Comparison of feedlot and carcass characteristics of Angus, Hereford, Brahman, Charolais, and Gelbvieh crossbred steers

Feedlot performance of 207 steers with various percentages of Angus, Hereford, Charolais, Brahman, and Gelbvieh breeding were compared at a constant 1) days fed, 2) adjusted carcass backfat, and 3) slaughter weight. As the percentage of Angus, Hereford, or Brahman increased, growth rate decreased, whereas increasing the percentage of Charolais increased growth rate. Increasing the percentage of Gelbvieh increased weaning weight but had little effect on post-weaning gains. Increasing percentage of Charolais increased feed conversion efficiency, whereas the other breeds were similar, except that at a constant slaughter weight, greater percentage of Hereford improved feed conversion efficiency. Increasing the percentage of Charolais increased carcass weight and ribeye area and decreased yield grade, but marbling was not different from that of Angus. An increase in percentage of Hereford caused a decrease in carcass weight, ribeye area, marbling, and quality grade. Increasing percentage of Angus decreased carcass weight and ribeye area but increased marbling and quality grade. Increasing percentage of Brahman caused the greatest reduction of marbling and quality grade of any breed. Increasing the percentage Gelbvieh breeding resulted in increased ribeye area and decreased marbling at constant days fed and slaughter weight

ENIGMA and global neuroscience: A decade of large-scale studies of the brain in health and disease across more than 40 countries

This review summarizes the last decade of work by the ENIGMA (Enhancing NeuroImaging Genetics through Meta Analysis) Consortium, a global alliance of over 1400 scientists across 43 countries, studying the human brain in health and disease. Building on large-scale genetic studies that discovered the first robustly replicated genetic loci associated with brain metrics, ENIGMA has diversified into over 50 working groups (WGs), pooling worldwide data and expertise to answer fundamental questions in neuroscience, psychiatry, neurology, and genetics. Most ENIGMA WGs focus on specific psychiatric and neurological conditions, other WGs study normal variation due to sex and gender differences, or development and aging; still other WGs develop methodological pipelines and tools to facilitate harmonized analyses of "big data" (i.e., genetic and epigenetic data, multimodal MRI, and electroencephalography data). These international efforts have yielded the largest neuroimaging studies to date in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorders, epilepsy, and 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. More recent ENIGMA WGs have formed to study anxiety disorders, suicidal thoughts and behavior, sleep and insomnia, eating disorders, irritability, brain injury, antisocial personality and conduct disorder, and dissociative identity disorder. Here, we summarize the first decade of ENIGMA's activities and ongoing projects, and describe the successes and challenges encountered along the way. We highlight the advantages of collaborative large-scale coordinated data analyses for testing reproducibility and robustness of findings, offering the opportunity to identify brain systems involved in clinical syndromes across diverse samples and associated genetic, environmental, demographic, cognitive, and psychosocial factors

Whole-genome sequencing reveals host factors underlying critical COVID-19

Critical COVID-19 is caused by immune-mediated inflammatory lung injury. Host genetic variation influences the development of illness requiring critical care1 or hospitalization2,3,4 after infection with SARS-CoV-2. The GenOMICC (Genetics of Mortality in Critical Care) study enables the comparison of genomes from individuals who are critically ill with those of population controls to find underlying disease mechanisms. Here we use whole-genome sequencing in 7,491 critically ill individuals compared with 48,400 controls to discover and replicate 23 independent variants that significantly predispose to critical COVID-19. We identify 16 new independent associations, including variants within genes that are involved in interferon signalling (IL10RB and PLSCR1), leucocyte differentiation (BCL11A) and blood-type antigen secretor status (FUT2). Using transcriptome-wide association and colocalization to infer the effect of gene expression on disease severity, we find evidence that implicates multiple genes—including reduced expression of a membrane flippase (ATP11A), and increased expression of a mucin (MUC1)—in critical disease. Mendelian randomization provides evidence in support of causal roles for myeloid cell adhesion molecules (SELE, ICAM5 and CD209) and the coagulation factor F8, all of which are potentially druggable targets. Our results are broadly consistent with a multi-component model of COVID-19 pathophysiology, in which at least two distinct mechanisms can predispose to life-threatening disease: failure to control viral replication; or an enhanced tendency towards pulmonary inflammation and intravascular coagulation. We show that comparison between cases of critical illness and population controls is highly efficient for the detection of therapeutically relevant mechanisms of disease

