Cattle may improve their feeding efficiency by altering their ingestive behaviour in response to changes in the quality of their pastoral environments. To test this hypothesis, an experiment was conducted in a native ...Cattle may improve their feeding efficiency by altering their ingestive behaviour in response to changes in the quality of their pastoral environments. To test this hypothesis, an experiment was conducted in a native pasture that has been managed in continuous stocking at different daily forage allowances （4%, 8%, 12%, and 16% of live weight） for twenty two years thus creating different pastoral environments. For the current experiment, the animals were allocated to their respective experimental units on April 27, 2007. Two experiments were conducted; one was performed at the end of winter （experiment 1）, and the other was undertaken at the end of spring （experiment 2）. Four tester animals were observed per experimental unit （3-5 ha each）. The animals increased their daily grazing time when forage allowance decreased. Most of this increased time was devoted to harvesting, whereas searching was reduced to a few minutes per day. Under conditions of ideal range of forage allowance （between 12% and 14%）, the grazing time was reduced, and the search activity increased. These results suggest that the monitoring of indicators of ingestive behaviour can be used to determine the attributes of forage resources.展开更多
The paper sought to explore issues of access, equity, and quality in the early childhood development （ECD） sub-sector in Zimbabwe. The massive expansion of ECD services prompted the author to undertake the study. Da...The paper sought to explore issues of access, equity, and quality in the early childhood development （ECD） sub-sector in Zimbabwe. The massive expansion of ECD services prompted the author to undertake the study. Data were collected using focus group discussions, individual interviews, document analysis, and observations. Information from literature, research reports, policies, and practices was also analyzed in order to establish the state of affairs in the provision of ECD. The data were analyzed using theme identification methods to solicit emerging issues. Generally, it was found that on issues of access, equity, and quality in ECD in Zimbabwe, there is a quality-quantity dilemma with qualitative progress less conspicuous than quantitative progress. The resultant specific challenges include： large teacher-child ratio; lack of parental involvement, lack of trained ECD specialists with expertise in using a play-based curriculum; and shortage of equipment, material resources, and age appropriate infrastructure. In most ECD settings, there were inadequate health and nutrition provisions. Water, sanitation and health （WASH） facilities were found to be insufficient in most centres. The study recommended that there is need for： equal access to quality early childhood education; provision of infrastructure, provision of ability and age appropriate resources; and health, sanitation, and nutrition services especially in rural settings. Overall, ECD programmes in Zimbabwe should strive to attain quality more than quantity services. The need to train more early childhood specialists who would drive the ECD sub-sector is emphasized.展开更多
文摘Cattle may improve their feeding efficiency by altering their ingestive behaviour in response to changes in the quality of their pastoral environments. To test this hypothesis, an experiment was conducted in a native pasture that has been managed in continuous stocking at different daily forage allowances （4%, 8%, 12%, and 16% of live weight） for twenty two years thus creating different pastoral environments. For the current experiment, the animals were allocated to their respective experimental units on April 27, 2007. Two experiments were conducted; one was performed at the end of winter （experiment 1）, and the other was undertaken at the end of spring （experiment 2）. Four tester animals were observed per experimental unit （3-5 ha each）. The animals increased their daily grazing time when forage allowance decreased. Most of this increased time was devoted to harvesting, whereas searching was reduced to a few minutes per day. Under conditions of ideal range of forage allowance （between 12% and 14%）, the grazing time was reduced, and the search activity increased. These results suggest that the monitoring of indicators of ingestive behaviour can be used to determine the attributes of forage resources.
文摘The paper sought to explore issues of access, equity, and quality in the early childhood development （ECD） sub-sector in Zimbabwe. The massive expansion of ECD services prompted the author to undertake the study. Data were collected using focus group discussions, individual interviews, document analysis, and observations. Information from literature, research reports, policies, and practices was also analyzed in order to establish the state of affairs in the provision of ECD. The data were analyzed using theme identification methods to solicit emerging issues. Generally, it was found that on issues of access, equity, and quality in ECD in Zimbabwe, there is a quality-quantity dilemma with qualitative progress less conspicuous than quantitative progress. The resultant specific challenges include： large teacher-child ratio; lack of parental involvement, lack of trained ECD specialists with expertise in using a play-based curriculum; and shortage of equipment, material resources, and age appropriate infrastructure. In most ECD settings, there were inadequate health and nutrition provisions. Water, sanitation and health （WASH） facilities were found to be insufficient in most centres. The study recommended that there is need for： equal access to quality early childhood education; provision of infrastructure, provision of ability and age appropriate resources; and health, sanitation, and nutrition services especially in rural settings. Overall, ECD programmes in Zimbabwe should strive to attain quality more than quantity services. The need to train more early childhood specialists who would drive the ECD sub-sector is emphasized.
