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Full-Text Articles in Nutrition

Increasing Efficiency Of Finishing Beef Production: Strategies To Optimize Starch Digestion, Improve Flake Quality, And Reduce Methane Emissions, Ronald J. Trotta Jan 2023

Increasing Efficiency Of Finishing Beef Production: Strategies To Optimize Starch Digestion, Improve Flake Quality, And Reduce Methane Emissions, Ronald J. Trotta

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

To continue to meet the demands of increasing food production and environmental sustainability, new strategies are needed to enhance the efficiency of finishing cattle production. A review of the literature identified several nutritional and physiological constraints that limit the ability for cattle to digest starch and absorb glucose from the small intestine. Comparative sequencing analyses revealed a missing region of the sucrase-isomaltase protein which could affect the capacity for starch digestion in cattle. Post-flaking sampling and handling recommendations were generated based on a series of experiments to improve estimates of starch availability and flaking consistency for commercial feedlots and laboratories. …


Factors Influencing Mare Milk And Foal Gastrointestinal Health, Morgan Brewer Pyles Jan 2021

Factors Influencing Mare Milk And Foal Gastrointestinal Health, Morgan Brewer Pyles

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Foals are born lacking a functional microbial community in their gastrointestinal tract (GIT). However, these microbes quickly colonize after birth. Factors influencing the process of microbial colonization and health of the foal’s gastrointestinal tract, such as milk yield and composition, are not well understood. Milk contains non-lactose carbohydrates termed “oligosaccharides”, which serve as prebiotics in human neonates and may serve a similar function in foals. Three animal studies were conducted to evaluate factors influencing mare milk and digestive health in the foal. In experiment 1, bacteria were enumerated and identified in foal feces and the utilization of different carbohydrates by …


Monocyte Abundance And White Blood Cell Expression Of Prolactin And Nf-Kb Pathway Genes In Beef Steers Are Altered By Grazing Toxic Endophyte-Infected Tall Fescue And Lipopolysaccharide Challenge, Cecilia Winfrey Jan 2021

Monocyte Abundance And White Blood Cell Expression Of Prolactin And Nf-Kb Pathway Genes In Beef Steers Are Altered By Grazing Toxic Endophyte-Infected Tall Fescue And Lipopolysaccharide Challenge, Cecilia Winfrey

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Experiment 1 tested the hypothesis that ad libitum consumption of a 1:1 blend (MIX) of sodium selenite (ISe) and SELPLEX vs solely ISe as selenium (Se) supplements (27 ppm) in a vitamin-mineral mix (V-M) by steers subjected to summer-long grazing of toxic endophyte-infected tall fescue (TE) would ameliorate the negative effects of TE by positively affecting the expression pattern of prolactin (PRL) and NF-kB pathway genes by circulating leukocytes (WBC). Experiment 2 tested the hypothesis that the MIX form of supplemental Se also would ameliorate the negative effects of in vitro blood lipopolysaccharide challenge (LPS) on WBC gene expression. The …


Forms Of Supplemental Selenium In Vitamin-Mineral Mixes Differentially Affect Serological And Hepatic Parameters Of Growing Beef Steers Grazing Endophyte-Infected Tall Fescue, Yang Jia Jan 2019

Forms Of Supplemental Selenium In Vitamin-Mineral Mixes Differentially Affect Serological And Hepatic Parameters Of Growing Beef Steers Grazing Endophyte-Infected Tall Fescue, Yang Jia

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Consumption of endophyte-infected tall fescue results in a syndrome of negatively altered physiological systems, collectively known as fescue toxicosis. Another challenge to endophyte-infected tall fescue -based beef cattle operations is that the soils often are selenium (Se) poor, necessitating the need to provide supplemental Se. To test the general hypothesis that different forms of supplemental Se would ameliorate the negative effects of fescue toxicosis, predominately-Angus steers (BW = 183 ± 34 kg) were randomly selected from herds of fall-calving cows grazing an endophyte-infected tall fescue pasture and consuming vitamin-mineral mixes that contained 35 ppm Se as sodium selenite (ISe), SELPLEX …


Improved Iron Status In Weanling Pigs Leads To Improved Growth Performance In The Subsequent Nursery Period, Tyler Chevalier Jan 2019

Improved Iron Status In Weanling Pigs Leads To Improved Growth Performance In The Subsequent Nursery Period, Tyler Chevalier

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

The objectives of this thesis were: 1) to assess the iron status of piglets, 2) to thoroughly evaluate the blood profile, growth performance, and tissue mineral concentration of young pigs during the pre and postweaning periods after receiving various dosages of iron (0, 50, 100, 200, and 300 mg iron) at birth, 3) as well as evaluate the effects of an additional iron injection before weaning on hematological measures, growth performance, and tissue mineral concentration postweaning. In the initial experiment, there was a 60% incidence of iron deficiency at weaning after administration of a 150 mg iron injection at birth. …


Microalgae And Zinc Source Supplementation Of Broiler Breeder Diets Affects Broiler Breeder Skeletal Development And Reproduction With Transgenerational Impacts On Offspring Performance And Skeletal Characteristics, Marquisha A. Paul Jan 2019

