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Utilizing different dietary fiber sources has been studied in piglets to help mitigate post-weaning diarrhea and improve post-weaning performance. An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of adding sugar beet pulp or a stimbiotic (Signis; AB Vista) on nursery pig performance. Barrows (n = 216; average initial BW = 5.1kg) were randomly allotted to one of three dietary treatments and fed a 4 phase feeding program; 1) Control (Con), Insoluble/Soluble fibre ratio (I/S), P1; 4.47, P2; 5.84, P3; 5.82, P4; 7.08. 2) High Soluble (HS) with sugar beet pulp added at 5% (P1 and P2) and 2.5% (P3 and P4) giving the following I/S ratio; P1; 2.63, P2; 2.91, P3; 5.02 and P4; 5.42. 3) Control plus stimbiotic added at 100 g/t (SIG). Pen weight and feed disappearance were recorded weekly to calculate ADG, ADFI, and G:F. Fecal score was visually ranked by pen daily from wean to 35 days. Blanket water medications were not provided. Instead, individual pigs that needed treatment were identified and injected with individual antibiotic interventions, and the number of interventions per pig was recorded. Performance data were submitted to ANOVA using JMP with mean separation by Tukey test and a contingency analysis was used to compare antibiotic injections. At day 14, pigs had a Rotavirus A and B challenge. Addition of HS or SIG reduced (P < 0.05) individual antibiotic treatments by 56 and 32% compared to the CON, respectively. No differences were observed in scour scores or overall ADG. Overall intake was greater (P < 0.01) in HS (0.560 kg) than CON (0.491 kg) or SIG (0.492 kg). Pigs fed SIG (0.671) had a better (P = 0.011) G:F over SBP (0.602), with CON (0.649) being intermediate. In conclusion, HS increased intake where stimbiotic improved feed efficiency, and both decreased antibiotic treatments.

The objectives were to evaluate differences in productivity (mortality, number of pigs weaned and litter weights) and electricity usage between farrowing crates equipped with the HAVEN device or standard heat lamps. The HAVEN is a heat element designed to create a microclimate for newborn pigs. A total of 314 sows (Camborough; PIC, Hendersonville, TN) were initially allotted to the study in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) based on parity (P1, P2, P3+). Treatments consisted of control group (standard heat lamps) and treatment group (HAVEN device). Around d112 of gestation the sows were moved to the farrowing house and randomly allotted to the treatment. After farrow, litters were cross-fostered within treatment until 24-h after farrowing to equalize litter number to teat count. Litter size and weight were collected at the time of cross-fostering and at weaning. Sows had an ad libitum access to feed and water during lactation. Data were analyzed as an RCBD using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS with litter as the experimental unit and block as a random effect. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) between treatments on litter growth performance. However, there were significant differences (P < 0.05) between the Control and Haven groups on piglets mortality and removals (%). The Control group had a higher incidence of mortality when compared to the Haven group (11.42% vs. 9.06%, respectively). In addition, the Control group had a higher (P < 0.05) percentage of pigs removed compared to the Haven group (18.41% vs. 15.55%, respectively). Regarding electricity usage, on average the HAVEN device consumed 1.55 Wh/day compared to 2.41 Wh/day from the heat lamp. In conclusion, under the conditions of this trial the HAVEN provided production benefits reducing mortality and removals (%), and also potential savings in electricity.

The objective was to determine the influence of feed intake (FI) and fiber source on hindgut disappearance of energy and nutrients in pigs. Ten canulated barrows with an initial body weight (BW) of 38.3 ± 5.4 kg were allotted to a replicated 5 × 4 Latin square design with 5 treatments and 4 periods. A corn-soybean meal-based basal diet (BD) and 2 × 2 factorial treatment arrangement with 2 amounts of FI (9.0 and 4.5% × BW0.75) and 2 fiber sources of sugar beet pulp (SBP) and corn cob were used. Three diets were 1) a BD, 2) a diet replacing 30% of corn and soybean meal in BD with SBP as a source of soluble dietary fiber (SDF), and 3) a diet replacing 15% of corn and soybean meal in BD with corn cobs as a source of insoluble dietary fiber (IDF) to obtain a similar IDF concentration as in the SBP diet. Each period consisted of 7-d adaptation, 2-d fecal collection, and 2-d ileal collection. Apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of energy, dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), and crude protein (CP) in SBP diet was less (P < 0.001) than that in corn cob diet, whereas AID of neutral detergent fiber in SBP were greater (P < 0.001) than in corn cob diet. Hindgut disappearance of energy, DM, OM, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber in SBP diet was greater (P < 0.05) than that in corn cob diet. However, no interaction between FI and fiber source on the AID, apparent total tract digestibility, and hindgut disappearance of nutrients was observed. Overall, hindgut disappearance of nutrients in sugar beet pulp diet was greater than that in corn cob diet. However, the influence of feed intake or the interaction between feed intake and fiber source was not observed.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of adding 0% (T1), 6% (T2), 12% (T3) and 18% (T4) of a mixture (83% dried citrus pulp (DCP) and 17% eggshell) into a sorghum-soybean meal-limestone based diet for laying quails, on production efficiency and quality of egg. Thirty-two quails were individually housed and randomly assigned (n = 8) to the four experimental diets, during the first 5 week of the laying cycle. Quail LW and feed intake were recorded weekly. Produced eggs were weighed (n = 457) and egg mass production recorded. Proportions of albumen, yolk and shell, egg yolk color, and shell thickness, were determined (n = 55/treatment). On week 5, total excreta of 24 laying quails (n = 6) were collected throughout 96 h, to determine metabolizable utilization of DM, energy, crude protein and ash. Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS® software. Initial and final LW, feed intake and egg production were similar (P >0.05) among treatments. Egg mass was higher (P < 0.05) in T2 than T4. Egg weight of quails fed T1 and T2 was higher than others (P < 0.05). The eggshell of quails fed T2 was thicker (248 vs 236 μm; P < 0.05) than T1. Eggshell proportion of quails fed the mixture was higher (P < 0.05) than in T1 (11.3 vs 10.5%). Yolk proportion of T1 was higher (P < 0.05). The b* parameter was lower (P < 0.05) for T1. Metabolizable utilization of dietary DM (72.1%) and energy (68.8%) of T1 was 13% higher (P < 0.05) than T4, however protein (avg 41.4%) and ash (avg 46.7%) utilization were similar (P > 0.05) among treatments. In conclusion, adding up to 12% of the mixture (83% DCP and 17% eggshell) in quail diets, resulted in similar egg production parameters, and metabolizable utilization of dietary DM, crude protein, energy and ash, however improved thickness of eggshell, compared to the control diet.

Lignocellulose is an alternative fiber source for dogs; however, it has not yet been studied as a feed ingredient for the nutrition of dogs. Eight adult Beagles were involved in the study, which consisted of 3 feeding periods of 8 to 12 wk each. All dogs received 3 different diets, which either had the same concentration of fiber sources (2.7% sugar beet pulp or lignocellulose) or were formulated for a similar concentration of approximately 3% crude fiber: 12% sugar beet pulp (highSBP; 3.1% crude fiber), 2.7% sugar beet pulp (lowSBP; 0.96% crude fiber), or 2.7% lignocellulose (LC; 2.4% crude fiber). Feces samples were collected at the end of each feeding period, and the apparent nutrient digestibility, daily amount, and DM content of feces and fecal cell numbers of relevant bacteria were analyzed. The daily feces amount was lower and the feces DM was higher when dogs were fed the LC diet and the lowSBP diet compared with the highSBP diet ( < 0.001). Apparent digestibility of CP, Na, and K was highest with the lowSBP diet followed by the LC and highSBP diets ( < 0.001). After feeding LC, the bacterial cell counts of spp., spp., and the cluster were reduced compared with feeding highSBP and even more reduced after feeding lowSBP ( < 0.001). The bacterial cell count of the cluster was lower in LC and lowSBP compared with highSBP ( < 0.001). The feces of dogs fed LC and lowSBP had lower concentrations of acetate ( < 0.001), propionate ( < 0.001), -butyrate ( = 0.015), total fatty acids ( < 0.001), and lactate ( < 0.001) compared with dogs fed highSBP. The concentration of -butyrate was higher in the feces of dogs fed with LC compared with dogs fed high and low sugar beet pulp (SBP; < 0.001). The pH of the feces of the LC-fed dogs was highest followed by lowSBP- and highSBP-fed dogs ( < 0.001). Depending on the concentration, the use of LC and SBP as fiber sources in dog feed has different impacts on the fecal microbiota and the apparent digestibility of nutrients. Therefore, different areas of application should be considered.

