Archive
94 posts
Effects of propionic acid on preservation and quality of baled moist hay
At the Swiss Federal Research Station for Animal Production at Posieux, four conservation methods were compared and their impact on forage quality was investigated. The evaluation of propionic acid as preservative for moist hay was of particular interest. Three roughage types were harvested: a late first cut as well as an early and late third…
Behaviour of dairy cows with self-feeding at a silo
Self-feeding at a horizontal silo adjacent to the exercise yard is a labour-saving alternative in winter feeding. In an experiment with forty dairy cows divided into two groups, the impact of the animal/feeding place ratio (1,5:1, 2:1 and 2,5:1) on social and feeding behaviour of the cows was investigated. We also varied the distance between…
Selenium status of the Swiss population and the agriculture
The natural environmental conditions in Switzerland are not in favor of an adequate selenium supply to humans and animals. However, the results of different studies (food, blood serum) demonstrate a sufficient selenium status of the population. The reasons are selenium-rich wheat imported from North-America as well as the supplementation of feeds for domestic animals. It…
Amount and composition of manure produced by fattening beef cattle
To furnish a reliable basis for the revision of the guide values on manure production and composition of fattening beef cattle, 37 balance experiments were conducted on 13 Swiss farms. The daily growth rate of the animals varied between 1100 and 1500 grams. The mean annual production of slurry per fattening beef place was 7.5…
Nutrient and pollutant content of compost
The quantity of compost produced in Switzerland has been assessed, and the quality of individual composts has been determined and compared to the legal standards describing a minimal quality of compost. A last comparable study has been made in 1988. Today, more than 450’000 tons of fresh material are composted in more than 200 compost…
Decimal Code for growth stages of hemp
A decimal code for growth of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is presented. The life cycle is divided into four principal stages: germination and emergence, vegetative stage, flowering and seed formation, senescence. Each principal stage is subdivided into secondary stages. The practical use of the code is discussed with particular reference to different yield components.<br><br>Un codice…
New problem plants and weeds in Switzerland – a threat to agriculture and natural areas?
The increasing number of naturalized nonnative (exotic) plant species is a significant component of global change in most regions of the world. In agricultural areas new exotics may cause new weed problems and may demand for new control measures. In natural areas newly established exotic species may become dominant and suppress native vegetation, thus threatening…
New Swiss cultivars of perennial ryegrass: Cavia, Arvicola, Lacerta
Three new Swiss cultivars of perennial ryegrass have been inscribed recently into the list of recommended cultivars of forage plants: Cavia (diploid, early), Arvicola (tetraploid, very early) and Lacerta (tetraploid, early). They were mainly derived from the same genetic resources (Swiss ecotypes collected in 1972) as our very early cultivar Arion. As compared to Arion,…
The use of silage additives in pressed pulp silage
In a trial we investigated the influence of the filling time on silage quality. On the one hand we ensiled the pressed pulp after the transport from the sugar factory on the same day and on the other hand, ensiling was carried out after two days. In all variants we used 9 m3 silos and…
The use of silage additives in pressed pulp silage
In a trial we investigated the efficacy of different silage additives. Besides seven chemical products we also tested an inoculant, which was applied in liquid and solid form, as well as a product which contained a combination of lactic acid bacteria and chemical substances. The tests were carried out in laboratory silos in two series.…
Recommended vitamin A, E an D for piglets
During 34 days 4 x 16 female and castrated male piglets of the large white breed received a complete feed with the following vitamin A-, E- and D-concentrations in two consecutive series: Treatment A: 4000 IE, 16 mg, 500 IE, treatment B: 6500 IE, 16 mg, 1100 IE, treatment C: 10000 IE, 25 mg, 1500…
Efficacy of orally administered iron methionine and iron dextran in newborn pigs
66 newborn piglets of 11 litters were allotted to 6 treatments: 285 mg iron (Fe) as Fe methionine orally either within 12 h after birth or on the 2nd day (FeM1, FeM2), 290 mg Fe as Fe dextran orally either within 12 h after birth or on the 2nd day (FeD1, FeD2), 200 or 100…
The future of the horticultural sector in the Lake of Constanze region
Within the framework of an INTERREG Project a study on the horticultural sector in the Lake of Constanze region was carried out. This article deals with the economic effects of an increasingly open market on production and trade. Production was investigated using a linear programming model. One of the main influences on production are the…
Control of seed-borne snow mould (Gerlachia nivalis) of winter wheat with warm water
Warm water treatment of seeds of winter wheat cv. Runal under practical conditions was compared with a laboratory warm water treatment, a chemical seed dressing, and an untreated control in field and laboratory experiments in 1997-1998. The treatment under practical conditions was performed as follows: seed lots (350 kg) were dipped into water (45°C) for…
Control of Septoria tritici based on ELISA-thresholds
In Europe Septoria tritici (ST) is actually one of the most important diseases in wheat. The data from 12 Swiss field trials from 1993 to 1998 with different cultivars were analyzed. In 1/3 out of the cases a treatment against ST was economically justified. This situation is an ideal prerequisite to use intervention thresholds. From…
Market demands on Golden Delicious Apples
Sugar content and firmness are two important factors determining eating quality of apples. Sensory analysis with a trained panel confirmed that sweetness, sourness, fruitiness and firmness can be predicted by instrumental measurements such as total soluble solids (refractometer), titratable acidity and firmness measurements by penetrometer. Tests with consumers indicated that Golden Delicious of acceptable eating…
High pressure treatment of whipped cream
Pasteurized cream with 260, 290, 320 and 350 g/kg fat content was treated by high pressure in the range between 300 and 800 MPa. Whipping properties of cream with fat content < 320 g/kg was better after pressurization. The whipping time was 15 to 25 % shorter and loss of serum was lower. This is…
Label production in Switzerland and beef quality
Switzerland is not exempted from the proliferation of labels in the beef industry. The possible effects on beef quality of the specific norms which have been elaborated by the label organisations are discussed in this review. The quality of the final product depends not only on the way the animals are fattened, it depends even…
Effects of production factors on the quality of beef
Meat quality is the result of complex effects, which depend on many factors, primarily the location of the muscle in the body, but also on sex, breed, nutrition, growth rate, age at slaughter, fatness and carcass conformation. The literature on the subject of the various influencing factors is reviewed, and their impact on bovine meat…
Flora and Fauna in industrial crops
In a three year project segetal plants, ground beetles and spiders were studied for their presence in fields of industrial crops, fibre hemp, kenaf, oilseed rape, and miscanthus. To compare the results reference cultures (different meadow types on arable land, winter wheat and maize) were also integrated into the study. The aim of the project…
Contamination of soil by sewage sludge and other fertilisers
The heavy metal load to Swiss soils decreased significantly in past years. Nevertheless, the input still is considerably higher than crop uptake. Fertilisers contribute around 50 % to the load of most metals, except for chromium and zinc with 90 % and 80 % respectively. Sewage sludge contributes 42 % of the lead, 26 %…
Ecological compensation areas to enhance beneficial arthropods
Ecological compensation areas in agriculture not only have to enhance biodiversity of rare and threatend species, but also support biological control of agricultural pests by increasing the diversity and abundance of beneficial arthropods. This is of particularly importance for integrated production (IP) and biological farming. Our investigations show that almost all spiders and predatory beetles…
