Cattlemen's Day, 2012

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Open Access
Steam-generation cooking versus dry heat convection of beef roasts differing in connective tissue
(Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, 2012-04-03) Bowers, L.J.; Dikeman, Michael E.; Murray, Leigh W.; Stroda, Sally L.; mdikeman; lmurray; sstroda
Foodservice managers strive to control factors that affect yield, serving cost, and palatability of beef. Beef roasts are traditionally roasted at temperatures from 325°F to 350°F for both home and institutional use. Roasts relatively high in connective tissue cooked with moist heat generally are more tender than when cooked with dry heat. Roasts cooked to 150, 160, or 170°F could be expected to have cooking losses ranging from 20% to over 40%. The issue of cooking loss led Winston Industries to develop the CVap Cook and Hold Vapor Oven (Winston Industries, Louisville, KY). CVap technology controls evaporation by creating a moist environment, which creates an opposing vapor pressure that minimizes moisture loss and should improve cooking yields. The objectives of our research were to compare the effects of moist-heat cookery in a CVap oven and dry-heat cookery in a Blodgett forced-air convection oven on cooked yield, cooked color, tenderness, and sensory attributes of beef roasts differing in connective tissue content cooked to different endpoint temperatures.
Open Access
Combined microwave and convection cooking increases post-cooking temperature rise of beef Biceps femoris muscles more than convection cooking
(Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, 2012-04-03) Gaschler, A.; Dikeman, Michael E.; mdikeman
Combined microwave and convection cooking has gained popularity in the last 20 years because of more accurate heat control and more efficient use of energy. Combination microwave/convection cooking allows for more rapid cooking, but it does not have the same even heat distribution as convection cooking. Cooking is a critical stage when preparing meat. The main factors to consider during cooking are: temperature on the surface of meat, internal temperature throughout, and the method of heat transfer. Temperature on the surface and method of heat exchange primarily affect surface color and aroma, whereas internal temperature affects protein structure and flavor as well as aroma. At any temperature above 230°F, Maillard browning reactions start to occur and give meat its typical brown, caramelized appearance; however, high humidity prevents Maillard browning from occurring and dilutes flavor and odor components. All sensory attributes can, therefore, be significantly influenced by the cooking technique used. Different cooking methods allow for tenderness, flavor development, and color changes, all of which can be either acceptable or unacceptable for consumers. Different cuts of beef are cooked using different cooking methods to ensure that even a low-quality cut of meat can be acceptable for consumption. The objectives of our study were to investigate the differences between convection cooking and a combination of microwave and convection cooking and endpoint temperatures to observe how these factors affect post-cooking temperature rise, cooking yields, and tenderness.
Open Access
Aging method, USDA quality grade, and endpoint temperature affect eating quality of beef longissimus lumborum steaks
(Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, 2012-04-03) Obuz, E.; Gok, V.; Akaya, L.; Dikeman, Michael E.; mdikeman
Tenderness is one of the most important factors affecting consumers’ perceptions and acceptance of palatability. Tenderness is affected by both myofibrillar proteins and connective tissue content and quality. Both marbling and carcass maturity can have a significant effect on beef palatability, with higher consumer sensory scores generally given to USDA Choice loin steaks than to Select steaks for tenderness, juiciness, and overall palatability. Endpoint temperature can also have a significant effect, with higher endpoint temperatures generally decreasing palatability. Aging beef is a common practice in the meat industry because it increases tenderness and flavor development. The meat industry generally utilizes two types of aging, vacuum and dry aging. Vacuum aging, in which meat is aged in a sealed barrier package at refrigerated temperatures, is the most widely used practice. Dry aging refers to aging meat without packaging, and requires greater environmental control to achieve consistent product quality. Vacuum-aged beef has a sourer and stronger bloody/serumy flavor, whereas dry-aged beef has a more beefy, brown-roasted flavor. Dry aging generally results in greater aged flavor of steaks with no advantage for tenderness, and it is a costly procedure because of decreased yields due to greater weight and trim losses than vacuum aging. Flavor benefits of dry aging and distinct yield advantages of vacuum aging stimulated researchers to develop a “special bag” with a very high water vapor transmission rate and very low oxygen transmission rate to decrease shrink and trim loss but create a dry-aged flavor.
