Democratizing Global ‘Bodies Politic’: Collective Agency, Political Legitimacy, and the Democratic Boundary Problem

This article outlines a new approach to answering the foundational question in democratic theory of how the boundaries of democratic political units should be delineated. Whereas democratic theorists have mostly focused on identifying the appropriate population-group – or demos – for democratic decisionmaking, it is argued here that we should also take account of considerations relating to the appropriate scope of a democratic unit’s institutionalized governance capabilities – or public power. These matter because democratically legitimate governance is produced not only through the decision-making agency of a demos, but also through the institutionally distinct sources of political agency that shape the governance capabilities of public power. To develop this argument, the article traces a new theoretical account of the normative and institutional sources of collective agency, political legitimacy, and democratic boundaries, and illustrates it through a democratic reconstruction of the classical body politic metaphor. It further shows how this theoretical account lends strong prescriptive support to pluralist institutional boundaries within democratic global governance

Democratizing Global ‘Bodies Politic’: Collective Agency, Political Legitimacy, and the Democratic Boundary Problem

This article outlines a new approach to answering the foundational question in democratic theory of how the boundaries of democratic political units should be delineated. Whereas democratic theorists have mostly focused on identifying the appropriate population-group – or demos – for democratic decisionmaking, it is argued here that we should also take account of considerations relating to the appropriate scope of a democratic unit’s institutionalized governance capabilities – or public power. These matter because democratically legitimate governance is produced not only through the decision-making agency of a demos, but also through the institutionally distinct sources of political agency that shape the governance capabilities of public power. To develop this argument, the article traces a new theoretical account of the normative and institutional sources of collective agency, political legitimacy, and democratic boundaries, and illustrates it through a democratic reconstruction of the classical body politic metaphor. It further shows how this theoretical account lends strong prescriptive support to pluralist institutional boundaries within democratic global governance

Effects of Dried Distillers Grains and Equivalent Undegradable Intake Protein or Ether Extract on Performance and Forage Intake of Heifers Grazing Smooth Bromegrass Pastures

Crossbred heifers (n = 120; BW = 368 kg, SD = 39 kg) were used to determine effects of dried distillers grains (DDG) and relative contributions of undegradable intake protein (UIP) and fat (ether extract, EE) in DDG on ADG and forage intake (FI). Heifers rotationally grazed six 3.5-ha, smooth bromegrass paddocks (IVDMD = 65.7%, CP = 20.8%, UIP = 2.17%, DM basis). Heifers were blocked by previous ADG and allotted to treatments in a 3 × 3 + 1 factorial design. Factors were source and level of supplementation. Supplements were as follows: 1) DDG (UIP = 15.8%, EE = 9.67%), 2) corn gluten meal (CGM; UIP = 31.6%, EE = 0.83%), or 3) corn oil (OIL; UIP = 0.74%, EE = 19.3%). Amounts of DDG were 750, 1,500, or 2,250 g/d, whereas amounts of CGM and OIL were 375, 750, or 1,125 g/ d. Supplements containing CGM and OIL were fed in amounts that provided UIP and EE, respectively, equivalent to those of the DDG. Contrasts of interest were DDG vs. CGM and DDG vs. OIL. Control heifers were fed 250 g/d of a supplement containing corn bran and molasses (UIP = 0.92%, EE = 1.13%). Heifers were supplemented individually. Treatments were separated by regressing the response variables on grams of nutrient (DM, UIP, or EE) intake per kilogram of BW, because not all heifers consumed their allotment of supplement. Supplemental DDG resulted in a linear increase in ADG (P \u3c 0.01), whereas CGM tended to increase ADG (P = 0.14) but at a rate that was 39% of that for DDG, representing a response to MP. Supplementation of OIL did not affect ADG (P = 0.25) and tended to result in ADG less than that of DDG (P = 0.09). Supplementation with DDG had no effect (P = 0.63) on FI when predicted by the use of chromic oxide but tended (P = 0.07) to decrease FI when it was predicted from ADG using NE equations. Despite the differences between methods in the significance of the effect of DDG, the rates of substitution agreed (−0.50 and −0.45 for chromic oxide and NE equations, respectively), suggesting that the chromic oxide method was less sensitive in assessing FI. Supplementation with CGM decreased FI (P \u3c 0.01), but FI for CGM did not differ from that of DDG when the chromic oxide method was used (P = 0.19). Corn oil had no effect on FI (P = 0.42). Increased ADG and decreased FI observed from DDG supplementation is not independently explained by UIP or EE contained in DDG

