Immune phenotype is differentially affected by changing the type of bovine respiratory disease vaccine administered at revaccination in beef heifers

During preconditioning, modified-live vaccines are frequently administered to beef calves before weaning. In this study, we began to characterize the immune phenotype of calves that received a modified-live vaccination at 3-4 months of age and then either received the same modified-live or an inactivated vaccine upon arrival at the feedlot (weaning) and 28 days post-arrival (booster). Innate and adaptive immune measures were assessed before revaccination and 14 and 28 days post. Heifers that received three doses of the modified-live vaccine exhibited a relatively balanced immune response based on increases in mean cytokine concentrations (IL-17, IL-21) and total immunoglobulin-G (IgG) and subsets IgG1 and IgG2, which are related to both arms of the adaptive immune system. Conversely, heifers that received one dose of modified live and two doses of the inactivated vaccine had a more robust neutrophil chemotactic response and greater serum-neutralizing antibody titers, resulting in an enhanced innate immune and a skewed proinflammatory response. These results indicate that the revaccination protocol used after initial vaccination with a modified-live vaccine differentially influences the immune phenotype of beef calves, with three doses of modified live inducing potentially immune homeostasis and a combination of modified live and inactivated vaccines inducing a skewed immune phenotype. However, more research is needed to determine the protective efficacy of these vaccination protocols against disease.

Histology of Convergent Probing Appendages in Mormyridae

Mormyridae is an early diverging family of Teleostean fishes that produce an electric field for navigation and communication using an electric organ. This clade has a diverse array of soft-tissue rostral appendages, such as the chin-swelling, the Schnauzenorgan, and the tubesnout combined with a Schnauzenorgan, that have evolved multiple times. Here we assess if macroscopically convergent, soft-tissue rostral appendages are also histologically convergent. Further, we investigate how the histology of these appendages can inform their function. We sampled independent gains of the chin-swelling and Schnauzenorgan to understand similarities and differences in their anatomies. We show that macroscopically convergent rostral appendages are also convergent at a histological level, and different types of rostral appendages share a similar anatomy; that said, minor differences likely relate to their specific functions. Based on a comparison of the skeletal muscle distribution and the differing attachment shapes of each appendage to the dentary, we conclude that the Schnauzenorgan is capable of a wider range of movements than the chin swelling. Furthermore, the anatomy suggests that these soft-tissue rostral appendages likely function as electrosensory foveas (i.e., an appendage that focuses a sensory system). Lastly, these histological data support the hypothesis that the chin swelling may be a precursor to the Schnauzenorgan.

301 Effect of Maternal Supplementation of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae var. Boulardii During Late-Gestation and Lactation on Progeny Immune Status from Birth to 35 Days-of-age

The use of probiotics in swine production may be an alternative to antibiotics for both disease prevention and growth promotion. Limited data exist on their potential to modulate offspring immune function when fed solely to the dam. A study was designed to assess the potential immunomodulatory effect of maternal supplementation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii (scb) from gestational day 84 until the end of lactation (21-d period) on the immune status of the progeny in short- and long-term. A total of 84 female piglets born to 18 sows (n = 9/treatment) fed two boluses at 0600 h of either Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii CMCN-1079 (probiotic; PRO) or sugar (control; CON) were randomly selected at farrowing (n = 42/sow treatment). Blood samples were taken at birth (0), 1, 7, 14, 21 (weaning), 28, and 35 days-of-age to assess cortisol and descriptive and functional measures of the immune system of the progeny. Data were analyzed using MIXED procedure of SAS 9.4 with repeated measures. At birth, pigs born to CON-sows had greater (P< 0.001) plasma cortisol and % lymphocytes, but pigs born to PRO-sows had greater % neutrophils (P< 0.001). Progeny from PRO-sows had a greater (P< 0.001) percent natural killer (NK) cytotoxicity at 14 days-of-age, whereas progeny from CON-sows had greater (P< 0.001) concanavalin-A induced proliferation index at 21 days-of-age. Despite limited treatment x age effects, overall treatment effects with PRO progeny had greater (P< 0.001) C5a- and IL-8 neutrophil chemotaxis than CON. Conversely, progeny from PRO-sows had greater (P< 0.001) NK cytotoxicity and lipopolysaccharide-induced proliferation index than CON. These data imply that there are few short- and long-term effects of scb on the immune status of the progeny, and maternal supplementation may be an opportunity to modulate the immune status of the progeny up to 35 days-of-age.

