A randomized trial and multisite pooled trial analyses comparing effects of two hormonal implant programs and differing days-on-feed on carcass characteristics and feedlot performance of beef heifers.

Research objectives were to evaluate effects of two implant programs for beef heifers fed three different durations (days-on-feed; DOF) on carcass weight and composition (primary outcomes) and feedlot performance (secondary outcomes) at commercial feedlots. Data from a randomized trial in Kansas were analyzed separately and also pooled with data from two previously published trials conducted in Texas. Heifers were randomly allocated to pens within a block, and pens were randomized to treatments in a 2 × 3 factorial randomized complete block design. Implant programs were IH + 200 - an initial Revalor-IH implant [80 mg trenbolone acetate (TBA) and 8 mg estradiol (E2)] and a re-implant after a mean of 98-d (± 10.8 SD) with Revalor-200 (200 mg TBA and 20 mg E2), or XH - Revalor-XH, a single extended-release implant (200 mg TBA and 20 mg E2). Heifers were fed to a baseline endpoint (BASE; pooled mean 166-d ± 11.9 SD), +21, or +42 additional DOF. A total of 10,583 crossbred heifers with mean initial body weight (BW) 315 kg (± 20.1 SD) were enrolled in 144 pens in 24 blocks (treatment replications) across the three trials. General and generalized linear mixed models accounting for clustering of trials, blocks, and pens were used to test for effects of treatments, with significance set at α = 0.05. The only implant program × DOF interaction in pooled analyses was for dry matter intake (DMI; P < 0.01); IH + 200 heifers had lower mean DMI than XH when fed +42 DOF. Gain:feed was higher for IH + 200 compared to XH with dead and removed animals excluded (P < 0.01) or included (P = 0.03). For IH + 200, hot carcass weight (HCW) increased (P < 0.01), USDA Yield Grade (YG) distributions shifted towards lower numerical categories (P < 0.01), and Prime carcasses decreased while Select increased compared to XH (P < 0.01). For each incremental increase in DOF, final BW (P < 0.01) and HCW increased (P < 0.01), while daily gain (P < 0.01) and gain:feed (P < 0.01) decreased. Categories of YG were affected by DOF (P < 0.01); there were fewer YG 1 and 2 and more YG 4 and 5 carcasses for +42 compared to BASE and +21. USDA Quality Grade (QG) distributions differed by DOF (P < 0.01); each incremental increase in DOF resulted in more Prime and fewer Select carcasses. Without meaningful interactions, tested implant programs likely have a consistent effect when heifers are fed to similar DOF, while changes in HCW, QG, and YG may influence marketing decisions when extending DOF.

The effect of supplementing CLOSTAT 500 (Bacillus subtilis PB6) to yearling steers in a commercial feedyard on health, Salmonella spp. prevalence, feedlot growth performance and carcass characteristics.

British and British × Continental crossbred beef steers, n = 2,100; 313 ± 38 kg of initial body weight (BW) were used to evaluate the effects of Bacillus subtilis PB6 supplementation to yearling steers in a commercial feedyard on health, prevalence of Salmonella spp., growth performance, and carcass characteristics. Steers were blocked by arrival date and assigned randomly to pens within the block; pens were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 dietary treatments within block. Treatments, replicated in 15 pens/treatment with 70 steers/pen, included: 1) control (CON), diets containing no supplemental direct-fed microbials; 2) CLOSTAT (CLO), diets supplemented with 0.5 g/steer/d Bacillus subtilis PB6 (CLOSTAT 500, Kemin Industries, Des Moines, IA) to provide 6.6 × 109 CFU/g of the active ingredient. Supplementing CLO decreased the overall incidence of morbidity (P = 0.03), 10.38% (CLO) vs. 13.43% (CON), decreased the percentage of steers treated once for bovine respiratory disease (BRD; P < 0.01), 9.14% (CLO) vs. 12.76% (CON), and decreased the incidence of BRD retreatment (P = 0.03) compared with CON. Mortality did not differ among treatments (P = 0.23); however, overall deads and removals tended to be less for CLO than CON (53 heads vs. 73 heads respectively, P = 0.06). Prevalence of fecal Salmonella did not differ among treatments, (P ≥ 0.35); overall fecal Salmonella counts tended to be less for CLO (1.59 log (10) CFU/g) than CON (2.04 log (10) CFU/g; P = 0.07). Salmonella concentration in subiliac lymph nodes (n =150/treatment) was not different (P = 0.62) between CON (0.22 log (10) CFU/g) or CLO (0.19 log (10) CFU/g); however, there was a 46% reduction in the overall mean prevalence of lymph node Salmonella (P = 0.46; 15.48% vs. 28.66%) for CLO and CON, respectively. With deads and removals included, final BW was heavier for CLO steers than CON, (654 kg vs. 641 kg, respectively, P = 0.05), and average daily gain (ADG; P = 0.08) and gain efficiency (G:F; P = 0.06) tended to be greater for CLO than CON. With deads and removals excluded, final BW, ADG, and G:F did not differ among treatments (P ≥ 0.30). Carcass traits were not different between treatments (P ≥ 0.15). Supplementing CLO throughout the feeding period in a commercial feedyard improved the health outcomes of yearling steers by decreasing BRD and overall treatment rates, reducing the overall abundance of Salmonella, and resulting in fewer steers removed from the study compared with CON.

