Animal Sciences Commons^™

Breakfast At The Cockpit Café And Other Innovations In Protected Area Outreach, Christine Baumann Feurt, Ward Feurt

United States Fish and Wildlife: Staff Publications

Fundamental changes in protected area outreach and education strategies are dissolving old boundaries and fostering innovative approaches to civic engagement. The practice of community-based ecosystem management as presented by Meffe et al. (2002) provides an organizing framework blending ecological, institutional and sociocultural perspectives. This framework flows from a definition of ecosystem management that considers sustaining ecosystem structure and processes across spatial and temporal scales in tandem with societal priorities. The decision-making authority in this system, envisioned as collaborative and participatory, can present challenges for traditionally trained protected area managers. This definition views ecosystem management as: . . . an approach …

Effects Of Aging On Beef Chuck And Loin Muscles Enhanced With Ammonium Hydroxide And Salt, A. E. Hamling, B. E. Jenschke, Chris R. Calkins

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The objective of this study was to determine whether aging would alter the beneficial effects (tenderness, juiciness, and flavor) of enhancing beef chuck and round steaks with a 20% solution of water, ammonium hydroxide, salt, and carbon monoxide. A randomized, complete block design was used, with 2 treatments [0% (control) and 20% (pump)], 3 aging periods (1, 2, and 3 wk), 3 muscles (M. triceps brachii from the clod heart, M. biceps femoris from the sirloin cap, and M. rectus femoris from the knuckle), and 3 replications. There were a total of 12 subprimals per treatment per aging period (n …

Birds Of Conservation Concern 2008

United States Fish and Wildlife: Staff Publications

The 1988 amendment to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act mandates the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to “identify species, subspecies, and populations of all migratory nongame birds that, without additional conservation actions, are likely to become candidates for listing under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973.” Birds of Conservation Concern 2008 (BCC 2008) is the most recent effort to carry out this mandate. The overall goal of this report is to accurately identify the migratory and non-migratory bird species (beyond those already designated as federally threatened or endangered) that represent our highest conservation priorities. The …

Mountain-Prairie Region Fisheries Program Strategic Plan

United States Fish and Wildlife: Staff Publications

This Mountain-Prairie Regional Fisheries Strategic Plan outlines where, within our Federal role, we will focus our efforts. It provides guidance to partners and the public about our priorities, mandates, and opportunities and to Congress and the Administration on future budgeting decisions.

Spatial And Temporal Differences In Giant Kidney Worm, Dictophyma Renale, Prevalence In Minnesota Mink, Mustela Vison, L. David Mech

USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center

Examination of 110 Mink (Mustela vison) carcasses from 1998 through 2007 indicated that the giant kidney worm, Dioctophyma renale, occurred in Pine and Kanabec Counties of eastern Minnesota with annual prevalences of 0-92%. Worm prevalence increased from 20% in 1999 to 92% in 2001 and decreased to 6% in 2005. During 2000 to 2007, no worms were found in Mink from Anoka and Chisago Counties (n = 54), and in 2000, none in 107 Mink from LeSeur, Freeborn, Redwood, Brown and Watonwan Counties. Changes in kidney worm prevalence were positively related to trapping success, considered an index …

Precision Of Descriptors For Percent Marrow Fat Content For Whitetailed Deer, Odocoileus Viriginianus, L. David Mech

USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center

Based on 168 records of both verbal descriptors of White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) femur-marrow fat and percentage of fat measured later, “gelatinous” served well to distinguish fat < 46% from higher percentages. “Waxy” distinguished fat > 56%.

Elk Calf Survival And Mortality Following Wolf Restoration To Yellowstone National Park La Supervivencia Y La Mortalidad De Las Crı´As De Wapiti Tras La Restauracio´ N Del Lobo Al Parque Nacional De Yellowstone La Survie Et La Mortalite´ Des Faons De Wapitis Qui A Suivi La Re´Introduction Du Loup Au Parc De Yellowstone, S. M. Barber-Meyer, L. David Mech, P. J. White

USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center

We conducted a 3-year study (May 2003–Apr 2006) of mortality of northern Yellowstone elk (Cervus elaphus) calves to determine the cause for the recruitment decline (i.e., 33 calves to 13 calves/100 adult F) following the restoration of wolves (Canis lupus). We captured, fit with radiotransmitters, and evaluated blood characteristics and disease antibody seroprevalence in 151 calves ≤ 6 days old (68M:83F). Concentrations (x, SE) of potential condition indicators were as follows: thyroxine (T4; 13.8 µg/dL, 0.43), serum urea nitrogen (SUN; 17.4 mg/dL, 0.57), c-glutamyltransferase (GGT; 66.4 IU/L, 4.36), gamma globulins (GG; 1.5 g/dL, 0.07), and insulin-like …

