Animal Sciences Commons^™

Development Of A Crispr System To Mutate Lpar4 In Chick Retinal Ganglion Cells, Garrett Driscoll

Graduate Theses

Growth cones direct axon pathfinding during neural development by detecting environmental stimuli, known as axon guidance molecules. In vitro studies have shown inhibitory axon guidance molecules to cause growth cones to change morphology to what is called a collapsed growth cone. Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) has been demonstrated to collapse growth cones in culture, and thus it may act as an inhibitory molecule. However, identification of what LPA receptor is responsible for this physiological response is unknown. To investigate which receptor elicits collapse, we focused on LPA receptor-4 (LPA4) by designing a CRISPR construct to mutate Lpar4 in chick retinal ganglion …

Blue Swimmer Crab ( Portunus Armatus ) Resource In The West Coast Bioregion, Western Australia Part 2: Warnbro Sound, Comet Bay, Mandurah To Bunbury, Leschenault Estuary, Geographe Bay An D Hardy Inlet, D Johnston, David Harris, Daniel Yeoh

Fisheries Research Reports

Blue swimmer crabs (Portunus armatus) are found along the entire coastline of Western Australia in a range of estuarine, inshore and continental shelf environments (<50 >m).

Crab fisheries in the West Coast Bioregion are centred in the estuaries and coastal embayments from the Swan-Canning Estuary south to Geographe Bay. Major commercial and recreational fisheries in this Bioregion include the Cockburn Sound Crab Managed Fishery, the Swan-Canning Estuary Crab Fishery (Area 1 of the West Coast Estuarine Managed Fishery), and the Peel-Harvey Crab Fishery (Area 2 of the West Coast Estuarine Managed Fishery). Refer to Johnston et al. …

Blue Swimmer Crab ( Portunus Armatus ) Resource In The West Coast Bioregion, Western Australia Part 1: Peel Harvey Estuary, Cockburn Sound And Swan Canning Estuary, D Johnston, Daniel Yeoh, David Harris, E Fisher

Fisheries Research Reports

Blue swimmer crabs (Portunus armatus) are found along the entire coastline of Western Australia in a range of estuarine, inshore and continental shelf areas (<50 >m). In the West Coast Bioregion (WCB), crab fisheries are centred in estuaries and coastal embayments from Geographe Bay to the Swan River. Commercial fisheries include the Cockburn Sound Crab Managed Fishery (CSCMF), the Warnbro Sound Crab Managed Fishery, the Swan-Canning Estuary (SCE) Crab Fishery (Area 1 of the West Coast Estuarine Managed Fishery (WCEMF)), Peel-Harvey Crab Fishery (Area 2 of the WCEMF), Hardy Inlet (Area 3 of the WCEMF) and the Mandurah …

Blue Swimmer Crab Resource Of South-West Western Australia Harvest Strategy 2020-2025 Draft, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development

Fisheries Management Papers

No abstract provided.

Estuarine And Nearshore Finfish Resource Of South-West Western Australia Harvest Strategy 2020-2025 Draft, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development

Fisheries Management Papers

Harvest strategies for aquatic resources in Western Australia (WA) that are managed by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD, the Department) are formal documents that support decision-making processes and ensure these are consistent with the principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD; Fletcher 2002) and Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management (EBFM; Fletcher et al. 2012). The objectives of ESD are reflected in the objects of the Fish Resources Management Act 1994(FRMA)and the Aquatic Resources Management Act2016 (ARMA), which will replace the FRMA once enacted.

Gascoyne Demersal Scalefish Resource: Oceanic Pink Snapper Recovery Plan 2018-2037, Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries Management Papers

No abstract provided.

Draft : Estuarine And Nearshore Finfish Resource Of South-West Western Australia Harvest Strategy : 2020-2025 : Version 2.0, Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries Management Papers

No abstract provided.

Draft : Blue Swimmer Crab Resource Of South-West Western Australia Harvest Strategy : 2020-2025 : Version 2.0, Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries Management Papers

No abstract provided.

A Social–Ecological Odyssey In Fisheries And Wildlife Management, Andrew K. Carlson, William W. Taylor, Melissa R. Cronin, Mitchell J. Eaton, Mark A. Kaemingk, Andrea J. Reid, Ashley Trudeau

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

Aldo Leopold, famous ecologist and “father” of North American wildlife management, once said, “These are two things that interest me: the relation of people to each other, and the relation of people to land” (Leopold 1947). Ever prescient, Leopold recognized that natural resource management is fundamentally about humans and their relationship with nature well before conservation became an established way of thinking, much less the bedrock of entire professions. Similarly, amid the Green Revolution to increase agricultural production, in part, through widespread use of pesticides, renowned environmentalist and journalist Rachel Carson noted that we are all “a part of nature, …

