Animal Sciences Commons^™

Habitat Use And Morphology Of Birds In "Intact" Amazonia Under Changing Climate, Vitek Jirinec

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Neotropical forests contain the core of global avian diversity. Of these, the Amazon rainforest is the largest, but ~20% has already been lost to deforestation, inspiring research into the effects of clearing and fragmentation on forest birds. These studies have consistently shown that insectivorous birds that forage on or near the ground are the most sensitive species to forest disturbance. As a preamble to our study, we synthesized bird capture data collected over 40 years within continuous forest far from human disturbance. Remarkably, we found that terrestrial and near-ground insectivores have shown substantial abundance declines even within primary forest. The …

Complete Closed Genome Sequence Of The Extremely Heat- Resistant Strain Escherichia Coli Aw1.7, Manita Guragain, James L. Bono, Joseph M. Bosilevac

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center: Reports

Escherichia coli isolate AW1.7 is an extremely heat-resistant bacterium and has been widely used as a reference strain in extreme heat resistance studies for almost a decade. Here, we report its complete closed genome sequence.

Using Genomics To Measure Phenomics: Repeatability Of Bull Prolificacy In Multiple-Bull Pastures, Gary L. Bennett, John W. Keele, Larry A. Kuehn, Warren M. Snelling, Robert A. Cushman, Tara G. Mcdaneld, Aaron M. Dickey, Darrell Light

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center: Reports

Phenotypes are necessary for genomic evaluations and management. Sometimes genomics can be used to measure phenotypes when other methods are difficult or expensive. Prolificacy of bulls used in multiple-bull pastures for commercial beef production is an example. A retrospective study of 79 bulls aged 2 and older used 141 times in 4–5 pastures across 4 years was used to estimate repeatability from variance components. Traits available before each season’s use were tested for predictive ability. Sires were matched to calves using individual genotypes and evaluating exclusions. A lower-cost method of measuring prolificacy was simulated for five pastures using the bulls’ …

Production Performance Of Cows Raised With Different Postweaning Growth Patterns, Harvey C. Freetly, Robert A. Cushman, Gary L. Bennett

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center: Reports

The period of heifer development is a relatively small fraction of a cow's life; however, her pattern of growth may have permanent effects on her productivity as a cow. We hypothesized that altering the growth pattern during the peri-pubertal period would increase life-time productivity across genetic types of Bos taurus cows. The objective was to determine the stayability, calf production, and weight of calf weaned across six calf crops. Heifers (n = 685) were placed on one of two developmental programs at 256 ± 1 d of age. Control heifers received a diet that provided 228 kcal ME·(body weight [BW], …

Analysis Of Genomes Of Bacterial Isolates From Lameness Outbreaks In Broilers, N. S. Ekesi, Beata Dolka, Adnan A.K. Alrubaye, Douglas D. Rhoads

Cell and Molecular Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

We investigated lameness outbreaks at 3 commercial broiler farms in Arkansas. We isolated several distinct bacterial species from Bacterial Chondronecrosis with Osteomyelitis (BCO) lesions from these 3 farms. The results show that BCO-lameness pathogens on particular farms can differ significantly. We characterized genomes for isolates of the 2 most prevalent species, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Genomes assembled for E. coli isolates from all 3 farms were quite different between farms, and most similar to genomes from different geographical locations and hosts. The E. coli phylogenomics suggests frequent host shifts for this species. Genomes for S. aureus …

The Effect Of Freeze-Thaw Events On Dna Integrity In The Gray Treefrog (Hyla Versicolor), Georgia Ficarra

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Freeze-tolerant gray treefrogs survive winter by producing natural cryoprotectants and accommodating ice formation within extracellular spaces. While frozen, gray treefrogs endure hyperglycemia, dehydration, and anoxia due to the halt of all bodily functions. Upon thawing, the frogs’ anoxic cells receive a rapid influx of oxygen, which can cause oxidative damage to vital macromolecules including DNA. Previous studies have suggested freeze-tolerant frogs avoid oxidative damage after freeze-thaw events by elevating antioxidant activity, but recent work has shown upregulated DNA repair encoding genes in post-freeze frogs. The objective of this thesis is to assess the cellular costs of freezing by measuring oxidative …

