Animal Sciences Commons^™

Impact Of Shade In Beef Feedyards On Performance, Ear Temperature, And Heat Stress Measures, Thomas M. Winders, Brett A. Melton, Boyd M. Boyd, Casey N. Macken, J. C. Macdonald, Galen E. Erickson

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

A 2-yr study (year 1: March to September 2017; year 2: February to August 2018) was conducted using crossbred steers (year 1: n = 1677; initial body weight [BW] = 372 kg, SD = 47; year 2: n = 1713; initial BW = 379 kg, SD = 10) in a commercial feedyard study in Eastern NE to determine the effects of shade on cattle performance, ear temperature, and cattle activity. Two treatments were evaluated using a randomized complete block design (n = 5 blocks based on arrival). Treatments were assigned randomly to pens and consisted of five pens without …

Prostaglandin F2Α Regulates Mitochondrial Dynamics And Mitophagy In The Bovine Corpus Luteum, Michele R. Plewes, Emilia Przygrodzka, Corrine F. Monaco, Alexandria P. Snider, Jessica Jessica Keane, Patrick D. Burns, Jennifer R. Wood, Andrea S. Cupp, John S. Davis

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Prostaglandins are arachidonic acid-derived lipid mediators involved in numerous physiological and pathological processes. PGF2α analogues are therapeutically used for regulating mammalian reproductive cycles and blood pressure, inducing term labor, and treating ocular disorders. PGF2α exerts effects via activation of calcium and PKC signaling, however, little is known about the cellular events imposed by PGF2α signaling. Here, we explored the early effects of PGF2α on mitochondrial dynamics and mitophagy in the bovine corpus luteum employing relevant and well characterized in vivo and in vitro approaches. We identified PKC/ERK and AMPK as critical protein kinases essential for activation of mitochondrial fission proteins, …

Utilizing NuTrack To Access The Activity Levels In Pigs With Varying Degrees Of Genetic Potential For Growth And Feed Intake, Dalton Obermier, Melanie Trenahile-Grannemann, Ty B. Schmidt, Tom Rathje, Benny Mote

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Feed cost accounts for over two-thirds of the variable cost of production. In order to reduce feed costs without sacrificing production numbers, feed efficiency must be improved. Calorie expenditure has been difficult to quantify in the past but is understood to impact residual feed intake (RFI) greatly. The objective of this work was to utilize an advanced computer vision system to evaluate activity levels across sex and sire groups with different expected breeding value combinations for growth and feed intake. A total of 199 pigs from four different sire groups (DNA Genetics Line 600) High Feed Intake/High Growth (HIHG), Low …

Appearance Of Choline Metabolites In Plasma And Milk When Choline Is Infused Into The Abomasum With Or Without Methionine, C. J.R. Jenkins, Paul J. Kononoff

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Four lactating, ruminally cannulated Jersey cows, (mean ± standard deviation) 264 ± 54.2 d in milk and 484 ± 24.1 kg of body weight, were arranged in a 4 × 4 Latin square design to measure the effects of abomasal infusion of choline chloride with or without dl-Met on milk and plasma choline metabolites and plasma AA in cows fed a Met-deficient diet. Cows were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 experimental treatments: (1) control; no supplemental Met or choline (CON), (2) 13 g/d of choline ion delivered via abomasal infusion (CHO), (3) 13 g/d of Met delivered via abomasal …

Determining The Effectiveness Of Rosemary Essential Oil On The Shelf Life Of Ground Beef Under Different Lighting Conditions, Jordan Looper

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of rosemary extract on the shelf life of ground beef patties under different retail display conditions. Ground beef patties were produced from an 85% lean and 15% fat blend purchased from a local grocery retailer, finely ground through a 0.953 cm plate and separated into 151.2 g patties (n=64). Patties were randomly assigned into a control group (no antioxidants added) or a 0.20% concentration rosemary extract group. Patties were individually packaged using polyvinyl chloride overwrap. Antioxidant and control patties were randomly assigned into one of two lighting intensity …

