The objective of this study was to determine the effects of altering dry period length in multiparous dairy cows (n=341) on milk production for a full lactation (294 d). The study used 3 commercial ...herds in the western United States. Cows producing greater than 8,400kg of mature-equivalent milk were assigned to treatments 60 d before their due dates. The 4 treatments were 1) 60-d dry period, label use of recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST; 60d-L); 2) 32-d dry period, label use of rbST (32d-L); 3) 0-d dry period, label use of rbST (0d-L); and 4) 0-d dry period, continuous use of rbST (0d-C). Cows with shortened dry periods produced 625, 1,000, and 1,042kg of milk during the prepartum period for treatments 2 to 4, respectively. During the postpartum period, cows on the 32d-L treatment produced similar amounts of milk compared with the 60d-L treatment (11,490 vs. 11,968kg, respectively). However, cows on the 0d-L (10,316kg) and 0d-C (10,195kg) treatments produced significantly lower amounts of milk during the postpartum period compared with the 60d-L treatment. Total milk production from the prepartum and postpartum periods was not altered significantly and was 11,974, 12,112, 11,310, and 11,230kg for treatments 1 to 4, respectively. The concentrations of β-hydroxybutyrate and nonesterified fatty acids in serum after calving were decreased for cows on the 32d-L, 0d-L, and 0d-C treatments compared with cows on the 60d-L treatment, which may indicate improved metabolic status.
The health of dairy cows given bovine somatotropin (bST) for one lactation was evaluated in 28 commercial herds located in four regions of the United States. At least six herds were in a region and ...at least one herd/ region contained fewer than 60 cows. Cows (n = 1213) were assigned randomly to control or bST groups and were treated beginning in wk 9 to 10 of lactation and every 14 d until dry-off or d 400 of lactation. Management was according to site practices. Cows were observed for health-related signs by farm personnel daily and by the herd veterinarian biweekly. Average 305-d test-day milk yields were 932kg greater for bST-treated cows. Pregnancy rates, days open, twinning, cystic ovaries, or abortions were unaffected by treatments. Supplementation of cows with bST had no effect on total mastitis cases, total days of mastitis, duration of mastitis, or the odds ratio of a cow to develop mastitis. Cows supplemented with bST used more medications for health events other than mastitis. This usage was associated primarily with treatments for disorders of the foot and hock. Supplemented cows had a slight increase in foot disorders. There was no effect of supplementation with bST on culling from the herd or removal from study. Overall, the results confirm that label directions for bST are adequate for safe use under field conditions. All clinical signs observed in this study occur normally in dairy herds and were managed in cows supplemented with bST.
Bovine somatotropin (bST) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) are peptide hormones that are involved in the regulation of milk production in dairy cows. Because these hormones are present at ...extremely low concentration in fresh and processed bovine milk, a highly sensitive and specific electrochemiluminescent immunoassay (ECLIA) has been developed to better estimate the concentration of these hormones in milk. The assay employs an imager, a capture antibody bound to a carbon electrode, and a detection antibody coupled to a ruthenium label. In the presence of tripropylamine and an electric pulse, ruthenium generates light proportional to the amount of antigen bound, and the light is captured as signal by a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera. Using bovine milk as the starting matrix, 99.69% of bST and 104.79% of IGF-1 were recoverable. The limit of detection (LOD) was <5 pg/mL for bST and <1 pg/mL for IGF-1. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was <14 pg/mL for bST in milk and <2 pg/mL of IGF-1. The assay is highly specific and shows <0.2% cross-reactivity with other peptide hormones found in bovine milk such as insulin and IGF-2. These data indicate this new, ECLIA is highly sensitive and specific for estimating the concentration of bST or IGF-1 in milk.
This paper reports on a project of the Fiber Industry Development Authority (FIDA), the University of the Philippines Los Ba¤os (UPLB), and the National Agriculture and Fisheries Council (NAFC), ...specifically the mapping of the distribution and spread of bunchy-top and mosaic of abaca by utilizing the decision tool called geographic information system (GIS). The choice of GIS is based on a combination of features that cannot be found in other decision tools, i.e., that GIS can show (1.) temporal relationship between factors, (2.) spatial relationships between factors, and (3.) relationship between temporal and spatial factors that might affect abaca integrated pest management (IPM). Spatial data gathered from a nationwide survey and presented as GIS maps reveal the occurrence and severity of the diseases in the Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas, Southern Mindanao and CARAGA (Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur). The GIS maps show that in the Bicol Region, i.e., the provinces of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, and Catanduanes are heavily affected by bunchy top and mosaic. Many abaca farms have been either wiped out by the viruses and/or abandoned by farmers due to disease devastation. Surveys indicated that the highest incidences of both diseases are in Sorsogon and Catanduanes. Disease distribution tends to be aggregated so that some towns within a province are more heavily affected than others. There are areas that are still relatively free of the diseases. In Eastern Visayas, mosaic is rampant in Northern Samar. Low to moderate levels of the disease are observed in Leyte and Southern Leyte. The "hot spots" of the diseases are both in the Bicol and Eastern Visayas regions. These areas can then be targeted as priority for disease eradication. Data will continue to be gathered and plotted. Over time, the progress of the abaca IPM program on both diseases can be ascertained through GIS maps as basis for further decision-making
Rice supply and demand analysis for the Philippines Kam, S.P; Hoah, C.T. (International Rice Research Inst., Los Banos, Laguna (Philippines) Francisco, S; Rala, A.R ...
Philippine Journal of Crop Science (Philipines),
(Apr 2002), Volume:
27, Issue:
1
Journal Article
Rice is a major agricultural and food commodity of the Philippines, yet attaining rice self-sufficiency has eluded the country for several years. The issue of food security for the country as a whole ...compels the need to assess and update information in the study of rice supply and demand. This paper focuses on the trend and future status of rice supply in specific regions given its existing and changing quantity and quality of resources, technologies and emerging government policies. The assessment was done using the Rice Supply and Demand Analysis (RSDA) model. This is an integrative model that incorporates intensively the spatial dimension into the supply-demand analysis alongside socio-economic determinants of supply and demand. Potential as well as attainable yields were estimated from the model and combined with cultivated area to generate rice production. Raster GIS was applied to provide the geographical dimension for rice supply analysis. On the other hand, rice demand was estimated using the population distribution and consumption patterns of urban and rural populations in each region. By using this model, various scenarios affecting rice supply and demand are analyzed at both the regional and national level
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