Digital Commons Network^™

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 …

Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry Method Development For The Determination Of Β–Defensins In Bovine Milk, Elisha Ogbebor

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Bovine mastitis is caused by a wide range of pathogens which results in a substantial economic loss for the dairy cattle livestock industry. β-defensins are a part of the innate immune system and act as the first line of defense against mastitis in bovine. β-defensins (~6- 10kDa) are antimicrobial peptides that contain about 28 to 67 amino acids, the presence of six cysteine residues results in their three disulfide bonds and a β-sheet structure. A few β- defensins have been identified in cows based on the site of occurrence and time of expression in tissue, but not in milk. A …

Effects Of Exercise When Transitioning From Free Choice Tall Fescue (Lolium Arundinaceum) Grass Diet In Late Summer To Free Choice Tall Fescue Hay Diet In Late Fall On Plasma Fructosamine Concentrations, Insulin Levels, Body Weight, And Body Condition Scores Of Stock Horse Mares And Gelding, Riley Brown

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Equine exercise may influence a horse’s metabolic and physiological functions. Studies can help to prove this linkage, and to better understand the nutritional requirements of the horse. The parameters that are being evaluated are plasma-fructosamine concentrations, insulin levels, body weight (lbs.), and body condition score (BCS) as a measurement of obesity. Eight horses used in this study were split into two groups; Worked horses were exercised three times a week while the unworked horses were not exercised. All eight horses were fed an ad libitum diet of tall fescue grass and hay for 127 days.

Forage samples were collected to …

Agriculture Education Teacher Perspectives On Stem In Secondary Classrooms -A Delphi Study, Nicholas Kyle Porter

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Recent statistics tell us that the number of jobs in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) related fields are growing at a rapid rate, it is projected that STEM related careers will grow 17% between 2008 and 2018 (Langdon, n.d.). Within these areas lies agriculture. Given the shift of career opportunities, such as in the areas of research and development, a change has to be made in the way students are educated within agriculture. The ultimate goal of all educators is to better prepare students for their future careers and endeavors because these students are the future of our food …

Liquid Chromatography With Tandem Mass Spectrometry Method Development For The Determination Of Β–Defensins In Bovine Milk, Symone T. Whalin

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Bovine mastitis, caused by a wide array of pathogens, results in a substantial economic loss for the dairy cattle livestock industry. β-defensins are a part of the bovine’s innate immune system and act as the first line of defense against mastitis. Only foundational research has been done on β-defensins’ ability to treat and prevent mastitis. There have been no analytical methods reported in the literature for analyzing β-defensins in bovine milk. This research aims to create an analytical approach to determine β-defensins in bovine milk. It is challenging to determine an analyte in a complex sample matrix, and milk is …

Mining 30 Years Of Conifer Records At The Baker Arboretum, Monika Decker

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Only limited data had been published on the survivability of specimens within public gardens. This may be due to not enough data collected or how vast the plant selections are in the gardens. The Baker Arboretum has collected data by accessioning plant collections over a period of 30 years. The Baker Arboretum has its specimens GIS mapped on the 115-acre property for easy location and detection of the the woody ornamental plants. However, little research is available to understand which coniferous specimens have the best success in the garden. In this study, six separate binomial logistic regressions were run to …

Evaluation Of Supplementing Whole Cottonseed Within Feedlot Rations During The Stockerphase Of Production With The Goal Of Increasing Average Daily Gain, Emily Lauren Cook

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Beef calves are weaned at 6-months of age and enter the stocker phase of beef production. Stocker producers have the primary goal of adding weight inexpensively to increase profit on weaned calves. Whole cottonseed is an inexpensive feed ingredient that is popularly top-dressed within dairy and finishing beef diets and is high in protein and energy. During three periods lasting 50-days (fall 2019, fall 2020, and spring 2020), freshly weaned calves were placed on a finishing ration with the goal of increasing average daily gain. Base rations were calculated at 25% tall fescue hay, 23% corn, and 52% distillers’ solubles. …

