Meat Science Commons^™

Tympanic Temperature In Confined Beef Cattle Exposed To Excessive Heat Load, Terry L. Mader, John B. Gaughan, Leslie J. Johnson, G. Leroy Hahn

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Angus crossbred yearling steers (n=168) were used to evaluate effects on performance and tympanic temperature (TT) of feeding additional potassium and sodium to steers exposed to excessive heat load (maximum daily ambient temperature exceeded 32°C for three consecutive days) during seasonal summer conditions. Steers were assigned one of four treatments: (1) control; (2) potassium supplemented (diet containing 2.10% KHCO3); (3) sodium supplemented (diet containing 1.10% NaCl); or (4) potassium and sodium supplemented (diet containing 2.10% KHCO3 and 1.10% NaCl). Overall, additional KHCO3 at the 2% level or NaCl at the 1% level did not improve performance or heat stress tolerance …

Feed Intake Of Sheep As Affected By Body Weight, Breed, Sex, And Feed Composition, R. M. Lewis, G. C. Emmans

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The hypotheses tested were that genetic size-scaling for mature BW (A, kg) would reduce variation in intake between kinds of sheep and that quadratic polynomials on u = BW/A with zero intercept would provide good descriptions of the relationship between scaled intake (SI, g/A0.73 d) and degree of maturity in BW (u) across feeds of differing quality. Both sexes of Suffolk sheep from 2 experimental lines (n = 225) and from 3 breed types (Suffolk, Scottish Blackface, and their cross; n = 149) were recorded weekly for ad libitum feed intake and BW; recording of intake was from weaning through, …

Detection, Validation, And Downstream Analysis Of Allelic Variation In Gene Expression, Daniel C. Ciobanu, Lu Engle, Khyobeni Mozhui, Xusheng Wang, Manjunatha Jagalur, John A. Morris, William L. Taylor, Klaus Dietz, Perikles Simon, Robert W. Williams

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Common sequence variants within a gene often generate important differences in expression of corresponding mRNAs. This high level of local (allelic) control—or cis modulation—rivals that produced by gene targeting, but expression is titrated finely over a range of levels. We are interested in exploiting this allelic variation to study gene function and downstream consequences of differences in expression dosage. We have used several bioinformatics and molecular approaches to estimate error rates in the discovery of cis modulation and to analyze some of the biological and technical confounds that contribute to the variation in gene expression profiling. Our analysis of SNPs …

Strain Differences In Stress Responsivity Are Associated With Divergent Amygdala Gene Expression And Glutamate-Mediated Neuronal Excitability, Khyobeni Mozhui, Rose-Marie Karlsson, Thomas L. Kash, Jessica Ihne, Maxine Norcross, Sachin Patel, Mollee R. Farrell, Elizabeth E. Hill, Carolyn Graybeal, Kathryn P. Martin, Marguerite Camp, Paul J. Fitzgerald, Daniel C. Ciobanu, Rolf Sprengel, Masayoshi Mishina, Cara L. Wellman, Danny G. Winder, Robert W. Williams, Andrew Holmes

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Stress is a major risk factor for numerous neuropsychiatric diseases. However, susceptibility to stress and the qualitative nature of stress effects on behavior differ markedly among individuals. This is partly because of the moderating influence of genetic factors. Inbred mouse strains provide a relatively stable and restricted range of genetic and environmental variability that is valuable for disentangling gene–stress interactions. Here, we screened a panel of inbred strains for anxiety- and depression-related phenotypes at baseline (trait) and after exposure to repeated restraint. Two strains, DBA/2J and C57BL/6J, differed in trait and restraint-induced anxiety-related

behavior (dark/light exploration, elevated plus maze). Gene …

Srebp Pathway Genes As Candidate Markers In Country Ham Production, Benedicte Renaville, Kimberly L. Glenn, Benny E. Mote, Bin Fan, Kenneth J. Stalder, Max F. Rothschild

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Country hams are dry-cured products from the Southeastern region of the USA. This high value product requires quality fresh meat to avoid later processing problems. The marker SREBF1 is a transcription factor involved in the regulation of fatty acid synthesis and antioxidative enzyme transcription. The SREBF1 gene and its regulators, SCAP and MBTPS1, were investigated for associations with several meat quality traits in country hams. After single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) identification, PCR-RFLP tests were designed for one polymorphism in each of the three investigated genes. Meat quality and physical traits were collected on 299 fresh hams. Significant associations were …

Predictors Of Response And Genetic Resistance/Susceptibility In Pigs To Infection With Porcine Reproductive And Respiratory Syndrome Virus, Donald G. Levis, Rodger K. Johnson,, Thomas A. Rathje, Fernando A. Osorio