Microalgae And Zinc Source Supplementation Of Broiler Breeder Diets Affects Broiler Breeder Skeletal Development And Reproduction With Transgenerational Impacts On Offspring Performance And Skeletal Characteristics, Marquisha A. Paul

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Leg problems and disorders are of major concern for the poultry industry and animal welfare. Previous studies suggest that it may be possible to improve skeletal characteristics through nutrition. Omega-3 fatty acids, including Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are essential nutrients and are known to play an important role in bone tissue development. FORPLUS™ (Alltech, Inc.) is an unextracted, whole-cell microalgae (Aurantiochytrium limacinum CCAP 4087/2) that contains 64% fat and 16% DHA. Zinc (Zn) is a trace element and essential nutrient for growth and skeletal development. Bioplex® Zn (Alltech, Inc.) is a Zn proteinate that has been shown to be …


The Impact Of Insulin Dysregulation On Protein Metabolism In Horses, Caroline Margot Marcelle Loos Jan 2018

The Impact Of Insulin Dysregulation On Protein Metabolism In Horses, Caroline Margot Marcelle Loos

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Insulin plays a vital role in whole-body metabolism and provides a major anabolic stimulus for cellular signaling pathways, including those involved in the metabolism of glucose and protein. Consequently, insulin dysregulation (ID) is known to alter molecular signal transduction in insulin-sensitive tissues such as skeletal muscle, thereby disrupting glucose metabolism and compromising protein synthetic capacity. Our first objective was to induce ID in healthy horses by administering dexamethasone (DEX), a potent glucocorticoid, for 21 days. We evaluated the effects on insulin-stimulated muscle protein signaling components involved in the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. DEX-induced ID reduced insulin-stimulated activation of …


Applications In Utilization Of Forage Chemical Composition And Predicting Equine Digestibility, Veronica Taylor Bill Jan 2018

Applications In Utilization Of Forage Chemical Composition And Predicting Equine Digestibility, Veronica Taylor Bill

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Most forage quality models were developed for ruminant nutrition, and may not apply to the horse. This two-part study evaluated the relationship between forage chemical composition and dry matter digestibility (DMD) using an in vitro method with equine feces as the inoculums. The first experiment determined that compared to 48 h of incubation, 72 h of incubation resulted in higher DMD for some forages. As a result of experiment 1, incubations in experiment 2 were conducted using 48 and 72 h incubation periods at 38 degrees C. The second experiment evaluated the effect of chemical composition on DMD. Thirty-one hay …


Assessment Of Bovine Vascular Serotonin Receptor Populations And Transport Of Ergot Alkaloids In The Small Intestine, Miriam A. Snider Jan 2017

Assessment Of Bovine Vascular Serotonin Receptor Populations And Transport Of Ergot Alkaloids In The Small Intestine, Miriam A. Snider

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Prior work using a contractility bioassay determined that the serotonin (5-HT) receptor subtype 5-HT2A is present in bovine lateral saphenous veins and plays a role in ergot alkaloid-induced vascular contraction in steers grazing endophyte-infected (Epichloë coenophiala) tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum). A study was conducted to determine what 5-HT receptors are involved in vasoconstriction of bovine gut vasculature. The findings of this study indicate that 5-HT2A is present and may play a role in ergot alkaloid induced vasoconstriction. A second study was conducted to determine if ergot alkaloids were transported in the small intestine. The …


Relationships Between Behavioral Measures And Productivity In Finishing Beef Cattle, Jasmyn Mimiko Jan 2016

Relationships Between Behavioral Measures And Productivity In Finishing Beef Cattle, Jasmyn Mimiko

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

The relationship between measures of temperament, growth performance, and social hierarchy in finishing beef cattle were explored in two experiments. In experiment 1, high OCS (objective chute score) steers had periods of significantly higher ADG (P < 0.01), but OCS had no relationship with dominance ranking (P > 0.47). Conversely, slow exit velocity (EV) correlated with higher ranking (P ≤ 0.06), but EV had no relationship with performance (P > 0.37) in a competitive environment. Rank showed no relationship with performance (P > .58). In experiment 2, steers with fast EV had periods of decreased growth (P ≤ .06), intake (P ≤ .06), and gain:feed (G:F; P = 0.02). There were no interactions between …


Effect Of Maternal Diet On Select Fecal Bacteria In Mares And Their Foals, Morgan Brewer Pyles Jan 2016

Effect Of Maternal Diet On Select Fecal Bacteria In Mares And Their Foals, Morgan Brewer Pyles

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

The process of microbial colonization in the gastrointestinal tract of foals and the factors influencing this process are not well understood. The objectives were to determine the effect of starch source in pelleted concentrates in the maternal diet on select fecal bacterial groups in mares and their foals and to evaluate changes in these bacterial groups over time. Thoroughbred foals (n=19) were from dams fed one of two concentrates: an oat-based (OB) or corn and wheat middling-based (CWB) pelleted concentrate. Fecal samples were collected from mares at 324 d of gestation, pre-foaling, 1 d, 14 d, and 28 d after …


