Animal Sciences Commons^™

Changes In Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites In Captive Coyotes (Canis Latrans): Influence Of Gender, Time, And Reproductive Status, Eric M. Gese, Patricia A. Terletzky, Cole A. Bleke, Erika T. Stevenson, Susannah S. French

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Simple summary

Biologists have long considered producing offspring a demanding time in the life of any animal, with reproducing and raising offspring being physiologically stressful. We examined whether breeding and producing pups was more stressful than other life-history stages among captive coyotes (Canis latrans) using fecal sampling and subsequent assays for glucocorticoid metabolites. Using 12 pairs of coyotes (five pairs produced pups, seven pairs did not), we examined fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCM) covering 11 biological time periods for one year. We found high individual variability among both females and males with no apparent statistical effect of reproduction on …

Dna Metabarcoding Reveals Consumption Of Diverse Community Of Amphibians By Invasive Wild Pigs (Sus Scrofa) In The Southeastern United States, Vienna R. Canright, Antoniette J. Piaggio, Sarah M. Chinn, Rachael M. Giglio, Joseph M. Craine, James C. Beasley

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are one of the most widespread, destructive vertebrate species globally. Their success can largely be attributed to their generalist diets, which are dominated by plant material but also include diverse animal taxa. Wild pigs are demonstrated nest predators of ground-nesting birds and reptiles, and likely pose a threat to amphibians given their extensive overlap in wetland use. DNA metabarcoding of fecal samples from 222 adult wild pigs culled monthly from 2017 to 2018 revealed a diverse diet dominated by plant material, with 166 plant genera from 56 families and 18 vertebrate species identified. …

Differential Canid Predation Of Translocated Juvenile Desert Tortoises (Gopherus Agassizii) Using Chemical Signature Differences, Derek B. Hall, Bruce A. Kimball, Jennifer M. Germano, Eric M. Gese, Jeanette A. Perry

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Differential predation was observed in a population of 59 translocated juvenile desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) of known sex during a juvenile translocation survival study between September 2012 and November 2017. The main source of mortality was attributed to coyote (Canis latrans) and kit fox (Vulpes macrotis) predation. Predation was skewed with higher female mortality than male mortality. We tested the hypothesis that juvenile females smell different than males, which leads to increased canid predation. We also explored differences in chemical signatures of resident adult female and male desert tortoises. We collected oral, cloacal, and …

Home Range Overlap Between Small Indian Mongooses And Free Roaming Domestic Dogs In Puerto Rico: Implications For Rabies Management, Caroline C. Sauvé, Are R. Berentsen, Steven F. Llanos, Amy T. Gilbert, Patrick A. Leighton

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The small Indian mongoose (Urva auropunctata) is the primary terrestrial wildlife rabies reservoir on at least four Caribbean islands, including Puerto Rico. In Puerto Rico, mongooses represent a risk to public health, based on direct human exposure and indirectly through the transmission of rabies virus to domestic animals. To date, the fundamental ecological relationships of space use among mongooses and between mongooses and domestic animals remain poorly understood. This study is the first to report mongoose home range estimates based on GPS telemetry, as well as concurrent space use among mongooses and free roaming domestic dogs (FRDD; Canis …

Turkey Vulture Survival Is Reduced In Areas Of Greater Road Density, Adrián Naveda-Rodríguez, Keith L. Bildstein, David R. Barber, Jean-François Therrien, Michael L. Avery, Bryan M. Kluever, Scott A. Rush, Francisco J. Vilella

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The demography of, and factors that influence these metrics, are largely unknown for most vultures in the Americas. Survivorship of turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) may be influenced by landscape heterogeneity and human disturbance. We quantified the effects of landscape composition (Shannon’s diversity index) and configuration (contagion, edge density, and largest patch index), and human disturbance (road density) on the annual and seasonal survival probabilities of the three North American breeding populations (western, central, and eastern) of turkey vultures that spend the nonbreeding season in the southeastern portion of the Nearctic and the northern Neotropics during a 17-year period. …

A Next-Generation Sequencing Study Of Arthropods In The Diet Of Laysan Teal Anas Laysanensis, Wieteke A. Hothuijzen, Carmen C. Antaky, Elizabeth N. Flint, Jonathan H. Plissner, Coral A. Wolf, Holly P. Jones

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The critically endangered Laysan teal Anas laysanensis (known as koloa po¯haka in the Hawaiian language), in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands has wild populations on Kamole (Laysan Island), Kuaihelani (Midway Atoll NWR) and Ho¯laniku¯ (Kure Atoll). The Laysan teal face a new risk on Sand Island in Kuaihelani: non-target poisoning via a pending House Mouse Mus musculus eradication program. After mice were observed attacking and depredating Laysan albatross Phoebastria immutabilis (mo¯lı¯) in 2015, plans to eradicate the mice were developed to protect this seabird species. This approach, however, risks poisoning the Laysan teal. To reduce exposure, teal will be translocated during …

Selenium Form-Induced Changes In The Early Luteal Phase Corpus Luteum, The Blood, And The Endometrium During Early Gestation In Beef Cows, Sarah Nancy Carr

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Selenium (Se) deficient soils and thus forages are widespread throughout the United States, necessitating supplementation of this trace mineral in the diet of grass-fed cattle to negate detrimental effects of a deficiency on immune function, growth, and fertility. Conventionally, Se is supplemented to cattle in a vitamin-mineral mix as an inorganic form (ISe) although the organic forms (OSe) are available when cattle consumer forage, and OSe has been shown to increase the bioavailability of Se in cattle. Previous research has demonstrated supplementation with 1:1 mixture (MIX) of ISe and OSe compared to ISe alone increases systemic concentrations of progesterone (P4) …

Increasing Efficiency Of Finishing Beef Production: Strategies To Optimize Starch Digestion, Improve Flake Quality, And Reduce Methane Emissions, Ronald J. Trotta

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

To continue to meet the demands of increasing food production and environmental sustainability, new strategies are needed to enhance the efficiency of finishing cattle production. A review of the literature identified several nutritional and physiological constraints that limit the ability for cattle to digest starch and absorb glucose from the small intestine. Comparative sequencing analyses revealed a missing region of the sucrase-isomaltase protein which could affect the capacity for starch digestion in cattle. Post-flaking sampling and handling recommendations were generated based on a series of experiments to improve estimates of starch availability and flaking consistency for commercial feedlots and laboratories. …

Plant Cell Wall Composition And In Vitro Fermentation Characteristics Of Cool-Season Forage Grasses From Two Growing Seasons In Central Kentucky, Sophia Danielle Newhuis

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Grass cell walls are rich in cellulose, hemicellulosic arabinoxylan (AX) polysaccharides, and lignin. AX structural differences such as degree and pattern of branching and the ester-linked phenolic acid content could affect plants’ digestibility when used as forage for livestock. However, there is little information about how these structural elements change over the growing season in the vegetative tissue of cool-season perennial grasses. Enhanced information about the cell wall composition and carbohydrate structure of forage material will provide a foundation for expanding our knowledge of how forage cell wall carbohydrate structures are utilized by ruminants. The objectives of this study were …

Evaluation Of Boron Supplementation In Swine And Poultry, Tyler B. Chevalier

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

The objectives of this dissertation were to evaluate dietary boron (B) supplementation as sodium borate in various swine models and broiler chicks through a series of experiments. The initial experiment evaluated supplemental B (0, 25, 50, and 100 ppm B) on serum insulin, glucose, and clinical chemistry panel of growing pigs. Serum insulin/glucose ratio tended to decrease linearly with increasing supplemental B in a fasting state (P = 0.08). These findings were more noticeable (linear effect, P = 0.02) in a postprandial state (~ 50 minutes following a meal). A series of follow-up studies further evaluating B supplementation (0, 5, …

Evaluation Of Increasing Levels Of Mycotoxin-Containing Corn Fines On Diet Choice And Growth Performance Of Nursery Pigs, Duncan B. Paczosa

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Pigs fed mycotoxin contaminated diets at high concentrations will result in a detriment to health and performance. An initial study and a follow-up study were conducted to evaluate the effects of feeding increasing levels of mycotoxin-containing corn fines on growth performance, diet preference of pigs, and two possible mitigants.

