257 Including Sweet Bran in the Diet of Growing Feedlot Steers Increased Body Weight and Influenced Rate of Feed Disappearance

This study assessed the effect of Sweet BranTM (SWBR; 40% DM inclusion; Cargill Corn Milling, Blair, NE) or modified distiller’s grains (MDGS; 25% DM inclusion) in the diet of newly received feedlot steers on feeding behavior and growing period performance. Diets were formulated for similar metabolizable protein and DM. Two hundred sixteen freshly weaned Angus-cross steers (253 kg ± 18.1) were stratified by BW to 36 pens (n = 18 per treatment; 6 steers/pen). Individual BW were recorded on d 0, 28, and 60. Eight pens per treatment were utilized to assess rate of feed disappearance early (day 5 and 6) and late (53 and 54) during growing by weighing feed in bunks every 2 hours post-delivery for 12 consecutive hours. Feed weights were averaged across consecutive days within pen and timepoint. Slopes were calculated between each timepoint to determine rate of feed disappearance. Data were analyzed with Proc Mixed of SAS 9.4; diet was fixed effect and pen was experimental unit. Feed disappearance slopes were analyzed as repeated measures with the repeated effect of time. Body weights did not differ on d 28 (P ≥ 0.29), but d 60 BW and d 0 to 60 ADG were greater for SWBR than MDGS (P < 0.05). Steers fed SWBR had greater DMI throughout the trial (P < 0.05). Feed efficiency (G:F) did not differ throughout the trial (P ≥ 0.31). Rate of feed disappearance on d 5/6 was greater for SWBR between hours 6–8, and greater for MDGS from hours 10–12. On d 53/54, SWBR had increased feeding rate during hours 0–2, while MDGS was increased from hours 8–10. Steers fed SWBR had a greater rate of feed disappearance earlier in the day and had improved DMI and growth than steers fed MDGS.

REPLACEMENT OF MAIZE WITH CASSAVA ROOT MEAL EITHER ALONE OR MIXED WITH BREWERS YEAST SLURRY IN DIETS FOR GROWING-FINISHING PIGS

Twenty four (24) crossbred grower pigs of Large White, Landrace, Hampshire and Duroc breeds, which averaged 43.96kg liveweight, were allocated in groups of4 pigs and two replicates, to each of 3 diets. Diet I was a maize-based control while in diets II and III, cassava root meal (CRM) solely, or its mixture with brewers yeast slurry (CRM-BYS) replaced all of the maize in the control. The pigs were group - housed in concrete floor pens where they were fed the test diets to appetite, and had water ad libitum over a 30-day period. Performance parameters were measured during this period, and at the end of it, 4 pigs from each treatment were slaughtered and their carcasses characterized. Average daily feed (ADF), average daily gain (ADG), feed/gain ratio for diets I, II and III were 2.08, 2.07, and 2.01 kg; 0.63, 0.60 and 0.64 kg; 331, 3.48 and 3.15 respectively. The differences were not significant (P >.05). Feed cost/kg liveweight gain was significantly (P< .05) reduced from N19.43 to N14.65 and N11.28 when dietary maize was replaced by CRM and CRM/BYS respectively. Linear and jointed carcass measures, and organ weight did not differ significantly (P>.05) in the different diets. These data show a net advantage of replacing dietary maize with cassava root meal or its mixture with brewers yeast slurry for growing-finishing pigs under the defined conditions.

PERFORMANCE OF CONCRETE PONTOON FLOATING BREAKWATER WITH DOUBLE CONFIGURATION

Development of floating breakwater are increasing along with the rising interest of floating infrastructure. One of the applications is floating breakwater using concrete pontoon. Large and rigid structure are possible to construct with the usage of concrete. However, it still limited with the available construction and transportation method to handle such a large structure. Double configurations of floating breakwater proposed to increase the structure’s performance with the size limitation. The breakwater performance tested with physical model in laboratory by comparing performance of single pontoon with double pontoon for various structure spacing. Pontoon size are 1.2 m in length, 0.3 m in width, and 0.15 m in height and tested with many combination of irregular waves and for double configurations model, the spacing of 30 cm, 60 cm, and 90 cm are used. The structure works optimal in low range harmonic period. Performance of single configuration are in the range of Kt 0.6 up to 0.97, transmission increased along with the waves period. The Kt value of double configuration are around 0.45 up to 0.8. Performance of double configuration determined by ratio of structure spacing with wavelength. Larger ratio resulted a better performance in condition where the spacing did not exceed 0.65 length of wavelength.

