Meat Science Commons^™

Farm Animals Are Important Biomedical Models, Debora L. Hamernik

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

This issue of Animal Frontiers, “Farm animals are im- portant biomedical models,” describes several examples in which cattle, sheep, pigs, or chickens provide an excellent physiological model for studies related to human health or disease (Figure 1). While previous reports have discussed the use of domestic animals as dual-purpose models that benefit agricultural and biomedical research (Ireland et al., 2008), this issue of Animal Frontiers provides additional and novel examples of the value of farm animals for biomedical re- search. Because farm animals are larger in size than labora- tory species, scientists are able to collect larger volumes and …

The Heritability Of Pampiniform Plexus Vessel Size And Varicocoele In Boars, Tasha R. Gruhot, Lea A. Rempel, Matthew L. Spangler, Stephen D. Kachman, Benny E. Mote

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Ultrasonography was used to capture a coronal–sagittal image of the veins of the pampiniform plexus (PP) and the testicular artery of 327 maternal‐line boars at approximately 6 months of age at the University of Nebraska—Lincoln. Varicocoele was diagnosed by two methods. Method 1 diagnosed varicocoele when the average vessel area on one side of the scrotum was 1.5 times larger than the average vessel area on the other side of the scrotum. Method 2 diagnosed varicocoele when the average vessel area on one side of the scrotum of a boar was 1.5 times larger than the average vessel on the …

Adaptation Strategies: Ruminants, John B. Gaughan, Veerasamy Sejian, Terry L. Mader, Frank R. Dunshea

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

• Growing populations and reduced access to arable land mean that animal production systems will either need to intensify and/or produce more from a reducing land and other resource base.

• Variable and unpredictable environmental conditions mean that animal production faces numerous challenges. In add- ition to climate, these challenges include increased disease risk, increased nutritional deficiencies, and lack of capital to support diversification.

• Predicted changes in climate will impose selection pressures on traits important for biological fitness (and production).

• Genetic adaptation is important for the future of livestock systems. Animal adaptation involves trade-offs, which must be considered when selecting animals for …

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Livestock Animals To Study Infertility In Women, Mohamed A. Abedal-Majed, Andrea S. Cupp

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

• Anovulation is a major cause of infertility in mammalian females.

• Ovarian research in humans is challenging due to the shortage of “normal tissue” that can be obtained from women that are trying to get pregnant.

• Livestock animals provide valuable resources to investigate the optimal intra-follicular environment required to facilitate folliculogenesis and translate to humans.

• Different livestock models may be more useful depending on the specific biological process studied.

Effect Of Environmental Temperature And Β-Adrenergic Agonist Supplementation On Rumen Volatile Fatty Acid Production In Sheep, Erin M. Duffy, Hannah C. Hamilton, Ty B. Schmidt, Dustin T. Yates, Jessica Lynn Petersen

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Many environmental and dietary factors affect ruminant livestock performance (Ames, 1980; Carberry et al., 2012). Energy used by ruminants is mainly derived from volatile fatty acids (VFA), including acetate, propionate, and butyrate, which are produced by bacterial fermentation of carbohydrates (Barcroft et al., 1944). With the importance of VFA production in ruminants (Bergman, 1990), it is essential to understand how various conditions livestock may be subjected to, such as ambient conditions and diet, can affect VFA production.

With the profound role of VFA production in energy status of the ruminant, and given that heat stress (HS) events can affect ruminal …

Longitudinal Study Of Humoral Immunity To Bovine Coronavirus, Virus Shedding, And Treatment For Bovine Respiratory Disease In Pre-Weaned Beef Calves, Aspen M. Workman, Larry A. Kuehn, Tara G. Mcdaneld, Michael L. Clawson, John Dustin Loy

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Background: Bovine coronavirus (BCV) is associated with respiratory infections in cattle of all ages; however, a temporal study to evaluate the effect of BCV immunity on virus shedding and bovine respiratory disease (BRD) incidence in pre-weaned beef calves has not been reported. Thus, we report here a prospective study in three herds of crossbred beef calves (n = 817) with endemic BCV. Serial blood samples for measurement of serum anti-BCV antibody titers and nasal swabs for detection of BCV and other common viral and bacterial BRD pathogens were collected from all calves or subsets of calves at predetermined times …

