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Single-pass corn stover harvest is a method whereby combine harvester tailings consisting of cob, stalk, leaf, husk, and tassel fractions are collected and baled without coming into contact with soil. The objective was to feed beef steers diets that included a roughage component consisting of harvested corn residue in chopped form from conventional corn stover bales (CST) or single-pass bales (SPB) to assess intake selectivity of corn stover fractions and estimate net energy values of these corn stovers. Whole plant corn silage served as the control roughage in the control diet (CSIL). Steers (n = 90, 5 pens per treatment) were fed during Grow (84 d) and Finish (66 d) trials. Steers sorted through corn stover during both trials and consumed 52.5% of corn stover offered and 40% of cob offered. Intake of SPB cob was 2.6-fold and 3.3-fold greater than CST cob intake (P < 0.01) in Grow and Finish trials, respectively, indicating that when more cob was available, cattle consumed more. During the Grow trial, stover intake tended (P = 0.07) to be lower for SPB and diet dry matter intake (DMI) was less (P ≤ 0.05) for SPB, which may be due to the elevated cob intake by SPB steers. Across treatments, stover DMI was similar in the Grow (1.10 kg per steer per d) and Finish (1.11 kg per steer per d) trials. The proportion (65%) of Fines (

Three alfalfa biotypes were chosen based on the presumption that they would be sources of alfalfa herbage that differed in lignin concentration and therefore cell wall digestibility. The hypothesis was that a lesser lignin concentration would result in greater alfalfa neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility and greater beef steer growth performance. The three alfalfa biotypes were HarvXtra (Forage Genetics International), Hi-Gest 360 (Alforex Seeds), and a control alfalfa, LegenDairy XHD (Winfield Solutions LLC). High-moisture wrapped bales were prepared from second-harvest, d 30 crops. Digestibility of NDF was determined using in vitro incubations and a steer digestibility trial. Alfalfa baleage and trace mineral salt were fed to Angus steers (300 kg initial body weight, 4 pens/treatment) in an 83-day growing-phase trial. Alfalfa acid detergent lignin concentrations were 75.6, 71.8, and 63.0 g/kg dry matter (P = 0.34) for LegenDairy, Hi-Gest and HarvXtra, respectively. Based on in vitro total-tract NDF digestibility coefficients, HarvXtra tended (P ≥ 0.09) to have the highest NDF digestibility. Alfalfa biotype affected in vivo apparent total tract digestibility of NDF (P < 0.001) and there was a trend for an effect on acid detergent fiber digestibility (P = 0.051). Hi-Gest and HarvXtra had similar in vivo apparent NDF digestibilities, which were greater than for LegenDairy (P < 0.05). There was no alfalfa biotype effect on daily alfalfa dry matter intake (DMI; P = 0.51) or average daily gain (P = 0.25) by growing steers. The absence of an effect by the novel alfalfa biotypes on DMI by growing steers suggests that the compositional and digestibility differences of the novel alfalfa biotypes compared to LegenDairy were not sufficient to alleviate the limitation of physical fill (if evident) on DMI. If more disparity in cell wall composition and NDF digestibility were to exist between control and reduced-lignin biotypes, then perhaps an advantage in cattle growth performance for a reduced-lignin alfalfa biotype would be detectable.

This study compared forage productivity and animal performance in three alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)–grass mixtures: alfalfa–meadow fescue [Schedonorus pratensis (Huds.) P. Beauv] (A–MF), alfalfa–orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) (A–OG), and alfalfa–tall fescue [Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort] (A–TF). Mixtures were rotationally grazed with Holstein (Bos taurus, initial weight 242 kg, annually n = 180) steers from 2014 to 2016. Steer performance data from 2014 were excluded due to several incidences of bloat. Grass proportions increased over the 3-yr study from 23% in 2014 to 40% in 2015 to 71% in 2016 (P < 0.01). Relationships (P < 0.001) between grass proportion and nutritive variables were detected with neutral detergent fiber (NDF) (R² = 0.40) and NDF digestibility (R² = 0.13) increasing with grass proportion, and crude protein (CP) decreasing (R² = 0.29) with grass proportion. No relationship (P = 0.82) existed for in vitro true digestibility (IVTD). Grass proportions were lower, 60% grass, (P < 0.05) in A–MF pastures in 2016, compared to 77% for A–TF and A–OG causing higher average daily gain (ADG) for A–MF (P < 0.01) (0.81, 0.56, and 0.57 kg d–¹ for A–MF, A–OG, and A–TF, respectively) and a tendency (P = 0.10) for greater gain per hectare for A–MF (P = 0.08) (994, 752, and 765 kg ha–¹ for A–MF, A–TF, and A–OG, respectively). Cattle ADG was greatest when alfalfa sward proportions were high. By 2016, A–MF pastures had the highest alfalfa proportion, and therefore, the highest levels of ADG and gain per hectare.

Although more than 3 million head of dairy cows enter the food supply chain in the U.S. every year, research on this topic remains limited and scarce. Meat production from dairy cows is a significant component of beef production, accounting for almost 10% of U.S. commercial beef production. Thus, the purpose of this review is to demonstrate the importance of dairy cows as a beef source, and to provide an overview on topics from farm to meat product—culling, marketing, transportation, welfare, body composition and its relationship with lactation particularities, carcass characteristics, meat quality, and traceability. Current scientific evidence has shown that culling a dairy cow at an appropriate time has beneficial effects on cow welfare and, consequently, cow value. During marketing the dairy cow is visually evaluated for health and factors associated with its expected carcass value; thus, marketing a well-conditioned cow will ensure that the animal is fit for transportation and provides high carcass yield. However, limitations such as low body condition score, lameness or mobility problems, and visual defects remain persistent. Even though beef harvest plants accommodate cows in all body composition states, the current carcass grade system does not reflect the mature cow industry needs. Therefore, improvement of the grading system could maximize carcass utilization and increase cow carcass value by recognizing subprimal cuts that could be merchandised as whole muscle cuts. Lastly, implementation of a traceability system would unify information from the farm to harvest assisting the industry in making further advancements.

