Attitudes and experiences with the Iowa Beef Cattle Preconditioning Program : a survey of feedlot operators

Modified live vaccine is used by sixty-seven percent of feedlot operators in their arrival-processing program, and seventy-two percent of feedlot operators use modified live vaccine for re-vaccination. Sixty-nine percent of respondents indicated they were satisfied with the preconditioned calves they purchased. Forty-four percent of respondents who indicated they were dissatisfied with purchased preconditioned calves were dissatisfied because of illness. Thirty-six percent of feedlot operators indicated they would like to see Pasteurella vaccination required in the Iowa preconditioning program. Feedlot operators were asked to rate the importance of the requirements in the preconditiong program using a scale of one to five, with one meaning not important and five very important. The operators rated most of the requirements as four or five except for weaning ration, castration date, and dehorning date. This survey indicates that preconditioned calves are well accepted by feedlot operators in Iowa, and that the preconditioning certificate should accompany the calves through the marketing process.The Iowa Preconditioning program is the oldest sponsored program of its type in North America. The objectives of this project were to determine the attitudes and experiences of feedlot operators about the Iowa preconditioning program. A survey was developed to examine these attitudes and experiences. The survey was mailed to four hundred fifty feedlot operators in Iowa. There was a thirteen percent response rate. Sixty-one percent of the respondents operate feedlots with less than one thousand head one time capacity. Fifty-three percent of respondents had purchased Iowa preconditioned calves in the last year. More than fifty percent of respondents want information on what vaccinations were given to the replacement calves prior to arrival in the feedlot. Feedlot operators feel it is important to have information on vaccination history but only forty-five percent use the information to make decisions on the arrival-processing program for new replacements. Eighty-four percent of the respondents indicated respiratory disease was the health problem most often observed the first month replacements are in the feedlot, but only fifty-one percent of respondents indicated respiratory disease was a health problem the first month Iowa preconditioned calves are in the feedlot

Incidence of Bovine Enterovirus, Coronavirus, and Group A Rotavirus, and Concentration of Fecal Coliforms in Midwestern Pasture Streams

The occurrence of bovine enteric pathogens and fecal coliform contamination in streams of 13 Midwestern cow/calf pastures was studied during the 2007-2008 grazing seasons. Water samples (n=812) were collected biweekly at up- and downstream locations on each stream. Incidence of Bovine Enterovirus (BEV), Coronavirus (BCV), and group A Rotavirus (BRV), and concentration of fecal coliforms (FC) were evaluated. The mean incidence of BEV, BCV, and BRV in all samples were 5.42, 1.60, and 0.25%, respectively, over the two grazing seasons. There were farm differences for BEV (P=0.02) and BCV (P=0.01) incidences, but there were no differences (P\u3e0.05) for the incidences of the viruses between samples collected from up- or downstream locations. Cattle presence in the pasture on the day and three days prior to sampling were related (P=0.02, P=0.04), respectively, to BEV, but were not related (P\u3e0.05) to BCV or BRV. However, incidences of BEV, BCV or BRV were not related (P\u3e0.05) to cattle presence seven days prior to sampling. Mean FC were 930 and 938 colony-forming units (CFU)/100ml, respectively, for up- and downstream samples. Differences (P=0.01) were observed between farms for concentration of FC. Preliminary results indicate that the timing and management of grazing may be beneficial in decreasing the incidence of enteric viral pathogens and concentrations of FC in Midwestern pasture streams

Comparison of ecosystem processes in a woodland and prairie pond with different hydroperiods

Shallow lakes and ponds constitute a significant number of water bodies worldwide. Many are heterotrophic, indicating that they are likely net contributors to global carbon cycling. Climate change is likely to have important impacts on these waterbodies. In this study, we examined two small Minnesota ponds; a permanent woodland pond and a temporary prairie pond. The woodland pond had lower levels of phosphorus and phytoplankton than the prairie pond. Using the open water oxygen method, we found the prairie pond typically had a higher level of gross primary production (GPP) and respiration (R) than the woodland pond, although the differences between the ponds varied with season. Despite the differences in GPP and R between the ponds the net ecosystem production was similar with both being heterotrophic. Since abundant small ponds may play an important role in carbon cycling and are likely to undergo changes in temperature and hydroperiod associated with climate change, understanding pond metabolism is critical in predicting impacts and designing management schemes to mitigate changes

Vaccinating the Young Calf with a Parenteral Adjuvanted Vaccine to Develop a Protective BRSV IgA nasal Response

Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of an adjuvanted modified live virus (MLV) vaccine in the presence of well-defined maternal passive immunity.Study Description Calves were vaccinated at approximately 1 month of age and challenged ~90 days later when BRSV systemic antibodies were less than 1:4. Clinical signs, nasal secretions and blood samples for virus measurement [polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and virus isolation (VI)] and to measure for mucosal BRSV IgA antibodies were collected and the animals were euthanized and necropsied 8 days post infection. Body temperature and other clinical signs were lower at 6 and 7 days post challenge in the vaccinates. Nasal viral shed was 3–4 times lower in the vaccinated animals as measured by VI and PCR compared to the controls. On day 8 following challenge, animals were necropsied, and lung lobes were scored and tested for virus by PCR and indirect fluorescent assay (IFA). There was a 25-fold reduction in PCR virus detection in vaccinates and two of the vaccinated calves’ lungs were PCR negative. Only 29.4% of vaccinated calves were BRSV positive on IFA testing at necropsy, while 87.5% of control calves were BRSV positive. Vaccinated calves developed a mucosal BRSV IgA response with over 50% of the vaccinated calves having IgA prior to challenge and all vaccinated calves were positive following challenge

Control of a Glove-Based Grasp Assist Device

A grasp assist system includes a glove and sleeve. The glove includes a digit, i.e., a finger or thumb, and a force sensor. The sensor measures a grasping force applied to an object by an operator wearing the glove. The glove contains a tendon connected at a first end to the digit. The sleeve has an actuator assembly connected to a second end of the tendon and a controller in communication with the sensor. The controller includes a configuration module having selectable operating modes and a processor that calculates a tensile force to apply to the tendon for each of the selectable operating modes to assist the grasping force in a manner that differs for each of the operating modes. A method includes measuring the grasping force, selecting the mode, calculating the tensile force, and applying the tensile force to the tendon using the actuator assembly

New Insights into the Structure of (1→3,1→6)-β-D-Glucan Side Chains in the Candida glabrata Cell Wall

β-glucan is a (1→3)-β-linked glucose polymer with (1→6)-β-linked side chains and a major component of fungal cell walls. β-glucans provide structural integrity to the fungal cell wall. The nature of the (1–6)-β-linked side chain structure of fungal (1→3,1→6)-β-D-glucans has been very difficult to elucidate. Herein, we report the first detailed structural characterization of the (1→6)-β-linked side chains of Candida glabrata using high-field NMR. The (1→6)-β-linked side chains have an average length of 4 to 5 repeat units spaced every 21 repeat units along the (1→3)-linked polymer backbone. Computer modeling suggests that the side chains have a bent curve structure that allows for a flexible interconnection with parallel (1→3)-β-D-glucan polymers, and/or as a point of attachment for proteins. Based on these observations we propose new approaches to how (1→6)-β-linked side chains interconnect with neighboring glucan polymers in a manner that maximizes fungal cell wall strength, while also allowing for flexibility, or plasticity