Large or Food Animal and Equine Medicine Commons^™

Quantifying Cereal Rye Pastures Biomass With Image Analysis, Pedro Henrique J. Fernandes, Shelby L. Davies-Jenkins, Biquan Zhao, Wei‑Zhen Liang, Mary E. Drewnoski, Yijie Xiong

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Summary with Implications

By accurately assessing the amount of forage available, producers can estimate the pasture carrying capacity to make informed decisions on management. To provide producers with a feasible and efficient approach to estimate forage mass, this project evaluated performance of two image analysis tools, Crop Canopy Image Analyzer (CCIA) and Canopeo, in estimating forage mass for cereal rye. Forage mass measured by clipping the forage (areas with 5.625 ft²) was correlated with plant cover analyzed by the two tools using photos of the forage taken 37 in above the ground. Results obtained have supported the feasibility …

Impact Of Constant Versus Variable Inclusions Of Modified Distillers Grains Plus Solubles On Feedlot Cattle Performance And Carcass Characteristics, Paige M. Madison, Rebecca L. Mcdermott, Isaque F. Vicci, Joshua R. Benton, James C. Macdonald, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Summary with Implications

A finishing trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of varying dietary inclusion of modified distillers grains plus solubles compared to a constant inclusion throughout the entire feeding period on finishing cattle performance. Treatments were arranged as a 2 × 2 + 1 factorial with two inclusions of modified distillers grains plus solubles (10% and 25%) that were constant or varying in dietary inclusion, and a corn control (0% modified distillers grains plus solubles). Increasing the inclusion of distillers grains from 0 to 25% increased both DMI and ADG when fed at a constant inclusion of 10 …

Impact Of Full-Fat Wet Distillers Grains Inclusion In Steam-Flaked Corn Based Finishing Diets, Gatlin Hissong, Bill Dicke, Doug Smith, Andrea Watson, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Summary with Implications

Steam-flaked corn and distillers grains are common feed ingredients in finishing rations, but the interaction between the two is not well understood. A finishing trial at a commercial feedlot using 700 calf-fed heifers was conducted to evaluate cattle performance when fed 18 or 30% (dry matter basis) full-fat wet distillers grains plus solubles in steam-flaked corn based diets with 8% roughage (hay + corn silage). No effects on cattle performance were observed due to distillers grains inclusion in the diet. Final body weight, dry matter intake, average daily gain, feed conversion, and hot carcass weight were not …

Effect Of Feeding Palm Oil On Finishing Cattle Performance, Carcass Characteristics, And Methane Production, Anna M. Kobza, Rebecca L. Mcdermott, Mitchell C. Norman, Joshua R. Benton, Long Zou, James C. Macdonald, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Summary with Implications

Increased demand for biofuel production has increased demand and price of commonly fed supplemental fat sources in beef operations. This finishing study evaluated the effect of feeding palm oil products on performance, carcass characteristics and methane production of feedlot finishing steers. Dietary treatments were feeding no supplemental fat or feeding one of the following fat sources at 4% of diet dry matter: whole palm oil, palm stearin, palm olein, or corn oil. Feeding supplemental fat, regardless of source, increased final body weight, average daily gain, and hot carcass weight. Feeding supplemental fat had no effect on dry …

Effect Of Feeding Two Different Feed Additives (Optipartum C+ And Prime Force) On Finishing Cattle Performance And Carcass Characteristics, Sofia Suarez-Lorences, Rebecca L. Mcdermott, Joshua R. Benton, Robert Bondurant, Willard Lemaster, James C. Macdonald, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Summary with Implications

A feedlot study was conducted to evaluate the effects of adding two different natural feed additives, Prime Force and Optipartum C+, on finishing cattle performance and carcass characteristics. Treatments were applied as a 2×2 factorial that included a control diet with no additive; a diet containing Prime Force; a diet containing Optipartum C+; and a diet containing both Prime Force and Optipartum C+ combined. Treatment diets were fed the last 67 d prior to slaughter as designed. Cattle fed Prime Force had greater live final body weight, carcass weight, intake, and average daily gain compared to cattle …

