Influence of long-term supplementation of a formulated botanical blend on growth performance and carcass traits in feedlot steers.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine if a formulated blend of capsicum oleoresin, clove essential oil, and garlic essential oil (Fytera® Advance - Selko® USA, Indianapolis IN; CCG) influences measures of cattle growth, efficiency, or carcass traits, during the finishing phase in steers fed a concentrate-based diet.

Methods: Charolais × Angus steers (n = 96; initial shrunk BW = 391± 34.0 kg) were used in a 144-d (16 February 2023 to 9 July 2023) finishing feedlot experiment in Brookings, SD.

Host-mediated beneficial effects of phytochemicals for prevention of avian coccidiosis.

Both and studies were conducted to evaluate the beneficial effects of green tea extract (GT), cinnamon oil (CO), and pomegranate extract (PO) on avian coccidiosis. In experiment (EXP) 1, an culture system was used to investigate the individual effects of GT, CO, and PO on the proinflammatory cytokine response and integrity of tight junction (TJ) in chicken intestinal epithelial cells (IEC), on the differentiation of quail muscle cells and primary chicken embryonic muscle cells, and anticoccidial and antibacterial activities against sporozoites and bacteria, respectively. In EXP 2 and 3, trials were carried out to study the dose-dependent effect of blended phytochemicals (GT, CO, PO) on coccidiosis in broiler chickens infected with .

Supplementation with artificial sweetener and capsaicin alters metabolic flexibility and performance in heat-stressed and feed-restricted pigs.

Substantial economic losses in animal agriculture result from animals experiencing heat stress (HS). Pigs are especially susceptible to HS, resulting in reductions in growth, altered body composition, and compromised substrate metabolism. In this study, an artificial high-intensity sweetener and capsaicin (CAPS-SUC; Pancosma, Switzerland) were supplemented in combination to mitigate the adverse effects of HS on pig performance.

Dietary supplementation of artificial sweetener and capsicum oleoresin as a strategy to mitigate the negative consequences of heat stress on pig performance.

Pigs exposed to elevated ambient temperatures exhibit reduced daily gain, alterations in muscle and fat deposition, and decreased health. Negative aspects of gastrointestinal (GI) function, integrity, and permeability also occur. High-intensity sweeteners can ameliorate the negative effects of heat stress (HS) by increasing GI glucagon-like peptide-2 production while capsicum oleoresin has been shown to reduce inflammatory response.

Evidence for a Role of Prolactin in Mediating Effects of Photoperiod during the Dry Period.

Photoperiod manipulation during the lactation cycle alters milk yield, with long days (LDPP) increasing yield in lactation and short days (SDPP) in the dry period improving subsequent yield. Circulating prolactin (PRL) is directly related to day length, with LDPP increasing and SDPP decreasing PRL, respectively. Two blocks of 24 multiparous Holstein cows were used during two consecutive years to test the hypothesis that the mammary response to SDPP is the result of decreased concentrations of PRL in the circulation relative to LDPP.

Copy number variation in Y chromosome multicopy genes is linked to a paternal parent-of-origin effect on CNS autoimmune disease in female offspring.

Background: The prevalence of some autoimmune diseases is greater in females compared with males, although disease severity is often greater in males. The reason for this sexual dimorphism is unknown, but it may reflect negative selection of Y chromosome-bearing sperm during spermatogenesis or male fetuses early in the course of conception/pregnancy. Previously, we showed that the sexual dimorphism in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is associated with copy number variation (CNV) in Y chromosome multicopy genes.

Identification of genetic determinants of the sexual dimorphism in CNS autoimmunity.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating chronic inflammatory disease of the nervous system that affects approximately 2.3 million individuals worldwide, with higher prevalence in females, and a strong genetic component. While over 200 MS susceptibility loci have been identified in GWAS, the underlying mechanisms whereby they contribute to disease susceptibility remains ill-defined.

The role of genetics in estrogen responses: a critical piece of an intricate puzzle.

The estrogens are female sex hormones that are involved in a variety of physiological processes, including reproductive development and function, wound healing, and bone growth. They are mainly known for their roles in reproductive tissues--specifically, 17β-estradiol (E2), the primary estrogen, which is secreted by the ovaries and induces cellular proliferation and growth of the uterus and mammary glands. In addition to the role of estrogens in promoting tissue growth and development during normal physiological states, they have a well-established role in determining susceptibility to disease, particularly cancer, in reproductive tissues.

The effects of supplementation with a blend of cinnamaldehyde and eugenol on feed intake and milk production of dairy cows.

Plant extracts (PE) are naturally occurring chemicals in plants, and many of these molecules have been reported to influence production efficiency of dairy and beef animals. Two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of a PE additive (CE; an encapsulated blend of cinnamaldehyde and eugenol) on the milk production performance of lactating dairy cows across a range of doses. In experiment 1, 32 Holstein multi- and primiparous dairy cows in mid-lactation were assigned to no additive or supplementation with CE (350mg/d; n=16 cows/treatment) for 6 wk.

