Animal Sciences Commons^™

Optimizing Poultry Production And Enhancing Egg Nutrient Composition Through Kelp Supplementation In Laying Hens, Meghan Clifford

Open Access Dissertations

The development of sustainable feed supplements is a crucial component in addressing the current global need for resilient and environmentally responsible food systems. This dissertation has explored the potential of brown algae (Saccharina latissima) as a sustainable feed supplement for poultry with the potential to benefit production efficiency, product quality, and the global food supply. With both controlled feeding trials and a producer-based survey, the work in this dissertation investigates the nutritional, biological and practical implications of adopting kelp into poultry diets.

Chapter one provides a comprehensive overview of the current literature surrounding the use of marine sources …

Effect Of Organic Vs Inorganic Zinc Sources In Beef Cattle Diets During Gestation On Calf Immune Function And Colostrum Quality, Naija Sharpley

2026 Research Poster Competition

The objective of this study is to determine the effect of zinc supplementation in cattle feed on beef cattle during gestation and the influences of the trace mineral zinc on colostrum and calf immunocompetence measuring immunoglobulin concentrations and body weight. Cow-calf systems rely on the effectiveness and consistency of their nutritional intake. Beef cattle are fed forages and grain alongside specific minerals and supplements to meet nutritional requirements. The effectiveness of these trace minerals added to the diet helps to ensure that the animal gets the most out of its feed and the producer gets the most out of the …

Investigating The Potential Role Of Horse Flies (Diptera: Tabanidae) In The Mechanical Transmission Of Anaplasma Marginale And Theileria Orientalis To Cattle In Northwest Arkansas, Catherine Harrison

2026 Research Poster Competition

The cattle industry in Arkansas plays a significant role in the state’s agricultural economy; however, two emerging infectious diseases pose a threat to cattle health, producer livelihood, and animal welfare. The two diseases, anaplasmosis and theileriosis, are caused by organisms that enter the host’s bloodstream and infect red blood cells, leading to destruction of said cells. The shared symptoms of both diseases are fever, weakness, anemia (low red blood cell count), reduced productivity, weight loss, and possibly death. An important difference between symptoms is that, unlike anaplasmosis, theileriosis can cause abortion in cattle. Both diseases are known to spread through …

Differences In Cytokine Mrna Expression At The Site Of Primary And Secondary Vaccinations With Herpesvirus Of Turkeys (Hvt) In Egg-Type Chickens., Allie Bowerman

2026 Research Poster Competition

Marek’s disease, a lymphoma causing virus, remains a major concern in poultry production systems. Although vaccination with live herpesvirus of turkeys (HVT) is crucial for controlling this disease, information on how the vaccine drives local/tissue immune responses that lead to protective immunity is limited. Using the growing feather (GF) in vivo bioassay, we assessed local cytokine mRNA expression following primary and booster intradermal (i.d.) HVT vaccinations in egg-type chickens. For this, six 9-week-old and six 19-week-old Light-brown Leghorn (LBL) pullets were i.d. injected into the pulp of growing feathers (GF; 10 µL/GF; 16 GFs/bird) with a primary (V1) or secondary …

The Importance Of Hippotherapy: Improving The Lives Of The Disabled Through Alternative Therapy, Jennifer N. Stapleton

Undergraduate Research Posters

For centuries, horses have been suggested as “healers” and “helpers,” although it wasn’t until the 1900s that horseback riding was scientifically proven as a treatment and rehabilitation method. The exploitation of hippotherapy, the implementation of the three-dimensional pelvic movement stimulated by the oscillation and gait of the horse to combat symptoms of diseases and disorders, has since become a flourishing field of study, but one that is often overlooked. Benefits of hippotherapy often include increased motor neuron function, facilitating proper anatomical alignment, and reducing spasticity. This research analyzes the diverse and dynamic nature of treatment that hippotherapy facilitates, exploring the …

Biomarkers Of Foraging And Reproduction In Captive Adult Female Hawksbill Sea Turtles (Eretmochelys Imbricata), Joslyn Blessing Kent, Kari Renee Dawson, Shingo Fukada, Masae Makabe, Isao Kawazu, Ken Maeda, Roldán A. Valverde

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). To implement best conservation practices for this species, its biology should be well understood. Attempting to characterize the foraging physiology of free-ranging hawksbill sea turtles is complicated by the fact that sampling is typically limited to nesting females during the reproductive season. Without data from non-reproductive periods, it is difficult to determine whether observed physiological values reflect baseline conditions or are specific to the energetically demanding nesting season. Accordingly, in this study, we described the physiology of foraging in …

