Frontiers in Animal Science最新文献

{"title":"Consistent stall air speeds in commercial dairy farms are associated with less variability in cow lying times","authors":"Kimberly J. Reuscher, Nigel B. Cook, Courtney E. Halbach, M. Mondaca, J. V. Van Os","doi":"10.3389/fanim.2024.1422937","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fanim.2024.1422937","url":null,"abstract":"Heat stress is a known challenge for dairy farms, but standardized, practical heat abatement assessments are lacking. Our objectives were to evaluate the summer ventilation system performance of Wisconsin freestall facilities, provide farms with feedback, and refine our assessment method for knowledge transfer to the industry. Six naturally ventilated (NV) and six cross-ventilated (CV) facilities (n=12) were enrolled. On day 1, 30 focal cows received data loggers to measure resting behavior and intravaginal temperature. Data loggers recorded barn air temperature and relative humidity. Air speeds (AS) were measured manually with anemometers to characterize AS distributions at cow resting (0.5m) and standing (1.5m) heights. Data loggers were removed on day 5, resulting in 3 days of data for resting behavior, vaginal temperature, and temperature humidity index (THI). The fixed effects of average AS and daily maximum THI on daily maximum vaginal temperature (VT), 24-h lying time (LT), and the number and duration of daily lying bouts were analyzed using linear mixed models. We evaluated the fixed effects of THI, average AS, and within-facility SD in AS among stalls on within-facility SD of VT, LT, and the number and duration of lying bouts among focal cows. Stall AS in NV vs. CV barns was 1.4 ± 0.3 vs. 2.0 ± 0.7 m/s (inter-facility ranges: 0.9–1.7 vs. 1.4–3.1 m/s) at resting height and 2.3 ± 0.3 vs. 2.5 ± 0.5 m/s (range: 1.7–2.8 vs. 1.7–3.1 m/s) at standing height. When facility AS increased by 1 m/s, cows had 0.8 fewer lying bouts per day. When the within-facility SD of AS among stalls increased by 1 m/s, the SD among cows of daily lying time increased 1 h/d, driven by an increase in the SDs of lying bouts (+2.5 bouts/d) and durations (13.9 min/bout). For every 10-unit increase in THI, VT increased 0.4°C, daily lying bouts tended to increase by 0.9/d, and SD of daily lying time increased 0.4 h/d. The farms received reports with summary data and suggestions to improve the consistency of AS at cow resting height. Consistent air speeds of ≥1 m/s among stalls can improve cow comfort during heat stress by reducing variation in lying behavior.","PeriodicalId":503755,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Animal Science","volume":"9 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141925384","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Increased dietary methionine, lysine and histidine supply modulated the heat stress-induced metabolic remodeling of dairy cows","authors":"E. Jorge-Smeding, A. Ruiz-González, Y.H. Leung, A. I. Trujillo, A. Astessiano, D. Ouellet, Hélène Lapierre, D. E. Rico, Á. Kenéz","doi":"10.3389/fanim.2024.1364779","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fanim.2024.1364779","url":null,"abstract":"Increasing dietary Met, Lys, and His supply without increasing the dietary protein content was reported to partially alleviate the productive and physiological impact of heat stress. Nevertheless, the metabolic pathways involved are yet to be identified. Thus, we aimed to explore the metabolic pathways associated with these positive effects and develop new metabolomics-based hypotheses. Twelve lactating Holstein cows (primiparous, n = 6; multiparous, n = 6; 42.2 ± 10.6 kg/d milk yield; 83 ± 28 days in milk) were enrolled in two 3×3 replicated Latin squares consisting of 14-day treatment periods: heat stress [HS; max. Temperature Humidity Index (THI) 84, 16.8% crude protein (CP), 1,741 g/d metabolizable protein (MP), 108 Lys, 33 Met, and 37 His (g/d)], pair feeding in thermo-neutrality (TN; max. THI 64, same diet as HS), and HS with increased Lys, Met and His supply [HS+AA; max. THI 84; 17.0% CP, 1,730 g/d MP, 179 Lys, 58 Met, and 45 His (g/d)]. Blood plasma and milk were sampled on day 14 for metabolomics profiling. Several amino acids (AA) and derivatives differed between the treatments. Plasma and milk Met, Val, Trp and α-amino adipic acid concentrations were highest in HS+AA (false discovery rate-P (FDR) < 0.05). Moreover, only plasma Lys and milk His were highest in HS+AA (FDR < 0.05). Some phosphatidylcholines (PC) and diglycerides had lower concentrations in HS than TN (FDR < 0.05), while HS+AA had similar concentrations as TN. The pathway enrichment analysis revealed that the AA-related pathways were more significantly affected in multiparous than in primiparous cows. Our results suggest that increased supply of Met stimulated PC synthesis in HS+AA to similar concentrations as in TN. Increased Lys supply likely elevated the