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No description available.

Two groups of cows were fed a ration in which three pounds of a grain mixture was used to every four pounds of hay. Two cows (Test Tube and Deborah) were fed Timothy hay with a grain mixture containing yellow corn. The other three cows (Dolly, Connie and Dot) were fed Alfalfa hay with a grain mixture containing white corn. The grain was also modified for protein balance. Relationships of carotene and Vitamin A concentrations in the blood, milk and feed were then studied. An attempt was made to correlate the various factors involved, the variables being: period of gestation; time after calving; intake of the vitamin and its precursor in the feed; milk produced; percent of the concentration of Vitamin A activity of blood and milk represented by carotene; total Vitamin A activity of the same; and, the efficiency of the secretion in the milk of the Vitamin A activity of the feed ration. The methods of determination of the carotene and Vitamin A (together constituting the Vitamin A activity) are given with details of the calculations. Milk was collected on the first, third and fifth day after calving and at approximately monthly intervals thereafter. Having begun the experiment with the cows in various stages of gestation, it was possible to obtain only six samples from Dot while ten were collected from others. The blood samples also were taken monthly. The feeds were analyzed at three monthly intervals and the rate of loss of Vitamin A activity observed. Minimum values were used in all calculations. / M.S.

Data for this study was collected over a six-year period (1970 through 1975) on 217 bulls and 211 steers at the Bland Correctional Center, Bland, Virginia. Animals of this study were primarily cross-breds of Angus, Charolais, Hereford, Holstein and Simmental breeds. The objective of this study was to compare bulls and steers for growth and carcass traits. Bulls (220, 310, 449 kg) weighed more than did steers (204, 273, 381 kg) at weaning, 12 and 18 months of age, respectively, (P < .05), and scored higher on condition at weaning and 18 months of age (P< .05). Bulls (501, 281, 0.48 kg) were also heavier than steers (414, 219, 0.39 kg) for live slaughter weight, carcass weight, and carcass weight per day of age, respectively, (P< .05). Bulls and steers did not differ in ribeye area per 100 kg of carcass weight, backfat thickness, and marbling scores. Percent kidney and kidney fat per carcass weight was less in bulls (1.59%) than steers (2.58%) (P < .05). Bull carcasses graded low good whereas steer carcasses graded low to middle good. Armour tenderometer measurements were 8.25 kg and 7.09 kg for bulls and steers, respectively, (P < .05) , with any reading below 8.2 kg being of acceptable tenderness. Carcass yield grades were 1.29 and 1.90 for bulls and steers, respectively, (P < .05). The superior growth rate of bulls and the minimal sex differences in carcass quality renders the present market bias against bull beef questionable. / Master of Science

Mammary tissue from nine Holstein cows was collected within one week of parturition, at 60 and 180 days postpartum. Blood samples were collected at 6-hr intervals from two days prior to . until two days after surgery. A membrane-enriched fraction of tissue homogenates was prepared by differential centrifugation. Displacement curve data was analyzed by a microcomputer program. Mean prolactin (Prl) during the periparturient period was greater than either postpartum period, but not prior to biopsy. Dissociation constants (Kd) estimated with NIH-bPRL-6 as competitor were not different among stages of lactation, and averaged 8.97 x 10⁻⁸M. Receptor concentrations were less during _the periparturient period than later lactation. The Kd was 100-fold greater when estimated with human growth hormone as competitor. It is concluded that lactogenic hormone receptor concentrations in bovine mammary tissue increase with the onset of lactation, following a pattern similar to that observed in non-ruminants. Three experiments were conducted to investigate endocrine metabolic hormone profiles in Holstein cattle of differing genetic merit at several ages. Control animals were randomly bred to non-AI sires originating in the Virginia Tech Dairy herd. Selected animals were offspring of commercially available AI sires. In one experiment, mean plasma Prl was greater in control animals after feeding and insulin injection, while growth hormone (GH) was greater in selected animals at all ages. Free fatty acids were greater in selected animals at 6 and 24 months of age, while glucose (Glc) and urea were unaffected by genetic merit. In a second experiment, Holstein bull calves were administered Glc and thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) on different days. Plasma GH was greater in selected animals. Plasma Prl was greater in control animals after TRH. In the third experiment, Holstein cows received TRH at 30, 90 and 200 days postpartum (DPP). Net energy balance was negative at 30, while positive at 90 and 200 DPP. Plasma GH before and after TRH was greater in selected animals, and greater during early than later lactation. Thus, the results of the three experiments indicate that increased plasma GH may be associated with selection for increased milk yield. / Ph. D.

