The effect of supplementary feeds on the bodyweight of yaks in cold season

The present study was conducted to determine the effects of supplementary feeds, oat hay (OH), highland barley straw (HBS) and multi-nutrient blocks supplementation (UMMB) on reducing liveweight losses of both yak cows and calves grazed on low quality pastures during cold season. The trials of OH and HBS supplementation were conducted by using completely random design on 104 yak cows between 6 and 12 years of age as the following treatments: pure grazing (41 animals, body weight 230 67 kg) as control (CK); grazing+1.5 kg DM of OH per head daily (30 animals, body weight 216 28 kg); gazing. 1.5 kg DM of HBS per head daily (33 animals, body weight 221 34 kg). The trial of UMMB was conducted on three types of yaks, 1-year calves (8-12 months old, body weight 61.1 6.9 kg), 2-year calves (18-24 months old, 98.0 11.3 kg) and yak cows (164.5 27.1 (S.D.) kg) with 20 animals in control group (CK) and 20 animals in supplement group for each type by using completely random design as the following treatments: pure grazing for CK group; grazing+ 150, 250 and 500 g UMMB per day averagely for 1-year calf, 2-year calf and cow at night. The results indicate that the animals supplemented with oat hay received body weight gain (32 20.7 g day(-1)), while those supplemented with highland barley straw still suffered from body weight loss (-56.7 39.3 a day(-1)); UMMB supplementation can decrease the body weight loss by 109.7%, 86.6% and 63.4% for the 1-year calves, 2-year calves and yak cows, respectively, as compared with pure grazing. Around US$1.60 output can be achieved on the basis of US$1 input for UMMB supplementation in the farming systems of the 1-year calves, 2-year calves and yak cows, while US$1 input can produce US$1.55 and 1.14 output for OH and FIBS supplementations, respectively, in yak cows' farming system. It can be preliminary concluded that UMMB supplementation was the most economic way to alleviate body weight loss of grazing yaks over cold season, and the higher productive returns were obtained from OH supplementation for grazing yak cows during winter/spring months. © 2004 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.

Sleeping sites, sleeping trees, and sleep-related behaviors of black crested gibbons (Nomascus concolor jingdongensis) at Mt. Wuliang, central Yunnan, China

Data on sleep-related behaviors were collected for a group of central Yunnan black crested gibbons (Nomascus concolor jingdongensis) at Mt. Wuliang, Yunnan, China from March 2005 to April 2006. Members of the group usually formed four sleeping units (adult male and juvenile, adult female with one semi-dependent black infant, adult female with one dependent yellow infant, and subadult male) spread over different sleeping trees. Individuals or units preferred specific areas to sleep; all sleeping sites were situated in primary forest, mostly (77%) between 2,200 and 2,400 m in elevation. They tended to sleep in the tallest and thickest trees with large crowns on steep slopes and near important food patches. Factors influencing sleeping site selection were (1) tree characteristics, (2) accessibility, and (3) easy escape. Few sleeping trees were used repeatedly by the same or other members of the group. The gibbons entered the sleeping trees on average 128 min before sunset and left the sleeping trees on average 33 min after sunrise. The lag between the first and last individual entering the trees was on average 17.8 min. We suggest that sleep-related behaviors are primarily adaptations to minimize the risk of being detected by predators. Sleeping trees may be chosen to make approach and attack difficult for the predator, and to provide an easy escape route in the dark. In response to cold temperatures in a higher habitat, gibbons usually sit and huddle together during the night, and in the cold season they tend to sleep on ferns and/or orchids.

Studies on the biology of Chaoborus flavicans (Meigen) (Diptera : Chaoboridae) in a fish-free eutrophic pond, Japan

Population dynamics of Chaoborus flavicans larvae of various instars was studied from November 1986 to December 1987 in a eutrophic, fish-free pond, Japan. First and 2nd instar larvae were observed from late April to late October, indicating a reproductive period of about half a year. C. flavicans overwintered in the 4th instar larvae. In water column samples, total density of all instars was 680-23 680 m(-2), and pupal density 0-2 600 m(-2); larvae of the Ist, 2nd, and 3rd instars showed 5-6 density peaks in 1987, suggesting that 5-6 generations occur during a year (peaks of the 4th instar larvae were not clear, probably due to their longer development than those of younger instars). In sediment samples, no Ist and 2nd instar larvae were found, 3rd instar larvae were found occasionally but density of the 4th instar larvae was 280-18 600 m(-2), and pupal density varied between 0-502 m(-2). Fouth instar larvae accumulated in sediment in the cold season and in the water column in the warm season; high temperature and low oxygen concentration were the most important factors limiting the distribution of larvae in the sediment in summer in the NIES pond. The dry weight of total C. flavicans larvae was 0.08-4.2 g m(-2) in sediment samples and 24-599 mu g l(-1) (0.10-2.40 g m(-2)) in water column samples. Comparisons of maximum densities in the NIES pond in different years and in waters of different trophic status show that density is generally higher in eutrophic than in oligotrophic habitats.

