Ponderosa Pine Wood Biochar used as an Emissions Reduction Strategy in a Finishing Beef Cattle Diet

A finishing feedlot experiment was conducted to evaluate the impact of feeding biochar on methane and carbon dioxide production, performance, and carcass characteristics in beef cattle. Two dietary treatments were evaluated; 0 or 1% biochar in a high concentrate diet comprised of dry-rolled corn, high moisture corn, Sweet Bran, and corn silage. Ponderosa pine wood biochar was added into the diet at 1% dry-matter displacing a 1% dry-matter blend of corn. Cattle were monitored using a calorimetry emissions barn to capture methane and carbon dioxide production. Emissions production, performance and carcass characteristics did not differ between cattle fed a control diet without biochar or cattle fed a diet containing biochar

Impact of Pistachio Shell Biochar in Finishing Beef Cattle Diets

A 190-day finishing experiment was conducted to evaluate effects of feeding biochar on methane and carbon dioxide production, animal performance and carcass traits in beef steers. A high concentrate feedlot diet was used, and two dietary treatments were compared, 0 or 1% biochar as % of diet dry matter. Cattle were monitored using a calorimetry emissions barn to quantify production of methane and carbon dioxide. There were no differences in emissions, performance, or carcass characteristics for cattle fed the control diet or with biochar supplemented into the diet

Nutrient Digestibility of Condensed Algal Residue Solubles in Beef Cattle Fishing Diets

Condensed algal residue solubles (CARS) were evaluated in finishing cattle diets. Six treatments were evaluated (2 × 3 factorial arrangement), CARS inclusion in the diet at 0, 5, or 10% of diet dry matter with 0 or 20% wet distillers grains. Th e remainder of the diets consisted of 57.5– 87.5% dry rolled corn, 7.5% sorghum silage and 5% supplement. Increasing wet distillers grains in the diet had no effect on dry matter and organic matter intake but decreased dry matter and organic matter digestibility. Increasing CARS inclusion in the diet resulted in lower dry matter and organic matter intake with no effect on dry matter and organic matter digestibility. Replacing up to 10% dry rolled corn with CARS in diets with or without wet distillers grains had little effect on digestibility of finishing beef cattle diets

Effect of Ad Libitum vs. Limit Feeding Program at Receiving on Morbidity and Performance of Feedlot Calves

A two-phase study was conducted to determine the effects of two different feed delivery strategies during the receiving period of feedlot calves. Calves were fed either by limit-feeding at approximately 75% of ad libitum, or ad libitum feed offerings for the 30-d receiving period to determine effects on health and performance. During the receiving period, average daily gain and total weight gained was increased for the ad libitum treatment. No differences between ad libitum and limit-fed treatment groups were observed in either feed to gain or morbidity rates. During the second phase of the trial, a subset of calves was followed through finishing to observe the effect of the receiving strategies on the finishing period performance. At slaughter, no significant differences were observed between calves that were received on a limit fed diet or fed ad libitu

An evaluation of strategies used by the Landscapes and Policy Hub to achieve interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research

The report presents an evaluation of the Landscapes and Policy Hub's approach to interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research. The hub was a national, four year, $15 million collaborative research program. The focus of the evaluation was for researchers to reflect on the effectiveness of strategies used by the hub to facilitate interdisciplinarity (where researchers from different disciplines work together to solve problems) and transdisciplinarity (where researchers from different disciplines work in partnership with research users to solve problems). The evaluation was commissioned in the final phase of the hub’s life in the interests of improving performance of future interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research. It was based on a number of strategies that had been implemented by the hub to encourage and facilitate interdisciplinary research occurring in partnership with research users. The aim of the evaluation was to improve performance of future interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research. Six recommendations are presented

Effect of Corn Processing on Steer Performance and Fecal Starch Content

Processing corn as high-moisture corn increases starch digestion and improves cattle efficiency when fed blended with dry rolled corn in finishing rations. A finishing study evaluated the effect of corn processing method (dry-rolled corn or 2:1) high-moisture corn to dry rolled corn blend) on performance of calf-fed steers. Corn processing method did not affect average daily gain; however, steers fed a high-moisture corn and dry-rolled corn blend consumed 1.1 lb/day less than steers fed a dry-rolled corn diet. Feeding high-moisture corn and dry-rolled corn blend diets improved feed efficiency by 5.2% compared to steers fed dry-rolled corn. Fecal starch content decreased by 31.3% when comparing cattle fed the high-moisture corn and dry rolled corn blend diet to cattle fed a dry-rolled corn diet

Strategies for DDGS Supplementation Frequency to Frazing Yearling Streers

Infrequent supplementation saves labor and may reduce animal performance, but recent research with reduced fat distillers grains has provided inconsistent results. This experiment evaluated the effects of daily and three times a week supplementation of dried distillers grains on yearling steer performance grazing smooth bromegrass pastures from May to August. Daily supplemented steers received 5.6 pounds of dry matter per steer of dried distillers grains with solubles 7 days/week. The three times a week supplemented steers received 13.0 pounds of dry matter per steer of dried distillers grains with solubles three days/week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday). A control treatment received no supplementation. Providing distillers grains supplement increased gain by 0.89 pounds per day compared to non-supplemented cattle. Daily supplementation of dried distillers grains increases gain by 0.31 pounds per day compared to three times a week supplementation and a non-supplemented control. Supplementing distillers gains three times per week may reduce ADG by 10% compared to daily supplementation

Intensive care doctors and nurses personal preferences for intensive Care, as compared to the general population: a discrete choice experiment

Background To test the hypothesis that Intensive Care Unit (ICU) doctors and nurses differ in their personal preferences for treatment from the general population, and whether doctors and nurses make different choices when thinking about themselves, as compared to when they are treating a patient. Methods Cross sectional, observational study conducted in 13 ICUs in Australia in 2017 using a discrete choice experiment survey. Respondents completed a series of choice sets, based on hypothetical situations which varied in the severity or likelihood of: death, cognitive impairment, need for prolonged treatment, need for assistance with care or requiring residential care. Results A total of 980 ICU staff (233 doctors and 747 nurses) participated in the study. ICU staff place the highest value on avoiding ending up in a dependent state. The ICU staff were more likely to choose to discontinue therapy when the prognosis was worse, compared with the general population. There was consensus between ICU staff personal views and the treatment pathway likely to be followed in 69% of the choices considered by nurses and 70% of those faced by doctors. In 27% (1614/5945 responses) of the nurses and 23% of the doctors (435/1870 responses), they felt that aggressive treatment would be continued for the hypothetical patient but they would not want that for themselves. Conclusion The likelihood of returning to independence (or not requiring care assistance) was reported as the most important factor for ICU staff (and the general population) in deciding whether to receive ongoing treatments. Goals of care discussions should focus on this, over likelihood of survival