Animal Sciences Commons^™

Does Integrating Crops With Livestock Production Impact Soil Properties And Crop Production?, Lindsey Anderson

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Re-integrating crop and livestock production through cover crop (CC) and corn residue grazing could efficiently utilize resources and ensure profitability while improving environmental quality, but how this integration affects soils and crops is not well understood. We conducted two studies to address this. In the first study, we evaluated the impact of cattle (1.3-3.7 head ha^-1) grazing an oat (Avena sativa L.) CC on soil and crop yields in two adjacent irrigated no-till corn (Zea mays L.)-soybean (Glycine max L.) fields on silt loam soils in eastern Nebraska. Field I was grazed twice, while Field …

Tree-Mendous Fun With Nature Club, Ashley Mcrae

Honors Expanded Learning Clubs

Tree-Mendous Fun with Nature was a kids club run for kids ages 6-10. We enjoyed this club and the curriculum we created so here we offer our lesson plans so others can duplicate our club. Each lesson revolves around a different topic of nature. By the end of the club, students will be able to understand nature on a much more intimate level.

Changes In Whole Blood Parameters In Beef Heifers May Contribute To Delayed Pubertal Attainment, Jessica A. Keane

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Pubertal development in beef heifers is a transient period that has many contributing factors. Previously in our lab, progesterone (P4) concentrations collected from heifers at weaning (Oct) to breeding (May) were used to identify four distinct pubertal groups: Typical, Early, Start-Stop, and Non-Cycling. There is limited research on heifers and the impacts of whole blood cell populations, particularly WBCs, during pubertal development; however, girls with differing puberty onset displayed altered concentrations of hematocrit, white blood cells (WBC), and hemoglobin concentrations. Thus, our hypothesis was that heifer pubertal groups with delayed or precocious puberty may have increased white blood cells or …

Evaluation Of Supplementing Whole Cottonseed Within Feedlot Rations During The Stockerphase Of Production With The Goal Of Increasing Average Daily Gain, Emily Lauren Cook

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Beef calves are weaned at 6-months of age and enter the stocker phase of beef production. Stocker producers have the primary goal of adding weight inexpensively to increase profit on weaned calves. Whole cottonseed is an inexpensive feed ingredient that is popularly top-dressed within dairy and finishing beef diets and is high in protein and energy. During three periods lasting 50-days (fall 2019, fall 2020, and spring 2020), freshly weaned calves were placed on a finishing ration with the goal of increasing average daily gain. Base rations were calculated at 25% tall fescue hay, 23% corn, and 52% distillers’ solubles. …

Geographic Distribution: Eleutherodactylus Coqui (Common Coqui). Usa: Florida., Louis A. Somma

Papers in Herpetology

A geographic interception record for Eleutherodactylus coqui in Suwanee County, Florida.

Geographic Distribution: Iguana Iguana (Green Iguana): Usa: Florida., Louis A. Somma, Mark T. Bailey

Papers in Herpetology

A geographic distribution record for Iguana iguana in Marion County, Florida.

Influenza H3n2v: Key Facts For People Exhibiting Pigs At Fairs, Tennessee State University

Extension Publications

No abstract provided.

Biosecurity Measures For Meat Goat And Sheep Managers, Maria Lenira Leite-Browning, Richard Browning Jr., Cassandra F. Vaughn, Kenneth Andries

Extension Publications

No abstract provided.

Shortening Sow Restraint Period During Lactation Improves Production And Decreases Hair Cortisol Concentrations In Sows And Their Piglets, L. Morgan, J. Meyer, S. Novak, A. Younis, W.A. Ahmad, T. Raz

Elaine Marieb College of Nursing Faculty Publication Series

Food animal welfare is an issue of great concern, as society has a responsibility for animals under human care. Pork is the most consumed meat worldwide, with more than a billion pigs being slaughtered globally every year. Still, in most countries, sows are restrained in farrowing crates throughout lactation. In these crates, sows arc confined with bars to an area that is just slightly larger than their body. Thus, moving and turning around, grooming, or expressing other natural behaviors are typically impossible. In this study, we utilized a simple and practical modification of conventional farrowing crates to designed farrowing pens, …

