In 1999-2000, the Texas A&M University Ranch to Rail Program evaluated 1311 steers in two feedlots. The first was the Swisher County Cattle Company in Tulia, Texas and the other was Hondo Creek Cattle Company in Edroy, Texas. Data were collected on several traits, but from this project emphasis was placed on preweaning (PreVac) and postweaning (PosVac) vaccinations and the potential influence on growth and carcass traits. Independent variables used in the analyses were location of the feedyard (LOC), PreVac, PosVac, PreVac*PosVac, LOC* PreVac, LOC*PosVac, LOC*PreVac*PosVac, Ranch of origin (RANCH) nested within LOC*PreVac*PosVac, number of days from weaning to shipping to the feedyard (WNTSHP), and days on feed (DOF). Dependent variables evaluated for live cattle traits were average daily gain (ADG), medicine costs (MED), and initial value upon arriving at the feedyard. Dependent variables evaluated for carcass traits were hot carcass weight (HCW), ribeye area (REA), yield grade (YG), and gross value (GROSS). RANCH (P < 0.0001) and DOF (P < 0.0001) had large impacts on ADG. PreVac*PosVac (P = 0.0209), LOC*PosVac (P = 0.0028), RANCH (P < 0.0001), and DOF (P = 0.0003) all had significant effects on MED. PreVac (P < 0.0001), PreVac*PosVac (P < 0.0001), LOC (P < 0.0001), LOC* PreVac*PosVac (P = 0.0002), RANCH (P < 0.0001), and DOF (P < 0.0001) all had significant impact on Initial value. RANCH (P < 0.0001) was the only significant influence on HCW. LOC (P = 0.0587), LOC*PosVac (P = 0.0525), LOC*PreVac*PosVac (P = 0.0594) all had slightly significant effect on HCW. LOC (P < 0.0001) and RANCH (P < 0.0001) had a significant effect on REA while DOF (P = 0.0535) had slight significant effect. LOC (P = 0.0032), RANCH (P < 0.0001), and DOF (P < 0.0001) had significant impact on YG. RANCH (P < 0.0001) had a significant effect and DOF (P = 0.0552) had slight significance on GROSS. The data indicate that RANCH and to a lesser extent DOF have the most influence on both feedyard and carcass traits.

Master of Science / Animal Sciences and Industry / Jennifer M. Bormann / Feed is the single most expensive cost related to beef cattle production. Currently a 70 d performance test is recommended for accurate calculation of efficiency. Previous research has suggested intake tests can be limited to 35 d. Objectives of this study were to estimate genetic parameters for growth and intake traits, compare two alternative indices for feed efficiency, and quantify the genetic response to selection for feed efficiency combining an intake test with two types of gain data. On–test average daily feed intake (ADFI), on-test average daily gain (ADG), and postweaning gain (PWG) records on 5,606 growing steers and heifers were obtained from the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center, NE. On-test ADFI and ADG data were collected from a minimum of 62 to 148 d testing days. Independent quadratic regressions were fitted for body weight on time, and on-test ADG was predicted from the resulting equations. PWG was calculated by subtracting adjusted 205-d weights from 365-d weights and dividing by 160. Genetic correlations were estimated using multiple trait animal mixed models with ADG, ADFI, and PWG for both sexes as dependent variables. The genetic correlations between ADG and PWG for both steers (0.81) and heifers (0.65) were strong. This indicates PWG is a strong proxy for ADG on-test and long test periods may not be necessary. Indices combining EBVs for ADFI and ADG and for ADFI and PWG were evaluated. For each index, the weighting of gain was arbitrarily set to 1.0 and the weighting for ADFI was the negative of the average of the intra-contemporary group ratio of mean gain divided by mean ADFI. Values were combined with EBV to compute two index values per animal. Pearson correlations for steers (0.96) and heifers (0.45) indicated a strong relationship for steers between the indices. Because more animals can be measured for intake, using PWG increases genetic progress of selection for feed efficiency by 15-17% per year. These findings support using PWG data in combination with ADFI to determine efficient animals, lessen costs, and increase annual feed efficiency genetic change.

