Animal Sciences Commons^™

Lpe Center News, November 2007

Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center: Newsletters

In this issue:

• December Webcast Showcases Innovative Manure Treatment Technologies from SBIR Program

•.New and Improved LPELC Website Set for a March, 2008 Launch

• EPA AgSTAR Program Encourages Use of Anaerobic Digesters

• National Air Mitigation Conference Call for Papers Closes December 1

Initial Sequence And Comparative Analysis Of The Cat Genome, J. U. Pontius, James C. Mullikin, Douglas R. Smith, Agencourt Bioscience Corporation, Kerstin Lindblad-Toh, Sante Gnerre, Michele Clamp, Jean Chang, R. Stephens, Beena A. Neelam, Natalia Volfovsky, Alejandro A. Schaffer, R. Agarwala, Kristina Narfstrom, William J. Murphy, Urs Giger, Alfred L. Roca, Agostinho Antunes, Marilyn Menotti-Raymond, Naoya Yuhki, Jill Pecon-Slattery, Warren E. Johnson, Guillaume Bourque, Glenn Tesler, Nisc Comparative Sequencing Program, Stephen J. O'Brien

Biology Faculty Articles

The genome sequence (1.9-fold coverage) of an inbred Abyssinian domestic cat was assembled, mapped, and annotated with a comparative approach that involved cross-reference to annotated genome assemblies of six mammals (human, chimpanzee, mouse, rat, dog, and cow). The results resolved chromosomal positions for 663,480 contigs, 20,285 putative feline gene orthologs, and 133,499 conserved sequence blocks (CSBs). Additional annotated features include repetitive elements, endogenous retroviral sequences, nuclear mitochondrial (numt) sequences, micro-RNAs, and evolutionary breakpoints that suggest historic balancing of translocation and inversion incidences in distinct mammalian lineages. Large numbers of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), deletion insertion polymorphisms (DIPs), and …

Inside Unlv, Cate Weeks, Diane Russell, David Ashley, Grace Russell

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

2006 National Survey Of Fishing, Hunting, And Wildlife-Associated Recreation

United States Fish and Wildlife Service: Publications

The National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation reports results from interviews with U.S. residents about their fishing, hunting, and wildlife watching. This report focuses on 2006 participation and expenditures of persons 16 years of age and older.

However, in addition to 2006 estimates, we also provide trend information in the Highlights section and Appendix C of the report. The 2006 numbers reported can be compared with those in the 1991, 1996, and 2001 Survey reports because they used similar methodologies. However, 2006 estimates should not be directly compared with results from Surveys conducted earlier than 1991 because of …

Relative Effects Of Mammal Herbivory And Plant Spacing On Seedling Recruitment Following Fire And Mining, Michael H. Parsons, Christine M. Rafferty, Byron B. Lamont, Kenneth Dods, Meredith M. Fairbanks

Natural Resources Research Articles

No abstract provided.

Bats Of Anguilla, Northern Lesser Antilles, Hugh H. Genoways, Carleton J. Phillips, Scott C. Pedersen, Linda K. Gordon

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Five species of bats are known in the literature from Anguilla—Monophyllus plethodon, Brachyphylla cavernarum, Artibeus jamaicensis, Natalus stramineus, and Molossus molossus. These records are scattered in the literature as parts of simple reports of the species from the island or included in revisions of taxonomic groups that occur on the island, but the first comprehensive study of bats of Anguilla is presented herein. In addition to providing morphometric and natural history information for the five species of bats previously known from the island, records of a species of bat new to the fauna of the island of Anguilla—Tadarida …

Engineering, Nutrient Removal, And Feedstock Conversion Evaluations Of Four Corn Stover Harvest Scenarios, Reed L. Hoskinson, Douglas L. Karlen, Stuart J. Birrell, Corey W. Radtke, Wally Wilhelm

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Crop residue has been identified as a near-term source of biomass for renewable fuel, heat, power, chemicals and other bio-materials. A prototype one-pass harvest system was used to collect residue samples from a corn (Zea mays L.) field near Ames, IA. Four harvest scenarios (low cut, high-cut top, high-cut bottom, and normal cut) were evaluated and are expressed as collected stover harvest indices (CSHI). High-cut top and high-cut bottom samples were obtained from the same plot in separate operations. Chemical composition, dilute acid pretreatment response, ethanol conversion yield and efficiency, and thermochemical conversion for each scenario were determined. Mean …

Fish & Wildlife News: Summer/Fall 2007

Fish and Wildlife News

Contents:
Director’s Corner / 1
News Briefs / 3
Service Spotlight / 8
Back to Nature / 8
Path to Discovery / 12
A Prescription for Healthy Kids / 14
River Explorers / 16
Linking Girls to the Land / 18
Senses in the Desert / 22
Science / 24
Around the Service / 28
In Their Own Words / 42
Our People / 45
Transitions / 45
Honors / 47
In Memoriam / 49

Developmental Reproductive Effects Of Exposure To Pharmaceutical Steroids In The Aquatic Environment: Studies On Mosquitofish (Gambusia Affinis Affinis),Roach (Rutilus Rutilus) And Medaka(Oryzias Latipes), Taisen Iguchi, Yoshinao Katsu, Hiroshi Urushitani, Anke Lange, Charles R. Tyler

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Pharmaceutical androgens and estrogens discharged into the aquatic environment are now known to induce adverse effects in fish and are a health concern for wildlife. Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) exposed to a pharmaceutical androgen, trenbolone, used to enhance cattle growth and found to pollute waters below feedlots in the USA, has been shown to alter the development of the anal fin of the females and disrupt gonopodium development in fry. In our work, we showed that altered gonopodium development was associated with disruption in the normal patterns of expression of 2 cloned androgen receptors. Furthermore, exposure to trenbolone at 1 µg/L …

Adaptation To Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vents: Some Molecular And Developmental Aspects, Florence Pradillon, Françoise Gaill

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Alvinella pompejana is a polychaetous annelid inhabiting the surface of deep sea hydrothermal chimneys along the ridge of the east part of the Pacific ocean. The main characteristic of this emblematic species is its habitat, which is very aggressive considering its temperature. The exceptional thermotolerance of this species (up to 80°C) has been the subject of much controversy. This review is focused on the thermal adaptation of this worm regarding molecular data relative to its extracellular matrix and life history traits.

Simulated Migration Of European Silver Eel; Swim Capacity And Cost Of Transport, Guido Van Den Thillart, Arjan Palstra, Vincent Van Ginneken

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

An important aspect of the reproduction of European silver eels is the huge distance (ca 6000-km) they have to swim to reach their spawning grounds. So, obviously endurance swimming is a major requirement for successful reproduction. As migrating eels don’t feed, two major questions should be asked: 1) what are the energy costs to cross the Atlantic Ocean, 2) How much fat do eels need to cover the expenses. From swim tunnel experiments run for days till even 6 months we could determine the cost of transport (COT): 0.5 kJ km-1 kg-1. This amount is about 5 times lower than …

Effects Of Elevated Seawater Co2 Concentration On The Meiofauna, Haruko Kurihara, Atsushi Ishimatsu, Yoshihisa Shirayama

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

An increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration leads to a rise in CO2 concentrations and a decrease in pH of the ocean surface water due to continuous gas exchange between air and seawater, which may have serious impacts on neritic marine organisms. In this study, we assessed the impacts of elevated CO2 concentrations on meiobenthic organisms by exposing them to seawater equilibrated with air (control: CO2 concentration 380 ppm) or CO2-enriched air (2,000 ppm higher than control, CO2 concentration predicted by the year 2300) for 56 days in microcosms. We observed no significant differences in the abundance of total meiofauna, nematodes, …

Role Of Sex Hormones In Sex Change Of Grouper, Masaru Nakamura, Mohammad Ashraful Alam, Yasuhisa Kobayashi, Ramji Kumar Bhandari

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Groupers are commercially important coral reef fishes because of their excellent flavor and high price. Due to their sex changing nature, commercial aquaculture operations have not yet been developed for groupers. Sex steroids play a critical role in the initiation of sex change, but their exact function and mechanism of action are unknown. We have investigated the role of sex steroids in protogynous sex change using the honeycomb grouper, Epinephelus merra, for a number of years. Our studies have shown that sex steroids play a major role in sex change. In this review, we integrate our findings to better understand …

Neuroendocrinology Of Fish Metamorphosis And Puberty: Evolutionary And Ecophysiological Perspectives, Sylvie Dufour, Karine Rousseau

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Metamorphosis and puberty are two major events of the postembryonic development in Vertebrates. Based on some examples from fish species, we review the definition, role and regulation of these events, analyze their common and different features, as well as their impact on the evolution and diversity of life cycles. The term of puberty, firstly defined in humans, has been subsequently extended to the first acquisition of the capacity to reproduce in all mammalian and non-mammalian vertebrates as well as in invertebrates. By definition, puberty occurs only once in the life cycle. However, some similarities may be found with other events, …

Eutrophication In Farmington Bay And Its Potential Impacts On Wildlife, Wayne A. Wurtsbaugh

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Processing On The Composition And Microstructure Of Buttermilk And Its Milk Fat Globule Membranes, Pierre Morin, Rafael Jiménez-Flores, Yves Pouliot

Dairy Science

The effect of cream pasteurization on the composition and microstructure of buttermilk after pasteurization, evaporation and spray-drying was studied. The composition of milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) isolated from buttermilk samples was also characterized. Pasteurization of cream resulted in higher lipid recovery in the buttermilk. Spray-drying of buttermilk had a significant effect on phospholipid content and composition. After spray-drying, the phospholipid content decreased by 38.2% and 40.6%, respectively in buttermilk from raw or pasteurized cream when compared with initial buttermilks. Pasteurization of cream resulted in the highest increase in whey protein recovery in MFGM isolates compared with all other processing …

Refuge Update Article Index, Ellen Fritts

United States Fish and Wildlife Service: Publications

This document was developed to promote protection of Alaska’ wildlife from nonnative rodents, especially rats. If constitutes a statewide invasive rodent management plan, which is part of a multi-agency effort to minimize the impact of invasive species in Alaska. A literature search and interviews were conducted, and reviews were obtained from experts in Alaska and elsewhere. The plan summarizes resisting information relevant to Alaska and recommends a collaborative structure for undertaking strategic actions, the Alaska Rodent Action Team. It also identifies dozens of strategic actions that are needed to prevent and eradicate invasive rodents. These fall into six categories: legal …

Analyzing Site Loyalty In Nyctimene Robinsoni At The End Of The Dry Season, Kolleen Nellett

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The loyalty of Nyctimene robinsoni to its daytime roosting sites at the end of the dry season was assessed using radio tracking in Cape Tribulation, far north Queensland, Australia. N. robinsoni is a solitary roosting bat which specializes in figs. Bats were netted in front of a female fruiting Ficus congesta and glue-on transmitters were attached. Bats were then tracked to their daytime roosting sites and GPS coordinates were recorded. Night time positions were also monitored to gather information about how far from its roosting site each bat was foraging. A total of five bats were tagged although only two …

Fisheries Research Report 165: Biological And Fisheries Data For Managing Deep Sea Crabs In Western Australia - Project 2001/055, Roy Melville-Smith, S M. Norton, Adrian W. Thomson

Fisheries Research Reports

The crystal crab fishery on the west coast of Western Australia has only been commercially fished since the late 1990s. When this project was initiated in 2001, only compulsory monthly catch and effort data were being collected. This project has successfully set up the methods and means to collect and analyse more appropriate commercial catch and effort data for the fishery. Fishers now record detailed daily catch and effort data for legal as well as undersize and berried crabs and the Department of Fisheries, WA, has a regular monitoring programme to record population size structure information.

This project has also …

Fisheries Research Report No. 166 - Stock Enhancement Of Haliotis Laevigata In Western Australia - A Preliminary Assessment, Anthony M. Hart, Frank Fabris, Sabine Daume

Fisheries Research Reports

A preliminary assessment of stock enhancement of Haliotis laevigata (Greenlip abalone) in Western Australia was undertaken with the release of 6,000 abalone near Augusta in 2004. The objective of the project was to obtain quantitative data on the likelihood of enhancement, as an additional management tool to TACs and size-limits, being successful in natural habitats in Western Australia. Baseline surveys coupled with an assessment of growth and survival of released 1+ and 2 + animals were undertaken at 12 sites within Flinders Bay, Augusta. Overall survival was 19% for 1+ age abalone and 27% for 2+ animals after 9 months. …

National Wildlife Refuge System: Friends Forward

United States Fish and Wildlife Service: Publications

Contents:

First Friends Academy Hailed as a Success

Pass the News Around

From the Chief: Out from Behind the Desk

In the Hopper

Six Congressmen to be Honored

Thinking of Starting a Bookstore at Your Refuge?

14,000 Hours and Still Working: Ron Tillier

Focus on Kids and Cranes

On the Fire Lines at Okefenokee Refuge

Fighting Invasives With Education and Cat Traps

An Employment Dream

Grant Deadlines are Fast approaching

Frequently Asked Questions

Calendar of Friends and National Events

Study Confirms Popularity of Outdoor activities

Lpe Center News, October 2007

Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center: Newsletters

In this issue:

• November Webcast to Examine Vegetative Treatment Systems for Managing Open Lot or Barnyard Runoff

• New Webcast Technology to Debut in October

• Mid-Atlantic Water Quality Program Website Offers Nutrient Budgets

• Pennsylvania Project Examines Manure Management in No-Till Systems

Estimates Of Genetic Parameters For Growth Traits In Kermani Sheep, M. R. Bahreini Behzadi, F. E. Shahroudi, L. Dale Van Vleck

