Translational Animal Science最新文献

{"title":"Effects of standardized ileal digestible threonine to lysine ratio on growth performance of nursery, growing, and finishing pigs.","authors":"Rafe Q Royall, Mike D Tokach, Jason C Woodworth, Joel M DeRouchey, Robert D Goodband, Jordan T Gebhardt, Carine M Vier, Matthew Spindler, Weasley A Orlando, Luis E Ochoa Zaragoza, Ning Lu, Wayne R Cast, Danielle F Wilson-Wells, Julia P Holen, Alyssa M Betlach","doi":"10.1093/tas/txag142","DOIUrl":"10.1093/tas/txag142","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The objective of these experiments was to evaluate the effect of standardized ileal digestible (SID) Thr:Lys ratio on growth performance of late nursery, growing, and finishing pigs. Four experiments were conducted using corn-soybean meal-based diets with pigs allotted to 5 or 6 treatments in randomized complete block designs. In Exp. 1, 987 late nursery pigs (initially 11.8 ± 0.32 kg) were used with 22 to 27 pigs per pen, 8 replications per treatment, and 5 SID Thr:Lys ratios from 53% to 68% of Lys. Increasing SID Thr:Lys ratio increased (linear, <i>P</i> ≤ 0.005) ADG and final BW. Average daily feed intake decreased then increased (quadratic, <i>P</i> < 0.001), therefore increasing then decreasing (quadratic, <i>P</i> < 0.001) G:F. In Exp. 2, 875 pigs (initially 43.4 ± 0.58 kg) were used with 21 to 27 pigs per pen, 7 replications per treatment, and 5 SID Thr:Lys ratios from 53% to 68% of Lys. Increasing SID Thr:Lys ratio increased (linear, <i>P</i> ≤ 0.037) ADG, final BW, and G:F. Dose-response models developed using the data from Exp. 1 and 2 predicted a requirement estimate for ADG beyond the highest dose tested (68% SID Thr:Lys ratio), which led us to test a wider range of SID Thr:Lys ratios in Exp. 3 and 4. In Exp. 3, 684 pigs (initially 37.4 ± 1.36 kg) were used with 9 or 10 pigs per pen, 12 replications per treatment, and 6 SID Thr:Lys ratios from 53% to 78% of Lys. Increasing SID Thr:Lys ratio increased then plateaued (quadratic, <i>P</i> ≤ 0.047) final BW, ADG, G:F and tended (quadratic, <i>P</i> = 0.093) to decrease then increase blood urea N (BUN). In Exp. 4, 662 pigs (initially 96.2 ± 1.04 kg) were used with 8 to 10 pigs per pen, 11 or 12 replications per treatment, and 6 SID Thr:Lys ratios from 53% to 78% of Lys. Increasing SID Thr:Lys ratio tended to increase then decrease (quadratic, <i>P</i> ≤ 0.063) final BW, ADG, and G:F, with the greatest numeric response observed between 63% and 68% SID Thr:Lys ratio. Data from Exp. 3 and 4 were combined and used to fit dose response curves for ADG, G:F, and BUN. A quadratic polynomial (QP) model suggested that ADG was maximized at 68.6% SID Thr:Lys, while a similar fitting broken-line linear (BLL) model suggested no further improvement in ADG beyond 61.1% SID Thr:Lys. A BLL model suggested no further improvement in G:F beyond 59.2% SID Thr:Lys. A QP model suggested that BUN was minimized at 69.2% SID Thr:Lys. These data suggest that SID Thr:Lys requirements are similar for pigs from 37 to 70 and 96 to 120 kg.</p>","PeriodicalId":23272,"journal":{"name":"Translational Animal Science","volume":"10 ","pages":"txag142"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13672822/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149216825","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of early gestational parenteral iron administration on maternal iron biomarkers and reproductive performance in sows under commercial conditions.","authors":"Katlyn McClellan, Darcy Pamulaklakin, Courtney Pohlen, Rebecca Swanson, Eric Weaver","doi":"10.1093/tas/txag141","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/txag141","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study evaluated the effects of early-gestation parenteral iron dextran administration on maternal iron status and reproductive performance in sows under commercial conditions. A total of 235 TN70 sows (parities 1 to 9, average parity 4.2) were enrolled in early gestation (30 ± 2 days of gestation) and followed through pre-weaning (19 ± 2 days of lactation). Sows were allotted by parity and initial blood hemoglobin (Hb) to one of three parenteral iron dextran treatments initiated at enrollment: 0 mg (CONFe; <i>n</i> = 77), administered without injection; 2500 mg (MODFe; <i>n</i> = 79), administered as a single 12.5-mL intramuscular injection; or 5000 mg (HIGHFe; <i>n</i> = 79), administered as two 12.5-mL intramuscular injections (2500 mg per injection), with injections administered into the trapezius muscle. Blood Hb was measured on days 30 (enrollment) and 112 ± 2 days of gestation (pre-farrow) and day 19 ± 2 days of lactation (pre-weaning) using a HemoCue Hb 201 + system via ear-vein sampling. A subset of sows (<i>N</i> = 75; 25 per treatment) had jugular blood samples collected for