A New Method For Reducing Salmonella In Poultry Meat, Regis Yizerwe

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

An important approach to decreasing the transmission of Salmonella into the food chain is to treat raw chicken after processing. This can be, and has been done, by using antibiotics and chemical disinfectants. Using antibiotics is not a viable option due to the issue of antimicrobial resistance. Although some chemical disinfectants have been used effectively, they are restricted due to the amounts that can be used safely, the acceptance of their use and resistance to implementation in various parts of the world. This study has revealed that using a naturally occurring saponin–Quillaja Saponaria– in small concentrations under certain conditions of …

Characterizing And Evaluating Growth Performance And Poultry Production Efficiencies Using Conventional And Novel Monitoring Methods On Modern Broilers And Japanese Quail, Travis Tabler

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The poultry industry is integral to the global agricultural system as consumption rates continue to rise worldwide. With the global population projected to reach 10 billion by 2050, there is an increasing need for efficient and sustainable animal protein sources. Feed efficiency is a significant factor in poultry production costs, as feed accounts for 50 to 70% of total production costs. Given increasing concerns surrounding feed efficiency improvements, there is a focus on the genetic improvement of broiler digestibility to improve nutrient utilization and reduce production costs. Water availability is also of critical concern for the poultry industry, as estimates …

Dataset Of Rna-Seq Transcriptome Of The Fetal Liver At Day 83 Of Gestation Associated With Periconceptual Maternal Nutrition In Beef Heifers, Wellison J.S. Diniz, Alison K. Ward, Kacie L. Mccathy, Cierrah J. Kassetas, Friederike Baumgaertner, Lawrence P. Reynolds, Pawel P. Borowicz, Kevin K. Sedivec, James D. Kirsch, Sheri T. Dorsam, Tammi L. Neville, J. Chris Forcherio, Ronald Scott, Joel S. Caton, Carl R. Dahlen

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Herein, we present a dataset based on the RNA-Seq analysis of liver tissue from bovine female fetuses at day 83 of gestation. The findings were reported in the main article, “Periconceptual maternal nutrition affects fetal liver programming of energy- and lipid-related genes”[1] . These data were generated to investigate the effects of periconceptual maternal vitamin and mineral supplementation and rates of body weight gain on the transcript abundance of genes associated with fetal hepatic metabolism and function. To this end, crossbred Angus beef heifers ( n = 35) were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments in a 2 × …

Dataset Of Rna-Seq Transcriptome Of The Fetal Liver At Day 83 Of Gestation Associated With Periconceptual Maternal Nutrition In Beef Heifers, Wellison J.S. Diniz, Alison K. Ward, Kacie L. Mccathy, Cierrah J. Kassetas, Friederike Baumgaertner, Lawrence P. Reynolds, Pawel P. Borowicz, Kevin K. Sedivec, James D. Kirsch, Sheri T. Dorsam, Tammi L. Neville, J. Chris Forcherio, Ronald Scott, Joel S. Caton, Carl R. Dahlen

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Herein, we present a dataset based on the RNA-Seq analysis of liver tissue from bovine female fetuses at day 83 of gestation. The findings were reported in the main article, “Periconceptual maternal nutrition affects fetal liver programming of energy- and lipid-related genes”[1] . These data were generated to investigate the effects of periconceptual maternal vitamin and mineral supplementation and rates of body weight gain on the transcript abundance of genes associated with fetal hepatic metabolism and function. To this end, crossbred Angus beef heifers ( n = 35) were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments in a 2 ×2 …

Evaluating Draft Epa Emissions Models For Laying Hen Facilities, Yijie Xiong, Guoming Li, Brett C. Ramirez, Robert T. Burns, Richard S. Gates

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

In August 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released draft models to estimate daily NH₃, H₂S, PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and TSP emissions from egg-layer houses (high-rise and manure-belt) and manure storage using inputs of daily mean ambient temperature, relative humidity (RH), and hen inventory. These models were developed from refined datasets generated by the National Air Emissions Monitoring Study fieldwork completed in 2009. Notably, they do not include data for cage-free housing. Currently, 66% of U.S. laying hens are housed in cages; thus, these models, if adopted, will have a substantial impact …