Among-breed estimates of heritability for birth weight, weaning weight, and mature cow weight

Data from a rotational crossbreeding study was used to calculate among-breed heritabilities of birth weight (BWT), weaning weight (WWT), and mature cow weight at 5 years of age. The among-breed estimates were higher than previous within-breed estimates because of the inclusion of genetic differences between breeds. Maternal effects for BWT and WWT also were calculated. These estimates allow for comparisons among breeds and for the eventual calculation of EPDs for hybrid cattle

Breed and management system effects on feedlot performance and carcass traits

Eighty nine steers with different proportions of Angus, Hereford, Charolais, Brahman, and Gelbvieh breeding from rotational and terminal crossbreeding systems were produced in Louisiana and finished at KSU. Half of each breed group was placed in the feedlot at weaning (calves) and the other half as yearlings. Half of the each group was slaughtered at a low (0.3-0.4 in.), and the other half at high (0.5 - 0.6 in.) fat thickness. As percentage of Charolais and Gelbvieh breeding increased, feedlot performance improved. As percentage of Charolais, Gelbvieh, and Angus increased, carcass desirability improved. Steers started on feed at weaning were more efficient in feed conversion and were more profitable than those started as yearlings. Age did not affect carcass marbling or quality grade

Genetic parameters for growth and carcass traits from crossbreeding

Growth and carcass data from 5 years of a long-term, rotational, crossbreeding project were used to calculate heritabilities and genetic and phenotypic correlations for direct and maternal birth and weaning weight, gain on feed, hot carcass weight, ribeye area, marbling score, and age at slaughter. Angus, Brahman, Hereford, Charolais, Simmental, and Gelbvieh breeds were involved. Heritabilities of traits ranged from low (maternal weaning weight 0.04) to moderate (direct weaning weight 0.41). Direct birth weight, direct weaning weight, gain on feed, and hot carcass weight had moderate to high genetic correlations. Marbling had negative genetic correlations with birth and weaning weight but positive correlations with slaughter age and hot carcass weight

Comparisons among crossbred beef cattle for growth and carcass traits

Data from 5 years of a long-term, rotational crossbreeding project were used to compare breeds for growth and carcass traits. The traits of interest were direct and maternal birth and weaning weights, gain on feed, hot carcass weight, ribeye area, marbling score, and slaughter age. Angus, Brahman, Hereford, Charolais, Simmental, and Gelbvieh breeds were involved. Simmental and Gelbvieh were used as terminal breeds, so maternal effects were not calculated for them. Brahman breeding caused an increased direct birth weight of the calves, but the maternal influence of Brahman decreased birth weight. No difference occurred in maternal weaning weight among the Angus, Brahman, Charolais, and Hereford breeds. Charolais and Simmental breeding increased gain on feed. Charolais, Simmental, and Gelbvieh breeding resulted in the heaviest hot carcass weights and largest ribeye areas. Simmental, Charolais and Angus breeding resulted in the most marbling. Hereford and Angus breeding reduced age at slaughter compared to the other breeds. All six breeds have some advantages in the traits studied. Which breed will work best depends on the production environment and goals of the producer

Comparison of feedlot and carcass characteristics of Angus, Hereford, Brahman, Charolais, and Gelbvieh crossbred steers

Feedlot performance of 207 steers with various percentages of Angus, Hereford, Charolais, Brahman, and Gelbvieh breeding were compared at a constant 1) days fed, 2) adjusted carcass backfat, and 3) slaughter weight. As the percentage of Angus, Hereford, or Brahman increased, growth rate decreased, whereas increasing the percentage of Charolais increased growth rate. Increasing the percentage of Gelbvieh increased weaning weight but had little effect on post-weaning gains. Increasing percentage of Charolais increased feed conversion efficiency, whereas the other breeds were similar, except that at a constant slaughter weight, greater percentage of Hereford improved feed conversion efficiency. Increasing the percentage of Charolais increased carcass weight and ribeye area and decreased yield grade, but marbling was not different from that of Angus. An increase in percentage of Hereford caused a decrease in carcass weight, ribeye area, marbling, and quality grade. Increasing percentage of Angus decreased carcass weight and ribeye area but increased marbling and quality grade. Increasing percentage of Brahman caused the greatest reduction of marbling and quality grade of any breed. Increasing the percentage Gelbvieh breeding resulted in increased ribeye area and decreased marbling at constant days fed and slaughter weight