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Measurement of nutrient digestibility is a key pillar in estimating the value of feeds for livestock. Conditions are not always amendable to estimating feed digestibility through total collection methods, and as a result digestibility markers are frequently employed. The first “Digestibility markers” were reported in the early 1900s where colored glass beads were used to estimate the flow of digesta through the digestive tract. Subsequently, a myriad of digestibility markers has been assessed with the internal markers; acid insoluble ash, acid detergent lignin, indigestible neutral detergent fiber and n-alkanes and the external markers titanium dioxide and chromic oxide being the most common. Chromic oxide (Cr2 O3) was first proposed as a digestibility maker in 1918 and continues to be widely used in modern day metabolism, confined performance and grazing livestock experiments. It was the demand to use chromic acid as a digestibility marker that led Terry and Mira Fenton to publish the article “An improved procedure for the determination of chromic oxide in feed and feces” in the Canadian Journal of Animal Science in 1979. This became the most cited article in the history of the journal with over 800 citations. The procedure eliminated the use of nitric acid in a pre-digestion step and ashing reduced the organic matter content, making it less likely that perchloric acid would be converted to anhydrous perchloric acid which poses an explosive hazard. The procedure continues to be widely used to measure Cr2 O3 as a digestibility marker and has made a significant contribution to our assessment of the value of a wide range of feeds for Canadian livestock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal breeding reports in the Journal of Animal Science (JAS) and in its predecessor, Proceedings of the American Society of Animal Production, were counted and categorized. In 22 volumes of the Proceedings of the American Society of Animal Production, 155 articles had animal breeding content, of which 54% were research reports, 17% extension communications, and 28% syntheses or reviews. Several of the latter featured advice from the livestock industry to the scientific community. Thirty-one percent of articles concerned swine, whereas beef cattle, dairy cattle, and sheep each accounted for an additional 20%. In the 67 yr of JAS publication, 3,045 research papers were identified with animal breeding content, nearly half of them published since 1990. Growth in publication output was modest during the 1950s, robust in the 1960s through 1980s, moderate in the 1990s, and static in the 2000s. Important topics included genetic resource evaluation (a subject in 55% of all manuscripts), genetic parameter estimation, selection programs, and nonrandom mating systems. Maternal effects and genotype × environment interactions were featured in 17 and 15% of all manuscripts, respectively, whereas 6% dealt with a simply inherited trait. Only 4% of manuscripts included economic analysis of a breeding program or intervention. Interest in molecular biology and biometry has surged in the 1990s and 2000s. Approximately 50% of all papers involved cattle, a fifth of which concerned dairy cattle or beef × dairy crossbreds. A quarter of papers concerned swine, 15% concerned sheep, and 3% considered laboratory rodents, with the proportional contribution of sheep research decreasing across time. Authors from the Midwestern and Southern sections of the American Society of Animal Science had greater proportional contributions than Western and Northeastern section authors, and contributions of university and state experiment station authors outnumbered those of USDA-ARS authors. The proportional contribution of international authors increased across time, reaching 45% for the 2000s, as that of university and experiment station authors decreased and that of USDA-ARS authors remained fairly constant. Subjective analysis suggested substantial levels of creativity, innovation, and cooperation in JAS animal breeding research, a strong international perspective, but also a marked degree of imitation and repetition in subject matter content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During this centennial year of the American Society of Animal Science (ASAS), it is of interest to look back over the history of our Society and, in particular, to the many contributions made by researchers in the area of swine nutrition. A great number of basic and applied research studies involving the nutrition of weanling, growing, and finishing pigs, and gestating and lactating sows have been conducted by swine nutritionists during the past 100 yr. Most of these studies were conducted at universities by animal scientists or by the graduate students under their leadership. Others were conducted by nutritionists in the feed and pharmaceutical industries and government scientists at ARS/USDA research centers. Contributions were also made by animal scientists beyond our borders. Much of the research was published in the Journal of Animal Science during its 66 yr of existence. Before the first issue of the journal was published in 1942, some of the earlier studies were reported in the Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Society of Animal Production, the forerunner of ASAS. These research studies have progressively led to a better understanding of the role and utilization of