oxidation rate of Lys and downregulated the catabolism of other essential AA (EAA) such as Val and Trp, stimulating milk protein synthesis. No clear associations were found related to His availability. In conclusion, partial amelioration of productive and physiological effects of heat stress associated with increased dietary Met and Lys supply were likely explained by stimulated PC synthesis and increased plasma and milk concentrations of other EEA.","PeriodicalId":503755,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Animal Science","volume":"101 29","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141361420","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Efficacy of oleandrin and PBI-05204 against viruses of importance to commercial pig health management","authors":"Robert A. Newman, Karim Abdelsalam, Robin Buterbaugh, K. J. Sastry","doi":"10.3389/fanim.2024.1359681","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fanim.2024.1359681","url":null,"abstract":"Infection by porcine respiratory and reproductive syncytial virus (PRRSV), swine influenza virus (SIV) and porcine epidemic diarrhea (PEDV) adversely affect worldwide pig production. Because effective control remains elusive the present research was designed to explore the in vitro antiviral activity of oleandrin and an N. oleander extract (PBI-05204) against each porcine virus.Monkey kidney (MARK-145) cells, Madin-Darby canine kidney cells (MDCK), and African green monkey kidney cells (VERO 76) were used for in vitro culture systems for PRRSV, SIV and PEDV, respectively. Cytotoxicity was established using serial dilutions of oleandrin or PBI-05204. Noncytotoxic concentrations of each product were used either prior to or at 12 h and 24 h following exposure to corresponding viruses. Infectious virus titers were also determined.Oleandrin and PBI-05204 demonstrated strong antiviral activity against PRRSV, SIV and PEDV when added prior to or following infection of cells. Determination of viral loads by PCR demonstrated a decline in PRRSV replication reaching 99.57% and 99.79% for oleandrin and PBI-05204, respectively, and decrease of 95.36% and 99.54% in infectivity of progeny virus in PRRSV infected cultures. Similarly, oleandrin tested against SIV and PEDV was effective in near complete inhibition of infectious virus production.The research demonstrates the potency of oleandrin and PBI-05204 to inhibit infectivity of three important porcine viruses. These data showing non-toxic concentrations of oleandrin as a single common agent for inhibiting infectivity of the three different porcine viruses tested here support further investigation of antiviral efficacy and possible in vivo use.","PeriodicalId":503755,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Animal Science","volume":"72 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141382475","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"On-farm study: cytokine profiles and vaginal microbiome of Bos indicus cattle before artificial insemination","authors":"Molly S Smith, Dallas R. Soffa, B. McAnally, Kyle J Hickman-Brown, Erin L Stockland, R. Poole","doi":"10.3389/fanim.2024.1399337","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fanim.2024.1399337","url":null,"abstract":"Prior studies in beef cattle have shown shifts in the reproductive microbiome prior to artificial insemination (AI), yet few have characterized both the reproductive microbiome and immune responses prior to AI, particularly in purebred Bos indicus. Therefore, the aim of this study was to characterize the circulating cytokines and the vaginal microbiome of Bos indicus females prior to fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI). Bos indicus females (n = 79) on four separate ranch operations within a 20-mile radius in East Texas were subjected to the 7-day CO-Synch + controlled intervaginal drug-releasing (CIDR) protocol beginning on day (d)-9 with FTAI on d0. Blood samples were collected on d-9 (CIDR IN), d-2 (CIDR OUT), and d0 (AI DAY) for cytokine concentration analyses using the RayBiotech Quantibody Bovine Cytokine Array Q1 kit per the manufacturer’s instructions. Sterile vaginal swabs were inserted past the vulva, rotated, and stored at -80°C for microbiome analysis. Bacterial community analyses targeted the V4 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene. Pregnancy status was determined by transrectal ultrasonography approximately 60 days after FTAI for resulting open females (n = 45) and pregnant females (n = 34). Regardless of pregnancy status, the vaginal relative abundance of Firmicutes differed between CIDR IN, CIDR OUT, and AI DAY (63.74% vs. 28.31% vs. 60.86% ± 3.66%, respectively; P < 0.01). Genera with phylum Firmicutes including Ruminococcus, Clostridium, Blautia, Butyrvibrio, and Mogibacterium followed a similar trend (P < 0.05). Butyrvibrio tended to have greater relative abundance in