Business and marketing Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business and marketing - Case Study Example She carried out her research, came up with figures and statistics; on the strength of these, wrote a memo proposing that the vendors change their selling patterns. However, they mostly responded in a negative way and telling her, she does not understand their market while others did not even bother and her plan failed. Three months later she is told to redo the plan again taking to account the errors in the previous implementation, if is deemed feasible, she will be asked to implement it. This paper will examine why her first attempt flopped and how she must craft her second attempt if she hopes to sell her ideas successfully to the venders and implement her plan in the long run. Reasons of her failure can be attributed to several factors the most obvious one being the fact that she carried out most of her research and ignored or assumed the opinion and views of the ideas direct consumers who would benefit from its implementation. She gave little effort to boost awareness for her ideas, she worked alone and did not try to popularize or educate the field agents of the plans she had for them. By working exclusively, she locked out her beneficiaries from the planning session of the plans. She should have told them how they not only needed to change from small to big accounts but also how they should implement the change. While the logic behind her ideas is clear, she did not tell them which methods should be used to mediate the process and how they should vary their sales techniques to achieve her goal. Taking to account that every single of the agents has a unique marketing technique adapted to their individual tendencies and market situations, her memo was mostly too uniform to be practical. She assumed that everyone had small clients for the same reasons and they would get uniform benefits from making the shift. This explains why most of

Summary Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 21

Summary - Assignment Example An analysis of Utopia and Reality is analyzed through the implication of the differences between Utopia and reality. The difference is from another thesis like ‘Free will and determination’, ‘Theory and Practice’, ‘The intellectual and the Bureaucrat’, ‘Left and Right’, ‘Ethics and politics’. Andreas Osiander on his article â€Å"Twentieth Century International Relations Theory; Idealism revisited† presents a revision of idealist writers. The revised writers focus their understanding of international relations on a standard pattern. The pattern in this question is the ‘Realist’ theory. The most significant difference between Idealism and Realism is in their historical theories. The similarity is that both came about as a result of industrialization. The idealist thinking envisions two views; a newer democratic world that is better suited for functional reasons in the industrial generation than in the traditional generation. The other envisioned thinking by idealist is the particular view of power politics problems got from the fact that the traditional order cannot be instantly displaced but through a long transitional phase. With reference to the works of Hedley Bull, there exist two international relations theories. The first one is the classical approach while the second is the scientific approach, but we shall focus on the first one. The scientific approach to the theory of the scientific approach is also present in the theory of international systems as stated by Morton A. Kaplan alongside many more others. A Classical approach is based on the existing situation. It is thus desirable if we reject the scientific approach and formulate other objections. However, the scientific approach is most likely to provide very little substantial data towards international relations although it later displaces the classical approach. Bull has also used the work of Thomas Schelling,

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 9

Marketing - Essay Example I feel so passionate about the motorbike particularly considering the shape which almost resembles the cheetah’s speed. The motorbike just seems comfortable and enjoyable to any rider who loves sporting. The Ducati monster would not be assumed by anyone who loves sports especially because of its unique sport nature. What interests me most is the styling of the motorbike which provides a comfortable feeling when the rider is exposed outdoors. The lovely color of the motorbike would actually attract attention of everyone who adores colors even if the person does not love motorbikes. The Ducati Monster motorbike makes me have a real natural taste of an animal ride thus prompting me to feel like it is actually a lifestyle I should adopt. The Ducati Monster motorbike seem to be the fastest motorbike from the advertisement and this makes me cherish it even more because I can ride faster than vehicles. The motorbike shape which looks like the Cheetah’s shape makes it look very flexible especially while moving past many vehicles. Motorbikes normally give me freedom and enjoyment I love more so when I bring things into focus while riding. I find it enjoyable to see nature around and appreciate the beauty of everything around me while riding. While on the motorbike, I really feel in control of almost everything around me. ... This shoe can really inspire and communicate a lot of information to the audience. The green color of the shoe simply makes it look very natural and nature friendly. The color makes it look very cool and comfortable to the wearer. The advertisement is very clear and the writings are too big to be avoided. I love the shoes because they are very comfortable especially while playing. I do cherish sports so much and any sportswear particularly from Nike