Thesis (MScAgric)--University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Statistical analysis was conducted on data from two Elsenburg herds, containing 105 Jersey and 232 Holstein cows. The data was examined for external factors which may affect milk yield and milk composition. The data consisted of 337 first lactation records, taken over a 20 year time period. Breed of cow had an effect on milk yield, butterfat and protein production, as did the year in which the cows were born and the age of the heifer at first calving. There was a significant interaction between the breed and year of birth. There are other external factors, which are difficult to quantify, which may have an effect on production. In the following trials, eight ruminally cannulated dairy cows (four Jerseys and four Holsteins) were used to determine the effect of breed on forage digestibility in the rumen. All cows received a high concentrate mixed ration, with supplementary wheat straw. An in situ rumen degradability trial was conducted with three different forages, viz. lucerne, wheat straw and NaOH-treated wheat straw. The bags were incubated in the rumen for time intervals of 2,4, 8, 12, 16,20,24, 36,48, 72 and 96 hours and samples were analysed for dry matter (DM) and neutral-detergent fibre (NDF). Higher rumen degradability values (P<0.01) ofDM and NDF were observed in Jerseys for all three forages. Differences were more apparent for wheat straw and treated wheat straw than for lucerne. The rate of passage of digesta from the rumen was measured in both breeds by a chromium mordanted wheat straw marker. The Holsteins manifested a higher rate of passage (P<0.05) than the Jerseys, while daily feed intakes were also higher (P<O.Ol) for the Holsteins than for the Jerseys. Daily feed intake, expressed as percentage of body weight was, however, slightly higher for the Jerseys than for the Holsteins. The pH value of the rumen fluid was measured at 0, 4, 8, 10 and 12 hours postfeeding. The only significant difference (P<O.OI)in pH between the breeds was at 4 hours post-feeding, when the ruminal pH dropped more rapidly in the Holsteins than in the Jerseys. The pH in the Holsteins dropped below 6.2, which may have inhibited fibrolytic microbe activity in the rumen, resulting in a lower effective degradability of forages. Total volatile fatty acids were higher in Holsteins from four to 10 hours after feeding, but no differences were observed in acetic acid:propionic acid ratios. It was concluded that Jerseys appear to utilize forages more efficiently than Holsteins and that the differences are more apparent in low quality forages than in high quality forages. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Statistiese analises is op data van twee kuddes te Elsenburg uitgevoer, bestaande uit 105 Jersey- en 232 Holsteinkoeie. Die data is ondersoek vir eksterne faktore wat melkproduksie en melksamestelling kan beinvloed. Die data het uit 337 eerste-laktasierekords bestaan, wat oor 'n periode van 20 jaar ingesamel is. Ras van die koei, sowel as die jaar van geboorte en ouderdom met eerste kalwing het 'n invloed op melkproduksie, bottervet- en proteienopbrengs gehad. 'n Betekenisvolle interaksie is tussen ras en jaar van geboorte waargeneem. Ander moeilik kwantifiseerbare faktore mag ook 'n invloed op melkproduksie he. In daaropvolgende proewe is agt rumen-gekannuleerde melkkoeie (vier Jerseys en vier Holsteins) gebruik om die invloed van ras op ruvoerverteerbaarheid in die rumen te bepaal. Al die koeie het 'n hoe-kragvoerdieet ontvang, aangevul met koringstrooi. 'n In situ rumendegradeerbaarheidstudie is met drie verskillende ruvoere, naamlik lusernhooi, koringstrooi en NaOH-behandelde koringstrooi uitgevoer. Die ruvoere is vir tye van 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 36, 48, 72 en 96 ure in die rumen geinkubeer en monsters is ontleed vir droemateriaal (DM) en neutraal-bestande vesel (NDF). Hoer rumen-degradeerbaarheidswaardes (P<O.Ol) van DM en NDF is in Jerseys waargeneem as in Holsteins vir al drie ruvoere. Verskille was meer opvallend vir koringstrooi en NaOH-behandelde koringstrooi as vir lusem. Uitvloeitempo van digesta uit die rumen is in beide rasse met behulp van chroomgemerkte koringstrooi