Veterinary Medicine Commons^™

Growing South Dakota (Spring/Summer 2020), College Of Agriculture, Food And Environmental Sciences

Growing South Dakota (Publication of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences)

This issue contains the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station 2019 Annual Report.

[Page] 2 South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station Update
[Page] 4 Featured Research
[Page] 14 Graduate and Undergraduate Research: In Our Own Words
[Page] 20 Featured Research
[Page] 32 Research in Progress
[Page] 38 CAFES News and Updates
[Page] 56 Jackrabbits Now and Then: A Current Student and Alumni Q&A

Frontal Vehicle Illumination Via Rear-Facing Lighting Reduces Potential For Collisions With White-Tailed Deer, Travis L. Devault, Thomas W. Seamans, Bradley Blackwell

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

nimal–vehicle collisions cause many millions of animal deaths each year worldwide and present a substantial safety risk to people. In the United States and Canada, deer (Odocoileus spp.) are involved in most animal–vehicle collisions associated with human injuries. We evaluated a vehicle-based collision mitigation method designed to decrease the likelihood of deer–vehicle collisions during low-light conditions, when most collisions occur. Specifically, we investigated whether the use of a rear-facing light, providing more complete frontal vehicle illumination than standard headlights alone, enhanced vehicle avoidance behaviors of white-tailed deer (O. virginianus). We quantified flight initiation distance (FID), the likelihood …

Effect Of The Prospect Of Transport On Captive Tiger Behavior And Fecal Cortisol In Naïve And Experienced Tigers, Callan Lichtenwalter

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With close to 5,000 captive tigers in the United States, it is vital to ensure that these tigers are receiving adequate welfare whether they are in an accredited facility, or privately owned. The goal of this study was to assess whether captive tigers at a rescue facility with experience being transported outside of the facility would respond differently to the presentation of their transport vehicle than their naïve counterparts who had only been transported within the facility. The behavior of 5 naïve and 7 experienced tigers (n = 12) located at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge in Eureka Springs, Arkansas was …

Developing Alternatives To Protect Domestic Sheep From Predation In South Africa, David L. Bergman, Nico L. Avenant, Michael J. Bodenchuk, Eddie Steenkamp

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

South Africa has approximately 8,000 commercial small livestock farms and 5,800 communal/subsistence farmers throughout the country. Reported rates of small livestock loss to predation range from 3-13% and 0.5-19% from communal farming areas. A range of predators exist on the African continent, but in southern Africa major livestock losses are primarily due to black-backed jackal and caracal. South Africans have been managing caracals and jackals for over 300 years with no elimination of predation. During the aforementioned time frame, producers have used and/or developed a number of techniques including lethal, nonlethal, and integrated predator damage management to address predation losses. …

Veterinarians’ Attitudes And Practices Regarding Opioid-Related Vet Shopping Practices In Tri-State Appalachian Counties: An Exploratory Study, Falguni C Patel, Jeffrey A Raines, Richard W Kim, Karen Gruszynski, Robert E Davis, Manoj Sharma, Gilbert Patterson, Jason W Johnson, Vinayak K Nahar

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: The opioid crisis continues to grow in the United States with 46,700 drug overdose deaths due to opioids in 2017 alone. Vet shopping, the practice of soliciting veterinarians for prescription medications, has been receiving national media attention in recent years. A 2014 review of Prescription Monitoring Drug Programs found less than 10 veterinary shoppers nationwide. Still much is unknown about the role of vet shopping and the opioid crisis. This study sought to understand the practice of vet shopping through the eyes of veterinarians practicing in Appalachian counties within the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia, United States.

