Average Number Of Services Research Articles

Analisis Antrian pada SS Freis Chicken untuk Menentukan Pelayanan yang Optimal

This study was conducted to determine the optimal service with the theory of multi-channel-single phase queues, which is anytime two or more are flowed by a single queue. The research method is a single channel multi-phase method. The variables seen are level of utility, probability, average amount, time. The data used for queuing system analysis is the average number of arrivals per hour and the average number of services per hour. Data collection was based on direct observation at SSFC. The results of this study showed that SS Freis Chicken had to increase its chicken stock. So that the service at SSFC is optimal for customers. Queuing is an unavoidable phenomenon today, manufacturing and service companies are required to be able to reduce queues in providing services to customers. The addition of cashiers is carried out in phase 1, namely the payment stage to 2 people so that it can reduce the average customer waiting in the queue which was originally 10 queues to 0 queues and reduce the average time of customers waiting in the queue which was originally 19.33 minutes / person to 1,002 minutes / person. The addition of cashiers can make the performance of the queuing system more optimal.

Prevalence of growth hormone receptor gene polymorphisms and their association with milk production and fertility-related traits of cross-bred dairy cows in Sri Lanka

This study investigated the association of selected growth hormone receptor (GHR) gene SNPs with selected fertility and milk production-related phenotypes of cross-bred dairy cows (n = 153) reared on three National Livestock Development Board farms in Sri Lanka. Selected cows were genetically screened for SNPs in the exon 08 (n = 153) and 5’ upstream (n = 118) regions of the GHR gene using the target sequencing method. The relationships between different genotypes and fertility traits (average calving interval, average number of services per conception, and age at first calving) and milk production-related traits (average total lactation yield, average lactation length, and average milk yield) were analyzed using the General Linear Model in SPSS. Among the identified Four GHR SNPs, rs1099014416 was significantly associated with average calving interval and age at first calving. Cows with GG genotype exhibited younger age at first calving (918.51 ± 113.42 days) and longer calving intervals (543.41 ± 43.29 days) compared to cows with GT (1275.18 ± 38.31, 515.09 ± 24.49 days) and TT (1212.89 ± 88.22, 364.52 ± 54.01 days) genotypes. Other SNPs did not show associations with the studied traits. SNP rs109014416 has the potential to be used as a genetic marker for fertility-related traits in the selection of cross-bred dairy cows in Sri Lanka which should be validated with a larger population.

The effect of oral administration of zeolite on the energy metabolism and reproductive health of Romanian spotted breed in advanced gestation and post partum period

The dairy cow experiences the most significant impact from negative energy balance during this period, which adversely affects reproductive health. Consequently, most pathologies affect dairy cows during this time frame. Thus, with the primary objective of reducing the incidence of these pathologies on dairy farms, we questioned whether supplemental zeolite administration in cattle feed would affect metabolism and reproductive health.Therefore, we proposed introducing an antepartum and postpartum supplementation of 400 g of zeolite in the basal diet. The control group received only the basal diet without zeolite supplementation. Monitoring the results stemmed from the consideration that reproductive health can only be present based on an unaltered energy metabolism. Hence, we deemed it necessary to analyze several metabolic markers in light of the expected outcomes concerning reproductive health.Cows treated with zeolite exhibited a calving to first service interval 12.78 days earlier than those in the control group. Moreover, the average number of services per conception used for future gestation was 0.44 lower in the zeolite-treated group compared to the control group (p<0.05). Additionally, the treatment group showed a lower presence of pathogens in the uterus and displayed a more favorable average uterine score.Observations following the completion of the research point towards an improvement in the health of transition dairy cows, opening a new path for dairy farms in terms of preventing postpartum pathologies. Indeed, the benefits from this study primarily impact the animals rather than directly influencing milk production. Therefore, further research is necessary in this regard.

