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Influence Of Weaning Date And Prepartum Nutrition On Cow-Calf Productivity, Kelsey M. Rolfe, L. Aaron Stalker, Terry J. Klopfenstein Klopfenstein, Richard N. Funston

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

October weaned cows had greater average BCS and BW compared to December weaned cows; however, the level of supplementation on winter range did not impact BCS or BW. Subsequent pregnancy rates (96.5% - 98.5%) were not influenced by weaning date or any winter treatments. Steer progeny showed no differences in feedlot entry BW, final BW, DMI, ADG, or carcass characteristics; and there were no differences in percentage cycling before breeding or in pregnancy rates of heifer progeny.

Beef Heifer Development And Profitability, Matthew C. Stockton, Roger K. Wilson, Richard N. Funston Funston

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

The determination of the ideal breeding size of beef replacement females is traditionally centered on maximizing pregnancy rate. Relevant physical and economic relationships were combined into a bioeconomic systems model that identified key profit factors. This system-wide approach encapsulated the physical relationships with relevant costs and revenues, including annual and seasonal variations and measures relative to profitability through the application of an incomplete or modified profit function. Optimaloutcomes were relative to heifer size and management regime.

Statistics Used In The Nebraska Beef Report And Their Purpose

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

The purpose of beef cattle and beef product research at UNL is to provide reference information that represents the various populations (cows, calves, heifers, feeders, carcasses, retail products, etc.) of beef production. Obviously, researchers cannot apply treatments to every member of a population; therefore, they must sample the population. The use of statistics allows researchers and readers of the Nebraska Beef Report the opportunity to evaluate separation of random (chance) occurrences and real biological effects of a treatment. Following is a brief description of the major statistics used in the beef report. For a more detailed description of the expectations …

Foraging Preferences Of Canada Geese Among Turfgrasses: Implications For Reducing Human–Goose Conflicts, Brian E. Washburn, Thomas W. Seamans

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Canada geese (Branta canadensis) can cause serious damage to turfgrass areas and create human health and safety concerns (e.g., collisions with aircraft, disease transmission). We conducted a study during 2005–2007 to determine if Canada geese exhibit a feeding preference among various commercially available turfgrasses. Behavioral responses of captive geese to 9 turfgrasses, bare ground, and litter were observed over 6 4-week trials during July–September following the installation of selected turfgrasses into experimental arenas. Captive geese preferred to forage on Kentucky bluegrass, creeping bentgrass, and fine fescue sods compared to centipedegrass, St. Augustinegrass, and zoysiagrass. Forage qualities and macronutrient …

Strategic Discussions For Nebraska: Opportunities For Nebraska -- Food Scarcity, Mary Garbacz

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Faculty Publications

Strategic Discussions for Nebraska is a program in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources that produces an annual publication called Opportunities for Nebraska, focusing on a different topic each year. The publication is produced in hard copy and also is available online at www.sdn.unl.edu.

The content for each publication is produced by UNL students enrolled in a Magazine Writing course each spring semester, taught by the SDN coordinator. Students conduct interviews with UNL researchers and write stories for inclusion in the publication. The interviews are captured on video and are edited into video montages, …

Phylogenomic And Functional Domain Analysis Of Polyketide Synthases In Fusarium, Daren W. Brown, Robert A. E. Butchko, Scott E. Baker, Robert A. Proctor

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Fusarium species are ubiquitous in nature, cause a range of plant diseases, and produce a variety of chemicals often referred to as secondary metabolites. Although some fungal secondary metabolites affect plant growth or protect plants from other fungi and bacteria, their presence in grain-based food and feed is more often associated with a variety of diseases in plants and in animals. Many of these structurally diverse metabolites are derived from a family of related enzymes called polyketide synthases (PKSs). A search of genomic sequence of Fusarium verticillioides, Fusarium graminearum, Fusarium oxysporum, and Fusarium solani identified a total of 58 …

Induction Of Reproductive Diapause In Habrobracon Hebetor (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) When Reared At Different Photoperiods At Low Temperatures, Haoliang Chen, Hongyu Zhang, Kun Yan Zhu, James E. Throne

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Development of the parasitoid Habrobracon hebetor (Say) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) at low temperatures was determined to identify rearing conditions that might result in adults that were in reproductive diapause. Diapausing adults would be expected to survive cold storage longer than nondiapausing adults for use in biological control programs. Only a few eggs were found in the ovaries when H. hebetor females were reared during the immature stages at 17.5 and 20°C with a 16-h photoperiod, and the ovaries were poorly developed and contained no eggs when females were reared with a 10-h photoperiod in these low temperatures. Rearing H. hebetor at …

