Search

Fodder beet (FB) is a source of readily fermentable carbohydrate that can mitigate early spring herbage deficits and correct the negative energy balance experienced during early lactation in pastoral dairy systems of New Zealand. However, the low-fiber and high-soluble carbohydrate content of both FB bulb and spring herbage are factors that promote subacute ruminal acidosis, impairing rumen function and limiting the marginal milk production response to supplement. In a crossover experiment, 8 Holstein Friesian × Jersey early-lactation dairy cows were used to test the effect of supplementing 16 kg of dry matter (DM) of a grazed perennial ryegrass herbage with 6 kg of DM/d of FB bulb (FBH) versus herbage only (HO) on changes in rumen function and grazing behavior. Following 20 d of adaptation to diets, DM disappearance (%) of FB bulb (FBH cows only) and herbage were measured in sacco, separately. Cows were fasted overnight, and the ruminal contents were bailed the following morning (~0930 h) again to determine the pool size of volatile fatty acids, ammonia, and particle size of digesta, as well as to estimate the rate of ruminal outflow and degradation of neutral detergent fiber. The FBH diet did not alter DM intake, milk yield, or milk solid (fat + protein) production compared with HO. Supplementation of herbage with FB reduced ruminal pH compared with HO between ~0800 h and 1300 h each day. During each period, 1 cow experienced severe subacute ruminal acidosis (pH 180 min/d) during final adaptation to the target FB allocation. The FBH diet reduced the ruminal pool of acetate and ammonia, but increased the ruminal pool of butyrate and lactate compared with HO. When fed FB, rumination and grazing time increased and grazing intensity declined compared with cows fed HO. Despite increased rumination, the comminution of large particles declined 28% between the first and second rumen bailing when cows were fed FB, and in sacco DM disappearance of perennial ryegrass declined 18% compared with cows fed HO. These results indicate that grazing dairy cows supplemented with FB (40% of daily intake) increase rumination and mastication intensity to counteract reduced ruminal degradation of ryegrass herbage due to low ruminal fluid pH.

Purpose This review addresses the potential animal welfare, farm profit, and environmental outcomes when fodder beet is fed to grazing dairy cows. Sources The information and data included in the review are from peer-reviewed literature. Synthesis Although large yields (>20 t of DM/ha) and high utilization (90%) of fodder beet (FB) are attractive to farmers, a combination of high establishment costs and low milk yield response may reduce profit margin from growing and feeding FB to dairy cows. The limited milk yield response may be a consequence of subacute acidosis, which reduces ruminal fermentation, feed intake, and milk production. Although FB is a low CP ( Conclusions and Applications Winter FB feeding programs may reduce animal welfare by causing a chemical imbalance leading to hypophosphatemia, hypocalcemia, hypomagnesemia, ketosis, and hepatic lipidosis, in addition to ruminal acidosis. The information available indicates that a trade-off exists between feeding levels of FB to dairy cows that reduce urinary N excretion but impair animal welfare. The high cost of establishment, variable crop yield, and low milk yield response to FB may limit positive financial outcomes when FB is grown to support lactation. Although the high yield capacity of FB will reduce wintering area and costs, animal welfare costs may be greater than currently realized, and we advise producers to proceed with caution.

