Life Sciences Commons^™

Breed Comparisons Of Angus, Charolais, Hereford, Jersey, Limousin, Simmental, And South Devon For Weight, Weight Adjusted For Body Condition Score, Height, And Body Condition Score Of Cows, Jesus Arango, L. V. Cundiff, L. Dale Van Vleck

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Breed means and differences for weight (CW, n = 19,851), height (CH, n = 14,553), and condition scores (CS, n = 19,536) recorded in four seasons per year were evaluated for 881 cows ranging from 2 to 7 yr of age from Cycle I of the Germplasm Evaluation Program at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center. Cows were straightbred Herefords and Angus and top-crosses from mating of Hereford, Angus, South Devon, Jersey, Simmental, Limousin, and Charolais sires to Hereford and Angus dams. The model included cow age, season of measurement, and their interactions, with year of birth, pregnancy-lactation (PL) code, …

Comparisons Of Angus-, Braunvieh-, Chianina-, Hereford-, Gelbvieh-, Maine Anjou-, And Red Poll-Sired Cows For Weight, Weight Adjusted For Body Condition Score, Height, And Body Condition Score, Jesus Arango, L. V. Cundiff, L. Dale Van Vleck

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Data from Angus, Hereford, and topcross cows (n = 641) from 2- to 8-yr-old daughters of seven breeds of sires included in Cycle II of the Germplasm Evaluation Program at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, comprising cow weight (CW, n = 15,698), height (CH, n = 15,676), and condition score (CS, n = 15,667), were used to estimate breed-group differences. Data were recorded in four seasons of each year (1975 to 1982). The mixed model included cow age, season of measurement, and their interactions, year of birth, pregnancy-lactation code (PL), and breed-group as fixed effects for CW and CS. …

Estimates Of Genetic Parameters And Genetic Change For Reproduction, Weight, And Wool Characteristics Of Columbia Sheep, Kathryn J. Hanford, L. Dale Van Vleck, G. D. Snowder

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Genetic parameters from both single-trait and bivariate analyses for prolificacy, weight and wool traits were estimated using REML with animal models for Columbia sheep from data collected from 1950 to 1998 at the U.S. Sheep Experiment Station (USSES), Dubois, ID. Breeding values from both single-trait and seven-trait analyses calculated using the parameters estimated from the single-trait and bivariate analyses were compared with respect to genetic trends. Number of observations were 31,401 for litter size at birth and litter size at weaning, 24,741 for birth weight, 23,903 for weaning weight, 29,572 for fleece weight and fleece grade, and 2,449 for staple …

Genetic Parameters For Weight, Weight Adjusted For Body Condition Score, Height, And Body Condition Score In Beef Cows, Jesus Arango, Larry V. Cundiff, L. Dale Van Vleck

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Weight (CW, n = 61,798), weight adjusted for condition score (WA), hip height (CH, n = 56,494), and condition score (CS, n = 61,434) of cows (2 through 8 yr of age) produced by crosses of 22 sire breeds with Angus and Hereford dams in the first four cycles of the Germplasm Evaluation (GPE) Program at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center were used to estimate genetic parameters with REML. The model included sire breed, dam breed, age in years, season of measurement (1 to 4) and their interactions, and year of birth and pregnancy-lactation code (PL) as fixed effects …

Breed Comparisons Of Angus, Brahman, Hereford, Pinzgauer, Sahiwal, And Tarentaise For Weight, Weight Adjusted For Condition Score, Height, And Body Condition Score, Jesus Arango, L. V. Cundiff, L. Dale Van Vleck

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Data from topcross cows (n = 468) from six breeds of sire (Angus, Brahman, Hereford, Pinzgauer, Sahiwal, Tarentaise) and two breeds of dam (Angus and Hereford) of Cycle III of the Germplasm Evaluation (GPE) program at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (MARC) comprising cow weight (CW, n = 9,012), height (CH, n = 9,010), and condition score (CS, n = 8,991) recorded in four seasons per year from 2 to 6 yr of age were used to estimate breed-group differences. The mixed models included cow age, season of measurement and their interactions, year of birth, pregnancy-lactation code (PL), and …

