Sustainable Weed Management: Towards New Tools
New tools are being developed to limit the use of herbicides in crops and improve the efficacy of alternative management methods. An update.
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Beekeeping – A Mobile Application for Controlling the Varroa Mite
A simple smartphone could soon become an essential ally for beekeepers in their battle to control the varroa mite. A mobile application for identifying and counting these tiny parasites in the hive – the first of its kind in Switzerland – has just been developed.
Consumption of Raw Goat’s Milk: What Is the Risk of Infection with TBE Viruses?
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) pathogens can be transmitted to humans by the consumption of raw milk and raw-milk products from infected goats. The risk is judged to be low, and is most likely to come from on-farm consumption of the (unpasteurised) products.
Use of Iodised Salt in Cheesemaking Improves Iodine Sufficiency
Sections of the Swiss population are deficient in iodine. Agroscope and the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) examined how the use of iodised salt affects the iodine content of cheese.
Weeds? – Sown Wildflower Strips and Crop-Accompanying Flora Promote Beneficials in Cabbage Production
FiBL field trials demonstrate that sown wildflowers together with the spontaneous arable weed flora in cabbage fields can promote predatory beneficial insects and pollinators. This makes it possible to enhance the ecological value of production areas.
Creating a Coordination Centre for Swiss Aquaculture
Swiss aquaculture is enjoying strong growth. However, in order to develop sustainably, the sector needs to be better organised. This study analyses the current situation and proposes a concept for the development of a coordination centre.
Emergency Supplies Before, During and After the Swiss Confederation’s COVID-19 Measures
The older the respondents, the better they know and follow the emergency supply recommendations. Experience from the first lockdown can help ensure more stocking-up in future.
Characterisation of Raclette du Valais PDO
Agroscope has comprehensively characterised the cheese variety Raclette du Valais PDO (Protected Designation of Origin). With the reference values obtained, cheese-dairy advisory services will be able to identify cheese defects more easily in future.
Swiss Cheeses Are an Important Dietary Source of Vitamin K2
Vitamin K2 plays a key role in blood clotting as well as having a positive influence on bone and cardiovascular health. Cheese is an important dietary source of this microbially produced vitamin.
Swiss Wine of the Future – What Expectations do Consumers Have?
Consumer acceptance plays a key role in the introduction of new grape varieties. An Agridea consumer survey reveals a great openness to fungus-tolerant varieties that lend themselves to particularly environmentally friendly cultivation methods.
KLIR: A Model for Calculating Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Dairy Farms
Dairy farms are responsible for a significant proportion of greenhouse gases from agriculture. In order to quantify emissions at farm level and identify suitable emissions reduction measures, HAFL researchers developed a model for calculating greenhouse gas emissions from dairy farms.
Tackling Farm Succession Holistically and at an Early Stage
In the coming years, farm succession will become a topical issue for many Swiss farming families. However, the process is demanding. A research and development project at BFH-HAFL highlights challenges and presents tools
Bovine Appetite Is Stimulated by Multi-Species Herbage Mixtures
An optimum grassland botanical composition is a key element of the efficient feeding of ruminants. The fattening cattle in this trial clearly preferred a grass/clover/chicory mixture to pure ryegrass.
The RumiWatch System: Automated Feeding and Health Monitoring for Dairy Cows
The RumiWatch system is a smart farming tool, which enables an accurate detection of eating and rumination behaviours performed by dairy cows. The aim of the researchers was to check, if the system that was already established in science for its practical usage.
Swiss Dairy Farms – Economic Performance Potential and Limits
In order to increase the competitiveness of Swiss milk production, the performance of the farms must be improved. Agroscope shows that the majority of producers work efficiently, but that the differences in productivity are great.
Non-Hardy Green-Manure Mixtures in No-Till Organic Maize Cultivation
BFH-HAFL investigated three non-hardy green-manure mixtures and their effect on organic maize: A legume-rich green manure showed very high nitrogen enrichment and a positive effect on the early juvenile development of maize.
Protected Site: Seven Years of Field Research with Genetically Modified Plants
A secured field on Agroscope’s Reckenholz site enables field research with genetically modified (GM) plants. In addition to research results, it provides findings on how GM plants might be handled in agriculture, as well as offering the public a window into this research.
Fungal Toxins in Wheat: Innovative Cropping Systems Reduce Fusarium Mycotoxins
Fungal toxins in wheat endanger the health of humans and animals. Agroscope investigated three cropping systems under reduced tillage to improve the quality and yield of wheat harvests using alternative crop protection strategies.
Public and Private Extension Influence Pest-Control Strategies
Fruit and wine producers who receive information from the public sector are more likely to use preventive measures such as nets or hygiene measures to combat spotted-wing drosophila. Producers advised by private firms that sell plant-protection products are more likely to use synthetic insecticides.
Losses of plant protection products to water: what is the best risk assessment method?
Run-off and erosion contribute to the pollution of water by plant protection products. Targeted measures to reduce this pollution require detailed field analysis. Existing methods have now been compared for the first time in order to assess their suitability.
Maize Cultivation: Maps of Accumulated Temperatures Support the Choice of Varieties
Maize is one of the most important crops in Switzerland. Variety selection and site adaptation play a crucial role in maize cultivation in a changing climate. Heat-supply maps created by Agroscope help in the choice of suitable varieties.
‘Green Book’ Guidelines No Longer Suitable for Estimating Net Energy Requirements for Beef Production
The Swiss ‘Green Book’ feeding recommendations for fattening cattle are no longer suitable for today’s animals and current production conditions. An updating of datasets for system calibration is essential.
Managing Conflicting Objectives in Agricultural Production and Water Resource Protection
In Swiss agriculture, conflicts arise between production and the protection of water resources. These were studied by means of multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA): objectives are defined, evaluation functions proposed and measures analysed.
Not All Cows Are Alike: Cattle Breed Affects Pasture Vegetation and Diversity
The pastures of low-productive Highland Cattle are particularly species-rich because of their relatively low weight, undemandingness and slowness. This is borne out by Agroscope and AgroVet Strickhof studies.
Livestock Recycle By-Products from the Food Industry
Livestock farming is sometimes criticised for creating competition between feed and food production. However, the animals fulfil an important function by recycling plant by-products and thus closing nutrient cycles.
Equine Health: Dust and Ammonia Emissions from Eight Different Bedding Materials
In equine husbandry, dust and ammonia emmissions have an important impact on respiratory health. Eight different bedding materials were tested for these emissions using a standardized method.
Quantity and Quality of Semi-Natural Elements within the Swiss Lowland Farmland
In the Swiss lowland, the quantity of biodiversity promoting areas (BPA, i.e. options of the Swiss agri-environment scheme) clearly exeeds the stipulated 7%.The quality of the BPA has been improved as well. However, three forth of the BPA are still barely recognizable as semi-natural areas in the field.
How do EBA-Qualified Farmworkers Manage to Enter the Labour Market?
The training programme for farmworkers imparts broad skills to academically weak learners. What chances do they have on the labour market today and in the future and how do they succeed in making the transition to further training?
Tall Fescue: Two Very Good New Cultivars Round Out the List of Recommended Varieties
Tall fescue is valued as a high-yielding, robust forage grass. For ley farming, fine-leaved, nutritious varieties which are well-liked by livestock are in demand. Agroscope’s most recent variety test has yielded two new top varieties.
Swiss Soybean Cultivars Are Able to Deal with Soybean Mosaic Virus
Despite its focus on other, higher-priority criteria, the soybean breeding programme in Switzerland has yielded varieties that are tolerant of soybean mosaic virus (SMV) – the most serious of the viral diseases.
