Precision Feeding in Dairy Ration Cost Minimization Under Producer's Risk Management

The biophysical simulation data from Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System were used in non-linear programming model for least cost ration incorporating ingredient nutrient and price variations. Precision feeding practice indicated to have lower mean cost ration than whole herd feeding in terms of ration cost.Non-linear programming, nutrient variation, price variation, precision feeding, environmental pollution, phosphorus, nitrogen, mean cost ration, whole herd feeding, Livestock Production/Industries, Risk and Uncertainty,

Risk management on application of minimum-cost feed ration for nitrogen and phosphorus reduction on dairy farm

The traditional mathematical programming model with the objective function of feed ration cost minimization is used to accommodate risk management responses to price variability associated with feeding a particular feed ration over time. The model incorporated biophysical simulation data using Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) software in addressing nutrient requirements and excretions. In addition, it used historic feedstuff prices in a mean-variance (E-V) framework analysis. The optimized seasonal feeding indicated to have a lower mean ration cost and lowest nutrient loading followed by optimized uniform feeding program. The feed cost optimization proved to be a better strategy in minimizing ration cost and reducing excretions both manure and nutrients. The results in this study can be used as guidelines for making nutrient. The information in this study can be used by a producer facing feed price risk to select optimal ration while reducing environmental pollution.Risk and Uncertainty,

An Integrated Precision Production and Environmental Management Analysis of a Kentucky Dairy Farm

This study compares and contrasts the profitability of different dairy management practices through precision livestock farming. Feed analysis and crop yields were simulated. The proposed alternative feeding program demonstrated less manure and nutrient excretions. When mathematical programming model was employed, uniform rate application manifested the highest selected economic values.Management practices, environmental, Environmental Economics and Policy,

Comparison of Decision Rules for Subsurface Drip Irrigation Practices Using a Nonlinear Mathematical Programming Model

A comparison of decision rules has been made for case studies of corn production using subsurface drip irrigation under three agricultural management practices (no irrigation, uniform irrigation, and variable rate irrigation). The uniform irrigation strategy appeared to perform the best than the other two management practices under different risk scenarios.corn production, mathematical programming, profitability, risk management, subsurface drip irrigation, variable rate irrigation, Farm Management,

Challenges of establishing a Community Advisory Board (CAB) in a low-income, low-resource setting: experiences from Bagamoyo, Tanzania

OBJECTIVE\ud \ud Community Advisory Boards are now seen as standard practice for clinical vaccine and drug trials worldwide. In the past, most Community Advisory Boards (CABs) were established by activists and lobbyists to monitor HIV/AIDS vaccine and drug trials in developed countries. In Africa the first CAB was established in Uganda in 1990 in conjunction with an HIV vaccine project and has since been followed by others in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Kenya. In 2007, the Bagamoyo branch of the Ifakara Health Institute initiated the formation of a CAB. The aim was to properly educate and empower elected CAB members to become full partners in all research activities concerning the public within the Bagamoyo area.\ud \ud METHODS AND RESULTS\ud \ud Beginning in 2007, staff visited each of the 24 villages within the study area to inform the communities about the proposed CAB and asked them to elect two individuals to represent their village on the CAB. The first attempt was hampered by community leaders selecting themselves, which led to inconsistent attendance, gender imbalance, and political infighting. New criteria for the selection of representatives were implemented to exclude governmental leaders, illiterate representatives and to promote a one-to-one gender balance. The newly appointed representatives underwent training and have participated in CAB meetings largely devoid of the negative issues previously encountered.\ud \ud CONCLUSION\ud \ud The successfully established CAB has led to improved relations with the community and facilitated the recruitment of study subjects. Our experiences show that, it is possible to establish a non-specific CAB in a low-income setting

Gendered open data in anglophone Africa : bridging data gaps to advance gender equality

With a focus on Anglophone African countries, which are the Africa Open Data Network (AODN)’s priority countries within the Open Data for Development (OD4D) Network, this study assessed the availability of data on websites of national statistics offices, government ministries/ departments/agencies and multilateral agencies. They were analyzed along three domains; data availability, sex disaggregation and openness. Social protection and land rights are key facets of development for gender equality. These are areas where inequality persists, making a case for governments to ensure data is monitored and disaggregated by sex

Dispersible formulation of artemether/lumefantrine: specifically developed for infants and young children

Infants and children under five years of age are the most vulnerable to malaria with over 1,700 deaths per day from malaria in this group. However, until recently, there were no WHO-endorsed paediatric anti-malarial formulations available

Atom Connectivity and Connectivity Energy of few Molecules

For a given chemical compound, a molecular graph could be constructed. The total of the absolute measures of Eigen values taken from adjacency matrix of the molecular graph for the assumed chemical compound is known as the energy of graph. It has been observed that, the adjacency matrix derived from the molecular graph has no information about the atoms and bonds connected. To overcome this limitation, we have considered the atom-connectivity and connectivity matrix which give more information about the classification of bonds and atom- connectivity of a chemical compound in the molecular graph. In this paper, we enhance our results on the atom connectivity energy graph and also few hydrocarbons are compared with the ordinary energy