EFFECTS OF BEEF SEMEN AND BEEF EMBRYO STRATEGIES ON PROFITABILITY: Economics of using beef semen and beef in vitro produced embryo transfer in Jersey herds.

Dairy herds have adopted sexed semen (SS) and beef semen (BS) to control heifer inventory and increase calf sales revenue. Beef in vitro-produced embryo transfer (beef IVP-ET) may be an alternative to increase calf sales revenue. Besides, raising those Jersey beef crossbred and/or pure beef animals in a dairy system may be a new source of revenue. We aimed to evaluate breed strategies combining dairy conventional semen (CS), SS, BS, and beef IVP-ET on herd dynamics and profitability by marketing those animals with one-day-old or raising them to 180 kg. A Markov chain model was developed to maximize the profitability of Jersey herds by changing the number of dairy heifers sold at birth and the culling rate of 3rd and greater parity cows. The model presents inputs on the reproductive and productive performance of heifers and cows over time. The last year's data (year 10 - steady state) was used to calculate accrual operational cost and revenue per cow per year. We varied the breeding strategy by breeding order and parities, the embryo transfer cost ($85 or $170), the pure beef calf market price ($200 or $300), and by marketing Jersey-beef and pure beef animals with one-day-old or raising them to 180 kg. A total of 8 scenarios + default scenario were simulated. Overall, the proportion of SS use was 47.3 ± 0.6%. For the scenarios replacing all CS breedings with BS breedings, the proportion of CS and BS used was 52.3 ± 0.6. When beef IVP-ET was used, the percentage of BS and beef IVP-ET used was 22.4 ± 0.1% and 31.0 ± 0.1%, respectively. We observed that when we compared SS:BS with the default scenario, the production of purebred Jersey male calves was reduced by 83.5%, and profit/cow per year was increased from $113.5 to $203.3 with SS:BS. When a beef IVP-ET of $85 per transfer was used (scenarios 2 and 3), profit/cow per year was $145.5 and $176.2 for a pure-beef calf price of $200 and $300, respectively. In scenario 4, with a beef IVP-ET cost of $170, the lowest profit ($52.9 per cow per year) was found when marketing one-day-old pure-beef calves at $200. The highest profit was achieved for scenario raising the Jersey-beef crossbred animals to 180 kg ($232.9, scenario 6), followed by scenario 7 ($222.9, SS:BS:IVP-ET) with an embryo transfer cost of $85. Under the current market conditions, combining SS and BS in the reproductive program was a feasible economic opportunity for Jersey herds, yielding the highest net return. The adoption of beef IVP-ET in a reproductive program can potentially increase profit/cow per year, but its profitability will depend on the beef IVP-ET pregnancy cost, the pure-beef market price, calf performance, and the herd reproductive performance. In conclusion, raising the Jersey-beef crossbred calves may be a profitable strategy, and dairy producers need to evaluate the best option to invest in since it will take an extra risk to produce high-quality animals to the market.

Enhancing Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus Surveillance in New Jersey: Optimized Collection of Culiseta melanura.

Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) causes the most clinically severe neuroinvasive arboviral disease in the United States. The virus is endemic in eastern and Gulf Coast states and the Great Lakes region, causing cases annually. To detect EEEV circulation in its enzootic cycle before the virus infects humans and other mammals, mosquito control agencies in New Jersey have conducted mosquito surveillance using a series of permanent wooden resting box sites since 1975. We conducted 2 field studies, 1 evaluating resting traps and 1 evaluating efficacy of CO2 lures, to optimize collection of Culiseta melanura, the primary enzootic vector of EEEV. Resulting mosquito samples were subjected to molecular analysis to determine EEEV infection rates. Corrugated plastic boxes trapped more bloodfed Cs. melanura than other resting trap types (resting boxes, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] resting traps, or fiber pots) and were similar to resting boxes in total number of female Cs. melanura caught. Further, non-baited CDC light traps were more successful in trapping host-seeking Cs. melanura than those baited with dry ice, a CO2 lure. The EEEV RNA was identified in Cs. melanura, Aedes vexans, Anopheles quadrimaculatus, and Uranotaenia sapphirina. Our findings indicate that corrugated plastic boxes and non-CO2 baited traps could improve detection of Cs. melanura. Mosquito control agencies are encouraged to periodically assess their surveillance strategy for EEEV.

