Large or Food Animal and Equine Medicine Commons^™

Artificial Insemination And Fetal Programming In Beef Production Systems, Dempster Christenson

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Pregnancy to artificial insemination and late gestation fetal programming of the next calf crop are central to genetic development, reproductive longevity, calf crop productivity, and efficiency of cow/calf ranching. The purposes of this research are to find methods to improve pregnancy rate to artificial insemination, the growth and reproductive health of pregnant heifers, and the productivity of their offspring. In the first of four studies we found that extending the period of progesterone administration in an estrus synchronization protocol did not significantly hasten estrus response or increase pregnancy rate to artificial insemination, but timing of estrus within the melengestrol acetate …

The Impact Of A Pgym Variant On Myophosphorylase Deficiency In Red Angus Composite Cattle And Changes In The Skeletal Muscle Transcriptome Due To The Intramuscular Administration Of Lidocaine In Wether Lambs, Mackenzie Christin Batt

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Project 1 focused on eight calves in a Nebraska herd (composite Simmental, Red Angus, Gelbvieh) that displayed exercise intolerance during forced activity. Available sire pedigrees contained a paternal ancestor within 2-4 generations in all affected calves. Pedigrees of the calves’ dams were unavailable, however, the cows were ranch-raised and retained from prior breeding seasons, where bulls used for breeding occasionally had a common ancestor. Therefore, it was hypothesized that a de novo autosomal recessive variant was causative of exercise intolerance in these calves. A genome-wide association analysis followed by whole-genome sequencing led to the identification of a variant in the …

Pilot Study: Effects Of Whole Body Vibrational Therapy On Equine Epaxial Muscle Soreness, Riley Leibeck

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

Whole body vibrational therapy (WBV) is well-studied in people, but there is a paucity of research of its effect on horses. It is suggested that WBV use in horses increases performance, aids in recovery, and stimulates nerves, bones, and muscles in ways that normal exercise does not. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine if frequent WBV therapy sessions affect back soreness in horses using pressure algometry. Most sporthorses will experience back soreness in their careers, and it is regarded as one of the most common causes of poor performance in equine athletes. Five horses were measured for …

Impact Of A Study Abroad Course In Helping Undergraduate Students Affirm Their Career Aspirations To Become Veterinarians: A Qualitative Inquiry, Jose M. Uscanga, M. Craig Edwards, J. Shane Robinson, Rob Terry Jr., Udaya Desilva

Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education

Twenty-five students who participated in a study abroad course tailored to veterinary medicine during the summer of 2019 were the study’s sources of data. Using photovoice and phenomenology research methods, we sought to explore, understand, and interpret the impact of a study abroad course on pre-vet students’ views regarding veterinary medicine and their aspirations to become veterinarians. Students perceived that veterinary medicine in Mexico was structured differently from the U.S. approach and the nation’s socioeconomic and agroclimatology conditions impacted the delivery of veterinary care and affected the work settings and practice of veterinarians. They not only discerned the uniqueness of …

Identifying Barriers To Data Use On U.S. Beef Cow-Calf Operations And Developing Solutions To Improve Cow-Calf Record-Keeping, William Isaac Jumper

Theses and Dissertations

Cattle health and production records (CHPR) are data collected by cattle producers and veterinarians in the form of measurements, observations, counts of events over time, and physiologic attributes that describe individual and group-level health and production. These data are useful to both veterinarians and cattle producers for making evidence-based decisions on cow-calf operations. Currently, there are no uniform, industry-wide methods of capturing and recording CHPR in the U.S. cow-calf industry. Although many cow-calf producers in the U.S. are thought to collect some form of CHPR, it is believed that relatively few are doing so in an electronic manner that facilitates …

Pharmacokinetics Of Single Feeding Of Cannabidiol In Cattle: A Pilot Study, Haley Cornette

Honors College Theses

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a substance that has been used in complementary medicine for many years. However, modern medicine has little knowledge of how this substance is utilized and metabolized in ruminant animals. Regulations on quality assurance and use in animals are lacking, and CBD supplementation in livestock is not approved. If CBD supplements can be shown to be safe and effective, detection in the animal will be important for determining regulation of use. A withdrawal period can then be established to allow time for deterioration of product to safe levels before livestock products enter human markets. This study sought to …

Whole Genome Sequencing For Identification Of Putative Causative Alleles For Hemochromatosis In Horses, Anna M. Rauber-Ramos

Schultz-Werth Award Papers

Hemochromatosis is liver disorder in which excess iron is stored in the liver, leading to iron overload and extensive liver damage that can prove fatal. Based on human precedence, a genetic cause for idiopathic hemochromatosis in horses is suspected. Two horses with hemochromatosis were whole genome sequenced, with variants in candidate genes prioritized in analyses of potential pathogenicity. No clear putative variants were found to be present in both horses, suggesting an etiology more complex than the initially suspected Mendelian inheritance. A heterozygous nonsense mutation in STEAP3 metalloreductase (STEAP3) was identified as a potential contributor to hemochromatosis in one of …