Feeding fodder beet (FB) to dairy cows in early lactation has recently been adopted by New Zealand dairy producers despite limited definition of feeding and grazing management practices that may prevent acute and sub-acute ruminal acidosis (SARA). This modelling study aimed to characterize changes of rumen pH, milk production and total discomfort from FB and define practical feeding strategies of a mixed herbage and FB diet. The deterministic, dynamic and mechanistic model MINDY was used to compare a factorial arrangement of FB allowance (FBA), herbage allowance (HA) and time of allocation. The FBA were 0, 2, 4 or 7 kg dry matter (DM)/cow/day (0FB, 2FB, 4FB and 7FB, respectively) and HA were 18, 24 or 48 kg DM/cow/day above ground. All combinations were offered either in the morning or afternoon or split across two equal meals. Milk production from 2FB diets was similar to 0FB but declined by 4 and 16% when FB increased to 4 and 7 kg DM, respectively. MINDY predicted that 7FB would result in SARA and that rumen conditions were sub-optimal even at moderate FBA (pH < 5.6 for 160 and 90 min/day, 7FB and 4FB respectively). Pareto front analysis identified the best compromise between high milk production and low total discomfort was achieved by splitting the 2FB diet into two equal meals fed each day with 48 kg DM herbage. However, due to low milk response and high risk of acidosis, it is concluded that FB is a poor supplement for lactating dairy cows.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of offering animals a multiforage choice (MF) of fresh herbages on dry matter intake (DMI), live weight gain, and animal welfare, in comparison with a monotonous diet of ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). Twenty ram lambs (30.5 ± 0.9 kg initial live weight; mean ± SEM), were randomly allocated to either a diet consisting of diverse MF choice or a single forage ryegrass (SF) diet (n = 10 per treatment) for 35 d. Both diets were fed ad libitum; however, the MF diet was composed of set dry matter ratios of 24% chicory (Cichorium intybus L.), 30% lucerne (Medicago sativa L.), 25% plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.), and 21% ryegrass. The DMI of the MF lambs was 48% greater (P < 0.01) and the within animal day-to-day coefficient of variation (CV) of intake was 26% lower (P < 0.01) than the SF lambs. The average daily gain (ADG) of lambs offered the MF diet was 92% greater (P < 0.01) than the lambs offered the SF diet. The within-animal day-to-day CV of intake was negatively related to ADG (r = −0.59; P < 0.01). The MF lamb’s urinary N concentration was 30% lower (P < 0.01) than that of the SF lambs. The SF lambs spent more time (P < 0.05) exhibiting stereotypic behaviors in the afternoon and spent more time observing other animals than the MF. Overall, allocating an MF choice of fresh herbages as opposed to a single forage diet of ryegrass increases DMI and thereby animal performance, while potentially reducing urinary N excretion.

In a cross-over design, eight rumen cannulated dairy cows were used to explore the industry-recommended method for dietary transition to fodder beet (FB: Beta vulgaris L.) on changes to rumen fermentation and pH, milk production, dry matter intake (DMI) and the risk of subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) during early lactation. Cows were split into two groups and individually allocated a ryegrass (Lolium Perenne L.) and white clover (Trifolium repens L.) diet (HO) or the same herbage supplemented with 6 kg DM/cow of harvested fodder beet bulbs (FBH). Dietary adaptation occurred over 20 days consisting of: stage 1: gradual transition to target FB intake (days 1&ndash, 12, +0.5 kg DM of FB/d), stage 2: acclimatization (days 13&ndash, 17) and stage 3: post-adaption sampling (days 18&ndash, 20). Response variables were analyzed as a factorial arrangement of diet and stage of adaption using a combination of ANOVA and generalized linear mixed modelling. Dietary proportion of FB represented 22, (stage 1), 32 (stage 2) and 38% (stage 3) of daily DMI. One cow during each period developed SARA from FB and the duration of low pH increased with FBH compared to the HO treatment (p &lt, 0.01). Rumen concentrations of lactic and butyric acid increased with FBH but concentrations of acetate, propionate and total volatile fatty acids (VFA) declined by 9.3% at day 20, compared to the HO treatment (p &lt, 0.01). Treatments did not affect milk production but total DMI with supplemented cows increased during the final stage of adaptation and feed conversion efficiency (FCE kg milk/kg DM) declined with the FBH treatment. The occurrence of SARA in 25% of animals fed FB suggest it is a high-risk supplement to animal health and further evaluation of industry-recommended methods for feeding FB at the individual- and herd-scale are needed.

The objectives were to determine the effect of in utero and early-life dietary exposure to a diverse diet or a perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) diet on grazing behavior and dietary neophobia of lambs ~3.5 months post-weaning (weaned at 6 weeks of age). Sixty-four Coopworth lambs (152.5 ± 1.4 d of age; mean ± SEM,) were used. Sixteen lambs had previous in utero exposure to the diverse diet (INDIV) and another 16 had in utero and early life (from birth to weaning at 42 ± 2 d of age) exposure to the diverse diet (ELDIV) of ryegrass, red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.), chicory (Cichorium intybus L.), and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Sixteen lambs had only in utero exposure to ryegrass (INRYE) and the other 16 had early life exposure to ryegrass (ELRYE). Lambs were randomly allocated to one of 16 paddocks (n = 4 per treatment) with 4 lambs per paddock. All paddocks contained equal areas of spatially separated strips of red clover, chicory, alfalfa, plantain, and ryegrass, of which arrangement within the paddock was randomized. Every 5 min from 0620 to 2105 h, trained observers recorded the behavior (grazing, idle, and ruminating) and the location (pasture species) of each lamb. The INRYE and ELRYE lambs tended to (P ≤ 0.10) and spent more time (P

