Genetic improvement and relative evaluation of competition performance within the UK sport horse population

2006 ◽  
Vol 35 ◽  
pp. 13-28
Author(s):  
T.C. Whitaker
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Improvement ◽  
Environmental Effect ◽  
Horse Population ◽  
Limited Knowledge ◽  
Relative Evaluation ◽  
Horse Breeding ◽  
Slow Progress ◽  
Breed Improvement ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Uk

AbstractA summary of the current position of UK sport horse breeding is given in relation to genetic improvement within a commonly applied breeding scheme. Using event horse breeding as the example, rates of gain are shown to be extremely slow, at less than 1 point gain per generations. In order to ascertain the reasons for slow progress, stallion usage and impact on the population is investigated. The study highlights that currently, elite sires are having a very limited effect on the rate of gain. Further investigation of performance recording and analysis systems is therefore undertaken whilst considering the following three issues: 1 Our limited knowledge of environmental effect on performance. 2) the subjective nature of evaluation techniques and 3) the questionable link between performance and pedigree. The study concludes that limited knowledge of environmental effect on performance, poor linkage of pedigree and performance data and poor application of breed improvement strategies have led to extremely slow rates of genetic gain within the UK event horse population.

A comparative analysis of population characteristics of the competing progeny (within UK) of UK elite eventing sires and all competing event horses within the UK

2004 ◽  
Vol 32 ◽  
pp. 191-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
T C Whitaker ◽  
J Hill
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Data Transformation ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
Population Characteristics ◽  
Horse Population ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Total Lifetime ◽  
Breed Improvement ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Show Jumping

A greater understanding of the population characteristics of sport horse populations is required to enable potential breed improvement programmes to be formulated correctly and be effective in their outcomes. To date limited research has been conducted into the UK sport horse population.A selected group of progeny (n=339) sired by elite eventing stallions was examined. In the context of this study elite sires were defined as those that were ranked 1-10 by total lifetime points won by competing progeny up to the end of 2000 (British Horse Database, 2000). Comparative analysis was undertaken between the selected group and all competing eventing horses in 2000 (n=9387) (British Horse Database, 2000). Data collected for both groups included, total lifetime points won at eventing and dressage and total lifetime money won at show jumping. Basic descriptive statistics were produced for each data set (Table 1). Product moment correlations were performed for all discipline areas (Table 2). Data transformation was applied using LOG+1(Hassenstein, Roehe, and Kalm, 1996).

Multiple Ovulation and Embryo Transfer in Hill Ewes

1994 ◽  
Vol 1994 ◽  
pp. 88-88
Author(s):  
W. Haresign ◽  
B. Merrell ◽  
R.I.W.A. Richards
Keyword(s):  
Embryo Transfer ◽  
Genetic Improvement ◽  
Theoretical Studies ◽  
Base Population ◽  
Multiple Ovulation ◽  
Female Line ◽  
Improvement Programme ◽  
Breed Improvement ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Selection Of

A breed improvement programme has been initiated at both ADAS Redesdale (Scottish Blackface) and ADAS Pwllpeiran (Welsh Mountain) to improve carcass conformation of hill ewes. From a base population of 1100 Welsh Mountain and 1600 Scottish Blackface ewes, nucleus flocks of 60 ewes have been established. Selection of ewes into the nucleus flock at each site has been based on their ability to consistently produce wether lambs crops with good conformation and above average carcass weights when selected for slaughter at a fat class 2/3L. The next objective is to replicate these ewes through multiple ovulation and embryo transfer (MOET) since theoretical studies (Smith, 1986) indicate that this can substantially increase the rates of genetic improvement through the female line. However, to date little work has been conducted to determine whether this technology can be successfully applied to hill sheep maintained in harsh hill environments in the UK, and this formed the basis of the current study.

Equine breed registry and type: its influence on performance on young event horse evaluation

2007 ◽  
Vol 2007 ◽  
pp. 35-35
Author(s):  
T. C. Whitaker
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Values ◽  
Breed Type ◽  
Horse Breeding ◽  
Breeding Schemes ◽  
Final Rank ◽  
Breed Improvement ◽  
Estimated Breeding Values ◽  
The Uk

European breeding schemes have for many years routinely conducted evaluation of young (mainly at four to six years of age) sport horse as a part of their integrated breed improvement schemes (Whitaker and Hill, 2005 a). Such an approach has allowed assessment of horses as to their future worth as competition animals and helped to establish the potential genetic worth of animals to the populations. Furthermore such events act as part of the validation mechanism for the establishment of estimated breeding values. The UK has historically suffered from an unstructured and disparate approach to sport horse breeding (Whitaker and Hill 2005 a). However recently (over the last five years) various organisations have introduced competitions aimed at assessment of young sport horses. An example is the British Eventing Breeding Championships established in 2004. Four, five and six year old event horse compete in qualifying competitions and then participate in a one day championship event run in October. This study investigated the effect of both breed type and registry on final rank within competition for six year old horses completing competition in 2004 and 2005 championships.

