Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Impact Of Spring Corn Residue Grazing On Soil Physical Properties And Crop Yield, Morgan T. Grabau, J. C. Macdonald, Zachary E. Carlson, M. E. Drewnoski

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

The effects of stocking density for spring corn residue grazing on soil physical properties and soybean yield were evaluated in an experiment with three treatments: no grazing, normal density, and high density. Normal density was stocked at 3 calves/acre and grazed 45 days starting in mid-February. High-density was stocked at 9 calves/acre and grazed 15 days starting in mid-March. Increased stocking density decreased residue cover and increased surface roughness. Bulk density and penetration resistance were increased for normal density compared to no graze, with no difference between grazed treatments, illustrating that grazing may cause minor compaction, regardless of stocking density. …

Evaluation Of Methane And Co2 Production In Growing And Finishing Cattle Raised In Conventional Or Partial Confinement-Based Herds, L. J. Mcphillips, Z. E. Carlson, Rick R. Stowell, J. C. Macdonald, Andrew E. Suyker, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Methane emissions from growing and finishing calves compared either a spring calving, conventional cow system or a summer calving, partially-confined cow system. Calves weaned from the confinement-based production system were smaller at weaning and compensated with greater gain during the growing phase. More days on feed in the finishing phase were needed for the calves from the confinement system to reach same backfat thickness. Over the entire growing and finishing phases, calves from the confinement-based system produced more total CH₄ and CH₄ per lb. HCW. Production of methane and CO₂ per lb. of gain was lower in …

Impact Of Biochar Supplementation In Finishing Diets On Greenhouse Gas Emissions, J. L. Sperber, Braden C. Troyer, Mitchell M. Norman, Levi J. Mcphillips, Heather Nobert, Andrea K. Watson, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A study was conducted to evaluate the impact of feeding biochar in a finishing diet on cattle performance, methane and carbon dioxide emissions, and carcass characteristics. Two treatments were evaluated, a high-concentrate control diet without biochar and a diet with biochar included at 1.0% of the diet dry matter, replacing high moisture corn in the diet. Pens of cattle were rotated through a two-sided emissions barn (2 pens evaluated simultaneously) to capture CH4 and CO2 production. There were no statistical differences in gas emissions for biochar supplemented steers compared to control. There was a 2.4% decrease in dry matter intake …

Impact Of A Natural Feed Additive Using Direct Fed Microbes On Finishing Beef Cattle Performance And Liver Abscess Rate, Kelton C. Adair, Alison C. Bartenslager, Zachary E. Carlson, Galen E. Erickson, Samodha C. Fernando, J. C. Macdonald

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A feedlot study with individually fed steers (n=60) was conducted comparing a natural feed additive (Direct Fed Microbial) to no feed additive (control) on performance and liver abscess rate of finishing beef cattle. There were no significant differences between treatments on intake, gain, feed conversion, or hot carcass weight and carcass traits. Liver abscess occurrence and severity were similar for both treatments with 4/29 steers having abscessed livers in the control group and 3/29 steers in the group that received direct fed microbials. The direct fed microbial feed additive fed in this exploratory study did not significantly affect performance, liver …

Evaluation Of Processing Technique For High-Moisture And Dry Corn On Nutrient Digestion When Fed To Finishing Cattle, Caitlin A. Coulson, Mitch M. Norman, Nicole M. Woita, Hannah C. Wilson, Kylie M. Butterfield, Tyler J. Spore, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A digestion trial was conducted to determine the effect of corn milling method when processing dry or high-moisture corn on nutrient digestion. Treatments were evaluated as a 2 × 2 factorial with the first factor as corn type [dry corn or high-moisture corn] and second factor as mill type [roller mill or hammer mill]. Feeding high-moisture corn decreased the amount of excreted dry matter and organic matter regardless of processing method, but there tended to be an interaction between corn type and milling method for digestibility. There was no difference between milling treatments fed as high-moisture corn, but hammer milled …

