Animal Sciences Commons^™

Invasive Species And Climate Change, Invasive Species Advisory Committee

National Invasive Species Council

ISSUE

Climate change interacts with and can often amplify the negative impacts of invasive species. These interactions are not fully appreciated or understood. They can result in threats to critical ecosystem functions on which our food system and other essential provisions and services depend as well as increase threats to human health. The Invasive Species Advisory Committee to the National Invasive Species Council recognizes the Administration’s commitment to dealing proactively with global climate change. However, unless we recognize and act on the impact of climate change and its interaction with ecosystems and invasive species, we will fall further behind in …

Ethanol Byproduct Feeds: Determining Accurate Fiber Content, Nutrient Composition And Variability, Storing With Low-Quality Forages, And Fiber Utilization In Finishing Diets, Crystal D. Buckner

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

The growing ethanol industry has produced vast quantities of distillers grains plus solubles (DGS) in the wet (WDGS) and dry forms and Sweet Bran wet corn gluten feed (SB). Previous research has demonstrated that these byproduct feeds result in improved feeding values compared to grass in growing diets and corn in finishing diets, with positive economic returns. Four experiments were conducted to evaluate dry matter determination methods and variability of nutrient composition for WDGS, determining the accurate method for measuring NDF in corn and DGS, compare feeding WDGS mixed with straw as either fresh or ensiled, and evaluate fiber digestibility …

Distributions Of Sharks Across A Continental Shelf In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, J. Marcus Drymon, Sean P. Powers, John Dindo, Brian Dzwonkowski, Terry A. Henwood

University Faculty and Staff Publications

Declines in shark populations have sparked researchers and fishery managers to investigate more prudent approaches to the conservation of these fish. As managers strive to improve data collection for stock assessment, fisheries-independent surveys have expanded to include data-deficient areas such as coastal regions. To that end, a catch series from a nearshore survey off Alabama was combined with data from a concurrent offshore survey with identical methodology to examine the depth use of sharks across the continental shelf (2–366 m). The combined data set contained 22 species of sharks collected from 1995 to 2008: 21 species in the offshore data …

Communication For Mate Selection In Anurans: Dominant Frequency Versus Snout-Vent-Length, Shari Jean Kunert

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

No abstract provided.

Distillers Grains With Solubles For Feedlot Cattle - Finishing Performance, Lipid Metabolism, And Ethanol Greenhouse Gas Balance, Virgil R. Bremer

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

Previous University of Nebraska feedlot research trials have characterized the feed value of wet distillers grains plus solubles (WDGS). These trials were summarized with meta-analysis methodology and indicated the feed value of WDGS interacts with corn processing type, cattle age (calf-fed or yearling), and inclusion level. Two steer finishing studies and a metabolism study were conducted to understand the impact of different lipid sources in WDGS on WDGS feed value. A biphasic lipid extraction procedure was developed to analyze feed samples from these trials that was more effective than Goldfisch ether extraction at lipid analysis of byproduct feds. These trials …

Alteration Of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A (Vegfa) Isoform Expression Results In Abnormal Gonadal Function, Ningxia Lu

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

In the female, vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) isoforms regulate follicle development and affect the initial primordial follicle pool. In male rodent testes, they are involved in the development of vasculature and seminiferous cords. The objective of the current study was to evaluate effects of Sertoli and Granulosa cellspecific production of VEGFA isoforms on vascular development and gonadal morphogenesis. We used a DMRT1-cre crossed to a floxed VEGFA mouse to determine potential phenotypes in male Sertoli-cell (VEGFA-DSertG) and female Granulosa-cell (VEGFA-DGranG) specific knockouts. In females, we found smaller ovarian weight, fewer corpus luteums (CLs) with some abnormal CL morphology, …

Economic Contribution Of The Agricultural Sector To The Arkansas Economy In 2008, Jennie Popp, Nathan Kemper, Wayne Miller, Katherine Mcgraw, Kyle Karr

