Animal Sciences Commons^™

Effects Of High-Speed Training On Messenger Rna Expression In Two-Year-Old Thoroughbred Racehorses, Mackenzie Grace Johnson

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

Accumulating high-speed exercise has been identified as a significant risk factor for catastrophic injuries in racing Thoroughbreds. Injuries, regardless of severity, are a main cause of withdrawal from the racing industry, raising animal welfare concerns and resulting in significant economic losses. While most of the current literature focuses on catastrophic injuries incurred during racing rather than training, the present study aims to help fill this gap as well as discuss the associated risk factors. The evaluation of messenger RNA (mRNA) expression changes provides an efficient and straightforward approach to identifying horses at risk for catastrophic injury. While alternative injury risk …

Molecular Genetic Studies Of Horses, Especially With Reference To Aggrecan And Dwarfism, John Edmund Eberth

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

This work consists of studies on dwarfism in Miniature horses and a study on breakdowns in Thoroughbreds in relation to gene aggrecan. A correction of the description and designation of D3 dwarf variant in aggrecan (ACAN) from the master’s thesis Chondrodysplasia-like dwarfism in the Miniature horse (2013). Commercial sequencing showed previous sequencing reads presented an artifact and not a single base deletion. Analysis showed a single base missense mutation in exon 8 identified as D3* was the actual cause. Multiple alleles of ACAN associated with chondrodysplastic dwarfism in Miniature horses by Eberth et al. (2018), corrected the …

Effects Of Forest Reclamation And Landscape Features On Avian Occupancy, Species Richness, And Abundance In Appalachia, Rebecca N. Davenport

Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources

The Forestry Reclamation Approach (FRA) is a recently developed coal mining reclamation method that emphasizes best management practices in forestry, such as the planting of native trees and shrubs. Although the FRA is expected to benefit wildlife, no studies have empirically examined the effects of the FRA on avian species. My study aimed to identify which reclamation approaches and/or landscape features promote breeding songbirds, particularly mature forest avian guilds and species of conservation need. I conducted point count surveys in the Appalachian Mountains of eastern West Virginia and assessed differences in avian occupancy, species richness, and species abundance between four …

Chemical Immobilization Of Helicopter-Captured Elk (Cervus Canadensis) And Survival Of Elk Calves In Southeastern Kentucky, Kathleen E. Williams

Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources

Safe and effective chemical immobilization is critical to minimize stress and risk of injury when capturing free-ranging, wild ungulates. Many traditionally favored high potency opioids have been phased out or become unavailable because of increased regulations, leading to the development of two pre-mixed combination drugs, butorphanol-azaperone-medetomidine (BAM) and nalbuphine-medetomidine-azaperone (NalMed-A). Both drugs have been used to chemically immobilize ungulates, but their efficacy has not been documented in elk captured and transported via helicopter. During 2020 – 2022, we chemically immobilized helicopter-captured female elk (Cervus canadensis) with a single IM-injection of BAM (n = 41) or NalMed-A (n = …

Seasonal Growth, Movement, And Survival Of Juvenile Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus Kisutch) Utilizing Restored Rearing Habitat, Monica S. Tonty

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The Scott River supports the most robust population of threatened Coho Salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch remaining in the Klamath River basin. Even in the Scott River, low quality and restricted extent of juvenile rearing habitat limits the Coho Salmon population to a small fraction of historic abundance. To support persistence and recovery of Scott River Coho Salmon, the Scott River Watershed Council (SRWC) has constructed a portfolio of restoration projects to improve juvenile rearing habitat, including beaver dam analogs (BDAs). The Scott River BDAs were the first implemented anywhere in California. This study compares juvenile Coho Salmon responses associated with production …

Comparing Biofilm Forming Potential Of Listeria Species On Non-Food And Food-Contact Surfaces Of Importance To The Dairy Industry, Hannah Cooper

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) is a foodborne pathogen of major safety concerns. This bacterium can resist/adapt to environmental stressors and persist through forming robust biofilms despite dairy plants following stringent surface cleaning protocols. Surface roughness is considered a major factor controlling bacterial attachment and biofilm formation. Food contact surfaces like stainless steel (SS) have low surface roughness for easy cleaning. On the other hand, non-contact surfaces like floors need a rougher surface to ensure employee safety. Hence, we hypothesized that Listeria biofilm formation would be lower on stainless steel compared to clay brick (CB; common flooring material in dairy plants). …