dietary energy, protein, AA, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, and vitamins by pigs and have helped to quantify the nutrient requirements of pigs for various stages of growth, for sows during gestation and lactation, and to a limited extent, for boars. Determining the nutritional value of a wide array of feedstuffs, evaluating feeding strategies, and assessing the value of growth-promoting and carcass-enhancing agents have been important research contributions as well. To identify the particular studies that were among the most instrumental in contributing to our present knowledge of swine nutrition is, to say the least, a daunting assignment. To aid in this task, a survey of swine nutritionists was conducted in which they were asked to identify and rank the 10 most significant findings in swine nutrition during the past 100 yr. The results of that survey are presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forage-animal production agriculture is implementing infrastructure changes and management strategies to adjust to increased energy-related costs of fuel, feed grains, fertilizers, and seeds. The primary objectives of this position paper are to assess future research and extension scientific needs in forage utilization, financial support for the discipline, and changing status and number of scientists. A survey questionnaire returned from 25 land-grant universities in the eastern half of the United States rated the top 4 research needs as 1) pasture systems and efficiency of production; 2) interfacing with energy concerns; 3) forage cultivar evaluations and persistence; and 4) environment impacts. Plant-animal future research needs at 11 USDA-ARS regional locations are targeted at sustainable management and improved livestock performance, ecophysiology and ecology of grasslands, environment impacts, and improved technologies for nutritive value assessments. Extension scientists from 17 southern and northeastern states listed the top 3 needs as forage persistence, soil fertility and nutrient management, and pasture systems and efficiency of production. Grant funds currently provide more than 40% of land-grant university research and extension efforts in forage utilization, and scientists estimate that this support base will increase to 55 to 60% of the funding total by 2013. Reduced allocation of state and federal funding has contributed to a reduction in the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) scientists engaged in forage utilization research and extension activities. The current 25 state FTE conducting research number about 2.8 per state. This includes 10 states with >3, 11 states with <2, and 3 states with <1 FTE. Increased interest in cellulosic energy, climate change, and environmental impact may offer new opportunities for these FTE to participate in integrated cross-discipline research Extension programming, and technology transfer methods will change to accommodate reduced funding but with increasing numbers of novice, recreation-oriented landowners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teaching has a long and varied history in the life of departments of animal science and the American Society of Animal Science. Some of the earliest reports from meetings of the society have strong indication that planning the curriculum was a prominent feature of the meetings. Teaching symposia were also included almost from the beginning. The society went through a lengthy period from the 1940s through most of the 1960s when teaching was not a prominent focus, but a symposium in 1968 appeared to be a catalyst for change, and, since that date, teaching has again been an important part of the meetings. In recent years, out- standing symposia and contributed papers have made the teaching section a vibrant entry. Departments of animal science have changed considerably since the early days in which "men taught boys" and the primary goal was to produce farmers. More female students, more urban students, interest in a wide variety of animals, and greatly diversified career goals have been emerging during the last few decades. Departments of animal science and the American Society of Animal Science are positioning to be able to respond to change and face the challenge of providing excellence in teaching during the next century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute and subacute ruminal acidosis, bloat, liver abscesses, and polioencephalomalacia (PEM) were reviewed with respect to contributions published in the Journal of Animal Science (JAS) regarding these metabolic and digestive disorders in beef cattle. Increased grain feeding and expansion of the feedlot industry in the 1960s led to considerable research on acidosis, and. early publications defined ruminal changes with acute acidosis. The concept of subacute acidosis was developed in the 1970s. Significant research was published during the 1980s and 1990s on adaptation to high-grain diets, effects of ionophores, and the development of model systems to study ruminal and metabolic changes in acidosis. Since 2000, JAS publications on acidosis have largely focused on individual animal variability in response to acid loads and the role of management strategies in controlling acidosis. Increased grain feeding also was associated with an increase in the incidence of liver abscesses, which were quickly linked to insults to the ruminal epithelium associated with acidosis. The role of