Animal Sciences Commons^™

Invasive Species And Climate Change, Invasive Species Advisory Committee

National Invasive Species Council

ISSUE

Climate change interacts with and can often amplify the negative impacts of invasive species. These interactions are not fully appreciated or understood. They can result in threats to critical ecosystem functions on which our food system and other essential provisions and services depend as well as increase threats to human health. The Invasive Species Advisory Committee to the National Invasive Species Council recognizes the Administration’s commitment to dealing proactively with global climate change. However, unless we recognize and act on the impact of climate change and its interaction with ecosystems and invasive species, we will fall further behind in …

Ethanol Byproduct Feeds: Determining Accurate Fiber Content, Nutrient Composition And Variability, Storing With Low-Quality Forages, And Fiber Utilization In Finishing Diets, Crystal D. Buckner

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The growing ethanol industry has produced vast quantities of distillers grains plus solubles (DGS) in the wet (WDGS) and dry forms and Sweet Bran wet corn gluten feed (SB). Previous research has demonstrated that these byproduct feeds result in improved feeding values compared to grass in growing diets and corn in finishing diets, with positive economic returns. Four experiments were conducted to evaluate dry matter determination methods and variability of nutrient composition for WDGS, determining the accurate method for measuring NDF in corn and DGS, compare feeding WDGS mixed with straw as either fresh or ensiled, and evaluate fiber digestibility …

Rangeland Condition Assessment Of A Portion Of The Cal Poly Sheep Unit, Colin S. Mckim

Animal Science

This rangeland condition assessment was conducted as part of the Cal Poly Rangeland Condition Assessment Project. Five pastures comprising 31.7 acres at the Cal Poly sheep unit were assessed to collect baseline ecological information. Methods used were Line-point Intercept, Belt Transect, Residual Dry Matter, and the rangeland health indicators recommended by Pyke et al., 2002. Additionally, a preliminary species list was collected. The rangeland health assessment method found all pastures to have no to slight departure from the local reference area when evaluated for soil and site stability, hydrologic function, and biotic integrity.

Distributions Of Sharks Across A Continental Shelf In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, J. Marcus Drymon, Sean P. Powers, John Dindo, Brian Dzwonkowski, Terry A. Henwood

University Faculty and Staff Publications

Declines in shark populations have sparked researchers and fishery managers to investigate more prudent approaches to the conservation of these fish. As managers strive to improve data collection for stock assessment, fisheries-independent surveys have expanded to include data-deficient areas such as coastal regions. To that end, a catch series from a nearshore survey off Alabama was combined with data from a concurrent offshore survey with identical methodology to examine the depth use of sharks across the continental shelf (2–366 m). The combined data set contained 22 species of sharks collected from 1995 to 2008: 21 species in the offshore data …

Communication For Mate Selection In Anurans: Dominant Frequency Versus Snout-Vent-Length, Shari Jean Kunert

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

No abstract provided.

Distillers Grains With Solubles For Feedlot Cattle - Finishing Performance, Lipid Metabolism, And Ethanol Greenhouse Gas Balance, Virgil R. Bremer

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Previous University of Nebraska feedlot research trials have characterized the feed value of wet distillers grains plus solubles (WDGS). These trials were summarized with meta-analysis methodology and indicated the feed value of WDGS interacts with corn processing type, cattle age (calf-fed or yearling), and inclusion level. Two steer finishing studies and a metabolism study were conducted to understand the impact of different lipid sources in WDGS on WDGS feed value. A biphasic lipid extraction procedure was developed to analyze feed samples from these trials that was more effective than Goldfisch ether extraction at lipid analysis of byproduct feds. These trials …

Alteration Of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A (Vegfa) Isoform Expression Results In Abnormal Gonadal Function, Ningxia Lu

