Service Period Research Articles

Reproductive performance of Aceh cattle as animal genetic resources in Sampoiniet, Aceh Jaya, Aceh Province, Indonesia

Aceh cattle are one of animal genetic resources in Indonesia that have high adaptability to feed and extreme climates, therefore their existence must be maintained. This research aimed to identify the ability of aceh cattle reproductive in Sampoiniet Subdistrict, Aceh Jaya, Indonesia. A survey method was applied in this study covering 4 (four) villages, Kuala Ligan, Ie Jeureungeh, Ligan, and Teupin Limeng. The sample of villages and respondents were determined using purposive method in which the villages should have the most aceh cattle in Sampoiniet subdistrict and respondents should have at least two aceh cattle that have calved twice. The selected respondents were 60 farmers. Variables observed were the puberty age, first calving age, calving interval, service period, and calf weaning age. The collected data were analyzed descriptively using frequency and percentage. The result shows that the age of puberty was 13.11±1.06 months, the first calving age was 4.06±0.29 years, the calving interval was 18.42±1.07 months, the service period was 9.42±1.07 months, and the calf weaning age was 9.62 ±2.7 months. From these results, it can be drawn conclusion of this study that the reproductive characteristics of Aceh cattle in Sampoiniet Subdistrict, Aceh Jaya was categorized as poor.

Effect of prostaglandin alone and in combination with trace minerals on the follicular and luteal dynamics, estrus response and pregnancy in sub-estrus buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis).

Sub-estrus is a condition when buffaloes do not display behavioural estrus signs, despite being in estrus and causes a delay in conception and increases the service period. The present study describes the effect of synthetic prostaglandin (PGF2α) alone and in combination with trace minerals on the follicular and corpus luteum (CL) dynamics, serum estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) concentration correlating estrus response and pregnancy outcome in sub-estrus buffaloes during the breeding season. A total of 50 sub-estrus buffaloes, identified through ultrasonography (USG) examination, were randomly allocated into three groups, viz. T1 (Synthetic PGF2α, Inj. Cloprostenol 500 μg, i.m, n = 17), T2 (Synthetic PGF2α + Trace mineral supplementation, Inj. Stimvet 1 mL/100 kg body weight, i.m., n = 17) and control (untreated; n = 16). Following treatment, 100% of sub-estrus buffaloes were induced estrus in the T1 and T2 groups, while only 18.75% were induced in the control. The CL diameter and serum P4 concentration were significantly lower at post-treatment, whereas the pre-ovulatory follicle (POF) size and serum E2 concentration were significantly higher in the T1 and T2 groups as compared to the control (p < .05). The buffaloes of the T2 group had a greater proportion of moderate intensities estrus than those of T1. Moreover, the proportion of buffaloes conceived in the T1 and T2 were 41.2% and 52.95%, respectively. The larger POF diameter and higher serum E2 concentration were associated with intense intensity estrus and higher conception rate (66.7%) in sub-estrus buffaloes. Similarly, CL regression rate, POF size and serum E2 concentration were relatively higher in the buffaloes conceived as compared to those not conceived. It is concluded that synthetic PGF2α in combination with trace minerals induces moderate to intense intensities estrus in a greater proportion of sub-estrus buffaloes and increases the conception rate during the breeding season. Moreover, behavioural estrus attributes correlating follicle and luteal morphometry, serum E2 and P4 concentration could be used to optimise the breeding time for augmenting the conception rate in sub-estrus buffaloes.

