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Data from USDA ARS Central Plains Experimental Range (CPER) near Nunn, CO: Cattle weight gains managed with light, moderate and heavy grazing intensities

    The USDA-Agricultural Research Service Central Plains Experimental Range (CPER) is a Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) network site located ~20 km northeast of Nunn, in north-central Colorado, USA. In 1939, scientists established the Long-term Grazing Intensity study (LTGI) with four replications of light, moderate, and heavy grazing. Each replication had three 129.5 ha pastures with the grazing intensity treatment randomly assigned. Today, one replication remains. Light grazing occurs in pasture 23W (9.3 Animal Unit Days (AUD)/ha, targeted for 20% utilization of peak growing-season biomass), moderate grazing in pasture 15E (12.5 AUD/ha, 40% utilization), and heavy grazing in pasture 23E (18.6 AUD/ha, 60% utilization). British- and continental-breed yearling cattle graze the pastures season-long from mid-May to October except when forage limitations shorten the grazing season. Individual raw data on cattle entry and exit weights, as well as weights every 28-days during the grazing season are available from 2000 to 2019. Cattle entry and exit weights are included in this dataset. Weight outliers (± 2 SD) are flagged for calculating summary statistics or performing statistical analysis.

    Data from USDA ARS High Plains Grasslands Research Station (East Unit) near Cheyenne, WY: Yearling cattle weight gains managed in light, moderate and heavily stocked pastures (1982-2022)

      The USDA-Agricultural Research Service High Plains Grasslands Research Station (HPGRS) is located in Cheyenne, Wyoming, USA. In 1982, a long-term stocking rate study on northern mixed-grass prairie was initiated with season-long (early June to October) grazing. Stocking rates defined as light (35% below NRCS recommended rate, 15 yearlings per 80 ha), moderate (NRCS recommended rate, 4 yearlings per 12ha), and heavy (33% above NRCS recommended rate, 4 yearlings per 9 ha). British- and continental-breed yearling cattle were used throughout the study years. When forage supply was limited due to drought, grazing seasons were shortened or cattle were not grazed for that season. Individual raw data on cattle entry and exit weights are available from 1982 to 2022. No grazing occurred in the years 1989, 2000, and 2002 due to drought conditions. Weight gain outliers (± 2 sd of treatment mean) were removed from the dataset.

      Data from: Genome wide association study of thyroid hormone levels following challenge with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus

        Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) causes respiratory disease in piglets and reproductive disease in sows. Piglet and fetal serum thyroid hormone (i.e., T3 and T4) levels decrease rapidly in response to PRRSV infection. Our objective was to estimate genetic parameters and identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) for absolute T3 and/or T4 levels of piglets and fetuses challenged with PRRSV.

        Data from: Can measurements of foraging behaviour predict variation in weight gains of free-ranging cattle?

          This study examines whether four different ways of measuring daily foraging behaviour (grazing-bout duration, grazing time per day, velocity while grazing, and turn angle while grazing) were related to weight gain by free-ranging yearling steers grazing semiarid rangeland. Data include measurements interpreted from neck collars supporting a solar-powered device that measured GPS locations at 5 min intervals and an accelerometer to predict grazing activity at 4 sec intervals.

          27 years of livestock production data under different stocking rate levels at the Central Grasslands Research Extension Center near Streeter, North Dakota

            The effects of stocking rate on livestock performance and profitability were monitored on 12 pastures at the Central Grasslands Research Extension Center (CGREC) near Streeter, ND from 1989 through 2015. These data were produced from an investigation of how the impacts of grazing intensity on native range, in addition an economic component, was included to determine grazing intensity effect on animal production.

            Data from: Predicting spatial-temporal patterns of diet quality and large herbivore performance using satellite time series

              Analysis-ready tabular data from "Predicting spatial-temporal patterns of diet quality and large herbivore performance using satellite time series" in Ecological Applications, Kearney et al., 2021. Data is tabular data only, summarized to the pasture scale. Weight gain data for individual cattle and the STARFM-derived Landsat-MODIS fusion imagery can be made available upon request.

              Data from: Profile of the Spleen Transcriptome in Beef Steers with Variation in Gain and Feed Intake

                This study examines the spleen in beef steers, a major lymphatic organ near the digestive tract, to determine whether it was also influencing individual feed efficiency status through immune responses. A total of 1216 genes were identified as differentially expressed. Data suggests the splenic contribution to some of the underlying variation among gain and intake may be a result of immune function and stress response. In addition, some of the differences in immune response functions may be related to gene copy number.