Open Access
A commercially available SRP vaccine reduces prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 in feces of beef cattle under commercial feedlot conditions
(Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, 2012-04-03) Butler, B.A.; Loneragan, G.H.; Thomson, Daniel U.; Nagaraja, Tiruvoor G.; Reinhardt, Christopher D.; thomson; tnagaraj; cdr3
Of all food safety challenges facing the beef industry, Escherichia coli O157:H7 has consistently presented the greatest economic remonstrance to meat packers and retailers. Cattle naturally shed E. coli O157:H7 in their feces, and it is a source of carcass contamination at harvest. If contaminated trim enters the food supply and is subsequently prepared incorrectly, it can lead to the human condition known as hemorrhagic colitis. In children or elderly people, an E. coli O157:H7 infection may lead to a more serious form known as hemolytic uremic syndrome, which is potentially lethal. Although the majority of previous research has been dedicated to reduction in contamination post-harvest, recent focus has shifted to pre-harvest mitigation of E. coli O157:H7. Post-harvest procedures are effective, so there is less room for improvement than in pre-harvest mitigation. Also, reducing the E. coli O157 burden entering the plant may improve the efficacy of post-harvest tools and ultimately reduce human illness. Most previous research efforts have been focused on controlling E. coli within the abbatoir. Over the last 10 years, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association has estimated E. coli O157 to cost the industry $2.67 billion. The E. coli O157 siderophore-receptor and porin-based (SRP) vaccine has been shown to reduce fecal shedding of E. coli in cattle in laboratory conditions as well as field conditions. In 2007, the vaccine received conditional licensure from the USDA. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of the SRP vaccine by (1) quantifying the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 in vaccinated cattle under field conditions and (2) monitoring anti-SRP antibody titer levels immediately prior to harvest.
Open Access
LED lighting extends color shelf life for three beef products compared with fluorescent lighting
(Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, 2012-04-03) Steele, K.S.; Weber, M.J.; Boyle, Elizabeth A. E.; Lobaton-Sulabo, A.S.; Cundith, C.; Hiebert, Y.H.; Abrolat, K.A.; Attey, J.M.; Clark, S.D.; Johnson, D.; Roenbaugh, T.L.; Hunt, Melvin C.; lboyle
Consumers are not able to estimate tenderness, juiciness, or flavor when selecting beef cuts at retail stores. Instead, they rely on color as one of the major criteria to select beef cuts. During refrigerated display, fresh meat color changes and consumers discriminate against discolored meats. Meat items with discoloration must be discounted or discarded, leading to up to $1 billion in revenue loss nationally for the meat industry. Lighting type and intensity have a major impact on the appearance and shelf life of fresh beef in refrigerated retail display. Light emitting diode (LED) lighting offers advantages for display because it is more energy-efficient and generates less heat than fluorescent lights. These advantages may be beneficial for fresh meat color stability. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of LED and fluorescent (FLS) lighting on visual and instrumental meat color and shelf-life properties of three fresh beef products displayed in two retail display cases that were set up to run at similar temperature profiles when case lighting was off prior to the initiation of the study.
Open Access
Feeding crude glycerin decreases fecal shedding of E. coli O157:H7 in growing cattle
(Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, 2012-04-03) Aperce, C.; Drouillard, James S.; jdrouill
Crude glycerin is a byproduct of ethanol production and is used as a carbohydrate source for cattle feed. Glycerin levels in previous studies have ranged from 0 to 20% of diet dry matter, and concentrations of 8% or less generally improve feedlot performance. At even low levels of glycerin, however, the activity of cellulolytic bacteria is depressed, ultimately leading to poorer fiber digestion. This observation suggests that glycerin may affect a specific population of bacteria in the gut. Crude glycerin can account for 8 to 10% of the weight of dried distillers grains with solubles, because it is one of the primary end-products when yeast ferments sugars to produce ethanol. Addition of 25% dried distillers grains with solubles to a feedlot diet increased the prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in feces of cattle. These observations led us to question whether glycerin might be the component of distillers grains responsible for the increases in prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 that often are observed in cattle fed distillers grains. To address this question, we added glycerin to diets of growing cattle and subsequently evaluated fecal shedding of E. coli O157:H7.
