Effects of respiratory virus vaccination and bovine respiratory disease on the respiratory microbiome of feedlot cattle

IntroductionThe objectives of this study were to evaluate the impacts of two modified-live virus (MLV) vaccination protocols and respiratory disease (BRD) occurrence on the microbial community composition of the nasopharynx in feedlot cattle.MethodsThe treatment groups included in this randomized controlled trial included: 1) no viral respiratory vaccination (CON), 2) intranasal, trivalent, MLV respiratory vaccine in addition to a parenteral BVDV type I and II vaccine (INT), and 3) parenteral, pentavalent, MLV respiratory vaccination against the same agents (INJ). Calves (n = 525) arrived in 5 truckload blocks and were stratified by body weight, sex, and presence of a pre-existing identification ear-tag. A total of 600 nasal swab samples were selected for DNA extraction and subsequent 16S rRNA gene sequencing to characterize the microbiome of the upper respiratory tract. Nasal swabs collected on d 28 from healthy cattle were used to evaluate the impact of vaccination on upper respiratory tract (URT) microbial communities.ResultsFirmicutes were less abundant in INT calves (n = 114; P < 0.05) and this difference was attributed to decreased relative abundance (RA) of Mycoplasma spp. (P = 0.04). Mannheimia and Pasteurella had lower RA in INT (P < 0.05). The microbiome in healthy animals on d 28 had increased Proteobacteria (largely Moraxella spp.) and decreased Firmicutes (comprised almost exclusively of Mycoplasma spp.) compared to animals that were treated for or died from BRD (P < 0.05). Cattle that died had a greater RA of Mycoplasma spp. in their respiratory microbiome on d 0 (P < 0.02). Richness was similar on d 0 and 28, but diversity increased for all animals on d 28 (P>0.05)

Dried distillers grains with solubels as effective replacement of soybean meal in Boer goat diets

Dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) may be an effective replacement of soybean meal (SBM) in boer goat diets. The global goat population is growing and DDGS could be a cost effective alternative. With the per protein unit cost advantage of DDGS over SBM being $1.86, DDGS would price into goat diets as a protein source (October 26, 2017 U.S. Grains Council Report). There has been no peer reviewed research done on DDGS in Boer goat diets. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the efficacy of DDGS as a replacement of SBM in Boer goat diet. Forty-eight meat goat kids (approximately 70 d of age) were used in a completely randomized design. There were 3 kids per pen (4 pens per treatment). Kids were allotted into one of four experimental diets: 1) 0% SBM replaced by DDGS; 2) 33% SBM replaced by DDGS; 3) 66% SBM replaced by DDGS; and 4) 100% SBM replaced by DDGS. All diets were pelleted containing roughage, so no supplemental forage was needed. Diets were fed for 47 days, with ADG, ADFI, and G:F calculated every 2 weeks. Data was analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS (SAS Inst., Cary, NC) with pen serving as the experimental unit. The model included effects DDGS level with P-value ≤ 0.05 considered significant. LS Means was utilized to partition treatment differences (P < 0.05). We observed an overall treatment effect (P <.001) of G:F from day 0-47. Overall treatments had no effect (P <.05) on ADG, BW, HCW, Carcass Yield.In conclusion, DDGS did not have an overall treatment effect on ADG, HCW, or Carcass yield. Feed efficiency improved equally with the addition of DDGS to the diet of treatments 66% and 100% SBM inclusion of DDGS, while treatments 0% and 33% SBM feed efficiency were lower but also equal. There were relatively no differences whether fed DDGS or SBM, with a minor improvement of feed efficiency with DDGS. These findings suggest that DDGS are an effective replacement of soybean meal in Boer goat diets with inclusion levels of 66% or 100%

Comprehensive Outcomes Affected by Antimicrobial Metaphylaxis of Feedlot Calves at Medium-Risk for Bovine Respiratory Disease from a Randomized Controlled Trial

