Digital Commons Network^™

Perceived Benefits And Barriers To Livestock Mortality Composting, Rachel Wieme, Lynne Carpenter-Boggs

The Journal of Extension

We conducted webinars in 2020 about livestock mortality composting (LMC). Forty-five attendees completed a survey to evaluate the webinar and help define future educational needs. Major barriers to LMC were lack of experience, public and neighbor perceptions, and environmental management. Most respondents indicated convenience, cost, biosafety, use of product, and environmental management as benefits. An unexpected emotional theme indicated that LMC also supports the “circle of life” and “respect for the animal.” We propose that this theme may be a uniting message to improve public and producer perception of LMC, increase use of LMC, and improve public-producer relationships overall.

Hay Inventory And Purchasing Calculator For Horse Owners, Robyn L. Stewart, Brooklyne M. Wassel

The Journal of Extension

The Hay Inventory and Purchasing Calculator for Horse Owners is an Excel-based tool for estimating hay needs and expenses for horse owners. Challenges with hay quality and availability can result in higher than expected costs for horse owners as they attempt to purchase enough horse-quality hay to meet their needs. Estimating intake requirements and creating a budget for hay purchasing is key for the effective management and profitability of equine operations. This tool can be used regardless of geographic location and will benefit a diverse audience including Extension educators, equine business owners, and horse owners.

On-Farm Hog Processing Demonstration For Teenage Exhibitors: Blending Academic, Laboratory, And Farm-Based Learning, Katherine A. Wells, Chris L. Bruynis, Lyda G. Garcia

The Journal of Extension

COVID-19 challenges induced a U.S. meatpacking industry bottleneck. [University] Extension identified the need and responded by creating a three-step hands-on training for teenage junior fair exhibitors. [University] Extension Meat Scientist and graduate students assisted in demonstrating an on-farm hog harvest and processing event in collaboration with a local Extension office for 4-H and FFA teenagers. To add a practical perspective, a local hog-producing and harvesting family was asked to assist with the event. An online post-survey reflected 90-100% gains in five educational areas and 100% said they would a similar event in the future and recommend it to a friend.

Consumer-Focused Meat Science Extension Program Increase Consumer Confidence And Knowledge Of Meat Selection And Preparation, Stacy Zuelly, Yufei Guo, Melinda Dennis, Emily Ford, Melissa Davis

The Journal of Extension

Science-based, meat science education is often limited outside of universities, creating possibilities to develop Extension activities to educate and impower consumers in principles of meat science. The Indiana BBQ Bootcamp was developed to provide consumers information on meat selection, proper cooking techniques, food safety, and meat seasoning (spice rubs and marinades) through demonstrations and product sampling. Attendees were surveyed before and after the program to report their confidence in their ability to perform basic meat science techniques. Responses to all survey questions showed significant increase in the attendees’ confidence demonstrating improvement in their meat science knowledge.

Offering Collegiate Livestock Judging As A Student Organization, Maryfrances Miller, Don W. Edgar, Lyle Logemann

The Journal of Extension

Resource constraints have lowered the number of collegiate livestock judging teams, dropping the number of opportunities for collegiate judging, even though interest among students remains high. These opportunities can be provided for less expense through student-led extracurricular organizations. This approach increases the student initiative required, but also provides an increased opportunity for developing and demonstrating leadership skills.

Novel Protected Gelatin Capsules Containing Fish Oil Mitigated The Effect Of Milk Fat Depression And Reduced Rumen Degradation Compared To Untreated Capsules, Omar Manuel Pena Pena

All Theses

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of feeding gelatin capsules treated with alcoholic solutions of flavoring agents followed by drying containing fish oil on lactation performance, rumen fatty acids content and milk enrichment of fatty acids. In Trial 1, four multiparous ruminally-fistulated Holstein cows were randomly assigned to one of four dietary treatment sequences in a 4 x 4 Latin square design. Treatments consisted of 1) Control with no capsules, 2) Control plus 200 untreated capsules per cow/day, mixed with the TMR; 3) Control plus 200 treated capsules per cow/day placed directly into the rumen, 4) …

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 …

Corrigendum To “Nigella Sativa As An Antibiotic Alternative To Promote Growth And Enhance Health Of Broilers Challenged With Eimeria Maxima And Clostridium Perfringens” [Poult.Sci.102 (8) (2023) 102831], Vishal Manjunatha, Julian E. Nixon, Greg F. Mathis, Brett S. Lumpkins, Zeynep B. Guzel-Seydim, Atif C. Seydim, Annel E. Greene, Xiuping Jiang

Publications

No abstract provided.

Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course: Program Evaluation, Nicola Oosthuizen, Pedro Fontes, Graham C. Lamb, Jason J. Cleere

The Journal of Extension

Survey results (n = 3,748) collected over a period of 7 years from the Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course (BCSC) were analyzed to evaluate course demographics and the impact of the course on attendees. Results of this survey demonstrate that attendee demographics of the BCSC are representative of beef cattle producers in the United States and that the BCSC is effective at delivering information that positively impacts beef production in Texas. Extension professionals can make use of these findings to tailor future education programs to better serve the needs of beef cattle producers nation-wide.

Effect Of Authentic Kefir And Nigella Sativa On Broilers Challenged By Coccidia And Clostridium Perfringens, Julian E. Nixon

All Dissertations

Black seed oil concentrations of 0%, 0.1%, 1% and 5% were added to milk inoculated with kefir grains and incubated at 25°C for 22 h. The pH and microbial count indicated 1% black seed oil caused low inhibition (P > 0.05) of fermentation, but 5% black seed oil caused significant inhibition of the kefir microorganisms (P < 0.05).

Cobb 500 male chicks (n = 256) were distributed in a randomized block design and received one of four treatments: CTRL1 (Non-medicated, no kefir, no Clostridium perfringens), CTRL2 (Non-medicated, no kefir, C. perfringens inoculated), CTRL3 (BMD medicated, no kefir, C. perfringens inoculated), KTRT (Non-medicated, …

Evaluation Of Bone And Muscle Quality In Laying Hens Using Quantitative, Radiographic, Computed Tomographic, Biomechanical, And Tissue Level Measures, Cerano Harrison

All Dissertations

Bone quality is an important measure of welfare in laying hens for researchers, veterinarians, and commercial producers who bear the responsibility of providing them with care. Breeding practices that have resulted in high egg productivity of laying hen strains have resulted in an increased susceptibility to developing osteoporosis. Osteoporosis, a decrease in mineralized bone, is accompanied by increased bone fragility that can lead to potentially painful bone fractures that can inhibit some aspects of the birds natural living, respiration and flight being two examples. Current methods of examining laying hen bone quality involve the implementation of diagnostic imaging and biomechanical …

Nigella Sative As An Antibiotic Alternative To Promote Growth And Enhance Health Of Broilers Challenged With Eimeria Maxima And Clostridium Perfringens, Vishal Manjunatha, Julian E. Nixon, Greg F. Mathis, Brett S. Lumpkins, Zeynep B. Guzel-Seydim, Atif C. Seydim, Annel K. Greene, Xiuping Jiang

Publications

The poultry industry has significant coccidiosis and necrotic enteritis (NE) challenges, leading to high mortality and unacceptable growth without antibiotic treatment. This research explored supplementing Nigella sativa (black cumin) seed oil in poultry feed to mitigate coccidiosis and prevent or lessen NE in broilers. In vivo studies consisted of 384 and 320 Cobb 500 male broiler chicks distributed in a randomized complete block experimental design for trials 1 and 2, respectively. The first trial compared 3 concentrations (1, 2, and 5 mL/kg) of black cumin seed oil (BCSO), and trial 2 compared 2 concentrations (2 and 5 mL/kg) BCSO, with …

Immediate Response Of Bats To Prescribed Fire And Impact Of Experiences On Women's Self-Image In Natural Resources Professions, Zebria Hicks

All Theses

To inform use of prescribed fire management practice in the southeastern US, we studied its impact on bats, which are important and at-risk species. We evaluated if prescribed fire had a positive, neutral, or negative effect on bat activity in the two weeks following the burns. We recorded bat activity after prescribed burns in February and March 2022 in northwestern South Carolina in select hardwood and pine stands and control sites ≥ 500 m from burn boundaries. We measured insect abundance, canopy cover, basal area, and understory density at each site. We recorded 687 passes during our 45-day study period. …

Rabbit Anatomy: A Brief Photographic Atlas And Dissection Guide - Part I: Muscular System (Third Edition), Soma Mukhopadhyay, Lisa Ruggiero Wagner

Rabbit Anatomy: A Brief Photographic Atlas and Dissection Guide

No abstract provided.

Rabbit Anatomy: A Brief Photographic Atlas And Dissection Guide - Part Ii: Cardiovascular System (Third Edition), Soma Mukhopadhyay, Lisa Ruggiero Wagner

Rabbit Anatomy: A Brief Photographic Atlas and Dissection Guide

No abstract provided.

New Mexico 4-H Online Horse Bowl Tournament, Jason L. Turner, Ryan W. Craig, Talisha L. Valdez, Halee M. Prather, Zane E. Webster, Sara K. Marta, Mindy G. Turner

The Journal of Extension

Under COVID-19 public health order constraints, Extension professionals used readily available technology (e.g., Google Forms, Zoom, Facebook Live, and QuizBowl Pro) to conduct a traditional 4-H quiz bowl contest entirely in a virtual setting as an innovative means of offering positive youth development in a structured environment when most New Mexicans were homebound and unable to travel. Participation in the virtual contest was substantially greater than similar in-person contests in the preceding five-year period, and youth reported an increase in equine knowledge as well as life skill development.

Challenges Experienced By Aquaponic Hobbyists, Producers, And Educators, D Allen Pattillo, David J. Cline, Janelle V. Hager, Luke A. Roy, Terrill R. Hanson

The Journal of Extension

We used an online survey to document challenges experienced by aquaponic hobbyists (n = 81), producers (n = 117), and educators (n = 75). Responses were distilled into the following categories: 1) operations and management; 2) facilities, location, and system design; 3) knowledge and educational resources; 4) funding; 5) economic viability; 6) plant culture; 7) marketing and distribution; 8) fish culture; 9) human factors; 10) regulations and certifications. Training and research in these areas are needed to advance the aquaponics industry.

Is There An Economic Advantage To Planting Diverse Summer Annual Forage Mixtures?, Kelly Mercier, Chris Teutsch, Ray Smith, Kenny Burdine, Edwin Ritchey, Eric Vanzant

The Journal of Extension

This study examined economic implications of planting summer annual mixtures of grasses, legumes, and forbs at varying nitrogen rates. No differences in yield occurred between the three mixtures, indicating that mixtures with lowest seed cost will be most economical. Applying N resulted in yield increases of 12.26 lb DM per lb N applied. Although yield responses to N were positive, sensitivity analyses showed that applying N resulted in positive net returns only when hay prices were high and N prices were low. When utilization rates are accounted for, enterprise budgets determined grazing to be 18% cheaper to implement than haying.

An Evaluation Of Bovine Reproductive Function From The Microrna Expression In The Female To Performance Testing In The Male, Erin Amiss

All Theses

Reproductive function is crucial to the success of a beef or dairy herd. Both the female and male play significant roles in the outcome of bovine reproduction. The bull contributes to reproductive success in many ways, such as genetics. The initial role that the bull has in reproductive success is fertilization, whether natural or by artificial insemination. One method of assessing bull performance are central bull test stations, which are traditionally administered by a university, extension center, or are privately owned. Central bull tests assess the performance of bulls from various management systems, breeds, and ages. Some measurements taken during …

Impact Of Housing And Management On Production, Behavior, And Welfare Of Dairy Cows In Automatic Milking Systems, Lindsey Eve Davis

All Theses

The overall objective of this research was to determine the impact of Automatic Milking System (AMS) housing and management practices on cow production, behavior, and welfare of Holstein dairy cows. The first objective was to identify factors at the farm and cow level associated with lameness on AMS farms through decision tree analysis to allocate probabilities to each input. Results indicated this novel multifactorial approach of data analysis enabled us to highlight critical points that can be focused on to lessen cow-level complications or enhance farm-level housing and management practices to reduce the incidence and severity of lameness in AMS …

Understanding Movement, Habitat Use, And Habitat Selection By Largemouth Bass (Micropterus Nigricans X Salmoides) And Alabama Bass (Micropterus Henshalli) On Lake Hartwell, South Carolina, Deon Kerr

All Theses

Alabama Bass (Micropterus henshalli) were illegally introduced into the upper Savannah River Basin 15-20 years ago and have since become abundant as well as problematic ecologically. Acoustic telemetry was used to quantify diel movement, habitat use, and habitat selection of Alabama Bass and Largemouth Bass in Lake Hartwell, SC across seasons (June 2021-July 2022) with the goal of informing ongoing habitat enhancement efforts. Across all seasons, Alabama Bass conducted diel horizontal migrations from deeper offshore habitats during the day to nearshore, shallow habitats at night. Daytime Alabama Bass movement rates in offshore waters were higher than nighttime movement rates. Largemouth …

Patterns Of Occurrence Of The Black Basses In The Upper Savannah River Tributaries Of Georgia And South Carolina With Emphasis On Bartram’S Bass Micropterus Sp. Cf. Coosae, Caroline Cox

All Theses

Aquatic ecosystems are among the most threatened in the world due to anthropogenic alterations to the natural landscape and native biotas. Identifying the local and landscape-level environmental factors that influence the occurrence of endemic species can help protect aquatic ecosystems by facilitating predictions of where hybridization or replacement with generalist species may occur across the landscape. The need for such predictions is pronounced for black bass species in the southeastern United States. Bartram’s Bass (Micropterus sp. cf. coosae) is a provisional species of conservation concern. Allelic frequencies of Bartram’s Bass in Savannah River reservoirs and tributaries have been …

Alfalfa Establishment And Management In South Carolina, Liliane Silva, Michael Mrshall, Jeremy Greene, Matias Aguerre

Livestock and Forages

Alfalfa is a perennial legume with high forage quality that can be used under grazing or hay management. This publication outlines establishment and management recommendations for alfalfa plantings in South Carolina.

Depot-Specific Patterns Of Mrna And Mirna Gene Expression In Adipose Tissue From Texel-Cross And Suffolk Lambs, Aliute-Nkoyo Udoka

All Theses

This work hypothesizes that miR-199a-3p influences SCD-1 expression and monounsaturated fat content of lamb fat depots. The objectives of this study were to: 1) measure miR-199a-3p, SCD1, and fatty acid composition in various tissues (longissimus muscle and liver) and fat depots (omental, mesenteric, subcutaneous, intermuscular, perirenal) in Suffolk and Texel-sired lambs, and 2) evaluate the role of miR-199a-3p in adipocyte hypertrophy in ovine stromal vascular (SV) cells in vitro. Suffolk lambs (n=4) and Texel-Suffolk cross lambs (n=5) were finished to day 203 of age. The liver, the longissimus muscle, kidney fat, mesenteric fat, omental fat, subcutaneous fat, and intermuscular fat …

Microbial, Chemical, And Functional Components In Kefir, Natto, And Feed Ingredients, Dana Mccurdy

All Dissertations

Kefir grains were purchased from online, home kitchen vendors in the United States (n = 22), inoculated into UHT milk, and incubated at 25°C for 22 hours. Results indicated lactobacilli, lactococci and yeast in all samples. Six out of 11 samples contained coliform, and all samples contained pseudomonal and staphylococcal species. Using targeted genome sequencing (16S) of kefir grain samples 1, 2, and 3 revealed that lactobacilli were the predominant genera of bacteria. ITS sequencing revealed different fungal species in each grain. Results indicated potential presence of menaquinone-4 and menaquinone-7 by UPLC-MS/MS analysis.

The fermentation of whole and ground soybeans, …

Recruitment, Cost Indexes, And Management Of Box-Nesting Wood Ducks In South Carolina And North Carolina, Emily Miller

All Theses

The wood duck (Aix sponsa) has experienced one of the most significant declines and recoveries among species of North American waterfowl (Anatidae). With enactment of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (1918) and installation of hundreds of thousands of artificial nest structures for this cavity-nesting species in North America, wood duck populations have recovered and remain a sustainable harvested resource. However, long-term research on box-nesting wood ducks conducted at the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Aiken, South Carolina, has revealed uncertainty as to whether recruitment rates of yearling females from natal box-nesting populations are self-sustaining without immigration of hens from …

Reproductive Ecology And Microbial Communities From Wood Duck Nest Boxes In Georgia And Florida, Jake Shurba

All Theses

Wood ducks (Aix sponsa) are an important game species throughout the Atlantic Flyway that was nearly extirpated by the early 20^th century due to overhunting and the loss of habitat. Wood ducks are secondary cavity-nesters that utilize artificial nest boxes and natural cavities. It is reported that the use of nest boxes is likely what led to re-establishment of the species in North America. Where boxes are numerous, overuse of boxes by multiple hens throughout a nesting season can occur and result in a buildup of bacteria, parasites and other potentially detrimental pathogens that can impact egg …

Evaluation Of Grazing Techniques As A Nutrition Source For Horses In A Pasture Environment, Brittany Perron

All Dissertations

Horses require daily access to forage in order to support their gastrointestinal tract function as well as natural grazing behaviors. Well-managed pasture provides horses with a consistent forage source and diminishes health risks such as colic, ulcers and stereotypies. However, equine grazing behaviors are more intense than other livestock and may be detrimental to plant and soil health. A grazing management technique specifically for horses is necessary to prevent both health and environmental issues. The following dissertation explores both the movement of required maintenance elements, such as feed, shelter, and water, as well as the manipulation of feeding frequency and …

Effects Of Tannin-Free Grain Sorghum Varieties On The Metabolizable Energy, Performance, And Intestinal Health Of Poultry, Alissa Moritz

All Dissertations

The single largest cost of poultry production is the cost of feed, and it is favorable to seek more sustainable, alternative feed ingredients to reduce the competition between human, animal, and industrial users. Grain sorghum is a potential alternative feedstuff to minimize the dependence of corn by the poultry industry. Not only is it nutritionally similar to corn, but it is tolerant to dry, sandy soils, which allows it to grow successfully in arid climates. This is highly desirable because of its potential to alleviate the production pressure of growing other cereal grains like corn that are less tolerant to …

Thinking Outside The Box Of Evaluation Platforms: Adapting Qualtrics For Virtual 4-H Judging Competitions, Maria Calvert, Ty Peckman

The Journal of Extension

Competitive events represent a major component of 4-H programming. These events are typically held in person; however, unforeseen circumstances, like the COVID-19 pandemic, have required Extension professionals to adapt these programs to virtual settings. This paper outlines some unique features of Qualtrics, a web-based tool commonly used to build surveys, that led Missouri 4-H to use the platform to administer agriculture and natural resource science contests.