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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search.filters.applied.f.department: search.filters.department.Animal & Range Sciences.Subject: search.filters.subject.beef cattle

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    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.
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    Influences of increasing levels of sulfate in drinking water on the intake and use of low-quality forages by beef cattle
    (American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists, 2023-02) Wyffels, Samuel A.; Van Emon, Megan L.; Nack, Makae F.; Manoukian, Marley K.; Carlisle, Tanner J.; Davis, Noah G.; Kluth, Janessa A.; DelCurto-Wyffels, Hannah M.; DelCurto, Timothy
    Objective. This study evaluated the effects of varying sulfate concentrations of water on forage and water intake, digestibility, digestive kinetics, and rumen fermentation characteristics of cattle consuming low-quality forages provided a protein supplement, with and without salt. Materials and Methods. Eight ruminally cannulated cows (2 yr of age) were used in 2 concurrent 4 × 4 Latin squares (4 cows per square) to test the effects of increasing water sulfate concentrations on forage and water intake, digestibility, digestive kinetics, and rumen fermentation characteristics of cattle consuming low-quality forages provided protein supplement with and without salt. Within each square, cows were randomly assigned to the following treatments: (1) control (<10 mg/L sulfate); (2) 473 mg/L; (3) 946 mg/L; and (4) 1,420 mg/L. All cattle were provided a crude protein supplement at 0.18% of BW daily (0800 h daily); however, protein supplement NaCl composition differed by square (no NaCl vs. addition of 25% NaCl). Each period consisted of a 14-d adaptation period, followed by a 7-d intake and digestion period with ruminal profiles conducted on d 22 and complete ruminal evacuations on d 23, 5 h after feeding. Results and Discussion. There were no observed effects of sulfate (SO4) levels on forage intake, water intake, ruminal DM and liquid fill, ruminal DM and NDF digestibility, ruminal liquid passage rate, ruminal liquid turnover, ruminal liquid flow rate, ruminal pH, ruminal ammonia, ruminal total VFA concentrations, ruminal individual VFA concentrations, or the ruminal acetate-to-propionate ratio (P ≥ 0.16). Furthermore, the addition of 25% salt to supplement had no effect on forage intake, ruminal DM and liquid fill, DM and NDF digestibility, liquid passage rate, liquid turnover, liquid flow rate, ruminal pH, or the acetate-to-propionate ratio (P ≥ 0.24). Conversely, water intake was greater for animals provided 25% salt in supplement compared with animals not provided salt (P = 0.05). Implications and Applications. Sulfate water concentrations as high as 1,420 mg/L had minimal effects on intake, digestibility, and rumen fermentation characteristics of cattle consuming low-quality forage-based diets when provided a protein supplement containing up to 25% salt.
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