Digital Commons Network^™

The Bovine Rumen Microbiome Revealed By Different Fractions Of Rumen Contents, Ashlee Breakstone, Jiangchao Zhao

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

The bovine rumen microbiota is very important in terms of animal functionality and digestion. The fermentative capability of the rumen provides means for the digestion of complex plant material that is indigestible by humans. The rumen microbiota is made up of billions of microorganisms, primarily bacteria, that digest and ferment feed into volatile fatty acids and bacterial protein for the animal’s energy and protein needs, respectively. Changes to the rumen microbiota can have a direct measure on animal growth, health, and performance. The possibility of productivity boosts in the cattle industry make the rumen microbiome a hot topic in the …

Effects Of Labeling And Consumer Health Trends On Preferred Ground Beef Color Characteristics, Fat Content And Palatability In Simulated Retail Display, Fred W. Pohlman Ii, Fred Pohlman, Nicholas B. Anthony, Famous Yang

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Nutritional concerns have impacted the protein market, decreasing red meat consumption as well as prompting the advent of lean and extra lean ground beef. However, such lean blends of ground beef may suffer in palatability. This study seeks to bridge the gap between perceived health and palatability. Participants were asked to identify the relative importance of characteristics commonly used in purchasing ground beef and select a preferred package of ground beef from labeled and unlabeled sections consisting of 4%, 10%, 20%, and 27% fat content. Instrumental color data and their main drivers were also collected. Participants then completed a blind …

Lymphocyte-Mediated Inflamm-Aging In The Horse, Melissa Hope Siard

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

Senior horses (≥20 years) exhibit inflamm-aging, or chronic, low-grade inflammation that occurs systemically with aging, similarly to humans. Inflamm-aging has previously been characterized in the horse in circulation as well as specifically being mediated by lymphocytes and monocytes. In humans, inflamm-aging has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality. However, in the horse, relatively little about inflamm-aging is known regarding clinical effects or factors influencing severity. The contribution of lymphocytes to inflamm-aging of senior horses was examined, specifically through determining the relationships of inflamm-aging with various other health parameters, effects of seasonality, and the extent to which inflamm-aging can be …

Physiological Changes Associated With Pregnant Or Nonpregnant Mares Grazing Pastures Of Orchardgrass-Bluegrass, Kentucky 31 Tall Fescue Infected With Epichloë Coenophiala, Or Kyfa9821 Tall Fescue Infected With The Novel Endophyte Ar584, Victoria A. Taylor

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

Kentucky 31 tall fescue (KY31) infected with the common toxic endophyte strains of Epichloё coenophiala produces toxic alkaloids that improve plant vigor, but cause numerous adverse effects in grazing animals. Researchers developed a variety of KY31 containing an alternative strain of E. coenophiala, termed novel endophyte (NE). Adverse health effects in mares have not been evaluated.

Experiments in this thesis tested the hypothesis that the NE pasture does not cause adverse effects typically associated with KY31. Specific aims were to: 1) compare forage ergovaline concentrations between KY31 vs NE pastures; 2) evaluate palmar artery diameters in mares grazing KY31, …

Iron Metabolism Genes In Browsing And Grazing Rhinoceroses: Implications For Iron Overload Disorder, Lorien Salyer

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

Iron overload disorder is a serious condition that affects many animals of conservation interest, including rhinoceroses. Iron overload disorder is only found in browsing rhinos (African black, Diceros bicornis, and Sumatran, Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) but not in grazing species (African white, Ceratotherium simum, and greater one-horned, Rhinoceros unicornis). Iron overload is connected with many of the other health issues seen in captive browsing rhinoceroses, so it is vitally important that the iron metabolism process is studied to improve the existing husbandry procedures of these critically endangered animals. The objective of this study was to characterize genes related to …

Instructions For Authors, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Biochar As A Feed Additive In Commercial Broiler Diets, Brandon Michael Cheron

LSU Master's Theses

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate sugarcane biochar as a feed ingredient in commercial broiler diets. Experiment 1 was conducted for 11 days using 300 male Ross 708 broilers. Broilers were allotted to one of five treatment diets containing 0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 2%, or 4% biochar. Experiment 2 was conducted for 19 days using 450 male Ross 708 broilers. Chicks were allotted to one of 9 treatment diets containing 0%, 0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75%, 1%, 1.25%, 1.5%, 1.75% or 2% biochar. Broilers and feed were weighed at day 0 and 10 in experiment 1 and day 0, 10 and 18 in …