A ‘better’ education: An examination of the utility of boarding school for Indigenous secondary students in Western Australia

Over the past 10 years, great improvements have been observed in the Year 12 attainment rate of Indigenous Australians. This has been due, in part, to government funding of programmes aimed at improving education opportunity for Indigenous Australian students, including funding of scholarships for students from remote areas to attend boarding schools. The current qualitative study investigated the perspectives of school leaders and Indigenous secondary students across the Australian state of Western Australia, on the utility and impact of this boarding provision. Students identified that boarding education allowed them to achieve a dual goal of meaningful career pathways and improved health outcomes, although they faced challenges unique to the Indigenous boarding school experience in terms of student self-concept, racism, homesickness and post-school transitions

Effect of Crude Glycerin Concentration on Growing Steer Performance in Forage Diets

The effect of increasing crude glycerin concentration was evaluated in a 91- d growing trial utilizing 60 steers. Crude glycerin was included at 0, 4, 8, and 12% of dietary DM in diets consisting of 50% wheat straw; 22.9- 37.0% wet corn bran, and 8.0- 10.1% soybean meal. Crude glycerin replaced wet corn bran and soybean meal was added to maintain dietary CP. Steer ending BW was not different among treatments. Th ere was a quadratic increase in DMI from 0 to 8% crude glycerin and subsequent decrease at 12%. Th ere was no difference in ADG or feed efficiency among crude glycerin concentrations. Therefore, crude glycerin appears to have an energy value slightly less than wet corn bran in a forage- based diet

Relationships of Chute-Side Measurements to Carcass Measurements

Three data sets were compiled to determine the relationship of weight, performance, hip height and ultrasound-measured fat thickness to hot carcass weight and fat thickness. Weight is generally the best predictor of relative differences in carcass weight at any time in the production system. Hip heights do not predict relative differences in carcass weight. Although the combination of hip height and weight is a more precise indicator of carcass weight than is hip height alone, generally this combination is inferior to weight alone. Only ultrasound-measured fat thickness predicted relative differences in fat thickness. Prediction of relative differences in carcass weight from body weight and fat thickness from ultrasound scans improved as marketing date approached

Dried Distillers Grains Supplementation of Calves Grazing Irrigated Corn Residue

Steer calves grazing irrigated corn residue received supplementation of dried distillers grains plus solubles (DGS) at 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 0.9, or 1.1% of body weight. Steers were individually supplemented daily through Calan gates. Daily gain improved linearly (0.77 lb/head/day to 2.21 lb/head/day) with increasing supplementation (1.5 lb/day to 7 lb/day). Supplementing DGS to calves grazing corn residue increased gain during the winter period

Economic Analysis of Increased Corn Silage Inclusion in Beef Finishing Cattle

An economic analysis was conducted to assess the feasibility of feeding greater inclusions of corn silage in finishing diets. Cattle were fed two inclusions of corn silage (15 and 45% of diet dry matter) with or without tylosin. Cattle fed 15% corn silage with tylosin had the best feed conversion, 15 % corn silage without tylosin was intermediate, and both 45% corn silage with and without tylosin had the poorest feed conversion. Feeding corn silage at greater inclusions decreased ADG but increased final body weight when fed to an equal fatness (28 days longer). However, feeding corn silage at 45% was more economical compared to feeding 15% corn silage, especially at higher corn prices, provided shrink is well managed (less than 15%). Feeding elevated concentrations of corn silage may have an economic advantage while also offering the addition of liver abscess control in finishing diets without tylosin

Sorting Strategies for Yearlings

One hundred sixty medium-framed English-cross steers were used in each year of a two-year study to determine effects of three sorting strategies on performance, carcass characteristics and profitability in an extensive beef production system. Sorting by weight before the grazing period or entering the feedlot decreased variation in carcass weight. Sorting by weight before the grazing period increased marbling scores and resulted in significantly higher premiums. However, no sorting strategy significantly increased carcass weight or improved profitability

Sorting Strategies in an Extensive Forage Utilization Beef Production System

One hundred sixty crossbred steer calves were stratified by weight and allotted into four groups to test three sorting strategies against an unsorted control to compare methods of sorting long yearling steers to decrease variation in carcass weight and fat thickness, increase pounds of carcass weight sold, and increase profitability. Sorting by weight upon entry into the feedlot or by weight and fat thickness at the end of the feeding period increased average carcass weight. No statistical differences in variation or profitability were found, although numerical differences were present