bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Respective frequencies of early and late embryonic mortality in Prim’ Holstein cows under subtropical conditions
Authors: Tillard E. , Nabeneza S. , Faye B. , Humblot P. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThe frequency of early and late embryonic mortality was determined following 171 inseminations performed between January and December 1998 in 6 herds located in Reunion Island. Milk was sampled 23 to 24 days after Alfor progesterone determination in cows not observed to return to oestrus after AI. Cows were also blood sampled at between 30 and 45 days post-AI to measure Pregnancy Specific Protein B. Overall pregnancy rate was 25.1% (range between herds 12.5% to 42.3%). Early embryonic mortality or fertilisation failures and late embryonic mortality occurred in 57.3% (range between herds 52.9% to 61.6%) and 17.5% (range between herds 3.8% to 33.4%) of cows inseminated, respectively. Nonpregnant cows, not detected in oestrus by Day 24 after AI were recorded to returned to oestrus, on average 66 ±9.6 days or more than 3 cycles after AI. The pregnancy rate was depressed when cows were inseminated during the wet season compared with cows inseminated during the dry season. We conclude that fertilisation failures or early embryonic mortality was the main cause of reproductive failure in inseminated cows in tropical climates. The incidence was twice that obtained in studies conducted under more temperate climatic conditions.
Evaluation of the Early Conception Factor (ECFtm) Test in Cows 3-7 Days Post-Breeding
Authors: Adams C. S. , Jardon P. W. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractReduction of the number of days open is economically desirable for the dairy producer. A test is currently being marketed which claims to accurately detect the open cow at 3-7 days post breeding via the detection of a unique protein detected in the serum of the pregnant cow. Evaluation of this test revealed a sensitivity of .51 and a specificity of .55. These results indicate that the test, as performed in this study, did not accurately assess the open status of dairy cattle.
The detection and treatment of post insemination progesterone insufficiency in dairy cows
Authors: Starbuck G R , Darwash A O , Mann G E , Lamming G E 
Published: May 2019

AbstractAn analysis on the outcome of 124 inseminations monitored using daily milk progesterone concentration data revealed that those cows in which pregnancy did not occur experienced a 1.7day delay in post-ovulatory luteal progesterone rise when compared to the pregnant group (P<0.001). This suggests that luteal progesterone secretion needs to be initiated prior to day 5 post-ovulation. A comparison between the milk progesterone concentration on day 5 post-ovulation and the pregnancy rate for 1451 inseminations showed the maximum pregnancy rate to occur when the milk progesterone concentration was between 3-9ng/ml. Pregnancy rate fell significantly (P<0.01) when progesterone concentrations were below 3ng/ml, identifying cows that may benefit from progesterone supplementation. The supplementation of progesterone in cows with a day 5 milk progesterone concentration of less than 3ng/ml, using an intra-vaginal progesterone releasing device, only provided benefit for those cows with a day 5 progesterone concentration of between 1-2ng/ml, resulting in a doubling of the pregnancy rate. This data shows that a delay in post-ovulatory progesterone secretion has a detrimental effect on pregnancy but that not all cows with a deficient progesterone concentration benefit from progesterone supplementation.
Effects of treatment with a gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogue on follicle development in dairy cows fed one of two different diets
Authors: Bleach E.C.L. , Moore C.L. , Zeale H.J. , Knight P.G. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractFollicle development occurs in two or three waves during the bovine oestrous cycle. Artificially extending the duration of ovulatory follicle dominance influences pregnancy rates in cattle, as does the interval from emergence to oestrus in dairy cows undergoing spontaneous oestrous cycles. The objectives of the presented study were to determine whether the interval from ovulatory follicle emergence to oestrus might be altered by diet and/or gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) treatment. Lactating primiparous Holstein/Friesian cows (n=21) were randomly allocated to one of two diets at calving (Diet 1, n=ll, DM 480 g/kg, metabolisable energy 12.0 MJ/kg DM crude protein 178 g/kg DM, oil B 48 g/kg DM, neutral detergent fibre 318 g/kg DM and diet 2, n=10, DM 440 g/kg, metabolisable energy 12.1 MJ/kg DM, crude protein 172 g/kg DM, oil B 40 g/kg DM, neutral detergent fibre 300 g/kg DM). From 10 days after observed oestrus (oestrus 1), ovarian follicular and luteal development was monitored by daily transrectal ultrasonography until the subsequent oestrus and ovulation. A GnRH analogue was injected (i.m.; 10 μg) 12 days after oestrus 1 in 6 cows fed diet 1 and 5 cows fed diet 2. Oestrous cycle length was longer (p<0.05) in control cows fed diet 1 than those fed diet 2. Treatment with GnRH increased (p<0.005) cycle length in cows fed diet 2 but not those fed diet 1. Increases in cycle length observed were associated with longer luteal phase length. Follicular phase length was reduced (p<0.05) by GnRH treatment in cows fed diet 1. Ovulatory follicles emerged later (p<0.05) in control cows fed diet 1 than those fed diet 2. GnRH treatment delayed (p<0.01) the emergence of the ovulatory follicle in cows fed diet 2, this delay was associated with an increase (p<0.05) in the incidence of 3 follicle waves in oestrous cycles following GnRH treatment. The interval from emergence of the ovulatory follicle to the subsequent oestrus was similar among the treatment groups. We conclude that treatment with GnRH during the mid-luteal phase may delay the emergence of the ovulatory follicle. However, the response is dependent on diet fed. Where ovulatory follicle emergence is delayed, the interval from emergence to the subsequent oestrus was unaffected since oestrous cycle length is extended.
Field assessment of GnRH-PGF2α oestrous synchronisation in confined Holstein cows
Authors: Cox J.F. , Saravia F. , Torrealba O. , Zavala A. , Lobos A. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThe present study determined the effect of a GnRH and PGF2α treatment on proportion of cows detected in oestrus, the distribution of oestrous activity and subsequent fertility. The study also incorporated the use of ovarian ultrasound and milk progesterone assay to established a better overall assessment of treatments. Holstein-Friesian cows, averaging 9000-kg milk/lactation, and fed according to their requirements were used in the study. Cows were regularly cyclic; at least 60 days postpartum, had had two oestrous cycles and were clinically sound before being considered for either experiment. In Experiment 1, 274 cows were treated at random with an i.m. injection of 10 μg of GnRH (buserelin) followed 7 days later by 0.75 mg oftiaprost based on the ultrasound diagnosis of a corpus luteum. At that time and 3 days later, milk samples were collected and assayed for progesterone. Cows with progesterone concentrations >1 ng/ml were considered to have a corpus luteum, and luteolysis was assumed to have occurred when concentrations 3 days later were <0.8 ng/ml. In Experiment 2, 1431 cows were treated as above. The response to treatment was assessed by presence of a corpus luteum 7 d after GnRH treatment, oestrous detection rate, and distribution of heats and ultimately on conception rate. Conception rate was compared to untreated control cows inseminated by the same inseminator and using semen from the same sires. Artificial breeding was carried out after oestrous detection and pregnancy diagnosis was done by ultrasound. In Experiment 1, luteolysis was induced in 244/274 (89.1%) cows following PGF2α administration, with 198/214 (92.5%) been diagnosed correctly in heat and 16/214 (7.5%) been diagnosed in error based on progesterone profiles. Oestrous activity was most concentrated on day 3 (59.1%), with 20.7% and 16.7% of heats recorded on d 2 and d 4, respectively. When compared to untreated controls, GnRH-PGF2α treated cows had a better conception rate (56.6 vs. 39.5%, P<0.01). In Experiment 2, 1012/1431 (70.7%) had a CL 7 days after GnRH injection; 709/1012 (70.1%) cows were detected in oestrus, and 359/700 (51.3%) cows became pregnant after insemination compared to 182/434 (41.9%) of untreated controls (P<0.05). The utilisation of GnRH and PGF2α seems to be a useful synchronisation scheme based on AI after oestrous detection. However, variations in fertility after treatment demands a better understanding offactors affecting herd fertility under controlled schemes.
