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The body condition score (BCS) of a dairy cow is an assessment of the proportion of body fat that it possesses, and it is recognized by animal scientists and producers as being an important factor in dairy cattle management. The scale used to measure BCS differs between countries, but low values always reflect emaciation and high values equate to obesity. The intercalving profile of BCS is a mirror image of the milk lactation profile. Cows lose condition for 50 to 100 d postcalving, because of homeorhetic changes that occur in the somatotropic axis and the sensitivity of peripheral tissues to insulin, and the upregulation of lipolytic pathways in adipose tissue. Management and feeding have little effect on early postcalving BCS loss (wk 1 to 4 postcalving) until the natural period of insulin resistance has passed and the somatotropic axis has recoupled. There is evidence, however, that management and diet can influence the timing of recoupling of the somatotropic axis and the sensitivity of peripheral tissues to insulin, and gene expression differences in adipose tissue 30 d in milk confirm an effect of energy intake on lipogenic enzymes. The BCS in which a cow calves, nadir BCS, and the amount of BCS she loses postcalving are associated with milk production, reproduction, and health. Body condition score may also be a valid indicator of animal welfare, but further research is required to determine the effect of BCS and BCS change on how a cow “feels.” Although the actual strength of the association may vary, there is relative consistency in the associations among calving and nadir BCS, and BCS change on milk production, postpartum anestrous, the likelihood of a successful pregnancy and days open, the risk of uterine infection, and the risk of metabolic disorders. For many production and health variables, the association with BCS is nonlinear, with an optimum calving BCS of 3.0 to 3.25 (5-point scale); lower calving BCS is associated with reduced production and reproduction, whereas calving BCS ≥3.5 (5-point scale) is associated with a reduction in early lactation dry matter intake and milk production and an increased risk of metabolic disorders. Ongoing research into the automation of body condition scoring suggests that it is a likely candidate to be incorporated into decision support systems in the near future to aid producers in making operational and tactical decisions.

During the peripartum period, dairy cows often have signs of inflammation. Various stresses, including infectious and metabolic diseases, have been discussed as causative for this inflammation. In this study, expression profiles for 17 immune markers were measured in whole blood preparations from 78 dairy cows over a time frame starting 1 wk before calving to 4 wk after calving. Additionally, the effects of far-off and close-up feeding on immune function of dairy cows during the peripartum period were investigated. Cows were assigned to 1 of 2 feeding levels in late lactation to achieve a low and high BCS at the time of dry-off (approximately 4.25 and 5.0 on a 10-point scale). Following dry-off, both herds were managed to achieve a BCS of 5.0 one month before calving; this involved controlled feeding (i.e., maintenance) and over-feeding of ME during the far-off dry period. Within each far-off feeding-level treatment, cows were offered 65, 90, or 120% of their precalving ME requirements for 3 wk precalving in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement. Analysis of gene expression profiles from blood cells revealed effects of time indicating that the transition cow's immune system counteracts the peripartum inflammation, whereas later postcalving it becomes activated to provide protection against postpartum infections. Far-off feeding affected (P < 0.05) the expression of 2 of the investigated genes at calving. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) expression in unstimulated, peripheral leukocytes were lower (P < 0.05) in animals from the Far-Off_Over-fed group compared with the Far-Off_Control-fed group. Close-up feeding had several effects on gene expression, indicating that immune function in Feed120 animals was distinct from the Feed90 and Feed65. In conclusion, feeding management precalving becomes an important intervention to ensure immunocompetence at and after calving.

