Animal Sciences Commons^™

Forage News [2019-11], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• Climate Change: Are Livestock a Problem
• Kentucky Alfalfa Conference
• Get the Most from Grazing Cornstalks
• The More You Know, the Smarter You Grow
• Wendell Berry Center hosts First Grazing School
• USDA Hay Markets - October 22, 2019
• Publication of the Month: Using Dry Lots to Conserve Pastures
• Kids these Days...

Forage News [2019-10], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• Register now for the Heart of America Grazing Conference
• Western KY Grazing Conference
• Pasture Walk with Jim Gerrish
• Harvest Drought Stressed Soybeans for Hay

Forage News [2019-09], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• Heart of America Grazing Conference
• Register now for Fall Grazing School, Sept. 10-11 in Versailles, KY
• Blue-green Algae: Dangerous to Pets and Livestock
• 12 Habits of Highly Successful Forage Producers
• Cover Crops Following Corn Silage
• Current USDA Hay Market Prices
• Alfalfa Checkoff Funds Two University of Kentucky Projects
• Watch for Fall Army Work in Pastures

Forage News [2019-08], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• Reclaiming Rundown Farms - Western KY Summer Forage Tour
• Oats for Fall Pasture or Hay
• KFGC Central KY Field Day
• The Birth of a Rotational Grazing System
• Caldwell County Horse Farm to Host Field Day

Forage News [2019-07], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• Register for Heart of America and Western Kentucky Grazing Conferences today!
• The Clover Dilemma
• Improve Summer Pastures with Crabgrass
• Fall Grazing School Registration Now Open
• Clip Pastures to Reduce the Risk of Ergot

Forage News [2019-06], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• Managing Pastures this Summer
• 2019 Western Kentucky Summer Forage Tour: Resuscitating a Rundown Farm
• The Wonder Grass: The Story of Tall Fescue in the United States now available
• UK Weed Sceicne to Host a Pair of Field Days at UKREC in Princeton
• Grass Decline? Check Your Cutting Height
• We're Producing and Feeding Less Hay

Validation Of A Commercial Automated Body Condition Scoring System On A Commercial Dairy Farm, Israel L. Mullins, Carissa M. Truman, Magnus R. Campler, Jeffrey M. Bewley, Joao H. C. Costa

Animal and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

Body condition scoring (BCS) is the management practice of assessing body reserves of individual animals by visual or tactile estimation of subcutaneous fat and muscle. Both high and low BCS can negatively impact milk production, disease, and reproduction. Visual or tactile estimation of subcutaneous fat reserves in dairy cattle relies on their body shape or thickness of fat layers and muscle on key areas of the body. Although manual BCS has proven beneficial, consistent qualitative scoring can be difficult to implement. The desirable BCS range for dairy cows varies within lactation and should be monitored at multiple time points throughout …

Rediscovery Of The Endangered Carchi Andean Toad, Rhaebo Colomai (Hoogmoed, 1985), In Ecuador, With Comments On Its Conservation Status And Extinction Risk, Carolina Reyes-Puig, Gabriela B. Bittencourt-Silva, María Torres-Sánchez, Mark Wilkinson, Jeffrey W. Streicher, Simon T. Maddock, Ramachandran Kotharambath, Hendrik Müller, Francesca Nicole Angiolani Larrera, Diego Amieda-Reinoso, Santiago R. Ron, Diego Francisco Cisneros-Heredia

Neuroscience Faculty Publications

Since 1984 there have been no records of Rhaebo colomai (Hoogmoed, 1985) within the territory of Ecuador. This species was known from 2 localities in the province of Carchi, northwestern Ecuador, and the department of Nariño, southwestern Colombia, which were reported in 1979 and 2015, respectively. We report the recent sightings of R. colomai at 3 new localities in Ecuador and discuss and evaluate this species’ extinction risk and conservation status.

