Animal Sciences Commons^™

Predation And Disease-Related Economic Impacts Of Wild Pigs On Livestock Producers In 13 States, Aaron M. Anderson, Chris Slootmaker, Erin Harper, Ryan S. Miller, Stephanie A. Shwiff

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We report the results of a survey on wild pigs (Sus scrofa) damage to livestock producers in 13 US states (Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas). The survey was distributed by the USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service in the summer of 2017 to a sample of livestock producers in the 13-state region. Findings indicate that predation and disease-related damage can be substantial in certain states and for certain types of livestock. In particular, damage to cattle operations in Texas and Arkansas was substantially higher than damage in other states …

Potential Role Of Wildlife In The Usa In The Event Of A Foot-And-Mouth Disease Virus Incursion, Vienna R. Brown, Sarah N. Bevins

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is caused by foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) which affects domestic and wild cloven-hoofed species. The FMD-free status of the USA and the tremendous economic impact of a virus incursion motivated the development of this evaluation of the potential role of wildlife in the event of a virus introduction. Additionally, this manuscript contains a summary of US vulnerabilities for viral incursion and persistence which focuses specifically on the possible role of wildlife. The legal movement of susceptible live animals, animal products, by-products and animal feed containing animal products pose a risk of virus introduction and spread. Additionally, the …

Reducing Prairie Dog Populations And Damage By Castration Of Dominant Males, Gary W. Witmer

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) occur widely across the prairie states of North America. They compete with livestock for forage, transmit plague, and damage lawns, landscaping, and property. Interest in non-lethal methods, such as immunocontraception, is growing; however, reductions in the population due to contraception may be offset by increases in survival because adults and yearlings are not subject to the energetic demands of reproduction, and lower densities may increase the amount of resources available to growing offspring. Surgical sterilization provides a means for modeling these effects. Thus, we castrated males prior to the 1998 breeding season to simulate the …

The Role Of Scavenging In Disease Dynamics, Joaquín Vicente, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Contents

Introduction................ 161

The Use of Animal Remains and the Exposure of Scavengers to Disease........ 163

The Relevance of Scavenging for Pathogens to Spread and Persist.......... 166

Human Related Factors Resulting in Increased Risk for Disease Transmission Through Scavenging.............. 170

Management of Scavenging to Reduce Disease Risks.............. 173

Restoration of Large Predators.................. 174

Elimination of Hunting of Scavengers............ 174

Destruction of Big Game and Domestic Animal Carcasses........... 174

Restoration of the Effects of Overabundance............. 175

Excluding Mammalian and Avian Scavengers from Natural Carrions.......... 176

Excluding Mammalian and Avian Scavengers from Vulture Restaurants........... 176

Conclusions and Future Perspectives........... 178

References............... 178

Presence Of Antibiotic Resistant Salmonella Spp. In Backyard Poultry And Their Environment, Nicole Land

Master's Theses

As keeping backyard poultry rises, human contact with zoonotic pathogens will increase. One such pathogen that backyard enthusiasts have exposure risks to is Salmonella spp. which may cause a potential public health threat due to its increasing multidrug resistancy. Salmonella spp. were present in 33 of 50 samples collected from 29 sites with backyard poultry coops in San Luis Obispo County during March to May in 2014. Two different Hardy-CHROME™ Salmonella Selective Media plates were used to culture and isolate positive samples of Salmonella spp.. Each positive isolate was tested for antimicrobial sensitivity to 6 standard antibiotics: Ampicillin, Bacitracin, …

Assessment Of A Nutritional Rehabilitation Model In Two Modern Broilers And Their Jungle Fowl Ancestor: A Model For Better Understanding Childhood Undernutrition, Mikayla Baxter

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The World Health Organization, estimated that 22.9% of children under the age of 5 are stunted. The etiology of stunting is multifactorial and is associated with poor linear growth, villous atrophy, dysbiosis, and increased intestinal permeability. Inclusion of rye in poultry diets induces nutrient deficiencies and increases intestinal permeability, dysbiosis and decreases growth rates. The objective of this dissertation was to determine if chickens consuming a rye based diet exhibited a similar pathophysiology of stunted children to develop a relevant animal model. Therefore, early or late phase malnutrition was induced determine the effects of malnutrition on performance, bone mineralization, intestinal …

Interactions And Pathogen Transmission Between Carnivores In Madagascar, Fidisoa Rasambainarivo