bepaal. Hoer uitvloeitempo's is in die Holsteins waargeneem as in die Jerseys, terwyl daaglikse voerinnames ook hoer was (P<O.05) by die Holsteins as by die Jerseys. Daaglikse voerinname, uitgedruk as persentasie van liggaamsmassa, was egter effens hoer (P<O.OI)by die Jerseys as by die Holsteins. Die pH van die rumenvloeistof is op 0, 4, 8, 10 en 12 ure na voeding gemeet. Die enigste betekenisvolle verskil (P<O.OI)in pH tussen die rasse het op 4 ure na voeding voorgekom toe die pH van die rumeninhoud vinniger in die Holsteins as in die Jerseys gedaal het. Die pH in die Holsteins het onder 6.2 gedaal, wat moontlik fibrolitiese mikrobe-aktiwiteit in die rumen kon inhibeer, met 'n gevolglike daling in effektiewe degradeerbaarheid van die ruvoere. Vanaf 10 ure na voeding was die totale vlugtige vetsuurkonsentrasies hoer in die Holsteins, maar geen verskille in asynsuur:propionsuurverhoudings is waargeneem nie. Die gevolgtrekking is gemaak dat Jerseys skynbaar meer doeltreffend is om ruvoere te benut as Holsteins en dat die verskil tussen rasse meer opvallend is vir lae kwaliteit ruvoere as vir hoe kwaliteit ruvoere.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: There is a global demand for technologies to reduce ethanol levels in wine without compromising wine quality. While several chemical and physical methods have been developed to reduce ethanol in finished wine, the target of an industrially applicable biological solution has thus far not been met. Most attempted biological strategies have focused on developing new strains of the main fermentative organism, the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Gene modification approaches have primarily focused on partially redirecting yeast carbon metabolism away from ethanol production towards glycerol production. These techniques have met with some moderate success, thus the focus of the current study was to re-direct carbon flux towards trehalose production by moderate over-expression of the TPS1 gene. This gene encodes trehalose-6-phosphate synthase, which converts glucose 6-phosphate and UDPglucose to α,α-trehalose 6-phosphate. Previous data have shown that the overproduction of trehalose restricts hexokinase activity reducing the amount of glucose that enters glycolysis. Nevertheless, preliminary TPS1 over-expression studies using multiple copy plasmids have shown some promise, but also indicated significant negative impact on the general fermentation behaviour of strains. In order to reduce such negative impacts of excessive trehalose production, a new strategy consisting in increasing the expression of TPS1 only during specific growth phases and by a relatively minor degree was investigated. Our study employed a lowcopy number episomal vector to drive moderate over-expression of the TPS1 gene in the widely used industrial strain VIN13 at different stages during fermentation. The fermentations were performed in synthetic must with sugar levels representative of those found in real grape must. This, as well as the use of an industrial yeast strain, makes it easier to relate our results to real winemaking conditions. A reduction in fermentation capacity was observed for all transformed strains and controls. Expression profiles suggest that the DUT1 promoter certainly results in increased TPS1 expression (up to 40%) during early exponential growth phase compared to the wild type strain (VIN13). TPS1 expression under the control of the GIP2 promoter region showed increased expression levels during early stationary phase (up to 60%). Chemical analysis of the yeast and the must at the end after fermentation showed an increase in trehalose production =in line with the expression data of TPS1. Importantly, glycerol production was also slightly increased, but without affecting acetic acid levels for the transformed strains. Although ethanol yield is not significantly lower in the DUT1-TPDS1 strain, s statistically significantly lower ethanol yield is observed for over-expression under the GIP2 promotor. Increasing trehalose production during stationary phase appears therefore to be a more promising approach at lowering ethanol yield and redirecting flux away from ethanol production. This controlled, growth phase specific over expression suggests a unique approach of lowering ethanol yield while not impacting on the redox balance. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Wêreldwyd is daar ‘n aanvraag na tegnologie wat die etanol vlakke in wyn kan verminder sonder om wyngehalte te benadeel. Terwyl verskeie chemiese en fisiese metodes ontwikkel is om etanol in die finale wynproduk te verminder, is die soeke na 'n industrieel gebaseerde biologiese oplossing tot dusver nie gevind nie. Meeste biologiese strategieë fokus op die ontwikkeling van nuwe rasse van die primêre fermentatiewe organisme, naamlik Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Geen modifikasie benaderings het hoofsaaklik gefokus op die gedeeltelike kanalisering van koolstof metabolisme weg van etanol produksie na gliserol produksie. Hierdie benadering is net matiglik suksesvol, dus is ons huidige fokus om koolstof te kanaliseer na trehalose produksie deur gematigde oor-uitdrukking van die TPS1 geen. Hierdie geen kodeer vir trehalose-6-fosfaat sintase, wat glukose-6-fosfaat en UDP-glukose omskakel na α, α-trehalose-6-fosfaat. Vorige data het getoon dat die oorproduksie van trehalose hexokinase aktiwiteit beperk en die hoeveelheid glukose wat glikolise binne gaan. Voorlopige TPS1 ooruitdrukking studies met behulp van multi-kopie plasmiede toon matige sukses, maar het ook ‘n negatiewe impak op die algemene fermentasie kapasiteit van die gis. Ten einde so 'n negatiewe impak van oormatige trehalose produksie te oorkom, is 'n nuwe strategie gevolg wat bestaan uit die verhoogde uitdrukking van die TPS1 geen slegs gedurende spesifieke groei fases met baie lae vlakke van oor-uitdrukking. Ons studie gebruik 'n lae-kopie episomale vektor met matige oor-uitdrukking van die TPS1 geen in die industriële ras VIN13 op verskillende stadiums tydens fermentasie. Die fermentasie is uitgevoer in sintetiese mos met suiker vlakke verteenwoordigend van dié van werklike wyn mos. Hierdie, sowel as die gebruik van 'n industriële gisras, maak dit makliker om ons resultate te vergelyk met regte wyn fermentasie kondisies. Verlaagde fermentasie kapasiteit is waargeneem vir alle getransformeerde stamme en hul kontroles. Geen uitdrukkings profiele dui op verhoogde TPS1 uitdrukking (tot 40%) onder beheer van die DUT1 promotor gedurende die vroeë eksponensiële groeifase wanneer vergelyk word met die wilde tiepe (VIN13). TPS1 uitdrukking onder die beheer van die GIP2 promotor het verhoogde uitdrukking van tot 60% gedurende die vroeë stasionêre fase. Chemiese analise van die gis aan die einde van fermentasie dui op ‘n toename in trehalose produksie wat korreleer met die uitdrukking profiele van TPS1. Gliserol produksie is ook effens verhoog, maar sonder ‘n toename in asynsuur vlakke vir die getransformeerde rasse. Alhoewel etanol opbrengs nie aansienlik laer vir die DUT1-TPS1 ras is nie, is etanol opbrengs vir die oor-uitdrukking onder beheer van die GIP2 promotor wel laer. Toenemende trehalose produksie gedurende stasionêre fase blyk dus 'n meer belowende benadering op die verlaging van etanol opbrengs en her-kanaliseering weg van etanol produksie. Hierdie benadering met die fokus op groeifase spesifieke oor-uitdrukking dui op 'n unieke strategie vir die verlaging van etanol opbrengs sonder om die redoks balans te beinvloed. / The NRF, IWBT and Stellenbosch University for funding

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The market for high quality lower alcohol wines is growing globally. Several factors are responsible for this trend, with socio-economic and health concerns being considered as being the most relevant. It is therefore no surprise that in the past three decades many systems have been developed to reduce wine ethanol levels, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. However, current systems are not always cost effective and frequently result in unwanted side-effects. Microbiological methods primarily based on redirecting carbon flux in existing, or novel Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces yeast strains, might have the potential to eliminate or reduce such shortcomings. However, little base-line information regarding differences in ethanol yields of existing wine yeast strains, and on the impact of