Secondary Repair of Jersey Finger: A Novel Method of Tendon Length Estimation via Measurement of Adjacent Landmarks.

Jersey finger describes the rupture of the flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) tendon at its insertion into the distal phalanx. In the absence of an evidence-based approach to tensioning during secondary repair, we aimed to devise a novel method to determine the required tendon length pre/intraoperatively. We measured anatomical landmarks, associated with the FDP tendon, on dissected cadavers, to assess whether these can be used to estimate tendon segment lengths. Eight cadaveric hands were dissected. Three measurements from the distal lumbrical origin to (1) FDP insertion, (2) the distal end of A1 (Annular 1 pulley), and (3) the proximal end of A1 were recorded for digits II-V. Relative ratios for measurement 1 were consistent for all digits, compared to digit III. Linear regression analysis confirmed a strong correlation for measurement 1 between digit II (R2 =0.97) and digit IV(R2 =0.97) compared to digit III across all specimens. Digit III distal lumbrical origin to FDP insertion measurements could facilitate the estimation of the required graft length for digit II or IV during secondary repair. This is a level IV study, providing proof of concept for a novel method of tendon tensioning.

First record of Ixodes keiransi (Acari: Ixodidae) in New Jersey, USA.

The hard tick, Ixodes keiransi Beati, Nava, Venzal, & Guglielmone, formerly the North American lineage of Ixodes affinis Neumann, is expanding its range northward along the US East Coast. In July 2023, we collected I. keiransi adult female and nymph in a single sampling event, suggesting its range now includes southern New Jersey. In this area, I. keiransi is sympatric with northern populations of Ixodes scapularis Say (Acari: Ixodidae), the primary vector of Lyme disease. Given its status as an enzootic vector of spirochaetes in the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex, proper differentiation of these 2 species will be critical for accurate estimates of entomological risk. Targeted surveillance should be implemented to monitor further I. keiransi expansion and to elucidate the phenology and enzootic role of this and other understudied Ixodes spp. in the northeastern United States.

Proteomic Analysis Reveals the Effects of Different Dietary Protein Levels on Growth and Development of Jersey-Yak.

Jersey-yak is a hybrid offspring of Jersey cattle and yak (Bos grunniens). Changing the feeding system of Jersey-yak can significantly improve its growth performance. In this study, tandem mass tag (TMT) proteomics technology was used to determine the differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) of the longissimus lumborum (LL) muscle of Jersey-yak fed different protein levels of diet. The results showed that compared with the traditional grazing feeding, the growth performance of Jersey-yaks was significantly improved by crude protein supplementation after grazing. A total of 3368 proteins were detected in these muscle samples, of which 3365 were quantified. A total of 434 DEPs were identified. Through analyses, it was found that some pathways related to muscle growth and development were significantly enriched, such as Rap1 signaling pathway, mTOR signaling pathway, and TGF-beta signaling pathway. A number of DEPs enriched in these pathways are related to muscle cell development, differentiation, and muscle development, including integrin subunit alpha 7 (ITGA7), myosin heavy chain 8 (MYH8), and collagen type XII alpha 1 chain (COL12A1). In conclusion, the results of this study provide insights into the proteomics of different feeding patterns of Jersey-yak, providing a stronger basis for further understanding the biological mechanism of hybrid varieties.

Effect of glycolysis on water holding capacity during postmortem aging of Jersey cattle-yak meat.

