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Pig herds in Africa comprise genotypes ranging from local ecotypes to commercial breeds. Many animals are composites of these two types and the best levels of crossbreeding for particular production systems are largely unknown. These pigs are managed without structured breeding programs and inbreeding is potentially limiting. The objective of this study was to quantify ancestry contributions and inbreeding levels in a population of smallholder pigs in Uganda. The study was set in the districts of Hoima and Kamuli in Uganda and involved 422 pigs. Pig hair samples were taken from adult and growing pigs in the framework of a longitudinal study investigating productivity and profitability of smallholder pig production. The samples were genotyped using the porcine GeneSeek Genomic Profiler (GGP) 50K SNP Chip. The SNP data was analyzed to infer breed ancestry and autozygosity of the Uganda pigs. The results showed that exotic breeds (modern European and old British) contributed an average of 22.8% with a range of 2–50% while “local” blood contributed 69.2% (36.9–95.2%) to the ancestry of the pigs. Runs of homozygosity (ROH) greater than 2 megabase (Mb) quantified the average genomic inbreeding coefficient of the pigs as 0.043. The scarcity of long ROH indicated low recent inbreeding. We conclude that the genomic background of the pig population in the study is a mix of old British and modern pig ancestries. Best levels of admixture for smallholder pigs are yet to be determined, by linking genotypes and phenotypic records.

Several studies have evaluated computational methods that infer the haplotypes from population genotype data in European cattle populations. However, little is known about how well they perform in African indigenous and crossbred populations. This study investigates: (1) global and local ancestry inference; (2) heterozygosity proportion estimation; and (3) genotype imputation in West African indigenous and crossbred cattle populations. Principal component analysis (PCA), ADMIXTURE, and LAMP-LD were used to analyse a medium-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) dataset from Senegalese crossbred cattle. Reference SNP data of East and West African indigenous and crossbred cattle populations were used to investigate the accuracy of imputation from low to medium-density and from medium to high-density SNP datasets using Minimac v3. The first two principal components differentiatedBos indicusfrom EuropeanBos taurusand AfricanBos taurusfrom other breeds. Irrespective of assuming two or three ancestral breeds for the Senegalese crossbreds, breed proportion estimates from ADMIXTURE and LAMP-LD showed a high correlation (r≥ 0.981). The observed ancestral origin heterozygosity proportion in putative F1 crosses was close to the expected value of 1.0, and clearly differentiated F1 from all other crosses. The imputation accuracies (estimated as correlation) between imputed and the real data in crossbred animals ranged from 0.142 to 0.717 when imputing from low to medium-density, and from 0.478 to 0.899 for imputation from medium to high-density. The imputation accuracy was generally higher when the reference data came from the same geographical region as the target population, and when crossbred reference data was used to impute crossbred genotypes. The lowest imputation accuracies were observed for indigenous breed genotypes. This study shows that ancestral origin heterozygosity can be estimated with high accuracy and will be far superior to the use of observed individual heterozygosity for estimating heterosis in African crossbred populations. It was not possible to achieve high imputation accuracy in West African crossbred or indigenous populations based on reference data sets from East Africa, and population-specific genotyping with high-density SNP assays is required to improve imputation.

Senegal, located in West Africa, is an example of a low-to middle-income country where the govern-ment has prioritized improving livestock production self-sufficiency, with a strong focus on dairy. Among other initiatives, the use of exotic dairy cattle has been promoted, despite no evidence for the potential liveli-hood benefits (or otherwise) to smallholder farmers on adopting the new genetics. The current work fills this evidence gap by performing a farm-level economic study comparing the keeping of different breed and cross-breed types of dairy cattle under different management levels. Data for the study were obtained by monitoring 220 smallholder dairy cattle farms, with a combined cattle population of about 3,000 animals, over an almost 2-yr period. Findings of the study suggest that the most net-beneficial and cost-beneficial dairy cattle enterprise that could be used by the smallholder farmers was to keep crossbred indigenous zebu by exotic Bos taurus animals under management standards that are consid-ered good compared with local standards. This dairy enterprise type was 7.4-fold more net beneficial and had a 1.4-fold more favorable cost-benefit ratio than the traditional system of keeping indigenous zebu animals under poor (low-input) management. Interestingly, the keeping of (near) pure B. taurus dairy cattle resulted in the highest milk yields and thus benefit from milk, but was not the most net beneficial due to the high costs of keeping these animals, particularly in terms of feed. We also found that increasing the managementlevel of any of the breed or cross-breed types under consideration, including the indigenous zebu animals, resulted in an increased net benefit of 2.2-to 2.9-fold. Results of this economic analysis are discussed as part of a broader trade-off analysis, resulting in recommendations to strengthen the Senegal dairy sector. The combined intervention of improved dairy cattle genetics and management is considered a promising intervention to improve livelihoods of the rural poor as well as livestock production self-sufficiency for Senegal; some other system constraints are addressed.

