Digital Commons Network^™

Detection Of Volatile Organic Compounds In Cattle Naturally Infected With Mycobacterium Bovis, Nir Peled, Radu Ionescu, Pauline Nol, Orna Barash, Matt Mccollum, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Matthew Koslow, Randal S. Stahl, Jack Rhyan, Hossam Haick

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We report here on a novel methodology in detecting Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) infection in cattle, based on identifying unique volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or a VOC profile in the breath of cattle. The study was conducted on an M. bovis-infected dairy located in southern Colorado, USA, and on two tuberculosis-free dairies from northern Colorado examined as negative controls. Gaschromatography/ mass-spectrometry analysis revealed the presence of 2 VOCs associated with M. bovis infection and 2 other VOCs associated with the healthy state in the exhaled breath of M. bovis-infected and not infected animals, yielding distinctly different VOC patterns …

Using Three-Dimensional Flight Patterns At Airfields To Identify Hotspots For Avianeaircraft Collisions, W. David Walter, Justin W. Fischer, John S. Humphrey, Trey S. Daughtery, Michael P. Milleson, Eric A. Tillman, Michael L. Avery

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In the United States, black vulture (Coragyps atratus) and turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) pose significant birdstrike risks to aircraft. Understanding flight behaviors of vultures in and around military and civilian airfields is necessary to alleviate these risks. Using satellite telemetry data collected from 11 black vultures and 7 turkey vultures equipped with Global Positioning System backpack harness technology, we collected data on location and altitude near the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) in Beaufort, South Carolina from September 2006 to September 2008. We used military aircraft flight landing patterns to visualize a new concept, a flight …

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 …

Migration Patterns Of Double-Crested Cormorants Wintering In The Southeastern United States, D. Tommy King, Bronson K. Strickland, Andrew Radomski

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Migration patterns of Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) wintering in the southeastern U.S. are poorly understood. Movement data were analyzed from 28 cormorants captured in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi and equipped with satellite transmitters. Four (three immature, one adult) cormorants did not migrate and stayed in the southeastern U.S. throughout the year. During spring, cormorants captured in Alabama migrated east of the Mississippi River and primarily west of the Appalachian Mountains. Cormorants from Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi migrated north along the Mississippi River Valley, the Missouri River Valley and/or the Ohio River Valley. The earliest departure for spring …

Deer-Activated Bio-Acoustic Frightening Device Deters White-Tailed Deer, Aaron M. Hildreth, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

White-tailed deer damage urban and suburban plantings as well as crops and stored feed. A high public demand exists for non-lethal control methods. Several frightening devices are available for deer and all can be categorized as auditory, visual, tactile, and biological. Several problems exist with frightening devices, including: effectiveness, acclimation, cost, and acceptance. We tested the efficacy of a frightening device that played pre-recorded distress calls of adult female white-tailed deer when activated by an infrared motion sensor. Potential benefits of the device are that deer are less likely to acclimate to animalactivated and infrequently projected calls and that distress …

Coyote (Canis Latrans), 100+ Years In The East: A Literature Review, Lauren L. Mastro, Eric M. Gese, Julie K. Young, John A. Shivik

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Coyotes (Canis latrans) have expanded into the eastern United States over the last 100 years. Increases in their distribution and abundance have been documented and concerns about their presence in urban areas and their impact on both native wildlife and domestic livestock are growing. These impacts require further investigation and may require changes to management strategies. Two documents, a book and a technical bulletin, provide general overviews of eastern coyote biology. However, these documents are not comprehensive, and are either not readily available or were published >15 years ago. We provide a comprehensive review of the existing literature …

Using Bird Strike Information To Direct Effective Management Actions Within Airport Environments, Todd J. Pitlik, Brian E. Washburn

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wildlife--aircraft collisions (wildlife strikes) pose a serious safety risk to aircraft. Many bird species, especially gulls, are very difficult to manage within airport environments as many traditional methods (e.g., trap and remove from the airport) can be relatively ineffective due to the birds’ various activities on airports (e.g., feeding, loafing, and flying). Such challenges have greatly impacted the Los Angeles International Airport and the Van Nuys Airport, as documented through historical bird strike records collected since 1990. Using information contained in these bird strike records, USDA APHIS Wildlife Services personnel conducted strategic planning efforts to reduce the risk of bird …

Rodent Burrow Systems In North America: Problems Posed And Potential Solutions, Gary W. Witmer, Rachael S. Moulton, Jenna L. Swartz

