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Full-Text Articles in Animal Sciences

Milk Phospholipids Extraction Using Switchable Solvents, Kaavya Rathnakumar Jan 2021

Milk Phospholipids Extraction Using Switchable Solvents, Kaavya Rathnakumar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Phospholipids (PLs) found in milk are of great interest due to their health and nutritional benefits associated with their consumption. By-products generated during the manufacture of dairy products represent a source of PLs with potential for value-added opportunities. Currently, the extraction of PLs from by-products results in overall lowefficiencies, and it involves subsequent solvent separation and lipid recovery. This dissertation studied the extraction of milk PLs from by-product streams with a tertiary anime (N, N-dimethyl cyclohexylamine, CyNMe2) as a switchable hydrophilicity solvent. This type of solvents can be reversibly switched between a hydrophobic and hydrophilic form in the presence or …


Impact Of Carcass Chilling System On Carcass Characteristics And Biochemical Changes In Beef Carcasses, Lydia Margaret Hite Jan 2021

Impact Of Carcass Chilling System On Carcass Characteristics And Biochemical Changes In Beef Carcasses, Lydia Margaret Hite

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Effective and efficient chilling of beef carcasses will directly influence meat quality and consumer acceptance. Over the past century the United States’ meat industry has evolved, and spray chilling system have become common practice utilized by the beef industry. However, many of the chilling systems presently in use were designed to chill carcasses averaging lighter than the average beef hot carcass weight of today. Beef hot carcass weight has increased 68 kilograms from 1991 to 2019. The increase in beef hot carcass weight could result in longer chilling periods and present possible challenges for chilling systems used by the beef …


The Influence Of Carcass Weight On Beef Primal Temperature, Tenderness, And Palatability, Samantha Egolf Jan 2021

The Influence Of Carcass Weight On Beef Primal Temperature, Tenderness, And Palatability, Samantha Egolf

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The United States beef industry has experienced increasing hot carcass weights (HCW) and improvements to quality grade the last three decades. Postmortem chilling of beef carcasses is critical to overall product quality. Carcass weight and composition may influence carcass temperatures during postmortem chilling. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of HCW and quality grade during postmortem chilling and on product quality. A-maturity carcasses were selected by weight [light = 296–341 kg; middle = 386–432 kg; heavy = 466–523 kg]. A 20 cm data logger was placed into the chuck and round and a 10 cm data …


Gene Network And Pathway Analysis Of Transcriptional Signatures Characterizing Sole Ulcer And Digital Dermatitis In Dairy Cows, Roshin Anie Mohan Jan 2021

Gene Network And Pathway Analysis Of Transcriptional Signatures Characterizing Sole Ulcer And Digital Dermatitis In Dairy Cows, Roshin Anie Mohan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to evaluate the transcriptomic profile of both corium tissue from lactating dairy cows experiencing sole ulcers and skin lesions from lactating dairy cows diagnosed with digital dermatitis (DD). Hoof biopsies were performed in multiparous Holstein dairy cows selected based on their condition as clinically healthy or diagnosed with sole ulcers (n=7/group). Similarly, skin biopsies were taken from the center of active (M2/M4.1) DD lesions or non-active (M0/M4/M1) from multiparous Holstein dairy cows (n = 7/group) to assess the impact of DD on the skin transcriptome via RNA-seq analysis. All RNA samples were sequenced using Illumina, NovaSeq S4 …


Evaluating Impacts Of Tryptophan And Branched Chain Amino Acids In Swine Diets Containing Corn Based Dried Distillers Grains On The Growth Performance And Carcass Characteristics Of Grow-Finish Pigs, David Alan Clizer Jan 2021

Evaluating Impacts Of Tryptophan And Branched Chain Amino Acids In Swine Diets Containing Corn Based Dried Distillers Grains On The Growth Performance And Carcass Characteristics Of Grow-Finish Pigs, David Alan Clizer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A total of four studies were conducted in an effort to determine the impact of Trp and the BCAA in swine diets containing DDGS or HPDDG on the growth performance and carcass characteristics of the growing and finishing pig. The first study utilized 1,170 pigs (PIC 800 x PIC, initial BW 38.6 kg) in a 98-d grow-finish study to determine the performance response of pigs fed increasing levels of SID Trp:Lys in swine diets containing 40% DDGS. Treatments consisted of diets containing 40% DDGS with a SID Trp:Lys ratios of 15, 18, 21, or 24% or a corn-SBM diet for …


