Beef Science Commons^™

2025 Nebraska Custom Rates For Livestock-Related Agricultural Services, Glennis Mcclure

Cornhusker Economics

Conclusion

The 2025 livestock custom rates report serves as a valuable reference for cost benchmarking and service pricing in Nebraska’s livestock sector. While most rates have remained stable, producers and service providers should refer to multiple years’ reports to understand trends and regional variation. As always, actual service rates will vary based on job complexity, geographic location, provider availability, and market demand.

Participation in Future Surveys

To strengthen future reports, producers and service providers are encouraged to participate in upcoming surveys. Interested individuals may register at the following URL: https://cap.unl.edu/nebraska-custom-rates-survey-sign

The 2025 Custom Service Rates Related to Livestock Production in …

One Health Interventions And Challenges Under Rural African Smallholder Farmer Settings: A Scoping Review, Evanson R. Omuse, Honest Machekano, Bonoukpoè M. Sokame, Daniel M. Mutyambai, Thomas Dubois, Sevgan Subramanian, Frank Chidawanyika

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The global human population is rapidly increasing, escalating interactions of people, animals and the environment. This has led to more convoluted health challenges, for which African smallholder farmers bear the brunt. The One Health (OH) approach recognises the interconnectedness of these health challenges and thus follows a transdisciplinary approach involving diverse stakeholders to address them. Although there have recently been global concerted efforts and studies on OH, an information gap exists in Africa, particularly regarding smallholder farmers and their needs. Additionally, evaluation frameworks and outcome metrics for OH initiatives are still unclear. Thus, this study was conducted to critically map …

Self-Mustering Yards For Pastoral Livestock Management, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock factsheets

Self-mustering yards (SMYs) are an important component of effective total grazing management in the pastoral regions. These yards are used to self-muster cattle, sheep and goats, as well as native browsers and feral animals as they enter the yards to access the water point.

Comparison Of Sheep And Cattle Rumen Microbiological And Physiological Responses To An Abrupt Transition From A High-Forage To A High-Concentrate Diet, Katherine Purvis

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Sheep and cattle are often used interchangeably due to having the same gastrointestinal anatomy; however literature directly comparing the two species is minimal. Previous in vitro studies have pointed towards potential species differences in rumen carbohydrate utilization and acidosis susceptibility. The objective of this study was to evaluate in vivo microbiological and physiological responses of wethers and steers when abruptly transitioned from a high-forage to a high-concentrate diet. We hypothesized there are differences between species in response to abrupt dietary transition with respect to intake, rumen microbiology, and the rumen environment. Individually housed, rumen cannulated purebred Polypay wethers (n = …

Fluke Egg Sedimentation Test Procedure, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock factsheets

The department’s approved procedure for detecting trematode eggs and the Eimeria leuckarti sedimentation method (FEST) on faecal samples.

Roly Poly And Its Management, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Grains and other field crops factsheets

Roly poly, also known as prickly saltwort or tumbleweed (Salsola australis), is a native species found throughout Australia. The dead plants can break off at ground level, forming the ‘tumbleweeds’ seen in movies.

Like most summer weeds, roly poly uses soil moisture and nutrients that would otherwise be available to the following crop. The time taken to clear uncontrolled plants can delay seeding.

Livestock will graze the young plants; however, they will not eat the mature plants and are injured by the prickly leaves.

Pasture Data Reconciliation Of The South West Agricultural Zone Of Western Australia September 2024, Tafesse Estifanos, Amir Abadi Ghadim, Paul Mattingley, Kate Pritchett, Tony Della Bosca

Animal production and livestock published reports

Western Australia’s (WA) agricultural land use system features extensive pasture land vital for grazing sheep and cattle. Most pastures in the south west of Western Australia consist of annual species that grow during the cool, wet winters of the Mediterranean climate and senesce in the warm to hot, dry summers. Understanding the spatial distribution of pasture areas within the context of mixed farming is essential for developing effective land management strategies to enhance livestock production and profitability through balanced pasture supply and demand.

