Cattle Research Articles

Impact of Various Ration Energy Levels on the Slaughtering Performance, Carcass Characteristics, and Meat Qualities of Honghe Yellow Cattle.

Consumers are increasing their daily demand for beef and are becoming more discerning about its nutritional quality and flavor. The present objective was to evaluate how the ration energy content (combined net energy, Nemf) impacts the slaughter performance, carcass characteristics, and meat qualities of Honghe yellow cattle raised in confinement. Fifteen male Honghe yellow cattle were divided into three groups based on a one-way design: a low-energy group (LEG, 3.72 MJ/kg), a medium-energy group (MEG, 4.52 MJ/kg), and a high-energy group (HEG, 5.32 MJ/kg). After a period of 70 days on these treatments, the animals were slaughtered and their slaughter performance was determined, and the longissimus dorsi muscle (LD) and biceps femoris (BF) muscles were gathered to evaluate meat quality and composition. Increasing the dietary energy concentration led to marked improvements (p < 0.05) in the live weight before slaughter (LWBS), weight of carcass, backfat thickness, and loin muscle area. HEG also improved the yield of high-grade commercial cuts (13.47% vs. 10.39%) (p < 0.05). However, meat quality traits were not affected by treatment except for shear force, which was affected by dietary energy. A significant improvement (p < 0.05) in the intramuscular fat (IMF) content was observed in the HEG. Little effect on the amino acid profile was observed (p > 0.05), except for a tendency (p = 0.06) to increase the histidine concentration in the BF muscle. Increasing dietary energy also reduced C22:6n-3 and saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and enhanced C18:1 cis-9 and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs, p < 0.05). Those results revealed that increasing energy levels of diets could enhance slaughter traits and affect the meat quality and fatty acid composition of different muscle tissues of Honghe yellow cattle. These results contribute to the theoretical foundation to formulate nutritional standards and design feed formulas for the Honghe yellow cattle.

Performance Improvement of Flow Rate of Spiral Chip Feeder in Domestic Cattle Manure monitor Making Machine

The abstract outlines a study focused on the stability and effectiveness of a screw feeding mechanism designed for the outlet of pulping material in a screw reactor. This reactor functions as a continuous system where material is transported and mixed by a screw (augur). The study emphasizes the importance of operational conditions in influencing the process outcomes. To efficiently understand and optimize the system, the researchers employed modelling techniques, which are often quicker and more cost-effective than conducting experiments. The paper provides a comprehensive list of modelling approaches, both validated by experiments and theoretical, that is applicable to various aspects of screw reactor operation. Additionally, the study delves into new product development, specifically shaping a conical screw feeding reactor along with its shaft and flights design. A crucial aspect analyzed is the radial force effect on the flight surface during spiral rotation. Structural engineering techniques were employed to ensure the sustainability of the design, with validation results confirming its effectiveness. Keywords: Screw, Radial Force, Pulping Material

Cattle Reproductive Disorders Documented from Gaushalas of Nepal.

Cow is the national animal of Nepal, yet it is one of the most abused animal species here. Under realized utilities of cow that is nonlactating or pregnant is the reason for demonic cruelty. Since the Vedic period, gaushalas have been caring for cows. At present, most gaushalas have responsibility to rescue, offer refuge, and treat poorly treated or confiscated cattle from smuggling rackets in Nepal. It is no surprise that these abused animals suffer from many health issues and compromised reproductive ability. This study was conducted to know about husbandry practice and to determine prevalence of reproductive disorders in cows of Gaushala from Nepal. Altogether, 27 gaushalas were visited throughout the study period and cows (≥2 years) (n = 2959) were included for the study. From the study, respondents from 14.81% Gaushala admitted indigenous cattle only, 11.11% admitted any breed (indigenous and crossbreed), 44.44% admitted stray animals only, and 29.63% admitted all types (indigenous, crossbreed, and stray animals). The study revealed that among (n = 2959) animals examined, 5.54% (n = 164) were affected by either one or more reproductive problems. The major reproductive disorders identified in study area were repeat breeding 0.47%, cervico-vaginal and uterine prolapse 0.34%, retention of placenta 2.13%, dystocia 0.61%, and abortion 1.66%. Herd size of Gaushala had a significant difference (P < 0.05) on the overall prevalence of reproductive problems in cows of Gaushala. The main issues with gaushalas included a lack of resources like adequate fund, feeds, fodder, and water, shortage of grazing acreage, veterinary services, and difficulties in managing male cattle. To mitigate the issues and welfare related to gaushalas strict adherence to disease surveillance and biosecurity rules, avoidance of unlimited reproduction in cows, and separation of males and females, fund raising and resource management, collaboration with local government and NGOs, veterinary hospital, clinics, research, and innovation with veterinary institution and universities.