Foster care trends in a Western Australian non-government family welfare agency 1991-1999
Authors: Ainsworth Frank , Ash Sue , Summers Adele 
Published: May 2019

Wanslea Family Services (WFS), a non-government family welfare agency in Perth, has provided foster care placements for the Western Australian Department of Family and Children's Services for many years. Data about these children and their families is held in a comprehensive electronic database that covers the period 1991-1999. This 9-year data set is unique in Western Australia and may be unique nationally.An analysis of this data indicates no significant variation across the nine year period for age at admission of children to foster care. In contrast, a statistically significant cubic trend was found for length of episode of care indicating that the duration of foster care placements significantly varied across the nine year period. Analyses of gender for both age at admission and length of foster care showed significant differences but only for particular years. In 1995 females were significantly younger than males while in 1998 males were significantly younger than females. Only in 1998 was length of episode of care significant when it was shorter for males than females. Possible explanations for these results are discussed.
Risk Balancing in an Integrated Farm Risk Management Plan
Authors: Escalante Cesar L. , Barry Peter J. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractUsing optimization techniques in a Simulation framework, this study demonstrates the synergy between risk balancing and alternative strategies in effectively reducing risk under changing farm conditions. Highly risk-averse farmers tend to prefer integrated risk-management plans, based on the diversification principle, that yield offsetting combinations of the risk-reducing benefits of most strategies and the profit-generating capacities of the others. The greater appeal of a more diversified plan usually downplays the risk balancing strategy as the farm utilizes credit reserves to implement other production and marketing plans considered essential to Overall risk reduction. The farm, however, still realizes overall, though more regulated, reduction in its financial risk position.
Willingness to Plant Identity Preserved Crops: The Case of Mississippi Soybeans
Authors: Hudson Darren , Jones Tom 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThe willingness to plant identity preserved (IP) crops was examined using Mississippi soybean producers as an example. A contingent valuation framework was used to assess the impacts of offered premiums on a producer's probability of planting IP soybeans. Findings suggest that offered premiums significantly affect planting decisions. In addition, desire to learn more about IP production was found to increase the probability of planting, suggesting that desire to learn leads to experimentation. Finally, prior knowledge or experience planting IP crops significantly decreased the probability of planting.
Annotating a broad range of anaphoric phenomena, in a variety of genres: the ARRAU Corpus
Authors: Uryupina Olga , Artstein Ron , Bristot Antonella , Cavicchio Federica , Delogu Francesca , Rodriguez Kepa J. , Poesio Massimo 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThis paper presents the second release ofarrau, a multigenre corpus of anaphoric information created over 10 years to provide data for the next generation of coreference/anaphora resolution systems combining different types of linguistic and world knowledge with advanced discourse modeling supporting rich linguistic annotations. The distinguishing features ofarrauinclude the following: treating all NPs as markables, including non-referring NPs, and annotating their (non-) referentiality status; distinguishing between several categories of non-referentiality and annotating non-anaphoric mentions; thorough annotation of markable boundaries (minimal/maximal spans, discontinuous markables); annotating a variety of mention attributes, ranging from morphosyntactic parameters to semantic category; annotating the genericity status of mentions; annotating a wide range of anaphoric relations, including bridging relations and discourse deixis; and, finally, annotating anaphoric ambiguity. The current version of the dataset contains 350K tokens and is publicly available from LDC. In this paper, we discuss in detail all the distinguishing features of the corpus, so far only partially presented in a number of conference and workshop papers, and we also discuss the development between the first release ofarrauin 2008 and this second one.
