean ground beef, fatter blends may be more palatable. This study seeks to bridge the gap between perceived health and palatability by evaluating preferred fat content and instrumental color characteristics between labeled and unlabeled packages of ground beef in …

Rumen Fluid Metabolomics Analysis Associated With Feed Efficiency On Crossbred Steers, Virginia M. Artegoitia, Andrew P. Cassady, Ronald M. Lewis, Harvey C. Freetly

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The rumen has a central role in the efficiency of digestion in ruminants. To identify potential differences in rumen function that lead to differences in average daily gain (ADG), rumen fluid metabolomic analysis by LC-MS and multivariate/univariate statistical analysis were used to identify differences in rumen metabolites. Individual feed intake and body-weight was measured on 144 steers during 105 d on a high concentrate ration. Eight steers with the greatest ADG and 8 steers with the least-ADG with dry matter intake near the population average were selected. Blood and rumen fluid was collected from the 16 steers 26 d before …

Sustainability Assessment Of U.S. Beef Production Systems, Greg Thoma, Ben Putman, Marty Matlock, Jennie Popp, Leah English

Food Systems

With increasing public concern and awareness of agricultural sustainability issues, comprehensive methodologies such as life cycle assessment are required to benchmark the beef industry and identify areas of opportunity for continuous improvement. To that end, the Beef Checkoff completed a retrospective sustainability assessment benchmark in 2013 by using Eco-efficiency analysis to compare the years 2005 and 2011. At the time of the analysis, the methodology used was the most up-to-date and comprehensive – indeed the analysis remains one of the only complete cradle-to-grave assessments of the U.S. beef industry. In 2015, a further refined version of the Eco-efficiency analysis was …

Evaluation Of Absorbezz On Swine Reproductive Health And A Comparative Study Of Two Commercially Available Swine Show Feeds, Scott G. Sutton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The efficacy of a feed supplement fed to gilts and sows was tested in study I. The supplement was stated to improve reproductive soundness, conception rates, immune health, and overall well-being of livestock. Thirty gilts were split into a control group (Base diet) and a treatment group (Absorbezz® 0.32 mL on base diet). Upon completion of the trial results indicate the treatment group significantly underperformed (

Two commercially available show pig growing rations were tested in study II to find a high quality, cost efficient product. A total of 10 pigs (5 barrows, 5 gilts), at an average weight of …

Evaluation Of Different Probiotic Strains Supplemented In Commercial Broiler Rations And Their Influences On Performance, Yield, And Intestinal Microbiota., Justin M. Glasscock

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to evaluate Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus licheniformis, and Bacillus subtilis, as probiotic strains compared to Bacitracin Methylene Disalicylate (BMD) 50 as the antibiotic growth promotor, supplemented in commercial broiler rations and their influences on performance, yield, and intestinal microbiota. This trial was completed as a randomized-block design with 4,800 birds split into 96, 5’x10’ pens, and randomly assigned to one of eight treatment groups. The birds were placed at a stocking density of 1.00 ft²/bird, (50 birds/pen), and reared on used pine shaving for 55 days. Throughout the study, bird …

Identification Of Meat And Poultry Species In Food Products Using Dna Barcoding, Rosalee S. Hellberg, Brenda C. Hernandez, Eduardo L. Hernandez

Food Science Faculty Articles and Research

DNA barcoding is a promising method for the sequencing-based identification of meat and poultry species in food products. However, DNA degradation during processing may limit recovery of the full-length DNA barcode from these foods. The objective of this study was to investigate the ability of DNA barcoding to identify species in meat and poultry products and to compare the results of full-length barcoding (658 bp) and mini-barcoding (127 bp). Sixty meat and poultry products were collected for this study, including deli meats, ground meats, dried meats, and canned meats. Each sample underwent full and mini-barcoding of the cytochrome c oxidase …

Rose, Midge (Fa 1013), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

FA Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1013. Student folk studies project titled: “Hog Killing,” which includes survey sheets with brief descriptions of the hog killing process in Boyle County, Kentucky. Sheets may include a brief description of belief, traditional practice, or tool, informant’s name and photo.