Liver Abnormalities in Cattle: Effect of Liver Abscessation on Growth and Productivity of Cattle.

Liver abscess has been identified in multiple classes of cattle, but cattle consuming higher energy diets may have greater prevalence of abscessation. The presence and severity of liver abscess has been associated with reduced dry matter intake, daily gain, and gain efficiency of individually fed animals, and as the prevalence of abscesses within pens of animals increases, growth performance worsens. Because of the importance of the liver to metabolism, damage due to abscess could negatively affect energy utilization. A preliminary analysis indicates severe liver abscess incidence increases the requirement of metabolizable energy for maintenance.

Evaluation of feeding ruminal-protected folate and cobalt pectinate on growth performance, carcass characteristics and plasma vitamin B12 and folate status in finishing beef steers.

A large pen feedlot study was conducted to evaluate the response of yearling steers fed novel sources of rumen-protected folate (RPFA) and cobalt (cobalt pectinate; Co-PECT) on plasma levels of vitamin B12 and folate, growth performance, and carcass characteristics. A total of 2,100 steers (initial BW = 381 ±â€…45.2 kg.) were enrolled in the study at the time of randomization with 2,091 steers started on treatment diets following the transition to the finishing diet. A generalized randomized block design with sampling error (GRBD) with two treatments and 15 pen replications per treatment (5 blocks × 6 pens/block; 30 pens total with 70 steers/pen) were evaluated with pen serving as the experimental unit. A control (CON) treatment consisted of the standard finishing diet while the test diet consisted of the standard finishing diet providing 3.0 mg ∙ kg-1 DM of RPFA and 1.0 mg ∙ kg-1 DM total supplemental cobalt with approximately half coming from Co-PECT (TEST). Blood samples were collected from 60 randomly selected steers at study initiation and prior to shipping for plasma B12 and folate measurement. Data were analyzed with the model including fixed effects of treatment, block, and treatment within block interaction. Live growth performance was not affected by treatment; however, carcass-adjusted performance and hot carcass weight were numerically improved by TEST in 3 of the 5 blocks (treatment × within block interaction, P ≤ 0.03) of cattle. Plasma levels for both folic acid and vitamin B12 were extremely low at study initiation and increased over the course of the feeding period. Feeding TEST increased (P < 0.01) plasma B12 levels compared to CON by the completion of the trial; however, mean levels would still be considered marginal. Plasma folate was lower (P < 0.05) in TEST steers at the beginning of the study, with no difference between treatments by the time cattle were shipped. Results suggested that cattle coming into the feedlot may be of low or marginal status in both plasma folate and vitamin B12. While the status of folate and B12 improved in both CON and TEST with days on feed, providing RPFA and Co-PECT further helped improve vitamin B12 status; although, overall levels remained low, which may have affected the overall response to RPFA. Additional research is required to better understand the role of B vitamin supplementation for growing-finishing feedlots and develop methods for assessing the status and improving potential responses.

Effect of a direct-fed microbial (10-G Armor) on feedlot performance, carcass characteristics, and prevalence of Salmonella in fed-beef heifers.