Evaluating whole grain millet feeding in broiler-starter chicks at 0-21days post hatch

A 21-d investigation was conducted to ascertain the effect of 50% whole millet grain replacement for milled millet on growth performance, gastrointestinal conditions and development in broiler chickens. Eighty-four one-day-old unsexed broiler chicks were randomly allotted to two treatment groups with 7 replicates of 6 chicks per replicate. Two diets; whole millet diet (WM), consisting of 50% of the millet provided as whole grain, and the ground millet diet (GM), as the control, were formulated and fed ad-libitum throughout the study period. Performance data: feed intake, daily live weight gain and feed conversion ratio were recorded weekly, i.e. at 7, 14 and 21d, while gastrointestinal assessment: jejunal, digesta pH, relative weights of the proventriculus, gizzard, pancreas and liver, and jejunal and ileal morphometry were conducted on 21d. Similarities (p > 0.05) were observed in the growth performance, digesta pH and relative weight and length of duodenum, jejunum, ileum and caeca for chickens in both treatments. A 25.7% increase in gizzard weight was observed in chickens on WM, as well as significant (p < 0.05) increases in jejunal and ileal height and jejunal villus width were recorded on the chickens. A significant reduction in flock uniformity was observed in chickens fed the whole millet diet at 14d. It could therefore be concluded that 50% whole millet grain replacement for milled millet resulted in similar growth performance and improved gastrointestinal function and activity in 21-d post hatch chickens.

Board independence and earnings management – a study of listed companies on Ho Chi Minh stock exchange

Board independence is reflected in many aspects, the most common of which is the existence of independent non-executive directors and the separation of Chairman and CEO roles. This study examines whether a highly independent board deters earnings management by its managers. Discretionary accruals are used to measure earnings management while current operating cash flow divided by lagged assets of current and future are used to measure manager's incentives. On a sample of 1230 observations from 244 HOSE listed companies that belong to VNX Allshare index in the period 2012-2017, this study provides significant evidence for corporate governance issues of Vietnamese listed companies. Specifically, the experimental results show that when the current period performance is poor and expected future period performance is good, and if one person holds both Chairman and CEO roles, he will carry out the transfer of a part of the future profits to the present to improve current year’s performance to satisfy personal interests. Unfortunately, all variables related to independent directors are statistically insignificant, confirming the fuzzy role of independent directors in monitoring and preventing earnings management in particular and agency problems in general. This study offers implications for the effectiveness and substance of the independent role of the board of directors in Vietnamese enterprises.

PSIII-31 Effects of associative use of additives on performance, carcass characteristics and serum D-lactate in Nellore x Angus young bulls

The objective was to evaluate the effects of including virginiamycin or bacitracin in diets containing monensin or monensin plus virginiamycin and bacitracin on growth performance and carcass characteristics of feedlot young bulls. Seventy-two young bulls, with an initial average body of 417 ± 38.7kg were allotted in a completely randomized design. The bulls were placed in 18 pens (four animals per pen), with three treatments and six experimental replicates. The diets consisted of 85% concentrate and 15% of corn silage, with 11.4% CP, 75.7% TDN and 18.4% NDF. The treatments were: MON, 25 ppm of monensin in the diet; MONB: monensin plus 8.75 ppm of zinc bacitracin; and MONVM monensin plus 25 ppm of virginiamycin. Feedlot had 109d, with 27d of adaptation and 82d of experimental period. Performance was measured by daily intake records and weighing at the beginning and end of the feedlot. After feedlot, animals were slaughtered to measure carcass traits. Serum D-lactate was collected on day 7 and 43 of the experimental period. There was no significant effect of the additives on performance and most of the carcass traits (Table 1). However, young bulls receiving MONVM tended to have greater LM area. On the other hand, MON diet tended to increase marbling. Finally, there was a tendency for treatment x time interaction (P &lt; 0.08) in the serum concentration of D-lactate. Bulls receiving MON had greater concentration on day 7 (109.5 µmol.µL-1), compared to other groups (66.7 and 89.9 µmol.µL-1 for MONB and MONVM, respectively). There was no effect of additives in the D-lactate content on day 43, being the treatments average 83.5 µmol.µL-1. In conclusion, the use of monensin and their association with virginiamycin or bacitracin did not affect performance but tend to influence carcass traits and serum D-lactate. Funded by Agroceres, Fapemig, CAPES, and CNPq.

