Life Sciences Commons^™

Food Insecurity And The Value Of Best If Used By Dates, Lun Luo

Masters Theses

Food insecurity affected 10.2% of United States households in 2021. While food pantries offer free food to households in need, prior research suggests that stigma may prevent households from utilizing this valuable resource. The purpose of this study is to investigate a potential additional barrier to food pantry used posed by the near-to best if used by dates (BUBD) commonly found on foods donated to foodbanks. If food pantry users perceive this food to be less valuable, even though it is still safe for consumption, they may not be willing to accept the food even when it is free. Data …

An Analysis Of Dairy Farm Financial Efficiency And Price Expectations In Seedstock Bull Markets, Seth H. Ingram

Masters Theses

The first thesis chapter employs two single-stage data envelopment analysis (DEA) models under varying returns to scale assumptions to provide technical efficiency estimates for 26 dairy farms in Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Carolina participating in the UT Dairy Gauge program. These analyses reveal how efficiently farms utilize inputs (cows, feed, labor, forage) to generate farm income relative to other sample farms. Under the assumption of constant returns to scale (CRS) 7 farms are estimated to be technically efficient, while 13 farms display comparative efficiency under an assumption of variable returns to scale (VRS). No …

Impact Of Cover Crop Species Diversity On Soil Nutrient Availability And Crop Productivity, Amanda Kramer

Masters Theses

Cover crops provide multiple environmental benefits that improve both soil and water quality; however, farmers only utilize them on approximately 5% of harvested U.S. cropland. Low adoption rates are attributed to yield impact concerns, seed and planting costs, and lack of advocacy. This study, which began in October 2019, assessed the effects of nitrogen rate and cover crop diversity on weed biomass, soil coverage, in-situ residue decomposition, soil nitrogen and phosphorus availability, and cash crop yield to better understand the costs and benefits of cover crop adoption at two locations in Tennessee (Milan and Spring Hill). Treatments were replicated 4 …

Two Essays On International Beef And Poultry Consumer Demand, Bhishma Raj Dahal

Masters Theses

This study examines meat preferences in China and Rwanda. In China, we analyzed the factors associated with frequent beef purchasing decisions. Using a survey of 560 consumers in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, we found that nearly 50% of respondents purchased beef at least 2-3 times a week. Those who purchased specific cuts of beef from wet markets and supermarkets and considered the country of origin and growth hormone-free products important were likely to buy beef more often. The frequency of consumption was also higher for younger respondents with higher wages and those who prioritized price and premium quality. Our findings …

Corn (Zea Mays L.) Production In Living Mulch Systems, Grazing Potential, And Economic Viability, Marcia Peireira Quinby

Doctoral Dissertations

Living mulch (LM) is a practice in which forages are grown simultaneously with the main crop, serving as a living cover throughout the growing season. The LM systems were developed to alleviate concerns of soil depletion and finding ways to reduce tillage negative effects on soil productivity. In addition, when legumes are use can decrease the reliance on N fertilizer. The use of corn in LM have been previously studied due to the crop being a large commodity in the U.S.; In addition, the ability to graze the LM after corn production can increase the land use efficiency. To determine …

Optimal Stocker Production Strategies For Spring And Fall Calving Cow Herds, Cora Beth Key

Masters Theses

This thesis consists of two chapters discussing the economics of raising stocker beef cattle in the southeast United States. The objective of the first chapter is to estimate supplemental feed cost for spring-calving cows, spring-born stockers, cows calving in the fall, and fall-born stockers, while considering the seasonality of forage production and nutritional needs. The chapter explores ways producers can lower their feed costs and demonstrates the importance of managing hay expenses for cattle producers to control cost. The objective of chapter two is to determine the profit-maximizing stocker period in an integrated cow-calf and stocker operation with both fall- …

Efficacy Of Sequential Estrus Synchronization And Timed Artificial Insemination In Beef Cattle Beginning 19 Days After An Initial Timed Artificial Insemination, Courtnie Carter Bridges

Masters Theses

A breeding program utilizing single fixed-timed artificial insemination (AI) was compared to a resynchronization program for a second fixed-timed AI. Angus and Angus cross primiparous and multiparous cows were randomly assigned to one of two treatment regimens; either single TAI (CON; n=468) or two sequential TAI (RS; n=473). The main objectives were assessing pregnancy rates and analyzing fetal age to estimate calving distribution rates between the two treatment groups. The 7-day CO-synch + CIDR protocol was utilized in both treatment groups to synchronize estrus for TAI-1 at 60h - 66h post- Prostaglandin injection (PGf2α). Animals in the RS treatment groups …

