The effect of life history events on carcass merit and price of cull dairy cows

Cull dairy cows contribute almost 10% of national beef production in the United States. However, different factors throughout the life of dairy cows affect their weight and overall body condition as well as carcass traits, and consequently affect their market price. Therefore, the objectives of this study were: (1) to assess relationships between price ratio and carcass merit of cull dairy cows sold through several sites of an auction market and (2) to investigate the effect of animal life history events and live weight on sale barn price (BP) and price ratio (as a measure of relative price), as an indicator of carcass merit. Data from 4 dairy operations included 3,602 cull dairy cow records during the period of 2015 to 2019. Life history events data were collected from each dairy operation through Dairy Comp software; live weight and price were obtained periodically from the auction market, and the carcass data were provided by a local packing plant. Cow price in dollars per unit of live weight ($/cwt) and price ratio were the 2 outcome variables used in the analyses. Price ratio was created aiming to remove seasonality effects from BP (BP divided by the national average price for its respective month and year of sale). The association between price ratio and carcass merit traits was investigated using canonical correlation analysis, and the effect of life history events on both BP and price ratio was inferred using a multiple linear regression technique. More than 70% of the cows were culled in the first 3 lactations, with an average live weight of 701.5 kg, carcass weight of 325 kg, and dressing percentage of 46.3%. On average, cull cows were sold at $57.0/cwt during the period considered. The canonical correlation between price ratio and carcass merit traits was 0.76, indicating that price ratio reflected carcass merit of cull cows. Later lactations led to lower BP compared with cows culled during the first 2 lactations. Injury, and leg and feet problems negatively affected BP. Productive variables demonstrated that the greater milk production might lead to lower cow prices. A large variation between farms was also noted. In conclusion, price ratio was a good indicator of carcass merit of cull cows, and life history events significantly affected sale BP and carcass merit of cull cows sold through auction markets.     

Cotton response to short-term waterlogging imposed with a water-table gradient facility

Waterlogging of field-grown plants can occur either when the surface of slowly permeable soils is inundated or when the water-table rises so that part or all of the root zone is saturated. The effects of short-term waterlogging on field crop growth and yield have not been well quantified. To study these effects, a sloping, repacked slab of soil underlain by an impermeable membrane was constructed. The sloping plot (45 m long × 6 m wide × 0.6 m deep) was flooded by introducing water through a drainage network and gravel bed so that a gradient of water-table depth ranging from 0.1 m above to 0.66 m below the soil surface was obtained. Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum cv. Deltapine 61) was grown in the facility and the responses of plants to two periods of flooding were monitored. Soil matric potential and oxygen partial pressure data indicated that plants were subjected to a continuum of conditions ranging from complete inundation to no water-table within the root zone.The first flooding event began 82 days after sowing just prior to the main flowering period. Plants with more than 55% of their root system below the water table showed decreased leaf growth about 3–4 days after the flooding started with visible wilt symptoms and decreased leaf water potential observed on days 7 and 8 of flooding. In the second flooding event (131 days after sowing), plants showed no signs of waterlogging stress apart from reduced leaf growth despite 16 days of flooding. Plant growth response was probably more the result of reduced nutrient status (mostly nitrate) rather than a water deficit stress effect with some plant acclimatization between the first and second flooding event. Seed cotton yield data indicated that the observed stress during the first flooding event may have promoted reproductive growth in plants where the short-term water-table was greater than 0.2 m below the soil surface.     

Zur Ökologie der Arthropodenfauna einer Stadtlandschaft und ihrer Umgebung II. Pflanzengallen und Pflanzenminen

The distribution of 17 dominant gall-inducing arthropods and 12 leaf miners on woody plants was analysed in the city of Kiel and surrounding habitats. The number of species and the diversity of the fauna in the two landscapes did not differ very much.Pemphigus bursarius, Schizoneura ulmi undStigmella argentipedella preferred trees in the city. In the city predominated plant parasites that hibernate on their host plant, while species overwintering in the litter on the ground or in the soil were suppressed. Important habitat factors may be mechanical perturbations near the ground (removal of leaf litter, pavement on the ground, trampling, digging of the soil). The number of species declined with decreasing size of the habitat islands (wood — bushes, hedges — individually growing trees or groups of trees on grassland — road trees), the species hibernating in the vegetation layer were favoured.     

