Prognostic impact of neck responders on conception rate of Czech Fleckvieh Simmental cows

Article Details: Received: 2020-10-25 | Accepted: 2020-11-27 | Available online: 2021-01-31https://doi.org/10.15414/afz.2021.24.mi-prap.58-61The climate in the Czech Republic is mild, transient between oceanic and continental, with a typical alternation of 4-year periods. The continental climate is characterized by high temperatures in summer and low temperatures in winter. During the extreme fluctuation of microclimatic conditions in the stable, there is also a change in individual reproductive indicators due to disruption of hormonal secretion, which further affects individual physiological processes, thus worsening conception or milder manifestations of heat, which we currently try to detect by neck responders and other modern systems.The experiment analyzed the effect of the average monthly temperature and humidity in the stable on the percentage of pregnant cows, in 2017 without the use of neck responders and in 2019, when all cows already had a neck responder. Monitoring was performed in 2017 and 2019 on the private farm GenAgro Říčany, a.s. (GPS 49 ° 12'32.319 "N, 16 ° 23'42.666" V). The values of average temperatures and relative humidity were calculated from 15-minute interval recordings of HOBO brand data loggers (Onset), which were placed in the stable, at the height at the withers of the cows without the possibility of influencing the measurements by the cows themselves. The object of monitoring was a herd of approximately 700 cows of Czech Fleckvieh Simmental various lactations. Data on the conception of cows were obtained both from the monthly reports of the breeding organization and from the data of the breeder.Thermal stress can have a long-lasting effect observable for weeks or months after the summer. This is also evidenced by the results of the work, which shows the worsening conception of cows, especially in late summer and autumn. At the same time, the results show a positive effect of the used neck responders, which help with the detection of heat and thus improve the reproduction of the whole herd.Keywords: Czech Fleckvieh Simmental, smart farming, neck responders, reproduction, heat stressReferencesBadinga, L., et al. (1985). Effects of climatic and management factors on conception rate of dairy cattle in subtropical environment. J Dairy Sci, 68, 78–85.Bertipaglia, E. C. A., et al. (2005). Fertility and hair coat characteristics of Holstein cows in a tropical environment. Anim Reprod, 2(3), 187–194.Bridges, P. J. et al. (2005). Elevated temperature (heat stress) in vitro reduces androstenedione and estradiol and increases progesterone secretion by follicular cells from bovine dominant follicles. Domestic Animal Endocrinology, 29, 508–522, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.domaniend.2005.02.017.Funnell, A. (2015). Robots and the future of agriculture.[cited 2020-10-15].  Available from:http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/futuretense/a-swarmof-agbots/6968940Jelínek, P., Koudela, K. et al. (2003). Fyziologie hospodářských zvířat. Brno: Mendelova zemědělská a lesnická univerzita.Rensis, F. D., Scaramuzzi, R. . (2003). Heat stress and seasonal effects on reproduction in the dairy cow – a review. Theriogenology, 60,1139–1151, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0093-691X(03)00126-2.Schmitt, E. J. et al. (1996). Differential response of the luteal phase and fertility in cattle following ovulation of the first-wave follicle with human chorionic gonadotropin or an agonist of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone. J Anim Sci, 74, 1074–1083, DOI: 10.2527/1996.7451074xSchwab, K. (2016). The fourth industrial revolution. New York: Crown Business.Ustundag, A., Cevikcan, E. (2017). Industry 4.0: managing the digital transformation. New York: Springer Berlin Heidelberg.Velechovská, J. (2016). Monitoring přežvykování pro efektivnější chov. Chov [online]., 8. číslo 18–20 str. [cited 2020-10-15]. Available from:https://www.eurofarm.cz/sites/www.eurofarm.cz/files/u2018/08-2016-chov-priloha_str18-20-eurofarm.pdfWolfenson, D., Roth, Z., Meidan, R. (2000). Impaired reproduction in heat stressed: basic and applied aspects. Anim Reprod Sci, 60, 535–547, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-4320(00)00102-0

James B Beard: The Father of Contemporary Turfgrass Science

James B Beard (24 Sept 1935 to 8 May 2018) can rightly be considered the “Father” of contemporary turfgrass science. During his career, he was known for setting a standard that provided the foundation for turfgrass science through his thorough approach to research, teaching, mentoring and communications. The books he published outlined a vision for an evolving scientific discipline. He trained and mentored \u3e45 domestic and international doctoral and master students and numerous post-doctoral trainees, who in turn continued to raise the quality of contemporary turfgrass science in the USA and internationally. He led the effort to change the name of Division C- 5 of the Crop Science Society of America (CSSA) from Turfgrass to Turfgrass Science, making C-5 an important and a vital part of the society. His subsequent rigorous education and mentoring of others continued to strengthen the division. He recognized the importance of quality, peer-reviewed science and the need for C-5 to be represented on the Crop Science Journal (CSJ) Editorial Board to expedite this goal. His leadership and encouragement led to the creation of a C-5 Technical Editor position on the CSJ Editorial Board in 2002. Beard provided the vision and worked with other leaders worldwide to develop the International Turfgrass Society (ITS) and the ITS Research Journal. The ITS and its leaders and members have been instrumental in enhancing turfgrass science internationally. Beard’s leadership, along with others in turfgrass academia and industry, resulted in the USGA Turfgrass and Environmental Research Program that provides a competitive grant-fund source for turfgrass research. Beard appreciated and vigorously studied history and contributions to turfgrass science by those who went before us. He leaves behind a legacy in science that deserves recognition and respect. It is our hope that this synopsis of Beard’s career accomplishments will inspire present and future turfgrass scientists to follow in his footsteps

