Amount Of Grains Research Articles

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Soybean Phosphorus-Use Efficiency in the Moist Savanna of West Africa

ABSTRACT With limited access to P fertilizers, soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) varieties cultivated in the moist savanna zone of West Africa should use P as efficiently as possible. Field trials were conducted on the effect of P application on grain yield per unit P accumulated (physiological efficiency or PPE), amount of P accumulated in plant biomass per unit P applied in fertilizer (recovery efficiency or PRE), and the amount of grain produced per unit of applied P (yield efficiency or PYE) in soybean. There was greater proportional root proliferation at lower P rates, and at sites where soil test P was low. Physiological efficiency was higher under these conditions. Although a greater proportion of total dry weight was accumulated in the roots of the early and medium (27-28%) compared with the late varieties (22-23%), root dry weight and PPE in the latter were higher. At maturity, PPE was significantly reduced from 245 kg kg−1 with no P applied to an average of 173 kg kg−1 (or by about 29%) with P application. Phosphorus yield efficiency was higher at sites (Kasuwan Magani and Gidan Waya) and in the late varieties where response to P was highest. PYE with 60 kg ha−1 P applied rate was almost half the value observed with 30 kg P ha−1.

Granular components of cement: Influence of mixture composition

Raw granular materials used in cement manufacturing are limestone grains displaying a broad size distribution, ranging from microns to a couple of inches. They are stored as pyramidal heaps and, although empirical homogenization techniques are used with good results, there are important factors like segregation and grinding conditions that produce mixtures with different poorly controlled size. For this reason, the stability of the heaps strongly depends on these factors and it is important to study the influence of the respective amounts of particles of different sizes on the properties of the mixture. In this work, we report experiments analyzing the relationship between the characteristic angles of equilibrium of the heaps and the geometry, size and chemical composition of the grains. We also look for correlations between the values of the characteristic angles and the relative amounts of grains of different sizes that make up the materials. We demonstrate that the chemical composition is correlated with the geometry of the grains and that their aspect ratio does not influence the critical angles. We also show that the critical angles mostly depend on the relative amount of fine grains in the granular mixture and on the dispersion of the sizes. The results obtained allow one to draw conclusions that may be relevant to the treatment and storage of raw materials in the cement industry.

Intake of lambs offered ad libitum access to one of three iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous mixed rations or a choice of all three foods

Modern practices for finishing livestock typically involve offering a single uniform food to large groups of presumably similar animals in an attempt to increase efficiency. Nevertheless, differences in physiology and behavior still cause variations in performance that may precipitate biological inefficiencies by not appreciating the importance of differences among individuals, the capacity of animals to select foods that meet ever-changing individual needs, and the dynamic nature of a nutrient's value to an animal. We examined intakes of groups of lambs offered a single food or three foods differing only in their proportions of cereal grains: High, 70%; Medium, 50%; Low, 40%. Foods consisted of the same ingredients (barley, corn, sugar beet pulp, alfalfa, soybean meal, grape pomace, feather meal, wheat straw), had similar levels of metabolizable energy (ME) and crude protein (CP), and met NRC requirements. We hypothesized that intake and performance would be greater when animals had a choice of foods because high grain concentrations would not limit intake of individuals unable to process high amounts of energy from grain. In general, lambs offered a Choice of the three foods ate more, converted food more efficiently, and cost less per unit gain than lambs fed the High food ( P < 0.05). Animals fed the Low or Medium foods were intermediate in their responses between these two extremes. Within Choice, preference for High, Medium, and Low shifted from the beginning (21 d) to the finishing (21 d) periods of the trial. Though lambs in the Choice treatment preferred Low > Medium and High in the beginning stage of the trial, their preferences became pronounced as we increased the amount of grain in each food during the finishing period ( P < 0.05). Collectively, our findings suggest improved intake, rate of gain, and feed efficiency can result when animals are allowed to select their diets from biochemically complementary foods, possibly enabling them to realize greater benefits than typically thought from inexpensive forages. In addition, offering animals choices is an alternative to feeding uniform diets of rapidly fermented energy, a major cause of illness in feedlots.

Universality Class in Abelian Sandpile Modelswith Stochastic Toppling Rules**The project supported by NationalNatural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 50272022 and theState Key Laboratory of Laser of China under Grant No. 9731D

We present a stochastic critical slope sandpile model, where the amount ofgrains that fall in an overturning event is stochastic variable. The modelis local, conservative, and Abelian. We apply the moment analysis to evaluatecritical exponents and finite size scaling method to consistently test theobtained results. Numerical results show that this model, Oslomodel, and one-dimensional Abelian Manna model have the same critical behavioralthough the three models have different stochastic toppling rules, which providesevidences suggesting that Abelian sandpile models with different stochastictoppling rules are in the same universality class.