The Interactions Of Change In Nutrition Prior To And After Artificial Insemination On Plasma Metabolites, Steroid Hormones, And Uterine Histotroph In Beef Heifers, Taylor N. Andrews Jan 2021

The Interactions Of Change In Nutrition Prior To And After Artificial Insemination On Plasma Metabolites, Steroid Hormones, And Uterine Histotroph In Beef Heifers, Taylor N. Andrews

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The management of heifers can have lifetime effects on their reproductive success and efficiency. Nutrition is one of the management factors that can influence steroid hormone production, oocyte development, embryo development, and uterine histotroph, thus affecting heifers’ reproductive efficiency. Therefore, the objectives of the following studies were to evaluate the impact of nutritional changes prior to and after Artificial Insemination (AI) on plasma cholesterol concentrations, and uterine mineral concentrations (Chapter 2) and the impact of nutritional change after AI on uterine mineral concentrations, steroid hormone production, and circulating metabolites (Chapter 3). In experiment 1 (Chapter 2), beef heifers (n = …


The Effects Of Weather, Body Weight, And Feed Intake On Total And Liquid Water Intake In Beef Cattle, Zachary Mcdaniel Jan 2021

The Effects Of Weather, Body Weight, And Feed Intake On Total And Liquid Water Intake In Beef Cattle, Zachary Mcdaniel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Two completely randomized design feedlot experiments were conducted over the course of a year. Both experiments were performed in order to determine the effects of weather, body weight (BW), and feed intake on total daily water intake (TDWI) and liquid daily water intake (LDWI) in beef steers. Experiment 1 utilized Angus weaned steers (n = 27; initial BW = 273 + 21.3 kg). Experiment 2 utilized yearling Bos taurus steers (n = 26; initial BW = 421 + 16.2 kg). Individual feed and water intake were collected using the Insentec (Insentec RIC, Hokofarm, Marknesse, Netherlands) automated feeding and water system. …


Cortisol In Hair As A Measure Of Chronic Stress During Sow Gestation And The Pattern Of Cortisol In Blood During Parturition In Sows, Talia Everding Jan 2021

Cortisol In Hair As A Measure Of Chronic Stress During Sow Gestation And The Pattern Of Cortisol In Blood During Parturition In Sows, Talia Everding

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cortisol is known as the stress hormone, as it influences many metabolic processes to maintain glucose homeostasis during stressful experiences, including physical and psychological stress. It can be detected in biological matrices such as blood and hair and is released rapidly during sudden stressors and continuously during longterm stress. Blood cortisol fluctuates rapidly in response to acute stressors like pain, exertion, and fear; in hair cortisol accumulates steadily over the period of hair growth and may be useful for detecting chronically elevated cortisol resulting from long-term stress. The objective of this research was to, 1) determine the influence of a …


Corn Grain Alternatives And Coated Versus Non-Coated Trenbolone Acetate And Estradiol Impants For Feedlot Finishing Animals: Influence On Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics, Efficiency Of Dietary Net Energy Utilization, Beef Production Per Hectare And Digestiblilty, Elizabeth Buckhaus Jan 2021

Corn Grain Alternatives And Coated Versus Non-Coated Trenbolone Acetate And Estradiol Impants For Feedlot Finishing Animals: Influence On Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics, Efficiency Of Dietary Net Energy Utilization, Beef Production Per Hectare And Digestiblilty, Elizabeth Buckhaus

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Corn grain alternatives are often not used in finishing rations due to reduced caloric densities and reluctance to deviate from traditional methods. Along with optimum nutrition, cattle need to have proper implant strategies to reap maximum returns on investment. Two studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of corn grain alternatives and implant type on feedlot finishing cattle. The objective of the first study was to determine the influence of corn silage (15% or 30% dry matter inclusion), and terminal implant type (coated or non-coated) containing equal hormonal doses on animal growth performance, apparent total tract digestibility, beef production per …


Influence Of Preharvest Management Strategies In Beef Cattle On Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics, And Meat Quality, Erin Gubbels Jan 2021

Influence Of Preharvest Management Strategies In Beef Cattle On Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics, And Meat Quality, Erin Gubbels

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The overall goal of this thesis project was to better understand the influence of preharvest management strategies at critical growth and development periods on beef performance and meat quality. This was accomplished through two primary objectives: 1) to investigate the effects of maternal prepartum dietary energy source during mid- and late-gestation on growth performance, carcass composition, and meat quality of offspring and 2) to compare the influence of two low stress weaning methods with conventional weaning on post-weaning performance and carcass characteristics of steers. For objective 1, Angus-based cows from two sources (n = 129 from South Dakota State University, …


Characterization Of The Rumen Bacterial Communities Of Bison Heifers Fed A Grass-Based Diet Vs A Grain-Based Free-Choice Diet, Anlly Miley Fresno Rueda Jan 2021

Characterization Of The Rumen Bacterial Communities Of Bison Heifers Fed A Grass-Based Diet Vs A Grain-Based Free-Choice Diet, Anlly Miley Fresno Rueda

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A century ago, the North American grasslands and prairie ecosystems were dominated by bison. At least 30 million bison roamed the Great Plains when the first explorers arrived. By 1900, there were little over a thousand bison remained in the United States and Canada. Recovery efforts has been made since the 20th century to reestablish the herds and increase the bison population. Today, over 500,000 bison are distributed across North America, with more than 90% of the existing bison population under commercial production. Modern conservation strategies are made via the collaborative efforts of conservationist, producers, and researchers, resulting in increased …


Effects Of Predator Management And Parasitism On Over-Water Nesting Diving Duck Production In Southwestern Manitoba, Trenton E. Rohrer Jan 2021

Effects Of Predator Management And Parasitism On Over-Water Nesting Diving Duck Production In Southwestern Manitoba, Trenton E. Rohrer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nest survival of upland nesting waterfowl (e.g., mallard [Anas platyrhynchos], blue-winged teal [Anas discors]) has been studied extensively in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of North America. Conversely, over-water nesting diving ducks’ nest survival is poorly understood, likely because over-water nests are more challenging to find, may be less concentrated, and searching for these nests is physically demanding. Nest depredation is considered a leading cause of duck nest failure and is considered a limiting factor on upland nesting waterfowl production in the PPR. Similar factors limiting upland nesting duck production may limit over-water nesting duck productivity, but studies of this …


Investigating The Development Of Fecal Bacterial Communities In Growing Dairy Calves, Emily Fowler Jan 2021

Investigating The Development Of Fecal Bacterial Communities In Growing Dairy Calves, Emily Fowler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The gut development of young calves is crucial for the producer and the calf's future. Many factors can affect the development of a young calf's gastrointestinal system, and there has been little research into the fecal microbiome development of calves from 0 to 12 weeks of age. To gain further insight into this process, development of the fecal microbiome in 12 dairy calves was investigated. Fecal bacterial composition was determined at four time points (weeks 0, 4, 8 and 12) using the 16S rRNA gene through PCR-amplification of the V1-V3 regions from fecal microbial genomic DNA, followed by Illumina MiSeq …


Developing Whey Protein Encapsulated Probiotics And Evaluating Environmental Listeria Using Whole-Genome Sequencing, Shayanti Minj Jan 2021

Developing Whey Protein Encapsulated Probiotics And Evaluating Environmental Listeria Using Whole-Genome Sequencing, Shayanti Minj

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this study, a novel value-added dairy-based health formulation was developed using whey protein hydrolysate and probiotic organisms. In the first part of the study, different forms of whey proteins, concentrate WPC80, isolate WPI90, and hydrolysates WPH10, WPH15 and WPH20 were screened for bioactivities (antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antihypertensive activity). Hydrolysate WPH10, exhibiting the highest bioactivities was conjugated with maltodextrin. A batch of 2L conjugated solution was spray dried in a Niro drier with an inlet and outlet temperature of 200⁰C and 90⁰C, and alternatively, freeze dried at −80 °C under 50 mTorr vacuum. The bioactivities of the conjugated samples were …


An Exploration Of The Effects Of An Early Postpartum Intravenous Infusion With Carnosic Acid On Physiological Responses Of Transition Dairy Cows, Tainara Michelotti Jan 2021

An Exploration Of The Effects Of An Early Postpartum Intravenous Infusion With Carnosic Acid On Physiological Responses Of Transition Dairy Cows, Tainara Michelotti

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The transition period is commonly defined as the last 3 wk before parturition to 3 wk after parturition. It is the most critical stage of the lactation cycle of high-producing dairy cows. The period consists of a complex interplay of metabolic and hormonal adaptations, inflammation, and immune activation. During the transition period, dairy cows commonly face oxidative stress, an underlying factor for dysfunctional immune response and enhanced inflammation, which can further increase the susceptibility of dairy cattle to health disorders and decrease productivity. In the last few decades, there has been an increased interest in studying alternative natural compounds with …


Search For New Fertility Markers In Bull Sperm, Saulo Menegatti Zoca Jan 2021

Search For New Fertility Markers In Bull Sperm, Saulo Menegatti Zoca

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sperm are stored for extended periods of time in the epididymis, but upon ejaculation motility is increased and lifespan is decreased. After insemination, sperm must traverse the female barriers and undergo capacitation to complete fertilization; however, there are differences in fertility even among bulls that successfully pass a breeding soundness exam. For any potential marker of fertility, there must be variability expressed among animals. The series of studies in this dissertation had the objective 1) to evaluate differences between epididymal and ejaculated sperm and respective fluids proteins to understand increased longevity of epididymal sperm; 2) to evaluate the potential of …


Effects Of Harvest Regulations And Post-Release Hooking Mortality On Walleye Populations In South Dakota, Cade Lyon Jan 2021

Effects Of Harvest Regulations And Post-Release Hooking Mortality On Walleye Populations In South Dakota, Cade Lyon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Harvest regulations are commonly implemented to manipulate fisheries stocks. By regulating the size and number of fish that are harvested by anglers, managers are able to meet the goals and needs of regions. However, these management actions come with the potential for negative consequences. Overexploitation due to less restrictive harvest regulations can cause collapses in fisheries populations. In addition, indirect consequences such as hooking mortality brought on by length-based regulations can also be detrimental to populations. In this study, I investigated the effects of various harvest regulations on Walleye populations in three western South Dakota irrigation reservoirs: Angostura, Belle Fourche, …


Changes In Pregnancy - Associated Glycoproteins Associated With Fetal Age, Postpartum Interval And Evaluation Of A Chute-Side Lateral Flow Assay, Adalaide C. Kline Jan 2021

Changes In Pregnancy - Associated Glycoproteins Associated With Fetal Age, Postpartum Interval And Evaluation Of A Chute-Side Lateral Flow Assay, Adalaide C. Kline

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Transrectal ultrasonography is known as the gold standard for pregnancy detection but requires costly equipment and technical skill. Access to a cheaper and more user-friendly method with similar accuracy to transrectal ultrasonography would be beneficial to individual cattle producers and to the cattle industry as a whole. Pregnancy diagnosis by detection of pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (PAGs) has the ability to accurately determine pregnancy in ruminants, however, usually requires specialized equipment for the assay. Pregnancy-associated glycoprotein pregnancy tests are gaining in popularity due to their ease of use and the unique feature of not requiring specialized training. Recently, a new lateral flow …


The Effect Of Holding Time Of Whole Mare Blood On Concentration Of Progesterone, Clarissa Menefee Dec 2020

The Effect Of Holding Time Of Whole Mare Blood On Concentration Of Progesterone, Clarissa Menefee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to evaluate if holding time had an effect on mare whole blood progesterone levels. This research was completed using 12 mares, with blood being collected on multiple cycles to get a total of 28 separate blood collections. At each collection 5 vials of blood were taken for different time treatments of 0, 12, 24, and 48 hours. The 0 hour was centrifuged within 30 mins of collection and the other 4 were refrigerated at 4℃ until the specific time treatment was finished. After they were centrifuged all the samples were stored in the freezer …


Residency, Diel Movement, And Tidal Patterns Of Large Juvenile Bull Sharks (Carcharhinus Leucas) In Winyah Bay, Sc, Jeremy Lee Arnt Dec 2020

Residency, Diel Movement, And Tidal Patterns Of Large Juvenile Bull Sharks (Carcharhinus Leucas) In Winyah Bay, Sc, Jeremy Lee Arnt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.


Analyzing The Longevity Of Sperm Within The Female Japanese Quail By Assessing Sperm Penetration Of The Perivitelline Layer Under Optimal And Suboptimal Conditions., Garret G. Ashabranner, Joey L. Bray Aug 2020

Analyzing The Longevity Of Sperm Within The Female Japanese Quail By Assessing Sperm Penetration Of The Perivitelline Layer Under Optimal And Suboptimal Conditions., Garret G. Ashabranner, Joey L. Bray

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

After mating, birds have the ability to store semen within the female reproductive tract. The sperm storage tubules will store and subsequently release semen to travel up the oviduct. Sperm cells that make the trek up the oviduct have a chance to fertilize the ovum. These sperm cells will bind to the perivitelline layer of the ovum and hydrolyze a hole in the perivitelline layer, where it has the possibility to fertilize the female sex cell. Analyzing the number of penetration points on the perivitelline layer is an effective way to analyze reproductive efficiency. Many environmental factor has its effect …


Analyzing The Management Practices Of East Texas Beef Cattle Producers, Hiliary Cheyenne Swor Aug 2020

Analyzing The Management Practices Of East Texas Beef Cattle Producers, Hiliary Cheyenne Swor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A survey of East Texas beef cattle producers was designed to evaluate the management practices that were prevalent in the area. Demographic and cattle operation data from 103 respondents were analyzed using SPSS (Version 25; Chicago, IL). This electronic-based survey was distributed through Qualtrics. Respondents were located in Angelina, Nacogdoches, or Cherokee county. Most producers (38.8%) had a Bachelor’s degree. A negative correlation was established between castration method and weaning weight (p = - 0.204). Calves were weaned 50 pounds heavier when band or surgically castrated. Females were less likely to castrate their calves or utilize a mineral program. Approximately, …


Encephalization In Commensal Raccoons: A Unique Test Of The Cognitive Buffer Hypothesis, Peter M. Anderson May 2020

Encephalization In Commensal Raccoons: A Unique Test Of The Cognitive Buffer Hypothesis, Peter M. Anderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated selective pressures associated with encephalization in mammals and discussed broader implications. Relative brain size as measured by EQ (Encephalization Quotient) was compared between ecological categories. Omnivores had higher average EQ than ecological specialists. Since specialists are disproportionately affected by extinction events, selection for ecological generalism is proposed as encephalization mechanism. This mechanism may reinforce the more widely known Cognitive Buffer Hypothesis (CBH)—the idea that possessing relatively large brains has buffered lineages against environmental change. CBH is tested here by comparing EQs in Procyon lotor (raccoon) in urban and rural environments. CBH predicts that raccoons in the most …


Ontogenetic And Adult Shape Variation In The Endocast Of Tapirus: Implications For T. Polkensis From The Gray Fossil Site, Thomas M. Gaetano May 2020

Ontogenetic And Adult Shape Variation In The Endocast Of Tapirus: Implications For T. Polkensis From The Gray Fossil Site, Thomas M. Gaetano

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Endocranial morphology provides evidence of sensory ecology and sociality of extinct vertebrates. The Earliest Pliocene Gray Fossil Site (GFS) of NE Tennessee features a conspicuous dominance of skeletal elements belonging to the dwarf tapir, Tapirus polkensis. Numerous individuals in one fossil locality often suggests gregarious behavior, but sociality in T. polkensis contradicts behavior documented for extant Tapirus species. I test T. polkensis for variation in sensory and social ecology using computed tomography and 3D digital endocasts from an ontogenetic sequence. I compare the T. polkensis endocasts with extant Tapirus species using Encephalization Quotients (EQs) and 3D geometric morphometrics. Results …


Tobacco Enhances Bacterial-Induced Periodontal Bone Loss In Mice., Mina Iskander May 2020

Tobacco Enhances Bacterial-Induced Periodontal Bone Loss In Mice., Mina Iskander

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Tobacco smoking is the leading environmental risk factor for periodontal diseases. Delineation of the mechanisms underlying tobacco-induced or exacerbated periodontitis is hampered by the lack of an appropriate and reliable animal model. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that Porphyromonas-gingivalis-infected, cigarette smoke-exposed mice would represent reproducible models of acute (ligature model) and chronic (oral gavage model) tobacco-enhanced periodontitis that reflect multiple aspects of the disease noted in human smokers. Methods: In a chronic oral gavage disease model, Balb/c mice (6-8 weeks, 4 groups of n = 6 per group) were exposed to smoke produced by a Teague-10 smoking machine from 1R6F research …


