The Social Robot: A Study of the Social and Political Aspects of Automatic Milking Systems

We explored social and political aspects of milking robot (automatic milking system; AMS) use and expansion in dairy farming. Over 30 % of dairy farms in Norway have an AMS, and the percentage is rapidly increasing. We interviewed 26 dairy farmers with AMSs in the county of Rogaland, Norway. Primary motives for investing in milking robots are a more flexible workday, reduced physical work, and a desire to join the perceived future standard of dairy farming. Although farmers are motivated by social factors, AMS is a key element in a structural change driven by political, economic, and social factors

What Is a Farm? Mental Framing and Reframing as Tools in Communication between Agricultural Advisors and Farmers

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Loose housing-nothing to lose? Exploring the on-farm profitability, risk and agricultural policy consequences associated with a tie-stall ban on dairy farms

Due to stricter animal welfare regulations, in Norway tie-stalls for dairy cows are banned from 2034 onwards. The aim of this paper is to explore the profitability, risk and agricultural policy consequences associated with the transition from tie-stalls to loose housing. Data on farm economics and investments were collected from farm enterprise budgets on 66 farms that have built new cowsheds in recent years in Vestland county. Vestland was chosen because on average it has the smallest dairy farms in Norway, with 45 percent of the herds having less than 20 cows. To analyze profitability and risk we used net present value and stochastic simulation. The findings show that irrespective of herd size, to continue farming with an upgraded tie-stall is more profitable than to invest in new loose housing. For farms with less than 30 cows, investment in new loose housing is on average not profitable and involves a high risk. Unless the Governmental investment grant is significantly increased, the tie-stall ban will have large consequences for farm structure and conflict several agricultural policy goals. Farmland in less favored districts may go out of production, making it more difficult to reach the policy goals of increasing food production, agriculture across the country, biodiversity and rural viability. Our findings are of interest to politicians in countries where one considers stricter animal welfare regulations, as well as planners and farmers who consider investing in new loose housing dairies

Hvordan besluttes valg av entrepriseform ved kommunale byggeprosjekter? : en casestudie av Bodø kommune

Masteroppgave i bedriftsledelse (MBA) - Universitetet i Nordland, 201

Social integration mechanisms to strengthen absorptive capacity in agricultural advisory service organisations

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Biodegradation-mediated alterations in acute toxicity of water-accommodated fraction and single crude oil components in cold seawater

Hydrocarbon biodegradation may be slower in cold Arctic than in temperate seawater, and this will affect the toxicity time window of the hydrocarbons. In this study, the acute toxicities of water-soluble phases of 1,3-dimethylnaphthalene, phenanthrene, fluoranthene, and low energy water-accommodated fractions (LE-WAFs) of an evaporated (200 °C+) crude oil, were screened by a Microtox bioassay during biodegradation in cold seawater (4–5 °C). The water-solubility of fluoranthene was too low to provoke a toxic response at any time, whereas the toxicity of 1,3-dimethylnaphthalene and phenanthrene decreased over time in relation to biotransformation of these compounds. In LE-WAFs, the Microtox EC50 was associated with biodegradation of the predominant hydrocarbons (naphthalenes, 2- to 3-ring PAH), as well as with phenol degradation products. The acute toxicities of single hydrocarbons and LE-WAFs persisted for a longer period in the cold seawater than previously shown at higher seawater temperatures. These results suggest implications for fate and effects assessment of hydrocarbons after oil spills in cold environments, like the Arctic. However, further biodegradation studies using Arctic seawater and relevant species for toxicity testing are needed for confirmation.acceptedVersio

Predictive glycoengineering of biosimilars using a Markov chain glycosylation model

Biosimilar drugs must closely resemble the pharmacological attributes of innovator products to ensure safety and efficacy to obtain regulatory approval. Glycosylation is one critical quality attribute that must be matched, but it is inherently difficult to control due to the complexity of its biogenesis. This usually implies that costly and time-consuming experimentation is required for clone identification and optimization of biosimilar glycosylation. Here, we describe a computational method that utilizes a Markov model of glycosylation to predict optimal glycoengineering strategies to obtain a specific glycosylation profile with desired properties. The approach uses a genetic algorithm to find the required quantities to perturb glycosylation reaction rates that lead to the best possible match with a given glycosylation profile. Furthermore, the approach can be used to identify cell lines and clones that will require minimal intervention while achieving a glycoprofile that is most similar to the desired profile. Thus, this approach can facilitate biosimilar design by providing computational glycoengineering guidelines that can be generated with a minimal time and cost