A Prospective Study of Calf Factors Affecting Age, Body Size, and Body Condition Score at First Calving of Holstein Dairy Heifers

Data were collected prospectively on parameters related to first calving on 18 farms located in Northeastern Pennsylvania. This project was designed to study possible residual effects of calf management practices and events occurring during the first 16 wk of life on age, BW, skeletal growth, and body condition score at first calving. Multiple imputation method for handling missing data was incorporated in these analyses. This method has the advantage over ad hoc single imputations because the appropriate error structure is maintained. Much similarity was found between the multiple imputation method and a traditional mixed model analysis, except that some estimates from the multiple imputation method seemed more logical in their effects on the parameter measured. Factors related to increased age at first calving were increased difficulty of delivery, antibiotic treatment of sick calves, increased amount of milk or milk replacer fed before weaning, reduced quality of forage fed to weaned calves, maximum humidity, mean daily temperature, and maximum ammonia levels in calf housing areas. Body weight at calving tended to increase with parity of the dam, increased amount of grain fed to calves, increased ammonia levels, and increased mean temperature of the calf housing area. Body condition score at calving tended to be positively influenced by delivery score at first calving, dam parity, and milk or milk replacer dry matter intake. Withers height at calving was positively affected by treatment of animals with antibiotics and increased mean temperature in the calf area. This study demonstrated that nutrition, housing, and management factors that affect health and growth of calves have long-term effects on the animal at least through first calving.

Decisões estratégicas na logística do agronegócio: compensação de custos transporte-armazenagem para a soja no estado do Paraná

Este estudo objetivou avaliar a viabilidade dos investimentos em armazenagem da soja como decisão estratégica de logística. O princípio teórico é o de compensação de custos logísticos, tendo por base que a decisão estratégica empresarial pauta-se pelo somatório dos custos logísticos, visando a identificar sua área de custos mínimos totais das operações. Nessa visão, é possível tomar uma decisão acertada de operação, mesmo contando com uma ou mais atividades de logística fora de seu ponto mínimo. Nos custos de armazenagem, foi considerado o valor anual equivalente (VAE), tomado como remuneração do capital; o valor presente líquido (VPL) foi utilizado como indicador da viabilidade do investimento realizado. Foi possível comprovar a eficiência dos investimentos em estruturas de armazenagem, tanto em nível de grandes quantidades, quanto para o caso de uma propriedade estudada. Com maiores possibilidades de não vender a safra no momento de custos de transportes elevados, o custo logístico anual é menor, sendo tanto menor à medida que mais esta capacidade se aproximar da unidade. Assim, o investimento é viabilizado pela remuneração de seus custos operacionais e pelas economias de fretes. Ficou destacado o custo de transporte como direcionador dos custos logísticos setoriais.

Understanding Grain Movements for Demand Estimation

Grain producers and handlers in Washington State have benefited from a multimodal transportation network of roads, railroads, and the Columbia–Snake River barge system to move large amounts of grain effectively in a timely and economic manner. The competitive environment of the grain industry brings many changes, including the number of firms and houses, mergers, and modal competitiveness. Additionally, marketing strategies are affected because choices of available transportation modes reflect the decision processes of warehouses or firm managers. This aggregate study of grain marketing and transportation in the Pacific Northwest helps lay the groundwork for subsequent estimates of empirical demand. Such subsequent modeling attempts may include revealed and stated preference analysis in discrete choice demand models. A thorough understanding of the industry and market characteristics should improve empirical estimation efforts and produce more defensible policy analysis. Based on a 90% shipment volume response rate, results show that in the Columbia–Snake River grain situation, one destination absorbs more than 90% of shipments. Modal competition is active; barge has a market share of more than 50%, down 12–16% from 10 years ago. Multiple-car shipments have increased, but not drastically. Rates are consistently competitive over the period. Finally, grain demand is seasonal but generally has been stable over time. The revealed preferences from this aggregate analysis suggest that price elasticity may vary across shippers, times of movement, and modal availability.