Mint Oil, ɤ-Tocopherol, and Whole Yeast Cell in Sow Diets Enhance Offspring Performance in the Postweaning Period

Times of high metabolic activity in gestation and lactation, as well as periods of stress at weaning, can lead to greater incidences of oxidative stress in the dam and offspring during the suckling and postweaning period. Oxidative stress is an imbalance between prooxidant molecules and the antioxidant defense system that can negatively impact growth and/or reproductive performance. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of whole yeast cell, peppermint oil, and ɤ-tocopherol in gestation and lactation on maternal oxidative status and offspring growth from birth to market. In study 1, 45 sows and gilts were assigned to one of four diets [control diet (CON), control + whole yeast cell (YC), control + mint oil top dress (MO), and control + yeast cell and mint oil top dress (YCMO)] provided from d110 of gestation through to weaning. A total of 481 weaned offspring were randomly allotted to pens balanced by weight and litter within maternal treatment and received the same dietary treatment as the sow for 35 days postwean in a four-phase feeding regimen. In study 2, 53 sows and gilts were allotted to four diet regimens similar to study 1 [CON, YC, MO, and control + ɤ-tocopherol (GT)] from d5 postbreeding to weaning. At weaning, 605 piglets were randomly allotted to pens, balanced by weight and litter within maternal treatment and fed a common diet for 126 days postwean in a nine-phase feeding regimen. Maternal dietary treatment did not impact sow body weight, piglet birth weight, and litter size in either study. In study 1, piglets from YC sows were heavier (p < 0.05) at weaning than CON animals. In the postwean period, overall daily gain was greater (p < 0.05) for CON-fed pigs than YCMO pigs, with overall feed intake greater (p < 0.05) for YCMO- than MO-fed pigs, resulting in lower (p < 0.05) Gain to Feed (G:F) in YCMO-fed pigs. In study 1, glutathione content in milk tended to be lower (p < 0.10) in MO than in YCMO sows. In study 2, piglets from GT-fed sows tended to be heavier (p < 0.10) at weaning than YC piglets. Lightweight pigs from CON sows tended to be lighter (p < 0.10) than pigs from all other treatment groups at weaning and day (d) 29 postwean. Lightweight MO and GT pigs were heavier at d42 (p < 0.05) than CON and YC pigs. At d70 postwean, GT pigs tended to be heavier than CON pigs. Lightweight MO pigs had greater gain (p < 0.05) during the finishing period than all other treatment groups. With respect to sow oxidative status in study 2, glutathione content in colostrum and d4 and 14 milk samples did not differ by maternal treatment. Superoxide dismutase activity in sow sera, colostrum, and milk did not differ between diets in either study. Whole yeast cell and ɤ-tocopherol supplementation in sow lactation diets resulted in heavier offspring. However, pre- and postnatal exposure to mint oil benefited lightweight pigs up to market weight.

Multiple Degrees of Freedom in the Fish Skull and Their Relation to Hydraulic Transport of Prey in Channel Catfish

Fish perform many complex manipulation behaviors without hands or flexible muscular tongues, instead relying on more than 20 movable skeletal elements in their highly kinetic skulls. How fish use their skulls to accomplish these behaviors, however, remains unclear. Most previous mechanical models have represented the fish skull using one or more planar four-bar linkages, which have just a single degree of freedom (DoF). In contrast, truncated-cone hydrodynamic models have assumed up to five DoFs. In this study, we introduce and validate a 3D mechanical linkage model of a fish skull that incorporates the pectoral girdle and mandibular and hyoid arches. We validate this model using an in vivo motion dataset of suction feeding in channel catfish and then use this model to quantify the DoFs in the fish skull, to categorize the motion patterns of the cranial linkage during feeding, and to evaluate the association between these patterns and food motion. We find that the channel catfish skull functions as a 17-link, five-loop parallel mechanism. Despite having 19 potential DoFs, we find that seven DoFs are sufficient to describe most of the motion of the cranial linkage, consistent with the fish skull functioning as a multi-DoF, manipulation system. Channel catfish use this linkage to generate three different motion patterns (rostrocaudal wave, caudorostral wave, and compressive wave), each with its own associated food velocity profile. These results suggest that biomechanical manipulation systems must have a minimum number of DoFs to effectively control objects, whether in water or air.

