Forage Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Knowledge of the in‐situ sound velocity of drilling mud can be used in mud‐pulse acoustic telemetry for evaluating the presence and amount of gas invasion in the drilling mud. We propose a model for calculating the in‐situ density and... more

Knowledge of the in‐situ sound velocity of drilling mud can be used in mud‐pulse acoustic telemetry for evaluating the presence and amount of gas invasion in the drilling mud. We propose a model for calculating the in‐situ density and sound velocity of water‐based and oil‐based drilling muds containing formation gas. Drilling muds are modeled as a suspension of clay particles and high‐gravity solids in water or oil, with the acoustic properties of these fluids depending on pressure and temperature. Since mud at different depths experiences different pressures and temperatures, downhole mud weights can be significantly different from those measured at the surface. Taking this fact into consideration, we assume constant clay composition and obtained the fraction of high‐gravity solids to balance the formation pressure corresponding to a given drilling plan. This gives the in‐situ density of the drilling mud, which together with the bulk moduli of the single constituents allow us to co...

This study assessed how the displacement patterns and feeding station used can be affected by sward heights of 4, 8, 12 and 16 cm. A randomized complete design was used with two replication in time and space. The animals were evaluated by... more

This study assessed how the displacement patterns and feeding station used can be affected by sward heights of 4, 8, 12 and 16 cm. A randomized complete design was used with two replication in time and space. The animals were evaluated by 45- minute grazing tests, to determine the number of bites, number of feeding stations and number of steps using counters, except for number of bites, which was registered by the IGER Behaviour Recorder device. A positive correlation was observed between sward height and herbage mass, and negative correlation between sward height and herbage bulk density. Differences between female calves and ewes were observed in all variables evaluated. The number of feeding station per minute decreased quadratically with increasing sward height. The number of bites per feeding station and time per feeding station increased quadratically with increasing sward height and were affected negatively by the lower herbage bulk density in the upper strata of the higher sward heights. Female calves, at 12 cm sward height, carried out more bites per feeding station and remained longer at each feeding station. The same behaviour was observed for ewes at 8 cm sward height. As less feeding stations were used, as a response to the previous variables, the animals walked more with slower steps. Thus, at sward heights between 8 and 12 cm the animals remained more time grazing each feeding station and covered longer distances searching for new grazing sites.

A five-months experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of partial replacement of rice straw in the ration of goat kids by Moringa oleifera (MO) forage on feed intake, digestibility, rumen fermentation, some blood parameters... more

A five-months experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of partial replacement of rice straw in the ration of goat kids by Moringa oleifera (MO) forage on feed intake, digestibility, rumen fermentation, some blood parameters and productive performance of growing goat kids. Twenty-one growing Baladi goat kids averaged six months age and 11.20 kg live body weight (LBW) were divided into three similar groups and randomly assigned to the following dietary treatments; control group (R1) which fed 60% CFM + 40% RS, while group (R2) fed 60% CFM + 20% RS + 20% MO and R3 fed 50% CFM + 25% RS + 25% MO. The daily feed allowance of goat kids was calculated according to NRC (2007) and adjusted biweekly. The experimental rations offered twice a day at 8 am and 2 pm in equal portions up to the end of the experimental period. Body weight, feed intake and feed conversion were determined over the whole trial. At the end of the feeding trial, three digestibility trials were conducted on twe...

A predrill estimate of pore pressure can be obtained from seismic velocities using a velocity-to–pore-pressure transform, but the seismic velocities need to be derived using methods having sufficient resolution for well planning purposes.... more

A predrill estimate of pore pressure can be obtained from seismic velocities using a velocity-to–pore-pressure transform, but the seismic velocities need to be derived using methods having sufficient resolution for well planning purposes. For a deepwater Gulf of Mexico example, significant differences are found between the velocity field obtained using reflection tomography and that obtained using a conventional method based on the Dix equation. These lead to significant differences in the predicted pore pressure. Parameters ...

