Poultry or Avian Science Commons^™

Optimizing Laying Hen Behavior, Bone Health, And Welfare Through Environmental And Nutritional Enrichments, Mallory Anderson

All Dissertations

The objective of this dissertation was to evaluate the impact of environmental and nutritional enrichments on the behavior, bone health, and welfare of Hy-line brown and Hy-line W-36 laying hens. Laying hens are prone to experiencing a progressive increase in bone fragility due to the ongoing mobilization of calcium from the bones for eggshell formation. Over time, this increases their susceptibility for bone fracture, which is a welfare concern. Prior research suggests that exercise, especially during the developmental stage, can aid in minimizing bone fractures by strengthening muscles and increasing bone mass. Furthermore, nutrition plays an integral role in laying …

The Influence Of Feed Additives On Laying Hen Health, Welfare, And Egg Quality, Alexa Johnson

All Dissertations

Natural feed additives like oregano essential oil and synbiotic (prebiotic and probiotic) are options with great potential for increasing the health and welfare of laying hens. The first two studies explored the effects of dietary oregano essential oil (EOO) on performance, gastrointestinal traits (GIT), blood lipids, antioxidant capacity, and egg quality in laying hens from 0 to 40 weeks of age. The third study was conducted to examine dietary EOO on layers on the shelf life and fatty acid profile of eggs. The final study aimed to examine the effects of a dietary synbiotic on agonistic behavior, plasma and brain …

Evaluation Of The Effect Of A Commercial Lippia Origanoides Essential Oil Extract On Salmonella Serovar Enteritidis As A Natural Alternative To Antibiotics In The Poultry Industry, Abdiel Atencio

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present research was to evaluate the bactericidal activity of a microencapsulated Lippia origanoides essential oils (LOEOs) against Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) in an in vitro crop assay and in a prophylactic broiler chicken model using three low doses of the product: 75 ppm, 150 ppm and 300 ppm. Two trials of each assay were conducted. Day-of-hatch male Cobb-Vantress broiler chickens were randomly allotted to one of four groups: 1) positive control group; 2) 75 ppm LOEOs group; 3) 150 ppm LOEOs group; 4) 300 LOEOs group. Chicks were fed and watered ad libitum in heated brooder batteries …

Evaluation Of Protein Turnover, Lipid Turnover, And Calcium Utilization On Broiler Breeder Performance, Cole Umberson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Broiler breeder performance is based upon egg production. Breeders are reared from day of hatch to ovulation with the main goal of controlling body weight. Maintaining body weight in breeders is highly emphasized prior to first egg as to reach optimum peak production feeding increases dramatically to meet energy needs. Energy is supplied to the breeder in three forms carbohydrates (fast energy), protein (medium energy), and fat (slow energy). Carbohydrates are quickly used by the breeders, while protein is constantly being utilized by the breeder for growth and egg production, fat is stored and used lastly as the energy requirements …

Determination Of Ileal Digestible Phosphorous Values In Various Inorganic Sources Meat And Bone Meal Sources, Jay Hampton

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Concerns around the economic and environmental consequences of suboptimal or excess dietary P levels in broiler diets has led to increased interest in determining ileal P digestibility values for feed ingredients. Therefore, two experiments (EXP) were conducted to determine the apparent (AID) and standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of P in various inorganic phosphates and meat and bone meals (MBM) using the direct method. In both EXP 1 and 2, ileal samples were collected at 22 d post-hatch from birds fed semi-purified diets based on dextrose and corn starch containing test ingredients and one N and P free (NPF) diet for …

Climate Change-Associated Declines In Water Clarity Impair Feeding By Common Loons, Walter H. Piper, Max R. Glines, Kevin C. Rose

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Climate change has myriad impacts on ecosystems, but the mechanisms by which it affects individual species can be difficult to pinpoint. One strategy to discover such mechanisms is to identify a specific ecological factor related to survival or reproduction and determine how that factor is affected by climate. Here we used Landsat imagery to calculate water clarity for 127 lakes in northern Wisconsin from 1995 to 2021 and thus investigate the effect of clarity on the body condition of an aquatic visual predator, the common loon (Gavia immer). In addition, we examined rainfall and temperature as potential predictors …

Birds And The People They Were Named For

Nebraska Bird Review

This year the theme for our color photo section was birds named for people. For the purposes of our selections, we looked only at the common names of birds, although some species also reflect the names of people in their scientific names. Many species are named for people, but photos of the ones listed here are on the first six pages of this year’s color section.