Company. The company has a record of making some of the best brands of shoes and I am one of its loyal customers. Associating me with Nike Inc. is a good experience and privilege to me. I love being regarded as someone in the high status and that is exactly what I get from the shoes. These shoes’ comfort that is derived from their design and material used to manufacture it may really improve an athlete’s performance and reduce foot injury. These shoes are very flexible and simple thus enabling flexible performance as toes wi ll be able to stretch and clasp. The TOMS advertisement does not impress me but I have a friend called Sam who really loves stylish shoes. The guy is just crazy about fashion. He would always want to match the shoes with his clothes. He really enjoys going out with friends while in the latest fashion shoes or clothes. Sam loves recognition while in the group particularly if someone would just appreciate his attires. He is an individual who can take even 30 minutes thinking about what to wear for an occasion or on a weekend. These shoes are really the best fit for Sam and I have seen him with a few pairs of these kinds. The shoes actually match his casual wears such as jeans and linen trousers. The advertisement by TOMS can

The effects of Zionism on American Jewish Novels Essay Example for Free

The effects of Zionism on American Jewish Novels Essay Zionism can be defined as the political movement aimed at the return of all the Jewish people to their native soil. Its primary role was to establish a state exclusively for the Jews in Palestine, controlled purely by the Jews. The term Zionism was coined by Nathan Birbaum, who also founded the first organization of Jewish nationalist students in the West. The Zionist belief is that the Jews are a nation and hence must remain in one place. Zionism derives its name from the Hebrew word ‘Zion’, which is a hill in Jerusalem, upon which, it is believed, King David’s palace was built. Zionism attained its goal in 1948 when the state of Israel was created for the Jews. The Zionist principles, though, evolved over time with the influence from socialism, colonialism, and the like in Europe. There were two primary factors for the Zionist movement. One was the fact that the Jews were dispersed throughout the world, and in each country, they represented a minority and were deprived of their rights and were subject to great atrocities. America’s economic growth resulted in millions of Europeans including a large number of Jews settling in the United States. Many such Jewish immigrants began to write their experiences in other countries like the United States. This, in time, led to the rise of some great Jewish novels and novelists, Saul Bellow, Henry Roth, and Philip Roth being only a few among them, writing about their trials and tribulations in a country which even after years seemed alien to them. The American Jewish novels of the 1960s helped in establishing the definition of American Jewish fiction. Slowly, American Jewish writing concentrated more on the expression of individual creativity rather than ethnicity. This could be seen in the works of many successful Jewish American writers, who focused more on the realities of life giving lesser importance to all the social and national movements held for the religion. Many of the American Jewish novels following World War II no longer centered on traditional ethnic themes of identity. There often was the element of Zionism and Judaism, but it was just like any other event in a novel. No prejudice could be traced in many such novels. All such aspects of religion, of course, were projected from many angles and it showed the characters’ perspective towards a particular faith, but there was no judging if they were right or wrong. The American Jewish novels concentrated more on the human and humane aspects of the protagonists’ characters rather than on particular faiths. And overall, if we see the reviews of the novels of Chaim Potok or Henry Roth, they are mostly positive reviews. The book Call It Sleep (Roth 2005) established Henry Roth’s reputation as a writer. Zionism appeared in the novels as just another aspect or event with the characters maintaining their own viewpoints. These novels could be read just like any other novels, and it is indeed worth mentioning that in spite of the Great Depression, this book did as best as it could. This set up a trend, and after decades of such successful American Jewish novels, the current generation of Jewish writers pursues a more diverse course, with some writers choosing to ignore their Jewish legacy while others remain totally unaffected by it. There, of course, is the other group of writers who have created a new Jewish literature which voices directly the concerns of Jews throughout the world. Though American Jewish novels are written primarily by Jewish, there are many novels written with Jewish themes by people who belong to other faiths and nationalities. Even such novels are not biased in any way. On the whole, if we were to analyze the effects of Zionism on American Jewish novels, a neutral stance of Zionism is what is portrayed in almost all the plots. These authors are primarily Jewish who have first-hand experience of Jewish discrimination. But their attempt to portray it in their novels is genuine without any trace of exaggeration.. They concentrate more on the plots and characters. The concept of identity is only secondary. Saul Bellow, for that matter preferred to be treated as an American writer. He did not like the designation of a Jewish writer. He does not at any time deny his Jewish identity, and one can clearly see the influence of Jewish history in his novels though it is difficult to specify it. A review of one or two such novels and their authors will give us a better idea about this.