Effect Of Intensive Winter Management, Partial Season Grazing, And Sorting On Performance And Economics Of A Long Yearling Steer Production System, J. D. Folmer, W. A. Griffin, C. N. Macken, M. P. Blackford, T. J. Klopfenstein, G. E. Erickson

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

A 2-yr study (200 steers/yr) was conducted to evaluate effects of grazing management and sorting by BW at feedlot entry on performance and economics of yearling steers. At receiving, steers (247 ± 21 kg) were randomly allotted to 1 of 2 treatments: low (0.75 kg/d, NORM) or high (0.90 kg/d, INT) gains during backgrounding. After wintering, NORM and INT grazed native range for 128 and 78 d, respectively. At feedlot entry, steers were randomly allotted to 1 of 2 treatments: sorted by BW (25% heavy, 50% medium, or 25% light; SORT) or unsorted (UNSORT). Heavy, medium, light, and UNSORT steers …

Effect Of Wintering System And Nutrition Around Breeding On Gain And Reproduction In Heifers, Daniel M. Larson, Jeremy L. Martin, Richard N. Funston

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Replacement heifers were developed using corn stalks (Experiments 1 and 2), winter range (Experiment 1), or a dry lot (Experiment 2) with or without a high energy supplement around breeding. Corn stalk development reduced ADG and the percentage pubertal prior to breeding; however, neither first service conception nor pregnancy rates were affected. High energy supplemental nutrition around breeding tends to improve first service conception. Corn stalk development does not appear to negatively impact reproduction, although it resulted in lighter calf birth weight compared to winter range.

The Effect Of Delaying Initial Feedlot Implant On Performance And Carcass Characteristics Of Calf-Fed Steers, William A. Griffin, Don C. Adams, Richard N. Funston

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Steers in two, 2-year experiments (n = 409) were either given an implant at feedlot arrival or implanted 30 days after feedlot entry. In Experiment 1, steer calves were not implanted at branding and in Experiment 2 calves were implanted at branding. There was no difference in feedlot performance for either experiment. However, in Experiment 1 there was a year by treatment interaction for marbling score suggesting that delaying implant in calves may affect quality grade.

Evaluation Of Aerial Cluster Sampling Of Double-Crested Cormorants On Aquaculture Ponds In Mississippi, Brian S. Dorr, Loren W. Burger Jr., Scott C. Barras

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Concern over increasing numbers of double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) and their impacts on channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) aquaculture has resulted in increased need for quantitative information to develop and evaluate depredation management efforts. We evaluated aerial surveys in a stratified cluster sampling (SCS) design to estimate and monitor abundance of cormorants on catfish aquaculture ponds in the Yazoo River Basin of Mississippi, USA (hereafter Yazoo Basin). Twice monthly abundance estimates and coefficient of variation during winter averaged 8,128 (n = 29, SE = 1,233) and 33% (n = 29, SE = 0.02), respectively. Counts of cormorants …

Is The Annual March Survey Of The Midcontinental San Dhill Crane Population Appropriately Timed To Reliably Estimate Population Size?, Gary L. Krapu, David A. Brandt

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service relies on an annual aerial photo-corrected survey conducted on the fourth Tuesday of March each year in the Central Platte River Valley (CPRV) and North Platte River Valley (NPRV) of Nebraska to estimate size of the midcontinental population (MCP) of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) to help guide population management. Wide unaccounted for annual fluctuations in survey counts over the past 25 years have raised concerns that many cranes either have left the Platte before the survey, have not yet arrived, or over fly the Platte entirely in some years. As a result, …

Risk Factors Associated With Developmental Limb Abnormalities In Captive Whooping Cranes, Cristin Kelley, Barry K. Hartup

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

This retrospective survey identifies potential risk factors for developmental limb abnormalities in whooping crane (Grus americana) chicks reared at the International Crane Foundation between 1990 and 2006. We summarized a series of biologicallyrelevant pre- and post-hatch variables from this population using in-house aviculture and veterinary records, and then compared them between chicks with and without developmental carpal, toe and leg deformities. Chi-square analysis revealed associations between 1) rearing style and each type of deformity, 2) egg source and carpal and toe deformities, and 3) the pre-existence of a toe deformity and carpal and leg deformities. Multivariate analyses using …