Milk production and milk composition of various cattle breeds and their crosses in the North Central Peanut Basin of Senegal have been analysed. In total, 6082 records were collected from 1447 cows. But finally, only 1923 test-day records of milk volume were evaluated from 319 cows with 370 lactations during a longitudinal survey. A subset of 227 cows was used to determine the milk composition of the main breed-groups that were present and which were clustered into four groups: Indigenous zebus (Zebu Gobra; Zebu Maure), Indigenous zebu by Guzerat (Indigenous zebu cross with 25% to 50% Guzerat), Indigenous zebu by Bos taurus taurus (Indigenous zebu cross with 25% to 50% Bos taurus taurus where the Bos taurus taurus includes breeds such as Montbeliarde and Holstein-Friesian) and High Bos taurus taurus (cows with a high component of Bos taurus taurus , typically 75% to 100% of previous Bos taurus taurus ). The daily milk yield, cumulative milk yield of 305 days, milk fat and protein percentages were determined for each cluster. The daily milk yield varied from 1.43 L/day in indigenous zebus to 7.04 L/day in High Bos taurus taurus . In general, the daily milk yield increased with the number of parturitions. Indigenous zebus showed the lowest 305-day milk yield (466 L and 496 L for first and later lactations, respectively) whilst High Bos taurus taurus cows showed the highest milk production (1408 L and 2108 L for first and later lactations, respectively). Fat percentage increased from the primiparous to the multiparous cows. Primiparous Indigenous zebus by Bos taurus taurus cows showed the highest fat content (5.10%), followed by Indigenous zebus (4.44%). The average calving interval ranged from 519 days for Indigenous zebus by Bos taurus taurus to 580 days for Indigenous zebus. The average lactation length for all cows was 370 days. Key words : Dairy cows, lactation, milk yield, milk quality, breed differences, Senegal

Somalia, one of the world's poorest countries, has livestock as the mainstay of the economy, with an estimated 65% of the population engaged in the livestock sector. This paper presents a gendered study on the traditional livestock breeding practices of Somali pastoralists for camels, cattle, sheep and goats, with a focus on documenting livestock traits of importance, the criteria used to select male breeding animals and the criteria used to cull female breeding animals. Data for the study were obtained by performing participatory rural appraisals (PRAs) with separate male and female pastoral groups from 20 settlements of the Tog-Dheer region of Somaliland (in north-western Somalia). In total, more than 500 pastoralists were involved. In terms of livestock ownership, goats were the most common species kept (97% of all households), followed by sheep (64%), camels (37%) and cattle (9%), with considerable herd size variation across households. Traits of key importance to the pastoralists varied by species and gender of the PRA group, but included adaptedness to harsh environmental conditions, high market value/high meat production and high milk production. The pastoralists practised sensible criteria for the selection of male breeding animals for all species, capturing aspects of productivity (milk yield, reproduction), adaptedness (good hardiness) and marketability (body size and conformation). Similarly, they practised sensible criteria for culling of female breeding animals, with females removed from the herd primarily for poor performance, but also to meet the livelihood needs of the family. Differences in the selection and culling criteria were noted by species, as well as gender of the pastoralists. On the whole, there was strong alignment between the livestock selection criteria used by the Somali pastoralists, their reasons for keeping livestock and the market requirements. This is not surprising given the intimate and long-standing relationship between Somali pastoralists and their livestock.

The livestock sector in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs) is evolving. In response to growing demand for livestock products, it is likely that smallholder production systems will experience varying forms of intensification. Associated decision making is made complex, not only with the intrinsic characteristics of livestock in LMICs (for instance as sources of income, assets, or social symbols), but also by diverse objectives of stakeholders and agricultural development paradigms. This paper discusses trade-offs that are likely to arise in the choice of livestock production systems; with a focus at household and farm level, economic gains, gender equity, environmental concerns, human nutrition and food safety are all considered. We begin by describing trajectories of livestock intensification in LMICs. Then potential trade-offs during such intensification are depicted; with examples concerning environmental, economic and social aspects. Recognising and understanding trade-offs is imperative; therefore we discuss decision making methods, the management of trade-offs and the balance between providing an average benefit for a population and the variation in benefit for individuals. Finally, a (partial) trade-off analysis is illustrated by use of a case study on household dairy cattle enterprises in Senegal. The discussion advocates for holistic approaches to agricultural development efforts, which include recognition of the multiple objectives and the associated trade-offs.