Forage News [2019-05], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• Register for 2019 Kentucky Fencing School in Russellville on May 30th
• Things in the Hay Production Book We Missed
• Insure High Quality Forage: Make Baleage
• Optimizing Production from Perennial Cool-Season Hayfields
• UK Equine Farm and Facilities Expo - May 30
• Purdue Extension Hosts Educational Events This Summer - June 21 and 22
• Tariffs, Water Reshuffled the Hay Export Deck

Predicting Habitat Choice After Rapid Environmental Change, Philip H. Crowley, Pete C. Trimmer, Orr Spiegel, Sean M. Ehlman, William S. Cuello, Andrew Sih

Biology Faculty Publications

Decisions made while searching for settlement sites (e.g., nesting, oviposition) often have major fitness implications. Despite numerous case studies, we lack theory to explain why some species are thriving while others are making poor habitat choices after environmental change. We develop a model to predict (1) which kinds of environmental change have larger, negative effects on fitness, (2) how evolutionary history affects susceptibility to environmental change, and (3) how much lost fitness can be recovered via readjustment after environmental change. We model the common scenario where animals search an otherwise inhospitable matrix, encountering habitats of varying quality and settling when …

Forage News [2019-04], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• Register today for the Kentucky Grazing School
• Fencing School spaces still open in Burkesville and Russellville
• More Stuff Not in the Book
• Simplifying Grain Drill Calibration
• New Mandatory Paraquat Training Requirements for Applicators
• Grass-Fed and -Finished Beef Production & Marketing: an OAK Field Day - May 2, 2019

Substantial Red Wolf Genetic Ancestry Persists In Wild Canids Of Southwestern Louisiana, Jennifer R. Adams, John J. Cox, Lisette P. Waits

Forestry and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

Concerns over red wolf (Canis rufus) extinction caused by hybridization with coyotes (C. latrans) led to the capture and removal of remnant wild wolves from southwestern Louisiana and southeastern Texas, United States, during the 1970s. Here we show that despite decades of unmitigated hybridization, and declaration of endangered red wolves as functionally extinct in the wild, red wolf mitochondrial or nuclear DNA ancestry persists in ∼55% of contemporary wild canids sampled in southwestern Louisiana. Surprisingly, one individual had 78–100% red wolf ancestry, which is within the range for 75% red wolf, red wolf backcross, or putative …

Forage News [2019-03], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• Novel Tall Fecue Workshop - March 20
• Round Bale Binding Materials Evaluated
• Impact of Tedding on Alfalfa Silage
• Spring Grazing School April 23-24
• Spring Fencing School: 3 Dates, 3 Locations

Forage News [2019-02], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• Anne Bay Wins Second in National Contest
• Looks Like I need that Hay after all
• My Permanent Pastures Aren't
• Converting to Novel Entophyte Tall Fescue
• The Importance of Forage Analysis
• Chewing some Cud on Mud
• Insects in Livestock Feed and Hay

Optimizing Gastrointestinal Integrity In Poultry: The Role Of Nutrients And Feed Additives, Sunday A. Adedokun, Opeyemi C. Olojede

Animal and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

Immunomodulation of the immune system by stimulating or suppressing one or both arms, is an emerging concept driven by the understanding of the host defense system. In particular, the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) functions not only as a site for digestion and absorption of nutrients but also acts as a metabolic and immunological organ. This serves as a barrier against abnormal presentation of luminal constituents, caused by dysfunctional intestinal epithelial barrier, to the mucosal immune system. Invasion by pathogens in the case of disease or stress or a massive influx of commensal bacteria overcomes the defensive mechanisms, resulting in the full …

Upcoming Events [2019], Christopher D. Teutsch, Christi L. Forsythe, Rehanon Pampell

Forage Symposium at the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention

No abstract provided.

