Agriculture Commons^™

Managing Predators On Livestock Producing Properties In South Africa And Western Australia – Producer Perspectives, Tracey L. Kreplins, H A. Melville

Biosecurity Research Articles

Context

Predation impacts livestock farming enterprises worldwide. In South Africa and Western Australia, native and non-native predators negatively impact sheep and cattle farming enterprises. Aims

We hoped to compare the perspectives on predator impacts of livestock producers in relation to livestock predation in South Africa and Western Australia. Methods

Online and in-person surveys consisting of 26 questions were posed to farmers and pastoralists in both countries. The questions related to land ownership, property size, livestock management, predation impact (financial and livestock losses), control of predators, and other impacts on productivity. Key results

Livestock production properties are of a similar size …

Impact Of Seed Moisture And Temperature On Hemp Seed Germination, Paul Cockson, Andrea Webb, Natalia Martinez-Ochoa, Lindsey Moffitt, Robert Pearce, Manohar Chakrabarti

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

Germination rates of commercial lots of hemp have been highly variable, resulting in poor stand establishment. Germination rates in some seed lots have decreased by 50% after only 1 year of storage. The objective of this trial was to investigate the impact of seed storage conditions on seed germination over time. Industrial hemp (IH) seeds (cv. NWG2730) were harvested from the field. The seeds were cleaned, sorted, and dried to specific moisture contents (MC) 6%, 8%, 10%, and 14%. Seeds were subdivided, placed in hermetically sealed packets, and stored at temperatures of −20°C, 4°C, 10°C, or 21°C for 3, 6, …

Summaries Of Arkansas Cotton Research 2024, Fred M. Bourland

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

Planted cotton acreage in Arkansas increased in 2024 to 670,000 planted acres, which was 160,000 acres more than in 2023 when Arkansas producers planted approximately 510,000 acres of cotton. A wet spring, and two hurricanes in three weeks in late summer/early fall led to a slight decrease in harvested acres that culminated in a final number of 640,000 (https://www.nass.usda.gov/Quick_Stats/Ag_Overview/stateOverview.php?state=ARKANSAS). Producers harvested 640,00 acres of cotton, which ranked third nationally, behind Texas and Georgia (https://downloads.usda.library.cornell.edu/usda-esmis/files/k3569432s/nk324887m/qn59s0097/cropan25.pdf). The total harvested acreage is the greatest amount since 680,000 acres in 2011. The average cotton yield in Arkansas in 2024 was …

Evaluating Nanobubble-Enriched Water Treatments For Cleaning Stainless Steel Winery Tanks At The Gallo Winery Research Station In Livingston, California, Edgar Godoy-Garcia

Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

Evaluating nanobubble-enriched water treatments for cleaning stainless steel winery tanks at the Gallo winery research station in Livingston, California.

Edgar A. Godoy-Garcia

Sanitation of stainless steel wine storage tanks is a critical component of quality control in commercial winemaking operations. Ineffective cleaning can lead to microbial contamination, product spoilage, and safety concerns. Traditionally, wineries rely on manual scrubbing, chemical cleaning agents, and extensive water rinsing cycles to maintain sanitary tank conditions. However, these methods are resource-intensive and may pose risks to both workers and the environment due to chemical exposure and wastewater generation. In response to growing industry interest …

"The Effect Of Methylobacterium Symbioticum On The Growth And Yield Of Dent Corn And Romaine Lettuce", Sinead Carney

Master's Theses

Nitrogen (N) is an essential nutrient for plant growth and is often a limiting nutrient in cropping systems. An estimated half of applied N fertilizers are lost from cropping systems by processes that can be environmentally destructive, such as leaching and volatilization, and cause economic loss for growers. Effective N biofertilizers offer a means to mitigate the need for high inputs of synthetic N. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of leaf inoculation with the N-fixing bacteria, Methylobacterium symbioticum, in combination with different rates of urea-N fertilizer on the physiology and yield of dent corn …

Predator Management With A Single Bait? Use Of Eradicat For The Simultaneous Management Of Feral Cats, Red Foxes, And Wild Dogs, Tracey L. Kreplins, David Algar

Biosecurity Research Articles

Context

In Western Australia, there are three invasive predators that require management for agriculture and biodiversity protection, feral cats, wild dogs, and red foxes. These three predators often coexist in the same locality, suggesting potential efficacy gains can be made via simultaneous control. While Western Australian native species have evolved a high tolerance to poison baiting (1080), invasive predators have not. Therefore, landscape-scale baiting is commonly used for predator management. Aims

