Effects from using Ralgro sequentially on sexual development of bulls and on growth and carcass characteristics of steers and bulls

Forty-nine Simmental X Hereford and Hereford calves (24 bulls and 25 steers) were used to study the effect of Ralgro on growth, carcass traits, sex drive, sperm production, and development of sex organs. Approximately half of the bulls and half of the steers received a total of four 36-mg. Ralgro implants, one implant each 100 days (approximately 28, 128, 228 and 328 days of age). Implanted bulls and steers had higher average daily gains; however, the effect was greater in steers than bulls. Ralgro impaired all facets of sexual development measured. None of the implanted bulls could have been used for breeding purposes as yearlings

Effect of heifer source on reproductive performance, culling, marketing and profitability for a commercial heifer development program

A commercial heifer development operation purchased 483 weanling Angus × Hereford heifers from 11 sources. Heifers were fed a common silage-based diet through an initial developmental period and retained or culled based on average daily gain, pelvic area, and disposition . The percentage of heifers culled from each source ranged from 18.1% to 94.7% and were either sold directly through a local sale barn or sent to a feedlot with retained ownership . Estrus was synchronized, and heifers were artificially inseminated (AI) for 30 days followed by 15 days of natural mating. First service conception rates for each source ranged from 0% to 92.3%, whereas overall pregnancy rates for the 45-day breeding season ranged from 81.3% to 100%. When expressed as a percentage of the original heifers purchased from each source, overall pregnancy rates ranged from 5.3% to 80%. Heifers that lost their fetuses were sold for a net loss of $213 per head. Heifers sold as first service AI bred, second service AI bred, and naturally mated netted$160, $129, and$89 per head, respectively. With accurate records, stringent culling practices, and evaluation of cost and performance, producers can optimize profit potential of replacement heifers. Early culling and pregnancy diagnosis also will decrease costs while increasing opportunities to minimize the financial risks

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

A novel estrus-synchronization program for anestrous and cycling, suckled, beef cows

We used four herds at three Kansas ranches to evaluate the potential of two new estrus synchronization strategies to increase estrus expression and fertility of 911 crossbred suckled beef cows. The treatments included: 1) 100 μg of GnRH and a 6-mg norgestomet ear implant on day -7 and 25 mg of PG F2" and implant removal on day 0 (GnRH+NORG+PG F2"); 2) 100 μg of GnRH on day - 7 and 25 mg of PGF 2" on day 0 (GnRH+PG F2"); and 3 ) (control) 25- mg injections of PG F2" on days -14 and 0; (2×PGF2" control) . The GnRH+NORG+ PGF 2" and GnRH+PGF treatments increased (P<.01) 2" the overall percentages of cows detected in estrus by 49% and 27% and pregnancy rates by 46% and 37%, respectively, over the control group, without altering conception rate. Both treatments increase d the estrus, conception, and pregnancy rates of noncycling cows, compared to controls

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

Dental Fear: One Single Clinical Question for Measurement

A new dental fear measurement instrument, the Short Dental Fear Question (SDFQ), was developed and tested for clinical practice purposes. The correlations of the SDFQ with the Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) and the Dental Fear Survey (DFS) were tested in 15-16-year-old adolescents. The Spearman correlations (rs) between the dental fear measurement instruments were: SDFQ – DFS: rs = 0.79, n = 26; DFS – DAS: rs = 0.72, n = 26; SDFQ– DAS: rs = 0.69, n = 27. DAS and DFS mean scores were clearly higher in the SDFQ fear group than SDFQ in the relaxed group. The SDFQ is a short and compact instrument which might be convenient for the measurement of dental fear in clinical practice

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

A national cross-sectional survey of dental anxiety in the French adult population

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Dental anxiety is a public health problem but no epidemiological study has been undertaken in France to evaluate its prevalence. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence, severity and associations of dental anxiety in a sample of the French adult population.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A convenience sample of 2725 adults (mean age = 47 years, SD16, minimum = 16, maximum = 101 years), representative of the French population with regard to age and urban distribution, completed a French version of the Corah Dental Anxiety scale (DAS) and a questionnaire relating to their dental appointments.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Moderate dental anxiety (14≥DAS≥13) was revealed for 172 persons (6.2%), while 195 (7.3%) had severe dental anxiety (DAS≥15), giving an overall prevalence of dental anxiety of 13.5%. Prevalence was lower proportionally with age (P < 0.001) and was higher in French overseas territories and in the countryside (P < 0.01). Farmers and low skilled workers were significantly more anxious than executives and shopkeepers (P < 0.001). Anxiety was associated with avoidance of care (p < 0.001) and lack of regular dental appointments (p < 0.001).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Dental anxiety in France appears to concern a similar proportion of the population as in other industrialised European, Australasian or North American countries. Recommendations for prevention and management of dental anxiety are made with reference to dental education and health care services in France.</p

Levels of selected minerals, nitric oxide, and vitamins in aborted Sakis sheep raised under semitropical conditions

The serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, zinc and iron and of nitric oxide, retinol, and β-carotene were determined in Sakiz ewes that had experienced an abortion and in healthy controls. Ten healthy and 25 aborted Sakiz sheep were selected from Afyon zone in western Turkey. Their ages ranged between 2 and 4 years weighing between 40 and 60 kg at the time of experiment. All of the abortions occurred in October. The concentrations of retinol, β-carotene, phosphorus, and zinc were significantly lower and those of calcium and nitric oxide were increased in aborted ewes relative to healthy controls. The serum levels of iron, copper, and magnesium were not significantly different among the two groups. In conclusion, abortion is an important problem in commercially important species of ruminants in many regions in the tropics including of western Turkey. Deficiencies of retinol, β-carotene, phosphorus and zinc, and the increase of calcium and nitric oxide concentration may play an important role in the etiology of abortion in ewes. Prophylactic measures such as vitamin and mineral supplementation may be of help to prevent or reduce the incidence of abortion in sheep

Understanding emotionally relevant situations in primary care dental practice: 1. Clinical situations and emotional responses

Background and aims. The stressful nature of dental practice is well established. Much less information is available on the coping strategies used by dentists and the emotions which underlie the stressful experience. Previous research has been almost exclusively questionnaire-based, limiting the range of emotions explored. This study used qualitative methods to explore the full extent of emotions and coping strategies associated with stressful events in primary dental practice. Method. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 dentists in Lincoln and the surrounding area. Verbatim transcriptions were analysed using thematic analysis. Results. Participants reported a wide variety of stressful situations, consistent with the existing literature, which were associated with a diverse range of negative emotional responses including anxiety, anger and sadness. Dentists tended to have more difficulty identifying positive events and emotions. The designation of a situation as stressful or otherwise was dependent on the dentist's personal interpretation of the event. Data relating to the effects of stressors and the coping strategies used by dentists will be presented in subsequent papers. Conclusion. The situations which dentists find difficult are accompanied by a diverse set of emotions, rather than omnipresent 'stress.' This has implications for stress management programmes for those in dental practic