Gene expression analysis via reverse transcription quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) can be inhibited by various substances, including dextran sodium sulfate (DSS), a chemical commonly used to induce intestinal inflammation in animal models. Ensuring elimination and reduction of qPCR interference in tissues from laboratory animals following oral administration of DSS is critical

Chestnut tannin (CHT) exhibits multiple biological activities, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. It can modulate the rumen microbiota composition, promoting animal health and improving production performance. This study investigates the effects of CHT on ruminal fermentation, cellulolytic activity, and microbial community of sheep in vivo and in vitro experiments

We developed a series of in vitro studies to assess the effects of Bacillus licheniformis 809 (BL) and B. subtilis 810 (BS) on the growth of potentially harmful bacteria. The BL and BS as single strains (Exp. 1) or a 1:1 ratio combination of BL and BS (Exp. 2) were inoculated in treatment samples to an estimated concentration of 5 × 105 CFU/g of cattle feed. The strains of E. coli and S. enterica were

Sows were supplemented with high dietary zinc (Zn) at different times in gestation to determine effects on piglet tissue mineral concentrations and gene expression. Ten sows per treatment were assigned to dietary treatments: 1) Control—sows fed a corn–soybean meal-based diet containing 206 ppm total supplemental zinc supplied by zinc hydroxychloride from mating to farrowing; 2) Breed-to-Farrow—as Control

Cathelicidin 3 (CATHL3), a member of the cathelicidin family, exhibits potent resistance against a spectrum of microorganisms. Despite its importance, the expression pattern and regulatory mechanisms of CATHL3 in inflamed dairy mammary glands remain elusive. For this purpose, healthy (n = 3) and inflamed (n = 3) mammary gland tissues were subjected to high-throughput transcriptome sequencing and RT-qPCR

This review aims to summarize the current practices producers can use to improve feed and nutrient utilization with a focus on providing critical information for use within future life cycle assessments of the swine industry. Nutrient utilization by pigs can be improved by closely meeting the nutrient requirements for maintenance, growth, and reproduction, which reduces nutrient excretion. For example

Breeding programs in pigs primarily aim to reduce the cost of production but, because of the strong parallel effects of traits on the cost of production and environmental impacts, current breeding programs also substantially reduce the environmental impacts of pork production, although these reductions may be overestimated if the possible use of manure as a source of fertilizer is not accounted for

The increased attention towards the role of the gut microbiome in health and disease for both animals and humans has fuelled the demand for more relevant and accurate research models. In this study, we present an overview of biochemical and microbial parameters measured throughout the digestive tract of ten TopigsNorsvin x German Piétrain piglets to better understand the in vivo dynamics of digestive

Prediction models for estimating voluntary feed intake (VFI) or metabolizable energy intake (MEI) of pigs are available in the literature. During the recent two decades, quite a few data have been reported to address the influence of heat stress on feed intake of pigs. The present study aimed to validate the accuracy of previous prediction equations for estimating VFI and MEI of pigs using data from

A subset of mammalian genes undergoes genomic imprinting, and parent-of-origin-dependent expression of imprinted genes is required for normal development. Although around 40 imprinted genes have been documented in pigs, more detailed investigations into imprinted domains are needed to uncover the imprinting of uncharacterized porcine long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Our study objectives were to investigate

Increasing lamb growth rates directly from pasture and reducing enteric methane (CH4) emissions are key drivers to enhancing production efficiency and achieving more sustainable lamb finishing systems. The objective of this study was to assess the influence of binary sward mixtures of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) plus a companion forage on growth performance, enteric CH4 output, reticulo-rumen

Yeast has been used in animal systems to modulate the immune response and support gut health. Certain amino acids (AA) are reported to also exert positive effects on the gut, supporting the intestinal barrier and restoring mucosal immune homeostasis. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of brewers yeast on postprandial serum AA appearance in dogs. Nineteen privately-owned domestic

Post-weaning diarrhea (PWD) remains a major problem for some pork producers, exacerbated by restrictions or bans on the use of antimicrobial compounds. Acetylated high amylose maize starch (HAMSA) delivers acetate to the large bowel and may reduce the severity of enteric infections, including those caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli). This study examined the effects of HAMSA and zinc oxide (ZnO) supplementation

