Featured Articles

  • Sep
    09
    Interpretive Summary: Wingless-type mouse mammary tumor virus integration site regulation of bovine theca cells


    Bovine Theca Cells Image
    The results of the present study, outlined in the full paper, support the idea that the WNT signaling pathway is involved in the regulation of theca cell proliferation and steroidogenesis, but further research is required to explain the specific mechanisms of action and dose responses of WNT, Dickkopf, and secreted frizzled-related protein 4 and their relationship with other molecules during follicular growth. A better understanding of the role of WNT and their molecular mechanisms will allow for a greater perspective on how these signals impact follicular maturation and subsequent conditions that could lead to ovarian cysts.

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  • Aug
    30
    Interpretive Summary: Addition of dietary methionine but not dietary taurine or methyl donors/receivers to grain-free diet increases postprandial homocysteine concentrations in adult dogs


    adult dog
    Grain-free diets have been popular in the pet industry for over a decade; however, recently, they have been associated with canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Research has linked DCM with a deficient of taurine in cats, which may be a possible cause for DCM in large breed dogs. Methionine and cysteine, amino acid precursors to taurine synthesis in dogs, is very low in ingredients used to replace grains. To date, there has been no research evaluating the plasma and whole blood taurine concentration of dogs when feeding grain-free diets supplemented with nutrients involved in the biosynthesis of taurine.

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  • Aug
    30
    Interpretive Summary: The impacts of xylanase on the fermentability and digestibility of high insoluble fiber diets in growing pigs


    growing pig
    Adding coproducts to swine feed is an economical choice that can also adversely impact the digestibility of feed. Coproducts contain a higher amount of non-starch polysaccharides (NSP), which cannot be digested by pigs. Poorly digested feed leads to reduced performance, an undesired effect. Adding carbohydrase enzymes to feed may make NPS more digestible without negatively impacting performance.

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  • Aug
    30
    Interpretive Summary: Effects of induced hindgut acidosis in growing pigs on growth, intestinal morphology and inflammation


    baby pigs
    Hindgut acidosis was induced by continuously infusing glucose (GLC) or casein (CAS) into the terminal ileum of growing pigs. Pigs were separated into three groups and given either an infusion of water (control), dextrose 50% (GLC) or casein sodium salt (CAS). Average daily feed intake was reduced in GLC and CAS pigs compared to the control.

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  • Aug
    30
    Interpretive Summary: Thermoregulatory and physiological responses of nonpregnant, mid-gestation, and late-gestation sows exposed to incrementally increasing dry bulb temperature


    sow
    Results of the present study demonstrated that, when compared with mid-gestation and nonpregnant sows, late-gestation sows had increased respiration rate and altered blood characteristics in response to increasing dry bulb temperature, which can be indicative of greater heat stress sensitivity.

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  • Aug
    26
    FARM Act Reintroduced


    climate change
    The Future of Agricultural Resiliency and Modernization Act (FARM Act), designed to help farmers more effectively fight climate change, has been reintroduced by Representative Josh Harder (D-CA), The FARM Act was first introduced by Harder in 2020 and referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry.

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  • Aug
    26
    New Lawsuit Against USDA Gene-Editing Approvals


    Biotech
    In 2020, The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued its final rule to modernize agricultural biotechnology regulations. The rule was revised to enable USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to regulate organisms developed using genetic engineering for plant pest risk with greater precision and reduces regulatory burden for developers of organisms that are unlikely to pose plant pest risks.

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  • Aug
    26
    Tyson Foods Will Require Vaccinations for All Employees


    vaccine
    “It is abundantly clear that getting vaccinated is the single most effective thing we can do to protect ourselves, our families, and our communities,” CEO Donnie King said in a memo to employees. Tyson Foods is incentivizing workers with a $200 bonus to do so, on top of the already established policy of providing up to four hours of pay for getting vaccinated outside of work.

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  • Aug
    26
    Study Finds Decline in American’s Confidence in US Institutions


    decline
    This survey, which sampled over 1,380 adults living in all US states and the District of Columbia during the current survey set, began in 1973 during the Watergate scandal. Since 1993, Gallup has tracked 14 core institutions and the public’s confidence. During the last 15 years, confidence has remained below 36%. Before 2006, confidence was typically above 40%.