Cull dairy cows contribute almost 10% of national beef production in the United States. However, different factors throughout the life of dairy cows affect their weight and overall body condition as well as carcass traits, and consequently affect their market price. Therefore, the objectives of this study were: (1) to assess relationships between price ratio and carcass merit of cull dairy cows sold through several sites of an auction market and (2) to investigate the effect of animal life history events and live weight on sale barn price (BP) and price ratio (as a measure of relative price), as an indicator of carcass merit. Data from 4 dairy operations included 3,602 cull dairy cow records during the period of 2015 to 2019. Life history events data were collected from each dairy operation through Dairy Comp software; live weight and price were obtained periodically from the auction market, and the carcass data were provided by a local packing plant. Cow price in dollars per unit of live weight ($/cwt) and price ratio were the 2 outcome variables used in the analyses. Price ratio was created aiming to remove seasonality effects from BP (BP divided by the national average price for its respective month and year of sale). The association between price ratio and carcass merit traits was investigated using canonical correlation analysis, and the effect of life history events on both BP and price ratio was inferred using a multiple linear regression technique. More than 70% of the cows were culled in the first 3 lactations, with an average live weight of 701.5 kg, carcass weight of 325 kg, and dressing percentage of 46.3%. On average, cull cows were sold at $57.0/cwt during the period considered. The canonical correlation between price ratio and carcass merit traits was 0.76, indicating that price ratio reflected carcass merit of cull cows. Later lactations led to lower BP compared with cows culled during the first 2 lactations. Injury, and leg and feet problems negatively affected BP. Productive variables demonstrated that the greater milk production might lead to lower cow prices. A large variation between farms was also noted. In conclusion, price ratio was a good indicator of carcass merit of cull cows, and life history events significantly affected sale BP and carcass merit of cull cows sold through auction markets.

Clinical signs of photosensitivity in cattle can occur sporadically and unpredictably. It is believed that cases of photosensitivity may be underreported, causing inaccurate and inflated reports of mortality. Additionally, because secondary photosensitization in grazing cattle occurs with liver damage or dysfunction, photosensitivity can have many potential or associated causes. This case links a previous occurrence of coccidiosis to an outbreak of photosensitivity in grazing Holstein steers. Grazing management staff first observed clinical signs of photosensitivity 17 days after an outbreak of coccidiosis and subsequent turnout to spring pastures. Clinical signs were observed in 25% of the population. The severity of photosensitivity was variable and ranged from blistered skin on the muzzle to sloughing of unpigmented epidermis and thinly haired regions. Severely affected cattle were removed from pasture, housed under shade, monitored for infection, and recovered without treatment. Mild cases remained on pasture and recovered without treatment. Photosensitivity did not reoccur in the cattle that remained on pasture or in mildly affected cattle returned to pasture. Photosensitivity did not appear to be associated with pasture weeds, a specific forage species, or variable or extreme weather conditions that could have resulted in mycotoxin production. The occurrence appears to have been a result of a previous and concurrent coccidiosis outbreak that caused secondary photosensitization through hepatic lipidosis caused by anorexia and dehydration associated with the severe coccidiosis. Although clinical signs appeared suddenly, cattle recovered quickly and without treatment.

An in-depth investigation of an unusual, non-enclosed manure storage hydrogen sulfide-induced fatality on a Holstein beef production operation is presented. The case involved several factors that likely played a role in the young farmer's death. These included zero wind movement, a reported temperature inversion in the area, relatively cool late summer outdoor temperatures on the morning of the incident, higher outdoor temperatures the week prior, and a high by-product steer ration containing ingredients that contributed significant sulfur content to the stored manure. Recommendations are offered for future research to determine the combinations of conditions and inputs that have potential to increase human and animal risk around manure storage structures. Based on this case and others recently documented showing unsafe levels of hydrogen sulfide being released from similar outdoor storages, it is critical that agricultural industry experts and input suppliers continue to analyze risk and consequences associated with new management practices, processes, inputs (including feed ingredients and animal bedding), machines, and other technology developed to support animal agriculture. Production practice and educational guidance are also offered based on this case and published literature.

Three different methods of wrapping and storing alfalfa hay in round bales were used to explore possible differences in preferential consumption. Large round bales of alfalfa were stored indoors, outdoors with conventional net wrap, or outdoors with a new wrap that incorporates a breathable film. This film is intended to better conserve hay in round bales by shedding precipitation but allowing internal moisture to exit the bale through microscopic pores. Five separate preference trials, each of 18-d duration with six 3-d periods, were conducted using beef cattle. In all 5 preference trials, hay wrapped with breathable film was preferred over net-wrapped hay stored outdoors. For instance, in trial 1 hay wrapped with breathable film was preferred over net-wrapped hay stored outdoors in all 18 pairings (P < 0.001), and consumption of the film-wrapped hay was significantly greater (78 vs. 28% of total hay offered, P = 0.05). Results suggest that when bales are stored outdoors, cattle will strongly prefer to consume hay from bales wrapped with breathable film compared with net-wrapped bales. Although in 2 trials hay wrapped with breathable film was preferred over hay stored indoors, when considered across all trials and pairings, preference of hay from breathable film bales did not differ from that stored indoors.