Analysis of Soil Improvement Through PVD and Vacuum Preloading with Several Equivalent Permeability Methods

Vacuum preloading combined with prefabricated vertical drain (PVD) is one of the common soft soil improvement methods. Soft soils often pose significant problems in construction projects due to their low shear strength and high compressibility, leading to settlement issues and potential structural instability. The PVD combined with vacuum preloading method addresses these problems by accelerating the consolidation process and minimizing settlement during service period. The acceleration occurs due to the presence of PVD, allowing dissipation of excess pore water in horizontal direction towards the PVD. Thereafter, the water in the PVD is drained to the surface. When modelled in 2D, PVD behaves as a continuous drain in the plane strain direction, causing the flow conditions to deviate from the actual conditions. To address this issue, equivalent soil permeability values is required, allowing the 2D model to produce results closely resembling the actual conditions. This research explores the improvement of PVD vacuum preloading through three equivalent permeability approaches. Utilizing field monitoring data, which includes settlement measurements from settlement plates, changes in pore water pressure recorded by piezometers, and lateral deformation data captured by inclinometers, the study evaluates the effectiveness of these approaches. Comparative analyses with field monitoring data reveal that Indraratna equivalent permeability method has the best fit. The integration of PVD and vacuum preloading, coupled with the refinement of equivalent permeability methodologies, offers a promising solution for addressing soft soil problems in geotechnical engineering. This research contributes to the practical application of these methods in construction projects, emphasizing their potential to enhance soil stabilization and reduce settlement-related risks.

Pengenalan Metode Tilawati pada Jama’ah Pengajian Musholla Nurul Iman di Desa Mekar Sari Kecamatan Tanjung Raya Kabupaten Mesuji Provinsi Lampung

This article contains the results of research during the community service period in Mekar Sari Village, Tanjung Raya District, Mesuji Regency, Lampung Province. Based on the results of observations when participating in the routine recitation activities of the Nurul Iman prayer room, there are several problems and one of them is the lack of interest in learning and reading the Koran by mothers in Mekar Sari village which is one of the problems that is the focus of this article's research. The use of inappropriate methods in a lesson can cause learning outcomes to be less than optimal. The application of the tilawati method is an alternative in increasing the motivation and ability of mothers to read the Qur'an. The principle of teaching the Qur'an using the tilawati method is that it is taught practically using the rost song, taught in a classical manner, taught in groups with reading and listening techniques using the Al-Qur'an. The implementation of Al-Qur'an learning using the tilawati method in the prayer congregation of the Nurul Iman musholla has had the effect of changing the ability of mothers to read the Al-Qur'an. Supporting factors and inhibiting factors for learning the Qur'an with the tilawati method are influenced by technical and field conditions, as well as the conditions of the recitation congregation. From this it is hoped that the interest and ability of the women in the prayer congregation at the Nurul Iman prayer room can increase so that learning outcomes are more effective and of good quality.

Research on the Dynamic Stress Tracking Test Period of the Bogie Frame for Metro Vehicle

AbstractDynamic stress is one of the key indicators reflecting the fatigue characteristics of metro bogie frames. Considering the test costs, operation safety, and other factors, it is impossible to record all the dynamic stress data for the whole service period in the tracking test. Therefore, the overall stress spectrum is statistically deduced based on limited dynamic stress data samples, which can not only provide a basis for the fatigue reliability research of the bogie frame, but also save costs. In this paper, the typical fatigue control points in different areas of the frame with large equivalent stress are selected for research. The daily measured stress spectrum samples are obtained through the rainflow counting method, and the statistical stress spectrum is then compiled. Weibull distribution fitting of the stress spectrum is carried out to obtain the scale and shape parameter samples for different fatigue control parts. After sampling of the obtained parameter samples and conducting variance homogeneity tests as well as t-tests, the minimum sample size representing the overall distribution of the interval is obtained. Therefore, the shortest tracking test period reflecting the overall stress distribution of typical fatigue control parts can be obtained.

