Animal Sciences Commons^™

Spirulina Platensis Meal Inclusion Effects On Broilers Fed A Reduced Protein Diet, G. J. Mullenix, C. J. Maynard, C. M. Owens, S. J. Rochell, W. G. Bottje, R. D. Brister, M. T. Kidd

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Apart from soybean meal, alternative sources of protein are a long-term concern facing commercial broiler producers. These alternative protein sources must be rich in protein, have a balanced amino acid profile, be highly digestible, be nutritionally safe for the bird, and ideally contain some other intrinsic value. Spirulina platensis is a microalgae that is growing in popularity due to its high protein level, health benefits, and environmental impact. Two experiments (in female and male Ross 708 broilers) were conducted to determine the effect of Spirulina inclusion in reduced crude protein diets on broiler growth, carcass yields, breast fillet color, breast …

Impact Of Light Intensity Or Choice Of Intensity On Broiler Performance And Behavior, D. J. Aldridge, C. M. Owens, C. Maynard, M. T. Kidd, C. G. Scanes

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

The optimal light intensities for broiler production and well-being have been investigated for some time. The use of a minimum 20 lux (lx) is mandated within the European Union (European Commission, 2000; European Union 2007). Light intensities below 20 lx are commonly used in the United States. There have been inconsistent effects of light intensities below 20 lx on broiler performance. The present study evaluated the performance of broiler chickens reared under 5, 10, and 20 lx or a choice between these intensities. The feed: gain ratio was the lowest for birds reared using 5 lx and the choice of …

Evaluation Of Live-Attenuated Histomonas Meleagridis Isolates As Vaccine Candidates Against Wild-Type Challenge, L. C. Beer, B.D.M. Graham, T. L. Barros, J. D. Latorre, G. Tellez-Isaias, A. L. Fuller, B. M. Hargis, C. N. Vuong

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Repeated serial in vitro passage of Histomonas meleagridis, the etiological agent of histomoniasis (blackhead) of turkeys, was demonstrated to markedly achieve attenuation and reduction of virulence as compared to the original wild-type isolate. Four experiments were performed to evaluate the route (oral vs. intracloacal) and age (day-of-hatch vs. d 14) for administration of attenuated H. meleagridis isolates as vaccine candidates against homologous or heterologous wild-type challenge. Attenuated H. meleagridis were developed from 2 different strains (Buford strain originating in Georgia; PHL2017 strain originating in Northwest Arkansas). Buford P80a (passage 80, assigned as isolate lineage “a” following repeated passage) was …

Avian Orexin: Feed Intake Regulator Or Something Else?, Alison Ramser, Sami Dridi

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Originally named for its expression in the posterior hypothalamus in rats and after the Greek word for "appetite", hypocretin, or orexin, as it is known today, gained notoriety as a neuropeptide regulating feeding behavior, energy homeostasis, and sleep. Orexin has been proven to be involved in both central and peripheral control of neuroendocrine functions, energy balance, and metabolism. Since its discovery, its ability to increase appetite as well as regulate feeding behavior has been widely explored in mammalian food production animals such as cattle, pigs, and sheep. It is also linked to neurological disorders, leading to its intensive investigation in …

Whole-Genome Sequence And Interaction Analysis In The Production Of Six Enzymes From The Three Bacillus Strains Present In A Commercial Direct-Fed Microbial (Norum™) Using A Bliss Independence Test, Daniel Hernandez-Patlan, Bruno Solis-Cruz, Juan D. Latorre, Ruben Merino-Guzman, Miguel Morales Rodriguez, Catie Ausland, Xochitl Hernandez-Velasco, Oscar Ortiz Holguin, Ramiro Delgado, Billy Hargis, Pallavi Singh, Guillermo Tellez-Isaias

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

The three Bacillus strains present in Norum™ were initially selected by their excellent to good relative enzyme activity (REA) production score for amylase, protease, lipase, phytase, cellulase, β-glucanase, and xylanase. Further studies confirmed that the three isolates also showed an antibacterial activity, Gram-positive and Gram-negative poultry pathogens. Norum™ (Eco-Bio/Euxxis Bioscience LLC) is a Bacillus spore direct-fed microbial (DFM). The Bacillus isolates were screened and selected based on in vitro enzyme production profiles. Moreover, in chickens fed high non-starch polysaccharides, this DFM demonstrated to reduce digesta viscosity, bacterial translocation, increase performance, bone mineralization, and balance the intestinal microbiota. In the present …

Probiotics, Prebiotics, And Phytogenic Substances For Optimizing Gut Health In Poultry, Awad A. Shehata, Sakine Yalçın, Juan D. Latorre, Shereen Basiouni, Youssef A. Attia, Amr Abd El-Wahab, Christian Visscher, Hesham R. El-Seedi, Claudia Huber, Hafez M. Hafez, Wolfgang Eisenreich, Guillermo Tellez-Isaias

