This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of energy consumption and economic analysis of different watermelon cultivation systems in Fars Province of Iran. Watermelon production systems were classified into five systems, namely, custom tillage (group 1), conservation tillage (group 2), traditional planting (group3), semi mechanized planting (group 4), and mechanized planting (group 5). Data w...

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of compensatory growth nutritional regimen on mammary gland growth and lactation. One hundred twenty-two Sprague Dawley female rats (35 days of age) were randomly assigned to either a control or a stair-step compensatory nutrition (SSCN) feeding regimen or an alternating 2-2-3-3-week schedule beginning with 40% energy restriction for 2 weeks...

1. In an experiment twenty-four cross-bred does were used, six in each of four physiological states: non-pregnant (NP), pregnant (P), lactating (L) or concurrently pregnant and lactating (CPL). They were offered a diet of high nutrient density (crude protein (nitrogen x 6.25) 272 g/kg dry matter (DM), metabolizable energy 15.5 MJ/kg DM) at one of two intakes on a scale based on metabolic body-w...

Daily energy balance was calculated for 111 Holstein cows in their first 3 lactations, based on combinations of smoothed preadjusted phenotypic records for milk yield, feed intake, live weight, and body condition score. Two energy balance traits were defined: one based on milk yield and feed intake (EB1) and the other on live weight and body condition score change (EB2). Bessel functions (BF), ...

Intramammary infections in breeding age and pregnant heifers are much higher than previously thought. Many of these infections can persist for long periods of time, are associated with elevated somatic cell counts, and likely impair mammary development during gestation and affect milk production after calving. Prepartum intramammary antibiotic infusion of heifer mammary glands a few weeks befor...

Lactation is associated with significant alterations in both body composition and bone mass. Systemic and local skeletal factors such as receptor activator of nuclear factor κ-B ligand (RANKL), PTHrP, calcitonin, and estrogen are known to regulate bone remodeling during and after lactation. Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF-21) may function as an endocrine factor to regulate body composition cha...

Wheat grain (WG) is unique in possessing extensive starch and nitrogen fermentation (i.e. >85% in ground and steam-processed WG), low cation-anion difference and high-intake properties, making it a potentially useful prepartal dietary choice. The objective was to determine the effects of WG provision to pre-partum first-calf heifers on metabolic, health and productive criteria during the transi...

The difficulties and costs of measuring individual feed intake in dairy cattle are the primary factors limiting the genetic study of feed intake and utilisation, and hence the potential of their subsequent industry-wide applications. However, indirect selection based on heritable, easily measurable, and genetically correlated traits, such as conformation traits, may be an alternative approach t...

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of maternal protein and energy restriction during lactation on the bodyweight and skull dimensions of pups at weaning. At parturition, Wistar rat dams were randomly assigned to the following groups: (i) control group (C), free access to a standard laboratory diet containing 23% protein; (ii) protein-energy-restricted group (PER), free...