Life Sciences Commons^™

Collegiate Millennials' Perceptions Of Locally Produced Beef, Shelby Oesterreicher, Lisa K. Lundy, Joy N. Rumble, Ricky W. Telg

Journal of Applied Communications

Millennial consumers are stepping into important roles as decision makers and consumers. A knowledge and communication gap exists between cattle producers and consumers this knowledge seeking generation. This study focused on collegiate millennials’ perceptions of locally produced beef. The research design was qualitative in nature using focus groups. Participants associated the beef industry and beef products with the environment, management practices, treatment of animals, human health concerns, retail, experience with the beef industry, experience with beef, and transparency. Results of this study showed participants had minimal knowledge of the industry and relatively negative perceptions of the industry and beef products. …

A Sentiment And Content Analysis Of Twitter Content Regarding The Use Of Antibiotics In Livestock, Garrett M. Steede, Courtney Meyers, Nan Li, Erica Irlbeck, Sherice Gearhart

Journal of Applied Communications

On January 1, 2017, the final rule of the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) was put into place requiring antibiotics approved for both humans and animals to be discontinued for growth promotion. This change was brought on by the role growth promoters in livestock production play in the development of antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance increases the costs associated with human health care by increasing the length of stays in the hospital and requiring more intensive medical care for patients. The purpose of this study was to explore sentiment and characteristics of social media content and the characteristics of the key influencers …

Genetic Modification, Factory Farms, And Alf: A Focus Group Study Of The Netflix Original Film Okja, Garrett M. Steede, Kelsi Opat, Leah S. Curren, Erica Irlbeck

Journal of Applied Communications

Okja is a fictional Netflix original film that was released in 2017. Okja features a “super pig” that is owned by the large, agricultural company Mirando Corporation. Okja is raised by a young girl, Mija, and her grandfather in the South Korean mountains. The film climaxes when Mija and the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) narrowly save Okja and a smuggled piglet from the slaughter process. The purpose of this study was to understand how college students responded to the film. The viewers of this film included students who were majoring in a field within the agricultural college (COA) at Texas …

Blue Bell's Facebook Posts And Responses During The 2015 Listeria Crisis: A Case Study, Kelsi Opat, Haley Magness, Erica Irlbeck

Journal of Applied Communications

Blue Bell Creameries faced an unprecedented situation when it pulled all of its products during a Listeria outbreak in 2015. Despite a very public crisis that resulted in three deaths, Blue Bell survived the disaster and maintained a large and loyal customer base. A content analysis of the Blue Bell Ice Cream Facebook page was conducted to evaluate Blue Bell’s public communications, and its followers’ public reactions to the Facebook communication during the crisis. Results indicated that Blue Bell primarily posted messages that included recall and restocking information, thankfulness to stakeholders, and details about improvements to food safety during the …

A Perplexing Process: Understanding How Agricultural Producers Process Best Management Practice Information, Audrey E. H. King, Lauri M. Baker

Journal of Applied Communications

Best management practices (BMPs) are suggested practices that help agricultural producers optimize production while reducing pollution, soil erosion, and other environmental impacts. Many audiences, including scientists and policy makers, have expressed disappointment at the current level of BMP use. Elaboration likelihood model (ELM) is used to understand how people process messages. ELM states that people can process messages either centrally or peripherally. This study sought to understand how producers processed information related to BMP adoption in grazing systems. Researchers conducted qualitative, in-depth interviews with 42 beef-cattle producers in Kansas and Oklahoma. It was found producers process information both centrally and …

Preface, Weixing Song

Conference on Applied Statistics in Agriculture

Preface

Safely Through The Gate: Exploring Media Coverage And Journalists Decisions On The Flow Of Farm Safety Stories, Rebecca Swenson, Brandon Roiger, Alexis Murillo

Journal of Applied Communications

Agriculture continues to rank as one of the most dangerous industries in the nation. Media coverage is an important tool for sharing farm safety information, improving knowledge and changing behaviors. Despite this importance, surprisingly little research has focused on agricultural media coverage and the forces that influence journalists’ decisions about when and how to cover safety stories. This study uses content analysis methods to examine the nature of farm safety issues, accidents, and topics that appear in mainstream news, agricultural media, and blogs. Researchers also interviewed journalists and bloggers to better understand their motivations, barriers, and information needs when covering …

Agricultural Communications Students Describe A Short-Term Field Experience, Angel N. Riggs, Diane Montgomery

