293 research outputs found

    Brexit: reality bites for health on the island of Ireland.

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    Greener pastures 1 - The greener pasture project: managing nutrients in dairy pastures

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    As dairy farmers have strived to maintain profitability, many have farmed more intensively. More cows are milked and increasing inputs of fertiliser and purchased feed are used per hectare. However, these increased nutrient inputs have far exceeded the increase in nutrient output in milk production. The increasing nutrient surplus (inputs minus outputs) from intensification on dairy farms has met with increasing community concern about the environmental footprint of the dairy industry. In some other countries, dairy farmers who have intensified by increasing nitrogen inputs are now faced with legislation controlling the amount of fertiliser nitrogen that they can use. The Greener Pastures project was set up to assist the Australian dairy industry meet the two major challenges managing high performing pasture systems: maintaining profitability while meeting the expectations of a community that is increasingly sensitive to environmental issues.https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/bulletins/1130/thumbnail.jp

    Greener pastures 3 - Managing phosphorus in dairy pastures

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    Between 1999 and 2009, soil testing was conducted in 48 dairy paddocks at Vasse Research Centre (VRC) in the south-west of Western Australia (WA). This study will be referred to as the VRC soil test study. Phosphorus experiments were undertaken on partner farms of the Greener Pastures project to improve our knowledge of the phosphorus requirements of intensively grazed ryegrass pastures. These are the partner farm phosphorus experiments.https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/bulletins/1125/thumbnail.jp

    Greener pastures 4 - Managing potassium in dairy pastures

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    We undertook three studies into the potassium requirements of high rainfall pastures: 1. Between 1999 and 2009, soil testing was conducted in 48 dairy paddocks at Vasse Research Centre (VRC) in the south-west of Western Australia (WA). This study will be referred to as the VRC soil test study. 2. Between 2002 and 2007, a potassium experiment was undertaken at Boyanup to improve our knowledge of potassium requirements of intensively grazed ryegrass pastures. This will be referred to as the Boyanup potassium experiment. 3. Between 2006 and 2010, potassium experiments were undertaken on two partner farms of the Greener Pastures project. These will be referred to as the partner farm potassium experiments.https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/bulletins/1126/thumbnail.jp

    Greener pastures 5 - Managing sulphur in dairy pastures

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    During 1999-2009, soil testing for sulfur (S) was undertaken on 48 paddocks at the Vasse Research Centre (VRC) at Busselton, in the south-west of Western Australia (WA). Paddocks had been grazed intensively by dairy cows and their young stock over a period of 10 years, as part of the Vasse Milk Farmlets and Greener Pastures farming system projects. Pasture consisted of annual ryegrasses with some subterranean clover. Soils in the 48 paddocks were 1-2 m sand to sandy loam over massive clay, known locally as Abba sand. For many soils in the region, including Abba sands, the topography is flat and the soils are waterlogged from June to early September in the typical May to November growing season. Samples of the top 10 cm of soil were collected from each paddock in April 1999 and January- February 2000-2009, during the dry period before fertiliser was applied. These are the standard sampling depth and sampling time for soil sampling of dryland pastures in WA. Soil samples were collected while walking on the same diagonal path across each paddock each year between two permanent markers located on fences. Samples were collected using 2.5 cm diameter metal tubes (10 cm long; known locally as pogos) that were pushed into the soil by foot every 2-3 m, with 50-100 samples collected per paddock, depending on the size of the paddock.https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/bulletins/1128/thumbnail.jp

    Implementing social health insurance in Ireland: Report of a meeting and workshop held in Dublin, on December 6th 2010

