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2016

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Articles 1291 - 1320 of 1474

Full-Text Articles in Animal Sciences

Mediterranean Water Shrew (Neomys Anomalus): Range Expansion Northward, Linas Balciauskas, Laima Balciauskiene, Uudo Timm Jan 2016

Mediterranean Water Shrew (Neomys Anomalus): Range Expansion Northward, Linas Balciauskas, Laima Balciauskiene, Uudo Timm

Turkish Journal of Zoology

We identified three individuals of the Mediterranean water shrew (Neomys anomalus) in Estonia, expanding the known distribution range of the species to the north by 500 km from the most northern location in Lithuania and over 700 km from Poland. The identification of the species in Estonia, the most northern known locality, was based on the position of mental foramen, height of coronoid process (>4.3 mm), and Libois index (

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Two New Species Of Trechnites (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) Fromchina And A Key To Chinese Species, Guohao Zu, Chengde Li Jan 2016

Two New Species Of Trechnites (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) Fromchina And A Key To Chinese Species, Guohao Zu, Chengde Li

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Trechnites brevivalvus sp. Nov. And Trechnites verticalis sp. Nov. Are described and illustrated as new to science from China. A key to all known species from China based on females is presented. Three species of the genus Trechnites are now known from China.

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A New Record Of The Genus Camerotrombidium Thor, 1936(Acari: Microtrombidiidae) From Turkey, İbrahi̇m Karakurt, Sevgi̇ Sevsay Jan 2016

A New Record Of The Genus Camerotrombidium Thor, 1936(Acari: Microtrombidiidae) From Turkey, İbrahi̇m Karakurt, Sevgi̇ Sevsay

Turkish Journal of Zoology

A newly recorded species for the Turkish fauna, Camerotrombidium rasum Berlese, 1910, is given based on adult females and larvae obtained from an adult female by experimental rearing in the laboratory. The genus Camerotrombidium is recorded for the first time from Turkey.

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Morphological Characteristics Of The Elusive Blotched Snake (Elaphe Sauromates)At Its Northwestern Range Limit (Romania), Tiberiu Sahlean, Alexandru Strugariu, Paul Dinca, Gabriel Chişamera, Catalin Stanciu, Ştefan Zamfirescu, Iulian Gherghel, Valentina Moraru Jan 2016

Morphological Characteristics Of The Elusive Blotched Snake (Elaphe Sauromates)At Its Northwestern Range Limit (Romania), Tiberiu Sahlean, Alexandru Strugariu, Paul Dinca, Gabriel Chişamera, Catalin Stanciu, Ştefan Zamfirescu, Iulian Gherghel, Valentina Moraru

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The blotched snake (Elaphe sauromates) is one of the most elusive species of snakes in Romania, and only a small number of individuals have ever been found, which is why morphological data are both scarce and over half a century old. The data gathered from the individuals captured during our field work confirmed the presence of sexual dimorphism (significant for SVL/TL ratios) and presented a greater morphological variation than recorded in the scientific literature. Individuals examined usually had more than 2 rows of temporal scales and displayed variation in subocular scales, as opposed to the information previously available, hinting at …

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Contribution To The Knowledge Of The Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera)Fauna Of Turkey From Northeastern Anatolia, Part I, Janko Kolarov, Sali̇ha Çoruh, İrfan Çoruh Jan 2016

Contribution To The Knowledge Of The Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera)Fauna Of Turkey From Northeastern Anatolia, Part I, Janko Kolarov, Sali̇ha Çoruh, İrfan Çoruh

Turkish Journal of Zoology

This present contribution is based upon the ichneumonids collected from the northeastern Anatolian part of Turkey in 2014. A total of 57 species belonging to subfamilies Acaenitinae, Anomaloninae, Banchinae, Campopleginae, Cremastinae, Cryptinae, Diplazontinae, Ichneumoninae, Metopiinae, Orthocentrinae, Oxytorinae, Pimplinae, and Tryphoninae have been recorded. Among them, Agrypon clandestinum (Gravenhorst), Lissonota (Lissonota) nitida (Gravenhorst), Campoletis agilis (Holmgren), Diadegma combinatum (Holmgren), Olesicampe cavigena (Thomson), Olesicampe patellana (Thomson), Aptesis assimilis (Gravenhorst), Schreineria populnea (Giraud), Xylophrurus lancifer (Gravenhorst), Diplazon pallicoxa Manukyan, Homotropus pallipes (Gravenhorst), Woldstedtius biguttatus (Gravenhorst), and Oxytorus luridator (Gravenhorst) are new records for the Turkish fauna. New data on the distribution of 40 …

