Evaluation of the Hennessy grading probe to predict yields of lamb carcasses fabricated to multiple end points.

Lamb carcasses (n = 278) were selected immediately after slaughter and fat thickness was measured with the SP2 Hennessy grading probe (HP) at the interface of the 12th and 13th ribs, 3.8 cm from the backbone. After a 24-h chilling period, carcasses were graded by a USDA grader and probed with the HP to obtain a fat thickness measure on the chilled carcass. One hundred sixty-five carcasses were fabricated into wholesale cuts (.64 cm of external fat trim), and 113 carcasses were fabricated into tray-ready retail cuts (.25 cm of external fat trim). Carcass weight, fat thickness (metal probe), adjusted fat thickness, hot and chilled carcass HP fat measures, as well as kidney and pelvic fat percentage and USDA yield grade, were highly correlated to cutting yield for both fabrication methods. Regression models developed to predict wholesale cut yields using HP or grader-collected measures were similar with respect to predictive accuracy. Fat thickness explained most of the variation in wholesale and tray-ready cut yields among the variables collected by the grader. Kidney and pelvic fat accounted for more of the variation in yield of wholesale cuts during stepwise regression to determine HP equations, but for predicting tray-ready yields, fat thickness taken with the HP accounted for the largest amount of variation. Equations developed to predict tray-ready retail cut yields using the HP or USDA grader-collected carcass measures were similar in the amount of variation explained. Kidney and pelvic fat percentage must be included in equations to maximize predictive accuracy when this depot site is left in carcasses.     

Variation in plasma cholesterol concentration over time in the domestic fowl

1. Variations in the concentration of plasma cholesterol available to the developing oocyte over a three week period in Gallus domesticus are described.

2. There are small changes in concentration between weeks for individual birds, but no changes between consecutive days within weeks or times within days.

3. It is recommended that future attempts to assess the relationship between variation in blood and yolk cholesterol concentrations estimate blood cholesterol concentration from two samples taken a week apart.     

Boric acid-phenolic relationships within the Pinus echinata-Pisolithus tinctorius ectomycorrhizal association

At germination, container-grown shortleaf pine seedlings were inoculated with Pisolithus tinctorius (Pers.) Coker & Couch or left uninoculated, and both groups were fertilized semiweekly with a modified Hoagland's solution supplemented with 0 or 0.4 mM boric acid. After 12, 16 and 24 weeks, seedling root tissue was analyzed for ectomycorrhizal colonization, phenolic concentration and phenoloxidase activity. In addition, phenoloxidase activity was assayed in P. tinctorius that had been cultured in a liquid medium containing boric acid. Inoculation with P. tinctorius increased the root phenolic concentration of 16- and 24-week-old seedlings, and increased root phenoloxidase activity in 12-, 16- and 24-week-old seedlings. Fertilization with boric acid reduced the phenolic concentration of P. tinctorius ectomycorrhizae after 24 weeks. Although boric acid fertilization did not affect the phenoloxidase activity of 12-, 16- and 24-week-old inoculated roots, or that of 16- and 24-week-old uninoculated roots, it increased the phenoloxidase activity of P. tinctorius grown in vitro and 12-week-old uninoculated roots. We conclude that boric acid fertilization influences the phenolic relations of the shortleaf pine-P. tinctorius ectomycorrhizal association, possibly through a boric acid-induced increase in phenoloxidase activity.     

An assessment of the copper status of dairy herds in the Waikato, Taranaki and Northland in spring and the effects of daily supplementation with copper sulphate

The copper status of dairy herds in the Waikato, Taranaki and Northland regions between 1 August and 30 September was assessed by copper determinations made on composite sera from ten cows in each herd. Comparisons were made between two major groups categorised as as received and supplemented. In the latter, the cows received 2.0-6.0 g/day of copper sulphate orally from late gestation to the end of lactation. Mean copper values were determined from pastures in Taranaki and Northland and from pastures from three soil types in the Waikato. The lowest were in Northland (134.3 micromol/kg) and the highest in Taranaki (173.3 micromol/kg). Calculated dietary available copper levels showed the lowest were from pastures grown on organic soils in the Waikato. These soils also had high molybdenum levels. Serum copper values as received were lowest in Northland (7.30 micromol/l), and were marginal for both Taranaki (9.91 micromol/l) and the Waikato (9.93 micromol/l). The levels in supplemented herds were considerably higher, i.e. from the Waikato 11.7 micromol/l and from Taranaki 11.5 micromol/l. When liver and serum copper levels from paired samples were compared there was a reasonable correlation (r = 0.64) but the standard deviation approximated the mean liver copper level, i.e. 155 +/- 141 micromol/l.     

