Evaluating Finishing Pig Growth During Summer and Winter in Bedded Hoop and confinement Buildings

Finishing pig growth in hoop and confinement buildings during summer and winter was evaluated using serial ultrasound measurements of backfat (BF) thickness, loin muscle area (LMA), and serial weighing. Pigs (16 to 124 kg) were housed in a hoop building (9.1 × 18.3 m) or mechanically ventilated, totally slotted confinement building. Forty-eight pigs from each building were scanned and weighed every 14 d during the last 56 d before market. In summer, BF accretion rates were greater for hoop pigs than confinement pigs 80 to 90 kg (P \u3c 0.05), but did not differ 95 to 115 kg. In winter, BF accretion rates were similar 80 to 105 kg, but hoop pigs had less BF accretion 110 and 115 kg (P \u3c 0.05). In summer, LMA accretion rates were similar 80, 85, and 100 to 115 kg, but were less for hoop pigs 90 and 95 kg (P \u3c 0.001). In winter, the hoop pigs had greater LMA accretion rates 80 to 115 kg (P \u3c 0.05). In summer, bodyweight gain was similar 80 to 95 kg, and was greater for hoop pigs 100 to 115 kg (P \u3c 0.05). In winter, bodyweight gain was similar 100 to 115 kg, but was less for hoop pigs 80 to 95 kg (P \u3c 0.05). Finishing pig growth is dependent on thermal environment. Hoop-reared pigs (particularly in winter) may compensate for an early lag with faster muscle growth and slower fat deposition later in finishing

Evaluating Growth, Loin Muscle Area, and Backfat Accretion During Summer and Winter for Finishing Pigs in Bedded Hoop and Confinement Buildings

Growth and development of finishing pigs in bedded hoop and confinement buildings during summer and winter was evaluated using serial ultrasound measurements of backfat (BF) thickness, loin muscle (LM) area, and serial weighing. A summer trial (April through August 2000) and a winter trial (October 2000 through February 2001) were conducted. Forty-eight pigs from the hoop building and eight pigs from each of the six pens in the confinement building were randomly selected and weighed; ultrasound images were recorded every 14 d during the last 56 d of the finishing phase. Backfat accretion rates were greater for summer hoop pigs (SH) than summer confinement pigs (SC) at 80 kg to 90 (P \u3c 0.05), but did not differ at 95 to 115 kg. In winter, BF accretion rates did not differ from 80 to 105 kg, but winter hoop pigs (WH) had less BF accretion than winter confinement pigs (WC) at 110 kg and 115 kg (P \u3c 0.05). Loin muscle accretion rates did not differ at 80 and 85 kg or from 100 to 115 kg, but were less for SH than SC at 90 kg and at 95 kg (P \u3c 0.001). WH had greater LM accretion rates than WC at 80 kg to 115 (P \u3c 0.05). Bodyweight gain (BWG) did not differ between SH and SC from 80 to 95 kg and was greater for SH at 100 kg to 115 kg (P \u3c 0.05). Bodyweight gain did not differ for WH and WC pigs from 100 to 115 kg, but was less for WH than WC at 80 kg to 95 kg (P \u3c 0.05). These results indicate that performance of finishing pigs is dependent on the thermal environment, and that hoop-reared pigs (particularly in winter) may compensate for a lag in performance early in the finishing period with greater accretion rates of LM and BW and lower accretion rates of BF later in the finishing period. Although overall pig performance in hoop and confinement buildings is similar, some differences in accretion rates for bodyweight, backfat, and loin muscle area occurred during the finishing period. These differences are probably due to seasonal variation in the thermal environment. Performance of pigs reared in hoop buildings may be compromised early in the finishing period by their inability to overcome the difference between temperature and thermoneutrality. However, it appears that hoop-reared pigs compensated for earlier lags in performance by increased BW gain and LM accretion, along with less BF deposition compared to pigs in confinement at the same BW. This study provides some evidence to justify feeding pigs in hoops to heavier weights. Research studying accretion rates of pigs at a wider range of bodyweights will be needed to better understand the effects of environment and building type on pig performance

Influences on the organizational implementation of sustainability: an integrative model

