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Fishing For A Sustainable Future: Aquaponics As A Method Of Food Production, Richard Ramsundar

Student Theses 2015-Present

This thesis compares and explains the advantages aquaponics farming has over modern industrial intensive farming. Through a comparison natural capital usage, conservation, recycling and cost, the thesis advocates for the expansion of aquaponics usage in urban settings. The thesis also explains the history of intensive farming and aquaponics in America, the science of how aquaponics operates, the economic and environmental costs of modern intensive farming versus aquaponics farming, and the social implications of aquaponics. Lastly, I propose a policy that reallocates farm subsidies by modifying the Farm Bill. Then I propose policies that support creating a new standard of farm …

Effects Of The Developmental Environment On Oxidative Damage And Antioxidants In Red-Eared Slider Turtle ( Trachemys Scripta Elegans ) Hatchlings, Lisa Allison Treidel

Theses and Dissertations

Developmental environments influence many individual phenotypes. However, currently we have a limited understanding of how the developmental environment influences oxidative stress resistance phenotypes. Oxidative stress is defined as a physiological state during which the production of harmful free radicals exceeds the protective capabilities of antioxidants. Variations among adults in susceptibility to oxidative stress can have important consequences for life history strategies and fitness related traits. Our work was aimed at providing insight in to the role that the developmental environment plays on oxidative stress phenotypes in the model oviparous reptile the red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans). Here, we conducted …

Section Abstracts: Agriculture, Forestry And Aquaculture

Virginia Journal of Science

Abstracts of the Agriculture, Forestry and Aquaculture Section for the 93rd Annual Virginia Academy of Science Meeting, May 2015, at James Madison University

Saccharomyces Boulardii As An Enteric Health Promoter In Broiler Chickens, Caroline Stephanie Philpot

Poultry Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Saccharomyces boulardii is a yeast that has been shown to have a probiotic effect on the gut health of humans, ruminants, and swine by helping to control intestinal homeostasis, preventing pathogens from colonizing, promoting beneficial enzyme production, and by other mechanisms. This trial is designed to test whether the addition of S. boulardii to the diet improves the enteric health of broilers. Forty-eight test pens each containing fifteen birds, a water line, and a hanging feed pan were set up in a commercial broiler house from day eighteen to day thirty-six of the flock. The pens were evenly divided into …

Nebline, May 2015

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: It is Important for Youth to Keep Learning and Stay Active During Summer

Food & Health

Family Living

Farm & Acreage

Horticulture

Pests & Wildlife

4-H & Youth

Extension Calendar

and other extension news and events

Cultivating Dreams: Examining Community Involvement And Satisfaction In Fayetteville Farms, Donna J. Freeman

Landscape Architecture Undergraduate Honors Theses

Agriculture has a great, often untapped potential to be integrated in to the urban landscape as part of a green infrastructure and food production network. Urban agriculture is often piecemeal and opportunistic, rarely part of a city-wide master plan or with a comprehensive site plan. Because of this, farms are less likely to be considered as public space like parks and plazas or be studied as part of the human environment. This study utilizes data triangulation from site analysis, policy analysis and surveys to attempt to determine how urban farms might be improved in specific categories such as visibility and …

Impact Of Wet Distillers' Grains Plus Solubles And Antioxidants On A Basic Mechanism Of Beef Tenderization, Michael D. Chao

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Feeding high levels of wet distillers grains plus solubles (WDGS) increases polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels in beef. Perhaps, WDGS in feedlot diets increases PUFA concentration in the SR membrane, thereby altering membrane integrity, resulting in more rapid calcium leakage and improved tenderness. Feeding antioxidants may mitigate such effects. In the first study, effects of feeding 50 % WDGS on SR membrane composition, free calcium concentration and tenderness were studied. The SR membrane from steers fed WDGS were more tender, had higher free calcium concentration, had more PUFA, more phosphatidylcholine (PC), less phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and less total phospholipids when compared …

Use Of Endocrine And Immune Responses As Predictors Of Bull Sperm Motility, Lydia Mitchener

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Research has shown that immune cells increased from an immune response, and endocrine concentrations directly affect sperm characteristics (Jones and Mann, 1976; Hansson et al., 1989; Grattan et al., 2007). Previous findings show a negative relationship between leukocytes and sperm function (Jones and Mann, 1976) and prolactin and fertility (Grattan et al., 2007). On the other hand, research has shown a positive relationship between insulin-like growth factor (IGF) and sperm characteristics (Hansson et al., 1989). The objective of this study is to identify biomarkers for yearling bull sperm associated with endocrine response and activation of the immune system. Seventeen Brahman-influenced …

