Aiming to characterize the effects of nutritional status on epigenetic markers, such as DNA 5-mC methylation and RNA m 6A methylation, of bovine sperm, twelve Angus × Hereford crossbred breeding bulls were submitted to nutritional changes for a period of 180 days: no change in BW (Phase 1 = 12 d); BW loss (Phase 2 = 78 d); and BW gain (Phase 3 = 90 d) in a repeated measures design. Animals were fed Beardless wheat (Triticum aestivum) hay and mineral mix. Statistical analyses were performed using SAS 9.4 (SAS Inst., Cary, NC). Higher levels of RNA m 6A (P = 0.004) and DNA methylation (P = 0.007) of spermatic cells were observed at Phase 2 compared with Phase 1. In Phase 3, sperm RNA m 6A methylation levels continued to be higher (P = 0.004), whereas the DNA of sperm cells was similar (P = 0.426) compared with the Phase 1. Growing bulls had a tendency (P = 0.109) of higher RNA m 6A methylation levels than mature bulls. Phase 2 altered scrotal circumference (P < 0.001), sperm volume (P = 0.007), sperm total motility (P = 0.004), sperm progressive motility (P = 0.004), total sperm count (P = 0.049), normal sperm (P < 0.001), abnormal sperm (P < 0.001), primary sperm defects (P = 0.039), and secondary sperm defects (P < 0.001). In Phase 3, bulls had scrotal circumference, sperm volume, sperm motility, sperm progressive motility, total sperm count, normal and abnormal spermatozoa, and primary and secondary spermatozoa defects similar to Phase 1 (P > 0.05). Serum concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and leptin decreased during Phase 2 (P = 0.010) while no differences (P > 0.05) were detected between Phase 3 and 1; growing bulls tended (P = 0.102) to present higher leptin levels than mature bulls. Specific for mature bulls, DNA methylation was positively correlated with leptin concentration (0.569, P = 0.021). Whereas for young bulls, DNA methylation was positively correlated with abnormal spermatozoa (0.824, P = 0.006), primary spermatozoa defect (0.711, P = 0.032), secondary spermatozoa defect (0.661, P = 0.052), and negatively correlated with normal spermatozoa (−0.824, P = 0.006), total sperm count (−0.702, P = 0.035), and sperm concentration (−0.846, P = 0.004). There was no significant correlation (P > 0.05) between RNA m 6A and hormones and semen traits. In conclusion, the nutritional status of breeding bulls alters epigenetic markers, such as DNA methylation and RNA m 6A methylation, in sperm, and the impact of change seems to be age-dependent. These markers may serve as biomarkers of sperm quality and fertility of bulls in the future. Detrimental effects on sperm production and seminal quality are observed at periods and places when and where environmental and nutritional limitations are a year-round reality and may carry hidden players that may influence a lifetime of underperformance.

Exploring alternative supplementation sources capable of maximizing feed and water efficiency in nursing Holstein calves is often ignored. The goals herein involve investigating the effects of two isoenergetic supplements on a non-medicated milk replacer diet on total water intake, milk water intake, fresh water intake, feed intake parameters, and performance of Holstein nursing bull calves. Twenty-three animals (body weight [BW] = 94.67 ± 12.07 kg, age = 67 days old) were randomly assigned to one of three treatments for 68 days: control (CON; ad libitum milk replacer, n = 7), carbohydrate supplement (CHO; corn starch on top of ad libitum milk replacer-based diet, n = 8), or lipid supplement (FAT; menhaden fish oil on top of ad libitum milk replacer-based diet, n = 8). The isoenergetic supplementation consisted of 3% menhaden fish oil addition on DM basis for FAT. This was matched energetically with corn starch for the CHO group resulting in a 7% composition in DM basis. All animals were provided free access to mineral mix and 120 g daily dried microbrewer’s spent grains (BG). Data were analyzed with the GLMMIX procedure of SAS in a completely randomized design with the diets as a fixed effect. Dry matter intake (DMI) adjusted by average daily gain (ADG; DMI/ADG) resulted in significantly lower values for supplemented groups with CON = 2.48, CHO = 2.38, and FAT = 2.27 kg/kg(ADG) (P = 0.033). Energy intake values were lower for CON when analyzing metabolizable energy intake (P < 0.0001), net energy intake for maintenance (P < 0.0001), and net energy intake for gain (P < 0.0001), followed by CHO, and then FAT. Total water intake (P < 0.0001), milk water intake (P < 0.0001), and fresh water intake (P < 0.0001) all resulted in CHO consuming 0.5 L or less water than the other two treatments. Energy requirements as digestible energy (P < 0.0001), metabolizable energy (P < 0.0001), net energy for maintenance (P < 0.0001), and net energy for gain (P < 0.0001) were lower for CHO, followed by CON, and then FAT having the highest requirements. Similar results were observed for residual feed (RFI; P = 0.006) and residual water intakes (RTWI; P = 0.902). Ultimately, no performance differences were detected with regards to BW, (CON = 146.71, CHO = 146.25, and FAT = 150.48 kg; P > 0.1). These results indicate that lipid-based and starch-based supplementation can potentially increase feed efficiency and decrease voluntary water intake without adversely affecting performance.