The Effects Of Storage Temperature On The Bovine Nasal Microbiome, Hunter Usdrowski

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is one of the largest economic burdens facing United States beef producer’s modern day. The complexity in the onset and development of this multifactorial disease necessitates further insights into its functions to alleviate the tremendous consequences it generates for producers. The respiratory microbiome and their metabolomics play an important role to maintain health and predict BRD. However, due to low biomass, new technology is needed to increase the microbial concentration for omics (e.g. metatranscriptomics) research. In this study, a novel self-enrichment storage technique on the bovine nasal microbiome was performed and compared to a traditional nasal …

Mechanistic Understanding Of Leaky Gut Syndrome In Heat Stressed Broiler Chickens, Jennifer Hoover

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

Broilers, meat-type chickens, are bred for high growth rate and meat yield. These chickens have specific challenges due to heat stress. The adverse effects that impact these chickens have lead us to study the mechanisms involved. The objective of this study is to evaluate the expression of genes involved in intestinal permeability of heat- stressed broiler chickens. All analyses are on previously collected tissues. A total of 600 one day old Cobb 500 male chicks were weighed and randomly assigned to 12 environmental chambers. Ambient temperature in the chambers was gradually decreased from 32˚C on d 1 to 24˚C …

Usu Equine-Assisted Activities And Therapies Facilities Designed Master Plan, Lindsie C. Smith

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Equine-Assisted Activities and Therapies (EAAT) is recognized as a therapeutic approach for persons with disabilities. The USU Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences Department provides EAAT instruction and services; however, they do not have the appropriate facilities to model best-practices in the delivery of these services. This design research entailed the development of a phased masterplan to support the instruction and delivery of equine-assisted activities and therapies in an innovative and accessible environment that supports animal-assisted intervention and natural equine behaviors.

The methodology used to approach the master plan design was derived from Norman K. Booth’s (1990) design process, as described …

Association Of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms In Bovine Heat Shock Protein 70, Cytochrome P450, Lactate Dehydrogenase, Interleukin 8 Receptor, And Melatonin Receptor 1a With Hoof And Udder Traits In Beef Cows, Maryrose Warren

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Hoof and udder conformation are important to the longevity and productivity of beef cattle. Selection for hoof and udder quality reduces the incidence of lameness and udder disease to improve animal welfare. Genetic selection is an effective means of improving traits such as these, especially through the use of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping to identify indicator traits. This study used genotype data and hoof and udder scores from previous research to determine if there is significant effect between polymorphisms of heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70), cytochrome P450 (CYP450), interleukin-8 receptor (IL8), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and melatonin receptor 1A (MTNR1A), …

Effect Of Dietary Spirulina Platensis On Stress Levels And Growth Of Female Broiler Chickens, Victoria Tarkington

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study measured the effects of dietary Spirulina platensis supplementation on heterophil to lymphocyte ratio, footpad lesions, and growth performance parameters. One hundred and eighty Ross 708 broiler females were randomly divided evenly into fifteen pens with three dietary treatments for a total of five replications per treatment (twelve birds per replicate) for five weeks. The different treatments were a control diet of 20% crude protein, a diet of 17% crude protein, and a diet of 17% crude protein with 10% S. platensis added to the feed. Body weight, feed intake, and mortality rate was not significantly different between treatments …

Amino Acid Requirements In Horses, Chan Hee Mok, Kristine L. Urschel

Animal and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

Evaluating amino acid requirements, specifically threonine requirements, in horses will enable better feed formulation and result in economic production, improved animal health, and reduced environmental pollution. However, the current knowledge of protein and amino acid requirements in horses is still limited. Because horses have a unique digestive system and consume a variety of feed ingredients, their protein digestibility may be affected than other species by different feed composition, and thus amino acid requirements are susceptible to vary between situations. Therefore, a careful evaluation of amino acid require ments with a proper method is needed for various conditions. This review will …

Impact Of Phosphorus Intake On Beef Heifer Growth Performance And Conception Rates, Hailey Hilfiker

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study aims to examine the effects of phosphorus intake on beef heifer growth performance and conception rates. In Northwest Arkansas, there has been an increase in phosphorus concentrations in soil where livestock manures have been repeatedly applied. Consequently, forages grown on soils high in phosphorus tend to contain high amounts of the mineral itself. This has led many to question whether it is necessary to supplement phosphorus in areas where concentrations may be higher. In this study, crossbred Angus heifers (n = 72), approximately 30 days after weaning, were stratified by body weight (average initial weight 251 ± 3.9 …