Eradicat baits designed for feral cat control have also been known to be consumed and control wild dogs and foxes. In this trial, we aimed to evaluate Eradicat as …

Potential Economic Impact Of Grapevine Phylloxera (Hemiptera: Phylloxeridae) On Western Australian Winegrapes, David C. Cook, Andrew S. Taylor, Peter S. Gardiner, Rodrigo Pires, Hamish L R Mckirdy, Karen W. Holmes, Helen Spafford

Viticulture Research Articles

Grapevine phylloxera Daktulosphaira vitifoliae Fitch (Hemiptera: Phylloxeridae) has been present in Australia for almost 150 years but has not spread to south-west Western Australia, in part due to the relative isolation of the region. Recent improvements in tourist access, with interstate flights now arriving at Busselton Margaret River Airport, raise concerns about potential phylloxera introductions via wine tourism. In this paper, we simulate the potential economic impact on the Western Australian winegrape industry following a hypothetical arrival event in the Margaret River wine region. We use soil texture maps to assess the suitability of winegrape-growing areas to phylloxera establishment and …

Sexual And Vegetative Recruitment Of Trembling Aspen Following A High-Severity Boreal Wildfire, Denyse A. Dawe, Ellen Whitman, Michael Michaelian, Alan J. Tepley, Marc-André Parisien

Aspen Bibliography

Background High-severity fire is rare in trembling aspen-dominated forests of the boreal region. The post-fire recruitment strategy of aspen, by either vegetative suckering or sexually (i.e., by seed), has considerable implications for subsequent forest structure, genetic diversity, and ecological resilience to shifting climatic and disturbance regimes. In this study, we take advantage of the unique opportunity provided by the Chuckegg Creek Wildfire Fire (310,000 ha) in northern Alberta, Canada, which burned at high severity through aspen stands before and after spring green-up, to document how phenology, fire severity, and stand characteristics affect recruitment one year following the fire.

Results We …

Traceable And Scalable Food Balance Sheets From Agricultural Commodity Supply And Utilization Accounts (2010–2022), Xin Zhao, Maksym Chepeliev, Neus Escobar, Matthew T. Binsted, Pralit Patel, Page Kyle, Marshall A. Wise

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

The Food Balance Sheets (FBS), compiled by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), serve as a cornerstone dataset for studies on agricultural development, food security, and dietary health, providing a broad overview of global and regional food systems. However, its limited transparency and scalability hinder its application in empirical analysis and multisector dynamic modeling. Here, we present a traceable Food Balance Sheets (T-FBS) dataset, developed from detailed Supply Utilization Accounts (SUA) using a novel Primary Commodity equivalent (PCe) aggregation approach. This framework enables the aggregation of commodity flows along supply chains while ensuring consistency and balance across multiple dimensions. The …

Nebraska Farm Finances In 2024: A Year Of Modest Recovery And Growing Financial Pressure, Tina N. Barrett

Cornhusker Economics

Nebraska Farm Finances in 2024: A Year of Modest Recovery and Growing Financial Pressure by Tina N. Barrett (Cornhusker Economics, May 21, 2025)

Section headers:

Net Income Recovery Falls Short of Historical Highs

Household Spending Steady Amid Income Fluctuations

Rising Debt and Shifting Balance Sheets

Liquidity Pressures Worsen

Interest Costs Add to Financial Strain

Capital Purchases Shift: Less Equipment, More Land

Crop Enterprise Analysis: Losses Mount Despite Input Savings

Crop Enterprise Analysis: Losses Mount Despite Input Savings

Factors Impacting The Variability Of Post-Fire Forest Regeneration In Central European Pine Plantations, Florent Jouy, Maren Schüle, Yojana Adhikari, Anja Binder, Danica Clerc, Werner Gerwin, Thilo Heinken, Thomas Raab, Frank Repmann, Susanne Rönnefarth, Marina Schirrmacher, Marie-Therese Schmehl, Jens Schröder, Pierre L. Ibisch

Aspen Bibliography

Fire is increasingly posing a risk to forests and plantations, even in the temperate latitudes of central Europe. Little is known about fire ecology in this region, and therefore, appropriate approaches for the management and reforestation of burned sites are mostly lacking. In a Scots pine plantation region in Brandenburg (northeast Germany), the early tree regeneration of two nearby areas that burned 1 year apart was investigated. We observed that 3 years after the fire events, the forest in one study area showed a relatively high regeneration with a mean density of 7765 saplings/ha, clearly dominated by European aspen (93%); …

Thousand Cankers Disease Of Walnut (Geosmithia Morbida), Claudia Nischwitz, Marion Murray

All Current Publications

No abstract provided.