fermentation conditions on such yields is currently available. In this study the ethanol yield of 15 wine yeast strains was investigated in synthetic wine must under varied wine fermentative conditions including changes in yeast assimilable nitrogen, sugar concentration, pH and fermenting temperatures to identify strains that produce lower ethanol yields and conditions that would favour such an outcome. Most strains and conditions resulted in very similar ethanol yields, however in some cases interesting differences were observed. Some of the strains showed significant differences between high and low nitrogen containing must. Results from synthetic must were confirmed in grape must (Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon), but no consistent response could be observed. Interestingly the Shiraz fermentations always showed a higher ethanol yield for all strains investigated. This may be due to a parameter (or combination thereof) which was not included as an experimental factor in our study. Glycerol yield was also studied in the grape must experiments and was found to be more significantly condition dependent than ethanol yield. Temperature and glycerol seemed to be directly proportional confirming the results of previous studies. While temperature did increase glycerol production, it was concluded that the redirection of carbon towards glycerol was not substantial enough to have measurable effect on the final ethanol concentration. The most notable differences which were observed were very specific to a particular yeast strain and condition pairing, thus no generally applicable treatment to achieve lower ethanol yields could be established. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Deesdae is daar ‘n groeiende mark vir lae alkohol wyne van hoë gehalte. Verskeie faktore is verantwoordelik vir hierdie verskynsel, met sosio-ekonomiese en gesondheidskwessies as die hoof rolspelers. Vir hierdie rede is daar gedurende die laaste drie dekades baie stelsels ontwikkel om wyn etanol vlakke te verlaag, elkeen met voor- en nadele. Meeste van die huidige stelsels is nie koste effektief nie en lei gewoonlik tot ongewenste newe effekte. Mikrobiologiese metodes wat gebaseer is op koolstof vloei veranderinge in wyn gisrasse mag die potensiaal bied om hierdie tekortkominge te verminder of te oorbrug. ‘n Alternatief is om nuwe Saccharomyces en nie-Saccharomyces gisrasse te identifiseer wat laer etanol opbrengste lewer. In hierdie studie is die etanol opbrengste van 15 wyn gisrasse ondersoek in ‘n sintetiese mos in verskeie toestande, bv. veranderde stikstof vlakke, suiker vlakke, pH en temperatuur, om die rasse te identifiseer wat laer etanol opbrengste lewer (asook die toestande wat laer etanol opbrengste bevorder). Meeste rasse en toestande het soortgelyke etanol opbrengste getoon, alhoewel daar in sekere gevalle interessante verskille was rakende sekere rasse wat verskillende resultate lewer in mos met verskillende stikstof vlakke. Die resultate van die sintetiese mos eksperimente was bevestig in druiwe mos van vier kultivars (Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Shiraz en Cabernet Sauvignon), maar geen algemene tendens kon afgelei word nie. Wat interessant was is die feit dat die Shiraz fermentasies altyd hoër etanol opbrengste gelewer het vir al vier gisrasse wat gebruik is vir hierdie eksperimente. Dit mag wees weens ‘n eksperimentele faktor wat nie bestudeer was in die raamwerk van hierdie projek nie. Die opbrengs van gliserol was ook bepaal in die verskeie eksperimente en daar was gevind dat gliserol opbrengs baie meer kondisie-afhanklik is in vergelyking met etanol. Temperatuur en gliserol het ‘n direkte verbandskap met mekaar getoon, wat die bevindinge van vorige studies bevestig. Alhoewel verhogings in temperatuur wel gliserol produksie vermeerder het, was die effek nie genoeg om ‘n meetbare impak op die finale etanol konsentrasie te hê nie. Verskillende giste in verskeie verskillende fermentasie toestande het soortgelyke etanol opbrengste gelewer. Die mees merkbare verskille wat bevind is was spesifiek tot individuele gisras en kondisie kombinasies, maar geen algemene afleiding kon gemaak word rakende behandelings wat etanol opbrengste kan verlaag nie.