Intensification of reproduction of a highly productive dairy cattle herd

The research work was carried out in a breeding facility for dairy cattle breeding with a milk yield per cow of 10,564 kg and a reproduction level of 96.6 %. Semen of Holstein bulls was used for reproduction. At dry-off pregnant cows were immunized against a range of bacterial, viral and parasitic diseases. After birth, the calves were injected with vitamin E and selenium, dectomax and gradually immunized against common infections. Data on 922 heifers were included in the analysis, including 192 obtained through inseminating cows with sexed semen. Heifers were inseminated at 13–15 months of age. Fertility rate after the first insemination was 67.4 %, calving at the age of (710 ± 2) days. Early calving and balanced feeding ensured high milk yields in full lactation and standard period – on average 9401 and 8854 kg of milk with the fat mass fraction of 4.32 %, protein of 3.38 % and the number of somatic cells of 73 thousand/ml. After calving, the first insemination was carried out on average in 82.6 days, the efficiency was 61.8 %, the insemination index was 1.60, the service period averaged to 107.5 days. When using sexed semen, the fertility rate after the 1st insemination was the same – 67.7 %. The age at calving in animals of the Vis Ideal line was 20 days more compared to their peers of the R. Sovereign line (722 versus 702 days, P &lt; 0.05). Milk yield in full lactation and its standard period were higher in animals of the R. Sovereign line – 9304 and 8890 kg versus 8753 and 8461 kg, which indicates the positive effect of early calving on animal productivity. Early calving of heifers is a necessary condition for a highly productive herd. The results of the research are recommended to be used not only at dairy farms of the Republic of Belarus, but also in other countries with developing dairy cattle breeding.

Environmental factors affecting economically important traits of Anatolian buffalo in Yozgat

The aim of the study was to investigate effects of some environmental factors on the growth, reproduction and production traits of Anatolian Buffaloes. The reproduction and production data of 1139 Anatolian buffaloes and the growth records of the calves between 2015 and 2019 in Yozgat province were used. The least-square means of the birth (BW), weaning (WW), sixth month (SMW) and yearling weights (YW) and daily gain between those traits were determined as 30.43, 97.79, 112.98, 169.40, 0.441, 0.459, 0.382 and 0.306 kgs respectively. Calving interval (CI) and service period (SP) were 470.08 and 150.08 days. Lactation milk yield (LMY), milk yield per day of lactation period (MY/LP), milk yield per day of CI (MY/CI), peak yield (PY), day at piek yield (DPY), and persistence (P) were found to be 860.40, 4.447, 1.916, 5.589 kgs, 83.34 days, and 77.35%. The effects of village and sex on BW, WW, SMW and YW were statistically significant (P

Association between production and reproduction parameters based on parity and breed of dairy cows in the Czech Republic

Abstract. Milk production and the efficiency of dairy cow breeding are significantly influenced by reproductive factors. The purpose of our research was to examine the relationships between selected milk production and reproductive parameters. We evaluated 659 dairy cows, including 444 purebreds from the Czech Fleckvieh and Holstein breeds and 215 crossbreds. Our primary objective was to assess the impacts of breed and parity on specific milk production and reproductive parameters. The study revealed significant results regarding the interaction between certain breed groups and parity. In particular, there was a noticeable increase in milk yield with parity. Furthermore, it was also evident that the highest milk yield values were related to the milk content. Breed group H, which represents cows with a more than 50 % Holstein bloodline, had the highest values of the monitored milk content. Our findings show that first-lactation crossbred Czech Fleckvieh cows had a reduced milk yield, decreased fat, and lactose content in milk. However, they had a more favourable calving interval when compared to purebred Czech Fleckvieh and higher-parity Holstein crossbreds. Crossbred H, in comparison to C100 and C50, whether purebred or crossbred with Czech Fleckvieh, showed a relatively higher content of some milk components. The results for service periods and calving intervals were not statistically significant. The findings of this study highlight the promising potential of higher-parity Holstein crossbred cows in terms of milk yield and the advantages of lower-parity ones concerning milk contents.

Flexural vibration suppression behavior of sleeved phononic crystal pipes in thermal environment

