Wagyu-Angus cross improves meat tenderness compared to Angus cattle but unaffected by mild protein restriction during late gestation.

For the spring-calving beef herds, late gestation coincides with winter and early spring, when cows are dependent on feed supplements with low quality hay, which is hard to meet their nutrient requirements. However, the effects of deficiencies of metabolizable protein intake during late gestation on offspring beef quality are unclear. Wagyu cattle have excellent marbling, and insemination with Wagyu vs Angus semen is a practical option for beef producers to improve beef quality.

Nutrient contributions and biogas potential of co-digestion of feedstocks and dairy manure.

This study focused on collection of data on nutrient flow and biogas yield at a commercial anaerobic digester managed with dairy manure from a 1000 cow dairy and co-digestion of additional feedstocks. Feedstocks included: blood, fish, paper pulp, out of date beverages and grease trap waste. Mass flow of inputs and outputs, nutrient concentration of inputs and outputs, and biogas yield were obtained.

Results of the BRD CAP project: progress toward identifying genetic markers associated with BRD susceptibility.

The Bovine Respiratory Disease Coordinated Agricultural Project (BRD CAP) is a 5-year project funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), with an overriding objective to use the tools of modern genomics to identify cattle that are less susceptible to BRD. To do this, two large genome wide association studies (GWAS) were conducted using a case:control design on preweaned Holstein dairy heifers and beef feedlot cattle. A health scoring system was used to identify BRD cases and controls.

Loci on Bos taurus chromosome 2 and Bos taurus chromosome 26 are linked with bovine respiratory disease and associated with persistent infection of bovine viral diarrhea virus.

The objective of this study was to identify loci linked with bovine respiratory disease (BRD) and subsequently to determine if these same loci were associated with bovine viral diarrhea virus persistent infection (BVD-PI) in affected calves or their dams. A genome-wide linkage study using 312 microsatellites was conducted to identify loci linked with BRD in a Brahman × Hereford sire half-sib family. Disease incidence was recorded from birth to slaughter by daily monitoring.

Impact of reproductive efficiency over time and mare financial value on economic returns among Thoroughbred mares in central Kentucky.

Reason For Performing Study: There have been no studies reporting the impact of reproductive efficiency and mare financial value on economic returns.

Objective: To explore the economic consequences of differences in reproductive efficiency over time in the Thoroughbred mare.

Methods: Complete production records for 1176 mares were obtained.