Purified brush border and basolateral membranes were isolated from homogenized intestinal enterocytes of Holstein steers by divalent cation precipitation followed by differential and sucrose density gradient centrifugation. Membrane marker enzymes were used to determine the effectiveness of the fractionation procedure. Alkaline phosphatase and sodium-potassium adenosine triphosphatase served as the marker enzymes for the brush border and basolateral membranes, respectively. The brush border fraction was enriched 5.1-fold over the cellular homogenate. Purification of 10.1-fold over cellular homogenate was obtained for the basolateral membrane fraction. Electronmicrographs and osmotic response data were used to confirm the vesicular nature of the membrane preparations. Brush border membrane vesicles from bovine jejunal and ileal tissue were used to evaluate lysine (LYS) and methionine (MET) transport. Total transport of LYS and MET was divided into mediated and diffusion components. Mediated uptake was further divided into sodium-dependent (Na⁺) and sodium independent (Na⁻) systems. Total LYS and MET uptake by ileal tissue tended to be higher than jejunal tissue at all concentrations evaluated but differences were significant (P<.O5) at 2.5 and 7.5 mM for LYS and 5, 12.5 and 15 mM for MET. The greater capacity of ileal tissue appeared to be due to the Na⁺ component of LYS uptake and the diffusion component of MET uptake. Methionine transporters had lower affinities and higher capacities than the corresponding LYS transporters in both ileal and jejunal tissue. Methionine transport was greater (P<.O5) than LYS transport in both ileal and jejunal tissue when initial amino acid concentration was 7.5 mM. When initial amino acid concentration was 1.25 mM, MET uptake was greater (P<.13) than LYS uptake in jejunal but not ileal tissue. The relative contribution of mediated and diffusion uptake systems to total MET and LYS uptake was found to be dependent of substrate concentration. / Ph. D.

Bovine morulae (day 6: n=257) were obtained to evaluate the [effect of immunoglobulins (Ig) on early bovine embryo development in vitro. Fifty-four cows superovulations were conducted in 36 cows with follicle stimulating hormone. Embryos were collected by non-surgical procedures and morphologically evaluated and randomly assigned to culture. Embryos were cultured in Ham's F-10 containing 10% (6.4 mg/ml) steer serum (SS), 1% (.64 mg/ml) bovine gamma . globulins (GG), 1% (.64 mg/ml) bovine IgG, 1% (.64 mg/ml) bovine 1gM, 10% SS plus 1% GG, 10% SS plus 1% 1gG, or 10% SS plus 1% 1gM. Embryos were cultured to the hatched blastocyst stage or degeneration and evaluated at 12 h intervals. / Master of Science

Forty-two high producing Holstein cows were paired by body condition and mature equivalent milk production and fed either a high or low energy complete ration ad libitum during the last 16-20 weeks of lactation. Cows fed the high energy ration ate more feed, produced more milk and gained more body condition than cows fed the low energy ration. Cows were fed to maintain condition during the dry period. During weeks 3-15 of the next lactation, half the cows in each condition group (fat or thin) were fed a mixed ration with soybean meal (SBM) as the major protein source. The remaining cows were fed a ration with dried brewers grains (DBG) as the main protein source. / Master of Science

Masculinization of the female fetus by administration of androgens has been studied in domestic and many laboratory species. Research concerned with cattle has been based solely on neonatal examination of the genital structures; no studies have reported on postnatal growth and development of androgenized offspring. In the present study, pregnant cows were treated with l 7α-methyl-testosterone (MET, 250 mg/d, sq) from day 40 through 60 of gestation to induce virilization of female fetuses. Control cows received no treatment. At parturition, the phenotypic characteristics of each calf were recorded, including birth weight, ano-genital distance and the appearance of the external genitalia. Calves were weighed every 28 days, and the effects of sex and age on body weight were determined. Blood serum was obtained twice weekly from female calves beginning at ≃230 days of age. Serum was analyzed for progesterone (P₄) concentration by radioimmunoassay and the P₄ profiles were used to estimate the age at puberty and estrous cycle lengths. At 4, 8 and 12 months of age blood samples were collected every 15 min for 12 h from three male, female and androgenized female calves. Serum was analyzed for growth hormone (GH), prolactin (PRL) and thyroxine (T₄) concentrations by radioimmunoassay. Visual examination of female calves born after MET exposure revealed that no external vulval opening was present; a penis, prepuce and scrotum had developed and gonads were not palpable in the scrotum. Mean birth weights were similar among male, untreated female and androgenized female calves, whereas weanling and yearling weights were greater (P < .07) in males and androgenized females than in untreated females. Androgen exposure did not affect the initiation or length of estrous cycles in female calves, however, puberty occurred at an earlier age (P < .05) compared with untreated heifers. Concentrations of GH in serum from androgenized female calves were generally lower than both males and untreated females, whereas concentrations of PRL and T₄ were similar to those of control female calves. / Master of Science