BACKGROUND: Postmortem muscle moisture loss leads to a decrease in carcass weight and can adversely impact overall meat quality. Therefore, it is critical to investigate water holding capacity (WHC) to enhance meat quality. Current research has primarily focused on examining the correlation between signaling molecules and meat quality in relation to the glycolysis effect on muscle WHC. But there exists a significant knowledge gap regarding the mechanism of WHC in Jersey cattle-yak meat. RESULTS: Jersey cattle-yak meat pH decreased and then increased during postmortem aging. Lactate content, cooking loss, pressing loss, drip loss and centrifuging loss of Jersey cattle-yak meat increased and then decreased during postmortem aging. The glycogen content of Jersey cattle-yak meat was significantly higher than that of yak meat at 6-120 h, being 8.40% higher than that of yak meat at 120 h. The activity of key glycolytic enzymes hexokinase (HK), pyruvate kinase (PK), phosphofructokinase (PFK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in Jersey cattle-yak meat was lower than that in yak meat. Correlation analysis showed that Jersey cattle-yak meat WHC was positively correlated with the activity of HK, PK, PFK and LDH. CONCLUSIONS: The WHC of Jersey cattle-yak meat was higher than that of Gannan yak meat, and it was significantly positively correlated with the activity of key enzymes of the glycolytic signaling pathway. Therefore, the glycolysis rate can be reduced by inhibiting enzyme activity to improve Jersey cattle-yak meat WHC and meat quality. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Farm management and husbandry practices associated with spontaneous humeral fractures in New Zealand dairy heifers.

AIMS: To use a farm-based survey to identify characteristics of the New Zealand dairy system associated with the risk of spontaneous humeral fracture in dairy heifers. METHODS: A questionnaire was designed and made available in print and online to collect information from dairy farmers and/or veterinarians, across New Zealand, about the management and nutrition of cows from birth to first lactation. Data were collected from July 2019 to March 2020 from farms that either had recorded (case farms) or not recorded (control farms) cases of humeral fractures in dairy heifers. RESULTS: A total of 68 completed questionnaires were returned, with 35 responses from case farms and 33 responses from control farms. Twenty-six responses (38%) were from the South Island (13 case farms and 13 control farms) and 38 responses (56%) were from the North Island (20 case farms and 18 control farms). For four questionnaires (6%) farm location was not given. Adjusting for the effect of age when calves accessed pasture, case farms had increased odds of having Holstein-Friesian Jersey crossbreed cows as the predominant breed (OR = 9.7; 95% CI = 3.1-36.0; p < 0.001). Adjusting for the effect of breed, allowing calves access to pasture a week later decreased the odds of being a case farm (OR = 0.68; 95% CI = 0.47-0.90; p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Cows being Holstein-Friesian Jersey crossbreed was identified as a possible risk factor associated with spontaneous humeral fracture in dairy heifers in New Zealand. Given the small sample size, the likely multifactorial aetiology for humeral fractures, and the non-randomised survey, this risk factor, and the possible association between age at turn out and herd production with humeral fractures, all require further investigation.

Intramammary infections in lactating Jersey cows: Prevalence of microbial organisms and association with milk somatic cell count and persistence of infection.

There are limited data available regarding pathogens causing intramammary infections (IMI) in Jersey cows. The objectives of this study were to characterize the prevalence of IMI caused by different microorganisms in lactating Jersey cattle and evaluate the associations among microbes and somatic cell count (SCC) and persistence of IMI. This prospective, observational, longitudinal study included lactating Jersey cows (n = 753) from 4 farms within a 415 km radius of Columbia, Missouri. Quarter foremilk samples were aseptically collected monthly for 3 consecutive months. Microorganisms were identified using aerobic milk culture and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. A commercial laboratory measured SCC using flow cytometry. Milk culture results were used to classify single microorganism infections as persistent (same microorganism species identified at first sampling and one other sampling) or nonpersistent infection. Mixed models were built to evaluate the associations between IMI status and SCC natural logarithm (lnSCC), as well as persistence and lnSCC. Overall, staphylococci were the most commonly isolated microorganisms among the 7,370 quarter-level milk samples collected. Median prevalence (using all 3 samplings) of specific microbes varied among farms; however, Staphylococcus chromogenes was a common species found at all farms. The most common microbial species that persisted were Staph. chromogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus simulans, and Streptococcus uberis. Streptococcus dysgalactiae and Staph. aureus were the IMI associated with the most inflammation based on lnSCC. The small number of herds included in this study with the large variation in herd type limits the generalizability of the data. However, results of this study seem to be similar to those of previous studies in other breeds, suggesting management factors are more important than breed-specific differences when evaluating causes of IMI and associated subclinical mastitis.

