Journal of animal science最新文献

{"title":"Editorial: Values shared by journals of learned societies, associations and scientific institutions in animal science.","authors":"I Ortigues-Marty, I Louveau, G Bee, J W Oltjen, P J Kononoff, J A A McArt, C Thomas, B D Fairchild, M Kogut, E Huff-Lonergan","doi":"10.1093/jas/skae379","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jas/skae379","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":"103 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11879296/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143556952","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Quantitative differences in rumen epithelium proteins and detection of lysine acetylation in lambs fed a low or high metabolizable energy diet.","authors":"Judith J Bond, Nicholas J Hudson, Karthik S Kamath, David Wheeler, Serey Woodgate, Victor H Oddy","doi":"10.1093/jas/skaf027","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jas/skaf027","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Thirty-six Merino wethers (10-mo-old) were fed ad libitum for 30 d 2 diets;1) low metabolizable energy diet (LME; 30% lucerne: 70% cereal chaff) and 2) high ME diet (HME; 40% rolled barley grain: 50% lucerne: 10% cereal chaff). Effects of diet on dry matter intake (DMI), ME intake (MEI), liveweight (LWT), average daily gain (ADG), carcass lean or fat gain, liver and empty rumen weight, and plasma metabolites were analyzed. A membrane-enriched protein fraction of rumen epithelium (RE) isolated enzymatically from whole depth rumen wall was quantified for each sheep using tandem mass tag mass spectrometry (TMT-MS). The presence or absence of acetylation of lysine residues on identified proteins was counted and the position of the lysine acetylation was recorded. In lambs fed the HME diet, DMI (P < 0.001), MEI (P < 0.001), ADG (P < 0.001), fat (P < 0.001), and lean gain (P < 0.001), as well as liver (P < 0.001) and empty rumen (P < 0.009) weight were greater than those fed the LME diet. Plasma glucose (P < 0.001) and βhydroxybutyrate (P < 0.001) at 3 and 5 h after feeding was greater in HME diet than in the LME-fed lambs. Changes in RE protein abundance in the LME versus HME-fed lambs were associated with metabolism in the peroxisome, protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), valine, leucine and isoleucine degradation, and carbon metabolism. Acetylation of lysine was detected in enzymes involved in glycolysis, tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and fatty acid (FA) metabolism. Quantitative differences in the abundance of RE proteins that carry out intracellular processes of energy expenditure were associated with the concentration of ME (MJ/ kg DM) in the diet of growing lambs. The detection of lysine acetylation sites suggests a difference in the ME of the diet regulates enzymatic activity in central metabolic pathways in the RE cells.</p>","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11912824/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143188859","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Examination of the role of the rumen in zinc metabolism.","authors":"Olivia N Genther-Schroeder, Dathan T Smerchek, Gregory B Penner, Stephanie L Hansen","doi":"10.1093/jas/skaf052","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jas/skaf052","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Three experiments were conducted to characterize Zn appearance and disappearance in the rumen, rumen epithelial Zn importers and exporters, the directionality of Zn movement, and the effect of supplemental Zn on rumen epithelial structure. In experiments 1 and 2, ruminally fistulated steers (n = 4) weighing 736 ± 23.3 kg were used in a crossover experiment with 2 dietary Zn concentrations (ZINC; 0 [CON] or 120 mg supplemental Zn/kg DM [Zn120], from ZnSO4) in a 45% forage, 55% concentrate diet (experiment 1) or a 92.5% concentrate and 7.5% forage diet (experiment 2) to assess Zn appearance and disappearance in the rumen using the washed reticulo-rumen technique (WRR). Experiment 3 used 20 individually housed Hampshire crossbred wether lambs (35.1 ± 4.57 kg) fed for 60-d to evaluate the impact of dietary grain and Zn concentrations on ruminal epithelium Zn concentration, Zn transporters, and proteins integral to epithelial integrity. This experiment was a 2 × 2 factorial, with 2 diet types (DIET; 45% forage and 55% concentrate [HF] or 7.5% forage and 92.5% concentrate [HG]), and 2 supplemental Zn treatments (ZINC; 0 mg [CON] or 120 mg [ZN] supplemental Zn/kg diet DM) from ZnSO4. In experiments 1 and 2, ZINC did not affect the rate of disappearance (k) or plateau (B) digestive model parameters for buffer Zn (P ≥ 0.34) but ruminal Zn disappearance was numerically greater in experiment 2. In experiment 3, there was a DIET × ZINC effect (P = 0.05) where HG + ZN had the greatest rumen epithelial Zn, and HF + ZN had the least. There was an interaction between DIET and ZINC on papillae length (P = 0.05), where papillae length was shorter in HF than HG, and within HG, ZN animals had shorter papillae than CON (P = 0.01). A DIET × ZINC effect was noted for ZnT1 RNAscope score (P = 0.01) within the stratum spinosum layer where HG + CON wethers had greater mean ZnT1 RNAscope score than other treatments (P ≤ 0.006). Ruminal Claudin-7 protein expression was lesser in HF (P = 0.01) and tended to be lesser in ZN (P = 0.09). Overall, these experiments highlight the dynamic nature of ruminal Zn metabolism and are supporting evidence for the relationship between ruminal health and dietary grain and Zn concentrations.