Inputs Diagnosis Whole Foods Essay Example for Free

Inputs Diagnosis Whole Foods Essay The range of competitors within the overall industry include chain and independent supermarkets (Krogers, Safeway, others); mass merchandisers and super centers (Wal-mart,Target); convenience stores; wholesale clubs (Sam’s); restaurants and fast food chains andnatural food stores (Whole Foods, Wild Oats Generally the concentration of competitors has been fragmented by geography. However, through recent consolidations, the emergence of regional and national chains has started to prevail along with the decline of the independent/local shops. This consolidation activity has allowed many companies to spread their fixed costs over a wider range of output, thus creating more efficiency in operations. Often, it is cheaper for a company to acquire an incumbent due to the location of their stores and access to customers rather than to raise the capital for entirely new stores, which is how Whole Foods has been able to expand following their growth model strategy. Whole Foods acquisition growth plan has helped them to gain enough economies of scale to better compete with the Wal-marts and Sam’s Clubs. Threat of Substitutes Price of substitutes plays a role in determining a company’s profitability. Organic food is priced at a premium to conventional food reflecting the high labor costs in cultivating the product. The price premium may be one reason why organic food has not become mainstream. Another reason is that consumers either lack education about its benefits (or don’t care) so that the price premium does not appear to be justified. However, when comparing upscale organic and prepared foods to competitors such as restaurants, the benefit/cost ratio appears more justified. Market research conducted shows that â€Å"20 percent of shoppers as dedicated to healthy eating†.(PRNEWSWIRE, 2013) These shoppers tend to be better educated, more affluent, couples or singles without children, and generally in better physical shape than the rest of the population. These individuals that actively seek out health and nutritional information, are younger to middle aged, and have medium to high household incomes. Thus, this market segment likely has a higher propensity to substitute than the segment above, but still is probably lower than the overall market. In total, the organic segment of the market has captured â€Å"73 percent of consumers as of 2008†.(QSRMAGAZINE, 2013) Buyer Power The retail grocery market is typically considered somewhat resistant to economic downturns, thus, to some degree, consumers’ food budgets are price insensitive. However, there is risk that consumers will switch from high quality / high margin stores to mass merchandisers (Walmart, Shop N Save) to stretch declining incomes further in a downturn market. Furthermore, while individual consumers typically lack significant buyer power to affect the specific prices of products, collectively, they can exert influence on retailers to sell or not sell specific types of products. Supplier Power The organic food suppliers are not highly concentrated, so natural food retailers have some power over them. Also, the natural food retailers may have the ability to backward integrate with partnerships and joint ventures with local growers. In addition, there is a trend for top conventional food manufacturers to invest in national/organic food companies as shown by the following excerpt * Kraft (NYSE: KFT ) : Boca Foods, Back to Nature * PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP ) : Naked Juice * General Mills (NYSE: GIS ) : Cascadian Farm, Muir Glen * Dean Foods: Horizon, The Organic Cow of Vermont, Alta Dena, White Wave/Silk * ConAgra (NYSE: CAG ) : Lightlife, Alexia Foods * Kellogg (NYSE: K ) : Morningstar Farms, Kashi, Gardenburger, Bear Naked * Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO ) : Odwalla * MM Mars: Seeds of Change * Hain Celestial (Nasdaq: HAIN ) : Nile Spice, Health Valley, Bearitos, Earths Best, Walnut Acres (FOOL, 2013) Thus, the larger number of suppliers of organic products, the less influence one supplier can have in the market. Threat of New Entry Because the retail grocery market is typically low margin, â€Å"typically in the mid-single digit range†.(VALUELINE, 2013) It is critical for companies to have some type of cost advantage over peers, the larger chains may be able to obtain better and cheaper access to products than the independent stores(economies of scale). Labor is also a significant cost to retail grocers, representing 50% to 53% of total operating costs (EHOW, 2013). Other operating costs (including rent, utilities, transportation, and technology) are controllable by the company. Lastly, technology costs are key in the retail grocery industry in order to increase efficiency in operations and aid marketing aids. Point-of-sale systems can help to increase inventory turnover and sales and lead to better targeted customer marketing (COUNTERPOINTPOS, 2013) Other areas that affect new entry into a market include capital requirements, economies of scale, and brand identity. All of these factors have been discussed to some degree under other forces. Retaliation by incumbent competitors is an important element in determining the threat of new entry. Specifically, Whole Foods faces a threat from conventional supermarkets and mass merchandisers who may move to carry organic products within their stores. CONGRUENCE MODEL In conducting the Nadler-Tushman Congruence Model, of Whole Foods Markets inputs and how they align with the strategy. I have resubmitted the model for your review The congruence model has four modals for analysis: 1. Inputs resources used by the organization but also its history and its social, economic and market position. Resources include people, technology, capital and reputation 2. Strategies what strategies best match the inputs to produce and how to produce those outputs from the available inputs. 