Trends In Habitat And Population Of Florida Sandhill Cranes, Stephen A. Nesbitt, James L. Hatchitt

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

To map the areas of potential occupied habitat for Florida sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis pratensis) in Florida we used known habitat requirements and confirmed locations of occurrence in combination with a Geographic Information System. Using the map of potential habitat resulting from this process, we calculated the changes in the amount and distribution of crane habitat in Florida in 10-year increments since 1974. Based on annual home range sizes, age structure, and average flock size, we estimated the statewide population of Florida sandhill cranes in 2003 to be 4,594 individuals. Considering the area of crane habitat lost since …

A Wasting Syndrome In Released Whooping Cranes In Florida Associated With Infectious Bursal Disease Titers, Marilyn G. Spalding, Holly S. Sellers, Barry K. Hartup, Glenn H. Olsen

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Whooping cranes (Grus americana) have been reintroduced into central Florida beginning in 1993 until the present. Bobcat predation of otherwise healthy cranes in good nutritional condition was the most common cause of mortality. However, release cohorts in the years 1997-1998 (14/22 died) and 2001-2002 (14/27 died, 5/27 clinical illness) experienced unusually high morbidity and mortality. Positive serum neutralizing titers for infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) were identified following the 2001 event, and an epidemiological study of released birds and the captive source flocks was initiated. Serotype 1 (Lukert and Variant A) tests were mostly negative. Serotype 2 testing …

Whooping Crane Collisions With Power Lines: An Issue Paper, Thomas V. Stehn, Tom Wassenich

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Collision with power lines is the greatest source of mortality for fledged whooping cranes (Grus americana) in the Aransas-Wood Buffalo population (AWBP) that migrate between the Northwest Territories, Canada to the Texas coast. This paper compiles 45 documented whooping crane mortalities from power line strikes in North America and provides known information on crane / power line interactions. A map of the AWBP whooping crane migration corridor was derived with 100 and 200-mile wide corridors delineated showing the location of known mortalities. Recommendations are provided to try to reduce this major threat facing whooping cranes.

A Year-Long Study Of Food Consumption By Captive Whooping Cranes At The International Crane Foundation, Jessica J. Stocking, Michael S. Putnam, Nathanial B. Warning

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Throughout 2002, we recorded daily food consumption by 12 pairs of captive whooping cranes (Grus americana). For 7 pairs we recorded food consumption throughout the entire year while there were large continuous gaps in measurements of food consumption for 5 pairs that raised chicks that year. Birds received both a maintenance and breeder diet, and for both we converted food consumption to energy intake (Joules/g body mass) using the combined fall weights of female and male. We compared daily energy intake with 6 meteorological variables (involving temperature, wind speed and humidity), photoperiod (natural and artificial) and egg laying …

A Simple Morphological Predictor Of Bite Force In Rodents, Patricia W. Freeman, Cliff A. Lemen

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Bite force was quantified for 13 species of North American rodents using a piezo-resistive sensor. Most of the species measured (11) formed a tight relationship between body mass and bite force (log 10(bite force) = 0.43(log 10(body mass)) + 0.416; R² > 0.98). This high correlation exists despite the ecological (omnivores, grazers and more carnivorous) and taxonomic (Cricetidae, Heteromyidae, Sciuridae and Zapodidae) diversity of species. Two additional species, Geomys bursarius (Geomyidae) and a Sciurus niger (Sciuridae), bit much harder for their size. We found a simple index of strength based on two measurements of the incisor at the level of …

Speciation Within Bonneted Bats (Genus Eumops): The Complexity Of Morphological, Mitochondrial, And Nuclear Data Sets In Systematics, Molly M. Mcdonough, Loren K. Ammerman, Robert M. Timm, Hugh H. Genoways, Peter A. Larsen, Robert J. Baker

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

We phylogenetically analyze 705 base pairs of the cytochrome-b gene and 351 amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) bands from populations of the karyotypically variable Wagner’s bonneted bat, Eumops glaucinus, and the Florida bonneted bat, Eumops floridanus (Chiroptera: Molossidae). Three karyotypes have been documented across the range of E. glaucinus, and we report that the karyotype from Cuba is morphologically similar to that from Jamaica. A 4th karyotype is present in specimens from western Ecuador. Three distinct lineages are present in both the cytochrome-b and AFLP trees. One lineage is restricted to western Ecuador and exhibits cytochrome-b …