PSVI-10 Mint oil, yeast cell, and ɣ-tocopherol supplementation in gestation and lactation diets on the antioxidant status of the sow and offspring performance during the suckling period

Times of high metabolic activity can lead to increased incidence of oxidative stress in gestating and lactating sows which may impact suckling piglet performance. Identifying products that could help alleviate this stress would be beneficial. A study assessed yeast cell, mint oil, and ɣ-tocopherol supplementation in gestation and lactation diets on sow antioxidant status and offspring performance to weaning. A total of 53 sows and gilts (206.2 ± 35.3 kg at breeding) were assigned to one of 4 diet regimens: Control (CON), control + yeast cell at 0.15% (YC), control + mint oil at 10 ppm (MO), and control + ɣ-tocopherol at 200 ppm (GT). Diets were provided from breeding through weaning (lactation day 21 ± 2). Control diets were formulated to meet nutrient requirements in gestation (3279 kcal ME/kg, 0.63% SID Lys) and lactation (3279 kcal ME/kg, 1.06% SID Lys). Yeast cell, mint oil and ɣ-tocopherol were added as a top dress once daily. Sow variables evaluated were weight at beginning and end of each period, feed intake, litter characteristics at birth, and antioxidant status in serum, colostrum and milk. Piglet growth during suckling was determined. Data were analyzed as randomized complete block and Tukey’s adjustment as means separation test. Maternal diet had minimal impact on gestation or lactation feed intake or sow body weight. There was no effect on litter size or piglet birth weight. Piglets from GT-fed sows tended to be heavier at weaning than YC piglets due to differences in daily gain. Glutathione content in colostrum and d14 milk samples did not differ by maternal treatment. D14 milk Glutathione content was 40%, 59%, 62%, and 51% greater in CON, YC, MO, and GT sows, respectively, compared to colostrum. No difference in superoxide dismutase content in serum and d14 milk observed. Inclusion of ɣ-tocopherol in sow gestation and lactation diets enhanced suckling piglet growth; connection to sow antioxidant status remains unclear.

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Phylogenomics of Piranhas and Pacus (Serrasalmidae) Uncovers How Dietary Convergence and Parallelism Obfuscate Traditional Morphological Taxonomy

The Amazon and neighboring South American river basins harbor the world's most diverse assemblages of freshwater fishes. One of the most prominent South American fish families is the Serrasalmidae (pacus and piranhas), found in nearly every continental basin. Serrasalmids are keystone ecological taxa, being some of the top riverine predators as well as the primary seed dispersers in the flooded forest. Despite their widespread occurrence and notable ecologies, serrasalmid evolutionary history and systematics are controversial. For example, the sister taxon to serrasalmids is contentious, the relationships of major clades within the family are inconsistent across different methodologies, and half of the extant serrasalmid genera are suggested to be non-monophyletic. We analyzed exon capture to reexamine the evolutionary relationships among 63 (of 99) species across all 16 serrasalmid genera and their nearest outgroups, including multiple individuals per species to account for cryptic lineages. To reconstruct the timeline of serrasalmid diversification, we time-calibrated this phylogeny using two different fossil-calibration schemes to account for uncertainty in taxonomy with respect to fossil teeth. Finally, we analyzed diet evolution across the family and comment on associated changes in dentition, highlighting the ecomorphological diversity within serrasalmids. We document widespread non-monophyly of genera within Myleinae, as well as between Serrasalmus and Pristobrycon, and propose that reliance on traits like teeth to distinguish among genera is confounded by ecological homoplasy, especially among herbivorous and omnivorous taxa. We clarify the relationships among all serrasalmid genera, propose new subfamily affiliations, and support hemiodontids as the sister taxon to Serrasalmidae. [Characiformes; exon capture; ichthyochory; molecular time-calibration; piscivory.].

Effects of adding liquid lactose or molasses to pelleted swine diets on pellet quality and pig performance

