Featured Articles

  • Oct
    12
    Interpretive Summary: Genetic parameters for pulmonary arterial pressure, yearling performance, and carcass ultrasound traits in Angus cattle


    Beef cattle residing >1,500 m are subject to reduced atmospheric oxygen levels when compared with beef cattle at lower elevations which may result in hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension and right-side heart failure. Breeders use pulmonary arterial pressures to identify animals at risk of right-side heart failure and to select breeding animals that are less susceptible to the problem.

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  • Oct
    12
    Interpretive Summary: Changes in gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids are involved in the process of canine obesity after neutering


    Neutering contributes to canine obesity risk. In this study, obesity rate of 60% at 21 mo after neutering was observed. Obese dogs had greater serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and leptin levels and lower adiponectin level than ideal weight dogs.

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  • Oct
    12
    Interpretive Summary: Efficient establishment of an optimized culture condition for cashmere goat primary hair follicle stem cells


    Hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) are indispensable for skin repair, hair growth, development, and regeneration. One major challenge in primary cell culture is achieving efficient growth while maintaining stemness to achieve a high yield.

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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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