Meat Quality Of Limousin Young Bulls Slaughtered At 6, 9 And 12 Months Of Age, Maria Markiewicz-Keszycka, Grażyna Czyżak-Runowska, Bożena Grześ, Edward Pospiech, Jolanta Komisarek

Articles

The aim of this study was to compare the quality of meat of the young Limousin bulls slaughtered at the age of 6, 9 and 12 months, with particular regard to the residual glycogen content in the meat and the value of the glycolytic potential. The study was conducted on bovine longissimus lumborum muscle. The residual glycogen content, glycolytic potential value (96 h post-mortem), pH value (45 min, 24 h, 48 h and 96 h post-mortem), IMP/ATP index (45 min post-mortem), colour parameters (L*, a* and b*), natural and cooking losses, free water content, the chemical composition, sensory parameters (aroma, …

Wildlife At Airports, Travis L. Devault, Bradley F. Blackwell, Jerrold L. Belant, Michael J. Begier

Wildlife Damage Management Technical Series

Collisions between aircraft and wildlife (wildlife strikes) are common occurrences across the developed world. Wildlife strikes are not only numerous, but also costly. Estimates suggest that wildlife strikes cost the civil aviation industry in the U.S. up to $625 million annually, and nearly 500 people have been killed in wildlife strikes worldwide. Most wildlife strikes occur in the airport environment: 72 percent of all strikes occur when the aircraft is ≤500 ft (152 m) above ground level, and 41 percent of strikes occur when the aircraft is on the ground during landing or takeoff. Thus, management efforts to reduce wildlife …

Methods To Increase Productivity Of Spring Calving Production Systems In The Nebraska Sandhills, Devin Broadhead, L. A. Stalker, Jacki A. Musgrave Musgrave, Rick N. Funston

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Feeding supplement to cattle grazing dormant winter range increased cow BW and BCS and calf performance, but not pregnancy rate. Using a CIDR to shorten the post-partum interval in a cow herd with existing acceptable reproductive performance did not improve pregnancy rate. Feeding creep feed to calves increased weaning BW but should be considered within the context of a cost/benefit analysis. Additional years of data collection may be necessary to draw definitive conclusions.

Predicting Feedlot Growth Performance Over The Feeding Period Utilizing Steer Age And Body Weight, Curtis J. Bittner, Andrea K. Watson, Jim C. Macdonald Donald, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A pooled- analysis of UNL feedlot pens examined the effects of steer age and body weight on feedlot growth performance. For data analysis, pens were divided into 3 subclasses based on steer age (calf- fed, short yearling, or long yearling) and, grouped based upon initial body weight (500 to 1200 lb, in 100 lb increments) within each age class. As initial body weight increased, DMI (lb/d) for the whole feeding period increased quadratically in calf-fed steers and increased linearly in short and long yearlings. A quadratic increase in ADG was observed in calf- feds as initial body weight increased. No …

Acknowledgements

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Appreciation is expressed to the following firms, associations, or agencies who provided grant support for research in the beef cattle program.

Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grant/ USDA/NIFA Foundation Program: Animal Reproduction

The Beef Checkoff , Centennial, Colo

Cargill Corn Milling, Blair, Neb.

CSIRO, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Dickson, ACT, Australia

Elanco Animal Health, Indianapolis, Ind.

Huvepharma Inc. Peachtree City, GA

Dr. Kenneth and Caroline McDonald Eng Foundation San Antonio, Tex.

Lallemand Animal Nutrition. Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Merck Animal Health, Madison, NJ

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Centennial, Colo.

