Animal Sciences Commons^™

Grass-Fed Dairy Steer Enterprise Analysis For Alexandre Family Ecodairy Farms, Joseph Jackson Alexandre

Agribusiness

Alexandre Family EcoDairy Farms (AFEF) is a family dairy farm, producing organic milk in northern California. In the last decade, AFEF has been expanding in value added natural food enterprises, including pastured free-range eggs, pastured pork and grass-fed beef.

This study focuses on the analysis of an organic grass-fed ground beef from dairy-beef cross steers coming from AFEF. The grass fed beef enterprise was analyzed by adopting a UC Davis cost and returns study, modifying it to AFEF production limitations and conditions. Through partial budgeting analysis, opportunity costs were discovered leading to breakeven prices for the final grass fed ground ...

Effects Of Post-Castration Interval Length On Recovery Of Epididymal Sperm Of Canine And Equine Sperm, Jordan Escobar

Animal Science

No abstract provided.

Cal Poly Goat Program, Lauren Christensen

Animal Science

The Cal Poly Goat Program was established in the Summer of 2012 to provide vegetation management services on the Cal Poly campus and to allow students to gain hands on experience with goats. Student interest in adding goats as an additional species in the Animal Science Department spurred the realization and development of the program. The department also experienced demand for goats to use for vegetation management at the animal units and around various facilities on campus. The Goat Program integrates Cal Poly’s hands-on, ‘Learn by Doing’ philosophy with sustainable management practices to serve the needs of students as ...

The Effect Of Rider Level On Equine Mean Heart Rate At The Trot, Jacqueline Marinoff

Honors Theses

The effect of riders at two different levels of riding ability on the mean heart rates (HR) of school horses at the trot was studied. Five horses were each paired with a beginner (n=4) and an intermediate (n=5) rider, and the mean HR generated by the two riders at the trot were compared for each horse. There was a significant (p

Predicting Nesting Habitat Of Northern Goshawks In Mixed Aspen-Lodgepole Pine Forests In A High-Elevation Shrub-Steppe Dominated Landscape, Robert A. Miller, Jay D. Carlisle, Marc J. Bechard, Dena Santini

Idaho Bird Observatory Publications and Presentations

We developed a habitat suitability model for predicting nest locations of breeding Northern Goshawks (Accipiter gentilis) in the high-elevation mixed forest and shrub-steppe habitat of south-central Idaho, USA. We used elevation, slope, aspect, ruggedness, distance-to-water, canopy cover, and individual bands of Landsat imagery as predictors for known nest locations with logistic regression. We found goshawks prefer to nest in gently-sloping, east-facing, non-rugged areas of dense aspen and lodgepole pine forests with low reflectance in green (0.53 - 0.61 μm) wavelengths during the breeding season. We used the model results to classify our 43,169 hectare study area into nesting ...

Diseases At The Livestock–Wildlife Interface: Status, Challenges, And Opportunities In The United States, Ryan S. Miller, Mathew L. Farnsworth, Jennifer L. Malmberg

Other Publications in Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease

In the last half century, significant attention has been given to animal diseases; however, our understanding of disease processes and how to manage them at the livestock–wildlife interface remains limited. In this study, we conduct a systematic review of the scientific literature to evaluate the status of diseases at the livestock–wildlife interface in the United States. Specifically, the goals of the literature review were three fold: first to evaluate domestic animal diseases currently found in the United States where wildlife may play a role; second to identify critical issues faced in managing these diseases at the livestock–wildlife ...

Mycobacterium Bovis (Bovine Tuberculosis) Infection In North American Wildlife: Current Status And Opportunities For Mitigation Of Risks Of Further Infection In Wildlife Populations, Ryan S. Miller, Steven J. Sweeney

Other Publications in Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease

Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis), the causative agent of bovine tuberculosis, has been identified in nine geographically distinct wildlife populations in North America and Hawaii and is endemic in at least three populations, including members of the Bovidae, Cervidae, and Suidae families. The emergence of M. bovis in North American wildlife poses a serious and growing risk for livestock and human health and for the recreational hunting industry. Experience in many countries, including the USA and Canada, has shown that while M. bovis can be controlled when restricted to livestock species, it is almost impossible to eradicate once it has spread ...

A Review Of The History And Motivations Of Animal Identification And The Different Methods Of Animal Identification Focusing On Radiofrequency Identification And How It Works For The Development Of A Radiofrequency Identification Based Herd Management System On The Cal Poly Dairy, Manuel Silveira

Dairy Science

My objective for this senior project was to perform an extensive review of literature on the history of animal identification and common motivations for identifying livestock, the different types and methods of identifying animals, with a special focus on radiofrequency identification technology (RFID) and how it works. A secondary objective was creating an instructional booklet for the implementation of a RFID based management system on the Cal Poly dairy. The identification of livestock for management or disease traceability has been a practice in one form or another for centuries (Blancou, 2001). Today, animal identification is of great importance to herd ...

A Comparison Of The Efficiency And Profitability Of Holsteins And Jerseys, Kelli Ann Carstensen

Dairy Science

The efficiency and profitability of Holstein and Jersey cows has been scrutinized, compared, and debated for many years. In response, this study was conducted with the objective of incorporating reviews and results collected from numerous studies relating to Holstein and Jersey efficiency and profitability to determine if a breed advantage existed in any or all related areas. Articles reviewed were obtained from the Journal of Dairy Science, the New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, and the Journal of Dairy Research. Jerseys were found to demonstrate breed advantages in pasture systems, longevity, stayability, productive life, calving ease, reproduction, heat stress under ...

