Effect of Increasing Energy 30 days Prior to Artificial Insemination in Beef Heifers

A 3-yr study utilized 300 Angus-based, spring-born heifers to evaluate postweaning heifer development systems on gain and reproductive performance. Three groups of heifers were developed over the winter development period either grazing winter range or fed a dry lot diet targeted to 1.5 lb/d of gain in order to achieve 65% of their mature body weight at breeding. Thirty days prior to artificial insemination, heifers grazing winter rand entered the dry lot and were fed this same diet, one group of dry lot heifers remained on this diet, and the other received increased energy in the form of wet corn gluten feed. Post development body weight and average daily gain were greater among dry lot developed heifers. There were no differences in artificial insemination or final pregnancy rate. Results indicate that producers may use a 30-day increase in energy prior to artificial insemination to decrease overall development inputs in range heifers without compromising reproductive efficiency when compared to dry lot heifers receiving greater inputs

Effect of Methionine Supplementation During Late Gestation in Beef Females

Some amino acids are known to be essential to cattle and effect protein availability to the animal, especially during gestation when nutrient requirements are higher. Methionine is found to be one of the most limiting in low quality forage diets. Two 3-yr studies were performed to evaluate the impact of methionine supplementation during late gestation on intake, body weight, average daily gain, and subsequent calf performance in primiparous and multiparous females. In exp 1, 120 artificially inseminated pregnancy heifers were placed in a Calan gate feeding system (n=40/yr) and assigned 1 of 3 treatments during late gestation and fed ad libitum grass hay with either: no supllement, 2 lbs. distillers based supplement with 1 oz of rumen protected methionine. In exp 2, multiparous cows on upland winter range were fed 1 of 5 treatments; no supplement, ad libitum meadow hay, 1 lb. of a distiller\u27s based cube, 2 lb. of a distiller\u27s based cube, or 2 lb. of a distiller\u27s based cube plus 1 oz of a rumen protected methionine. Body weight, body condition score, reproductive responses, and subequent calf performance were recorded in both studies. No differences were observed in calving performance or progeny carcass characteristics in either experiment in response to methionine supplementation, so it may not be a necessary supplementation strategy

Effect of Heifer Development System on Reproduction and Subsequent Gain as a Pregnant Heifer

Weaned heifers grazed corn residue, upland range, or were fed 1 of 2 drylot diets differing in energy. Heifer development diets did not impact their resulting AI or final pregnancy rates. Cost per pregnant heifer was similar among treatments. A subset of AI- pregnant heifers was placed in a Calan Broadbent individual feeding system during late gestation. As a pregnant heifer, feed efficiency was not impacted by development system. These results indicate producers may utilize their most readily available and/or cost- effective feed resources with no detriment to pregnancy rates or feed efficiency as first- calf heifers

Influencing Steer Performance Through Maternal Nutrition

Cows were fed a 28% CP cube at one of two supplement levels, high (HN) or low (LN), while grazing dormant winter range during late gestation to determine the effects of maternal supplementation level on male progeny performance and carcass characteristics. Steer initial BW did not differ between treatments; however, year 1 steers from cows fed higher supplement levels had greater final BW, HCW, marbling scores, and carcass value compared with steers from cows receiving lower supplement levels. Year 2 HN steers had greater proportions grading USDA quality grade modest or greater when compared to steers from both treatments in year 1, but only differed numerically from LN steers from year 2. Steer performance and carcass characteristics were improved in year 1 when dam protein supplementation levelswere increased

Effect of Heifer Development System on Reproduction and Subsequent Gain as a Pregnant Heifer

Weaned heifers grazed corn residue, upland range, or were fed 1 of 2 drylot diets differing in energy. Heifer development diets did not impact their resulting AI or final pregnancy rates. Cost per pregnant heifer was similar among treatments. A subset of AI- pregnant heifers was placed in a Calan Broadbent individual feeding system during late gestation. As a pregnant heifer, feed efficiency was not impacted by development system. These results indicate producers may utilize their most readily available and/or cost- effective feed resources with no detriment to pregnancy rates or feed efficiency as first- calf heifers

Impact of Supplemental Protein Source on Pregnant Beef Heifers

Crossbred, AI-pregnant heifers were fed in a Calan Broadbent individual feeding system for 110 days beginning at approximately day 142 of gestation. Heifers were offered ad libitum grass hay and no supplement, hay plus distillers based supplement, or hay plus dried corn gluten based supplement. Supplements were isocaloric, isonitrogenous, and equal in lipid content but differed in rumen undegradable protein. Protein supplementation increased DMI and ADG in pregnant heifers; however, calf birth BW and subsequent pregnancy rates were similar

Access and Use of Digital Technologies in Early Childhood: A Review of Mixed Messages in Popular Media

This paper reports on an analysis of 60 print and online articles collected in a metropolitan area in Canada that describe children’s digital engagement through a focus on ‘early literacy’ or ‘digital literacy’. Findings reveal mixed messages about children’s use of digital technology that create competing frames for adults supporting (or not) young children’s digital literacy practices. Digital technology was often characterized as something to limit/control, except in school, where digital literacy was characterized as holding a proper place when controlled by educators. Consistent across media messaging was the promotion of traditional, print-based texts as an essential early literacy practice

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy treatment of chronic recurrent sinusitis biofilms

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Targeting BMP signalling in cardiovascular disease and anaemia.

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) and their receptors, known to be essential regulators of embryonic patterning and organogenesis, are also critical for the regulation of cardiovascular structure and function. In addition to their contributions to syndromic disorders including heart and vascular development, BMP signalling is increasingly recognized for its influence on endocrine-like functions in postnatal cardiovascular and metabolic homeostasis. In this Review, we discuss several critical and novel aspects of BMP signalling in cardiovascular health and disease, which highlight the cell-specific and context-specific nature of BMP signalling. Based on advancing knowledge of the physiological roles and regulation of BMP signalling, we indicate opportunities for therapeutic intervention in a range of cardiovascular conditions including atherosclerosis and pulmonary arterial hypertension, as well as for anaemia of inflammation. Depending on the context and the repertoire of ligands and receptors involved in specific disease processes, the selective inhibition or enhancement of signalling via particular BMP ligands (such as in atherosclerosis and pulmonary arterial hypertension, respectively) might be beneficial. The development of selective small molecule antagonists of BMP receptors, and the identification of ligands selective for BMP receptor complexes expressed in the vasculature provide the most immediate opportunities for new therapies

Risk for Major Bleeding in Patients Receiving Ticagrelor Compared With Aspirin After Transient Ischemic Attack or Acute Ischemic Stroke in the SOCRATES Study (Acute Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack Treated With Aspirin or Ticagrelor and Patient Outcomes)

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