the vaginal samples of Cows than Heifers (4.17% ± 0.75% vs. 3.26% ± 0.77%; P = 0.07). Concentrations of the interferon (IFN)γ (2005.98 ± 471.94 pg/mL vs. 1185.40 ± 482.65 pg/mL; P < 0.01), interleukin (IL)1F5 (153.89 ± 141.07 pg/mL vs. 627.30 ± 149.28 pg/mL; P < 0.01), and interferon gamma-induced protein (IP)10 (9363.26 ± 2929.83 pg/mL vs. 5905.53 ± 2983.60 pg/mL; P = 0.05) were greater in Cows than Heifers. There was a parity-by-status interaction for IP10, with Open Cows having the greatest concentration compared all other groups (P < 0.05). These results indicate differences in circulating cytokines and shifts in the vaginal microbiome for in Bos indicus cattle prior to FTAI.","PeriodicalId":503755,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Animal Science","volume":"43 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141381917","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Behavior, long-term stress and relationship to owner in relinquished dogs","authors":"Cornelia Sulonen, Jenny Löf, Per Jensen, Karolina Lasses, E. Theodorsson, Helena Quist, Lina S. V. Roth","doi":"10.3389/fanim.2024.1384155","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fanim.2024.1384155","url":null,"abstract":"Dog ownership gained popularity during the pandemic. However, there was also a corresponding increase in the number of dogs being relinquished and rehomed. The rehoming procedure is known to be stressful to the dog, but the short- and long-term effects still need to be better understood. This study aimed to enhance our understanding of the short- and long-term challenges dogs encounter during the rehoming process by combining behavioral and physiological measures. The study included 20 relinquished dogs from a Swedish shelter and 30 rehomed dogs, comparing them to 33 control dogs that have been with their owner since leaving the breeder as puppies. All participants performed an unsolvable problem task, eye-contact test, and memory test and hair samples were obtained to analyze cortisol concentrations. Furthermore, dog owners (of rehomed and control dogs) completed a questionnaire assessing their perceived human-dog relationship. These owner-dog dyads also participated in a behavioral synchronization test. The result indicated that shelter dogs had the shortest eye-contact duration in both an eye-contact test and an unsolvable problem task, but there was no difference between the three groups in the short-term memory test or in stress-related behaviors. Analysis of hair cortisol concentrations in the dogs revealed that the shelter dogs had higher long-term stress levels than rehomed dogs, but they did not differ significantly from control dogs. Both rehomed and control dogs synchronized their behavior with their owner, but, interestingly, the owners of rehomed dogs reported a higher emotional closeness to their dogs than owners of control dogs. Consequently, despite the observed short-term effects during the rehoming procedure, this study suggests that rehomed dogs can adapt to their new life and develop a strong relationship with their owner.","PeriodicalId":503755,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Animal Science","volume":"16 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141266861","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tackling mosaicism in gene edited livestock","authors":"Hamish A. Salvesen, Christopher G. Grupen, Gus R. Mcfarlane","doi":"10.3389/fanim.2024.1368155","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fanim.2024.1368155","url":null,"abstract":"The farming of livestock has a critical role to play in global nutritional security and poverty alleviation. To meet these goals through more efficient, environmentally sustainable and animal welfare focused means, gene editing technologies could be integrated into current breeding programs. A common issue with gene editing in livestock zygotes is the high incidence of genetic mosaicism. Genetic mosaicism, characterised by a single individual carrying distinct genotypes in different cell lineages, can lead to inconsistent presentation of a desired trait phenotypically, or the absence of the intended genotype in the animal’s germline. This review explores the present status of genetic mosaicism associated with CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing in cattle, sheep, and pigs, and identifies four areas for refinement; (1) the type of CRISPR-Cas9 genome editor used; (2) the CRISPR-Cas9 formats and timing of gene editing during embryonic development; (3) the method used to deliver the genome editor and (4) the genetic screening strategies applied. We also discuss alternatives to direct zygote gene editing, including surrogate sire technology and blastomere separation, which circumvent the production of mosaic offspring. By exploring these avenues for reducing mosaicism, gene editing protocols in livestock could become