The effect of cicer milkvetch (Astragalus cicer L.) and sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.) on ruminal fermentation, methane production, and microbial nitrogen synthesis was assessed in two experiments. Experiment 1 analyzed two legumes, cicer milkvetch and sainfoin at two stages (vegetative and late flower) incubated with alfalfa (Medicago sativa) at five inclusion rates 0:100; 25:75, 50:50, 75:25, and 100:0 (as DM) in batch culture. Experiment 2 analyzed vegetative cicer milkvetch and alfalfa incubated in ratios of 25:75, 50:50, 75:25, and 100:0 (as DM) in continuous culture systems (RUSITEC). In batch culture, increased dry matter disappearance (DMD), and propionate percentage (%total), and reduced methane (mg·g⁻¹ DMD) occurred with vegetative cicer milkvetch inclusion. In RUSITEC, DMD linearly increased (P < 0.01), acetate:propionate ratio quadratically decreased, while ammonia (NH₃-N) concentration (P < 0.01) and butyrate percentage (%total) linearly decreased (P < 0.05) with increasing inclusion of cicer milkvetch. No differences were observed for methane (CH₄) production (mg·g⁻¹ DMD), or short chain fatty acid (SCFA) production (mmol·day⁻¹). Microbial nitrogen synthesis and efficiency of protein synthesis linearly increased (P < 0.05) with increased inclusion of cicer milkvetch. Results suggest cicer milkvetch may result in synchronicity of energy and nitrogen during rumen fermentation, which could enhance cattle production.

Beef cows (n = 100) were ranked for efficiency based on cow rump fat thickness at calving, calving date, and calf weaning weight (% dam BW) over 2 years. The nine most (ME) and least efficient (LE) cows were used to compare feed intake and ruminal fermentation using four 26-day periods with decreasing dietary nutrient density. There were no phenotype × diet interactions for variables of primary interest. Rump fat and calf weaning weight were greater, and the calving date was earlier for ME cows than LE cows (P ≤ 0.032). The ME cows were lighter (P < 0.001) but had similar DMI (P = 0.93) to the LE cows, resulting in greater dry matter intake (DMI) %BW (P < 0.001). Ruminal contraction amplitude height and area (P ≤ 0.015) and ruminal digesta weight were greater for LE than ME cows (P = 0.043). Ruminal ash-free neutral detergent fiber (aNDFom) passage was greater for ME cows than LE cows (P = 0.047), but the rate of aNDFom degradation did not differ (P = 0.69). Total tract digestibility did not differ. Efficient cows had greater rump fat, weaned heavier calves, ate more relative to their BW, had a smaller ruminal digesta mass, and had greater ruminal passage of aNDFom without reducing digestibility.

Heat stress adversely affects the litter traits of Landrace, the primary dam breed in Taiwan. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of heat stress during sow pregnancy with homogeneous and heterogeneous residuals to estimate the genetic parameters of the Taiwan Landrace. Performance records for 11 657 litters and weather data from 2008 to 2021 were collected. The climate effect was defined proportionally from cool to hot for climates 1 to 5. The homogeneous residual analysis showed that the heritabilities of the total number born (TNB) and number born alive (NBA) were 0.164 ± 0.014 and 0.111 < ± < 0.014 with residual variances of 10.338 and 9.164, respectively. The heterogeneous residual analysis showed that the residual variances for TNB and NBA were 8.934–11.113 and 8.196–9.810, respectively. For TNB, the residual variance in the herd–year–climate effect differed significantly in climate 1 from climates 3 to 5 (p < 0.01). In NBA, the residual variance was significantly lower in climates 1 and 2 than in climates 3 and 5 (p < 0.01). In conclusion, heritability was estimated for TNB and NBA. In addition, residual variances could interact with the climate effect in heterogeneous residual analysis.

Gastrointestinal parasites are developing resistance to various commercial anthelmintics. Hence, the need to explore the efficacies of herbal plants against gastrointestinal parasites. The study was therefore conducted to determine the efficacy of aqueous extract of Vernonia amygdalina leaf against strongyles and coccidia spp. in sheep. A total of 60 sheep were used for the study. The animals were randomly assigned to one of the four groups. Those in group A, B, C, and D were given albendazole (ABZ), 10% aqueous V. amygdalina extract (BL10), 20% aqueous V. amygdalina extract (BL20), and 10 mL distilled water, respectively. All four treatments were given orally, depending on the body weight of the animals, with the exception of the distilled water, which was constant (10 mL) for each animal. Faecal samples were collected from each sheep and examined using McMaster technique. The data were analyzed using R version 4.2. The study brought to light that the prevalence of strongyles in sheep was 70% in the study area at pre-treatment. BL10 had efficacies of 52.58% and 65.08% against strongyles and coccidia spp., respectively. BL20 produced similar anthelmintic effect against strongyles as ABZ. Strongyle spp. showed resistance against ABZ in the study area.

Pig growth involves multiple genes and coordinated regulatory mechanisms. The large Diqing Tibetan pigs (TPs) are a unique plateau pig breed in China. Data on the mechanisms of muscle growth and development in TPs are limited, and its transcriptional regulation mechanism remains unclear. This study identifies important genes and proteins involved in muscle growth in TPs. We obtained transcriptomic and proteomic data from the longissimus dorsi muscle tissues of TPs and Duroc pigs (DPs) via RNA-seq and isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation analyses, respectively. Comparative analyses of TPs and DPs yielded 557 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 56 differentially abundant proteins (DAPs). Functional annotation of these DEGs and DAPs was enriched in metabolic processes, metabolic pathways, cytoskeletal protein binding, AMPK signaling pathway, insulin signaling pathway, PPAR signaling pathway, and other related pathways. Ten genes were identified as key candidate regulators (FASN, PPARG, PCK1, ACTA2, TXN, SNU13, APOA1, ATP8, ALDH2, and IGFN1) that may play important roles in the muscle growth traits of TPs. This study provides a reference for analyzing the genetic regulation mechanism underlying muscle growth in pigs and improving the meat yield of TPs via molecular marker-assisted selection.

