Animal Production Systems

A high priority among cattle producers is to ensure that livestock are comfortable; however, a cow’s inability to shed at the proper time may impact production performance. MAFES researcher, Dr. Trent Smith, recently discovered that cows that shed earlier in the season wean heavier calves. Read More

The black soldier fly, which turns agricultural waste into viable protein that can be used in feed for livestock such as chickens, may help fight food insecurity. John Schneider, Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and professor of entomology in the Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology, is evaluating how to integrate the insect into food production systems. According to Schneider, studies indicate that the insect is a high quality food source with no side effects. He hopes the research will help close the ecological loop, providing an efficient way to reduce agricultural waste and produce livestock feed. Read More

Pork, the most consumed meat in the world, is one of the most economical sources of animal protein for human consumption. Dr. Shengfa Liao, assistant professor in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, grew up in a remote village in China when and where pork was a rare treat. As an Experiment Station researcher, he focuses on finding ways to enhance pork production by increasing feed efficiency for producers and improving animal welfare at the same time. Read More

McDonald's, Wendy's, and Walmart are just a few of the hundreds of corporations who have vowed to switch to cage-free eggs in the not-so-distant future. Because of the growing consumer demand, approximately 70 percent of the nation’s 320 million birds need to be cage-free by 2026. To help with this major industry shift from conventional-caged to cage-free environments, MAFES scientists hope to automate egg collection for those producers looking to make the change. Dr. Yang Zhao, assistant professor in Agricultural and Biological Engineering and MAFES scientist, is leading a team of scientists to automate egg collection in the cage-free production system to help resolve the increased labor need in egg production. "We are building a robotic car to gather eggs from the floor of the cage-free chicken house and to also train chickens not to lay eggs on the poultry floor," Zhao said. Alongside this project, there is a study which evaluates the robot performance regarding floor egg reduction in early-peak laying stage, which is a critical period for training good laying habits. A component of the study is to determine if the autonomous car will stress the chickens. Dr. Wei Zhai, assistant professor in poultry science, will measure stressors in a sample of the study hens. The overarching goal is to help those egg producers who transit to cage-free production systems. Read more

The personality of livestock may seem secondary to productiveness, but research shows that the two may be connected. Cow temperament is correlated with how much money the cow brings in and how frequently it gets sick. Poor-tempered cattle are also known to produce less marbling and tougher beef. In an on-going study at the Brown Loam Research Station, researchers have studied the link between a cow’s temperament and performance. Dr. Rhonda Vann, research professor in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences and the Experiment Station, pioneered work on this front. Read More

As environmental factors threaten the population size of blue crabs, their tendency to hide for the annual molting process becomes an increasingly frustrating hurdle for Mississippi fishermen hoping to sell the soft-shelled delicacy. MAFES researchers and economists at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory have been developing a method of raising blue crabs inland in hopes of helping Mississippi's economy remain profitable from the challenging soft-shell crab market. Read more

Increased ethanol production also means increased stocks of the by-product distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), as well as increased interest in finding uses for the nutrient-rich grains. A MAFES study evaluated second-cycle Bovans White laying hens that were fed varying amounts of DDGS. Researchers looked at layer performance, egg characteristics and consumer acceptability. Results showed that DDGS could comprise up to one-third of a commercial layer diet without any significant detrimental effects on the production or egg characteristics of second-cycle hens. A similar study measured breast and thigh meat quality in broilers fed DDGS-supplemented diets. Overall, the diets yielded high-quality breast meat, and thigh meat quality was similar among diets containing up to 12 percent DDGS.

730 million broilers were raised on Mississippi farms in 2015. MAFES researchers hope to discover more efficient, cost-effective ways to deliver feed to so many birds. That’s why Dr. Kelley Wamsley, MAFES researcher and assistant professor in the Department of Poultry Science, is studying how feed mill mechanics affect feed quality. Former MSU graduate student Ben Sellers conducted much of the research and Chris McDaniel, professor in the Department of Poultry Science, assisted on the projects. Read More

