Censoring in survival analysis: a simulation study of the effect of milk yield on conception

Survival-analysis methods often are used to analyze data from dairy herds where the outcome of interest is the interval from calving to conception. The purpose of this study was to determine whether an association between milk yield and culling biases the estimation of the effect of milk yield on conception. This was done by simulating four different scenarios modeling dairy-cattle milk yield and reproductive performance with known relationships among study factors. Cox’s proportional-hazards model was used to analyze the effect of milk yield on days open under the following four scenarios: (1) no association between milk yield and culling or between milk yield and conception; (2) association between milk yield and culling only; (3) association between milk yield and conception only; (4) associations between milk yield and both culling and conception. The analyses also were repeated for data sets with an association between milk yield and culling, but with probabilities of culling ranging from 0.01 to 0.4. An effect of milk production on culling appeared to cause a small increase in the parameter estimates for the association of milk yield and days open — particularly when the probability of culling was high. The effect of high milk production on median days open (as estimated by survival functions) changed by 2 to 4 days when an association between milk yield and culling was programmed in the simulated data sets.     

The effect of bacterial proteases on milk proteins

The effect of proteolytic microflora on milk protein in fresh cow's milk was studied immediately after milking. The hydrolytic activity was measured by Lowry's method. When the samples were stored for 24 and 48 hours at 4 degrees C, the average value of tyrosine increased from the initial level of 0.37 mg per ml (immediately after milking) to 0.798 mg per ml (after 24 hours) and 0.811 mg per ml (after 48 hours). In milk kept at room temperature the tyrosine values were 0.865 mg per ml and 1.21 mg per ml, respectively. Higher bacterial protease activities were recorded during the first 24 hours of storage. No relationship was statistically demonstrated between tyrosine content and the number of proteolytic microorganisms in milk.     

The effect of free amino acid levels in the blood and milk of cows on protein levels in milk

In the cows of the whole group under study, a significant negative relation (r = = -0.4797) was found between the histidine level in arterial blood and protein content in milk; further, there was a significant positive relation (r = 0.4624) between alanine level in milk and protein content in milk, and a significant negative relation (r = -0.5028) for the level of threonine. The group of cows with a higher milk output showed a significant negative relation between methionine level in milk and protein content in milk (r = -0.7482) and a highly significant negative relation between threonine level and protein content in milk (r = -0.8410). The negative relations of some amino acids to the content of protein in milk suggest that there is a poor supply of these amino acids for the production of protein in milk.     

The effect of aging of milk samples on the accuracy of infrared analysis of milk composition]

The effect of a decrease (and/or fermentation) in the lactose content during milk storage under different conditions was investigated on the accuracy of the results obtained on a Milko-Scan apparatus to contribute to the present knowledge of this problem. The results were in agreement with some results cited in the literature. These wavelengths are used for infrared spectrophotometry on the above apparatus: for fat 3.48 microns, for proteins 6.46 microns and for lactose 9.60 microns. Bulk milk samples used for the tests were untreated or treated with potassium dichromate, bronopol, sodium azide and Milkofix at the temperatures of storage in darkness 20 degrees C and 4 degrees C. The differences against the reference values (measured on the first day) were determined and evaluated in milk composition and characteristics as arising during milk storage. These differences were used in form of either cumulative means of differences (Figs. 1 to 5) or individual differences (Fig. 8). In the first part significant correlation coefficients (P less than 0.001) were calculated for the relationship between the variations of lactose content and the fat and protein contents: r = -0.59 and/or -0.73 (Figs. 6 and 7). This suggests that the decrease in the lactose content by 0.10% recorded by the infrared analysis and caused by lactose decomposition is accompanied by a "seeming" increase in the fat and protein content by about 0.04%. In the second part the correlation coefficients for the fat and protein contents r = -0.96 and -0.96 (P less than 0.001; Figs. 9 and 10; Tab. II) were calculated on the basis of an observation of the lactose decrease in an untreated milk sample (20 degrees C for 28 hours). These coefficients are somewhat different from the preceding ones; this is due to the lower homogeneity of the first set where the milk samples were treated in a different way, but the coefficients confirm the same conclusions. The values of the correlation coefficients for the dependence between the development of the acquired titratable acidity (SH) and the variations of fat (F), protein (P) and lactose (L) contents were as follows: r = 0.95; 0.95; -0.99 (P less than 0.001; Figs. 12, 13; Tab. II). Thus the above-mentioned "seeming" increase in the F and P contents can be explained to the extent of 92.2% from the decrease in the L content, which also causes the increase in titratable acidity to the extent of 98.0%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

