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Simple Summary: This paper summarizes the results of a study on the age at first calving (AFC) in Angus cows bred in Hungary. This trait is critical for economic and sustainability reasons due to its relationship with effectiveness and profitability. The results show significant effects of the birth season, herd, and the sire on this trait. No phenotypic or genetic changes were found during the 23-year study period. However, higher heritability estimates than previously reported suggest the possibility of the selection of the AFC in the Angus population. This study aimed to examine the age at first calving (AFC) in Hungarian Angus herds. This study was conducted on the basis of data from 2955 registered cows, classified into five groups (based on different Angus types), and 200 breeding bulls, which were the sires of the cows. The data were made available by the Hungarian Hereford, Angus, and Galloway Breeders' Association. The variance and covariance components, heritability, breeding value (BV), and genetic trends of AFC between 1998 and 2021 were evaluated. A general linear model (univariate analysis of variance) was used to examine the various effects, while best linear unbiased prediction was used to estimate the population genetic parameters and BV, and linear regression analysis was used for the trend analysis. The average AFC obtained was 28.1 ± 0.1 months (SD = 5.3 months), showing a relatively large variance (CV = 18.9%). The environmental factors that influenced the development of the phenotype were the cow's birth season (28.99%, p < 0.01), cow's birth year (28.7%, p < 0.01), the cow's sire (18.32%, p < 0.01), and the herd (11.77, p < 0.05). The cow's color variant (8.10%, p > 0.05) was not significant and did not influence the AFC in this study. The direct heritability of AFC (h2 = 0.51 ± 0.06) was higher than data in the literature (0.38 ± 0.05); however, the maternal heritability was low (h2m = 0.00 ± 0.03). The correlation between direct and maternal genetic effects was zero (rdm = −0.97 ± 1.00). The phenotypic trend of AFC increased by +0.03 months per year, which was not statistically significant. The genetic trend calculation showed no significant changes. Based on the h2 and BV results, it seems that selecting a suitable sire can effectively reduce the AFC of daughters. Since AFC is also an important trait in economic terms, it would be appropriate to include AFC BV in the bull catalog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionThe composite breed Brangus combines the resilience and adaptability of the Bos t. indicus breed Brahman with the superior meat quality and fertility traits of the Bos t. taurus breed Angus. Its diverse genetics not only enables optimal production performance but also adaptability to hot and humid environmental conditions. From a research perspective, this makes Brangus an ideal model for identifying genomic signatures that reveal the effects of both artificial selection and natural adaptation. The aim of this study was to detect genomic signatures of selection by analyzing changes in breed origin of allele (BOA) frequencies across the genome.MethodsUsing a multi-breed Angus and Brahman herd (n = 4,516) as a reference, population structure was measured via principal component analysis and admixture analysis in two commercial Brangus herds (n = 4,720). BOA was estimated in these herds using LAMP-LD, followed by a signature of selection analysis utilizing a median-based Z-score approach and Fst analyses to detect genomic regions under selection.ResultsThe analysis revealed a genome-wide increase in Angus ancestry in both Brangus populations (71.46%, 68.7%), reflecting intense selection for traits associated with this lineage. BOA-based intra- and inter-population analyses identified significant shifts in Brahman and Angus ancestry across the genome, indicating potential selection for breed-specific genetics. Key genomic regions were identified on chromosomes 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 17, 18, 19, 27, and 28, and were linked to traits such as fertility, growth, heat tolerance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality.DiscussionExpected genes showing signatures of selection included MC1R, responsible for black coat color, and PLAG1, integral to growth, fertility, and carcass traits, underscoring the effectiveness of this methodology. Novel genes under selection, such as CCNB2 (critical for fertility), MTCH2 (associated with meat quality and fertility) and PRLR (associated with coat length and heat tolerance), were also identified. These findings provide deeper insights into the genetic mechanisms driving adaptation and production performance in cattle and offer valuable information for strategic breeding practices aimed at optimizing the strengths of both parental breeds.

Abstract Background Carcass weight (HCW) and marbling (MARB) are critical for meat quality and market value in beef cattle. In composite breeds like Brangus, which meld the genetics of Angus and Brahman, SNP-based analyses have illuminated some genetic influences on these traits, but they fall short in fully capturing the nuanced effects of breed of origin alleles (BOA) on these traits. Focus on the impacts of BOA on phenotypic features within Brangus populations can result in a more profound understanding of the specific influences of Angus and Brahman genetics. Moreover, the consideration of BOA becomes particularly significant when evaluating dominance effects contributing to heterosis in crossbred populations. BOA provides a more comprehensive measure of heterosis due to its ability to differentiate the distinct genetic contributions originating from each parent breed. This detailed understanding of genetic effects is essential for making informed breeding decisions to optimize the benefits of heterosis in composite breeds like Brangus. Objective This study aims to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) influencing HCW and MARB by utilizing SNP and BOA information, incorporating additive, dominance, and overdominance effects within a multi-generational Brangus commercial herd. Methods We analyzed phenotypic data from 1,066 genotyped Brangus steers. BOA inference was performed using LAMP-LD software using Angus and Brahman reference sets. SNP-based and BOA-based GWAS were then conducted considering additive, dominance, and overdominance models. Results The study identified numerous QTLs for HCW and MARB. A notable QTL for HCW was associated to the SGCB gene, pivotal for muscle growth, and was identified solely in the BOA GWAS. Several BOA GWAS QTLs exhibited a dominance effect underscoring their importance in estimating heterosis. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that SNP-based methods may not detect all genetic variation affecting economically important traits in composite breeds. BOA inclusion in genomic evaluations is crucial for identifying genetic regions contributing to trait variation and for understanding the dominance value underpinning heterosis. By considering BOA, we gain a deeper understanding of genetic interactions and heterosis, which is integral to advancing breeding programs. The incorporation of BOA is recommended for comprehensive genomic evaluations to optimize trait improvements in crossbred cattle populations.