Coastal Ice-Core Record of Recent Northwest Greenland Temperature and Sea-Ice Concentration

Coastal ice cores provide an opportunity to investigate regional climate and sea-ice variability in the past to complement hemispheric-scale climate reconstructions from ice-sheet-interior ice cores. Here we describe robust proxies of Baffin Bay temperature and sea-ice concentration from the coastal 2Barrel ice core collected in the Thule region of northwest Greenland. Over the 1990–2010 record, 2Barrel annually averaged methanesulfonic acid (MSA) concentrations are significantly correlated with May–June Baffin Bay sea-ice concentrations and summer temperatures. Higher MSA is observed during warmer years with less sea ice, indicative of enhanced primary productivity in Baffin Bay. Similarly, 2Barrel annually averaged deuterium excess (d-excess) values are significantly correlated with annual Baffin Bay sea-ice concentrations and summer and annual temperatures. Warm (cool) years with anomalously low (high) sea-ice concentration are associated with proportionally more (less) low-d-excess Baffin Bay moisture at the ice-core site. Multilinear regression models incorporating 2Barrel MSA, d-excess and snow accumulation account for 38–51% of the Baffin Bay sea-ice and temperature variance. The annual temperature model is significantly correlated with temperatures throughout most of Greenland and eastern Arctic Canada due to the strong influence of the North Atlantic Oscillation and Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation

Autonomic Cluster Management System (ACMS): A Demonstration of Autonomic Principles at Work

Cluster computing, whereby a large number of simple processors or nodes are combined together to apparently function as a single powerful computer, has emerged as a research area in its own right. The approach offers a relatively inexpensive means of achieving significant computational capabilities for high-performance computing applications, while simultaneously affording the ability to. increase that capability simply by adding more (inexpensive) processors. However, the task of manually managing and con.guring a cluster quickly becomes impossible as the cluster grows in size. Autonomic computing is a relatively new approach to managing complex systems that can potentially solve many of the problems inherent in cluster management. We describe the development of a prototype Automatic Cluster Management System (ACMS) that exploits autonomic properties in automating cluster management

Turbulence behind 3D multi-scale sparse grids

A fundamentally new idea in grid generated turbulence is the 3D Sparse Grid (3DS) concept [N. A. Malik. Sparse 3D Multi-Scale Grid Turbulence Generator. US Patent No. US 9,599,269 B2 (2017)] which reduces the effective blockage ratio compared to the 2D flat fractal grids, s 3DS Lt s 2DF , and possess a much greater parameter space which could allow further optimization of the turbulence as compared to the 2D fractal (2DF) grids. Here, we report on some theoretical results regarding blockage ratio reduction in a 3-frame 3DS system, and some results from Direct Numerical Simulations comparing the turbulence characteristics generated by 3DS with Regular (RG) and 2DF grids cases.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Development and calibration of a high dynamic range and autonomous ocean-light instrument to measure sub-surface profiles in ice-covered waters

The optical chain and logger (OptiCAL) is an autonomous ice-tethered observatory equipped with multiple light sensors for mapping the variation of light with depth. We describe the instrument and present an ensemble calibration for downwelling irradiance EPAR in [µmolm−2s−1]. Results from a long-term deployment in the Arctic Ocean demonstrate that the OptiCAL can cover the high dynamic range of under-ice light levels from July to November and produce realistic values in terms of magnitude when compared to modeled surface irradiance. Transient features of raised light levels at specific depths associated with nearby leads in the ice underline the importance of depth-resolved light measurements

Digital Signal Processing

Contains research objectives and summary of research on seven research projects.U. S. Navy Office of Naval Research (Contract N00014-75-C-0951)National Science Foundation (Grant ENG71-02319-A02

Validation of population-based disease simulation models: a review of concepts and methods

Abstract Background Computer simulation models are used increasingly to support public health research and policy, but questions about their quality persist. The purpose of this article is to review the principles and methods for validation of population-based disease simulation models. Methods We developed a comprehensive framework for validating population-based chronic disease simulation models and used this framework in a review of published model validation guidelines. Based on the review, we formulated a set of recommendations for gathering evidence of model credibility. Results Evidence of model credibility derives from examining: 1) the process of model development, 2) the performance of a model, and 3) the quality of decisions based on the model. Many important issues in model validation are insufficiently addressed by current guidelines. These issues include a detailed evaluation of different data sources, graphical representation of models, computer programming, model calibration, between-model comparisons, sensitivity analysis, and predictive validity. The role of external data in model validation depends on the purpose of the model (e.g., decision analysis versus prediction). More research is needed on the methods of comparing the quality of decisions based on different models. Conclusion As the role of simulation modeling in population health is increasing and models are becoming more complex, there is a need for further improvements in model validation methodology and common standards for evaluating model credibility

All-sky camera system providing high temporal resolution annual time series of irradiance in the arctic

The ArcLight observatory provides hourly continuous time series of light regime data (intensity, spectral composition, and photoperiod) fromthe Arctic, Svalbard at 79_ N.Until now, no complete annual time series of biologically relevant light has been provided from the high Arctic due to insufficient sensitivity of commercial light sensors during the Polar Night. We describe a camera system providing all-sky images and the corresponding integrated spectral irradiance (EPAR) in energy or quanta units, throughout a complete annual cycle. We present hourly- diel-annual dynamics from 2017 to 2020 of irradiance and its relation to weather conditions, sun and moon trajectories