Perceptions Of Crop Consultants And Producers On Grazing Corn Residue In Nebraska, Jordan L. Cox, Kristen M. Ulmer, Manir Rakkar Rakkar, Lisa Franzen-Castle, Humberto Blanco-Canqui, Mary Drewnoski, Jim C. Macdonald, Richard J. Rasby

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A survey was conducted to explore factors influencing corn residue grazing recommendations by crop consultants and producer practices in Nebraska. Approximately 80% of consultants recommended grazing corn residue, while 63% of producers allowed grazing. Of producers who did not graze, about 50% cited concerns related to soil compaction, inconvenience (lack of water, fencing, and land/equipment damage), and lack of access to livestock. Producers who allowed and consultants who recommended grazing were more likely to perceive that grazing residue increased subsequent grain yields. Most consultants (56.0%) and producers (43.8%) reported making decisions in regards to grazing based on their own observation. …

Effect Of Three Initial Implant Programs With A Common Terminal Revalor®- 200 On Feedlot Performance And Carcass Traits Of Weaned Steers, Colton R. Oney, Galen E. Erickson, Andrea K. Watson Watson, Marshall N. Streeter, Robert J. Cooper, Bill D. Dicke, D. J. Jordon, Tony L. Scott

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A commercial feedlot study utilizing 1,350 calf- fed steers (initial BW = 623 lb; ±23 lb) compared three initial implant strategies: Revalor®- IS (day 1), Revalor®- IS (day 1) and Revalor®- 200 (day 67), or Revalor®- XS (day 1). Each initial implant strategy was followed by a terminal Revalor®- 200 implant (day 133) to determine effects on performance and carcass traits. No differences in final body weight, intake, gain, or feed conversion were observed on either a live, or carcass adjusted basis. Th ere were also no differences in hot carcass weight, USDA quality grade, or USDA yield grade. Results …

Chimpanzee (Pan Troglodytes) Space Use In A Sanctuary Setting, Holly Soubiea

All Master's Theses

Studies of chimpanzee space use can provide information about chimpanzees’ preferences and welfare. This study examined the space use of 12 chimpanzees at Fauna Foundation, a chimpanzee sanctuary located in Carignan, Québec, Canada. Observers recorded the chimpanzees’ location, elevation, perimeter, and substrate using a scan sampling procedure. In total, there were 93 hours of data and 3,190 scans. The author used Geographical Information System (GIS) to plot the chimpanzees’ location for each scan. The chimpanzees used the largest rooms most often, were inside 61% (n = 1,942) of the time, an arm’s reach away from the perimeter 90% (n = …

Modeling Sex-Specific Seasonal Habitat Selection For Elk (Cervus Elaphus) In Central Washington, Lewis Meyers

All Master's Theses

Elk (Cervus elaphus) are generalist herbivores, exploiting a variety of environments. I studied habitat selection and sexual segregation of the Colockum elk herd in central Washington. I used a resource selection probability function (RSPF) to evaluate habitat use by males and females during summer and winter seasons. I assisted Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) in capturing and placing GPS collars on males, and used an existing GPS dataset from females to investigate the extent to which sexual segregation was occurring in the Colockum herd. During summer, males selected steep slopes on north, west and south …

Effects Of Massive Ovulation On Oxidation State And Function Of The Ovaries In Laying Hens, Yu Chang, Jinghai Feng, Minhong Zhang, Liwen Jiang, Lili Zhai, Xiaolan Yang

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Modern laying hens show fast reduction in egg production rate after 60 weeks of age, which is associated with the decline in ovarian function. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of massive ovulation on the oxidation state and ovarian function in hens. In total, 48 Jing Hong hens aged 17 weeks were randomly divided into high ovulation (HO) and low ovulation (LO) groups. The LO hens were exposed to 6 h of light per day (6 L:18 D) up to 32 weeks to delay the initiation of egg production and then were switched to 16 L:8 …

The Effects Of Heparin Concentration, Storage Time, And Temperature On The Values Of Hematological Parameters In Cyprinus Carpio, Malgorzata Witeska, Justyna Biardzka, Joanna Kniaz

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The results of hematological analyses may be affected by preanalytical factors such as sampling procedure, type and concentration of anticoagulant, or conditions and time of blood storage. In the present study the effects of various concentrations of heparin (0-200 IU/cm3) and different times (2, 24, or 48 h) and temperatures (4 or 22 °C) of blood storage on the values of hematological parameters in Cyprinus carpio were evaluated. Increase in heparin concentration resulted in a decrease in frequency of erythroblasts, a reduction of leukocyte and thrombocyte counts, and a decrease in oxidative metabolic activity of phagocytes. Storage for 2 h …

