The Net Effect of Exchange Rates on Agricultural Inputs and Outputs

For more than thirty years, studies about the effect of the exchange rate on exports have been conducted. However, few have considered the combined effect of the exchange rate on imported inputs into the agricultural system and the exports of final agricultural products those inputs produce. A current concern is for the net effect as the total value and quantity of inputs imported has increased. This research examines the effect of exchange rate changes on imported inputs into the corn, wheat, and beef cattle production systems. Effects on cost of production budgets are calculated, examining affects on profitability. Vector Autoregression (VAR) and Bayesian Averaging of Classical Estimates (BACE) models were estimated to evaluate those effects. Daily and weekly price data were used for corn, wheat, feeder steers, ethanol, diesel, ammonia, urea, di-ammonium phosphate, and the exchange rate. A VAR model was estimated to model the relationship between the variables. After having incongruous test results in determining the lag length structure it was decided that a BACE model would be approximated. After estimating the BACE model the price responses of the commodities to the exchange rates was estimated. The price responses were used in demonstrating the effect of the exchange rate on a producer’s profitability. It was determined that, generally, a strengthening exchange rate has a negative impact on prices. It was also found that the exchange rate has a greater impact on prices now than it did 14 years ago, implying that the exchange rate now has a greater affect on profitability. A one percent increase in the value of the dollar led to a decline in profitability ranging from $0.02/bu in wheat to$0.56/cwt in feeder steers. However, agricultural producers should not be overly concerned about a lower valued dollar from the perspective of their agricultural business.Agricultural and Food Policy, Crop Production/Industries, International Relations/Trade, Livestock Production/Industries,

Priming Cross-Protective Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus-Specific Immunity Using Live-Vectored Mosaic Antigens

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) plays a key role in bovine respiratory disease complex, which can lead to pneumonia, diarrhea and death of calves. Current vaccines are not very effective due, in part, to immunosuppressive traits and failure to induce broad protection. There are diverse BVDV strains and thus, current vaccines contain representative genotype 1 and 2 viruses (BVDV-1 & 2) to broaden coverage. BVDV modified live virus (MLV) vaccines are superior to killed virus vaccines, but they are susceptible to neutralization and complement-mediated destruction triggered by passively acquired antibodies, thus limiting their efficacy. We generated three novel mosaic polypeptide chimeras, designated NproE2123; NS231; and NS232, which incorporate protective determinants that are highly conserved among BVDV-1a, 1b, and BVDV-2 genotypes. In addition, strain-specific protective antigens from disparate BVDV strains were included to broaden coverage. We confirmed that adenovirus constructs expressing these antigens were strongly recognized by monoclonal antibodies, polyclonal sera, and IFN-γ-secreting T cells generated against diverse BVDV strains. In a proof-of-concept efficacy study, the multi-antigen proto-type vaccine induced higher, but not significantly different, IFN-γ spot forming cells and T-cell proliferation compared to a commercial MLV vaccine. In regards to the humoral response, the prototype vaccine induced higher BVDV-1 specific neutralizing antibody titers, whereas the MLV vaccine induced higher BVDV-2 specific neutralizing antibody titers. Following BVDV type 2a (1373) challenge, calves immunized with the proto-type or the MLV vaccine had lower clinical scores compared to naïve controls. These results support the hypothesis that a broadly protective subunit vaccine can be generated using mosaic polypeptides that incorporate rationally selected and validated protective determinants from diverse BVDV strains. Furthermore, regarding biosafety of using a live vector in cattle, we showed that recombinant human adenovirus-5 was cleared within one week following intradermal inoculation

Global Alliance for the Promotion of Physical Activity : the Hamburg Declaration

Publisher Copyright: © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, dementia, depression and cancers, are on the rise worldwide and are often associated with a lack of physical activity (PA). Globally, the levels of PA among individuals are below WHO recommendations. A lack of PA can increase morbidity and mortality, worsen the quality of life and increase the economic burden on individuals and society. In response to this trend, numerous organisations came together under one umbrella in Hamburg, Germany, in April 2021 and signed the â € Hamburg Declaration'. This represented an international commitment to take all necessary actions to increase PA and improve the health of individuals to entire communities. Individuals and organisations are working together as the â € Global Alliance for the Promotion of Physical Activity' to drive long-term individual and population-wide behaviour change by collaborating with all stakeholders in the community: active hospitals, physical activity specialists, community services and healthcare providers, all achieving sustainable health goals for their patients/clients. The â € Hamburg Declaration' calls on national and international policymakers to take concrete action to promote daily PA and exercise at a population level and in healthcare settings.Peer reviewe

Global alliance for the promotion of physical activity : the Hamburg declaration

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, dementia, depression and cancers, are on the rise worldwide and are often associated with a lack of physical activity (PA). Globally, the levels of PA among individuals are below WHO recommendations. A lack of PA can increase morbidity and mortality, worsen the quality of life and increase the economic burden on individuals and society. In response to this trend, numerous organisations came together under one umbrella in Hamburg, Germany, in April 2021 and signed the ‘Hamburg Declaration’. This represented an international commitment to take all necessary actions to increase PA and improve the health of individuals to entire communities. Individuals and organisations are working together as the ‘Global Alliance for the Promotion of Physical Activity’ to drive long-term individual and population-wide behaviour change by collaborating with all stakeholders in the community: active hospitals, physical activity specialists, community services and healthcare providers, all achieving sustainable health goals for their patients/clients. The ‘Hamburg Declaration’ calls on national and international policymakers to take concrete action to promote daily PA and exercise at a population level and in healthcare settings.https://drc.bmj.com/am2024Sports MedicineSDG-03:Good heatlh and well-beingSDG-17:Partnerships for the goal

Economic Analysis of Selecting for Cow Longevity

Selecting for longevity and time length of peak cow performance contributes positively to cow-calf profitability. This paper examines the economic impact of selecting for cow longer longevity on returns. Data from a longevity project using Angus, Gray Brahman, Red Brahman, Indu-Brazil, Gir, and Nellore cattle from 1985 to 2005 were utilized to determine the economic impact of increasing the productive cow lifespan. Net present value was estimated for cows using a stochastic simulation model. Average NPV was the highest for the Nellore crossbreds and lowest for the Angus crossbreds. The value of inclusion of an additional year of peak performance ranged from $118 per cow for the Angus crossbreds to$244 per cow for Indu-Brazil sired cows. The economic impact of increasing longevity through selection or increasing the number of peak production years was positive. When age at culling was compared, it was found that Nellore and Gir crossbreds had means that were significantly larger than the base, Angus crossbreds. Selecting for longer productive cow life is shown to have a older optimal cow culling age