The Role Of Rfamide-Related Peptide 3 (Rfrp3) In Regulation Of The Neuroendocrine Reproductive And Growth Axes Of The Boar, Jennifer F. Thorson, Amy T. Desaulniers, Chanho Lee, Brett R. White, J. Joe Ford, Clay A. Lents

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

RFamide-related peptide 3 (RFRP3) has been implicated in regulating reproduction and growth. This regulation appears to be dependent upon sex, species, physiological status, and developmental stage. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of RFRP3 on circulating concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH) and growth hormone (GH) in mature boars. The hypothesis was RFRP3 would reduce circulating concentrations of LH and increase concentrations of GH. Meishan boars (716.6±2.8 days of age; 125.0±12.4kg BW) were randomly assigned to treatment: saline (n=4) or RFRP3 (8.5mg; n=5). Plasma was collected at 15-min intervals during 3 periods: pre-treatment, treatment, and post-treatment. …

Practicing Good Stewardship When Applying Herbicides For Pasture Weed Control, Jonathan D. Green

Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications

Various methods and strategies can be used to combat weed problems in pasture fields. These include mechanical and cultural practices such as mowing or clipping fields, maintaining a good soil fertility program, grazing methods, and other management practices that promote the growth of desirable forage grasses which in turn compete against weeds. Herbicides can be the best alternative to effectively control several troublesome broadleaf weeds. However, it is important to understand the proper use of herbicides and practice good stewardship. Below are some important tips to consider when choosing and applying a herbicide product.

Aquatic Macroinvertebrates: Biological Indicators Of Stream Health, Carmen T. Agouridis, Evan T. Wesley, Tyler M. Sanderson, Blake L. Newton

Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications

Streams are an important part of the landscape. Streams transport water, sediment and energy; provide habitat for aquatic life and support terrestrial life; provide a place for recreation; and in many cases serve as a water supply. The health of streams—or their ability to perform these important functions—is dependent on the conditions of the watersheds which they drain. Changes in land use within a watershed can affect a stream’s health (Figure 1).

Poultry Production Messaging: A Content Analysis Of Three National Newspapers From 1994 To 2014, Stuart Estes

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Consumers are increasingly concerned with the use of antibiotics and hormones in poultry production, and the news media is the primary way consumers gain knowledge about this subject. This study assessed articles about antibiotic and hormone use in poultry production from the New York Times, USA Today, and the Wall Street Journal from 1994 to 2014. This study employed a content analysis methodology to assess selected articles (n = 139) for key messaging about antibiotic and hormone use in poultry production, article tone, article framing, and article journalistic quality. Data gathered from key messages were assessed for emergent themes that …

Intake And Digestibility Of Fescue Hay Supplemented With Co-Product Feeds, Omega J. Sanders

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Satisfying an animals' nutritional needs can help optimize performance and keep an animal healthy. Meeting these nutritional requirements is often complicated by the low quality characteristics of hay, requiring supplementation with concentrate feedstuffs to offset this low nutrient density. The objectives of this study were to determine the impact of supplementation with soybean hulls (SH), distiller's dried grains with solubles (DDGS), or a 50:50 mixture of the two (MIX) on ruminal fermentation characteristics and in situ forage disappearance in lactating and non-lactating ruminally-cannulated cows offered tall fescue hay. For this experiment, a basal diet of tall fescue hay was offered …

Earthworm Populations In A Wheat-Soybean Double-Crop System Under Seven Years Of Established Residue Management Practices, Jill Elizabeth Thomason

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Earthworms improve soil structure, distribute litter and microbes, stimulate microbial activity, facilitate decomposition, and increase nitrogen (N) availability for plant growth. Earthworm density is often reduced in low organic matter soils that are intensively managed to grow row crops. This study was designed to relate earthworm density and community composition to residue management after seven years of established management practices in a wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)-soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) double-crop system maintained in Marianna, AR. Residue management practices included conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT), N fertilization to produce high and low wheat residue amounts left in the field, …

Addressing Genetic Pollution From Pollen Drift On A Heterogeneous Landscape, Mattia Ciro Mancini

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Genetically modified (GM) crops are crops in which single or multiple genes have been introduced artificially in order to obtain certain characteristics that are difficult to obtain through conventional breeding. Even though farmers have the right to freely choose what types of crops to grow, pollen mediated gene flow from GM crops to non-GM crops can limit the possibility for crops to coexist on a same landscape, resulting in economic losses that depend on the institutional arrangements and the type of property rights in place. Although it is well known that spatial variability affects the degree of cross-contamination between GM …

Mitigation Of Medusahead (Taeniatherum Caput-Medusae) Through Grazing And Revegetation On The Channeled Scablands Of Eastern Washington, Clinton A. Stonecipher

