New oat improves milk yield and income

Non-Peer Reviewe

Using in situ technique to estimate nutrient availability of six barley varieties for ruminants

Non-Peer ReviewedBarley grains are as a main source of feed for ruminants in Canada. Although barley varieties have similar chemical composition, they exhibit different rumen degradation characteristics and nutrient availability. The objective of this study was to estimate nutrient availability of the six barley varieties using nylon bags incubated for 0, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24 and 48 h in the rumen of dairy cow and determine the rumen degradation parameters of DM, CP and starch according to the first order degradation kinetics equation. The results indicated that the barley varieties showed different degradation rate (Kd) of DM, CP and starch during incubation period. CDC Trey was the highest (P<0.05) in effective degradability of DM (498.04g/kg) while AC Metcalfe showed the highest (P<0.05) effective degradability of CP (63.06g/kg) and starch (344.82g/kg) compared with other barley varieties. CDC Helgason had the largest size of rumen undegradable fraction of DM (640.21g/kg), CP (83.85g/kg, NRC 2001 model) and starch (321.85g/kg). Feeds degradation features from this study involved nutrients utilization in ruminant digestive systems. Further study to investigate and compare the structural/chemical make-up characteristics between barley varieties may provide more information as to why barley varieties exhibit different biodegradation behaviors

Using synchrotron-based FTIR microspectroscopy (SFTIRM) to reveal the differences of endosperm structural and chemical make-up among six barley varieties

Non-Peer ReviewedBarley grains are widely used for malting and feeding purposes in Canada. Although barley varieties have similar chemical composition, they exhibit different rumen degradation characteristics and nutrient availability. The objectives of this study was to determine structural make-up features and identify the structural differences in chemical functional groups in endosperm tissue among the six barley varieties using ultra-spatially resolved synchrotron-based FTIR microspectroscopy (SFTIRM). The results indicated that the barley varieties showed significant differences in terms of peak area intensities and the peak ratios of the amide I (1650 cm-1) and amide II (1550 cm-1), cellulosic compounds (ca. 1240 cm-1), and non-structural carbohydrates (NSC, starch) peak (1025 cm-1). The synchrotron-based FTIR spectroscopic information associated with structural and chemical make-up characteristics of barley grains may provide more information as to why barley varieties exhibit different biodegradation behaviors

An assessment of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in sediments and bivalves of the U.S. coastal zone

NOAA’s Mussel Watch Program was designed to monitor the status and trends of chemical contamination of U.S. coastal waters, including the Great Lakes. The Program began in 1986 and is one of the longest running, continuous coastal monitoring programs that is national in scope. NOAA established Mussel Watch in response to a legislative mandate under Section 202 of Title II of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA) (33 USC 1442). In addition to monitoring contaminants throughout the Nation’s coastal shores, Mussel Watch stores samples in a specimen bank so that trends can be determined retrospectively for new and emerging contaminants of concern. In recent years, flame retardant chemicals, known as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), have generated international concern over their widespread distribution in the environment, their potential to bioaccumulate in humans and wildlife, and concern for suspected adverse human health effects. The Mussel Watch Program, with additional funding provided by NOAA’s Oceans and Human Health Initiative, conducted a study of PBDEs in bivalve tissues and sediments. This report, which represents the first national assessment of PBDEs in the U.S. coastal zone, shows that they are widely distributed. PBDE concentrations in both sediment and bivalve tissue correlate with human population density along the U.S. coastline. The national and watershed perspectives given in this report are intended to support research, local monitoring, resource management, and policy decisions concerning these contaminants

Saskatchewan corn cultivars for grazing and silage: relationship between crop heat units and nutritional value

Non-Peer Reviewe

Characteristics and utilization of canola seed fractions in ruminant feeds a processing and value added research

Non-Peer Reviewe

Effects of barley based diets with three different rumen degradable protein balances on performance and carcass characteristics of feedlot steers