Baird’s Sandpiper, Baird’s Sparrow Spencer Fullerton Baird (1823-1887) was the first curator and later secretary of the Smithsonian Institution and was instrumental in expanding the Institution’s natural history collections. John James Audubon named the …

Annual Color Photo Section

Nebraska Bird Review

Annual color photograph section (the first six pages show examples of this year’s theme: species whose common names include the names of people):

Cassin’s Finch
Cassin’s Kingbird
Steller’s Jay
Cooper’s Hawk
Baird’s Sandpiper
Baird’s Sparrow
Bullock’s Oriole
Hybrid Baltimore × Bullock’s Oriole
Clark’s Grebes
Sprague’s Pipit
Forster’s Tern
Brewer’s Sparrow
Nelson’s Sparrow
Swainson’s Hawk
Swainson’s Thrush
Clark’s Nutcracker
Ross’s Goose
Sabine’s Gull
LeConte’s Sparrow
Harris’s Sparrow
Henslow’s Sparrow
Townsend’s Solitaire
Wilson’s Warbler
Wilson’s Snipe
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Wilson’s Phalarope
Franklin’s Gulls
Pine Grosbeak
Bald Eagle
Pine Siskin
Piping Plover
Ovenbird
Blackheaded Grosbeak
Red Crossbill
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Long-eared Owl
Horned Grebes

Winter Field Report, December 2023–February 2024, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

As was the case for winter 2022–2023, the big general story was the large number of reports of tardy fall migrants and unexpectedly northerly occurrences in midwinter, an apparent residue of relatively mild early winter temperatures. These reports involved at least 50 species, many of them waterbirds and native sparrows, but including several other passerines as well. Notable were about 12 waterfowl species, five grebe species, an interesting late Dec peak in each of the last three years of Sandhill Cranes, record late Whooping Cranes, a 4th winter record of Dunlin, high numbers of Double-crested Cormorants, a wintering Rock Wren, …

Nebraska Ornithologists' Union Treasurer's Report, December 31, 2023, Jan Johnson

Nebraska Bird Review

No abstract provided.

2023–2024 Christmas Bird Counts, Don Paseka

Nebraska Bird Review

With the resurrection of the Kearney count, twenty CBCs [Christmas Bird Counts] were run in the 2023–2024 season. This is four more than last year and one more than the previous high number of nineteen from 2021. Although the Crawford, Harrison, and Scottsbluff counts were postponed because of snow, the weather on count days was mild with an average high of 43°F and an average low of 27°F, resulting in mostly open water. Rain and mud eliminated access to several normally productive areas of the Harlan County count which still produced the highest number of species (94). Lake McConaughy produced …

The Nebraska Bird Review (March 2024) 92(1), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Winter Field Report, December 2023–February 2024, by W. Ross Silcock

Birds and the People They Were Named For

Annual Color Photo Section

2023–2024 Christmas Bird Counts, by Don Paseka

Annual Treasurer’s Report for 2023, by Jan Johnson

Subscription and Organization Information

Honest Signalling Of Age In A Territorial Breeder, Brian A. Hoover, Walter H. Piper

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Age often indicates phenotypic quality, ecological experience or social status in animals. Consequently, behavioural signals in territorial animals that accurately convey age to potential mates or rivals might provide useful information for both signaller and receiver about the likelihood of aggression. We tested whether male territorial yodels convey information about age in the common loon, Gavia immer. Using a sample of male loons of known age, we found that the dominant frequency of Fintro3, a dominant syllable in the beginning sequence of a male yodel, increases strongly with age, but we were unable to replicate an earlier finding linking …

Pigeon Strike!: Solutions For Fermi Questions, October 2024, John Adam

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

This article, titled "Pigeon strike!: Solutions for Fermi Questions, October 2024," discusses the estimation of various physics-related questions regarding a pigeon striking a window. The author estimates the momentum and kinetic energy of the bird prior to hitting the window, as well as the force, pressure, and wingspan of the bird during impact. The author assumes an inelastic collision between the bird and the window, and provides calculations and explanations for their estimations. The article concludes with the author's observation that the estimated wingspan aligns with that of an adult pigeon.

