This study evaluated the impacts of feeding a high energy finishing diet during both the receiving and finishing period compared to a lower energy receiving diet with adaptation to the finishing diet on health, performance, serum chemistry, ruminal pH, rumination, and carcass characteristics of high-risk feedlot cattle. Five truck-load blocks of steers (n = 101) and bulls (n = 299) were used in a generalized complete block design and randomly assigned to receive: 1) finishing diet for the entire feeding period (FIN) or 2) receiving diet for the first 56 d, followed by transition to the finishing diet (REC). All cattle were fed ad libitum and consumed the same diet by d 74. A subset of cattle (n = 48) were randomly selected to quantify ruminal pH, temperature, and rumination time. Ultrasound images were collected on d 0, 74, and 146 to determine fat thickness over the 12 th rib and rump, and carcass characteristics were determined after slaughter. Cattle fed FIN had less (P < 0.01) dry matter intake (DMI) from d 0 to 74, but DMI did not differ (P = 0.80) after d 74. From d 0 to final, DMI was 0.26 kg less for FIN compared to REC (P = 0.01). However, calculated metabolizable energy intake was not different from d 0 to 74 (P = 0.19), d 74 to final (P = 0.80), or overall (P = 0.78). Body weight (BW) on d 74 was greater (P < 0.01) and final BW tended to be greater (P = 0.10) for FIN compared to REC. Cattle consuming FIN had greater (P < 0.01) average daily gain and increased (P < 0.01) gain:feed from d 0 to 74. There were no differences (P ≥ 0.31) in health outcomes. On d 74, FIN had greater (P = 0.04) fat thickness over the rump and rib, but did not differ (P ≥ 0.52) at d 146. Carcasses of FIN had greater (P = 0.04) hot carcass weight with no difference (P ≥ 0.11) in ribeye area, 12 th rib fat thickness, yield grade, or quality grade. There was no difference (P = 0.18) in liver abscess rate. There was a diet × day interaction for blood urea nitrogen (P = 0.02) such that concentration decreased from d 0 to d 28 in both treatments, but was less on d 28 for FIN. Ruminal pH was greater on d 2 and 61 and rumination time was less from d 0 to 28 for FIN (diet × day interaction; P < 0.01). Overall, these results suggest that providing a finishing diet fed ad libitum to high-risk calves upon arrival may be a viable alternative to a lower energy receiving diet.

This study evaluated impacts of feeding a finishing diet throughout both the receiving and finishing period compared to a receiving diet with adaptation to the finishing diet on health, performance, ruminal pH, and rumination of high-risk feedlot cattle. Five truck-load blocks of steers and bulls (n = 400) were used in a generalized complete block design and assigned to receive: 1) finishing diet for the entire feeding period (FIN) or 2) receiving diet for the first 56 d, followed by transition to the finishing diet (REC). All cattle were consuming the same diet on d 74. A subset of cattle (n = 48) were randomly selected to quantify ruminal pH, temperature, and rumination time. Ultrasounds were completed on d 0, 74, and 146 to determine fat thickness. Cattle fed REC had greater (treatment × day; P < 0.01) DMI from d 1 to 67 but less DMI from d 74 to 82, and DMI did not differ from d 83 to 174. Energy intake (treatment × day; P < 0.01) was greater for FIN from d 14 to 75. Cattle consuming FIN had greater (P ≤ 0.01) ADG and BW and improved (P < 0.01) gain:feed from day 0 to 74. At d 174, BW of FIN was 9.6 kg greater (P = 0.02). On d 74, FIN had greater (P ≤ 0.05) fat thickness but did not differ (P ≥ 0.61) at d 146. There was no difference (P ≥ 0.31) in health outcomes. Ruminal pH (treatment × day; P < 0.01) was greater for FIN on d 2 and 61, and rumination time was less (P < 0.01) for FIN from d 0 to 28. Overall, these results suggest providing a finishing diet to high-risk calves upon arrival may be a viable alternative to a traditional receiving diet.

