Influence of heat stress on reproductive performance in dairy cows and opportunities to reduce its effects – a review

Abstract. The goal of this review is to consider and discuss the scientific literature related to the effect of heat stress (HS) on reproductive performance in dairy cows and opportunities to reduce its effects. The information in literature shows that the HS topic in dairy cows began to be discussed in the 1970s. As genetic progress related to productivity increases, the requirements for cows also increase, including for their reproduction performance. In the present review, a significant array of scientific papers is examined, as a result of which it is established that HS has a multifaceted effect on reproduction in dairy cows. The main role for the negative impact of HS is the effect of high ambient temperature on the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis. As a result, hormonal changes occur in the body of cows, which affect the behavior of cows in estrus, the development of follicles in the ovaries and the survival of the embryo in the uterus. These changes affect the main elements of cattle breeding such as length of days open interval, conception rate, number of inseminations required for conception. To mitigate the negative impact of HS on cows, methods have been developed for better estrus detection, for microclimate control, as well as for hormonal treatment of cows in order to increase reproductive performance. Although some progress has been made in each of the measures, HS still poses a serious reproductive problem for dairy cows, especially in the countries with warmer climates. This provokes the interest of many scientists around the world who seek to offer a solution/mitigation to this problem.</jats:p

The scope of coaching in the context of organizational change

The aim of this paper is to explore the scope of coaching in the context of organizational change considering peculiar issues associated with the use of coaching in Latvia and Lithuania. This two-stage study seeks to answer the following research questions. How is coaching defined? What is the aim of coaching? Who are involved in coaching? What coaching outcomes are expected? During the first stage, the definitions of coaching are extracted from the literature and analyzed to identify the distinctive features of coaching. During the second stage, the experts are interviewed to explore the views of practitioners in coaching about a place of coaching in organizations. Literature review, content analysis and comparative analysis are used for the purposes of this study. Triangulation of research results is obtained through cross verification from two sources. A total of 41 definitions of coaching were extracted from the literature and taken for analysis. Based on the established criteria for selection, nine experts participated in an interview. As a result, content analysis and comparative analysis have revealed that coaching is defined as a regular, synergetic, learning and development, goal-oriented process. Facilitation is a primary aim of coaching. Coaching is more beneficial for people who provide decisions. Achieved results and personal growth is considered as the key expected coaching outcomes. Coaching provides greater goal clarity, better alignment with the roles in the organization. However, the possible threats and challenges, such as stereotype and misunderstanding, lack of systematic approach to coaching engagements as well as its alignment with organizational change needs, have also been detected. It is difficult to explain how effective coaching can be because coaching is not homogeneous and it is difficult to measure the results of coaching