Open Access
Zilmax alters blood constituents of finishing cattle
(Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, 2012-04-03) Van Bibber, C.L.; Drouillard, James S.; jdrouill
The purpose of this experiment was to determine the effects of Zilmax (Merck Animal Health, Summit, NJ) on changes in blood metabolites. Zilmax is a feed additive designed to improve production efficiency in cattle when fed during the last phase at the feedlot. Zilmax works by redirecting the energy use in the body to form more lean muscle at the expense of fat deposition. The blood metabolites measured in our experiment were glucose and lactate, which are the energy sources for various body functions including muscle growth. Plasma urea nitrogen was measured as an indicator of protein catabolism. Non-esterified fatty acids also were measured as they were released into the bloodstream with the breakdown of adipose tissue.
Open Access
Accelerated step-up regimes for feedlot heifers following oral dosing with Lactipro (Megasphaera elsdenii strain NCIMB 41125)
(Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, 2012-04-03) Miller, K.; Van Bibber, C.L.; Drouillard, James S.; jdrouill
Cattle entering feedlots typically are adapted to finishing diets over a period of 2 to 4 weeks by gradually replacing forages with concentrate feeds using a series of step-up diets. Without proper adaptation, naïve cattle are highly susceptible to ruminal acidosis, a disorder associated with excessive production and accumulation of organic acids within the rumen. One of the key metabolic intermediates associated with the manifestation of acidosis is lactic acid, which is derived from fermentation of readily available starches and sugars. Streptococcus bovis is a prolific, rapidly growing, and opportunistic organism that thrives in the presence of readily fermented starches and sugars, and is an important inhabitant of the rumen that is recognized for its ability to produce large quantities of lactate. In unadapted cattle, the relative absence of lactate-utilizing bacteria can lead to the accumulation of lactate, thus predisposing the animals to acidosis. In traditional step-up programs, the gradual replacement of roughages with concentrate feeds provides ample time for proliferation of lactate-utilizing species of bacteria, the most important of which is Megasphaera elsdenii. Lactipro (MS Biotech, Inc., Wamego, KS) is a novel class of probiotic consisting of a highly prolific strain of Megasphaera elsdenii. Because Megasphaera elsdenii is an obligate anaerobe, it must be administered orally to avoid exposure to oxygen. In previous experiments with Lactipro, we have observed that a single oral dose results in rapid colonization of Megasphaera elsdenii within the rumen, effectively preventing the accumulation of lactate following an abrupt diet change from forage to concentrate. The present study was designed to evaluate different step-up regimens, with the objective of decreasing the time and number of diets required to place cattle on high-concentrate finishing diets.
Open Access
Influence of Linpro and dietary copper on feedlot cattle performance, carcass characteristics, and fatty acid composition of beef
(Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, 2012-04-03) Alvarado, C.A.; Aperce, C.C.; Miller, K.A.; Van Bibber, C.L.; Uwituze, S.; Higgins, James J.; Drouillard, James S.; jdrouill; jhiggins
Human diets often contain high levels of saturated fatty acids that can have deleterious health consequences such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. In contrast, omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for human nutrition, are consumed at relatively low levels despite of their positive effects on health. Natural sources of omega-3 fatty acids include fresh legumes, cool-season grasses, flaxseed, and fish oil. In spite of the fact that fresh forages often are a key part of the cattle diet, beef is a relatively poor source of omega-3 fatty acids because of biohydrogenation, the action of microorganisms in the rumen that convert polyunsaturated fatty acids, including the omega-3 fats, into saturated fats. Previous research at Kansas State University has shown that feeding cattle flax-based feeds can increase concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids in beef. Researchers at Colorado State University have reported that elevated levels of dietary copper can inhibit the biohydrogenation process to yield beef with greater proportions of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Our objective was to evaluate whether feeding elevated copper concentrations in conjunction with Linpro (O&T Farms; Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada), a co-extruded blend of field peas and flaxseed, could be used to further improve the levels of omega-3 fatty acids in beef.