The central nervous system undertakes the homeostatic role of sensing nutrient intake and body reserves, integrating the information, and regulating energy intake and/or energy expenditure. Few tasks regulated by the brain hold greater survival value, particularly important in farmed ruminant species, where the demands of pregnancy, lactation and/or growth are not easily met by often bulky plant-based and sometimes nutrient-sparse diets. Information regarding metabolic state can be transmitted to the appetite control centres of the brain by a diverse array of signals, such as stimulation of the vagus nerve, or metabolic ‘feedback’ factors derived from the pituitary gland, adipose tissue, stomach/abomasum, intestine, pancreas and/or muscle. These signals act directly on the neurons located in the arcuate nucleus of the medio-basal hypothalamus, a key integration, and hunger (orexigenic) and satiety (anorexigenic) control centre of the brain. Interest in human obesity and associated disorders has fuelled considerable research effort in this area, resulting in increased understanding of chronic and acute factors influencing feed intake. In recent years, research has demonstrated that these results have relevance to animal production, with genetic selection for production found to affect orexigenic hormones, feeding found to reduce the concentration of acute controllers of orexigenic signals, and exogenous administration of orexigenic hormones (i.e. growth hormone or ghrelin) reportedly increasing DM intake in ruminant animals as well as single-stomached species. The current state of knowledge on factors influencing the hypothalamic orexigenic and anorexigenic control centres is reviewed, particularly as it relates to domesticated ruminant animals, and potential avenues for future research are identified.

Unidentified constituents in fresh pasture increase milk fat cis-9, trans-11 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) concentration, and prevent milk fat depression, even though ruminal conditions conducive to reducing milk fat synthesis exist. One possible explanation is vitamin E (α-tocopherol), a constituent high in fresh pasture, but naturally low in conserved/dried forages and cereal grains. Twenty late-lactating dairy cows previously consuming a total mixed ration (TMR) were randomly allocated to one of two dietary treatments for 21 d: TMR (control; n=10); and TMR plus an additional 10000 i.u. α-tocopherol/d (VIT E; n=10). These cows were simultaneously compared with 13 late-lactation dairy cows previously grazing fresh pasture (PAS) balanced for age, parity and genetic merit. Average daily α-tocopherol intakes were approximately 468, 10520 and 1590 i.u./cow for the control, VIT E and PAS treatments, respectively. Dietary α-tocopherol supplementation (VIT E v. control) slightly increased milk fat content by 0·23 percentage units, but did not significantly alter milk fatty acid composition. Plasma trans-11 18[ratio ]1 (VA) content tended to increase and trans-10 18[ratio ]1 levels numerically declined following α-tocopherol supplementation suggesting possible changes in rumen biohydrogenation products. In addition, increased α-tocopherol intake in TMR-fed cows decreased serum urea levels and tended to alter milk fat 15[ratio ]0 suggesting changes in rumen microbial populations. However, when compared with cows grazing pasture, TMR-fed cows supplemented with α-tocopherol, still produced milk with lower cis-9, trans-11 CLA and VA, and higher trans-10 18[ratio ]1 concentrations suggesting α-tocopherol is not a primary reason for milk fatty acid profile differences between pasture and TMR-fed cows. Therefore, additional unknown pasture constituents favour production of fatty acids originating from the cis-9, trans-11 instead of the trans-10, cis-12 CLA biohydrogenation pathways.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of cow genetic strain on fatty acid (FA) profiles in adipose tissue and milk. Adipose samples from two subcutaneous (shoulder and tail-head) and three visceral (kidney channel, mesenteric and omental) depots were obtained post mortem from New Zealand (NZ; n = 8) and North American (NA; n = 8) Holstein–Friesian cows. At the time of slaughter cows were in similar body condition (NZ: 4·0 ± 0·03, NA: 4·0 ± 0·02; ±sd) and stage of lactation (NZ: 90 ± 11·2 d; NA: 83 ± 4·3 d; ±sd). Milk was collected during the a.m. milking prior to slaughter and milk fat was extracted. Adipose and milk fat FA were quantified using gas chromatography. NZ cows had a lower proportion of saturated FA in shoulder, tail-head and omental adipose tissue and a greater proportion of mono-unsaturated FA and an elevated Δ9-desaturase index in shoulder and tail-head adipose tissue. The proportions of individual FA differed between adipose depots, with proportions of de-novo FA greater in subcutaneous compared with visceral adipose depots. Milk from NZ cows contained greater concentrations of short chain FA (C8 : 0–12 : 0) and CLA, and less cis-9 18 : 1 than milk from NA cows. Regression analysis identified moderate associations between milk FA and shoulder adipose tissue FA for 18 : 2 (R2 = 0·24), 18 : 3 n − 3 (R2 = 0·39), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (R2 = 0·38). Results from this study support the hypothesis that genetic strain dictates FA profiles in adipose tissue and milk and may alter the metabolic status of the various adipose depots differently. The data further support the premise that genetic strain affects the metabolic status of the various adipose depots differently. Elucidating the mechanisms that regulate the different adipose depots in the NZ and NA strains will increase our understanding of tissue mobilization and replenishment.