Effects Of Replacing Wet Corn Distillers Grains With A Purefield Distillers Grains® At 15% And 30% (Dm Basis) In Feedlot Diets, Sofia A. Canafoglia, Pablo L. Loza

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Summary with Implications

A 2×2 +1 factorial experiment was performed to evaluate the effects of replacing wet corn distillers grain (WCDGS) with PureField distillers grains, a proprietary blend of wet distillers grains plus wheat middlings (Purefield LLC, Kansas, United States) at 15% or 30% of the diet (DM basis), on finishing performance and carcass characteristics. The inclusion of either byproduct resulted in improved steer performance, and carcass characteristics when compared to the treatment without the byproduct inclusion. No interactions between byproduct and inclusion level were observed for steer performance or carcass characteristics. A tendency for higher average daily gains was …

2025 Beef Cattle Report

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Cow-calf Nutrition, Reproduction, and Management

Artificial Insemination of Beef Heifers with Multi-sire Semen, Dempster M. Christenson, Jordan M. Thomas, Daniel J. Kelly, Rick N. Funston

Impact of Overwinter Gain on Growth and Reproductive Performance in March- born Heifers, Josie N. Crouch, J. Travis Mulliniks, Jacki A. Musgrave, Kacie L. McCarthy

Impact of Pre- and Post-breeding Supplementation on Performance of May-born Heifers, Josie N. Crouch, J. Travis. Mulliniks, Jacki A. Musgrave, Kacie L. McCarthy

Growing Calf and Yearling Management

Effects of Allocation Frequency on Cattle Performance and Forage Utilization when Swath Grazing a Sorghum-Sudangrass Hybrid in Eastern Nebraska, Thomas E. Aquino, …

Effect Of Using Whole Soybeans, Roasted Soybeans, Or Soybean Meal In Finishing Cattle Diets, Melissa K. Bausch, James C. Macdonald, Galen E. Erickson, Pablo L. Loza

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Summary with Implications

A feedlot study compared the effect of using whole or roasted soybeans at two inclusion rates (12% and 16% of diet dry matter), soybean meal, distillers grains, or a dry-rolled corn with urea control in finishing cattle diets. Steers fed the diet with the 16% inclusion of roasted soybeans had better average daily gain, feed conversion, and hot carcass weight. All other diets resulted in similar performance to the dry-rolled corn and distillers grains treatments. Roasted soybeans fed at a 16% inclusion improved F:G over the 12% roasted soybeans as compared to the whole soybeans which were …

Analyzing The Impact Of Geographic Location, Owner Knowledge, And Veterinary Guidance On Equine Vaccination Protocols, Colleen Mcanally

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This study explored how equine owners decide which diseases their horses are vaccinated for based on their geographic location, the knowledge they have on specific equine diseases, and how much they rely on their veterinarian’s recommendations. A total of 55 horse owners throughout the United States completed an online survey. The results showed that while most owners vaccinate for common core vaccines including West Nile Virus, Tetanus, and Rabies, fewer vaccinated for risk-based vaccines like Leptospirosis. Many owners felt confident in their knowledge of national guidelines for annual core vaccinations, but only a small number of owners were able to …

Trace Level Identifications Of N-Ethylnicotinamide In Racing Horses Associated With A Vitamin B3 Supplement: Case Reports And Analysis, Clara Fenger, Kimberly Brewer, Abelardo Morales-Briceño, Andreas F. Lehner, George A. Maylin, Robert Holland, Levent Dirikolu, Thomas Tobin

Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center Faculty Publications

Nikethamide, N,N-diethyl-3-pyridinecarboxamide (Coramine®) is a central nervous system stimulant at one time used therapeutically in human medicine but no longer marketed in the US. Nikethamide is classified a Drug Class 1, Penalty Class A substance by the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) and as a Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) SO or banned Stimulant that lacks FDA approval. Identifications of Nikethamide or its metabolite N-Ethylnicotinamide in racing samples can result in significant penalties in horse racing. Nikethamide is rapidly metabolized to N-Ethylnicotinamide, which remains detectable in plasma and urine leading to its use as a regulatory “marker” of …

Defining An Irrelevant Plasma Concentration For Trichlormethiazide In Racing Horses – A Case Report And Analysis, Kimberly Brewer, Justin C. Holmes, Clara Fenger, Abelardo Morales-Briceño, Andreas F. Lehner, George A. Maylin, Robert Holland, Levent Dirikolu, Thomas Tobin

Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center Faculty Publications

This communication reviews the matter of the clinical, pharmacological, and regulatory significance of a 4.95 nanogram/ml identification of trichlormethiazide in urine from a horse six days after administration of a compounded trichlormethiazide/ dexamethasone preparation. This combination of dexamethasone and trichlormethiazide has historically been widely used in bovine and equine medicine to reduce local inflammation and edema. The horse was administered an oral formulation of trichlormethiazide 400 mg /dexamethasone 10 mg per packet under veterinary supervision on days 7 and 6 before the race in question. Following the race, the post-race urine sample from the horse tested “positive” for trichlormethiazide at …

Trace Level Identifications Of N-Ethylnicotinamide In Racing Horses Associated With A Vitamin B3 Supplement: Case Reports And Analysis, Clara Fenger, Kimberly Brewer, Abelardo Morales-Briceño, Andreas F. Lehner, George A. Maylin, Robert Holland, Levent Dirikolu, Thomas Tobin

Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center Faculty Publications

Nikethamide, N,N-diethyl-3-pyridinecarboxamide (Coramine®) is a central nervous system stimulant at one time used therapeutically in human medicine but no longer marketed in the US. Nikethamide is classified a Drug Class 1, Penalty Class A substance by the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) and as a Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) SO or banned Stimulant that lacks FDA approval. Identifications of Nikethamide or its metabolite N-Ethylnicotinamide in racing samples can result in significant penalties in horse racing. Nikethamide is rapidly metabolized to N-Ethylnicotinamide, which remains detectable in plasma and urine leading to its use as a regulatory “marker” of …

Anabolic Properties Of The Progestin Altrenogest And Its Regulation As An Environmental Substance In Horse Racing – Review And Analysis, Andreas F. Lehner, Levent Dirikolu, Sarah Jacob, Kimberly Brewer, Abelardo Morales Briceñoe, Robert Holland, George Maylin, Clara Fenger, Thomas Tobin

Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center Faculty Publications

Altrenogest is a progestogen substance used in equine medicine for the synchronization of ovulation during the spring breeding season and the control of estrus in mares. It accomplishes its actions by down-regulation of endometrial progesterone receptors and repression of estrogen receptor transcriptional activation. However, various groups have also measured androgen receptor binding activity for altrenogest in vitro; these findings combined with androgenic and anabolic properties roughly 1/20 in potency of testosterone and its structural similarity to the anabolic steroid trenbolone have created concerns among racing authorities of altrenogest’s potential abilities to alter the outcome of equine athletic performance, even though …

Gene Expression In Relation To Bone Fractures In Throughbred Racehorses, Anna M. Rauber-Ramos

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

Evidence that fractures in Thoroughbred racehorses are outcomes of chronic bone microdamage has led to extensive research into identifying horses at increased risk of fracture. This includes the use of biomarkers and messenger RNA (mRNA) as a measure of bone turnover. Previous research has found expression differences in horses with fractures compared to controls. Utilizing pre-race whole blood samples collected over an 18-month period from Thoroughbred racehorses in Southern California, RNA-sequencing was conducted on horses with bone fractures and race-matched controls to identify differences in gene expression. Focusing on third metacarpal (MC3) and proximal sesamoid bone (PSB) fractures, differentially expressed …

Effect Of Forage Allocation On Steer Performance When Grazing Cereal Rye, Shelby L. Davies-Jenkins, Abigail M. Sartin, Daren D. Redfearn, Mary E. Drewnoski

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Summary with Implications

Cereal rye is the most common cover crop planted today. With its good winter tolerance and rapid spring growth during a gap in perennial pasture productivity, it is an attractive forage source in early spring. Unfortunately, optimum stocking rates and how they are related to forage biomass availability are unknown. The study objective was to understand the effect of forage allowance on steer performance when rotationally grazing fall-planted cereal rye in spring. Stocking rate was negatively correlated with pounds of forage offered. Surprisingly, amount of forage offered related to average daily gain. Growing steers grazing cereal rye …