Design idea of phononic crystal has been introduced into vibration suppression of pipes and presents expected effects. During service period, thermal environment is a common factor that may change the dynamic behavior of system. In this work, thermal influences on wave attenuation effect are studied for the single-component PC pipe which is constructed by attaching sleeves to the original bare pipe. Under the preloading effect of thermal stresses, flexural wave bandgap shifts toward the lower frequency range with temperature increment. Bandwidth gets wider for pipes with sleeves of a relative length larger than 0.5, while the bandgap narrows down or even closes up for pipes with shorter sleeves. The opposite variation trends are caused by the reversal of edge modes and the unequal responses of the two edge frequencies to thermal stress stiffness. Deeper reason is the discrepancy in determining factor for frequency between the two edge modes. As a result, the two edge frequency loci drop asynchronously under thermal load, and the transition point of bandgap shifts leftward. A thermo-vibrational joint test system is constructed and flexural wave transmittance is measured, for the first time, for a heated PC pipe. Experimental phenomena and simulation results suggest that the initial deflection and non-ideal constraint of the specimen make the attenuation band present opposite variation trends compared to the ideal model. The former strengthens the stiffness of the PC pipe, and the latter weakens the thermal influence on the PC pipe. Both the two non-ideal factors have a more significant impact on starting frequency of the attenuation band due to the difference in sensitivity of bandgap edge frequencies to stiffness perturbation of the PC pipe.

Fabrication and characterizations of screw pine root fiber reinforced soy composite as sustainable green composite

AbstractScrew pine root fibers are engineering fibers that have yet to be explored in terms of its chemistry with bio‐resin in biodegradable composites to replace nonbiodegradable thermoplastics used in packaging, automobiles, furniture, and industrial sectors. Screw pine root fibers are reinforced with soy, poly(vinyl alcohol), and soy‐poly(vinyl alcohol) resin systems in this work to create a variety of composites. Composites demonstrated highest amount of tensile strength at around 39.7 MPa, 37.6 MPa of flexural property, along with an impact strength around 12.4 kJ/m2. The thermal solidity of the optimized material was determined to be 235°C. After 24 hours of immersion, the composite had the lowest water absorption of 18.4%. All composites were shown to be biodegradable, losing about 54.2%–72.9% of their original mass after 60 days in soil burial. Unique characteristics such as the use of low‐cost agricultural materials, water‐based resin, stable composite, and properties such as moderately strong, safe disposal after service periods make these manufactured composites market feasible as consumer‐friendly/ecofriendly green products.Highlights Screw pine root fibers were extracted from waste roots and used as reinforcement. The tensile strength of the composite was achieved as 39.7 MPa. The water absorption of hybrid composite was found 30.8% after 24 h. After 60 days under soil burial, composite lost 67.5% of its original weight Developed composites can be good alternant for nondegradable thermoplastic.

Development of a water leakage model test system and investigation of the water leakage behavior in subsea shield tunnels during operation

With the increasing mileage and operation time of China's subsea tunnels, tunnels are entering a period of high disaster. Water leakage is one of the most common disasters. To study the mechanism of water leakage in subsea shield tunnels during the service period, a model test study was carried out by proposing a novel tunnel seepage leakage model test system in this paper. The system consists of a model frame, ground stress loading system, hydraulic pressure loading system, temperature control system, and monitoring system. Through 3D printing, the tunnel segments were innovatively made of resin. The process of uneven settlement, seawater erosion, joint deformation, gasket stress relaxation, and water leakage during the service period were successfully simulated by heating the model segments and local overloading. The test results showed that the joint deformation with service life could be approximately divided into three stages: non-linear rapid growth, linear growth, and non-linear slow growth. And the joint deformation and the aging of the gasket resulted in the decrease of the contact stress of the segment joint. Both exacerbated the leakage in the joint. By the time the service life reaches 16th year, the waterproofing performance no longer met the waterproofing standard for subsea tunnels. The developed test device and method are practical in predicting water surges in subsea tunnels during service life. This paper provides new insights into long-term waterproofing performance testing of shield tunnels under complex conditions.