The objective of this study was to describe the diurnal pattern of grazing behaviour of multi-parous dairy cows divergent for milk urea N breeding values (MUNBV) and the consistency of these differences across different sward compositions (perennial ryegrass [RG; Lolium perenne L.] or ryegrass with plantain [Plantago lanceolata L.; RGPL]) and stages of lactation (early and late lactation). Jaw movement recorders were fitted to 24 animals in early lactation and 16 cows in late lactation, in early lactation 12 cows were assigned to the ryegrass diet and 12 cows assigned to the plantain diet, in late lactation 8 cows were assigned to ryegrass with the remaining 8 cows assigned to the plantain diet. For each diet half of the animals during both stages of lactation were classified as high for MUNBV and the other half as low for MUNBV. Low MUNBV animals had more mastications per bite over the day (P

The objective of this experiment was to determine appropriate methods for estimating fecal output, digestibility, and intake in red deer (Cervus elaphus). Dry matter intake (DMI), digestibility, and fecal output were estimated using the dual-marker (titanium dioxide; TiO2 and indigestible acid detergent fiber) technique, double n-alkane ratio technique (ALK) and the pulse dose (Yttrium; Y) technique to determine a suitable method to estimate DMI, fecal output, and digestibility measurements. Four male and four female deer were stratified by sex and randomly assigned either fresh-cut perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) or fresh-cut plantain (Plantago lanceolata) ad libitum in a cross-over design experiment. Actual DMI (mean ± SD: 1.5 ± 0.36 kg DM/d), digestibility (0.70 ± 0.06), and fecal output (0.45 ± 0.1 kg DM/d) were measured daily over the collection periods, and the average of each period was used for methods’ comparison. The ALK method adequately estimated digestibility and fecal output of plantain; however, overestimated digestibility (P < 0.05) and DMI of ryegrass, so that there was no statistical agreement (P > 0.10) in DMI when diets were pooled. The overestimated DMI of the ryegrass diet led to ALK predicting greater intake when deer consumed ryegrass than plantain, which was the opposite of actual measurements. The pulse dosed Y overestimated (P < 0.05) fecal output and consequently DMI for both plantain and ryegrass, however, indicated similar trends to actual values. The dual-marker technique using TiO2 was able to detect the statistical differences between plantain and ryegrass as the actual measurements, had moderate to strong precision (r = 0.50 to 0.66) and statistical agreement (P < 0.05) with the pooled diet data. Therefore, the dual-marker technique provided the best alternative estimation method to actual measurements of forage DMI of grazing red deer.

The objective of this experiment was to determine how early life exposure to plant extracts would influence grazing behavior and dietary preference. This experiment used ram lambs (n = 60; initial body weight = 41.8 ± 3.8 kg, mean ± standard deviation). Their dams were either provided no plant extract (CON), a seaweed (Ecklonia radiata) extract (10 mL/ram/d; SWE), or an extract of seaweed, chicory (Cichorium intybus), plantain (Plantago lanceolata), lucerne (Medicago sativa), and dock (Rumex obtusifolius; 10 mL/ram/d; SWP). Treatments were provided to the dams starting in late gestation (63.9 ± 6.5 d before lambing), through to weaning of the lambs. After weaning (94 ± 6.5 d old), lambs received the respective treatments of their dams until the initiation of the current experiment (66 d after weaning). At the initiation of the current experiment, the lambs were placed into a paddock containing spatially separated strips of ryegrass (Lolium perenne), chicory, plantain, lucerne, and dock, of which they received a fresh break, weekly. During week 1, SWP had more (P

High yielding crops such as maize (Zea mays L.) and fodder beet (FB; Beta vulgaris L), are commonly used to extend lactation and increase animal productivity from pastoral dairy systems. Financial modelling to compare costs and benefits of different crops is useful for decision making, but such modelling often fails to account for potential animal health risks which can be associated with feeding supplements. A multi-component, whole-farm modelling approach was used to predict milk solids (MS, milk fat + protein) production and the economic farm surplus (EFS: operating surplus – adjustments) between 2016 and 2018 for an irrigated farm in Canterbury (South Island) and a non-irrigated farm in the Waikato (North Island), of New Zealand. The financial risk of the dairy business was measured using the ratio between mean return on assets (ROA) minus an assumed 5% risk-free ROA, and the standard deviation of ROA was calculated from 300 combinations of climate, milk, and feed price, land appreciation, and interest rate. Four scenarios of autumn and spring supplementation of pasture were considered at each geographical location; imported maize silage (Base), a crop of maize silage grown on the milking platform (MSC; area used to produce milk), a crop of FB grown on the milking platform (FBC), and a FB crop with an outbreak of acute (1% stock fatality) and subacute ruminal acidosis (5% decline of feed intake) across the entire herd (FBAC). The MSC scenario improved EFS by 5.8% compared with Base in both the irrigated and the dryland system. The predicted response to MSC reflected greater milk production, lower feed expenses, and shorter crop rotation, compared with either Base, FBC, or FBAC. While FBC increased EFS by 4.8% compared with Base under irrigation, EFS was similar to Base under dryland conditions ($2711 and $2759/ha, respectively). The limited advantage of growing FB under dryland conditions reflect reduced herbage supply due to the extended crop duration of FB compared with maize silage. Model predictions suggest that FBAC will increase the financial risk by reducing milk production and EFS by 6.5% (irrigated) and 7.1% (dryland) compared with Base. In the absence of any adverse health risks, farm performance from the FBC scenario was comparable to that of MSC under irrigated conditions. However, in dryland conditions, and when the potential economic cost of acute and sub-acute ruminal acidosis is considered, there is little advantage to growing FB on the milking platform.