antibiotics, particularly tylosin, in decreasing the incidence and severity of liver abscesses was a significant contribution of JAS publications during the 1970s and 1980s. Papers on bloat were among the earliest published in JAS related to metabolic and digestive disorders in cattle. Noteworthy accomplishments in bloat research chronicled in JAS include the nature of ruminal contents in legume and feedlot bloat, the role of plant fractions and microbial populations in the development of bloat, and the efficacy of poloxalene, ionophores, and, more recently, condensed tannins in decreasing the incidence and severity of bloat. Although less research has been published on PEM in JAS, early publications highlighting the association between PEM and ruminal acidity and the role of thiaminase in certain forms of the disorder, as well as more recent publications related to the role of sulfur in the development of PEM, are noteworthy contributions. Since the 1940s, outstanding and often-cited review articles have made JAS a highly visible source of information on these disorders. Thus, JAS has played a significant role as a repository for information pertaining to metabolic and digestive disorders in cattle and other ruminants, and it will no doubt continue to be a premier resource for information on these conditions during the second century of the American Society of Animal Science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared with the more traditional sciences of nutrition, physiology, and reproduction, the acceptance of animal welfare science in its own right is still relatively new. Seven colleagues, who had an average of 10 yr experience with beef (n = 5), swine (n = 5), dairy (n = 2), poultry (n 1), and sheep (n = 1) were asked several questions on the opportunities and challenges facing the field. The information collected was pooled for anonymity. General challenges identified by the group were (1) are we making progress and how can this be defined, (2) demand for information has outpaced the science, and (3) pressures from stakeholders. Solutions were (1) to continue providing sound science that has been validated, measured objectively, and is reliable; and (2) to continue to have animal science and veterinary medicine departments employ faculty trained in farm animal welfare. Highlights for the future were willingness for animal welfare scientists to work across disciplines and across departments, within the same institution, and enthusiastically across state lines; and expansion of new teaching models, in conclusion, new and innovative tools, personalities, and dedication to the field of animal welfare will continue to provide scientific information and direction for farm animal welfare science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discoveries, understanding, and innovations in meat science during the last century have led to revolutionary changes in meat and poultry production, processing, marketing, and consumption. American Society of Animal Science members have made key contributions in most, if not all, categories of advancement. The first US university meat science program was begun in Minnesota in 1905. Use of mechanical refrigeration in the meatpacking industry, improved transportation and packaging, and home refrigeration provided more flexibility, variety, and consistency in meat and meat products in the early 1900s. Cooperative meat research was begun by 27 universities in 1925, with a focus on the observational characterization of carcass traits and composition, meat quality attributes, and causes of the wide variation in these variables. Scientific study of genetic, nutritional, and environmental influences on the growth, physiology, and postmortem biochemistry of muscle often used muscle-comparative investigations. Rigor mortis, cold shortening and thaw rigor, postmortem muscle metabolism, postmortem tenderization and tenderness variation, and postmortem myoglobin and lipid oxidation were studied vigorously in the 1960s and beyond, defining the biochemical bases for associated outcomes in fresh and processed products. Value-added benefits resulted from implementation of electrical stimulation, boxed beef and modified-atmosphere packaging, restructuring technologies, collagen recovery, and muscle profiling work. Isolation, purification, and definition of the primary structure and biophysical properties of the myofribillar and cytoskeletal proteins in muscle aided the understanding of contraction and postmortem changes. The role of Ca-dependent proteases in meat tenderness and muscle growth is being clarified. The chemistry of meat curing, meat emulsion formation, fermentation, and other processing methods led to new technologies, new meat products, and new benchmarks in product shelf life and quality. Meat safety assurance and our ability to manage the microbiological causes of food-borne illness and spoilage are imminently important now and in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

