This study investigated the effects of protein supply on milk production in a herbage-based feeding system. We assessed 138 lactation records from 94 Holstein and Swiss Fleckvieh cows on an organic farm across 3.5 years. During winter, the basal ration consisted of hay (kg dry matter [DM]: 111 g crude protein [CP] and 5.2 MJ net energy lactation [NEL]), and grazing started in late March (kg DM: 178 g CP and 6.1 MJ NEL). On average, the cows consumed 333 kg of concentrate per lactation (as fed). The cows were paired by breed, parity, and calving date and randomly assigned to a low-protein (LOPRO; kg DM: 137 g CP and 7.8 MJ NEL) or a higher-protein (HIPRO; kg DM: 221 g CP and 8.0 MJ NEL) concentrate treatments. Calving occurred from late December to early May. Milk recordings and reproductive parameters were analysed using linear mixed-effects models, and health treatment counts were analysed using Poisson tests. Only in early lactation did LOPRO cows produce less energy-corrected milk (26.8 vs. 28.5 kg/d; p = 0.01) and have lower milk fat (38.6 vs. 40.0 g/kg; p = 0.049) and milk urea (16.1 vs. 20.6 mg/dL; p < 0.001) concentrations than HIPRO cows. Although calving-to-first-insemination intervals were similar (p = 0.18), LOPRO cows showed poorer reproductive performance. No differences in health treatments were observed between the feeding treatments. These findings highlight a trade-off between protein supply for performance and reproduction and increased nitrogen excretion, as reflected in milk urea concentrations.
Beef cattle systems are central to northern Australia’s economy, yet variable productivity and profitability highlight the need to understand long-term drivers of production and efficiency under extensive grazing conditions. This study analysed socio-economic and environmental determinants of beef cattle production (number of animals sold) and total factor productivity (TFP) in northern Australia using time-series data from 1990 to 2024 and Panel Vector Error Correction Models. The production model identified positive long-term relationships with branding rate, total labour use, and farm business debt, and negative relationships with area operated, farm capital, non-farm income, farm liquid assets, and rainfall. The negative association between rainfall and production reflects the measurement of production as animals sold, where favourable seasons may encourage herd rebuilding and breeder retention. Production did not significantly adjust to deviations from long-term equilibrium, indicating strong biological persistence, whereas factor inputs exhibited substantial adjustment behaviour. The TFP model revealed two cointegrating relationships. Total factor productivity was positively associated with livestock contract costs and rainfall, and negatively associated with non-farm income, farm liquid assets, and farm business debt. In contrast to production, productivity responded significantly to disequilibrium, with financial variables playing a central role in restoring long-term equilibrium following shocks. Overall, the results demonstrate that reproductive efficiency and labour are dominant drivers of beef production, while long-term productivity is shaped by the interaction of financial structure and climatic variability. These findings highlight the importance of integrated management strategies that strengthen reproductive performance and financial resilience to enhance sustainable productivity in northern Australian beef systems.
In Japanese Black cattle (Wagyu), body measurement values, feeding and blood vitamin-A concentration (VitA conc) have an influence on beef marbling. In this study, deep learning was conducted to quantitatively analyze scores in the marbling (beef-marbling-standard (BMS) scores). A neural network model being obtained with the deep learning predicted the BMS scores with a relative error of 7.7 %, a root mean square error of 0.52, and a correlation coefficient of 0.92. In Monte Carlo simulation using the neural network model, as the minimum conc of VitA in the blood decreased from 54 to 25 IU/dL, the BMS score increased. When the blood VitA conc reached 25 IU/dL, the increase in BMS score was saturated. From this result and a sensitivity analysis in the deep learning, it was found that lowering in blood VitA conc during the fattening period directly influenced the BMS score, rather than just a trigger for inducing the marbling. The neural network model developed here for the prediction of the BMS score is available even for small sample sizes and could serve as a support tool for farmers.
