JDS communications最新文献

{"title":"Assessing the use of urinary creatinine excretion rate to estimate urine output in lactating cows","authors":"K. Park,&nbsp;J. Kim,&nbsp;H. Hu,&nbsp;C. Lee","doi":"10.3168/jdsc.2024-0736","DOIUrl":"10.3168/jdsc.2024-0736","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Creatinine concentration in urine is often used to estimate urine output in cows. Studies have commonly used a fixed coefficient for the creatinine excretion rate, although this coefficient varies among studies. However, 29 mg/kg BW·d⁻¹ is the most popular value. The current study determined the coefficient for the creatinine excretion rate of individual cows and validated the use of a fixed coefficient to estimate urine output. Two experiments were conducted with 8 cows in each experiment. The experiments were conducted in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design. In experiment 1, dietary treatments were 2 levels of RDP with or without isoacids supplementation in 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. In experiment 2, diets at 2 levels of DCAD supplemented with saturated fatty acids or a Met analog were fed to cows as dietary treatments. Total urine was collected over multiple days in each period, followed by BW measurements before feeding on 2 consecutive days. Daily subsamples of urine were composited by cow and period and assayed for creatinine concentration. The coefficient for the creatinine excretion rate was calculated by daily urine creatinine excretion (mg/d) divided by BW for individual cows. Data from each experiment were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS, where fixed effects of period, diet, and their interaction and random effects of cow within square were included. Additionally, data from both experiments were combined and analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS, where cow within trial and period within trial were random effects and trial was the fixed effect. The experimental period and dietary treatments did not affect total urinary creatinine excretion or the coefficient within each experiment, although the periods influenced milk yield and BW. There was no difference in DMI and milk yield between the experiments, but BW differed (672 vs. 746 kg). In addition, urinary creatinine excretion (12.8 vs. 17.8 g/d) and the coefficient (19.1 vs. 23.9 mg/kg BW·d⁻¹) were greater in experiment 2 compared with experiment 1. A linear regression analysis between BW and urinary creatinine excretion was conducted using the MIXED procedure of SAS (experiment as a random effect). The coefficient of 22.0 mg/kg BW·d⁻¹ was obtained from the analysis and this was lower than the 29 mg/kg BW·d⁻¹ value that has been commonly used in the literature. In conclusion, the coefficient varied among cows, likely because BW does not represent muscle mass. Therefore, caution is needed when urine output is estimated using a fixed coefficient in an experiment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94061,"journal":{"name":"JDS communications","volume":"6 4","pages":"Pages 508-512"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144518035","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":"Comparison of glucose concentrations in samples frozen for varying durations and subjected to freeze-thaw cycles using 2 assay systems","authors":"Anay D. Ravelo ,&nbsp;Megan Ruch ,&nbsp;Isaac J. Salfer ,&nbsp;Luciano S. Caixeta","doi":"10.3168/jdsc.2024-0729","DOIUrl":"10.3168/jdsc.2024-0729","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Although laboratory best practices recommend that total storage time and number of freeze-thaw cycles should be minimized before analysis of metabolites within plasma, the specific impacts of storage time and freeze-thaw cycles on apparent glucose concentrations in bovine plasma have not been well quantified. Additionally, within the field of dairy science, multiple assay systems for glucose concentration analysis are used, yet these assays have not been directly compared with each other. Thus, the first objective was to investigate the stability of glucose in samples that have been frozen for an increased duration or frozen and thawed up to 4 times. The second objective was to investigate the agreement between 2 assay systems for glucose measurement: the peroxidase and glucose oxidase (PGO) assay system and the hexokinase reaction (HK) assay system. Blood samples were collected into sodium fluoride (NaF) tubes from 166 dairy cows, across different lactation stages, on 3 farms over a 2-d interval. After centrifugation, plasma was separated into 4 aliquots. One aliquot was used to determine the impacts of up to 4 freeze-thaw cycles, and the first measurement from this aliquot along with the other 3 aliquots were used to investigate potential glucose degradation in aliquots frozen for different lengths of time, including 2, 3, 4, and 16 wk. All samples were analyzed using both the PGO and HK assay systems. Bland–Altman plots, Pearson correlations, and paired <em>t</em>-tests were used to compare the effects of storage time and freeze-thaw cycles. Additionally, a