Animal Sciences Commons^™

Use Of Anti-Mullerian Hormone To Select For Fertility In Beef Heifers, Hannah Newberry

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

ABSTRACT

A study was conducted to determine whether concentration of serum Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) at weaning and/or breeding could predict subsequent fertility in beef heifers. Frequency distribution was used to assign serum AMH concentration measured at weaning, breeding, and the change from weaning to breeding, into quartiles. Comparison of heifers based on serum AMH quartiles at weaning failed (P ³ 0.35) to detect any effect of AMH on subsequent heifer cyclicity at breeding, estrous response after synchronization, artificial insemination (AI) pregnancy rate, overall breeding season pregnancy rate, or estimated estrous cycle of the breeding season when conception occurred. Based on …

Permian Scorpions From The Petrified Forest Of Chemnitz, Germany, Jason A. Dunlop, David A. Legg, Paul L. Selden, Victor Fet, Joerg W. Schneider, Ronny Rößler

Biological Sciences Faculty Research

Background: Paleozoic scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones) have been widely documented from the Carboniferous Period; which hosts a remarkable assemblage of more than sixty species including both putative stem- and crown-group fossils. By contrast the succeeding Permian Period is almost completely devoid of records, which are currently restricted to a trace fossil from the early Permian of New Mexico, USA and some limb fragments from the late Permian of the Vologda Region, Russia.

Results: ?Opsieobuthus tungeri sp. nov. from the Petrified Forest of Chemnitz, Germany represents the first complete body fossils of scorpions from the Permian. Explosive volcanism preserved these remarkable …

Host-Parasite Associations Of Small Mammal Communities And Implications For The Spread Of Lyme Disease, Matthew J. Buchholz

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Many zoonotic pathogens of concern to human and veterinary health are maintained in the environment within small mammal reservoirs and vectored to new hosts by ectoparasitic arthropods. While the ecological relationships among small mammals, ectoparasites, and disease-causing symbiotic microorganisms are important to these dynamics, little is known about them across much of North America. The sylvatic cycle of Borrelia burgdorferi, the etiologic agent of Lyme disease, is of particular interest because Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease of humans in the United States. However, cases of Lyme disease are primarily confined to the northeastern and Midwestern United States, …

Mother--Offspring Recognition Via Contact Calls In Cattle, Bos Taurus, Mónica Padilla De La Torre, Elodie F. Briefer, Brad M. Ochocki, Alan G. Mcelligott, Tom Reader

Sentience Collection

Individual recognition in gregarious species is fundamental in order to avoid misdirected parental investment. In ungulates, two very different parental care strategies have been identified: ‘hider’ offspring usually lie concealed in vegetation whereas offspring of ‘follower’ species remain with their mothers while they forage. These two strategies have been suggested to impact on mother--offspring vocal recognition, with unidirectional recognition of the mother by offspring occurring in hiders and bidirectional recognition in followers. In domestic cattle, Bos taurus, a facultative hider species, vocal communication and recognition have not been studied in detail under free-ranging conditions, where cows and calves can graze …

The Effects Of Androgens On Bovine And Human Granulosa Cells, Katelyn C. Griger, Sarah Romereim, Renata Spuri-Gomes, Mohamed A. Abedal-Majed, Mariah Hart, Scott G. Kurz, Robert A. Cushman, John S. Davis, Jennifer R. Wood, Andrea S. Cupp

UCARE: Research Products

A subpopulation of cows in the Physiology herd has been identified as subfertile due to sporadic or chronic anovulation. This decrease in fertility could be lost profits for farmers and raises questions about ovulation disorders in women. Granulosa cells, a type of cell that is essential to ovarian follicle development, was investigated to determine if high concentrations of a hormone, androstenedione, could impact the follicular environment enough to cause anovulation disorders. Previous studies suggested that excess androgen may decrease the number of functioning granulosa cells by preventing them from proliferating within the follicle. Fewer granulosa cells mean fewer cells that …

Examining Maternal Obesity Effects On Oogenesis, Follicular Development, And Embryonic Myogenesis, Chris Lindeman, Jennifer Wood

UCARE: Research Products

The CDC estimates that more than one-third of U.S. adults (approximately 78.6 million) are obese. Despite national efforts to combat this with diet and exercise, the number of obese adults and children continues to climb. It is critical to emphasize that obesity can lead to lifelong, chronic complications and health risks including hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes.

