Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
B. McClearn, L. Delaby, T. J. Gilliland, N. Galvin, C. Guy, M. Dineen, F. Coughlan, B. McCarthy
Summary: This study investigated the impact of cow genotype and parity on dry matter intake and production efficiencies in pasture-based systems. The Jersey x Holstein-Friesian cows showed the highest production efficiency, which decreased slightly when a third breed was introduced. Cows with higher parity levels had higher dry matter intake and milk yield, indicating a significant effect of parity on production efficiency.
JOURNAL OF DAIRY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
C. J. Byrne, A. K. Kelly, K. Keogh, D. A. Kenny
Summary: Early life nutrition has a significant impact on the liver transcriptome in cattle. A study found that a high-energy diet in heifer calves resulted in upregulated genes associated with cellular development, metabolism, and immune response. These findings suggest that improving early life nutrition can enhance metabolic capacity and immune response, leading to better lifetime performance in cattle.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
G. M. Pereira, L. B. Hansen, B. J. Heins
Summary: This study compared calves of different breeds in terms of gestation length, calf weight at birth, calving difficulty, and stillbirth. The results showed that there were differences among the different breeds in these indicators, but certain breeds could increase gestation length and calf weight without increasing calving difficulty and stillbirth.
JOURNAL OF DAIRY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
H. Costigan, L. Delaby, S. Walsh, R. Fitzgerald, E. Kennedy
Summary: This study investigated the effects of weaning age and post-weaning feeding regime on the growth and fertility performance of dairy heifers. The results showed that weaning age influenced the weight and linear body measurements of the heifers, while post-weaning feeding regime was associated with days from mating start date to conception and pregnancy rate.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
K. Keogh, D. A. Kenny
Summary: This study conducted gene co-expression analyses on the HPT and adipose tissues of bull calves fed different levels of nutrition, and identified co-expressed gene networks associated with metabolic status, reproductive development, and testicular development markers. These networks were also significantly associated with biological pathways related to energy production, cellular growth and proliferation, GnRH signaling, and cholesterol biosynthesis.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shuo Wang, Fuwei Wang, Fanlin Kong, Zhijun Cao, Wei Wang, Hongjian Yang, Yajing Wang, Yanliang Bi, Shengli Li
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effects of L-Gln on calves during weaning. The results showed that dietary supplementation of L-Gln improved the negative effects of weaning stress on calves, with lower levels of supplementation showing better effects.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
A. R. Wolfe, P. Rezamand, B. C. Agustinho, D. E. Konetchy, A. H. Laarman
Summary: This study examined the effects of calf weaning age and pace on performance, blood, and health parameters in dairy calves. The results showed that higher weaning age led to increased respiration rate, while gradual-weaned calves had lower respiratory and heart rates. Fecal score increased in late-weaned groups and significantly increased in gradually weaned groups. Average daily gain was lower in the late-abrupt group, while gradually weaned groups had increased average daily gain. Grain intake change was greater in gradually weaned groups. Calf health is affected by both age and pace of weaning, with different health parameters being affected differently.
JOURNAL OF DAIRY SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Sarah Schwarzkopf, Asako Kinoshita, Liane Huether, Laurenz Salm, Saskia Kehraus, Karl-Heinz Suedekum, Korinna Huber, Sven Daenicke, Jana Frahm
Summary: The maturity of primiparous cows during pregnancy and the weaning age of calves can have significant effects on the development of calves' gastrointestinal system and acid-base balance. Delaying the weaning age and using mature cows as mothers can have positive effects on the development of calves.
