The Experts below are selected from a list of 258 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Gerald A. Tuskan - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Short-rotation woody crop supply systems in the United States: what do we know and what do we need to know?
Biomass and Bioenergy, 1998Co-Authors: Gerald A. TuskanAbstract:Abstract Short-rotation woody crop (SRWC) supply systems have been proposed over the past 20 years as a means of rapidly producing biomass for fiber and fuels. The U.S. Department of Energy, through the Biofuels Feedstock Development Program and its partners, has selected model species, developed silvicultural systems and created genetically improved clonal planting stock for use in SRWC supply systems. Spacing, fertilizer and pesticide prescriptions have been developed for several species and regions within the U.S. Breeding and genetic improvement projects continue to identify and select plant materials which display increased productivity and pest resistance. Genetic transformation, somaclonal variation and marker-assisted selection are being used to supplement traditional breeding work. Harvesting and handling methods are currently relying on traditional combinations of existing Equipment. Nevertheless, technical and environmental issues related to: (1) long-term use of fertilizers and irrigation; (2) deployment of clonal planting stock; and (3) development of customized Harvesting Equipment remain as unresolved issues related to further deployment and commercialization of SRWC systems. Overall determination of SRWC sustainability will require resolution of these issues.
Vivien Allen - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Potential sources of Campylobacter infection on chicken farms: contamination and control of broiler-Harvesting Equipment, vehicles and personnel.
Journal of applied microbiology, 2011Co-Authors: A.m. Ridley, Victoria K Morris, J. Gittins, Shaun Cawthraw, J. A. Harris, S. Edge, Vivien AllenAbstract:Aims: To test the efficacy of enhanced biosecurity measures on poultry farms for reducing environmental contamination with Campylobacter during partial depopulation of broiler flocks prior to normal slaughter age. The study has also evaluated the risk of infection from live-bird transport crates that are routinely cleaned at the slaughterhouse, but may remain contaminated. Methods and Results: On-farm sampling and Campylobacter isolation was undertaken to compare the prevalence of contamination on vehicles, Equipment and catching personnel during farm visits that took place under normal or enhanced biosecurity. Campylobacters were found in almost all types of sample examined and enhanced biosecurity reduced the prevalence. However, the additional measures failed to prevent colonisation of the flocks. For transport crates, challenge trials involved exposure of broilers to commercially cleaned crates and genotyping of any campylobacters isolated. The birds were rapidly colonised with the same genotypes as those isolated from the cleaned crates. Conclusions: The enhanced biosecurity measures were insufficient to prevent flock colonisation, and the problem was exacerbated by inadequate cleaning of transport crates at the slaughterhouse. Significance and Impact of the Study: Current commercial practices in the United Kingdom facilitate the spread of campylobacters among broiler chicken flocks. Prevention of flock infection appears to require more stringent biosecurity than that studied here.
Seree Wongpichet - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Effect of cylindrical cutting blades and travelling speeds on the performance of sweet sorghum Harvesting Equipment
Songklanakarin Journal of Science and Technology, 2014Co-Authors: Saknarin Deeyotar, Seree WongpichetAbstract:This research aim sat developing Harvesting Equipment with cylindrical cutter for sweet sorghum Harvesting. Vertical centrifugal blade mechanism is commonly used in forage harvesters. Such a mechanism would chop the plants into small pieces and transports the mout of the Harvesting Equipment. However, this research aims to develop such mechanism for Harvesting Equipment without the chopping process. The laboratory tests were done under simulation Harvesting condition in the laboratory. An appropriate blade cutting speed was found. The efficiencies of the Harvesting Equipment with the varied blade speed and travelling speed were collected. The findings of the study were used to design and construct a harvester prototype that would harvest one row at a time. The field test was conducted to evaluate the functions of the prototype in a real field setting. The results showed that an increase of the blade speed between 6.28 and23.35 m/s did not affect the efficiency of the Equipment, nor the cutting loss, but affects the height of the stump, which decreased by 4.82 mm/stump. By increasing the travelling speed from 2.00 to 3.50 km/hr, the efficiency of the Equipment increased by 4.14 %, the cutting loss decreased by 6.86%, but the loss from the remaining stumps increased by 2.10%. The fuel consumption cost of this prototype is lower than the cost of the labor wage by 281.60 baht/ha.
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For Review Only Effect of the Cylindrical Cutting Blades and Travelling Speed on the Performance of Sweet Sorghum Harvesting Equipment
2013Co-Authors: Saknarin Deeyotar, Seree WongpichetAbstract:This research aims at developing Harvesting Equipment with cylindrical cutter for sweet sorghum Harvesting. Vertical centrifugal blade mechanism is commonly used in forage harvesters. Such a mechanism would chop the plants into small pieces and transports them out of the Harvesting Equipment. However, this research aims to develop such mechanism for Harvesting Equipment without the chopping process. The laboratory tests were done under simulation Harvesting condition in the laboratory, The appropriate blade cutting speed was found. The efficiencies of the Harvesting Equipment with the varied blade speed and travelling speed were collected. The findings of the study were used to design and construct the harvester prototypes that would harvest one row at a time. The field test was conducted to evaluate the functions of the prototype in farmer fields. The results showed that the increasing of the blade speed between 6.28 – 23.35 m/s did not effect the efficiency of the Equipment, nor the cutting loss, but affects the height of the stump, which decreased by 4.82 mm/stump. By increasing the travelling speed from 2.00 to 3.50 km/hr, the efficiency of the Equipment was increased by 4.14 %, the cutting loss was decreased by 6.86 %, but the loss from the remaining stumps was increased by 2.10 %. The fuel consumption cost of this prototype is lower than the cost of labour wage by 281.60 baht/ha.
Jeffrey G. Benjamin - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Applicability of International Harvesting Equipment Productivity Studies in Maine, USA: A Literature Review
Forests, 2013Co-Authors: Patrick Hiesl, Jeffrey G. BenjaminAbstract:Harvesting Equipment productivity studies have been conducted in many countries around the world spanning over 25 years. These studies have shown that many factors influence individual machine productivity. These factors include stand and site conditions, Equipment configuration, management objectives, and operator experience. Productivity can increase or decrease with slight changes in any of these factors. This literature review also highlights the variety of experimental designs and data collection methods encountered in a cross section of those studies. It further shows the variation in species composition, stand density, tree diameter, and harvest prescription. Although studies that include the influence of operator performance on harvest Equipment productivity are limited, they were included in this review where appropriate and available. It is clear that productivity equations should be developed using population-level data with several operators. Some studies were conducted in stands similar to Maine, but they used Harvesting Equipment that is not commonly used in logging operations in this state. Therefore the applicability of existing studies to the logging industry in Maine, USA, is very limited. Our conclusion is that in order to accurately predict Harvesting productivity it is necessary to develop regional Harvesting productivity equations using Harvesting Equipment commonly used in Maine. Forest operations researchers in other regions will be able to use this summary to explore the difficulty of applying productivity information to regional logging operations.
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Cycle Time Analysis of Harvesting Equipment from an Early- Commercial-Thinning Treatment in Maine
2012Co-Authors: Patrick Hiesl, Jeffrey G. BenjaminAbstract:In the summer of 2011 researchers at the University of Maine conducted an early commercial thinning (ECT) treatment in a stand initiated from a clear-cut approximately 40 years ago. The study included four pieces of Harvesting Equipment (two harvesters and two feller-bunchers) and two different trail spacings (15.2 m (50 ft) and 24.4 m (80 ft)). The two harvesters (Ponsse Fox and John Deere 1170E) and one feller-buncher (CAT 501) were new machines donated by local Equipment dealers for use in the study. The second feller-buncher (John Deere 753J) was a mid-sized machine commonly used in Maine. The objectives of the study included determination of the effect of stem size and trail spacing on cycle times of the various machines. Results of this study show that there is a significant (p
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cycle time analysis of Harvesting Equipment from an early commercial thinning treatment in maine
2012Co-Authors: Patrick Hiesl, Jeffrey G. BenjaminAbstract:In the summer of 2011 researchers at the University of Maine conducted an early commercial thinning (ECT) treatment in a stand initiated from a clear-cut approximately 40 years ago. The study included four pieces of Harvesting Equipment (two harvesters and two feller-bunchers) and two different trail spacings (15.2 m (50 ft) and 24.4 m (80 ft)). The two harvesters (Ponsse Fox and John Deere 1170E) and one feller-buncher (CAT 501) were new machines donated by local Equipment dealers for use in the study. The second feller-buncher (John Deere 753J) was a mid-sized machine commonly used in Maine. The objectives of the study included determination of the effect of stem size and trail spacing on cycle times of the various machines. Results of this study show that there is a significant (p<0.05) difference in cycle time per species and DBH for the harvesters. All species included in the analysis of the two trail spacings indicated that there are significant (p<0.05) differences in cycle time with an average difference of approximately 14 seconds per tree. The difference within individual tree species for the two trail spacings is up to 25 seconds per tree. Results for the feller-buncher show that there is a significant (p<0.05) difference in cycle time between stems harvested from trails and from the surrounding stand, but there is no significant (p<0.05) difference in the cycle time between the 15.2 m (50 ft) and 24.4 m (80 ft) trail spacing.
A.m. Ridley - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Potential sources of Campylobacter infection on chicken farms: contamination and control of broiler-Harvesting Equipment, vehicles and personnel.
Journal of applied microbiology, 2011Co-Authors: A.m. Ridley, Victoria K Morris, J. Gittins, Shaun Cawthraw, J. A. Harris, S. Edge, Vivien AllenAbstract:Aims: To test the efficacy of enhanced biosecurity measures on poultry farms for reducing environmental contamination with Campylobacter during partial depopulation of broiler flocks prior to normal slaughter age. The study has also evaluated the risk of infection from live-bird transport crates that are routinely cleaned at the slaughterhouse, but may remain contaminated. Methods and Results: On-farm sampling and Campylobacter isolation was undertaken to compare the prevalence of contamination on vehicles, Equipment and catching personnel during farm visits that took place under normal or enhanced biosecurity. Campylobacters were found in almost all types of sample examined and enhanced biosecurity reduced the prevalence. However, the additional measures failed to prevent colonisation of the flocks. For transport crates, challenge trials involved exposure of broilers to commercially cleaned crates and genotyping of any campylobacters isolated. The birds were rapidly colonised with the same genotypes as those isolated from the cleaned crates. Conclusions: The enhanced biosecurity measures were insufficient to prevent flock colonisation, and the problem was exacerbated by inadequate cleaning of transport crates at the slaughterhouse. Significance and Impact of the Study: Current commercial practices in the United Kingdom facilitate the spread of campylobacters among broiler chicken flocks. Prevention of flock infection appears to require more stringent biosecurity than that studied here.
