Evaluation of parent plants for alfalfa breeding

Non-Peer Reviewe

Differences in Financial Performance and Risk Tolerance at Faith-Based Credit Unions

In the United States, faith-based and other small credit unions are vanishing at the rate of nearly a credit union each workday. The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to provide managers of faith-based credit unions with information about differences in financial performance and risk tolerance between faith-based and non-faith-based credit unions in order to improve their investment strategy and long-term sustainability. The study included a comparison of ratios measuring the financial performance and risk tolerance of randomly selected faith-based credit unions in the United States with the corresponding ratios of non-faith-based credit unions of similar size and location from 2003 to 2012. The data were collected from the National Credit Union Association, the U.S. government regulator of federally insured credit unions. The data analysis involved t tests and one-way ANOVAs to determine the differences in mean ratios of financial performance and risk tolerance between faith-based and non-faith-based credit unions. The findings demonstrated mixed support for the theoretical framework based on the Protestant ethic theory, which holds that certain traits associated with religion (e.g., thrift and debt avoidance) might influence financial performance and risk tolerance. The findings revealed significant differences between faith-based and non-faith-based credit unions in capital adequacy, liquidity risk, and credit risk, but not in profitability and interest rate risk. The implications for social change include the potential to strengthen the risk management and investment strategies for faith-based credit unions, thereby helping to ensure the continuation of vital financial services valued by members and their communities

Public perceptions of drinking water: A postal survey of residents with private water supplies

Background: In Canada, the legal responsibility for the condition of private water supplies, including private wells and cisterns, rests with their owners. However, there are reports that Canadians test these water supplies intermittently and that treatment of such water is uncommon. An estimated 45% of all waterborne outbreaks in Canada involve non-municipal systems. An understanding of the perceptions and needs of Canadians served by private water supplies is essential, as it would enable public health professionals to better target public education and drinking water policy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the public perceptions of private water supplies in the City of Hamilton, Ontario (Canada), with the intent of informing public education and outreach strategies within the population. Methods: A cross-sectional postal survey of 246 residences with private water supplies was conducted in May 2004. Questions pertained to the perceptions of water quality and alternative water sources, water testing behaviours and the self-identified need for further information. Results: Private wells, cisterns or both, were the source of household water for 71%, 16% and 13% of respondents, respectively. Although respondents rated their water quality highly, 80% also had concerns with its safety. The most common concerns pertained to bacterial and chemical contamination of their water supply and its potential negative effect on health. Approximately 56% and 61% of respondents used in-home treatment devices and bottled water within their homes, respectively, mainly due to perceived improvements in the safety and aesthetic qualities compared to regular tap water. Testing of private water supplies was performed infrequently: 8% of respondents tested at a frequency that meets current provincial guidelines. Two-thirds of respondents wanted more information on various topics related to private water supplies. Flyers and newspapers were the two media reported most likely to be used. Conclusion: Although respondents rated their water quality highly, the majority had concerns regarding the water from their private supply, and the use of bottled water and water treatment devices was extensive. The results of this study suggest important lines of inquiry and provide support and input for public education programs, particularly those related to private water testing, in this population

Forage yield and quality, cattle grazing capacity, cost of production and soil carbon in an annual polycrop mixture versus barley swath grazing

Non-Peer ReviewedThe extensive swath grazing systems of barley (Hordeum vulgare) and an annual polycrop mixture were evaluated for forage yield, forage quality, cattle grazing capacity, and cost of production in 2017 and 2018. A 13.2 ha site located at Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence Termuende Research Ranch was seeded in June and grazing commenced in November of each year. The annual polycrop mixture was Union Forage Ultimate Annual Blend with the addition of 40-10 forage peas (Pisum sativa). The Ultimate Annual Blend included the following species: hairy vetch (Vicia villosa), crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum), Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), Winfred forage brassica (Brassica napus ssp. biennis), Hunter Brassica (Brassica rapa syn.B campestris), and Graza Forage Brassica forage brassica (Raphanus sativa ssp. maritimus). The barley cultivar was CDC Maverick barley