The Impact Of Heat Load On Cattle, Angela M. Lees, Veerasamy Sejian, Andrea L. Wallage, Cameron C. Steel, Terry L. Mader, Jarrod C. Lees, John B. Gaughan

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Heat stress and cold stress have a negative influence on cattle welfare and productivity. There have been some studies investigating the influence of cold stress on cattle, however the emphasis within this review is the influence of heat stress on cattle. The impact of hot weather on cattle is of increasing importance due to the changing global environment. Heat stress is a worldwide phenomenon that is associated with reduced animal productivity and welfare, particularly during the summer months. Animal responses to their thermal environment are extremely varied, however, it is clear that the thermal environment influences the health, productivity, and …

Maternal Age Influences The Number Of Primordial Follicles In The Ovaries Of Yearling Angus Heifers, Sarah C. Tenley, Renata Spuri Gomes, Shelby L. Rosasco, Emmalee J. Northrop, Jerica J. J. Rich, Anthony K. Mcneel, Adam F. Summers, Jeremy R. Miles, Chadwick C. Chase Jr., Clay A. Lents, George A. Perry, Jennifer R. Wood, Andrea S. Cupp, Robert A. Cushman

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The number of antral follicles detectable by ultrasonography in heifers is influenced by age of the dam, because daughters of primiparous cows have fewer antral follicles than daughters of mature cows. We, therefore, hypothesized that heifers with primiparous dams would have fewer primordial follicles in their ovaries than heifers born to mature (4+ y) cows. Angus heifers (n=464) were submitted for ultrasonographic evaluation of antral follicle number at 325, 355, and 385 d of age. Ovaries were collected from a random subset of heifers (n=79) and processed for histological evaluation to determine number of primordial follicles. A greater percentage of …

Reducing Methane Production With Corn Oil And Calcium Sulfate: Responses On Whole-Animal Energy And Nitrogen Balance In Dairy Cattle, J. V. Judy, G. C. Bachman, T. M. Brown-Brandl, S. C. Fernando, K. E. Hales, P. S. Miller, R. R. Stowell, P. J. Kononoff

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The addition of fat and calcium sulfate to diets fed to ruminants has resulted in a reduction in methane production, but the effects on energy balance have not been studied. A study using indirect calorimetry and 16 multiparous (8 Holstein and 8 Jersey; 78 ± 15 d in milk; mean ± standard deviation) lactating dairy cows was conducted to determine how mitigating methane production by adding corn oil or calcium sulfate to diets containing reduced-fat distillers grains affects energy and nitrogen balance. A replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design with 35-d periods (28 d of adaption and 4 d …

Use Of Indirect Calorimetry To Evaluate Utilization Of Energy In Lactating Jersey Dairy Cattle Consuming Common Coproducts, M. A. Reynolds, T. M. Brown-Brandl, J. V. Judy, K. J. Herrick, K. E. Hales, A. K. Watson, Paul J. Kononoff

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The use of coproducts as an alternative feed source is a common practice when formulating dairy rations. A study using 12 multiparous (79 ± 16 d in milk; mean ± standard deviation) lactating Jersey cows was conducted over 5 mo to evaluate the effects of dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) or canola meal on milk and gas production. A replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design was used to compare 4 dietary treatments. Treatments comprised a control (CON) containing no coproducts, a treatment diet containing 10% (dry matter basis) lowfat DDGS (LFDG), a treatment diet containing 10% high-fat DDGS …

Real Supermodels Wear Wool: Summarizing The Impact Of The Pregnant Sheep As An Animal Model For Adaptive Fetal Programming, Kristin A. Beede, Sean W. Limesand, Jessica L. Petersen, Dustin T. Yates

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

• Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) continues to be a global epidemic that is associated with high early-life mortality rates and greater risk for developing metabolic disorders that lower length and quality of life in affected individuals.

• Fetal programming of muscle growth and metabolic function associated with IUGR is often comparable among nonlitter bearing mammalian species, which allows much of the information learned in domestic animal models to be applicable to humans (and other animals).

• Recent studies in sheep models of IUGR have begun to uncover the molecular mechanisms linking adaptive fetal programming and metabolic dysfunction.