No description available.

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is the primary causative agent of porcine circovirus associated disease (PCVAD), an economically important swine disease that causes wasting in pigs 5-18 weeks of age. There exist two different types of porcine circoviruses: porcine circovirus type 1 (PCV1) was discovered as a contaminant of porcine kidney (PK-15) cells and was determined to be nonpathogenic in swine; whereas porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is pathogenic. A recently released vaccine for PCVAD was generated by inserting the gene encoding the immunogenic capsid protein of PCV2 into the genetic backbone of the non-pathogenic PCV1. This chimeric PCV vaccine, called PCV1-2, was shown to induce protective immunity against PCV2 infection in pigs. The vaccine is currently on the market in a killed form. In order to develop a live version of the vaccine, the genetic stability of the chimeric PCV1-2 vaccine virus was investigated by in vitro and in vivo passaging of the vaccine virus. In vitro passaging of the PCV1-2 vaccine virus was done in a porcine kidney PK-15 cell line. Cells were infected with the PCV1-2 vaccine virus and then serially passaged 11 times. The passaged vaccine viruses recovered from passages 5 and 11 were sequenced, and the sequences were compared to that of the original PCV1-2 vaccine virus. The in vitro serial passage result showed that no mutation occurred during the 11 in vitro passages. The in vivo passaging was done using specific-pathogen-free (SPF) pigs. In in vivo "passage 1", nine piglets were divided into 3 groups of 3 each: group 1 each inoculated with 200ug of PCV1-2 plasmid, group 2 each with 1Ã 103 TCID50 live PCV1-2 vaccine virus, and group 3 each with 3ml phosphate buffered saline (PBS) buffer as a control. One pig from each group was necropsied at 14, 21, and 28 days post-inoculation (DPI), respectively. A panel of tissue samples including lymph nodes and thymus were collected from each pig. Tissue homogenates from DPI 28 that were positive by PCR for PCV1-2 DNA were used to inoculate new piglets in the in vivo passage 2 experiment. Viruses recovered from passage 2 pigs were subsequently used for inoculation in the in vivo passage 3 experiment. The PCV1-2 vaccine virus DNA from pigs in each passage was amplified and sequenced. The results of the in vivo serial passage experiment showed that, after 3 passages of the PCV1-2 vaccine virus in pigs, there were no new mutations in the viruses recovered from pigs. The PCV1-2 vaccine contained an introduced marker mutation at amino acid position number 79, which is in the capsid region. During the in vivo passaging of the vaccine virus in pigs, this marker mutation quickly reverted back to its original nucleotide. This marker back mutation occurred between DPI 21 and DPI 28 of passage 1 in the PCV1-2 live vaccine virus group, and between DPI 28 of passage 1 and DPI 14 of passage 2 in the PCV1-2 vaccine plasmid group, and remained stable throughout the reminder of the in vivo study. Based upon the results from this study, we conclude that the PCV1-2 chimeric vaccine virus is genetically stable in vitro and in pigs, and thus should serve as a good candidate for a live vaccine against PCV2. / Master of Science

Microbial succession, composition and ecological distribution within the gastro-intestinal tract are critical areas of study since commensal bacteria have been shown to affect animal health and development. A series of experiments were conducted to determine whether altered microbial succession in neonatal animals would modulate the development and health of pigs later in life. An initial experiment in conventional pigs was conducted to establish the early postnatal microbial succession profile and to identify early colonizing bacterial species. Culture-independent analysis of digesta and mucosal microbiota showed distinct variation between the proximal and distal gastro-intestinal tract (GIT) indicating that fecal or distal gut profiles cannot be used to predict succession in the upper GIT. Temporally, Clostridium spp. were found to be most prevalent in the GIT microbiota of the neonatal pig up to 0.5 d of age, accompanied by a high abundance of Escherichia and Shigella spp. These genera were transiently displaced by Streptococcus spp. followed by a preponderance of Lactobacillus spp. between 3 and 20 d of age. Subsequently, a “snatch-farrow” model was employed to modulate early postnatal microbial succession and investigate the effects on postweaning microbial composition. Pigs were collected into sterile towels directly from the vaginal canal and transferred to a sterile isolator