White Coat Color Of A Black Angus Calf Attributed To An Occurrence Of The Delr217 Variant Of Mitf, Jessica Lynn Petersen, Renae L. Sieck, David J. Steffen

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

A white calf, with minimal pigmented markings, was born to two registered Black Angus parents. Given the possibility of an unknown recessive or de novo dominant mutation, whole-genome sequencing was conducted on the trio of individuals. A 3-bp in-frame deletion in MITF was identified; this mutation was unique to the calf but identical to the delR217 variant reported in both humans and murine models of Waardenburg syndrome type 2A and Tietz syndrome. Given the coat color phenotype and identity of the mutation, our data support that this calf represents the first instance of this recurring MITF mutation in cattle.

Pen Surface Temperature As A Predictor Of Dailywater Intake And Tympanic Temperature In Steers Finished In Feedlots, Rodrigo A. Arias, Terry L. Mader

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Adequate estimation of water demand in cattle production feed yards is of high importance, especially due to reduced water availability because of changes in rain precipitation patterns and amounts. The pen surface in feed yards receives and reflects solar radiation, affecting along with other factors the microclimate to which cattle are exposed. This study aimed to describe the relationship between the pen surface temperature with the daily water intake and the tympanic temperature of finishing steers. Climate variables, including solar radiation, air temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed plus pen surface temperature and soil temperature at 10.2 cm depth were …

Evaluation Of Four Thermal Comfort Indices And Their Relationship With Physiological Variables In Feedlot Cattle, Rodrigo A. Arias, Terry L. Mader

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Climatic data from different years and experiments conducted in Nebraska were used to estimate four comfort thermal indices and to predict the risk of heat stress and its relationship with pen surface temperature (PST). These included the temperature–humidity index (THI), the adjusted THI (THI_adj), the heat load index (HLI), and THI_PST using pen surface temperature instead of air temperature. Respiration rates (RR), tympanic temperatures (TT), and panting scores (PS) were also collected in each year and from each location. During 2007, mean values of soil temperature, PST, outgoing shortwave radiation, and TT were greater than in 2008 …

Spoilage Pseudomonas Survive Common Thermal Processing Schedules And Grow In Emulsified Meat During Extended Vacuum Storage, Samuel C. Watson, Rebecca A. Furbeck, Samodha C. Fernando, Byron D. Chaves, Gary Sullivan

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Some Pseudomonas species are common meat spoilage bacteria that are often associated with the spoilage of fresh meat. The recently reported ability of these bacteria to also spoil cooked and vacuum packaged meat products has created the need to investigate all potential routes of spoilage they may be able to utilize. The objective of this experiment was to determine if spoilage Pseudomonas spp. survive thermal processing and grow during refrigerated storage under vacuum. Pseudomonas spp. isolates collected from spoiled turkey products were inoculated into a salted and seasoned meat emulsion that was vacuum sealed and thermally treated to final temperatures …

Functional Annotation Of The Animal Genomes: An Integrated Annotation Resource For The Horse, Sichong Peng, Anna R. Dahlgren, Callum G. Donnelly, Erin N. Hales, Jessica Lynn Petersen, Rebecca R. Bellone, Ted Kalbfleisch, Carrie J. Finno

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The genomic sequence of the horse has been available since 2009, providing critical resources for discovering important genomic variants regarding both animal health and population structures. However, to fully understand the functional implications of these variants, detailed annotation of the horse genome is required. Due to the limited availability of functional data for the equine genome, as well as the technical limitations of short-read RNAseq, existing annotation of the equine genome contains limited information about important aspects of gene regulation, such as alternate isoforms and regulatory elements, which are either not transcribed or transcribed at a very low level. To …

Characterization Of Growth Patterns And Carcass Characteristics Of Male And Female Broilers From Four Commercial Strains Fed High Or Low Density Diets, C. J. Maynard, C. W. Maynard, A. R. Jackson, M. T. Kidd, S. J. Rochell, C. M. Owens

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Over the last few decades, the poultry industry has seen the emergence of various market segments that are beneficial for rearing various flock sizes. Two concurrent experiments consisting of 1,200 broilers each were conducted to evaluate the effects of broiler size and diet on the performance of four commercially available broiler strains, including 2 standard yielding (SY) and 2 high yielding (HY) strains. Within each experiment (Experiment 1: males, Experiment 2: females), a small bird (38 and 40 d processing) and big bird (47 and 54 d processing) debone market were targeted to give variable carcass …

Differential Impacts Of Cereal And Protein Sources Fed To Pigs After Weaning On Diarrhoea And Faecal Shedding Of Escherichia Coli, Production, And Total Tract Apparent Digestibility, John R. Pluske, Bruce P. Mullan, Jae Cheol Kim, David J. Hampson

Animal production and livestock research articles

Different cereal types, in combination with different protein sources, are fed to pigs after weaning, but their interactions and possible implications are not well researched. In this study, 84 male weaned piglets were used in a 21-day feeding trial to investigate the effects of feeding either medium-grain or long-grain extruded rice or wheat, in a factorial combination with protein sources of either vegetable or animal origin, on postweaning performance, shedding of β–haemolytic Escherichia coli, and the coefficient of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD). Pigs fed either rice type performed the same (p > 0.05) as wheat-fed pigs after weaning. The use …

Journal Of Dairy Science® 2022 Editorial Report, Paul J. Kononoff

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

In 2022, the 105th volume of the Journal of Dairy Science was published. As we review the journal’s last year, it may be useful to reflect on the purpose of scientific publishing. This can be simply stated as the dissemination of results that extends knowledge to open the door for new concepts or advances in the field (Chan, 2018). Similar to other journals, in addition to original research articles, Journal of Dairy Science also publishes invited reviews and other paper types to pursue this purpose. The journal also has other valuable roles. For example, scientific journals actively support authors in …

Periconceptual Maternal Nutrition Affects Fetal Liver Programming Of Energy- And Lipid-Related Genes, Wellison J. S. Diniz, Alison K. Ward, Kacie L. Mccathy, Cierrah J. Kassetas, Friederike Baumgaertner, Lawrence P. Reynolds, Pawel P. Borowicz, Kevin K. Sedivec, James D. Kirsch, Sheri T. Dorsam, Tammi L. Neville, J. Chris Forcherio, Ronald Scott, Joel S. Caton, Carl R. Dahlen

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

During pregnancy, the fetus relies on the dam for its nutrient supply. Nutritional stimuli during fetal organ development can program hepatic metabolism and function. Herein, we investigated the role of vitamin and mineral supplementation (VTM or NoVTM—at least 71 days pre-breeding to day 83 of gestation) and rate of weight gain (low (LG) or moderate (MG)—from breeding to day 83) on the fetal liver transcriptome and the underlying biological pathways. Crossbred Angus beef heifers (n = 35) were randomly assigned to one of four treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial design (VTM_LG, VTM_MG, NoVTM_LG, and NoVTM_MG). Gene expression …

Population Dynamics Of A Long-Term Selection Experiment In White Plymouth Rock Chickens Selected For Low Or High Body Weight, S. J. Harrison, P. B. Siegel, C. F. Honaker, Ronald M. Lewis

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The population dynamics of 2 lines of chickens from a long-term (59 generations) selection experiment were assessed based on pedigree data. These lines were propagated from phenotypic selection for low and high 8-wk BW in White Plymouth Rock chickens. Our objective was to determine whether the 2 lines maintained similar population structures over the selection horizon to allow meaningful comparisons of their performance data. A complete pedigree of 31,909 individuals, consisting of 102 founders, 1,064 from the parental generation, and 16,245 low weight (LWS) and 14,498 high weight (HWS) select chickens, was available. Inbreeding (F …

Evaluation Of Gross Energy Concentration Of Neutral Detergent Fiber Contained In Feed And Fecal Samples, J. D. Stypinski, Paul J. Kononoff, W. P. Weiss

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Starch and NDF are usually assumed to contain the same concentration of gross energy (GE), but NDF is more variable in chemical composition and varies more in the extent of digestion. The variable chemical composition of NDF may have direct implications on dairy nutrition models that predict dietary GE and use this estimate for also predicting digestible energy. For example, when NDF is enriched in lignin and protein, the concentration of GE would increase, whereas NDF enriched in ash would have the opposite effect. Current nutritional models, such as the NASEM (2021) and CNCPS (6.55), assume a GE coefficient of …