Dissertations

Introduced carnivores exert considerable pressure on native predators through predation, competition and disease transmission. Improved understanding of determinant factors of interactions and pathogen transmission between introduced and endemic wildlife may help to predict disease emergence, avoid pathogen spillover and help control outbreaks. Using non-invasive camera traps, I identified areas where transmission of pathogens might happen through records of shared space-use within a protected area in Eastern Madagascar. I showed that indirect interactions between animals were more likely to occur near the research station which may constitute a disease transmission hotspot for carnivores in the landscape. Secondly, I investigated the associations …

Reducing The Risk Of Invasive Pathogens To Wildlife Health In The United States, Edward E. Clark Jr., Marshall Meyers, David Eldon Starling, Brent Stewart, Nathan Stone, Gary Tabor, Jeffrey S. White

National Invasive Species Council

Call to Action

In keeping with action items 4.3.1 and 4.3.2 of the 2016–2018 National Invasive Species Council (NISC) Management Plan, the Wildlife Health Task Team of the Invasive Species Advisory Committee (ISAC) was charged with: 1) identifying the major areas of vulnerability to native wildlife from the introduction and spread of invasive pathogens, and 2) making recommendations to address these vulnerabilities, including through potential changes in statute, regulation, policy, or practice of the relevant agencies.

Effects Of Kernel Processing At Harvest Of Brown Midrib Corn Silage On Finishing Performance Of Steers, Lauren A. Ovinge, F. Henry Hilscher, Curtis J. Bittner Bittner, Bradley M. Boyd, John N. Anderson, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A 2 × 3 factorial finishing study evaluated kernel processing in three corn silage hybrids on finishing performance of yearling steers fed 40% silage. The three hybrids included a control corn silage (CON), a brown midrib (bm3), and a brown midrib with a softer endosperm (bm3-EXP). No interactions were observed between hybrids and kernel processing (P > 0.45). Feeding both bm3 hybrids increased dry matter intake and average daily gain over CON (P < 0.01). Cattle fed bm3-EXP and bm3 had lower feed to gain than CON (P = 0.04), with no differences between the two brown midrib hybrids. Feeding silage that has undergone kernel processing decreased dry matter intake with similar average daily gain, which decreased feed to gain by 2.6% at 40% inclusion compared to non-processed silage (P = 0.10). The improvement in silage is calculated to be 6.5% (2.6/40) when kernel processing was utilized as compared to not kernel processing the corn silage hybrids.

Impact Of Ramaekers Immune Primer On Finishing Beef Cattle Performance And Liver Abscess Rate, Hannah C. Wilson, F. Henry Hilscher, Bradley M. Boyd Boyd, Jim C. Macdonald, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A feedlot study was conducted comparing a natural feed additive (Ramaekers Immune Primer) to Tylan or nothing on receiving and finishing performance. There were no differences for final BW, ADG, F:G, HCW, marbling, LM area, or fat thickness due to treatment. Liver abscess incidence and severity were reduced in steers fed Tylan, no differences were noted between Ramaekers Immune Primer and no additive. There was no difference in number of cattle treated for respiratory illness. Steers on the Ramaekers Immune Primer treatment had lower feed intake during the receiving period but had similar ADG and numerically better F:G at day …

Effect Of Backgrounding System On Performance And Profitability Of Yearling Beef Steers, Cody A. Welchons, Robby G. Bondurant, F. Henry Hilscher Hilscher, Andrea K. Watson, Galen E. Erickson, Jim C. Macdonald

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Five summer management strategies were compared following grazing corn residue through winter. Cattle were assigned to be 1) summer finished, 2) graze bromegrass, 3) graze bromegrass and fed distillers grains at 0.6% of BW, 4) backgrounded in a drylot pen to gain 1.70 lb/d, or 5) backgrounded in a drylot pen to gain 2.35 lb/d. Results differed by year, however, in general as backgrounding ADG increased, days required on feed to reach an equal fat endpoint decreased. In year 1, ADG of cattle grazing bromegrass was less than cattle backgrounded in pens. There was no difference in finishing ADG for …

Effect Of Continuous Or Rotational Grazing On Growing Steer Performance And Land Production, Cody A. Welchons, Robby G. Bondurant, F. Henry Hilscher Hilscher, Terry J. Klopfenstein, Andrea K. Watson, Jim C. Macdonald

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Individual animal performance and animal production per acre were evaluated for steers grazing smooth bromegrass over 2 consecutive years. Treatments consisted of steers continuously grazing smooth bromegrass and initially stocked at either 4.0 animal unit months (AUM)/ac (HI) or 2.8 AUM/ac (LO) or steers rotationally grazing smooth bromegrass and initially stocked at 4.0 AUM/ac (ROT). Average calculated stocking rate for the LO, HI, and ROT treatments was greater than initial stocking rates due to the use of put and take animals. In vitro organic matter digestibility and crude protein of rotationally grazed pastures was relatively constant as the grazing season …