Dr. Kelley Wamsley, associate professor in the Department of Poultry Science and MAFES scientist; Courtney Ennis, Wamsley’s doctoral student; and Dr. Curran Gehring, a nutritionist with Tucker Milling LLC, collaborated on studying ways to improve the nutritional performance of commercial poultry feed. Starting in 2019, the team investigated phytase enzymes, one of the most common exogenous enzymes used in commercial poultry feed. Collaborating with phytase companies, the team wanted to discover where different enzymes could work in combination and in other parts of the GI tract to capture as much phosphorus as possible. Birds do not digest all the nutrition they take in, which is why enzymes are added to the feed to increase digestibility to make more nutrients available. The team found a gap in the field’s knowledge, which is the combined use of varying phytase enzymes. In two different experiments, they found that a diet in low calcium and available phosphorus with a high level of a single phytase resulted in improved broiler performance and nutrient digestibility. The team uncovered the need to further research on how the ratios of calcium and available phosphorus in feed can impact the efficacy of phytases. Wamsley plans to take these studies further and look at other enzymes to determine whether there is a synergistic effect on the nutrients in poultry feed. This study was funded by the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, the Harold E. Ford Foundation, and an endowing foundation gift from Peco Foods. Read more.

Kentucky 31, a popular forage, is chosen for its drought tolerance and adaptability across climates; however, it has an unwanted host, an endophyte or fungus that lives inside the plant. This endophyte causes problems in beef cattle due to toxic chemicals found in the seed. The toxicity can restrict the cow's flow of blood to extremities, causing gangrene to occur in the foot and/or tail during the winter. During the summer, constricted blood flow to the surface of the animal interferes with its ability to regulate temperature, causing heat stress. "Our hypothesis was that if the animal is stressed from consuming endophyte-infected tall fescue, then the meat quality is going to be lower and the shelf life will be shorter," said Dr. Thu Dinh, assistant professor in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences and MAFES scientist. After testing the hypothesis, they found very little difference in the control group and the treatment group on lean color attributes and total bacterial count. Steaks from the treated steers did have a greater amount of oxymyoglobin, the compound that gives beef its bright red color. This indicates the muscle in endophyte-infected animals may have developed a protective mechanism against the toxicity. Read more

Poultry scientist Kelley Wamsley studies the nutritional content and manufacturing processes of poultry pellet feed. Since feed and feed manufacture represent about 60–70 percent of the total cost of raising a chicken, one small change could affect cost and performance. Wamsley’s research indicates that high-quality pellets are worth the price, especially for Mississippi poultry integrators who grow heavy broilers. These birds require a longer grow-out period, thus consume more feed. Research showed that poor-quality pellets result in poor performance. Pellet quality can deteriorate during transportation and as feed is distributed through grow-out houses, causing nutrients in the feed to segregate. High-quality pellets are more likely to stay intact and deliver a nutritionally complete diet. Wamsley also studies how alternative feed ingredients affect pellet manufacture and bird performance. As costs increase for corn, soybean meal, and other feed ingredients, there is a great need for high-quality, less-expensive alternative ingredients. Read More

Dr. Leyla Rios, assistant extension and research professor in the Department of Animal Dairy Sciences and MAFES scientist and Lindsey Dearborn, master’s student in the Department of Animal Dairy Sciences, are investigating parasite loads across five goat and five sheep flocks in Mississippi to evaluate indicators of parasitism. Starting in Fall 2021, the researchers aimed to help farmers identify better ways to sustainably manage parasite control while avoiding the increase of parasite resistance. Continuing into Spring 2022, scientists hope to provide quantifiable data that lets them know which indicators correlate best with actual parasitic loads, so they know which animals need to be treated. This research is funded by the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. Read more

Dr. Garrett Street, associate professor in the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture and co-director of the Quantitative Ecology and Spatial Technologies Laboratory, Dr. Joby Czarnecki, an associate research professor in the MSU Geosystems Research Institute and MAFES scientist, and scientists in MAFES and the MSU Forest and Wildlife Research Center have collaborated to focus on using UAVs and accelerometers to better understand forages. The researchers aim to learn how forage quality and availability influence the long-term body quality and behavior of grazing animals, such as cattle, while remaining cost-effective. The team developed mathematical models that allow researchers to think about cattle behavior and movements affecting calorie intake and expenditure. Since 2019, they have been able to create models predicting forage characteristics like total fiber, crude protein, and nitrogen, and they produced maps giving fine-scale and accurate information about different aspects of forage quality that affect grazing systems. Researchers aim to have these models be universally applicable. By using drones and boots-on-the-ground methods of analyzing a landscape, the researchers can bridge the gap of information that would otherwise occur if using only one method. The products produced from this research will allow cattle producers to know how much forage is available in a pasture as well as the nutritional quality of that forage, decreasing the likelihood of overgrazing. This research was funded by the USDA, the AFRI Foundational and Applied Science Program, and MAFES. Read more.

