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The objectives of this study were: i) to classify animals into groups of high and low feed efficiency (FE) using three FE indexes (Residual feed intake (RFI), Residual weight gain (RG) and Feed conversion efficiency (FCE)), and ii) to evaluate whether crossbreed Holstein x Gyr heifers divergent for FE indexes exhibit differences in nutrient intake and digestibility, energy partitioning, heat production, methane emissions, nitrogen partitioning and blood parameters. Thirty-five heifers were housed in a tie-stall, received ad libitum TMR (75:25, corn silage: concentrate) and were ranked and classified into high (HE) or low efficiency (LE) for RFI, RG and FCE. The number of animals for each HE group were 13 (< 0.5 standard deviation (SD) for RFI, 11 for RG and 11 for FCE (> 0.5 SD) and for the LE were 10 (> 0.5 SD) for RFI, 11 for RG and 12 for FCE (< 0.5 SD). Gas exchanges (O2 consumption, CO2 and CH4 production) in open-circuit respiratory chambers and whole tract digestibility trial was performed. A completely randomized experimental design was used and the data were analyzed by ANOVA and correlation study. High efficiency animals for RFI produced less CO2, consumed less O2 and had lower heat production (HP). Methane production was positively correlated with RFI. High efficiency RG had higher O2 consumption and CO2 production in relation to LE-RG. High efficiency FCE had greater NFC digestibility, higher positive energy balance (EB) and excreted (11.4 g/d) less nitrogen in urine. High efficiency RG and FCE groups emitted less CH4 per kg of weight gain than LE animals. Animals HE for RFI and FCE had lower β-hydroxybutyrate and higher glucose concentrations, respectively. The differences in intake, digestibility, energy and nitrogen partition, CH4 emission, blood metabolic variables and heat production between the HE and LE groups varied according to the efficiency indexes adopted. The HP (kcal/d/BW0.75) was lower for HE animals for RFI and FCE indexes., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

The objective of this study was to evaluate whether pre-weaning heifer calves divergent for residual feed intake (RFI) or residual feed intake and body weight gain (RIG) exhibit differences in thermography, blood, and ruminal parameters. Thirty-two Gyr heifer calves were enrolled in a 63-d trial and classified into 2 feed efficiency (FE) groups based on RFI and RIG (mean ± 0.5 SD). The groups were classified as high efficiency (HE) RFI (HE RFI, n = 9), HE RIG (HE RIG, n = 10), low efficiency (LE) RFI (LE RFI, n = 10), and LE RIG (LE RIG, n = 11). The amount of whole milk provided for each calf was calculated based on their metabolic weight at birth (42% x BW0.75). The liquid diet was divided into two meals at 0700 and 1400 h. The total solid diet (TSD) was composed of 92% concentrate and 8% of Tifton 85 hay chopped in 5-cm lengths, as fed. Intake was measured daily. Blood concentrations of insulin, beta hydroxybutyrate, urea, and glucose, and ruminal pH, N-NH3, and volatile fatty acids (VFA) were evaluated at 14, 28, 42, 56, and 70 days of age. Thermal images of the calves were taken with an infrared camera (FLIR T420, FLIR Systems Inc., Wilsonville, OR) on d 56 (±3) at 0600 h, before the morning feeding. Total VFA concentration and propionate as % of total VFA were 24.2% and 22.2% lower in HE RFI compared to LE RFI calves, respectively. On the other hand, acetate as % of total VFA was 10.6% greater in HE RFI than LE RFI calves. Blood urea concentration tended to be greater in LE RFI than HE RFI calves. High efficiency HE RIG tended to have 6.8% greater acetate and 15.4% lower propionate as % of total VFA than LE RIG. Blood insulin concentration was greater and blood glucose tended to be greater for LE RIG than HE RIG group. Low efficiency RIG group had greater left rib, left flank, and anus surface temperature measured by infrared thermography than the HE RIG group. Differences in ruminal fermentation do not seem to be associated with pre-weaning calves efficiency, while differences in protein metabolism seem to affect RFI during this phase. Infrared thermography appears to be correlated to RIG in pre-weaning heifer calves., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the physical form of starter and inclusion of hay in the diet of preweaning dairy calves on performance, digestibility, ruminal development, and mRNA expression of genes involved in ruminal metabolism. Holstein × Gyr crossbred male calves (n = 38 1day old) were assigned to 3 treatments for 9 weeks: Control (n = 13; pellet starter with 4 mm diameter and 18 mm length and 4% steam-flaked corn), Ground (n = 12; same starter of the control but ground pass through a 4.0 mm sieve), or Ground plus 5% chopped Tifton hay GH (n = 13). All calves were fed 4 L/d of whole milk up to 63 d of age and were abruptly weaned at 64 d of age. Water and diets were offered ad libitum. Samples of ruminal contents were obtained from all animals at 30, 45, and 60 d of age to evaluate pH, ammonia nitrogen, and volatile fatty acids (VFA). At 55 d of age, an apparent digestibility assay was performed using 18 animals (n = 6/ treatment). At 65 d of age, the 18 animals were euthanized to evaluate the development of the digestive tract. The physical form of starter and the dietary inclusion of hay did not influence starter intake (Control 326 g/d, Ground 314 g/d and GH 365 g/d), daily weight gain (Control 541g/d, Ground 531g/d and GH 606g/d), feed efficiency, apparent nutrient digestibility, energy partitioning, nitrogen balance, ruminal pH, ammonia nitrogen concentration, VFA, the development of the digestive tract and the mRNA expression of genes involved in AGV metabolism., Competing Interests: Embrapa Dairy Cattle (Minas Gerais, Brazil) provided the premises and animals for use in the survey. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials. There are no patents, products in development or marketed products associated with this research to declare.

