The Experts below are selected from a list of 312 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
K A Weigel - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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short communication use of single nucleotide polymorphism genotypes and health history to predict future phenotypes for milk production dry matter intake body weight and residual Feed intake in dairy cattle
Journal of Dairy Science, 2015Co-Authors: L E Armentano, M J Vandehaar, K A WeigelAbstract:Abstract As Feed Prices have increased, the efficiency of Feed utilization in dairy cattle has attracted increasing attention. In this study, we used residual Feed intake (RFI) as a measurement of Feed efficiency along with its component traits, adjusted milk energy (aMilkE), adjusted dry matter intake (aDMI), and adjusted metabolic body weight (aMBW), where the adjustment was for environmental factors. These traits may also be affected by prior health problems. Therefore, the carryover effects of 3 health traits from the rearing period and 10 health traits from the lactating period (in the same lactation before phenotype measurements) on RFI, aMilkE, aDMI, and aMBW were evaluated. Cows with heavier birth weight and greater body weight at calving of this lactation had significant increases in aMilkE, aDMI, and aMBW. The only trait associated with RFI was the incidence of diarrhea early in the lactation. Mastitis and reproductive problems had negative carryover effects on aMilkE. The aMBW of cows with metabolic disorders early in the lactation was lower than that of unaffected cows. The incidence of respiratory disease during lactating period was associated with greater aMBW and higher aDMI. To examine the contribution of health traits to the accuracy of predicted phenotype, genomic predictions were computed with or without information regarding 13 health trait phenotypes using random forests (RF) and support vector machine algorithms. Adding health trait phenotypes increased prediction accuracies slightly, except for prediction of RFI using RF. In general, the accuracies were greater for support vector machine than RF, especially for RFI. The methods described herein can be used to predict future phenotypes for dairy replacement heifers, thereby facilitating culling decisions that can lead to decreased Feed costs during the rearing period. For these decisions, prediction of the animal's own phenotype is of greater importance than prediction of the genetic superiority or inferiority that will transmit to its offspring.
Carole R. Engle - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Can commercial catfish producers always Feed efficiently
Aquaculture Economics & Management, 2020Co-Authors: Siddhartha Dasgupta, Diony Monestime, Carole R. EngleAbstract:Abstract Economically efficient Feeding levels in intensively stocked ponds might be below minimum biological Feeding requirements under adverse market conditions. A catfish production function that estimated relationships between yield and stocking and Feeding rates was used as the basis for estimating production relationships. Feed price boundaries were developed that allowed the Feeding rate to exceed the minimum biological level but still reflected economically efficient rates over a range of catfish Prices and producer risk preferences. At higher stocking densities (20,000/ha), the Feed price upper bound is lower than at lower stocking densities. Producers stocking at higher rates will be less likely to maximize profit and meet minimum biological Feeding requirements as Feed price increases than those producers stocking at lower rates. However, if Feed Prices exceed the upper bounds calculated in this paper, producers should engage in Feeding only at levels necessary to meet farm financial and cash f...
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forecasting monthly catfish ictalurus punctatus pond bank and Feed Prices
Aquaculture Economics & Management, 2019Co-Authors: Mohammad R Hasan, Carole R. EngleAbstract:Volatility in catfish pond bank and Feed Prices lead to profit uncertainty in the catfish industry. Analysis of the factors that affect those Prices and development of a forecasting model w...
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Costs and Risk of Catfish Split‐pond Systems
Journal of The World Aquaculture Society, 2016Co-Authors: Ganesh Kumar, Carole R. Engle, Craig S. TuckerAbstract:Split ponds are recently developed pond-based aquaculture systems that allow intensification of catfish aquaculture. Successful industry-wide adoption of newly developing technologies like split-pond systems will depend upon their productivity and cost efficiencies. Costs and production performance of the following three split-pond design scenarios were monitored in Arkansas and Mississippi: (1) research design developed at the Thad Cochran National Warmwater Aquaculture Center, Stoneville, Mississippi; (2) waterwheel design tested on commercial catfish ponds; and (3) screw-pump design tested on commercial catfish ponds. An economic engineering approach using standard enterprise budget analysis was used to develop estimates of breakeven Prices (BEPs) ($/kg) for producing foodsize hybrid catfish (♂Ictalurus furcatus × ♀Ictalurus punctatus) for each scenario. Estimates of BEPs of hybrid catfish raised in split ponds ranged from $1.72 to $2.05/kg. The cost of catfish production in split ponds was sensitive to yield, fish Prices, and Feed Prices. Annual net cash flows from both commercial split-pond systems were high and sufficient to make the investment profitable in the long run. Feed price, Feed conversion ratio, and yield contributed the most to downside risk of split ponds.
