Other Animal Sciences Commons^™

Mommy Issues: Do Differential Rearing Histories Affect The Social Behavior Of Captive Chacma Baboons (Papio Ursinus), Madeleine Spencer

All Master's Theses

I observed the behavior of 17 chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) in order to understand the relationship between rearing history, dominance hierarchy, and social behavior. The Centre for Animal Rehabilitation and Education (C.A.R.E.) has utilized hand-rearing in the past and is currently using a surrogate-rearing method. Hand-rearing involves one or more primary caregivers attending to an infant for 6 – 12 months. Surrogate-rearing involves one individual being the primary surrogate for the first 3 months of the infant’s life prior to bonding her or him to an adult female baboon before integrating both back into the surrogate’s troop. Mother-reared …

An Assessment Of Convergence In The Feeding Morphology Of Xiphactinus Audax And Megalops Atlanticus Using Landmark-Based Geometric Morphometrics, Edward Chase Shelburne

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Convergence is an evolutionary phenomenon wherein distantly related organisms independently develop features or functional adaptations to overcome similar environmental constraints. Historically, convergence among organisms has been speculated or asserted with little rigorous or quantitative investigation. More recent advancements in systematics has allowed for the detection and study of convergence in a phylogenetic context, but this does little to elucidate convergent anatomical features in extinct taxa with poorly understood evolutionary histories. The purpose of this study is to investigate one potentially convergent system—the feeding structure of Xiphactinus audax (Teleostei: Ichthyodectiformes) and Megalops atlanticus (Teleostei: Elopiformes)—using a comparative anatomical approach to assess …

Leptin Effects On Bone Metabolism, Elizabeth Bark

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Scales from adult zebrafish, Danio rerio, are an established model for studying osteoblast and osteoclast activity. In this study, scales in a cell culture were used to determine if the hormone leptin has an effect on activity of these bone remodeling scales. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activities of zebrafish scales were measured and compared with and without leptin treatment. There was no statistically significant difference between leptin treatments in terms of ALP and TRAP activity. Differences between TRAP values between days 1 and 2 did look promising although they were not statistically significant. This study …

The Effect Of Neonicotinoid Clothianidin On Ring-Necked Pheasant Survival And Reproduction, Michael Sundall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ring-necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) are economically important to the state of South Dakota bringing in over one hundred million dollars in revenue each season. The population is known to fluctuate temporally for many reasons, often weather related. Unfortunately, no research has been conducted involving ring-necked pheasants that evaluated the impact or interaction of neonicotinoids on the species. The objective of our study was to gain an understanding of how the neonicotinoid, Clothianidin, affects survival and breeding in pheasants. Our first experiment was to determine if there was a selection bias for seeds treated with neonicotinoids. In this experiment, eight ring-necked …

Multivariate Analysis Of Open Field Exploration Identifies Latent Spatial And Social Behavioral Axes In Domestic Dogs, Budhaditya Chowdhury, Moira Van Staaden, Robert Huber

Advanced Science Research Center

Recent methodological advances in studying large scale animal movements have let researchers gather rich datasets from behaving animals. Often collected in small sample sizes due to logistical constraints, these datasets are however, ideal for multivariate explorations into behavioral complexity. In behavioral studies of domestic dogs, although automated data loggers have recently seen increasing use, a comprehensive framework to identify complex behavioral axes is lacking. Dog behavioral studies frequently rely on subjective ratings, despite demonstrable evidence that these are insufficient for identifying behavioral variables. Taking advantage of dogs’ innate running abilities and readily available GPS data loggers, we extracted latitude-longitude coordinates …

First Records For Spawning Of Caribbean Acropora Species In Colombian Mpas, David M. Hudson, Barrett L. Christie, Luis A. Gómez-Lemos, Camilo Valcarcel, Diego Duque, Juan C. Zárate Arévalo, Jaime Rojas, Otto Reyes, Milena Marrugo, Maria Rosa, Israel A. Caicedo Torrado, Diana Tarazona, Carlos Zuluaga