Resistance Of Soil-Bound Prions To Rumen Digestion, Samuel E. Saunders, Shannon L. Bartelt-Hunt, Jason C. Bartz

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Before prion uptake and infection can occur in the lower gastrointestinal system, ingested prions are subjected to anaerobic digestion in the rumen of cervids and bovids. The susceptibility of soil-bound prions to rumen digestion has not been evaluated previously. In this study, prions from infectious brain homogenates as well as prions bound to a range of soils and soil minerals were subjected to in vitro rumen digestion, and changes in PrP levels were measured via western blot. Binding to clay appeared to protect noninfectious hamster PrPc from complete digestion, while both unbound and soil-bound infectious PrP^Sc proved highly resistant …

Separation Of Alcohol Soluble Sorghum Proteins Using Non-Porous Cation-Exchange Columns, Deidre L. Blackwell, Scott R. Bean

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Kafirins, the storage proteins and major protein of the cereal grain sorghum, play an important nutritional role for millions of people in parts of Africa and Asia. Kafirins are non-water soluble, being soluble only in the presence of detergents or aqueous alcohol mixtures and are among the most hydrophobic of the cereal proteins. Limited M_w heterogeneity of kafirins reduces their resolution when separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Charge based separation techniques have been shown to have improved resolution of kafirins, but due to the nature of their solubility, ion-exchange (IE)-HPLC has not been widely used to …

The Effect Of Row Spacing And Seeding Rate On Biomass Production And Plant Stand Characteristics Of Non-Irrigated Photoperiod-Sensitive Sorghum (Sorghum Bicolor (L.) Moench), John L. Snider, Randy L. Raper, Eric B. Schwab

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

To evaluate row spacing and seeding rate effects on yield and plant stand characteristics of high-biomass sorghum, a photoperiod-sensitive cultivar was sown at three different row spacings (76, 38, and 19 cm) and seeding rates (218,000, 306,000, and 393,000 seeds ha⁻¹ for one site-year and 116,000, 204,000, and 291,000 seeds ha⁻¹ for three site-years) from 2009 to 2010 in Alabama and Arkansas, USA. Measurements included above-ground dry matter production, plant height, stem density, and stem diameter. Narrower row spacing (i.e. 19 cm) produced the highest biomass for all site-years. Increasing seeding rate did not affect yield for three …

Zebra Chip-Diseased Potato Tubers Are Characterized By Increased Levels Of Host Phenolics, Amino Acids, And Defense-Related Proteins, Christopher M. Wallis, Jianchi Chen, Edwin L. Civerolo

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Little is known about specific host chemistry effects on zebra chip disease symptom development in potatoes (Solanum tuberosum). This research compared chemical profiles and defense-related enzyme levels between non-symptomatic and zebra chip-symptomatic potato tubers. Levels of phenolics, five amino acids, peroxidases, polyphenol oxidases, chitinases, and B-1,3-glucanases were greater in symptomatic tubers than non-symptomatic tubers, and many of these compounds also were positively correlated with zebra chip disease severity. 'Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ was consistently present in symptomatic tubers. However, the lack of associations between titers and tuber chemistry suggests a complicated relationship between this bacterium and zebra chip …

Genomics Of Tropical Fruit Tree Crops, R. S. Arias, James W. Borrone, Cecile L. Tondo, David N. Kuhn, Brian M. Irish, Raymond J. Schnell

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The genetic improvement of tropical fruit trees is limited when compared to progress achieved in temperate fruit trees and annual crops. Tropical fruit tree breeding programs require significant resources to develop new cultivars that are adapted to modern shipping and storage requirements. The use of molecular markers in tropical fruit tree breeding is greatly assisting in solving a number of difficult challenges for breeders such as the development of complex family structures for recombination mapping and for recurrent selection. A review of the literature on molecular markers development and new techniques for increasing single-nucleotide polymorphic markers is discussed. The development …

Reproductive Potential Of Stable Flies (Diptera: Muscidae) Fed Cattle, Chicken, Or Horse Blood, Kristina M. Friesen, Gregory D. Johnson

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Reproductive potential was assessed for stable fly cohorts fed cattle, chicken, or horse blood. Flies provided chicken blood oviposited20%moreeggs per day than did those fed cattle or horse blood. However, flies provided cattle or horse blood were fecund 50% longer. When both egg viability and number of eggs produced were considered, lifetime reproductive potential was almost twice as high for flies fed cattle or chicken blood than for flies fed horse blood. Maternal investment, which took egg production and volume into account, was higher in cohorts fed cattle blood (70 mm³) when compared with the other treatments (chicken …