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Many rodent species are effective burrowers. In North America, these include species of ground squirrels, prairie dogs, marmots, and pocket gophers. The burrow systems of other species of rodents such as voles and mice are less elaborate and pose less potential for direct damage. Burrowing abilities, coupled with other characteristics (e.g., prolific, adaptable, ever-growing incisors for gnawing), can result in many types and amounts of impacts to human resources and ecosystems. Damage occurs to levees, roadbeds, buried pipes and cables, intrusion to sensitive areas (such as military sites, capped hazardous waste burial sites), vegetation effects, effects on water infiltration/runoff, and …

Association Of Wild Bird Density And Farm Management Factors With The Prevalence Of E. Coli O157 In Dairy Herds In Ohio (2007–2009), N. Cernicchiaro, D. L. Pearl, S. A. Mcewen, L. Harpster, H. J. Homan, G. M. Linz, J. T. Lejeune

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Our objective was to determine the role that European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) play in the epidemiology of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in dairy cattle. We visited 150 dairy farms in Ohio twice during summer and fall months from 2007 to 2009. Fresh faecal pats from 30 lactating cows were collected during each visit. Information on farm management and environmental variables was gathered through a questionnaire administered to the farm owner. The number of starlings observed on the farm was also recorded. Approximately 1% of dairy cattle and 24% of farms were positive for E. coli O157. Risk factors associated …

Double-Crested Cormorant Distribution On Catfish Aquaculture In The Yazoo River Basin Of Mississippi, Brian S. Dorr, Loren W. Burger, Scott C. Barras, Kristina Casscles Godwin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Estimating the catfish aquaculture production losses that can be attributed to double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) has proved problematic because knowledge of the distribution of cormorants on catfish aquaculture is lacking. We evaluated use versus availability of various production pond types and landscape-scale factors affecting the distribution of cormorants on channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) aquaculture facilities in Mississippi, USA. Cormorant distribution on aquaculture pond types indicated selection against brood-fish ponds, neutral selection on fingerling ponds, and selection for food-fish ponds (n = 29, Chesson’s α = 0.19, 0.36, and 0.45, respectively). Modeled and validated correct classification rate …

Scavenger Community Response To The Removal Of A Dominant Scavenger, Z. H. Olson, J. C. Beasley, T. L. Devault, O. E. Rhodes Jr.

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The alteration of scavenging communities can reduce basic ecosystem services and increase risks to human and wildlife health. Recent work demonstrated that scavenging communities in agricultural landscapes are extremely efficient: superabundant mesopredators sequestered system energy by dominating scavenging activity. To explore how the disturbance of these communities affects the stability of carrion removal as an ecosystem function, we experimentally manipulated a scavenging community within an agricultural landscape by reducing the abundance of the dominant scavenger, raccoons Procyon lotor. We then monitored the fates of 676 mouse Mus musculus carcasses placed in 13 control and 13 removal woodlots from June …

A Novel Isoflurane Anesthesia Induction System For Raccoons, Kevin T. Bentler, Daniel N. Gossett, J. Jeffrey Root

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We developed a novel small-volume (24-L) conical-shaped isoflurane anesthesia induction chamber for use in a den chamber and tested it along with 3 conventional stand-alone induction chambers (2 clear acrylic plastic chambers and a cylindrical-shaped chamber) to determine utility for daily short-duration manipulations of captive raccoons (Procyon lotor). Although the conventional chambers were valuable, the majority of inductions were performed using the cone chamber in a pen setting. With the novel device, we were able to minimize the need for pre-anesthetic handling of animals and eliminate the need for injectable anesthesia agents. As a result, side effects normally …

Impact Of Baiting On Feral Swine Behavior In The Presence Of Culling Activities, Tyler A. Campbell, David B. Long, Michael J. Lavelle, Bruce R. Leland, Terry L. Blankenship, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We studied the effects of baiting on feral swine (Sus scrofa) movements and corresponding likelihood of disease spread under real and simulated culling pressure. Our objectives were to determine the proportion of feral swine that used the bait station site, and if baiting of feral swine altered areas of utilization, distances from location centroids to treatment location (control or bait station), and movement rates by survivors during culling activities. We hypothesized that the bait station would increase the sedentary nature of feral swine, thus reducing the potential for dispersal and hence disease dispersal. Our experiment was conducted between …