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Estimates of Colombian Caribbean coral percent cover in the Southern Caribbean are consistent with those throughout the Caribbean Sea, which has declined to about 10% of historical levels in the last few decades. Human activities like destructive fishing techniques in the marine parks have degraded the reefs over the last few decades. Colombia’s Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have thousands of square kilometers to map and patrol and few resources to devote to scientific and restoration efforts. Efforts to implement sexual reproduction techniques for restoration are starting to successfully propagate and settle corals on ceramic plates for reef deployment in the …

Evaluation Of The Impacts Of Radio-Marking Devices On Feral Horses And Burros In A Captive Setting, Kathryn A. Schoenecker, Sarah R. B. King, Gail H. Collins

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Radio-collars and other radio-marking devices have been invaluable tools for wildlife managers for >40 years. These marking devices have improved our understanding of wildlife spatial ecology and demographic parameters and provided new data facilitating model development for species conservation and management. Although these tools have been used on virtually all North American ungulates, their deployment on feral horses (Equus ferus caballus) or burros (E. asinus) has been limited. To determine if radio-collars and radio-tags could be safely deployed on feral equids, we conducted a 1-year observational study in 2015 to investigate fit and wear of radio-collars …

Price And Performance Trends For Cellular Trail Cameras Explained With A Time Trend, Google Keyword Trends, And A Use Case Of Suburban Deer Management, G. Webb

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Price and performance improvements for trail cameras, remote cameras designed for wildlife observation, havegiven wildlife researchers a widely accepted new tool. After their introduction in 2010, cellular trail cameras havebecome popular, saving travel time and reducing disturbance to wildlife. A use case of trail cameras for suburbandeer management illustrates desirable product features and risks of using citizen science for research. A time trendof camera prices identifies a common product price pattern for technology products, a decline following a logisticor inverted s-curve. Data from Google Keyword Trends captures the changing level of market interest correlatedwith high statistical significance compared to price …

Influence Of Livestock And Electrified Fences On Livestock Depredation And Habitat Selection By Grizzly Bears In The Mission Valley, Montana, Kari Lynn Eneas

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Balancing protection between livestock and carnivores has been a long-standing challenge in conservation. When encounters between carnivores and livestock or humans result in conflict or livestock depredation, the safety of both wildlife and humans are at risk. Reducing livestock depredation by grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) will be important as populations continue to recover and expand beyond public lands in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem. We used GPS locations from 8 female grizzly bears spanning 5 years in the Mission Valley, Montana, to evaluate the effect of livestock on habitat selection of grizzly bears. The Mission Valley is located on …

Group Differences In Mother-Infant Macaca Fascicularis Behavior, Parasite Load, And Body Condition Within An Anthropogenically Altered Forest, Elizabeth M.C. Coggeshall

All Master's Theses

This study aimed to establish preliminary health and behavioral data, as well as understand group variation for a large population of Macaca fascicularis individuals within an anthropogenically altered monkey forest. A parasitic analysis of 40 mother and infant individuals showed that M. fascicularis carried 13 different parasitic taxa, and that there was parasitic variation between groups. Body condition scores were determined using a newly created and adapted body condition scale from 146 sampled mother macaques. Body condition scores were significantly different between groups, specifically the pond group when compared to the three other groups. Mother-infant behavioral differences were seen between …

Behavioural Risks In Female Dogs With Minimal Lifetime Exposure To Gonadal Hormones, Melissa J. Starling, Anne Fawcett, Bethany Wilson, James Serpell, Paul Mcgreevy

Physiology Collection

Spaying of female dogs is a widespread practice, performed primarily for population control. While the consequences of early spaying for health are still being debated, the consequences for behaviour are believed to be negligible. The current study focused on the reported behaviour of 8981 female dogs spayed before 520 weeks (ten years) of life for reasons other than behavioural management, and calculated their percentage lifetime exposure to gonadal hormones (PLGH) as a proportion of their age at the time of being reported to the online Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ). We found that 23 behaviours differed between entire …