Effects Of High-Speed Training On Messenger Rna Expression In Two-Year-Old Thoroughbred Racehorses, Mackenzie Grace Johnson

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

Accumulating high-speed exercise has been identified as a significant risk factor for catastrophic injuries in racing Thoroughbreds. Injuries, regardless of severity, are a main cause of withdrawal from the racing industry, raising animal welfare concerns and resulting in significant economic losses. While most of the current literature focuses on catastrophic injuries incurred during racing rather than training, the present study aims to help fill this gap as well as discuss the associated risk factors. The evaluation of messenger RNA (mRNA) expression changes provides an efficient and straightforward approach to identifying horses at risk for catastrophic injury. While alternative injury risk …

Rumen-Protected Methionine Supplementation Improves Lactation, Oxidative Status, And Immune Response During A Subclinical Mastitis Challenge In Lactating Dairy Cows., Anita Paz Lopez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mastitis is a significant problem in the dairy industry, posing numerous challenges for dairy farmers worldwide. Mastitis refers to the inflammation of the mammary gland, primarily caused by bacterial infections. This condition affects the health and well-being of dairy cows and has severe economic implications for farmers and overall dairy production. The prevalence of mastitis substantially threatens milk quality, productivity, and profitability, making it a top concern in the dairy industry. Preventing mastitis in cows is crucial for maintaining the herd's health and ensuring highquality milk production. Nutritional strategies have recently gained greater attention due to a direct impact on …

Seroprevalence And Titer Concentration Testing For Leptospirosis In Equine, Ashley Himmelsbaugh

Honors College Theses

The most common best management practice used to combat diseases in horses is vaccination, which can decrease the incidence or severity of illness. However, the duration of immunity will vary for each vaccination and must be considered for revaccination purposes. Titer concentration, which evaluates antibodies in the blood, may be a helpful way of determining how long an animal has immunity to a disease. Leptospirosis, a zoonotic, bacterial disease, can result in uveitis, potentially leading to blindness, and abortion in mares. One serovar, Leptospirosis pomona (L. pomona), is associated with most cases of clinical disease in horses in North America. …

Isolation Of Drug-Sensitive Eimeria Species From Wild Turkey Feces And Development Of A Model Bioshuttle Program For Eimeria Meleagrimitis For Domestic Turkeys, Maria Carolina Trujillo Peralta

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this thesis was to determine the anticoccidial profile of Eimeria spp. derived from wild turkeys. These drug-sensitive Eimeria spp. have potential to be used as vaccine candidates to control coccidiosis in commercial turkeys. Chapter two consists of a brief literature review focused on coccidiosis in turkeys. Chapter three addresses the methodologies utilized to isolate, recover, and speciate Eimeria recovered from wild turkey feces in the eastern two-thirds of the United States. From this, we successfully obtained single oocyst-derived stocks for E. meleagrimitis, E. dispersa, E. meleagridis, E. gallopavonis, and E. adenoeides. Chapter four describes the experiment conducted …

Dehydration And Mortality Of Feral Horses And Burros: A Systematic Review Of Reported Deaths, John Derek Scasta, Eric Thacker, Jacob D. Hennig, Karl Hoopes

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Water is a requirement for all organisms, including equids. Dehydration-caused mortality of feral horses (Equus ferus caballus) is often cited as a cause of concern and as justification for management of feral horses, yet a paucity of information exists on the matter. We conducted a systematic review from September 1, 2020 through January 15, 2021 of available news reports of feral horse and burro (E. asinus) dehydration mortalities and public interventions to save horses using a public search engine with a priori defined search term combinations and additional snowball sampling. We found 15 uniquely reported mortality …

2022 Nebraska Beef Cattle Report

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

The purpose of beef cattle and beef product research at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is to provide reference information that represents the various populations (cows, calves, heifers, feeders, carcasses, retail products, etc.) of beef production.