Cluster Homolog Of Immunoglobulin-Like Receptor Genes In Chicken Immune Responses, Brandi A. Sparling

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This dissertation explores the identity and role of immunoglobulin-like (Ig-like) receptors in chickens, with focus on their implications in disease and disease progression. These receptors, wisely expressed across immune cells, interact with the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules to modulate immune responses in mammals. Due to the insufficient representation of chicken Ig-like receptors in online databases, this study systematically annotates the chicken Cluster Homolog of Immunoglobulin-like Receptors (CHIR) genes using advanced bioinformatic techniques, aligning with the release of the 7th edition of the chicken genome assembly that comprises builds for a broiler and layer chicken. The analysis identifies …

Timing Of Diversification, Dispersal, And Biogeography Of Parrots In The Genus Amazona (Psittaciformes: Psittacidae) Throughout The Caribbean, Visualized In Gis, Christopher Kingwill

Master's Theses

Avian fossil records from across the Caribbean (Greater and Lesser Antilles) demonstrate higher avian diversity prior to extinction events due to climate change at the end of the Pleistocene and human impact across the Caribbean throughout the Holocene. Amazon parrots (Amazona) are a diverse genus of New World parrots found throughout Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean. Their phylogeny and evolutionary history, specifically for Caribbean species, has been debated in terms of source areas in Central and South America and the timing of and number of colonization events to different islands that preceded diversification into …

Evaluation Of A Microencapsulated Form Of Zinc Oxide On Weanling Pig Growth Performance, Intestinal Morphology, And Zinc Excretion, Payton L. Dahmer, Franco S. Matias-Ferreyra, Cassandra K. Jones

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A total of 350 pigs (DNA 200 × 400; initially 13.31 ± 0.04 lb BW) were used in a 42-d study with 5 pigs per pen and 12 pens per treatment. At weaning, pigs were randomly allocated to pens and pens were randomly allotted to dietary treatments. Dietary treatments were: 1) negative control (standard nursery diet containing 110 ppm Zn from trace mineral premix); 2) control diet with 3,000 ppm added Zn in the form of ZnO in phase 1 and 2,000 ppm added Zn in the form of ZnO in phase 2 (High-ZnO); 3) control diet with 400 ppm …

Evaluation Of Anchovy Fish Meal With Or Without Added Fish Solubles On Nursery Pig Performance, Ethan B. Stas, Joel M. Derouchey, Mike D. Tokach, Jason C. Woodworth, Robert D. Goodband, Jordan T. Gebhardt

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A total of 1,134 pigs (L337 × 1050 PIC; initially 10.4 lb) were used to evaluate anchovy fish meal with or without added fish solubles on nursery pig performance in a commercial environment. At weaning, pigs were allotted to 1 of 3 dietary treatments containing three different specialty protein sources added on an SID Lys basis. Dietary treatments consisted of a control diet containing enzymatically treated soybean meal at 7.0% of the diet, a diet containing 5.1% anchovy fish meal, and a diet containing 5.33% anchovy fish meal with added anchovy fish solubles. Pigs were fed experimental diets in phases …

Effect Of Sulfate Or Hydroxychloride Forms Of Zinc, Manganese, And Copper On Growth Performance, Weight Variation, Carcass Characteristics, And Economics Of Grow-Finish Pigs, Hilario M. Cordoba, Jason C. Woodworth, Robert D. Goodband, Joel M. Derouchey, Mike D. Tokach, Jordan T. Gebhardt, Chris P.A. Van De Ligt

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A total of 1,026 grow-finish pigs (337 × 1050 PIC; initially 57.2 ± 0.73 lb) were used in a 124-d trial to compare sulfate and hydroxychloride forms of Zn, Mn, and Cu on growth performance, carcass characteristics, weight variation, and economics of grow-finish pigs. Pigs were housed in mixed gender pens with 27 pigs per pen and 19 pens per treatment. The treatments were structured as a completely randomized design and consisted of a control diet containing 150, 16, and 110 ppm of Cu, Mn, and Zn, respectively, from sulfate sources or the same inclusion provided by hydroxychloride sources. Experimental …

A Meta-Regression Analysis To Evaluate The Effects Of Narasin On Grow-Finish Pig Performance, Larissa L. Becker, Jordan T. Gebhardt, Mike D. Tokach, Jason C. Woodworth, Robert D. Goodband, Joel M. Derouchey, Jenna A. Seltzer, Roger A. Arentson, Michael Shields, Christopher L. Puls

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A meta-regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the effects of added narasin in growing-finishing pig diets to predict the influence on average daily gain (ADG), feed efficiency (G:F), and carcass yield. A database was developed containing 21 technical reports, abstracts, and refereed papers from 2012 to 2021 representing 35 observations for growth performance data in studies ranging from 35 to 116 days in length (overall data). In addition, within these 35 observations, individual period data were evaluated (143 observations) using weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly performance intervals (period data). Regression model equations were developed, and predictor variables were assessed with a …

Foreword, Swine Day 2023

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

This file includes the 2023 Swine Day Research Report introduction, standard abbreviations, K-State Vitamin and Trace Mineral Premixes statement, biological variability and chances of error explanation, and acknowledgments of our supporters. We hope that the information in the 2023 Swine Day Research Report will be of benefit as we attempt to meet the needs of the Kansas swine industry.

Quantifying Insect Emergence In Tidal Freshwaters And The Importance Of Aquatic Prey In Wetland-Dependent Songbird Diet, Samantha L. Rogers

Theses and Dissertations

Insectivorous birds and their arthropod prey are experiencing widespread population declines, driven largely by anthropogenic disturbance and climate change. For wetland-dependent insectivores that consume a mixture of terrestrial and aquatic insects, understanding the availability, consumption, and nutritional qualities of aquatic diet subsidies is important for conservation. I use prothonotary warblers (Protonotaria citrea) as a model species throughout this work, because their breeding season aligns with aquatic insect emergence and they include aquatic insects when provisioning nestlings. In the first chapter, I estimate aquatic insect emergence from tidal freshwaters, which are understudied compared to nontidal systems. Using continuous field …

A Preliminary Assessment Of The Spawning Potential Ratio Of Five Target Species Of The Coastal Gillnet Fishery In Guyana And Suriname, Tomas Willems, Elford Liverpool, Michael Hiwat

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Data—limited stock assessment methods have the potential to positively impact livelihoods of fishermen around the world by providing management recommendations that aim to optimize sustainable yields from fisheries. Some years ago, a novel length— based (LB) method was developed for the assessment of spawning potential ratio (SPR), a measure of the reproductive capacity of fish stocks. We applied the LB—SPR method to 5 important target species of the coastal gillnet fishery in Guyana and Suriname. Nebris microps (Smalleye Croaker; 32% SPR) and Macrodon ancylodon (King Weakfish; 34% SPR) had the highest spawning potential, but remained below the 40% target level …

Reflections On A Career Unplanned, Robert A. Glazer

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Sometimes life takes unexpected turns. I never planned to be a marine biologist; yet, after a long and unpredictable journey, that’s exactly where I found myself. After obtaining my B.S. in Fishery Biology from Colorado State University, I found myself meandering from job to job like a golden retriever following some vague scent. At first, I was hired by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to work seasonally in Grand Teton National Park on the freshwater trout fisheries. Soon thereafter, I found myself cultivating oysters, clams, and other shellfish in California. The skills I developed there as an algologist led …

Estimating Relative Abundance Of Young-Of-Year American Eel, Anguilla Rostrata, In The Virginia Tributaries Of Chesapeake Bay (Spring 2022), Troy D. Tuckey, Daniel Royster, Mary C. Fabrizio

Reports

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) adopted the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the American Eel in November 1999. The FMP calls for efforts to collect American Eel data through both fishery-dependent and fishery-independent studies in coastal states. Consequently, member jurisdictions agreed to implement an annual survey for young-of-year (YOY or glass) American Eels. The survey is intended to “…characterize trends in annual recruitment of the YOY eels over time [to produce a] qualitative appraisal of the annual recruitment of American Eel to the U.S. Atlantic Coast” (ASMFC 2000). The development of these surveys began in 2000 with …

Estimation Of Juvenile Striped Bass Relative Abundance In The Virginia Portion Of Chesapeake Bay Annual Progress Report: 2022 - 2023, Jack R. Buchanan, Mary C. Fabrizio, Troy D. Tuckey

Reports

The 2022 juvenile Striped Bass abundance index was 7.95 and was not significantly different than the reference mean of 7.77 for the period 1980 to 2009. Abundance indices were average in the York and Rappahannock rivers and below average in the James River in 2022 compared with the river-specific reference means (1980-2009). Relatively low catches of young‐of‐the‐year Striped Bass from sites upriver and downriver of core nursery areas suggest juvenile Striped Bass largely remained within core nursery areas in 2022.

