Digital Commons Network^™

Selecting Linear-Score Distributions For Modeling Milk-Culture Results, H. G. Allore, David J. Wilson, H. N. Erb, P. A. Oltenacu

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

The data for this cross-sectional retrospective study are from surveys of 65 dairy-cattle herds in central New York, USA sampled between February, 1993 and March, 1995. The objective was to identify probability distributions of logarithmically transformed somatic-cell counts (linear score) for use in a simulation model of mastitis and milk quality. Probability density functions were estimated using maximum-likelihood estimators for the linear score of individual-cow composite milk samples culture negative and culture positive for the pathogens Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus non-agalactiae, Staphylococcus aureus, and coagulase-negative staphylococci for the complete dataset and by bulk-tank somatic-cell count group (< 500 000, ≥ 500 000 SCC/ml). Based on the rankings of three goodness-of-fit tests (Anderson-Darling, Kolmogorov-Smirnov and x^{2 …}

Endangered And Threatened Animals Of Utah, Terry A. Messmer, A Mcelrone, R. Drake

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Voles: Wildlife Damage Management Series, Terry A. Messmer, B. C. West

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Constructs And Practices Of Job Placement, Michael J. Millington, R. Butterworth, S. Fesko, H. Mccarthy

Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Audit Of The Department Of Energy's Contracts With Envirocare Of Utah, Inc., U.S. Department Of Energy, Office Of Inspector General, Office Of Audit Services, Eastern Regional Audit Office

All U.S. Government Documents (Utah Regional Depository)

The Department of Energy (Department) is responsible for protecting human health and the environment by providing an effective and efficient system that treats, stores, and disposes of Departmental waste. The Department disposes of some of its waste at Envirocare of Utah, Inc., (Envirocare) a commercial treatment and disposal facility in Clive, Utah. The audit objective was to determine whether the Department and its contractors were using the most favorable rates available for the disposal of waste at Envirocare.

We found that the Department's contractors did not always use the most favorable rates available. Although volume discounts were available under Departmentwide …

Insights, Fall, 1997, Utah State University

Discovery Magazine

Bi-annual alumni newsletter for the College of Science of Utah State University in Logan.

Development Of An Integrated Canada Goose Management Program In Virginia, Martin Lowney, Phil Eggborn, Gary Costanzo, Don Patterson

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Wildlife managers in the State of Virginia developed an integrated Canada goose (Branta canadensis) damage management program in 1996 to address increasing damage caused by resident (non-migratory) Canada geese, primarily in urban/suburban areas. The previous Canada goose damage management program relied primarily on harassment and relocation. The integrated program was made available to citizens, homeowner associations, businesses, organizations, city and county governments, and state and federal agencies in 1997. The Integrated Canada Goose Management Program was developed by U.S. Department of Agriculture-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service-Wildlife Services, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Virginia Department of …

Historical Forces Shaping Americans' Perceptions Of Wildlife And Human-Wildlife Conflicts, Michael R. Conover, Denise O. Conover

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

From colonial times until the 19th century, the dominant American view of wildlife and its management was dualistic—wildlife species were divided into good animals (those which had commercial value or could be eaten) or bad animals (those which threatened the colonists’ safety or food supply). Philosophically, early colonial Americans believed that the environment was to be manipulated for man’s purposes. Under the impact of modernization, Darwinian influence, over-exploitation of resources, and environmentally-conscious professionals, Americans in the late 19th century began to appreciate the recreational value of wildlife and to develop a more protective attitude toward it. Still the dichotomy between …

Private Nuisance Wildlife Control: Is There A Future In Kansas?, Charles Lee, Philip Gipson, Lucas Koch

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

The private industry involvement in nuisance animal damage control is increasing in Kansas. Improved oversight of that industry is needed and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) plans to implement a mandatory education and certification program beginning in 1998. KDWP currently issues permits to individuals who wish to trap or control nuisance animals outside of normal harvest seasons. Individuals who have held these permits to conduct nuisance animal damage control were surveyed in 1995 to better understand the status and needs of that industry in Kansas. A 3-page mail survey was sent to all 93 permit holders. Raccoons …