This experiment aimed to establish the effects of Chinese herbal plant extracts compound (Astragalus root, Eucommia bark, Honeysuckle, and Quassic) to replace antibiotics on diarrhea rate, intestinal morphology, nutrient digestibility, and immunity of weaned piglets. In a 21 day experiment, 180 weaned piglets were randomly allocated to four dietary treatments, including a basal diet supplemented with 0 + 250 g/t oxytetracycline calcium and 50 g/t virginiamycin (control), 400 (T1), 500 (T2), and 600 (T3) g/t Chinese herbal plant extracts compound. The results showed that diets supplemented with Chinese herbal plant extracts significantly increased the number of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium in feces of weaned piglets, the villus height and ratio of villus height to crypt depth of jejunum and ileum, the levels of immunoglobulin G, immunoglobulin A, immunoglobulin M, interleukin-2, interleukin-4, total protein, albumin, tumor necrosis factor-α, and the apparent digestibility of energy, crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, calcium, and phosphorus (P < 0.05). Diets supplemented with Chinese herbal plant extracts significantly reduced the number of Escherichia coli in feces and the diarrhea index (P < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation with Chinese herbal plant extracts compound preparation can improve intestinal morphology, feed apparent digestibility, and immunity and reduce diarrhea rate of weaned piglets.

Seven red Canadian seaweeds (Callophyllis flabellulata, Graciliariopsis verrucosa, Mastocarpus papillatus, Mazzaella splendens, Mazzaella japonica, Palmaria mollis, and Prionitis lanceolata) and a positive control (Asparagopsis taxiformis) were selected to evaluate their chemical and elemental composition and their effects on in vitro fermentation and methane (CH₄) production in an alfalfa hay or barley straw diet. The in vitro batch culture was conducted as a completely randomised design with a control (alfalfa hay or barley straw) and seven increasing concentrations of seaweed. Chemical and elemental composition varied greatly across seaweed genera. Increasing supplementation of A. taxiformis linearly decreased (P < 0.001) dry matter disappearance (DMD) and gas production (GP; mL, mL/g DMD) with CH₄ production eliminated (P < 0.001) at 1.0% inclusion of A. taxiformis in both diets. Inclusion of Mastocarpus papillatus, Mazzaella japonica, Mazzaella splendens, Palmaria mollis, and Prionitis lanceolata increased (P ≤ 0.05) GP (mL/g DMD) at 0.5% and 1.0% in alfalfa diets. Graciliariopsis verrucosa linearly decreased (P = 0.01) CH₄ production (mL/g DMD) in the straw diet, but no doses were different compared to the control. In conclusion, the Canadian red seaweeds examined in this study did not exhibit anti-methanogenic potential when incubated with alfalfa hay or barley straw.

The aim of this paper is to investigate whether characteristics of the first lactation (FL) curve of Iranian Holstein cows are associated with survival. Cows with least 10 test-days of milk production in their FL were used. The persistency of lactation (PL) and survival were estimated using a random regression model by restricted maximum likelihood with the ECHIDDNA software. We also used the Wood model to parameterize each individual lactation curve and then analyzed various curve characteristics using an animal model. The predicted breeding value (EBV) of the characteristics of the lactation curve of the cows from day 40 to 305 was predicted. The EBV of the production range (PR) and the slope of line in increasing phase (m_40,Peak) of production curve of sires with higher survival EBV were lower than other sires (P < 0.05). The estimates of PL were independent of survival estimate. Therefore, the PR from 40th day after calving can be considered as a definition of PL because the lower the PR, the flatter is the milk production curve. Genetic evaluation of young bulls for survival needs the data of death or culling of their daughters. Therefore, the bulls can genetically be evaluated for survival according to the PL and m_40,Peak of FL information of their daughters.

To evaluate the effects of feeding hempseed cake on digestive enzymes, crossbred heifers (n = 32; 494 ± 10 kg body weight) were fed diets containing 20% (dry matter basis) dried corn distillers grains plus solubles or hempseed cake for 111 days. There was greater (P = 0.05) pancreatic mass relative to body weight in heifers fed hempseed cake. No differences (P ≥ 0.19) in digestive enzyme activity in the pancreas (α-amylase, trypsin, and lipase) and jejunum (maltase, glucoamylase, and isomaltase) were observed between treatments. Our results suggest that feeding hempseed cake did not influence digestive enzyme activity.

Eight Holstein cows were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design study to determine the effects of feeding 0%, 10%, 15%, and 20% camelina expeller meal (CEM) on production and milk fatty acid profiles. Dry matter intake (DMI) and milk fat content decreased linearly, whereas milk yield decreased quadratically, as CEM increased. Concentrations in milk fat of C18:2n-6 and cis-9, trans-11 C18:2 increased linearly, whereas those of C18:3n-3 and trans-10, cis-12 C18:2 increased quadratically as CEM increased. Results show that CEM levels up to 20% decrease DMI and milk yield but increase concentrations in milk fat of desirable n-3 fatty acids.