Diet and obesity also have important impacts on the reproductive health of female including the ability to become pregnant (fertility) and risk for complications during pregnancy. Furthermore, for women who do become pregnant, obesity can affect the development of the embryo and fetus, …

How Microbial Communities Differ In Ruminants On A Glycerin Vs Common Diet, Makala Muller, Nirosh D. Aluthge, Allison L. Knoell, Morgan Kaiser, Samodha C. Fernando

UCARE: Research Products

Can we reduce methane by using dietary interventions to reduce carbon footprint and increase feed efficiency? Ruminant livestock account for a significant amount of the anthropogenic methane produced in the U.S. All ruminant livestock produce 28% of the earth’s methane emissions. The methane within ruminants is produced by a microbial fermentation, especially by a group of bacteria known as the methanogens. However, the different species of methanogens and their pathways of methane production within ruminants are not fully understood. Cattle are considered one of the main producers of methane. They produce 20% of the U.S. methane emissions. Methane absorbs more …

Diversity-Dependent Cladogenesis Throughout Western Mexico: Evolutionary Biogeography Of Rattlesnakes (Viperidae: Crotalinae: Crotalus And Sistrurus), Christopher Blair, Santiago Sánchez-Ramírez

Publications and Research

Rattlesnakes (Crotalus and Sistrurus) represent a radiation of approximately 42 species distributed throughout the New World from southern Canada to Argentina. Interest in this enigmatic group of snakes continues to accrue due, in part, to their ecomorphological diversity, contributions to global envenomations, and potential medicinal importance. Although the group has garnered substantial attention from systematists and evolutionary biologists for decades, little is still known regarding patterns of lineage diversification. In addition, few studies have statistically quantified broad-scale biogeographic patterns in rattlesnakes to ascertain how dispersal occurred throughout the New World, particularly among the different major biomes of the …

Acropora Habitat Evaluation And Restoration Site Selection Using A Species Distribution Modeling Approach, Katherine Wirt Ames

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

While populations of nearly all stony coral species along the Florida reef tract have exhibited decline, the most notable decline has occurred in the once-dominant acroporid species (Acropora cervicornis, A. palmata). Both species were listed in 2006 as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. This listing, combined with their continued decline, has resulted in large-scale restoration efforts throughout Florida and the Western Caribbean. Currently, there is little to no information regarding spatial prioritization of sites for these restoration efforts. The primary objective of this dissertation was to utilize species distribution modeling, informed by existing data from the …

Use Of The Mitochondrial Control Region As A Potential Dna Mini-Barcoding Target For The Identification Of Canned Tuna Species, Jacquelyn K. Mitchell, Rosalee S. Hellberg

Food Science Faculty Articles and Research

In this study, a DNA mini-barcoding methodology was developed for the differentiation of species commonly found in canned tuna. Primers were designed to target a 236-base pair (bp) fragment of the mitochondrial control region (CR) and a 179-bp fragment of the first internal transcribed spacer region (ITS1). Phylogenetic analysis revealed the ability to differentiate 13 tuna species on the basis of the CR mini-barcode, except in a few cases of species introgression. Supplementary use of ITS1 allowed for differentiation of introgressed Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) and albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga), while differentiation of introgressed Atlantic …

Circulating Amino Acids In Blood Plasma During The Peripartal Period In Dairy Cows With Different Liver Functionality Index, Z. Zhou, J. J. Loor, F. Piccioli-Cappelli, F. Librandi, G. E. Lobley, E. Trevisi

Physiology Collection

The liver functionality index (LFI) measures the changes of albumin, cholesterol, and bilirubin concentrations between 3 and 28 d postpartum. This composite index, based on variables with direct relevance to liver-specific plasma protein synthesis (albumin), hepatic/intestinal lipoprotein synthesis (cholesterol), and clearance of breakdown products of heme catabolism (bilirubin), provides a tool for evaluating manifestations of hepatic disease. Both energy and protein metabolism are likely to be affected by various physiological challenges in this period but have not been tested systematically. The present study was conducted to profile AA in cows with high or low LFI during the peripartal period …

Evaluation Of Calving Indicators Measured By Automated Monitoring Devices To Predict The Onset Of Calving In Holstein Dairy Cows, V. Ouellet, E. Vasseur, W. Heuwieser, O. Burfeind, X. Maldague, É. Charbonneau

Physiology Collection

Dystocias are common in dairy cows and often adversely affect production, reproduction, animal welfare, labor, and economics within the dairy industry. An automated device that accurately predicts the onset of calving could potentially minimize the effect of dystocias by enabling producers to intervene early. Although many well-documented indicators can detect the imminence of calving, research is limited on their effectiveness to predict calving when measured by automated devices. The objective of this experiment was to determine if a decrease in vaginal temperature (VT), rumination (RT), and lying time (LT), or an increase in lying bouts (LB), as measured by …

Tiger Salamanders Disappearing In Region, Dennis M. Ferraro

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

"Where have all the salamanders gone?" 'This is a question I have been increasingly asked over the past five to six years from area residents. It seems we are observing a dramatic population decline of the western barred tiger salamander in parts of Southeast Nebraska. The western barred tiger salamander (Ambystoma mavortium) is one of only two salamanders in Nebraska. Over the past two years, none have been found in southeast Nebraska.