BMC VETERINARY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Emma N. Taylor, Jiwan Han, Congying Fan, Manfred Beckmann, Glyn Hewinson, David Rooke, Ad P. Koets, Luis A. J. Mur
Summary: In this study, longitudinal metabolomic changes in Holstein-Friesian (HF) heifers from birth to sexual maturity were assessed. The findings suggest the importance of acetic acid and 3-phenylpropionate (3-PP) in rumen development and growth, and the elevation of fatty acyls in response to post-weaning stress-induced innate immune response. This research provides valuable information for the nutrition and healthy development of heifers.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Luke K. Fuerniss, Kaitlyn R. Wesley, Sydney M. Bowman, Jerica R. Hall, J. Daniel Young, Jonathon L. Beckett, Dale R. Woerner, Ryan J. Rathmann, Bradley J. Johnson
Summary: Improved reproductive management has optimized dairy cow pregnancies for beef production. A study was conducted to compare the feedlot performance and carcass characteristics of straightbred beef calves raised in a calf ranch with beef x dairy crossbreds and straightbred beef cattle raised in a traditional beef cow/calf system. Despite differences in dam breed, straightbred beef cattle had similar performance, while Jersey maternal genetics resulted in more efficient feedlot and carcass performance than A x J crossbreds.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Yousef Abbaslou, Davood Zahmatkesh, Ehsan Mahjoubi, Mehdi Hossein Yazdi, Hamed Beiranvand, Morteza Gorjidooz
Summary: This study demonstrated that adding nucleotide supplementation to whole milk can improve post-weaning intake and final body weight of calves, as well as reduce days with loose feces in the first month of life. While no effects on pre-weaning performance were observed, nucleotide supplementation showed positive effects on overall health and intake of calves.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Edward Cottington Webb, Elandri de Bruyn
Summary: This study investigated the effects of Milk Urea Nitrogen (MUN) and climatological factors on the reproduction efficiency of Holstein Friesian and Jersey cows in South Africa. Results showed that high MUN, relative humidity, and maximum daily temperatures compromise the reproduction of Holstein Friesian cows, while Jersey cows have a lower threshold MUN concentration and are not adversely affected by high humidity or temperatures. The controversial threshold values for MUN on the reproduction of dairy cows in the subtropics remain due to complex environmental interactions, especially with high environmental temperatures.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Stephen P. Coen, Kate Keogh, Colin J. Byrne, Pat Lonergan, Sean Fair, Mark A. Crowe, David A. Kenny
Summary: The study examined the impact of nutrition in the first 12 weeks of life on testicular and sexual development in bull calves. Results showed that offering a high plane of nutrition not only improved growth and metabolic status, but also advanced testicular development for precocious sexual maturation.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Panagiota Kazana, Nektarios Siachos, Nikolaos Panousis, Emmanouil Kalaitzakis, Georgios Arsenos, Georgios E. Valergakis
Summary: The study found significant changes in biochemical parameters around the weaning period, with reference intervals varying over time. This suggests that time-specific reference intervals are necessary for accurate assessment of weaning management.
Article
Biology
Lilla Bodrogi, Blanka Borbala Csorba, Viktor Jurkovich, Gerda Kiss, Zoltan Bagi, Mikolt Bakony, Szilvia Kusza
Summary: The study compares the health and performance of ad libitum and restrictedly fed Holstein Friesian heifer calves. The results show no difference between the two groups in terms of weight, weight gain, movement activity, glucose, albumin, total protein, BHB, AST, oxidant and antioxidant status. However, the expression level of the IL8 gene is higher in the ADLIB group, indicating a stronger immune response to environmental stress.
SAUDI JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
M. E. Beltman, J. Lewis, M. McCabe, K. Keogh, D. A. Kenny
Summary: The peri-partum processes can exert various stresses on cows, but there is limited evidence on the effects of calving events on cows' immune status and reproductive health. In this study, crossbred recipient beef heifers carrying purebred Simmental embryos were observed, and it was found that induction of calving had no negative effects on dystocia or calf weight gain, but it could have a positive effect on colostral IgG concentration. Blood calcium concentrations were associated with subsequent uterine health, and immune function-related cytokines showed temporal changes during the peri- and post-partum period.