Chicken embryos are made up of water, protein, and fat. To get the energy they need to hatch, embryos must convert that protein and fat into carbohydrates. To help hatchlings retain protein and fat for growth, poultry scientist Wei Zhai is developing a procedure for injecting eggs with carbohydrates before they hatch. Zhai uses a commercial multi-egg injector to deliver uniform amounts of carbohydrates into each egg. Mississippi State is the only academic institution in North America to own this machine, which was donated by the pharmaceutical company Intelliject. Research indicates that injecting carbohydrates into eggs leads to good hatching and provides an early boost in body weight. MAFES scientists are now working to determine the most efficient amount of carbohydrates to inject into eggs. Other studies focus on whether injecting vitamins into eggs will help bone growth in chickens. Another benefit of injecting nutrients and vaccinations into eggs is that it alleviates bird stress by reducing the amount of handling they face after hatching. Read More

Two MAFES scientists, Dr. Caleb Lemley and Dr. Derris Devost-Burnett, are leading a team of researchers who are using biophotonics to study how maternal nutrient restriction affects calves. Lemley, an animal and dairy science assistant professor, focuses on the mother while Burnett focuses on the calves. The researchers evaluated the placentas, fetuses, and offspring of Angus and Brahman heifers sired by a Hereford bull. The team evaluated the placenta because it connects the mother to the fetus, studying how blood flow, in particular, can impact how nutrients the mother intakes reach the fetus. They sought to learn how maternal nutrient restriction affected the placenta's development. Lemley said understanding alterations of placental development during pregnancy will help producers to maximize fetal development in-utero, possibly decreasing the instances of calf morbidity and mortality. Burnett said, "While Lemley focuses on the maternal environment itself, I evaluate how that environment affects the growth of muscle and fat in the offspring." Thus far, the researchers have observed birth weight reduction and the development of less muscle fibers in offspring that were nutrient-restricted in-utero. Burnett said, "We hope research like this allows us to provide producers with data-based information that helps move the industry forward." Read more

As consumer interests for forage-finished beef increases in the U.S., Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station scientists, Wes Schilling and Byron Williams, are studying different forages and the effects on beef quality and taste. Scientists conducted one study in the Experiment Station’s Prairie Research Unit, examining the quality of beef foraged on native grasses and bermudagrass. In a separate study, scientists compared grain-finished and forage-finished cattle. In both studies, researchers found that native warm-season grasses are acceptable forage for beef cattle during the stocker phase, producing a lean, high protein product with positive consumer acceptability. Read More

Melatonin is a hormone our body naturally produces. Melatonin as a supplement is considered an antioxidant. While many people may take melatonin for a good night’s rest, researchers in the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station are evaluating how melatonin supplements might help pregnant Holstein heifers give birth to healthier calves. Dr. Caleb Lemley, assistant professor in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, along with two graduate and two undergraduate researchers, studied how melatonin supplementation affected blood flow between dam and calf during gestation. Read More

Exotic insect species enter the United States through multiple routes, such as on wood shipping pallets, plant materials, and imported fruits and vegetables. The U.S. government sets trade restrictions to help prevent the introduction of nonnative pests, and its inspectors work at all borders to search for and confiscate materials carrying these insects. Some hidden pests do make it past inspection and move into U.S. crops. Once established, these pests can damage crops and native plant species, ultimately causing severe economic damage. Quick identification of invasive species is crucial to stopping their spread. The Mississippi Entomological Museum was recently designated as the Eastern Region Identification Center for the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

Fertility is the most essential factor controlling animal reproduction. Obtaining viable offspring depends on the ability of quality sperm and egg to generate a developmentally competent embryo. MAFES scientists identified biomolecular markers and mechanisms for determining the quality of sperm, eggs and embryos. Research results provided scientists with the molecular markers to predict semen and embryo quality.

