John C. Waller

Fertility aspects in yearling beef bulls grazing endophyte-infected tall fescue pastures

During a 2-year study, yearling beef bulls were used to determine the effects of grazing on endophyte-infected tall fescue on endocrine profiles, semen quality and fertilisation potential. Bulls were allotted to graze tall fescue pastures infected with Neotyphodium coenophialum (E+; n = 20 per year) or Jesup/MaxQ (Pennington Seed, Atlanta, GA, USA; NTE; n = 10 per year). Bulls were grouped by scrotal circumference (SC), bodyweight (BW), breed composites and age to graze tall fescue pastures from mid-November until the end of June (within each year). Blood samples, BW, SC and rectal temperatures (RT) were collected every 14 days. Semen was collected from bulls every 60 days by electroejaculation and evaluated for motility and morphology. The developmental competence of oocytes fertilised in vitro with semen from respective treatments was determined. Bulls grazing E+ pastures had decreased BW gain (P < 0.01), increased overall RT (P < 0.01) and decreased prolactin (P < 0.01) compared with animals grazing NTE pastures. Neither percentage of normal sperm morphology nor motility differed between bulls grazed on the two pasture types. Semen from E+ bulls demonstrated decreased cleavage rates (P = 0.02) compared with semen from NTE bulls. However, development of cleaved embryos to the eight-cell and blastocyst stages did not differ between the two groups. In conclusion, semen from bulls grazing E+ tall fescue resulted in decreased cleavage rates in vitro, which may lower reproductive performance owing to reduced fertilisation ability.

High-pressure homogenization of raw and pasteurized milk modifies the yield, composition, and texture of queso fresco cheese.

High-pressure homogenization (HPH) of milk was studied as an alternative processing operation in the manufacturing of queso fresco cheese. Raw and pasteurized (65°C for 30 min) milks were subjected to HPH at 0, 100, 200, and 300 MPa and then used to manufacture queso fresco. The cheeses were evaluated for yield, moisture content, titratable acidity, nitrogen content, whey protein content, yield force, yield strain, and tactile texture by instrumental or trained panel analyses. The combination of HPH and thermal processing of milk resulted in cheeses with increased yield and moisture content. The net amount of protein transferred to the cheese per kilogram of milk remained constant for all treatments except raw milk processed at 300 MPa. The highest cheese yield, moisture content, and crumbliness were obtained for thermally processed milk subjected to HPH at 300 MPa. The principal component analysis of all measured variables showed that the variables yield, moisture content, and crumbliness were strongly correlated to each other and negatively correlated to the variables yield strain, protein content (wet basis), and sensory cohesiveness. It is suggested that the combination of thermal processing and HPH promotes thermally induced denaturation of whey protein, together with homogenization-induced dissociation of casein micelles. The combined effect results in queso fresco containing a thin casein-whey matrix that is able to better retain sweet whey. These results indicate that HPH has a strong potential for the manufacture of queso fresco with excellent yield and textural properties.

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy used to detect endophyte-mediated accumulation of metals by tall fescue

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was used to determine the impact of endophyte (Neotyphodium sp.) infection on elemental composition of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea). Leaf material from endophyte-infected (E+) and endophyte-free (E−) tall fescue populations in established plots was examined. Leaf-tissue digestates were also tested for metals, by inductively coupled plasma (ICP) mass spectrometry (MS). Seven of eleven metals (Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu, Ni, and Zn) were measured by both techniques at concentrations great enough for a reliable comparison. Mg, Zn, and Cd, a toxic metal that can be present in forage, were readily detected by LIBS, even though Cd concentrations in the plants were below levels typically achieved using ICP MS detection. Implications of these results for research on forage analysis and phytoremediation are discussed.

A single nucleotide polymorphism in the dopamine receptor D2 gene may be informative for resistance to fescue toxicosis in angus-based cattle.

Fescue toxicosis (FT) reduces beef animal growth and fertility. Animals afflicted with FT typically have decreased circulating prolactin concentrations and thicker summer hair coats. Preliminary experiments examined the informativeness of a novel Dopamine Receptor 2 (DRD2) G/A SNP for resistance to FT. Steers grazed tall fescue containing a toxic (E+) or non-toxic (NTE) strain of endophyte. Decreased serum prolactin concentrations were observed in GG steers in May compared to AA steers when grazing E+ pastures (P < 0.02). In a second study, GG steers had decreased prolactin concentrations (P = 0.004) and increased hair coat scores (P = 0.01) relative to AA steers when grazing E+ pastures. Allele and genotypic frequencies were different (P = 0.016 and 0.026, respectively) between spring-calving and fall-calving herds grazing E+ pastures, such that the A allele and the AA genotype were more prevalent in spring-calving herds, suggesting active selection for the A allele. Regardless of calving season, AA heifers tended toward fewer days to first calf (733.6 ± 4.4 d) than did GG heifers (756.6 ± 9.2 days; P = 0.055). These results suggest that the DRD2 SNP may have use in selecting animals resistant to FT.

A polymorphism in XKR4 is significantly associated with serum prolactin concentrations in beef cows grazing tall fescue

Fescue toxicosis is a common syndrome of poor growth and reproductive performance of beef cattle grazing endophyte-infected tall fescue infected with Lolium arundinaceum Schreb. Together with decreased feed intake, decreased growth rates and tissue necrosis due to vasoconstriction, depressed circulating serum prolactin concentrations are typically observed in cattle afflicted with fescue toxicosis. Polymorphisms within the XK, Kell blood group complex subunit-related family, member 4 (XKR4) gene located on BTA14 have been previously reported to be associated with rump fat thickness, residual feed intake, average daily feed intake and average daily gain in cattle. Associations also have been reported between XKR4 genotype and effectiveness of the dopamine antagonist iloperidone as a treatment of schizophrenia in humans. Domperidone, a related dopamine antagonist, mediates effects of fescue toxicosis on livestock, including restoring depressed concentrations of prolactin. A mixed-breed population of 592 beef cattle grazing endophyte-infected tall fescue was used to examine the association between XKR4 genotype and circulating prolactin concentrations. The SNP rs42646708 was significantly (P = 0.0002) associated with serum prolactin concentrations and explained 2.45% of the phenotypic variation. Effect of genotype at the SNP was tested across five breeds, with significant associations within both Angus (P = 0.0275) and Simmental (P = 0.0224) breeds. These results suggest XKR4 may play a role in mediating the negative effects of fescue toxicosis, and polymorphisms within this gene may be useful markers for selection for genetic resistance to the debilitating effects of endophyte-infected tall fescue.

Avian Habitat Following Grazing Native Warm-Season Forages in the Mid-South United States

ABSTRACT Native warm-season grasses (NWSG) currently are being promoted for livestock forage and biofuels feedstock in the Mid-South. However, there are no published data on how NWSG managed with livestock in the Mid-South may affect habitat for wildlife. We conducted a study to evaluate habitat for grassland songbirds and northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) in response to two cattle grazing treatments in NWSG pastures across three sites in Tennessee, 2010 and 2011. We evaluated vegetation composition and structure along with invertebrate availability during the primary nesting season for grassland songbirds and the typical brood-rearing season for the northern bobwhite. Grazing treatments included full-season (May to August) grazing and early-season (30 days beginning in May) grazing, after which subsequent growth was taken as a biofuel harvest postdormancy. Forage treatments included big bluestem/indiangrass mixture, switchgrass, and eastern gamagrass. Vegetation composition was dominated by the planted forages in all pastures. All forage types and both grazing treatments provided suitable structure for grassland songbirds and bobwhite during the primary nesting season. Full-season grazing maintained suitable structure through the brooding period, with greater openness at the ground level and angle of obstruction, as well as optimal vegetation height (<60 cm). Structure within early-season grazing treatments became dense after cattle were removed with less openness at ground level than what brooding bobwhites typically use. Invertebrate biomass was sufficient in all forage types and grazing treatments to support bobwhite broods. We recommend livestock producers in the Mid-South use full-season grazing that maintains grass height of approximately 40 cm in production stands of NWSG to maximize benefits for grassland birds and northern bobwhite.

The cost of feeding bred dairy heifers on native warm-season grasses and harvested feedstuffs

Heifer rearing is one of the largest production expenses for dairy cattle operations, which is one reason milking operations outsource heifer rearing to custom developers. The cost of harvested feedstuffs is a major expense in heifer rearing. A possible way to lower feed costs is to graze dairy heifers, but little research exists on this topic in the mid-south United States. The objectives of this research were to determine the cost of feeding bred dairy heifers grazing native warm-season grasses (NWSG), with and without legumes, and compare the cost of grazing with the cost of rearing heifers using 3 traditional rations. The 3 rations were corn silage with soybean meal, corn silage with dry distillers grain, and a wet distillers grain-based ration. Bred Holstein heifers between 15- and 20-mo-old continuously grazed switchgrass (SG), SG with red clover (SG+RC), a big bluestem and Indiangrass mixture (BBIG), and BBIG with red clover (BBIG+RC) in Tennessee during the summer months. Total grazing days were calculated for each NWSG to determine the average cost/animal per grazing day. The average daily gain (ADG) was calculated for each NWSG to develop 3 harvested feed rations that would result in the same ADG over the same number of grazing day as each NWSG treatment. The average cost/animal per grazing day was lowest for SG (