Assessing Global Meat Trade & Local Infrastructure Upgrades, Mary Lynn Marks

Masters Theses

This thesis is a combination of two distinct chapters. Chapter 1 focuses on human pandemics impacts on global meat trade. An increase in future mass global pandemics is expected as zoonotic diseases, globalization, and trade escalate. These pandemics affect nearly every industrial sector, with animal protein no exception. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to be the largest, most expansive, and unprecedented pandemic in a century. Labor shortages and supply chain defragmentation are only a portion the production process affected. Studies have analyzed species specific disease events’ effects on animal trade, such as those caused by the African Swine Fever amongst Chinese …

A Disaggregated Analysis Of Beef Import Demand In Japan, Christina D. Greer

Masters Theses

Japan is an important partner for the U.S. beef industry and a major beef importing country. In 2020, Japan was the world’s third-largest importer of beef products (USDA, 2021). Although the Japanese beef market has been studied, research on the importance of product characteristics in determining import demand has been limited. The goal of this research is to provide a detailed analysis of how U.S. beef products compete in the Japanese market relative to other exporting countries based on prices, product form (chilled versus frozen), and product characteristics (boneless versus bone-in).

This study will focus on three key factors affecting …

The Factors Influencing The Leader’S Perceptions Of Success Of Dairy Cooperatives: The Case Of Cumbal Nariño’S Dairy Associations, Omar Efren Aza Fuelantala

Masters Theses

During the last few decades, Colombia’s dairy sector has been affected by economic, social, and political conditions, not only endangering it but also putting at risk the long-term sustainability of the dairy industry. To mitigate these conditions, the dairy farmers have joined cooperatives, which enabled them to gain some strategic advantages and reduce the adverse effects of the economic, political, and social conditions. This study evaluates the influence of economic, financial, membership, management and operational characteristics on the presidents’ perceptions of success of the dairy associations in Cumbal-Nariño. To accomplish this objective, we surveyed the presidents of dairy associations in …

Risk Management Potential Of Supplemental Irrigation For Cotton In A Sub-Humid Climate Under Climate Change, Wen Liu

Masters Theses

Adoption of supplemental irrigation to reduce cotton yield losses is a potential risk management strategy for farmers given increasingly frequent drought periods due to climate change. However, cotton farmers in the rolling landscape areas of the lower Mississippi River Basin (MRB) are concerned about whether an investment in supplemental irrigation is economically feasible. This study determined the impacts of the effects of risk exposure on optimal irrigation strategies for cotton production under climate change in West Tennessee. A crop simulation model was calibrated and validated using measured data from cotton irrigation experiments at Jackson, TN over three years (2006–2008). Simulated …

Forage Species Selection For Transitional Organic Production In The Southeastern United States, Jonathan Kubesch

Masters Theses

Despite the vast production markets for forage and organic products nationally, so far limited work has been done to develop organic forages specifically for Middle Tennessee or the mid-South in general. The present organic research field focuses on vegetable and grain production; however, forage production offers an easier transition for producers moving into certified organic agriculture. The present study seeks to evaluate several forage blends for optimizing forage production under low-input transitional organic conditions. Ideally a forage system could be tailored to the beef cattle operations of Middle Tennessee, the dominant forage consumption market in this region of the mid-South. …

Efficiency Studies Of The Us Transportation Sector, A. Latif Patwary

Masters Theses

Transportation builds the economy by moving people and goods. The transportation systems and their networks are growing very rapidly to smoothen the overall traffic flow. It also has resulted in increased energy use, traffic congestion, pollutions, and land-use change. US airports play an important role in the nation’s economic growth. The deregulation process of US aviation in 1978 has led airlines and airports to be more dynamic and competitive through economies of scale and rapid adaption to technological changes. However, in recent years, many airports lack dedicated infrastructure investment. They are experiencing outdated facilities and crowded terminals. They are operating …

Pizza And Poutine: Examining Long-Term Impacts Of The U.S.-Canada Dairy Dispute, Caroline Rogers

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Analyzing The Utilization And Trade Of Distillers’ Dried Grains With Solubles, Maria Celeste De Matteis

Masters Theses

The production and consumption of distillers’ dried grains with solubles (DDGS), a coproduct of corn-based ethanol, has rapidly grown over the last decade in the United States (U.S.) and lately in other countries that prompt biofuel production, such as Argentina. DDGS has a more concentrated nutritional value relative to traditional feed grains and can be used in feed rations to meet the energy and protein requirements. In the first study, I evaluated the factors that determine the exports of U.S. DDGS, while the second study focused on the effects of the inclusion of DDGS in the feed rations of swine …

Spatial And Temporal Heterogeneity Of Carbon Storage And Optimal Provision Of Carbon Storage, Amine Mohamed Ben Ayara