Causes Of Heterozygosity Excess: The Case Of Mexican Populations Of Populus Tremuloides, Javier Hernández-Velasco, José Ciro Hernández-Díaz, Sergio Leonel Simental-Rodríguez, Juan P. Jaramillo-Correa, David S. Gernandt, José Jesús Vargas-Hernández, Ilga Porth, Roos Goessen, M. Socorro Gonzáles-Elizondo, Matthias Fladung, Cuauhtémoc Sáenz-Romero, José Guadalupe Martínez-Ávalos, Artemio Carrillo-Parra, Eduardo Mendoza-Maya, Arnulfo Blanco-García, Christian Wehenkel

Aspen Bibliography

The presence of heterozygous individuals in a population is crucial for maintaining genetic diversity, which can positively affect fitness and adaptability to environmental changes. While inbreeding generally reduces the proportion of heterozygous individuals in a population, polyploidy tends to increase the proportion. North American Populus tremuloides is one of the most widely distributed and ecologically important tree species in the Northern Hemisphere. However, genetic variation in Mexican populations of P. tremuloides, including the genetic signatures of their adaptation to a variety of environments, remains largely uncharacterized. The aim of this study was to analyze how inbreeding coefficient (F …

Evaluation Of The Development Of Critical Life Skills As A Result Of Participating In Texas Youth Horse Judging Programs, Ashley N. Dibbs, Jennifer Zoller, Chelsie Huseman, Scott Cummings

Journal of Extension

Competitive judging teams are valued forms of extracurricular learning tools for many youth students. Unfortunately, unless individuals have direct involvement in these programs the benefits often go unnoticed and undocumented. A survey was designed to assess self-perceived life skill development from current and past horse judging participants, as well as youth life skill development observed by adults. Participants identified critical thinking, decision making, and public speaking as the highest rated life skills developed. Adults ranked self confidence, critical thinking and decision making as the skills they observe develop most frequently.

Assessment Of Pagp Gene Function In Avian Pathogenic Escherichia Coli Pathogenicity Using Different Challenge Models, Hailey Fugate

Theses and Dissertations

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in poultry, contributing an estimated $40 million in annual losses in the U.S. broiler industry alone, and contributing to growing concerns over antibiotic resistance. This study investigated the role of the pagP gene, which encodes a lipid A palmitoyl transferase involved in immune evasion, using both a broiler chick and embryo challenge model. Deletion of pagP significantly reduced mortality and lesion severity in broilers, indicating its role in APEC pathogenicity. However, in embryos, pagP deletion had minimal effects on survival and bacterial colonization, suggesting alternative virulence mechanisms …

Impact Of An Automated Brush System On Intensively Managed Lactating Dairy Cattle Behavior, Production, And Stress Physiology, Allison Lyn Griffin

Theses and Dissertations

The dairy industry has increasingly prioritized improving animal welfare for intensively housed cows. This study evaluated the effects of environmental enrichment (EE) using an automated brush system on stress physiology, behavior, and productivity of lactating dairy cows. Fifty-nine pregnant and lactating dairy cows were divided into two groups: CON (no brush) and TRT (automated brush system). Saliva samples were collected to measure cortisol concentrations, and behaviors were monitored in the morning (07:00 h - 11:00 h) and evening (19:00 h - 23:00 h) using high-resolution cameras. The results indicated that cows with brush access had lower cortisol concentrations, suggesting reduced …

Evaluating The Use Of Translucency Score As An Effective Parameter Of Eggshell Quality, Cassidy Autumn Morris

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this thesis was to determine if an egg’s translucency score (TS) could be used as an effective predicting parameter to determine eggshell quality in both broiler breeders and commercial laying hens. In broiler breeders, it was determined that TS could be used as an effective predicting parameter for eggshell thickness (P< 0.001) and L* scores (P< 0.001). It was also found that the supplementation of organically sourced trace minerals could significantly decrease the TS of eggs, resulting in a better-quality eggshell (P< 0.001). In two different aged commercial laying hen experiments, there was no conclusive evidence for TS to be a predictive parameter of eggshell quality throughout the storage period. It was found, however, that the storage period did significantly increase the TS throughout storage in both experiments (P< 0.001).

