Fecal microbiota composition, serum metabolomics, and markers of inflammation in dogs fed a raw meat-based diet compared to those on a kibble diet.

Introduction: Despite the potential health risks associated with feeding raw and non-traditional diets, the use of these diets in dogs is increasing, yet the health outcomes associated with these diets is not well understood. This study investigates the effect of feeding dogs a kibble or raw meat-based diets on fecal microbiota composition, serum metabolomics and inflammatory markers.

Methods: Clinically healthy dogs with a history of consuming either kibble (KD,  = 27) or raw meat-based diets (RMBD,  = 28) for more than 1 year were enrolled.

Heritability and variance component estimation for feed and water intake behaviors of feedlot cattle.

Feed and water intake are two important aspects of cattle production that greatly impact the profitability, efficiency, and sustainability of producers. Feed and, to a lesser degree, water intake have been studied previously; however, there is little research on their associated animal behaviors and there is a lack of standardized phenotypes for these behaviors. Feed and water intakes obtained with an Insentec system (Hokofarm Group, The Netherlands) from 830 crossbred steers were used to compute five intake behaviors for both feed and water: daily sessions (DS), intake rate (IR), session size (SS), time per session (TS), and session interval (SI).

Variance component estimation and genome-wide association of predicted methane production in crossbred beef steers.

Enteric methane is a potent greenhouse gas and represents an escape of energy from the ruminant digestive system. Additive genetic variation in methane production suggests that genetic selection offers an opportunity to diminish enteric methane emissions. Logistic and monetary difficulties in directly measuring methane emissions can make genetic evaluation on an indicator trait such as predicted methane production a more appealing option, and inclusion of genotyping data can result in greater genetic progress.

Microbial Profiling of Biltong Processing Using Culture-Dependent and Culture-Independent Microbiome Analysis.

Biltong is a South African air-dried beef product that does not have a heat lethality step, but rather relies on marinade chemistry (low pH from vinegar, ~2% salt, spices/pepper) in combination with drying at ambient temperature and low humidity to achieve microbial reduction during processing. Culture-dependent and culture-independent microbiome methodologies were used to determine the changes in the microbial community at each step during biltong processing through 8 days of drying. Culture-dependent analysis was conducted using agar-based methods to recover viable bacteria from each step in the biltong process that were identified with 16S rRNA PCR, sequencing, and BLAST searching of the NCBI nucleotide database.

Variation in mineral types of uroliths from ferrets () submitted for analysis in North America, Europe, or Asia over an 8-year period.

Objective: To compare mineral types of naturally occurring uroliths in ferrets () from North America, Europe, and Asia and to identify potential risk factors associated with cystine urolithiasis in ferrets.

Samples: 1,054 laboratory submission records of uroliths obtained from ferrets between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2018.

Procedures: For this cross-sectional study, the medical records databases at 4 diagnostic laboratories were searched for records of submissions of uroliths obtained from ferrets.

Total nitrogen is the main soil property associated with soil fungal community in karst rocky desertification regions in southwest China.

Karst rocky desertification (KRD) is a type of land deterioration, resulting in the degraded soil and a delicate ecosystem. Previous studies focused on the influence of KRD on the animals and plants, the impact of KRD on microorganisms, especially soil fungi remains to be discovered. This study reveals the change in the soil fungal community in response to KRD progression in southwest China.

Effect of very low-protein diets supplemented with branched-chain amino acids on energy balance, plasma metabolomics and fecal microbiome of pigs.

Feeding pigs with very-low protein (VLP) diets while supplemented with limiting amino acids (AA) results in decreased growth. The objective of this study was to determine if supplementing VLP diets with branched-chain AA (BCAA) would reverse the negative effects of these diets on growth and whether this is associated with alterations in energy balance, blood metabolomics and fecal microbiota composition. Twenty-four nursery pigs were weight-matched, individually housed and allotted into following treatments (n = 8/group): control (CON), low protein (LP) and LP supplemented with BCAA (LP + BCAA) for 4 weeks.

Impact of Up- and Downregulation of Metabolites and Mitochondrial Content on pH and Color of the Longissimus Muscle from Normal-pH and Dark-Cutting Beef.

