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Ecology And Community Relationships Of The River Cooter, Pseudemys Concinna In A Southern Illinois Backwater, Michael J. Dreslik

Masters Theses

In Illinois the River cooter, Pseudemys concinna, is an enigmatic endangered species. Even throughout its range, ecological studies on the River cooter are rare. During 1994 and 1995 I quantified the: growth rates and trends, population size and structure and dietary habits of a population from floodplain lake in Gallatin county, Illinois. Population estimation (Schnabel method) predicted 136 individuals at a density of 4.6 turtles/ha with a biomass of 3.6 Kg/ha. The sex ratio is slightly male biased (1:1.14). From back-calculated growth data, the von Bertalanffy growth model (Fabens' method) estimates males with a higher growth rate (k) and …

New Swine Nutrition Guide Available, Duane Reese

Nebraska Swine Reports

A new swine nutrition guide from the University of Nebraska and South Dakota State University is available for pork producers, veterinarians, and others. The guide addresses many fundamentals of swine nutrition and modern feeding program design. Single copies are available for $1 from a Cooperative Extension Office in Nebraska or by writing to Swine Nutrition, PO Box 830918, Lincoln, NE 68583- 0918. Mail orders must include 55 cents shipping and appropriate sales tax. The guide should help readers develop better feeding strategies for pigs.

Bioavailability Of Iron In Two Different Sources For Weanling Pigs, Austin Lewis, Phillip S. Miller, Cynthia Wolverton

Nebraska Swine Reports

The bioavailability of the iron in iron methionine was compared with that in feed-grade ferrous sulfate. Pigs, which were anemic at weaning, were given diets containing supplements of one of the two iron sources. Iron supplementation increased weight gain and hemoglobin repletion. The increases were greater for ferrous sulfate than for iron methionine. This indicates that the iron in ferrous sulfate is more bioavailable than the iron in the iron methionine source that we investigated.

Impact Of Cooking Method On Quality Of Boneless Pork Loin Roasts, Fayrene Hamouz, Judith Batenhorst, Judy A. Driskell, Roger W. Mandigo

Nebraska Swine Reports

Chef’s Prime™ pork loin roasts were roasted, braised and cooked in a bag at an oven temperature of 325°F to an internal temperature of 160 or 180°F. Roasting improved yield and surface browning of Chef’s Prime™ roasts. While roasting and braising resulted in similar quality, the presence of moisture (braising and cook-in bag) reduced cooking time. Cooking in the bag had the greatest impact on quality characteristics as these roasts were least tender and they tended to be less juicy and favorable than braised or roasted loins. Reduction of the final internal temperature from 180 to 160°F did not improve …

The Effects Of Dietary Protein Concentration On Performance And Visceral Organ Mass In Finishing Barrows And Gilts, Hsin-Yi Chen, Austin Lewis, Phillip S. Miller

Nebraska Swine Reports

The response of finishing barrows and gilts to five dietary protein concentrations was evaluated. Barrows and gilts have different requirements for protein and differ in their sensitivities to excessive intakes of protein. Gilts appeared to be affected by dietary protein concentrations to a greater extent than did barrows. Significant differences in weight gain did not occur but, the lowest average daily gain was for pigs fed the two highest protein levels. Increased dietary protein concentration resulted in increased liver, kidney, and pancreas weights. These data indirectly suggest that maintenance energy requirements of barrows and gilts may be increased as dietary …

Communities Of Cloacal Bacteria In Tree Swallow Families, Michael P. Lombardo, Patrick A. Thorpe, R. Cichewicz, M. Henshaw, C. Millard, C. Steen, T. K. Zeller

Peer Reviewed Publications

Our aim in this study was to survey the communities of bacteria found in the cloacae of adult and nestling Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor), determine if there were familial patterns of prevalence, and determine if there were relationships between bacteria loads and nestling size when 12 days old and fledging success.