High dietary inclusion of Chlorella vulgaris may reduce soybean meal use, but its physiological effects depend on dose, exposure period and processing. This study evaluated systemic and hepatic responses of broilers fed 15% C. vulgaris from days 7 to 35 and tested the incremental response to pancreatin after biomass extrusion. A total of 120 male Ross 308 broilers were allocated to 40 pens and four diets: a maize–soybean control, 15% spray-dried C. vulgaris, 15% extruded C. vulgaris, or the extruded diet plus 0.30% pancreatin. Growth was evaluated by pen, and one bird per pen was sampled on day 35 for haematology, plasma biochemistry and hepatic lipid, fatty acid, pigment, vitamin E homologue and mineral analyses. Final body weight, average daily gain and feed conversion ratio did not differ among diets (P > 0.05), whereas feed intake was greater with extruded biomass plus pancreatin than with spray-dried biomass (P = 0.013). All C. vulgaris diets reduced relative liver weight by at least 18% and hepatic iron by more than 50% (P < 0.001), altered circulating lipids and hepatic fatty acid proportions, and increased hepatic vitamin E homologues and microalgal pigments. Pancreatin produced no consistent additional response when added to extruded biomass; however, its independent effect and interaction with extrusion could not be estimated because pancreatin was only tested in the extruded diet. Overall, 15% C. vulgaris from day 7 maintained growth performance but induced marked systemic and hepatic changes including a reduction in hepatic iron and altered fatty acid, vitamin E homologue and microalgal pigment profiles. These findings highlight that growth performance alone does not capture the physiological effects of dietary C. vulgaris.
This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of Bacillus paralicheniformis 809 and Bacillus subtilis 810 incubations on in vitro dry matter and fibre disappearance of feedstuffs used in European dairy production. Forty-five forage-based (n = 22), dairy total mixed rations (TMR; n = 10), and concentrate feedstuffs (n = 13) were used. The experimental treatments evaluated herein were a control (no probiotic inoculation; CON) or inoculation of a mixture of a probiotic containing Bacillus paralicheniformis 809 and B. subtilis 810 (DFM) into the jars containing the rumen fluid of the non-lactating dairy cows. Three rumen-fistulated non-lactating cows of the Norwegian red breed were used as the inoculum source for the present study. The donor cows were fed a ration at maintenance level split in equal portions twice daily, without the addition of any other feed additive. Feedstuffs were classified into high (H) or low (L) quality, by taking the median neutral detergent fiber (NDF) value in each feed type for further analysis. All data were analyzed with SAS (version 9.4), considering the jar as the experimental unit. Additionally, the interaction between treatment, quality, and feed types were considered in the statistical analysis. The in vitro 24- and 48-h dry matter disappearance (DMD) increased (P < 0.001) by 2.8 and 0.9%-units, respectively, following the DFM incubation. Similarly, incubating the DFM with the substrates also increased (P < 0.0001) the in-vitro 24- and 48-h neutral detergent fiber disappearance (NDFD) by 6.4 and 3.6%-units, respectively. No 2- or 3-interactions were observed (P ≥ 0.42) on 24- or 48-h in vitro DMD (IVDMD) and in vitro NDFD (IVNDFD) when quality was analyzed, while main treatment effects were observed (P < 0.0001). Regardless of the substrate quality, DFM addition increased both IVDMD and IVNDFD in both timepoints (P < 0.001). In summary, Bacillus paralicheniformis 809 and Bacillus subtilis 810 probiotic incubation increased in vitro dry matter and neutral detergent fibre degradation, regardless of the quality of the substrates, proving its efficacy as a nutritional tool to optimize nutrient utilization in the rumen of livestock animals, when offered a variety of feedstuffs.
Ensuring sufficient lysine intake without crude protein (CP) oversupply is challenging in organic pig production. Although roughage is mandatory, its nutrient contribution is often overlooked. This study evaluated how compound-feed lysine concentrations affect performance and roughage intake in organic growing–finishing pigs.One hundred fifty pigs (31.3–112 kg) received 5 compound diets (6.1 to 7.7 g digestible lysine/kg) with ad libitum grass-clover silage. Performance and plasma metabolites were measured.While average daily gain was stable, dietary lysine linearly improved early-phase feed conversion efficiency (2.37 to 2.23; P < 0.01) and lean meat percentage (58.8 to 59.8 %; P = 0.03), suggesting that weight gain was energy-limited under the isoenergetic conditions while lean tissue deposition remained lysine-responsive. Silage intake reached 1 kg/pig/day, but its low dry matter content restricted its nutrient contribution, (1.5 to 2.2 % additional lysine and 3.1 to 5.8 % CP), with no compensatory intake at lower compound lysine levels.Plasma amino acid increased linearly with dietary lysine (P < 0.01), reflecting greater nutrient availability. Concurrently, rising plasma urea/creatinine ratios (P < 0.01) indicated that surplus protein was not fully utilised for muscle synthesis due to energy limits.Ultimately, optimising organic feed formulations requires balancing early-phase efficiency gains and leaner growth against high feed costs and metabolic load of unutilised protein. These findings suggest that a multi-phase feeding regime, with high lysine density during the early responsive phase (34.7–58.7 kg) and reduced density in later phases, would likely maximise efficiency while minimising N waste.
This study aimed to evaluate how morphological traits associated with thermal environmental adaptation influence feed and water intake in Caracu young bulls under tropical conditions. We investigate (1) the association of body weight with coat traits related to heat adaptation; and (2) the relationship among body weight, coat traits and thermal environment on feed intake, water intake, and average daily gain. Ninety-four animals (mean ± SD; 287 ± 22 days old) participated in two Feed Efficiency Tests (FET; 2024 and 2025) over 70-day. Body weight (BW) and coat traits (hide thickness, hair length and hair colour) were measured every fourteen days, while daily water and dry matter intake (DMI) were continuously recorded. Animals were categorized as heavy (n = 27; BW: 315.5 ± 18.0 kg), intermediate (n = 31; BW: 271.5 ± 12.1 kg), and light (n = 36; BW: 222 ± 23.6 kg) based on initial BW. Environmental data were used to calculate adjusted temperature–humidity index (THIadj). Different linear mixed models were used (1) to evaluate the association of body weight category and days on FET on coat traits; (2) to identify factors associated with dry matter intake and water intake; and (3) to assess the relationships between days on FET and intake variables. Light animals showed lower (p ≤ 0.05) hide thickness and longer short hair (p = 0.004) than heavy and intermediate animals, whereas long hair length and coat colour were not associated with body weight category (p ≥ 0.05). For all animals, hide thickness increased with days on FET (p ≤ 0.001), whereas long hair length (p ≤ 0.001) and coat colour decreased over time (p ≤ 0.001). Light and intermediate animals showed greater (p ≤ 0.001) average daily gain than heavier animals. DMI decreased with increasing THIadj (p ≤ 0.001) and coat colour score (p ≤ 0.001) but increased with water intake (p ≤ 0.001) and hide thickness (p ≤ 0.005). Water intake increased with THIadj (p ≤ 0.001), hide thickness (p ≤ 0.001), and dry matter intake (p ≤ 0.001), while decreasing with coat colour (p ≤ 0.001). BW category was no associated (p ≥ 0.05) with water intake. Our findings indicate that body weight, days on FET, coat traits, and thermal environment were significant predictors of intake in Caracu cattle. Also, body weight and days on FET were associated with variation in coat traits, whereas higher THIadj was associated with lower feed intake and greater water intake.
Glyphosate-based herbicides are used for weed control and desiccation of feed crops, leaving residues in feed for livestock. The objective of the experiment was to investigate the effect of glyphosate diet residues on performance and mineral status of newly weaned pigs. The experiment was conducted at a conventional pig farm and comprised a total of 3,314 pigs weaned at 25 (SD=3) days of age originating from six week-batches. Within week-batch, pigs were grouped into small, medium and large pigs and thereafter allocated to pens that were assigned to one of three wheat/soy based dietary treatments: conventional farming practice with either a low (GlyLow) or high (GlyHigh) application of glyphosate during cultivation of the feed crops and a third treatment where glyphosate from a commercial product (Glyphomax HL) was added to a level between 10 and 20 mg glyphosate/kg diet (GlyMRL). The treatment period was six weeks, divided into three two-week periods (P-I, II and III). The diet glyphosate concentrations (mg/kg) were for GlyLow 0.28, 0.59, 0.89, for GlyHigh 0.75, 1.02, 1.17 and for GlyMRL 13.6, 14.3, 17.2 in P-I, P-II and P-III, respectively. Glyphosate in serum of blood (µg/L) sampled in week 6 of treatment were 0.47 for GlyLow, 1.28 for GlyHigh and 15.4 for GlyMRL. Neither daily feed intake, daily gain, faecal dry matter, faecal short-chain fatty acids nor blood serum minerals were affected by treatment. In conclusion, we found no differences in the effects of glyphosate levels ranging between 0.28 and 17.2 mg per kg diet.
Background and objectives In dairy systems, concentrate allocation is commonly based on milk yield, days in milk and parity, assuming homogeneous responses among cows with similar characteristics. We hypothesized that cows differ in their short-term adaptive strategies when concentrate supply is reduced. The objective was to characterize inter-individual variability in milk yield and feed intake responses following a decrease in concentrate allowance. Data collection Sixty Holstein cows (one-third primiparous) were fed a common balanced base ration delivered individually via electronic weighing troughs and received concentrate through an automatic feeder. Each 6-week sequence comprised 3 weeks at 4 kg/d concentrate (C4 phase) followed by 3 weeks at 1 kg/d (C1 phase); the sequence was repeated three times. Cows were assigned to one of two treatments: FLEX (ad libitum access to the base ration) or FIX (base ration intake during C1 limited to the individual average intake recorded during the preceding C4 phase). Research methods Individual response profiles were defined using predefined quantitative thresholds established by an expert group. Compensation in base ration intake was expressed as kg additional base ration per kg concentrate reduction and classified as B0 (<0.30), B+ (0.30 ≤ B+ ≤ 0.80), or B++ (>0.80). Milk yield response was expressed as kg milk change per kg concentrate reduction and classified as M0 (>−0.30), M− (−0.80 ≤ M- ≤ −0.30), or M−− (<−0.80). Results With an average decrease of 2.40 kg DM/d concentrate supply, FLEX cows increased base ration intake by 1.35 kg DM/d and decreased milk yield by 1.24 kg/d while FIX cows maintained base ration intake (-0.08 kg DM/d) and decreased milk yield by 2.43 kg/d. Milk response profiles were equally distributed in FLEX cows whereas most FIX cows exhibited moderate to high milk losses. Marked variability was observed in both intake compensation and milk responses within treatments. Contributions Access to base ration modulates milk response to concentrate reduction and provides evidence of substantial inter-individual variability in short-term adaptive strategies. By proposing quantitative response profiles combining intake and milk changes, it contributes a phenotyping framework for identifying response profiles that could eventually support the development of individualized feeding approaches.
We evaluated the effects of an Escherichia coli-derived phytase on growth performance, diarrhea incidence (DI), intestinal health, blood components, and bone traits of nursery piglets. A total of 126 piglets (6.53 ± 1.29 kg) were assigned to 1 of 6 dietary treatments in a completely randomized block design, with 7 replicates and 3 animals per pen. Dietary treatments consisted of a positive control (PC) diet formulated to meet the nutritional requirements (0 phytase unit - FTU/kg diet); negative control (NC): diet with reduced Ca, P, metabolizable energy, and amino acid contents (0 FTU/kg); and NC + 500, 1,000, 1,500, or 2,000 FTU/kg diet. Piglets fed PC, 1,500, and 2,000 FTU/kg diet showed lower DI vs. NC. Compared with NC, phytase supplementation reduced (P < 0.02) propionic acid concentrations at 500, 1,000, and 2,000 FTU/kg; butyric acid at 1,000 or 2,000 FTU/kg; valeric acid with PC or all phytase doses; and acetic acid at 1,000 FTU/kg. Increasing phytase doses increased bone strength (P < 0.02). Piglets fed the PC or diets supplemented with 1,000, 1,500, and 2,000 FTU/kg showed greater jejunal pH (P < 0.01), whereas cecal pH was greater (P = 0.04) at 1,000 or 2,000 FTU/kg than in the NC group. Blood Ca concentration was lower at 1,500 FTU/kg (P = 0.04) than in the NC group. In conclusion, phytase supplementation at 1,500 and 2,000 FTU/kg in nutrient-reduced diets maintained growth performance, reduced diarrhea incidence, modulated short-chain fatty acid production and intestinal pH, and improve bone strength in nursery piglets.
The guinea pig is a species of significant economic and nutritional importance, especially in the Andean region of South America. Measuring within-litter variability of birth weight (BW) is a challenge in this species because there are few records per litter. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of heteroscedastic models under realistic pedigree structures through simulation, as well as to determine the potential of selection for uniformity of within-litter BW in guinea pig populations. Real pedigree and BW data from three guinea pig populations (P1, P2, and UNH) were analyzed. BW data were simulated based on prior estimates of variance components and by maintaining the actual mating scheme. Parameter estimation was performed by fitting a complete model (with litter effect) and an incomplete model (without litter effect) under Frequentist and Bayesian approaches. The results showed that the heteroscedastic model allows for a reasonable estimation of the variance components and prediction of genetic values. In population P1, which had greater pedigree depth and a larger number of records, the results were more consistent compared to populations P2 and UNH. Comparing the complete and incomplete models, the accuracy of the genetic values for the residual variance were similar. After five generations of selection, a reduction in BW variability is expected. Overall, despite their low litter size, our results suggest that selection for uniformity of BW in guinea pig populations is potentially viable, but its efficiency is contingent upon a sound pedigree structure and a sufficient number of records.
Abstract Background and objectivesSwedish dairy production has become increasingly dependent on imported feed, fertiliser and energy, raising concerns about long‑term resilience and national food security. Forage‑based feeding strategies have been proposed to reduce external dependence, but their implications for productivity, udder health and reproductive performance under Swedish conditions remain unclear. This study compared herd‑level indicators of milk production, udder health, fertility and metabolic status between Swedish dairy herds managed with low or high forage proportions.Data collectionHerds were classified as low forage (<55% forage) or high forage (>65% forage) based on 10‑month lactation diets. Herd‑level data on milk yield, energy‑corrected milk (ECM), somatic cell count (SCC), reproductive performance and milk urea were obtained from the Swedish official milk‑recording scheme and analysed using mean values from 2018–2024.Research methodsAnalyses were performed at the herd level using annual aggregated data. Multivariable mixed‑effects models were fitted for all outcomes, adjusting for herd size, breed and geographical region, with herd ID included as a random intercept to account for repeated annual observations.ResultsLow‑forage herds produced on average 2,200 kg more ECM per cow and year than high‑forage herds, and this difference remained after adjustment. Udder health indicators were broadly similar between systems, with small and imprecisely estimated differences in SCC. Reproductive indicators showed no clear evidence of system‑level differences. High‑forage herds had a higher proportion of cows with low milk urea values, and low‑forage herds had lower odds of low urea in adjusted models, indicating a distinct nitrogen balance between strategies. The fat‑to‑protein ratio, based on herd‑level annual averages, showed no clear system differences.ConclusionsHigh‑forage systems appear able to maintain stable udder health and fertility outcomes despite lower concentrate use, although with an expected reduction in milk yield.ContributionsThis study provides new herd‑level evidence under Swedish conditions on how contrasting forage proportions relate to milk production, udder health, fertility and metabolic indicators. It contributes national‑scale data on milk urea and fat‑to‑protein ratio differences between forage‑based feeding strategies and confirms that high‑forage systems can maintain health and fertility despite lower concentrate use.
Camelus dromedarius plays a critical role in production systems across arid regions. In recent years, global interest in dromedaries and their products has rapidly grown. Notwithstanding, dromedary genome-wide genotyping tools remain limited, relying predominantly on genotyping by sequencing technologies or the very few SNP arrays developed from small discovery panels, providing only a partial population representation. To address these gaps, we developed and validated the Illumina® CamelSNP60 BeadChip, a medium-density SNP array designed from 201 dromedary whole-genomes from 18 countries worldwide. It includes 56 K SNPs, evenly distributed across the genome, with enrichment of known functional loci in other livestock species. Technical validation, involving genotypes from 374 globally distributed samples, showed an individual concordance rate of about 96% compared to whole-genome sequencing data. The Mendelian Errors rate in the array-genotype dataset was close to 0%. The array’s even SNP distribution and the observed linkage disequilibrium decay pattern make it a well-suited tool for genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and, possibly, genomic selection. By overcoming previous limitations in dromedary genomic tools, this resource enables fine genetic diversity analyses and facilitates research on economically and adaptively significant traits. It represents a key step toward driving genetic improvement and sustainable productivity in dromedary populations worldwide.
This study tested the hypothesis that crossbreeding Rubia Gallega with Nelore cattle alters lipid composition through differences in biochemical, hormonal, and molecular parameters of lipid metabolism. The objective was to compare fatty acid profiles, serum metabolites and hormones, and the expression of genes related to lipid metabolism in Rubia Gallega × Nelore (RGN) and purebred Nelore (N) cattle. Sixteen Nelore and sixteen RGN non-castrated males (11 months old; 280 ± 15 kg initial body weight) were finished in a feedlot for 120 days prior to slaughter. Nelore cattle exhibited higher total lipid content, greater concentrations of saturated fatty acids 14:0 and 16:0, and higher Δ9-desaturase activity compared with RGN (P ≤ 0.05). In contrast, RGN cattle showed higher total polyunsaturated fatty acids (ΣPUFA) and a higher health index (P ≤ 0.05). Serum total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) concentrations were lower in RGN than in Nelore cattle (P ≤ 0.05). Additionally, RGN cattle had higher circulating insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and lower insulin concentrations (P ≤ 0.05). Gene expression analysis showed higher lipoprotein lipase (LPL) expression in RGN cattle (P ≤ 0.05), while acyl-CoA oxidase (ACOX) expression tended to be higher (P = 0.0998). These results demonstrate that Rubia Gallega × Nelore crossbreeding modifies lipid composition and is associated with differences in metabolic and molecular indicators of lipid metabolism.
The current study aimed to explore the effect of dietary supplementation with Eruca sativa, Nigella sativa, and peppermint oil (ENPO) blend on growth performance, blood biochemistry, antioxidant capacity, immune status, tissue histopathological features, and economic returns of Avain-48 and Hubbard Efficiency Plus broilers. A total of 320 10-d-old broiler chicks of Avain-48 and Hubbard Efficiency Plus strains (average body wt. were 45.31 +/- 0.30 g, and 43.44 +/- 0.45, respectively) were randomly allotted to 8 treatments with 4 replicates per treatment in a 2 & times; 4 (broiler strains and dietary treatments, respectively) factorial arrangement. The dietary treatments included 4 levels of oil blend supplemented to the basal diet at 0.00, 0.50, 1.00, and 1.50 g of ENPO blend/kg diet. This trial extended for 4 weeks while the birds were caged to 10 birds/cage and reared at normal thermal conditions. Results indicated that dietary supplementation with a ENPO blend from 1.0 to 1.5 g/kg diet increased final weight, total gain, and improved FCR without alterations in carcass and relative organ weights. Favorable modulations in serum lipid profile characterized by increased HDL and reduced cholesterol and LDL were also reported. These results were associated with significant ENPO x broiler strain interaction for cecal microbial counts, with generally higher total bacterial count, coliform count, and Lactobacillus count were reported for Hubbard broilers than Avian-48. All these outcomes were correlated with improvements in productive profitability by lowering the feed cost/unit gain and enhancing economic efficiency. Collectively, statistical analysis revealed non-significant ENPO x broiler strain interactions for most of assessed parameters and only limited interactions were reported for protease concentration, some blood indices (triglycerides, LDL, and AST), microbial counts, and certain economic efficiency measures (net profit, gross margin, economic efficiency, performance index, and B/C ratio). Thus, dietary supplementation with a mixed blend of ENPO, particularly at 1.5 g/kg diet, could be an effective natural growth-promoting strategy to enhance commercial broilers' growth, physiological stability, gut health, and economics. The reported positive effects of ENPO supplementation were largely consistent across broiler strains.
Scientific articles communicate new research findings to both the public and the scientific community often through peer-reviewed journals. These journals ensure the validity of the research, disseminate discoveries, and protect intellectual property. Each journal maintains specific formatting standards, and adhering to them reflects professionalism and high-quality science. Many journals now emphasize scientific content over strict formatting at initial submission stage ("Your Paper Your Way"). This approach allows authors to focus on the quality, clarity, and impact of their research, creating author-friendly submission process. At the same time, streamlined workflows enable journals to function more efficiently and publish more articles. However, this approach may pose two primary challenges: (a) the online publication of unedited manuscripts, and (b) fewer opportunities for mentoring emerging scientists. Unedited articles with a digital object identifier are now available online as "papers in press," making them easily retrievable and formally citable. Although this accelerates the dissemination of research, poorly prepared manuscripts can risk spreading misinformation and undermining public trust in science. Strong scientific writing, clear organization, logical progression of ideas, and adherence to journal standards are essential for effectively advancing knowledge. Successful publishing depends not only on the originality and quality of research but also on effective communication. Effective mentorship plays a central role in the development of emerging scientists by not only improving scientific writing but also fostering critical thinking, collaboration, and professional growth. In hypothesis-driven research, statistical rigor is vital. Clearly defining experimental units, ensuring adequate replication, avoiding unjustified multiple comparisons, and refraining from applying multiple statistical approaches without justification are fundamental to maintaining scientific credibility. Although artificial intelligence cannot replace human judgment, it can enhance efficiency in drafting and editing when used responsively and transparently to uphold academic integrity. Ultimately, adhering to journal guidelines from the outset strengthens credibility, streamlines revision, and helps earlycareer scientists develop professional communication skills and growth. It requires minimal additional effort, so why wait? Why not begin right from the start?