Research Reports and Research Bulletins

This report is the fifth in a series of reports examining agriculture’s economic contribution to the Arkansas economy. Utilizing data from the United States Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), USDA Economics Research Service (ERS), USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), and Minnesota IMPLAN Group, Inc. (MIG), the economic contribution of agriculture on the Arkansas economy was estimated for the most recent year available, 2008. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by State information for Arkansas was compared with those of other states in the southeast U.S. to give a measure of the relative importance of agriculture in Arkansas.2 The total economic contribution …

Vocal Learning In Grey Parrots: A Brief Review Of Perception, Production, And Cross-Species Comparisons, Irene M. Pepperberg

Sentience Collection

This chapter briefly reviews what is known—and what remains to be understood—about Grey parrot vocal learning. I review Greys’ physical capacities—issues of auditory perception and production—then discuss how these capacities are used in vocal learning and can be recruited for referential communication with humans. I discuss cross-species comparisons where applicable and conclude with a description of recent research that integrates issues of reference, production and perception.

Unlv Magazine, Tony Allen, Shane Bevell, Donna Mcaleer, Ched Whitney, Cate Weeks

UNLV Magazine

No abstract provided.

Capuchins (Cebus Apella) Can Solve A Means-End Problem, Anna M. Yocom, Sarah T. Boysen

Sentience Collection

Three capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) were tested on a 2-choice discrimination task designed to examine their knowledge of support, modeled after Hauser, Kralik, and Botto-Mahan’s (1999) experiments with tamarins. This task involved a choice between 2 pieces of cloth, including 1 with a food reward placed on its surface, and a second cloth with the food reward next to its surface. After reliably solving the basic problem, the capuchins were tested with various alternations of the original food reward and cloth. The capuchins were able to solve the initial task quickly, and generalize their knowledge to additional functional and nonfunctional …

The Effect Of Natural Antimicrobial Ingredients On The Quality Of Roast Beef And Oven Roasted Turkey, Ace F. Vandewalle

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

This research evaluates the use of a buffered vinegar and lemon juice concentrate (LV) solution on the quality of restructured beef and turkey rolls. Two studies were conducted to evaluate processing and ingredient concentration. Beef and turkey rolls were formulated with minimal ingredients. 1.5% sea salt, 0.5% turbinado sugar, with LV or no LV. Study one evaluated length of mixing time (2.5, 5, 10, 15, 20 minutes) on quality and sensory attributes with 2.5% LV or 0% LV (C). Study two was divided into four treatments, 0% (C), 1.5%, 2.5%, and 3.5% LV, used to evaluate the effects of three …

Interaction Between Roughages And Corn Milling Byproducts In Finishing Cattle Diets, Joshua R. Benton

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

During ethanol production, starch is the primary nutrient fermented and the remaining byproducts are excellent sources of fiber and protein. In addition, inclusion of byproducts in finishing diets may reduce the incidence of acidosis. As a result, roughage level and quality could potentially be reduced in finishing diets containing byproducts. Three experiments were conducted to examine the effects of roughage and wet corn gluten feed (WCGF) in finishing cattle diets containing corn distillers grains plus solubles. Cattle fed finishing diets containing wet distillers grains plus solubles (WDGS) with no roughage had decreased DMI and ADG compared to cattle fed roughage. …

Human Induced Rotation And Reorganization Of The Brain Of Domestic Dogs, Taryn Roberts, Paul Mcgreevy, Michael Valenzuela

Morphology Collection

Domestic dogs exhibit an extraordinary degree of morphological diversity. Such breed-to-breed variability applies equally to the canine skull, however little is known about whether this translates to systematic differences in cerebral organization. By looking at the paramedian sagittal magnetic resonance image slice of canine brains across a range of animals with different skull shapes (N = 13), we found that the relative reduction in skull length compared to width (measured by Cephalic Index) was significantly correlated to a progressive ventral pitching of the primary longitudinal brain axis (r = 0.83), as well as with a ventral shift in the position …

Invasive Species And Public Investment In The Green Economy, Invasive Species Advisory Committee

National Invasive Species Council

Invasive Species and Public Investment in the Green Economy, approved by ISAC on June 24, 2010

