Featured Articles

  • Jun
    01
    USDA announces various funding for underserved and veteran farmers


    The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a variety of funding for underserved and veteran farmers. The two new grant programs, the Indigenous Animals Harvesting and Meat Processing Grant Program and the Local Meat Capacity Grant Program are part of the broader $1 billion American Rescue Plan investment to expand processing capacity for small and midsized meat and poultry processors.

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  • Jun
    01
    USDA introduces “Cultivating Scientific Innovation”


    The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has published the USDA Science and Research Strategy, 2023-2026: Cultivating Scientific Innovation. The publication details the vision for transforming United States agriculture through science and innovation and outlines USDA’s highest scientific priorities.

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  • May
    25
    Foundation Week – One Day for ASAS


    Today is our inaugural giving day, One Day for ASAS! This is the time for us to come together to give back and support our members through all stages of their careers. Give today to support the next generation of animal scientists and to express gratitude for ASAS being that gathering place where many have become lifelong friends.

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  • May
    24
    Foundation Week – May 24th


    Today, we continue to share and celebrate your generosity's impact on our members throughout their careers. In addition to our daily posts, visit ASAS Foundation Impact to see how philanthropy has made a difference for our members this year.

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  • May
    23
    Foundation Week – May 23rd, 2023


    Do you have a passion for supporting current and future animal scientists? Did you know that, thanks to charitable contributions, the ASAS Foundation supports travel scholarships, prestigious awards, distinguished lectures, and so much more?

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  • May
    22
    Foundation Week – May 22nd, 2023


    Today we launch our annual ASAS Foundation Week and our inaugural giving day, One Day for ASAS!

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  • May
    18
    Interpretive Summary: Factors associated with the time and magnitude of the nadir body condition score in early lactation and its subsequent effects on fertility of Holstein cows


    The transition from gestation to lactation requires adjustments in nutrient consumption that are challenging for the postpartum dairy cow. As milk energy output increases more rapidly than energy intake, most cows mobilize fat and labile protein from body energy reserves, which results in reductions in body condition score during early lactation.

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  • May
    18
    Interpretive Summary: Effects of maternal methionine supplementation on the response of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) chicks to heat stress


    The deficiency of nutrients such as methionine in the diet of birds is affecting fertility rate, egg production, egg weight, and progeny weight. In addition, the maternal environment influences gene expression through epigenetic mechanisms, where the conditions experienced by the parental generation during embryonic development can produce effects on the progeny. This study investigates how methionine supplementation in the diet of quail hens can reduce the effects of oxidative stress and improve the performance of progeny subjected to heat stress during growth.

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  • May
    18
    Interpretive Summary: Genetic and phenotypic relationships between ewe reproductive performance and wool and growth traits in Uruguayan Ultrafine Merino sheep


    Fiber diameter (FD), clean fleece weight (CFW), live weight (LW), and reproductive performance are important traits in Merino flocks. This study estimated the genetic parameters for a range of production traits and ewe reproductive performance.

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  • May
    18
    Interpretive Summary: Effects of dairy cow temperament on milk yield: a systematic review and meta-analysis


    Individual differences in the behavior of dairy cows can affect their productive performance. In an attempt to summarize the scientific information available, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify the effects of dairy cows’ temperament on milk yield.

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  • May
    18
    Interpretive Summary: Applying the indicator amino acid oxidation technique in the domestic cat: results of a pilot study and development of a non-steady state prediction model


    It is necessary to apply more sensitive techniques to improve our limited understanding of amino acid (AA) requirements of adult cats. The non-invasive indicator amino acid oxidation (IAAO) technique is highly sensitive in mature animals. However, while it has been widely applied in different species, this technique has yet to be used in cats.

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  • May
    18
    Interpretive Summary: Effects of weight loss and feeding specially formulated diets on the body composition, blood metabolite profiles, voluntary physical activity, and fecal metabolites and microbiota of obese dogs


    In this study, we aimed to determine the effects of restricted feeding of specially formulated foods on weight loss, body composition, voluntary physical activity, serum hormones and oxidative stress markers, and fecal metabolites and microbiota populations of obese dogs. A control (OR) food was fed during a 4-wk baseline to identify intake needed to maintain the body weight (BW).

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  • May
    18
    Interpretive Summary: Short communication: diversity of endogenous avian leukosis virus subgroup E elements in 11 chicken breeds


    Avian leukemia virus subgroup E (ALVE) is an endogenous retrovirus, which is extensively integrated with the chicken genome, and has some effects on chicken production traits and appearance. Most of the current studies on ALVE insertion sites were conducted in standard breeds.

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  • May
    11
    Interpretive Summary: Effects of lasalocid, narasin, or virginiamycin supplementation on rumen parameters and performance of beef cattle fed forage-based diet


    Feed additives are nutritional tools that benefit dietary digestibility and nutrient utilization, alter ruminal fermentation routes, and improve cattle growth and efficiency, thus increasing productivity and profitability in beef cattle systems. Nonetheless, most of the current research focuses on supplementing feed additives in high-concentrate diets.

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  • May
    11
    Interpretive Summary: Level of feeding and stage of maturity affects diet digestibility and protein and fat deposition in cross-bred lambs


    Understanding animal responses to changes in nutrition will assist to create more efficient red meat production systems. Complex interactions exist due to the quality, physical characteristics and level of feeding of the diet, and the nutritional history of the animal. The resultant changes to body composition and the partitioning of energy to tissues has important implications for producers.

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  • May
    11
    Interpretive Summary: Effects of adding ruminal propionate on dry matter intake and glucose metabolism in steers fed a finishing ration


    Propionate metabolism by the liver is thought to be a key regulator of appetite and feed intake of animals, including cattle. Previous research has shown that providing propionate to the rumen of cattle decreases feed intake.

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  • May
    11
    Interpretive Summary: Influence of fiber-rich coproducts on nutrient and energy digestibility and utilization in sows


    Coproducts from the food and agricultural industries have the potential to partly substitute grain in diets for empty nonlactating sows. Many coproducts are high in fiber and with diverse fiber composition. Some being easily fermented, while others are more resistant to fermentation giving rise to a large variation in the total tract digestibility and utilization of nutrients and energy.

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  • May
    11
    Interpretive Summary: Effects of dietary crude protein level and sodium butyrate protected by medium-chain fatty acid salts on performance and gut health in weaned piglets


    Reducing dietary levels of crude protein (CP) and the use of feed-additives such as sodium butyrate protected by medium-chain fatty acid salts are currently under investigation as nutritional strategies with beneficial effects on the intestinal barrier, and consequently on the health of weaned piglets.

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  • May
    11
    Interpretive Summary: One-carbon metabolism and related pathways in ruminal and small intestinal epithelium of lactating dairy cows


    The gastrointestinal tract serves a number of essential functions in the animal and exposure to physiological and environmental stressors can lead to disruption of its barrier function and compromise nutrient absorption. In nonruminants, mechanisms to cope with pro-oxidant and pro-inflammatory stressors are essential for maintaining gut function.

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  • May
    11
    Interpretive Summary: Multiphasic mixed growth models for turkeys


    Turkeys have been bred for several purposes over the past decades. We studied growth patterns of turkeys of two genetic lines bred for either meat production or egg production.

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