The effect of dietary nitrate supplementation on rumen bacterial community composition was examined in beef steers fed either a nitrate-N diet or urea-N diet. An automated method of ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis was applied to solid and liquid fractions of ruminal contents to allow comparison of bacterial communities. Supplemental N source affected relative population size of four amplicon lengths (ALs) in the liquid fraction and three ALs in the solid fraction. Five ALs were more prevalent after adaptation to nitrate. Correspondence analysis indicated that feeding the steers the nitrate-N diet versus urea-N diet changed the bacterial community composition in the liquid but not in the solid fraction. This led to an investigation of the relative sizes of potential nitrate-reducing populations. Mannheimia succiniciproducens, Veillonella parvula, and Campylobacter fetus were obtained from nitrate enrichment culture and quantified by real-time PCR based on 16S rRNA sequence. Nitrate supplementation increased the percentage of C. fetus in the liquid and solid phases, and in solid phase, the percentage of M. succiniciproducens increased. No change in species prevalence was observed for V. parvula. However, even after adaptation to dietary nitrate, the relative population sizes for all three putative nitrate-reducing species were very low (

The objectives were to compare the ability of various rumen microbial fractions to reduce nitrate and to assess the effect of nitrate on in vitro fermentation characteristics. Physical and chemical methods were used to differentiate the rumen microbial population into the following fractions: whole rumen fluid (WRF), protozoa (Pr), bacteria (Ba), and fungi (Fu). The three nitrogen substrate treatments were as follows: no supplemental nitrogen source, nitrate or urea, with the latter two being isonitrogenous additions. The results showed that during 24 h incubation, WRF, Pr and Ba fractions had an ability to reduce nitrate, and the rate of nitrate disappearance for the Pr fraction was similar to the WRF fraction, while the Ba fraction needed an adaptation period of 12 h before rapid nitrate disappearance. The WRF fraction had the greatest methane () production and the Pr fraction had the greatest prevailing concentration (p production during incubation (p-N) concentration (p production by all microbial fractions.

During marketing, cattle may be exposed to periods of water deprivation. The impact of water and feed access and health status on the physiological well-being and carcass characteristics of Holstein slaughter cows during preslaughter marketing was studied through analysis of serum components, BW loss percentage, and fresh meat composition. Ninety-one multiparous Holstein cows (609 ± 89 kg mean BW, 2.9 ± 0.5 mean BCS, varying stage of lactation) were purchased over 3 wk in 3 groups (n = 31, 29, and 31) at a terminal market in central Wisconsin. Each cow was screened to determine health status (sick or not sick) and randomly assigned to 1 of 3 water and feed withdrawal treatment pens (AL, ad libitum access to water for 36 h; 18H, 18 h of ad libitum access to water followed by 18 h of water withdrawal; 36H, 36 h of water withdrawal; all 3 treatments included 36 h of feed withdrawal) in a randomized complete block arrangement with repeated measures for serum components. Blood samples were collected by tail venipuncture at 0, 9, 18, 27, and 36 h of each treatment. Ambient temperatures were 1.9 ± 6.2°C during the trial period, which occurred over a 3-wk period in March and April 2007 near Arlington, WI. No difference (P > 0.05) was observed in mean serum cortisol in AL (18.41 ± 2.17 ng/mL) or 36H (22.98 ± 2.17 ng/mL). Mean serum glucose was greater (P < 0.05) in 36H pens (78.15 ± 0.77 mg/dL) than AL (75.91 ± 0.77 mg/dL). Mean serum creatinine was greater (P < 0.05) in 36H pens (0.71 ± 0.03 mg/dL) than AL (0.60 ± 0.03 mg/dL). The 36H pens also displayed increased (P < 0.05) serum albumin, anion gap, Ca, Cl, Na, cholesterol, and aspartate aminotransferase over AL. Greater (P < 0.05) mean percentage BW loss was observed in 36H pens (5.2 ± 0.6%) than AL (3.1 ± 0.6%). Mean muscle protein (%) was greater (P < 0.05) in 36H (22.2 ± 0.4%) than 18H (21.3 ± 0.4%). Mean muscle moisture (%) was greater (P < 0.05) in AL and 18H (75.3 ± 0.4% and 75.2 ± 0.4%) than 36H. Mean 24-h pH values were 5.92 (AL), 5.92 (18H), and 5.81 (36H; SE = 0.04) and were not different (P < 0.05). Observed pH and color values indicated a borderline dark-cutter state across all cattle in the study, regardless of water and feed access treatment. Based on these results, water and feed withdrawal in lairage should not exceed 18 h during the marketing of Holstein slaughter cows acclimated to springtime conditions to maintain BW, serum component concentrations, and fresh meat composition.

The objective of this work was to compare feedlot performance, carcass characteristics, and beef sensory attributes from steers finished with diets based on corn, high-tannin sorghum (HTS), and a mix of both grains. Angus crossbred steers (n = 11 steers per treatment, initial BW = 404 +/- 18 kg) were finished on diets containing 765 g/kg of DM of corn, HTS, or a 1:1 mix of corn and HTS. Final BW (P or = 0.72). Multivariate ANOVA indicated a difference in sensory attributes of beef from corn and HTS steers (Wilks' Lambda, P = 0.04). When evaluating each sensory attribute independently, panelists found beef from steers fed HTS to be less juicy (P < 0.01), less tender (P = 0.03), and more cooked (P < 0.01) than beef from animals fed corn. Data from this study indicated that by using a 1:1 mix of HTS and corn it is possible to finish steers to similar BW and carcass quality as by using a corn-based diet. Also, total replacement of corn by HTS in the diets produced lighter and leaner animals. Total replacement of corn by HTS in the finishing diet changed beef sensory attributes, reducing the perception of beef tenderness and juiciness by panelists but without changing instrumental tenderness.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of digital images (DI) to estimate CIE L∗a∗b∗, hue angle and chroma of beef, as compared to a colorimeter (CM). Loin samples from 21 steers finished with high-grain diets were displayed under retail-simulated conditions. Color readings were obtained from 63 cores covering the full spectrum of discoloration in beef. CIE L∗, a∗, and b∗ were measured with a surface-reflectance CM. Red, green and blue (RGB) values were obtained from DI and sequentially transformed to XYZ and CIE L∗a∗b∗ color space. Hue angle and chroma were calculated from a∗ and b∗ values. Regressions of CM on DI for a∗, hue angle and chroma had R2 values of 0.93 and above. Average color difference ( Δ E ab ∗ ) between the predicted and the actual CM L∗, a∗, and b∗ values for 13 samples that were not included in the regressions was 1.57, below reported thresholds of detection for 50% of observers. Color readings from DI could be used to accurately predict color coordinates measured by CM, especially a∗, hue angle and chroma. Use of digital imaging could become a practical tool to detect changes in beef color and other muscle foods.

