Digital Commons Network^™

Identifying Microbial Complexities And Control Strategies At Pre-Harvest Poultry Production, Tolulope Tiwa Ogundipe

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

While significant progress has been made in post-harvest control of Salmonella in the poultry industry, the development of effective pre-harvest intervention strategies remains critical for reducing foodborne pathogens. Environmental reservoirs such as poultry litter and drinking water systems (DWS) are potential harborage sites for Salmonella and other microbial communities. Understanding the microbiota of these environments, including biofilms within water lines, is essential to identifying factors contributing to Salmonella colonization and improving pre-harvest control approaches. This study aimed to evaluate the incidence and quantity of Salmonella in poultry litter and water lines, characterize the microbial populations in these environments, and assess …

Conservation Agriculture Practice Effects On Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Fine-Textured Soils In Arkansas, Lauren Gwaltney

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Biochar application and reduced tillage (RT) are both practices within the conservation agriculture framework, but specific impacts of these practices on direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions still require investigation in varied agricultural systems. This research aimed to evaluate the effects of biochar source (i.e., powder- and pellet-sized) and application rate (i.e., 0, 2.5, and 5 Mg ha^-1) on GHG production in simulated furrow-irrigated rice (Oryza sativa) in a greenhouse experiment, and to evaluate the effects of RT relative to conventional tillage (CT) on GHG production in soybean (Glycine max) in southeast Arkansas. Both studies …

Crispr-Cas9 Integration Of Salmon Elovl2 In Zebrafish Enhances Lc-Pufa Biosynthesis And Growth Across Diets, Waleed Sami J. Al-Bachry

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Fish are a rich source of EPA and DHA, which are well-known long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs). The sustainable production of these essential fatty acids poses significant challenges, mainly due to our dependence on marine fish and certain nuts. CRISPR-Cas system was utilized to insert the elongation of long-chain fatty acids-like2 (Elovl2) gene from Salmo salar into Danio rerio. Elovl2 was introduced at 10-15-minute post-fertilization, and successful integration confirmed by PCR genotyping, sequencing and expression of EGFP. Approximately 67% of injected embryos successfully exhibited EGFP and sequence results verified the gene integration of Salmo salar Elovl2 at the first start …

Variation In Stress Response Regulation Across Natural Isolates Of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Crystal Christine Crook

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The stress response of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a valuable area of study for understanding cellular adaptation mechanisms that govern survival in fluctuating environments. This dissertation investigates stress response regulation in yeast through the roles of Hog1 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and the post-transcriptional regulator Mkt1, a key post-transcriptional regulator, in diverse wild yeast isolates. Hog1 is traditionally known for its central role in osmotic stress regulation in the high-osmolarity glycerol (HOG) pathway. This study expands the functional scope of Hog1 to include oxidative and ethanol-induced stress responses.

In parallel, we investigate post-transcriptional regulation of stress responses by the Mkt1 interactome, …

Fixed-Time Artificial Insemination Protocols Using Pre-Synchronization In Suckled Beef Cows, Wyatt Eugene Weber

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Adoption of artificial insemination by beef producers has been limited within the United States. Estrous synchronization (ES) for fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI) has been one of the most effective ways to implement artificial insemination into beef production systems, but its efficiency has primarily been restrained by the dependency on the effectiveness of the initial gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) injection in many FTAI protocols. The hypotheses of these studies were to determine practical methods of pre-synchronization to improve current FTAI protocols, ultimately increasing beef herd reproductive performance. The objective was to evaluate the use of prostaglandin F2α (PGF) and progesterone (P4) …

Bacterial Chondronecrosis With Osteomyelitis In Broiler Chickens: Experimental Lameness And Additive Probiotic Treatments, Amanda Anthney

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With the global population already surpassing 8.2 billion and expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, the poultry industry has seen a surge in demand due to its unmatched efficiency and affordability for consumers across the globe. Selective breeding and quality nutrition developments since the industry's commercialization have allowed producers to grow broilers up to 7 pounds by market age. While this extraordinarily efficient process has allowed quality poultry products to be available worldwide, the modern-day broiler has developed a multitude of musculoskeletal issues. Due to the lack of integral skeletal development to match the rapid production of muscle tissue, …

