Animal Sciences Commons^™

Third African Animal Welfare Conference, Andrew N. Rowan

WellBeing News

One of the major themes at the Third Africa Animal Welfare Conference in Addis Ababa in 2019 was the status of donkeys in Africa and the critical support they provide to poor families on the continent. But Chinese demand for ejaio (a gelatin preparation made from donkey hides) is threatening populations of donkeys across Africa.

Marine Plastic Pollution Afs 488g, Michael Cerbo

Library Impact Statements

No abstract provided.

Marine Plastic Pollution Afs 488x, Michael Cerbo

Library Impact Statements

No abstract provided.

Fall And Winter Roosting Ecology Of Southeastern Myotis And Rafinesque's Big-Eared Bats In The Cache River National Wildlife Refuge, Stacy Jae Scherman

Student Theses and Dissertations

Tree roosts in bottomland forests are critical resources required year-round for Rafinesque’s big-eared bats (Corynorhinus rafinesquii; CORA) and Southeastern myotis (Myotis austroriparius; MYAU). I characterized their roost selection and activity patterns in fall and winter in Cache River National Wildlife Refuge, Arkansas. In October-December of 2016 and 2017, I radio-tracked 19 CORAs and 14 MYAUs to 33 and 42 roost trees, respectively. Both species switched their roosting habits (e.g., MYAUs switched tree species and CORAs spent more time in roosts), but remained active when temperatures approached freezing. Additionally, CORA selected trees with large internal volume and diameter at breast height …

Use Of Probiotic Bacterial Strains And Cell Extracts To Inhibit Acidosis And Liver Abscesses In Cattle, Samodha Charaka Fernand

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Disclosed are methods of using probiotic bacterial strains Aneurinibacillus migulanus, Aneurinibacillus aneurinilyti cus and / or extracts thereof for inhibiting the growth of Streptococcus bovis , Fusobacterium necrophorum , and Acranobacterium ( Actinomyces ) pyogenes . These bacterial strains and / or their extracts can be used in cattle to treat acidosis and / or liver abscesses , as well as inhibit foot rot, among other infections and conditions caused by Strepto coccus bovis and / or Fusobacterium necrophorum and / or Acranobacterium (Actinomyces) pyogenes. Compositions for use in these methods are also provided.

Function And Transcriptional Regulation Of Bovine Torc2 Gene In Adipocytes: Roles Of C/Ebpγ, Xbp1, Insm1 And Znf263, Rajwali Khan, Sayed Haidar Abbas Raza, Zainaguli Junjvlieke, Wang Xiaoyu, Matthew D. Garcia, Ibrahim Elsaeid Elnour, Wang Hongbao, Zan Linsen

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

The TORC2 gene is a member of the transducer of the regulated cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) response element binding protein gene family, which plays a key role in metabolism and adipogenesis. In the present study, we confirmed the role of TORC2 in bovine preadipocyte proliferation through cell cycle staining flow cytometry, cell counting assay, 5-ethynyl-20 -deoxyuridine staining (EdU), and mRNA and protein expression analysis of proliferation-related marker genes. In addition, Oil red O staining analysis, immunofluorescence of adiponectin, mRNA and protein level expression of lipid related marker genes confirmed the role of TORC2 in the regulation of bovine adipocyte differentiation. …

Comparative Genomic Analysis Of Six Glossina Genomes, Vectors Of African Trypanosomes, Geoffrey M. Attardo, Adly M.M. Abd-Alla, Alvaro Acosta-Serrano, James E. Allen, Rosemary Bateta, Joshua B. Benoit, Kostas Bourtzis, Jelle Caers, Guy Caljon, Mikkel B. Christensen, David W. Farrow, Markus Friedrich, Aurélie Hua-Van, Emily C. Jennings, Denis M. Larkin, Daniel Lawson, Michael J. Lehane, Vasileios P. Lenis, Ernesto Lowy-Gallego, Rosaline W. Macharia, Anna R. Malacrida, Heather G. Marco, Daniel Masiga, Gareth L. Maslen, Irina Matetovici, Richard P. Meisel, Irene Meki, Veronika Michalkova

