Animal Sciences Commons^™

Feral Horses, Feral Asses, And Professional Politicians: Broodings From A Beleaguered Biologist, Vernon C. Bleich

Human–Wildlife Interactions

As a member of National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board, I gained insight into several aspects of feral equid management that previously had been somewhat cryptic. Foremost in my experience, though, was the dedication and professionalism of the board members with whom I served. During my tenure, the professional approach to management and the frustration faced by employees within the Horse and Burro Program became increasingly apparent. Further came the realization that the effectiveness of the board and program can be improved substantially, if (1) the board is provided the opportunity to rebut or counter incorrect or misleading information …

Mitigating Bighorn Sheep–Vehicle Collisions And Habitat Fragmentation With Overpasses And Adaptive Mitigation, Jeffrey W. Gagnon, Chad D. Loberger, Kari S. Ogren, Scott C. Sprague, Susan R. Boe, Raymond E. Schweinsburg

Human–Wildlife Interactions

As transportation infrastructure expands to accommodate increasing human population growth, wildlife–vehicle conflicts (WVCs) are a growing concern for motorist safety and wildlife populations. In the case of large ungulates, minimal information exists on successful mitigation of WVCs involving bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) and habitat fragmentation. Too address this void, we evaluated the effectiveness of 3 new wildlife overpasses, 3 culverts, 2 bridges, and ungulate exclusionary fencing as potential desert bighorn sheep (O. c. nelsoni; sheep) crossing opportunities along US Highway 93 in Arizona, USA. We evaluated sheep movements using global positioning system (GPS) radio-transmitter collars and …

Bear-Caused Human Fatalities In Yellowstone National Park: Characteristics And Trends, Kerry A. Gunther

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Three fatal bear (Ursus spp.) attacks in Yellowstone National Park (YNP), USA, from 2011 to 2015 were a catalyst for YNP managers to evaluate the circumstances of bear-caused fatalities as well as the bear safety messages it distributes to park visitors. I reviewed records of all fatal bear attacks that occurred in YNP from 1872 to 2018. Seven of the 8 fatalities were caused by grizzly bears (U. arctos horribilis). The per capita risk of being killed by a grizzly bear was 1 fatality for every 26.2 million park visits. Most fatal bear attacks in YNP involved …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Wildlife Strike Rates In The United States, Dan Parsons, Michael Malouf, Wayne Martin

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic impacted air traffic, industry bodies warned of the potential increase in wildlife strike risk. Prior to the pandemic, wildlife strikes were already a concern to the industry. We sought to evaluate industry warnings using interrupted time series analysis of wildlife strike trends in the United States. Using pre-pandemic wildlife strike trends, we compared a forecast of the expected monthly strike rates through the COVID-19 impact period (March 2020 to December 2020) to the actual wildlife strike rates for the same period. Our results showed an increase in wildlife strike rates in 5 out of the …

Evaluating The Management And Consequences Of Hybridization Between Nonnative Rainbow Trout And Native Westslope Cutthroat Trout, Anthony James Dangora

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The introduction of nonnative fish is a major driver in the decline of native fish species. Nonnative rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss; RBT) introduced into the native range of westslope cutthroat trout (O. clarkii lewisi; WCT) have led to the introgressive hybridization between these two species. This widespread hybridization is a primary threat to the long-term persistence of WCT as it can cause population-level genomic extinction. Since there are no set management solutions for hybridization, there is a need to evaluate the different conservation approaches to ensure the persistence of WCT populations. Additionally, beyond propagule pressure, the array of drivers that …

Winter Sandpiper Communities On Humboldt Bay: High-Tide Roost Use And Habitat Features That Influence Roost Site Selection, Chelsea Polevy

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Roosts, locations at which birds and other animals come together to rest and preen while remaining vigilant for predators, are a common facet of the nonbreeding biology of many shorebirds. Roosts fall on a continuum from traditional to ephemeral; traditional roosts are used consistently by the same individuals, whereas ephemeral roosts are used inconsistently and may be used only once or a few times. Studies show that roost habitat preference is the result of an individual shorebird’s attempt to optimize the costs and benefits associated with time constraints, energetic demands, and danger risks as they relate to overall fitness.