This study aimed to estimate energy requirements of pregnant Holstein × Gyr cows. Different planes of nutrition were established by two feeding regimens: ad libitum or maintenance. Sixty-two nonlactating cows with average body weight of 480 ± 10.1 kg and an age of 5 ± 0.5 years were used. Cows were divided into three groups: pregnant (n = 44), non-pregnant (n = 12), and baseline reference (n = 6). The 56 pregnant and non-pregnant cows were randomly allocated into a feeding regimen: ad libitum or maintenance. To evaluate the effects of days of pregnancy, pregnant and non-pregnant animals were slaughtered at 140, 200, 240, and 270 days of pregnancy. Energy requirements for maintenance differed between pregnant and non-pregnant cows, thus two equations were developed. Net energy and metabolizable energy requirements for maintenance of non-pregnant cows were 82 kcal/kg empty body weight0.75/day and 132 kcal/kg empty body weight0.75/day, respectively. The efficiency of use of metabolizable energy for maintenance of non-pregnant cows was 62.4%. Net energy and metabolizable energy for maintenance of pregnant cows were 86 kcal/kg empty body weight0.75/day and 137 kcal/kg empty body weight0.75/day, respectively. Efficiency of use of metabolizable energy for maintenance of pregnant cows was 62.5%. The efficiency of use of metabolizable energy for gain was 41.9%. The efficiency of use of metabolizable energy for pregnancy was 14.1%. Furthermore, net energy requirement for pregnancy was different from zero from day 70 of pregnancy onwards. In conclusion, net energy and metabolizable energy requirements for maintenance of non-pregnant cows are different from pregnant cows. Furthermore, we believe that the proposed non-linear equations to estimate net energy requirements for pregnancy are more adequate than current NRC equation, and should be recommended for Holstein × Gyr cows., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Chagas disease, caused by infection with Trypanosoma cruzi, is an important cause of cardiovascular disease. It is increasingly clear that parasite-derived prostaglandins potently modulate host response and disease progression. Here, we report that treatment of experimental T. cruzi infection (Brazil strain) beginning 5 days post infection (dpi) with aspirin (ASA) increased mortality (2-fold) and parasitemia (12-fold). However, there were no differences regarding histopathology or cardiac structure or function. Delayed treatment with ASA (20 mg/kg) beginning 60 dpi did not increase parasitemia or mortality but improved ejection fraction. ASA treatment diminished the profile of parasite- and host-derived circulating prostaglandins in infected mice. To distinguish the effects of ASA on the parasite and host bio-synthetic pathways we infected cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) null mice with the Brazil-strain of T. cruzi. Infected COX-1 null mice displayed a reduction in circulating levels of thromboxane (TX)A(2) and prostaglandin (PG)F(2α). Parasitemia was increased in COX-1 null mice compared with parasitemia and mortality in ASA-treated infected mice indicating the effects of ASA on mortality potentially had little to do with inhibition of prostaglandin metabolism. Expression of SOCS-2 was enhanced, and TRAF6 and TNFα reduced, in the spleens of infected ASA-treated mice. Ablation of the initial innate response to infection may cause the increased mortality in ASA-treated mice as the host likely succumbs more quickly without the initiation of the "cytokine storm" during acute infection. We conclude that ASA, through both COX inhibition and other "off-target" effects, modulates the progression of acute and chronic Chagas disease. Thus, eicosanoids present during acute infection may act as immunomodulators aiding the transition to and maintenance of the chronic phase of the disease. A deeper understanding of the mechanism of ASA action may provide clues to the differences between host response in the acute and chronic T. cruzi infection.