3. Organizational components allows the analyst to isolate the individual influences and adjust them for a good fit 4. Performance -include the ability to pinpoint where performance is not adequate and to trace the reason back to a lack of congruence in the models part (SMALLBUSINESS 2013) The model is good for input diagnosis and it can be broken down with the following steps: TASKS The work itself does not need any specific skill set or knowledge except to be as personable as possible and like dealing with people. While there are materialistic rewards to working at whole Foods the other reward is the ability to have a vote in how things happen in the company. Whole Foods runs on â€Å"democratic capitalism; where all of the work is teamwork.†(Fastcompany, 2013) the system itself tends to creative while at the same time it is mechanistic as everything has to be in its correct spot just so-so. The work flows from the top down with a healthy response for the department teams. The department teams have the sole discretionary right to hire and approve new hires which upper management screens first. The work is through, caring and precise. The teams are interdependent as they are all an integral part of the stores success as a whole together. PEOPLE The people of Whole Foods are a team oriented group with a single mindedness to have their store succeed with a democratic disciplined outlook. Most of the employees are young, well-educated individuals whose participation reinforces attention to performance and profit. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE: The organization is set up as a virtuous circle which has a two way avenue to company policies to improve the company’s bottom line. Whole Foods has a knack to please their customers and every employee is empowered to correct as discrepancy that is brought to their attention by a customer. Each department is s3et up as a team which has a direct bearing on bonuses through â€Å"gainsharing†. (Fastcompany, 2013) Sales per labor hour the productivity metric at Whole Foods, democracy reinforces discipline. If someone doesn’t do the work and gets a poor rating then the team suffers in lost bonus money. Culture People work as a team to get the product out the door and keep customers happy and returning for repeat business. With that said the company’s success is driven by their employee’s attention to detail and satisfying the customer. Whole Foods has open salary concept where everyone knows what everybody else makes salary and bonuses. Also every store knows what another store is doing in sales, salary and bonuses. With that being known an individual wanting to transfer to another store or state knows what that store is doing financially and is able to make a well informed decision as to what to do with their career. There appears to be no political intrigue involved with the company and the â€Å"Hill† as most of the food wholesale segment is already tightly monitored as far as food safety and other regulation. The above listed modals are in in alignment with the major strength of Whole Foods in comparison to the Congruence model and Porters Five Forces Model. Their strength is the fact tht they can withstand entry of new competition due to their market chare and market segmentation. While company’s can enter into the retail food market they would be hard pressed to copy Whole foods business strategy in empowering their employees and making it work as far as satisfying their customers and meeting Whole Foods profit margin. Porter’s five forces strength model aligns quite well with the resources modal of the congruence model and several of the segments blur as everything is not cut and dried and able to be placed in the puzzle of what is Whole Foods. As a whole the strategies under the congruence and Porters model align with the complete Porter’s Five Forces Model well to give a rounded view of what Whole Foods is and what they can do if they stick to their mission statement and core values. Under the restraints of this report all of the congruence segments critical to the analysis as broken down the model reinforce Porters with their strength segment. As listed above the three input factors complement each other in regards to the strengths of the company as a whole. Also if you review my earlier reports all of my suppositions are supported and well documented as to how Whole Foods supports its marketing style and fills a niche with customers in search of alternatives to non-natural food stuffs.. References Percent health food consumers retrieved February 2013 from http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-survey-shows-shoppers-eating-more-meals-at-home-cooking-meals-to-save-money-62056997.html Flat Lining Organics retrieved February 2013 from http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-survey-shows-shoppers-eating-more-meals-at-home-cooking-meals-to-save-money-62056997.html Investing in organics retrieved February 2013 from http://www.fool.com/investing/high-growth/2009/01/16/investing-in-organics.aspx Retail grocery market industry analysis retrieved February 2013 from http://www.valueline.com/Stocks/Industry_Report.aspx?id=7243 calculate food

Causes of Parturition in Cattle

Causes of Parturition in Cattle 1.0 Introduction Parturition in cattle is known to be a complicated physiological process, where the onset is generally accepted to be initiated by the fetus (Thorburn et al., 1977; Thorburn, 1979). In normal circumstances, this complicated process involving several hormonal interactions and should conclude without any human interference, leaving a healthy cow with a vigorous calf. However, in reality a large proportion of calving require assistance to varying degrees that may result in a stillborn calf (Meijering, 1984). Domestication and breeding programmes in the dairy industry select for cows that produce calves that are relatively larger when compared to their dams; a regular occurrence in cattle compared to most other mammals (McClintock, 2004). As dystocia is highly related to the pelvic area (Price and Wiltbank, 1978), being able to measure the pelvic dimensions