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Background: Tsetse flies (Glossina sp.) are the vectors of human and animal trypanosomiasis throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Tsetse flies are distinguished from other Diptera by unique adaptations, including lactation and the birthing of live young (obligate viviparity), a vertebrate blood-specific diet by both sexes, and obligate bacterial symbiosis. This work describes the comparative analysis of six Glossina genomes representing three sub-genera: Morsitans (G. morsitans morsitans, G. pallidipes, G. austeni), Palpalis (G. palpalis, G. fuscipes), and Fusca (G. brevipalpis) which represent different habitats, host preferences, and vectorial capacity. Results: Genomic analyses validate established evolutionary relationships and sub-genera. Syntenic analysis of Glossina relative …

Public Access For Pheasant Hunters: Understanding An Emerging Need, Lyndsie S. Wszola, Anastasia E. Madsen, Erica F. Stuber, Christopher J. Chizinski, Jeffrey J. Lusk, J. Scott Taylor, Kevin L. Pope, Joseph J. Fontaine

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

Ring‐necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus; i.e., pheasant) hunting participation is declining across North America, reflecting a larger downward trend in American hunting participation and threatening benefits to grassland conservation and rural economies. To stabilize and expand the pheasant hunting population, we must first identify factors that influence pheasant hunter participation. We used an extensive in‐person hunter survey to test the hypothesis that hunter demographics interact with social‐ecological traits of hunting locations to affect hunter decisions, outcomes, and perceptions. We built a series of Bayesian mixed effects models to parse variation in demographics, perceptions, and hunt outcomes of pheasant hunters interviewed at …

New Wilson’S Phalarope Nesting Record From The Central Platte River Valley, Mormon Island, Hall County, Nebraska, Andrew J. Caven, Bethany L. Ostrom, Aurora Fowler, Joshua D. Wiese, Kelsey C. King

Nebraska Bird Review

The southeastern portion of the Wilson’s Phalarope’s (Phalaropus tricolor) breeding range encompasses parts of Nebraska (Colwell and Jehl 1994), including the Sandhills and northern Panhandle (Silcock and Jorgensen 2018). Additionally, there have been a number of breeding records from southcentral and southeastern Nebraska within the Rainwater Basin ecoregion since the mid-1990s (Mollhoff 2016, Silcock and Jorgensen 2018). However, there is very little evidence of regular breeding activity in the nearby Central Platte River Valley (CPRV), which spans from Chapman west to Overton, Nebraska, and is considered a globally important area for waterbirds (Johnsgard and Brown 2013, Silcock and Jorgensen 2018). …

Forage News [2019-09], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• Heart of America Grazing Conference
• Register now for Fall Grazing School, Sept. 10-11 in Versailles, KY
• Blue-green Algae: Dangerous to Pets and Livestock
• 12 Habits of Highly Successful Forage Producers
• Cover Crops Following Corn Silage
• Current USDA Hay Market Prices
• Alfalfa Checkoff Funds Two University of Kentucky Projects
• Watch for Fall Army Work in Pastures

Crevalle Jack (Caranx Hippos), Alois Romanowski, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Crevalle Jack (Caranx hippos) collected from Broward County, Florida and prepped by David Kerstetter in 2016.

Bourbon Virus In Wild And Domestic Animals, Missouri, Usa, 2012–2013, Katelin C. Jackson, Thomas Gidlewski, J. Jeffrey Root, Angela M. Bosco-Lauth, R. Ryan Lash, Jessica R. Harmon, Aaron C. Brault, Nicholas A. Panella, William L. Nicholson, Nicholas Komar

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Bourbon virus (BRBV) was first isolated from a febrile patient with a history of tick bites in Bourbon County, Kansas, USA; the patient later died from severe illness in 2014 (1). Several additional human BRBV infections were reported subsequently from the midwestern and southern United States (2). BRBV belongs to the family Orthomyxoviridae, genus Thogotovirus, which is distributed worldwide and includes Araguari, Aransas Bay, Dhori, Jos, Thogoto, and Upolu viruses (1,3). Thogoto and Dhori viruses have been associated with human disease (4–6). Viruses within the genus Thogotovirus have been associated with hard or soft ticks (7). Recent studies suggest that …

Landscape Factors That Influence European Starling (Sturnus Vulgaris) Nest Box Occupancy At Nasa Plum Brook Station (Pbs), Erie County, Ohio, Usa, Morgan Pfeiffer, Thomas W. Seamans, Bruce N. Buckingham, Bradley F. Blackwell

