Other Animal Sciences Commons^™

Prey Selection By The Northern Watersnake, Nerodia Sipedon, Kyle O' Connell

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Prey selection and composition of the northern waternake, Nerodia sipedon was investigated between 8/2010 and 3/2011 by palpation of stomach contents in the field and conducting laboratory trials. 41 snakes were captured, five yielded prey contents. Fish parts, freshwater mussels, and an insect exoskeleton were found. No amphibians were found despite availability at study sites. Snakes in the laboratory underwent 22 trials, feeding on 11 occasions. Snakes fed on an equal number of both fish species, revealing no selection. Further research is needed to determine the rate of digestion of N. sipedon.

Effect Of Supplemental Trace Mineral Source (Organic Versus Inorganic) On Bull Semen Quality, Matt Rowe

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Studies indicate that organic forms of trace minerals can improve cow reproductive performance, particularly during periods of stress. However, limited information is available on the effects of organic trace mineral supplementation on bull fertility. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of organic versus inorganic trace mineral supplementation on bull semen quality before and after freezing, as measured by computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA). Angus and Balancer bulls were assigned to inorganic (n = 9) and organic (n = 10) trace mineral treatments, based on initial semen quality, breed, body weight, and age. The bulls were maintained in …

The Evolution Of Lateralized Foot Use In Parrots: A Phylogenetic Approach, Culum Brown, Maria Magat

Sentience Collection

Cerebral lateralization refers to the division of cognitive function in either brain hemisphere and may be overtly expressed as behavioral asymmetries, such as handedness. The evolutionary history of laterality is of considerable interest due to its close link with the development of human language. Although considerable research effort has aimed at the proximate explanations of cerebral lateralization, considerably less attention has been paid to ultimate explanations. The extent to which laterality is constrained by phylogeny or shaped by ecological forces through natural selection has received little attention. Here, the foot preference of 23 species of Australian parrots was examined to …

Four Types Of Activities That Affect Animals: Implications For Animal Welfare Science And Animal Ethics Philosophy, D. Fraser, A. M. Macrae

Ethnozoology and Animal Welfare Collection

People affect animals through four broad types of activity: (1) people keep companion, farm, laboratory and captive wild animals, often while using them for some purpose; (2) people cause deliberate harm to animals through activities such as slaughter, pest control, hunting, and toxicology testing; (3) people cause direct but unintended harm to animals through crop production, transportation, night-time lighting, and many other human activities; and (4) people harm animals indirectly by disturbing ecological systems and the processes of nature, for example by destroying habitat, introducing foreign species, and causing pollution and climate change. Each type of activity affects vast numbers …

Review Of Rare: Portraits Of America's Endangered Species. By Joel Sartore., Jim Mason

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences (through 2013)

Short of being in the presence of a creature, a really good photograph of one can also make a lasting impression. That is something RARE does compellingly, with exquisite portrait photos of 68 North American species that are dwindling dangerously in numbers or have recently recovered from the brink of extinction. Included are such Great Plains natives as the lesser prairie chicken, the interior least tern, and the black-footed ferret. All creatures were photographed with either a pure white or black background, but unconventional poses surprise the reader with each turn of the page, while creative framing and layout engage …

Historical Biogeography Of Nebraska Pronghorns (Antilocapra Americana), Justin D. Hoffman, Hugh H. Genoways, Rachel R. Jones

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences (through 2013)

Archeological and paleontological records indicate that the pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) have a history of at least 20,000 years of occurrence within the current boundaries of Nebraska. Pronghorns occurred throughout the state for much of its history. With the evidence at hand we concluded that the eastern boundary of the geographic distribution of the pronghorn south of the Niobrara River in Nebraska at the beginning of the 19th century was along the western perimeter of the eastern deciduous forest and tallgrass prairie. This excluded most of the easternmost tier of counties in the state. This geographic arrangement persisted throughout …

Indicators Of Age, Body Size And Sex In Goat Kid Calls Revealed Using The Source–Filter Theory, Elodie F. Briefer, Alan G. Mcelligott

Sentience Collection

The source–filter theory is an important framework recently applied to the study of animal vocalisations, which links the mode of vocal production to call parameters. Vocalisations can be good indicators of a sender’s characteristics, such as identity, body size, age, and even hormonal status and affective states. For these reasons, applied vocal communication research would greatly benefit from adopting the source–filter theory approach to identify key call parameters linked to physical and physiological characteristics of domestic animals. Here, we introduce the source–filter theory through a detailed analysis and interpretation of goat contact calls during development. In mammals, vocal development is …

The Effects Of Acute And Chronic Hypoxia On Cortisol, Glucose And Lactate Concentrations In Different Populations Of Three-Spined Stickleback, E. A. O'Connor, T. G. Pottinger, L. U. Sneddon