Uk Research Spotlight [2019], Christopher D. Teutsch, Christi L. Forsythe, Rehanon Pampell

Forage Symposium at the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention

• Simplifying Grain Drill Calibration J.M. Buckman, H. Adams, and C.D. Teutsch
• Performance of Stockers Grazing Diverse Summer Annual Forage Mixtures K.M. Mercier, C.D. Teutsch, S.R. Smith, E.L. Ritchey, K.H. Burdine, and E.S. Vanzant
• Nitrogen Application on Diverse Summer Annual Forage Mixtures K.M. Mercier, C.D. Teutsch, S.R. Smith, E.L. Ritchey, K.H. Burdine, and E.S. Vanzant
• Cultivar X Aphicide Interactions C.D. Teutsch, R.T. Villanueva, Z.J. Vilora, G.L Olson, and S.R. Smith
• Using Summer Annuals to Transform Forage Systems in Western Kentucky H. Adams, J.M. Buckman, and C.D. Teutsch
• Can Targeted Management Reduce Nimblewill in Pastures? K. Lea and S.R. Smith
• Nutritive Value …

Grazing Myths That Impact Profitability [Slides], Gregory S. Halich

Forage Symposium at the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention

No abstract provided.

Grazing Myths That Reduce Profitability, Gregory S. Halich

Forage Symposium at the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention

Many cattle farms have moved to rotational grazing in the past decade, and there are significant benefits associated with this grazing technique. However, one thing that I have noticed is that costs are not always accounted for when it comes to recommended rotational grazing practices. If you ignore costs, partially or fully, you will invariably do too much of whatever you are considering. In this light, I will highlight four grazing recommendations (myths) that many folks are often taking to extremes related to rotational grazing, and one additional myth (generic to grazing style) that is reducing the overall profitability of …

Estimating Pasture Forage Mass From Pasture Height, Ed Rayburn, John Lozier

Forage Symposium at the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention

How do you decide when to move animals to new pasture? How long can they feed on a pasture before they should be moved again? The short answer is, "It depends." It depends on the number and size of animals, pasture size, production goals, available alternative pastures, and the forage mass present in the pasture. In order to practice pasture budgeting, you need an estimate of forage mass measured as pounds of forage dry matter/acre.

A Falling Plate Meter For Estimating Pasture Forage Mass, Ed Rayburn, John Lozier

Forage Symposium at the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention

It is often helpful to have a reliable estimate of forage on offer to grazing livestock. Research has shown that there is a high correlation between forage height and dry matter yield. This correlation is improved when bulk height is determined by depressing the forage with a weighted plate. This weight plate technique referred to as a weighted disk meter, appears to improve the estimate of pasture yield. Different designs of weighted disk meters are called rising plate meters and falling plate meters depending on how measurements are taken. The weighted disk meter described here is a falling plate meter. …

Profitability At Eldon Farms: Guiding Principles, John Genho

Forage Symposium at the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention

Eldon Farms is a 7,000-acre farm in the Northern Piedmont of Virginia. Over the past 15 years, we have adopted a grazing program based on three principles. While the specifics of each operation are different, I believe these principles can be applied across a host of situations.

Forages At Kca Foreword [2019], Christopher D. Teutsch, Christi L. Forsythe, Rehanon Pampell

Forage Symposium at the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention

No abstract provided.

Forage News [2019-01], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• Get NAFA's 2019 Alfalfa Variety Ratings
• Evaluation of the Efficacy of Various Herbicides for the Control of Broadleaf and Buckhorn Plantain in Alfalfa
• Save Hay by Reducing Feeding Waste
• Don't Miss "The Dollars and Sense of Grazing", Forages at KCA, January 18th in Owensboro
• Taking Stock
• Winter Meeting Rundown

Responses Of Bovine Pituitary Transcriptome Profiles To Consumption Of Toxic Tall Fescue And Forms Of Selenium In Vitamin-Mineral Mixes, Qing Li