Effects Of Movement And Activity Behavior In A Pasture System Compared To Time, Jace R. Stott, Mitchell B. Stephenson, Kathryn J. Hanford Hanford

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

During the summer of 2016 seventeen cows were fitted with Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking collars to evaluate activity characteristics of cattle on rangelands. Data collected included daily distance traveled, average distance from water, daily time spent at water, daily area covered, and percent of day spent active (traveling or grazing). These variables were analyzed weekly to assess changes in behavior as time within pastures increased during three time periods of the growing season. Based on data collected from mid-May to mid-September, cattle showed little changes throughout the grazing season as to levels of activity through different periods of a …

Statistics Used In The Nebraska Beef Report And Their Purpose

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

The purpose of beef cattle and beef product research at UNL is to provide reference information that represents the various populations (cows, calves, heifers, feeders, carcasses, retail products, etc) of beef production. Obviously, the researcher cannot apply treatments to every member of a population; therefore he/ she must sample the population. The use of statistics allows the researcher and readers of the Nebraska Beef report the opportunity to evaluate separation of random (chance) occurrences and real biological effects of a treatment. Following is a brief description of the major statistics used in the beef report. For a more detailed description …

Impact Of Winter Supplementation Of May Calving Cows And Heifer Development System In Two Different Breeding Seasons On Subsequent Growth And Reproduction, Shelby A. Springman, Alicia C. Lansford, Jacqueline A. Musgrave Musgrave, John Nollette, Andy Applegarth, Richard N. Funston

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

In Exp. 1, May-calving cows were utilized to evaluate the effects of winter supplementation on heifer progeny. Cows grazed either dormant upland winter range with or without a protein supplement or grazed dormant meadow with or without a protein supplement. In Exp. 2, replacement heifers from March and May calving herds were offered ad libitum meadow hay and 4 lb/d supplement or grazed meadow and offered 1 lb/d supplement from mid-January to mid-April. Calf weaning BW and ADG from birth to weaning was less for calves from cows grazing winter range with no supplement compared with all other dam treatments. …

Effect Of Injectable Trace Mineral On Reproductive Performance In Beef Heifers, Shelby A. Springman, John Maddux, Mary E. Drewnoski Drewnoski, Richard N. Funston

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Trace minerals serve an essential role in regulating reproduction. Free-choice trace mineral supplementation is often provided to grazing beef cattle. An injectable trace-mineral solution used with free-choice trace minerals may be beneficial before breeding to improve mineral status. Therefore, Red Angus-based, May-born heifers were utilized to determine the effects of an injectable trace mineral on reproductive performance. Pregnancy rates did not differ between heifers injected with a trace mineral and heifers that received no injection. Injectable trace mineral at CIDR insertion 33 d before artificial insemination did not influence reproductive performance in heifers with adequate trace mineral status.

Evaluating Methods Of Estimating Forage Intake By Grazing Cattle, Aaron J. Shropshire, Walter H. Schacht, Jerry D. Volesky Volesky

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Two methods of estimating forage intake of grazing cattle were compared to clipped estimates in 4-pasture rotational grazing systems on Sandhills subirrigated meadow from mid-May through early August over a 4-year period. Clipping standing vegetation samples within a pasture before and after cattle grazing provides for an accurate estimate of forage removal during a grazing period. A less laborious method of intake estimation commonly used is based on a percentage of an animal’s liveweight. University Extension and some federal agencies use a 2.3% factor and others such as the Natural Resources Conservation Service use a 2.7% factor. In this study …

Letrozole: A Steroid-Free Estrous Synchronization Method, Sarah M. Romereim, Sarah C. Tenley, Mohamed A. Abedal-Majed Majed, Jeffrey W. Bergman, Scott G. Kurz, John S. Davis, Jennifer R. Wood, Andrea S. Cupp

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Most bovine estrous synchronization protocols utilize progesterone plus estrogen to control ovulation timing. A drug that inhibits estrogen production (Letrozole) may be an alternative, steroid-free synchronization method (not yet commercially available). However, low estrogen can negatively affect the health of follicles/oocytes and impact fertility. To determine its effects, Letrozole was administered intramuscularly while tracking follicle growth and circulating hormones. Letrozole response was variable. Two of three cows experienced delayed luteolysis/ovulation and extended progesterone production. This preliminary data indicates that Letrozole treatment allows normal follicle progression but drug response may vary and little is known about effects on oocyte quality.