Salamanders, like all amphibians, are excellent indicator species. In many cases they act like the iconic canary in the mine shaft, telling us when to run …

Function Of Male Sexual Signaling In The Brief Squid (Lolliguncula Brevis), Lauren A. Piperno

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores male signaling in the brief squid. Females spend more time close to males during male signal production, but did not change their orientation to enable mating. Females reduced their own signaling during male signals. Male sexual signaling is directed at females, yet the precise function remains elusive.

White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) Subsidize Gray Wolves (Canis Lupus) During A Moose (Alces Americanus) Decline: A Case Of Apparent Competition?, Shannon M. Barber-Meyer, L. David Mech

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

Moose (Alces americanus) in northeastern Minnesota have declined by 55% since 2006. Although the cause is unresolved, some studies have suggested that Gray Wolves (Canis lupus) contributed to the decline. After the Moose decline, wolves could either decline or switch prey. To determine which occurred in our study area, we compared winter wolf counts and summer diet before and after the Moose decline. While wolf numbers in our study area nearly doubled from 23 in winter 2002 to an average of 41 during winters 2011–2013, calf:cow ratios (the number of calves per cow observed during winter …

Overview Of The Endangered Species Program, Glen Smart

United States Geological Survey: Publications

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, we became increasingly aware, as a Nation, of declining populations of birds and mammals. Rates of extinction appeared to be skyrocketing and the situation was becoming critical. The country needed to take action to reverse this trend. The Federal government began to show interest in the problem and acknowledged that it needed to intervene on a hands-on basis. The Washington, D.C., office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) began to promote a program, championed by Dr. Ray Erickson, senior scientist at headquarters, to initiate captive research and propagation of birds and …

Individual Personality Differences In Goats Predict Their Performance In Visual Learning And Non-Associative Cognitive Tasks, Christian Nawroth, Pamela M. Prentice, Alan G. Mcelligott

Learning Ability Collection

Variation in common personality traits, such as boldness or exploration, is often associated with risk–reward trade–offs and behavioural flexibility. To date, only a few studies have examined the effects of consistent behavioural traits on both learning and cognition. We investigated whether certain personality traits (‘exploration’ and ‘sociability’) of individuals were related to cognitive performance, learning flexibility and learning style in a social ungulate species, the goat (Capra hircus). We also investigated whether a preference for feature cues rather than impaired learning abilities can explain performance variation in a visual discrimination task. We found that personality scores were consistent …

Dry Period Plane Of Energy: Effects On Glucose Tolerance In Transition Dairy Cows, S. Mann, F. A. Leal Yepes, M. Duplessis, J. J. Wakshlag, T. R. Overton, B. P. Cummings, D. V. Nydam

Physiology Collection

Overfeeding energy in the dry period can affect glucose metabolism and the energy balance of transition dairy cows with potential detrimental effects on the ability to successfully adapt to early lactation. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effect of different dry cow feeding strategies on glucose tolerance and on resting concentrations of blood glucose, glucagon, insulin, nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), and β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) in the peripartum period. Cows entering second or greater lactation were enrolled at dry-off (57 d before expected parturition) into 1 of 3 treatment groups following a randomized block design: cows …

Body Condition Score And Plane Of Nutrition Prepartum Affect Adipose Tissue Transcriptome Regulators Of Metabolism And Inflammation In Grazing Dairy Cows During The Transition Period, M. Vailati-Riboni, M. Kanwal, O. Bulgari, S. Meier, N. V. Priest, C. R. Burke, J. K. Kay, S. Mcdougall, M. D. Mitchell, C. G. Walker, M. Crookenden, A. Heiser, J. R. Roche, J. J. Loor