linear mixed model with the fixed effect of either storage time or freeze-thaw cycle and the random effect of cow within farm was used to consider the effect of each of these factors on measured glucose concentrations. For comparisons between assay systems, a linear mixed model was used with the fixed effect of assay system, time, frozen or freeze-thaw cycles depending on the model, their interaction, and cow within farm as a random effect. Storage time and freeze-thaw cycles influenced glucose concentration measured by the PGO and HK. Concentrations of glucose both increased and decreased with increasing storage time and freeze-thaw cycles and compared with the initial quantification. Apparent glucose concentration was more variable across all aliquots when the HK assay (± 0.14 mmol/L) was used compared with the PGO assay (± 0.06 mmol/L). The HK assay continuously yielded lower concentrations of glucose compared with the PGO assay. Overall, glucose concentrations can be variable over different storage times and freeze-thaw cycles; however, they cannot be compared across the PGO and HK assay systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94061,"journal":{"name":"JDS communications","volume":"6 4","pages":"Pages 610-615"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144517910","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":"Consistency assessment of milk fat and protein percentages across 3 daily milkings in Holstein and Jersey dairy herds","authors":"Xiao-Lin Wu ,&nbsp;Malia J. Caputo ,&nbsp;Asha M. Miles ,&nbsp;Ransom L. Baldwin VI ,&nbsp;Steven Sievert ,&nbsp;Jay Mattison ,&nbsp;John B. Cole ,&nbsp;Javier Burchard ,&nbsp;João Dürr","doi":"10.3168/jdsc.2025-0748","DOIUrl":"10.3168/jdsc.2025-0748","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dairy cattle milking test plans in the United States and globally have evolved substantially since the 1960s toward cost-effective sampling methods. Test-day recording frequencies vary, adapting to the specific management needs of different herds. Typically, a cow is milked twice or more daily; however, milk fat and protein percentages are commonly assessed from single-milking samples. In this paper, we introduced intraclass correlation coefficients to determine the consistency of intraday milk fat and protein percentages across multiple milkings within the same cow. This metric extends beyond simple pairwise correlations, enabling robust comparisons across multiple milkings. Various forms of intraclass correlations are also demonstrated. Our results show that although protein percentages exhibit high consistency, fat percentages display notable variability throughout the test day. Hence, adjustment factors for milk fat percentage should differ according to individual milkings and consider the effects of the milking interval, DIM, and parity. Overall, the results demonstrate the utility of intraclass correlation as a consistency measure, providing a valuable tool for assessing the data quality of milk components for dairy breeding and management decisions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94061,"journal":{"name":"JDS communications","volume":"6 4","pages":"Pages 532-537"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144517913","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":"Plasma oxytocin in dry dairy cows after using a mechanical brush","authors":"Lena Skånberg ,&nbsp;Sigrid Agenäs ,&nbsp;Rupert Bruckmaier ,&nbsp;Daiana de Oliveira ,&nbsp;Linda Keeling","doi":"10.3168/jdsc.2025-0747","DOIUrl":"10.3168/jdsc.2025-0747","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mechanical brushes are a common feature in loose housing systems for dairy cows and are suggested to be linked to positive welfare, yet the physiological effects of brush use remain unexplored. This study examined the influence of cows' mechanical brush use on plasma oxytocin (OT) levels and explored its relationship with which body regions were brushed by the cow. We predicted that this self-grooming would lead to an OT increase, suggesting calming effects and pleasant feelings from brush use similar to those found from gentle tactile stimulation in other mammals. Additionally, we expected an influence of the body region brushed, given previously documented heart rate and behavioral differences from allogrooming different cow body regions. Twelve dry (nonlactating) cows were observed, with 3 blood samples taken before and after brushing, during which each cow had sole access to a mechanical brush. Results showed that OT levels in the sample taken within the 2 min following brush use were higher than baseline value, but only in younger cows with ≤2 previous lactation periods. The increase was small but may be of biological relevance. Additionally, OT changes varied by the brushed body region, highlighting the importance of this factor in future studies investigating cows' brush use in relation to positive welfare.