Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2023, Animal Sciences

Animals are often used as educational resources in post-secondary educational settings across the United States, especially in animal science curricula. Yet, little is known about the effect of student-animal interactions (SAI) on students' attitudes, curiosity, and empathy (ACE) towards animals or how their demographic backgrounds, past animal experience, and previous animal science coursework affect these areas. Moreover, while these SAI impact the animals used as educational resources, there is minimal understanding regarding their effect on the animals' welfare. Thus, this study aimed to (1) determine if animal sciences students' ACE responses toward animals changed over the course of the semester while identifying any demographic factors contributing to this change and (2) evaluate the emotional states of the animals used as educational resources through measurements of behavioral responses observed during SAI. This study was conducted at The Ohio State University during Autumn semester of 2022. A pre-course (n = 215) and post-course (n = 96) survey was administered to animal sciences students to collect self-reported demographic information, prior animal experience, prior animal science coursework, and ACE responses toward animals by species to determine if there was a change over the semester. Curiosity increased between the pre-course and post-course survey (p < 0.001), with students' attitude, experience, and perceived knowledge of animals (p < 0.001) providing plausible explanations. There was a strong positive correlation between the students' perceived knowledge of species and experience with species, indicating potential for further studies to assess changes in knowledge before and after working with animals (R = 0.793, p < 0.001). The emotional state of animals used as educational resources varied depending on the level of invasiveness of the activity as well as the length of SAI. Animals exhibited a higher frequency of negative emotional states during (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Kimberly Cole (Advisor) Subjects: Animal Sciences

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2015, Agricultural and Extension Education

Collegiate animal sciences curricula have incorporated livestock judging since the late 19th century. Methods to assess the value of livestock have become more precise than visual appraisal over time, which contributed to a de-emphasis on training for visually evaluating livestock quality. However, data-based livestock appraisal methods can lead to single-trait selection at the expense of immeasurable traits such as structural correctness, udder quality, animal health and well-being, and physical abnormalities. As a result, visual appraisal has remained a highly utilized and valuable livestock evaluation technique in order to minimize the impact of unintended consequences from objective-only measurement criteria. Therefore, livestock producers may want to consider using both visual appraisal and data-based criteria in selection decisions. Even so, there is increased economic scrutiny within higher education, which has compounded the pressure to evaluate the utility and cost effectiveness of academic programs such as collegiate livestock judging. The purpose of this study was to describe current sources of support and expenditures, anticipated support trends, and characteristics of collegiate livestock judging programs at four-year colleges and universities in the United States. This descriptive study used correlation and regression analysis to determine the association between livestock judging program support, expenditures, structural and demographic characteristics, and contest performance. The target population was comprised of livestock judging programs at four-year colleges and universities whose livestock judging teams had competed at the NAILE in 2012, 2013, or both years. Data collection was completed using an online survey instrument. Findings focused on sources of funding support and categories of expenditures of four-year college and university livestock judging programs, espoused stakeholder group support for livestock judging programs (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Robert Birkenholz (Advisor); Jeffrey King (Committee Member); Gary Straquadine (Committee Member) Subjects: Agricultural Education; Animal Sciences

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2012, Animal Sciences

Transient changes in silage dry matter (DM) concentration, if unaccounted for, will cause a diet to become unbalanced. We hypothesized that a transient decrease in silage DM concentration would have a negative effect on dry matter intake (DMI), milk yield and composition, and nutrient digestibility. Holstein cows (24) at an average of 116 days in milk were used in 8 replicated 3x3 Latin squares with 21-d periods. The treatments were 1) control, 2) unbalanced, and 3) balanced. The control diet was formulated to have a consistent forage:concentrate (F:C) of 55:45 on a DM basis throughout the period. The unbalanced and balanced diets were the same as the control diet for most of the period except during two 3-d bouts when water was added to the silage (simulating a rain event) to cause a 10%-unit decrease in silage DM concentration. During the bouts, the unbalanced diet was the same as control diet on an as-fed basis, but the F:C decreased to 49:51 DM basis, which reduced diet DM concentration (66.2 vs. 63.9%) and forage-NDF concentration (23.6 vs. 21.0%), and increased starch concentration (28.4 vs. 30.4%). The balanced treatment corrected for the change in silage DM concentration by an increase in wet silage inclusion to rebalance the F:C to 55:45 DM basis. Over the 21-d period, treatment did not affect DMI (24.0 kg/d). Milk production was greater for the unbalanced treatment than control (39.3 vs. 39.8 kg/d). DMI for the unbalanced treatment was less on one day only (d 12), and was greater on the day following both bouts (d 6 and 15). As-fed intake of both change treatments was increased during the bouts to maintain DMI, but took 1 d to respond during and after the bouts. Milk production of the unbalanced treatment was not less than the control treatment on any day, and was increased during and after the first bout (d 5 and 6). Milk production was less for the balanced treatment on d 14 when compared to the control treatment. DM and NDF digestibility were not affect (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: William Weiss Dr. (Advisor); Normand St-Pierre Dr. (Committee Member); Kristy Daniels Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Animal Sciences