Microhabitat Use By Gilbert's Potoroo (Potorous Tridactylus Gilbertii Gould) In Relation To Vegetation Associations And Ground Cover, S. Vetten

Theses : Honours

Gilbert's potoroo has been rediscovered 120 years after it was believed to have become extinct. In 1994 the presence of Gilbert's potoroo was confirmed at Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, near Albany, and since that time the need for a detailed understanding of the biology and behaviour of the species has become urgent. An understanding of the habitat requirements of the species will aid in its recovery from its present critically endangered status and will act as a guide for future management decisions concerning translocations of new populations into other areas. The present study was conducted at Two Peoples Bay …

Evaluation Of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, And Organic Matter Balance In The Feedlot As Affected By Nutrition, Sheri Bierman, Terry J. Klopfenstein, Rick Stock, Drew Shain

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A steer finishing trial was conducted to evaluate level and source of dietary fiber on nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic matter excretion. One-hundred twenty steers were fed one of the following treatments: wet corn gluten feed (41.5% of diet DM), 7.5% roughage diet, and all concentrate diet. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic matter intake of steers fed wet corn gluten feed were greater than the other two treatments. Fecal nitrogen output was greatest with the wet corn gluten feed diet. All treatments lost about 50% of excreted nitrogen through volatilization. The all concentrate treatment had the highest percentage of phosphorus and organic …

Multi-Elemental Analysis Of Liver Biopsies And Serum To Determine Trace Element Status Of Cows, David Hickok, Pablo Martin, Dennis R. Brink, Richard J. Rasby, Michael Carlson, Norm Schneider

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Cattle producers have commonly supplemented trace elements to prevent deficiencies. The beef cow, primarily grazing forage or fed harvested forage, may be able to store adequate amounts of trace elements in the liver during periods of excess availability to maintain homeostasis during periods of marginal availability. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the seasonal effects on trace element status of multiparous cows in the absence of supplementation. Trace element concentrations in the liver biopsy were compared with serum concentrations removed at the same time.

Digestibility Of Wet And Dry Distillers Grains From The Fermentation Of Corn Or Sorghum, Shanna Lodge, Rick Stock, Terry J. Klopfenstein, Dan Herold

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Research conducted at the University of Nebraska has evaluated wet and dry distillers byproducts as energy sources for cattle. The majority of the research has been conducted with distillers byproducts resulting from the fermentation of corn. However, in the dry milling industry various cereal grains may be used to produce ethanol and distillers byproducts. The resulting byproducts have the potential to have a different feeding value when compared to byproducts produced from corn. A Nebraska trial (1995 Nebraska Beef Report, pp. 25-26) conducted by Lodge et al. indicated steers consuming diets containing distillers byproducts (40% of diet DM) produced from …

Progress Report : 1996 / Cattle Industry Compensation Act Research Advisory Committee., J Allen, J Heatherington, M Norton, B Mackintosh, W Standing

Research Reports

The Cattle Industry Compensation Fund was established under the Cattle Industry Compensation Aet 1965. Monies received on cattle sales by the Commissioner for State Taxation are paid into the Fund and matched by State Government appropriation.

Funds are held to compensate producers for losses incurred in disease eradication programs, to promote and encourage scientific research for improvement of cattle health and promotion and for purposes that, in the opinion of the Minister, will promote and encourage the cattle industry

An Advisory Committee, established by the Hon. Minister for Primary Industry makes recommendations for funding on a project basis. The Advisory …

Pilbara Steer Growth Evaluation : 1994 - 1996, Wayne Fletcher, Brian Mcintyre, Shane Cridland Dr, J L. James

Agriculture reports

Growth potential of steers in the Pilbara - a summary. The trial was conducted over a range of conditions on three locations. The pasture type at Wyloo, the Ashburton River frontage, which is regarded as one of the most productive pasture types in the area, combined with conservative stocking, a fresh paddock and excellent seasonal conditions during 1995, gives us an indication of the District's potential. In extrapolating any of these data to other cases, consideration must be given to adjustment base

