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Oct
12
Interpretive Summary: Effect of voluntary waiting period on metabolism of dairy cows during different phases of the lactation
Extending the voluntary waiting period (VWP) reduces the frequency of calvings. This may benefit cow health but includes the risk of fattening and low milk yield at the end of the lactation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the VWP on metabolism and body condition during different phases of the lactation and start of the next lactation.
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Oct
05
Writing Workshop September 2023
ASAS hosted the first of two annual Writing workshops last week in Hollywood Beach, FL. The conference attendees were 25 ASAS member graduate students and young scientists from 12 different schools and agencies in the US and Canada.
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Oct
05
Interpretive Summary: Iron requirements of broiler chickens as affected by supplemental phytase
Iron is routinely supplemented in broiler feeds to prevent possible dietary deficiencies. We carried out an experiment with the objective of evaluating the Fe requirements of broilers fed with the exogenous enzyme phytase.
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Oct
05
Interpretive Summary: Dietary lysolecithin supplementation improves growth performance of weaned piglets via improving nutrients absorption, lipid metabolism, and redox status
Early weaning has been widely adopted to maximize productivity for swine production. However, the weaned piglets suffer from insufficient energy intake due to the reduced feed intake caused by weaning stress, which compromises the growth rate of piglets.
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Oct
05
Interpretive Summary: Influence of handling in corrals on the temperament of different breeds of beef cattle raised in Brazil
Some scientific studies have shown the negative effect of poor handling on the welfare and temperament of animals. Furthermore, there is evidence that more reactive cattle present the highest blood cortisol concentrations indicative of stress.
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Oct
05
Interpretive Summary: A comparative study on feeding timing and additive types of broilers in a high-temperature environment
The increasing frequency of exposure to high-temperature environments has prompted research into nutritional approaches to alleviate heat stress in chickens, but little research has been reported on feeding timing. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of feeding timing on the effectiveness of the natural antioxidants vitamin C (VC) and green tea extract (GTE).
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Oct
05
Interpretive Summary: Short communication: commercial diets for pigs in the United States contain more calcium than formulated
Calcium is often oversupplied in pig diets because limestone, the main source of Ca in pig diets, is an inexpensive feed ingredient and is often used as a carrier in premixes or a diluent in feed ingredients. However, excess Ca may be detrimental to P digestibility and pig growth performance.
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Oct
05
Interpretive Summary: The effects of timing of high immune response phenotyping in relation to weaning on immune responses of crossbred beef calves
Understanding the optimal time to immunophenotype beef calves is important for the accurate estimation of their genetic ability to resist disease. The compound stressors experienced by a calf during weaning may have a similar impact on the immune system as chronic stress.
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Sep
28
Interpretive Summary: EPA rejects environmental activist’s petitions
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has rejected two petitions sponsored by environmental agencies that would potentially have a negative impact on American farmers and ranchers. The petitions regarded revising the Clean Water Act regulations for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) program.
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Sep
28
Interpretive Summary: EPA releases revised WOTUS rule
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of the Army have issued a final rule regarding the Waters of the United States Rule (WOTUS). This announcement comes on the heels of the Supreme Court’s May 2023 decision in the Sackett v. EPA case, which overturned portions of the WOTUS rule.
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Sep
28
Interpretive Summary: FMMO hearings begin
The Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) Pricing Formula hearings, held by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) began last month. The USDA will hold a hearing on proposals to amend the pricing formulas in the 11 FMMOs. Each FMMO includes a classified price plan, a system of minimum prices, terms of the order, and provisions for administering the order.
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Sep
28
Interpretive Summary: Governors send letter regarding Farm Bill
The National Governors Association has sent a letter to the Agriculture Committee leaders in the House and Senate, expressing their wishes for the Farm Bill. The National Governors Association assembled a task force to compile the key priorities for their states and believe their priorities highlight the important role farm bill programs play in strengthening communities.
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Sep
28
Interpretive Summary: Senators send letter to the FDA over lab-grown dairy
A group of bipartisan Senators, led by Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Senator Jim Risch (R-ID) sent a letter to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), over concerns for lab-grown dairy. The letter expresses deep concern that the FDA is allowing non-dairy lab-grown products to be illegally labeled with dairy terms.
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Sep
28
Interpretive Summary: The Livestock Consolidation Research Act introduced
A new bill that would direct the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to research how consolidation of livestock producers impacts the industry and consumers, has been introduced by United States House Representatives Randy Feenstra (R-IA) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI). A companion version of The Livestock Consolidation Research Act was introduced into the Senate by Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA).
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Sep
28
Interpretive Summary: Third party resolution needed for US and Mexico corn dispute
United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai announced that the United States is seeking a dispute settlement panel the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) regarding Mexico’s biotechnology corn measures. The United States is in an ongoing disagreement with Mexico over the February 2023 decree, banning the use of biotech corn in tortillas or dough, and the instruction to Mexican government agencies to gradually phase out the use of biotech corn in all products for human consumption and for animal feed.
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Sep
28
Interpretive Summary: USDA awards small business owners and farmers
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced over $265 million in awards to help small business owners, farmers, and ranchers lower their energy costs, create income, and expand operations. The awards are provided through President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act and the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), as part of the Investing in America Agenda.
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Sep
28
Interpretive Summary: USDA gives 65 million dollars in conservation grants
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced $65 million through the Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) Program. The funds will support two programs, designed to provide new tools, approaches, practices, and technologies to further natural resource conservation on private lands.
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Sep
21
Interpretive Summary: Predicting dry matter intake in beef cattle
In animal agriculture, passive monitoring technology has the potential to lead to needed innovations as we look for solutions to make global food production more resilient. Here, we use passive intake systems to measure daily weight, water intake, and climatic variables to accurately predict dry matter intake.
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Sep
21
Interpretive Summary: A Clinical Trial on the Welfare Effects of Administering Meloxicam to 10 to 21 Day Dairy Calves Following Caustic Paste Disbudding
Caustic paste disbudding (CPD) is a widely used practice in the cattle industry, yet there is a shortage of literature on the effects of meloxicam on calves aged 10 to 21 d who have undergone this procedure. In this clinical trial, we conducted a comparative analysis of the pain-related behavioral, physiological, and hematological performance of calves that were administered with either lidocaine plus normal saline (n = 15) or lidocaine plus meloxicam (n = 15) before undergoing disbudding operations.
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Sep
21
Interpretive Summary: Postpartum meloxicam administration to sows but not split-suckling increases piglet growth and reduces clinical incidence of disease in suckling piglets
Suckling pigs should receive ≥200 g of colostrum (the first secretion of the mammary gland after giving birth) within the first 24 h of life. This is challenging to achieve as the number of piglets born alive has increased over the last decade, but the sow’s ability to produce colostrum has not increased.
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