Animal Sciences Commons^™

Significance Of Autumn And Winter Food Consumption For Reproduction By Southern Beaufort Sea Polar Bears, Ursus Maritimus, Blaine D. Griffen, John P. Whiteman, Sariah Pullan

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in the southern Beaufort Sea experience long annual periods when preferred seal prey are scarce or are unavailable. Consumption of bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) carcasses from native Alaskan subsistence hunting is increasingly common for onshore polar bears, yet the energetic consequences of this consumption remain unclear. We use data on bears captured repeatedly over periods that encompassed autumn and winter, combined with calculations, to show that adult female bears likely consume an average of at least 4 seal equivalents during both autumn and winter periods and that considerable variation in energy intake …

Plant-Frugivore Interactions Across The Caribbean Islands: Modularity, Invader Complexes And The Importance Of Generalist Species, Maximilian G.R. Vollstädt, Mauro Galetti, Christopher N. Kaiser-Bunbury, Benno I. Simmons, Fernando Gonçalves, Alcides L. Morales-Pérez, Luis Navarro, Fabio L. Tarazona-Tubens, Spencer Schubert, Tomas Carlo, Jackeline Salazar, Michel Faife-Cabrera, Allan Strong, Hannah Madden, Adam Mitchell, Bo Dalsgaard

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Aim: Mutualistic interactions between plants and animals are fundamental for the maintenance of natural communities and the ecosystem services they provide. However, particularly in human‐dominated island ecosystems, introduced species may alter mutualistic interactions. Based on an extensive dataset of plant–frugivore interactions, we mapped and analysed a meta‐network across the Caribbean archipelago. Specifically, we searched for subcommunity structure (modularity) and identified the types of species facilitating the integration of introduced species in the Caribbean meta‐network.

Location: Caribbean archipelago (Lucayan archipelago, Greater Antilles, Lesser Antilles).

Methods: We reviewed published scientific literature, unpublished theses and other nonpeer‐reviewed sources to compile an extensive dataset …

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) …

Frameless-Finding And Refining A Sampling Frame For Surveying Recreational Fisheries: Lessons From Estimating Swedish Harvest Of Western Baltic Cod, Hege Sande, Nuno Prista, Annica De Groote, Michele Casini, Cynthia Jones, Andreas Sundelöf

OES Faculty Publications

To achieve sustainable fisheries, advice to management should be based on reliable science and unbiased data. Attaining quality data (i.e. precise and unbiased) on recreational fishing can be challenging, particularly when prior knowledge of the sector is limited and a proper sample frame of recreational fishers or vessels does not exist. In this study, a registry of access points was constructed for the Swedish south–west coast and used as a spatial sample frame in determining both effort and catches of the private boat fishery. Sampling dates, times for sampling, and access points visited were selected using probabilistic methods, ensuring unbiased …

Imaging Technologies Build Capacity And Accessibility In Phytoplankton Species Identification Expertise For Research And Monitoring: Lessons Learned During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sophie Clayton, Leah Gibala-Smith, Kathryn Mogatas, Chanel Flores-Vargas, Kayla Marciniak, Maci Wigginton, Margaret R. Mulholland

OES Faculty Publications

As primary producers, phytoplankton play an integral role in global biogeochemical cycles through their production of oxygen and fixation of carbon. They also provide significant ecosystem services, by supporting secondary production and fisheries. Phytoplankton biomass and diversity have been identified by the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) as Essential Ocean Variables (EOVs), properties that need to be monitored to better understand and predict the ocean system. Phytoplankton identification and enumeration relies on the skills and expertise of highly trained taxonomic analysts. The training of new taxonomic analysts is intensive and requires months to years of supervised training before an analyst …

Calcification, Dissolution And Test Properties Of Modern Planktonic Foraminifera From The Central Atlantic Ocean, Stergios D. Zarkogiannis, Shinya Iwasaki, James William Buchanan Rae, Matthew W. Schmidt, P. Graham Mortyn, George Kontakiotis, Jennifer E. Hertzberg, Rosalind E.M. Rickaby