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94061,"journal":{"name":"JDS communications","volume":"6 4","pages":"Pages 573-577"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144517956","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":"Are the recommended proportions of mature body weight being achieved in different stages of growth in Brazilian Holstein and Jersey dairy cattle?","authors":"Marcos Busanello ,&nbsp;Maihury Corrêa Santo ,&nbsp;Rodrigo de Almeida","doi":"10.3168/jdsc.2025-0743","DOIUrl":"10.3168/jdsc.2025-0743","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The relationship between live BW (LBW) and mature BW (MBW) is critical for formulating optimal diets in dairy cattle, particularly regarding target BW (TBW) growth. Current nutritional guidelines suggest dairy cows reach MBW by the third calving (based on Holstein data), whereas beef cows reach it by the fourth calving. This study investigated LBW variations among different parities in Holstein and Jersey lactating cows, assessing the applicability of established proportion of MBW (%MBW) values across breeds. An observational study was conducted in dairy herds in Paraná State, Southern Brazil, comprising 19 Holstein and 9 Jersey herds, collecting LBW data at various growth stages. Nonlinear mixed models indicated MBW values of 705 kg for Holsteins and 460 kg for Jerseys, with Jersey cows showing faster maturation rate. Our findings revealed both breeds achieved recommended TBW verified by the %MBW at critical growth stages, but primiparous Jerseys exceeded the recommended values at first calving. Notably, while Holstein cows reach MBW by their third lactation, Jersey cows seem to achieve it by the fourth lactation, similar to beef cattle. This highlights the need for revised nutritional standards that better reflect the growth potential of different dairy breeds.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94061,"journal":{"name":"JDS communications","volume":"6 4","pages":"Pages 522-526"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144517981","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":"Optimized protocol to preserve RNA integrity for laser capture microdissection of bovine mammary epithelial cells","authors":"Ratan Kumar Choudhary ,&nbsp;Thomas B. McFadden ,&nbsp;Erin M. Shangraw ,&nbsp;Feng-Qi Zhao","doi":"10.3168/jdsc.2024-0737","DOIUrl":"10.3168/jdsc.2024-0737","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Laser capture microdissection (LCM) is a popular technique for isolating specific cell types from tissues for medical research. However, the LCM procedure for isolating bovine mammary epithelial cells (MEC) for high-throughput transcriptome profiling has been lacking. The quality and quantity of RNA in LCM samples can be significantly affected by tissue treatment, time for dissection, and the total area of cells dissected. The objective of this study was to optimize the procedures for isolating bovine MEC from mammary tissues for consistent isolation of intact RNA suitable for downstream high-throughput RNA sequencing. Mammary tissues were biopsied (approximately 10–15 min per biopsy) from lactating cows, stored at −80°C, cryosectioned, and processed for LCM. Using LCM software, closed lines were selected and drawn around MEC visible within the alveoli of stained sections and microdissected. Degradation of MEC RNA was minimized by minimal exposure of tissue to aqueous media, the addition of RNase inhibitors in staining solution, and reducing LCM dissection time to less than 15 min (13.6 ± 0.52 min; mean ± SEM). Results showed that tissue fixation with chilled 70% ethanol, histone staining (with RNase inhibitor), dehydration in absolute ethanol, and final clearing in xylene preserved the RNA quality compared with staining sections without RNase inhibitor, no xylene clearing, and longer microdissection times. Using this approach, high-quality RNA was successfully obtained for RNA sequencing.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94061,"journal":{"name":"JDS communications","volume":"6 4","pages":"Pages 624-627"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144518031","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":"Impacts of feeding milk replacer containing 20% or 24% protein and fat on growth and feed efficiency of beef × dairy crossbred calves","authors":"Jason D. Stypinski ,&nbsp;Andrew L. Plumski ,&nbsp;Dave M. Ziegler ,&nbsp;William. P. Hansen ,&nbsp;Mark F. Scott ,&nbsp;Isaac J. Salfer","doi":"10.3168/jdsc.2024-0726","DOIUrl":"10.3168/jdsc.2024-0726","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>It is becoming more prominent for dairy producers to breed their lower genetic merit cows and heifers to beef sires to increase the value of calves when they are sold to beef markets. However, data are currently lacking on optimal feeding strategies for rearing these crossbred calves until weaning. Therefore, the objective of the current study is to compare the effects of feeding 2 milk replacers (20% CP and 20% fat [MR20] vs. 24% CP and 24% fat [MR24]) on calf growth, feed efficiency, and scouring frequency. Forty individually housed 2- to 5-d-old Angus × Holstein crossbred calves with a BW ranging from 34.0 to 47.6 kg were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 milk replacer (MR) treatments. Calves were fed 2.84 L of their respective MR twice per day (5.68 L total) from d 1 to 42 of the experiment and 2.84 L once per day from d 43 to 49. Feeding crossbred calves MR24 increased ADG and gain per feed by 23.6% and 9.80%, respectively, compared with calves fed MR20 from d 1 to 56. Feeding crossbred calves MR24 tended to increase calf starter intake and total feed intake compared with calves receiving MR20. Results suggest feeding a MR of higher nutritive value is a simple and effective strategy to increase weight gain and feed efficiency of beef × dairy calves.