Infections are the leading cause of abortion, stillbirth and preterm delivery in mares. MAFES scientists have developed a new approach to understanding the infection process in pregnant mares by using biophotonic imaging and modified bacteria with luminescent characteristics. In other words, the technique allows researchers to capture real-time pictures of glowing bacteria as they spread through a mare’s body. The method allows scientists to track pathogens in a minimally invasive procedure.

Technocatch, a poultry processing research company, recently teamed with processing company OK Foods and MAFES to develop an alternative to electric stunning and gas systems for processing chickens for consumption.

The new method, called LAPS (low-atmospheric pressure system), uses a vacuum system to reduce oxygen levels in a machine that can house up to 60 broilers per chamber. LAPS eventually renders the birds unconscious and then — borrowing a term coined by the USDA — "irreversibly stunned."

Initial testing for LAPS began in the Mississippi State poultry laboratory. LAPS received the American Humane Association (AHA) seal of approval, and the USDA officially stated it has "no objections to the system or its protocol." LAPS provides a humane method of processing poultry compared with the current methods employed.

Animal scientist Jamie Larson, who specializes in cattle reproductive physiology, works with beef and dairy cattle to make artificial insemination more effective. Larson is experimenting with hormone treatments to determine if cows’ estrous cycles can be more closely synchronized, allowing them to be bred at about the same time. Cattle production would be more efficient if calves are about the same age and size. Scientists perform repetitive ultrasound at the Beef Unit to determine the effectiveness of their hormone protocol. Larson also works with fellow reproductive physiologist Caleb Lemley at the Bearden Dairy Research Center, monitoring cows to determine whether conditions in early gestation affect the health and future performance of calves. Researchers monitor cows 90 days before they give birth and follow the calves throughout their lives. Their goal is to identify ways to improve conditions in the womb to ultimately enhance calf health.

Drs. Erdogan Memili, professor, and Thu Dinh, associate professor, both in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences and MAFES scientists, along with their team of students and researchers, aimed to improve predictions and knowledge around bull fertility. Historically, predicting fertility in bulls is unreliable and tedious, yet it is a considerable influence in the agricultural industry and in the world of reproductive technology, including human applications. Using a biomarker associated with bull fertility, Protamine 1 (PRM1), the team was able to evaluate semen quality and predict bull fertility. The team added Halmox and Toluidine blue staining methods and found that sperm from high fertility bulls had consistently greater levels of PRM1. This result provides a sperm that is stronger and can result in a more successful insemination process. Now, the team has expanded the research to identify additional sperm fertility biomarkers using transcriptomics, metabolomics, and lipidomics. The goal with these added biomarkers is to identify as many markers as possible that indicate fertility and economically valuable traits. This research is funded by the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Read more

MAFES researchers are investigating ways to improve the nutrition and growth of the state’s most profitable bird. One of the current projects is helping determine ways to increase the hatchability and health of broilers. Injecting eggs, also known as in ovo injection, is used to vaccinate poultry for diseases, but MSU researchers are finding a new way to use the procedure.

Chicken embryos are made up of water, protein and fat. To get the energy they need to hatch, they have to convert that protein and fat into carbohydrates. So that the hatchlings can reserve their fat and protein for needed growth, scientists are injecting eggs with carbohydrates before they hatch.

Thus far, the research indicates that in ovo injection of carbohydrates can provide benefits to commercially grown poultry with an earlier increase in body weight and good hatching. Scientists are also experimenting with injection of vitamil supplements. Read More

As a molecular biologist, Dr. Florencia Meyer, a scientist in the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, hopes to unlock molecular secrets about the microbes that contribute to the cause of bovine respiratory disease. Bovine respiratory disease, or BRD, costs the cattle industry an estimated one billion dollars annually. The disease is usually caused by a combination of factors including stress, a viral infection, and bacteria present in the animal. Vaccines are used to prevent the disease and treatment options include antibiotics and stress management. Despite these options, however, BRD remains the number one health problem for the cattle industry, causing widespread illness, death, and production losses. While Meyer is currently studying three microbes at once, two of her recent publications centered on foundational research she has conducted on BoHV-1 alone. Most recently, the team ascribed a potential new gene for BoHV-1. "The project's findings will provide valuable information for the development of novel vaccine or pharmaceutical formulations that can help reduce the incidence of BRD and promote animal health, thus helping to ensure the safety and sustainability of the U.S. beef industry," she said. While the search for more answers continues, Meyer's research seeks to help establish better understanding of the multiple factors that affect this disease. Read more

