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Effects of Copper Feeding Strategy on Growth Performance of Nursery Pigs
No full textA total of 2,204 pigs (PIC 337 × 1050, initially 11.76 ± 0.19 lb) were used in a 38-d study to determine the effect of copper (Cu) feeding strategy on the growth performance of nursery pigs. Pigs were weaned at approximately 20 d of age and randomly allotted to pens with 29 pigs per pen. Pens of pigs were blocked by initial BW and allotted to one of four treatments in a randomized complete block design with 19 pens per treatment across two rooms. Treatment diets were formulated in three phases and fed based on feed budgets of 4 lb/pig and 12 lb/pig for phases 1 and 2, respectively, and phase 3 was fed for the remainder of the trial. Four Cu feeding strategies consisting of increased levels of Cu in the different nursery phases were evaluated. Feeding strategy 1 served as the control with no pharmacological levels of Cu, strategy 2 included pharmacological Cu levels in only phase 3, strategy 3 consisted of pharmacological Cu in phases 2 and 3, and strategy 4 included pharmacological Cu in all three phases. Within each experimental phase, there were two diets provided, either a base level of Cu (17 mg/kg) or pharmacological levels (167 mg/kg) of Cu. The base level of Cu was provided from CuSO in the vitamin/trace mineral premix. In diets that fed Cu above the base level, 150 mg/kg Cu from tribasic copper chloride (SAM Nutrition, Bloomington, MN) was added in addition to the base level. Diets followed common industry practice of Zn supplementation using ZnO in phases 1 and 2 to provide Zn inclusion above basal nutritional levels (approximately 3,000 mg/kg Zn in phase 1, approximately 2,000 mg/kg Zn in phase 2, and 110 mg/kg Zn in phase 3 for all treatments). Pigs were weighed and feed disappearance was measured to determine ADG, ADFI, and feed efficiency. From d 0 to 10 (phase 1), there was no evidence of difference (P \u3e 0.10) in performance between pigs fed the base level of Cu and pigs fed a diet containing 167 mg/kg added Cu. From d 10 to 24 (phase 2), pigs fed added Cu had a greater ADG (P = 0.012) and ADFI (P = 0.021) compared to pigs fed the base level of Cu, with no evidence of a difference for F/G. Pigs fed added Cu for phases 1 and 2 had a greater ADG than pigs fed the control with no pharmacological levels of Cu (P = 0.047), with pigs fed pharmacological Cu levels in only phase 3, and pigs fed pharmacological Cu in phases 2 and 3 being intermediate. From d 24 to 38 (phase 3), there were no differences in performance between pigs fed the base level Cu and those fed diets with added Cu. However, pigs fed pharmacological Cu in phases 2 and 3 had numerically greater ADG compared with the other feeding strategies. There were no differences between feeding strategies in overall growth performance (d 0 to 38) or removals and mortality. These data suggest that when pharmacological levels of Zn are used, nursery growth performance can be improved by the addition of pharmacological levels of Cu in the phase 2 diet; however, the improvement did not have an effect on the overall ADG, ADFI, feed efficiency, removals or mortality
Effects of Standardized Ileal Digestible Lysine:Crude Protein Ratio in Diets with or without Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles on Growth Performance of 25 to 45 lb Pigs
No full textA total of 5,059 pigs (PIC 800 × Camborough and DNA 600 × 241; initially 24.3 ± 1.99 lb) were used in an 18-d trial to evaluate SID Lys:CP ratios for 25 to 45 lb pigs in diets with and without DDGS, resulting in diets that contained high or low levels of SBM on growth performance. Pigs were weaned at approximately 21 d of age and housed in mixed-sex pens with approximately 35 pigs per pen. A pelleted early nursery diet was fed to all pigs from weaning until the beginning of the experiment. When pigs reached approximately 24 lb, pens were assigned to one of 12 treatments in a completely randomized design with pen serving as the experimental unit. A total of 143 pens were used, resulting in 11 or 12 replications per dietary treatment. Experimental treatments were arranged in a 2 × 6 factorial with main effects of DDGS (0 or 15%) and SID Lys:CP ratio (6.01, 6.22, 6.45, 6.70, 6.97, or 7.26). Pigs were weighed at the beginning and at the end of the study on d 18. Overall (d 0 to 18), a SID Lys:CP × DDGS interaction was observed (linear, P \u3c 0.001) for feed efficiency where increasing SID Lys:CP ratio in diets without DDGS improved (P \u3c 0.001) F/G quadratically, with the poorest F/G on the lowest and highest SID Lys:CP ratios; whereas in the diets with DDGS, F/G worsened (quadratic, P \u3c 0.002) as the SID Lys:CP ratio increased above 6.45. For the main effects, ADG increased quadratically (P = 0.021) as the SID Lys:CP ratio increased, with the greatest ADG with ratios of 6.45 to 6.97. Conversely, ADFI increased linearly (P = 0.018) as SID Lys:CP increased up to the highest level tested. A tendency was observed for pigs fed no DDGS resulting in increased (P = 0.071) ADG and improved (P = 0.010) F/G. In conclusion, formulating diets to the SID Lys:CP ratio of 6.70 without DDGS and 6.45 in diets with DDGS improves feed efficiency. Further increasing the ratio leads to a reduction in feed efficiency, possibly due to nitrogen becoming the limiting factor as crude protein is decreased. Additionally, feeding diets without DDGS can lead to an improvement in ADG and F/G