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94061,"journal":{"name":"JDS communications","volume":"6 4","pages":"Pages 502-507"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144518034","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":"Evaluating the effect of liver copper concentration on vaccine response in lightweight dairy-beef steers","authors":"Jacob A. Henderson ,&nbsp;Olivia N. Genther-Schroeder ,&nbsp;Jodi L. McGill ,&nbsp;Stephanie L. Hansen","doi":"10.3168/jdsc.2025-0753","DOIUrl":"10.3168/jdsc.2025-0753","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dairy-beef crossbred calves often face greater copper exposure than native beef calves, which may affect their response to vaccines. To investigate this, 28 weaned dairy-beef steers (90.25 ± 1.28 kg; ∼8 wk old) were enrolled in a study to determine the effect of copper status on the antibody response to vaccine. Steers were blocked by BW into pens, and pens were randomly assigned to one of 2 dietary treatments: adequate liver Cu (ADE; fed no supplemental Cu) and excess liver Cu (HCU; supplemented with 20 mg Cu/kg DM). Steers were housed in pens of 6 to 8 animals for 82 d before d 0 of the vaccination period to create distinct liver Cu groupings. Seven days before initial vaccine dose, liver biopsies were collected, and steers were grouped into ADE (n = 13) and HCU (n = 15) treatments. Liver copper for ADE averaged 291 ± 24 mg/kg DM (range 240 to 376 mg/kg DM) and for HCU averaged 665 ± 23 mg Cu/kg DM (range 519 to 893 mg/kg DM). All calves were vaccinated on d 0 and boostered 21 d later with Bovilis Vista 5 SQ (Merck Animal Health, Madison, NJ) and an ovalbumin vaccine. Blood samples were collected on these days and again on d 49 to end the study. Serum antibody titers for bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV1), bovine viral diarrhea virus 1, and bovine viral diarrhea virus 2 (BVDV2) were analyzed by the Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (Ames, IA). Response to ovalbumin vaccination was determined using an ELISA. Plasma copper concentrations were determined on d 0, 21, and 49 via inductively coupled plasma-optical emissions spectrometry. Ovalbumin antibody production was determined by calculating the ratio of each sample to a positive control. Antibodies for BRSV, BHV1, and BVDV2 increased across days, but there were no differences by treatment, indicating that both treatments responded equally to the modified live vaccine. Ovalbumin antibodies were affected by treatment by day, where HCU had greater response to ovalbumin than ADE on d 21, but by d 49 ovalbumin antibodies were similar between treatments. These results suggest excessive liver copper concentrations may cause more rapid antibody production in response to certain antigens; however, more research is needed to determine the effects of increased liver Cu concentration on inflammation and immune system function.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94061,"journal":{"name":"JDS communications","volume":"6 4","pages":"Pages 527-531"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144517912","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":"Feeding rumen-protected choline to prepartum Holstein cows in negative energy balance increases circulating lipoprotein phosphatidylcholine and triglyceride concentrations","authors":"W.A. Myers ,&nbsp;M.G. Zenobi ,&nbsp;D.C. Reyes ,&nbsp;J.E.P. Santos ,&nbsp;C.R. Staples ,&nbsp;J.W. McFadden","doi":"10.3168/jdsc.2024-0661","DOIUrl":"10.3168/jdsc.2024-0661","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rumen-protected choline (RPC) supplementation in dairy cows may increase hepatic phosphatidylcholine (PC) synthesis, thereby promoting triacylglycerol (TAG) secretion within very-low-density lipoproteins. To investigate the effects of dietary RPC on lipoprotein PC and TAG concentrations, pregnant, nonlactating, multiparous Holstein cows were supplemented with RPC (ReaShure, Balchem Corp.) at 0 (control), 30, 60, 90, and 120 g/d, corresponding to choline ion equivalents of 0, 6.45, 12.9, 19.4, and 25.0 g/d, respectively. Cows were fed diets that met or slightly exceeded their net energy and MP requirements for maintenance and pregnancy for 5 d, followed by a 9-d period of restricted intake (∼31% of these requirements). Preprandial plasma (n = 41, from cows in 0, 60, and 120 g/d RPC treatments) and liver samples (n = 72, from cows across all RPC treatments) were collected on d 9 of feed restriction. Plasma TAG-rich