Understanding Grain Movements for Demand Estimation: The Columbia-Snake River System in Washington State

Grain producers and handlers in Washington State have benefited from a multimodal transportation network of roads, railroads, and the Columbia-Snake River barge system to move large amounts of grain effectively in a timely and economic manner. The competitive environment of the grain industry brings many changes, including the number of firms and houses, mergers, and modal competitiveness. Additionally, marketing strategies are affected because choices of available transportation modes reflect the decision processes of warehouses or firm managers. This aggregate study of grain marketing and transportation in the Pacific Northwest helps lay the groundwork for subsequent estimates of empirical demand. Such subsequent modeling attempts may include revealed and stated preference analysis in discrete choice demand models. A thorough understanding of the industry and market characteristics should improve empirical estimation efforts and produce more defensible policy analysis. Based on a 90% shipment volume response rate, results show that in the Columbia-Snake River grain situation, one destination absorbs more than 90% of shipments. Modal competition is active; barge has a market share of more than 50%, down 12-16% from 10 years ago. Multiple-car shipments have increased, but not drastically. Rates are consistently competitive over the period. Finally, grain demand is seasonal but generally has been stable over time. The revealed preferences from this aggregate analysis suggest that price elasticity may vary across shippers, times of movement, and modal availability.

Excess pore pressure and grain crushing of sands by means of undrained and naturally drained ring-shear tests

An investigation of excess pore-pressure generation of a weathered granitic sand, taken from the source area of a typical landslide caused as a result of liquefaction, and a fine silica sand was conducted, in which grain crushing within the shear zone of ring-shear test specimens was examined as the key phenomenon of rapid long-runout motion of landslides. In order to investigate and explain the low average apparent-friction angle, mobilized in a liquidized landslide, speed-controlled ring-shear tests were conducted under undrained conditions on weathered granitic-sand specimens, formed under a wide range of initial void ratios. It was revealed that very small steady-state shear resistances were obtained irrespective of the initial void ratios, which can explain the low average apparent-friction angle. In addition, two series of ring-shear tests on weathered-granitic and fine-silica sands were conducted under naturally drained conditions by keeping the upper drain valve of the shear box open during the tests. The first series of tests was performed under differing total normal stresses, but at the same shear speed, and the second series was conducted at differing shear speeds, but under the same total normal stress. In order to investigate and analyze excess pore-pressure generation and dissipation within the shear zone that is associated with grain crushing, permeability analyses were conducted by passing water through the sample box of the ring-shear test apparatus before and after shearing. In addition, grain-size distribution analyses of samples taken from the shear zone after shearing were carried out. For the weathered granitic-sand samples, a significant change in bulk permeability and large amount of grain crushing were observed. In these tests on the above soil, a considerable reduction of shear resistance, which increased proportionally to the total normal stress and shear speed, were obtained. It was observed that due to grain crushing, finer grains that lowered the permeability of the soil in the shear zone, were formed. It is likely that the decrease in permeability facilitated the generation of high excess pore pressures by reducing the pore-pressure dissipation rate from the shear zone; thus, flow behaviour was exhibited even under naturally drained conditions.

Film grain reduction on colour images using undecimated wavelet transform

The presence of film grain often imposes the crucial quality choice between film enlargement and speed. In this work we present an automatic technique for reducing the amount of grain on film images. The technique reduces the noise by thresholding the wavelet components of the image with parameterised family of functions obtained with an initial training on a set of images. The training produces the parameters identifying the functions by optimising a cost function related to the image visual quality. The method has been tested on images contaminated by artificial and by real grain noise from two Kodak film makes. Being the main focus of this work on the grain reduction aspect rather than on the modelling side, we rely on a well known and state of the art software (Furnace) instead of producing a new noise model. The results demonstrate the efficiency of the method in reducing the grain noise and the ability of the technique in adapting the parameters to the noise level on each colour component. Another relevant characteristic of the method is its potential to be used for various different applications, class of images and type of noises just by modifying training set of images, cost function and shape of the thresholding functions.

