title: How Nutritional and Genetic Factors affect New Zealand Goat Milk Composition

authors: Huitema, Nadine Aly

subjects: Goat

abstract: Demand for goat milk produced in New Zealand (NZ) is rapidly growing, particularly in expanding Asian markets. The aim of this study was to investigate how genetic and nutritional factors influence milk composition of NZ dairy goats. Little is known about these two factors in dairy goats, especially when compared to extensive research conducted in the area on dairy cows. Therefore in an attempt to improve goat milk production and composition, one important gene and three common nutritional supplements were investigated as part of this study.

The gene CSN1S1 was chosen for genetic analysis as it is highly polymorphic and can produce a range of effects on milk composition. 126 dairy goats were genotyped and 100 of these were aligned to herd-test and fatty acid data. Key findings include (a) ‘medium’ and ‘low’ CSN1S1 variants are the most common in the NZ dairy goat population, (b) CSN1S1 genotype significantly influences milk protein content, (c) in some circumstances CSN1S1 genotype can affect milk yield and fat content (d) CSN1S1 genotype has no effect on somatic cell count or the kilograms yielded of fat and protein or milk solids and (e) CSN1S1 genotypes produce small differences in two fatty acids (C10:0 and C18:3n3).  
Due to their increasing popularity as alternative animal feeds, palm kernel extract (PKE), biscuit waste (BW) and yeast nutritional factors were investigated. PKE significantly increased C12:0 and C14:0 fatty acids which were reduced to control-farm levels following removal of the supplement in the next season. BW had no clear effects on milk fatty acid composition while yeast supplementation had no effect on any aspect of milk composition. Significant seasonal effects were observed for some fatty acids.

Overall this research has shown that milk produced from NZ dairy goats has the potential to be modified through genetic and dietary means. Genetic factors such as CSN1S1 and nutritional supplements, especially PKE can alter milk composition. The healthfulness of goat milk can therefore be optimised to better suit the nutritional needs of the consumer.

text: How Nutritional and Genetic Factors affect New Zealand Goat Milk Composition Demand for goat milk produced in New Zealand (NZ) is rapidly growing, particularly in expanding Asian markets. The aim of this study was to investigate how genetic and nutritional factors influence milk composition of NZ dairy goats. Little is known about these two factors in dairy goats, especially when compared to extensive research conducted in the area on dairy cows. Therefore in an attempt to improve goat milk production and composition, one important gene and three common nutritional supplements were investigated as part of this study.

The gene CSN1S1 was chosen for genetic analysis as it is highly polymorphic and can produce a range of effects on milk composition. 126 dairy goats were genotyped and 100 of these were aligned to herd-test and fatty acid data. Key findings include (a) ‘medium’ and ‘low’ CSN1S1 variants are the most common in the NZ dairy goat population, (b) CSN1S1 genotype significantly influences milk protein content, (c) in some circumstances CSN1S1 genotype can affect milk yield and fat content (d) CSN1S1 genotype has no effect on somatic cell count or the kilograms yielded of fat and protein or milk solids and (e) CSN1S1 genotypes produce small differences in two fatty acids (C10:0 and C18:3n3).  
Due to their increasing popularity as alternative animal feeds, palm kernel extract (PKE), biscuit waste (BW) and yeast nutritional factors were investigated. PKE significantly increased C12:0 and C14:0 fatty acids which were reduced to control-farm levels following removal of the supplement in the next season. BW had no clear effects on milk fatty acid composition while yeast supplementation had no effect on any aspect of milk composition. Significant seasonal effects were observed for some fatty acids.

Overall this research has shown that milk produced from NZ dairy goats has the potential to be modified through genetic and dietary means. Genetic factors such as CSN1S1 and nutritional supplements, especially PKE can alter milk composition. The healthfulness of goat milk can therefore be optimised to better suit the nutritional needs of the consumer.

year: 2012

title: Sea-level change: Living with uncertainty

authors: de Lange, Willem P.

abstract: Sea level change is a naturally occurring process. Since the last glacial maximum, some 18,000 years ago, de-glaciation has taken place and this natural global warming has led to sea-level rise of on average 120 m or so. At some times, pulses of melt water coming from large peri-glacial lakes led to rates of sea-level rise as high as 3 m per century. The rate slowed down some 7000 years ago and since then has been naturally fluctuating by only a few meters. The remaining global sea-level rise has been about 20 cm in the 20th century. Has this led to global disasters? The answer is no. If the projected rise over the 21st century is double what was seen in the 20th, is it likely that it will result in global disasters? Again, the answer is most likely no; human ingenuity, innovation and engineering, and the proper material and financial resources should solve local problems if and when they arrive, as they have in the 20th century (see the Dutch example). 
In this short and accessible monograph, Willem de Lange and Robert Carter describe and explain sea-level change, including the many remaining uncertainties in our full understanding of what exactly drives this change, and discuss the implications, mainly regarding coastal management. The monograph is intended for policy makers, but it should be informative for any educated reader. De Lange and Carter analyse the causes of sea-level change, and describe how it has been measured – with tide gauges over the past 100 to 150 years and from satellites over the past 30 years. Their key message is to recall that sea-level change is a local phenomenon, with high variability and multiple causes. In the 20th century, for a global average rise of 20 cm, there has been sea-level rise of up to twice that value in some places, but in others a drop of the same amount! Because of the melting of a large former ice cap over the Baltic area, the Earth’s viscous mantle is slowly deforming and as a result sea-level is decreasing in the North of the British Isles at the same time as it is rising on the south coast. Moreover, we have known since Darwin and understood since the plate tectonics revolution that atolls in the Pacific form over slowly subsiding volcanoes and will eventually drown (but at a slower ‘geological’ rate, due to thermal subsidence of the lithosphere on which they stand). In any case, the global average has no practical value in local or regional coastal management.