Farmworkers\u27 voices: what it means to work in a specialty coffee farm in Honduras and El Salvador
No full textMost coffee exports in Honduras and El Salvador now correspond to specialty coffees, suggesting that coffee producers have gained considerable experience producing specialty coffee, which positively impacts producers and the country’s economies. However, other economic and social challenges persist as coffee production involves not only coffee farmers but also workers. Moreover, coffee farmworkers outnumber producers, but their working and living conditions are not thoroughly comprehended. The purpose of this study was to examine specialty coffee workers\u27 perceptions of their labor on the farm in Honduras and El Salvador. Specific objectives were to 1) assess workers\u27 perceptions of production and labor activities in specialty coffee, and 2) describe perceived labor conditions on specialty coffee farms and compare them to working conditions on conventional farms. This study used qualitative methods. Using an instrumental, multi-site case study design, we employed focus groups for data collection. A thematic analysis was conducted to identify issues within and across cases to uncover the meaning of working on a specialty coffee farm. Six major themes emerged, ranging from the lack of understanding of specialty coffee production, the perception that wages are not higher in specialty coffee farms than in non-specialty coffee farms, and that working conditions are similar but provide more stability. This study offers a glimpse into the viewpoints of coffee farmworkers, focusing on their perceptions of their experiences and working environments within specialty coffee cultivation in Honduras and El Salvador. Thus, underscoring the need for comprehensive public and private initiatives dedicated to improving decent work conditions among coffee farmworkers aspects as are relevant to broader socioeconomic issue
A Conceptual Exploration of Critical Thinking Style and Learning Styles: Supporting Educational Needs in Nepal
Get PDFAgricultural education is crucial in nations such as Nepal where agriculture is the backbone of society. However, many Nepalese students face challenges due to a lack of access to a quality education, socio-economic disparities, and political instability. The diverse and evolving needs of its agricultural students need to be examined to ensure educational practices are responsive and inclusive. This study developed and tested a hypothesized integration of learning styles and critical thinking styles. A survey research design was employed, targeting agricultural education students in Nepal. The findings indicated male and female students exhibited different critical thinking styles, but their learning styles did not differ. Female students preferred seeking critical thinking styles, whereas males preferred engaging critical thinking styles; therefore, educational strategies should be tailored to encourage information seeking for female students and engagement for male students. Additionally, first-year students preferred Concrete Experience (CE) when learning, while fourth-year students preferred Abstract Experimentation (AE). Therefore, curricula should be designed to incorporate practical, real-world tasks for first-year students and more theoretical, application-based tasks for fourth-year students. The study also found significant relationships between engager critical thinking styles and AE and Reflective Observation (RO), and between seeker critical thinking styles and CE and AE. Unexpected inverse relationships were observed, indicating complex dynamics between these constructs and the need for additional exploration conceptually. The results underscore the importance of testing new conceptual models to develop structures for future study that will support the diverse and evolving needs of agricultural education students around the world
Sapere Aude – Dare to Be Wise: Michael E. Young
Get PDFSapere Aude – Dare to Be Wise is a unique editorial conversational interview-type feature. It is an attempt to deep dive into an Academy members’ background, formative experience, and education – specifically, to extract factors that contributed to their development and evolution as a professional, as well as their success as a prominent researcher in the health behavior arena. Every Academy member selected has a different story to tell and numerous models for success will emerge from this exploration of the membership
Evaluation of Calcidol (25(OH)D3) or Combination of Calcidol and Beta-Carotene on Feed Intake, Growth Performance, and Health in High-Risk, Newly Received Beef Heifers
Get PDFObjective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects on feed intake, growth performance, and health when calcidol [25(OH)D3] or a combination of calcidol and beta-carotene was supplemented in high-risk, newly received growing beef heifers.