Seasonal Variation Of Coyote Diet In Northwestern Wyoming: Implications For Dietary Overlap With Canada Lynx?, Jennifer L. B. Dowd, Eric M. Gese

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Exploitative competition through resource utilization may occur between coyotes (Canis latrans) and other carnivores. In the southern periphery of Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) range, there is concern that increased snowmobile activity may enable coyotes to increase their movements into deep snow areas during the winter months, thereby potentially creating heightened resource competition with lynx, mainly for the lynx’s main prey, snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus). We studied the seasonal variation of coyote diets and the dietary overlap between coyotes and lynx in a 512-km² high-elevation study area in northwestern Wyoming. Dietary shifts by coyotes …

Feral Swine Disturbance At Important Archaeological Sites, Richard M. Engeman, Kathy J. Couturier, Rodney K. Felix Jr., Michael L. Avery

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Feral swine are well known as environmentally destructive invasive animals in many areas around the world, where they degrade native habitats, harm rare plant and animal species, damage agricultural interests, and spread disease. We provide the first quantification of their potential as agents of disturbance at archaeological sites. Our study was conducted in south-central Florida at Avon Park Air Force Range, a base comprising over 40,000 ha and containing many archaeological sites. To determine the identifiable prevalence of feral swine disturbance, we examined 36 sites registered with the Florida State Historic Preservation Office and also eligible for inclusion in the …

The Status Of Canada Goose Branta Canadensis Subspecies In Greenland, Anthony D. Fox, David Sinnett, John A. Baroch, David A. Stroud, Kaj Kampp, Carsten Egevang, David Boertmann

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Three subspecies of the Canada Goose (Branta canadensis interior, B.c. parvipes and B.c. hutchinsii) have been reported from Greenland, where the species has increased dramatically as a breeding and summering bird in the last 30 years. We report results of catch data, new observations, re-examination of archive photographs and museum specimens that show the subspecies interior is the most common and widespread subspecies, which has been present in West Greenland since at least 1864 (predating the previous earliest record from 1976). Re-measurement of museum skins confirmed that all specimens of parvipes relate to individuals of the interior type, …

Mucosal Adjuvants To Improve Wildlife Rabies Vaccination, Tricia Fry, Kaci K. Vandalen, Jerome Hurley, Paul Nash

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

RABORAL V-RGH^®a is a recombinant vaccine used in oral rabies vaccination (ORV) programs for wildlife in the United States. Vaccination rates for raccoons are substantially lower than vaccination rates for gray foxes and coyotes. Research suggests that the low viscosity of the oral vaccine may preclude animals from receiving an effective dose when biting into the vaccine bait delivery system. We evaluated the possibility of using two benign compounds, chitosan and N,N,Ntrimethylated chitosan (TMC), to increase the viscosity of the vaccine and potentially act as adjuvants to improve the immune response in raccoons (Procyon lotor). Forty mildly …

Evaluation Of Elevated Bait Trays For Attracting Blackbirds (Icteridae) In Central North Dakota, George M. Linz, Jamison B. Winter, William J. Bleier

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) became an economically important crop in North Dakota in the 1970s, providing a major source of food for post-breeding blackbirds (Icteridae). Reducing local blackbird populations with rice grains treated with an avicide is one proposed alternative for reducing sunflower damage. In fall 2007 and 2008, we evaluated the idea of attracting blackbirds to rice-baited trays attached to wire cages supplied with live blackbirds. During our observations (1011 h), we saw 3888 birds, consisting of 25 species and 12 families, on the bait trays. Blackbirds made up 90.4% of the bird observations, whereas sparrows (Emberizidae) made …

Preliminary Evaluation Of 9,10 Anthraquinone Bird Repellent For Managing Blackbird Damage To Ripening Sunflower, George M. Linz, H. Jeffrey Homan

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Introduction

Blackbirds in the northern Great Plains aggregate in large flocks that feed on ripening crops, especially sunflower. Damage to the sunflower crop begins when the achenes reach the “milk” stage, which is in mid-August to late August. Direct economic losses from bird damage to sunflower probably exceed $5 million, annually (Peer et al., 2003). Growers incur additional costs trying to protect their crop from blackbirds. Growers can use several techniques singly and in combination to defend crops, including firearms, propane cannons, pyrotechnics, and fragmentation of dense cattails (Typha spp.). Except for cattail management with aerially applied glyphosate, most …

Long-Term Effects Of Immunocontraception On Wild Boar Fertility, Physiology And Behaviour, Giovanna Massei, Dave P. Cowan, Julia Coats, Fiona Bellamy, Roger Quy, Stéphane Pietravalle, Matthew Brash, Lowell A. Miller

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Context. Fertility control appears as a publicly acceptable alternative to lethal methods for limiting population growth in wildlife. Recently developed single-dose immune-contraceptive vaccines have induced infertility in several mammals. However, the potential side-effects and the long-term effectiveness of these contraceptives have been poorly investigated.