Climate Change Alters Stoichiometry Of Phosphorus And Nitrogen In A Semiarid Grassland, Feike A. Dijkstra, Elise Pendall, Jack A. Morgan, Dana M. Blumenthal, Yolima Carrillo, Daniel R. Lecain, Ronald F. Follett, David G. Williams

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

• Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are essential nutrients for primary producers and decomposers in terrestrial ecosystems. Although climate change affects terrestrial N cycling with important feedbacks to plant productivity and carbon sequestration, the impacts of climate change on the relative availability of N with respect to P remain highly uncertain.
• In a semiarid grassland in Wyoming, USA, we studied the effects of atmospheric CO₂ enrichment (to 600 ppmv) and warming (1.5/3.0°C above ambient temperature during the day/night) on plant, microbial and available soil pools of N and P.
• Elevated CO₂ increased P availability to plants and microbes relative …

Indirect Effects Of Parasites In Invasions, Alison M. Dunn, Mark E. Torchin, Melanie J. Hatcher, Peter M. Kotanen, Dana M. Blumenthal, James E. Byers, Courtney A.C. Coon, Victor M. Frankel, Robert D. Holt, Ruth A. Hufbauer, Andrew R. Kanarek, Kristina A. Schierenbeck, Lorne M. Wolfe, Sarah E. Perkins

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

1. Introduced species disrupt native communities and biodiversity worldwide. Parasitic infections (and at times, their absence) are thought to be a key component in the success and impact of biological invasions by plants and animals. They can facilitate or limit invasions, and positively or negatively impact native species.

2. Parasites have not only direct effects on their hosts, but also indirect effects on the species with which their hosts interact. Indirect effects include density-mediated effects (resulting from parasite-induced reduction in host reproduction and survival) as well as trait-mediated indirect effects (resulting from parasite-induced changes in host phenotype, behavior or life …

Flavor And Antioxidant Capacity Of Peanut Paste And Peanut Butter Supplemented With Peanut Skins, Chellani S. Hathorn, Timothy H. Sanders

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Peanut skins (PS) are a good source of phenolic compounds. This study evaluated antioxidant properties and flavor of peanut paste and peanut butter enhanced with peanut skins. PS were added to both materials in concentrations of 0.0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 5.0%, 10.0%, 15.0%, and 20.0% (w/w). PS, peanut paste, and peanut butter used in the study had initial total phenolics contents of 158, 12.9, and 14.1 mg GAE/g, respectively. Hydrophilic oxygen radical absorbance capacity (H-ORAC) of peanut skins was 189453 μMol Trolox/100 g and addition of 5% PS increased H-ORAC of peanut paste and peanut butter by 52% to 63%. Descriptive …

Compositional And Mechanical Properties Of Peanuts Roasted To Equivalent Colors Using Different Time/Temperature Combinations, Kristin A. Mcdaniel, Brittany L. White, Lisa L. Dean, Timothy H. Sanders, Jack P. Davis

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Peanuts in North America and Europe are primarily consumed after dry roasting. Standard industry practice is to roast peanuts to a specific surface color (Hunter L-value) for a given application; however, equivalent surface colors can be attained using different roast temperature/time combinations, which could affect product quality. To investigate this potential, runner peanuts from a single lot were systematically roasted using 5 roast temperatures (147, 157, 167, 177, and 187 ^◦C) and to Hunter L-values of 53 ± 1, 48.5 ± 1, and 43 ± 1, corresponding to light, medium, and dark roasts, respectively. Moisture contents (MC) …

Susceptibility Of Three Strains Of Blue Catfish, Ictalurus Furcatus (Valenciennes), To Ichthyophthirius Multifiliis, D-H Xu, P.H. Klesius, Brian G. Bosworth, N Chatakondi

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

This study compared the susceptibility of three blue catfish strains (D&B, USDA 101 and USDA 102) to the parasite Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (Ich). In Trial I, a cohabitation study (all strains stocked communally) was conducted and fish were exposed to theronts at 0, 200, 1000, 5000 or 25 000 theronts fish^-1, respectively. All fish died when exposed to theronts at 5000 or 25 000 theronts fish^-1. When exposed to 1000 theronts fish^-1, USDA 102 strain of blue catfish showed significantly lower mortality (78.5%) compared to USDA 101 and D&B strains (92.7% and 100%). In Trial …

Antibacterial Activity Of Cinnamaldehyde And Sporan Against Escherichia Coli O157:H7 And Salmonella, Nadine Yossa, Jitendra Patel, Dumitru Macarisin, Patricia Millner, Charles Murph, Gary Bauchan, Y. Martin Lo

