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Increasing reproductive efficiency and progeny performance through improved embryonic and genetic selection in cattle
Get PDFA series of studies were completed to determine if reproductive efficiency and offspring performance could be improved through the implementation of a novel method of embryonic selection and the proliferation of a desirable genotype in cattle. The first study evaluated the effectiveness of an Embryo Chamber to distinguish between viable and nonviable bovine embryos based on specific gravity of the embryo. In this study, 19 in vitro produced (IVP) and 15 in vivo derived (IVD) Grade 1 embryos were individually placed into a 0.5 mL semen straw of media and allowed to descend through the Embryo Chamber. Descent time through a vertical, one-centimeter timing region was recorded, and embryos were removed from the chamber and either transferred into recipient females or cryopreserved and transferred at a later date. In order to determine if Embryo Chamber evaluation had an effect on pregnancy status, 27 IVP and 12 IVD, Grade 1 embryos that were not evaluated with the Embryo Chamber were also transferred into recipient females at the time of project embryo transfer. Pregnancy was later determined via rectal ultrasound and recorded. There was no significant difference in conception rates between embryos evaluated with the Embryo Chamber and those not evaluated with the Embryo Chamber, indicating that chamber analysis had no negative impact on viability of both IVP (P = 0.54) and IVD (P = 0.93) embryos. Of the 34 total embryos evaluated with the Embryo Chamber, 22 resulted in successful implantation and pregnancy, with 13 pregnancies (68.4%) by IVP embryos and 9 (60%) by IVD. There was no difference in average descent time of pregnant and non-pregnant embryos for IVP (P = 0.54) or IVD embryos (P = 0.24). When divided into groups according to descent time, 32% of all observations for IVP embryos occurred between 30 to 50 s with a 66.7% conception rate, and 42% occurred between 70 to 90 s with a 75% conception rate (P = 0.85). For IVD, 60% of all observations occurred between 90 to 110 s, with a conception rate of 66.7% (P = 0.35). Analysis of the correlation between descent group and pregnancy outcome or descent time and pregnancy outcome showed no strong correlation for either production method. Though not significant, the trends highlighted in this data lend support to previous research with variations of the Specific Gravity Device. Further research is needed to thoroughly evaluate the potential of this technology as a method of noninvasive assessment of embryo quality.
The second study evaluated the merit of an F1 USDA Prime, Yield Grade 1 carcass clone sire as a terminal sire in the beef x dairy production system. In this study, the clone sire, AxG1, and a purebred Angus reference sire, Foundation, were bred to dairy cows (n = 1,430) at a commercial Jersey dairy in the Texas Panhandle. Performance data from resulting offspring of these matings was collected and analyzed to assess differences in performance between the two sires. Post-partum dam data was also collected to determine if there were any negative impacts of sire on the subsequent reproductive performance of the dams. Conception rates were 39% for AxG1 and 30% for Foundation (P < 0.01), and average gestation length was 284 d for AxG1 and 280 d for Foundation, respectively (P < 0.01). Calves sired by Foundation reported a lower average birth weight than those sired by AxG1 (32.62 and 35.00 kg; P < 0.01), with no difference in calving ease score (P = 0.24). Calves sired by AxG1 were heavier than Foundation calves at 60 d (72.46 and 72.01 kg; P < 0.01), with no difference in weight at 120 d (108.03 and 108.12 kg; P = 0.97). However, calves sired by Foundation had significantly higher average daily gains from 0 to 60 d (P = 0.09) and tended to have higher gains from 0 to 120 d (P < 0.01). Sire had no effect on total morbidity (P = 0.25) or mortality (P = 0.15), while also having no significant impact on post-partum reproductive performance of dams. These data suggest that AxG1 performed comparably as a terminal sire when mated for beef x dairy composite production
Integrated Science Teaching in Atmospheric Ice Nucleation Research
No full textLab studyTo integrate research and education in atmospheric ice nucleation, which is an important phenomenon potentially influencing global climate change, we developed a lab experiment-based module and problems. Our primary goal was to promote meaningful laboratory exercises to enhance the competence of students in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) by applying an appropriate methodology to laboratory ice nucleation measurements. To achieve our goal, we tested our modules with >15 STEM interns in 2017-2021 and trained them on how to experimentally simulate atmospheric ice nucleation and cloud droplet freezing. For practical training, we used a simple freezing assay device called the West Texas Cryogenic Refrigerator Applied to Freezing Test (WT-CRAFT) system. We provided hands-on lessons with students to let them calibrate WT-CRAFT with deionized ultrapure water and apply analytical techniques to understand the physicochemical properties of bulk water and droplet freezing. All procedures to implement our modules were typewritten during this process, and shareable read-ahead exploration materials were developed and compiled as a curricular product. We also examined potential artifacts in water freezing. As for the data analysis, students learned how to analyze droplet freezing spectra as a function of temperature, screen/interpret the data, perform uncertainty analyses, and estimate ice nucleation efficiency using some computer programs. Overall, we comprehensively achieved our goal by training students to 1) improve their problem-solving skills by combining information, 2) apply numerical approximations to exact mathematical solutions, and 3) disseminate data and results with variability and uncertainty. Our modules can be applied at any primary undergraduate (or any larger) institutes to advance a college curriculum in environmental science