Indices of abundance were also calculated for three additional economically and recreationally important fishes in Virginia waters. Juvenile White Perch …

2023 Annual Report: Estimating Relative Juvenile Abundance Of Ecologically Important Finfish In The Virginia Portion Of Chesapeake Bay, Troy D. Tuckey, Mary C. Fabrizio

Reports

The VIMS Juvenile Fish Trawl Survey provides crucial data to state, regional, and national fisheries management agencies, including the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC), the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), the Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council (MAFMC), and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). Annual indices of juvenile abundance have been generated from trawl survey data for species of key recreational and ecological importance in the Virginia portion of Chesapeake Bay. These include Spot, Atlantic Croaker, Weakfish, Summer Flounder, Black Sea Bass, Scup, Striped Bass, White Perch, White Catfish, Channel Catfish, Blue Catfish, Silver Perch, American Eel, and Bay Anchovy. …

Federal Funding Statutes And State-Federal Wildlife Authority: Did Congress Demonstrate A Preference For State Wildlife Management Authority With Pittman-Robertson And Dingell-Johnson?, James Vaughan Branch

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937 now known as Pittman-Robertson and Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act of 1950 now known as Dingell-Johnson are federal statutes which stand as the original and perhaps most significant federal funding statutes supporting state wildlife conservation and management. Congress’s decision to pass these statutes may be argued to be a prima facie endorsement of state wildlife agencies (SWA) as the primary managers of wildlife since each statute dedicated substantial federal excise revenue to SWAs. We hypothesized we would find consistent evidence in favor of primary state management authority over wildlife. …

Improving Indoor Arenas For The Equine Industry, Staci Mcgill

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Equine indoor arenas are a unique infrastructure investment found at equine farms and facilities. They are semi-indoor structures for exercising horses, exhibiting skills during competitive events, and other equine related activities. These spaces do not always include mechanical ventilation or stirring fans and occupancy by horses and humans can be sporadic and inconsistent, which creates a challenging space for understanding and predicting airflow. Typically, indoor arenas have a sand-based footing over which the horse travels. The impact of the hooves can cause dust to become a concern within the facilities. Environmental concerns within these facilities (temperature, respirable dust, moisture, and …

Genetic Evaluation Of The Current Distribution And Possible Diffrentations Between Lasiurus Borealis And Lasiurus Frantzii In Southwestern North America, Zeinab M. Haidar

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Several recent accounts of overlap and historic misidentifications regarding two species of the genus Lasiurus, Western red bat (Lasiurus frantzii) and Eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis), have cast doubt on our understanding of their distribution, assumed spatial allopatry, and interactions in the United States Southwest. With the use of morphometrics and genetic sequencing, utilizing tissue collected from specimens throughout California and adjoining states, we have reassessed the current distribution, best practices for field identification, and genetic differentiation between both species. Appropriate species classification by region was achieved utilizing mitochondrial DNA, targeting the cytochrome c oxidase …

Host-Microbe Interactions In Non-Native Estuarine Anemones: Biogeography And Temperature, Parker K. Lund

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Non-native species are increasing in prevalence around the world, resulting in negative economic and ecological impacts. However, the broad distributions of non-native species also offer a system for investigating the response of host-associated microbial communities to environmental factors across a range of ecological scales. At the broadest scale, I investigated the geography of microbial communities in the non-native estuarine anemone Diadumene lineata on the west coast of the United States of America. Across latitudes, microbial community composition was very similar and displayed a high percentage of Klebsiella spp. at all sites. However, the communities in California tended to exhibit higher …

Inferring Exposure To Harmful Pseudo-Nitzschia Blooms From Ocean-To-Estuary Gradients In Domoic Acid Concentrations In Humboldt Bay Bivalves, Natasha Hope Ficzycz Winnacott

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) result from outbreaks of any of several different species of toxin-producing phytoplankton and that can have major detrimental effects on marine ecosystems and pose severe health and economic threats to human communities. Of particular concern along the United States West Coast are HABs of pennate diatom genus Pseudo-nitzschia that produce the potent neurotoxin domoic acid (DA). The coastal ocean between Cape Mendocino, CA, and Cape Blanco, OR is a hotspot for Pseudo-nitzschia spp. HABs. Such blooms impact coastal fisheries and pose a potential threat to aquaculture operations in Humboldt Bay, California’s second largest estuary and largest …