To manage China’s growing demands of electricity, more and larger dams could be a part of the solution. It is important to evaluate and perform safety analysis for existing dams, in order to improve our understanding and knowledge about future dams. In this master thesis, a safety research of Longtan Dam on the Hongshui River in China was analysed. The main objectives in this research were to construct a 3D model and determine the critical points of large stress, strain and yield area in the dam for different cases.The factor of safety for sliding when primary loads were acting on the dam was calculated to be 0.50 for the non-overflow section of the dam and 0.48 for the overflow section. A safety factor against overturning was also calculated for the non-overflow and overflow section to 2.24 and 1.96 respectively. The results showed that the dam was safe from both sliding and overturning. The numerical results for distribution of stress, strain and yield area were simulated in 3D models by using ANSYS, a finite element program. Several cases for non-overflow and overflow sections of Longtan Dam were analysed for different heights and load combinations. For the first three cases where only self-weight was applied on the dam, high impacts of stress and strain were located at the dam heel, toe and at the largest maintenance tunnel of the dam. Appearance of plastic strain was also found around these areas. However, when primary loads were applied to the dam sections, the values of stress and strain became larger, especially in the toe area. In the last case when the dam was subjected to seismic activity, the distribution of stress and strain along the z-direction (along the dam) showed an uneven distribution, hence showing the importance of simulation in 3D.

Merit-based financial aid has long been utilized by college and university enrollment managers to attract the most academically qualified applicants for admission. Considerable research has been done to illustrate the impact of state-based merit aid programs and other scholarly pursuits have drawn attention to the consequences of merit aid on institutional investments in need-based aid. Less is known about the efficacy of merit aid to achieve college student enrollment objectives. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between merit aid values and the likelihood of undergraduate student enrollment yield on offers of admission. The primary research question to be answered was: What is the relationship between the amount of merit aid students receive from a college or university and their enrollment decisions? The sample comprised 2,770 students at three private higher education institutions in the United States. Binary logistic regression and a forward selection process were used to test a range of possible predictors (e.g., sex, race, ethnicity, in-state residency, distance from home, academic qualifications, merit aid awards, and information from the financial aid applications of those offered admission) to determine the relative strength of merit aid in the prediction of student enrollment yield on offers of admission. The amount of merit aid offered was positively related to the likelihood of a student to enroll, even when academic qualifications and other student characteristics were controlled.