Prediction of enzyme action for extraction of antimicrobial substances from &lt;i&gt;Sus scrofa&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;i&gt;Bos taurus&lt;/i&gt;

The study of antimicrobial compounds of animal origin, particularly antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), is a current research topic. However, extracting endogenous AMPs is a challenging process and requires the application of targeted enzymatic processing principles based on knowledge of the structure of prepropeptide molecules — precursors of AMPs. In this study, a search was conducted for antimicrobial peptides present in Sus scrofa and Bos taurus organisms, as well as their precursors, using The Antimicrobial Peptide Database and UniProtKB databases. In the amino acid sequences of prepropeptides, the sequences of the mature peptides were found, and cleavage sites for trypsin, bacterial collagenase (type I), and neutrophil elastase were determined. As a result of the search for antimicrobial compounds in The Antimicrobial Peptide Database, 18 antimicrobial peptides from Sus scrofa and 40 antimicrobial peptides from Bos taurus were identified. Based on the results of determining cleavage sites in AMP precursors, enzymes were ranked from less preferred to more preferred for AMP release as follows: bacterial collagenase (type I) ≤ trypsin &lt; neutrophil elastase. This order is justified not only by the number of suitable cleavage sites and their accuracy but also by the action of enzymes within mature AMPs: it is important to consider that enzymes can “cut” the peptides themselves, thereby reducing their antimicrobial activity. The bioinformatics analysis conducted is applicable for both primary screening of raw material potential and determining of suitable enzymes for extracting antimicrobial compounds from Sus scrofa and Bos taurus organisms.

Supplementation of Alternanthera sissoo pellets on feed digestion, rumen fermentation, and protozoal population in Thai native beef cattle

The objective of this experiment was to study the effects of Brazilian spinach (Alternanthera sissoo) pellet (BSP) supplementation on rumen fermentation, protozoal population, and methane (CH4) estimation in beef cattle. Four male Thai native beef cattle, 3 years old, with an average bodyweight of 180 ± 5 kg, were randomly arranged in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. The cattle were supplemented (on-top) with four levels of BSP (2, 4, 6, and 8% dry matter intake (DMI), respectively). The roughage component, derived from rice straw, was fed at 40 % of DMI, while the concentrate diet was fed at 60 % of DMI. The result of the experiment demonstrated that BSP supplementation had no effect on the DMI, nutrient intake, or nutrient digestibility (p > 0.05). Rumen pH and ammonia-nitrogen concentration were not significant, while the average protozoal population linearly decreased (p = 0.002) with BSP supplementation. Mean blood urea-nitrogen concentration was linearly increased (p = 0.004) when increasing the level of BSP. Brazilian spinach pellet had no significant effect on total volatile fatty acids (TVFA), VFA profiles, and CH4 estimation (p > 0.05). Nitrogen balance was no different from the supplementation of BSP. The study indicates that Brazilian spinach pellet supplementation showed no noticeable effects on feed intake, rumen parameters, and nitrogen utilization; however, at 6–8% of DMI, there was a decrease in protozoal population, with no corresponding reduction in CH4 estimation.

Single-cell analysis identifies critical regulators of spermatogonial development and differentiation in cattle-yak bulls