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

During the last decade at NASA Plum Brook Station (PBS), Erie County, Ohio, United States, there has been a nearly 50% decrease in European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) occupancy (nests with ≥1 egg) of nest boxes designed to be used by starlings. Increased availability of natural cavities, from invertebrate pests, might have altered nest box occupation rates. It was hypothesized that starling nest box occupation rates would be a function of an index of potentially suitable tree cavities for nesting starlings, the semi-colonial nature of breeding starlings, and access to foraging areas (e.g., mowed lawns near buildings). Specifically, it was predicted …

Predicting Functional Responses In Agro-Ecosystems From Animal Movement Data To Improve Management Of Invasive Pests, Mark Q. Wilber, Sarah M. Chinn, James C. Beasley, Raoul K. Bourghton, Ryan K. Brooks, Stephen S. Ditchkoff, Justin W. Fischer, Steve B. Hartley, Lindsey K. Holmstrom, John C. Kilgo, Jesse S. Lewis, Ryan S. Miller, Nathan P. Snow, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Samantha M. Wisely, Colleen T. Webb, Kim M. Peen

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Functional responses describe how changing resource availability affects consumer resource use, thus providing a mechanistic approach to prediction of the invasibility and potential damage of invasive alien species (IAS). However, functional responses can be context dependent, varying with resource characteristics and availability, consumer attributes, and environmental variables. Identifying context dependencies can allow invasion and damage risk to be predicted across different ecoregions. Understanding how ecological factors shape the functional response in agro-ecosystems can improve predictions of hotspots of highest impact and inform strategies to mitigate damage across locations with varying crop types and availability. We linked heterogeneous movement data across …

Information Resources For Animal Control And Wildlife Damage Management, Stephen M. Vantassel, Michael W. Fall, Serge Lariviére

Wildlife Damage Management Technical Series

A bumper sticker reads, “If you think education is expensive, you oughta try ignorance.” That statement could not be truer in regard to wildlife damage management. Being willing to learn is a critical attitude for everyone involved in wildlife damage management. Since wildlife damage management intersects so many other disciplines, no single person can be an expert in all of them. In addition, the arrival of an invasive species, changes in building practices (e.g., egress windows, ridge vents), or the implementation of new regulations can confound traditional practices and require new control methods. Thus, it is important to provide a …

Evaluation Of Chilling Efficiency, Meat Tenderness, And Microbial Analysis Of Broiler Carcasses Using Sub-Zero Saline Solutions, Samira Viliani

Master's Theses

The poultry industry is seeking an advanced chilling system that can improve chilling efficiency, microbial safety, and water consumption without compromising meat quality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of sub-zero saline chilling methods on chilling efficiency, breast fillet tenderness and microbial reduction of broiler carcasses. Following evisceration and rinsing, broiler carcasses were randomly assigned to one of three chilling solutions: 1) 0% salt or ice water control (0% NaCl/0.5^oC), 2) 3% salt (3% NaCl/-1.8^oC), and 3) 4% salt (4% NaCl/-2.41^oC) solutions. Broiler carcasses in sub-zero saline solutions reached the …

Summer Field Report, June - July 2019, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

There was a lot to ponder this summer, including several notable breeding records of waterbirds, including the 3rd for Canvasback and an “unprecedented” breeding season for Eared Grebe in the Rainwater Basin. Intriguing summer occurrences that might presage or indicate nesting were large numbers of Redhead and Ring-necked Duck in larger wetlands, the 3rd Jun record of Dusky Flycatcher, first Jun record of Baird’s Sparrow, 3rd summer record of Ash-throated Flycatcher, and a Sage Thrasher in Jun in Kimball County. Additional breeding records of interest were the 10 Peregrine Falcons fledged at three Omaha sites, possible nesting by Mississippi Kites …

The Nebraska Bird Review, Volume 87 September 2019 Number 3

Nebraska Bird Review

Summer Field Report, June - July 2019, by W. Ross Silcock …74-95

2018 (30th) Report of the NOU Records Committee, by Mark A. Brogie … 96-109

New Wilson's Phalarope Nesting Record from the Central Platte River Valley, Mormon Island, Hall County, Nebraska by Andrew J. Caven, Bethany Ostrom, Aurora Fowler, Joshua D. Wiese, Kelsey C. King …110-114

Subscription and Organization Information …115

Neotype Designation For Pectinibuthus Birulai Fet, 1984 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) From Turkmenistan, With Remarks On Pectine Teeth Of Psammophile Scorpions, Victor Fet, František Kovařík, Graeme Lowe

Euscorpius

A neotype is designated for a very rare Central Asian scorpion, Pectinibuthus birulai Fet, 1984, the sole species of the genus Pectinibuthus Fet, 1984. It is the only currently known specimen, collected by Victor Fet in July 1985, and deposited in ZISP (St. Petersburg, Russia). The original types are considered lost. Detailed photographs of the neotype are provided, as well as comments on this unique psammophile buthid. We also discuss and compare pectinal tooth counts of psammophile scorpions relative to other scorpions.

