Michael L. Thonney

powered by
COS Expertise®
Cornell University
Agriculture and Life Sciences
Animal Science
ProfessorAppointed: 1988
Professional Headshot of Michael L. Thonney

Mailing Address

114 Morrison Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York 14853
United States

Contact Information

Phone: (607) 255-2851
Fax: (607) 255-9829
mlt2@cornell.edu

Qualifications

Ph.D., University of Minnesota, Nutrition, 1975.
M.S., University of Minnesota, Nutrition, 1973.
B.S., Washington State University, Animal Science, 1971.

Expertise and Research Interests

Focus is on nutrition and management of highly productive sheep and the biology of growth. Methods of improving manager and worker efficiency for sheep managed under the Cornell STAR system are emphasized. Current effort is directed at controlling disease by management and vaccination, improving feed intake by the type and level of dietary fiber, and reducing cost of growing lambs by selection of appropriate sources and level of dietary protein. In addition to research and extension programs on sheep systems, gene regulation of muscle growth is being investigated using sexual dimorphic neck muscles of male sheep.

Other Expertise

Expertise:Computer programming;molecular biology;animal growth;nutrition;body composition experimentsCornell University.

Industrial Relevance

A combination of relatively inexpensive forage-producing land and one of the largest concentrations of lamb consumers in the world makes sheep farming in the northeast very attractive. Although about 175,000 breeding sheep are located on about 8,500 farms in the northeast, the potential for additional highly productive sheep enterprises to meet the needs of consumers in the Washington to Boston corridor is high. The research program described above is designed to help farmers expand sheep production inthis area using environmentally sound and profitable management practices on marginal land that has few alternative productive uses.

Keywords

COS Keywords:

Animal Growth, Animal Nutrition, Animal Science, Gene Regulation, Molecular Biology.

Additional Terms:

Animal Feed, Animal Growth, Cattle, Feed, Gene Regulation, Growth Plate, Mature Size, Maturity, Molecular Biology, Muscle Growth, Sheep, Skeletal Growth.

Memberships

American Society of Animal Science
British Society of Animal Science
Council for Agricultural Science and Technology
Gamma Sigma Delta

Previous Positions

1981-1988, Cornell University, Associate Professor
1984, Animal Breeding Research Organisation (United Kingdom), Sabbatical
1975-1981, Cornell University, Assistant Professor
1992, University of California, Davis, Visiting Professor, Sabbatical