American Society of Animal Science members, publishing in Journal of Animal Science (JAS), completed research that resulted in understanding the estrous cycle of cattle, which led to the ability to inseminate cattle on a given day with pregnancy rates similar to those achieved by 21-d breeding by a fertile and sound bull. Research published in JAS led to understanding estrus, ovulation, the estrous cycle, and postpartum interval for cattle (1930s through 1960s) and hormonal factors affecting corpus luteurn lifespan of cattle (1950s through 1980s). Research during the 1940s to 1960s, using gonadotropins and progesterone to manage the estrous cycle of cattle, established the concepts for estrous synchronization and stimulated commercial research directed at developing cost-effective progestogen estrous synchronization products, leading to commercially available products from 1967 through today (Repromix, melengestrol acetate, Syncro-Mate-B, controlled internal drug release). Prostaglandin F2α products were approved for estrous synchronization (1970s, 1980s), and GnRH products were approved for use in cattle to treat ovarian follicular cysts (1970s, 1980s). Research published in JAS was essential for understanding the biology of and potential value of both PGF2α and GnRH and contributed both to new knowledge and scientific bases for future Food and Drug Administration Center for Veterinary Medicine approval of those products. Research during the 1980s through 2000s led to understanding ovarian follicular waves and described the timing of follicular recruitment, selection, dominance, arid atresia; this research was essential for the ability to effectively manage follicles to achieve success with timed AT. The knowledge gained through research published in JAS resulted in development of the numerous estrous synchronization and breeding management protocols that are cost- effective and meet the breeding management needs of most beef and dairy enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The past century has seen animal breeding and genetics evolve and expand from definition and validation of basic population genetics theory to development of selection index theory to today's relatively sophisticated genetic prediction systems enabling industry genetic improvement. The end of the first century of the American Society of Animal Science coincides with the rapid movement of the field into the era of genome-enabled genetic improvement and precision management systems. Led by recent research infrastructure investments by the United States and international partners to develop chicken, bovine, swine, ovine, and equine "genomic toolboxes," the animal breeding community is poised to play a crucial role in the century to come. These genomic toolboxes provide the needed platforms for developing whole-genome selection programs based on linkage disequilibrium for a wide spectrum of traits; allow the opportunity to redefine genetic prediction based on allele sharing as opposed to traditional pedigree relationships; and provide for the first time simultaneous information upon which to practice genetic selection and plan precision management of specific genotypes, all early in the life of the animal. An area of major focus will be mining of the genomes through systems biology approaches to better understand gene and metabolic networks—what has previously been lumped into poorly understood genotype by environment and genotype by genotype interactions. Perhaps the greatest obstacle to the successful merger of genomic and quantitative approaches will be the lack of necessary animal resource populations to appropriately define and measure phenotypes (i.e., the so-called phenomic gap) for difficult-to-measure traits such as resistance to disease and stress, adaptability, longevity, and efficiency of nutrient utilization. Additionally, because of de-emphasis of quantitative genetics and animal breeding programs in academia over the past quarter century, a dearth of qualified young scientists to effectively mine the genomes must immediately he addressed. Although the motivating factors may have changed, the need for high-quality animal breeding and genetics research and education has never been greater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Departments of animal sciences must be relevant to a society in which a small number of people can raise almost all the food animal products needed. The declining number of people involved in animal agriculture has decreased enrollment of students interested in food animals in many departments of animal science. However, several departments welcomed students from a diverse background and began research on animals other than food animals. In many states, the undergraduate enrollment is made up primarily of students interested only in companion animals. A benefit of this is that we have recruited new students into animal agriculture and they have gone on to excellent careers. We have a new challenge now: how to maintain and expand the efforts in teaching, research, and outreach of companion animal science. Departments wishing to expand in teaching have examples of successful courses and curricula from other departments. Some departments have expanded their teaching efforts across their own university to teach about pets to a wider audience than their own majors; other departments can follow. In research, a small number of faculty have been able to establish extramurally funded projects on pets, including horses. But it will be difficult for more than a handful of departments to have a serious research effort in dogs, cats, birds, fish, or exotic animals. Departments will have to make a concerted effort to invest in such endeavors; joint ventures with other universities and colleges of veterinary medicine (or medicine) will probably be required. Funding sources for "traditional" efforts in nutrition, reproduction, and physiology are small and inconsistent; however, with the progress of the equine, canine, and feline genome projects, there should be opportunities from federal funding sources aimed at using animal models for human health. In addition, efforts in animal behavior and welfare can be expanded, perhaps with some funding from private foundations or animal-supportive organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One hundred years ago, there were more than 48 million sheep in the United States. In 1910, they were valued at $4/head, with 43% of income coming from the sale of sheep, lambs, and meat and 57% coming from wool. Over the years, fluctuations in this ratio have challenged the breeder and researcher alike. By 2007, sheep numbers had declined to 6.2 million, with the average sheep shearing 3.4 kg of wool (representing <10% of income), 0.2 kg more than in 1909 but 0.5 kg less than fleeces in 1955. Sheep operations have declined by more than 170,000 in the past 40 yr. A cursory examination of this information might lead one to conclude that animal science research has made little impact on sheep production in the United States. On the contrary, lamb crops in the new millennium (range = 109 to 115%) are greater than those recorded in the 1920s (85 to 89%) and dressed lamb weights increased from 18 to 32 kg from 1940 to the present. In the past century, researchers conducted thousands of investigations, with progress reported in new, existing, and crossbreed evaluations, quantitative and molecular genetics, selection, nutrition, fiber, meat, hides, milk, growth, physiology, reproduction, endocrinology, management, behavior, the environment, disease, pharmacology, toxicology, and range, pasture, and forage utilization such that a vast amount of new information was accrued. Our understanding of sheep has benefited also from research conducted on other species, and vice versa. Many factors that have contributed to the decline in the sheep industry are not influenced easily by academic research (e.g., low per capita consumption of lamb meat, predation, reluctance to adopt new technologies, cost and availability of laborers with sheep- related skills, and fewer young people pursuing careers in agriculture). The size of the US sheep industry is expected to remain stable, with possible slow growth in the foreseeable future. To remain profitable, producers will take advantage of new (or previously unused) technologies, the desire of the public for things natural, domestic niche and international fiber markets, and the ability of the sheep to control noxious weeds and thrive in suboptimal ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on developments related to American Society of Animal Science (ASAS). ASAS celebrates its centennial in 2008. Moreover, the "Journal of Animal Science" reaches the 100-year milestone in 2010. During the ASAS centennial year, the society is embarking on a number of programs designed to highlight the past and launch the future, including the presentation of 40 papers at the American Dairy Science Association-ASAS Joint Annual Meeting in Indianapolis that are designed to highlight the history and the future of ASA within all of animal science and related disciplines.

Graduate education is an important aspect of the life of most academic scientists and a serious responsibility because it comes with the obligation to help students achieve their career and life goals. It can also be very fulfilling for the graduate mentor in terms of personal satisfaction and advancement of the research program. Learning to be a good major professor is an active process that depends on developing a formal framework of education and modifying that framework for each student based on past experiences and experimentation, advice from colleagues, and the individual personality of the student. Perhaps most important is for the graduate mentor to buy into the success and well-being of the student. Among the characteristics that a major professor could seek to instill in his or her students are critical and independent thinking, self-confidence, a thick skin, teamwork, laboratory skills and understanding, and the ability for hard work. Work to make science joyful by celebrating accomplishments, creating a fun environment in the lab, and stressing the societal value of science as compared to personal rewards or ambition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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, TAMUKingsville, 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scientific publication system should evolve into practices that enhance free dissemination and full access to research findings. At the same time, it should ensure reproducibility and transparency and safeguard scientific integrity from the detrimental effects of the current "publish or perish" culture. The objective of this contribution is to introduce the Peer Community In (PCI) Animal Science initiative (https://animsci.peercommunityin.org/), which represents an alternative to the current publication system under the umbrella of the "Peer Community In" project (https://peercommunityin.org/). PCI Animal Science is an international community of researchers working in animal science and related areas and it promotes open science and research transparency. Although PCI Animal Science is not a scientific journal, it operates similarly with editors (here: recommenders) and reviewers. Currently, the