The growth and productivity of kauri (Agathis australis (D. Don) Lindl.) in even-aged single-species planted stands and mixed-aged second-growth natural stands has been studied. Stand-level models of height, basal area and whole-tree volume were developed. Kauri growth and productivity in planted stands up to 83 years old were compared to that of natural stands that were up to 196 years of age. Within natural stands, the effect of thinning treatments on growth and productivity was also assessed. Models of growth and productivity were initially developed for each of the three different kauri stand types independently (planted, second-growth unthinned and thinned). Combined data sets allowed for the development of single models that were able to fit all stands. A Schumacher equation with local slope parameter and asymptote bounded at 45 m gave the best fit for height growth, while a von Bertalanffy-Richards equation in difference form with local slope parameter gave the best fit for basal area growth. Kauri in all stand types were found to be slow to establish with little height growth in planted stands for the first five years after planting, and for the first 25 years in natural stands. Similar trends were observed for basal area and whole-tree volume development. Models developed in this study are relevant only to kauri in the “ricker” or monopodial form irrespective of age, and for stands from 320-2000 stems/ha. Kauri growth and productivity in planted stands was substantively better than that in second-growth stands. Planted kauri had height increment of 0.4 m/yr for periods of up to 30 years. At age 50, planted kauri was predicted to be 20 m in height, over twice the height of kauri in natural stands, and to be 28.1 m by 100 years. Basal area at age 50 averaged 64.9 m2/ha for all planted stands, and was predicted to be 98.2 m2/ha at age 100. Whole-tree volume was predicted to increase by 11.7 m3/ha/annum for all stands, but was as high as 20.6 m3/ha/yr in one 70 year old stand. The maximum productivity of kauri was observed in one high-performing young kauri planted stand where whole-tree volume increment in excess of 30 m3/ha/yr were predicted for a period from age 15-30. Carbon sequestration was calculated from the volume model and predicted to be 316 t C/ha and 1168 t CO2/ha at age 100. Mortality of kauri in planted stands was as high as 3.9%/yr for individual stands, over their entire rotation to date. For all stands, mortality averaged 0.56%/yr. The highest mortality occurred in the years before the first assessment and averaged 0.64%/yr for all stands. From the first to the last assessment mortality averaged 0.30%/yr. Where mortality in individual stands was above the average rate the dominant cause was drought. The growth and productivity of kauri in second-growth stands was only marginally improved by thinning to reduce competition. The volume removed in thinning operations had not been replaced in the (up to) 50 years since thinning treatments were applied. At age 150, the predicted height of kauri in unthinned control and thinned stands were identical at 25.9 m. Basal area at age 150 was 64.5 m2/ha in unthinned stands and 52.6 m2/ha in thinned stands. Whole-tree volume was predicted to be 681 m3/ha in unthinned and 549 m3/ha in thinned stands. Volume increment peaked at 5.2 m3/ha/yr in unthinned stands and 4.7 m3/ha/yr in thinned stands. This study has shown that the worst growth and productivity of kauri in planted stands was better than that of the best natural stands. The difference in performance between plantation and second-growth kauri was most likely a result of a combination of lower site quality characteristics (soil type and fertility), stand structure and within-stand competition of natural stands. The data for planted kauri came from 31 permanent sample plots located in 25 planted stands. These stands ranged in age from 14-83 years at the last assessment, and ranged in stand density from 218-1800 stems/ha. The overall number of planted stands and plots from which data was available to develop models was small in comparison to many exotic forest species datasets. The majority of the planted stands were not silviculturally treated after planting, and considerable variation in establishment methods was recorded. The results of productivity from the models developed for planted kauri should therefore be considered to be conservative. The results of this study indicate an opportunity to grow kauri in plantations on good quality sites for the production of high quality sapwood timber over rotations of 60 years or less. They also indicate that second-growth stands will produce usable volumes of timber, but only over extended periods of time. To ensure that kauri in planted stands can meet the potential observed during the development of these models, a series of well-managed stands on a range of sites is urgently required where the effects of timely silviculture, including initial stand density, can be assessed, quantified and reported on. Further research on selection and breeding for the species would improve the early establishment and growth of planted kauri resulting in a reduced rotation length. Research on long-term management strategies that include continuous cover forestry may make the species an attractive proposition for carbon forestry and/or for the production of high quality, naturally durable heartwood. The dataset compiled for this study was the best data available. While it cannot as yet be used to develop prescriptions for the establishment and maintenance of planted kauri stands, it does provide clues and directions that should be pursued in further research, however.