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The in vitro antimicrobial effect of cinnamaldehyde and Sporan in combination with acetic acid against Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella was investigated in Luria-Bertani broth (7 log cfu/mL) containing cinnamaldehyde or Sporan (800 and 1,000 ppm) alone or in combination with 200 ppm acetic acid, and incubated at 37C for up to 6 h. Surviving populations of test pathogens were determined by spiral plating on selective media. E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella were undetectable after 1 h in the presence of 800 ppm cinnamaldehyde. A 1,000 ppm Sporan significantly reduced Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 populations by 1.83 and 3.02 …

Using Eastern Gamagrass To Construct Diets That Limit Intake And Caloric Density For Dairy Replacement Heifers, W. K. Coblentz, P. C. Hoffman, N. M. Esser, M. G. Bertram

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Previous research has shown that eastern gamagrass (EGG; Tripsacum dactyloides L.) will survive winter climatic conditions common throughout central Wisconsin, and will produce yields of dry matter (DM) ranging approximately from 7,000 to 10,000 kg/ha annually when managed with a 1-cut harvest system. The objective of this research was to determine whether the fibrous nature of this perennial warm-season grass could be effective in reducing the caloric density and DMI of corn silage/alfalfa haylage diets for replacement dairy heifers. A total of 120 Holstein dairy heifers were blocked by body weight (heavy, 424 ± 15.9 kg; medium, 369 ± 11.8 …

Early Weaning In Northern Great Plains Beef Cattle Production Systems: Iii. Steer Weaning, Finishing And Carcass Characteristics, R.C. Waterman, T.W. Geary, J. A. Paterson, R.J. Lipsey, W.R. Shafer, L. L. Berger, D. B. Faulkner, J.W. Homm

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Studies were conducted to evaluate the effect of early weaning steer calves on BW gain, feedlot performance, and carcass characteristics in two herds located in the Northern Great Plains, USA. Steer calves from predominantly Angus x Hereford dams were stratified within damage and calving date (Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory (LARRL), Miles City, MT, USA; n=354)and randomly assigned to one of three weaning treatments. In addition, steer calves from Angus and Angus x Simmental dams (n=200; Judith Gap (JG), MT, USA) were stratified within breed group by age, calving date, and AI sire. Steer calves …

Chapter 2 Switchgrass Breeding, Genetics, And Genomics, Michael D. Casler

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Switchgrass was one of the dominant species of the North American tallgrass prairie and savanna ecosystems that once dominated a large portion of the continent. It is currently used for pasture, hay production, soil conservation, and biomass production for conversion to energy. Switchgrass was selected in 1992 as the herbaceous model species to develop dedicated cellulosic bioenergy crops. Breeding and genetics studies began on switchgrass in the 1950s, focused on utilization in livestock agriculture. Recent developments have rapidly increased the rate of gain for biomass yield, largely by increasing the focus and intensity of selection and improving the choice of …

Elevated Co2 Affects Plant Responses To Variation In Boron Availability, Sasmita Mishra, Scott A. Heckathorn, Jonathan M. Frantz

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Aim Effects of elevated CO₂ on N relations are well studied, but effects on other nutrients, especially micronutrients, are not. We investigated effects of elevated CO₂ on response to variation in boron (B) availability in three unrelated species: seed geranium (Pelargonium x hortorum), barley (Hordeum vulgare), and water fern (Azolla caroliniana).

Methods Plants were grown at two levels of CO₂ (370, 700 ppm) and low, medium, and high B. Treatment effects were measured on biomass, net photosynthesis (P_n) and related variables, tissue nutrient concentrations, and B transporter protein BOR1. …

The Soybean Aphid, Aphis Glycines (Hemiptera: Aphididae): Population Dynamics On Edamame Soybeans In Nebraska, Usa, Bamphitlhi Tiroesele, Thomas E. Hunt, Robert J. Wright, Erin E. Blankenship, John E. Foster

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Edamame are soybeans harvested at a physiologically immature (R6) stage as a specialty food item for fresh and processed (frozen) markets. The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura, is a newly introduced insect pest of soybeans in North America. This field study was to provide baseline information on the impact of A. glycines on the edamame soybean. This study determined the population growth rate of A. glycines on two edamame soybean cultivars, ‘Butterbeans’ and ‘Envy,’ at two planting dates during 2004 and 2005 in Nebraska. Aphid population growth was significantly higher on 'Butterbeans' than on 'Envy' for the first planting date …