RESULTS: …

Veterinarians’ Attitudes And Practices Regarding Opioid-Related Vet Shopping In Tri-State Appalachian Counties: An Exploratory Study, Falguni C. Patel, Jeffrey A. Raines, Richard W. Kim, Karen Gruszynski, Robert E. Davis, Manoj Sharma, Gilbert Patterson, Jason W. Johnson, Vinayak K. Nahar

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

Background: The opioid crisis continues to grow in the United States with 46,700 drug overdose deaths due to opioids in 2017 alone. Vet shopping, the practice of soliciting veterinarians for prescription medications, has been receiving national media attention in recent years. A 2014 review of Prescription Monitoring Drug Programs found less than 10 veterinary shoppers nationwide. Still much is unknown about the role of vet shopping and the opioid crisis. This study sought to understand the practice of vet shopping through the eyes of veterinarians practicing in Appalachian counties within the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia, United States. Results: …

Genome Diversity And The Origin Of The Arabian Horse, Elissa J. Cosgrove, Raheleh Sadeghi, Florencia Schlamp, Heather M. Holl, Mohammad Moradi-Shahrbabak, Seyed Reza Miraei-Ashtiani, Salma Abdalla, Ben Shykind, Mats H. T. Troedsson, Monika Stefaniuk-Szmukier, Anil Prabhu, Stefania Bucca, Monika Bugno-Poniewierska, Barbara Wallner, Joel Malek, Donald C. Miller, Andrew G. Clark, Douglas F. Antczak, Samantha A. Brooks

Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

The Arabian horse, one of the world's oldest breeds of any domesticated animal, is characterized by natural beauty, graceful movement, athletic endurance, and, as a result of its development in the arid Middle East, the ability to thrive in a hot, dry environment. Here we studied 378 Arabian horses from 12 countries using equine single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays and whole-genome re-sequencing to examine hypotheses about genomic diversity, population structure, and the relationship of the Arabian to other horse breeds. We identified a high degree of genetic variation and complex ancestry in Arabian horses from the Middle East region. Also, …

Do Animals Engage Greater Social Attention In Autism? An Eye Tracking Analysis, Georgitta J. Valiyamattam, Harish Katti, Vinay K. Chaganti, Marguerite E. O'Haire, Virender Sachdeva

Purdue University Libraries Open Access Publishing Fund

Background: Visual atypicalities in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are a well documented phenomenon, beginning as early as 2–6 months of age and manifesting in a significantly decreased attention to the eyes, direct gaze and socially salient information. Early emerging neurobiological deficits in perceiving social stimuli as rewarding or its active avoidance due to the anxiety it entails have been widely purported as potential reasons for this atypicality. Parallel research evidence also points to the significant benefits of animal presence for reducing social anxiety and enhancing social interaction in children with autism. While atypicality in social attention in ASD has been …

Application Of Multi-Omics Technologies To Decipher Rabies Pathogenesis, Peerut Chienwichai, Onrapak Reamtong

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Rabies virus infection has affected human and animal health since ancient times and existing treatments are only partially effective. A thorough understanding of rabies virus pathogenesis is required to achieve improved treatment options and the eventual elimination ofthe disease. In recent years, multi-omics technology has emerged as a powerful tool for understanding viral pathogenesis. However, multi-omics data is lacking for the rabies virus. The aim of this review is to summarize our current understanding of rabiespathogenesis and its study using omics approaches. Several mechanisms have been proposed to contribute to rabies pathogenesis using the results of omics studies. Using data …

An Analysis Of A Herd-Based Lactation Curve Reveals The Seasonal Effect From Dairy Cows Fed Under High Ambient Temperatures, Sumpun Thammacharoen, Somchai Chanpongsang, Narongsak Chaiyabutr, Supattra Teedee, Attapol Pornprapai, Aemwika Insam-Ang, Channarong Srisa-Ard, Niran Channacoop

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

The presentinvestigation was carried out to demonstratethe effect of high ambient temperature (HTa) on lactation performance with herd-based measurement. One large dairy farm in Thailandwith more than 300crossbred Holstein cows milking each monthwas selected. The meteorological data was recorded once a week during the period of observation. Milking cows (n=90) were observed for a 10-month lactation curve based on their calving seasons: Summer, rainy and winter. The lactation curve was fitted by nonlinear regression using the reduced lactation persistency model.The climatic conditions revealed a high degree of temperature and humidity index (THI). The average THI throughout the year was 84.8 …

Pharmacokinetics Of Enrofloxacin In Meat Pigeons After A Single Intramuscular And Oral Administration, Xun Wang, Fei Shi, Yuhong Gou, Qiong Jiang, Jie Gong, Huaqiao Tang, Gang Ye, Chen Fang, Yinlun Li, Ling Zhao

