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Ecological Correlates Of Alligator Snapping Turtle Bite Performance, Ashley Herrin Gagnon

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) is one of many turtle species facing conservation challenges. Nearly extirpated in the 1980s, it is currently the subject of a head-start initiative, of which, any lasting behavioral or physiological effects were—until now—unknown! To evaluate the ability of captive-reared individuals to excel in natural habitats, and to foresee any future research or conservation challenges regarding this animal, I explored a suite of variables that influence bite performance and behaviors including captive or free-ranging status, and environmental conditions including body temperature and season. My results indicated that free-ranging M. temminckii outperform those residing …

The Waste Management Of Large-Scale Recirculating Aquaculture Systems And Potential Value-Added Products From The Waste Stream, Franco R. Pilone

All Theses And Dissertations

Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) is an emerging technology that is capturing the attention of many in aquaculture due to its ability to produce high-quality seafood using sustainable models. This study explored the waste management of RAS, specifically further treatment technologies, and the potential value-added products from the RAS waste stream that can be reused. Advanced, tertiary, or down-stream treatment technologies available for RAS were investigated through a literature review. Utilizing the constant comparative method and semistructured interviews with stakeholders in RAS, opinions and attitudes were collected about advanced treatment of RAS waste and reuse opportunities presented from value-added products generated …

Gain-Of-Function Polymorphisms In Human Inflammasomes: Implications For Cystic Fibrosis, Duane Jeansonne, Samithamby Jeyaseelan

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Comprehensive Cultivation Of The Swine Gut Microbiome Reveals High Bacterial Diversity And Guides Bacterial Isolation In Pigs, Xiaofan Wang, Samantha Howe, Xiaoyuan Wei, Feilong Deng, Tsungcheng Tsai, Jianmin Chai, Yingping Xiao, Hua Yang, Charles V. Maxwell, Ying Li, Jiangchao Zhao

Animal Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Despite the substantial progress made in human gut culturomics, little is known about the culturability of the swine gut microbiota. In this study, we cultured swine gut microbiota using 53 bacterial cultivation methods with different medium and gas combinations from three pigs at four different growth stages. Both culture-dependent (CD; colony mixtures from each method) and culture-independent (CI; original fecal suspensions) samples were subjected to 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Increasing microbial diversities were observed in both CI and CD samples from successive growth stages. While a total of 378, 482, 565, and 555 bacterial amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were …

Utilizing Uas To Support Wildlife Hazard Management Efforts By Airport Operators, Flavio A. C. Mendonca, Ryan Wallace, Anthony Chimino, Jose Cabrera Jr, Robert Sliwinski

Publications

Purpose of our Study:

To investigate how UAS technologies could be safely and effectively applied to identify hazardous wildlife species to aviation operations as well as potential wildlife hazard attractants within the airport jurisdiction.

Plumage Characteristics Of The Long-Eared Owl (Asio Otus) In The Visible And Ultraviolet Spectra Of Light, Emily Griffith

All NMU Master's Theses

The study of plumage is a foundational aspect of ornithology, and the features of even a single feather can provide valuable information on an individual’s health, sex, or age. Recent discoveries on the abilities of birds to see in the ultraviolet (UV) spectrum has led to study of the UV-reactive characteristics of bird plumage and the biological significance of such plumage. Long-eared owls (Asio otus) possess a demonstrative capability to see UV light, and their plumage contains deposits of UV-sensitive pigments that fluoresce bright red when exposed to UV light. Little is understood about the origin and function of these …

Nicarbazin As An Oral Contraceptive In Eared Doves, Lourdes Olivera, Silvia Pereyra, Georgget Banchero, Guillermo Tellechea, Jorge Sawchik, Michael L. Avery, Ethel Rodríguez

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Eared doves (Zenaida auriculata) are responsible for substantial losses in cereal and oil crops as well as in dairy and feedlot production in the southern cone of South America. Various strategies have been shown to be effective in reducing damage at the farm scale, but in some scenarios, it is necessary to also incorporate population control methods due to excessive bird population size. An alternative approach to reduce pest bird populations is the use of contraceptive methods, minimizing the impact on the environment and non-target populations. Nicarbazin is registered in the United States as a contraceptive for Branta …

