Life Sciences Commons^™

A Literature Review On Injection-Site Lesions In Dairy Cows And Culling Decisions, Eric B. Parsons

Dairy Science

Currently dairy producers face particular problems concerning their culled cows and bulls, these problems must be addressed so dairy producers have the opportunity to improve the quality of beef produced from their cull dairy cows. At the moment, not much is known about culling decisions outside “break-even” numbers and poor cow conditioning. This literature review outlines the strategy behind culling decisions and looks into potential plans to develop progressive body conditioning and quality of meat sent to auction. Currently the dairy industry is not placing much demand into providing the livestock auctions and harvest plants with higher quality meat. This …

Updated Ethography For European Starlings (Sturnus Vulgaris) In Central Coast Vineyards, Vic A. Guerrero

Wine and Viticulture

No abstract provided.

Using Progesterone As An Indicator Of Ovarian Response To Stimulation In Cattle, Kayla Mariah Kauffman

Animal Science

No abstract provided.

Supervised Agricultural Experience Handbook: How To Graft Tomatoes, Lauren Elliott

Agricultural Education and Communication

The Purpose of this project was to create a handbook that could be used by high school agricultural programs to implement grafting of tomatoes. It could be used as a Supervised Agricultural Experience entrepreneurship project for a student or a fundraiser for the high school program as a whole. The handbook provides a resource with step-by-step procedures for the entire process grafting tomatoes entails. It is hoped that the handbook gives guidance but also leaves room for interpretation for educational purposes.

An Index Of California Regulations Affecting Rice Growers, Maddie Dunlap

Agricultural Education and Communication

The purposed of this project was to identify and compile California regulations that affect rice growers. The final product was an index designed for rice growers and their representatives to be used lobbying efforts with regulators and elected officials. The index serves to illustrate the intensive regulations that rice growers face in California. Areas of focus include water quality, air quality, labor and pesticides indirectly.

The Implications Of Global Warming Upon United States Dairy Herds: Effects On The Economics Of Dairying And Stability Of Herds With Low Genetic Diversity, Lauren Lusby

Dairy Science

Global warming (GW) is of real concern for the current U.S. agricultural industry. The agricultural industry has had a hand in emitting into the atmosphere. Severe heat spells seen nationwide and volatile climate shifts have pushed states such as California to implement governmental support to high impact areas due to dwindling water sources. Motivated dairy industry members have created plans to reduce dairy GHE contribution. Some research has suggested a benefit in GHG emissions from fewer cow-higher production approaches to dairy farmers. Most U.S. dairy cattle are specialized due to high inbreeding values created by selecting for few production traits …

Effects Of Alternative Protein Milk Replacer Versus All-Milk Protein Milk Replacer On Weight Gain And Grain Intake In Pre-Weaned Dairy Calves, Kayla Sandoval

Dairy Science

The objective of this study was to determine if there was a significant difference in weight gain and grain intake between Holstein calves fed milk replacer with an alternative protein source and an all-milk replacer. The study took place on a large commercial calf operation in the Central Valley of California. All calves on trial were Holstein bull calves and started the trial within three to ten days of birth. Calves on trial were weighed a total of four times. The 236 treatments did not start until the second weight was measured at about 30 days of age and was …

Haccp-Based Program For Central Coast Creamery: A Small-Scale Artisan Cheese Production Facility, Catherine Machado

Dairy Science

This project was designed to outline a HACCP-based program that could be used for the start-up of Central Coast Creameries personal plan. The goal was to first provide a layout to more easily distinguish the hazards that the plant might face. After doing so the HACCP plan was made to eliminate those hazards both efficiently and successfully.

The Analysis Of Solar Photovoltaic Power System On A Large Central Valley Dairy Farm, Brogan Rose Fernandes

Dairy Science

The objective of this paper was to determine the financial benefits of installing a PV solar system on a dairy farm in California to create a more efficient and profitable business. The data used was based off Fernoak Farms electrical bills from Southern California Edison before and after solar installation. The background knowledge of how PV solar systems work and their design was incorporated, along with the research of the past, present, and future solar markets. The characteristics of energy consumption on an average dairy farm is given to show the amount of electricity needed to keep the dairy facility …

The Effects Of Implementing Cow Cooling For Oostdam Dairy: Benefits From Milk Production, Feed Intake, And Reproduction, Mark Oostdam

Dairy Science

Heat stress has a major effect on management decisions for a dairy operation because of the decrease in the cows productivity. Dairy cattle loose efficiency of economic production due to lower milk yields and decreased pregnancy rates. Milk loss due to heat stressed cows in California averages a loss of 293 kg of milk/cow/year(St.-Pierre et al., 2003), and with milk prices reaching record highs, dairies are losing out on increased revenue opportunity. Increases in reproductive infertility from heat stress also affect revenue for a dairy operation by reducing conception rates (Hansen 1997) and pregnancy rates, which causes the average days …

Sustainable Fire Clearance Using Goats Teaching Unit, Elida Noren Moore

Agricultural Education and Communication

This project was created in order to fulfill the need of creating a unit of teaching for sustainable fire brush clearance using goats. The beginning goes over all the literature that was used to help create the project as well as the thought process that was followed in order to write the unit. These decisions were crucial for figuring out what was going to be included in the unit as well as the activities and lecture prompts that are provided. The unit covers everything from fire history and fire regulations in the state of California, to the care and treatment …

Using Crossword Puzzles To Enhance Students' Learning Of Technical Biological Terms, William D. Stansfield

Biological Sciences

No abstract provided.

A Feasibility Study On Possible Uses For A Common Area Greenbelt In A Southern California Neighborhood, Sarah J. Doherty

Horticulture and Crop Science

Common greenbelt areas within residential neighborhoods are capable of existing as multi-function zones. ‘The Village’ in Southern Orange County, California, envisions its greenbelts as benefiting the homeowners, both in cost and esthetics, all beneficial insect and plant species, and the surrounding micro-climate. Research was conducted on three different systems, aimed at improving the areas of ‘The Village’ both economically and environmentally; the areas of focus were vineyard installation, fire resistant landscaping, and low impact development installations. The process began with evaluating the sites physical and judicial restraints. Soils tests, topography calculations, climate records, and preexisting species identifications were conducted; documents …

Improving Cow Comfort To Reduce Health Issues And Increase Milk Yield On Dairy Farms, Shonlyn Ferrari

Dairy Science

In recent years the dairy industry has been looking more and more into cow comfort. This is because there are many benefits to ensuring cows are in some of the best new facilities. I looked into some of the major issues relating to cow comfort which include how to improve your own dairy, what health problems are common with inadequate cow comfort, and how these issues relate back to milk yield. First cow comfort is outlined and explained, then health problems are shown to be caused by improper cow care and lastly how cow comfort can improve milk yield. In …

Setting Up A Safety Program For California Dairies., Shelby Locke

Dairy Science

The purpose of this project was to take the best research for dairy safety in California and combine it in everyday terminology that the average dairy producer could understand. In today’s dairy industry, money is tight and decreasing costs is very important. By implementing a safety program that is in compliance with CAL/OSHA’s standards, injuries will decrease, saving the dairy producer money. This paper has highlighted the major topics for a new dairy to start their safety training program. It includes descriptions of the hazards, responsibilities for employers and employees and ways to prevent accidents from occurring. By summarizing the …

Cal Poly Library Of Pyroprints: Quality Control Analysis And Web Development, Chase Ricketts

Computer Science and Software Engineering

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Substituting True Protein With Non-Protein Nitrogen In Holstein Dairy Heifers Precision-Fed Different Forage To Concentrate Ratios, Noe Alberto Gomez

Animal Science

Understanding the efficiency and digestibility of dietary nutrients in dairy heifers is essential for minimizing costs and environmental impacts of the dairy industry. The objective of this study was to interpret the effects of manipulating rumen-degradable protein (RDP) in a precision feeding system. Eight Holstein ruminally cannulated heifers (14.6 ± 0.1 mo of age, and 386 ± 9.1 kg of weight) were randomly assigned to 2 forage levels: HC (25% forage) and LC (75% forage) and to a degradable protein sequence [0% degradable protein from urea U, 100% casein C (no urea treatment U0); 33% U, 67% C …

The Pythium Suppressive Ability Of Glomus Intraradices In Cherry Tomato Propagation, Stanley Graham

Biological Sciences

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Red Alder Mortality In The Little Creek Watershed Following The 2009 Lockheed Fire, Dylan Robert Theobald

Master's Theses

Five hundred eighty red alder along a 2.16 km portion of the Little Creek riparian zone were assessed for mortality following the 2009 Lockheed Fire near Davenport, California. The study area was divided into burn severity zones and every red alder within the riparian zone was observed and assessed for mortality. Height, diameter at breast height (DBH), and age were collected on selected trees. An estimation of red alder large woody debris (LWD) input to Little Creek since a 2010 LWD survey (Smith, 2010) was calculated using average red alder tree dimensions applied to Smalian’s formula (MLNRO, 2011). The mean …

Territorial Behavior And Cortical Brain Plasticity In Adult Male Sceloporus Occidentalis, Daniel R. Pfau

Master's Theses

The hippocampus is a brain region that can undergo tremendous plasticity in adulthood. The hippocampus is related to the formation of spatial memories in birds and mammals. In birds, plasticity in the hippocampus occurs when formation of such memories is directly relevant to survival or reproduction, such as for breeding or food caching. In reptiles, the homologues to the hippocampus are the dorsal and medial cortices (DC and MC). In several lizard, snake and turtle species, these structures have been related to spatial memory. Experimental investigations indicate that differences in DC volume are related to space use associated with differing …

Culturally Speaking: The Time Is Right For Drinkable Yogurts To Take Off In The United States, Phillip Tong

Dairy Science

No abstract provided.

A Review Of Mastitis Control Practices, Rebecca Gooder

Dairy Science

No abstract provided.