Genetic control of ductal morphology, estrogen-induced ductal growth, and gene expression in female mouse mammary gland.

The uterotropic response of the uterus to 17β-estradiol (E2) is genetically controlled, with marked variation observed depending on the mouse strain studied. Previous genetic studies from our laboratory using inbred mice that are high (C57BL6/J; B6) or low (C3H/HeJ; C3H) responders to E2 led to the identification of quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with phenotypic variation in uterine growth and leukocyte infiltration. Like the uterus, phenotypic variation in the responsiveness of the mammary gland to E2 during both normal and pathologic conditions has been reported.

Histamine H(3) receptor integrates peripheral inflammatory signals in the neurogenic control of immune responses and autoimmune disease susceptibility.

Histamine H(3) receptor (Hrh3/H(3)R) is primarily expressed by neurons in the central nervous system (CNS) where it functions as a presynaptic inhibitory autoreceptor and heteroreceptor. Previously, we identified an H(3)R-mediated central component in susceptibility to experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), the principal autoimmune model of multiple sclerosis (MS), related to neurogenic control of blood brain barrier permeability and peripheral T cell effector responses. Furthermore, we identified Hrh3 as a positional candidate for the EAE susceptibility locus Eae8.

The Y chromosome as a regulatory element shaping immune cell transcriptomes and susceptibility to autoimmune disease.

Understanding the DNA elements that constitute and control the regulatory genome is critical for the appropriate therapeutic management of complex diseases. Here, using chromosome Y (ChrY) consomic mouse strains on the C57BL/6J (B6) background, we show that susceptibility to two diverse animal models of autoimmune disease, experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) and experimental myocarditis, correlates with the natural variation in copy number of Sly and Rbmy multicopy ChrY genes. On the B6 background, ChrY possesses gene regulatory properties that impact genome-wide gene expression in pathogenic CD4(+) T cells.

Milk yield responses to changes in milking frequency during early lactation are associated with coordinated and persistent changes in mammary gene expression.

Background: The lactating mammary gland responds to changes in milking frequency by modulating milk production. This response is locally regulated and, in dairy cows, the udder is particularly sensitive during early lactation. Relative to cows milked twice-daily throughout lactation, those milked four-times-daily for just the first 3 weeks of lactation produce more milk throughout that lactation.

Genetic control of estrogen-regulated transcriptional and cellular responses in mouse uterus.

The uterotropic response of the uterus to 17β-estradiol (E2) is genetically controlled, with marked variation observed depending on the mouse strain studied. Previous genetic studies from our laboratory using inbred mice that are high [C57BL/6J (B6)] or low [C3H/HeJ (C3H)] responders to E2 led to the identification of quantitative trait (QT) loci associated with phenotypic variation in uterine growth and leukocyte infiltration. The mechanisms underlying differential responsiveness to E2, and the genes involved, are unknown.

Identification of Orch3, a locus controlling dominant resistance to autoimmune orchitis, as kinesin family member 1C.

Experimental autoimmune orchitis (EAO), the principal model of non-infectious testicular inflammatory disease, can be induced in susceptible mouse strains by immunization with autologous testicular homogenate and appropriate adjuvants. As previously established, the genome of DBA/2J mice encodes genes that are capable of conferring dominant resistance to EAO, while the genome of BALB/cByJ mice does not and they are therefore susceptible to EAO. In a genome scan, we previously identified Orch3 as the major quantitative trait locus controlling dominant resistance to EAO and mapped it to chromosome 11.

Genetics of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis supports the role of T helper cells in multiple sclerosis pathogenesis.

Objective: The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is the primary genetic contributor to multiple sclerosis (MS) and experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), but multiple additional interacting loci are required for genetic susceptibility. The identity of most of these non-MHC genes is unknown. In this report, we identify genes within evolutionarily conserved genetic pathways leading to MS and EAE.

Histamine H4 receptor optimizes T regulatory cell frequency and facilitates anti-inflammatory responses within the central nervous system.

Histamine is a biogenic amine that mediates multiple physiological processes, including immunomodulatory effects in allergic and inflammatory reactions, and also plays a key regulatory role in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, the autoimmune model of multiple sclerosis. The pleiotropic effects of histamine are mediated by four G protein-coupled receptors, as follows: Hrh1/H(1)R, Hrh2/H(2)R, Hrh3/H(3)R, and Hrh4/H(4)R. H(4)R expression is primarily restricted to hematopoietic cells, and its role in autoimmune inflammatory demyelinating disease of the CNS has not been studied.

Bovine glucose transporter GLUT8: cloning, expression, and developmental regulation in mammary gland.

GLUT8 is a newly identified member of the facilitative glucose transporter family, which characteristically exhibits high-affinity glucose transport activity. The expression of GLUT8 has been shown to depend on gonadotropin secretion in human testes and to be regulated by insulin in the blastocyst. To characterize GLUT8 and investigate its role in normal mammary gland function, we cloned and sequenced the full-length cDNA of bovine GLUT8.