Physiology Collection

Recent studies demonstrating a higher incidence of metabolic disorders after calving have challenged the management practice of increasing dietary energy density during the last ~3 wk prepartum. Despite our knowledge at the whole-animal level, the tissue-level mechanisms that are altered in response to feeding management prepartum remain unclear. Our hypothesis was that prepartum body condition score (BCS), in combination with feeding management, plays a central role in the peripartum changes associated with energy balance and inflammatory state. Twenty-eight mid-lactation grazing dairy cows of mixed age and breed were randomly allocated to 1 of 4 treatment groups in a 2 × …

Geographic Variability Of Octopus Insularis Diet: From Oceanic Island To Continental Populations, Tatiana S. Leite, Allan T. Batista, Françoise D. Lima, Jaciana C. Barbosa, Jennifer A. Mather

Habitat and Trophic Ecology Collection

A predator’s choice of prey can be affected by many factors. We evaluated various influences on population dietary composition, individual specialization and size of prey in Octopus insularis populations from 2 continental and 4 insular locations. We expected that habitat diversity would lead to diet heterogeneity. Furthermore, in keeping with MacArthur & Wilson’s (1967) theory of island biogeography, we expected that diet diversity would be lower around islands than on the coast of the mainland. Both predictions were confirmed when prey remains from octopus middens were examined. The 2 continental areas exhibited a richer habitat diversity and a wider variety …

Dogs: A Prescription For Health Issues?, Denise Magallon

Nebraska College Preparatory Academy: Senior Capstone Projects

The human-­‐animal bond has been seen throughout many generations. Pet owners, especially those who own dogs, are known to live a different lifestyle than non-­‐pet owners. However, the individuals who can receive the most benefits from dogs are those with certain psychological and physical health issues. Humans who suffer from diseases find that owning a dog is very helpful and can even improve and/or treat their illness.

Although dogs are not one-­‐hundred percent effective in curing all health conditions, they are still very useful and can improve health even by the slightest result. There is much medical evidence that proves …

Morphological Variation Of Mesobuthus Eupeus Mongolicus (Birula, 1911) (Scorpiones: Buthidae) In Mongolia, Mike Heddergott, D. Pohl, Michael Stubbe, Annegret Stubbe, P. Steinbach

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

In the present study, we investigated morphological variation of Mesobuthus eupeus mongolicus (Birula, 1911) in Mongolia. Samples were collected in 16 sites located in the provinces Bayankhongor, Khovd, Dundgovi, Dornogovi, Govisümber and Ömnögovi. Statistical analyses (Kruska-Wallis one-way ANOVA, PCA and hierarchical cluster analysis) showed that (a) morphologically the M. e. mongolicus males sampled in Dundgovi, Dornogovi, Govisümber and Ömnögovi were similar to each other, while the populations of Bayankhongor and Khovd were differentiated, and (b) the females from Bayankhongor, Dundgovi, Dornogovi, Govisümber and Ömnögovi had a similar morphology, while the population from Khovd was differentiated.

Geographical Distribution Of The Genus Mesobuthus (Scorpiones: Buthidae) In Mongolia, Mike Heddergott, Michael Stubbe, W. Stubbe, P. Steinbach, Annegret Stubbe

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

In the present study, we surveyed the diversity of scorpions in six provinces of Mongolia (Bayankhongor, Khovd, Dundgovi, Dornogovi, Govisümber and Ömnögovi) between 2001 and 2012. A total of 385 individuals were collected at 17 different sites. In addition to opportunistic sampling, animals were collected after detection with ultraviolet light. Only species from the genus Mesobuthus have been reported from Mongolia thus far. It was possible to confirm the occurrence of the species Mesobuthus eupeus mongolicus and report the presence of M. martensii martensii for the first time. We could not confirm the presence of M. caucasicus przewalskii and suggest …

Offspring Survival In The Demoiselle Crane Grus Virgo In Mongolia, Ueli Rehsteiner

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

The breeding performance of nine breeding pairs of the Demoiselle crane Grus virgo has been investigated in Takhin Tal, Mongolia, in order to get information about their breeding density as well as the survival rate of the juveniles. To this end, the nests and the offspring have been monitored from hatching up to the age of about two months in order to get information about their survival rate. All pairs settled within a distance of about 2 km to the only river in the area, resulting in a density of about 0.6 couples per km. The number of surviving juveniles …

Investigation Of Bats In The Darkhad Wetlands, Jargalsaikhan Ariunbold

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

The Darkhadyn Khotgor wetlands are located in the northern part of Mongolia and are transected by both small and large rivers such as the Shishged and the Tengis. Many small lakes are present and the large lake ‘Tsagaan nuur’ (English: White lake) is upstream of the Yenisei river. It is a land rich in biodiversity with pristine waters and an extreme continental climate. The Darkhadyn Khotgor wetlands are composed of three ecological zones, Siberian Taiga, forested steppe, and meadow valley. The area is surrounded by Ulaan Taiga strictly protected area (SPA) in the western part, Khoridol Saridag Mountains SPA in …