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OPTIMIZING CATFISH FeedING AND STOCKING STRATEGIES OVER A TWO-YEAR PLANNING HORIZON
Aquaculture Economics & Management, 2014Co-Authors: Ganesh Kumar, Carole R. EngleAbstract:Rising costs of Feed ingredients in recent years have resulted in record increases in catfish Feed Prices. Since understocked channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) do not reach market size until the second year of production, static one-year economic models and analyses may not be adequate. A previous mixed-integer profit-maximizing model was extended to include a second year to evaluate the effects of varying Feeding frequencies on farm management decisions, particularly on adjustments in the second year. Production options considered included frequency of Feeding (every day, every other day, and every third day), multiple-batch production from four different fingerling sizes, and single-batch production from three different stocker sizes. Every day Feeding was identified as the profit-maximizing Feeding strategy on farms using multiple-batch production but unfavorable market Prices, high Feed Prices, and operating capital constraints reduced Feeding frequencies. Every day Feeding remained the optimal st...
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competitiveness of u s aquaculture within the current u s regulatory framework
Aquaculture Economics & Management, 2013Co-Authors: Carole R. Engle, Nathan StoneAbstract:Increased attention has been paid in recent years to both positive and negative effects of increasing numbers of regulations on businesses in the United States. The decline in U.S. aquaculture has been attributed in part to increasing volumes of imports and high Feed Prices. However, there is increasing concern that the U.S. regulatory environment, as compared to that of international competitors, may also have contributed to this decline. More than 1,300 laws apply to U.S. aquaculture and even though the majority has been issued by individual states and apply only to specific types of aquaculture businesses in that state, the cumulative regulatory burden has increased over time. Major compliance categories include: 1) environmental management; 2) food safety; 3) legal and labor standards; 4) interstate transport of aquatic products; 5) fish health; and 6) culture of commercially harvested species. A substantial portion of the regulatory burden is the managerial and labor time spent on compliance in addit...
Chris Hurt - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Weekly Outlook: Cattle Prices, More Room for Recovery?
farmdoc daily, 2016Co-Authors: Chris HurtAbstract:Of course the supply and demand for beef are the primary drivers of finished cattle Prices. Small supplies of cattle in 2014 were the result of the devastating Southern Plains drought and of high Feed Prices in the 2010 to 2014 time period. Small cattle supplies meant high finished cattle Prices. In 2015 and 2016, lower Feed Prices and more cattle coming out of Feedlots resulted in lower Prices. However, another littlereported potential driver of this price volatility lies in the fact that adjustments at different levels in the beef chain occur at different rates. Stated most simply, cattle Prices and wholesale beef Prices tend to adjust quickly to changes in cattle supply while retail Prices adjust more slowly. As cattle Prices rise, retailers are slow to increase retail beef Prices. This keeps the quantity of beef demanded strong and more of the retail price is bid back into the cattle price. This may “overstimulate” cattle Prices.
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Weekly Outlook: Modest Pork Expansion, But Brexit Casts Shadow
farmdoc daily, 2016Co-Authors: Chris HurtAbstract:In the June Hogs and Pigs survey, pork producers told USDA they had increased the size of the breeding herd by one percent relative to year ago levels. The breeding herd began to increase in the fall of 2014 after producers had record profitability due to reduced production due to the PED virus. Basically, the industry has been in a slow expansion since that time. Declining Feed Prices were also a stimulus to expansion until this spring when Feed Prices began to rise once more.
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weekly outlook hog profits battle between higher hog Prices and higher Feed Prices
farmdoc daily, 2016Co-Authors: Chris HurtAbstract:Here we go again! Higher Feed Prices are once again the main story reducing prospects for profitability in pork production. In the first quarter of 2016, corn Prices received by U.S. farmers averaged $3.60 per bushel and high protein meal at Decatur Illinois averaged $276 per ton. Today, those Prices are closer to $4.00 per bushel for corn and nearby meal futures are above $400 per ton. Will higher Feed Prices erase hog profits?
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Weekly Outlook: Beef Herd Expanding Quickly, But Will It Continue?
farmdoc daily, 2015Co-Authors: Chris HurtAbstract:The nation’s beef cow herd has started down the path of the largest expansion in 25 years. The last major expansion was from 1990 to 1995 when the herd grew by ten percent. The industry had started on a modest expansion in 2005 and 2006, but producers aborted that expansion cycle due to the Southern Plains drought and the start of the high Feed price era late in 2006. Now, with pastures and grassland restored for most of the country and the feeling that Feed Prices will remain moderate, this expansion is off to a fast start.
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Beef Cattle Industry Just Beginning Transition to Expansion
farmdoc daily, 2014Co-Authors: Chris HurtAbstract:Recent record high cattle Prices and much lower Feed Prices have just begun to provide the profit incentives that will be necessary to move the beef cattle industry toward expansion after a continual decline in numbers since 2007. While those incentives have turned positive, they have not been in place long enough for the industry to begin registering signs of expansion according to USDA inventory numbers. The rebuilding of the beef herd is expected to take multiple years.