Feed costs and indicators of reproductive capacity of high-yielding cows at different levels of Bypass soybeans in rations

The article presents the results of a scientific and economic experiment to study the influence of different levels of Bypass soybeans in the diets of high-yielding cows on feed costs per kilogram of milk and reproductive functions of cows. Provision of the rations of the experimental cows with an unequal amount of the difficult-to-dissolve fraction of crude protein, at the expense of Bypass soybeans, affected their consumption of bulk feed. The experimental cows consumed 4.1–4.8 kg from the specified 5 kg of alfalfa hay, 20.8–24.6 kg from 25 kg of corn silage, and 8.4–9.7 kg from 10 kg of alfalfa hay. The consumed feed provided cows with crude protein at the level of 16.0–16.5 % of the dry matter, its poorly soluble fraction at the level of 27.3 % of the crude protein in the 1st control group, 31.1 % in the 2nd experimental group, 35.2 % – in the 3rd experimental group and 40.0 % – in the 4th experimental group. The sugar-starch-protein ratio was normal and ranged from 2.20 to 2.28 : 1 with a norm of 2.1 : 1. The micronutrient rations were balanced due to micronutrients of organic origin. On the basis of the obtained data, it was proved that the lowest feed consumption per 1 kg of milk was observed in cows of the 4th experimental group, which were fed rations with 2 kg of Bypass soybeans, where the level of insoluble protein was 40 % of crude protein and these consumptions were 6.5 MJ against 7.4 MJ in the 1st control group. Cows of the 4th experimental group also had the best insemination and service period indicators. The duration of the service period in the experimental groups was less in percentage compared to the animals of the 1st control group by: 15.0 in the 2nd; 25.6 in the 3rd and 32.9 in the 4th. Partial and complete replacement in the diets of cows of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th experimental groups of soybean meal with Vypass soybeans at the level of 1.0; 1.7 and 2 kg of compound feed concentrate in the first 100 days of lactation has a positive effect on the physiological state, stimulates appetite and provides normal conditions for fertilization and embryo development.

The Effect of Intrauterine Administration of Zeolite on the Puerperal Period in Dairy Cows

Background: The development of new protocols has become a priority today in the context of the adverse effects of conventional treatments. Zeolite falls into this category due to its numerous applications reported in the specialized literature. In this study, the main expected objectives were to demonstrate that intrauterine administration of zeolite can contribute to improving the indicators underlying the development of pathologies during the postpartum period. Methods: To determine the dosage and potential toxic effects on the uterine mucosa, we conducted a study on rats, to which we administered different doses on the second day after delivery. Ultrasound measurements of the uterus, collection of bacteriological samples and uterine tissue were performed at 7, 14 and 21 days. The results were satisfactory in terms of tissue effects, with the 20% dosage being the most suitable. Following the completion of the preliminary study, we grouped the animals into two equal groups (n=32). Intrauterine administration of zeolite was performed on the second day after delivery and monitoring of uterine involution was carried out on days 7, 14 and 21 of the puerperium. At 14 days, we collected samples to determine the number of bacteria and uterine tissue. Result: The data obtained indicate that the group receiving intrauterine zeolite (n=16) experienced a decrease in the number of bacteria, significantly faster uterine involution on days 14 and 28, a more favourable uterine score and a significantly shorter service period. However, no significance was established regarding the number of doses of seminal material used.

Optimizing multimodal timetable synchronization of intercity railway and metro for the first service period during holidays

Metro plays a vital role in managing passenger distribution at intercity railway (IR) stations, particularly during holidays when there is a surge in tourist traffic. To efficiently accommodate the high demand for intercity travel, it becomes imperative for metro agencies to optimize holiday timetables. This paper focuses on designing holiday timetables of the first service period for the metro network that connects to an IR station, aiming to enhance multimodal collaboration with IR timetables while ensuring seamless coordination among various metro lines at the network level. A bi-objective model is proposed to maximize the temporal availability of metro network and minimize transfer waiting times for IR passengers traveling in early morning. To solve the model, an improved Artificial Bee Colony algorithm is designed, incorporating adaptive neighbour search and simulated annealing techniques. The effectiveness of the model and algorithm is verified using the Shanghai Metro network and Hongqiao Railway Station. Results indicate a 9.46% increase in the temporal availability of metro network for IR passengers, coupled with a 9.68% reduction in passenger transfer waiting times. Notably, the study reveals that solely advancing operations of the IR-connected metro lines is inefficient. Instead, optimizing train timetables for the entire metro network proves to be a cost-effective approach to enhancing the overall service level of early-morning operations. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the significance of even-numbered train headways in reducing passenger transfer waiting times.