OES Faculty Publications

The mass of well-preserved calcite in planktonic foraminifera shells provides an indication of the calcification potential of the surface ocean. Here we report the shell weight of 8 different abundant planktonic foraminifera species from a set of core-top sediments along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The analyses showed that near the equator, foraminifera shells of equivalent size weigh on average 1/3 less than those from the middle latitudes. The carbonate preservation state of the samples was assessed by high resolution X-ray microcomputed tomographic analyses of Globigerinoides ruber and Globorotalia truncatulinoides specimens. The specimen preservation was deemed good and does not overall explain …

Effects Of Cannabinoid Supplementation On Weaning And Transportation Stress In Beef Calves, Savannah Kaitlyn Austin

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Transportation stress is a major factor increasing the risk of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in young calves. Bovine respiratory disease is currently the most economically important disease affecting the cattle industry, costing producers millions of dollars annually. Cannabidiol (CBD) has shown therapeutic benefits in other species, making it a potential tool to use as a supplement to reduce transportation and weaning stress in calves. However, little information is available on cannabinoid bioavailability and disposition of bioactive residue in livestock tissues. The objectives of these studies were to evaluate effective dosage rates of a cannabinoid gel on beef cattle and to …

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 …

Fertility Control Options For Management Of Free-Roaming Horse Populations, Ursula S. Bechert, John W. Turner Jr., Dan L. Baker, Douglas C. Eckery, Jason E. Bruemmer, Candace C. Lyman, Tulio M. Prado, Sarah R. B. King, Mark A. Fraker

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The management of free-roaming horses (Equus ferus) and burros (E. asinus) in the United States has been referred to as a “wicked problem” because, although there are population control options, societal values will ultimately determine what is acceptable and what is not. In the United States, free-roaming equids are managed by different types of organizations and agencies, and the landscapes that these animals inhabit vary widely in terms of access, size, topography, climate, natural resources, flora, and fauna. This landscape diversity, coupled with contemporary socioeconomic and political environments, means that adaptive management practices are needed to …

Partnerships Create Success For The Devil’S Garden Wild Horses, Laura K. Snell

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Many wild horse (Equus ferus caballus) populations that inhabit designated federal land in the United States currently exceed management objectives. Overabundant wild horse populations can adversely impact the ecosystem, native wildlife, and other land uses. Unfortunately, there is not a universal solution, as each impacted area may differ ecologically, economically, socially, and politically. Wild horse management is not just a 1-time project but a long-term program where buy-in is needed from the federal and state agencies, local governments, and private partners. Local county governments and private partners can have important insights and significant influence on the development and …

Wyoming’S Wild Horse Ranch: History And Description Of A Socio-Ecological Experiment, Alex Sas-Jaworsky, John Derek Scasta

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The growing population of free-roaming horses (Equus ferus caballus) on western public rangelands has necessitated that federal agencies, such as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Forest Service, develop novel approaches to curb growth including reproduction management. However, bureaucracy has hindered effective research and application of horse management on public lands and examples on private lands may present new solutions. Here we present the history and current population management strategy for the Wild Horse Ranch (WHR) located in southeastern Wyoming, USA, as an example of an ongoing private entity managing horses. Prior to 1985, this ~6,000-ha …

Industrial Hemp As A Resource For Birds In Agroecosystems: Human–Wildlife Conflict Or Conservation Opportunity?, Emily A. Kotten, Iona Hennessy, Bryan M. Kluever, Zachary T. Brym, Bradley F. Blackwell, Lee A. Humberg, Page E. Klug

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.; hemp) is an emerging crop in the United States with little known about bird use or the potential for birds to become an agricultural pest. We identified birds associated with hemp fields, using repeated visits to oilseed plots in North Dakota, USA (n = 6) and cannabinoid (CBD) plots in Florida, USA (n = 4) from August to November 2020. We did not control for plot area or density; our observations were descriptive only. We observed 10 species in hemp, 12 species flying over hemp, and 11 species both foraging in and …

