Browsing by Subject "livestock"
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Item College students?rceptions of the national animal identification system(2009-05-15) Long, Jeanie MarieThe purpose of this study was to determine awareness, knowledge, and perceptions of the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) among college students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University. Since the issue of a governmentsponsored electronic national identification system for livestock is relatively new, many pros and cons exist regarding increased biosecurity and increased surveillance by the government. While many adult producer groups have expressed their concerns over the implications of the proposed identification system, little attention has been focused on future producers?youth and college students. This study investigated how college students gathered information about livestock industry issues from mass media or other resources, and how the students? awareness and knowledge of the identification system influenced their perceptions of the NAIS. The sample population consisted of students enrolled in courses related to animal agriculture and production during the spring 2007 semester at Texas A&M University. Stratified random sampling was used to determine participants, and a total of 92 students responded to the survey. The strata were animal science majors and non-animal science majors, and upperclassmen and lowerclassmen. An online, self-administered survey was used to collect data from the participants. The survey consisted of close-ended and open-ended questions; a pilot study of students with similar majors and classification as the sample established face validity of the instrument. Descriptive statistics, correlations, and one-way ANOVA were used to examine the data. Major findings were that as a group, students were somewhat aware of the NAIS, and were knowledgeable of general NAIS concepts. Students disagreed with the statement that they are well-informed about the NAIS. Students? perceptions of the NAIS were positively associated with their awareness of the NAIS. Livestock leadership experiences (4-H or FFA membership, livestock show team member, exhibitor experience, and youth livestock organization member) had positive moderate correlations with NAIS awareness. Livestock exhibitor experience had a moderate correlation with perception of the NAIS. University professors, Internet, and family members were preferred information sources. Opinion leaders? influence as information sources affected students? awareness and perceptions of the NAIS. Cooperative Extension, private organizations, and university professors were all moderately correlated with students? awareness of the NAIS. University professors had a positive, yet low correlation with students? perceptions of the NAIS.Item Impact of undesirable plant communities on the carrying capacity and livestock performance in pastoral systems of south-western Uganda(Texas A&M University, 2004-09-30) Byenkya, Gilbert StevenThe impact of undesirable plant communities (Cymbopogon afronardus and woody species dominated by Acacia species) on livestock carrying capacity and performance was investigated on 15 farms in an Acacia/Cymbopogon dominated pastoral system of south-western Uganda. Species prevalence based on basal cover for grasses, frequency for forbs and effective canopy cover for trees/shrubs were determined on farms. The PHYGROW model was used to predict forage productivity for computation of carrying capacity. The NIRS/NUTBAL nutritional management system was used to determine cattle dietary CP and DOM through fecal scans and to estimate animal performance. Cymbopogon afronardus had a prevalence of 10.29% among the grasses while Acacia gerrardii (34.37%) and Acacia hockii (33.66%) were the most prevalent woody species. Forage productivity differed significantly among the farms with a mean long-term annual forage yield of 4560(SE+41) kg/ha. Farms infested with Cymbopogon and woody species produced the least amount of forage and therefore had the lowest carrying capacities (0.38 -0.39 AU/ha) while improved farms had comparatively higher forage yields with higher carrying capacities (0.49 - 0.52 AU/ha). A mean carrying capacity for the system was estimated at 0.44 AU/ha using a 25% harvest efficiency for ANPP. All the farms were overstocked, on average by 3.2 times. Livestock BCS, diet CP and DOM were significantly different (P<0.0001) among the different farm types. BCS were highest on improved farms and lowest on Cymbopogon infested farms while dietary CP and DOM values were lowest on improved farms and highest on farms with a high woody component. Farms with a relatively high woody component exhibited intermediate BCS despite the high dietary CP values. Cattle on Cymbopogon infested farms had consistently lower body weights over the months although there were no significant differences in daily live weight gains among farms. Recommendations included need for research into appropriate control measures for both Cymbopogon afronardus and woody species, farmer sensitization about overstocking, research to improve forage quality on improved farms and need for feed supplementation for improved breeds on improved farms. Integration of NIRS/NUTBAL and PHYGROW models into the research and management systems was desirable. The observed increase in Sporobolus spp. required investigation.Item Informal and formal channels of communication preferred and used in the adoption of ranching practices by livestock producers in the state of Nuevo Leon of northeastern Mexico(Texas A&M University, 2005-11-01) Lazenby, William LeeThis descriptive research was undertaken to investigate the preferred channels of communication used in the adoption of livestock production practices by ranchers in the northeastern Mexican state of Nuevo Le??n. The study builds on previous research by Freund (1999). Freund??s study concluded that ranchers in Nuevo Le??n preferred the Uni??n Ganadera as their primary source. However, the producers indicated some communication preferences that resulted in the Uni??n adjusting some of their efforts to reach out to their membership. This study was designed to revisit those livestock producers to investigate what changes had occurred in their preferences for communication since the Freund (1999) study. This research was conducted in the state of Nuevo Le??n, Mexico. The methodology used was a survey employing a questionnaire to collect data. The convenience sample consisted of 273 active members of the Uni??n Ganadera Regional de Nuevo Le??n (UGRNL) who attended regularly scheduled association functions. A principal objective of the research was to describe the communication infrastructure used in the state of Nuevo Le??n by UGRNL livestock producers. Another objective of the research was to describe preferred formal and informal channels of communication that livestock producers use to get information about ranching practices. Yet another objective was to describe what UGRNL livestock producers use as primary sources of information when choosing to adopt or reject agricultural practices, as well as investigating what secondary and feedback channels they prefer. Another objective was to determine which husbandry practices UGRNL livestock producers want more information about. Finally, an emphasis of the study was on what communication channels smaller stakeholders prefer, because the Uni??n wants to use that information to improve its diffusion of technology to that particular group of producers.Item Investigating the Operational Capabilities of Custom and Pedestrian Portal Monitoring Systems for Screening Livestock for Radioactive Contamination(2013-05-01) Erchinger, JenniferLivestock and companion animals are valuable economically and emotionally in the economy of many states and to their citizens. In a radiological emergency situation, the loss of a large amount of livestock could be devastating to a state or national economy. If such an event occurred, there are currently no screening and decontamination protocols for the handling of livestock. This research investigated current policies and procedures for monitoring and decontamination of livestock and companion animals, as well as testing pedestrian portal monitors and a newly designed livestock portal capable of radionuclide identification. It was discovered that only ten states addressed companion animals or livestock anywhere in their emergency planning. Of the ten, only North Carolina, Washington, and a Massachusetts K9 unit had detailed decontamination procedures to report for companion animals. None of the states included detailed procedures for livestock. To address livestock screening, three pedestrian portal monitoring systems were tested in the field and lab trials ? the Johnson AM801, TSA TPM903A, and Ludlum 52-1-1. The systems were tested for position and count rate sensitivity with 1 and 5 ?Ci 137Cs sources placed on four locations on a steer. Factors such as operability and ease of use were also considered. All three systems would alarm when a 5 ?Ci 137Cs source was used and the occupancy sensor was triggered. The Johnson AM801 system was determined to be the most appropriate for use in livestock screening due to sensitive alarm algorithms, greater position discrimination with four detectors, and ease of adjustment for agricultural purposes. The last phase of this project included designing and constructing a portal system that included radionuclide identification capabilities. An array of six sodium iodide detectors was mounted on a panel and field-tested beside a cattle chute and in a walkway. The custom portal, the Bovine Screening Portal (BSP), observed increased count rates (>10?) from a 5 ?Ci 137Cs source in live time. The BSP demonstrated better detection and localization of the source and spectral identification capabilities compared to the commercially available pedestrian systems.