The relationship between proportion of fodder beet root (FB: Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris L.) in a perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) diet and gas production was investigated in vitro. Cumulative gas production and fermentation products were measured in calibrated glass syringes using a factorial arrangement (4 x 6), of dry matter proportion of FB (0, 15, 35 and 50% DM: 0FB, 15FB, 35FB and 50FB, respectively), and incubation time (0, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 h). Concentrations of methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) produced both in fermentation and from bicarbonate buffering of volatile fatty acid, were also calculated. The proportion of FB root linearly increased volume of gas (mL) produced per g dry matter (DM) and per g organic matter (OM) with gas accumulation 14.8% greater for 50FB compared to 0FB at 24-hours of incubation (P

The aim of the present research was to compare milk fatty acid composition of cows grazing perennial ryegrass–white clover pasture (RGWC), with that of cows grazing alternative forages of chicory or plantain. Fifty-four cows, balanced for milk solids, days in milk and bodyweight, were divided evenly into replicated groups of six cows/group. Cows grazing chicory or plantain had similar estimated dry-matter intake (17.7 kg DM/cow.day) and milk-solid (MS) yield (1.93 kg MS/cow.day), which were greater (P < 0.05) than for cows grazing RGWC (15.6 kg DM/cow.day and 1.65 kg MS/cow.day). Milk produced from cows grazing chicory or plantain contained greater proportions of omega-3 fatty acids (FA) than that from cows on RGWC (P < 0.01), despite lower omega-3 FA in herbage. RGWC increased the percentage of conjugated linoleic and vaccenic acids in milk compared with those of milk produced from herbs (P < 0.01). This reflects the greater percentage of α-linolenic acid in RGWC (P ≤ 0.02) than in forage herbs. The changes in FA profile from the herbage to the milk suggests less biohydrogenation in cows grazing the herbs. Forage herbs demonstrated the potential benefit to alter milk FA composition, while increasing milk production.

The first two papers in this series described the early development, and ongoing evolution of a caseholding team in the north-west of England (Byrom and Downe, 2007; Fleming and Downe, 2007). We described the outcomes of the scheme and suggested that nine key factors may underpin the success of the project, namely: continuity of carer; visibility in the community; multi-agency involvement; inter-disciplinary collaboration; leadership; strategic partnership; ability to be innovative and flexible; involvement of local community and individuals; and shared group philosophy. Based on principles of service user involvement it was agreed that the ongoing monitoring of the project would include an invitation to all those using the service to write their birth story to summarize their experiences with the scheme. This paper presents a selection of these stories as a reflection on the processes and outcomes of the scheme. The stories indicate that the benefits of the scheme are evident for both the women using the service, and the midwives providing it. They also illustrate many of the nine core factors for success identified in our previous paper. Specifically, the scheme offers the opportunity for women at high clinical and socio-demographic risk to experience positive childbirth experiences. It also offers the opportunity for midwives to exercise their skills in normalizing birth in complex situations.

The first paper in this series described the development and early set-up of a caseloading group midwifery practice in East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust in 2004. This second paper details the processes that took place after the team leader was appointed, including an analysis of the changes that took place in the first two years in staffing organization and on-call arrangements. Intervention rates were markedly lower in the caseholding team when compared to both the local hospital and a local midwifery team with a similar demographic profile and rates of normal birth without intervention being particularly high. The paper identifies and expands on nine key factors that appear to be important in promoting the effectiveness of the group practice. These were: continuity of carer; visibility in the community; multi-agency involvement; inter-disciplinary collaboration; leadership; strategic partnership; ability to be innovative and flexible; involvement of local community and individuals; and shared group philosophy.

