Mastitis is a major endemic disease in dairy cows resulting in significant economic losses for the dairy industry. The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) is a nuclear receptor that is able to bind and be activated by natural (e.g., fatty acids) and synthetic (e.g. thiazolidinedione) compounds. PPARγ plays important roles...
Animal welfare is an essential component of agricultural production and animal use in teaching and research. However, defining animal welfare is intrinsically difficult because of how history and societal values and perceptions have shaped the term. Animal welfare encompasses three main ideas: physical well-being, normal affective/emotional states, and the ability...
In broiler chickens, hepatic lipid metabolism plays a significant role in whole body and muscle fatty acid (FA) incorporation. Flax seed is a rich source of α-linolenic acid and can be used to increase n-3 FA in poultry meat. Previous studies have shown that flax seed in combination with carbohydrase...
Growing concerns over the rise of anthelmintic resistant populations of gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) have led producers to look for alternative means of treatment. These sentiments have been echoed by organic producers, who are restricted from the use of synthetically derived anthelmintics in the US. Chicory has emerged as a potential...
Diverse pastures containing multiple species help extend the grazing season and reduce the reliance on one or two species to meet all the nutritional requirements of livestock. Planting pasture species in spatially separated adjacent strips can increase the proportion of pasture plants with certain agronomic and nutritional attributes such as...
Pre-fermentation cold soak is a winemaking technique used to alter the color, mouthfeel, and aroma of red wine. While it is still debated what impact cold soak has on these wine quality parameters, current thoughts are that resident yeast populations found in fresh grape must play a role in altering...
Two studies evaluated the mineral status of supplemented beef cattle over two different methods of supplementation. The objective of study 1 was to evaluate the mineral status at weaning and subsequent post-weaning performance of calves supplemented prior to weaning, with limited-fed supplements fortified with trace minerals (Cu, Se, and Zn)...
Prebiotics are a subset of dietary fiber that is growing in demand within the food industry. The health benefits of prebiotics have been well established, leading to the increase in its incorporation into various food products. Given the importance of prebiotics as functional ingredients, it is important to understand their...
MicroRNAs are a highly conserved class of small endogenous RNA, about ~22nt in length, involved in post-transcriptional gene silencing and have prominent roles in disease and development. Though the process of microRNA discovery was once an arduous task, the advent of high throughput sequencing technology has resulted in novel microRNAs...
Bone is much more than a simple, static organ. While its classical functions of mineral storage, organ protection, and locomotion still hold true, further studies into the skeleton have revealed a dynamic system capable of signaling, communication, remodeling, and responding to various stimuli. Overall skeletal health is critically important to...