Insecticide ear tags numerically improve grazing cattle performance

Stocker cattle grazing pastures during the summer months face challenges due to horn flies, which can result in reduced weight gains and less efficient use of forages. One strategy for controlling horn flies is insecticide-impregnated ear tags. The use of pesticide ear tags may be an effective management practice to improve overall productivity during a grazing season. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of insecticide ear tags as a means of improving growth of stocker calves grazing native pastures in the Flint Hills region of Kansas

Comparing the Performance of Cattle Castrated Using Different Techniques Upon Arrival at the Feedlot

Objective:To determine the least detrimental castration technique in terms of growth performance when castrating cattle upon entry to the feedlot. Study Description:Intact bulls were sourced from the Southeastern U.S. and received at the Kansas State University Beef Stocker Unit. After backgrounding, 700-lb bulls were castrated using various techniques, including banding, banding with splitting of the distal scrotum, use of the Henderson Tool, and use of a burdizzo clamp. A group of intact bulls served as a negative control group. Weights were obtained at regular intervals throughout the 56-day study to quantify and compare growth performance. Results:The day 0 to day 56 average daily gain (ADG) showed no difference between treatment groups (P= 0.0643) but there was a trend for the Henderson group to gain at a lower rate than all other treatment groups. All other groups ended the 56-day study period with similar ADG. In addition, a trend was found for cattle castrated using the Henderson Tool to exhibit a lower activity time per hour than the other study groups for much of the day on average, as well as a greater number of minutes per hour ruminating on average. Jaw movement recorded as rumination was thought to be teeth grinding due to pain response and the lower amount of activity time would support this assessment. While the burdizzo group performed the best of all castrated groups, the labor-intensive process associated with applying the burdizzo clamp is not practical for cattle of this size. Cattle castrated using the band and band-cut methods performed better than those castrated using the Henderson Tool. The results of this study indicate that any castration technique that is surgical in nature is not ideal for castrating cattle at the feedlot. The Bottom Line:Use of a latex band for castrating cattle at entry to the feedlot appears to be the technique least detrimental to growth performance

Long-Term Effects of April, August, or October Prescribed Fire on Yearling Stocker Cattle Performance and Native Rangeland Plant Composition in the Kansas Flint Hills

Objective:The objective of our experiment was to determine if prescribed fire applied in April, August, or October influenced stocker growth performance or plant community characteristics in the Kansas Flint Hills over a 6-year period. Study Description:A total of 1,939 yearling stocker cattle were assigned to one of three prescribed-burn treatments: spring (April 11 ± 5.7 days), summer (August 25 ± 6.2 days or fall (October 2 ± 9.0 days) over a 5-year period. Calves were grazed from May to August for 90 days. Individual body weights were recorded at the start and end of the grazing season. Native plant composition and soil cover were evaluated annually in June using a modified step-point method. The Bottom Line:Shifting prescribed fire from April to August or October reduced yearling stocker cattle weight gains by 10 to 14 lb during a 90-day grazing season. Ranchers are encouraged to consider the cost associated with herbicides versus the costs associated with reduced growth performance when developing a strategy for sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) control

Effects of Dietary Energy Concentration and Feed Intake on Growth Performance of Newly Received Growing Cattle Fed Diets Based on Corn and Corn Co-Products

Objective:This study’s focus was to evaluate if feeding equal amounts of energy from a high-energy limit-fed diet has an effect on growth performance of growing beef cattle when compared to traditional high-roughagead libitumdiets. Study Description:A total of 392 crossbred heifers were fed one of four experimental diets for a 70-day receiving period. Treatments included a high-roughage diet formulated to provide 45 Mcal of net energy for gain (NEg) per 100 lb of dry matter (DM) and fed forad libitumintake (AL) or a high-energy diet formulated to provide 60 Mcal of NEgper 100 lb of DM and fed at 75% (LIM-75), 80% (LIM-80), or 85% (LIM-85) ofad libitumintake. Treatments were designed to equalize for energy intake between calves assigned to AL and LIM-75. The Bottom Line:Restricting feed intake while maintaining energy intake does not negatively influence growth performance of newly received growing beef cattle. In times of high forage cost or shortened growing periods producers could program gains based on their own financial and personal needs

Restricting Bunk Space Allotments to 6 or 10 Inches has Minimal Impact on Growth Performance in Limit-Fed Receiving Cattle

Objective:The objective of our experiment was to determine if bunk allotments of 6, 10, 14, or 18 in per head in pens containing 18 to 28 head impacts growth performance of growing calves limit-fed a high-energy dietbased on corn and corn co-products. Study Description:A total of 332 crossbred heifers were blocked by source, stratified by individual arrival weight, and assigned to a pen. Pens were randomly assigned to one of four treatments: 6, 10, 14, and 18 in of bunk space per head. Pens contained 18 to 28 head per pen. Heifers were limit-fed once daily at 2.0% of body weight (BW) [dry matter (DM) basis] for a 56-day period. Results:Final BW and average daily gains (ADG) following the 56-day period did not differ (P≥ 0.20) among treatments. The standard deviation of ADG responded quadratically (P= 0.05) where variation in weight gain was greater in calves allotted 14 in of bunk compared with calves allotted 6, 10, or 18 in of bunk. The Bottom Line:Bunk allotments as low as 6 in per head did not reduce the growth performance of limit-fed growing cattle during a 56-day receiving period

Bunk Space Requirements for Growing Beef Cattle Limit-Fed a High-Energy Corn and Corn Co-Product Diet

Objective: The objective of our experiment was to evaluate the effects of bunk allotment on performance of growing beef calves during a 58-day receiving period and investigate possible residual effects of bunk-space allotment on subsequent growth performance during a 90-day grazing season. Study Description: A group of 385 crossbred steers (initial weight 473 ± 56 lb) were purchased in Texas and transported to the Kansas State University Beef Stocker Unit. Calves were blocked by arrival date, assigned to one of four bunk space treatments (i.e., 10, 15, 20, or 25 in of bunk per head), and limit-fed a high-energy corn and corn co-product diet for 58 days. Following the receiving period, steers were blocked by bunk-space treatment, randomly assigned to one of eighteen pastures, and grazed for 90 days. The Bottom Line: We interpreted our data to suggest that bunk allotments of 10, 15, 20, or 25 in per calf had minimal impact on growth performance during a 58-day receiving period and did not affect final body weights following a 90-day grazing season

Regulation of skeletal muscle oxidative capacity and insulin signaling by the Mitochondrial Rhomboid Protease PARL

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and aging are characterized by insulin resistance and impaired mitochondrial energetics. In lower organisms, remodeling by the protease pcp1 (PARL ortholog) maintains the function and lifecycle of mitochondria. We examined whether variation in PARL protein content is associated with mitochondrial abnormalities and insulin resistance. PARL mRNA and mitochondrial mass were both reduced in elderly subjects and in subjects with T2DM. Muscle knockdown of PARL in mice resulted in malformed mitochondrial cristae, lower mitochondrial content, decreased PGC1&alpha; protein levels, and impaired insulin signaling. Suppression of PARL protein in healthy myotubes lowered mitochondrial mass and insulin-stimulated glycogen synthesis and increased reactive oxygen species production. We propose that lower PARL expression may contribute to the mitochondrial abnormalities seen in aging and T2DM.<br /

Factors Associated with Revision Surgery after Internal Fixation of Hip Fractures

Background: Femoral neck fractures are associated with high rates of revision surgery after management with internal fixation. Using data from the Fixation using Alternative Implants for the Treatment of Hip fractures (FAITH) trial evaluating methods of internal fixation in patients with femoral neck fractures, we investigated associations between baseline and surgical factors and the need for revision surgery to promote healing, relieve pain, treat infection or improve function over 24 months postsurgery. Additionally, we investigated factors associated with (1) hardware removal and (2) implant exchange from cancellous screws (CS) or sliding hip screw (SHS) to total hip arthroplasty, hemiarthroplasty, or another internal fixation device. Methods: We identified 15 potential factors a priori that may be associated with revision surgery, 7 with hardware removal, and 14 with implant exchange. We used multivariable Cox proportional hazards analyses in our investigation. Results: Factors associated with increased risk of revision surgery included: female sex, [hazard ratio (HR) 1.79, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.25-2.50; P = 0.001], higher body mass index (fo

Wet distillers grain and solubles vs. wet corn gluten feed for newly received and growing cattle

In many instances, due in part to price per unit of energy and proximity to production, Kansas beef producers have the opportunity to incorporate grain-processing byproducts such as wet distillers grains with solubles (WDGS) and wet corn gluten feed (WCGF) into diets for newly received and growing cattle. Although a number of previous studies have compared these two byproducts for use in finishing diets, little information is available for receiving and growing cattle diets. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare the performance outcomes of newly arrived and growing calves fed either WDGS or WCGF relative to a standard corn-based diet

Performance and health effects of Zuprevo 18% in newly received, highly stressed beef cattle

The objective of this study was to determine the health and performance effects of Zuprevo 18% (tildipirosin, 4 mg/kg body weight) during a 42-day backgrounding period when administered to high-risk transported cattle within 24 hours after arrival