A Sonic Net Reduces Damage To Sunflower By Blackbirds (Icteridae): Implications For Broad-Scale Agriculture And Crop Establishment, Amanda K. Werrell, Page E. Klug, Romuald N. Lipcius, John P. Swaddle

VIMS Articles

Blackbirds, such as red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus), are notorious agricultural pests and damage crops at multiple stages of growth. Our aim was to test a novel deterrent, the use of sound designed to mask communication among birds (termed a “Sonic Net”), to deter blackbirds (Icteridae) from target areas of maturing sunflower crops. The Sonic Net masks communication of a target species by delivering “pink noise” that overlaps with the frequencies that the species uses for acoustic communication. If birds cannot hear predators or conspecific warning calls their perceived predation risk increases, and they relocate to an area with lower predation …

Sheep And Goat Industry Funding Scheme Annual Report 2019/2020, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity published reports

The Sheep and Goat Industry Funding Scheme (IFS) has been operating since 2010 to address biosecurity threats relevant to the Western Australian (WA) sheep and goat industry. The Scheme was established by regulation under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 to enable sheep and goat producers to identify pest and disease priorities at a whole-of-industry level and raise funds for activities to address these priorities.

There are currently three Industry Funding Schemes in operation. In addition to the Sheep and Goat IFS, there is a Cattle IFS and a Grains, Seeds and Hay IFS. The three IFSs operate in …

Cattle Industry Funding Scheme Annual Report 2019/2020, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity published reports

In June 2010 the Cattle Industry Funding Scheme (IFS) was introduced to address biosecurity threats relevant to the Western Australian (WA) cattle industry. The Scheme was established under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 to enable cattle producers to identify the pest and disease priorities at a whole-of-industry level and to raise funds for activities to address these priorities.

There are currently three Industry Funding Schemes in operation. In addition to the Cattle IFS, there is a Sheep and Goat IFS and a Grains, Seeds and Hay IFS. The three IFSs operate in a similar manner.

The purpose of …

Food Justice Saf 383, Michael Cerbo

Library Impact Statements

No abstract provided.

Interaction Of Urea With Frequency And Amount Of Distillers Grains Supplementation For Growing Steers On A High Forage Diet, Haley F. Linder

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Two studies were conducted to determine interactions of urea inclusion to a dried distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS) supplement fed at two amounts and two frequencies to steers on a high forage diet. In Exp. 1, 120 steers were fed individually for 84 d. Steers received ad libitum grass hay and 1 of 8 treatments. Supplement was fed either every day (D) or 3x/week (ALT), amount of supplement fed was 6.36 kg/week (LO) or 12.73 kg/week (HI), and contain either no urea (-U) or 1.3% urea (+U). Hay DMI and steer BW were measured. In Exp. 2, 8 ruminally cannulated …

Improving The Accuracy Of Genomic Predictions: Investigation Of Training Methods And Data Pooling, Johnna Baller

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

One of the primary factors in the response to selection is the accuracy of selection. This study focused on methodologies to predict breeding values (BV) accurately within multi- and single-step genomic evaluations. Factors including cross-validation methods, dependent variables, and genotyping strategies were assessed on the accuracy of genomic BV while using multi-step prediction in real and simulated data. In both cases, random clustering led to largest estimated accuracies compared to clusters based on k-means, k-medoids, and principle component analysis, but differences in bias were not detected. Using deregressed estimated BV (EBV) to estimate SNP effects led to larger accuracies and …

Development Of A Grass Measurement Optimisation Tool To Efficiently Measure Herbage Mass On Grazed Pastures, D. J. Murphy, B. O'Brien, Michael D. Murphy

Publications

Accurate and efficient estimation of herbage mass is essential for optimising grass utilisation and increasing profit for pasture farming. There is no definitive sampling protocol for grass measurement on Irish pastures. This paper presents the Grass Measurement Optimisation Tool (GMOT), designed to generate measurement protocols that optimise for time and accuracy. The GMOT was designed in the form of a decision support tool that generates interactive paddock maps that guide the farmer on how to optimally measure their pastures in a random stratified manner based on GPS co-ordinates, resulting in accurate non-biased estimations of mean herbage mass. Rising plate meter …

Energy Metabolism In Jersey Cows: Improving Our Understanding Of Energy Requirements And Utilization, Dennis Morris

