State
Board of Agricultural Research and Education
Animal
Agriculture Granting Committee
December
13, 2010
Conference
Call Meeting Minutes
The
meeting was called to order at 2 p.m.
Voting members present were Mark Huseth, Lyle Warner,
Allan Tellmann, Steve Metzger, and Daryl Dukart. Non-voting members present
were Dr. Greg Lardy and Dr. David Buchanan.
Also present was Lori Capouch
The
committee appointed Allan Tellmann to chair the meeting by consensus.
The
committee briefly discussed the procedure to use for prescreening the
applications. It was the committee’s
consensus to discuss each project and then make a determination as to which
proposals ranked highest following the discussion.
The
following projects were reviewed:
Evaluation
of low-input growing and finishing options for cattle producers
Researcher:
Vern Anderson
Amount
requested: $7,412
North
Dakota cattlemen can capture more value from the exceptional genetics for
growth and carcass merit in their calves.
New markets are developing in the state for finished beef and demand is
good for locally produced meat. However, cow/calf producers with minimum
facilities or smaller herds cannot easily or economically feed their calves
after weaning. Self-feeding minimizes
equipment, labor and facilities costs and can be very safe with higher levels
of co-products. There is no comparative
data available for self-feeding with modern cattle, feed products and
nutritional knowledge. This study
proposes to compare performance and economics of feeder cattle with exceptional
genetic potential fed in self-feeders or fed totally mixed rations delivered to
fence line bunks daily.
Screening
and evaluation of legume species and their varieties for grazing, forage
production, cover crops and soil health
Researcher: Guojie Wang
Amount
requested: $11,100
The
livestock producers need more information about legume forage species for
grazing, haying, conserving soil, and cover crops. This project will provide information based
on 42 legume species/varieties morphology, phenology, and their production and
nutrition values. It will also provide date on their ability to fix N to the
soil, to improve soil structure and function.
Grazing
annual forages to extend the grazing season: Impacts on animal performance, forage production, forage intake, nutrient
digestibility, soil health and economics
Researcher:
Bryan Neville
Amount
Requested: $19,434
This
project will evaluate the effectiveness of both monoculture and multi-species
mixes of annual forages as winter cover crops.
This research focuses on determining forage production, forage intake,
nutrient digestibility, soil health, and economic benefits of grazing winter
cover crops.
Comparing
liquid water with snow as a water source for wintering beef cattle
Researcher:
Bryan Neville
Amount
requested: $8,901
This
project will compare liquid water with snow as the water source for beef cattle
during the winter months. Two experiments will be conducted. In the first, 30
replacement beef heifers will be divided into three groups to evaluate
strategies to transition cattle from liquid water to snow consumption. Data
collected during this time will allow researchers to quantify changes in weight
during this period and stress response to the different transition types.
The
second experiment will use 80 pregnant dry beef cows divided into pastures that
either have access to liquid water, or rely solely on snow as a water source
over a period of 60 days prior to calving. Data collected will allow
researchers to determine effects of reliance on snow for water on measures of
hydration status, body weight, body condition, and carcass composition changes
(back fat, ribeye area) as well as calf birth weight,
calving ease, calf vigor, and calf health.
Effects
of two-stage and abrupt weaning on calf and cow welfare and blood metabolites,
calf growth performance and marbling deposition of spring-born Angus-cross
calves
Researchers:
Michele Thompson and Carl Dahlen
Amount
requested: $13,144
The
goal of this study is to determine how two-phase weaning, a low-stress weaning
method, reduces the negative effects of traditional weaning on calves and cows.
Researchers will examine how two-phase weaning compares to traditional weaning
on calf and cow welfare and plasma stress measures, as well as the calves’
immune responses from weaning through a 65-da6 growing period. Furthermore, we want to determine the impacts
on growth and performances responses and marbling ability of two-phase weaned
calves during the background period. The research results generated from this
project will assist North Dakota cow-calf producers in deciding if two-phase
weaning is a better and less stressful weaning alterna5tive to traditional
weaning for their calves.
Influence
of the level of dried distiller’s grains with solubles
on feedlot performance, carcass characteristics, blood metabolites, and semen
quality of growing rams
Researchers:
Christopher Schauer and Megan Van Emon
Amount
requested: $7,830
Ram
lambs will be placed in the feedlot and fed one of three rations containing
increasing levels of dried distiller’s grains with solubles
(DDGS). The effects of DDGS on ram lamb feedlot performance will be monitored
throughout the study and at the conclusion lambs will be transported for
harvest and the collection of carcass data.
Throughout the feedlot phase both semen and blood samples will be
collected from a subsample of ram lambs to evaluate the effects of DDGS on
semen quality and testosterone, respectively.
Modulation
of processes that are regulated by E. coli O157:H7FlhC on meat
Researcher:
Birgit Pruess
Amount
requested: $10,000
The
Escherichia coli isolate O157:H7 is a highly virulent pathogen and one of the
predominant causes of E. coli associated food-borne disease in the United
States. With this proposal, researchers wish to continue the development of a
new antimicrobial spray that constitutes a nutrient or metabolic intermediate
for the bacteria that they will find harder to become resistant against. This nutrient or metabolite when sprayed on
the surface of the beef will affect cellular processes, such as cell division
or acid resistance. The new sprays could be used alone or in combination with
one of the current acid sprays.
Ammonia,
Hydrogen Sulfide and greenhouse gas emissions from North Dakota feedlots
Researcher:
Shafiqur Rahman
Amount
requested: $14,460
The
objective of this study is to provide science-based on-farm ammonia, hydrogen
sulfide and greenhouse gas emissions from feedlot operation under North Dakota
livestock management practices and weather conditions.
Estradiol-17β
replacement therapy to counteract nutritionally induced intrauterine growth
restriction: impacts on placental and fetal growth and development outcomes
Researchers:
Roza Yunusova, Joel Caton and Dale Redmer
Amount
requested: 5,536
The
primary focus of this project is to investigate the causes of intrauterine
growth restriction which results in low birth weight offspring. Low birth
weight offspring have greater mortality and morbidity and are at risk for
increased postnatal health issues. The proposed work will address potential
treatments to offset intrauterine growth restriction, investigate potential
biological mechanisms and generate preliminary data for preparation of future
grant submissions to federal funding agencies.
Countering
nutritionally induced intrauterine growth restriction with BEGF gene therapy:
impacts on fetal developmental outcomes
Researcher:
Joel Caton
Amount
requested: $6,380
This
study will investigate a novel approach to improving fetal and postnatal
developmental outcomes in ruminant livestock experiencing inappropriate
maternal nutrition. Emphasis will be place upon intestinal growth and function
and neonatal mortality and morbidity.
Surveillance
of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella in ready to
eat meats from processing plants and retail outlets in North Dakota
Researcher:
Margaret Khaitsa
Amount
requested: $13,350
This
project will develop capacity at NDSU for detecting Listeria monocytogenes and salmonella in ready to eat meats from processing
plants and retail outlets in North Dakota.
The information obtained will help researchers evaluate the level of
risk of these two pathogens in ready to eat meats in North Dakota.
Use
of young female gilts as a biomedical model of human females to determine if
consumption of beef from cattle administered estrogenic growth promotants results in premature puberty
Researcher:
Eric Berg
Amount
requested: $9,416
The
researchers propose the use of pre-pubertal gilts as an animal biomedical model
for young human females in order to assess pre-pubertal diet on attainment of
puberty and growth. The hypothesis is that beef obtained from cattle receiving
an aggressive estrogenic implant strategy during feedlot finishing does not
alter the timing of puberty, or the body composition post-puberty compared to
females fed non-implanted “natural” beef, or a common meat alternative, tofu.
Improved
diagnosis and management of bovine abortion in North Dakota cattle herds
Researcher:
Robert Barigye
Amount
requested: $18,320
The
primary goal of the proposed study is to improve the success rate of diagnostic
investigations of bovine abortion so that veterinary diagnosticians at the NDSU
Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and elsewhere may provide accurate bovine
abortion test results to producers and field veterinarians. This will promote
the adoption of appropriate interventions (treatment, vaccination programs,
animal nutrition) so the prevalence of bovine abortion in the state may be
reduced.
Why
do temperamental cattle have tougher meat?
Researcher:
Kasey Maddock-Carlin
Amount
requested: $7,925
It
has been documented the beef cattle temperament is lined to beef tenderness.
This project will determine if the muscle structural components such as
connective tissue and muscle contractile length is different in excitable
cattle when compared to calm cattle. Results from this study may indicate a
need to handle excitable cattle differently to help prevent these structural
changes, thus changing beef tenderness.