The initial study was a 3 x 2 factorial containing three levels of fines (0, 10, and 20%, Diets 1-3, respectively) and either 0 ppm (Diets 1-3) or 40 ppm boron (Diets 4-6; Diets 4-6 were Diets 1-3, respectively, plus boron) as sodium tetraborate decahydrate as a possible mitigant. In this …

Profiling The Cell Wall Polysaccharides Of Hemp (Cannabis Sativa L.) Inflorescence And Hempseed And Exploring Their Application As Ruminant Feed Ingredients, Miranda Agbana

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is used in the United States as a source of CBD oil, fiber, and grain. While hempseeds are consumed whole or as dehulled hemp hearts, hempseed oil is also a desirable seed oil in human nutrition. The process of collecting hempseed oil leaves behind hempseed cakes that are abundant in protein and fiber. Feeding of hempseed cakes to animals, including ruminants, has only initially been explored. Extraction of CBD from hemp inflorescences generates organic waste that may find a second purpose as a fiber feed for cattle. Little is known about the exact fiber composition …

Precision Livestock Farming And Personality As Tools To Understand Dairy Calf Individual Variation In Performance, Behavior, And Response To Stress, Megan Marie Woodrum Setser

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Individual differences impact animal responses to their environments and can be observed with animal personality (stable behavioral differences with populations) and food neophobia (avoidance of unfamiliar feeds). These individual differences can influence cattle performance and welfare. Precision technologies, such as automatic feeding systems (AFS) and accelerometers continuously measure feeding behaviors and activity and may allow us to relate individual differences to behaviors in the home environment. Therefore, the first objective was to determine if food neophobia was associated with feeding behaviors measured by AFS. Food neophobia was associated with rewarded visits to the AFS, but to no other feeding behaviors. …

Advancing Methods Of Diet Analysis: A Case Study Using Degraded Merlin (Falco Columbarius) Prey Remains, Taylor A. Coon

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Prey remains have long been used as a mechanism to approach diet analyses. As understanding diet is key to comprehending ecosystem dynamics, prey remains identification requires a unique methodological approach to determine diversity within a sample. With the advancement of technology, molecular protocols designed for species-specific identification have improved to incredible accuracy and precision. Yet, the visual identification method has remained a predominant technique within diet studies. With entry-level observers, we matched visual identifications with molecular-based methods to quantify the accuracy of the visual identification method. This study determined what fraction of visually identified prey remains could be correctly identified …

Effects Of Warming And Drying On The Survival And Performance Of Giant Salmonfly Nymphs (Pteronarcys Californica), Kailie Todd

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Rising temperatures and anthropogenic influences threaten to alter aquatic ecosystems as oxygen supply and demand is altered depending on temperature, flow, and water presence. In late November of 2021, a dam malfunction occurred on the Madison River in Montana that caused the river to dry rapidly downstream of the dam and reduced flow by 70% for 50 hours. My experiments were designed to determine the effects of this event by assessing how long giant salmonfly nymphs (Pteronarcys californica) can survive in still water and in air depending on temperature and relative humidity. In the laboratory, we exposed salmonfly …

The Ground Baiting Component Of The Gough Island House Mouse Eradication Attempt In 2021, Araceli Samaniego, Andrew Callender, Pete Mcclelland

Human–Wildlife Interactions

House mice (Mus musculus; mice) are among the most widespread invasive species. On Gough Island (6,500 ha), mice preying on at least 19 bird species triggered a mouse eradication attempt. Gough Island is a volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean and part of Tristan da Cunha, a UK Overseas Territory. From June to August 2021, an expert team applied an anticoagulant rodenticide (active ingredient brodifacoum at a concentration 20 ppm) island-wide, predominantly via aerial broadcast using helicopters, as the island is mainly uninhabited. However, hand-baiting was also required because of the presence of a staffed meteorological station. …

Asiatic Black Bear Microsite Selection In A Human-Dominated Landscape In The Central Alps, Japan: Implications For Mitigating Human–Bear Conflicts, Tomoki Mori, Shigeyuki Izumiyama

Human–Wildlife Interactions

With the rapid expansion of human development and associated changes in landscape use, opportunities for human land sharing with large mammalian carnivores, such as those belong to the family Ursidae is increasing, especially in human-dominated landscapes. Consequently, this increased coexistence has also led to an increase in human–bear (Ursus spp.) interactions. It is important to understand the spatial and temporal reactions (e.g., interactions between cover, time, and humans) of bears to mitigate human–bear conflicts and facilitate coexistence. However, managers often need better information regarding bear microsite habitat selection in areas with higher levels of human–bear encounter risks. We explored …

An Unmanned Aircraft System For Marking Live Power Lines To Prevent Bird Collisions, Mattheuns D. Pretorius, Lourens Leeuwner, Kaajial Durgapersad, Constant Hoogstad, Peter Beckedahl, Michael D. Michael, Kishaylin Chetty

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Collisions with overhead power lines represent a significant cause of mortality for a number of large bird species worldwide. Certain threatened species are severely impacted by power line collisions, particularly those for which there are no other known significant threats. In South Africa, bird collisions with overhead power line cables, including collisions with phase conductors and shield wires, contribute significantly to annual threatened bird species mortalities associated with Eskom power lines. The most practical mitigation measure is to attach bird anti-collision devices as markers on the cables. Current marking methods involve installations by hand, where linemen are hoisted up to …

Evaluating Efficacy Of Anti-Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis Probiotic Treatment On Pacific Chorus Frogs (Pseudacris Regilla) At Current And Modeled Climate Change Temperatures, Autumn N. Holley

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Amphibian populations are declining due to a variety of threats, including the chytrid fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), the causative agent of the disease chytridiomycosis. Climate change and other stressors can have complicated interactions with amphibian disease. Some amphibian populations are less susceptible to chytridiomycosis due to factors such as symbiotic skin microbes that may inhibit Bd through secondary metabolites. There have been several attempts to develop probiotics from these symbiotic, antifungal bacteria to provide protection against Bd infection, but these studies have had mixed success. Our study evaluated anti-Bd bacteria isolated from the skin of Pacific chorus frogs (Pseudacris …

Pasture Condition Guides For The Southern Rangelands, Including The Gascoyne, Murchison And Goldfields-Nullarbor, Peter-Jon A. Waddell, Philip We Thomas, Wayne J. Fletcher, Kath Ryan, Joshua E. Foster, John K. Stretch, Jim S. Addison

Bulletins 4000 -

These guides address a recognised gap in readily applicable and easily accessible information on southern rangelands pasture condition and management.

These guides provide descriptions and images for southern rangelands pastures with similar management requirements for the grazing of native pastures by livestock. Therefore, the focus is on palatability of vegetation to livestock, and the effects of livestock management and external factors on the condition of the vegetation and soils.

The first section provides an overview and map, introduces concepts and terms important to understanding arid shrubland management in general, these guides in particular, and includes an economic analysis of the …

Livestock Depredation By Leopards, Associated Economic Losses, And Financial Compensation To Communities In Chhota Udepur District Of Central Gujarat, India, Shalu Mesaria, Pratik Desai, Shruti Patel, Dhaval Gadhavi, Anthony J. Giordano, Nishith Dharaiya

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Livestock depredation by large carnivores has been documented across the entire Indian subcontinent. The failure of managers to mitigate livestock losses in landscapes dependent on subsistence agriculture poses a threat to the conservation of carnivores. For much of Gujarat, a western Indian state characterized by extensive semi-arid habitats, the Indian leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) is considered an apex predator. Increasing regional leopard populations in response to protection efforts has led to more attacks on humans, along with an increase in rates of livestock depredation. In many cases, the regional forest department financially compensates livestock owners for depredation caused …

A Critical Look At Wild Pig Elimination: Myths And Facts, Kim M. Pepin, Travis L. Guerrant, Jeremiah L. Psiropoulos, Jeanine T. Neskey, John M. Tomeček, Michael J. Bodenchuk, Janean L. Romines

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are abundant and widely distributed in the United States. They damage crops and pastures, predate livestock and sensitive species, impact ecosystem functions, and damage personal property. To address these issues, some states in the United States are seeking complete elimination. A frequently asked question by stakeholders is: “What portion of the population needs to be removed annually to reach elimination?” The number 70% is widely touted as the answer. There is little scientific evidence to support that this percent annual removal would be needed to achieve elimination, yet 70% has now become a standard …

Variation In Space Use And Movements Of Individual Mule Deer And Bighorn Sheep In Response To Shed Antler Hunting, Steven B. Bates, Jericho C. Whiting, Brock R Mcmillan, Steven L. Petersen, Randy T. Larsen

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Shed antler hunting can affect the movements and space use of ungulates. We evaluated space use and movements of 12 mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and 25 bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) during shed antler hunting for up to 4 years. Twenty-five percent of mule deer and 44% of bighorn sheep changed space use in relation to their home range in response to shed antler hunters across 2 years. Four deer were tracked for 3 or 4 consecutive years and responded differently to shed antler hunting across years. Mean distance moved by mule deer in response to shed …

The First Translocation Of Bighorn Sheep In California: A Critical Review Of The Activities Of William Franklin Frakes, Vernon C. Bleich, Glenn W. Sudmeier, Michael W. Wolter, Richard A. Weaver

Human–Wildlife Interactions

In the absence of verification, historical aspects of wildlife management or conservation sometimes have become established in the literature and persisted therein for decades; in other situations, serendipitous discoveries have corrected information that earlier had been treated as factual. In some cases, efforts to vet historical accounts have been ongoing for many years; such is the case involving William Franklin Frakes, an American rancher, naturalist, adventurer, and author, who captured and translocated bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) in California, USA, near the turn of the twentieth century. In this review, we provide information that substantiates the majority of Frakes’s …

Effect Of Clostridium Butyricum Supplementation On Production Performance, Egg Quality, Gut Microflora, And Intestinal Morphology Of Laying Hens In The Late Phase Of Production, Phuong Truc Le Ho

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of Clostridium butyricum supplementation on improvement of production performance and egg quality by stimulating the intestinal absorptive function and altering the cecal microbial composition. A total of 216 Hy-Line brown laying hens at 66 weeks of age were allocated randomly into 3 treatments with 6 replicates of 12 hens in a completely randomized design. The dietary treatments included a control group (CT) with a corn-soy basal diet, and the other treatments comprised basal diets supplemented with 250g/ton (CB1) and 500g/ton (CB2) of feed containing C. butyricum strain MIYAIRI 588. The concentration of …

Use Of Hematological Markers To Assess Physiological Condition And Health Status In Free-Ranging Sand Tiger Sharks (Carcharias Taurus), Chestina N. Craig

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The contents of blood can provide information about the physiological condition and health of vertebrates. This study seeks to better understand the stress physiology and blood bacteria presence of the sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus), as sharks are known to have unique physiology and immune systems. In this study the blood metabolites glucose, lactate, and ketones (3-hydroxybuteric acid and acetoacetate), were used to understand how biotic and abiotic factors affect the acute stress response to capture and handling. Metabolite concentrations from blood plasma were analyzed using colorimetric assays. Glucose and ketones showed no significant responses to capture and …

Growth And Whole-Body Proximate Composition Of Oreochromis Niloticus Nile Tilapia Fed Pea Meal: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Tzodoq Obrero Magbanua, Janice A. Ragaza

Biology Faculty Publications

One of the most widely cultivated species in the aquaculture sector is the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). However, the rising price of fishmeal has a huge impact on its market value. Proteins derived from plants have been used to address the issue. In this study, systematic review and meta-analysis were used to quantitatively analyze the whole-body composition and growth of Nile tilapia fed pea meal. Based on the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis methods, the literature review and paper selection were completed. Meta-analysis was performed on the data from peer-reviewed studies that met the inclusion …

Body Condition: Seasonal Effects And Influence On Aggressive Behavior Of Ozark Zigzag Salamanders (Plethodon Angusticlavius), Ayesha Farooq

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Body condition is a measure of the size of energy reserves such as fat and protein, which can influence health and the ability to obtain resources in aggressive encounters. Individuals with better body condition ultimately experience a fitness advantage. Physiological factors such as sex, reproductive condition, and diet can influence body condition of individuals. Body condition could be affected positively or negatively after an animal is kept in captivity for extended periods of time. In the first chapter, I explore whether sex, season (fall and spring), and time in containment at the laboratory influences body condition. In the second chapter, …

Investigating The Fish Community Of The Neosho River System, Ethan John Rasset

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Barrier presence in river systems has been documented to impact fishes. Low head dams specifically are frequently occurring barriers in riverine environments. Well supported impacts of these structures on fishes include diminished movement, reproduction, and habitat availability. Longitudinal patterns in riverine fish communities have long been researched to ascertain dynamics and display interactions. The need for research becomes more critical when factoring in impacts of barriers and detrimental invasive species. Knowledge of fish communities can inform fisheries biologists and aid in improved management practices for recreational and ecologically important species, as well as invasive species. The Neosho River-Grand Lake system …

Riverine Fish Population Dynamics, Aaron P. Muehler

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Dynamic rate functions (i.e., recruitment, growth, mortality) structure fish populations and are subject to latitudinal differences. These latitudinal differences are likely reflective of climatic variation and may result in spatially distinct populations that must be managed independently, especially in large systems such as the Upper Mississippi River system (UMRS). In order to successfully manage this system, an understanding of what drives these populations is required. The UMRS is useful for this investigation as it crosses 10° temperate latitude with widespread fish species found throughout. In this study, I investigated the synergistic relationship between latitude, vital rates, and abundance. Species were …