Estimates Of Parameters Between Direct And Maternal Genetic Effects For Weaning Weight And Direct Genetic Effects For Carcass Traits In Crossbred Cattle, R. K. Splan, Larry V. Cundiff, M. E. Dikeman, L. Dale Van Vleck

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Estimates of heritabilities and genetic correlations were obtained for weaning weight records of 23,681 crossbred steers and heifers and carcass records from 4,094 crossbred steers using animal models. Carcass traits included hot carcass weight; retail product percentage; fat percentage; bone percentage; ribeye area; adjusted fat thickness; marbling score, Warner- Bratzler shear force and kidney, pelvic and heart fat percentage. Weaning weight was modeled with fixed effects of age of dam, sex, breed combination, and birth year, with calendar birth day as a covariate and random direct and maternal genetic and maternal permanent environmental effects. The models for carcass traits included …

Selection For Maternal Behavior In Mice—Direct And Correlated Responses, Chung-Feng Chiang, Rodger K. Johnson, Merlyn K. Nielsen

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Three generations of divergent selection for a maternal care index (MCI) in mice were practiced in each of three replicates. MCI was recorded for 29–32 dams and litters in each replicate/line subclass. Pups of the top (or bottom) 6– 10 dams in each replicate, depending on number of females in the litters, were selected in high (H) and low (L) MCI lines. At birth, litters with more than 10 pups were standardized to 10 pups whereas litters with no more than 10 pups remained intact. On day 4, 8, 12, and 16 of lactation, time budgets during a 30-min session …

Effects Of Urea, Isolated Soybean Protein And Blood Meal On Growing Steers Fed A Corn-Based Diet, W. F. Knaus, Donald H. Beerman, L. O. Tedeschi, M. Czajkowski, D. G. Fox, J. B. Russell

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

A short term feeding trial was conducted to assess effects of nitrogen (N) supplementation on growing cattle and the ability of the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) to predict responses. Four corn-based diets were used: (1) a 30% ruminal N-deficient control diet; (2) a urea supplemented diet; (3) a urea+isolated soy protein (ISP) diet; and (4) a urea+ISP+blood meal (BM) diet. Four Holstein steers (average initial body weight of 251 kg) were randomly assigned in a 4×4 Latin Square treatment design. Steers were fed 95% of ad libitum intake on an hourly basis, and 500 μg of oestradiol-17β …

Maternal Behavior In Mice Selected For Large Litter Size, Chung-Feng Chiang, Rodger . K. Johnson, Merlyn K. Nielsen

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

A total of 96 lactating mice and their pups from each of three replications of lines selected 21 generations for increased litter size (LS) followed by 23–25 generations of random selection and contemporary unselected control lines (LC) were characterized for maternal behavior. Sixteen dams and their pups from each replication of LS and LC lines were sampled. Litter sizes at birth for LS versus LC in the first, second, and third replicates were 17.3 versus 13.2, 15.9 versus 13.1, and 12.3 versus 10.6 pups, respectively, with LS dams averaging 2.87 ± .70 pups more. One-half of the litters were standardized …

Effect Of Duration Of Performance Test On Variance Component Estimates For Lamb Growth Rate, G. D. Snowder, L. Dale Van Vleck

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The objective was to determine the effect of periods of adjustment and duration of performance test on estimating genetic variance parameters for ADG. Variance components were estimated from ADG data collected from 1978 to 1984 on a total of 1,047 Targhee ewe and ram lambs at the U.S. Sheep Experiment Station (Dubois, ID). Across all years, lambs averaged 84 ± 9 d of age and 25 ± 5.4 kg of weight when placed on test. Lambs were provided ad libitum access to a commercial pellet of barley grain and ground alfalfa for 14 wk. Every 2 wk, ADG was recorded. …