• Targets of …

The Impact Of Selective Genotyping On The Response To Selection Using Single-Step Genomic Best Linear Unbiased Prediction, Jeremy T. Howard, Tom A. Rathje, Caitlyn E. Bruns, Danielle F. Wilson-Wells, Stephen D. Kachman, Matthew L. Spangler

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Across the majority livestock species, routinely collected genomic and pedigree information has been incorporated into evaluations using single-step methods. As a result, strategies that reduce genotyping costs without reducing the response to selection are important as they could have substantial economic impacts on breeding programs. Therefore, the objective of the current study was to investigate the impact of selectively genotyping selection candidates on the selection response using simulation. Populations were simulated to mimic the genome and population structure of a swine and cattle population undergoing selection on an index comprised of the estimated breeding values (EBV) for 2 …

Perturbations In Lineage Specification Of Granulosa And Theca Cells May Alter Corpus Luteum Formation And Function, Mohamed A. Abedel-Majed, Sarah M. Romereim, John S. Davis, Andrea S. Cupp

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Anovulation is a major cause of infertility, and it is the major leading reproductive disorder in mammalian females. Without ovulation, an oocyte is not released from the ovarian follicle to be fertilized and a corpus luteum is not formed. The corpus luteum formed from the luteinized somatic follicular cells following ovulation, vasculature cells, and immune cells is critical for progesterone production and maintenance of pregnancy. Follicular theca cells differentiate into small luteal cells (SLCs) that produce progesterone in response to luteinizing hormone (LH), and granulosa cells luteinize to become large luteal cells (LLCs) that have a high rate of basal …

Effect Of Harvest Method And Ammoniation Of Baled Corn Residue On Intake And Digestibility In Lambs, Ashley C. Conway, Tasha M. King, Melissa L. Jolly, J. C. Macdonald, Terry J. Klopfenstein, Mary E. Drewnoski

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

To determine the effect of harvest method and ammoniation on both in vivo and in vitro digestibility of corn residue, six corn residue treatments consisting of three different harvest methods either with or without anhydrous ammonia chemical treatment (5.5% of dry matter [DM]) were evaluated. The harvest methods included conventional rake-and-bale (CONV) and New Holland Cornrower with eight rows (8ROW) or two rows (2ROW) of corn stalks chopped into the windrow containing the tailings (leaf, husk, and upper stem) from eight rows of harvested corn (ammoniated bales of each harvest method resulted in treatments COVAM, 8RAM, and 2RAM). Nine crossbred …

Evaluation Of The Effects Of Biochar On Diet Digestibility And Methane Production From Growing And Finishing Steers, Thomas Winders, Melissa L. Jolly, Hannah C. Wilson, James C. Macdonald, Galen E. Erickson, Andrea K. Watson

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The objectives of these studies were to evaluate the effects of biochar (0%, 0.8%, or 3% of diet dry matter) on diet digestibility and methane and carbon dioxide production from cattle on growing and finishing diets. The growing diet consisted of 21% brome hay, 20% wheat straw, 30% corn silage, 22% wet distillers grains plus solubles, and 7% supplement. The finishing diet consisted of 53% dry-rolled corn, 15% corn silage, 25% wet distillers grains plus solubles, and 7% supplement. In both trials biochar replaced fine ground corn in the supplement. Six crossbred steers (initial body weight [BW] 529 kg; SD …

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 …

Effects Of Urea And Distillers Inclusion In Finishing Diets On Steer Performance And Carcass Characteristics, Bradley M. Boyd, James C. Macdonald, Matthew K. Luebbe, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of supplemental urea in dry rolled corn based finishing diets containing low inclusions of distillers grains. Treatments were set up in a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement. The first factor was wet distillers inclusion at either 10, 15, or 20% of diet DM. The second factor was urea inclusion at either 0, 0.5, or 1.0% of diet dry matter. Increasing inclusion of distillers linearly improved feed conversion and linearly reduced dry matter intake. An interaction for feed efficiency was observed where there was no effect of added urea when 10% or 20% …

Evaluation Of The Energy Value And Nutrient Digestibility Of Distillers Grains That Have Undergone A Fiber Separation Process In Finishing Diets, Shelby A. Garland, Melissa L. Jolly-Breithaupt, Hannah C. Hamilton Hamilton, Galen E. Erickson, James C. Macdonald, Ryan A. Mass

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A digestion study was conducted to determine the effects of feeding a new, high protein distillers grains and corn bran plus solubles on nutrient digestibility. Treatments included a corn-based control, high protein distillers at both 20% and 40%, corn bran plus solubles, traditional wet distillers grains and traditional dry distillers grains all at 40% of diet DM. Feeding high protein distillers grains or corn bran plus solubles resulted in decreased digestibility compared to corn or traditional wet and dry distillers grains, but increased energy intake. Traditional wet and dry distillers grains also resulted in decreased digestibilities while energy intake was …

