Military crimes

Concerned with Israel’s history and future, the Bible devotes considerable space to war—the most powerful catalyst of change in the lives of nations. The biblical authors often display a consciousness of illicit activities in wartime, anticipating what we would call today “war crimes” or “military crimes.” And they also produced the first known examples of written laws of war. While the so-called Code of Hammurabi from Mesopotamia contains stipulations for soldiers, it is concerned with methods of conscription, military discipline, and concerns of soldiers’ families—yet not conduct on the battlefield. Ancient cultures from the Aegean and Western Asia, however, do reflect a general sense of what one deemed to be “lawful” conduct for armies. In some places they even moved in the direction of formal law. Setting a precedent for later international law and war conventions, some ancient Greek city-states formed interstate leagues (“amphictyonies”) and took oaths that they would not destroy each other’s cities (and especially their municipal water sources). Similarly, in the fifth book of Plato’s Republic, Socrates argues for the necessity of a law sanctioning Hellenic armies that lay waste to arable land. In the Hebrew Bible, we find an even more deliberate effort to define and depict what actions are permissible and forbidden in wartime

Modelling of turbulent jets and wall layers: extensions of Lighthill's acoustic analogy with application to computational aeroacoustics

Two extensions to Lighthill’s aeroacoustic analogy are presented. First, equivalent sources due to initial conditions are derived that supplement those due to boundary conditions, as given by Ffowcs Williams & Hawkings. The resulting exact inhomogeneous wave equation is then reformulated with pressure rather than density as the wave variable, and the right-hand side is rearranged using the energy equation with no additional assumptions. Applications to computational aeroacoustics are discussed, and illustrated with examples based on 2D and 3D simulations

Comparing Pfizer GeneSTAR and Igenity PROFILE DNA tests in Crossbred Cattle

Our objective was to compare the performance of Pfizer’s GeneSTAR and Igenity’s PROFILE DNA tests in crossbred beef cattle. Hair follicles were collected from 394 crossbred steers that were part of the South Dakota State University Calf Value Discovery project (n = 145) and calves that were fed at the SDSU Southeast Research Farm (n = 249) in 2011. Hair follicles were sent to Pfizer Animal Genetics and Igenity for testing with their GeneSTAR and PROFILE DNA tests, respectively. Marbling score (100-999 scale), ribeye area, fat thickness, carcass weight, yield grade, quality grade, and % kidney, pelvic, and heart fat was collected post-harvest on all steers. Using this dataset, we first asked whether each DNA test was associated with marbling scores. If the DNA tests were not associated with marbling, then the tests may not be useful for predicting genetic merit for marbling in crossbred cattle. The GeneSTAR and PROFILE DNA tests were associated with marbling scores, but this association was not high. Second, we asked whether GeneSTAR and PROFILE DNA test results were associated with each other. If test results were not correlated, then using both DNA test results together may improve genetic predictions. GeneSTAR and PROFILE tests for tenderness were highly correlated, suggesting that DNA markers for tenderness are similar for both tests. GeneSTAR and PROFILE DNA tests for marbling and feed efficiency were not highly correlated, raising the possibility that both tests could be used jointly to improve genetic predictions for these traits. However, using both GeneSTAR and PROFILE DNA tests jointly did not appreciably improve predictions for marbling score in our dataset. We conclude that, although both GeneSTAR and PROFILE DNA tests were associated with marbling score, the correlation between these tests and marbling was low in our sample of crossbred cattle. Further, using GeneSTAR and PROFILE DNA tests for marbling and feed efficiency may improve genetic predictions for these traits, but we did not find evidence that using both tests jointly improves predictions for marbling

SDSU Calf Value Discovery 2011 Summary Report

The Calf Value Discovery Program (CVD) allows cow-calf producers to gain knowledge of the finishing segment of the beef cattle industry and the marketing of fed cattle. Specifically, CVD provides an opportunity for cow-calf producers to learn how their calves perform in a feedlot and their carcass value when sold in a value-based marketing system. Each producer taking part in the program could consign a minimum of 5 steers weighing between 500 and 800 pounds to the CVD program. Animals were finished in a calf-fed program using typical diets and management protocols at VanderWal Yards (Bruce, SD). Carcass and feedlot performance information from calves were returned to producers for use in making future management decisions to improve profitability

Effects of glycerol and sire breed on growth and carcass traits of finishing wether lambs

Objectives: To evaluate crude glycerin as an energy source for finishing lambs and to determine the effect of sire breed on finishing lamb growth performance and carcass characteristics. In light of previous research, the hypothesis for this experiment was that glycerol would have an energy value similar to that of corn when fed in high concentrate diets to finishing lambs

Effects of Molybdenum Supplementation on Performance of Forage‐fed SteersReceiving High‐sulfur Water

There has been on‐going research in the area of the consumption of high‐sulfur (S) water by steers grazing rangeland as well as forage‐fed steers in a feedlot setting. During the summer of 2009, a trial was conducted on the effects of high‐S water in finishing steers supplemented with molybdenum (Mo). The main purpose of the research was to gather data that may aid in the formulation of a supplement to counteract the negative effects of high‐S water consumed by ruminant livestock species in areas where sulfur concentration in water sources is a risk to animal health and performance. The specific focus of this trial was to determine whether the feeding of supplemental Mo would improve animal health and performance by decreasing the formation of hydrogen sulfide gas (H2S) in the rumen. Yearling steers (n=96) were used for a 56‐d trial. The trial consisted of 3 treatment groups; a low‐S water group and two high‐S water groups. One high‐S water treatment group received the same pellet that the low‐S group was given and the other high‐S water treatment group received a pellet with supplemental Mo included. Rumen gas cap H2S was collected on d ‐1, 29 and 57. Weights were recorded on d ‐2, ‐1, 29, 56 and 57. There were no differences between treatments in water intake (P= 0.719), but feed intake was reduced in the steers receiving the supplemental Mo (P \u3c 0.001). There was a significant difference in ruminal H2S due to treatment (P= 0.014), with higher ruminal H2S in the steers receiving the supplemental Mo. Steers receiving the Mo supplement had lower ADG than steers in the other treatments (P= 0.009). Throughout the duration of the trial, two steers were removed from the trial due to advanced symptoms of sulfur‐induced PEM (sPEM) from the high‐S treatment with no supplemental M

Comparing Bowen ratio-energy balance systems for measuring ET

Two Bowen ratio-energy balance (BREB) systems for measuring evapotranspiration (ET) under wet and dry conditions were compared. The study sites were an irrigated grass sod near Kimberly, Idaho and a sagebrush-grass range site on the Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed near Boise, Idaho. One Bowen ratio system used positive-head, ceramic-wick, aspirated psychrometers. The other system measured the vapor gradients with a cooled-mirror, dew-point hygrometer. Differences in the amounts of ET measured by the two systems were very small and of little practical consequence. The system using a single-mirror, dew-point hygrometer was the most reliable, required the least maintenance, and was the easiest to use

Effect of Supplemental Fat from Dried Distillers Grains with Solubles or Corn Oil on Nutrient Digestibility

The objective of this experiment was to determine the effects of supplemental fat from either dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) or raw corn oil on the digestibility of nutrients and long chain fatty acids. When compared to corn grain and grass hay, DDGS have considerably greater levels of fat, which may negatively influence rumen microbes and nutrient digestibility. Six medium‐framed crossbred steers (initial BW = 602 ± 23.6 lb) were used in a Latin square design to determine apparent total tract digestibility of diets formulated with no supplemental fat or supplemental fat from either DDGS or raw corn oil. Steers were randomly assigned to of 1 of 3 dietary treatments: 1) supplemental fat from DDGS (DG); 2) supplemental fat from corn oil (OIL); 3) no supplemental fat (NO OIL; Table 1). The DG treatment was comprised solely of dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS). The OIL treatment was comprised of a combination of high‐protein dried distillers grains (HP DDG), corn bran, and corn oil formulated to be isonitrogenous and isolipid to the DG treatment. The final dietary treatment (NO OIL) was a combination of HP DDG and corn bran formulated to be isonitrogenous to the DG and OIL treatments, but with no additional fat. Treatment diets were administered over 3 consecutive 19 d feeding periods that consisted of 14 d diet adaptation followed by 5 d total collection. No differences were observed for DM, OM, ADF, NDF, or N, digestibility. Ether extract digestibility was lower in NO OIL compared to DG and OIL. Apparent digestibility of C17:0 was the lowest for OIL and greatest for DG; NO OIL was intermediate but different from both DG and OIL. C18:0 apparent digestibility was greatest for DG, lowest for OIL; NO OIL was intermediate but not different from either DG and OIL. C18:1c9 digestibility was greatest for DG, intermediate for OIL and least for NO OIL. Apparent digestibility of C20:3, C20:5, C22:2, total C20, and total conjugated linoleic acid were greater in DG and OIL than in NO OIL. These results suggest that providing low concentrations of supplemental fat as either DDGS or raw corn oil to growing steers on high forage diets will not influence digestibilities of DM, OM, ADF, NDF, or N. Digestibilities of ether extract and certain FA are affected by fat inclusion. Low levels of supplemental fat from either DDGS or corn oil may be included in high‐forage rations fed to growing beef steers with no adverse affects on digestibility of nutrients or FA

Benthic communities of the lower mesophotic zone on One Tree shelf edge, southern Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Context: Increasing interest in mesophotic coral ecosystems has shown that reefs in deep water show considerable geomorphic and ecological variability among geographic regions. Aims: We provide the first investigation of mesophotic reefs at the southern extremity of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) to understand the biotic gradients and habitat niches in the lower mesophotic zone. Methods: Multibeam data were used to target five benthic imagery transects collected in the lower mesophotic (80–130 m) zone from the shelf edge near One Tree Island (23°S, 152°E) by using a single HD-SDI subsea camera. Key results: Transects supported similar benthic communities in depths of 80–110 m, with the abundance of sessile benthos declining below ~110 m where the shelf break grades into the upper continental slope. Conclusions: The effect of the Capricorn Eddy may be promoting homogeneity of benthic assemblages, because it provides similar environmental conditions and potential for connectivity. Variation in benthic communities between hard and soft substrate and differing topographic relief within the study site are likely to be influenced by variation in sedimentation, including sensitivity to suspended particles. Implications: This study highlighted that the lower mesophotic region on the One Tree shelf edge supports mesophotic coral ecosystems that vary depending on depth and substrate