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PubMedDate not supplied

Retrospective analysis of axial skeleton osteosarcoma in 22 large-breed dogs.

Medical-records of 22 large-breed dogs (>15 kg) with osteosarcoma (OSA) of the axial skeleton were reviewed to determine prevalence of metastasis and survival associated with this neoplasm. All dogs were treated with more than 1 mode of therapy including palliative radiation (n = 12), definitive radiation (n = 8), surgery (n = 7), chemotherapy (n = 12), or some combination of these therapies. Metastasis was documented in 10 of 22 dogs (46%), and the median survival for all dogs was 137 days. Primary cause of death was local tumor recurrence (54%). Breed (retriever versus purebred versus mixed-breed survival was 100, 182, and 264 days, respectively) and radiation therapy protocol (survival in dogs treated with palliative radiation therapy versus those treated with definitive radiation therapy was 79 and 265 days, respectively) were significantly related to survival (P < .05). Prevalence of metastasis and median survival for large-breed dogs with axial skeleton OSA seems to be similar to that reported for large-breed dogs with appendicular skeleton OSA. Definitive radiation therapy may have a role in the treatment of axial skeleton osteosarcoma.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Serum alkaline phosphatase activity in Scottish Terriers versus dogs of other breeds.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether Scottish Terriers have higher serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities and a higher prevalence of diseases commonly associated with high serum ALP activity than do dogs of other breeds. DESIGN: Retrospective case-control study. ANIMALS: 85 Scottish Terriers and 340 age-matched control dogs that were not Scottish Terriers. PROCEDURE: Medical records were reviewed, and data for year of evaluation, age, sex, breed, serum ALP activity, and final diagnosis were recorded. RESULTS: Scottish Terriers had a significantly higher mean serum ALP activity than did control dogs (1,520 U/L vs 306 U/L). Regardless of breed, dogs that had a disease commonly associated with high serum ALP activity had a significantly higher mean serum ALP activity than did dogs without such diseases (1,304 U/L vs 427 U/L). Scottish Terriers were 2.4 times as likely to have a disease commonly associated with high serum ALP activity than were control dogs, but Scottish Terriers with diseases commonly associated with high serum ALP activity had a significantly higher mean ALP activity than did control dogs with such diseases (2,073 U/L vs 909 U/L), and Scottish Terriers without such diseases had a significantly higher mean serum ALP activity than did control dogs without such diseases (1,349 U/L vs 228 U/L). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that Scottish Terriers have higher serum ALP activities than do dogs of other breeds. Although Scottish Terriers also have a higher prevalence of diseases associated with high serum ALP activity, this alone did not explain the higher mean serum ALP activity in the breed.

Adrenocortical Hyperfunction↗
PubMed1990

Performance of Hereford and two-breed rotational crosses of Hereford with Angus and Simmental cattle: I. Calf production through weaning.

Cow size, reproductive traits and calf performance through weaning were evaluated in a range environment for Simmental (S) x Hereford (H) and Angus (A) x H crosses in two-breed rotations and straightbred H. Data were grouped into seven dam breed categories: straightbred Hereford (H), crossbred F1 S x H cows (SH), S x H cows of low percentage H (SHS), S x H cows of high percentage H (HSH), F1 A x H cows (AH), A x H cows of low percentage H (AHA) and A x H cows of high percentage H (HAH). Straightbred H, SH, AH, SHS and AHA cows were mated to H bulls, HSH cows were mated to S bulls and HAH cows were mated to A bulls. Cows in the SHS and AHA groups ranged from 1/4 to 3/8 H and their calves from 5/8 to 11/16 H. Cows within the HSH and HAH groups ranged from 5/8 to 3/4 H and their calves from 5/16 to 3/8 H. Cow age ranged from 3 to 10 yr. Simmental-cross cows were heavier and taller and produced heavier calves at birth and weaning than A-cross. Pregnancy rate, calf birth date and percentage of difficult births did not vary significantly among dam breed groups. Within the A x H and S x H rotations, dam breed group rankings for calf birth weight were inverse to rankings for proportion of H in the breed makeup of the calf.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Number of mature follicles ovulating after a challenge of human chorionic gonadotropin in different breeds of sheep at different physiological stages.

