En investering i dyrevelferd

Stortinget vedtok i 2004 at norske melkekyr skal slippes fri. Landbruket fikk 20 år på seg, og innen 2024 skal Dagros slippes løs fra båsen, og oppstalles i løsdriftsfjøs. 20 år er kanskje lang tid, men når det er 13.800 melkebruk her til lands, og knapt 1 av 5 besetninger i dag har løsdrift, kommer tida godt med

Økonomiske betraktninger av deltidsbeiting på mosjonsbeite og produksjonsbeite på gårder med automatisk melking : en analyse basert på norske og svenske forutsetninger

Økonomien i to ulike beitesystemer for melkekyr i besetninger med automatisk melking er vurdert under norske og svenske forhold. «Produksjonsbeite» er sammenlignet med «mosjonsbeite» og analysen bygger på resultater fra kontrollerte forsøk på SLU sin forsøksgård, Lövsta, i kombinasjon med aktuelle produksjonsdata, prisnivå og tilskuddsordninger i Norge og Sverige

Can the cardiovascular family history reported by our patients be trusted? The Norwegian Stroke in the Young Study

Background and purpose: Family history (FH) is used as a marker for inherited risk. Using FH for this purpose requires the FH to reflect true disease in the family. The aim was to analyse the concordance between young and middle-aged ischaemic stroke patients' reported FH of cardiovascular disease (CVD) with their parents' own reports. Methods: Ischaemic stroke patients aged 15–60 years and their eligible parents were interviewed using a standardized questionnaire. Information of own CVD and FH of CVD was registered. Concordance between patients and parents was tested by kappa statistics, sensitivity, specificity, predictive values and likelihood ratios. Regression analyses were performed to identify patient characteristics associated with non-concordance of replies. Results: There was no difference in response rate between fathers and mothers (P = 0.355). Both parents responded in 57 cases. Concordance between patient and parent reports was good, with kappa values ranging from 0.57 to 0.7. The patient-reported FH yielded positive predictive values of 75% or above and negative predictive values of 90% or higher. The positive likelihood ratios (LR+) were 10 or higher and negative likelihood ratios (LR−) were generally 0.5 or lower. Interpretation regarding peripheral arterial disease was limited due to low parental prevalence. Higher age was associated with impaired concordance between patient and parent reports (odds ratio 1.05; 95% confidence interval 1.01–1.09; P = 0.020). Conclusions: The FH provided by young and middle-aged stroke patients is in good concordance with parental reports. FH is an adequate proxy to assess inherited risk of CVD in young stroke patients

Can the cardiovascular family history reported by our patients be trusted? The Norwegian Stroke in the Young Study

Background and purpose: Family history (FH) is used as a marker for inherited risk. Using FH for this purpose requires the FH to reflect true disease in the family. The aim was to analyse the concordance between young and middle-aged ischaemic stroke patients' reported FH of cardiovascular disease (CVD) with their parents' own reports. Methods: Ischaemic stroke patients aged 15–60 years and their eligible parents were interviewed using a standardized questionnaire. Information of own CVD and FH of CVD was registered. Concordance between patients and parents was tested by kappa statistics, sensitivity, specificity, predictive values and likelihood ratios. Regression analyses were performed to identify patient characteristics associated with non-concordance of replies. Results: There was no difference in response rate between fathers and mothers (P = 0.355). Both parents responded in 57 cases. Concordance between patient and parent reports was good, with kappa values ranging from 0.57 to 0.7. The patient-reported FH yielded positive predictive values of 75% or above and negative predictive values of 90% or higher. The positive likelihood ratios (LR+) were 10 or higher and negative likelihood ratios (LR−) were generally 0.5 or lower. Interpretation regarding peripheral arterial disease was limited due to low parental prevalence. Higher age was associated with impaired concordance between patient and parent reports (odds ratio 1.05; 95% confidence interval 1.01–1.09; P = 0.020). Conclusions: The FH provided by young and middle-aged stroke patients is in good concordance with parental reports. FH is an adequate proxy to assess inherited risk of CVD in young stroke patients.publishedVersio

