Estimation of the carcass composition from a cross-section of the rib-loin from crossbred Japanese Black × Limousin F2 cattle by computer image analysis

The carcass composition of crossbred Japanese Black × Limousin F2 cattle was examined in order to find an accurate carcass composition equation. The test animals included 17 steers and 17 heifers. The 28 image measurements from the area encircling the vertical line to the thoracic vertebra and the line from the thoracic vertebra between the sixth and seventh rib‐bones were measured by computer image analysis. The relationships between the 29 parameters that added the carcass left side weight of the animal and the carcass composition were suggested. The carcass composition included muscle weight, muscle ratio, fat weight and fat ratio. The carcass composition from steers was estimated by an equation composed of these three or four parameters (R² = 90.80%, 79.30%, 90.75% and 73.70%, respectively). The selected parameters were measured without cutting the thoracic vertebra. The carcass composition from heifers was estimated by an equation composed of two to four parameters (R² = 96.15%, 90.98%, 93.60% and 88.22%, respectively). The parameters for the estimation of the muscle and fat weight, and muscle and fat ratio are very similar. Furthermore, the equations using the parameters could estimate the carcass composition from the Japanese Black × Limousin cattle resource population.     

Comparison of genetic improvement for litter size at birth by direct and indirect selection in swine herd

Responses to selection for number of piglets born alive (NBA) by the total number of piglets born (TNB), the NBA, and the NBA plus number of piglets born dead (NBD) were compared using the accuracy of selection and expected genetic gain calculated from the selection index with family information and the real response to selection, using data generated by Monte Carlo computer simulation. The accuracy of selection for NBA selected by TNB was higher than that by NBA only if the genetic correlation between TNB and NBA was close to 1.0, or the value of heritability for the TNB was much larger than that for the NBA. The accuracy of selection for the NBA selected by the combination of the TNB and the NBA was generally highest in the three selection methods in each family structure. Selection by the TNB resulted in the greatest expected genetic gain for the TNB among the selection methods. In the best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) selection, the genetic gain for the NBA accumulated by the NBA tended to be similar to that accumulated by the combination of the NBA and the NBD, and both genetic gains at generation 10 were significantly larger than that by the TNB (P < 0.001). The accumulated responses selected by the two‐trait animal model BLUP estimated from genetic parameters with errors were similar to those estimated from the true parameters, and there was no significant difference between them. These results indicate that selection by the NBA or by the NBA and the NBD gives more genetic improvement in the NBA than that by the TNB.     

Factors Associated with Grassland Bird Species Richness: The Relative Roles of Grassland Area, Landscape Structure, and Prey

The factors responsible for widespread declines of grassland birds in the United States are not well understood. This study, conducted in the short-grass prairie of eastern Wyoming, was designed to investigate the relationship between variation in habitat amount, landscape heterogeneity, prey resources, and spatial variation in grassland bird species richness. We estimated bird richness over a 5-year period (1994–1998) from 29 Breeding Bird Survey locations. Estimated bird richness was modeled as a function of landscape structure surrounding survey routes using satellite-based imagery (1996) and grasshopper density and richness, a potentially important prey of grassland birds. Model specification progressed from simple to complex explanations for spatial variation in bird richness. An information-theoretic approach was used to rank and select candidate models. Our best model included measurements of habitat amount, habitat arrangement, landscape matrix, and prey diversity. Grassland bird richness was positively associated with grassland habitat; was negatively associated with habitat dispersion; positively associated with edge habitats; negatively associated with landscape matrix attributes that may restrict movement of grassland bird; and positively related to grasshopper richness. Collectively, 62% of the spatial variation in grassland bird richness was accounted for by the model (adj-R² = 0.514). These results suggest that the distribution of grassland bird species is influenced by a complex mixture of factors that include habitat area affects, landscape pattern and composition, and the availability of prey.     

Density estimates of rural dog populations and an assessment of marking methods during a rabies vaccination campaign in the Philippines

We estimated the population density of dogs by distance sampling and assessed the potential utility of two marking methods for capture-mark-recapture applications following a mass canine rabies-vaccination campaign in Sorsogon Province, the Republic of the Philippines. Thirty villages selected to assess vaccine coverage and for dog surveys were visited 1 to 11 days after the vaccinating team. Measurements of the distance of dogs or groups of dogs from transect lines were obtained in 1088 instances (N = 1278 dogs; mean group SIZE = 1.2). Various functions modelling the probability of detection were fitted to a truncated distribution of distances of dogs from transect lines. A hazard rate model provided the best fit and an overall estimate of dog-population density of 468/km² (95% confidence interval, 359 to 611). At vaccination, most dogs were marked with either a paint stick or a black plastic collar. Overall, 34.8% of 2167 and 28.5% of 2115 dogs could be accurately identified as wearing a collar or showing a paint mark; 49.1% of the dogs had either mark. Increasing time interval between vaccination-team visit and dog survey and increasing distance from transect line were inversely associated with the probability of observing a paint mark. Probability of observing a collar was positively associated with increasing estimated density of the dog population in a given village and with animals not associated with a house. The data indicate that distance sampling is a relatively simple and adaptable method for estimating dog-population density and is not prone to problems associated with meeting some model assumptions inherent to mark-recapture estimators.     

