1,079 research outputs found
Approaching the end of life and dying with dementia in care homes : the accounts of family carers.
Research into end of life and dying with dementia in care homes from the family carer's perspective is limited. From the available evidence, it appears that family carers find themselves in an unfamiliar situation about which they lack knowledge and experience. Whilst dementia tends not to be acknowledged as a terminal illness by many family carers, they are expected to make end of life decisions on behalf of their relatives. Family carer decision-making is underpinned by values of quality of life, previously expressed wishes, comfort provision and dignity preservation. This is often approached when family carers are grieving for the anticipated loss of their relative and have their own personal needs that require to be addressed. Within a care home setting, a curative careāpalliative care split is unhelpful in resolving these tensions and a model of comprehensive care appears a more appropriate approach. This requires ongoing communication between the person with dementia, family members and professionals from the early stages of the condition
Effects of extended grazing during mid, late or throughout pregnancy, and winter shearing of housed ewes, on ewe and lamb performance
peer-reviewedA flock of March-lambing ewes was used to evaluate the effects of (i) extended (deferred, winter) grazing of pasture during mid, late or throughout pregnancy, and (ii) winter shearing of ewes housed during mid and late pregnancy, on lamb birth weight and subsequent growth to weaning. Ewes (n = 265) were allocated at random to five treatments for the period from 7 December (~ day 47 of pregnancy) to lambing. The treatments were: housed shorn (HS), housed unshorn (HU), grazing throughout
(EG), grazing to 20 January followed by housing (EGH), housed to 20 January followed by grazing (HEG). From 1 March to lambing the HEG and EG ewes were dispersed on the paddocks intended for grazing post lambing. All ewes were offered a concentrate supplement during the final 6 weeks of pregnancy. Housed ewes were offered grass silage while ewes on extended grazing were allocated 1.3 kg herbage dry matter per head per day from swards that had been closed for approximately 10 weeks. Ewes plus lambs (except triplet-rearing ewes which were grazed separately) from all treatments were grazed together post lambing, grouped according to lambing date. For treatments HS, HU, EGH, HEG and EG gestation lengths were 147.0, 145.6, 146.3, 146.6 and 146.9 (s.e. 0.34, P < 0.001) days, lamb birth weights were 4.9, 4.3, 4.4, 4.6 and 5.0 (s.e. 0.10, P < 0.001) kg, and lamb weaning weights were 34.6, 32.1, 33.3, 33.8 and 34.9 (s.e. 0.66, P < 0.001) kg, respectively. Extended grazing in mid and late pregnancy resulted in 35% and 65%, respectively, of the increase in lamb birth weight associated with extended grazing throughout. Treatment effects on lamb birth weight were associated with those on weaning weight (P < 0.01, R2 = 0.93). It is concluded that extended grazing or shearing of housed ewes increased lamb birth weight and subsequent weaning weight. The increased lamb birth weight from deferred grazing in mid pregnancy was probably due to improved protein utilisation from the grazed herbage. Meanwhile, the increase
An evaluation of two grassland-based systems of mid-season prime lamb production using prolific ewes of two genotypes
peer-reviewedA 4-year study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of two contrasting management
systems [year-round grazing (YRG) and normal seasonal grazing followed by indoor
feeding during winter (GWF)] on performance of mid-season lambing ewes. On the
GWF system, the annual stocking rate was 14.4 ewes/ha, grass silage was conserved
for winter feeding indoors, and the ewes were lambed indoors and were then turned
out to pasture. The YRG system was stocked at 10.5 ewes/ha, was grazed during the
winter, had outdoor lambing and the animals had access to all the farmlet for summer
grazing. The ewes were Belclare and Cheviot Ć Belclare which were balanced
across systems. Mean lambing dates and fertiliser N application rates were 20 and 30
March, and 85 and 92 kg/ha, for the GWF and YRG systems, respectively. Concentrate
supplementation during late pregnancy was similar on both systems. For the GWF and
YRG systems, litter size, lamb mortality, number of lambs reared, birth weight (kg),
weaning weight (kg) and lamb carcass output (kg/ha) were 2.17 and 2.24 (s.e. 0.038),
10.1 and 13.8% (P = 0.05), 1.77 and 1.78 (s.e. 0.042), 4.0 and 4.7 (s.e. 0.05, P < 0.001),
27.9 and 30.8 (s.e. 0.25, P < 0.001) and 469 and 348, respectively. Belclare ewes had a
higher litter size (2.34 v 2.07; s.e. 0.038, P < 0.001) and number of lambs reared per
ewe joined (1.86 v 1.69; s.e. 0.048, P < 0.01) than the Cheviot Ć Belclare ewes. There
were no significant interactions between system and ewe breed type. It is concluded that
the YRG system of prime lamb production was sustainable using prolific ewes but at
a reduced stocking rate (ā26%) and with greater lamb mortality relative to the GWF
system. Ewe genotypes with a mean litter size of up to 2.34 lambs are suitable for both
systems. Lamb carcass output of 501 kg/ha was achieved from a primarily grass-based
system of mid-season prime lamb production using prolific ewes (Belclare)
Comparison of a Calan gate and a conventional feed barrier system for dairy cows: feed intake and cow behaviour
peer-reviewedThere is little published information on comparisons of individual and group feeding
systems for dairy cows. Twenty-four dairy cows were used in a three-period incompletely
balanced, change-over design study, to examine food intake and feeding behaviour of
dairy cows offered their food via group-access electronic Calan gates, or via a conventional
feed-barrier system. The food offered was in the form of a complete diet, and
comprised grass silage and concentrates (60:40 dry matter (DM) basis). With the conventional
feed-barrier system a maximum of eight animals were able to feed at any one
time, while the Calan-gate system allowed a maximum of three animals to feed at any
one time. Method of offering the ration had no effect on daily DM intake. During the
8-h period after animals were given access to fresh food, the mean number of animals
feeding at any one time was 5.4 and 3.0 for the conventional and Calan-gate systems,
respectively, while total intake over this period was 11.0 and 9.2 kg DM per cow, respectively.
When access to feed was restricted by the use of Calan gates, animals responded
by increasing their intake rate. It is concluded that total DM intake was unaffected by
the use of a group Calan-gate feeding system as animals modified their feeding behaviour
to maintain food intake
Someday I Will Change the World: Creating Youth Change Agents through Leadership Training
No research currently exists on a leadership development program for secondary students that features project-based learning and connection with change agents. This project seeks to create a program that lives in that gap ā informing a new generation with a modern method of leadership instruction. Through a one day conference, participating students should experience personal and professional growth. Not only will they grow in their communication, motivation, and managerial skills ā but they will also put together a plan of action for when the conference concludes. Students will use this plan to address an issue in their city, county, or state ā putting their new founded leadership abilities to use. The hope exists that this project will create a more modern, new method of leadership instruction for the Generation Z audience
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