This report focuses on reconciling pasture area data for the south-west of Western Australia’s agricultural zone across …

Capeweed And Its Management, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Grains and other field crops factsheets

Capeweed (Arctotheca calendula) is a prostrate, stemless, sprawling annual herb that germinates during autumn and winter. In Western Australia (WA), competition from 7 to 90 capeweed plants per square metre in a wheat crop can reduce crop yield by 28 to 44% and net return by 25 to 76%.

Greenfeed Methane Measuring Machine, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock factsheets

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) now has the cutting-edge GreenFeed machine which measures emissions from individual cows and sheep, allowing us to determine Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions more accurately in the paddock.

Tedera: A Guide To Growing And Utilising This Perennial Pasture Legume, Daniel Real

Animal production and livestock published reports

The commercial release of a new pasture species is a rare and, potentially, important event. In the case of tedera (Bituminaria bituminosa var. albomarginata) we have a novel perennial pasture legume with characteristics which set it apart from anything currently available to growers in Australia or internationally.

Specifically, it is a drought-tolerant, highly productive perennial pasture with the capacity to provide nutritious forage, especially when other feed sources are scarce. Its reaction to drought is in contrast with the few successful perennial legumes available for Mediterranean climatic zones, such as lucerne, as it retains green leaves when water stressed, allowing …

Exploring The Biological Basis Of Residual Feed Intake In Beef Cattle Using Multi-Omics Analysis., Godstime Ayobami Taiwo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Efficient feed utilization is critical for both economic sustainability and environmental responsibility in modern livestock production. While there has been extensive research, the multifaceted nature of feed efficiency remains complex, with many biological factors still unexplored. This dissertation examines the physiological foundations of feed efficiency by elucidating some of the complex biological mechanisms associated with residual feed intake (RFI) phenotype in beef cattle, using a range of Omics approaches. We hypothesized that metabolites related to amino acids, carbohydrates, and fatty acids could act as potential biomarkers for RFI. Through a chemical group-based metabolomics method, we identified enriched pathways in feed-efficient …

Is There An Economic Advantage To Planting Diverse Summer Annual Forage Mixtures?, Kelly Mercier, Chris Teutsch, Ray Smith, Kenny Burdine, Edwin Ritchey, Eric Vanzant

Journal of Extension

This study examined economic implications of planting summer annual mixtures of grasses, legumes, and forbs at varying nitrogen rates. No differences in yield occurred between the three mixtures, indicating that mixtures with lowest seed cost will be most economical. Applying N resulted in yield increases of 12.26 lb DM per lb N applied. Although yield responses to N were positive, sensitivity analyses showed that applying N resulted in positive net returns only when hay prices were high and N prices were low. When utilization rates are accounted for, enterprise budgets determined grazing to be 18% cheaper to implement than haying.

Microbial Community Structure From Southern High Plains Beef Cattle Feedyard Manure And Relationship With Nitrous Oxide Emissions, Heidi Waldrip, David Parker, Sierra Miller, Lisa M. Durso, Byeng R. Min, Daniel N. Miller, Kenneth Casey, Bryan Woodbury, Mindy J. Spiehs

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center: Reports

Modern molecular techniques enable characterization of the microbial biome in livestock manure, from which there is particular concern over emission of greenhouse gases. This study evaluated how sampling depth, time, temperature, and artificial rainfall affected microbial community structure in feedyard manure, and relationships between the manure biome and known parameters related to nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions. In three large incubation chambers, maintained at different temperatures that received two applications of artificial rainfall, we evaluated manure microbiome composition and abundance of N₂O-producing enzymes (nirK and nirS) using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). These data were …

Evaluating The Shelf Life And Sensory Properties Of Beef Steaks From Cattle Raised On Different Grass Feeding Systems In The Western United States, Toni L. Duarte, Bakytzhan Bolkenov, Sarah C. Klopatek, James W. Oltjen, D. Andy King, Steven D. Shackelford, Tommy L. Wheeler, Xiang Yang

