Animal Sciences Commons^™

Investigation Of Bats In The Darkhad Wetlands, Jargalsaikhan Ariunbold

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

The Darkhadyn Khotgor wetlands are located in the northern part of Mongolia and are transected by both small and large rivers such as the Shishged and the Tengis. Many small lakes are present and the large lake ‘Tsagaan nuur’ (English: White lake) is upstream of the Yenisei river. It is a land rich in biodiversity with pristine waters and an extreme continental climate. The Darkhadyn Khotgor wetlands are composed of three ecological zones, Siberian Taiga, forested steppe, and meadow valley. The area is surrounded by Ulaan Taiga strictly protected area (SPA) in the western part, Khoridol Saridag Mountains SPA in …

Erster Brutnachweis Für Den Bienenfresser (Merops Apiaster L., 1758) In Der Mongolei = First Breeding Record For The Bee-Eater (Merops Apiaster L., 1758) In Mongolia, Michael Stubbe, Davaa Lkhagvasuren, L. Kratzsch, H.-J. Döhle, Annegret Stubbe

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

First breeding record of Merops apiaster was observed for Mongolia in August 2014. Breeding locality was a little oasis eastern of Šarga-Sum in the Šargyn-gobi, Aimak Gobi-Altai, about 600 km eastern, far from the known area of the species in northwest China.

New Data On Feeding Ecology Of Bubo Bubo And Asio Otus (Aves: Strigidae) In Mongolia, Michael Stubbe, Nayamsuren Batsaikhan, Oliver Lindecke, Ravčigijn Samjaa, Annegret Stubbe

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

New materials of 10 Eagle owl Bubo bubo localities from Mongolia were analyzed. The feeding ecology of Long-eared owl Asio otus was studied by the investigation of pellets from 4 roosting or nesting places in S-Mongolia. All together in the prey of Bubo bubo were analyzed 1098 vertebrates (1017 mammals, 39 birds, 41 reptiles, 1 fish), involving about 22 mammal species. The pellets were dominantly those of Lagomorpha with 23.3% in SW-Mongolia, Dipodidae in W-, SW- and S-Mongolia (37.3%, 23.4%, 30.2%), Cricetidae in SW- and S-Mongolia (13.6%, 17.6%), Gerbillidae in W- and S-Mongolia (19%, 32.1%) and Arvicolidae in W- and …

A Revised Checklist Of Mongolian Mammal Species, V. S. Lebedev, A. A. Bannikova, Ya. Adiya, S. Shar, A. V. Surov

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

A revised annotated checklist of Mongolian mammals is presented, supplemented with comments on modifications in species- and genus-level taxonomy introduced over the last 30 years. The checklist includes 140 species compared to 124 species recognized three decades ago by SOKOLOV & ORLOV (1980). Since then, four species were newly described; seven species were registered for the first time on Mongolian territory. Names for more than 20 taxa have changed, on most occasions this change occurred not for purely nomenclatural reasons but rather as a result of taxonomic revisions at the species level which have elevated the rank of many nominal …

Historische Und Aktuelle Daten Zum Wolf In Der Mongolei, D. Eregdenedagva, Ravčigijn Samjaa, Michael Stubbe, Annegret Stubbe

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

Zusammenfassung Die Mongolei beherbergt trotz intensiver Verfolgung einen der besten Wolfsbestände Eurasiens. Der Wolf kommt als wertvoller Großsäuger in allen Vegetationszonen der Mongolei vor. Bereits zahlreiche Steinzeichnungen künden von Mensch-, Haus- und Wildtierkonflikten mit dem wehrhaften Beutegreifer Wolf. Er ist und bleibt ein Konkurrent des Nomaden und andererseits ein wertvoller Pelzlieferant und Regulator in den Nahrungsnetzen. Die geringe menschliche Besiedlung und die in freier Weidewirtschaft gehaltenen Haustiere sowie eine reiche Fauna an kleinen und großen Wildsäugetieren bereiten der Wolfspopulation optimale nahrungsökologische Bedingungen. Seit geraumer Zeit hat die Haustierhaltung die 50 Millionengrenze überschritten. Der ökonomische Schaden des Wolfes in der Viehwirtschaft …

Survival Of Walleye Eggs In Upper Red Lake And The Tamarac River, Phillip Oswald

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Walleyes experience spawning runs each spring in the Tamarac River, a tributary of the Red Lakes. However, data about walleye egg survival in the lake and river is lacking. Mesh cages were placed in both the Tamarac River and Upper Red Lake to compare survival rates. A total of twenty cages were set, ten in the river and ten in the lake. Each cage contained one hundred fertilized eggs which were checked every third day to measure survival. Temperature (°C), dissolved oxygen (mg/L), and pH were measured at each cage location. The river had an average survival rate of 22% …