The Most Reliable Remedy for Man or Beast Ever Before the Public!

A unique "miracle cure-all" developed for both Man or Beast that was available from the mid-1800s into the 20 century is highlighted with some interesting anecdotal perspectives.

An investigation of tendon strains in jersey finger injury load cases using a finite element neuromuscular human body model.

Introduction: A common hand injury in American football, rugby and basketball is the so-called jersey finger injury (JFI), in which an eccentric overextension of the distal interphalangeal joint leads to an avulsion of the connected musculus flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) tendon. In the field of automotive safety assessment, finite element (FE) neuromuscular human body models (NHBMs) have been validated and are employed to evaluate different injury types related to car crash scenarios. The goal of this study is to show, how such a model can be modified to assess JFIs by adapting the hand of an FE-NHBM for the computational analysis of tendon strains during a generalized JFI load case. Methods: A jersey finger injury criterion (JFIC) covering the injury mechanisms of tendon straining and avulsion was defined based on biomechanical experiments found in the literature. The hand of the Total Human Model for Safety (THUMS) version 3.0 was combined with the musculature of THUMS version 5.03 to create a model with appropriate finger mobility. Muscle routing paths of FDP and musculus flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) as well as tendon material parameters were optimized using literature data. A simplified JFI load case was simulated as the gripping of a cylindrical rod with finger flexor activation levels between 0% and 100%, which was then retracted with the velocity of a sprinting college football player to forcefully open the closed hand. Results: The optimization of the muscle routing node positions and tendon material parameters yielded good results with minimum normalized mean absolute error values of 0.79% and 7.16% respectively. Tendon avulsion injuries were detected in the middle and little finger for muscle activation levels of 80% and above, while no tendon or muscle strain injuries of any kind occurred. Discussion: The presented work outlines the steps necessary to adapt the hand model of a FE-NHBM for the assessment of JFIs using a newly defined injury criterion called the JFIC. The injury assessment results are in good agreement with documented JFI symptoms. At the same time, the need to rethink commonly asserted paradigms concerning the choice of muscle material parameters is highlighted.

Prediction of body condition in Jersey dairy cattle from 3D-images using machine learning techniques.

The body condition of dairy cows is a crucial health and welfare indicator that is widely acknowledged. Dairy herds with a well-management body condition tend to have more fertile and functional cows. Therefore, routine recording of high-quality body condition phenotypes is required. Automated prediction of body condition from 3D images can be a cost-effective approach to current manual recording by technicians. Using 3D-images, we aimed to build a reliable prediction model of body condition for Jersey cows. The dataset consisted of 808 individual Jersey cows with 2,253 phenotypes from three herds in Denmark. Body condition was scored on a 1 to 9 scale and transformed into a 1 to 5 scale with 0.5-unit differences. The cows' back images were recorded using a 3D camera (Microsoft Xbox One Kinect v2). We used contour and back height features from 3D-images as predictors, together with class predictors (evaluator, herd, evaluation round, parity, lactation week). The performance of machine learning algorithms was assessed using H2O AutoML algorithm (h2o.ai). Based on outputs from AutoML, DeepLearning (DL; multi-layer feedforward artificial neural network) and Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM) algorithms were implemented for classification and regression tasks and compared on prediction accuracy. In addition, we compared the Partial Least Square (PLS) method for regression. The training and validation data were divided either through a random 7:3 split for 10 replicates or by allocating two herds for training and one herd for validation. The accuracy of classification models showed the DL algorithm performed better than the GBM algorithm. The DL model achieved a mean accuracy of 48.1% on the exact phenotype and 93.5% accuracy with a 0.5-unit deviation. The performances of PLS and DL regression methods were comparable, with mean coefficient of determination of 0.67 and 0.66, respectively. When we used data from two herds for training and the third herd as validation, we observed a slightly decreased prediction accuracy compared to the 7:3 split of the dataset. The accuracies for DL and PLS in the herd validation scenario were > 38% on the exact phenotype and > 87% accuracy with 0.5-unit deviation. This study demonstrates the feasibility of a reliable body condition prediction model in Jersey cows using 3D-images. The approach developed can be used for reliable and frequent prediction of cows' body condition to improve dairy farm management and genetic evaluations.