Acacia fiber is a soluble fiber often used as a processing aid in pet foods. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the fermentation characteristics of acacia fiber, inulin, pectin (positive control), and cellulose (negative control) using an in vitro fermentation system and feline fecal inoculum. Triplicate samples of each fiber were fermented for 0, 6, 12, and 18 h, with short-chain fatty

The aim of this study was to develop an equation model for predicting individual water intake (WI) in Holstein growing cattle by calculating the area under the curve (AUC) incorporating reticulorumen temperature from a wireless bolus sensor. A total of 21 female Holstein growing cattle aged 11.3 ± 2.06 months and weighing 346 ± 5.2 kg were used in this study. Bolus sensors were fitted to all animals

Surgically castrated male pigs, which are commonly produced in pork production systems, have slightly lower production efficiency, compared to intact female pigs (gilts). This is mainly due to an unfavorable feed conversion rate and fatter carcasses. These differences influenced by physiological and genetic factors can be identified through metabolomics, which describes metabolic profiles. In this

Abrupt changes of diet can result in gastrointestinal upset in dogs but, although undesirable in households, they might represent a research tool to induce a mild state of transitory dysbiosis. Therefore, this type of dietary intervention could serve as a model for assessing the effect of feed additives aimed at promoting a more resilient gut ecosystem. In the current study, we examined the effects

This study evaluated the effect of incorporating a Bentonite (Proteck a bioactive mineral-based feed additive, manufactured by Elanco, Greenfield, IN) into the finisher diet and its impact on pig performance in a commercial farm setting. Previous research has demonstrated that Proteck can enhance both performance and gut microbiota in pigs (Rong et al., 2019, 2021). In this study, Bentonite was added

A total of 933 mixed-parity sows (Line 1050, PIC) and their litters were used to evaluate the effect of calcium administration protocols around farrowing on sow performance. Sows were blocked by parity category and past stillbirth record then allotted to 1 of 3 treatments with 310-312 replications per treatment. Treatments included: 1) Control in which sows received no intervention; 2) calcium chloride

The present study was designed to assess the efficacy of Oats (Avena sativa) fodder as a supplementation along with concentrate feed for determining egg quality, meat color and texture, pH, drip loss, cooking loss, and water holding capacity (WHC) of Bangladeshi White and Gray geese varieties. A total of 60 adult geese from White and Grey varieties were reared in a semi-intensive production system

Objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of substituting DDGS with soybean meal (SBM) on nutrient and amino acid (AA) intake, flow, and digestibility. Red Angus steers (n = 4; BW = 360 ± 9 kg) with ruminal, duodenal, and ileal cannulas were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square. Diets consisted of dry-rolled corn (70%), hay (10%), liquid supplement (5%), and test ingredients (15%). Treatments were

Chemical mitigants have been found to decrease virus concentrations in swine feed. Continued research is needed to identify the appropriate inclusion levels and application time for different viruses in this matrix. The objective was to evaluate different inclusion levels of a synergistic blend of phytochemicals and carboxylic acid (PCA) when applied either before virus inoculation (pre-inoculation)

Heterospermic inseminations are widely used in the swine industry due to their ability to maximize conception rates from mixing semen from various sires. The use of heterospermic insemination presents an opportunity to further examine the relative fertility of boars through subsequent paternity testing on offspring produced from heterospermic inseminations. The objective of this investigation was to

The microbiome located on the mucosal layer of the gastrointestinal tract is essential for nutrient exchange and host communication. Understanding the presence of the microbiome and its relationship to the host gene expression is essential to fully understand nutrient uptake and ingredient utilization. High inclusions of industrial corn co-products in grow-finish diets may affect gastrointestinal tissue

The objective was to test the null hypothesis that there are no differences in net energy (NE), greenhouse gas emission, and N balance in pigs fed diets containing soybean meal (SBM), canola meal (CM), and corn distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS). Three dies contained corn and one of the three feed ingredients (i.e., SBM, CM, or DDGS). A total of 24 growing pigs (initial weight = 46.84 ± 2