Effects Of Early Corticosterone Treatment On Vocal Babbling In Wild Green-Rumped Parrotlets (Forpus Passerinus), Celia Rose Mclean

Theses and Dissertations

The stress axis of the endocrine system allows for animals to respond to environmental stressors in contextually appropriate ways. Elevated levels of the stress hormone corticosterone (CORT) in male songbirds can result in compromised song learning ability. Parrots form a sister group to songbirds, but it is unknown whether CORT affects vocal development in parrots. The goal of this study was to assess the effects of CORT supplements in green-rumped parrotlets (Forpus passerinus), a free-ranging parrot species in Venezuela. Bouts of vocal babbling were extracted from nest box videos and analyzed. CORT supplementation resulted in differences in babbling …

Avian Influenza A Virus Susceptibility, Infection, Transmission, And Antibody Kinetics In European Starlings, Jeremy W. Ellis, J. Jeffrey Root, Loredana M. Mccurdy, Kevin T. Bentler, Nicole L. Barrett, Kaci K. Vandalen, Katherine L. Dirsmith, Susan A. Shriner

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Avian influenza A viruses (IAVs) pose risks to public, agricultural, and wildlife health. Bridge hosts are spillover hosts that share habitat with both maintenance hosts (e.g., mallards) and target hosts (e.g., poultry). We conducted a comprehensive assessment of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), a common visitor to both urban and agricultural environments, to assess whether this species might act as a potential maintenance or bridge host for IAVs. First, we experimentally inoculated starlings with a wild bird IAV to investigate susceptibility and replication kinetics. Next, we evaluated whether IAV might spill over to starlings from sharing resources with a …

Mesopredator Frugivory Has No Effect On Seed Viability And Emergence Under Experimental Conditions, John P. Draper, Trisha B. Atwood, Noelle G. Beckman, Karin M. Kettenring, Julie K. Young

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Members of the order Carnivora are a unique and important seed disperser who consume and deposit undamaged seeds while providing regular long-distance seed dispersal opportunities. Some members of Carnivora, such as coyotes (Canis latrans), are undergoing range expansions which may help the plant species they consume colonize new locations or replace dispersal services provided by recently extirpated species. In this study, we evaluated aspects of the seed dispersal effectiveness of coyotes and gut passage time to determine the potential dispersal distances for three commonly consumed and commonly occurring plant species (Amelanchier alnifolia, Celtis ehrenbergiana, and Juniperus osteosperma). We also investigated …

Pilot Testing A Survey Instrument To Evaluate Eaat Professionals' Views On The Effects Of Equine-Assisted Activities And Therapies On Hope And Depression In Court-Involved Youth, Emily Stewart

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Equine Assisted Activity and Therapy (EAAT) programs have proven beneficial for individuals with mental, physical and psychological ailments. Only in the last few years have court systems begun to utilize the complex nature of the human-horse relationship to benefit the lives of court-involved youth. Despite its novelty, the few existing studies in this field yield positive results (Frederick et al., 2015). To address the need for further research in this area, a pilot study was conducted. An exploratory survey was given to EAAT professionals to determine their views on the effects of EAAT programs on hope and depression in court-involved …

Generation Of Sheep Models Of Cystic Fibrosis By Gene Editing And Cloning, Iuri Viótti Périssé

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease that affects over 80,000 people worldwide and is caused by mutations that disrupt the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) gene. This gene encodes a channel protein that regulates ion transport in cells. The most common mutation in the human CFTR gene is F508del, which is characterized by the deletion of a phenylalanine amino acid in the CFTR protein. The second most common mutation is G542X, a protein synthesis “stop” mutation that prevents the production of the CFTR channel protein. An impediment that prevents the further understanding CF is the limited …

