Low-cost multi-spectral camera platform for in-flight near real-time vegetation index computation and delivery.

Agricultural optimization and increased productivity is always a growing concern, due to the increasing population. Crops susceptible to a wide variety of hindering conditions, need to be carefully observed and managed to guarantee maximum production. Many diseases, weather changes, soil variances and other in?uencing factors are only visible after the plant has reached a deplorable state and its neighbors closely trailing behind. Ongoing research is enhancing an observation model that can better prevent such factors, but many still present a variety of limiting factors that are still being studied. Vegetation indices is a long dated studied concept that has proven to be able to show plant response to stress before visible signs are present. To take advantage of this we propose a multi-spectral camera, aimed at mass use, to provide the needed observation with top of the line, reliable results. The built prototype was put through two different tests, both showing it capable of displaying plant health. The ?ne control test showed the camera capable of displaying difference in plant health after only two days of stress. The results were reached with out the use of expensive lenses/?lters, and provide easy to interpret results. All while being able to send data to a nearby portable device

Are My Dry Cows Heat-Stressed? A Novel Approach to Assess Heat Stress of Dry Cows in Commercial Dairy Herds

Heat stress during the dry period causes major economic losses to the dairy industry. However, limited research exists regarding responses of dry cows exposed to various temperature and relative humidity gradients. In addition, no validated methods are currently available to assess heat stress in dry cows. The goals of this study were to describe core body temperature (CBT) responses of dry cows according to a variety of temperature-humidity index (THI) values, and develop and validate a practical method to assess heat stress in dry cows in commercial dairy herds. This study was comprised of 2 parts. In the first part of the study, vaginal temperature of dry cows (n = 346) with 250 to 260 days of gestation from 5 herds was assessed for 4 to 7 consecutive days in 5-minute intervals. Within dairy and parity group, cows were classified as having high (HT) or low CBT (LT). By design, CBT was greater for HT compared with LT cows (102.3 ± 0.01 vs. 101.8 ± 0.01°F). Cows classified as having HT had shorter gestation length compared with their LT counterparts (272.5 ± 0.2 vs. 275.1 ± 0.2 days). The second part of the study consisted of evaluating and validating a practical assessment method of heat stress and investigating CBT threshold values. Vaginal temperature of 1,540 dry cows with 236 to 250 days of gestation from 3 commercial dairy herds was assessed a single time using a digital thermometer. Average CBT of HT cows at each THI (data from the first part of the study) was used as a threshold value to classify cows as heat-susceptible or heat-tolerant. Cows with higher or lower CBT than the threshold defined for a given THI were classified as heat-susceptible or tolerant, respectively. Cows classified as heat-susceptible had shorter gestation length (272.5 ± 0.2 vs. 275.0 ± 0.2 days) and were more likely to have twins (11.0 vs. 3.8%) than heat-tolerant cows. In conclusion, assessment of heat stress in dry cows based on defined CBT thresholds is a useful method to identify cows expected to have shorter gestation length and more likely to have twins

Effects of Two Commercial Supplemental Fat Products on Body Condition Score and Cow- and Herd-Level Milk Yield and Composition in a Commercial Dairy Herd in Kansas

Feeding fat supplements to lactating dairy cows is an effective strategy to increase energy density of rations and increase milk yield. However, it is not clear whether supplementing a specific fat supplement for the entire lactating herd provides better results than others in commercial dairy herds. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of fat supplementation with two commercial products on changes in body condition score (BCS) and cow- and herd-level milk production and composition in a large commercial dairy herd. The study was conducted in a herd milking approximately 1,500 Holstein cows. One of two treatments was assigned to the herd in a singlesubject crossover design with 4 periods. Treatments were inclusion of 0.24 lb/cow per day of a supplement rich in saturated fats (Propel; Propel Energy Plus) or 0.22 lb/cow per day of a supplement containing calcium salts of long-chain fatty acids (Control). Treatments were applied to all lactating cows during four consecutive weeks. Milk yield recorded during the last week of each period was used for statistical analyses. In addition, milk samples were collected in the last week of each period to determine test-day milk protein, fat, somatic cell count, and urea nitrogen concentrations. At the beginning and at the end of each experimental period, BCS was assessed from a subset of cows to evaluate BCS change. Herd-level milk fat, protein, and somatic cell count were recorded daily by the milk cooperative. Bulk tank milk fat and protein contents on the fourth week of fat supplementation were similar between Control and Propel treatments. Average milk yield during the fourth week of fat supplementation (yield recorded daily in the last week of the experimental period) was greater for Control than Propel supplementation (83.4 vs. 82.1 ± 1.7 lb/day). In the analyses that used test-day data, milk yield did not differ between Control and Propel treatments. Supplementation with Propel resulted in greater milk fat (4.50 vs. 4.29 ± 0.12%) and reduced milk protein content (3.12 vs. 3.14 ± 0.03%) compared with Control. In addition, milk urea nitrogen was reduced for Control vs. Propel cows (12.5 vs. 13.1 ± 0.04 mg/dL). Supplementation with Propel increased energy-corrected milk (93.9 vs. 91.7 ± 3.1 lb/ day) and fat-corrected milk (96.3 vs. 93.5 ± 3.3 lb/day) yields compared with Control supplementation. Proportion of cows that lost BCS during the fat supplementation periods did not differ between treatments; however, BCS change tended to be more pronounced during supplementation with Propel than Control treatment (-0.03 vs. 0.02 ± 0.04). In conclusion, fat supplementation using the Propel treatment resulted in greater milk fat content, energy-corrected milk, and fat-corrected milk compared with fat supplementation with Control. Our findings suggest that the type of market to which milk is sold should be considered in the choice of fat supplements

Plantas daninhas consumidas por bovinos em pastagem estabelecida em área de vegetação secundária no nordeste paraense.

Resumos do 24º Congresso Brasileiro da Ciência das Plantas Daninhas, 2004, São Pedro, PS

Incidência de doenças em pomares cítricos no estado do Pará.

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a incidência de doenças em pomares cítricos cultivados nos sistemas convencional e orgânico nos municípios de Castanhal e Capitão Poço-PA. O monitoramento de doenças foi realizado com frequência quinzenal no período de junho/2011 a abril/2012 em um pomar localizado no município de Castanhal (cultivo convencional) e dois pomares no município de Capitão Poço (cultivo convencional e orgânico). A incidência de doenças foi avaliada com base na sintomatologia em 20 plantas, selecionadas ao acaso e previamente marcadas. Nas plantas amostradas nas três áreas, foram observados sintomas da mancha aureolada (Thanatephorus cucumeris), mancha graxa (Mycosphaerella sp.), podridão floral (Colletotrichum acutatum), feltro ou camurça (Septobasidium sp.), fumagina (Capnodium sp.) e alga (Cephaleuros virescens) com incidências entre 70,93 a 96,54%, 88,33 a 96,54%, 1,67 a 11,54%, 19,58 a 81,92%, 27,08 a 70,91% e 75,25 a 79,62%, respectivamente. A leprose (Citrus leprosis virus C - CiLV-C) foi diagnosticada apenas na área de cultivo orgânico no município de Capitão Poço com incidência em 8,75% das plantas avaliadas