The use of filter crucibles to determine the degradability increases the time required in the analytical process, thus reducing the speed of obtaining experimental data. This has made it necessary to search for alternative methods that ensure a homogeneous digestion and filtration system for all samples and provide accurate and accurate results. The study evaluated the in vitro dry matter degradability of five treatments: 1) Filter crucible; 2) F57 bags (Ankom®) with non-degradable mass; 3) TNT bags weighing g/m2 with non-degradable mass; 4) F57 bags (Ankom®); 5) TNT bags weighing g/m2. The in vitro gas production method used was the semiautomatic one with pressure transducer, for that 8 bovines Nellore castrated male were used as content and ruminal liquid donors. A completely randomized experimental design was used, with 5 treatments, 4 blocks (inocula), and three replicates within each block. PROC GLM was used to adjust for multiple comparisons of the data using the Tukey’s test at 5% significance. There was no difference in the in vitro dry matter degradability for 24 or 96 hours (P-value 0.0554 and 0.1411, respectively), regardless of the treatment. Thus, the possibility of using TNT made bag to the detriment of the F57 bag is affirmed because of the high cost of this one in relation to that one.

The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effects of deoxynivalenol (DON) on growth performance and intestinal microbiota in weaning piglets, and potential efficacy of a modified hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate (HSCAS) binder to detoxify DON toxicity. Four groups of 21-day-old male piglets (n = 7/group) were fed either a control diet, or diet adding 1.0 or 3.0 mg/kg DON, or 3.0 mg/kg DON plus 0.05% modified HSCAS for 28 d. Compared to the control, dietary DON at 1.0 and/or 3.0 mg/kg decreased (P < 0.05) the feed intake (18.1–38.7%) and body weight gain (16.0–60.8%) during the whole experiment, and increased (P < 0.05) the feed/gain ratio (12.8–33.8%) during d 1–14. Worse results were obtained at 3.0 mg/kg DON in comparison to 1.0 mg/kg for most of these variables. DON exposure reshaped gut microbial structure by drastically dysregulating the abundance of several bacterial phyla, families, and genera, such as dysbiosis of Actinobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria in small intestine. Notably, dietary modified HSCAS binder supplementation mitigated the negative effects of DON on growth performance of piglets and improved the intestinal flora disorder. Therefore, this study has revealed that the modified HSCAS binder can mitigate DON-induced adverse effects and could be used as a promising countermeasure for detoxifying DON toxicity.

Byproducts are an important component of many beef production systems in the southeast. A variety of byproducts are used as supplemental nutrition for pastured cattle, and a byproduct-based total mixed ration is commonly used in backgrounding enterprises. Byproducts of corn (wet and dry milling), soybean, cotton, peanuts, rice, citrus, brewing and vegetable processing are widely available. Regional availability will determine what optimal byproducts will be for a given area. The value of an alternative feed for beef cattle is commonly determined based on the TDN and CP levels relative to corn and soybean meal (the Peterson Method). This simple approach allows the user to calculate a $ per ton value at a given corn and soybean meal price, but may result in misleading information. Research comparing alternative feeds to the standard often find that a “realized value” is different than the calculated value. Intake may be stimulated or depressed by a given ingredient. Hidden costs including handling and shrinkage are often a problem for wet materials. Sometimes dramatic side effects occur despite a high calculated value for the feed. For example, fermented sweet potato cannery waste has a very high nutritive value that is realized when fed at low levels in a total mixed ration. However, when fed free-choice, it may cause severe dental erosion resulting in reduced gains in yearlings and early tooth loss in cows. Culled cured sweet potatoes coming from cold storage have a high calculated value yet can cause death in cows because of a lung toxin. There is actually a limited amount of research published with byproducts in southern beef production systems. Due to diversity of forage-base and wide variety of ingredients with potential associative effects, more research is needed to fully understand how byproducts are best utilized.

Cattle originating from 2 different herds were used during growing and finishing programs to evaluate differences in CH4 and CO2 production. The conventional (CONV) herd used spring calving, summer grass grazing, and winter corn residue grazing. An alternate (ALT) herd housed cows in confinement pens during summer, calved in summer, grazed cover crops in fall and grazed corn residue before returning to confinement pens in spring. Each herd had 4 groups of 20 cows. For 2 years calves from each herd were weaned at the same age and then fed ad libitum for a 120-d growing (GR) period and fed a forage-based diet (NEg 1.23 Mcal/kg). Cattle were then adapted to a grain-based finishing (FIN) diet (NEg 1.51 Mcal/kg) and fed until reaching 1.27 cm backfat. Both CH4 and CO2 were collected in two pen-scale chambers by collecting air samples continuously from each pen ambient air. Each group was evaluated in the pen-scale chambers for 5 days during both the GR and FIN phases. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS with day in barn as a repeated measure. Whether cattle originated from CONV or ALT had no impact (P > 0.25) on CH4 or CO2 production. Feeding GR resulted in greater (P < 0.03) CH4 than FIN in grams per day (125.4 vs 117.5), grams per kg of intake (16.1 vs 11.5), or g per kg of body weight (0.50 vs 0.24). Greater CO2 production was observed for FIN as compared to GR which is due to greater size and energy intake. Diet impacts CH4 more so than cow-calf production system cattle originate from.

The corn distilling industry is a major processor of grain, but the high fiber co-product (DDGS), has limited application in feed. Simple mechanical stillage separation downstream of fermentation produces a high protein (52.4 % DM), highly digestible, low crude fiber (4.4% DM) product containing approximately 25% DM spent brewer’s yeast (high density distillers’ protein: HDDP). Currently, approximately 300 ktons of HDDP are produced annually in the USA, and the volume will double in 2020. The effect of graded inclusion levels of HDDP on growth, feed efficiency, nutrient utilization, blood chemistry and gut histology of 525 post-smolt Atlantic salmon (initial body weight 304 ± 10.7g), randomly allocated to three tanks per treatment, was tested in a salt-water recirculating aquaculture system. One control diet with no HDDP was formulated to meet the nutrient requirements of Atlantic salmon. Four test diets were formulated to contain graded levels of HDDP at 5, 10, 15 and 20% respectively. HDDP partially replaced soy protein concentrate and corn protein concentrate in the diets. Salmon were hand-fed to satiety, 3 times daily during the 84-day trial. Throughout the trial the performance of fish on all treatments exceeded commercial growth rates with thermal growth coefficients (TGC) in excess of 0.160 and feed conversion efficiency of ≤ 1.0. Overall HDDP was a nutritious feed ingredient and had no significant impact on performance. Overall TGC was highest (0.200 over the 84-day trial period) in fish fed the diet containing 10% HDDP. Both villi length and villi width in the distal intestine of salmon fed diets containing HDDP tended to be higher than in the controls. Overall, HDDP derived from the dry grind ethanol process was a safe and nutritious novel feed ingredient for Atlantic salmon, and the potential beneficial effect on gut morphology merits investigation.