In this study, we detected signatures of selection in Hanwoo and Angus beef cattle using allele frequency and haplotype-based methods based on imputed whole genome sequence variants. Our dataset included 13,202 Angus animals with 10,057,633 imputed SNPs and 10,437 Hanwoo animals with 13,241,550 imputed SNPs. The dataset was subset down to 6,873,624 SNPs in common between the two populations to identify within population (runs of homozygosity, extended haplotype homozygosity) and between population signals of selection (allele fixation index, extended haplotype homozygosity). Assuming these selection signals were complementary to each other, they were combined into a decorrelated composite of multiple signals to identify regions under selection for each of the breeds. 27 genomic regions spanning 25.15 Mb and harboring 360 genes were identified in Angus on chromosomes 1,3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 16, 20, 21 and 28. Similarly, in Hanwoo, 59 genes and 17 genomic regions spanning 5.21 Mb on chromosomes 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 17, 20 and 24 were identified. Apart from a small region on chromosome 13, there was no major overlap of selection signals between the two breeds reflecting their largely different selection histories, environmental challenges, breeding objectives and breed characteristics. Positional candidate genes identified in selected genomic regions in Angus have been previously associated with growth, immunity, reproductive development, feed efficiency and adaptation to environment while the candidate genes identified in Hanwoo included important genes regulating meat quality, fat deposition, cholesterol metabolism, lipid synthesis, neuronal development, and olfactory reception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores how some Baptists interpreted the Bible in the nineteenth century, focusing particularly on Joseph Angus, Charles Spurgeon, Esther Copley and Marianne Farningham. In light of evidence from Stepney (later known as Regent's Park) College it challenges the suggestion that Baptist reactions to higher criticism were late and uniformly conservative. It also highlights that biblical interpretation in Baptist churches was shaped not only through those educated at the Colleges but also through the writings of women 'influencers' such as Copley and Farningham, whose work has been overlooked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Carcass weight (HCW) and marbling (MARB) are critical for meat quality and market value in beef cattle. In composite breeds like Brangus, which meld the genetics of Angus and Brahman, SNP-based analyses have illuminated some genetic influences on these traits, but they fall short in fully capturing the nuanced effects of breed of origin alleles (BOA) on these traits. Focus on the impacts of BOA on phenotypic features within Brangus populations can result in a more profound understanding of the specific influences of Angus and Brahman genetics. Moreover, the consideration of BOA becomes particularly significant when evaluating dominance effects contributing to heterosis in crossbred populations. BOA provides a more comprehensive measure of heterosis due to its ability to differentiate the distinct genetic contributions originating from each parent breed. This detailed understanding of genetic effects is essential for making informed breeding decisions to optimize the benefits of heterosis in composite breeds like Brangus. Objective: This study aims to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) influencing HCW and MARB by utilizing SNP and BOA information, incorporating additive, dominance, and overdominance effects within a multi-generational Brangus commercial herd. Methods: We analyzed phenotypic data from 1,066 genotyped Brangus steers. BOA inference was performed using LAMP-LD software using Angus and Brahman reference sets. SNP-based and BOA-based GWAS were then conducted considering additive, dominance, and overdominance models. Results: The study identified numerous QTLs for HCW and MARB. A notable QTL for HCW was associated to the SGCB gene, pivotal for muscle growth, and was identified solely in the BOA GWAS. Several BOA GWAS QTLs exhibited a dominance effect underscoring their importance in estimating heterosis. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that SNP-based methods may not detect all genetic variation affecting economically important traits in composite breeds. BOA inclusion in genomic evaluations is crucial for identifying genetic regions contributing to trait variation and for understanding the dominance value underpinning heterosis. By considering BOA, we gain a deeper understanding of genetic interactions and heterosis, which is integral to advancing breeding programs. The incorporation of BOA is recommended for comprehensive genomic evaluations to optimize trait improvements in crossbred cattle populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study investigates the effects of varying energy levels in diets on Black Angus steers, focusing on growth performance, muscle composition, rumen microbial community, and their interrelationships. Twenty-seven Black Angus steers, aged approximately 22 months and weighing 520 ± 40 kilograms, were randomly divided into three groups: low-energy (LE), medium-energy (ME), and high-energy (HE). Each group consisted of nine individuals. The steers were fed diets with energy levels of 6.657 MJ/kg (LE), 7.323 MJ/kg (ME), and 7.990 MJ/kg (HE) following a 14-day pre-feeding period, with a subsequent 90-day main experimental phase. After the 90-day feeding period, both the HE and ME groups exhibited significantly higher average daily weight gain (ADG) compared to the LE group (p < 0.05). The feed-to-weight ratios were lower in the HE and ME groups compared to the LE group (p < 0.05). The HE group showed significantly higher crude fat content in the longissimus dorsi muscle compared to the LE group (p < 0.05), with total fatty acid content in the muscle surpassing that in the ME and LE groups (p < 0.05). As dietary energy levels increased, the diversity of the rumen microbial community decreased (p < 0.05), and significant differences in bacterial community structure were observed between the LE and HE groups (p < 0.05). The results suggest that higher dietary energy levels enhance growth performance and alter muscle composition in Black Angus steers, while also influencing the rumen microbial community. This study contributes to understanding optimal dietary strategies for finishing Angus cattle to improve beef quality, economic returns, and the development of standardized production procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composite breeds, including Brangus, are widely utilized in subtropical and tropical regions to harness the advantages of both Bos t. taurus and Bos t. indicus breeds. The formation and subsequent selection of composite breeds may result in discernible signatures of selection and shifts in genomic population structure. The objectives of this study were to 1) assess genomic inbreeding, 2) identify signatures of selection, 3) assign functional roles to these signatures in a commercial Brangus herd, and 4) contrast signatures of selection between selected and non-selected cattle from the same year. A total of 4035 commercial Brangus cattle were genotyped using the GGP-F250K array. Runs of Homozygosity (ROH) were used to identify signatures of selection and calculate genomic inbreeding. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) enrichment analysis and literature search identified phenotypic traits linked to ROH islands. Genomic inbreeding averaged 5%, primarily stemming from ancestors five or more generations back. A total of nine ROH islands were identified, QTL enrichment analysis revealed traits related to growth, milk composition, carcass, reproductive, and meat quality traits. Notably, the ROH island on BTA14 encompasses the pleiomorphic adenoma (PLAG1) gene, which has been linked to growth, carcass, and reproductive traits. Moreover, ROH islands associated with milk yield and composition were more pronounced in selected replacement heifers of the population, underscoring the importance of milk traits in cow-calf production. In summary, our research sheds light on the changing genetic landscape of the Brangus breed due to selection pressures and reveals key genomic regions impacting production traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we detected signatures of selection in Hanwoo and Angus beef cattle using allele frequency and haplotype-based methods based on imputed whole genome sequence variants. Our dataset included 13,202 Angus animals with 10,057,633 imputed SNPs and 10,437 Hanwoo animals with 13,241,550 imputed SNPs. The dataset was subset down to 6,873,624 SNPs in common between the two populations to identify within population (runs of homozygosity, extended haplotype homozygosity) and between population signals of selection (allele fixation index, extended haplotype homozygosity). Assuming these selection signals were complementary to each other, they were combined into a decorrelated composite of multiple signals to identify regions under selection for each of the breeds. 27 genomic regions spanning 25.15 Mb and harboring 360 genes were identified in Angus on chromosomes 1,3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 16, 20, 21 and 28. Similarly, in Hanwoo, 59 genes and 17 genomic regions spanning 5.21 Mb on chromosomes 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 17, 20 and 24 were identified. Apart from a small region on chromosome 13, there was no major overlap of selection signals between the two breeds reflecting their largely different selection histories, environmental challenges, breeding objectives and breed characteristics. Positional candidate genes identified in selected genomic regions in Angus have been previously associated with growth, immunity, reproductive development, feed efficiency and adaptation to environment while the candidate genes identified in Hanwoo included important genes regulating meat quality, fat deposition, cholesterol metabolism, lipid synthesis, neuronal development, and olfactory reception.

This study was carried out to compare the fattening performances, some slaughter and carcass characteristics of 10-month-old Hereford (HER) and Angus (ANG) steers fed a high roughage with the same care and feeding conditions in Türkiye. A total of 40 steers, 20 HER and 20 ANG from the same herd, were selected as homogeneously and randomly divided into two groups. The average body weights of the breeds were determined as 276.85±9.70 and 288.10±9.86 kg, respectively, and the differences between the breeds were insignificant (P>0.050). All animals were fed ad-libitum with two different Total Mixed Rations (TMRs) prepared with a concentrate: roughage ratio of 34:66% during the fattening. In the experiment, fattening feed containing 14.12% crude protein (CP) and 2671 kcal/kg metabolic energy (ME) for the first 300 days and fattening finisher feed containing 14.11% CP and 2717 kcal/kg ME for the last 45 days were used. At the end of the study, which lasted for a total of 345 days, the 1 kg live weight costs of the animals were calculated. Differences were insignificant between the two breeds in terms of body weights, final weights (slaughter weights), total weight gains, daily live weight gains, daily dry matter consumption, feed conversion ratios, hot and cold carcass weights, head weight to carcass ratio and longissimus muscle area (LMA) during fattening (P>0.050). Head and skin weights (P=0.000 and P=0.003) and subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT) (P=0.000) were higher in the HER breed. The profit ratio with the cost did not change. It was concluded that both breeds had similar characteristics.

Pasture-based beef cattle are raised in a range of production environments. Some paddocks may contain trees and other objects that allow for grooming, hence being naturally enriching, whilst others may be barren without these opportunities. Additionally, it is not uncommon for cattle to move between these enriched and barren environments as part of routine management. While the benefits of enrichment are well studied, how this ‘enrichment loss’ impacts cattle welfare as access to stimuli is removed is unknown. This trial assessed the impacts of the loss of an enriching object (grooming brush) on grazing beef cattle welfare and production characteristics. When grooming brush access was blocked, cattle became dirtier, showed reduced average daily gain, and had elevated faecal cortisol metabolites, although this varied according to the degree of initial individual brush use. Additionally, allogrooming and grooming on other objects were reduced when access to the brush was returned, potentially indicating a rebound effect. These results demonstrate that the loss of adequate grooming objects can impair the overall welfare of grazing cattle; however, further work is needed to determine exactly which natural or artificial objects provide adequate grooming opportunities.