ANALYZING INDOOR AIR QUALITY FOR PM 2.5, SECONDHAND SMOKE, INSECTS, AEROALLERGENS AND TESTING THE EFFICIENCY OF NANOTECHNOLOGY BASED AIR PURIFIERS IN MITIGATING THESE IRRITANTS
No full textA good air quality is essential for good health as well as to prevent the spread of diseases. In recent years, people spend 90% of their time indoors. Thus, exposure to pollutants in both occupational and residential environments have drawn much attention due to their health impacts (e.g., infections, respiratory diseases, allergies, and cancer). Indoor air can contain aeroallergens and PM 2.5 (Particulate Matter 2.5 μm). PM 2.5 is a mixture of solid and liquid particles that are suspended in the air. They can be of biological or non-biological origin. It can be composed of metals, products from fuel combustion, dust, spores and pollen and other substances. PM 2.5 can infiltrate from outdoor to indoor and some household activities like cooking, burning of wood, incense sticks, candles and smoking can also add up to indoor PM 2.5. Particulate matter with such lesser aerodynamic diameter poses a greater respiratory risk factor due to its propensity to reach deep down the lungs and enter into the bloodstream. PM 2.5 has been increasing alarmingly in all the major cities of the world. Thus, to mitigate indoor PM 2.5 concentrations, Advanced Hydrated Photocatalytic Oxidation (AHPCO®) and Air For Life Photocatalytic Oxidation (AFLPCO) technology based air purifiers were tested. It was found that AHPCO® technology could cause decay of PM 2.5, 3 times faster than the natural degradation process. Thus, reducing the time of exposure to PM 2.5 for the residents. In further experiments, it was also found that these air purifiers were even effective against high concentration (2000 μg/m3) of PM 2.5 under continuous airflow. Another most dreaded class-A carcinogen and avoidable indoor pollutant is Secondhand smoke (SHS). In the present work, the effect of SHS on PM 1, PM 2.5 and PM 5 concentration was studied. It was found that SHS increased the indoor PM 2.5 concentration by 20 times and PM 5 concentration by about 50 times. The air purifiers under the study were able to decrease the SHS generated PM 2.5 by 50% and PM 5 by 80%. Also with the air purifiers, the rate of decay of PM was also increased. Besides the effect of the air purifiers on the pollutants, the insect-repellent property of the air purifiers was evaluated using fruit flies as a model organism
A Story Well Told: Developing Journalism Competencies Through an Experiential Learning Multimedia Project
Get PDFQualitative- journal entries, progress report updates, peer critiques, and focus groupThe journalism experiential learning project presented in this study results from an innovative, collaborative approach to experiential learning designed to develop the students' understanding of current trends in content production using various media, including audio, video, photography, data visualization, and text. Two professors, teaching two different journalism courses, developed a semester-long project that required students to produce a multimedia package in partnership with a student from the opposite course. This research explores the implications of incorporating experiential education as a pedagogical approach in journalism education at the university level to develop journalism competencies. This study also extends on Guo and Volzâ's theoretical framework of Professional Competencies in Broadcast Journalism and the Pyramid of Journalism Competence developed by Poynter's Institute Roy Peter Clark by proposing a Competency-Based Framework for Journalism Education with four dimensions of competencies- knowledge cognitive, functional competence, personal/behavior competence, and values/ethical competence-and ten competencies expected from journalism education-news judgment, reporting and evidence, language and storytelling, analysis and interpretation, numeracy, technology, audio-visual, civic literacy, cultural literacy, and mission and purpose-outlined under each dimension. The study is under the data interpreting stage. The researchers have collected all the data and transcribed the audio from the focus group. The next step is to conduct a thematic analysis to determine how participants perceive their journalism competencies resulting from the experiential learning project and how the experience has informed the student's understanding of journalism. The researchers expect the results to indicate that students mention competencies under the knowledge/cognitive and practical dimensions. The researchers also expect that the experience has led students to gain news understandings of the field of journalism. The results of this study will contribute to the research in journalism education by presenting a model of experiential learning focused on developing journalism competencies
BUILDING A COHESIVE RURAL CAMPUS: IMPORTANT TRUST FACTORS BETWEEN PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS
No full textScholarly Delivery Framework. The research focus of this scholarly delivery is trust between a principal and teachers. The first scholarly deliverable is a case study article that could be used for teaching doctoral or master’s andidates in the field of educational leadership. The title of this article is “Gaining Trust: A Case Study of Relationship Building between the Single
Campus Administrator and Teachers.” The case represents how hiring a principal who can build trust between the two different groups of teachers can improve the morale and performance of a PreK-12 school. The final scholarly deliverable is an empirical article.