This research summarizes a large existing data base collected over fifteen years to examine origin and fate of nitrogen and phosphorous in an open lot beef system, as impacted by seasonal changes, diets, and management practices. Data from 15 winter trials, including 200 pens, and 15 summer trials, including 216 pens were reviewed for nutrient mass balance, which was then used to determine the correlations of season, diet, and management with nitrogen and phosphorous intake, retention, manure harvested, loss, and runoff. All relationships were evaluated using linear regression SAS. Results suggested N in harvested manure for winter and summer averaged 90 and 51 g/steer daily, respectively (compared to ASABE standard of 88.5) and P harvested in manure for winter and summer averaged 26 and 17.7 g/steer daily, respectively (compared to ASABE standard of 37.5). Results of this summary show that the amount of nitrogen lost and retained in the manure is correlated to season (winter versus summer feeding period). Nitrogen in the manure (R2=0.21) and amount lost (R2=0.65) correlations with N intake in the summer were greater compared to winter (R2=0.06) and (R2=0.22). There is a greater correlation of phosphorous intake with amount harvested in manure (R2=0.32) in the winter versus the summer (R2=0.19). Results of the mass balance data compared with ASABE standards suggest greater observed dietary nutrient intakes than assumed by these standards. For example, average winter and summer nitrogen intakes of 220 and 250 g/steer daily exceeds the ASABE standard of 192 g/steer daily. These unique data describe the variability of nutrient recovery and losses from beef systems—and the importance of basing standard planning estimates on dietary concentration and evolving with current practices.

Two experiments were conducted to study the effects of inclusion of additional fiber in the Phase I diet on growth performance and nutrient digestibility in piglets reared under "optimal" or "poor" hygienic conditions. In both experiments, the design was completely randomized with a control diet that contained 2.2% crude fiber and 8 additional isonutritive diets that included 2.5 or 5.0% of sugar beet pulp (SBP), straw, oat hulls (OH), or wheat middlings (WHM). Preplanned polynomial contrasts were used to study the effects of 1) fiber inclusion (control diet vs. average of the 8 fiber-containing diets), 2) source of fiber, 3) level of fiber, and 4) interaction between source and level of fiber. In Exp. 1 (clean barn), fiber inclusion increased ( < 0.01) the incidence of postweaning diarrhea (PWD) and reduced ( < 0.05) feed efficiency and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of all nutrients except that of CP, which was not affected. Piglet performance was not affected by source or level of dietary fiber. The ATTD of all nutrients decreased ( < 0.05) as the level of fiber increased and was lower in pigs fed straw or OH than in pigs fed SBP or WHM. The apparent ileal digestibility of GE and DM decreased ( < 0.05) with fiber inclusion, a reduction that was more pronounced ( < 0.05) with straw or SBP than with OH inclusion, with WHM inclusion being intermediate. Fiber inclusion did not affect villous height to crypt depth ratio of the ileum mucosa. The inclusion of 5% of a fiber source increased and counts in the cecum ( < 0.001) but the to ratio was not affected. In Exp. 2 (dirty barn), fiber inclusion did not affect piglet performance but tended to increase PWD ( = 0.07). Also, fiber inclusion reduced ( < 0.05) the ATTD of all dietary components except that of CP, which was not affected. Source and level of fiber did not affect ATTD of nutrients except for DM, which was greater for pigs fed SBP than for pigs fed straw ( < 0.05). In conclusion, in the current research, pigs reared under optimal hygienic conditions had lower incidence of PWD, better growth performance, and greater DM and GE digestibility than pigs reared under poor hygienic conditions. An excess of dietary fiber was more detrimental for all these traits in piglets reared under optimal hygienic conditions. The effects of the source and level of fiber on piglet performance was limited in the 2 experiments.

In the present study, we have hypothesized that replacing barley with high proportions of dried citrus pulp in a concentrate-based diet for lambs could increase the intake of unsaturated fatty acids and could reduce the rate of the ruminal biohydrogenation of PUFA, with a consequent improvement of the intramuscular fatty acid composition. To test this hypothesis, 26 Comisana lambs were divided into 3 groups and for 56 d were fed a barley-based concentrate diet (CON; 8 lambs) or 2 diets in which barley was replaced with 24% (CIT24; 9 lambs) or 35% (CIT35; 9 lambs) dried citrus pulp. An overall improvement of the fatty acid composition of LM from lambs fed citrus pulp-containing diets was found. The PUFA/SFA ratio was lower (P < 0.05) in the LM from lambs in the CON group compared with both the CIT24 and CIT35 groups. The thrombogenic index was lower (P < 0.05) in meat from lambs fed the CIT35 diet compared with those fed the CON diet. The CIT35 diet increased the proportion of C20:5 n-3 in the LM (P < 0.05), whereas the CIT24 diet enhanced that of C22:6 -3 (P < 0.05) compared with the CON diet. Some of these results might be explained considering that feeding the CIT24 and CIT35 diets increased the intake of total fatty acids (P < 0.05) and of C18:3 n-3 (P < 0.01) compared with feeding the CON treatment. On the other hand, phenolic compounds present in citrus pulp could have inhibited the ruminal biohydrogenation of PUFA. This is supported by the fact that regardless of the level of inclusion in the diet, citrus pulp increased the proportion of rumenic acid (P < 0.001) in LM compared with the CON diet. The plasma from lambs fed both CIT24 and CIT35 diets had a greater percentage of vaccenic acid (VA; < 0.001) compared with that from lambs fed the CON diet, and the CIT35 diet increased the proportion of rumenic acid in plasma compared with the CON treatment (P < 0.05). In the ruminal fluid, stearic acid (SA) tended to decrease, and the sum of CLA tended to increase (P = 0.09) with increasing level of citrus pulp in the diets. Furthermore, the SA/(SA + VA) ratio tended to be lower (P = 0.10) in the ruminal fluid from lambs fed the CIT35 diet compared with that of the CON group. In conclusion, our results support the hypothesis that replacing barley with citrus pulp in the diet of growing lambs improves intramuscular fatty acid composition and underline the need for specific studies to clarify the mechanisms by which feeding citrus pulp affects the fatty acid metabolism in ruminants.

The objective of this experiment was to determine the effects of in vitro fermentation of coconut endosperm fiber (CEF), chicory pulp (CHP), and selective blends of these substrates on SCFA production and changes in microbiota using canine fecal inocula. A total of 6 individual substrates, including short-chain fructooligosaccharide (scFOS; a well-established prebiotic source), pectin (PEC; used as a positive control), pelletized cellulose (PC; used as a negative control), beet pulp (BP; considered the gold standard fiber source in pet foods), CEF, and CHP, and 3 CEF:CHP blends (75:25% CEF:CHP [B1], 50:50% CEF:CHP [B2], and 25:75% CEF:CHP [B3]) were tested. Triplicate samples of each substrate were fermented for 0, 8, and 16 h after inoculation. A significant substrate × time interaction (P < 0.05) was observed for pH change and acetate, propionate, butyrate, and total SCFA concentrations. After 8 and 16 h, pH change was greatest for scFOS (-2.0 and -3.0, respectively) and smallest for PC (0.0 and -0.1, respectively). After 16 h, CEF had a greater butyrate concentration than CHP and all the CEF:CHP blends and it was not different than PEC. The substrate × time interaction was significant for bifidobacteria (P < 0.05) and lactobacilli (P < 0.05). After 8 h, bifidobacteria was greatest for BP and lowest for PC (12.7 and 10.0 log10 cfu/tube, respectively). After 16 h, PC had the lowest and scFOS had the greatest bifidobacteria (6.7 and 13.3 log10 cfu/tube, respectively). In general, CEF, CHP, and their blends had similar bifidobacteria populations after 8 and 16 h of fermentation when compared with BP and scFOS. After 16 h, lactobacilli populations were greatest for B1, B2, B3, BP, and scFOS, intermediate for PEC, and lowest for PC (P < 0.05). Overall, our data suggest that CEF had a butyrogenic effect and that CEF, CHP, and their blends had similar bifidobacteria and lactobacilli populations as popular prebiotic and fiber substrates. Future research should investigate the effects of CEF, CHP, and their blends on gastrointestinal health and fecal quality in dogs.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) contamination of DDGS is a recurring problem. Chemical pretreatment can be used to reduce the effect of DON-contamination in complete feeds. A total of 247 growing pigs (21.5 ± 2.1 kg; n = 6 pens/treatment) were used to evaluate pretreated DON-contaminated DDGS on pig performance. Experimental diets were corn/soybean meal based containing one of 3 DDGS sources [mycotoxin-free (control, 1.0 ppm DON), DON contaminated (donDDGS, 11.6 ppm DON), and pre-treated DON DDGS (trtDDGS, 7.3 ppm DON)] at 30% diet inclusion. Diets met or exceeded nutrient requirements for growing pigs and were fed for 21 d. Data were analyzed as a repeated measure with main effects of period and diet and pen as experimental unit. Pig BW and feed disappearance were measured at d3, 7, 10, 14, and 21. Mean BW of pigs fed donDDGS was lighter (P = 0.016) than pigs fed control; pigs fed trtDDGS had intermediate BW (31.3 vs 33.0 and 32.1 kg). Weigh period and diet tended to interact (P = 0.084) on daily gain such that daily gain was not different between weigh periods for control diet-fed pigs and lower in first 3d for donDDGS- and trtDDGS-fed pigs compared to other periods. donDDGS-fed pigs tended (P = 0.071) to have lower overall intake compared to trtDDGS-fed pigs and control diet-fed pigs. Pretreatment of DDGS reduced the impact of DON contamination in the first week. [Image: see text]