In an effort to understand the present-day thermal structure of the Jeanne d'Arc Basin, we derive matrix thermal conductivity values, using a geometric mean model, from thermal conductivity values of thirteen lithologic end-members (of... more

In an effort to understand the present-day thermal structure of the Jeanne d'Arc Basin, we derive matrix thermal conductivity values, using a geometric mean model, from thermal conductivity values of thirteen lithologic end-members (of which seven are measurements on materials from the Jeanne d'Arc Basin) and lithological data. Temperature corrections to thermal conductivity are made for both matrix and pore water. In-situ thermal conductivities were obtained after correcting for the effect of porosity, which we estimated from both lithological information and digital well logs. Calculated thermal conductivities of the formations range from 1.46 to 2.65 W m -1K -1. The heterogeneity of formation thermal conductivity is caused by at least two factors. The first is lithological variation due to facies change. The second is due to different degrees of compaction. Under-compacted intervals (overpressure zones) are characteristically of lower thermal conductivity. The surface heat flow density calculated with an inverse method in seventeen wells varies from 37.8 to 60.7 mW/m 2. This study indicates that surface heat flow density values estimated without porosity corrections may be 15% higher than those with porosity corrections. We also demonstrate the sensitivity of modelled timing of maturation to thermal conductivity estimations.

The demand for representative rock property parameters related to planning of underground excavations is increasing, as these parameters constitute fundamental input for obtaining the most reliable cost and time estimates. The Brittleness... more

The demand for representative rock property parameters related to planning of underground excavations is increasing, as these parameters constitute fundamental input for obtaining the most reliable cost and time estimates. The Brittleness Value (S20), Sievers’ J-Value (SJ), Abrasion Value (AV) and Abrasion Value Cutter Steel (AVS) have been used extensively at NTNU/SINTEF since the 1960s in connection with drillability testing

The multicriteria approach used in this paper aims to examine the aquifer of the Essaouira basin (Morocco). Investigation methods such as interpretation of hydrogeological wells and seismic sections, as well as the analysis of in situ... more

The multicriteria approach used in this paper aims to examine the aquifer of the Essaouira basin (Morocco). Investigation methods such as interpretation of hydrogeological wells and seismic sections, as well as the analysis of in situ fissuration measurements and field observations are used together in this study. The established hydrostructural models reveal the groundwater flow and the structure of the coastal aquifer system, whose heterogeneous hydrogeological formations contain very important water resources for the Moroccan coastal area. The partition of the Cretaceous Essaouira aquifer, and of its impermeable basement (Cenomanian marls) corresponds to a tectonic structure (horsts and grabens) resulting from reactivation of Hercynian structures. The identification of the normal faulting network demonstrates an influence of the structural geology on the specificity of coastal aquifers, on the groundwater flow, on the piezometric variation and the productivity of wells, depending on their location.Le réservoir hydrogéologique du bassin d'Essaouira (Maroc) est examiné selon une approche multicritères. Les forages hydrogéologiques et les profils sismiques, ainsi que l'étude de la fracturation et les observations de terrain, fournissent les outils d'investigation conduisant conjointement à établir une représentation tridimensionnelle. Celle-ci traduit à la fois l'écoulement souterrain et la structure du système aquifère crétacé du bassin d'Essaouira, dont les formations hydrogéologiques hétérogènes renferment d'importantes ressources en eau pour le domaine côtier marocain. Le découpage de l'aquifère d'Essaouira (Crétacé) et de son imperméable (marnes cénomaniennes) répond à une tectonique en horsts et grabens résultant de la réactivation de structures hercyniennes. L'identification d'un faisceau de failles verticales permet de montrer l'influence de la géologie structurale sur l'individualisation des aquifères côtiers, sur l'écoulement des eaux souterraines, sur les variations piézométriques et sur la productivité des forages.