ISSUE

Invasive species are intricately linked to the economy. Trade, travel, and transport facilitate their spread. Invasive species management requires extensive human and financial resources. The impacts of invasive species can substantially undermine economic growth and sustainable development. United States Executive Order (EO) 13112 defines invasive species as “alien [non-native] species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health” and states that Federal agencies should …“not authorize, fund, or carry out actions that are likely …

Marine Bioinvasions And Climate Change, James T. Carlton, Sandra C. Lindstrom, Celia M. Smith, Jennifer E. Smith

National Invasive Species Council

BACKGROUND

Invasive species are second only to habitat destruction as the greatest cause of species endangerment and global biodiversity loss. Invasive species can cause severe and permanent damage to the ecosystems they invade. Consequences of invasion include competition with or predation upon native species, hybridization, carrying or supporting harmful pathogens and parasites that may affect wildlife and human health, disturbing ecosystem function through alteration of food webs and nutrient recycling rates, acting as ecosystem engineers and altering habitat structure, and degradation of the aesthetic quality of our natural resources. In many cases we may not fully know the native animals …

On-Farm Welfare Assessment For Regulatory Purposes: Issues And Possible Solutions, Jan Tind Sørensen, David Fraser

Assessment of Animal Welfare Collection

On-farm welfare assessment has been used mainly for non-regulatory purposes such as producer education or to qualify for voluntary welfare-assurance programs. The application of on-farm assessments in regulatory programs would require four issues to be addressed: (1) selecting criteria that are widely accepted as valid by diverse citizens, (2) setting minimum legal levels, (3) achieving the high level of fairness and objectivity required for legally binding requirements, and (4) achieving the cost-efficiency needed for widespread use of the methods. Issues 1 and 2 pose a particular problem because different citizens disagree on what they understand as good animal welfare, with …

The Economic Importance Of Draught Oxen On Small Farms In Namibia's Eastern Caprivi Region, Andrew B. Conroy, Mogos Yakob Teweldmehidin

Natural Resources & the Environment

The main aim of this study was to analyse and document the value of smallholder farmers’ use of Draught Animal Power (DAP) systems in the Eastern Caprivi Region and to test the economic viability of DAP usage versus using tractors. This study applied Rapid Rural Appraisal techniques (RRA), including a survey. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 312 farmers at their farms and data was gathered on the use of and economics related to the draught animal power system. Crop enterprise budgets, project reports, expert opinions and group discussions were analysed. The research found that the use of animal power performs …

Effects Of Variable Oceanographic Conditions On Forage Fish Lipid Content And Fatty Acid Composition In The Northern California Current, Marisa N. C. Litz, Richard D. Brodeur, Robert L. Emmett, Selina S. Heppell, Rosalee S. Hellberg, Linda O'Higgins, Matthew S. Morris

Food Science Faculty Articles and Research

Lipids and fatty acids (FA) were investigated in 4 species of forage fish: northern anchovy Engraulis mordax, Pacific sardine Sardinops sagax, Pacific herring Clupea pallasi, and whitebait smelt Allosmerus elongatus, for their ability to serve as biological indicators of ocean conditions in the California Current large marine ecosystem (CCLME). Samples were collected during the oceanographically contrasting years of 2005 and 2006. Upwelling was severely curtailed in the spring and early summer of 2005, leading to delayed biological productivity, whereas upwelling was relatively normal in spring 2006. Principal components analysis described 78% of the variance within the …

Your Attention Please: Increasing Ambient Noise Levels Elicits A Change In Communication Behaviour In Humpback Whales (Megaptera Novaeangliae), Rebecca A. Dunlop, Douglas H. Cato, Michael J. Noad

Bioacoustics Collection

High background noise is an important obstacle in successful signal detection and perception of an intended acoustic signal. To overcome this problem, many animals modify their acoustic signal by increasing the repetition rate, duration, amplitude or frequency range of the signal. An alternative method to ensure successful signal reception, yet to be tested in animals, involves the use of two different types of signal, where one signal type may enhance the other in periods of high background noise. Humpback whale communication signals comprise two different types: vocal signals, and surface-generated signals such as ‘breaching’ or ‘pectoral slapping’. We found that …