Dehydrated citrus pulp (DCP) contains limiting amount of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), probably due to the high content of fiber components and phytic acid. The use of fibrolytic enzymatic complexes could favor the use of DCP in piglets’ diets. Thus, the objective of this work was to determine the balance of P and N in weaned piglets fed diets with increasing levels of DCP, with or without the addition of exogenous enzymes. Forty castrated male piglets with average initial weight of 7.85 ± 1.64 kg were individually distributed in metabolic cages, in a factorial scheme (2x4): with or without exogenous enzymatic complex (carbohydrases + phytase) X levels of DCP inclusion (0, 3, 6 and 9%) to the diets, with five replicates per treatment and one animal per experimental unit. Diets were formulated based on corn, soybean meal, powdered milk, powdered whey, sugar, soybean oil, amino acids, vitamins, minerals and additives. Experimental diets were provided for 12 d with the initial 7 d being the adaptation period. Ferric oxide (Fe2O3) was added as an indigestible marker on d 7 and 11, respectively. P and N in diets, feces and urine were determined for P and N balance calculation. There was no interaction (P> 0.05) between the addition of enzymes and the levels of DCP. However, there was a reduction (P= 0.067) of P excreted in the feces by the addition of enzymes, as well as a reduction (P= 0.028) of N excreted in the feces. Increasing DCP levels in diets resulted in a linear increase (P= 0.046) of N excreted in feces and a linear reduction (P= 0.038) of N absorbed. The addition of exogenous enzymes (carbohydrases and phytase) in diets for weaned piglets reduces fecal excretion of P and N, while DCP inclusion increases the N excretion in feces.

Poultry are sensitive to red objects, such as comb and blood on the body surface, likely inducing injurious pecking in flocks. Light is an important factor that affects the pecking behavior of poultry. A wooden box was built to investigate the effects of Light Emitting Diode (LED) light color (warm white and cold white) and intensity (5 and 50 lux) of background light on the discrimination of red objects in broilers. A piece of red photographic paper (Paper 1) was used to simulate a red object and paired with another piece of paper (Paper 2 to 8) with a different color. Bigger number of the paired paper indicated greater color difference. The experiment consisted of three phases: adaptation, training, and test. In the adaptation phase, birds were selected for the adaptation to reduce the stress from the box. In the training phase, birds were trained to discriminate and peck at Paper 1 when paired with Paper 8 under one type of background light. Twenty-three birds were tested when the paired paper was changed from Paper 7 to 2. Each pair of paper included 12 trials for every bird, and response time to peck and proportion of choices of Paper 1 in the last 10 trials were collected. The results showed that broilers tested under 5 lux light had longer response times than broilers tested under 50 lux light (P < 0.05). When Paper 1 was paired with paper 7, broilers tested under warm white light had lower proportion of choices of Paper 1 than those tested under cold white light (P < 0.05). Color difference had a significant effect on response time of broilers (P < 0.05). Moreover, the proportion of choices of Paper 1 decreased to 50% (chance-level performance) when color of the paired paper was gradually similar to Paper 1. Conclusively, rearing broilers in warm white rather than cold white light with appropriate light intensity should be recommended to reduce damaging pecking behavior in broiler production.

A renewed interest in data analytics and decision support systems in developing automated computer systems is facilitating the emergence of hybrid intelligent systems by combining artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms with classical modeling paradigms such as mechanistic modeling (HIMM) and agent-based models (iABM). Data analytics have evolved remarkably, and the scientific community may not yet fully grasp the power and limitations of some tools. Existing statistical assumptions might need to be re-assessed to provide a more thorough competitive advantage in animal production systems towards sustainability. This paper discussed the evolution of data analytics from a competitive advantage perspective within academia and illustrated the combination of different advanced technological systems in developing HIMM. The progress of analytical tools was divided into three stages: collect and respond, predict and prescribe, and smart learning and policy making, depending on the level of their sophistication (simple to complicated analysis). The collect and respond stage is responsible for ensuring the data is correct and free of influential data points, and it represents the data and information phases for which data are cataloged and organized. The predict and prescribe stage results in gained knowledge from the data and comprises most predictive modeling paradigms, and optimization and risk assessment tools are used to prescribe future decision-making opportunities. The third stage aims to apply the information obtained in the previous stages to foment knowledge and use it for rational decisions. This stage represents the pinnacle of acquired knowledge that leads to wisdom, and AI technology is intrinsic. Although still incipient, HIMM and iABM form the forthcoming stage of competitive advantage. HIMM may not increase our ability to understand the underlying mechanisms controlling the outcomes of a system, but it may increase the predictive ability of existing models by helping the analyst explain more of the data variation. The scientific community still has some issues to be resolved, including the lack of transparency and reporting of AI that might limit code reproducibility. It might be prudent for the scientific community to avoid the shiny object syndrome (i.e., AI) and look beyond the current knowledge to understand the mechanisms that might improve productivity and efficiency to lead agriculture towards sustainable and responsible achievements.Data analytics have evolved remarkably. This paper discussed the evolution of data analytics from a competitive advantage perspective within academia and illustrated the combination of different advanced technological systems in developing hybrid intelligent mechanistic models (HIMM). Data analytics tools are divided into 3 stages. The first stage (collect and respond) ensures that data are correct and free of influential data points, and it represents the data and information phases for which data are cataloged and organized. The second stage (predict and prescribe) results in gained knowledge from the data and comprises most predictive modeling paradigms, and optimization and risk assessment tools are used to prescribe future decision-making opportunities. The third stage (smart learning and policy making) aims to apply the information obtained in the previous stages to foment knowledge and use it for rational decisions. Although still incipient, HIMM form the forthcoming stage of competitive advantage. HIMM may not increase our ability to understand the underlying mechanisms controlling the outcomes of a system, but it may increase the predictive ability of existing models by helping the analyst explain more of the data variation. The scientific community needs to resolve the lack of transparency and reporting of artificial intelligence for code reproducibility.

Methionine is an essential dietary amino acid that can be supplied in different chemical forms: DL-methionine, L-methionine, and OH-methionine. It has been hypothesized that L-methionine might be used with greater efficacy for average daily gain (ADG) in weaning pigs due to their decreased enzymatic capacity to convert the other methionine forms. This study aimed to compare DL-methionine, L-methionine, and OH-methionine efficiency of utilization for ADG in weaned pigs through meta-analysis.The systematic review resulted in 2,167 papers screened for the title and abstract, with 24 papers meeting the inclusion criteria. The ADG was regressed as a function of the standardized ileal digestible (SID) methionine intake (Meti). The study was used as a random intercept, and regressions were weighted by the square root of the number of observations. Non-linear models were used to determine the Meti requirements. The average Meti requirement for pigs of 5 to 25 kg body weight (BW) was 2.09 g/d. The slopes of linear mixed-effects regression models were compared for the different methionine sources. Average initial BW was 7.99 (DL-methionine), 8.82 (L-methionine), and 7.06 kg (OH-methionine). Meti was 1.5 g/d for all sources whereas SID cysteine intake was 1.90, 2.23, and 1.93 g/d, for DL-methionine, L-methionine, and OH-methionine, respectively . Increase in Meti below the estimated requirement linearly increased ADG (ADG = 107 + 138 × Meti; P < 0.01). No difference between the slopes of methionine sources was observed, rejecting the hypothesis that L-methionine is used with greater efficiency in weaned pigs. Pigs receiving DL-methionine, L-methionine, and OH-methionine presented an estimated ADG of 319, 317, and 311 (SE = 19, 25 and, 26, respectively) g/d, respectively. In conclusion, methionine efficiency of utilization for ADG in post-weaned pigs is not affected by methionine sources.

