Concentrate composition for Automatic Milking Systems — Effect on milking frequency

The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential of affecting milking frequency in an Automatic Milking System (AMS) by changing ingredient composition of the concentrate fed in the AMS. In six experiments, six experimental concentrates were tested against a Standard concentrate all supplied in the amounts of 5 kg/cow/day. Fifteen cows were fed the experimental concentrate and another 15 cows the Standard concentrate for 14 days and then for the next 14 days the cows were fed the opposite diets to be their own control. The change from one mixture to the next was done over only one day. In each experiment the 30 cows were composed of 12–14 of Danish Holstein, 8–10 of Danish Red and 8 were Jerseys. Basal mixed ration (MR) was fed ad libitum and intake was recorded individually. The effect of the different concentrates on intake and production was evaluated within experiment against the Standard concentrate. A marked effect was found on the number of visits of the cows in the AMS and the subsequent milk production in relation to composition of the concentrate. The composition of the concentrates also influenced the composition of the milk and the MR intake. Based on the overall responses the cows preferred a mixture containing Barley and Oats. Also Wheat based concentrate appeared to be preferred to concentrate based on Maize or Barley and the cows did not like the Fat rich or the pure Artificially dried grass concentrate used in the experiment.     

First Natural Occurrence of Coesite

Coesite, the high-pressure polymorph of SiO(2), hitherto known only as a synthetic compound, is identified as an abundant mineral in sheared Coconino sandstone at Meteor Crater, Arizona. This natural occurrence has important bearing on the recognition of meteorite impact craters in quartz-bearing geologic formations.     

Conservation policies and planning under climate change

Biodiversity conservation policies focus on securing the survival of species and habitats according to their current distribution. This basic premise may be inappropriate for halting biodiversity decline under the dynamic changes caused by climate change. This study explores a dynamic spatial conservation prioritization problem where climate change gradually changes the future habitat suitability of a site’ current species. This has implications for survival probability, as well as for species that potentially immigrate to the site. The problem is explored using a set of heuristics for both of two policy objectives focusing on (1) the protection on current (native) species, and (2) all species, including immigrating species. The trade-offs between the protection of native species versus all species is illustrated. The study shows that the development of prediction models of future species distributions as the basis of decision rules can be crucial for ensuring the effectiveness of conservation plans. Finally, it is discussed how more adaptive strategies, that allow for the redirection of resources from protected sites to privately-owned sites, may increase the effectiveness of the conservation networks. Climate change induced shifts in the suitability of habitats for species may increase the value of such adaptive strategies, the benefit decreasing with increasing migration probabilities and species distribution dynamics.     

Root-released organic acids and phosphorus uptake of two barley cultivars in laboratory and field experiments

A major portion of phosphorus (P) applied as fertilizers is bound in soils as P compounds of variable adsorption strength, reducing the effectiveness of P fertilization. Plant genotypes equipped with mechanisms for utilizing the adsorbed P more efficiently can, therefore, enhance the effectiveness of P fertilization. Such genotypes will also enrich plant gene pools for further analysis and upgrading of P efficiency by selection and breeding. We studied the variation and the mechanisms of P uptake of two winter barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivars Marinka and Sonate (parents of existing 200 haploid progeny lines), by laboratory and field experiments. After cultivation in nutrient solution for 21 days, Marinka produced more roots than Sonate, but similar amounts of dry shoots of lower P content (Marinka 3.4±0.4 mg g⁻¹, Sonate 4.9±0.6 mg g⁻¹). The total P uptake per plant did not differ between the cultivars. Marinka retained more P in roots as indicated by the higher concentration of P in the roots (Marinka 3.9±0.3 mg g⁻¹ and Sonate 3.0±0.4 mg g⁻¹). In sterile nutrient solution culture, the cultivars differed mainly in release of organic acids from the roots, with Marinka releasing three times more citric acid and nearly two times more acetic acid than Sonate. The cultivars had similar root hair lengths and they did not differ (P>0.05) in depletion of available soil P fraction (extracted with 0.5 M NaHCO₃) in the rhizosphere. Marinka absorbed nearly twice as much P from the strongly adsorbed soil P fraction (extracted with 0.1M NaOH). Also under field conditions, Marinka absorbed more P and produced more shoot dry matter. The higher P uptake by Marinka than Sonate can be attributed to its ability to acquire P from strongly adsorbed soil P by releasing more organic acids, especially citric acid, from its roots.     

Linkage and quantitative trait locus mapping of foliage late blight resistance in the wild species Solanum vernei

The global cultivation of potato (Solanum tuberosum) is threatened by epidemics caused by new variants of the late blight pathogen, Phytophthora infestans. New sources of durable late blight resistance are urgently needed and these may be found in wild Solanum species. The diploid wild species, S. vernei, has not previously been subjected to mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for late blight resistance. Two populations designated HGIHJS and HGG, originating from a cross between a clone of S. vernei and two different S. tuberosum clones were evaluated in field trials for late blight infestation. The relative area under the disease progress curve (RAUDPC) was estimated and used for QTL mapping. A linkage map of S. vernei, comprising 11 linkage groups, nine of which could be assigned to chromosomes, was constructed. Results indicated that the resistance in S. vernei was quantitatively inherited. Significant QTLs for late blight resistance were identified on chromosomes VIII (HGG), VI and IX (HGIHJS). In addition, potential QTLs were detected on chromosomes VII (HGIHJS) and IX (HGG). A putative and a significant QTL for tuber yield were found on chromosomes VI and VII in HGG, but no linkage between yield and resistance was indicated. The QTL for late blight resistance, which mapped to chromosome IX, could be useful for late blight resistance breeding as it was located close to the microsatellite marker STM1051 in both populations.     

Role of phospholipase A2 in the induction of drip loss in porcine muscle

The role of phospholipase A2 in the induction of drip loss from pig muscle has been investigated. In samples from porcine M. longissimus dorsi, total PLA2 activity as well as mRNA and protein levels of the group VIA iPLA2 (iPLA2-VIA) increased during the initial 4 h post-mortem period. Morphological studies of porcine muscle showed that at 4 h post-mortem, gaps had formed between muscle fibers and that the sarcolemma membrane borders appeared blurred. At the same time iPLA2-VIA protein levels were increased inside muscle fibers and at the sarcolemma. iPLA2-VIA mRNA abundance in samples from different breeds of pigs with variations in drip loss revealed no clear correlation between drip loss level and iPLA2-VIA expression. Together, these data indicate that during the post-mortem period, iPLA2-VIA expression and activity is increased at the muscle fiber membranes. PLA2 activity may affect membrane permeability and consequently the progression of drip formation in porcine muscle.     

Radionuclide uptake in experimentally induced meniscal lesions in rabbit knees

Internal derangements in the human knee joint caused by meniscal lesions affecting joint function are known to have influence on local radionuclide uptake (Nicholas & Holder 1980, Mooar et al. 1987). To elucidate the joint reaction to minor meniscal lesions, not interfering with knee joint function, a model involving the avascular central part of the medial meniscus was used. Lesions in this area are known not to heal spontaneously (Heatley 1980, Veth et al. 1983).     

Forecasting clinical disease in pigs: comparing a naive and a Bayesian approach

In veterinary practice the clinician often evaluates and predicts herd health status over time according to clinical criteria. In this paper, we modeled three different clinical signs among pigs based on longitudinal clinical observations in 15 pig herds. We compared and discussed the outputs from two different approaches for making clinical forecasts in a herd: a naive approach using a simple time series model with previous disease observations as predictors and a Bayesian state space models approach, in which the time lag variable entered into the random component of the model. We used the Markov chain Monte Carlo technique to calculate posterior distributions of the forecasts. For the herd specific forecasts the results showed that there were only minor differences between the forecasts from the simple time series model and the median forecasts from the Bayesian model. However, the credibility intervals from the Bayesian model were wider than the forecasts from the simple model and, therefore the Bayesian model encompassed the variability in the forecasts better. Compared to the statistical model, the simple time series would be easier to implement in a practical setting. However, the latter lacks the inherent “generality” from the statistical model that allows the user to make statements about the distribution of the herds and to predict disease status based on the “average” correlation among the herds. The applicability of the Bayesian approach within a clinical decision-making framework was discussed, with special emphasis on the use of prior information and clinical forecasting.