Long-Line Culture Of Red Seaweed In The Pacific Northwest, Erika R. Thalman

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The goal of this study was to adapt open-water rope culture techniques to the native red seaweed Devaleraea mollis to support a new seaweed aquaculture industry in Humboldt Bay, California. The specific objectives for this study were to: 1) evaluate the growth of D. mollis cultivated at different depths and seasons (fall/winter, spring/summer), 2) estimate nutrients removed by D. mollis from the water, and 3) measure heavy metals and pesticides to determine potential health risk upon ingestion. Bundles of seaweed were inserted into 3 m long weighted vertical lines attached to two horizontal long-lines suspended by floats. Two four-month …

Olfactory Organ Morphology And Ultrastructure Of The Larval Koh Tao Island Caecilian (Ichthyophis Kohtaoensis), Jaclyn M. Patmore

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The olfactory system of living amphibians (Lissamphibia) undergoes major changes as it transitions from an aquatic to a terrestrial system during metamorphosis. Patterns of change in the cellular morphology of the nose have been examined for frogs (Anura) and salamanders (Caudata). However, it remains unknown if caecilians (Gymnophiona) have similar patterns of change in their nasal ultrastructure. In particular, no data on larval caecilian olfactory cell types are available. Here, using light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, I examined the olfactory organ of larvae of the caecilian Ichthyophis kohtaoensis, to establish the ultrastructure of the epithelium and compare it …

Effects Of Landscape Configuration Metrics On American Barn Owl Nest Box Occupancy And Hunting, Samantha D. Chavez

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Harnessing ecosystem services, broadly defined as the benefits nature gives to people, is one approach to minimize the widespread negative impacts of agriculture on wildlife and biodiversity conservation. Conservation biological control is one such service that aims to use natural enemies to reduce crops losses from pests without the use of harmful pesticides, including rodenticides. In Napa Valley, California, human-made nest boxes are deployed on wine grape vineyards to attract barn owls (Tyto furcata) that depredate and remove thousands of rodent pests throughout the nesting season. However, the provisioning of this ecosystem service depends on whether a box …

Effects Of Oyster Aquaculture On Elasmobranch Abundance And Habitat Use In Humboldt Bay, Ca, Rose Harman

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Habitat modification from aquaculture can have large effects on natural communities, with the habitat complexity provided by aquaculture structure positively influencing benthic invertebrates and small fish abundance. However, the effects of aquaculture on larger predatory fish like elasmobranchs (i.e., sharks and rays), which use nearshore habitat to forage and provide top-down control of these ecosystems, is largely unknown. Over two years, I deployed baited remote underwater video systems (BRUVS) to examine the effects of oyster aquaculture and environmental variables such as habitat (mudflat or eelgrass), salinity (ppt), turbidity (m), temperature (°C), pH (mV), dissolved oxygen (mg · L^-1), …

Survival And Growth Of Juvenile Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus Kisutch) In Restored Wetlands Of Humboldt Bay, California, Josh D. Cahill

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Substantial investment in habitat restoration efforts have been made to promote coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) recovery, yet sampling efforts to document the response of coho salmon populations to wetland restoration are limited. I investigated two cohorts of juvenile coho salmon growth, movement, and survival within the Humboldt Bay drainage in California. My study sites included restoration features and other sample areas in upland creek habitat and in lowland estuarine wetlands that were located in the four largest watersheds within the Humboldt Bay drainage. The objectives of this study were to: (1) determine if coho salmon are using restored, …

Tradeoffs May Counteract Effects Of Telecommunication Towers On Osprey Nesting, Gage R. Barnes, Kate G. Slankard, John B. Hewlett, Andrea K. Darracq

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The number of telecommunication towers (TCTs) throughout the United States has and continues to increase exponentially. Increased TCT placement has been implicated in local population increases in platform nesting birds such as ospreys (Pandion haliaetus). However, osprey use of artificial structures can cause conflicts with humans because of economic costs and risks to human safety. Managers require better information regarding the effect of artificial nesting surfaces, such as TCTS, on osprey reproduction to make informed decisions regarding species conservation and to mitigate potential conflicts. The objective of our study was to evaluate the influence of TCTs on osprey …