Risk factors and genetic parameter estimates for preweaning survival of Fogera calves.

This study utilised mortality records of 1 043 Fogera calves maintained at Andassa Livestock Research Center from 1984 to 2021 to investigate the factors that influence survival and estimate genetic parameters for the preweaning survival of Fogera calves. Survival was defined as the probability of surviving in a given length of time. Survival analysis was done using the Weibull proportional hazard model with Survival Kit version 6.

Estimation of crossbreeding and genetic parameters for reproductive traits of Boer x Central Highland goats in Ethiopia.

Additive genetic and non-additive parameters for reproductive traits of Boer x Central Highland goats were estimated. Pedigree and performance records comprised of Central Highland and their crosses with Boer goats were collected from 2009 to 2018 in the Sirinka Agricultural Research Center sheep and goat breeding station. Least-squares means for genotypes were obtained using a general linear model procedure in SAS.

Hatchability evaluation of bovine IVF embryos using OCT-based 3D image analysis.

Although embryo transfer is widely applied in cattle, many of the transferred embryos do not result in pregnancy. To determine a new parameter for bovine embryo evaluation, we investigated the relationships between in vitro hatchability and embryo morphological parameters using optical coherence tomography (OCT) that we established recently. Bovine embryos were obtained from Japanese Black cattle by in vitro fertilization (IVF).

An integrated framework for improving watershed management planning.

Proper land use and management (LUM) planning is pivotal to curbing land degradation and ensuring sustainable use of limited watershed resources. Despite decades of research and development efforts, land degradation remains a serious environmental problem in many parts of the world. Issues regarding the sustainability of current LUM initiatives are due to poor linkages between the ecological and socio-economic dimensions of LUM decisions, and an integrated framework allowing LUM interventions to be properly planned and implemented is lacking.

Epidemiology and identification of Eimeria species affecting poultry in East Gojjam Zone, North West Ethiopia.

Background: Despite the expansion of modernized poultry farming in Ethiopia, the presence of high prevalence of Eimeria species is the bottleneck in the sector causing high morbidity and mortality rate in poultry.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to estimate the prevalence and identify Eimeria species and investigate the major risk factors.

Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2019 to April 2020 in East Gojjam Zone, North West Ethiopia.

Effects of a low-protein diet supplemented with essential amino acids on egg production performance and environmental gas emissions from layer-manure composting in laying hens in the later laying period.

We fed 330-545 day-old laying hens (later laying period) a low-protein diet supplemented with essential amino acids (LPS) and composted their manure. We then investigated the laying performance of the hens, the nitrogen balance and emission of nitrous oxide (N O), methane (CH ), and ammonia (NH ) from the composting, and several characteristics of the finished compost. There were no significant differences in the egg-laying rate, egg mass, egg weight, proximate compositions in egg yolk and egg white, or feed intake between the laying hens fed a Control diet (Cont) and those fed the LPS diet.

Metabolic profiles of saliva in male mouse models of chronic sleep disorders induced by psychophysiological stress.

Disordered sleep is a global social problem and an established significant risk factor for psychological and metabolic diseases. We profiled non-targeted metabolites in saliva from mouse models of chronic sleep disorder (CSD). We identified 288 and 55 metabolites using CE-FTMS and LC-TOFMS, respectively, among which concentrations of 58 (CE-FTMS) and three (LC-TOFMS) were significantly changed by CSD.

Refining the evolutionary tree of the horse Y chromosome.

The Y chromosome carries information about the demography of paternal lineages, and thus, can prove invaluable for retracing both the evolutionary trajectory of wild animals and the breeding history of domesticates. In horses, the Y chromosome shows a limited, but highly informative, sequence diversity, supporting the increasing breeding influence of Oriental lineages during the last 1500 years. Here, we augment the primary horse Y-phylogeny, which is currently mainly based on modern horse breeds of economic interest, with haplotypes (HT) segregating in remote horse populations around the world.

Antimicrobial susceptibility and molecular characteristics of Mycoplasma bovis isolated from cases of bovine respiratory disease in Australian feedlot cattle.

To date, antimicrobial susceptibility has not been reported for Australian Mycoplasma bovis isolates. This study determined minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for 12 different antimicrobials against Australian M. bovis isolates and used whole genome sequencing to screen those showing high macrolide MICs for point mutations in target genes.