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

The pharmacokinetic properties of enrofloxacin were investigated after a single intra-muscular (i.m.) and oral administration of 10 mg/kg b.w. to 12 healthy adult pigeons. Twelve pigeons were randomly divided to two groups. Blood samples were collected at different time points following drug administration. Plasma enrofloxacin concentrations were determined by reverse-phase high-performanceliquidchromatography. Pharmacokinetic analysis was conducted using non-compartmental methods via the ncappc package in R. The mean concentration area under curve (AUClast) for enrofloxacin was determined to be 21.75±5.67 μg·h/mL for i.m., administration and 17.30±4.94μg·h/mL for oral administration. The elimination half-life (T1/2λz) was 9.51±5.72 and 6.87±1.81 h for the i.m., and …

Intracranial Mature Teratoma In A Pet Rabbit, Sara Degl'innocenti, Claudia Salvadori, Andrea Pirone, Carlo Cantile

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

A mature intracranial teratoma was identified in a 5-month-old pet rabbit showing a sudden onset of obtundation, recumbency, flaccid tetraplegia, and hyporeflexia. A space-occupying suprasellar, irregular cystic mass extending from the thalamus to the brainstem was observed at necropsy. Histologically, the tumor was composed of irregular, multilocular cysts lined by a thin wall and interposed tissue where a heterogeneous collection of structures including adipose and myxomatous tissues, cartilage, glandularand ductal structures, skeletal muscle, nervous tissue, nerve fascicles, sebaceous glands, and exocrine pancreatic cells were recognized. Immunohistochemistry showed labeling of the diverse tissues with cytokeratin, vimentin, smooth muscle actin, GFAP, NSE, …

Production Of Recombinant Chimeric Swine Pkr-Apaf-1 Protein And Its Apoptotic Inductionon Marc-145 Cells, Phong Vu Anh Tuan Vo, Thanaporn Leksakchai, Roongtham Kedkovid, Achara Tawatsin, Athipoo Nuntaprasert

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

No abstract provided.

Isolation And Identification Of Extended Spectrum Β-Lactamases (Esbls) Escherichia Colifrom Minced Camel Meat In Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia, Waleed Rizk El-Ghareeb, Sherief M. Abdel-Raheem, Theeb M. Al-Marri, Fanan A. Alaql, Mahmoud M. Fayez

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Antimicrobial resistance is an increasingly serious threat to global public health that requires action across all government sectors and society. The aim of this study was to determine the rate of extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL)-producing E. coliisolation from minced camel meat and identify the phenotype and genotype of the ESBL. A total of 150 samples were collected randomly from butchers’ shops in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. The results indicated that, overall, 17 (11.3 %) E. coliisolates were recovered from the minced meat samples. The isolates were classified biochemically at the species level using the VITEK 2 system. The antibiotic susceptibility of E. …

Prevalence Of Bacterial Contamination In Uncooked Sticky Rice Samples From Markets In Japan, Kazuko Kato, Noriko Komagome, Machiko Mineki, Sumalee Boonmar, Yukio Morita

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

We investigated the prevalence of bacterial contamination in uncooked sticky rice samples obtained from markets in Japan. Between June and August, 2019, a total of 25 sticky rice samples were purchased from shops in the Tokyo area. Twenty-two (88.0%) and 10 (40.0%) of 25 sticky rice samples harbored 3.06±0.54 log spc/g of standard plates counts and 2.17±0.23 log cfu/g of enterobacteriaceae bacteria counts, respectively. Three species of Enterobacteriaceae, Pantoea dispersa, P. ananati, and Kosakonia cowanii, were identified by MALDI-TOFMS-based test. Three (12.0%) of 25 sticky rice samples harbored 2.00 log cfu/g of Bacillusspecies. Bacillusspp. was not isolated after heat treatment …

Antimicrobial Activity Of Formulated Clove Essential Oil Spray Against Biofilm-Forming Malassezia Pachydermatisand Staphylococcus Pseudintermediusclinical Isolates, Jareerat Aiemsaard, Chuchat Kamollerd, Pimchanok Suwannathada, Eakachai Thongkham

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Clove essential oil, Formulation preparation, Antimicrobial activity, Malassezia pachydermatis, Staphylococcus pseudintermedius