Many problematic outcomes in agricultural and food systems have important dynamic dimensions and arise due to underlying system structure. Thus, understanding the linkages between system structure and dynamic behavior often is important for the design and implementation of interventions to achieve sustained improvements. System dynamics (SD) modeling represents system structure using stock-flow-feedback structures expressed as systems of differential equations solved by numerical integration methods. System dynamics methods also encompass a broader methodological approach that emphasizes model structural development and data inputs to replicate one of a limited number of problematic behavioral modes, anticipates dynamic complexity, and focuses on feedback processes arising from endogenous system elements. This paper highlights the process of SD modeling using 2 examples from animal agriculture at different scales. A dynamic version of the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) that represents outcomes for an individual dairy cow is formulated as an SD model illustrates the benefits of the SD approach in modeling rumen fill and animal performance. At a very different scale, an SD model of the Brazilian dairy supply chain (farms, processing, and consumers) illustrates the country-level impacts of efforts to improve cow productivity and how impacts differ if productivity improvement occurs on small farms rather than large farms. The paper concludes with recommendations about how to increase awareness and training in SD methods to enhance their appropriate use in research and instruction.

Genetic improvement of animals plays an important role in improving the economic and environmental sustainability of livestock production systems. This paper proposes a method to incorporate mitigation of environmental impacts and risk preferences of producers into a breeding objective via economic values (EVs). The paper assesses the effects of using these alternative EVs of breeding goal traits on discounted economic response to selection and on environmental impacts at commercial farm level. The application focuses on a Brazilian pig production system. Separate dam- and sire-line breeding programs that supply parents in a 3-tier production system for producing crossbreds (fattening pigs) at commercial level were assumed. Using EVs that are derived from utility functions by incorporating risk aversion increases the cumulative discounted economic response to selection in sire-line selection (6%) while reducing response in dam-line selection (12%) compared with the use of traditional EVs. The use of EVs that include environmental costs increases the cumulative discounted social response to selection in both dam-line (5%) and sire-line (10%) selections. Emission of greenhouse gases, and excretion of nitrogen and phosphorus can be reduced more with genetic improvements of production traits than reproduction traits for the typical Brazilian farrow-to-finish pig farm. Reductions in environmental impacts do not, however, depend on the use of the different EVs (i.e., with and without taking into account environmental costs and risk). Both environmental costs and risk preferences of producers need to be considered in sire-line selection, and only environmental costs in dam-line selection to improve, at the same time, the economic and environmental sustainability of the Brazilian pig production system.

A short survey was conducted in 2019 to determine knowledge of bioactive forages for parasite control, including specifically Sericea Lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata), before or during small ruminant workshops (also available online via SurveyMonkey® - link sent to a small ruminant email list). Questions also included livestock owned, hay grown and/or fed, and interest in bioactive forages, among others. Descriptive statistics were obtained by using weighted (by region for goat numbers) SURVEYMEANS procedures (SAS). A total of 151 surveys were completed, including paper (n = 45) and online responses (n = 106). Response rate for paper surveys was 90%. Twenty-six of the fifty states were represented and assigned to regions: Southeast (SE), Midwest (MW), Northeast (NE), and southwestern and western combined (SWW). The highest responses came from the SE (unweighted), but after weighting, the SWW region was represented at the highest level (P < 0.001). Nearly 100% of respondents had small ruminants on their farm, most fed both grass and legume hay (P < 0.001), 36.5 ± 8.6% raised hay, but very few sold hay (4.9 ± 1.5%; less than those that did not, P < 0.001). The most popular method of marketing for hay was “word of mouth” (P < 0.001). Prior knowledge of forage plants with bioactivity was noted for 78.0 ± 8.1% (P < 0.001) vs those without. Approximately a third of respondents had used or grown sericea lespedeza (32.8 ± 8.4%; P < 0.05) and most (tendency, P < 0.07) thought of it favorably. Almost half of respondents indicated they were willing to grow sericea lespedeza (P < 0.02). Other sericea lespedeza products of interest to respondents included primarily pellets (around 85.3 ± 8.3%), with little interest in silage (2.2 ± 1.1%; P < 0.0001). Producer surveys, such as this, help inform efforts for researchers and Extension staff.

Perennial grass pastures provide the basis for beef production systems across the Southeast United States. One common management practice that is widely recommended among agronomists is interseeding cool-season legumes. Legumes can serve as a complementary resource for filling in production gaps, reducing supplemental feedstuffs, reducing the need for nitrogen fertilization, increasing the nutritional quality of forage available, increase biomass production, improve animal performance, and can reduce the toxic effects of endophyte-infected tall fescue through dilution. A simulated economic analysis was developed to further the economic understanding of the cost of implementation, the subsequent animal and forage performance benefits, and net returns from the inclusion of legumes over many research trials and years. Data from 15 peer-reviewed papers was used to simulate the economic benefits of implementing this production practice. Cost of production and revenue for each paper were calculated using the 10-year average from 2010 to 2019. This analysis provides users with a further understanding of the net returns, critical breakeven areas, and return on investment that is necessary in order to successfully implement the inclusion of cool-season legumes in perennial grass-based systems.

The growing emphasis on ensuring the sustainability of animal agriculture is providing an impetus for the adoption of new approaches to structuring and conducting research. Sustainability is a complex topic involving many considerations related to the economic, social, and environmental impacts of production systems. Successfully addressing this topic requires multidisciplinary research as well as a high degree of communication with food system stakeholders to ensure that the research results contribute to informed decision making. In this paper, we provide an overview of a public-private partnership, the Coalition for Sustainable Egg Supply (CSES), which was formed to support research evaluating the sustainability of laying hen housing systems. Because of increasing public concerns about the behavioral restriction imposed on laying hens housed in conventional cages, the U.S. egg industry is faced with a need to transition to alternative systems. However, before the CSES project, there was limited information available about how this transition might affect trade-offs related to the sustainability of egg production. The goal of the CSES project was to provide this information by conducting holistic research on a commercial farm that had 3 different hen housing systems. The CSES members represented a variety of stakeholders, including food retailers and distributors, egg producers, universities, and governmental (USDA ARS) and nongovernmental organizations. The CSES was facilitated by a not-for-profit intermediary, the Center for Food Integrity, which was also responsible for communicating the research results to food system stakeholders, including via quantitative and qualitative consumer research. In this paper, we describe the structural aspects of the CSES that were responsible for the successful completion and dissemination of the research as well as the insights that were gained regarding multidisciplinary and multi-institutional collaboration, conducting commercial-scale research, fostering and maintaining stakeholder interaction, and communicating research results. Although not without limitations, this project demonstrates that public-private partnerships can be effective strategies for addressing sustainability questions related to animal agriculture and, thus, serves as a useful model for the other animal industries.

