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Views of American animal and dairy science students on the future of dairy farms and public expectations for dairy cattle care: A focus group study
No full textStudents completing advanced degrees in dairy or animal science may go on to have a major impact on the food animal agriculture industries. The aim of this study was to better understand student views of the future of dairying, including changes in practices affecting animal care on farms as well as perceived public perceptions. We conducted 6 focus group sessions with undergraduate students enrolled in the 2019 US Dairy Education and Training Consortium held in Clovis, New Mexico, and used explorative key word analysis of written notes and thematic analysis of the semi-structured discussions. Some “must-haves” of future animal care on dairy farms included increased use of technology, group housing of calves, and adequate facilities, including enrichment. Students also discussed their views of public expectations regarding animal care on dairy farms, and measures that they felt must be put into place to address these expectations in the coming years. Although the influence of the public was highlighted by the students, they were not always certain what specific values the public holds and doubted the feasibility and practicality of some expectations, such as providing pasture access or keeping the calf and cow together. They further demonstrated uncertainty about how best to align the directions of the industry with public expectations. Although they felt that public education could be used to demonstrate the legitimacy of dairy practices, they also believed that the industry should strive to find compromises and work toward meeting public expectations. Deciding what animal welfare considerations (e.g., naturalness, affective states, or animal health) were most relevant was a challenge for the students, perhaps reflecting diverging messages received during their own education
Herd health and production management visits on Canadian dairy cattle farms: Structure, goals, and topics discussed
No full textRegular veterinary visits to improve herd health and production management (HHPM) are important management components on many dairy cattle farms. These visits provide opportunities for constructive conversations between veterinarians and farmers and for shifting management from a reactionary approach to proactively optimizing health and welfare. However, little is known about the structure of HHPM farm visits and to what extent veterinarians provide assistance beyond purely technical services. Therefore, our aims in this cross-sectional study were to describe HHPM farm visit structure, determine which dairy-specific topics were discussed, and assess whether the focus of the visits aligned with farmers' priorities. Veterinary practitioners (n = 14) were recruited to record audio and video of regularly scheduled HHPM farm visits (n = 70) using an action camera attached to their chest or head. A questionnaire was distributed to farmers containing closed- and open-ended questions to assess their goals and perceptions related to farm management and HHPM farm visits. Descriptive statistics and negative binomial and Poisson regression models were used to study dairy-specific topics initiated by the farmer or veterinarian during various activities. A mean of 51% of the visit duration was dedicated to transrectal pregnancy and fertility diagnostics, and a considerable amount of time (30%) was spent on visit preparation, transitions between tasks, and leaving. A total of 488 discussions were initiated by either the veterinarian (55%) or the farmer (45%). Mean length of discussions was 2 min, and only 17% of the HHPM visit duration was spent discussing dairy-specific topics. Veterinarians initiated 62% of their discussions about herd issues, whereas farmer-initiated discussions revolved around herd health in 39% of the discussions. Discussion topics most frequently raised by participants included fertility, udder health, calf health and management, and transition diseases. Consistently, farmers' answers to a rank question regarding their main HHPM farm visit goals indicated that their priorities were to have transrectal pregnancy and fertility diagnostics performed and to improve herd fertility and general herd health. Answers to an open-ended question revealed that additional aims of many farmers were to receive information, have questions answered, and identify and discuss problems. A farmer's belief that HHPM farm visits were “absolutely” tailored toward his or her goals was positively associated with number of discussions during the visit and their conviction that they “always” voiced their wishes and needs to the veterinarian. Opportunities to broaden the focus of HHPM farm visits and improve communication between farmers and veterinarians should be identified and veterinarians should be trained accordingly, which would increase veterinarians' ability to add value during HHPM farm visits
Bayesian model averaging of the RegCM temperature projections: A Canadian case study