PCI Animal Science community has 64 recommenders from 20 countries. PCI Animal Science is a non-profit initiative, run and managed by researchers. The PCI Animal Science community performs, at no cost, rigorous open reviews of preprints that have been deposited on repositories such as bioRxiv and Zenodo from a wide range of research areas related to animal science. Based on independent reviews, a recommender decides whether a paper is recommended or not. Recommended preprints are peer-reviewed and citable stand-alone articles of high scientific value that do not need publication in traditional journals. However, if the authors wish, they can also publish their recommended preprint in the Diamond Open Access Peer Community Journal (https://peercommunityjournal.org/section/animsci/) at no cost. Authors can also submit their recommended manuscript to PCI-friendly journals (i.e., journals that consider the PCI evaluation in their own review processes) or to other journals. This contribution shows the workflow of the evaluation of manuscripts by PCI Animal Science and the advantages of adopting this new publishing model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some popular press articles and social media discussions continue to cite the erroneous data presented in the "Livestock's Long Shadow" publication (FAO, 2006). While this data has subsequently been shown to be incorrect (Pitesky et al, 2009), on-going discussions about the high level of impact of livestock on global GHG emissions continue to be shared as fact nearly 15 years later. There is inherent complexity in studying the biology of livestock for meat and milk production. Efforts to make this complexity more understandable can lead to incorrect assumptions and create an unfavorable and incorrect view of dairy and livestock production for the general public. An unfavorable image of animal production creates added challenge for dairy and livestock producers. If the general public is to believe information about the environmental impact of livestock production, it is critical that that information is both accurate and easily understood. The following paper that highlights sustainable animal science and practices by Capper and Cady (2020) provides a review using modeling techniques for more recent updates (2007–2017), GHG emissions and overall impact of dairy production on environmental sustainability. Additionally, the contribution of ruminants to overall GHG emissions has also been more recently been summarized by Mitloehner (2018.) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information about the honorary fellows of the American Society of Animal Science, 2005. Louis J. Boyd earned his B.S. in 1950 and M.S. in 1951 at the University of Kentucky and his Ph.D. in 1956 at the University of Illinois. Boyd was a scientist and extension specialist in dairy cattle reproduction in the Department of Dairy Science at the University of Tennessee (1956-1962) and Michigan State University (1963-1972). Harold (Skip) Hintz is Professor of Animal Science at Cornell University. Hintz received his B.S. in animal science from the Ohio State University (1959) and his M.S. (1961) and Ph.D. (1963) in animal nutrition from Cornell University. Hintz recognized international authority on equine nutrition and is the author of more than 190 peer-reviewed scientific papers, mostly on equine nutrition, but also on the nutrition and metabolism of companion and exotic animals. Hintz's nutrition and management courses have a combined enrollment of 400 students per year.

Mixing of unfamiliar pigs is a standard management procedure in commercial pig production and is often associated with a period of intense and physically damaging aggression. Aggression is con-sidered a problem for animal welfare and production. The objective of the present paper was to investigate the genetic background of aggressive behavior traits at mixing of unfamiliar gilts under 2 different housing conditions. Therefore, a total of 543 purebred Pietrain gilts, from 2 nucleus farms (farm A: n = 302; farm B: n = 241 ) of 1 breeding company, were tested at an aver-age age of 214 d (SD 12.2 d) for aggressive behavior by 1 observer. Observations included the frequencies of aggressive attack and reciprocal fighting during mixing with unfamiliar gilts. On farm A 41% of the gilts were purebred Pietrains, whereas 59% were purebred Land-race or Duroc gilts. On the farm B 42% of the gilts were purebred Pietrains, and 58% purebred Large White gilts. The average size of the newly mixed groups of gilts was 28 animals on farm A and 18 animals on farm B. The Pietrain gilts from the 2 herds were genetically closely linked. They were the offspring of 96 sires, with 64% of these sires having tested progeny in both farms. There were clear differences in the housing of the animals between the 2 farms. The test pen on farm A had a solid concrete floor littered with wooden shavings and was equipped with a dry feeder. On farm B there was a partly slatted floor, and the gilts were fed by an electronic sow feeder. Mean space allowance was 2.6 m²/gilt on farm A and 3.9 m²/gilt on farm B. Although large interindividual differences existed, gilts from farm B performed numer-ically more aggressive attack (mean 1.12, SD 1.42 vs. mean 0.71, SD 1.20) and reciprocal fighting (mean 0.78, SD 0.98 vs. mean 0.44, SD 0.82) when compared with gilts from farm A. The heritabilities and additive genetic variances for behavioral traits were estimated with a linear animal model and were on a low level in farm A (h² = 0.11, SE = 0.07, and σa² = 0.12 for aggressive attack and h2 = 0.04, SE = 0.07, and cy2a = 0.02 for recip-rocal fighting) and on a moderate level in farm B (h² = 0.29, SE = 0.13, and σa² = 0.44 for aggressive attack and h² = 0.33, SE = 0.12, and σa² = 0.27 for reciprocal fight-ing). For both aggressive attack and reciprocal fighting, genetic correlation of the same trait between farm A and farm B was 1.0. Therefore, aggressive behavior does not seem to be influenced by genotype x environment inter-actions. Under these circumstances aggressions in group housing can be reduced by genetic selection against aggressive behavior. Therewith, the welfare and health of sows will ultimately increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the interobserver and intraobserver reliability of qualitative behavior assessments (QBA) of individual pigs by 3 observer groups selected for their diverging backgrounds, experience, and views of pigs. Qualitative behavior assessment is a “whole animal” assessment approach that characterizes the demeanor of an animal as an expressive body language, using descriptors such as relaxed, anxious, or content. This paper addresses the concern that use of such descriptors in animal science may be prone to distortion by observer-related bias. Using a free-choice profiling methodology, 12 pig farmers, 10 large animal veterinarians, and 10 animal protectionists were instructed to describe and score the behavioral expressions of 10 individual pigs (Sus scrofa) in 2 repeat sets of 10 video clips, showing these pigs in interaction with a human female. They were also asked to fill in a questionnaire gauging their experiences with and views on pigs. Pig scores were analyzed with Generalized Procrustes Analysis and effect of treatment on these scores with ANOVA. Questionnaire scores were analyzed with a x² test or ANOVA. Observers achieved consensus both within and among observer groups (P < 0.001), identifying 2 main dimensions of pig expression (diml: playful/confident-cautious/timid; dim2: aggressive/nervous-relaxed/bored), on which pig scores for different observer groups were highly correlated (Pearson r > 0.90). The 3 groups also repeated their assessments of individual pigs with high precision (r > 0.85). Animal protectionists used a wider quantitative range in scoring individual pigs on dimension 2 than the other groups (P < 0.001); however, this difference did not distort the strong overall consistency of characterizations by observers of individual pigs. Questionnaire results indicated observer groups to differ in various ways, such as daily and lifetime contact with pigs (P < 0.001), some aspects of affection and empathy for pigs (P < 0.05), and confidence in the validity of personal QBA descriptors (P < 0.02). The main finding of this study is that despite such differences in background and outlook, the 3 observer groups showed high interobserver and intraobserver reliability in their characterizations of pig body language. This supports the empirical nature of QBA in context of the wider anthropomorphism debate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutritional requirements are typically estimated based on feeding trials with animals or birds offered several amounts of the critical nutrient(s). A nutrient response function is then fitted to data from the feeding trials. Modern computer techniques allow for a variety of functional forms to be used as nutrient response functions. However, the performance of these models is almost undistinguishable from a purely statistical perspective. This paper approaches the issue of determining nutrient requirements from an economic prospective. Crude protein amounts that would maximize profits were calculated for combinations of corn, soybean meal, and live broilers prices using several nutrient response models fitted to technical data from a trial with several balanced CP amounts fed to broiler chickens. Under certain combinations of input prices, differences between the models were between 1.5 and 3.0% CP. No model consistently predicted the greatest or least CP amounts or net profits, emphasizing that the (tangential) slopes of the models change at different rates over the range of nutrient (CP) amounts studied. Models providing adequate statistical fits to research data do not necessarily provide functions that are clearly most appropriate for maximizing producer profits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advances in on-farm technology now provide us with multiple time-series of reliably measured indicators of animal performance and status at the level of the individual. This paper presents a smoothing approach for extracting biologically meaningful features from such time series using bovine milk yield data as an example. The main goal of this study was to illustrate how the method can be used to detect production deviations, extract quantifiable features of the deviation profiles, and thus provide means to examine hypotheses concerning the nature of the deviations. The effectiveness of the method was assessed with complete lactation curves from 47 Holstein cows. Within their lactations, the cows were each subjected to 1 nutritional challenge for a period of 4 d (their standard diet: a maize silage-based total mixed ration was diluted with 60% wheat straw), which provoked a decline in the milk