environment for the first 4 days. Pigs were either inoculated with sow feces or not at 1 d of age resulting in significant differences in fecal microbial profile at 4 days of age, prior to removal from isolators. Analysis using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphisms (TRFLP) of intestinal microbiota at 28 d of age did not show significant clustering or variation in diversity indices for either group during the 4-d postnatal isolator phase. However, enumeration of selected taxa using quantitative PCR did indicate significant treatment differences in postweaning microbiota. Despite these results, this approach was rejected for further use as the protocol provided only moderate control of early postnatal colonization and variation and unpredictability of the timing of natural farrowing contributed to significant litter effects. Finally, a gnotobiotic monoassociation model was used investigate the effects of modulating early postnatal microbial succession on postweaning physiology, microbial composition and mucosal gene expression. Twenty-four cesarean-section derived piglets were monoassociated for the first 4 days of life with either L. mucosae (L), S. infantarius (S), C. perfringens (C) or E. coli (E). Pigs from treatments E and L animals showed the highest growth rate during the conventional rearing period (7-28 d of age). Monoassociation with different bacterial species during the first 4 d of life resulted in significant changes in postweaning microbial composition in small intestine and colon as assessed by quantitative PCR, although TRFLP did not identify unique clustering by treatment or variation in diversity. L. mucosae was the only inoculant species with significant variation, with a reduction in the colonic mucosa at 28 days of age. Monoassociation with L. mucosae was also associated with increased nutrition related gene expression in small intestine. Pigs monoassociated with E. coli had low expression of microbial sensing (TLR2 and 4), NFkappaB complex genes and mucins at 28 d of age. This study clearly showed that controlled early microbial succession in neonatal pigs altered post-weaning commensal microbiota composition, postweaning physiology and host gene expression in small and large intestine. The findings suggest the importance of peri-natal management and feeding strategies in promoting postweaning health and performance.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv., 2008. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

FundaÃÃo de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Cearà / As informaÃÃes utilizadas neste estudo foram referentes aos dados de pesos de 228 novilhas leiteiras de diferentes grupos genÃticos das raÃas Holandesa e Gir (1/2, 3/4, 5/8, 7/8 e 15/16 HolandÃs x Gir), com o objetivo de ajustar modelos para descrever as curvas de crescimento de cada um dos grupos genÃticos. Para descriÃÃo das curvas de crescimento em funÃÃo do peso e idade desses animais foram ajustados os modelos de Brody, Von Bertalanffy, Richards, LogÃstico e Gompertz. O mÃtodo utilizado para o ajuste foi o interativo de Gauss Newton, por meio da tÃcnica dos modelos nÃo lineares usando-se o procedimento NLIN (SAS, 2001). AdequaÃÃo dos modelos foi observada atravÃs dos desvios encontrados atravÃs da diferenÃa entre os valores dos pesos estimados pelos modelos e os pesos observados nas pesagens dos animais nas idades 1, 210, 240, 270, 300, 330, 360, 390, 420 e 450 dias. Foi ainda avaliado, qual grupo genÃtico mostrou-se ser mais passÃvel a estimaÃÃo de pesos por modelos nÃolineares. O modelo LogÃstico foi o que melhor se adequou a maioria dos grupos genÃticos HolandÃs x Gir, pois apesar de superestimar os valores dos pesos, foi o mais indicado para representar pesos de animais 5/8, 7/8 e 15/16 HolandÃs x Gir. O grupo genÃtico 1/2 HolandÃs x Gir se apresentou como o mais passÃvel de estimaÃÃo atravÃs dos modelos estudados, em virtude de ser bem representado por todos os modelos, principalmente pelo modelo de Von Bertalanfy / The sub-basins of the Cipà and Carrapateira belong to the districts of Barra Nova and Santo AntÃnio, which are part of Tauà Town in Cearà State, Brazil. These sub-basins are situated in one of the most degraded areas in Tauà Town, according to studies of the WAVES Project. Tauà Town has 1,906.3 km of degraded areas susceptible to desertification, what represents 44.3% of the municipal area, being characterized, according to the indexes established by the United Nations Organization, as a semi-arid area with a high critical index (0.4), what expresses the fragility of the dry lands. It has the following natural geo-ecological limitations: predominance of rocks having a crystalline