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center: Reports

Consumer interest in grass-fed beef has been steadily rising due to consumer perception of its potential benefits. This interest has led to a growing demand for niche market beef, particularly in the western United States. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the impact of feeding systems on the change in microbial counts, color, and lipid oxidation of steaks during retail display, and on their sensory attributes. The systems included: conventional grain-fed (CON), 20 months-grass-fed (20GF), 25-months-grass-fed (25GF) and 20-months-grass-fed + 45-day-grain-fed (45GR). The results indicate that steaks in the 20GF group displayed a darker lean and fat …

Genes Involved In Feed Efficiency Identified In A Meta-Analysis Of Rumen Tissue From Two Populations Of Beef Steers, Amanda K. Lindholm-Perry, Allison M. Meyer, Rebecca J. Kern-Lunbery, Hannah C. Cunningham-Hollinger, Taran H. Funk, Brittney N. Keel

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center: Reports

In cattle, the rumen is an important site for the absorption of feed by-products released by bacterial fermentation, and variation in ruminal function plays a role in cattle feed efficiency. Studies evaluating gene expression in the rumen tissue have been performed prior to this. However, validating the expression of genes identified in additional cattle populations has been challenging. The purpose of this study was to perform a meta-analysis of the ruminal transcriptome of two unrelated populations of animals to identify genes that are involved in feed efficiency across populations. RNAseq data from animals with high and low residual feed intake …

Prenatal Transportation Stress Did Not Impact Ovarian Follicle Count For Three Generations Of Female Brahman Offspring, Lacey K. Quail, Ronald D. Randel, Thomas H. Welsh Jr., Robert A. Cushman, Hannah K. Yake, Rui A. D'Orey Branco, Donald A. Neuendorff, Charles R. Long, George A. Perry

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center: Reports

As prenatal transportation stress altered behavior and adrenal glucocorticoid secretion of calves, we hypothesized that prenatal transportation stress would decrease ovarian reserve size and negatively impact female offspring fertility. The impact of prenatal transportation stress on ovarian follicle numbers in female offspring for three generations was studied. Brahman cows were transported for 2 h on day 60 ± 5, 80 ± 5, 100 ± 5, 120 ± 5, and 140 ± 5 of gestation. Ovaries were collected from offspring of transported or non-transported dams at multiple ages. Primordial, primary, secondary, and antral follicles were histologically analyzed. Antral follicle numbers were …

Efficacy Of Antimicrobial Interventions Used In Meat Processing Plants Against Antimicrobial Tolerant Non–Antibiotic-Resistant And Antibiotic-Resistant Salmonella On Fresh Beef, Norasak Kalchayanand, Sapna Chitlapilly Dass, Yangjunna Zhang, Eric L. Oliver, Bing Wang, Tommy L. Wheeler

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center: Reports

Salmonella is a common cause of foodborne illness in the United States, and several strains of Salmonella have been identified as resistant to antibiotics. It is not known whether strains that are antibiotic resistant (ABR) and that have some tolerance to antimicrobial compounds are also able to resist the inactivation effects of antimicrobial interventions used in fresh meat processing. Sixty-eight Salmonella isolates (non-ABR and ABR strains) were treated with half concentrations of lactic acid (LA), peracetic acid (PAA), and cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), which are used in beef processing plants to screen for tolerant strains. Six strains each from non-ABR and …

Effects Of Administration Of A Growth Promoting Implant During The Suckling Phase Or At Weaning On Growth, Reproduction, And Ovarian Development In Replacement Heifers Grazing Native Range, Shelby L. Rosasco, Emily A. Melchior-Tiffany, Cierrah J. Kassetas, Shad H. Cox, Richard L. Dunlap, Jennifer A. Hernandez Gifford, Eric J. Scholljegerdes, Robert A. Cushman, Adam F. Summers