A total of 300 pigs (initially 6.1 kg) were used to evaluate dietary acidifiers in low acid-binding capacity-4 (ABC-4) diets on nursery pig performance and fecal dry matter (DM). At weaning, pigs were randomly allotted to 1 of 6 dietary treatments. There were 5 pigs per pen and 10 replications per treatment. Pigs were fed experimental diets in two phases with phase 1 fed from d 0 to 10 post-weaning

The objective was to compare the in vitro fermentation characteristics of ruminal and cecal contents from feedlot cattle after slaughter. Evaluating ruminal and cecal fermentation can further develop an understanding of nutrient digestibility and microbial activity that are critical to cattle health and nutrition. Historically, ruminal fermentation has been studied more in depth compared with the cecum

Skeletal muscle can be susceptible to environmental stress stimuli, causing shifts in molecular responses. This study elucidated the degree of molecular response in bovine myocytes by measuring exome-wide transcriptome abundance following temporal heat stress. Bovine satellite cells (BSCs) were extracted from Holstein calves (n=3, BW: 77.10 ± 2.02 kg). Following myogenic differentiation, confluent

This project aimed to study the effect of high zinc oxide (ZO) and fiber supplementation from lignocellulose (LIGCEL) on the fecal microbiota of weaned piglets. At weaning (21 days), 150 piglets (6.39 ± 0.28 kg) were transferred to a nursery farm, and divided into 30 pens of 5 piglets each according to their weaning weight. Each pen was assigned to one of the following treatments: Control (CON, 150

Phytase is commonly used in pig feed to improve the availability of phosphorus (P) and other minerals such as calcium (Ca) and sodium (Na). However, a phytase that can break down phytate quickly and completely in the early gut, can also reduce the anti-nutritional effect of phytate, resulting in an improved amino acid (AA) and energy digestibility. Recent studies demonstrated that a consensus bacterial

The objective of this presentation is to review gilt characteristics associated with enhanced lifetime productivity and discuss their possible incorporation into management programs. The last 40 days of gestation is a crucial period of reproductive organ development. As a result, there is a positive relationship between birthweight and adult reproductive performance with most studies reporting decreased

Dramatic changes to the external environment during the post-weaning period impose significant stress upon the gastrointestinal tract of pigs. This effect is most evident in the small intestine, where antinutritional, allergenic, antigenic, and pathogenic components from dietary sources cause alteration of the bacterial populations in the lumen, as well as in the mucosal tissue. The mucosal microbiota

Replacement of DDGS with soybean meal (SBM) and soy hulls at various inclusion rates may effect the performance and nutrient output of manure in wean-to-market pigs. The protein and nutrient composition of SBM combined with soy hulls diets may be better utilized by pigs when compared to DDGS-containing diets. The increased demand for Midwest-grown soybeans, driven by new soybean crushing plants, may

Copper plays a significant role in the growth performance of pigs, influencing feed efficiency and nutrient retention. Recent studies indicate that the source and concentration of copper can markedly affect growth metrics such as average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratios. A total of 1,144 newly weaned pigs (initial body weight (BW) 5.9 ± 1.2 kg) were used to evaluate the effects of copper

Borrelia burgdorferi infection, also commonly called Lyme disease, has been attributed as the causative factor for many symptoms in animals and humans, including fever, joint pain, muscle pain, stiffness, rash, and neck pain. Borrelia burgdorferi seroprevalence in horses in southwest Virginia was last evaluated in 2003-2004. Since other areas have seen increased seroprevalence rates, the hypothesis

A trubs, hops, and yeast mixture (THYM) generated as a co-product of craft brewing contains high levels of hop acids and yeast cells, bioactive compounds that could positively influence health and growth in pigs. These co-products have a high moisture content and must be dried to facilitate transport and mixing into diets. Drying methods utilizing heat can cause the loss of functional volatile compounds