Major Challenges Of Us Goat Producers And Way Forward, Tom Boyer

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Abstract

Three limiting resources to feed the world in the future are arable land, water, and Ag talent. Obviously, goat production is in this mix, because we need to use appropriate technology to improve goat production. Also, goat production is influenced by imports, markets, and a fragmented industry. Although imports may be good to fill in shortfalls in production, they may harm the industry due to their relatively lower prices compared to domestically produced goat meat. The markets are unstructured and generally lack accurate price discovery, which ultimately, makes pricing difficult. Furthermore, there have been the challenges of a fragmented …

Extension Goat Industry: The Source For Science Based Knowledge, David Kiesling

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Abstract

The eXtension Website provides research-based information in ten resource areas: Community, Disaster Issues, Energy, Environment, Family, Farm, Health and Nutrition, Lawn and Garden, Pest Management, and Youth. Under each resource area are Communities of Practice (CoP). The Goat Industry Website (http://www.extension.org/goat) is a specific community of practice on the eXtension site that provides scientifically-based information for goat producers, extension educators and consumers. Currently, this site contains announcements, a glossary of terms, a meat goat management tool and instructional videos. Additionally, there is information on breeds, economics and business planning, facilities, fiber production, genetics, health, marketing, management, milk products, nutrition, …

Preface

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

No abstract provided.

Best Management Practices For Internal Parasite Control In Small Ruminants, Susan Schoenian, Enrique Nelson

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Abstract

Internal parasites represent a significant obstacle to a profitable and sustainable US goat industry. In some states, internal parasites are a year-round problem, while in others, they are a more seasonal challenge. Traditionally, parasite control methods relied heavily on antiparasitic drugs called anthelmintics or dewormers. Continued use and misuse of these drugs have resulted in increasingly resistant worm populations, necessitating more holistic or integrated methods of parasite control. A combination of practices will usually be necessary to achieve a satisfactory level of control. This paper discusses best management practices for controlling internal parasites in small ruminants, including pasture and …

Table Of Contents

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

No abstract provided.

Reproductive Technologies Used To Make Goats More Efficient, Seyedmehdi Mobini

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Abstract

With the introduction of Boer and Kiko breeds for meat goat production in the United States, more emphasis is being placed on the reproductive management to increase the number of offspring born and weaned and the frequency with which they are produced. It is also desirable to produce out of season kids to take advantage of a market premium for milk and meat. Reproductive manipulations, commercial Artificial Insemination (AI) programs using fresh or frozen semen, and Embryo Transfer (ET) have been developed and are in use most commonly in goats for reproductive efficiency.

Keywords: Meat Goats, Reproductive Technology, Reproductive …

Current Situation And Future Prospects Of The Us Goat Industry, Steve Hart, Roger Merkel, Terry Gipson

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Abstract

The current demand for goat meat in the US outstrips domestic supply. There is great potential for industry growth in the meat and dairy sectors. Whereas fiber prices have improved, loss of animals and market resources, labor costs for shearing, and lack of animal genetic resources prevent growth in the short term. As producers age, there is opportunity for new producers to enter the marketplace. Significant challenges exist, like access to local markets and abattoirs, dewormer resistant parasites, and feed costs. Establishing goat feedlots can increase meat supply and industry commercialization. Technologies used for cattle will be expanded for …

History Of The U.S. Goat Industry, Terry A. Gipson

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Abstract

Goats were first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent and then spread throughout the world. Goats were brought to North America into the southwestern U.S. in the 17^th century by early Spanish explorers and clergy. These goats are the ancestors of the Spanish goat of Texas and the Lamancha breed of California. English and other European settlers also brought their goats as they moved into the eastern U.S in the 18^th century. Angora goats were first imported in the U.S. in the mid-19^th century and the earliest importation of officially recognized dairy goat breeds occurred in the …

Goat Mortality Composting, Roger Merkel

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

One lawful method to dispose of animal carcasses is composting. Mortality composting is a “green” method that provides the producer with valuable soil amendments. Composting sites should be away from water sources and public areas. Some states require a facility and/or permit for carcass composting so producers should contact their State Veterinarian. Animal composting generates little to no odor and generates temperatures high enough to kill pathogens. Mortality composting is an aerobic process and requires a proper C:N ratio achieved by using a high carbon source to envelop the carcass, moisture content of roughly 50%, and available oxygen. Common composting …