The microbiome has been linked to animal health and productivity, and thus, modulating animal microbiomes is becoming of increasing interest. Antimicrobial growth promoters (AGP) were once a common technology used to modulate the microbiome, but regulation and consumer pressure have decreased AGP use in food animals. One alternative to antimicrobial growth promoters are phytotherapeutics, compounds derived from plants. Capsaicin is a compound from the Capsicum genus, which includes chili peppers. Capsaicin has antimicrobial properties and could be used to manipulate the gastrointestinal microbiome of cattle. Both the rumen and fecal microbiomes are essential to cattle health and production, and modulation of either microbiome can affect both cattle health and productivity. We hypothesized that the addition of rumen-protected capsaicin to the diet of cattle would alter the composition of the fecal microbiome, but not the rumen microbiome. To determine the impact of rumen-protected capsaicin in cattle, four Holstein and four Angus steers were fed rumen-protected Capsicum oleoresin at 0 (Control), 5, 10, or 15 mg kg−1 diet dry matter. Cattle were fed in treatment groups in a 4 × 4 Latin Square design with a 21-d adaptation phase and a 7-d sample collection phase. Rumen samples were collected on day 22 at 0-, 2-, 6-, 12-, and 18-h post-feeding, and fecal swabs were collected on the last day of sample collection, day 28, within 1 h of feeding. Sequencing data of the 16s rRNA gene was analyzed using the dada2 pipeline and taxa were assigned using the SILVA database. No differences were observed in alpha diversity among fecal or rumen samples for either breed (P  > 0.08) and no difference between groups was detected for either breed in rumen samples or for Angus steers in fecal samples (P  > 0.42). There was a difference in beta diversity between treatments in fecal samples of Holstein steers (P  < 0.01), however, a pairwise comparison of the treatment groups suggests no difference between treatments after adjusting for multiple comparisons. Therefore, we were unable to observe substantial overall variation in the rumen or fecal microbiomes of steers due to increasing concentrations of rumen-protected capsaicin. We do, however, see a trend toward increased concentrations of capsaicin influencing the fecal microbiome structure of Holstein steers despite this lack of significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the effects of grape pomace on production performance and meat quality of beef cattle, the whole corn silage was replaced by grape pomace silage, and to anal‐ yse the changes of growth and development, slaughter performance and meat quality of beef cattle. The main beef cattle breeds Angus and Simmental cattle with 30 heads each were se‐lected and divided into test group A, group B and control group, the average body weight is (283.00± 2.47) kg, and the test group is fed grape pomace silage diet and control is fed whole plant corn silage diet. The result showed that compared with the control group, test groups of the weight gain over the trial period were higher than control group 16-36 kg, and average daily gain were higher 40-150 g; slaughter at the age of 20-month-old, the carcass weight of test group A and B were higher than control group 67 kg (P< 0.01), 38 kg (P<0.05), respectively; the dressing percentage and net meat percentage were seven percent‐ age points and six percentage points higher than the control group, respectively (P<0.05), the highest slaughter percentage and net meat percentage were about 65% and 58%, respectively; the fat and protein contents of beef in test groups were higher than those in control group, and the shear force was lower than that in control group (P<0.05); the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) was mainly composed of lin‐ oleic acid, α-linolenic acid and arachidonic acid. The contents of linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid in experimental groups were significantly higher than those in control group (P<0.05), and the ratio of n-6/ n-3 PUFA in beef was about 10∶1, which was lower than that in control group. In summary when grape residue silage was used as the main roughage source, it could improve the growth performance, carcass weight, slaughter percentage and net meat percentage of beef cattle after slaughter, increase the types of fatty acids and the content of main fatty acids, improve the ratio of n-6/n-3 PUFA, and improve the beef quality to a certain extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The objective of this work was to compare nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from urine and manure of Nellore and crossbred (Nellore x Angus) cattle finished in feedlot. Twenty Nellore and 20 crossbred bulls were fed a diet consisting of 75% concentrate and 25% roughage. Excreta were applied to the pens after 43 days of confinement, when N2O monitoring started through static chambers. The data were subjected to the analysis of variance, and averages were compared by Tukey’s test. The N2O fluxes from urine and manure were similar among the breeds, with important peaks after rain events. The cumulative emissions of N2O from urine per kilogram of body weight gain (BWG) and the total emissions from manure per kilogram of BWG were 22.7% and 24.4% higher in Nellore cattle. There is no breed effect on N2O flux and cumulative emissions by excreta from confined beef cattle; however, the crossbreed emits less per kilogram of BWG. There is a high correlation between rainfall volume and the N2O emissions of the next day, which indicates a period between rain occurrence and the increase in N2O emission.

Introduction: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a crucial role in regulating gene expression during key developmental processes, including fetal development. Brahman (Bos taurus indicus) and Angus (Bos taurus taurus) cattle breeds represent two major cattle subspecies with strikingly different phenotypes.Methods: We analyzed miRNA expression in liver samples of purebred and reciprocal crosses of Angus and Brahman to investigate breed and parent-of-origin effects at the onset of accelerated fetal growth.Results: We identified eight novel miRNAs in fetal liver samples and 14 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) between purebred samples. Correlation of gene expression modules and miRNAs by breed and parent-of-origin effects revealed an enrichment of genes associated with breed-specific differences in traits such as heat tolerance (Brahman) and fat deposition (Angus). We demonstrate that genes predicted to be targets of DEMs were more likely to be differentially expressed than non-targets (p-value < 0.05). We identified several miRNAs (bta-miR-187, bta-miR-216b, bta-miR-2284c, bta-miR-2285c, bta-miR-2285cp, bta-miR-2419-3p, bta-miR-2419-5p, and bta-miR-11984) that showed similar correlation patterns as bta-miR-2355-3p, which has been associated with the glutamatergic synapse pathway, a key facilitator of heat tolerance. Furthermore, we report Angus-breed-specific miRNAs (bta-miR-2313-5p, btamiR-490, bta-miR-2316, and bta-miR-11990) that may be involved in fat deposition. Finally, we showed that the DEMs identified in fetal liver are involved in Rap1, MAPK, and Ras signalling pathways, which are important for fetal development, muscle development and metabolic traits such as fat metabolism.Conclusion: Our work sheds light on the miRNA expression patterns that contribute to gene expression differences driving phenotypic differences in indicine and taurine cattle.