The ovulatory response of ewes from breeds that differ widely in prolificacy (Ile-de-France, ++ Booroola Merino, Romanov, F+ Booroola Merino and F+ Booroola Romanov with adult ovulation rates of about 1.5, 1.2, 3, 3 and 3.5 respectively) to 750 IU of hCG given at different physiological stages (before puberty, during anestrus or during the luteal phase) was compared. In all except one experiment, hCG induced ovulation in 73 to 98% of the lambs, indicating that follicles sensitive to LH were present at all stages studied. Ranking of the breeds according to hCG-induced ovulation rate in prepuberal lambs was similar to that based on adult ovulation rate. Furthermore, hCG induced more ovulations in prepuberal F+ than in ++ lambs (3.7 +/- 1.4 vs 1.7 +/- .8 at 4.5 mo of age) as well as in anestrous ewes (F + at 3.1 +/- 1.8 vs ++ at 1.6 +/- .7). Within ewes, the correlation between hCG-induced ovulation rate and mature ovulation rate was positive in nonprolific breeds but not significant in prolific breeds. We conclude that 1) the number of hCG-induced ovulations can be used to identify sheep that are carriers of the Booroola gene and 2) the mechanisms responsible for a number of large ovulatory follicles typical of a breed are present at stages (prepuberal, anestrus, luteal phase) other than the follicular phase.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Effects of percentage Brahman and Angus breeding, age-season of feeding and slaughter end point on meat palatability and muscle characteristics.

Steers (n = 125) of known percentage Angus (A) and Brahman (B) breeding (A = 31, 3/4A:1/4B = 32, 1/2A:1/2B = 31, 1/4A:3/4B = 31) were slaughtered after being fed as calves during the cool period of the year or fed as yearlings during the warm period of the year. Steers were slaughtered at equivalent outside fat thickness as monitored visually and with real-time ultrasound. Warner-Bratzler shear (WBS) force increased and sensory panel tenderness decreased as percentage Brahman increased. Loin muscle characteristics indicated that differences in tenderness between breed groups were not attributed to cold shortening effects or differences in amount or integrity of connective tissue. Fragmentation values suggested that breed group tenderness differences probably resulted from differences in the muscle fiber component. A 10-d postmortem aging study revealed a differential breed group response to postmortem aging, suggesting that breed groups differed in amount and(or) activity of naturally occurring proteolytic enzymes in muscle tissue.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1991

Breed effects and heterosis in advanced generations of composite populations for puberty and scrotal traits of beef cattle.

Heterosis effects were evaluated in F1, F2, and F3 generations of females and in the F1, F2, and combined F3 and F4 generations of males in three composite populations of beef cattle. Traits included weight, height, and condition scores at different ages, percentage of females reaching puberty at 368, 410, and 452 d, adjusted age, and adjusted weight of females at puberty and scrotal circumference and paired testicular volume of males. Breed effects were evaluated for the nine parental breeds (Red Poll [R], Hereford [H], Angus [A], Limousin [L], Braunvieh [B], Pinzgauer [P], Gelbvieh [G], Simmental [S], and Charolais [C]) that contributed to the three composite populations (MARC I = 1/4 C, 1/4 B, 1/4 L, 1/8 H, 1/8 A; MARC II = 1/4 G, 1/4 S, 1/4 H, 1/4 A; and MARC III = 1/4 R, 1/4 P, 1/4 H, 1/4 A). Breed effects were significant for all traits evaluated. Heterosis was significant for weight, height, and condition score at all ages and for most measures of puberty in each generation of each composite and for the mean of the three composite populations. Heterosis for age at puberty was largely independent of heterosis effects on 368-d weight. Heterosis was significant for scrotal circumference and paired testicular volume in each generation of each composite and for the mean of the three composite populations. Heterosis effects on scrotal measurements are mediated both through heterosis effects on growth rate and through factors that are independent of growth rate. Correlation coefficients among breed group means and correlations of breed rank for scrotal measurements with puberty traits of females were greater than or equal to .88 (P less than .01) for all puberty traits except weight at puberty, which was not associated with scrotal measurements. There was close agreement in heterosis observed for most traits and expectation based on retained heterozygosity. These results support the hypothesis that heterosis in cattle for size, puberty, and scrotal measurement traits is due to dominance effects of genes.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1993

Diallel cross of three Moroccan breeds of sheep: II. Reproductive performance and productivity of purebred ewes.

