Digital Commons Network^™

Observations And Applications Of Husbandry Methodologies On A Backyard Poultry Farm In Dangriga, Belize, Bailey Carpenter

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study explores the husbandry methodologies on a backyard poultry farm in Dangriga, Belize, with the purpose of producing a set of guidelines for backyard poultry growers that have limited resources in similar regions. The majority of data collection occurred through survey questions approved by the IRB, necropsies approved by IACUC, and general observations. There has been a steady increase in poultry production in developing regions due to its positive effects on income and relative nutrition. However, due to a lack of accessible communication and education regarding effective and safe poultry production, these operators typically see poor productivity and/or profitability …

Eyes In The Field, A Seat At The Table, A Voice At The Ranch : A Study On Optimal Farm Labor Conditions., Christine Wiggins-Romesburg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The field of human resource development has twin obligations to promote the performance of organizations and the satisfaction and welfare of all workers. Nevertheless, agriculture appears to be an understudied industry in the field, despite this obligation and the potential for suffering experienced by workers performing crop work. This case study sought to understand the process through which a single agricultural operation fosters optimal conditions for workers engaged in labor-intensive crop production. This study found employees experienced better treatment compared to other agricultural operations, and that conditions were rich in both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Intrinsic factors were marked by …

Forage News [2019-05], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• Register for 2019 Kentucky Fencing School in Russellville on May 30th
• Things in the Hay Production Book We Missed
• Insure High Quality Forage: Make Baleage
• Optimizing Production from Perennial Cool-Season Hayfields
• UK Equine Farm and Facilities Expo - May 30
• Purdue Extension Hosts Educational Events This Summer - June 21 and 22
• Tariffs, Water Reshuffled the Hay Export Deck

Use Of Annual Forage Mixtures In Crop/Livestock Production Systems In Nebraska, Nathan Paul Pflueger

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Success of integrating annual forages into crop and livestock systems throughout Nebraska may be variable depending on field location, field/forage crop management, and precipitation. There are many different warm- and cool-season annual forage species available for integrating crop and livestock systems at different times of the year. Mixtures of cereal species, such as oats (Avena sativa)) and spring peas (Pisum sativum)), are often used to optimize forage quantity and forage quality. Our two-year, three location study across Nebraska’s precipitation gradient suggested that forage quantity and quality may vary by location due to different precipitation amounts received …

Addressing The Challenges Facing Wheat Production: Nebraska And International Breeding Efforts, Sarah Blecha

Doctor of Plant Health Program: Dissertations and Student Research

Bread wheat, Triticum aestivum L., provides 20 percent of the global daily calorie intake. It is the third most important food crop, after rice and corn. Biotic challenges significantly reduce wheat yield; chemical control can be a solution but can be cost prohibitive for subsistence farmers. For many farmers, genetic resistance to biotic stresses can be the most cost effective solution.

The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) and the Nebraska Small Grains Breeding Program have been addressing these wheat production challenges. ICARDA is part of an international research consortium to increase wheat yield and tolerance …

What Can We Do? Puzzling Over The Interpretation Of Heredity And Variation From Galton To Genetic Engineering, Peter J. Taylor

Working Papers on Science in a Changing World

First six chapters of a book motivated as follows: When I had mentioned to colleagues that I was exploring some significant issues overlooked by both sides in nature-nurture debates, the typical response was “we know, of course, that nature and nurture are intertwined”; they never asked “which nature-nurture science are you referring to?” It occurred to me that, in the long history of nature-nurture debates, opposing sides had always assumed or implied that these different scientific approaches were speaking to the same issues. If that were the case, then the challenge—something I was already puzzling over—was how best to draw …

Interactions Between The Protein Industry And Blogs: An Analysis Of Content And Perceptions, Kylie Hackworth

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis contains two articles that describe and characterize the use of the social media platform of blogging in the context of the animal agriculture and protein industry. The first article used content analysis to analyze blog posts and look for themes throughout the posts. This study included 37 posts from ten authors and resulted in four recurrent themes. The major themes were environment, consumption of protein, alternative protein source, and alternative dieting. The tones regarding these themes were both negative and positive toward the protein industry.