Aquaculture Collection

The response of individuals from three different populations of three-spined sticklebacks to acute and chronic periods of hypoxia (4.4 kPa DO, 2.2 mg l-1) were tested using measures of whole-body (WB) cortisol, glucose and lactate. Although there was no evidence of a neuroendocrine stress response to acute hypoxia, fish from the population least likely to experience hypoxia in their native habitat had the largest response to low oxygen, with significant evidence of anaerobic glycolysis after two hours of hypoxia. However, there was no measurable effect of a more prolonged period (seven days) of hypoxia on any of the fish in …

The Efficacy Of Three Types Of Analgesic Drugs In Reducing Pain In The Rainbow Trout, Oncorhynchus Mykiss, Jessica J. Mettam, Lois J. Oulton, Catherine R. Mccrohan, Lynne U. Sneddon

Veterinary Science and Medicine Collection

Recent research has shown the possibility of pain perception in fish; therefore, the use of analgesia or “painkillers” should be considered for invasive procedures. However, there is relatively little information on the effectiveness of analgesic drugs nor on the appropriate dose for fish. This study assessed the efficacy of three types of drug: an opioid, buprenorphine, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), carprofen and a local anaesthetic, lidocaine. Each drug was tested at three doses on rainbow trout that were noxiously stimulated and the most effective dose was also given to fish experiencing no pain to investigate side-effects. Ventilation rate and …

Spiking Patterns And Their Functional Implications In The Antennal Lobe Of The Tobacco Hornworm Manduca Sexta, Hong Lei, Carolina E. Reisenman, Caroline H. Wilson, Prasad Gabbur, John G. Hildebrand

Health Sciences and Kinesiology Faculty Articles

Bursting as well as tonic firing patterns have been described in various sensory systems. In the olfactory system, spontaneous bursts have been observed in neurons distributed across several synaptic levels, from the periphery, to the olfactory bulb (OB) and to the olfactory cortex. Several in vitro studies indicate that spontaneous firing patterns may be viewed as “fingerprints” of different types of neurons that exhibit distinct functions in the OB. It is still not known, however, if and how neuronal burstiness is correlated with the coding of natural olfactory stimuli. We thus conducted an in vivo study to probe this question …

Cerebral Lateralization Determines Hand Preferences In Australian Parrots, Culum Brown, Maria Magat

Sentience Collection

Individual preference for the use of one limb over the other to explore the environment or manipulate objects is common trait among vertebrates. Here, we explore the hypothesis that limb preference is determined by the engagement of a particular cerebral hemisphere to analyse certain stimuli. We recorded the eye and foot preferences of 322 individuals from 16 species of Australian parrots while investigating potential food items. Across all species, eye preferences explained 99 per cent of the variation in foot use in Australian parrots. The vast majority of species showed significant relationships between eye and foot preferences at the population …

Comprehension Of Functional Support By Enculturated Chimpanzees Pan Troglodytes, Anna M. Yocom, Sarah T. Boysen

Sentience Collection

Studies of causal understanding of tool relationships in captive chimpanzees have yielded disparate findings, particularly those reported by Povinelli & colleagues (2000) for tool tasks by laboratory chimpanzees. The present set of experiments tested nine enculturated chimpanzees on three versions of a support task, as described by Povinelli (2000), during which food rewards were presented in different experimental configurations. In Experiment 1, stimulus pairs included a choice between a cloth with a reward on the upper right corner or with a second reward off the cloth, adjacent to a corner, with the second pair comprised of a cloth with food …

Spatial Distribution Of Human Elephant Conflict (Hec) And Characterization Of Crop-Raiding Elephants In Kasigau Region, Kenya, Simon Kasaine Kagwa

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Human-elephant conflict (HEC) is complex and a serious elephant conservation concern across Africa and Asia where elephants are found. HEC occurs whenever people and elephants share common interests. For HEC to be ameliorated and elephant conservation to be successful locally and regionally, the distribution and implications of HEC should be understood. The purpose of this study was to determine the spatial distribution of HECs and characterize elephant herds in terms of herd size responsible for crop-raiding in Kasigau. The study was generally guided by two working a priori hypotheses: (1) farms near the bush edge or livestock watering points will …

Effects Of Ergot Alkaloids And Antioxidants On Bovine Sperm Motility, Ryan James Page