Parental Investment In The Red-Eared Slider Turtle, Trachemys Scripta, Michael D. Marlen

Masters Theses

This study was conducted to determine egg and hatchling components of the red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta). In addition, energy components transferred from egg to hatchling were used to determine the level of parental investment in embryogenesis and hatchling care. Eggs of the red-eared slider, collected from central Illinois ponds, were obtained by inducing gravid females to lay by an injection of oxytocin. Egg and hatchling lipids were extracted with petroleum ether while egg and hatchling protein content was determined using the micro-Kjeldahl procedure. Eggs averaged 70.7% water by mass, and dry mass of whole eggs and egg yolks averaged 2.4g …

Nutritional Value Of Grazed Forages And How It Fits The Cow’S Requirement, Don C. Adams, Richard T. Clark, Terry J. Klopfenstein, Jerry D. Volesky

Range Beef Cow Symposium

The concept of matching nutrients available in grazed forages with nutrient requirements of the cow has been reviewed and recommended as a means to most efficiently utilize grazed forages (Valentine 1990, Vavra and Raleigh 1976). We further develop the principles and concepts necessary to improve the match between forage quality and the cow's nutrient needs and discuss potential impacts on management and production cost.

Channel Catfish, Ictalurus Punctatus, T-Lymphocyte Mitogenic Responses To Outer Membrane Proteins And Lps Of The Gram Negative Rod Bacterium, Edwardsiella Ictaluri, Barry Revis Hamilton

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Biology by Barry Revis Hamilton on December 8, 1995.

Dealing With A Down-Cycle In The Cattle Market, Tom Brink

Range Beef Cow Symposium

It’s no secret that the cattle market is in a down-cycle. Cattle numbers and beef supplies are on the rise. Cattle prices have declined significantly during the past two years, and will probably continue trending lower for another year or two.

Lower calf prices are creating a major cost/price squeeze for many producers in the cow/calf segment of the industry. Cattle-Fax estimates that less than 25% of U.S. cow/calf operations will be profitable in 1995. Over half of all producers will see significant red ink.

Real World Epd Considerations For Seedstock And Commercial Decision-Making, Doug L. Hixon

Range Beef Cow Symposium

Working with beef cattle producers over the past 15 plus years, I have become convinced that the genetic component of beef production systems does not receive the time and consideration it should relative to the economic benefit it can provide. Over the past several years we have seen the development of EPDs (Expected Progeny Differences). EPDs are available on various traits of economic importance. They are a tool that can be used to predict an animal’s genetic potential, in a relative sense, and provide the potential for directional change in these traits of economic importance.

Breed associations may differ slightly …

Management Factors To Improve Health In Newborn Calves, Franklyn B. Garry

Range Beef Cow Symposium

For most beef cow herds, the single most important means of increasing income is increasing the number of calves weaned and sold relative to the number of cows in the operation, or by definition, increasing reproductive efficiency. While certain production and carcass traits can be most directly influenced by genetic selection, reproductive performance is overwhelmingly influenced by management. Increasing the profitability of a ranch operation therefore relies very heavily on adjusting management practices to improve reproductive efficiency. In order to accomplish this, we first need to know what factors are most influential in reproductive performance. We specifically need to identify …

Management Factors To Decrease Health Problems In Weaned Calves, M. L. Galyean, G. C. Duff, K. J. Malcom-Callis

Range Beef Cow Symposium

Economic losses caused by morbidity and mortality from bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in newly weaned/received cattle are one of the most significant problems facing the beef cattle industry. In small feedlots (100 to 1,000 animals marketed annually) throughout the United States (USDA-APHIS, 1994), death losses ranged from 1.5 to 2.7 per 100 animals marketed, with greater losses in western than in central regions of the US. Two-thirds to three-quarters of these deaths were attributed to respiratory disease (USDA-APHIS, 1994).