Study on present status of dairy farming at sadar upazila of Rangpur district

This study was conducted to investigate the present status of dairy farming through a field survey at Rangpur Sadar Upazila, Rangpur, Bangladesh from December 2020 to December 2021. A total of 14 indigenous and 95 crossbred cows were selected randomly from the selected dairy herds. The results indicated that most of the farmers were male (25-35 years) and 17.24% of farmers involved in dairy farming were graduated. With regards to the housing system, the percentage of rearing system was found equal and the majority of the farmers could not afford fodder cultivation (70%). In the case of cross-breed animals like HF cross the farmers provided green grass and concentrate in a high amount of 11.03±0.76 kg and 4.82±0.33 kg per animal per day respectively. Likewise, straw feeding was found higher in indigenous animals (06.64±0.55 kg/animal/day). Most of the farmers followed AI (91.7%) with frozen semen (99.08%) for reproduction purposes in which 37.61% of cows need double services for conception. The age of first puberty was lower (19.97±0.57 months) in HF cows. In contrast, the average number of services per conception was lower in indigenous cows which was 1.95±0.14. The average milk yields of indigenous, HF, and SL crossbred cows were 2.36±0.118, 15.07±0.457and 3.2±0.287 L/day/cow, respectively. However, enhancing the availability of feeds and fodder, the proper market price of milk, and minimization of veterinary costs might improve dairy production in the study area as well as in other districts of Bangladesh. Res. Agric. Livest. Fish. 10(1): 83-90.

Milk Production and Reproductive Performance of Holstein Friesian Dairy Cattle in the Working Area of ​​South Bandung Pangalengan Animal Husbandry Cooperative (KPBS) Bandung Regency

Increasing the population and productivity of dairy cows is one of the way to boost national milk production capacity. This study was aimed to determine and investigate the performance of milk production and reproduction of Friesian Holstein (FH) dairy cows in the Working Area of KPBS Pangalengan, Bandung Regency. This research used FH dairy cows with a complete milk production and reproduction record. In total, there were 90 heads of cows in the Pangalengan District and 178 heads of cows in the Kertasari District. This study used the survey method to collect the data. A Multistage Random Sampling Method was used in this research. Sampling was carried out in two stages, the first stage was sampling from two sub-district locations in Pangalengan and Kertasari Districts. In the second stage, two villages were selected from each district: Pangalengan and Margamukti Villages in Pangalengan District, and Santosa and Tarumajaya Villages in Kertasari District. Farmers and their cows were chosen by simple random sampling. Data on milk production and reproduction records were obtained from farmers and their cows through direct observation and interviews related to the identity of the cattle they owned. The results showed that the average performance of the milk production characteristics of FH dairy cows was: an average milk production of 3779.2±497.48 liters/head/day, an average length of lactation of 307.8±31.30 days, and an average dry period of 72.14±21.43 days. The lactation period had a significant effect (P&amp;lt;0.05) on milk production. The peak of milk production was reached in the fourth lactation period. The mean of reproductive traits consisting of the first postpartum mating was 77±20.5 days, the average length of days open was 96±26.4 days, the average number of services per conception was 1.8±0.85 times, and the average calving interval was 381.05± 24.5 days. In conclusion, FH dairy cows raised in Pangalengan and Margamukti Villages, Pangalengan District, Santosa and Tarumajaya Village, Kertasari District, in the working area of Pangalengan KPBS during the Covid-19 pandemic indicated a fairly good performance of milk production and reproduction characteristics.

Effect of LHCGR and FSHR gene polymorphisms on fertility traits and milk yield of cross-bred dairy cows in Sri Lanka

Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis of fertility genes will be useful in improving the genetic potential of dairy cows. A population of 142 cross-bred dairy cows was screened for SNPs in bovine luteinizing hormone choriogonadotropin receptor (LHCGR) and bovine follicle stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) genes. The effect of reported SNPs on selected fertility traits (average calving interval, average number of services per conception and age at first calving) and milk yield was determined. Altogether six SNPs were detected in animals screened under the present study. Among them, four SNPs (rs41256848, rs41256850, rs465790244, and rs45463781) were located in the exon 11 region of the LHCGR gene and two SNPs (rs43676359 and G-278-A (GU253337) were located in the five upstream region of the FSHR gene. Minor alleles identified for SNPs in the FSHR gene in the studied small population of cows differed from those reported in other research. In this study, only rs45463781 SNP at exon 11 of the LHCGR gene significantly affected the average milk yield in cross-bred cows. The nucleotide change from “G” to “A” negatively affected the average milk yield. Further investigations are needed to confirm the reported association with a larger sample size.