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 …

Trico: A Novel Repellent For Preventing Deer Damage To Ornamental Shrubs, Paul D. Curtis, Brian C. Eshenaur

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Homeowners whose landscape plants are repeatedly browsed by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus; deer) desire repellent products that are effective and long-lasting. We conducted a 12-week trial from January 6 through April 5, 2021 to test the duration and efficacy of a novel deer repellent (Trico®) relative to Plantskydd®, a commonly used deer repellent, and untreated plants. We placed treated and control Japanese yew shrubs (Taxus media ‘Hicksii’) at 4 homeowner sites (Birch Hills Drive, Fairview Crescent, Pinegrove Ave., and St. Paul Blvd.) near Rochester, New York, USA, where we detected deer presence. Yews are frequently eaten …

Production Of Calcium Reduced Micellar Casein Concentrate Powders And Their Use In Process Cheese Products, Anil Kommineni

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Protein is an essential dietary component, and sufficient intake is vital in a healthy and balanced diet. Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of and knowledgeable about the role of protein in the diet. Two of the next-generation dairy protein ingredients isolated from milk are micellar casein (MCC) and milk-derived whey protein, isolated from skim milk using microfiltration (MF). Membrane filtration has been used extensively by the dairy industry to produce a variety of dairy ingredients from milk. MCC manufactured from freshly pasteurized milk can be directly consumed or as a supplement to fortify and enhance nutritional qualities in processed food …

Impact Of Natural Cheese Composition On Proteolysis And Its Effects On Process Cheese Functionality, Natasha Scherber

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cheddar cheese is a commodity and a top-selling cheese in the United States. Enhanced flavors of cheddar cheese requires aging, which will allow proteolysis increase. Proteolysis is the most complex process that happens in cheese manufacturing and can be difficult to control because of environmental factors and compositional characteristics. The ripening process, which is the most timely and costly procedure in cheese manufacturing, can also be unpredictable when aspects, such as cheese composition, are changed. The coagulant is responsible for the first stage in proteolysis, which will produce large peptides. Small peptides are subsequentially produced during the second stage by …

A Post-Pneumonia Epizootic Evaluation Of The Rapid City, South Dakota Bighorn Sheep Herd, Amanda N. Ensrud

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pneumonia is a major factor affecting populations of free-ranging bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) across western North America. Pneumonia can occur in large-scale epizootics, during which greater than half of the population typically dies. After these epizootics, surviving ewes continue to conceive and bear lambs. However, lamb recruitment may remain low due to periodic or annual pneumonia outbreaks causing high lamb mortality rates, sometimes greater than 90%. Our study focused on the Rapid City, South Dakota bighorn sheep (BHS) herd that has recorded pneumonia-induced population decline since 2009. The first objective was to improve lamb health and survival by identifying and …

Post-Fledging Habitat Selection And Movements Of Juvenile Mallards In The Prairie Pothole Region, Cynthia E. Anchor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of North America provides critical habitat for waterfowl across life stages, but anthropogenic changes to the landscape have negatively impacted habitat quality for waterfowl. The mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is abundant and socioeconomically valuable in the PPR, as it is a preferred target species of waterfowl hunters. Extensive research has evaluated breeding ecology of mallards in the PPR, but the period between juvenile mallards fledging and migrating has rarely been studied. The post-fledging ecology of juvenile mallards is a vital consideration for comprehensive waterfowl management. Further, juvenile mallards are a significant portion of hunter harvest at …

Interaction Effects Of Age And Body Weight Losses During Moulting On The Performance Ofcommercial Laying Hens, Mian Mubashar Saleem, Jibran Hussain, Usman Elahi, Ehsaan Ullah Khan, Muhammad Usman, Syed Ghulam Mohayudin Hashmi, Sohail Ahmad