Open Access
Effects of prepartum and postpartum bolus injections of trace minerals on performance of beef cows and calves grazing native range
(Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, 2012-04-03) Mundell, L.R.; Stevenson, Jeffrey S.; Grieger, David M.; Pacheco, L.A.; Bolte, J.W.; Aubel, N.A.; Eckerle, G.J.; Macek, M.J.; Havenga, L.J.; Olson, K. C.; Jaeger, John R.; jrjaeger; jss; dgrieger; kcolson
Adequate dietary intakes of trace minerals are thought necessary to maximize cow reproduction, calf health, and calf performance. Diets grazed by beef cattle are generally deficient to marginal in copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn) concentrations; therefore, these trace minerals are usually added to the diet in supplement form. The most widely used means of trace-mineral supplementation for grazing cattle is selffed, salt-based, loose mineral supplements. Although cattle do not balance their mineral needs when consuming a self-fed mineral supplement, usually no other practical way of supplying mineral needs exists under grazing conditions. The greatest limitation to using self-fed mineral supplements is variation in animal intake. More direct methods of mineral supplementation include adding minerals to drinking water or feed, oral drenching, ruminal boluses, and injection. Variation in mineral intake is reduced relative to self-fed supplementation, and the additional labor requirement and expense are relatively small. Delivery of supplemental trace minerals using an injectable solution may be a more reliable means of achieving adequate trace-mineral status than using self-fed, salt-based, loose mineral supplements. Bolus injections of trace minerals have been associated with improved average daily gain, feed efficiency, feed intake, or health status of beef calves fed in confinement; however, trace mineral delivery methods of this type have not been fully evaluated with respect to performance of beef cows and suckling calves. The objective of our study was to evaluate the effects of pre- and postpartum bolus injections of a trace mineral solution on beef cow reproductive performance, body weight change, and body condition score change, as well as performance of suckling calves.
Open Access
Effects of corn steep liquor supplementation on voluntary selection of tallgrass prairie hay contaminated with sericea lespedeza and uncontaminated tallgrass prairie hay
(Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, 2012-04-03) Eckerle, G.J.; Pacheco, L.A.; Olson, K. C.; Jaeger, John R.; kcolson; jrjaeger
Sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) is classified as a noxious weed throughout the Great Plains. It produces copious amounts of seed annually and contains high levels of condensed tannins during much of the growing season, which deters grazing by large domestic herbivores. In Kansas alone, this plant infests approximately 600,000 acres of native range, reducing native grass production by up to 92%. Increased grazing pressure on sericea lespedeza by beef cattle may slow its spread and facilitate some measure of biological control. Feedstuffs or feed additives with tannin-binding properties may promote voluntary consumption of this plant by grazing beef cattle. In previous studies, confined beef cattle fed polyethylene glycol daily ate more sericea lespedeza than cattle that were not fed polyethylene glycol; however, use of polyethylene glycol by commercial beef producers is problematic because feeding it at the rates necessary to increase intake of sericea lespedeza is cost-prohibitive and disallowed from a regulatory standpoint. We reported previously that low to moderate amounts of supplemental corn steep liquor (i.e., 0.6 to 1.8 kg/day) increased intake of tallgrass prairie hay contaminated with sericea lespedeza by beef cows fed in confinement. Corn steep liquor is an inexpensive, palatable, and abundant by-product of wet-corn milling and is generally regarded as safe (GRAS) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Whether beef cattle supplemented with corn steep liquor will readily consume forage contaminated by sericea lespedeza when uncontaminated forage is available simultaneously is unknown. Therefore, the objective of our study was to determine the effects of low-level corn steep liquor supplementation on voluntary selection of tallgrass prairie hay contaminated by sericea lespedeza when uncontaminated tallgrass prairie hay was also available.
Open Access
Effects of corn steep liquor supplementation on intake and digestion of tallgrass prairie hay contaminated with sericea lespedeza
(Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, 2012-04-03) Eckerle, G.J.; Pacheco, L.A.; Olson, K. C.; Jaeger, John R.; kcolson; jrjaeger
Sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) is a noxious weed that infests approximately 600,000 acres of native range in Kansas. Intake of sericea lespedeza by grazing beef cattle is poor due to the presence of condensed tannins in the plant. Condensed tannins reduce protein digestion by beef cattle and may also decrease plant palatability because of their astringent nature. Prolific seed production, in combination with little or no grazing pressure, has contributed to the rapid spread of sericea lespedeza in the Flint Hills. Increasing grazing pressure on sericea lespedeza may reduce seed production and slow its advance; however, the presence of condensed tannins inhibit consumption by grazing animals. Reports have indicated that feed-grade polyethylene glycol may inhibit formation of tannin-protein complexes in the rumen, but beef producers have not widely adopted polyethylene glycol because, at the rates necessary to increase intake of sericea lespedeza, it is cost-prohibitive and disallowed by regulations. Therefore, identifying substances that are generally regarded as safe (GRAS) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, cost-effective, and that mitigate the consequences of consuming a diet high in tannins is advantageous. Such information could lead to a degree of biological control of this noxious weed using the most economically important grazer (i.e., beef cattle) in the Flint Hills. Preliminary research in our laboratory indicated that corn steep liquor has binding affinity for condensed tannins that is similar to polyethylene glycol. Therefore, the objective of our study was to determine the effects of corn steep liquor supplementation on intake and digestion of tallgrass prairie hay contaminated by sericea lespedeza.
