Animal Sciences Commons^™

Leveraging Eco-Evolutionary Models For Gene Drive Risk Assessment, Matthew A. Combs, Andrew J. Golnar, Justin M. Overcash, Alun L. Lloyd, Keith R. Hayes, David A. O'Brochta, Kim M. Pepin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Engineered gene drives create potential for both widespread benefits and irreversible harms to ecosystems. CRISPR-based systems of allelic conversion have rapidly accelerated gene drive research across diverse taxa, putting field trials and their necessary risk assessments on the horizon. Dynamic processbased models provide flexible quantitative platforms to predict gene drive outcomes in the context of system-specific ecological and evolutionary features. Here, we synthesize gene drive dynamic modeling studies to highlight research trends, knowledge gaps, and emergent principles, organized around their genetic, demographic, spatial, environmental, and implementation features. We identify the phenomena that most significantly influence model predictions, discuss limitations of …

Assessing The Effects Of A Mixed Eimeria Spp. Challenge On Performance, Intestinal Integrity, And The Gut Microbiome Of Broiler Chickens, Danielle Graham, Victor Petrone-Garcia, Xochitl Hernandez-Velasco, Makenly E. Coles, Marco A. Juarez-Estrada, Juan D. Latorre, Jianmin Chai, Stephanie Shouse, Jiangchao Zhao, Aaron Forga, Roberto Señas-Cuesta, Lauren Laverty, Kristen Martin, Carolina Trujillo-Peralta, Ileana Loeza, Latasha Gray, Billy M. Hargis, Guillermo Tellez-Isaias

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

A mixed Eimeria spp. challenge model was designed to assess the effects of challenge on broiler chicken performance, intestinal integrity, and the gut microbiome for future use to evaluate alternative strategies for controlling coccidiosis in broiler chickens. The experimental design involved broiler chickens divided into two groups: a control group (uninfected) and a positive control group, infected with Eimeria acervulina (EA), Eimeria maxima (EM), and Eimeria tenella (ET). At day-of-hatch, 240 off-sex male broiler chicks were randomized and allocated to one of two treatment groups. The treatment groups included: (1) Non-challenged (NC, n = 5 replicate pens); and (2) challenged …

Evaluating Vaccine Management Strategies For Edwardsiella Ictaluri Infections In Zebrafish (Danio Rerio), Brandy Malbrough

LSU Master's Theses

Aquaculture is a globally important industry that faces significant challenges due to infectious diseases, which can result in substantial financial losses. In 2011, a new strain of Edwardsiella ictaluri emerged as a major pathogen affecting zebrafish in the ornamental fish industry, leading to high mortality rates and posing a severe threat to the sector. Vaccines provide potential benefits for disease prevention in aquaculture, particularly live-attenuated vaccines (LAVs), which induce strong host immune responses. Bacterial attenuation for vaccine development has evolved from serial passage to more targeted genetic modification techniques. However, regulatory constraints limit the availability of licensed LAVs for aquaculture. …

Growing South Dakota (Summer 2023), College Of Agriculture, Food And Environmental Sciences

Growing South Dakota (Publication of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences)

3 SDSU Little International Celebrates 100 years of Tradition
7 2023 CAFES Celebration of Faculty Excellence
11 South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station Locations and Research Initiatives
15 Every Acre Counts
16 Undergraduate Research
19 Tanner Sloan: South Dakota State Wrestler & Animal Science Student Takes Home NCAA Division I & U23 World Silver Medals
21 2023 CAFES Outstanding Seniors
23 Robert Streeter: International Advocate for Wildlife Conservation
25 Collegiate Cattlemen's Club
27 Jim and Melody Mielke: Lifelong Donors Contribute to Agriculture in More Ways than One
29 Jackrabbits Now and Then

Preliminary Evidence Of Anticoagulant Rodenticide Exposure In American Kestrels (Falco Sparverius) In The Western United States, Evan R. Buechley, Dave Oleyar, Jesse L. Watson, Jennifer Bridgeman, Steven Volker, David A. Goldade, Catherine E. Swift, Barnett A. Rattner

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Although there is extensive evidence of declines in the American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) population across North America, the cause of such declines remains a mystery. One hypothesized driver of decline is anticoagulant rodenticide (AR) exposure, which could potentially cause mortality or reduced fitness. We investigated AR exposure in wild American Kestrels in Utah, USA. We collected and tested for AR residues in liver samples (n = 8) from kestrels opportunistically encountered dead and in blood samples (n = 71) from live wild kestrels, both nestlings and adults. We found high detection rates in both tissues. Adult …

Limits To Sentience, Donald M. Broom

Animal Sentience

There are many parallels between cellular function in animals and plants. Plants can have complex interactions with their environments. But they lack a central nervous system, which is a prerequisite for sentience (the capacity to feel). In my view the suggestion that plants are sentient is not only empirically incorrect but potentially harmful to the efforts to protect the welfare of sentient beings.

