From the early 1960s to late 1980s, the Kenyan cotton growing industry played a vital role in the Kenyan economy in terms of provision of employment and creation of wealth in the rural areas. It also played a central ...From the early 1960s to late 1980s, the Kenyan cotton growing industry played a vital role in the Kenyan economy in terms of provision of employment and creation of wealth in the rural areas. It also played a central role in the textile industry which was thriving during the above mentioned period. Over the years, cotton production in Kenya has fallen steadily, such that by the year 2000, the country experienced a severe cotton fiber deficit. This study was undertaken to investigate the trend of the cotton growing industry in Kenya. Selected aspects of the industry like cost of production, cotton seed distribution, the operation of cotton gins and the quality of cotton lint were considered. Kohonen Self Organizing Maps （SOM） and K-means clustering techniques were used in data analysis. The results of this study show that Kenyan cotton farmers produced seed cotton at a break-even price of US $ 0.31 per kilogram, while the price offered was US $ 0.29 per kilogram.展开更多
In order to verify the possible use of ramie as feed for ruminants, a study was undertaken on the chemical and nutritional evaluation of different parts of this plant. Four stocks of samples picked up in two different...In order to verify the possible use of ramie as feed for ruminants, a study was undertaken on the chemical and nutritional evaluation of different parts of this plant. Four stocks of samples picked up in two different periods （summer and autumn） were analyzed. The standard chemical composition was determined on the whole plant and on its parts, the study was particularly focused on leaves and tops, not used in fibre production and available as livestock feed. Organic matter enzymic digestibility （OMD） was determined on all the samples by a double step method based on cellnlolytic andproteolytic enzymes. The chemical analysis showed good crude proteins content in leaves, tops and whole plant： 17.00 ~ 1.52%, 15.25 ~ 0.77% and 11.79 ~ 3.32% on dry matter （DM） basis respectively and good acid （ADF） and neutral （NDF） detergent fibre fractions. Lignin and ash resulted high in all plant parts and organic matter （OM） was consequently low, ash analysis showed high calcium concentration, especially in leaves, with values exceeding 4% of din, whereas the other micro （except the lead） and macroelements were in a normal range. OMD and energy values resulted poor in leaves, tops and in the whole plant and lower than the other forages commonly used as feed for runninants, thus the utilisation of ramie plant and its by-products requests further investigations.展开更多
文摘From the early 1960s to late 1980s, the Kenyan cotton growing industry played a vital role in the Kenyan economy in terms of provision of employment and creation of wealth in the rural areas. It also played a central role in the textile industry which was thriving during the above mentioned period. Over the years, cotton production in Kenya has fallen steadily, such that by the year 2000, the country experienced a severe cotton fiber deficit. This study was undertaken to investigate the trend of the cotton growing industry in Kenya. Selected aspects of the industry like cost of production, cotton seed distribution, the operation of cotton gins and the quality of cotton lint were considered. Kohonen Self Organizing Maps （SOM） and K-means clustering techniques were used in data analysis. The results of this study show that Kenyan cotton farmers produced seed cotton at a break-even price of US $ 0.31 per kilogram, while the price offered was US $ 0.29 per kilogram.
文摘In order to verify the possible use of ramie as feed for ruminants, a study was undertaken on the chemical and nutritional evaluation of different parts of this plant. Four stocks of samples picked up in two different periods （summer and autumn） were analyzed. The standard chemical composition was determined on the whole plant and on its parts, the study was particularly focused on leaves and tops, not used in fibre production and available as livestock feed. Organic matter enzymic digestibility （OMD） was determined on all the samples by a double step method based on cellnlolytic andproteolytic enzymes. The chemical analysis showed good crude proteins content in leaves, tops and whole plant： 17.00 ~ 1.52%, 15.25 ~ 0.77% and 11.79 ~ 3.32% on dry matter （DM） basis respectively and good acid （ADF） and neutral （NDF） detergent fibre fractions. Lignin and ash resulted high in all plant parts and organic matter （OM） was consequently low, ash analysis showed high calcium concentration, especially in leaves, with values exceeding 4% of din, whereas the other micro （except the lead） and macroelements were in a normal range. OMD and energy values resulted poor in leaves, tops and in the whole plant and lower than the other forages commonly used as feed for runninants, thus the utilisation of ramie plant and its by-products requests further investigations.