A total of 270 weanling pigs (initially 6.1 ± 0.26 kg) were used to evaluate the effects of weaning weight and phase feeding budget on nursery performance, fecal dry matter, and economics. At weaning, pigs were sorted by body weight (BW) and then randomly assigned to one of the three dietary treatments in a 3 × 3 factorial with main effects of nursery phase feeding budget (high, medium, or low) and

Dhurrin is a cyanogenic glycoside present in sorghum cultivars. Dhurrin is converted to prussic acid after a catalytic event, such as frost, wilting, or trampling. Prussic acid is toxic to grazing cattle, and death occurs within minutes after consumption. The objectives of this study were to compare a naturally selected, dhurrin-free (DF) sorghum sudangrass with a conventional brown midrib sorghum

The productive lifespan of cattle destined to milk production is currently suboptimal in most dairy systems across the US due to the high incidence of health disorders and reproductive failure affecting postpartum lactating cows. Bacterial access to the underlying endometrial stroma, early postpartum, can create a chronic inflammatory state. Chronic endometrial inflammation is linked to metritis, an

Throughout recent years, the U.S. swine industry has experienced a severe shortage of labor. As workforce demographics begin to shift, there is an increasing need for agricultural exposure in younger generations. In universities, many undergraduate animal sciences students are only exposed to swine curriculum in their senior year. This late exposure to career opportunities may negatively impact subsequent

L-glutamate (Glu) and L-aspartate (Asp) play critical roles in cellular metabolism and immune regulation in pigs. This study investigated the effects of Glu and Asp supplementation on growth performance, immune responses, and intestinal integrity in weaned piglets challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) F18. Forty-nine weaned pigs (8.18 ± 1.54 kg BW) were randomly assigned to one of

Grazing sheep are prone to harboring gastrointestinal parasites that often impact animal health and productivity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of botanical composition of pasture on parasitic fecal egg counts in grazing sheep. Dorset × Suffolk crossbred ewes (n=34; BW=75.3 kg) and their offspring (n=57; BW=23 kg) were used. Four weeks prior to the start of the study, all ewes

Before exploring the factors that determine it, it is crucial to first define the concept of resilience. Resilience is not a phenotype therefore is not directly observable or quantifiable as a phenotype. Consequently, it can only be measured or quantified using appropriate indicators. However, developing such indicators requires a clear and consistent definition to guide their estimation. Although

Growth hormone controls animal growth, lactation, and reproduction. The actions of GH are dependent on the GHR. Two promoter complexes control GHR expression. The GHRP1 controls the liver-specific inducible expression of the GHR1A mRNA. The GHRP2 controls the non-tissue specific constitutive expression of GHR1B mRNA. The objective was to test the functional significance [effect on body weight (BW)]

Organic minerals are those bonded to one or more carbon-containing molecules to increase their bioavailability. Most common ligands are proteinates, amino acids and small peptides. Not all organic minerals are equivalent, their quality depending on strength and stability of the bond with the ligand, but also on the type of ligand as it’s defining its absorption pathway and efficiency. This study aimed

The increased antibiotic resistance to enteric pathogens such as Escherichia coli has led to a need for nutritionally supported gut health. We quantified the wean-to-market impact of poor enteric health in nursery pigs nutritionally supplemented with or without a blend of organic acids and esterified medium-chain fatty acids (Furst Strike, FS). Our objective was to investigate the optimal inclusion

An experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that the optimum Trp:Lys ratio in diets for growing pigs is greater if corn fermented protein (CFP) rather than soybean meal (SBM) is used as the protein source in the diets. Two basal diets based on corn and SBM or corn and CFP were formulated. Both diets contained 0.90% SID Lys and both diets had a standardized ileal digestible (SID) Trp:Lys ratio

The objective of this pilot study is to evaluate performance in broiler chickens fed diets containing golden pennycress (GPC) meal, with and without a flavor additive. Cornish Cross three-day-old chicks (n=12) were randomly assigned one of three diets. Golden pennycress (Thlaspi arvense) is a winter cover crop grown in the Midwest that is rising in popularity as a cash crop used for biofuel production