Pathological Characterization Of Cryptosporidiosis In Naturally Infected Hybrid Converter Breeds Of Meleagris Gallopavo, Shady Shalaby, Walaa Awadin, Sanaa Salem, Ahmed El- Shaieb

Mansoura Veterinary Medical Journal

Background: Rearing of the hybrid converter breed of turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is becoming more popular in Egyptian farms because of its high meat production; however, many pathogens affect this benefit.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the occurrence and pathological impact of cryptosporidiosis in hybrid converter breeds.

Methods: Regular visits to turkey farms of hybrid converter breeds in the delta region of Egypt were conducted during 2022 and 2023. Clinical examination of the diseased birds was performed and recorded. Following the clinical examination, the diseased turkeys were euthanized and necropsied. Freshly dead birds were then necropsied. The …

Deep Transfer Learning-Based Bird Species Classification Using Mel Spectrogram Images, Mrinal Kanti Baowaly, Bisnu Chandra Sarkar, Md.Abul Ala Walid, Md. Martuza Ahamad, Bikash Chandra Singh, Eduardo Silva Alvarado, Imran Ashraf, Md. Abdus Samad

School of Cybersecurity Faculty Publications

The classification of bird species is of significant importance in the field of ornithology, as it plays an important role in assessing and monitoring environmental dynamics, including habitat modifications, migratory behaviors, levels of pollution, and disease occurrences. Traditional methods of bird classification, such as visual identification, were time-intensive and required a high level of expertise. However, audio-based bird species classification is a promising approach that can be used to automate bird species identification. This study aims to establish an audio-based bird species classification system for 264 Eastern African bird species employing modified deep transfer learning. In particular, the pre-trained EfficientNet …

The Impacts Of Gut-Supporting Feed Additives On The Growth Performance, Gut Health, Blood Chemistry, And Immune Status Of Broiler Chickens Exposed To Different Stressors, Richard A. Adefioye

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Three experiments were conducted to examine the effects of different feed additives in mitigating stress in broiler chickens. Experiment 1 used 504-day-old male by-product Cobb breeder chicks with 8 treatments replicated 9 times with 7 birds per replicate cage, structured as a 2x4 factorial arrangement of treatments. All birds were on the experimental diets for 20 days. There were 2 levels of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge [no challenge vs. LPS challenge at 1 mg/kg BW) and 4 types of feed additives [no additive, 0.05% PostB, 0.1% PostB, and 0.1% Tynagen^TM]. In experiment 2, 672-day-old male by-product Cobb breeder chicks …

Active Facilitation Of Helper Dispersal By Parents And Siblings In The Cooperatively Breeding Acorn Woodpecker, Natasha D. G. Hagemeyer, Walter D. Koenig, Eric L. Walters

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Offspring that delay dispersal in cooperatively breeding species have been hypothesized to gain direct fitness benefits via parental facilitation—being passively tolerated on their natal territory by their parents—thereby enjoying enhanced survival and increased probability of acquiring a breeding position in the population. Here we describe active facilitation in the acorn woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) by parents and siblings assisting the dispersal of helpers in their social group. Helpers in this species compete for reproductive opportunities in “power struggles” that take place when all breeders of one sex die or disappear, creating a reproductive vacancy. Individuals compete at power struggles …

Pigeon Strike!, John Adam

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

This article, titled "Pigeon strike!" from the Physics Teacher journal, discusses an incident where a bird, likely a pigeon, struck a window leaving an imprint. The author went outside to check but found no trace of the bird, hoping it had flown away after receiving medical care. The article also includes questions for readers to estimate the momentum, kinetic energy, force, pressure, and wingspan of the bird. The answers to these questions can be found online in the current issue of the journal. The article concludes with information about Fermi Questions and how to submit ideas.

Performance And Physiological Impacts Of Branched-Chain Amino Acid And Tryptophan Ratio Variations In Turkey Starter Diets Utilizing Concentrated Corn Proteins, Emily Blair Estanich

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In Chapter 2, a study was designed to evaluate the effects of varying dietary branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) ratio in corn and soybean meal-based turkey starter diets. The BCAA leucine, isoleucine, and valine are considered indispensable amino acids needed for energy and stimulation of muscle protein synthesis via the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. Imbalanced BCAA ratios can lead to antagonism and degradation of limiting BCAA, particularly in diets with excess leucine. Concentrated corn proteins contain high levels of leucine and can alter BCAA requirements; however, crystalline BCAA may be added to correct these ratios. This study aimed to …