The second article used hand-coding to look for themes and similarities concerning flow …

Evaluation Of Herd Size Management Strategies, Colson A. Tester

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is comprised of two studies examining the effects of price signal based herd size management strategies on profitability of cow-calf operations. Herd size management strategies were evaluated across the previous two cattle cycles, 1990-2014, using a fixed land resource and included a variety of production scenarios. These scenarios varied in terms of stocking rates, fertilizer applications rates, and calving season. Each scenario was also analyzed both with and without weather effects on forage production. Weather effects were simulated using a production index derived from satellite imagery across the observed 25-year period. Three herd size management strategies: i) constant …

Resisting Industrial Food Systems On The Web: How Non-Profit Organizations Use Digital Technology For Sustainability Education, Aleksandr Segal

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This thesis examines the link between how community-based organizations use digital tools with the fundamentally resistance-based philosophy that these organizations have at the core of their mission. It aims to uncover how non-profit organizations (NPOs) that work in community development through food and agriculture use digital tools, and how their digital communication strategies relate to issues of resistance to neoliberalism and industrialization in the food and agriculture sectors.

Using a foundation of existing literature on food and agriculture, climate change and waste management, critical theory, and technology in pedagogy, this thesis will contextualize how non-profits resist neoliberal regimes of de-traditionalization …

Comprehensive Poultry Supply Chain Model With Vertical And Horizontal Linkages: Implication Of Domestic And International Shocks, Hakan Unveren

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

According to USDA FAS, in 2017, the US was the largest broiler-producing country with 18.696 million metric tons and the second largest exporter of broiler products with 3.075 million metric tons (Brazil is the largest exporter with 3.847 million metric tons). Thus, around 83% of US production is consumed domestically. According to USITC, chickens are the most important protein source in the US, and Americans consume more chicken per capita than any other country. However, while the broiler industry is a key segment of US agriculture, it is underserved by large-scale supply-chain and trade models.

In this study, to fill …

Establishment Of Perennial Legumes With An Annual Warm-Season Grass As A Companion Crop, Martina N. La Vallie

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The yields of perennial forage legumes are often hindered during the establishment year due to slow germination rates and weed competition. This study was conducted to determine if sorghum-sudangrass (Sorghum bicolor x S. bicolor var. sudanese) is a compatible annual companion crop for increased forage production, weed suppression, and legume establishment. In 2016, sorghum-sudangrass was paired with alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. ‘Ranger’), birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.), Illinois bundleflower [Desmanthus illinoensis (Michx.) MacMill. ex B.L. Rob. & Fernald], purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea Vent.), red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), and roundhead lespedeza (Lespedeza capitata Michx.). We studied effects of a …

Western Australian Sheep Producer Survey 2018, Mandy Curnow, Janet Conte

Animal production and livestock published reports

This survey was commissioned in 2018 by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), following earlier surveys in 2011 and 2014 conducted as part of national producer surveys for the Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Innovation (Sheep CRC). This report is therefore able to analyse respondents’ flock management over time.

The surveys were conducted by telephone with producers who had more than 500 sheep and were located in the Medium Rainfall Zone (MRZ) or Cereal Sheep Zone (CSZ). The sample sizes for the 2011, 2014 and 2018 surveys were 369, 368 and 389 respectively.

