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Apr
27
Biden vetoes bill to end WOTUS
President Joe Biden has recently vetoed a bill that would overturn the Waters of The United States rule (WOTUS), which has been in effect since March 20th. The vetoed bill had bipartisan support, as well as the support of those in the agricultural industry.
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Apr
27
Grants given to farmers affected by tornados
Assistance through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will be available to farmers and ranchers affected by the severe weather and EF-4 tornado in Mississippi last month. USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is also helping affected residents take steps to reduce their risk of foodborne illness as they return to their homes after severe weather.
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Apr
27
New bill will support agricultural research
The Advancing Cutting Edge (ACE) Agriculture Act has recently been introduced by U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) and U.S. Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS). The ACE Act would support high-risk, high-reward agricultural research and development at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
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Apr
27
New Markets for State-Inspected Meat and Poultry Act introduced
A new bipartisan bill titled, New Markets for State-Inspected Meat and Poultry Act, has been introduced to allow meat and poultry products inspected by state Meat and Poultry Inspection (MPI) programs to be sold across state lines. The goal of the bill is to create new markets for farmers and livestock producers across the country while maintaining high inspection standards.
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Apr
27
USDA announces climate-smart grants
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced climate-smart agriculture, soil health, and nutrient management grants through the Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program. USDA will invest $40 million in 31 projects, as well as a $19 million investment in two projects focused on nutrient management funded through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).
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Apr
27
USDA, FDIC, and SBA partner to support small farmers
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is partnering with the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Federal Depository Insurance Corporation (FDIC), to host a series of regional economic development workshops on the “Path to Prosperity”. The workshops will take place in Mississippi, Kentucky, and Georgia, to provide small businesses, including farmers and ranchers, with the resources and tools they need to grow.
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Apr
20
Interpretive Summary: Effects of adding ruminal propionate on dry matter intake and glucose metabolism in steers fed a finishing ration
Propionate metabolism by the liver is thought to be a key regulator of appetite and feed intake of animals, including cattle. Previous research has shown that providing propionate to the rumen of cattle decreases feed intake.
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Apr
20
Interpretive Summary: An investigation of the effect of folic acid and its delivery routes on broiler chickens’ hatch and growth performance, blood biochemistry, anti-oxidant status, and intestinal morphology
Folic acid (FA) is an essential vitamin with anti-oxidant and growth-promoting properties. Notwithstanding, studies have shown that, like other bioactive substances, its efficacy can be affected by dosage and delivery routes. However, the in ovo delivery of bioactive substances directly to the developing embryo continues to show promising results in poultry production.
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Apr
20
Interpretive Summary: Metabolome of purulent materials of liver abscesses from crossbred cattle and Holstein steers fed finishing diets with or without in-feed tylosin
Liver abscesses in feedlot cattle, a consequence of feeding a diet of high-grain and low-roughage, are a mixed bacterial infection with Fusobacterium necrophorum, a ruminal bacterium as the primary causative agent. Cattle with liver abscesses do not exhibit clinical signs and the abscesses are detected only at slaughter.
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Apr
20
Interpretive Summary: Strategies for accommodating gene-edited sires and their descendants in genetic evaluations
Coupling gene editing, a technology with the potential to make specific changes to DNA sequence (e.g., quantitative trait nucleotide, QTN), with genomic selection can generate faster genetic gain in economically important traits. However, gene editing would impact the genetic relationship among individuals and, consequently, genetic evaluations. The objectives of this study were to understand how gene editing impacts genetic prediction and develop strategies to mitigate potential errors in estimated breeding values (EBV).
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Apr
20
Interpretive Summary: Convergent changes in melanocortin receptor 1 gene are associated with black-headed coat color in sheep
The diverse colors of sheep not only help to distinguish different breeds but also provide an ideal model to study the genetics underlying mammalian coat color variations. One unique coat color in sheep is the black-headed type, as represented by the famous meat breed Dorper sheep from Africa and Bayinbuluke sheep from Asia. In this study, we compared the genomes of black-headed sheep with all-white sheep in order to identify genes responsible for this distinguishable coat color.
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Apr
20
Interpretive Summary: Financial strain of COVID-19 and its impact on willingness-to-pay for equine care
COVID-19 had a substantial impact on markets and livelihoods. Jobs were affected and the cost of goods increased as products were in short supply, driving up prices for essential and nonessential equine care for owners, caretakers, and other associated individuals.
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Apr
20
Interpretive Summary: Apparent total tract macronutrient digestibility of mildly cooked human-grade vegan dog foods and their effects on the blood metabolites and fecal characteristics, microbiota, and metabolites of adult dogs
Vegan, mildly cooked, and human-grade dog foods are increasing in popularity, but few studies have been performed to examine their performance. Our objective was to determine the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of mildly cooked human-grade vegan dog foods and their effects on blood metabolites and fecal microbiota, characteristics, and metabolites of dogs.
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Apr
13
Interpretive Summary: Comparison of three maternal composite sheep breeds managed under pasture lambing and purebred or terminal mating systems: ewe body weight, reproductive efficiency, and longevity
Production systems across the U.S. sheep industry are diverse, ranging from intensive management to lower-input and extensive operations. Extensive flocks are more nutritionally reliant on grazing, have lower labor costs, and have limited housing for animals.
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Apr
13
Interpretive Summary: Amino acid digestibility and protein quality of mealworm-based ingredients using the precision-fed cecectomized rooster assay
Mealworms may serve as an alternative protein source for pet foods because of their high protein content and low environmental footprint. The amino acid (AA) content and protein quality of mealworm-based ingredients may vary depending on their composition and processing, however, so testing is required.
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Apr
13
Interpretive Summary: Taraxasterol alleviates fatty acid-induced lipid deposition in calf hepatocytes by decreasing ROS production and endoplasmic reticulum stress
Fatty liver is a common occurrence in the early postpartum period, partly due to the large influx of fatty acids into the liver during adipose tissue lipolysis. Because there is a linkage between fatty acid metabolism, oxidative stress, and lipid deposition in hepatocytes of nonruminant animals, we evaluated the potential therapeutic roles of Taraxasterol on reactive oxygen species and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in vitro.
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Apr
13
Interpretive Summary: The effects of standardized ileal digestible His to Lys ratio on growth performance, intestinal health, and mobilization of histidine-containing proteins in pigs at 7 to 11 kg body weight
Histidine is an essential amino acid for protein synthesis, but it also plays a vital role in the metabolic system of pigs. An accurate assessment of His requirement provides pivotal information for efficient growth and health of pigs.
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Apr
13
Interpretive Summary: Effects of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product on fecal characteristics, metabolite concentrations, and microbiota populations of dogs subjected to exercise challenge
The objective of this study was to determine the fecal characteristics, microbiota, and metabolites of dogs fed a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product (SCFP) and subjected to exercise challenge in untrained and trained states. Thirty-six adult dogs were randomly assigned to control or SCFP-supplemented (250 mg/d) diets and fed for 10 wk.
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Apr
13
Interpretive Summary: Glucose-induced enhanced anti-oxidant activity inhibits apoptosis in goose fatty liver
No significant pathological symptoms were observed in the liver of goose after overfeeding, suggesting that a specific protection mechanism exists in goose liver. Previous studies have shown that mitochondria may participate in the formation of goose fatty liver by improving its energy metabolism and the production of precursor metabolites.
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Apr
13
Interpretive Summary: Evaluation of oxidized beta-carotene on sow and piglet immune systems, sow reproductive performance, and piglet growth
Beta-carotene is a known antioxidant found in most red and orange-pigmented vegetables and has been documented to have health benefits. However, beta-carotene has been reported to gain oxygen molecules spontaneously, thus oxidizing it.
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