Limited knowledge is currently available on the biochemical basis for the development of dark-cutting beef. The objective of this research was to determine the metabolite profile and mitochondrial content differences between normal-pH and dark-cutting beef. A gas chromatography-mass spectrometer-based nontargeted metabolomic approach indicated downregulation of glycolytic metabolites, including glucose-1- and 6-phosphate and upregulation of tricarboxylic substrates such as malic and fumaric acids occurred in dark-cutting beef when compared to normal-pH beef.

Low Protein-High Carbohydrate Diets Alter Energy Balance, Gut Microbiota Composition and Blood Metabolomics Profile in Young Pigs.

Reducing dietary crude protein (CP) beyond a certain threshold leads to poor growth performance in pigs; however, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Following an adaption period, thirty-seven weaned pigs were weight matched (8.41 ± 0.

Characterization of water intake and water efficiency in beef cattle1,2.

In the future, water may not be as readily available due to increases in competition from a growing human population, wildlife, and other agricultural sectors, making selection for water efficiency of beef cattle increasingly important. Substantial selection emphasis has recently been placed on feed efficiency in an effort to reduce production costs, but no emphasis has been placed on making cattle more water efficient due to lack of data. Thus, the objective of this study was to calculate water efficiency metrics for cattle and evaluate their relationship to growth, feed intake (FI), and feed efficiency.

Environmental effects on water intake and water intake prediction in growing beef cattle.

Water is an essential nutrient, but there are few recent studies that evaluate how much water individual beef cattle consume and how environmental factors affect an individual's water intake (WI). Most studies have focused on WI of whole pens rather than WI of individual animals. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of environmental parameters on individual-animal WI across different seasons and develop prediction equations to estimate WI, including within different environments and management protocols.

Soil pH Is the Primary Factor Correlating With Soil Microbiome in Karst Rocky Desertification Regions in the Wushan County, Chongqing, China.

Karst rocky desertification (KRD) is a process of land degradation, which causes desert-like landscapes, deconstruction of endemic biomass, and declined soil quality. The relationship of KRD progression with above-ground communities (e.g.

Test duration for water intake, ADG, and DMI in beef cattle.

Water is an essential nutrient, but the effect it has on performance generally receives little attention. There are few systems and guidelines for collection of water intake (WI) phenotypes in beef cattle, which makes large-scale research on WI a challenge. The Beef Improvement Federation has established guidelines for feed intake (FI) and ADG tests, but no guidelines exist for WI.

Effects of Muscle-Specific Oxidative Stress on Cytochrome c Release and Oxidation-Reduction Potential Properties.

Mitochondria play a significant role in beef color. However, the role of oxidative stress in cytochrome c release and mitochondrial degradation is not clear. The objective was to determine the effects of display time on cytochrome c content and oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) of beef longissimus lumborum (LL) and psoas major (PM) muscles.

The sheep genome illuminates biology of the rumen and lipid metabolism.

Sheep (Ovis aries) are a major source of meat, milk, and fiber in the form of wool and represent a distinct class of animals that have a specialized digestive organ, the rumen, that carries out the initial digestion of plant material. We have developed and analyzed a high-quality reference sheep genome and transcriptomes from 40 different tissues. We identified highly expressed genes encoding keratin cross-linking proteins associated with rumen evolution.

Canine intestinal histoplasmosis containing hyphal forms.

A 12-year-old intact male Miniature Schnauzer dog with chronic diarrhea that was unresponsive to empirical treatment was presented to a referring veterinarian. A laparotomy was performed, and formalin-fixed biopsies of duodenum, jejunum, and colon were sent to Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory for evaluation. Histologic examination revealed a severe, diffuse, granulomatous enteritis and colitis with intralesional yeast and hyphal forms.

Transfer of Escherichia coli O157:H7 to spinach by house flies, Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae).