产犊季节对荷斯坦奶牛产奶量的影响

对宁夏平吉堡奶牛场荷斯坦奶牛4个不同的产犊季节的305d产奶量影响进行了分析。结果表明．在宁夏地区荷斯坦奶牛的产犊季节对奶牛305d产奶量有显著的影响。4月份产犊奶牛的305d产奶量最高,显著高于1、7和10月份产犊奶牛的产奶量,1月份和10月份产犊奶牛产奶量明显高于7月份产犊奶牛产奶量,但1月份年口10月份间没有差异,7月份产犊奶牛305d产奶量最低。     

中国乳品消费水平及影响因素的经济学分析

我国乳品消费近年来增长迅速，但消费水平仍然偏低，城乡居民乳品消费差距巨大；开拓农村市场潜力巨大，但任重道远。本文采用双对数模型对影响乳品消费的因素进行弹性估测，乳品消费的自价格弹性和上一期消费量的影响弹性值较大，说明提高消费意识、培育消费习惯的重要性。     

莫能菌素对奶牛产奶性能的影响

本试验旨在研究莫能菌素对奶牛产奶性能的影响。将24头泌乳后期中国荷斯坦奶牛随机分为2组,试验组日粮中添加300g/d·头的莫能菌素。结果表明:在炎热的夏季,莫能菌素可提高奶牛的采食量,且奶牛产奶量比试验前提高了1.24%,比对照提高了15.91%,具有可观的经济效益;但对乳蛋白和乳糖的影响效果不显著。     

莫能菌泰对奶牛产奶性能的影响

本试验旨在研究莫能菌素对奶牛产奶性能的影响。将24头泌乳后期中国荷斯坦奶牛随机分为2组．试验组舀粮中添加300g/d·头的莫能菌素。结果表明：在炎热的夏季，莫能菌素可提高奶牛的采食量，且奶牛产奶量比试验前提高了1．24％，比对照提高了15．91％，具有可观的经济效益；但对乳蛋白和乳糖的影响效果不显著。     

半胱胺对奶牛产奶量、乳脂率和饲料转化率的影响

半胱胺又名 β -巯基乙胺 (Cysteamine ,Cs) ,是动物体内辅酶A(CoA)的组成部分 ,为一种非激素类生理活性物质 ,在动物体细胞中可检测到其存在 (Millard ,1 985 )。经多种动物试验研究表明 ,饲料中添加半胱胺能耗竭动物体内的生长抑制激素(SS) ,同时促进机体内源性生长激素 (GH)的合成释放增加 ,随着生长抑制激素浓度的降低 ,消化液分泌增多 ,促进了消化和吸收 ,整体代谢水平提高(王燕玲等 ,1 999)。为探讨饲料中添加半胱胺对奶牛产奶量的影响 ,进行本次试验。1　材料与方法1 1　试验药品　半胱胺 (Cs87)由上海华广达生化实业有限公司…     

The effect of the lactation period on the cell content of sheep milk]