Aims. We tested the long-term effectiveness and potential side-effects of the single-dose gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) vaccine GonaCon™ on captive female wild boar.

Methods. We carried out two sequential trials: Trial 1 (n = 6 GonaCon™-treated and 6 control wild boar) and Trial 2 which started two years later and replicated Trial 1. We …

Quantification Of Heterosubtypic Immunity Between Avian Influenza Subtypes H3n8 And H4n6 In Multiple Avian Host Species, Kim M. Pepin, Kaci K. Vandalen, N. L. Mooers, J. W. Ellis, H. J. Sullivan, J. Jeffrey Root, Colleen T. Webb, A. B. Franklin, Susan A. Shriner

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Low-pathogenicity avian influenza virus (LPAIV) can lead to epizootics that cause economic losses in poultry or the emergence of human-infectious strains. LPAIVs experience a complex immunity landscape as they are endemic in numerous host species, and many antigenically distinct strains cocirculate. Prevention and control of emergence of detrimental strains requires an understanding of infection/transmission characteristics of the various subtypes in different hosts, including interactions between subtypes. In order to develop analytical frameworks for examining control efficacy, quantification of heterosubtypic immunity interactions is fundamental. However, these data are scarce, especially for wild avian subtypes in natural hosts. Consequently, in this study, …

Producer Survey Of Bird-Livestock Interactions In Commercial Dairies, Stephanie A. Shwiff, James C. Carlson, J. H. Glass, J. Suckow, Martin S. Lowney, K. M. Moxcey, Bruce Larson, George M. Linz

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The objective of this producer survey was to identify and estimate damage caused by bird-livestock interactions in commercial dairies. The interactions between birds and livestock have previously been implicated in causing economic damage while contributing to the environmental dissemination of microorganisms pathogenic to livestock and humans. Very little research exists to help producers understand what bird species use dairies, why they use dairies, or the scope and nature of damage created as a result of bird-livestock interactions. To better characterize these interactions, we surveyed dairy operators within Pennsylvania, New York, and Wisconsin. Survey results suggest that the most common and …

Diagnostic Accuracy Of Rectal Mucosa Biopsy Testing For Chronic Wasting Disease Within White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) Herds In North America: Effects Of Age, Sex, Polymorphism At Prnp Codon 96, And Disease Progression, Bruce V. Thomsen, David A. Schneider, Katherine I. O’Rourke, Thomas Gidlewski, James Mclane, Robert W. Allen, Alex A. Mcisaac, Gordon B. Mitchell, Delwyn P. Keane, Terry R. Spraker, Aru Balachandran

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

An effective live animal diagnostic test is needed to assist in the control of chronic wasting disease (CWD), which has spread through captive and wild herds of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Canada and the United States. In the present study, the diagnostic accuracy of rectal mucosa biopsy sample testing was determined in white-tailed deer from 4 CWD-infected captive herds. Specifically, the current study compared the immunohistochemical detection of disease-associated prion protein in postmortem rectal mucosa biopsy samples to the CWD status of each deer as determined by immunodiagnostic evaluations of the brainstem at the obex, the medial …

The Introduction, Impacts, And Management Of A Large, Invasive, Aquatic Rodent In The United States, Gary W. Witmer, Trevor R. Sheffels, Stephen R. Kendrot

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Marshes, both tidal and non-tidal, are productive and complex ecosystems. The water in these systems ranges from fresh, to brackish, to saline as one moves from inland to coastal areas. Marshes are an interface between upland and aquatic habitats, and many biotic and abiotic processes lead to increased species richness and diversity (Gedan et al., 2009). Marshes provide many ecological services, including recharge and discharge of ground water; water quality control; retention, removal, and transformation of nutrients; habitats for many floral and faunal species; biomass production and exports; flood control and storm buffering; and stabilization of sediments and slowing …

National Surveillance For Human And Pet Contact With Oral Rabies Vaccine Baits, 2001–2009, Amira A. Roess, Nancy Rea, Edith Lederman, Virginia Dato, Richard Chipman, Dennis Slate, Mary G. Reynolds, Inger K. Damon, Charles E. Rupprecht

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Objective—To determine the rate and absolute number of human and pet exposures to oral rabies vaccine (ORV) bait containing liquid vaccinia rabies glycoprotein recombinant vaccine and to evaluate factors that might affect human contact with bait to modify the program and reduce human exposure to the vaccine.

