A class of monotone decreasing rearrangements

AbstractWe consider monotone decreasing rearrangement with respect to the finite measure dμ(x) = ϑ(x) dx on R, where ϑ is a strictly positive, symmetric decreasing, log-concave function

A Preliminary Assessment of Lung lesion Distribution in Fed Cattle

The objectives of this research were to describe the lobar location of lung lesions and determine diagnostic sensitivity of lung lesion detection when only a portion of lobes are evaluated

THE EFFECT OF THE INVESTMENT TAX CREDIT POLICY ON RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES IN THE UNITED STATES RELATIVE TO EUROPE

This paper aims to explore the effect of the Investment Tax Credit policy on the production and usage of renewable energy resources in the United States and whether the implementation of this policy in the US helped close the gap with European Countries. It focuses largely on the economic theory of incentives, cost/benefit analyses, and the theory of externalities. To analyze this, data was collected from the World Bank and the Quality of Government Dataset and the effectiveness of this policy was measured using four outcome variables: Renewable Energy Consumption, Fossil Fuel Consumption, Renewable Electricity Output, and Greenhouse Gas Emissions. A difference in difference model was used to measure the impact of the policy before and after it was implemented in 2006. My initial findings found that the implementation of this policy did little to nothing in closing the gap between the US and European Countries in the production and usage of renewable energy resources, but there may have been an impact in the US alone

A Retrospective Case Study Implicating Foster Calves in a Calf Diarrhea Epidemic

This report is a retrospective case study of a herd that experienced a severe calf scours epidemic in 2000. The objective of this study was to determine risk factors at work in this epidemic

A Pilot Study of the Impact of Metaphylactic Treatment at Processing on Lung Lesions at Slaughter

The utility of metaphylactic antibiotic/anti-inflammatory treatment in prevention of cattle lung lesions was examined. Sixty-nine, single source, ranch direct, fall weaned steers were allocated to treatment or no treatment groups at feedlot arrival in February, 1999. Treatment consisted of single subcutaneous administration of NuflorTM (florfenicol, Schering-Plough Animal Health) at 18 mg/lb bodyweight and BanamineTM (flunixin meglumine, Schering-Plough Animal Health) at 1 mg/lb bodyweight. All steers were weighed, vaccinated with a modified live IBR/PI3 vaccine, implanted, and identified by ear tag. Cattle were fed for maximum gain on a corn-based diet. At harvest, after 133 days on feed, lungs were observed for lesions indicative of previous pneumonia and scored using an established system. Hot carcass weight, quality grade, and yield grade was collected on each carcass. Results indicate that while lung lesions were prevalent (43.3% of cattle affected), treatment had no effect on the prevalence of lung lesions at slaughter. In addition, lung lesions were not associated with feedlot average daily gain or quality grade. \u27This small study suggests that prevalence of lung lesions in low risk cattle will not be affected by administration of metaphylactic treatment with Nuflor/Banamine at processing

Pasture Weaning and Forage Barley to Extend the Grazing Season for Replacement Heifers

In a two-year study at the SDSU Cow/Calf Teaching and Research Unit, Brookings, SD, heifer calves were allotted to two weaning management treatments in early October at an average age of 202 days. The pasture-weaned group was separated from their dams and grazed grass pasture across the fence from their dams for two weeks. Then, until early December, they grazed “Robust” barley (forage type) that had been no-till planted into oat stubble in early August. The drylot-weaned group was fed a traditional weaning diet of grass hay, corn, and protein supplement from weaning until early December. The effect of management on heifer weight gain depended on year. In the first year, pasture-weaned heifers gained more than the drylot group during the first two weeks after weaning. Due to less than ideal pasture conditions in the second year, the drylot group gained more than the pasture weaned group for two and four weeks after weaning. In both years, gains from weaning to the end of the grazing period in December and to the following April were similar between management systems. Pasture weaning appeared to cause less stress for both cows and calves, but no differences in disease symptoms were observed. Antibody titers for IBR, BVD type 1 and BVD type 2 were determined at weaning and two and four weeks after weaning to measure the development of immunity from vaccinations administered two months prior to and at weaning. At two weeks after weaning in the second year of the study, antibody titer for BVD type 1 was greater for the drylot group than the pasture-weaned group. By four weeks after weaning the pasture-weaned heifers had antibody titers similar to the drylot group. The results of this study indicate that pasture weaning combined with small grain pasture to extend the grazing system can be an effective alternative for managing replacement heifers compared to a traditional drylot weaning system