Characterization Of A Contact Zone Between Two Subspecies Of The Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus Fuscus) In Nebraska, Justin D. Hoffman, Hugh H. Genoways

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Two subspecies of the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) are reported to occur in Nebraska. The eastern race, E. f. fuscus, is reportedly bigger and darker than its western counterpart E. f. pallidus. Where these 2 subspecies come in contact is the subject of debate. We used external, cranial, and colorimetric data to investigate geographic variation among populations of E. fuscus in Nebraska to determine the location of the zone of contact between E. f. fuscus and E. f. pallidus. We discovered significant variation in external, cranial, and colorimetric data, suggesting that E. fuscus is …

A Landscape Perspective Of Whooping Crane Migration Through Nebraska: Conservation And Management Implications, Felipe Chavez-Ramirez, Chris Helzer, Paul Tebbel

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Past and current discussions of conservation of whooping crane (Grus americana) stopover habitat in Nebraska have long been focused on the Platte River. We evaluated the distribution of whooping crane stopover sites in Nebraska in a broader context to (a) determine the distribution of whooping crane stopover sites on the Platte River relative to other landscapes and (b) use whooping migratory behavior data to systematically define and explain patterns of stopover clusters. The distribution of stopover clusters suggests rainwater basin wetlands and the Platte River may be used interchangeably by migrating whooping cranes. The Rainwater Basin and Platte River appear …

Geographic Distribution: Sphaerodactylus Elegans Elegans (Ashy Gecko). Usa: Florida: Broward Co, Louis A. Somma, Kenneth L. Krysko

Papers in Herpetology

FLORIDA: BRowARD Co.: Pembroke Pines: 1031 NW93rd Ave (26.0168833°N, 80.2695694°W; WGS84; elev. <1 m). 27 October 2007. Collected by Lisa A. Charlton. Verified by F. Wayne King, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida. One neonate captured in Jackson sticky trap set to sample insects in an alee tree (Blighia sapida). UF 152418. New county record. Originally turned in to Division of Plant Industry (DPI), Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Gainesville, Florida, on 31 October 2007; Entomology Log No. 8204. This nonindigenous gecko was flrst reported from Key West, Monroe County, Florida, more than 85 years ago (Stejneger 1922. Copeia [108]:56). Since that time the species has slowly expanded its range through other islands in the Florida Keys, and onto mainland Florida in Miami, Miami-Dade County (Carr 1940. Univ. Florida PubI. BioI. Sci. Ser. 3[1]:1-118; Krysko and Daniels 2005. Caribb. J. Sci.41:28-36.). On 11 September 1937, asingleSphaerodactylus e. elegans was collected in Port Everglades, Broward County, Florida (UF 183) and on 26 January 1963, another collected from inside a house in Miami, Miami-Dade County, Florida (UF 84234). This latest specimen is the third known mainland record in the continental U.S.

Historic And Recent Distributions Of Elk In Nebraska, Kent A. Fricke, Michael A. Cover, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Scott R. Groepper, Hugh H. Genoways, Kit M. Hams, Kurt C. Vercauteren

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

Elk (Cervus elaphus) were historically found throughout North America but were extirpated from Nebraska and much of the Great Plains in the 1880s due to consumptive uses by settlers, miners, market hunters, and others. Elk began to reappear in Nebraska in the 1950s and 1960s, and established a stable, nonmigratory population that currently consists of seven herds and an estimated 1,400 individuals throughout western and central Nebraska. The reappearance and subsequent persistence of elk in Nebraska suggests there is adequate habitat to support a self-sustaining population. The general movement of elk eastward may lead to an eventual statewide …

Muscleworms, Parelaphostrongylus Andersoni (Nematoda: Protostrongylidae), Discovered In Columbia White-Tailed Deer From Oregon And Washington: Implications For Biogeography And Host Associations, Ingrid M. Asmundsson, Jack A. Mortenson, Eric P. Hoberg

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty and Staff Publications

Parelaphostrongylus andersoni is considered a characteristic nematode infecting white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Host and geographic distribution for this parasite, however, remain poorly defined in the region of western North America. Fecal samples collected from Columbia white-tailed deer (O. v. leucurus) in a restricted range endemic to Oregon and Washington, USA, were examined for dorsal-spined larvae characteristic of many protostrongylid nematodes. Multilocus DNA sequence data (internal transcribed spacer 2 and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1) established the identity and a new record for P. andersoni in a subspecies of white-tailed deer previously unrecognized as hosts. Populations of …

