http://phys.org/biology-news/biology-other/ en-us Phys.org Phys.Org provides the latest news on biology, natural sciences, environment With unpredictable annual rainfall and drought once every five years, climate change presents challenges to feeding Ethiopia. Adapting to a warming world, the potato is becoming a more important crop there – with the potential to feed much of Africa. http://phys.org/news287823626.html Biology - Other 2013-05-15T09:00:01-07:00 Nearly 85 percent of seafood enjoyed by U.S. consumers is imported, and almost half of that is farm raised through a process called "aquaculture," according to the National Aquaculture Association, based in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. In 2011, the United States imported $16.6 billion of seafood and exported $5.4 billion, a difference of $11.2 billion. http://phys.org/news287737719.html Biology - Other 2013-05-14T08:10:35-07:00 Though the price makes you wince, you might just buy that bottle of your favorite olive oil anyway. Perhaps it's exactly what you want for the salad dressing you're making tonight and for your special stir-fry on the weekend. http://phys.org/news287388613.html Biology - Other 2013-05-10T07:20:01-07:00 The amount of nitrogen that is excreted by livestock is directly proportional to the amount it is fed. This is according to Chris Reynolds a researcher in nutritional physiology of ruminants at the University of Reading, UK. He is a principal investigator of one of the workgroups of the REDNEX project, about to reach completion this year. Funded by the European Union, the project investigated ways to reduce the excretion of nitrogen by dairy animals. "Our aim was to look at management approaches so that we can reduce the amount of nitrogen we are feeding the animals," says Reynolds. http://phys.org/news286702267.html Biology - Other 2013-05-02T08:31:13-07:00 (Phys.org) —Tomatoes grown around LED lights in the winter can significantly reduce greenhouse energy costs without sacrificing yield, according to a Purdue University study. http://phys.org/news286522533.html Biology - Other 2013-04-30T07:30:01-07:00 Undergoing surgery, even a minor procedure, can be stressful for anyone. But for people who have malignant hyperthermia, a hereditary disease that's triggered by certain drugs used for general anesthesia, it can also be dangerous. http://phys.org/news286522853.html Biology - Other 2013-04-30T06:41:16-07:00 The new livestock identification program recently launched by the federal government should not place a significant burden on producers in Pennsylvania or the East, according to an expert in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. http://phys.org/news286441152.html Biology - Other 2013-04-29T08:20:01-07:00 Although U.S. cattle genetics are exported all over the world in the form of frozen semen, the same is not true for pigs because boar semen does not freeze well. In an attempt to improve semen storage and pig reproduction, animal scientists at the University of Illinois are looking at how sperm survives in the sow oviduct. http://phys.org/news286020895.html Biology - Other 2013-04-24T11:15:01-07:00 Following the drought of 2012, the prices of corn and soybean meal for livestock diets have increased significantly. In an effort to reduce their costs, pork producers are looking for alternative sources of calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P). Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed equations for calculating the concentrations of these minerals in byproducts from the rendering industry. http://phys.org/news285953263.html Biology - Other 2013-04-23T16:27:55-07:00 There has been much talk about sustainability, but little attention has been paid to its nutritional aspects. University of Illinois animal sciences researcher Kelly Swanson, in cooperation with scientists at natural pet food maker The Nutro Company, have raised a number of important questions on the sustainability of pet ownership. http://phys.org/news285853492.html Biology - Other 2013-04-22T12:45:00-07:00 The records checked were for native Australian millipede species and were published online by the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, GBIF and the Atlas of Living Australia, ALA. GBIF and ALA obtain most of their records from cooperating museums, but disclaim any responsibility for errors in museum databases, instead warning users that the data may not be accurate or fit for purpose. http://phys.org/news285852870.html Biology - Other 2013-04-22T12:34:37-07:00 French biologist Francois Jacob, who won the 1965 Nobel prize for medicine for his research into enzymes, has died at the age of 92, a relative told AFP on Sunday. http://phys.org/news285783481.html Biology - Other 2013-04-21T17:18:07-07:00 Climate change, water scarcity, increasing world population, and rising food prices are only some of the socioeconomic factors that threaten agriculture and food security worldwide, especially for disadvantaged populations that live in arid and sub-arid regions. In the May issue of Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), researchers looked into how millet grains serve as a major food component for millions of people in these countries, as well as for people with special diet needs and those seeking foods high in nutrients. http://phys.org/news285405103.html Biology - Other 2013-04-17T08:11:50-07:00 (AP)—The federal government has started a new livestock identification program to help agriculture officials quickly track livestock in cases of disease. http://phys.org/news285392237.html Biology - Other 