Crossbred beef heifers (N = 1,394; initial shrunk body weight [BW] 291 ±â€…9.9 kg) were used to investigate the efficacy of 10-G Armor (Life Products, Inc., Norfolk, NE; 10-G) upon feedlot performance, carcass characteristics, and fecal and subiliac lymph nodes Salmonella prevalence. Heifers were blocked by day of arrival and allocated to 1 of 20 pens (N = 70 heifers/pen) and assigned one of two treatments (10 pens/treatment): no direct-fed microbial (CON) or 2 g/heifer/d of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Enterococcus faecium, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Lactobacillus brevis and Lactobacillus plantarum, respectively (Life Products, Inc., Norfolk, NE; 10-G). Twenty-four animals were randomly selected from each pen for Salmonella sampling. Recto-anal mucosal swab samples (RAMS) were obtained at initial processing and harvest; subiliac lymph nodes were collected at harvest. In addition, pen surface fecal pats were collected and composited by pen (10 pats per composite, 5 composites per pen) on days 0, 52, 120, and 192. Data were analyzed as a generalized complete block design, and pen served as the experimental unit. No differences were observed in live growth performance metrics (P ≥ 0.55). Yield grade distributions did not differ between treatments (P ≥ 0.62); however, cattle fed 10-G tended (P = 0.06; 14.6% vs. 18.9%) to have fewer USDA Select carcasses and more (P = 0.09; 73.6% vs. 78.0%) USDA Choice carcasses. Cattle fed 10-G tended (P = 0.10; 9.2% vs. 12.3%) to have fewer liver abscesses and had fewer (P = 0.04; 5.3% vs. 8.5%) severe liver abscesses. Salmonella prevalence of RAMS did not differ between treatments at initial processing (P = 0.97; CON = 11.6%, 10-G = 11.5%) or at harvest (P = 0.91; CON = 99.0%, 10-G = 98.6%); however, RAMS differed (P < 0.01) in Salmonella prevalence between the two collection times. Cattle fed 10-G had a lower frequency of Salmonella positive lymph nodes (P = 0.01; CON = 15.8%, 10-G = 7.4%) than CON. However, Salmonella log (mpn/g) of lymph nodes did not differ between treatments at harvest (P = 0.34; CON = 0.73, 10-G = 0.34). These data indicate that cattle fed 10-G have decreased rates of severe liver abscesses without altering live animal performance or carcass characteristics. Supplementation of 10-G significantly reduced the prevalence rate of Salmonella recovered from the subiliac lymph nodes. The factors responsible for the observed difference in the effects of 10-G on Salmonella warrant further investigation.

Erratum to: Effects of various doses of lubabegron on calculated ammonia gas emissions, growth performance, and carcass characteristics of beef cattle during the last 56 days of the feeding period.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1093/tas/txab137.].

Effects of various doses of lubabegron on calculated ammonia gas emissions, growth performance, and carcass characteristics of beef cattle during the last 56 days of the feeding period.

Lubabegron (LUB; Experior, Elanco, Greenfield, IN, USA) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2018 and is indicated for the reduction of ammonia (NH3) gas emissions·kg-1 body weight (BW) and hot carcass weight (HCW) when fed to feedlot cattle during the final 14 to 91 d of the finishing period. LUB demonstrates antagonistic behavior at the ß 1 and ß 2 receptor subtypes and agonistic behavior at the ß 3 receptor subtype in cattle and is classified by the Center for Veterinary Medicine as a "beta-adrenergic agonist/antagonist." This report describes a randomized complete block study that evaluated LUB dose (0, 1.5, 3.5, and 5.5 mg·kg-1 dry matter) during the last 56 d of the feeding period on calculated NH3 gas emissions, live weight, carcass weight, and associated ratios in beef feedlot cattle. Carcass characteristics, mobility, and health were also evaluated. All cattle received monensin and tylosin throughout the study. Ammonia gas emissions were calculated using the equation developed by Brown et al. (Brown, M. S., N. A. Cole, S. Gruber, J. Kube, and J. S. Teeter. 2019. Modeling and prediction accuracy of ammonia gas emissions from feedlot cattle. App. Anim. Sci. 35:347-356). The reduction in calculated cumulative NH3 gas emissions with LUB ranged from 1.3% to 11.0% (85 to 708 g/hd). When NH3 gas emissions were expressed on a live weight (unshrunk) and carcass weight basis, calculated NH3 gas emissions decreased by 3.0% to 12.8% and 3.8% to 14.6%, respectively. Daily dry matter intake was 2.3% greater (P trt < 0.05) for steers that received LUB. Average daily gain was 13.7% greater (P trt < 0.05; 1.68 vs. 1.91 kg), while gain efficiency was 10.8% greater (P trt < 0.05; 0.167 vs. 0.185) for steers fed LUB. Animal mobility was scored in the pen approximately 1 wk prior to harvest, when cattle were loaded on trucks scheduled for harvest, and at antemortem inspection during lairage. No treatment differences (P trt ≥ 0.170) were observed at any time for the percent of cattle receiving mobility scores of 1 or 2 (normal or minor stiffness but moving with the normal cattle, respectively). Cattle mobility scored as a 1 or 2 equaled or exceeded 92% at all times. Final BW and HCW increased (P trt < 0.05) 11.6 to 15.7 kg and 11.3 to 17.1 kg, respectively, in cattle receiving LUB compared to cattle receiving monensin plus tylosin alone.