Study Description: A total of 480 crossbred high-risk heifers (body weight (BW) = 500 ± 35 lb) were fed one of four dietary treatments for a 56-day receiving period. All cattle received a 60 net energy for gain diet limit-fed at 2.2% of BW (dry matter basis). Treatments included: 1) 3,000 IU/head/day added vitamin D3 (Control), 2) 0.5 mg/head/day calcidol; (HyD, DSM Nutritional Products, Plainsboro, NJ; HyD Low); 3) 1.0 mg/head/day calcidol (HyD High); and 4) 1.0 mg/head/day calcidol and 100 mg of beta-carotene (Victus Transition; DSM Nutritional Products, Plainsboro, NJ; HyD + BC).
Results: Final BW, average daily gain, gain:feed, and dry matter intake did not differ (P ≥ 0.36) among treatments. Heifers fed HyD High had greater (P \u3c 0.01) serum 25(OH)D3 concentrations than heifers fed HyD Low at days 14, 28, and 56. At days 14, 28, and 56, all heifers supplemented with HyD (HyD Low, HyD High, HyD + BC) had greater (P \u3c 0.01) serum 25(OH)D3 concentrations compared with heifers fed Control. The overall prevalence of respiratory morbidity and mortality was 54.6% and 1.45%, respectively. No treatment differences (P ≥ 0.16) were detected for first, second, or third respiratory morbidity or mortality. Overall, supplementation with calcidol or combination of calcidol and beta-carotene did not affect feed intake, growth performance, or health of high-risk, newly received heifers.
The Bottom Line: Calcidol supplementation is the most efficient way to elevate circulating serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D3. However, this study showed no significant differences between treatments in feed intake, growth performance, or health in high-risk, newly receiving beef cattle
The Varied Nature of the Dual Enrollment Student Experience
Get PDFDual enrollment—a program in which high school students take college classes, earning credit for both—is growing at a rapid pace across America’s high schools and community colleges. While dual enrollment can help students fulfill high school graduation requirements and simultaneously make progress toward a postsecondary degree, some student populations are more likely than others to participate. Further, not all students who participate in dual enrollment find long-term success at the postsecondary level. To ensure better access and produce better outcomes for all students, it is critical to understand students’ experiences. In doing so, educational leaders will be able to identify the supports that are needed to successfully assist these students—especially those from historically underserved populations—and help them persist with their postsecondary education endeavors after earning a diploma. This article explores the findings of the first pilot administration of the Dual Enrollment Survey of Student Engagement (DESSE) and highlights differences in the dual enrollment student experience based on student characteristics, location of courses, and instructor type
Streamlining Success: A Study of Best Pre- and Post-Matriculation Practices in Community Colleges
Get PDFThis study explored student success practices of select community colleges as implemented during students’ pre- and post-matriculation periods and whether those colleges have united them into a cohesive design. The pre- and post-matriculation timeframe has been identified as the most critical segment of the student’s academic career (Acevedo-Gil & Zerquera, 2016; McFadden, 2016). Qualitative data were gathered from key informants at a reputational sample of three community colleges.