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center: Reports

Management strategies utilized during pre-breeding development of replacement heifers can impact fertility and the ovarian reserve. Angus- Hereford crossbred heifers (n = 233) were utilized over a 3-yr period to determine the effects of administration of a growth promoting implant at either branding or weaning on growth, reproduction, and ovarian development. Heifer calves were randomly assigned to one of three treatments: 1) nonimplanted controls (CON; n = 79), 2) implanted at approximately 2 mo of age (average calf age = 58 d) with Synovex-C (BIMP, n = 82), or 3) implanted at approximately 7 mo of age (average calf …

Interaction Of Replacing Corn Silage With Soyhulls As A Roughage Source With Or Without 3% Added Wheat Straw In The Diet: Impacts On Intake, Digestibility, And Ruminal Fermentation In Steers Fed High-Concentrate Diets, Bryan W. Neville, Wayde J. Pickinpaugh, Lea J. Mittleider, Rebecca L. Moore, Kendall C. Swanson, Joel S. Caton

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center: Reports

Six ruminally cannulated steers [475.0 ± 49.6 kg initial body weight (BW)] were used in a 6 × 3 incomplete Latin square design (six treatments and three periods), to evaluate the impacts replacing of corn silage with pelleted soyhulls as roughage in high-concentrate finishing diets containing 30% modified distillers grains with solubles. Treatments were based on increasing dietary inclusion of soyhulls and consisted of: (1) Control (0), roughage supplied by dietary inclusion of 20% corn silage [dry matter (DM) basis]; (2) 50% replacement of corn silage with soyhulls (50); (3) 100% replacement of corn silage with soyhulls (100), and the …

Development And Validation Of High-Resolution Melting Assays For The Detection Of Potentially Virulent Strains Of Escherichia Coli O103 And O121, Frank J. Velez, Joseph M. Bosilevac, Sabine Delannoy, Patrick Fach, Ravinder Nagpal, Prashant Singh

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center: Reports

Virulent strains of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) serogroups O103 and O121 are considered adulterants in beef. Two high-resolution melting (HRM) real-time PCR assays were standardized for the specific detection and discrimination of potentially virulent and avirulent strains of E. coli O103 and O121. The O103 HRM assay offered the possibility to distinguish clearly STEC O103:H2 from STEC O103:H25. The two standardized assays were extensively validated using 215 pure culture strains, laboratory inoculated food samples, and naturally contaminated beef (n = 84) and pork (n = 84) enrichments collected from the red meat surveillance program. Both HRM assays showed 100% …

Impacts Of Added Roughage On Growth Performance, Digestibility, Ruminal Fermentation, And Ruminal Ph Of Feedlot Steers Fed Wheat-Based Feedlot Diets Containing 30% Modified Distillers Grains With Solubles, Wayde J. Pickinpaugh, Bryan W. Neville, Rebecca L. Moore, Joel S. Caton

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center: Reports

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the inclusion rate roughage in wheat-based diets containing modified distillers grains with solubles (MDGS) on feedlot performance (Feedlot Experiment), as well as digestibility, ruminal pH, and ruminal fermentation characteristics (Digestibility Experiment). The feedlot experiment utilized 72 Angus steers (392 ± 46.3 kg initial body weight) which were randomly assigned to 1 of 12 pens, 3 pens per treatment, to evaluate feedlot performance and carcass characteristics. Dietary treatments were 1) control; 10% roughage, 2) 12% roughage, 3) 14% roughage, and 4) 16% roughage. The digestibility experiment used four ruminally and duodenally cannulated steers (393 ± …

Greater Numbers Of Antral Follicles In The Ovary Are Associated With Increased Concentrations Of Glucose In Uterine Luminal Fluid Of Beef Heifers, Alexandria P. Snider, Matthew S. Crouse, Shelby L. Rosasco, Kaitlin M. Epperson, Emmalee J. Northrop-Albrecht, Jerica J.J. Rich, Chadwick C. Chase Jr., Jeremy R. Miles, George A. Perry, Adam F. Summers, Robert A. Cushman