Diselementosis As A Risk Factor Of Embryo Loss In Lactating Cows, Sergey Shabunin, Anatoliy Nezhdanov, Vitaliy Mikhalev, Elena Lozovaya, Anton Chernitskiy

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The aim of this research was to reveal the impact of bioelemental status of dairy cows on intrauterine growth restriction and embryo death at early gestation stages. The research included 22 Holstein cows with average annual dairy productivity of 6400-7600 kg. All animals were subjected to transrectal ultrasonography to determine corpus luteum and pregnancy status, and their blood was sampled for biochemical analyses on the 19th-22nd, 28th-32nd, and 38th-45th days of gestation. Zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium blood contents were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium were determined with an automatic biochemistry analyzer. Protein-bound …

Effect Of Phytase On True Total Tract Digestibility Of Phosphorus In Full-Fat Rice Bran Determined In Pigs By Regression Method, Walter Lucca, Marcos Ceron, Matheus Lucca, Lucas Casagrande, Leonardo Rocha, Irineo Zanella, Vladimir Oliveira

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The goal of this study was to determine the effect of phytase on true total tract digestibility of phosphorus (TTDP) and endogenous losses of phosphorus (ELP) of full-fat rice bran (FFRB) by simple linear regression. Twelve castrated pigs in the growing phase with an average live weight of 57.00 ± 2.50 kg were used. The experiment lasted 36 days, divided into three periods of 12 days each. The experimental design consisted of randomized blocks in a 2 × 3 factorial scheme, with two levels of fungal phytase (0 and 750 FTU $\mathbb{kg}^-1$ ) and three levels of phosphorus (P) coming …

Effects Of Starch Concentration On Calcium‐Enhanced Black Bullhead Catfish Protein Gels, Ilgin Paker, Kristen E. Matak

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Calcium‐enhanced protein recovered from black bullhead catfish was used to develop gels containing increasing amounts of potato starch (0–20 g/kg protein paste) and the effects of starch on functional, textural, and color properties were tested. Energy required to unfold protein groups was greater with the addition of 5 g starch/kg protein paste. Gels containing starch were harder, chewier, and less springy (p < .05) than gels without starch. For most measurements, regression analysis showed that increasing the starch concentration beyond 5 g/kg did not contribute to further significant textural changes. Torsional shear stress and strain along with Kramer shear force increased as the concentration of starch increased (R2 = .79, .79, and .53, respectively). The addition of ≥10 g starch/kg protein paste resulted in darker gels and gels got darker as more starch was added (R2 = .71). Results showed no …

Growing Yeast For Livestock, Zachary Christman

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

Over 500,000 tons of organic materials such as food scraps are disposed of each year in Wisconsin. A large percentage of this material could be composted or turned into useful products. The purpose of this article is to educate farmers and organizations on how to turn food waste into a high value food source for livestock. Yeast can be grown at any time of the year without the large inputs of agricultural chemicals and machinery that is common with other feed production methods. A yeast growing facility can be scalable to any size the producer wants such as a small …

Evaluation Of A Bioprocessed Soybean Meal On Nursery Pig Immune Status And Disease Resistance, Jacob R. Koepke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Weaning is a stressful time in a piglet’s life that can have negative impacts on performance and health if not managed properly. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of a bioprocessed SBM alone or in combination with spray-dried plasma (SDP) or fishmeal (FM) on immune response at weaning with no imminent disease threat and during a porcine reproductive and respiratory virus (PRRSV) challenge. In the first trial, 239 pigs (initial BW 6.56 ± 0.87 kg, 21 d of age) were used in a 35-d study and allotted to one of 4 dietary treatments (10 pens/trt) according …

Effects Of Maternal Plane Of Nutrition On Early Embryo Development And Offspring Performance, Erin E. Beck

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nutritional changes immediately after insemination can result in increased embryonic mortality, but the mechanisms that cause this increased mortality and the impact on the embryos that survive are not known. Therefore, two experiments were conducted to evaluate the impact of a nutritional change immediately following AI on calf performance, global DNA methylation, estrus expression and interval to estrus in heifers, peripheral metabolites, uterine luminal fluid metabolites, and day 6 embryo quality. In the first study (chapter 2) Angus-cross heifers (n = 142) were allotted into two developmental treatments: drylot or range. All heifers were fixed-time inseminated to a single sire …