Quantification of Reproductive Traits and wool characteristics of lesser known Gang-Fatehpuri sheep of Uttar Pradesh

The data of various reproductive performances and wool characteristics of lesser known Gang-Fatehpuri sheep maintained under the farmer’s flocks in Fatehpur district of Uttar Pradesh were recorded and analyzed to evaluate the effect of non-genetic factors on these traits of Gang-Fatehpuri sheep. The least square means for age at first matting, age at first lambing, service period, lambing interval and litter size were 422.42±8.01, 604.54±5.82, 159.98±6.65, 310.86±7.14 days and 1.02±0.02 respectively. The least square means were observed to be 414.88±11.89 g, 49.51±01.50 µ, 3.51±0.19 cm and 62.73±1.97 % for greasy fleece yield, fiber diameter, staple length and medullation percentage, respectively. The season of birth was found to be significant effect (p&lt;0.01) on age at first lambing, greasy fleece yield and medullation percentage.

ANALISIS FAKTOR RISIKO YANG MEMPENGARUHI KEJADIAN ANEMIA PADA PETANI DI DESA LINGGASARI KABUPATEN BANYUMAS

Anemia is one of the non-communicable diseases that causes anemia sufferers to experience symptoms in the form of pallor, lethargy, dizziness or headache, and firefly eyes. The incidence of anemia worldwide is still high, it is estimated that as many as 1.3 billion people in the world suffer from anemia with a prevalence of 32.9% in 2018. Anemia in farmers is one of the health problems experienced by the residents of Linggasari Village, the incidence of anemia in farmers can be caused by various factors such as environmental factors and nutritional intake factors. The researcher intends to determine the risk factors for the incidence of anemia in farmers in Linggasari Village, Banyumas Regency. The purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of variables of education, income, length of service, history of pesticide exposure, use of PPE, nutrient intake, and helminthiasis on the incidence of anemia in farmers. This research method is quantitative research with a control case approach. The results of the analysis showed that the variable use of PPE was the most influencing factor in the incidence of anemia in farmers p value 0.023 OR 4.817 (1.247 – 18.605). Variables that do not affect the incidence of anemia in farmers are vairabel income p value 0.854, education p value 0.654, service period p value 0.608, nutrient intake p value 0.563, history of pesticide exposure p value 0.508, and disability p value 0.070).

Study Efisiensi Reproduksi Kambing Kacang dan Hasil Persilangannya Dengan Kambing Boer (Boerka) di Lombok

This research was carried out with the aim of determining the reproductive efficiency of Kacang goats and goats resulting from crosses with Boer goats (Boerka goats). This research was carried out in the area of ​​development of the Kacang goat and a cross between the Kacang goat and the Boer goat (Boerka) in Lombok with the aim of determining the level of reproductive efficiency of the Boerka goat and the Kacang goat in the people's breeding business. The variables observed include: An Estrus Post Partum, Open Days, service per conception, service period and kid interval, litter size and first mating after giving birth. Location determination was carried out using purposive sampling based on the breed of goats being kept. Livestock samples were taken randomly from 60 mother goats (30 Kacang mother goats and 30 Boerka mother goats). The observation data was tabulated using the Excel program and then analyzed using the t-test. Data analysis activities use Genstat software. Goat race/breed has no significant effect (P &gt; 0.05) on the first estrus after giving birth, service conception and number of offspring per birth, but has a significant effect (P &lt; 0.05) on service period, days open and calving interval (kid interval). The calving interval for the mother Kacang goat is longer, namely 253.00 ± 14.87 days (8.4 months) compared to the mother Boerka goat, namely 234.86 ± 07.09 days (7.8 months).

