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Livestock

Ensuring food security in the tropics through livestock genetic improvement is goal of symposium

Animal scientists, economists, and colleagues from the humanities and other fields met on the University of Illinois campus in April to focus on livestock in the tropics and its role in food security. 

The event marked the Seventh Annual International Food Security Symposium at Illinois facilitated by the Office of International Programs (OIP) in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES).

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Dairy sector boasts 100 years of successful herd data collection

URBANA, Ill. – The U.S. dairy industry operates a comprehensive data collection program that records herd production information from farmers nationwide. The program provides crucial input for cattle breeding and genetics, and its cooperative structure ensures benefits for producers and scientists alike. A new study from the University of Illinois explores the program’s century-old history, highlighting its relevance for modern agriculture and digital data collection.

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New monounsaturated soybean oil works well in pig diets

URBANA, Ill. – Adding a fat source to the traditional corn-soy swine diet is common practice, but the type of fat can make a difference both for growing pigs and carcass quality. Polyunsaturated fats, the primary type in distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), can reduce fat quality and complicate processing of pork bellies and bacon.

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Amino acid supplement key to reproductive health in dairy cows

URBANA, Ill. – Lysine is an essential amino acid for dairy cows, helping boost milk production when added to the diet at adequate levels. But could lysine benefit cows in other ways? A new University of Illinois study shows rumen-protected lysine can improve uterine health if fed during the transition period.

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U of I beef production professor, icon Doug Parrett passes away

URBANA, Ill. – Lifelong beef production devotee Doug Parrett was technically retired from the University of Illinois, but the emeritus professor never stopped showing up for the Department of Animal Sciences, the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES), or the beef industry. Still an active teacher, mentor, and friend to many, Parrett passed away unexpectedly on August 26, 2022. He was 71.

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Illinois program turns cowgirl dreams into livestock research reality

URBANA, Ill. – The moment 4-year-old Sarah Graham sat in a saddle for the first time, she announced she wanted to be a cowgirl. For the suburban Chicago preschooler, it was an unlikely dream. But it stuck.

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5 Questions: Reproductive biologist thriving at the intersection of biomedical science and agriculture

This week’s 5 Questions Friday features Matthew Dean, assistant professor in the Department of Animal Sciences. Dean's group studies the female reproductive system, with the goal of improving fertility in both humans and livestock.

What motivates you in your work?

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Midwestern beef production works just as well off pasture

URBANA, Ill. – Beef producers in the upper Midwest know grazing land is in short supply. With more acres being developed or converted to cropland, producers who want to expand their cow-calf operations are looking for alternatives to traditional pasture management.

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High-oil corn packs punch for pigs

URBANA, Ill. – A new high-oil corn product offers greater amino acid and energy digestibility in growing pigs, according to new research from the University of Illinois.

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In pig brain development, nature beats nurture

URBANA, Ill. – Before humans can benefit from new drug therapies and nutritional additives, scientists test their safety and efficacy in animals, typically mice and rats. But, as much as they’ve done for biomedical research, rodents aren’t always the best research model for studies on neonatal brain development and nutrition. That’s where pigs can play an important role.

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