Open Access
Increasing protein supply to pregnant beef cows when energy is limited does not improve cow or calf performance
(Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, 2012-04-03) Bailey, E.A.; Titgemeyer, Evan C.; Cochran, R.C.; Jones, Timothy J.; Olson, K. C.; etitgeme; kcolson
Pre- and postpartum deficiencies of metabolizable protein have been identified as potentially limiting to productivity of beef cows and calves. Pre-partum supplementation of forage-based diets with ruminally undegraded protein has increased weight gain and breeding performance in prior studies, but the level of ruminally degraded protein fed was not known. Feeding adequate ruminally degraded protein to beef cows maximizes the productivity of microbes in the rumen, so any benefits shown in prior work could have been attributed to increased ruminal fermentation. Our objectives were (1) to determine the value of supplementing ruminally undegraded protein when dietary ruminally degraded protein supply was estimated to be adequate to support normal ruminal fermentation, and (2) to monitor the changes in intake and digestion that precede parturition in beef cows fed low-quality, warm-season forage.
Open Access
Spring burning of native tallgrass pastures influences diet composition of lactating and non-lactating beef cows
(Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, 2012-04-03) Aubel, N.A.; Eckerle, G.J.; Pacheco, L.A.; Macek, M.J.; Mundell, L.R.; Olson, K. C.; Jaeger, John R.; Murray, Leigh W.; kcolson; jrjaeger; lmurray
Diet selection is a dynamic process because of seasonal changes in animal and plant characteristics. Nutrient requirements of grazing animals are a function of physiological state; moreover, plant characteristics may be altered with prescribed spring burning of native rangelands. Prescribed spring burning is used to improve the average quality of pasture forage by removing old growth and making new plant growth more accessible to grazing cattle. Microhistological analysis of fecal material has been a widely used method for quantifying the botanical composition of a grazing animal’s diet since it was first described by Baumgartner and Martin in 1939. Little research has been conducted on how diet selection preferences of lactating beef cows with suckling calves and non-lactating beef cows are influenced by prescribed burning. We hypothesized that during the summer grazing season, lactating cows with calves and non-lactating cows would display distinctive preferences for certain species. Furthermore, we anticipated that these diet selection preferences might be influenced by prescribed burning. To that end, our objective was to characterize differences in diet selection between lactating beef cows suckling calves and non-pregnant, non-lactating beef cows grazing either burned or unburned native tallgrass prairie during summer.
Open Access
Presynchronizing Prostaglandin F2α injection before timed artificial insemination CO-Synch + CIDR program
(Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, 2012-04-03) Hill, Scott L.; Pulley, Stephanie Leeann; Mellieon, H.I. Jr.; Olson, K. C.; Jaeger, John R.; Breiner, Ryan M.; Perry, G.A.; Lamb, G.C.; Stevenson, Jeffrey S.; kcolson; jrjaeger; rbreiner; jss
Fixed-time artificial insemination is an effective management tool that reduces the labor associated with more conventional programs that require detection of estrus. The 7-day CO-Synch + controlled internal drug release (CIDR) insert protocol has been shown to effectively initiate estrus and ovulation in cycling and non-cycling suckled beef cows, producing pregnancy rates at or greater than 50% in beef cows. The gonadotropin- releasing hormone (GnRH) injection that begins the CO-Synch + CIDR program initiates ovulation in a large proportion of cows, particularly anestrous cows. The CIDR, which releases progesterone intravaginally, prevents short estrous cycles that usually follow the first postpartum ovulation in beef cows. Our hypothesis was that inducing estrus with a prostaglandin injection 3 days before applying the 7-day CO-Synch + CIDR protocol might increase the percentage of cycling cows that would exhibit synchronous follicular waves after the onset of the CO-Synch + CIDR protocol, thereby increasing pregnancy outcomes.
