Nutritional and environmental factors have been shown to cause epigenetic changes that influence characteristics of the offspring throughout life. In livestock, small differences in nutrition during gestation may alter lifetime production efficiency of offspring. Therefore, the potential for fetal programing should be considered when determining supplemental feeding strategies during gestation....

Effects of varying bulk densities of steam-flaked corn (SFC) and level of inclusion of roughage in feedlot diets were evaluated in 3 experiments. In Exp. 1, a total of 128 beef steers were used in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement to evaluate the effects of bulk density of SFC (335 or 386 g/L) and roughage concentration (6 or 10% ground alfalfa hay, DM basis) on performance and carcass characterist...

The objective of this study was to determine the chemical composition and in situ degradability dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral (NDF) stockpiled perennial forage (SPF) or sun-cured hay (HAY) when collected at start end (October vs. December) fall grazing. Selected 6, 4-ha paddocks consisting meadow bromegrass alfalfa, were randomly assigned 1 2 replicate...

A survey of alfalfa hay producers was conducted to characterize vertebrate pest problems in Nevada alfalfa hay and help attract research funding. Damage to alfalfa hay by pocket gophers (Thomomvs spp), ground squirrels (Spermophilus spp), black-tailed jackrabbits (Lepus californicus) and meadow voles (Microtus montanus) was assessed. Presence of vertebrate pests along with a ranking of cost-rel...

Extensive DM contamination was found on Dacron bags that were incubated for prolonged periods of time in the rumen of steers fed alfalfa hay. The ash content of the contaminant was high, and most of it was acid-soluble X-ray analysis indicated the presence of hydroxylapatite and synthetic calcium magnesium phosphate or whitlockite. The contaminant appeared as a smooth coating on the Dacron fibe...

ruminal, post-ruminal and total tract crude protein disappearance of alfalfa hay and barley grain were measured using in vivo, in situ mobile bag and three-step in situ/in vitro enzyme procedures (3-step). for in vivo, four baluchi lambs (49.4 ± 3.5 kg, body weight) were used in a 2 × 2 latin square design within 2 periods (24 days of each period). experimental diets were made of two alfalfa ha...

Current interest in amaranth as a food resource for humans and animals has been stimulated by activities in germplasm collection and testing in the U.S. Fifteen growing, intact male lambs weighing 18.7 kg were assigned randomly to three diets (five lambs/diet) for a 14-d growth trial followed immediately by an 8-d (4-d adjustment, 4-d collection) digestion and N balance trial to determine the u...

Three hundred three pregnant ewes were randomly allotted to treatments in a 2 (diet) X 2 (feeding time) factorial arrangement 10 d before the first lambs were due in two lambing seasons to study the effect of time of feeding and diet on time of lambing. Behavioral activities were observed to determine if there was a relationship to time of parturition. All ewes were fed .5 kg ground whole corn ...

In vitro experiments were conducted to examine the characteristics and mode of action of a protease that increased the ruminal fiber digestibility of alfalfa hay. A commercial source of protease (Protex 6L, Genencor Int., Rochester, NY), already characterized for its main activities, was further analyzed to determine protease activity in response to pH, molecular size by SDS-PAGE, specificity t...