Life Sciences Commons^™

Fine-Scale Habitat Use Related To Crop Depredation By Female White-Tailed Deer In An Agricultural Landscape, Kent Allen Adams

Masters Theses

The white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is the most popular game animal in the United States but is also responsible for a large amount of damage to agricultural crops. Understanding how deer use agricultural landscapes on a small scale will facilitate management. Global Positioning System (GPS) telemetry collars were attached to 16 female white-tailed deer at Chesapeake Farms, Kent County, Maryland, during 2 summer growing seasons (10 in 2001 and 6 in 2002). Twelve collars collected usable data and collar success averaged 90 and 86 percent in 2001 and 2002, respectively. Mean adaptive kernel home-range sizes (25.22 ha in …

The Effects Of Stocking Density, Amount Of Substrate, Frequency Of Feeding, And Waste Removal On Nursery Production And The Effects Of Substrate Height On Pond Production Of Freshwater Prawn Macrobrachium Rosenbergii, Alison Aria Ashby

Masters Theses

Production of freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) in temperate regions has gradually increased over the past decade due to advances in research. However, production is limited to one seasonal crop in these regions, increasing the need to intensify production. A nursery phase has been implemented to produce larger juveniles to stock into production ponds.

Three nursery experiments (A, B, C) were performed to evaluate the effects of stocking density, amount of added substrate, feeding frequency, and waste removal on the survival and growth of juvenile prawn. Experiment A involved two concurrent studies. Prawn averaging 0.01 g were stocked at …

The Effects Of Retinol During In Vivo And In Vitro Oocyte Maturation And Embryonic Development., Tracy Elizabeth Livingston

Doctoral Dissertations

Previous studies demonstrated that retinol administration to ewes, followed by natural service, resulted in embryos with improved competence to develop in vitro. In vivo studies with sheep and in vitro experiments with bovine embryos, were designed to evaluate the effects of retinol and to understand its mechanism(s) of action.

The primary objective of the first experiment was to analyze ovine oocyte metabolism, and to assess the effects of retinol on this process. Sheep oocytes were matured in vitro over a 24 hour period in the presence of different radiolabeled substrates. Results revealed that oxidative metabolism measured by glutamine showed …

Broiler Performance And Mineral Utilization Of Enzyme-Supplemented Defatted Rice Bran Diet During Heat Stress, Ornprapun Puminn

Doctoral Dissertations

Defatted rice bran is a by-product from the solvent-extraction of rice bran. It contains high amounts of phytate and non-starch polysaccharides, which are considered to be two major antinutritional factors that limit the use of rice bran in poultry diets. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate broiler performance and mineral utilization of defatted rice bran diets supplemented with commercial enzyme phytase alone or a combination of phytase and xylanase under two different environmental temperatures. In the first experiment, six replicate groups of day-old chicks were assigned to five dietary treatments comprised of a control corn-soybean meal diet with 25% corn …

The Effects Of Dietary Additives On The Growth Performance And Occurrance Of Resistant Bacteria In Weanling Pigs, January Beth Pulliam

Doctoral Dissertations

Three replicate trials, with a total of 36 ileal cannulated pigs, were conducted to determine the effects of including carbadox or mannanoligosaccharides in weanling pig diets. Individual crossbred (Yorkshire X Landrace X Duroc) pigs were used as the experimental units and were weaned at approximately 21 days of age, balanced by gender, genetics and weight, and allotted to pens in groups of three. Pens were randomly assigned to one of four treatments including: AB) 55 mg carbadox/kg, BM) 0.2% phosphorylated mannanoligosaccharide, RT) a rotation of the above two treatments, or CT) NRC based control treatment with no additives. Pigs were …

F814-White-Tailed Deer Observation Form, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Wildlife and Fisheries

No abstract provided.