analysis of serum iron, ferritin, total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), and plasma C-reactive protein (CRP). On day 112 of gestation, blood Hb and serum ferritin increased as iron dosage increased (linear, <i>P</i> = 0.016 and <i>P</i> = 0.046, respectively), whereas serum TIBC decreased (linear, <i>P</i> = 0.021). On day 19 of lactation, serum ferritin increased as iron dosage increased (linear, <i>P</i> = 0.036). Total born and liveborn piglets were not affected by treatment. However, stillborn rate tended to decrease as iron dosage increased (linear, <i>P</i> = 0.068). When evaluated within parity, stillborn rate decreased as iron dosage increased in parity 1 sows (linear, <i>P</i> = 0.024) and tended to decrease in sows of parity 5 or greater (linear, <i>P</i> = 0.097), whereas no responses were observed in intermediate parities. In conclusion, parenteral administration of iron dextran during early gestation improved sow iron status through weaning, with the greatest response generally observed at 5000 mg. Stillborn rate also tended to decrease as iron dosage increased, with responses most evident in parity 1 sows and sows of parity 5 or greater.</p>","PeriodicalId":23272,"journal":{"name":"Translational Animal Science","volume":"10 ","pages":"txag141"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13633682/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149115301","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of sow feed intake on litter growth and sow body weight change from farrowing to weaning.","authors":"Mikayla S Spinler, Jason C Woodworth, Mike D Tokach, Robert D Goodband, Joel M DeRouchey, Katelyn N Gaffield, Jordan T Gebhardt","doi":"10.1093/tas/txag140","DOIUrl":"10.1093/tas/txag140","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A retrospective analysis was conducted to determine the relationship between lactation average daily feed intake (<i>ADFI</i>) and litter average daily gain (<i>ADG</i>) and sow body weight (<i>BW</i>) change over lactation. Data from 991 gilts and 3393 multiparous sows across eight studies were used. Gilts and multiparous sow ADFI were categorized into quintiles, and linear and quadratic orthogonal polynomial contrasts were tested to determine the relationship between lactation ADFI and sow and litter performance. Gilts lost less weight (quadratic, <i>P</i> < 0.05) from farrow to weaning as lactation feed intake increased with the largest change in BW loss occurring between gilts with an ADFI of<i> ≤ </i>5.30 and between 5.30 and 5.90 kg/d. In multiparous sows, BW change from farrow to weaning shifted from weight loss to gain (linear, <i>P</i> < 0.05) with increasing ADFI. Gilts had greater body weight loss during lactation compared to multiparous sows, with over half of the multiparous sows in the analysis gaining body weight. In both gilts and multiparous sows, increasing ADFI increased (linear; <i>P</i> < 0.05) litter ADG as well as litter size at weaning. Regression equations were developed to predict litter ADG and sow BW change for gilts and multiparous sows over lactation using backward stepwise regression. Lactation ADFI and litter ADG accounted for over half of the variation in maternal BW change over lactation, and litter size at weaning accounted for over half of the variation in litter ADG. Regression equations indicate that a one kg increase in ADFI increased litter ADG by 107 and 60 g and decreased BW loss by 4.74 and 5.19 kg for gilts and multiparous sows, respectively, when all other variables are held constant. At similar ADFI levels, multiparous sows may lose, maintain, or gain body weight during lactation. Sows that have both high feed intake and lose BW during lactation have greater litter ADG compared to sows with similar feed intake that gain BW during lactation. The analysis indicates that while increased feed intake during lactation improves both litter growth and reduces sow BW change, ADFI does not fully explain the variation in performance. The analysis indicates that over half of the multiparous sows gain BW from farrow to weaning, while over 80% of gilts lose BW. For both gilts and multiparous sows, gilts and sows with similar ADFI that lose BW over lactation have greater litter ADG compared to those that gain BW during lactation.</p>","PeriodicalId":23272,"journal":{"name":"Translational Animal Science","volume":"10 ","pages":"txag140"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13677080/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149220789","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Influence of limit-feeding duration on growth performance and carcass traits of finishing steers.","authors":"Justin J Delver, Federico Podversich, Ana C B Menezes, Warren C Rusche, Dale A Blasi, Logan R Thompson, K C Olson, John P Ritten, Zachary K F Smith","doi":"10.1093/tas/txag139","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/txag139","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Beef cattle are commonly limit-fed during the backgrounding period to improve feed efficiency and control fat deposition, but the effects of limit feeding duration in the finishing period remains unclear. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of limit feeding yearling beef steers for 56 or 86 d before offering ad libitum feed for the remainder of the 141-d finishing period on growth performance and carcass traits. Black Angus steers (<i>n</i> = 194; initial shrunk body weight [SBW] = 410 ± 17.9 kg) were allocated into 24 pens (8 steers/pen) and assigned to one of three treatments in a randomized complete block design: ad libitum intake for the entire finishing period (<i>ADLIB</i>), 92% of ad libitum intake for 56 d followed by ad libitum intake for the remainder (<i>RES56</i>), and 92% of ad libitum intake for 86 d then ad libitum intake for the remainder (<i>RES86</i>). Feed restrictions began on d 22 following diet adaptation with RES56 and RES86 pens being offered 92% of the ADLIB pen within their block's daily feed offering. Data were analyzed using the MIXED and GLIMMIX procedure of SAS 9.4 with treatment and block as the fixed and random effects, respectively and d 22 SBW as a covariate. From d 1 to 21 dry matter intake (DMI), average daily gain (ADG), and gain to feed (G:F) did not differ (<i>P</i> ≥ 0.17). From d 22 to 107, G:F tended to differ (<i>P</i> = 0.10), but ADLIB had a greater DMI than RES56 and RES86 (<i>P</i> < 0.01). From d 78 to 107 RES56 were allowed ad libitum feed intake while RES86 were still restricted. The d 108 SBW tended to differ (<i>P</i> = 0.09), and DMI was least in the RES86 group (<i>P</i> < 0.01). The RES56 and RES86 had the greatest ADG and G:F during this period (<i>P</i> < 0.01). From d 108 to 140, all cattle had ad libitum access to feed, and DMI did not differ (<i>P</i> ≥ 0.15). The RES86 ADG was greater than ADLIB but not differ from RES56 during this period (<i>P</i> = 0.04). Cumulatively, final SBW and ADG did not differ (<i>P</i> ≥ 0.71), but the ADLIB group had increased DMI and the least G:F (<i>P</i> ≤ 0.04). Ribeye area and HCW did not differ (<i>P</i> ≥ 0.27), but rib fat thickness and marbling were greater for ADLIB (<i>P</i> ≤ 0.02). Limit feeding yearling beef steers for a portion of the finishing period before resuming ad libitum feed intake reduced cumulative DMI and improved G:F without affecting ADG, final shrunk BW, or HCW; but decreased subcutaneous and marbling fat. Extending days on feed may overcome fatness deficits achieving heavier HCW at similar empty body fat for limit fed cattle.</p>","PeriodicalId":23272,"journal":{"name":"Translational Animal Science","volume":"10 ","pages":"txag139"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13626716/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149115264","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Efficacy of virtual fencing to manage two groups of cattle with adjacent virtual boundaries.","authors":"T Aquino, B Zhao, M Drewnoski, P H Fernandes, M Stephenson, Y Xiong","doi":"10.1093/tas/txag138","DOIUrl":"10.1093/tas/txag138","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Virtual fencing (VF) allows cattle producers to manage grazing without additional physical fencing. Although VF is effective for managing one cattle group within a virtual paddock, its efficacy for managing multiple groups within the same pasture, separated only by VF boundaries, remains unclear. This capability could support flexible forage allocation among cattle groups with different nutritional requirements. The objective was to evaluate whether VF could maintain separation between adjacent cattle groups without physical cross-fencing. In this 8-week crossover study, 39 VF-trained yearling steers were assigned to three 13-steer herds. Two experimental herds alternated between a co-fenced treatment (CO), in which another cattle group grazed in an adjacent virtual paddock, and an isolated treatment (ISO), in which no neighboring cattle occupied an adjacent paddock. A third VF-managed group established the adjacent-cattle exposure for CO and was not an experimental herd. A 20-m buffer was implemented between adjacent virtual paddocks. Daily audio cues and electrical pulses per steer were recorded, and GPS locations were used to calculate containment. Containment was analyzed using a beta mixed-effects model with treatment, week, and pasture as fixed effects and herd as a random effect. Cue outcomes were analyzed using repeated-measures mixed models with treatment, day within week, and their interaction as fixed effects, week as a random effect, and an AR(1) covariance structure to account for repeated observations within herd. Fence treatment did not affect the number of audio (<i>P</i> = 0.92) or electric (<i>P</i> = 0.34) cues, nor the audio ratio (<i>P</i> = 0.51) received by each steer. The VF was effective at keeping steers contained, with a containment of 99.96 ± 0.1% and 99.68 ± 0.5% for CO and ISO (<i>P</i> = 0.10), respectively. Thus, VF effectively separated trained cattle groups under the tested 20-m-buffer configuration and could support flexible management of separate cattle groups within the same pasture without physical cross-fencing.