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Animal production

Frick G., Dubois S., Chaubert C., Ampuero Kragten S.

Detection of falsified maize gluten

Different methods have been employed to detect falsified maize gluten products. Microscopic observations -numerous starch grains, seed envelopes and wheat bran fragments- clearly showed the presence of atypical maize gluten particles in samples with otherwise normal crude protein levels (≥ 60%) and the usual gold-yellow color. Chemical analyses in a few samples confirmed the presence…
Animal production

Spring P., Kupper T., Pauly C.

ProSchwein: Alternatives to the conventional castration of piglets

To prevent the occurrence of meat with boar taint, which is not accepted by the consumer, male piglets are surgically castrated without anaesthesia. As this method of castration will be banned in Switzerland by 1st January 2010, the project ProSchwein investigated different alternatives. A device for inhalation anaesthesia (anaesthetic gas: isoflurane) showed a good anaesthesia…
Animal production

Steiner B., Van Caenegem L., Schellenberg K.

Durability of mastic asphalt floors in cattle housing

Floors and especially indoor exercise areas in cattle housing are exposed to high chemical and mechanical stresses. Dung/urine mixtures were analysed to obtain data relating to stresses on exercise area materials. These results, together with information from 52 working farms on the state and animal welfare promotion of exercise area materials, were used as the…
Animal production

Chassot A.

Fattening performance of Angus and Hérens yearlings on a semi-intensive finishing diet after weaning

The suitability of an herbage based, semi-intensive finishing diet was tested in an indoor feeding trial with two beef cattle types. Castrated male and female (1:3) Angus and Herens suckler calves were weaned at the age of 10 months. They were raised by suckler cows which were exclusively fed grassland based forage. The basic finishing…
Animal production

Morel I., Collomb M., Richter S., Reist M., Bruckmaier R.

Influence of feeding strategy during the dry period on the composition of milk at the beginning of lactation

The possibility of influencing the composition of milk fat during lactation has already been the subject of multiple studies. At the beginning of lactation, some of the milk fatty acids are derived not only from the diet but also from body reserves which are mobilized to make up for the energy deficit. A project was…
Animal production

Chassot A., Dufey P.A.

Finishing of steers following a summering period on mountain pastures: effect of feeding intensity on fattening performance

Crossbred steers of the Limousin x Swiss Fleckvieh breed were summered on low input mountain pastures with varying stocking rates. During the subsequent finishing period, the effect of feeding intensity on fattening performance was investigated. Three intensity levels were compared whereby expected total energy supplies were calculated to correspond to 1,5 (int150), 1,75 (int175) or…
Animal production

Bärlocher H., Wenk C., Scheeder M.R.L.

Fattening pigs: influence of housing systems on the pH-value of the musculus long. dorsi (M.l.d)

In a survey, the effect of alternative (ALT) compared to conventional (KON) housing systems on the post mortem pH of the M.l.d. of fattening pigs was investigated. ALT housing systems corresponded to the Swiss BTS and RAUS regulations providing for e.g. larger and enriched pens with a straw bed as well as limited outdoor access.…
Animal production

Burger D., Bachmann I., Poncet P.A.

Applied Research on the Behaviour of horses

The behaviour of a horse, a typical flight and herd animal, can significantly influence its use, regardless of the discipline in which it is engaged. To an average rider or driver a horse’s temperament plays a decisive role, more important even than its conformation, size or price of purchase. Despite the indisputably high significance of…
Animal production

Hofstetter P., Stoll P.

Economic aspects of seasonal outdoor pig production under current and future political conditions

The economic aspects of Swiss outdoor pig production integrated with crop rotation have been studied for the first time, including costs for rearing, breeding and fattening. The required working time per animal per day was 2,7, 15,6 and 2,3 man minutes during the rearing, the outdoor breeding and the fattening period, respectively. In the trial…
Animal production

Stoll P., Zihlmann U., Hofstetter P.

Pig production system with seasonal outdoor keeping

A production system with seasonal outdoor rearing of pigs can be designed to be environmentally compatible with properly planned crop rotation. An extended crop rotation of 6 – 7 years avoids damage to the soil, reduces parasite pressure and also permits the cultivation of grain legumes. It is possible to obtain an equalized nitrogen balance…
Animal production

Blättler Th., Durgiai B.

Feeding systems for the implementation of mountain milk strategies

The project �Mountain Milk� ran by the Swiss College of Agriculture did not focus on technical aspects of production. But the production processes have influenced the strategic planning activities and they will be very important in implementing the strategies. Both major strategies for dairy production, the “added value” approach and the “growth” approach, are therefore…
Animal production

Frutschi Mascher V., Kaech Pitt S., Freund-Ingold U., Kunz P.

Investigation on feed intake of pregnant heifers and first lactating cows in Switzerland

In dairy herds, about one third of the cows are primiparous. These animals are still growing and therefore have specific nutrition requirements. The aim of this project was to show how heifers and primiparous cows are fed on Swiss dairy farms. Feeding, production and health data were collected on 60 Swiss farms for 252 animals.…
Animal production

Arrigo Y.

Effect of cut number, maturity stage and conservation method on digestibility and mineral content of a grassclover mixture

During three consecutive years, samples of a grass-clover mixture from the first and third cut were collected at two stages of maturity (30 days apart) on the same experimental plot. After cutting, the forage samples were either frozen (-20ºC), artificially dried (forced air at 30ºC, <45% relative humidity), wilted on the field and subsequently barn…
Animal production

Maurer J., Schaeren W.

Udder health and somatic cell counts in ewes

For decades, somatic cells counts in milk are used as an important measure for the diagnosis of udder infections in cows. The objectives of our investigation, performed on three farms during an entire lactation, was to get some data about the most important bacteria causing intramammary infections in milk sheep and to evaluate whether the…
Animal production

Hertzberg H., Maurer V., Heckendorn F., Wanner A., Gutzwiller A., Mosimann E.

Control of gastrointestinal nematodes in cattle under dry pasture conditions

A controlled field experiment was performed in the year 2003 with 3 groups of each 20 first season grazing cattle. The efficacy of a biological (Duddingtonia flagrans) and an anthelmintic control strategy (morantel sustained release trilaminate bolus) against gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) was investigated under unusually dry and warm meteorological conditions. The external conditions resulted in…

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