An observation on the determinant of a Sylvester-Kac type matrix

Based on a less-known result, we prove a recent conjecture concerning the determinant of a certain Sylvester-Kac type matrix and consider an extension of it

Explicit determinantal formula for a class of banded matrices

© 2020 Yerlan Amanbek et al., published by De Gruyter 2020. In this short note, we provide a brief proof for a recent determinantal formula involving a particular family of banded matrices

Relationship between Grazing Jaw Movements and Time Per Bite in Cattle: Effect of Sward Structure and Grazing Methods

The time per bite is the result of the interaction between mouth morphology, animal behaviour and sward structure (Laca et al. 1994). The time per bite increases with bite mass (Laca et al. 1994), but it has a constant component that is the time required to open and close the jaws, namely, the time required for one jaw movement (Hirata et al. 2010, Newman et al. 1994). In this experiment we tested the hypothesis that the time per jaw movement will remain constant independently of sward structure and grazing method

Sensorial profile of Apis mellifera’s honeys produced by familiar farmers in Iguape Bay, Bahia, Brazil

Sensory proprieties of the honeys are amongst the main parameters for its quality determination, with sensory analysis working as a tool for measurement and quantification of the product characteristics by human senses. Sensorial quality control considers attributes as color, scent, flavor and consistency. These attributes are always interlinked and depend on volatile substances that are related to the original scents of flowers where the nectar was collected. Scent and flavor are directly related to honey’s color and mainly depend on its floral origin. This work had the objective to discern the sensory profiles of Apis mellifera honey produced by familiar farmers from the Iguape bay, in Bahia, Brazil. A total of 11 A. mellifera honey samples were obtained from beekeepers and processed in the Laboratory of the Nucleus for Insect Studies (INSECTA) of the Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Ambientais e Biológicas at Universidade Federal do Recôncavo da Bahia in Cruz das Almas, Bahia. The sensorial analysis performed by the 50 consumers, revealed that the acceptance of honey was higher in the Caonge’s community and significantly different from the obtained in the Engenho Vitória’s community

Handling Time and Bite Mass Mechanisms in Large Herbivores: Contrasts between Sward Structure and Grazing Methods

Grazing is a time-dependent process where jaw movements of prehension, handling and chewing compete with them (Laca et al. 1994; Ungar et al. 2006). The grazing efficiency is dependent of bite mass and time per bite. Bite mass has been related to sward structure by forage height, structural components (Cangiano et al. 2002). In rotational stocking this effect becomes more pronounced, especially under high grazing down levels. Consequently, there is a progressive reduction in short-term intake rate (Fonseca et al. in press). New management targets should be proposed based on the predominant influence of sward structure in short-term intake rate by grazing animals (Carvalho et al. 2007). We hypothesise that intake potential of animals grazing tropical pastures will be reduced due to higher constraints in bite formation when compared to temperate pastures. This study aimed to investigate the intake process of heifers under the influence of different sward heights and grazing down levels in two contrasting - tropical and temperate - forage species