Poultry was a $3.2 billion dollar business in Mississippi in 2015. MAFES scientists conduct research that drives that industry forward. One such researcher is Dr. David Peebles. He's a MAFES scientist and professor in the Department of Poultry Science in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. He's called Mississippi State home for 28 years. Much of his research has been applied directly to the poultry industry while all of his students gain employment in their field of study. MAFES Discovers sat down with Peebles to discuss how his research role helps inform the poultry industry and discover how his academic appointment helps grow the poultry leaders of tomorrow. Read More

Ground corn flour, soybean meal and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) — a by-product from ethanol production — comprise more than 70 percent of swine and poultry diets. While these ingredients are important for livestock nutrition, they are high in fiber, which is not easily digested by swine and poultry. Feed producers needed a system to remove the fiber while maintaining vital nutrients. MAFES scientists developed a process called "Elusieve" that uses a combination of sieving and air classification to separate fiber from feeds. This technique sifts particles into four sizes and then blows them with air to remove fiber. They found that fiber separation increases starch content of ground corn flour by 3 percent and increases protein contents of DDGS and soybean meal. Read More

Dr. Brett Rushing, associate extension and research professor in plant and social sciences and Dr. Josh Maples, assistant professor and extension economist in agricultural economics, researched if combining cover crops with grazing cattle could improve both the grazing animals’ weight and the producer’s bottom line. Starting with this two-year study, the team established row crops and cover crops that encompassed a variety of species suitable for grazing that led to increased livestock weight gain. Using a no-till management approach and starting with oats, crimson clover, and radish as cover crop treatments, the researchers managed these cover crops along with the livestock that would eventually graze the crops. The team assessed three treatments to compare a tilled crop with grazed and non-grazed crops. Results showed that grazed crops were more successful with an increase in organic matter, and they found that some single species crops were more beneficial and successful than diverse mixes. The team is starting a new research project that will focus on cereal rye as the cover crop treatment along with evaluating soil benefits through a biological lens. This research is funded by Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station’s Special Research Initiative. Read more.

There has been little research to measure the heat conditions in horse trailers during transport. MAFES scientists recently measured several temperature variables in a fully enclosed four-horse, ant-load trailer with and without animals. Scientists found that trailer temperatures during transport exceeded those recommended for animal housing, although the thermal environment was affected by vehicle speed, vent configuration and presence of animals. They found that temperature increased significantly in transport during relatively mild weather, which indicates that horses could suffer from heat stress during warmer weather. These results show the importance of closely monitoring heat conditions in trailers used to transport horses.

Dr. Pratima Adhikari, assistant professor in the Department of Poultry Science and MAFES scientist, and Ishab Poudel, current doctoral student in the Department of Poultry Science, along with other MAFES researchers conducted a two-year study that analyzed the impact that red- and blue- LED light environments had on chickens during developmental stages of growth. The scientists assessed how both blue- and red-LED lights affected bird behavior and stress response. They found that a blue-LED light environment was beneficial during the developmental phases of the birds and resulted in higher body weight, which also resulted in earlier reproductive maturity. With the red-LED light environment, administered during the laying phase, scientists found a higher egg yolk percentage. Scientists also concluded that alternative lighting did not have an impact on health or stress and that serum melatonin levels and serum corticosterone levels were not affected by light difference. The project was funded by MAFES Special Research Initiative, or SRI grant. The work was also part of the hatch project of the USDA NIFA (MIS-329280). Read more

Poultry is big business in Mississippi. In 2016, the state’s broiler production value totaled $2.23 billion dollars. A researcher in the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and an engineering specialist in the MSU Extension Service are studying ways to optimize energy efficiency in poultry houses to reduce producer inputs and increase their bottom lines. Energy expenditures account for about 60 percent of the input costs for the state’s nearly 1,500 poultry producers. Heating fuel alone can hover in the 40 percent range. MAFES scientists studied energy transfer in poultry houses while extension specialists studied heaters and lighting. Each focused on ways to reduce producer inputs and increase efficiencies of the housing envelope across the life of a facility. Read More