Feral Swine As Indirect Indicators Of Environmental Anthrax Contamination And Potential Mechanical Vectors Of Infectious Spores, Rachel M. Maison, Maggie R. Priore, Vienna R. Brown, Michael Bodenchuk, Bradley R. Borlee, Richard Bowen, Angela M. Bosco-Lauth

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

U.S. government work

Identifying Barriers To Data Use On U.S. Beef Cow-Calf Operations And Developing Solutions To Improve Cow-Calf Record-Keeping, William Isaac Jumper

Theses and Dissertations

Cattle health and production records (CHPR) are data collected by cattle producers and veterinarians in the form of measurements, observations, counts of events over time, and physiologic attributes that describe individual and group-level health and production. These data are useful to both veterinarians and cattle producers for making evidence-based decisions on cow-calf operations. Currently, there are no uniform, industry-wide methods of capturing and recording CHPR in the U.S. cow-calf industry. Although many cow-calf producers in the U.S. are thought to collect some form of CHPR, it is believed that relatively few are doing so in an electronic manner that facilitates …

Evolution And Epidemiology Of Channel Catfish Virus (Ccv), Arun Venugopalan

Theses and Dissertations

Channel catfish virus disease (CCVD) is the principal viral disease in the United States catfish industry. The CCVD is caused by channel catfish virus (CCV), with mortality reaching up to 100% in fingerlings. CCV is assigned taxonomically to the family Alloherpesviridae, genus Ictalurivirus, species Ictalurid herpesvirus 1 (IcHV-1). To date, virulence, immunogenicity, and genome plasticity of the CCV field isolates have not been investigated. Three genotypes of CCV (IcHV-1A, IcHV-1B, and BCAHV) were identified using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. Virulence assessment of three representative isolates of RFLP groups suggests that IcHV-1B (pooled survival [mean ± SE]: 58.3% ± …

In-Service Education And The Provision Of Educational Materials To Improve Awareness Of Chronic Wasting Disease Management Efforts In Arkansas, Mary Claire Stewart

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a disease caused by an accumulation of misfolded prions throughout the nervous system. This disease affects animals within the Cervidae Family, which includes deer, elk, moose, and caribou. This disease is fatal and physical symptoms often do not materialize until the animal is near death. CWD has become an increasing issue in Arkansas since an elk (Cervus canadensis) in Newton County tested positive for CWD in 2016. Since then, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) has worked with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture (UADA) and others to develop management strategies to slow …

Optimal R&D Investment In The Management Of Invasive Species, William Haden Chomphosy, Dale T. Manning, Stephanie A. Shwiff, Stephan Weiler

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Invasive alien species (IAS) threaten world biodiversity, ecosystem services, and economic welfare. While existing literature has characterized the optimal control of an established IAS, it has not considered how research and development (R&D) into new removal methods or technologies can affect management decisions and costs over time. R&D can lower the costs of control in a management plan and creates an intertemporal trade-off between quick but costly control and gradual but cheaper removal over time. In this paper, we develop and solve a continuous time dynamic optimization model to study how investment in R&D influences the optimal control of an …

Effects Of Pregnancy And Progesterone On Atrial Fibrillation, Heloisa M. Rutigliano

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Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrythmia in adults with likely sex-specific risk factors. Female sex hormones may be important in modulating risk for atrial fibrillation. We hypothesize that pregnancy and progesterone (P4), a hormone found in high levels during pregnancy with abrupt withdrawal immediately after parturition, modulates AF susceptibility in female goats. Cardiac specific TGF-?1 transgenic female goats and age-matched wild-type (WT) female goats were utilized. Pacemakers were implanted in all animals for continuous arrhythmia monitoring and AF inducibility. AF inducibility was evaluated using 5 separate 10 s bursts of atrial pacing (160 - 200 ms). In …

Growing South Dakota (Spring 2023), College Of Agriculture, Food And Environmental Sciences

Growing South Dakota (Publication of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences)