Assessment on major production constraints, and reproductive performances of camel in West Hararghe Zone Oromia Ethiopia

The study was conducted in Mieso and Bordede districts, in West Hararghe Zone of Oromiya National Regional State with the objectives of assessing major constraints of camel production, reproductive performances, and physicochemical quality of camel milk in the study areas. A total of 120 households (camel owners) were selected purposively for interview (i.e 20 households from each kebeles). Feed shortage, conflict over the scarcity of natural resources, low productivity of grazing land, and water scarcity were the main constraints of camel production. The mean age at first mating for male and female camels was 5.92±2.91 and 4.79±1.84 years respectively, similarly, the average number of services per conception of camels in this finding was 1.73±0.64. The reproductive span of male and female camels in the study area were 20.04±6.50 and 25.20±7.83 years, respectively and the gestation period of camels recorded in this study was 1.73±0.64. The lactation length of a camel was 9.77±2.10 and 17.30±5.66 months in Mieso and Bordede, respectively. Late maturity is reported as the primary reproductive constraint followed by long calving interval, the presence of reproductive disease, low conception rate and the birth of stunted calves in Mieso district. Whereas in Bordede district the primary reproductive constraints were late maturity followed by the presence of reproductive disease, long calving interval, low conception rate and birth of stunted calf. In conclusion, camel is one of the most important livestock for pastoralists’ livelihood as a source of milk, meat and draught power. In order to increase the productivity of camels, the major constraints such as shortage of feed and water, disease problems and others should be given attention.

Hyaluronic Acid Injections for Knee Osteoarthritis: Has Utilization Among Medicare Beneficiaries Changed Between 2012 and 2018?

The utilization of hyaluronic acid (HA) for the management of knee osteoarthritis (OA) remains controversial, and more information is needed regarding how its utilization and financial burden have changed over recent years. The purpose of our analysis was to evaluate changes in overall utilization and health-care costs associated with HA injections among Medicare beneficiaries over a contemporary time frame. The 2012 to 2018 Medicare Fee-for-Service Provider Utilization and Payment Public Use Files (PUFs) were utilized for our analysis. Organized by Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) codes, these files capture 100% of Medicare Part B claims. Payment and utilization data were collected for all HCPCS codes corresponding to injection of an HA formulation. The number of services involving HA as well as the total cost of HA administration in 2020 U.S. dollars were tabulated. Mann-Kendall trend tests were used to evaluate trends in utilization for providers nationally and when segregated by specialty. Total HA utilization increased significantly from 2012 (n = 1,090,503) through 2018 (n = 1,209,489; p = 0.04). Although orthopaedic surgeons did not demonstrate significant changes in total utilization rates (p = 0.23), the average number of services per orthopaedic surgeon increased significantly (p = 0.02). Reflecting a substantial growth in the number of advanced practice providers (APPs) providing injections, there was a significant increase in utilization and associated costs among physician assistants (p < 0.01) and nurse practitioners (p < 0.01). Total costs associated with HA services increased significantly from $290.10 million to $325.02 million (p < 0.01). Despite the 2013 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons clinical practice guideline recommending against the clinical utility of these injections, HA services continued to be widely implemented among Medicare beneficiaries. Although there were variations across specialties when evaluating overall utilization rates as well as rates per provider, APPs largely contributed to the increase seen in the U.S. over this study period. More data are needed to support continued implementation and spending on this low-value care.

Pemberdayaan Masyarakat di Kelompok Tani Ternak “Batu Kalang Indah” sebagai Upaya Peningkatan Populasi Ternak Sapi di Nagari Ampang Pulai

The “Batu Kalang Indah” Livestock Farmers Group, which was chosen as a partner in the community service activity proposal, is located in Ampang Pulai sub-district, XI Koto Tarusan District, Pesisir Selatan Regency. The distance of the Assisted Cattle Group from the UNAND Faculty of Animal Husbandry is around &lt;200 km. This group still has an average number of services per conception (S/C) of nearly 2, most of the parents showed two artificial inseminations (AI) just became pregnant. Besides the high S/C value, post partum estrus (PPE) is also long, some for more than one year. Feeding conditions also experience problems in this group, meanwhile the lust conditions of the cows that are not known to breeders are also a problem. The benefit of this service activity is to increase the parent population that is kept by breeders in this group, with the hope of increasing the income and welfare of the breeders. Activities that will be carried out are assistance in raising beef cattle, processing rice straw-based feed and procuring bulls as lust biostimulation and implementing scheduled IB. This activity is carried out by methods of preparation, counseling and training, guidance and coaching, discussion and consultation, implementation of community service and evaluation and monitoring. The result of this activity is that breeders have known the proper and measurable ways and patterns of raising cattle. It is hoped that this activity can provide information related to maintenance patterns that can be applied sustainably to this livestock group.

