Featured Articles

  • Sep
    22
    Interpretive Summary: Nitrogen excretion from beef cattle fed a wide range of diets compiled in an intercontinental dataset: a meta-analysis


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    Ruminants play a key role in the food system because they can convert fiber-rich plants into highly nutritious food for humans. However, there is a growing concern about livestock production because of its negative environmental impact, mainly due to enteric methane (CH4) emissions but also as a result of N excretion leading to nitrate (NO3−) leaching and ammonia (NH3) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions.

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  • Sep
    22
    Interpretive Summary: Substituting ryegrass-based pasture with graded levels of forage rape in the diet of lambs decreases methane emissions and increases propionate, succinate, and primary alcohols in the rumen


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    The methane yield (g methane/kg dry matter intake) was 34% lower in sheep fed 100% forage rape and 11% lower in sheep fed 75% forage rape compared to sheep fed 100% ryegrass-based pasture. Sheep fed 25% and 50% forage rape as part of their diet had similar methane yields to sheep fed 100% ryegrass pasture.

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  • Sep
    22
    Interpretive Summary: Economic analysis of biosecurity adoption in dairy farming: evidence from Ireland


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    Given the significant negative impact of livestock disease outbreaks on animal and public health, preventing disease spread through biosecurity practices is important. In this article, we assessed the economic implications of the adoption of biosecurity practices on Irish dairy farms.

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  • Sep
    22
    Interpretive Summary: Transcriptome analysis reveals candidate genes of the synthesis of branched-chain fatty acids related to mutton flavor in the lamb liver using Allium mongolicum Regel extract


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    Mutton is characterized by a typical species-related flavor named “mutton flavor,” which is mainly associated with branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs), such as 4-methyloctanoic acid, 4-ethyloctanoic acid, and 4-methylnonanoic acid. Previous studies demonstrated that Allium mongolicum Regel ethanol extract (AME) reduced the concentration of BCFAs in the muscle and adipose tissues of lambs.

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  • Sep
    22
    Interpretive Summary: Copy number variation of ZNF280BY across eight sheep breeds and its association with testicular size of Hu sheep


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    The zinc finger protein 280B-like, Y-linked ZNF280BY is a bovid-specific Y chromosome gene, playing important roles in testicular development and male fertility. In this study, we found that the ovine ZNF280BY was highly expressed in the testis and significantly upregulated during testicular development.

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  • Sep
    22
    Interpretive Summary: The effects of heat stress on milk production and the grazing behavior of dairy Holstein cows milked by an automatic milking system


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    In higher temperature conditions, dairy cows under pasture-based automatic milking systems may experience heat stress, affecting their health and productive performance. In the present study, the relationships between heat stress, measured by the temperature–humidity index (THI), productive traits, and grazing behaviors were evaluated.

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  • Sep
    22
    Interpretive Summary: How copper can impact pig growth: comparing the effect of copper sulfate and monovalent copper oxide on oxidative status, inflammation, gene abundance, and microbial modulation as potential mechanisms of action


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    Copper is a nonrenewable mineral resource that is essential for all biological organisms. After banning the antibiotics, copper has received considerable attention due to its antimicrobial properties that improve performance in animals when fed over the minimum requirement.

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  • Sep
    15
    Interpretive Summary: Acute stress deteriorates breast meat quality of Ross 308 broiler chickens by inducing redox imbalance and mitochondrial dysfunction


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    Preslaughter acute stress can cause physiological and metabolic disorders of broilers and lead to deterioration of meat quality and high incidence of pale, soft, and exudative (PSE)-like meat, which block the development of broiler industry. Acute stress-induced imbalance of redox status and insufficient energy supply are important reasons for meat quality reduction.

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  • Sep
    15
    Interpretive Summary: Weak genotype x environment interaction suggests that measuring scrotal circumference at 12 and 18 mo of age is helpful to select precocious Brahman cattle


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    Beef production systems rely on efficient cow-calf operations, that is, farms where the cow herd has a high level of fertility and pregnancies are common. Bull fertility also plays an important role in terms of pregnancy rates.

