Animal Sciences Commons^™

Toxic Plants In Zimbabwe: The Lantana Camara Species, Frank Kapungu, Cecilia Masvingwe

Poisonous Plant Research (PPR)

Lantana camara is a major invasive plant species in Zimbabwe. Its toxic effects pose a threat to livestock production, biodiversity, and development. A survey was carried out throughout the country to investigate the distribution of L. camara in Zimbabwe and assess the extent of its spread. Identification was done by toxicologists with the support of an experienced botanist from the National Herbarium of Zimbabwe. The location of the plants was identified using a portable Garmin eTrex® 10 Handheld GPS navigation device., and the coordinates were recorded. Quantum Geographic Information System (QGIS) was used to plot the map. L. camara was …

Scorpio Basraensis Sp. N. From Southern Iraq (Scorpiones: Scorpionidae), Ersen A. Yağmur, Jafar A. Makki, Shurooq A. Najim

Euscorpius

A new scorpion species, Scorpio basraensis sp. n., is described and illustrated from Basra Province, southern Iraq. Scorpio basraensis sp. n. is compared with all known species of the genus Scorpio Linnaeus, 1758 occurring in countries surrounding Iraq. The new species can be distinguished by the circular genital operculum in males and the cordiform genital operculum in females (not posteriorly elongated), a densely hirsute body, appendages and metasoma, a distinctly elongated telson vesicle, discrete granules on the external surface of the chela manus that are not flattened, and pectinal tooth counts of 11–13 in males and 9–11 in females. …

Temporary Cattle Identification: Benefits Of Marking With Hair Bleach, Melanie Heaton, Reganne K. Briggs, Rebekah Iverson, Brooke Holgate, David Secrist

All Current Publications

Temporary identification is an important management tool for beef producers. Animals are routinely marked following breeding, pregnancy diagnosis, vaccination, treatment, sorting, shipping, and marketing so they can be quickly identified without repeated handling. Effective temporary identification improves labor efficiency, reduces animal stress, and helps ensure management decisions are applied to the correct animals. This fact sheet provides information on temporary cattle marking using hair bleach.

Rationale, Key Issues, And Pathways For China’S Polar Fisheries Development, Yichong Dong, Chuwei Wang, Jingmei Li

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Polar fisheries are a strategic issue that requires forward-looking planning for China’s efforts to build a strong maritime country and participate in global ocean governance. This study examines the roles of polar fisheries in relation to climate change, the greater food approach, safeguarding maritime rights and interests, and the transformation of marine fisheries, and explains the rationale for China’s polar fisheries development. It argues that China still faces weaknesses in key areas, including scientific evidence generation, equipment and technological support, whole-industry-chain coordination, and the design of institutional solutions. Accordingly, the study proposes pathways for polar fisheries development, including building a …

Historical Chaos Among Tetrabothriideans (Eucestoda) Of Odontocetes (Artiodactyla)—Revising Generic Taxonomy And Species Diversity For Cestodes Among Oceanic Dolphins, Eric P. Hoberg, Kaylen Marie Soudachanh, Robert L. Rausch

MANTER: Journal of Parasite Biodiversity

Explorations over the past 150 years that have defined the diversity and structure of the tetrabothriidean cestode fauna among Odontocete cetaceans (Artiodactyla) are summarized and reviewed. Persistent errors in interpretation of comparative morphological characters, inconsistent taxonomic decisions, and an understanding of generic-level and species diversity are addressed. We outline a revision of the Tetrabothriidea, which now encompasses 8 genera. Prosthecocotyle is resurrected from synonymy with Tetrabothrius, and Cetaceobothridius n. gen is proposed. A clear basis is outlined for differentiation of generic and species diversity among Cetaceobothridius, Priapocephalus, Prosthecocotyle, Strobilocephalus, Tetrabothrius, and Trigonocotyle that constitute the tetrabothriidean fauna of odontocetes; species …