base, average temperature around 25ÂC to 28ÂC, enabling a high evaporation rate and, as a result, negative values in the annual water balance; shallow and stony soils; a degraded ciliary plant cover due to the secular agro-extractivist activity, favoring sediment deposition in the riverâs bed and the river marginsâ widening, what endangers the water and pedological potential of the region. The combined action of the weather, of the geological conditions and the shallow soils of the region produces a fragile ecosystem, which reflects on the vegetation in the area, in which the caducifolia formation, with an arboreous and shrubby physiognomy, is unable to offer protection to the soils against the erosive effects, as observed in the study area. Because the ciliary vegetation is seriously threatened by the inadequate soil use, there is a need of detailed studies, such as: floristic composition and structure of the community, to check the plant community's condition in its current state in order to enable its rational use and sustainability in view of the unbalance in which it is. It is worth pointing out that the protection of the ciliary forest is of utmost importance for the good condition of water resources. It is important to preserve and restore the forests along the rivers and around lakes and reservoirs because that vegetation brings lots of benefits to the ecosystem, having the function of protecting the biotic and abiotic natural resources. This way, the research had the following main objectives: a) to analyze the ecosystem of the ciliary forest of the brooks Cipà and Carrapateiras, in order to obtain indicators of environmental degradation by checking the effects of agricultural activities and of the vegetable extractivism on the conditions of the potential communities of that vegetation conditions, combining those activities with other environmental factors, and; b) to make a phytosociological survey of the ciliary forest, supplying information to a database that leads to the sustainable land use to avoid or stop the degradation process, enabling a better life quality for the local population. The phytosociological studies showed significant differences between the two sample areas, in which the forest of the brook Cipà was more conserved with specimen of the ciliary forest, while the forest of the brook Carrapateiras totally is completely uncharacterized because of the high anthropic action.

The non-pathogenic porcine circovirus type 1 (PCV1) was originally isolated as a persistent contaminant of the porcine kidney cell line PK-15. Whereas, porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) causes postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) in pigs, which is devastating to the swine industry. My objectives were to determine the effect of maternally derived antibodies on PCV2 infection, assess the role of 2 amino acid substitutions in the PCV2 capsid protein in PCV2 attenuation, evaluate the effect of Rep gene exchange between PCV1 and PCV2 on growth characteristics of a chimeric PCV2, and evaluate the role of open reading frame (ORF) 3 of PCV2 in virus replication and pathogenesis in pigs. Under field conditions, PCV2 infection is widespread and most breeding pigs are seropositive. Assessment of the role of PCV2 maternal antibodies in preventing PCV2 infection in piglets provided evidence that higher levels of maternal antibody provide more protection to piglets. Two amino acid substitutions in the PCV2 capsid protein that enhanced virus replication in vitro and attenuated the virus in vivo were evaluated for their pathogenicity in pigs. The results indicated that P110A and R191S are collectively responsible for virus attenuation. PCV1 replicates better in PK-15 cells and grows at least 1-log titer higher than PCV2. A chimeric PCV with the rep gene of PCV1 replacing that of PCV2 in the genomic backbone of PCV2 replicated more rapidly than PCV1 and PCV2, and more efficiently than PCV2, although to a titer similar to PCV1. The ORF3 of PCV2 is believed to encode a protein involved in apoptosis. The ORF3 start codon was mutated from ATG to GTG and the resulting mutant muPCV2 was infectious in vitro and in pigs; therefore ORF3 is dispensable for virus replication. The pathogenicity of muPCV2 was compared with PCV2 in vivo. Delayed viremia and seroconversion, decreased viral loads, lower level of IgG antibodies, and lower amounts of PCV2 antigen in mesenteric lymph nodes suggested attenuation of muPCV2. However, there was no significant difference in histological or gross lesions in tissues between PCV2- and muPCV2-inoculated groups. The role of ORF3 in attenuation needs to be further elucidated. / Ph. D.