[Page] 3 Developing Climate-Smart Beef and Bison Commodities
[Page] 5 Joseph Cassady Leads CAFES as New Dean
[Page] 7 Inaugural Class of Klingbeil Scholars
[Page] 9 Jackrabbits to Future Veterinarians
[Page] 11 Protecting South Dakota’s Grasslands
[Page] 13 Growing Youth Programs
[Page] 15 Partnerships for Positive Growth
[Page] 17 Building Highly Effective Boards
[Page] 19 SDSU Extension Podcasts
[Page] 21 Providing Good Food for All
[Page] 23 Improving Seed Varieties
[Page] 25 CAFES Endowed Positions
[Page] 29 Jackrabbits Now and Then

Pharmacokinetics Of Single Feeding Of Cannabidiol In Cattle: A Pilot Study, Haley Cornette

Honors College Theses

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a substance that has been used in complementary medicine for many years. However, modern medicine has little knowledge of how this substance is utilized and metabolized in ruminant animals. Regulations on quality assurance and use in animals are lacking, and CBD supplementation in livestock is not approved. If CBD supplements can be shown to be safe and effective, detection in the animal will be important for determining regulation of use. A withdrawal period can then be established to allow time for deterioration of product to safe levels before livestock products enter human markets. This study sought to …

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5n1) Virus Outbreak In New England Seals, United States, Wendy Puryear, Kaitlin Sawatzki, Nichola Hill, Alexa Foss, Jonathon J. Stone, Lynda Doughty, Dominique Walk, Katie Gilbert, Maureen Murray, Elena Cox, Priya Patel, Zak Mertz, Stephanie Ellis, Jennifer Taylor, Deborah Fauquier, Ainsley Smith, Robert A. Digiovanni, Adriana Van De Guchte, Ana Silvia Gonzalez-Reiche, Zain Khalil, Harm Van Bakel, Mia K. Torchetti, Kristina Lantz, Julianna B. Lenoch, Jonathan Runstadler

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We report the spillover of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) into marine mammals in the northeastern United States, coincident with H5N1 in sympatric wild birds. Our data indicate monitoring both wild coastal birds and marine mammals will be critical to determine pandemic potential of influenza A viruses.

Epidemiological Survey Of Bovine Babesia And Theileria Parasites In Buffaloes In District Dera Ismail, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Waseem Ullah, Arsalan Khan, Akhtar Ali, Imtiaz Ali Shah, Umm E. Aimen, Imtiaz Khan, Abdul Wadood Jan, Saqib Ali Rustam

Journal of Bioresource Management

Piroplasmosis (babesiosis and theileriosis) are the leading blood parasites responsible for significant economic losses to the dairy enterprises. These parasites are transmitted by Ixodid ticks from a diseased animal to a healthy animal. This study was executed to determine the prevalence of Theileria and Babesia in water buffaloes in District Dera Ismail Khan for their risk assessment. During this trial, 350 random blood samples were obtained from buffalos within the region of District Dera Ismail Khan and examined for Babesia and Theileria parasites using Giemsa staining technique under an oil immersion lens. Forty-eight blood samples were found positive and the …

An Evaluation Of Avian Influenza Virus Whole-Genome Sequencing Approaches Using Nanopore Technology, Hon S. Ip, Sarah Uhm, Mary Lea Killian, Mia K. Torchetti

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

As exemplified by the global response to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, whole-genome sequencing played an important role in monitoring the evolution of novel viral variants and provided guidance on potential antiviral treatments. The recent rapid and extensive introduction and spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in Europe, North America, and elsewhere raises the need for similarly rapid sequencing to aid in appropriate response and mitigation activities. To facilitate this objective, we investigate a next-generation sequencing platform that uses a portable nanopore sequencing device to generate and present data in real time. This platform offers the potential to extend in-house sequencing …

Dynamic Fecal Microbiota Transfer From Mice With Western Diet-Induced Severe Colitis And Colon Tumorigenesis Did Not Exacerbate Colitis Symptoms Or Colon Tumorigenesis In Recipient Mice Fed Either The Ain93g Diet Or The Total Western Diet, Abby D. Benninghoff

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Consumption of the total Western diet (TWD) in mice has been shown to increase gut inflammation, promote colon tumorigenesis, and alter the fecal microbiome composition in mice as com-pared to mice fed a healthy diet, AIN93G (AIN). However, it is unclear whether the gut micro-biome contributes directly to colitis-associated CRC in this model. The objective of this study was to determine whether dynamic fecal microbiota transfer (FMT) from host mice fed either AIN or TWD basal diets would alter colitis symptoms or colitis-associated CRC in recipient mice, which were fed either AIN or TWD directly using a 2x2 factorial experiment …

Whole Genome Sequencing For Identification Of Putative Causative Alleles For Hemochromatosis In Horses, Anna M. Rauber-Ramos

