18 research outputs found
Changes in intake and nutritional quality of saltcedar
Recently weaned Boer-cross (n=20) and Angora (n=6) goats were individually penned and
fed increasing amounts of saltcedar. Weight, intake, and water consumption data were
monitored. In addition, saltcedar samples were collected during the months of June, July,
August, September and October and analyzed for chemical composition. Boer-cross and
Angora goats consumed 3.7 g·kg-1 of BW and 3.8 g·kg-1 of BW, respectively, of saltcedar (P
> 0.05). Water consumption differed by breed at 0.8 L·d-1 and 2.1 L·d-1 for Angora and Boercross,
respectively, but did not differ by period. Both breeds lost weight during the final
period of the trial. Crude Protein of saltcedar ranged from 16.0% to 19.6% (P < 0.05) , and
TDN averaged 68.5%. Sodium content of saltcedar varied from 0.1% to 2.4%. Dry Matter
content averaged 32.2%
Poultry Facts: Turkey Brooding and Management: Giving Poults a Good Start
The saying âWhat starts right, ends rightâ holds true for turkeys. If you give your young poults a good start, chances are you will have very few problems, if any. Here are a few pointers that will help you grow a successful flock.https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/extension_garden_yard/1006/thumbnail.jp
A Practitionerâs Guide to Performing a Holistic Evaluation of Technology-Enhanced Learning in Medical Education
Technology-enhanced learning (TEL) is now a common mode of educational delivery within medical education. Despite this upsurge, there remains a paucity in comprehensive evaluation of TEL efficacy. In order to make meaningful and evidence-informed decisions on âhowâ and âwhenâ to utilise technology within a course, âuseful knowledgeâ is required to support faculty in these decision-making processes. In this monograph, a series of pragmatic and achievable approaches for conducting a holistic evaluation of a TEL resource intervention are detailed. These suggestions are based on an established TEL evaluation framework, as well as the authorâs own experience and that of the broader literature. The approaches cover development of an appropriate research question that is based on the availability of existing TEL resources alongside the peer-reviewed literature; the development of an appropriate team as well as recommendations for navigating ethical approval; conducting small-scale quantitative and qualitative measure; and performing a large-scale mixed methods assessment to understand the holistic impact of the TEL resource
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Intake, Reproductive, and Grazing Activity Characteristics of Range Cattle on Semi-arid Rangelands
ABSTRACT: Study One - Our objective was to characterize mature range cows based on intake and grazing activity. Starting in the early spring of 2013, 4 experiments were conducted. First, mature range cows (n = 137) were fitted with radio frequency identification tags (RFID) and placed in a dry-lot pen equipped with GrowSafeÂź technology to monitor DMI of alfalfa hay. These data were then used to assign cows a residual feed intake (RFI) value utilizing the National Research Council (NRC) (1996) model to predict intake of beef cattle. Cattle with negative and positive RFI were characterized as low-intake and high-intake, respectively. In addition, the following data were also recorded: weight (kg), age (mo), days pregnant (d), and body condition score (BCS). Second, 30 mature range cattle were selected from the first trial and fitted with pedometers for 7 d to monitor activity with step counts and estimate distance traveled. Third, mature range cows (n = 25) selected from the first trial were fitted with global position system (GPS) collars, and placed on pinyon-juniper rangeland from 20 June 2014 to 17 September 2014. Forth, mature range cows (n = 28) were fitted with GPS collars, and placed on ponderosa pine rangeland from 17 September 2014 to 15 October 2014. Distance traveled, slope, distance from water, elevation data were collected from both GPS trials. Low-intake and high-intake cows consumed 9.3 and 12.2 kg/d, respectively (P 0.06). Step counts for low- and high-intake animals were 5839 and 5383 ± 2089, respectively (P = 0.61), and estimated distance traveled was 4.31 and 5.35 ± 1.66 km dâ»Âč for low- and high-intake animals, respectively (P = 0.77). Low-intake cows (6.23 km dâ»Âč) traveled farther (P = 0.005) each day than high-intake cows (5.84 km dâ»Âč) on pinyon-juniper rangelands, and high-intake cows utilized (P = 0.013) steeper slopes. No differences were detected (P â„ 0.06) for distance traveled, distance from water, and elevation for cows grazing ponderosa pine rangeland). However, low-intake cattle preferred (P = 0.046) steeper slopes on ponderosa pine rangeland than high-intake cattle. These results indicate that low-intake animals may travel farther on some rangelands and rebreed earlier. Study Two - Commercial grade heifers (n = 173) born and raised on the University of Arizona's V bar V Ranch from 2012 to 2014 were fitted with radio frequency identification tags (RFID) and placed in a drylot equipped with GrowsafeÂź technology (8 bunks) for 60 d in 3 groups based on birth year in order to calculate DMI, residual feed intake (RFI), ADG, G:F, and residual gain (RG). Birth date, birth weight, weaning weight, age at start of trial, initial trial weight, and final trial weights were also recorded. Residual feed intake scores were utilized to place heifers in one of three treatment groups, low-, medium-, and high-intake. Reproductive and calf data were collected on heifers born in 2012. Means for birth date, birth weight, weaning weight, initial weight, final weight, and ADG did not differ among the three treatments. Residual gain for low-, medium-, and high-intake heifers were different (P 0.05), respectively. Differences (P 0.05).Study Three - Commercially available GPS tracking collars for cattle are cost prohibitive to most researchers. This paper will present a low-cost alternative to those collars (Knight GPS tracking collars), and provide detailed instructions on where to source materials and how to fabricate inexpensive GPS tracking collars. In addition, the two types of collars will be compared in a study where Brangus cattle (n = 8) were each fitted with LOTEKÂź 3300 and Knight GPS tracking collars for 31 d beginning 14 March 2015 at the Chihuahuan Desert Rangeland Research Center (CDRRC) 37 km north of Las Cruces, New Mexico. Location, slope, distance from water, distance traveled and elevation were recorded every 10 min. A record of GPS fix rate was logged. No differences were detected (Pâ„0.369) between collar types for location, slope, or distance from water. However, there was a tendency (P = 0.08) for Knight collars to report a lower estimate for distance traveled at 6171 m dâ»Âč compared to Lotek collars at 7104 m dâ»Âč. Fix rate was greater (Pâ€0.001) for Lotek collars compared to Knight collars at 99.9 and 66.2%, respectively. Study Four - Previously characterized commercial cows (n = 26) were placed into either high (positive RFI) or low intake (negative RFI) groups. On 14 May 2015, 13 high- and 13 low-intake cows were fitted with modified igotU GT-120Âź GPS logging collars. Cattle were then placed on rangeland for 120 d. The first 30 d period animals transitioned from desert shrubland to pinyon-juniper. From 31 to 60 d, animals grazed pinyon-juniper rangeland. Next, during days 61 to 90, animals transitioned from pinyon-juniper to ponderosa pine, and the last 30 d were spent in ponderosa pine. Time periods will be referred to as month 1, 2, 3, and 4 for days 0 to 30, 31 to 60, 61 to 90, and 91 to 120, respectively. Location, slope, distance from water, elevation, and time spent close to water were recorded every 10 min. No differences were observed in the utilization of elevation or distance traveled, or distance from water (P>0.05). Low intake animals used a higher maximum slope (P 0.05). Study Five - Hereford sires (n = 35) with 7 or more cow offspring on the University of Arizona V bar V ranch in Rimrock, Arizona were tested at Neogen laboratories in Lincoln, NE for an Igenity Gold genetic profile. Their residual feed intake (RFI), ADG, tenderness, marbling score, milk production percent choice, yield grade, fat thickness, ribeye area, heifer pregnancy rate, stayability, maternal calving ease, birthweight and docility were estimated. Sires were given a genetic RFI score based on their RFI profile and placed into one of three intake groups, low ( 0.5 SD). Performance traits of cow offspring (n = 839) from those sires were also compared based on their sire's intake group. No differences (P > 0.05) were detected among sire intake groups for ADG, tenderness, marbling score, percent choice, yield grade, fat thickness, ribeye area, heifer pregnancy rate, stayability, maternal calving ease, birthweight and docility. Residual feed intake differed among groups (P < 0.05), and high intake cattle had more estimated milk production compared to low intake animals (P < 0.05). Cows from low intake sires were born later in the year (P < 0.05). High intake cattle had a higher (P < 0.05) birthweight and survived longer (P < 0.05) in the herd when compared to low and medium intake cows. Genetic RFI and expected milk production were moderately to highly correlated
INTERACTION OF IONIZED AND UN-IONIZED AMMONIA ON SHORT-TERM SURVIVAL AND GROWTH OF PRAWN LARVAE, MACROBRACHIUM ROSENBERGH
Volume: 154Start Page: 15End Page: 3
Will Women Diagnosed with Breast Cancer Provide Biological Samples for Research Purposes?
Productivity of Black Oystercatchers: Effects of Recreational Disturbance in a National Park
Sustainability challenges for the social-environmental systems across the Asian Drylands Belt
This paper synthesizes the contemporary challenges for the sustainability of the social-environmental system (SES) across a geographically, environmentally, and geopolitically diverse region - the Asian Drylands Belt (ADB). This region includes 18 political entities, covering 10.3% of global land area and 30% of total global drylands. At the present time, the ADB is confronted with a unique set of environmental and socioeconomic changes including water shortage-related environmental challenges and dramatic institutional changes since the collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. The SES of the ADB is assessed using a conceptual framework rooted in the three pillars of sustainability science: social, economic, and ecological systems. The complex dynamics are explored with biophysical, socioeconomic, institutional, and local context-dependent mechanisms with a focus on institutions and land use and land cover change (LULCC) as important drivers of SES dynamics. This paper also discusses the following five pressing, practical challenges for the sustainability of the ADB SES: (a) reduced water quantity and quality under warming, drying, and escalating extreme events, (b) continued, if not intensifying, geopolitical conflicts, (c) volatile, uncertain, and shifting socioeconomic structures, (d) globalization and cross-country influences, and (e) intensification and shifts in LULCC. To meet the varied challenges across the region, place-based, context-dependent transdisciplinary approaches are needed to focus on the human-environment interactions within and between regional landscapes with explicit consideration of specific forcings and regulatory mechanisms. Future work focused on this region should also assess the role of the following mechanisms that may moderate SES dynamics: socioeconomic regulating mechanisms, biophysical regulating mechanisms, regional and national institutional regulating mechanisms, and localized institutional regulating mechanisms