Erin A. McKenney
Coauthors: Audrey O’Nan¹, Sarah J. McLeod¹, Melissa Ashwell¹, Joanna Lambert & Vivek Fellner¹
Graduate Programs: Animal Science¹ & Anthropology, University of Texas at San Antonio²
Advisors: Vivek Fellner & Melissa Ashwell
Poster Number: 110
Title: Microbial fermentation and ecology in Primate and Carnivore species
Abstract: Nutrition, as a form of preventative medicine and a foundation for good health, has great importance for health in zoo settings. Microbial populations play a key role in the process of digestion for nutrient use by the animal. Differences in the diversity and fermentation activity of microbial populations associated with specific animal hosts arise from dissimilar diets and divergent phylogenies.
This project aims to compare the community composition and fermentation activity of gastrointestinal bacteria found in |
|
Gorilla gorilla (n=3) [gorilla], Pan troglodytes (n=12) [chimpanzee], Papio hamadryas (n=17) [Hamadryas baboon], and Arctictis binturong (n=10) [the Binturong, also known as the Asian Bearcat, the Palawan Bearcat].
|
All animals within each species were fed a different fixed diet for two weeks prior to sample collection. Fecal specimens were collected within two hours of defecation and placed into pre-warmed vacuum Thermos® flasks and immediately transported to the lab. Fresh pooled
|
fecal inoculums were added to pre-weighed diet substrate and incubated at 37°C for 24h. Fermentation products were measured and analyzed using the proc mixed procedure in SAS (Cary, NC). DNA was extracted from frozen fecal samples and pooled across individuals. A region of the cpn60 gene from the bacterial species was sequenced for species identification. Phylogenetic trees were compiled using the PHYlogeny Inference Package (PHYLIP), and biodiversity indices were used to quantitatively compare the microbial population compositions. Significant differences were observed across species for volatile fatty acid (P<0.0001) and methane (P<0.001) production, as well as neutral detergent fiber (P<0.05) and dry matter (P=0.0001) digestibility. Preliminary data suggests dissimilar microbial communities across species. While the composition of diets offered may contribute to differences in fermentation, the trends seen in our microbial diversity data suggest inherent microbial patterns are associated with energy requirements of the host. This link between patterns of energy usage and host-specific endosymbionts is consistent with previous findings in humans and non-human primate species.
|
Keena A.E. Mullen
Coauthors: Leslie C. Gentry², Roberta L. Lyman³, Steven P. Washburn¹ & Kevin L. Anderson³
Graduate Programs: Animal Science¹; College of Veterinary Medicine²; Population Health & Pathobiology³
Advisors: Steven P. Washburn & Kevin L. Anderson
Poster Number: 123
Title: Comparisons of udder health and milk quality in North Carolina organic and conventional pasture-based dairy herds
Abstract: This observational study compared milk quality and herd health management of 7 organic and 7 conventional dairies in North Carolina. Published comparisons between organic and conventional dairy systems with regard to milk quality are sparse for the southeastern region of the United States. Management practices vary between organic and conventional dairies because of differences in farming philosophy and in government regulations. Organic dairies are prohibited from using certain drugs and antibiotics that are commonly used on conventional dairies. The objective of this study was to elucidate the relationship between management type and milk quality. Each dairy owner filled out a questionnaire regarding specific management practices. To assess milk quality, milk samples were aseptically collected from each quarter of each cow in the milking herd at the time of sampling and somatic cell scores were obtained for individual cows. A total of 4988 quarter milk samples (2608 conventional, 2380 organic) were collected from 1247 cows (652 conventional, 595 organic).
Milk samples were cultured and bacterial growth was identified using protocols consistent with those of the National Mastitis Council. The proportion of cows with positive
|
|
microbiological results did not differ (p>0.10) between organic (56.1%) and conventional (52.9%) dairies. However, differences in species present in positive cultures were observed: conventional herds had significantly more (p<0.01) coagulase-negative staphylococci infections per cow whereas organic herds had more Corynebacterium sp. (p<0.01) and Staphylococcus aureus (p<0.01) infections per cow. Conventional herds did have a lower proportion of infected quarters (27.0% versus 36.3%, p<0.001). Somatic cell scores did not differ between organic (3.0 ± 0.1) and conventional (3.0 ± 0.1) herds. Despite differences in herd management, milk culture results and SCS measurements were remarkably similar between organic and conventional NC dairies compared for this study.
|
Yan Zhao
Graduate Program: Animal Science
Advisor: Sung Woo Kim
Poster Number: 193
Title: Effect of gestational housing systems on reproductive performance and oxidative stress status of sows during gestation and lactation
Abstract
Gestational housing system of sows has received increasing criticism from the public in the USA. However, few studies did integrated evaluations of gestational crates and pens. In this study, two types of gestational housings were used to evaluate the effects on reproductive performance, physiological status, and behavior of sows during gestation and lactation. Ninety six multiparous sows were randomly assigned either to group pen (PEN) or individual crate (CON) on d 35 of gestation. Behaviors of sows were recorded and observed for the first 4 d after treatment assignment. One week before farrowing, sows were 17 moved to individual farrowing crates. Sows were weighted on d 35 and 109 of gestation, and d 1 and 18 of lactation. Jugular blood was collected from each sow on d 35, 60, 90, and 109 of gestation, and d 3 and 18 of lactation. Plasma malonedialdehyde, protein carbonyls, 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine, immunoglobulin G, and immunoglobulin M were quantified. Litter size and piglet weight were recorded on d 1 and 18 of lactation. Sows in PEN gained less BW (P < 0.05) than sows in CON during gestation. Sows in PEN tended to have smaller (P = 0.069, 0.096) litter size than sows in CON on d 1 and 18 of lactation. Sows in PEN tended to have less (P = 0.089) litter weight than sows in CON on d 1 of lactation. Plasma concentration of protein carbonyl of sows on d 90 of gestation in PEN tended to be greater (P = 0.098) than sows in CON. The eating time of sows in PEN tended to be less (P = 0.060) than sows in CON. In conclusion, sows had reduced reproductive performance when housed in pens during gestation, and sows housed in pens had increased protein oxidative damage during late gestation than sows housed in crates.
|
|
|