Revealing Cryptic Lineage Diversity In The Persian Gulf And Oman Sea Groupers (Perciformes: Epinephelidae): Phylogenetic And Species Delimitation Insights, Ehsan Damadi, Faezeh Yazdani Moghaddam, Masoumeh Gholipour Cheshm Gilak, Mehdi Ghanbarifardi

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Groupers (Epinephelidae) are a taxon of great commercial interest due to their large body size and high market value, and are also an important ecological species for biodiversity conservation in coral reef ecosystems. Despite their importance, phenotypic convergence among species generally leads to incorrect taxonomic identification, an issue enhanced by molecular studies revealing the presence of a high cryptic diversity and complicating conventional systematic frameworks. Herein, grouper species diversity in the ecologically heterogeneous Persian Gulf and Oman Sea was investigated to resolve taxonomic ambiguities and assess patterns of cryptic diversity. Mitochondrial COI gene sequencing was used in conjunction with integrative …

Zoonotic Fish Parasites That Pose Risks To Human Health In Türkiye, Ahmet Özer

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Fish-borne zoonotic diseases have been documented as the causative agents of considerable problems for humans on a global scale. This paper, for the first time, reveals the current zoonotic parasites of fish from wild and cultured hosts in marine, freshwater, and aquarium environments, as well as in native, endemic, and introduced hosts across different geographical areas and seas in Türkiye, based on published data to date. According to the latest global reports, zoonotic fish parasites in Türkiye are dominated by nematodes (17 species), trematodes (11 species), and cestodes (four species), followed by acanthocephalans (two species) and myxozoans (two species). The …

Otolith Morphological Variations Reveal Intraspecific Diversity In Two-Spot Barb, Pethia Ticto (Hamilton, 1822), Inhabiting The Riverine Ecosystem, Insha Hassan, Lubna Yasmeen, Mohd Sadiq, Ameer Hamza, Mohammad Afzal Khan

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The intraspecific variation in otolith wavelet coefficients, contours, and morphometric variables (six size and nine shape indices) was analyzed to discriminate stock variation in Pethia ticto collected from four selected sites along the River Ganga (Narora, Kanpur, Varanasi, and Bhagalpur). The wavelet coefficients extracted revealed symmetrical yet site-specific contour variations, particularly along the rostral, dorsal, and posterior margins, with the fourth-level wavelet explaining 98% of the cumulative accuracy and being selected for contour analysis. Permutational analysis of multivariate dispersion (PERMDISP) (F = 6.11, p = 0.002) and permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) (F = 8.42, R2 = 0.179, p …

Toxicokinetics And Multibiomarker Assessment Of Coexposure To Sulfamethoxazole And  Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles In Cyprinus Carpio, Nazish Iftikhar, Rabeea Zafar, Imran Hashmi, Asma Jamil, Christopher Joseph Martyniuk, Munib Ahmed Shafique

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The combined effects of pharmaceuticals and nanoparticles (NPs) on aquatic organisms remain insufficiently characterized. The present study examined toxicokinetics and multibiomarker responses of Cyprinus carpio (common carp) following exposure to sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and titanium dioxide (TiO₂) NPs. Juvenile fish were treated with SMX (25, 50, and 100 μg/L) alone and in combination with 1.5 mg/L TiO₂ NPs (96 h). TiO₂ NPs had a significant effect on the bioaccumulation of SMX in muscle tissues, with SMX reaching peak concentrations of 2286.54 ng/g in the 100 μg/L SMX + 1.5 mg/L TiO₂ NPs group after 72 h, compared to 1477.2 ng/g with …

Impacts Of Sprouted Barley On Performance And Carcass Ultrasound Measurements In Angus-Influenced Steers During Backgrounding, Zachary C. Crump, Anthony Fernando Alberto, Bailee L. Brown, Bryce W. Roholt, Lillian L. Okamoto, Ryan A. Spurling, Robert E. Ward, Brady M. Blackett, Robert L. Harding, Sanjeewa D. Ranathunga, Kara J. Thornton

