Animal Science Professional Masters Projects

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https://hdl.handle.net/1813/55167

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Now showing 1 - 10 of 26

The Development of a Biosecurity Resource for Horse Farms in New York State
Robinson, Will (2024)
Hemp Seed Meal as an Alternative Protein Source in Growing Pigs Diet: a Pilot Study
Zhang, Yuxin (2024)
The overall goal of this pilot project was to assess the nutritional adequacy of hemp seed meal (HSM) for growing pigs. The objectives were to test the hypotheses that 1) voluntary feed intake in growing pigs fed diets containing 10 and 15% HSM will not differ compared to growing pigs fed diets containing soybean bean (SBM) as the main protein feed ingredient and 2) whole tract crude protein (CP) digestibility of a diet containing 10% HSM fed to growing pigs will not differ compared to pigs fed a diet containing SBM as the main protein feed ingredient. In the first study, six 54-kg barrows (Yorkshire × Landrace) were allocated to a repeated 3 x 3 Latin square design with 3 diets, 0% HSM (control), 10 and 15% HSM, and 3 periods. Feed intake did not differ between the HSM containing diets and control. Compared to control, ADG (1.35 kg/d) and gain:feed ratio (0.650) in pigs fed the 10% HSM diet did not differ and was greater (P < 0.05) compared to pigs fed 15% HSM (0.97 kg/d and 0.470). Compared to control, pigs fed the 15% HSM diet tended (P ≤ 0.1) to have a lower ADG and gain:feed ratio (0.470). The results show that pigs voluntarily accept diets containing HSM at an inclusion rate of 15% but have reduced growth performance compared to pigs fed diets containing 10% HSM or 0% HSM. In the second study, eight 73-kg barrows (Yorkshire × Landrace) were allocated to a randomized complete block design with 2 diets containing 0 and 10% HSM, and 2 blocks [light body weight (BW) and heavy BW]. Whole tract CP digestibility was determined using the indicator method and Cr2O3 as the inert marker. Whole tract CP digestibility between 10% HSM and control diets did not differ, with digestibility values of 75.15 and 76.21%, respectively. Additionally, initial and final BW, daily feed intake, daily gain, and gain:feed ratio did not differ between 10% HSM and control diets. The results of this studies indicate that growing pigs accept diets containing HSM up to 15% with no change in their voluntary feed intake and that HSM included at 10% does not impact whole tract CP digestibility of the diet, compared to conventional diets containing SBM as the main protein ingredient source.
Relationships of Rumination with Haptoglobin and Ketone Levels in Dairy Cattle
Dunseath, Sydney (2024)
The ability to diagnose and treat dairy cows before they are clinically sick is a crucial aspect of management within the dairy industry. With a growing focus around nutrition and the importance of rumination, there is greater improvement being made in dairy cow health. Rumination is a crucial aspect of cow health, as it can provide a lot of valuable information regarding a cow’s health and welfare status. Haptoglobin, an acute-phase protein, is a useful indicator of monitoring inflammation in cows, especially during the early postpartum period. High concentrations of haptoglobin in the blood are indicative of systemic inflammation, which can be caused by a number of diseases and disorders. Elevated circulating concentrations of ketones, most commonly measured as beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), are prevalent during the transition period in cows, as they are in a negative energy balance and mobilizing fat reserves. High BHB concentrations in the blood are indicative of greater risk for health disorders as well as decreased production and reproduction. Ketones and haptoglobin can be measured in numerous ways, but taking blood samples are a good way to test for the concentration of both in a cow’s body. In this study, blood samples were taken to analyze the concentration of Hp and BHB in 800 cows whose rumination data was collected from rumination collars. It was found that cows with relatively low Hp concentrations had higher rumination times compared to those who had higher Hp concentrations. There was no significant difference in rumination times between cows with low BHB concentrations and those with high BHB concentrations. Being able to detect diseases early is crucial for keeping cows healthy in the dairy industry, as well as beneficial for milk production and cow health. Improved rumination should be evaluated as a method of managing haptoglobin and ketone concentrations in the blood of dairy cows as a way of preventing and treating early incidences of disease.