Evaluation Of The Effect Of In Ovo Applied Bifidobacteria And Lactic Acid Bacteria On Enteric Colonization By Hatchery-Associated Opportunistic Pathogens And Early Performance In Broiler Chickens, Mitchell C. Rowland, Aaron J. Forga, James Higuita, Makenly E. Coles, Billy M. Hargis, Christine N. Vuong, Danielle Graham

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Probiotics have been used to promote pioneer colonization by beneficial bacteria in poultry. The purpose of the present study (four trials) was to determine if an in ovo injection with Bifidobacterium saeculare (B2-2, B3-4) and/or lactic acid bacteria (LAB18, LAB46) at d18 of embryogenesis reduced Enterococcus and Gram-negative bacterial colonization in the gut at hatch. An environmental challenge model was used to simulate microbial contamination in large-scale hatch cabinets in a laboratory setting. In all trials, gut homogenates obtained from chicks at hatch were plated to enumerate relevant bacterial populations. Performance was evaluated in trials two and four. The top …

Identifying Herbicides To Manage Weeds In A Buckwheat Cover Crop And For The Control Of Volunteers, Taylor Randell-Singleton, Hannah E. Wright-Smith, Lavesta C. Hand, Jenna C. Vance, A. Stanley Culpepper

Horticulture Faculty Publications and Presentations

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) is a fast-growing plant that quickly produces a dense groundcover. The utilization of buckwheat as a cover crop in vegetable production could be beneficial to Georgia producers, however for successful adoption, weed control in the cover crop coupled with control of buckwheat volunteers must be achievable. A preemergence (PRE) and a postemergence (POST) experiment were each conducted three times in Ty Ty, GA (2020-2021) addressing these objectives. In the PRE study, acetochlor at 0.56 lb ai acre(-1) injured buckwheat up to 16% without negatively influencing growth, suggesting potential for use in buckwheat for weed control. Flumioxazin, fomesafen, …

The Mechanistic Target Of Rapamycin Mediates Clostridium Perfringens-Induced Chicken Necrotic Enteritis Attenuated By Secondary Bile Acid Deoxycholic Acid, Mohit Bansal, Tahrir Alenezi, Ying Fu, Janashrit Shrestha, Ayidh Almansour, Hong Wang, Anamika Gupta, Rohana Liyanage, Xiaolun Sun

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Clostridium perfringens is a prevalent gut bacterial pathogen in humans and animals. This study investigated the role of the mechanistic targets of rapamycin (mTOR) and deoxycholic acid (DCA) on C. perfringens intestinal infection. Chickens were sequentially infected with Eimeria maxima and received the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin and DCA. C. perfringens-induced necrotic enteritis (NE) was evaluated using body weight gain (BWG), histopathology, bile acids, pathogen colonization, cell infiltration and death, and gene expression. The significant difference of p < 0.05 was analyzed by one-way ANOVA and multiple comparisons. Notably, rapamycin strongly reduced the subclinical and clinical NE histopathologies. DCA and DCA combined with rapamycin alleviated clinical NE and BWG loss. Rapamycin, DCA, and DCA + rapamycin attenuated bile acid reduction in NE birds, and they also reduced immune cell infiltration into the intestinal lamina propria as well as immune cell migration in vitro. At molecular levels, DCA and DCA + rapamycin reduced proinflammatory IFN gamma, MMP9, IL23, and IL17 gene expression. Rapamycin, DCA, and DCA + rapamycin reduced NE-induced intestinal cell apoptosis. Together, these results suggest that mTOR signaling mediates C. perfringens-induced ileitis, and combining mTOR inhibition and DCA improves the intervention efficacy against NE ileitis and BWG loss.

