Current research examined Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) for combating LPS-induced inflammatory responses in primary bovine mammary epithelial cells. We uncovered a preventive role of LBP in reducing detrimental effects induced by LPS including inhibition of NF-κB and MAPK along with peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) activation.

A major goal in animal agriculture is to improve the nutritional value of animal products. One area of focus in the beef cattle industry is to use supplemental selenium to improve the antioxidant abilities of muscle and liver tissue, which may reduce the cholesterol levels of muscle tissue, resulting in a healthier product.

Penetrating captive bolt is a commonly used and humane method for euthanizing swine that weigh less than 200kg.

Higher demand for nutrition beyond the basic requirements of the animal has increased in the pet food industry; specifically, using pre-and probiotic ingredients to influence digestive health.

The progression of genetic selection for reduced carcass backfat has increased over the past 20 years, causing an altered phenotypic relationship between energy intake and carcass backfat thickness.

Due to stress during the post-weaning period, morbidity and mortality can be significantly increased. These stressors can be environmental, nutritional, physiological, and immunological changes.

Feeding pharmacological levels of Zn in the early nursery phase has become a common practice in the swine industry to alleviate post-weaning diarrhea. However, antimicrobial resistance is a concern when feeding these levels.

Hybrid rye has shown minimal impact on growth performance and carcass characteristics when used to replace barley and wheat. The current study's objective is to evaluate the use of hybrid rye as a replacement for corn in diets for growing and finishing pigs without impacting growth performance, carcass characteristics, or meat quality.

In this recent Journal of Animal Science study, researchers evaluated how cassava, a high amylopectin starch, impacted the performance and other metabolic parameters of growing pigs. Pigs were fed either a corn-soybean meal LP diet, a corn-cassava-soybean meal LP diet, or a cassava-soybean meal LP diet.

This was the first study of record to evaluate the effects of hydroxy-selenomethionine as a dietary supplement for boards on raw semen characteristics and quality of seminal doses, as well as the reproductive performance achieved when used for artificial insemination.

The negative impacts of stress on gastrointestinal tract barrier function can result in compromised animal growth and health; aspirin is known to cause mucosal injury, leading to increased gut permeability and tight junction damage and, in turn, can be used as a model to study leaky gut in cattle.

The prophylactic use of antibiotics and pharmacological zinc were traditionally used to ward off postweaning diarrhea (PWD) in piglets. However, due to antibiotic resistance and strict regulations on the use of zinc and antibiotics in animal feed, other strategies for combatting PWD are needed.

A study recently published in the Journal of Animal Science aimed to determine whether or not increasing propionate alters dry matter intake, glucose clearance rate, blood metabolites, insulin concentrations, and hepatic gene expression in steers fed a finishing diet.

​Single cell proteins (SCP) are nutrient dense and derived from various economical sources including bacteria and yeast. However, the safety profile of SCP and its and impact on production in farm animals are still under investigation.

Over the last few decades, fertility has been studied as a breeding goal in domestic species, but horses have historically been selected for conformation or performance in equestrian sports without much regard to fertility. For this reason, there is little information available on fertility traits and their inclusion as selection criteria in equine breeding programs.

Livestock farming is currently undergoing a digital revolution. Animals and their surroundings are closely monitored and observed, but such data often reside in disconnected silos, making it impossible to leverage their full potential to improve animal well-being.

Changes in metabolism due to immune system activation and the incidence of infectious disease can lead to differing dietary amino acid requirements for an animal. In addition, it is imperative to determine the nutritional requirements of animals under challenging conditions, so feed formulations are optimal to maximize growth rate and efficient use of nutrients.

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has announced new strategies to reduce Salmonella illness linked to poultry products. The efforts will include gathering data and information to support future actions to move closer to the Healthy People 2030 target of a 25% reduction in Salmonella illness.

ASAS and the ASAS Foundation recognize members on Giving Tuesday.

The School Recovery Act was recently introduced to direct the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide competitive grants to support schools working on food waste reduction programs. “Reducing food waste in schools will give students the opportunity to develop responsible habits that can benefit their communities and our planet throughout their lives,” said Bonamici in a press release.