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center: Reports

Increased antral follicles are associated with greater fertility and a uterine environment that is more supportive of early embryonic development in beef heifers. Glucose is a primary energy source for embryos, and glucose concentrations are elevated in uterine luminal fluid (ULF) of pregnant heifers. We hypothesized that ULF glucose concentrations and endometrial transcript abundance for glucose transporters on d16 after insemination would be greater in heifers with increased numbers of antral follicles. Heifers classified with either increased or diminished antral follicle counts were artificially inseminated following the CO-Synch protocol (d0). On d16 after insemination, reproductive tracts of heifers were collected …

Proteomic Analyses Identify Differences Between Bovine Epididymal And Ejaculated Spermatozoa That Contribute To Longevity, Saulo Menegatti Zoca, Emmalee J. Northrop-Albrecht, Julie A. Walker, Robert A. Cushman, George A. Perry

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center: Reports

Sperm are stored for extended periods of time in the epididymis, but upon ejaculation motility is increased and lifespan is decreased. The objective of this study was to identify differences in proteins between epididymis and ejaculated samples that are associated with longevity. Ejaculated semen was collected from mature Angus bulls (n = 9); bulls were slaughtered and epididymal semen was collected. Epididymal and ejaculated semen were centrifuged to separate sperm and fluid. Fluids were removed and sperm pellets were resuspended in a high ionic solution and vortexed to remove loosely attached proteins. Sperm samples were centrifuged, and the supernatant was …

Analysis Of Livestock Movements And The Benefits And Costs Of Livestock Standstills In Australia As Part Of The Response To Foot-And-Mouth Disease, Ann Seitzinger, Graeme Garner, Richard Bradhurst, Walter Okelo, Michelle Rodan

Animal production and livestock published reports

This project involved analysis of livestock movements and used epidemiological modelling and cost analysis to estimate the benefits and costs of implementing livestock standstills in response to a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in Australia. This was done in four steps: 1) assessing the extent of livestock movement, 2) conducting a cross sectional analysis of the impact (reduction of outbreak size and economic cost) of implementing a national standstill/movement control, 3) use of case specific studies to estimate impact of state/territory level implementation of standstill, and 4) cost analysis and comparison of national standstill with the state/jurisdictional level and risk-based approach …

Effects Of Increasing Dietary Zinc Sulfate Fed To Gestating Ewes: Ii. Milk Somatic Cell Count, Microbial Populations, And Fatty Acid Composition, C. M. Page, R. M. Knuth, T. W. Murphy, D. C. Rule, B. Bisha, J. B. Taylor, W. C. Stewart

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center: Reports

Objective: The objective of the research was to evaluate the effects of increasing dietary Zn sulfate concentration for primiparous gestating ewes on subsequent milk SCC, intramammary microbial identifications, and fatty acid composition.

Materials and Methods: Commercial white-face (WF; n = 27) and black-face (BF; n = 24) ewes (age ≈18 mo; BW = 87.48 ± 8.37 kg) were sorted into breed-type groups and within groups ranked by BW, and then, they were randomly divided into 3 dietary supplement treatment groups: CON (n = 13; 40 mg/kg Zn; ≈1 × NASEM recommendations), Zn500 (n = 21; 500 mg/kg Zn; …

Effects Of Harvest Season On Carcass Characteristics Of Lambs In The Intermountain West, J. R. Whaley, T. W. Murphy, C. L. Gifford, W. J. Means, J. P. Ritten, H. N. Mckibben, C. M. Page, W. C. Stewart

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center: Reports

Objective: The objectives of this study were to survey characteristics including hot carcass weight (HCW), 12th rib fat thickness (RFT), body-wall thickness (BWT), longissimus muscle area (LMA), USDA yield grade (USDA YG), percentage closely trimmed retail cuts (RC), and calculated yield grade (Calc YG) of lamb carcasses in the Intermountain West to determine the effects of season of slaughter and interrelationships among carcass characteristics.