Schultz-Werth Award Papers

Hemochromatosis is liver disorder in which excess iron is stored in the liver, leading to iron overload and extensive liver damage that can prove fatal. Based on human precedence, a genetic cause for idiopathic hemochromatosis in horses is suspected. Two horses with hemochromatosis were whole genome sequenced, with variants in candidate genes prioritized in analyses of potential pathogenicity. No clear putative variants were found to be present in both horses, suggesting an etiology more complex than the initially suspected Mendelian inheritance. A heterozygous nonsense mutation in STEAP3 metalloreductase (STEAP3) was identified as a potential contributor to hemochromatosis in one of …

Impact Of Pistachio Shell Biochar In Finishing Beef Cattle Diets, Levi J. Mcphillips, Mitchell M. Norman, J. L. Sperber, Andrea K. Watson, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A 190-day finishing experiment was conducted to evaluate effects of feeding biochar on methane and carbon dioxide production, animal performance and carcass traits in beef steers. A high concentrate feedlot diet was used, and two dietary treatments were compared, 0 or 1% biochar as % of diet dry matter. Cattle were monitored using a calorimetry emissions barn to quantify production of methane and carbon dioxide. There were no differences in emissions, performance, or carcass characteristics for cattle fed the control diet or with biochar supplemented into the diet.

2023 Nebraska Beef Cattle Report

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Cow-Calf Management

• Comparison of Semi-confined and Pasture-based August Calving Beef Cow Systems
• Including Gene Edited Sires in Genetic Evaluations
• Impact of Planning Horizon Length on Breeding Objectives and Resulting Selection Decisions
• Effect of Increasing Energy 30 days Prior to Artificial Insemination in Beef Heifers
• Extending Melengestrol Acetate Treatment from Fourteen to Eighteen Days in Beef Heifers
• Artificial Insemination of Beef Heifers with Multi-Sire Sexed Semen

Growing Calf and Yearling Management

• Timing of Implant Use in the Backgrounding System
• Effects of Strategic Supplementation on Return to Management and Performance of Yearling Cattle

Forage Evaluation

• Forage Evaluation of Crested Wheatgrass
• Evaluation of …

Analysis Of Spoilage Bacteria Present In Vacuum Packaged Chilled Beef Treated With Organic Acids, Samuel C. Watson, Rebecca A. Furbeck, Byron D. Chaves, Samodha C. Fernando, Gary Sullivan

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Preventing the spoilage of fresh, chilled beef is crucial for maintaining market value. Since organic acids are regularly used in the beef industry for pathogen control, their ability to improve the shelf life of fresh, chilled beef was evaluated. Fresh, chilled beef was individually treated with 4.5% lactic acid, 2.5% Beefxide^®, or 380 ppm peroxyacetic acid. After storage, Lactococcus, a genus of lactic acid bacteria, became the most common spoilage organism across all treatment and control samples. Organic acid treatments were not able to slow the growth of this genus and may not be an effective method to …

Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Two Beef Systems From Birth To Slaughter In Eastern Nebraska, Levi J. Mcphillips, Zac E. Carlson, Andrew E. Suyker, J. C. Macdonald, Tala Awada, Jane Okalebo, Shree Dangal, Rick R. Stowell, Andrea K. Watson, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Methane emissions from growing and finishing calves born into a spring calving, conventional cow system or a summer calving, partially-confined cow system were compared. Cows fed a restricted diet of corn-byproduct and grain residues in confinement produced less methane and carbon dioxide per day compared to cows grazing pasture or cover crop. Calves weaned from the confinement-based production system were smaller at weaning and compensated with greater gain during the growing phase. More days on feed in the finishing phase were needed for the calves from the confinement system to reach same backfat thickness. Over the entire growing and finishing …

Ponderosa Pine Wood Biochar Used As An Emissions Reduction Strategy In A Finishing Beef Cattle Diet, Holly A. Heil, Braden C. Troyer, Mitchell M. Norman, Andrea K. Watson, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A finishing feedlot experiment was conducted to evaluate the impact of feeding biochar on methane and carbon dioxide production, performance, and carcass characteristics in beef cattle. Two dietary treatments were evaluated; 0 or 1% biochar in a high concentrate diet comprised of dry-rolled corn, high moisture corn, Sweet Bran, and corn silage. Ponderosa pine wood biochar was added into the diet at 1% dry-matter displacing a 1% dry-matter blend of corn. Cattle were monitored using a calorimetry emissions barn to capture methane and carbon dioxide production. Emissions production, performance and carcass characteristics did not differ between cattle fed a control …