A Comparative Study on the Carcass and Meat Chemical Composition, and Lipid-Metabolism-Related Gene Expression in Korean Hanwoo and Brindle Chikso Cattle.

The objective of this study was to elucidate the effect of cattle breed on carcass and meat chemical composition, fatty acid profiles, and lipid-metabolism-related genes. For this study, same-age Hanwoo and Chikso steers ( = 6 per breed) reared under identical conditions were used. Immediately after slaughter, muscle tissues were collected for analysis of mRNA expression.

Growth and growth curve analysis in Dorper × Tumele crossbred sheep under a smallholder management system.

This study aimed to evaluate the growth performance and Kleiber ratio (KR) and to determine the growth curve of Dorper × Tumele sheep under a smallholder management system. Growth and efficiency-related traits were analyzed by using the general linear model (GLM) procedure of SAS. Gompertz, Logistics, Brody, Monomolecular, and Negative exponential models were used to determine the growth curve, and growth curve parameters were estimated via the nonlinear regression model (NLIN) procedure of SAS.

Effect of kraft pulp inclusion in calf starter on performance, health, and plasma concentration of glucagon-like peptide 2 in calves.

Kraft pulp (KP), an intermediate product obtained when wood chips are converted to paper, contains highly digestible fiber. This study evaluated the effect of KP inclusion in calf starters on growth performance, health, and plasma glucagon-like peptide 2 (GLP-2) concentration in calves. Twenty-five Holstein heifer calves were raised on a high plane of nutrition program using milk replacer containing 29% crude protein and 18% fat until 49 d after birth, and were fed calf starters containing KP at 0 (CON; n = 14) or 12% (KPS; n = 11) on a dry matter basis.

Evaluating the Impact of Commonly Used Pesticides on Honeybees () in North Gonder of Amhara Region, Ethiopia.

Global honeybee losses and colony decline are becoming continuous threat to the apicultural industry, as well as, for food security and environmental stability. Although the putative causes are still unclear, extensive exposure of bees to pesticides could be the possible factor for worldwide colony losses. This study was aimed at evaluating the impact of nine commonly used pesticide incidents on adult worker honeybees () under the laboratory condition, in North Gonder of Amhara region, Ethiopia.

Predicted functional analysis of rumen microbiota suggested the underlying mechanisms of the postpartum subacute ruminal acidosis in Holstein cows.

Background: The relationships between the postpartum subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) occurrence and predicted bacterial functions during the periparturient period are still not clear in Holstein cows.

Objectives: The present study was performed to investigate the alterations of rumen fermentation, bacterial community structure, and predicted bacterial functional pathways in Holstein cows.

Methods: Holstein cows were divided into the SARA (n = 6) or non-SARA (n = 4) groups, depending on whether they developed SARA during the first 2 weeks after parturition.

A Comparative Study on the Meat Quality, Taste and Aroma Related Compounds between Korean Hanwoo and Chikso Cattle.

The aim of this study was to compare the meat quality and taste-and-aroma-related components of beef between breeds. For this purpose, Hanwoo and Chikso steers ( = 7 per breed) raised under identical conditions until 30 months old were used. After 24 h of slaughter, (LL) and (SM) muscles were collected and analyzed for technological quality, free amino acids, metabolites, and volatile compounds.

Classification Performance of Machine Learning Methods for Identifying Resistance, Resilience, and Susceptibility to Infections in Sheep.

This study investigated the feasibility of using easy-to-measure phenotypic traits to predict sheep resistant, resilient, and susceptible to gastrointestinal nematodes, compared the classification performance of multinomial logistic regression (MLR), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), random forest (RF), and artificial neural network (ANN) methods, and evaluated the applicability of the best classification model on each farm. The database comprised 3654 records of 1250 Santa Inês sheep from 6 farms. The animals were classified into resistant (2605 records), resilient (939 records), and susceptible (110 records) according to fecal egg count and packed cell volume.

Epidemiology of Ixodid tick infestation and tick-borne haemopathogens in small ruminant from Enarje Enawuga, North Western Ethiopia.

Background: Small ruminant playing significant economic development and cultural roles for smallholders and reared in different agroecological systems in Ethiopia. However, ticks and tick-borne haemopathogens are major threats to the health of small ruminants leading to loss of production and productivity in Ethiopia especially in north-western Ethiopia, due to climate and agroecological system favourable to the tick survival in the area.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of Ixodid tick infestation and tick-borne haemopathogens, to identify the existing Ixodid tick species and to investigate major risk factors associated with tick infestation and tick-borne haemopathogens.