Journal of Applied Communications

Student-run publications, including newsrooms and similar agency-style work achieve the curricular goal of experiential learning (Roberts, 2006) for university agricultural communication students. Gaining a journalistic skillset in the classroom is richly supplemented with experiencing real-world and authentic agency immersion to reveal to students the genuine characteristics of a workplace. The purpose of this study was to use Q methodology to evaluate a real-world, out-of-class-but-supervised newsroom producing publications for the State FFA Convention. Fifteen undergraduate students who were immersed in this three-day program in which students publish original work to disseminate information to FFA participants and the public participated in the …

Using Student-Produced Videos To Communicate About Science, Ricky W. Telg, Kathryn Stofer, Rachel Deconna

Journal of Applied Communications

This professional development article provides a case study of the Explore Research at the University of Florida video project, conducted by University of Florida undergraduate and graduate students. Students take an advanced digital media production course where they develop videos documenting research at the university. The videos are then displayed at the Museum of Natural History and various online, broadcast, and cable television outlets. This article also provides suggestions for individuals who may want to develop their own partnerships with similar organizations in their courses.

Understanding Consumer Intent To Buy Local Food: Adding Consumer Past Experience And Moral Obligation Toward Buying Local Blueberries In Florida Within The Theory Of Planned Behavior, Jessica Holt, Joy N. Rumble, Ricky Telg, Alexa Lamm

Journal of Applied Communications

Buying local food has become an increasingly popular way for consumers to engage with those who grow their food; however, research has shown a specific audience tends to buy local food due to individual-specific barriers. To better understand what motivates consumers to buy local food the Theory of Planned Behavior was used as a way to potentially predict consumers’ behavior toward buying locally grown blueberries. Also, the variables of past experience and self-identity/moral obligation toward buying local food were introduced to the model since both variables may increase the predictability of the Theory of Planned Behavior model in certain food-related …

Institutionalizing Effective Grant Funded Programs: A Success Story, Madhura Kulkarni, Bethany V. Bowling, Maureen Doyle, Diana Mcgill

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

As budgets tighten, universities are increasingly struggling with questions of how to institutionalize and sustain successful grant-funded programs. Creative approaches to leveraging existing infrastructure and resources can make it possible. Here, we present our experiences and approaches that could benefit those seeking to institutionalize effective pilot or grant-funded programs.

Getting What You Want: A Compelling, Reusable, One-Page Message., Martin A. Draper, Betsy B. Draper

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

Using examples from planning and evaluation, government and business models, presenters will share tactics and strategies for simple, concise communications on important issues. Participants will practice by developing a one-page position paper, briefing paper or decision memo.

A Content Analysis Of Extension’S Presence On 1890 Land-Grant University Websites, Garrett M. Steede, Laura Fischer, Diane C. Meyer, Courtney Meyers

Journal of Applied Communications

The 1890s land-grant university was established to provide the tripartite mission of education, outreach, and research to rural and urban audiences. However, it is challenging to complete this mission if the Extension aspect of an 1890 university is not easily found through online media. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the online presence and technology presence of 1890 land-grant Extension programs on their respective university and college (or equivalent) websites. This content analysis of 18 land-grant universities found only one university had a direct click from the university homepage to the Extension homepage while 10 of the 19 …

Cultivating Creativity: Faculty Conceptions Of Creativity In Agricultural Communications Students, Courtney Gibson, Hope Hancock, Erica Irlbeck, Courtney Meyers

Journal of Applied Communications

Creativity has been deemed as an essential skill in agricultural communications graduates by both industry and academia, and it has a pivotal role in student success within the classroom and the workforce. In order to foster students’ creative thinking skills, faculty must turn away from traditional norms of lecture-based delivery and foster an environment where students are actively creating and engaging in the learning process. The purpose of this study was to provide insight on the nature of creativity as it relates to agricultural communications curriculum—focused on pedagogical strategies and creative assessments. This qualitative case study examined how agricultural communications …

Media Portrayal Of Gm Science And Citrus Greening In State And National Newspapers, Jeremy D'Angelo, Jason D. Ellis Ph.D., Katherine Burke Ph.D., Taylor Ruth

Journal of Applied Communications

Huanglongbing (HLB), commonly known as citrus greening, is a bacterial disease severely affecting the profitability and continuation of the citrus industry in Florida and is threatening the citrus industry in other states as well. Currently, the disease only can be managed, not cured. Gene-based therapies, such as GM science, have been identified as a viable long-term solution. However, consumer acceptance of genetically modified food is low and their understanding and acceptance of new technologies is largely dependent on what they receive through mass media. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to understand news coverage of both citrus greening and …

Kansas State University Human Nutrition (Fndh 400) Flexbook, Brian Lindshield

NPP eBooks

The Kansas State University Human Nutrition (FNDH 400) Flexbook is a textbook for students taking Kansas State University FNDH 400 course.FNDH 400 is a 3-hour, intermediate-level, human nutrition course at Kansas State University take primarily by sophomores and juniors because it has prerequisites of a college biology and chemistry courses.