Sabicea cinerea Aubl. (Rubiaceae): distilia e polinização em um fragmento de floresta Atlântica em Pernambuco, Nordeste do Brasil

O estudo foi desenvolvido no Parque Estadual de Dois Irmaos, um fragmento de Floresta Atlântica, em Recife - PE, no periodo de maio/1998 a dezembro/2000. Sabicea cinerea e uma especie lianescente encontrada na borda da mata, que produz flores por todo ano, com pico de floracao na estacao seca (setembro a fevereiro). Apresenta flores distilicas, actinomorfas, tubulosas, com petalas brancas e antese iniciando por volta das 5:00 h, quando o nectar ja esta disponivel; a producao de nectar estende-se ate as 16:00 h. O volume medio diario de nectar foi de 8,0 µL e a concentracao media de acucares, de 24%, em ambos os morfos florais. As flores brevistilas possuem a corola e os graos de polen maiores em relacao as flores longistilas, nao havendo, entretanto, diferencas na quantidade dos graos produzidos entre os dois morfos. Como visitantes florais, foram observados Phaethornis ruber, um dos principais polinizadores, e Amazilia sp., um pilhador. Alem desses beija-flores, varias especies de abelhas Apidae, Anthophoridae e Halictidae, borboletas Hesperiidae e Nymphalidae e moscas Syrphidae, visitavam as flores. A auto-incompatibilidade foi constatada atraves dos testes de polinizacao controlada, que resultaram na formacao de frutos apenas nos cruzamentos intermorfo. A analise do crescimento dos tubos polinicos confirmou a ocorrencia da auto-incompatibilidade esporofitica. A eficiencia no transporte de polen entre os morfos florais e a principal e mais importante funcao desempenhada pelos polinizadores para que ocorra a manutencao dos agrupamentos de individuos de S. cinerea, principalmente por esta especie apresentar um sistema reprodutivo do tipo xenogamo obrigatorio.

Grain and malting quality in two-row spring barley are influenced by grain filling moisture

Spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Lindwall) was sown in 2 experiments in 1995 and 1 experiment in 1996 in the eastern wheatbelt of Western Australia to examine the effect of varying moisture supply during grain filling on grain and malting quality. Drip irrigation (T-tape) to the soil surface was used to simulate rainfall. Plots were sown without rainout shelters and no rain fell during the linear phase of grain filling in all 3 experiments. The control plot received no irrigation. Irrigation treatments in 1995 were a once only 25 mm application at either 80, 185, 270, or 460 growing degree-days after awn emergence. Irrigation treatments in 1996 were a once-only 25-mm application at either 185 or 460 growing degree-days after awn emergence or a weekly irrigation treatment of 25 mm (total application of 75 mm over 3 irrigations). No attempt was made to compensate for evaporation or to match plant demand. This study demonstrated improvements in grain plumpness, grain quality, and malting quality with a single 25-mm irrigation during the early linear stages of grain filling (20–40% complete as percentage of final grain weight) in water stressed plants. The irrigation resulted in increased average grain weight, grain yield, amount of maltable grain, and malt extract and decreased the amount of grain passing through a 2.5-mm slotted sieve, grain protein concentration and diastase. This single irrigation, however, was not sufficient to change screening levels to meet receival standards for malting barley and demonstrated the effect of moisture stress on narrow-grained cultivars such as Lindwall. A single irrigation earlier than 20% grain fill completed had a smaller effect on grain plumpness, grain quality, and malting quality. A single irrigation during the latter part of grain filling (&gt;90% grain fill completed) had little or no effect on grain plumpness, grain quality, or malting quality. Weekly irrigation in 1996 had a bigger effect than a single irrigation and demonstrated the environmental limitation to quality in that season. Weekly irrigation increased average grain weight by 10 mg relative to control plots, reduced screenings from 88% to 18% through a 2.5-mm sieve, increased grain yields by 88%, increased malt extract by 3%, and decreased diastase by 116 pabah. There was no effect on grain modification or wort viscosity. Viscometric analysis of the barley flour showed a higher time to peak viscosity of the control, which suggests that gelatinisation temperatures were being decreased by irrigation in 1996.

Heteroepitaxial growth behavior of Mn-doped ZnO thin films on Al2O3 (0001) by pulsed laser deposition

Heteroepitaxial growth behavior of Mn-doped ZnO thin films (Zn1−xMnxO) on Al2O3 (0001) substrates by pulsed laser deposition was investigated particularly as a function of Mn content (0.00⩽x⩽0.35) using synchrotron x-ray scattering and atomic force microscopy. The undoped ZnO film was grown epitaxially with a 30° rotation of ZnO basal planes with respect to the Al2O3 substrate while having a small amount of grains with another epitaxial relationship, i.e., the hexagon-on-hexagon growth. A small amount of Mn doping (x=0.05) not only greatly improved the atomic alignment both in the in-plane and in the out-of-plane directions, but also led to a singly oriented film by totally suppressing the hexagon-on-hexagon growth. With further incorporation of Mn into ZnO beyond that content, the epitaxial nature again deteriorated. The superior epitaxial growth of the film with an optimum Mn content is attributed to the formation of much larger grains in it. In addition, our Mn-doped ZnO thin films showed a paramagnetic behavior.