Cattle production system in doab area of Uttar Pradesh

The present study was undertaken for collecting base line information on cattle rearing pattern and identify, establishment of germplasm distribution network of Frieswal crossbred and zebu cattle under field conditions of Doab area.The study on socio-economic parameters revealed that the average age of dairy farmers was 51.31 years with range between 23–85 years.Occupation wise maximum (89%) households belonged to agriculture (farming) group followed by dairy (8%), service (2.5%) and business (0.5%).The average educational qualifications of animal owners were high school (24.5%). The average herd size was 2.89 dairy animals per household followed by 1.15 cattle and 1.75 buffalo per households in study area. A total of 95.58% crossbred cows were covered by artificial insemination and 4.42% were covered through both AI/natural services. The average number of services per cow was 1.75 per animal. Parity wise production of cattle was found highest (14.28±2.7 kg) in 4th lactation and lowest (9.61±3.4 kg) in 1st lactation followed by 5th (11.71±4.4 kg), 2nd (10.21±3.0 kg) and 3rd (9.70±2.9 kg) lactation. The average milk production was 14.33 kg out of which, 7.36 kg per day was used for household’s consumption. The rest of milk (12.24 kg) was sold to local milkman/purchaser for income. This study will be very helpful in improvement of breeding, feeding and healthcare management practices and to understand the production and consumption pattern of milk in the Doab area of Uttar Pradesh.

Study on reproductive performance of Holstein x Lai Sind crossbred dairy heifers and cows at smallholdings in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

The reproductive performance of Holstein x Lai Sind crossbred dairy heifers and cows was evaluated at smallholdings in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). The data of 232 heifers and 244 cows (261 lactations) from 35 small dairy farms was collected over a 2-year period, from 2013 to 2014. The overall mean for age at first service (AFS), days between first and last service (DFLS), and age at conception (AC) of heifers was 479 (±80), 38 (±80), and 517 (±114) days, respectively. Average number of services per conception (NSC), conception rate (CR), and conception rate at first service (CRFS) was 1.8 (±1.4), 55, and 58%, respectively. The overall mean for the waiting period (WP), DFLS, and days open (DO) of cows was 109 (±52), 133 (±114), and 242 (±129) days, respectively. The mean for NSC, CR, and CRFS was 4.3 (±2.7), 23, and 14%, respectively. A very significant decrease in AFS and AC according to the year of birth, and a significant increase in AFS according to body weight at first insemination (>320kg) were observed. The CRFS of heifers inseminated in 2013 was significantly higher than in 2014. Monthly mean CR in heifers and cows was negatively correlated with THI. The WP, DFLS, DO, and NSC of cows significantly decreased according to the year of calving. Cows that calved in rainy season had a significantly longer WP than in dry season. The occurrence of postpartum (PP) diseases was accompanied by an increase in WP, DO, and NSC. A decrease in body condition score (BCS) between calving and 60th day (C60) and also between 60th and 120th day of lactation resulted in a significant increase in WP and DO. A decrease in BCS between C60 was also accompanied by a considerable reduction in CRFS of cows. Season and BCS at insemination had a significant effect on NSC and CR of cows. Reproductive performance was satisfactory for heifers, but poor for cows. Losses of BCS during the first months of lactation and at insemination were the major risk factors for this poor performance. Moreover, the season had a more negative effect on fertility in cows than in heifers.

Breaking the Deadlock: Towards a New Intergovernmental Relationship in Canadian Healthcare.