Open Access
MGA and growth promotants administered to beef feedlot heifers have no effect on subsequent oocyte quality or in vitro embryo production
(Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, 2012-04-03) Miller, N.; Grieger, David M.; Fike, Karol E.; dgrieger; karol
Beef feedlot heifers have the potential to serve as viable donors of oocytes post-slaughter for in vitro embryo production. Oocyte quality is a critical factor affecting the success of in vitro embryo production and can be influenced by factors such as age and reproductive status, ovarian follicle size, and nutritional status of the donor female. In a conventional feedlot setting, heifers are typically administered steroid-based growth promotants and fed melengestrol acetate (MGA) for suppression of estrus, which increases circulating concentrations of reproductive steroids, particularly estradiol. The effects of these management practices on oocyte quality and numbers are unknown. The purpose of this study was to compare oocytes harvested from traditionally managed beef feedlot heifers implanted with growth promotants and fed MGA with oocytes from heifers given neither MGA nor growth promotants, and to evaluate potential effects of these feedlot management practices on early embryo development.
Open Access
Direct-fed microbials for receiving cattle II: Effects of ProTernative stress formula fed in a dry suspension on growth, feed intake, and health of receiving beef heifers
(Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, 2012-04-03) Siverson, A.V.; Corrigan, M.E.; Higgins, James J.; Blasi, Dale A.; Oleen, Brandon E.; dblasi; jhiggins; beo9797
Enhanced preconditioning and nutritional management strategies are needed industrywide as a means of controlling stress and related health problems for freshly arrived stocker calves. Direct-fed microbials are feed additives that stimulate natural, nonpathogenic gut flora in an attempt to stimulate competition against potentially pathogenic gut flora. Previous research involving direct-fed microbials offered in a liquid suspension to lightweight stocker calves produced no effects on growth or health performance. Therefore, the objective of our study was to evaluate the effects of a directfed microbial offered as a dry suspension on feed intake, average daily gain, and morbidity of highly stressed beef heifers.
Open Access
Direct-Fed microbials for receiving cattle I: Effects of ProTernative stress formula fed in a liquid suspension on growth and health performance of receiving beef heifers
(Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, 2012-04-03) Siverson, A.V.; Corrigan, M.E.; Higgins, James J.; Blasi, Dale A.; Oleen, Brandon E.; dblasi; jhiggins; beo9797
Lightweight stocker calves experience variable degrees of physiological stress resulting from weaning, transport, food and water deprivation, diet changes, inclement weather, and infectious diseases. Consequently, preconditioning and specialized nutrition that include direct-fed microbials may become more common in the beef industry as a means of controlling disease and minimizing the effects of stress.
Open Access
Effect of transportation on E. coli O157:H7 prevalence and coliform concentrations in feces of feedlot cattle
(Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, 2012-04-03) Aperce, C.; Drouillard, James S.; jdrouill
Foodborne illness from Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a major concern for the food industry. Contamination of food products can occur at slaughter by contact with hide or feces. Limiting E. coli O157:H7 shedding is important to prevent outbreaks. Previous studies have demonstrated a relationship between stress and levels of pathogens shed in feces. During transport to the slaughterhouse, animals are subjected to large amounts of stress. This stress could increase shedding of E. coli O157:H7 prior to slaughter, and in so doing increase the risk of contamination of beef products by contact with hides or feces. Our objective in this study was to evaluate the effects of transportation on fecal shedding of E. coli 4 and 24 hours after transport compared with non-transported animals.
Open Access
Delaying implant in high-risk calves has no benefit for health or feedlot performance
(Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, 2012-04-03) Munson, R.D.; Thomson, Daniel U.; Reinhardt, Christopher D.; thomson; cdr3
Bovine respiratory disease is the most common and costly disease in the beef industry. Calves affected by bovine respiratory disease have a 53-lb decrease in finished weights and decreased quality grades compared with healthy cattle. Many stressors influence post-arrival health and nutrient intake, including weaning, marketing, transportation, co-mingling, genetics, previous nutrition, and health history. These stressors can negatively affect the immune system at a time when the animal is more likely to be exposed to infectious agents within the bovine respiratory disease complex. Feed intake by stressed calves is low, and low nutrient intake likely increases the negative effects of stress on the immune system. Delaying the initial steroid implant may reduce post-transit stress and improve carcass quality of feedlot cattle. This study was designed to examine the effects of administering initial steroid implants at feedlot arrival or 45 days after feedlot arrival on health, performance, and carcass characteristics of feeder calves at relatively high risk for bovine respiratory disease.