Wildlife-Caused Losses For Catfish Producers In 1996, Alice P. Wywialowski

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

In January 1997, the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) surveyed catfish producers about wildlife-caused losses in 1996, Of the 1,465 catfish producers in 15 states surveyed, 1,008 (68.8%) agreed to complete the survey. Surveys were conducted primarily by telephone, but some producers received mail surveys. The response rated varied among states. The majority of catfish producers were in Mississippi (n=-300), followed by Alabama (n=163), and then Arkansas (n=117). The remaining states each had < 100 respondents. Data were analyzed for 6 regions, each with a sample size of > 100 respondents. Overall, 69% of catfish producers cited a wildlife-caused loss of catfish. Producers cited losses to wildlife most frequently in Mississippi (81%), followed by states adjoining …

Electric Fencing Reduces Heron Predation At Northeastern Trout Hatcheries, Mark E. Tobin, James F. Glahn, Erica S. Rasmussen

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Great blue herons (Ardea herodius) are the most common avian predator at commercial trout hatcheries in the northeastern United States. We evaluated a 2-strand electric fence for excluding this species from raceways at 2 commercial trout hatcheries in central Pennsylvania. Fences consisted of high density polyethylene 400-lb strength tape supported by fiberglass posts and energized by either a battery-powered or a solar-powered fence charger. Labor and material for constructing the fences at the 2 sites averaged $1.32/m of raceway. Bird visitation at the 2 sites initially declined, but returned to pre-installation levels. However, bird use of raceways declined …

Attempted Relocation Of A Ring-Billed Gull Roost At Washington National Airport, Jessica Dewey, Martin Lowney

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Gulls, particularly ring-billed gulls [Larus delawarensis], have been identified as a threat to aircraft operations at Washington National Airport (now Ronald Reagan National Airport) in northern Virginia. Through bird surveys conducted in 1992, 1993, and 1997, an estimated 7,000 gulls were observed roosting during winter on the Potomac River near the airport. A harassment program was run on 5 consecutive evenings, 24-28 February 1997, to relocate the roosting gulls. Six to 8 people shot pyrotechnics from shore and 2 boats for 2 hours prior to dusk each evening. Each evening the gulls arrived consistently later than the prior …

Double-Crested Cormorant And Ring-Billed Gull Damage Management On Lake Champlain: Are Basin-Wide Objectives Achievable?, Richard Chipman, Dennis Slate, Larry Garland, David Capen

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Ring-billed gulls (Larus delewarensis) and double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorx auritus) have nested on Lake Champlain since 1949 and 1982, respectively. Recent increases in cormorant nesting populations and pioneering activities of both species to previously uncolonized islands have resulted in impacts related to accumulation of bird guano and interspecific competition with less common species. Of primary concern are: decreases in wildlife and plant diversity on islands; reduced aesthetics and property values of island associated with the loss of trees; and predation or competition for nesting space with other species such as the state-endangered common tern (Sterna hirundo …

Nesting Populations Of Double-Crested Cormorants, Great Blue Herons, And Great Egrets In The United States And Canada: Implications For Management, Jerrold L. Belant, Laura A. Tyson

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Populations of piscivorous birds in North America are receiving increasing attention in the southeast United States because of depredations at aquaculture facilities. We obtained recent (most since 1994) estimates for the number of nesting double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus), great blue herons (Ardea herodias), and great egrets (Casmerodius albus) in the United States (US) and Canada from published references and by conducting telephone interviews with state and provincial biologists. Using previously-published data, we also determined annual rates of change in the number of cormorants since about 1990. Estimates for minimum numbers of nesting pairs (minimum …

Repellency Of Methyl Anthranilate To Captive Great Egrets, Michael L. Avery, John S. Humphrey, David G. Decker

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Because effective deterrents are hard to find, it has been suggested that methyl anthranilate (MA) be applied to the surface of fish ponds to discourage bird predation. We conducted two short-term evaluations of a formulation for this use, ReJeX-iT TP-40. First, we assessed the response of tropical fish to TP-40 applications in small wading pools. After 15 minutes, all fish virtually were motionless at or near the bottom of the pool. Fish in the control pools actively swam and most were within 3 cm of the surface of the pool. No mortality occurred, and fish activity returned to almost normal …

The Legal Roles And Responsibilities Of A Community Concerning Crop Depredation By White-Tailed Deer, Eric G. Darracq, Stephen R. Chapman

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

The interwoven issues of the legal roles and responsibilities that landowners (i.e., farmers, foresters, and hunters) and a state agency have to control deer densities in rural areas that directly affect crop depredation and various stakeholders will be addressed in this paper. Because unmanaged deer populations severely can damage agricultural crops, the financial cost of this deer damage is borne entirely by individual private landowners. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) is the regulatory state agency in South Carolina responsible for annually promulgating rules and regulations pertaining to white-tailed deer harvest by hunters. Even though deer are property …