is beneficial. The process of measuring the internal and external capacity and diameter of the pelvis is known as pelvimetry (Studdert et al., 2011). This is elucidated in studies which reveal that there is value in using external pelvimetry as a predictor for the internal pelvic measurements (Murray et al., 2002), while others show that withers height and heart girth were the best predictors of internal pelvic sizes (Kolkman et al., 2012; Coopman et al., 2003). Hence, it would be easier if the farmer had an alternate method to measure internal pelvic dimensions, such as predicting those dimensions through measurements of external morphometry which could be done directly using measuring tape. Therefore, the ability to accurately determine the possibility of dystocia will allow early and appropriate intervention, which then decreases the morbidity and mortality of t he dam and fetus, improving animal welfare and reducing economic losses (Linden et al., 2009). There is a need for information regarding associations between internal pelvic measurements and external morphometry, which may have value in determining dams with larger pelvic opening that increases calving ease (Bellows et al., 1971). Currently, no research has been done to study the association between the intrapelvic measurements and the external morphometric measurements in Friesian cross cattle in Malaysia. Hence, the objective of this study was to determine the relationship between intrapelvic area, morphometric measurements, age, body weight and body condition score in Friesian cross cattle which could be of value in determining dams with larger pelvic openings and thereby reducing the risk of dystocia. It is hypothesized that there is an association between the intrapelvic measurements and external morphometry in Friesian cross cattle.       2.0 Literature Review 2.1 Dystocia Dystocia, defined as delayed or difficult parturition (Mushtaq, 2016), is usually classified into two main causes which are direct factors and indirect factors (Meijering, 1984). The former usually being anatomical and physiological factors such as malpresentation of the calf in the birth canal and uterine torsion in the dam. The latter is related to phenotypic effects that are related to the calf such as calf birth weight, multiple calvings and perinatal mortality, as well as, phenotypic effects associated with the cow such as cow pelvic area, cow body weight at calving, cow body condition score, gestation length and calving assistance. Indirect factors also include non-genetic factors such as cow age, parity of cow, calf sex, nutrition and other disorders, while genetic factors involve cow, bull and calf breeds (Zaborski et al., 2009). The most common cause of dystocia is a physical incompatibility between the size of the foetus and maternal pelvic size, also known as feto-pelvic i ncompatibility. The pelvic size of the dam is mainly influenced by the stage of maturity of the cow. As a result, a smaller size of the pelvis contributes to the higher incidence of dystocia in heifers (Haskell and Barrier, 2014) and vice versa where dams with larger pelvic openings experience less calving difficulty (Barrier et al., 2013). 2.2 Breed Comparisons Several studies have shown that there are significant differences in pelvic dimensions between breeds of beef and dairy cattle (Ramin et al., 1995; Laster 1974; Meijering and Pastma, 1984; McElhenney et al., 1985). There are also differences between herds within breeds, purebreds and crossbreeds, and small breeds and large breeds. The pelvic height and pelvic width increase greatly with advancing age, which shows that the pelvic area is larger in mature cows in comparison to heifers. The mean pelvic heights in beef and dairy heifers can vary from 13.5 cm to 19.3 cm, the pelvic width from 12.6 cm to 18 cm, and the mean pelvic area from 170 cm2 to 290 cm2. 2.3 Impact of Dystocia on Dam The occurrence of dystocia has shown to have an adverse effect on the reproductive performance of dairy cows, where the first oestrus, days open and the calving interval were significantly longer (Gaafar et al., 2010). Fertility is further impaired as a result of dystocia as it causes a reduction in conception rate and an increase in the number of services per conception (Lopez de Maturana et al., 2007). Total milk yield also tends to be lower in cows that have experienced dystocia at calving compared to those that calved normally (Berry et al., 2007). Furthermore, there is a significant increase in the mortality rate of cows experiencing dystocia in comparison to those that calved without assistance and the number is highest in cows that require serious intervention during parturition (Dematawewa and Berger, 1997). 2.4 Impact of Dystocia on Calf Majority of stillbirths were reported to be a direct result of dystocia (Meyer et al., 2000; Lombard et al., 2007). During parturition, there are several dramatic physiological changes that can have adverse effects on the foetal oxygen concentration (Lombard and Garry, 2013). The foetus can experience neonatal asphyxia during the calving process due to hypoxia, decreased blood flow as a result of occlusions of the placenta, or ischaemia. Hypoxia can progress to anoxia, which can be prolonged with instances of dystocia resulting in foetal death (Bluel et al., 2008). The calf can also have hypercapnia, which can cause respiratory acidosis. However, during dystocia the respiratory acidosis will be pronounced and in addition to this, the hypoxia can lead to anaerobic metabolism within the body that results in metabolic acidosis. The acidotic condition of the foetus can negatively affect the central nervous system resulting in lowered vigour, depression and decreased physical activity, wh ich is referred to as weak calf syndrome or dummy calf syndrome (Ravary-Plumioà «n, 2009). The dystocic calves were slower to express most of the neonatal behaviours, particularly those that lead up to reaching the udder, and usually lay recumbent (Barrier et al., 2012). This results in the failure of transfer of passive immunity as the calf is unable to absorb an adequate quantity of colostrum (Johnson et al., 2007; Weaver et al., 2000). This has been linked with an increase in calf morbidity and mortality and a reduction in the calf growth rate (Robison et al., 1988; Donovan et al., 1998). 