Mолочна продуктивність корів західного внутрішньопородного типу української чорно-рябої молочної породи в залежності від їх генетичної структури

The analysis of milk productivity indicators of cows of the western inbred type of the Ukrainian black-spotted dairy breed was carried out, depending on the milk productivity level of their mothers. Certain features of the influence of maternal and paternal heredity on milk yield, milk fat content, reproductive capacity and duration of economic use of cows have been established. First-born cows, which come from mothers of the modal class (milk yield for 305 days of lactation in the range of 3411–5129 kg) and mothers from the group of plus variants (milk yield more than 5129 kg) prevailed in terms of the weight of peers from mothers from the group of minus variants (milk yield less than 3411 kg) by 20 % and 25 %, respectively. In the following age periods (second to fifth), due to the culling of low-yielding animals, the differences in milk yield between the cows of the experimental groups are evened out. The rate of elimination from the main herd of cows from plus-variant mothers is significantly higher than that of cows of other groups. By the fifth lactation, 91.2 % of the initial herd dropped out for various reasons, in other groups this figure was 63–67 %. Cows from the minus-variants group had the most fatty milk, the fat content in the milk during the first three lactations was 0.05–0.09 percent higher than that of other groups. The significant influence of the genotype of the parents on the level of milk yield for 305 days, the fat content in milk and the duration of the service period after the first calving in the whole herd, as well as on milk yield and the duration of the service period in the modal class and on the duration of the service period in the minus group were established

Productive and Reproductive Performance of Indigenous Milch Cows under Different Herd Structure of Gaushalas

Background: The present investigation was carried out to study the “productive and reproductive performance” of Indigenous Milch Cows reared under Gaushalas. This study describes productive and reproductive performance of milch cows through onsite observation and interviews with structured questionnaires of 30 (no.) Gaushalas randomly selected from 10 districts of Haryana. Methods: The total 30 Gaushala in 10 districts of Haryana were studied, which were rearing more than 34,279 indigenous cows (mostly Hariana and Sahiwal cow). These Gaushalas were divided into three categories based on the total number of animals present in Gaushalas as small (100-500 animals), medium (501-1000 animals) and large size Gaushalas ( greater than 1000 animals). To assess the productive performance of the milch cows, milk yield per day (MY/D), lactation length (LL) and lactation yield (LY) were utilized as indicator traits. In addition, age at first calving (AFC), service period (SP), number of services per conception (NSPC) and calving interval (CI) were considered as an indicator of the reproductive performance traits. Result: It was observed that the average milk yield per day and lactation yield in large size gaushala were significantly (P less than 0.05) higher than the medium size Gaushalas and small size Gaushalas. Large Gaushalas had a significantly higher lactation length (P less than 0.05) than small size Gaushala. The average service period, number of services per conception and calving interval in large size Gaushalas were significantly (P less than 0.05) lower as compared to small size Gaushalas. From the above finding, it could be concluded that the productive and reproductive performance were better in large size Gaushalas.

Effect of uncertainties in cable corrosion and material strength on seismic fragility of long-span cable-stayed bridges in marine environments

This paper presents an investigation into the seismic fragility of cable-stayed bridges and considers the complex uncertainties in cable corrosion and material strength. Under certain assumptions and using the limited measured data available for steel corrosion, a cable corrosion model is established. The probability distribution of several parameters, including the corrosion rate, corrosion initiation time, chloride concentration, and cable replacement in the corrosion model, is considered. In addition, the influence of the stress level of cables is also considered in the model by the amplification coefficient of the corrosion rate. To consider the effect of the uncertainties in cable corrosion and material strength on the seismic fragility of this bridge, the uniform design (UD) method is used to generate reasonable bridge samples and to build probabilistic seismic demand models. The results indicate that cable corrosion has a significant impact on the seismic fragility of cable-stayed bridges. The seismic fragility of girders and piers are the smallest and the highest among all bridge components, respectively. The material strength uncertainties have a significant influence on the seismic fragility of bridge components. The coupling between the uncertainties in cable corrosion and material strength does not increase the seismic fragility of the bridge components in most cases because of the cancellation effect of the two uncertainties to some extent. In addition, cable replacement has a significant influence on the seismic fragility of bridge components. In order to correctly evaluate the performance of cable-stayed bridges in service, it is necessary to consider the uncertainties in cable corrosion and material strength in a seismic fragility analysis of long-span cable-stayed bridges with different service periods.