Mission Scenario Generation and Characterization to Support Acquisition Decisions for Long Range Precision Fires-Maritime (LRPF-M)

NPS NRP Executive SummaryMission Scenario Generation and Characterization to Support Acquisition Decisions for Long Range Precision Fires-Maritime (LRPF-M)Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Division DahlgrenThis research is supported by funding from the Naval Postgraduate School, Naval Research Program (PE 0605853N/2098). https://nps.edu/nrpChief of Naval Operations (CNO)Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

Mission Scenario Generation and Characterization to Support Acquisition Decisions for Long Range Precision Fires-Maritime (LRPF-M)

NPS NRP Project PresentationMission Scenario Generation and Characterization to Support Acquisition Decisions for Long Range Precision Fires-Maritime (LRPF-M)Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Division DahlgrenThis research is supported by funding from the Naval Postgraduate School, Naval Research Program (PE 0605853N/2098). https://nps.edu/nrpChief of Naval Operations (CNO)Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

Mission Scenario Generation and Characterization to Support Acquisition Decisions for Long Range Precision Fires-Maritime (LRPF-M)

NPS NRP Project PosterMission Scenario Generation and Characterization to Support Acquisition Decisions for Long Range Precision Fires-Maritime (LRPF-M)Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Division DahlgrenThis research is supported by funding from the Naval Postgraduate School, Naval Research Program (PE 0605853N/2098). https://nps.edu/nrpChief of Naval Operations (CNO)Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

Effects of extruded linseed dietary supplementation on milk yield, milk quality and lipid metabolism of dairy cows

Twenty Italian Friesian dairy cows were used in an experimental trial to study the effects of extruded linseed dietary supplementation on milk production, milk quality and fatty acid (FA) percentages of milk fat and total plasma lipids and plasma phospholipids. Control cows were fed a corn silage based total mixed ration (TMR) while treated animals also received 700g/head/d of extruded linseed supplementation. Feed intake was similar between groups. Milk yields was tendentially greater for cows fed extruded linseed. Milk urea content (P<0.05) were reduced by treatment. Results showed a significant increase n-3 FA concentration (particularly alpha linolenic acid) and a significant reduction of n-6/n-3 FA ratio in milk fat, total plasma lipids and plasma phospholipids (P<0.001); moreover a reduction trend (P<0.1) of arachidonic acid concentrations was observed in milk fat, total plasma lipids and plasma phospholipids. At last, treatment enhanced milk fat conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) percentage (P<0.05)

Physics Of Eclipsing Binaries. II. Towards the Increased Model Fidelity

The precision of photometric and spectroscopic observations has been systematically improved in the last decade, mostly thanks to space-borne photometric missions and ground-based spectrographs dedicated to finding exoplanets. The field of eclipsing binary stars strongly benefited from this development. Eclipsing binaries serve as critical tools for determining fundamental stellar properties (masses, radii, temperatures and luminosities), yet the models are not capable of reproducing observed data well either because of the missing physics or because of insufficient precision. This led to a predicament where radiative and dynamical effects, insofar buried in noise, started showing up routinely in the data, but were not accounted for in the models. PHOEBE (PHysics Of Eclipsing BinariEs; http://phoebe-project.org) is an open source modeling code for computing theoretical light and radial velocity curves that addresses both problems by incorporating missing physics and by increasing the computational fidelity. In particular, we discuss triangulation as a superior surface discretization algorithm, meshing of rotating single stars, light time travel effect, advanced phase computation, volume conservation in eccentric orbits, and improved computation of local intensity across the stellar surfaces that includes photon-weighted mode, enhanced limb darkening treatment, better reflection treatment and Doppler boosting. Here we present the concepts on which PHOEBE is built on and proofs of concept that demonstrate the increased model fidelity.Comment: 60 pages, 15 figures, published in ApJS; accompanied by the release of PHOEBE 2.0 on http://phoebe-project.or

Effects of the rearing season on carcass and meat quality of suckling Apennine light lambs

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the rearing season (autumn vs winter) on the carcass and meat quality of light lambs, obtained according to the traditional farming system usual in central Italy. Eighty carcasses from 60 d±3 old unweaned Apennine single birth male lambs, permanently reared indoor, half in autumn (receiving milk from ewes permanently pastured) and half in winter (which dams did never acceded to pasture), were weighed, classified according to the EU classification system for light lambs, and their Longissimus lumborum meat was analysed for pH, colour, drip and cooking losses, proximate composition and fatty acids profile of intramuscular fat. Most of the carcasses fully responded to the 1st quality EU requirements and no effects of the rearing season was evident on carcass characteristics. On the contrary, L. lumborum of lambs born and reared in autumn, receiving milk from ewes permanently pastured, evidenced a lower Lightness L* (P=0.02), a higher Chroma C* (P=0.01), with a higher fat content (P=0.04) than lambs reared in winter, which dams were permanently stall-fed. Moreover the intramuscular fat of the former was characterized by a greater PUFA concentration (P=0.01), a more favourable n-6/n-3 ratio (Pb 0.001), and a higher CLA content (Pb0.001) than the latter, as a result of the difference related to the sheep traditional feeding system

Precision livestock farming, automats and new technologies: possible applications in extensive dairy sheep farming

Precision livestock farming (PLF) technologies are becoming increasingly common in modern agriculture. They are frequently integrated with other new technologies in order to improve human–livestock interactions, productivity and economical sustainability of modern farms. New systems are constantly being developed for concentrated farming operations as well as for extensive and pasture-based farming systems. The development of technologies for grazing animals is of particular interest for the Mediterranean extensive sheep farming sector. Dairy sheep farming is a typical production system of the area linked to its historical and cultural traditions. The area provides roughly 40% of the world sheep milk, having 27% of the milk-producing ewes. Developed countries of the area (France, Italy, Greece and Spain – FIGS) have highly specialized production systems improved through animal selection, feeding techniques and intensification of production. However, extensive systems are still practiced alongside intensive ones due to their lower input costs and better resilience to market fluctuations. In the current article, we evaluate possible PLF systems and their suitability to be incorporated in extensive dairy sheep farming as practiced in the FIGS countries. Available products include: electronic identification systems (now mandatory in the EU) such as ear tags, ruminal boluses and sub-cutaneous radio-frequency identification; on-animal sensors such as accelerometers, global positioning system) and social activity loggers; and stationary management systems such as walk-over-weights, automatic drafter (AD), virtual fencing and milking parlour-related technologies. The systems were considered according to their suitability for the management and business model common in dairy sheep farming. However, adoption of new technologies does not take place immediately in small and medium scale extensive farmer. As sheep farmers usually belong to more conservative technology consumers, characterized by average age of 60 and a very transparent community, dynamics which does not favour financial risk taking involved with new technologies. Financial barriers linked to production volumes and resource management of extensive farming are also a barrier for innovation. However, future prospective could increase the importance of technology and promote its wider adoption. Trends such as global sheep milk economics, global warming, awareness to animal welfare, antibiotics resistance and European agricultural policies could influence the farming practices and stimulate wider adoption of PLF systems in the near future