Association between body condition score and live weight in pasture-based Holstein-Friesian dairy cows

peer-reviewedThe objective was to quantify the strength of the relationship between body condition score (BCS) and live weight (LW) in pasture-based Holstein-Friesian dairy cattle, and to determine the kg LW per unit BCS. A total of 26021 test-day records with information on both BCS (1–10 scale, where 1 is emaciated and 10 is obese) and LW across 1110 lactations from one research farm were used in the analysis. Correlation and regression analyses were used to determine the degree of association between BCS and LW in different parities, stages of the inter-calving interval and years. Correlations between BCS and LW were relatively consistent, with the mean correlation between BCS and LW across all data of 0·55 implying that differences in BCS explain approximately 30% of the variation in LW. Significantly different regressions of LW on BCS were present within stage of inter-calving interval by parity subclasses. Excluding calving, LW per unit BCS varied from 17 kg (early to mid lactation in parity 1) to 36 kg (early lactation in parity 4 and 5). However, LW per unit BCS was greatest at calving varying from 44 kg in first parity animals to 62 kg in second parity animals. On average, 1 BCS unit equated to 31 kg LW across all data

Culture + Behaviour + Comparison = Cross-Cultural Psychology

For many years I have advocated the view that cross-cultural psychology should have the following characteristics: it begins with an ethnographic search to select those settings that may provide the cultural and ecological contexts that are theoretically-relevant to the development of the particular behaviour of interest; this is followed by advancing hypotheses that link the context to the behaviour; then fieldwork is undertaken to further examine these cultural attributes, and to carry out the assessment of the behaviour of individuals. These activities are carried out across contexts for three reasons: (i) in order to gain sufficient variation in the cultural and behavioural information to allow the examination of their co-variation (ie. to assess the hypothesis); (ii) to search for universals in the structure of behaviours; and (iii) to allow the possible discovery of universals in culture- behaviour relationships. In my view, cross-cultural psychology is cultural first, then psychological, and then comparative

How Shall we all Live Together?

There is probably no more serious challenge to social stability and cohesion in the contemporary world than the management of intercultural relations within culturally plural societies. Successful management depends on many factors including a research-based understanding of the historical, political, economic, religious, and psychological features of the groups that are in contact. The core question is “How shall we all live together?” In this paper, we seek to provide such research by examining three core psychological principles in 17 culturally plural societies. The main goal of the project is to evaluate these three hypotheses of intercultural relations (multiculturalism, contact, and integration) across societies in order to identify some basic psychological principles that may underlie intercultural relations. The eventual goal is to employ the findings to propose some policies and programmes that may improve the quality of intercultural relationship globally. The empirical findings in these 17 societies generally support the validity of the three hypotheses. Implications for the development of policies and programmes to enhance the quality of intercultural relations are discussed

The IACCP Archives Project

In July 2006 a workshop featuring a suggested IACCP Archives Project was part of the programme at the IACCP international congress in Spetses, Greece. About 25 highly interested people attended it. An informal meeting was held about a week later. John Berry and Walt Lonner, and several senior members of IACCP, were active participants in both sessions. Everyone involved so far has enthusiastically endorsed the basic idea of establishing the Archives and finding a permanent home for them. We also will need to develop some procedures for possible uses of the various components that the archives may contain

Structure of Acculturation Attitudes and their Relationships with Personality and Psychological Adaptation: A Study with Immigrant and National Samples in Germany

This contribution deals with the structure of acculturation attitudes and their relationship with personality dimensions and psychological adaptation. Based on two German samples—an immigrant and a national one— evidence suggests that four independent factors are underlying acculturation styles as assessed with the Acculturation Attitudes Styles (AAS). Integration, Assimilation, Separation, and Marginalization are independent, lowly correlated constructs and represent distinct modes of coping with acculturation demands. Analyses also demonstrate that each acculturation factor shows a specific pattern of personality characteristics, including basic temperament dimensions, cognitive styles, coping, and components of emotional intelligence. Finally, the four acculturation styles can predict psychological adaptation such as wellbeing, happiness, etc. Integration is the most adaptive acculturation strategy, whereas Separation and Marginalization most strongly predict negative outcomes

The Strategies of Inter-Ethnic Adaptation of Estonian Russians

Based on the inter-cultural relations model of John Berry, four different groups among Russian-speakers in Estonia were differentiated in the analysis of ‘Integration monitoring 2005’. The analysis reveals that both similarities and differences exist between the characteristics of these four groups and the groups in the typology of Berry (integration, assimilation, marginalisation, separation). The differences that emerged are related to the assimilation and integration strategies, which proved to be rather restrained for Russian-speakers in the current social and political context in Estonia. The analysis gives us ground to claim that the strong ethnic connotation of the current nation-state model in Estonia hinders finding a positive place in this country even for those Russian-speakers, who, in fact, would like to integrate

The Strategies of Inter-Ethnic Adaptation of Estonian Russians

"Based on the inter-cultural relations model of John Berry, four different groups among Russian-speakers in Estonia were differentiated in the analysis of ‘Integration monitoring 2005’. The analysis reveals that both similarities and differences exist between the characteristics of these four groups and the groups in the typology of Berry (integration, assimilation, marginalisation, separation). The differences that emerged are related to the assimilation and integration strategies, which proved to be rather restrained for Russian-speakers in the current social and political context in Estonia. The analysis gives us ground to claim that the strong ethnic connotation of the current nation-state model in Estonia hinders finding a positive place in this country even for those Russian-speakers, who, in fact, would like to integrate." (author's abstract

Contributors to the January Issue/Notes

Notes by John J. Locher, W. A. Stewart, John H. Logan, John A. Berry, Albert J. Andreoni, Richard A. Molique, Robert B. Devine, and Joseph A. McCabe

Contributors to the January Issue/Notes

Notes by John J. Locher, W. A. Stewart, John H. Logan, John A. Berry, Albert J. Andreoni, Richard A. Molique, Robert B. Devine, and Joseph A. McCabe

Adaptive homodyne measurement of optical phase

We present an experimental demonstration of the power of real-time feedback in quantum metrology, confirming a theoretical prediction by Wiseman regarding the superior performance of an adaptive homodyne technique for single-shot measurement of optical phase. For phase measurements performed on weak coherent states with no prior knowledge of the signal phase, we show that the variance of adaptive homodyne estimation approaches closer to the fundamental quantum uncertainty limit than any previously demonstrated technique. Our results underscore the importance of real-time feedback for reaching quantum performance limits in coherent telecommunication, precision measurement and information processing.Comment: RevTex4, color PDF figures (separate files), submitted to PR