The impact of truncating data on the predictive ability for single‐step genomic best linear unbiased prediction

Simulated and swine industry data sets were utilized to assess the impact of removing older data on the predictive ability of selection candidate estimated breeding values (EBV) when using single‐step genomic best linear unbiased prediction (ssGBLUP). Simulated data included thirty replicates designed to mimic the structure of swine data sets. For the simulated data, varying amounts of data were truncated based on the number of ancestral generations back from the selection candidates. The swine data sets consisted of phenotypic and genotypic records for three traits across two breeds on animals born from 2003 to 2017. Phenotypes and genotypes were iteratively removed 1 year at a time based on the year an animal was born. For the swine data sets, correlations between corrected phenotypes (Cp) and EBV were used to evaluate the predictive ability on young animals born in 2016–2017. In the simulated data set, keeping data two generations back or greater resulted in no statistical difference (p‐value > 0.05) in the reduction in the true breeding value at generation 15 compared to utilizing all available data. Across swine data sets, removing phenotypes from animals born prior to 2011 resulted in a negligible or a slight numerical increase in the correlation between Cp and EBV. Truncating data is a method to alleviate computational issues without negatively impacting the predictive ability of selection candidate EBV.     

The use of ultrasonography in the reproductive evaluation of boars

The objective was to study the use of ultrasound as a complementary test in the breeding soundness evaluation in male pigs and study the pattern of echogenicity of the testicular parenchyma in boars of different racial groups. Twenty‐six adult boars from four different racial groups were used, 10 from the Piau breed (group 1), four from the commercial and finishing group (group 2), six Pietrain breed (group 3) and six from the Duroc breed (group 4). All animals were evaluated for breeding soundness evaluation and the ultrasound examination of the testicles. The groups of animals that were evaluated showed no difference in the main semen parameters that were evaluated, except for the sperm volume, concentration of the ejaculated sperm and the supravital staining; the lowest figures were for the animals from the Piau breed (group 1). In relation to the testicular biometrics, Duroc animals (group 4) had a greater scrotal width compared to the other groups. But when we assessed the intensity of pixels of the testicles, there was a difference between groups. The groups 2 (finishing animals), 3 (Pietrain) and 4 had no difference between themselves. Group 3 had greater pixel intensity in relation to group 1. Of the 26 animals studied, five showed an abnormality during ultrasound evaluation, like hydrocele, hyperechoic mass in the testicular parenchyma, cyst in the head of the epididymis and the presence of fluid in the head and tail of the epididymis. The various animal groups studied did not differ in the principal reproductive parameters evaluated, showing that despite the great variability of reproductive traits between breeds and within the same breed, the breeding soundness evaluation, the more complete it is, is essential for the selection of breeders and the ultrasonography of the reproductive system becomes an important addition in this examination.     

Turbidity‐induced changes in emergent effects of multiple predators with different foraging strategies

Abstract – In natural systems, prey frequently interact with multiple predators and the outcome often cannot be predicted by summing the effects of individual predator species. Multiple predator interactions can create emergent effects for prey, but how those change across environmental gradients is poorly understood. Turbidity is an environmental factor in aquatic systems that may influence multiple predator effects on prey. Interactions between a cruising predator (largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides) and an ambush predator (muskellunge Esox masquinongy) and their combination foraging on a shared prey (bluegill Lepomis macrochirus) were examined across a turbidity gradient. Turbidity modified multiple predator effects on prey. In clear water, combined predators consumed in total more prey than expected from individual predator treatments, suggesting risk enhancement for prey. In moderately turbid water, the predators consumed fewer prey together than expected, suggesting a risk reduction for prey. At high turbidity, there were no apparent emergent effects; however, the cruising predator consumed more prey than the ambush predator, suggesting an advantage for this predator. Understanding multiple predator traits across a gradient of turbidity increases our understanding of how complex natural systems function.     

The effects of maternal nutrition during the first 50 d of gestation on the location and abundance of hexose and cationic amino acid transporters in beef heifer uteroplacental tissues

We hypothesized that maternal nutrition during the first 50 d of gestation would influence the abundance of hexose transporters, SLC2A1, SLC2A3, and SLC2A5, and cationic amino acid transporters, SLC7A1 and SLC7A2, in heifer uteroplacental tissues. Angus-cross heifers (n = 43) were estrus synchronized, bred via artificial insemination, and assigned at breeding to 1 of 2 dietary intake groups (CON = 100% of requirements to achieve 0.45 kg/d of BW gain or RES = 60% of CON intake) and ovariohysterectomized on day 16, 34, or 50 of gestation (n = 6 to 9/d) in a completely randomized design with a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement of treatments. Uterine cross-sections were collected from the horn ipsilateral to the corpus luteum, fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin, sectioned at 5 µm, and stained via immunofluorescence for transporters. For each image, areas of fetal membrane (FM; chorioallantois), luminal epithelium (ENDO), superficial glands (SG), deep glands (DG), and myometrium (MYO) were analyzed separately for relative intensity of fluorescence as an indicator of transporter abundance. Analysis of FM was only conducted for days 34 and 50. No transporters in target areas were influenced by a day × treatment interaction (P ≥ 0.06). In ENDO, all transporters were differentially abundant from days 16 to 50 of gestation (P ≤ 0.04), and SLC7A2 was greater (P = 0.05) for RES vs. CON. In SG, SLC7A1 and SLC7A2 were greater (P ≤ 0.04) at day 34 vs. day 16. In DG, SLC2A3 and SLC7A1 were greater (P ≤ 0.05) for CON vs. RES heifers; furthermore, SLC7A1 was greater (P < 0.01) at day 50 vs. days 16 and 34 of gestation. In MYO, SLC7A1 was greater (P < 0.01) for CON vs. RES and was greater (P = 0.02) at days 34 and 50 vs. day 16. There were no differences in FM (P ≥ 0.06). Analysis of all uterine tissues at day 16 determined that SLC2A1, SLC2A3, and SLC7A2 were all differentially abundant across uterine tissue type (P < 0.01), and SLC7A1 was greater (P = 0.02) for CON vs. RES. Analysis of all uteroplacental tissues at days 34 and 50 demonstrated that all transporters differed (P < 0.01) across uteroplacental tissues, and SLC7A1 was greater (P < 0.01) for CON vs. RES. These data are interpreted to imply that transporters are differentially affected by day of gestation, and that hexose and cationic amino acid transporters are differentially abundant across utero-placental tissue types, and that SLC7A1 is responsive to maternal nutritional treatment.