Impact Of Steam-Flaked Rye Fed In Combination With Steam-Flaked Corn On Performance And Carcass Characteristics Of Yearling Steers, Samantha K. Wagner, Braden T. Troyer, Levi J. Mcphillips, Rebecca S. Brattain, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A finishing study evaluated the effect of feeding steam-flaked rye on performance and carcass characteristics of yearling steers. Treatments consisted of different ratios of steam-flaked rye to steam-flaked corn. The ratios were 0:100, 25:75, 50:50, and 100:0 rye:corn. Increasing inclusions of rye linearly decreased final body weight, dry matter intake, average daily gain, and hot carcass weight. As a result, feed conversion was poorer as rye replaced corn. Carcass characteristics reflected lower gain with linear decreases in marbling score, ribeye area, and backfat thickness. There was no difference in yield grade among treatments. Based on dietary energy calculated from performance, …

Evaluating Performance Of Cattle Fed Steam-Flaked Corn Based Finishing Diets Fed Increasing Inclusions Of Wet Or Modified Distillers Grains, Braden C. Troyer, Levi J. Mcphillips, Mitchell M. Norman, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A finishing trial using 560 calf-fed steers was conducted to evaluate the effect of distillers type and inclusion on finishing cattle performance and carcass characteristics in steam-flaked corn based diets. Treatments were applied in a 2 × 3 + 1 factorial arrangement, with the first factor being distillers type (modified distillers grains plus solubles or wet distillers grains plus solubles) and the second factor being distillers grains inclusion of 10%, 20%, or 30%, as well as a control diet containing no distillers. There was an interaction between inclusion and type of distillers for feed conversion. A linear improvement in feed …

Effect Of Finishing Cattle With Blends Of High Moisture And Steam-Flaked Corn With And Without Distillers Grains, Braden C. Troyer, Zac C. Carlson, Levi J. Mcphillips, Mitchell M. Norman, Andrea K. Watson, J. C. Macdonald, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

The objective of this study was to determine the impacts of feeding different ratios of high-moisture corn and steam-flaked corn in diets with or without distillers grains and test for an associative effect between grain processing methods. Steers (n=120; BW=775 ± 15.6 lb) were assigned randomly to one of 8 diets. Diets tested included 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, and 0:100 of high-moisture corn:steam-flaked corn in diets with 20% modified distillers grains or 100:0, 50:50, and 0:100 in diets without distillers grains. There was an interaction observed for average daily gain as gain improved in 50:50 blends of HMC:SFC in diets …

Characterizing Digestion Traits Of Novel Corn Bran Products, Jiehua Xiong, Chanon Suntara, Rebecca Sjostrand, Tyler Spore, Maggie Youngers, Rick Stock, Galen E. Erickson, J. C. Macdonald

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A digestion study was conducted to evaluate novel corn bran products from Cargill Corn Milling on nutrient digestibility in beef steers. Three bran products (Bran A/B/C) were included at 70% of diet dry matter of TRT A, B and C, with an internal control (SFC control) diet which consisted of 70% SFC. The SFC control exhibited the greatest dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM) and starch digestibility, and the least neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility. Among TRT A, B and C when bran products were included at 70%, there was no difference in DM or OM intake and digestibility. NDF …

Interaction Of Sweet Bran Inclusion And Corn Processing Method In Beef Finishing Diets On Digestibility, Rebecca L. Sjostrand, Kathlyn Hauxwell, Maggie Youngers, Rick Stock, J. C. Macdonald, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Six ruminally and duodenally fistulated steers were utilized in a 6 × 6 Latin square design to evaluate the interaction of corn processing method and Sweet Bran inclusion in finishing diets on total tract digestibility and rumen fermentation characteristics. Treatments were designed as a 2 × 3 factorial, with one factor as corn processing method (steam-flaked corn or a blend of high-moisture and dry-rolled corn) and the second factor as Sweet Bran inclusion at 0, 20, or 40% of diet dry matter. Cattle fed steam-flaked corn diets had greater starch digestibility while cattle fed high-moisture/ dry-rolled corn diets had greater …