The behaviour of viscoplastic drops during formation and detachment from a capillary nozzle, free-fall, impact on a solid substrate and subsequent spreading are investigated experimentally by high-speed imaging. Drop dynamic behaviour is an integral component of many contemporary industrial processes ranging from fuelinjection systems in combustion engines to spray coating, agrochemical and pharmaceutical delivery, fire extinguishment and ink-jet printing. Yield-stress fluids are commonly used nowadays in products ranging from mayonnaise to hair-gel. It is hoped that through understanding the dynamics of viscoplastic fluids, additional spray applications can be developed that will help to advance and optimise industrial processes. Viscoplastic fluids exhibit shear-thinning behaviour when the applied stress exceeds a certain threshold value, called the yield-stress. Below this threshold however, the fluid behaves like an elastic solid. By comparing the behaviour of viscoplastic drops with both Newtonian and shear-thinning fluids, yield-stress is shown to be capable of altering detachment behaviour, drop shape during free-fall, impact morphology and the final sessile shape of drops after spreading. For drops attached to the end of a capillary tube, growth continues until a maximum supportable tensile stress is reached in the drop neck. After this critical point, drops become unstable and detach. The critical break-up behaviour of low yield-stress drops is found to be similar to those of Newtonian and shear-thinning fluids. Above a threshold value however, characterised in terms of the ratio between yield-stress magnitude and capillary pressure, yield-stress forces exceed surface tension forces and the maximum tensile stress achievable in the drop neck at critical stability is governed by the extensional yield-stress, established using the von Mises criterion. This threshold value can also be used to characterise equilibrium drop shapes during free-fall. Whereas Newtonian, shear-thinning and low yield-stress fluids form near spherical equilibrium drop shapes, fluids above a threshold value become increasingly more prolate as the yield-stress increases. Upon impact, viscoplastic drops can exhibit central peaks at the end of inertial spreading. The influence of yield-stress magnitude on impact behaviour is qualitatively established by measuring the size of these peaks. Peaks indicate that deformation during impact is localized and within a threshold radius, shear stresses will not be large enough to overcome the yield-stress, therefore fluid within this region will not deform from the drop shape prior to impact. After impact, spreading will be dependent on the surface energy. Again, the ratio of the yield-stress magnitude to the capillary pressure can be used to characterise the final sessile drop shape. Whilst the equilibrium contact angle of Newtonian, shear-thinning and low yield-stress drops is independent of the yield-stress magnitude, above a threshold value, contact angles vary as a function of yield-stress magnitude. Whilst the research presented in this thesis highlights how fluid yield-stress can influence drop dynamics, some results are only qualitative. To establish more quantitative results, computational fluid dynamics methods should be used to examine viscoplastic drop dynamics. This research should focus primarily on impact behaviour, an aspect that has not received much attention previously. Modelling shear-thinning and viscoplastic fluid behaviour can be achieved by incorporating the relevant rheological models into the flow equations and examining impact morphology using a volume of fluid method. Numerical results can then be directly compared with the experimental results. Useful further experimentation could examine the relaxation behaviour of diamagnetically levitated viscoplastic drops. The results from this work could provide further insight into what rheological model best describes viscoplastic behaviour for shear-stresses below the yield-point.

In experiment 1, fourteen cows were blocked for milk yields and balanced for days in lactation. Treatments were: (1) Air conditioning (AC), five cows; (2) Evaporative cooling (EC), four cows; and (3) Conventional shade (S), five cows. Sequential samples were taken for 8 h at 12 min intervals starting at 2200 and then at hourly intervals for 13 h. Serum was assayed for insulin, thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3) and cortisol using a double-antibody radioimmunoassay procedure. Free fatty acids (FFA) were determined in serum by an enzymatic method. In experiment 2, ten cows were blocked for milk yields and days in lactation. Treatments were: (1) Evaporative cooling (EC), five cows; and (2) conventional shade (S), five cows. Blood was drawn at 60 and 90 d of lactation. Blood sampling, hormone and FFA assays were carried out as in experiment 1. Sequential samples were taken for 8 h at 12 min intervals starting at 2300 and then at hourly intervals from 1030 to 1830. In experiment 1, insulin was depressed (P <.05) treatment effects for T3 in either experiment. There were significant treatment differences (P <.05) in respiration rates and body temperatures in experiment 1. Shade were higher than AC or EC cows. These studies demonstrated that summer heat stress depressed insulin and increased FFA with variable effects on T4 and cortisol but no effect on T3.

