Real-time ultrasonic measurement of fat thickness and longissimus muscle area: II. Relationship between real-time ultrasound measures and carcass retail yield.

Feedlot steers (n = 180) representing 11 sire-breed groups were ultrasonically measured for fat thickness (FTU) and longissimus muscle area (LMU) at two 60-d intervals during the feeding period and four 21-d intervals corresponding to serial slaughter dates to predict carcass retail yield parameters. Two fat trim levels, 8 and 0 mm, were used to calculate percentage of trimmable fat (FAT8P and FAT0P) and retail product percentage (RPD8P and RPD0P) for each carcass. Regression techniques were used to evaluate best-fit equations that explained variation in retail product components. When FAT8P, FAT0P, RPD8P, and RPD0P were regressed on USDA yield grade (YG), R2 values ranged from 75 to 76% (P < .001). Comparatively, when live animal predictors of YG components (FTU, LMU, and final live weight) were used as the independent variables, equations predicting retail yield had R2 values of 61 to 65% (P < .01). Equations using final FTU as the independent variable explained 58 to 64% (P < .001) of the variation in FAT8P, FAT0P, RPD8P, and RPD0P. Equations with FTU, LMU, and either WT, AGE, marbling, or quality grade resulted in R2 values similar to those with only FTU, indicating the strong influence of fat on retail yields. These results indicate that ultrasonic predictors explained about 10% less variation in retail product percentage than did carcass measures.

Health needs of homeless clients accessing nursing care at a free clinic.

Homeless people need emotional support, caring professionals, and resources that work within their frame of reality. Each homeless community will have different demographics and health needs. The common denominators are the obstacles encountered when trying to access health care: bureaucracy, transportation, accessibility, present-time orientation, limited resources, frustration, and anxiety. Nurse-managed free clinics are an effective means of serving the needs of homeless and indigent populations. Through these clinics, clients can receive continuity of care, proper follow-up, referrals, and teaching to aid in the prevention of illness. A free clinic was established in a northwestern Georgia community to meet the health needs of homeless and indigent persons. This article describes the demographics, attitudes, values, perceived support systems, and health needs of clients accessing care at this nursing clinic.

Embryo-transfer twinning and performance efficiency in beef production.

Effects of twinning on efficiency of beef production were estimated from results of bilateral transfer of two Angus x Hereford (AxH) embryos into each of 241 heifers and 84 cows (H, A, HxA or Holstein x H) over 4 yr. Calves were weaned at 180 d and fed either 220 d in a feedlot (1977) or 170 d on forage and 140 d in a feedlot (1978 to 1980). Effects of parity, twinning and sex of calf were estimated as covariates within year-breed of dam. Pregnancy at 45 to 60 d of gestation was 68% in heifers (H) and 74% in cows (C), with 40% single (S) and 60% twin (T) births. Dystocia was 28% in H vs 10% in C (P less than .05), and tended to be less (P greater than .05) for T than S in H. More placentas were retained (P less than .05) for T than for S in both H (35 vs 12%) and C (24 vs 4%). Twin gestations averaged 3 d shorter and subsequent calving intervals 13 d longer (P less than .05), but total calf mortality was slightly higher (P greater than .05). Abortions were 4% in H only. Twinning females lost maternal weight during late gestation (P less than .05) when crowding limited voluntary feed intake, while fetal requirements were 60% higher (P less than .01). Twins increased milk output 25% (P less than .05), but 11% higher feed intake maintained cow weight during lactation. Twinning reduced birth weight 13% and weaning weight 17% (P less than .05), but 400-d feedlot weight only 9% because of compensating feedlot gain. Twins gained 18% faster than S during postweaning 170-d forage feeding, but 5% slower in feedlot to 8% lighter 490-d weight (P less than .05). Assuming 40% higher veterinary and labor costs for twins, estimated integrated herd costs per unit of age-constant output value would be lower for T than for S production by about 24% for marketing either at weaning or at 400 d.

A low-priced computer-assisted densitometer and analysis software for quantitative autoradiography.

A computer-assisted densitometer which consists of a darkroom enlarger, a black-and-white exposure meter, an amplifier, an analog-to-digital converter, and a microcomputer with a monitor and a graphic printer can be utilized for the quantitative analysis of autoradiograms. QUANTAR, a computer program written in BASIC, records the density measurements and stores the data in a file that can be easily retrieved by commercially available spreadsheet software. A spreadsheet template was designed to convert the digital readings into concentration of ligand in tissue. A variety of spreadsheet templates can be created to analyze data for a standard curve, a Scatchard plot, or a binding competition curve. This system, which is easy to assemble, may be useful to the frugal investigator with a modest equipment budget.