Evaluation Of An Algal Biomass As An Ingredient In Cattle Feed, Mitchell M. Norman, Zachary E. Carlson, F. Henry Hilscher Hilscher, Andrea K. Watson, Galen E. Erickson, Bruce W. Brodersen, J. Dustin Loy, Jonathan W. Wilson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A study was conducted evaluating the effects of feeding condensed algal residue solubles (CARS; available in 2019 in Blair, NE area) to finishing cattle for 100 days. Four levels of CARS were evaluated with 5 steers and 5 heifers individually fed per level of inclusion. The diets consisted of 70% dry rolled corn with CARS displacing corn at 0, 2.5, 5, and 7.5% of dry matter. Increasing CARS inclusion resulted in a linear decrease in intake, a quadratic increase in daily gain, and a linear decrease in feed:gain. Calculations showed a linear increase in dietary net energy as …

Evaluation Of Reimplant Window With Revalor-200 ® On Steer Performance And Carcass Characteristics, Caitlin A. Ohnoutka, Brad M. Boyd, F. Henry Hilscher Hilscher, Brandon L. Nuttelman, Grant I. Crawford, Jim C. Macdonald, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A feedlot study utilizing 800 crossbred steers (initial BW = 727 ± 55 lb) compared 5 different terminal implant (Revalor-200) times (160, 120, 100, 80, or 40 d prior to harvest) for steers fed 180 days on performance and carcass characteristics. All steers were implanted with Revalor-IS as an initial implant at trial initiation. Carcass-adjusted final BW, ADG, and F:G responded quadratically, with cattle implanted 80 to 120 d prior to harvest being the greatest. However, there was less than a 2% difference in performance between 120 and 80 days on terminal implant. Hot carcass weight responded quadratically, with no …

Effects Of Backgrounding And Feedlot System Strategies On May-Born Steer Performance, Alicia C. Lansford, Jacki A. Musgrave, T. L. Meyer, Rick N. Funston

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

May-born steers were backgrounded to achieve either a high or low rate of gain. The high rate of gain was achieved by offering steers meadow hay ad libitum and 4 lb/d of a 33% CP (DM) supplement, while the low rate of gain consisted of steers grazing meadow and offered 1 lb/d of the same supplement. After backgrounding, one-half of the steers from each group entered the feedlot in May as short-yearlings, while the remainder grazed upland range until entering the feedlot as long-yearlings in mid-September. Hot carcass weight was greater for steers backgrounded to achieve a high rate of …

The Effects Of Sample Storage Conditions On The Microbial Community Composition In Hydraulic Fracturing Produced Water, Daniel Lipus, Amit Vikram, Richard Hammack, Kyle Bibby, Djuna Gulliver

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

The petroleum industry has an increasing interest in understanding the microbial communities driving biofouling and biocorrosion in reservoirs, wells, and infrastructure. However, sampling of the relevant produced fluids from subsurface environments for microbiological analyses is often challenged by high liquid pressures, workplace regulations, operator liability concerns, and remote sampling locations. These challenges result in infrequent sampling opportunities and the need to store and preserve the collected samples for several days or weeks. Maintaining a representative microbial community structure from produced fluid samples throughout storage and handling is essential for accurate results of downstream microbial analyses. Currently, no sample handling or …

Consumer Perceptions Of Labeling Claims On Poultry Products, Sarah Townley

Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology Undergraduate Honors Theses

An increasing number of consumers wants more knowledge of how the food they eat is produced, and specifically, how animals used in the production of their food are raised. One method consumers use to become more aware of production practices behind the food they purchase and consume is simply reading food labels. Labeling claims can be defined as textual, pictorial, graphic, or symbolic representation that either explicitly states or implies that a food product has a specific set of properties supported by a certification process. The purpose of this study is to gather data regarding consumer knowledge and understanding of …

Effect Of Cooking Method On Meat Texture In Normal And Woody Broiler Breast Fillets Using Instrumental Analysis And Descriptive Sensory Analysis, Lynda D. Combs