Through The Lens Of The Eaat Facility Manager: Benefits Of Equine-Assisted Activities And Therapies To College-Aged Students, Annalee Parker

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study aimed to explore and gather information on the benefits of equine assisted activities and therapies (EAAT) to college-aged students so that the information may be given to college students as an educational source and a mental health relief resource. This study strived to explore, through the lens of managers of EAAT organizations and their coworkers, how EAAT has positively affected college-aged students, including those with PTSD, behavioral problems, communication obstacles, Down syndrome, family differences, abusive relationships, depression, anxiety, and/or physical ailments. As a whole, EAAT is viewed as more of a recreational activity rather than a method of …

The Usda-Ars Ag100pest Initiative: High-Quality Genome Assemblies For Agricultural Pest Arthropod Research, Anna K. Childers, Scott M. Geib, Sheina B. Sim, Monica F. Poelchau, Brad S. Coates, Tyler J. Simmonds, Erin D. Scully, Timothy P. L. Smith, Christopher P. Childers, Renee L. Corpuz, Kevin Hackett, Brian Scheffler

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center: Reports

The phylum Arthropoda includes species crucial for ecosystem stability, soil health, crop production, and others that present obstacles to crop and animal agriculture. The United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service initiated the Ag100Pest Initiative to generate reference genome assemblies of arthropods that are (or may become) pests to agricultural production and global food security. We describe the project goals, process, status, and future. The first three years of the project were focused on species selection, specimen collection, and the construction of lab and bioinformatics pipelines for the efficient production of assemblies at scale. Contig-level assemblies of 47 species …

Risks Of Introduction And Economic Consequences Associated With African Swine Fever, Classical Swine Fever And Foot-And-Mouth Disease: A Review Of The Literature, Vienna Brown, Ryan S. Miller, Sophie C. Mckee, Karina H. Ernst, Nicole M. Didero, Rachel M. Maison, Meredith J. Grady, Stephanie A. Shwiff

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

African swine fever (ASF), classical swine fever (CSF) and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) are considered to be three of the most detrimental animal diseases and are currently foreign to the U.S. Emerging and re-emerging pathogens can have tremendous impacts in terms of livestock morbidity and mortality events, production losses, forced trade restrictions, and costs associated with treatment and control. The United States is the world's top producer of beef for domestic and export use and the world's third-largest producer and consumer of pork and pork products; it has also recently been either the world's largest or second largest exporter of pork …

Wpa News 115 (2021), World Pheasant Association

Galliformes Specialist Group and Affiliated Societies: Newsletters

WPA News (Summer 2021), number 115

Published by the World Pheasant Association

Research Note: Fate And Dissemination Of Salmonella Enterica Serovar Reading In Turkeys At Processing Using An Oral Gavage Challenge Model, A. M. Ashcraft, M. E. Coles, L. C. Beer, B.D.M. Graham, G. Tellez-Isaias, B. Wooming, B. M. Hargis

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study aimed to evaluate the fate and dissemination of Salmonella Reading (SR) in turkeys using an oral gavage challenge model. One hundred twenty-eight-week-old commercial turkey hens were moved from commercial production to research facilities. Upon arrival, a combination of enrofloxacin, 10 mg/kg, and florfenicol, 20 mg/kg, were orally administered sequentially before comingled placement on fresh pine shavings. Turkeys were challenged with 10⁸ cfu SR by oral gavage on d 4 and 7 postplacement. Subsets were subjected to simulated commercial processing on d 14 (n= 40), 21 (n= 40) and 28 (n= 32) postplacement (corresponding to 10, …