Background: Anxiety and depression are common co-morbidities in COPD. We have demonstrated the effectiveness of CBT in treating these in a randomised controlled trial (RCT) as compared to self- help leaflets. We wanted to define if those entering our RCT were different to the wider anxious COPD population. Methods: 1518 secondary care patients were screened for symptoms of anxiety. It was estimated that around 40% of patients would have a Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale Anxiety (HAS-A) score ≥8 and be eligible for the RCT. We anticipated that about 70% of patients would consent to take part. Results: 898/1518 (59%) patients had symptoms of anxiety scoring >8 on the HADS-A scale. 389/898 (43%) declined to participate in the research. 279 patients HADS-A score >8 were recruited. 83% of patients randomised to CBT completed the intervention. There was no difference between the group mean anxiety and depression scores. Conclusion: Anxiety is a significant problem in COPD. Patients with anxiety and depression may be reluctant to participate in research but the decline rate is similar to our experience with novel inhaler trials in COPD. Those patients who did engage in CBT research were similar to those who declined. A high number of patients completed the CBT suggesting the intervention was acceptable. Funding: This abstract presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The views expressed are those of the authors.

Six women from the same graduate school of psychology, one faculty member and one student from each year of the doctoral program, came together to learn about each other, the developmental experiences of women psychologists, and to supplement the largely overlooked documented histories of women psychologists. As a result, these women, whose personal histories differed greatly, began a project to record their individual and collective life and career development experiences with the ultimate goals of (a) identifying predominant characteristics of the first women psychologists, (b) comparing their paths with those who led the way for women entering the profession, and (c) elucidating for today’s women psychologists the rich legacy of the pioneers in the field, including the familiar challenges of balancing life and work. A review of the literature was undertaken and the consensual qualitative research model was used to analyze data. The core themes revealed were (a) spirited personality traits; (b) constraints of culture, gender, race, and social class; and (c) development influenced by relationships and role models. These themes echoed the experiences of the earliest women psychologists who came from privileged backgrounds; the current women psychologists were from more diverse backgrounds and are seen as women of opportunity.

Rural livelihoods in West Africa depend largely on livestock. The sub-humid and humid zones of the region, however, are highly affected by the tsetse flies, vector of trypanosomosis, by severely limiting livestock production and livelihood options. Endemic ruminant livestock breeds are trypanotolerant, but perceived as inferior compared to other breeds in terms of productivity. The paper shows trends of relative decline in endemic population as a result of increased crossbreeding, largely with zebu cattle and Sahelian sheep and goats, and considerable decline in habitat quality due to forest conversion, logging activities and bushfires. The trade-offs between livelihoods and income strategies and endemic ruminant and habitat conservation are captured by an understanding of the socio-economic conditions and potential drivers of breed choices and forest use within households and communities. The paper shows that livelihood analysis is an important step in understanding impacts and therefore responses to development projects and to ensure that the poorest categories are not excluded from development interventions.

Summary High levels of inbreeding in East African dairy cattle are a potential concern because of use of a limited range of imported germplasm coupled with strong selection, especially by disease, and sparse performance recording. To address this, genetic relationships and breed composition in an admixed population of Kenyan dairy cattle were estimated by means of a 50K SNP scan. Genomic DNA from 3 worldwide Holstein and 20 Kenyan bulls, 71 putative cow-calf pairs, 25 cows from a large ranch and 5 other Kenyan animals were genotyped for 37 238 informative SNPs. Sires were predicted and 89% of putative dam-calf relationships were supported by genotype data. Animals were clustered with the HapMap population using Structure software to assess breed composition. Cows from a large ranch primarily clustered with Holsteins, while animals from smaller farms were generally crosses between Holstein and Guernsey. Coefficients of relatedness were estimated and showed evidence of heavy use of one AI bull. We conclude that little native germplasm exists within the genotyped populations and mostly European ancestry remains.