Animal Diet Modification To Decrease The Potential For Nitrogen And Phosphorus Pollution, Terry J. Klopfenstein, Rosalina Angel, Gary Cromwell, Galen E. Erickson, Danny G. Fox, Carl Parsons, Larry D. Satter, Alan L. Sutton, David H. Baker, Austin Lewis, Deanne Meyer

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

In 1996, the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) published a report entitled Integrated Animal Waste Management. One of the recommendations in that report was to “change animal diets to decrease nutrient outputs” (CAST 1996, 1). Since that time, concentration of animal production units has continued, public concern about the environmental effects of animal manure has increased, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed more restrictive requirements for concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO regulations).

Progress has been made since 1996 to decrease nutrient outputs by animals through diet modification and nutrition. The current study describes the existing …

Heritability And Repeatability Of Sexual Performance Scores Of Rams, G. D. Snowder, J. N. Stellflug, L. Dale Van Vleck

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Sexual performance has been subjectively measured with a libido test during screening of rams before public sale and breeding at the U.S. Sheep Experiment Station from 1990 to 2000. The objective of this study was to determine whether sexual performance was genetically influenced. Sexual performance scores ranged from 1 to 6 with scores increasing from sexually inactive to highly sexually active in the presence of estrous ewes. The overall average score was 3.5 ± 0.02. Records from four breeds (Columbia, n = 807; Polypay, n = 1,668; Rambouillet, n = 1,208; and Targhee, n = 1,002) were combined into one …

Testis Developmental Phenotypes In Neurotropin Receptor Trka And Trkc Null Mutations: Role In Formation Of Seminiferous Cords And Germ Cell Survival, Andrea S. Cupp, Lina Tessarollo, Michael K. Skinner

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The objective of the present study was to determine if the neurotropin receptors trkC and trkA are involved in embryonic testis development. These receptors bind neurotropin 3 and nerve growth factor, respectively. The hypothesis tested was that the absence of trkC or trkA receptors will have detrimental effects on testis development and morphology. The trkA and trkC homozygote knockout (KO) mice generally die either at or shortly after birth. Therefore, heterozygote mice were mated to obtain homozygote gene KO mice at Embryonic Day (E) 13, E14, E17, and E19 of gestation, with E0 being the plug date. Gonads from approximately …

Size Of Beef Cows: Early Ideas, New Developments, Jesus Arango, L. Dale Van Vleck

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Optimum size for beef cattle is debated among researchers, cattle breeders and producers. Cattle vary widely in body size but optimal size depends on the production system. Selection has placed emphasis on growth, favoring leaner and faster growing cattle. This trend has led to an increase immature size of cattle that may not necessarily be advantageous. Many research results have indicated that there is not a direct relationship between size and efficiency in beef production if each biological type of cattle is managed according to its nutrient requirements and management practices within the beef industry in the world, however, a …

Comparison Of Models For Estimation Of Genetic Parameters For Mature Weight Of Hereford Cattle, J. M. Rumph, R. M. Koch, K. E. Gregory, L. V. Cundiff, L. Dale Van Vleck

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Genetic parameters of mature weight are needed for effective selection and genetic evaluation. Data for estimating these parameters were collected from 1963 to 1985 and consisted of 32,018 mature weight records of 4,175 Hereford cows that were in one control and three selection lines that had been selected for weaning weight, for yearling weight, or for an index combining yearling weight and muscle score for 22 yr. Several models and subsets of the data were considered. The mature weight records consisted of a maximum of three seasonal weights taken each year, at brand clipping (February and March), before breeding (May …

Estimation Of Genetic Parameters For Milk, Fat, Protein And Mozzarella Cheese Production For The Italian River Buffalo Bubalus Bubalis Population, A. Rosati, L. Dale Van Vleck

