Colten W. Dornbach , Zach S. McDaniel , Paul R. Broadway , Mina Abbasi , Xiaorong Shi , Leigh Ann George , T.G. Nagaraja , Raghavendra G. Amachawadi , Nicole C. Burdick Sanchez , Michael L. Galyean , Kristin E. Hales
{"title":"Effects of neutral detergent fiber concentration in dietary roughage and bulk density of steam-flaked corn on the prevalence and concentration of Fusobacterium necrophorum and Fusobacterium varium in the ruminal contents of finishing beef steers*","authors":"Colten W. Dornbach , Zach S. McDaniel , Paul R. Broadway , Mina Abbasi , Xiaorong Shi , Leigh Ann George , T.G. Nagaraja , Raghavendra G. Amachawadi , Nicole C. Burdick Sanchez , Michael L. Galyean , Kristin E. Hales","doi":"10.15232/aas.2025-02714","DOIUrl":"10.15232/aas.2025-02714","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>We assessed the effects of NDF concentra- tion of dietary roughage and bulk density of steam-flaked corn on the prevalence and concentrations of <em>Fusobacte- rium necrophorum</em> ssp. <em>necrophorum</em>, <em>F. necrophorum</em> ssp. <em>funduliforme</em>, and <em>Fusobacterium varium</em> in the ruminal contents of finishing beef steers.</div></div><div><h3>Materials and Methods</h3><div>Crossbred beef steers (n = 104; initial BW = 417 ± 8.9 kg) were blocked by BW, as- signed randomly to treatments, and fed for 118 d. Treat- ments were arranged as a 2 × 3 factorial with 5 pens per simple-effect treatment and consisted of 3 NDF concentra- tions from alfalfa hay (3%, 4.5%, or 6%) and 309 g/L (24 lb/bu) or 412 g/L (32 lb/bu) steam-flaked corn (SFC; 69% or 33% starch availability, respectively). Ruminal content samples collected at the start of the finishing period (d 0) and the day before slaughter (d 118) were analyzed by quantitative PCR assay to determine the prevalence and concentrations of <em>F. necrophorum</em> and <em>F. varium</em>. Pen was the experimental unit for dietary treatment analyses. In- dividual animal was the experimental unit for analyses of liver abscess (LA) prevalence. The PROC GLIMMIX and MIXED procedures of SAS 9.4 were used to determine the effects of dietary treatments and LA prevalence on <em>Fuso- bacterium</em> populations in ruminal contents.</div></div><div><h3>Results and Discussion</h3><div>Liver abscess prevalence was greater in steers fed 3% roughage NDF from alfalfa hay compared with 4.5% and 6%. As bulk density increased from 309 to 412 g/L, LA prevalence tended to decrease 11.1 percentage points. Roughage NDF and bulk density of SFC did not affect <em>F. necrophorum</em> ssp. <em>necrophorum</em> or <em>F. necrophorum</em> ssp. <em>funduliforme</em> prevalence or concen- tration in ruminal contents. <em>Fusobacterium varium</em> con- centrations tended to be greater in steers fed 3.0% and 4.5% roughage NDF than in those fed 6% roughage NDF. Prevalence and concentration of <em>F. necrophorum</em> and <em>F. varium</em> did not differ between steers with or without LA regardless of experimental diet.</div></div><div><h3>Implications and Applications</h3><div>Increasing roughage NDF from alfalfa hay and SFC bulk density decreased LA prevalence; however, these dietary changes did not signifi- cantly alter <em>Fusobacterium</em> prevalence or concentrations in ruminal contents. The lack of clear associations between <em>Fusobacterium</em> populations and dietary strategies or LA prevalence suggests a need to refine our understanding of microbial and dietary contributions to LA etiology. Future research should explore how interactions between feed in- take patterns, dietary ingredients, and microbial competi- tion contribute to LA risk.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8519,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Science","volume":"41 5","pages":"Pages 473-481"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145236384","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":"Milk feeding through an open bucket or nipple bucket: Performance and behavior of dairy calves","authors":"M.D. Silva , M.G. Coelho , A.P. Silva , A.F. Toledo , A.M. Cezar , S.C. Dondé , C.R. Tomaluski , F.Z. Miranda , R.Y.L. Ricci , C.M.M. Bittar","doi":"10.15232/aas.2025-02675","DOIUrl":"10.15232/aas.2025-02675","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study compared the performance and behavior of dairy calves using 2 different milk feeding methods: open bucket and nipple bucket.</div></div><div><h3>Materials and Methods</h3><div>Thirty newborn Holstein calves were blocked and randomly assigned to 1 of 2 milk feeding methods: (1) open bucket (n = 15) or (2) nipple bucket (n = 15). Calves were individually housed with <em>ad libitum</em> access to water and pelleted starter. Calves were fed 6 L/d of whole milk divided into 2 meals for 8 wk of life. Starter intake was recorded daily. Body weight and metabolic parameters were recorded weekly. Calf behavior was recorded weekly from wk 2 to 8 of life.