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

This study evaluated the interaction effects of different age groups and body weight losses during moulting on the productive performance, egg quality, and immune response of commercial laying hens. In total 324 Lohmann Selected Leghorn Lite laying hens of 80 and 108 weeks old were studied. A completely randomized experimental design in factorial arrangement, with 6 treatments of 6 replicates with 9 hens each, was applied. Treatments consisted of 2 production cycles (80 and 108 weeks) and three body weight losses during moulting (20%, 25%, and 30%). Productive performance (body weight, feed intake, egg weight, production percent, egg mass, feed …

Molecular Characterization Of Bacillus Anthracis Isolates Recovered From Nomic Andnonnomic Hosts, Doğan Akça, Fati̇h Büyük, Emre Karakaya, Mustafa Reha Coşkun, Eli̇f Çeli̇k, Mi̇tat Şahi̇n, Özgür Çelebi̇, Sali̇h Otlu, Ali̇ye Gülmez Sağlam, Eray Büyük, Seda Durhan, İzzet Burçi̇n Saticioğlu, Seçi̇l Abay, Tuba Kayman, Fuat Aydin

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Anthrax, which is primarily a disease of herbivores, is known to infect many animal species. In order to break the cycle of anthrax infection, it is important to identify the potential hosts or reservoirs of its causative agent. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize Bacillus anthracis isolates recovered from a variety of hosts and environments during anthrax sporadic in the Kars and Kayseri regions of Turkey. For this purpose, a total of 23 B. anthracis field isolates obtained from human, cattle, sheep, dog, horse, puma, soil, and fodder were used. In addition, the Sterne vaccine strain was included. All B. …

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 …

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 …

Estimation Of The Factors Affecting Lactation Milk Yield Of Holstein Cattle By The Adaptiveneuro-Fuzzy Inference System, Aycan Mutlu Yağanoğlu

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The aim of this study is to estimate lactation milk yield of Holstein cattle using first calving age, lactation period, and service period with (ANFIS) adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system. The input variables for the system in the study were first calving age, lactation period, and service period. The output variable from the system was lactation milk yield. Predicted values obtained from the ANFIS were compared with the observed values. Twenty-seven rule functions are used to obtain the best model and 1000 epochs are used to estimate the accuracy of the training and testing error. The relations between the output and …

The Effects Of Rations Containing Ad Libitum Limestone Grit With Whole Flaxseed On Quails?Performance, Egg Quality, And Blood Parameters, Kadi̇r Emre Buğdayci, Fatma Karakaş Oğuz, Mustafa Numan Oğuz, Cafer Mercan

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The purpose of this research is to determine the effects of consuming feed rations containing ad libitum limestone grit with whole or ground flaxseed (10%) on quails? performance, egg quality (shape index, albumen index, yolk index, and Haugh unit), and some blood parameters (hematocrit, cholesterol, and triglyceride) during a period of 8 weeks. Five weeks old quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica; 140 in total) were divided into control and 4 trial groups. The rations of the first (W) and second (G) trial groups consisted of whole or ground flaxseeds (10%), respectively. The composition of the rations of the third (Wg) and …

Development Of Two Novel Sybr Green-Based Quantitative Pcr Assays For Detection Andquantification Of Mycoplasma Gallisepticum And Mycoplasma Synoviae, Mohsen Bashashati, Fereshteh Sabouri

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) and Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) are considered the most pathogenic and economically devastating avian mycoplasmas. A definite MG and MS diagnosis depends on three main approaches, including isolation and identification, demonstration of specific antibodies, and detection of genetic materials. A fast and precise diagnosis technique is an indispensable prerequisite to prevent and control avian pathogens more effectively. This study aimed to develop and validate convenient SYBR green-based quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays using genome specific primers to rapidly detect and quantify MG and MS. Two sets of primers were designed based on the highly conserved regions of mgc2 and …