Hypoxia Further Exacerbates Woody Breast Myopathy In Broilers Via Alteration Of Satellite Cell Fate, Nima K. Emami, Reagan N. Cauble, Ahmed E. Dhamad, Elizabeth S. Greene, Cynthia S. Coy, Sara Orlowski, Nicholas Anthony, Mike R. Bedford, Sami Dridi

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Woody breast (WB) condition has created a variety of challenges for the global poultry industry. To date, there are no effective treatments or preventative measures due to its unknown (undefined) etiology. Several potential mechanisms including oxidative stress, fiber-type switching, cellular damage, and altered intracellular calcium levels have been proposed to play a key role in the progression of the WB myopathy. In a previous study, we have shown that WB is associated with hypoxia-like status and dysregulated oxygen homeostasis. As satellite cells (SC) play a pivotal role in muscle fiber repair and remodeling under stress conditions, …

Directed Genome Evolution To Identify Genes For Macrophage Survival By Staphylococcus Agnetis, Sonali Lakshika Anne Lenaduwe Lokuge

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Bacterial Chondronecrosis with Osteomyelitis (BCO) is a debilitating infection that negatively impacts animal welfare and costs the broiler industry billions of dollars annually. We have previously isolated Staphylococcus agnetis 908 from BCO samples obtained from broilers at the University of Arkansas research farm. This isolate can induce BCO lameness at greater than 50% in broilers exposed to the pathogen in drinking water. We found that S. agnetis 908 is capable of surviving and escaping macrophages compared to a closely related cattle isolate,1379. Through Directed Genome Evolution (DGE) we identified that this difference is at least partially associated with an alanine …

Hidden Diversity Of Madagascan Freshwater Crabs (Brachyura: Potamoidea) Revealed By Morphological And Molecular Studies, Ellen Leever

All NMU Master's Theses

This study focuses on the freshwater crab fauna of the island of Madagascar. Relatively little is known about the species diversity of the island’s freshwater crabs and their phylogenetic relationships. Chapter 1 is based on a newly published molecular phylogeny that used the highest taxonomic sampling to date, including almost all of the island’s known freshwater crab genera and species. The phylogeny revealed a significant number of unidentified specimens that belong to several new lineages that potentially represent as many as 4 new genera and 10 new species. Chapters 2 and 3 focus on the taxonomic revision of the genus …

Adopting Principles Of Food Justice For Equitable Oyster Aquaculture Industry Development, Cristina Sandolo

All Theses And Dissertations

The mid-Atlantic region is experiencing a resurgence of oyster production, through both wild harvest and, more recently, aquaculture. While a historic, wild catch oyster fishery drove economic development of the region, the modern-day oyster industry is less intensive, more heavily managed, and is growing due to a growing aquaculture industry. While many Black watermen played critical roles in developing the historic wild-caught industry, barriers to advancement within the industry and to wealth accumulation in general prevented many from experiencing the full array of compensation, benefits, and legacy that the booming industry could have provided. Now, the modern-day oyster aquaculture industries …

Investigating Larval Spillover From Oyster Aquaculture Through Geospatial Habitat Suitability Index Modeling: A Damariscotta River Estuary Case Study, Daniel F. Delago

All Theses And Dissertations

The eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) supports the ecological function of estuarine ecosystems by creating biogenic reef habitat (Purchon, 2013), and positively influencing coastal biogeochemistry in intertidal, and subtidal environments (Humphries et al., 2016; Ray and Fulweiler, 2020). As anthropogenic impacts continue to influence the health of marine environments globally (Halpern et al., 2008), oyster reef restoration is gaining increased attention as a means of maintaining the function of estuarine systems (Beck et al, 2011). Shellfish aquaculture has gained increased attention, contributing 21% of all aquaculture production globally (FAO 2020). Shellfish aquaculture provides a suite of social-ecological benefits while …

Adding Value Through Sustainability: Incentivizing An Ecosystem Approach To Oyster Aquaculture In Maine, Samuel Feldman