This study was carried out to compare the fattening performances, some slaughter and carcass characteristics of 10-month-old Hereford (HER) and Angus (ANG) steers fed a high roughage with the same care and feeding conditions in Türkiye. A total of 40 steers, 20 HER and 20 ANG from the same herd, were selected as homogeneously and randomly divided into two groups. The average body weights of the breeds were determined as 276.85±9.70 and 288.10±9.86 kg, respectively, and the differences between the breeds were insignificant (P>0.050). All animals were fed ad-libitum with two different Total Mixed Rations (TMRs) prepared with a concentrate: roughage ratio of 34:66% during the fattening. In the experiment, fattening feed containing 14.12% crude protein (CP) and 2671 kcal/kg metabolic energy (ME) for the first 300 days and fattening finisher feed containing 14.11% CP and 2717 kcal/kg ME for the last 45 days were used. At the end of the study, which lasted for a total of 345 days, the 1 kg live weight costs of the animals were calculated. Differences were insignificant between the two breeds in terms of body weights, final weights (slaughter weights), total weight gains, daily live weight gains, daily dry matter consumption, feed conversion ratios, hot and cold carcass weights, head weight to carcass ratio and longissimus muscle area (LMA) during fattening (P>0.050). Head and skin weights (P=0.000 and P=0.003) and subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT) (P=0.000) were higher in the HER breed. The profit ratio with the cost did not change. It was concluded that both breeds had similar characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective was to assess the effect of sire breed on birth weight, average daily gain from birth to weaning, and actual weaning weight of calves. The calves were produced by AI using semen of five Akaushi (Wagyu), six Angus, and six Brahman bulls. Dams of calves were Beefmaster (n = 60) and Brown Swiss x Zebu (n = 21). The three sire breeds were used on both dam genetic types to produce the calves (45 males and 36 females). Each dam genetic type was raised in two ranches; therefore, all calves were born in four ranches, in the same calendar year. Average age at weaning weight m easurement was 186 days. The traits were analyzed with the MIXED procedure of SAS. The statistical model included the fixed effects of sire breed, dam genetic type, calf sex, ranch, and birth season within sire breed-ranch; sire within breed of sire was included as a random effect (except for weaning weight; P > 0.05). In addition, the model for weaning weight included calf age at weaning as a covariate. Birth weights and average daily gains of Akaushi-, Angus- and Brahman-sired calves were similar (P > 0.05). In contrast, Angus-sired calves were heavier (P < 0.05) at weaning than Akaushi- and Brahman-sired calves. Calves out of Brown Swiss x Zebu dams had higher (P < 0.05) pre-weaning average daily gains than calves out of Beefmaster dams. Angus-sired calves performed better at weaning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) is a cardiopulmonary condition observed in cattle raised in feedlots situated at elevations above 800 m. This condition leads to right-sided heart failure caused by increased pulmonary vessel pressures and cardiopulmonary remodeling, known as pulmonary hypertension (PH). In cattle experiencing PH, pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) becomes abnormally high, increasing heart muscle load. This load stretches muscle fibers and enlarges the right side of the heart which can lead to heart failure and death. To assess the severity of PH, animals are assigned a heart score (HS) on a scale ranging from 1 to 5 at harvest. A score of 1 represents a normal heart, while a score of 5 indicates extreme heart remodeling. Understanding the relationship between hot carcass weight (HCW), fat depth (FD), and HS in Angus cattle will provide useful information on the impacts of this condition on feedlot performance and profitability. The objective of this study was to determine if a phenotypic relationship between HCW and FD with HS in Angusinfluenced cattle. For this experiment, a total of 798 black, Angus-influenced cattle were used (245 steers, 553 heifers) that were fed near Greeley, CO. The HCW, FD, and HS data from each animal were recorded at harvest. Three general linear models were used to estimate the effects of HS on HCW and FD. Mean HCW and FD were 393.1 kg, (SD = 90.9) and 0.66 mm, (SD = 0.18), respectively, with an average HS of 2.08 (SD = 0.77). For all models, HCW and FD were fit as dependent variables, while lot and HS were included as fixed effects. Model 1 included all HS categories independently. Model 2 divided HS into 2 groups of normal (HS = 1 or 2) or remodeled (HS = 3+). For model 3 HS 3 was removed leaving only HS of 4 or 5 in the remodeled group. For both HCW and FD in Model 1, the overall effect of HS was not significant (P = 0.82 and P = 0.40, respectively). However, when comparing individual scores, animals with a HS = 4 were 15.0 kg lighter for HCW than individuals with a HS = 1 (P < 0.05). Conversely for FD, a non-significant difference (P = 0.74) of -0.33 mm was observed between animals with a HS = 4 versus a HS = 1. Grouping HS into 2 categories in Model 2 did change the outcome, yielding non-significant HCW and FD differences. However, when eliminating the HS = 3 data, a significant reduction in HCW of 16.9 kg (P = 0.05) was observed between the 2 HS groups, whereas non-significant effects on FD remained. These data suggest that at extreme levels of heart remodeling HCW may be extremely impacted negatively [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cattle lose heat predominantly through cutaneous evaporation at the skin-hair coat interface when experiencing heat stress. Sweating ability, sweat gland properties, and hair coat properties are a few of the many variables determining the efficacy of evaporative cooling. Sweating is a significant heat dissipation mechanism responsible for 85% of body heat loss when temperatures rise above 86°F. The purpose of this study was to characterize skin morphological parameters in Angus, Brahman, and their crossbred cattle. Skin samples were taken during the summer of 2017 and 2018 from a total of 319 heifers from six breed groups ranging from 100% Angus to 100% Brahman. Epidermis thickness decreased as the percentage of Brahman genetics increased where the 100% Angus group had a significantly thicker epidermis compared to the 100% Brahman animals. A more extended epidermis layer was identified in Brahman animals due to more pronounced undulations in this skin layer. Breed groups with 75% and 100% Brahman genes were similar and had the largest sweat gland area, indicative of superior resilience to heat stress, compared to breed groups with 50% or lower Brahman genetics. There was a significant linear breed group effect on sweat gland area indicating an increase of 862.0 µm2 for every 25% increase in Brahman genetics. Sweat gland length increased as the Brahman percentage increased, while the sweat gland depth showed an opposite trend, decreasing from 100% Angus to 100% Brahman. The number of sebaceous glands was highest in 100% Brahman animals which had about 1.77 more sebaceous glands (p < 0.05) per 4.6 mm2area. Conversely, the sebaceous gland area was greatest in the 100% Angus group. This study identified significant differences in skin properties related to heat exchange ability between Brahman and Angus cattle. Equally important, these differences are also accompanied by significant levels of variation within each breed, which is indicative that selection for these skin traits would improve the heat exchange ability in beef cattle. Further, selecting beef cattle for these skin traits would lead to increased resilience to heat stress without disrupting production traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Beef cattle production has improved to achieve consumers' preferences, including meat quality and human-health-related indexes. Wagyu (WY) breed is Japanese cattle with high intramuscular fat infiltration and rich in unsaturated fatty acids. Most Wagyu beef cattle are raised in Japan. Our objective was to describe Wagyu, Wagyu-by-Angus (Wangus, WN), and Angus-by-Charolaise-Limousine (ACL) beef produced in a Spanish fattening system with high-olein diets, regarding the fat profile, health-related indexes and the metabolic biomarkers prior to slaughtering. Blood lipid-related metabolites, except for non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and low-density level cholesterol (LDL), were higher in WY and WN than in ACL, while glucose was lower in WY and WN. Leptin was higher in WN than in ACL. Nutritional analyses showed higher fat infiltration in WY and WN steers than ACL animals for both meat cuts (sirloin and entrecote), including three-fold higher content. Wagyu beef had the highest intramuscular fat in sirloin (51.5% vs. 21.9%) and entrecote (59.6% vs. 27.6%) vs. ACL animals. Wagyu entrecote contained more unsaturated fatty acids (55.8% vs. 53.0%) and more oleic acids (47.5% vs. 43.3%) than ACL' beef. Wagyu and WN entrecote showed better atherogenic (0.6 and 0.55 vs. 0.69), thrombogenicity (0.82 and 0.92 vs. 1.1), and hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic index (1.9 and 2.1 vs. 1.7; all p < 0.001) than ACL's beef. In brief, the fat profile and nutritional characteristics of beef depend on the fattening period, breed/crossbred, and cut of meat, with Wagyu and Wangus beef showing a healthier fat profile than ACL animals. A high intramuscular fat content characterizes Wagyu (WY) cattle breed. Our objective was to compare beef from WY, WY-by-Angus, or Wangus (WN) steers with European, Angus-by-Charolais-Limousine crossbred steers (ACL), considering metabolic biomarkers pre-slaughtering and nutritional characteristics, including health-related indexes of the lipid fraction. The fattening system with olein-rich diets and no exercise restriction included 82 steers, 24 WY, 29 WN, and 29 ACL. The slaughter ages and weights were (median and interquartile range) 38.4 mo.-old (34.9–40.3 mo.) and 840 kg (785–895 kg) for WY; for WN, 30.6 mo. (26.9–36.5 mo.) and 832 kg (802–875 kg), and for ACL steers, 20.3 mo.-old (19.0–22.7 mo.) and 780 kg (715–852 kg). Blood lipid-related metabolites, except for non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and low-density level cholesterol (LDL), were higher in WY and WN than in ACL, while glucose was lower in WY and WN. Leptin was higher in WN than in ACL. Pre-slaughtering values of plasma HDL underscored as a possible metabolic biomarker directly related to beef quality. The amino-acid content in beef did not differ among experimental groups, except for more crude protein in ACL. Compared to ACL, WY steers showed higher intramuscular fat in sirloin (51.5 vs. 21.9%) and entrecote (59.6 vs. 27.6%), more unsaturated fatty acids in entrecote (55.8 vs. 53.0%), and more oleic acid in sirloin (46 vs. 41.3%) and entrecote (47.5 vs. 43.3%). Compared to ACL entrecote, WY and WN showed better atherogenic (0.6 and 0.55 vs. 0.69), thrombogenicity (0.82 and 0.92 vs. 1.1), and hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic index (1.9 and 2.1 vs. 1.7). Therefore, beef's nutritional characteristics depend on breed/crossbred, slaughtering age and cut, with WY and WN entrecote samples showing a healthier lipid fraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cattle lose heat predominantly through cutaneous evaporation at the skin-hair coat interface when experiencing heat stress. Sweating ability, sweat gland properties, and hair coat properties are a few of the many variables determining the efficacy of evaporative cooling. Sweating is a significant heat dissipation mechanism responsible for 85% of body heat loss when temperatures rise above 86⁰F. The purpose of this study was to characterize skin morphological parameters in Angus, Brahman, and their crossbred cattle. Skin samples were taken during the summer of 2017 and 2018 from a total of 319 heifers from six breed groups ranging from 100% Angus to 100% Brahman. Epidermis thickness decreased as the percentage of Brahman genetics increased where the 100% Angus group had a significantly thicker epidermis compared to the 100% Brahman animals. A more extended epidermis layer was identified in Brahman animals due to more pronounced undulations in this skin layer. Breed groups with 75% and 100% Brahman genes were similar and had the largest sweat gland area, indicative of superior resilience to heat stress, compared to breed groups with 50% or lower Brahman genetics. There was a significant linear breed group effect on sweat gland area indicating an increase of 862.0 µm2 for every 25% increase in Brahman genetics. Sweat gland length increased as the Brahman percentage increased, while the sweat gland depth showed an opposite trend, decreasing from 100% Angus to 100% Brahman. The number of sebaceous glands was highest in 100% Brahman animals which had about 1.77 more sebaceous glands (p < 0.05) per 4.6 mm2area. Conversely, the sebaceous gland area was greatest in the 100% Angus group. This study identified significant differences in skin properties related to heat exchange ability between Brahman and Angus cattle. Equally important, these differences are also accompanied by significant levels of variation within each breed, which is indicative that selection for these skin traits would improve the heat exchange ability in beef cattle. Further, selecting beef cattle for these skin traits would lead to increased resilience to heat stress without disrupting production traits.