Masters Theses

Human activity, particularly the conversion of natural land cover into human-dominated cover types, is putting increasing pressure on the health of the global ecosystem. Loss of forestland is a major contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which cause climate change because forests can help sequester GHG emission in the atmosphere. However, mitigating climate change by sequestering carbon through reforestation and/or avoiding deforestation is an appealing option because of the potential scale of such sequestration, the possible cost advantages over other mitigation efforts, and the opportunity it provides to incentivize the sustainable use of rural lands. Incentive payments can support forest-based …

Essays On Protected Area Size: Effects On Ecological And Economic Effectiveness, Kristen Marie Thiel

Masters Theses

Faced with continuing threats to biodiversity, governments are increasingly seeking to expand protected areas. Financial resources are limited, which often spurs conservation planners to prioritize locations for future protection. Thus, prioritization of protected areas is increasingly being evaluated based on the return on investment (ROI) they offer. This thesis consists of two essays analyzing the land acquisitions made by the world’s largest conservation organization, The Nature Conservancy (TNC). In the first essay, entitled “Effects of Protected Area Size on Conservation Return on Investment,” the increase in effective mesh size per dollar invested to acquire a parcel was greater for larger …

Effect Of Varying Rumen Degradable And Undegradable Protein On Milk Production And Nitrogen Efficiency In Lactating Dairy Cows Under Summer Conditions, Jeffrey D. Kaufman

Masters Theses

The objective is to determine the effect of reducing nitrogen input through feeding low rumen degradable protein (RDP) and rumen undegradable protein (RUP) proportions on milk production, nitrogen efficiency and metabolism in heat-stressed cows. Forty-eight mid-lactating, Holstein cows were assigned to treatments using a randomized block design in a 2x2 factorial arrangement of treatments (n = 12/treatment). Treatments included two levels of RDP (10 and 8%) and two levels of RUP (8 and 6%). From d 1 to 21, a common diet (10% RDP-8% RUP) was fed to cows followed with their respective treatment diets fed from d 22 to …

Regional Dynamic Price Relationships Of Distillers Dried Grains In U.S. Feed Markets, Matthew Fulton Johnson

Masters Theses

Distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) is now a mainstream substitute in U.S. animal feed rations. DDGS is rich in fat and protein content and serves as a competitive feed source in livestock markets. The objective of this study is to identify dynamic price relationships among DDGS, corn, soybean meal, and livestock outputs in context of specific livestock sectors and their geographic location. Four locations associated with a predominant livestock sector are selected for analysis by measuring density and relative proportion of a livestock sector’s grain consumption at the county level. A vector error correction model is applied to post-mandate …

Retained Ownership Profitability Of Beef Cattle Originating In Tennessee, Minfeng Tang

Masters Theses

Retained ownership is a marketing strategy that can be used by cow-calf operators to benefit from the potential increase in fed cattle prices. We analyze the profitability of retained cattle ownership from 2005 to 2015 for cow-calf producers in Tennessee. We also determine the impact of steer/heifer characteristics (e.g., average daily gain, feed conversion) and producer choice decisions (e.g., placement weight, placement season, days on feed) on retained ownership profitability. Data on 2,953 head of cattle originating in Tennessee and finished in Iowa using a retained ownership strategy were collected. A mixed regression model explaining profitability was estimated with fixed …

Opportunities In Sustainability: Maize Seeders For The Developing World And Alternative Fertilizers In The United States, Rebecca Mattingly Harman

Masters Theses

Sustainable agricultural systems are needed for both large and small-scale farmers the world over. Central to the sustainability of these systems is the availability of cheap and effective seeders for smallholder farmers and effective utilization of less energy intensive nitrogen sources. In the first two chapters, this thesis considers maize seeders for smallholder use in a Conservation Agriculture system. To sustain the smallholder sector, soil fertility and soil erosion must be addressed and a Conservation Agriculture model seeks to improve soil conditions in agriculture. The technologies available to smallholder farmers, though, need to be tested in a no-till system before …

Tennessee Consumers’ Willingness To Pay For Tennessee Wine, Connie Nichols Everett

Masters Theses

With a large and growing market, grape production and wineries are emerging in areas of the United States that have not been previously recognized as wine producing states. Tennessee is an example of such a state that has a history of limited wine grape production, but has recently seen a growing interest in state produced wines by consumers. However, there is no information regarding whether a Tennessee produced and labeled wine would impact consumers’ purchases and willingness-to-pay (WTP) for wine. The objective of this research is to determine the factors influencing consumers’ purchases of Tennessee labeled wine and to estimate …

Analysis Of Beef Cattle Producers’ Propensity To Adopt Pasture Management And Prescribed Grazing East Of The 100th Meridian, Kristen Elizabeth Oliver

Masters Theses

Pasture management and grazing practices affect animal productivity, soil carbon storage and soil and water quality. Poor pasture and grazing management practices can cause soil erosion, nitrogen leaching, and runoff into streams and waterways. Based on a survey of cattle farmers east of the 100^th meridian, the following two papers estimate how farm operator, farming operation, and attitudinal variables influence the propensity to use pasture management and prescribed grazing, as well as use of specific pasture management and prescribed grazing practices.