Effects of roughage type on particle separation, rumination, fiber mat characteristics, in situ degradation, and ruminal fermentation parameters in beef steers.

Six ruminally cannulated steers (average BW = 791 ± 71 kg) were used in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square experiment to determine the effects of roughage type on rumination, fiber mat characteristics, and rumen fermentation variables. Three roughages were included at 7% (DM basis) in a steam flaked corn-based diet: cotton burrs (CB), wheat silage (WS), or corn stalks (CS). Steers were fitted with a sensory collar to record rumination behaviors in 2-h intervals at the beginning of the experiment. Each 30-d period consisted of 7 d of recovery, 14 d of diet adaptation, 7 d of rumination data collection (daily and bi-hourly average rumination), 1 d of rumen fluid collection, and 1 d of rumen evacuations. In situ degradation of individual roughages was determined for 4 d after period 3 evacuations. During rumen evacuations, ruminal contents were removed; the rumen fiber mat (RF) was separated from the liquid portion with a 2-mm sieve, weighed, and a subsample was dried. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS with steer as the experimental unit and roughage (CB, WS, and CS) as the main effect. Dry matter intake (DMI) was not different for CB and WS (P = 0.25) and greatest for steers consuming CS diet (P ≤ 0.01). Roughage type did not influence the weight of the RF dry matter (%; DM; P = 0.92), RF weight (P = 0.69), or RF:DMI ratio (P = 0.29). Daily rumination (min/d) did not differ among roughages (P = 0.40), but min of rumination/kg of DMI was greatest for CS (18.0 min), min/kg of NDF was greatest for WS (89.8 min; P = 0.02), and min/kg of peNDF was greatest for CS (132.4 min; P ≤ 0.01). Wheat silage had the greatest percentage of soluble and degradable DM. Rumen fiber mat did not differ for roughages, although rumination min/kg of DMI and peNDF was greatest for steers consuming CS and WS. In situ degradation determined that CB-R and CS-R had the greatest percentage of ruminal undegraded DM. Based on the objective of the experiment, roughage type did not influence daily rumination or fiber mat characteristics.

A pooled analysis of six large-pen feedlot studies: effects of a noncoated initial and terminal implant compared with a single initial and delayed-release implant on arrival in feedlot heifers.

Randomized complete block design experiments (n = 6 experiments) evaluating steroidal implants (all from Merck Animal Health, Madison, NJ) were conducted in large-pen feedlot research facilities between 2015 and 2018 comparing an 80 mg trenbolone acetate (TBA) and 8 mg estradiol-17ß (E2) initial implant (Revalor-IH) and reimplanted with 200 mg TBA and 20 mg E2 (Revalor-200; REPEATED) to a single 80 mg TBA and 8 mg E2 uncoated; 120 mg TBA and 12 mg E2 coated implant (Revalor-XH) at arrival (SINGLE) on growth and carcass responses in finishing heifers. Experiments occurred in Nebraska, Oklahoma, Washington, and Texas. Similar arrival processing was used across experiments where 17,675 heifers [initial body weight = 333 kg SEM (4.1)] were enrolled into 180 pens (90 pens per treatment with 65-240 heifers per pen) and fed for 145-222 d. Only REPEATED heifers were removed from their pen at reimplant. Diets contained monensin and tylosin, consisted of ingredients common to each region, and contained greater than 90% concentrate. Ractopamine hydrochloride was fed for a minimum of 28 d prior to harvest. Linear mixed models were used for all analyses; model-adjusted means for each implant group and the corresponding SEM were generated. Distributions of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) quality grade (QG) and yield grade (YG) were analyzed as ordinal outcomes. No differences (P ≥ 0.11) were detected for any performance parameters except dry matter intake (DMI), where SINGLE had greater (P = 0.02) DMI (9.48 vs. 9.38 ± 0.127 kg) compared with REPEATED. Heifers implanted with REPEATED had greater (P ≤ 0.02) hot carcass weight (HCW; 384 vs. 382 ± 2.8 kg), dressing percentage (64.54 vs. 64.22 ± 0.120%), and ribeye area (91.87 vs. 89.55 ± 0.839 cm2) but less (P ≤ 0.01) rib fat (1.78 vs. 1.83 ± 0.025 cm) and calculated YG (2.82 vs. 2.97 ± 0.040) and similar (P = 0.74) marbling scores (503 vs. 505 ± 5.2) compared with SINGLE heifers. Distributions of USDA YG and QG were impacted (P ≤ 0.03) by treatment such that REPEATED had fewer USDA Prime and YG 4 and 5 carcasses. Heifer growth performance did not differ between implant regimens, but HCW and muscling did, perhaps indicating that REPEATED may be suited for grid-based marketing, and SINGLE might be suited for heifers sold on a live basis depending upon market conditions and value-based grid premiums and discounts. However, these decisions are operational dependent and also may be influenced by factors including animal and employee safety, stress on animals, processing facilities, time of year, labor availability, and marketing strategies.