Pb1643-Quality Deer Management - Guidelines For Implementation, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Wildlife and Fisheries

Historically, deer managers have concentrated on increasing deer populations by protecting antlerless deer from harvest. This approach helped restore deer populations from all-time lows in the early 1900s. Presently, the deer population in North America exceeds 30 million. Although deer populations may be low in some areas (e.g., the southern Appalachian region of east Tennessee and western North Carolina), deer herds are well established over most of their range and, in fact, are overpopulated in many areas. Today, progressive managers concentrate on improving herd quality where deer populations are established.

Quality deer management (QDM) is a strategy and philosophy that …

Inventory And Analysis Of Plankton In Green River Within Mammoth Cave National Park, Justin H. Laughlin

Masters Theses

National Park Service biological staff are charged with preserving and protecting all creatures within a park’s boundaries. It is only a matter of time before exotic zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) invade all eastern waterways including Green River within Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky. The National Park Service, in cooperation with University of Tennessee, initiated this inventory of plankton within Mammoth Cave National Park to establish baseline data prior to zebra mussel invasion. During this two year study (2000-2002), 180 plankton samples were collected at three sampling sites which encompassed all major riverine habitat types within the three flow zones (free-flow, …

Body Condition Score And Dairy Form As Indicators Of Dairy Cattle Disease And Reproductive Performance., Chad D. Dechow

Doctoral Dissertations

The objectives of this research were to estimate heritabilities and correlations between body condition score (BCS) from various sources, determine the genetic relationship among BCS, dairy form, cow health and reproductive performance and investigate various models to analyze BCS and dairy form. BCS was obtained from herds using PCDART dairy management software and from linear type appraisals by Holstein classifiers. Cow health data was obtained from several herds recording disease treatments. Genetic evaluations for cow health in Denmark were also obtained. Reproductive data and yield data were provided by DRMS and AIPL-USDA. Heritabilities and correlations among traits were estimated with …

Soybean Hull Supplementation To Pasture-Based Beef Cattle Finishing Diets, Rebon Brent Pugh

Masters Theses

In the midsouthern United States, forages exist as the major nutrient source for grazing beef cattle. A large forage base allows this region to produce and market many feeder calves to backgrounding and feedlot operations. The utilization of forage resources stands as a high priority to cattle producers. Supplementation of highly digestible fiber feedstuffs can be used to enhance animal performance, to take advantage of forage resources, and to extend forages by increasing stocking rates or increasing hay production. The development of forage based beef cattle finishing systems may be supported by high-fiber energy supplementation strategies. The availability of feeder …

Tnh0004-Nutritional Needs Of Horses, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

Horses, as well as other animals, should be fed according to their nutritional needs. Horses’ nutritional requirements are based on stage of production and activity. The categories that determine nutrient requirements are maintenance, gestation, lactation, growth and work. The horse is then fed to meet those nutrient needs. Maintenance requirements are those requirements needed for a horse to simply maintain its present body status, neither gaining nor losing weight. Pregnant mares during late gestation require additional nutrients above maintenance to sustain body weight and provide for the growing fetus.

Nutritional requirements dramatically increase during lactation. This is the stage of …

Tnh0006-Rations For Horses, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

Horse owners and other livestock producers have traditionally classified certain feeds as either horse feed, cattle feed or hog feed. Many horse owners believed they had to feed their horses oats and timothy hay and generally paid higher prices for these feeds. Now they have realized that these higher costs were not justified.

Today, horse owners are more aware of alternate feedstuffs. They realize that oats, corn, grain sorghum, timothy hay, alfalfa hay, soybean meal and cottonseed meal are simply sources of basic nutrients. There is nothing magic about any of these feeds; they are simply a way to meet …

Tnh3002- Locating And Buying The Right Horse, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

Millions of people enjoy their horses each day. The horse owner can receive years of enjoyment and satisfaction from locating and buying the RIGHT horse. The physical exercise and mental relaxation derived from a safe, well-trained horse can justify the expense associated with this form of recreation. A ride on a trail, completing a difficult hunt course or teaching a foal to lead are experiences that happen daily in the lives of horse owners.