In early lactation, susceptibility to disease is greatest, impacting cow health and productivity and leading to economic losses. Mastitis is the most economically costly disease to the dairy industry and is most frequent at this time. The objective of this paper is to discuss the energetic fuels used by leukocytes in the metabolic response during mastitis that may reveal potential mechanisms linking mastitis with the development of subsequent metabolic diseases for dairy cows during lactation. Glucose and glutamine are the primary fuels used by leukocytes and are essential substrates for optimal leukocyte function. Yet because these substrates are in high demand to support milk synthesis during early lactation, their supply to leukocytes may be compromised and may partly contribute to immunosuppression observed at this time. Production-related metabolic diseases during early lactation, such as ketosis and hepatic lipidosis, can also adversely affect health and productivity. Risk of subsequent disease for cows during mastitis has not been fully elucidated. Regardless of stage of lactation and physiological state, increases in circulating NEFA and glucose and decreases in ketones during an intramammary inflammation in dairy cows have been reported. In addition, previous work indicates that hepatic metabolism may be impaired during inflammation. These results indicate a potential link between mastitis and the risk of subsequent metabolic disease for dairy cows during lactation. This paper will discuss the complex relationships between metabolism and immune function and how these immunometabolic interactions relate mastitis with increased risk of subsequent disease during early lactation.

Previous research identified that a review of the current industry New Zealand lamb survival trait was necessary as its recording accuracy was reliant on farmers notifying their Sheep Improvement Limited bureau of lamb deaths. This paper reports the decision rules and genetic parameters for a new lamb survival trait for the New Zealand sheep industry. These rules define the new lamb survival trait (NEWSUR) using lamb birth fate (BFATE) codes and the presence/absence of lamb weight measurements. Six univariate animal models were tested and used to estimate variance or covariance components and the resulting direct and maternal heritabilities for NEWSUR. The models differed in the way they adjust for the effect of day of birth, the exclusion or inclusion of a litter (dam/year of birth) random effect, and the application or not of a logit transformation of the phenotypes. For both the linear and logistic methods, models including the random effect of litter provided the best fit for NEWSUR according to log-likelihood values. Log-likelihoods for the linear and logistic models cannot be compared; therefore, a cross-validation method was used to assess whether the logit transformation was appropriate by analyzing the predictive ability of the models. The mean square errors were slightly lower for the linear compared with the logistic model, and therefore, the linear model was recommended for industry use. The heritability attributed to direct effects ranged from 2 to 5.5%. A direct heritability of 5.5% resulted from a linear model without litter effect and omitting the effect of day of birth on survival, whereas a direct heritability of 2% resulted from the logistic model fitting a random litter effect. The heritability attributed to maternal genetic effects ranged from 1.9 to 7.7%. A maternal genetic heritability of 7.7% resulted from the logistic model omitting the litter effect, whereas a maternal genetic heritability of 1.9% resulted from the linear model fitting a random litter effect. The addition of the litter random effect substantially decreased the maternal heritabilities in all cases and was recommended for industry use to avoid overestimation of the maternal genetic variance. Sheep Improvement Limited has implemented NEWSUR and the associated genetic evaluation model based on information described in this paper. Industry-wide implementation will enable sheep breeders to produce more accurate genetic evaluations to their commercial clients.

Carbohydrate is one of the major components in dairy cow’s diet. Dietary carbohydrate can be divided into structural and non-structural fractions, within which neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and starch are the major components of the structural and non-structural carbohydrates. Meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary NDF and starch content on milk yield and composition in dairy cows in this study. 567 research papers retrieved from the Web of Science, Science Direct, PubMED and NCBI. The keywords include different combinations of dairy cows, milk production, milk composition, carbohydrate and forage to concentrate ratio. Through literature retrieval and data screening, 27 papers were collected including 119 experimental treatments. Data was analyzed using the MIXED model of SAS. Correlationship and meta regression analysis were performed comparing dietary NDF, starch and NDF:starch ratio on milk production and composition of milk component. Compared with dietary NDF and starch content, NDF:starch ratio was found to be highly correlated with DMI (rP2=-0.730, P2=0.664, P2=-0.788, PP=0.019), 1.36 kg (P=0.003), 0.06 kg (PPP=0.002) and 0.07 (P=0.007) unit, respectively. There was no significant meta regression relevance between dietary NDF:starch ratio and milk lactose content (P=0.893), milk fat yield (P=0.421). The meta-analysis results indicate that NDF:starch ratio could be used as a useful indicator for evaluating the dietary carbohydrates when formulating rations for dairy cattle. Key Words

This paper examines a case study in Uzbekistan in facilitating linkage of smallholder dairy farmers into the market system. With the breakup of the former Soviet Union, a transition from a central planned economy to a more open free market econopmy and the subsequent transfer of state ownership of Agricultural enterprises (Kolkhozy, Sovkhozy) to the private sector, which resulted in the formation of many smallholder farmers (Dehkan farmers). Many households who were former employees of these state-run enterprises, now found themselves as smallholder farmers, allocated with small land plots. Frequently these land plots were highly fragmented and not conducive to mechanization. Smallholders struggled to enter the commercial market system, finding themselves operating between marginal producers and transitioning to commercial orientated production. They struggled to procure reliable input supply, gain market access, achieve economy of scale of production. Yet in many of the former Soviet satellite states these new smallholders account for majority of dairy livestock owners and a significant volume of dairy production. In Uzbekistan, the livestock sector contributes about 40% of the Agriculture GDP mostly from 4.7 million Dehkan farms (2015), who on averag own’s 95% of cattle and 83% of small ruminants and account for 96% of milk production. Milk yields average 1800kg per lactation. Dairy processing, both small scale and large scale have struggled to secure adequate supply of quality milk. This paper examines a case study in which smallholders have undergone transition, through cooperation, leveraging private sector investment and public and private sector service delivery and achieving greater economy of scale by collaborating in the establishment of village level milk collection centers, adoption of technology, utilization and uptake of advisory and extension services and adoption of small scale cottage industry development in added value of milk and milk products and gaining entrance into the market system.

The objective of this paper is to report observations from a 10-week summer training program on Data Management in Animal and Plant Sciences. A total of six undergraduate students from three universities in the Texas A&M University System [Texas A&M University (TAMU)-College Station, TAMU-Kingsville, and TAMU-Corpus Christi] representing disciplines of Animal Science, Plant Science, and Computer Science learned handling and interpretation of sensor-based data derived from both animal sensors and UAV images of plant fields. Students attended weekly training sessions on data collection, management, processing, and visualization software including ArcGIS, MySQL and power BI. In addition, students also worked as a team and developed a database project and gave an oral presentation on their team project. On the pretraining survey, two students indicated that they had a background in animal science, two students indicated a background in plant science, one student in computer science, and one student with experience in spatial data. To begin with, the students had a mean score of 4.3 (range 0–8; on a scale of 0-10) for knowledge of data management in agriculture. One third of the students indicated that they did not have data handling experience, and one half of the students had some data analysis experience whereas one student indicated partial experience of working with data. In general, students indicated that they were very satisfied with the internship experience. On a scale of 0-10, the mean satisfaction score was 8.75 (range 7.5-10). Students indicated that they were more confident to work with and talk about data from animal systems (mean 8.5; range 7-10) and plant systems (mean = 8.4; range = 7-10). All students agreed that they learned at least one new concept related to animal and plant data ecosystems. Students indicated that the program was a good start for understanding the overall data architecture, indicated progress on data handling and thought helpful to understand opportunities in agriculture. All students agreed that their understanding of data management in agriculture changed significantly because of the course. Consequently, four students indicated that they were interested in career opportunities related to data in agriculture whereas two students indicated their interest in application of the developed tools for the on-farm use. When evaluating effect of the cross disciplinary training, students agreed that the training was helpful in learning concepts outside of their own discipline with the mean score 9.4(range 8-10) on a scale of 0-10. All students indicated that they learned team management skills and skills working with people that are different from their own. Students suggested improvement on the communications, prerecorded videos, in-person meetings, weekly reporting reviews in the future iterations for students to benefit more from the program.

