Poultry or Avian Science Commons^™

Anthropogenic Factors Affecting Common Raven Occurrence And Depredation Of Artificial Nests Within Greater Sage‐Grouse Habitat In Southern Utah, Zoë S. Moffett

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Certain species of wildlife are more generalist and adaptive than others. These species often flourish when supported by human activities that provide additional food and habitat for them. The common raven (Corvus corax; hereafter raven) is one such species; their populations have risen and spread throughout the Intermountain West. As generalist scavengers and predators, ravens have been found to pose a severe threat to several threatened or sensitive species, including the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter sage-grouse). The purpose of my research was to determine the specific anthropogenic and habitat factors that may increase the threat …

Temporal, Phenotypic, And Quantitative Characterization Of Thyroid Infiltrating Mononuclear Cells During Development Of Spontaneous Autoimmune Thyroiditis In Obese Strain Chickens, Katelyn M. Clark

Poultry Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

The Obese strain (OS) of chickens spontaneously develops autoimmune thyroiditis and is a well-established biomedical model for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis in humans. Both conditions are characterized by the infiltration of the thyroid glands with mononuclear cells resulting in destruction of the thyroid tissue and impairment of the thyroid’s endocrinological functions. Past studies have described mononuclear cell infiltration in thyroids of the OS chickens, but the time-course, cell composition, and relative amounts of the various mononuclear cells infiltrating the thyroids has not been well defined. In this project, the mononuclear cell infiltrate was characterized phenotypically and quantitatively in OS chickens over the …

Effects Of Cyclic Heat Stress On The Acute Inflammatory Response In Broilers, Alessandro J. Rocchi

Poultry Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Heat stress (HS) is a growing concern in broiler production due to increasing environmental temperatures. Little is known of the overall effect of HS on innate immunity. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), an outer membrane component of Gram-negative bacteria, is commonly used to study the inflammatory response. In avian species, the local tissue and systemic inflammatory activities in response to LPS may be determined concurrently, over time, in an individual, using the growing feather (GF) pulp dermal test along with blood measurements (dual-window approach). To examine the effect of cyclic HS on the local and systemic acute inflammatory responses, Cobb 500 male broiler …

Poultry Pose Estimation With Deeplabcut, Chiyou Vang

Computer Science and Computer Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

This honors thesis dives into the realm of deep learning-based pose estimation research and investigates the potential of DeepLabCut (Lauer, et al., 2021) in accurately and efficiently estimating the pose of poultry. With accurate pose estimation being a crucial aspect in understanding the behavior and movement of animals, this thesis aims to contribute to the development of more effective methods for pose estimation, especially for poultry.

To comprehensively evaluate the performance of DeepLabCut, two different types of chickens were tested in this thesis: a model toy chicken and actual live chickens. Videos were recorded for both types, and key points …

Optimum Time To Add The Feed Additive Availa-Zmc To Reduce The Incidence Of Bacterial Chondronecrosis With Osteomyelitis Lameness In Broiler Chickens, Ashley Ault

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Lameness is a health condition threatening the welfare of broiler chickens in the poultry industry. It can be caused by a bacterial infection called Bacterial Chondronecrosis with Osteomyelitis (BCO). Zinpro has created Avalia-ZMC, a feed additive that has been proven to reduce lameness by 20% in wire-flooring pens and 25% in litter-flooring pens (Alrubaye et al., 2020). This experiment focuses on the optimal time to add Availa-ZMC to the diet of the broiler chickens to help reduce the incidence of lameness. This trial took 56 days with 26 pens at the University of Arkansas Poultry Research Farm. At the start …

A New Method For Reducing Salmonella In Poultry Meat, Regis Yizerwe

Honors Theses, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

An important approach to decreasing the transmission of Salmonella into the food chain is to treat raw chicken after processing. This can be, and has been done, by using antibiotics and chemical disinfectants. Using antibiotics is not a viable option due to the issue of antimicrobial resistance. Although some chemical disinfectants have been used effectively, they are restricted due to the amounts that can be used safely, the acceptance of their use and resistance to implementation in various parts of the world. This study has revealed that using a naturally occurring saponin–Quillaja Saponaria– in small concentrations under certain conditions of …

Airborne Transmission Of Pathogens Emerging In The Poultry Industry, Xuan Dung Nguyen

Doctoral Dissertations

Poultry houses might have high levels of airborne pathogens, including Escherichia coli (E. coli) and avian influenza (AI), which may be transmitted through the air and pose risks of infection. The objective of the dissertation is to provide an insightful understanding the of airborne transmission of E. coli and AI which were attached to poultry dust particles.

Chapter I and VI summarized background, gap in knowledge, and discussed the limitations and implications of the study.