</p>","PeriodicalId":23272,"journal":{"name":"Translational Animal Science","volume":"10 ","pages":"txag138"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13615850/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149064475","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Adenosine supplementation enhances chilled semen quality in Assaf rams: dose-dependent effects on sperm motility, membrane integrity, and morphology.","authors":"Mousa R Khalil, Jihad M Abdallah","doi":"10.1093/tas/txag135","DOIUrl":"10.1093/tas/txag135","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ram semen is sensitive to thermal and oxidative stress due to greater concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in the sperm cell membrane, rendering it inherently fragile during preservation. Adenosine (9-<b>β</b>-D-Ribofuranosyladenine) serves as an essential component in adenosine monophosphate (AMP) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis, and plays a key role in sperm energy metabolism and function. This study investigated the effects of adding different adenosine concentrations (0%, 0.5%, 0.75%, and 1%) to Tris-egg yolk extender on the quality of chilled semen of Assaf rams. Semen was collected from seven rams every five days over a one-month period at 7:30 AM, pooled, and extended in Tris-egg yolk, after which adenosine stock solution was added at the designated concentrations. Samples were then cooled to 4°C and stored for 72 h. Motility, viability, membrane integrity, and morphology were assessed at 0, 24, 48, and 72 h. The data were subjected to analysis of variance and comparison of means using Bonferroni test. Incorporating 0.75% adenosine significantly improved semen quality at 48 and 72 h versus other groups (<i>P</i> < 0.05 for all parameters). At 48 and 72 h, respectively, the 0.75% group showed higher total motility (70.9% vs. 60.1%; 56.7% vs. 44.4%), progressive motility (45.2% vs. 34.8%; 39.4% vs. 25.8%), membrane integrity (HOST-positive: 70.3% vs. 64.2%; 68.2% vs. 55.3%), and viability (68.5% vs. 61.2%; 61.8% vs. 52.1%) than the control, with fewer abnormal spermatozoa (12.7% vs. 18.4%; 14.8% vs. 23.5%). Storage time also significantly affected all parameters (<i>P</i> < 0.05), with no significant adenosine × time interaction (<i>P</i> > 0.05). These findings have practical implications for improving sheep reproductive efficiency, given the physiological fragility of the PUFA-rich ovine sperm membrane. Supplementing Tris-egg yolk with 0.75% adenosine is recommended to extend the usable storage life of chilled ram semen up to 72 h, offering greater flexibility in the scheduling and logistics of artificial insemination programs, pending further in vivo fertility trials and comparisons with commercial extenders. Whether this beneficial effect extends to ram semen cryopreservation remains an open question for future research.</p>","PeriodicalId":23272,"journal":{"name":"Translational Animal Science","volume":"10 ","pages":"txag135"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13614718/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149064559","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigating the effects of pine biochar on intake and digestibility in beef steers consuming forage.","authors":"Emily C Fowler, Sabrina Fortunatti, Merritt L Drewery","doi":"10.1093/tas/txag134","DOIUrl":"10.1093/tas/txag134","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Biochar is a charcoal-like material made from burned organic material of agricultural or forestry biomass. Pyrolysis, the primary method of biochar production, is achieved in limited oxygen conditions which allows the thermally altered biomass to retain most of its carbon. Biochar has potential to enhance soil health and sequester carbon in soils, but must be mixed with an organic material, such as urine or manure, to maximize effectiveness. Feeding biochar to cattle allows them to deposit biochar-enriched manure onto pasture without human intervention while simultaneously receiving any potential benefits associated with consumption. The objective of this study was to evaluate diet utilization in beef steers fed one of four treatments in addition to a basal forage diet: no biochar (CON), or a pinewood-based biochar provided at 0.8%, 1.6%, or 2.4% of the previous 3-d forage intake. Four ruminally cannulated steers were utilized in a 4 × 4 Latin square with four 14-d periods, consisting of an 8-d treatment adaptation (d 1 to 8), fecal and diet sampling for intake and digestibility (d 9 to 13) and rumen fluid sampling (d 14). Steers had ad libitum access to hay and water and were offered treatments once daily mixed with cottonseed meal provided at 125 mg N/kg BW. Statistical analyses employed orthogonal contrasts with fixed effects of treatment and period and a random effect of steer. There was a tendency for biochar to linearly affect (<i>P</i> = 0.08) forage organic matter intake (FOMI) where FOMI was 5.23 kg/d for CON, 4.96 kg/d for 0.8% biochar, 4.52 kg/d for 1.6% biochar, and 4.54 kg/d for 2.4% biochar. There was also a linear trend (<i>P</i> = 0.08) for total digestible organic matter intake (TDOMI) where CON steers consumed the most TDOMI (4.29 kg/d) and steers receiving 2.4% biochar consumed the least (3.53 kg/d). There were no linear (<i>P</i> ≥ 0.11) or quadratic effects (<i>P</i> ≥ 0.31) of biochar inclusion on measures of digestibility; organic matter digestibility averaged 64.6% across treatments. Our observations suggest that pinewood derived biochar supplemented from 0.8% to 2.4% of intake did not significantly affect diet utilization, but the tendencies and numerical depressions observed suggest moderate (1.6%) and high (2.4%) doses of biochar may have practical concerns. However, there were methodological limitations that affected our ability to draw definitive conclusions, and further research is necessary to confirm these findings.</p>","PeriodicalId":23272,"journal":{"name":"Translational Animal Science","volume":"10 ","pages":"txag134"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13591484/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149018026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating processing methods of hybrid rye fed to growing beef steers.","authors":"Colin T Tobin, Zachary K Smith, Karl F Hoppe, Zachary E Carlson, Warren C Rusche","doi":"10.1093/tas/txag133","DOIUrl":"10.1093/tas/txag133","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Crossbred <i>Bos taurus</i> beef steers (<i>n</i> = 150; initial shrunk body weight [BW] = 260 ± 22.2 kg) were used in a 63-d feedlot experiment to evaluate the effects of rolled (RRYE) and ground (GRYE) hybrid rye as replacements for dry-rolled corn (CON) on growth performance and comparative net energy (NE) values in diets fed to backgrounding steers. Rye from a single hybrid (KWS Bono) was processed using either a roller mill or a hammermill to achieve geometric mean particle diameters of 1780 µm and 731 µm, respectively. Three treatments were used in a randomized complete block design (<i>n</i> = 5 pens/treatment; 10 steers/pen), in which dry-rolled corn was completely replaced by RRYE or GRYE. Performance-adjusted NE was calculated using average daily gain (ADG), dry matter intake (DMI), and mean equivalent shrunk BW, and comparative NE values for rye were calculated using the replacement technique. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS 9.4 (SAS Inst. Inc., Cary, NC), with pen as the experimental unit. Treatment effects were tested using preplanned contrasts of CON vs. RYE and RRYE vs. GRYE. No differences between CON and RYE were detected (<i>P</i> ≥ 0.10) in ending BW, BW gain, ADG, DMI, gain:feed (G:F), or performance-adjusted NE for maintenance or gain (NEm, NEg). Steers fed GRYE tended to have greater BW gain (<i>P</i> ≤ 0.07) and ADG (<i>P</i> ≤ 0.06), with no differences in ending BW, DMI, or G:F compared with those fed RRYE. The concentration of NEg was calculated assuming dry rolled corn has an NEg concentration (Mcal/kg) of 1.49. Estimated replacement NEm and NEg values for RRYE included at 22% of diet DM were 1.91 and 1.25 Mcal/kg, respectively, whereas NEm and NEg values for GRYE were 2.29 and 1.58 Mcal/kg, respectively. Hybrid rye had a similar NE value to corn when fed in a high-forage backgrounding diet.