Acute immunologic and metabolic responses of beef heifers following topical administration of flunixin meglumine at various times relative to bovine herpesvirus 1 and Mannheimia haemolytica challenges.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify acute immunologic and metabolic responses of beef heifers following topical administration of transdermal flunixin meglumine (TDFM) at various times relative to bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV1) and Mannheimia haemolytica challenges. ANIMALS: 32 beef heifers (mean body weight, 170 kg). PROCEDURES: Heifers were assigned to 1 of 4 groups. Heifers in the control group did not receive TDFM, whereas 1 dose of TDFM (3.3 mg/kg) was topically applied to heifers of groups A, V, and B at -144, -72, and 0 hours. All heifers were inoculated with 1 × 108 plaque-forming units of BHV1 in each nostril at -72 hours and with 1.18 × 106 CFUs of M haemolytica intratracheally at 0 hours. Vaginal temperature was recorded and blood samples were collected for quantification of select immunologic and metabolic biomarkers at predetermined times from -144 to 360 hours. RESULTS: Mean vaginal temperature was similar between group A and the control group. Mean vaginal temperatures for groups V and B were generally lower than that for the control group following BHV1 and M haemolytica challenges, respectively. Mean neutrophil oxidative burst capacity and L-selectin expression at 0 hours were significantly decreased for group V relative to the other groups. Other biomarkers did not differ among the groups at any time. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggested that topical administration of TDFM to beef cattle effectively alleviated pyrexia without adverse effects on acute immunologic or metabolic responses when TDFM was administered at the same time as, but not before, respiratory pathogen challenge.

Immune and metabolic responses of beef heifers supplemented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae to a combined viral-bacterial respiratory disease challenge.

Two treatments were evaluated in heifers to determine the effects of a yeast supplement on immune and metabolic responses to a combined (tandem viral-bacterial) respiratory disease challenge. Thirty-two beef heifers (325 ± 20.1 kg BW) were selected from a larger population previously assigned to one of two treatments: Control (CON), receiving no yeast supplement in the diet, or yeast (YST), CON diet plus a combination live yeast (2.5 g·heifer-1·d-1) and yeast cell wall (2.5 g·heifer-1·d-1) supplement (Phileo Lesaffre Animal Care, Milwaukee, WI). Heifers were maintained on treatments for 31 d prior to the challenge. On day -3 all heifers were fitted with an indwelling vaginal temperature recording device, received an intranasal challenge with 2 × 108 plaque-forming units of bovine herpesvirus-1 (BHV-1), and placed in outdoor pens. On day 0, all heifers were fitted with an indwelling jugular catheter, challenged intratracheally with an average dose of 3.0 × 107 colony-forming units (cfu) of Mannheimia haemolytica in 100 mL media, and were transferred into individual stanchions in an enclosed, environmentally controlled barn. Whole blood samples were collected at -72 h and at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 h (hematology) and at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 h (serum isolation) relative to M. haemolytica challenge (0 h). Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS specific for repeated measures with fixed effects of treatment, time, and the treatment × time interaction. Vaginal temperature and cortisol concentrations were similar between treatments (P ≥ 0.39). Although total leukocyte count following BHV-1 challenge was similar between treatments (P = 0.21), there was a tendency (P = 0.07) for CON heifers to have greater neutrophil counts than YST heifers. Serum haptoglobin concentration was similar between treatments (P = 0.13). Heifers in the YST treatment had similar serum glucose concentrations (P = 0.25) and decreased serum concentrations of urea nitrogen compared to CON (P = 0.03). Dietary treatment did not affect serum nonesterified fatty acid concentrations (P = 0.37). Nasal lesion score severity (0-4) tended (P = 0.07) to be decreased in YST compared to CON (2.5 vs. 3.19 ± 0.26), while water intake tended to be increased in YST (P = 0.06). Feeding a yeast supplement had little effect on the acute-phase response but improved metabolic outcomes in heifers during a respiratory disease challenge.