The Effects Of Ornamentation On Wolf Spider Foraging, Mari Pesek

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

ABSTRACT: As a secondary sexual trait that can increase reproductive success, ornamentation is believed to be costly for organisms to acquire and possess. This study investigates possible costs of ornamentation on wolf spider foraging by comparing foraging abilities of two male forms that differ in ornamentation upon maturation. The two male forms, found syntopically in a mixed population in Mississippi, USA, resemble two sibling species: Schizocosa ocreata, in which males develop large black brushes on their forelegs upon maturation, and Schizocosa rovneri, in which males lack ornamentation following maturation. Individuals of both forms participated in foraging trials as penultimates (juveniles) …

Herbicides And Amphibian Populations, Zach Shirk

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Amphibians are a unique class of species that are found worldwide except Antarctica and Greenland. They range in size from a few millimeters to over six feet long. Amphibian’s habitats are as various as their size, but one thing in common is that amphibians require an aquatic location to breed. Amphibians live in deserts, mountain prairies, rain forest, wetlands, and almost everywhere in between. Amphibians are an integrated part of most natural ecosystems across the world. Amphibians are a critical part of many food chains; they provide the important link between secondary and tertiary consumers. Amphibians are indicator species in …

Non-Invasive Genetic Sampling Of Faecal Material And Hair From The Grey-Headed Flying-Fox (Pteropus Poliocephalus), Heather J. Baldwin, Stephen J. Hoggard, Stephanie T. Snoyman, Adam J. Snow, Culum Brown

Veterinary Science and Medicine Collection

Remote-sampling DNA from animals offers obvious benefits for species that are difficult to sample directly and is less disruptive for species of conservation concern. Here we report the results of a pilot study investigating non-invasive DNA sampling of the grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus), a threatened species that is restricted to the east coast of Australia. We successfully extracted DNA from fresh scats and hair, each of which was of sufficient quality for amplifying mitochondrial DNA markers and microsatellites. A single-locus multitube approach was used to investigate amplification success and genotyping reliability. Faecal samples yielded a higher proportion of successful amplifications …

Distribution Of Allatostatin C-Like Immunoreactivity In The Central Nervous System Of The Copepod Crustacean Calanus Finmarchicus, Caroline H. Wilson, Andrew E. Christie

Health Sciences and Kinesiology Faculty Articles

The C-type allatostatins (C-ASTs) are a family of highly pleiotropic arthropod neuropeptides. In crustaceans, transcriptomic/mass spectral studies have identified C-ASTs in the nervous systems of many species; the cellular distributions of these peptides remain unknown. Here, the distribution of C-AST was mapped in the nervous system of the copepod Calanus finmarchicus, the major contributor to the North Atlantic’s zooplanktonic biomass; C-AST-immunopositive neurons were identified in the protocerebrum, in several peripheral ganglia associated with feeding appendages, and in the ganglia controlling the swimming legs, with immunopositive axons present throughout the ventral nerve cord. In addition, axons innervating the dorsal longitudinal …

Changes In Area Affect Figure–Ground Assignment In Pigeons, Leyre Castro, Olga F. Lazareva, Shaun P. Vecera, Edward A. Wasserman

Perception Collection

A critical cue for figure–ground assignment in humans is area: smaller regions are more likely to be perceived as figures than are larger regions. To see if pigeons are similarly sensitive to this cue, we trained birds to report whether a target appeared on a colored figure or on a differently colored background. The initial training figure was either smaller than (Experiments 1 and 2) or the same area as (Experiment 2) the background. After training, we increased or decreased the size of the figure. When the original training shape was smaller than the background, pigeons’ performance improved with smaller …

Trait Selection And Welfare Of Genetically Engineered Animals In Agriculture, Michael Greger

Genetics Collection

The release of the Final Guidance from the US Food and Drug Administration on the commercialization of genetically engineered animals has sparked renewed discussion over the ethical, consumer, and regulatory implications of transgenesis in animal agriculture. Animal welfare critiques have focused on unexpected phenotypic effects in animals used in transgenic research, rather than on the health and welfare implications of the intended productivity enhancement. Unless breeding goals are redefined to reflect social concerns, the occurrence and magnitude of undesirable side effects may increase and consumer confidence in the nascent technology may be undermined.