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A large portion of the historical steppe and shrub-steppe habitats in eastern Washington have been altered through biotic and abiotic processes resulting in the annual grass medusahead becoming a large component of the altered vegetation. Experiments were conducted to determine: 1) if supplementing cattle with protein would help increase utilization of medusahead, 2) the grass species that could establish in the region, and 3) if mechanical disturbance would aid in such revegetation efforts. Cattle grazing medusahead-infested rangeland increased consumption of medusahead after all forage matured due to a reduction in the quality of forage alternatives. Cattle supplemented with protein increased …

L-Carnitine And Pyruvate Inclusion In Diluents For Cold-Stored Stallion Spermatozoa, Daniel Scott Potter

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Spermatozoa survivability is of utmost importance in delivering equine semen for artificial insemination. Semen extender supplementation may allow for increased survivability. L-carnitine (CARN) has been studied for its role in the mobilization of fatty acids. Two experiments (EX1/EX2) assessed the effects of CARN and pyruvate (P) on spermatozoa survival. Total (TM) and progressive motility (PM), velocity and direction of movement (VAP, VSL, VCL, and elongation) were assessed by CASA, membrane status (SYBR 14/PI stains) and acrosome status (FITC-PSA stain) by flow cytometer. In EX1, 4 ejaculates were collected from 2 stallions. Aliquots were diluted in skim-milk glucose extender (SKMG) or …

Biofilm Production By Food-Transmitted Bacteria And Their Control By Selected Nanoparticles, Mariam Al Shamsi

Dissertations

Biofilm is a population of bacteria attached to any types of surfaces and impeded in a self-produced matrix of extracellular polymeric substances. Biofilm exhibit up to 1000 fold antibiotic increased resistance to a broad range of antimicrobial agents. Several food-transmitted microorganisms are capable of forming biofilms and considered as a major source of contamination, transmission and infection. In the last few decades, nanoparticles has gained a great attention for their potential applications as antimicrobial agents. The aim of this work was to assess the biofilm formation capacity of food-transmitted bacteria under various environmental conditions and to investigate the efficacy of …

Economic Assessment Of Organic, Eco-Friendly, And Conventional Peach Production Methods In Northern Utah, Trevor D. Knudsen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Fruit producers in Northern Utah face several challenges to their production, urbanization, decreased availability of agricultural land, and competition from domestic producers and imports. As consumers are willing to pay premiums for foods differentiated by production method, such as eco-friendly and organic, conversion to these methods may increase the profitability of fruit growing operations.

This study found that consumers in Northern Utah are willing to pay a premium for peaches grown using organic and eco-friendly production practices over conventionally grown peaches. The study also found that of the three methods of peach production examined (conventional, eco-friendly, and organic), organic had …

The Influence Of The Bovine Fecal Microbiota On The Shedding Of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia Coli (Stec) By Beef Cattle, Nirosh D. Aluthge

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

During the past three decades, Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC) have emerged as an important food safety concern. Although initially E. coli O157 was the main focus, recent outbreaks and resulting investigations have shown that certain non-O157 STEC are as much a threat to food safety as their O157 counterparts. To the beef industry, STEC have been of particular concern due to the frequent association of beef and beef products as vehicles of STEC infection. As a result, along with E. coli O157, six non-O157 STEC serogroups (known as the ‘big six’) are now regulated as adulterants in certain raw beef …

Disinfectants Against Avian Influenza Viruses, David D. Frame

All Current Publications

This fact sheet describes disinfectants that can be used to fight against Avian influenza viruses, including the advantages, disadvantages and how to use.

Understanding Perceptions Of Genetically Modified Food Among Natural Food Shoppers In Southern Nevada, Christian Murua-Aceves

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Today, 85% of corn, 93% of soybeans, and 88% of cotton in the U.S. are genetically modified (GM). Using laboratory methods, genes from one species, such as a plant, can be transferred to an unrelated species, such as an animal. Genetically modified crops may lead to higher yields, have improved food quality, texture, and nutritional value, and have an increased shelf life.

Despite these promising benefits, the potential health risks relating to the consumption of GM food remain inadequately assessed. Genetically modified food is not subjected to rigorous safety testing, such as epidemiologic studies, to identify potential health risks. Two …

Assessment Of Workers Exposure To Ammonia In Animal Facilities At Walter C. Todd Agricultural Research Center, Nacogdoches, Texas, Ahmad F. Nasser, Sheryll B. Jerez

Bright Ideas Conference

Poultry, swine, and equine animal facilities are all considered as Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). All these CAFOs are emission sources of gases and other pollutants which have negative impacts on the environment, human health, and animal health as well. One of those gases is Ammonia (NH3), which is a colorless, highly irritating gas with a pungent, suffocating odor, and if inhaled in high concentrations, it may cause harm to the human body and the function of lungs. Personal exposure to ammonia was assessed for six workers in the three animal facilities: poultry, swine, and equine. Two workers from each …