The research indicated that successful pre- and post-matriculation processes shared several elements in common, including a culture that empowered its employees, a streamlined student experience built on data, and a president who fostered an environment of innovation. Because the pre- and post-matriculation experiences at these colleges are dependent on each other as parts of a single process with a shared goal, they may be considered a system, and their performance in these phases can and should be assessed as a combined entity. By focusing intentionally on streamlining operations, cross-training employees, and consolidating offices into a single space, these colleges built systems designed to dismantle traditional barriers and to guide students into the second semester
The Effects of Aging Time on the Eating Quality of Gluteus Medius Steaks
Get PDFObjective: The objective of this study was to determine the palatability characteristics and color traits of gluteus medius steaks aged 14, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56, 63, and 70 days.
Study Description: Beef top sirloin butt subprimals were assigned to one of eight aging periods. Once aged, the gluteus medius was fabricated into 1-in. steaks. Steaks were used for consumer panels, Warner-Bratzler Shear Force (WBSF), or raw/cooked color evaluation. Color data were collected on raw steaks. Steaks were cooked to 160°F and internal color data measured. Samples were cooled for 24 hours before WBSF determination. Steaks were cooked to 160°F for consumer ratings on overall juiciness, tenderness, and flavor liking.
Results: Consumers found no difference (P \u3e 0.05) among aging treatments for juiciness, tenderness, flavor, or overall liking. Although there were no differences (P \u3e 0.05) in the percentage of samples rated acceptable for juiciness, tenderness, flavor, or overall liking, all treatments had, at minimum, 83% of samples rated overall acceptable by the consumers. Additionally, there were no differences (P \u3e 0.05) in cooking loss, cooked L* (lightness), a* (redness), b* (yellowness), deoxymyoglobin (DMb), oxymyoglobin (OMb), metmyoglobin (MMb), chroma, or hue angle among all treatments. Steaks that were aged for 14 days had a higher (P \u3c 0.05) WBSF value than all other treatments. Steaks aged for 63 and 70 days were more tender (P \u3c 0.05) than samples aged for 42 days or less. Although there were differences found in raw color, there were few evident trends. Steaks that were aged for 14, 49, and 56 days were redder (P \u3c 0.05) than those aged for 63 and 70 days. Steaks aged for 14 days were darker (P \u3c 0.05) than steaks aged for 49 days or more. Although there were no differences (P \u3e 0.05) in raw calculated MMb, there were differences (P \u3c 0.05) in DMb, with values being higher in steaks aged 14, 35, 49, and 56 days than at 63 and 70 days. Furthermore, OMb was higher (P \u3c 0.05) at 63 days than at 14, 35, 42, and 56 days.
The Bottom Line: These results indicate that extending the aging time of gluteus medius steaks has limited impact on the palatability and color characteristics of the steaks
The Effects of Aging Time on the Eating Quality of Biceps Femoris Steaks
Get PDFObjective: This study evaluated the sensory, instrumental color, and tenderness characteristics of biceps femoris steaks aged from 14 to 70 days.
Study Description: Beef sirloin top butt sub-primal cuts (n = 80) were collected from a commercial processing facility and aged at 35.6°F and 39.2°F throughout the duration of their aging periods. After aging, the biceps femoris and gluteus medius muscles were separated, and 1-in thick steaks were fabricated, packaged, frozen at -4°F, and stored for subsequent analysis. The steaks underwent instrumental evaluations for raw and cooked color traits, tenderness, and consumer sensory preferences.
Results: There were no differences (P \u3e 0.05) in the percentage of samples rated acceptable for flavor, juiciness, tenderness, or overall. Moreover, there were no differences (P \u3e 0.05) in flavor, juiciness, tenderness, or overall liking among the different aging periods. Furthermore, no differences (P \u3e 0.05) were observed in the percentage of cook loss, Warner Bratzler Shear Force, or cooked color readings among aging treatments. However, raw steaks aged 14 and 28 days had higher (P \u3c 0.05) a* (redness) and b* (yellowness) values than steaks aged 42, 49, or 70 days.
The Bottom Line: Despite minor differences in raw color, the aging period had minimal impact on overall eating quality, indicating that within the studied range, the aging process has only a minimal effect on the quality traits of biceps femoris steaks