PUBLICACIONS CIENTÍFIQUES

Effect of straw bedding on cattle behaviour at rest stops during commercial long-distance transportation

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Effect of straw bedding on cattle behaviour at rest stops during commercial long-distance transportation Olivares Guzmán, P.; Pearl, D.L.; Schwartzkopf-Genswein, K.S.; Widowski, T.M.; Meléndez, D.M.; Marti, Sonia; Haley, D.B. Transport is a common and stressful practice for cattle, with longer trips potentially increasing negative effects. No studies have examined the impact of bedding on beef cattle behaviour at rest stations. This study aimed to (1) assess the effects of straw bedding, and (2) examine associations between load, trip, and animal-related characteristics with cattle behaviour at rest stations. Fourteen truckloads were split upon arrival; cattle were assigned to bedded (n = 452) or non-bedded (n = 470) pens. Numbers of animals lying, eating, and drinking were recorded every 10 min for 8 h. Two mixed logistic regression models (lying and eating) with random intercepts for load and truck compartment, and one ordinary logistic regression model (drinking), examined associations with bedding, load, trip, and rest station variables. Bedding affected lying and eating, but effects varied with motion duration and time in pen. Eating was influenced by space allowance, with different effects across categories. Weight influenced lying (p = 0.001) and eating (p < 0.001), independent of bedding. Drinking was associated with sex (p = 0.009), motion duration (varied effect by category), and time in pen (p < 0.001), but not bedding. Bedding increased the odds of lying sooner, and eating later, suggesting it may help reduce fatigue in cattle transported long distances.

Harnessing gastrointestinal microbial co-association networks to predict feed efficiency and methane emissions across beef and dairy cattle

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Harnessing gastrointestinal microbial co-association networks to predict feed efficiency and methane emissions across beef and dairy cattle Alexandre, Pamela A.; Ramayo-Caldas, Yuliaxis; Popova, Milka; Vourlaki, Ioanna-Theoni; Renand, Gilles; Vinet, Aurélie; Morgavi, Diego P.; Reverter, Antonio Enteric methane emissions from cattle pose a significant environmental concern and represent a substantial energy loss for the animal, necessitating the development of effective mitigation strategies. The gastrointestinal microbiota plays a crucial role in determining both feed efficiency and methane production. Still, the specific microbial signatures that predict these traits across different production systems remain poorly understood. This study aimed to identify common predictive microbial biomarkers for feed efficiency and methane emissions using co-association network analysis across contrasting cattle production systems. Rumen liquid and faecal microbiota from 55 Charolais heifers (beef) and 56 Holstein cows (dairy) were analysed using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Phenotypic data included feed efficiency, methane yield and acetate/propionate ratio. Co-association networks were constructed using Partial Correlation and Information Theory to identify amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) directly connected to phenotypes. Multiple regression analysis determined the minimal ASV sets required to achieve optimal predictive accuracy. Rumen microbiomes consistently showed superior predictive performance compared to faecal communities across all traits. Network-selected ASVs explained substantial phenotypic variance across traits and production systems (R²=0.45−0.84), consistently outperforming randomly selected ASVs by 0.13–0.44 R² units. The ACET:PROP ratio showed the highest predictive accuracy (R²=0.84 in Charolais rumen, 0.77 in Holstein rumen), while minimal ASV sets achieved 93–97% of the full model's performance using 33–65% fewer ASVs (6–17 ASVs). Bacteroidaceae was consistently enriched across phenotypes in rumen networks, regardless of production system. Contrary to expectations, most associations were production system-specific, with notable exceptions including negative correlations between the ACET:PROP ratio and Prevotella/Ruminococcus genera and negative associations with members of the Succinivibrionaceae family for methane-related traits. The anatomical site-specific and production system-specific nature of most associations underscores the importance of context-specific approaches.

Beyond nutrients: advancing nutritional Life Cycle Assessment towards food context and health effects

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Beyond nutrients: advancing nutritional Life Cycle Assessment towards food context and health effects Fresán, Ujué; Bianchi, Marta; Hallström, Elinor

Plasma Functional Proteins and Peptides: A Sustainable Nutritional Alternative to Support Piglet Performance and Health

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Plasma Functional Proteins and Peptides: A Sustainable Nutritional Alternative to Support Piglet Performance and Health Polo, Javier; Shen, Yanbin; Crenshaw, Joe; Tous, Núria; Torrallardona, David Weaning is a stressful time for piglets and often leads to reduced feed intake, slower growth, and digestive issues such as post-weaning diarrhea (PWD). Traditionally, high levels of zinc oxide have been used to control PWD, but due to regulatory restrictions, alternative strategies are needed. This study evaluated the use of two plasma-derived functional ingredients, spray-dried porcine plasma (SDP) included in feed, and enzymatically hydrolyzed plasma (EHP) administered through drinking water, during the nursery period. Our findings showed that piglets fed SDP in both phase 1 (0–14 days post-weaning) and phase 2 (14–28 days post-weaning) diets had better weight gain and feed efficiency compared to those fed a control diet based on soy protein concentrate. In addition, providing EHP through the water line helped improve piglet performance in the second phase, even after an initial drop in feed intake. Importantly, no signs of diarrhea were observed in any treatment group. These results suggest that SDP and EHP can be valuable nutritional tools to improve piglet growth and health after weaning, offering sustainable alternatives to help producers manage nursery pigs without relying on pharmaceutical zinc oxide.