Gestational heat stress alters maternal vaginal microbiome, plasma metabolic markers, and preweaning offspring performance in Bos indicus-influenced cow-calf pairs.
This 3-year study evaluated the effects of gestational access to shade on maternal performance, vaginal microbiome composition, and offspring preweaning performance in beef cows. On day 0 of each year (92 ± 20 days prepartum), 176 multiparous, pregnant Brangus crossbred beef cows (25 to 37.5% Bos indicus) were stratifi...