Management routines influencing piglet survival in loose-housed sow herds

Author's accepted version (post-print).Piglet mortality is still a significant welfare and ethical matter in pig production, as well as an economical challenge for the farmer. Most of the mortality occurs early after farrowing, and previous studies have shown that the farm's management routines, especially around farrowing, are important factors to reduce it. When sows are loose-housed at farrowing and in the following lactation period, it puts higher demands on management input from the farmer to keep piglet mortality low. The objective of this study was to assess the importance of different management routines around the time of farrowing, and other farm qualities for piglet survival in loose-housed herds. To study risk factors for herd piglet mortality, a cross-sectional field survey was carried out in Norway in the year 2013, and included 52 commercial herds with hybrid LY sows (Norwegian Landrace x Swedish Yorkshire). The farms were visited once, and the farmers answered a questionnaire about their management practices. The outcome was the average herd pre-weaning mortality in the years of 2012–2013. To include as many management factors as possible into the multivariable linear regression model, we generated a new variable based on 4 management routines: 3 routines at farrowing (presence at 80–100% of the farrowings, drying newborn piglets, and practice split suckling), and one concerning farmer´s contact with the sows. This variable was called “Management type” (M), and were divided into 4 categories with increasing effort; M1 herds without any of the 4 mentioned routines, M2 had contact with sows >2 times per day, M3 performed the 3 routines at farrowing, and M4 combined the high sow contact and the 3 routines. The predicted values of mean herd piglet mortality for M1, M2, M3 and M4 were 20.1%, 17.0%, 16.2% and 13.3% respectively. The farmer's increased management effort was associated with lower piglet mortality (P<0.05). The farmer's effort at critical times together with systematic and important routines, and having frequent contact with the sows, makes a huge difference for piglet survival. The farmers are credited for this work by having lower piglet mortality as a result.acceptedVersio

Geographical variation in cardiovascular disease mortality in Norway: The role of life course socioeconomic position and parental health

Despite substantial geographical variation in cardiovascular (CVD) mortality within countries, little is known about whether this variation can be explained by individuals' life course socioeconomic position (SEP) or differences in family history of premature CVD deaths. Cox proportional hazards models were used to investigate the association between the county of residence at ages 50–59 and CVD death in Norwegians born between 1940 and 1959 and survived to at least age 60, using national data. Individual life course SEP and family history of premature CVD death reduced the geographical variation in CVD mortality across Norwegian counties, but some significant differences remained. Furthermore, CVD risk varied by residents' migration histories between two counties with distinct CVD and socioeconomic profiles.Geographical variation in cardiovascular disease mortality in Norway: The role of life course socioeconomic position and parental healthpublishedVersio

Young ischaemic stroke incidence and demographic characteristics - The Norwegian stroke in the young study - A three-generation research program

Introduction: Norwegian Stroke in the Young Study (NOR-SYS) is a three-generation research program of young ischaemic stroke. In this study, we assessed ischaemic stroke incidence, education and work status among young stroke patients. Furthermore, we evaluated the participation of family members for future validated information on hereditary cardiovascular events. Patients and methods: Patients aged 15–60 years with radiologically verified acute ischaemic stroke, admitted to Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, Norway from 2010 to 2015, were included. Patients’ partners, common offspring ≥ 18 years and biological parents of patients and partners were invited to participate. Ischaemic stroke incidence was analysed with respect to year, age and sex using multiple logistic regression. Results: A total of 385 patients, 260 partners (80.0%) and 414 offspring (74.6%) were clinically examined. The mean annual ischaemic stroke incidence rate was 30.2 per 100,000. Incidence was higher in men, and the difference was accentuated with increasing age (p = 0.008). There was no sex difference in educational status (p = 0.104) in contrast to work status (p < 0.001) for patients. In all, 84.1% of men worked, and of these, 80.3% are fulltime. In all, 74.4% of women worked, and of these, 52.9% are fulltime. Parents participated by returning a questionnaire. For patients, 91 fathers (55.2%) and 142 mothers (57.3%) participated. For partners, 48 fathers (38.4%) and 68 mothers (40.2%) participated. Conclusion: The mean annual incidence rate of young stroke was 30.2 per 100,000, and the incidence rate was higher in men. Work status was high among both sexes. Active participation rates were high for patients, partners and offspring.acceptedVersio