A study of Escherichia coli O157:H7 transmission and shedding was conducted with bull calves housed in individual pens within a confined environment. For comparative purposes, the numbers and duration of E. coli O157:H7 shedding in naturally infected calves were monitored after a single purchased calf (calf 156) tested positive prior to inoculation. During the next 8 days, the calves in adjacent pens and a pen directly across a walkway from calf 156 began to shed this serotype O157:H7 strain. Five of the eight calves in this room shed this O157:H7 strain at some time during the following 8 weeks. The numbers of E. coli O157:H7 isolates shed in these calves varied from 60 to 10 5 CFU/g of feces, and the duration of shedding ranged from 17 to >31 days. The genomic DNAs from isolates recovered from these calves were indistinguishable when compared by using Xba I digestion and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Inoculation of calves with 1 liter of water containing ca. 10 3 to 10 4 CFU of E. coli O157:H7/ml resulted in shedding in 10 of 12 calves (trial 1, 4 of 4 calves; trial 2, 6 of 8 calves). The inoculated calves shed the inoculation strain (FRIK 1275) as early as 24 h after administration. The duration of shedding varied from 18 to >43 days at levels from 10 2 to 10 6 CFU/g of feces. The numbers of doses necessary to initiate shedding varied among calves, and two calves in trial 2 never shed FRIK 1275 after four doses (ca. 10 6 CFU per dose). Results from this study confirm previous reports of animal-to-animal and waterborne dissemination of E. coli O157:H7 and highlight the need for an effective water treatment to reduce the spread of this pathogen in cattle.

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of location within bovine longissimus dorsi (thoracis et lumborum) muscle (LTL) when determining glycogen concentration. Six locations in Angus heifers were sampled post mortem (EXP-1) and eight locations in live Charolais crossbred steers were biopsied (EXP-2). In EXP-1, there was more glycogen in the animals' left LTL (64.1±1.6 mmol/kg) versus the right LTL (57.0±1.6 mmol/kg) (P

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate feedlot performance of heifers and calves and the lactational characteristics and carcass composition and quality of heifers while in the single-calf heifer (SCH) system. In Exp. 1, 24 lactating Angus × Holstein heifers were slowly adapted to an 85% concentrate diet, and one-half of the heifers were implanted with Finaplix-H®, both at 11 wk postpartum. Heifer-calf pairs were then placed in feedlot pens, equipped with pinpointer feeding devices, and fed an 85% concentrate diet for 102 d. The control (C) and implanted (I) heifers had similar (P=0.27) daily gains and similar (P=0.30) DMI; however, I heifers consumed 8.9% less (P

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate feedlot performance, lactational characteristics, and carcass composition and quality of heifers and the performance of their calves in a single-calf heifer (SCH) system. In Exp. 1, 13 [10 lactating (L) and 3 nonlactating (NL)] prenatally androgenized (PA) heifers, born to cows implanted with testosterone propionate (TP) and 19 (13 L and 6 NL) control (C) heifers, born to nonimplanted cows, were used. Heifers were calved and the pairs were placed in feedlot pens to evaluate the effects of PA on feedlot performance and lactation. Heifers were fed an 85% concentrate diet and fed to a compositional endpoint of 1.1 cm of subcutaneous fat cover, at which point calves were weaned and heifers slaughtered approximately 12 h later. The NL heifers consumed 17.0% less (P

The objective of this study was to assess fermentation product, growth rate and growth yield responses of Selenomonas ruminantium HD4 to limiting and non-limiting ammonia concentrations. The ammonia half-inhibition constant for S. ruminantium in batch culture was 296 mM. Cells were grown in continuous culture with a defined ascorbate-reduced basal medium containing either 0.5, 5, 25, 50, 100 or 200 mM NH4Cl and dilution rates were 0.07, 0.14, 0.24 or 0.40 h-1. Ammonia was the growth-limiting nutrient when 0.5 mM NH4Cl was provided and the half-saturation constant was 72 microM. Specific rates of glucose utilization and fermentation acid carbon formation were highest for 0.5 mM NH4Cl. Lactate production (moles per mole of glucose disappearing) increased at the fastest dilution rate (0.40 h-1) for 5.0 mM NH4Cl while acetate and propionate decreased when compared to slower dilutions (0.07 and 0.14 h-1). Lactate production remained low while acetate and propionate remained high for all dilution rates when NH4Cl concentrations were 25 mM or greater. Yield (Y(Glc) and Y(ATP)) were nearly doubled when NH4Cl was increased from 0.5 mM (25.1 g cells/mol glucose used and 13.9 g cells/mol ATP produced respectively) to the higher concentrations. Y(Glc) was highest at 25 mM and 50 mM NH4Cl (48.2 cells/mol and 43.1 cells/mol respectively) as was Y(ATP) (23.2 cells/mol and 20.8 cells/mol respectively). Y(NH3) was highest at the lowest NH4Cl concentration. The maximal fermentation product formation rate occurred at a growth-limiting ammonia concentration, while maximal glucose and ATP bacterial yields occurred at non-growth-limiting ammonia concentrations. Given the growth response of this ruminal bacterium, it is possible that maximization of ruminal bacterial yield may necessitate sacrificing the substrate degradation rate and vice versa.

