This study explored how different levels of physically effective neutral detergent fiber from forage (peNDF-F) and the feed additive narasin affect the performance, carcass traits, meat quality, gastrointestinal fermentation, and ruminal papillae development of feedlot lambs consuming high-concentrate diets. Lambs fed higher levels of fiber in the diet (104 g/kg of peNDF-F) consumed more feed, but this did not lead to better weight gain and reduced feed efficiency.

Large pen feedlot studies (n = 7) with heifers and steers (n = 17,571) were conducted in North America with the objective to determine the effects of orally administered Megasphaera elsdenii NCIMB 41125 (Lactipro; LP) at terminal processing on subsequent mortality and growth performance. The death rate during the feeding period following terminal processing was 1.57 times greater in cattle not administered LP.

Ruminants can use non-protein nitrogen (NPN) due to the symbiotic relationship with rumen microbes; however, there is limited information on supplementing different NPN mixtures on ruminal fermentation and microbial protein synthesis. Twelve American Aberdeen steers were used in a replicated and balanced 3 × 3 Latin square design with 3 periods of 35 d each. Urea (U), urea-biuret (UB), and urea-biuret-nitrate (UBN) mixtures were supplemented in an isonitrogenous corn silage-based diet.

In late gestation, the amino acid requirements of primiparous sows increase substantially due to growth of the fetal pool and mammary gland development. Dietary Lys (protein) supply in late gestation can influence mammary development by the end of gestation, with an unknown impact on subsequent milk production.

Trypsin inhibitor proteins are intrinsic to soybeans and soy products, presenting an omnipresent antinutritional factor challenging soy-based product use in swine diets. Increasing dietary trypsin inhibitor (TIU/mg) protein linearly compromises growth performance, feed efficiency, and nitrogen retention as soybean TIU increased in the diet of nursery pigs. These performance outcomes were caused by reductions in nitrogen digestibility and retention.

Many pet food brands claim blueberries are a source of antioxidants, promoting their health benefits. Blueberries are rich in polyphenols, plant compounds known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which can support human and animal health.

Changes of diet in dogs are recommended to be gradual, as sudden introductions can cause vomiting and diarrhea. However, from a research point of view, a swift dietary change could be a model of gastrointestinal disturbance to test the impact of feed additives aimed at fostering gut resilience.

Congress left for August recess after passing the “Big, Beautiful Bill”, which addressed many of the major Farm Bill funding programs. However, due to the Byrd Rule in the Senate, many programs must still be reauthorized, or face expiration at the end of September. Chairman Thompson (R-PA) has dubbed the remaining work as “Farm Bill 2.0”. He estimates that Farm Bill 2.0 should be less controversial and able to garner more bipartisan support than the Big, Beautiful Bill.

One of the oldest human-managed uses of the physical world is animal husbandry. This has always been a fascinating, complex combination of scientific understanding of natural resources and animals and the contextual application of that knowledge, which builds on itself in the doing.

Determining what plants grazing animals are eating has been a persistent challenge for animal and rangeland scientists (Holechek et al. 1982). This challenge not only applies to important livestock species such as cattle, sheep, and horses but also wildlife – all of which often or always inhabit large extensive rangelands with complex plant communities.

Beef cows have been getting larger over the past 4 to 5 decades which can create problems for many different segments of the beef industry (Scasta, et al. 2019). According to the United States Beef Improvement Federation and National Cattle Slaughter Summary, in 1975 the average U.S. beef cow weighed ~1,050 pounds and by 2009 weighed ~1,350 pounds, and today it is thought they weigh ~1,400 pounds but potentially stabilizing (Wiseman et al. 2018).

For producers and those outside agriculture, virtual fence provokes hope, novelty, and interest. But how does it work on rugged, mountainous terrain in remote areas?

Our recent project, Managing Rangelands with Virtual Fencing for Grazing Lands Conservation in Western Colorado, aimed to assess this question.

Small ruminants have been amongst the first farm animals to be domesticated by humans. Primarily, these animals are raised for meat, milk and skin ensuring global food security in addition to providing draught power and financial services. Small ruminants are highly valued for their versatility and excellent adaptability to varied geographical and climatic conditions as evident from their wide distribution pattern in Asian and African continents with rough climatic conditions.

The success of cow-calf operations is fundamentally tied to the performance and management of beef females, as they are expected to maintain estrous cyclicity and produce one calf per cow annually. A combination of factors, including nutrition and management practices, affect reproductive success in cattle, and therefore overall fertility and herd performance.

Transportation is a necessary part of ruminant livestock production, with most animals being transported at least once in their lifetime, if not more frequently. Livestock are transported for a variety of reasons, including growing and finishing, harvesting, acquiring new genetics, and show purposes. However, transportation can be a potential stressor for livestock that can impact skeletal muscle, growth, and meat quality (Dalmau et al., 2013; Deters and Hansen, 2022).

As the world population is projected to increase to 9.15 billion by 2050, demand for agricultural products is expected to increase 60% (Alexandratos and Bruinsma, 2012). Current cattle production practices will not meet increasing demand. The U.S. primarily produces Bos taurus cattle and ranks first in beef exports worldwide, accounting for 20% of the world supply (Colditz and Hine, 2016; Scheffler, 2022; USDA, 2024).

Tannins have long been used to preserve and tan leather. There are reports of tannin use dating back to the late Neolithic period (Falcão and Araujo, 2018), when aqueous extracts with plant parts were used to prevent the degradation of slaughtered animal skins, transforming them into leather.

The August Edition of The Giving Herd, an ASAS Foundation Newsletter

A Life Bridging Animal and Human Science - Teresa A. Davis' Story

Sows are usually fed a single diet during lactation regardless of factors that affect nutrient requirements such as parity, milk production, and litter growth rate. Precision feeding through diet blending can be used to target an individual sow’s nutrient requirement and decrease diet costs compared to traditional feeding strategies.