The body condition of dairy cows is a crucial health and welfare indicator that is widely acknowledged in dairy cattle management. Routine recording of high-quality body condition phenotypes is required for adaptation in dairy herd management. The use of machine learning to predict the body condition of dairy cows from 3D images can offer a cost-effective approach to the current manual recording performed by technicians. We aimed to build a reliable prediction, based on data from 808 Jersey cows with 2,253 body condition phenotypes from three commercial herds in Denmark. We tested different machine-learning models. All models showed high prediction accuracy, and comparable levels with other published studies on Holstein cows. In a validation test across project herds, prediction accuracy ranged between 87% and 96%.

Evolutionary Insight into the Association between New Jersey Polyomavirus and Humans.

Advances in viral discovery techniques have led to the identification of numerous novel viruses in human samples. However, the low prevalence of certain viruses in humans raises doubts about their association with our species. To ascertain the authenticity of a virus as a genuine human-infecting agent, it can be useful to investigate the diversification of its lineage within hominines, the group encompassing humans and African great apes. Building upon this rationale, we examined the case of the New Jersey polyomavirus (NJPyV; Alphapolyomavirus terdecihominis), which has only been detected in a single patient thus far. In this study, we obtained and analyzed sequences from closely related viruses infecting all African great ape species. We show that NJPyV nests within the diversity of these viruses and that its lineage placement is compatible with an ancient origin in humans, despite its apparent rarity in human populations.

Analytical strategies based on untargeted and targeted metabolomics for the accurate authentication of organic milk from Jersey and Yak.

Organic milk has a high risk of food fraud as it can easily be adulterated with non-organic milk. This study aimed to identify metabolite markers for assessing the authenticity of organic milk from Jersey and Yak. In the untargeted strategy, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-Q Exactive HF-X mass spectrometer coupled with chemometrics analysis was used to screen and identify tentative markers of organic milk from Jersey and Yak. In the targeted strategy, a quick and easy method of ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was developed to quantify three markers. The peptide of Thr-Ala-Val and D-biotin were determined to be metabolite markers for distinguishing organic and non-organic Jersey milk, whereas trimethylamine N-oxide was determined to be a metabolite marker for distinguishing organic and non-organic Yak milk. These findings provide critical information to facilitate assessments of organic milk authenticity.

Breed differences in oral behaviors in feed-restricted dairy heifers.

