Shaping cow-calf contact systems: Farmers' motivations and considerations behind a range of different cow-calf contact systems

Most dairy farms rear calves artificially by separating the newly born calf from the dam and feeding the calf milk from a bucket. However, the general public and scientific community have begun to question the effects of artificial rearing on animal welfare. Research so far has focused mainly on dam-calf contact, where each cow takes care of her own calf. However, previous studies show that Danish and other European farmers are using and showing interest in a variety of different cow-calf contact (CCC) systems. In the present study, we used qualitative research methods to explore the perspectives of Danish farmers who either had or had tried to establish a version of a CCC system. Farmers were asked about their motivation for establishing the system, what had shaped the system to its current form, and how they perceived the calves to benefit from the system. Practical considerations was the theme most commonly brought up and related to both why farmers chose to have CCC in the first place and in what way they had chosen to organize their CCC system. Practical considerations included a sense of ease, flexibility, and a more natural and therefore rational approach. The economy was also a repeated theme, but although the economy to a large degree shapes the type of CCC chosen (dam-calf contact or foster cow contact), it was rarely mentioned in relation to choosing a CCC system in the first place. Ethical considerations were a strong motivator for farmers with dam-calf contact systems, although less so for farmers with foster cow contact. The farm's image as seen by the consumer was an important motivation for farmers with many on-farm visitors, and with the farm's image in the eyes of the farming community potentially also influencing farmers. Farmers generally perceived the calves to benefit from the care of the cow and no difference was seen in the importance attributed to care, between farmers choosing dam-calf contact and foster cow systems

Dam-rearing of dairy calves: Lessons from practice for future research & development

Interest in dam-rearing of dairy calves is growing among researchers, advisors and farmers. This internal project report collates, synthesizes and conveys scientific evidence and information on systems for dam-rearing as practiced by farmers in northern Europe. We hope this report will serve as inspiration for researchers planning experiments on dam-rearing as well as advisors and farmers developing and implementing systems for dam-rearing in practice

Vilde problemer, tam velfærd?

ResuméDenne artikel udspringer af aktionsforskningsprojektet Vild Velfærd. I projektet retter vi blikket mod velfærdsstatens organisatoriske løsninger i forhold til marginaliserede unge, som er bosiddende i udsatte by- og boligområder og er ramt af det, vi i projektet kalder wicked problems. Formålet er at undersøge og afdække muligheder og barrierer i eksisterende velfærdsløsninger med henblik på at udvikle nye, alternative velfærdsløsninger. Vild Velfærd finder sted i et tæt samarbejde med de stærkt marginaliserede unge selv, samt velfærdsprofessionelle fra kommunale institutioner og civilsamfundsindsatser i Københavnsområdet. AbstractIn this article, we focus on the organizational solutions within the welfare state in relation to marginalized young people who live in social disadvantaged urban and residential areas and are affected by what we in the project call wicked problems. The purpose is to investigate and uncover opportunities and barriers in existing welfare solutions with a view to developing new, alternative welfare solutions. Wild Welfare takes place in close collaboration with the highly marginalized young people themselves, as well as welfare professionals from municipal institutions and civil society initiatives in the Copenhagen area

Clinical characterization of 66 patients with congenital retinal disease due to the deep-intronic c.2991+1655A>G mutation in CEP290

Purpose: To describe the phenotypic spectrum of retinal disease caused by the c.2991+1655A>G mutation in CEP290 and to compare disease severity between homozygous and compound heterozygous patients. Methods: Medical records were reviewed for best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), age of onset, fundoscopy descriptions. Foveal outer nuclear layer (ONL) and ellipsoid zone (EZ) presence was assessed using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Differences between compound heterozygous and homozygous patients were analyzed based on visual performance and visual development. Results: A total of 66 patients were included. The majority of patients had either light perception or no light perception. In the remaining group of 14 patients, median BCVA was 20/195 Snellen (0.99 LogMAR; range 0.12-1.90) for the right eye, and 20/148 Snellen (0.87 LogMAR; range 0.22-1.90) for the left. Homozygous patients tended to be more likely to develop light perception compared to more severely affected compound heterozygous patients (P = 0.080) and are more likely to improve from no light perception to light perception (P = 0.022) before the age of 6 years. OCT data were available in 12 patients, 11 of whom had retained foveal ONL and EZ integrity up to 48 years (median 23 years) of age. Conclusions: Homozygous patients seem less severely affected compared to their compound-heterozygous peers. Improvement of visual function may occur in the early years of life, suggesting a time window for therapeutic intervention up to the approximate age of 17 years. This period may be extended by an intact foveal ONL and EZ on OCT

