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The objective of this study was to determine the effect on digestibility of forages using a daisy jar system with inoculum from steers supplemented with the yeast fermentation product Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Forages tested included ryegrass, wheat, orchard grass, alfalfa, and sorghum sudan hays. Samples were ground through a 1mm screen, placed in Ankom F57 bags, and run in triplicate to increase statistical significance. Two ruminally cannulated jersey steers were used in a switchback design. Animals were housed in a dry lot pen. The study consisted of 2 three-week periods, 2-week standardization followed by a 1-week test period. Diets offered for period 1 were steer A = 100% alfalfa hay w/o yeast product and steer B = 100% wheat hay w/o yeast product. Diets offered for period 2 were steer A =100% alfalfa hay +15g/h/d yeast product and steer B =100% wheat hay +15g/h/d yeast product. During the test week, rumen fluid contents were collected from each donor via rumen cannula approximately 4 h after feeding and taken to the lab to be composited. The samples were incubated for 0 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, and 96 h. At the end of the incubation period bags were collected and cold shocked to stop microbial digestion. Samples were dried at 55(o)C and stored for later analysis. Model included trt (+/-yeast), forage, hr, and interactions forage*hr and forage*trt. No significant differences were observed (P = 0.38) on DM digestibility or NDF digestibility (P = 0.76) with the supplementation of yeast fermentation product. Forage*Trt was significant (P = 0.03 DMdig, P = 0.02 NDFdig). Implications of this study are the inclusion of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product at a rate of 15g/h/d may not impact overall forage NDF or DM digestibility but may impact types of forage differently in an in vitro system using composited inoculum from donors on a forage diet.

This publication is a Virginia 4-H project unit used to teach elementary school-aged children about the various coat colors and leg and face markings of a horse. Virginia Horse Industry Board

Having the proper equipment for the task not only works better, but it's safer. This publication is a Virginia 4-H project unit used to teach elementary school-aged children about the equipment used for different types of work with horses and explains how different tack allows horses to different jobs. Virginia Horse Industry Board

Proper grooming and keeping horses clean involves not only using the right tools but also behaving safely around the horse. This publication is a Virginia 4-H project unit used to teach elementary school-aged children about the basic tools used to clean horses and the benefits of proper grooming and cleaning. Virginia Horse Industry Board

Knowing what a horse eats is the first step to managing their nutrition and helping them stay healthy. This publication is a Virginia 4-H project unit used to teach elementary school-aged children about horse's diets and common feeds. Virginia Horse Industry Board

Since horses don't speak in words, we need to watch their body in order to understand what they are trying to tell us. This publication is a Virginia 4-H project unit used to teach elementary school-aged children about which parts of the body horses use to communicate and what emotions various equine postures indicate. Virginia Horse Industry Board

Named genes located within the top regions of association on ECA14 from the GWA analysis. Table S2. Haplotype analysis within the top regions of association on ECA14 from the GWA analysis. Table S3. Top GWA SNPs from GEMMA mixed model analysis of data imputed to 670 k and 2 M SNP lists. Table S4. Summary of variants by type and region. Table S5. Regions of interest for which detailed annotation of SNPs was performed. Table S6. Putative risk variants for OC that were selected for inclusion in the custom Sequenom genotyping assay (n = 240). Table S7. Frequency of alternate allele in cases and controls for each SNP in the Sequenom platform that genotyped successfully in the discovery or validation populations. (DOCX 93 kb)

Common methods of mortality disposal include burial, rendering, incineration, and use of a landfill. The availability of options for disposing of mortality, particularly rendering, have changed in recent years, and financially and environmentally sound alternatives are needed.

Adverse maternal events around the time of conception influence embryonic development. Thus, aberrations in the uterine environment during early pregnancy, such as those resulting from maternal metabolic or nutritional disruption, can alter gene expression in the developing embryo, leading to variations in its developmental trajectory. Dietary supplementation of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA), especially Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) improves metabolic and reproductive health across species. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of peri-conceptual LCPUFA supplementation on endometrial gene expression, uterine health and embryonic gene expression in overweight horses. Thirteen non-lactating light horse mares (mean ± SEM age=13.56±0.11 yr; mean ± SEM BCS=7.07±0.21) were supplemented with concentrate (n=6) or an isocaloric diet containing 0.06 g/kg BW algae-derived omega-3 LCPUFA (n=7) beginning 60 d prior to sample collection. Four consecutive ovulatory cycles were monitored, and uterine endometrial samples were obtained 12 d post-ovulation in cycles 1, 3 and 4. Mares were bred and embryos were flushed 12 d post ovulation 2,3 and 4. Endometrial biopsies obtained from supplemented mares contained increased DHA and omega-3 fatty acids as a percent of total fat (P< 0.05). Endometrial biopsy scores were assigned to endometrial tissues and mares receiving the LCPUFA supplementation had improved scores during the first ovulatory period as compared to control animals (P=0.009). Candidate genes essential to inflammation, prostaglandin synthesis and embryonic development were evaluated by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Data were log transformed and analyzed using the GLM procedure in SAS (v9.3). When examining the data independent of breeding and pregnancy status, endometrial obtained samples from LCPUFA supplemented mares contained reduced IL6 (P= 0.04) and TNFa (P=0.03) mRNA abundance and tended to have increased transcript abundance for Uterocalin (P= 0.09), SAA (P= 0.06) and IL10 (P= 0.06). Endometrial samples from mares fed LCPUFA pregnant in cycle 3 contained greater IL10 (P< 0.001), PTGFS (P=0.05), OXTR (P=0.05) and PLA2G3 mRNA (P= 0.009) and had a tendency for increased SAA (P= 0.08), PTGES (P=0.10) and SLCO2A1 (P=0.10) mRNA abundance. Supplemented mares bred but not pregnant at day 12 in cycle 3 had reduced expression of PTGER2 (P=0.001) and PTGS1 (P=