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

The gut microbiota has been designated as a hidden metabolic 'organ' because of its enormous impact on host metabolism, physiology, nutrition, and immune function. The connection between the intestinal microbiota and their respective host animals is dynamic and, in general, mutually beneficial. This complicated interaction is seen as a determinant of health and disease; thus, intestinal dysbiosis is linked with several metabolic diseases. Therefore, tractable strategies targeting the regulation of intestinal microbiota can control several diseases that are closely related to inflammatory and metabolic disorders. As a result, animal health and performance are improved. One of these strategies is related …

Snp-Based Breeding For Broiler Resistance To Ascites And Evaluation Of Correlated Production Traits, Katie Pepper Lee, Nicholas B. Anthony, Sara K. Orlowski, Douglas D. Rhoads

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background

The goal of this study was to evaluate marker-assisted selection (MAS) in broiler chickens using previously mapped gene regions associated with ascites syndrome incidence. The second-generation MAS products were assessed for impact on ascites phenotype and whether there were associated changes in important production traits. Previously, we used whole genome resequencing (WGR) to fine-map 28 chromosomal regions as associated with ascites phenotype in our experimental ascites broiler line (Relaxed, REL) based on a hypobaric chamber challenge. Genotypes for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in mapped regions on chromosomes 2 and 22, were used for MAS in our REL line. After …

Bovine Respiratory Microbiota Of Feedlot Cattle And Its Association With Disease, Jianmin Chai, Sarah F. Capik, Beth Kegley, John T. Richeson, Jeremy G. Powell, Jiangchao Zhao

Animal Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD), as one of the most common and costly diseases in the beef cattle industry, has significant adverse impacts on global food security and the economic stability of the industry. The bovine respiratory microbiome is strongly associated with health and disease and may provide insights for alternative therapy when treating BRD. The niche-specific microbiome communities that colonize the inter-surface of the upper and the lower respiratory tract consist of a dynamic and complex ecological system. The correlation between the disequilibrium in the respiratory ecosystem and BRD has become a hot research topic. Hence, we summarize the pathogenesis …

Factors Affecting The Sex Ratio Of White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) Fetuses In Arkansas, Jorista Garrie, Ralph Meeker

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Health of the mother is known to affect the sex-ratio of the offspring in sexually dimorphic mammals. Both density-dependent and environmental factors (conditions at present, or seasonal conditions the year before) could impact the health of the mother. There are however two opposing hypotheses for whether a mother in good health should invest more in a strong son (that can father many offspring) or in a daughter (that can stay in the same area and use good resources). Fetuses from 1,208 female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were collected over a 10-year period (2002-2012), across 75 counties in Arkansas. …

Preventative Weed Management Strategies In Arkansas Tomato Production, Gracie E. Morrison, Matthew Bertucci

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Cost-effective weed suppression is an important consideration for tomato growers. Growers often choose methods which minimize hand labor, as hand weeding can be prohibitively expensive. This project determined economic viability of high tunnel tomatoes treated with several methods of weed control, both organic and chemical. These methods included: 2-week hand weeding, 1-week hand weeding, preemergent herbicide application (plots sprayed with herbicide prior to weed emergence), straw mulch (plots bedded with straw), landscape fabric (plots covered in fabric), and untreated weedy control plots. These six treatments were applied to randomized blocks in a high tunnel. Weeding, planting, and harvesting were all …

Using Acid-Detergent Insoluble Ash As An Internal Marker To Compare Digestibility And Fecal Output By Ovine That Were Offered Hays Of Varying Nutrient Composition, Kennedy Barnett, Trisha Adams, Kenneth P. Coffey, Kathleen S. Jogan

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Digestibility markers are used to determine total digestibility without collecting total feces, which reduces time and labor and allows greater numbers of animal observations to be obtained. The goal was to determine if the digestibility marker acid detergent insoluble ash (ADIA) was fully recovered, and based on that information, determine the accuracy of total digestion predictions using ADIA. Different proportions of sericea lespedeza hay and alfalfa silage were offered to 16 gestating Dorper ewe lambs (Ovis aries) (41.8 ± 4.61 kg body weight) to determine digestibility. Total feed intake and fecal excretion were measured during 2 experimental periods consisting of …

Letter From The Dean, Jean-Francois Meullenet

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Letter From The Faculty Editor, Beth Kegley

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Consumers' Perception Of Quality For Ladies' Swimwear Based On Price And Brand, Jennifer Avila, Laurie M. Apple, Lance M. Cheramie, Leigh Southward