Evaluation Of L-Methionine Bioavailability In Nursery Pigs, Jina Lim Jan 2015

Evaluation Of L-Methionine Bioavailability In Nursery Pigs, Jina Lim

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

DL-Methionine (Met) has been conventionally used in swine diets with assumption of similar bioefficacy with L-Met. However, because L-Met is the form that is utilized by animals for protein synthesis, L-Met could, theoretically, be more available. Four experiments were conducted to evaluate L-Met bioavailability in nursery pigs with 21-day growth trials. A total of 105,105,112 and 84 crossbred pigs were used in Exp. 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. Each experiment had a low Met basal diet and 3 levels of the Met sources (DL-Met and L-Met). In addition to the basal diet, supplementation levels were 0.053%, 0.107% and 0.160% …


Effects Of Post-Hatch Holding Time And Early Nutrition Strategies On Growth Performance, Carcass And Skeletal Characteristics Of Young Chickens, Marquisha A. Paul Jan 2015

Effects Of Post-Hatch Holding Time And Early Nutrition Strategies On Growth Performance, Carcass And Skeletal Characteristics Of Young Chickens, Marquisha A. Paul

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

The study objectives of this thesis were to evaluate the effects of delayed feeding and specific aspects of the Programmed Nutrition (PN) feeding strategy (Alltech, Inc.) on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and skeletal characteristics of commercial broiler chicks through market age, as well as investigate the effects of breed and the PN feeding strategy on early growth and development. When commercial broiler chicks were fed reduced nutrient diets, delayed feeding decreased early growth performance and carcass yield (P<0.05), whereas post-hatch PN conditioning for 72 hours improved early growth performance and alleviated the negative effects of delayed feeding on carcass yield (P<0.05). Through market age, delayed feeding improved Gain: Feed (P<0.05), while PN had the opposite effect. Interactive effects and main effects of delayed feeding and PN were observed for tissue mineral concentration (P<0.05). PN lowered bone ash % (P<0.05) and increased meat oxidation of broiler chicks during storage (P<0.05). PN also had negative effects on early growth performance and bone breaking strength (P<0.05) of various meat-type breeds, but especially for non-commercial, moderate-growing or fast-growing breeds. In conclusion, PN may be suitable for commercial broiler chicks that experience delayed feeding and are fed reduced nutrient diets.


Evaluating Dietary Amino Acid Adequacy In Horses Using Isotopic Techniques, Sara L. Tanner Jan 2014

Evaluating Dietary Amino Acid Adequacy In Horses Using Isotopic Techniques, Sara L. Tanner

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Little is known about amino acid (AA) requirements in horses despite muscle mass accretion being of importance to an athletic species. Isotope methods for determining AA requirements and whole-body protein synthesis (WBPS) had not been previously used in growing horses. The first study herein was the first to apply isotope methods to determine WBPS in growing horses. In the study, weanling colts received two different levels of crude protein. Whole-body protein kinetics indicated that WBPS was greater when the weanlings were fed the diet with a greater crude protein content (P<0.05). The second study sought to determine a lysine requirement for yearling horses using the indicator AA oxidation (IAAO) method. Despite using six dietary levels of lysine; three above and three below the current recommendation, no breakpoint could be determined. Phenylalanine kinetics were not affected by lysine level (P>0.05), but plasma lysine increased linearly with lysine intake …


Changes To The Equine Hindgut Microflora In Response To Antibiotic Challenge, Brittany E. Harlow Jan 2012

Changes To The Equine Hindgut Microflora In Response To Antibiotic Challenge, Brittany E. Harlow

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Antibiotics are important to equine medicine, but can cause detrimental side-effects including reduced feed intake, allergic reactions, and diarrhea. Antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) is attributed to disruption of the hindgut microflora, permitting proliferation of pathogenic microbes. The objectives were to evaluate the effects of antibiotics on beneficial fecal bacteria, AAD-associated pathogens, microbial species richness and fermentation. Horses were assigned to treatment groups: control (no antibiotics, n=6), trimethoprim-sulfadiazine (oral, n=6), or sodium ceftiofur (IM, n=6). Fecal samples were taken during adaptation (3 wk), antibiotic challenge (1 wk), and withdrawal (1 wk). Fecal cellulolytics decreased by >99% during challenge and did not recover …


The Effects Of Slow Release Urea On Nitrogen Metabolism In Cattle, Vaughn B. Holder Jan 2012

The Effects Of Slow Release Urea On Nitrogen Metabolism In Cattle, Vaughn B. Holder

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

The objective of this research was to investigate the effects of slow release urea on N metabolism in cattle. The ruminal behavior of Optigen®II and the effect of basal diet on the in situ degradability of urea and Optigen®II were evaluated. The effect of slow release urea and its interaction with degradable intake protein (DIP) level in the diet on N retention and excretion was evaluated utilizing 8 Holstein steers in a 4 x 4 Latin square experiment. In addition, the effect of slow release urea and DIP level on ruminal and systemic urea kinetics was evaluated using stable isotope …