Nutritional Support for Rhabdomyolysis

ying-up is a horseman’s descriptive term for exertional rhabdomyolysis (ER). Both terms describe the results of a number of specific muscle pathologies that appear to have a single cause. Recent studies, however, show that there are a number of specific causes of ER, and that information helps to understand why prevention and treatment has been elusive over the years. Many years ago when the condition was first described in draft horses, it was thought that diet had a lot to do with the condition. It occurred in work horses generally on Monday mornings—thus the term “Monday morning disease” was coined. A nutritional prevention plan was devised that was quite successful in many cases. What happened was that horses were worked hard six days a week and kept in their stalls on Sunday (to rest). The same amount of grain was fed Sunday as the rest of the week. Often this grain contained a large amount of molasses. Looking back on the situation, once muscle physiology was better understood, it appeared that the muscle cells were being overloaded with glycogen with no way to utilize it. Cutting the Sunday grain feeding usually helped alleviate the problem. Today we see a different type of ER with the expansion of horse racing and other intense pleasure horse activities. At the recent ACVIM Forum in Charlotte, North Carolina, Dr Stephanie Valberg provided some useful nutritional advice on ER under the catchy title “untying the knots through nutrition.” She emphasized that despite similarities of clinical signs, pathogenesis can vary from case to case. She described the typical ER and other types such as recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis, sporadic ER, chronic ER, and polysaccharide storage myopathy.

AISI 304 L stainless steel decontamination by a corrosion process using cerium IV regenerated by ozone Part II: Process optimization

Empirical and analytical approaches were used to model a pre-industrial pilot reactor to optimise a new decontamination process for AISI 304 L stainless steel. The alloy corrosion rate was modelled as an analytical function of the total cerium content and the ozone flow injected in the reactor. The empirical model of the corrosion rate, obtained by gravimetry, takes into account all the parameters, including the kinetics of alloy grains detached from the metal by intergranular corrosion. The discrepancy observed between the analytical and empirical models was explained by a two-step corrosion process. The dimensions and quantity of grains falling in the liquid were at first both underestimated. The study showed that the grains had to be extracted continuously from recirculating liquid in the future industrial reactor.

Diagnosing sulfur deficiency in rice by grain analysis

The effect of varying the sulfur (S) and nitrogen (N) supply on theyield and composition of brown rice (Oryza sativa L.)grainwas studied to determine whether grain analysis could be used for the diagnosisof S deficiency in this crop. Plants were grown to maturity in an S deficientyellow podzolic soil, under flooded and upland conditions in a glasshouse. Inthe first experiment there were six application rates of S combined with threeapplication rates of N. The amount of grain per plant varied from 0.69 to 7.62g, depending on the level of S and N supplied. Rice grown underflooded conditions produced approximately twice the grain yield of upland ricegrown at field capacity. Grain from the flooded series generally had a lower Sconcentration, and apart from the grain from the low N treatment, had lower Nconcentrations than the grain from the upland series. The grain S concentrationvaried from 0.069% to 0.154% and the N concentration ranged from 1.06% to 2.14%with changing S and N supply. Strong positive relationships were obtainedbetween grain yield and grain S concentration, and negative relationshipsbetween grain yield and the N:S ratios in the grain. The critical Sconcentration determined for 90% maximum yield in plants well supplied with Nwas not sufficient to distinguish between S responsive and unresponsive plantswhen N was limiting; both grain S concentration and N:S ratio are necessary todetermine the S status of the rice crop. Deficiency was indicated when the Scontent of the grain was less than 0.1% and the N:S ratio was wider than 14:1,and the same criteria applied to rice grain from flooded and upland treatments.Note that these values were derived in a glasshouse experiment using one ricecultivar on one soil and are therefore preliminary and require confirmationbefore practical application in the field. The second experiment examined theeffect of supplemental S applied after anthesis on grain composition. Latesupplemental S had no effect on grain yield, or on the composition of grainfromplants adequately supplied with S. In marked contrast, S concentration in grainof previously S deficient plants increased from 0.08% to 0.2%, well above thehighest level achieved by applying S at sowing. It is concluded that grainanalysis can be used to diagnose retrospectively S status for yield, provided Ssupply does not increase between the stage when grain yields are beingdetermined and the subsequent grain filling stage. An increase in S supplybetween these two stages will change the relationship between grain Scomposition and yield and complicate interpretation of grain analysis fordiagnosis. The advantages of using grain analysis for retrospective diagnosisofS deficiency are discussed, and the preliminary results suggest that theconcepts warrant further testing in the field.