and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) fractions were isolated using liquid chromatography. Total TAG, cholesterol, and phospholipid concentrations in these lipoprotein fractions were measured. Circulating lipoprotein fractions and liver samples were processed for lipidomics. Data were analyzed using a mixed model, with calf birth weight and days prepartum at enrollment as covariates. Normalized omics data were natural-log-transformed. Plasma concentrations of total TAG within the TAG-rich lipoprotein fraction increased both linearly and quadratically, whereas total cholesterol exhibited a linear increase with higher RPC intake. In the LDL fraction, total TAG concentrations showed a similar linear and quadratic response, whereas total phospholipid concentrations increased linearly, and cholesterol concentrations remained unaffected by RPC supplementation. Most detectable PC and ether-linked PC species concentrations within the TAG-rich lipoprotein fraction increased linearly with RPC intake (42 out of 45 species; e.g., PC 34:3). Conversely, dietary RPC supplementation resulted in a modest increase in hepatic concentrations of PC species compared with the control (36 out of 57 species), characterized by an increase in highly unsaturated species (e.g., 36:5) and a decrease in those with a lower degree of saturation. Furthermore, increasing amounts of supplemental RPC resulted to linear, quadratic, and overall increases in the hepatic ratio of select PC to PE ion intensities compared with the control (8, 11, and 13 out of 17, respectively). In conclusion, RPC supplementation increased TAG concentrations within lipoprotein fractions in Holstein cows experiencing negative energy balance. The observed changes in hepatic and lipoprotein PC concentrations support enhanced very-low-density lipoprotein secretion in cows fed RPC. These findings suggest that RPC increases lipoprotein PC and TAG concentrations and reduces hepatic TAG deposition in dairy cows.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94061,"journal":{"name":"JDS communications","volume":"6 3","pages":"Pages 304-308"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143895288","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":"Observational study on calf carcasses in 2 processing plants for animal byproducts in Germany","authors":"M. Sickinger ,&nbsp;A. Wehrend","doi":"10.3168/jdsc.2024-0687","DOIUrl":"10.3168/jdsc.2024-0687","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the dairy industry, surplus calves have been reported to be especially prone to poor welfare on farms and to inappropriate killing of male calves for economic reasons. Therefore, this study aimed to examine calf carcasses for evidence of inappropriate killing and diseases that may have caused prolonged suffering and unnecessary pain in the course of their lives. Our study was conducted during March 2022 and from April to May 2023 in 2 animal byproduct processing plants, where we carried out external inspections of the carcasses to record the sex of the animals and check for the presence of identification marks. We paid particular attention to findings relevant to animal welfare that suggested improper killing or unnecessary suffering and pain in the animals. The examinations included observations on the skinned carcasses (in plant 1), as well as on carcasses in the blanket, the opening of the trachea, and the carpal and tarsal joints (i.e., partial necropsy). In total, 981 calves from dairy cattle and beef cattle herds were examined on 19 delivery days. This encompassed 450 calves at the first location and 531 at the second location. In total, 515 calves were male and 465 were female. The sex of one animal could not be determined because of the nutritional trace on the carcass. Ear tags were not inserted in 588 calves. Five of the 588 calves initially had ear tags. Ear tags were detected in 393 calves. At partial necropsy, 18 animals were diagnosed with profound emaciation. Additionally, arthritis existed in 9 animals. Chronic diseases other than arthritis were observed in 27 (2.8%) of 981 animals. Arthromyodysplastic syndrome was diagnosed in 26 animals. Fractures were found in 38 animals, of which only 3 cases occurred antemortem. The remaining 35 cases of fracture occurred postmortem as a result of transportation. No animal had signs of improper obstetric care. Amniotic fluid was detected in the lumen of the trachea of 122 stillborn calves (i.e., death sub natu). In contrast to the situation reported in pigs, no evidence existed in the 2 animal byproduct processing plants investigated for calf carcasses that inappropriate killing and diseases leading to prolonged suffering and unnecessary pain before death represented systemic problems. No fundamental need for routine testing of animal carcasses existed in either animal byproduct processing plant.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94061,"journal":{"name":"JDS communications","volume":"6 3","pages":"Pages 368-372"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143895144","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}