Surveillance Of Anaplasma Marginale In Arkansas Beef Cattle Herds, Gabriel Apple

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Anaplasmosis is an economically devastating disease in cattle that is caused by the rickettsial pathogen Anaplasma marginale. It is estimated that this parasitic bacterium causes over $300 million in expenses for the U.S. cattle industry annually. In Arkansas, the beef cattle industry is the fifth largest agricultural commodity in the state, thus necessitating a better understanding of this disease along with its prevalence. In this study, both polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) tests were used to determine the prevalence of A. marginale infection in Arkansas beef cattle on pasture in the six commonly known geographical …

Translational Genomics For Improving Sow Fertility, Hiruni R. Wijesena

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

Sow fertility traits, such as litter size and number of lifetime parities produced (reproductive longevity), are economically important. Selection for these traits is difficult because they are lowly heritable, polygenic, sex-limited, and express late in life. Age at puberty is an early indicator of reproductive longevity. Gilts that achieve puberty at an early age have a greater probability to produce more parities over their lifetime. However, measuring age at puberty is time consuming and tedious. Identifying pleiotropic polymorphisms that affect age at puberty and other fertility traits, including reproductive longevity, could help to improve the accuracy of genomic prediction for …

Impact Of Cow Size And Validation Of An Electronic Feeder To Optimize Resources In Beef Production Systems, Robert L. Ziegler

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

Optimizing beef production systems is critical in the longevity of an enterprise. In a time of rapid change and innovation, there are increasingly more opportunities to improve efficiency of livestock production by taking advantage of new technologies. Furthermore, production environments vary drastically in all segments of the beef industry, which influence feed resource availability. Therefore, it is critical to realize the cow type that excels in a given production environment according to management objectives. To gain a better understanding of the optimal cow type in the Nebraska Sandhills, a retrospective analysis was conducted to evaluate increasing cow body weight (BW) …

The Impact Of Oxidative Stress On Postmortem Meat Quality, Nicolas J. Herrera

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

Tenderness is the primary factor to influence consumer palatability in fresh meat. The tenderization of muscle is dependent on proteolytic mechanisms, including calcium dependent, non-lysosomal endogenous enzymes such as calpains and proteasomes. These mechanisms have been indicated alongside apoptosis early postmortem as cascades of apoptotic events promote ideal conditions for postmortem tenderization. Recent literature has identified oxidative stress-mediated events to be linked to apoptotic activity. Oxidative stress is defined as the overwhelming production of reactive species compared to homeostatic, endogenous antioxidants present within muscle systems. These conditions exhaust antioxidant function and facilitate reactive species to alter protein, lipid, or nucleic …

Energy And Amino Acid Metabolism In Lactating Jersey Cows Consuming Feed Byproducts, Kyle Alvin Mclain

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

Animal protein byproducts are high bypass proteins commonly used in the dairy industry. These bypass proteins can escape the rumen to supply additional amino acids needed to support milk and protein yield. Two of the more popular animal protein byproducts used in the dairy industry are blood meal and hydrolyzed feather meal. In the first experiment, two flow meters were compared using headbox-style calorimeters. The objectives of the first study were to test mass flow meter (MFM) and volumetric flow meter (VFM) by measuring O₂ consumption and CO₂ production and to illustrate the effects of incomplete gas recovery …

Impact Of Diet And Quality Grade On Meat Quality Characteristics And Their Relationship To Oxidative Stress, Nicolas A. Bland

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

Marbling and tenderness in meat are some of the most impactful factors for the consumer eating experience. The cause of the relationship between marbling and tenderness is still unresolved. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of feeding different types of processed corn, with or without distiller grains on oxidative stress, and how that relates to tenderness and shelf life of beef steaks of differing quality grades. Steers (n = 240) were finished on dry rolled corn (DRC), DRC + 30% dried distillers grains (DDGS), steam flaked corn (SFC), or SFC + 30% DDGS. Cattle were fed 10 …

Ecology, Behavior, And Conservation Of The Mona Coqui (Eleutherodactylus Monensis) In Puerto Rico, Jennifer Stabile

Master's Projects and Capstones

The Mona Coqui (Eleutherodactylus monensis) is a medium-sized, terrestrial frog endemic to Mona Island, Puerto Rico. E. monensis is the only amphibian known to inhabit Mona Island, a small (57 km2) subtropical dry forested island located in the Caribbean between Hispaniola and Puerto Rico. E. monensis is currently listed by the IUCN (2008) as Vulnerable due to its restricted range of less than 100 km2. Other possible threats may include emerging amphibian disease (i.e. Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd)), invasive species, and climate change. An increase of eco-tourism may also pose an immediate threat to this species if measures are …

The Efficacy Of Extended-Release Eprinomectin For The Reduction Of Horn Flies, Face Flies, And Fecal Egg Counts Of Parasitic Nematodes In Replacement Beef Heifers, Sophia F. Landers

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of extended-release eprinomectin against horn flies, face flies, and fecal egg counts of parasitic nematodes in crossbreed replacement beef heifers. Fifty-four heifers were randomly placed into three treatment groups (N=18 heifers/treatment). Group 1 was administered the labeled dosage of extended-release eprinomectin on day 0. Group 2 acted as the negative control. Group 3 received the anthelmintic injection once a quarter of the heifers in the group reached the threshold treatment level for horn flies (N=200 flies/animal; day 41). Nematode infections were measured via fecal egg counts while horn and face …

Pilot Testing A Qualitative Methodology To Evaluate The Perceived Benefits And Stressors Of Sole-Dog Ownership In Full-Time College Students, Emma Williams

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

The number of individuals acquiring pets is continually increasing, with 71.5% of Americans owning a pet in 2012. Companion animals are a huge source of benefits but owning them can also come with several stressors. However, little research has been conducted on the negative aspects of dog ownership. This pilot test evaluates the perceived stressors and benefits of sole dog ownership in full-time college students. The pilot aimed to hold three focus groups from which qualitative thematic data were collected and quantitative were collected from a demographic survey of participants. Participants were asked a series of questions about sole dog …

Use Of Diatomaceous Earth And Copper Oxide Wire Particles To Control Gastrointestinal Nematodes In Lambs, Olivia Jones

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

Anthelmintic resistance (AR) urges alternatives to control gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN). Copper oxide wire particles (COWP) are more efficacious when used with other dewormers and little is known on efficacy of diatomaceous earth (DE) to control gastrointestinal parasites. The objective was to examine the effects of DE and COWP on GIN control. Katahdin lambs (n = 32; ~150 d of age; 25.0 ± 1.8 kg) were randomly assigned to receive: 1) DE fed at an estimated 2% dry matter intake (with the assumption of moderate consumption of bermudagrass forage and provided supplement), 2) 1g COWP, 3) both 2% DE and …

Effect Of Zelnate Administered As A Metaphylactic Upon Initial Processing Of High-Risk, Newly Received Beef Calves On Performance And Morbidity, Brady Martin

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) is the most prominent and costly ailment in the stocker cattle industry today, and its prevalence has not been diminished in the last thirty years. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of Zelnate, a DNA immunostimulant, administered upon arrival to calves (n = 261; BW 253 ± 4.0 kg), on morbidity/mortality, performance and producer costs. Crossbred male beef calves were acquired and transported to the University of Arkansas stocker unit for a 42-d backgrounding period. Calves were allocated into treatment groups: 1) Zelnate, DNA immunostimulant administered or 2) Control, in which …

Record Fledging Count From A Seven-Egg Clutch In The Cooper’S Hawk (Accipiter Cooperii), Robert N. Rosenfield, Sarah A. Sonsthagen, Ann Riddle-Berntsen, Evan Kuhel

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

Cooper’s Hawks (Accipiter cooperii) typically lay 3–5 eggs per clutch, rarely 6 eggs, and there are 2 accounts of 7-egg clutches and 1 record of a maximum 8-egg clutch for the species. Brood sizes of 3–5 young are common and the previous maximum brood count is 6 young. However, in 2019, we found an urban nest in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, with 7 eggs that resulted in a record high of 7 fledglings. We genetically confirmed that the attending male sired all the offspring and the attending female laid all 7 eggs. Larger body size of the tending adults …

Investigating The Potential Of Sodium Butyrate To Control Salmonella Enteritidis In Poultry, Anamika Gupta

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) is a major poultry associated food borne pathogen that causes enteric illnesses in humans. Despite using various pre-harvest and post-harvest intervention strategies to reduce Salmonellosis, SE infection is still an extensive problem in the poultry industry with increased incidences since SE has developed multiple strategies to adapt in the chicken intestinal tract particularly in the ceca. Therefore, reducing SE in the intestine of chickens would reduce contamination of poultry derived foods and minimize the risk of human infection. Short chain fatty acids such as butyrate are microbial metabolites known to modulate inflammatory response. In this dissertation, the …

Microbiota Characterization Of Poultry Processing Systems And Associated Microbiological Sampling Materials Collected At Commercial Processing Facilities, Jennifer A. Wages

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The poultry industry and associated regulatory bodies use whole bird carcass (WBC) rinsates to evaluate different stages of broiler processing systems for the prevalence of food-borne pathogens, including Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. Within industry and research groups, the same sample collections are enumerated to determine E. coli, Enterobacteriaceae (EB), and Aerobic Plate Count (APC) microorganisms. Analysis of these indicator microorganisms provides numerical data that can be used to demonstrate the effects of specific process control steps where low occurrences of target pathogens hinder the exclusive use of prevalence data. With the utilization of next generation sequencing (NGS), including analysis …