Wolf Park

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (MHP) infection occurs globally and contributes to economic losses. Acute infections occur in immunologically naive populations affecting pigs of all ages and causing clinical signs including fever, coughing, acute respiratory distress, and death. An acute MHP infection was investigated in a naive 4200-sow breed-to-wean herd. An increase in sow mortality (4.16%, 8.33%, and 3.89%) and preweaning mortality (10.45%, 12.38%, and 12.06%) occurred when comparing the naive, acute infection, and post-infection periods, respectively. Further production differences included 166.3, 158.3, and 164.2 kg weaned/sow/year and 29.43, 28.35, and 28.28 pigs weaned/mated female/year in naive, acute infection, and post-infection periods, respectively.

Wild mammal survival rarely approaches ages that are possible in genomic terms. Thus, sheltered environments present unique opportunities to study wild mammal aging and compare aging related disorders to those of similar domestic animals. We evaluated two aged red fox vixens that had lived in a park setting where they were not caged, and were provided an environment that reflected a natural setting as closely as possible, while providing for proper nutrition and health care. During their 14

Abstract Raised‐leg urinations were performed almost exclusively by dominant male and female wolves (Canis lupus). The alpha male and female in two captive groups showed full raised‐leg urinations (RLUs) throughout the year. Each alpha male and female sniffed and marked on one another's marks frequently; however, the pair that bred did more marking and more double marking. They increased their marking frequency prior to and during the breeding season, decreased it at the time of parturition, while the female was in the den, and then increased to a moderate level when the female took part in pack activities again. Because the alpha pair was the principal sender and receiver of the message within the group, it is likely that double marks function to maintain and advertise the pair bond. Because the group that did not breed also did not double mark frequently, the presence of double marking in a captive group may be diagnostic of the viability of the group as a pack.