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

The first goal of the current research was to determine whether gene expression profiles differed between whole pituitaries of growing beef steers grazing pastures containing high (HE) or low (LE) amounts of toxic endophyte-infected tall fescue. The global (microarray analysis) and selected targeted (RT-PCR) mRNA expression patterns of pituitaries collected from beef steers (BW = 266 ± 15.5 kg) that had been randomly assigned to undergo summer-long grazing (89 to 105 d) of either HE (0.52 ppm ergot alkaloids) or LE (< 0.03 ppm ergot alkaloids) pastures were compared. Gene expression data were subjected to one-way ANOVA. The pituitaries of HE steers had 542 differentially expressed genes, and the pattern of altered gene expression was dependent on treatment. Targeted RT-PCR analysis corroborated these findings, including decreased expression of DRD2, PRL, POU1F1, GAL, and VIP and that of POMC and PCSK1, respectively. Canonical pathway analysis (Integrated Pathway Analysis, IPA) identified HE-dependent alteration in signaling of additional pituitary-derived hormones, including growth hormone and GnRH. In conclusion, consumption of endophyte-infected tall fescue alters the pituitary transcriptome profiles of steers in a manner consistent with their negatively affected physiological parameters. The second goal of this project was to test the hypothesis that sodium selenite (ISe), SEL-PLEX (OSe), vs. a 1:1 blend (MIX) of ISe and OSe in a basal vitamin-mineral (VM) mix would differentially alter pituitary transcriptome profiles in growing beef steers (BW = 183 ± 34 kg) commonly grazing an endophyte-infected tall fescue (HE) pasture. Steers were randomly selected from herds of fall-calving cows grazing HE pasture and consuming VM mixes that contained 35 ppm Se as either ISe, OSe, or MIX forms. Steers were weaned, depleted of Se for 98 d, and subjected to summer-long common grazing of a 10.1 ha HE pasture containing 0.51 ppm ergot alkaloids. Steers were assigned (n = 8) to the same Se-form treatments on which they were raised. Selenium treatments were administered by daily top-dressing 85 g of VM mix onto 0.23 kg soyhulls, using in-pasture Calan gates. Pituitaries were collected at slaughter and changes in global (microarray) and selected (RT-PCR) mRNA expression patterns determined. The effects of Se treatment on relative gene expression were subjected to one-way ANOVA. The form of Se affected the expression of 542 annotated genes. Integrated Pathway Analysis found a canonical pathway network between prolactin and POMC/ACTH/ α-MSH synthesis-related proteins, and that mitochondrial dysfunction was a top-affected canonical pathway. Targeted RT-PCR analysis found that the relative abundance of mRNA encoding prolactin and POMC/ACTH/ α-MSH synthesis-related proteins was affected by the form of Se, as were mitochondrial dysfunction-related proteins OSe steers appeared to have a greater prolactin synthesis capacity vs. ISe steers through decreased dopamine receptor D2 signaling, whereas MIX steers had a greater prolactin synthesis capacity and release potential by increasing TRH concentrations than ISe steers. OSe steers also had a greater ACTH and α-MSH synthesis potential than ISe steers. We conclude that form of Se in VM mixes affected genes responsible for prolactin and POMC/ACTH/α-MSH synthesis, and mitochondrial function in pituitaries of growing beef steers commonly grazing an HE pasture. The third goal was to test the hypothesis that sodium selenite (ISe), SEL-PLEX (OSe), vs. a 1:1 blend (MIX) of ISe and OSe in a basal vitamin-mineral (VM) mix would differentially alter selenoprotein profiles in pituitaries and livers of growing beef steers commonly grazing an endophyte-infected tall fescue (HE) pasture (i.e., the same steers used in Goal 2). The effects of Se treatment on relative gene expression were subjected to one-way ANOVA. The mRNA content of 6 selenoproteins in the pituitary was affected by Se treatments, along with two selenoprotein P receptors, whereas the expression of two selenoproteins was altered in the liver. We conclude that the change in selenoprotein gene expression in pituitaries indicates that OSe steers have a greater potential capacity to manage against oxidative damage, maintain cellular redox balance, and have a better quality control of protein-folding in their pituitaries than ISe steers. The change in selenoprotein gene expression by the liver indicates that MIX steers have a greater redox signaling capacity and capacity to manage oxidative damage than ISe steers.