Assessment of embryo quality and viability has traditionally been based on morphological evaluation. However, morphological evaluation, though somewhat reliable, is subjective in nature and varies greatly depending upon the skill and experience of the evaluator. Although research has been conducted with the goal of identifying more accurate and objective methods of evaluation, the issue of repeatability and consistency in predicting the likelihood of a successful pregnancy remains. Previous research has proposed the ability to utilize specific gravity to predict developmental energy reserves based on embryonic weight, theoretically identifying those embryos with an increased chance of success following standard embryonic transfer. The objective of this study was to determine if specific gravity could accurately identify those embryos that were most likely to succeed in generating positive pregnancies. Bovine embryos (n = 20) were dropped through media in a specific gravity chamber. Utilizing an embryo tracking software program, researchers recorded the time elapsed as the embryos descended 1 cm through the media. Embryos were then transferred into recipient cattle, and pregnancy was detected via ultrasound approximately 40 days post transfer. Of the 20 embryos transferred, 12 resulted in positive pregnancies. Descent times of these positive pregnancies ranged from 25.96 to 90.27 seconds, with an average descent time of 59.72 seconds. An analysis of the relationship between descent time and pregnancy outcome showed no significant difference (P > 0.05). Although there was no significance in the findings of this study, additional trials will be performed to thoroughly evaluate the potential of this technology as an objective measurement of embryonic viability.

The objective of this study was to analyze embryo energy release and whether or not it is indicative of survivability upon successful implantation. In both bovine and equine reproduction, fertility is a lowly heritable trait that has an exceedingly large financial impact on the ability to grow genetic lines. In order to increase pregnancy rates, producers must have access to accurate decision-making tools. Nineteen (n = 19) fertilized bovine embryos collected via flushing by licensed veterinarian, Dr. Russell Killingsworth, DVM, in Shamrock, TX, were assessed for energy release using amplification of video with a Nikon Camera and Iolight Microscope. Once embryos were flushed, they were filmed for a thirty-five (35) second observation period. Embryo dimensions were then taken using Image J software. Embryo release of energy was humanly perceptible and measurable by changes in their morphological dimensions. Measurements of significance were taken on the embryo intercellular mass area (ICM), total embryo area, and on the vertical, diagonal, and horizontal axis of the sub-zonal distance, or the distance between the zona pellucida and outer edge of the ICM. All measurements were taken in microns. Once embryos were successfully measured, all were transferred into recipients. Significant findings presented that embryos with a greater ICM, total embryo area, and sub-zonal vertical, diagonal, and horizontal distance established pregnancies more frequently than embryos with less momentous differences in distance (P < 0.05). This research has shown the relationship between embryo energy and pregnancy had a significance of determining pregnancy viability. This has therefore resulted in enhanced prediction of embryo transfer techniques based on embryo quality making pregnancy rates for producers more predictable and consistent.

Sixty-eight (68) crossbred steers were evaluated using two real-time, B-mode ultrasound units to estimate final carcass attributes. The cattle were ultrasounded at the West Texas A&M research feedlot (Canyon, Texas) and carcass data was collected at the West Texas A&M Meats Laboratory (Canyon, Texas) or Tyson Fresh Meats (Amarillo, Texas). Objectives of the study were 1) to compare ultrasound live animal data to carcass attributes at harvest 2) to evaluate the performance differences between the ALOKA 500 (ALK) and the EVO ultrasound units All ultrasound images were captured by the same Ultrasound Guidelines Council (UGC) certified technician with images being processed at the UltraInsights Laboratory (Pierce, Colorado). The correlations between 12th rib fat thickness of the carcass (FTC) and ultrasound (FTU) were 0.84 for the ALK and 0.85 for the EVO, with no differences being found between the two units (P = 0.15). Correlations between the 12-13th rib carcass ribeye area (REAC) and ultrasound ribeye area (REAU) were 0.69 for the ALK and 0.66 for the EVO. There was no difference in REAU size between the two units. Carcass marbling score (MS) and ultrasound intramuscular fat (IMFU) correlations were 0.78 for the ALK and 0.84 for the EVO. The IMF data were found to be different between the two units, with the EVO measuring a mean IMFU value of 6.03 and the ALK a value of 5.26 with the change of 0.77 being different (P < 0.01). It is concluded that both ultrasound units performed favorably when predicting FTC and marbling score but were not highly correlated for REAU. It was found that the predictions between the two units on FT and REA were the same, though the EVO was higher on both. The IMFU values between the ALK and EVO were different, with the EVO again predicting higher values.