A High-Lipid Diet Leads To Greater Pathology And Lower Tolerance During Infection, Weston Gerald Perrine, Erin Sauer, Ashley C. Love, Ashley Morris, Johnathan Novotny, Sarah Durant

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Altered food landscapes contribute importantly to wildlife disease dynamics and may play a critical role in host heterogeneity in disease outcomes through changes in host diet composition. We explored the effects of dietary macronutrient composition on disease pathology and feeding behavior of canaries (Serinus canaria domestica) infected with Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG). In the first experiment, we provided canaries with isocaloric diets composed of identical ingredients that varied in macronutrient content (high protein or high lipid) then MG- or sham-inoculated birds. In the second experiment, we offered both diets to canaries before and after MG or sham inoculation. In experiment one, …

Insights From Consumers' Exposure To Environmental Nutrition Information On A Dashboard For Improving Sustainable Healthy Food Choices, Prince Agyemang, Ebenezer M. Kwofie, Jamie L. Baum, Dongyi Wang

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Over the last decade, there has been a growing demand for tools to support sustainable healthy lifestyles, including food choices. Through a survey, this study examined the influence of environmental nutrition information conveyed with aids such as nudges and traffic light labels through a Dashboard for Improving Sustainable Healthy (DISH v1.0) food choices on consumer purchase intentions. DISH is an application that enables end-users to envisage and compare the potential impacts of their choices before purchasing. In the early stage of the technological development of DISH, the environmental nutrition information of two fast-food menus, plant-based and animal-based burgers, was tested …

Overexpression And Biophysical And Functional Characterization Of A Recombinant Fgf21, Phuc Phan, Jason Hoang, Thallapuranam Krishnaswamy Suresh Kumar

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is an endocrine FGF that plays a vital role in regulating essential metabolic pathways. FGF21 increases glucose uptake by cells, promotes fatty acid oxidation, reduces blood glucose levels, and alleviates metabolic diseases. However, detailed studies on its stability and biophysical characteristics have not been reported. Herein, we present the overexpression, biophysical characterization, and metabolic activity of a soluble recombinant FGF21 (rFGF21). The far-UV circular dichroism spectra of rFGF21 show a negative trough at 215 nm, indicating that the protein’s backbone predominantly adopts a β sheet conformation. rFGF21 shows intrinsic tyrosine fluorescence at 305 nm. Thermal …

Wayne E. Sabbe Arkansas Soil Fertility Studies 2024, Nathan A. Slaton

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

Rapid technological changes in crop management and production require that the research efforts be presented in an expeditious manner. The contributions of soil fertility and fertilizers are major production factors in all Arkansas crops. The studies described within will allow producers to compare their practices with the university’s research efforts. Additionally, soil-test data and fertilizer sales are presented to allow comparisons among years, crops, and other areas within Arkansas.

Winter Hay-Feeding Effects On Soil Properties In A Rotationally Grazed Pasture System In The Ozark Highlands, Larry Berry, Kristofor R. Brye, Andrew Sharpley, Ron Morrow, Dirk Phillip, Tim A. Glover, James M. Burke, Mike B. Daniels

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Soil nutrient management for pastures in Arkansas often ignores nutrients applied from feeding hay to cattle. Discounting nutrient contributions from hay may increase the likelihood of unnecessary fertilizer over-application. This study evaluated the effects of unrolling bales (unroll fed, UF) and using a ring feeder (ring fed, RF), compared to an unamended control, on changes in soil properties in the top 4 inches in a rotationally grazed, beef [red angus (Bos taurus)] pasture on silt-loam soils in northwest Arkansas. Forty-six cow-calf pairs were fed hay at 6.6 tons acre(-1) year(-1) (14.8 Mg ha(-1) year(-1); dry-weight basis) from December to February …

Pulsating Drought And Insect Herbivory Cause Differential Effects On Soybean (Glycine Max) Genotypes That Vary In Canopy Wilting Speed, Jessica Ayala, Manish Gautam, Adrianna Peissel, George Justin, Rupesh Kariyat

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

As a result of climate change, global temperatures are increasing, and water scarcity is on the rise. Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr] is one of the most important crops in the world due to its importance as food and feed. One of the major limiting factors for soybean production is drought, which can cause up to 80% reduction in yield. Therefore, growers and plant breeders are turning to soybean accessions that demonstrate better water use efficiency (WUE). However, in addition to drought, insect herbivory by soybean looper (Chrysodeixis includens, SBL) and fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda, FAW) can also reduce soybean …

Influence Of High Eimeria Tenella Immunization Dosages On Total Oocyst Output And Specific Antibodies Recognition Response In Hybrid Pullets (Gallus Gallus)-A Pilot Study, Marco A. Juarez-Estrada, Guillermo Tellez-Isaias, Victor M. Petrone-Garcia, Amanda Gayosso-Vazquez, Xochitl Hernandez-Velasco, Rogelio A. Alonso-Morales

