49 research outputs found
Piglet mortality in organic herds
Productive performance of organic pig farms is lower compared to conventional farms, but only very few data exist. Better knowledge of the productivity of organic herds regarding litter size at birth, piglet losses around birth and during lactation, as well as housing and management conditions should help to identify critical points and hence to improve the situation. Therefore, a research project was initiated in 6 EU countries (Corepig). As part of this, farmers recorded production data during 3-11 months starting between January and July 2008. Farmers were asked to record the numbers of piglets born dead, born alive as well as the number of piglets at weaning. Taking into account the quality of the records and setting a threshold of â„ 10 litters/farm, data from 38 farms in 4 countries (France: 14, Germany: 12, Austria: 7, Sweden: 5) were analyzed (mean: 69, 10 to 713 litters/farm). Most farmers were not present at farrowing, meaning the number of piglets that were classified as âborn deadâ was probably greatly overestimated. Therefore, mean total litter size at birth (born dead + born alive, MTLS), its standard deviation (SDLS), litter size at weaning and percentage of total losses (born dead + lactation losses, pLOSS) were calculated at the farm level. Overall, MTLS was 12.9 ± 1.6 piglets at birth, 9.2 ± 1.1 piglets at weaning and pLOSS was 26.7 ± 7.1 % with a lactation duration of 45.3 ± 5.9 days. Mortality of piglets increased with MTLS (2.1 ± 0.7% additional loss per piglet, p = 0.004) and with SDLS (3.9 ± 1.6% additional loss per unit of SDLS, mean ± SEM, P = 0.021). MTLS was correlated with SDLS (r = 0.44, p = 0.006). These data confirm the detrimental influence of large litter size at birth on piglet mortality. This is commonly observed in conventional pig production and related to a higher proportion of piglets with low birth weight and to increased competition for teats. High variability in litter size may exacerbate these problems, and in addition may be an indicator for other problems on the farm
Epidemiological study concerning the characteristics of organic pig farming in selected European countries
Interviews and on-farm assessments were conducted in a total of 101 organic pig farms in different European countries (Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, and Sweden) to gain knowledge about farm management and health status of organic pigs in Europe.
66 farms kept at least one age group outdoors while 35 farms kept their pigs exclusively indoors, for the most part with a concrete outside run. Housing and feeding conditions were characterised by a large heterogeneity within and between European countries. On many farms, the feeding regimes seemed suboptimal, leaving ample room for easily feasible improvements. With respect to the health management, some farms made comprehensive use of the various options, whereas many farmers neglected the implementation of preventive measures, including appropriate hygiene and disinfection measures. On the majority of organic farms with indoor housing, the options for disinfection were hindered by the fact that many farms were not able to implement an all-in all-out concept.
In correspondence with the large variation in the living conditions for pigs, also production data and mortality rates differed widely between organic pig farms. According to the estimation by the farmer concerning the occurrence of selected animal health problems, mortality of suckling piglets and weaners and weaning diarrhoea were named as the most relevant disease problems.
Although dedicated to the same minimum standards, it can be concluded that organic pig farming does not provide the same living conditions or a homogenous outcome of animal health parameters but, like all systems, also depends on the quality of management. Differences in management practices, housing conditions, restrictions in the availability of resources (labour time, financial budget etc.), and a lack of feedback and control mechanism within the farm system appears to be a main reason for the substantial variation between farms
From âExplainable AIâ to âGraspable AIâ
Since the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), researchers have asked how intelligent computing systems could interact with and relate to their users and their surroundings, leading to debates around issues of biased AI systems, ML black-box, user trust, userâs perception of control over the system, and systemâs transparency, to name a few. All of these issues are related to how humans interact with AI or ML systems, through an interface which uses different interaction modalities. Prior studies address these issues from a variety of perspectives, spanning from understanding and framing the problems through ethics and Science and Technology Studies (STS) perspectives to finding effective technical solutions to the problems. But what is shared among almost all those efforts is an assumption that if systems can explain the how and why of their predictions, people will have a better perception of control and therefore will trust such systems more, and even can correct their shortcomings. This research field has been called Explainable AI (XAI). In this studio, we take stock on prior efforts in this area; however, we focus on using Tangible and Embodied Interaction (TEI) as an interaction modality for understanding ML. We note that the affordances of physical forms and their behaviors potentially can not only contribute to the explainability of ML systems, but also can contribute to an open environment for criticism. This studio seeks to both critique explainable ML terminology and to map the opportunities that TEI can offer to the HCI for designing more sustainable, graspable and just intelligent systems.QC 20210526</p
InÀlvsparasiter i betesmark och hos grisar i ekologiska besÀttningar
Utevistelse pÄ Äkermark ger grisar goda möjligheter till sysselsÀttning och rörelse. Bökandet i jorden och intag av vÀxtdelar och kryp Àr ett djupt rotat beteende. För att kunna ge grisarna denna möjlighet och samtidigt hÄlla deras inÀlvsparasiter under kontroll behövs mer kunskap. Danska studier tyder pÄ att om smÄgrisar fÄr en mycket tidig infektion ger detta upphov till en hög och varaktig spolmask-börda, som Àven kan ge betydande ekonomiska konsekvenser. Dessutom tycks vissa parasiter kunna ackumuleras i jorden ju lÀngre besÀttningen har haft utegrisar.