Evaluation Of Models To Predict Dry Matter Intake Of Forage Based Diets, Aksel Wiseman, Andrea K. Watson, Rick Stock, Terry Klopfenstein

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Dry matter intake (DMI) data from growing cattle experiments at the Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center were summarized in order to evaluate the accuracy of model predicted DMI. Cattle were fed individually (n = 78) or in pens (n = 15) and predicted DMI using the Beef Cattle Nutrient Requirements Model (BCNRM, 2016) was compared to observed DMI. The model over predicted DMI when total digestible nutrients (TDN) was less than 64%, under predicted DMI when dietary TDN was greater than 64%, and had a low accuracy, explaining less than 22% of the variation in DMI. An equation to …

Interaction Of Urea With Frequency And Amount Of Distillers Grains Supplementation For Growing Steers, Haley F. Linder, Zachary E. Carlson, M. E. Drewnoski, J. C. Macdonald

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A study was conducted to determine the interaction of urea with the frequency and amount of distillers grain supplementation for growing steers consuming forage. Steers were individually fed for 84 d and received ad libitum grass hay and 1 of 8 treatments. Treatment design was a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial. Supplement was fed either every day or 3x/ week, amount of supplement fed was 13.99 lb/week or 28.00 lb/week, and contained either no urea or 1.3% urea. Supplementation frequency and the inclusion of urea did not impact steer average daily gain. The amount of supplement did impacted steer …

Impact Of Urea On Corn Silage Growing Cattle Diets, Tyler J. Spore, Hannah C. Wilson, Nolan R. Meier, Galen E. Erickson, James C. Macdonald, Terry J. Klopfenstein, Andrea K. Watson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of increasing urea in a corn silage growing cattle diet and ensiling time impact on rumen undegradable protein content of corn silage. Four treatments (urea inclusion at 0, 0.5, 1, and 1.5% of diet dry matter) were evaluated in diets containing 95% corn silage using 10 ruminally and duodenally cannulated heifers. Corn silage was sampled 5 times (every 32 days) to determine rumen undegradable protein content. Intake and total tract digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, and neutral detergent fiber all increased linearly with increasing inclusion of urea in the diet. Measured …

Growth Performance In Livestock With Stress-Induced Low Birthweight Is Recovered By Clenbuterol Administration, Rachel L. Gibbs, Rebecca M. Swanson, Joslyn K. Beard, Ty B. Schmidt, Jessica Lynn Petersen, Dustin T. Yates

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Stress in pregnant livestock causes pathological low birthweight of the offspring and diminishes their muscle growth capacity. Using sheep as a model for beef cattle, this study determined that the limited growth capacity of offspring with stress-induced low birthweight could be recovered by postnatal treatments. Muscle in these animals has less growth-promoting β2 adrenergic activity and thus the injectable β2 adrenergic stimulant clenbuterol was used as a daily treatment. Lambs with stress-induced low birthweight continued to exhibit impaired muscle growth and feed efficiency well past the normal age for weaning. In addition, they began to put on excess fat around …

Zipaterol Supplementation Improved Indicators Of Well-Being, But Not Growth In Heat-Stressed Red Angus Steers, Pablo C. Grijalva, Duarte E. Diaz, Samuel R. Garcia, Ty B. Schmidt, Jessica Lynn Petersen, Dustin T. Yates

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

The effects of zilpaterol (β2 agonist) supplementation on respiration rate, body temperature, growth, and carcass traits were studied in chronically heat-stressed feedlot steers. Through a collaborative partnership with the University of Arizona, Red Angus steers were heat stressed (90-105^oF) and fed zilpaterol-supplemented rations (Thermo-neutral control steers were pair-fed to the average feed intake of heat-stressed steers) for 30 days. Hot and cold carcass weights for heat-stressed cattle were 3% less than for controls, despite equal feed intake. Zilpaterol did not affect growth but improved the heat stress-induced hyperventilation and elevated body temperatures. Lighter carcass weights in heat-stressed cattle …