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    We considered two basic questions, 'Is it possible to implement Social Health Insurance in Ireland?', and 'How can this be done?'. Can Social Health Insurance be implemented in Ireland? Our answer is a very definite yes. Furthermore, there would be many opportunities, while working towards this end, to improve the performance of our health care system. How can it be implemented? This process will need to be actively managed. There are many difficulties in the Irish health services, but also many opportunities. The greatest strengths are the talented, well-trained and very committed staff. Getting and keeping the support of these staff, for the necessary changes in service delivery, will be critical. Ireland has the capacity to make these changes, but without high quality management, a detailed focussed plan for change, and political support, little will happen. Each step in the change needs to be planned to maintain services, improve service delivery, improve service accountability, and improve service governance. Each sector of the service will need someone to lead the change, and mind that service during the change. Primary care remains under-developed. The HSE plan to develop primary care teams (PCT) has not succeeded. There are several established PCTs which work well. In other areas there are informal arrangements for collaboration, which work well. Overall, there are many useful lessons to learn from the experience so far. Future developments will need to place general practice at the centre of primary care. The mechanisms for doing this will vary from place to place, but need to be developed urgently. Acute hospitals face a crisis of governance. Maurice Hayes' (1) recent report on Tallaght hospital gives an idea of the scale of the changes needed. Tallaght is, we believe, not atypical, and is reputed to be by no means the worst governed hospital in the system. This, alone, should provide a pressing motive for change. Redesigning Irish hospitals to a new mission of supporting primary care, of supporting care in the community where possible can, and must, be done. Long-term care for older people is also a challenge. We advise moving to an integrated needs based system with smooth transitions between different degrees of support at home, and different degrees of support in specialized housing facilities including nursing homes. A similar model should apply to other forms of long-term care, for example for people with a substantial disability. Information systems and management processes both need a major overhaul. The health service remains strikingly under-managed, and fixing this will need a substantial culture change within the services. Wide use of standardized formal project management processes will be vital. There is a separate plan being developed to improve health service IT systems, and implementing this needs to be a high priority. We have not considered other key sectors, for example mental health, disability services, and social services. This does not mean that these are unimportant, merely that we had limited time, and a great deal to cover

    Greener pastures 7 - A fresh look at nutrient losses from intensively managed pastures

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    Dairy farmers in Western Australia have a long history of being concerned for the environment in which they live and work, from early involvement with Landcare District Committees through to participating in the various programs run in DairyCatch. They have planted trees, organised soil testing programs, carried out salinity surveys and, more recently, have signed up for effluent, nutrient and irrigation water management programs. Many of these programs produce benefits both on and off the farm—they can improve the farm environment, increase farm productivity and reduce nutrient losses to surface and ground water. The wider community has supported farmers with funding from both State and National landcare programs.https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/bulletins/1135/thumbnail.jp

    Greener pastures 6 - Managing soil acidity in dairy pastures

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    During 1999-2009, soil testing for pH (in CaCl2) was used to determine lime application for 48 paddocks at the Vasse Research Centre at Busselton, in the south-west of Western Australia (WA). Paddocks had been grazed intensively by dairy cows and their young stock over a period of 10 years, as part of the Vasse Milk Farmlets and Greener Pastures farming system projects. Pasture consisted of annual ryegrasses with some subterranean clover. Soils in the 48 paddocks were 1-2 m sand to sandy loam over massive clay, known locally as Abba sand. For many soils in the region, including Abba sands, the topography is flat and the soils are waterlogged from June to early September in the typical May to November growing season. No major liming program had been undertaken in the 48 paddocks before April 1999, and soil testing in 1999 indicated soil pH for the top 10 cm of soil was 4.0-5.0 in all paddocks. Soil acidification was therefore identified as a major problem, and a liming program was undertaken to rectify the problem, starting in 1999.https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/bulletins/1127/thumbnail.jp

    Greener pastures 2 - Nitrogen for intensively grazed dairy pastures

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    We undertook three main studies during the Greener Pastures project: 1. From mid 2005 to late 2008, a farming systems study was undertaken with five rates of nitrogen fertiliser as the main treatment. This study will be referred to as the ‘nitrogen response farmlets’. 2. From 2006 to 2008 a series of smaller ‘supporting’ studies were completed to investigate how grazing management influences the pasture production gains from nitrogen fertiliser. This will be referred to as the ‘nitrogen by growth-stage study’. 3. From early 2009 to early 2010, a farming systems study was undertaken to investigate the potential to increase pasture utilisation by delaying grazing based on the leaf stage of the ryegrass plant. This study will be referred to as the ‘leaf-stage farmlets’.https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/bulletins/1129/thumbnail.jp
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