Chapter II compared the efficiency of Andersen six-stage impactor, all-glass impinger, and ACD-200 Bobcat, in collecting airborne E. coli carried by dust particles. The results …

Enzyme-Treated Yeast Fed To Coccidia-Challenged Broiler Chickens, Emmanuel O. Alagbe, Hagen Schulze, Olayiwola Adeola

Graduate Industrial Research Symposium

There is a growing search for natural feed additives to alleviate the deleterious effects of coccidia infection in poultry. Research has shown that may serve as healthier alternatives to coccidiostats.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of enzyme-treated yeast (EY) on the performance, nutrient digestibility, intestinal morphology, and health of coccidia-challenged broiler chickens. 480 broiler chickens were allocated to 3 corn-soybean meal-based experimental diets with increasing concentrations of EY (0, 1, or 2 g/kg). Dietary EY enhanced nutrient utilization and augmented intestinal development in broiler chickens. However, dietary EY did not completely attenuate the adverse effects of a coccidia …

Factors Affecting Presence And Occupancy Of Marabou Storks (Leptoptilos Crumeniferus) At Abattoirs And Slaughter Slabs Near Jinja, Uganda, Elena Arroway

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

This study examined the factors affecting the presence and occupancy of marabou storks at abattoirs and slaughter slabs near Jinja, Uganda. The average number of storks per unit area was compared across different areas within one large abattoir, including an analysis of the presence of free food, human disturbance, and other scavenging birds (pied crow, piapiac, spur-winged lapwing, and cattle egrets). Occupancy across two abattoirs and one slaughter slab was compared and related to the number of animals slaughtered daily at the facility. Direct observations at abattoirs and slaughter slabs were conducted for ten minutes with five minutes between observations. …

Impacts Of Temperature And Salt Concentrations For Thermal Inactivation Of Salmonella In Moisture Enhanced Reconstructed Chicken Patties, Alik D. Browning

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The purpose of this experiment is to determine the thermal kinetic parameters of Salmonella in moisture-enhanced, reconstructed ground chicken patties as affected by temperatures and salt concentrations. Salmonella is responsible for 35% of the foodborne illnesses associated with poultry products (Batz et al., 2011). Nonintact reconstructed chicken meat is mixed with brine solutions containing various salt and polyphosphate concentrations to increase water-holding capacity, decrease cooking losses, improve sensory tasting scores, and maintain the good quality of completed chicken products (Gill et al., 2004). Increasing salt concentrations within meats can increase the thermal inactivation of pathogens. In this study, Salmonella Typhimurium …

A Multi-Isotope Approach Reveals Seasonal Variation In The Reliance On Marine Resources, Production Of Metabolic Water, And Ingestion Of Seawater By Two Species Of Coastal Passerine To Maintain Water Balance, Lucas Navarrete, Nico Lübcker, Felipe Alvarez, Roberto Nespolo, Juan Carlos Sanchez-Hernandez, Karin Maldonado, Zachary D. Sharp, John P. Whiteman, Seth D. Newsome, Pablo Sabat

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Tracing how free-ranging organisms interact with their environment to maintain water balance is a difficult topic to study for logistical and methodological reasons. We use a novel combination of triple-oxygen stable isotope analyses of water extracted from plasma (δ¹⁶O, δ¹⁷O, δ¹⁸O) and bulk tissue carbon (δ¹³C) and nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) isotopes of feathers and blood to estimate the proportional contribution of marine resources, seawater, and metabolic water used by two species of unique songbirds (genus Cinclodes) to maintain their water balance in a seasonal coastal environment. We …

Lifetime Inclusive Fitness Effects Of Cooperative Polygamy In The Acorn Woodpecker, Walter D. Koenig, Sahas Barve, Joseph Haydock, Eric L. Walters

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Although over 50 y have passed since W. D. Hamilton articulated kin selection and inclusive fitness as evolutionary explanations for altruistic behavior, quantifying inclusive fitness continues to be challenging. Here, using 30 y of data and two alternative methods, we outline an approach to measure lifetime inclusive fitness effects of cooperative polygamy (mate-sharing or cobreeding) in the cooperatively breeding acorn woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus. For both sexes, the number of offspring (observed direct fitness) declined while the number of young parented by related cobreeders (observed indirect fitness effect) increased with cobreeding coalition size. Combining these two factors, the observed inclusive …

Unraveling A Paradox Of Habitat Relationships: Scale-Dependent Drivers Of Temporal Occupancy-Abundance Relationships In A Cooperatively Breeding Bird, Natasha D.G. Hagemeyer, Mario B. Pesendorfer, Walter D. Koenig, Eric L. Waters

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Context

Spatial occupancy and local abundance of species often positively covary, but the mechanisms driving this widespread relationship are poorly understood. Resource dynamics and habitat changes have been suggested as potential drivers, but long-term studies relating them to abundance and occupancy are rare. In this 34-year study of acorn woodpeckers (Melanerpes formicivorus), a cooperatively breeding species, we observed a paradoxical response to changes in habitat composition: despite a reduction in the availability of high-quality breeding habitat, the population increased considerably.