Erster Brutnachweis Für Den Bienenfresser (Merops Apiaster L., 1758) In Der Mongolei = First Breeding Record For The Bee-Eater (Merops Apiaster L., 1758) In Mongolia, Michael Stubbe, Davaa Lkhagvasuren, L. Kratzsch, H.-J. Döhle, Annegret Stubbe

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

First breeding record of Merops apiaster was observed for Mongolia in August 2014. Breeding locality was a little oasis eastern of Šarga-Sum in the Šargyn-gobi, Aimak Gobi-Altai, about 600 km eastern, far from the known area of the species in northwest China.

New Data On Feeding Ecology Of Bubo Bubo And Asio Otus (Aves: Strigidae) In Mongolia, Michael Stubbe, Nayamsuren Batsaikhan, Oliver Lindecke, Ravčigijn Samjaa, Annegret Stubbe

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

New materials of 10 Eagle owl Bubo bubo localities from Mongolia were analyzed. The feeding ecology of Long-eared owl Asio otus was studied by the investigation of pellets from 4 roosting or nesting places in S-Mongolia. All together in the prey of Bubo bubo were analyzed 1098 vertebrates (1017 mammals, 39 birds, 41 reptiles, 1 fish), involving about 22 mammal species. The pellets were dominantly those of Lagomorpha with 23.3% in SW-Mongolia, Dipodidae in W-, SW- and S-Mongolia (37.3%, 23.4%, 30.2%), Cricetidae in SW- and S-Mongolia (13.6%, 17.6%), Gerbillidae in W- and S-Mongolia (19%, 32.1%) and Arvicolidae in W- and …

A Revised Checklist Of Mongolian Mammal Species, V. S. Lebedev, A. A. Bannikova, Ya. Adiya, S. Shar, A. V. Surov

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

A revised annotated checklist of Mongolian mammals is presented, supplemented with comments on modifications in species- and genus-level taxonomy introduced over the last 30 years. The checklist includes 140 species compared to 124 species recognized three decades ago by SOKOLOV & ORLOV (1980). Since then, four species were newly described; seven species were registered for the first time on Mongolian territory. Names for more than 20 taxa have changed, on most occasions this change occurred not for purely nomenclatural reasons but rather as a result of taxonomic revisions at the species level which have elevated the rank of many nominal …

Historische Und Aktuelle Daten Zum Wolf In Der Mongolei, D. Eregdenedagva, Ravčigijn Samjaa, Michael Stubbe, Annegret Stubbe

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

Zusammenfassung Die Mongolei beherbergt trotz intensiver Verfolgung einen der besten Wolfsbestände Eurasiens. Der Wolf kommt als wertvoller Großsäuger in allen Vegetationszonen der Mongolei vor. Bereits zahlreiche Steinzeichnungen künden von Mensch-, Haus- und Wildtierkonflikten mit dem wehrhaften Beutegreifer Wolf. Er ist und bleibt ein Konkurrent des Nomaden und andererseits ein wertvoller Pelzlieferant und Regulator in den Nahrungsnetzen. Die geringe menschliche Besiedlung und die in freier Weidewirtschaft gehaltenen Haustiere sowie eine reiche Fauna an kleinen und großen Wildsäugetieren bereiten der Wolfspopulation optimale nahrungsökologische Bedingungen. Seit geraumer Zeit hat die Haustierhaltung die 50 Millionengrenze überschritten. Der ökonomische Schaden des Wolfes in der Viehwirtschaft …

The Behavioral Ecology Of Amblypygids, Kenneth J. Chapin, Eileen A. Hebets

Eileen Hebets Publications

Arachnologists have uncovered tantalizing details about amblypygid behavioral ecology—the study of the fitness consequences of their behavior. Thus, it is the aim of this review to position Amblypygi as a useful system in which to investigate the principles of animal behavioral ecology. We synthesize amblypygid habitat preference and navigation modalities; predator, prey, parasite, parasitoid, cannibal, and commensal interactions; resource contests and territoriality; mating systems and mate choice; parental investment and sociality; and genetics and genomics as they relate to behavioral ecology. We present ideas for future research in each of these areas and discuss future directions for Amblypygi behavioral ecology …