Supplementation with a high dose (600 g/d) of rumen inert conjugated linoleic acids (RI-CLA) inhibits milk fat synthesis in total mixed ration (TMR)-fed dairy cows immediately post partum. However, effects of RI-CLA on milk fat and bioenergetic parameters during the transition period in grazing cows have not been investigated. Multiparous Holstein cows (n=39) grazing pasture were randomly assigned to one of three treatments: (1) pasture (PAS), (2) PAS+540 g/d Hyprofat (palm oil; HYPRO) and (3) PAS+600 g/d RI-CLA. HYPRO and RI-CLA supplements were isoenergetic, fed twice daily at 7.00 and 16.00 and provided 0 and 125 g CLA/d, respectively. Treatments began 27±10 d prepartum and continued until 36±1 days in milk (DIM). There was little or no overall effect of RI-CLA on content or yield of milk protein and lactose. RI-CLA supplementation decreased overall milk fat content and yield with RI-CLA-induced milk fat depression (MFD) becoming significant by day 3 when compared with PAS and by day 6 when compared with HYPRO. MFD continued to increase in severity during the first 24 d post partum after which MFD reached a plateau (~40%; RI-CLA v. HYPRO). Pasture-fed cows produced less milk (19·4 kg/d) than the lipid-supplemented groups and although there were no overall differences in milk yield between RI-CLA and HYPRO (22·3 kg/d) a curvilinear relationship (R2=0·57) existed between the RI-CLA-induced milk yield response and extent of MFD. RI-CLA tended to increase milk yield (1·8 kg/d) compared with HYPRO until MFD exceeded 35% (~day 21), after which point the positive milk yield response was eliminated. Milk fat trans-10, cis-12 CLA content averaged 0·25 g/100 g in the RI-CLA treatment, was temporally independent, and was undetectable in PAS and HYPRO treatments. Based on the milk fat 14[ratio ]1/14[ratio ]0 ratio, RI-CLA decreased the overall Δ9-desaturase system compared with PAS and HYPRO. Compared with HYPRO, RI-CLA had no effect on plasma glucose, insulin, leptin, or NEFA concentrations. Results indicate that a high RI-CLA dose decreases milk fat synthesis and tends to increase milk yield immediately post partum in pasture-fed cows; however, excessive MFD (>35%) appears to be associated with a diminished milk yield response.

\"The call came to me in the newsroom,\" writes the author of this chapter about her time as an environmental reporter for the Arizona Daily Star. \"A man's voice, serious, anonymous, and in a hurry ... He wanted to report a past accident. Seven months ago, by mistake, an untrained worker on the graveyard shift turned the wrong valve and dumped thousands of curies of radioactive tritium up the stack at American Atomics Corp. in the middle of Tucson ... I asked myself at that moment, why had I only majored in journalism and English in college instead of science. What was tritium?\" The author broke the story of the radioactive gas escape at the American Atomics plant in Tucson on April 15, 1979. Her coverage went on for five months and 50 stories. \"I not only had to fight my own ignorance of radioactivity, I also had to fight the desk's prejudice. Questioning the veracity of the nuclear energy industry was considered a counter-culture activity ... In fact, all environmental stories were suspect,\" the author explains. This investigation of American Atomics was voted the state's top story of the year by newspaper and broadcast members of the Associated Press, and the Arizona Press Club awarded the author the Don Bolles Memorial Award for Investigative Reporting. This chapter discusses the American Atomics was voted the state's top story of the year by newspaper and broadcast members of the Associated Press, and the Arizona Press Club awarded the author the Don Bolles Memorial Award for Investigative Reporting. Tongue-twisting pollutant names, mysterious health effects, and complex climate models are something to be learned and feared. The roadblocks to advancing the story lay before me, an A-student in liberal arts. Data were scarce. Hard to believe, neither the Arizona Atomic Energy Commission nor the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission conducted routine on-site or off-site monitoring in Tucson. The acting director of the Arizona Atomic Energy Commission, Kenneth R. Geiser, agitated the public even more with his medically inaccurate comments. \"Low-level radiation of this order of magnitude is a questionable kind of danger,\" particularly because children \"somehow aren't harmed by chemicals or radiation as much as older persons.\".