Strategies For Evading Blackbird Damage, George M. Linz, Page E. Klug

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Foraging blackbird flocks have great mobility as they search for food that is plentiful, is easily accessed, and has a high nutritional value. Ripening corn, rice, and sunflower fit those criteria, as does seeded rice. The birds will move from field to field to find the ideal combination of energy spent to discover food versus the energy value of the food (Pyke et al. 1977). An extraordinary effort is often needed to actively move the birds from a foraging location with a high positive value (e.g., close to roost and early ripening sunflower) versus a location with a I~w value …

Automating The Milking Process Within A Grass-Based System, John Shortall

Theses

The successful integration of automatic milking (AM) and grazing has resulted in AM becoming a feasible alternative to conventional milking (CM) in pasture-based systems. The objective of this thesis was to establish (i) the social, environmental and economic effects of adopting AM technology and (ii) the factors affecting cow traffic, which once the AM is adopted, can also impact on the sustainability of AM. A theme across this thesis is the examination of AM in the context of a seasonal pasture-based milk production system. Electricity and water meters were installed on seven AM fanns. Milking and livestock/^miscellaneous processes were the …

Local Impacts Of White-Nose Syndrome On The Foraging Ecology Of Insectivorous Bats, Shelby Fulton

Online Theses and Dissertations

Lepidoptera are a core resource for many of North America's insectivorous bats. These predators consume Lepidoptera of varying sizes, and some bat species remove the wings prior to consumption. Selection of larger prey and subsequent wing removal may allow bats to optimize the energetic value afforded by Lepidoptera. In Chapter 1, I explore the relationships between caloric yield, body size, and wing presence. Laboratory-reared Trichoplusia ni moths were grouped into large and small size classes, and wings were removed from half the moths in each size class. Bomb calorimetry was used to determine the gross heat (cal/g) of moths in …

Field Investigation Of Trypanosoma Evansi And Comparative Analysisof Diagnostic Tests In Horses From Bahawalpur, Pakistan, Sonia Tehseen, Nusrat Jahan, Marc Desquesnes, Mirza Imran Shahzad, Muhammad Fiaz Qamar

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

In order to assess the prevalence of Trypanosoma evansi, a parasitological, molecular, and serological-based investigation was carried out in randomly sampled horses (n = 375) belonging to different age groups, sexes, and localities from the district of Bahawalpur, Pakistan. The diagnostic performance of applied tests was also compared. The prevalence was recorded as 0.5% with Woo's test, 1.3% with both ITS CF/BR PCR and RoTat 1.2 PCR, and 14.4% with CATT/T.evansi. Based on CATT/T.evansi, significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) were observed for prevalence estimates according to different localities, sexes, body condition scores, and origins. A nonsignificant difference (P ≥ 0.05) …

Effects Of Season On Semen Parameters And Relationships Between Selected Semen Characteristics In Hypor Boars, Krzysztof Górski, Stanislaw Kondracki, Anna Wysokinska

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the season of the year on the quality of Hypor boar semen and to determine the correlations between selected semen characteristics in particular seasons. Ejaculates from Hypor boars were analyzed for volume, sperm concentration, percentage of spermatozoa with normal motility, total number of spermatozoa, and the number of insemination doses per ejaculate. Microscopic slides were prepared from semen samples. Each sample was evaluated for the morphology of spermatozoa. Spermatozoa with normal morphology were counted, as well as those with both major and minor abnormalities. Spermatozoa were measured for morphometric …

Effects And Mechanisms Of Porcine Reproductive And Respiratory Syndrome Virus (Prrsv) Type 1 And Type 2 On The Permeability And Viability Of Porcine Endometrial Epithelial Cells, Dran Rukarcheep

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Both PRRSV types 1 and 2 revealed the sign of reproductive disorders associated with a lesion at implantation sites. Impairment of maternal glandular endometrium cell integrity and function by PRRSV infection may impact a proper nourishing fetus. This research was aimed to examine the effects of PRRSV type 1 and type 2 directly on the viability and barrier function of the endometrium using porcine glandular endometrial epithelial cell culture (PEG). The comparison of the route and the strain of PRRSV infection coinciding with their virulent in reproductive epithelia were considered. PEG cells isolated from the 4-6 months old PRRSV-free-herd gilts …