Mycotoxicosis are a common problem in livestock, where a group of six major mycotoxins represents a high risk for animal health and production profits. Mycotoxin binders (MTB) can reduce the mycotoxin burden in the gastrointestinal tract of the animal. Mycotoxin binders are classified in inorganic, as clays and activated carbon (AC), and organic, as yeast cell wall (YCW) and micro-ionized fibers. The adsorption of mycotoxins into MTB is due to: 1) chemical interactions where the cation exchange capacity involves different types of bounds like ion-dipole, Van der Walls forces, or hydrogen bonds; and 2) to physical characteristics of MTB like pore size, or mycotoxin structure and shape. The adsorption capacity of MTB is determined using different in vitro tests that mimic the gastrointestinal tract of the animals. A literature search was conducted to identify in vitro research where the efficacy of adsorption of MTB was determined. The search was based on 8 MTB [AC, bentonite, clinoptilolite, hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate (HSCAS), montmorillonite (MMT), sepiolite, YCW and zeolite] and 6 mycotoxins [aflatoxin (AF), deoxynivalenol (DON), fumonisin (FUM), ochratoxin (OTA), T-2 toxin and zearalenone (ZEA)]. Sixty-eight papers with 1842 data were selected and analyzed with the PROC MIXED of SAS. The response variable was the percentage mycotoxins adsorption by MTB, and the model included the fixed effects of MTB, mycotoxins, incubation media, pH and their interactions, and the random effect of the study. Differences were considered significant when P0.05 and with tendency when 0.05P0.10. The mycotoxins adsorption capacity was 83% ± 1.0 for AC, 76% ± 3.1 for MMT, 62% ± 1.0 for bentonite, 55% ± 1.9 for HSCAS, 52% ± 9.1 for sepiolite, 52% ± 4.3 for clinoptilolite and 44% ± 0.4 for YCW. For mycotoxins, the adsorption of AF was 76% ± 0.6, for FUM was 50% ± 1.8, for OTA was 42% ± 1.0, for ZEA was 48% ± 1.1, for DON was 35% ± 1.6, and for T-2 was 27% ± 2.8. The pH affected the adsorption capacity of YCW with higher adsorption at low pH, and the adsorption of OTA and ZEA, where OTA adsorption tended to be lower at intermediate pH, and adsorption of ZEA tended to be higher at the two-steps pH. The potential adsorption of some essential nutrients, including amino acids and vitamins, should also be considered. Results should be used as a guide in the selection of the appropriate mycotoxin binder based on the predominant mycotoxin in feeds.Animal feeds are highly susceptible to mycotoxin contamination during harvest, storage, and processing. Mycotoxin binders represent an effective strategy to prevent mycotoxicosis in animals when supplemented into the diet. The efficacy of adsorption depends on the type of binder (inorganic or organic) and the physico-chemical properties of binders and mycotoxins. Data reviewed from the literature indicates that activated carbon has the highest adsorption capacity among different binders, and aflatoxins is the most adsorbed mycotoxin. However, the unspecific nature of the binding process results in some essential nutrients being also adsorbed.

Skeletal muscle hypertrophy is a culmination of catabolic and anabolic processes that are interwoven into major metabolic pathways, and as such modulation of skeletal muscle metabolism may have implications on animal growth efficiency. Muscle is composed of a heterogeneous population of muscle fibers that can be classified by metabolism (oxidative or glycolytic) and contractile speed (slow or fast). Although slow fibers (type I) rely heavily on oxidative metabolism, presumably to fuel long or continuous bouts of work, fast fibers (type IIa, IIx, and IIb) vary in their metabolic capability and can range from having a high oxidative capacity to a high glycolytic capacity. The plasticity of muscle permits continuous adaptations to changing intrinsic and extrinsic stimuli that can shift the classification of muscle fibers, which has implications on fiber size, nutrient utilization, and protein turnover rate. The purpose of this paper is to summarize the major metabolic pathways in skeletal muscle and the associated regulatory pathways.Skeletal muscle is a heterogenous population of cells that are classified into muscle types based on contractile speed and metabolism. The various types of muscle cells utilize different biochemical pathways to produce energy to support cellular functions. These complex biochemical pathways are unique in their subcellular localization, substrate source, energy production capacity, and regulatory mechanisms. The purpose of this review is to describe the major metabolic pathways in skeletal muscle and the associated regulatory mechanisms.

Beef cows with excess androstenedione (A4; High A4) in follicular fluid (FF) and secreted by the ovarian cortex have been reported from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln physiology herd displaying characteristics reminiscent of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Thus, we hypothesized that naturally occurring High A4 cows were present in other dairy and beef herds. Fourteen Jordan (Amman, Jordon) dairy heifers and 16 U.S. Meat Animal Research Center beef heifers were classified by FF (High A4: A440 ng/mL and Control: A420 ng/mL) and/or cortex culture media (High A41 ng/mL/d or Control1 ng/mL/d). High A4 dairy heifers (n = 6) had greater A4 concentrations (7.6-fold) in FF and (98-fold) greater in ovarian cortex culture media with greater numbers of primordial and fewer later-stage follicles than Controls (n = 8) even after 7 d of culture. Also, the ovarian cortex had greater staining for Picro Sirius red in High A4 dairy heifers compared with Controls indicating increased fibrosis. Thecal cells from High A4 dairy heifers had greater STAR, LHCGR, CYP17A, CD68, and PECAM mRNA expression with increased mRNA abundance of CYP17A1 and CD68 in the ovarian cortex cultures compared with Control dairy heifers. Similarly, cortex culture media from High A4 beef heifers (n = 10) had increased A4 (290-fold; P ≤ 0.001), testosterone (1,427-fold; P ≤ 0.001), and progesterone (9-fold; P ≤ 0.01) compared with Control heifers with increased primordial follicles and decreased later-stage follicles even after 7 d of culture, indicating abnormal follicular development. High A4 ovarian cortex cultures from beef heifers also had increased fibrosis markers and greater expression of PECAM (P = 0.01) with a tendency for increased vascular endothelial cadherin compared with Controls (n = 6). These two trials support our hypothesis that naturally occurring androgen excess cows are present in other dairy and beef herds. The ability to identify these females that have excess A4 ovarian microenvironments may allow for their use in understanding factors causing abnormal follicle development linked to androgen excess and inflammation.Androgen steroid hormones, normally present in the male, but produced in excess in the female, can result in inflammation and dysfunction of tissues, which, in turn, can lead to ovulatory dysfunction. We have previously identified females with naturally occurring excess androgen in our research herd. In the current paper, we have also identified two other cow populations (one dairy and one beef) that have similar excess androgen production. This suggests that these excess androgen females occur naturally and may be used as models to study androgen excess situations that contribute to subfertility.