Corn Germ as a Source of Supplemental Fat for Cows in late Gestation

To evaluate corn germ as a source of supplemental fat, 217 two to twelve-year-old cows receiving grass hay free choice were supplemented with either 2.75 lb of corn germ (dry basis) or an equal amount of crude protein from soybean meal (0.80 lb dry matter) starting approximately 50 days prior to the first expected calving. Cows were removed from treatment the day they calved and where managed as a group through the breeding season. Supplement treatment did not affect cow weight change or body condition score. Corn germ did not improve any measure of reproduction, including the percentage of cows cycling or conceiving in the first 21 days of the breeding season or the days from calving to the onset of cyclicity or conception. Calf performance, calf health or indicators of colostrum absorption (total serum protein or IgG) were not influenced by supplement treatment. The results were similar whether all age groups were included in the analysis or when only data for the two and three year old cows were included in the data set. Under the conditions of this study there was no advantage to feeding a source of supplemental fat from corn germ during late gestation

State Department of Agriculture Participation in Fresh Produce Marketing in Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Tennessee

Agricultural and Food Policy,

Removing Distribution Barriers Confronting Small-Volume Fruit and Vegetable Growers: Results of the Tennessee Extension Service Survey

Crop Production/Industries, Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession,

Effect of Total Dissolved Solids and Sulfates in Drinking Water for Growing Steers

A study was conducted to determine the effects of implants and transportation on the metabolic status of feedlot steers. Steers (n = 28) were sorted by body weight, allocated into light or heavy blocks, and randomly assigned to one of two treatments. Treatments included non-implanted controls (CON) and steers implanted with Synovex Plus 70 d prior to harvest (IMP). Jugular blood and muscle biopsy samples (longissimus dorsi (LD) and semimembranosis (SM)) were collected 70 d post-implant, prior to transit. Steers were transported to Schuyler, NE, where blood and biopsy sampling was repeated. After harvest, carcass data were collected and muscle samples were taken from the LD, SM, Psoas Major (PM), and Illiacus (IL) muscles. Implanting increased (P \u3c 0.05) estradiol levels and improved live animal performance. Carcass weight and rib eye area were increased (P \u3c 0.05) in implanted steers. No dark cutters were found in either treatment. Pre-transit insulin/glucagon ratio and muscle glycogen levels did not differ (P \u3e 0.10) between treatments. Non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) levels were reduced (P \u3c 0.05) in implanted steers pre-transit. Transit increased (P \u3c 0.05) NEFA levels, but had no effect (P \u3e 0.10) on insulin/glucagon ratio or muscle glycogen levels. Implanting did not affect (P \u3e 0.10) insulin/glucagon ratio, NEFA, or LD glycogen levels post-transit. Implanted steers had lower (P \u3c 0.05) glycogen levels in the SM than did non-implanted steers post-transit. Weight block affected (P \u3c 0.05) insulin and insulin/glucagon ratio levels, with steers in the light block having greater levels of each. Muscle pH and objective color (L*, a*, b*) of the LD were not biologically different between treatments. Implanted steers had greater (P \u3c 0.05) glycolytic potential values in the LD, and tended (P \u3c 0.10) to have higher L* values in the PM. Implanting increased (P \u3c 0.05) shear force of the LD. These data indicate that although implants affect bovine metabolism, other factors are necessary to cause a sufficient reduction in muscle glycogen and to produce a dark cutting carcass