In …

Geographic And Seasonal Variation Of Flying Squirrel Vocalizations In California, Travis A. Farwell

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Advancements in bioacoustics field studies have further elucidated spatial, temporal, and behavioral aspects of otherwise-cryptic species, as well as offering insights into species communication. The discovery of high-frequency vocalizations in North American flying squirrels in particular has allowed researchers to use ultrasonic acoustic recorders to detect these cryptic species in the wild. Investigations into vocalizations of northern flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus) and southern flying squirrels (G. volans) have highlighted call type variation between species and the potential use of recorders as a tool to examine vocal activity patterns. However, high-frequency vocalizations had yet to be quantitatively …

Escherichia Coli And Salmonella Sp. In Domestic Cattle And Wild Roosevelt Elk: Fecal Pathogens At The Wildlife-Domestic Interface, Emily A. Buck

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Direct or indirect contact between domestic populations of animals and wildlife carries an inherent risk for transmission of pathogens that cause infectious disease. In Humboldt and Del Norte counties of northern California, ongoing conflict between ranchers and Roosevelt elk groups results from elk use of ranching pastures and pastures on private land. Fecal samples from elk in association with cattle, cattle, and from elk not in known association with cattle were assessed for the presence of bacteria Salmonella enterica and pathogenic Escherichia coli to assess whether association with cattle increases risk of infection for elk. Group identity (one of the …

Developmental Plasticity Of Stress Tolerance And Life-History Strategy To Artificial Light At Night, Alyssa M. Bonfoey

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Artificial light at night (ALAN), or ecological light pollution, is increasingly prevalent worldwide. Exposure to ALAN tends to negatively impact animals—particularly, nocturnal animals—but life-history strategies may mitigate these costs. Animals in many regions are also increasingly exposed to climate-related stressors, such as heat and drought. Yet, interactions among ALAN, life-history strategy, and stress tolerance are unknown. Therefore, I determined if developmental ALAN exposure (1) affects development, (2) affects adult phenotype, including heat and desiccation tolerance, and (3) affects and/or interacts with life-history strategy. To address my aims, I used the variable field cricket (Gryllus lineaticeps) because its geographic range is …

How Do They Do It? Using Omics Approaches To Explore Metabolic Responses Associated With Hypoxia And Exercise Tolerance In The Deepest Diving Pinniped, Elizabeth R. Piotrowski

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Marine mammals such as northern elephant seals (NES) routinely experience hypoxemia and ischemia-reperfusion events to many tissues during deep dives with no apparent adverse effects. Adaptations to diving include increased antioxidants and elevated oxygen storage capacity associated with high hemoprotein content in blood and muscle. Despite experiencing decreased oxygen tensions during diving, NES likely rely on the mobilization of large lipids stores and catabolism of fatty acids to provide energy to exercising muscle while diving. To identify potential regulatory mechanisms that may underly hypoxia and exercise tolerance in diving mammals, this study used system-wide approaches to characterize changes in genes …

Population And Migratory Ecology Of Canada Warblers (Cardellina Canadensis) In The Central Appalachian Mountains, West Virginia, Usa, Stephanie H. Augustine

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Nearctic-Neotropical migrant birds experience a wide range of environmental conditions throughout their annual cycle; thus, it is particularly challenging to evaluate the spatial factors that may influence population growth. The Canada Warbler (Cardellina canadensis) faces substantial range-wide population declines, but little study has been conducted regarding elements occurring across the entire year that drive demographic rates. The aims of this research are (1) determine the relationship between Canada Warbler population demographic rates and environmental conditions along an elevation gradient in the central Appalachian Mountains and (2) ascertain the nonbreeding season location and migratory routes used by the central …