No full textThe choices of physical schemes coupled in the Regional Climate Model version 4 (RegCM4), the input general circulation model (GCM) results, and the emission scenarios may cause considerable uncertainties in future temperature projections. Therefore, the ensemble approach, which can be used to reflect these uncertainties, is highly desired. In this study, the probabilistic projections for future temperature are generated at 88 Canadian climate stations based on the developed RegCM4 ensemble and obtained Bayesian model averaging (BMA) weights. The BMA weights indicate that the RegCM4 coupled with the holtslag PBL scheme driven by the HadGEM can provide relatively reliable temperature projections at most climate stations. It is also suggested that the BMA approach is effective in simulating temperature over middle and eastern Canada through taking advantage of each ensemble member. However, the effectiveness of the BMA method is limited when all the models in the ensemble cannot simulate the temperature robustly. The projected results demonstrate that the temperature will increase continuously in the future, while the temperature increase under RCP8.5 will be significantly larger than that under RCP4.5
New geographic records for Echinococcus canadensis in coyotes and moose from Nova Scotia, Canada
No full textEchinococcus spp. tapeworms can cause serious diseases in mammals, including humans. Within the E. granulosus species complex, metacestodes produce unilocular cysts that are responsible for cystic echinococcosis in animal intermediate hosts. Canids are definitive hosts, harbouring adult cestodes in their intestines. Adult E. canadensis were recovered from the small intestine of 1 of 262 coyotes (Canis latrans) from Nova Scotia, Canada. Subsequently, we found unilocular cysts in lungs and livers of 4 of 8 sympatric moose (Alces alces) from Cape Breton Island. DNA was extracted from three cysts using the Qiagen DNeasy Blood and Tissue kit and assayed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with primers (cest4 and cest5) for a 117-bp region of the small subunit of ribosomal RNA of E. granulosus sensu lato, and further validated as E. canadensis G8 using primers targeting nicotinamide adenosine dinucleotide dehydrogenase subunit 1 (ND1) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) mitochondrial genes. These are the first records of E. canadensis in any of the three Maritime provinces, which include Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. The parasite was thought to be absent in this region due to extirpation of wolves (Canis spp.) in the 1800s. These findings suggest that further wildlife surveillance and risk assessment is warranted
The nature of nature: Interpretations of Teilhard de Chardin’s ecological eschatological views
No full textIn the writings of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, the word “nature” occurs more than a thousand times, though this term is not listed in the Teilhard Lexicon by Siôn Cowell. A qualitative analysis of nature throughout Teilhard's writings produced 13 distinct definitions that can be summarized into five categories; nature can be an inherent way of being, sacred, an object, or that which is not artificial. The multivalent term has produced different interpretations of Teilhard's work, specifically in the ecological eschatological question of whether living organisms will be included in the final transformation. Theologians’ responses to this question range from affirmation to dissension, with varying levels of certainty, demonstrating the variability that can be caused by ambiguous language
The use of Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) as a marker of agonic stress in abused dogs: Preliminary results
No full textIn Veterinary Forensic Medicine, determination of the degree of animal suffering is an essential element for the prosecution of perpetrators of animal abuse. The purpose of this study is to find a suitable immunohistochemical marker for the assessment of suffering to be routinely used in Veterinary Forensic Pathology, by analyzing the expression of Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in formalin-fixed brains of dogs as a measurement of the agonic stress. CRF, a key peptide element in exogenous and endogenous stressors adaptation, can regulate endocrine-behavioral responses to stress stimulating pituitary ACTH release and consequent adrenal secretion of glucocorticoids. Since CRF acts in days or weeks, this study investigates its role as a potential distinctive marker between sudden death and death associated with a longer agonic period. The study used immunohistochemistry (IHC) to evaluate the CRF expression in the brain of dogs that suffered sudden death, as compared to dogs that died after long-term agonic stress. IHC labelling analysis was performed with machine-learning-based software and the results were statistically evaluated. Our results demonstrate for the first time that CRF is a promising marker of stress in abused patients also in Veterinary Medicine
Green synthesis of heterogeneous copper-alumina catalyst for selective hydrogenation of pure and biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan
No full textIn this work novel copper-alumina catalysts were prepared through a solvent-free solid-state grinding method ― a low cost and green catalyst preparation method for selective hydrogenation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) into 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan (BHMF). Under the optimized reaction conditions (3 MPa H2, 130 °C, 1 h), >99 % 5-HMF conversion and 93 % BHMF yield were obtained by using a 20CA (20 mol%Cu-Al2O3) catalyst. The catalyst characterization results could reveal that the high catalytic activity and selectivity could be attributed to the presence of both metallic and electrophilic copper (Cu°/Cu2+) species and the uniformly distributed copper nanoparticles. Furthermore, an integrated catalytic process was demonstrated for the first time for direct conversion of mono, di, and polysaccharides into the corresponding BHMF, obtained overall BHMF yield in the range of 25 %–48 %.Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)Western Innovation Fund from Western UniversityProgram of Processing and Efficient Utilization of Biomass Resources of Henan Centre for Outstanding Overseas Scientist