</p>","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11929949/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143468056","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of increasing dietary zinc oxide levels on the hepatic mitochondrial energy metabolism, oxidative balance, and antioxidant system in weaned piglets.","authors":"Geneviève Villeneuve, Caroline Roy, Karine Deschêne, Jean-Jacques Matte, Jérôme Lapointe, Danyel Bueno Dalto","doi":"10.1093/jas/skaf031","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jas/skaf031","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study compared different levels of dietary zinc oxide (ZnO) on mitochondria ATP synthesis and the cellular and systemic redox balance in weaned pigs. One hundred twenty weaned piglets (7.96 ± 1.17 kg, 21 days of age) were randomly allocated in one of three diets containing different Zn levels (as ZnO); 100 (100Zn), 1,000 (1000Zn) and 3,000 mg/kg (3000Zn), and were slaughtered at day 21, 23, 35 or 42 for the collection of blood and liver samples. Dietary copper (Cu) levels were constant at 131 mg/kg. Hepatic mitochondrial concentrations of Zn and Cu, hepatic mitochondria respiration, antioxidant response, and the hepatic expression of related genes were analyzed. Piglets fed 3000Zn had the highest Zn (P < 0.01) and the lowest Cu concentrations (P = 0.01) in hepatic mitochondria. The hepatic oxygen consumption rate for maximal respiration was the highest in 3000Zn piglets (P < 0.05), whereas hepatic cytochrome c oxidase activity tended to be lower (P = 0.06) and intracellular ATP concentrations were the lowest (P = 0.01). Mitochondrial Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD) activity was the lowest (P < 0.01) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity tended to be the lowest (P = 0.07) for 3000Zn piglets. The mRNA expression of the antioxidant-related genes copper chaperone for superoxide dismutase (CCS) was highest (P = 0.01) in 3000Zn piglets and tended to be the highest (P = 0.07) for glutathione synthetase (GSS). Plasma carbonyls concentrations (P = 0.02) and GPx activity (P = 0.01) were the highest while SOD activity was not impacted (P = 0.55) in 3000Zn piglets. In conclusion, supplementing 3000 mg Zn/kg had detrimental impacts on mitochondria Zn and Cu homeostasis, resulting in a dysfunctional mitochondria respiratory chain and disturbed antioxidant response in postweaning piglets.</p>","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11929951/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143255523","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Polyamines protect porcine sperm from lipopolysaccharide-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis via casein kinase 2 activation.","authors":"Rongnan Li, Xiaodong Wu, Jia Cheng, Zhendong Zhu, Ming Guo, Guochao Hou, Tianjiao Li, Yi Zheng, Haidong Ma, Hongzhao Lu, Xiaoxu Chen, Tao Zhang, Wenxian Zeng","doi":"10.1093/jas/skae383","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jas/skae383","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Bacterial contamination is an inevitable issue during the processing of semen preservation in pigs. As a prototypical endotoxin from Gram-negative bacteria in semen, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) undermines sperm function during liquid preservation. Spermine and spermidine could protect cells against LPS-induced injury, and the content of spermine and spermidine in seminal plasma is positively correlated with sperm quality. Thus, the present study aimed to clarify whether addition of spermine or spermidine is beneficial to porcine semen preservation and able to prevent LPS-induced sperm damage. The supplementation of spermine and spermidine in the diluent resulted in higher sperm motility, viability, acrosome integrity, and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) after preservation in vitro at 17 °C for 7 d (P < 0.05). LPS-induced sperm quality deterioration, ΔΨm decline, cellular adenosine-triphosphate depletion, mitochondrial ultrastructure abnormality, mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening, phosphatidylserine (PS) translocation, and caspase-3 activation (P < 0.05). Interestingly, spermine and spermidine alleviated the LPS-induced changes of the aforementioned parameters and mitigated the decrease in the microtubule-associated protein light chain 3-II (LC3-II) to LC3-I ratio. Meanwhile, the α and β subunits of casein kinase 2 (CK2) were detected at the connecting piece and the tail. Significantly, addition of 4,5,6,7-tetrabromobenzotriazole, a specific CK2 inhibitor, counteracted the beneficial effects of spermine and spermidine on sperm quality, mitochondrial activity, and apoptosis. Together, these results suggest that spermine and spermidine improve sperm quality and the efficiency of liquid preservation of porcine semen. Furthermore, spermine and spermidine alleviate LPS-induced sperm mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis in a CK2-dependent manner.