Genomic analysis of influenza A virus from captive wild boars in Brazil reveals a human-like H1N2 influenza virus

Influenza is a viral disease that affects human and several animal species. In Brazil, H1N1, H3N2 and 2009 pandemic H1N1 A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza A viruses (IAV) circulate in domestic swine herds. Wild boars are also susceptible to IAV infection but in Brazil until this moment there are no reports of IAV infection in wild boars or in captive wild boars populations. Herein the occurrence of IAV in captive wild boars with the presence of lung consolidation lesions during slaughter was investigated. Lung samples were screened by RT-PCR for IAV detection. IAV positive samples were further analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR (qRRT-PCR), virus isolation, genomic sequencing, histopathology and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Eleven out of 60 lungs (18.3%) were positive for IAV by RT-PCR and seven out of the eleven were also positive for A(H1N1)pdm09 by qRRT-PCR. Chronic diffuse bronchopneumonia was observed in all samples and IHC analysis was negative for influenza A antigen. Full genes segments of H1N2 IAV were sequenced using Illumina's genome analyzer platform (MiSeq). The genomic analysis revealed that the HA and NA genes clustered with IAVs of the human lineage and the six internal genes were derived from the H1N1pdm09 IAV. This is the first report of a reassortant human-like H1N2 influenza virus infection in captive wild boars in Brazil and indicates the need to monitor IAV evolution in Suidae populations.     

Opportunities and Challenges of Carbon Footprint,Climate or CO2 Labelling for Horticultural Products

The number of fruits on the German and European markets with a carbon label is on the increase. This contribution reviews the existing carbon labels by evaluating, categorising and giving background information to provide guidance for labelling home-grown horticultural produce. The existing labels worldwide were classified in 10 categories: (1) CO₂ value; (2) Colour code (with or without CO₂ value); (3) CO₂ reduction (Carbon Trust, Tesco’s, UK) or conversion labels; (4) Climatop for Migros, Switzerland (temporal label for the best product within a product category, e.g., banana, rice, salt); (5) Airfreight labels, e.g., Marks & Spencer’s UK (without further information); (6) ‘Climate, carbon offset or CO₂-neutral’, e.g., NewTree, (only when using gold standard CO₂ emission certificates); (7) unaccounted CO₂ compensation measures (such as planting young trees: ‘CO₂ pineapple’ in Costa Rica); (8) Sustainability labels (ProPlanet, REWE), (9) sustainability reports (printed or online) and (10) QR-Code on the shelf or product to access web-based information. The ‘Pros and Cons’ of the climate labels are compared with respect to the seasonal fruit and vegetables often sold on the markets as lose items and the stakeholder interest. Labelling approaches 4, 8, 9 and 10 appeared suitable for seasonal fruits and vegetables based on criteria such as transparency, clarity, objectivity and integration in the sustainability context. Overall, it is difficult to use labels with a CO₂ value for horticultural products, because (a) the consumer may find it difficult to judge and memorise numeric values, particularly if expressed on different units (e.g. packet size, 1 l, 100 g) and (b) because of the big variation between the farm production systems and the variability between the year to year weather and (c) the consumer may find shopping with a seasonal crop calendar and country of origin label a better choice.     

Residential movements of top predators in Chile’s most isolated marine protected area: Implications for the conservation of the Galapagos shark,Carcharhinus galapagensis,and the yellowtail amberjack,Seriola lalandi

1. Marine protected areas (MPAs) are becoming a widely used tool for the conservation of biodiversity and for fishery management; however, most of these areas are designed without prior knowledge of the basic ecological aspects of the species that they are trying to protect.
2. This study investigated the movement of two top predators: the Galapagos shark, Carcharhinus galapagensis, and the yellowtail amberjack, Seriola lalandi, in and around the Motu Motiro Hiva Marine Park (MMHMP) using MiniPAT satellite tags to determine the effectiveness of this MPA for the protection of these species.
3. The Galapagos sharks (n = 4) spent most of their tag deployment periods inside the MMHMP. However, high intraspecific variability was observed in their movement dynamics. Daily individual maximum movements ranged from 17 to 58 km and the maximum distance from Salas y Gómez Island, the only emergent island within the MMHMP, ranged from 31 to 139 km.
4. The maximum linear distance travelled for a female juvenile Galapagos shark (152 cm total length) was 236 km, which is greater than the maximum distance previously documented for juveniles of this species (<50 km).
5. For the yellowtail amberjack (n = 1), 91% of the satellite geolocations were within the MMHMP, with a maximum daily distance travelled of 6 km. The maximum distance travelled between points was 111 km and the maximum distance from Salas y Gómez Island was 62 km.
6. All archival tagged fish spent most of their time at depths of <50 m and never left the epipelagic zone. Daytime versus night-time differences were pronounced in all individuals but showed high interindividual variability.
7. This study provides a baseline on the movement of these two top predators in the MMHMP and provides valuable insights for the creation of MPAs in the region and elsewhere.

     

Trail corridors as habitat and conduits for movement of plant species in Rocky Mountain National Park,Colorado, USA

Ground-layer vegetation was sampled along selected trail corridors to determine whether corridors provide habitat for certain species and act as conduits for species movement. Patterns of plant species composition were analyzed in relation to distance from trail edge, level of trail use, and distance from trailheads, junctions, and campgrounds. Species composition was significantly affected by distance from trail edge and level of trail use, as species were favored or inhibited by the corridor, depending upon their growth habits. Species composition was also affected by distance from trailheads. These findings, along with the presence of exotic species, indicate that trail corridors in Rocky Mountain National Park function as habitat and conduits for movement of plant species.     

Identifying sources of snowmelt acidification with a watershed mixing model

We used ionic tracers to estimate the volume of old (soil and ground) water interacting with snowmelt in eleven Adirondack, NY watersheds. The contribution of old water varied from 66 to 90%, with no general relationship between old water % and soil depth to till. This approach also discriminated between watershed retention and release of particular ions to lake outlet water during snowmelt. Most watersheds released NO₃ ^? during snowmelt, in addition to the snowpack NO₃ ^?. Nitrification of snowpack NH₄ ⁺ explained part of the additional NO₃ ^? in lake out outlet water, but some NO₃ ^? was likely mineralized nitrogen from soil organic matter. All watersheds retained NH₄ ⁺ as well. Nitrogen release was greatest in the acidic watersheds in the southwestern Adirondacks, a region thought to be impacted by anthropogenic deposition. During snowmelt, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ ions (presumably from soil exchange sites) were also released from most watersheds. In watersheds with acidic (minimum pH<4.6) lake outlet water, Al was also released during snowmelt. Thus, lake outlet water acidification during snowmelt was both buffered by cation release, and intensified by NO₃ ^? release. If the soil exchangeable cation pools were not replenished prior to snowmelt, or NO₃ ^? mobilization were increased, acidification during snowmelt would intensify.     

Hayland conversion to wheat production in semiarid eastern Montana: tillage, yield and hay production comparisons

When converting grass- and haylands to cultivated crop production, care must be taken to conserve and maintain soil resources while considering economic issues. Methods of breaking sod can have a bearing on erosivity, physical and chemical properties of soils, and cost of production. Our objective was to compare three methods of converting crested wheatgrass [Agropyron desertorum (Fisch. ex Link) Schult.] hayland to wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production vs. leaving the land for hay production. We initiated a study in 1990 on Dooley sandy loam (fine-loamy, mixed Typic Argiboroll) near Froid in semiarid eastern Montana, USA. Plots, replicated three times, were 12- by 30-m oriented east to west on a north-facing slope. We converted sod to cultivated crop production by: (1) moldboard plow, (2) toolbar with sweeps, (3) herbicides (no-till). Plots were fallowed until spring 1991 and then seeded to spring wheat each of the next four years. All wheat plots were fertilized with 224 kg ha⁻¹ of 18-46-0 in 1991 and 1992, and 34 kg ha⁻¹ nitrogen as 34-0-0 in 1993 and 1994. Grass was either fertilized same as wheat or not fertilized. Wheat yields averaged 2540 kg ha⁻¹ on tilled treatments and 2674 kg ha⁻¹ on no-till. Fertilized grass consistently out-yielded unfertilized, and averaged 3.2 Mg ha⁻¹ vs. 1.8 Mg ha⁻¹. Toolbar with sweeps had highest economic return of US$169.48 ha⁻¹ to pay for land, labor, and management. Moldboard plow had US$162.05 ha⁻¹. Because of herbicide costs, no-till only returned US$148.64 ha⁻¹. Unfertilized grass hay returned US$67.68 ha⁻¹ and fertilized grass hay, US$97.95 ha⁻¹. Results may be tempered because our wheat yields were high: a 2016 kg ha⁻¹ wheat yield would have returned the same as fertilized grass. Before converting grass- and hay-lands to small grains production, consideration must be given to such variables as sod conversion methods, management practices, labor requirements, market conditions, total precipitation and its temporal distribution, soil conditions, growth environment, soil conservation, and economics.