Design—Retrospective analysis of surveillance data (2001 to 2009).

Sample—Reports on human and pet contact with ORV baits in states with ORV surveillance programs.

Procedures—Data were collected from passive, multistate ORV surveillance systems in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, …

The Direction Of Research And Management Of Double-Crested Cormorants Heading Into The 2000s: Symposium Overview And Future Information Needs, Brian S. Dorr, Christopher Somers

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

An overview is provided of a symposium on the direction of research and management of double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) heading into the 2000s. The current symposium built on previous efforts and described a number of focus areas of informational need, including cormorant impacts on natural resources, demographics of cormorants, assessment of control efforts, assessment of fish consumption and bioenergetics, and cormorant spatial ecology and influences on movements. The cormorant symposium highlighted a shift in research focus relative to earlier symposia, from evaluating potential impacts on commercial and natural resources to evaluating management actions in attaining desired goals. In …

Winter And Summer Home Ranges And Core Use Areas Of Double-Crested Cormorants Captured Near Aquaculture Facilities In The Southeastern United States, D. Tommy King, Bronson K. Strickland, Andrew A. Radomski

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Numbers of Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) wintering in the southeastern United States have increased dramatically during the last 30 years concomitant with the rise of the aquaculture industry in this region. These cormorants commonly foraged at commercial aquaculture facilities and thereby came into conflict with farmers. Various interest groups are seeking ecologically sound strategies for minimizing the effects of burgeoning cormorant populations. Therefore, this study was conducted to estimate winter and summer home ranges of cormorants captured in the southeastern U.S. and determine whether age class, body mass, density of aquaculture facilities and availability of roost sites influenced …

Bird Management In Fruit Crops: How We Make Progress, Catherine A. Lindell, Stephani A. Shwiff, Phillip H. Howard

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Fruit producers have identified bird damage as a critical issue that has received limited attention from researchers. A USDA study estimated that birds cost producers in 7 states tens of millions of dollars through fruit loss and management efforts. Despite these costs, research has been uncoordinated and piecemeal, leaving producers with few, well-tested management options. We describe several objectives to strive for in order to achieve the goal of providing producers with region-specific, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable bird management strategies. These objectives include 1) quantifying economic consequences of bird damage for producers, consumers, and regional economies, and determining costs and …

An Assessment Of Richardson’S Ground Squirrel Activity And Potential Barriers To Limit Access To Sensitive Sites At Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, Gary W. Witmer, Rachael Moulton, Jenna Swartz, Jason Gibbons

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Small mammals pass through or under chain link security fences, triggering sensors and undermining facility infrastructure at sensitive military sites. Traditional methods of rodent control are not practical because of the vastness of land to be maintained with limited manpower. Permanent barriers (above and below ground) and low-maintenance, long-term bait stations offer potential permanent and cost-effective solutions to mitigate rodent intrusions. We assessed Richardson’s ground squirrel populations, activities, and burrows at Malmstrom Air Force Base, MT. We also conducted preliminary barrier trials in the outdoor rodent buildings of the USDA National Wildlife Research Center in Fort Collins, CO. Ground squirrels …

Carnivores, Conflict, And Conservation: Defining The Landscape Of Conflict, Todd C. Atwood, Stewart W. Breck

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Mitigating conflict between humans and large carnivores is one of the most pressing and intractable concerns in conservation. Yet, there has been surprisingly little effort devoted to incorporating risk assessments of conflict in carnivore conservation and land-use planning. Because human-carnivore conflict can have far-reaching societal and environmental impacts, attention to the ‘conflict–conservation nexus’ should become integrated into national and global environmental policy-making. However, how ‘the nexus’ is defined, elucidated, and ultimately utilized to forecast and mitigate conflict remains under-explored. Here, we discuss the limitations of current knowledge and methodologies available to forecast human–carnivore conflict and suggest a novel heuristic framework …