more efficient and effective, which will ultimately pave the way for traits to be introduced that improve animal welfare standards and help address gaps in the security of global nutrition access.","PeriodicalId":503755,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Animal Science","volume":"31 13","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141270553","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of non-penetrative captive bolt stunning as a method of slaughter for white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus)","authors":"Jackson A. Gross, Jennifer R. Bowman, Denise M. Imai, Talia S. Wong, Toni L. Duarte, Sara E. Boles, R. McGorrin, Xiang Yang","doi":"10.3389/fanim.2024.1405554","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fanim.2024.1405554","url":null,"abstract":"Percussive stunning is a widely used and ethically supported method of stunning fish per welfare standards as part of a one- or two-step slaughter process. In this study, the use of a non-penetrative captive bolt (NPCB) gun was evaluated as an effective one-step method of improving welfare for juvenile and adult farmed white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) at slaughter.A Jarvis HPS-1 NPCB was operated at pressures of 120, 135, and 145 PSI (827.37, 930.79, and 999.74 kPa, respectively) for juvenile sturgeon (n = 3 sturgeon per operating pressure) and 175, 200, and 225 PSI (1206.58, 1378.95, and 1551.32 kPa, respectively) for adult sturgeon (n = 3 sturgeon per operating pressure). Following a single strike, fish were assessed for jaw relaxation and a somatic response before being exsanguinated and transferred to an ice slurry. An hour after slaughter, fish heads were collected, and a section of cartilage containing the brain was removed and fixed in formalin for histological analysis of brain death. To evaluate fish recovery, juveniles (n = 100) and adult female sturgeon (n = 65) were monitored for two hoursafter a single exposure to 145 and 225 PSI, respectively.Histology results showed there was an effect between operating pressure and intracranial hemorrhage in juvenile sturgeon (p = 0.024). There was a greater meningeal-to-cerebral hemorrhage at 135 PSI compared to the 120 PSI group (p = 0.020) and a trend towards increased tissue damage from 120 PSI to 145 PSI (p = 0.056). Adults showed no significant difference in meningeal hemorrhage at any operating pressure. When investigating recovery rates, NPCB successfully stunned 100% of juvenile sturgeon at 145 PSI, and 225 PSI stunned 90% of adult sturgeon without recovery.These results demonstrate that the use of an NPCB gun is an improvement in animal welfare compared to repeated strikes, but a single application did not produce histological brain death; further research should be conducted to determine optimal pressures that result in immediate brain death.","PeriodicalId":503755,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Animal Science","volume":"15 18","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141271145","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Climate change, public health, and animal welfare: towards a One Health approach to reducing animal agriculture’s climate footprint","authors":"Cleo Verkuijl, Jessie Smit, Jonathan M. H. Green, Rebecca Nordquist, Jeff Sebo, Matthew N. Hayek, M. Hötzel","doi":"10.3389/fanim.2024.1281450","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fanim.2024.1281450","url":null,"abstract":"Animal agriculture contributes significantly to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions—an estimated 12%-20% of total anthropogenic emissions. This has led both governmental and private actors to propose various ways to mitigate those climate impacts. This paper applies a One Health lens to the issue, arguing that the choice of solutions should not only consider the potential to reduce GHG emissions—which is not always a given—but also the implications for public health and animal welfare. With this perspective, we examine the potential public health and animal welfare impacts of three types of strategies that are often proposed: (1) “sustainable intensification” methods, aimed at maintaining or increasing production while limiting emissions and avoiding further land conversion; (2) “species shift” approaches, which focus on changing diets to consume meat from animals produced with lower GHG emissions instead of that of animals associated with higher emissions; and (3) “systemic dietary change” approaches that promote shifts towards whole plant-based foods or novel alternatives to conventional animal products. We discuss how some approaches—particularly those associated with sustainable intensification and species shift—could introduce new and significant risks to public health and animal welfare. Promoting systemic dietary change helps to overcome some of these challenges, but requires careful