Comparison of Two Intradermal Suture Patterns to Optimize Blood Flow in Feline Skin: A Within Animal Randomized Controlled Trial
Bayrakdarian, Sylvia (2024)
Given the propensity for wound dehiscence and decreased perfusion in the feline skin compared to other species, optimizing perfusion to the skin through surgical technique is critical. The standard continuous horizontal mattress intradermal pattern (SP) takes dermal bites close to and paralleling the wound edge, possibly limiting further perfusion, whilst the modified continuous Allgower-Donati pattern (mAD) takes dermal bites at 90 degrees to the wound edge, which may spare more capillary feeders. The study objective was to compare the effect of SP with mAD on acute changes in cutaneous perfusion in feline patients undergoing ovariohysterectomy. Feline patients were recruited from three animal shelters. Within each feline patient, the cranial half of the incision was randomized to SP or mAD, while the caudal half received the alternate pattern. Changes from baseline in cutaneous perfusion were measured for each pattern using Laser Doppler Perfusion Imaging. Analysis from thirty-two feline patients revealed significant differences. With mAD, cutaneous perfusion increased a mean of 59.7 ± 124.1 BPU from baseline, while SP showed a mean decrease of 20.2 ± 119.9 BPU (p<0.01). No feline patients re- presented for incisional complications. The findings show that a simple modification of the commonly performed intradermal pattern notably enhances cutaneous perfusion along the incision margin. Study limitations included the absence of active long-term follow-up due to the shelter setting and of perfusion measurement over a single period of time. Incorporating the modified continuous Allgower-Donati pattern into wound management protocols could be beneficial in feline patients at a high risk for wound dehiscence.
Associations between close-up dry period and postpartum health disorders for dry cows fed a negative dietary cation-anion close-up diet
Roquet Arroyo, Maria (2023)
The transition period is a vulnerable time for dairy cows since it requires enormous physiological adaptations. One of the biggest challenges cows face is an increased Ca demand at the onset of lactation. The inability of some cows to adequately regulate blood Ca concentrations leads to hypocalcemia. A common dietary strategy to prevent hypocalcemia is to decrease the dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD) of the prepartum diet. The degree and effectiveness of implementation of a DCAD diet is monitored using urine pH. Our objective was to establish if there are associations between close-up dry period herd average urine pH or urine pH coefficient of variation and postpartum health disorders. A total of 30 herds in the northeastern United States which feed a negative DCAD close-up diet to multiparous dry cows were enrolled. Urine samples from 12 to 16 multiparous close-up dry cows were collected from each farm, taken within 21 days of their expected due date. The prevalence of milk fever was associated with both average herd urine pH and urine pH coefficient of variation, such that there was an inverse relationship between average herd urine pH and urine pH coefficient of variation. The prevalence of culling within 30 and 60 days in milk was only negatively associated with average herd urine pH. These results suggest that by reducing urine pH coefficient of variation in the close-up dry cow pen, there is no need to induce extreme metabolic acidosis resulting in a very low urine pH. However, if a greater urine pH coefficient of variation is observed, a lower herd average urine pH should be targeted in order to minimize the prevalence of milk fever. These results indicate that herd average urine pH and the variation of urine pH measurements should be accounted for when considering the effectiveness of a negative DCAD diet fed to parous close-up dry cows.
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation Regulations and Comprehensive Nutrient Management Planning in New York State
Bass, Carly (2023)
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) are defined as animal farms, meeting certain animal number thresholds, that confine their animals to a non-pasture area for at least 45 days per year. In New York, dairy farms who do not discharge process wastewater from their production area and who confine 300 or more cows are considered a “medium” CAFO. Those same non-discharging operations, that confine 700 or more cows, are defined as “large” CAFOs. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a federal organization that has specific regulations that large CAFO farms must follow to minimize pollution of their surrounding environment. However, New York State has issued additional requirements, beyond what EPA requires, that regulate not only large but also medium CAFOs. In New York State, multiple federal and state organizations work together to create regulations and incentive programs that have shown to reduce the environmental footprint of animal feeding operations over time, reducing risk of impacts on water and air quality, while also supporting the production of high quality, nutritious food for human consumption. Here we outline a short history of CAFO regulations in New York State and describe the requirements and implementation approach for New York State dairy and livestock farms.
