Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health Commons^™

Rapid Identification And Typing Of Mycobacterium Avium Complex Using Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (Maldi-Tof) Library And Biomarker Based Approaches, Claudia Antonika, John Dustin Loy, Raul Barletta, Michael Collins

UCARE: Research Products

Bacteria associated with the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) cause significant problems in animal agriculture and cause large economic losses and morbidity of livestock. Two clinically important subspecies of M. avium are M.avium ssp paratuberculosis (MAP) and M. avium ssp hominissuis (MAH). MAP is the etiologic agent of Johne’s disease, a chronic and fatal enteritis in ruminants, that has been linked to Crohn’s disease in humans.1 MAH has zoonotic potential as it is one of the leading causes of secondary infections in AIDS patients. Identification of M. avium in clinical samples is challenging as they have overlapping host ranges and clinical …

Reducing The Risk Of Invasive Pathogens To Wildlife Health In The United States, Edward E. Clark Jr., Marshall Meyers, David Eldon Starling, Brent Stewart, Nathan Stone, Gary Tabor, Jeffrey S. White

National Invasive Species Council

Call to Action

In keeping with action items 4.3.1 and 4.3.2 of the 2016–2018 National Invasive Species Council (NISC) Management Plan, the Wildlife Health Task Team of the Invasive Species Advisory Committee (ISAC) was charged with: 1) identifying the major areas of vulnerability to native wildlife from the introduction and spread of invasive pathogens, and 2) making recommendations to address these vulnerabilities, including through potential changes in statute, regulation, policy, or practice of the relevant agencies.

Streptococcus Equi Infections In Horses: Guidelines For Treatment, Control, And Prevention Of Strangles—Revised Consensus Statement, A. G. Boyle, John F. Timoney, J. R. Newton, M. T. Hines, A. S. Waller, B. R. Buchanan

Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center Faculty Publications

This consensus statement update reflects our current published knowledge and opinion about clinical signs, pathogenesis, epidemiology, treatment, complications, and control of strangles. This updated statement emphasizes varying presentations in the context of existing underlying immunity and carrier states of strangles in the transmission of disease. The statement redefines the “gold standard” for detection of possible infection and reviews the new technologies available in polymerase chain reaction diagnosis and serology and their use in outbreak control and prevention. We reiterate the importance of judicious use of antibiotics in horses with strangles. This updated consensus statement reviews current vaccine technology and the …

An Epidemiologic Study Of Antimicrobial Resistance Of Staphylococcus Species Isolated From Equine Samples Submitted To A Diagnostic Laboratory, Ronita Adams, Jackie Smith, Stephan Locke, Erica Phillips, Erdal Erol, Craig N. Carter, Agricola Odoi

Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Background

Antimicrobial resistance limits traditional treatment options and increases costs. It is therefore important to estimate the magnitude of the problem so as to provide empirical data to guide control efforts. The aim of this study was to investigate the burden and patterns of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among equine Staphylococcus samples submitted to the University of Kentucky Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (UKVDL) from 1993 to 2009. Retrospective data of 1711 equine Staphylococcus samples submitted to the UKVDL during the time period 1993 to 2009 were included in the study. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing, that included 16 drugs, were performed using cultures followed …

Chesapeake Bay Nutria Eradication Project: 2017 Update, Margaret Pepper, Kevin Sullivan, Robert Colona, Jonathan Mcknight

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Nutria, a semi-aquatic, South American rodent, was introduced to Maryland during the early 1940s. Originally brought to the area for fur farms, the market never established and animals were released or escaped. Nutria thrived, destroying coastal wetlands which resulted in negative environmental and economic impacts to the Chesapeake Bay region. To preserve and protect valuable wetland resources, the Chesapeake Bay Nutria Eradication Project (CBNEP) was established in 2002 through a partnership between the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the United States Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and many state agencies and non-governmental organizations. Since …

Effects Of Kernel Processing At Harvest Of Brown Midrib Corn Silage On Finishing Performance Of Steers, Lauren A. Ovinge, F. Henry Hilscher, Curtis J. Bittner Bittner, Bradley M. Boyd, John N. Anderson, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A 2 × 3 factorial finishing study evaluated kernel processing in three corn silage hybrids on finishing performance of yearling steers fed 40% silage. The three hybrids included a control corn silage (CON), a brown midrib (bm3), and a brown midrib with a softer endosperm (bm3-EXP). No interactions were observed between hybrids and kernel processing (P > 0.45). Feeding both bm3 hybrids increased dry matter intake and average daily gain over CON (P < 0.01). Cattle fed bm3-EXP and bm3 had lower feed to gain than CON (P = 0.04), with no differences between the two brown midrib hybrids. Feeding silage that has undergone kernel processing decreased dry matter intake with similar average daily gain, which decreased feed to gain by 2.6% at 40% inclusion compared to non-processed silage (P = 0.10). The improvement in silage is calculated to be 6.5% (2.6/40) when kernel processing was utilized as compared to not kernel processing the corn silage hybrids.

