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Animal production

Kohler S., Blättler Th., Wanner K., Schäublin H., Müller C., Spring P.

Project Opti-Milk: Cows health and fertility

With a contribution of 30 – 50 %, fertility problems and mammary infections are the major cause for the preliminary elimination of cows in dairy production worldwide. Fertility and health therefore also were important indicators to compare the high yield (HL) and the full grazing (VW) strategy in the Opti-Milk project. For both strategies, no…
Animal production

Blättler Th., Durgiai B., Kohler S., Kunz P., Leuenberger S., Müller R., Schäublin H., Spring P., Stähli R., Thomet P., Menzi H.

Project Opti-Milk: Aims and basic information

Swiss milk producers must drastically reduce their production costs. To achieve this, they need user-orientated practical recommendations and planning aids. At present the high yield strategy (HL) and the full grazing or low-cost strategy appear most promising. In the framework of the project “Opti-Milk”, each of these two strategies was consistently optimised and implemented on…
Animal production

Spara A. F., Gutzwiller A., Gafner J.-L., Stoll P.

Efficacy of whey preservatives

The efficacy of 0.2 % formic acid, 0.3% and 0.6% propionic acid and 0.05 % H2O2 against yeast growth in whey was tested in the laboratory. After inoculation with cultures of naturally contaminated whey and the addition of the preservatives the whey samples were incubated during four days. Gas pressure was measured continuously. Yeast numbers…
Animal production

Morel I., Aeschlimann G., Philipp A., Boessinger M., Kreuzer M.

Does an outdoor pen have beneficial effects in calves?

The efficacy of 0.2 % formic acid, 0.3% and 0.6% propionic acid and 0.05 % H2O2 against yeast growth in whey was tested in the laboratory. After inoculation with cultures of naturally contaminated whey and the addition of the preservatives the whey samples were incubated during four days. Gas pressure was measured continuously. Yeast numbers…
Animal production

Stoll W., Sollberger H., Collomb M., Schaeren W.

Rape-, lin-, and sunflowerseed in dairy cows rations

In the investigation, 3 groups of 11 dairy cows were included. All animals were fed hay ad libitum, 15 kg fodder beet and concentrate feed. In the first experimental period, the daily ration was supplemented with 1,0 kg ground rapeseed, sunflowerseed or linseed respectively. In the second period, the quantity of sunflowerseed and linseed was…
Animal production

Hermenjat C., Chassot A., Dufey P.-A.

Economic aspects of steer fattening with six different breeds. Part 2

The evolution during the fattening period of the margin of fattening steers of the breeds Angus (AN), Simmental (SI), Charolais (CH), Limousin (LI), Blonde d’Aquitaine (BL) and Piemontese (PI) was analysed for two marketing channels – standard or as label. This study is based on the results obtained with an optimum fatness score (part 1).…
Animal production

Hermenjat C., Chassot A., Dufey P.-A.

Economic aspects of steer fattening with six different breeds. Part 1

The results of a fattening trial with steers covering the weight range 300 kg LW to optimum fatness score were used for an economic analysis comparing the breeds Angus (AN), Simmental (SI), Charolais (CH), Limousin (LI), Blonde d’Aquitaine (BL) and Piemontese (PI). More than 95 % of margin variations are attributed to differences in purchasing…
Animal production

Bärlocher H., Badertscher R., Möhring A., Rodriguez-Zas S., Pettigrew J.E., Scheeder M.R.L., Wenk C.

Fattening pig: influence of the housing system on fat free lean

The degree to which the housing system with fully slatted floor (without outdoor area) or the littered multy-surface system with restricted outdoor area may have an influence on that fat free lean (FFL) of fattening pigs was examined on the basis of data from 95 farms. In the system with fully slatted floor, the FFL…
Animal production

Dohme F., Spara A. F.

Ruminal degradation of crude protein in feedstuff – comparison of two methods

The rate of ruminal degradation of crude protein of feedstuff is important in order to estimate the amount of absorbable protein available in the intestine. In many countries the in sacco method is well accepted as a reference. However, this method is time-consuming and requires ruminal fistulated animals. Therefore, great efforts are undertaken to establish…
Animal production

Schick M., Moriz Ch.

Management of automatic milking systems

Despite increasingly difficult economic conditions, automatic milking systems (AMS) continue to attract a surprisingly high level of interest. The efficiency of an AMS and the process- and working time requirements associated with it are of special interest for maximum economy of use. Measurements on the requisite process times and working time requirements were carried out…
Animal production

Gutzwiller A., Chaubert C., Gafner J.-L., Glauser W.

Mycotoxins in cereals grown in Switzerland in 2002

353 cereal samples (wheat: 193; triticale: 71; barley: 46; oats: 27; rye: 16) were randomly sampled and assayed for deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone using ELISA kits. Positive samples were analysed using GC-MS for DON determination and HPLC for zearalenone determination. DON levels > 1 mg/kg (up to 12 mg/kg) were detected in 4 wheat and…
Animal production

Thomet P., Kohler S., Stettler M., Niemeyer L., Schweizer E., Riedwyl H.

Extending the grazing season with turnips

Extending the grazing period in autumn allows savings of expensive winter feed. Over three years the yield potential of ten turnip varieties and other autumn crops were studied on three sites. With an average of 6.5 t/ha dry matter (DM), the turnips had clearly higher yields than the grass clover ley (SM200; 2.9 t/ha DM)…
Animal production

Frick G., Roetschi A., Hauswirth H.

Animal feed analysis using microcopy

Since the appearance of mad cow disease (BSE), most of the animal feeds sold or produced in Switzerland are officially and systematically tested for contamination with animal by-products. The method of analysis consists in fractionating (sedimenting and sieving), followed by coloration and observation under the microscope. Particles of animal origin are recognized by their color,…
Animal production

Thomet P., Rätzer H., Durgiai B.

Efficiency: the key to profitable dairying

For profitable dairying, efficient high yielding dairy cows are needed. They can be characterised by a high feed conversion efficiency of over 1.2 kg energy corrected milk per kilogram annual dry matter consumption, by a low age at first calving and a long productive heard life. The annual milk yield is not a sufficient efficiency…
Animal production

Dufey P.-A., Chambaz A.

Carcass qulity of steers of six beef breeds

Carcass quality was investigated in 138 steers of the six beef breeds Angus (AN), Simmental (SI), Charolais (CH), Limousin (LI), Blonde d’Aquitaine (BL) and Piedmontese (PI). In one group, steers were slaughtered at the same finishing degree defined by the fat grading class 3 (CH-TAX, optimally fattened), and in the other group, upon attaining an…
Animal production

Kreuzer M.

Potential of rarely used animal feed

Results from experiments on the potential of rarely employed animal feeds are presented. Oilseeds are suitable when fed to growing ruminants in order to modify the product quality (especially the shelf life of the meat) and to reduce methane emission. The oilseeds investigated (canola, sunflower, flax) had a slightly different effect. Sunflower seed, although particularly…
Animal production

Koutny L.

Site-specific influences on diffusion of odours released by animal housing systems

The Swiss Agency for the Environment, Forests and Landscape (SAEFL) commissioned the Swiss Federal Research Station for Agricultural Economics and Engineering (FAT) in Tänikon to revise the FAT report no. 476 on minimal distances of animal housing systems (Richner, Schmidlin, 1995). In general, the existing guideline proved to be useful for closed houses with forced…

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