COMPARISON OF INTERNATIONAL FOOD GUIDE GRAPHICS FOR THE EIGHT MOST COMMONLY CONSUMED ETHNIC CUISINES IN THE U.S.

Foodservice in the United States (U.S.) encompasses a wide variety of ethnic cuisines. This article reviews the food guide graphics for the eight most popular ethnic cuisines served in the U.S. Food guide graphics display culturally identifiable foods in different food groups and can be used as cultural guides when preparing international cuisine. Our study objective was to introduce foodservice professionals to food guide graphics, comparing shapes, food groupings, and foods pictured in each group. Guides compared in this study ranked from most to least tried cuisines include, Italy, Mexico, China, Germany, Greece, Japan, France and Sweden. Food guide graphic evaluation will help foodservice professionals provide nutritionally balanced meals when serving the most popular ethnic cuisines. This study reveals great diversity in Food Guide Graphic shape and some differences in food groupings. Foods pictured on food guide graphics show great diversity. Yet the basic recommendation for consuming a variety of foods is common to all. Most graphics recommend relatively greater amounts of grains, vegetables, and fruits and less meat, milk, and beans. As international nutrition recommendations have been shown to be similar, focusing on specific food selection and food grouping is important when cooking healthy balanced meals in various cuisines.

Adaptation of AACC Method 56‐11, Solvent Retention Capacity, for Use as an Early Generation Selection Tool for Cultivar Development

ABSTRACTThe solvent retention capacity (SRC) profile is useful for studying flour components contributing to end‐use functionality. The method tests four different solvents with 5 g of flour each. Because of the amount of grain (30–40 g) typically needed to produce 20 g of flour for the SRC test, the method is not well‐suited for assessing end‐use quality of early generation breeding material, where grain quantities are limited. The method was therefore modified to require only 0.2 g of ground wheat instead of 5 g of flour per SRC solvent. The small‐scale SRC results using whole meal had correlations of r = 0.86 for lactic acid, r = 0.85 for sodium carbonate, r = 0.78 for sucrose, r = 0.74 for sodium bicarbonate (the alkaline water retention capacity method) and r = 0.69 for water when compared with SRC values from full‐scale tests using 5 g of flour. Overall, cultivars with SRC values at the extremes of the distribution were in the same ranked order for the small‐ and large‐scale SRC test results. However, variation in ranked order of cultivars between test methods was detected among samples that were not at the extremes of the distribution. Traditionally, successful wheat breeding strategies involve eliminating or advancing lines from the extremes of the distribution to increase the proportion of desirable genotypes within breeding programs. Results indicated that advancing promising germplasm or eliminating germplasm with inferior end‐use quality potential is possible using the small‐scale SRC technique to evaluate early generation wheat breeding material, as a sort of breeding triage.

Feeding small quantities of grain in the parlour facilitates pre-milking handling of dairy cows: a note

Food rewards are increasingly recognised as a method of training animals to submit to management procedures that might otherwise require aversive handling. The aim of the current study was to determine if feeding small amounts of concentrate in the parlour could improve entrance behaviour. Cows within one milking group received 0, 0.3 or 0.6 kg ( n=17 in each treatment) of concentrate per milking in the parlour using a computer controlled feeding system. Cows were observed before and after the treatment began, recording order of entry, latency (s) to fully enter the parlour, if the cow needed to be pushed into the parlour and if the cow defecated or urinated while in the milking parlour. Cows receiving feed moved up in the milking order by (mean±S.E.) 7.6±2.3 positions once the treatment period began. The latency for these cows to entered the parlour reduced by 1.7 s±0.5 s during the treatment, and these cows were 59%±6% less likely to require being pushed. This latter effect carried over to the control cows that were not fed in the parlour: these cows were 37%±7% less likely to be pushed during the treatment period. There was no effect of feeding on the proportion of animals that defecated or urinated while in the milking parlour. Although feeding had a positive effect on entry into the parlour, the amount of food provided had no effect. Thus, the results of this study indicate that even small quantities of concentrate can act to motivate parlour entry, reducing the need for pushing and other interventions that may have negative effects on the cows.