The title is “Building a Cohesive Rural Campus: Important Trust Factors between Principals and Teachers.” The case study is about the factors that are important to build trust between a principal and the teachers on campus. The study looked at the factors from the teachers’ perspectives as well as the principal’s perspective
Leadership Practices: A Scholarly Deliverable
No full textThe research focus of the scholarly delivery is leadership practices of principals. The first scholarly deliverable is a case study article that can be used for teaching doctoral or master’s candidates in the field of educational leadership. The title of this article is “Who Made That Rule? A Saga of the Bold and the Beautiful[ly Compliant]”. The case represents the role of beliefs in the decisions principals make related to student learning. The final scholarly deliverable is an empirical article that focusses on spiritual practices of campus leadership. The title of this article is “Soulful Leadership: Spiritual Practices of Principals”
INTRANASAL OR PARENTERAL RESPIRATORY VACCINATION UPON ARRIVAL OR DELAYED IN FEEDLOT HEIFERS
Get PDFModified-live virus (MLV) vaccines are used routinely to immunize cattle against bovine respiratory disease agents, but the route and timing of MLV administration may impact their safety and efficacy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of an intranasal or parenteral MLV administered on d 0 or 28. Three arrival blocks of heifers (initial BW = 208 kg; n = 600) were randomly assigned to treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. The generalized complete block design consisted of 15 pens per treatment with pen as the experimental unit and 10 animals per pen. Treatments were: 1) Nasalgen 3 and Vista BVD on d 0 (NAS0); 2) Vista 5 SQ on d 0 (VIS0); 3) Nasalgen 3 and Vista BVD on d 28 (NAS28); 4) Vista 5 SQ on d 28 (VIS28). Performance, activity, and health data were analyzed using a mixed model in SAS and a subset of 3 cattle per pen were selected for antibody titer analyses with repeated measures. Body weight and blood samples were collected on d 0, 28, and 56. No differences existed for performance outcomes (P 0.19). Activity (351.4 vs 354.3 min/d) and rumination (282.6 vs 285.4 min/d) time was less (P < 0.01) for delayed vs arrival vaccinated heifers. A timing vaccine day interaction existed (P < 0.01) for BRSV- and IBRV-specific antibody titers; VIS28 had the greatest (P < 0.01) BRSV antibody titer on d 56. For IBRV antibody titer on d 28, VIS0 was greatest, NAS0 was intermediate, and VIS28 and NAS28 were least (P < 0.01). Percentage of chronically ill cattle were reduced for arrival vs delayed (1.3 vs 4.7%; P = 0.02) and tended (P = 0.06) to be less for VIS vs. NAS (1.7 vs 4.3%). Arrival vaccinated heifers had a reduction in antimicrobial treatment cost (7.31; P = 0.02). These data indicate improvement in some health outcomes for the parenteral route and arrival timing of MLV respiratory vaccination, but performance was not affected during the feedlot receiving period
COMPARING VARIOUS FIBER SOURCES THROUGH MEASURING RUMINATION IN FINISHING BEEF CATTLE
Get PDFThree studies were conducted to evaluate the impact of different fiber sources and their impacts upon growth performance, carcass characteristics, and rumination characteristics of feedlot steers. The first study evaluated the effect of roughage source on rumination time and growth performance response in finishing beef steers. We hypothesized that roughage source would not affect rumination time and growth performance because dietary neutral detergent fiber (NDF) was similar across treatment diets. Steers consumed a steam-flaked corn-based diet containing corn stalks (CS), cotton burrs (CB), or wheat silage (WS) as the roughage source included at 7% dietary dry matter basis (DMB). Diets were formulated to contain similar total dietary NDF concentrations across treatments. Each steer was fitted with a sensory collar to record daily rumination. Weekly ingredient and diet samples were sieved to estimate physically effective NDF (epeNDF) using the Penn State Particle Separator. Actual physically effective NDF (apeNDF) was calculated based on rumination time. Neither initial nor final body weight (FBW) differed among treatments (P > 0.52); however, gain to feed (G:F) tended to differ (P = 0.06) among treatments, with CS having the greatest G:F compared to CB and WS. Dietary NDF and epeNDF did not differ (P ≥ 0.35) among diets; however, CB had the least apeNDF (P < 0.01), which was an outcome of less rumination time (P < 0.01). The CB daily rumination was 30% less than CS and WS. The peNDF value calculated from the Penn State Particle Separator (PSPS) overestimates the rumination potential of CB, CS and WS in feedlot finishing diets containing low (7%; DMB) roughages. The second study was conducted in tandem with the first study and utilized the same diets. We hypothesized that roughage source would not impact rumination time and ruminal pH if different roughage sources provided similar dietary NDF. This
