Genetic Improvement Made Through DNA Testing and Artificial Insemination to High- Growth, High Carcass Value Angus Sires

The beef industry has improved the recording of pedigrees and performance data through the use of breed associations and herd health databases. Constant evaluation of genetics and performance has allowed producers to make more informed breeding decisions that help improve herd productivity. As a result of recent droughts and elevated feed and grain prices, however, the American beef cowherd is at a record-low 29 million head. For the United States to continue to be the leading producer of beef in the world, the industry must adopt technologies that improve efficiency of the cowherd and the quality of beef being produced. There are two sizable pools of relatively low-grading, low-value carcass genetics in the U.S. beef industry: (1) southern cattle with significant Bos indicus influence, and (2) cattle with a relatively high percentage of Continental breeding. The objective of this research project was to demonstrate the improvement in marbling and grid premium potential that can be made in a cow base with average to below-average genetic potential in just one generation through the use of genomics and artificial insemination

Effectiveness Trichoderma and Beauveria bassiana on Larvae of Oryctes rhinoceros On Palm Oil Plant (Elaeis Guineensis Jacq.) In Vitro

O. rhinoceros horn beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) is the main pest attacking oil palm crops in Indonesia, especially in palm oil rejuvenation areas. The study was conducted from April to August 2016 in the laboratory of the Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University, Medan. The materials used in this research are horn beetle pest larvae (O. rhinoceros) originating from PT. Socfin Indonesia, Trichoderma sp fungi originating from the Food Crops and Horticultural Fields of Medan and the B. bassiana fungi are derived from the Plant Seed Plant Protection Center (PBPPTP), aqua pro injection, Tween 80, rice and 96% alcohol. This research uses Completely Randomized Design (RAL) Non Factorial consisting of 13 treatments. The result of mortality of O. rhinoceros larvae on 1-14 DAA observation can be seen in appendix 2-43. Based on fingerprint analysis showed that the application of Trichoderma sp and B. basianna fungi on O. rhinoceros larvae had no significant effect on observation of 1 DAA to 9 DAA, but had a very significant effect on observation of 10 DAA to 14 DAA. The results of germination of Trichoderma sp and B. basianna fungus 4 hours after incubation period can be seen in appendix 61-66. Precentages mortality of the highest larvae of O. rhinoceros to Trichoderma sp fungus with a dose of 20 gr (96.67%) with the application method spread on the larvae. The highest amount of conidial density is found in Trichoderma sp fungi with doses of 60 g x 100-1 ml of aqua pro injection of 7.25 x 106 conidia/ml.Germination level of conidia mushroom highest in Trichoderma sp fungi with dose 60 gr x 100-1 ml aqua pro injection that is as much as 91%

Ralgro-implanted bulls: Performance, carcass characteristics, longissimus palatability and carcass electrical stimulation

Twenty of 40 Angus bulls were implanted (I) five times with 36 mg of Ralgro| at average intervals of 106 d, beginning near birth. All bulls and their dams were on bluestem pasture initially and, at an average age of 320 d bulls were fed a concentrate diet until they were slaughtered, weighing either 454 or 499 kg. One side of each carcass was electrically stimulated. Average daily gain and feed efficiency of I bulls improved 6.5 to 10.4% and 7.9 to 8.1%, respectively, depending upon the end point comparison with nonimplanted (NI) bulls. Implanted bulls attained their slaughter weights 42 d sooner than did NI bulls. Implantation decreased (P<.05) penis weight and length, testicle weight, volume and density, but did not affect (P>.05) seminal vesicle and pituitary weights. Carcasses from I bulls had more (P<.05) skeletal ossification and were fatter than carcasses from NI bulls. Marbling scores, quality grades and longissimus cooking losses and juiciness scores were not affected (P>.05) by implantation. Taste panel flavor intensity and detectable connective tissue scores were higher (P<.05) for steaks from I bulls than from NI bulls. Longissimus steak tenderness evaluations were higher (P<.05) for both I slaughter groups than for the NI light-weight group and were higher (P<.05) for the I lightweight group than for the NI heavy-weight group. Longissimus tenderness tended (P = .11) to be higher for steaks from the I heavy-weight group than those from the NI heavy-weight group. Electrical stimulation produced (P<.05) a softer, coarser textured lean, but it did not affect lean color, marbling or quality grade. Steaks from electrically stimulated sides tended to have higher (P = .09) myofibrillar tenderness scores and lower (P = .06) flavor scores than steaks from nonstimulated sides

Relationship between Tibial conformation, cage size and advancement achieved in TTA procedure

Previous studies have suggested that there is a theoretical discrepancy between the cage size and the resultant tibial tuberosity advancement, with the cage size consistently providing less tibial tuberosity advancement than predicted. The purpose of this study was to test and quantify this in clinical cases. The hypothesis was that the advancement of the tibial tuberosity as measured by the widening of the proximal tibia at the tibial tuberosity level after a standard TTA, will be less than the cage sized used, with no particular cage size providing a relative smaller or higher under-advancement, and that the conformation of the proximal tibia will have an influence on the amount of advancement achieved

Effects of Ralgro Implants on Growth, Sexual Development, Carcass Characteristics, and Eating Quality of Bulls Implanted From Birth to Slaughter

Growth, performance, sexual development, carcass characteristics, and eating quality were evaluated on 40 fall-born Angus bulls. Twenty of the bulls were implanted five times with Ralgro at an average interval of 106 days, beginning near birth. The other 20 bulls served as nonimplanted controls. Bull calves remained with their dams on native southeast Kansas pasture for an average of 320 days; they were then allotted to drylot pens (feedlot beginning) and placed on a 75% concentrate ration. Bulls from each treatment were fed to target weights of 1000 and 1100 pounds, and then slaughtered. Ralgro implanting increased average daily gain 6.6% over that of the controls from birth to the feedlot beginning, and 9.4% from the feedlot beginning to the first slaughter endpoint (196 days on feed). Feed efficiency was improved 8.2%, with implanting when the first group of implanted and control bulls were slaughtered (196 and 231 days on feed, respectively). Implanting reduced semen quality, reduced the number of bulls producing semen, and depressed the development of reproductive organs. Sex drive was unaffected by implanting. Implanting resulted in fatter carcasses and tended to increase yield grades, but did not affect final quality grades. Lean from control carcasses tended to be firmer and have a finer texture, but color was not affected by implanting. Loineye steaks from implanted bulls were significantly more tender, as judged by taste panel ratings and by Warner-Bratzler shear forces