Detection And Quantitation Of Tetracycline Antibiotics In Agricultural Swine Wastes, Ali Jamal Abdulrheem

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The spread of tetracyclines through agricultural systems is causing the present bacteria to develop antibiotic resistance. The spread of this bacteria, as well as the tetracycline antibiotics in the environment is dangerous because these antibiotics pose health hazards for humans. The overuse of antibiotics, which are added to livestock feed, results in the antibiotics being released into the environment via animal feces. In this research, we have attempted to design an analytical method to isolate antibiotics from agricultural wastes with subsequent detection using liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The antibiotics investigated in this study were tetracycline, chlortetracycline, and oxytetracycline. …

Islet Adaptations In Fetal Sheep Persist Following Chronic Exposure To High Norepinephrine, Xiaochaun Chen, Amy C. Kelly, Dustin T. Yates, Antoni R. Macko, Ronald M. Lynch, Sean W. Limesand

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Complications in pregnancy elevate fetal norepinephrine (NE) concentrations. Previous studies in NE-infused sheep fetuses revealed that sustained exposure to high NE resulted in lower expression of α2-adrenergic receptors in islets and increased insulin secretion responsiveness after acutely terminating the NE infusion. In this study, we determined if the compensatory increase in insulin secretion following chronic elevation of NE is independent of hyperglycemia in sheep fetuses and whether it is persistent in conjunction with islet desensitization to NE. Following an initial assessment of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) at 129±1 days of gestation, fetuses were continuously infused for seven days with NE …

144 Effect Of Antral Follicle Count In Beef Heifers On In Vitro Fertilization/Production, C. C. Chase Jr., R. A. Freeland, A. K. Mcneel, E. C. Wright-Johnson, G. A. Perry, S. C. Tenley, J. R. Wood, A. S. Cupp, J. L. Vallet, J. R. Miles

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Our objective has been to compare the IVF and in vitro production (IVP) of embryos from low and high antral follicle count (AFC) heifers. This is the fourth year of the study with years 1 to 3 reported individually. For this report, we add data for the fourth year and present a combined analysis (years 1 to 4) for the first time. Each year, AFC was determined on ~120 Angus heifers using transrectal ultrasonography. Ten heifers with the lowest AFC and 10 heifers with the highest AFC and all with evidence of oestrous cyclicity were synchronized with two 5-mL injections …

Economic Selection Index Development For Beefmaster Cattle I: Terminal Breeding Objective, Kathleen P. Ochsner, M. D. Macneil, Matthew L. Spangler

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The objective of this study was to develop an economic selection index for Beefmaster cattle in a terminal production system where bulls are mated to mature cows with all resulting progeny harvested. National average prices from 2010 to 2014 were used to establish income and expenses for the system. Phenotypic and genetic parameter values among the selection criteria and goal traits were obtained from literature. Economic values were estimated by simulating 100,000 animals and approximating the partial derivatives of the profit function by perturbing traits one at a time, by 1 unit, while holding the other traits constant at their …

Dietary Energy Drives The Dynamic Response Of Bovine Rumen Viral Communities, Christopher L. Anderson, Matthew B. Sullivan, Samodha C. Fernando

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Background: Rumen microbes play a greater role in host energy acquisition than that of gut-associated microbes in monogastric animals. Although genome-enabled advancements are providing access to the vast diversity of uncultivated microbes, our understanding of variables shaping rumen microbial communities is in its infancy. Viruses have been shown to impact microbial populations through a myriad of processes, including cell lysis and reprogramming of host metabolism. However, little is known about the processes shaping the distribution of rumen viruses or how viruses may modulate microbial-driven processes in the rumen. To this end, we investigated how rumen bacterial and viral community structure …

Genomics Symposium: Using Genomic Approaches To Uncover Sources Of Variation In Age At Puberty And Reproductive Longevity In Sows, Hiruni R. Wijesena, Clay A. Lents, Jean-Jack Riethoven, Melanie D. Trenhaile-Grannemann, Jennifer F. Thorson, Brittney N. Keel, Phillip S. Miller, Matt Spangler, Stephen D. Kachman, Daniel C. Ciobanu

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Genetic variants associated with traits such as age at puberty and litter size could provide insight into the underlying genetic sources of variation impacting sow reproductive longevity and productivity. Genomewide characterization and gene expression profiling were used using gilts from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln swine resource population (n = 1,644) to identify genetic variants associated with age at puberty and litter size traits. From all reproductive traits studied, the largest fraction of phenotypic variation explained by the Porcine SNP60 BeadArray was for age at puberty (27.3%). In an evaluation data set, the predictive ability of all SNP from highranked 1-Mb …