Multiple forces in the 21st century have propelled businesses into confronting conditions that challenge their own and the world’s sustainability. This paper illuminates the factors influencing companies to implement sustainability practices. It validates an integrative model of the effects that external influences, foundational organization enablers, decision drivers, and inhibitors had on both sustainability implementation and organizational performance. Using data from a worldwide survey of 1514 managers, we showed how external forces for sustainability and support from organizational leaders to create an enabling foundation are likely to translate into decision priorities, implementation of sustainability practices, and perceived performance improvement. We also showed the considerable power of internal inhibiting forces and outlined how they may be overcome. The results point to the steps leaders can take to achieve their environmental, social, and financial goals, as well as to further streams of inquiry

A Multi-Theory Approach to Managing Knowledge Assets: The Case of Complex Professional Human Service Organizations

A multi-theory framework is offered for guiding managerial decision making in complex professional human service organizations; a growing segment of the economy for which the ability to proactively and dynamically manage knowledge assets is naturally critical to performance. Following a call for greater theoretical integration, this framework synthesizes essential and complimentary elements of three theoretical domains. It combines Transaction Economics’ focus on the appropriate procurement of knowledge assets, with Knowledge Management’s focus on how to dynamically unleash the potential of those assets, and Contingency Thinking’s focus on how to structurally harness and direct that potential. Two key “bridging constructs” emerge offering useful insights both for theory and practice: 1) learning systems as a key element of functional design for managing knowledge assets, and 2) learning costs as a key factor in managing the economic structure of knowledge assets. We apply our integrated framework to two professional human services sectors – business education and health service delivery– and discuss broader implications for research and practice

Implementation research design: integrating participatory action research into randomized controlled trials

Luci K. Leykum and Jacqueline A. Pugh are with VERDICT, a VA HSRD REAP at the South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, Texas, USA and the Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA -- Joel Harmon is with the School of Business, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Madison, New Jersey, USA -- Holly J. Lanham and Reuben R. McDaniel Jr. are with the Department of Information, Risk and Operations Management, McCombs School of Business, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USABackground: A gap continues to exist between what is known to be effective and what is actually delivered in the usual course of medical care. The goal of implementation research is to reduce this gap. However, a tension exists between the need to obtain generalizeable knowledge through implementation trials, and the inherent differences between healthcare organizations that make standard interventional approaches less likely to succeed. The purpose of this paper is to explore the integration of participatory action research and randomized controlled trial (RCT) study designs to suggest a new approach for studying interventions in healthcare settings. Discussion: We summarize key elements of participatory action research, with particular attention to its collaborative, reflective approach. Elements of participatory action research and RCT study designs are discussed and contrasted, with a complex adaptive systems approach used to frame their integration. Summary: The integration of participatory action research and RCT design results in a new approach that reflects not only the complex nature of healthcare organizations, but also the need to obtain generalizeable knowledge regarding the implementation process.Information, Risk, and Operations Management (IROM)[email protected]

The Influence of Sonographer Experience on Skeletal Muscle Image Acquisition and Analysis

The amount of experience with ultrasonography may influence measurement outcomes while images are acquired or analyzed. The purpose of this study was to identify the interrater reliability of ultrasound image acquisition and image analysis between experienced and novice sonographers and image analysts, respectively. Following a brief hands-on training session (2 h), the experienced and novice sonographers and analysts independently performed image acquisition and analyses on the biceps brachii, vastus lateralis, and medial gastrocnemius in a sample of healthy participants (n = 17). Test–retest reliability statistics were computed for muscle thickness (transverse and sagittal planes), muscle cross-sectional area, echo intensity and subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness. The results show that image analysis experience generally has a greater impact on measurement outcomes than image acquisition experience. Interrater reliability for measurements of muscle size during image acquisition was generally good–excellent (ICC2,1: 0.82–0.98), but poor–moderate for echo intensity (ICC2,1: 0.43–0.77). For image analyses, interrater reliability for measurements of muscle size for the vastus lateralis and biceps brachii was poor–moderate (ICC2,1: 0.48–0.70), but excellent for echo intensity (ICC2,1: 0.90–0.98). Our findings have important implications for laboratories and clinics where members possess varying levels of ultrasound experience