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The primary objective of this study was to determine differences in growth rate and expression of specific immune function genes and levels of cytokines between pigs that are more resistant and more susceptible to PRRSV infection. The data generated in this replication were combined with data from a previous replication. At 34 ± 5 days of age (8.2 ± 1.8 kg body weight), 220 weaned pigs free of PRRSV were transported from their farm of origin to the wean-to-finish barn at the Haskell Agricultural Laboratory. The pigs were randomly allotted to one of 16 pens (2.4 m x 4.3 m) …

Multiple Genes On Chromosome 7 Regulate Dopaminergic Amacrine Cell Number In The Mouse Retina, Irene E. Whitney, Mary A. Day, Daniel C. Ciobanu, Robert W. Williams, Benjamin E. Reese

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Purpose—The size of neuronal populations is modulated by gene variants that influence cell production and survival, in turn influencing neuronal connectivity, function, and disease risk. The size of the dopaminergic amacrine (DA) cell population is a highly heritable trait exhibiting six-fold variation among inbred strains of mice, and is used here to identify genes that modulate the number of DA cells.

Methods—The entire population was counted in retinal wholemounts from 37 genetically defined lines of mice, including six standard inbred strains, 25 recombinant inbred strains (AXB/BXA), reciprocal F1 hybrids, a chromosome (Chr) 7 consomic line, and three additional …

Effects Of Time Of Transporting Prior To Sale Date On Selling Weight Of Weaned Steer Calves, L. M. Kovarik, Matt K. Luebbe, Joshua R. Benton, Galen E. Erickson, Richard J. Rasby

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Eighty-eight crossbred weaned steer calves (250 + 26 kg) were used to evaluate weight loss (shrink) when transported to a mock sale barn on differing days prior to sale. The calves were weaned 14 days and fed free choice grass hay and 0.9 kg of DDGS at UNL’s Dalbey-Halleck Research Unit. Two days before initiation of treatments all calves were fed grass hay ad libitum and initial BW were recorded on two consecutive days. Calves were assigned randomly to treatment as a completely randomized design. On d 2, 1d restricted and 1d ad libitum treatments were transported 150 km to …

Supplementing Wet Distillers Grains Mixed With Low Quality Forage To Grazing Cow Calf Pairs, Brandon L. Nuttelman, William Griffin, T. J. Klopfenstein, Walter H. Schacht, Leslie Aaron Stalker, Jacqueline Musgrave, Jerry D. Volesky

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Two consecutive summer grazing studies were conducted to quantify the effect of supplementing cows with wet distillers grains (WDGS) mixed with low quality forage on 1) grazed forage intake and 2) cow and calf performance. During exp. 1, twenty-four three year old lactating cows rotationally grazed for 56 d and were assigned to one of three treatments: 1) the recommended stocking rate of 1.48 AUM/ha with no supplementation (CON1), 2) double the recommended stocking rate (2.96 AUM/ha) and supplemented 6.64 kg/hd daily of 45% grass hay and 55% WDGS (DM) to replace 50% of estimated total intake (SUP), and 3) …

Comparison Of Feeding Wet Distillers Grains In A Bunk Or On The Ground To Cattle Grazing Native Sandhills Winter Range, Jacqueline Musgrave, Leslie Aaron Stalker, Matthew C. Stockton, T. J. Klopfenstein

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Two-experiments determined the effects of feeding wet distillers grains with solubles (WDGS) either on the ground or in a bunk to cattle grazing native Sandhills winter range. In Experiment 1 (Exp. 1), 120 multiparous March-calving cows (536 ± 53.5 kg BW) were stratified by age and assigned to one of four treatments: WDGS fed on the ground, either three or six d/wk; or WDGS fed in a bunk either three or six d/wk. In Experiment 2 (Exp. 2), 63 March-born steer calves (201.2 ± 27.5 kg BW) were stratified by weight and assigned to one of two feeding treatments: WDGS …

Large-Scale Association Study For Structural Soundness And Leg Locomotion Traits In The Pig, Bin Fan, Suneel K. Onteru, Benny E. Mote, Timo Serenius, Kenneth J. Stalder, Max F. Rothschild

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Background: Identification and culling of replacement gilts with poor skeletal conformation and feet and leg (FL) unsoundness is an approach used to reduce sow culling and mortality rates in breeding stock. Few candidate genes related to soundness traits have been identified in the pig.

Methods: In this study, 2066 commercial females were scored for 17 traits describing body conformation and FL structure, and were used for association analyses. Genotyping of 121 SNPs derived from 95 genes was implemented using Sequenom's MassARRAY system.

