1,721,632 research outputs found
Feed use efficiency in small-scale peri-urban dairy herds of Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan
No full textDairy farming is an important activity for many urban dwellers in Asia who serves the rapidly increasing milk demand. The major influencing factor that affects animal health, milk production and reproduction and thus overall productivity attributes of dairy animals is efficient feeding and nutritional management. Therefore, this study was planned to evaluate existing husbandry practices to optimize feeding and resources use efficiency. During 12 months, data on demographic events, amounts and quality of feeds offered, milk offtake and body weight changes was collected from 15 mixed buffalo and cattle dairy herds in Faisalabad. The 15 studied farms were classified as semi-commercial small-scale mixed (SSM), semi-commercial smallscale dairy (SSD) and commercial small-scale dairy (CSD) producers. The offer of feed dry matter (DM) and crude protein differed (P<0.05) between the three farm types and the four seasons of a year. Daily offtake of fat corrected milk averaged 13.5 and 8.1 liters per buffaloes and cattle, whereby seasonal variations were only observed in buffaloes. Input of feed DM per unit of milk produced was lowest on CSD followed by SSM farms with SSD farms showing least efficient feed use. Similarly, gross margin of selling milk and occasionally live animals was higher on SSM and CSD farms than on SSD farms. It was concluded that more efficient feed utilization and thus higher gross margin from milk production could be achieved by group feeding of buffaloes and cattle, respectively, according to their physiological and productive needs
Use of Oxytocin and Milking Management of Buffaloes in (Urban) Peri-Urban Area of Faisalabad
No full textA study was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of (urban) peri-urban production system in Faisalabad, third-largest city of Pakistan. Interviews with 145 milk-producing (urban) peri-urban households (HH) were carried out. Based on cluster analysis, four types of dairy farmers were identified, (i) semi-commercial smallholder mixed dairy-crop farmers (n=43), (ii) semi-commercial smallholder dairy farmers (n=30), (iii) smallholder commercial (n=53) and (iv) large-holder commercial dairy farmers (n=14). Of each type five HH were randomly selected for qualitative and quantitative on-farm monitoring of management of buffalo and cattle. Milking was done twice daily, exclusively by hand. Before milking intra-muscular injection of 2 ml oxytocin was practiced by 90% of the (urban) peri-urban dairy farmers to stimulate milk letdown in 61% of the monitored lactating buffaloes and 19% of the cattle whereas 36% buffalo and 48% cattle calves suckle their dams. There was significant difference (P<0.05) in use of oxytocin for buffalo and cattle among the four production systems. Oxytocin can be easily purchased for as little as 18-20 rupees/50 ml from local shops, even at village level. In general oxytocin was used for those animals whose calves had died, sold or were not accepted by dams. Some were injected once daily while most received oxytocin at both milkings. This study suggests that regular use of oxytocin for milk let down should be checked, should be prescribed on actual need and awareness should be created among farmers. Prolonged use of oxytocin interferes and inhibits the normal milk ejection reflex and causes fertility disorders such as poor estrus signs, low conception rate, high embryonic mortality, shortened lactation period, increased abortion, calf death and incidences of mastitis. These problems are currently being addressed in progeny-history interviews targeting each milking animal in the 20 monitored herds
Use of Oxytocin and Milking Management of Buffaloes in (Urban) Peri-Urban Area of Faisalabad
No full textA study was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of (urban) peri-urban production system in Faisalabad, third-largest city of Pakistan. Interviews with 145 milk-producing (urban) peri-urban households (HH) were carried out. Based on cluster analysis, four types of dairy farmers were identified, (i) semi-commercial smallholder mixed dairy-crop farmers (n=43), (ii) semi-commercial smallholder dairy farmers (n=30), (iii) smallholder commercial (n=53) and (iv) large-holder commercial dairy farmers (n=14). Of each type five HH were randomly selected for qualitative and quantitative on-farm monitoring of management of buffalo and cattle. Milking was done twice daily, exclusively by hand. Before milking intra-muscular injection of 2 ml oxytocin was practiced by 90% of the (urban) peri-urban dairy farmers to stimulate milk letdown in 61% of the monitored lactating buffaloes and 19% of the cattle whereas 36% buffalo and 48% cattle calves suckle their dams. There was significant difference (P<0.05) in use of oxytocin for buffalo and cattle among the four production systems. Oxytocin can be easily purchased for as little as 18-20 rupees/50 ml from local shops, even at village level. In general oxytocin was used for those animals whose calves had died, sold or were not accepted by dams. Some were injected once daily while most received oxytocin at both milkings. This study suggests that regular use of oxytocin for milk let down should be checked, should be prescribed on actual need and awareness should be created among farmers. Prolonged use of oxytocin interferes and inhibits the normal milk ejection reflex and causes fertility disorders such as poor estrus signs, low conception rate, high embryonic mortality, shortened lactation period, increased abortion, calf death and incidences of mastitis. These problems are currently being addressed in progeny-history interviews targeting each milking animal in the 20 monitored herds
Body Measurements and Body Condition Scoring as Basis for Estimation of Live Weight in Nili-Ravi Buffaloes
No full textImplementation of management recommendations for the Nili-Ravi buffalo in small-and medium scale commercial dairy production systems in Pakistan is hampered by difficulties to determine body weight (BW) of the animal. A workable and reliable method of predicting BW of this breed by using body measurements and body condition scoring (BCS) was therefore explored. Nili-Ravi buffaloes (n=211) were divided into three age groups (1-3 years = G1; >3-8 years = G2; >8 years = G3). Animals were weighed on a mechanical scale and their heart girth (HG), body length (BL) and shoulder height (SH) were measured. In addition, BCS was performed using a 5 point scale. Recorded data were subjected to simple and multiple linear regression analysis. The overall mean values of BW, HG, BL, SH and BCS were 359 +/- 160.9 kg, 170 +/- 30.1 cm, 130 +/- 19.2 cm, 125 +/- 14.5 cm and 3.8 +/- 0.77. With correlation coefficients (r) of 0.97 (HG), 0.94 (BL), 0.93 (SH) and 0.43 (BCS), the relationship between the individual independent variable with BW were significant (P<0.01) in all cases. The multiple linear regression between BW and HG, BL and BCS was highly significant (P<0.001) for each of the three groups (G1: r(2) = 0.95, G2: r(2) = 0.86, G3: r(2) = 0.83). Buffalo farmers who lack mechanical or electronic scales to regularly determine BW of their animals can thus combine simple morphometric body measurements (HG, BL) with BCS or just rely on HG in order to calculate feed requirements, monitor growth, determine breeding age, marketing weight and estimate the animals' cash value. (C) 2013 PVJ. All rights reserve
Body Measurements and Body Condition Scoring as Basis for Estimation of Live Weight in Nili-Ravi Buffaloes
No full textImplementation of management recommendations for the Nili-Ravi buffalo in small-and medium scale commercial dairy production systems in Pakistan is hampered by difficulties to determine body weight (BW) of the animal. A workable and reliable method of predicting BW of this breed by using body measurements and body condition scoring (BCS) was therefore explored. Nili-Ravi buffaloes (n=211) were divided into three age groups (1-3 years = G1; >3-8 years = G2; >8 years = G3). Animals were weighed on a mechanical scale and their heart girth (HG), body length (BL) and shoulder height (SH) were measured. In addition, BCS was performed using a 5 point scale. Recorded data were subjected to simple and multiple linear regression analysis. The overall mean values of BW, HG, BL, SH and BCS were 359 +/- 160.9 kg, 170 +/- 30.1 cm, 130 +/- 19.2 cm, 125 +/- 14.5 cm and 3.8 +/- 0.77. With correlation coefficients (r) of 0.97 (HG), 0.94 (BL), 0.93 (SH) and 0.43 (BCS), the relationship between the individual independent variable with BW were significant (P<0.01) in all cases. The multiple linear regression between BW and HG, BL and BCS was highly significant (P<0.001) for each of the three groups (G1: r(2) = 0.95, G2: r(2) = 0.86, G3: r(2) = 0.83). Buffalo farmers who lack mechanical or electronic scales to regularly determine BW of their animals can thus combine simple morphometric body measurements (HG, BL) with BCS or just rely on HG in order to calculate feed requirements, monitor growth, determine breeding age, marketing weight and estimate the animals' cash value. (C) 2013 PVJ. All rights reserve
Optimizing Urban Cooling: A Comparative Analysis of Green Infrastructure in Peshawar
No full textCurrent research analyzes the efficacy of several green infrastructure components in reducing the urban heat island effect in Peshawar city, KPK. It focuses on three public squares that have different forms of GI. Lack of planning for urban open and green spaces have negatively impacted cities and resulted in poor life quality, hence these must be evaluated for intervention planning. By integrating Land Surface Temperature information with on-site observations, simulations, and vegetation maps, overall research direction was established. Research highlighted intricate interactions among many GI characteristics. The study enlightened that while grass alone provides only marginal cooling effects (0.4-0.8°C), strategically combining trees with creative fountain design may dramatically lower urban temperatures (up to 6°C) relative to neighboring regions. GI's contribution to UHI mitigation is enhanced by these research findings, which offer useful resources for urban planners and designers. Simulations and further evaluations are proposed
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
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