College of Agriculture
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As the foundation of the land grant mission at Montana State University, the College of Agriculture and the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station provide instruction in traditional and innovative degree programs and conduct research on old and new challenges for Montana’s agricultural community. This integration creates opportunities for students and faculty to excel through hands-on learning, to serve through campus and community engagement, to explore unique solutions to distinct and interesting questions and to connect Montanans with the global community through research discoveries and outreach.
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Item Molecular Pathways for Muscle and Adipose Tissue Are Altered between Beef Steers Classed as Choice or Standard(MDPI AG, 2023-06) Haderlie, Sarah A.; Hieber, Jordan K.; Boles, Jane A.; Berardinelli, Berardinelli; Thomson, Jennifer M.Targets for finished livestock are often determined by expected fat, either subcutaneous or intramuscular. These targets are used frequently to improve eating quality. Lower intramuscular fat, lack of product uniformity, and insufficient tenderness can negatively impact beef acceptability. This study aimed to investigate the differences in gene expression that alter metabolism and intercellular signaling in the muscle and adipose tissue in beef carcasses at different fat endpoints. In this study, longissimus thoracis muscle samples and adipose tissue were collected at harvest, and RNA was extracted and then sequenced using RNAseq. Differential expression was determined using edgeR, and p-values were adjusted using the Benjamini–Hochberg method. A corrected p-value of 0.005 and log2 (fold change) of >1 were the threshold to identify differential expression. Comparison between intermuscular and subcutaneous fat showed no differences in the genes activated in the two adipose tissue depots, suggesting that subcutaneous fat was an adequate sample. Carcass data allowed the classification of carcasses by USDA quality grades (marbling targets). In comparing muscle from Standard and Choice carcasses, 15 genes were downregulated, and 20 were upregulated. There were 49 downregulated and 113 upregulated genes comparing adipose tissue from Standard and Choice carcasses. These genes are related to the metabolism of fat and energy. This indicates that muscle transcript expression varies less than adipose. In addition, subcutaneous fat can be used to evaluate transcript changes in fat. However, it is unclear whether these fat tissues can be used as surrogates for marbling.Item Identification of Genomic Regions for Carcass Quality Traits within the American Simmental Association Carcass Merit Program(MDPI, 2021-02) Hieber, Jordan K.; Endecott, Rachel L.; Boles, Jane A.; Thomson, Jennifer M.USDA quality and yield grade are primary driving forces for carcass value in the United States. Carcass improvements can be achieved by making selection decisions based on the results of genetic evaluations in the form of expected progeny differences (EPD), real-time ultrasound imaging, and physical evaluation of candidate breeding animals. In an effort to advance their ability to accurately predict the breeding value of potential sires for carcass traits, the American Simmental Association launched the Carcass Merit Program as a means to collect progeny sire group carcass information. All records were extracted from the American Simmental Association database. Progeny data were organized by sire family and progeny performance phenotypes were constructed. Sire genotypes were filtered, and a multi-locus mixed linear model was used to perform an association analysis on the genotype data, while correcting for cryptic relatedness and pedigree structure. Three chromosomes were found to have genome-wide significance and this conservative approach identified putative QTL in those regions. Three hundred ninety-three novel regions were identified across all traits, as well as 290 novel positional candidate genes. Correlations between carcass characteristics and maternal traits were less unfavorable than those previously reported.Item Differential haptoglobin responsiveness to a Mannheimia haemolytica challenge altered immunologic, physiologic, and behavior responses in beef steers(Oxford University Press, 2021-01) Wottlin, Lauren R.; Carstens, Gordon