Pbmc Transcriptome Analysis Following Lps Stimulation Reveals Distinct Inflammatory Strategies In Feed-Efficient And Inefficient Beef Cattle, Yarahy Leal

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Improving feed efficiency is a primary objective in livestock production, serving as a major driver of profitability and sustainability in beef cattle operations as feed costs continue to rise. Residual feed intake (RFI) and residual average daily gain (RADG) are widely recognized indicators of feed efficiency and are commonly used as selection traits to reduce production costs and environmental impact. Previous research suggests a functional shift in transcriptional activity associated with immunity depending on efficiency phenotype, with evidence of greater immune system robustness in more efficient animals. This dissertation examines the molecular mechanisms linking feed efficiency and immune competence and …

Reducing Inorganic Phosphorus In Poultry Diets: Nutritional Constraints And Strategies For Successful Implementation, Elizabeth Ann Lynch

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Applied poultry nutrition and feed manufacture science can be described as a “three-legged stool” supported by pellet quality, feed hygienics, and nutrient availability, where imbalance in any one component can compromise overall bird performance. The research presented herein primarily addresses feed hygienics and nutrient availability, with pellet quality serving as an underlying theme, to better understand how processing conditions and dietary formulation influence performance and nutrient utilization.

In Chapter 2, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of hygienizer retention time on bacterial reduction during feed manufacture using Enterococcus faecium as a Salmonella surrogate. Pellet mill motor …

Genomic Signatures Of Decline And Recovery In An Endangered Bat, Myotis Grisescens, Marxe Altman-Orbach

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Tremendous population declines may result in the loss of genetic diversity, which can, in turn, lead to reduced adaptive potential, overexpression of deleterious phenotypes, and further population declines. In this way, genetic drift from a severe demographic decline may ultimately lead to an extinction vortex. However, populations that avoid the loss of genetic diversity may remain viable, despite demographic crashes. Therefore, understanding genetic diversity is vital for assessing the conservation status of species that have undergone declines, and can even reflect the effectiveness of management actions. I investigated signatures of genetic bottlenecks in the gray bat (Myotis grisescens), …

If You Build It, Will They Stay? Fish Communities Continue To Utilize Restored Habitat A Decade Following An Instream Restoration, Alexis L. Vandenberg

Masters Theses

Lotic ecosystems are degraded at an alarming rate due to anthropogenic activities. In order to combat these changes, stream restorations are implemented to improve conditions such as water quality, habitat heterogeneity, and bank stability. However, the impacts of these restorations are often understudied and long-term impacts are unknown. Restorations are typically designed to be ‘fish attractors’; this idea is known as the ‘Field of Dreams hypothesis’ – ‘if you build it, they will come’. This study uses data collected in Kickapoo Creek, Coles County from 2009 to 2015 and again in 2021 and 2022 to assess the long-term impacts of …

Compositional And Functional Shifts In Fish Community Structure In Response To Low-Head Dam Removals, Joshua D. Bruegge

Masters Theses

Low-head dams serve as intermittent barriers to aquatic connectivity and directly alter both upstream and downstream habitats and biotic communities. In 2018 and 2019, two low-head dams in the Vermilion River watershed of eastern Illinois were removed, reconnecting over 1,700 kilometers of upstream habitat within the basin. To determine the impacts of these dam removals, fish community surveys were conducted at 12 fixed sites across three reaches in two rivers from 2012-2022. This study assessed reach-specific temporal responses of the fish community and habitat characteristics. I linked trait expressions within the fish community to abiotic variables using the co-inertia RLQ …

Optimization Of Feed Manufacturing Productive Capacity, Feed Quality, And Feed Safety Utilizing A Variety Of Pellet Die Parameters, Feed Additives, Conditioning Specifications, And Simulated Feed Bin Storages, Lucas Edward Knarr

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In Chapter 2, an experiment was conducted to determine if the inclusion of 1.50% mixer-added water (MAW) and/or 0.25% Azomite^® (AZM) would be suitable in alleviating concerns regarding pellet production rate and pellet quality when manufacturing feed with low-moisture corn. Furthermore, the authors aimed to determine if these additives had varying effects when utilizing different pellet die thicknesses. A 2 (Azomite; 0.00% or 0.25%) x 2 (mixer-added water; 0.00% or 1.50%) x 3 (pellet die thickness; 32 mm, 38 mm, or 45 mm) factorial arrangement was utilized to create the twelve experimental treatments, each manufactured …