Martha Zarainherzberg - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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bioeconomic modeling and risk analysis of raising shrimp litopenaeus vannamei in floating cages in northwestern mexico assessment of hurricane hazard stochastic variability of shrimp and Feed Prices and zootechnical parameters
Aquaculture, 2011Co-Authors: Alfredo Hernandezllamas, Martha ZarainherzbergAbstract:Abstract Risk analysis of shrimp cultivation in floating cages in northwestern Mexico was undertaken, including hurricane hazard, stochastic variability of shrimp and Feed Prices, and zootechnical parameters. We used a bioeconomic model to analyze risk and determine whether higher Prices for shrimp following the hurricane season (November) would compensate for the risk of hurricane impact. The expectation of net revenue above operating costs and the benefit–cost ratio were maximized by testing the size of the coastal area under potential hurricane impact, partial harvesting, alternative seeding-harvesting schedules, stocking density, and duration of cultivation. A production unit of 50 cages was used for analysis. When cultivation was not affected by hurricanes, the highest net revenue and return per unit risk (RUR) were obtained by conducting partial-and-final harvests in October and November. No significant linear trend was detected in the hurricane frequency (P = 0.74) from 1970 through 2009 and, depending on the size of the coastal area of potential hurricane impact, the monthly probabilities of hurricane impact were 2.5% (August), 25%–30% (September), and 17.5%–27.5% (October). Hurricane season ends in late October with 40% to 55% probability of not being affected by hurricanes. When cultivation was affected by hurricanes, net revenue and RUR were lower than when hurricanes were not a factor. Using partial-and-final harvests and the May to August–September and July to October–November schedules, the only alternatives offering profit and highest RUR tended to compensate for the risk associated with the impact of hurricanes. In this case, the maximum net revenue was US$9200 ha−1. Risk and sensitivity analyses showed that annual variability of shrimp price, mortality during the second phase of cultivation and hurricane hazard were the most important risk factors. For a cultivation cycle with a single harvest, net revenue and benefit–cost ratio were maximized by using 1350 postlarvae m−2 (at the nursery), and 300 juveniles m−2 and 60 days (for grow-out). For a cycle with partial-and-final harvests, maximization was obtained using 1500 postlarvae m−2 (at the nursery), 580 juveniles m−2 (phase 1 of grow-out), 335 shrimp m−2 (phase 2 of grow-out), and the maximum duration of the phases (60 and 30 days). Highly intensive rearing techniques, partial harvesting, long cultivation periods, and seeding at least 90 days before the start of the hurricane season are recommended to improve net revenue expectations.
L E Armentano - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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short communication use of single nucleotide polymorphism genotypes and health history to predict future phenotypes for milk production dry matter intake body weight and residual Feed intake in dairy cattle
Journal of Dairy Science, 2015Co-Authors: L E Armentano, M J Vandehaar, K A WeigelAbstract:Abstract As Feed Prices have increased, the efficiency of Feed utilization in dairy cattle has attracted increasing attention. In this study, we used residual Feed intake (RFI) as a measurement of Feed efficiency along with its component traits, adjusted milk energy (aMilkE), adjusted dry matter intake (aDMI), and adjusted metabolic body weight (aMBW), where the adjustment was for environmental factors. These traits may also be affected by prior health problems. Therefore, the carryover effects of 3 health traits from the rearing period and 10 health traits from the lactating period (in the same lactation before phenotype measurements) on RFI, aMilkE, aDMI, and aMBW were evaluated. Cows with heavier birth weight and greater body weight at calving of this lactation had significant increases in aMilkE, aDMI, and aMBW. The only trait associated with RFI was the incidence of diarrhea early in the lactation. Mastitis and reproductive problems had negative carryover effects on aMilkE. The aMBW of cows with metabolic disorders early in the lactation was lower than that of unaffected cows. The incidence of respiratory disease during lactating period was associated with greater aMBW and higher aDMI. To examine the contribution of health traits to the accuracy of predicted phenotype, genomic predictions were computed with or without information regarding 13 health trait phenotypes using random forests (RF) and support vector machine algorithms. Adding health trait phenotypes increased prediction accuracies slightly, except for prediction of RFI using RF. In general, the accuracies were greater for support vector machine than RF, especially for RFI. The methods described herein can be used to predict future phenotypes for dairy replacement heifers, thereby facilitating culling decisions that can lead to decreased Feed costs during the rearing period. For these decisions, prediction of the animal's own phenotype is of greater importance than prediction of the genetic superiority or inferiority that will transmit to its offspring.