Inflammatory Modulators Improve Daily Gain Of Heat-Stressed Wethers, Micah S. Most, Pablo C. Grijalva, Dustin T. Yates

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Inflammation during heat stress may mediate poor growth in livestock. The effects of anti-imflammatory treatments on muscle growth during chronic heat stress were evaluated by using meat lambs as a smaller cheaper model for feedlot steers. Wethers were maintained in normal (75^oF) or heat stress (105^oF for 12 hours/day, 85^oF for 12 hours/day) environments for 30 days and received dexamethasone injections every 3 days, oral fish oil supplementation twice daily, or no intervention. Growth was tracked and muscles were weighed when harvested afterward. Dexamethasone and fish oil both increased average daily gain over the …

Impact Of Cow Size On Economic Profitability In Cow-Calf And Feedlot Production Systmes, Robert L. Ziegler, Elliott James Dennis, J. A. Musgrave, T. L. Meyer, R. Funston, Kathryn J. Hanford, J. C. Macdonald, J. Travis Mulliniks

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

This study retrospectively evaluated the effect of cow size on profitability in the cow-calf segment and retained ownership of steer calves in the feedlot. Data were collected between 2005 to 2017 from the cowherd at Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory. From these data, two separate herds were assumed, one consisting of small-sized (1,000 lb) cows and another consisting of large-sized cows (1,220 lb) for the GSL cowherd. Larger cows weaned larger calves and produced heavier carcass weights of steers at slaughter. However, smaller cows generated more total pounds of output throughout the entire production system based on more calves retained in feedlots …

Statistics Used In The Nebraska Beef Cattle Report And Teir Purpose, University Of Nebraska-Lincoln

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Te purpose of beef cattle and beef product research at UNL is to provide reference information that represents the various populations (cows, calves, heifers, feeders, carcasses, retail products, etc) of beef production. Obviously, the researcher cannot apply treatments to every member of a population; therefore he/she must sample the population. Te use of statistics allows the researcher and readers of the Nebraska Beef Cattle Report the opportunity to evaluate separation of random (chance) occurrences and real biological effects of a treatment. Following is a brief description of the major statistics used in the beef report. For a more detailed description …

Economics Of Grazing Calves On Oats Planted After Corn Silage In Eastern Nebraska, Kallie J. Calus, Mckenna M. Brinton, Benjamin H. Hansen, Kristen M. Ulmer, Zachery E. Carlson, Fred H. Hilscher, M. E. Drewnoski, Jay Parsons, J. C. Macdonald

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A five-year study (2015–2019) evaluated profitability of planting and grazing an oats cover crop after early harvested corn silage in eastern Nebraska. Oats were typically planted in the first week of September. Stocking rate ranged from 1.7 to 0.6 steers per acre and was based on oats biomass. Calves were turned out in early November each year and allowed to graze until oats biomass or weather limited intake. Grazing period ranged from 30 to 69 days. Average daily gain of calves ranged from 3.35 to 1.29 pounds with an average of 1.97 pounds. Shortened grazing seasons in some years were …

Foot Injuries In Michigan, Usa, Gray Wolves (Canis Lupus), 1992–2014, Daniel J. O'Brien, Dean E. Beyer Jr., Erin Largent, Julie R. Melotti, Caitlin N. Ott-Conn, Donald H. Lonsway, Thomas M. Cooley, Robert Atkinson, Michelle Clayson, Kelly A. Straka