Article
Virology
Gaelle Esnault, Bernadette Earley, Paul Cormican, Sinead M. Waters, Ken Lemon, S. Louise Cosby, Paula Lagan, Thomas Barry, Kate Reddington, Matthew S. McCabe
Summary: We evaluated the potential of using the Oxford Nanopore sequencer and associated pathogen identification software for the genomic diagnosis of known and unknown BRD pathogens. Through extensive optimization of library preparation protocols, we successfully identified bovine herpes virus 1 as the main virus in samples from in vitro cell cultures and nasal swabs taken from experimentally challenged calves. We also identified issues with the quality of bacterial and viral genome assemblies in the reference database used by the pathogen identification software.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Soren Saxmose Nielsen, Julio Alvarez, Dominique Joseph Bicout, Paolo Calistri, Elisabetta Canali, Julian Ashley Drewe, Bruno Garin-Bastuji, Jose Luis Gonzales Rojas, Christian Gortazar Schmidt, Virginie Michel, Miguel Angel Miranda Chueca, Barbara Padalino, Paolo Pasquali, Helen Clare Roberts, Hans Spoolder, Karl Stahl, Antonio Velarde, Arvo Viltrop, Christoph Winckler, Bernadette Earley, Sandra Edwards, Luigi Faucitano, Sonia Marti, Genaro C. Miranda de la Lama, Leonardo Nanni Costa, Peter T. Thomsen, Sean Ashe, Lina Mur, Yves Van der Stede, Mette Herskin
Summary: In the framework of its Farm to Fork Strategy, the Commission is conducting a comprehensive evaluation of animal welfare legislation, with a focus on the transport of small ruminants (sheep and goats). The evaluation identifies 11 welfare consequences highly relevant to the welfare of sheep during transport, including group stress, handling stress, heat stress, injuries, and sensory overstimulation. The evaluation also provides recommendations for preventing hazards and mitigating welfare consequences, as well as defining quantitative thresholds for microclimatic conditions and spatial allowances.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Soren Saxmose Nielsen, Julio Alvarez, Dominique Joseph Bicout, Paolo Calistri, Elisabetta Canali, Julian Ashley Drewe, Bruno Garin-Bastuji, Jose Luis Gonzales Rojas, Christian Gortazar Schmidt, Virginie Michel, Miguel Angel Miranda Chueca, Barbara Padalino, Paolo Pasquali, Helen Clare Roberts, Hans Spoolder, Karl Stahl, Antonio Velarde, Arvo Viltrop, Christoph Winckler, Bernadette Earley, Sandra Edwards, Luigi Faucitano, Sonia Marti, Genaro C. Miranda de La Lama, Leonardo Nanni Costa, Peter T. Thomsen, Sean Ashe, Lina Mur, Yves Van der Stede, Mette Herskin
Summary: This article introduces the comprehensive evaluation of animal welfare legislation by the European Commission under the Farm to Fork Strategy, with a focus on the protection of pigs during transport. The article lists welfare consequences related to pig transport and the associated hazards, while also providing recommendations for preventing risks and mitigating welfare consequences.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Soren Saxmose Nielsen, Julio Alvarez, Dominique Joseph Bicout, Paolo Calistri, Elisabetta Canali, Julian Ashley Drewe, Bruno Garin-Bastuji, Jose Luis Gonzales Rojas, Christian Gortazar Schmidt, Virginie Michel, Miguel Angel Miranda Chueca, Barbara Padalino, Paolo Pasquali, Helen Clare Roberts, Hans Spoolder, Karl Stahl, Antonio Velarde, Arvo Viltrop, Christoph Winckler, Bernadette Earley, Sandra Edwards, Luigi Faucitano, Sonia Marti, Genaro C. Miranda de la Lama, Leonardo Nanni Costa, Peter T. Thomsen, Sean Ashe, Lina Mur, Yves Van der Stede, Mette Herskin
Summary: This report presents a comprehensive evaluation of the animal welfare legislation, focusing on the protection of cattle during transport. It identifies several welfare consequences that are highly relevant to the welfare of cattle during transport and provides animal-based measures to address them. The report also offers recommendations to prevent hazards and improve welfare outcomes during different stages of cattle transport.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Soren Saxmose Nielsen, Julio Alvarez, Dominique Joseph Bicout, Paolo Calistri, Elisabetta Canali, Julian Ashley Drewe, Bruno Garin-Bastuji, Jose Luis Gonzales Rojas, Christian Gortazar Schmidt, Virginie Michel, Miguel Angel Miranda Chueca, Barbara Padalino, Paolo Pasquali, Helen Clare Roberts, Hans Spoolder, Karl Stahl, Antonio Velarde, Arvo Viltrop, Christoph Winckler, Bernadette Earley, Sandra Edwards, Luigi Faucitano, Sonia Marti, Genaro C. Miranda de La Lama, Leonardo Nanni Costa, Peter T. Thomsen, Sean Ashe, Lina Mur, Yves Van der Stede, Mette Herskin
Summary: In the framework of its Farm to Fork Strategy, the Commission is evaluating the legislation on animal welfare, specifically focusing on the protection of horses and donkeys during transport. Various welfare consequences and hazards were identified, and recommendations were developed to prevent and mitigate these issues.
Article
Microbiology
Kerrie Ni Dhufaigh, Matthew McCabe, Paul Cormican, Inmaculada Cuevas-Gomez, Mark McGee, Tara McDaneld, Bernadette Earley
Summary: This study reports 24 genome sequences of bovine coronavirus (BCoV) from Ireland, which were directly sequenced from nasal swabs collected during a bovine respiratory disease (BRD) outbreak among recently purchased beef suckler and pre-weaned dairy calves.
MICROBIOLOGY RESOURCE ANNOUNCEMENTS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Kerrie Ni Dhufaigh, Matthew McCabe, Paul Cormican, Inmaculada Cuevas-Gomez, Mark McGee, Tara McDaneld, Bernadette Earley
Summary: In this study, the genome sequence of strain UTPV1/AB from the species Ungulate tetraparvovirus 1 (UTPV1) was reported. UTPV1/AB was isolated directly from a nasal swab of a beef-suckler calf diagnosed with bovine respiratory disease on a farm in County Meath, Ireland.
MICROBIOLOGY RESOURCE ANNOUNCEMENTS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Deirdre M. M. Prendergast, Rosemarie Slowey, Catherine M. M. Burgess, Declan Murphy, Dayle Johnston, Dearbhaile Morris, Aine O' Doherty, John Moriarty, Montserrat Gutierrez
Summary: In this study, Enterobacterales isolated from farm effluents in Ireland were subjected to whole genome sequencing, revealing the presence of various cephalosporin and fluoroquinolone resistance genes that explained the phenotypic antimicrobial resistance patterns. Additionally, virulence genes associated with stress, survival, regulation, iron uptake secretion systems, invasion, adherence, and toxin production were identified. This study demonstrates that antimicrobial resistant organisms can persist even after wastewater treatment and can transmit clinically relevant antimicrobial resistance to the environment, posing a risk to human and animal health.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Stephanie O'Donoghue, Bernadette Earley, Dayle Johnston, Matthew S. McCabe, Jae Woo Kim, Jeremy F. Taylor, Catherine Duffy, Ken Lemon, Michael McMenamy, S. Louise Cosby, Derek W. Morris, Sinead M. Waters
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the whole-blood transcriptome of dairy calves experimentally challenged with BoHV-1 and compare the gene expression results with data from a similar challenge study with BRSV. The results showed that BoHV-1 infection caused differential expression of 488 genes, involving several key pathways and gene ontology terms related to virus defense and inflammatory response.
FRONTIERS IN GENETICS
(2023)
Review
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
C. J. Byrne, K. Keogh, D. A. Kenny
Summary: The availability of high-quality semen from genetically elite bulls is crucial for the sustainability of cattle production worldwide. Enhancing nutrition in early life can accelerate sexual development in bulls. Analyzing data from multiple organs provides a better understanding of the biology and biochemical interactions influencing sexual development.
Review
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Gabriela A. Marquette, Stephanie Ronan, Bernadette Earley
Summary: Disbudding, the removal of horn buds, is necessary to prevent bullying, injury and ensure human safety. Mitigating pain during the process is important to limit the impact on behavioral and physiological states. The most common recommendation is to disbud calves before they are 2 months old as the horn buds are easier to remove during this time.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ANIMAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Gabriela A. Marquette, Stephanie Ronan, Bernadette Earley
Summary: This article reviews the impact of castration on cattle welfare, specifically looking at pain and injury, stress, inflammation, immune responses, and production. The review describes different castration methods, the associated pain responses, and how age and pain relief strategies affect these responses. The article also presents research studies that have examined the challenges and biological consequences of castration procedures on cattle welfare.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ANIMAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Kelly Buckham-Sporer, Bernadette Earley, Sonia Marti
Summary: The welfare of farm animals during transportation is a key societal concern. Efforts to decrease stress and improve welfare in cattle transportation are important and timely. Scientific studies have focused on determining optimal conditions for stocking density, duration of transportation, rest stops, and identifying the most stressful components of transportation.