Odu Launches Open Seas Technology Innovation Hub, News @ Odu

News Items

No abstract provided.

Home Range And Habitat Use Of West Virginia Canis Latrans (Coyote), Lauren L. Mastro, Dana J. Morin, Eric M. Gese

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Canis latrans (Coyote) has undergone a range expansion in the United States over the last century. As a highly opportunistic species, its home range and habitat use changes with ecological context. Coyotes were first reported in West Virginia in 1950 but were not commonly observed until the 1990s, and there is scant information on Coyotes in the region. We used telemetry data from 8 radiocollared Coyotes in West Virginia to estimate home-range size and third-order habitat selection. Home-range areas (95% utilization distributions; UDs) varied from 5.22 to 27.79 km² (mean = 12.48 ± 2.61 km²), with highly …

Evaluation Of The Stock Structure Of Cobia (Rachycentron Canadum) In The Southeastern United States By Using Dart-Tag And Genetics Data, Matt Perkinson, Tanya Darden, Maggie Jamison, Matt J. Walker, Michael R. Denson, James Franks, Read Hendon, Susanna Musick, Eric S. Orbensen

Faculty Publications

Available tag-recapture and population genetics data for cobia (Rachycentron canadum) in the southeastern United States were evaluated to provide information on population structure and determine the geographic boundary between stocks in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. The movements of 1750 cobia were evaluated on the basis of assigned tagging and recapture zones. Genetic samples from an additional 2796 cobia collected during the presumed spawning season were genotyped at 10 microsatellite loci, and standard population genetic statistical analyses were applied to the resulting sample data set. Tag-recapture results indicate that cobia tagged south of Cape Canaveral, …

Evolutionary History Predicts High‐Impact Invasions By Herbivorous Insects, Angela M. Mech, Kathryn A. Thomas, Travis D. Marsico, Daniel A. Herms, Craig R. Allen, Matthew P. Ayres, Kamal J.K. Gandhi, Jessica Gurevitch, Nathan P. Havill, Ruth A. Hufbauer, Andrew M. Liebhold, Kenneth F. Raffa, Ashley N. Schulz, Daniel R. Uden, Patrick C. Tobin

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

1. A long‐standing goal of invasion biology is to identify factors driving highly variable impacts of non‐native species. Although hypotheses exist that emphasize the role of evolutionary history (e.g., enemy release hypothesis & defense‐free space hypothesis), predicting the impact of non‐native herbivorous insects has eluded scientists for over a century.

2. Using a census of all 58 non‐native conifer‐specialist insects in North America, we quantified the contribution of over 25 factors that could affect the impact they have on their novel hosts, including insect traits (fecundity, voltinism, native range, etc.), host traits (shade tolerance, growth rate, wood density, etc.), and …

Occurrence Of Aflatoxin And Zearalenone In Concentrate Feeds And Milk Contamination With Aflatoxin M1 And Bacterial Pathogens In Malawi, Chunala Alexico Njombwa

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Multiple studies were conducted in Malawi to: 1) evaluate knowledge and perception of dairy farmers towards molds, mycotoxins and associated adverse effects; 2) evaluate dairy farmers’ knowledge and perception on milk contamination, proper milk handling practices and adverse health effects associated with raw milk consumption; 3) determine levels of aflatoxins and zearalenone (ZEN) in concentrate feedstuffs; 4) assess prevalence and levels of aflatoxin M₁(AFM₁) in raw milk, dietary exposure and estimate HCC risks to children and adults; 5) assess Salmonella and E. colicontamination in raw and processed milk from selected small scale farms and major …

Brangus Cows Have Ovarian Reserve Parameters More Like Brahman Than Angus Cows, Robert A. Cushman, Émerson M. Soares, Hannah K. Yake, Allyson L. Patterson, Shelby L. Rosasco, Joslyn K. Beard, Emmalee J. Northrop, Jerica J.J. Rich, Jeremy R. Miles, Chadwick C. Chase Jr., Michael G. Gonda, George A. Perry, Anthony K. Mcneel, Adam F. Summers