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

The objective of this research was to determine the impacts of including sprouted barley (SB) in the diets of backgrounding beef steers. Angus-influenced steers (328 ± 6.59 kg) were assigned to one of four diets (n = 15/diet): a control (CON) diet, or a diet containing 5%, 10%, or 20% SB (DM basis)—replacing corn silage and some rolled barley. Individual intake and feeding behavior were monitored using Vytelle bunks. Body weight (BW) and ruminal fluid samples were collected on d 0, 30, and 60, while dry matter intake (DMI), feeding behavior, average daily gain (ADG), and gain-to-feed ratio (G:F) were …

Improving Public Perceptions Of Dairy Production Through On-Farm Educational Tours, Drew Swartz, Justin Wyatt Clawson, Jaydee Gunnell, Elise Jenson, Dylan Waldron, Jenna Dyckman

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

Utah dairy producers identified public perceptions as a top concern. Utah State University Extension partnered with Cache County organizations to offer dairy farm tours. Participants reported increased knowledge, more favorable perceptions, and stronger intentions to engage with agriculture, supporting experiential education as a means to strengthen understanding of dairy production.

Bathurst Burr And Its Control, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Bathurst burr (Xanthium spinosum) is a declared pest in Western Australia (WA). This factsheet describes the nature of the plant, requirements land owners/occupiers must adhere to, control methods, and how to search, detect, and report it.

Bathurst burr is a summer growing annual shrubby plant originating in South America. In south west Australia, some mature plants survive well into winter, with the result that burrs may be found for most of the year. The weed spreads entirely by burrs, which are usually carried by people or animals, attached to clothes, fur, or other fibre by their hooked spines. They may …

Noogoora Burr And Its Control, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Noogoora burr, also known as cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium), is a declared pest in Western Australia (WA). This factsheet describes the nature of the plant with links to requirements that land owners/occupiers must adhere to and control methods.

Native to western United States of America. Locally abundant in parts of the Kimberley, especially near water courses. Occasionally found in the South West region of WA.

Best Practices For Managing Human–Beaver Conflicts In North America: Balancing Ecological Benefits And Human Interests, Alec J. Sundelius, Jerry Altermatt, Doug Brimeyer, Derek J. Broman, Jared Duquette, Cory Mosby, Falyn Owens, Shawn Rossler, David B. Ruid, Brian F. Wakeling, H. Bryant White

Human–Wildlife Interactions Monographs

We explore the complexities of managing beaver (Castor canadensis) conflicts in North America, describing the most common approaches used by natural resource management agencies to address conflicts. We identify specific conflicts caused by beavers, the ecological benefits beavers provide, and the tools commonly used to address conflicts. We discuss regional differences in beaver management strategies, including ecosystem restoration and conflict prevention. We specifically discuss a variety of management practices including public education, land use management, trapping, translocation, exclusion, shooting, dam removal, repellants, and harvest incentive programs; we then review the challenges and benefits of these tools. We discuss …

State Of The Fisheries: Status Reports Of The Fisheries And Aquatic Resources Of Western Australia 2024/25, Stephen J. Newman, Ainslie Denham, Lebo Selemela, Jenny Moore

Status Reports of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources

The Status Reports of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of Western Australia (SRFAR) provides an annual update on the state of the fish stocks and other aquatic resources of Western Australia (WA). These reports outline the most recent assessments of the cumulative risk status for each of the aquatic resources (assets) within WA’s six bioregions using an Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management (EBFM) approach. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Dveelopment’s (DPIRD) risk based EBFM framework is the WA Government’s basis for management of all of WA’s aquatic resources.