Testicular Gene Expression Of Anti-Müllerian Hormone, Androgen Receptor And Inhibin Alpha Subunit In Porcine Cryptorchidism, Gunnaporn Suriyaphol, Shanaporn Leelakajornkit, Wipa Sripodok, Wirakan Kallayanathum, Arunthip Komonpunporn, Nutthee Am-In, Sirinun Pisamai, Nathamon Yimpring

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Cryptorchidism, one of the common congenital abnormalities in boars, results ina boar taint in the carcass and economic loss. However, knowledge of gene expression of hormones controlling the testicular descent process, such as anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), androgen receptor (AR) and inhibin alpha subunit (INHA), in porcine testicular cryptorchidismis still limited. The present study aimed to investigate the gene expression profiles of AMH, ARand INHAin undescended testes (UDT) and descended testes (DT) in unilateral cryptorchid pigs of suckling (12 weeks of age), nursery (6weeks of age) and growing-finishing pigs (1520 weeksof age) and in normal testes (NT) at 12 weeks of …

Morphological Study Of The Lingual Papillae Of Jentink’S Flying Squirrel(Hylopetes Platyurus), Hevi Wihadmadyatami, Golda Rani Saragih, Geraldus Gunawan, Made Bagus Auriva Mataram, Ulayatul Kustiati, Dwi Liliek Kusindarta

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

This study describes the anatomy and histology of the tongue in the Jentink’s flying squirrel (Hylopetesplatyurus), a rodent native to Indonesia (Borneo and Sumatra). We examined the characteristics of the tongue using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light microscopy (LM). Macroscopic observations revealed three distinct regions: the apex, corpus (body) and radix (root). The dorsal surface of the apex was characterized by a median groove and lacked the lingual prominence that is common in many rodents. SEM and LM revealed the distribution of papillae over the dorsal surface of the tongue. The papillae could be categorized as mechanical papillae (filiform, …

Survival Time And Factors Influencing Survival Time In Cats With Arterial Thromboembolism In Thailand, Sirilak Disatian Surachetpong, Selapoom Pairor, Thanika Atiptamvaree, Tanawan Mangklabruks

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

This study aimed to report the survival time and to determine factors influencing survival time in cats with arterial thromboembolism (ATE) in Thailand. The medical records of 89 ATE cats presenting from January 2016 to December 2018 at four referral centers in Thailand were reviewed. The median survival time of ATE cats was 31 days (interquartile range 3-59 days). Cats with an age of at least 5 years (7 days; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0-25.961) had a shorter survival time than those with an age <5 years old (136 days; 95% CI 0-643.216) (p=0.021). Persian cats (450 days; 95% CI 0-37.552) had a longer survival time than other breed cats (15 days; 95% CI 0.799-7.201) (p=0.044). The multivariable Cox-regression analysis showed that a higher concentration of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (p=0.002; Hazard ratios (HR)=1.002), circulating glucose (p=0.031; HR=1.005), and creatinine (p=0.011; HR=1.207) were associated with an increased risk of death. In conclusion, the survival time of cats with ATE in Thailand is reported. Age and breed influence the survival time of cats with ATE. The concentration of ALT, circulating glucose and creatinine is associated with an increased risk of death.

A Study Of Factors Associated With Arterial Thromboembolism In Cats Affected With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy In Thailand, Natthakritta Nokthong, Pornsawan Pongsawat, Phattareeporn Leurdthainarong, Sermsakul Sritrirasri, Sirilak Disatian Surachetpong

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Feline arterial thromboembolism (ATE) is an acute condition that is usually associated with cardiomyopathy in cats. To date, there has been no report of factors associated with ATE in cats affected with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in Thailand. The purpose of this study was to find factors related to ATE in cats with HCM. A retrospective study was performed in 70 cats with HCM dividing them into two groups (26 ATE and 44 non-ATE groups) to analyze factors relating to ATE including sex, breed, age, weight, heart sounds, radiographic findings, echocardiographic findings and the environmental temperature. The result of univariable logistic …