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The range of gray wolves (Canis lupus) in the contiguous US is expanding. Research and monitoring to support population recovery and management often involves capture via foothold traps. A population-level epidemiologic assessment of the effect of trap injuries on wolf survival remains needed to inform management. We describe the baseline rate, type, and severity of foot injuries of wolves born 1992–2013 in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, evaluate the reliability of field-scoring trap-related injuries, and the effect of injuries on wolf survival. We assessed foot injuries by physical and radiographic exam at postmortem and/or time of capture for 351 wolves using the …

Olfactory Lures In Predator Control Do Not Increase Predation Risk To Birds In Areas Of Conservation Concern, Page Klug, Amy A. Yackel Adams, Robert N. Reed

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Context. Lethal control of predators is often undertaken to protect species of conservation concern. Traps are frequently baited to increase capture efficacy, but baited traps can potentially increase predation risk by attracting predators to protected areas. This is especially important if targeted predators can escape capture due to low trap success. Snake traps using live mouse lures may be beneficial if traps effectively remove snakes in the presence of birds and do not attract additional snakes to the area.

Aims. The present study evaluated whether mouse-lure traps in areas occupied by birds (simulated by deploying birdlure traps) could influence predation …

Wild Pig Removal Reduces Pathogenic Bacteria In Low-Order Streams, Sara A. Bolds, B. Graeme Lockaby, Latif Kalin, Stephen S. Ditchkoff, Mark D. Smith, Kurt Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Invasive wild pig populations have undergone enormous increases in the United States and particularly across the southern U.S. in recent years. High fecundity rates and abilities to adapt quickly to varied habitats have enabled pig populations to become entrenched and difficult to eliminate. The pigs cause many negative impacts on ecosystems including degradation of water quality through infusion of fecal contamination and other non-point source pollutants. Our goal was to determine the effects of pig removal on water quality in streams that were known to be significantly polluted by pig activity Bolds (J Environ Qual 50: 441–453, 2021). We compared …

Regenerating Agroecosystems By Overcoming Human Exceptionalism In Designing For Increased Equity Of Benefits From Ecoservices, Ali Loker, Charles A. Francis

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Our commentary explores three critical issues related to ecosystem services. First is how ecoservices are currently designed and implemented primarily for human benefit without concern for how these impact other species. We conclude that awareness of this imbalance is the first step toward meaningful change. Second we observe that human exceptionalism guides most decisions, and ask whether we can overcome this mind-set to embrace ecoregeneration and design of resilient and mutually beneficial agroecosystems. Our attitude toward the challenge and moving toward greater humility about human roles that guide management decisions in the ecosystem is a requisite for change. Third we …

Adenoviral-Vectored Centralized Consensus Hemagglutinin Vaccine Provides Broad Protection Against H2 Influenza A Virus, Erika M. Petro-Turnquist, Brianna L. Bullard, Matthew J. Pekarek, Eric A. Weaver

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Several influenza pandemics have occurred in the past century, one of which emerged in 1957 from a zoonotic transmission of H2N2 from an avian reservoir into humans. This pandemic caused 2–4 million deaths and circulated until 1968. Since the disappearance of H2N2 from human populations, there has been waning immunity against H2, and this subtype is not currently incorporated into seasonal vaccines. However, H2 influenza remains a pandemic threat due to consistent circulation in avian reservoirs. Here, we describe a method of pandemic preparedness by creating an adenoviral-vectored centralized consensus vaccine design against human H2 influenza. We also assessed the …

The Application Of The Skin Virome For Human Identification, Ema H. Graham, Jennifer Clarke, Samodha Fernando, Joshua Herr, Michael Adamowicz

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

The use of skin virome offers a unique approach for human identification purposes in instances where a viable and statistically relevant human DNA profile is unavailable. The skin virome may act as an alternative DNA profile and/or an additional form of probative genetic material. To date, no study has attempted to investigate the human virome over a time series across various physical locations of the body to identify its diagnostic potential as a tool for human identification. For this study, we set out to evaluate the stability, diversity, and individualization of the human skin virome. An additional goal was to …

