Vervangen of doormelken? Niet-drachtige koeien langer doormelken gunstig voor economisch resultaat

De beslissing om een koe af te voeren wordt voor een belangrijk deel op basis van economische argumenten genomen. De vraag is alleen: wanneer moet een melkkoe vanuit economisch oogpunt vervangen worden en welke factoren spelen hierbij een rol? Deze vraag staat centraal in de derde en laatste aflevering over jongvee en vervangingsbelei

Elicitation of expert knowledge on dynamics of Salmonella infections and contamination in the pork chain

There is little information available from experiments and literature on the course of Salmonella infections in pigs and on the course of contamination at slaughter. To obtain such information, an expert elicitation study was carried out in the Netherlands (23 respondents). The estimation of the experts for the most likely duration to be infectious after infection with Salmonella is for a pig 38 days. The most likely duration to be a carrier was estimated at 55 days and to become serological negative 109 days. Application of fermented feed decreases the infectious period by II days. At slaughter, the average number of carcasses at risk after one to four contaminated carcasses was 10 to 21. So the duration of infection can be shortened by e.g. feed measures. In a situation that infected pigs enter the slaughterhouse, the order of the pigs to be slaughtered is important

Breeding in organic farming: different strategies, different demands.

Abstract – Due to regulations organic farming is sub-jected to a different regime then conventional farm-ing. This results in different environments for ani-mals. The question is whether one overall breeding goal is sufficient to cover all different demands of organic farmers. A survey among 132 Dutch organic dairy farmers revealed that 55% of the farmers are specialized in milk production and 45% is running a multi-functional farm. The specialized milk production farms were significantly more intensive in farming compared to the multifunctional farms. Farmers from both strategies were also asked to value different breeding aspects of animals. In general farmers val-ued different aspects more or less the same: they wanted a robust, long living cow, with good udder health and fertility. However, farmers wanted to achieve this goal in many different ways. From farm-ers specialized in milk production, 29% used pure bred Holstein cows while 51 % chose for cross breed-ing with more robust breeds. Also 57% of the multi-functional farms chose for cross breeding, but an-other 30% chose for native Dutch breeds. These dif-ference in the use and crossing of different breeds questions the overall breeding goal. It is important to know why farmers opt for different breeds, pure or crossing. We developed some hypothesis on this, to stimulate further discussion and researc

Monitoramento tecnológico para genes de interesse para a composição da carcaça em frango de corte.

Resumo: O melhoramento avícola apresenta constantes desenvolvimentos científicos e tecnológicos, integração de mercados e acirrada competição econômica. Em segmentos desta natureza, as informações tornam-se cada vez mais necessárias para auxiliar as estratégias de PD&I. Assim, este estudo utiliza informações tecnológicas (patentárias, científicas e de mercado) para o monitoramento da área biotecnológica aplicada ao melhoramento de frangos de corte, especificamente genes para composição de carcaça. De acordo com os resultados, a utilização de genômica para seleção de frangos de corte via genes de composição para carcaça é um tema ainda incipiente e recente, sendo a China e os Estados Unidos os países com maior contribuição. Universidades e institutos de P&D são as organizações que apresentam mais trabalhos na área e as empresas privadas tem programas de melhoramento não divulgados. As técnicas de biotecnologia têm sido incorporadas aos programas de melhoramento lentamente e possivelmente nos próximos anos seja utilizada em larga escala. Abstract: The poultry breeding presents constant scientific and technological improvements, market integration and hard economic competition. In such segments, the information becomes increasingly necessary to assist the RD&I strategies. This study uses technological information (patenting, scientific and market) for monitoring the biotechnology area applied to the broiler breeding, specifically genes for carcass composition. The results show that the use of genomic selection in broilers with genes for carcass composition is a new and recent topic, and China and the United States have the highest contribution rates. Universities and R&D organizations have most of the studies in this area. The private companies breeding programs are kept secret as a competitive strategy. The biotechnology techniques have been incorporated into breeding programs slowly and possibly will be used on a large scale over the next few years

Financial Evaluation of Different Vaccination Strategies for Controlling the Bluetongue Virus Serotype 8 Epidemic in the Netherlands in 2008