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Energy is the most limiting nutrient for high producing lactating dairy cows and improving our understand of factors affecting energy supply should improve our ability to estimate net energy of lactation (NE_L), milk production, and tissue accretion. To achieve this object, firstly, three experiments were completed to determine 1) maintenance energy requirements; 2) factors affecting heat production; and 3) the relationship between urinary N and energy excretion. Three additional experiments using lactating Jersey cows were completed to evaluate energy utilization of diets varying in 1) supply of Lys and His; 2) fatty acids (FA) and …

Influence Of Strategic Supplementation And Genetic Potential For Milk Yield On Forage Digestibility, Amino Acid Utilization, And Livestock Production, Tasha M. King

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

When consuming low-quality forages or at times when nutrient demands are high, ruminants may be unable to meet these requirements resulting in a state of negative energy balance. With feed costs contributing a large portion of production costs, providing dietary nutrients to maintain energy balance must be done so strategically. Additionally, producers must ensure consistent reproductive performance and offspring weaned to maintain a successful livestock enterprise. The objective of these studies was to evaluate the effect of glucogenic precursor supplementation and milk yield on forage digestibility, amino acid utilization, and livestock production. In experiment 1, a metabolism study was conducted …

Advancing The Science Of Dry-Aged Beef, Felipe Azevedo Ribeiro

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In order to tightly control dry aging environmental conditions, we designed and built a computerized dry aging system that is capable of measuring and precisely controlling relative humidity (RH; ± 1%), temperature (± 0.5 °C), air flow (± 0.015m³/min), and mass loss (± 5 g). This dissertation addressed the effects of RH and ultimate pH on meat quality and sensory attributes of dry-aged beef. In study one, we learned that wet-aged steaks had higher L* (P = 0.01), a* (P = 0.03), and b* values (P < 0.001), lower discoloration scores (P < 0.05), and lower TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive substance) values (P = 0.03) than dry-aged treatments. Under prolonged …

Characterization Of Protein And Fat In Dairy Feeds And Implications On Digestibility And Milk Composition, Kassidy Buse

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

A variety of feedstuffs are used to comprise dairy rations, each with their own nutritional contributions. In order to best utilize these feedstuffs to maximize production, characterization of their chemical composition is needed. Through the use of both in vitro and in situ methods, not only can the composition of the feed be determined, but also its digestibility. Also, because of the important role they play in human health, omega 3 fatty acids have received increasing attention. Most individuals consuming Western diets do not meet the recommended requirement for omega 3 fatty acids, and one way to improve that is …

Feeder Cattle Future Price Spreads: Opportunities To Hedge?, Elliott James Dennis

Extension Farm and Ranch Management News

First paragraph:

Feeder cattle future price spreads across all months have recovered to near pre-COVID-19 levels as quarantine restrictions and packing plant capacity issues have been mostly sorted out. For example, for the week of July 17, 2010 [sic], prices reached levels not seen since the beginning of March 2020. Pasture and corn progress are two factors that have the potential to push prices lower in the next coming months. Given current market conditions, producers have some options to lock in a margin.

What Drives Bull Prices, And How Much Can I Spend On A Bull?, Matthew D. Garcia, Ryan Larsen, C. K. Chapman

All Current Publications

Several factors determine the age-old question of how much to pay for a bull. These factors are highly variable and can fluctuate from year to year. The five main factors influencing bull prices are explored in this fact sheet, including breed, availability, auction activity, breeder reputation, and genetic potential.

Effects Of Ndf Digestibility On Lactating Jersey Cows: Observed And Modeled Performance, Kirby Krogstad

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Improving the digestibility of fiber and our understanding of how to feed it will optimize the ruminants’ niche in our society, which is to convert human inedible products to high quality protein in the form of meat and milk. Neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility has been studied and modeled for decades, but it is increasingly important as livestock production is scrutinized for resource use and sustainability. Increasing the amount of NDF fed and improving models of NDF digestibility will improve sustainability by increasing the precision at which we feed livestock which results in less nutrient and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. …

The Role Of Postnatal Adrenergic Manipulation In The Mediation Of Fetal Programming Adaptions In Growth And Skeletal Muscle Glucose Metabolism That Persist In The Juvenile Iugr-Born Lamb, Rachel L. Gibbs

