Digital Commons Network^™

Catastrophe And Environmental Restoration: Analyzing The Frames And Sources Of Oyster Restoration News Stories, Hannah O. Brown, Susan K. Jacobson, Glenn Israel

Journal of Applied Communications

Restoration of oyster habitats is a critical solution to halt the decline of one of the world’s most threatened resources. News coverage about environmental topics, like oyster restoration, is important to local communities that are directly impacted. However, little research has assessed how restoration topics are framed by journalists, nor how environmental disasters may affect framing of news stories for the public. This study employed a longitudinal framing analysis, using the quantity of coverage and social responsibility theories, to examine how coverage of the restoration of oyster ecosystems shifted before, during, and after the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The …

Leveraging Skype In The Classroom For Science Communication: A Streaming Science – Scientist Online Approach, Peyton N. Beattie, Jamie Loizzo, Kevin Kent, Christine L. Krebs, Teresa Suits, J. C. Bunch

Journal of Applied Communications

A growing need exists to identify, implement, and research alternative methods to communicate with, educate, and engage youth about science, in order to increase science literacy and knowledge of future societal decision-makers. Electronic field trips (EFTs) are one channel of non-formal communication and education that have been introduced in agricultural and natural resources to reach youth audiences with science-based information in real-time. EFTs can be conducted in several different ways due to the proliferation of video production and web-streaming technologies. The following professional development article offers science communication professionals and scientists a detailed model and specific steps to develop and …

Student Emotional Responses To Different Communication Situations, Rachel E. Hendrix, Carley C. Morrison

Journal of Applied Communications

Communication and emotion are closely linked. Emotions experienced while communicating with others can affect one’s message both verbally and nonverbally. This study asked participants to identify the emotions they experienced when communicating with groups of different sizes. These emotions were drawn from, and displayed upon, the Circumplex Model of Affect, a figure developed by Posner, Russell, and Peterson (2005). This model divides 16 emotions into quadrants that lie along two axes: pleasantness and emotional arousal. Results show that as audience size increases, speakers’ emotions become more unpleasant, more highly aroused, and more variable overall. Prior research indicates that these negative …

Facebook Activity Of Oklahoma Agritourism Facebook Pages, Brittany L. Bowman, Quisto Settle, Stacy Tomas, Angel Riggs

Journal of Applied Communications

Agritourism is recreational travel for agricultural activities. Agricultural operations benefit from income diversification, the public receives hands-on agricultural experiences, and rural communities benefit from economic development. However, agritourism operators have reported challenges in marketing. As social media becomes increasingly important in tourism marketing, the purpose of this research is to describe overall Facebook activity related to Oklahoma agritourism. A quantitative content analysis was conducted on 174 Facebook pages of Oklahoma agritourism operations to describe posts, public interaction, events, and advertisements. Oklahoma agritourism operations had a mean of 1,330 page likes, and 69% of Facebook pages had posts during the sample …

Effective Faculty Onboarding, Larry Buckley, Andre O. Hudson

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

New Academic Faculty face a deluge of new information when they arrive on campus. This is in addition to the stresses associated with a new campus environment, and for many the first position requiring completely independent planning and organization. Many faculty contribute career success or failure to successful and comprehensive support from colleagues from the very start of new positions. This workshop will require and assist all participants to develop an onboarding framework document that they can employ at their respective academic units/institutions. Topics to be discussed and included in such an onboarding guide include clear articulations of (1) Unit …

A Nonhomologous End-Joining Mutant For Neurospora Sitophila Research, Nicholas A. Rhoades, Elise K. Webber, Thomas M. Hammond

Fungal Genetics Reports

Disruption of the nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) pathway has been shown to increase the efficiency of transgene integration into targeted genomic locations of Neurospora crassa and other fungi. Here, we report that a similar phenomenon occurs in a second Neurospora species: N. sitophila. Specifically, we show that deletion of N. sitophila mus-51 increases the efficiency of targeted-transgene integration, presumably by disrupting NHEJ. Researchers interested in obtaining the N. sitophila mus-51^∆ strains described in this study can obtain them from the Fungal Genetics Stock Center (FGSC, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS).

An Evaluation Of Website Usability For A Cover Crops Resource In The Southern Region, Emily Cabrera, Jessica Holt

Journal of Applied Communications

With shifting demographics of agricultural professionals, online educational resources present opportunities for Extension and other natural resources faculty and personnel to use various tools for supporting agricultural producers in the 21st century using more modern technology. Traditionally, Agriculture and Natural Resource (ANR) Extension programming has used a variety of hands-on methods for teaching new, more sustainable farming practices, such as on-farm field days, workshops, farm visits, and demonstrations. While these traditional teaching methods are preferred among farmers, online support tools play a critical role in the overall decision-making process for farmers who are considering making changes to their current farming …

Characteristics Of Oklahoma Agritourism Facebook Posts, Brittany Bowman, Quisto Settle, Angel Riggs, Stacy Tomas, Audrey E. H. King

Journal of Applied Communications

Agritourism is recreational travel for agricultural activities. While it provides many benefits, such as rural development and heritage preservation, many agritourism operators express challenges in marketing their operations. Social media is increasingly common in tourism marketing, but little research exists describing current marketing practices. Quantitative content analysis was used to describe 174 Oklahoma agritourism operations’ Facebook page activity in June 2018. Original posts created by the agritourism operations and community posts created by the general public had similar amounts of public interaction. Post interactions were not related to post length, and original post interactions were also not related to overall …

Utilizing Twitter To Communicate Risk After A Natural Disaster, Taylor K. Ruth, Teresa Suits, Ashley Mcleod-Morin, Ricky W. Telg

Journal of Applied Communications

Hurricane Michael hit the Florida panhandle as a category five hurricane on October 10, 2018. One of the risks after a hurricane is the spread of mosquito-borne disease due to standing floodwaters, which provide perfect breeding grounds for mosquitoes. People often turn to social media during times of crisis to receive up-to-date information. Therefore, there is a need to understand how to use social media to communicate about risks after a natural disaster. The purpose of this study was to explore how Twitter was used to communicate about mosquito control before and after Hurricane Michael and was guided by the …

“You Call That Meat?” Investigating Social Media Conversations And Influencers Surrounding Cultured Meat, Annie R. Specht, Joy N. Rumble, Emily B. Buck

Journal of Applied Communications

Cultured meat has yet to reach store shelves but is nonetheless a growing issue for consumers, producers, and government regulators, many of whom have taken to social media to discuss it. Using a conceptual framework of social cognitive theory and issues management, this qualitative content analysis investigated social-media discourse surrounding the topic of cultured meat in the United States by describing the content of the discussion in late 2018 and identifying individual influencers and communities of influencers engaged in the discussion. Data were collected from Twitter using listening platform Sysomos MAP. The thematic analysis revealed eight themes: legality and marketing …

Effects Of Various Grazing Systems On Grazing And Subsequent Finishing Performance, L. W. Lomas, J. L. Moyer

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A total of 400 mixed black yearling steers were used to compare grazing and subsequent finishing performance from pastures with ‘MaxQ’ tall fescue, a wheat-bermudagrass double-crop system, or a wheat-crabgrass double-crop system in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. Daily gains of steers that grazed MaxQ fescue, wheat-bermudagrass, or wheat-crabgrass were similar (P>0.05) in 2010, 2016, 2017, and 2018. Daily gains of steers that grazed wheat-bermudagrass or wheat-crabgrass were greater (P>0.05) than those that grazed MaxQ fescue in 2011, 2012, and 2019. Daily gains of steers that grazed wheat-crabgrass were greater …

Sale Price Of Holstein Feeder Steer Lots Relative To Other Breed Descriptions Sold Through Superior Livestock Video Sales From 2010 Through 2018, E. D. Mccabe, M. J. Smith, M. E. King, K. E. Fike, G. M. Rogers, K. G. Odde

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Objective:The objective of this study was to determine the relative value of Holstein feeder steer lots compared to steer lots of other breed descriptions sold through video auctions while adjusting for all other factors that significantly influenced sale price.

Study Description:Data were analyzed from 14,075 lots of feeder steers sold via 211 livestock video auctions from 2010 through 2018. All lot characteristics that could be accurately quantified or categorized were used to develop a multiple regression model with backwards selection. A lot was categorized into one of four breed descriptions: 1) English, English crossed; 2) English-Continental …

Effects Of Guanidinoacetic Acid On Lean Growth And Methionine Flux In Cattle, M. Ardalan, M. D. Miesner, C. D. Reinhardt, D. U. Thomson, C. K. Armendariz, E. C. Titgemeyer

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Objective:To evaluate the effect of supplementing guanidinoacetic acid in the presence or absence of L-methionine on nitrogen retention (lean tissue growth) when cattle were purposefully maintained under conditions of a methionine deficiency.

Study Description:Seven ruminally-cannulated Holstein steers (355 lb) were used in an experiment where each steer received each of six treatments. Treatments were abomasal infusion of 0 or 6 g/day methionine, and 0, 7.5, or 15 g/day guanidinoacetic acid, with all combinations represented. Energy was supplied by ruminal infusion of volatile fatty acids and abomasal infusion of glucose. All essential amino acids except methionine were …

An Efficient Stocking Strategy For Grazing Replacement Heifers, Keith R. Harmoney, John R. Jaeger

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Even though Kansas native rangelands often have steep slopes or shallow soils not con­ducive to many other uses other than livestock grazing, native rangeland and perennial grassland acres in Kansas have been declining. Cropland acreage over this same time frame has increased, and rangelands have also become more fragmented by small ranch­ettes and urbanization. Producers may be looking to increase production efficiency on a shrinking forage land base. The use of intensive early stocking (IES) is one of the most efficient stocking strategies to produce beef on rangeland acres. The IES strategy has been widely used in eastern Kansas and …

Effects Of Interseeding Ladino Clover Into Tall Fescue Pastures Of Varying Endophyte Status On Grazing And Subsequent Finishing Performance Of Stocker Steers, L. W. Lomas, J. L. Moyer

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Two hundred fifty-six yearling steers grazing tall fescue pastures were used to evaluate the effects of fescue cultivar and interseeding ladino clover on available forage, grazing gains and subsequent finishing performance in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. Fescue cultivars evaluated were high-endophyte ‘Kentucky 31,’ low-endophyte Kentucky 31 ‘HM4,’ and ‘MaxQ.’ In 2016, 2018, and 2019, steers that grazed pastures of low-endophyte Kentucky 31, HM4, or MaxQ gained significantly more (P<0.05) and produced more (P<0.05) gain/a than those that grazed high-endophyte Kentucky 31 pastures. Gains of cattle that grazed low-endophyte Kentucky 31, HM4, or MaxQ were similar (P>0.05). In 2017, steer gains were similar (P>0.05) among all cultivars. High-endophyte Kentucky 31 pastures had more (P<0.05) available forage than low-endophyte Kentucky 31, HM4, or MaxQ pastures during both 2016 and 2017. Steer gains and gain/a were similar (P>0.05) between pastures fertilized with …

The Cost Of Tillage, G. F. Sassenrath

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Tillage has been a common event in farming for centuries. New information and management practices are demonstrating better ways of managing the soil to reduce erosion and improve productivity and profitability. Tillage destroys the soil structure, actually increasing the weeds and reducing the water holding capacity of the soil. Highly erodible areas of a field can lose more than 5 tons of soil per year with conventional tillage. Converting to no-till management can reduce production costs more than $30 per acre per year, saving topsoil and reducing management time in the field.

Tiller Contributions To Low-Density Corn Biomass And Yield, R. Veenstra, C. Messina, L. Haag, P. V. Vara Prasad, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Tillers (commonly termed “suckers”) have lower overall yield contributions in corn (Zea maysL.) than in other Poaceae species. Current research evaluating the value of tillers in corn is scarce, particularly under water-limited conditions. This study aims to quantify relationships between tiller, main plant, and full (considering both tiller and main plant fractions) plant aboveground biomass and yields of corn under low plant density scenarios. Experiments were conducted in the 2019 growing season at three sites across Kansas (Garden City, Goodland, and Manhattan) evaluating two tiller-prone corn hybrids common in this region (P0805AM and P0657AM) at two plant densities …

Tillage Study For Corn And Soybeans: Comparing Vertical, Deep, And No-Tillage, E. A. Adee

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Trends from a tillage study conducted since 2011 have shown no clear differences between tillage systems for either corn or soybeans in lighter soils under irrigation. One year out of seven years has shown a yield advantage for either corn or soybeans for any tillage system, which appears to be related to environmental conditions experienced during the season. Averaged across all years of the study, the treatments with deep tillage either every or every-other year had about 3% higher corn yields, and soybeans had up to a 3% yield increase with some form of tillage.

Long-Term Cover Crop Management Effects On Soil Health In Semiarid Dryland Cropping Systems, L. M. Simon, A. K. Obour, J. D. Holman, K. L. Roozeboom

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Growing cover crops (CC) in semiarid drylands may provide benefits to soil health. This study examined long-term CC management effects in a no-till winter wheat-grain sorghum-fallow cropping system in southwest Kansas. Objectives were to assess the impacts of CCs on 1) soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen (N) stocks, 2) soil susceptibility to erosion, as well as to 3) quantify the effects of haying cover crops as annual forages. Treatments were spring-planted and included peas for grain as well as one-, three-, and six-species CC mixtures of oats, triticale, peas, buckwheat, turnips, and radishes compared with conventional chemical-fallow. Half of …

Water Use And Productivity Of Corn And Grain Sorghum In Long-Term Crop Sequences, R. M. Aiken

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Dryland corn and grain sorghum showed similar water productivity of grain and above-ground biomass, relative to respective growing periods, at the apparent yield frontier. The yield frontier indicates the maximum productivity for a given amount of water use. This similarity in productive response to water supply provides a foundation for improved precipitation use. Yield gaps relative to the yield frontier appear substan­tial. Water supply during the grain filling period was the primary driver of feed grain crop productivity, and was affected more by available soil water at pollen shed than by precipitation during grain-fill or available water at maturity. Grain …

Dual Use Of Cover Crops For Forage Production And Soil Health In Dryland Crop Production, A. K. Obour, J. D. Holman, L. M. Simon, S. K. Johnson

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Integrating a cover crop (CC) into dryland crop production in the semiarid central Great Plains (CGP) can provide several ecosystem benefits. However, CC adoption is slow and not widely popular in the CGP because CCs utilize water that other­wise would be available for the subsequent cash crop. Grazing or haying CCs can provide economic benefits to offset revenue loss associated with decreased crop yields when CCs are grown ahead of a cash crop. Objectives of the current research were to 1) determine forage production of CC mixtures, and 2) evaluate the impacts of removing CCs for forage on subsequent crop …

Control Of Multiple Herbicide-Resistant Palmer Amaranth In Enlist Corn, R. Liu, V. Kumar, T. Lambert

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Recent evolution of multiple herbicide resistant (MHR) Palmer amaranth [resistant to 2,4-D, glyphosate (Roundup), chlorsulfuron (Glean), atrazine (Aatrex), and mesotrione (Callisto)] is a serious threat to newly developed stacked trait technologies, including Enlist crops (tolerant to 2,4-D, glyphosate, and glufosinate). Field experiments were conducted in 2019 at the Kansas State University Agricultural Research Center near Hays, KS, to determine the effectiveness of various preemergence (PRE) followed by (fb) postemergence (POST) herbicides (multiple modes of action) for controlling this MHR Palmer amaranth in Enlist corn. The study was established in no-till dryland wheat stubble where MHR Palmer amaranth seeds …

Wheat Variety-Specific Grain Yield Response To Plant Density Under Intensive Management Conditions In Western Kansas, R. P. Lollato, K. Mark, B. R. Jaenisch

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Seeding rate determines the first yield component of field crops, which is the plant population. However, wheat is less responsive to plant populations than other crops due to the high plasticity in tillering potential, and this responsiveness depends on resource availability. The objective of this project was to evaluate winter wheat popu­lation, grain yield, and grain test weight responses to seeding rate and its interaction with variety in a highly managed production system where manageable stresses were limited. Experiments evaluating the response of the wheat varieties ‘Joe,’ ‘WB-Grain­field,’ ‘Langin,’ and ‘LCS Revere’ to seeding rates ranging from 200,000–1,000,000 seeds per …

Effects Of Iron Injection Timing On Suckling And Subsequent Nursery And Growing-Finishing Performance And Hematological Criteria Under Commercial Conditions, H. E. Williams, B. Carrender, R. Maurer, J. M. Derouchey, J. C. Woodworth, S. S. Dritz, M. D. Tokach, R. D. Goodband, A. J. Holtcamp, K. F. Coble

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A total of 1,892 newborn pigs (PIC 359 × C40; initially 3.3 lb body weight [BW]) within 172 litters were used in a 168-d study to evaluate the effects of Fe injection timing after birth on suckling and subsequent nursery and growing-finishing growth performance and hematological criteria. One day after birth, piglets were weighed, and 11 pigs within each litter were allotted to 1 of 6 treatments consisting of no Fe injection or 200 mg of injectable Fe provided on d 1, 3, 5, or 7 of age, or 200-mg on d 1 plus 200-mg on d 12 of age. …

Evaluation Of Cellulose In Diets With And Without Added Zno On Nursery Pig Performance, J. A. Chance, M. D. Tokach, H. I. Calderón, J. C. Woodworth, J. M. Derouchey, R. D. Goodband

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A total of 1,296 pigs (L337 × 1050; PIC, Hendersonville, TN; initially 10.6 lb) were used in a 42-d study to evaluate the addition of cellulose in diets with and without the inclusion of pharmacological levels of Zn on nursery pig growth performance. Pigs were weaned at approximately 20 d of age and randomly allotted to pens in a randomized complete block design by body weight (BW). Pens of pigs were allotted to 1 of 4 dietary treatments with 27 pigs per pen and 12 replications per treatment. Dietary treatments were arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial with main …

Evaluation Of Dietary Inclusion Of Specialty Protein Ingredients On Nursery Pig Performance, H. R. Williams, J. M. Derouchey, M. D. Tokach, J. C. Woodworth, R. D. Goodband, S. S. Dritz, J. W. Frank, T. Wang

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A total of 1,215 pigs (PIC 337 × 1050; initially 11.0 lb body weight) were used in a 42-d growth trial to evaluate a new specialty protein blend prototype (Protein Blend, International Ingredient Corp., St. Louis, MO) on nursery growth performance. Pigs were randomly assigned to pens (27 pigs per pen) and pens were allotted by weight to 1 of 5 dietary treatments in a randomized complete block design with 9 pens per treatment. Treatments were arranged in a 2 × 2 + 1 negative control factorial arrange­ment with main effects of protein source (HP300, Hamlet Protein, Findlay, OH; and …

Evaluation Of High-Protein Distillers Dried Grains On Growth Performance And Carcass Characteristics Of Growing-Finishing Pigs, Z. X. Rao, R. D. Goodband, M. D. Tokach, S. S. Dritz, J. C. Woodworth, J. M. Derouchey, H. I. Calderón, M. F. Wilken

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A total of 1,890 growing-finishing pigs (PIC; 359 × 1050; initially 59.8 ± 1.3 lb) were used in a 124-d growth trial to compare the effects of high-protein distillers dried grains (HPDDG) or conventional distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) on growth performance and carcass characteristics. Conventional DDGS contained 29.0% CP, 0.48% standardized ileal digestible (SID) Lys, and 9.2% oil, whereas HPDDG contained 39.3% CP, 0.68% SID Lys, and 11.1% oil. All diets were formulated on an equal SID Lys-basis with diets containing HPDDG having less soybean meal than diets with conventional DDGS. There were 27 pigs per pen and …

Improving Performance Of Finishing Pigs With Added Valine, Isoleucine, And Tryptophan: Validating A Meta-Analysis Model, H. R. Kerkaert, H. S. Cemin, J. C. Woodworth, J. M. Derouchey, S. S. Dritz, M. D. Tokach, R. D. Goodband, K. D. Haydon, C. Hastad, Z. Post

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Based on a recent meta-analysis, we hypothesized that increased dietary Val, Ile, or Trp could correct possible amino acid interactions caused by high dietary Leu in diets containing high levels of corn protein, namely dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS). A total of 1,200 pigs (PIC TR4 × (Fast LW × PIC L02); initially 74.0 ± 1.38 lb) were used in a 103-d study. The 6 dietary treatments were corn-soybean meal- DDGS-based diets as follows: 1) low level of Lys-HCl (HSBM), 2) high Lys-HCl and moderate Ile, Val, Trp (NC; AA above NRC4 estimates), 3) moderate Lys-HCl and high Ile, …

Effect Of The Pelleting Process On Diet Formulations With Varying Levels Of Crystalline Amino Acids And Reducing Sugars On Digestibility In Growing Pigs, K. M. Dunmire, D. A. Lopez, C. J. Fiehler, C. K. Jones, Y. Li, J. C. Woodworth, R. D. Goodband, M. D. Tokach, C. R. Stark, H. H. Stein, C. B. Paulk

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of thermal processing on the digestibility of amino acids (AA) in diets with or without increased concentrations of free amino acids and reducing sugars (RS). To measure AA digestibility, a total of eight individually housed barrows (initially 69.2 ± 6.8 lb) that had a T-cannula installed in the distal ileum were allotted to a replicated 8 × 8 Latin square design with 8 diets and eight 7-d periods. Thus, each pig was fed each diet in one period and no pig received the same diet more than once. Each period …

Impact Of Storage Conditions And Premix Type On Fat-Soluble Vitamin Stability, M. Saensukjaroenphon, C. E. Evans, C. K. Jones, J. T. Gebhardt, J. C. Woodworth, C. R. Stark, J. R. Bergstrom, C. B. Paulk

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The objective of Exp. 1 was to determine the impact of 0, 30, 60, or 90 d storage time on fat-soluble vitamin stability when vitamin premix (VP) and vitamin trace mineral premix (VTM) are blended with 1% inclusion of medium chain fatty acids (MCFA; 1:1:1 blend of C6:C8:C10) or mineral oil (MO) with different environmental condi­tions. Treatments were arranged as a 2 × 2 × 2 × 4 factorial, with 2 premix type (VP or VTM), 2 oil type (MO or MCFA), 2 storage conditions [room temperature (RT) or high-heat, high-humidity (HTHH)] and 3 storage times (30, 60, or 90 …