The aim was to evaluate the effect of different rates of weight gain during the backgrounding on animal performance and carcass and meat characteristics of steers finished in feedlots. Thirty‐six Angus steers, 12 ± 2 months of age, were backgrounded during 91 days on Aruana grass pasture (Panicum maximum cv. Aruana) managed under different stocking rates to achieve three different weight gains: HIGH ADG (average daily gain)—no feed restriction (ADG = 0.846 kg); MEDIUM ADG—moderate feed restriction (ADG = 0.456 kg); and LOW ADG—high feed restriction (ADG = 0.154 kg). To ensure the difference in ADG, we offered 0.7% live weight of concentrate feed in the HIGH treatment and a better forage supply in the MEDIUM treatment. After the backgrounding, the animals were finished in feedlot. There was no effect of the previous performance on the animals' performance in the feedlot. The LOW presented higher weight (218.9 vs. 207.9 kg) and hot (54.0% vs. 51.3%) and cold (53.5% vs. 50.5%) carcass yield than the MEDIUM, besides presenting meat with less cooking losses (15.0% vs. 18.2%), marbling (7 vs. 4.0 points), palatability (7.1 vs. 6.3 points), juiciness (7.2 vs. 6.4 points), tenderness (7.1 vs. 6.3 points), and lower shear force (5.78 vs. 8.75 kg) than HIGH. LOW ADG steers stay longer in the finishing phase but presented in general better quality carcass and meat than those with MEDIUM or HIGH during the backgrounding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dairy heifers in New Zealand are typically naturally mated by Jersey bulls to produce low-value non-replacement offspring sold for slaughter a few days after birth. Producing a beef-sired calf from a dairy heifer will increase the value of these calves for beef production but may compromise the subsequent career of the animals, in terms of milk production, rebreeding success, health, or survival of the heifer. This study aimed to determine the impact of low birthweight Angus and Hereford bulls versus breed-average Jersey bulls on the reproduction and production traits of first-calving dairy heifers. The experiment included 304 heifer-calf pairs over 2 years. Calves sired by Angus and Hereford bulls were 3.5–4.4 kg and 3.7–6.8 kg heavier than Jersey-sired calves and had a 4.2% and 9.3% incidence of assistance at birth for normally presented calves over the 2 years, respectively. No normally presented Jersey-sired calves were assisted. There was no difference in body condition score, pre-calving live weight, milk production, pregnancy rate, inter-calving interval, re-calving day, and 21-day re-calving rate of heifers mated to the different breeds of bulls. The results indicate that the Angus and Hereford bulls with low birthweight and high direct calving ease estimated breeding values (EBV) can be used to produce calves of greater value than Jersey-sired calves without impacting dairy heifer production. However, a small increase in assistance at calving could be expected.

Simple Summary: Microorganisms inhabiting the gut influence the health and productivity of livestock. Studies in ruminants including beef cattle show that ruminal microorganisms can help convert poor-quality or indigestible feed into nutrients, thereby influencing economically important traits like feed conversion efficiency and meat quality (e.g., marbling), and also interact with receptors on intestinal epithelial cells to regulate a variety of physiological processes including immune responses. Studies have also shown that the proportions of different groups of microorganisms in the gut are influenced by exposure to stress. In beef cattle, given that most cattle are finished on feedlots, induction into feedlots can expose cattle to stress due to transportation, change in diet and change in the handling and management of animals. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to characterise how gut microorganisms change over time when cattle are inducted into feedlots. The results indicate that there are significant changes in the profiles of gut microorganisms in cattle that are visible soon after feedlot placement. These changes primarily include a reduced diversity of microorganisms within the gut of individual cattle and increased differences in the types of microorganisms that inhabit the gut of different cattle. The microbial communities that inhabit the intestinal tract play an important role in modulating health and productivity. Environmental stressors can impact microbial communities, which can significantly influence host physiology. Cattle are subjected to several environmental stressors when placed on feedlots, such as transportation stress, exposure to feedlot environments and change in diet and management. Exposure to these stressors could influence host gut microbiota, which in turn, could potentially influence host health and performance. The aim of the current study was to characterise the temporal changes that occur in intestinal microbiota as a consequence of feedlot placement by profiling 16s rRNA sequences in rectal faecal samples. When faecal microbiome profiles were compared in terms of relative abundances and alpha diversity metrics, the results showed significant, observable changes in profiles 2 days post-feedlot induction. Furthermore, beta-diversity analysis indicated that the phylogenetic similarity between samples significantly decreased on day 2 (PERMANOVA, p < 0.001). These trends were suggestive of a short-term reduction in microbial diversity coupled with decreased similarity between animals. These changes warrant further investigation and could provide opportunities for improved performance, health and even welfare of feedlot cattle in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual fencing (VF) collars rely on GPS tracking and audio warning-electric cueing to exclude or contain livestock inside geofencing zones. Behavioral differences between breeds may occur that explain differences in adaptation to VF. Training response of nonlactating Raramuri Criollo (RC) and Angus-Herford (AH) cattle to a commercial VF system was compared at the Jornada Experimental Range (USDA-ARS) in Las Cruces, NM during November and December, 2023. Thirty RC and 30 AH cows naive to VF were instrumented with Nofence collars (Molde, Norway) and randomly allocated by breed to rectangular pens (n = 6) of similar size (0.16 ha). Cows were fed wheat hay ad libitum in feeding stations at the east and west ends. Unrestricted water, mineral supplements and shade were provided at the center of pens. Two VF exclusion areas of similar size (280 m2) were set in the east and west ends, establishing eventual VF restricted zones (RZ). The training was divided into six 3-d periods. In period 1, RZ were deactivated, allowing cows to adapt to feed, peers, operators and pens. In period 2, RZ were activated on the west end of each pen, with the east side serving as VF containment zone (CZ). In period 3, RZ were switched to the east side, with the west side serving as the CZ. Both RZ were deactivated in period 4 to serve as an extinction phase. The RZ configuration in periods 2 and 3 were repeated in periods 5 and 6, serving as testing phase. Audio warnings (AW), electric pulses (EP), and the ratio (RT) of EP to AW were analyzed with a repeated measures model to evaluate fixed effects of breed, period, day(period), and all interactions according to a completely randomized design with day(period) as repeated factor. Significant effects were tested using LSD (P < 0.05). Both AW and EP were affected by the triple interaction, indicating greater AW and EP in d 1 of period 2 for AH than RC cows. Likewise, AW were greater for AH in period 2, and EP were greater for AH cows in periods 2 and 3 and for RC cows only in period 2. Among day(period), AW and EP were greater for both breeds in d 1 of period 2, and in d 1 of period 3 for AH. No interaction in RT was detected, but mean values were greater for AH than RC, in periods 2 and 3 than 5 and 6, and in d 1 than d 2 and both than d 3, as anticipated. The RT declined through time suggesting that both breeds learned to respond safely to changing VF configurations, but consistent behavioral differences may explain a different VF risk assessment and vigilance of RC cows compared with AH cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this scientific paper, the productive performances of beef cattle belonging to the Aberdeen Angus and Charolaise breeds from 6 farms in Neamț County were analyzed, studying the following indicators: birth weight (kg), body weight (kg), and average daily gain (g) at the age of 200 days (kg), and also 365 days (kg). The data on average values and variability of meat production indices show that the highest performances were 42.33 kg at birth, 246.29 kg and the average daily increase of 1030.71 grams per 200 days, and 433.69 kg with the average daily increase of 1074.33 kg, at the age of 365 days. On the last place was farm 1, which registered an average weight at birth of 30.70 kg, at 200 days this indicator was 188.59 kg, and the average daily gain was 786.20 grams; at 365 days the average weight was 320.84 kg and the average weight was 793.11 kg. Farm 1 raises the Aberdeen Angus breed, and farm 5 raises the Charolaise breed, which has better results due to the constant care of the breeder to improve the genetic material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to determine the blood lipid profiles, fatty acid composition, and lipogenic enzyme activities in rat adipose tissues as affected by the Angus beef fat (ABF) and Hanwoo beef fat (HBF) containing high oleic acid (OA) content. We assigned 60 Sprague Dawley rats with a mean bodyweight of 249 ± 3.04 g to three groups (n = 20 each) to receive diets containing 7% coconut oil (CON), 7% ABF, or 7% HBF. The OA content was highest in the HBF (45.23%) followed by ABF (39.51%) and CON (6.10%). The final body weight of the HBF-fed group was significantly increased, probably due to increased feed intake, indicating the palatability of the diet. The HBF and ABF significantly increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), decreased triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) levels, and also tended to attenuate glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) levels in the bloodstream of the rats compared to CON. As compared to CON, lauric, myristic, and palmitic acids were significantly lower, and those of OA and α-linolenic acid (ALA) were significantly higher in the adipose tissues of HBF and ABF-fed groups. The HBF and ABF also reduced lipogenesis as induced by depleted fatty acid synthase (FAS) activity in rat adipose tissues. Nevertheless, between the two fats, HBF showed high feed intake due to its high palatability but reduced lipogenic enzyme activity, specifically that of FAS, and increased HDL-C, decreased TC and TG levels in the bloodstream, reduced saturated fatty acids (SFA), and increased oleic and ALA contents in rat adipose tissues indicating that HBF consumption does not pose significant risks of cardiovascular disease.