Generating A Nutritional Dairy Cow Ration Based On Green Waste Out Of San Luis Obispo County, Nicole Mendoza

Dairy Science

The objective of this literature review was to assess the accessibility and utilization of waste like products for inclusion into the dairy ration in San Luis Obispo County. With feed prices continually rising, alternatives to the very expensive feedstuffs should be continually explored. In this review, papers based on grocery store waste, viticulture waste, Cal Poly waste, and crop waste were explored to determine the feasibility of including these products into the dairy ration economically. Aspects evaluated were availability, nutrient composition, storing and handling and a viability of undertaken this system to supplement dairy cattle feeding. As a result it ...

Milking Protocols At The Cal Poly Dairy Farm, Kevin Mohan

Dairy Science

Milking parlors are the center of a dairy operation and directly responsible for its profits, yet dairy training is frequently neglected and often lackluster. The Cal Poly dairy farm, despite having a milker pool that is comparatively inexperienced with farm labor has no written manual for training of milkers. This results in a workplace that in the event of an accident or point of confusion leaves workers nowhere to turn to for clarification save contacting a supervisor directly. It also may also result in a lack of established guidelines, and a frequent need for clarification due to misunderstood expectations and ...

Consumer Perception Of Organic Milk, Christina Puetz

Dairy Science

The objective of this study was to determine the potential factors, reasons and beliefs that contribute to college aged consumers’ choice to purchase organic milk. The data were from survey of students using questions that were modeled after consumer issues and concerns over conventional milk as discussed in the literature review. This study was particularly interested in exploring differences between students in agriculture classes and non-agriculture classes. The literature referenced came from a variety of sources, including scientific journals, online articles, milk advisory boards, and governmental agencies. According to the literature review, consumer concerns and reasons for purchase of organic ...

Detecting Errors In Generating A Certificate Of Analysis, Breanne Harlan

Dairy Science

Many companies rely on a Certificate of Analysis (COA) to accompany the delivery of their product or material. The COA, required by law, prevents customers from questioning whether a product is safe and ensures manufacturers confirm every product tested passes the Food and Drug Administration’s required specifications. Previous to this project, Kraft Foods Springfield copied their test results for each product from their data warehouse software, called Systems, Applications, and Products onto a Word document to create a COA. This was a systematic approach to detect the possible occurrences of error and reduce the time spent on generating a ...

A Review Of The Artisan Cheese Industry, Jeffrey Mason

Dairy Science

The aim of this study was to determine the financial profitability of artisan cheese making, why it has become popular, processing differences compared commercial processing and any issues within the industry. Many studies suggest that the consumers are the driving force behind the increased popularity of artisan cheese. Consumption of specialty or artisan cheese grew by 75% between the years of 1994 and 2003. This movement in the American culture towards locally made small scale products can also be observed in other industries. The consumers preferences have changed they are now willing to pay more for a high quality product ...

Increasing California Dairy Exports To Japan And South Korea, Kristina Soper

Dairy Science

The opportunities for increasing exports of California dairy products to the Japanese and South Korean markets were determined by identifying current obstacles in the California dairy industry and determining the characteristics of consumers in the Japanese and South Korean markets. As the largest milk-producing state and the supplier of 7.5% of total U.S. dairy exports, California’s economic activity greatly affects the rest of the nation and the world. The trends in the California dairy industry include increasing total milk production and per-cow milk production, a diminishing number of total dairy operations, and a rising number of large ...

Gas Emissions And Olfactometry For Dairy Heifers, Rebecca Gary

Dairy Science

The objective of this study was to determine any trends in odor evaluations and gas emissions of manure samples in heifers fed high/low concentrate and high/low forage diets. Heifers (n = 8) were enrolled randomly in a split plot design with diet type (high concentrate vs. low concentrate) as the whole plot and forage quality (4 different levels of corn stover within each diet type) as sub-plots in a 4-period (21d) 4X4 Latin square design. Total collection of urine and feces was performed on days 18-21 of each period. The feces to urine ratio (F:U) was determined on ...

Development Of A Training Program For The Cal Poly Creamery, Rachel Souerbry

Dairy Science

No abstract provided.

Quantitative Reconstruction And Two-Dimensional, Steady Flow Hydrodynamics Of The Plesiosaur Flipper, Mark Cruz Deblois

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Plesiosaurs are a group of extinct marine reptiles that thrived during the Mesozoic Era. They are unique for swimming with two hydrofoil-shaped flippers. Penguins, sea turtles, and cetaceans all have hydrofoil shaped flippers but penguins and sea turtles only use the front pair to produce thrust and cetaceans use their tail flukes. Consequently, the mode of swimming for plesiosaurs has long been debated. However, a quantitative study of the hydrodynamic properties of the flippers, which would constrain inference about their mode of swimming, has not yet been done. The main reason is that the trailing edge of the plesiosaur flipper ...

Judging Market Goats, Matthew M. Marshall

Agricultural Education and Communication

The purpose of this project was to develop a judging guide for FFA members who participate in Livestock Judging Contests. One of the classes to be judged is Boer goat market wethers. Resources from breeders, industry judges, and handouts were utilized. The PowerPoint that was created can be used as a tool for students to learn the basics of market goat judging. This can also be a useful guide for students who are interested in selecting market goats as a supervised agricultural experience project.

American Society Of Parasitologists Newsletter, V. 35, No. 1, Spring 2013, Scott Lyell Gardner

Newsletter of the American Society of Parasitologists

American Society of Parasitologists Newsletter, volume 35, number 1, Spring 2013