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Consumers shop at multiple retailers for different needs, and it is understood that many choose a retailer for an experience and others will shop at another retailer for better savings. In a time where E-commerce is at an all-time high, retailers need to consider how they compare against online retailers in the apparel sector. In this study, three retailers were compared against one another since they are all swimwear competitors. As these retailers adjust to store and production shortages, it is important to understand how the quality of clothing will keep sales consistent. Consumers are likely to keep shopping at …

Effects Of Sunrise/Sunset Lighting On Corticosterone Levels In Coturnix Quail (Coturnix Coturnix), Hannah M. Feuerborn, Sara K. Orlowski

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Both genetics and environment play important roles in the growth, performance, and overall welfare of poultry species. Current commercial production practices typically do not mimic the natural environmental conditions of ancestral poultry species, specifically lighting. The current study aimed to evaluate the impact of genetics and the effect of sunrise/sunset lighting on the stress response of 4 genetic lines of Coturnix quail. The 4 lines utilized in this study included high stress (H), low stress (L), stress control (R), and Arkansas randombred (A) quail lines. Day old chicks from these lines were placed in one of two environmentally controlled rooms. …

Time Course Investigation Of The Dermal Leukocyte Response To Lipoteichoic Acid In Chickens, Ian M. Gilbert, Jossie M. Santamaria, Gisela F. Erf

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Lipoteichoic acid (LTA) is a cell-wall polymer in Gram-positive bacteria that stimulates inflammation. Few studies have investigated in vivo immune response to LTA, and none of the in vivo studies have been performed in birds. For this project, the pulp (a skin derivative) of growing feathers (GF) of chickens was used to investigate the in vivo effects of intradermally injected LTA. In Study 1, GF of chickens were injected with 10 μL of differing concentrations of LTA (0.1, 1.0, 10, 100 or 250 μg LTA/mL; 3 chickens/dose). Growing feathers were plucked before injection (0 h) and at 6, 24, 48, …

Student Perceptions Of Messages Regarding Genetically Modified Organisms Delivered Using Creative Media, Faith Mills, Casandra K. Cox

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

The purpose of this study was to determine how communicating authentic agricultural information using an infographic affects Millennial and Generation Z students’ perceptions of genetically modified organisms (GMO) and to determine the perceptions of college students regarding the infographic used to convey agricultural messages. This study used survey research methods with open- and closed-ended questions administered through Qualtrics. The questionnaire was designed with five sections including a pre-questionnaire, content presentation, post-questionnaire, infographic perception questionnaire, and demographics section. All questions in the pre- and post- questionnaire were focused on the content found in the researcher developed infographic. Overall, participants increased accuracy …

Instructions For Authors, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Discovery: The Student Journal Of Dale Bumpers College Of Agricultural, Food And Life Sciences- Volume 23 2022, Several Authors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Contents, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Featured Faculty Mentor And Student Explore The Dynamics Of This Research Relationship, Matt Bertucci, Gracie Morrison

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Pandemics And Animal Welfare: A Mixed-Methods Inquiry Into How The Covid-19 Pandemic Has Affected The Companion Animal Industry In Northwest Arkansas, Sabrina G. Cox, Isabel Whitehead

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

The first cases of coronavirus reported in the United States came in January 2020 (World Health Organization, 2020). In the two years since then, countries around the world have been affected by COVID-19 and the subsequent social, economic, and mental health issues. Previous research shows that the animal healthcare field is already overrun with burnout, substance abuse, depression, and increased levels of stress (Gardner and Hini, 2006), and the pandemic has only compounded these issues (Mair et al., 2020). Observing a lack of meaningful reporting on the issues affecting veterinary staff led the researchers to investigate staff members’ practices, day- …

Pandemics And Animal Welfare: A Quantitative Inquiry Into How The Covid-19 Pandemic Has Affected The Companion Animal Industry In Northwest Arkansas, Kayla N. Desmet, Isabel M. Whitehead

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in late 2019, industries have been impacted globally. The companion animal care industry has not received much recognition in mainstream news, and as pandemic stressors increased individual facilities such as animal rescues, shelters, day care and boarding facilities felt the pressures associated with it. Little is known about the long-term effects of the pandemic on these facilities and how companion animal care may have changed. The purpose of this study was to explore the day-to-day impacts and long-term effects of COVID-19 on the companion animal industry in Northwest Arkansas from early 2020 to …

Using Poultry To Enhance Food Security In Stann Creek, Belize, Emily Spatz, Lisa S. Wood

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Food insecurity is a growing issue in developing and developed countries alike, and in countries like Belize, the prevalence of hunger has soared in recent years. Not having access to diets with sufficient calories and nutrients leads to a host of developmental issues, including stunting and cognitive delays. The purpose of this work was to create an all-encompassing manual for small-scale poultry production in order to provide nourishment for the students and staff of a school in Belize. After determining that the best way to meet the school’s needs was through dual-purpose birds, background research was conducted to determine small-scale …