All Theses And Dissertations

This study identified oyster farming practices that have the potential to increase the sustainability of Maine’s oyster industry while increasing its value. Practices aligned with the principles of the ecosystem approach to aquaculture were gleaned from semi-structured interviews and surveys of oyster farmers and their buyers. Themes from interview transcripts were developed using thematic analysis. Survey data was used to triangulate interview transcript data. As a result, sustainable oyster farming practices were identified that had direct and indirect connections to the value of Maine’s oysters. Practices with direct connections to increased oyster value included conducting and advertising actions of increased …

Nanomaterial-Based Biosensors For Detection Of Salmonella Typhimurium And Avian Influenza Virus H5n1 In Poultry, Xinge Xi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research focused on developing biosensing method and biosensing device for rapid detection of pathogens in poultry: Salmonella Typhimurium and avian influenza virus H5N1. The first part of the dissertation reports an original research on the development of a portable biosensing device for Salmonella detection. The device was designed and constructed based on a previously developed optical biosensing method, using immuno-magnetic nanoparticles to specifically capture target bacteria, and immuno-quantum dot beads to label the target bacteria for fluorescence detection. All the actions of sample mixing, magnetic separation, and fluorescence detection were controlled automatically in a disposable microfluidic chip in the …

Range-Wide Declines Of Northern Spotted Owl Populations In The Pacific Northwest: A Meta-Analysis, Alan B. Franklin, Katie M. Dugger, Damon B. Lesmeister, Raymond J. Davis, J. David Wiens, Gary C. White, James D. Nichols, James E. Hines, Charles B. Yackulic, Carl J. Schwarz, Steven H. Ackers, L. Steven Andrews, Larissa L. Bailey, Robin Bown, Jesse Burgher, Kenneth P. Burnham, Peter C. Carlson, Tara Chestnut, Mary M. Conner, Krista E. Dilione, Eric D. Forsman, Elizabeth M. Glenn, Scott A. Gremel, Keith A. Hamm, Dale R. Herter, J. Mark Higley, Rob B. Horn, Julianna M. Jenkins, William L. Kendall, David W. Lamphear, Christopher Mccafferty, Trent L. Mcdonald, Janice A. Reid, Jeremy T. Rockweit, David C. Simon, Stan G. Sovern, James K. Swingle, Heather Wise

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) inhabits older coniferous forests in the Pacific Northwest and has been at the center of forest management issues in this region. The immediate threats to this federally listed species include habitat loss and competition with barred owls (Strix varia), which invaded from eastern North America. We conducted a prospective meta-analysis to assess population trends and factors affecting those trends in northern spotted owls using 26 years of survey and capture-recapture data from 11 study areas across the owls' geographic range to analyze demographic traits, rates of population change, and occupancy parameters for spotted …

Determination Of Freedom-From-Rabies For Small Indian Mongoose Populations In The United States Virgin Islands, 2019–2020, A. Springer Browne, Hannah M. Cranford, Clint N. Morgan, James A. Ellison, Are Berentsen, Nicholas Wiese, Alexandra Medley, John Rossow, Leanne Jankelunas, Alan S. Mckinley, Claudia D. Lombard, Nicole F. Angeli, Thomas Kelley, Jennifer Valiulus, Bethany Bradford, Valicia J. Burke-France, Cosme J. Harrison, Irene Guendel, Marissa Taylor, Gerard L. Blanchard, Jeffrey B. Doty, David J. Worthington, David Horner, Keith R. Garcia, Joseph Roth, Brett R. Ellis, Kristine M. Bisgard, Ryan Wallace, Esther M. Ellis

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Mongooses, a nonnative species, are a known reservoir of rabies virus in the Caribbean region. A cross-sectional study of mongooses at 41 field sites on the US Virgin Islands of St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas captured 312 mongooses (32% capture rate). We determined the absence of rabies virus by antigen testing and rabies virus exposure by antibody testing in mongoose populations on all three islands. USVI is the first Caribbean state to determine freedom-from-rabies for its mongoose populations with a scientifically-led robust cross-sectional study. Ongoing surveillance activities will determine if other domestic and wildlife populations in USVI are …