Basic understanding of molecular features of ovaries and comparison of biological events in ovaries of different beef cattle breeds with indigenous potential has been indicated to improve beef production. The objective of the study was to explore the basic molecular features of Xiangxi cattle ovary and to identify the biological processes generating the differences between the ovaries of Xiangxi and Angus cattle. For this purpose, RNA-seq technology was used to analyze transcriptome data between the ovaries of Xiangxi and Angus cattle. A total of 64.87 Gb clean data were obtained that contained 6.10 Gb clean data of each sample. A total of 109 differentially expressed genes were obtained from comparison of transcriptome analysis between Xiangxi and Angus cattle. Among the 109 differentially expressed genes, 60 genes were upregulated in Angus, whereas 59 genes were upregulated in Xiangxi cattle. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes Pathway Analysis indicated that many of these genes encode the proteins involved in signal transduction and ovarian development. In this study, the mRNA expression of ASIP, IGLL1, FOSB and IL17RD in ovary of Angus cattle was found to be upregulated. While, the mRNA expression of GSTA3, TICAM1, CCDC6 and TSPAN18 was upregulated in Xiangxi cattle. These observations could provide basic information to improve understanding of fertilization, ovarian development and immune cell functions in the Xiangxi cattle and other closely related cattle breeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dairy heifers in New Zealand are typically naturally mated by Jersey bulls to produce low-value non-replacement offspring sold for slaughter a few days after birth. Producing a beef-sired calf from a dairy heifer will increase the value of these calves for beef production but may compromise the subsequent career of the animals, in terms of milk production, rebreeding success, health, or survival of the heifer. This study aimed to determine the impact of low birthweight Angus and Hereford bulls versus breed-average Jersey bulls on the reproduction and production traits of first-calving dairy heifers. The experiment included 304 heifer-calf pairs over 2 years. Calves sired by Angus and Hereford bulls were 3.5–4.4 kg and 3.7–6.8 kg heavier than Jersey-sired calves and had a 4.2% and 9.3% incidence of assistance at birth for normally presented calves over the 2 years, respectively. No normally presented Jersey-sired calves were assisted. There was no difference in body condition score, pre-calving live weight, milk production, pregnancy rate, inter-calving interval, re-calving day, and 21-day re-calving rate of heifers mated to the different breeds of bulls. The results indicate that the Angus and Hereford bulls with low birthweight and high direct calving ease estimated breeding values (EBV) can be used to produce calves of greater value than Jersey-sired calves without impacting dairy heifer production. However, a small increase in assistance at calving could be expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contents: This study aimed to determine the effect of flunixin meglumine treatment during and after the transfer of in vivo produced embryos to Angus (cows) and Holstein (cows and heifers) breeds of cattle on pregnancy rate. Holstein cows were used as donors in the study. A double dose of prostaglandin F2α was administered to the recipient animals for synchronization. Uterine flushing was performed in donors on day 7 after artificial insemination. A total of 295 transferable embryos were obtained. These embryos were transferred to Angus cows (n = 85), Holstein heifers (n = 80) and Holstein cows (n = 130). After the transfer, these animals were divided into three subgroups. The first subgroup (TI) was administered flunixin meglumine during embryo transfer, and the second subgroup (TII) was administered flunixin meglumine both during embryo transfer and on days 8 and 9 after the transfer. The third subgroup (TIII) was not administered anything and it was considered the control group. Pregnancy examination of the recipients was performed on days 30–35 after the transfer using real‐time ultrasonography. The pregnancy rates after embryo transfer were found to be 43.52% in Angus cows, 42.5% in Holstein heifers, and 24.61% in Holstein cows (p <.05). When the animals were not classified according to breed, the pregnancy rates in subgroups TI, TII and TIII were found to be 29.29%, 45.10% and 29.79%, respectively (p <.05). In addition, the pregnancy rates were higher in TII and TIII subgroups of Angus cows and Holstein heifers compared to that of Holstein cows (p <.05). As a result, the pregnancy rates obtained after embryo transfer in Angus cows and Holstein heifers were found to be higher than that in Holstein cows. In addition, it was concluded that the administration of flunixin meglumine during and during/after embryo transfer has a positive effect on pregnancy rates in Angus cows and Holstein heifers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Context. Improving meat quality traits such as marbling is a well established breeding objective for many beef producers. More recently, the inclusion of feed efficiency is being considered. The main driving factors being the direct feed cost, as well as consumer concerns related to environmental sustainability of beef production. Aims. The main aim of this study was to examine modifying the definition of residual feed intake (RFI), by including an adjustment for intramuscular fat (IMF). The secondary aim was to further understand the genetic relationships between feed intake and a range of carcass traits. Methods. Using a population of 4034 Australian Angus animals, feed intake and carcass traits, along with pedigree and fixed effects, were analysed. This included the calculation of three definitions of RFI, being the standard definition, accounting for average daily gain and metabolic mid-weight, and two amended versions accounting for ultrasound IMF (RFIu), or carcass IMF (RFIi). Variance components, heritabilities, and genetic and phenotypic correlations were estimated and compared. Key results. All three definitions of RFI were moderately heritable (0.30-0.32) and highly correlated, both genetically (0.99) and phenotypically (0.99). Unfavourable genetic correlations were observed between RFI and carcass IMF (CIMF), and between RFIu and CIMF at 0.29 and 0.24 respectively. Similarly, there were unfavourable genetic correlations between RFI and ultrasound IMF (UIMF), between RFIi and UIMF, and between RFIu and UIMF at 0.30, 0,21 and 0.23 respectively. Conclusions. RFI can be redefined to account for traits, other than average daily gain and metabolic mid-weight, such as IMF. However due to limitations of phenotypic linear regression, and only small amounts of variation in feed intake being explained by the IMF traits, the redefinition of RFI was a suboptimal approach to breeding candidate selection. Furthermore, the present study confirmed the challenges with selecting for both feed efficiency and meat quality traits as they are generally genetically antagonist. Implications. For beef cattle breeding programs, the investigation of alternative selection approaches is warranted. This may include further understanding the genetic correlations among traits in the breeding objective and, according to their economic value, optimally weighting the related estimated breeding value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to describe the meat quality of young Holstein (HOL) beef-on-dairy heifers and bulls sired by Angus (ANG, n = 109), Charolais (CHA, n = 101) and Danish Blue (DBL, n = 127), and to investigate the performance of the handheld vision-based Q-FOM™ Beef camera in predicting the intramuscular fat concentration (IMF%) in M. longissimus thoracis from carcasses quartered at the 5th–6th thoracic vertebra. The results showed significant differences between crossbreeds and sexes on carcass characteristics and meat quality. DBL × HOL had the highest EUROP conformation scores, whereas ANG × HOL had darker meat with higher IMF% (3.52%) compared to CHA × HOL (2.99%) and DBL × HOL (2.51%). Bulls had higher EUROP conformation scores than heifers, and heifers had higher IMF% (3.70%) than bulls (2.31%). These findings indicate the potential for producing high-quality meat from beef-on-dairy heifers and ANG bulls. The IMF% prediction model for Q-FOM performed well with R2 = 0.91 and root mean squared error of cross validation, RMSECV = 1.33%. The performance of the prediction model on the beef-on-dairy veal subsample ranging from 0.9 to 7.4% IMF had lower accuracy (R2 = 0.48) and the prediction error (RMSE veal) was 1.00%. When grouping beef-on-dairy veal carcasses into three IMF% classes (2.5% IMF bins), 62.6% of the carcasses were accurately predicted. Furthermore, Q-FOM IMF% predictions and chemically determined IMF% were similar for each combination of sex and crossbreed, revealing a potential of Q-FOM IMF% predictions to be used in breeding, when aiming for higher meat quality. • Intramuscular fat was highest in Angus, then Charolais, then Danish Blue crossbreeds. • Crossbred heifers had more intramuscular fat than bulls at 10 months age. • Q-FOM™ Beef can predict eye muscle intramuscular fat at 5th–6th thoracic vertebra. • Q-FOM™ Beef can be a tool in breeding for higher meat quality in beef-on-dairy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are extensively used to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) underlying the genetic variation of complex traits. However, much uncertainly often still exists about the causal variants and genes at quantitative trait loci (QTL). The aim of this study was to identify QTL associated with residual feed intake (RFI) and genes in these regions whose expression is also associated with this trait. Angus cattle (2190 steers) with RFI records were genotyped and imputed to high density arrays (770 K) and used for a GWAS approach to identify QTL associated with RFI. RNA sequences from 126 Angus divergently selected for RFI were analyzed to identify the genes whose expression was significantly associated this trait with special attention to those genes residing in the QTL regions. Results The heritability for RFI estimated for this Angus population was 0.3. In a GWAS, we identified 78 SNPs associated with RFI on six QTL (on BTA1, BTA6, BTA14, BTA17, BTA20 and BTA26). The most significant SNP was found on chromosome BTA20 (rs42662073) and explained 4% of the genetic variance. The minor allele frequencies of significant SNPs ranged from 0.05 to 0.49. All regions, except on BTA17, showed a significant dominance effect. In 1 Mb windows surrounding the six significant QTL, we found 149 genes from which OAS2, STC2, SHOX, XKR4, and SGMS1 were the closest to the most significant QTL on BTA17, BTA20, BTA1, BTA14, and BTA26, respectively. In a 2 Mb windows around the six significant QTL, we identified 15 genes whose expression was significantly associated with RFI: BTA20) NEURL1B and CPEB4; BTA17) RITA1, CCDC42B, OAS2, RPL6, and ERP29; BTA26) A1CF, SGMS1, PAPSS2, and PTEN; BTA1) MFSD1 and RARRES1; BTA14) ATP6V1H and MRPL15. Conclusions Our results showed six QTL regions associated with RFI in a beef Angus population where five of these QTL contained genes that have expression associated with this trait. Therefore, here we show that integrating information from gene expression and GWAS studies can help to better understand the genetic mechanisms that determine variation in complex traits.