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of including liquid lactose (LL) and molasses (M) in swine diets on pellet quality and pig performance. In experiment 1, a total of 194 nursery pigs (DNA 241 × 600, initially 6.7 ± 0.4 kg at 27 d of age) were used in a 33-d experiment evaluating the effects of LL (SweetLac 63; Westway Feed Products, Tomball, TX) or cane molasses on nursery pig performance and pellet quality. Pelleted experimental diets were fed from d 0 to 21, and a common pelleted diet fed from d 21 to 33. Dietary treatments consisted of a control diet containing 19.1% total sugars from whey powder and whey permeate and experimental diets with a percentage of whey permeate replaced by either 5% or 10% LL or 9.4% cane molasses (5 LL, 10 LL, and 9.4 M, respectively). Hot pellet temperature and production rate decreased (P < 0.05) from the control to 9.4 M treatments with 5 LL and 10 LL having intermediate effects. Pellet durability index (PDI) increased (P < 0.05) in 5 LL, 10 LL, and 9.4 M, respectively. From d 0 to 7, pigs fed the 10 LL and 9.4 M treatment had the best G:F followed by the control and 5 LL treatments. From d 0 to 21, ADFI had a marginally significant improvement (P < 0.10) in pigs fed up to 10 LL in the diet. Fecal consistency scores at d 7 were also firmer (P < 0.05) in pigs fed 9.4 M compared with pigs fed the control or 5 LL treatments with pigs fed the 10 LL treatment being intermediate. There was no evidence for differences in fecal consistency scores for d 14. In experiment 2, a total of 289 finishing pigs (DNA 241 × 600; initially 53.5 ± 0.5 kg BW) were used in a 53-d experiment evaluating the effects of LL on pellet quality and finishing pig performance. Experimental diets were fed in pelleted form from d 0 to 53 divided into three phases. Dietary treatments were a corn-soybean meal control diet with 0%, 2.5%, 5%, and 7.5% LL added in the place of corn. PDI improved (linear, P < 0.01) with increasing inclusion of LL. There were no differences in ADG, ADFI, final BW, or carcass characteristics. Pigs fed diets with increasing levels of LL tended to have improved (quadratic, P = 0.070) G:F.

An XROMM Study of Food Transport and Swallowing in Channel Catfish

Most predatory ray-finned fishes swallow their food whole, which can pose a significant challenge, given that prey items can be half as large as the predators themselves. How do fish transport captured food from the mouth to the stomach? Prior work indicates that, in general, fish use the pharyngeal jaws to manipulate food into the esophagus, where peristalsis is thought to take over. We used X-Ray Reconstruction of Moving Morphology to track prey transport in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). By reconstructing the 3D motions of both the food and the catfish, we were able to track how the catfish move food through the head and into the stomach. Food enters the oral cavity at high velocities as a continuation of suction and stops in the approximate location of the branchial basket before moving in a much slower, more complex path toward the esophagus. This slow phase coincides with little motion in the head and no substantial mouth opening or hyoid depression. Once the prey is in the esophagus, however, its transport is surprisingly tightly correlated with gulping motions (hyoid depression, girdle retraction, hypaxial shortening, and mouth opening) of the head. Although the transport mechanism itself remains unknown, to our knowledge, this is the first description of synchrony between cranial expansion and esophageal transport in a fish. Our results provide direct evidence of prey transport within the esophagus and suggest that peristalsis may not be the sole mechanism of esophageal transport in catfish.

Multifunctional Structures and Multistructural Functions: Integration in the Evolution of Biomechanical Systems

Integration is an essential feature of complex biomechanical systems, with coordination and covariation occurring among and within structural components at time scales that vary from microseconds to deep evolutionary time. Integration has been suggested to both promote and constrain morphological evolution, and the effects of integration on the evolution of structure likely vary by system, clade, historical contingency, and time scale. In this introduction to the 2019 symposium "Multifunctional Structures and Multistructural Functions," we discuss the role of integration among structures in the context of functional integration and multifunctionality. We highlight articles from this issue of Integrative and Comparative Biology that explore integration within and among kinematics, sensory and motor systems, physiological systems, developmental processes, morphometric dimensions, and biomechanical functions. From these myriad examples it is clear that integration can exist at multiple levels of organization that can interact with adjacent levels to result in complex patterns of structural and functional phenotypes. We conclude with a synthesis of major themes and potential future directions, particularly with respect to using multifunctionality, itself, as a trait in evolutionary analyses.

PSIII-19 Supplementation of mint oil and yeast cell in lactation diets on performance of offspring during the early-post weaning period