The Effects Of Upgrading And Intersecting Cross-Breeding Strategies On The Geese Economic Traits, Yujian Sui, Qiong Liu, Chenguang Xu, Wei Yang

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Routine, upgrading, and intersecting cross-breeding strategies are three methods frequently used in poultry breeding. But, till now, comparative assessment of the effects on the improvement of geese economic traits with these strategies is largely unknown. Here, using Carlos goose and Zi goose, these three strategies were employed and compared. The main economic traits, including egg production capability, egg quality, growth performance, meat production capability, and down feather production capability were all measured systematically. For egg production capability and egg quality, the upgrading group had the highest egg-laying rate, and the intersecting group had the biggest egg size compared with the …

Effects Of Dietary Calcium, Phosphorus And Microbial Phytase On Intestinal Morphologyin Laying Hens, Sabi̇re Güler, Ender Deni̇z Asmaz, Nuray Varol Kayapunar, İhsan İşbi̇li̇r, Şeri̇fe Şule Cengi̇z, Derya Yeşi̇lbağ, Ahmet Batuhan Şanli, Eyüp Eren Gültepe

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Different challenges are being applied in the poultry industry in order to protect animal health and to increase immunity and production. The supplementation of microbial phytase is essential in terms of both reducing the inorganic phytase rate and contributing to the absorption of other minerals. In this study, a newly isolated microbial phytase was added at different concentrations to the diet together with calcium (Ca$^{2+}$) and available phosphorus (AP), and the effects of this supplementation on intestinal absorption capacity and Ca$^{2+}$ binding capacity were investigated via morphological measurements and immunohistochemical examination of the duodenum and ileum. For this purpose, 90 …

Anatomical And Histological Structures Of Eye And Lacrimal Gland In Norduz Andmorkaraman Sheep, Semi̇ne Dalga, Serap İlhan Aksu, Kadi̇r Aslan, Turgay Deprem, Reşi̇t Uğran

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The current study was conducted to determine the morphological, morphometric, and histological characteristics of bulbus oculi and lacrimal gland in sheep. For this purpose, 28 pairs (n = 7 males and n = 7 females) of bulbus oculi from Morkaraman and (n = 7 males and n = 7 females) Norduz sheep were analyzed. The bulbus oculi in the skulls were dissected from the orbit and removed. The morphometric data such as distance between endpoints of the dissected bulbus oculi in temporal, nasal, and dorsal directions, the length between endpoints of the pupil in dorsal and ventral directions, and as …

Evaluation Of Morphological Traits In Aseel And Kadaknath Breeds Under Backyardpoultry Farming Using Principal Component Analysis, Manoj Kumar, Satpal Dahiya, Poonam Ratwan, Nancy Sheoran

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Aseel and Kadaknath chickens are recognized for their hardiness and adaptability to warm and humid climates and are being used for genetic improvement of different breeds which are appropriate for backyard poultry farming in India. In the present study, an attempt was made for the first time in India to assess the relationship among morphological traits and to explain the body conformation of Aseel and Kadaknath breeds under backyard poultry farming using principal component analysis (PCA). Eleven different morphological traits viz., 24-week body weight, comb length, keel length, body length, back length, breast girth, breast angle, radius-ulna length, shank length, …

Effect Of Kefir Consumption On Intestinal Microbiota And Some Blood Parameters Inangora Cats, Ruhi̇ Kabakçi, Gi̇zem Çufaoğlu, Gökhan Şen

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Probiotics are one of the best alternatives to improve gut health. Kefir, which was discovered in the North Caucasus centuries ago, is still consumed frequently today due to its health benefits. Its impacts on the gastrointestinal system have begun to be investigated in animals. In this study, we focused to examine the effect of kefir on intestinal microbiota, some hematological parameters, and fecal quality in Angora cats to provide preliminary data regarding the hypothesis of its use as an alternative probiotic food supplement. Commercial kefir was given orally (30 mL/kg) to seven healthy Angora cats for 14 days. On day …