</p>","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11773192/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142864252","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Lactobacillus and Saccharomyces fermentation products impact performance and the fecal microbiome in weanling pigs inoculated with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli.","authors":"Tanya Cherrington, David Jordan, John Pluske, Josie Mansfield, Kittitat Lugsomya, Stuart Wilkinson, David Cadogan, Sam Abraham, Mark O'Dea","doi":"10.1093/jas/skae394","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jas/skae394","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Enterotoxigenic F4 Escherichia coli (F4-ETEC) pose an economic threat to the swine industry through reduced growth, increased mortality and morbidity, and increased costs associated with treatment. Prevention and treatment of F4-ETEC often rely on antimicrobials; however, due to the threat of antimicrobial resistance, antimicrobial use is being minimized, and hence alternative control methods are needed. This study investigated the effects of postbiotics in the form of Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation products (LFP) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation products (SFP), on pigs challenged with an F4 ETEC strain. Eighty pigs were selected based on a prescreening F4-ETEC susceptibility test. The animals were divided into 5 treatments each with 4 replicate pens. Pigs were assigned to 5 different diets: a control diet (CON); CON diet with 3,000 ppm ZnO (ZnO); CON diet with 2,000 ppm LFP (LFP); CON diet with 2,000 ppm SFP (SFP); CON diet with both 2,000 ppm LFP and 2,000 ppm SFP (LAS). Pigs were inoculated per os with F4-ETEC twice, on day 0 and day 1 of the experiment.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>No significant differences in fecal consistency scores or fecal F4-ETEC concentration in pigs supplemented with LFP and/or SFP were detected. An increased diversity and abundance of Lactobacillaceae in the fecal microbiome of pigs supplemented with LFP were detected, as well as an increased final liveweight of pigs supplemented with LFP and/or SFP.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study demonstrated that the fecal microbiome is modified in F4-ETEC-challenged pigs supplemented with the combination of LFP and SFP, with these modifications previously associated with increased growth performance and health status in young pigs. Pigs receiving this combination of postbiotics also demonstrated an increased final liveweight, indicating that management of ETEC-associated performance loss may not require the complete removal of ETEC from a production system.</p>","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11842899/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143005794","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Seminal plasma metabolomics and sperm lipidomics profiles of bull semen with different total progressive motile sperm count.","authors":"Fanglin Pang, Yuke Sheng, LiuTao Gao, Hossam E Rushdi, Juan J Loor, QuanZhao Tian, Shenhe Liu","doi":"10.1093/jas/skaf012","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jas/skaf012","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Total progressive motile sperm count (TPMSC) is a reliable index of fecundity evaluation of bull semen. It is an important determinant of frozen semen yield and conception rate of females artificially inseminated. Seminal plasma metabolites and sperm lipids are closely related to sperm survival and motility, but their relationship with TPMSC is not well known. In the present study, Simmental bulls with higher (H, n = 6) or lower (L, n = 6) TPMSC (P < 0.01) were selected from a cohort of 100 animals aged 2 to 5 yr based on semen quality. Analysis of semen quality and biochemical markers of seminal plasma revealed that H bulls had greater ejaculate volume (P < 0.05), sperm motility, plasma membrane integrity rate (P < 0.01), seminal plasma neutral α-glucosidase (P < 0.05), alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, cortisol and phosphatidylcholine (P < 0.01), and lower sperm malformation rate (P < 0.05) and reactive oxygen species (P < 0.01). Semen metabolites and sperm liposome profiles of H and L groups were compared using LC-MS/MS analysis. A total of 120 differentially abundant metabolites (VIP > 1; P < 0.05) and 59 differentially abundant lipids (VIP > 1; P < 0.05) were identified between H and L groups. Oxidative stress, sperm motility, and sperm plasma membrane integrity were among the enriched biological pathways. Cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPR), up-regulated in H bulls, is associated with energy for sperm motility and maintenance of membrane stability. Thymidineglycol (Tg), levanbiose, thymidine (Thd), and CE (3M5) were down-regulated in H bulls and may have negatively affected sperm motility. Correlation analyses revealed that TPMSC and sperm motility were significantly positively correlated with cADPR, while Tg, Levanbiose, Thd, and CE (3M5) were significantly negatively correlated with TPMSC and sperm motility. Thus, we speculate that these molecules may be exploited as potential biomarkers for non-invasive evaluation of TPMSC in bull semen.</p>","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11914886/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143065744","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correction to: Impact of alternative definitions of contemporary groups on genetic evaluations of traits recorded at lambing.","authors":"","doi":"10.1093/jas/skaf062","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jas/skaf062","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":"103 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11906966/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143624750","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of cashew nutshell extract inclusion into a high-grain finishing diet on methane emissions, nutrient digestibility, and ruminal fermentation in beef steers.","authors":"Wilmer Cuervo, Camila Gomez, Federico Tarnonsky, Ignacio Fernandez-Marenchino, Federico Podversich, Araceli Maderal, Tessa M