The relationship between a horse and rider can be unparalleled if the right horse is chosen. This fact sheet will assist horse owners in not only …

Tnh3003- Management Tips For The Newborn And Growing Foal, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

Proper care and management of the young foal will have a great impact on its future performance. The foal will never maximize its genetic potential without the right start. A few simple management considerations at foaling time can help put the newborn foal in the “winner’s circle.” This fact sheet addresses immediate management practices for the newborn foal as well as health and nutritional protocols for the young growing foal.

Tnh4002-Control Of Internal Parasites Of The Horse, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

The health of the equine population is a primary concern for horse owners because it is related to reproduction, growth, performance and the overall well-being of the horse. A rigid herd health protocol for parasite control will never fit every individual situation; however, there are certain guidelines that all good horse owners can follow in establishing a parasite management program. Horse owners must review the problems of their particular farm or locality and make the herd health program fit the individual situation.

More than 150 types of internal parasites are known to infect horses. However, from a practical standpoint, the …

Tnh6000-Evaluating Skeletal Structure Of Horses, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

Structural correctness ultimately determines the value and usefulness of a horse. Regardless of whether the horse is a favorite at the Derby or a youth’s pleasure mount, length and angle of the bone structure combined with skeletal correctness play a critical role in the usefulness of the athlete. As the number and severity of structural problems increase, the expected life, activity and performance of the horse are severely limited.

Tnh-6001-Evaluating Conformation Of Horses, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

Conformation is important to all breeds and types of horses because of its relationship to performance. The well-conformed horse will be a superior athlete. The competent horse judge or evaluator will recognize the differences between individuals and select the more desirably conformed horse. The information in this fact sheet will serve as a tool for a student of horse evaluation to improve his or her evaluation skills.

Tnh1001-Basic Broodmare Management, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

Volumes of material have been written on broodmare management. However, much of the material is extremely detailed and is of little use to the average horse owner who wants to breed a mare. There is a need for a common sense approach to managing the broodmare. This common sense approach, combined with scientific management principles, will allow for a successful breeding program. This paper will address basic principles related to management of broodmares that include nutrition, condition scoring, herd health, lighting programs, the estrous cycle and receptivity to breeding.

Tnh1002-Cooled Shipped Horse Semen, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

Imagine that you have a really great mare you plan to breed again once she foals. You have recently seen the perfect stallion for this mare at a show in Asheville, North Carolina. Unfortunately, the stallion will be standing this breeding season in California. The expense of shipment and mare care plus concerns for the well-being of the mare and foal make sending the mare to California seem a bad idea. What can you do? Cooled shipped semen may be the answer. With proper management and attention to detail, cooled shipped semen can be used successfully. If either you or …

Tnh1003-Embryo Transfer In Mares, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

Embryo transfer (ET), an advanced reproductive technology, has several potential uses in equine reproduction. ET can be used to increase the annual reproductive rates in mares. For example, some breed associations will allow multiple foals to be registered annually per donor mare. Young mares (2 years old) can have offspring through ET where otherwise this might not be a good idea. Females in use for shows, training or exhibition can have offspring without being removed from their primary use. Last, less fertile mares — particularly those with uterine problems — can have foals.

Tnh1004-Modern Equine Breeding Management, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

Horse reproduction is an inefficient process with less than 50 percent of the mares that are bred each year foaling. A number of newer techniques are available to improve efficiency, but all require attention to detail. Many require competent technical assistance and access to prescription drugs. This fact sheet will address topics related to improving reproduction. These include forced ovulation, estrus control, artificial insemination, cooled shipped semen, frozen semen and embryo transfer.