E.; Kayser, William C.; Pinchak, William E.; Thomson, Jennifer M.; Copie, Valerie; O'Shea-Stone, Galen P.Indicator traits associated with disease resiliency would be useful to improve the health and welfare of feedlot cattle. A post hoc analysis of data collected previously (Kayser et al., 2019a) was conducted to investigate differences in immunologic, physiologic, and behavioral responses of steers (N = 36, initial BW = 386 ± 24 kg) that had differential haptoglobin (HPT) responses to an experimentally induced challenge with Mannheimia haemolytica (MH). Rumen temperature, DMI, and feeding behavior data were collected continuously, and serial blood samples were collected following the MH challenge. Retrospectively, it was determined that 9 of the 18 MH-challenged steers mounted a minimal HPT response, despite having similar leukocyte and temperature responses to other MH-challenged steers with a greater HPT response. Our objective was to examine differences in behavioral and physiological responses between MH-challenged HPT responsive (RES; n = 9), MH-challenged HPT nonresponsive (NON; n = 9), and phosphate-buffered saline-inoculated controls (CON; n = 18). Additionally, 1H NMR analysis was conducted to determine whether the HPT-responsive phenotype affected serum metabolite profiles. The RES steers had lesser (P < 0.05) cortisol concentrations than NON and CON steers. The magnitude of the increases in neutrophil concentrations and rumen temperature, and the reduction in DMI following the MH challenge were greatest (P < 0.05) in RES steers. Univariate analysis of serum metabolites indicated differences between RES, NON, and CON steers following the MH challenge; however, multivariate analysis revealed no difference between HPT-responsive phenotypes. Prior to the MH challenge, RES steers had longer (P < 0.05) head down and bunk visit durations, slower eating rates (P < 0.01) and greater (P < 0.05) daily variances in bunk visit frequency and head down duration compared with NON steers, suggesting that feeding behavior patterns were associated with the HPT-responsive phenotype. During the 28-d postchallenge period, RES steers had decreased (P < 0.05) final BW, tended (P = 0.06) to have lesser DMI, and had greater (P < 0.05) daily variances in head down and bunk visit durations compared with NON steers, which may have been attributed to their greater acute-phase protein response to the MH challenge. These results indicate that the HPT-responsive phenotype affected feeding behavior patterns and may be associated with disease resiliency in beef cattle.Item Genetic Markers Are Associated with the Ruminal Microbiome and Metabolome in Grain and Sugar Challenged Dairy Heifers(2018-03) Golder, Helen M.; Thomson, Jennifer M.; Denman, Stuart E.; McSweeney, Chris S.; Lean, Ian J.Dairy heifers were subjected to a non-life-threatening challenge designed to induce ruminal acidosis by feeding grain and sugar. Large among animal variation in clinical signs of acidosis, rumen metabolite concentrations, and the rumen microbiome occurred. This exploratory study investigates sources of the variation by examining associations between the genome, metabolome, and microbiome, albeit with a limited population. The broader objective is to provide a rationale for a larger field study to identify markers for susceptibility to ruminal acidosis. Initially, heifers (n = 40) allocated to five feed additive groups were fed 20-days pre-challenge with a total mixed ration and additives. Fructose (0.1% of bodyweight/day) was added for the last 10 days pre-challenge. On day 21 heifers were challenged with 1.0% of bodyweight dry matter wheat + 0.2% of bodyweight fructose + additives. Rumen samples were collected via stomach tube weekly (day 0, 7, and 14) and at five times over 3.6 h after challenge and analyzed for pH and volatile fatty acid, ammonia, D-, and L-lactate concentrations. Relative abundance of bacteria and archaea were determined using Illumina MiSeq. Genotyping was undertaken using a 150K Illumina SNPchip. Genome-wide association was performed for metabolite and microbiome measures (n = 33). Few genome associations occurred with rumen pH, concentration of acetate, propionate, total volatile fatty acids, or ammonia, or the relative abundance of the Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Spirochaetes phyla. Metabolites and microbial phyla that had markers associated and quantitative trait loci (QTL) were: acetate