Syftet med detta projekt var att kartlÀgga smittrycket frÄn inÀlvsparasiter i mark som anvÀndes till grisarna pÄ ekologiska gÄrdar, och att stÀlla smittrycket i relation till förekomsten av parasiter i trÀckprover frÄn grisarna. Det lÄngsiktiga mÄlet var att öka kunskapen om vilka ÄtgÀrder som minskar smittrycket i marken och dÀrmed förbÀttrar djurhÀlsa och djurvÀlfÀrd.
MÀngden Àgg frÄn inÀlvsparasiter i jordprover frÄn grishagar och i trÀckprover frÄn grisarna undersöktes pÄ elva gÄrdar med ekologisk smÄgrisuppfödning. Dessutom kartlades de utvalda gÄrdarnas rutiner för inhysning och skötsel av grisarna liksom markanvÀndning, vÀxtföljder, jordart och rotationen av grishagarna. Endast besÀttningar som var fullt omstÀllda till ekologisk produktion enligt KRAVs regler, och hade minst 15 suggor, ingick i studien. Under april och maj 2008 samlades frÄn varje gÄrd jordprover frÄn hagar som skulle anvÀndas till suggor med smÄgrisar respektive sinsuggor följande sommar. Dessutom togs prover frÄn ytor som bedömdes ha varit mest anvÀnda till grisar, sÄsom permanenta rasthagar eller transportytor. Grisarnas parasitstatus undersöktes inom ramen för ett EU-nÀtverksprojekt (COREPIG). TrÀckprover samlades frÄn 12-veckor gamla smÄ-grisar, suggor och i förekommande fall Àven frÄn slaktsvin under vÄren (mars-april) och hösten (augusti-september) 2008.
De studerade gÄrdarna hade i genomsnitt haft ekologisk produktion i 8,6 Är. PÄ de flesta gÄrdarna var smittrycket lÄgt i mark som skulle anvÀndas till digivande suggor med smÄgrisar. DÀremot fanns det mer parasitÀgg i jordprover frÄn mark som skulle anvÀndas till sinsuggor och det var vanligt med transportytor, eller ibland hela hagar, som anvÀndes flera somrar i rad till sinsuggor. Sambandet mellan antalet parasitÀgg i jord dÀr grisarna skulle slÀppas och i trÀckprov frÄn grisar som sedan gÄtt pÄ marken var osÀkert, speciellt dÄ det gÀllde suggor.
PÄ marker med lÄgt smittryck hade ofta endast spridits stallgödsel frÄn gris, men grisar hade inte vistats pÄ marken. Det fanns dock Àven marker som tidigare anvÀnts till grisar, som kunde hÄlla en lÄg smittnivÄ. I dessa fall var det frÀmst mark som anvÀnts enbart sommartid eller för mÄnga Är sedan.