The Role Of Fatty Acids In Ruminant Diets And Novel Feed Ingredients High In Omega-3 Fatty Acids Fed In Feedlot Diets, Mitchell M. Norman

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

A finishing study evaluated the performance, carcass characteristics and fatty acid profiles of steers fed four inclusions of a novel feedstuff Green Grass. Green Grass is a product comprised of sesame meal, giant kelp, cassava, and sorghum containing high concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids. No differences were observed in initial BW, final BW, BW gain, HCW, LM area, 12^th rib fat depth, calculated YG, or liver abscess %. Dry matter intake linearly increased as Green Grass inclusion increased in the diet. Steers fed Green Grass had lower G:F than control cattle, and steers fed 30% Green Grass had a …

Low-Oxygen Dry Aging Of Beef, Joseph A. Sonderman

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

The objective of this research project was to determine the effects of removing oxygen from the beef dry aging process. Boneless upper 2/3 Choice beef strip loins (n = 18) were randomly assigned to three aging treatments: wet aging, traditional (aerobic) dry aging, and low-oxygen dry aging. All treatments were aged for 41 days at 2 ± 1°C. The dry-aged treatments were held at 50% relative humidity (RH) with a fan speed of 2,200 revolutions per minute (RPM). Low-oxygen dry-aged samples were aged in chambers housed within an oxygen impermeable film bubble. After aging, yield was determined for the …

Estimation Of Breed Effects And Genetic Parameters For Age At Slaughter And Days To Finish In A Multibreed Beef Cattle Population, Lindsay Rae Upperman

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

Cattle efficiency during the finishing phase is a crucial factor in determining profit in the beef cattle industry. Economically relevant traits associated with efficient production include age at slaughter (AAS) and days to finish (DtF). Selection to reduce the number of days an animal takes to reach a finish endpoint would ultimately reduce production costs, increase net profits, and result in a more sustainable production system. However, most harvested animals are from commercial herds, necessitating the use of indicator traits from seedstock animals for selection. Potential indicator traits include ultrasound measurements that could be genetically correlated to DtF traits. The …

Meat Quality Traits And Blunt Meullenet-Owens Razor Shear Characteristics Of Broiler Breast Fillets Affected By Woody Breast Condition And Post-Cooking Meat Temperature, Xiao Sun, Aline Giampietro-Ganeco, Ashleigh Mueller, Clay J. Maynard, Juan P. Caldas-Cueva, Casey M. Owens

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study aimed to investigate meat quality attributes, cooking performance, and water properties of woody breast (WB). A total of 48 broiler breast fillets (7 wk, 3 h debone) of 24 normal (NORM) and 24 severe WB (SEV) were collected. Raw meat characteristics (L*, a*, b*, pH, compression force and energy and) along with the blunt blade of the Meullenet-Owens razor shear (BMORS) properties were determined. Cooking time and internal meat temperature were recorded for each fillet every 5 min on each fillet during cooking. Water/moisture properties and shear values of BMORS …

Farmer Perceptions And Willingness To Pay For Novel Livestock Pest Control Technologies: A Case Of Tsetse Repellent Collar In Kwale County In Kenya, Beatrice W. Muriithi, Nancy G. Gathogo, Gracious M. Diiro, Michael M. Kidoido, Michael Nyangánga Okal, Daniel K. Masiga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Tsetse-transmitted Animal African Trypanosomosis (AAT) is one of the most important constraints to livestock development in Africa. Use of trypanocides has been the most widespread approach for the management of AAT, despite the associated drug resistance and health con-cerns associated with drug metabolites in animal products. Alternative control measures that target tsetse fly vectors of AAT, though effective, have been hard to sustain in part because these are public goods applied area-wide. The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) and partners have developed and implemented a novel tsetse repellent collar (TRC) applied on animals to limit contact of …

Parasite Infections In Poultry Environments (Case Report On Gallus Domesticus Endoparasite), Phebe Amadea Tanuwijaya, David Febraldo