Effects of dietary vitamin E supplementation (1204 IU/head/day) for 122 days on color stability and microbial load on beef m. longissimus lumborum (LL), m. gluteus medius (GM) and m. psoas major (PM) were studied by subjective and objective evaluation. Color stability of these muscles followed the order LLGMPM (p0.05). Vitamin E-treated LL, GM and PM showed less metmyoglobin formation, higher a(∗) values and lower hue angle values than controls during storage at 4 °C (p0.05). Sensory evaluation demonstrated that panelists preferred the appearance of vitamin E-treated LL, GM and PM beef steaks. Vitamin E supplementation did not affect total microbial load on LL, PM and GM and did not influence panelists' olfactory assessment of microbial spoilage of beef. Endogenous α-tocopherol concentration and lipid stability of microsomal fractions of LL, GM and PM were greater (p0.05) in vitamin E-treated muscles relative to controls. There was no muscle effect on the pro-oxidant activity of microsomes towards oxymyoglobin oxidation (p0.05). Oxymyoglobin stability was greater in the presence of microsomal fractions obtained from vitamin E-treated muscle than in those from controls. Dietary vitamin E supplementation delayed oxymyoglobin oxidation in LL, PM and GM muscle and increased the color shelf-life of these muscles without affecting total microbial load.

A study was conducted to evaluate the main effects of dietary nitrate adaptation by cattle and alfalfa cell wall to starch ratio in in vitro substrates on nitrate disappearance and nitrite and volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations, as well as hydrogen (H2) and methane (CH4) accumulations. Rumen fluid from steers fed diets containing urea or nitrate was added into in vitro incubations containing sodium nitrate as the sole nitrogen source and 20 cell wall : 80 starch or 80 cell wall : 20 starch as the carbohydrate source. The results showed that during 24 h incubation, rumen fluid inoculums from steers adapted to dietary nitrate resulted in more rapid nitrate disappearance by 6 h of incubation (P < 0.01), no significant effect on nitrite concentration and diminished CH4 accumulation (P < 0.05). Cell wall to starch ratio did not affect nitrate disappearance, CH4 accumulation and total VFA concentration. The higher cell wall ratio had the lower total gas production and H2 concentration (P < 0.05). Ammonia-N (NH3-N) concentration increased because of adaptation of donors to nitrate feeding (P < 0.05). Nitrate adaptation did not alter total VFA concentration, but increased acetate, and decreased propionate and butyrate molar proportions (P < 0.01).

Longissimus muscle from Holstein steers supplemented with vitamin E at 500 or 2000 mg/head/day showed less surface metmyoglobin accumulation than controls during 12 days storage at 4°C. Temperature abuse at 25°C for 24 hr increased metmyoglobin formation ; vitamin E supplementation diminished the adverse effect of temperature abuse. No differences (P > 0.05) in bacterial load were observed among the 3 vitamin E treatments during storage. Sensory panelists preferred vitamin E-supplemented beef steaks in visual acceptance. Panelist assessment of discoloration correlated highly with a * value and hue angle. In general, elevated α-tocopherol concentrations in beef steaks did not affect panelist assessment of meat spoilage.

Effects of dietary vitamin E supplementation on drip loss, cooking loss, and muscle fiber disruption in fresh beef loin steaks from Holstein and crossbred beef steers were studied. Nine Holstein steers and nine beef steers were fed a control diet and nine Holstein steers and eight beef steers were supplemented daily with 298 IU of vitamin E/kg of diet for 211, 232, or 252 d. Drip loss, cooking loss, cooking yield, and shear value were measured in each longissimus lumborum sample displayed in PVC film for 2, 6, 10, or 14 d. Dietary vitamin E supplementation produced meat that had smaller (P < .001) increases in drip loss during 14 d of display but higher (P < .01) cooking losses. Cooking yield was reduced (P < .05) by vitamin E supplementation. Vitamin E supplementation reduced (P < .01) muscle cell disruption in beef steak displayed for 14 d. These results indicated that dietary vitamin E treatment stabilized cell integrity and enhanced the ability of beef steak to hold sarcoplasmic components during display, although subsequent losses due to cooking were greater.

The effects of modified atmosphere (80% O(2): 20% CO(2)) and illumination on the discoloration rate of pork bone (lumbar vertebrae) and muscle (longissimus lumborum), and on muscle lipid stability were studied in vitamin E-supplemented and unsupplemented pigs. Bone-in pork chops were placed in 80% O(2): 20% CO(2) at 0 °C and stored for 5 days in the dark. The chops were then displayed under (a) fluorescent light in air or modified atmosphere or (b) in air with or without illumination. Lipid oxidation was increased by the modified atmosphere packaging but this detrimental effect was offset by vitamin E supplementation. Higher supplementation levels (198 and 207mg/kg) improved bone color stability regardless of the packaging atmosphere or the lighting conditions. Although vitamin E supplementation improved muscle color stability during display in air or modified atmosphere, the benefit of supplementation on muscle color was detectable only for illuminated storage.

Effects of dietary supplementation and postmortem addition of vitamin E on pigment and lipid stability in raw ground beef were examined in this study. Six Holstein steers were fed a control diet for 232 or 252 d and six Holstein steers were supplemented with 1,500 IU of vitamin E per animal daily for 232 or 252 d. Three aliquots of ground beef from each longissimus lumborum were allotted to the following postmortem treatments: no addition (NO), white mineral oil (OIL), and white mineral oil containing sufficient D-alpha-tocopherol to equal the mean difference of alpha-tocopherol concentration between beef from supplemented and control steers (OIL + E). Metmyoglobin percentages and 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values were determined at d 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 after postmortem treatment. Dietary vitamin E supplementation delayed metmyoglobin increase and highly suppressed lipid oxidation in ground beef during 9 d of display compared with the control. The postmortem addition of vitamin E (OIL + E) was slightly effective in retarding the oxidation of pigment and lipid, especially compared with the OIL treatments. Endogenous vitamin E improved pigment and lipid stability much better than exogenous vitamin E.