Impact Of Water Level Fluctuations On Fish Populations In Eastern South Dakota Rivers, Benjamin Schall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Riverine systems are highly dynamic, and changes in flow conditions can impact the population dynamics of fishes. Increased flows from historical averages in eastern South Dakota rivers have likely impacted fish populations. The goals of this study were to 1) better understand the changes in resource use by Blue Suckers Cycleptus elongatus through retrospective eye lens stable isotope analysis, 2) determine the effects of record flooding in the James River on complex woody habitat and Flathead Catfish Pylodictis olivaris population structure, and 3) assess the influence of river discharge and temperature on Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus and Flathead Catfish condition …

Notes On The Ichthyofauna Associated With Artisanal Fishing In A Severely Impacted Estuary In The Southwestern Gulf Of Mexico During The Rainy Season, Rodrigo Vivanco-Cadena, César Meiners-Mandujano, Roberto Martín Cruz-Castán

Gulf and Caribbean Research

No abstract provided.

Manatee Dock Sign Distribution And Its Influence On Publicly-Sourced Sighting Reports In Alabama, Daniela Payán Arias, Sophia C. Corde, Ruth H. Carmichael

Gulf and Caribbean Research

No abstract provided.

Dietary Ecology Of Waterfowl Nest Predators In The Prairie Pothole Region: Evaluating Resource Use From Species To Individual Using Stable Isotope Analysis, Grace Barthelmess

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Nest predation is a primary factor influencing waterfowl productivity in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of North America. Although this system is intensely managed and studied, research has largely focused on how predators affect waterfowl populations, with comparatively little attention to how predators actually rely on waterfowl as a resource. Understanding predator feeding ecology is therefore critical for informing effective management strategies and interpreting the complexity of predator-prey interactions on this landscape. My objective overall was to elucidate the feeding ecology of nine focal predator species commonly associated with waterfowl nest predation in the Aspen Parkland Ecoregion of the PPR: …

Multi-Omics Analysis Of Immune-Metabolic Adaptation To Direct-Fed Microbial Supplementation In Newly Weaned Beef Steers, Adekunle Odunayo Ajiboye

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Immune and metabolic disruption during weaning represents a major challenge to health and productivity in beef cattle. This dissertation tested the hypothesis that supplementation with multi-strain direct-fed microbials (DFMs) modulates immune regulation and metabolic pathways associated with adaptation to weaning stress. To address this, whole-blood transcriptomics and plasma metabolomics were used to evaluate molecular and metabolic responses in newly weaned beef steers during the receiving period. Transcriptomic analysis identified differential expressions of genes associated with immune signaling and inflammatory regulation, indicating modulation of immune-related pathways without changes in growth performance. Metabolomic analysis revealed alterations in circulating metabolites related to amino …

Microbial Mats In Dinosaur Ichnocoenoses, Nora Noffke, Paul C. Murphy, Roger C. Buntin, Martin G. Lockley

OES Faculty Publications

Until now, the significance of microbial mats in preservation of dinosaur tracks and in reconstructing the palaeoenvironment in which dinosaurs roamed was rarely studied. Dinosaur tracks are commonly found close to ancient aquatic bodies where moist sediment had once allowed footstep registration. At such sites, epibenthic or endobenthic microbial mats may have developed as well and may have led to exquisite track preservation. Microbial mats in coastal, lacustrine or flood plain environments cause 'microbially induced sedimentary structures—MISS', which are micobialites found in sandy or evaporitic settings. The microbial structures record environmental parameters including meteorological conditions that existed at the time …

Effect Of Substrate Dispersion Method And Particle Size On In Vitro Digestibility, Gas Production Kinetics And Composition, And Fermentation Characteristics In Different Feed Types, Luiz C. O. Sousa, Ellem M. A. Matos, Ronald J. Trotta, Edenio Detmann, David L. Harmon

Animal and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

Our objective was to evaluate the influence of substrate dispersion method and particle size on in vitro digestibility, gas production kinetics and composition, and fermentation characteristics of different feed types. Alfalfa hay, tall fescue hay, ground corn, soybean meal, and a total mixed ration (TMR) were used as substrates. Treatments were designed according to a 2 × 2 × 5 factorial arrangement: two substrate dispersion methods (loose substrate and in filter bags), two particle sizes (1 mm and 2 mm), and five feeds. Filter bags decreased (P ≤ 0.001) digestibility and gas production compared with loose samples. Filter bags decreased …

Automation And Habitat Development For A Space Based Marine Life Environment, Logan Trimmer, Alexander Hang

Harrisburg University Other Works

This project was a cross-collaboration between the Environmental Sciences and Advanced Manufacturing and Robotics programs for the company Monolith Space.

The goal of this project was to design an autonomous system to be able to track qualities of water in an aquaculture system designed to be sent to space.