Validation Of Live Animal Ultrasonic Measurements Of Body Composition In Market Lambs, J. C. Emenheiser, S. P. Greiner, Ronald M. Lewis, D. R. Notter

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Market lambs from the state fair of Virginia (n = 172) were ultrasonically evaluated by 4 scan technicians and 3 image interpreters to determine accuracy of ultrasonic estimates of loin muscle area (ULMA), backfat thickness (UBF), and body wall thickness (UBW). Lambs were initially scanned at the preferred magnification setting of each technician; 2 chose 1.5× and 2 chose 2.0×. Lambs were then scanned a second time for ULMA and UBF with machine magnification settings changed from 1.5 to 2.0×, or vice versa, midway through the second scan. Lambs were then slaughtered, and analogous measurements [carcass loin muscle area, …

Identification Of Parelaphostrongylus Odocoilei (Nematoda: Protostrongylidae) First-Stage Larvae In The Feces Of Gray Wolves (Canis Lupus) By Molecular Methods, Heather M. Bryan, Kathrin A. Sim, Chris T. Darimont, Paul C. Paquet, Brent Wagner, Violeta Muñoz-Fuentes, Judit E. Smits, Nell B. Chilton

Parasitology Collection

First-stage nematode larvae with a dorsal-spine (DSL) were detected in five of 1,565 fecal samples from gray wolves (Canis lupus) collected in British Columbia, Canada, between 2005 and 2008. Molecular techniques were used to identify the DSL because it was not possible to determine their species identity using morphologic characters. The DSL were identified as Parelaphostrongylus odocoilei based on the results of single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analyses and DNA sequencing of the ribosomal DNA first and second internal transcribed spacers. Finding DSL of P. odocoilei in the feces of gray wolves was unexpected because P. odocoilei adults are parasites of …

Quality Prevails Over Identity In The Sexually Selected Vocalisations Of An Ageing Mammal, Elodie F. Briefer, Elisabetta Vannoni, Alan G. Mcelligott

Ethology Collection

Background: Male sexually selected vocalisations generally contain both individuality and quality cues that are crucial in intra- as well as inter-sexual communication. As individuality is a fixed feature whereas male phenotypic quality changes with age, individuality and quality cues may be subjected to different selection pressures over time. Individuality (for example, morphology of the vocal apparatus) and quality (for example, body size and dominance status) can both affect the vocal production mechanism, inducing the same components of vocalisations to convey both kinds of information. In this case, do quality-related changes to the acoustic structure of calls induce a modification of …

Gustav Radde In Sibirien: Zum 150. Jubiläum Der Baikalexpedition (1855-1859), Juri Durnev, Michael Stubbe, Annegret Stubbe

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

Unter den Beiträgen der deutschen Gelehrten zur Erforschung der Fauna der Baikalregion sind die Arbeiten von Gustav Radde besonders hervorzuheben. Er war nach I. Georgi der zweite Gelehrte, der den Versuch machte, den Baikalsee mit dem Boot für zoologische Untersuchungen zu bereisen. G. Radde untersuchte die Wirbeltiere der Baikalküsten und des Chamar-Daban-Gebirges. Er bestieg als erster Naturforscher den höchsten Gipfel Ostsibiriens, den Munku-Sardyk.

Zum 300. Geburtstag Georg Wilhelm Stellers, Peter Hoffmann

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

First paragraph:

Genau heute vor 300. Jahren, am 10. März 1709, wurde Georg Wilhelm Steller in Windsheim/ Franken geboren. Sein Name wird in den Quellen, Kirchenbüchern usw. Stöhler, Stöller, Stoeller geschrieben. Eine solche unterschiedliche Schreibweise des Namens darf uns nicht irritieren – bis zur Gründung von Standesämtern 1878 wurden in Deutschland Personenstandsdaten von den Pastoren aufgezeichnet, die in die Kirchenbücher die Namen in der Form eintrugen, wie sie sie gehört hatten. Und auch in anderen Dokumentationen, etwa in den Akten eines Stadtarchivs, wurden Eigennamen meist nach dem Gehör notiert. Erst die standesamtliche Registrierung brachte auch eine Normierung der Schreibweise von …