Two factors contribute to the high incidence of BRD in newly received, lightweight (e.g., < 400 to 500 lb) cattle. First, stresses associated with weaning and transportation negatively impact the immune system (Blecha et al., 1984) at a time when the animal is often exposed to a variety of infectious agents as a result of marketing procedures. Second, feed intake by stressed calves is typically low (Cole, 1995), averaging approximately 1.5% of BW during the first 2 wk after arrival of lightweight feeder cattle (Galyean and Hubbert, 1995). This low feed, and thereby nutrient, intake may further impair immune function (Cole, 1995). Older (e.g., yearling) cattle typically have greater intake than lightweight cattle subjected to shipping stress, although outbreaks of BRD can still be a problem in older cattle. Practices that have been used to offset these negative factors that impact the health of newly received cattle include preconditioning (Cole, 1993), on-ranch vaccination programs (Parker et al., 1993), nutritional management, and prophylactic medication. This review will emphasize nutritional and prophylactic medication approaches and their effects on performance and health of newly weaned/received beef cattle.

Time Of Weaning And Cow Condition, Jack C. Whittier

Range Beef Cow Symposium

The primary mission of a beef brood cow is to consistently produce calves. There are numerous management practices designed to assist cows in accomplishing this mission. Young cows frequently require more management attention to be reproductively successful than do older, mature cows.

In recent years attention has been focused on altering time of weaning to manipulate cow body condition as a method of maintaining high reproductive rates while also reducing winter feed requirements. If cows nurse their calves for a longer or shorter period of time than is traditional, a corresponding decrease or increase in body condition may result due …

Reducing Calving Difficulty By Heifer And Sire Selection And Management, Gene H. Deutscher

Range Beef Cow Symposium

Calf deaths caused by dystocia (calving difficulty) result in a $600 million annual loss to U.S. beef producers (Bellows and Short, 1994). Therefore, methods to reduce dystocia must be investigated, understood, and utilized to decrease the incidence and degree of calving difficulty. A review of early research was presented at the 1989 Range Beef Cow Symposium at Rapid City (Deutscher, 1989) indicating the major cause of dystocia in first calf heifers was a disproportion between the size of calf at birth (birth weight) and the cow's birth canal (pelvic area). A pelvic area/ birth weight ratio developed in Nebraska was …

Developing Specified And Predictable Replacement Heifers, Richard (Dick) Kjerstad

Range Beef Cow Symposium

Thank you for the invitation to participate in the Range Beef Cow Symposium XIV. I have attended some of the Symposia over the years and have found them all to be very informative and educational. I congratulate the staff of the four Universities for the contribution they give to the Beef Industry.

My family has a grain and livestock operation in western South Dakota. My wife and I have four sons, who are all involved in our operation.

Developing a cow herd that will produce specific, predictable and on-time off-spring, has always been a challenge for most ranchers.

Buying feeder …

What Does The Cattle Buyer Look For In Feeder Cattle?, Robbi H. Pritchard

Range Beef Cow Symposium

This subject is steeped with opinion, prejudice and fact in a recipe similar to politics. Some issues are understood, definable and reflected in market prices. We all are aware of body weight, fill, frame, and flesh influences on price and value. Unfortunately, these four factors are inadequate for identifying as much of the profit potential differences between feeder cattle as we would like. As the industry pushes to find sources of profitable cattle, a much broader range of issues is being addressed. The motives and rationales behind these promotions deserve serious scrutiny. We need to distinguish between opinion, prejudice and …

Understanding Basic Mineral And Vitamin Nutrition, Larry Corah

Range Beef Cow Symposium

In a typical cow-calf operation in the Great Plains, the nutritional focus is on supplying protein and energy to the cows. That focus is appropriate since these two nutrients comprise the major portion of the annual feed cost of maintaining the cow herd. Recent concerns regarding trace mineral deficiencies has resulted in more producers now asking questions about the mineral and vitamin portion of the cow herd nutrition program.

The common sense approach to supplying minerals and vitamins to beef cows should be very similar to the one used in supplying energy and protein to the cows. In other words, …

Improving Cattle Health Through Trace Mineral Supplementation, Jerry W. Spears

Range Beef Cow Symposium

A number of trace minerals are required by beef cattle. Feeds consumed by cattle may supply most trace minerals in adequate amounts. However, some minerals may be severely or at least marginally deficient in beef cattle diets. Even marginal mineral deficiencies can reduce growth, reproduction and/or health of cattle showing few if any clinical signs of deficiency. Other trace minerals such as iron and molybdenum may be naturally present in feeds in levels high enough to reduce animal productivity.

Certain trace minerals affect immunity and may affect disease susceptibility in cattle. Selenium, copper, zinc, cobalt and iron have been shown …

Improving Re-Breeding Through Protein Supplementation, M. K. Petersen, D. E. Hawkins, I. Tovar, L. A. Appeddu

Range Beef Cow Symposium

Research conducted at Fort Robinson in 1960 and following studies have demonstrated that good body condition supports successful reproduction in both young and older cows. The recommendations from these studies have emphasized the feeding of energy to assist thin cows back into condition. However, in the extensive range conditions of the West, the ranch is intended to supply dietary energy through the range vegetation. When we look at the costs associated with calf production many ranchers have production costs above the national average. Many of these high cost producers have higher than average purchased feed costs. It would be advantageous …

The Latest Methods To Determine When To Supplement, Ted Mccollum Iii

Range Beef Cow Symposium

Because feed accounts for a significant portion of operating costs, cattlemen are always interested in getting the most out of the supplemental feed dollar. Two unwanted costs are the costs of overfeeding and the lost opportunities resulting from underfeeding.

Three keys to more efficient supplementation are (1) identifying the most appropriate supplement, (2) determining the proper amount of feed, and (3) identifying the window of opportunity for achieving the desired changes with the minimal feed input. In order to adjust a feeding program, one needs to have an estimate of the nutrient value for the forage being consumed, current cattle …

Simple Concepts For Long-Term Ranch Success, Patrick E. Reese

Range Beef Cow Symposium

In today’s fast-moving world of information, ranchers frequently suffer from technology overload. There can be enormous temptations to invest excessive amounts of resources on inconsequential activity. Understanding the responsibility of management for long-term success will help ranchers select appropriate technology. Focus on primary objectives will allow ranchers to develop simple and cost effective management strategies. Long-term survival of range livestock enterprises depends on (1) surviving or avoiding environmental extremes, (2) balancing livestock requirements with forage resources, and (3) recovering investments.

Achieving Cow/Calf Profitability Through Low-Cost Production, R. E. Taylor, T. G. Field

Range Beef Cow Symposium

A few years ago a NCA task force committee made the following statement:

"Low-cost producers (in all segments of the production chain) will survive in this system of competitive markets. Others [high-cost producers] will eventually be unable to compete and will exit the business."

Initially, this pointed summary statement fell on deaf ears as cattle prices were relatively good and many producers said they couldn't reduce costs as each year their costs were increasing. Currently, the high-cost producers are exiting the cattle business or depleting assets. Other cow/calf producers have positioned or are positioning themselves as low-cost producers. An increased …

A Rancher’S Focus On Cost Effective Management, Connie R. Quinn

Range Beef Cow Symposium

This paper focuses on profitability points which apply to the cow/calf producer. This is a challenging task and, at best, will be a restatement of the practices that are employed by any good beef producer. In today’s environment, if one has the boldness to put these points in print, it is only to reinforce the good management already being implemented and to offer ideas for other management practices that could also be employed. The merit of this exercise is to exchange ideas that can be mixed and matched with what is already being done on the ranch. The result will …