Effects of Aminocyclopyrachlor Plus Metsulfuron on Tall Fescue Yield, Forage Quality, and Ergot Alkaloid Concentration

0.48/animal/grazing d) and highest for BBIG+RC (

Management of native warm-season grasses for beef cattle and biomass production in the Mid-South USA1

1.10/animal/grazing d). For both BBIG and SG, legumes increased the average cost/animal per grazing day because grazing days did not increase enough to account for the additional cost of the legumes. No difference was observed in ADG for heifers grazing BBIG (0.85 kg/d) and BBIG+RC (0.94 kg/d), and no difference was observed in ADG for heifers grazing SG (0.71 kg/d) and SG+RC (0.70 kg/d). However, the ADG for heifers grazing SG and SG+RC was lower than the ADG for heifers grazing either BBIG or BBIG+RC. The average cost/animal per grazing day was lower for all NWSG treatments than the average cost/animal per day for all comparable feed rations at a low, average, and high yardage fee. Results of this study suggest that SG was the most cost-effective NWSG alternative to harvested feeds for bred dairy heifer rearing.

Effects of 2-stage and total versus fenceline weaning on the physiology and performance of beef steers123

Most tall fescue in the United States is infected with a fungal endophyte which imparts certain advantages to the plant, such as drought tolerance, insect feeding deterrence, and enhanced mineral uptake. However, the endophyte also produces ergot alkaloids that are harmful to livestock and contribute to fescue toxicosis. Because the alkaloids are concentrated in seed and stems, a potential way to reduce the likelihood of fescue toxicosis is by suppressing seedhead formation with herbicides. Research was conducted from 2012 to 2014 using metsulfuron applied alone and in combination with other herbicides in spring to determine the growth response of tall fescue, effects on forage quality, and ergot alkaloid concentration. Clipping or metsulfuron applied alone or in combination with aminocyclopyrachlor or aminopyralid reduced seedhead density by 36 to 55% compared to the nontreated control. Treatments containing metsulfuron reduced spring harvest yield 35 to 61%, but no differences were observed in the summer or year-after harvests. The same treatments increased crude protein levels by 1.03 to 2.14% and reduced acid detergent fiber levels by 1.60 to 2.76% compared to the nontreated control at spring harvest. Treatments containing metsulfuron reduced ergot alkaloid concentration 26 to 34% at the spring harvest, but no differences were observed in summer-harvested forage. Results from this study indicate metsulfuron applied alone or in combination with aminocyclopyrachlor or aminopyralid can potentially reduce the severity of fescue toxicosis and improve forage quality. Nomenclature: Aminocyclopyrachlor; aminopyralid; metsulfuron; tall fescue, Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort., nom. cons. La mayoría del pasto Schedonorus arundinaceus, en los Estados Unidos, está infectado con un hongo endófito lo que le brinda ciertas ventajas a la planta, tales como tolerancia a la sequía, repelencia de insectos plaga, y una absorción de nutrientes mejorada. Sin embargo, el endófito también produce esclerocios con alkaloids que son dañinos para el ganado y contribuyen a la toxicosis con S. arundinaceus. Debido a que los alkaloids están concentrados en las semillas y los tallos, una forma potencial de reducir la probabilidad de la toxicosis con S. arundinaceus es el suprimir la formación de inflorescencias con herbicidas. Se realizó una investigación desde 2012 a 2014 usando metsulfuron aplicado solo y en combinación con otros herbicidas en la primavera para determinar la respuesta del crecimiento de S. arundinaceus, los efectos en la calidad del forraje, y la concentración de alkaloids de esclerocios. La poda o la aplicación de metsulfuron solo o en combinación con aminocyclopyrachlor o aminopyralid redujeron la densidad de inflorescencias en 36 a 55% al compararse con el testigo sin tratamiento. Los tratamientos que contenían metsulfuron redujeron los rendimientos de cosecha en la primavera 35 a 61%, pero no se observaron diferencias en la cosecha de verano o cosechas en años posteriores. Los mismos tratamientos aumentaron los niveles de proteína cruda de 1.03 a 2.14% y redujeron los niveles de fibra detergente ácida de 1.6 a 2.76% al compararse con el testigo sin tratamiento en la cosecha de primavera. Los tratamientos que contenían metsulfuron redujeron la concentración de alkaloids de esclerocios de 26 a 34% en la cosecha de primavera, pero no se observaron diferencias en la cosecha de forraje de verano. Los resultados de este estudio indican que metsulfuron aplicado solo o en combinación con aminocyclopyrachlor o aminopyralid pueden potencialmente reducir la severidad de la toxicosis con S. arundinaceus y mejorar la calidad del forraje.