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The objective of this work was to estimate genetic parameters for the Italian population of river buffaloes. Lactation records (10,663) for milk, fat, protein and mozzarella cheese production of river buffalo cows were analyzed by fitting a multiple trait animal model using restricted maximum likelihood. The number of cows with records was 3873 with 6842 animals in the relationship matrix. mozzarella cheese production per lactation was computed by considering milk yield, and fat and protein percentages. The average lactational yields of milk, fat, protein and calculated mozzarella (kg) and fat and protein percentages were 2286.8±492.1, 196.9±45.6, 104.7±21.7, 589.1±125.4, 8.59±0.85 and …

C. Pieramati, M. Fioretti, A. Rosati

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Effects of inbreeding of animal and dam on estimates of genetic parameters and predictions of breeding values for five productive and reproductive traits of Piedmontese cattle were studied. Traits were (a) age at first insemination, (b) age at first calving, (c) 120-day weight, (d) yearling weight of males, and (e) yearling weight of females. Data for animals born from 1970 to 1995 were used. Inbreeding coefficients were computed using pedigree records back to 1900. A sire model was used for estimating genetic parameters and predicting breeding values. Two models were used for each trait. Model 1 included fixed effects of …

Genetic Parameters And Responses Of Linear Type, Yield Traits, And Somatic Cell Scores To Divergent Selection For Predicted Transmitting Ability For Type In Holsteins, B. J. Degroot, Jeffrey F. Keown, L. Dale Van Vleck, Erin L. Marotz

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The objective was to examine the direct and correlated responses of linear type, yield traits, and somatic cell scores (SCS) to divergent selection for predicted transmitting ability for type (PTAT) in Holsteins, while maintaining selection for yield traits across lines. For four generations, one-half of the University of Nebraska research Holstein herd was bred to Holstein sires with PTAT -1.50 and the other half to sires with PTAT - 1.25, with nearly equal predicted transmitting abilities for yield traits for both groups. Estimates of genetic and residual correlations and heritabilities were obtained from REML estimates of (co)variance components. Model for …

Relationships Among Severity And Duration Of Clinical Mastitis And Sire Transmitting Abilities For Somatic Cell Score, Udder Type Traits, Productive Life, And Protein Yield, D. L. Nash, G. W. Rogers, J. B. Cooper, G. L. Gargrove, Jeffrey F. Keown

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The objective of this study was to determine the relationships among severity and duration of clinical mastitis during first and second lactation and sire transmitting abilities for somatic cell score, udder type traits, productive life, and protein yield. Recording of clinical episodes began at first parturition for 1704 Holstein cows (in six Pennsylvania herds and one Nebraska herd) and continued into second lactation for 1055 of these cows. A total of 456 cows (sired by 168 bulls) had at least one clinical episode during first lactation, and 230 cows (sired by 100 bulls) had at least one clinical episode during …

Technical Note—A Comparison Of Methods Used To Measure Eating And Ruminating Activity In Confined Dairy Cattle, P. J. Kononoff, H. A. Lehman, A. J. Heinrichs

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Detailed knowledge of chewing and rumination activities is critical to fully understand the dietary factors affecting normal rumen function. An automatic system for the digital recording of the jaw movements in free-ranging grazing cattle has been described, but its ability to measure chewing activity of cattle housed in confinement and fed total mixed rations has not yet been evaluated. The eating and ruminating behaviors of eight lactating dairy cows were recorded simultaneously by a wireless automatic system and by 5-min interval observation over 24-h periods. Results indicated that both methods agreed on identification of eating and ruminating bouts. Mean differences …

Phosphorus Requirement Of Finishing Feedlot Calves, Galen Erickson, Terry Klopfenstein, C. T. Milton, Dennis Brink, M. W. Orth, K. M. Whittet