The Economic Value of Feed Shrink on New York Dairy Farms
Rapp, Evan (2023)
Dairy farms have become increasingly more expensive to operate, and with the cost of feed for cows as the single largest expense, it is crucial to examine the economics of feed shrink. Feed costs make up approximately 50% of operating costs on a dairy farm and are rarely monitored as they should be. Feed shrink in the animal agriculture industry is defined as “lost resources that never had the potential for economic return” (Greene, 2014). Shrink disappearance can occur in both forages and purchased commodity ingredients. Disappearance shrink may be observed by contamination, poor fermentation and management of forages, wind or other weather-related disappearance, and pest animals. “Feeder” shrink is caused by employee error and inaccuracy of feed ingredient utilization at the time of feeding. Farm location, feed center size, and storage type all can have a significant effect on the amount of both disappearance and feeder shrink. This project examined eleven New York dairy farms that agreed to have their businesses analyzed through an economic and operational lens. Farms ranged in size from 900 to 2000 milking and dry cows with a total exceeding 15,000. Each farm’s feed center is unique in size and setup in which some consist of a mix of upright grain bins and commodity sheds whereas some had solely one or the other. It was observed that all farms in this study were concerned about shrink on their respective dairy but had never deeply examined its effect on their profitability. This project aims to determine the economic value of shrink for purchased concentrate, commodities, and forages by storage type and as a whole. Once a value is identified, potential solutions will be offered to each specific dairy if deemed necessary based on the data provided. To understand the impact and severity of feed shrink, farms allowed the observation and collection of data from feeding software (FeedWatch or TMR Tracker) and forage yield data sets. Feed mills and commodity distributors shared delivery data to each farm for each of the purchased ingredients. The data was collected during the window of June 1, 2023, to July 18, 2023. Feeder error may also lead to compromised cattle health and production losses which will further negatively impact farm profitability. While this is tied to shrink and the economics of shrink, it was not examined in this project. The second aim of this project was to help client farms identify opportunities within individual ingredients to reduce shrink on their farms. This will be presented to each farm as a confidential report comparing their data to the rest of the study participants. This paper will discuss some of the individual farm’s data and why they may have varying levels of shrink compared to peers. The major findings from this 47-day study are as follows. All purchased feeds had an average of 5.42% combined total shrink in all storage types. All upright bins in this study had an average of 3.06% total shrink and an average of $1316 per farm during the study period. 3-sided commodity bays had an average of 8.06% total shrink and $5733 lost per farm. This amounts to an average cost of approximately $0.095/head/per day across all participant herds.
A Web Based Cat and Dog Nutrition Information Center
Zhu, Wanshi (2023)
The internet as a source of information on pet food products and pet nutrition is rising among the public. Access to reliable information is questionable and misunderstanding of the information presented on pet food labels have led to misconceptions about commercial pet food products. This project aimed to bridge this gap by developing a web-based platform dedicated to providing reliable information on pet food products and nutrition of cats and dogs. A web structure was designed using a mind map model, and a survey for pet owners was created with the objective of gathering current information on the sources of nutrition information sought after from cat and dog owners. The survey was approved by the Institutional Review Board for Human Participant in Research at Cornell University and will be tested among the Cornell University community prior to being administered to the wider population. Some of the fundamental information on pet nutrition and a section on pet nutrition myths was created the website content. The collected data from the wider survey of pet owners will guide the development of tailored web contents. Ultimately, this web-based nutrition information center will provide pet owners with factual and science-based information on pet nutrition.
Exploring Cost-to-Produce through an Equine Farm Model
Garman, Kendon (2023)
The purpose of this project was to build a tool that would find the production cost of farm-produced product. This was done by using the Microsoft Excel program to build an interactive tool using expense and income inputs from farms to create a scenario farm to test the tool. A horse farm that would produce lessons was selected for the scenario. Throughout the process of building the model, the importance of good recordkeeping, even for intricate operation costs, was noticed as profits were observed to be lost quickly without the farm management being aware. For the farm scenario, the cost to produce a lesson was predicted to be $54.30. The knowledge of the production cost helped set expense budgeting and other income pricing for the farm in the scenario.
Effects of Nutrient-Restriction on Glucose Tolerance in Periparturient Ewes
Wei, Yuhan (2023)
The effect of plane of nutrition on metabolism has been an important topic of discussion in ruminants from late pregnancy to early lactation. Lactation represents a unique state of homeorhesis, where metabolism is coordinated to support the mammary gland's energy demands for milk production. The intricate physiological adaptations that lactating ruminants undergo involves the development of insulin resistance. Insulin resistance emerges as a pivotal mechanism that ensures glucose partitioning toward the mammary gland, a process facilitated by insulin-independent glucose transporters. While much is known about these mechanisms in nonruminants and early lactation cows, this study shifts the focus to ewes during the transition from late gestation to early lactation. This critical period is marked by significant physiological changes, yet the precise factors triggering insulin resistance and the influence of plane of nutrition remain elusive. To address these gaps, the research aims to elucidate the relationship between plane of nutrition and changes in glucose tolerance in late gestation and early lactation ewes. By unraveling these intricate interactions, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of the physiological adaptations that underlie successful lactation in ruminants.

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