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New Records Of Springtails (Collembola: Entomobryomorpha)And Oribatid Mites (Acari: Oribatida) In Georgia, Shalva Barjadze, Maka Murvanidze Jan 2016

New Records Of Springtails (Collembola: Entomobryomorpha)And Oribatid Mites (Acari: Oribatida) In Georgia, Shalva Barjadze, Maka Murvanidze

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Four species of springtails and four species of oribatid mites were identified as new records for the Georgian fauna from different regions of the country: Coecobrya tenebricosa (Folsom, 1902); Entomobrya muscorum (Nicolet, 1842) Rondani, 1861; Heteromurus major (Moniez, 1889); Pseudosinella octopunctata Börner, 1901; Austrocarabodes ensifer (Sellnick, 1931); Jacotella frondeus (Kulijev, 1969); Lasiobelba pori (Vasiliu and Ivan, 1995); and Bipassalozetes sabulosus (Shtanchaeva, 1986). Moreover, L. Pori is the first record for the Caucasian fauna. With these new records, the number of springtail species known from Georgia increases to 97 and the number of oribatid mite species in Georgia exceeds 530.

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New Distributional Record Of Chelonibia Testudinaria (Linnaeus, 1758) From The Island Of Gökçeada, Northern Aegean Sea, Turkey, Onur Gönülal Jan 2016

New Distributional Record Of Chelonibia Testudinaria (Linnaeus, 1758) From The Island Of Gökçeada, Northern Aegean Sea, Turkey, Onur Gönülal

Turkish Journal of Zoology

A total of 420 specimens of Chelonibia testudinaria (Linnaeus, 1758) were found on two dead loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) washed ashore on the island of Gökçeada (northern Aegean Sea). The species is reported for the first time from the Turkish coast of the Aegean Sea and is the second record since 1982 for the Turkish Seas.

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A New Locality Record For Phoenicolacerta Laevis (Gray, 1838)(Squamata: Lacertidae) In Western Anatolia, Çeti̇n Ilgaz, Yusuf Kumlutaş, Kami̇l Candan Jan 2016

A New Locality Record For Phoenicolacerta Laevis (Gray, 1838)(Squamata: Lacertidae) In Western Anatolia, Çeti̇n Ilgaz, Yusuf Kumlutaş, Kami̇l Candan

Turkish Journal of Zoology

During fieldwork in western Anatolia 4 specimens (1 adult male, 2 subadult males, and 1 subadult female) of Phoenicolacerta laevis from Dalaman, Muğla Province, were collected in November 2014. The results including meristic pholidolial characteristics, metric measurements, and color-pattern features of specimens are compared with the data given in the previous literature. The occurrence of P. Laevis in southern and western Anatolia is discussed.

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An Update Note On Diversity And Conservation Of The Endemic Fishes In Iranian Inland Waters, Azad Teimori, Hossein Mostafavi, Hamid Reza Esmaeili Jan 2016

An Update Note On Diversity And Conservation Of The Endemic Fishes In Iranian Inland Waters, Azad Teimori, Hossein Mostafavi, Hamid Reza Esmaeili

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The diversity, distribution pattern, and conservation status of endemic species were obtained by analysis of catalogued specimens collected by fieldwork carried out by the authors at various times in different regions in Iran since 2002. The Iranian endemic ichthyofauna includes 51 species and forms a significant part of the total species known from this country, so that new endemic species are being described almost every year. The highest endemicity is found in the Tigris-Karoun basin in the west, followed by the Kor River and the Persian Gulf basins in the south. Creation of the landlocked basins played an important role …

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The First Certified Record Of The Endemic Fish Speciespachychilon Macedonicum (Steindachner, 1892) In A Lake Complex Outsideof Its Nominal Range, With Notes On Its Biological Features, Dimitra Bobori, Olga Petriki, Emmanouel Tsakoumis Jan 2016

The First Certified Record Of The Endemic Fish Speciespachychilon Macedonicum (Steindachner, 1892) In A Lake Complex Outsideof Its Nominal Range, With Notes On Its Biological Features, Dimitra Bobori, Olga Petriki, Emmanouel Tsakoumis

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The cyprinid Pachychilon macedonicum (Steindachner, 1892) is a species that is endemic to the southern Balkan Peninsula with limited distribution in Greece. Here we confirm the species' expansion and establishment in a complex of 4 lakes located outside of its currently known distribution range and provide, for the first time, some of its biological features. The species' presence was certified in 3 (Vegoritida, Petron, Chimaditida; northern central Greece) of the 4 lakes studied (Lake Zazari was also sampled), which now constitute a new western limit for its distribution in Greece. Pachychilon macedonicum specimens in Lake Vegoritida were longer (mean length: …

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First Record Of The Family Proctotrupidae (Hymenoptera: Proctotrupoidea)From Iran, With Five New Species Records, Mohammad Izadizadeh, Ali Asghar Talebi, Victor A. Kolyada, Ehsan Rakhshani Jan 2016

First Record Of The Family Proctotrupidae (Hymenoptera: Proctotrupoidea)From Iran, With Five New Species Records, Mohammad Izadizadeh, Ali Asghar Talebi, Victor A. Kolyada, Ehsan Rakhshani

Turkish Journal of Zoology

This survey was conducted to investigate the occurrence of the family Proctotrupidae in Iran. The specimens were collected using Malaise traps from northern Iran during 2010 and 2011. The family Proctotrupidae (Hymenoptera: Proctotrupoidea) is recorded from Iran for the first time. Five species belonging to four genera were identified: Proctotrupes gravidator (Linnaeus, 1758); P. Brachypterus (Schrank, 1780); Cryptoserphus aculeator (Haliday, 1839); Disogmus obsoletus Brues, 1905; and Mischoserphus arcuator (Stelfox, 1950). All genera and species are new records for the fauna of Iran. An identification key for the genera of Proctotrupidae is provided.

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Anticipatory Grief, Tara Fox Hall Jan 2016

Anticipatory Grief, Tara Fox Hall

Animal Sentience

This commentary reviews Barbara King’s How Animals Grieve, delving into the controversial topic of the status of animals in our society, as well as the key difference between human and non-human grief: the ability to anticipate death.


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Modulation Of Behavior In Communicating Emotion, Martin Gardiner Jan 2016

Modulation Of Behavior In Communicating Emotion, Martin Gardiner

Animal Sentience

King discusses many examples where two animals, as they bond, behave in ways we interpret as expressing love for one another. If one of the bonded animals then dies, signs of loving are replaced by signs we interpret as expressing grief by the animal who remains. I propose a pathway for emotional communication between an animal and an observer that can have a central role in these and other observations by King and in our overall ability to interpret observed behavior in relation to emotion. This pathway provides evidence of emotion in an observed animal by communicating evidence of emotion’s …

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Sentience And Animal Welfare: Affirming The Science And Addressing The Skepticism, Nancy Clarke Jan 2016

Sentience And Animal Welfare: Affirming The Science And Addressing The Skepticism, Nancy Clarke

Animal Sentience

Broom’s (2014) book is a well-researched and thoroughly written exploration and evaluation of the journey from the origins of animal welfare science to what we can say we now know and need to consider in relation to animal sentience and welfare. This book will help to counter any skepticism among academics and policy makers.

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A Simple Method To Reduce Interpretation Error Of Ages Estimated From Otoliths, Bradley J. Smith, Daniel J. Dembkowski, Daniel A. James, Melissa R. Wuellner Jan 2016

A Simple Method To Reduce Interpretation Error Of Ages Estimated From Otoliths, Bradley J. Smith, Daniel J. Dembkowski, Daniel A. James, Melissa R. Wuellner

Natural Resource Management Faculty Publications

We designed and tested a novel otolith viewing apparatus termed the otolith illumination device (OID) to ascertain if its use would result in a reduction of interpretation error as determined by increased precision of age estimates obtained from otoliths of walleye Sander vitreus and smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu. Clarity of annuli on otolith sections viewed with the OID was generally greater than clarity of annuli on sections viewed with an alternative method. OID-based age estimates were equally as, and in some instance more precise than ages estimated using the alternative method. Additionally, no systematic differences in coefficients of variation …

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Winter Habitat Quality But Not Long- Distance Dispersal Influences Apparent Reproductive Success In A Migratory Bird, Clark S. Rushing, Peter P. Marra, Michele R. Dudash Jan 2016

Winter Habitat Quality But Not Long- Distance Dispersal Influences Apparent Reproductive Success In A Migratory Bird, Clark S. Rushing, Peter P. Marra, Michele R. Dudash

Natural Resource Management Faculty Publications

Long- distance breeding and natal dispersal play central roles in many ecological and evolutionary processes, including gene flow, population dynamics, range expansion, and individual responses to fluctuating biotic and abiotic conditions. However, the relative contribution of long- distance dispersal to these processes depends on the ability of dispersing individuals to successfully reproduce in their new environment. Unfortunately, due to the difficulties associated with tracking dispersal in the field, relatively little is known about its reproductive consequences. Furthermore, because reproductive success is influenced by a variety of processes, disentangling the influence of each of these processes is critical to understanding the …

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Effect Of Increasing Levels Of Dietary Zinc (Zn), Manganese (Mn), And Copper (Cu) From Organic And Inorganic Sources On Egg Quality And Egg Zn, Mn, And Cu Content In Laying Hens, Nancy Katherine Rubio Zapata Jan 2016

Effect Of Increasing Levels Of Dietary Zinc (Zn), Manganese (Mn), And Copper (Cu) From Organic And Inorganic Sources On Egg Quality And Egg Zn, Mn, And Cu Content In Laying Hens, Nancy Katherine Rubio Zapata

LSU Master's Theses

Feeding laying hens or broiler breeder hens organic sources of trace minerals can improve egg quality, especially as related to shell quality. The objectives of this research were to evaluate the effect of increasing laying hen dietary zinc (Zn) levels on the content of Zn and other minerals in eggs (boron (Bo), iron (Fe), and calcium (Ca)), and to evaluate the effect of feeding increasing Zn, manganese (Mn) and copper (Cu) levels from inorganic (ITM) and organic (OTM) sources on egg quality and yolk content of Zn, Mn, and Cu. In the first experiment, a total of 64 (48 weeks …

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Effects Of Calf Starter Composition And Mixing Method On Growth And Rumen Health In Young Dairy Calves, Ruth Marisol Orellana Rivas Jan 2016

Effects Of Calf Starter Composition And Mixing Method On Growth And Rumen Health In Young Dairy Calves, Ruth Marisol Orellana Rivas

LSU Master's Theses

Twenty-four male Holstein calves (BW = 38.78 ± 7.26 Kg) were used to evaluate the effects of commercially available or farm mixed starter on animal performance, blood metabolites, and rumen health. Calves were randomly assigned to one of two treatments which included: commercial calf starter (minimum 20% CP; CCS) and starter of similar nutrient content but hand mixed on farm (FMS). Calves were offered treatments ad libitum on days 4 through 84. Milk replacer (MR) was offered beginning on day 4. On day 42, MR was reduced to once daily to decrease intake by 50%. On day 49 calves were …

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The Evaluation Of Eprinomectin (Longrange®) On Long-Term Parasitic Infection In Nursing Calves During Summer Grazing®, Lyndsea D. Seibert Jan 2016

The Evaluation Of Eprinomectin (Longrange®) On Long-Term Parasitic Infection In Nursing Calves During Summer Grazing®, Lyndsea D. Seibert

LSU Master's Theses

One of the most significant threats to the well-being and performance of grazing livestock are gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) parasitic infections. Allowing a large GIN burden to manifest can cause a significant cost in terms of productivity in grazing cattle. Beef producers commonly rely greatly on the efficacy of broad-spectrum anthelmintics, to not only kill resident worms but to also prevent the establishment of ingested infective stage larvae (L3) for a period following treatment. Eprinomectin (LONGRANGE®, E-LR) is the first extended-release injectable cattle dewormer that claims to provide cattle producers season-long persistent parasite control for 100 to 150 d in a …

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Comparison Of Domestic Fresh And Frozen And Imported Frozen Goat Meat, Jeffrey Cole Denis Gregorie Jan 2016

Comparison Of Domestic Fresh And Frozen And Imported Frozen Goat Meat, Jeffrey Cole Denis Gregorie

LSU Master's Theses

The objective of this research was to determine differences in carcass evaluation, yield, and meat quality from representative fresh domestic (FSD), frozen domestic (FZD), and frozen imported Australian (FIA) goat carcass sides (n=30 from each source). The U.S. carcasses were split into sides and the right side frozen and stored for 6 weeks. Left sides were fabricated into standardized primal cuts. After frozen storage, right sides and FIA carcasses were thawed for 3 days at 4°C. Three experiments were conducted on the carcass traits and meat yields, quality differences in leg cut, and differences in loin and racks across freezing …

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Vitrification Of Immature And Mature Bovine Oocytes, Paige T. Hardin Jan 2016

Vitrification Of Immature And Mature Bovine Oocytes, Paige T. Hardin

LSU Master's Theses

Vitrification is the latest technique used in cryopreservation, the ability to utilize this method with oocytes and embryos has become a valuable system. Vitrification has been successful with bovine embryos and oocytes but is far from optimal. Following cryopreservation storage discarding embryos can cause ethical issues, and mature oocytes have fragile organelles that can be detrimentally affected by ice crystal formation during freezing. Immature oocytes have not formed some of these temperature sensitive microfilaments and can circumvent these detrimental effects. The common intracellular cryoprotective agents are dimethyl sulfoxide, glycerol and ethylene glycol. Different combination of these agents have been reported …

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Ecology Of Coyotes (Canis Latrans) In The Greater Detroit Area Of Southeastern Michigan, William B. Dodge Jan 2016

Ecology Of Coyotes (Canis Latrans) In The Greater Detroit Area Of Southeastern Michigan, William B. Dodge

Wayne State University Dissertations

Coyote distribution and habitat use, diet and foraging behavior and space use patterns were investigated in the greater Detroit area of southeastern Michigan. We found evidence of coyotes on 24 of 30 (80%) suburban and 7 of 11 (64%) urban plots. Overall fifty-eight percent of coyote evidence was found within edge habitats, with den sites and tracks the only types of evidence found strictly in interior habitats. Land cover around evidence points included more wooded land cover than expected in suburban areas, suggesting the importance of tree cover for coyote occupancy, and more open space and wooded land cover than …

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Nonhuman Mind-Reading Ability, Marthe Kiley-Worthington Jan 2016

Nonhuman Mind-Reading Ability, Marthe Kiley-Worthington

Animal Sentience

Harnad (2016) is mistaken that humans are better at mind-reading than other species. Humans have context-independent language, but nonhuman species, especially mammals, have context-dependent nonverbal skills – perceptual, communicative and social -- that can be much keener than our own.

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Fatty Acid Profile In Ruminal Content And Blood Plasma Of Finishing Beef Cattle, Supplemented With Different Sources Of Fat, Amanda Pesqueira Jan 2016

Fatty Acid Profile In Ruminal Content And Blood Plasma Of Finishing Beef Cattle, Supplemented With Different Sources Of Fat, Amanda Pesqueira

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Eight steers were used in a replicated 4 x 4 Latin square design experiment to study the rumen metabolism of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The animals were fed a concentrate diet based on cracked corn grain, corn silage and hay fescue (K31). The dietary fat treatments were a negative control, tallow added at 60g/day, fish oil at 60g/day and heterotrophically grown microalgae high in DHA at 100g/day. Treatments were incorporated immediately prior to feeding each day and dosed through a ruminal fistula mixed with 0.45kg of the diet. Animals were fed at 1.75 x NEm once daily during adaptation then switched …

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Towards Determination Of The Threonine Requirement Of Yearling Horses Fed Varying Dietary Compositions Using The Indicator Amino Acid Oxidation Method, Kelsey M. Smith Jan 2016

Towards Determination Of The Threonine Requirement Of Yearling Horses Fed Varying Dietary Compositions Using The Indicator Amino Acid Oxidation Method, Kelsey M. Smith

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

The amino acid requirements of growing horses are currently unknown, and studies suggest that threonine is a limiting amino acid in common horse diets. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the threonine requirement of growing horses fed two different forage to concentrate ratios using the indicator amino acid oxidation method. The study consisted of a high concentrate phase (HC; 60% concentrate and 40% forage) and a high forage phase (HF; 25% concentrate and 75% forage). Within each phase, 6 female yearling Thoroughbred horses were randomly assigned each of 6 dietary treatments in a 6 x 6 Latin …

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Effects Of Dietary Amino Acid Supplementation On Measures Of Whole-Body And Muscle Protein Metabolism In Aged Horses, Christine M. Latham Jan 2016

Effects Of Dietary Amino Acid Supplementation On Measures Of Whole-Body And Muscle Protein Metabolism In Aged Horses, Christine M. Latham

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Sarcopenia is a condition that is most common in aged animals, and is characterized by the loss of skeletal muscle mass and integrity, and can lead to physical disability and poor quality of life. Since skeletal muscle protein synthesis can be limited by the availability of amino acids, supplementation of limiting amino acids to ameliorate the progression of sarcopenia has become a topic of interest in companion animal research. Although there is some data to support the idea that amino acid supplementation improves maintenance of muscle mass in aged horses, the cellular mechanisms behind that improvement have yet to be …

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Relationships Between Behavioral Measures And Productivity In Finishing Beef Cattle, Jasmyn Mimiko Jan 2016

Relationships Between Behavioral Measures And Productivity In Finishing Beef Cattle, Jasmyn Mimiko

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

The relationship between measures of temperament, growth performance, and social hierarchy in finishing beef cattle were explored in two experiments. In experiment 1, high OCS (objective chute score) steers had periods of significantly higher ADG (P < 0.01), but OCS had no relationship with dominance ranking (P > 0.47). Conversely, slow exit velocity (EV) correlated with higher ranking (P ≤ 0.06), but EV had no relationship with performance (P > 0.37) in a competitive environment. Rank showed no relationship with performance (P > .58). In experiment 2, steers with fast EV had periods of decreased growth (P ≤ .06), intake (P ≤ .06), and gain:feed (G:F; P = 0.02). There were no interactions between …

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Specialty Poultry Production: Impact Of Genotype, Feed Strategies, Alternative Feedstuffs, And Dietary Enzymes On The Growth Performance And Carcass Characteristics Of Heritage Breed Chickens, Tatijana Fisher Jan 2016

Specialty Poultry Production: Impact Of Genotype, Feed Strategies, Alternative Feedstuffs, And Dietary Enzymes On The Growth Performance And Carcass Characteristics Of Heritage Breed Chickens, Tatijana Fisher

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

There is a growing market for specialty poultry production using alternative genotypes and management systems. However, producers interested in specialty poultry production face several challenges. One challenge is that little published data exists regarding the growth and production parameters for alternative genotypes like slow-growing meat strains and heritage breeds. To address this challenge, research at the University of Kentucky examined the effect of feed strategies, alternative feedstuffs, and dietary enzymes on the growth and performance of heritage breeds of chicken used for either egg- or meat-production. The first trial documented the growth and nutrient intake of pullets from three heritage …

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Brain Processes For “Good” And “Bad” Feelings: How Far Back In Evolution?, Jaak Panksepp Jan 2016

Brain Processes For “Good” And “Bad” Feelings: How Far Back In Evolution?, Jaak Panksepp

Animal Sentience

The question of whether fish can experience pain or any other feelings can only be resolved by neurobiologically targeted experiments. This commentary summarizes why this is essential for resolving scientific debates about consciousness in other animals, and offers specific experiments that need to be done: (i) those that evaluate the rewarding and punishing effects of specific brain regions and systems (for instance, with deep-brain stimulation); (ii) those that evaluate the capacity of animals to regulate their affective states; and (iii) those that have direct implications for human affective feelings, with specific predictions — for instance, the development of new treatments …

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Cognitive Evidence Of Fish Sentience, Jonathan Balcombe Jan 2016

Cognitive Evidence Of Fish Sentience, Jonathan Balcombe

Animal Sentience

I present a little-known example of flexible, opportunistic behavior by a species of fish to undermine Key’s (2016) thesis that fish are unconscious and unable to feel. Lack of a cortex is flimsy grounds for denying pain to fish, for on that criterion we must also then deny it to all non-mammals, including birds, which goes against scientific consensus. Notwithstanding science’s fundamental inability to prove anything, the precautionary principal dictates that we should give the benefit of the doubt to fish, and the state of the oceans dictates that we act on it now.

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