Meat Science Commons^™

Including Gene Edited Sires In Genetic Evaluations, Leticia P. Sanglard, Garret M. See, Matthew L. Spangler

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A simulation study investigated and provided potential solutions to practical issues that could arise from including gene-edited sires in routine genetic evaluations. Gene-editing is a technique for adding, deleting, or replacing nucleotides in the genome. Editing nucleotides controlling important socioeconomic traits (e.g., growth, carcass, disease susceptibility) is expected to improve rates of genetic gain. However, targeted alterations of the genome can affect the relationship among individuals and, consequently, introduce bias in Expected Progeny Differences. The current study illustrated that, indeed, Expected Progeny Differences for the progeny of edited sires were underestimated. Consequently, these animals would be less likely to be …

Comparison Of Semi-Confined And Pasture-Based August Calving Beef Cow Systems, Hannah F. Speer, Harvey C. Freetly, M. E. Drewnoski

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Limited pasture availability and increased pasture rental rates have generated a need to evaluate alternative cow-calf production systems. The current study compared cow and calf performance in two August-calving cow systems that combined corn residue grazing with 1) perennial forage grazing and hay or 2) summer drylot feeding and fall cover crop grazing. Differences in pregnancy rates between systems within year were not observed; however, the effect of production system on cow body condition and calf body weight at different time points varied across years. Overall, cow and calf performance were not negatively impacted in the drylot/cropland system, suggesting that …

Impact Of Planning Horizon Length On Breeding Objectives And Resulting Selection Decisions, Hunter F. Valasek, Bruce L. Golden, Matthew L. Spangler

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

The weighting of traits in a selection index depends on varying circumstances that can difer among beef producers (e.g. economic factors, breeding systems). The determination of planning horizon is an additional variable that can differ among producers that represents the impact of genetic selection decisions over a gradient of time. A web-based economic index construction platform (iGENDEC) was used in the current study to investigate the implications of planning horizon on relative emphasis values of traits within the breeding goal and potential differences in sire selection decisions. General-purpose indexes were created for three breeding systems under six different …

Estimation Of Breeding Values Using Different Densities Of Snp To Inform Kinship In Broiler Chickens, Mayara Salvian, Gabriel Costa Monteiro Moreira, Ândrea Plotzki Reis, Brayan Dias Dauria, Fabrício Pilonetto, Izally Carvalho Gervásio, Mônica Corrêa Ledur, Luiz Lehmann Coutinho, Matthew L. Spangler, Gerson Barreto Mourao

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Background: Traditionally, breeding values are estimated based on phenotypic and pedigree information using the numerator relationship (A) matrix. With the availability of genomic information, genome-wide markers can be included in the estimation of breeding values through genomic kinship. However, the density of genomic information used can impact the cost of implementation. The aim of this study was to compare the rank, accuracy, and bias of estimated breeding values (EBV) for organs [heart (HRT), liver (LIV), gizzard (GIZ), lungs (LUN)] and carcass [breast (BRST), drumstick (DRM) and thigh (THG)] weight traits in a broiler population using pedigree-based BLUP (PBLUP) and …

Effect Of Increasing Corn Silage Inclusion In Finishing Diets Cattle With Or Without Tylosin On Performance And Liver Abscesses, Hannah C. Wilson, Levi J. Mcphillips, Bradley M. Boyd, Andrea K. Watson, Jim C. Macdonald, Galen E. Erickson

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

A pooled analysis was performed to evaluate whether corn silage fed at 15% or 45% of diet DM impacted liver abscesses prevalence at slaughter in five previous experiments. Cattle fed 15% corn silage had 7.8% abscessed livers compared to 4.1% for cattle fed 45% corn silage when all diets contained tylosin. While improved due to increased corn silage inclusion, the objective of the current finishing study was to determine the impact of silage inclusion in finishing diets with and without tylosin on performance and incidence of abscessed livers in beef cattle. A total of 640 (BW = 334 ± 25 …

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

Differential Diagnosis Of Dna Viruses Related To Reproductive Disorder On Sows By Multiplex-Pcr Technique, T N. Nguyen, H T T Le, H L X Vu, P X. Dinh

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The newly emerged diseases caused by ASFV and PCV3 and their confirmed prevelance in Vietnam whereas most of available common commercial methods such as ELISA or realtime PCR designed for detecting single pathogen per reaction, highlighted a necessity for another diagnostic method to simultaneously detect and differentiate DNA viruses that are related to reproductive failures in sow herds including PCV2, PCV3, PPV, ASFV. In this communication, a diagnostic multiplex-PCR (mPCR) was established with pathogen-specific primers selected from previous studies and another set of primers designed for COX1 gene serving as an internal amplification control (IAC). The predicted products of PCV2, …

How Do I Grow Tedera?, Daniel Real

Animal production and livestock published reports

The issue:

Livestock producers are faced with climate variability challenges and rising input costs while trying to maximise livestock productivity and profitability.