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The studies that comprise this thesis were performed in an attempt to identify and eliminate stressful conditions that may lead to infertility in the male bovine. The first project was performed to determine if ergot alkaloids directly affect bovine sperm motility. Percentage of motile spermatozoa was affected (P = 0.015) by a three-way interactions between time, concentration, and alkaloid. Ergotamine and dihydroergotamine decreased (P = 0.01) sperm motility in a concentration and time dependant manner and ergonovine had a minimal effect on overall sperm motility. The number of static spermatozoa also was affected (P < 0.01) by a three way interaction and increased as ET and DHET concentrations increased. Percentages of progressively motile and rapidly motile spermatozoa decreased (P < 0.01) in a two way interaction between alkaloid and concentration. Overall, sperm motility was decreased by ET and DHET. Furthermore, the qualities of motility as represented by progressive, rapid, path velocity (VAP), progressive velocity (VSL), track speed (VCL), beat frequency (BCF), lateral amplitude (ALH), straightness (STR), elongated, and area were decreased by those alkaloids. These data verify that ergot alkaloids commonly found in toxic tall fescue are detrimental to bovine spermatozoa. In the second study two antioxidants (alpha-tocopherol and ascorbic acid) were added to bovine sperm culture media and cryopreservation extender. The antioxidant capabilities of these two vitamins could help reduce free radical production and help preserve sperm viability. There was an interactive effect between ascorbic acid concentration and storage method on the bovine sperm motility characteristics: motile, progressive, rapid, track speed (VCL), and straightness (P < 0.05). A bull by ascorbic acid interaction (P < 0.05) was observed for motile, progressive, rapid, path velocity (VAP), progressive velocity (VSL), and VCL characteristics. Alpha tocopherol had no affects on sperm motility characteristics. Lipid peroxidation was affected (P < 0.01) by bull and ascorbic acid. Malondialdehyde concentrations for ascorbic acid treatments (0, 5, 10, 20 mM) were 3.25, 4.2, 2.96, and 2.15 ìM respectively. Results from the second study indicate that the addition of ascorbic acid may reduce sperm motility, but help prevent lipid peroxidation.

Role Of Dopamine In Impulse Control, Paul Rafael Sabandal ^, Young-Cho Kim, Kyung-An Han *

COURI Symposium Abstracts, Summer 2011

No abstract provided.

Mutual Mother–Offspring Vocal Recognition In An Ungulate Hider Species (Capra Hircus), Elodie F. Briefer, Alan G. Mcelligott

Sentience Collection

Parent–offspring recognition can be essential for offspring survival and important to avoid misdirected parental care when progeny mingle in large social groups. In ungulates, offspring anti-predator strategies (hiding vs. following) result in differences in mother–offspring interactions, and thus different selection pressures acting on the recognition process during the first weeks of life. Hider offspring are isolated and relatively stationary and silent to avoid detection by predators, whereas follower offspring are mobile and rapidly mix in large social groups. For these reasons, hiders have been suggested to show low offspring call individuality leading to unidirectional recognition of mothers by offspring and …

Personality Traits Predict Hierarchy Rank In Male Rainbowfish Social Groups, Mathieu Colléter, Culum Brown

Sentience Collection

Personality traits are becoming increasingly important in explaining adaptive individual differences in animal behaviour and probably represent a leading edge of the evolutionary process. Despite the newfound interest in animal personality among behavioural ecologists, fewstudies have investigated the link between personality traits and fitness measures. We examined this link using male rainbowfish, Melanotaenia duboulayi, as a model species and found that a range of personality traits (aggression, activity and boldness) covaried with a male’s position in a hierarchy, which is directly related to reproductive success in this and many other species. Dominant fish were more aggressive, active, bold and also …

The Ma-10 Cell Line As A Model Of Insl3 Regulation And Leydig Cell Function, Mary E. Strong

Master's Theses

Leydig cells produce testosterone in response to luteinizing hormone (LH) via the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)/protein kinase A pathway. Additionally, these cells are responsible for producing insulin-like peptide 3 (INSL3), a peptide hormone that is essential for testicular descent. The insl3 promoter in Leydig cells can be activated by cAMP through the transcription factor Nur77, which has also been shown to regulate the promoters of the steroidogenic enzymes, cyp17 and 3b-hsd. While the mechanism of LH action on testosterone production is well characterized, the effect of LH on insl3 abundance has yet to be shown directly. The MA-10 …

Expression Of Porcine Reproductive And Respiratory Syndrome Virus (Prrsv) Non-Structural Protein 12 In Escherichia Coli, Ariann Boylan

Honors Scholar Theses

Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) is single-stranded, positive-sense RNA virus in the family Arteviridae, order Nidovirales. PRRSV began circulating in the U.S swine population in the 1980's and since then becoming the most economically significant disease of swine herds. PRRSV is now disseminated worldwide causing great economic losses to pork industries. PRRSV single-stranded RNA genome is15 kb in length. The genome encodes 9 open reading frames (ORF1a, ORF1b,

ORF2a, ORF2b and ORFs 3 through 7). ORFs 1a and 1b encode for 13 non-structural proteins (nsp) that are suggested to be involved in transcription and viral genome replication. The …

The Effects Of Multispecies Grazing On Pasture Management And Utilization, Chelsea Williams

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Multispecies grazing research was conducted using meat-type goats (Capra hircus L.) and Jersey heifers (Bos taurus L.) to determine the relationships between multiple grazing treatments and pasture utilization. The study was conducted for 60 days on the Western Kentucky University Farm in Bowling Green, KY. Cattle and goats have shown to differ in grazing preferences and to be economically important to the area. Grazing treatments included goats and cattle grazing simultaneously, sequentially, and goats grazing alone. A typical established Kentucky pasture was utilized with no weed management practices employed. Predominant forage species included tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), orchardgrass (Dactylis …