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

Bos indicus females have more surface antral follicles than Bos taurus females; however, histological studies demonstrated no difference in total number of primordial follicles between these two biological types of cattle. Primordial follicle density in the ovary was less in Nelore ovaries compared to Angus ovaries, but no studies have examined the primordial follicle density in Bos indicus cross-bred females. It, therefore, was hypothesized that primordial follicle density in the ovary would decrease as percentage Bos indicus increased. Ovaries were collected from cross-bred Angus (n=32, no Bos indicus influence), Brangus (n=15), or Brahman (n=9) …

Comparison Of The Efficacy Of Four Drug Combinations For Immobilization Of Wild Pigs, Christine K. Ellis, Morgan E. Wehtje, Lisa L. Wolfe, Peregrine L. Wolff, Clayton D. Hilton, Mark C. Fisher, Shari Green, Michael P. Glow, Joeseph M. Halseth, Michael J. Lavelle, Nathan P. Snow, Eric H. Vannatta, Jack C. Rhyan, Kurt C. Vercauteren, William R. Lance, Pauline Nol

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Field immobilization of native or invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa) is challenging. Drug combinations commonly used often result in unsatisfactory immobilization, poor recovery, and adverse side effects, leading to unsafe handling conditions for both animals and humans. We compared four chemical immobilization combinations, medetomidine–midazolam–butorphanol (MMB), butorphanol–azaperone–medetomidine (BAM™), nalbuphine–medetomidine–azaperone (NalMed-A), and tiletamine– zolazepam–xylazine (TZX), to determine which drug combinations might provide better chemical immobilization of wild pigs. We achieved adequate immobilization with no post-recovery morbidity withMMB. Adequate immobilization was achieved with BAM™; however, we observed post-recovery morbidity. Both MMB and BAM™ produced more optimal results relative to body temperature, recovery, and …

Vision In An Abundant North American Bird: The Red-Winged Blackbird, Esteban Fernández-Juricic, Patrice E. Baumhardt, Luke P. Tyrrell, Amanda Elmore, Shelagh T. Deliberto, Scott J. Werner

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Avian vision is fundamentally different from human vision; however, even within birds there are substantial between species differences in visual perception in terms of visual acuity, visual coverage, and color vision. However, there are not many species that have all these visual traits described, which can constrain our ability to study the evolution of visual systems in birds. To start addressing this gap, we characterized multiple traits of the visual system (visual coverage, visual acuity, centers of acute vision, and color vision) of the Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), one of the most abundant and studied birds in North America. We …

A New Species Of Catalinia Soleglad Et Al., 2017 (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae) From Southern California, Usa, Rolando Teruel, Brandon Myers

Euscorpius

Herein we describe a new species of the vaejovid scorpion genus Catalinia Soleglad, Ayrey, Graham & Fet, 2017. It was collected in a single locality of the northwestern foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains. It is most closely related to both Catalinia andreas (Gertsch & Soleglad, 1972) and C. minima (Kraepelin, 1911), but is clearly distinguished by tegumentary sculpture, morphometric ratios and pectinal tooth counts. The new species is described and illustrated in detail, with some ecological data included; moreover, a minor correction is introduced to the diagnosis of the genus.

Negative Impacts Of The Beef Industry: Lab-Grown Meat, Stephanie Grass

WRIT: Journal of First-Year Writing

The beef industry is harmful to the environment and human health and alternative solutions must be implemented in order to mitigate the effects of climate change. Water and grain are used in agriculture in abundance despite the negative environmental effects it causes. Cattle are the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions in the sector, also contributing to climate change. Antibiotics are used in large quantities without regard to potential future consequences. One potential solution for this problem is lab-grown beef, which demands very little from the consumer and would take pressure off the environmental issues the beef industry creates. Lab-grown …

Factors Affecting Waterfowl Diversity At Wetland Area, Punjab (Pakistan), Zahid Bhatti, Fakhra Nazir, Inayatullah Malik

Journal of Bioresource Management

Different wetlands are being selected through WWF to improve their conditions and to create awareness about their importance in public of Pakistan. The study will help in providing sound basis for the future conservation activities and management of waterfowl population, on sounder footing. The study was conducted at Marala wetlands from October 2000 to September 2001. The State of Jammu and Kashmir lies in the north. Three rivers, i.e., Tawi, Chenab and Manawar Tawi, coming from Jammu and Kashmir, flow into Game Reserve and meet to enter the Head Marala water storage reservoir. At river Jammu Tawi, 58 species of …