Controlling Great-Tailed Grackle Damage To Citrus In The Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas, James F. Glahn, Jose D. Palacious, Melvin V. Garrison

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Great-tailed grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) damage to citrus is a serious concern to producers in the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Damage caused by grackles pecking fruit is initiated by breeding colonies in the spring on immature fruit and extends through the fall and winter on ripening fruit. The most significant damage occurs during the post-breeding period of July through September when neither the currently registered DRC-1339-treated dog food bait nor frightening strategies are effective. Observations by Texas Wildlife Services personnel suggested that watermelon was highly attractive to grackles during the period when dog food baits are poorly …

Development Of The Virginia Cooperative Coyote Control Program To Protect Livestock, Martin Lowney, John Houben, Phil Eggborn

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

The Virginia Cooperative Coyote Control Program was created in 1990 to address increasing livestock losses to coyotes and the inability of producers to solve such problems themselves. The eastern coyote arrived in Virginia in the late 1970s or early 1980s. Lobbying efforts of agricultural groups, such as the Virginia Sheep Federation, helped create a cost-share program administered by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) and U.S. Department of Agriculture-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service-Wildlife Services (USDA-APHIS-WS). The objective of the program was to educate producers about control methods and to alleviate damage by removing offending coyotes where …

Do You Have Your Skates On?, Gary J. San Julian

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

It is an honor to keynote this conference as we think about our profession in the next century. Jim asked me to predict what the future of wildlife damage management might look like in the year 2020. I explained to him that I have not been actively engaged in doing wildlife damage work for almost 9 years and I had been in an administrative role. Jim knew that I am going back to a faculty position in the next several months. He thought it was great for a person coming out of retirement to predict the future.

Development Of A Double-Crested Cormorant Damage Management Plan For The Southeastern United States, Keith J. Andrews, Pete Poulos, Charles Bo Sloan, Jerrold L. Belant, Paige G. Ross, Paul Debow

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

In response to needs within the aquaculture industry to alleviate increasing depredation by double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus), the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, in conjunction with Federal, State, and Canadian wildlife and fisheries agencies, the aquaculture industry, and other wildlife professionals, is developing the framework for a comprehensive cormorant damage management program that uses an integrated wildlife damage management approach. This cooperative effort will produce a meaningful, mutually beneficial program that will reduce the effects of cormorants on aquaculture and sport and commercial fisheries, improve understanding of cormorant biology, and avert …

The Press And Citizen Participation: A Content Analysis, Lisa Pelstring, James Shanahan, Ben Perry

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

We conducted a content analysis of regional New York State newspapers to assess media coverage of the Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) deer management program. The goal of this analysis was to ascertain media depiction of DEC’s deer management program during the 1985-97 time period. Specifically, this research examines how deer management issues were portrayed both prior to and after implementation of a DEC public participation program (the Citizen Task Force [CTF] process) to determine if deer management issues received more favorable coverage after CTFs were implemented.

Bird Abundance At Accomack County Southern Landfill, Melfa, Virginia, In Relation To Various Management Activities, Laura Francoeur, Martin Lowney

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Birds, especially gulls (Larus spp.), are attracted to landfills, and when landfills are close to airports, birds can pose a threat to aircraft safety. We conducted a 1-year ecological study to address concerns of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Accomack County, Virginia, officials over potential wildlife hazards caused by the Accomack County Southern Landfill. During 48 surveys conducted from December 1995 to December 1996, we observed 112,693 birds at the landfill (x̄=503). Nine species represented 97% of all observations. Bird numbers varied during the year, increasing during winter and declining during summer. Bird abundance appeared unaffected by …

The Mass Media And Stakeholders' Beliefs About Suburban Wildlife, Cynthia A. Loker, James Shanahan, Daniel J. Decker

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

This study examines how suburban audiences obtain information about 3 species in New York State (whitetail deer [Odocoileus virginianus], beaver [Castor canadensis], and Canada goose [Branta canadensis]). Respondents in 3 suburban areas were surveyed on concerns and interests about a particular species in their area. Respondents also were surveyed about preferred sources for species information and actual source use. Finally, respondents were surveyed about general media use. “Uses-and-gratifications” theory was used to characterize respondents’ information behavior for species information. Specific recommendations for communication planning are offered.