</div></div><div><h3>Results and Discussion</h3><div>All calves consumed their al- located milk; however, the nipple bucket feeding decreased starter intake and consequently total DMI (1,067.8 and 964.3 ± 27.08 [SEM] g/d), with no effect on ADG or BW. The average fecal score was greater for calves fed with an open bucket, reflecting more fluid feces (1.85 and 1.59 ± 0.071). Calves fed with a nipple bucket presented greater glucose concentration levels 2 h after feeding (121.1 and 131.5 ± 3.95 mg/dL), but the protein, albumin, and he- matocrit were not affected. Milk intake speed was great- er for calves fed with a nipple bucket (1.86 and 5.33 ± 0.233, min/3 L). Calves fed with a nipple bucket spent less time eating starter (3.71 and 1.92 ± 0.311, min/4 h) and performing non-nutritive oral behavior (1.09 and 0.58 ± 0.212, min/4 h); however, they spent more time consum- ing milk (7.01 ± 0.224, min/4 h).</div></div><div><h3>Implications and Applications</h3><div>The milk feeding method has a short-term positive influence on calves’ pre- weaning behavior, although it does not affect performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8519,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Science","volume":"41 5","pages":"Pages 448-457"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145236381","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}
D.J. Line , A.B. Word , K.J. Karr , B.P. Holland , L.J. Walter , W.T. Nichols , J.P. Hutcheson , N.C. Burdick Sanchez , P.R. Broadway , K.E. Hales
{"title":"The effects of 5 different implant programs on the health outcomes, growth performance, and carcass characteristics of lightweight beef steers","authors":"D.J. Line , A.B. Word , K.J. Karr , B.P. Holland , L.J. Walter , W.T. Nichols , J.P. Hutcheson , N.C. Burdick Sanchez , P.R. Broadway , K.E. Hales","doi":"10.15232/aas.2025-02695","DOIUrl":"10.15232/aas.2025-02695","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Our objective was to evaluate 5 different implant programs on the health outcomes, growth performance, and carcass characteristics of lightweight beef steers.</div></div><div><h3>Materials and Methods</h3><div>Crossbred steers (n = 3,817; initial BW 195 ± 1.1 kg) were used in a randomized complete block design and fed to a common number of days on feed (280 d). Steers were blocked by time of arrival (n = 10 blocks) and assigned randomly to 1 of 5 treatments: (1) 200 mg of trenbolone acetate (TBA) and 40 mg of estradiol 17β administered on d 0 (XS0); (2) 200 mg of TBA and 40 mg of estradiol 17β administered on d 60 (XS60); (3) 200 mg of TBA and 40 mg of estradiol 17β administered on d 80 (XS80); (4) 200 mg of TBA and 40 mg of estradiol 17β administered on d 100 (XS100); and (5) 80 mg of TBA and 16 mg of estradiol 17β administered on d 0 followed by 200 mg of TBA and 40 mg of estradiol 17β administered on d 80 (IS-XS).</div></div><div><h3>Results and Discussion</h3><div>The proportion of steers treated once for bovine respiratory disease was less in XS60 and XS100 than XS0, XS80, and IS-XS. No difference was noted in mortality among treatments. Steers in XS0 and IS-XS had greater DMI than XS60, XS80, and XS100. Gain:feed differed among treatment, in which XS60, XS80, and XS100 had greater G:F than XS0 and IS-XS, both with dead and removed steers included and excluded. No differences were observed in carcass traits, except in fat thickness, marbling, and estimated empty body fat, indicating that implant timing influences carcass characteristics.</div></div><div><h3>Implications and Applications</h3><div>In steers fed more than 220 d, delaying Revalor-XS for 60 or 80 d after arrival does not differ from using a reimplant strategy in which Revalor-IS was followed by Revalor-XS or administering Revalor-XS on d 0. Delayed implantation with an extended-release implant can meet new US Food and Drug Administration guidelines without negatively affecting growth performance or carcass quality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8519,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Science","volume":"41 5","pages":"Pages 502-511"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145236386","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}
Madeline M. Kimbrough, Kasi N. Schneid, J. Daniel Young, Kendall L. Samuelson, John T. Richeson
{"title":"Effects of maternal bovine appeasing substance, metaphylaxis with tulathromycin, or a combination of both in high-risk, newly received feedlot heifers","authors":"Madeline M. Kimbrough, Kasi N. Schneid, J. Daniel Young, Kendall L. Samuelson, John T. Richeson","doi":"10.15232/aas.2025-02687","DOIUrl":"10.15232/aas.2025-02687","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Our objective was to evaluate effects of maternal bovine appeasing substance and metaphylaxis using tulathromycin on health and performance of feedlot heifers during a 63-d receiving period.