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83 posts
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…
Ensiling of apple and pear pomace
In a trial the fermentation quality, the microbiological quality and the aerobic stability of apple and pear pomace silage as well as mixtures with apple pomace and maize were investigated. We ensiled the pomace, which came from the region of Berne, into bags (0,6 m3) and with the pomace from east Switzerland big bales were…
Tan spot of wheat: Disease control and susceptibility of wheat cultivars
The importance of tan spot disease of wheat, caused by Pyrenophora tritici-repentis (anamorph: Drechslera tritici-repentis DTR) has increased in many European countries in the last years. In Switzerland the impact of the tan spot disease is low so far. The reason probably is that wheat is usually not grown after wheat. However, changes in farming…
Livestock density and nutrient balances in Asia
In response to the strong increase of the demand for animal protein, a rapid growth of intensive livestock production is under way in Asia. The often landless industrially organised production causes serious impacts to the environment. An international initiative prepares decision support tools and studies sustainable strategies to attack the problem. In this framework, the…
Housing young winter born calves in hutches
112 dairy calves which were born between November and March were assigned alternately to the groups housed in individual fibreglass hutches (55 calves) or in individual pens in a stable (57 calves) for the first two weeks of life. All calves were fed colostrum and later on whole cow’s milk twice a day in amounts…
The Swiss Farm Structure in 2008
Forecasts are made on the future development of Swiss agricultural structures by using results of an ex-post-analysis on the determinants of structural change. As a result, the structural change in Swiss agriculture will continue with an annual rate of 2.7 per cent less farms each year. Small farms with up to ten hectares will have…
Vitamins in stored high heated milk
Whole milk was pasteurised with a direct method at 125 °C and an indirect method at 115 °C. Immediately after heating and storage at 5 °C during 1 and 4 weeks, the vitamins B1, B6, B12 as well as folic acid were examined. No losses due to storage (storage losses) were detected with Vitamin B12…
Rust diseases of ryegrass
In Switzerland the most common rust disease of Italian and perennial ryegrass is crown rust (Puccinia coronata f.sp. lolii). The alternate host of P. coronata is common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica). Breeding for resistance to crown rust is a major component of our ryegrass improvement program. In order to assess the variation in pathogenicity of crown…
Determinants of structural change in agriculture
The change of Swiss agricultural structures 1985-2001 is explained by macroeconomic, sectoral and farm-specific variables. Expected explanatory patterns arise (eg. the influence of the farmer’s age), but also unexpected ones. The off-farm income, for example, plays a more important role to preserve agricultural structures than agricultural income. Acreage as a size variable has a stabilising…
Rural work: Definition of a general standard
Currently, rural work is increasingly subject to public discussion. The working time requirements of rural enterprises are also of significance for different agro-political measures. But how can rural work be measured or calculated? Depending on the measure, different definitions are possible. All standards have been based on the same labour economics data, however, the strict…
Bait test:Suitability and limits for faunistical assessments in the field
In different farming systems the activity of predatory arthropods was measured in the field with larvae of Galleria mellonella L., placed as baits on the soil. On average a slightly higher predation rate was determined in ecological systems than with more intensive cropping methods. However, the differences were small. In the trials Burgrain, Strickhof and…
Cultivation of spring peas and winter peas
In Switzerland, field peas are cultivated on 2900 ha. For spring peas, growers can choose between several varieties with high yield, excellent protein content and increased resistance against lodging potential. Due to breeding progress, winter peas have been successfully introduced in the main areas for field crops in Switzerland replacing spring peas or as a…
Castration of piglets under local anaesthesia
The feasibility of the castration of piglets under local anaesthesia was investigated in a breeding herd during one year. None of the roughly 700 one to two weeks old piglets showed signs of side effects after the injection of 0.5 ml 2% lidocaine into each testicle. The extra time needed for handling the piglets and…
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)…