The impact:

Traditional or older pasture systems can limit production due to poor performance in dry periods or shorter production windows.

The opportunity:

Tedera is a resilient legume pasture that can fill feed gaps at a lower cost while offering livestock productivity gains.

Ovarian Inflammation Mediated By Toll-Like Receptor 4 Increased Transcripts Of Maternal Effect Genes And Decreased Embryo Development, Alison F. Ermisch, Katie L. Bidne, Scott G. Kurz, Kerri A. Bochantin, Jennifer R. Wood

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Obese women are subfertile and have reduced assisted reproduction success, which may be due to reduced oocyte competence. We hypothesize that consumption of a high-fat/high-sugar diet induces ovarian inflammation, which is a primary contributor to decreased oocyte quality and pre-implantation embryo development. To test this hypothesis, C57BL/6 (B6) mice with a normal inflammatory response and C3H/HeJ (C3H) mice with a dampened inflammatory response due to dysfunctional Toll-like receptor 4 were fed either normal chow or high-fat/high-sugar diet. In both B6 and C3H females, high-fat/high-sugar diet induced excessive adiposity and hyperglycemia compared to normal chow-fed counterparts. Conversely, ovarian CD68 levels and …

Evaluating Draft Environmental Protection Agency Emissions Models For Broiler Operations, G. Li, R. S. Gates, B. C. Ramirez, R. T. Burns

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

In August 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency( EPA) released draft models to estimate daily NH3, H2S, PM2.5, PM10, and total suspended particulate semissions from U.S. broiler operations using inputs of daily mean ambient temperature, relative humidity, and live animal weight. The EPA developed these models using data sets collected between 2005 and 2007. It is important to note that over 15 yr have passed since the original data were collected, and broiler genetics, nutrition, and management have improved consideably. These models, if adopted, could have substantial impact on the U.S. broiler industry regarding air emission management and regulation. The …

Quantifying Residual Feed In A Fence-Line Feedlot Bunk Using Depth Camera Imaging Techniques, Jean Niwenshuti, Galen E. Erickson, Tami M. Brown-Bandl, Eric T. Psota, Yijie Xiong

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Feed bunk management requires intensive labor and relies on manual observation to estimate the amount of residual feed in the bunk. Alternative and innovative technologies were used to estimate the weight of residual feed in a concrete fence-line bunk using a depth camera. Depth cameras capture the distance between the camera and the object in their field of view. This study used a time-of-flight depth camera (Azure Kinect, Microsoft) to estimate the weight of residual feed in a partial fence-line concrete bunk using 11 common feed ingredients. The camera was fastened approximately 3.3 ft above the center of the bunk …

Extending Melengestrol Acetate Treatment From Fourteen To Eighteen Days In Beef Heifers, Dempster Christenson, Jordan M. Thomas, Daniel J. Kelly, R. Funston

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

This study compared estrus synchronization, estrus response, and artificial insemination pregnancy rates of beef heifers fed melengestrol acetate the normal 14-day period or extended to an 18-day period using the melengestrol acetate -prostaglandin- heat detect and timed artificial insemination protocol. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate if extending melengestrol acetate feeding by 4 days increases the number of heifers ovulating, which would result in greater estrus response and pregnancy rate in the whole herd. Early estrus response following prostaglandin administration occurred in heifers who averaged an earlier estrus response after melegestrol acetate withdrawal but extending the melengestrol …

Impacts Of Temperature And Salt Concentrations For Thermal Inactivation Of Salmonella In Moisture Enhanced Reconstructed Chicken Patties, Alik D. Browning

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this experiment is to determine the thermal kinetic parameters of Salmonella in moisture-enhanced, reconstructed ground chicken patties as affected by temperatures and salt concentrations. Salmonella is responsible for 35% of the foodborne illnesses associated with poultry products (Batz et al., 2011). Nonintact reconstructed chicken meat is mixed with brine solutions containing various salt and polyphosphate concentrations to increase water-holding capacity, decrease cooking losses, improve sensory tasting scores, and maintain the good quality of completed chicken products (Gill et al., 2004). Increasing salt concentrations within meats can increase the thermal inactivation of pathogens. In this study, Salmonella Typhimurium …

Swine Research Industry, Alyssa Abendroth '24

Distinguished Student Work

My business research revolved around biosecurity and disease. My inquiry was led by the question How common are diseases in commercial swine units and how can they be prevented from a staff personnel standpoint?. I completed my research by gaining knowledge through experience in my internship, as well as a literature review. I could not find an explicit response to how common diseases are, but I did learn about biosecurity and disease prevention.