scholarly journals First-of-a-kind muography for nuclear waste characterization

2018 ◽  
Vol 377 (2137) ◽  
pp. 20180048 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Mahon ◽  
Anthony Clarkson ◽  
Simon Gardner ◽  
David Ireland ◽  
Ramsey Jebali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Waste ◽  
Imaging System ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
Laboratory Facility ◽  
Waste Container ◽  
High Resolution Images ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The University

In the last decade, there has been a surge in the number of academic research groups and commercial companies exploiting naturally occurring cosmic-ray muons for imaging purposes in a range of industrial and geological applications. Since 2009, researchers at the University of Glasgow and the UK National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) have pioneered this technique for the characterization of shielded nuclear waste containers with significant investment from the UK Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and Sellafield Ltd. Lynkeos Technology Ltd. was formed in 2016 to commercialize the Muon Imaging System (MIS) technology that resulted from this industry-funded academic research. The design, construction and performance of the Lynkeos MIS is presented along with first experimental and commercial results. The high-resolution images include the identification of small fragments of uranium within a surrogate 500-litre intermediate level waste container and metal inclusions within thermally treated GeoMelt® R&D Product Samples. The latter of these are from Lynkeos' first commercial contract with the UK National Nuclear Laboratory. The Lynkeos MIS will be deployed at the NNL Central Laboratory facility on the Sellafield site in Summer 2018 where it will embark upon a series of industry trials. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue ‘Cosmic-ray muography’.

A study of factors which influence the job satisfaction of stockpeople on commercial pig farms

1990 ◽  
Vol 1990 ◽  
pp. 95-95
Author(s):  
R C Segundo ◽  
P R English ◽  
G Burgess ◽  
S A Edwards ◽  
O MacPherson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Farm Animals ◽  
Considerable Influence ◽  
Pig Farms ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Farm Livestock

The role of stockmanship in relation to the wellbeing of farm animals has been emphasised in the UK Codes of Recommendations for the Welfare of Farm Livestock (MAFF, 1983). Moreover, previous research work has demonstrated important effects of good and bad stockmanship not only on welfare but also on growth, lactational and reproductive performance of pigs and other farm livestock (Hemsworth et al, 1987). There is a need, therefore, to establish the factors which motivate and demotivate stockpeople since the degree of job satisfaction is likely to have a considerable influence on the attitude and performance of stockpeople and on their empathy with the animals in their care. With this objective in mind, a questionnaire was designed to investigate the aspects which could have an influence on the job satisfaction of the stockpeople involved in pig production.

The reflexive turn in key account management

2014 ◽  
Vol 48 (11/12) ◽  
pp. 2071-2104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus Vanharanta ◽  
Alan J.P. Gilchrist ◽  
Andrew D. Pressey ◽  
Peter Lenney
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Success Rates ◽  
Key Account Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Account Management ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Key Account ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Uk

Purpose – This study aims to address how and why do formal key account management (KAM) programmes hinder effective KAM management, and how can the problems of formalization in KAM be overcome. Recent empirical studies have reported an unexpected negative relationship between KAM formalization and performance. Design/methodology/approach – An 18-month (340 days) ethnographic investigation was undertaken in the UK-based subsidiary of a major US sports goods manufacturer. This ethnographic evidence was triangulated with 113 in-depth interviews. Findings – This study identifies how and why managerial reflexivity allows a more effectively combining of formal and post-bureaucratic KAM practices. While formal KAM programmes provide a means to initiate, implement and control KAM, they have an unintended consequence of increasing organizational bureaucracy, which may in the long-run hinder the KAM effectiveness. Heightened reflexivity, including “wayfinding”, is identified as a means to overcome many of these challenges, allowing for reflexively combining formal with post-bureaucratic KAM practices. Research limitations/implications – The thesis of this paper starts a new line of reflexive KAM research, which draws theoretical influences from the post-bureaucratic turn in management studies. Practical implications – This study seeks to increase KAM implementation success rates and long-term effectiveness of KAM by conceptualizing the new possibilities offered by reflexive KAM. This study demonstrates how reflexive skills (conceptualized as “KAM wayfinding”) can be deployed during KAM implementation and for its continual improvement. Further, the study identifies how KAM programmes can be used to train organizational learning regarding KAM. Furthermore, this study identifies how and why post-bureaucratic KAM can offer additional benefits after an organization has learned key KAM capabilities. Originality/value – A new line of enquiry is identified: the reflexive-turn in KAM. This theoretical position allows us to identify existing weakness in the extant KAM literature, and to show a practical means to improve the effectiveness of KAM. This concerns, in particular, the importance of managerial reflexivity and KAM wayfinding as a means to balance the strengths and weaknesses of formal and post-bureaucratic KAM.

scholarly journals Talent and student private rented sector bottlenecks: a preliminary UK investigation

2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 287-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Huston ◽  
Arvydas Jadevicius ◽  
Negin Minaei
Keyword(s):  
Preliminary Investigation ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Levels ◽  
Macroeconomic Analysis ◽  
Management Procedures ◽  
Size Growth ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Rented Sector

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to sketch the UK housing backdrop, review the student private rented sector (PRS) and assess the experience of post-graduate university student tenants in the PRS. Design/methodology/approach – A literature review puts the issues of student-PRS responsiveness into context and helps to untangle some UK housing issues. The private sector’s size, growth and performance is assessed by reviewing secondary data. In-depth interviews were then conducted at a regional university campus. Findings – The study confirms accumulating evidence of an unbalanced UK housing market. The study identified four main PRS issues: first, rapid university expansion without accompanying residential construction has sparked rampant PRS growth with, second, quality issues, third, in tight letting market conditions, rented agent service levels fell and fourth, part of the problem is complex PRS management procedures. Research limitations/implications – The research has three noteworthy limitations. First, the macroeconomic analysis integrated secondary research without independent modelling. Second, the views of letting agents, university property managers, planning officers or landlords were not canvassed. Finally, the pilot interviews were geographically restricted. Practical implications – When they expand, universities, local authorities and industry players need to give due consideration to plan for, design and develop quality student accommodation. Over-reliance on the PRS without informed oversight and coordination could undermine student experience and erode long-term UK competitiveness. Social implications – The lack of quality student rented accommodation mirrors a general housing malaise around affordability, polarisation and sustainable “dwelling”. Standards and professionalism in the rented sector is part of the overall quality mix to attract global talent. Originality/value – The preliminary investigation uses mixed-methods to investigate PRS service delivery. It illustrates the interplay between professional property management and wider issues of metropolitan productivity, sustainability and resilience.

Constructed wetlands in UK urban surface drainage systems

2005 ◽  
Vol 51 (9) ◽  
pp. 31-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Shutes ◽  
J.B. Ellis ◽  
D.M. Revitt ◽  
L.N.L. Scholes
Keyword(s):  
Constructed Wetlands ◽  
Design Criteria ◽  
Road Runoff ◽  
Agenda 21 ◽  
Drainage Systems ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Guidance Documents ◽  
Environment Agency ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Uk

This paper presents the outcome of an inventory of planted wetland systems in the UK which are classified according to land use type and are all examples of sustainable drainage systems. The introduction of constructed wetlands to treat surface runoff essentially followed a 1997 Environment Agency for England and Wales report advocating the use of “soft engineered” facilities including wetlands in the context of sustainable development and Agenda 21. Subsequently published reports by the UK Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA) have promoted the potential benefits to both developer and the community of adopting constructed wetlands and other vegetated systems as a sustainable drainage approach. In addition, the UK Environment Agency and Highways Agency (HA) have recently published their own design criteria and requirements for vegetative control and treatment of road runoff. A case study of the design and performance of a constructed wetland system for the treatment of road runoff is discussed. The performance of these systems will be assessed in terms of their design criteria, runoff loadings as well as vegetation and structure maintenance procedures. The differing design approaches in guidance documents published in the UK by the Environment Agency, CIRIA and HA will also be evaluated.

scholarly journals How performance measurement influences stakeholders in not-for-profit organizations

2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (9) ◽  
pp. 1164-1184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haley Allison Beer ◽  
Pietro Micheli
Keyword(s):  
Performance Measurement ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Institutional Logics ◽  
Performance Goals ◽  
Content Type ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Not For Profit ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Uk

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the influences of performance measurement (PM) on not-for-profit (NFP) organizations’ stakeholders by studying how PM practices interact with understandings of legitimate performance goals. This study invokes institutional logics theory to explain interactions between PM and stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach An in-depth case study is conducted in a large NFP organization in the UK. Managers, employees, and external partners are interviewed and observed, and performance-related documents analyzed. Findings Both stakeholders and PM practices are found to have dominant institutional logics that portray certain goals as legitimate. PM practices can reinforce, reconcile, or inhibit stakeholders’ understandings and propensity to act toward goals, depending on the extent to which practices share the dominant logic of the stakeholders they interact with. Research limitations/implications A theoretical framework is proposed for how PM practices first interact with stakeholders at a cognitive level and second influence action. This research is based on a single case study, which limits generalizability of findings; however, results may be transferable to other environments where PM is aimed at balancing competing stakeholder objectives and organizational priorities. Practical implications PM affects the experience of stakeholders by interacting with their understanding of legitimate performance goals. PM systems should be designed and implemented on the basis of both their formal ability to represent organizational aims and objectives, and their influence on stakeholders. Originality/value Findings advance PM theory by offering an explanation for how PM influences attention and actions at an individual micro level.

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