A Síndrome Multissistêmica do Definhamento do Suíno (SMDS) é uma doença emergente e mundialmente distribuída, que tem trazido sérios prejuízos econômicos para a indústria suinícola. O Circovírus Suíno tipo 2 (PCV2), agente causal da doença, provoca lesões principalmente nos tecidos linfóides, e sugere-se que produza imunossupressão, predispondo o hospedeiro a infecções virais, bacterianas e fúngicas secundárias. Neste trabalho, é descrito um estudo da prevalência e bacteriologia das otites purulentas em suínos apresentando a SMDS, bem como em animais de baixo desenvolvimento e de crescimento normal. No total, foram examinados 385 suínos com idades entre 60 e 130 dias. De 242 animais com a SMDS, 57 (23,5%) apresentaram lesões purulentas no ouvido médio. Dentre 119 animais de baixo desenvolvimento, apenas 1 (0,7%) apresentou a lesão. Não foram detectadas lesões macroscópicas no ouvido médio dos 24 animais com crescimento normal (controles). Os agentes isolados com maior freqüência das lesões foram Arcanobacterium pyogenes, Streptococcus α– hemolíticos e Pasteurella multocida, encontrados em, respectivamente, 37 (43%), 32 (37,2%) e 24 (27,9%) dos 86 ouvidos submetidos à bacteriologia. A alta prevalência de lesões purulentas no ouvido médio de animais com a SMDS sugere que a infecção pelo PCV2 pode tornar o suíno mais suscetível às otites bacterianas. Por outro lado, a prevalência reduzida das lesões em suínos de baixo desenvolvimento sugere que a otite não representa uma causa importante de mau desempenho em suínos nas fases de crescimento e terminação. O isolamento do A. pyogenes, de Streptococcus α- hemolíticos e da P. multocida na maioria das lesões está de acordo com relatos anteriores, confirmando a importância desses organismos como agentes causais da otite média em suínos. / Postweaning Multisystemic Wasting Syndrome (PMWS) is an emerging disease disseminated globally that causes severe losses to the pig industry. Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is the causal agent of the disease and causes lesions mainly in lymphoid tissue and it is suggested that it can cause immunosuppression, predisposing the host to viral, bacterial and mycotic infections. In the present work we describe a study on prevalence and bacteriology of purulent otitis in pigs with PMWS, as well as in pigs with attrition and pigs with normal growth. A total amount of 385 animals were examined, with ages ranging from 60 to 130 days. Among 242 pigs with PMWS, 57 (23,5%) showed purulent lesions in the middle ear. Among 119 pigs with attrition, only 1 (0,7%) presented the lesion. In 24 control pigs, middle ear lesions were not detected. The agents most frequently isolated from the lesions were Arcanobacterium pyogenes, α–hemolytic Streptococci and Pasteurella multocida, found respectively in 36 (43%), 32 (37,2%) and 24 (27,9%) of 86 ears bacteriologically examined. The high prevalence of purulent lesions found in middle ear of PMWS affected pigs suggests that PCV2 infection can increase susceptibility of swine to bacterial otitis. On the other hand, the small prevalence of lesions in piglets with attrition suggests that otitis does not represent a significant cause for depressed growth in pigs from growing and finishing ages. The isolation of A. pyogenes, α-hemolytic Streptococci and P. multocida from most lesions agrees with previous reports, confirming the importance of these organisms as causal agents in the etiology of otitis media in pigs.