2.5 Economic Impacts In a United Kingdom dairy herd, the total cost of a slightly difficult calving was estimated to be roughly  £110, while a more serious difficult calving can range from  £350 to  £400. This takes into account the labour and veterinary costs, including the cost of caesarean deliveries, the mortality of dams and calves and the culled cows, the losses incurred due to a decreased milk production and poor reproductive performance (McGuirk et al., 2007). In Australian Friesian Holstein herds, the cost of dystocia for a herd can go up to $5100 per year, where 30% of the losses is due to reduced fertility, 20% due to culling or dam death, veterinary costs were about 10% and labour costs were 20%. The cost of dystocia in primiparous cows was about $48.49, while it was $19.15 in mature cows. The overall losses associated with calving difficulties in the Australian dairy industry can be estimated to be in excess of $44 million annually (McClintook, 2004). In a study by Dematewewa Berger ( 1997), the estimated costs of dystocia were $0.00, $50.45, $96.48, $159.82 and $379.61 for dystocia scores 1 to 5 (1 representing no problem to 5 representing extreme difficulty). which showed that losses incurred increase as the difficulty of calving increases. 2.6 Pelvimetry Internal pelvimetry involves the measurement of the pelvic height and the pelvic width, which allows the pelvic area to be determined (Rice and Wiltbank, 1972; Bellows et al., 1971; Morrison et al., 1986; Johnson et al., 1988). The internal dimensions are measured using a sliding calliper device that is referred to as a Rice pelvimeter. Other instruments have also been developed such as the Krautmann-Litton Bovine pelvic meter and the EquiBov Bovine pelvimeter (Deutscher, 1987). The external pelvimetry is mostly done in correlation to the internal pelvic dimensions where the measurements are taken on the external body of the animal; for example, the pin width, hook width, rump length and hook to pin length (Bellows et al., 1971; Johnson et al., 1988; Coopman et al., 2003). Pelvimetry is a relatively simple and reliable method to determine pelvic parameters of cows with the basis that the larger the pelvic area, the lower the calving difficulty. However, a farmer would require the ser vices of a veterinarian with the skills and knowledge to peform this technique, which would increase costs to the farm (Kolkman et al., 2012). 2.7 Welfare The measurement of internal pelvic parameters is invasive and carries a risk of trauma to the rectal mucosa. It has been recommended to administer epidural anaesthesia which allows the cow to stand normally without arching her back or attempting to strain. However, the administration of the epidural anaesthesia requires specialised veterinary training (Murray et al., 2002). Despite the risk for injury, if the internal pelvimetry is done properly and gently with the use of adequate quantities of lubrication, damage to the rectal mucosa can be prevented (Hiew and Constable, 2015). 3.0 Materials and Methods Data was collected from 50 Friesian cross dairy cattle (23 from Ladang 16, Taman Pertanian Universiti (TPU), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and 27 others from two dairy cattle farms in Bangi, Selangor and Lenggeng, Negeri Sembilan that were part of the Ladang Angkat Programme) within a period of 2 weeks using convenience sampling. All of the cows were between 2-14 years of age and weighed between 200-750 kg. The ages of the cows at TPU were taken from recrodsm, whereas the ages of the other cattle were determined using dentition (Lawrence et al., 2001). This study was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), with the reference number: UPM/IACUC/FYP.2016/FPV.71 The external morphometry that was measured was the thoracic circumference, abdominal circumference, hook width and pin width. Thoracic circumference (Figure 1) was determined using a measuring tape (tailor fibreglass measuring tape) placed immediately caudal to the scapula and forelimbs. The abdominal circumference (Figure 2) was determined by placing the same tape tape cranial to the hind limbs, tuber coxae and udder, and was measured in centimetres (West, 1997) (Figure 3). The hook width (Figure 4) was measured using the linear distance between the most lateral surfaces of the wings of the ileum or tuber coxae. The pin width (Figure 5) is the linear distance between the most lateral surfaces of the tuber ischium (Singh et al., 1984) (Figure 6). These distances were measured in centimetres using straight rulers and a tape measure whereby one straight metal ruler was placed vertically at the lateral aspect of the tuber coxarum or tuber ischium and the other straight metal ruler was p laced vertically at the lateral aspect of the opposite tuberosity with the measuring tape stretched tautly between the two rulers (Craig, 1941). The body condition score was measured using a 5-point scoring method with quarter-point increments from an established scoring system from Elanco Animal Health (1997). The body weight was determined by measuring the thoracic circumference using a calibrated heart girth tape[MH1], in kilograms. Figure 3: External morphometry; a. Thoracic circumference, b. Abdominal circumference (Elanco Animal Health, 1997) Figure 4: Measuring the distance between the tuber coxae Figure 5: measuring the distance between the tuber ischii Figure 6: External morphometry; a. The distance between tuber coxae, b. The distance between tuber ischii (Elanco Animal Health, 1997) The internal pelvimetry was measured using a Rice pelvimeter (Lane Manufacturing Inc., Colorado, U.S.A.) (Figure 3) that provides measurements in centimetres with a gradient of 0.25 cm. Faeces were manually evacuated from the rectum