Organization Of A Community Garden Program Through Utah State University Food $Ense And Master Gardener Extension Programs For Low-Income Families In Logan, Utah, Jackie Hendrickson

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Nearly 12.3% of American households are food insecure. In Cache County, Utah, specifically, the rates of food insecurity are even higher (15%). Addressing the issue of food insecurity improves physical/mental health outcomes, childhood cognitive/physical development, family environments, and decreases healthcare costs. Evidence-based strategies to improve food security include increasing one’s access to fresh fruits and vegetables and improving self-efficacy. Community gardens are recognized as an initiative that improve participant’s levels of food security. In Utah, a number of community gardens exist, but none focus on food insecure individuals or include a curriculum of basic gardening and nutrition skills. Utah State …

Untangling The Economic And Social Impediments To Producer Adoption Of Organic Wheat, Donya L. Ralph-Quarnstrom

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Consumer demand for organic products has shown double-digit growth in recent years encouraging the development of a wider range of goods (Greene, 2017). Americans with an annual household income under $30,000 actively purchase organic foods at nearly the same rate as households with over $75,000 in annual incomes, 42% versus 49% (Greene et al., 2017). Previous research observed the adoption of organic farming practices on a combination of different grains, fruits and vegetables, meat, and dairy products from across the globe. However, this is the first study to examine the adoption of organic wheat in the Western U.S. By addressing …

Evaluating Michigan's Food, Agriculture, And Resources In Motion (Farm) Science Lab As A Modality For Agricultural Literacy, Amelia J. Miller

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Michigan’s Food, Agriculture, and Resources in Motion (FARM) Science Lab is a 40-foot mobile classroom outfitted with 10 learning stations including scientific equipment and iPads. This quasi-experimental study analyzed preexisting data provided by Michigan Agriculture in the Classroom to evaluate the effectiveness of the FARM Science Lab mobile classroom as a method of teaching agriculture-themed, standards-based lessons to third- through fifth-grade students in order to increase their understanding of agriculture. From January through June 2018, more than 1,258 students participated in these lessons and completed the pretest and posttest and 72 teachers completed the post survey. Research questions not only …

Investigating Limitations To Nitrogen Fixation By Leguminous Cover Crops In South Texas, Stephanie L. Kasper

Theses and Dissertations

Many farms use leguminous cover crops as a nutrient management strategy to reduce their need for nitrogen fertilizer. Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) depends on a symbiotic relationship between legumes and nitrogen-fixing rhizobia. Under certain conditions despite inoculation with appropriate rhizobial strains, this symbiosis fails to form. Such failure was observed in a 14-acre winter cover crop trial in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas when three legume species (forage pea, crimson clover, and hairy vetch) produced no signs of nodulation and nitrogen fixation. This study examined nitrogen, phosphorus, moisture, micronutrients and biotic interference as potential causes for the failure and …

Evaluation Of Protein Utilization In Low And High Protein Forage Sources And The Economic Value Of Supplementing Field Peas (Pisum Sativum) To Growing Cattle Grazing Crested Wheatgrass Pastures, Braden C. Troyer

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

Field peas are widely grown in the panhandle of Nebraska; however, markets quickly become saturated. A two year experiment was conducted comparing field peas to dry distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) as a protein supplement. The objective was to establish a price producers could pay for field peas relative to DDGS. There was a significant difference in ADG due to type of supplement (P = 0.02). Field pea supplemented heifers had 10% lower ADG compared to DDGS supplemented heifers. Economically, this means if DDGS is priced at or $124.58/ 909 kg DM a producer could pay $2.89/27 kg, for …

The Utilization Of Brown Midrib Corn Silage Hybrids And Kernel Processing To Improve Corn Silage Value And The Use Of High Protein Distillers' Grains To Evaluate Starch Digestion, Lauren A. Ovinge

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

Three studies evaluated the effects of corn silage hybrid, inclusion level and kernel processing in growing and finishing diets. Two more studies were conducted on high protein dried distillers' grains and its effect in finishing diets. Experiment 1 and 2 evaluated three corn silage hybrids; standard (CON; hybrid-TMF2H708), brown midrib (bm3; hybrid-F15579S2) and Unified™ brown midrib with SilaSoft™ kernel technology with a floury endosperm (bm3-soft; hybrid-F15578XT) harvested with or without kernel processing on growth and metabolism. Experiment 3 evaluated a brown midrib hybrid (bm3; hybrid-F27F627; Mycogen® Seeds) or a control (CON; hybrid-TMF2H708) in the diet …

Selective Harvest Methods And Chemical Treatment Of Baled Corn Residue For Utilization In Growing Calf And Dry Cow Diets, Ashley C. Conway

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

Three studies were conducted to evaluate baled corn residue using selective harvest method and anhydrous ammonia treatments to assess utility in growing calf and dry cow diets. Baled corn residue was harvested using conventional rake-and-bale (CONV) method, or harvested using the New Holland Cornrower in which either eight rows (8ROW), or two rows (2ROW) of corn stalks were chopped into the windrow with tailings. Bales were either not treated or ammoniated at 5.5% DM. When fed to wether lambs in a mixed ration (65% residue, 30% wet corn gluten feed) to determine digestibility, the 2ROW residue had greater apparent DM, …

Farm Shops: A Direct-To-Consumer Extended Season Opportunity, Kynda R. Curtis, Emily Rice, Susan L. Slocum, Karin E. Allen

All Current Publications

This fact sheet discusses the impact of the expanding food tourism and local food movements on the demand for locally-produced goods, how farms shops can cater to that demand, the advantages and disadvantages of farms shops for both growers and consumers, and best practice suggestions for operating farm shops.

Targeting Farmers' Markets In Utah: Understanding Fresh Produce Pricing, Kynda R. Curtis, Karli Salisbury, Ruby Ward, Carrie Durward

All Current Publications

This fact sheet focuses primarily on farmers’ market price comparisons to assist fresh produce growers in determining which produce varieties have the highest premiums, the range of prices they can expect, and any considerations for production method, seasonality and market location. This information will be useful for growers as they develop production plans and a marketing strategy, including varieties and farmers’ market locations that may be most profitable.

4r'S Of Irrigation Management, Matt Yost, Niel Allen, Grant Cardon, Earl Creech

All Current Publications

This fact sheet introduces the concept of the 4'R's of irrigation management and discusses some factors to consider in each of the 4R's, right source, right rate. right time, and right place.

What Determines Produce Pricing In Utah, Kynda R. Curtis, Karli Salisbury, Veronica Pozo, Ruby Ward, Carrie Durward

All Current Publications

Since pricing information is valuable for produce growers when estimating the potential profitability of various produce items, as well as market types and locations, this fact sheet provides a comparison of fresh produce prices at farmers’ markets and grocery stores in Utah. It also discusses the price impacts for various item characteristics, including variety, market location, seasonality, and production methods.

Size And Scope Of Cache County Agriculture 2018, Ryan Larsen, Dexton Lake

All Current Publications

This fact sheet gives statistics about agriculture in Cache County, Utah.

Effect Of Supplementing Rutin On Quality And Antioxidant Capacity Of Low-Fat Yoghurt, Hou Caiyun, Guo Xiulan, Peng Jiaxuan, Lu Yurong

Food and Machinery

Based on skimmed milk, the effects were investigated on supplementing different concentrations of rutin (0.015%, 0.020%, 0.025% and 0.030%) in fermentation time, acidity, water holding capacity, sensory quality, antioxidant capacity and microbe numbers of low fat yogurt. The results showed that the addition of 0.015%～0.025% rutin increased the water holding capacity and the state sensory score of yoghurt (P＜0.05) compared with the control. With the rutin amount increasing, the rutin contents and antioxidant capacity were gradually increased in yoghurt, and they were significantly enhanced when the amount was more than 0.015%. The numbers of fermented bacteria were reduced as the …

Pma-Qpcr For Detecting Live Bacteria Of Shaanxi Kiwifruit Cancer Dominant Pathogen, Xiao Yan, Liu Yunhong, Gao Guitian, Cao Fan, Ma Yanping, Zhao Wuqi, Lei Yushan