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The widespread growth in microbreweries presents a unique byproduct in spent brewer’s grains (SBG). However, incorporation of SBG into livestock production systems requires further consideration due to potential variety in end-products due to beer styles and beer makers. Herein, we aim to characterize and cluster SBG according to nutritional composition to determine if nutrient composition groups in SBG are of nutritional and environmental concern. A total of five breweries with over twenty-nine SBG were collected for a period of three years in Reno, Nevada. Proximate chemical analysis and long chain fatty acid (LCFA) analysis were performed on all SBG. A hierarchical clustering (HC) of principal components (PC; HCPC) was performed on the nutrients to characterize maximum variation explainable through PC, followed by grouping of varietals on the multivariate axes through HC. A Ward’s Linkage with scaled Euclidean distance was utilized for the HCPC. The greatest variance in the nutritional groups was explained through the first two PC (PC1, PC2). For PC1, non-fibrous carbohydrates had correlation values of 40.34% (-0.98), neutral detergent fiber assay with heat stable amylase and expressed exclusive of residual ash and protein (apNDFom) 30.39% (0.73), ether extract 17.32% (0.64) and crude protein (CP) 11.94 % (0.53). For PC2, the nutrient correlations were CP 74.26% (0.81) and apNDFom 23.77% (0.21). Ultimately, the variance explained in the PC represents energy (PC1), and protein (PC2). For the HC on the PC, four main clusters were obtained. For the PC generated from the LCFA, there were no superficial patterns detectable along the multivariate space. The distribution into the clusters represent an overlooked reality when considering SBG as livestock feed highlighting the need for a better classification of the varietals as livestock feed. Better classification of SBG will allow producers to better utilize the feed to maximize both productivity and reduce potential nitrogen runoff.

The extenuating stressors inherent to various beef cattle backgrounding systems in the U. S. may imprint different nutritional carryover effects of earlier stages of life onto the finishing phase. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of previous plane of nutrition (PPN) onto water-related gene expression in the kidney of grain or grass finished steers. Twenty-four crossbred Angus steers were randomly distributed into either low or adequate PPN during the background phase. After 85d of backgrounding, animals were moved onto a 105-d finishing phase blocked by their PPN. The grass-finished group received only alfalfa hay, whereas the grain-finished group received a high grain diet (80% whole corn and 20% alfalfa hay). By the end of the finishing phase, animals were harvested and kidney samples were collected. Changes in gene expression of Aquaporins (AQP) -2, -3, -4, -7, ATP1A1, ATP1B1, SGK1, and CLIC1 from kidney tissue were assayed via real-time qPCR; and the 18S rRNA was used as an endogenous control. One-way ANOVA followed by Tukey post hoc analysis were conducted. When comparing grain versus grass-finished according to their PPN, ATP1B1 (P = 0.0290) was the only gene significantly different, with animals coming from a low PPN finished on grass having greater expression than for the grain-finished. However, within animals backgrounded at a low PPN, AQP3 (P = 0.0289), AQP7 (P = 0.0260), ATP1B1 (P = 0.0239), and SGK1 (P = 0.0411) were upregulated for the grass-finished animals. No differences were found for the other genes analyzed. These results suggest that PPN can impact water-related gene expression in the kidney of finishing steers; the greatest impact for water-related gene expression occurred in animals from a low PPN that were fed different finishing systems, where grass-fed animals had a greater gene expression compared with grain-fed animals.