Efficiency Of Heat Reduction In Barns During Rainy Season And Barn Characteristics: Their Relationship To Reproductive Performance Of Dairy Cows In A Tropical Environment, Watcharapong Choonkham, Thuwanon Boonkerd, Siriporn Kanwichai, Peter Vos, Witaya Suriyasathaporn

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

The objectives of this study were toevaluate the impact of efficiency of heat reduction on barns during the rainy season and barn characteristics on the reproductive performance of dairy cows in a tropical environment. Data of cows from 125 small-holder dairy farms in Chiang Mai, Thailand, during May to August 2014 was used. Reproductive performance indices, e.g. days to first insemination (DI) and days open (DO), were used as dependent variables. Microclimate factors included differences in temperature (TEMP_DIFF) and relative humidity (RH_DIFF) between the inside and outside of barns. From the total of 5,255 lactation data, 27 and 1,398 data …

Optimizing System For Sperm Quality Evaluation Using Crystalloid Diluent For Pigeons (Columba Livia Domestica), Thanida Sananmuang, Thitirat Singto, Kanyavee Intarak, Pimnipa Sanansin, Muttana Budsasom, Arrita Kongthip, Suwarak Wannaratana

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Semen quality is a crucial factor for predicting fertility and hatchability in several avian species including pigeons. To evaluate pigeon semen quality, prior dilution of semen was required due to its small volume with highly concentrated spermatozoa. Conventional crystalloid solutions—Normal saline (NSS) and Ringer’s solution (LRS) are common diluents for such a task; however, the unoptimized dilution rate of such diluents was a major cause contributing to inaccurate semen quality evaluation. Due to the lack of such knowledge in pigeons this study aimed to optimize the dilution rate of Normal saline (NSS) and Ringer’s solution (LRS) for pigeon semen quality …

Sequence And Phylogenetic Analysis Of The Vp1 Segment Of Chicken Infectious Anemia Virus (Ciav) During An Outbreak In Palestine, Ibrahim Alzuheir, Nasr Jalboush, Adnan Fayyad, Mohammad Manassra

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

In this study, chicken infectious anemia virus (CIAV) was detected in two unvaccinatedcommercial broiler flocks, showing clinical signs relevant to Chicken infectious anemia (CIA) disease. The clinical signs included subcutaneous hemorrhage, depression and death. Necropsy findings were pale liver, severe atrophy of bursa of the Fabricius and thymus and discoloration of the bone marrow. DNA was extracted from the livers of the infected birds and the VP1 gene was detected by polymerase chain reaction. The virus strains were detected and genetically characterized in almost the whole VP 1 gene (1338 base pairs). The nucleic acid analysis showed that the two …

Prevalence Of Salmonellaspp. And Escherichia Coliin Dogs With Diarrhoea In Western Taiwan, Chiu-Huang Ting, Chia-Ying Lin, Chia-Wen Chung, Perng-Chih Shen, Ching-Dong Chang, Hung-Yi Wu

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Salmonellaspp. can be widely spread by air or contaminated food. There are sixcommon pathogenic Escherichia coli whichaccount for 4–8% of all E. coli pathogens. Amongstthem, E. coliO157 is the most commonlyknown. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of diarrhoeapathogens, referred to as Salmonellaspp.andEscherichia coli(E. coli), in pet dogs in western Taiwan using the conventionalpolymerase chain reaction (PCR). The related analysis between the prevalence rates and the epidemiological data of pet dogs was correlated with age, season, area and breed. Faecalsamples were collected from240dogs which had symptoms of diarrhoeaand had been examined byveterinaryhospitals from January 2015 to January 2017. The …

Effectiveness Of Embalming Solutions With Partial Replacement Of Formaldehyde And Phenol With Ethanol And Sodium Chloride On Mice Over 18 Months, Kriengyot Sajjacharoenpong, Pawana Chuesiri

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Animal preservation for anatomy teaching has been required to replace formaldehyde and phenolwhich represent a health hazard to humans. A comparative study of embalming solutions with partial replacement of formaldehyde and phenol with sodium chloride and ethanol was evaluated in mouse cadavers over an 18-month period. Twelve adult mouse carcasses were divided into six groups of two mice each. After openingthe mouse’s skin,the internal organswere removed and preserved with the remaining cadavers by freezing (Group I, control group) or in the respective embalming solution (Groups II to VI) and examined after 3, 6, 12 and 18 months. For the embalming …