Canadians are, at best, only "marginally confident" in the future of Canada's healthcare system (Nanos and Jenkins 2014). They are skeptical that simply spending more money can address the issues underlying Canadian healthcare, yet they also doubt the country's capacity to harness innovative strategies to improve healthcare (ibid). These issues are central to Canadians' concerns about healthcare reform: increased funding is no guarantee of better quality or access to healthcare and may reinforce inefficient patterns of health spending (Canadian Institute for Health Information 2012). For example, Contandriopoulos showed that since 2007 in Québec, total physician compensation, average physician compensation and average unit cost per service all rose quickly but the total number of services, number of services per capita and average number of services per physician were either level or declined (Contandriopoulos and Perroux 2013). However, simply pressuring provinces and territories to do more with less may also be counterproductive, because it creates immediate delivery pressures that reduce opportunities for careful deliberation of strategies for enduring and meaningful improvement. In this article, we present an approach to making the Canadian healthcare system more effective, efficient and sustainable. The program maintains the autonomy of the provinces and territories while renewing federal leadership. The core idea is to use federal healthcare transfer payments to incentivize greater efficiency, better access, better outcomes and increased health equity. Our goal is to set out this model for discussion. We acknowledge that measuring health outcomes, healthcare quality and health equity is challenging. Developing and implementing such measures will require conceptual development and detailed technical plans that are beyond the scope of this article. Moreover, we can only touch briefly on the political processes required to implement a model that balances federal leadership with provincial autonomy. Our goal here is to stimulate discussion by presenting a new model for funding and delivering healthcare.

The provision of chiropractic, physiotherapy and osteopathic services within the Australian private health-care system: a report of recent trends

BackgroundChiropractors, physiotherapists, and osteopaths receive training in the diagnosis and management of musculoskeletal conditions. As a result there is considerable overlap in the types of conditions that are encountered clinically by these practitioners. In Australia, the majority of benefits paid for these services come from the private sector. The purpose of this article is to quantify and describe the development in service utilization and the cost of benefits paid to users of these healthcare services by private health insurers. An exploration of the factors that may have influenced the observed trends is also presented.MethodsA review of data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, and the Australian Government Private Health Insurance Administration Council was conducted. An analysis of chiropractic, physiotherapy and osteopathic service utilisation and cost of service utilisation trend was performed along with the level of benefits and services over time.ResultsIn 2012, the number of physiotherapists working in the private sector was 2.9 times larger than that of chiropractic, and 7.8 times that of the osteopathic profession. The total number of services provided by chiropractors, physiotherapists, and osteopaths increased steadily over the past 15 years. For the majority of this period, chiropractors provided more services than the other two professions. The average number of services provided by chiropractors was approximately two and a half times that of physiotherapists and four and a half times that of osteopaths.ConclusionsThis study highlights a clear disparity in the average number of services provided by chiropractors, physiotherapists, and osteopaths in the private sector in Australia over the last 15 years. Further research is required to explain these observed differences and to determine whether a similar trend exists in patients who do not have private health insurance cover.

Fee Increases and Target Income Hypothesis: Data from Quebec on Physicians’ Compensation and Service Volumes

Recent years have witnessed important public investments in physicians' compensation across Canada. The current paper uses data from Quebec to assess the impact of those investments on the volumes of services provided to the population. While total physician compensation costs, average physician compensation and average unit cost per service all rose extremely fast, the total number of services, number of services per capita and average number of services per physician either stagnated or declined. This pattern is compatible with the economic target income hypothesis and raises important policy questions.

23 EFFECTS OF THE NUMBER OF SERVICES FERTILITY IN DAIRY COWS

In recent years, reproductive performance of dairy cows has been declining worldwide, especially among cows of high genetic merit for milk production. The cause of the low fertility may considerably vary across countries and is probably multifactorial. This problem remains unsolved. Further, the first-service conception rate of dairy cows has remarkably decreased worldwide. The number of services required for conception has increased due to the low fertility in dairy cows. However, there are few reports about the relationship between conception rates and the number of services in the current dairy cows. The objective of this study was to investigate whether the number of services affects the conception rates of dairy cows. Data concerning the conception rates was obtained for 8386 Holstein cows from 40 commercial dairy herds in eastern Hokkaido, Japan, from 2006 to 2009. The diagnosis of pregnancy was confirmed by rectal palpation between 30 and 45 days after insemination. The average interval between calving and the first-service was 87.3 days. The average milk yield was 8500 kg. Number of conducting services was from the first to the seventh service. The conception rate was analysed using chi-square test. The results are presented in Table1. The conception rate from the first to the seventh service was 40.2 to 54.0%. The conception rate at the first service was significantly low (40.2%); however, the conception rates did not significantly differ after the second-service. A similar tendency was observed during each year. Moreover, the total percentage of conceptions from the first to the third service was 83.8%. The average number of services per conception was 2.2. The results of this study indicate that the first service yielded the lowest conception rates. The conception rates after the second service did not significantly differ. Moreover, ∼84% of the dairy cows became pregnant between the first service and the third service. However, this result shows that ∼16% of the dairy cows in the herds were repeat breeding. In order to improve fertility, it is necessary to study the factors that affect the first-service conception rates of dairy cows. Moreover, to improve the conception rate of dairy cows, it is important to elucidate the cause of these problems. Table 1.The number and percentage of dairy cows conceiving at each of the services for consecutive services