Marker med högt smittryck var sÄdana som anvÀndes varje Är, sÄsom hagar till sinsuggor, transportytor eller hagar i anslutning till stallar. De flesta anvÀndes till sinsuggor, men det förekom ocksÄ att smÄgrisar gick i hagar eller pÄ transportytor som anvÀndes varje Är. PÄ cirka hÀlften av gÄrdarna fanns det nÄgon mark med högt smittryck dÀr man inte planerat nÄgon förÀndrad anvÀndning. BetrÀffande sÄdana marker rekommenderas att lantbrukarna förÀndrar sin markanvÀndning, för att undvika uppförökning av parasitsmitta
Knowledge synthesis: Animal health and welfare in organic pig production - Final Report COREPIG
This report reviews the available information on the welfare of pigs when maintained according to organic standards in Europe. It begins by overviewing the populations of organic pigs in different countries at the time of writing (2007), the organic standards which govern their management and the systems in which they are typically kept. It then reviews for each stage in the production cycle (sows, suckling piglets, weaned pigs and fattening pigs) the available literature on health and welfare problems which might be experienced by the animals and the hazards which might give rise to these problems. Finally the report reviews the methods current available for the measurement of pig health and welfare and the extent to which monitoring systems currently exist in different countries, or might be developed. The information gathered in this review formed the basis for the subsequent development of tools for use in a HACCP based management and surveillance system for organic pig herds. These tools will assist the organic pig farmer to prevent selected pig diseases and welfare problems by monitoring and controlling the risk factors. Further details can be found on the COREPIG project website www.icrofs.org/coreorganic/corepig.htm
Intercalibration of a concentration McMaster Technique between eight European laboratories
Prior to a European prevalence survey of intestinal parasites of organic pig herds it was decided to introduce one common technique for faecal egg counts and to compare its execution at all involved laboratories to ensure data compatibility. It was clearly shown that avoid confounding variation it is extremely important not only to use identical techniques but also to implement the technique in exactly the same way
Health status in organic pig herds in Europe
Introduction
Organic pig production is still a small-scale produc-tion, achieving, however, increased interest by con-sumers who are concerned about the conventional production method. The EU-Regulation (EEC-No. 1804/1999) on organic livestock production, now replaced by EEC-No 834/2007, was introduced to provide a framework ensuring living conditions for organic livestock to be better than those in conven-tional systems and to harmonize the rules across member states. Scientifically based information on how and to what degree the EU-Regulation contribÂŹutes to the objective of a high status of pig health in organic farming is scarce. Further information is needed to assess whether consumer expectations in organic pig production in Europe are met.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
An epidemiological study was performed on 101 organic sow herds in 6 European countries (Denmark, Germany, Austria, Sweden, Italy and France). 13 to 20 farms per country were assessed. On-farm data included a comprehensive interview with the herd manager in relation to housing conditions, feeding regime, data acquisition, cleaning and disinfection measures, medicine usage, culling reasons, vaccinaÂŹtion protocols, etc.. Recorded livestock data included: liveborn and stillborn piglets/farrowing, weaned piglets/sow/year, piglet losses/farrowing, losses of weaned piglets, litters /sow lifetime, and the preva-lence of diseases according to the treatment records. Data from all countries were merged into one joint database and analysed statistically.
Results Although dedicated to the same minimum standards, the farm structures were characterised by a huge heterogeneity. 67 farms were keeping their sows outdoors while 34 farms were indoors with outside runs. Group suckling was implemented on 52% of the farms. The degree of specialisation was comparatively low. About 40% of the farms had another economically relevant livestock enterprise on the farm apart from keeping pigs. Farmers differed widely in their feeding regimes, in making use of phase feeding and diet calculations. Moreover, the farms varied in the cleaning management and in the implementation of disinfection measures. The study also revealed large differences in animal health management with respect to the use of quarantine, availability of hospital pens, presence of the farmer during farrowing, and regarding routine measures such as castration, teeth reduction, and iron supplementation of piglets. For 50 % of the farms the abattoirs provided feedback of pathological findings for slaughtered sows, and 80 % for fattening pigs. Huge differ-ences were detected in the perception of the farmers with regard to health problems on their farm and with respect to the availability of labo-ratory results. Mean mortality rates of piglets until and after weaning averaged 19.7 ± 9.7% and 4.9 ± 5.4% resp., showing clear differences between countries and farms. Mean values for the annual replacement rates of sows and litters per sow life-time were 32.4 ± 14.3% and 6.3 ± 2.3 resp. Ac-cording to the treatment records, metritis and mastitis appeared as the predominant diseases of the sows, nearly all treated with antibiotics, fol-lowed by cases of lameness and abscesses. In the case of suckling piglets, diarrhoea, arthritis and respiratory diseases were predominant. Also the weaned piglets suffered primarily from diarrhoea. Farms showed an incidence of 27.6 ± 34.3%. of piglets treated with antibiotics against diarrhoea.