Morphological Considerations Of The Reproductive Organs In Anestrus Gilts Affiliated With True Hermaphrodites In Thailand, Paisan Tienthai, Sawang Kesdangsakonwut, Padet Tummaruk

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

True hermaphrodites are animals with both male and female gonads that have concurrently developed in the same individual. The incidence of true hermaphroditism is moderately higher in pigs than in other domestic animals. The aim of this study was to describe the genital organs of gilts culled due to anestrus with true hermaphrodites by gross and histological analysis. Three anestrus gilts were categorized as unilateral true hermaphrodites, having one ovotestis and one ovary, while three other gilts were bilateral true hermaphrodites with two ovotestes. The anomalous structures of the female genital organs, such as oviductal aplasia and hyperclitoris were found …

Hyperdynamic Circulatory State In A Dog With Leptospirosis: A Case Report, Numfa Fungbun, Naruepon Kampa, Supranee Jitpean, Nitaya Boonbal

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

A hyperdynamic circulatory state is a common consequence of portal vein hypertension. Interestingly, this case report demonstrates acute canine leptospirosis manifesting with abdominal effusion, which it is focused ona hyperdynamic circulatory state, caused by portal hypertension. Severe acute kidney injury caused by leptospirosis in this case was hypothesized to be aggravated by renal hypoperfusion. This condition was noticed to occur in a similar way to hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) in humans. Briefly, a dog with leptospirosis manifesting with abdominal effusion which was diagnosed to be the consequence of hyperdynamic circulatory state caused by hepatopathy and severe acute kidney injury. Peritoneal dialysis …

Infection Of Subgroup J Avian Leukosis Induces Erythroblasts And Lymphoblasts In Chinese Local Breed Chickens, Jie Yang, Ziqiang Cheng, Chengui Li, Guihua Wang

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Anaemia, emaciation, increased mortality and decreased egg production were observed in 21 birds in a Chinese local breed flock infected naturally at 240 days old. Macroscopically, the spleen and kidneys were enlarged. There were diffuse, multifocal white foci on the surface of the liver, lungs and ovaries. Histopathological examination demonstrated typical lymphosarcoma cells and erythroblasts in the lungs, spleen, liver, kidneys and ovaries. The results of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) showed that avian leukosis virus subgroup J(ALV-J) was positive in the liver, spleen and ovaries. Immunofluorescence assay results further confirmed the presence of ALV-J antigen in the liver, kidneys and …

Genetic Biocontrol For Invasive Species, John L. Teem, Luke Alphey, Sarah Descamps, Matt P. Edgington, Owain Edwards, Neil Gemmell, Tim Harvey-Samuel, Rachel L. Melnick, Kevin P. Oh, Antoinette J. Piaggio, J. Royden Saah, Dan Schill, Paul Thomas, Trevor Smith, Andrew Roberts

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Invasive species are increasingly affecting agriculture, food, fisheries, and forestry resources throughout the world. As a result of global trade, invasive species are often introduced into new environments where they become established and cause harm to human health, agriculture, and the environment. Prevention of new introductions is a high priority for addressing the harm caused by invasive species, but unfortunately efforts to prevent new introductions do not address the economic harm that is presently manifested where invasive species have already become established. Genetic biocontrol can be defined as the release of organisms with genetic methods designed to disrupt the reproduction …

Photographic Validation Of Target Versus Nontarget Take Of Brown Treesnake Baits, Shane R. Siers, Aaron B. Shiels, Cynthia G. Payne, Francinem M. Chlarson, Craig S. Clark, Stephen M. Mosher

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Use of toxic baits or other tools for managing nuisance species must ensure that the species of interest is adequately targeted while exposure to nontarget species is minimized. Nontarget takes of acetaminophen‐laced baits for control of invasive brown treesnakes (Boiga irregularis) on Guam may put those animals at risk of lethal intoxication and render the bait unavailable to the intended target species. We used wildlife cameras to identify species removing toxic and nontoxic baits from brown treesnake bait stations designed to exclude nontarget taxa in 2015 and 2016. Throughout various sites and habitat types, and balanced by season (wet vs. …