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

Infection of nematode and cestode worms in chickens can cause decreased egg production, weight loss, growth problems, weakness. The objective of this case study is to look at how an epidemiological approach, clinical symptoms, anatomical pathology investigation, and laboratory testing might help with disease diagnosis. The chicken was found from Banjar Tanggahan Tengah, Bangli, Bali with the type of native chicken (Gallus domesticus), at least 3 months old with the protocol number 369 / N / 20. Samples taken were brain, trachea, lungs, liver, heart, spleen, kidneys, proventriculus, intestines, and feces. Laboratory examinations carried out include histopathology, microbiology, …

Neurotranscriptomic Changes Associated With Chick-Directed Parental Care In Adult Non-Reproductive Japanese Quail, Patricia C. Lopes, Robert De Brujin

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

For many species, parental care critically affects offspring survival. But what drives animals to display parental behaviours towards young? In mammals, pregnancy-induced physiological transformations seem key in preparing the neural circuits that lead towards attraction (and reduced-aggression) to young. Beyond mammalian maternal behaviour, knowledge of the neural mechanisms that underlie young-directed parental care is severely lacking. We took advantage of a domesticated bird species, the Japanese quail, for which parental behaviour towards chicks can be induced in virgin non-reproductive adults through a sensitization procedure, a process that is not effective in all animals. We used the variation in parental responses …

A Narrative Review On The Unexplored Potential Of Colostrum As A Preventative Treatment And Therapy For Diarrhea In Neonatal Dairy Calves, Havelah S. M. Carter, David L. Renaud, Michael A. Steele, Amanda J. Fischer-Tlustos, Joao H. C. Costa

Animal and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

Diarrhea is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in pre-weaned dairy calves and, as such, represents a significant animal health and welfare concern. Furthermore, digestive disease early in life is associated with several long-term consequences such as reduced growth rate and decreased milk yield during the first lactation, thus generating severe economic losses. The majority of diarrheic cases in young calves are treated with antimicrobials; however, it is necessary to develop alternative treatments, as excessive antimicrobial usage can lead to antimicrobial resistance and can negatively impact the gut microflora of a calf. Bovine colostrum is abundant in immune and …

Effects Of Human Footprint And Biophysical Factors On The Body-Size Structure Of Fished Marine Species, Nestor E. Bosch, Jacquomo Monk, Jordan Goetze, Shaun K. Wilson, Russell C. Babcock, Neville Barrett, Jock Clough, Leanne M. Currey-Randall, David Fairclough, Rebecca Fisher, Brooke A. Gibbons, David Harasti, Euan S. Harvey, Michelle R. Heupel, Jamie Hicks, Thomas H. Holmes, Charlie Huveneers, Daniel Ierodiaconou, Alan Jordan, Nathan A. Knott, Hamish A. Malcolm, Dianne L. Mclean, Mark G. Meekan, Stephen J. Newman, Ben Radford, Matthew J. Rees, Benjamin J. Saunders, Conrad W. Speed, Michael J. Travers, Corey Wakefield, Thomas Wernberg, Tim Langlois

Fisheries Research Articles

Marine fisheries in coastal ecosystems in many areas of the world have historically removed large-bodied individuals, potentially impairing ecosystem functioning and the long-term sustainability of fish populations. Reporting on size-based indicators that link to food-web structure can contribute to ecosystem-based management, but the application of these indicators over large (cross-ecosystem) geographical scales has been limited to either fisheries-dependent catch data or diver-based methods restricted to shallow waters (<20 m) that can misrepresent the abundance of large-bodied fished species. We obtained data on the body-size structure of 82 recreationally or commercially targeted marine demersal teleosts from 2904 deployments of baited remote underwater stereo-video (stereo-BRUV). Sampling was at up to 50 m depth and covered approximately 10,000 km of the continental shelf of Australia. Seascape relief, water depth, and human gravity (i.e., a proxy of human impacts) were the strongest predictors of the probability of occurrence of large fishes and the abundance of fishes above the minimum legal size of capture. No-take marine reserves had a positive effect on the abundance of fishes above legal size, although the effect varied across species groups. In contrast, sublegal fishes were best predicted by gradients in sea surface temperature (mean and variance). In areas of low human impact, large fishes were about three times more likely to be encountered and fishes of legal size were approximately five times more abundant. For conspicuous species groups with contrasting habitat, environmental, and biogeographic affinities, abundance of legal-size fishes typically declined as human impact increased. Our large-scale quantitative analyses highlight the combined importance of seascape complexity, regions with low human footprint, and no-take marine reserves in protecting large-bodied fishes across a broad range of species and ecosystem configurations.