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Over the past few decades, broiler breast meat has changed in terms of meat quality. Meat quality has deteriorated with the rise in the occurrence of muscle myopathies. Conditions such as woody breast, which is described as pale and bulging areas of distinct hardness, compromise both the textural and technological traits that have been associated with breast meat. The Meullenet-Owens Razor Shear (MORS) method is a common method for indirectly assessing poultry meat tenderness. A blunt version of the MORS (BMORS) has been shown to be a more sensitive method at higher degrees of toughness. A slightly larger stainless steel …

Efficacy Of Natural Compounds With Novel Carrier Systems For Controlling Campylobacter Jejuni In Post-Harvest Poultry, Sandip Shrestha

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Campylobacter jejuni, a leading cause of bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide, is strongly associated with the consumption and/or mishandling of raw contaminated poultry products. Thus, interventions aiming to reduce C. jejuni counts on poultry products could greatly reduce the incidence of human campylobacteriosis. In the first study, the efficacy of a generally recongnized as safe (GRAS) compound, carvacrol (CR; derived from oregano oil), as an antimicrobial wash treatment to reduce C. jejuni on chicken skin was evaluated. Three delivery systems of CR: suspension, emulsion and nanoemulsion were used. C. jejuni counts were reduced up to 4 log10 cfu/sample by 2% dose of …

Factors Affecting Trailer Thermal Environment Experienced By Market Pigs Transported In The Us, Y Xiong, Richard S. Gates, Angela R. Green-Miller

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Extreme weather conditions challenge pig thermoregulation during transport and are addressed by the National Pork Board (NPB) Transport Quality Assurance® (TQA) program that provides guidelines for trailer boarding, bedding, and misting. These guidelines are widely applied, yet very little is known about the microenvironment within the trailer. In this study, TQA guidelines (V4) were evaluated via extensive thermal environment measurements during transport in order to evaluate spatial variability and implications on ventilation pattern. Effects of trailer management strategies including bedding, boarding, and misting were examined and the trailer was monitored for interior temperature rise and THI responses within six separate …

Influence Of Crossbreeding On Meat Goat Doe Fitness When Comparing Boer F1 With Base Breeds In The Southeastern United States, Piush Khanal, Maria L. Leite-Browning, Richard Browning Jr.

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Understanding fitness level among various breeds is essential for sustainable meat goat production. Research on the relative fitness of Boer F₁ does and straightbred base breed has been limited. Meat goat does of various genotypes (Boer, Kiko, Spanish, Boer × Kiko reciprocal F₁ crosses, and Boer × Spanish reciprocal F₁ crosses) were studied to evaluate breed effects on doe fitness traits and the expression of heterosis over 7 production years. The herd was semi-intensively managed under humid subtropical pasture. Doe age affected (P < 0.05) various traits. Boer × Kiko does were heavier (P < 0.05) than Boer does at fall breeding, but Boer × Spanish does did not differ (P > 0.05) from Boer does for breeding weight. The body weights of …

The Impact Of Selective Genotyping On The Response To Selection Using Single-Step Genomic Best Linear Unbiased Prediction, Jeremy T. Howard, Thomas A. Rathje, Caitlyn E. Bruns, Danielle F. Wilson-Wells, Stephen D. Kachman, Matthew L. Spangler

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Across the majority livestock species, routinely collected genomic and pedigree information has been incorporated into evaluations using single-step methods. As a result, strategies that reduce genotyping costs without reducing the response to selection are important as they could have substantial economic impacts on breeding programs. Therefore, the objective of the current study was to investigate the impact of selectively genotyping selection candidates on the selection response using simulation. Populations were simulated to mimic the genome and population structure of a swine and cattle population undergoing selection on an index comprised of the estimated breeding values (EBV) for 2 genetically correlated …

Identification Of Shark Species In Commercial Products Using Dna Barcoding, Rosalee S. Hellberg, Rachel B. Isaacs, Eduardo L. Hernandez

Food Science Faculty Articles and Research

Sharks are harvested globally and sold in a variety of commercial products. However, they are particularly vulnerable to overfishing and many species are considered protected or endangered. The objective of this study was to identify species in various commercial shark products and to assess the effectiveness of three different DNA barcoding primer sets. Thirty-five products were collected for this study, including fillets, jerky, soup, and cartilage pills. DNA barcoding of these products was undertaken using two full-length primer sets and one mini-barcode primer set within the cytochrome c oxidase subunit (COI) gene. Successfully sequenced samples were then analyzed and identified …