Using Science to Care for
Livestock
Consumers, producers, researchers and
veterinarians share the goal of providing the animals that supply our food with
the best environment possible. Notwithstanding the ethical reasons for
attaining such a goal, it makes good economic sense. To the extent that
well-being correlates with health, livestock producers benefit directly when
their animals thrive. The methods for meeting this goal are less clear.
One of the primary goals of the ARS national
program on Animal Well-Being and Stress Control Systems is to develop rational,
scientifically based, and integrated measures of animal well-being. However,
challenges lie in both collecting and interpreting data on stress responses in
animals.
Dr. John McGlone of Texas Tech University
described the problem well at last years national program workshop. He
described a study wherein outdoor-reared pigs showed a lower immune response
than indoor-reared pigs. McGlone wondered if the lower response indicated that
the pigs living outside were more stressed and thus had impaired immune
function, or if the animals indoors were exposed to more microorganisms that
stimulated their immune response.
ARS supports about a dozen researchers at
five laboratories investigating various aspects of animal stress and
well-being. The scientists bring wide-ranging, multidisciplinary expertise to
this new science of farm-animal welfare, including animal neuroscience,
behavior and immunology, biochemistry, biological systems engineering, and
reproductive physiology. In addition, each ARS laboratory collaborates
extensively with local universities and overseas research
institutions.
Current projects include work on:
- the impact of tail docking on dairy
cows
- the influence of genetic selection in
pigs for leanness on stress hormones
- the effect of lighting and air
circulation on poultrys feed and water intake
- stress responses in neonatal
pigs
- cattle mortality from dust pneumonia
- the effect of air temperature and heat
stress on livestock growth
- the impact of housing on swine brain
development.
Recent accomplishments include the discovery
that calves
castrated shortly after birth suffered less stress and recovered faster
than those castrated around weaning time. Other ARS researchers developed
instruments to
optimize
ventilation in poultry houses.
For more information, visit
the
website describing this national program.
Or contact any of the following:
John
Nienaber, Clay Center, NE Robert
Matteri, Columbia, MO Julie
Morrow-Tesch, Lubbock, TX James May,
Mississippi State, MS Susan
Eicher-Pruiett, West Lafayette, IN |
Research Briefs
A newly patented gene probe, based on a genetic
sequence discovered by ARS researchers,
detects the organism
that causes Johne's disease in blood, tissue and fecal samples.
Judith H. Stabel (515)
663-7304
Dairy cows and steers seem to
prefer tropical corn
over sorghum, according to ARS research. Though it is slightly less
digestible for steers, increased preference led to greater consumption, evening
out the difference. Milk production increased 10 to 20 percent over
sorghum. Joseph C.
Burns (919) 515-7599
Bromelain helps
keep the white cell
count down in cows milk, according to ARS research, and appears to
reduce inflammation in animals. Bromelain is a mix of enzymes extracted from
pineapple plants. Max J. Paape (301)
504-8302
So far, ARS researchers have studied 105 of the
more than 1,000 genetic markers for cattle that researchers have discovered. As
a result, individual
genes influencing important traits like mastitis resistance will be easier to
identify and use in breeding decisions.
Curtis P. Van Tassell (301)
504-9271
Healthy Animals
archive |