Objective. This study aimed to investigate the impact of subject age, gender, and arch length on dentists’ attitudes towards unrestored shortened dental arches. Materials and Methods. 93 Syrian dentists were interviewed and presented with 24 scenarios for male and female subjects of different ages and shortened dental arches of varying length. Participants were asked to indicate on a standardized visual analogue scale how they would value the health of the mouth if the posterior space was left unrestored. Results. A value of 0.0 represented the worst possible health state for a mouth and 1.0 represented the best. The highest mean value (0.73) was assigned to a shortened dental arch with missing second molar teeth in the mouth of a 70-year-old subject. A 35-year-old female subject with an extremely shortened dental arch (all molar and premolar teeth are missing) attracted the lowest mean value (0.26). The statistical analysis indicated a significant decrease in the value placed on unrestored shortened dental arches as the number of remaining teeth decreased ( p < 0.008 ). While subject gender had almost no impact on dentists’ attitudes towards shortened dental arches, the scenarios for the older shortened dental arch subjects attracted significantly higher values compared to the scenarios for the younger subjects ( p < 0.017 ). Conclusion. Subject age and arch length affect dentists’ attitudes towards shortened dental arches, but subject gender does not.

The departure point for this investigation is to highlight the centrality of regulation theory as a praxis in planning enforcement. The value of the conceptual framework is demonstrated by application in the problematic arena of conservation regulatory compliance, where there is currently a dearth of investigation. It is evidenced that this thematic approach provides a lens to scrutinise problematic areas of control and provides a deeper understanding of the difficulties faced by planning enforcement operational practice generally and heritage regimes specifically. The utility of the proposed mechanism is that it remedies the current, well documented, pitfalls of disjointed, piecemeal strategies by providing a framework for robust, coherent decision making not only in planning but in the wider regulatory arena.

During the peripartum period, dairy cows often have signs of inflammation. Various stresses, including infectious and metabolic diseases, have been discussed as causative for this inflammation. In this study, expression profiles for 17 immune markers were measured in whole blood preparations from 78 dairy cows over a time frame starting 1 wk before calving to 4 wk after calving. Additionally, the effects of far-off and close-up feeding on immune function of dairy cows during the peripartum period were investigated. Cows were assigned to 1 of 2 feeding levels in late lactation to achieve a low and high BCS at the time of dry-off (approximately 4.25 and 5.0 on a 10-point scale). Following dry-off, both herds were managed to achieve a BCS of 5.0 one month before calving; this involved controlled feeding (i.e., maintenance) and over-feeding of ME during the far-off dry period. Within each far-off feeding-level treatment, cows were offered 65, 90, or 120% of their precalving ME requirements for 3 wk precalving in a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement. Analysis of gene expression profiles from blood cells revealed effects of time indicating that the transition cow's immune system counteracts the peripartum inflammation, whereas later postcalving it becomes activated to provide protection against postpartum infections. Far-off feeding affected (P < 0.05) the expression of 2 of the investigated genes at calving. Interleukin-6 (IL6) and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) expression in unstimulated, peripheral leukocytes were lower (P < 0.05) in animals from the Far-Off_Over-fed group compared with the Far-Off_Control-fed group. Close-up feeding had several effects on gene expression, indicating that immune function in Feed120 animals was distinct from the Feed90 and Feed65. In conclusion, feeding management precalving becomes an important intervention to ensure immunocompetence at and after calving.