Holsteins and Jerseys, the 2 most prominent dairy breeds in the United States, differ in many regards. They have not been evaluated for differences in oral behavior performance, despite anecdotal evidence that Jerseys perform more abnormal behaviors than Holsteins. As abnormal behaviors can indicate compromised welfare, we evaluated whether breed differences existed in year-old heifers. Because many oral behaviors could be expressed in abnormal ways, we also sought to describe performance of a wide range of behaviors and whether these varied among individuals. We studied 42 pair-housed heifers (33 Holstein, 9 Jersey) at 12.8 ± 1.1 mo of age (mean ± SD) that were restricted to 50% of their ad libitum total mixed ration (TMR) intake for 2 d as part of a short-term feed challenge. Using continuous video recording from 0800 to 2000 h on the second day of feed restriction, we scored time spent performing tongue rolling, tongue flicking, self-grooming, allogrooming, intersucking, drinking urine, drinking water, and nonnutritive oral manipulation (NNOM) of rice hull bedding, the feed bin, or other pen fixtures. Eating TMR was recorded at 5-min intervals. We found that Jerseys spent more time tongue rolling (3.3% vs. 0.2% proportion of 12-h observations) and performing all types of NNOM than Holsteins (feed bin: 3.8% vs. 2.4%; bedding: 7.7% vs. 5.4%; other: 7.5% vs. 4.2%; total: 19.0% vs. 12.0%), and tended to spend more time tongue flicking (1.4% vs. 1.1%). Jerseys spent less time allogrooming than Holsteins (1.3% vs. 3.4%). There was no evidence of an effect of breed on self-grooming (2.0%), water drinking (1.0%), eating TMR (16.0%), or intersucking (0.06%). Urine drinking was performed by 9 total heifers and was not compared between breeds. All behaviors were highly variable across individuals, particularly tongue rolling and intersucking. Allogrooming was more variable than self-grooming, and each subcategory of NNOM was more variable than total NNOM. Outliers, or extreme performance of oral behaviors relative to the rest of our population, were present in most behaviors. Heifers who were outliers in one behavior were not consistently outliers in all. Overall, there are breed differences in many oral behaviors in a feed-restricted environment. Despite no difference in proportion of time spent eating, Jerseys often performed higher levels of potentially abnormal behaviors than Holsteins, though both breeds performed many oral behaviors, sometimes at extreme levels, that may indicate a concern.

From the perspective of rumen microbiome and host metabolome, revealing the effects of feeding strategies on Jersey Cows on the Tibetan Plateau.

Background: Previous studies have discussed the effects of grazing and house feeding on yaks during the cold season when forage is in short supply, but there is limited information on the effects of these feeding strategies on Jersey cows introduced to the Tibetan Plateau. The objective of this study was to use genomics and metabolomics analyses to examine changes in rumen microbiology and organism metabolism of Jersey cows with different feeding strategies. Methods: We selected 12 Jersey cows with similar body conditions and kept them for 60 days under grazing (n = 6) and house-feeding (n = 6) conditions. At the end of the experiment, samples of rumen fluid and serum were collected from Jersey cows that had been fed using different feeding strategies. The samples were analyzed for rumen fermentation parameters, rumen bacterial communities, serum antioxidant and immunological indices, and serum metabolomics. The results of the study were examined to find appropriate feeding strategies for Jersey cows during the cold season on the Tibetan plateau. Results: The results of rumen fermentation parameters showed that concentrations of acetic acid, propionic acid, and ammonia nitrogen in the house-feeding group (Group B) were significantly higher than in the grazing group (Group G) (P < 0.05). In terms of the rumen bacterial community 16S rRNA gene, the Chao1 index was significantly higher in Group G than in Group B (P = 0.038), while observed species, Shannon and Simpson indices were not significantly different from the above-mentioned groups (P > 0.05). Beta diversity analysis revealed no significant differences in the composition of the rumen microbiota between the two groups. Analysis of serum antioxidant and immune indices showed no significant differences in total antioxidant capacity between Group G and Group B (P > 0.05), while IL-6, Ig-M , and TNF-α were significantly higher in Group G than in Group B (P < 0.05). LC-MS metabolomics analysis of serum showed that a total of 149 major serum differential metabolites were found in Group G and Group B. The differential metabolites were enriched in the metabolic pathways of biosynthesis of amino acids, protein digestion and absorption, ABC transporters, aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, mineral absorption, and biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids. These data suggest that the house-feeding strategy is more beneficial to improve the physiological state of Jersey cows on the Tibetan Plateau during the cold season when forages are in short supply.

Impact of yarn compositions, loop length, and float stitches on the mechanical behavior of knitted fabrics via full factorial design and RSM.