Gardening Through The Pages: Making A State-Specific Catalog With Community Science Data, Stephen Stresow, Stephen Reiners, Ashley Miller Helmholdt

Journal of Extension

Taking a page from commercial seed catalogs, Cornell Garden-Based Learning created a state-specific catalog using top-rated vegetable varieties. Taste, yield, ease-to-grow, and overall ratings were collected over the past decade through community science garden programs. The catalog combines the reputable, research-backed information Extension information with the marketability of a seed catalog. This project streamlined information across multiple sites into a single document while presenting it in a novel way (for Extension). We note how we collected data, created it, feedback from gardeners, and offer suggestions for improvements.

Evaluating The Feeding Value Of Almond Hulls And The Supplementation Of Carbohydrases On Performance, Egg Quality, Nutrient Digestibility And Intestinal Health In Lsl-Lite Hens, Nelly Giovanna Cribillero Chuquihuaccha

Theses and Dissertations

Almond hulls (AH) are a by-product of the almond nut processing rich mainly in insoluble fiber. Addition of fiber in the diet has been shown positive results in performance in poultry. However, scientific literature on the use of AH in poultry is limited. The objective of this dissertation was to determine the effect of the supplementation of ground AH and cellulase-xylanase carbohydrase enzyme (E) inclusions on performance, egg quality, ileal nutrients digestibility, jejunum gene expression and ceca microbiota of Lohmann LSL-Lite pullets and laying hens from 0 to 70 weeks of age. Chapter I describe the knowledge on the composition …

Climate Resilience For Organic Vegetable Growers In The Midwest: Views, Needs, And Priorities Of Technical Service Providers, Natalie Hoidal, Greta Gramig, James Dedecker, Nicholas Frillman, Katie Black, Sarah Hayward, Rue Genger

Journal of Extension

As organic vegetable production becomes increasingly important in Upper Midwest food systems, Extension programs and partners must rise to the challenge of supporting growers with climate resilience. These growers are uniquely vulnerable to climate impacts, and addressing this challenge requires a networked approach. We report on a needs assessment and social network analysis process with technical service providers across the region to define the challenges, needs, and opportunities for building individual and institutional capacity to address climate change with growers. Results highlighted several focus areas, including improved communication, better access to funding, sound information, and cultural appropriateness.

Recent Advances In The Utilization Of Cellulose From Food Processing Byproducts For The Generation Of Aerogels, Jaspreet Kaur, Ali Ubeyitogullari

Food Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Aerogels have garnered significant attention from the scientific community due to their extraordinary properties, including low density, high porosity, low thermal conductivity, and large surface area. These properties make them interesting candidates for diverse applications such as thermal insulation, drug delivery, catalysis, fillers, tissue engineering, and biosensors. However, the production of conventional aerogels is often constrained by environmental issues, the high cost of raw materials, and energy-intensive fabrication methods. In contrast, cellulose aerogels have emerged as promising sustainable materials with the potential to transform various low-cost waste products into high-value biomaterials. Food-processing byproducts provide numerous untapped opportunities for the generation …

North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center, Part Ii: Outcomes And Impacts: Empowering Farmers, Transforming Futures, Sheila Aikanathan Johnson, Christine Lockert, Bradley D. Lubben

Cornhusker Economics

The North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center remains dedicated to helping American farmers and ranchers manage the unique risks of producing food for a global market. To date, we have funded 545 projects totaling over $20 million, reaching more than 175,500 participants. Collaboratively, these efforts reflect a growing commitment to equipping producers with the tools, knowledge, and support needed to make informed decisions, strengthen resilience, and ensure the long-term sustainability of agriculture across our region and beyond.

