Animal Studies Commons^™

Qualitative Behavioural Assessment Of The Motivation For Feed In Sheep In Response To Altered Body Condition Score, C. A. Stockman, T. Collins, A. L. Barnes, D. Miller, S. L. Wickham, E. Verbeek, L. Matthews, D. Ferguson, F. Wemelsfelder, P. A. Fleming

Sentience Collection

Qualitative behavioural assessment (QBA) has been used to quantify the expressive behaviour of animals, and operant tests have been used to quantify measures of behavioural need. In this study we compared measures of behavioural expression and behaviour in operant tests. We examined the behavioural expression of pregnant ewes of body condition score (BCS) 2 and 3. The ewes were exposed to a feed motivation test in which they received a food reward. Pregnant ewes (48–70 days gestation) were assessed during a food motivation test after they had been maintained at BCS 3 (n = 7) or given a decreasing plane …

The Usefulness Of Systematic Reviews Of Animal Experiments For The Design Of Preclinical And Clinical Studies, Rob B.M. De Vries, Kimberley E. Weaver, Marc T. Avey, Martin Stephens, Emily S. Sena, Marlies Leenaars

Experimentation Collection

The question of how animal studies should be designed, conducted, and analyzed remains underexposed in societal debates on animal experimentation. This is not only a scientific but also amoral question. After all, if animal experiments are not appropriately designed, conducted, and analyzed, the results produced are unlikely to be reliable and the animals have in effect been wasted. In this article, we focus on one particular method to address this moral question, namely systematic reviews of previously performed animal experiments. We discuss how the design, conduct, and analysis of future (animal and human) experiments may be optimized through such systematic …

Acoustic Divergence In The Rut Vocalizations Of Persian And European Fallow Deer, J. B. Stachowicz, E. Vannoni, B. J. Pitcher, Elodie F. Briefer, E. Geffen, A. G. Mcelligott

Veterinary Science and Medicine Collection

We conducted a study of the male rut vocalizations (groans) of two closely related species, Persian and European fallow deer. Persian fallow deer are endangered, restricted to Iran and Israel, and their rut vocalizations have never been studied. By contrast, European fallow deer are one of the most common deer species in the world, and have been the subject of numerous detailed studies. Persian bucks are approximately 16% larger than European bucks, and this can have important implications for vocalizations. Persian bucks were recorded in Israel, and European bucks were recorded in the UK and Ireland. We measured temporal, fundamental …

Apes Communicate About Absent And Displaced Objects: Methodology Matters, Heidi Lyn, Jamie L. Russell, David A. Leavens, Kim A. Bard, Sarah T. Boysen, Jennifer A. Schaeffer, William D. Hopkins

Sentience Collection

Displaced reference is the ability to refer to an item that has been moved (displaced) in space and/ or time, and has been called one of the true hallmarks of referential communication. Several studies suggest that nonhuman primates have this capability, but a recent experiment concluded that in a specific situation (absent entities) human infants display displaced reference but chimpanzees do not. Here we show that chimpanzees and bonobos of diverse rearing histories are capable of displaced reference to absent and displaced objects. It is likely that some of the conflicting findings from animal cognition studies are due to relatively …

Measuring Humaneness: Can It Be Done, And What Does It Mean If It Can?, John Hadidian, Bernard Unti, John Griffin

Humane Treatment of Animals Collection

Differences over what constitutes humaneness in the control of wildlife have traditionally presented a roadblock to understanding, not to mention agreement, between animal welfare and wildlife damage management professionals. Complaints that a proposed action or given program is not humane can refer to everything from specific techniques to broader administrative justifications. A number of concepts have been used to describe welfare standards and measurements, and different assessment metrics have been developed in attempts to bring objectivity to what might prove, in the end, to be an intractably subjective domain. Some of the most widely used and serviceable of the concepts …

Effect Of Confinement On Water-Borne And Whole Body Cortisol In Wild And Captive-Eared Rainbowfish (Melanoteania Duboulayi), Amina Zuberi, Culum Brown, Sinan Ali

Physiology Collection

Whole body and water-borne cortisol levels were measured in captive reared and wild Rainbowfish (Melanoteania duboulayi Castelnau 1878) subjected to social isolation by confining them in a beaker for 30 min to induce an acute stress response. Wild fish had higher levels of cortisol before and after exposure to a mild stressor and also showed the greatest stress response. The differences in stress responses are likely the result of artificial selection in the captive environment. Importantly, there was a strong linear relationship between whole body and water-borne cortisol in wild and captive reared populations (r² =0. 95 and 0.84, …

