Ökologische und konventionelle Milchviehhaltung im Vergleich: Haltungsbedingungen, Tierwohlindikatoren und Leistung von Fleckvieh und Holstein Kühen

Diese Studie untersuchte den Einfluss des Betriebstyps (ökologisch vs. konventionell) und der Rasse (Fleckvieh vs. Holstein) auf die Haltungsbedingungen und das Management und Leistungs- und Tierwohlindikatoren anhand von Interviews und Betriebsmessungen. Ferner wurde die Wahrnehmung von Tierwohlindikatoren durch die Landwirte evaluiert. Kühe auf Biobetrieben hatten mehr Weideauslauf und waren weniger häufig enthornt als Kühe auf konventionellen Betrieben. Das Haltungssystem und die Rasse hatten einen signifikanten Einfluss auf die Milchleistung. Obwohl kein signifikanter Einfluss des Betriebstyps und der Rasse auf Mastitis- und Lahmheitsindikatoren festgestellt wurden, zeigten die Ergebnisse einen geringeren Einsatz und niedrigere Kosten einer Antibiotikabehandlung gegen Mastitis auf Biobetrieben. Die Landwirte beider Betriebstypen bewerteten das Platzangebot pro Tier als wichtigsten Tierwohlindikator während die Milchleistung und die Körperkondition der Tiere als die am wenigsten geeigneten Tierwohlindikatoren angesehen wurden

Lessons from Silage Adoption Studies in Honduras

Silage adoption has so far been low in the tropics, particularly under smallholder conditions. Innovation and adoption processes of silage technologies were promoted in drought-constrained areas of Honduras using a flexible, site-specific and participatory research and extension approach. A total of about 250 farmers participated in training workshops and field days conducted in 13 locations. Smallholders successfully ensiled maize, sorghum and/or Pennisetum spp. mainly in heap and earth siloswhereas little bag silage (LBS) adoption was low. LBS proved useful as a demonstration, experimentation and learning tool. A ‘silage boom’ occurred in five locations where favourable adoption conditions included the presence of demonstration farms and involvement of key innovators, lack of alternative dry season feeds, perceived benefits of silage feeding, a favourable milk market and both extension continuity and intensity. The lack of chopping equipment was the main reason for non-adoption by low-income smallholders. The study showed that when targeting production systems needs and farmer demands, silage promotion can lead to significant adoption, including at smallholder level, in the tropics. This experience could contribute to increase the effectiveness and sustainability of silage extension in similar situations elsewhere

Breeding for resistance to nematode infections in organic goat production in Germany – A way forward?

Organic goat production in Germany could benefit from genetic improvement strategies that take the resistance of goats to nematode infestations and the resilience and tolerance for infections into consideration. However, there still is an immense research need before such traits can be incorporated in a breeding program

AERODYNAMIC DAMPING PREDICTIONS DURING COMPRESSOR SURGE: A NUMERICAL COMPARISON BETWEEN A HALF AND FULL TRANSIENT APPROACH

The prediction of the aerodynamic damping during compressor surge is a challenging task, because the flow is continuously evolving along the four surge cycle phases: Pressurization (PR), Flow-Breakdown (FB), Reversed Flow (RF) and Regeneration (RG) and complex flow conditions like shocks and separations occur. Damping predictions with current existing methods typically consist of two steps. In the first step a modified numerical model is used to simulate transient surge cycles. In the second step, damping analyses are performed for multiple timesteps along the surge cycle phases, which are then assumed as quasi-steady. The damping simulation can be performed using nonlinear or linear approaches. If shocks or separations occur, the latter yields inaccuracies in the flow and thus in the damping predictions. A new approach was developed to take into account and improve these inaccuracies. This new method includes the damping prediction within the transient surge simulation. Thus, all surge cycle phases and the continuously evolving flow conditions are considered and nonlinear simulations are performed to account for shocks and separations. The results of this new method are presented and compared to the former method

Optimising contributions of goat farming to household economic success and food security in three production systems in Ethiopia

The study aims to analyse factors affecting contributions of goat farming to household economic success and food security in three goat production systems of Ethiopia. A study was conducted in three districts of Ethiopia representing arid agro-pastoral (AAP), semi-arid agro-pastoral (SAAP) and highland mixed crop-livestock (HMCL) systems involving 180 goat keeping households. Gross margin (GM) and net benefit (NB1 and NB2) were used as indicators of economic success of goat keeping. NB1 includes in-kind benefits of goats (consumption and manure), while NB2 additionally constitutes intangible benefits (insurance and finance). Household dietary diversity score (HDDS) was used as a proxy indicator of food security. GM was significantly affected by an off-take rate and flock size interaction (P0.001). The increment of GM due to increased off-take rate was more prominent for farmers with bigger flocks. Interaction between flock size and production system significantly (P0.001) affected both NB1 and NB2. The increment of NB1 and NB2 by keeping larger flocks was higher in AAP system, due to higher in-kind and intangible benefits of goats in this system. Effect of goat flock size as a predictor of household dietary diversity was not significant (P0.05). Nevertheless, a significant positive correlation (P0.05) was observed between GM from goats and HDDS in AAP system, indicating the indirect role of goat production for food security. The study indicated that extent of utilising tangible and intangible benefits of goats varied among production systems and these differences should be given adequate attention in designing genetic improvement programs