Structural fumigation efficacy against Tribolium castaneum in flour mills

Structural fumigations of food processing plants to manage stored-product insects have been a major component of pest management programs, but limited information on field efficacy is available. Efficacy, based on pheromone trapping data, consists of initial reduction in captures after treatment and recovery in trap captures over time after treatment (i.e., rebound). Patterns of Tribolium castaneum reduction and rebound were evaluated after 21 fumigations in two flour mills. Influence of time of year fumigation occurred, environmental conditions, and impact of other pest management tactics on efficacy was determined as well. Information generated can be used to guide fumigation decisions, including the development of risk thresholds for levels of pheromone trap captures. Keywords: Tribolium castaneum, Fumigation, Flour mills, Efficacy, Methyl bromid

Host spatiotemporal overlap in a park with high endemicity of Echinococcus multilocularis

There has been a spate of recent cases of human alveolar echinococcosis (AE) in Alberta, Canada. Alveolar echinococcosis is caused by Echinococcus multilocularis, which is prevalent among coyote populations and present in domestic dogs in Alberta. Using qPCR, we estimated the seasonal fecal prevalence of E. multilocularis in coyotes and dogs in a multiuse recreation area close to Edmonton, Alberta, where we also setup remote cameras to model seasonal changes in the overlap in temporal activity and the spatial intensity of use among coyotes, humans, and dogs, as a proxy of potential transmission. We detected E. multilocularis in 18 of 137 wild canid feces and none in 44 dog feces. After correcting for the qPCR test’s sensitivity and specificity, we estimated at 15.7% (9.7-22.7%, 95% CrI) the true fecal prevalence for coyotes. Temporal overlap between coyotes and both humans and dogs increased in the fall and winter relative to the spring and summer. Coyote intensity of use showed seasonal variations and was higher on maintained trails and locations closer to visitor parking and at sites with high intensity of dog use. Our results reinforce the need of an integrated approach, typical of both One-Health and Eco-Health, to park management for minimizing the likelihood of transmission where human and dog activity results in significant overlap with the one of the natural definitive hosts of zoonotic parasites

An empirical analysis of the cost of rearing dairy heifers from birth to first calving and the time taken to repay these costs

Rearing quality dairy heifers is essential to maintain herds by replacing culled cows. Information on the key factors influencing the cost of rearing under different management systems is, however, limited and many farmers are unaware of their true costs. This study determined the cost of rearing heifers from birth to first calving in Great Britain including the cost of mortality, investigated the main factors influencing these costs across differing farming systems and estimated how long it took heifers to repay the cost of rearing on individual farms. Primary data on heifer management from birth to calving was collected through a survey of 101 dairy farms during 2013. Univariate followed by multivariable linear regression was used to analyse the influence of farm factors and key rearing events on costs. An Excel spreadsheet model was developed to determine the time it took for heifers to repay the rearing cost. The mean +/- SD ages at weaning, conception and calving were 62 +/- 13, 509 +/- 60 and 784 +/- 60 days. The mean total cost of rearing was 1819 pound +/- 387/heifer with a mean daily cost of 2.31 pound +/- 0.41. This included the opportunity cost of the heifer and the mean cost of mortality, which ranged from 103.49 pound to 146.19 pound/surviving heifer. The multivariable model predicted an increase in mean cost of rearing of 2.87 pound for each extra day of age at first calving and a decrease in mean cost of 6.06 pound for each percentile increase in time spent at grass. The model also predicted a decrease in the mean cost of rearing in autumn and spring calving herds of 273.20 pound and 288.56 pound, respectively, compared with that in all-year-round calving herds. Farms with herd sizes100 had lower mean costs of between 301.75 pound and 407.83 pound compared with farms with <100 milking cows. The mean gross margin per heifer was 441.66 pound +/- 304.56 (range 367.63 pound to 1120.08) pound, with 11 farms experiencing negative gross margins. Most farms repaid the cost of heifer rearing in the first two lactations (range 1 to 6 lactations) with a mean time from first calving until breaking even of 530 +/- 293 days. The results of the economic analysis suggest that management decisions on key reproduction events and grazing policy significantly influence the cost of rearing and the time it takes for heifers to start making a profit for the farm

Chapitre 34 - Contexte pour One Health et approche éco-santé

Introduction Le domaine de l’éco-santé a trait, largement, à « la recherche, la pratique et l’intégration des connaissances à l’interface de l’écologie et de la santé » (International Association for Ecology and Health, 2013). Cette expression, tirée des objectifs et de la portée de la revue EcoHealth, est complétée par quelques dizaines d’exemples dans les rubriques « One Health et la médecine de conservation », « Approches éco..