Impact Of Ramaekers Immune Primer On Finishing Beef Cattle Performance And Liver Abscess Rate, Hannah C. Wilson, F. Henry Hilscher, Bradley M. Boyd Boyd, Jim C. Macdonald, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A feedlot study was conducted comparing a natural feed additive (Ramaekers Immune Primer) to Tylan or nothing on receiving and finishing performance. There were no differences for final BW, ADG, F:G, HCW, marbling, LM area, or fat thickness due to treatment. Liver abscess incidence and severity were reduced in steers fed Tylan, no differences were noted between Ramaekers Immune Primer and no additive. There was no difference in number of cattle treated for respiratory illness. Steers on the Ramaekers Immune Primer treatment had lower feed intake during the receiving period but had similar ADG and numerically better F:G at day …

Effect Of Backgrounding System On Performance And Profitability Of Yearling Beef Steers, Cody A. Welchons, Robby G. Bondurant, F. Henry Hilscher Hilscher, Andrea K. Watson, Galen E. Erickson, Jim C. Macdonald

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Five summer management strategies were compared following grazing corn residue through winter. Cattle were assigned to be 1) summer finished, 2) graze bromegrass, 3) graze bromegrass and fed distillers grains at 0.6% of BW, 4) backgrounded in a drylot pen to gain 1.70 lb/d, or 5) backgrounded in a drylot pen to gain 2.35 lb/d. Results differed by year, however, in general as backgrounding ADG increased, days required on feed to reach an equal fat endpoint decreased. In year 1, ADG of cattle grazing bromegrass was less than cattle backgrounded in pens. There was no difference in finishing ADG for …

Effect Of Continuous Or Rotational Grazing On Growing Steer Performance And Land Production, Cody A. Welchons, Robby G. Bondurant, F. Henry Hilscher Hilscher, Terry J. Klopfenstein, Andrea K. Watson, Jim C. Macdonald

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Individual animal performance and animal production per acre were evaluated for steers grazing smooth bromegrass over 2 consecutive years. Treatments consisted of steers continuously grazing smooth bromegrass and initially stocked at either 4.0 animal unit months (AUM)/ac (HI) or 2.8 AUM/ac (LO) or steers rotationally grazing smooth bromegrass and initially stocked at 4.0 AUM/ac (ROT). Average calculated stocking rate for the LO, HI, and ROT treatments was greater than initial stocking rates due to the use of put and take animals. In vitro organic matter digestibility and crude protein of rotationally grazed pastures was relatively constant as the grazing season …

Effects Of Movement And Activity Behavior In A Pasture System Compared To Time, Jace R. Stott, Mitchell B. Stephenson, Kathryn J. Hanford Hanford

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

During the summer of 2016 seventeen cows were fitted with Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking collars to evaluate activity characteristics of cattle on rangelands. Data collected included daily distance traveled, average distance from water, daily time spent at water, daily area covered, and percent of day spent active (traveling or grazing). These variables were analyzed weekly to assess changes in behavior as time within pastures increased during three time periods of the growing season. Based on data collected from mid-May to mid-September, cattle showed little changes throughout the grazing season as to levels of activity through different periods of a …

Statistics Used In The Nebraska Beef 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 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 …

Impact Of Winter Supplementation Of May Calving Cows And Heifer Development System In Two Different Breeding Seasons On Subsequent Growth And Reproduction, Shelby A. Springman, Alicia C. Lansford, Jacqueline A. Musgrave Musgrave, John Nollette, Andy Applegarth, Richard N. Funston

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

In Exp. 1, May-calving cows were utilized to evaluate the effects of winter supplementation on heifer progeny. Cows grazed either dormant upland winter range with or without a protein supplement or grazed dormant meadow with or without a protein supplement. In Exp. 2, replacement heifers from March and May calving herds were offered ad libitum meadow hay and 4 lb/d supplement or grazed meadow and offered 1 lb/d supplement from mid-January to mid-April. Calf weaning BW and ADG from birth to weaning was less for calves from cows grazing winter range with no supplement compared with all other dam treatments. …

Effect Of Injectable Trace Mineral On Reproductive Performance In Beef Heifers, Shelby A. Springman, John Maddux, Mary E. Drewnoski Drewnoski, Richard N. Funston

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Trace minerals serve an essential role in regulating reproduction. Free-choice trace mineral supplementation is often provided to grazing beef cattle. An injectable trace-mineral solution used with free-choice trace minerals may be beneficial before breeding to improve mineral status. Therefore, Red Angus-based, May-born heifers were utilized to determine the effects of an injectable trace mineral on reproductive performance. Pregnancy rates did not differ between heifers injected with a trace mineral and heifers that received no injection. Injectable trace mineral at CIDR insertion 33 d before artificial insemination did not influence reproductive performance in heifers with adequate trace mineral status.