Landscape Of Stress: Tree Mortality Influences Physiological Stress And Survival In A Native Mesocarnivore, Jennifer R. Kordosky, Eric M. Gese, Craig M. Thompson, Patricia A. Terletzky, Lorin A. Neuman-Lee, Jon D. Schneiderman, Kathryn L. Purcell, Susannah S. French

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Climate change and anthropogenic modifications to the landscape can have both positive and negative effects on an animal. Linking landscape change to physiological stress and fitness of an animal is a fundamental tenet to be examined in applied ecology. Cortisol is a glucocorticoid hormone that can be used to indicate an animal’s physiological stress response. In the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, fishers (Pekania pennanti) are a threatened mesocarnivore that have been subjected to rapid landscape changes due to anthropogenic modifications and tree mortality related to a 4-year drought. We measured cortisol concentrations in the hair of 64 …

Economic Losses Of Catfish To Avian Predation: A Case Report, Ganesh Kumar, Shraddha Hegde, David Wise, Charles Mischke, Brian Dorr

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Avian predation in catfish aquaculture has been a persistent issue throughout the history of the industry, and as production has expanded predation from piscivorous birds has intensified. Catfish ponds in the Mississippi River delta (in the Mississippi migratory flyway) provide a constant and readily accessible supply of forage for birds. Intensive foraging by fish-eating birds has led to a specific regulatory policy and numerous on-farm and regional management efforts. However, in 2016, legal challenges lead to recision of some federal policies and uncertainty as to allowable management, resulting in limitations on bird depredation. Estimating the extent of fish losses to …

Testing A Bite-Shortened Hook To Minimize Fish Handling In A Recreational Fishery, Holden E. Harris, Brian K. Whalen, Andrew G. Gude, Michael S. Allen

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Discard mortality can make fishing unsustainable, even in catch-and-release or highly regulated fisheries. However, fishing practices and gears that minimize hook injury, handling, and air exposure can considerably improve fitness and survival in released fish. This study tested whether modified hooks could allow anglers to successfully land and then release fish in the water and without handling. Standard, barbless, and bite-shortened hooks were used to catch Spotted Seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus (n > 75 per hook type), and logistic models were used to assess the differences in landing success and hook self-release success by hook type and categorical fish size. Average landing …

Examination Of Exhaustion In Larval Pacific Lamprey (Entosphenus Tridentatus) Through Variations Of Temperature, Flow, And Cover, Jessica Falcon

University Honors Theses

Pacific lampreys (Entosphenus tridentatus) are culturally and ecologically valuable throughout the western coast of North America. The larval (ammocoete) stage of the Pacific lamprey spends three to eight years burrowed in the sediment as a filter feeder, and is an essential contributor to many of the Northwest’s freshwater ecosystems. Larval lamprey may be vulnerable to warming waters caused by climate change as well as seasonal dredging and salvaging events that dislodge lamprey from sediment, as they prefer cooler water and are relatively poor swimmers in comparison to other fish such as salmon. In this study, we observed how …

Characterization Of Iron-Sulfur Cluster Biogenesis In Methanogenic Archaea, Thomas Modlin Deere

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Iron-sulfur (Fe-S) clusters are among the oldest cofactors on the planet, used by proteins in almost all forms of life on Earth to carry out processes ranging from energy transfer to DNA replication. Among the organisms believed to use these Fe-S proteins more extensively than almost any others are the methanogens, an ancient lineage of archaeal microbes that produce methane as a required product of their metabolism. Methane, the primary component of commercial natural gas, is both a potent greenhouse gas and an important fossil fuel. It can also be renewably produced as a biofuel. Biogenic methane is almost entirely …