Spermatogenesis is a continuous process in which functional sperm are produced through a series of mitotic and meiotic divisions and morphological changes in germ cells. The aberrant development and fate transitions of spermatogenic cells cause hybrid sterility in mammals. Cattle-yak, a hybrid animal between taurine cattle (Bos taurus) and yak (Bos grunniens), exhibits male-specific sterility due to spermatogenic failure. In the present study, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing analysis to identify differences in testicular cell composition and the developmental trajectory of spermatogenic cells between yak and cattle-yak. The composition and molecular signatures of spermatogonial subtypes were dramatically different between these 2 animals, and the expression of genes associated with stem cell maintenance, cell differentiation and meiotic entry was altered in cattle-yak, indicating the impairment of undifferentiated spermatogonial fate decisions. Cell communication analysis revealed that signaling within different spermatogenic cell subpopulations was weakened, and progenitor spermatogonia were unable to or delayed receiving and sending signals for transformation to the next stage in cattle-yak. Simultaneously, the communication between niche cells and germ cells was also abnormal. Collectively, we obtained the expression profiles of transcriptome signatures of different germ cells and testicular somatic cell populations at the single-cell level and identified critical regulators of spermatogonial differentiation and meiosis in yak and sterile cattle-yak. The findings of this study shed light on the genetic mechanisms that lead to hybrid sterility and speciation in bovid species.

The effectiveness of a virtual fencing technology to allocate pasture and herd cows to the milking shed

Virtual fencing technology provides an opportunity to rethink the management of intensive grazing systems in general, yet most studies have used products developed and applied to more extensive livestock systems. This research aimed to assess the application of a virtual fencing technology developed for the intensive pastoral dairy industry. The Halter system uses 2 primary cues, sound and vibration, and one aversive secondary cue, a low energy electrical pulse, to confine cows to a pasture allocation and remotely herd cows. Two groups of 40 mid-lactation multiparous dairy cows were studied (Bos taurus, predominantly Friesian and Friesian × Jersey, parity 1-8). Cows were milked twice per day and provided 9 kg pasture DM/day in a 24-h allocation, supplemented with 7 kg silage and 6 kg grain DM/day. Training to the Halter system occurred over 10 d after which cows were managed with the technology for a further 28 d. The type and time of cues delivered was recorded by each collar and communicated via a base-station to cloud data storage. Cows took less than a day to start responding to the sound cues delivered while held on a pasture allocation and were moving to the milking parlor without human intervention by d 4 of training. On training d 1, at least 60% of sound cues resulted in an electrical pulse. Across training d 2-10, 6.4% of sound cues resulted in a pulse. After the 10-d training period, 2.6% of sound cues resulted in a pulse. During the management period, 90% of cows spent ≤1.7 min/d beyond the virtual fence, received ≤ 0.71 pulse/d in the paddock and received ≤ 1 pulse/d during virtual herding to the parlor. By the final week of the management period, 50% of cows received zero pulses/week in the paddock and 35% received zero pulses/week during virtual herding. The number of pulses delivered per day and the pulse:sound cue ratio was lower in this study than that previously reported using other virtual fencing technologies. We conclude that the Halter technology is successful at containing lactating dairy cows in an intensive grazing system as well as at remotely herding animals to the milking parlor.

Research Progress and Applications of Bovine Genome in the Tribe Bovini.

Various bovine species have been domesticated and bred for thousands of years, and they provide adequate animal-derived products, including meat, milk, and leather, to meet human requirements. Despite the review studies on economic traits in cattle, the genetic basis of traits has only been partially explained by phenotype and pedigree breeding methods, due to the complexity of genomic regulation during animal development and growth. With the advent of next-generation sequencing technology, genomics projects, such as the 1000 Bull Genomes Project, Functional Annotation of Animal Genomes project, and Bovine Pangenome Consortium, have advanced bovine genomic research. These large-scale genomics projects gave us a comprehensive concept, technology, and public resources. In this review, we summarize the genomics research progress of the main bovine species during the past decade, including cattle (Bos taurus), yak (Bos grunniens), water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), zebu (Bos indicus), and gayal (Bos frontalis). We mainly discuss the development of genome sequencing and functional annotation, focusing on how genomic analysis reveals genetic variation and its impact on phenotypes in several bovine species.