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  • Aug
    26
    NASEM Establishes New Strategic Council


    council
    The NASEM are private, nonprofit institutions that provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation to resolve complications and inform public policy decisions related to science, technology, and medicine. They operate under an 1863 congressional charter to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS).

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  • Aug
    26
    IPCC Releases Climate Report


    climate
    The report addresses our physical understanding of the climate system and climate change, using the latest scientific advances and evidence from paleoclimate, observations, process understanding, global and regional climate simulations. This report also details how human influence has affected the climate over time.

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  • Aug
    26
    Life Expectancy in the US Drops


    Life Expectency
    "Life expectancy has been increasing gradually every year for the past several decades," Elizabeth Arias, a CDC researcher who worked on the report, told Reuters. "The decline between 2019 and 2020 was so large that it took us back to the levels we were in 2003. Sort of like we lost a decade."

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  • Aug
    26
    Court Denies Challenges to California Prop 12


    denied
    After the disappointing rejection from the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit had denied the petition from the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) and the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) to rescind California’s Proposition 12 (Prop 12) as unconstitutional under the dormant Commerce Clause.

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  • Aug
    26
    Groups Push for Massachusetts to Delay Animal Confinement Law


    Delay
    The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) and the North American Meat Institute (NAMI) are advising Massachusetts to defer implementation of the Act to Prevent Cruelty to Farm Animals (the Act). With just five months until enforcement, NPPC and NAMI state that the Attorney General for the state is 19 months late in providing rules and regulations for the Act to farmers and producers.

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  • Aug
    26
    Exposing Agricultural Trade Suppression Act Introduced


    Untitled design (76)
    The Exposing Agricultural Trade Suppression Act (EATS Act) was introduced as a rebuttal to California’s Proposition 12 (Prop 12), a policy that would establish minimum space requirements for breeding pigs, calves raised for veal, and egg-laying hens within the state. It also bans the sale of pork, veal, and eggs from animals raised elsewhere if their living conditions do not meet California’s standards.

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  • Aug
    26
    Court Rules Beef Checkoff as Constitutional


    Untitled design (75)
    The Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund (R-CALF) lost the challenge they brought against the Beef Checkoff. The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reaffirmed the constitutionality of the program. R-CALF claimed the program violated the First Amendment.

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  • Aug
    26
    Heirs’ Property Relending Program Announced


    Untitled design (70)
    Tom Vilsack, the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Secretary of Agriculture announced that the USDA will provide $67 million in competitive loans through the new Heirs’ Property Relending Program (HPRP), aimed to help agricultural producers and landowners resolve heirs’ land ownership and succession issues, specifically in minority communities.

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  • Aug
    23
    Modulation of jejunal mucosa-associated microbiota in relation to intestinal health and nutrient digestibility in pigs by supplementation of β-glucanase to corn–soybean meal-based diets with xylanase


    Untitled design (74)
    A study recently published in the Journal of Animal Science aimed to evaluate the effects of increasing levels of β-glucanase on the modulation of jejunal mucosa-associated microbiota in relation to nutrient digestibility and intestinal health of pigs fed diets with 30% corn distiller’s dried grains with solubles and xylanase. A recent study, Chen et al. (2020) evaluated the effects of increasing levels of xylanase on intestinal health and growth performance of nursery pigs and demonstrated that xylanase effectively enhanced intestinal health and growth performance of nursery pigs.

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  • Aug
    23
    Interpretive Summary: Hybrid rye may replace up to 75% of the corn in diets for gestating and lactating sows without negatively impacting sow and piglet performance


    Untitled design (73)
    Historically, rye has not been used in swine diets due to ergot contamination and high concentrations of antinutritional factors. However, new hybrid varieties offer a reduction in ergot contamination and antinutritional factors. Recent research has compared hybrid rye to barley, wheat, and soybean meal when fed to sows; however, no data compares it to corn diets.

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  • Aug
    23
    Interpretive Summary: Impact of manganese amino acid complex on tissue-specific trace mineral distribution and corpus luteum function in gilts


    Untitled design (72)
    Manganese (Mn) is an essential element used as a cofactor for enzymes involved in synthesizing cholesterol, which is the precursor for producing steroid hormones necessary for proper reproductive function.

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