A method for estimating the outer exposure of dairy cows to deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEN) as a precondition for risk assessment based on inner exposure with toxin residue levels in blood and urine as indicators.

DON and ZEN residues in the blood and urine of dairy cows can be used to predict the outer exposure to DON and ZEN expressed per kilogram diet for a risk evaluation based on comparisons to critical dietary concentrations. This method was used to evaluate the exposure of dairy cows from 12 farms located in Brandenburg, Germany, fed rations with unknown DON and ZEN concentrations (N = 244). The corresponding diet concentrations predicted by different methods from analyzed blood and urine samples varied significantly amongst farms from 0 to 1.

Evaluation of multifactorial digestive disorders in a dairy herd at different stages of lactation.

The manager of a large dairy herd (total confinement, total mixed ration feeding, 10130 kg milk sold per cow and year) requested a workup of a digestive disorder problem that had been ongoing for several years. The cows were at all stages of lactation, and the incidence proportion (events/100 cows at risk) of digestive disorders was approximately 5 to 10%. The clinical picture included an abnormal demeanor of varying severity and signs that differed among the cows.

Functional Variants Associated With and in Influence Bovine Digital Dermatitis.

Bovine digital dermatitis (BDD) is an infectious disease of the hoof in cattle with multifactorial etiology and a polygenic influence on susceptibility. With our study, we identified genomic regions with the impact on occurrence and development of BDD. We used 5,040 genotyped animals with phenotype information based on the M-stage system for genome-wide association.

Behavioral Observation Procedures and Tests to Characterize the Suitability of Sows for Loose-Housed Farrowing Systems.

The objective of the study was to evaluate behavioral observation procedures and tests to characterize sows' behavior for their suitability for free farrowing systems. Nest building activity (NB), lying-down behavior (LDB), and position after lying down (PLD) were assessed. Four tests were designed to characterize the reaction of sows to a novel object and an unexpected situation (Towel Test, TT), behavior towards humans (Dummy Arm Test, DAT; Trough Cleaning Test, TCT), and behavior towards piglets (Reunion Test, RT).

Interdigital Hyperplasia in Holstein Cattle Is Associated With a Missense Mutation in the Signal Peptide Region of the Tyrosine-Protein Kinase Transmembrane Receptor Gene.

Bovine interdigital hyperplasia (IH) is a typical disease of the foot with varying prevalence depending on age, breed, and environmental factors resulting in different degrees of lameness. In studies based on assessments of claw health status at time of hoof trimming and applying genetic-statistical models to analyze this data, IH consistently exhibits high estimates of heritability in the range of 0.30-0.

Genetic analysis of new progesterone-based fertility traits in dairy cows measured on-farm.

The objectives of this study were (1) to analyze the agreement of a standard laboratory ELISA for progesterone (P4) with an automated on-farm ELISA kit operated under commercial conditions in 1,297 milk samples from 50 dairy cows; (2) to study the influence of the method of detection of luteal activity on genetic parameters of fertility traits based on P4 measured with an automated on-farm ELISA once weekly from wk 3 to 9 postpartum in the milk of 1,304 cows; and (3) to study the influence of sampling frequency (once or twice weekly from wk 3 to 9) on the same traits from 296 cows. Luteal activity can be detected when there is an active corpus luteum in the ovary producing P4 and indicating the onset of reproductive cyclicity after calving. The on-farm ELISA overestimated P4 contents by a mean square error of prediction of 2.

Enlarging a training set for genomic selection by imputation of un-genotyped animals in populations of varying genetic architecture.

Background: The most common application of imputation is to infer genotypes of a high-density panel of markers on animals that are genotyped for a low-density panel. However, the increase in accuracy of genomic predictions resulting from an increase in the number of markers tends to reach a plateau beyond a certain density. Another application of imputation is to increase the size of the training set with un-genotyped animals.

Expression of microRNAs is not related to increased expression of ZDHHC9 in hind leg muscles of splay leg piglets.

ZDHHC9 (zinc finger, DHHC-type containing 9) is a protein acyl transferase involved in palmitoylation of basic signaling molecules. We found ZDHHC9 expression increased in hind leg muscles of newborn splay leg piglets. In order to elucidate the background of this increased expression we determined the structure of the porcine gene, including sequence variation, and analyzed the structure and expression of microRNAs potentially targeting the gene.

Identification of candidate genes for congenital splay leg in piglets by alternative analysis of DNA microarray data.

The congenital splay leg syndrome in piglets is characterized by a temporarily impaired functionality of the hind leg muscles immediately after birth. Etiology and pathogenetic mechanisms for the disease are still not well understood. We compared genome wide gene expression of three hind leg muscles (M.

Temporary consumption of diet with unbalanced amino acid pattern affects long-lasting growth retardation correlated with oxidative stress response associated gene expression in juvenile pigs.

Background & Aims: The present study was conducted to study whether oxidative stress is the trigger of long-term physiological effects of temporary consumption of a soy protein isolate (SPI) based diet with an imbalanced amino acid pattern.

Material And Methods: Hepatic expression of 19 genes that are involved in and co-regulated with oxidative stress response and showing diet-associated expression after chronic SPI feeding using quantitative RT-PCR, growth and liver composition were investigated in a model of protein-underfeeding juvenile pigs, which were fed a casein (CAS) based diet for four weeks subsequent to a four week consumption of an SPI diet in comparison with chronically CAS fed animals.

Results: Temporary feeding of SPI diet resulted in prolonged up-regulation of genes involved in oxidative/cellular stress response (glutathione-S-transferase, peptide methionine sulfoxide reductase, calnexin, organic anion transport polypeptide 2).

Molecular cloning, mapping, and functional analysis of the bovine sulfate transporter SLC26a2 gene.

Sulfate is one of the most important macronutrients in cells and the major sulfur source in many organisms as well as one of the most abundant anions in the serum. As sulfate is a hydrophilic anion, movement across the lipid bilayer is mediated by transporters that regulate efflux and influx. Here, we report the molecular cloning, mapping, and functional analysis of the bovine solute carrier/sulfate transporter SLC26a2 gene, the first member of this family to be cloned in cattle.

Dietary protein modifies hepatic gene expression associated with oxidative stress responsiveness in growing pigs.

Understanding the basis for differences in nutrient requirements and for nutrient effects on health and performance requires an appreciation of the links between nutrition and gene expression. We developed and applied molecular probes to characterize diet-associated postabsorptive hepatic gene expression in growing pigs chronically fed protein-restricted diets based on either casein (CAS) or soy protein isolate (SPI). Eighty-eight expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were identified on the basis of diet-related changes in expression, by using an mRNA differential display method.