For maternity services in Blackburn, Lancashire, the Changing Childbirth (Department of Health, 1993) document was a long awaited publication. Prior to 1993 there had been radical change in local maternity service provision facilitated by inspirational leadership and enthusiastic midwives. Small, under-utilized and expensive GP led maternity homes were closed with an aim to provide one equitable service by blending the philosophies and expertise of low and high risk caregivers. From that time the service has continually striven to improve the continuity of care for women through the development of midwifery led care and team midwifery. In early 2004 a midwifery group practice was established in Blackburn. The development was made possible through an effective partnership between a hospital Trust, a Primary Care Trust, a Sure Start local programme and a Higher Education Institution. This paper tracks the setting up of this midwifery group practice. Future papers will address the ongoing management of the project, impacts and outcomes associated with it, and the arguments used to mainstream, sustain and develop it.

Effective collaboration between professional groups is increasingly seen as an essential element in good quality and safe health care. This is especially important in the context of maternity care, where most women have straightforward labour and birth experiences, but some require rapid transfer between care providers and settings. This article presents current accounts of collaboration--or lack of it--in maternity care in the United Kingdom, United States, and Australia. It then examines tools designed to measure collaboration and teamwork within general health care contexts. Finally, a set of characteristics are proposed for effective collaboration in maternity care, as a basis for further empirical work in this area.

Is it possible to have a life and caseload midwifery? As a midwife practising in this way, I am constantly asked this question. It is certainly evident from remarks that have been made to me that the assumption is that there cannot be a work/life balance whilst working in a one to one midwifery group practice. In fact, one colleague remarked that she would not work in this way because her family life was too important to her. And mine isn't? So, when asked to give an opinion on the subject, I saw this column as an opportunity to set the record straight, and to try and demonstrate how this model of working can enhance family life.

Three salient frames emerged from the study of two Topeka newspapers, one mainstream newspaper and one Black newspaper. These three frames included conflict, consequences, and dominant/subordinate. These frames told readers what and how to think about the United States Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education. This study also finds that the reform measures made in opposition to desegregation have survived for nearly 50 years and are now framed as public education policy measures aimed to assist disadvantaged students to acquire improved educational access. This article is concerned with framing and its influences on public discourse of educational policy; particularly how such policy is informed, shaped, and conveyed by the use of news frames. This study aimed to locate the framing devices used in two newspapers relevant to one of the most historically significant and celebrated race relations stories of the 20th century, Brown v. Board of Education, wherein the United States Supreme Court, in 1954, decided what is arguably the most important ruling in USA history. The Brown decision effectively dismantled the legacy of Jim Crow in every institution except its intended public schools. Even schools that were successfully desegregated are now re-segregated. Today, more than 70% of all African American children attend schools that are predominantly Black, and the majority of these schools have poor educational resources (Cross & Slater, 2003). To remedy this educational deficit in the country's poorest school districts, various reform measures have been undertaken. For example, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has implemented an "extensive" school voucher program, allowing parents to use public money to send their children to private schools, and a considerable number of charter schools operate in such states as Michigan and Arizona (Brownstein, 2001). In fact, for the 2002-2003 school year, Arizona led the nation in number of charter schools with 467 of the 2,695 charter schools currently in operation ("Arizona," 2003). This study finds that both charter schools and private school vouchers had its roots in the Deep South during the period under study. Although the Kerner Commission argued in 1968 that, "it is the responsibility of the news media to tell the story of race relations in America" (p. 384), what is clearly missing from the story of the public school education of Blacks is the link between these recommended measures and their racist origins. The organization of this article is as follows: (a) to provide historical context by providing background research that describes Blacks' quest for equal high quality education and the long and uphill battle that it entailed, (b) to examine the legal strategies used by the NAACP in its fight for equal education rights, (c) to investigate the historical function of the Black press and how African Americans have historically been covered in mainstream newspapers, (d) to review the framing literature, and, finally, (e) to provide analysis and discussion of the data. BACKGROUND Obstacles to Education Well before President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, enslaved and free people of color recognized the importance of education. As Anderson (1988) noted, prior to the Civil War, Blacks lived in a society in which literacy was out of reach. Literacy thus symbolized a skill that contradicted the status of a slave, and Blacks risked severe penalties for violating laws that prohibited literacy. Nevertheless, despite the threat of punishment, five percent of enslaved people had learned to read by 1860. The political significance of slave literacy, however, reached beyond the antebellum period. Many of the educators and leaders of the post-antebellum years were men and women who first became literate under slavery. Among them were prominent leaders such as Frederick Douglass, Bishop Henry M. Turner, and P. B. S. Pinchback (Anderson, 1988). …