The Effect of Dietary Energy and Protein Levels on Production in Breeding Female Ostriches.

1. In a study spanning two breeding seasons, we assessed the effect of different dietary energy and protein levels on body mass, body condition, and egg production of female ostriches. 2. During the first breeding season, groups were given diets with energy concentrations of 8.5, 9.5 and 10.5 MJ/kg dry mass (DM) metabolisable energy (ME) and protein concentrations of 135, 150 and 165 g/kg. In the second breeding season, groups were given diets with ME of 7.5, 8.5 and 9.5 MJ/kg and protein contents of 105, 120 and 135 g/kg. 3. Body mass of birds on diets of 7.5 and 8.5 MJ/kg ME decreased significantly in the course of the breeding season compared with birds fed on diets with higher energy contents and body measurements decreased, suggesting a loss of body condition. 4. Females fed on diets containing only 7.5 MJ/kg ME produced significantly fewer eggs at significantly longer intervals, resulting in fewer chicks hatched. 5. There was no significant difference in egg mass, initial chick mass, chick survival to one month of age and body mass of chicks at one month. 6. Dietary protein concentrations had no effect on egg production, egg mass, hatchability, initial chick mass, chick survival or chick mass at one month old. 7. The female ostriches regained their original body mass during the 4-month rest period between breeding seasons, but significant differences in some parameters during the second breeding season suggest that they may not have fully recovered their body condition. 8. A dietary energy content of 7.5 MJ/kg proved to have an adverse effect on egg production by breeding female ostriches, and it may be concluded from this study that a diet containing 8.5MJ ME/kg DM and 105 g/kg protein should be regarded as the minimum that can be used for breeding female ostriches without compromising egg production

On the density of nice Friedmans

A Friedman number is a positive integer which is the result of an expression combining all of its own digits by use of the four basic operations, exponentiation and digit concatenation. A "nice" Friedman number is a Friedman number for which the expression constructing the number from its own digits can be represented with the original order of the digits unchanged. One of the fundamental questions regarding Friedman numbers, and particularly regarding nice Friedman numbers, is how common they are among the integers. In this paper, we prove that nice Friedman numbers have density 1, when considered in binary, ternary or base four.Comment: 6 page

External Sovereignty and International Law

This essay addresses the need to redefine current notions of sovereignty. It returns to earlier concepts of subjects joining to receive the benefits of peace and security provided by the sovereign. It diverges from most contemporary commentary by avoiding what has become traditional second-tier social contract analysis. In place of a social contract of states, this redefinition of sovereignty recognizes that international law in the twentieth century has developed direct links between the individual and international law. The trend toward democracy as an international law norm further supports discarding notions of a two-tiered social contract relationship between the individual and international law

Toward the Renewal of Christian Initiation in the Parish

(Excerpt) The brochure for this year\u27s Institute contained the arresting sentence: To discuss the question of Christian initiation is, finally, to inquire after the very nature of the church: the issue is of vast ecclesiological significance. The renewed and growing interest in Christian initiation is prompted by a new vision of the church