Selection of beef cattle for efficiency of lean growth

The aims of this study were: 1) to evaluate measurements for predicting the carcass lean content of live bulls, 2) to assess the importance of different pre -test environmental effects on bull performance, and 3) to compare biological and economic selection indices for use in a terminal sire beef breed.The data comprised live weight, food intake, ultrasonic and carcass measurements on a total of 235 Hereford bulls, performance tested to 400 days of age on ad libitum feeding.Multiple regression equations using live weight and ultrasonic fat area measurements gave the best prediction of carcass leanness. However, the precision achieved varied depending on the machine, the operator and the group of bulls (R2 values 0.61 to 0.77) .Artificially reared bulls had low pre -test growth rate, which led to compensatory growth, and increased the variation in performance on test. Bulls weaned at 84 days of age were least affected by environmental factors such as dam age and year -season of birth, and performed as well as bulls weaned at 168 days of age.There were high phenotypic correlations between growth rate and lean growth rate (0.96) and between food conversion efficiency and lean food conversion efficiency (0.97) . Formulae were therefore derived for predicting the phenotypic and genetic relationship between a product trait, such as lean growth rate, and one component trait.Selection indices were derived which may be suitable for terminal sire breeds in the UK. The indices were insensitive to moderate changes in economic weights and genetic parameters, and were proposed as being superior to the biological indices (product traits) for improving the efficiency of lean meat production

Heterosis in cattle crossbreeding schemes in tropical regions: Meta-analysis of effects of breed combination, trait type and climate on level of heterosis

Jolivet Simon. David Marrani, «The Intersection between Constitution, Human Rights and the Environment : The French Charter for the environment and the new ex post constitutional control in France », Environmental Law Review 16 (2014), p. 107-121. In: Revue Juridique de l'Environnement, n°3, 2015. pp. 583-584

Obituary: Alan Raybould

Professor Alan Raybould was born and raised in Wolverhampton, in the West Midlands, United Kingdom. He attained a First Class Degree in Botany from the University of Manchester, followed by his PhD in Population Genetics at the University of Birmingham in 1989, researching population genetics of Spartina anglica. Alan began his scientific career at the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology at Furzebrook, Dorset, which later became part of the United Kingdom Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. During this period (1990–2001), he progressed from a post-doctoral research position to becoming the lead scientist in molecular ecology, studying gene-flows from genetically-modified crops to related wild plant populations

Stakeholders understanding of the concept of benefit sharing in health research in Kenya: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND: The concept of benefit sharing to enhance the social value of global health research in resource poor settings is now a key strategy for addressing moral issues of relevance to individuals, communities and host countries in resource poor settings when they participate in international collaborative health research.The influence of benefit sharing framework on the conduct of collaborative health research is for instance evidenced by the number of publications and research ethics guidelines that require prior engagement between stakeholders to determine the social value of research to the host communities. While such efforts as the production of international guidance on how to promote the social value of research through such strategies as benefit sharing have been made, the extent to which these ideas and guidelines have been absorbed by those engaged in global health research especially in resource poor settings remains unclear. We examine this awareness among stakeholders involved in health related research in Kenya. METHODS: We conducted in-depth interviews with key informants drawn from within the broader health research system in Kenya including researchers from the mainstream health research institutions, networks and universities, teaching hospitals, policy makers, institutional review boards, civil society organisations and community representative groups. RESULTS: Our study suggests that although people have a sense of justice and the moral aspects of research, this was not articulated in terms used in the literature and the guidelines on the ethics of global health research. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that while in theory several efforts can be made to address the moral issues of concern to research participants and their communities in resource poor settings, quick fixes such as benefit sharing are not going to be straightforward. We suggest a need to pay closer attention to the processes through which ethical principles are enacted in practice and distil lessons on how best to involve individuals and communities in promoting ethical conduct of global health research in resource poor settings

Insulin Regimens for Newly Diagnosed Children with Type 1 Diabetes in Australia and New Zealand - A Survey of Current Practice

AimThere is no consensus on the optimal insulin treatment for children newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). The aims of this study were (i) to describe the insulin regimens used at diagnosis by patient age and geographical region and (ii) to explore differences between and within Australia (AU) and New Zealand (NZ) with regards to other aspects of patient management and education

A randomized trial of planned cesarean or vaginal delivery for twin pregnancy

Background: Twin birth is associated with a higher risk of adverse perinatal outcomes than singleton birth. It is unclear whether planned cesarean section results in a lower risk of adverse outcomes than planned vaginal delivery in twin pregnancy.\ud \ud Methods: We randomly assigned women between 32 weeks 0 days and 38 weeks 6 days of gestation with twin pregnancy and with the first twin in the cephalic presentation to planned cesarean section or planned vaginal delivery with cesarean only if indicated. Elective delivery was planned between 37 weeks 5 days and 38 weeks 6 days of gestation. The primary outcome was a composite of fetal or neonatal death or serious neonatal morbidity, with the fetus or infant as the unit of analysis for the statistical comparison.\ud \ud Results: A total of 1398 women (2795 fetuses) were randomly assigned to planned cesarean delivery and 1406 women (2812 fetuses) to planned vaginal delivery. The rate of cesarean delivery was 90.7% in the planned-cesarean-delivery group and 43.8% in the planned-vaginal-delivery group. Women in the planned-cesarean-delivery group delivered earlier than did those in the planned-vaginal-delivery group (mean number of days from randomization to delivery, 12.4 vs. 13.3; P = 0.04). There was no significant difference in the composite primary outcome between the planned-cesarean-delivery group and the planned-vaginal-delivery group (2.2% and 1.9%, respectively; odds ratio with planned cesarean delivery, 1.16; 95% confidence interval, 0.77 to 1.74; P = 0.49).\ud \ud Conclusion: In twin pregnancy between 32 weeks 0 days and 38 weeks 6 days of gestation, with the first twin in the cephalic presentation, planned cesarean delivery did not significantly decrease or increase the risk of fetal or neonatal death or serious neonatal morbidity, as compared with planned vaginal delivery