Reproductive performances of dairy cows in smallholder production system in Selalle, Central Ethiopia

A study was conducted to assess the reproductive performance and factors that influence reproductive efficiency of cows in smallholder dairy farms in Selalle, Central Ethiopia. Three hundred dairy farms (average herd size = 8) were visited and data on reproductive, breeding and management histories were collected and analysed. The overall geometric means for calving to conception interval (n=382) and duration after last calving (n=422) were 187 and 201 days in pregnant and non-pregnant cows, respectively. The least-squares mean calving to conception interval was higher (p < 0.05) in mixed crop-livestock production (MCLP) than in small urban dairy production (SUDP) systems and was lower (p < 0.01) in non-suckling than in suckling cows. District significantly influenced (p < 0.01) the least-squares mean duration after last calving and, among the districts, non-pregnant cows in Wuchale-Jida had the highest values, whereas cows in Sululta and Mulo had the lowest values. The overall average number of services per conception (+/-SD) and the first service conception rate were 1.6 +/- 1.0 (n=382) and 56% (n=456), respectively. The prevalences of abortion, dystocia (assisted parturition), retained fetal membrane, vulval discharge/endometritis and pre-weaning calf mortality were 1.4%, 1.3%, 5.4%, 2.8% and 17.4%, respectively. The present estimates of extended calving to conception interval and duration after last calving indicate poor reproductive performances of cows in Selalle smallholder dairy farms. The pre-weaning calf mortality rate is highly significant. Accordingly, a further detailed investigation is necessary to identify and quantify the specific reproductive disorders and associated interacting factors attributing to such poor performance and to determine the causes and predisposing factors behind such high calf mortality.

Australian General Practice

While the number of GP services provided in Australia increased steadily from the inception of Medicare in 1984 until the mid 1990s, it declined by 6.6% from 1997-8 to 2003-4. This reflects a decline in average number of services provided per GP of 8.0%. In Australia, as in the US and Canada, there has been a change in the composition of the GP workforce in recent years, in particular an increased feminisation and aging of the GP workforce. We explore whether the decline in average level of services per GP is an inevitable outcome of changes in the composition of the GP workforce, or due to changes in the behaviour of individual GPs driven by attitudinal or economic factors. Using 8 years of data on the levels of GP activity within the Medicare system, we apply standardisation techniques to examine the expected impact of changes in the composition of the GP workforce. We show that the increasing feminisation of the GP workforce over this period would lead to a reduction in overall GP activity levels, everything else being equal, but that the effect is small (1.9%). Aging of workforce would have led to an increase in overall activity levels (7.5%), as would increases in levels of vocational registration (4.2%) and increases in the proportion of overseas-trained GPs (0.6%). Overall, if GPs of a given age-sex-education/training category had continued to provide services at the same average level in 2003 as in 1996, the change in composition from 1996 to 2003 would have led to increases in the levels of services per GP of 3.9%. This is 11.4% above the level of services per GP actually observed. We have examined changes in the number of services per GP within 'pseudo cohorts' of GPs, and observe that young cohorts of GPs provide fewer services on average than previous young cohorts. Middle-aged GPs, particularly middle-aged male GPs, have reduced the number of services they individually provide. While this reduced level of activity of individual GPs could be due to changes in the underlying need for services, it is more likely to be as a result of reduced demand due to higher prices being charged (consistent with the observed increases in charging levels), or to changing attitudes of GPs seeking more family time. In planning for the future GP workforce, policy makers need to consider many factors. These include not only the demographic factors that influence the volume of GP activity, but also the changing behaviour of GPs and the factors that influence this behaviour.