Political Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Two high primary-immunization doses of a wild-type E. tenella strain were assessed in healthy pullets (5K versus 10K sporulated oocysts/bird) to understand the effects of coccidia infection. Methods: Acquired immunity was evaluated following primary immunization and two booster doses with the homologous strain. Total oocyst shedding, clinical signs, and viability of every bird/group after each immunization/booster were recorded. Indirect ELISA measured the time course of humoral responses from each immunization group against sporozoite and second-generation merozoite of E. tenella. Antigen pattern recognition on these two asexual zoite stages of E. tenella was analyzed using Western blotting with antibodies from …

Insect Frass Fertilizer As Soil Amendment For Improved Forage And Soil Health In Circular Systems, Amanda J. Ashworth, Helen Carla S. Amorim, Gerson L. Drescher, Philip A. Moore, Maria Guadalupe Rojas, Juan Morales-Ramos, Ann M. Donoghue

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Insect farming is expected to increase in coming years, thus generating high quantities of frass (insect excreta). Frass valorization hinges on basic agronomic research prior to industry upscaling. Here, we investigated soil physiochemical properties, SMAF (Soil Management Assessment Framework) soil health, CO2 efflux, and bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] yield and quality as affected by yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor L.) frass [3400 and 6800 kg ha-1, low (LF) and high (HF) rates], poultry litter (PL; 3400 kg ha-1), and ammonium nitrate (AN; 67 kg N ha-1). HF increased soil C, N, P, K, and Mg by 10, 12, 44, 58, …

Tolerance Of Cotton To Herbicide-Coated Fertilizers, L. Summer Linn, Jason K. Norsworthy, Pamela Carvalho-Moore, Tristen H. Avent, Tom Barber, Trenton L. Roberts, Ben Trash

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Cotton producers need residual herbicides that can safely and practically be applied postemergence. Herbicide-coated fertilizers could allow for simultaneous application of residual herbicides and a bulk fertilizer blend. Therefore, a study was conducted in 2022 and 2023 in Fayetteville, AR, to evaluate cotton tolerance to 12 herbicide treatments coated onto a fertilizer blend and applied over cotton. Herbicides and rates evaluated included diuron at 840 g ai ha-1, florpyrauxifen-benzyl at 29 g ai ha-1, flumioxazin at 105 g ai ha-1, flumioxazin + pyroxasulfone at 70 + 90 g ai ha-1, fluridone at 168 g ai ha-1, fluometuron at 840 g …

Root Decomposition And Nutrient Dynamics In Multifunctional Forage-Biomass Buffer-Strip Systems, Helen C.S. Amorium, Amanda J. Ashworth, Taylor C. Adams, Mary C. Savin, Philip A. Moore Jr

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Perennial crops are thought as a solution for enhancing food security and providing ecosystem services under a changing climate, including forage-biomass production, reduced erosion and nutrient leaching, and soil C accumulation. However, the drivers of root decomposition and C allocation in perennial multifunctional forage-biomass buffer-strips as affected by fertility management are poorly elucidated. Thus, study objectives were to assess root decomposition and soil CO2 efflux on switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides L.), silphium (Silphium integrifolium Michx.), and intermediate wheatgrass Kernza (Thinopyrum intermedium [Host] Barkworth & D.R. Dewey) treated with poultry litter (PL) relative to the unfertilized control. …

Bridging Taste And Health: The Role Of Machine Learning In Consumer Food Selection, Saroj Adhikari, Brandon R. Mcfadden

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

Navigating the modern food landscape is complex, often leading consumers to make suboptimal dietary choices due to information, time constraints, and psychological vulnerabilities. Machine learning (ML) presents a promising solution to enhance the contemporary grocery shopping experience by providing personalized dietary recommendations tailored to individual preferences and characteristics. Traditional methods of dietary guidance cannot account for nuanced consumer characteristics and preferences. In contrast, ML algorithms can incorporate specific information about individuals and continuously adapt to provide personalized recommendations, considering factors like historical eating habits, socio-demographics, nutritional requirements, etc. This paper explores the potential value of ML in enhancing personalized dietary …