Effects Of Solid Matrix One-Step Planting Practice On Cool Season Turfgrass Germination In Unfavorable Conditions, Ben Duncan

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The transition zone in the United States is a difficult area to grow and establish turfgrasses. To establish or repair damaged turfgrass areas, seed priming is an often-used practice. Turfgrass companies and researchers are expanding the practice of solid matrix priming to the practice of one step planting. These products contain seed, fertilizers, and often some type of inert matter and/or mulch. This study took place in Bowling Green, KY and Knoxville, TN during the same period to investigate the effects of using these one step planting products compared to standard cool season turfgrass seeding practices. Two Pennington and two …

Primary Reasons For Not Attending Farmers' Market. Do Market Features And Consumer Characteristics Matter?, Autumn Milliner

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The number of farmers’ markets has been growing, but consumer attendance does not appear to rise at the same rate. The overall purpose of this study was to investigate primary reasons for not attending. Specific objectives were: (1) describe the consumer characteristics of individuals who do not attend farmers’ markets (2) investigate the consumer characteristics and market amenities that influence a consumer’s choice to not attend a farmers market (3) estimate the variables that impact a consumer’s level of interest in subscribing to a CSA and (4) assess and estimate the relationship between consumer characteristics and their willingness to pay …

Online Shoppers Spending On Fresh Produce; Do Those On Government Assistance Spend Less?, Wyatt Tucker Lucas

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study applies an Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) model to explain differences in the amount that online shoppers might spend per month on fresh produce, given specific consumer characteristics. It also uses a multinomial logit model to determine the relative probability of online shoppers spending more or less, given specific consumer characteristics. The independent variable of interest in both models is whether or not the respondent is a recipient of a government assistance food program. These analyses used data from a stratified random sample of 1,205 online shoppers residing in the southern region of the United States. “Online shoppers” in …

Bodyweight Management And Relationship To Health In The Horse (Equus Caballus), Beverly Ann Gartland

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The health of the horse is of interest to animal caretakers. Horses that fall within a prescribed range of bodyweight and body condition may be healthier than horses that are lower or higher. Two studies were conducted related to body weight and condition of the horse. The first study examined if restricting the amount of space available for horses to graze could reduce bodyweight without having a strong impact on time budgets of the horse or removing horses from pasture. This method was determined to be effective in preventing weight gain, although there was an increase in grazing behavior displayed …

Factors That Positively Affect Agricultural Educator Longevity And Retention In Kentucky: A Delphi Study, Loren Clifford Gross

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine the favorable factors that positively affect the longevity and retention of agricultural educators in the state of Kentucky. This issue was examined by answering the following questions: What are the primary reasons you decided to become an agricultural teacher? Why have you decided to stay in the agricultural education profession for five or more years? What are some of the barriers that you have encountered during your teaching career that you have had to overcome that may have caused you to leave the profession? A three-round Delphi study was utilized to capture …

Evaluating The Success Of Female Selected Sex-Sorted Semen At Western Kentucky University's Dairy Farm, Briley Loggan

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of female selected sex-sorted semen and to determine the association of variables on the success of Western Kentucky University’s Dairy Farm. Official breeding and calving records (n=144) were used to determine the relation of lactation number, breeding season, breeding number, breeding year and semen type on pregnancy results, sex of offspring, and the mortality of the offspring. Previous research has shown pregnancy results can be influenced by lactation number, breeding season, number of breedings and semen type. Results from this study show that pregnancy results were not associated with lactation …

Quantification Of Tylosin Antibiotics In Cattle Waste, Appala Keerthi

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Antibiotics are used as prophylactic agents to promote growth and for treating infections in animals. However, the irrational use of antibiotics in livestock management is a significant cause of the development of antibioticresistant genes in the environment. Each year 2 million people suffer from the infections caused by bacteria which are resistant to antibiotics and 23,000 of these people are estimated to die because of antibiotic resistance. New drugs are continually coming into the market but are at the risk of developing resistance. Thus, there is a need for the development of analytical methods which can be used to monitor …