</p>","PeriodicalId":23272,"journal":{"name":"Translational Animal Science","volume":"10 ","pages":"txag133"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13570592/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148956796","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of large language model performance in translating dairy-related content.","authors":"Anay D Ravelo, Daniela G Carranza, Kaitlyn A Lutz, Wolfgang Heuwieser","doi":"10.1093/tas/txag130","DOIUrl":"10.1093/tas/txag130","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Artificial intelligence's ability to translate dairy-related texts from English to Spanish has not been well described in agriculture. This study aimed to determine the accuracy and comprehensibility of dairy-related translated text generated with ChatGPT (GPT-4o) and to determine the text's appropriateness for a dairy employee. Eight dairy udder health and stockmanship-related English texts were gathered from extension and university websites for translation. Four texts were summaries of 260 words or less and the other four texts were procedure lists with 8 steps. The texts were translated with a large language model (ChatGPT-4o) and displayed in a side-by-side presentation. The presentations were sent to 23 reviewers with a rubric for evaluation of accuracy, comprehensibility, and perception of the translation. Additionally, the reviewers were asked to evaluate if the translations were suitable to be shared with dairy employees. Overall, reviewers \"Strongly agreed\" or \"Agreed\" that the texts were accurately translated, including technical terms, and that the main idea of the text was correctly reproduced. They also \"Strongly agreed\" or \"Agreed\" that the translation was easy to understand, flowed naturally, was clear and coherent, and there was consistent translation of phrases that were repeated. Additionally, reviewers believed that there were \"None\" or \"Few\" instances where the meaning of the text is unclear due to the translation. Finally, the reviewers mostly agreed that they would present the translations to dairy employees. Thus, ChatGPT (GPT-4o) can accurately and comprehensibly translate dairy-related text. However, it is important to still have oversight and review the output.</p>","PeriodicalId":23272,"journal":{"name":"Translational Animal Science","volume":"10 ","pages":"txag130"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13553073/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148913422","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of sample storage on pH-value in equine faeces.","authors":"Katrin Madelene Lindroth, Cecilia Elisabeth Müller","doi":"10.1093/tas/txag131","DOIUrl":"10.1093/tas/txag131","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Measurements of pH-value in equine faeces are often performed in studies on nutrition and health in horses, but a standard protocol for it is lacking despite the knowledge that different sample handling may affect the pH-value. Sample handling prior to pH-measurement is often determined by practical settings and has been reported to vary in published studies within the area. The purpose of the current study was therefore to investigate the influence of different combinations of storage time and temperature on the pH-value in equine faecal samples in comparison to immediate pH-measurement at defecation. Faecal samples from 105 horses were collected, and each sample was divided into 14 sub-samples. The sub-samples were stored in room temperature (+20 to + 21°C), in a refrigerator (+4 to + 6°C) or in a freezer (-20°C) for different periods of time, after which pH was measured. Measurement of pH was performed immediately at defecation (reference value, RT0), after 2 h in room temperature (RT2), after 2, 4, 8, 12, 24 and 48 h in a refrigerator (RE2-RE48;), after 24, 48 and 72 h in a freezer (F24-F72), and after 1, 3 and 6 months in the same freezer (F1M-F6M). Measurements of pH were done on undiluted liquid pressed from whole faecal samples using a two-point calibrated pH-meter and was repeated three times on each sub-sample. Data were analysed using an ANOVA mixed model procedure with sample treatment (temperature and time) as a fixed effect and horse as a random effect, and with Dunnetts adjustment of <i>P</i>-values as all sample treatments were compared to the reference value at RT0. Results showed that mean pH ± SD at RT0 was 6.60 ± 0.04 and that it differed (<i>P</i> < 0.01) from all sample treatments except RT2, RE8 and RE48 (<i>P</i> > 0.34). All frozen samples had higher (<i>P</i> < 0.01) mean pH-values compared to RT0, and ranged from 6.65 ± 0.38 at F48 to 6.75 ± 0.40 at F72. All other frozen samples had pH-values between 6.65 and 6.75. Refrigerated samples RE2 and RE4 had lower (<i>P</i> < 0.001) mean pH-values (6.52 ± 0.36 for both) and RE12 and RE24 samples had higher (<i>P</i> < 0.001) mean pH-values (6.67 ± 0.34 and 6.67 ± 0.38, respectively) compared to RT0. The results of this study therefore showed that if pH cannot be measured immediately at defecation, storage of equine faecal samples in room temperature for 2 h or in a refrigerator at + 4 to + 6°C for 8 h or 48 h is another option, as pH at these timepoints did not differ from RT0.</p>","PeriodicalId":23272,"journal":{"name":"Translational Animal Science","volume":"10 ","pages":"txag131"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13548788/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148907064","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}