Genetic parameters for total lactation yields of milk,fat, protein,and somatic cell score in New Zealand dairy goats

The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for lactation yields of milk (MY), fat (FY), protein (PY), and somatic cell score (SCS) of New Zealand dairy goats. The analysis used 64,604 lactation records from 23,583 does, kidding between 2004 and 2017, distributed in 21 flocks and representing 915 bucks. Estimates of genetic and residual (co) variances, heritabilities, and repeatabilities were obtained using a multiple‐trait repeatability animal model. The model included the fixed effects of contemporary group (does kidding in the same flock and year), age of the doe (in years), and as covariates, kidding day, proportion of Alpine, Nubian, Toggenburg, and “unknown” breeds (Saanen was used as the base breed), and heterosis. Random effects included additive animal genetic and doe permanent environmental effects. Estimates of heritabilities were 0.25 for MY, 0.24 for FY, 0.24 for PY, and 0.21 for SCS. The phenotypic correlations between MY, FY, and PY ranged from 0.90 to 0.96, and the genetic correlations ranged from 0.81 to 0.93. These results indicate lactation yield traits exhibit useful heritable variation and that multiple trait selection for these traits could improve milk revenue produced from successive generations of New Zealand dairy goats.     

Parasites of sheep at the international Livestock Centre for Africa Debre Berhan station, Ethiopia

Prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was investigated using monthly faecal samples and necropsy data in sheep treated regularly and irregularly at the International Livestock Centre for Africa research station at Debre Berhan. Maximum infection rates with nematodes, Fasciola and coccidia in the irregularly treated sheep were 18%, 10% and 37%, respectively, compared with 5%, 3% and 41% for the host treated regularly. Strongylosis was diagnosed mainly in July–November (wet-early dry) season, fasciolosis in January–June (late dry-early wet) season and coccidiosis all the year round. Signs of helminthiasis occured in August–November, primarily in the irregularly treated flock. A single deworming of the latter flock with fenbendazole (November) resulted in low worm-egg output and the absence of clinical helminthiasis as in the regularly dewormed flock. The management of the supplementary feeding of the untreated flock resulted in weight gains superior to the treated group during the entire 1987 period. Haemonchus contortus, Trichostrongylus colubriformis, T. axei, Ostertagia spp., Trichuris ovis, Chabertia ovina and Fasciola hepatica were helminths encountered at necropsy. Free-living stages of H. contortus and Trichostrongylus spp. may appear on pastures in May–July and July–September, respectively. Two broad-spectrum anthelmintics given at the start of the long and short rains should suffice to control the endoparasitism.     

An eccentric binary millisecond pulsar in the galactic plane

Binary pulsar systems are superb probes of stellar and binary evolution and the physics of extreme environments. In a survey with the Arecibo telescope, we have found PSR J1903+0327, a radio pulsar with a rotational period of 2.15 milliseconds in a highly eccentric (e = 0.44) 95-day orbit around a solar mass (M(middle dot in circle)) companion. Infrared observations identify a possible main-sequence companion star. Conventional binary stellar evolution models predict neither large orbital eccentricities nor main-sequence companions around millisecond pulsars. Alternative formation scenarios involve recycling a neutron star in a globular cluster, then ejecting it into the Galactic disk, or membership in a hierarchical triple system. A relativistic analysis of timing observations of the pulsar finds its mass to be 1.74 +/- 0.04 M solar symbol, an unusually high value.     

Abomasal impaction associated with anorexia and mortality in lambs

Anorexia in forty-six (6.1%) out of 753 neonatal lambs was investigated. Thirty-five of these lambs (76.1%) died while eleven (23.9%) recovered after treatment. Coagulated rubber-like milk clots were found in fifteen (42.9%), phytobezoars in nine (25.7%) and trichophytobezoars and coarse straws in eleven (31.4%) of the dead lambs.     

The influence of watering practices on the transmission of Fasciola among sheep in the Ethiopian highlands

As many ewes and lambs watered at concrete ponds in well-drained sites acquired fluke infection as those watered at natural ponds in areas suitable for the snail intermediate hosts of Fasciola hepatica. Fasciola transmission, as evidenced by the increasing number of seropositive hosts in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), occurred during the heavy rainy period of July–September and declined with the onset of the dry season, being succeeded by the emergence of faecal positive hosts. This indicates the superiority of ELISA over coprological techniques in the early diagnosis and seroepidemiology of this parasitic infection. Host productivity, as reflected in weight gains and haematological parameters, was not significantly affected by the fluke infections.     