The uses of perennial warm-season grasses are as varied as the plants themselves. Applications include poultry bedding, cattle forage, conservation plantings, bioenergy, and much more. Scientists in the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station have been propagating grasses as bioenergy crops since the early 2000s. Now as demand for renewable energy crops shift, MSU’s perennial grass research evolves to meet other needs. Read More

Drs. David Wise, MAFES research professor and coordinator of the Thad Cochran National Warmwater Aquaculture Center, Matt Griffin, research professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine, and Chuck Mischke, MAFES research professor with specialized knowledge on aquaculture and toxicology, have come together to research the significant losses in catfish aquaculture associated with the digenetic trematode Bolbophorus Damnificus. Contracted through infected snail species, like the Ramshorn snail, alarming numbers of catfish have been infected with the parasite. The team surveyed 900 ponds to find that forty percent were infected with trematodes. They identified several risk factors that predisposed ponds to trematode invasions, such as the location of the pond and frequent pelican activity. To stop the catfish from being diseased, the team looked at various chemotherapeutic solutions, including lime and copper sulfate to eradicate the snails. They found that copper sulfate was highly effective and optimal chemical for molluscicide and began to distribute the chemical directly into ponds. For the treatment to be successful, researchers found that the management solutions must be applied case by case. The team found that large outbreaks are better treated with copper sulfate and are now developing a molecular assay to detect snail DNA in ponds, which will help evaluate whether a pond needs treatment for trematode issues or not. This research is funded by Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service. Read more.

Recent technological advances in production systems have enabled catfish producers to achieve significantly higher yields through greater control by concentrating all of their efforts in a substantially smaller portion of a pond. Scientists in the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station have been at the forefront of these advances, helping producers improve their bottom line. The development of two new technologies—split-pond system and intensively aerated ponds—helped intensify catfish management. Dr. Ganesh Kumar, MAFES assistant research professor who attributes development of split-pond technology to former MAFES scientist Dr. Craig Tucker, is now doing his part to help producers. Kumar, who has analyzed the costs of the two intensive systems, warns that the upfront investment in the adoption of split-ponds or intensively aerated pond technologies is high. Although the yields are higher, modifying catfish production to either of these two intensive systems requires structural modifications and additional equipment. However, the productivity gains, producing more fish out of a unit area, which result from these systems have led to significant adoption within the industry. Read more

MAFES scientists are helping producers in the heart of catfish country. Dr. David Wise and his staff at the Thad Cochran National Warmwater Aquaculture Center help producers find answers. Oftentimes, the question is an aquatic health issue that's impacting productivity and performance. Researchers have discovered ways to combat catfish anemia. They've also developed a vaccine that helps wipe out a disease common in catfish ponds. The work translates to dollars and cents for producers, and contributes to the industry's vitality. Read More

Drs. Florencia Meyer, associate professor, Dr. Carrie Vance, associate research professor, both in the Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology and scientists in the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, have teamed up with Dr. Amelia Woolums, professor in the Department of Pathobiology and Population Medicine in the College of Veterinary Medicine, to research ways to better diagnose bovine respiratory disease (BRD). BRD is the most significant disease impacting the American feedlot industry and expands as a global problem. The team used Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) to find a better way to diagnose BRD. The current protocol is to prophylactically treat animals exhibiting any BRD symptoms, whether they have the disease or not. By having a NIRS device that tests animals quickly and accurately, this would significantly reduce the amount of antibiotics that are used on animals that do not need them. So, researchers are developing a diagnostic strategy for the early detection and treatment of animals developing BRD. This will be a means to analyze a global set of health parameters in a rapid assay that can determine the specific health status of animals at risk of developing BRD. Modeling what the disease profile looks like makes identifying BRD more like a fingerprint than a single assay. A significant percent of cattle goes unidentified and untreated with BRD, which is why better diagnostic tools need to be developed. The current model the team has created has an overall accuracy of 83.3%, with a sensitivity of 79.2 %, and a specificity of 87.5%, which is much higher than the current BRD diagnosis. The work was funded by the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station’s Special Research Initiative and the USDA-ARS 58-6402-018 Biophotonics Initiative. Read more.