Methods for detection of quantitative trait loci (QTL) in sheep are discussed. There is a reasonable coverage of the sheep map with microsatellite markers. Developments in molecular genetic technology have now made available very dense marker maps based on single nucleotide polymorphisms, which will soon be available for sheep. Mapping methods were originally based on linkage analysis, either using crosses of divergent breeds or paternal half sib designs in commercial populations. The size of most QTL experiments are too small to allow precise estimation of QTL with moderate effects. Fine mapping is based on linkage disequilibrium (LD) and methods using LD information have now been developed for mapping of QTL. LD analysis can be based on a random sample of animals from the population and is less dependent on marker information and designed experiments.

The study identified barriers to research implementation experienced by nurses, midwives and health visitors in five trusts and one health authority in Yorkshire, UK. Funk et al. (Appl. Nurs. Res. 4(1) (1991a) 39, Appl. Nurs. Res. 4(2) (1999b) 90) developed the BARRIERS to research utilisation questionnaire over 10 years ago, but no replication, in size (n = 1989) and extent, of that study appeared to have occurred. The staff population (n = 4501) were sent the BARRIERS questionnaire. 44.6% (n = 2009) were returned. Findings suggested nurses need time to read and apply research; authority to change practice; critical appraisal skills, an understanding of statistics and support of managers and peers (particularly doctors) to achieve successful practice change.

Measurement of liveweight of stock is one of the most important production tools available to farmers – playing a role in nutrition, fertility management, health and marketing. Yet most farmers in sub-Saharan Africa do not have access to scales on which to weigh cattle. Heart girth measurements (and accompanying algorithms) have been used as a convenient and cost-effective alternative to scales, however despite a plethora of studies in the extant literature, the accuracy and sensitivity of such measures are not well described. Using three datasets from phenotypically and geographically diverse cattle populations, we developed and validated new algorithms with similar R2 to extant studies but lower errors of prediction over a full range of observed weights, than simple linear regression, that was valid for measurements in an unassociated animal population in sub-Saharan Africa. Our results further show that heart girth measurements are not sufficiently sensitive to accurately assess seasonal liveweight fluctuations in cattle and thus should not be relied on in situations where high precision is a critical consideration.

Summary A genome-wide scan was performed to detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) for resistance to the gastrointestinal nematode Haemonchus contortus in a double backcross population of Red Maasai and Dorper sheep. The mapping population comprised six sire families, with 1026 lambs in total. The lambs were artificially challenged with H. contortus at about 6.5 months of age, and nine phenotypes were measured: fecal egg count, packed cell volume decline, two weight traits and five worm traits. A subset of the population (342 lambs) was selectively genotyped for 172 microsatellite loci covering 25 of the 26 autosomes. QTL mapping was performed for models which assumed that the QTL alleles were either fixed or segregating within each breed, combined with models with only an additive QTL effect fitted or both additive and dominance QTL effects fitted. Overall, QTL significant at the 1% chromosome-wide level were identified for 22 combinations of trait and chromosome. Of particular interest are a region of chromosome 26 with putative QTL for all nine traits and a region of chromosome 2 with putative QTL for three traits. Favorable QTL alleles for disease resistance originated in both the Red Maasai and Dorper breeds, were not always fixed within breed and had significant dominance effects in some cases. We anticipate that this study, in combination with follow-up work and other relevant studies, will help elucidate the biology of disease resistance.

This paper presents results from a mapping experiment to detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) for resistance to Haemonchus contortus infestation in merino sheep. The primary trait analysed was faecal worm egg count in response to artificial challenge at 6 months of age. In the first stage of the experiment, whole genome linkage analysis was used for broad-scale mapping. The animal resource used was a designed flock comprising 571 individuals from four half-sib families. The average marker spacing was about 20 cM. For the primary trait, 11 QTL (as chromosomal/family combinations) were significant at the 5% chromosome-wide level, with allelic substitution effects of between 0.19 and 0.38 phenotypic standard deviation units. In general, these QTL did not have a significant effect on faecal worm egg count recorded at 13 months of age. In the second stage of the experiment, three promising regions (located on chromosomes 1, 3 and 4) were fine-mapped. This involved typing more closely spaced markers on individuals from the designed flock as well as an additional 495 individuals selected from a related population with a deeper pedigree. Analysis was performed using a linkage disequilibrium-linkage approach, under additive, dominant and multiple QTL models. Of these, the multiple QTL model resulted in the most refined QTL positions, with resolutions of < 10 cM achieved for two regions. Because of the moderate size of effect of the QTL, and the apparent age and/or immune status specificity of the QTL, it is suggested that a panel of QTL will be required for significant genetic gains to be achieved within industry via marker-assisted selection. Refereed/Peer-reviewed