A diallel cross involving three Moroccan breeds of sheep (Sardi, Beni Guil, and D'man) was analyzed by least squares procedures. A total of 456 ewes were mated to 22 rams and this resulted in 528 lambs born from 412 ewes. D'man ewes had by far the highest general performance as measured by total weight of lamb weaned, even though the average live weight per lamb was the lowest for the three breeds; this resulted from the higher number of lambs weaned per ewe for the D'man. The least squares means for litter size at birth per ewe lambing were 2.04, 1.01, and 1.11 for D'man, Beni Guil, and Sardi ewes, respectively. The comparable figures for litter size at weaning were 1.55, .90, and .99, respectively, and the least squares means for total weight of lamb weaned were 20.7, 16.9, and 18.2 kg for D'man, Beni Guil, and Sardi ewes, respectively. The comparable figures for total weight of lamb weaned per 100 kg of ewe weight were 71.1, 44.3, and 41.1 kg/100 kg for D'man, Beni Guil, and Sardi ewes. Conversely, D'man rams had the poorest breeding performances of the rams of the three breeds, and Beni Guil rams had the lowest litter mortality. The breed of ram had only small and nonsignificant effects on all measures of fertility and ewe productivity. The least squares means for number born/ewe lambing were 1.36, 1.35, and 1.44, respectively, for D'man, Beni Guil, and Sardi rams; the comparable least squares means for number weaned per ewe lambing were 1.10, 1.18, and 1.16, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1993

Circadian rhythm in heat production of limit-fed growing pigs of several breeds kept at and below thermal neutrality.

Circadian rhythm in total and activity-free heat production (H and Hacf, respectively) was studied in Norwegian Landrace (N), Finnish Landrace (F), Dutch Landrace (D), and Great Yorkshire (Y) barrows. Animals, weighing 26 kg at the start of the study, were kept in groups for 18 2-d periods in climate respiration chambers at environmental temperatures (Tenv) between 11 and 26 degrees C. Measurements of H and physical activity of the pigs were done in 12-min intervals for 36 h per breed per Tenv. Feeding level of animals in a group was 93 g.kg-.75 x d-1 (2.5 times maintenance) and based on mean BW. Circadian rhythm in H and Hacf with data excluding the feeding periods was assessed using a sine wave with a 24-h periodicity per breed and per Tenv. With respect to H, the intercepts and amplitudes for the three Landrace breeds were similar, but the Y pigs had a lower intercept and a lower amplitude. The intercepts increased with decreasing Tenv. In N pigs, but not in F, D, or Y pigs, the amplitude increased with decreasing Tenv. With respect to Hacf, all breeds had similar intercepts and amplitudes. The Hacf varied less within a day than did H. In all breeds, the intercepts were increased with decreasing Tenv. The amplitudes were not affected by Tenv.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Challenges and opportunities for integrating genetically modified animals into traditional animal breeding plans.

Techniques have been developed to introduce specific genes from one species into the germplasm of another, including livestock. This paper reviews reports on evaluation, selection, and breeding procedures for introduction and multiplication of transgenes in breeding populations of livestock. Before transgenes are introduced and multiplied in commercial breeding populations, it is necessary to test transgenics extensively for both favorable and unfavorable transgene effects. Parent stock used to produce transgenic founder animals should be selected to excel in polygenic breeding value for economically important traits, especially if founder animals or their sons are to be used directly by AI in commercial populations. However, polygenic breeding value of founder transgenic animals and inbreeding depression are of negligible importance if a transgene is introgressed into a selection nucleus population from three or four generations of backcrossing. Transgenic development should be economically viable for traits with major effects on net merit, especially in the dairy industry, where transgenic sires can be used extensively by AI. A minimum effect of about 10% of the mean (or one phenotypic standard deviation) is a reasonable approximation of the minimum transgene effect that would be necessary to justify introgression into a nucleus swine population. A transgene effect of 10 to 20% of the mean would be required for most economic traits in beef cattle.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Evaluation of line and breed of cytoplasm effects on performance of purebred Brangus cattle.

Substantial differences between reciprocally crossed Bos taurus x Bos indicus calves for birth, weaning, and yearling weights have been reported. To determine whether cytoplasmic inheritance is responsible for a portion of these differences, field records for birth and weaning weight (n = 7,353) and postweaning average daily gain (n = 2,746) from registered Brangus calves were analyzed. An animal model that included maternal effects was fit for each trait. Breed of cytoplasmic origin was fit as a fixed effect and coded as Angus, Brahman, or unknown. Cytoplasmic line within each breed of origin was treated as a random effect. Variance components for random effects were estimated using derivative-free REML procedures. Line of cytoplasm accounted for less than .002% of the phenotypic variance in all three traits. Estimates for cytoplasmic breed of origin effects were small in magnitude, and contrasts tested (Angus vs Brahman and Angus vs Unknown) were not significant (P > .10). Estimates of heritability of direct (maternal) effects were .36 (.20), .41 (.27), and .21 (.08) for birth weight, weaning weight, and postweaning average daily gain, respectively. Estimates of genetic correlations between direct and maternal effects ranged from -.27 for postweaning average daily gain to -.58 for birth weight. No evidence for breed or line within breed of cytoplasmic origin effects was detected in these data.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1994

Breed effects and retained heterosis for growth, carcass, and meat traits in advanced generations of composite populations of beef cattle.

Retained heterosis for growth, carcass, and meat traits was estimated in F3 generation castrate male progeny in three composite populations finished on two levels of dietary energy density (2.82 Mcal of ME and 3.07 Mcal of ME and 11.50% CP) and serially slaughtered at four end points at intervals of 20 to 22 d. Breed effects were evaluated in nine parental breeds (Red Poll [R], Hereford [H], Angus [A], Limousin [L], Braunvieh [B], Pinzgauer [P], Gelbvieh [G], Simmental [S], and Charolais [C] that contributed to the three composite populations (MARC I = 1/4 B, 1/4 C, 1/4 L, 1/8 H, 1/8 A; MARC II = 1/4 G, 1/4 S, 1/4 H, 1/4 A; and MARC III = 1/4 R, 1/4 P, 1/4 H, and 1/4 A). Breed effects were important (P < .01) for carcass weight, dressing percentage, fat thickness, and marbling score; for retail product, fat trim and bone percentages and weights at two levels of fat trim (8 and 0 mm); and for carcass lean, fat, and bone percentages and weights. Mean slaughter weight was 54.7 kg greater for the Simmental, Gelbvieh, and Charolais breeds than for the Limousin but did not differ (P > .05) from Limousin in retail product weight or carcass lean weight because of higher dressing percentage, lower fat trim percentage, and lower bone percentage of Limousin. The effects of dietary energy density were important (P < .01) for most traits. The interaction of breed group x dietary energy density generally was not important. Retained heterosis generally was significant for each composite population for weight of retail product, fat trim, bone, and carcass lean, fat, and bone. For percentage of retail product, fat trim, carcass lean, carcass fat, and chemical fat in the 9-10-11th rib cut, generally, heterosis was significant for composites MARC II and MARC III but not for composite MARC I (i.e., composites MARC II and MARC III had a lower percentage of retail product and carcass lean and a higher percentage of fat trim, carcass fat, and chemical fat in the 9-10-11th rib cut than the mean of contributing purebreds).

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1995

The effect of breeding facility and sexual stimulation on plasma cortisol in boars.

