Breeding Objectives Indicate Value of Genomics for Beef Cattle

Genomics may have much to offer in the implementation of breeding objectives. Advantages of genomic prediction include increased accuracy of expected progeny differences (EPDs) for traits that have been components of routine genetic evaluations. Perhaps more importantly, genomic prediction makes it possible to include traits that are too costly or too difficult to measure, and traits that are measured too late in life or are sex-limited such that candidates for selection cannot have EBV with high accuracy at the time when selection decisions are made. Genomically enhanced EPDs may also allow for a marked reduction in generation interval, thus accelerating the annual rate of genetic improvement. Here, the value of genomic prediction, on a trait-by-trait basis, is extended to explore the contribution of genomic prediction to selection for a multitrait breeding objective indicative of economic merit. A simple two-trait objective indicative of feed efficiency is illustrated first, followed by objectives for terminal and maternal strains of Angus

Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site plant survey

Reports were scanned in black and white at a resolution of 600 dots per inch and were converted to text using Adobe Paper Capture Plug-in.A checklist of all plant species located within the Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site was compiled for the dry season during May 1975, and for the wet season in March 1976. A total of 50 species from 21 Angiosperm families were recorded along with 2 ferns and 1 Basidiomycete. Of the total number of species collected, 38 were introductions, 10 were indigenous, and 5 were endemic. Among the species present are Ophioglossum concinnum, a fern proposed for rare and endangered status, and an unknown species of Atriplex, provisionally identified as A. johnstonii. Four distinct communities were recognized: a xerophytic scrub savannah, a closed kiawe forest, a halophytic scrub, and a disturbed roadside community. Recommendations are made concerning a potential fire hazard, the control of two noxious weeds, and the preservation of the rare fern.National Park Service Contract No. CX 8000 6 003

Breeding objectives for Angus and Charolais specialized sire lines for use in the emerging sector of South African beef production

Breeding indigenous cows to terminal sires may facilitate production of calves in the emerging sector that better meet commercial feedlot requirements. Thus, the objective of this research was to develop breeding objectives for Angus and Charolais terminal sires to be used in breeding Afrikaner, Bonsmara, and Nguni cows. An aggregated simulation model that is reliant on user inputs for the phenotypic characterization of the germplasm and economic characterization of the production environment was developed. Relative economic values were calculated by approximating partial derivatives of simulated profit with respect to economically relevant traits. Correlations among the breeding objectives calculated from simulations of Angus and Charolais bulls bred to Afrikaner, Bonsmara and Nguni cows were consistently > 0.9. Thus, an average index could be used for all six scenarios with little loss of selection efficiency. On average, relative emphasis given to breeding values for survival, direct weaning weight, postweaning daily gain, postweaning daily feed intake, dressing percent, and fat depth were 31.1, 31.0, 17.3, 1.4, 19.1, 0.2%, respectively. These breeding objectives may be viewed as an appropriate step in the evolution of multi-trait selection to facilitate poverty alleviation among cattle producers in the emerging sector through wealth creation resulting from their production of calves for industrial feeding. Keywords: Beef cattle, genetic evaluation, selection strategy, crossbreeding, cow-calf production system South African Journal of Animal Science Vol. 37 (1) 2007: pp. 1-1

The Prepardeness of Vermont Foster Youth for “Aging Out” of State’s Custody

This dissertation examines the experiences of foster youth as they prepare for life after emancipation from state custody. Every year in the U.S., around 25,000 youth in foster care reach the legal age of emancipation and subsequently leave state’s custody. Colloquially, this transition is known as “aging out”. Although the youth who “age out” are legally considered adults, few are ready to meet the challenges of adulthood independently. These youth are more likely than their same aged peers to end up incarcerated, face unemployment or underemployment, drop out before finishing high school, and experience substance abuse problems or a mental health disorder (Shirk & Stangler, 2005). This study adds to the growing body of knowledge about the experiences of teenaged youth “aging out” of foster care. Though empirical studies have documented challenges facing emancipated youth (Craven & Lee, 2006), very little work has examined the actual experiences of emancipation from the perspective of youth and their guardians. Using illustrative case methodology, this dissertation captures life story perspectives on the experiences of teenaged foster youth and their guardians as they prepare for life after emancipation. A qualitative approach was utilized to provide experiential data to inform the practice standards and program effectiveness associated with the services and supports these youth received while in custody of the State’s Department for Youth and Families. A project of the Vermont Research Partnership, the study was able to utilize logistical and ethical consultation from state agency leaders during the development of methodology. The findings describe and analyze the challenges and successes that youth in foster care encounter as they prepare for life after emancipation. Interview data with youth, guardians and service providers highlighted themes related to preparedness including the barriers to youth perceptions of adulthood, the ubiquity of trauma experiences, the cost of staff turnover, the importance of long term relationship, and the “pull” of the biological family. The results of the study reveal a complex intertwining of personal, familial and systemic issues that converge to hinder preparedness for independent living despite the determined efforts of foster parents, service providers, families and the youth themselves. The study suggests areas for future research as well as policy recommendations related to service provision for teenaged youth in custody as well as emancipated youth