Effects Of Yeast-Derived Microbial Protein On Transition Dairy Cow Health And Performance, Gustavo Mazon Correa Alves

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

The transition period for dairy cows is defined as the three weeks pre and postpartum. During the transition period, dairy cows experience a myriad of metabolic, managerial, and nutritional requirement changes. These changes lead to stress and increased susceptibility to diseases which can negatively affect lactational performance in the short and long term. However, dietary amino acid availability can have a dramatic impact on the health and performance of dairy cows around parturition. Thus, the objective of the thesis was to evaluate the effects of supplementing yeast-derived microbial protein, as an alternative protein source for dairy cows during the transition …

Using An Implantable Microchip For Measuring Body Temperature In Dairy Calves, Megan Woodrum, Melissa Cantor, Joao H. C. Costa

Posters-at-the-Capitol Presentations

Body temperature is frequently used as a method for determining if illness is present with fever detection. Taking rectal temperature or alternatively tympanic temperature can be time consuming and requires restraint of calves. Alternatives, such as implantable microchips that can be passively read using a radio frequency identification (RFID) scanner may allow for easier monitoring of body temperature.

This study aim was to validate an implantable microchip and to determine the best implant site.

The Evaluation Of Pathogen Survival In Dry Cured Charcuterie Style Sausages, Jennifer Michelle Mcneil

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

The objective of this study was to evaluate the survival of non-O157:H7 STEC, Salmonella spp., and S. aureus in dry fermented sausages. Chorizo and Landjager sausages were inoculated with individual bacterial cocktails and stuffed into natural casings. Temperature, relative humidity, pH, and water activity were monitored through fermentation, drying, and storage. Bacterial counts were determined by serial dilution and plated in triplicates on selective media. Plates were incubated at 37°C for 24 hours and colony forming units per gram (CFU/g) were observed.

Results of the first study validate that contaminated raw materials contribute to pathogen survival and background bacteria outcompeted …

Long-Term Effects Of Different Fat Sources And Vitamin E Supplementation On Growth Performance, Antioxidant Status, Carcass Characteristics, Meat Quality, And Immune Capacity Of Pigs With Heavy Slaughter Weight Up To 150 Kg, Ding Wang

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Two experiments were used to evaluate the potential interaction of fat source and vitamin E (VE) in heavy slaughter weight pigs. In Experiment 1, a total of 64 individually-fed pigs (28.41 ± 0.83 kg) were randomly assigned to 8 dietary treatments in a 4×2 factorial arrangement. Fat treatments included cornstarch (CS), tallow (TW), corn-oil (CO), and coconut-oil (CN). VE treatments were dietary α-tocopheryl acetate (ATA) at 11 and 200 ppm. In Experiment 2, a total of 72 individually fed pigs (28.55 ± 1.16 kg) were randomly assigned to 12 dietary treatments in a 2 × 6 factorial arrangement. Fat treatments …

An Appraisal Of The Effect Of Nursing Location On Weaning Weight Of Piglets And Its Dependence On The Feeding Of Essential Oils To Sows, Shannon L. Dierking

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

The objective of these studies was to evaluate the effect of piglet nursing location on weaning weight, and its dependence on essential oil supplementation on sow and piglet performances.

Piglets that nursed anterior teat pairs had heavier weaning weights and higher gain for the lactation period. Additionally, piglet birthweight did not impact their overall teat selection and nursing location. These results provide some insight into the biological aspects of sow milk production, and implied that milk yield may vary between teat pairs along the udder line.

Supplementation of essential oils (EO) during late gestation and lactation had no effect on …