This study investigated the effects of incorporating a Bentonite (Proteck, a bioactive mineral-based bentonite feed additive from Elanco Animal Health USA) into gestation and lactation diets on reproductive performance in sows. Previous research has shown that Proteck reduces oxidative stress and enhances both performance and gut microbiota in sows (Taylor et al., 2019; Rong et al., 2019). We utilized

eed products and additives are available in a multitude of options to increase performance, animal health, and efficiency of cattle while also fitting the individual needs of producers. A variety of options are used to meet the broad range of management situations, including self-feeding, daily delivery and liquid delivery. The objective of this study was to determine steer performance based on supplementation

Sows nutritional management during gestation is a crucial factor, which influences offspring postnatal performance. Alternative nutritional supplements, such as functional amino acids, may be offered to gestating sows to ensure optimal embryonic and fetal development. Thus, studying the effects of such supplementation on the performance of litters is essential, particularly in commercially relevant

Preweaning mortality presents a significant challenge for the swine industry, due to increased litter sizes that often exceed available functional teats. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the relationship between number of functional teats and piglet survival. Data from 1,261 multiparous F1 sows (DNA L241, DNA Genetics, Columbus, NE) were collected to investigate the impact of functional teat

Due to new reimplant restrictions, delaying implant administration after arrival could prevent inadequate implant coverage at the end of the feeding period. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to determine the effects of a traditional reimplant program [Synovex Choice (100 mg trenbolone acetate and 14 mg estradiol benzoate) on arrival reimplanted at 110 days with Synovex Plus (200 mg trenbolone

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of conditioning time prior to pelleting on digestibility of energy and AA in diets fed to growing pigs. For both experiments, the dietary treatments consisted of a mash diet and 3 separate pelleted diets that were conditioned for 30, 60, or 180s prior to pelleting. For Exp 1, Twelve barrows (DNA 200 x 400, DNA; BW: 34.1±1.03 kg) were allotted to

Our previous research observed that dietary supplementation of 500 mg/kg of Bacillus subtilis reduced the frequency of diarrhea and enhanced growth performance of weaned pigs experimentally infected with a pathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli). This study aimed to further investigate the effects of dietary Bacillus subtilis or carbadox on the functional antimicrobial resistance gene (AMR) composition

The objective of the current study was to evaluate nipple drinker size on nursery pig performance. In lactation, all piglets had access to a baby piglet water nipple placed near the sow feeder. At weaning, piglets were placed into one of four nursery rooms with supplemental heating, mechanical ventilation and tri-bar flooring. Pigs (n=756) were randomly allocated to 84 pens (9 pigs per pen, 0.23 m2

An experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that pigs fed a low crude protein diet supplemented on a product-to-product (wt-wt) basis with 65 parts of DL-methionine (DL-Met, 99%) or 100 parts of the calcium salt of the hydroxy analog of DL-Met (MHA-Ca, 84%) will not have different N retention. A mash Met-deficient basal diet [0.23% standardized ileal digestible (SID) Met and 0.55% SID Met +

Xylanase is commonly incorporated into U.S. swine finishing diets due to feed efficiency and livability responses. The mechanisms behind this benefit includes reducing digesta viscosity, releasing entrapped nutrients, and hydrolyzing fiber into key arabinoxylan oligosaccharides fermented by microbe that generate short-chain fatty acids. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a

The objective of this study was to evaluate the feeding behavior of grow-finish pigs in pens with two different floor space allowances. A total of 159 commercial crossbred barrows (n = 90; 25.87 ± 7.43 kg) and gilts (n = 69; 28.74 ± 4.08 kg) were housed in single gender pens and fed a common diet for approximately 14 weeks. At the start of the trial pigs were randomly assigned to pens providing one

The study compared the efficacy of supplementing the drinking water with acidifiers on growth performance and general health of commercially housed weaned pigs. The study design was a randomized complete block using 1152 mixed-sex weaned pigs (~21 days old; 6.99 ± 0.31 kg BW) assigned to three treatments (384 piglets/ treatment) with 24 replicate pens (16 pigs/pen) per treatment. The treatments were: