Animal Sciences Commons^™

Feral Donkey, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Donkeys (Equus asinus) were first imported in substantial numbers to Australia in 1866 by Sir Thomas Elder. They were used as pack and draught animals in outlying areas of Western Australia (WA) until the 1930s. They were eventually replaced by the motor vehicle, and unwanted donkeys were released to the wild, where they became feral. The first record of feral donkeys is from the Kimberley in the early 1930s, but it is possible they became feral much earlier.

Applying Data-Limited Assessment Methods To Charter Logbook Length Data, Brett Crisafulli, Sybrand Alex Hesp, David Fairclough, Emily A. Fisher, Paul D. Lewis, Jeffrey V. Norriss, Corey B. Wakefield, Fabian Trinnie, Stephen J. Newman

Fisheries Research Reports

Marine waters along the Western Australian coastline are characterised by low ecosystem productivity and high species diversity of fishes. With over 3,000 known species comprising estuarine, nearshore, demersal and pelagic fishes in the region, many contribute to important commercial and recreational fisheries (Lenanton et al. 1991; Molony et al. 2011; Newman et al. 2018). As it is logistically and economically infeasible to conduct intensive monitoring and high-level stock assessments of all exploited fish species in Western Australia, indicator species are used to assess the sustainability of suites of species of biological and ecological similarity, for optimal use of available resources …

Blackbird, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

The introduced common blackbird (Turdus merula) is a pest in eastern Australia. It damages commercial fruit crops and may compete with native birds. The species is prohibited in Western Australia and individuals found here are destroyed.

The Western Australian Organism List (WAOL) contains information on the area(s) in which this pest is declared and the control and keeping categories to which it has been assigned in Western Australia (WA). For more information, see our website at dpird.wa.gov.au.

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Feral Camel, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

No abstract provided.

Feral Goat, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

The goat (Capra hircus) was one of the first animals to be domesticated, 8 to 10 thousand years ago. Archaeological work indicates the earliest attempts at domestication were in dry hills surrounding the Mediterranean basin. The ability of goats to utilise the coarse browse of mountainous areas made them suitable for domestication, in preference to sheep. With large-scale domestication of goats throughout the world, goats escaped and established feral goat herds on most continents. Overgrazing by goats has caused severe environmental damage, worldwide.

Goats arrived in Australia with the first fleet. They were introduced to many areas by early settlers …

Rabbit Control: 1080 Versus Pindone, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

There are two toxins available for controlling pest rabbits in Western Australia: 1080 and pindone. This factsheet provides a brief summary of the main characteristics of both vertebrate pesticides. 1080 is generally the preferred toxin for rabbit control in Western Australia (WA).

Any attempt to reduce the impact of rabbits on the productivity of any agricultural enterprise (for example, pasture, crops, tree farms, horticulture) should be undertaken as part of a pest management plan.

This strategy should be proactive rather than reactive to a problem. It should also include a long term strategy for dealing with potential rabbit damage, including …

Feral Pigs And Their Control With 1080 Baiting, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Feral pigs are the descendants of domestic pigs (Sus scrofa), which were first brought to Australia by early European colonists. Feral pigs cause a range of agricultural and environmental damage in Western Australia (WA), so control measures are important.

Response To A Poor Season (2017), Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock factsheets

This analysis was prepared for the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s Sheep Industry Business Innovation project by the Farming Systems Analysis Service in July 2017.

Provisos for the following:

1. The price of sheep doesn’t reduce substantially over the next 12 months. This is not expected but it is a risk and therefore selling low priority stock is recommended. Low priority sheep are: dry sheep, wether weaners and old ewes >6yo.
2. That confinement feeding is done with reasonable technical skill and that feed isn’t wasted and that animals don’t die at high rates

In-Line Milk Progesterone Monitoring As A Tool For Precision Reproductive Management, Tony C. Bruinjé, Divakar J. Ambrose, Stephen J. Lebalnc

Dairy Science and Food Science Faculty Publications: 2022 to Present

In-line milk progesterone (IMP4) monitoring (Herd Navigator, DeLaval) is a technology that automatically detects onset of cyclicity, estrus, and pregnancy. Sampling starts at 20 DIM and occurs on average every 2 d until pregnancy. Estrus is detected based on a decline in progesterone (P4) concentrations below a threshold, and pregnancy is assessed from 30 to 55 d after AI in cows without return to estrus. Here, we review the potential of IMP4 as a tool for reproductive management. In a series of observational studies with up to 158,961 IMP4 records from 4,353 AI events, we characterized predictors of pregnancy per …

Stockfeed Labelling In Western Australia, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock factsheets

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) is responsible for regulating the labels of stockfeed supplied in Western Australia (WA) to ensure they provide the required information to people feeding it to their livestock. This factsheet contains information to help stockfeed retailers and manufacturers meet WA’s labelling requirements.

Little Island, Leah R. Nath

Student Publications

After spending two full months living on a remote island off the coast of Maine, I had a difficult time adjusting to mainland life again; the noise, the people, the lack of birds a shock to my system after getting used to such a different way of living. In this piece, I wanted to capture the feeling of becoming part of Petit Manan island, trying to learn the language of the land and the birds, and then the feeling of loss and change once I left. I hope readers can experience the feeling of falling in love with the island …

Approaching A U.S. Regulatory Framework For Sporeless Seaweed Biotechnology, Gabriela Martinez, Terra Bowling, Catherine M. Janasie, Charlie Doering-Powell, Amalia Aruda Almada

William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review

Seaweed farming is the fastest-growing aquaculture sector in the United States. The development of sterile, selectively bred (sporeless) seaweed aims to support the economic viability of future large offshore seaweed operations and minimize the environmental risks of these operations to wild seaweed beds. Farmers have implemented analogous breeding techniques to control and enhance most terrestrial crops and common aquaculture products (e.g., oysters and carp). This Article draws from existing federal and state aquaculture policies to explore four pillars critical to a future sporeless seaweed regulatory framework: ensuring maintained sterility, tracing the geographic origin of seed, securing offshore permits, and facilitating …

Population And Distribution Of The Ashy Red Colobus Monkey In Community Forests In Biharamulo District, Northwestern Tanzania, Olivia W. Cox

Tanzania: Wildlife Conservation and Political Ecology

This study was conducted in November 2024 using active observation searches and geospatial surveys to collect data. A total of 0.404357 km2 in the three forests was canvassed, and 108 individuals were observed. The study aimed to estimate the population and distribution of Ashy red colobus monkeys in three community forests in Biharamulo District, Northwestern Tanzania, where no previous research on the Ashy red colobus has taken place. A Bayesian negative binomial model and negative binomial regression model were applied to these findings to estimate 180 individuals in the three forests, with 40, 47, and 93 individuals estimated to reside …

Effects Of Land-Use Types On Avian Functional Diversity In Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania, Ava Joan Boettiger

Tanzania: Wildlife Conservation and Political Ecology

This research examined avian abundance and functional diversity across four human land uses— monoculture, mixed farming, rural, and urban areas—in the Kilimanjaro Region of Northern Tanzania. Conducted in November 2024, the study aimed to assess how different land-use types influence avian composition and functional diversity. A quasi-experimental design was employed, using purposive sampling to select study sites and systematic random sampling point counts to observe bird species present in each land-use type. A literature review was also conducted to classify species into families and categorize them into functional feeding guilds: predators, insectivores, frugivores, granivores, and nectarivores. Statistical analyses, including ANOVA, …

A Retrospective Analysis Of Sheep Generated By Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer, Ying Liu, Rusty Stott, Misha Regouski, Zhiqiang Fan, Iuri Viotti Perisse, Tayler Patrick, Jacob Keim, Qinggang Meng, Irina A. Polejaeva

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is one of the primary methods for production of genetically engineered sheep, which allows for gene editing or transgene introduction in somatic cells. The use of SCNT eliminates the risk of genetic mosaicism in embryos and animals that is commonly observed after zygote micromanipulations. This retrospective analysis of SCNT in sheep performed at Utah State University, spanning from 2016 to 2021, examined parameters that may impact pregnancy and full-term development, including donor oocytes (donor age), donor cell lines, SCNT parameters (time of oocyte activation following SCNT, number of transferred embryos, in vitro maturation and culture …

Précis Of: "Birds, Bats And Minds: Tales Of A Revolutionary Scientist, Donald R. Griffin", Carolyn A. Ristau

Animal Sentience

Donald Griffin co-discovered bat sonar and founded the field of echolocation. He studied bird migration and founded Cognitive Ethology, the study of animal awareness and mental experiences. In all these endeavors, he faced hostile opposition. The biography (Ristau 2024) examines Griffin's life and the scientific explorations by him and others in these fields. This Précis emphasizes his arguments and supporting evidence for animal consciousness as well as his later research. Griffin considered the inhibiting assumptions made by scientists, including Cartesian views, the misunderstanding of innate behaviors, prejudice against lower animals, concern with violations of parsimony, and the assertions of the …