A Síndrome Multissistêmica do Definhamento do Suíno (SMDS) é uma doença emergente e mundialmente distribuída, que tem trazido sérios prejuízos econômicos para a indústria suinícola. O Circovírus Suíno tipo 2 (PCV2), agente causal da doença, provoca lesões principalmente nos tecidos linfóides, e sugere-se que produza imunossupressão, predispondo o hospedeiro a infecções virais, bacterianas e fúngicas secundárias. Neste trabalho, é descrito um estudo da prevalência e bacteriologia das otites purulentas em suínos apresentando a SMDS, bem como em animais de baixo desenvolvimento e de crescimento normal. No total, foram examinados 385 suínos com idades entre 60 e 130 dias. De 242 animais com a SMDS, 57 (23,5%) apresentaram lesões purulentas no ouvido médio. Dentre 119 animais de baixo desenvolvimento, apenas 1 (0,7%) apresentou a lesão. Não foram detectadas lesões macroscópicas no ouvido médio dos 24 animais com crescimento normal (controles). Os agentes isolados com maior freqüência das lesões foram Arcanobacterium pyogenes, Streptococcus α– hemolíticos e Pasteurella multocida, encontrados em, respectivamente, 37 (43%), 32 (37,2%) e 24 (27,9%) dos 86 ouvidos submetidos à bacteriologia. A alta prevalência de lesões purulentas no ouvido médio de animais com a SMDS sugere que a infecção pelo PCV2 pode tornar o suíno mais suscetível às otites bacterianas. Por outro lado, a prevalência reduzida das lesões em suínos de baixo desenvolvimento sugere que a otite não representa uma causa importante de mau desempenho em suínos nas fases de crescimento e terminação. O isolamento do A. pyogenes, de Streptococcus α- hemolíticos e da P. multocida na maioria das lesões está de acordo com relatos anteriores, confirmando a importância desses organismos como agentes causais da otite média em suínos. / Postweaning Multisystemic Wasting Syndrome (PMWS) is an emerging disease disseminated globally that causes severe losses to the pig industry. Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is the causal agent of the disease and causes lesions mainly in lymphoid tissue and it is suggested that it can cause immunosuppression, predisposing the host to viral, bacterial and mycotic infections. In the present work we describe a study on prevalence and bacteriology of purulent otitis in pigs with PMWS, as well as in pigs with attrition and pigs with normal growth. A total amount of 385 animals were examined, with ages ranging from 60 to 130 days. Among 242 pigs with PMWS, 57 (23,5%) showed purulent lesions in the middle ear. Among 119 pigs with attrition, only 1 (0,7%) presented the lesion. In 24 control pigs, middle ear lesions were not detected. The agents most frequently isolated from the lesions were Arcanobacterium pyogenes, α–hemolytic Streptococci and Pasteurella multocida, found respectively in 36 (43%), 32 (37,2%) and 24 (27,9%) of 86 ears bacteriologically examined. The high prevalence of purulent lesions found in middle ear of PMWS affected pigs suggests that PCV2 infection can increase susceptibility of swine to bacterial otitis. On the other hand, the small prevalence of lesions in piglets with attrition suggests that otitis does not represent a significant cause for depressed growth in pigs from growing and finishing ages. The isolation of A. pyogenes, α-hemolytic Streptococci and P. multocida from most lesions agrees with previous reports, confirming the importance of these organisms as causal agents in the etiology of otitis media in pigs.