Results: Based on the association results from single trait and principal components using mixed linear …

Age And Diet Affect Gene Expression Profile In Canine Skeletal Muscle, Ingmar S. Middelbos, Brittany M. Vester, Lisa K. Karr-Lilienthal, Lawrence B. Schook, Kelly S. Swanson

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

We evaluated gene transcription in canine skeletal muscle (biceps femoris) using microarray analysis to identify effects of age and diet on gene expression. Twelve female beagles were used (six 1-year olds and six 12-year olds) and they were fed one of two experimental diets for 12 months. One diet contained primarily plant-based protein sources (PPB), whereas the second diet contained primarily animal-based protein sources (APB). Affymetrix GeneChip Canine Genome Arrays were used to hybridize extracted RNA. Age had the greatest effect on gene transcription (262 differentially expressed genes), whereas the effect of diet was relatively small (22 differentially expressed genes). …

Association And Haplotype Analyses Of Positional Candidate Genes In Five Genomic Regions Linked To Scrotal Hernia In Commercial Pig Lines, Zhi-Qiang Du, Xia Zhao, Natascha Vukasinovic, Fernanda Rodriguez, Archie C. Clutter, Max F. Rothschild

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Scrotal hernia in pigs is a complex trait likely affected by genetic and environmental factors. A large-scale association analysis of positional and functional candidate genes was conducted in four previously identified genomic regions linked to hernia susceptibility on Sus scrofa chromosomes 2 and 12, as well as the fifth region around 67 cM on chromosome 2, respectively. In total, 151 out of 416 SNPs discovered were genotyped successfully. Using a family-based analysis we found that four regions surrounding ELF5, KIF18A, COL23A1 on chromosome 2, and NPTX1 on chromosome 12, respectively, may contain the genetic variants important for the …

Effect Of Hydrogen Peroxide In The Scald Tank On The Microbial Count Of Pork Skin, A. S. De Mello Jr., R. O. Roca

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) (50% v/v) on pork skin microbial populations. Forty-eight crossbred hogs were analyzed after dehairing and 30 during chilling. Three different concentrations of hydrogen peroxide were added to the scalding water (0.01, 0.05 and 0.1% of the total capacity of the scald tank). In treatment I no addition of H₂O₂ was applied while, in treatment II, H₂O₂ was added at 0 min and, in treatment III, it was added at 0, 30 and 60 min. Both treatments …

Corn Distillers Dried Grains (Ddgs) For Growing-Finishing Swine, Phillip S. Miller

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Two-hundred and forty pigs growing-finishing pigs were used to evaluate the feeding value of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS). Treatments consisted of 0, 5, 10 and 15% dietary DDGS inclusion. Treatments did not affect average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI) or gain:feed (G:F) during the grower 1 period (P > 0.05). During the grower 2 period ADG and ADFI linearly decreased as DDGS increased (P < 0.05). No differences among treatments were detected throughout the feeding phase finisher 1 for ADG, ADFI, and G:F (P > 0.05). During the finisher 2 feeding phase, there was a linear reduction in ADG and ADFI in response to dietary DDGS inclusion (P = 0.01). Overall, linear reductions …

Climate Conditions In Bedded Confinement Buildings, Terry L. Mader, Leslie J. Johnson, Tami Brown-Brandl, John Gaughan

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Confinement buildings are utilized for finishing cattle to allow more efficient collection of animal waste and to buffer animals against adverse climatic conditions. Environmental data were obtained from a 29 m wide x 318 m long, solid floor, bedded confinement building with the long axis oriented east to west. The south side (front) was approximately 8.5 m high and the north (back) side is approximately 5.0 m high with 3.7 m being open (at the top). The opening was closed to within 1.0 m of the top in the winter. In general, low wind speed and/or decreased air movement associated …

Dissection Of A Qtl Hotspot On Mouse Distal Chromosome 1 That Modulates Neurobehavioral Phenotypes And Gene Expression, Khyobeni Mozhui, Daniel C. Bastiaansen, Thomas Schikorski, Xusheng Wang, Lu Lu, Robert W. Williams

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

A remarkably diverse set of traits maps to a region on mouse distal chromosome 1 (Chr 1) that corresponds to human Chr 1q21–q23. This region is highly enriched in quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that control neural and behavioral phenotypes, including motor behavior, escape latency, emotionality, seizure susceptibility (Szs1), and responses to ethanol, caffeine, pentobarbital, and haloperidol. This region also controls the expression of a remarkably large number of genes, including genes that are associated with some of the classical traits that map to distal Chr 1 (e.g., seizure susceptibility). Here, we ask whether this QTL-rich region on Chr 1 …