Genetic Correlations Among Sex-Limited Traits

Monte Carlo simulation techniques were used to assess the merits of three methods for calculation of the genetic correlation when traits have been measured on half-sibs of each sex. The restricted maximum likelihood, path coefficient and covariance component estimators did not differ significantly in their accuracy. Path coefficient and covariance component methodologies gave nearly unbiased estimators for traits of high heritability. Across both levels of heritability, the restricted maximum likelihood methodology resulted in genetic correlations being estimated with significantly smaller sampling variance than the other methods. Genetic correlations were estimated for age of puberty, weight at puberty, conceptions per service, gestation length, calving difficulty, progeny birth weight, progeny preweaning daily gain and mature weight measured on females, with postweaning daily gain, carcass weight, fat trim weight, and retail product weight measured on male half-sibs. Correlations of the female traits with postweaning daily gain, carcass weight, and retail product weight generally were similar to each other. Correlations of fat trim weigh with the female traits were similar in magnitude and opposite in sign to the correlations of postweaning daily gain, carcass weight, and retail product weight with the female traits. Predicted correlated responses to one phenotypic standard deviation of selection for increased postweaning daily gain were increased age at puberty 3.39 days, weight at puberty 1.02 kg, dam’s progeny birth weight .50 kg and mature weight 1.45 kg and reduced g station length .20 days and the frequency of calving difficulty .07 percent. The estimated genetic correlations of postweaning daily gain of the dam’s steer half-sibs with conceptions per service and dam’s progeny preweaning daily gain had absolute values greater than one and were positive and negative, respectively. Predicted correlated responses to one phenotypic standard deviation of selection for reduced fat trim weight at a constant age were increased age at puberty 7.22 days, weight at puberty 5.29 kg, gestation length .17 days, the frequency of calving difficulty .05 percent, birth weight, .12 kg and mature weight .22 kg and decreased conceptions per service .01 units. The estimated genetic correlation of age constant fat trim weigh with dam’s progeny preweaning daily gain was less than negative one

Leucine‐Rich Amelogenin Peptide: A Candidate Signaling Molecule During Cementogenesis

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141564/1/jper1126.pd

Signatures of Coronal Loop Opening via Interchange Reconnection in the Slow Solar Wind at 1 AU

The opening of closed magnetic loops via reconnection with open solar flux, so called “interchange reconnection”, is invoked in a number of models of slow solar wind release. In the heliosphere, this is expected to result in local switchbacks or inversions in heliospheric magnetic flux (HMF). When observed at 1 AU, inverted HMF has previously been shown to exhibit high ion charge states, suggestive of hot coronal loops, and to map to the locations of coronal magnetic separatrices. However, simulations show that inverted HMF produced directly by reconnection in the low corona is unlikely to survive to 1 AU without the amplification by solar wind speed shear. By considering the surrounding solar wind, we show that inverted HMF is preferably associated with regions of solar wind shear at 1 AU. Compared with the surrounding solar wind, inverted HMF intervals have lower magnetic field intensity and show intermediate speed and density values between the faster, more tenuous wind ahead and the slower, denser wind behind. There is no coherent signature in iron charge states, but oxygen and carbon charge states within the inverted HMF are in agreement with the higher values in the slow wind behind. Conversely, the iron-to-oxygen abundance ratio is in better agreement with the lower values in the solar wind ahead, while the alpha-to-proton abundance ratio shows no variation. One possible explanation for these observations is that the interchange reconnection (and subsequent solar wind shear) that is responsible for generation of inverted HMF involves very small, quiet-Sun loops of approximately photospheric composition, which are impulsively heated in the low corona, rather than large-scale active region loops with enhanced first-ionisation potential elements. Whether signatures of such small loops could be detected in situ at 1 AU still remains to be determined

Simulations of a lattice model of two-headed linear amphiphiles: influence of amphiphile asymmetry

Using a 2D lattice model, we conduct Monte Carlo simulations of micellar aggregation of linear-chain amphiphiles having two solvophilic head groups. In the context of this simple model, we quantify how the amphiphile architecture influences the critical micelle concentration (CMC), with a particular focus on the role of the asymmetry of the amphiphile structure. Accordingly, we study all possible arrangements of the head groups along amphiphile chains of fixed length $N=12$ and 16 molecular units. This set of idealized amphiphile architectures approximates many cases of symmetric and asymmetric gemini surfactants, double-headed surfactants and boloform surfactants. Consistent with earlier results, we find that the number of spacer units $s$ separating the heads has a significant influence on the CMC, with the CMC increasing with $s$ for $s<N/2$. In comparison, the influence of the asymmetry of the chain architecture on the CMC is much weaker, as is also found experimentally.Comment: 30 pages, 17 fgure

Evlauation of Breeds and Breed Crosses for the Production of Weaning Weight in South Dakota

Records on 41,403 calves from 324 contemporary groups were studied to determine the effect of a calf\u27s breed background on its weaning weight. Calves with the heaviest weaning weights were crossbred, typically sired by Continental breed bulls and out of crossbred dams

Retained Ownership of Beef Cattle When Considering Production and Price Risk

Livestock Production/Industries,