The potential reproductive effects of exposure of domestic ruminants to endocrine disrupting compounds
Authors: Boerjan M.L. , Freijnagel S. , Rhind S.M. , Meijer G.A.L. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractChemical compounds that mimic or block some of the actions of the steroid hormone oestradiol, have created public concern primarily because of potential adverse reproductive effects in wildlife and humans. Many studies, in vivo and in vitro, have revealed abnormal reproductive function following exposure to these compounds. The number of chemicals known to have the potential to modulate endocrine functions is increasing. In contrast to humans and wildlife, the potential reproductive effects of exposure of domestic animals to endocrine disrupting compounds (EDC) have been studied little. The aim of this overview is to evaluate the possible contribution of EDC to reproductive failure in domestic ruminants.Sources and classes of EDC are discussed as well as their structure and the modes of hormone disruption. Endocrine disrupting agents may interfere with the reproductive processes of both males and females at several points of the reproductive cycle and through a range of physiological mechanisms. Extrapolating from the results obtained with laboratory animals, the mechanisms whereby infertility in domestic ruminants might be expressed by exposure to EDC through contaminated food and drinking water are addressed.A preliminary risk assessment is included and it is concluded that under certain circumstances there may be a significantly enhanced intake of oestrogenic hormones and EDC through sewage-contaminated water or soil-contaminated herbage. The physiological consequences for domestic ruminants of EDC ingestion, at the rates estimated, are largely unknown. However, the levels of exposure to oestrogenic hormones and phthalates in grazing ruminants are such that when studying fertility problems in high-yielding dairy cattle the impacts of exposure to endocrine disruptors via the food and drinking water cannot be neglected.
Effect of dietary energy source on the performance and perirenal fat thickness evolution of primiparous rabbit does
Authors: Pascual J. J. , Motta W. , Cervera C. , Quevedo F. , Blas E. , Fernández-Carmona J. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractSeventy-four New Zealand ✕ Californian females were used to determine the influence of dietary energy source on the performance and perirenal fat thickness (PFT) change measured by ultrasound of primiparous rabbit does. Three highly concentrated diets were designed with different dietary energy sources: animal fat (diet F), vegetable oil (diet O) and cereal starch (diet S), and does were fertilized by artificial insemination after parturition (AP group) or around weaning (AW group), litters being weaned at 28 days of age. There were no significant differences in live weight and food intake of females throughout gestation, but does given diet S showed a higher increase in their PFT until 28th day than those given diets F and O (P < 0·01), although all females had a similar PFT at parturition. Rabbit does given diets S and O showed a significantly higher dietary energy intake than those given diet F (P < 0·01) during the first weeks of lactation, and similar thereafter until the second parturition. Milk yield and litter weight gain were significantly higher with fat-enriched diets (P < 0·05), and milk composition of rabbit does given diet F showed a higher total solids content (P = 0·01), fat (P < 0·001) and energy (P < 0·01) than milk of does receiving diets O or S. Although pups on fat diets showed a higher weaning weight (P < 0·05), dietary treatment during lactation did not have any effect on the performance of pups during the subsequent growing period. PFT always decreased during lactation for does given fat-enriched diets, while it increased for does given diet S and fertilized after parturition. Live weight of AP does was significantly higher at 21st day of lactation (P < 0·01) and at weaning (P < 0·001), and they showed a significantly lower food intake during the final week of lactation. The period from weaning to parturition was too short for AP does, which showed a decrease of their PFT, while AW does showed an increase of their PFT and a greater number of pups alive at birth (P < 0·05). Due to the lower milk yield of rabbit does fertilized AP, their pups showed a significantly higher solid food intake (P < 0·001), resulting in a similar value for the live weight of pups in both groups at weaning. The earlier promotion of solid food intake significantly affected the food intake of litters during the subsequent growing period, presenting higher values for pups coming from AP does. In conclusion, the addition of dietary fat, especially from animal origin, seems to improve the utilization of energy for milk production, while the use of a high level of starch could decrease the negative balance of primiparous rabbit does during lactation.
