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Plant production

Jeangros B., Delabays N., Edder P., Ortelli D., Corvi C.

Asulam residues in dandelion flowers after a herbicide treatment

The application of asulam-based herbicides on grassland could explain the finding of sulfanilamide in some Swiss honeys. In fact, this antibiotic belonging to the sulfonamides is produced during the breakdown of asulam. To assess the risks related to the use of these herbicides, a permanent meadow with a high proportion of dandelions was sprayed before…
Plant production

Suter D., Briner H., Mosimann E., Jeangros B., Stévenin L.

Variety Trials with Italian- and Hybrid Ryegrass

Between 2002 and 2004, Agroscope FAL Reckenholz and RAC Changins tested 35 varieties of Italian ryegrass and 20 varieties of hybrid ryegrass at six and seven experimental sites respectively. The varieties were compared for yield, juvenile development, vigour, persistence, disease resistance, winter hardiness and competitive ability. An index value was calculated from the data, allowing…
Agricultural economics

Hilty R., Van Caenegem L.

FAT Modular Construction Standards for Farm Building Costs used as planning tool

Farm buildings account for a considerable part of the farm’s structural costs. Low-cost farm buildings are therefore required to ensure cost-effective production. As a space allocation plan can be realised in various manners, comparing different building options can help to find the �best solution’ with regard to functionality, investment demands and annual costs. The FAT…
Animal production

Nydegger F., Ammann H., Moriz Ch., Rutishauser R.

Comparison of feed-distribution systems for dairy cows

In a three-month trial involving two groups of 15 dairy cows each, Agroscope FAT Tänikon investigated whether mixing the feed components of the basic ration or distributing a non-mixed ration had an impact on feed intake and milk yield. In the mixed-ration system, the basic ration, consisting of various silages and ventilated hay, was distributed…
Animal production

Gutzwiller A., Czeglédi L., Stoll P., Bruckner L.

Fusarium toxins in pig feeds: efficacy of mycotoxin adsorbents

In two experiments using a total of 220 weaner pigs the hypothesis was tested that apple pomace alleviates the negative effects of Fusarium toxins in pigs. The two experiments had the same two-factor design: Fusarium contaminated vs. uncontaminated wheat, and 8% apple pomace vs. no pomace in the diet. Both trials yielded similar results and…
Plant production

Boller B., Schubiger F. X., Tanner P.

Alces and Zebu, two new, tetraploid cultivars of Italian ryegrass

Tetraploid Italian ryegrass Lolium multiflorum ssp. italicum is distinguished by a high yield potential and a good forage quality. Here, we present two new, tetraploid cultivars of Italian ryegrass bred by Agroscope FAL Reckenholz, the Swiss Federal Research Station for Agroecology and Agriculture. The cultivar Alces was derived from our diploid cultivar Axis by colchicine…
Plant production

Baur R., Ladner J., Bertschinger L.

Client-friendly extension for the Swiss vegetable and fruit production sector

Extension is a way of planning, implementing and controlling applied agricultural research, which is new for Switzerland. The extension’s slogan is “know-how – created for application “. Extension projects are planed for one year, with the possibility to be continued if needed. Clients, i.e. grower’s, cantonal extensionists and the post-harvest sector, are organised in forums,…
Agricultural economics

Mann S.

On the acceptance of agri-environmental programs

The acceptance of agri-environmental programs is a crucial condition for achieving the ecological targets of Swiss agriculture. Applying descriptive and econometric analysis, it can be shown that compatibility with respect to the farm’s production technology is the most important factor for their acceptance. The fact that the farmers’ education plays only a minor role indicates…
Environment

Chervet A., Ramseier L., Sturny W. G., Tschannen S.

No-tillage versus conventional tillage: ten years of comparison

Over the last ten years, conventional plow tillage has been compared to no-tillage on six crop rotation plots in the long-term field trial Oberacker at the Inforama Ruetti in Zollikofen. The deep cambisol of the trial plots contains 15% clay and 3% organic matter.The absence of tillage operations in no-tillage makes a more complex strategy…
Agricultural economics

Baltensweiler M., Erdin D.

Causes for the change of agricultural structures

Multivariate statistical methods were used to investigate the decisive factors responsible for the change of agricultural structures in Switzerland. For this purpose, the relative development of a) all farms, b) full-time farms, c) part-time farms and d) part-time workers in agriculture in the period from 1985 to 2000 was examined. 32 socio-economic and agricultural variables…
Agricultural economics

Zgraggen K., Flury Ch., Jung M., Rieder P.