Food and Machinery

Combining Propidium Monoazide Bromide (PMA) with real-time quantitative (qPCR) to detect the number of the live bacteria of kiwifruit cancer dominant pathogen in Shaanxi province. The optimal condition for PMA-qPCR to distinguish between live and dead ulcer bacteria was determined by optimizing the optimum concentration of PMA, incubation time and light exposure time. The results showed that all Psa were killed when treated by boiling water bath at 98.3 ℃ for 13 min. When the concentration of dead Psa was 1×10⁷ CFU/mL, the suitable concentration of covalent crosslinking between PMA and dead Psa was 105 μg/mL, the best incubation …

Optimization Of Low Temperature Pressing Technology And The Analysis Of Physicochemical Indexs Of Basil Seed Oil, Li Tian, Guo Qin, Duan Yuquan, Li Qingpeng, Sun Zhigao, Wang Qiang

Food and Machinery

On the basis of single factor experiment, response surface methodology was used to optimize the low-temperature pressing process of basil seed oil, and physicochemical indexes, including color, water content and volatile matter, acid value, peroxide value, oxidation induction time and fatty acid composition of basil seed oil, were detected. The results showed that the preheating temperature and the time of preheating and pressing had significant effects on the oil yield of Basil seeds under certain pressing pressure and temperature. The optimum preparation conditions of basil seed oil were pressing with pressure 41 MPa at 50 ℃ for 1.7 h, and …

Research Progress In Health Function And Product Development Of Bee Pollen, Zheng Hui, Liang Qianqian, Chen Xiping, Cui Zhaowei, Li Yinxia, Li Shunxiang, Yang Yong

Food and Machinery

This review summarized the health functions of bee pollen in strengthening the immune system, antioxidation, inhibiting tumor, reducing blood glucose, preventing benign prostatic hyperplasia, protecting of hepatocytic injury, anti-inflammatory and inhibition of brown pigment production. Moreover, the main problems in the development of bee pollen, such as wall-breaking and sensitization were also analyzed. The development status and technical reserve status in food, health care products and pharmaceuticals using bee pollen were briefly described, and this provided basis and reference for the development and utilization of bee pollen resources.

Aqueous Preparation Of Glutamic Acid-Xylose Maillard Intermediate And Its Application In Walnut Cookie, Xu Man, Sun Fuli, Cui Heping, Yu Jingyang, Zhang Xiaoming

Food and Machinery

The effects of reaction time, reactant ratio, initial reaction pH and vacuum dehydration on the conversion of glutamic acid-xylose Maillard reaction intermediate (Glu-Xyl MRI) were studied and the conversion from Glu to Glu-Xyl MRI could be increased to 75.11% by thermal reaction coupled with vacuum dehydration. Subsequently, the application of the MRI in baked foods was researched. The Glu-Xyl MRI were added into walnut cookie with different proportions, and the flavor of the walnut cookie were analyzed by GC/MS and sensory evaluation. It was found that the addition of Glu-Xyl MRI in walnut cookie could significantly increase the content of …

Effects Of Galangal, Angelica Root And Bay Leaves On The Formation Of Advanced Glycation End-Products In Pork During Heating, Chen Ming, Wu Shuai, Huang Yiqun, Niu Lihong, Fan Yuxia, Lai Keqiang

Food and Machinery

The accumulation of dietary advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) in human body may be a potential safety problem. In this study, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) combined with the isotope internal standard of carboxymethyllysine (CML) and carboxyethyllysine (CEL) was used to analyze AGEs in pork. The effects of galangal, angelica root and bay leaves on the levels of protein-bound CML and CEL in pork during heat treatments (100 ℃, 5～120 min) were investigated. The results showed that heating promoted the production of AGEs, and the content of AGEs continuously increased with an increase of heating time. The content of …