Social and dietary stress at weaning can increase oxidative stress in piglets and impact performance during the early post-wean period. A study was conducted to assess yeast cell and mint oil supplementation during suckling and post-wean periods on offspring growth performance. A total of 481 piglets (6.25 ± 3.35 kg BW) from 45 sows were randomly allotted to pens balanced by weight and litter (6-8 pigs/pen) within maternal diet. Pens of pigs received the same dietary treatment as the sow during the suckling phase: control diet (CON), control + yeast cell at 0.2% (YC), control + mint oil at 10 ppm (MO), and control + yeast cell and mint oil (YCMO) for 35 d post-wean in a 4-phase feeding regimen (phase 1, d0-6; phase 2, d7-13; phase 3, d14-19; phase 4, d20-35). Performance was analyzed as randomized complete block with pen as experimental unit and Tukey’s adjustment as means separation test. Piglets from YC sows were heavier (P < 0.05) than CON with MO and YCMO intermediate at weaning (6.9, 6.5, 6.7 and 6.6 ± 0.2 kg, respectively) and day 6 post-wean (7.12, 6.68, 7.01, and 6.75 ± 0.09 kg, respectively) and no difference among groups at day 13 (9.1 ± 0.16 kg), 19 (11.3 ± 0.19 kg) and 35 (19.7 ± 0.35 kg). Overall, daily gain was greater (P < 0.05) CON-fed pigs than YCMO pigs (0.40, 0.39, 0.38, 0.37 ± 0.01 g/d in CON, YC, MO, and YCMO, respectively). Overall feed intake was greater (P < 0.05) for YCMO than MO resulting in lower (P < 0.05) gain:feed in YCMO-fed pigs vs CON and MO with YC-fed pigs intermediate (0.538 vs 0.617, 0.621, and 0.585, respectively). Exposure to yeast cell or mint oil during the suckling and early post-wean periods provided some benefit to offspring performance.

179 Supplementation of mint oil and yeast cell in lactation diets on the antioxidant status of the dam and performance of offspring during the suckling phase

Environmental or metabolic heat can increase oxidative stress in sows and may impact suckling pig growth; yeast cell- and oil-based products are used to alleviate oxidative stress. A study was conducted to assess yeast cell and mint oil supplementation in sow lactation diets on sow anti-oxidant status and offspring performance to weaning. A total of 45 sows and gilts (240.7 ± 38.5 kg BW) were assigned to one of 4 diets: Control diet (CON), control + yeast cell at 0.2% (YC), control + mint oil at 10 ppm (MO), and control + yeast cell and mint oil (YCMO). Diets were provided from d 110 of gestation through weaning (21 ± 4 d). Variables evaluated were: sow and piglet growth, litter characteristics at birth, colostrum and milk oxidative status, sow feed intake. Data analyzed as randomized complete block with sow as experimental unit and Tukey’s adjustment as means separation test. There was no effect of maternal diet on sow BW (204.52 ± 43.5 kg) at weaning, piglet birth weight (1.44 ± 0.96 kg), litter size (13.09 ± 6 pig/sow) or sow feed intake (6.32 ± 3.05 kg). Piglets from CON females had lesser gain (P < 0.05) compared with the other groups during the suckling phase (0.23, 0.24, 0.24, and 0.24 ± 0.005 kg in CON, YC, MO, and YCMO group, respectively). Superoxide dismutase activity in sow serum (d110 and weaning), colostrum, and milk was not different among diets and was 39, 59, 45, and 10% lower at weaning than d 110 in CON, YC, MO, and YCMO sows, respectively. Milk glutathione content tended to be lower (P < 0.10) in MO than YCMO sows with CON and YC intermediate (15.2, 32.0, 20.6, and 21.1 U/ml), respectively. Overall, inclusion of yeast cell or mint oil enhanced piglet growth, which may be related to lower sow antioxidant status.

Morphological and functional maturity of the oral jaws covary with offspring size in Trinidadian guppies

Large size of individual offspring is routinely selected for in highly competitive environments, such as in low-predation populations of the Trinidadian guppy (Poecilia reticulata). Large guppy offspring outcompete their smaller conspecifics, but the functional mechanisms underlying this advantage are unknown. We measured jaw kinematics during benthic feeding and cranial musculoskeletal morphologies in neonates and juveniles from five populations of Trinidadian guppy and found that both kinematics and morphologies vary substantially with neonatal size. Rotation at the intramandibular joint (IMJ), but not the quadratomandibular joint (QMJ), increases with size among guppy offspring, from 11.7° in the smallest neonates to 22.9° in the largest neonates. Ossification of the cranial skeleton varies from 20% in the smallest neonates to 90% in the largest. Relative to standard length (SL; jaw tip to caudal fin base distance), the surface area of jaw-closing musculature scales with positive allometry (SL^2.72) indicating that muscle growth outpaces body growth. Maximum gape also scales with positive allometry (SL^1.20), indicating that larger neonates are capable of greater jaw excursions. These findings indicate that size is not the sole adaptive benefit to producing larger offspring; maturation provides a potential functional mechanism underlying the competitive advantage of large offspring size among Trinidadian guppies.