Project Grant 20246701542327

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** CATTLE WITH HIGH PULMONARY ARTERIAL PRESSURE (PAP) HAVE A 20% HIGHER FEED-TO-GAIN RATIO IN THE FEEDLOT AND A 30% FASTER DISCOLORATION IN POSTMORTEM PRODUCTS (2 DAYS EARLIER) COMPARED WITH CATTLE WITH LOW PAP. ALTHOUGH CATTLE WITH HIGH PAP ARE USUALLY IDENTIFIED IN HIGH-ALTITUDE BEEF PRODUCTION SYSTEMS IN THE US, RECENT STUDIES HAVE REPORTED MORE CASES AT LOW ALTITUDES. THE US HIGH-ALTITUDE BEEF PRODUCTION SYSTEM PRODUCES ABOUT 1.5 MILLION CALVES PER YEAR, AND ISSUES WITH HIGH PAP HAVE COST ABOUT $60 MILLION ANNUALLY SINCE 2010. ON THE OTHER HAND, WORLDWIDE FEED PRICE HAS REACHED ITS HIGHEST INDEX SINCE 2013, AND THE WASTE DUE TO BEEF DISCOLORATION (194.70 MILLION KG/YEAR) IS BECOMING A SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN TO STAKEHOLDERS AND POLICYMAKERS. A GENERAL INTERVENTION IS NEEDED IMMEDIATELY TO MANAGE HIGH PAP ANIMAL PRODUCTION INEFFICIENCY AND PRODUCT DEFECTS. OUR CURRENT PROPOSAL APPLIES SUPRANUTRITIONAL VE SUPPLEMENTATION TO COUNTER FEED INEFFICIENCY AND MEAT DISCOLORATION IN FEEDLOT CATTLE WITH HIGH PAP. SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THIS OBJECTIVE WILL ALLOW US TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE GUIDANCE TO MANAGE HIGH PAP CATTLE DURING THE FEEDLOT PERIOD AND WILL ENABLE US TO EVALUATE THE UNKNOWN EFFECTS OF HIGH PAP ON MUSCLE GROWTH, MITOCHONDRIAL FUNCTION, AND MEAT QUALITY. THIS STUDY WILL ALSO EXAMINE HOW VE SUPPLEMENTATION AFFECTS POSTMORTEM PROTEOLYSIS AND ITS RELATION TO MEAT QUALITY DEVELOPMENTS DURING INDUSTRIAL MEAT PRODUCTION. SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THIS OBJECTIVE WILL ALLOW US TO UNDERSTAND THE LINKAGE BETWEEN DIETARY VE SUPPLEMENTATION, PROTEOME DEGRADATION, AND BEEF QUALITY.