Microarray Analysis Reveals Distinctive Signaling Between The Bed Nucleus Of The Stria Terminalis, Nucleus Accumbens, And Dorsal Striatum, Christopher M. Olsen, Yong Pandey, Shirlean Goodwin, Daniel C. Ciobanu, Lu Lu, Thomas R. Sutter, Danny G. Winder

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Microarray analysis reveals distinctive signaling between the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, nucleus accumbens, and dorsal striatum. Physiol Genomics 32: 283–298, 2008. First published October 2, 2006; doi:10.1152/physiolgenomics.00224.2006.—To identify distinct transcriptional patterns between the major subcortical dopamine targets commonly studied in addiction we studied differences in gene expression between the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), nucleus accumbens (NAc), and dorsal striatum (dStr) using microarray analysis. We first tested for differences in expression of genes encoding transcripts for common neurotransmitter systems as well as calcium binding proteins routinely used in neuroanatomical delineation of brain regions. This a priori …

Characterizing Linkage Disequilibrium In Pig Populations, Feng-Xing Du, Archie C. Clutter, Michael M. Lohuis

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Knowledge of the extent and range of linkage disequilibrium (LD), defined as non-random association of alleles at two or more loci, in animal populations is extremely valuable in localizing genes affecting quantitative traits, identifying chromosomal regions under selection, studying population history, and characterizing/managing genetic resources and diversity. Two commonly used LD measures, r² and D’, and their permutation based adjustments, were evaluated using genotypes of more than 6,000 pigs from six commercial lines (two terminal sire lines and four maternal lines) at ~4,500 autosomal SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms). The results indicated that permutation only partially removed the dependency of …

Managing The Risk Of Comparing Estimated Breeding Values Across Flocks Or Herds Through Connectedness: A Review And Application, L. A. Kuehn, Ronald M. Lewis, D. R. Notter

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Comparing predicted breeding values (BV) among animals in different management units (e.g. flocks, herds) is challenging if units have different genetic means. Unbiased estimates of differences in BV may be obtained by assigning base animals to genetic groups according to their unit of origin, but units must be connected to estimate group effects. If many small groups exist, error of BV prediction may be increased. Alternatively, genetic groups can be excluded from the statistical model, which may bias BV predictions. If adequate genetic connections exist among units, bias is reduced. Several measures of connectedness have been proposed, but their relationships …

A General Review Of Competition Genetic Effects With An Emphasis On Swine Breeding, C. Y. Chen, Rodger K. Morota, S. Newman, L. D. Van Vleck

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

A review of previous studies is presented on estimates of genetic parameters and responses to selection with traditional breeding approaches, on correlations between agonistic behavior and growth performance, and on theoretical frameworks for selection incorporating interactions among individuals and on practical methods for incorporating competition effects in breeding programs.

Comparative Effects Of The Sorghum Bmr-6 And Bmr-12 Genes: Ii. Grain Yield, Stover Yield, And Stover Quality In Grain Sorghum, A. L. Oliver, J. F. Jenkins, R. J. Grant, T. J. Klopfenstein, H. D. Jose

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Nearly 3 million hectares of grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L). Moench] are harvested in the USA each year. It may be possible to add value to crop and animal systems by enhancing the digestibility of the stover residue by the use of brown midrib (bmr) genes if grain can be maintained. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of bmr-6 and bmr-12 genes on grain yield of sorghum and to evaluate the effect of the bmr genes on stover yield and quality in these genetic backgrounds: ‘Wheatland’, ‘Redlan’, RTx430, Tx623, Tx630, Tx631, and the …

Unexpected Estimates Of Variance Components With A True Model Containing Genetic Competition Effects, L. D. Van Vleck, J. P. Morota

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Simulation of a model containing genetic competition effects was initiated to determine how well REML could untangle variances due to direct and competition genetic effects and pen effects. A two-generation data set was generated with six unrelated males that were each mated to five unrelated females to produce 300 progeny, from which 30 females (one per mating in previous generation) were mated to six unrelated males to produce 300 more progeny. Progeny were randomly assigned, six per pen, to 50 pens per generation. Parameters were V_g, V_c, C_gc, V_p, and V_{e …}

New Alleles In Calpastatin Gene Are Associated With Meat Quality Traits In Pigs, Daniel C. Ciobanu, John W. M. Vleck, S. M. Lonergan, H. Thomsen, J. C. M. Dekkers, G. S. Plastows, M. F. Rothschild