Our objectives were to compare the antifungal activity of 5 lignosulfonates, and 2 chitosans against fungi isolated from spoiled hay, and assess the effects of an optimized lignosulfonate, chitosan, and propionic acid (PRP) on high-moisture alfalfa hay. In experiment 1, we determined the minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum fungicidal concentration of 4 sodium lignosulfonates, 1 magnesium lignosulfonate, 2 chitosans, and PRP (positive control) against Aspergillus amoenus, Mucor circinelloides, Penicillium solitum, and Debaromyces hansenii at pH 4 and 6. Among sodium lignosulfonates, the one from Sappi Ltd. (NaSP) was the most antifungal at pH 4. However, chitosans had the strongest fungicidal activity with the exception of M. circinelloides at both pH 4 and 6. PRP had more antifungal effects than NaSP and was only better than chitosans for M. circinelloides. In experiment 2, we evaluated the effects of 3 additives (ADV): optimized NaSP (NaSP-O, UMaine), naïve chitosan (ChNv, Sigma-Aldrich), and PRP on high-moisture alfalfa hay. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design replicated 5 times. Treatment design was the factorial combination of 3 ADV× 5 doses (0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, and 2% w/w fresh basis). Additives were added to 35 g of sterile alfalfa hay (71.5 ± 0.23% DM), inoculated with a mixture of previously isolated spoilage fungi (5.8 log cfu/fresh g), and aerobically incubated in vitro for 23 d (25°C). After incubation, DM losses were reduced by doses as low as 0.25% for both NaSP-O and PRP (x¯=1.61) vs. untreated hay (24.0%), partially due to the decrease of mold and yeast counts as their doses increased. Also, hay NH3-N was lower in NaSP-O and PRP, with doses as low as 0.25%, relative to untreated hay (x¯=1.13 vs. 7.80% of N, respectively). Both NaSP-O and PRP increased digestible DM recovery (x¯=69.7) and total volatile fatty acids (x¯=94.3), with doses as low as 0.25%, compared with untreated hay (52.7% and 83.8 mM, respectively). However, ChNv did not decrease mold nor yeast counts (x¯=6.59 and x¯=6.16 log cfu/fresh g, respectively) and did not prevent DM losses relative to untreated hay. Overall, when using an alfalfa hay substrate in vitro, NaSP-O was able to prevent fungal spoilage to a similar extent to PRP. Thus, further studies are warranted to develop NaSP-O as a hay preservative under field conditions.In our first experiment, we assessed the antifungal activity of two major types of byproducts, one known as lignosulfonates (5 types), which are generated by paper mills, and another known as chitosans (2 types), which are generated from shellfish. These were tested against four fungi isolated from spoiled hay. We observed that acidic conditions are not necessary for chitosans but are crucial to activate the antifungal properties of lignosulfonates. Also, we found that sodium lignosulfonate from Sappi Ltd. was the most antifungal relative to other sodium lignosulfonates from other manufacturers. Chitosans had stronger fungicidal activity than propionic acid or lignosulfonates against all but one mold tested. In our second experiment, we compared the best treatments from experiment 1 against propionic acid using alfalfa hay as a substrate to grow the same fungi tested in experiment 1. None of the doses of chitosan prevented spoilage on high moisture hay, showing results similar to untreated hay. In contrast, an optimized sodium lignosulfonate and propionic acid prevented fungal spoilage of alfalfa hay with doses as low as 0.25%.

Titanium dioxide has been used as a marker for determining diet digestibility indirectly, but some authors have expressed difficulty in measuring TiO2 concentrations in fecal material. We developed an accurate and precise method to determine TiO2 concentrations in equine feces. The method includes dry-ashing samples, digestion with (NH4)2SO4 in concentrated sulfuric acid, followed by the addition of H2O2 to produce a yellow to orange color that can be read spectrophotometrically. Accuracy was tested by spike recovery, and precision was tested by examining the coefficient of variation (CV) between duplicates of 449 individual samples. The method described here was compared with a previously published method by examining CV between duplicates of samples analyzed using both methods and comparing them using a paired t-test. Titanium dioxide spike recovery averaged 106%, and the CV between duplicates averaged 4.0%, with 79% of sample pairs having a CV of5%. When compared with a previously published method, the method described here had a lower CV between duplicates (P0.0001). The method described here provides an accurate and precise quantitative analytical procedure for TiO2 in equine fecal samples.Titanium dioxide is a marker fed to animals to help determine diet digestibility indirectly by measuring the concentration of TiO2 in fecal samples. This paper describes an accurate and precise method to analyze TiO2 in equine feces. The precision of this method is demonstrated by the low variation between sample duplicates. This method requires fewer sample replicates for analysis, leading to less labor, expense, and waste in the laboratory.

The objective of the current study is to evaluate the impact of induced starvation on horn fly susceptibility to permethrin and general reproduction using filter paper and manure bioassays, respectively. Incorporating push-pull systems for horn fly control has recently gained much attention for use in managing this pest. However, the consequences of temporary starvation associated with the relocation of horn flies from one host to another have yet to be fully explored. Susceptible (SS) and permethrin resistant (PR) horn flies were randomly allocated to one of four treatment groups: 1- blood fed, 2- partially starved (4hr), 3- moderately starved (8hr), and 4- severely starved (12hr). Permethrin resistant flies were 1,227 times more (P < 0.05) tolerant to permethrin in comparison to SS flies. Furthermore, SS blood fed flies were 1.18, 1.89, and 3.12 times more tolerant to permethrin than SS flies starved for 4, 8, and 12 hours, respectively. Egg hatching rates decreased (P < 0.04) for 8hr and 12hr starved flies in comparison to blood fed flies. Larval development, as measured through manure bioassays was lower (P = 0.02) in severely starved flies in comparison to blood fed flies. Pupae sizes were unaffected (P = 0.58) by starvation and fly strain. These results indicate that susceptibility to permethrin increases as time without a blood meal increases and furthermore, offspring success is reduced specifically through egg viability. Findings from this work will help further expand current integrated pest management options for animal producers by increasing our understanding and implementation of push-pull strategies in animal production systems.

The objective of this paper was to determine the relationship and repeatability of between-evaluator scores for claw set (CS), hoof angle (HA), and rear leg side view (RSV). Repeatability of feet and legs scoring has implications on scorer bias and subsequently on the estimation of genetic parameters, expected progeny differences (EPD), and accuracy. Data were collected on 112 13-15-month-old Simmental heifers by 4 evaluators, where scorer 1 (S1) was a trained and experienced evaluator and subsequently trained scorers 2 (S2), 3 (S3), and 4 (S4) for approximately 20 minutes before all 4 evaluators sequentially scored every female at the same time. Training was conducted using feet and leg rubrics provided by the American Simmental Association (ASA) on a 1-9 scale, with 5 being optimum for each trait. Scorers were provided an online evaluation instrument, requiring responses for each evaluator for each animal, and included identification, CS, HA, and RSV. Pearson correlations were computed pairwise, with each new scorer compared to the trained scorer. For partial linear regression, the three new evaluators were fit individually to S1. Pearson correlation values ranged from 0.088 to 0.397. The correlation between S1 and S3 was the strongest for all traits. The weakest correlation of 0.088 was in rear leg side view between S1 and S2. Partial linear regression adjusted R-squared values ranged from 0.00 to 0.15. The correlation between S1 and S3 was the strongest for all traits. The weakest correlation of 0.00 was in rear leg side view between S1 and S2. The correlations between S1 and S2 was significant for CS and HA (P = 0.002, P = 0.039), but not for RSV (P = 0.355). The correlation between S1 and S3 was significant for CS, HA, and RSV [P = 1.5x10^(-5), P = 0.006, P = 0.02]. The correlation between S1 and S4 was not significant for CS, HA, and RSV (P = 0.276, P = 0.085, P = 0.223). Overall, the scores had weak correlations, which illustrates the differences in variability across scorers. The weak correlation also illustrates the need for more robust and intensive training of evaluators. Overall, while the scores are not highly correlated between evaluators, scorer bias should not affect estimation of genetic parameters long as each contemporary group is scored by one evaluator.

Objective: The experiment was conducted to study the effects of selenium-enriched fermented Chinese herbal feed additive on growth performance, immune performance and meat quality of fowl. Method: A total of 180 Hyline brown chicks of 7-day-old were randomly divided into 3 groups with 3 replicates per group and 20 chicks per replicate. These three groups were control group (basal diet), experimental group I (basal diet &Chinese herbal feed additive) and experimental group II (basal diet &selenium-enriched fermented Chinese herbal feed additive). The experiment lasted for 42d. Results: The ADG (average daily gain) of experimental groups II were significantly greater than those of control group and experimental groups I (P< 0.05). The ADFI (average daily feed intake) of experimental groups I and II were significantly greater than those of control group, and the F/G (ratio of feed to gain) was respectively decreased by 5.3% and 7.7% (P< 0.01). The content of GSH-Px in serum of experimental group II was significantly greater than that of experimental group I and control group and the contents of IgG and SOD in serum of experimental group I and II were significantly greater than that of control group (P< 0.05). The contents of 1-octen-3-ol and hexanal in chicken breast of experimental group II were greater than those of experimental group I and control group (P< 0.05). Conclusion: It was concluded that adding selenium-enriched fermented Chinese herbal feed additive in the basal diet can enhance the growth performance and immune performance of Hyline brown. It also helped to improve the flavor of the meat.Innovation：In this paper, selenium-enriched probiotic was used to ferment Chinese herbal medicine to research the effects of selenium-enriched fermented Chinese herbal medicine feed additives on fowl. Meanwhile, similar reports have not been found internationally.