Natural Panola Mountain Ehrlichia infections in cattle in a longitudinal study of Angus beef calves.

Panola Mountain Ehrlichia (PME) is an emerging zoonotic pathogen, transmitted by Amblyomma americanum ticks in the southeastern United States. It is closely related to Ehrlichia ruminantium, the causative agent of heartwater disease. Heartwater disease is an often-fatal illness of ruminant livestock present in Africa and the Caribbean.

Phenotypic and Functional Characterization of Bovine Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells.

Background: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are increasingly trialed in cellular therapy applications in humans. They can also be applied to treat a range of diseases in animals, particularly in cattle to combat inflammatory conditions and aging-associated degenerative disorders. We sought to demonstrate the feasibility of obtaining MSCs from adipose tissue and characterizing them using established assays.

Supplemental trace minerals as complexed or inorganic sources for beef cattle during the receiving period.

To investigate effects of inorganic or complexed trace mineral source (zinc, copper, manganese, and cobalt) on receiving period performance and morbidity, crossbred beef heifer calves (n = 287) arriving on three delivery dates were used in a 42-d receiving trial. Heifers were processed after arrival, stratified by day -1 body weights (BW) and allocated randomly to eight pens (11 to 13 heifers/pen, 24 pens total). Within truckload, pens were assigned randomly to dietary treatment (n = 12 pens/treatment).

Genomic loci involved in sensing environmental cues and metabolism affect seasonal coat shedding in Bos taurus and Bos indicus cattle.

Seasonal shedding of winter hair at the start of summer is well studied in wild and domesticated populations. However, the genetic influences on this trait and their interactions are poorly understood. We use data from 13,364 cattle with 36,899 repeated phenotypes to investigate the relationship between hair shedding and environmental variables, single nucleotide polymorphisms, and their interactions to understand quantitative differences in seasonal shedding.

A fecal egg count reduction test in grazing beef steers using topical pioneer and generic eprinomectin and fenbendazole oral suspension.

Many generic anthelmintics are commercially available; however, little information exists regarding product effectiveness compared to pioneer brands. The objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness of a generic eprinomectin to the pioneer eprinomectin, as well as to fenbendazole and fenbendazole in combination with the pioneer eprinomectin in grazing beef steers via a fecal egg count reduction test. Forty naturally infected steers were allocated into five treatment groups based on ranked fecal egg counts: 1.

Bovine respiratory microbiota of feedlot cattle and its association with disease.

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD), as one of the most common and costly diseases in the beef cattle industry, has significant adverse impacts on global food security and the economic stability of the industry. The bovine respiratory microbiome is strongly associated with health and disease and may provide insights for alternative therapy when treating BRD. The niche-specific microbiome communities that colonize the inter-surface of the upper and the lower respiratory tract consist of a dynamic and complex ecological system.

Identification of Breed Differences in Known and New Fescue Toxicosis Associated Phenotypes in Charolais-and Hereford-Sired Crossbred Beef Cows.

Beef cattle phenotypes are affected by the consumption of toxic fescue. Toxic fescue's impact is dependent on heat stress and breed composition, with genetic variability for robustness to toxin exposure believed to exist within and across breeds. The study objective was to characterize the effect of fescue toxicosis across breeds for known and novel heat and fescue stress-associated phenotypes.

Genetic Basis of Blood-Based Traits and Their Relationship With Performance and Environment in Beef Cattle at Weaning.

The objectives of this study were to explore the usefulness of blood-based traits as indicators of health and performance in beef cattle at weaning and identify the genetic basis underlying the different blood parameters obtained from complete blood counts (CBCs). Disease costs represent one of the main factors determining profitability in animal production. Previous research has observed associations between blood cell counts and an animal's health status in some species.

Carcass traits and consumer acceptability of striploin steaks from band-castrated, intratesticular zinc-injected, or sexually intact beef cattle.

One hundred and eighty beef bulls (BW = 337 ± 10.9 kg) were blocked by BW (6 blocks) and assigned randomly to one of three treatments on day 0: 1) INJ; received 1 mL (100 mg Zn) of a Zn solution in each testis, 2) BAN; received blood-restrictive rubber band placed upon the dorsal aspect of the scrotum, and 3) BUL; bulls with testicles remaining intact. Cattle were grouped by weight block in a randomized complete block design (three treatment pens/block and 10 cattle/pen) and harvested by block on three separate dates when blocks reached similar BW and visual subcutaneous fat thickness depth.

Zinc injection as a novel castration method in beef bulls: effects on performance, behavior, and testosterone and haptoglobin concentration.

Crossbred beef bulls (n = 180) were blocked by initial BW (337 ± 10.9 kg; six blocks) and assigned randomly to one of three treatments on day 0: 1) INJ; received 1 mL (100 mg Zn) of a Zn solution in each testis, 2) BAN; received blood- restrictive rubber band placed around the dorsal aspect of the scrotum, 3) BUL; bulls with testicles remaining intact in a randomized complete block design (three treatment pens per block and 10 cattle per pen). A subset of 54 animals (n = 3 per pen) was fitted with accelerometers on day 0 to quantify behavior variables continuously for 28 d.

Association of hematologic variables and castration status at the time of arrival at a research facility with the risk of bovine respiratory disease in beef calves.

Objective: To determine the association of CBC variables and castration status at the time of arrival at a research facility with the risk of development of bovine respiratory disease (BRD).

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Animals: 1,179 crossbred beef bull (n = 588) and steer (591) calves included in 4 experiments at 2 University of Arkansas research facilities.