Vertebrate Damage Management: The Future Of An Evolving Profession, Robert H. Giles Jr.

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

The author argues that an objective of a new group of people taking a systems approach to large wild animal problems should be to manage damage as a cost-reducing role within a total, profitable, long-term system, not necessarily to control the "pest." The needs are for well-grounded financial analyses both for customers, the public, the resources, and the well-being of the profession. A point of view is advanced for the need for evolving pest-related operations into a new, unique profession that is involved in a profound way as an element of a cost-effective total land and human resource production system.

Falcon Gold - High Altitude Balloon Flight Test Of A Fully Integrated Spacecraft, Catherine O'Brien, James Smith, Jason Eisenreich, Ronald Humble, Dewey Parker

Small Satellite Conference

Students at the University of Colorado Springs (UCCS) and the United States Air Force Academy are designing, building and testing a spacecraft scheduled to fly on a Lockheed Martin Atlas/Centaur in October, 1997. The mission objective is to characterize the Global Positioning system (GPS) signal for use in orbit determination above the GPS constellation. An important step in this program is validating the design and functionality of the integrated spacecraft to reduce risk and ensure mission success. This leads to a dilemma balancing verification requirements and cost constraints. Students and faculty on the Falcon Gold team found a reasonable solution …

The High-Low Mix: A New Concept In Military Space, Matt Bille, Robyn Kane

Small Satellite Conference

U.S. military forces are dependent on space systems for communications, navigation, and other critical support functions. As we learned in Desert Storm, however, the requirements for space capability are difficult to forecast and easy to underestimate. The current U.S. approach relies on high-capacity, high-orbit satellites. Such satellites are relatively cost-effective: the larger the satellite, the lower the cost per pound to orbit it, and the lower the cost per unit of capacity. However, cost-effectiveness is not always the appropriate standard for selecting military systems. Combat forces must be provided with the capability they need to operate and win. This paper …

Microsats For Environmental Monitoring - And Some Current Canadian Initiatives, Ron Buckingham

Small Satellite Conference

This paper examines the usefulness of microsats for environmental monitoring. It is based in part on a study done by Routes Incorporated for the Canadian Space Agency in 1995, plus more recent information. We define microsats and their instruments as missions whose overall payload, platform, launch, ground segment and operations costs is within a $2M to $ 10M range. The paper describes several types of environmental atmospheric and earth surface monitoring task that could be achieved with microsats, e.g. observation of atmospheric phenomena such as polar stratospheric clouds, gravity waves and ozone profiles. Compact, simple, low-cost imaging spectrographs are candidates …

Intrepid - A New Small Satellite Launcher, J.R. French, T. Ingersoll

Small Satellite Conference

Universal Space Lines (operator) and Rocket Development Company (hardware fabricator) are in the early stages of development of a small, low-cost expandable launch vehicle called "Intrepid". This two-stage vehicle, using the liquid oxygen / liquid hydrogen propellant combination, is targeted for payloads up to about 1,100 lb for eastward launches in its basic form. Construction is primarily composite in the interest of high production and low unit cost. Maximum use is made of existing electronic components in order to minimize development. Software design follows the very successful methods developed on the DC-X / XA programs. The goal of the Intrepid …

Strv-1c & D Program Update, Nigel Wells, Cdr. Richard Blott

Small Satellite Conference

Following the successful launch in June 1994 and subsequent operations in Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) of the Space Technology Research Vehicle (STRV-1a and STRV-1b) spacecraft, the UK Defense Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) initiated a Feasibility Study into a follow-on mission. This was followed by a Project Definition phase which has now been completed and the start of the detailed design and construction phase of the STRV-1c and -1d spacecraft commenced on 1 April 1997, with a planned launch date in mid-1999.

Low-Cost Operation Of The Orbcomm Satellite Constellation, Andrew Lewin

Small Satellite Conference

Financial pressures are forcing organizations to minimize operations costs. Although the easiest way to achieve this goal is simply to reduce operational requirements, often this is not possible. Therefore, automation must be employed. This paper discusses the system trade-offs that must be performed to maximize the impact of automation efforts. The discussion begins with the development of generic automation guidelines. Since many automation issues are program-specific, the paper then addresses the application of these principles to operation of the ORBCOMM satellite constellation. This example demonstrates how automation can be used to produce a highly efficient satellite operations system.