Manure: Nutrient Excretion by Calves from Suckler Cows
Farms operate with a balanced nutrient cycle. Agroscope adjusted the reference values for suckling calves to the latest advances in animal production. The values for feed intake and nutrient excretion are now lower.
Large Predators Make Cost-Effective Alpine Summer Grazing of Sheep Difficult
Protecting sheep from large predators means more work and higher costs for alpine farmers. The economic consequences of the necessary adjustments were investigated in 2017 and 2018 on 13 alpine farms in the cantons of Uri and Valais.
Limiting Protein Supply in Cattle Feeding
Grassland-based milk and meat production promotes the site-specific feeding of ruminants. With the AP22+, the reduction of protein supply via concentrates is under discussion. Agroscope studied the effects of limited protein supply.
Manure: Nutrient Excretion by Calves from Suckler Cows
Farms operate with a balanced nutrient cycle. Agroscope adjusted the reference values for suckling calves to the latest advances in animal production. The values for feed intake and nutrient excretion are now lower.
An article by Agroscope
Large Predators Make Cost-Effective Alpine Summer Grazing of Sheep Difficult
Protecting sheep from large predators means more work and higher costs for alpine farmers. The economic consequences of the necessary adjustments were investigated in 2017 and 2018 on 13 alpine farms in the cantons of Uri and Valais.
An article by HAFL
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Limiting Protein Supply in Cattle Feeding
Grassland-based milk and meat production promotes the site-specific feeding of ruminants. With the AP22+, the reduction of protein supply via concentrates is under discussion. Agroscope studied the effects of limited protein supply.
An article by Agroscope
Kaolin – Effective against Drosophila Suzukii in Vineyards without Any Impact on Wines
Kaolin was tested in viticulture to control the dreaded pest Drosophila suzukii. The trials showed that this natural product has a comparable efficacy to conventional insecticides without any adverse effect on wine quality.
An article by Agroscope
Nitrate Leaching in Vegetable Production
The risk of nitrate leaching is higher in field vegetable production than in arable crops or grassland. Different species of vegetables have different leaching potentials, which can be reduced through appropriate management.
An article by Agroscope
Charter on Digitalisation: Together towards Sustainable Solutions
The Swiss agricultural sector currently makes little use of the opportunities offered by digitalisation. A charter launched in 2018 aims to further develop the digitalisation of the Swiss agricultural and food sector and to exploit the potential in the interests of all stakeholders.
Excellent Performance with Larger Litters in Free-Farrowing Pens
Since 2007, only free-farrowing pens may be used in Switzerland. Since then, litter size has increased significantly. Despite this, piglet mortality during the lactation period has remained stable over the years.
An article by Agroscope
Swiss Farms: Ever-Increasing Size and Specialisation
The number of farms with a minimum area of 30 ha is growing, and specialisation – particularly in animal production – is on the increase. Even so, structural change is proceeding at a slower pace in Switzerland than in neighbouring countries.
An article by Agroscope
Fighting Antiobiotic Resistance: a Plant to Reduce Diarrhoea in Piglets
Alternatives to antibiotics must be found to combat antibiotic resistance in animal production. The plant sainfoin reduces postweaning diarrhoea in piglets, thus reducing the need for antibiotic treatment.
An article by Agroscope
Estimating Herbage Mass to Make Optimal Use of Pastures
Grazing dairy cows is a characteristic feature of Swiss agriculture. In order to use pasture efficiently, the estimation of herbage mass is recommended. Agroscope compared two methods and developed estimation formulas for implementation in practice.
An article by Agroscope
There is a Market for Agrobiodiversity
The term ‘agrobiodiversity’ refers to the variety of plant cultivars and species that feature in the human diet. A study in four European countries shows that consumers are interested in this diversity. The genetic diversity of food-crop varieties and species is archived in state gene banks, and continues to serve as a starting point for…
An article by FiBL
Companion Planting in Oilseed Rape to Control Adult Flea Beetle
Sowing oilseed rape with other plants reduces damage caused by adult flea beetle, according to a study conducted at Agroscope. This intercropping approach could limit reliance on insecticides and the emergence of resistant pests.
An article by Agroscope
Higher Yielding, More Resistant Cultivars of Main Swiss Forage Grass
Adapted, productive grass cultivars are crucial for Swiss forage production. Over the past 30 years, the most important grass species – perennial ryegrass – has been substantially improved by breeding.
An article by Agroscope
Manure: How Much Nutrients Excreted by Beef Cattle?
Farms operate with a balanced nutrient cycle. Agroscope has adjusted beef-cattle reference values to the latest advances in animal production. The said values can be used for fertilisation planning and are to be used for the assessment of the farm- based nutrient cycle.
An article by Agroscope
Counterfeiting now also Detectable in Extra-Hard Cheeses
To protect Swiss cheeses from counterfeiting, Agroscope has developed marker cultures from lactic acid bacteria that allow the origins of the cheese to be determined. Proof-of-origin cultures for extra-hard cheeses are now also available.
An article by Agroscope
A closer look at red clover: results of the 2016–2018 variety testing
From 2016 to 2018 inclusive, Agroscope tested 54 varieties of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) at six locations. Of these, 25 were new varieties and 29 were already-recommended varieties that were being retested. Yield, vigour, juvenile development, resistance to leaf diseases and anthracnose, winter-hardiness and persistence were all evaluated. For the persistent “mattenklee” type, the…