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Dietary P supplied to feedlot cattle is important because an inadequate supply will compromise performance, whereas excess P may harm the environment. However, P requirements of feedlot cattle are not well documented. Therefore, 45 steer calves (265.2 ±16.6 kg) were individually fed to determine the P required for gain and bone integrity over a 204-d finishing period. The basal diet consisted of 33.5% high-moisture corn, 30% brewers grits, 20% corn bran, 7.5% cottonseed hulls, 3% tallow, and 6% supplement. Treatments consisted of 0.16 (no supplemental inorganic P), 0.22, 0.28, 0.34, and 0.40% P (DM basis). Supplemental P was provided by …

Effects Of Manipulating Protein And Phosphorus Nutrition Of Feedlot Cattle On Nutrient Management And The Environment, Terry J. Klopfenstein, Galen E. Erickson

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Feedlot nutrition will play a role in meeting challenges such as nutrient management. Nitrogen and phosphorus are two nutrients that are currently studied in this context. One nutritional method is formulating diets not to exceed requirements for nitrogen and phosphorus. Requirements are different for calves and yearlings. The requirements also change during the finishing period. Phosphorus requirements have not been extensively studied for feedlot cattle between 270 and 600 kg. Therefore, P requirements studies were conducted to determine the P requirement of calves (265 kg) and yearlings (385 kg). The requirement was not detected with P levels as low as …

Application Of Fuzzy-Neural Network In Classification Of Soils Using Ground-Penetrating Radar Imagery, Lameck O. Odhiambo, Robert S. Freeland, Ronald E. Yoder, J. Wesley Hines

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Errors associated with visual inspection and interpretation of radargrams often inhibits the intensive surveying of widespread areas using ground-penetrating radar (GPR). To automate the interpretive process, this paper presents an application of a fuzzy-neural network (F-NN) classifier for unsupervised clustering and classification of soil profile using GPR imagery. The classifier clusters and classifies soil profiles strips along a traverse based on common pattern similarities that can relate to physical features of the soil (e.g., number of horizons; depth, texture and structure of the horizons; and relative arrangement of the horizons, etc). This paper illustrates this classification procedure by its application …

Rapid Communication: Mapping Of The Beta Tropomyosin (Tpm2) Gene To Pig Chromosome 1, J. Sherwood, Daniel C. Gill, M. F. Rothschild

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Locus. Pig Tropomyosin beta (TPM2) gene.

Genus and Species. Sus Scrofa.

Source and Description of Primers. Primers were derived by using well-conserved regions of published human and mouse sequence (GenBank accession nos. AF209746 and NM_009416). The primers were used to amplify a 1.4-kp fragment of the porcine TPM2 gene covering exons 3 through 8. The porcine cDNA sequence (GenBank accession no. AF420022) showed 95% exonic identity (325 bp) at the nucleotide level to the human skeletal muscle beta tropomyosin (GenBank accession no. X06825). Additionally, pig specific primers were designed to amplify a 246-bp piece that spans exons 3 to …

Rapid Communication: Physical And Linkage Mapping Of The Porcine Calcitonin (Calc) Gene, J. E. Neil, S. E. Zhang, J. M. Helm, Daniel C. Ciobanu, M. F. Rothschild

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Genus and Species. Sus scrofa.

Locus. Porcine calcitonin (CALC) gene.

Source and Description of Primers. Primers, CCA1F and CCA1R, were designed from canine calcitonin sequence (GenBank Accession no. AJ271090) to amplify genomic porcine DNA. Using sequence obtained from the amplified PCR product, additional pig-specific primers (CIPBF, CIPBR, CIPCF, CIPCR) were designed.

