Recipient Organization
NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIV
1310 BOLLEY DR
FARGO,ND 58105-5750
Performing Department
ANIMAL SCIENCES
Non Technical Summary
The state-of-the-art Waters UPLC will be used for continuance and expansion of research programs. Research focus areas are in line with current national priorities. Use of the Waters UPLC will result in research program enhancement through expanded analytical capabilities, more rapid sample throughput, increased analytical sensitivity, improved graduate training through formal and informal instruction on instrument use, and increased breadth of analytical capabilities through expanded amino acid analysis. In addition, cost effectiveness will be improved. Perhaps more importantly, research program enhancement will lead to increased competitiveness of associated research programs and a realization of long-term goals.
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
50%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
The Department of Animal Sciences at North Dakota State University is composed of several disciplines that include Ruminant Nutrition, Reproductive Biology, Meat Science/ Muscle Biology, and Livestock Production. Efforts within each group focus on relevant research, teaching, and outreach activities. Faculty within these disciplines have established strong independent research programs. In addition, they have developed outstanding collaborations and synergistic efforts directed towards understanding the impacts of maternal nutrition on the developing conceptus, growth and function of key nutrient transferring tissues, and end product quality. These collaborative groups have a critical need for amino acid analysis, which currently cannot be met with existing equipment. Considerable future work is planned that requires analyses of specific amino acids and the only current options are to send the samples out for contract services or arrange for services through a collaborating laboratory. Therefore, the addition of the Waters Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC) system for amino acid analyses would greatly enhance research programs, improve analytical efficiency, and provide for greater cost effectiveness. Our long-term goals are to answer relevant questions in the animal agriculture and biological sciences while training the next generation of scientists through cutting-edge graduate and postdoctoral programs. Our specific objectives are to utilize a Waters ULPC for amino acid analysis, which is necessary for the successful continuance and expansion of current research programs of the project directors and collaborating scientists. The Waters Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC) system for amino acid analyses will result in research program enhancement through expanded analytical capabilities, more rapid sample throughput, increased analytical sensitivity, improved graduate training through formal and informal instruction on instrument use, and increased breadth of analytical capabilities through expanded amino acid analysis. In addition, cost effectiveness will be improved. Perhaps more importantly, research program enhancement will lead to increased competitiveness of associated research programs and a realization of long-term goals.
Project Methods
Research focus areas in the Department of Animal Science at NDSU include A) Effects of Maternal Nutrient Supply and Targeted Supplementation on Embryonic Survival, Placental and Fetal Development, and Postnatal Outcomes, B) Impacts of Maternal Diet on Amino Acid Transfer Across the Placenta, and C) Determinants of Muscle growth and Meat quality. Project directors within these focus areas require the use of a Waters ULPC for amino acid analysis. The Waters ULPC will be housed on the first floor of Hultz Hall at North Dakota State University in the Animal Science Department and managed by the project director and a qualified technician. This laboratory, is a multi-use facility, and serves the needs of the project directors, ruminant nutritionists, reproductive physiologists, lactation biologists, and meat scientists/muscle biologists. The laboratory employs three full time technicians and is used by other collaborating scientists, post-doctoral fellows, research associates, and graduate and undergraduate research fellows. The laboratory also provides opportunities for assisting with teaching and extension activities. The Waters UPLC will be primarily used in research programs of the project directors listed within this proposal; however, it will also be used in other collaborative research activities. Some of the upcoming studies that will utilize the Waters UPLC for amino acid analysis include: 1) Impacts of specific amino acid supplementation on embryonic survival and development; 2) Effectiveness of rumen protected arginine to rescue growth restricted offspring; 3) Impacts of arginine (and other amino acids) supply on growth, vascularization, and function of key nutrient transferring tissues; 4) Effects of small intestinal amino acid supply during various stages of gestation on fetal development and offspring performance; 5) Effects of specific amino acid supplementation on oocyte quality and in vitro fertilization; 6) Determination of maternal undernutrition impacts on amino acid transport in the ovine and bovine placenta; 7) Determination of the effects of specific nutrients on amino acid transport and reproductive capacity; 8) Determination of the ovarian and(or) uterine mechanisms associated with altered fertility of female offspring; 8) Effects of exercise during gestation on offspring muscle growth efficiency in swine; 9) Influence of protein supplementation in late pregnancy on offspring carcass quality; 10) Differences in meat quality attributes (tenderness, juiciness, and flavor) and amino acid composition in aged beef from conventionally raised and naturally raised cattle; 11) Effects of aging on hydroxyproline concentrations to determine changes in connective tissue; and 12) Differences in flavor profiles between wet and dry aging of beef wholesale cuts.