Key findings from the first paper are that individual pasture management and prescribed grazing practices are strong indicators …

Economic And Environmental Optimization In The Supply Of Switchgrass In Tennessee, Jia Zhong

Masters Theses

The low efficiency of collection, storage and transportation in the switchgrass supply chain has hindered the commercialization of a switchgrass-based biofuel industry, even given its ecological and environmental advantages in carbon sequestrate, soil quality, water use, and pollution pressure. Thus, designing a switchgrass-based supply chain balancing both environmental and economic performance is important to expedite the development of the cellulosic biofuel industry to meet the national energy plan.

The objectives of this study are to 1) determine economic cost and multiple environmental outcomes in feedstock supply chains and 2) identify the relation between the economic and environmental performances. The first …

Willingness To Adopt Best Management Practices By Beef Cattle Producers In A Southeastern Tennessee Watershed, Alicia Marie Signore

Masters Theses

Extensive beef cattle farming in the ridge and valley region of East Tennessee suggests that cattle producers could play an important role in improving water quality through the adoption of livestock best management practices (BMPs). This study examines factors influencing willingness to adopt four BMPs—rotational grazing, pasture improvement, stream water crossing, and water tank systems—by beef cattle operations in a southeast Tennessee watershed. Factors examined include farm and farmer characteristics, farmer attitudes, and a hypothetical incentive program encouraging adoption of these practices. Data was collected through a mail survey of 5,150 farmland owners in McMinn, Bradley, and Monroe Counties. Respondents …

Carbon Sequestration, Carbon Markets, Technical Efficiency And Maize Production Using Conservation Agriculture In Mozambique, Timoteo Eduardo Simone

Masters Theses

Conservation agriculture practices are a promising sustainable farming system being promoted by various organizations in Mozambique. This thesis analyzes the impact of adoption of conservation agriculture practices on maize production technical efficiency, carbon sequestration and farmer income. The technical efficiency estimation utilizes data from a household survey conducted in Manica and Tete provinces of Mozambique. Soil carbon simulations use information from various sources including the household survey, European Energy markets and local meteorological data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The second chapter of the thesis evaluates the technical efficiency of maize production using conservation agriculture practices. This section …

Value-Added Lignin Based Carbon Fiber From Organosolv Fractionation Of Poplar And Switchgrass, Andreas Attwenger

Masters Theses

Carbon fibers have unique properties that include high strength, low density and excellent chemical and thermal resistance. However, they have a low level of utilization because of their high price; typically around $30/kg for an entry level polyacrylonitrile (PAN) based carbon fiber. Low-cost carbon fibers derived from lignin are currently being investigated at the University of Tennessee, because using lignin as a precursor could significantly reduce production costs. Lignins obtained from the pulp and paper and the emerging biofuel industries have the potential to be used for carbon fiber production, however, they are typically unsuitable because of the high levels …

Animal Welfare Around The World: Examining The Role The Economy Has On Animal Welfare, Olivia J. Thornton

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Producers Willingness To Adopt A Prescribed Grazing System East Of The 100th Meridian, Caroline Elizabeth Holt

Masters Theses

With the climate change concerns facing the United States, the contributions of the beef industry to greenhouse gasses are difficult to overlook. The agriculture industry is estimated to be the largest producer of methane emissions in the United States, and within agriculture, livestock are the largest contributor with cattle producing 73 percent of the methane emissions from all livestock (Johnson and Johnson 1995).

This thesis focuses on factors influencing beef cattle producers’ east of the 100th meridian interest in adopting prescribed grazing; including how a government cost share system could enhance adoption. Information was obtained for the study through a …

The Influence Of Organically Managed High Tunnel And Open Field Production Systems On Strawberry (Fragaria X Ananassa) Quality And Yield, Tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum) Yield, And Evaluation Of Plastic Mulch Alternatives, Jeffrey Thomas Martin

Masters Theses

High tunnels extend the production season, and increase fruit quality, yield and crop marketability of high-value crops, but have been underutilized in the Southeast. In this study, organically managed variety trials of two high-value crops, strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), were conducted in high tunnel (HT) and open field (OF) production systems to compare yield and quality. Furthermore, specialty crops are commonly grown on black plastic mulch to increase earliness of harvest, fruit quality and yield. However, plastic disposal is time consuming and costly. Degradable mulches reduce removal costs, lessen environmental impacts, and …