Nine boars were used to evaluate effects of breeding facility design and sexual activity on plasma cortisol concentrations . In one breeding facility (conventional), boars were housed individually in small pens, and female pigs were mated in those boar pens. In another breeding facility (Detection-Mating Area [DMA] system), boars were housed individually in stalls, and female pigs were mated in a specific mating pen adjacent to the front of stalls where boars were housed. After 51 d of housing treatment, a catheter was surgically implanted in the cephalic vein for collection of blood samples. Daytime profiles (hourly collections from 0900 to 1700) of cortisol did not differ among boars in the two treatment groups. Cortisol was greater (P < .01) in the morning than in the afternoon. Administration of ACTH increased (P < .001) plasma cortisol in boars, but breeding facility did not affect the ACTH-induced changes in cortisol concentrations. There was a treatment x time interaction (P < .02) for cortisol after sexual stimulation, and the magnitude and duration of increase in cortisol were greater (P < .05) in the DMA treatment group. Cortisol was greater (P < .001) after than before mating for both treatment groups. An acute increase in plasma cortisol concentration in boars seems to be a normal biological response to sexual activity. However, magnitude and duration of the increase in cortisol may be influenced by breeding facility design and mating procedure. There is no evidence, based on physiological data, that housing boars in stalls in the DMA system has any adverse effects on their welfare.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMed1995

Tarentaise and Hereford breed effects on cow and calf traits and estimates of individual heterosis.

Preweaning and weaning records on 457 calves and weights and milk production of their dams were used to evaluate breed of dam effects, breed of sire effects, and individual heterosis effects. Hereford and Tarentaise dams were mated to Hereford and Tarentaise sires and calves were born from 1987 to 1991. Calf traits were birth weight, proportion calving difficulty, weaning weight, weaning height, weaning weight:height ratio, and condition score at weaning. Cow traits were milk production four weights during the year, weight changes, height at weaning, condition score, ratio of calf weight:cow weight, proportion calved and weaned, and calf weaning weight per cow exposed to breeding. Breed of sire was nonsignificant for all traits except calf hip height, but breed of dam was significant for calf weaning weight and condition score, late milk production, change in milk production, and the cow traits of all weights, condition score, weight:height ratio, and ratio of calf weight:cow weight. Least squares means for Hereford and Tarentaise dams, respectively, were 216 and 236 kg for calf weaning weight, 6.2 and 9.3 kg for late milk production, 559 and 507 kg for cow weight at weaning, 6.0 and 4.9 for cow condition score, and .39 and .47 for ratio of calf weight at weaning:cow weight at weaning. Heterosis was significant for birth weight (1.05 kg, 3%, P = .01), weaning weight (11.0 kg, 5%, P = .01), and condition score (.13, 2%, P = .06). Thus, Hereford dams weighted more and had higher levels of condition, whereas Tarentaise dams produced more milk late in lactation and weaned heavier calves.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1996

Heat tolerance in two tropically adapted Bos taurus breeds, Senepol and Romosinuano, compared with Brahman, Angus, and Hereford cattle in Florida.

Two trials were conducted with heifers to determine heat tolerance among temperate Bos taurus (Angus, Hereford), Bos indicus (Brahman), tropical Bos taurus (Senepol, Romosinuano), and the reciprocal crosses of Hereford and Senepol. Differences among breeds in temperament score, circulating concentrations of cortisol, and blood packed cell volume were also investigated. Trial 1 used 43 Angus, 28 Brahman, 12 Hereford, 23 Romosinuano, 16 Senepol, 5 Hereford x Senepol (H x S), and 5 Senepol x Hereford (S x H) heifers. Trial 2 used 36 Angus, 31 Brahman, 9 Hereford, 14 Senepol, 19 H x S, and 10 S x H heifers. On the hottest summer date in Trial 1, rectal temperature of Angus was greater (P < .001) than that of Brahman, Senepol, or Romosinuano. Rectal temperature and plasma cortisol were significantly less in Senepol than in Brahman, suggesting that the differences in rectal temperature between these breeds may be due to differences in stress response possibly related to differences in temperament. Reciprocal crosses of Hereford and Senepol had rectal temperatures nearly as low as that of Senepol and displayed substantial heterosis (-9.4%, P < .05) in log10 rectal temperature on the hottest summer date. On both the hottest and coolest dates in Trial 1, Angus heifers had significantly faster respiration rates than Brahman, Romosinuano, or Senepol heifers, and Brahman had significantly slower respiration rates than Romosinuano or Senepol. On the hottest summer date in Trial 2, rectal temperature in Angus heifers was greater (P < .001) than in Brahman or Senepol had rectal temperatures similar to that of Senepol, or heterosis for log10 rectal temperature was similar to that in Trial 1 (-9.8%, P < .05). Considering rank order among breeds, Brahman always had the slowest respiration rate and greatest packed cell volume. Brahman had significantly greater temperament scores and plasma cortisol concentrations than Angus or Senepol, except that plasma cortisol was not different between Brahman and Senepol on the hottest summer date. On this date, rectal temperature did not differ between Brahman and Senepol, which supports the hypothesis that there is a relationship between response to stress and rectal temperature that helps explain differences in rectal temperature between Brahman and Senepol. The results of these trials demonstrate heat tolerance of the Senepol and Romosinuano, two Bos taurus breeds. Furthermore, the results suggest a substantial level of dominance of the Senepol's ability to maintain constant body temperature in a hot environment as measured by rectal temperature in crosses with a non-adapted breed.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed1998