Weaving An Alternative Food System: The Implications Of‬‭ Campesino‬‭ Community‬ Structures For Food Sovereignty In New England‬, Torrance Wagner

CISLA Senior Integrative Projects

This exploration seeks to detangle the diverse lines of thinking, reasoning, and acting that make up the concept of food sovereignty, and to do so with the intention of understanding what its most actionable principles are. The topic is inspired by the traditional community-scale agriculture of campesino communities throughout Latin America, but specifically in the Valles Centrales of Oaxaca, Mexico. The ultimate questions are if and how the collectivity that often exists in these cultures can be applied to local food systems in New England to support regional food sovereignty. The ideas presented are drawn from personal experience, theoretical academic …

Utilization Of Industrial Hemp Biomass Waste (I): Stability Of Cannabidiol In Pre And Post- Encapsulation States, Jerel Crew, Ying Wu, Richard Mu, Ankit Patras

Food and Animal Sciences Faculty Research

After cannabidiol was extracted from the hemp biomass using supercritical CO2 extraction, the residual could be utilized as a source of other valuable ingredients. The stability of the extracted CBD in pre- and post- encapsulation states were evaluated. Dynamic macerations with ethanol and hexane were compared for CBD extraction. The ethanol extract yielded 0.11% ± 0.10 CBD and 1.83% ± 0.00 cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), while the hexane extraction yielded 0.08% ± 0.04 CBD, 1.06% ± 0.04 CBDA, and 0.30% ± 0.04 delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC). Ethanol extraction was selected due to the low THC detection in the extract. The CBD extract was …

Menthalactone From Mentha Piperita L., A Monocot-Selective Bioherbicide, Adam Soltani

Honors Theses

The challenge of managing invasive weed species continues to affect the agricultural industry, presenting ecological, economic, and agronomic hurdles that lead to over 100 billion USD in annual crop losses globally. One such concern is the management of Agrostis stolonifera L., commonly known as creeping bentgrass, particularly due to its ability to form hybrids. This scenario underscores the urgent need for innovative, effective, and environmentally sustainable herbicides, steering the focus toward natural substances as potential candidates. We report here a promising natural lactone, commonly known as menthalactone, which is derived from Mentha piperita L. Its phytotoxic activity was assessed against …

Swine Solutions: Enhancing Ffa Supervised Agricultural Experience Projects, Hannah M. Daily, Dr. John Michael Mehaffey, Dr. Candis Scallan, Dr. Amy Mehaffey, Dr. Joe Mask

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) is a portion of the three-circle model of agriculture education, providing experiential learning opportunities for students. The immersion SAE encourages students to build upon foundational learning components in a real-world application. A popular area of the immersion SAE includes ownership of market swine being raised for exhibition. This study serves as a pilot mentorship program for agricultural science educators and students, creating an educational resource encouraging record-keeping techniques and skill development, leading to eventual independence from the student’s standpoint. The model for the Swine Solutions Program includes utilization of the provided handbook, completion of daily observation …

North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center, Part I: Helps Producers Manage Risks, Christine Lockert, Sheila Aikanathan Johnson, Bradley D. Lubben

Cornhusker Economics

Educating producers to manage risk and position their farm or ranch for future growth and success is the fundamental purpose of the Extension Risk Management Education (ERME) program.

The ERME program, funded by United States Department of Aagriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, provides training to help producers learn new strategies to manage complex and growing agricultural risks.

Established in 2001 and located at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Agricultural Economics Department, the North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center (NCERMEC) has a long history of supporting risk management education programs serving producers in the region. NCERMEC, in conjunction …

Understanding Potential Profitability Estimates For Western Kentucky Grain Production, Austin Randolph, Naveen Musunuru

Honors College Theses

Profitability remains a persistent challenge for grain farmers across the United States and globally. Without profitability, the continued operation of any grain farm becomes unsustainable. For grain farmers, profitability is not merely a financial goal but a crucial determinant of their livelihood. However, many grain producers face a significant obstacle: a lack of reliable tools to predict profitability and plan for the next season or make adjustments to existing operations. While budgets can offer a framework and tentative guidelines for farmers to follow, fluctuations in market prices can ultimately undermine these financial plans. The objective of this project is to …

The Effect Of Boom Leveling On Spray Dispersion, Miguel Bustamante, Juan F. Vivanco, Travis A. Burgers

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Automatic boom height systems reduce the variability of agricultural sprayer boom height. When a boom is not at its target height, this can lead to uneven spray dispersion from the nozzles. Boom heights and sprayer position were previously measured in time for three commercially-available boom leveling systems for three test runs for at least three speeds over each of a mild, medium and rough terrain course. A computational model was created to use measured spray dispersion from a nozzle, measured boom heights in time, and measured sprayer position in time to calculate a spray coverage map. The model was used …

Autonomous Agricultural Equipment Evaluation For Broad-Acre Crop Production, Sofia Bahmutsky, Ashutosh Singh, Travis A. Burgers, Roy Maki

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.