This article presents a study on the tensile properties of knitted fabrics commonly employed in polymeric matrix textile composites. The key mechanical parameters investigated include stress (Pa), strain, Young's modulus (Pa), and work of rupture (J). The knitted fabrics were developed using the Cixing Knitting System software and subsequently manufactured using a double jersey (electronic) flat knitting machine. The primary objective of this research was to explore the impact of various factors on the mechanical behavior of these knitted fabrics. The factors studied were wale and course directions, float stitch density, loop length (cm), and the type of synthetic knitting yarns used (100% polyester and 100% polyamide) along with different combinations of knitting yarns (100% cotton and 67% polyester/33% cotton hybrid). The adopted ASTM D 5034 standard, Response Surface Methodology (RSM), and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were employed to evaluate the mechanical performance of these fabric structures. The findings of the study revealed that the statistical adjustment of the data set for stress, strain, Young's modulus, and work of rupture in knitted fabric structures significantly reduced the standard deviations for mechanical responses. This information holds particular significance as it pertains to the frequent use of these knitted fabric structures as reinforcement in textile-reinforced composite materials. Overall, this study sheds light on the mechanical behavior in structures of knitted fabrics used in polymeric matrix composites, providing valuable insights for the design and optimization of advanced textile-based materials.

Association of time to metritis diagnosis with circulating concentration of metabolites, minerals, and haptoglobin in Jersey cows.

Our objective was to investigate the association of early metritis [EMET, diagnosed at <5 d in milk (DIM)] and late metritis (LMET, diagnosed at ≥5 DIM) with circulating concentrations of energy metabolites, minerals, and haptoglobin (Hp) throughout the first 14 d postpartum. A total of 379 purebred Jersey cows were enrolled in a prospective cohort study from a single herd in west Texas. Cows were examined for metritis using the Metricheck device (Simcro Ltd.) at 4, 7, and 10 DIM. Cows identified by farm employees as possible metritis cases were also evaluated for metritis. Blood samples were collected for analysis of concentrations of Ca, Mg, and glucose at DIM 1 through 5, 7, 10, and 14. Albumin, urea, fructosamine, free fatty acids (FFA), creatinine, and ß-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) were analyzed at DIM 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14, and Hp at DIM 1 through 5 and 7. Data were analyzed using the MIXED and PHREG procedures of SAS (SAS Institute Inc.). A series of mixed general linear models accounting for repeated measures were fitted to the data. The independent variables metritis [no metritis (NMET), EMET, and LMET], DIM of analyte assessment, and parity were forced in all models. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were built to assess the risk of pregnancy and culling within 150 DIM. The overall metritis incidence was 26.9% (EMET = 49; LMET = 53; NMET = 277). Average concentrations of glucose, Mg, and urea were not associated with metritis. The associations of Ca, creatinine, BHB, and fructosamine with metritis were dependent on the DIM of analyte assessment. Cows categorized as EMET and LMET had, on average, lower albumin and fructosamine compared with NMET cows. Both EMET and LMET cows had, on average, greater BHB than NMET cows. A greater FFA concentration was only observed in cows diagnosed with EMET compared with NMET cows (EMET = 0.58, LMET = 0.52, NMET = 0.48 mmol/L). Additionally, circulating Hp concentration was greater for LMET and EMET compared with NMET cows, and EMET cows had greater Hp compared with LMET cows (EMET = 1.15; LMET = 1.00; NMET = 0.84). In conclusion, several blood biomarkers were temporally associated with early versus late metritis diagnosis in postpartum Jersey cows. No meaningful differences were observed in production, reproduction, or culling between EMET and LMET cows. These results suggest that cows with EMET undergo a more severe degree of inflammation and negative energy balance compared with NMET cows.

Dietary supplementation with xylooligosaccharides and exogenous enzyme improves milk production, energy utilization efficiency and reduces enteric methane emissions of Jersey cows.