Dedicated in memory of Dr. Terry Klopfenstein (March 10, 1939-April 30, 2021), Professor Emeritus, Animal Science Department, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Cow-Calf Nutrition and Management

Impact of Cow Size on Economic Profitability in the Cow-Calf and Feedlot Production Systems

Comparison of Partially Confined and Traditional Cow-Calf Systems

Concepts in Stress Physiology

Inflammatory Modulators Improve Daily Gain of Heat-Stressed Wethers

Zilpaterol Supplementation Improved Indicators of Well-Being, but …

Pets And Problems: Exploring Community Patterns In Calls For Animal Services, Paige Dejarnett

Sociology and Criminology Undergraduate Honors Theses

Pets have historically been viewed as family members, children, property, or economic resources. However, research surrounding animal maltreatment has expressed this issue as an individually-based problem, rather than a community-based phenomenon. Correlations have been found between animal cruelty, antisocial behaviors, and future interpersonal violence, whether this correlation be a predictive relationship, or a resultant relationship. Past research has also found correlations between animal treatment practices and the rural/urban differences of this behavior. However, there are many community-based indicators that have not been explored to understand the distribution of animal maltreatment. This study aims to explore these ideas by analyzing the …

Muscle Mass And Immune Function In The Senior Horse, Alisa Christina Herbst

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

Senior horses (≥ 15 years) represent up to one-third of the global equine population, and the proportion of old horses (≥ 20 years) in the U.S. has been steadily increasing. Aging is associated with a loss of skeletal muscle mass in horses, and while age-related muscle loss is comparingly well characterized in humans, little is currently known concerning underlying mechanisms, adverse outcomes, or the prevalence of low muscle mass in senior horses. One factor proposed to play a role in the development of age-related muscle atrophy in humans is inflamm-aging, a low-grade inflammation that affects elderly people and that has …

2021 Nebraska Beef Cattle Report

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Cow-Calf Nutrition and Management: Metabolic Profile Associated with Pre-Breeding Puberty Status in Range Beef Heifers 5 • Milk Production Impacts on Cow Reproductive and Calf Growth Performance 8 • Genetic Selection Tools: Using Pooling to Capture Commercial Data for Inclusion in Genetic Evaluations 11 • Categorization of Birth Weight Phenotypes for Inclusion in Genetic Evaluations Using a Deep Neural Network 14 • Genetic Parameter Estimates for Age at Slaughter and Days to Finish in a Multibreed Population 16

Growing Calf and Yearling Management: Effects of Monensin and Protein Type on Performance of Yearling Steers Grazing Smooth Bromegrass Pastures 18 • …

Evaluation Of Biochar On Nutrient Loss From Fresh Cattle Manure, Jessica L. Sperber, Tyler Spore, Galen E. Erickson, Andrea K. Watson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the impact of biochar and time on manure nutrient retention. Pans were used to simulate feedlot pens with 10 replications per treatment. Biochar was included at 0, 5, or 10% of manure dry matter with 30 and 60 day durations to evaluate pan contents over time. There was a 13- percentage unit increase in organic matter losses from day 30 to 60 for pans without biochar, and a 3- percentage unit increase for pans containing biochar. The least nitrogen loss was measured on the pans without biochar harvested at 30 days. Pans harvested at …

Proteomic Analysis Of Oxidized Proteins In Beef, Nicolas A. Bland, Nicolas J. Herrera, Felipe A. Ribeiro, Morgan L. Henriott, Kellen B. Hart, Chris Calkins

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

To evaluate the effects of diet and quality grade on tenderness and oxidative damage to proteins, strip loins from USDA Upper 2/3rd Choice and Select- grade carcasses were obtained. Steers were fed either a diet containing dry rolled corn, steam flaked corn, dry rolled corn with 30% dried distillers grains with solubles, or steam flaked corn with 30% dried distillers grain with solubles. Results suggest that steaks from steers fed dry rolled corn are more objectively tender than steam flaked corn; in addition, steaks grading USDA Upper 2/3rd Choice steaks were more tender when compared to USDA Select quality grade. …

Impact Of Masters Choice Corn Silage On Nutrient Digestion In Growing Cattle, Jiehua Xiong, Mitch M. Norman, Hannah C. Wilson, Caleb Crabtree, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A digestion study was conducted to evaluate Masters Choice corn silage hybrids on nutrient digestibility in growing beef steers. ! e three hybrids evaluated were a conventional hybrid (CON) commonly grown in Eastern Nebraska which served as the control, Masters Choice hybrid MCT6365 RIB (MC1) that has been selected to improve " ber and starch digestion and Masters Choice hybrid MCT6733 GT3000 (MC2) selected to improve " ber digestion. Treatment diets consisted of 80% of the diet dry matter (DM) of each corn silage hybrid. Steers fed MC1 corn silage had the greatest organic matter (OM), energy digestibility, and digestible …

Impact Of Masters Choice Corn Silage On Nutrient Digestion In Growing Cattle, Jiehua Xiong, Mitch M. Norman, Hannah C. Wilson, Caleb Crabtree, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

No abstract provided.

Categorization Of Birth Weight Phenotypes For Inclusion In Genetic Evaluations Using A Deep Neural Network, Andre Ribeiro, Bruce Golden, Matthew L. Spangler

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

No abstract provided.

Using Pooling To Capture Commercial Data For Inclusion In Genetic Evaluations, Johnna L. Baller, Stephen D. Kachman, Larry A. Kuehn, Matthew L. Spangler

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

No abstract provided.

Metabolomic Pro! Le Associated With Pre- Breeding Puberty Status In Range Beef Heifers, Joslyn K. Beard, Waseem Abbas, J. A. Musgrave, R. Funston, Samodha C. Fernando, Travis Mulliniks

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

No abstract provided.

Statistics Used In The Nebraska Beef Cattle Report And Their Purpose

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

The 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. The 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 …

Antibiotic Resistance In Manure- Amended Agricultural Soils, Maranatha Zelt, Zachary Staley, Xu Li, Bing Wang, Daniel N. Miller, Amy Schmidt

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Manure application to agricultural land benefits soil health and agronomic yields. However, as antibiotic resistance becomes a more serious threat to public health, there is concern that antibiotic resistance originating from livestock manure could impact human health through contamination of the environment or food. This study sought to quantify this risk by monitoring concentrations of antibiotic resistance bacteria and genes in fallow soil during the period of October through April, representing fall manure application through spring planting. Resistance to three common antibiotics— tylosin, azithromycin and tetracycline— was monitored following application of fresh, stockpiled, or composted beef feedlot manure, or inorganic …

Predicting Nitrogen And Phosphorous Flows In Beef Open Lots, Megan N. Homolka, Galen E. Erickson, Richard K. Koelsch

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Manure collected from open lot animal housing systems experiences variability due to weather conditions, management of beef cattle and pens, and other factors resulting in substantial changes in manure characteristics. Data from 15 winter and summer periods at the beef feedlot at Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center including 416 independent pen measurements, were summarized for nutrient mass balance, and then used to determine sources of variability impacting nitrogen and phosphorous. Understanding variability is important to regulated manure nutrient planning processes. The results of this review suggest significant challenge associated with planning based upon standard values for estimating manure characteristics. …

Using Coal Char From Sugar Production In Cattle Manure Management, Bijesh Maharjan, K. H. Jenkins Pas

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Application of coal char, a coal combustion residue from the sugar factory in Scottsbluff, NE (containing up to 30 % C by weight), was evaluated as a nitrogen (N) loss mitigation tool for feedlot manure in three experiments. In experiment 1, when char was added to piled manure previously removed from feedlot pens, N loss potential was reduced (44% vs. 68% in the control). In experiment 2, manure was collected fresh from the animal, from the pen surface with cattle still in the pen, and from a pile removed from the pen. Char was mixed with these samples in replicated …

Pseudomonas Survive Thermal Processing And Grow During Vacuum Packaged Storage In An Emulsified Beef System, Samuel C. Watson, Rebecca A. Furbeck, Byron D. Chaves, Gary A. Sullivan

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

New research has suggested the ability of Pseudomonas, a common spoilage microorganism, to grow in cooked beef products stored under vacuum which challenges the traditional understanding of the role of Pseudomonas during cooked beef spoilage. Understanding the mechanisms of survival and growth of Pseudomonas in these products is crucial for improving shelf life. The objective of this experiment was to determine Pseudomonas survival in a thermally processed, emulsified cooked beef model system. After eight weeks of refrigerated storage, Pseudomonas was recovered from cooked emulsified beef, indicating the potential for Pseudomonas to survive thermal processing and cause spoilage in cooked vacuum …

The Impact Of Oxidative Stress On Postmortem Meat Quality, Nicolas J. Herrera, Felipe A. Ribeiro, Nicolas A. Bland, Morgan L. Henriott, Kellen B. Hart, Jessica Lynn Petersen, Chris Calkins

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

This study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between animal oxidative status, using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as a promoter for oxidation. This was used as a model to evaluate tenderization and meat quality factors early postmortem. Lambs were administered an intravenous injection of either saline, 50 ng/kg bodyweight (LPS50), or 100 ng/kg bodyweight (LPS100) every 72 hours for a 9- day period to stimulate physiological oxidative stress. After a day of rest, lambs were harvested, and pre- rigor Longissimus dorsi-muscles were obtained for transcriptomic analysis. Loins, aged for 1 and 14 days, were analyzed for attributes relating to oxidative potential, meat …

Economic Analysis Of Increased Corn Silage Inclusion In Beef Finishing Cattle, Hannah C. Wilson, J. C. Macdonald, Andrea K. Watson, Terry Klopfenstein, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

An economic analysis was conducted to assess the feasibility of feeding greater inclusions of corn silage in finishing diets. Cattle were fed two inclusions of corn silage (15 and 45% of diet dry matter) with or without tylosin. Cattle fed 15% corn silage with tylosin had the best feed conversion, 15 % corn silage without tylosin was intermediate, and both 45% corn silage with and without tylosin had the poorest feed conversion. Feeding corn silage at greater inclusions decreased ADG but increased final body weight when fed to an equal fatness (28 days longer). However, feeding corn silage at 45% …