Farmers' perception on self created water management rules in a pioneer scheme: The mula irrigation scheme, India

During the past two decades with farmer participation in irrigation management moving to center stage, the traditional view of having a centralized control over the water resources for better management has changed. Nevertheless, success of irrigation management transfer depend on a whole set of institutional arrangements or the rules-in-use and the willingness of the users to comply and enforce and/or change the rules in the light of changing circumstances. There are many institutional analyses of water sector, much of them touch on law, policy and administration, and characteristics of the users. The present paper is based on the study carried out to examine the institutional arrangements in one of the water users association that was first in the Maharashtra state. It focuses on the institutional arrangements governing water use and distribution and attempts to elicit the perceptions of the members regarding the rules-in-use. The findings reveal that the WUA has been successful in devising and enforcing the rules for water distribution, fee collection and conflict resolution for over a decade. However, current socio-economic developments such as political heterogeneity have required explicit conflict resolution mechanisms. These issues have now become issues demanding immediate attention and may be use of existing courts or legal institutions to help the WUA sustain in future.     

Relationships between soil and foliar nutrients in young densely planted mini-plots of Pinus radiata and Cupressus lusitanica

The long-term nature of forest crop rotations makes it difficult to determine impacts of forestry on soil nutrients that might be depleted by forest growth. We used small scale, highly stocked plots to compress the length of the rotation and rapidly induce nutrient depletion. In the study, two species (Pinus radiata D. Don and Cupressus lusitanica Miller) are compared under two disturbance regimes (soil undisturbed and compacted), and two fertiliser treatments (nil and plus fertiliser), applied in factorial combination at 33 sites, covering the range of climatic and edaphic variation found in plantation forests across New Zealand. To assess our ability to rapidly highlight important soil properties, foliar nutrient concentrations were determined 20 months after planting. It was hypothesised that the densely planted plots, even at a young age, would create sufficient pressure on nutrient resources to allow development of relationships between properties used as indicies of soil nutrient availability and foliar nutrient concentrations. For both species significant relationships between foliar nutrients and 0–10 cm layer soil properties from unfertilised plots were evident for N (total and mineralisable N) and P (total, acid extractable, organic, Bray-2 and Olsen P). With the exception of Ca in C. lusitanica, foliar K, Ca and Mg were correlated with their respective soil exchangeable cation measures. The results thus confirm the utility of the experimental approach and the relevance of the measured soil properties for forest productivity.

In unfertilised plots foliar N and P concentrations in P. radiata exceeded those in C. lusitanica, the differences being eliminated by fertiliser application. Foliar N/P ratios in P. radiata also exceeded those in C. lusitanica. In contrast to N and P, foliar K, Ca and Mg concentrations were all higher in C. lusitanica, the difference being particularly marked for Ca and Mg. P. radiata contained substantially higher concentrations of the metals Zn, Mn and Al than C. lusitanica, whereas the latter contained higher B concentrations. Possible reasons for differences between species in foliar nutrient concentrations are discussed.     

Evaluation of amino acids, B vitamins and butylated hydroxyanisole as protective agents against pyrrolizidine alkaloid toxicity in rats

Supplementation of the diets of rats with branched chain amino acids (BCAA: leucine, isoleucine, valine) did not alter their susceptibility to chronic poisoning by tansy ragwort (Senecio jacobaea), which contains hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA). Phenobarbital in the diet, which alters liver microsomal enzyme activity, also did not alter susceptibility to PA poisoning. A combination of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), cysteine and BCAA did increase (P less than .05) survival time of rats fed tansy ragwort. Dietary BHA and cysteine increased the survival time of rats injected with the PA monocrotaline, with evidence that addition of vitamin B12 and folic acid improved the effectiveness of this treatment. In a chronic feeding trial with tansy ragwort, a combination of BHA and cysteine increased (P less than .05) the survival times of rats, showing protective activity against PA poisoning. A mixture of B-complex vitamins, or vitamin B12-folic acid, was not effective in improving the response.     

Results of a Preliminary Trial with Sphaerophorus necrophorus Toxoids to Control Liver Abscesses in Feedlot Cattle

A preliminary field experiment was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of alum precipitated toxoids of Sphaerophorus necrophorus prepared from sonicated whole cells and cell fractions to reduce the incidence of bovine abscesses. A total of 108 calves were divided into five groups and treated as follows: I. uninoculated control, II. adjuvant inoculated control, III. 15.5 mg protein of sonicated (fragmented cells) toxoid, IV. 10.5 mg protein of cytoplasmic toxoid. V. 15.5 mg protein of cytoplasmic toxoid. All animals were maintained under similar conditions to those prevailing in feedlots in Alberta. Livers were examined at slaughter. The most promising result was achieved with the injection of 15.5 mg protein of cytoplasmic toxoid. In this treatment group, no scars (healed lesions) were found in the liver and the incidence of liver abscesses was reduced to 10% from the average 35% liver abscesses and scars found in the uninoculated and adjuvant inoculated groups. The toxoid from sonicated whole cells did not reduce liver abscess incidence. These data suggest that the incidence of liver abscesses in cattle fattened in feedlots may be reduced by immunization.