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Birth weight (BW), weaning weight (WW), 6-month weight (W6), 9-month weight (W9) and yearling weight (YW) of Kermani lambs were used to estimate genetic parameters. The data were collected from Shahrbabak Sheep Breeding Research Station in Iran during the period of 1993–1998. The fixed effects in the model were lambing year, sex, type of birth and age of dam. Number of days between birth date and the date of obtaining measurement of each record was used as a covariate. Estimates of (co)variance components and genetic parameters were obtained by restricted maximum likelihood, using single and two-trait animal models. Based on …

Bats Of Barbuda, Northern Lesser Antilles, Scott C. Pedersen, Peter A. Larsen, Hugh H. Genoways, Matthew Morton, Kevel C. Lindsay, Jerry Cindric

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Five species of bats are known to occur on the Lesser Antillean island of Barbuda—Noctilio leporinus, Monophyllus plethodon, Brachyphylla cavernarum, Tadarida brasiliensis, and Molossus molossus. During the present study, two additional species of bats—Artibeus jamaicensis and Natalus stramineus—were added to the chiropteran fauna of the island. Although the ecological diversity of Barbuda is limited, this bat fauna matches those of islands in the region such as Antigua, Nevis, and St. Kitts. It is proposed that this biodiversity of bats is maintained because of the geology of Barbuda provides ample roosting sites and access to freshwater …

Correlation Of Eastern Wild Turkey Poult:Hen Ratios With Population Indices To Detect Reproductive Density Dependence, Jay D. Mcghee, Jim Berkson

Virginia Journal of Science

Knowledge of how density affects population growth is important for the harvest management of wild turkey. Unfortunately, available time-series are often too short for statistical detection of density dependence. The correlation between wild turkey recruitment and population size was assessed using data from 7 state wildlife agencies, circumventing the problem of short time-series by using multiple datasets. Correlation coefficients were calculated between surveyed poult:hen ratios and harvest-based population indices for 31 geographic or harvest management regions. Estimated correlation coefficients were tested for homogeneity to determine if an average correlation could be calculated. Correlation coefficients for the 29 regions ranged from …

Limb Regeneration After Multiple Autotomy And Coxae Removal In The Blue Crab Callinectes Sapidus, Jennifer Ambler

OES Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated limb regeneration in the juvenile blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, specifically the role of the coxa and pedal nerve innervation of the regenerative limb bud over time. The coxa is a leg segment that has been defined as the source of positional, cellular, and neuronal information needed for limb regeneration in brachyuran crabs. This study indicates that removal of coxae under regenerative and non-regenerative conditions did not deter limb regeneration. The coxa is not the exclusive location of limb regenerative information since limbs re-grew with normal positional and functional arrangement in 86% of crabs showing regeneration at removal …

Seasonal Variation In Diet Of The Cotton Rat (Sigmodon Hispidus) Based On Fecal Analysis, Lynn A. Walker

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Cotton rats, Sigmodon hispidus, live in oldfields, habitats with a variety of mostly herbaceous plants. Based on other studies, the hispid cotton rat eats predominantly grasses, but grasses rarely are the only food. Fecal samples were collected each month during an ongoing capture-mark-release demographic study of the rodent community at a location in southern Chesapeake, Virginia. In the lab, five fecal pellets per animal were stained, placed on a microscope slide, and covered with starch-gel medium and coverslip. Then a clear nail polish was applied to produce a semi-permanent slide. Using a microscope and a set of reference slides, plant …

Depauperate Small Mammal Communities In Managed Pine Plantations In Eastern Virginia, James D. Dolan, Robert K. Rose

Virginia Journal of Science

Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations of four different ages were examined to identify changes in the small mammal community in relation to changes in the vegetational community. Small mammals were evaluated during five seasons using two methods of trapping. Live traps accounted for 65% of captures and seven of nine species, whereas pitfall traps yielded eight species, of which two were not taken with live traps. For both trap types, catch rates averaged less than two per 100 trap-nights, very low even for pine forests. Both abundance and biomass of small mammals declined with increasing stand age, whereas species …

Antimicrobial Activity Screening Of Recombinant And Synthetic Varasin A Defensin From The Hard Tick Dermacentor Variabilis Against Various Bacteria, Julia A. Sharp

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Hematophagous arthropods, such as ticks and mosquitoes, rely on their innate immune system for defense against pathogens ingested in a blood meal as well as those acquired through injury. In response to pathogen recognition, the production of antimicrobial peptides, such as defensin, is typically upregulated. Varisin, a defensin, is thought to be a key component in the immunocompetence of the hard tick D. variabilis against Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease. To study the antimicrobial effects of varisin, recombinant varisin was expressed by both insect cells and E coli. Purification of the protein followed by enterokinase treatment yielded …

Buying Your First Horse, Patricia Evans, Jason Turner

All Current Publications

This publications gives information about evaluating a horse for purchase, age and experience of new owner, breed and sex of horse, intended use, care and housing, cost of ownership, locating the right horse, and trying it out.