Feed Conditioning Effects On Enzymes, Amino Acids, And Subsequent Broiler Performance, Elizabeth Ann Lynch

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

There are many things that can be done to improve broiler performance including, but not limited to, pelleting, proper Lys inclusion, and exogenous enzyme supplementation. Pelleting has the ability to improve feed form, reduce wastage, improve bird performance metrics, and decrease pathogens within the feed. Pathogen reduction can be further reduced by hygienic pelleting practices which include an increase in temperature or retention time within a conditioner or hygieniser. However, hygienic pelleting can degrade valuable AA and enzymes (more specifically for the current thesis research Lys and phytase) and make them unavailable to the animal. Supplementing Lys to account for …

Genetic Analysis And Telemetry Study Of Migration Habits Of The Endangered Atlantic Sturgeon, Cassia Marie Busch

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Atlantic sturgeon are a long-lived anadromous fish that ranged from Labrador, Canada to Florida, US. Due to overharvest in the late 1800’s and 1900’s, Atlantic sturgeon populations across the coast experienced a dramatic population crash. Recovery of this species has faced challenges due to anthropogenic threats, such as vessel strikes, bycatch, and habitat degradation. In 2012, Atlantic sturgeon were added to the United States Endangered Species Act (ESA). Under the ESA, populations were listed as five distinct population segments (DPS), reflecting their geographic arrangement and genetic structure: Gulf of Maine DPS (threatened), New York Bight DPS (endangered), Chesapeake DPS (endangered), …

Impact Of Haemonchus Contortus On Feed Efficiency And Feeding Behavior Of Katahdin And Suffolk Lambs, Camren L. Maierle

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Nutritional impact of internal parasitism, specifically Haemonchus contortus (Hc), is a significant contributor to production losses in small ruminants. Both chronic and subclinical infections generate millions of dollars of losses worldwide. Understanding the nutritional impact of Hc on lamb performance is crucial in determining the additional nutrient requirements of infected individuals. The aim of this study was to evaluate nutritional impact of Hc on infected Katahdin lambs with extensive genetic selection for parasite resistance and susceptible Suffolk lambs. Growth, feeding behavior, and feed efficiency (RFI. F:G) were evaluated during artificial Hc infection. Katahdin ewes from the Virginia …

Small Mammal Communities Of Restored And Natural Wetlands In West Virginia, Krista Noe

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Wetland restoration is commonly practiced as part of conservation programs or wetland mitigation, which attempts to offset human-created losses of natural wetlands. However, because of the intrinsic and human-derived value of wetlands, it is critical to determine whether these wetlands truly act similarly to natural wetlands. One role of wetlands is to provide habitat for a diverse array of wildlife species. Small mammals are often overlooked taxa in wetland restoration efforts. However, they are essential to the wetland system because they influence vegetation and are prey for higher trophic level wildlife. I discuss considerations of restored wetlands, wildlife responses to …

Subsurface Eddy Facilitates Retention Of Simulated Diel Vertical Migrators In A Biological Hotspot, K. Hudson, M. J. Oliver, J. Kohut, J. H. Cohen, Michael S. Dinniman, John M. Klinck, C. S. Reiss, G. R. Cutter, H. Statscewich, K. S. Bernard, W. Fraser

OES Faculty Publications

Diel vertical migration (DVM) is common in zooplankton populations worldwide. Every day, zooplankton leave the productive surface ocean and migrate to deepwater to avoid visual predators and return to the surface at night to feed. This behavior may also help retain migrating zooplankton in biological hotspots. Compared to fast and variable surface currents, deep ocean currents are sluggish, and can be more consistent. The time spent in the subsurface layer is driven by day length and the depth of the surface mixed layer. A subsurface, recirculating eddy has recently been described in Palmer Deep Canyon (PDC), a submarine canyon in …

Temporal Stability Of Seagrass Extent, Leaf Area, And Carbon Storage In St. Joseph Bay, Florida: A Semi-Automated Remote Sensing Analysis, Marie Cindy Lebrasse, Blake A. Schaeffer, Megan M. Coffer, Peter J. Whitman, Richard C. Zimmerman, Victoria J. Hill, Kazi A. Islam, Jiang Li, Christopher L. Osburn

OES Faculty Publications

Seagrasses are globally recognized for their contribution to blue carbon sequestration. However, accurate quantification of their carbon storage capacity remains uncertain due, in part, to an incomplete inventory of global seagrass extent and assessment of its temporal variability. Furthermore, seagrasses are undergoing significant decline globally, which highlights the urgent need to develop change detection techniques applicable to both the scale of loss and the spatial complexity of coastal environments. This study applied a deep learning algorithm to a 30-year time series of Landsat 5 through 8 imagery to quantify seagrass extent, leaf area index (LAI), and belowground organic carbon (BGC) …

A Subsurface Eddy Associated With A Submarine Canyon Increases Availability And Delivery Of Simulated Antarctic Krill To Penguin Foraging Regions, K. Hudson, M. J. Oliver, J. Kohut, Michael S. Dinniman, John M. Klinck, M. A. Cimino, K. S. Bernard, H. Statscewich, W. Fraser

OES Faculty Publications

The distribution of marine zooplankton depends on both ocean currents and swimming behavior. Many zooplankton perform diel vertical migration (DVM) between the surface and subsurface, which can have different current regimes. If concentration mechanisms, such as fronts or eddies, are present in the subsurface, they may impact zooplankton near-surface distributions when they migrate to near-surface waters. A subsurface, retentive eddy within Palmer Deep Canyon (PDC), a submarine canyon along the West Antarctic Peninsula (WAP), retains diurnal vertically migrating zooplankton in previous model simulations. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the presence of the PDC and its associated subsurface eddy increases …

Determination Of Plant-Specific Retrotransposons In Chicken, Levent Mercan, Ci̇hat Erdem Bülbül, Fati̇h Bi̇lgi̇, Sevgi̇ Marakli

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Mobile genetic elements are also known as transposons, comprising a significant proportion of plant and animal genomes. Retrotransposons, a class of transposons, move copy and paste mechanism and, therefore, cause genome obesity. Moreover, the transferability of retrotransposons within and between different kingdoms has provided valuable information for evolutionary relationships in addition to detailed knowledge about genomes. We identified barley-specific retrotransposons (Nikita and Sukkula) and determined polymorphism ratios of these retrotransposons in a chicken genome for the first time to gain new insights for retrotransposons found in different genomes. Transposon sequences belonging to chicken and barley genomes were also investigated to …

The Effects Of Polymorphisms In The Cx3cr1 Gene On The Development Of Canine Hipdysplasia, Sertaç Atalay, Süleyman Kök

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Hip dysplasia, caused by both environmental and genetic components, is a common disorder characterized by hip instability in humans and dogs. Unfortunately, the genetic mechanisms that cause the disease in both have not been fully determined. The aim of this study was polymorphisms in the exon 2 and 3' UTR regions of the CX3CR1 gene were determined and their effects on the development of Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD) in three dog breeds (German Shepherd, Belgian Malinois, Labrador Retriever). For this purpose, a case -control study was designed with 172 dogs in Dog Breeding and Training Center (DBTC) in Turkey. Each …

Nutritional Values And In Vitro Fermentation Parameters Of Some Fodder Species Found Intwo Rangeland Areas In The Republic Of Benin, Euloge Akambi Ogoukayode Olomonchi, Ali̇ Vai̇z Gari̇poğlu, Nuh Ocak, Adem Kamalak

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

In the present study, the nutritional values and in vitro rumen parameters of three browse forages (Leucaena leucocephala (LL), Cajanus cajan (CC) and Khaya senegalensis (KS)) and five grasses (Andropogon gayanus (AG), Panicum maximum C$_{1}$ local (PMCL), Panicum maximum C$_{1}$ ameliorate (PMCA), Pennisetum purpureum (PP), and Brachiaria ruziziensis (BR)) grown in the Republic of Benin were investigated. With this aim, it was determined dry matter (DM), ash, acid detergent fibre (ADF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), metabolizable energy (ME), dry matter intake (DMI), dry matter digestibility (DMD) and relative feed value (RFV) as nutritive values, …

Bayesian Genomic Prediction Of Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa In Sheep, Burak Karacaören

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Junctional epidermolysis bullosa (JEP) is a heritable skin and mucosa disorder in association with mendelian mutations in sheep. The purpose of this investigation is to explore the relationship between different priors, linkage disequilibrium, and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) selection methods and accuracy of Bayesian GP of JEP in sheep. Ninety-two Spanish Churra sheep breed genotyped by 40668 SNP markers. Bayes C? was shown to have slightly higher predicted accuracy [0.724 (0.113)] by unselected data. Prediction performance of the Bayesian GP models was found to be similar after correction for LD. There was a significant difference between predicted accuracies due to …

Cryoprotective Effect Of Vaccenic Acid Supplemented In Bull Semen Extender, Fati̇h Avdatek, Umut Taşdemi̇r, Muhammed Enes İnanç, Deni̇z Yeni̇, Mehmet Fuat Gülhan, Şükrü Güngör, Ruhi̇ Türkmen, Pürhan Barbaros Tuncer

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The aim of this study was to investigate whether vaccenic acid (VA) added to TRIS semen extender has an effect on freezing bull semen. The semen was collected at intervals of three days through an artificial vagina then pooled. The pooled ejaculates were divided into five components as the control (C; no supplement) and VA (25, 50, 100, and 200 μg / mL) groups then extended with the TRIS-based medium. The samples were left in a cold air cabinet for cooling process (4 °C), then they were equilibrated for 4 h. Afterward, the samples in the groups were frozen by …

Effects Of Vitamin D Administration At The Beginning Of Lactation In Dairy Cows Oninflammatory Response And Liver Metabolism, Feyyaz Kaya, Hasan Batmaz

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

This study aimed to investigate the effect of vitamin D administered 24 h after calving of dairy cows on calcium-phosphorus metabolism, carbohydrate, lipid and liver metabolism, and inflammatory response. Twenty multiparous Holstein cows were randomly assigned to the experimental (EG) and control group (CG). The EG received 5,000,000 IU vitamin D3 (5 mL) 24 h after parturition intramuscularly, whereas the CG group received 5 mL of 0.9% NaCl. Blood samples were taken 24 h after parturition before treatments and at the 3rd, 7th, 14th, and 28th days of lactation. Serum NEFA, BHBA, haptoglobin, serum amyloid A (SAA), ceruloplasmin, calcium, phosphorus, …

Effect Of Age, Stocking Density, Genotype, And Cage Tier On Feather Score Of Layer Pure Lines, Selami̇ Tok, Ahmet Şekeroğlu, Mustafa Duman, Brian Tainika

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of genotype, age, stocking density, and cage tier on the feather score of egg-laying pure lines. The trial was carried out with five white (BLACK, BLUE, MARON, BROWN, and D229) and six brown (RIR1, RIR2, BAR1, BAR2, COL, and LINE54) eggshell lines as classified by the Ankara poultry research institute. In the experiment, 162 chicks were randomly selected from each of the 11 lines; thus, a total of 1782 chicks (810 and 972 white and brown layer pure lines, respectively). At 17 weeks of age, pullets were chosen at random …

A Game Theoretic Approach To Design Mating Programs For Livestock, Ebru Ergüneş Berki̇n, Hasan Önder, Özgür Hakan Aydoğmuş

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

In this study, we proposed a new game theoretic method to design a mating program. The index and game theoretic methods were applied with calculated breeding values using pedigree on two different data sets whose economic traits consist of negative (milk yield and fat percentage) and positive (birth and weaning weight) genetic correlated data. For the negative genetic correlated data set, even if total expected benefits were equal for two methods, mating programs were changed, and the coefficient of variation obtained using the game theoretic method was smaller than that of the index method. This result showed that the expected …

Effects Of Centrifugation And Washing Of Freeze-Thawed Blood On Isolated Dna Characteristics, Mevlüt Arslan

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

DNA isolations from the whole blood are commonly performed to obtain DNA for molecular research and diagnostics. Generally, blood samples are taken into anticoagulant tubes and stored in deep freezers until DNA isolation. In fresh blood, pretreatments or leukocytes preparations can be performed and suggested for advanced DNA isolation. However, similar applications in freeze-thawed blood (FTB) have not been shown yet. In the study, centrifugation and washing of FTB were applied as pretreatment before DNA isolations, and their effects on isolated DNA characteristics including DNA integrity, quality, quantity, mitochondrial (mt), and nuclear (n) DNA levels were investigated. Microscopic and flow …

The Apoptotic And Proliferative Effects Of Tulathromycin And Gamithromycin On Bovinetracheal Epithelial Cell Culture, Yaşar Şahi̇n, Ebru Yildirim, Begüm Yurdakök Di̇kmen, Mustafa Türk

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Gamithromycin and tulathromycin are commonly used in the treatment of bovine respiratory bacterial diseases. The current work was undertaken to establish the apoptotic, necrotic, and cytotoxic effects of these antibiotics in the target animal. Cells with apoptosis and necrosis were determined by dual staining method, cytotoxic effects were determined by MTT assay, cell proliferative effects were examined by XCelligence real-time cell analysis system (RTCA-SP). The comparison between gamithromycin and tulathromycin concentrations on tracheal cells in terms of % cell viability was found to be significantly different. While the cell viability percentage of gamithromycin was higher at 150 μg/mL, 180 μg/mL, …

Epidemiological Investigation Of Bovine Tuberculosis Infection Dynamics In Turkey, Şahi̇n Çakir, Murat Yildirim, Kadi̇r Serdar Di̇ker, Fevzi̇ye İpek Keski̇n, Selcen Yüksel, Burak Deveci̇, Erhan Akçay

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

A national epidemiological research project was carried out to define the dynamics affecting the epidemiology of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) infection in Turkey and to identify the risk factors. Official veterinarian (OV) and breeder original questionnaires were produced separately as part of this study to collect thorough data regarding the disease from the field. The number of questionnaires that needed to be filled out was decided by 95% confidence interval (CI) and 5% margin of error. The findings of 371 OV and 317 breeder questionnaires completed online across the country were analyzed. In addition, 28 outbreaks determined by random method were …

Genotypic Characterization Of Meat-Type Lambs Expressing The Callipyge Gene In Turkey:I. Carcass Characteristics And Retail Yield, Vasfi̇ye Kader Esen, Seli̇m Esen, Orhan Karadağ, Alper Önenç, Cengi̇z Elmaci

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

This study is set out to evaluate the effects of callipyge (CLPG) gene, attributed to sheep affecting growth and meat quality, on carcass and sensory trait of most preferred meat-type lamb (Kıvırcık, Karacabey Merino, Ramlıç, German Black-Head Mutton × Kıvırcık, Hampshire Down × Merino) in the western part of Turkey. Two datasets were used: (i) 177 lambs (66 males, 111 females) to determine genotype and allele frequencies; (ii) 48 genotypically identified male lambs for the assessment of carcass and meat sensory quality. It was found that homozygous (NN) and heterozygous (MN) conditions of the CLPG gene were observed in all …