The Domain Specificity Of Intertemporal Choice In Pinyon Jays, Jeffrey R. Stevens, Bryce Kennedy, Dina Morales, Marianna Burks

Jeffrey Stevens Publications

When choosing between a piece of cake now versus a slimmer waistline in the future, many of us have difficulty with self-control. Food-caching species, however, regularly hide food for later recovery, sometimes waiting months before retrieving their caches. It remains unclear whether these long-term choices generalize outside of the caching domain. We hypothesized that the ability to save for the future is a general tendency that cuts across different situations. To test this hypothesis, we measured and experimentally manipulated caching to evaluate its relationship with operant measures of self-control in pinyon jays (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus). We found no correlation …

Species Identification Of Golden And Bald Eagle Talons Using Morphometrics, Avery J. Appleton, R. Christopher O'Brien, Pepper W. Trail

Forensic Science Publications

The Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) and Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) are the largest avian predators in North America, and are thus species of great ecological importance and cultural significance. There is a long history of human use of eagle body parts, and this use continues today: Bald and Golden eagles are among the North American birds most affected by the illegal wildlife trade. Detached eagle talons are often recovered in both law enforcement and archaeological contexts, but data to allow morphological identification of these talons have been lacking. This study documents measureable differences in the morphology of Bald Eagle and …

Block And Bridle Annual 2016

Block and Bridle Annual (1933–2021)

Three objectives of the National Block and Bridle Club are to promote animal agriculture through the activities of the club, to supplement students’ study of the animal sciences, and to bring about a closer relationship among students who choose to be a part of the organization. I believe the Block and Bridle club at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln has been successful in accomplishing these goals over the past year and I sincerely thank all of the officers and members who have given their time and effort to make this possible. I am excited to say that our active …

Aeromonas Hydrophila In Amphibians: Harmless Bystander Or Opportunistic Pathogen, Zachary P. Rivas

Honors Undergraduate Theses

For several decades amphibian populations have been declining. Historically, the bacterium A. hydrophila (Ah) was hypothesized to be the causal factor in amphibian disease and population declines. However, with the discovery of a chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) in 1998, which was identified on the skin of amphibians during documented mortality events, Ah research became of minor interest as focus shifted to Bd. Recent studies into the immunocompromising abilities of Bd, however, have opened new questions about its relationship with Ah and their combined effects on a host.

In this study, I explore the …

Feeding Wet Distillers Grains Plus Solubles With And Without A Direct-Fed Microbial To Determine Performance, Carcass Characteristics, And Fecal Shedding Of Escherichia Coli O157:H7 In Feedlot Heifers, B. K. Wilson, B. P. Pulsipher, D. L. Step, M. E. Jacob, D. L. Vanoverbeke, C. J. Richards, T. G. Nagaraja, C. R. Krehbiel

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The inclusion of wet distillers grains plus solubles (WDGS) in feedlot diets has become a common practice in many regions of the United States due to the expanded production of byproducts and fluctuating corn prices related to ethanol production and other factors. In addition, societal concerns over the continued use of antimicrobials in agriculture production combined with an enhanced interest in disease and pathogen prevention in the food supply have led to an increased interest in use of direct-fed microbials (DFM) in growing and finishing cattle. Direct-fed microbials have been shown to improve ADG and feed efficiency, alter ruminal fermentation, …

Joint Mouse–Human Phenome-Wide Association To Test Gene Function And Disease Risk, Xusheng Wang, Ashutosh K. Ciobanu, Megan K. Mulligan, Evan G. Williams, Khyobeni Mozhui, Zhengsheng Li, Virginija Jovaisaite, L. Darryl Quarles, Zhousheng Xiao, Jinsong Huang, John A. Capra, Zugen Chen, William L. Taylor, Lisa Bastarache, Xinnan Niu, Katherine S. Pollard, Daniel C. Ciobanu, Alexander O. Reznik, Artem V. Tishkov, Igor B. Zhulin, Junmin Peng, Stanley F. Nelson, Joshua C. Denny, Johan Auwerx, Lu Lu, Robert W. Williams

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Phenome-wide association is a novel reverse genetic strategy to analyze genome-tophenome relations in human clinical cohorts. Here we test this approach using a large murine population segregating for ~5 million sequence variants, and we compare our results to those extracted from a matched analysis of gene variants in a large human cohort. For the mouse cohort, we amassed a deep and broad open-access phenome consisting of ~4,500 metabolic, physiological, pharmacological and behavioural traits, and more than 90 independent expression quantitative trait locus (QTL), transcriptome, proteome, metagenome and metabolome data sets—by far the largest coherent phenome for any experimental cohort (www.genenetwork.org). …

Zebra Mussel (Dreissena Polymorpha) Affects The Feeding Ecology Of Early Stage Striped Bass (Morone Saxatilis) In The Hudson River Estuary, Michael G. Smircich, David L. Strayer, Eric T. Schultz

EEB Articles

Variability in the feeding ecology of young fishes over short and long time scales in estuaries is likely to affect population dynamics. We studied 14 years of early stage Striped Bass feeding ecology in the Hudson River Estuary over a 25-year time span, including years in which invasive zebra mussels markedly altered energy flow within the estuary. We predicted that feeding success would be low and that diet composition would be altered during years of high zebra mussel impact, particularly in upriver locations where mussels occur. Feeding success in the short term was indicated by volume of gut contents and …

Carcass Gain, Efficiency, And Profitability Of Steers At Extended Days On Feed, Robert G. Bondurant, Jim C. Macdonald, Galen E. Erickson Erickson, Kate Brooks, Rick N. Funston, Kelly Bruns

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Steers were individually fed for 22 and 44 days longer than the industry average marketing point of 0.5” backfat to determine carcass- based gain, efficiency, and deposition changes throughout the feeding period (142, 163, and 184 days on feed). Premiums and discounts for yield grade, quality grade, and overweight carcasses were applied to determine profitability. Feeding steers for 22 and 44 days longer increased carcass weight, quality grade, and yield grade 4 and 5s. Steers fed 44 days longer had increased total revenue and profit per head despite a decrease in live gain and efficiency.

Site And Extent Of Digestion Of Finishing Diets Containing Syngenta Enhanced Feed Corn, Melissa L. Jolly- Breithaupt, Jana L. Harding, Jim C. Macdonald Donald, Galen E. Erickson, Matt K. Luebbe

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Four ruminally and duodenally fistulated steers were utilized to evaluate the effects of Syngenta Enhanced Feed Corn™ containing an alpha amylase enzyme trait (SYT- EFC) compared to the isoline parental control corn without the alpha amylase enzyme trait (Negative Isoline) on site and extent of digestion in finishing diets. Cattle fed SYT- EFC dry rolled corn had numerically greater postruminal starch digestibility, excreted lower fecal starch, and had greater total tract starch digestibility compared to cattle fed Negative Isoline corn. These data would suggest that cattle are able to utilize more starch from corn containing the SYT- EFC trait, which …

Evaluation Of Different Byproduct Combinations Along With Treated Corn Stover On Growing Steer Performance, Kristen M. Ulmer, Curtis J. Bittner, F. Henry Hilscher Hilscher, Galen E. Erickson, James C. Macdonald

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A growing study was conducted to determine the effects of maximizing the energy density of treated corn stover through feed component additions. Calves fed 46% brome hay diet with treated corn stover and varying amounts of solubles or glycerin had greater dry matter intake, but lower average daily gain compared to calves fed modified distillers grains. Calcium oxide treated corn stover treatments also had lower feed to gain and ending body weight than control calves fed distillers grains. Displacing protein as solubles or fat as glycerin in a treated corn stover feed did not provide the same feeding value as …

Flight Mechanics And Control Of Escape Manoeuvres In Hummingbirds. Ii. Aerodynamic Force Production, Flight Control And Performance Limitations, Bo Cheng, Bret W. Tobalske, Donald R. Powers, Tyson L. Hedrick, Yi Wang, Susan M. Wethington, George T.C. Chiu, Xinyan Deng

Faculty Publications - Department of Biological & Molecular Science

The superior manoeuvrability of hummingbirds emerges from complex interactions of specialized neural and physiological processes with the unique flight dynamics of flapping wings. Escape manoeuvring is an ecologically relevant, natural behaviour of hummingbirds, from which we can gain understanding into the functional limits of vertebrate locomotor capacity. Here, we extend our kinematic analysis of escape manoeuvres from a companion paper to assess two potential limiting factors of the manoeuvring performance of hummingbirds: (1) muscle mechanical power output and (2) delays in the neural sensing and control system. We focused on the magnificent hummingbird (Eugenes fulgens, 7.8 g) and the black-chinned …

The Behavioral Ecology Of Amblypygids, Kenneth J. Chapin, Eileen A. Hebets

Eileen Hebets Publications

Arachnologists have uncovered tantalizing details about amblypygid behavioral ecology—the study of the fitness consequences of their behavior. Thus, it is the aim of this review to position Amblypygi as a useful system in which to investigate the principles of animal behavioral ecology. We synthesize amblypygid habitat preference and navigation modalities; predator, prey, parasite, parasitoid, cannibal, and commensal interactions; resource contests and territoriality; mating systems and mate choice; parental investment and sociality; and genetics and genomics as they relate to behavioral ecology. We present ideas for future research in each of these areas and discuss future directions for Amblypygi behavioral ecology …

Absence Of Mate Choice And Postcopulatory Benefits In A Species With Extreme Sexual Size Dimorphism, Marie Claire Chelini, Eileen Hebets

Eileen Hebets Publications

Most hypotheses related to the evolution of female-biased extreme sexual size dimorphism (SSD) attribute the differences in the size of each sex to selection for reproduction, either through selection for increased female fecundity or selection for male increased mobility and faster development. Very few studies, however, have tested for direct fitness benefits associated with the latter – small male size. Mecaphesa celer is a crab spider with extreme SSD, whose males are less than half the size of females and often weigh 10 times less. Here, we test the hypotheses that larger size in females and smaller size in males …

Hemoglobin–Oxygen Affinity In High-Altitude Vertebrates: Is There Evidence For An Adaptive Trend?, Jay F. Storz

Jay F. Storz Publications

In air-breathing vertebrates at high altitude, fine-tuned adjustments in hemoglobin (Hb)–O₂ affinity provide an energetically efficient means of mitigating the effects of arterial hypoxemia. However, it is not always clear whether an increased or decreased Hb–O₂ affinity should be expected to improve tissue O₂ delivery under different degrees of hypoxia, due to the inherent trade-off between arterial O₂ loading and peripheral O₂ unloading. Theoretical results indicate that the optimal Hb–O₂ affinity varies as a non-linear function of environmental O₂ availability, and the threshold elevation at which an increased Hb–O₂ affinity becomes advantageous …

Management Characteristics Of Beef Cattle Production In The Northern Plains And Midwest Regions Of The United States, Senorpe Asem-Hiablie, C. Alan Rotz, Robert Stout, Kim Stackhouse-Lawson

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

A comprehensive life cycle assessment of United States beef will provide benchmarks and identify opportunities for improvement. On-going region-specific data collection is characterizing cattle production practices for a more accurate assessment. This study reports production information obtained via online surveys and on-site visits from 2 of 7 regions: the Northern Plains (Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota) and Midwest (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin). Ranch responses (n = 512) represented 1.6% of beef cows maintained in both regions with operation sizes varying from 1 to 12,500 cows. Feedlot responses (n = 120) represented 9.6 and …

Two New Species Of Geosesarma De Man, 1892 (Crustacea: Brachyura: Sesarmidae) From Palawan, The Philippines, Hendrik Freitag, Marivene Manuel-Santos, Peter K.L Ng

Biology Faculty Publications

Two new and relatively large species of semi-terrestrial sesarmid crabs of the genus Geosesarma De Man, 1892, are described from Palawan Island, Philippines. They are distinguishable from congeners by the characteristic structure of their carapace, chelipeds, ambulatory legs and male first gonopods. Aspects of their ecology are briefly discussed

University Of Illinois Poultry Research Farm, Luke A. Zimmerman

A with Honors Projects

In this Service Learning project for A with Honors, the student assisted in several research farm trials at the University of Illinois Poultry Research Farm to further his understanding of monogastric nutrition and poultry physiology.

Effect Of Winter Distillers Grains Supplementation Level On Spayed Heifer Performance, Robert G. Bondurant, Brandon L. Nuttelman, Curtis J. Bittner Bittner, James C. Macdonald, Terry J. Klopfenstein

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

The effects of winter level of supplementation were evaluated using spayed heifers grazing winter corn residue followed by brome grass and native range grazing periods and finished on a common diet. Distillers grains were supplemented during winter corn residue grazing at 3, 5, and 7 lb per heifer daily. Gain during the winter phase increased while summer phase decreased with increasing level of winter supplementation. Th ere were no differences in feedlot performance for either year across treatments. In year 2, HCW increased from 820 to 848 and 855 lb as heifers were supplemented 3, 5, or 7 lb distillers …

Effect Of Crude Glycerin Concentration On Forage Digestion Parameters In Beef Calves, Robert G. Bondurant, Jana L. Harding, Melissa L. Jolly- Breithaupt Breithaupt, James C. Macdonald, Andrea R. Mccain, Samodha C. Fernando

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Seven ruminally and duodenally cannulated steers were used to evaluate effects of increasing concentrations of crude glycerin on digestion in high forage diets. As glycerin inclusion increased, DM, OM, and NDF intake decreased. Neither DM nor OM digestibility were affected by glycerin inclusion. While dietary NDF digestibility decreased as glycerin increased, glycerin inclusion had no effect on rate or extent of in situ NDF digestibility estimates. As glycerin inclusion increased, propionate and butyrate VFA proportions increased while acetate decreased. Decreases in acetate to propionate ratio with increasing concentrations of crude glycerin may improve F:G in forage- based diets.

Producer Concerns And Perceptions Regarding The Effect Of Methane On Cattle Production And The Environment, Bradley M. Boyd, Amanda Burken, Lisa Franzen- Castle Castle, Karla Jenkins, Richard J. Rasby, Matt K. Luebbe, Rick Stowell, Samodha C. Fernando, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Knowledge of producer concerns and perceptions on methane production from cattle and its impact on the environment is unknown. Therefore, the objectives of this survey were to determine what producers know about methane production by cattle and to determine if different age groups, regions of Nebraska, and production size/ type affects producer opinions on enteric methane production and climate change. Producers felt that methane production has little impact on animal performance but were not very confident in their knowledge. Most producers received information related to animal agriculture from veterinarians; therefore, veterinarians should continue to be a major target for extension …

Effects Of Feeding Omnigen- Af® On Immune Function, Performance, And Carcass Characteristics During The Feeding Period, Joe O. Buntyn, Sara E. Sieren, Curtis J. Bittner Bittner, Dirk Burken, Galen E. Erickson, Nicole C. Burdick Sanchez, Jeff A. Carroll, Steven J. Jones, Ty B. Schmidt, Keven C. Dehann, Troy J. Wistuba

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

OmniGen- AF (Phibro Animal Health, Quincy, IL) was fed to steers to evaluate the effects on the metabolic and immune response during an immune challenge, as well as feedlot performance. Th e inclusion of OmniGen- AF for either the first 28 d or the entire feeding period) did not impact feedlot performance or carcass characteristics. However, within a subset of cattle receiving an immune challenge (the endotoxin lipopolysaacharide; LPS), OmniGen- AF supplementation did alter the metabolic and immune profile of steers. These results suggest that feeding of OmniGen- AF may enhance the metabolic and immune response if cattle are challenged …

Evaluation Of The Relative Contribution Of Protein In Distillers Grains In Finishing Diets On Animal Performance, Zachary E. Carlson, Galen E. Erickson, James C. Macdonald Donald, Matt K. Luebbe

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A finishing study evaluated the relative contributions of protein from wet distillers grains plus solubles (WDGS) on feedlot performance and carcass characteristics. The protein portion of WDGS was mimicked by corn gluten meal (CGM). Increasing WDGS inclusion from 0 to 40% increased final body weight and gain, decreased intakes, and improved feed efficiency. When CGM was fed to equal protein concentration as WDGS, final body weight and gain increased, and feed efficiency improved. Adding solubles to CGM did not improve feed efficiency. Th e feeding value of CGM was similar to distillers grains, suggesting protein has a major role in …

Modifying Different Components Of Distillers Grains And The Impact On Feedlot Performance, Zachary E. Carlson, Curtis J. Bittner, Dirk Burken Burken, Galen E. Erickson, James C. Macdonald

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A finishing study evaluated the effects of altering distillers grains composition on feedlot performance and carcass characteristics. Replacing dried distillers grains with isolated bran, solubles, and protein did not result in performance similar to commodity dried distillers grains. Exchanging bran for non- pelleted treated corn stover increased intake, reduced efficiency, and decreased 12th rib fat. Cattle fed pelleted treated corn stover had decreased intakes, but similar efficiency and gain as non- pelleted treated corn stover. As solubles increased and replaced protein, intakes increased quadratically and 12th rib fat linearly decreased however, all other performance and carcass characteristics were not different.

Effects Of Dietary Antioxidant Supplementation On Cattle Finished With 30% Wet Distillers Grains Plus Solubles On Fatty Acid Profiles And Display Life, Michael D. Chao, Katherine I. Domenech, Hope R. Voegele Voegele, Emery K. Kunze, Chris R. Calkins

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Steers were finished on either 0% wet distillers grains plus solubles or 30% wet distillers grains plus solubles with four antioxidant treatments to evaluate the effects of finishing diets containing wet distillers grains plus solubles, vitamin E and Agrado Plus on beef fatty acid profiles, discoloration and lipid oxidation of retail- displayed beef. Th e inclusion of 30% wet distillers grains plus solubles increased total polyunsaturated fatty acids of beef, but did not promote discoloration or lipid oxidation compared to the 0% wet distillers grains plus solubles diet. In both diets, feeding vitamin E alone or vitamin E+ Agrado Plus …