Fishing for health: Do the world’s national policies for fisheries and aquaculture align with those for nutrition?

Aquatic foods are rich in micronutrients essential to human health, and fisheries and aquaculture are increasingly recognized for their capacity to contribute to reducing global micronutrient deficiencies and diet-based health risks. Whether fisheries and aquaculture sector and public health nutrition policies align to meet this goal, however, is unclear. Do fisheries and aquaculture policies have explicit nutrition and public health objectives? Do public health nutrition policies recognize the contribution of aquatic foods? Using content analysis, we assessed the alignment of objectives in national fisheries and public health nutrition policies. We further determined conditions associated with varying levels of cohesion among policies in these sectors or domains. We found that 77 of 158 national fisheries policies identified nutrition as a key objective in the sector, and 68 of 165 public health nutrition policies identified the importance of fish and shellfish consumption as key objectives. More recent policies were associated with improved coherence among sectors. International organization presence in policy development was also associated with greater coherence. Countries with higher overweight prevalence had fisheries and public health nutrition policies that were not aligned. There has been a promising recent trend for improved alignment of objectives between fisheries and public health nutrition policies, but more targeted and systematic policy approaches are needed to realize the potential contribution of nutrient-rich fish and shellfish to healthier food systems.     

Carbon respiration and nitrogen dynamics in Corsican pine litter amended with aluminium and tannins

We investigated the carbon (C) mineralisation and nitrogen (N) dynamics in litter from a Corsican pine forest in response to individual and combined additions of aluminium (Al), condensed tannin (extracted from fresh Corsican pine needles) and hydrolysable tannin (commercial tannic acid). Production rates of CO₂, NH₄⁺ and NO₃⁻ concentrations, tannin concentrations and Al speciation were determined at various time intervals during a 28-day incubation experiment. The addition of Al decreased CO₂ production and shut down nitrification. Exchangeable NH₄⁺ strongly increased in the Al-amended litter, likely due to (i) decreased microbial uptake of NH₄⁺, (ii) the inhibition of nitrification and (iii) competition for soil organic matter (SOM) binding sites by Al. Both tannin species affected C mineralisation and/or N dynamics, be it in different ways. Addition of tannic acid led to a strong increase of the C mineralisation rate and microbial uptake of N, caused by rapid degradation of this labile tannin and subsequent increased microbial nutrient demand. Net immobilisation of N occurred as long as one week after addition. Condensed tannin was not consumed but probably strongly bound to (nitrogenous) SOM compounds, forming recalcitrant complexes and decreasing net N mineralisation. Complexation of Al by tannins in solution before addition to the litter mitigated the Al-induced release of exchangeable NH₄⁺. In the case of condensed tannin with complexed Al, this was due to detoxification of Al through complexation. Increased microbial demand for N likely played a major role in decreased NH₄⁺ accumulation in the samples to which tannic acid with complexed Al was added. Nitrification was shut down despite of the complexation of Al by either condensed tannin or tannic acid.     

Collateral damage? Small‐scale fisheries in the global fight against IUU fishing

Concern over illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing has led to a number of policy, trade and surveillance measures. While much attention has been given to the impact of IUU regulation on industrial fleets, recognition of the distinct impacts on small‐scale fisheries is conspicuously lacking from the policy and research debate. In this paper, we outline three ways in which the application of IUU discourse and regulation undermines small‐scale fisheries. First, the mainstream construction of “illegal,” “unreported” and “unregulated” fishing, and also the categorical use of “IUU” in an all‐inclusive sense, disregards the diversity, legitimacy and sustainability of small‐scale fisheries practices and their governing systems. Second, we explore how the recent trade‐related measures to counter IUU fishing mask and reinforce existing inequalities between different sectors and countries, creating an unfair burden on small‐scale fisheries and countries who depend on them. Third, as IUU fishing is increasingly approached as “organized crime,” there is a risk of inappropriately targeting small‐scale fisheries, at times violently. Reflecting on these three trends, we propose three strategies by which a more sensitive and ultimately more equitable incorporation of small‐scale fisheries can be supported in the global fight against IUU fishing.