Filth flies are known mechanical vectors of pathogenic bacteria in hospital and restaurant settings, but their role as vectors for disseminating microbes to plants has not been demonstrated. Escherichia coli O157:H7 deposition by flies onto spinach was studied using molecular, microbiological, and microscopy techniques. Relative quantitative polymerase chain reaction studies showed that bacteria acquired by flies from contaminated cattle manure and deposited in regurgitation spots on leaves survived and multiplied.

Effects of aberrant estrogen on the endometrial transcriptional profile in pigs.

Estrogen prepares the uterus for implantation and is highly conserved in mammals. However, administration of estrogen to pigs earlier than normal conceptus secretion is characterized by complete embryonic mortality by days 15-18. The objective of this study was to characterize the direct effects of early estrogen administration on uterine endometrial gene expression.

Dual regulation of mu opioid receptors in SK-N-SH neuroblastoma cells by morphine and interleukin-1β: evidence for opioid-immune crosstalk.

Treatment of SK-N-SH cells with morphine and interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) produced dual regulation of the mRNA for the human mu opioid receptor (MOR) protein. Morphine produced a decrease in the MOR mRNA while IL-1β increased it, as assessed by real-time quantitative PCR. These data were consistent with immunocytochemical studies of treated and untreated cells.

Endometrial caspase 1 and interleukin-18 expression during the estrous cycle and peri-implantation period of porcine pregnancy and response to early exogenous estrogen administration.

Background: The role for endometrial secretion of cytokines during the establishment of pregnancy in a number of mammals is well established. The current study determined endometrial expression of caspase 1 (CASP1) and interleukin-18 (IL18) during the estrous cycle and early pregnancy, and following early estrogen administration, which induces conceptus loss during early development in pigs.

Methods: Gilts were hysterectomized on either D 0, 5, 10, 12, 15 and 18 of the estrous cycle, or D 10, 12, 15 or 18 of pregnancy.

Cloning, characterization and expression analysis of porcine microRNAs.

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small ~22-nt regulatory RNAs that can silence target genes, by blocking their protein production or degrading the mRNAs. Pig is an important animal in the agriculture industry because of its utility in the meat production. Besides, pig has tremendous biomedical importance as a model organism because of its closer proximity to humans than the mouse model.

Beta-funaltrexamine inhibits inducible nitric-oxide synthase expression in human astroglial cells.

The inducible isoform of nitric-oxide synthase (iNOS) is involved in neuropathogenesis associated with infection and disease in the brain. Hence, there is considerable interest in the identification of therapeutic interventions to prevent iNOS-mediated pathology. Astroglia are a major site of iNOS expression during neuropathogenesis.

Premature estrogen exposure alters endometrial gene expression to disrupt pregnancy in the pig.

Establishment and maintenance of pregnancy in the pig involve intricate communication between the developing conceptuses and maternal endometrium. Conceptus synthesis and release of estrogen during trophoblastic elongation are essential factors involved with establishing conceptus-uterine communication. The present study identified endometrial changes in gene expression associated with implantation failure and complete pregnancy loss after premature exposure of pregnant gilts to exogenous estrogen.

Fowlicidin-3 is an alpha-helical cationic host defense peptide with potent antibacterial and lipopolysaccharide-neutralizing activities.

Cathelicidins are an important family of cationic host defense peptides in vertebrates with both antimicrobial and immunomodulatory activities. Fowlicidin-1 and fowlicidin-2 are two newly identified chicken cathelicidins with potent antibacterial activities. Here we report structural and functional characterization of the putatively mature form of the third chicken cathelicidin, fowlicidin-3, for exploration of its therapeutic potential.

Expression of porcine endometrial prostaglandin synthase during the estrous cycle and early pregnancy, and following endocrine disruption of pregnancy.

Porcine trophoblast attachment to the uterine surface is associated with increased conceptus and endometrial production of prostaglandins. Conceptus secretion of estrogen on Day 12 of gestation is important for establishment of pregnancy; however, early (Days 9 and 10) exposure to exogenous estrogens results in embryonic mortality. Present studies established the temporal and spatial pattern of endometrial PTGS1 (prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 1) and PTGS2 expression during the estrous cycle and early pregnancy and determined the effect of early estrogen treatment on endometrial PTGS expression in pregnant gilts.