Agricultural policy 2011 – hang on, liberalise or economise?

The current discussion about agricultural policy 2011 is taking place primarily among experts, politicians and those who represent agricultural interests. We aim to make the public at large aware of developments in agriculture by illustrating the relationships between the market, politics and developments in agricultural structures. To this end, we create photo-realistic illustrations of future…
Plant production

Defila C

Retrospettiva fenologica dell`anno 2004

L’anno 2004 è stato più caldo del normale e caratterizzato da tempo variabile. L’otto luglio, un violento temporale con grandine ha causato grandi danni all’agricoltura sull’Altopiano. A causa del paragone con l’anno precedente particolarmente caldo, l’estate 2004 è generalmente stata vista dalla popolazione come meteorologicamente brutta, nonostante una temperatura perlopiù sopra la media. Contrariamente agli…
Plant production

Frick C., Hebeisen Th., Reinbrecht C.

Safflower oil production in Switzerland

Safflower oil is a well established edible oil produced out of the grain of Carthamus tinctorius. In Switzerland, there is no tradition cultivating safflower, event though the plant is adapted to our climate. Within a three-year project, we tested the cultivation of various varieties of safflower Together with the University of Hohenheim, we examined different…
Environment

Sanvido O., Widmer F., Winzeler M., Streit B., Szerencsits E., Bigler F.

Coexistence of GM with nonGM crops

Today, the coexistence of GM and non-GM crops is highly debated, both in politics and in public. Environmental, consumer and farmer associations emphasize for various reasons and motivations that a coexistence of the two cropping systems is virtually not possible in Switzerland due to its small-scale agricultural production. Agroscope FAL Reckenholz, the Swiss Federal Research…
Food

Thomet A., Fragnière C.

Milk concentrate is interesting for small dairies

The production of cheese from milk concentrate made by microfiltration is an economic alternative to traditional cheese making for small dairies.The estimated production cost of the milk concentrate are between 2.88 to 5.04 CHF/kg calculated to a batch size of 3’000 kg milk, depending on the intended purpose. The further processing of the milk concentrate…
Food

Bogdanov S., Edder P.

Contamination of honey by a sulfonamide after the use of a herbicide in agriculture

Since several years the Swiss cantonal laboratories carry out regularly control of antibiotic residues in honey. In few honeys residues of an unknown sulfonamide, sulphanilamide, have been detected. We investigated in one particular case, in order to find out the contamination source. The honeys concerned were harvested in three apiaries situated in an area of…
Food

Fluri P., Frick R.

beekeeping in Switzerland: facts and importance

Bees accomplish an important contribution to the national economy by pollinating economic and wild plants and by producing honey, pollen and wax. The pollination value of one bee colony based on the harvest cost of fruit trees and berries accounts to about 1250 Swiss Francs per year, in addition to the value of the bee…
Animal production

Keck M., Koutny L., Schmidlin A., Hilty R.

Odour in ambient air of pig housing systems with exercise yards and natural ventilation

Whereas closed housing with forced ventilation predominated in the past, nowadays, most new pig housing facilities are designed as multi-surface systems with bedding and exercise yards. New pig housing systems have to observe minimum separation distances from inhabited areas. However, these distances are not sufficient for new housing systems with natural ventilation or for exercise…
Animal production

Zähner M., Spiessl-Mayr E.

Electronic livestock identification

Data transfer between farms, dealers, slaughterhouse and the Swiss stock movement database is increasing, especially in response to the requirement for full animal traceability. Identification of individual animals is an important part of this system. The present practice of identifying animals by plastic ear tags has the advantages of being easy to use and inexpensive,…
Plant production

Bohren Ch., Delabays N., Mermillod G., Keimer Ch., Kündig Ch.

Common ragweed in Switzerland: distribution and control

Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) is presently raising a growing worry in Switzerland. Beside being a weed in arable field, the plant produce a very allergenic pollen that can induce potentially important health problems in the population. This situation require the application of a strong control strategy that concern, beside agriculture, the staffs in charge of…
Plant production

Vonlanthen I., Ramseier H., Häni F.

Variability and stability of different fallow seed mixtures

In a six year experiment in the Swiss lowlands of the Canton of Bern the development of single sown species, their competitive ability towards spontaneous species and flowering diversity were studied for four fallow seed mixtures (rotational fallow and wildflower strip mixtures of the companies UFA Winterthur and Schweizer Samen). The wildflower strip mixtures of…

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