Seasonal changes in weight and body composition of yak grazing on alpine-meadow grassland in the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau of China

Forty-five male yaks (born April 2001) were studied to determine how seasonal changes on the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau affected BW and body composition. Thirty yaks were weighed monthly from birth to 26 mo of age to determine seasonal changes in BW. The remaining 15 yaks were allocated randomly to five groups (three yaks per group), designated for slaughter at 13, 15, 18, 22, and 25 mo to measure seasonal effects on body chemical composition. All yaks were grazed on the alpine-meadow grassland of the plateau without any supplementation. All BW and body composition data were calculated on an individual basis. Body weight and body composition data were both compared across seven growth periods spanning 2 yr and defined by season. From April (birth) to December 2001 of the first growing season, yak BW increased (P < 0.01); however, during the subsequent cold season (December 2001 to May 2002), BW decreased (P < 0.01). The second growing season ran from May 2002 (13 mo of age) to October 2002 (18 mo of age), and the second live weight-loss season ran from October 2002 until May 2003. The weight loss experienced by yaks during the first weight loss season was 25.64% of the total weight gain in the first growing season. The weight loss experienced by yaks during the second weight-loss season was 29.73% of the total weight gain in the second growing season. Energy retention in the second growing season was 291.07 MJ, 50.8% of which was consumed during the subsequent cold season. Energy accumulation in the summer (from May to July) and fall (from July to October) of the second growing season did not differ (5.01 and 6.30 MJ/kg of EBW gain, respectively; P = 0.63). The energy mobilized during the second winter (from October 2002 to February 2003) was 16.49 MJ/kg of EBW, and in the second spring (from February to May 2003), it was 9.06 MJ/kg of EBW. These data suggest that the decrease in grazing yak BW during the first cold season is much less than during the second cold season, and that the energy content per unit of BW mobilized is greater (P = 0.02) in winter than in spring. Results from this study demonstrate highly efficient compensatory growth in grazing yaks following the first weight loss period during the first cold season. This benefit could be exploited by herders to improve yak production. Yaks may have developed a type of self-protection mechanism to overcome the long cold seasons in the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau.

Effect of urea multinutritional molasses block supplementation on liveweight change of yak calves and productive and reproductive performances of yak cows

Using three different types of yaks, 30 head of 1-yr-old calves (liveweight 60.7 +/- 6.3 kg), 30 head of 2-yr-old calves (97.7 +/- 10.2 kg) and 30 head of yak cows (160.2 +/- 15.1 kg) were randomly selected from the same yak herds. Each type of yak herd was divided into control (C) and trial (T) groups using a completely randomized design, with 10 and 20 animals in the C and T groups, respectively. The animals in the C group were grazed on natural rangeland, and the animals in the T group were supplemented with urea multinutritional molasses blocks (UMMB), together with grazing on natural rangeland from January to May of 1998. The objective was to determine the effect of UMMB on productive performance of yak calves and yak cows in the cold season. Live weight loss of 1-yr-old calves, 2-yr-old calves and yak cows was reduced by 1.2, 8.3 and 7.9 kg after UMMB supplementation (P < 0.01). The 1-yr-old calves gained the most in the first month of supplementation, but the 2-yr-old calves and yak cows gained the most both in the first and last supplementation months. Daily milk yield of yak cows increased by 0.21 kg d(-1) when the lactating animals were supplemented with UMMB (P < 0.01), although there was no effect (P < 0.01) of UMMB supplementation on hair and downy hair production. Supplementation with UMMB also improved reproductive performance of yak cows, with 8.8 and 30.9% increments in pregnancy rate and newborn weight, respectively. We conclude that the benefit of UMMB supplementation the 1-yr-old calves was not economical, with only 0.3:1 output to input ratio, but supplementation of the 2-yr-old calves and yak cows may be economical, with 1.8:1 and 1.4:1 output to input ratios, respectively.

Effect of Cold Rolling Ratio and Heating Rate of Batch Annealing on Textures of Micro-Carbon Steel Sheet

在四辊冷轧试验机和Gleeble-1500试验机上进行了热轧微碳钢板的冷轧和退火试验。用D/max-RC衍射仪测量了试样的,/”层织构,并用Roe软件进行了ODF分析。研究表明,所研究的热轧微碳深冲板压下率约为75%,退火升温速度为20-40℃/h时,试样为{111}织构特征；压下率较大(80%)时,退火织构为较弱的{111}组分。无论{111}织构还是非{111}织构都是在形核阶段开始形成,在晶粒长大优先长大,受到定向形核和选择生长双重机制的作用。

Electron Beam Surface Remelting of AISI D2 Cold-Worked Die Steel

Electron beam surface remelting has been carried out on AISI D2 cold-worked die steel. The microstructure and hardening behavior of the electron beam surface remelted AISI D2 cold-worked die steel have been studied by means of optical microscopy and Vickers hardness testing. It was found that AISI D2 steel can be successfully surface hardened by electron beam surface remelting. This surface hardening effect can be attributed to microstructural refinement following electron beam surface remelting. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

A Study on the Microstructure Characteristic of the Cold-Rolled Deformed Nanocrystalline Nickel