The seasonality as a relevant aspect to be considered for differential diagnosis of Trypanosoma vivax infection and co-infections in female cattle

Bovine Trypanosomiasis and other infectious diseases cause relevant loss for the livestock industry impacting productive/reproductive indices. This study intended to better understand the frequency, seasonality, and profile of infections associated with Bovine Trypanosomiasis. A total of 1443 serum samples were screened for T. vivax infection and other infectious diseases: Neosporosis, Leptospirosis, Bovine Leukosis Virus infection/(BLV), Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis/(IBR) or Bovine Viral Diarrhea/(BVD). Distinct methods were used for screening and diagnosis: immunofluorescence assay (Trypanosomiasis), ELISA (Neosporosis,BLV,IBR,BVD) and microscopic agglutination test (Leptospirosis). Our findings demonstrated that the seropositivity for Trypanosomiasis=57% was similar to Neosporosis=55%, higher than Leptospirosis=39% and BVL=34%, but lower than IBR=88% and BVD=71%. The seropositivity for Trypanosomiasis was higher in the autumn and lower in the winter. Regardless the season, the IBR seropositivity (min=73%;max=95%) was higher than Trypanosomiasis (min=48%;max=68%). Moreover, Neosporosis (min=71%;max=100%) and BVD (min=65%;max=76%) were more frequent than Trypanosomiasis in the summer, winter and spring. The diagnosis outcome revealed that Trypanosomiasis&IBR=43% and Trypanosomiasis&Neosporosis=35% were the most frequent co-infections with higher seropositivity in the autumn (58%) and summer (80%), respectively. Noteworthy, high seropositivity to Trypanosomiasis&BVD was registered in the autumn (46%). Together, our data re-enforce the relevance of differential diagnosis between Trypanosomiasis with other bovine infectious diseases and that differences in the seasonality profile is a relevant aspect to be considered while selecting the differential diagnosis to be applied.

Factors Associated with the Prevalence of Bovine Tuberculosis in the Kafue Basin of Zambia

Worldwide, bovine tuberculosis is most common in agricultural regions of Central and South America, Sub-Saharan Africa and South-Western Asia. Bovine tuberculosis was reported to be endemic in the Zambian traditional cattle sector with a high herd prevalence of 49.8% recorded from areas within, and adjacent to the Kafue Basin as far back as 1995. An analytical cross sectional study design was applied to a sample size of 384 selected cattle owners in the Kafue Basin. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to the cattle owners who were randomly selected. The data was analyzed using STATA Version 15 Software. The results from the study showed that 54% of the cattle owners experienced bovine tuberculosis among their cattle while 46% did not experience bovine tuberculosis. The prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in cattle was higher among the male cattle owners (76%) compared to female cattle owners (24%). There was a significant relationship of p value &amp;lt; 0.029 between level of knowledge of cattle owners and the prevalence of bovine tuberculosis. Unemployed cattle owners had higher odds of experiencing bovine tuberculosis among their cattle (OR 3.488; 95% CI 1.341-9.067) and the relationship was statistically significant at p value &amp;lt; 0.010. There was equally a significant relationship of p value &amp;lt; 0.042 between vaccination status of animals and the occurrence of bovine tuberculosis. The study showed that the majority of cattle owners lacked awareness and had a lower level of understanding of the disease and its public health significance. Therefore, the implications of the study suggest the creation of disease control programs that will ensure regular herd testing for bovine tuberculosis, routine vaccinations of animals, deliberate quarantine of infected animals as well as community health education about transmission, control and prevention of the disease.

Spatial clusters of human and livestock anthrax define high-risk areas requiring intervention in Lao Cai Province, Vietnam 1991-2022.

Anthrax, a widespread zoonosis in low and middle-income countries with low disease awareness and insufficient livestock vaccination coverage, has been known in Lao Cai Province in northern Vietnam for years before its apparent absence in 2009, which requires investigation as this infection is frequently reported from neighbouring provinces and countries. We aimed to describe the seasonal patterns of anthrax (1991-2008), compare livestock anthrax vaccine coverage to disease occurrence (1991- 2022), and delineate the high-risk areas to inform local disease surveillance in the province. We illustrated the seasonal pattern of anthrax and provided a comparison between livestock vaccine coverage and disease occurrence by purely spatial SaTScan (Poisson model, 25% population at risk) to detect spatial clusters of human and livestock anthrax using population derived from zonal statistics routines. The number of cases, crude cumulative incidence, and spatial clusters of human and livestock anthrax were mapped in QGIS. Results indicate peak anthrax incidence from May to October. Buffalo, domestic cattle, and horses accounted for 75% of total animal cases. Horse anthrax was more common in Lao Cai than in its neighbours and often occurred in years with human mortality. Vaccination covered less than 30% of the livestock population. We found an apparent pattern where anthrax was controlled from 1998-2003 with higher vaccine coverage (>20%) and identified spatial clusters of human and livestock anthrax in Muong Khuong, Bao Thang, and Bac Ha districts of Lao Cai. The local public health and veterinary agencies are recommended to revisit the high-risk areas and communicate with neighbouring provinces for a regional approach to anthrax surveillance and control.

