No description available.

No description available.

Extensive investigations have been made of the oxygen end carbon dioxide content of water in which fishes live. A review of the literature, however, shows that these studies have not been made under controlled laboratory conditions dealing with the species studied in this investigation. It was the purpose of this study to determine the lowest concentration of dissolved oxygen that will support certain species of fishes and, also, the lethal effects resulting from increased carbon dioxide tension as determined under carefully controlled laboratory conditions.

The objectives of this study were to determine naturally occurring concentrations of vitamin A1 and A2 in selected native fishes and, under laboratory conditions, to determine the possible role of beta-carotene and lutein in the synthesis of vitamin A by goldfish. The native fishes were selected to exhibit different feeding habits and were taken from different habitats (stream vs. lake) during different seasons of the year. In the laboratory, two possible precursors, beta-carotene and lutein, were incorporated into the diet to determine the role of these substances in the synthesis of vitamin A. Species of fish differed in amounts of vitamin A1 and A2 by their ability to metabolize vitamin A from their environment. Seasonally, vitamin A1 and A2 were in highest concentration during the fall. Drake's Creek fishes had a higher concentration of vitamin A1 and A2 than did those from Rough River Lake; however, no significant difference was observed. Goldfish readily converted beta-carotene and lutein to vitamin A1 but only lutein conversion to vitamin A2 was suggested. Vitamin A1 conversion to A2 was also observed in this study.

Larval fish were studied on the Middle Fork of Drake's Creek from 18 March 1982 to 9 September 1982. A total of 6,057 individuals representing 28 species and six unidentified cyprinids was collected. Micropterus sp. was the dominant species representing 33% of the total. Most of the remaining taxa were,generally,equally represented. Juvenile banded sculpins were the first larvae observed -- followed by darters, suckers, minnows, and sunfishes. The percid species, logperch, greenside darter, and Etheostoma (Ulocentra), illustrated the longest spawning periods, their larvae being taken from 24 March to 8 July. Maximum species occurrence was observed from 7 July to 15 July when over 20 species of larvae were collected. Larvae avoided the stream current, selecting for low-flow shoreline habitat areas, with few larvae being taken in stream drift. Two-way analyses of variance showed significant differences in habitat selection by nine species of larvae. The two habitats having the highest larval abundance were an emergent vegetation shoreline area and a limestone rock outcrop.

The life history of the teardrop darter, Etheoctoma (Catonotus) barbouri Kuehne and Small, was intensively studied from September, 1972, through August 1973. A total of 299 teardrop darters was seined from two isolated populations in Alexander and Little Muddy Creeks, Kentucky. These darters are known only to occur in second, third or fourth order tributaries of the Green River in Kentucky and Tennessee, and normally seek protection afforded by rocky or vegetated edges of such streams. Gonosomatic ratios indicated that teardrop darters spawned from late March through late May in waters 12.5 - 15.5 C. Young females developed primary ova at a later date than did their older counterparts. Fry were first collected in late May in shallow riffles. Longer fish produced a greater number of mature eggs than did the shorter fish. Males were the predominant older fish; apparently few females survived to their second birthday. Length-frequency distributions and scale annuli readings inidcated three age groups - 0, I and II. Average standard lengths at these stages were 30, 41 and 46 mm. Darters gained the greatest percentage of weight during the second year of life. The faster-growing fish of Little Muddy Creek were shorter-lived than the slower-growing fish of Alexander Creek. The length-weight regression values of all fish, except female and non-sexed fish from Little Muddy Creek, were greater than 3.0. Coefficients of condition, lowest in the fall and highest in the spring months, indicated that slower-growing fish were slightly more plump than were faster-growing fish. Teardrop darters were carnivorous througout life. The most numerous food items ingested were cladocerans, chironomids, copepods and simullius. Chrironomid midge larvae were the most frequent food items ingested. Cannibalism did occur. Spring and winter months were periods of heaviest feeding. Alexander Creek darters were characterized by narrower ranges in number of fin spines and soft-rays, total and pored lateral line scales, and cephalic canal pores. One-half of the darters collected had "black-spot", Neascus of Crassiphiala bulboglossa, while about seven percent had internal mesentery nematodes (Contracaecum sp.), but harmful effects were not noted on the darters. Possible fish predators included the banded sculpin, grass pickerel and large creek chubs. Water snakes, snapping turtles, belted kingfishers and green herons may also have preyed on teardrop darters. Etheostoma barbouri occupied an ecological position most closely related to that of its darter associates. In conveniently shared the stream substrate with other darter species which were found most often in the deeper rocky portions of pools.

Two experiments were conducted to study the antibody response of pigs challenged with the general antigen sheep red blood cells (SRBC). In one experiment SRBC's were injected at one of four sties: intramuscularly into the neck, intramuscularly into the ham, subcutaneously into the fore flank or rear flank. These treatments were repeated four weeks later. The antibody responses to the four treatments were determined by microtiter and analyzed statistically. No significant (P> 0. 10) differences were found among responses to the four treatments during the fourth and eighth weeks after injections, but a significant (P<0.05) difference was found during the fifth week among all four groups. Coefficients of correlation showed highly significant (P<.0.01) relationships between SRBC antibody titer during the fourth week after injections and increase in weight of test animals from the beginning of the study until slaughter. In a second experiment pigs were given intramuscularly either 2 milliliters of a 5% or 4 milliliters of a 10% SRBC suspension to determine the optimum dosage level. The difference between the antibody responses to these two treatments was not significant (P)0.10). Results of this study indicate that when challenging hogs with SRBC, any of the commonly used sites for injection is acceptable. The injection of 2 milliliters of a 5% SRBC suspension is sufficient to obtain antibody titers which differentiate among individuals. Coefficients of correlation indicate a relationship may exist between SRBC antibody titer and some economically important traits.

An investigation into the genetic differences in the humoral immune response of swine following vaccination with a sheep red blood cell solution (SRBC) and a commercially prepared Pasteurella multocida (serotype A) bacterin (PmA) was conducted on a total of 268 pigs from two individual trials. This study was also conducted to evaluate the humoral immune response of pigs to a non-pathogen (SPEC) and a known pathogen to swine (PmA). The pigs used in the first trial were from 22 litters born between January 1991 and July 1991. The pigs consisted of Hampshire x Yorkshire (n=114), purebred Yorkshire (n=70) and Hampshire (n=17). Individual pigs were vaccinated at five and eight weeks of age with 2 ml of a 5% SRBC solution and 1 ml of a killed PmA bacterin. AL 11 weeks of age 8 uE of blood was collected frun each animal and serum prepared to determine antibody titer levels against the two antigens by agglutination methods. Pigs utilized in the second study consisted of purebred Duroc (n=11), Haupshire (n= 10), Landrace (n=12) and Yorkshire (n=11) and crossbred Hampshire X Durcc (n= 12) and Yorkshire X Landxace (n=12). Results of trial 1 indicate that breed of pig affected the immune response against both PmA (P<.01) and SRBC (P<.01), with the Hampshire x Yorkshire crossbred pigs having higher titer levels against the PmA than either Hampshire or Yorkshire purebred pigs. The purebred Hampshire were not statistically different from either the purebred Yorkshire or the Hampshire x Yorkshire crossbred pigs in their antibody response to SRBC; however, the Hampshire x Yorkshire crossbred pigs were statistically higher than the Yorkshire pigs. Results from trial 2 indicate highly significant (P<.01) breed differences in the humoral immune response to PmA. Purebred Landrace pigs were superior to both Duroc and Hampshire purebred pigs in their immune response to PmA. Purebred Yorkshire and crossbred Yorkshire X Landrace pigs were superior to purebred Durtcs in their immune response to PmA. NO other significant differences among breeds of pigs occurred in trial 2. A low positive correlation of .22 was found between the pigs' antibody responses to PmA and SRBC in trial 1. Correlation differences among breeds were found between average daily gain while an test and the humoral immune response to both PmA and SRBC. Results suggest that further studies into breed differences of the immune response in swine are warranted. Results also suggest that further studies are needed to evaluate sheep /Ed blood cells as a suitable antigen When conducting research to analyze the humoral immune response in swine.