The study ascertains housing and feed management practices among rabbit keepers in Enugu State of Nigeria. Snowball sampling technique was used to get at 67 respondents for the study. Structured interview schedule/questionnaire was used... more

The study ascertains housing and feed management practices among rabbit keepers in Enugu State of Nigeria. Snowball sampling technique was used to get at 67 respondents for the study. Structured interview schedule/questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents. Outdoor cages were used by 85.1% of the respondents to house rabbits and about 40% considered temperature as the most important factor, when sitting rabbit hutches. Most (92.5%) of the respondents used zinc roofing for rabbit hutches while 89.6% used wood in hutch floor construction and 94% used wood in constructing the hutch walls. Greater proportion (66.6%) of the respondents used wood as bedding material. All (100%) the respondents cleaned their hutches. About 60% cleaned at least once a week. Majority (79.1%) fed rabbits with locally available forages, while 20.9% fed with a combination of local forages and commercial feeds. Potatoe leaf (Solanum tuberosum) was the most (59.7%) used forage, followed by sow thistle (Sonchus) and goose grass (Galium aparine) (53.7%) each among others. Majority (98.5%) of the respondents did not dry forages before feeding rabbits. About a third (32.8%) agreed that there are forages that are harmful to rabbits. The most observed harmful forages, were fresh cassava leaf (Manihot utilissima) (66.7%), spear grass (Heteropogon contortus) (23.8%) and basil leaf (Occimomum Basilicum) (9.5%). Respondents perceived scarcity of forages during dry season (M= 2.92) as the most serious constraint to rabbit feeding, followed by poor quality of available feed (M= 2.22). The most essential reason for low rabbit production is low demand for rabbits (37.3%). There is need for training programmes to be organized by extension agents with the support of governmental or non-governmental organizations, aimed at sensitization of the farmers on the benefits of rabbit production and the importance of rabbit meat.

A 13-million-year continuous record of Oligocene climate from the equatorial Pacific reveals a pronounced “heartbeat” in the global carbon cycle and periodicity of glaciations. This heartbeat consists of 405,000-, 127,000-, and... more

A 13-million-year continuous record of Oligocene climate from the equatorial Pacific reveals a pronounced “heartbeat” in the global carbon cycle and periodicity of glaciations. This heartbeat consists of 405,000-, 127,000-, and 96,000-year eccentricity cycles and 1.2-million-year obliquity cycles in periodically recurring glacial and carbon cycle events. That climate system response to intricate orbital variations suggests a fundamental interaction of the carbon cycle, solar forcing, and glacial events. Box modeling shows that the interaction of the carbon cycle and solar forcing modulates deep ocean acidity as well as the production and burial of global biomass. The pronounced 405,000-year eccentricity cycle is amplified by the long residence time of carbon in the oceans.

Seismic reflection profiles from the Ifni/Tan-Tan Atlantic margin of southern Morocco, interpreted in the light of well data and field geology from the Western Anti-Atlas, allowed us to establish the seismostratigraphic framework of the... more

Seismic reflection profiles from the Ifni/Tan-Tan Atlantic margin of southern Morocco, interpreted in the light of well data and field geology from the Western Anti-Atlas, allowed us to establish the seismostratigraphic framework of the syn-rift series and to reveal ( i) a compressional structural style in the pre-Triassic basement similar to that established in the adjacent outcropping onshore basement but with an opposed western vergence, ( ii) the importance of inherited anterior structures in the formation of Triassic-Liassic rift structures and ( iii) an east-west propagation of these rift structures. To cite this article: N. AbouAli et al., C. R. Geoscience 337 (2005).

The distribution and diet of the elephants of the Maputo Elephant Reserve were studied using dung counts, satellite tracking and faecal analysis. The results were compared with earlier data from before the civil war in Mozambique. The... more