Effects of a single initial and delayed release implant on arrival compared with a non-coated initial implant and a non-coated terminal implant in heifers fed across various days on feed.

Two experiments evaluated the effect of implant number, type, and total steroidal dose on live animal performance and carcass traits in heifers fed for three different days on feed (DOF). In experiment 1, heifers (n = 3,780; 70 heifers/pen and 9 pens/treatment; initial body weight [BW] = 309 kg) were used in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement of treatments. Factors were as follows: 1) implant (all from Merck Animal Health, De Soto, KS): 200 mg trenbolone acetate (TBA) and 20 mg estradiol-17ß (E2) administered on arrival (SINGLE), or 80 mg TBA and 8 mg E2 administered on arrival followed by 200 mg TBA and 20 mg E2 after approximately 90 d (REPEATED) and 2) duration of DOF: harvested after approximately 172, 193, and 214. In experiment 2, heifers (n = 3,719; 65 to 70 heifers/pen and 9 pens/treatment; initial BW = 337 kg) were used with the same factors as experiment 1, except DOF were 150, 171, and 192. No implant × DOF interaction (P ≥ 0.06) was noted for any performance parameters in either experiment. Heifers administered REPEATED had improved (P ≤ 0.05) live gain to feed ratio (G:F) and carcass-adjusted G:F and tended (P = 0.09) to have greater hot carcass weight (HCW) in experiment 1. Increasing DOF resulted in greater (P ≤ 0.01) live and carcass-adjusted final BW and decreased (P = 0.01) live ADG in experiment 1. As DOF increased, HCW, HCW gain, and dressing% (P ≤ 0.01) increased in experiment 1. The mean carcass transfer was 79.6% across the 42 d terminal window in experiment 1. In experiment 2, REPEATED had improved (P = 0.03) carcass-adjusted G:F compared with SINGLE, but HCW was not different (P = 0.36) between treatments. Increased DOF resulted in greater (P ≤ 0.01) final live and carcass-adjusted BW, decreased (P ≤ 0.01) live and carcass-adjusted ADG, and poorer (P ≤ 0.01) live and carcass-adjusted G:F in experiment 2. In experiment 2, dressing percentage was greater (P = 0.02) in REPEATED compared with SINGLE. Heifers given SINGLE had greater (P = 0.01) back fat and estimated empty body fat (EBF), whereas REPEATED had fewer (P = 0.01) Yield Grade 4 carcasses and greater (P = 0.01) longissimus muscle (LM) area. Increased DOF resulted in greater (P ≤ 0.04) HCW, HCW gain, dressing%, back fat, LM area, marbling, EBF%, and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Prime-grading carcasses, Yield Grade 4 and 5, and over 454-kg carcasses in experiment 2. Carcass ADG and carcass transfer indicate a 0.70 kg carcass ADG between 150 and 192 DOF, resulting in an average carcass transfer of 72.2% in experiment 2. Although feedlot growth performance and HCW did not differ between the implant regimens tested, increasing DOF resulted in decreased live growth performance while increasing the proportion of USDA prime carcasses and HCW.

Net protein contribution of beef feedlots from 2006 to 2017.