Roughage level and supplemental fat for newly received finishing calves: effects on growth performance, health, and physiological responses.

This experiment evaluated the effects of roughage levels and supplemental fat on intake, growth performance, health, and physiological responses of newly received finishing cattle during 58-d receiving period. A total of 72 crossbred steers (initial body weight [BW] = 200 ± 13 kg) were used in a randomized complete block design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments, consisting of two roughage levels (wheat hay at 30% [R30] or 60% [R60]; dry matter [DM] basis) and two levels of supplemental fat (yellow grease at 0% [-FAT; no additional fat] or 3.5% [+FAT]; DM basis).

Effects of short-term dietary supplementation on the number of ovarian follicles, quantity and quality of oocytes, and in vitro embryo production in Japanese Black cows.

This study aimed to test the hypothesis that short-term supplementation with a high-energy diet promotes embryo production following ovum pick-up (OPU) in Japanese Black cows. After a period of adaptation to the maintenance diet, a 200% maintenance diet was fed to the high-energy diet group (HD group, n = 6) for four weeks, and a maintenance diet was fed to the other group (MD group, n = 6). OPU-in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures were performed on days 14, 21, and 28; follicles and oocytes were counted and morphologically graded, and cultivable oocytes were cultured for in vitro maturation, fertilization, and culture.

A survey of bovine leukemia virus resistant bovine leukocyte antigen (BoLA)-DRB3*009:02 allele-carrying Japanese Black cattle in two prefectures in Japan.

The bovine leukocyte antigen (BoLA) DRB3*009:02 allele is strongly associated with a low/undetectable bovine leukemia virus (BLV) proviral load. Understanding the status of cattle possessing DRB3*009:02 allele is key for BLV control by breeding. We performed a survey of DRB3*009:02-carrying cattle in two prefectures in Japan using a TaqMan assay developed previously.

Noninvasive fecal metabolic profiling for the evaluation of characteristics of thermostable lactic acid bacteria, Weizmannia coagulans SANK70258, for broiler chickens.

Weizmannia coagulans SANK70258 is a spore-forming thermostable lactic acid bacterium and an effective probiotic for the growth of livestock animals, but its growth-promoting mechanism remains unclear. Here, the composition of fecal metabolites in broilers continuously administered with W. coagulans SANK70258 was assessed under a regular program with antibiotics, which was transiently given for 6 days after birth.

Effects of administration of a growth promoting implant during the suckling phase or at weaning on growth, reproduction, and ovarian development in replacement heifers grazing native range.

Management strategies utilized during pre-breeding development of replacement heifers can impact fertility and the ovarian reserve. Angus-Hereford crossbred heifers (n = 233) were utilized over a 3-yr period to determine the effects of administration of a growth promoting implant at either branding or weaning on growth, reproduction, and ovarian development. Heifer calves were randomly assigned to one of three treatments: 1) nonimplanted controls (CON; n = 79), 2) implanted at approximately 2 mo of age (average calf age = 58 d) with Synovex-C (BIMP, n = 82), or 3) implanted at approximately 7 mo of age (average calf age = 210 d) with Synovex-C (WIMP; n = 72).

Genetic and non-genetic parameter estimates for growth traits and Kleiber ratios in Dorper × indigenous sheep.

Genetic improvement programme will only be successful when accompanied by a good understanding of the influence of different environmental factors, knowledge of the genetic parameters and the genetic relationships between the traits of interest. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of non-genetic factors on growth traits and Kleiber ratios and to estimate genetic parameters for early growth traits in Dorper × indigenous crossbred sheep. The effects of fixed factors were analysed by the general linear model procedure of statistical analysis system, while the genetic parameters were estimated using a WOMBAT computer program fitted animal model.

Bacterial profile of bovine mastitis in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Bovine mastitis is the commonest episode of infection in the dairy industry, which often occurs after damage of epithelial cells lining the teat duct. It is ranked as the second most important cause of milk production loss directly and a devastating disease with a higher incidence leading to the culling of dairy cows. Thus, this systematic review and meta-analysis is aimed to quantitatively estimate the current status of mastitis in general and bacterial mastitis particular in Ethiopia.