Assets examined in each bioregion include the meso-scale ecosystems and aquatic …

Killer Whales (Orcinus Orca) In The Indo-Pacific: A Review Of Their Distribution, Population Structure, And Ecology, Paola Lacetera, Paul Tixier, Isabella M. Reeves, Maeva Terrapon, Aaron Barnes, Christophe Guinet, Simon H. Elwen, John Totterdell, Jennah Tucker, Paul Cross, Georgia K. Bisset, John Dickie, John P.Y. Arnould

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aim: Killer whales, Orcinus orca, are cosmopolitan top predators showing highly variable ecology and behaviour across populations. In the Indo-Pacific, baseline knowledge in general remains scarce, limiting the assessment of their vulnerability to the accelerated environmental changes, including expanding fisheries this region is undergoing.

Methodology: This review synthesises 170 sources found between 2000–2025 to evaluate the current knowledge on distribution, population structure, and feeding ecology (including depredation) of killer whales in the Indo-Pacific, and to identify priorities for future research and management.

Results: Occurrence was highly variable, from sporadic sightings in most tropical sectors to seasonal and year-round presence at …

Determining The Feasibility Of A Habituation Assessment In Managed Red Wolves, Emily C. Lynch, Joseph W. Hinton, Jennifer B. Nagashima, Curtis Malott, Natalie J. Johnson, Emily Haering, Robin Petersen, Allison Johnson, Julie K. Young

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

For species extirpated from the wild, ex situ breeding programs are essential for providing the individuals necessary for re-establishing wild populations through reintroductions. However, repeated exposure to humans under managed care may reduce wariness and alter behavioral responses in ways that are maladaptive after release. Although some pre-release behaviors reflect natural responses essential for survival and reproduction, others may result from habituation to humans and increase the risk of conflict, recapture, or mortality following translocation. These risks underscore the need for behavioral assessments to help identify appropriate candidates for release. However, because the assessments themselves require some exposure to humans, …

Effects Of Intensive Exercise On The Blood Chemistry Of Fighting Bulls In Southern Thailand, Siriwat Wasiksiri, Pratthana Yongsakulchai, Wichaya Thongtako, Paradorn Muangnil, Teepakorn Adulkasem

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Bullfighting is a cultural activity in southern Thailand. Bulls walk and undergo intensive exercise before competition. In the arena, winners are determined by their opponents' surrender, so bulls do not die after fighting. However, there are very few studies on organ injuries in living bulls during these activities. This study compared the effects of walking and intensive exercise on complete blood count (CBC) and blood chemistry. Blood parameters of 14 Thai fighting bulls aged over 6 years, regularly trained for walking and intensive exercise, were measured and analyzed using a paired t-test or Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Eosinophils decreased significantly after …

Performance Of Dual-Form Terminalia Catappa Organic Fertilizers On Sweet Corn Yield And Economic Viability In Tropical Highlands, Stefina Liana Sari, Eso Solihin, Rahmat Budiarto

Jurnal Kultivasi

Recycling underutilized plant biomass into organic fertilizers underpins low-input cropping strategies, but liquid and solid formulations derived from a common feedstock have seldom been evaluated side by side under field conditions. This study aimed to (i) characterize the physicochemical properties and safety profile of a liquid organic fertilizer (LOF) and a crumb-type organic fertilizer (COF) co-produced from Terminalia catappa leaf compost, (ii) compare their effects on sweet corn growth and yield, (iii) determine relative agronomic effectiveness (RAE), and (iv) evaluate economic feasibility of the most promising organic–inorganic combinations. We produced LOF and COF through aerobic composting of Terminalia catappa leaves …

A New Species Of Liocheles Sundevall, 1833 (Scorpiones: Hormuridae) From The Western Himalayas, Virender К. Bhardwaj, Sunil Katal, H. T. Lalremsanga, Zeeshan A. Mirza

Euscorpius

Sampling in the Western Himalayas of India led to the discovery of a population of the genus Liocheles Sundevall, 1833, that differes from all Indian congeners. Molecular and morphological data confirmed the distinctiveness of the population, which is here described as a new species. The new species is morphologically similar to L. longimanus (Werner, 1939), from which it differs in the arrangement of trichobothria on external patella and structure of the hemispermatophore. A preliminary molecular phylogeny of the family Hormuridae based on the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene is presented.