The Conservation Status Of The World’S Freshwater Molluscs, M. Böhm, N. I. Dewhurst-Richman, M. Seddon, C. Albrecht, D. Allen, A. E. Bogan, K. Cummings, G. Darrigran, W. Darwall, Kathryn E. Perez

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

With the biodiversity crisis continuing unchecked, we need to establish levels and drivers of extinction risk, and reassessments over time, to effectively allocate conservation resources and track progress towards global conservation targets. Given that threat appears particularly high in freshwaters, we assessed the extinction risk of 1428 randomly selected freshwater molluscs using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria, as part of the Sampled Red List Index project. We show that close to one-third of species in our sample are estimated to be threatened with extinction, with highest levels of threat in the Nearctic, Palearctic and Australasia and among gastropods. …

Enhancement Of Dry-Aged Beef Quality By Dietary Supplementation Of High Levels Of Vitamin E, David Manuel Velazco Marroquin

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Crossbred cattle (n = 150; 10/pen) were grain-finished with the dietary addition of 2,200 international units of vitamin E (α-tocopherol) per head per day for 100 days. One low-Choice carcass (n = 12) was selected, and strip loins were collected. Low Choice control carcasses (n = 12) were randomly selected from commercial, fed-cattle production to serve as controls. Strip loins were randomly assigned to wet or dry aging for 42 days. On day 42, control dry-aged and control wet-aged loins had the highest TBARS values and vitamin E wet and dry-aged loins had lower TBARS values ( …

Quantification And Repeated Measurements Of Conformation Traits In Replacement Females To Optimize Sow Longevity, Melanie D. Trenhaile Grannemann

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The objectives were to 1) assess the reliability of objective conformation trait measurements between evaluators, 2) evaluate effects of dietary energy and lysine during development and housing system during first gestation on longevity, reproductive performance, and conformation, 3) characterize conformation changes throughout life, 4) identify phenotypic associations between conformation and longevity, 5) estimate heritability of conformation traits, and 6) assess genetic relationships between conformation traits measured throughout life in sows. Sows (n = 622) were fed a standard, energy restricted, or standard energy with increased lysine diet during gilt development and housed in either a group pen or stall …

The Effect Of Heat Stress And Beta-Adrenergic Agonists On Fatty Acid Mobilization And Their Individual And Interacting Impact On The Adipose Transcriptome Of Ruminant Livestock, Rachel R. Reith

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Heat stress reduces livestock efficiency, induces inflammation, and alters adipose tissue metabolism through stress-induced epinephrine acting on beta-adrenoreceptors (β-AR). Supplementation of beta-adrenergic agonists (β-AA) improve livestock growth and carcass traits, also by acting on β-AR located in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. The binding of β-AR in adipose tissue results in changes in adipose tissue metabolism including increased lipolysis and decreased fatty acid synthesis. Due to their similar effects on stress response pathways, the possible interaction of heat stress and β-AA could negatively impact animal well-being. The purpose of the first study was to understand how ractopamine (RAC), a beta-one …

Molecular Phylogeny Of Cave Dwelling Eremogryllodes Crickets (Orthoptera, Myrmecophilidae) Across Zagros Mountains And Southern Iran, Mohadeseh Sadat Tahami, Mina Hojat-Ansari, Anna Namyatova, Saber Sadeghi

International Journal of Speleology

Recently, several new species and subspecies from the genus Eremogryllodes Chopard, 1929 (Insecta: Orthoptera: Myrmecophilidae) inhabiting caves of Iran, have been described based on morphology. The high variation of genitalia structure along with high similarity of external morphology between populations hamper the precise species identification. Thus, molecular approaches are critical to determine the taxonomic positions of species/subspecies of this genus. Here we provide the molecular phylogeny, based on the 16S rRNA mitochondrial gene, of recently described species of Eremogryllodes along with some unidentified specimens from the same region. The results support the monophyly of the family Myrmecophilidae. The topology of …