Non-Peer ReviewedThe objective of this study was to determine the effect of dietary optimal or suboptimal rumen available protein to energy ratios generated by substituting barley grain by wheat –based dried distillers’ grains with soluble (wDDGS) on finishing feedlot cattle performance. Three hundred crossbred steers were randomly assigned to twelve pens (25 heads in each pen) and fed one of three grain based finishing diets with: (i) negative rumen degradable protein balance (DPB; -12 g/kg DM); (ii) neutral DPB (0 g/kg DM); and (iii) positive DPB (14 g/kg DM). Ration with negative DPB (conventional feed) contained 88.3% rolled barley grain, 7.0% supplement and 4.7% barley silage. For the rations with neutral - and positive DPB, the barley grain was replaced by wDDGS at 11 or 22% of the diet, respectively. Over the 131-d finishing period, animal performance and carcass traits were similar among steers fed either of 3 finishing diets. In conclusion, barley grain in common feedlot diets can be substituted by wDDGS up to 22%, without altering steer performance and carcass characteristics

Meridional Circulation and Global Solar Oscillations

We investigate the influence of large-scale meridional circulation on solar p-modes by quasi-degenerate perturbation theory, as proposed by \cite{lavely92}. As an input flow we use various models of stationary meridional circulation obeying the continuity equation. This flow perturbs the eigenmodes of an equilibrium model of the Sun. We derive the signatures of the meridional circulation in the frequency multiplets of solar p-modes. In most cases the meridional circulation leads to negative average frequency shifts of the multiplets. Further possible observable effects are briefly discussed.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures, submittted to Solar Physics Topical Issue "HELAS

Historia evolutiva y filogenia molecular del género Babesia

Babesia comprende hemoprotozoos transmitidos por garrapatas que infectan mamíferos y aves y que son reconocidos mundialmente por su impacto en la salud de animales domésticos y sus costos económicos asociados. Además, la babesiosis puede ser fatal en animales silvestres si está asociada con prácticas de manejo estresantes, y es también de creciente interés como zoonosis emergente. Debido a la gran diversidad de hospedadores de Babesia hallados, se puede considerar que todos los vertebrados son portadores potenciales, siempre y cuando puedan ser parasitados por las garrapatas vectores. En esta presentación se proveerá una reseña de las especies de Babesia más relevantes, y una discusión sobre criterios taxonómicos clásicos. Se describirá un posible panorama de la historia natural de los piroplásmidos, que agrupa a los géneros cercanamente relacionados Babesia, Cytauxzoon y Theileria, y se discutirán sus implicancias para futuras líneas de investigación. Asimismo, se presentará una clasificación molecular revisada de los piroplásmidos, basada en nuevos árboles filogenéticos generados con todas las secuencias disponibles de los genes 18S rRNA y hsp70. Finalmente, para reconciliar las estimaciones existentes para el origen de los piroplásmidos y las garrapatas (~300 millones de años, Ma, respectivamente) y la radiación de los mamíferos (60 Ma), hipotetizamos que el ciclo de vida dixénico de los piroplásmidos evolucionó con el origen de las garrapatas. Así, el salto observado entre el origen de estos artrópodos y la radiación de los mamíferos indica la existencia de linajes de piroplásmidos previamente desconocidos y/o especies en taxones de vertebrados existentes, incluyendo reptiles y quizás también anfibios. Un muestreo más amplio de taxones que incluya todos los potenciales hospedadores, tanto entre los vertebrados como entre las garrapatas, y la construcción de árboles utilizando múltiples genes permitirá perfeccionar la filogenia y taxonomía del género Babesia.Asociación Parasitológica Argentin

Long-range effects in granular avalanching

We introduce a model for granular flow in a one-dimensional rice pile that incorporates rolling effects through a long-range rolling probability for the individual rice grains proportional to $r^{-\rho}$, $r$ being the distance traveled by a grain in a single topling event. The exponent $\rho$ controls the average rolling distance. We have shown that the crossover from power law to stretched exponential behaviors observed experimentally in the granular dynamics of rice piles can be well described as a long-range effect resulting from a change in the transport properties of individual grains. We showed that stretched exponential avalanche distributions can be associated with a long-range regime for $1<\rho<2$ where the average rolling distance grows as a power law with the system size, while power law distributions are associated with a short range regime for $\rho>2$, where the average rolling distance is independent of the system size.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure