Production Efficiency Rate Research Articles

48 Use of 4,500 FTU/kg of phytase on performance and blood parameters of finishing pigs

Abstract Phytase hyper-dosing is a recent concept in nutrition based on the use of high doses of the enzyme with growth promoting effect. Supplementary release of inosotol, rapid and strong destruction of phytic acid and other non-phosphoric effects are proposed mechanisms for the positive results found on pig growth. The hypothesis of this concept would be to accelerate this destruction of the phytate improving feed conversion ratio (FCR). A second hypothesis is that this increased destruction of the phytate may generate decreased concentrations of cortisol, because the inositol has insulin-like effects, reducing glycemy and reducing cortisol concentrations and FCR. To evaluate these hypotheses, two different studies were conducted, in Brazil and Mexico, using Quantum Blue (AB Vista) in two formulation strategies, Control Group - a dose and nutritional matrix of 750 FTU/kg; Hyper-dosing Group - a dose strategy of 4,500 FTU/kg (but with the same matrix of 750 FTU/kg). In the Brazilian evaluation (Trial 1 - RESTRICTED feed consumption trial), 364 animals/treatment were used, divided into 26 replications of 14 animals each (13 pens of males and 13 pens of females). In the Mexican evaluation (Trial 2 – NO restricted feed consumption trial), 400 animals/treatment were used, divided into 8 replications of 50 animals each, all animals used in this evaluation were males. In both studies, body weight gain, feed intake and FCR were evaluated. In the Brazilian study, in addition, the blood cortisol concentration of the animals was also evaluated. The data from each experiment were analyzed using the GLM platform (Minitab 18), and ANOVA used to assess differences on treatments (P ≤ 0.05). As presented in Table 1, in Trial 1, no differences were noted (P > 0,05) with the Hyper-dosing strategy for males; however, for females, this strategy improved (P ≤ 0.05) the FCR in Hyper-dosing Group versus Control Group. This difference in results between sexes can be explained by the feeding rate adopted in this experiment, which was similar for all animals (highly restrictive), what may have penalized some animals more because of the greater maintenance costs. The analysis of the blood parameters of these animals demonstrated a reduction (P ≤ 0.05) in cortisol concentrations, indicating that the use of phytase Hyper-dosing can be even better in situations of thermal or environmental stress. Also presented in Table 1, in the Mexican study the results were possible to observe a statistical trend (P ≤ 0.05 and > 0.10) for the use of the Hyper-dosing concept for FCR. In conclusion, the use of 4,500 FTU/kg of Quantum Blue in the last 30 d of finishing pigs helps to improve performance and reduce blood cortisol concentrations of these animals, especially in situations where the production efficiency rate is moderate.

Temperature and production efficiency growth: empirical evidence

This paper examines the marginal effects of temperature on the growth rate and variability in growth rate of total factor productivity (TFP) of a country, as measured by its production efficiency relative to a stochastic frontier. Using panel data for 168 countries for the period 1950–2014 to estimate a one-step stochastic frontier function, we find that temperature has a concave relationship with the growth rate of production efficiency and with the variability in this growth rate. We observe that hotter than the average temperature is not only detrimental to production efficiency growth but also makes the growth less stable than otherwise, and these effects are larger in very hot countries with average annual temperature greater than 25 °C. More importantly, we observe that the detrimental marginal effects of higher temperature depend on the level of economic development of a country; they are larger for poor countries relative to rich countries. Our findings have implications for the specification of climate damage functions in integrated assessment models and estimates of country-specific social cost of carbon.

169 OVUM PICK-UP, IN VITRO EMBRYO PRODUCTION, AND EMBRYO TRANSFER IN CATTLE IN TROPICAL AND SUBTROPICAL MEXICO

Biotechnology continues to evolve rapidly, allowing the development of artificial reproductive techniques (ART) to increase reproductive efficiency and contribute to the genetic improvement of domestic animals. The present study examines the results obtained after 30 months of starting a commercial practice for ovum pickup (OPU) in vitro embryo production (IVP) and embryo transfer (ET) in cattle in tropical and subtropical Mexico. This research was conducted from 2013–2015 in beef and dairy cattle kept under different environmental and management conditions in 6 states (Chiapas, Oaxaca, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Veracruz, and Yucatan). Oocytes were collected by OPU, without hormonal treatment, from 10 donor cows: 2 Bos taurus (Bt), 5 Bos indicus (Bi), and 3 Bt × Bi. A total of 98 oocyte recovery sessions were performed on 756 cows and produced 12 524 viable oocytes (1349 GI, 3383 GII, 7792 GIII), which were sent to a central laboratory for IVP. Both conventional and sexed semen were used for IVF, from 9 breeds: 2 Bt, 5 Bi and 2 Bt × Bi. The overall cleavage rate was 69% (8587/12 524). The embryo production efficiency rate was 31% (3905/12 524). Fresh sexed and conventional embryos were transferred to recipients synchronised with the following protocol: Day 0, application of an intravaginal device (ID) with progesterone and 2 mg of oestradiol benzoate IM; Day 8, removal of the ID, 400 IU eCG IM, 0.5 mg cloprostenol sodium IM, and 0.5 mg oestradiol cipionate IM. Day 10 was considered the day of oestrus. Pregnancy rate after ET was 38% (945/3905). The average number of viable oocytes per donor cow was 16.57; the average number of transferred embryos per donor cow was 5.17, and the average number of pregnancies per donor cow was 1.25. The OPU-IVP were successful in producing pregnancies even under several adverse conditions, such as a tropical environment, many donors being prepuberal females and the majority of the adult cows having a previous non-productive history due to hormonal mishandling in superovulation programs or because of overfeeding for show purposes. The consequences of these factors can be observed in the lower overall cleavage rate obtained (69%), compared to the expected (75%). Some variables require further analysis (e.g. different OPU and ET technicians, time of year, cow age, cow breed, and use of conventional and sexed semen). A successful IVP practice has to face and overcome multiple problems that may arise in some geographic locations but, perhaps, not in others. It is interesting to note the use of sexed versus conventional embryos, of the 98 ET sessions, 25 involved sexed embryos versus 73 for conventional embryos. The use of sexed semen for OPU-IVP and ET in this region of Mexico continues to expand. We thank Genemex Internacional and the ranch owners that were involved with this research.

Impacts of Microbial Inoculants as Integrated Pest Management Tools in Apple Production

This article analyzes the impacts of microbial inoculant (MI) technology, which is a part of integrated pest management, on the U.S. apple production using farm-level data. To test the likely production impacts suggested by agronomic literature, we estimate a pesticide use function and stochastic production functions with damage control input specification. The results show that although adoption of the MI technology does not reduce the use of pesticides, the technology has a significant positive impact on yields and is associated with higher technical production efficiency rates.

Top Trends in the Oil and Gas Sector

Management The past 12 to 18 months witnessed the oil and gas sector drifting away from the rule of certainty and the return of uncertainty. Uncertainty required more focus, deeper analysis, and operational determination. Deloitte’s fourth annual Oil & Gas Reality Check identifies five trends and delves into the fundamental characteristics of each trend: the supply, demand, macroeconomic, regulatory, cost, price, and competitive behavior factors. Given the rise of shale gas resources and with new countries entering the ranks of net energy exporters, some are proclaiming that a global revolution is at hand with fundamental shifts in energy geopolitics because of newly found energy independence. A closer examination of the development progress of countries with major shale gas resources reveals a vastly different picture. Countries that can commercially produce unconventional and conventional gas seek higher returns by exporting or planning to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Asia Pacific countries that have historically agreed to long-term purchase contracts at oil indexed prices. The expected increase and diversity of LNG supply is spurring transition away from oil price indexation, and the rise of gas hub and hybrid price indexation. The discovery of new resources across various geographies coupled with the technical challenges of developing those resources are softening governments’ resource policies—an indicator of the degree of resource nationalism. As production efficiency rates and capabilities improve, will resource national-ism surge or will it pale in comparison with the competitive rise of national oil companies (NOCs)? How companies react to and deal with this uncertainty is changing the notion of a singular business model and giving rise to different business models. Each of these questions and the five trends are discussed below: Shale gas: A global or regional resource? The success of North American shale gas has created interest in duplicating the results in other countries. An April 2011 study by the US Energy Information Administration estimated that world shale technically recoverable resources outside the United States were 5,760 Tcf, sparking widespread interest in international shale. However, the presence of shale gas in the ground does not guarantee the unearthing of a fortune.

The Effects of Folic Acid Treatment on Biometric and Blood Parameters of Fingerling Rainbow Trout Fishes (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Folic acid is an essential vitamin for fish farming, and its shortage or extra-administration leads to physiological dysfunctions and then, to decrease the production efficiency rate. This research studied the effects of two different doses of folic acid (6 and 10 mg/kg dried food) on different biometric, hematologic and immunological parameters of fingerling rainbow trout fishes (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Totally, we showed that both doses could improve different biometric factors (except for condition index). Furthermore, despite the detrimental effects of these treatments on red blood cells, they could improve immunological functions of the fishes. Since no differences have been observed between the effects of these two folic acid doses, we concluded that treatment of this fish with 6 mg folic acid per kg dried food was as efficient as treatment with 10 mg folic acid.

Desenvolvimento de órgãos do trato gastrintestinal e desempenho de frangos de corte arraçoados na fase pré-alojamento

Objetivou-se avaliar o uso de dieta pré-alojamento em pintos, provenientes de matrizes de corte, de diferentes idades. Foram utilizados 840 pintos de corte, machos, com um dia de idade, distribuídos em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 2x2 (duas idades de matriz X dois regimes alimentares), com sete repetições de 30 aves por unidade experimental. Os tratamentos consistiram em arraçoamento de pintos, oriundos de matrizes de 33 e 68 semanas de idade, com dieta pré-alojamento ou mantidos em jejum até o alojamento. Os parâmetros: consumo de ração, conversão alimentar, peso corporal, ganho de peso diário e índice de eficiência produtiva foram analisados semanalmente até os 42 dias de idade. Aos 1; 2 e 7 dias de idade, duas aves de cada parcela foram sacrificadas para estudo dos pesos dos órgãos gastrointestinais. O fornecimento da dieta pré-alojamento afetou o desempenho e o peso dos órgãos dos frangos aos 2; 7 e 14 dias de idade, porém não afetou o índice de eficiência produtiva em frangos de corte ao final do período experimental. A idade da matriz influenciou o peso dos pintos em todas as idades analisadas. Ao serem considerados os resultados para os parâmetros de desempenho zootécnico obtidos, o fornecimento de dieta pré-alojamento na fase pós-eclosão influenciou positivamente o desenvolvimento dos órgãos do trato gastrintestinal e o desempenho zootécnico de frangos de corte na fase inicial de crescimento. Dessa maneira, pode ser utilizada como uma alternativa de arraçoamento destinada a um novo mercado que abate frangos nessa idade.

Adjust the Structure of the Education System: Smooth Out Internal and External Relations

As we analyze our country's social and economic development, the following sets of contradictions stand out in the picture of this development. These include: (1) the contradiction between the expansion of population and the growth of per capita income, (2) the contradiction between a high employment rate and a low rate of production efficiency, (3) the contradiction between a sense of common wealth and well-being and the expansion of the gaps between people's incomes, and (4) the contradiction between the policy of opening up to the outside world and the construction of spiritual culture. There are many ways to solve these contradictions, but, under the system of socialism, in addition to organizing production and the people's lives in a reasonable way, the fundamental way out of the potential impasses seems to be nothing more than strengthening the education system and developing the cause of education. When education is done well, and our people's quality is enhanced generally, then the expansion of th...

Additive genetic and heterosis effects in crosses among cattle breeds of British, European and Zebu origin.

Breed and heterosis effects for maternal and calf components for weaning traits were measured in the progeny of Angus (A), Brahman (B) and Charolais (C) sires mated to A, B, C and reciprocal AB, AC and BC dams. Additive breed effects for the calf component for weaning weight were -3.0 +/- 3.2, -26.6 +/- 3.1 and 29.6 +/- 3.3 kg for A, B and C, respectively. Corresponding maternal breed effects were -1.7 +/- 2.4, 7.8 +/- 2.3 and -6.1 +/- 2.6 kilograms. Heterosis effects on weaning weight for the calf component were 21.2 +/- 3.6 for AB, 1.4 +/- 3.7 for AC and 16.5 +/- 3.4 for BC crosses, while heterosis levels for the maternal component were 28.9 +/- 2.7 for AB, 16.5 +/- 3.2 for AC and 18.7 +/- 2.9 kg for BC dams. The corresponding estimates for condition scores tended to parallel those for weaning weight. Approximate relative production efficiency rates were computed for the different mating groups as (calf weight divided by cow weight) x weaning rate. These values were .34 for purebred matings, .36 for purebred dams raising F1 calves, .40 for F1 cows raising backcross calves and .43 for F1 dams raising three breed crossbred calves.

A new approach to production systems through developing human factors in Japan

Abstract Under the present labour conditions of Japanese industry, this study takes as its goal the development of new production systems which have a high rate of production efficiency through heightening awareness of human factors. Furthermore, this report presents new methodology and a number of models which analyse the relationship between motivation and those various factors of production systems which influence motivation. This paper discusses the findings of the investigations of typical Japanese enterprises using this method.