Background: Closed breeding populations are usefull to conduct basic and applied research. The Wye Angus herd is one of them. It was founded using only a few animals. The pedigree of the descendants of the original herd can be completely described by historical records resulting from strong selection. Wye Angus genetics has influenced that of Aberdeen Angus, Red Angus, and Brangus cattle worldwide. Objective: To evaluate parameters and genetic trends associated with the reproduction traits of the Wye Angus herd between the years 1937 and 2012. Methods: We used pedigree information of 11,692 individuals. The reproductive traits assessed were age at first calving (AFC), calving interval (CI), and scrotal circumference (SC). The covariance components were estimated by Bayesian inference. The genetic trends were obtained by linear regression of the genetic values over birth years of the animals. Results: The heritability estimates for AFC, and CI were negligible, although a small genetic gain was associated with CI. Because the AFC and CI values of the herd are small, past reproductive management has produced favourable results for the heifers. Conclusion: The Wye Angus herd has enough genetic variability for genetic gain through selection on SC.

ABSTRACT This study evaluated different crosses for sustainable beef production in the Meio-Norte, Brazil. Thirty-four cattle [seven Curraleiro Pé-duro (CPD), six Nellore (NEL), seven F 1 ( ½ NEL + ½ CPD ), seven F 2 A ( ¼ CPD + ¼ NEL + ½ Angus ), and seven F 2 S ( ¼ CPD + ¼ NEL + ½ Senepol )] were evaluated on natural pastures in the states of Piauí and Maranhão. The animals were weighed at birth (BW); weaning (WW); 12 (W12), 18 (W18), and 24 months (W24); and slaughter (SW). The morphometric measurements of rump height (RH), withers height (WH), body length (BW), and heart girth (HG) were assessed. Hot carcass weight (HCW), cold carcass weight (CCW), loin-eye area (LEA), backfat thickness (BFT), carcass dressing percentage (DP), water-holding capacity (WHC), cooking loss (CL), shear force (SF), pH, meat color (L*M, a*M, and b*M), and fat color (L*F, a*F, and b*F) were also analyzed. The three-cross animals (F2A and F2S) showed heavier weights from weaning to slaughter as well as higher HCW and CCW. The three-cross cattle produced less methane per kg of meat. The lack of differences between the NEL, F1, F2A, and F2S animals indicates that crossbreeding did not increase their size, which could be detrimental to reproductive efficiency. Loin-eye area, BFT, and DP differed between the genetic groups, with the highest LEA obtained by F2A. Backfat thickness and DP were low in all animals, suggesting a need for increased carcass fatness. Water-holding capacity, CL, SF, pH, a*F, b*F, L*M, and a*M did not differ; therefore, crossbreeding did not affect qualitative or visual aspects of meat and fat. The use of crosses in meat production systems in the Meio-Norte region of Brazil is a viable option to improve sustainability. In this respect, three-cross animals have the best performance.

Genetic resources and well-balanced diets are relevant for improving the performanceand profitability of beef cattle finished in feedlots. The objective of the present paper was todetermine the performance and economic analysis of36 non-castrated males (18 Nellore and 18 F1Angus × Nellore) fed diets containing either fixed or variable nutritional levels. Animals were fedadlibitumonce a day. Dry matter intake (DMI) was determined daily by the difference between feedoffered and feed refused. Body weight (BW) was recorded every two weeks after a twelve-hoursolid fasting. Data ofeconomic analysis (diet cost, feeding cost, average productivity, average cost,marginal productivity, marginal cost, total revenue, profit, and marginal revenue) were standardizedin 14-day intervals likewise BW recording. The experimental design was completely randomized ina factorial scheme 2 × 2 × 2 (two genetic groups, two diets, and two housing types). F1 Angus ×Nellore animals increased (p 0.05) ofdiet (fixed or variable)was detected on performance and economic indicators; therefore the use of a variable diet is notrecommended for beef cattle feeding. F1 Angus × Nellore may be indicated in feedlot finishingsystems with a high supply of forage and dietary feeds, whereas Nellore may be recommended infeedlot finishing systems with certain limitations for forage and grain production.

ABSTRACT: Cuts of muscle (biceps femoris) from three crossbreeds between the Nelore, Angus and Wagyu breeds of cattle (Crossbreed 1 (C1): ½ Angus and ½ Nelore; Crossbreed 2 (C2): ¾ Angus and ¼ Nelore; Crossbreed 3 (C3): ½ Wagyu, ¼ Nelore and ¼ Angus) were characterized by their chemical composition, pH, water activity and lipid oxidation. The cuts were submitted to wet brining in a 5 % NaCl concentration at 5 °C with either static brine (SB) or brine assisted with ultrasound (US). Samples of the treatments were taken after 30, 60, and 120 min of wet brining for later analysis. The experimental data were adjusted using the Peleg and Page models, and the Page template best described the experimental data. The crossbreeding did not affect the water and ash content; however, it significantly affected the levels of lipids and proteins. C3 presented higher fat content than C2, which, in turn, was higher than C1. C1 had higher protein content than C2, which had more protein than C3. When ultrasound was applied, crossbreeding influenced the water content and the water absorption rate during brining, which had the highest values for the highest protein content. The crossbreeding and ultrasound application also affected the NaCl content of the cuts. However, only ultrasound application increased the rate of NaCl absorption during wet brining. The results demonstrate that ultrasound accelerates the mass transfer in wet brining of the cuts of beef, regardless of the crossbreeds studied.

Bos taurus indicus cattle have the superior ability for the regulation of body temperature during heat stress due to a number of physiological and cellular level adaptive traits. The objectives of this study were to quantify the change in body temperature in heifers with various proportions of Brahman genes per unit increase in heat stress as measured by temperature–humidity index (THI) and to assess how different breed groups responded to varying intensity and duration of heat stress. A total of 299 two-yr-old heifers from six breed groups ranging from 100% Angus to 100% Brahman were evaluated under hot and humid conditions during 2017 and 2018 summer days. Two strategies were used to estimate the plasticity in body temperature of breed groups in response to environmental challenges: 1) a random regression mixed model was used to estimate reaction norm parameters for each breed group in response to a specified environmental heat stress and 2) a repeated measures mixed model was used to evaluate the response to different environmental heat loads. The reaction norm model estimated an intercept and slope measuring the change in body temperature per unit increase in THI environmental heat stress for different breed groups of animals and allowed the identification of genotypes which are robust, with low slope values indicative of animals that are able to maintain normal body temperature across a range of environments. The repeated measures mixed model showed that Brahman cattle have an advantage under moderate or high heat stress conditions but both Angus and Brahman breed groups are greatly affected when heat stress is severe. A critical factor appears to be the opportunity to cool down during the night hours more than the number of hours with extreme THI. With heat stress conditions predicted to intensify and expand into currently temperate zones, developing effective strategies to ensure sustainable beef production systems are imperative. Effective strategies will require the identification of the genes conferring the superior thermotolerance in Brahman cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cattle are routinely moved and may not always have access to grooming objects. • Some grooming types reduced when the brush was returned, indicating a rebound effect. • Cattle became dirtier when brush access was blocked. • Average daily gain and faecal cortisol metabolites were impacted by brush access. • The loss of adequate grooming objects can reduce cattle welfare. Pasture-based beef cattle are raised in a range of production environments. Some paddocks may contain trees and other objects that allow for grooming, hence being naturally enriching, whilst others may be barren without these opportunities. Additionally, it is not uncommon for cattle to move between these enriched and barren environments as part of routine management. While the benefits of enrichment are well studied, how this 'enrichment loss' impacts cattle welfare as access to stimuli is removed is unknown. This trial assessed the impacts of the loss of an enriching object (grooming brush) on grazing beef cattle welfare and production characteristics. When grooming brush access was blocked, cattle became dirtier, showed reduced average daily gain, and had elevated faecal cortisol metabolites, although this varied according to the degree of initial individual brush use. Additionally, allogrooming and grooming on other objects were reduced when access to the brush was returned, potentially indicating a rebound effect. These results demonstrate that the loss of adequate grooming objects can impair the overall welfare of grazing cattle; however, further work is needed to determine exactly which natural or artificial objects provide adequate grooming opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition, consumer liking, and consumer acceptability of ground beef with 2 finishing diets. Three ground beef treatments were used in this study and included grass-fed, grain-fed Angus, and grain-fed commodity beef. Ground beef samples were evaluated for consumer sensory response, pH, proximate composition, and fatty acid composition. Grain-fed samples were rated higher (P < 0.01) for overall liking compared to grass-fed samples. Consumers found tenderness and juiciness similar (P > 0.05) for all 3 types of ground beef. Consumers preferred (P < 0.05) Angus over grass-fed ground beef with a flavor acceptability of 83.3 and 73.9%, respectively; and 94.9 and 82.5%, respectively, for overall acceptability. Commodity ground beef had a similar (P > 0.05) flavor acceptability and overall acceptability to Angus and grass-fed ground beef. Grass-fed, Angus, and commodity ground beef were similar (P > 0.05) for moisture, fat, and protein content. Commodity ground beef had a higher pH (P < 0.05) than Angus and grass-fed ground beef. Samples of ground beef from the 2 grain-fed treatments had greater (P < 0.05) total saturated fatty acids (SFA) than grass-fed samples; however, ground beef from grass-fed cattle had higher monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA; P < 0.01) than the grain-fed treatments. Total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) was similar (P > 0.01) across all treatments. Omega-3 fatty acids were found in the greatest (P < 0.05) proportions in samples from grass-fed beef. Additionally, the omega-6:omega-3 ratio for grass-fed ground beef was lower (P < 0.05) than grain-fed source. Angus and commodity ground beef were more palatable, and there was no evidence of higher PUFA in grass-fed ground beef.