Publications

  • Nelson KE, Thonney ML, Woolston TK, Zinder SH, Pell AN, Phenotypic and phylogenetic characterization of ruminal tannin-tolerant bacteria, Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 64(10), 3824-30, October 1998 Abstract
  • Lee G H, Thonney M L, Richards H M, Partial clone and sequence of an ovine glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase cDNA, Journal of Animal Science, 76(3), 917, March 1998 Abstract
  • de la Rosa C, Hogue D E, Thonney M L, Vaccination schedules to raise antibody concentrations against epsilon-toxin of Clostridium perfringens in ewes and their triplet lambs, Journal of Animal Science, 75(9), 2328-34, September 1997 Abstract
  • Arnold A M, Peralta J M, Thonney M L, Effect of testosterone on differential muscle growth and on protein and nucleic acid concentrations in muscles of growing lambs, Journal of Animal Science, 75(6), 1495-503, June 1997 Abstract
  • Arnold A M, Peralta J M, Thonney M L, Ontogeny of growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor-I, estradiol and cortisol in the growing lamb: effect of testosterone, Journal of Endocrinology, 150(3), 391-9, September 1996 Abstract
  • Bernal-Santos G, Van Soest PJ, Sniffen CJ, Thonney ML, Evaluation of praseodymium as a liquid marker in rument turnover studies, Animal Feed Science and Technology, 63, 201-209, 1996
  • Peralta J M, Arnold A M, Currie W B, Thonney M L, Effects of testosterone on skeletal growth in lambs as assessed by labeling index of chondrocytes in the metacarpal bone growth plate, Journal of Animal Science, 72(10), 2629-34, October 1994 Abstract
  • Nour A Y, Thonney M L, Technical note: chemical composition of Angus and Holstein carcasses predicted from rib section composition, Journal of Animal Science, 72(5), 1239-41, May 1994 Abstract
  • Thonney M L, Perry T C, Armbruster G, Beermann D H, Fox D G, Comparison of steaks from Holstein and Simmental x Angus steers, Journal of Animal Science, 69(12), 4866-70, December 1991 Abstract
  • Thonney M L, Arnold A M, Ross D A, Schaaf S L, Rounsaville T R, Energetic efficiency of rats fed low or high protein diets and grown at controlled rates from 80 to 205 grams, Journal of Nutrition, 121(9), 1397-406, September 1991 Abstract
  • Anrique RG, Thonney ML, Ayala HJ, Dietary energy losses of cattle influenced by body type, sex and intake, Journal of Animal Science, 50, 467-474, 1990
  • Rosemberg E, Thonney M L, Butler W R, The effects of bovine growth hormone and thyroxine on growth rate and carcass measurements in lambs [published erratum appears in J Anim Sci 1990 Feb;68(2):592], Journal of Animal Science, 67(12), 3300-12, December 1989 Abstract
  • Oberbauer AM, Currie WB, Krook L, Thonney ML, Endocrine and histologic correlates of the dynamics of the metacarpal growth plate in growing rams, Journal of Animal Science, 67(11), 3124-35, November 1989 Abstract
  • Taylor StCS, Murray JI, Thonney ML, Breed and sex differences among equally mature sheep and goats. 6. Breed correlations for body composition and food conversion efficiency, Animal Production, 49, 423-434, 1989
  • Taylor StCS, Murray JI, Thonney ML, Breed and sex differences among equally mature sheep and goats. 5. Lipid in dry tissue, Animal Production, 49, 411-422, 1989
  • Taylor StCS, Murray JI, Thonney ML, Breed and sex differences among equally mature sheep and goats. 4. Carcass muscle, fat and bone, Animal Production, 49, 385-409, 1989
  • Mäntysaari PE, Sniffen CJ, Muscato TV, Thonney ML, Animal by-product meals for growing heifers, Journal of Dairy Science, 72, 2107-2114, 1989
  • Oberbauer AM, Krook L, Hogue DE, Currie WB, Thonney ML, Dietary calcium and metacarpal growth in ewes, Journal of Nutrition, 118(8), 976-81, August 1988 Abstract
  • Jenkins TC, Thonney ML, Effect of propionate level in a volatile fatty acid salt mixture fed to lambs on weight gain, body composition and plasma metabolites, Journal of Animal Science, 66(4), 1028-35, April 1988 Abstract
  • Abdalla HO, Fox DG, Thonney ML, Compensatory gain by Holstein calves after underfeeding protein, Journal of Animal Science, 66, 2687-2695, 1988
  • Nour AYM, Thonney ML, Minerals of carcass soft tissue and bone of serially slaughtered cattle as affect by biological type and managemen, Journal of Agricultural Science (Cambridge), 111, 41-49, 1988
  • Thonney ML, Ross DA, Composition of gain of rats fed low or high protein diets and grown at controlled rates from 80 to 205 grams, Journal of Nutrition, 117(12), 2135-41, December 1987 Abstract
  • Thonney ML, Growth, feed efficiency and variation of individually fed Angus, polled Hereford and Holstein steers, Journal of Animal Science, 65(1), 1-8, July 1987 Abstract
  • Thonney ML, Taylor StCS, Murray JI, McClelland TH, Breed and sex differences in equally mature sheep and goats. 3. Muscle weight distribution, Animal Production, 45, 277-290, 1987
  • Thonney ML, Taylor StCS, Murray JI, McClelland TH, Breed and sex differences in equally mature sheep and goats. 2. Body components at slaughter, Animal Production, 45, 261-276, 1987
  • Thonney ML, Taylor StCS, McClelland TH, Breed and sex differences in equally mature sheep and goats. 1. Growth and food intake, Animal Production, 45, 239-260, 1987