Tnh3000-Traveling With Your Horse, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Service

Animals/Livestock

Almost everyone who owns a horse will eventually travel with that horse. The traveling time can be enjoyable and a good experience. Proper planning and preparation to transport horses is the key to a pleasant and successful trip

People go almost everywhere with their horses. Many go to shows and other competitive horse events. Trail rides and camping are also appealing to many horse owners. Trips to shows and trail rides are primarily for pleasure and enjoyment. However, some trips are for business — to breeding farms, horse sales and training clinics.

Horse owners should address a number of considerations …

Tnh3005-Standing A Stallion To The Public, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

Most breeding farms or stallion owners must depend on stallion service income (breeding fees) from outside (public) mares to financially support the total horse operation. Since standing a stallion does have financial consequences, it is very important to understand some basic management concepts when standing a stallion to the public.

Most stallion owners initially purchase a stallion to breed their own mares. However, by breeding outside mares, the stallion owner is able to reduce the fixed costs of owning a stallion, increase the number of mares bred and subsequently increase the number of foals available to evaluate the stallion as …

Tnh3004-Weaning Management For Foals, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

Weaning is stressful on both the mare and foal. Many times horse producers wean foals with little regard to the emotional and physical stress that often arises. They typically wean their foals based on tradition or mere convenience. However, in today’s highly productive horse operations, many considerations are given to the weaning process that will have a positive influence on the health and general well-being of the mare and foal. This fact sheet will assist the horse owner in developing a weaning management program. Some of the weaning management considerations include: keeping stress level to a minimum, creep feeding, adequate …

Tnh3001-Tips On Trailering Your Horse, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

In today’s mobile horse industry, horses are trailered as part of a daily routine at many horse operations. The primary destination is probably horse shows, but horse owners also have to trailer horses to veterinarians, farriers, breeding farms or to a trail for an enjoyable ride.

A horse that will not trailer has limited usefulness. Many considerations and decisions have to be made to trailer your horse properly and safely. The vehicle to pull the trailer, the type of trailer and training the horse to load and trailer are important considerations that will be addressed in this fact sheet.

Tnh4001-Control Of Infectious Diseases Of Horses, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

An effective disease control program is extremely important to maintain the health and usefulness of a horse. A disease control program is just part of a total management scheme of proper health, nutrition, reproduction, growth and performance. A healthy, disease- free horse will have the opportunity to maximize its genetic potential or simply carry the horse owner on a Sunday afternoon pleasure ride. This fact sheet will provide Tennessee horse owners information about diseases and their control.

Tnh3006-Safety At Horse Shows, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

Safety at horse events, such as horse shows, should always be given the highest possible priority. The horse show environment with many different horses and people mixed together in a sometimes hurried and stressful situation is a blueprint for violations of basic safety procedures.

Each year thousands of horse-related injuries occur in the United States. However, many of these accidents could be prevented by observing some basic safety principles. Safety for both riders and horses is a responsibility shared by everyone, including exhibitors, parents, trainers and show management.

Tnh1000-Heat Detection And Teasing Systems For Mares, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Service

Animals/Livestock

An observant teasing manager, an effective teaser and a safe, efficient teasing system are the bases for accurate heat detection in the mare. These factors, combined with a thorough knowledge of sexual behavior in mares and a detailed set of records are necessary for a successful breeding season. Pregnancy rates in mares are the lowest of any domestic animal. Only about one half of all mares bred will become pregnant and foal the next year. Pregnancy rates can increase substantially if managers can do a better job of heat detection in mares. Accurate teasing records, combined with rectal palpation or …

Volume 1, Number 3 (2003), Ut Institute Of Agriculture

Tennessee Land, Life and Science Magazine

Issue Highlights:

• Booming Biotechnology
• Lessons in Leadership
• New Options for Producers
• Entering an Exciting New Era

Volume 1, Number 2 (2003), Ut Institute Of Agriculture

Tennessee Land, Life and Science Magazine

Issue Highlights:

• Insects as Teaching Tools
• Helping Children Succeed
• Honors Student Faces Bright Future
• Reinventing the Family Farm