Leptospirosis In The Platypus (Ornithorhynchus Anatinus) In Australia: Who Is Infecting Whom?, Richard J. Whittington, Thomas R. Grant, Jarrad Mckercher, Monica Suann, Keith Hart, Kathrine A. Handasyde, James Macgregor, Mark E. Westman, Joanne H. Connolly

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is an amphibious, egg-laying mammal of high conservation value that is found only in Australia. The zoonotic bacterium Leptospira interrogans serovar Hardjo was discovered in platypuses in prior studies, but little is known about its epidemiology. Samples in the Platypus Serum Bank were tested in 2023 and the results were combined with historical records. Antibodies against L. interrogans serovar Hardjo were found in 50% of 464 serum samples from 411 platypuses collected from 14 river basins in southeastern Australia between 1981 and 2012; prevalence remained high over three decades in the Shoalhaven River population. Seroprevalence increased …

On The Line And Online: Higher Non-Response To Web-Based Surveys Over-Represents Avid Recreational Fishers Compared With Telephone Surveys, Karina L. Ryan, Steve Taylor, Jeremy M. Lyle, Kate Stark, Sean R. Tracey

Fisheries Research Articles

Recreational fishing surveys have an important role in providing data to inform fisheries management. The selection of a contact method is an important and often challenging consideration that influences the potential for non-sampling errors that can result in unrepresentative data and biased estimates. Telephones are used for many off-site recreational fishing surveys, but widespread use of digital technology suggests that online surveys could be a viable alternative. We compared phone surveys with alternative online surveys using probability sampling from a licence database. Response rates were lower for online surveys (13%–26%) than phone surveys (97%–98%). The proportion of respondents who reported …

Red Fox, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

This factsheet provides information on the red fox in Western Australia (WA).

The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is a native of the northern hemisphere where it occurs throughout most of Europe, Asia, North America, and the northern coast of Africa. The red fox was first introduced to Australia (Victoria) from Britain as early as 1845 for hunting with foxhounds. Having become successfully established in Victoria by about 1870, it colonised most of mainland Australia over the next 70 years. Foxes are not found in the most northern regions of Australia, including northwest Kimberley.

In WA, the fox is a declared …

Rabbit Control: Fumigation, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Fumigation for rabbit control involves the introduction of poisonous gas into a warren. It is one of the best control methods to use where low numbers of rabbits live in a few widely scattered warrens. The threat to non-target animals is minimal. This factsheet should be read in conjunction with registered product labels and directions for use. Check the Department of Health, Western Australia website (health.wa.gov.au) for public health requirements for the use of phosphine fumigation.

Fumigation may be used in areas where access is limited, such as fence lines, around trees, and on riverbanks, but it may be difficult …

Psychological And Social Well-Being Of Bony Fishes In Zoos And Aquariums, Ronald G. Oldfield, Patrick Bonano

Animal Sentience

Research on the behaviour of animals in zoos has been conducted for decades, and observations have provided information that has improved the psychological and social well-being of animals. However, research on fishes in zoos and aquariums seems to be lacking. Here, we assess the current state of research on fishes in zoos and aquariums by surveying the peer-reviewed literature. Our assessment differs from previous surveys in that we examine the taxonomic classes Chondrichthyes (sharks and rays) and Osteichthyes (bony fishes) separately. Our survey finds that bony fishes have been drastically underrepresented in zoo journals, more drastically than chondrichthyans, revealing an …

Phenology And Host Choice Among Common Yet Little Understood Wood Borers (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) In A Midwestern Savanna, Noah I. Finney, Derek W. Rosenberger

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Horned powder-post beetles (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) are a geographically widespread family of wood-boring beetles. While members of this family represent important grain pests, are often intercepted in ports, and may play an important role in ecosystem processes, little work has investigated bostrichid life history in their native ranges. This gap limits our ability to assess ecosystem services and invasiveness. Three native species, Amphicerus bicaudatus (Say), Scobicia bidentata (Horn), and Xylobiops basilaris (Say), are commonly found in savannas in Northern Illinois. Although little is currently known about the life history of S. bidentata, A. bicaudatus and X. basilaris can be minor pests …

Blend Feeding Broilers To Daily Nutrient Requirements, J.T. Pope

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

Broiler producers and nutritionists have used phase feeding as a practical means to define broiler feeding programs. Each feed phase has discreet nutrient definitions intended to be fed for a defined number of days based on a feed mass delivered per broiler. A typical broiler feeding program would consist of three to five feed phases over the production cycle that intend to address the changing nutrient requirements as broilers age. Phase feeding programs are easily defined, practical to manage, and provide a predictable cost structure for broiler producers. Despite the practicality of phase feeding, there are inherent flaws that will …

Current Trends And Experiences From A Contract Research Organization Perspective, Dan Moore

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

The primary goal of this presentation is to provide an update on the trends of research observed at a contract research organization (CRO) in recent years as it relates to species, study design type and products tested, as well as, challenge models used and products that have shown benefits in various study designs. The information in the presentation is based off of studies conducted from 2014-2024 at one CRO, Colorado Quality Research (CQR), and represents the experiences at CQR. Many of the parameters discussed will be from 2014-2019 and 2020-2024 to observe trends from over 5 years ago and more …

Importance Of A Rooster Feed In Broiler Breeder Production, Alex Corzo, Marcelo Silva

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

Of all feed phases in poultry production, rooster feeding is arguably the least studied. During the rear phase, there is general agreement that male and female broiler breeders can be provided a common feed program, only differing on feed amounts provided, that results in growth targets reached for each sex. It is during the production phase that there is some disagreement on the best way to support the nutritional needs of the adult rooster. A considerable segment of the world does employ a rooster feed as a way to better support the nutritional needs of working males. Other poultry operations …

Vitamin Update And Sustainability, Edgar Orlando Oviedo-Rondón

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

This presentation addressed the status of research on vitamin nutrition in poultry species and current recommended levels. The economic, environmental, and socio-political aspects of sustainability are addressed. Most of the information presented is described in detail in the book Optimum Vitamin Nutrition for More Sustainable Poultry Farming (Oviedo-Rondon et al., 2023). However, this presentation also used more recent publications and news of the latest events related to scientific recommendations and the worldwide vitamin market. The objective is to provide a brief overview of scientific findings to aid nutritionists in the decision-making process when selecting optimum levels for poultry nutrition. …

Every Day Feeding Of Broiler Breeder Pullets, David Brandt

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

Broiler breeders are characterized by their fast growth and sensitivity to light stimuli. Unlike commercial layers, they have a lower egg production rate and are kept on the floor during rearing and laying periods. Fertile eggs are the primary objective, necessitating careful management of their egg-laying properties, while controlling their body weights. Unrestricted feeding leads to early laying with poor peak and persistency in egg production. Therefore, nutrient intake must be restricted to achieve target body weights at light stimulation (22 weeks). This involves both quantitative and qualitative feed restrictions. Quantitative feed restriction can lead to issues such as poor …

Integration Of Commercial Broiler Data Into A Broiler Growth Model, David Brandt

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

This study explores the alignment of theoretical broiler growth models with practical farm conditions, emphasizing the value of integrating commercial data into simulation models. The EFG Broiler Growth Model, developed by Emmens, Fisher and Gous, is highlighted for its mechanistic approach, predicting growth based on feed intake. While empirical models are useful, they are limited by changes in genetics. Both mechanistic and empirical models struggle to predict how broilers will respond to feed under the challenging conditions typically experienced in commercial operations. The study also discusses the development of empirical models to determine broiler responses to balanced protein and energy, …

Estimation Of Bovine Tuberculosis Prevalence, Associated Risk Factors, And Public Health Significance In District Dera Ismail Khan, Arsalan Khan, Akhtar Ali, Umm E. Aimen, Wasim Ullah, Imtiaz Khan, Qamar Ullah, Baqir Hussain, Muneeb Ur Rahman

Journal of Bioresource Management

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is zoonotic disease of global concern, affecting both animal and human populations. To estimate the prevalence of bovine TB in District Dera Ismail Khan and identify associated risk factors. A total of 138 cattle from different herds were included in the survey, and diagnostic tests, including the tuberculin skin test and Ziehl Neelsen stain, were employed. The results revealed a high prevalence of bovine TB, with an estimated prevalence of 10.87 % in the study area. Prevalence analysis based on tehsils revealed varying rates: 6.66 % in Dera Ismail Khan, 11.11 % in Kulachi, and 14.81 % …