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  • Sep
    15
    Interpretive Summary: Genetic architecture of a composite beef cattle population


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    Composite breeds are commonly used in the U.S. beef industry since they provide producers with benefits such as breed complementarity and retained heterosis. However, cattle composite genomes are not well characterized.

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  • Sep
    15
    Interpretive Summary: Correcting for base-population differences and unknown parent groups in single-step genomic predictions of Norwegian Red cattle


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    Our study dealt with strategies on how to reduce biases (inflation and level-bias) and improve a parameter related to accuracy (stability) of genomic predictions of breeding values that combine genotyped and non-genotyped animals, which are denoted as single-step genomic predictions.

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  • Sep
    15
    Interpretive Summary: Feeding a high-energy finishing diet upon arrival to high-risk feedlot calves: effects on health, performance, ruminal pH, rumination, serum metabolites, and carcass traits


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    When high-risk cattle arrive at the feedlot, they have low feed consumption and a greater risk for disease because of stress, inflammation, and exposure to pathogens. Because of reduced feed consumption, newly arrived cattle may not be able to meet their energy requirement for growth during the first several weeks after feedlot arrival.

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  • Sep
    15
    Interpretive Summary: Precision feeding of lactating sows: implementation and evaluation of a decision support system in farm conditions


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    In lactating sows, nutrient requirements among individual animals vary greatly. With a single diet, lactating sows are likely to be either underfed, which results in body reserve mobilization, or overfed, which results in nutrient excretion.

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  • Sep
    08
    Interpretive Summary: A preliminary exploration of the impact of experiential learning on animal science undergraduates’ perceptions of humane stunning and slaughter


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    It is essential to educate students about humane slaughter as it is a critical component of livestock production, particularly for animal science students who represent future stakeholders in agriculture. There is limited research about the effects of experiential learning on student comfort in participating in education regarding sensitive, yet important topics in the animal sciences.

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  • Sep
    08
    Interpretive Summary: Frequency of maternal supplementation of energy and protein during late gestation modulates preweaning growth of their beef offspring


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    Decreasing the frequency of protein and energy supplementation to beef cattle is often used to reduce labor and feeding costs. We hypothesized that reducing the frequency of protein and energy during third trimester of gestation of beef cows would not impact maternal performance but would be detrimental to offspring growth.

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  • Sep
    08
    Interpretive Summary: Effects of adding potassium bicarbonate to diets with high or low crystalline lysine to influence dietary cation–anion difference on finishing pig growth performance


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    Potassium, fed as potassium bicarbonate (KHCO3) in this study, is essential for swine and is a key component of numerous physiological processes such as the maintenance of electrolyte balance, neuromuscular function. Feeding high levels of chloride anions, via crystalline lysine (L-Lys HCl) has been shown to negatively impact intake and growth performance of pigs.

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  • Sep
    08
    Interpretive Summary: Effects of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product-supplemented diet on circulating immune cells and oxidative stress markers of dogs


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    Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product (SCFP) is a yeast product containing bioactive fermentation metabolites, residual yeast cells, and yeast cell wall fragments. In this study, SCFP was investigated for its impacts on immune health, oxidative stress, and skin and hair coat health in dogs.

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  • Sep
    08
    Interpretive Summary: Infographic: Effects of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product-supplemented diet on circulating immune cells and oxidative stress markers in dogs


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    The American Society of Animal Science and the Editors of the Journal of Animal Science invite you to have a look at the latest infographic and paper which explores how a fermentation product included in the diet of dogs may impact immune cells, oxidative stress/inflammation and skin and coat health.

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  • Sep
    01
    USDA investing $197 million in conservation


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    The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program, that it will be awarding $197 million for 41 locally-led conservation projects. The Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) leverages partner resources to advance innovative projects that address climate change, enhance water quality, and address other critical challenges on agricultural land.

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  • Sep
    01
    The Inflation Reduction Act voted on by House


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    The House recently passed the Inflation Reduction Act, sending the legislation to the desk of President Joe Biden. The Act aims to lower healthcare costs, combat climate change, raise taxes on some large companies, and reduce the deficit.

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