Population Genetic Structure Of Gray Wolves (Canis Lupus) In A Marine Archipelago Suggests Island-Mainland Differentiation Consistent With Dietary Niche, Astrid V. Stronen, Erin L. Navid, Michael S. Quinn, Paul C. Paquet, Heather M. Bryan, Chris T. Darimont

Population Distribution and Habitat Collection

Background: Emerging evidence suggests that ecological heterogeneity across space can influence the genetic structure of populations, including that of long-distance dispersers such as large carnivores. On the central coast of British Columbia, Canada, wolf (Canis lupus L., 1758) dietary niche and parasite prevalence data indicate strong ecological divergence between marine-oriented wolves inhabiting islands and individuals on the coastal mainland that interact primarily with terrestrial prey. Local holders of traditional ecological knowledge, who distinguish between mainland and island wolf forms, also informed our hypothesis that genetic differentiation might occur between wolves from these adjacent environments.

Results: We used microsatellite genetic markers …

Grizzly Bear Monitoring By The Heiltsuk People As A Crucible For First Nation Conservation Practice, William G. Housty, Anna Noson, Gerald W. Scoville, John Boulanger, Richard M. Jeo, Chris T. Darimont, Christopher E. Filardi

Wildlife Population Management Collection

Guided by deeply held cultural values, First Nations in Canada are rapidly regaining legal authority to manage natural resources. We present a research collaboration among academics, tribal government, provincial and federal government, resource managers, conservation practitioners, and community leaders supporting First Nation resource authority and stewardship. First, we present results from a molecular genetics study of grizzly bears inhabiting an important conservation area within the territory of the Heiltsuk First Nation in coastal British Columbia. Noninvasive hair sampling occurred between 2006 and 2009 in the Koeye watershed, a stronghold for grizzly bears, salmon, and Heiltsuk people. Molecular demographic analyses revealed …

Stress And Reproductive Hormones Reflect Inter-Specific Social And Nutritional Conditions Mediated By Resource Availability In A Bear–Salmon System, Heather M. Bryan, Chris T. Darimont, Paul C. Paquet, Katherine E. Wynne-Edwards, Judit E. G. Smits

Physiology Collection

Food availability can influence the nutritional and social dynamics within and among species. Our investigation focused on grizzly and black bears in coastal British Columbia, Canada, where recent and dramatic declines in their primary prey (salmon) raise concerns about potentially negative effects on bear physiology. We examined how salmon availability relates to stress and reproductive hormones in coastal grizzly (n = 69) and black bears (n = 68) using cortisol and testosterone. In hair samples from genotyped individuals, we quantified salmon consumption using stable isotope analysis and hormone levels by enzyme immunoassay. To estimate the salmon biomass available to each …

Chart: Us Slaughter Totals, Chickens 1960‐2013

Agribusiness Reports

No abstract provided.

Chart: Us Slaughter Totals, By Species (Excluding Chickens) 1960‐2013

Agribusiness Reports

These data do not include statistics on the slaughter of fish, crustaceans, rabbits, and other farmed animals for whom the USDA does not provide information, or on the slaughter of animals who are not farmed, such as equines. The USDA estimates that up to 2 million rabbits were slaughtered in 2001 in the United States. There is no more recent report than the 2002 Rabbit Industry Profile.

Chart: Us Slaughter Totals, By Species (Excluding Poultry) 1960‐2013

Agribusiness Reports

These data do not include statistics on the slaughter of fish, crustaceans, rabbits, and other farmed animals for whom the USDA does not provide information, or on the slaughter of animals who are not farmed, such as equines. The USDA estimates that up to 2 million rabbits were slaughtered in 2001 in the United States. There is no more recent report than the 2002 Rabbit Industry Profile.

Biosecurity Challenges Of Industrial Farm Animal Production

Agribusiness Reports

No abstract provided.