and the pelvimeter was well lubricated using an aqueous based lubricant (BOVIVET Gel granulate). The closed pelvimeter was gently and slowly introduced into the rectum in a closed position by the hand, with the arm of the investigator protected using a disposable rectal sleeve (KRUTEX super sensitive disposable examination gloves) The pelvic height (Figure 4) was measured by opening the device within the pelvic canal and recording the distance between the dorsal aspect of the pubic symphysis on the floor of the pelvis and the ventral aspect of the sacral vertebrae. The pelvimeter was then closed and rotated 90 ° to measure the pelvic width, (Figure 5) which is defined as the horizontal distance at the widest point between the left and right ileal shafts at right angle to where the height was measured (Bellows et al., 1971). One limitation of the Rice pelvimeter is that it has a maximum reading of 20 cm, but in this study none of the cows had pelvic measurements that exceeded 20 cm. The intrapelvic area was calculated as the area of a rectangle by multiplying the pelvic width and the pelvic height (Gaines et al., 1993; Ramin et al., 1995; Green et al., 1988). The intrapelvic area can also be measured as an ellipse with the equation PA = PH ÃÆ'- PW ÃÆ'- à Ã¢â€š ¬/4 (David, 1960). Despite the higher degree of accuracy offered by the ellipsoidal equation, the rectangle equation was used for calculation because the ellipsoidal equation offered no advantage of predicting the risk of dystocia and did not differ when ranking pelvic size (Rice and Wiltbank, 1972). All measurements taken were measured three times consecutively by the same person and the resulting mean values were used for analyses. Data was placed on a data capture sheet for each farm, and transferred to an Excel spread sheet (Microsoft Office Excel, 2016). The data was then analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 22. Data was expressed as mean  ± standard deviation. Shapiro-Wilk test was used as a numerical means of assessing normality, and the output of a normal Q-Q plot was used to determine this graphically. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to examine the relationship of age categories (2 3 years, 3 4 years, 4 5 years, 5 6 years and > 6 years) on the external morphometry and internal pelvic measurements. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient (r) was used to determine the association between internal pelvic dimensions and external morphometry, age, body weight and body condition score. Regression analysis was performed to determine the ability of external morphometry, age, body weight and body condition score to predict internal pelvic dimensions. The data collected were used to develop multiple regression equations that estimate the inner pelvic sizes from the external measurements. 4.0 Results The descriptive statistics for age, body weight, body condition score, external morphometry and internal pelvic measurements for the 50 Friesian cross cows are given in Table 1. Table 1: Age, body condition score, body weight, external morphometry and internal pelvic measurements for 50 Friesian cross cattle. Trait Minimum Maximum Mean S.E. S.D. Median Age (months) 24.00 165.00 60.16 4.17 29.16 54.00 Body condition score (1-5) 2.50 4.00 3.21 0.05 0.36 3.25 Body weight (kg) 277.3 722.7 456.9 14.0 98.7 437.8 Thoracic circumference (cm) 151.5 206.2 177.0 1.8 12.4 175.9 Abdominal circumference (cm) 152.0 227.8 189.2 2.2 15.8 189.4 Distance between tuber coxae (cm) 38.3 57.2 47.5 0.6 4.4 47.7 Distance between tuber ischae (cm) 20.0 45.6 31.5 0.8 5.7 31.8 Pelvic height (cm) 12.42 19.50 16.64 0.22 1.59 17.13 Pelvic width (cm) 11.67 19.08 15.64 0.24 1.69 15.50 Pelvic area (cm2) 158.31 398.86 263.28 7.21 51.02 262.43 There was no significant difference between the mean pelvic area of the cows sampled and the minimum pelvic size of Friesian-Holsteins that was determined to have a low incidence of dystocia, where cows which had pelvic sizes greater than the determined value of   260 cm2 would have a reduced risk of dystocia (Hoffman et al., 1996). The mean pelvic size of the sampled cows was 3.28 cm2 larger than the determined value of 260 cm2. In this sample, 24 cows out of the 50 (48%) had pelvic areas below 260 cm2, with the smallest pelvic area being 158.31 cm2. 4.1 Analysis of variance (ANOVA) The analysis of variance showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the age and: thoracic circumference (P = 0.008), abdominal circumference (P = 0.046), distance between tuber coxae (P = 0.046) and distance between tuber ischii (P = 0.009). However, there was no difference when it came to pelvic height, pelvic width and pelvic area (P > 0.05) amongst the age categories. The post-hoc comparisons using the Tukey HSD test gave indications that the means for thoracic circumference was lower for the age categories 2    3 years (170.1  ± 10.7 cm, P = 0.021), 3 4 years (172.4  ± 12.4 cm, P = 0.017) compared to the category > 6 years (189.4  ± 12.9 cm). There was a significant difference (P = 0.034) for abdominal circumference when comparing age category 4 5 years (180  ± 13.3 cm) to > 6 years (201.6  ± 15.3 cm). 