Evaluation Of Essential Oil Products On Performance, Intestinal Permeability, Bone Mineralization, And Oxidative Stress Parameters On Broiler Chickens Under Heat Stress Conditions, Jared Ruff

Poultry Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

The goal of this study was to show how dietary supplementation of three different formulations of essential oils (EO) affected the performance of broiler chickens during heat stress (HS). Day-of-hatch Cobb 500 chicks (n = 500) were randomly divided into four groups: 1. HS control + control diets; 2. HS + control meals supplemented with 37 ppm EO of Lippia origanoides (LO); 3. HS + control diets supplemented with 45 ppm LO + 45 ppm EO of Rosmarinus officinalis (RO) + 300 ppm red beetroot; 4. HS + 45 ppm LO + 45 ppm RO + 300 ppm natural betaine. …

Studies Of Avian Nasal Mites (Acari: Rhinonyssidae And Ereynetidae) And Their Interaction With The Brood Parasite Brown-Headed Cowbird (Molothrus Ater: Icteridae) And Phylogenetic Inferences Of The Genus Ptilonyssus (Rhinonyssidae) On Different Passerine Hosts Associated To Three States In The Us, Alexis D. Hilario Perez

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nasal mites are endoparasites that spend their entire life cycle inside the nasal cavities and respiratory passages of birds. The Brown-Headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) (BHCO) is an icterid bird that uses brood parasitism as a reproductive strategy in which it lays an egg in the nest of a different bird species and allows the host to raise its young. Interestingly, nasal mites reported from cowbirds represent the same species found infesting other icterids and other common host groups. In the first study, I examined how diversity and host prevalence might change in a large sample size of BHCO associated with …

Effect Of Cyclic Heat Stress On Feeding-Related Hypothalamic Neuropeptides Of Three Broiler Populations And Their Ancestor Jungle Fowl, Giorgio Brugaletta, Elizabeth S. Greene, Travis Tabler, Sara K. Orlowski, Federico Sirri, Sami Dridi

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Heat stress (HS) has been increasingly jeopardizing the sustainability of the poultry production. Moreover, modern high-performing chickens are far less able to withstand HS than their predecessors due to higher growth rate and metabolic rates. Performance losses caused by HS are mainly ascribed to decreases in feed consumption. Since feed intake is tightly controlled by the hypothalamic centers of hunger and satiety, we sought to determine the effect of chronic cyclic HS on the expression of feeding-related hypothalamic neuropeptides (FRHN) in unselected chickens (i.e., the ancestor junglefowl—JF) and three broiler lines from diverse stages of genetic selection (i.e., the slow …

Effects Of Extrinsic And Intrinsic Factors On Meat Quality And Muscle Biology Of Livestock, Yongjie Wang

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In order to improve the meat quality of livestock, intrinsic and extrinsic factors that impact meat quality have been studied for a long time to optimize production quality. Nutrition, breed, and environment are the three most common factors to improve meat quality and muscle growth. The objective of this thesis is to perform a horizontal comparison of the effects of crude protein levels, breeds, and topsoil on the growth performance, muscle development, and meat quality of livestock, and also a longitudinal analysis using RNA-seq, RT-qPCR, and Western-blot to investigate the changes in genes and proteins related to muscle growth, and …

Pets And Problems: Exploring Community Patterns In Calls For Animal Services, Paige Dejarnett

Sociology and Criminology Undergraduate Honors Theses

Pets have historically been viewed as family members, children, property, or economic resources. However, research surrounding animal maltreatment has expressed this issue as an individually-based problem, rather than a community-based phenomenon. Correlations have been found between animal cruelty, antisocial behaviors, and future interpersonal violence, whether this correlation be a predictive relationship, or a resultant relationship. Past research has also found correlations between animal treatment practices and the rural/urban differences of this behavior. However, there are many community-based indicators that have not been explored to understand the distribution of animal maltreatment. This study aims to explore these ideas by analyzing the …

Divergent Selection For Water Conversion Ratio In Broiler Populations, Joseph Hiltz

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Water scarcity is a global reality and with the anticipated population growth, freshwater resources will be further strained to meet both human needs and agriculture applications. To ensure a water sustainable and food secure future, all aspects of agriculture must become more efficient. Two strategies were explored. The potential of improving water efficiency in broilers was examined. The first strategy was to develop a more efficient and accurate method for measuring water consumption/inputs in agriculture. To date, water measuring technology has lacked the necessary sophistication to assure accuracy and repeatability of low flow water usage.

After establishing a low flow …