Heterosis losses resulting from incorrect matings in a three-breed rotational crossbreeding system in pigs.

Losses in individual heterosis were estimated using performance records from 11,700 pigs, 959 litters, and 377 pens of pigs from a three-breed rotational crossbreeding system. Three types of rotational crossbred sows were produced using the Duroc, Landrace, and Yorkshire breeds. Twenty-nine Duroc, 27 Landrace, and 25 Yorkshire boars were mated to 275 sows to produce pigs with theoretical levels of breed heterozygosity of 85.7, 71.4, or 42.9% depending on the genetic composition of the sows and boars. Orthogonal polynomials for unequally spaced levels were used to partition sum of squares for individual heterozygosity into linear and quadratic responses. There was a linear decline in 56-d litter weight (-.222 kg; P < .01) for each 1% decrease in heterozygosity. Responses for pig weight at 56 d (-.02 kg; P < .001) and age at 105 kg (.12 d; P < .001) were linear for each 1% decrease in heterozygosity. Likewise, post-weaning average daily gain ( -.0004 kg/d; P < .05) and feed conversion (-.0001; P < .01) responses were linear for each 1% decrease in heterozygosity. There were linear responses for survival rates of pigs born alive to 21 d (-.089%; P < .01), alive from 21 to 56 d (-.025%; P < .05), alive from 56 d and to 105 kg (-.042%; P < .05), and from birth to 105 kg (excluding stillborn pigs) (-.129%; P < .001) for every 1% decline in heterozygosity from 85.7 to 42.9%, respectively. Quadratic responses were not important for any of the traits examined (P > .05). Decreased productivity, resulting from decreased heterozygosity, can be expected when three-breed rotational crossbred sows are mated to boars from the wrong breed.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Energy expenditure of Angora bucks in peak breeding season estimated with the doubly-labeled water technique.

We used the doubly-labeled water (DLW; 2H2(18)O) method to compare total energy expenditure (TEE) of Angora bucks and wethers over a 15-d period during peak breeding season. Four bucks (57+/-3 kg) and four wethers (45+/-2 kg) were fitted with marking harnesses to measure sexual activity and allocated pairwise to one of four breeding groups (n = 30 does/group). Subjects were infused i.v. with 2H2(18O) that provided 200 mg 2H2O and 250 mg H2(18)O/kg BW. Blood samples were collected over a 15-d period, with 3- to 4-d intervals for isotope enrichment measurements. Total DLW-derived energy expenditure (TEE) was similar (P = .55) between bucks and wethers (2,578 vs 2,365; SE 239 kcal/d). Large variation was observed among wethers in TEE, courtship, and attempted mountings. Total energy expended corrected for that in mohair production (CTEE) tended (P = .09) to be greater in sexually active wethers (133+/-8 kcal ME/[kg BW.75 x d(-1)]; n = 3) than in bucks (110+/-7 kcal ME/[kg BW.75 x d(-1)]; n = 4). Energy expended on activity (EEa) by these wethers was highly correlated (r = .98) with the number of does marked, which may explain high variability among wethers in EEa. Bucks marked more does (18+/-1; P < .05) than wethers (8+/-3), but a weak relationship (r = .36) existed between number of does marked and EEa, suggesting individuality in style and persistence while courting. In Angora bucks, CTEE during the breeding season was 9% greater than the maintenance energy requirement. In conclusion, breeding activities in single-buck breeding groups did not markedly increase energy requirements of Angora bucks.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1999

Effect of breed (Angus vs Simmental) on immune function and response to a disease challenge in stressed steers and preweaned calves.