Objectives

We investigated the role of annual variation in food availability and long-term changes in habitat composition as predictors of …

Use Of Amino Acid Isotope Analysis To Investigate Capital Versus Income Breeding Strategies In Migratory Avian Species, Nico Lübcker, John P. Whiteman, Oliver N. Shipley, Keith A. Hobson, Seth D. Newsome

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

1. Income and capital breeding represent opposing ends of a continuum of reproductive strategies. Quantifying nutrient allocation to reproduction is challenging, but recent advances in compound-specific stable isotope analysis hold promise for tracing the source of individual compounds allocated to reproduction.

2. Here, we describe a novel approach of using measured carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope values of individual amino acids (AAs) in pectoral muscle of egg-laying females and egg yolk as a useful tool to quantify the reliance on income versus capital breeding in migrating species. We used white-fronted (Anser albifrons frontalis), lesser snow (A. …

Comparison Of Corticosterone Concentrations Between Serum And Fecal Samples As A Measure Of Stress In Male Broilers., Kayla Weinacht

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Stress has long been a topic of interest in the poultry industry due to its potential negative effects on chicken health and production of both eggs and meat. With increased global growth in egg and broiler production, more attention has been paid to the stressors that affect chickens in modern poultry operations, particularly environmental temperature and stocking density. Improving quantitative measurement of stress is always needed in poultry welfare research. In most studies, blood serum is measured for corticosterone, one of the biomarker hormones associated with stress in chickens. Methods of collecting blood serum are by their nature disruptive to …

The Effects Of Exogenous Enzyme Supplementation On The Performance, Bone Quality, And Nutrient Utilization Of Broiler Chickens, Megan Bauer

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Two experiments were conducted to examine the effects of Allzyme® Spectrum supplementation to a reduced nutrient diet on the growth performance, energy and nutrient digestibility and utilization, bone quality, and jejunal digesta viscosity in broiler chickens. Each experiment used 300 one-day old Cobb by-product breeder chicks with 5 treatments, 10 replicates, and 6 birds per replicate cage in a randomized complete block design. The only differences between the two experiments were experiment 1 lasted for 21 days using a corn-soybean meal-based diet and experiment 2 lasted for 22 days using a wheat-soybean meal-based diet. The 5 treatments included a positive …

Impacts Of Eastern Redcedar Juniperus Virginiana L. On Avian Communities In Eastern South Dakota, Jay Holm

Schultz-Werth Award Papers

Eastern redcedar (ERC) (Juniperus virginiana L.) is the most rapidly spreading woody species in the Northern Great Plains due to fire suppression, planting in windbreaks, and overgrazing. Its encroachment has converted already fragmented and/or degraded grassland into woodland, and there is concern that it may negatively impact grassland-obligate/dependent avian species. In this study, I evaluated avian community composition between ERC-encroached and non-encroached grasslands in eastern South Dakota. Six sites each of encroached grassland and non-encroached grassland were selected. Bird surveys were conducted by performing point counts placed equidistantly along a transect for two years. Presence and abundance of each species …

From Field To Shore: Policy Improvements To Better Protect Ecosystem And Human Health From Poultry Wastes In Virginia, Rachael A. King

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Commercial poultry production is a large industry with economic importance in Virginia. However, mismanagement of manures and wastes generated from the poultry industry can be a serious threat to ecosystem and human health. Primarily, there is a concern about nutrient pollution related to runoff and infiltration of poultry wastes. High nutrient loading can cause groundwater contamination, eutrophication, and harmful algal blooms (HABs). Additional concerns include metals, antibiotics, and pesticides that can be found in poultry wastes. To determine existing threats to ecosystem and human health from the poultry industry, Virginia policies regulating the industry are reviewed and their strengths and …

Insect Availability And Parental Care Behavior In A Common Bird, Cole Bourque

Symposium of Student Scholars

Populations of aerially insectivorous birds are declining throughout North America. Urbanization may indirectly contribute to this decline through its negative effects on populations of insects, an important food source in insectivores' diets, where low insect availability may be especially challenging for birds during breeding. How fluctuations in insect populations impact various species at higher trophic levels is an important area of current study for future conservation biology. Here, we examine whether nestling provisioning, brooding and guarding behaviors in a breeding bird—the European starling (Sturnus vulgaris)—may be altered depending on the relative insect availability in the environment. We found …

Effects Of Methylmercury And Unpredictable Food Stress Exposure On Songbirds’ Physiology And Seasonal Transition, Claire L.J. Bottini

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Organisms regularly adjust their physiology to respond to predictable seasonal or environmental variation. However, annual cycle transitions could be disrupted by contaminants or stressors. For example, methylmercury and stress exposure can independently disrupt birds’ neural and endocrine systems, energy balance, metabolism, or behaviour, all necessary for seasonal transitions. Although, the effects of combined exposure to stressors and methylmercury (MeHg), and how long they last after exposure ends, are poorly understood. The objective of my PhD was to evaluate the impact of MeHg exposure on songbirds’ physiology and its potential carry-over effects on seasonal transitions. I exposed song sparrows (Melospiza …