Schulmeister, Juan de J Vargas, Nicolas DiLorenzo","doi":"10.1093/jas/skae359","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jas/skae359","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>By 2050, the U.S. beef industry must produce an extra 40 million tons of beef to satisfy the global demand. Such an increase in inventory will undoubtedly enhance methane (CH4) production from livestock, which should be reduced by over 20%. The addition of plant secondary metabolites, such as anacardic acid present in cashew nutshell extract (CNSE), has shown promising results in reducing CH4 yield, although its effects seemed to be diet-dependent. This study evaluated the addition of CNSE to a high-grain diet (85:15 grain:forage) on in vivo CH4 emissions, nutrient digestibility, performance, feeding behavior, and ruminal fermentation parameters of beef steers. Sixteen Angus crossbred steers [599 ± 40 kg of bodyweight (BW)] and 6 ruminally cannulated crossbred steers (490 ± 51 kg of BW) were utilized in a crossover design with 2 experimental periods of 56 d each, composed by 14 d of adaptation, 35 d of measurement, and 7 d of washout. Following adaptation, steers were sorted by BW, and assigned to receive no additive (CON) or CNSE at 5 g/steer/d. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS. Inclusion of CNSE increased (P < 0.05) propionate concentration and molar proportion (MP; mol/100 mol), tended to decrease acetate MP (P = 0.10), reduced the acetate:propionate (A:P) ratio (P = 0.05), and MP of branched-chain volatile fatty acids (P < 0.01). Neither in vitro organic matter digestibility nor in vitro CH4 yield were affected by CNSE inclusion (P > 0.05). Steers receiving CNSE exhibited greater (P < 0.05) final BW, dry matter intake (DMI), and average daily gain (ADG) but lesser (P < 0.05) in vivo CH4 emission rate (g/d), yield (g/kg of DMI), and intensity (g/kg of ADG). Meal length, bunk visit duration, and apparent total tract digestibility of DM increased (P < 0.05) after CNSE addition. Considering CNSE-supplemented steers spent more time in the feedbunk and exhibited higher DMI, CH4 mitigation was unlikely associated with intake reduction. The addition of CNSE to a high-grain diet in beef steers demonstrated significant improvements in animal performance and reduced CH4 emissions, as the result of shifts in ruminal fermentation patterns, favoring propionate instead of acetate concentration, leading to a reduction in the A:P ratio. CNSE shows promise as a strategy to enhance beef industry sustainability.</p>","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11705085/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142686727","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Stocking density in intensive housing and the implications for beef cattle behavior, stress physiology, and liveweight.","authors":"Bonnie T Mayes, Sharon G Dundon, Frances C Cowley, Lee-Emma K Norman, John M Morton, L Amy Tait","doi":"10.1093/jas/skaf034","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jas/skaf034","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Stocking density can potentially impact cattle welfare during livestock export voyages. The aim of this study was to assess selected measures that reflect the welfare of cattle housed at 3 allometric stocking densities (k = 0.027, 0.030, 0.047). Bos indicus cross Bos taurus steers were housed in 12 pens, each with 5 steers, for 10 d. Scan sampling of standing and lying behaviors were conducted on days 2, 5, 7, and 9, at hourly intervals. Continuous observations were conducted on the same days between 1030 and 1130 h, to count aggressive interactions. Liveweights were recorded at the start of the study, and on days 6 and 10. For a subset of focal steers (3 per pen), white blood cell counts, and fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGCM) concentrations were assessed on days 0, 6, and 10. More pen space led to a small increase in the number of steers lying, as well as a small increase in lying synchronicity. Results also indicated that the number of cattle lying in isolation from conspecifics is higher when more space is available. More pen space also resulted in more steers lying with outstretched legs on days 2 and 5, but there was no evidence of this after day 5. Stocking density had no important effect on day 6 or 10 liveweights or FGCM concentrations. Only small decreases in total white blood cell and lymphocyte counts between days 6 and 10 were observed, as well as small increases in neutrophil counts and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, but all mean counts still fell within reference intervals for healthy cattle. The lack of important effects on stress physiology and liveweight suggests that the cost of attempting to adapt to pen space restriction was relatively low, leading to behavioral responses only. Results for lying behaviors also suggest that additional pen space may facilitate adaptation upon introduction to a new housing environment and is beneficial in facilitating the expression of some lying behaviors. While designed to emulate stocking densities applicable to Australian cattle export voyages, other environmental factors that may induce stress during these voyages were not present, and so the conclusions must be interpreted in the context of the controlled experimental conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":14895,"journal":{"name":"Journal of animal science","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11926537/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143364737","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}