2013-04-17T05:00:01-07:00 According to the World Health Organization, more than two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese. And it's not just humans who are packing on the pounds. Our furry companions are plagued by an obesity epidemic of their own. More than 50 percent of the dogs and cats in the United States are overweight or obese. http://phys.org/news284806989.html Biology - Other 2013-04-10T10:03:15-07:00 (Phys.org) —At some point, scientists may be able to bring back extinct animals, and perhaps early humans, raising questions of ethics and environmental disruption. http://phys.org/news284625675.html Biology - Other 2013-04-08T08:10:03-07:00 It seems the ads were right. A milk mustache is a good thing to have. Animal and dairy scientists have discovered that drinking milk at an early age can help mammals throughout their lives. http://phys.org/news284385872.html Biology - Other 2013-04-05T13:08:01-07:00 New funding will help a Massey University researcher develop lighting technology that will assist crop growth. http://phys.org/news284274549.html Biology - Other 2013-04-04T06:30:01-07:00 Thanks to three scientists, including Simon Fraser University's Jeffery Joy, we can now see in OneZoom how a major portion of life originated from one cell and remains interconnected in the Tree of Life. The software has been loaded onto a kiosk available for anyone to use in SFU's biology department. http://phys.org/news284021181.html Biology - Other 2013-04-01T07:46:32-07:00 Cattle in Burkina Faso affected by animal trypanosomosis contracts the disease not only via the tsetse fly, but also via other bloodsucking insects. The findings of a new study at the Institute of Tropical Medicine and the Ghent University indicate that campaigns focused on the eradication of tsetse flies only might be eliminating the fly, but not the disease. Animal trypanosomosis is the counterpart of human sleeping sickness. http://phys.org/news283762502.html Biology - Other 2013-03-29T07:55:14-07:00 (Phys.org) —The term "survival of the fittest" refers to natural selection in biological systems, but Darwin's theory may apply more broadly than that. New research from the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory shows that this evolutionary theory also applies to technological systems. http://phys.org/news283760326.html Biology - Other 2013-03-29T07:18:57-07:00 The world's first diagnostic test for canine pneumovirus, a unique culprit in "kennel cough"—canine respiratory illness common in shelters and kennels—is now available at Cornell's Animal Health Diagnostic Center (AHDC). http://phys.org/news283677893.html Biology - Other 2013-03-28T08:25:03-07:00 Infrared thermography is increasingly being applied to investigate the cause of lameness in horses. The equipment is easy to handle and the method is fast and safe, both for the animal and for the vet. But is it accurate? Recent work by Simone Westermann at the Vetmeduni Vienna shows that the technique is surprisingly tolerant of variation in the position of the equipment, i.e. how far from the horse and at what angle to the animal the infrared camera is held. However, it is extremely important to ensure that the horse is not standing in a draught as even barely detectable wind speeds are sufficient to effect the measurements dramatically. The findings are published in two articles, one in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association and the other in the Equine Veterinary Journal, and are sure to be of great interest to vets throughout the world. http://phys.org/news283595534.html Biology - Other 2013-03-27T09:32:22-07:00 The welfare of poultry could be improved by a discovery about how chickens regulate their appetites. http://phys.org/news283515637.html Biology - Other 2013-03-26T11:20:50-07:00 Stark new figures show that a common pig virus, present on 99 per cent of pig farms has major economic implications for individual farmers and the pig industry as a whole, costing British farmers as much as £84 per pig (if the pig dies from the syndrome), and during epidemic periods, such as 2008, costing the pig industry £88M per year. http://phys.org/news283514131.html Biology - Other 2013-03-26T10:55:38-07:00 Small hive beetles are indigenous to Africa, but have been damaging beehives in the United States and Australia for several years. Rowan Sprague, a University of Virginia fourth-year student, wants to stop the half-centimeter pests. http://phys.org/news283503829.html Biology - Other 2013-03-26T08:30:01-07:00 South African authorities put up a shark exclusion net Friday at a popular beach in Cape Town, a first in the city as they try to avert further deadly attacks. http://phys.org/news283167857.html Biology - Other 2013-03-22T11:30:03-07:00 At least 37 cows have died after an anthrax outbreak in Moree, northern NSW, it was reported today. http://phys.org/news282989814.html Biology - Other 2013-03-20T09:17:01-07:00 Cattle could soon be vaccinated against an abortion-causing parasite, potentially saving the dairy and beef industries billions worldwide thanks to breakthrough Australian research. http://phys.org/news282901939.html Biology - Other 2013-03-19T08:52:25-07:00 In the fruit fly Drosophila, the functions of the three enzymes Tan, Ebony and Black are closely intertwined - among other things they are involved in neurotransmitter recycling for the visual process. Ruhr-Universitaet-Bochum researchers from the Department of Biochemistry showed for the first time that flies cannot see without this recycling. http://phys.org/news282820108.html Biology - Other 2013-03-18T10:10:01-07:00