Chronoecology Of A Cave-Dwelling Orb-Weaver Spider, Meta Ovalis (Araneae: Tetragnathidae), Rebecca Steele May 2020

Chronoecology Of A Cave-Dwelling Orb-Weaver Spider, Meta Ovalis (Araneae: Tetragnathidae), Rebecca Steele

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Circadian clocks enable coordination of essential biological and metabolic processes in relation to the 24-hour light cycle. However, there are many habitats that are not subject to this light cycle, such as the deep sea, arctic regions, and cave systems. This study analyzes the circadian pattern of isolated populations of a subterranean spider, Meta ovalis from two Tennessee caves and five Indiana caves. Locomotor activity was recorded with TriKinetics LAM50 Locomotor Activity Monitor under a 12-hour light (L), 12-hour dark (D) (LD 12:12) cycle preceding total darkness (DD). Significant differences were found within and among populations found in Tennessee cave …


Glare Reduction By Dark Facial Markings And Bills In Birds, Clara Lebow May 2020

Glare Reduction By Dark Facial Markings And Bills In Birds, Clara Lebow

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Avian facial plumage, bill coloration, and feather microstructure may serve one or more adaptive functions. Several researchers have proposed that dark eyestripes, bills, and facial masks aid in reducing glare, however, there have been relatively few tests of this hypothesis. Dark facial markings have been shown to have an adaptive glare-reduction function in recent field studies of a few species, but this hypothesis has never been tested in a broad multispecies analysis. It is likely that feather microstructure influences feather brightness and has an effect on the efficacy of glare reduction properties of feathers. I examined the link between dark …


Impact Of Postweaning Management Strategies On Beef Carcass Characteristics And Meat Quality, Christina Elaine Bakker Jan 2020

Impact Of Postweaning Management Strategies On Beef Carcass Characteristics And Meat Quality, Christina Elaine Bakker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The overall objective of this dissertation was to determine the impact of selected post weaning management strategies on beef carcass characteristics and meat quality. The specific objectives were 1) determine the effect of a rumen-protected long chain fatty acids fed during finishing on live performance, serum fatty acid profile, carcass traits, and predicted carcass composition, and 2) determine effects of feeding brassica-based cover crops to cattle during backgrounding on live animal performance, carcass characteristics, tenderness, juiciness, and flavor of strip steaks, and case life of ground beef and strip steaks. Results from both objectives indicate post weaning management strategies do …


Cold-Water Prey Fish Monitoring And Ecology In Lake Oahe, Nicholas B. Kludt Jan 2020

Cold-Water Prey Fish Monitoring And Ecology In Lake Oahe, Nicholas B. Kludt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In Lake Oahe, a large mainstem Missouri river reservoir that spans 375 river kilometers in central North and South Dakota, naturalized Rainbow Smelt are the primary forage species for a regionally important Walleye Sander vitreus fishery. Walleye condition in Lake Oahe is highly correlated to Rainbow Smelt relative abundance through time, the latter species being typified by erratic abundance trends since accidental introduction in 1971. Cisco Coregonus artedii were introduced in the early 1990s to augment the cold-water prey base. We evaluated Lake Oahe cold-water prey base monitoring and dynamics through: 1.) a comparison of two hydroacoustic survey designs, 2.) …


Understanding How Agricultural Intensification Impacts Ring-Necked Pheasant Distribution And Survival In Eastern South Dakota, Hilary R. Kauth Jan 2020

Understanding How Agricultural Intensification Impacts Ring-Necked Pheasant Distribution And Survival In Eastern South Dakota, Hilary R. Kauth

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Historically, pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) have thrived in South Dakota in conjunction with successful land retirement programs or early farming practices through the 1950s, which created interspersions of agriculture and native landscapes that were ideal for pheasants. Recently, the Prairie Pothole ecosystem has undergone rapid agroeconomic expansion, effectively reducing ideal interspersions of native prairie and cropland into agriculturally homogeneous landscapes. Indices of pheasant abundance have suggested persistent population declines since 2008, raising concerns regarding landscape suitability. Our goal was to understand how agriculture intensification impacts pheasant ecology. The objectives were to: 1) estimate overwinter hen probability of survival, resource …