Genetic Parameter Estimates For Bull Prolificacy And Its Relationship With Scrotal Circumference In A Commercial Beef Cattle Population, Chad A. Russell, E John Pollak, Matthew L. Spangler

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The commercial beef cattle industry relies heavily on the use of natural service sires. When artificial insemination is deemed difficult to implement, multisire breeding pastures are used to increase reproductive rates in large breeding herds or to safe-guard against bull injury during the breeding season. Although each bull might be given an equal opportunity to produce offspring, evidence suggest that there is substantial variation in the number of calves sired by each bull in a breeding pasture. With the use of DNA-based paternity testing, correctly assigning calves to their respective sires in multisire pastures is possible and presents an opportunity …

Бадхызские Архивы. Том 1, Р. И. Горелова, В. Фет

Open Access Books

Gorelova, RI, Fet V, editors. The Badkhyz Archives, Vol. 1. Huntington, WV: Marshall University Libraries; 2021. 444 p.

This volume compiles memoirs and research information about the unique Badkhyz Natural Reserve, now in Turkmenistan, formerly at the southernmost point of the USSR. Established in 1941, the Reserve—nicknamed a Serengeti of Central Asia— housed many unique and endangered species, with an iconic wild ass, or kulan, preserved only there. The book is dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Reserve and the 90th birthday of Yuri Gorelov (1931—2018), an extraordinary naturalist who worked in Badkhyz in 1956—1978. His own documentary stories, …

Intensive Hunting Pressure Changes Local Distribution Of Wild Boar, Jakub Drimaj, Jiří Kamler, Radim Plhal, Přemysl Janata, Zdeněk Adamec, Miloslav Homolka

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Wild boar (Sus scrofa) is now an important species of wild ungulates in Central Europe. Next to conflicts of wild boar with agriculture, the main threat of wild boar presence lies in the expansion of African swine fever across Europe. The regulation of the wild boar population is complicated by the high reproduction rate and intelligent behavior of the species, which limits hunting effectiveness. We analyzed the spatial behavior of wild boar in an environment with a lack of natural food resources. The study area consisted of a forest complex (1,283 ha) with 2 areas. In the “risk” …

Cranial Cruciate Ligament Desmotomies In Sheep Resulting In Peroneus Tertius Injury, Peter J. Welsh, Crystal G. Collier, Holly M. Clement, Michael N. Vakula, Jeffrey B. Mason

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Student Research

Surgical destabilization of the stifle joint via cranial cruciate ligament desmotomy (CCLD) is a routine procedure for the study of osteoarthritis (OA). Traditionally performed in rats, rabbits, cats, and dogs, CCLD in sheep provides an opportunity to study the pathology and treatment of joint instability in a species whose stifle better represents the equivalent human femorotibial joint. The surgical approaches for CCLD in sheep are variable and can result in inconsistent outcomes. Eight sheep underwent CCLD for use in a gene therapy study. We report this case in which six of the eight sheep were clinically diagnosed by pathognomonic signs …

Effect Of Biochanin A On The Rumen Microbial Community Of Holstein Steers Consuming A High Fiber Diet And Subjected To A Subacute Acidosis Challenge, Brittany E. Harlow, Michael D. Flythe, James L. Klotz, David L. Harmon, Glen E. Aiken