Evaluating Methods Of Estimating Forage Intake By Grazing Cattle, Aaron J. Shropshire, Walter H. Schacht, Jerry D. Volesky Volesky

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Two methods of estimating forage intake of grazing cattle were compared to clipped estimates in 4-pasture rotational grazing systems on Sandhills subirrigated meadow from mid-May through early August over a 4-year period. Clipping standing vegetation samples within a pasture before and after cattle grazing provides for an accurate estimate of forage removal during a grazing period. A less laborious method of intake estimation commonly used is based on a percentage of an animal’s liveweight. University Extension and some federal agencies use a 2.3% factor and others such as the Natural Resources Conservation Service use a 2.7% factor. In this study …

Letrozole: A Steroid-Free Estrous Synchronization Method, Sarah M. Romereim, Sarah C. Tenley, Mohamed A. Abedal-Majed Majed, Jeffrey W. Bergman, Scott G. Kurz, John S. Davis, Jennifer R. Wood, Andrea S. Cupp

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Most bovine estrous synchronization protocols utilize progesterone plus estrogen to control ovulation timing. A drug that inhibits estrogen production (Letrozole) may be an alternative, steroid-free synchronization method (not yet commercially available). However, low estrogen can negatively affect the health of follicles/oocytes and impact fertility. To determine its effects, Letrozole was administered intramuscularly while tracking follicle growth and circulating hormones. Letrozole response was variable. Two of three cows experienced delayed luteolysis/ovulation and extended progesterone production. This preliminary data indicates that Letrozole treatment allows normal follicle progression but drug response may vary and little is known about effects on oocyte quality.

Impact Of Dietary Fat Source On Beef Display Life, Felipe A. Ribeiro, Katherine I. Domenech-Perez, Emery K. Wilkerson Wilkerson, Hope Voegele, Nicolas J. Herrera, Kellen B. Hart, Chris R. Calkins

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary fat source with modified distillers grains plus solubles (MDGS) on beef display life. Steers were fed either a corn control, full-fat MDGS, de-oiled MDGS, or de-oiled MDGS plus corn oil diet. Strip loins were aged for 2, 9, 16 and 23 days and placed under retail conditions for 7 days. Results suggest that feeding MDGS to cattle increases polyunsaturated fatty acid content of beef and has the potential to reduce beef color and lipid stability in comparison to corn diets. These data indicate that feeding MDGS to cattle may decrease …

Using A Cured Meat Model System To Investigate Factors That Influence Cured Color Development, Jennifer A. Posthuma, Faith D. Rasmussen, Gary A. Sullivan Sullivan

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Producing cured meats manufactured with natural ingredients could impact cured meat characteristics, including color. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of nitrite source (sodium nitrite or cultured celery juice powder), reducing agents (no reducing compound or sodium erythorbate/ ascorbic acid), and holding times prior to cooking on cured color development in a meat model system. The addition of reducing compounds had the largest impact on cured color development and reduced residual nitrite in a cured meat model system. Treatments cured with sodium nitrite had slightly greater cured color development than treatments cured with celery juice powder. …

Repeated Calm Handling Can Lead To More Docile Cattle, Jamie T. Parham, Amy E. Tanner, Mark L. Wahlberg Wahlberg, W. S. Swecker Jr., Ronald M. Lewis

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Changes in temperament in heifers when handled either frequently or infrequently were evaluated subjectively based on their behavior when restrained in (chute score) and exiting from (exit score) a squeeze chute. Chute scores decreased over time–a favorable direction–with more dramatic declines in heifers handled more frequently. Heifers with higher chute scores on the first day of handling had the largest reduction in score. Exit scores changed less over time. Chute score therefore may be more indicative of acclimation to a novel environment than exit score. Both scores appear to offer a fast, easy and inexpensive way to quantify docility in …

Rumen Undegradable Protein Content And Digestibility Of Corn Silage And High-Moisture Corn, Colton R. Oney, Jana L. Gramkow, F. Henry Hilscher Hilscher, Elizabeth Schumacher, Andrea K. Watson, Galen E. Erickson, Jim C. Macdonald, Terry J. Klopfenstein

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Two studies were conducted to determine rumen undegradable protein (RUP) content and digestibility in corn silage. In Exp. 1, 37 and 42% DM corn silage were incubated in situ with two ruminally and one duodenally cannulated steer to calculate RUP content and RUP digestibility. In Exp. 2, dry rolled corn was reconstituted to 75, 70, 65, and 50% DM and ensiled in mini silos for 30, 90, 180, or 270 days. After ensiling, samples were ruminally incubated to determine RUP content of the grain. The grain within corn silage is less than 50% DM, as moisture content increases and time …

The Effect Of Inoculants On Nutrient Losses Of Corn Silage And High-Moisture Corn Stored In Mini Silos, Colton R. Oney, Jana L. Gramkow, Andrea K. Watson Watson, Galen E. Erickson, Jim C. Macdonald, M. K. Biddlecome

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of inoculants (BONSILAGE CORN 200G and BONSILAGE HMC 200G) containing Lactobacillus buchneri, Lactobacillus plantarum and Pediococcus acidilactici on nutrient losses and aerobic stability of corn silage and high moisture corn. Corn silage and high moisture corn were inoculated and stored in mini silos with nutrient loss and spoilage characterizations at 30, 90, and 120 days with multiple inoculation levels. Longer ensiling times led to greater total acid production. The higher levels of inoculation led to lower total acid production and higher pH. Inoculating corn silage and high moisture corn also affected …