to propionate ratio (A:P), D-, L-, and total lactate, butyrate, acidosis eigenvalue, Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi, Euryarchaeota, Fibrobacteres, Planctomycetes, Proteobacteria, and Tenericutes. A putative genomic region overlapped for Actinobacteria, Euryarchaeota, and Fibrobacteres and covered the region that codes for matrix extracellular phosphoglycoprotein (MEPE). Other overlapping regions were: (1) Chloroflexi, Tenericutes, and A:P, (2) L- and total lactate and Actinobacteria, and (3) Actinobacteria, Euryarchaeota, Fibrobacteres, and A:P. Genome-wide associations with the metabolome and microbiome occurred despite the small population, suggesting that markers for ruminal acidosis susceptibility exist. The findings may explain some of the variation in metabolomic and microbial data and provide a rationale for a larger study with a population that has variation in acidosis.Item Feed efficiency phenotypes in lambs involve changes in ruminal, colonic, and small-intestine-located microbiota(2017-06) Perea, K.; Perz, Katharine A.; Olivo, Sarah K.; Williams, Andrew F.; Lachman, Medora M.; Ishaq, Suzanne L.; Thomson, Jennifer M.; Yeoman, Carl J.Several studies have revealed differences in rumen-located microbes between greatly efficient and inefficient animals; however, how the microbiota vary in the hind gastrointestinal tract (GIT) has only been sparsely explored and how they vary in the small intestine remains to be determined. We therefore sampled the microbiota of the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, colon, and colorectally-obtained feces, in addition to the rumen of 12 lambs that, in a residual feed intake trial, were found to be at either extreme of feed efficiency phenotypes. The 16S rRNA gene (V3-V4 region) profiles of all samples were analyzed and revealed unique microbiota in all GIT locations except the jejunum and ileum (ANOSIM R > 0.2, P < 0.001). Measures of beta-diversity revealed greater dissimilarity between more anatomically distant GIT locations (e.g., Rumen-Duodenum, ANOSIM R = 0.365, P < 0.001; Rumen-Colon, ANOSIM R = 1, P < 0.001) with the nearest distal region typically more similar than the nearest proximal location. The relative abundances of 13 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) from the duodenum, jejunum, colon, and feces, as well as the rumen, differed between efficient and inefficient animals (Bonferroni corrected, P < 0.05), while another 2 OTUs trended toward significance. These OTUs were classified as taxa with known roles in fibrolysis (Fibrobacteres, Ruminococcaceae, and Saccharofermentans) and others that are commonly associated with health (Bifidobacteriaceae, and Christensenellaceae) and dysbiosis (Proteobacteria). Our findings show biospatial delineations of microbiota throughout the GIT and suggest that feed efficiency extends beyond the rumen, transcending these regions, and involves increases in both rumen-and colon-located fibrolytic taxa, increases in bifidobacterial species in the small intestine, and reductions in small intestine and distal GIT-located Proteobacteria.Item The use of blood lactate concentration as an indicator of temperament and its impact on growth rate and tenderness of steaks from Simmental-Angus steers(2015-05) Boles, Jane A.; Kohlbeck, Katelyn S.; Meyers, M. C.; Perz, Katharine A.; Davis, K. C.; Thomson, Jennifer M.Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of blood lactate concentration as an objective measure of beef cattle temperament and determine if the temperament of steers affected growth rate and tenderness of beef steaks. Angus × Simmental steers (n = 154) were evaluated for blood lactate (BL), exit velocity (EV) and chute score (CS), and humanely harvested. Carcass characteristics were assessed and loin samples were obtained for tenderness evaluation. All measures of the temperament were significantly correlated to each other (r = 0.14–0.47; P ≤ 0.04). Steaks from steers in the medium BL classification were significantly more tender than steaks from steers from the high BL classification. The steers with faster EV tended to result in steaks with higher shear force values (P = 0.07). The steers classified as fast growing resulted in steaks with lower shear force values (P = 0.02) compared to steaks from steers classified as slow growing. Results suggest that the temperament contributes to variations in growth rate, blood lactate, and tenderness.