Relationship Between Temperament And Performance Traits In Yearling Cattle, Courtney R. Branton, C. J. Koffskey, E. O. Warden, E. G. Brown

Bright Ideas Conference

To examine relationships between exit velocity (EV, objective measure of temperament) and performance traits, calves were weighed 14 days prior to weaning, at weaning, 128 days post weaning, and at time of carcass measurements. Exit velocity obtained on day -14 and carcass ultrasound measurements (n = 6) obtained on day 208 and carcass harvest measurements (n = 12) obtained on day 349 were used to determine correlations between EV, performance and carcass measurements. Exit velocity showed a tendency to be negatively correlated (P < 0.15) with weaning weight (r = -0.40), but not correlated (P > 0.05) with average daily gain post 128 days. Exit velocity was not correlated (P > 0.05) with carcass …

Influence Of Properties And Microstructure By Different Pretreatment Of Cotton Seed Hull Enzyme Solution, Hou Lifen, Sun Xiangyang, Ding Changhe

Food and Machinery

With cotton seed hull as raw material, the influence was studied about the enzymatic properties and microstructure of cottonseed hull by four pretreatment methods of the dilute acid, acid pretreatment after alkali, alkali and alkaline H₂O₂. The results showed that the lignin content of cotton seed hull by the pretreatment method of alkaline H₂O₂ was decreased by 67.5%; the rate of xylan extraction about enzymatic hydrolysis for 12 hours was 21.4%; and more Xylobiose was obtained; at the same time, the microscopic structure appeared clear and loose.

Effects Of Fish Brain Phospholipids On Lipid Metabolism In Mice, Li Hui, Fu Jiaqi, Yu Weiwei, Hu Jianen, Wu Long, Lu Hang

Food and Machinery

The effects of fish brain phospholipids on lipid levels in mice were measured. ICR mice were chosen as experimental animals, which were randomly divided into five groups, normal control group fed the basal diet, the rest of the groups fed with high fat diet. The results showed that the fish brain phospholipids can significantly reduce serum TC, TG and LDL-C levels. The results showed that the fish brain phospholipids have hypolipidemic effect.

Progress Of Foodborne Antioxidant In Neurodegenerative Diseases, L Vzhaoliang, Xu Zhou, We Nli, Y Uhuixin, Zhang Li, Chen Gyunhui

Food and Machinery

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are caused by the loss of neurons, and worsen with the passage of time, to result in dysfunction. A large number of studies have found most neurodegenerative diseases had associations with the oxidative process and free radical damage. In recent years, foodborne antioxidants such as vitamin, flavonoids and other polyphenolics, polysacharides and saponins are used in the prevention and treatment of the NDs. This review indicates the relationship between oxidative stress and NDs, and focuses on the role of various foodborne antioxidants in the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases.

Horses' Responses To Receiving Masterson Method™ Integrated Equine Performance Bodywork™ Treatments, Carla O. Beu

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This research documents the changes of comfort levels in horses resulting from receiving Masterson Method™ Integrated Equine Performance Bodywork™ treatments. The Masterson Method™ (MM) is a bodywork technique used to identify and release accumulated tension from the equine body. MM focuses on three main anatomical junctions: the poll-atlas junction, neck-shoulder-wither junction, and the sacroiliac junction. Research documentation includes pre and post treatment evaluations, the treatments, owner questionnaires, and cribbing observations. Also, all evaluation and treatment sessions were videotaped with the intent of further analysis for changes in range of motion, flexibility, and comfort level as applicable. Each horse received a …

Environmental Change And The Emergence Of New Livestock Production Systems In Central Gansu Province, China, Gregory Veeck

Faculty Research and Creative Activities Award (FRACAA)

Post-2000 efforts to protect China’s grassland areas are distinct from earlier efforts in that funding for the most recent round of policies and programs is commensurate with the task. Among the most controversial of the current policies is the provision of an annual subsidy ranging from 2 yuan to 20 yuan/mu (1/15 hectare) to herders to not graze livestock contracted by their families for periods from 3-10 years. Many other recent policies, such as fencing programs and hunting and burning bans to protect keystone species are also controversial. Ideally, the policies are intended to protect grassland ecological systems while assuring …

Producing Quality Barley For The Malting Industry, Haley H. Oser Dph

Doctor of Plant Health Program: Dissertations and Student Research

The University of Nebraska – Lincoln Doctor of Plant Health program requires each student to fulfill a professional internship over the last summer of the program. For my internship, I worked as a Barley Scientist Intern for MillerCoors and Golden Malting in Golden, Colorado. During this internship I gained a fundamental understanding of malting barley production with a significant emphasis on grain quality. Barley produced for malting must fulfill strict industry quality standards before it is accepted by the head maltsters. These quality standards include: a high germination rate, low moisture content, protein content within an acceptable range and the …