Enhancing In Vitro Digestibility And Volatile Profile Of Sorghum Proteins Using Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Drying, Nafisa Sadaf, Arda Tuhanioglu, Safoura Ahmadzadeh, Ali Ubeyitogullari

Food Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

The goal of this research was to use supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) drying as a novel approach to generate sorghum protein concentrates with enhanced functional characteristics. Sorghum protein concentrates were extracted from white whole-grain sorghum flour and dried in two ways: freeze-drying and SC-CO2 drying. The dried proteins were characterized for their volatile compound content, in vitro digestibility, and amino acid composition. A more porous structure was observed for the SC-CO2-dried sorghum proteins compared with their freeze-dried counterparts. In the SC-CO2-dried samples, the levels of alcohols, esters, and organic acids were significantly lower than those in the freeze-dried ones, whereas …

Kinetics Of Protein And Amino Acids, S. Y. Liu, M. Toghyani, S. P. Macelline, P. H. Selle

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

Protein and amino acid nutrition is key to poultry growth and sustainability, with synchrony between glucose and amino acid availability being critical for efficient feed conversion. While non-bound amino acids (NBAA) are rapidly absorbed and increasingly used to reduce crude protein levels, their fast uptake may disrupt amino acid balance and reduce nutrient utilization compared to protein-bound amino acids. Future research should redefine amino acid requirements in low-CP diets, explore the metabolic fate of NBAA, and investigate how protein sources affect gut microbiota and host metabolism.

Perspectives On Using Fats And Oils In Poultry Production, Brian J. Kerr

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

These proceedings describe lipid composition of fats and oils and outline fatty acid quality measurements. In addition, fat and oil energy composition and digestibility are presented. Finally, these proceedings describe ways to enhance lipid digestibility with emulsifiers and preventing lipid peroxidation with antioxidants.

Sustainable And Profitable Broiler Nutrition, Sergio R. Fernandez

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

These proceedings accompany a presentation on optimizing protein nutrition of broilers while minimizing environmental impacts of nitrogen excretion. The continual advancement of muscle development in modern broilers requires constant alignment of amino acid needs. These proceedings outline the importance and progression of feed grade amino acid supplementation in broiler nutrition.

Net Energy: The Precision Path To Sustainability, P. Srichana, A. C. Tay-Zar, M. Wongphatcharachai, C. Chanseyha

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

Adaptation of the net energy system in broiler diets will increase least cost formulation flexibility. These proceedings outline a net energy system developed and implemented in practice. In addition to lower carbon and nitrogen inputs in dietary formulation, the net energy system reduced feed costs.

Undergraduate Catalog Of Studies, University Of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Undergraduate Catalog of Studies

No abstract provided.

Law Catalog Of Studies, 2024-2025, University Of Arkansas, Fayetteville

School of Law Catalog of Studies

No abstract provided.

Layer Industry Update: Nutrition Associated With Changes In Production Systems, Kenneth E. Anderson, Ishab Poudel

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

This is not a hardcore research presentation but rather an overview of three North Carolina Layer Performance and Management Tests. I used the 39th, 40th, and 41st Layer Test Reports that cover the years 2013 through 2025. The proceedings cover white and brown egg strains as groups and the cage and cage-free production environments. Over all three of these tests the production environments were the same and met UEP Cage standards and the Humane Farm Animal Care cage-free standards. There are papers outlining the changes in more detail with all the statistics. This is an overview of visual trends in …

Field Experience And Production Challenges In Australia And New Zealand, Nick Rodgers

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

Variability management represents the primary technical challenge facing the Australian and New Zealand (ANZ) broiler industry's vertically integrated operations. This analysis examines systematic approaches to controlling seasonal performance fluctuations, raw material quality variations, emerging disease pressures, and evolving welfare demands. Key variability sources include climatic extremes, season to season raw material quality and nutrient value variability and intermittent [mostly enteric] disease challenges, particularly in no antibiotics ever (NAE) production systems. Solutions require a scientific, data-driven approach with insights from field experience for causation identification and a collaborative approach within business functional units, and across industry collaborators such as suppliers and …

Arkansas Men's Basketball Media Guide, 2024-2025, University Of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Athletics Media Relations

Arkansas Men’s Basketball

No abstract provided.