Comparative Toxicity Of Acaricides To Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Workers And Queens, Lizette Dahlgren, Reed M. Johnson, Blair D. Siegfried, Marion D. Ellis

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Acaricides are used to treat honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies to control the varroa mite (Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman), a worldwide threat to honey bee health. Although acaricides control a serious honey bee parasite and mitigate bee loss, they may cause harm to bees as well. We topically applied five acaricides, each with a different mode of action, to young adult queen and worker bees to generate dose-response curves and LD₅₀. Twenty-four hours after treatment, queens were found to be three times more tolerant of tau-fluvalinate and six times more tolerant of thymol than …

A Comparison Of Dung Beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) Attraction To Native And Exotic Mammal Dung, Sean D. Whipple, W. Wyatt Hoback

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Although the preference of dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) for specific types and conditions of dung has been given substantial attention, little has been done to investigate the potential effects of exotic mammal introduction for game farms or rewilding projects. We used pitfall traps baited with various native and exotic herbivore, carnivore, and omnivore dung to evaluate dung beetle preference in the Great Plains of North America. Additionally, we analyzed the nutrient quality of each dung type. In total, 9,089 dung beetles from 15 species were captured in 2 yr of sampling. We found significant differences (P < 0.05) in mean dung beetle capture among omnivore, herbivore, and carnivore dung as well as differences in individual species preference for dung type. Omnivore dung was the most attractive with chimpanzee and human dung having the highest mean capture (291.1 ± 27.6 and 287.5 ± 28.5 respectively). Carrion also was highly attractive with a mean of 231.9 ± 20.6 beetles per trap (N = 8). …

Clinical Use Of Probiotics In Pediatric Allergy (Cuppa): A World Allergy Organization Position Paper, Alessandro Fiocchi, Wesley Burks, Sami L. Bahna, Leonard Bielory, Robert J. Boyle, Renata Cocco, Sten Dreborg, Richard E. Goodman, Mikael Kuitunen, Tari Haahtela, Ralf G. Heine, Gideon Lack, David A. Osborn, Hugh Sampson, Gerald W. Tannock, Bee Wah Lee

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Background: Probiotic administration has been proposed for the prevention and treatment of specific allergic manifestations such as eczema, rhinitis, gastrointestinal allergy, food allergy, and asthma. However, published statements and scientific opinions disagree about the clinical usefulness.

Objective: A World Allergy Organization Special Committee on Food Allergy and Nutrition review of the evidence regarding the use of probiotics for the prevention and treatment of allergy.

Methods: A qualitative and narrative review of the literature on probiotic treatment of allergic disease was carried out to address the diversity and variable quality of relevant studies. This variability precluded systematization, and an expert …

Green Tea As An Agricultural Based Health Promoting Food: The Past Five To Ten Years, Qin-Yin Shi, Vicki Schlegel

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

The consumption of tea originated in ancient China over 4000 years ago and is currently the second most popular beverage in the world after water. Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot water over cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. The link between tea intake, most notably green tea, and health has resulted in intense research on the components responsible for preventing the onset of several chronic diseases, including atherosclerosis, cancer, obesity and diabetes. In particular, the high levels of chemically diverse phenols (e.g., phenolic acids, flavonoids) present in tea exhibit potent protective properties against many of …

Carrion Cycling In Food Webs: Comparisons Among Terrestrial And Marine Ecosystems, James C. Beasley, Z. H. Olson, T. L. Devault

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In light of current global changes to ecosystem function (e.g. climate change, trophic downgrading, and invasive species), there has been a recent surge of interest in exploring differences in nutrient cycling among ecosystem types. In particular, a growing awareness has emerged concerning the importance of scavenging in food web dynamics, although no studies have focused specifically on exploring differences in carrion consumption between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. In this forum we synthesize the scavenging literature to elucidate differences in scavenging dynamics between terrestrial and marine ecosystems, and identify areas where future research is needed to more clearly understand the role …

Do Gastrointestinal Taste Receptors Contribute To Associative Learning And Foraging Behavior?, G. J. Golden, A. M. Hussey, B. A. Kimball

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Foraging behavior is an expression of learning, context, and experience arising from integration of sensory information obtained during feeding with postingestive consequences of food ingestion. Although it has been well established that gustatory and olfactory systems of the mouth and nose provide sensory information to the consumer (in the form of flavor), sweet and bitter taste receptors have recently been identified in the intestinal tract of humans and rodents. It remains possible that sensory information generated in the gut could contribute to the learning process. Thus, a series of experiments was conducted to determine if classical associative learning occurs when …