KNEMIDOKOPTES MITES AND THEIR EFFECTS ON THE GRIPPING POSITION OF THE FEET OF STELLER'S JAYS (CYANOCITTA STELLERI).

Steller's Jays (Cyanocitta stelleri) with swollen legs and feet resembling the signs of scaly leg have been commonly seen around Arcata, California, US. The clinical signs are thought to be caused by knemidokoptic mites, a group of parasites specialized on avian hosts. Between February 2019 and March 2020, we analyzed the long-term database of Steller's Jays collected by Humboldt State University for trends in the prevalence of signs of scaly leg, compared the gripping position in the feet of Steller's Jays with variable signs of this condition as an index of their ability to perch, identified the mites using a partial sequence of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene, and examined genetic distances between mites collected from different host species both sequenced in this study and from GenBank.

Form of Supplemental Selenium in Vitamin-Mineral Premixes Differentially Affects Early Luteal and Gestational Concentrations of Progesterone, and Postpartum Concentrations of Prolactin in Beef Cows.

Soils with marginal to deficient levels of selenium (Se) are widespread in the northwest, northeast, and southeast US. Supplementation to the diet of forage-grazing beef cattle with a vitamin-mineral mix containing additional Se is recommended in these geographic regions. We have reported that the form of supplemental Se provided to Angus-cross beef cows can affect circulating levels of progesterone (P4) on day 6 of the estrous cycle, a time when increased P4 is known to promote fertility.

Forms of selenium in vitamin-mineral mixes differentially affect serum alkaline phosphatase activity, and serum albumin and blood urea nitrogen concentrations, of steers grazing endophyte-infected tall fescue.

The goal of this study was to test the hypothesis that sodium selenite (ISe), SEL-PLEX (OSe), vs. a 1:1 blend (MIX) of ISe and OSe in a basal vitamin-mineral mix would differentially affect serological and hepatic parameters of growing steers grazing toxic endophyte-infected tall fescue-mixed forage pasture. Predominately Angus steers (BW = 183 ± 34 kg) were randomly selected from herds of fall-calving cows grazing endophyte-infected tall fescue-mixed pasture and consuming vitamin-mineral mixes that contained 35 ppm Se as ISe, OSe, and MIX forms.

Forms of selenium in vitamin-mineral mixes differentially affect the expression of genes responsible for prolactin, ACTH, and α-MSH synthesis and mitochondrial dysfunction in pituitaries of steers grazing endophyte-infected tall fescue.

The goal of this study was to test the hypothesis that sodium selenite (inorganic Se, ISe), SEL-PLEX (organic forms of Se, OSe), vs. a 1:1 blend (MIX) of ISe and OSe in a basal vitamin-mineral (VM) mix would differentially alter pituitary transcriptome profiles in growing beef steers grazing an endophyte-infected tall fescue (E+) pasture. Predominately Angus steers (BW = 183 ± 34 kg) were randomly selected from fall-calving cows grazing E+ pasture and consuming VM mixes that contained 35 ppm Se as ISe, OSe, or MIX forms.

Glutathione content and expression of proteins involved with glutathione metabolism differs in longissimus dorsi, subcutaneous adipose, and liver tissues of finished vs. growing beef steers.

Increased tissue redox state may result in sub-optimal growth. Our goal was to determine if glutathione (GSH) content and expression of proteins involved with GSH metabolism change in longissimus dorsi (LD), subcutaneous adipose (SA), and liver tissues of growing vs. finishing steer phenotypes.