The distribution and diet of the elephants of the Maputo Elephant Reserve were studied using dung counts, satellite tracking and faecal analysis. The results were compared with earlier data from before the civil war in Mozambique. The elephant population decreased during the civil war, but 180 animals still remain. Earlier studies described the elephants as preferring the grass plains. Currently, the elephants prefer the dense forest patches over the high quality forage found in the grass plains. Water salinity affected distribution; elephant dung piles were found closer to fresh water in the dry season. A total of 95 different plant species were identified in the faeces. The percentage of grass was relatively low compared with other studies, increasing at the beginning of the rainy season. At the end of the dry season, elephants concentrated on the few available browse species with young leaves, but generally preferred grass species to browse species. Diet composition was mainly affected by season and less by habitat. The elephants have changed their habitat preference in reaction to poaching, and probably increased the contribution of browse species in the diet. The presence of forest patches has been vital for the survival of the elephants.RésuméOn a étudié la distribution et le régime alimentaire des éléphants de la Réserve áéléphants de Maputo en utilisant le comptages des crottes, le tracking par satellite et l'analyse des excréments. On a comparé les résultats avec des données recueillies avant la guerre civile au Mozambique. La population d'éléphants a baissé pendant la guerre civile mais il reste 180 animaux. Des études antérieures montraient que les éléphants préféraient les plaines herbeuses. Actuellement, ils préfèrent les ı^lots de forêt dense au fourrage de haute qualité qui se trouve dans les plaines herbeuses. La salinité de l'eau modifie la distribution; on trouvait les crottes d’éléphants plus près de l'eau douce en saison sèche. On a identifié un total de 95 espèces végétales différentes dans les excréments. Le pourcentage d'herbes était relativement bas par rapport aux études antérieures, il augmentait au début de la saison des pluies. A la fin de la saison sèche, les éléphants se concentraient sur les quelques espèces de buissons comestibles ayant des jeunes feuilles, mais ils préféraient généralement les espèces herbeuses aux buissons. La composition du régime était surtout affectée par la saison et moins par l'habitat. Les éléphants ont changé leurs préférences en matière d’habitat en réaction au braconnage et ont sans doute ainsi augmenté la contribution des espèces buissonnantes dans le régime alimentaire. La présence des ı^lots forestiers a été vitale pour la survie des éléphants.

Feed intake, in vivo nutrient digestibility and nitrogen utilization were evaluated in male sheep fed different fractions (leaf, pseudostem, corm, whole plant) of enset, untreated or 2% urea- and 3% calcium oxide- (CaO or lime) treated... more

Feed intake, in vivo nutrient digestibility and nitrogen utilization were evaluated in male sheep fed different fractions (leaf, pseudostem, corm, whole plant) of enset, untreated or 2% urea- and 3% calcium oxide- (CaO or lime) treated wheat straw and Desmodium intortum hay as sole diets. All feeds, except D. intortum hay and enset leaf had low crude protein (CP) content. Non-fiber carbohydrate contents were higher in enset fractions, especially in pseudostem and corm relative to other feeds. Enset leaf and pseudostem had high calcium, phosphorus and manganese contents. Corm, whole enset and D. intortum hay were rich sources of zinc. Daily dry matter and CP intakes were higher (p < 0.05) in sheep fed D. intortum hay (830 and 133 g, respectively) than those fed pseudostem (92 and 7.8 g, respectively). Organic matter digestibilities were highest for corm (0.780) and whole enset (0.776) and lowest for D. intortum hay (0.534) and untreated wheat straw (0.522). The CP digestibility ranged from 0.636 in D. intortum hay to 0.408 in corm. Nitrogen (N) balance was highest (p < 0.05) in D. intortum hay (10.4 g/day) and lowest in corm (−1.3 g/day). Enset leaf could be a useful protein supplement whereas the pseudostem and corm could be good sources of energy.

To examine anatomical adaptations in a potential forage grass, Imperata cylindrica (L.) Raeuschel, a population was collected from the natural salt-affected soils of the Salt Range, Pakistan. Using a hydroponic system, the degree of salt... more

To examine anatomical adaptations in a potential forage grass, Imperata cylindrica (L.) Raeuschel, a population was collected from the natural salt-affected soils of the Salt Range, Pakistan. Using a hydroponic system, the degree of salt tolerance in terms of structural modifications in the Salt Range ecotype was compared with that in an ecotype collected from a normal non-saline habitat of the Faisalabad region. The Salt Range ecotype was superior to the Faisalabad ecotype in biomass production under saline conditions. High salt tolerance of the Salt Range ecotype was associated with increased succulence in root and leaf (mainly midrib), formation of aerenchyma in leaf sheath, increased vascular bundle area, metaxylem area and phloem area, highly developed bulliform cells on leaves and increased sclerification in root and leaf. Furthermore, both stomatal density and stomatal area were considerably reduced under high salinities in the Salt Range ecotype.