High Yielding Soybean: Genetic Gain And Nitrogen Limitation, O. A. Ortez, F. Salvagiotti, J. M. Enrico, E. A. Adee, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The United States and Argentina account for more than 50% of the global soybean production. Closing yield gaps (actual on-farm yield vs. genetic yield potential) would require an improvement in the use of the available resources. Overall, 50-60% of soybean nitrogen (N) demand is usually met by the biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) process. A scientific knowledge gap still exists related to the ability of the BNF process to satisfy soybean N demand at varying yield levels. The overall objective of this project is to study the contribution of N via utilization of varying N strategies under historical and modern soybean …

Timing And Positioning Of Simulated Hail Damage Effects On Wheat Yield In Kansas: 2015–2016 And 2016–2017 Growing Seasons, R. P. Lollato, A. De Oliveira Silva, R. E. Maeoka, G. P. Bavia, L. Bonassi, B. R. Jaenisch

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Hail events often decrease wheat yields in Kansas; however, estimates of yield loss due to hail event timing and position relative to the flag leaf are only available for older varieties. Our objectives were to quantify wheat yield losses as affected by timing of hail event relative to the crop development and positioning of the damage relative to the flag leaf. A total of 14 hail damage treatments including seven different timings during the growing season (boot, anthesis, watery ripe, milk, soft dough, hard dough, and ripe) and two different positioning relative to the flag leaf (above or below) were …

Wheat Development And Yield As Affected By Era Of Variety Release And In-Furrow Fertilizer, R. E. Maeoka, R. P. Lollato

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Nutrients play a major role in wheat yield determination; however, limited informa­tion exists on the differential responses of historical and modern varieties to in-furrow fertilizer. Our objectives were to estimate grain yield and differences in agronomic traits of historical and modern winter wheat varieties as affected by different fertilization programs. Two field trials were established during the growing season 2016–2017 (i.e., Ashland Bottoms and Belleville, KS). Seven winter wheat varieties released between 1920 and 2016–Kharkof (1920), Scout 66 (1966), Karl 92 (1988), Jagalene (2001), Fuller (2006), KanMark (2014), and Larry (2016)–were sown using one of two different fertilizer practices: either …

Evaluating Teff Grass As A Summer Forage, J. M. Davidson, D. Min, R. M. Aiken, G. J. Kluitenberg

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The objectives of this study were to determine the forage yield, nutritive value, and water use efficiency of teff grass (Eragrostis tef) under field conditions as compared to sorghum sudangrass and forage pearl millet. Water use efficiency was determined by regressing above-ground biomass on crop water use between sampling periods. Yield was determined by quadrat area clippings of above-ground biomass. Nutritive value was determined using wet chemical analysis. Cultivars showed significant differences in biomass production at all sampling dates in both years. Teff grass demonstrated potential to provide producers with a fast-growing and competitive forage crop by reaching …

Alternative Cropping Systems With Limited Irrigation, A. Schlegel

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A limited irrigation study involving four cropping systems and evaluating four crop ro­tations was initiated at the Southwest Research-Extension Center near Tribune, KS, in 2012. The cropping systems were two annual systems (continuous corn [C-C] and continuous grain sorghum [GS-GS]) and two 2-year systems (corn- grain sorghum [C-GS]) and corn-winter wheat [C-W]). In 2017, corn yields were greatest in the corn-wheat rotation and least with continuous corn. Grain sorghum yields were greater following sorghum than following corn. The wheat was destroyed by a severe infestation of wheat streak mosaic virus and not harvested.