Effekte verschiedener Aufzuchtmethoden von Ziegen auf Gesundheits-, Leistungs- und Verhaltensparameter

Die Auswirkungen von Ziegen-Kitz-Trennung und Absetzen auf die Gesundheit, Leistung und Verhaltensparameter wurden in drei Aufzuchtsystemen untersucht: 1) Kitze, die Muttermilch trinken, 2) Mutter-Kitz-Trennung und Konsum von Milchersatz, 3) und Kitze, die sowohl Muttermilch als auch Milchaustauscher konsumieren. Das Körpergewicht, die Morbidität und der Milchaustauschkonsum wurden für die Kitze gemessen, und die somatische Zellzahl in der Milch, die Milchleistung, die Morbidität, die Anzahl der Schritte, die Positionsänderungen von Stehen zu Liegen und die Liegezeit für Ziegen. Pp Trennung führte zu einer niedrigeren Variabilität der somatischen Zellzahl innerhalb der Gruppe und zu einer niedrigeren Anzahl kranker Mütter. Jedoch führte pp Trennung bei Kitzen zu einer fluktuierenden Körpergewichtszunahme und zu einem erhöhten Morbiditätsrisiko. Die gegenteiligen Ergebnisse wurden für Ziegen und Kitze, die zusammen gehalten wurden, gefunden. Die verhaltenswissenschaftlichen Ergebnisse zeigten keine klaren Trends. Der Testlauf zur Steigerung des Wohlbefindens und der Milchleistung durch die Gabe von Milchaustauscher für Kitze, die mit den Ziegen gehalten wurden, erwies sich als nicht vorteilhaft

MMP-1 is a (pre-)invasive factor in Barrett-associated esophageal adenocarcinomas and is associated with positive lymph node status

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Esophageal adenocarcinomas (EACs) arise due to gastroesophageal reflux, with Barrett's esophagus (BE) regarded as precancerous lesion. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) might play a role during the multistep carcinogenetic process.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Expression of MMP-1 and -13 was analyzed in esophageal cancer (n = 41 EAC with BE, n = 19 EAC without BE, and n = 10 esophageal squamous-cell carcinomas, ESCC), furthermore in BE without intraepithelial neoplasia (IN) (n = 18), and the cell line OE-33. MMP-1 was co-labelled with Ki-67 (proliferation), Cdx-2 (marker for intestinal metaplasia, BE) and analyzed on mRNA level. MMP-1 staining results were correlated with clinicopatholocical parameters.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>On protein level, MMP-1 expression was found in 39 of 41 (95%) EAC with BE, in 19 of 19 (100%) EAC without BE, in 6 of 10 (60%) ESCC, and in 10 of 18 (56%) BE without IN. No expression of MMP-13 was found in these specimens. Quantification showed 48% MMP-1 positive cells in EAC with BE, compared to 35% in adjacent BE (p < 0.05), 44% in EAC without BE, 32% in ESCC, and 4% in BE without IN. Immunofluorescence double staining experiments revealed increased MMP-1 expressing in proliferating cells (MMP-1+/Ki-67+) (r = 0.943 for BE and r = 0.811 for EAC). On mRNA-level, expression of MMP-1 was significantly higher in EAC compared to BE (p = 0.01) and confirmed immunohistochemical staining results. High MMP-1 levels were associated with lymph node metastases but not with poorer survival (p = 0.307).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our findings suggest that MMP-1 plays a role as preinvasive factor in BE-associated EAC. Expression of MMP-1 in proliferating BE and EAC cells suggest malignant proliferation following the clonal expansion model.</p

Innovative Strategien für eine ethische Wertschöpfung der Kälber aus der ökologischen Milchviehhaltung

Milchviehhaltung ist mit der Produktion von „überschüssigen“ Kälbern verbunden, die einen geringen wirtschaftlichen Wert haben. Gemeinsam mit Akteuren entlang der Wertschöpfungskette werden innovative Lösungen in den Bereichen Tierzucht und -haltung sowie Vermarktung untersucht