  • Nour AYM, Thonney ML, Carcass, soft tissue and bone composition of early and late maturing steers fed two diets in two housing types and serially slaughtered over a wide weight range, Journal of Agricultural Science (Cambridge), 109, 345-355, 1987
  • Thonney ML, Hogue DE, Fish meal or cottonseed meal as supplemental protein for growing Holstein steers, Journal of Dairy Science, 69, 1648-1651, 1986
  • Firth NL, Ross DA, Thonney ML, Comparison of ether and chloroform for Soxhlet extraction of freeze-dried animal tissues, Journal of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists, 68(6), 1228-31, 1985 Abstract
  • Thonney ML, Palhof BA, DeCarlo MR, Ross DA, Firth NL, Quaas RL, Perosio DJ, Duhaime DJ, Rollins SR, Nour AYM, Sources of variation of dry matter digestibility measured by the acid insoluble ash marker, Journal of Dairy Science, 68, 661-668, 1985
  • Thonney ML, Oberbauer AM, Duhaime DJ, Jenkins TC, Firth NL, Empty body component gain of rats grown at different rates to a range of final weights, Journal of Nutrition, 114(10), 1777-86, October 1984 Abstract
  • Telford JN, Babish JG, Johnson BE, Thonney ML, Currie WB, Bache CA, Gutenmann WH, Lisk DJ, Toxicologic studies with pregnant goats fed grass-legume silage grown on municipal sludge-amended subsoil, Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 13(5), 635-40, September 1984 Abstract
  • Thonney ML, Nour AYM, Stouffer JR, White WRC, Changes in primal cuts with increasing carcass weight in large and small cattle, Canadian Journal of Animal Science, 64, 29-38, 1984
  • Nour AYM, Thonney ML, Stouffer JR, White WRC, Changes in primal cut yield with increasing weight of large and small cattle, Journal of Animal Science, 57, 1166-1172, 1983
  • Nour AYM, Thonney ML, Stouffer JR, White WRC, Changes in carcass weight and characteristics with increasing weight of large and small cattle, Journal of Animal Science, 57, 1154-1165, 1983
  • Nour AYM, Thonney ML, Arbruster G, Stouffer JR, Muscle mineral concentrations as predictors of taste panel sensory attributes of beef, Journal of Food Science, 48, 1170-1182, 1983
  • Armbruster G, Nour AYM, Thonney ML, Stouffer JR, Changes in cooking losses and sensory attributes of Angus and Holstein beef with increasing carcass weight, marbling score or longissimus ether extract, Journal of Food Science, 48, 835-840, 1983
  • Telford JN, Thonney ML, Hogue DE, Stouffer JR, Bache CA, Gutenmann WH, Lisk DJ, Babish JG, Stoewsand GS, Toxicologic studies in growing sheep fed silage corn cultured on municipal sludge-amended acid subsoil, Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, 10(1), 73-85, July 1982 Abstract
  • Burghardi SR, Goodrich RD, Meiske JC, Thonney ML, Theuninck DH, Kahlon TS, Pamp DE, Kraiem K, Free choice consumption of minerals by lambs fed calcium-adequate or calcium-deficient diets, Journal of Animal Science, 54(2), 410-8, February 1982 Abstract
  • Nour AYM, Thonney ML, Musharaf NA, Attia AMN, Studies on some factors affecting carcass physical and chemical composition in serially slaughtered cattle, Journal of Egyptian Veterinary Medical Association, 42, 57-70, 1982
  • Thonney ML, Heide EK, Duhaime DJ, Nour AYM, Oltenacu PA, Growth and feed efficiency of cattle of different mature sizes, Journal of Animal Science, 53, 354-362, 1981
  • Nour AYM, Thonney ML, Stouffer JR, White WRC, Muscle, fat and bone in serially slaughtered large dairy or small beef cattle fed corn or corn silage diets in one of two locations, Journal of Animal Science, 52, 512-521, 1981
  • Thonney ML, Heide EK, Duhaime DJ, Hand RJ, Perosio DJ, Growth, feed efficiency and metabolite concentrations of cattle fed high forage diets with lasalocid or monensin supplements, Journal of Animal Science, 52, 427-433, 1981
  • Thonney ML, Duhaime DJ, Jenkins TC, Ruppel CA, Microbial and chemical additives in alfalfa-timothy silage, Journal of Dairy Science, 63, 587-593, 1980
  • Eisemann JH, Pond WG, Thonney ML, Effect of dietary zinc and copper on performance and tissue mineral and cholesterol concentrations in swine, Journal of Animal Science, 48(5), 1123-8, May 1979 Abstract
  • Thonney ML, Duhaime DJ, Moe PW, Reid JT, Acid insoluble ash and permanganate lignin as indicators to determine digestibility of cattle rations, Journal of Animal Science, 49, 1112-1116, 1979
  • Peralta, J.M., A.M. Arnold, W.B. Currie and M.L. Thonney. Effects of testosterone on skeletal growth in lambs as assessed by labeling index of chondrocytes in the metacarpal bone growth plate. J. Anim. Sci. 72:2629-2634, 1994
  • Oberbauer, A.M., A.M. Arnold and M.L. Thonney. Genetically size-scaled growth and composition of Dorset and Suffolk rams. Anim. Prod. 59:223-234, 1994
  • Thonney, M.L., A.M. Arnold, D.A. Ross, S.L. Schaaf and T.R. Rounsaville. Energetic efficiency of rats fed low or high protein diets and grown at controlled rates from 80 to 205 grams, J. Nutr. 121:1397-1406, 1991
  • Thonney, M.L., T.C. Perry, G. Armbruster, D.H. Beermann and D.G. Fox. Comparison of steaks from Holstein and Simmental* Angus steers, J. Anim. Sci. 69:4866-4870, 1991
  • Thonney, M.L., R.W. Touchberry, R.D. Goodrich and J.C. Meiske, Intraspecies relationship between fasting heat production and body weight: A reevaluation of W{.75}, J. Anim. Sci. 43:692-704, 1976

Profile Details

Last Updated: 8/4/2000

COS Expertise ID #209161
Reference this profile directly: http://myprofile.cos.com/thonneym61