The objective of this study was to determine whether sow milk yield per gland could be increased by reducing the interval between suckles (suckling interval). Eighteen sows were allocated at their first farrowing to three treatments comprising litter sizes of 6 or 12 piglets or a cross-suckling treatment that was imposed to increase suckling frequency. The cross-suckled treatment comprised two groups of six piglets each. Each suckling group was allowed to suckle the sow during 30-min intervals each day between d 6 and d 28 of lactation. The suckling interval was shorter (P < .05) for cross-suckled sows than for sows suckling single litters of 6 or 12 piglets during early lactation (d 10 to 14) and late lactation (d 24 to 28). Average piglet growth rate between birth and 28 d of age was greatest (P < .05) for piglets in the single litters of six and lowest for piglets in the cross-suckled treatments. Single litters of 12 piglets had the highest (P < .05) litter growth rates, followed by the cross-suckled litters and then the single litters of six piglets. The concentration of lactose and fat in milk from sows remained relatively stable, although milk from the cross-suckled sows contained more protein in early lactation (P < .05). Milk yield of sows was not significantly increased (P > .05) by the cross-suckle treatment, although during early lactation, milk yield tended to be greater from sows in the cross-suckle treatment than from sows suckling single litters of six (8,920 g/d vs 7,819 g/d, P < .1). The concentration of DNA and total RNA and the RNA:DNA ratio in mammary glands was unaffected by treatment (P > .05). Sows with single litters of 12 piglets had the greatest total DNA in their udders (P < .05). However, individual gland weights were heavier (P < .05) in cross-suckled sows than in sows with single litters of 6 or 12 piglets. Increased suckling frequency seemed to play a role in increased mammary gland weight and milk production during lactation.
A method is presented for determining the piezoelectric constants and the frequency-dependent dielectric properties of the polymers from a five-step algorithm based on analysis of air-loaded broadband impedance measurements. It is shown how to account for the frequency-dependent lossy properties of these films in an equivalent impedance circuit model and a modified Mason's model. Comparisons between the models and actual film transducers show excellent broadband simulation of both electrical input impedance and ultrasonic pulse-echo performance.
In the Unites States, commercially available beef is subjectively graded by certified inspectors. The primary factors in determining beef quality grades are the amount and distribution (or marbling) of intramuscular fat. There is a growing demand in the meat industry for an objective system of evaluating the quality of beef carcasses as well as live animals. Ultrasound has been shown to have a good potential for this application. Our approach was to use texture analysis of the ultrasonic images from rib-eye muscle of live animals to evaluate h"uscular fat and marbling. Two approaches of texture analysis, namely spatial gray-level dependence matrices and gray-level run-length matrices, were used. The significant texture parameters were statistically analyzed to derive the models for predicting marbling scores and percentage of fat. The preliminary results showed a good potential of these approaches for tissue characterization and objectively evaluating beef quality.
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