Two experiments were conducted with feeder steer calves and preweaned calves to determine the effects of breed on immune response. In Exp. 1, newly weaned Angus (n = 24) and Simmental (n = 24) steer calves were blocked by weight within breed and randomly assigned to 12 pens with four calves per pen. The basal diet consisted of 87% corn silage (DM basis) and 13% of a soybean meal-mineral-vitamin supplement. Steers were allowed ad libitum access to feed throughout the study. On d 2 following weaning, calves received an intranasal inoculation of infectious bovine rhinotraecheitis virus (IBRV; 2.7 x 10(8) CCID50). Rectal temperatures in response to the IBRV were higher (P < .05) in Angus calves. On d 9, calves were injected i.m. with 10 mL of a 25% pig red blood cell (PRBC) suspension. Total immunoglobulin (Ig) and IgM titers against PRBC were higher (P < .05) for the Angus calves. Breed did affect cell-mediated immune response to phytohemagglutinin (PHA). In Exp. 2, preweaned (16 Angus and 16 Simmental) calves were selected based on breed, body weight, and sex. On 0 d, all selected calves were injected i.m. with 10 mL of a 25% PRBC suspension. Total Ig and IgG titers against PRBC were higher (P < .05) for Angus calves. On d 28, lymphocytes were isolated from peripheral blood obtained from eight calves per breed. Peripheral lymphocytes from the Angus calves had a greater (P < .07) blastogenic response to 6.25 microg/mL of PHA than lymphocytes from Simmental calves. Results indicate that the immune response of Angus and Simmental calves may differ.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Preweaning growth of F1 tropically adapted beef cattle breeds x Angus and reproductive performance of their Angus dams in arid rangeland.

The objective of this study was to determine the preweaning performance of F1 Brahman (Bos indicus)-, Senepol (Bos taurus)-, and Tuli (Sanga)-Angus calves under semiarid south Texas conditions and to evaluate the reproductive performance of their Angus dams. Four hundred eighty-nine records collected over 4 yr were analyzed. The statistical model for performance traits included the effects of breed of sire, year, sex, age of dam, and breed of sire x year. Year effects were important (P < 0.05) for performance traits but could be explained, at least partially, by differences between years in rainfall patterns. Brahman F1 calves were 13% less (P < 0.05) vigorous at birth, 4.7 kg heavier (P < 0.05) at birth, 13.5 kg heavier (P < 0.05) at weaning, 0.25 units lower (P < 0.05) in body condition score (BCS) at weaning, and 1.75 units greater (P < 0.05) in frame score (scores of 1 to 9) at weaning than Tuli and Senepol F1 calves. Senepol F1 calves were intermediate (P < 0.05) between the Brahman and Tuli F1 calves for birth and weaning weight but had 11% more (P < 0.05) vigor at birth than the other two crossbreds. Tuli and Senepol F1 were similar (P > 0.05) in BCS and frame size at weaning. Males were 3.3 kg heavier (P = 0.12) at birth than females, especially for the F1 Brahman males that were 4.5 kg heavier (P < 0.05) than their counterparts. Brahman F1 weaned 19.9 kg heavier (P < 0.05) than the average of the other two F1 in the year of the greatest rainfall (1994), whereas the average advantage in other years was 11.4 kg. This difference gave rise to a breed of sire x year interaction (P < 0.003). Brahman F1 were heavier at every measurement and appeared to be later-maturing and more able to excel under good forage conditions than the other two F1 breed types; Senepol and Tuli F1 were similar (P > 0.05) in these respects but appeared to be more competitive in relative growth rate to the Brahman F1 calves in years of greater nutritional stress. Angus females were observed to have a relatively low reproductive rate and high apparent fetal loss at the first (27.5%) and second (19.2%) compared with the third or later pregnancy (11.2%). Angus females that gave birth to Brahman F1 calves had 20.1% lower (P < 0.05) pregnancy rates in the succeeding year than those that had given birth to the other two breeds.

Adaptation, Physiological↗