Welfare Of Non-Traditional Pets, Catherine A. Schuppli, David Fraser, H. J. Bacon

Wild and Exotic Animals as Pets Collection

The keeping of non-traditional or ‘exotic’ pets has been growing in popularity worldwide. In addition to the typical welfare challenges of keeping more traditional pet species like dogs and cats, ensuring the welfare of non-traditional pets is complicated by factors such as lack of knowledge, difficulties meeting requirements in the home and where and how animals are obtained. This paper uses examples of different species to highlight three major welfare concerns: ensuring that pets under our care i) function well biologically, ii) are free from negative psychological states and able to experience normal pleasures, and iii) lead reasonably natural lives. …

The Pit Bull's Discourse: An Examination Of Discursive Construction, Karen Jennings

Bridges: A Journal of Student Research

Since the early 1980s, news reporters have used the pit bull as a scapegoat to get media attention by plastering the frightening image of a snarling, bloody dog across all news outlets. Over the years, the pit bull's image has suffered major blows to its already battered reputation with every new "dog attack" news story published. Each reporter's word choice, in both past and present news stories, has an effect on the reader's perception of the topic. By analyzing several unrelated stories about pit bulls, both good and bad, I reveal how word choice alone shapes a reader's perception while …

Isoflupredone Acetate As Ancillary Therapy For Bovine Respiratory Disease In High-Risk Stocker Calves, Claire Crews, Jeremy Powell, Elizabeth Kegley, Jana Reynolds, Pete Hornsby

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is the most prevalent and devastating disease in U.S. feedlot cattle. This study evaluated the use of isoflupredone acetate in the treatment of BRD. Crossbred male beef calves (n = 192; body weight = 221 ± 3.9 kg) were acquired in two blocks from regional auction markets and transported to the University of Arkansas Stocker and Receiving Cattle Unit. Calves were observed daily for signs of respiratory illness. Antibiotic treatment was administered if calves displayed signs of respiratory illness and rectal temperature was ≥40 °C. Calves (n = 72) requiring antibiotic treatment were assigned randomly to …

Palatability Of Teff Grass By Horses, Rachel R. Cummins, Kenneth Coffey, Nancy Jack, Kathleen Jogan, Edward Gbur, Robert Rhein, Dirk Philipp, Melissa Adams, William Smith, Katherine Clayton

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Most forages commonly used to feed horses have potential detriments including blister beetles or excessive fiber concentrations. Teff grass (T), a warm-season annual forage, has the potential to be a good alternative for horses because of its lack of observed disorders. Our objective was to compare preference by horses for T harvested under different conditions with that of bermudagrass (B) harvested at two maturities. Six different forages were evaluated: T harvested at the late vegetative stage (TLV), at late bloom but that incurred 33 mm of rainfall between mowing and baling (TLBR), with caryopsis visible (TES), or at soft dough …

Growth And Mortality Of Ozark Bass (Ambloplites Constellatus) In Streams Of The Ozark Highlands, Ashley R. Rodman, Kristofor R. Brye

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

The Ozark bass (Ambloplites constellatus) is endemic to the Upper White River Basin, and a limited amount of information exists on the Ozark bass population, including growth and mortality characteristics. The purpose of this study was to determine growth and mortality of Ozark bass in the Upper White River Basin, compare growth of Ozark bass to other Ambloplites species, and compare growth and mortality of Ozark bass between sample sites. Sampling occurred in Crooked Creek and in the Lower Wilderness Area (LWA) of the Buffalo River, with multiple collections from each body of water. Sampling occurred during summer 2013 via …

Safety Of Improved Milbond-Tx Mycotoxin Binder When Fed To Broiler Breeders Above Recommended Levels, Michael Schlumbohm, Judy England, Rueben Kriseldi, C. Coon

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

An increasing concern in poultry nutrition is the effects of mycotoxins in contaminated grain. Several new products have come onto the market that chemically bind these toxins preventing mycotoxicosis. However, many of these products have not been tested for safety if accidently overfed to broiler breeders. In order to simulate a feed mixing error at a feed mill, Improved Milbond-TX® was overfed to broiler breeders to see if this would cause any negative effects on bird performance. A typical corn-soybean based diet supplemented with Milbond-TX mycotoxin binder at three different levels of inclusion (0%, 0.5%, and 1%) was fed to …

Steer Stress Response As Affected By Genotype And Transportation, Megan Wary, Marites Sales, Ben Williamson, Ken Coffey, Michael Looper, Charles Rosenkrans Jr.

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Bovine cytochrome P450 3A28 is responsible for metabolizing ergot alkaloids that cattle ingest when feeding on endophyte-infested tall fescue grass. The objective of this research was to determine associations among genotype, transportation, and stress responses. Angus crossbred steers (n = 47) were genotyped (CC, CG, or GG) for a single-nucleotide polymorphism (C994G) in cytochrome P450 3A28. Genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification followed by restriction enzyme (Alu1) digestion. Steers were backgrounded on a mixed-cultivar tall fescue pasture. Following the stocker phase, steers were transported to the feedlot for finishing. Stress responses were determined 27 h prior to, …