Comparing the effects of monensin and sodium butyrate on coccidia in post-weaned heifers

The emergence of antibiotic resistances has raised concerns in society about the widespread use of antibiotics, such as monensin, as growth enhancers in agriculture. Pressure to find alternatives has increased since the European Union banned the use of ionophorous antibiotics. Butyrate supplementation has been found to enhance growth in pre-weaned calves and it has been recently suggested to enhance growth in post-weaned heifers. In a recent study by Rice in 2017, there was a quadratic (P=0.03) response for coccidia counts as sodium butyrate was increased, with the lowest counts being at the intermediate doses. This suggested that butyrate has the potential to decrease coccidian in post-weaned heifers. Monensin is also used as a coccidiostat. While the objective of the study as a whole was to determine if sodium butyrate can replace monensin in the prevention of coccidiosis and in enhancing growth and feed efficiency, this report focuses only on the prevention of coccidiosis. At this time, only six of the forty Holstein heifers entered the study. The design was a 2 X 2 factorial arrangement of treatments in a randomized complete block design. Heifers were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments: (1) carrier (control; C); (2) 0.75 g SB/kg of body weight + carrier (SB); (3) 1.0 mg M/kg of body weight + carrier (M); (4) (0.75 g SB/kg of body weight and 1.0 mg M/kg of body weight + carrier (SB/M). Heifers entered the study and were trained to Calan doors from week 12 to 13 age of life. Treatment began on week 14 of life and continued for 12 weeks. Fecal samples were taken from each calf weekly beginning in the covariate period for determination of coccidia. (Measurements were also taken to evaluate the growth of post weaned calves and apparent total tract nutrient digestibility). Oocyte counts were determined through the modified Wisconsin sugar floatation method. Due to the small sample size a statistical analysis was unable to be completed. However, the preliminary data suggested a negative trend in coccidian oocyte counts 2 as treatment progressed. This indicates that both sodium butyrate and monensin have the ability to decrease the shedding of coccidian oocytes, though the statistical significance is not known at this time

Formative interaction in online writing: making disciplinary expectations explicit

About the book: How to provide appropriate feedback to students on their writing has long been an area of central significance to teachers and educators. Feedback in Second Language Writing: Context and Issues provides scholarly articles on the topic by leading researchers, who explore topics such as the socio-cultural assumptions that participants bring to the writing class; feedback delivery and negotiation systems; and the role of student and teacher identity in negotiating feedback and expectations. This text provides empirical data and an up-to-date analysis of the complex issues involved in offering appropriate feedback during the writing process

Exploring different dimensions of language use

This article explores the way in which language teachers can diagnose language learners' competence from both a sociocultural and linguistic perspective. Using two sample 'letters of complaint', the article first considers competence in terms of how well the writers organize and structure their texts in relation to their social purpose and cultural context. It then examines the extent to which the learners have control over a range of grammatical and lexical resources: (a) for representing the world, (b) for interacting and building interpersonal relations, and (c) for creating cohesive text. The article argues that by teasing out these different 'functional' dimensions of language use, the language teacher and/or curriculum designer has a clear and systematic set of criteria for developing tasks and syllabi which are comprehensive in meeting the needs of language learners. Such an approach is underpinned by Systemic Functional Linguistics (Butt et al. 2000; Halliday 1985/1994), a theory of language as 'social action'. The approach has been particularly influential in language teaching and learning in the Australian context (e.g. Feez 1998; Hood et al. 1996; NSW AMES 1995)

Production Efficiency and Agricultural Technologies in the Ethiopian Agriculture

Stochastic frontier production function analysis was performed to examine relative crop and milk production efficiency among peasants in Ada and Selale districts of the Central highlands of Ethiopia. The results indicate that Ada farmers exhibit relatively higher efficiency scores in cereal production compared to Selale producers. Farmers who adopted cross-bred cows attained higher efficiency scores than farmers who did not adopted. Production efficiency scores are higher in enterprises that enjoys experience and location specific comparative advantages. The magnitude of the impacts of knowledge-related variables (i.e., production knowledge and schooling) on production efficiency are higher relative to other variables. Adoption of one or two innovations show a consistently large, positive and significant effect on all measures of production efficiency in the Selale region. Higher production efficiency is attained in Ada region if producers adopt two or more technologies. Development strategies should examine the mixes of production technologies that may contribute to increases in agricultural production compared to the conventional package approach.Stochastic frontier production function; production efficiency; Ethiopia; comparative advantages; knowledge; adoption of technologies; agriculture

CANADA-U.S. TRADE RELATIONSHIPS: DEVELOPMENTS AND IMPLICATIONS

International Relations/Trade,

Production Efficiency in Peasant Agriculture: An Application of LISREL Model

The study examined a simplified conceptual model which incorporates variables that influence the processes and consequences of household decision-making in the Ada and Selale districts of the Ethiopian highlands. Linear structural relations (LISREL) analysis was performed on three conceptual models. The results of LISREL analysis indicate that the magnitude of contribution of factors to production efficiency in descending order as: skill variables (e.g., experience, secular education and production knowledge), consequences of access to resources or institutions (e.g., wealth), technologies adopted, physical factors (e.g., land and labour) and extension education. The impact of inputs on production efficiency was greater among farmers who have adopted one or two technologies (Ada) and two or more technologies (Selale). Successful adoption can be attained if, given appropriate socioeconomic environment, skills of producers are matched to the requirements of technologies, and when the choice of technologies are compatible with the goals of households, experience, region and enterprise specific comparative advantages.Linear structural relations (LISREL); production efficiency; knowledge; technology adoption; Ethiopia; peasant

Writing for different disciplines

About the book: Student academic writing is at the heart of teaching and learning in higher education. Students are assessed largely by what they write, and need to learn both general academic conventions as well as disciplinary writing requirements in order to be successful in higher education. Teaching Academic Writing is a 'toolkit' designed to help higher education lecturers and tutors teach writing to their students. Containing a range of diverse teaching strategies, the book offers both practical activities to help students develop their writing abilities and guidelines to help lecturers and tutors think in more depth about the assessment tasks they set and the feedback they give to students. The authors explore a wide variety of text types, from essays and reflective diaries to research projects and laboratory reports. The book draws on recent research in the fields of academic literacy, second language learning, and linguistics. It is grounded in recent developments such as the increasing diversity of the student body, the use of the Internet, electronic tuition, and issues related to distance learning in an era of increasing globalisation