One hundred and twenty lactating Holstein cows in mid-lactation were offered diets varying in protein level and degradability at two locations during hot and moderate weather. Treatments were: (1) High protein (19%), high degradability (65%); (2) High protein (19%), medium degradability (40%); (3) Medium protein (15.5%), high degradability (65%); (4) Medium protein (15.5%), medium degradability (40%). Diets were individually fed during hot weather at the University of Arizona Dairy Farm and contained 38.4% alfalfa hay, 12.4% cottonseed hulls, 9.8% whole cottonseed, and 39.4% concentrate (dry matter). Diets were group fed during moderate weather at the Brigham Young University Dairy Farm, Provo, Ut, and contained 31.3% corn silage, 14% alfalfa haylage, 9.4% whole cottonseed and 45.3% concentrate (dry matter). Average daily ambient temperatures were 35.1°C for hot and 26.8°C for moderate weather locations. Fat-corrected milk (3.5%, 2 x milkings) and milk persistency were lower for treatment 1 than other treatments. For the respective treatments during hot weather means were: 23.4, 26.6, 28.5, 28.4 kg/d; 83.2, 91.2, 90.9, 90.3%; and for moderate weather means were: (3 x milkings): 34.7, 31.8, 32.2, 32.4 kg/d; 97.0, 93.4, 92.1, 90.3%. Dry matter intakes during hot weather were 21.5, 21.9, 23.3, and 23.1 kg/d. Respiration rate and rectal temperature during hot weather were: 90.1, 87.9, 90.9, 94.7 counts/min; 39.0, 39.3, 39.3, 39.5°C and for moderate weather: 61.2, 58.2, 55.5, 67.4 counts/min; 38.8, 38.6, 38.7, 38.8°C. Serum T₃,T₄ and cortisol were generally unaffected by treatment, but were depressed during hot weather. Serum glucose was not significantly affected by treatments at either environmental locations. Animals consumed more water with highly degradable protein diets at each location along with consuming more water during thermal stress. These data show that 3.5% fat-corrected milk and milk persistency are significantly affected (P <.01; P <.025) by rations high in protein of high degradability during heat stress.

An experiment involving three feeding trials was conducted to study the effect of substituting chopped wheat straw for alfalfa in diets for lactating dairy cows. The results of these trials have shown that in complete mixed diets or diets containing long alfalfa hay, replacement of half of the alfalfa in rations containing 45% roughage for lactating dairy cows with chopped wheat straw does not adversely affect DM intake or milk yield and increase milk fat percentage. Replacing half of the long alfalfa with chopped alfalfa also apparently improved lactational performance although not as dramatically as that of chopped straw. Ammoniation of wheat straw did not improve the performance response by lactating cows. Inclusion of chopped straw in the diets seemed to enhance the efficiency of milk production. Higher ruminal acetate:propionate ratios and increased digestibility of ether extract resulted from feeding straw. Digestibility of other nutrients were generally either not affected or were depressed by straw feeding. Increasing the chopped wheat straw level to 75% of the roughage resulted in lower DM intake and milk yield and negative body weight gains but higher milk fat levels. It did not appear that maintenance of constant ADF level in a dairy ration regardless of roughage level was the solution to the maintenance of milk fat levels. Thus it has been indicated that under the conditions of this experiment a combination of chopped alfalfa and wheat straw can be used successfully in complete mixed rations for high producing dairy cows. For the most part all productive parameters measured were improved by the addition of straw and by the feeding of complete mixed diets. This was especially true for milk fat which, from a dairyman's viewpoint, is very important because of its impact on milk pricing. It would also have a direct bearing on management by reducing labor costs through elimination of labor intensive handling of long alfalfa. Mechanical handling of complete mixed rations is relatively easier and cheaper.