The Ecological Effects Of Cattle Grazing On Reptiles And Small Mammals In A San Joaquin Valley Grassland, Michael William Tom

Master's Theses

Livestock grazing is a common and extensive land use practice in the United States occurring in a wide range of habitat types. As such, livestock grazing has the potential to alter ecosystem structure, function and community composition. The primary component (Chapter 1) of this thesis examined the effects of cattle grazing in a San Joaquin Valley grassland on two target taxa: reptiles and small mammals. The study took place on the Chimineas Unit of the Carrizo Ecological Reserve, San Luis Obispo County, California during Fall 2009 and Spring 2010. These taxa were sampled on matched pairs of two grazed and …

Paper-Based Standard Addition Assays, Cory A. Chaplan, Haydn T. Mitchell, Andres W. Martinez

Chemistry and Biochemistry

Standard addition assays conducted on paper-based microfluidic devices are introduced as an alternative to external standards for calibrating quantitative tests. To demonstrate this technique, a colorimetric, paper-based, standard addition assay was optimized for the determination of glucose concentrations in the range of 0 to 5 mM. Comparable results were obtained from the assay via digital image colorimetry under three different lighting conditions.

Traversing Swanton Road, 14th Ed., James A. West

Academic, Government & Associated Organizational Research Resources

Situated at the northwest end of Santa Cruz County and occupying circa 30 square miles of sharply contrasted terrain, the Scott Creek Watershed concentrates within its geomorphological boundaries, at least 10-12% of California's flora, both native and introduced. Paradoxically, the use/abuse that the watershed has sustained over the past 140+ years, has not necessarily diminished the biodiversity and perhaps parallels the naturally disruptive but biologically energizing processes (fire, flooding, landslides and erosion), which have also been historically documented for the area for +60 years. This is an early edition of an extensive document by James A. West. Please visit the …

How Clean Is The Clean Room?, Erik J. Mcfarland

STAR Program Research Presentations

In order to limit contamination and protect the integrity of search-for-life missions, spacecraft assembly clean rooms should be free of microorganisms to the extent that planetary protection guidelines require of the mission. This study monitored the bioburden of the clean room in which the Mars-destined InSight lander was being assembled. Samples of ten locations inside the clean room and one location outside were taken at monthly intervals, starting in March 2014 and scheduled to end in September 2014.

Bioburden was determined using qPCR and ATP analyses with qPCR targating 16S rRNA gene copy number and ATP targating metabolic activity of …

Wastewater Filtration Using Dunaliella Primolecta, Scenedesmus Dimorphus And Chlorella Vulgaris, Tamar Melkonian, Angeles Mora, Alejandro Calderon-Urrea

STAR Program Research Presentations

California is facing a water crisis due to the lack of rain in the recent years. If California continues without rain, California will eventually run out of fresh water. Residents are asked to reduce their intake by a 20% decrease and the cost to consume water is increasing rapidly. At this point, California cannot afford to waste any water. Because of the high demands of water, Agricultural businesses have increased their prices and pay a lot more for extensive water cleaning equipment. In order to recycle water, it is questioned if algae can replace water-cleaning equipment. In order to work …

Measuring Radiation Exposure In Human Blood Using Gene Expression, Krystal Naranjo, Melissa Bentley, Harsha Konery, Matthew Coleman

STAR Program Research Presentations

Mammalian cells are known to express genes that are associated with repairing damaged DNA. The transcript CDKN1A is one of several cell cycle regulator genes expressed in response to cell damage by ionizing radiation (IR). In this study, male and female lymphocytes; previously exposed ex vivo to IR, were used to demonstrate linear gene expression responses that may vary between genders. We used qRT-PCR to generate response curves for CDKN1A. No differences were identified for the endogenous control gene GAPDH. CDKN1A expression demonstrated average fold changes well above three fold for three of the four healthy patient donors at 24 …

The Effects Of Electrolyte Chemical Composition, Concentration And Ph On The Electrochemical Redox Reactions, Sea Choi, Xiao-Ying Yu

STAR Program Research Presentations

Electrolyte composition, concentration, pH, ionic strength, and temperature have long been known to play a role in the interface of the electrode-electrolyte. However, detailed studies are not sufficient. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) is a widely used electrochemical technique for obtaining qualitative information in electroanalysis. CV is often the first experiment performed in an electrode surface in an electrochemical study. It measures the number of electrons transferred and intermediates formed during oxidation-reduction (redox) reactions by observing its current, intensity and position of peak potential with applied voltage. This is accomplished by using a three-electrode system including working electrode (WE), counter electrode (CE) …

Central Coast Groundfish Species And Fillet Identification Manual, Robbie Milla

Agricultural Education and Communication

The purpose of this project was to create a manual that would aid fishermen and fish consumers in the successful identification of various groundfish species and their fillets. The manual was crafted with quality photographs to give the viewer a vivid depiction of the targeted groundfish species. The images were taken to specifically target the identification characteristics of each fish species. It was the hope of the author to educate anyone who was interested in the groundfish fishery. The manual includes: basic groundfish regulations, groundfish species identification, and groundfish fillet identification.