Crop residue management in India: Stubble burning vs. other utilizations including bioenergy
No full textIn recent studies, various reports reveal that stubble burning of crop residues in India generates nearly 150 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), more than 9 million tons of carbon monoxide (CO), a quarter-million tons of sulphur oxides (SOX), 1 million tons of particulate matter and more than half a million tons of black carbon. These contribute directly to environmental pollution, as well as the haze in the Indian capital, New Delhi, and the diminishing glaciers of the Himalayas. Although stubble burning crop residue is a crime under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Air and Pollution Control Act (APCA) of 1981, a lack of implementation of these government acts has been witnessed across the country. Instead of burning, crop residues can be utilized in various alternative ways, including use as cattle feed, compost with manure, rural roofing, bioenergy, beverage production, packaging materials, wood, paper, and bioethanol, etc. This review article aims to present the current status of stubble-burning practices for disposal of crop residues in India and discuss several alternative methods for valorization of crop residues. Overall, this review article offers a solid understanding of the negative impacts of mismanagement of the crop residues via stubble burning in India and the other more promising management approaches including use for bioenergy, which, if widely employed, could not only reduce the environmental impacts of crop residue management, but generate additional value for the agricultural sector globally.Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)DG Gran
Factors influencing change in the Prince Edward Island lobster fishery
No full textThe Report of the Maritime Lobster Panel, released in November of 2013, made 33 recommendations to improve the Prince Edward Island (PEI) lobster fishery that some claimed was structured to underperform and be dysfunctional. Among the recommendations made by the panel was for all Maritime lobster fishers to work together to collect a levy for information gathering and generic lobster promotion.
In 2014, island lobster fishers petitioned the Prince Edward Island Marketing Council to hold a plebiscite under the Natural Products Marketing Act (NPMA) on the formation of a commodity board for lobster harvesters. In 2015, when the ballots were counted, there was enough support for Council to recommend the formation of a marketing board to the Lieutenant Governor in Council (LGiC). Cabinet approval was given and the Lobster Fishers of Prince Edward Island (LFPEI) Commodity Board was established.
This study found that although Island fishers were represented under the Prince Edward Island Fishermen’s Association, since the organization spoke for all fishers, it did not adequately relect their unique interests. Since a commodity board would collect a levy from all fishers based on the actual weight of lobsters landed, this was seen as a fairer way to fund an organization. Island lobster fishers were at a disadvantage on prices, compared with fishers in neighbouring provinces, because of their reluctance to discontinue harvesting the smaller canner lobsters. There was an assumption that higher transportation costs to the mainland also negatively impacted Island lobster prices and that therefore they were at a disadvantage by being further from major markets and international airports. Even though the PEI industry was highly competitive, the 2013 strike made the fishers realize that they supported each other much more so than lobster fishers on the mainland who were unable to form their own provincial organizations.
The Board has given the fishers a united voice and the levy has provided a source of funds to gather market information which had been sorely lacking. The development and refining of a marketing plan by the Board during its first few years has given lobster fishers a window to delve more into the marketing and promotion side of the business. The Board also gives fishers an opportunity to cooperate with the Lobster Council of Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada on regulatory changes and other industry issues
Fuzzy-based distributed behavioural control with wall-following strategy for swarm navigation in arbitrary-shaped environments
No full textThis paper addresses novel fuzzy-based distributed behavioral control with the wall-following strategy for robot swarm navigation in arbitrary-shaped environments. Instead of avoiding large-size obstacles during the swarm navigation, the proposed distributed control enables the robot swarm to follow obstacle boundaries by transforming from aggregation configuration to one-chain configuration. The wall-following strategy and one-chain configuration empower the swarm navigation to avoid local minima caused by obstacles and connectivity maintenance without dealing with the alignment control of swarm behaviours. The fuzzy-logic control is applied to calculate the parameters of the distributed control strategies. The proposed method is examined and evaluated in both simulation and real experiments