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Our 1^st study assessed growth deficits in IUGR juvenile lambs and the benefits of treatment with adrenergic and inflammatory mediators. Growth metrics including bodyweight, rate of gain, and crown-rump length were diminished by placental insufficiency-induced IUGR through 2 mo. of age but were recovered by daily clenbuterol or curcumin supplementation. Body composition metrics indicated by bioelectrical impedance, proximate analysis, and loin size revealed that fat-free lean mass, specific muscle group sizes, and protein-to-fat ratios were reduced in unsupplemented IUGR lambs but recovered to or even past controls in clenbuterol-supplemented lambs. From these findings, we conclude that IUGR impairs postnatal …

Volume 16, Number 1 (Spring/Summer 2020), Ut Institute Of Agriculture

Tennessee Land, Life and Science Magazine

Issue Highlights:

• The four pillars of the Institute of Agriculture
• Alumna forges partnership amid Waldo Canyon fire
• Fishery biologists revive a river

Aging Horses By Their Teeth, Karl Hoopes, Patricia Evans, Nancy Jack

All Current Publications

This publication tells how to pinpoint a horses age, within a fairly narrow range, by examining its teeth. Being able to pinpoint age can be of use to owners of unregistered horses or horses whose age is unknown for any reason. Many health and nutrition management decisions are directly related to age and dental wear, making it even more important for all horse owners to have a general understanding of how a horse’s mouth changes with age. From a historical perspective, up until recently when organized associations started keeping birth dates on registered horses, most horse professionals took great pride …

The Impact Of Oxidative Stress On Postmortem Meat Quality, Nicolas J. Herrera

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Tenderness is the primary factor to influence consumer palatability in fresh meat. The tenderization of muscle is dependent on proteolytic mechanisms, including calcium dependent, non-lysosomal endogenous enzymes such as calpains and proteasomes. These mechanisms have been indicated alongside apoptosis early postmortem as cascades of apoptotic events promote ideal conditions for postmortem tenderization. Recent literature has identified oxidative stress-mediated events to be linked to apoptotic activity. Oxidative stress is defined as the overwhelming production of reactive species compared to homeostatic, endogenous antioxidants present within muscle systems. These conditions exhaust antioxidant function and facilitate reactive species to alter protein, lipid, or nucleic …

Energy And Amino Acid Metabolism In Lactating Jersey Cows Consuming Feed Byproducts, Kyle Mclain

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Animal protein byproducts are high bypass proteins commonly used in the dairy industry. These bypass proteins can escape the rumen to supply additional amino acids needed to support milk and protein yield. Two of the more popular animal protein byproducts used in the dairy industry are blood meal and hydrolyzed feather meal. In the first experiment, two flow meters were compared using headbox-style calorimeters. The objectives of the first study were to test mass flow meter (MFM) and volumetric flow meter (VFM) by measuring O2 consumption and CO2 production and to illustrate the effects of incomplete gas recovery on estimated …

Impact Of Cow Size And Validation Of An Electronic Feeder To Optimize Resources In Beef Production Systems, Rob Ziegler

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Optimizing beef production systems is critical in the longevity of an enterprise. In a time of rapid change and innovation, there are increasingly more opportunities to improve efficiency of livestock production by taking advantage of new technologies. Furthermore, production environments vary drastically in all segments of the beef industry, which influence feed resource availability. Therefore, it is critical to realize the cow type that excels in a given production environment according to management objectives. To gain a better understanding of the optimal cow type in the Nebraska Sandhills, a retrospective analysis was conducted to evaluate increasing cow body weight (BW) …

Impact Of Diet And Quality Grade On Meat Quality Characteristics And Their Relationship To Oxidative Stress, Nicolas Bland

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Marbling and tenderness in meat are some of the most impactful factors for the consumer eating experience. The cause of the relationship between marbling and tenderness is still unresolved. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of feeding different types of processed corn, with or without distiller grains on oxidative stress, and how that relates to tenderness and shelf life of beef steaks of differing quality grades. Steers (n= 240) were finished on dry rolled corn (DRC), DRC + 30% dried distillers grains (DDGS), steam flaked corn (SFC), or SFC + 30% DDGS. Cattle were fed 10 per pen. …