Long-Term Nitrogen And Phosphorus Fertilization Of Irrigated Corn, A. Schlegel, H. D. Bond

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Long-term research shows that phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) fertilizer must be applied to optimize production of irrigated corn in western Kansas. In 2017, N applied alone increased yields by 70 bu/a, whereas P applied alone increased yields by less than 10 bu/a. Nitrogen and P applied together increased yields up to 130 bu/a. This is 10 bu/a less than the 10-year average, where N and P fertilization increased corn yields up to 140 bu/a. Application of 120 lb/a N (with highest P rate) produced 93% of maximum yield in 2017, which is similar to the 10-year average. Application of …

Weed Control And Injury With Non-Labeled Herbicides In Grain Sorghum, R. S. Currie, P. W. Geier, W. Keeling, B. Bean

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Palmer amaranth control at Garden City, KS, was good with Acuron or Lumax EZ. At Lubbock, TX, Palmer amaranth control was excellent with all herbicides except Surestart II and Valor at 1 oz/a. Surestart II and Valor provided only fair control of kochia and Russian thistle late in the season at Garden City. No visible sorghum injury from any herbicide was observed at Garden City, and sorghum yields were not affected. Very dry conditions during the experiment at Garden City likely minimized sorghum injury and limited sorghum yields. At Lubbock, minor sorghum injury was observed early with Acuron and Valor. …

2018 Swine Day Foreword, Etc., R. D. Goodband

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

It is with great pleasure that we present the 2018 Swine Industry Day Report of Progress. This report contains updates and summaries of applied and basic research conducted at Kansas State University during the past year. We hope that the information will be of benefit as we attempt to meet the needs of the Kansas swine industry.

Physiologic Responses To Feeding Rumen-Protected Glucose To Lactating Dairy Cows, J. A. Sauls-Hiesterman, S. Banuelos, B. Atanasov, B. Bradford, J. S. Stevenson

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Lactating Holstein cows were enrolled in a study beginning before first insemina­tion. Cows were supplemented with a rumen-protected glucose (RPG) product to test the hypothesis that circulating progesterone concentrations could be increased by increasing blood glucose, which causes an increase in insulin, subsequently decreasing progesterone clearance by liver enzymes. Supplementation occurred at 0, 2.2, 4.4, or 8.8 lb per head per day to test a dose response. Treatment began 3 days before ovula­tion and continued until day 12 of the estrous cycle. Rumen-protected glucose did not impact serum concentration of glucose before or after feeding, but the change in insulin …

2018 Dairy Research, B. J. Bradford

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Research on dairy foods and dairy cattle performed in 2018 at Kansas State University.

Biological Variability And Chances Of Error

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Variability among individual animals in an experiment leads to problems in interpreting the results. Animals on treatment X may have higher average daily gains than those on treatment Y, but variability within treatments may indicate that differences in production between X and Y were not the result of treatment alone. Statistical analysis allows us to calculate the probability that such differences are from treatment rather than chance.

Effects Of Frequency Of Protein Supplementation On Performance By Beef Calves Grazing Dormant Native Range, G. W. Preedy, J. R. Jaeger, J. W. Waggoner, K C. Olson

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Stocker calves that graze forages before entering a feedlot account for more than 75% of the beef calves raised in the United States each year. A large proportion of those will be calves born in the spring and weaned in the fall. Modest growth rates are expected when the quality of fall and winter forages is poor. Growing calves in confinement systems during fall and winter typically allows for greater average daily gain (ADG) than graz­ing low-quality forages; however, modest overall costs associated with grazing perennial, dormant forages may be competitive during times when feed prices are relatively high.

Providing …

Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Increased Pregnancy In Suckled Beef Cows Not Detected In Estrus And Subjected To A Split-Time Artificial Insemination Program, S. L. Hill, D. M. Grieger, K C. Olson, J. R. Jaeger, K. R. Harmoney, C. R. Dahlen, M. R. Crosswhite, N. Negrin Pereira, S. R. Underdahl, B. W. Neville, J. Ahola, M. C. Fischer, G E. Seidel, J. Stevenson

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Estrus-synchronization programs allow insemination of all females in a herd at one fixed time on the first day of the breeding season. Inseminating cows after they have expressed estrus increases pregnancy rate (PR) compared with cows that do not display estrus in a timed AI (TAI) program. Identification of estrus status can be facilitated by using estrus-detection patches. Varying AI timing according to estrus status has increased PR in some previous studies. Reducing the number of injections in a TAI program decreases labor requirements, stress on cows, and overall cost of the program. Previous studies have demonstrated that PR is …

Agricultural Research Center-Hays, Roundup

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Roundup is the major beef cattle education and outreach event sponsored by the Agricultural Research Center–Hays. The 2018 program is the 104th staging of Roundup. The purpose is to communicate timely, applicable research information to producers and extension personnel.

The research program of the Agricultural Research Center–Hays is dedicated to serving the people of Kansas by developing new knowledge and technology to stabilize and sustain long-term production of food and fiber in a manner consistent with conservation of natural resources, protection of the environment, and assurance of food safety. Primary emphasis is on production efficiency through optimization of inputs in …