Milk samples of 201 ewes were examined in 6 week intervals during a complete lactation period. Those samples were analyzed for the presence of pathogenic bacteria and the somatic cell count was determined. Besides, the California Mastitis Test (CMT) was performed and the udder was clinically examined. The cell counts were found to depend on the lactation period. During 6 weeks following parturition the cell count was 63,000 cells/ml. This number decreased towards the 24th week of lactation to 32,000 cells/ml. At the end of lactation this value increased again to 425,000 cells/ml. The median value of ewes with normal udder health was 56,000 cells/ml milk. For samples from which pathogenic bacteria were isolated this value was 159,000 cells/ml. The most frequent pathogens isolated from the milk samples were coagulase-negative cocci (59.6% of bacteriologically positive samples), the median number being 88,000 somatic cells/ml in these sheep. Coagulase-positive cocci were isolated in 25.3% of the samples, the median value of the cell count was 295,000 cells/ml. In 12.1% of the samples streptococci were found. The median value was 167,000 cells/ml. From the remaining 3.0% of bacteriologically positive samples Pasteurellae, E. coli and Actinomycetae were isolated. The median value of the somatic cell count was 184,000 cells/ml. We consider coagulase-positive cocci therefore as the most pathogenic bacteria for the ovine udder.     

The occurrence of salmonellae during the rearing of broiler birds

1. The incidence of salmonellae was studied in two broiler houses at each of two commercial sites in an integrated commercial enterprise.

2. Salmonellae were not isolated from the empty, cleaned and fumigated houses and only on one occasion from the foodstuffs.

3. Salmonellae were isolated from the environment of the chicks and spasmodically from the litter, water troughs and dust.

4. The incidence of infection of the chicks did not influence the number of isolations of salmonellae from the environment of the birds during rearing.

5. Water in the water troughs rather than foodstuffs appeared to be the major oral route of infection or re‐infection of birds during rearing.     

The effect of the temperature of a milk drink on physiological indicators in the blood of calves

In a set of 11 young heifers-crossbreds in the period of milk nutrition the influence of the temperature of milk nutrition the influence of the temperature of milk drink was studied as exerted on haematological data (haemoglobin and haematocrit), on the values of nitrogen metabolism (total protein and urea), on the components of energy (glucose and cholesterol) and on alkaline blood reserve. In these values we did not record any statistically significant differences between the groups. The subnormal values were demonstrated for cholesterol which we regard as a response to the lower content of fat in milk replacers. Furthermore, the activity of ALT and AST enzymes was examined. A significantly lower ALT and AST activity was recorded in calves administered cold Lactosan. It indicates a possibility of feeding milk replacers at the temperature of stable environment. The heifer calves were to get used to cold drinks by means of Rehyvet, the pH-value of the drink being 4.6.     

短期使用碘化酪蛋白对奶牛产量的影响

选择 2 0头泌乳期相近中国荷斯坦奶牛 ,随机分成 5组 ,每组 4头 ,对照组饲喂基础日粮 ,试验组在喂基础日粮的基础上添加 15 g/头·d碘化酪蛋白 ,为期 30d。结果表明 ,试验组牛产奶量比对照组平均升高 10 .73% (P <0 .0 5 ) ,牛奶密度变化不大。不论是逐渐撤去还是突然撤去饲料中的碘化酪蛋白 ,都不能有效地阻止奶产量的迅速下降     

The effect of cellulase on calves fed an acidified milk diet]

The purpose of this research was to establish the influence of 3 j Cx cellulase applied per gram of COT concentrate mixture, fed in combination with a milk diet acidified by formic acid to the value of pH 4.6, on calf growth performance in one metabolism and two field experiments. In the metabolism experiment two groups of calves, with six animals in each, were fed acidified whole milk, which was diluted stage by stage till weaning at 60 days of age. The average live weight gain in the control at the end of the milk feeding period, i.e. from 14 to 60 days of age, was 29.90 kg. This corresponds to a daily live weight gain of 0.650 g. The total live weight gain of male calves in the experimental group was 29.30 kg, corresponding to a daily live weight gain of 0.638 g (Tab. I). Tab. II shows the average feed and nutrient intakes per kg live weight gain. The calves which received the enzyme supplement tend to have the higher feed conversion rate. During the forage feeding period, i.e. from 61 to 90 days of age, the average daily live weight gains were 1.10 kg and 0.980 kg in the control and experimental groups, respectively (Tab. III). The average live weight of 90 days old male calves was 107.70 kg and 103.90 kg in the control and experimental groups, respectively. The amount of consumed nutrients (digestible protein and starch units); in relation to the total feed intakes, is lower in the experimental groups, which proves the higher feed conversion rate (P less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)