Feedlot efficiency increases as technologies are adopted and new feed ingredients, especially byproducts, become available and incorporated into diets. Byproduct availability increased in response to the renewable fuels standard of 2005, creating substantial amounts of feedstuffs best used by ruminants. Cereal grains have been partially replaced with human-inedible byproducts, as they provide comparable levels of energy in cattle diets. To evaluate the effects of changes in diet and feedlot production practices on net protein contribution (NPC) and human-edible protein conversion efficiency (HePCE) across time, a deterministic NPC model was used. NPC was assessed for the feedlot industry using lot level production data from 2006 to 2017 for eight commercial feedlots. Ingredient and nutrient composition was collected for a representative starter and finisher diet fed for each year from each feedlot. NPC was calculated by multiplying human-edible protein (HeP) in beef produced per unit of HeP in feed by the protein quality ratio (PQR). Systems with NPC >1 positively contribute to meeting human protein requirements; NPC < 1 indicates competition with humans for HeP. NPC was regressed on year to evaluate temporal change in NPC. Feedlots were categorized as increasing NPC (INC; slope > 0) or constant NPC (CON; slope = 0) according to regression parameter estimates. Four feedlots were categorized as INC and four were CON. The rate of change in PQR was similar for CON and INC (P ≥ 0.79), although rates of change among INC and CON differed for byproduct and cereal grain inclusion (P ≤ 0.01) across years evaluated. Feedlots categorized as INC reduced HeP consumed by 2.39% per year, but CON feedlots did not reduce HeP consumed each year (0.28%). Cattle received and shipped by INC were lighter than those in CON feedlots (P < 0.01). Across years, INC produced more HeP (20.9 vs. 19.2 kg/hd) than CON (P < 0.01), and both feedlot types tended to improve HeP gained over time (0.1 kg per year; P = 0.10). Differences in slope over time for INC and CON were observed for conversion efficiency of HeP (P < 0.01). NPC increased 0.027 units per year for INC (P < 0.01) and was 0.94 in 2017. NPC by the feedlot sector improved from 2006 to 2017, decreasing the amount of human-edible feeds required to produce more high-quality protein from beef.

Cancer healthcare: change is the only constant.

Ben Holland speaks to Francesca Lake, Managing Commissioning Editor: Ben Holland is a nationally known expert on oncology-specific consulting solutions in the USA. Over the past decade, he has led consulting projects for some of the most prestigious hospitals and cancer centers in the USA, including California's Cedars-Sinai Health System (CA, USA), Roswell Park Cancer Institute in New York (NY, USA), Carolinas HealthCare System (NC, USA) and Providence Health Care in Washington state (USA). He frequently speaks at some of the most well-attended conferences in the country, including those presented by the Association of Community Cancer Centers and the Association of Cancer Executives, and has recently published articles in the Journal of Oncology Practice. As Kurt Salmon's National Director of Cancer Services, Holland will lead the global management consulting firm's oncology service line.

Practice Benchmarking in the Age of Targeted Auditing: Radiation Oncology.

The authors conclude that there is no substitute for staying up to date on proper billing methodology and investing in continuing education for coders, billing personnel, and clinical staff, including physicians.

Practice benchmarking in the age of targeted auditing.

The frequency and sophistication of health care reimbursement auditing has progressed rapidly in recent years, leaving many oncologists wondering whether their private practices would survive a full-scale Office of the Inspector General (OIG) investigation. The Medicare Part B claims database provides a rich source of information for physicians seeking to understand how their billing practices measure up to their peers, both locally and nationally. This database was dissected by a team of cancer specialists to uncover important benchmarks related to targeted auditing. All critical Medicare charges, payments, denials, and service ratios in this article were derived from the full 2010 Medicare Part B claims database. Relevant claims were limited by using Medicare provider specialty codes 83 (hematology/oncology) and 90 (medical oncology), with an emphasis on claims filed from the physician office place of service (11). All charges, denials, and payments were summarized at the Current Procedural Terminology code level to drive practice benchmarking standards. A careful analysis of this data set, combined with the published audit priorities of the OIG, produced germane benchmarks from which medical oncologists can monitor, measure and improve on common areas of billing fraud, waste or abuse in their practices. Part II of this series and analysis will focus on information pertinent to radiation oncologists.