2008 Annual Report: Migratory Bird Conservation Commission

United States Fish and Wildlife: Staff Publications

Table of Contents

The Service’s Legacy of Conserving Migratory Waterfowl Habitat

The Migratory Bird Conservation Commission

The Migratory Bird Conservation Fund

MBCC Approvals for Fiscal Year 2008

MBCF Land Acquisitions for Fiscal Year 2008

National Wildlife Refuge System –– New Area and Boundary Addition Approvals for Fiscal Year 2008

Notes on Tables One and Two

Map – National Migratory Bird Refuges

Table One – National Migratory Bird Areas

Map – Wetland Management Districts

Table Two – National Waterfowl Production Areas

North American Wetlands Conservation Fund Summary of MBCC Approvals for Fiscal Year 2008

Table Three – U.S. Wetlands Conservation Standard …

Molt And Aging Criteria For Four North American Grassland Passerines, Peter Pyle, Stephanie L. Jones, Janet M. Ruth

United States Fish and Wildlife: Staff Publications

Prairie and grassland habitats in central and western North America have declined substantially since settlement by Europeans (Knopf 1994) and many of the birds and other organisms that inhabit North American grasslands have experienced steep declines (Peterjohn and Sauer 1999; Johnson and Igl 1997; Sauer, Hines, and Fallon 2007). The species addressed here, Sprague’s Pipit (Anthus spragueii), Grasshopper (Ammodramus savannarum) and Baird’s (A. bairdii) sparrows, and Chestnut-collared Longspurs (Calcarius ornatus), are grassland birds that are of special conservation concern throughout their ranges due to declining populations and the loss of the specific …

Trace Elements And Petroleum Hydrocarbons In The Aquatic Bird Food Chain Of Process Water Evaporation Ponds At The Little America Refinery, Casper, Wyoming, Pedro Ramirez

United States Fish and Wildlife: Staff Publications

This study determined the nature and extent of trace elements, metals, and petroleum hydrocarbons in evaporation ponds used for the disposal of process water from Sinclair Oil Corporation’s LARCO oil refinery in Evansville, Wyoming. This study was conducted to determine if contaminants are causing adverse effects or have the potential to adversely affect aquatic migratory birds inhabiting the evaporation ponds. The discharge of refinery process water into relict dune basins created a series of ponds that provide habitat for 39 species of aquatic migratory birds. Several aquatic bird species nest at the evaporation ponds and the adjacent natural marsh complex. …

Dictionary Of Invertebrate Zoology, Mary Ann Basinger Maggenti, Armand R. Maggenti, Scott Gardner

Zea E-Books Collection

An exhaustive dictionary of over 13,000 terms relating to invertebrate zoology, including etymologies, word derivations and taxonomic classification. Entries cover parasitology, nematology, marine invertebrates, insects, and anatomy, biology, and reproductive processes for the following phyla: Acanthocephala Annelida Arthropoda Brachiopoda Bryozoa Chaetognatha Cnidaria Ctenophora Echinodermata Echiura Entoprocta Gastrotricha Gnathostomulida Kinorhyncha Loricifera Mesozoa Mollusca Nemata Nematomorpha Nemertea Onychophora Pentastoma Phoronida Placozoa Platyhelminthes Pogonophora Porifera Priapula Rotifera Sipuncula Tardigrada.

doi:10.13014/K2DR2SN5

Chemical And Sensory Properties Of Beef Of Known Source And Finished On Wet Distillers Grains Diets Containing Varying Types And Levels Of Roughage, B. E. Jenschke, Joshua R. Benton, Chris R. Calkins, Timothy P. Carr, Kent M. Eskridge, Terry Klopfenstein, Galen E. Erickson

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Beef knuckles (n = 160) were obtained from source-verified cattle finished on 30% wet distillers grains plus solubles enriched with varying levels of alfalfa hay (4 or 8%), corn silage (6 or 12%), or corn stalks (3 or 6%) based on NDF. Proximate analysis, pH, oxidation-reduction potential, fatty acid composition, and sensory analysis were conducted on the rectus femoris muscle to determine if roughage inclusion, in conjunction with wet distillers grains plus solubles and cattle source, affects beef flavor with particular interest in liver-like off-flavor. Proximate analysis, fat content, and oxidation-reduction potential were unaffected (P ≥ 0.129) by diet or …