attention to equity to ensure that vulnerable populations still have access to the nutrients they need. We end with recommendations for a more holistic approach to reducing emissions from farmed animals that can help avoid trade-offs and increase synergies with other societal goals.","PeriodicalId":503755,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Animal Science","volume":"130 23","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140976907","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The perks of being an organic chicken – animal welfare science on the key features of organic poultry production","authors":"Lina Göransson, Frida Lundmark Hedman","doi":"10.3389/fanim.2024.1400384","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fanim.2024.1400384","url":null,"abstract":"Modern poultry production entails a number of important animal welfare issues. However, welfare is often considered to be better in organic than in non-organic production, largely due to the focus on naturalness within the former which has been embedded within the EU regulations on organic production. The aim of this paper was to review the relevant scientific literature to assess (i) how animal welfare science relates to the key features of organic poultry production which originally stem from organic visions and ideological reasons, and (ii) whether there is scientific evidence to show that these key features, as stipulated in current EU regulations, contribute to higher welfare in organic poultry production. We identified seven key features that are intended to improve poultry welfare in organic production: appropriate breeds, no mutilations, outdoor access, natural light, perch space and raised sitting levels, provision of roughage, and lower stocking densities. In general, the animal welfare science available supports the potential for higher animal welfare in organic poultry production, based on the requirements as laid down in the current EU regulations. However, there is still room for improvement, and some aspects that may further improve animal welfare in organic poultry production include the use of alternative laying hen hybrids with the potential for better welfare, even more slow-growing broilers, appropriate management of the free-range areas in practice to ensure that they are used by the birds, additional raised sitting level space allowance for broilers, and the use of “dark brooders” for chicks.","PeriodicalId":503755,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Animal Science","volume":"70 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141003369","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Designing a diagnostic method to predict the optimal artificial insemination timing in cows using artificial intelligence","authors":"M. Nagahara, Satoshi Tatemoto, Takumi Ito, Otoha Fujimoto, Tetsushi Ono, M. Taniguchi, Mitsuhiro Takagi, T. Otoi","doi":"10.3389/fanim.2024.1399434","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fanim.2024.1399434","url":null,"abstract":"Dairy farmers and beef cattle breeders aim for one calf per year to optimize breeding efficiency, relying on artificial insemination of both dairy and beef cows. Accurate estrus detection and timely insemination are vital for improving conception rates. However, recent challenges such as operational expansion, increased livestock numbers, and heightened milk production have complicated these processes. We developed an artificial intelligence (AI)-based pregnancy probability diagnostic tool to predict the optimal timing for artificial insemination. This tool analyzes external uterine opening image data through AI analysis, enabling high conception rates when inexperienced individuals conduct the procedure. In the initial experimental phase, images depicting the external uterine opening during artificial insemination were acquired for AI training. Static images were extracted from videos to create a pregnancy probability diagnostic model (PPDM). In the subsequent phase, an augmented set of images was introduced to enhance the precision of the PPDM. Additionally, a web application was developed for real-time assessment of optimal insemination timing, and its effectiveness in practical field settings was evaluated. The results indicated that when PPDM predicted a pregnancy probability of 70% or higher, it demonstrated a high level of reliability with accuracy, precision, and recall rates of 76.2%, 76.2%, and 100%, respectively, and an F-score of 0.86. This underscored the applicability and reliability of AI-based tools in predicting optimal insemination timing, potentially offering substantial benefits to breeding operations.","PeriodicalId":503755,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Animal Science","volume":"28 21","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141005461","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}