BACKGROUND: Sustainable strategies for enteric methane (CH4) mitigation of dairy cows have been extensively explored to improve production performance and alleviate environmental pressure. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary xylooligosaccharides (XOS) and exogenous enzyme (EXE) supplementation on milk production, nutrient digestibility, enteric CH4 emissions, energy utilization efficiency of lactating Jersey dairy cows. Forty-eight lactating cows were randomly assigned to one of 4 treatments: (1) control diet (CON), (2) CON with 25 g/d XOS (XOS), (3) CON with 15 g/d EXE (EXE), and (4) CON with 25 g/d XOS and 15 g/d EXE (XOS + EXE). The 60-d experimental period consisted of a 14-d adaptation period and a 46-d sampling period. The enteric CO2 and CH4 emissions and O2 consumption were measured using two GreenFeed units, which were further used to determine the energy utilization efficiency of cows. RESULTS: Compared with CON, cows fed XOS, EXE or XOS + EXE significantly (P < 0.05) increased milk yield, true protein and fat concentration, and energy-corrected milk yield (ECM)/DM intake, which could be reflected by the significant improvement (P < 0.05) of dietary NDF and ADF digestibility. The results showed that dietary supplementation of XOS, EXE or XOS + EXE significantly (P < 0.05) reduced CH4 emission, CH4/milk yield, and CH4/ECM. Furthermore, cows fed XOS demonstrated highest (P < 0.05) metabolizable energy intake, milk energy output but lowest (P < 0.05) of CH4 energy output and CH4 energy output as a proportion of gross energy intake compared with the remaining treatments. CONCLUSIONS: Dietary supplementary of XOS, EXE or combination of XOS and EXE contributed to the improvement of lactation performance, nutrient digestibility, and energy utilization efficiency, as well as reduction of enteric CH4 emissions of lactating Jersey cows. This promising mitigation method may need further research to validate its long-term effect and mode of action for dairy cows.

Jersey finger type IV: a case report.

Avulsion of the flexor digitorum profundus, usually known as jersey or rugby finger, is a rare condition that can only be treated surgically. It is mostly reported in sports injuries, in which the diagnosis is easily made. It is less frequent in household accidents, but should not be ignored because good results are time-dependent. Type IV jersey finger is the combination a fracture of the volar base of the distal phalanx and avulsion of the flexor digitorum profundus. This is a rare variety, and the surgical approach has not been discussed in detail. We introduce here a case report describing the clinical aspect, diagnostic approach, surgical technique and results at 6 months.

Effects of dietary crude protein levels in the concentrate supplement after grazing on rumen microbiota and metabolites by using metagenomics and metabolomics in Jersey-yak.

Introduction: The crude protein level in the diet will affect the fermentation parameters, microflora, and metabolites in the rumen of ruminants. It is of great significance to study the effect of crude protein levels in supplementary diet on microbial community and metabolites for improving animal growth performance. At present, the effects of crude protein level in supplementary diet on rumen fermentation parameters, microbial community, and metabolites of Jersey-Yak (JY) are still unclear. Methods: The purpose of this experiment was to study the appropriate crude protein level in the diet of JY. The rumen fermentation indexes (volatile fatty acids and pH) were determined by supplementary diets with crude protein levels of 15.16 and 17.90%, respectively, and the microbial community and metabolites of JYs were analyzed by non-target metabonomics and metagenome sequencing technology, and the changes of rumen fermentation parameters, microbial flora, and metabolites in the three groups and their interactions were studied. Results and Discussion: The crude protein level in the supplementary diet had significant effects on pH, valeric acid, and the ratio of acetic acid to propionic acid (p < 0.05). The protein level had no significant effect on the dominant microflora at the phylum level (p > 0.05), and all three groups were Bacteroides and Firmicutes. The results of metabolite analysis showed that the crude protein level of supplementary diet significantly affected the metabolic pathways such as Bile secretion and styrene degradation (p < 0.05), and there were different metabolites between the LP group and HP group, and these different metabolites were related to the dominant microbial to some extent. To sum up, in this experiment, the effects of crude protein level in supplementary diet on rumen microorganisms and metabolites of JY and their relationship were studied, which provided the theoretical basis for formulating a more scientific and reasonable supplementary diet in the future.