Background: Bluetongue (BT) is a vector-borne disease of ruminants caused by bluetongue virus that is transmitted by biting midges (Culicoides spp.). In 2006, the introduction of BTV serotype 8 (BTV-8) caused a severe epidemic in Western and Central Europe. The principal effective veterinary measure in response to BT was believed to be vaccination accompanied by other measures such as movement restrictions and surveillance. As the number of vaccine doses available at the start of the vaccination campaign was rather uncertain, the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and the Dutch agricultural industry wanted to evaluate several different vaccination strategies. This study aimed to rank eight vaccination strategies based on their efficiency (i.e. net costs in relation to prevented losses or benefits) for controlling the bluetongue virus serotype 8 epidemic in 2008 Methodology/Principal Findings: An economic model was developed that included the Dutch professional cattle, sheep and goat sectors together with the hobby farms. Strategies were evaluated based on the least cost - highest benefit frontier, the benefit-cost ratio and the total net returns. Strategy F, where all adult sheep at professional farms in the Netherlands would be vaccinated was very efficient at lowest costs, whereas strategy D, where additional to all adult sheep at professional farms also all adult cattle in the four Northern provinces would be vaccinated, was also very efficient but at a little higher costs. Strategy C, where all adult sheep and cattle at professional farms in the whole of the Netherlands would be vaccinated was also efficient but again at higher costs. Conclusions/Significance: This study demonstrates that a financial analysis differentiates between vaccination strategies and indicates important decision rules based on efficienc

Manejo dos reprodutores das poedeiras Embrapa 031: manual de instruções.

bitstream/item/123345/1/DOC-78.pd

Ellenberg-type indicator values for European vascular plant species

Aims: Ellenberg-type indicator values are expert-based rankings of plant species according to their ecological optima on main environmental gradients. Here we extend the indicator-value system proposed by Heinz Ellenberg and co-authors for Central Europe by incorporating other systems of Ellenberg-type indicator values (i.e., those using scales compatible with Ellenberg values) developed for other European regions. Our aim is to create a harmonized data set of Ellenberg-type indicator values applicable at the European scale. Methods: We collected European data sets of indicator values for vascular plants and selected 13 data sets that used the nine-, ten- or twelve-degree scales defined by Ellenberg for light, temperature, moisture, reaction, nutrients and salinity. We compared these values with the original Ellenberg values and used those that showed consistent trends in regression slope and coefficient of determination. We calculated the average value for each combination of species and indicator values from these data sets. Based on species’ co-occurrences in European vegetation plots, we also calculated new values for species that were not assigned an indicator value. Results: We provide a new data set of Ellenberg-type indicator values for 8908 European vascular plant species (8168 for light, 7400 for temperature, 8030 for moisture, 7282 for reaction, 7193 for nutrients, and 7507 for salinity), of which 398 species have been newly assigned to at least one indicator value. Conclusions: The newly introduced indicator values are compatible with the original Ellenberg values. They can be used for large-scale studies of the European flora and vegetation or for gap-filling in regional data sets. The European indicator values and the original and taxonomically harmonized regional data sets of Ellenberg-type indicator values are available in the Supporting Information and the Zenodo repository

Publisher: Institute for Animal Husbandry, Belgrade-Zemun UDC 619:616.24 STRATEGIES TO CONTROL HIGH PATHOGENIC AVIAN INFLUENZA (HPAI) IN THE BELGIAN POULTRY SECTOR

Abstract: High Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) may pose a major threat for the Belgium poultry sector, as an outbreak of HPAI results in tremendous economic losses. In order to reduce the economic damage for an outbreak, different strategies to control HPAI are evaluated. In a first stage the structure of the Belgium poultry sector is described and risks are analysed. The actual risks are dependent of the intensive character of poultry farming in Belgium, the large number of transport movements of living poultry, the presence of sensitive nature areas and the border with the Netherlands where the poultry density is even larger. In a second stage the possible intervention strategies are evaluated. Starting from the current regulation, two strategies are worked out: stamping out and emergency vaccination. The success of emergency vaccination is associated with the correct identification of compartments at risk, prompt deployment of emergency vaccines, rapid enforcement of appropriate complementary control measures and also the level of being ready. In a third stage an economic analysis of control strategies for HPAI outbreaks is made. Results suggest that from an economic point of view, stamping-out is at farm level a better option then emergency vaccination within the current context. Key words: High pathogenic Avian Influenza, poultry farming, vaccination, stamping-out, economic evaluation

Elicitation of expert knowledge on dynamics of Salmonella infections and contamination in the pork chain

There is little information available from experiments and literature on the course of Salmonella infections in pigs and on the course of contamination at slaughter. To obtain such information, an expert elicitation study was carried out in the Netherlands (23 respondents). The estimation of the experts for the most likely duration to be infectious after infection with Salmonella is for a pig 38 days. The most likely duration to be a carrier was estimated at 55 days and to become serological negative 109 days. Application of fermented feed decreases the infectious period by II days. At slaughter, the average number of carcasses at risk after one to four contaminated carcasses was 10 to 21. So the duration of infection can be shortened by e.g. feed measures. In a situation that infected pigs enter the slaughterhouse, the order of the pigs to be slaughtered is important.</p