Fibre Quality in Timothy, \u3cem\u3eFestulolium\u3c/em\u3e and Tall Fescue around First Cut

Fibre quality and available energy expressed as iNDF (indigestible neutral detergent fibre) decrease with maturity stage in timothy (Nordheim-Viken and Volden 2009). It is widely accepted that fibre quality also decreases with plant age in other forage grasses. However, climate factors such as temperature and water availability can interact with maturity stage in determining iNDF (Nordheim-Viken and Volden 2009). In the Norfor system, iNDF is an important measure of available energy in forage evaluation for ruminants (Åkerlind et al. 2011). This study examined how fibre quality in different forage grasses was affected by maturity stage and climate

Forage Production, Utilization and Environmental Conservation in Sweden

Symposium Pape

Long-Term Changes in Dry Matter Yield in Variety Trials of Forage Species in Sweden

Using results from official variety testing in Sweden, long-term changes (1964-2018) in total annual dry matter (DM) yield for pure stands of red clover (Trifolium pratense) and timothy (Phleum pratense) were analysed and compared for two Swedish trial site areas: a central area (59.6-61.5°N) and a southern area (55.5-57.0°N). All trials were managed using a standard protocol, with only minor changes over time. On average for all varieties of timothy in the trials, there was an increase of 91.6 kg ha-1 in total DM yield in the first harvest year, probably due to genetically improved varieties, increasing from two to three cuts and a changing climate. For red clover, there was a lower yearly increase of 45.9 kg ha-1 in total DM yield in the first harvest year. Four-fold larger variation in red clover yield was seen in the second half of the study period (after 1993) compared with the first, possibly due to a more fluctuating climate, particularly in winter, and more overwintering damage. In timothy, the variation in yield over the entire period was more stable, but still increased by around 80 % in the second half of the period compared with the first. For the most frequently included timothy variety, SW Kämpe II, which was present in trials between 1965 and 2001, total DM yield in the first harvest year (96.8 kg ha-1 ) was similar to the trial mean over the period for all timothy varieties. For the most frequently included red clover variety, Hermes II (present 1955-1996), total DM yield in the first harvest year increased by 33.2 kg ha-1 , i.e., less than the trial mean for that species

Ekologisk sortprovning av vallväxter

Vallgräsen missgynnas ofta i en ekologisk vall genom sämre kväveförsörjning än baljväxterna, och därför är sorternas konkurrensförmåga i blandvall en viktig egenskap att undersöka. Sorter av timotej, ängssvingel, och engelskt rajgräs provas i blandning med baljväxt för att efterlikna praktiska förhållanden. Fem handelssorter per art har valts ut, vilka representerar etablerade och i en nära framtid, ny sorter på marknaden. Försök har anlagts på tre platser för att spegla olika förhållanden i södra och mellersta Sverige. Eftersom förhållandet mellan gräs och baljväxt förändras över tiden är det viktigt att studera uthålligheten i minst tre skördeår. Målet är att under ekologisk provning bestämma skillnad i avkastning, konkurrensförmåga och näringsinnehåll mellan sorter av timotej, ängssvingel, och engelskt rajgräs. Projektet finansieras 2003-2008 av Jordbruksverket

Correlation between Yield of Forage Legumes in Grass Mixtures and Accumulation of Soil Mineral Nitrogen in Sweden

Soil mineral N and DM yield of five forage legume species were investigated in field experiments at two sites in Sweden, established 1997. The species studied were: red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), lucerne (Medicago sativa L.), white clover (Trifolium repens L.), galega (Galega orientalis Lam.) and lotus (Lotus corniculatus L.), all grown in grass-legume mixed swards. No nitrogen was applied to the legumes. Results from two years of ley (1998 and 1999) are presented. Correlation was found between accumulated mineral N in the soil in the autumn and the total seasonal DM yield of the legume fraction of mixed grass-legume swards under temperate conditions. In the first year of ley, the correlation was stronger than in the second year ley. The levels of mineral N in the soil were highest in spring first year of ley at both sites and thereafter the levels decreased until autumn of the second year of ley. Legumes alone showed a poor correlation between soil mineral N in the autumn and DM yield of the legume both years of ley. Most likely the N leaching is taking place at the spring thaw, not during winter when the ground is frozen. In conclusion, when high proportions of legumes in the harvest occur, there could be an environmental risk of N leaching

Does Having Children Affect Adult Smoking Prevalence and Behaviours at Home?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Smoking prevalence and smoking behaviours have changed in society and an increased awareness of the importance of protecting children from environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is reported. The aim of this study was to find out if smoking prevalence and smoking behaviours were influenced by parenthood, and if differences in health-related quality of life differed between smoking and non-smoking parents.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Questionnaires were sent to a randomly selected sample, including 1735 men and women (20–44 years old), residing in the south-east of Sweden. Participation rate was 78%. Analyses were done to show differences between groups, and variables of importance for being a smoker and an indoor smoker.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Parenthood did not seem to be associated with lower smoking prevalence. Logistic regression models showed that smoking prevalence was significantly associated with education, gender and mental health. Smoking behaviour, as well as attitudes to passive smoking, seemed to be influenced by parenthood. Parents of dependent children (0–19 years old) smoked outdoors significantly more than adults without children (p < 0.01). Logistic regression showed that factors negatively associated with outdoor smoking included having immigrant status, and not having preschool children. Parents of preschool children found it significantly more important to keep the indoor environment smoke free than both parents with schoolchildren (p = 0.02) and adults without children (p < 0.001). Significant differences in self-perceived health-related quality of life indexes (SF-36) were seen between smokers and non-smokers.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>As smoking behaviour, but not smoking prevalence, seems to be influenced by parenthood, it is important to consider the effectiveness of commonly used precautions when children's risk for ETS exposure is estimated.</p

GPCRTree: online hierarchical classification of GPCR function

Background: G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play important physiological roles transducing extracellular signals into intracellular responses. Approximately 50% of all marketed drugs target a GPCR. There remains considerable interest in effectively predicting the function of a GPCR from its primary sequence. Findings: Using techniques drawn from data mining and proteochemometrics, an alignment-free approach to GPCR classification has been devised. It uses a simple representation of a protein's physical properties. GPCRTree, a publicly-available internet server, implements an algorithm that classifies GPCRs at the class, sub-family and sub-subfamily level. Conclusion: A selective top-down classifier was developed which assigns sequences within a GPCR hierarchy. Compared to other publicly available GPCR prediction servers, GPCRTree is considerably more accurate at every level of classification. The server has been available online since March 2008 at URL: http://igrid-ext.cryst.bbk.ac.uk/gpcrtree