Organic Pig Fattening Pays Off for Large Farms
Agroscope analysed the economic situation of organic fattening-pig production in Switzerland. The study shows that six of the ten farms examined – particularly the larger ones – can produce profitably.
Archive
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Agriculture and Biodiversity: Systematic Overview Identifies Important Avenues for Future Research
The intensification of agriculture has greatly changed Europe's agroecosystems, with major implications for biodiversity. An overview study by Agroscope and the Swiss Ornithological Institute identifies the most important areas for future research with a view to minimising the uncertainties of currently available knowledge.
What are Farms in Switzerland Doing to Preserve Biodiversity?
To prevent biodiversity decline, Swiss farms are implementing 19.3% of their utilised agricultural area as ecological focus areas (EFA). It appears that organic farms implement considerably more and qualitatively better EFAs than do PEP farms.
Sustainable Soil Management Requires a Mixture of Support Measures
An Agroscope study shows that Swiss farmers have different soil management priorities. Considering these may increase the effectiveness of information and policy measures to promote sustainable soil management.
The Highly Diverse and Nutrient-Rich Inner Life of Sourdough Bread
The microbial composition of the sourdough culture defines the character of the bread baked from it. A sourdough can increase the health-promoting characteristics of bread when combined with specific types of flour and suitable processing parameters.
Westerwold Ryegrass: Three New Recommendations and One Candidate for the Variety List
Fast-growing Westerwold ryegrass delivers valuable high yields on annual temporary leys and in forage intercropping. Based on the most recent variety trials, Agroscope can now recommend three new multi-cut varieties and earmark a single-cut variety for recommendation.
Agricultural Production and Biodiversity Conservation: Four Typical Land-Use Patterns
Swiss farms must decide on the extent to which they produce agricultural goods and provide biodiversity services. Agroscope has analysed and typified the diversity of farm-level land-use patterns.
Reducing Tillage and Herbicide Use: Can Weed-Induced Crop Yield Losses Be Limited?
Integrated weed management with reduced tillage and reduced herbicide inputs can successfully control weeds in wheat and prevent yield loss.
Information Framing Makes Visually Suboptimal Potatoes more Appealing
Large quantities of potatoes are rejected due to visual defects. For this reason, Agroscope researchers investigated how consumers can be motivated to purchase visually suboptimal potatoes.
The DNA of Franches-Montagnes Horses Reveals the Origin of the Breed
The genotype information of over 1,000 horses reveals that the Franches-Montagnes can be distinguished from other historically introgressed breeds. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated, that this kind of information can also be applied to manage the inbreeding within the population.
Timothy and Meadow Fescue: One New Recommendation, One New Candidate
Timothy and meadow fescue are key components of high-performance mixtures for forage production. Agroscope can now recommend one new variety of timothy and earmark a meadow fescue for recommendation based on variety tests conducted from 2021 to 2023.
What is Typical Spelt and How Do We Distinguish it From Modern Wheat-Spelt Intercrosses in Switzerland?
Spelt (Triticum aestivum ssp. spelta) is in increasing demand from consumers and bakeries. Linking phenotypic traits to the underlying genetic information of each variety helps us to better categorise the spelt varieties in Switzerland.
It’s Not All About Cheese: Cows and Hikers are Not the Only Ones to Benefit from Alpine Pastures
Alpine pastures provide forage for cattle, storage for CO2, food for pollinators, a habitat for countless plants, and fascinate us with their beauty. The extent to which these services are provided depends on location, climate – and cows.
Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Drained Peatlands – Is It Possible?
A mineral soil cover combined with a rise in the water table can mitigate the loss of organic carbon in cultivated peatlands. At the same time, it would allow agricultural productivity to be maintained.
Paratuberculosis in Cattle: International Evolution and Situation in Switzerland
A current overview of paratuberculosis describes this chronic disease of cattle, shows how it is being controlled internationally and in Switzerland, and explains why this is important.
Three New Berseem and Persian Clover Cultivars
Berseem and Persian clover are grown mainly as a catch crop in Switzerland. Three new cultivars from the latest Agroscope trials are to be added to the List of Recommended Varieties of Forage Crops.
Swiss versus EU Dairy Farms: Who Can Cover their Costs?
Milk production is the most important production branch of Swiss agriculture. The liberalised cheese trade with the EU requires competitive dairy farms. Despite this, Swiss farms produce milk in a less economically viable way than comparable EU farms.
Product and Quality Differentiation in the Swiss Cheese Market Enhances Raw Milk Prices
Product and quality differentiation in Swiss cheese markets enables higher and more stable raw milk prices. Protected Geographical Indications (GIs) such as the Swiss AOP (Appellation d'Origine Protégée), could further enhance milk prices, although their effectiveness depends on the strength of the GI label.
Reducing Pesticides can be Advantageous, Depending on the Crop
Does pesticide reduction reduce profitability and increase working time? Quite the reverse – Agroscope researchers showed that going pesticide-free can be an attractive proposition.
What Effect Does Sorghum-based Feeding Have on Cheese Quality?
Climate change is compelling producers to find alternatives to the usual fodders. Sorghum is one alternative. When used in dairy-cattle feed, how does it affect the quality of hard cheeses?
Alternative Products for Meat and Dairy: Better for Health and the Environment?
In recent years, plant-based foods have come on the market as alternatives to products of animal origin. Their aim: to positively influence sustainability and health. However, do they really do this? A study conducted by Agroscope and the University of Bern examined the issue.
Do Permanent Grasslands Contribute to Climate Protection?
Do soils under meadows and pastures in Switzerland take up more carbon than they release, thus contributing to climate protection? According to a new study from Agroscope, they currently do not. Measures to promote carbon storage do, however, exist.
Development Opportunities for Swiss Sparkling Wines
Global wine sales have been falling for several years and the Swiss market has not been bucking this trend. Nevertheless, the growing consumption of sparkling wines in Switzerland and the interest in local products are creating new prospects for leveraging wine production.
Understanding Alpine Farming for Targeted Policymaking
The heterogeneity of summer farms in the Swiss Alps must be take into account in order to develop effective policy measures. This should lead to improved conservation of the ecological and economic functions of alpine meadows.
Using 3D Imaging to Optimise the Diet of Growing Cattle
Fast and safe three-dimensional (3D) imaging technology gives good in vivo estimates of body and carcass chemical composition in growing beef cattle.
Root Exudates: A Means of Communication and Interaction between Plants
Plants release root exudates – compounds that influence the growth of their neighbours – into the soil. Understanding this mechanism allows us to devise new approaches for biological weed control.
Agroforestry’s Contribution to a Sustainable Agricultural Policy in Switzerland
Future agricultural policy will aim at innovative and sustainable production systems. Using the example of agroforestry, an assessment method based on an expert survey and the literature has now been tested. The results show that agroforestry can support the transformation into a more sustainable agricultural sector.
Ecological Focus Areas in Farmland and their Contribution
What do ecological focus areas in Swiss farmland contribute? Agroscope experts summarised their impact on biodiversity and ecosystem services in a literature survey.
Blanchier: Ancient Variety Rediscovered in Vineyards in Valais
Although fairly widespread in the vineyards of Valais in the 19th century, Blanchier seemed to have disappeared. Now the grape variety was rediscovered in several locations.
Performance of Endangered Heritage Grape Varieties in the Vineyards of Valais
Twelve heritage grape varieties grown in Valais and at risk of extinction have been added to Agroscope’s grape varieties collection and studied. This action is linked to the National Action Plan for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Plant Genetic Resources.