Effects Of Bacillus Mycoides Supplement In A Reduced Frequency Fungicide Program On Chambourcin Grapevines (Vitis Vinifera L.), Ryan Alan Mairs

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Fungal diseases pose significant challenges for grapevine producers in Kentucky due to the region’s abundant moisture and relative humidity. Methods to reduce fungicide application frequency would prove both economically and temporally valuable to producers. A field experiment was established in Bowling Green, KY in 2017 to investigate Bacillus mycoides isolate J (LifeGard) as a supplement to a fungicide program for systemic acquired resistance (SAR). Three fungicide treatment regimens were implemented consisting of a program modelled from the Midwest Fruit Pest Management Guide (2017) and an identical program supplemented with 140 g ha-1 LifeGard per application (both applied on 14 day …

Effects Of Nitrogen Fertilizer Rate, Timing, And Herbicide Use On Industrial Hemp (Cannabis Sativa), Robert David Anderson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa) is an old crop being reintroduced into certain states; thus, very little information is known about growing the crop domestically. Two field experiments were established in Bowling Green, KY to evaluate various nitrogen fertilizer rates and timing applications to examine the effects on growth and yield of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa). Each experiment was sprayed with 1.12 a.i. ha-1 pendimethalin on half of each plot as a pre – emergent herbicide. Hemp was planted at a rate of 43 kg/ ha into a conventionally tilled silt loam soil. Nitrogen rates studied were a control, 79, 157, …

Effects Of Transitioning From A Free Choice Tall Fescue (Lolium Arundinaceum) Hay Diet In Late Winter To A Free Choice Spring Tall Fescue Pasture Diet On Plasma Fructosamine Concentrations, Body Weight, And Body Condition Scores Of Stock Horse Mares, Paige A. Smith

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Approximately half of all reported laminitis cases are the result of “grass founder” (laminitis associated with long-term over consumption of lush, early spring pastures). Elevated body weights (BW), body condition scores (BCS), and blood glucose concentrations have all been associated with the onset of grass founder. Plasma fructosamine concentrations (PFC) have recently been used as an indicator of long-term (14–21 d), mean blood glucose concentrations in horses and numerous authors have reported that elevated PFC were observed in laminitic horses (Murphy et al., 1997; Keen et al., 2004; Knowles et al., 2012). This study was conducted to evaluate the long-term …

Effects Of Herbicides On Industrial Hemp (Cannabis Sativa) Phytotoxicity, Biomass, And Seed Yield, Brett A. Maxwell

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Field studies were established in 2015 at Bowling Green and Lexington, KY to evaluate industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa) tolerance to various herbicides. Hemp was planted into conventionally tilled soils in mid to late June at a seeding rate of 39 kg/ha in Bowling Green and 22 kg/ha in Lexington. Five herbicide active ingredients were applied preemergence (PRE) the day of planting and six postemergence (POST) treatments were applied to 30 cm hemp with a CO2-backpack sprayer delivering 140 L/ha. Plots were 3.1 m wide by 6.1 m long and were sprayed with a 2.1 m boom sprayer leaving a 0.46 …

Farm-To-Fork Fresh Produce Food Safety: An Evaluation Of Perceptions, Knowledge, And Implementation Of Good Agriculture Practices In Kentucky, Daniel J. Sinkel

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Farmers’ markets have increasingly become a popular venue for purchase of fresh, locally-grown produce, with the number of farmers’ markets in Kentucky reaching an all-time high of 159 in 2016. Good Agriculture Practices (GAPs) is a program created by the USDA’s Agriculture Marketing Service to function as a food safety audit for small-scale fresh produce growers, such as those who sell fresh produce at local farmers’ markets. However, under the provisions of the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011, small-scale farmers who sell an average of $25,000 in annual fresh produce sales across the span of three years are exempt …

Testing Usda Certified Organic And Non-Gmo Verified Project Labeled Foods For The Presence Of Genetic Modifications, Ryan Loren Phelps

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are plants or animals that have been produced using genetic insertion or deletion via technology (also called genetic engineering or GE). Merged DNA from different species creates combinations of plant, animal, bacteria and/or virus genes that cannot occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding.

Our goal was to determine the presence or absence of GMO markers in USDA Organic Certified and in Non-GMO Project food products. We investigated only corn or soy-based products that were purchased from many types of retailers. Our study was limited to products that contained a label for USDA organic certification and/or …

Marketing Effects On Consumer Retention And Expenditures In Central Kentucky And North Central Tennessee Floral Industry, Danielle L. Berkshire

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Florists in today’s industry are competing against mass-markets that are able to buy and sell fresh-cut flowers at low prices in bulk. Mass-markets offer little or no design or other services. Consumers find it convenient to order flowers online through wire services, paying large fees to order flowers. Order gatherers pose as local floral shops taking consumers orders online or by phone then call the local florist to fill orders. Packaged flowers became popular in the early 2000’s ordering flowers directly from the farm to the consumer. Rural and metropolitan areas of Central Kentucky and North Central Tennessee were surveyed. …

Accessing Chilling Conditions For Perennial Fruit Crop Production In Kentucky, Yao Xue

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Temperate Region fruit and nut trees, and many other perennial plants, require cool winter temperatures (chilling hours) to ensure leaf and flower bud production in the following season. Temperate Regions are characterized by variable winter and spring temperatures. Failure of meeting sufficient chilling requirement results in deformed fruits, unequal maturation, and other plant deformities, thereby reducing quality and yields. Chilling requirements are expressed as number of accumulated hours within a range of approximately 32º to 45ºF or 0º to 7.2ºC. These requirements are specific for level of temperature, length of temperature period, and species and cultivar of plants. Information on …

Efficacy Of An Electronic Scarecrow On 4 Mammalian Crop-Raiders In Limpopo Province, South Africa, Merrie Renee Richardson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In South Africa, 2 primate species, Chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) and vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus), and 2 nocturnal mammals, Cape porcupine (Hystrix africaeaustralis) and bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus), are among many species of crop raiders. Currently, cost-effective, non-lethal solutions are lacking. From June through December 2012, I installed novel electronic scarecrows on two commercial citrus orchards and a private reserve and used video-recording remote cameras to assess cropraiders’ reactions to them in Limpopo Province, South Africa. I used focal animal sampling data from treatment and control group animals to examine differences in activity …

Improving Cocoa Production Through Lean: A Case Study Of The Ghanaian Cocoa Industry, Kwasi Boateng

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Cocoa has been useful in several ways, especially to countries that produce it and consumers all over the world. Its benefits range from improving economies to satisfying millions all over the world who desire one cocoa product or the other. The production of cocoa however is not without its own attendant problems. Aging tree stock, spread of diseases, and production capacity problems are, but a few of many challenges that seed gardens that produce cocoa face. This study investigated the pollination process on selected seed gardens in Ghana, the second largest world producer of cocoa. The purpose of this study …

Cultivar, Mowing Height, And Herbicide Effects On Bermudagrass, Cynodon Dactylon [L.] Pers., Suppression In Tall Fescue, Schedonorus Arundinaceus [Schreb.] Dumort., Nom. Cons., Daniel S. Sandor