The objectives were to evaluate the effects of metaphylaxis (META) and pull-and-treat (PT) programs on health, antimicrobial use, beef production, economics, and greenhouse gas emissions in cattle at medium risk for bovine respiratory disease (BRD). A randomized complete block design was used at two US commercial feedlots. Steers and heifers [2366 total; 261 (&plusmn;11.0) kg initial weight] were blocked by sex and feedlot arrival, and allocated to one of two pens within a block (16 pens total, eight blocks). Pens were randomly assigned to treatment: META, tulathromycin injection at initial processing; or PT, tulathromycin injection only for first clinical BRD treatment. Data were analyzed with linear and generalized linear mixed models. There was greater BRD morbidity in PT than META cattle (17.2% vs. 7.3% respectively; p &lt; 0.01), and greater total mortality (2.5% vs. 1.1% respectively; p = 0.03). Per animal enrolled, 1.1 antimicrobial doses were used for META compared to 0.2 for PT (p &lt; 0.01). Per animal enrolled, final live (p = 0.04) and carcass (p = 0.08) weights were greater for META than PT; however, net returns ($/animal) were not significantly different (p = 0.71). Compared to PT, total lifetime estimated CO2 equivalent emissions from production were reduced by 2% per unit of live weight for META (p = 0.09). While antimicrobial use was reduced with PT, there may be substantial negative impacts on other outcomes if META was not used in this type of cattle population

Comprehensive Outcomes Affected by Antimicrobial Metaphylaxis of Feedlot Calves at Medium-Risk for Bovine Respiratory Disease from a Randomized Controlled Trial

The objectives were to evaluate the effects of metaphylaxis (META) and pull-and-treat (PT) programs on health, antimicrobial use, beef production, economics, and greenhouse gas emissions in cattle at medium risk for bovine respiratory disease (BRD). A randomized complete block design was used at two US commercial feedlots. Steers and heifers [2366 total; 261 (±11.0) kg initial weight] were blocked by sex and feedlot arrival, and allocated to one of two pens within a block (16 pens total, eight blocks). Pens were randomly assigned to treatment: META, tulathromycin injection at initial processing; or PT, tulathromycin injection only for first clinical BRD treatment. Data were analyzed with linear and generalized linear mixed models. There was greater BRD morbidity in PT than META cattle (17.2% vs. 7.3% respectively; p p = 0.03). Per animal enrolled, 1.1 antimicrobial doses were used for META compared to 0.2 for PT (p p = 0.04) and carcass (p = 0.08) weights were greater for META than PT; however, net returns ($/animal) were not significantly different (p = 0.71). Compared to PT, total lifetime estimated CO2 equivalent emissions from production were reduced by 2% per unit of live weight for META (p = 0.09). While antimicrobial use was reduced with PT, there may be substantial negative impacts on other outcomes if META was not used in this type of cattle population

Neighborhood Psychosocial Hazards and the Association of Cumulative Lead Dose With Cognitive Function in Older Adults

Before the 1970s, today's older Americans were exposed to high levels of lead in the environment. The authors previously reported that lifetime cumulative lead dose was associated with lower cognitive test performance in older adults. Experiments suggest that environmental stress may intensify the detrimental influence of lead. No large, population-based studies of this question have been done. The authors evaluated whether cross-sectional associations of tibia lead with cognitive function were modified by neighborhood psychosocial hazards in the Baltimore Memory Study (2001–2005), a longitudinal cohort study of determinants of cognitive decline. Tibia lead was measured via 109Cd-induced K-shell X-ray fluorescence. Neighborhood psychosocial hazards were measured independently of study subjects. Complete data were available among 1,001 demographically diverse adults aged 50–70 years, randomly selected from 65 contiguous neighborhoods in Baltimore City. Hierarchical mixed-effects regression models showed that neighborhood psychosocial hazards exacerbated the adverse associations of tibia lead in 3 of 7 cognitive domains after adjustment for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, testing technician, and time of day (language, P = 0.039; processing speed, P = 0.067; executive functioning, P = 0.025). The joint occurrence of environmental stress and lead exposure across the life span may partially explain persistent racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in cognitive function in late life

Nonpeptidic ligands for peptide-activated G protein-coupled receptors

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