In this paper the microstructure characteristic of the cold-rolled deformed nanocrystalline Nickel metal has been studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results show that there were step structures near by grain boundary (GB), and the contrast of stress field in front of the step corresponds to the step in the shape. It indicates that the interaction between twins and dislocations is not a necessary condition to realizing the deformation. In the later stage of the deformation when the grain size became about 100 nm, the deformation occurs only depend upon the moving of the boundary of the stack faults (SFs) which result from the imperfection dislocations emitted from GBs. In the other word, the movement of the boundary dislocations of SFs results to growing-up of the size of the SFs, therefore realizes deformation. However, when the size of stack faults grows up, the local internal stress which is in front of the step gradually becomes higher. When this stress reach a critical value stopping the gliding of the partial dislocations, the SFs will stop growing up and leave a step structure behind.

Step Structure in Cold-Rolled Deformed Nanocrystalline Nickel

The microstructure characteristic of the cold-rolled deformed nanocrystalline nickel metal is studied by transmission electron microscopy. The results show that there are step structures nearby the grain boundary (GB), and the contrast of stress field in front of the step corresponds to the step in the shape. It is indicated that the interaction between twins and dislocations is not a necessary condition to realizing the deformation. In the later stage of the deformation when the grain size becomes about 100nm, the deformation can depend upon the moving of the boundary of the stack faults (SFs) which result from the partial dislocations emitted from GBs. However, when the size of SFs grows up, the local internal stress which is in front of the step gradually becomes higher. When this stress reaches a critical value which stops the gliding of the partial dislocations, the SFs will stop to grow up and leave a step structure behind.

Analysis of asymmetrical cold rolling with varying coefficients of friction

In this research, asymmetrical cold rolling was produced by the difference in the coefficient of friction between rolls and sheets rather than the difference of roll radius or rotation speeds. The influence of friction coefficient ratio on the cross shear deformation, rolling pressure and torque was investigated using slab analysis. The results showed that the shear deformation zone length increased with the increase of the friction coefficient ratio. The rolling force decreased only under the condition that the friction coefficient ratio increased while the sum of the friction coefficients was held constant. As the reduction per pass was increased, the shear deformation zone length increased and the rolling force also increased. An increase of the front tension resulted in a decrease of the shear deformation zone length. An increase of back tension, however, led to an increase of the shear deformation zone length. The reduction of rolling torque for the work roll with higher surface roughness was greater than that for the work roll with lower surface roughness. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Thermophoretic deposition of particles onto cold surfaces of bodies in two-dimensional and axisymmetric flows

The problem of thermophoretic deposition of small particles onto cold surfaces is studied in two-dimensional and axisymmetric flow fields. The particle concentration equation is solved numerically together with the momentum and energy equations in the laminar boundary layer with variable density effect included. It is shown explicitly to what extent the particle concentration and deposition rate at the wall are influenced by the density variation effect for external flow past bodies. The general numerical procedure is given for two-dimensional and axisymmetric cases and is illustrated with examples of thermophoretic deposition of particles in flows past a cold cylinder and a sphere.

Thermophoretic deposition of particles in gas flowing over cold surfaces

Some of the calculated parameters show a maximum value for specimens heat-treated at about 100°C. The tensile strength is, for instance, substantially higher for specimens shock-heated at 100°C than for non-heated ones. Another striking feature is the initial decrease of the diameter observed in specimens heat-treated at 600°C when loaded in uniaxial compression. Both optical microscopy and DSA experiments reveal a large increase in microcracking when the heat-treatment temperature exceeds 300°C.

Splitting the fast and slow motions in molecular dynamics simulations based on the change of cold potential well bottom

Abstract. The atomic motion is coupled by the fast and slow components due to the high frequency vibration of atoms and the low frequency deformation of atomic lattice, respectively. A two-step approximate method was presented to determine the atomic slow motion. The first step is based on the change of the location of the cold potential well bottom and the second step is based on the average of the appropriate slow velocities of the surrounding atoms. The simple tensions of one-dimensional atoms and two-dimensional atoms were performed with the full molecular dynamics simulations. The conjugate gradient method was employed to determine the corresponding location of cold potential well bottom. Results show that our two-step approximate method is appropriate to determine the atomic slow motion under the low strain rate loading. This splitting method may be helpful to develop more efficient molecular modeling methods and simulations pertinent to realistic loading conditions of materials.

Experimental Research On Fatigue Property Of Steel Rubber Vibration Isolator For Offshore Jacket Platform In Cold Environment

Jacket platform is the most widely used offshore platform. Steel rubber vibration isolator and damping isolation system are often used to reduce or isolate the ice-induced and seismic-induced vibrations. The previous experimental and theoretical studies concern mostly with dynamic properties, vibration isolation schemes and vibration-reduction effectiveness analysis. In this paper, the experiments on steel rubber vibration isolator were carried out to investigate the compressive properties and fatigue properties in different low temperature conditions. The results may provide some guidelines for design of steel rubber vibration isolator for offshore platform in a cold environment, and for maintenance and replacement of steel rubber vibration isolator, and also for fatigue life assessment of the steel rubber vibration isolator. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.