The growth of female calves of the Aberdeen Angus cattle breed was studied in a certified organic farm. The animals were weighed on a monthly basis. It was ascertained that the calves are born with a live weight of approximately 31.6 ± 0.81 kg, upon weaning at 210 days they weigh 204.0 ± 5.93 kg, at 15 months - 363.7 ± 13.04 kg, and at 18 months - 433.0 ± 11.57 kg. The average daily individual gain widely varies reaching up to 2.090 kg. The growth of the animals as a whole and within the different age groups is influenced by the year, season and month of birth. Upon joint examination of the age-year-season and age-year-month factors, however, the effect of the separate factors "dillutes" and the complex influence may be considered unreliable. The female calves which are bred naturally under the conditions in Bulgaria, regardless of the gain fluctuations during the different periods, reach an optimal servicing live weight (330-360 kg) at an optimal age (15-16 months). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Explicitly fitting effects for major genes or QTL that account for a large percentage of variation in a whole genomic prediction model may increase prediction accuracy. This study compared approaches to account for a major effect of an F94L variant in the MSTN gene within the genomic prediction using bovine whole‐genomic SNP markers. Among the beef cattle breeds, Limousin have been known to have an F94L variant that is not present in Angus. The reference population in this study consisted of 3060 beef cattle including pure‐bred Limousin (PL), cross‐bred Limousin with Angus (LF) and pure‐bred Angus, genotyped using a BovineSNP50 BeadChip and directly for the MSTN‐F94L variant. We compared prediction accuracies in PL animals using the three datasets from only the PL population, admixed PL and LF (AL) or multibreed analysis using all of the PL, LF and Angus (MB) population according to four‐fold cross‐validation after K‐means clustering. The MSTN‐F94L variant was the most strongly associated with five traits (birth weight, calving ease direct, milk, weaning weight and yield grade) among the 13 measured traits in PL and AL populations. Fitting the MSTN‐F94L variant as a random effect, the genomic prediction accuracies for birth weight increased by 2.7% in PL, by 2.2% in AL and by 3.2% in MB. Prediction accuracies for five traits increased in the MB analysis. Fitting MSTN‐F94L as a fixed effect in PL, AL and MB analyses resulted in increased prediction accuracy in PL for eight traits. Prediction accuracies can be improved by including a causal variant in genomic evaluation compared with simply using whole‐genome SNP markers. Fitting the causal variant as a fixed effect along with markers fitted as random effects resulted in greater prediction accuracies for most traits. Causal variants should be genotyped along with SNP markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Six SNP on BTA 23 were associated with lean or overall maturity of carcasses. • A single SNP was associated with skeletal maturity on BTA 1. • Associated SNP: marbling score (BTA 12; n = 2) and carcass weight (BTA 14; n = 2). • Electrical stimulation may inhibit detection of SNP-trait associations. • Carcass traits had low or no relationships with measured temperament traits. Genome-wide association analyses were conducted using SNP and carcass traits, with and without electrical stimulation separately, of 350 Bos indicus-Bos taurus steers from a designed mapping population consisting of full-sibling families (embryo transfer) and half-sibling families. Four F 1 Nellore–Angus sires had progeny in both types of families. Relationships of carcass traits with multiple assessments of temperament (correlation coefficients of unadjusted or residual values), including aggressiveness (willingness to hit an evaluator), nervousness, flightiness (nervousness with running or other movement), gregariousness (willingness to separate from other steers), and overall temperament (all temperament traits assigned as 1 to 9 values; higher numbers indicate worse or less desirable temperament) at 1 year of age and with overall temperament evaluated immediately prior to slaughter were low (0 < | r | < 0.18). Significant SNP associations were detected (False Discovery Rate controlled at 0.05) on BTA 1 with skeletal maturity (n = 1), and BTA 14 (n = 2) with carcass weight. Candidate genes were (skeletal maturity) phospholipase C like 2 (PLCL2) and (carcass weight) neutral sphingomyelinase activation associated factor (NSMAF) and thymocyte selection associated high mobility group box (TOX). Two SNP with association with marbling score were identified on BTA 12— dachshund family transcription factor 1 (DACH1) was a candidate gene. A region from 24.25 to 38.54 Mb on BTA 23 contained 6 SNP with significant associations with lean or overall maturity, which may be the first reported for these traits. Candidate genes on that chromosome included fibrocystin/polyductin (PKHD1), glial cells missing homolog 1 (GCM1) , prolactin (PRL), and ring finger protein 144B (RNF144B). All detections of association were in traits measured on the side with no electrical stimulation; it may be that electrical stimulation removes some of the variation permitting detection of association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selection for production traits with little or no emphasis on health-related traits has the potential to increase susceptibility to disease in food-producing animals. A possible genetic strategy to mitigate such effects is to include both production and health traits in the breeding objective when selecting animals. For this to occur, reliable methodologies are required to assess beneficial health traits, such as the immune capacity of animals. We describe here a methodology to assess the immune competence of beef cattle which is both practical to apply on farm and does not restrict the future sale of tested animals. The methodology also accommodates variation in prior vaccination history of cohorts of animals being tested. In the present study, the immune competence phenotype of 1,100 Angus calves was assessed during yard weaning. Genetic parameters associated with immune competence traits were estimated and associations between immune competence, temperament, and stress-coping ability traits were investigated. Results suggested that immune competence traits, related to an animal's ability to mount both antibody and cell-mediated immune responses, are moderately heritable (h 2 = 0.32 ± 0.09 and 0.27 ± 0.08, respectively) and favorably genetically correlated with the temperament trait, flight time (r = 0.63 ± 0.31 and 0.60 ± 0.29 with antibody and cell-mediated immune responses, respectively). Development of methodologies to assess the immune competence phenotype of beef cattle is a critical first step in the establishment of genetic selection strategies aimed at improving the general disease resistance of beef herds. Strategies aimed at reducing the incidence of disease in beef cattle are expected to significantly improve animal health and welfare, reduce reliance on the use of antibiotics to treat disease, and reduce disease-associated costs incurred by producers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It was experimentally determined whether crossbreeding with Bos indicus dams compared to Bos taurus dams may provide meat which is competitive in organoleptic properties and fatty acid (FA) profile and if tenderness, assumed to be lower, is really adversely affected. Eight Black Angus × White Lamphun (A×W) bulls were compared with 8 Black Angus × Holstein Friesian (A×H). M. longissimus thoracis, M. semimembranosus and M. infraspinatus were analyzed for organoleptic properties and objective explanatory properties related to tenderness, as well as FA profile. Tenderness was judged lower in the M. infraspinatus of A×W than A×H, but not in the other muscles. Shear force and collagen solubility tended (P < 0.10) to be lower in all 3 muscles of A×W compared to those of A×H. The fat content of the M. longissimus thoracis from A×W was lower than that from A×H. The lipids in the M. longissimus thoracis from A×W were richer in polyunsaturated FA and total n-3 FA, and poorer in C18:0 and saturated FA than those of A×H. Furthermore, the lipids of the M. semimembranosus from A×W had higher proportions of C14:1 and C16:1 than that of A×H. The FA in the M. infraspinatus from A×W had higher proportions of C18:3 n-3, mono-unsaturated FA and total n-3 FA and the proportion of saturated FA was lower than in A×H. The M. infraspinatus from A×W was lower in cholesterol content than that from A×H. There were some differences in tenderness (inferior in White Lamphun crossbreds) and FA profile (superior in White Lamphun crossbreds), but differences were numerically small and, thus, may be of low practical relevance. Therefore, crossbreeding with indigenous Bos indicus cattle does not seem to be restricted by low meat quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]