Digital Commons Network^™

A Year Of Wins For Farmed Animals, Lewis Bollard

General – Farm Animal Issues

Although the European Union shelved its ambitious farmed animal welfare reforms, there were other “wins” for farmed animals in 2023. There were 130 new corporate pledges to eliminate cages for laying hens and the worst abuses of broiler chickens. So far, over 1,000 corporate pledges have been fully implemented, and 39% of American hens, 60% of European hens, and 80% of British hens are cage-free, up from 6%, 41%, and 48%, respectively, a decade ago. The US Supreme Court upheld California’s Proposition 12, which bans the sale of eggs, pork, and veal from caged animals and their offspring in California. …

The Mayfly Newsletter, Donna Giberson

The Mayfly Newsletter

The Mayfly Newsletter is the official newsletter of the Permanent Committee of the International Conferences on Ephemeroptera.

Status Survey Of Eight Rare Aquatic Macroinvertebrates In East Texas, Alexandra Randall

Biology Theses

Freshwater is essential to human existence. The health of each freshwater source is connected to the survival of pollution intolerant species of aquatic macroinvertebrates in the orders Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT taxa). A higher presence of EPT taxa equates to better water quality because their water bound larvae assist in maintaining clean freshwater environments and will not survive in highly polluted water. Human disruption to natural environments is causing increases in polluted freshwater, leading to decreases in the presence of EPT taxa. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department documentation shows major concern for the populations of eight EPT species of …

On Some Teratological Scorpions In The Natural History Museum, London And Checklist Of The Scorpiological Literature On Morphological Anomalies (Arachnida: Scorpiones), Danniella Sherwood, Luis F. De Armas

Euscorpius

Whilst undertaking curation in the collections of the Natural History Museum, London, the senior author came across a jar of scorpions marked ‘scorpions with curled feet’. Further investigation showed this jar was full of scorpions with teratological anatomy. We hereby document and illustrate all of the specimens and discuss their respective anomalies. Furthermore, a comprehensive checklist of the literature on anomalies in scorpions, including giving the life stage and sex where known, is compiled for the benefit of future workers.

Oregon State Rank Assessment For Yellow Bumblebee (Bombus Fervidus), Misty Nelson

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

Oregon state conservation status assessment for Yellow bumblebee (Bombus fervidus) using NatureServe methodology, 2023.

Oregon State Ranking Assessment For Morrison Bumblebee (Bombus Morrisoni), Misty Nelson

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

Oregon state conservation status assessment for Morrison bumblebee (Bombus morrisoni) using NatureServe methodology, 2023.

Combined Purebred And Crossbred Genetic Evaluation Of Columbia, Suffolk, And Crossbred Lamb Birth And Weaning Weights: Systematic Effects And Heterogeneous Variances, Napoleón Vargas Jurado, David R. Notter, Joshua B. Taylor, Daniel J. Brown, Michelle R. Mousel, Ronald M. Lewis

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Despite the benefits of crossbreeding on animal performance, genetic evaluation of sheep in the U.S. does not directly incorporate records from crossbred lambs. Crossbred animals may be raised in different environments as compared to purebreds. Systemic factors such as age of dam and birth and rearing type may, therefore, affect purebred and crossbred performance differently. Furthermore, crossbred performance may benefit from heterozygosity, and genetic and environmental variances may be heterogeneous in different breeds and their crosses. Such issues must be accounted for in a combined (purebred and crossbred) genetic evaluation. The objectives of this study were to i) determine the …

Paternal Programming: The Role Of Seminal Plasma In Pregnancy Hemodynamics And Offspring Growth, Rebecca Michele Swanson

Theses and Dissertations

Seminal plasma is commonly known to serve as a transport medium for sperm as it moves through the female reproductive tract for fertilization, however, more recent evidence demonstrates seminal plasma induces an expansive inflammatory response in the uterus. Murine models have found this inflammatory response is important for clearing pathogens and poor-quality sperm, eliciting the secretion of cytokines, chemokines, and embryokines that aid in embryo attachment and growth, placental angiogenesis, and blunting maternal immunity to the embryo. However, there is minimal research on the impacts of seminal plasma uterine priming in bovine, and more specifically embryo growth, uterine blood flow, …

Addressing Water Hyacinth (Pontederia Crassipes) Impacts On Aquatic Biota In Lake Okeechobee, Joseph Salerno

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

The incursion of water hyacinth, Pontederia crassipes in Lake Okeechobee has resulted in management systems to be implemented to reduce the coverage of the invasive macrophyte. Its residence in the Lake Okeechobee ecosystem and the effects it has on organisms in the lake, whether it be positive or harmful is unknown. This study attempted to assess the potential effects that water hyacinth has on aquatic biota in Lake Okeechobee. Biotic data were collected on open water, water hyacinth covered, and native vegetation covered habitats via hook-and-line fishing, electrofishing, baited minnow traps, and the sampling of plant roots over a thirteen-month …

Effects Of Supplementing Sources Of Zinc On Digestibility Parameters Of Beef Steers, Arminda Spikes James

Theses and Dissertations

Zinc (Zn) has numerous functions and life sustaining processes depend on the presence of Zn within the body. Zinc sulfate is a common form of Zn supplemented in the beef industry. Inorganic sulfate based minerals have been associated with negative rumen effects, mainly, decreased rumen fermentation and protozoa numbers. Our studies concluded no difference in digestibility of three different forms of Zn (zinc glycinate, zinc sulfate, and zinc hydroxychloride). Although overall digestibility did not change, there were specific mineral concentration differences after steers consumed concentrate treatment for 10 days. These differences implied that the mineral fed was consumed and absorbed …

Isolation Of The Toxic Principle Of Senecio Latifolius By Means Of The Sensory Receptors Of Sheep, Leendert D. Snyman

Poisonous Plant Research (PPR)

The aversive substance of Senecio latifolius was isolated by means of the sensory receptors of sheep averted to S. latifolius. Chemical fractions refused due to the presence of the aversive substance sensed by the sheep were fractionated until a purified substance had been isolated. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis of the purified substance showed it to be sceleratine nitrogen oxide, the toxic principle of S. latifolius.

Biophysical Factors Affecting Habitat Suitability For Crassostrea Virginica, Jason D. Tilley

Dissertations

Oyster reefs provide a variety of important ecosystem services. However, the mortality rate of eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, the dominant species that produces oyster reefs in the northern Gulf of Mexico, is increasing at an alarming rate due to a variety of abiotic and biological factors. I examined how biophysical factors, including the less-studied fatty acid profiles of the suspended particulate matter on which oysters feed, influenced morphometric condition of C. virginica.

I sampled suspended particulate matter (SPM) and oysters in-situ in the western Mississippi Sound, which historically supported the majority of oyster production in Mississippi waters. Sampling …

Examination Of The Prevalence And Behaviors Of Pathogenic And Spoilage Bacteria At Multiple Stages In The Meat Processing Chain, Samuel C. Watson

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents from University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

As long as there is food, there will also be bacteria that are capable of compromising the quality and safety of food. This dissertation aims to study bacteria capable of spoiling meat, causing illness, or both. The literature review summarizes the understanding of several bacterial pathogens, current issues in combating those pathogens in the food supply, and how spoilage Pseudomonas behave in the meat supply. Chapter 2 explored the impact of organic acid treatments on the spoilage microbiome of raw beef during extended storage. While Pseudomonas and Yersinia were both present in significant levels, Lactococcus was determined to be the …

Factors Affecting Forage Quality And The Subsequent Response In Production And Energy Metabolism In Lactating Jersey Cows, Kassidy Kate Buse

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents from University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Forage quality is the potential of a forage to produce a production response in animals. Because of how essential they are in dairy cattle rations, forages can have major influence on the behavior and production of dairy cattle. In experiment 1, the effect of forage fragility on the rumen environment and digestibility was evaluated. Increasing the inclusion of a less fragile forage led to greater rumen retention time, which resulted in lower rumen pH and greater NDF digestibility. Experiment 2 evaluated the effects of diets high in either corn silage or alfalfa haylage supplemented with either corn- or soybased protein …

Resolution Of The Tetrabothrius Jagerskioeldi Cryptic Species Complex Among Holarctic Alcidae (Charadriiformes): Cestodes Among Fraterculinae—Exploring Marine Diversity, Host Range, And Dynamic Oceanography In The Greater North Pacific, Eric P. Hoberg, Kaylen Marie Soudachanh, Svetlana K. Bondarenko

MANTER: Journal of Parasite Biodiversity

In the biosphere, limits for diversity among species, communities, and biomes are revealed through intensive and extensive field-based inventory and assembly of voucher specimens and associated informatics examined in a phylogenetic, historical, ecological, and biogeographic arena. Archival resources for specimens and information contribute to a cumulative view of faunal structure and assembly under a comparative umbrella. Ultimately, species definitions, and inclusive partitions among populations and lineages, are fundamental in articulating hypotheses that examine interactions about evolution, the nature of organisms, and the condition of environments across space and time. We conclude our proposals establishing species limits for tapeworms of the …

Dataset For The Incorporation Of Climate Change Into A Multiple Stressor Risk Assessment For The Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha) Population In The Yakima River, Washington Usa, Wayne Landis, Chelsea J. Mitchell, John D. Hader, Rory Nathan, Emma E. Sharpe

Environmental Sciences Faculty and Staff Publications

Data files available below

This data set is in support of Landis et al (in press 2024). A key question in understanding the implications of climate change is how to integrate ecological risk assessments that focus on contaminants with the environmental alterations from climate projections. This article summarizes the results of integrating selected direct and indirect effects of climate change into an existing Bayesian network previously used for ecological risk assessment. The existing Bayesian network Relative Risk Model (BN-RRM) integrated the effects of organophosphate pesticides concentrations, water temperature, and dissolved oxygen levels on the Chinook salmon population in the Yakima …

Two New Phreatic Snails (Mollusca, Caenogastropoda, Cochliopidae) From The Edwards And Edwards-Trinity Aquifers, Texas, Kathryn E. Perez, Yamileth Guerrero, Roel Castañeda, Peter H. Diaz, Randy Gibson, Benjamin F. Schwartz, Benjamin T. Hutchins

School of Integrative Biological and Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Edwards and Edwards-Trinity Aquifers of Texas have diverse stygofauna, including fifteen species of snails found in phreatic and hyporheic habitats. These species have the hallmarks of adaptation to subterranean environments including extremely small body size and the loss of pigmentation and eyes. Here we use an integrative taxonomic approach, using shell, radula, and anatomical features as well as mitochondrial and nuclear DNA data, to circumscribe a new genus and two new cavesnail species from Central Texas. Vitropyrgus lillianae gen. et sp. nov. is described from Comal Springs (Comal County) and Fessenden Springs (Kerr County) and distinguished by a glassy, …

Two New Phreatic Snails (Mollusca, Caenogastropoda, Cochliopidae) From The Edwards And Edwards-Trinity Aquifers, Texas, Kathryn E. Perez, Yamileth Guerrero, Roel Castañeda, Peter H. Diaz, Randy Gibson, Benjamin F. Schwartz, Benjamin T. Hutchins

School of Integrative Biological and Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Edwards and Edwards-Trinity Aquifers of Texas have diverse stygofauna, including fifteen species of snails found in phreatic and hyporheic habitats. These species have the hallmarks of adaptation to subterranean environments including extremely small body size and the loss of pigmentation and eyes. Here we use an integrative taxonomic approach, using shell, radula, and anatomical features as well as mitochondrial and nuclear DNA data, to circumscribe a new genus and two new cavesnail species from Central Texas. Vitropyrgus lillianae gen. et sp. nov. is described from Comal Springs (Comal County) and Fessenden Springs (Kerr County) and distinguished by a glassy, …

Tame The Flame: Inflammation Is A Targetable Physiological Mechanism Underlying Poor Outcomes Of Heat Stress In Finishing Sheep, Pablo C. Grijalva

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents from University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This research focused on health management through the identification of suitable interventions in stressed livestock. For this investigation, we conducted two experiments. First, we determined whether administration of dexamethasone or fish oil to heat-stressed livestock to reduce systemic inflammation would mitigate metabolic deficits, enhance nutrient utilization, and improve health. We found that these interventions helped to reduce circulating inflammatory cytokines and improve respiration, muscle glucose metabolism, lipid homeostasis, cardiovascular function, and organ pathology in lambs exposed to 30 days of heat stress. In our second experiment, we performed transcriptomic analyses to identify the underlying mechanisms affecting young offspring following prenatal …

Activity Patterns Of The Endangered Amargosa Vole (Microtus Californicus Scripensis), Austin N. Roy, Anna D. Rivera Roy, Deana L. Clifford, Janet E. Foley

School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Examining the activity patterns of wildlife is an important aspect of understanding the ecology of a species and may be especially important for species of conservation concern. We used remotely triggered cameras to describe the daily and seasonal activity patterns and examine ecological factors that influence the activity of the Amargosa Vole (Microtus californicus scirpensis), a California endemic listed federally and by the state as Endangered, and is a marsh habitatspecialist in the Mojave Desert. We found that vole activity was greatest during crepuscular periods, followed by nocturnal and diurnal periods. We saw strong seasonal effects, with the highest activity …

Towards The Quantification Of Estrone And 17Β-Estradiol Conjugates In Dairy Cattle Urine Sorptive Stir Bar Extraction And Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectometry, S.M. Istiak Ahmed

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The global concern regarding the presence of compounds with estrogenic properties in the environment has grown significantly. Endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) are environmental pollutants that disrupt the endocrine systems of both wildlife and humans. Estrogens, with their potent estrogenic effects, are particularly noteworthy among the various substances with endocrine-disrupting properties. They are of concern due to their prevalence in the environment, especially due to dairy waste contamination. These lipophilic compounds can accumulate in livestock fat tissues, potentially entering the human food chain. Sulfated forms of estrone and β- estriol, which exhibit a higher degree of saturation than their non-conjugated counterparts, have …

Forages And Technology Management In Growing And Finishing Beef Cattle Systems, Kelton Adair

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

A systems study evaluated the effects of an implant [25.7 mg estradiol (Compudose; Elanco Animal Health)] at two rates of gain (LOW: 0.45 kg/d and HIGH: 0.9 kg/d) applied during the winter backgrounding phase in drylot and winter grazing systems and its effects on subsequent phases of production. HIGH supplementation with an implant during the winter backgrounding phase in the drylot system yielded the greatest ending body weight (EBW) during the summer backgrounding phase (P = 0.04). LOW supplementation, without an implant, improved summer backgrounding average daily gain (ADG; P = 0.05) while achieving similar carcass adjusted final body …

The Influence Of Invasive Species On Fishers’ Satisfactions, Caroline M. Laplante

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Invasives species are prevalent and widespread in North America. Outdoor recreational activities, such as fishing, introduce a point in which humans may interact with invasive species and have to adapt their own behaviors. Bigheaded carp in the Missouri River below Gavin’s Point Dam are a group of invasive fish species that were thought to be negatively relating to recreational fishers’ satisfactions. Using a content analysis and an importance-grid, we conclude that invasive species do not strongly relate to recreational paddlefish fishers’ satisfactions. Paddlefish fishers represent a small sub-set of recreational fishers in Nebraska and South Dakota. The content analysis revealed …

Understanding Avidities Of Recreational Activities For People Possessing Fishing Licenses And Residing In Urban Environments, Kyle F. Hansen

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Recreational fishing is one of the world's most popular pastimes, wherein participation is associated with sociodemographic factors. Even so, fishing license sales are declining in the USA in conjunction with a reduction in rural populations as people move to urban areas. Thus, urban areas are constantly growing in population size, population diversity, and geographic size suggesting a need to understand fishing participation in these growing areas. Natural resource managers often use participation to understand recreationists, yet avidity could provide a new way to understand recreationists. The goal of our study is to understand what sociodemographic factors influence the fishing avidity …

Assessing The Morphological And Physiological Traits Of Smooth Brome Pastures Under Long Term Grazing And Nutrient Enrichment In Eastern Nebraska, Hassan Shehab

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Climate change together with the increase in demands for food, feed, fuel, and fiber are becoming a threat to sustainability and resilience of agriculture and pasture lands. Bromus inermis (smooth bromegrass) dominates pastures for cattle grazing in Eastern Nebraska, US, where it is planted in monocultures, and is considered high quality forage because of its palatability and high nutritional value for cattle, especially under intensive management practices. Sustainable management of these pastures is key to long-term resilience. This study aims to assess the performance of smooth bromegrass pastures to the combined effects of long-term management practices (since 2005) of fertilization …

Landings, Vol. 31, No. 12, Maine Lobstermen’S Community Alliance, Rebecca Nuzzi, Amber-Jean Nickel

Landings: News & Views from Maine's Lobstering Community

Landings content emphasizes science, history, resource sustainability, economic development, and human interest stories related to Maine's lobster industry. The newsletter emphasizes lobstering as a traditional, majority-European American lifeway with an economic and social heritage unique to the coast of Maine. The publication focuses how ongoing research to engage in sustainable, non-harmful, and non-wasteful commercial fishing practices benefit both the fishery and Maine's coastal legacy.

For more information, please visit the Maine Lobstermen’s Community Alliance (MLCA) website.

Assessing The Effects Of The Spring Hunting Season Start Date On Wild Turkey Seasonal Productivity And Hunter Behavior, Joseph Quehl

Masters Theses

Many states throughout the Southeast have documented declines in wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) harvest and estimates of recruitment in poult-per-hen ratios. Wild turkey populations are driven by seasonal productivity, so the decline in these parameters may indicate a decline in the overall population. One hypothesis as to why we are seeing a reduction in productivity and a potential population decline is that the spring hunting season is disrupting the reproductive cycle by harvesting too many males before they have had the opportunity to breed, or by harvesting dominant males and disrupting the social hierarchy of the flock. Our …

The Effects Of Sous Vide Cooking And Cysteine Proteases On Instrumental And Sensory Textural Properties Of Lower Value Cuts Of Beef, Ian Smith

All Theses

Sous vide cooking has the potential to increase the value of lower quality cuts of beef. Understanding the textural properties following a cook-chill sous vide process is crucial to maximizing this potential. The use of enzymes may further increase the value of these products if able to positively alter the texture of the final product.

The first research objective was to use instrumental texture analysis to evaluate potential relationships between enzymatic treatments and sous vide processing time of lower value cuts of beef. Three cuts were evaluated: infraspinatus (top blade), semitendinosus (eye of round), and beef tongue. Infraspinatus and semitendinosus …

Accelerated Evolution Of Sars-Cov-2 In Free-Ranging White-Tailed Deer, Dillon S. Mcbride, Sofya K. Garushyants, John Franks, Andrew F. Magee, Steven H. Overend, Devra Huey, Amanda M. Williams, Seth A. Faith, Ahmed Kandeil, Sanja Trifkovic, Lance Miller, Trushar Jeevan, Anami Patel, Jacqueline M. Nolting, Michael J. Tonkovich, J. Tyler Genders, Andrew J. Montoney, Kevin Kasnyik, Timothy J. Linder, Sarah N. Bevins, Julianna B. Lenoch, Jeffrey C. Chandler, Thomas J. Deliberto, Eugene V. Koonin, Marc A. Suchard, Philippe Lemey, Richard J. Webby, Martha I. Nelson, Andrew S. Bowman

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The zoonotic origin of the COVID-19 pandemic virus highlights the need to fill the vast gaps in our knowledge of SARS-CoV-2 ecology and evolution in non-human hosts. Here, we detected that SARS-CoV-2 was introduced from humans into white-tailed deer more than 30 times in Ohio, USA during November 2021-March 2022. Subsequently, deer-to-deer transmission persisted for 2–8 months, disseminating across hundreds of kilometers. Newly developed Bayesian phylogenetic methods quantified how SARS-CoV-2 evolution is not only three-times faster in white-tailed deer compared to the rate observed in humans but also driven by different mutational biases and selection pressures. The long-term effect of …

Rapid Evolution Of A(H5n1) Influenza Viruses After Intercontinental Spread To North America, Ahmed Kandeil, Christopher Patton, Jeremy C. Jones, Trushar Jeevan, Walter N. Harrington, Sanja Trifkovic, Jon P. Seiler, Thomas Fabrizio, Karlie Woodard, Jasmine C. Turner, Jeri Carol Crumpton, Lance Miller, Adam Rubrum, Jennifer Debeauchamp, Charles J. Russell, Elena A. Govorkova, Peter Vogel, Mia Kim-Torchetti, Yohannes Berhane, David Stallknecht, Rebecca Poulson, Lisa Kercher, Richard J. Webby

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses of clade 2.3.4.4b underwent an explosive geographic expansion in 2021 among wild birds and domestic poultry across Asia, Europe, and Africa. By the end of 2021, 2.3.4.4b viruses were detected in North America, signifying further intercontinental spread. Here we show that the western movement of clade 2.3.4.4b was quickly followed by reassortment with viruses circulating in wild birds in North America, resulting in the acquisition of different combinations of ribonucleoprotein genes. These reassortant A(H5N1) viruses are genotypically and phenotypically diverse, with many causing severe disease with dramatic neurologic involvement in mammals. The proclivity of …