Effects
of eliminating forage from diets on alternating days while supplementing cattle
with dried distillers grains on intake, digestibility
and blood endocrine profiles
Researchers:
Carl Dahlen & Sharnae
Klein
Amount
requested: $12,112
This
project will evaluate the effects of an alternative supplementation strategy on
feed intake, digestibility, and blood hormone profiles. The strategy evaluated
will eliminate forage from diets of cattle on alternating days when cattle are
receiving dried distillers grains as a supplement. Thus on the first day of the
week cattle would receive only hay, on the second day of the week cattle would
receive only supplement (no hay), and this alternating pattern of feeding would
continue over the duration of the study. This strategy has potential to save
not only time and labor, buat also to reduce feed
costs which is the major direct expense in most beef operations.
Factors
influencing feed intake and efficiency in backgrounding
calves fed medium-quality hay with or without increasing levels of
supplementation
Researcher: Kendall Swanson
Amount
requested: $15,100
This
project will examine the effect of supplementation with distillers
grains on feed intake and performance in growing cattle fed grass hay. It also will examine factors that contribute
to differences in feed efficiency between animals with or without
supplementation. This experiment should provide information on the impact of
supplementation on performance and feeding behavior in growing cattle fed
medium-quality forage. It should also increase understanding on the variability
in feed utilization between animals and what is contributing to this variation.
It could result in defining low-cost and easily-measured indicator traits to
select cattle types for efficiently utilizing lower quality forages.
Effects
of rumen-protected arginine on intestinal amino acid appearance, site and
extent of digestion, microbial efficiency, and ruminal
fermentation in steers fed a forage diet
Researcher:
Allison Meyer & Joel Caton
Amount
requested: $7,245.20
Project
objectives:
Current
concepts in ewe estrus synchronization
Researcher:
Reid Redden
Amount
requested: $10,000
Two
experiments will be conducted to test the effectiveness of the newly approved
sheep controlled intravaginal drug releasing device
in conjunction with a gonadotropin releasing hormone injection to synchronize
ovulation. In experiment 1, treatments will induce sheep to breed in the spring
and lamb in the fall, opposed to when sheep normally only cycle in the fall to
lamb in the spring. In experiment 2, treatments will induce all the sheep to
breed within two or three days to condense the lambing season. This research
will provide information that sheep producers can use to improve out-of-season
breeding, better time lambing, and propose new methods to synchronize ewe for
reproductive technologies.
Effect
of a single injection of curcumin on progesterone
availability during early gestation
Researcher:
Caleb O. Lemley
Amount
requested: $9,534
This
project will examine the effect of a single injection of curcumin,
a common spice ingredient, on the rate of progesterone breakdown and
progesterone concentrations during early pregnancy. Due to the positive association between high
progesterone and improve fertility, curcumin could be
a potential candidate for increasing reproductive efficiency in several
livestock species.
Economic
value of certain horse traits in North Dakota
Researcher:
Carrie Hammer
Amount
requested: $2,000
The
objective of this project is to examine different horse traits as a predictor
of selling price at public auction.
Decisions
The
committee discussed each project as a whole and through consensus determined
which projects to invite to make a presentation during their committee
meeting.
It
was the consensus of the committee to deny funding to the following projects:
The
remaining projects are to be invited to the Feb. 8, 2011 committee meeting to
present their proposals.
The
motion carried.
There
being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
State
Board of Agricultural Research and Education
Animal
Agriculture Granting Committee
Burleigh
County Extension Office
February
8, 2011
Meeting
Minutes
The
meeting was called to order at 10 a.m.
Voting members present were Lyle Warner, Allen Tellmann, Steve Metzger,
Daryl Dukart and Bruce Haakenson. Non-voting members present were Dr. Greg
Lardy and Dr. David Buchanan. Also
present was Lori Capouch.
It
was the consensus of the committee to appoint Dukart to chair the meeting.
The
following presentations were made during the meeting. (Summaries of the proposals can be found in
the 12-13-10 minutes.)
Funding decisions
The
committee members discussed each project as a whole and then individually
ranked the projects 1-3-5 with “1” representing the highest ranked
proposals. The individual rankings were
used to determine the overall ranking of each project. The non-voting members did not participate in
the ranking process.
It
was moved by Tellmann and seconded by Warner to grant negotiated funding as
follows:
The
motion carried unanimously.
The
committee held a discussion on whether they should recommend limiting the
amount requested per project based on the declining funds available. It was the committee’s consensus they were
comfortable with the process as it currently stands.
It
was moved by Metzger and seconded by Haakenson to
adjourn the meeting. The motion carried.