Fetal Hepatic Lipidome Is More Greatly Affected By Maternal Rate Of Gain Compared With Vitamin And Mineral Supplementation At Day 83 Of Gestation, Ana Clara B. Menezes, Carl R. Dahlen, Kacie L. Mccathy, Cierrah J. Kassetas, Friederike Baumgaertner, James D. Kirsch, Sheri T. Dorsam, Tammi L. Neville, Alison K. Ward, Pawel P. Borowicz, Lawrence P. Reynolds, Kevin K. Sedivec, J. Chris Forcherio, Ronald Scott, Joel S. Caton, Matthew S. Crouse

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Herein, we evaluated the hepatic lipid metabolic profiles of bovine fetuses in response to maternal vitamin and mineral supplementation (VMSUP; supplemented (VTM) or not (NoVTM)) and two different rates of gain (GAIN; low gain (LG), 0.28 kg/d, or moderate gain (MG), 0.79 kg/d). Crossbred Angus heifers (n = 35; initial BW = 359.5 ± 7.1 kg) were randomly assigned to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, resulting in the following treatment combinations: NoVTM-LG (n = 9), NoVTM-MG (n = 9), VTM-LG (n = 9), and VTM-MG (n = 8). Heifers received their treatments until d …

Evaluation Of Precision Livestock Technology And Human Scoring Of Nursery Pigs In A Controlled Immune Challenge Experiment, Eduarda M. Bortoluzzi, Mikayla J. Goering, Sara J. Ochoa, Aaron J. Holliday, Jared M. Mumm, Catherine E. Nelson, Hui Wu, Benny E. Mote, Eric T. Psota, Ty B. Schmidt, Majid Jaberi-Douraki, Lindsey E. Hulbert

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The objectives were to determine the sensitivity, specificity, and cutoff values of a visual-based precision livestock technology (NUtrack), and determine the sensitivity and specificity of sickness score data collected with the live observation by trained human observers. At weaning, pigs (n = 192; gilts and barrows) were randomly assigned to one of twelve pens (16/pen) and treatments were randomly assigned to pens. Sham-pen pigs all received subcutaneous saline (3 mL). For LPS-pen pigs, all pigs received subcutaneous lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 300 µg/kg BW; E. coli O111:B4; in 3 mL of saline). For the last treatment, eight pigs were randomly …

Evaluation Of Precision Livestock Technology And Human Scoring Of Nursery Pigs In A Controlled Immune Challenge Experiment, Eduarda M. Bortoluzzi, Mikayla J. Goering, Sara J. Ochoa, Aaron J. Holliday, Jared M. Mumm, Catherine E. Nelson, Hui Wu, Benny Mote, Eric T. Psota, Ty B. Schmidt, Majid Jaberi-Douraki, Lindsey E. Hulbert

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The objectives were to determine the sensitivity, specificity, and cutoff values of a visual-based precision livestock technology (NUtrack), and determine the sensitivity and specificity of sickness score data collected with the live observation by trained human observers. At weaning, pigs (n = 192; gilts and barrows) were randomly assigned to one of twelve pens (16/pen) and treatments were randomly assigned to pens. Sham-pen pigs all received subcutaneous saline (3 mL). For LPS-pen pigs, all pigs received subcutaneous lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 300 μg/kg BW; E. coli O111:B4; in 3 mL of saline). For the last treatment, eight pigs were randomly …

Clustering Climate And Management Practices To Define Environmental Challenges Affecting Gastrointestinal Parasitism In Katahdin Sheep, Brian C. Arisman, Joan M. Burke, James L. M. Morgan, Ronald M. Lewis

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) negatively affect the performance and well-being of sheep. Due to anthelmintic resistance, GIN are difficult to control leading producers to choose breeds that can exhibit resistance to parasitism. An example is Katahdin sheep. Katahdins are raised in various climates and management systems in the United States. These environmental factors can be combined to form eco-management groupings or clusters. We hypothesized that GIN challenge varies predictably based on the characteristics of these environmental clusters. Forty Katahdin producers from across the United States were surveyed for management information, with body weights (BW), fecal egg counts (FEC), and FAMACHA scores …