</div></div><div><h3>Materials and Methods</h3><div>High-risk beef heifers (n = 552; initial BW = 187 ± 7 kg) were stratified by initial BW and pre-existing ranch tag and randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial: (1) maternal bovine appeasing substance administration on d 0 and 14 (FERA), (2) metaphylaxis with tulathromycin on d 0 (META), (3) FERA and META administration (FERAMETA), and (4) no FERA or META (CON). A generalized complete block design was used, where heifers were blocked by truckload (n = 5), with each block consisting of 2 pens per treatment. Tulathromycin was administered subcutaneously in the neck at 2.5 mg/kg of BW. A total of 5.0 mL of maternal bovine appeasing substance was administered topically directly behind the poll, and 5.0 mL was administered directly above the muzzle.</div></div><div><h3>Results and Discussion</h3><div>Heifers administered FERA tended to have reduced morbidity from bovine respiratory disease, and the main effect of META reduced percentage of initial, secondary, and tertiary treatment for bovine respiratory disease. Total antimicrobial cost and units administered were less for META. Heifers that received META had greater ADG from d 0 to 14 and overall (d 0 to 63). An interaction existed for G:F from d 0 to 63 such that FERA was the greatest, META and FERAMETA were intermediate, and CON was least.</div></div><div><h3>Implications and Applications</h3><div>Health and performance of high-risk feedlot heifers was improved by META, and the combination of FERA and META may have additive benefit.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8519,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Science","volume":"41 5","pages":"Pages 512-520"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145236440","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}
N. Herrera , C. Hernandez-Gotelli , J. Velez , P. Pinedo
{"title":"Dam and calf behavior in an early separation system under commercial dairy settings","authors":"N. Herrera , C. Hernandez-Gotelli , J. Velez , P. Pinedo","doi":"10.15232/aas.2025-02696","DOIUrl":"10.15232/aas.2025-02696","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to describe dam and calf behaviors following calving in an early separation system (≤2 h of life) under commercial dairy settings. Analyzing the association of the early interactions between the dam and her calf with the separation behaviors at the time of calf removal was a secondary objective of this study. Potential associations of reference variables such as parity number, calf sex, calving time, environmental conditions, and time from calving to dam-calf separation with dam- calf interactions and separation behaviors were also tested.</div></div><div><h3>Materials and Methods</h3><div>A total of 163 calvings were video recorded for analysis. Associations among the 3 groups of variables (reference; dam-calf interactions; and separation behavior) were initially tested using the chi- squared test of independence. Subsequently, significant associations of reference and dam-calf interaction variables with separation behaviors identified in the chi-squared test of independence were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression.</div></div><div><h3>Results and Discussion</h3><div>According to the chi-squared test, the only separation behavior affected by reference variables was calf seeking the dam, which occurred more often in morning calvings, calvings in the dry lot, and when there was greater time from calving to separation. On the contrary, associations between the occurrence of dam-calf interactions and the expression of separation behaviors were identified for most of the variables, with calf attempting suckling showing the most evident associations. The subsequent multivariate logistic regression analysis identified that calf seeking their dam at separation was positively associated with calving in the dry lot (reference variable) and calf suckling their dams (dam-calf interaction variable). In addition, both dam following her calf and dam watching her calf at separation were positively associated with calf attempting suckling (dam-calf interaction variable).</div></div><div><h3>Implications and Applications</h3><div>The cows and calves in this study evidenced some immediate reactions to separation occurring before 2 h after calving. Further research into the long-term effects of early separation between the dam and calf in commercial settings would offer a broader perspective on the relevance of the findings reported in this study.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8519,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Science","volume":"41 5","pages":"Pages 573-583"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145236442","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}
Eric A. Bailey , Joshua M. Zeltwanger , Bruno I. Cappellozza , Andy McCorkill , Emily A. Petzel , Derek W. Brake