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Suggestive QTL affecting raw firmness scores and average Instron force, tenderness, juiciness, and chewiness on cooked meat were mapped to pig chromosome 2 using a three-generation intercross between Berkshire and Yorkshire pigs. Based on its function and location, the calpastatin (CAST) gene was considered to be a good candidate for the observed effects. Several missense and silent mutations were identified in CAST and haplotypes covering most of the coding region were constructed and used for association analyses with meat quality traits. Results demonstrated that one CAST haplotype was significantly associated with lower Instron force and cooking loss and …

Effects Of Index Selection On The Performance And Carcass Composition Of Sheep Given Foods Of Different Protein Concentrations Ad Libitum., R. M. Lewis, G. C. Emmans, G. Simm

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Sheep of a line selected on an index to increase carcass lean content at 150 days of age (selected (S); no. = 90), and an unselected control line (control (C); no. = 90), were given ad libitum foods of three different protein concentrations (192, 141 and 120 g/kg dry matter). Growth was measured from about 21 to 114 kg live weight. The carcasses of each line were analysed for lean, fat and bone at three widely varying weights in both males and females. Level of protein did not affect the extent to tohidi S was superior to C in the …

Effects Of Two Dried Forages, And A Choice Between Them, On Intake, Growth And Carcass Composition In Lambs Of Two Breeds And Their Cross, R. M. Lewis, J. M. Macfarlane, G. C. Emmans

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The effects of for age type, breed type and sex on lamb growth and carcass composition, and their changes throughout growth, were measured. The three breed types were Scottish Blackface (no. =31), Suffolk (no. =28) and their reciprocal cross (no. =30). The lambs were given ad libitum a pelleted rye grass alone, pelleted lucerne alone or a choice of both. Each lamb was scanned using X-ray computed tomography to measure the weights of fat, lean and bone in the carcass at three proportions of mature body weight (0-30, 0·45 and 0·65). Live weights and food intake data were recorded weekly. …

Predicting Population Gene Frequency From Sample Data, R. M. Lewis, B. Grundy, L. A. Kuehn

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

With an increase in the number of candidate genes for important traits in livestock, effective strategies for incorporating such genes into selection programmes are increasingly important. Those strategies in part depend on the frequency of a favoured allele in a population. Since comprehensive genotyping of a population is seldom possible, we investigate the consequences of sampling strategies on the reliability of the gene frequency estimate for a bi-allelic locus. Even within a subpopulation or line, often only a proportion of individuals will be genotype tested. However, through segregation analysis, probable genotypes can be assigned to individuals that themselves were not …

Soil Characterization Using Textural Features Extracted From Gpr Data, Lameck O. Odhiambo, Robert S. Wright, Ronald E. Yoder

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Soils can be non-intrusively mapped by observing similar patterns within ground-penetrating radar (GPR) profiles. We observed that the intricate and often indiscernible textural variability found within a complex GPR image possesses important parameters that help delineate regions of similar soil characteristics. Therefore, in this study, we examined the feasibility of using textural features extracted from GPR data to automate soil characterizations. The textural features were matched to a "fingerprint" database of previous soil classifications of GPR textural features and the corresponding ground truths of soil conditions. Four textural features (energy, contrast, entropy, and homogeneity) were selected for inputs into a …

Evaluation Of Procedures To Predict Fat-Free Lean In Swine Carcasses, Rodger K. Johnson, E. P. Johnson, R. Goodwin, J. W. Mabry, R. K. Miller, O. W. Robison, H. Sellers, M. D. Tokach

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The objectives were to develop equations for predicting fat-free lean in swine carcasses and to estimate the prediction bias that was due to genetic group, sex, and dietary lysine level. Barrows and gilts (n = 1,024) from four projects conducted by the National Pork Board were evaluated by six procedures, and their carcass fat-free lean was determined. Pigs of 16 genetic groups were fed within weight groups one of four dietary regimens that differed by 0.45% in lysine content and slaughtered at weights between 89 and 163 kg. Variables in equations included carcass weight and measures of backfat depth and …

Effects Of Food Quality On Growth And Carcass Composition In Lambs Of Two Breeds And Their Cross, R. M. Lewis, J. M. Macfarlane, G. Simm, G. C. Emmans

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The effects offood quality, breed type and sex (ram and ewe) on Iamb growth and carcass composition, and their changes throughout growth, were measured. The three breed typeswereScottish Blackface (B; no. = 24), Suffolk (S; no. = 28) and their reciprocal crosses (X; no. 33). The lambs had free access to a nutritionally non-limiting food, H, or a bulky food, L. Each lamb was scanned using X-ray computed tomography to measure the weights offat, lean and bone in the carcass at three degrees of maturity (0·30, 0·45 and 0·65) in live weight. Live weight and food intake data were recorded …