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In the female, vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) isoforms regulate follicle development and affect the initial primordial follicle pool. In male rodent testes, they are involved in the development of vasculature and seminiferous cords. The objective of the current study was to evaluate effects of Sertoli and Granulosa cellspecific production of VEGFA isoforms on vascular development and gonadal morphogenesis. We used a DMRT1-cre crossed to a floxed VEGFA mouse to determine potential phenotypes in male Sertoli-cell (VEGFA-DSertG) and female Granulosa-cell (VEGFA-DGranG) specific knockouts. In females, we found smaller ovarian weight, fewer corpus luteums (CLs) with some abnormal CL morphology, …

Economic Contribution Of The Agricultural Sector To The Arkansas Economy In 2008, Jennie Popp, Nathan Kemper, Wayne Miller, Katherine Mcgraw, Kyle Karr

Research Reports and Research Bulletins

This report is the fifth in a series of reports examining agriculture’s economic contribution to the Arkansas economy. Utilizing data from the United States Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), USDA Economics Research Service (ERS), USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), and Minnesota IMPLAN Group, Inc. (MIG), the economic contribution of agriculture on the Arkansas economy was estimated for the most recent year available, 2008. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by State information for Arkansas was compared with those of other states in the southeast U.S. to give a measure of the relative importance of agriculture in Arkansas.2 The total economic contribution …

Vocal Learning In Grey Parrots: A Brief Review Of Perception, Production, And Cross-Species Comparisons, Irene M. Pepperberg

Sentience Collection

This chapter briefly reviews what is known—and what remains to be understood—about Grey parrot vocal learning. I review Greys’ physical capacities—issues of auditory perception and production—then discuss how these capacities are used in vocal learning and can be recruited for referential communication with humans. I discuss cross-species comparisons where applicable and conclude with a description of recent research that integrates issues of reference, production and perception.

Unlv Magazine, Tony Allen, Shane Bevell, Donna Mcaleer, Ched Whitney, Cate Weeks

UNLV Magazine

No abstract provided.

Ellen Tupper, Tammy Horn

Tammy Horn

No abstract provided.

Capuchins (Cebus Apella) Can Solve A Means-End Problem, Anna M. Yocom, Sarah T. Boysen

Sentience Collection

Three capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) were tested on a 2-choice discrimination task designed to examine their knowledge of support, modeled after Hauser, Kralik, and Botto-Mahan’s (1999) experiments with tamarins. This task involved a choice between 2 pieces of cloth, including 1 with a food reward placed on its surface, and a second cloth with the food reward next to its surface. After reliably solving the basic problem, the capuchins were tested with various alternations of the original food reward and cloth. The capuchins were able to solve the initial task quickly, and generalize their knowledge to additional functional and nonfunctional …

Spatial And Temporal Relationships Between Deer Harvest And Deer-Vehicle Collisions At Oak Ridge Reservation, Tennessee, Amanda Marie Pierce

Masters Theses

The Department of Energy Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) and the nearby adjoining City of Oak Ridge, Tennessee had experienced a rise in deer-vehicle collisions (DVCs) to the point where safety for employees and residents became a concern. I investigated the effect of hunting, land cover, road mileage, season, lunar phase, sex, and change in traffic patterns that coincide with work shifts on DVCs from 1975 - 2008. The study area was divided into grids of 1.5 km² each for administration and data recording by managing agencies. Statistical analyses were performed on the ORR (121 grids) and GIS analyses were performed …

The Effect Of Natural Antimicrobial Ingredients On The Quality Of Roast Beef And Oven Roasted Turkey, Ace F. Vandewalle

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This research evaluates the use of a buffered vinegar and lemon juice concentrate (LV) solution on the quality of restructured beef and turkey rolls. Two studies were conducted to evaluate processing and ingredient concentration. Beef and turkey rolls were formulated with minimal ingredients. 1.5% sea salt, 0.5% turbinado sugar, with LV or no LV. Study one evaluated length of mixing time (2.5, 5, 10, 15, 20 minutes) on quality and sensory attributes with 2.5% LV or 0% LV (C). Study two was divided into four treatments, 0% (C), 1.5%, 2.5%, and 3.5% LV, used to evaluate the effects of three …

Interaction Between Roughages And Corn Milling Byproducts In Finishing Cattle Diets, Joshua R. Benton

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

During ethanol production, starch is the primary nutrient fermented and the remaining byproducts are excellent sources of fiber and protein. In addition, inclusion of byproducts in finishing diets may reduce the incidence of acidosis. As a result, roughage level and quality could potentially be reduced in finishing diets containing byproducts. Three experiments were conducted to examine the effects of roughage and wet corn gluten feed (WCGF) in finishing cattle diets containing corn distillers grains plus solubles. Cattle fed finishing diets containing wet distillers grains plus solubles (WDGS) with no roughage had decreased DMI and ADG compared to cattle fed roughage. …

Regional Differences In Adipose Tissue Of The Sinclair Minipig, Suzanne Lauren Booker

Masters Theses

Adipose tissue is an endocrine organ, and its homeostatic mechanisms in normal weight, overweight and obese subjects must be elucidated. We sought to determine the basal adipose tissue biology of visceral (VIF) and subcutaneous (SQF) fat depots in 8 month old Sinclair minipigs, an animal that has been shown to be physiologically similar to humans.

Metabolic analysis showed a decrease in LDL, white blood cells (WBC), and lymphocyte percentages as the minipigs aged from 6 to 8 months (p <0.0001 and = 0.0046 and 0.0165 respectively). There were no significant changes in triglycerides, HDL, VLDL, and neutrophil percentages. There was a trend in insulin increase (P=0.0722).

Microarray analysis was performed to determine transcriptome differences between VIF and SQF. When VIF was compared to SQF, expression of a …

Human Induced Rotation And Reorganization Of The Brain Of Domestic Dogs, Taryn Roberts, Paul Mcgreevy, Michael Valenzuela

Morphology Collection

Domestic dogs exhibit an extraordinary degree of morphological diversity. Such breed-to-breed variability applies equally to the canine skull, however little is known about whether this translates to systematic differences in cerebral organization. By looking at the paramedian sagittal magnetic resonance image slice of canine brains across a range of animals with different skull shapes (N = 13), we found that the relative reduction in skull length compared to width (measured by Cephalic Index) was significantly correlated to a progressive ventral pitching of the primary longitudinal brain axis (r = 0.83), as well as with a ventral shift in the position …

Invasive Species And Public Investment In The Green Economy, Invasive Species Advisory Committee

National Invasive Species Council

Invasive Species and Public Investment in the Green Economy, approved by ISAC on June 24, 2010

ISSUE

Invasive species are intricately linked to the economy. Trade, travel, and transport facilitate their spread. Invasive species management requires extensive human and financial resources. The impacts of invasive species can substantially undermine economic growth and sustainable development. United States Executive Order (EO) 13112 defines invasive species as “alien [non-native] species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health” and states that Federal agencies should …“not authorize, fund, or carry out actions that are likely …

Marine Bioinvasions And Climate Change, James T. Carlton, Sandra C. Lindstrom, Celia M. Smith, Jennifer E. Smith

National Invasive Species Council

BACKGROUND

Invasive species are second only to habitat destruction as the greatest cause of species endangerment and global biodiversity loss. Invasive species can cause severe and permanent damage to the ecosystems they invade. Consequences of invasion include competition with or predation upon native species, hybridization, carrying or supporting harmful pathogens and parasites that may affect wildlife and human health, disturbing ecosystem function through alteration of food webs and nutrient recycling rates, acting as ecosystem engineers and altering habitat structure, and degradation of the aesthetic quality of our natural resources. In many cases we may not fully know the native animals …

Design, Planning, And Evaluation Of Upgraded Cattle Handling Facility, Lindsey Kaeli Tulloch

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

This senior project discusses the design, planning, and evaluation of a livestock handling facility for Tulloch Ranches. The facility will be an upgrade to the facility currently used at the ranch in Pine Valley, California. The design parameters for the facility were narrowed down to the following: 1. Must reduce stress to animals during handling. 2. Must be cost effective to save labor and maintenance. 3. Must show improvement from the current set- up. The above parameters combine to form a system that enables the handlers of Tulloch Ranches to manage and work cattle in a more calm and humane …

Trial And Budget Analysis Of Two Synchronized Artificial Insemination Breeding Programs For Beef First Calf Heifers, John Nino

Agribusiness

This study was designed to compare the benefits and costs of two different synchronized artificial insemination programs on two groups of beef first calf heifers. A financial budget was developed that would include cost of synchronized insemination per animal and the added value of a bred heifer compared to an open one.

The two synchronized programs were called controlled internal drug release (CIDR) and Ovsynch. They used a specific timeline and drugs to complete the synchronization process. A single low birth weight high calving ease bull was used for both groups to enforce conformity between the groups. Costs of all …

On-Farm Welfare Assessment For Regulatory Purposes: Issues And Possible Solutions, Jan Tind Sørensen, David Fraser

Assessment of Animal Welfare Collection

On-farm welfare assessment has been used mainly for non-regulatory purposes such as producer education or to qualify for voluntary welfare-assurance programs. The application of on-farm assessments in regulatory programs would require four issues to be addressed: (1) selecting criteria that are widely accepted as valid by diverse citizens, (2) setting minimum legal levels, (3) achieving the high level of fairness and objectivity required for legally binding requirements, and (4) achieving the cost-efficiency needed for widespread use of the methods. Issues 1 and 2 pose a particular problem because different citizens disagree on what they understand as good animal welfare, with …

Growth Hormone Alters Components Related To Differentiation, Metabolism And Milk Synthesis And Secretion In Mac-T Cells, Tasha Lynn Johnson

Master's Theses

The mammary alveolar cell-T (MAC-T) cell line is able to uniformly differentiate and secrete casein proteins in response to dexamethasone, insulin and prolactin and is extensively used to study bovine mammary epithelial cell function. Growth hormone (GH) has been shown to increase milk protein synthesis both in vivo and in mammary cell models, and induce cytoskeletal rearrangement in 3T3 fibroblast cell line and a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line. Few studies have focused on identifying the mechanisms involved in differentiated MAC-T cells’ response to GH. We tested the hypothesis that MAC-T cells would respond directly to GH and that …

The Economic Importance Of Draught Oxen On Small Farms In Namibia's Eastern Caprivi Region, Andrew B. Conroy, Mogos Yakob Teweldmehidin

Natural Resources & the Environment

The main aim of this study was to analyse and document the value of smallholder farmers’ use of Draught Animal Power (DAP) systems in the Eastern Caprivi Region and to test the economic viability of DAP usage versus using tractors. This study applied Rapid Rural Appraisal techniques (RRA), including a survey. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 312 farmers at their farms and data was gathered on the use of and economics related to the draught animal power system. Crop enterprise budgets, project reports, expert opinions and group discussions were analysed. The research found that the use of animal power performs …

Effects Of Variable Oceanographic Conditions On Forage Fish Lipid Content And Fatty Acid Composition In The Northern California Current, Marisa N. C. Litz, Richard D. Brodeur, Robert L. Emmett, Selina S. Heppell, Rosalee S. Hellberg, Linda O'Higgins, Matthew S. Morris

Food Science Faculty Articles and Research

Lipids and fatty acids (FA) were investigated in 4 species of forage fish: northern anchovy Engraulis mordax, Pacific sardine Sardinops sagax, Pacific herring Clupea pallasi, and whitebait smelt Allosmerus elongatus, for their ability to serve as biological indicators of ocean conditions in the California Current large marine ecosystem (CCLME). Samples were collected during the oceanographically contrasting years of 2005 and 2006. Upwelling was severely curtailed in the spring and early summer of 2005, leading to delayed biological productivity, whereas upwelling was relatively normal in spring 2006. Principal components analysis described 78% of the variance within the …

Your Attention Please: Increasing Ambient Noise Levels Elicits A Change In Communication Behaviour In Humpback Whales (Megaptera Novaeangliae), Rebecca A. Dunlop, Douglas H. Cato, Michael J. Noad

Bioacoustics Collection

High background noise is an important obstacle in successful signal detection and perception of an intended acoustic signal. To overcome this problem, many animals modify their acoustic signal by increasing the repetition rate, duration, amplitude or frequency range of the signal. An alternative method to ensure successful signal reception, yet to be tested in animals, involves the use of two different types of signal, where one signal type may enhance the other in periods of high background noise. Humpback whale communication signals comprise two different types: vocal signals, and surface-generated signals such as ‘breaching’ or ‘pectoral slapping’. We found that …

The Effects Of Ornamentation On Wolf Spider Foraging, Mari Pesek

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

ABSTRACT: As a secondary sexual trait that can increase reproductive success, ornamentation is believed to be costly for organisms to acquire and possess. This study investigates possible costs of ornamentation on wolf spider foraging by comparing foraging abilities of two male forms that differ in ornamentation upon maturation. The two male forms, found syntopically in a mixed population in Mississippi, USA, resemble two sibling species: Schizocosa ocreata, in which males develop large black brushes on their forelegs upon maturation, and Schizocosa rovneri, in which males lack ornamentation following maturation. Individuals of both forms participated in foraging trials as penultimates (juveniles) …

Herbicides And Amphibian Populations, Zach Shirk

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Amphibians are a unique class of species that are found worldwide except Antarctica and Greenland. They range in size from a few millimeters to over six feet long. Amphibian’s habitats are as various as their size, but one thing in common is that amphibians require an aquatic location to breed. Amphibians live in deserts, mountain prairies, rain forest, wetlands, and almost everywhere in between. Amphibians are an integrated part of most natural ecosystems across the world. Amphibians are a critical part of many food chains; they provide the important link between secondary and tertiary consumers. Amphibians are indicator species in …

Non-Invasive Genetic Sampling Of Faecal Material And Hair From The Grey-Headed Flying-Fox (Pteropus Poliocephalus), Heather J. Baldwin, Stephen J. Hoggard, Stephanie T. Snoyman, Adam J. Snow, Culum Brown

Veterinary Science and Medicine Collection

Remote-sampling DNA from animals offers obvious benefits for species that are difficult to sample directly and is less disruptive for species of conservation concern. Here we report the results of a pilot study investigating non-invasive DNA sampling of the grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus), a threatened species that is restricted to the east coast of Australia. We successfully extracted DNA from fresh scats and hair, each of which was of sufficient quality for amplifying mitochondrial DNA markers and microsatellites. A single-locus multitube approach was used to investigate amplification success and genotyping reliability. Faecal samples yielded a higher proportion of successful amplifications …

Distribution Of Allatostatin C-Like Immunoreactivity In The Central Nervous System Of The Copepod Crustacean Calanus Finmarchicus, Caroline H. Wilson, Andrew E. Christie

Health Sciences and Kinesiology Faculty Articles

The C-type allatostatins (C-ASTs) are a family of highly pleiotropic arthropod neuropeptides. In crustaceans, transcriptomic/mass spectral studies have identified C-ASTs in the nervous systems of many species; the cellular distributions of these peptides remain unknown. Here, the distribution of C-AST was mapped in the nervous system of the copepod Calanus finmarchicus, the major contributor to the North Atlantic’s zooplanktonic biomass; C-AST-immunopositive neurons were identified in the protocerebrum, in several peripheral ganglia associated with feeding appendages, and in the ganglia controlling the swimming legs, with immunopositive axons present throughout the ventral nerve cord. In addition, axons innervating the dorsal longitudinal …