Plague Risk In The Western United States Over Seven Decades Of Environmental Change, Colin J. Carlson, Sarah N. Bevins, Boris V. Schmid

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

After several pandemics over the last two millennia, the wildlife reservoirs of plague (Yersinia pestis) now persist around the world, including in the western United States. Routine surveillance in this region has generated comprehensive records of human cases and animal seroprevalence, creating a unique opportunity to test how plague reservoirs are responding to environmental change. Here, we test whether animal and human data suggest that plague reservoirs and spillover risk have shifted since 1950. To do so, we develop a new method for detecting the impact of climate change on infectious disease distributions, capable of disentangling long-term trends (signal) and …

Don’T Forget To Wash! Water, Sanitation, And Hygiene Among Zambian Students, Katie Schmitz

NUTR/GLST 498b: Global Research Experiences in Nutrition and Health

Introduction: Water, sanitation, and hygiene practices in sub-Saharan Africa, including Zambia, have not met the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and remain inadequate to improve the overall health and wellbeing of most populations.

Methods: Survey research, interviews, WASH observations, and anthropometric assessment were conducted between May-June 2022 on 6-7th grade students within 6 Zambian schools.

Results: While hygiene knowledge was prominent, and handwashing stations and pit latrines were available, schools rarely supplied soap or toilet paper. Diarrheal and respiratory diseases were common and water shortages remain problematic with some students traveling long distances to reach a water source.

Discussion: As in …

Dental Decay In Zambian School Children In Eastern And Southern Provinces, Elizabeth Graham

NUTR/GLST 498b: Global Research Experiences in Nutrition and Health

Introduction: Dental caries is the most prevalent and infectious disease worldwide. Zambia has a high rate of vitamin A deficiency, and this deficiency is associated with dental caries.

Methods: Visual dental checks, interviewing, and anthropometric assessments were done on 781 Zambian primary school children.

Results: Caries rates are 20% among sample populations, males have more decay than females, first molars are the most decayed, a majority use toothbrushes to clean their teeth, and children who eat vitamin A rich foods are less likely to have dental caries.

Discussion: Caries’ rates in the Southern and Eastern provinces are higher than in …

Expanding Mouse-Adapted Yamagata-Like Influenza B Viruses In Eggs Enhances In Vivo Lethality In Balb/C Mice, Matthew J. Pekarek, Erika M. Petro-Turnquist, Adam Rubrum, Richard J. Webby, Eric A. Weaver

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Despite the yearly global impact of influenza B viruses (IBVs), limited host range has been a hurdle to developing a readily accessible small animal disease model for vaccine studies. Mouseadapting IBV can produce highly pathogenic viruses through serial lung passaging in mice. Previous studies have highlighted amino acid changes throughout the viral genome correlating with increased pathogenicity, but no consensus mutations have been determined. We aimed to show that growth system can play a role in mouse-adapted IBV lethality. Two Yamagata-lineage IBVs were serially passaged 10 times in mouse lungs before expansion in embryonated eggs or Madin–Darby canine kidney cells …

Dissecting The Cellular Landscape And Transcriptome Network In Viral Myocarditis By Single-Cell Rna Sequencing, Ninaad Lasrado, Nicholas Borcherding, Rajkumar Arumugam, Timothy K. Starr, Jay Reddy

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3)-induced myocarditis is commonly employed to study viral pathogenesis in mice.Chronically affected micemaydevelop dilated cardiomyopathy, which may involve the mediation of immune and nonimmune cells. To dissect this complexity, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing on heart cells from healthy and myocarditic mice, leading us to note significant proportions of myeloid cells, T cells, and fibroblasts. Although the transcriptomes of myeloid cells were mainly of M2 phenotype, the Th17 cells, CTLs, and Treg cells had signatures critical for cytotoxic functions. Fibroblasts were heterogeneous expressing genes important in fibrosis and regulation of inflammation and immune responses. The intercellular communication networks …