Counter to what we anticipated, journal submissions to all ASAS journals have increased throughout the pandemic, but many may have noticed, particularly within JAS that even though articles are moving from submission to Advance Access faster than ever before, there have been issues getting final article proofs and moving the final articles into paginated issues, resulting in smaller than normal issue sizes for March and April.

Researchers fed cattle high fiber, low-quality Rhodes grass hay and supplemented feed with LY to evaluate digestibility in this recent Journal of Animal Science study.

The authors of this recent Journal of Animal Science study evaluated the digestibility of HG food in dogs.

Science Investments Included in Biden Budget Request
On April 9th, President Biden released information related to his fiscal year 2022 budget priorities. The submission to Congress highlights discretionary spending priorities for federal agencies but does not include program-by-program details.

Earlier this month, The Biden Administration presented to Congress the President’s priorities for the Fiscal Year 2022 discretionary spending, including $27.8 billion for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), a $3.8 billion, or 16% increase from the 2021 enacted level.

The American Farmland Trust, a national organization founded in 1980 that works to protect farmland, promote environmentally sound farming practices, and keep farmers on the land, has released the Agriculture’s Role in 30x30: Partnering with Farmers and Ranchers to Protect Land, Biodiversity, and the Climate Report highlighting agriculture’s role in conversing at least 30% of land and water by 2030, per President Biden’s Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.

The Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) has released A National Study of Capital Infrastructure at Colleges and Schools of Agriculture report. The study found that there is nearly $11.5 billion in needed repairs and renovations at the buildings and supporting facilities at the Land-Grant Universities that are authorized to receive funding from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The Farm Journal Foundation (FJF), the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), and the IHS Markit Agribusiness Consulting Group released the Benefits of Increased Investment in Agriculture Research Report. The report highlights the vital importance of public funding for agricultural research and development.

The United States House of Representatives voted 274-174 to advance the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. The Act is said to stabilize the agriculture sector and preserve rural heritage by ensuring that farmers can meet their labor needs in the future. The bipartisan bill was introduced by Representatives Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Dan Newhouse (R-WA).

During the last month, there have been numerous bills introduced relating to health, nutrition, and research.

The United States Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Food and Safety Nutrition Survey (FSANS) results were released. The FSANS assesses consumers’ awareness, knowledge, understanding, and reports the behaviors relating to a variety of food safety and nutrition-related topics.

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has launched AgLabs, a science-education website for students and educators.

It has been a little over a year since the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Economic Research Service (ERS) and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) relocated from Washington, D.C. to Kansas City, Missouri.

Within the last month, the Biden Administration has announced numerous appointees relating to health, agriculture, and research. Vivek Murthy was confirmed by the Senate and will serve as US Surgeon General. Murthy previously served as Surgeon General under the Obama Administration.

The letter was prompted by EPA sponsorship of “Plant Forward Menus for the Planet” programs at universities across the nation.

A paper recently published in the Journal of Animal Science investigated the effects or oregano essential oil supplementation on growth performance, intestinal antioxidative capacity, immunity, and intestinal microbiota of young yellow-feathered chickens.

In this recent Journal of Animal Science study, Bos indicus (Nellnore) bulls were given CSFA-supplemented feed and evaluated for improvements in performance and carcass/meat characteristics. B. indicus bulls were specifically chosen because their meat is lean with a low marbling score, leaving much room for improvement.

Animal Frontiers was formed to provide general reviews on topics of Global importance to Animal Science and Animal Agriculture.

A study recently published in the Journal of Animal Science evaluated the effects of different defatted rice bran sources and processing technologies on nutrient digestibility in different intestinal segments of pigs.

A study recently published in the Journal of Animal Science evaluated the administration of bovine somatotropin and its effects on fetal and placental development in beef heifers, including steroid- and eicosanoid-metabolizing enzyme activity when administered during the first trimester.