Genome-Wide Association Study For Feed Efficiency And Growth Traits In U.S. Beef Cattle, Christopher M. Seabury, David L. Oldeschulte, Mahdi Saatchi, Jonathan E. Beever, Jared E. Decker, Yvette A. Halley, Eric K. Bhattarai, Maral Molael, Harvey Freetly, Stephanie L. Hansen, Helen Yampara-Iquise, Kristen A. Johnson, Monty S. Kerley, Jaewoo Kim, Daniel D. Loy, Elisa Marques, Holly L. Neibergs, Robert D. Schnabel, Daniel W. Shike, Matthew L. Spangler, Bob Weaber, D. J. Garrick, Jeremy F. Taylor

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Background: Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays for domestic cattle have catalyzed the identification of genetic markers associated with complex traits for inclusion in modern breeding and selection programs. Using actual and imputed Illumina 778K genotypes for 3887 U.S. beef cattle from 3 populations (Angus, Hereford, SimAngus), we performed genome-wide association analyses for feed efficiency and growth traits including average daily gain (ADG), dry matter intake (DMI), mid-test metabolic weight (MMWT), and residual feed intake (RFI), with marker-based heritability estimates produced for all traits and populations.

Results: Moderate and/or large-effect QTL were detected for all traits in all populations, as jointly …

Influence Of Sodium Chloride Reduction And Replacement With Potassium Chloride Based Salts On The Sensory And Physico-Chemical Characteristics Of Pork Sausage Patties, Regan E. Stanley, Chad G. Bower, Gary A. Sullivan

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

This study evaluated the effects of sodium chloride reduction and replacement with potassium chloride or modified potassium chloride based salts using a weight or molar equivalent basis on the sensory and physicochemical properties of pork sausage patties. Three independent replications of pork sausage patties were manufactured to compare five treatments: full sodium, reduced sodium, modified potassium chloride weight based replacement, modified potassium chloride molar based replacement, and standard potassium chloride weight based replacement. Salt replacement did not affect (P > 0.05) moisture, protein, fat, textural properties, lipid oxidation, or redness. Sausage patties with modified potassium chloride were more acceptable than those …

Evaluation Of The National Research Council (2001) Dairy Model And Derivation Of New Prediction Equations. 1. Digestibility Of Fiber, Fat, Protein, And Nonfiber Carbohydrate, R. R. White, Y. Roman-Garcia, J. L. Firkins, M. J. Vandehaar, L. E. Armentano, W. P. Weiss, T. Mcgill, R. Garnett, M. D. Hanigan

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Evaluation of ration balancing systems such as the National Research Council (NRC) Nutrient Requirementsseries is important for improving predictions of animal nutrient requirements and advancing feeding strategies. This work used a literature data set (n = 550) to evaluate predictions of total-tract digested neutral detergent fiber (NDF), fatty acid (FA), crude protein (CP), and nonfiber carbohydrate (NFC) estimated by the NRC (2001) dairy model. Mean biases suggested that the NRC (2001) lactating cow model overestimated true FA and CP digestibility by 26 and 7%, respectively, and under-predicted NDF digestibility by 16%. All NRC (2001) estimates had notable mean and …

Development Of An Objective Feet And Leg Conformation Evaluation Method Using Digital Imagery In Swine, J. D. Stock, J. A. Calderon Diaz, C. E. Abell, T. J. Baas, M. F. Rothschild, B. E. Mote, K. J. Stalder

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Background:The objectives of this study were to create an objective measurement method of joint angles for knee, hock, front and rear pasterns and a rear stance position in swine using digital imaging technology and to assess the repeatability of the objective measurement process. Methods and Findings: Forty-five multiparous sows (average parity 6.7 ± 2.5; parity range 5 to 14) from two commercial farms (n=21 farm 1 and n=24 farm 2) were used. Sows were moved to a pen where digital images of the profile and rear stance were captured. On average, 5.2 (± 2.6) profile and 2.6 (± 1.0) …

The Effect Of Regular Or Reduced-Fat Distillers Grains With Solubles On Rumen Methanogenesis And The Rumen Bacterial Community, E. Castillo-Lopez, C. J. R. Jenkins, N. D. Aluthge, W. Tom, P. J. Kononoff, S. C. Fernando

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Aims: The effect of feeding dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) or reduced-fat DDGS (RFDG) on ruminal methanogenesis and the rumen bacterial community of dairy cattle was evaluated. Methods and Results: Treatments were CONT, a diet with no distillers grains; DG, inclusion of 20% DDGS; rfDG, inclusion of 20% RFDG; and MIX, inclusion of 10% DDGS and 10% RFDG. Methane emission was measured; rumen bacterial community was evaluated by sequencing the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Total methane production remained unaffected. However, feeding distillers grains tended to reduce methanogenesis per unit of feed intake, decreased the abundance of …