Conclusions
The results indicated that in general the status of animal health in organic pig herds was comparaÂŹble to data found on conventional farms. DifferÂŹences between farms appear to be greater than those between production methods. Obviously, the production method defined by standards does not provide a homogenous outcome with respect to the animal health status. Differences in manÂŹagement practices and in feedback and control mechanisms within the farm system might be the main reasons for substantial variation in the prevalence rates of diseases. Any improvements in organic pig production require the use of feedÂŹback mechanisms and a clear definition of the expected results with respect to the outcome of the farm system. Consequently, there is a need for a change in the paradigm from standard and resource oriented to a result and outcome oriÂŹented approach. The implementation of a moniÂŹtoring system including on farm clinical assessÂŹment, abattoir data and review of treatment data, concepts to deal with potential problems (e.g. health planning strategies, HACCP protocols, etc.) and a definition of the expected results with respect to the output of the farm system might be a way forward for organic farming ensuring a high status of animal health and welfare
FörÀldrars uppfattning av stöd frÄn sjuksköterskor pÄ en barnavdelning : En enkÀtstudie
Bakgrund: NÀr ett barn blir sjukt pÄverkas Àven familjen av sjukdomen. FörÀldrar till sjuka barn kan fÄ ett förstÀrkt behov av stöd. FörÀldrars sociala nÀtverk Àr frÀmsta kÀllan för stöd, men de sjuksköterskor som vÄrdar barnet kan vara viktiga för att ge förÀldrarna kraft att ta hand om sitt sjuka barn. Familjecentrerad omvÄrdnad har visats vara effektiv nÀr det gÀller att vÄrda barn och familjer pÄ sjukhus. Syfte: Att undersöka hur förÀldrar till barn inlagda pÄ en barnavdelning skattar stödet de fÄr frÄn sjuksköterskor. Metod: En enkÀtstudie genomfördes pÄ en barnavdelning med ortopedisk, kirurgisk och medicinsk inriktning. Det islÀndska instrumentet ICE-FPSQ som Àr utformat för att skatta familjecentrerat stöd frÄn sjuksköterskor anvÀndes. 75 förÀldrar tillfrÄgades om deltagande, de 47 svar som inkom sammanstÀlldes pÄ ett deskriptivt sÀtt. Resultat: Alla som svarade pÄ enkÀten var förÀldrar till det inneliggande barnet, 72,3% var kvinnor och 27,7% var mÀn. MedelvÀrdet av skattningarna var 35,12 (min 14, max 70). Slutsats: FörÀldrarna skattade det familjecentrerade stödet relativt lÄgt. Ytterligare studier Àr nödvÀndiga för att beskriva hur sjuksköterskorna jobbar pÄ avdelningen samt vilket stöd förÀldrar förvÀntar sig av dessa
"Strategisk handlingsplan i matematik" : Ett aktionsforskningsprojekt med fokus pÄ dokumentation av SUM-elever inom vuxenutbildningen.
Elever vid vuxenutbildningen har rÀtt till stöd i form av extra anpassningar. DÀremot finns det inga krav pÄ dokumentation i form ÄtgÀrdsprogram. Hur arbetar man inom vuxenutbildningen med de elever som Àr i behov av utökat stöd i matematik? Avsikten med studien Àr att undersöka hur man kan fÄnga upp och dokumentera arbetet med elever i behov av utökat stöd i matematik vid vuxenutbildningen.  För att uppnÄ studiens syfte valdes aktionsforskning som metod och teori. Intervjuer, diskussioner och reflektion tillsammans med de undervisande lÀrarna har legat till grund för den cykliska processen och analysen enligt Kurt Lewins teori. I aktionerna utarbetades en strategisk handlingsplan, vilken slutligen bestod av elevenkÀter, intervjuguide samt anvÀndandet av matematisk kartlÀggning. UtifrÄn det gjordes en strukturerad dokumentation av arbetet med extra anpassningar. Det utarbetade arbetssÀttet möjliggjorde för lÀrare, men Àven för rektor, att fÄ en överblick av det arbete som görs och det gav förutsÀttningar att kunna följa upp och utvÀrdera arbetet med extra anpassningar. DÀrav kan den strategiska handlingsplanen ses som en viktig del i det systematiska kvalitetsarbetet vid vuxenutbildningen