We studied effects of freeze-thaw treatments, storage time, light and film permeability on color of frozen longissimus lumborum (LL) muscle from control and vitamin E supplemented (2100 IU/head/day) Holstein steers. Color changes with time were modeled using an exponential decay equation. Dietary vitamin E supplementation increased color stability of frozen LL samples kept at −20°C. After 3 mo of dark storage, saturation index and a* for control LL wrapped in polyethylene were 11.4 and 8.8; for supplemented meat, same conditions, they were 19.0 and 17.0, respectively. Illumination and vacuum packaging increased color changes. Predisplay dark storage of 30 days reduced discoloration of supplemented LL. Repeated freeze-thaw cycles caused fading of semimembranosus muscle (SM) and the effect was more pronounced in meat from control animals.

The effect of long-term feeding (252 days) of three supplemental levels of α-tocopheryl acetate (actual 0, 360 and 1290 IU/head/day) on meat quality was evaluated in Holstein and beef breed steers. Tissue vitamin E concentrations were increased by each increment of supplementation. The color display life of fresh beef under simulated retail conditions was extended 2 to 5 days by vitamin E and lipid oxidation was markedly reduced. Microbial population was not affected by level of supplementation. No deterioration in sensory quality occurred for steaks from supplemented steers that were displayed until the time steaks from unsupplemented steers discolored.

Three experiments were conducted to examine the effects of vitamin E supplementation on feedlot cattle. Vitamin E supplementation did not affect feedlot performance or carcass characteristics of cattle fed a high-concentrate diet (P greater than .1). The major finding was the effectiveness of vitamin E in extending the color stability of displayed beef (P less than .01). Color stability during display of longissimus lumborum steaks from cattle supplemented with 300 IU/d for 266 d, 1,140 IU/d for 67 d, or 1,200 IU/d for 38 d was extended by 2.5 to 4.8 d. Gluteus medius steaks had an extended color display life of 1.6 to 3.8 d. The accumulation of lipid oxidation products, but not aerobic microbes, associated with displayed longissimus lumborum was suppressed for muscle from vitamin E-supplemented steers. Taste panelists detected no difference among longissimus lumborum steaks from control and vitamin E-supplemented steers but found (P less than .01) steaks aged for 21 d to be more tender than steaks aged for 7 d. Supplementing cattle with vitamin E should reduce economic losses associated with discolored beef during retail display.

The effects of dietary vitamin E supplementation and vitamin C dip treatment on color and lipid stability in longissimus muscle from Holstein and crossbred beef steers were studied during 16 days of display at 4 degrees C. Dietary vitamin E supplementation retarded metmyoglobin formation of the meat and highly suppressed lipid oxidation compared to the control. Holstein longissimus showed higher metmyoglobin formation than crossbred beef longissimus. Dip treatment with a vitamin C solution was effective in maintaining stability of beef color and lipid.

Effect of vitamin E (Vit E), vitamin C (Vit C) and their combination (Vit E + C) on pigment and lipid stability in raw ground beef was studied during 7 days illuminated display at 4°C. Oxidations of pigment and lipid were greatest in controls. Vit E treatment showed moderate pigment and lipid oxidation, and Vit C treatment showed low pigment and lipid oxidation. Vit E+C treatment resulted in the lowest pigment and lipid oxidation.

The specificity of polyclonal antibodies prepared against strains of Selenomonas ruminantium, the effect of assay conditions, and quantification of individual strains in mixed-cell suspensions of selenomonad strains were examined in this study. Whole-cell suspensions were prepared with pure cultures of S. ruminantium PC18, HD 4 , GA192, and D. Each cell suspension was injected into a Leghorn laying hen, and polyclonal antibodies were harvested from eggs laid in week 3 or 7 following initial immunization. Antibodies made to the S. ruminantium strains readily discerned the homologous strain from the heterologous strains. Cross-reactivity among antibodies and the heterologous S. ruminantium strains ranged from 5 to 26%. Among non- S. ruminantium species, cross-reactivity of S. ruminantium antibodies was greatest with Selenomonas sputigena (3 to 34%) and Succinivibrio dextrinosolvens (0 to 37%). Antibodies made to strains GA192 and D were used to quantify a mixture of the two strains. Both antibodies responded to graded concentrations of the homologous antigen in the biculture mixtures in accord with the change in the direct cell counts for each strain (strain D, R 2 = 0.92; strain GA192, R 2 = 0.90). This enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay enabled concurrent and accurate quantification of two strains of S. ruminantium subsp. ruminantium in a mixed-cell suspension with a precision of much less than 1 order of magnitude.

Methane is recovered from about 100 municipal solid waste landfills in the U.S. in saleable volumes, although yields are 1 to 50% of the methane potential of refuse based on biodegradability data. Studies on the microbiology of refuse decomposition and efforts to enhance refuse methanogenesis are reviewed here. Results of studies on the effects of leachate recycle and neutralization, a reduction in refuse particle size, the addition of anaerobic sewage sludge or old refuse as a seed, nutrient addition, calcium carbonate addition, and moisture on methane production are examined in consideration of new findings on landfill microbiology. A four‐phase description of refuse decomposition with leachate recycle, including an aerobic phase, an anaerobic acid phase, an accelerated methane production phase, and a decelerated methane production phase, is proposed. Mass balances and pumping tests may be used to estimate the methane potential of a sanitary landfill. The use of empirical, zero, and first‐order models t...

We tested the hypothesis that feeding high-tannin sorghum (HTS) to steers would produce beef more resistant to oxidative deterioration. We observed lower thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) in Gluteus medius of steers fed HTS before it was displayed (P = 0.028), which could be explained by a reduced response to stress in these animals. While steers finished with corn and corn + HTS had elevated plasma cortisol at the end of the feeding period (P = 0.047 and 0.093, respectively), animals fed HTS and corn + vitamin E did not. However, feeding HTS increased the rate of discoloration and TBARS accumulation after aerobic display of Longissimus lumborum and Gluteus medius. Diet did not affect the activity of oxidation-related enzymes and fatty acid composition of muscle. The accelerated rate of lipid oxidation during display of beef could be partially explained by a numerically lower concentration of tocopherols in the tissue.

