title: Motivation to obtain a food reward of pregnant ewes in negative energy balance: Behavioural, metabolic and endocrine considerations

authors: Verbeek, Else

subjects: Behavioural demand

abstract: Low food availability often coincides with pregnancy in grazing animals. This study investigated how chronic reductions in food intake affected feeding motivation, and metabolic and endocrine parameters in pregnant sheep, which might be indicative of compromised welfare. Ewes with an initial Body Condition Score of 2.7 +/- 0.3 (BCS: 0 indicates emaciation and 5 obesity) were fed to attain low (LBC 2.0 +/- 0.0,), medium (MBC 2.9 +/- 0.1) or high BCS (HBC 3.7 +/- 0.1) in the first trimester of pregnancy. A feeding motivation test in which sheep were required to walk a set distance for a palatable food reward was conducted in the second trimester. LBC and MBC ewes consumed more rewards (P=0.001) and displayed a higher expenditure (P=0.02) than HBC ewes, LBC ewes also tended to consume more rewards than MBC ewes (P=0.09). Plasma leptin and glucose concentrations were inversely correlated to expenditure (both P<0.05) and appear to be associated with hunger in sheep. LBC ewes were in negative energy balance, with lower muscle dimensions, plasma glucose, leptin, insulin, cortisol, and insulin-like growth factor-1 concentrations and higher free fatty acids concentrations compared to HBC ewes; metabolic and endocrine parameters of the MBC ewes were intermediate. The high feeding motivation and negative energy balance of low BCS ewes suggested an increased risk of compromised welfare. Imposing even a small cost on a food reward reduced motivation substantially in high BCS ewes (despite high intake when food was freely available). Assessment of a willingness to work for rewards, combined with measures of key metabolic and endocrine parameters, may provide sensitive barometers of welfare in energetically-taxed animals.

text: Motivation to obtain a food reward of pregnant ewes in negative energy balance: Behavioural, metabolic and endocrine considerations Low food availability often coincides with pregnancy in grazing animals. This study investigated how chronic reductions in food intake affected feeding motivation, and metabolic and endocrine parameters in pregnant sheep, which might be indicative of compromised welfare. Ewes with an initial Body Condition Score of 2.7 +/- 0.3 (BCS: 0 indicates emaciation and 5 obesity) were fed to attain low (LBC 2.0 +/- 0.0,), medium (MBC 2.9 +/- 0.1) or high BCS (HBC 3.7 +/- 0.1) in the first trimester of pregnancy. A feeding motivation test in which sheep were required to walk a set distance for a palatable food reward was conducted in the second trimester. LBC and MBC ewes consumed more rewards (P=0.001) and displayed a higher expenditure (P=0.02) than HBC ewes, LBC ewes also tended to consume more rewards than MBC ewes (P=0.09). Plasma leptin and glucose concentrations were inversely correlated to expenditure (both P<0.05) and appear to be associated with hunger in sheep. LBC ewes were in negative energy balance, with lower muscle dimensions, plasma glucose, leptin, insulin, cortisol, and insulin-like growth factor-1 concentrations and higher free fatty acids concentrations compared to HBC ewes; metabolic and endocrine parameters of the MBC ewes were intermediate. The high feeding motivation and negative energy balance of low BCS ewes suggested an increased risk of compromised welfare. Imposing even a small cost on a food reward reduced motivation substantially in high BCS ewes (despite high intake when food was freely available). Assessment of a willingness to work for rewards, combined with measures of key metabolic and endocrine parameters, may provide sensitive barometers of welfare in energetically-taxed animals.

year: 2012

title: Investigating an open methodology for designing domain-specific language collections

authors: Fitzgerald, Alannah

subjects: corpus-based language learning

abstract: With this research and design paper, we are proposing that Open Educational Resources (OERs) and Open Access (OA) publications give increasing access to high quality online educational and research content for the development of powerful domain-specific language collections that can be further enhanced linguistically with the Flexible Language Acquisition System (FLAX, http://flax.nzdl.org). FLAX uses the Greenstone digital library system, which is a widely used open-source software that enables end users to build collections of documents and metadata directly onto the Web (Witten, Bainbridge, & Nichols, 2010). FLAX offers a powerful suite of interactive text-mining tools, using Natural Language Processing and Artificial Intelligence designs, to enable novice collections builders to link selected language content to large pre-processed linguistic databases. An open methodology trialed at Queen Mary University of London in collaboration with the OER Research Hub at the UK Open University demonstrates how applying open corpus-based designs and technologies can enhance open educational practices among language teachers and subject academics for the preparation and delivery of courses in English for Specific Academic Purposes (ESAP).