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In the fall of 2011, a study was initiated at the Western Kentucky University Farm in Bowling Green, Kentucky on a Crider silt loam (Typic Paleudalf). The objective of this study was to determine cultivar, mowing height, and herbicide effects on bermudagrass, Cynodon dactylon [L.] Pers., suppression in tall fescue, Schedonorus arundinaceus [Schreb.] Dumort., nom. cons. The experimental design was a split plot design with whole plots consisting of varying mowing heights and split plots consisting of different herbicide treatments with three replications. Two separate experiments were conducted. The tall fescue variety ‘KY 31’ was utilized for one study and …

Food Defense Among Meat Processing And Food Service Establishments In Kentucky, Morgan Webb-Yeates

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Agroterrorism is the deliberate introduction of a plant or animal disease with the
goal of causing fear, economic instability, illness, or death. After the 2002 terrorist
attacks on the World Trade Center, the security of the food supply is of increasing
concern to the United States. A major incidence of agroterrorism or food tampering would have far reaching impacts on the economy and public health. The first objective of this project was to determine knowledge and concern of agroterrorism in meat processing facilities in Kentucky, and to determine knowledge and concern of food tampering and food defense in food service …

Influence Of Transplanter Modification And Previous Crop On The Production Of No-Till Dark Tobacco, William Frazier Penick

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Dark tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) has historically been produced using
conventional tillage practices. Soil is cultivated multiple times throughout a growing season leading to an increased incidence of soil erosion. No-till systems have been growing in popularity with the advent of new technology that has enabled the practice to be performed effectively and efficiently. With the recent expansion of no-till practices throughout the agricultural community, many crops have had success in producing comparable yields while reducing input costs and saving soil resources. For this experiment, a traditional tobacco transplanter was modified for use in a no-till environment. All modifications were …

Effect Of Tassel Removal For Baby Corn (Zea Mays L.) Production In Kentucky, Christopher G. Ferguson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Baby corn (Zea mays L.) consists of unfertilized young ears harvested at silk
emergence. The 2011 study was a culmination of four successive years of production
and evaluation of baby corn at Western Kentucky University (36.93 N, 86.47 W). The
objective was to compare the effect of tassel removal on baby corn (BC) production on
four cultivars of corn, two field (‘N77P-3000GT’, ‘N68B-3000GT’) and two sweet
(‘Silver Queen’, ‘Peaches N Cream’). Results indicated that tassel removal gave
significant increases (P<0.01) of BC ears across harvests (H) and cultivars; however, the effect was not consistent over treatments. For harvests, the difference due to detasseling was significant (P<0.05) for H2 and H3, but not significant (P>0.05) for H1 or H4. For cultivars, numerical values were higher for detasseled than non-detasseled treatments in the first three …

Using Arbuscular Mycorrhizae To Influence Yield, Available Soil Nutrients And Soil Quality In Conventional Vs. Organic Vegetable Production, Gary Thomas Cundiff

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This research is a two year study on the effects of endomycorrhizae on vegetable production using conventional vs. organic practices. Objective of this study was initiated to determine if mycorrhizae improve yield, available soil nutrients and soil quality from two different fertilizer sources. Measurements were taken on yield, available soil nutrients, and soil quality in comparison of glomalin production and soil loss percentage. Two plant species were chosen, Tomatoes (‘Big Beef’) and Bush Beans (‘Tenderette’). A randomized split block 2 x 3 factorial treatment arrangement was used with two crops and three different inputs: Mo- 0 mycorrhizae, M1- recommended rate, …

Bacterial Interactions Of Inoculated Price's Potato Bean (Apios Priceana): A Biological Study, Rhonda Walker

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Apios priceana is a native endangered species plant found in the Southeast United States. It is characterized as a leguminous species that bears wisteria like clusters with pea like flowers, a large tuberous root and four to six inch long seed pods. It is believed the Native Americans and early European settlers relied on this species as a source of protein and utilized the seeds for cultivation of the tuberous “potato” which formed. Apios priceana contains an average of 13% fiber, 6.9% protein, 71% carbohydrate and 9 of the 11 essential amino acids needed in human diets (Walter et al.,1986). …