Effect Of Alga Bio 1.0 On Reducing Enteric Methane Emission From Cattle, Reba L. Conlin, Kassidy K. Buse, Andrea K. Watson, Galen E. Erickson, Paul J. Kononoff

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of Alga Bio 1.0 inclusion on methane and carbon dioxide emissions along with diet digestibility. Three treatments were evaluated with 0, 69, and 103 grams per day Alga Bio 1.0 fed as a top dress in a corn-based diet. Indirect calorimetry headboxes were utilized to evaluate gas production with 12 cows in 4 replicated 3x3 Latin squares. There was a 39% reduction in methane per lb of dry matter intake for cattle fed 69 g of Alga Bio 1.0 and 63% reduction when cattle were fed 103 g of Alga Bio 1.0 …

Effects Of Corn Processing And Silage Inclusion In Feedlot Diets On Steer Performance, Jessica L. Miller, Nolan R. Meier, K. H. Jenkins Pas, Galen E. Erickson, Pablo L. Loza

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A feelot study compared the effects of corn silage inclusion on steer performance and carcass characteristics withing dry-rolled corn diets and steam-flaked corn diets. Treatments included four corn silage inclusions as 0, 15, 30, 45% of dry matter in both steam-flaked corn and dry-rolled corn base diets. Feeding a steam-flaked based corn diet increased average daily gain by 7.8% and improved feed conversion by 6.8% when compared to steers fed a dry-rolled corn diet. As corn silage inclusion increased, feed conversion increased linearly. When fed to the same days on feed carcass adjusted final body weight, hot carcass weight, and …

Effect Of Enogen Feed Corn Inclusion In Conventional And Natural Finishing Cattle Diets, Jessica Miller, K. H. Jenkins Pas, Galen E. Erickson, Pablo L. Loza

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Increasing the extent of starch digestibility during finishing could allow producers to improve cattle efficiency. A finishing performance study was conducted to determine the effect of Enogen Feed Corn inclusion as dry-rolled corn and corn silage in comparison to a control corn hybrid within natural and conventional feeding programs for heifers and steers. Cattle in the conventional feeding program received implants and the ration included feed additives, while cattle on the natural program were not implanted and the ration did not contain feed additives. The inclusion of Enogen Feed Corn had no impact on steer or heifer finishing performance. The …

Effect Of Corn Processing On Steer Performance And Fecal Starch Content, Jessica L. Miller, Braden C. Troyer, Levi J. Mcphillips, Mitchell M. Norman, J. C. Macdonald, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Processing corn as high-moisture corn increases starch digestion and improves cattle efficiency when fed blended with dry rolled corn in finishing rations. A finishing study evaluated the effect of corn processing method (dry-rolled corn or 2:1) high-moisture corn to dry rolled corn blend) on performance of calf-fed steers. Corn processing method did not affect average daily gain; however, steers fed a high-moisture corn and dry-rolled corn blend consumed 1.1 lb/day less than steers fed a dry-rolled corn diet. Feeding high-moisture corn and dry-rolled corn blend diets improved feed efficiency by 5.2% compared to steers fed dry-rolled corn. Fecal starch content …

Supplemental Lysine In Finishing Cattle Diets, Hanna Cronk, Zac Carlson, Mitch Norman, Levi Mcphillips, Andrea Watson, Galen E. Erickson, Gary Ducharme

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of increasing lysine supply in finishing beef cattle diets. Crossbreed steers (n=120, BW=577 ± 2 lb) were individually fed using a Calen Gate system for 195 days. Animals received a common finishing diet (63% corn, 15% corn silage and 15% distillers grains) with 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 g per day of supplemental rumen bypass lysine. High levels of lysine (5 or more g per day) in the diet decreased dry matter intake, carcass adjusted body weight with no impact on carcass adjusted feed efficiency. Hot …

Impact Of Removing 20% Distillers Grain After One-Third Or Two-Thirds Of The Feeding Period On Performance Of Finishing Yearling, Sofia Suarez Lorences, Braden C. Troyer, Mitch M. Norman, Pablo L. Loza, Rick Stock, J. C. Macdonald, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A finishing study evaluated the effect of removing modified distillers grains plus solubles after one-third or two-thirds of the feeding period on performance and carcass characteristics of yearling steers. Treatment diets included 20% modified distillers for the entire feeding period; 20% modified distillers for two-thirds of the feeding period and then 0%; and 20% modified distillers for one-third of the feeding period, then 0%. Removing modified distillers from the diet decreased average daily gain, final body weight and dry matter intake and tended to increase feed conversion. Cattle fed 20% modified distillers throughout the entire feeding period had greatest hot …