家蚕产卵量的基因效应参数估计

用产卵量差异较大的两个近交系782和Ekp作亲本,配制了F1、F2正反交及F1与两亲本的回交B1和B2,加上两亲本P1和P2共8个世代,采用多世代平均值的多元回归分析方法对产卵量的基因效应参数进行了估计,得到了如下结果：（1）建立了分析家蚕产卵量的常染色体基因加性、显性和性染色体基因加性效应的非二体遗传模型,并通过实际数据检验表明产卵量遗传符合这个模式;（2）产卵量的遗传主要取决于常染色体上基因加性效应,其次是性染色体基因加性效应,显性效应很小。     

Small area estimations of proportion of forest and timber volume combining Lidar data and stereo aerial images with terrestrial data

Abstract

Methods for small area estimations were compared for estimating the proportion of forest and growing stock volume of temperate mixed forests within a district of a member state (canton) in Switzerland. The estimators combine terrestrial data with remotely sensed auxiliary data. By using different model types, different sources of auxiliary data and different methods of processing the auxiliary data, the increase in estimation precision was tested. Using the canopy height derived from remote sensing data, the growing stock volume and the proportion of forest were estimated. The regression models used for the small area estimation provided a coefficient of determination of up to 68% for the timber volume. The proportion of plots correctly classified into forest and non-forest plots ranged between 0.9 and 0.98. Models calibrated over forest area only resulted in a maximal coefficient of determination of 37%. Even though these coefficients indicate a moderate model quality, the use of remote sensing data clearly improved the estimation precision of both the proportion of forest and the growing stock volume. Generally, Lidar data led to slightly higher estimates compared to data from aerial photography. It was possible to reduce the variance of the estimated proportion of forest to nearly one tenth compared with the variance based on the terrestrial measurements alone. Similarly, the variance of the growing stock volume could be reduced to one fourth as compared with the variance based solely on the terrestrial measurements.     

THE INFLUENCE OF TYLOSES ON THE MANUFACTURE OF MATCHES

This article deals with the results of time studies of pruning P. radiata from 22 ft. to 35 ft. with pole saws. The influence on pruning time of mean diameter and number of branches removed in the pruning operation, number of cones removed and time of day is investigated and a multiple regression equation, expressing the relationship between pruning time and these variables, is computed. A taper table is prepared and used to investigate the effect of pruning on the formation of knot-free timber. The economics of high-pruning is discussed.     

论搞活山地流转机制是林业发展之路

搞活山地流转机制，推行林业适度规模经营，是由当前社会大环境和林业自身的特点所决定的。本文在论述搞活山地使用权流转机制时调动林农积极性、发展林业和振兴经济的作用的同时，进一步分析了山地使用权流转的各种形式，并指出评价山地使用权流转形式好坏的标准，是坚持“三个有利于”的标准。     

Ein allgemeiner Ansatz zur Quantifizierung des Einflusses der Güte der Sätechnik auf den Flächenertrag

A general approach to determine the effect of accuracy of sowing technique on yield per area
Caused by nonperfect seed placement accuracy of sowing machines as well as by many other abiotic and biotic factors the resulting plant stands exhibit nonregular plant distributions. Based on several simplifying assumptions a stochastic approach provides a quantitative determination of the effects of accuracy of sowing technique on yield per area. In this approach, two random variables are assigned to each individual plant: single plant yield E and single plant area A, which is calculated in this paper by the construction and quadrature of the so-called Thiessen-polygons. The yield per area F is calculated as the expectation of the ratio E/A. By assuming a deterministic mathematical relationship between E and A, the calculation of F reduces to the calculation of the expectation of a function of only one random variable A. A simple approximation with sufficient accuracy for many applications only depends on the mean and on the variance of the areas of the individual plants. For demonstration purposes, the theoretical approaches and results have been finally applied to three data sets for drilled seeds of winter oilseed rape (plant density: 60 plants/m² and distance between rows: 10 cm). These data sets exhibit different accuracies of the longitudinal distributions within rows which have been quantitatively measured by the coefficient of variation for the distances between plants within rows: Yield depression increases with an increasing variability of plant distances within rows.     

高精度六分量应变天平研究

风洞天平测量精度是改善模型风洞试验测量精度的主要因素 ,我国进行了大量研究。本文做了三个方面的工作 :( 1 )设计低干扰的天平阻力元 ;( 2 )选择带温度补偿的高质量的应变计 ;( 3 )选择优质应变片并仔细粘贴。将这些科研成果应用于一台 1 8六分量应变天平上 ,并利用该天平在超音速风洞中对 GB-0 4标模进行气动力测量 ,其测量精度达到国际标准