Strategies Affecting Performance And Profitability Of May-Born Steers, Dempster M. Christenson, Jacki A. Musgrave, Richard N. Funston

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Summary with Implications

This study compared the performance and economic outcomes of differing backgrounding and feedlot systems in May-born yearling steers. We hypothesized reduced supplementation with adequate forage availability while backgrounding weaned steers will yield a similar carcass with greater profitability. It was hypothesized yearling steers backgrounded on pasture before finishing in feedlot would have a more valuable carcass that is more profitable than steers that enter the feedlot immediately. Weaned steer calves were backgrounded with ad libitum hay and 4 lb/d supplement in drylot or on pasture with 1 lb/d supplement. As yearlings, half of each backgrounding group immediately …

Impact Of Feeding Distillers Grains Compared To New Fractionated Distillers Grains (Solbran) On Feedlot Cattle Performance And Enteric Methane, Debora G. Sousa, Rebecca L. Mcdermott, Mitchell M. Norman, James C. Macdonald, Rick Stock, Ryan A. Mass, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Summary with Implications

This study evaluated feeding wet or dry traditional distillers grains with wet and dry fractionated distillers (Solbran) fed at 40% of diet DM compared to a corn control diet on enteric methane emissions and performance. Compared to the control, there was no difference in carbon dioxide production, but there was an increase in methane production in the steers fed fractionated distillers compared to conventional distillers. Feeding steers traditional or fractionated distillers grains increased consumption, increased gain, but improved conversions only for steers fed WDGS, while steers fed the other distillers grains had worse or the same feed …

Assessing Reproductive Health In Zoo-Managed African Elephant Bulls (Loxodonta Africana), Kaitlyn Marie Campbell

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Populations of zoo-managed African elephant (Loxodonta Africana) exhibit substantial individual- and population-level variation in reproductive success, yet research has largely focused on females, leaving male fertility poorly understood. Subfertility in bulls, characterized by low libido and inconsistent semen quality, poses significant challenges to genetic management and long-term population sustainability. This study a) systematically evaluates semen quality, b) identifies physiological, behavioral, social, and environmental determinants of fertility, and c) advances ex situ conservation through the expansion of the African elephant sperm bank. Between January 2023 and July 2025, 209 semen collection events were conducted from 13 sexually mature bulls …

Trace Level Benzoylecgonine Detections In Equine Plasma/Serum – A Proposed Interim Plasma Level Regulatory “Cut-Off“, Andreas F. Lehner, Kimberly Brewer, Levent Dirikolu, Abelardo Morales Briceñod, Robert Holland, George Maylin, Clara Fenger, Thomas Tobin

Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center Faculty Publications

Cocaine is a widely used human recreational substance routinely transferring at pharmacologically irrelevant trace level amounts to non-user humans and horses. Horses and humans rapidly demethylate cocaine to benzoylecgonine which is excreted in urine at concentrations approaching two thousand times higher than the corresponding plasma cocaine concentrations. In human workplace drug testing, these usually pharmacologically irrelevant trace level urinary detections of benzoylecgonine are handled by application of a 100 ng/ml urinary “cut-off“, as presented by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). In horse racing several American states have long used published urinary “cut-offs“ for benzoylecgonine of from …

Interaction Of Cumulus-Oocyte Complex (Coc) Number, Oocyte Quality, And Blastocyst Numbers By Repeated Ovum Pick-Up (Opu) In In Vitro Embryo Production, Sakine Ülküm Çizmeci, Dursun Ali Dinc, Mustafa Numan Bucak, Ömer Faruk Yesilkaya, Muhammed Furkan Ciftci, Mehmet Buğra Kivrak, Ayşe Sari, Hasan Ali Cay, Maide Golbasi, Mustafa Bodu

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Ovum pick-up (OPU) is a repeatable technique that is used for the retrieval of large numbers of immature oocytes from the antral follicles of live animals. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of repeated OPU application on cumulus-oocyte complex (COC) number, oocyte quality, and blastocyst rates. The animal material for the study consisted of 10 Holstein heifers. Heifers selected as donors were administered OPU a total of 9 times on random days of the cycle at 1-week intervals. All antral follicles with a diameter of 2-8 mm were aspirated during the OPU procedure. In vitro …