Effects of breed and family on rate of copper accretion in the liver of purebred Charollais, Suffolk and Texel lambs
Authors: Suttle N. F. , Lewis R. M. , Small J. N. W. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThe feeding of housed lambs on conserved forages and pelleted rations is accompanied by a high risk of chronic copper (Cu) poisoning (CCP) which might be reduced by selecting sires for low liver Cu status. Livers were therefore retrieved from Suffolk, Texel and Charollais lambs, slaughtered during the course of a performance trial, to ascertain sire and possibly breed effects on the rate of Cu accretion in the liver. In total, 160 livers were obtained, 100 from Suffolk, 40 from Texel and 20 from Charollais lambs, the progeny of 14, eight and eight sires, respectively. Lambs came from three separately managed flocks but were brought together at 8 weeks of age, weaned onto a common complete diet containing 6·1 mg Cu per kg dry matter (DM) and offered ad libitum. One-fifth of each breed group was slaughtered at 14, 18 or 22 weeks and the remaining 40% at 26 weeks of age. Mean (s.e. ) liver Cu concentrations at those ages were 3220 (450), 4639 (464), 6426 (468), and 6513 (370) µmol/kg DM for Suffolk, and 5843 (811), 6579 (857), 8017 (811) and 10406 (589) µmol/kg DM for Texel, respectively. The pattern of liver Cu accretion differed, the Suffolk starting at a low value yet reaching a plateau at about 22 weeks of age (significant quadratic regression coefficient), the Texel, continually increasing from a high initial value at an average rate of 53·7 (s.e.10·6) µmol/kg DM per day. There was a significant effect of sire on liver Cu in the Suffolk (P 0·05) with a heritability of 0·85 (s.e. 0·44); in the Suffolk and Texel combined, the heritability was 0·60 (s.e. 0·33). The data available on the Charollais were too limited to test for sire effects but at 26 weeks of age, where most information was available, the mean liver Cu concentration was 7285 (s.e.826) µmol/kg DM. At a given age, food intake, liver weight and live weight were each lowest in the Texel but when expressed as a proportion of live weight (LW), both food intake (43 g/kg LW) and liver weight (5·15 g DM per kg LW) were similar among breeds (P 0·05). Thus, differences in liver Cu accretion are unlikely to reflect differences in Cu intake per unit liver weight. There was a tendency for liver size per kg LW to decrease as liver Cu rose in the Texel but not in the Suffolk. Continued hepatic Cu accretion in the Texel may reflect a breed-specific inability to cope with Cu overload. Increases in liver Cu to marginally toxic levels in some Suffolk, some Charollais and most Texel lambs, and to a level commonly associated with toxicity in one Texel lamb, on a ration of moderate Cu concentration highlights the difficulty of controlling risk of CCP by manipulating dietary composition. The current EC limit for Cu in ovine diets, 17 mg Cu per kg DM, is clearly too high for the breeds and dietary conditions used in this study. However a safe limit would be hard to achieve and hence the need to exploit sire variation in propensity to accumulate liver Cu to reduce disease risk.
Comparison of microbial markers (15N and purine bases) and bacterial isolates for the estimation of rumen microbial protein synthesis
Authors: Carro M. D. , Miller E. L. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThe first objective of this experiment was to investigate the effect of using different bacterial isolates on the estimation of microbial protein production in semi-continuous fermenters (RUSITEC) given four diets, and to test whether a ‘mixed’ bacterial pellet was representative of the whole bacterial population in the fermenters. A second objective was to compare two different microbial markers (nitrogen-fifteen (15N) and purine bases (PB)). Diets consisted of neutral-detergent fibre from grass hay (10 g/day) and sugar-beet pulp (2 g/day) and 280 mg/day of one of four N forms (isolated soya-bean protein, soya-bean peptides, amino acids blended to profile soya-bean protein and NH4Cl). Two 14-day incubation runs were carried out and in each run each of the four different diets were given to two vessels. On days 12 and 13, total digesta (effluent plus nylon bags residues) was collected for analyses of non-ammonia N,15N enrichment and PB concentration, and for isolation of total mixed bacterial pellets (TB). On the last day of each incubation run, the system was stopped for isolation of liquid- (LAB) and solid-associated (SAB) bacteria. Microbial N flow was estimated from the15N enrichment and PB concentration in both total digesta and in the three different bacterial pellets (TB, LAB, and SAB). For all diets, LAB presented a greater (P < 005)15N enrichment and PB: N ratio than SAB, with TB having an intermediate value. For both markers, the use of LAB produced the lowest (P < 005) estimates of microbial N flow and the use of SAB produced the greatest (P < 005) estimates. The use of TB produced intermediate values with all diets, suggesting that TB consisted of SAB and LAB. For all bacterial pellets, PB produced greater (P 005) values of microbial N flow than15N. However, there was a positive relationship (r = 0·883; P 0001; no. = 15) between the values of microbial N flow determined with the two markers when TB were used as reference.