Potential Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Products in the Form of Formulations and Preparations of Telang Flower Kombucha Dish Soap (Clitoria ternatea L) as an Antibacterial from Beef (Bos taurus) Isolate

This research aims to see the potential of each formulation and preparation of dishwashing soap with the active ingredient telang flower kombucha in inhibiting the growth of pathogenic bacteria isolated from beef. This research is a laboratory experiment, namely by making a dishwashing soap base without the active substance of telang flower kombucha. Make a dishwashing soap base that adds the active substance of butterfly pea flower kombucha at concentrations of 20%, 30% and 40%. Biochemical identification results have shown that beef samples contain gram-positive bacteria in the form of Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes, as well as gram-negative bacteria in the form of Salmonella thyposa and Escherichia coli. The results of this research have also proven that pharmaceutical biotechnology products in the form of formulations and dishwashing soap preparations with the active ingredient telang flower kombucha have a positive correlation in inhibiting the growth of the four test bacteria. Based on the one-way ANOVA statistical test at each P value &lt;0.05, it proves that telang flower kombucha dish soap at a concentration of 40% according to post hoc analysis is not significantly different from concentrations of 20% and 30% as a pharmaceutical and antibacterial biotechnology product. isolated from beef. The conclusion of this research is that the formulation and preparation of dishwashing soap at a concentration of 40% proved to be the most effective as a pharmaceutical biotechnology product in inhibiting the growth of the four test bacteria.

Artificial Selection Program for the Improvement of Genetics in Bovine Animals

The present work focuses on the study of animal genetic improvement in bovines of the city of Huánuco with genetic algorithms which will help to improve in each new generation of bovine calves both the physical characteristics and adaptation to new environments, also in improving meat and milk.&#x0D; Evaluate productive records of animals with multiple crossings to determine differences at the productive level. The data that belong to bovines with multiple racial component belonging to the Huánuco farms dedicated to the production of meat and milk. The high dispersion of the offspring values and the high genetic correlation between the evaluated traits allowed the identification of animals with high genetic merit, meriting their potential use as parents of the next generation.&#x0D; All of this will serve as a reference for new care processes in raising and feeding bovines

Types of Tropical Legume Leaf Meal in Dietary Concentrate Increased the Production of Forage-finished Beef Bali Cattle

The objective of this experiment was to assess the production responses of forage-finished beef Bali cattle fed concentrated feed containing different types of leaf meal tropical legumes. Sixteen forage-finished male beef Bali cattle (Bos javanicus) with an average body weight of 175.20±27.85 kg and aged 1.5-2.5 years were raised for 54 days for data collection. A randomized completely block design was used, which consisted of four dietary treatments and four replicates. The dietary treatments, which were formulated to be isonitrogenous to provide 120 g/kg dry matter (DM) crude protein, included Cipelang grass (Pennisetum purpureum cv. Taiwan) as a basal diet (Con) or a control supplemented with a dietary concentrate containing either leaf meal of Gliricidia (Gliricidia sepium) 54.57% (Gliri), Leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala) 55.59% (Leu) or Moringa (Moringa oleifera) 40.85% (Mor). The feed intake, average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), digestibility and blood parameters were measured. The results showed that legume leaf meal supplementation significantly increased (P&lt;0.05) feed intake, ADG, digestibility, haemoglobin and total leucocytes, while FCR was not affected (P&gt;0.05). The highest ADG was recorded for Leu and Mor cattle, which was in line with the highest feed intake. In conclusion, forage-finished beef Bali cattle fed Cipelang grass as a basal diet grew faster when supplemented with dietary concentrate containing Moringa or Leucaena leaf meal.

Genetic Variation and Composition of Two Commercial Estonian Dairy Cattle Breeds Assessed by SNP Data.

The aims of this study were to assess the genomic relatedness of Estonian and selected European dairy cattle breeds and to examine the within-breed diversity of two Estonian dairy breeds using genome-wide SNP data. This study was based on a genotyped heifer population of the Estonian Red (ER) and Estonian Holstein (EH) breeds, including about 10% of all female cattle born in 2017-2020 (sample sizes n = 215 and n = 2265, respectively). The within-breed variation study focused on the level of inbreeding using the ROH-based inbreeding coefficient. The genomic relatedness analyses were carried out among two Estonian and nine European breeds from the WIDDE database. Admixture analysis revealed the heterogeneity of ER cattle with a mixed pattern showing several ancestral populations containing a relatively low proportion (1.5-37.0%) of each of the reference populations used. There was a higher FROH in EH (FROH = 0.115) than in ER (FROH = 0.044). Compared to ER, the long ROHs of EH indicated more closely related parents. The paternal origin of the genetic material used in breeding had a low effect on the inbreeding level. However, among EH, the highest genomic inbreeding was estimated in daughters of USA-born sires.

Acute death as a result of poisoning tropical (Bos taurus indicus) but not temperate (Bos taurus taurus) cattle after oral dosing with Lupinus leucophyllus (velvet lupine)

Due to climate change and increasing summer temperatures, tropical cattle may graze where temperate cattle have grazed, exposing tropical cattle to toxic plants they may be unfamiliar with. This work compared the toxicity of Lupinus leucophyllus (velvet lupine) in temperate and tropical cattle. Orally dosed velvet lupine in tropical cattle caused death. If producers opt to graze tropical cattle, additional care must be taken on rangelands where toxic lupines like velvet lupine grow.

Effects of dietary energy levels on microorganisms and short-chain fatty acids of rumen and tight junction proteins in Honghe Yellow cattle.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary energy levels on microorganisms and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) of rumen and the expression of tight junction proteins in Honghe Yellow cattle. A total of fifteen male Honghe Yellow cattle were randomly divided into three treatments (five replicates per treatment), consisting of formulated energy concentrations of 5.90 MJ/kg (high-energy diet, group H), 5.60 MJ/kg (medium-energy diet, group M) and 5.30 MJ/kg (low-energy diet, group L). The results showed that compared with group H, the expression of Claudin-1 in rumen epithelium of groups M and L was increased, but the expression of ZO-1 was decreased (p < 0.05). Moreover, compared with group H, group M down-regulated the expression of Occludin and Claudin-1 in the brain (p < 0.05). For rumen bacteria, the dominant phyla included Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes, the abundance of Actinobacteriota in groups M and L was significantly increased compared with group H (p < 0.05). At the genus level, the relative abundance of Corynebacterium, Eubacterium_nodatum_group and Neisseraceae in groups M and L was significantly decreased compared with group H (p < 0.05). For rumen fungi, the dominant phyla included Basidiomycota, Ascomycota and Neocariastigomycota, the relative abundance of Ascomycetes was significantly higher than that of groups M and L compared with group H (p < 0.05). At the genus level, the relative abundance of Neocelimastigaceae and Myceliophthora in groups M and L was significantly reduced compared with group H (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the expression of Claudin-1 in rumen epithelium was significantly positively correlated with Actinobacteriota, Corynebacterium and Neisseriaceae. The expression of ZO-1 in the spinal cord was significantly positively correlated with Myceliophthora. The expression of Occludin in brain was positively correlated with valerate content (p < 0.05). In summary, dietary energy levels affected the rumen microbiota of Honghe Yellow cattle. The expression of Claudin-1 in rumen epithelium and the total SCFAs concentration were increased with decreasing dietary energy levels, but the expression of Claudin-1 in brain and ZO-1 in the spinal cord were reduced with decreasing dietary energy levels. Meanwhile, the rumen microbiota and SCFAs were significantly correlated with the expression of TJP.