yield in all cows. The challenge was imposed between the same calendar days for all cows. Thus, the cows were at different stages of lactation: early (n = 14), mid (n = 15), and late (n = 18). Each milk-yield curve was decomposed into components that capture the short-term deviations of the cow such as the response to the nutritional challenge and describe the phenotypic potential yield function of that cow throughout its lactation. The difference between the 2 components gives a measure of the milk loss. In all, 480 deviations were detected from the complete lactations of 47 cows. The milk loss provoked by the feeding challenge (n = 47) was significantly related to the milk yield immediately before the challenge (r = 0.86, P < 0.01). The correlation between the rate of recovery and milk loss was (r = 0.94, P < 0.01). Further, there was no significant slope (P > 0.1) to the relationship between the ratio (rate of recovery/milk loss) and days from calving, indicating that the force of recovery was unaffected by stage of lactation. These results suggest that differential smoothing can be a useful tool for quantifying biological disturbances in animal performance and for extracting features that relate to the potential and robustness of an animal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the metabolic and morphological characteristics of bovine adipose tissue (AT) at end of fetal life and its variability with breed and anatomical site of AT. Our hypothesis was that, in cattle, end-of-fetal-life differences in adipocyte number, size, and histology may account for differences in AT maturity. To address this question, perirenal and intermuscular AT were sampled from Charolais, Blond d'Aquitaine, and Holstein fetuses at 260 d postconception. Holstein fetuses showed greater leptin mRNA abundance, which is consistent with the greater penrenal AT weight (P = 0.03) than Blond d'Aquitaine fetuses. Compared with Blond cl'Aquitaine or Charolais fetuses, Holstein fetuses had larger (P < 0.001) adipocytes, greater (P < 0.05) activities of enzymes involved in de novo fatty acid (FA) synthesis (FA synthase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, malic enzyme) and FA esterification (glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase), and greater (P = 0.06, P = 0.10, P < 0.001) mRNA abundance for lipolytic enzymes (hormone-sensitive lipase and adipose triglyceride lipase) and uncoupling protein 1 in both perirenal and intermuscular AT. This indicates increased FA turnover in Holstein aclipocytes through FA storage, mobilization, and oxidation pathways. Whatever the breed, adipocytes were smaller in penirenal AT than intermuscular AT. Whatever the breed or anatomical site, bovine AT at 260 d postconception contained predominantly unilocular adipocytes believed to be white adipocytes together with a few multilocular brown adipocytes. We conclude that the greater metabolic and morphologic maturity of adipocytes from Holstein than Blond d'Aquitaine and Charolais fetuses may contribute to the greater thermogeriic aptitude of Holstein newborns. 1 moreover, the presence of both white and brown adipocytes at the end of fetal life highlights the complexity of AT structure and may indicate that the cellular and functional heterogeneity of AT repeatedly observed postnatally has a developmental origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adjustment factors to allow comparison of EPD from several breed associations for birth, weaning, and yearling weights have been available for more than 10 yr. This paper describes steps to calculate adjustment factors for EPD for 4 carcass traits: marbling score, fat thickness, ribeye area, and retail product percentage. The required information is the same as for the weight traits: 1) breed of sire solutions based on measurements on progeny at the US Meat Animal Research Center (USJVIARC) that have sires with breed association EPD, 2) mean EPD of sires weighted by number of progeny at USMARC (USMARC progeny not included in breed association EPD), and 3) mean EPD of nonparents from breed associations (defined as animals born 2 yr prior to calculation of EPD). Records at USMARC are adjusted to 100% heterozygosity because the purpose of the adjustment factors is to allow prediction of performance of progeny of sires mated to other breeds of dam. A critical step is to adjust breed of sire solutions, which are based on an earlier sample of sires, to the equivalent of a sample from a more recent nonparent group using the difference between mean EPD from information sources 2) and 3). The difference is multiplied by the coefficient of regression of USMARC progeny on EPD of their sires. With weight traits, these coefficients are not greatly different from unity. With the carcass traits, 2 sets of coefficients can be used depending on whether the EPD are based on carcass or ultrasound measurements. The regression coefficients also reflect differences in conditions for USMARC progeny (all steers) and factors associated with breed association EPD. Only for marbling score and ribeye area were any estimates of the regression coefficients near unity. For other traits, the coefficients ranged from 1.65 to 2.82. The solutions for breed of sire, differences in mean EPD, and regression coefficients are then used to calculate adjustment factors for EPD of 11 breeds including the arbitrary base breed, Angus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]