Impact Of Dietary Fat Source On Beef Display Life, Felipe A. Ribeiro, Katherine I. Domenech-Perez, Emery K. Wilkerson Wilkerson, Hope Voegele, Nicolas J. Herrera, Kellen B. Hart, Chris R. Calkins

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary fat source with modified distillers grains plus solubles (MDGS) on beef display life. Steers were fed either a corn control, full-fat MDGS, de-oiled MDGS, or de-oiled MDGS plus corn oil diet. Strip loins were aged for 2, 9, 16 and 23 days and placed under retail conditions for 7 days. Results suggest that feeding MDGS to cattle increases polyunsaturated fatty acid content of beef and has the potential to reduce beef color and lipid stability in comparison to corn diets. These data indicate that feeding MDGS to cattle may decrease …

Using A Cured Meat Model System To Investigate Factors That Influence Cured Color Development, Jennifer A. Posthuma, Faith D. Rasmussen, Gary A. Sullivan Sullivan

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Producing cured meats manufactured with natural ingredients could impact cured meat characteristics, including color. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of nitrite source (sodium nitrite or cultured celery juice powder), reducing agents (no reducing compound or sodium erythorbate/ ascorbic acid), and holding times prior to cooking on cured color development in a meat model system. The addition of reducing compounds had the largest impact on cured color development and reduced residual nitrite in a cured meat model system. Treatments cured with sodium nitrite had slightly greater cured color development than treatments cured with celery juice powder. …

Repeated Calm Handling Can Lead To More Docile Cattle, Jamie T. Parham, Amy E. Tanner, Mark L. Wahlberg Wahlberg, W. S. Swecker Jr., Ronald M. Lewis

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Changes in temperament in heifers when handled either frequently or infrequently were evaluated subjectively based on their behavior when restrained in (chute score) and exiting from (exit score) a squeeze chute. Chute scores decreased over time–a favorable direction–with more dramatic declines in heifers handled more frequently. Heifers with higher chute scores on the first day of handling had the largest reduction in score. Exit scores changed less over time. Chute score therefore may be more indicative of acclimation to a novel environment than exit score. Both scores appear to offer a fast, easy and inexpensive way to quantify docility in …

Rumen Undegradable Protein Content And Digestibility Of Corn Silage And High-Moisture Corn, Colton R. Oney, Jana L. Gramkow, F. Henry Hilscher Hilscher, Elizabeth Schumacher, Andrea K. Watson, Galen E. Erickson, Jim C. Macdonald, Terry J. Klopfenstein

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Two studies were conducted to determine rumen undegradable protein (RUP) content and digestibility in corn silage. In Exp. 1, 37 and 42% DM corn silage were incubated in situ with two ruminally and one duodenally cannulated steer to calculate RUP content and RUP digestibility. In Exp. 2, dry rolled corn was reconstituted to 75, 70, 65, and 50% DM and ensiled in mini silos for 30, 90, 180, or 270 days. After ensiling, samples were ruminally incubated to determine RUP content of the grain. The grain within corn silage is less than 50% DM, as moisture content increases and time …

The Effect Of Inoculants On Nutrient Losses Of Corn Silage And High-Moisture Corn Stored In Mini Silos, Colton R. Oney, Jana L. Gramkow, Andrea K. Watson Watson, Galen E. Erickson, Jim C. Macdonald, M. K. Biddlecome

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of inoculants (BONSILAGE CORN 200G and BONSILAGE HMC 200G) containing Lactobacillus buchneri, Lactobacillus plantarum and Pediococcus acidilactici on nutrient losses and aerobic stability of corn silage and high moisture corn. Corn silage and high moisture corn were inoculated and stored in mini silos with nutrient loss and spoilage characterizations at 30, 90, and 120 days with multiple inoculation levels. Longer ensiling times led to greater total acid production. The higher levels of inoculation led to lower total acid production and higher pH. Inoculating corn silage and high moisture corn also affected …

Effect Of Revalor-Xr And Revalor-Xh On Heifer Performance And Carcass Characteristics, Caitlin A. Ohnoutka, Bradley M. Boyd, F. Henry Hilscher Hilscher, Grant I. Crawford, Brandon L. Nuttleman, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A feedlot study evaluated the effects of 4 implant strategies (Revalor-XR on day 1, Revalor-XH on day 1, Revalor-200 on day 1, and Revalor-200 on day 70) on growth performance and carcass characteristics of feedlot heifers compared to non-implanted heifers fed 198 days. Intake was not impacted by treatments. Implanted cattle had greater carcass-adjusted ADG and lower F:G compared to cattle that received no implant. Implanted treatments had significantly greater HCW, dressing percentages, and lower marbling scores compared to non-implanted cattle. Heifers implanted with Revalor-XR, Revalor-XH, and Revalor-200 on day 70 had larger LM area resulting in lower calculated yield …

