Animals

URBANA, Ill. – When the tree fell that October in 2015, the tropical giant didn’t go down alone. Hundreds of neighboring trees went with it, opening a massive 2.5-acre gap in the Panamanian rainforest.

Treefalls happen all the time, but this one just happened to occur in the exact spot where a decades-long ecological study was in progress, giving University of Illinois researchers a rare look into tropical forest dynamics.

URBANA, Ill. – When Matt Wheeler got the call on a Sunday morning in March – just two days after Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued his first stay-at-home order – he wasn’t expecting to launch an experiment that could save countless lives.

URBANA, Ill. – The prehistoric-looking alligator snapping turtle may be the largest freshwater turtle in North America, but that doesn’t make it easy to spot. The up-to-200-pound armored beasts have only been officially recorded in Illinois 16 times since the late 1800s. But, in a recent study, University of Illinois scientists have demonstrated an effective new method to detect the secretive reptiles in the wild.

URBANA, Ill. – Pet owners are increasingly treating their “fur-babies” like members of the family. In response, some pet food companies are developing diets that more closely resemble human food, incorporating human-grade meat and vegetable ingredients that pass USDA quality inspections. Until now, little research had been done on these foods.  A new study from the University of Illinois shows these diets are not only highly palatable, they are more digestible than originally estimated.

From mid-November 2015 through February 2016, scientists used GPS transmitters to track the movements of Canada geese near Midway International Airport in Chicago. They discovered that – in the colder months, at least – some geese are hanging out on rooftops, in a rail yard and in a canal close to Midway’s runways. This behavior increases the danger of collisions between geese and airplanes, the researchers say.
 

Read more from the University of Illinois News Bureau.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A new tool uses an interactive database of geographic and genetic information to help authorities quickly identify where the confiscated tusks of African elephants were originally poached.

Developed by an international team of researchers, the Loxodonta Localizer matches genetic sequences from poached ivory to those stored in the database. It relies on genetic information from a small, highly variable region of mitochondrial DNA from African elephants.

URBANA, Ill. – This year’s 2019 Celebrate Food and Agriculture festivities brought a new audience to the University of Illinois Stock Pavilion. The primary use of the Stock Pavilion is instructional but since its construction in 1912, it’s been one of the most versatile spaces on campus. With some recent upgrades, it was an ideal setting for alumni and friends of the College of ACES to gather for this year’s pre-game celebration.

URBANA, Ill. – Beef cattle producers could see greater profits in the finishing period with progressive limit feeding, according to research from University of Illinois scientists.

To help keep cattle healthy as they enter a feedlot, producers often feed less, or “limit-feed,” for a short time to allow the animal to adjust to the feedlot diet. The new research looks at the concept of progressively reducing feed intake throughout the diet-transition period, with the goal of maintaining a constant body size.

URBANA, Ill. – The new University of Illinois Feed Technology Center, currently under construction south of campus, will have a significant impact on research and educational opportunities in animal nutrition. Now, a gift from agricultural equipment company AGCO of three GSI 42’ – 15 ring bins with accessories including power sweeps, floors, fans, sidewall stairs and full peak walkaround, will expand those capabilities even further.

URBANA, Ill. – The amount of calcium in pig diets must be calculated precisely. Too much can decrease phosphorus digestibility and feed intake, leading to lower weight gain in pigs.