Effects Of High-Pressure Processing On Cooked Color And Eating Qualities Of Dark-Cutting Beef, Cole Reesman, Gary Sullivan, Mary-Grace C. Danao, Gretchen G. Mafi, Morgan Pfeiffer, Ranjith Ramanathan

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

High meat pH leads to an undercooked or an abnormal pink appearance in fully-cooked product. High-pressure processing (HPP) promotes protein denaturation. The objective was to evaluate the effects of HPP on cooked steak color and sensory attributes of dark-cutting beef. USDA Choice (mean pH = 5.5) and dark-cutting (mean pH = 6.3) strip loin sections were vacuum packaged and treated with 0 (no HPP), 300, 450, and 600 MPa of pressure for 90 s using chilled water. Steaks were randomly assigned to measure external cooked color, Warner- Bratzler shear force, and trained sensory panel. Applying 300 MPa of pressure improved …

White Coat Color Of A Black Angus Calf Attributed To An Occurrence Of The Delr217 Variant Of Mitf, Jessica Lynn Petersen, Renae Sieck, David Steffen

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

A white calf, with minimal pigmented markings, was born to two registered Black Angus parents. Given the possibility of an unknown recessive or de novo dominant mutation, whole-genome sequencing was conducted on the trio of individuals. A 3-bp in-frame deletion in MITF was identified; this mutation was unique to the calf but identical to the delR217 variant reported in both humans and murine models of Waardenburg syndrome type 2A and Tietz syndrome. Given the coat color phenotype and identity of the mutation, our data support that this calf represents the first instance of this recurring MITF mutation in cattle.

Impact Of Pistachio Shell Biochar In Finishing Beef Cattle Diets, Levi J. Mcphillips, Mitchell M. Norman, J. L. Sperber, Andrea K. Watson, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A 190-day finishing experiment was conducted to evaluate effects of feeding biochar on methane and carbon dioxide production, animal performance and carcass traits in beef steers. A high concentrate feedlot diet was used, and two dietary treatments were compared, 0 or 1% biochar as % of diet dry matter. Cattle were monitored using a calorimetry emissions barn to quantify production of methane and carbon dioxide. There were no differences in emissions, performance, or carcass characteristics for cattle fed the control diet or with biochar supplemented into the diet.

2023 Nebraska Beef Cattle Report

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Cow-Calf Management

• Comparison of Semi-confined and Pasture-based August Calving Beef Cow Systems
• Including Gene Edited Sires in Genetic Evaluations
• Impact of Planning Horizon Length on Breeding Objectives and Resulting Selection Decisions
• Effect of Increasing Energy 30 days Prior to Artificial Insemination in Beef Heifers
• Extending Melengestrol Acetate Treatment from Fourteen to Eighteen Days in Beef Heifers
• Artificial Insemination of Beef Heifers with Multi-Sire Sexed Semen

Growing Calf and Yearling Management

• Timing of Implant Use in the Backgrounding System
• Effects of Strategic Supplementation on Return to Management and Performance of Yearling Cattle

Forage Evaluation

• Forage Evaluation of Crested Wheatgrass
• Evaluation of …

Analysis Of Spoilage Bacteria Present In Vacuum Packaged Chilled Beef Treated With Organic Acids, Samuel C. Watson, Rebecca A. Furbeck, Byron D. Chaves, Samodha C. Fernando, Gary Sullivan

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Preventing the spoilage of fresh, chilled beef is crucial for maintaining market value. Since organic acids are regularly used in the beef industry for pathogen control, their ability to improve the shelf life of fresh, chilled beef was evaluated. Fresh, chilled beef was individually treated with 4.5% lactic acid, 2.5% Beefxide^®, or 380 ppm peroxyacetic acid. After storage, Lactococcus, a genus of lactic acid bacteria, became the most common spoilage organism across all treatment and control samples. Organic acid treatments were not able to slow the growth of this genus and may not be an effective method to …