Poor hatchability can occur due to eggshell bacterial contamination, which can be decreased by UV light or hydrogen peroxide. However, the antimicrobial effects of these two treatments combined are not known. MAFES scientists sought to determine if a greater bacterial reduction would occur using a combination of UV and hydrogen peroxide. Results indicated that the combined treatments further reduced bacterial contamination compared with each treatment individually.

MAFES reproductive biologist Jean Feugang is trying to find out why some pregnancies are successful and others are not. Feugang, along with fellow scientists Peter Ryan and Scott Willard, are studying the reproductive stage that remains one of the most mysterious—the gap between sperm and egg development and embryo development. Specifically, the team hopes to understand what factors make one sperm successful while others fail and why some eggs take while others do not. Their research can provide invaluable insight into biological and cellular processes associated with sperm and egg behavior and interactions before early embryo development. They use nanotechnology to study reproductive issues at the most microscopic level. Using quantum dots—nanoparticles that are absorbed into sperm cells—they can track the cells’ movement along the reproductive tract. Much like putting a tiny camera into the body, this process shows researchers what is happening, when, and where in real time. The scientists are using swine for the study; however, their research has applications to all mammals, including humans. Developing noninvasive monitoring techniques for use after artificial insemination has the potential to improve breeding success rates. Using quantum-dot imaging in reproductive studies is a new approach, and MAFES scientists are laying the groundwork for future research in this area. Read More

MAFES researchers are trying to unlock a better path for administering probiotics in poultry. Researchers hope bioluminescence will illuminate the effectiveness of a suite of probiotics administered into the egg, or in-ovo. Dr. Aaron Kiess, poultry science associate professor, along with doctoral student, Claudia Castañeda, have been studying in-ovo administration of probiotics for several years. Kiess said as consumer demand increases for ABF (antibiotic free) or NAE (no antibiotics ever) broilers, the researchers hope to help integrators and producers adopt probiotic programs to fend off the diseases antibiotics traditionally protect against. Thus far, they've been able to demonstrate that bioluminescent bacteria injected in-ovo made its way to the digestive tract of the hatchling within two hours after injection. In the short term, the team hopes to transfer a bioluminescent gene into a multitude of probiotic bacteria. "Our laboratory wants to identify new and novel strategies to help our poultry integrators with challenges they are facing when they are trying to produce antibiotic free poultry," Kiess said. "I want to make it easier for them to provide what their customers are asking for." Read more

MAFES scientists are looking for ways to lower costs while maintaining quality in Mississippi catfish production. Charles Mischke and David Wise, MAFES aquacultural researchers at the Thad Cochran National Warmwater Aquaculture Center in Stoneville, found that catfish can thrive for the first 6 weeks after hatching by feeding on naturally occurring zooplankton. They examined the growth and survival of newly hatched catfish fry not fed specially prepared commercial feed. Compared with fry that were fed a conventional diet, these fish suffered no ill effects in size or health. Fry not fed for 6 weeks ate zooplankton and other microscopic food organisms, which are abundant in ponds and high in protein and other nutrients. Reducing or eliminating fry feedings during the first few weeks can reduce the cost of fish production, saving producers at least $236 per acre. Read More

MSU scientists have developed a vaccine and vaccine delivery system to protect catfish from commonly occurring bacteria that can cause death. During their first growing season, every catfish fingerling raised in the Mississippi Delta will be exposed to Edwardsiella ictaluri, the bacteria that causes enteric septicemia, or ESC. In research trials, vaccinated catfish have a relative percent survival rate above 90 percent. Vaccinated fish are also 20 percent larger than unvaccinated fish. MSU’s vaccine and delivery method were developed at the Thad Cochran Warmwater Aquaculture Center and received a provisional patent in 2013. Read more

Dr. Rocky Lemus is on a mission: to help Mississippi producers become better forage managers. To accomplish his mission, he and Joshua White, manager of the MAFES Official Variety Testing program in forages, are developing a year-round grazing system. The grazing system, combined with the Official Variety Trials program in forages, and a newly developed forage testing program all work together to make Mississippians better forage managers for grazing cattle and hay production. Read More