text: Sea-level change: Living with uncertainty Sea level change is a naturally occurring process. Since the last glacial maximum, some 18,000 years ago, de-glaciation has taken place and this natural global warming has led to sea-level rise of on average 120 m or so. At some times, pulses of melt water coming from large peri-glacial lakes led to rates of sea-level rise as high as 3 m per century. The rate slowed down some 7000 years ago and since then has been naturally fluctuating by only a few meters. The remaining global sea-level rise has been about 20 cm in the 20th century. Has this led to global disasters? The answer is no. If the projected rise over the 21st century is double what was seen in the 20th, is it likely that it will result in global disasters? Again, the answer is most likely no; human ingenuity, innovation and engineering, and the proper material and financial resources should solve local problems if and when they arrive, as they have in the 20th century (see the Dutch example). 
In this short and accessible monograph, Willem de Lange and Robert Carter describe and explain sea-level change, including the many remaining uncertainties in our full understanding of what exactly drives this change, and discuss the implications, mainly regarding coastal management. The monograph is intended for policy makers, but it should be informative for any educated reader. De Lange and Carter analyse the causes of sea-level change, and describe how it has been measured – with tide gauges over the past 100 to 150 years and from satellites over the past 30 years. Their key message is to recall that sea-level change is a local phenomenon, with high variability and multiple causes. In the 20th century, for a global average rise of 20 cm, there has been sea-level rise of up to twice that value in some places, but in others a drop of the same amount! Because of the melting of a large former ice cap over the Baltic area, the Earth’s viscous mantle is slowly deforming and as a result sea-level is decreasing in the North of the British Isles at the same time as it is rising on the south coast. Moreover, we have known since Darwin and understood since the plate tectonics revolution that atolls in the Pacific form over slowly subsiding volcanoes and will eventually drown (but at a slower ‘geological’ rate, due to thermal subsidence of the lithosphere on which they stand). In any case, the global average has no practical value in local or regional coastal management.

year: 2014-01-15

title: Te whakahuatanga i te reo Māori: Kua ahatia e tātou i roto i ngā tau 100 kua hipa nei? (The pronunciation of Māori: What have we done to it in the last 100 Years?)

authors: Harlow, Ray

subjects: Te reo Māori

abstract: In the words of the proverb: 'The land remains, but humankind vanishes.' One should perhaps extend this to read: 'The land remains, humankind vanishes, and language changes.' For languages are old, handed down from one generation to another, but no matter what, they change. Present-day English is not Shakespeare's or Chaucer's language. The pronunciation has changed, new words have entered the language, some words have been lost, the grammar is now different. Māori is like that as well. Over the last two centuries, many aspects of the language have become different. Many words have been borrowed from English, and become part of the language. Many new words have been created in recent years to accommodate the new topics now being spoken about in Māori. Many words have changed their meaning, e.g., 'pūtea' originally a type of basket, but now a 'fund', source of money. In the grammar, there are now constructions being used which were not correct in earlier centuries.So far as the pronunciation is concerned, how is one to observe its development? That is the substance of a research project which has only just now begun, and it is the purpose of this paper to explain the nature of that research and show some of the preliminary findings. Hence the title: The pronunciation of Māori: What have we done to it in the last 100 years? The project is supported by the Marsden Research Fund.

text: Te whakahuatanga i te reo Māori: Kua ahatia e tātou i roto i ngā tau 100 kua hipa nei? (The pronunciation of Māori: What have we done to it in the last 100 Years?) In the words of the proverb: 'The land remains, but humankind vanishes.' One should perhaps extend this to read: 'The land remains, humankind vanishes, and language changes.' For languages are old, handed down from one generation to another, but no matter what, they change. Present-day English is not Shakespeare's or Chaucer's language. The pronunciation has changed, new words have entered the language, some words have been lost, the grammar is now different. Māori is like that as well. Over the last two centuries, many aspects of the language have become different. Many words have been borrowed from English, and become part of the language. Many new words have been created in recent years to accommodate the new topics now being spoken about in Māori. Many words have changed their meaning, e.g., 'pūtea' originally a type of basket, but now a 'fund', source of money. In the grammar, there are now constructions being used which were not correct in earlier centuries.So far as the pronunciation is concerned, how is one to observe its development? That is the substance of a research project which has only just now begun, and it is the purpose of this paper to explain the nature of that research and show some of the preliminary findings. Hence the title: The pronunciation of Māori: What have we done to it in the last 100 years? The project is supported by the Marsden Research Fund.

year: 2005-05