Animal and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

Subacute rumen acidosis (SARA) occurs when highly fermentable carbohydrates are introduced into the diet, decreasing pH and disturbing the microbial ecology of the rumen. Rumen amylolytic bacteria rapidly catabolize starch, fermentation acids accumulate in the rumen and reduce environmental pH. Historically, antibiotics (e.g., monensin, MON) have been used in the prevention and treatment of SARA. Biochanin A (BCA), an isoflavone produced by red clover (Trifolium pratense), mitigates changes associated with starch fermentation ex vivo. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of BCA on amylolytic bacteria and rumen pH during …

Testing A Global Standard For Quantifying Species Recovery And Assessing Conservation Impact, Molly K. Grace, H Resit Akcakaya, Elizabeth L. Bennett, Thomas M. Brooks, Anna Heath, Simon Hedges, Craig Hilton-Taylor, Michael Hoffmann, Axel Hochkirch, Richard Jenkins, David A. Keith, Barney Long, David P. Mallon, Erik Meijaard, E J. Milner-Gulland, Jon Paul Rodriguez, P J. Stephenson, Simon N. Stuart, Richard P. Young, David Fairclough

Fisheries Research Articles

Recognizing the imperative to evaluate species recovery and conservation impact, in 2012 the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) called for development of a “Green List of Species” (now the IUCN Green Status of Species). A draft Green Status framework for assessing species’ progress toward recovery, published in 2018, proposed 2 separate but interlinked components: a standardized method (i.e., measurement against benchmarks of species’ viability, functionality, and preimpact distribution) to determine current species recovery status (herein species recovery score) and application of that method to estimate past and potential future impacts of conservation based on 4 metrics ( …

Ikkuma: An Artistic Vr Storytelling Experience, Yangli Liu

Frameless

Ikkuma is an interactive storytelling experience utilizing Tilt Brush and Unity. It is about a land being swallowed by the sea, where conflict cracks ice and fire tears families apart. Ikkuma is the Inuvialuit word for fire, a central element to the work. The fundamental theme of Ikkuma is global warming and its impact on the Arctic ecosystem. The players must learn to tame the fire in their hearts and the Inuit traditional knowledge if they hope to survive the harsh yet fragile Arctic tundra.

A Large-Scale Experiment Finds No Evidence That A Seismic Survey Impacts A Demersal Fish Fauna, Mark G. Meekan, Conrad W. Speed, Robert D. Mccauley, Rebecca Fisher, Matthew J. Birt, Leanne M. Currey-Randall, Jayson M. Semmens, Stephen J. Newman, Katherine Cure, Marcus Stowar, Brigit Vaughan, Miles J G Parsons

Fisheries Research Articles

Seismic surveys are used to locate oil and gas reserves below the seabed and can be a major source of noise in marine environments. Their effects on commercial fisheries are a subject of debate, with experimental studies often producing results that are difficult to interpret. We overcame these issues in a large-scale experiment that quantified the impacts of exposure to a commercial seismic source on an assemblage of tropical demersal fishes targeted by commercial fisheries on the North West Shelf of Western Australia. We show that there were no short-term (days) or long-term (months) effects of exposure on the composition, …

Alteration Of The Canine Metabolome After A 3-Week Supplementation Of Cannabidiol (Cbd) Containing Treats: An Exploratory Study Of Healthy Animals, Elizabeth M. Morris, Susanna E. Kitts-Morgan, Dawn M. Spangler, Ibukun M. Ogunade, Kyle R. Mcleod, David L. Harmon

Animal and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

Despite the increased interest and widespread use of cannabidiol (CBD) in humans and companion animals, much remains to be learned about its effects on health and physiology. Metabolomics is a useful tool to evaluate changes in the health status of animals and to analyze metabolic alterations caused by diet, disease, or other factors. Thus, the purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the impact of CBD supplementation on the canine plasma metabolome. Sixteen dogs (18.2 ± 3.4 kg BW) were utilized in a completely randomized design with treatments consisting of control and 4.5 mg CBD/kg BW/d. After 21 d of …