experimental objective was to evaluate rumination time and ruminal pH of beef steers consuming finishing diets with one of three roughage sources (CS-R, CB-R, or WS-R). Ruminal pH was measured using a handheld pH probe inserted through the ruminal cannula of each steer on d 21 of each period at 0, 3, 6, 12, and 24 h post-feeding. Dry matter intake dietary NDF, or epeNDF did not differ (P > 0.36) among dietary
treatments. However, apeNDF and rumination time differed (P < 0.01) amongst treatments along with rumination time; CB had the lowest apeNDF, consistent with lower rumination time. However, ruminal pH did not differ among dietary treatments (P = 0.34). These results indicate that roughage source impacted rumination time despite feeding steers a steam-flaked corn-based finishing diet with similar roughage inclusions and dietary NDF levels, therefore, indicating a difference in physical structure of roughage sources.
The final study evaluated the effects of dried distiller’s grains with solubles
(DDGS) had on rumination and nutrient digestibility of steers fed a steam-flaked cornbased finishing ration. We hypothesized that DDGS concentration would not affect total daily rumination of finishing steers and that replacing SFC with DDGS would increase ruminal pH. Our objective was to evaluate rumination behavior and ruminal characteristics of beef steers fed steam flaked corn (SFC) based finishing diets with 15, 20, or 25% DDGS. To achieve isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets, SFC, soybean meal and corn oil were replaced with DDGS. Total daily rumination and rumination per kg of nutrient intake along with epeNDF, apeNDF, and ruminal pH did not differ across dietary inclusion of DDGS (P ≥ 0.14). Total ruminal VFA concentration (mM) tended to be greater (P = 0.07) for steers consuming 15 or 20% DDGS than steers consuming 25% DDGS. Fecal NDF output tended to differ (P = 0.07) among diets; as dietary DDGS inclusion increased, fecal NDF increased. Apparent total tract organic matter digestibility (OMD) tended to differ (P < 0.07) across diets; OMD decreased in a linear (P = 0.03) trend as DDGS inclusion increased. This data suggests that DDGS may increase ruminal pH through means other than increasing peNDF, such as starch dilution
Latinx Student Success: Rural Schools and Social Networks
Get PDFPurpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the strategies that principals of high-performing rural schools use to increase the academic achievement of Latinx students. Therefore, rural school leaders are challenged to implement effective strategies including utilizing social networks. Research Method: In this qualitative, multiple case study, interviews were conducted with five rural secondary school principals in Texas. Findings: The findings in this study indicated that rural principals contributed their student success to (a) support/resources, (b) communication, (c) relationships, (d)
involvement, (e) collaboration/partnerships, and (f) rural setting characteristics. Conclusion: Findings suggest that principals value and nurture relationships between community organizations, their students’ families, and their faculty. Developing these strong relations was ‘the basis for their student success
Experimental Salt Gradient Solar Pond for Heat Storage and Solar Distillation
Get PDFAbstract
A Salt Gradient Solar Pond is a shallow body of water that collects and stores solar energy. Salt Gradient Solar Ponds consist of 3 layers The Upper Convective Zone (UCZ), The Non – Convective Zone (NCZ), and Lower Convective Zone (LCZ). Sunlight passes through the UCZ and moves through the NCZ where it is then stored as heat energy in the LCZ. Salt Gradient Solar Ponds can be used for many applications such as industrial process heating, space heating, desalination, and electricity production. Salt Gradient Solar Ponds offer an attractive option with growing concerns about Greenhouse gas emissions and freshwater availability. Today it is estimated that 10,000 tons of oil are used to produce 1,000 cubic meters. This research focuses on using an idealized Salt Gradient Solar Pond with a transparent plastic cover acting as the UCZ using produced brine water from the Maybee Ranch for the NCZ and LCZ layers