{"title":"Effects of supplementing a Bacillus-based direct-fed microbial on performance and immune function of beef heifers grazing endophyte-infected tall fescue pastures","authors":"Eric A. Bailey , Joshua M. Zeltwanger , Bruno I. Cappellozza , Andy McCorkill , Emily A. Petzel , Derek W. Brake","doi":"10.15232/aas.2024-02668","DOIUrl":"10.15232/aas.2024-02668","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Our objective was to evaluate the effects of a <em>Bacillus-</em>based direct-fed microbial (DFM) on performance and immune function of beef heifers grazing endophyte-infected tall fescue pastures.</div></div><div><h3>Materials and Methods</h3><div>Crossbred beef heifers (n = 192; 196 kg ± 15.4 kg) were randomly assigned to 24 pastures (1.8 ha; 8 heifers/pasture; 12 pastures/treatment). Each day heifers received 2.83 kg (as-fed basis) of a commodity mix containing equal parts cracked corn, soyhull pellets, dried distillers grains. Treatments were created with a vitamin and mineral supplement containing a <em>Bacillus</em>-based DFM (BOVA; 3 g/head per day) or without additional additives (control) included in the commodity mix (50 kg of mineral/1,000 kg of commodity mix). Heifers were weighed every 28 d. Two heifers per pasture were randomly selected a priori for blood draws at each weighing to measure plasma cytokine concentration. The same heifers also received ova egg albumin injections on d 1 and 14, with additional blood collected on d 14, 28, 42, and 56 for serum albumin IgG measurement.</div></div><div><h3>Results and Discussion</h3><div>Body weight and ADG were not different between treatments. Feeding BOVA reduced the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1α and IFN-γ, along with the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-1 F5 and the chemokines MIG and MIP-1 β. However, TNF-α, IFN-αA, IL-21, IL-13, and IP-10 were not affected by treatment. Egg albumin IgG did not differ between treatments.</div></div><div><h3>Implications and Applications</h3><div>The reduction of cytokines indicates that supplementing a <em>Bacillus</em>-based DFM may reduce inflammation in beef heifers grazing endophyte-infected tall fescue.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8519,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Science","volume":"41 5","pages":"Pages 433-440"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145236379","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":"Using wet distillers grains placed on the ground as a late-season protein supplement for grazing stocker steers and subsequent effects on finishing performance and carcass characteristics","authors":"Keith R. Harmoney , John R. Jaeger","doi":"10.15232/aas.2024-02573","DOIUrl":"10.15232/aas.2024-02573","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Stocker cattle gains on western Great Plains rangelands are characterized by lower gains during late summer compared with early summer, and thus may also limit rancher use of stocker cattle to diversify livestock classes as a drought mitigation strategy. Our objective was to measure and compare late-summer stocker cattle gains after feeding a protein supplement (on the ground or in a bunk) to a nonsupplemented control.</div></div><div><h3>Materials and Methods</h3><div>Eighty steers (initial BW ± SD = 267 ± 22 kg/head) were stocked on 8 pastures (10 steers/pasture) each year from May to October for 4 yr. Two replications of 4 treatments, including (1) wet distillers grains fed in a bunk, (2) wet distillers grains fed on the ground on standing vegetation, (3) a 1:1 mixture of milo: soybean meal fed in a bunk, and (4) a control treatment of no supplement, were compared during a late-summer stocker steer grazing trial. Supplements were fed 3 times per week to supply CP at 0.14 kg/d per steer during the last half (77 d) of the growing season, mid-July to early October. Steers were weighed in May, mid-July, and October on pasture, and at the end of a feedlot finishing phase.</div></div><div><h3>Results and Discussion</h3><div>During the last half of the grazing season in 2011 to 2014, animal daily gains were greater for supplemented groups compared with the nonsupplemented control group (0.77 to 0.81 kg/head per day vs. 0.70 kg/head per day, supplemented vs. nonsupplemented, respectively). Gains on pasture from supplemented groups, including the wet distillers group fed on the ground, were not different from each other. Animals not supplemented on pasture had similar gain during the finishing phase in the feedlot compared with animals supplemented on pasture (235.9 kg/head vs. 229.7 kg/head).</div></div><div><h3>Implications and Applications</h3><div>Late-season protein supplementation with wet distillers grains, even in small quantities, would benefit stocker cattle gain during most years in this region, whether the supplement is placed on the ground or in a bunk. Any residual amount of distillers supplement that may be remaining on the soil appears to be inconsequential to animal gain. Lack of protein supplement limits stocker animal gains during the late grazing season in western Great Plains rangelands.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8519,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Science","volume":"41 4","pages":"Pages 319-328"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144687451","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}