4.2 Pearsons Product-Moment Correlation Table 2 illustrates the correlations between the external morphometry and internal pelvic dimensions, using Pearsons Product-Moment Correlation. This reveals that the external morphometric parameters of thoracic circumference, abdominal circumference, distance between tuber coxae, and distance between tuber ischii have a moderately, positive correlation with the internal pelvic measurements of pelvic height, pelvic width and pelvic area that were statistically significant (P = 0.01). Age in months had a weak and positive correlation with pelvic height (r = 0.35) and pelvic area (r = 0.29) at the level of P = 0.05. However, there was no correlation between age and pelvic width (r = 0.25, P = 0.86). Table 2: Correlations between the external morphometry and internal pelvic parameters. Traits Pelvic Height Pelvic Width Pelvic Area Thoracic circumference 0.50** 0.53** 0.48** Abdominal circumference 0.60** 0.52** 0.52** Distance between tuber coxae 0.46** 0.49** 0.43** Distance between tuber ischae 0.47** 0.54** 0.50** ** Correlation coefficient (r) is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) Body weight (kg) showed a moderate positive correlation with pelvic height (r = 0.40), pelvic width (r = 0.50) and pelvic area (r = 0.44) at a level of P = 0.01. Body weight also displayed a very strong positive correlation with: thoracic circumference (r = 0.99), abdominal circumference (r = 0.76), distance between tuber coxae (r = 0.77) and the distance between tuber ischae (r = 0.73) at a level of P = 0.01. There were no correlations between the intrapelvic height (r = 0.11, P = 0.55), intrapelvic width (r = -0.10, P = 0.47) and intrapelvic area (r = -0.08, P = 0.60)and the body condition score (-0.104 . There were positive correlations between age in months and thoracic circumference, abdominal circumference, distance between the tuber coxae and distance between tuber ischii, all of which are significant at the level of P = 0.01 (Table 3). There is also a significant correlation between age in months and the body weight (r = 0.58, P Table 3: Correlations between the age (months) and external morphometry in 50 Friesian cross cattle. Age (months) with Correlation P-value Thoracic circumference 0.56 Abdominal circumference 0.48 Distance between tuber coxae 0.45 Distance between tuber ischae 0.63 The correlations between the external morphometry measurements are given in Table 4. There is significant, strong and positive correlation between each of the external morphometric measurements that were taken, where P Table 4 Correlations between the external morphometry of 50 Friesian cross cattle. Traits Thoracic circumference Abdominal circumference Distance between tuber coxae Thoracic circumference Abdominal circumference 0.76** Distance between tuber coxae 0.78** 0.72** Distance between tuber ischae 0.72** 0.64** 0.77** ** Correlation coefficient (r) is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) 4.3 Regression analysis Several models were developed using linear and multiple regression analyses, which can be used to predict internal pelvic parameters using the external morphometric measurements that are given in Table 5. The best predictors for pelvic height would be body weight and the external parameters of thoracic circumference and abdominal circumference, where these parameters explain 58% of the variability of pelvic height. For pelvic width, the ideal predictor would be the distance between the tuber ischii which explains 29% of the variability of the pelvic width. Body weight, thoracic circumference and the distance between tuber ischii were the best predictors for pelvic area where they explain 40% of the variability of the pelvic area. Table 5 Models to predict inner pelvic sizes from easily accessible external morphometry Y Model R2 S.E. Pelvic Height Y = -50.57 0.06 ÃÆ'- BW + 0.47 ÃÆ'- Th + 0.05 ÃÆ'- Abd 0.58 1.13 Y = -48.90 0.05 ÃÆ'- BW + 0.52 ÃÆ'- Th 0.40 1.25 Y = 5.13 + 0.06 ÃÆ'- Abd 0.37 1.38 Pelvic Width Y = 6.74 + 0.19 ÃÆ'- TcTc 0.24 1.49 Y = 10.61 + 0.16 ÃÆ'- TiTi 0.29 1.45 Pelvic Area Y = -1549.01 1.54 ÃÆ'- BW + 14.22 ÃÆ'- Th 0.33 42.51 Y = 1585.33 1.56 ÃÆ'- BW + 13.22 ÃÆ'- Th + 1.17 ÃÆ'- Abd 0.39 41.15

Justice For Hawaiians Essay -- Equality Education Essays

Justice For Hawaiians The expression goes, "An eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth." With this said, would it be ethical if and only if each and every person was treated with the same amount of justices and injustices? This may be the case in a legal battle between the Kamehameha Schools and Brayden Mohica-Cummings. Kamehameha Schools, which gives "preference" to students of Native Hawaiian and part-Native Hawaiian ancestry, was forced to admit Mohica-Cummings, a non-Hawaiian, through a restraining order issued by U.S. District Judge David Ezra. Mohica-Cummings applied to Kamehameha without providing sufficient evidence of his Native Hawaiian ancestry; he was given the opportunity to attend Kamehameha because the school did not rescind it's admission offer early enough. The school, which is a part of a $6 billion trust, has not attempted to appeal Judge Ezra's decision but still awaits another court ruling on whether or not it's admission policy is legal and constitutional (court dates have been set for N ovember 17th and 18th). If the court's decision is in favor of Mohica-Cummings, it will mean much more than a non-Hawaiian attending an all-Hawaiian school. It will mean that Native Hawaiians will continue to be treated unjustly, as they have been for over 100 years. As a means to prevent similar cases, DNA testing may be a possible change made towards the admission process at Kamehameha. This testing will enable the school to determine a person's genetic connection to the Native Hawaiian race. Though this action also has its ethical issues it may be the only resort for Native Hawaiians to ensure that they are treated justly. There are two sides to every story, but people often do not take time to think about the stories t... ...ersity Press, 1969. "Legacy of a Princess." On-line. Internet. 16 Nov 2003. Available WWW:http://www.ksbe.edu/about/facts.pdf Loomis, Albertine. For Whom Are the Stars? Honolulu: The University Press of Hawaii, 1976. Nordyke, Eleanor C. The Peopling of Hawaii. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1989. Ruth, Amy. â€Å"The Annexation of Paradise.† 21 Jan. 1999. On-line. Internet. 16 Nov 2003. Available WWW: http://www.wm.edu/wmnews/012199/hawaii.html Stannard, David E. Before the Horror. Honolulu: Social Science Research Institute University of Hawaii, 1989. Waite, David. "Kamehameha Schools Told to Make Exception." 21 Aug. 2003. On-line. Internet. 16 Nov 2003. Available WWW: http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2003/Aug/21/ln/ln04a.html/?print=on Wood, Houston. Displacing Natives. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 1999.