Late Summer Planted Oat-Brassica Forage Quality Changes During Winter Grazing, Mary E. Lenz, Jordan L. Cox, Kristin E. Hales Hales, Hannah C. Wilson, Mary E. Drewnoski

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Oat, radish, and turnip samples were taken on pivots being grazed from November through January in Clay Center, Nebraska. The objective was to determine how the quality changed throughout the winter. The forage was observed to be high-quality (highly digestibility with moderate CP content). Digestibility did decline over this period but minimal changes in CP content were observed. From early November to early January, the digestibility of oats appeared to decline more (10% unit decline) than turnip and radish leaves (5% unit decrease). However, digestibility (67% IVOMD) and CP content (15%) of oats in early January were still as high …

Comparison Of Two Alternate Prostaglandin Products In Yearling Beef Heifers, Alicia C. Lansford, Tonya L. Meyer, Richard N. Funston Funston

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Yearling heifers were administered 1 of 2 alternate prostaglandin products (Lutalyse vs. Lutalyse HighCon), which differ in concentration of active ingredient and administration route. Timing of estrus, pregnancy rate to AI, and final pregnancy rate did not differ between treatments. Body weight and ADG were also not affected by prostaglandin treatment. These results indicate producers can utilize Lutalyse HighCon, administered subcutaneously (s.c.), to avoid injection site blemishes and reduce carcass discounts with no impact on estrus synchronization or pregnancy rates.

Impact Of Syngenta Enogen Feed Corn On Finishing Cattle Performance And Carcass Characteristics, Melissa L. Jolly-Breithaupt, Curtis J. Bittner, F. Henry Hilscher Hilscher, Galen E. Erickson, James C. Macdonald, Matt K. Luebbe

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Two finishing experiments were conducted to evaluate Syngenta Enogen Feed Corn containing an alpha amylase enzyme trait compared to the near negative isoline control corn at two locations on cattle performance and carcass characteristics. No statistical differences were observed for final BW, DMI, ADG, or F:G for steers fed Syngenta Enogen Feed Corn versus the near negative isoline control corn. Fat depth and calculated yield grade were greater for steers fed Syngenta Enogen Feed Corn; however, HCW and marbling scores were not different. Previous research has observed a 2.6% to 16.4% decrease in F:G when Syngenta Enogen Feed Corn was …

Chopped Sugar Beets As A Component Of Beef Cow Diets, Karla H. Jenkins, Jacob A. Hansen

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Sugar beets not accepted for human consumption were evaluated as an energy source in a limit fed ration for confined beef cows. Initial and final body weight and body condition score were not different between wheat straw based diets containing wet distillers grains and either chopped sugar beets or corn. Body condition score change tended to be greater for the diet containing corn. However, cows on both treatments finished the study with a body condition score of 5.7. Chopped sugar beets mixed with wheat straw and stored in an agricultural bag underwent ensiling and did not result in choking issues. …

Evaluation Of Brown Midrib Corn Silage For Growing And Backgrounding Beef Steers, F. Henry Hilscher, Curtis J. Bittner, John N. Anderson Anderson, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A growing study evaluated three corn silage hybrids for growing crossbred steers. The three hybrids were: a standard corn silage hybrid which served as the control, a brown midrib hybrid, and an experimental brown mid rib hybrid with a softer endosperm. Intake, ADG, and ending BW were greater for steers fed either brown mid rib silage compared to control, but not different between the brown mid rib or experimental brown mid rib silage. While brown mid rib hybrids had greater DMI and ADG, there was no difference in F:G between all three treatments. Feeding brown mid rib hybrids as corn …

Evaluation Of Corn Silage Hybrids With The Brown Midrib Trait And Silage Inclusion For Finishing Cattle, F. Henry Hilscher, Curtis J. Bittner, John N. Anderson Anderson, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A finishing study evaluated three corn silage hybrids fed at either 15 or 45% of diet DM for finishing steers. The three hybrids were a standard corn silage hybrid which served as the control, a brown midrib hybrid and an experimental brown midrib hybrid with a softer endosperm. An interaction was observed between hybrid and silage inclusion. Gain and HCW were greater for steers fed the experimental brown midrib compared to other two hybrids when fed at 15%. Feeding brown midrib hybrids at 45% of the diet DM resulted in greater ADG and HCW when compared to a control corn …