Equity in digital healthcare – the case of Denmark

As digital healthcare services are expanding in use and purpose in a Danish context so are the functionalities embedded in these, constituting citizens’ access to healthcare services and personal health data. In Denmark, the impact of inequalities in digital healthcare remains largely unexplored, making it crucial to pay close attention to this aspect as the digital transformation of the sector progresses. According to the Danish Health Act (2019), the Danish healthcare system is required to ensure easy and equal access to healthcare, high-quality treatment, coherent patient pathways, freedom of choice, easy access to information, transparency, and short waiting times for every citizen. These are focal law-based requirements influenced by the digitalisation of healthcare. Hence, based on insights from a highly digitalised country, in this case, Denmark, this paper aims to initiate a discussion on inequities in digital healthcare, address current challenges, and consider future directions by elaborating on conceptual, ethical, evidence-informed, and methodological issues linked to inequities in digital healthcare. Specifically, this paper discusses why inequities in digital healthcare in a Danish context need increased attention, how health equity is embedded in Danish legislation and how it can be approached from an ethical perspective. The central focus revolves around the essential principles of empowerment, emancipation, and equity, which are being highlighted to emphasise that the digitalisation of healthcare should actively work towards preventing and avoiding the perpetuation of healthcare inequalities. The paper concludes by discussing future directions for ensuring a more sustainable, robust, and equitable digital healthcare system

Molecular genetic analysis using targeted NGS analysis of 677 individuals with retinal dystrophy

Abstract Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) are a common cause of visual impairment. IRD covers a set of genetically highly heterogeneous disorders with more than 150 genes associated with one or more clinical forms of IRD. Molecular genetic diagnosis has become increasingly important especially due to expanding number of gene therapy strategies under development. Next generation sequencing (NGS) of gene panels has proven a valuable diagnostic tool in IRD. We present the molecular findings of 677 individuals, residing in Denmark, with IRD and report 806 variants of which 187 are novel. We found that deletions and duplications spanning one or more exons can explain 3% of the cases, and thus copy number variation (CNV) analysis is important in molecular genetic diagnostics of IRD. Seven percent of the individuals have variants classified as pathogenic or likely-pathogenic in more than one gene. Possible Danish founder variants in EYS and RP1 are reported. A significant number of variants were classified as variants with unknown significance; reporting of these will hopefully contribute to the elucidation of the actual clinical consequence making the classification less troublesome in the future. In conclusion, this study underlines the relevance of performing targeted sequencing of IRD including CNV analysis as well as the importance of interaction with clinical diagnoses

Muligheter og prioriteringer for flerbestandsforvaltning i norske fiskerier

Denne rapporten svarer opp en henvendelse fra Stortinget som har bedt regjeringen utarbeide en opptrappingsplan for norsk bestands- og ressursforskning med mål om å utvikle og innføre en modell for flerbestandsforvaltning av fiskeriene. Flerbestandsforvaltning er et sentralt begrep innen økosystembasert forvaltning, der hensyn til økologiske prosesser er integrert slik at forvaltning av en bestand ses i sammenheng med andre bestander i økosystemet. Utvalget anbefaler ingen generell overgang til flerbestandsforvaltning. Det som trengs etter vårt syn er individuelle vurderinger av de forskjellige bestandene i forhold til om der er sterke trofiske interaksjoner, forskningsmessig basis og enighet blant interessenter. Nedenfor har vi listet opp hvilke bestander og forskningsoppgaver vi mener bør prioriteres for å styrke kunnskapsgrunnlaget for flerbestandsforvaltningpublishedVersio