Lipid oxidation was investigated in cooked gluteus medius from Holstein steers fed diets including four levels of α-tocopheryl acetate (0, 250, 500 and 2,000 mg/steer daily) for 42 or 126 days. Alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) concentrations increased in fresh and cooked muscle due to level and duration of supplementation (P

Slices of longissimus and gluteus medius muscles from 96 beef steers were displayed under simulated retail display conditions. Meat color display life was calculated by methods termed (1) change between days and (2) days to threshold. The days to threshold approach yielded estimates of color display life which were more consistent among slaughter groups of steers and within muscles. Longissimus had a longer color display life than gluteus medius. Reflectance measurements of beef color provided similar relative estimates of color display life as visual assessment. The accumulation of metmyoglobin at the onset of discoloration was associated with variances which were more homogeneous than those for percentage discoloration determined by visual assessment.

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of dietary energy density on the glycogen concentration of bovine gluteus medius (GM) and longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) muscles in castrated and intact males. Cattle received diet C (90% whole corn and supplement: 10% alfalfa haylage) or diet AH (100% alfalfa haylage) in three experiments involving a 2×2 factorial cross-over design. Cattle fed an AH diet for 70 days prior to the first experiment had high glycogen concentrations in the GM (129±9.9 mmol/kg) and LTL (108±7.6 mmol/kg) at the first biopsy session. These concentrations are similar to GM (133±6.2 mmol/kg) and LTL (105±5.8 mmol/kg) glycogen concentrations when these cattle subsequently received diet C for 30 or 37 days. Diet C increased muscle glycogen concentration, but the consistency of the increase in glycogen was dependent on the initial concentration. When the initial glycogen concentration was depleted to 50 μmol/g with one subcutaneous injection of adrenaline, repleted glycogen concentration was higher for diet C than AH (P

This study evaluated effects of dietary supplementation of vitamin E (1000 IU vitamin E/daily for 100 days prior to harvest) to fed cattle on retail caselife performance of fresh US beef in an export market (Japan). Economic performance (monetary losses associated with color deterioration) for US beef from vitamin E supplemented cattle vs beef from non-vitamin E supplemented cattle was contrasted. An additional, controlled study was performed to compare muscle α-tocopherol concentrations, color changes and microbiological growth for fresh beef derived from vitamin E supplemented US cattle and fresh beef from cattle with an unknown history, but from other countries. Australian strip loin steaks had the highest muscle α-tocopherol concentrations (4.6 μg/g tissue), followed by US strip loin steaks derived from vitamin E supplemented cattle (3.4 μg/g tissue) and Japanese strip loin steaks (2.8 or 2.5 μg/g tissue). US strip loin steaks from non-vitamin E supplemented cattle had the lowest (p0.05) α-tocopherol levels (1.7 μg/g tissue). Aerobic plate counts and total coliform counts were generally low at 0 days of retail display, and they changed similarly among treatments over 6 days of display, regardless of the country of origin of the beef. Vitamin E supplementation of US cattle reduced total Japanese retail store losses due to discoloration of US beef, in yen, by 5.2 percentage points (p0.05), saving Japanese retailers US $0.24/kg. Data suggest that US beef-normally perceived, in Japan, to discolor more quickly in the retail display case than beef from Australia-would compete more favorably, in shelf-life, with beef from other countries if it was derived from cattle that had been fed supplemental vitamin E.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of reductive acetogenesis as an alternative H 2 disposal mechanism in the rumen. H 2 /CO 2 -supported acetogenic ruminal bacteria were enumerated by using a selective inhibitor of methanogenesis, 2-bromoethanesulfonic acid (BES). Acetogenic bacteria ranged in density from 2.5 × 10 5 cells/ml in beef cows fed a high-forage diet to 75 cells/ml in finishing steers fed a high-grain diet. Negligible endogenous acetogenic activity was demonstrated in incubations containing ruminal contents, NaH 13 CO 3 , and 100% H 2 gas phase since [U- 13 C]acetate, as measured by mass spectroscopy, did not accumulate. Enhancement of acetogenesis was observed in these incubations when methanogenesis was inhibited by BES and/or by the addition of an axenic culture of the rumen acetogen Acetitomaculum ruminis 190A4 (10 7 CFU/ml). To assess the relative importance of population density and/or H 2 concentration for reductive acetogenesis in ruminal contents, incubations as described above were performed under a 100% N 2 gas phase. Both selective inhibition of methanogenesis and A. ruminis 190A4 fortification (>10 5 CFU/ml) were necessary for the detection of reductive acetogenesis under H 2 -limiting conditions. Under these conditions, H 2 accumulated to 4,800 ppm. In contrast, H 2 accumulated to 400 ppm in incubations with active methanogenesis (without BES). These H 2 concentrations correlated well with the pure culture H 2 threshold concentrations determined for A. ruminis 190A4 (3,830 ppm) and the ruminal methanogen 10-16B (126 ppm). The data demonstrate that ruminal methanogenic bacteria limited reductive acetogenesis by lowering the H 2 partial pressure below the level necessary for H 2 utilization by A. ruminis 190A4.

A simplified method for the determination of alpha-tocopherol concentration in beef muscle was developed and evaluated. The method consists of a saponification step applied to 1-g samples of intact, fresh muscle, followed by a single isooctane extraction of the saponified samples. alpha-Tocopherol in the extract was separated by normal phase chromatography and quantified by fluorescence detection. A single extraction with the simplified method accounted for 95% of the total muscle alpha-tocopherol concentration obtained by two extractions with the Arnold et al. (J. Food Sci. 58:28, 1993) method. Recovery of added alpha-tocopherol standard after two extractions of a saponified muscle sample was 91% for the simplified method, which was not different (alpha = .78) from recovery using the Arnold method, and the efficiency of the single extraction in the simplified method was 89%. The coefficients of variation for the simplified and Arnold methods were both 3.1%. This method should permit the duplicate analysis of 100 fresh muscle samples within 24 h.