text: Investigating an open methodology for designing domain-specific language collections With this research and design paper, we are proposing that Open Educational Resources (OERs) and Open Access (OA) publications give increasing access to high quality online educational and research content for the development of powerful domain-specific language collections that can be further enhanced linguistically with the Flexible Language Acquisition System (FLAX, http://flax.nzdl.org). FLAX uses the Greenstone digital library system, which is a widely used open-source software that enables end users to build collections of documents and metadata directly onto the Web (Witten, Bainbridge, & Nichols, 2010). FLAX offers a powerful suite of interactive text-mining tools, using Natural Language Processing and Artificial Intelligence designs, to enable novice collections builders to link selected language content to large pre-processed linguistic databases. An open methodology trialed at Queen Mary University of London in collaboration with the OER Research Hub at the UK Open University demonstrates how applying open corpus-based designs and technologies can enhance open educational practices among language teachers and subject academics for the preparation and delivery of courses in English for Specific Academic Purposes (ESAP).

year: 2014

title: Investigating the understanding and implementation of Ka Hikitia, in a New Zealand primary school

authors: Evans, Mary

subjects: Ka Hikitia

abstract: In New Zealand, the education system has underserved Māori learners for many years, with various factors contributing to this underperformance.  Many of these factors stem from racism and bias, conscious or unconscious, inherent in our system (Ministry of Education, 2019b).  Ka Hikitia Accelerating Success 2013 - 2017 (Ministry of Education, 2013a) set about to make transformative change in schools.  This research presents an investigation into the understanding and implementation of Ka Hikitia, in a New Zealand primary school.  
The research was guided by culturally responsive methodologies, bringing together both kaupapa Māori and critical theories (Berryman, 2013b).  Participants’ understandings and how these understandings transferred into their practice was determined through a case study.  The rich information generated within the case was analysed using grounded theory.  The main source of information came from interviewing the management team and teaching staff members.  As an insider/outsider researcher and also a participant, some of my information came from my own observations and knowledge of the school. Some attendance and achievement data held by the school also informed the case.  
The Office of the Auditor-General (2016b) contended that Ka Hikitia was a well-worded policy but, due to a lack of understanding of the policy in many schools, it was poorly implemented nationwide.  In this school, despite the good leadership and hard-working teachers, staff had difficulty fully understanding and therefore implementing the Ka Hikitia strategy as it was intended.  Strong relationships between teachers and students were evident throughout the study, however, stronger relationships were needed between the school and the wider Māori community.  The research shows that, despite the good intentions of the teachers, to fully implement the intent of Ka Hikitia, educators need to be committed to te ao Māori.  
The Ministry of Education plans to relaunch a further iteration of Ka Hikitia this year, supported by another initiative, Te Hurihanganui.  For this iteration to be successful, more effective implementation systems are required that will enable Māori students to enjoy and achieve educational success as Māori.

text: Investigating the understanding and implementation of Ka Hikitia, in a New Zealand primary school In New Zealand, the education system has underserved Māori learners for many years, with various factors contributing to this underperformance.  Many of these factors stem from racism and bias, conscious or unconscious, inherent in our system (Ministry of Education, 2019b).  Ka Hikitia Accelerating Success 2013 - 2017 (Ministry of Education, 2013a) set about to make transformative change in schools.  This research presents an investigation into the understanding and implementation of Ka Hikitia, in a New Zealand primary school.  
The research was guided by culturally responsive methodologies, bringing together both kaupapa Māori and critical theories (Berryman, 2013b).  Participants’ understandings and how these understandings transferred into their practice was determined through a case study.  The rich information generated within the case was analysed using grounded theory.  The main source of information came from interviewing the management team and teaching staff members.  As an insider/outsider researcher and also a participant, some of my information came from my own observations and knowledge of the school. Some attendance and achievement data held by the school also informed the case.  
The Office of the Auditor-General (2016b) contended that Ka Hikitia was a well-worded policy but, due to a lack of understanding of the policy in many schools, it was poorly implemented nationwide.  In this school, despite the good leadership and hard-working teachers, staff had difficulty fully understanding and therefore implementing the Ka Hikitia strategy as it was intended.  Strong relationships between teachers and students were evident throughout the study, however, stronger relationships were needed between the school and the wider Māori community.  The research shows that, despite the good intentions of the teachers, to fully implement the intent of Ka Hikitia, educators need to be committed to te ao Māori.  
The Ministry of Education plans to relaunch a further iteration of Ka Hikitia this year, supported by another initiative, Te Hurihanganui.  For this iteration to be successful, more effective implementation systems are required that will enable Māori students to enjoy and achieve educational success as Māori.

year: 2020