Effects of selection for production and maternal diet on maiden dairy heifer fertility

AbstractThe objectives of this study were to investigate reproductive performance and the influence of maternal environment on reproductive performance in two genetic lines of maiden heifers. These were given food and managed in the same way at the Langhill Dairy Cattle Research Centre. The two genetic lines were established in 1973; one has been selected for high combined yield of fat plus protein (selection line; S) and the other has been maintained at around the UK average for genetic merit of yield of fat plus protein (control line; C). Analysis of the reproductive performance of 988 heifers born between 1981 and 1998 showed that S heifers were poorer (all P &lt; 0·05) than C heifers for all reproductive measures: conception at first service (S: 0·64, s.e. 0·02; C: 0·71, s.e. 0·03), interval between first and last service (S: 18·2 days, s.e. 2·2; C: 13·4 days, s.e. 2·2) and number of services per conception (S: 1·49 services, s.e. 0·06; C: 1·39 services, s.e. 0·06). S heifers were also younger at first service than C heifers (474·9 days v. 480·1 days, s.e. 1·9, for S and C respectively; P • 01). Fertility of service sires may have had some influence on these results, but this could not be investigated here, as S heifers were mated only to high merit bulls and C heifers to average merit bulls. However, within genetic line, the yearly downward trend in the average number of services per conception of heifers was significantly different from zero for the S line, but not the C line. There were no statistically significant relationships between conception rates in maiden heifers and their subsequent reproductive performance in first lactation. The effect of maternal environment on the reproductive performance of daughters as maiden heifers was investigated. There were no statistically significant relationships between daughter reproductive performance and dam parity or the feeding system of the dam (either a high or low level of concentrates). Within the limited range of nutritional status of dams during the periods post calving and in early pregnancy, there was no statistically significant effect of maternal nutrition on daughter reproductive performance.

Children with SED and Their Families in an Urban Public Mental Health System: Characteristics, Needs, and Expectations

We present information with implications for the design of comprehensive systems of care for children with severe emotional disturbance and their families. Combining quantitative data derived from children and caregivers on multiple standardized assessments and qualitative data based on the caregivers' personal comments, we provide a detailed account of child clinical status, service needs, involvement in normative childhood activities, aspects of family coping and functioning, and expectations of mental health services. Research participants were from a random sampling of children, 9 to 11 years of age, receiving an above average number of services from a large urban public mental health system. Results from this comprehensive needs assessment demonstrate the serious nature of the children's disabilities, illuminate the corresponding challenges for families, and provide direction for enhancing the system of care. The caregivers rated recreation and after school programs as their first priority. Since traditional mental health services are fairly well articulated and evolved, we concentrate on using information about child functioning and family context to inform the development of recreation and after school programs that can accommodate children with extremely challenging behaviors.

Serum progesterone profiles of zebu cattle ( Bos indicus) in relationship to conception and repeat breeding after artificial insemination

Sixty-four zebu cows, comprised mainly of Bunaji cattle aged between 3 and 7 years old, were involved in an intensive artificial insemination programme. The study was conducted during the breeding period (May–October), and cows were inseminated with freshly prepared Friesian semen when they stood to be mounted by the vasectomised bull or herdmates. Fertility was measured by serum progesterone (P 4) concentrations and pregnancy diagnosis by rectal examination post-insemination. From the records of oestrus detection and P 4 profiles of cattle following breeding, 39 oestrous cycle lengths were classified into short, normal and long cycles. The mean duration for short, normal and long oestrous cycles were 15.6±2.0, 21.5±1.5 and 29.5±2.5 days, respectively. Mean inter-oestrus intervals between the treatment groups were not different. The percentage frequency distribution was 48.7% for normal oestrous cycles. The short oestrous cycle lengths of 11–17 days were observed in 12.8% of the cases, while 38.5% of the cases of oestrus returns had long luteal phases with oestrous cycle lengths of 26–32 days. Out of the 64 cows, 48.4% conceived to the first breeding while 18.8% conceived to the second breeding. Five and nine cows became acyclic after the first and second breeding, respectively, constituting 22.0%. Cows that displayed irregular oestrous cycles (repeat breeders) constituted 10.9%. Average number of services per conception was 1.3. Serum P 4 is of practical value in monitoring ovarian activity in cattle and in the identification of acyclic and repeat breeder cows. Repeat breeder cows could be investigated by a combination of radioimmunoassay and clinical examination of the ovaries and reproductive tract. In cattle management, it is economical and profitable to diagnose pregnancy early after insemination so that cows which fail to conceive may be rebred.