The cattle shown at the prestigious All-American Angus Futurity were studied in order to evaluate the relationship between various body measurements. The measurements taken included wither height, hip height, body length, fat thickness,and weight. Also, these measurements were analyzed in order to determine if Angus cattle had gained in genetic frame size. Data were collected for the 805 animals shown in the years 1974 through 1978. The cattle were grouped into classes based upon sex and age prior to any statistical procedures being performed. Means of classes were used in order to evaluate sex differences and bulls were found to be larger for all measurements. A comparison of the linear measurements and fat thickness of the old bulls with the corresponding measurements in the young bulls was utilized in a study of the maturity patterns present in the cattle. Also, coefficients of correlation were determined for all possible measurement combinations. The fat measurement was found to be less related to weight than either body length or body height. Wither height was the measurement most closely related to weight. Wither height measurement was used in an analysis of variance of year effect on frame size. There were highly significant differences in wither height that could be observed in the yearly means. The change in wither height was positive and consistent over the five years studied. The cattle did not increase in weight to the same degree that wither height changed and the changes in the fat measurements were inconsistent. However, the largest framed, leanest heifers occurred in 1978. The coefficients of correlation determined in this study support the use of linear measurements and fat measurement in addition to, or as a substitute for, weight in making selection decisions. Also, the regression equations developed help document the idea that it is possible to accurately predict weight through the use of skeletal measurements and fat thickness. The findings support the hypothesis that Angus cattle have become genetically larger framed over the past five years.

Proteomic technology has been increasingly incorporated into agricultural research, as characterization of proteomes can provide valuable information for potential biomarkers of health and physiological status of an animal. As dairy cattle are a dominant production animal in the USA, their biofluids such as milk, blood, urine, and rumen fluid have been examined by proteomic analysis. The research outlined herein was performed to further characterize the dynamics of specific proteomes and relate them to dairy cattle physiology. The first experiment evaluated the diurnal dynamicity of the rumen metaproteome in Holstein dairy cattle. Rumen fluid was collected from three mid to late lactation multiparous dairy cattle (207 ± 53.5 days in milk) at three time points relative to their first morning offering of a total mixed ration (TMR) (0 h, 4 h, and 6 h after feeding). Samples were processed and labeled using Tandem Mass tagging before being further fractionated with a high pH reversed-phase peptide fractionation kit. Samples were analyzed by LC-MS/MS and statistically analyzed for variations across hour of sampling using the MIXED procedure of SAS with orthogonal contrasts. A total of 242 proteins were characterized across 12 microbial species, with 35 proteins identified from a variety of 9 species affected by time of collection. Translation-related proteins were correlated positively with increasing hour of sampling while more specific metabolic proteins were negatively correlated with increasing hour of sampling. Results suggest that as nutrients become more readily available, microbes shift from conversion-focused biosynthetic routes to more encompassing DNA-driven pathways. The second experiment aimed to characterize the milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) proteomes of colostrum and transition milk for comparison from multi- (n = 10) and primiparous (n = 10) Holstein dairy cattle. Samples were collected at four timepoints post-partum (milkings 1, 2, 4, and 14). After isolation of the protein lysates from the MFGM, proteins were labeled using Tandem Mass tagging and analyzed using LC-MS/MS techniques. Protein identification was completed using MASCOT and Sequest in Proteome Discoverer 2.2. Protein abundance values were scaled and analyzed using the MIXED procedure in SAS to determine the effect of parity, milking number, and parity x milking number, and the adaptive false-discovery rate (FDR)-adjusted P values were determined using the MULTTEST procedure of SAS. There were 104 proteins identified within the MFGM. Statistical analysis revealed that 44.2% of proteins were affected by parity, 70.2% by milking number, and 32.7% by the variable of parity x milking number. There was a two-fold difference in calcium sensing S100 proteins in cows differing in parity possibly due to the multiparous mammary gland being more adapted to the physiological demand of lactation or the lesser requirement of calcium in primiparous cows because of a lower production rate.