Impact of Antioxidant Feed and Growth Manipulation on the Redox Regulation of Atlantic Salmon Smolts

Accumulating evidence indicates a close relationship between oxidative stress and growth rate in fish. However, the underlying mechanisms of this relationship remain unclear. This study evaluated the combined effect of dietary antioxidants and growth hormone (GH) on the liver and the muscle redox status of Atlantic salmon. There were two sequential experimental phases (EP) termed EP1 and EP2, each lasting for 6 weeks. In EP1, Atlantic salmon were fed either low-(L, 230 mg/kg ascorbic acid (Asc), 120 mg/kg α-tocopherol (α-TOH)), or high-(H, 380 mg/kg Asc, 210 mg/kg α-TOH)vitamin diets. The vitamins were supplemented as stable forms and the feeding was continued in EP2. In EP2, half of the fish were implanted with 3 μL per g body weight of recombinant bovine GH (Posilac®, 1 mg rbGH g BW−1) suspended in sesame oil, while the other half were held in different tanks and sham-implanted with similar volumes of the sesame oil vehicle. Here, we show that increasing high levels of vitamin C and E (diet H) increased their content in muscle and liver during EP1. GH implantation decreased vitamin C and E levels in both liver and muscle but increased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels only in the liver. GH also affected many genes and pathways of antioxidant enzymes and the redox balance. Among the most consistent were the upregulation of genes coding for the NADPH oxidase family (NOXs) and downregulation of the oxidative stress response transcription factor, nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (nrf2), and its downstream target genes in the liver. We verified that GH increases the growth rate until the end of the trail and induces an oxidative effect in the liver and muscle of Atlantic salmon. Dietary antioxidants do lower oxidative stress but have no effect on the growth rate. The present study is intended as a starting point to understand the potential interactions between growth and redox signaling in fish.publishedVersio

When counting cattle is not enough: multiple perspectives in agricultural and veterinary research

A traditional approach in agricultural and veterinary research is focussing on the biological perspective where large cattle-databases are used to analyse the dairy herd. This approach has yielded valuable insights. However, recent research indicates that this knowledge-base can be further increased by examining agricultural and veterinary challenges from other perspectives. In this paper we suggest three perspectives that may supplement the biological perspective in agricultural and veterinary research; the economic-, the managerial-, and the social perspective. We review recent studies applying or combining these perspectives and discuss how multiple perspectives may improve our understanding and ability to handle cattle-health challenges

Experimental transmission of piscine orthoreovirus-1 (PRV-1) in different life stages of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and brown trout (Salmo trutta)

Piscine orthoreovirus -1 (PRV-1) causes the disease heart and skeletal muscle inflammation (HSMI) in farmed Atlantic salmon, and the virus has been detected in wild anadromous Atlantic salmon and brown trout. However, the infection prevalence, viral kinetics, and disease severity in different life stages of Atlantic salmon and brown trout are unknown. The current study aimed to evaluate and compare susceptibility to PRV-1 infection and development of HSMI in different life stages of anadromous Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and brown trout (Salmo trutta). We challenged Atlantic salmon and brown trout fry, parr, and post-smolts with PRV-1 by bath, cohabitation, or IP injection. The kinetics of viral infection and disease development were evaluated by RT-qPCR, in situ hybridization, and histology. Our results indicated that PRV-1 infection prevalence and viral kinetics depend on the developmental stage and challenge method in both Atlantic salmon and brown trout. All developmental stages of Atlantic salmon and brown trout can be infected with PRV-1. However, brown trout showed a lower infection prevalence, with positive cases exhibiting only mild infections without any pathological changes in the target organs, while all life stages of Atlantic salmon developed heart lesions characteristic of HSMI. These results strongly suggest that brown trout are less susceptible to PRV-1 infection than Atlantic salmon and further confirm the species-specific susceptibility and disease development for PRV-1 infection