Effectiveness of sorting calves with high risk of developing bovine respiratory disease on the basis of serum haptoglobin concentration at the time of arrival at a feedlot.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate serum haptoglobin concentration at feedlot arrival and subsequent performance and morbidity and mortality rates of calves that developed bovine respiratory disease. ANIMALS: 360 heifer calves and 416 steer and bull calves. PROCEDURES: Serum samples were obtained from cattle at the time of arrival to a feedlot (day -1) and analyzed for haptoglobin concentration. In experiment 1, calves were classified into groups with a low (< 1.0 µg/mL), medium (1.0 to 3.0 µg/mL), or high (> 3.0 µg/mL) serum haptoglobin concentration and allotted into pens on the basis of group. In experiment 2, calves were classified as having or not having detectable serum haptoglobin concentrations. RESULTS: In experiment 1, average daily gain from days 1 to 7 decreased as haptoglobin concentration increased. Dry-matter intake (DMI) from days 1 to 21 decreased with increasing haptoglobin concentration, and DMI typically decreased from days 1 to 63. Total bovine respiratory disease morbidity rate typically increased with increasing haptoglobin concentration. At harvest, no differences in carcass characteristics were observed on the basis of haptoglobin concentration. In experiment 2, cattle with measureable serum haptoglobin concentrations at arrival weighed less throughout the experiment, gained less from days 1 to 7, and had lower DMI from days 1 to 42. Overall morbidity rate was not different between groups, but cattle with detectable serum haptoglobin concentrations had higher odds of being treated 3 times. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Serum haptoglobin concentration in cattle at the time of feedlot arrival was not associated with overall performance but may have limited merit for making decisions regarding targeted prophylactic treatment.

Fetal protection in heifers vaccinated with a modified-live virus vaccine containing bovine viral diarrhea virus subtypes 1a and 2a and exposed during gestation to cattle persistently infected with bovine viral diarrhea virus subtype 1b.

OBJECTIVE: To determine efficacy of a modified-live virus (MLV) vaccine containing bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) 1a and 2a against fetal infection in heifers exposed to cattle persistently infected (PI) with BVDV subtype 1 b. ANIMALS: 50 heifers and their fetuses. PROCEDURES: Susceptible heifers received a placebo vaccine administered IM or a vaccine containing MLV strains of BVDV1a and BVDV2a administered IM or SC. On day 124 (64 to 89 days of gestation), 50 pregnant heifers (20 vaccinated SC, 20 vaccinated IM, and 10 control heifers) were challenge exposed to 8 PI cattle. On days 207 to 209, fetuses were recovered from heifers and used for testing. RESULTS: 2 control heifers aborted following challenge exposure; both fetuses were unavailable for testing. Eleven fetuses (8 control heifers and 1 IM and 2 SC vaccinates) were positive for BVDV via virus isolation (VI) and for BVDV antigen via immunohistochemical analysis in multiple tissues. Two additional fetuses from IM vaccinates were considered exposed to BVDV (one was seropositive for BVDV and the second was positive via VI in fetal tissues). A third fetus in the SC vaccinates was positive for BVDV via VI from serum alone. Vaccination against BVDV provided fetal protection in IM vaccinated (17/20) and SC vaccinated (17/20) heifers, but all control heifers (10/10) were considered infected. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: 1 dose of a BVDV1a and 2a MLV vaccine administered SC or IM prior to breeding helped protect against fetal infection in pregnant heifers exposed to cattle PI with BVDV1b.

Evaluation of breath biomarkers and serum haptoglobin concentration for diagnosis of bovine respiratory disease in heifers newly arrived at a feedlot.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate exhaled N(2)O (eN(2)O), exhaled CO (eCO), and serum haptoglobin concentrations as diagnostic criteria for bovine respiratory disease (BRD) and determine whether a combination of biomarkers would be useful for predicting health outcomes of heifer calves. ANIMALS: 337 heifer calves newly arrived at a feedlot. PROCEDURES: Body weights, serum haptoglobin concentrations, and rumen temperatures were determined. Calves (n = 183) were randomly selected for breath sampling. Variables were compared among calves that remained healthy and those requiring treatment. RESULTS: Body weight at the time of first and second antimicrobial treatments did not differ from that at arrival, whereas body weight at the time of third antimicrobial treatment was lower. Temperature was lower at arrival, compared with that during antimicrobial treatment. Ratio of eN(2)O:eCO(2) was lowest at arrival, intermediate at the first and second antimicrobial treatments, and greatest at the third antimicrobial treatment. Ratio of eCO:eCO(2) was greater at times of antimicrobial treatment, compared with arrival. Concentration of serum haptoglobin was greatest at the time of the first antimicrobial treatment, lowest at the times of second and third treatments, and intermediate at arrival. Arrival ratios of eN(2)O: eCO(2) and eCO:eCO(2) and concentration of haptoglobin did not differ among heifers subsequently treated 1, 2, or 3 times. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Although breath analysis was successfully implemented in a research feedlot, arrival rumen temperature, eN(2)O, eCO, and haptoglobin concentration were not accurate in predicting occurrence of BRD during a preconditioning program. However, these biomarkers might support the diagnosis of BRD.