Enhanced Recommendation System in Community–Question-Answering Websites using Splay-Tree Methodology

In community-driven ranking systems participants with superior scores acquire strong reputation than low scored participants. The community-question-aswering websites, like stackexchange network, participants with unreciprocated or unnoticed questions for a long time get a badge called tumbleweed without taking into account of their earlier period performance. The user-driven question and answering website considers this reward as a consolation prize and discourages them instead of encouraging. Mostly, the users who ask unnoticed questions are either a new or less scored participants. The center of attention of this research work is to propose a recommendation system that prevents unnoticed questions from the participants who are about to receive a tumbleweed badge. A splay-tree is a tree with a self-balancing ability which brings the newly accessed node to the apex of the tree. In this paper, the splay-tree correspond to participants’ ranks and the highlight of the work is to raise average or beneath average scorer to apex without disturbing existing toppers

Effect of supplementing a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product during a preconditioning period prior to transit on receiving period performance, nutrient digestibility, and antioxidant defense by beef steers

Forty-eight newly weaned crossbred beef steers from a single-source were used to determine the effects of feeding a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product (SCFP; NaturSafe, Diamond V) on receiving period performance, nutrient digestibility, and antioxidant defense. Seven days after arrival, steers were stratified by BW (257 ± 18 kg), sorted into pens (n = 1 pen/treatment), and pens assigned to dietary treatments: SCFP at 0 (CON), 12 (SCFP12), 18 (SCFP18), or 0 g·steer−1·d−1 during preconditioning (PRE; days −19 to 0), then 18 g·steer−1·d−1 during receiving (REC; days 0 to 58; CON18). On day −1 BW and blood were collected, steers were loaded onto a semitruck and transported 1,748 km over 19 h. Upon return, steers were weighed, stratified by BW within treatment and sorted into pens with GrowSafe bunks (n = 12 steers/treatment). Steers were weighed on days −1, 0, 29, 30, 57, and 58. Blood was collected from all steers on days −1, 1, and 8 and liver biopsies were performed on all steers on days −20, −3, and 59. Titanium dioxide was included as an indigestible marker in the diet of all steers from days 14 through 29 to determine total tract nutrient digestibility. Data were analyzed as a completely randomized design using ProcMixed of SAS with the fixed effect of treatment. Steer was the experimental unit for REC period variables. Contrast statements compared the linear and quadratic effects of feeding SCFP throughout the trial (CON, SCFP12, and SCFP18) and the effect of supplementation at 18 g·steer−1·d−1 for the entire trial or starting in REC (SCFP18 vs. CON18). Steers fed SCFP12 exhibited the greatest ADG and G:F from days 0 to 30 (quadratic P ≤ 0.04). Total tract digestibility of NDF and ADF was linearly decreased by SCFP (linear P ≤ 0.03). On day −3, SCFP12-fed steers tended to have the greatest liver concentrations of total, oxidized, and reduced glutathione (quadratic P = 0.06). Red blood cell lysate Mn:total-superoxide dismutase activity was 16% greater 1 d posttransit compared with pretransit values (day P ≤ 0.01). Timing of SCFP supplementation (SCFP18 vs. CON18) did not affect any of the variables assessed herein (P ≥ 0.19). Supplementing SCFP at 12 g·steer−1·d−1 tended to affect antioxidant capacity prior to transit and improved early receiving period performance; however, overall receiving period performance was not affected by SCFP supplementation. Further research is necessary to determine the optimal dose and timing of SCFP supplementation for beef cattle.