Pigment and lipid oxidations were investigated in longissimus lumborum (LL), semimembranosus (SM), and gluteus medius (GM) from Holstein steers fed four doses of vitamin E (64 [control], 295, 550, or 2,173 IU/d) for two durations (42 or 126d). Vitamin E dose did not affect (P = .30) carcass quality or yield characteristics. The LL was stored in vacuum packages at 4 degrees C for 14, 28, and 56 d, and GM and SM were stored for 14 d. Increments of dose and duration of vitamin E supplementation increased (P.001) alpha-tocopherol concentration in blood plasma and in these muscles. During simulated retail display, accumulations of metmyoglobin (METMB) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were greater (P.01) in beef from control than in beef from supplemented steers. In cubic models, muscle alpha-tocopherol accounted for 79% of the variation in TBARS and 66% of the variation in METMB. Color display life, calculated by the METMB threshold method, revealed fewer dose and duration effects of vitamin E than were evident following analysis of variance of the METMB responses. Across durations and muscles, color display-life of fresh beef calculated by the METMB threshold method was extended (P.05) .9 to 1.8 d by vitamin E supplementation (P.05). Storage for 28 or 56 d caused only a slight decline (P.001) in LL alpha-tocopherol concentration but diminished (P.05) vitamin E effects on color display-life. Although the ranking of alpha-tocopherol accumulation was GMSMLL, the color display-life ranking of these muscles across vitamin E treatments was LLSMGM.

The influence of blooming time (1, 6 or 48 h) and atmosphere (air or 100% oxygen) on color and lipid stability of frozen Longissimus lumborum (LL) from control and vitamin E supplemented steers was studied. Samples were stored at -20°C with or without illumination. Blooming control LL for 48 h in air followed by dark storage increased discoloration. Supplementation and blooming in oxygen, separately or combined, increased color display life. Illumination increased discoloration. Supplementation coupled with blooming for 6 or 48 h in 100% oxygen provided the highest color stability in both dark and illuminated storage. Color display lives for supplemented LL bloomed for 6 and 48 h in oxygen were 182 and 212 days for dark storage, and 21 and 73 days for illuminated display. Supplementation decreased lipid oxidation in illuminated LL, but blooming for 48 h in oxygen minimized this effect.

Background Chronic, low-grade inflammation provides a link between normal ageing and the pathogenesis of age-related diseases. A series of in vitro tests confirmed the strong anti-inflammatory activities of known inhibitors of NF-κB activation (δ-tocotrienol, quercetin, riboflavin, (-) Corey lactone, amiloride, and dexamethasone). δ-Tocotrienol also suppresses β-hydroxy-β-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase activity (the rate-limiting step in de novo cholesterol synthesis), and concomitantly lowers serum total and LDL cholesterol levels. We evaluated these compounds in an avian model anticipating that a dietary additive combining δ-tocotrienol with quercetin, riboflavin, (-) Corey lactone, amiloride, or dexamethasone would yield greater reductions in serum levels of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and inflammatory markers (tumor necrosis factor-α [TNF-α], and nitric oxide [NO]), than that attained with the individual compounds. Results The present results showed that supplementation of control diets with all compounds tested except riboflavin, (-) Corey lactone, and dexamethasone produced small but significant reductions in body weight gains as compared to control. (-) Corey lactone and riboflavin did not significantly impact body weight gains. Dexamethasone significantly and markedly reduced weight gain (>75%) compared to control. The serum levels of TNF-α and NO were decreased 61% - 84% (P < 0.001), and 14% - 67%, respectively, in chickens fed diets supplemented with δ-tocotrienol, quercetin, riboflavin, (-) Corey lactone, amiloride, or dexamethasone as compared to controls. Significant decreases in the levels of serum total and LDL-cholesterol were attained with δ-tocotrienol, quercetin, riboflavin and (-) Corey lactone (13% - 57%; P < 0.05), whereas, these levels were 2-fold higher in dexamethasone treated chickens as compared to controls. Parallel responses on hepatic lipid infiltration were confirmed by histological analyses. Treatments combining δ-tocotrienol with the other compounds yielded values that were lower than individual values attained with either δ-tocotrienol or the second compound. Exceptions were the significantly lower total and LDL cholesterol and triglyceride values attained with the δ-tocotrienol/(-) Corey lactone treatment and the significantly lower triglyceride value attained with the δ-tocotrienol/riboflavin treatment. δ-Tocotrienol attenuated the lipid-elevating impact of dexamethasone and potentiated the triglyceride lowering impact of riboflavin. Microarray analyses of liver samples identified 62 genes whose expressions were either up-regulated or down-regulated by all compounds suggesting common impact on serum TNF-α and NO levels. The microarray analyses further identified 41 genes whose expression was differentially impacted by the compounds shown to lower serum lipid levels and dexamethasone, associated with markedly elevated serum lipids. Conclusions This is the first report describing the anti-inflammatory effects of δ-tocotrienol, quercetin, riboflavin, (-) Corey lactone, amiloride, and dexamethasone on serum TNF-δ and NO levels. Serum TNF-δ levels were decreased by >60% by each of the experimental compounds. Additionally, all the treatments except with dexamethasone, resulted in lower serum total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The impact of above mentioned compounds on the factors evaluated herein was increased when combined with δ-tocotrienol.

The effect of vitamin E supplementation on pigment and lipid stability was evaluated with beef wrapped in high or low oxygen permeability films and stored in the dark or under constant illumination at −20°C. Dietary vitamin E supplementation improved pigment and lipid stability in both cases. Illumination increased metmyoglobin accumulation but did not affect lipid oxidation rate in both control and supplemented beef. A predisplay dark storage period of 30 days delayed metmyoglobin accumulation during subsequent display. Kinetic analysis showed that vitamin E supplementation stabilized the oxymyoglobin complex by enhancing the deoxymyoglobin oxygenation rate and by decreasing oxymyoglobin autoxidation rate.