Understanding an ecological tug of war: Disentangling competition between native and domesticated ungulates

AbstractCompetition is a complex ecological process involving individual and community interactions at ecological and evolutionary time scales. Individuals within and between species can compete through two mechanisms: exploitative and interference competition. These mechanisms often co‐occur, making it difficult to develop a mechanistic understanding of competition. We used movement data from 19 GPS‐collared white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) associated with an experimental cattle (Bos taurus) stocking event to disentangle exploitative from interference competition between deer and cattle. We assumed any effect of exploitative competition on reduced forage availability for deer would not occur immediately, whereas interference competition would occur immediately after cattle stocking, and antagonistic interactions between deer and cattle would alter deer behavior and degrade habitat quality. We evaluated the effects of the experimental stocking event on deer for 30‐day intervals before and after the cattle stocking event as this period was assumed to be too short for cattle to reduce deer forage resources through exploitative competition. We assessed the effects of interference competition using the movement metrics of home range size, speed, and resource selection. We used home range size as a proxy for habitat quality, assuming cattle would degrade deer habitat through means other than loss of forage. We used speed and resource selection as indicators of deer behavior. We experimentally stocked cattle at densities ranging from 0 to 15.7 animal units/km2 to previously destocked pastures. Stocking densities did not influence home range sizes ( = 17.033, 85% CI: −189.471 to 235.322) of deer. However, as stocking density increased, deer decreased speed ( = −0.014, 85% CI: −0.020 to −0.008) and increased selection for woody cover ( = 0.047, 85% CI: 0.031 to 0.063) and sandier soils ( = 0.062, 85% CI: 0.033 to 0.090). Our results suggest cattle density altered deer behavior and their realized niche within our system. Our results demonstrated mechanisms by which competition with livestock could influence native wildlife populations, which can be used to inform management of multiuse working landscapes.

Phenotype Characteristics of Diiti Cattle in the Coastal Region of Tomini Bay-Gorontalo, Indonesia

This study aims to determine the qualitative and quantitative traits of Diiti cattle in the coastal area of Tomini Bay, Gorontalo, Indonesia. A total of 201 phenotypes (qualitative and quantitative) of Diiti cattle were collected, consisting of 138 females and 63 males aged 4-5 years. Qualitative observations were focused on body color, face shape, horn, and dewlap. Quantitative traits were focused on the eight traits that were influenced by genetic and environmental factors. The methods used were descriptive and chi-square analysis. IBM Statistics SPSS 22 was used to analyze the data obtained. Female Diiti cattle had nine body colors, while the males had seven body colors. Based on the front view, male and female Diiti cattle have hexagonal, triangular, and perpendicular facial shapes of 7.94%, 49.20%, 42.68% and 36.95%, 5.80%, 57.25%, respectively. The body sizes of male and female Diiti cattle were different. The body size p-values of male and female Diiti cattle ranged between 0.00-0.063. Diiti cattle have various body colors. Female cattle were reddish white, whitish red, and white, while male cattle were black, brown, and white. Female cattle do not have a hump, and generally have a hexagonal face shape, flat face line, body size, and weight almost the same as Bali cattle, but smaller than PO cattle. Further characterization of Diiti cattle was required as basic information of Diiti cattle as Gorontalo local cattle.

The effect of preanalytical phase on the stability of the osmotic fragility and morphological changes in erythrocytes in cattle (Bos taurus)

Hereditary spherocytosis in cattle is a disorder that results from a nonsense mutation in SLC4A1 gene that encodes band 3 membrane protein. This membranopathy leads to a production of spherically-shaped RBCs with reduced deformability and shorter lifespan in circulation. The laboratory diagnosis of hereditary spherocytosis commonly rely on erytrocyte osmotic fragility test (OFT), which is time and work consuming and can be influenced by the preanalytical factors. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of the preanalytical phase on the stability of the osmotic fragility and morphological changes of bovine erythrocytes. The blood was collected from the tail vein from Holstein-Friesian cows (n = 20) into tubes with EDTA or lithium heparin. The erythrocyte resistance to hemolysis was measured by osmotic fragility test immediately after blood collection and 24, 48 and 72 hours after storage at 4oC or room temperature. The thin blood smears were also prepared, stained and examined for cell morphology.The results showed that bovine erythrocyte osmotic fragility remains stable during 24 hours storage at 4oC regardless of the anticoagulant used. It suggests the possibility of performing OFT the day after blood collection when storing blood at 4oC. It was also found that bovine erythrocytes stored at room temperature have reduced osmotic resistance. However, heparin better preserves osmotic resistance of bovine erythrocytes at room temperature. Erythrocytes that are stored undergo changes during the storage period. The microscopic examination of cell morphology revealed the transformation of bovine discocytes into different stages of echinocytes, which rapidly occurs during the first three days of storage.