Materials and Methods: Lamb carcass characteristics were evaluated in 2 commercial Intermountain West processing plants over one year (n = 10,027). Carcasses were evaluated by season: spring (December–April, n = 2,322) and summer (May–August, n …

Evaluation Of Salmonella Biofilm Cell Transfer From Common Food Contact Surfaces To Beef Products, Rong Wong, David A. King, Norasak Kalchayanand

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center: Reports

Meat contamination by Salmonella enterica is a serious public health concern. Available data have suggested that biofilm formation at processing plants and contaminated contact surfaces might contribute to meat contamination. Because transfer from contact surfaces to food products via direct contact has been deemed the most common bacteria transmission route that can lead to contamination, we evaluated the effect of Salmonella biofilm forming ability, contact surface material, and beef surface tissue type on Salmonella biofilm transfer from hard surfaces to beef products. Salmonella biofilms developed on the common contact surfaces stainless steel (SS) and polyvinylchloride (PVC) were transferred consecutively via …

Hotline Number To Reach And Offer Agricultural Information To Plain Anabaptists During The Covid-19 Workplace Closures, Emily Shoop, Carly Becker, Nathan Glenn Briggs, Danielle Smarsh

Journal of Amish and Plain Anabaptist Studies

The Penn State Extension Animal Systems Team developed a toll-free hotline phone number to convey short educational messages to maintain contact and outreach to Pennsylvania’s animal producing Amish, Mennonite, and other plain Anabaptist populations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Penn State Extension’s programming went largely online via webinars, online courses, and emails. This change in programming excluded a large sector of Pennsylvania farmers who do not use or have access to the internet and, as such, were liable to miss important best management practice reviews and timely updates in animal agriculture. The Animal Systems Hotline offered callers the choice to listen …

Considerations And Best Practices In Animal Science 16s Ribosomal Rna Gene Sequencing Microbiome Studies, Margaret D. Weinroth, Aeriel D. Belk, Chris Dean, Noelle Noyes, Dana K. Dittoe, Michael J. Rothrock Jr, Steven C. Ricke, Phillip R. Myer, Madison T. Henniger, Gustavo A. Ramírez, Brian B. Oakley, Katie Lynn Summers, Asha M. Miles, Taylor B. Ault-Seay, Zhongtang Yu, Jessica L. Metcalf, James E. Wells

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center: Reports

Microbiome studies in animal science using 16S rRNA gene sequencing have become increasingly common in recent years as sequencing costs continue to fall and bioinformatic tools become more powerful and user-friendly. The combination of molecular biology, microbiology, microbial ecology, computer science, and bioinformatics—in addition to the traditional considerations when conducting an animal science study—makes microbiome studies sometimes intimidating due to the intersection of different fields. The objective of this review is to serve as a jumping-off point for those animal scientists less familiar with 16S rRNA gene sequencing and analyses and to bring up common issues and concerns that arise …

Twenty-Four-Month Longitudinal Study Suggests Little To No Horizontal Gene Transfer In Situ Between Third-Generation Cephalosporin-Resistant Salmonella And Third-Generation Cephalosporin-Resistant Escherichia Coli In A Beef Cattle Feedyard, John W. Schmidt, Sarah A. Murray, Aaron M. Dickey, Tommy L. Wheeler, Dayna M. Harhay, Terrance M. Arthur

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center: Reports

Third-generation cephalosporins (3GCs) are preferred treatments for serious human Salmonella enterica infections. Beef cattle are suspected to contribute to human 3GC-resistant Salmonella infections. Commensal 3GC-resistant Escherichia coli are thought to act as reservoirs of 3GC resistance because these strains are isolated more frequently than are 3GC-resistant Salmonella strains at beef cattle feedyards. During each of 24 consecutive months, four samples of pen surface material were obtained from five pens (N = 480) at a Nebraska feedyard to determine to the contribution of 3GC-resistant E. coli to the occurrence of 3GC-resistant Salmonella. Illumina whole genome sequencing was performed, and …