Primer Sequences. CCA1F: 5′-CAC TTT GGA TTG GCC GCG C-3′; CCA1R: 5′-ACC AGG GCA GCC AGC AGG A-3′; CIPBF: 5′-AAC TTC CCA CTC TGC ACA CT-3′; CIPBR: 5′-AGA CCA AAC TTC AGC AGG AT- 3′; CIPCF: 5′-TTC TCC TTC CTC TGC TTC TG-3′; CIPCR: 5′-GCA AAC CCA ATA …

Utilization Of Distillers Grains Form The Fermentation Of Sorghum Or Corn In Diets For Finishing Beef And Lactating Dairy Cattle, S. Al-Suwaiegh, K. Fanning, R. J. Grant, C. T. Milton, Terry J. Klopfenstein

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Beef finishing and dairy lactation experiments were conducted to evaluate the nutritional value of distillers grains (DG) from sorghum or corn fermentation, in both wet (35.4% DM) and dry (92.2% DM) form (dairy trial only). In the finishing experiment, 60 yearling steers were used in a completely randomized design with three diets that were fed for 127 d: 1) control diet with 86% (DM basis) dry-rolled corn and no DG; 2) 30% of ration DM as wet corn DG in place of dry-rolled corn; and 3) 30% of ration DM as wet sorghum DG in place of dry-rolled corn. All …

Effect Of Corn Processing On Starch Digestion And Bacterial Crude Protein Flow In Finishing Cattle, R. J. Cooper, C. T. Milton, Terry J. Klopfenstein, T. L. Scott, C. B. Wilson, R. A. Mass

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Six ruminally and duodenally cannulated yearling steers (523 kg) were used in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design experiment to study the effects of corn processing on nutrient digestion, bacterial CP production, and ruminal fermentation. Dietary treatments consisted of 90% concentrate diets that were based on dry-rolled (DRC), high-moisture (HMC), or steam-flaked (SFC) corn. Each diet contained 2.0% urea (DM basis) as the sole source of supplemental nitrogen. Each period lasted 17 d, with d 1 through 14 for diet adaptation and d 15 through 17 for fecal, duodenal, and ruminal sampling. Dry matter and OM intakes were …

Effect Of Corn Processing On Degradable Intake Protein Requirement Of Finishing Cattle, R. J. Cooper, C. Milton, Terry Klopfenstein, D. J. Jordon

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Three finishing trials were conducted to determine effect of corn processing on degradable intake protein requirement (DIP) of feedlot cattle. In Trial 1, 252 steers were fed 90% concentrate, high moisture corn-based diets that contained 0, 0.4, 0.8, or 1.2% urea (DM basis) to provide dietary DIP values of 7.0, 8.2, 9.3, and 10.5% of DM, respectively. Nonlinear analysis predicted maximal feed efficiency at 10.2% dietary DIP (95% confidence interval was 9.9 to 13.3%). In Trial 2, 264 steers were fed 90% concentrate, steam-flaked corn-based diets that contained 0, 0.4, 0.8, 1.2, 1.6, or 2.0% urea (DM basis) to provide …

Fiber-Type Composition Of Muscles Of The Beef Chuck And Round, K. S. Kirchofer, Chris R. Calkins, B. L. Gwartney

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Thirty-eight muscles of the beef chuck and round were histochemically stained to characterize fiber-type composition in order to facilitate optimal muscle use in value-added products. Select-grade chucks and rounds (n = 4 each) were chosen to represent two carcass weight classes (250 to 295 kg and 363 to 410 kg) and two yield grades (1 and 3). Muscles were sectioned and stained with a procedure that included a succinate dehydrogenase and an adenosine triphosphatase staining technique. Number and diameter of β-red, α-red, and α-white muscle fibers were used to determine muscle fiber percentage, muscle fiber area, and percent area in …

Methods And Compositions To Enhance Tenderness And Value Of Meat, Chris R. Calkins, Jesus Pablo Velazco De La Garcia, Nancy Coromoto Jerez-Timaure

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

A method of enhancing the tenderness of meat for animal or human consumption by treatment of pre-rigor muscle with the compositions of the invention. It has been found that other quality meat traits can also be enhanced with the method of the invention.