Cadmium and fatty acid contents of linseed in Finland

The Cd content of the seed samples varied between 0,27 and 1,3 mg/kg dry matter. The Cd contents of the crush samples were 56 % higher on average than those of the corresponding seeds. The content of alfa-linolenic acid of the Finnish samples was among the highest compared with results from several international studies (reference value 57,0 %, Morris 2003). The composition of fatty acids, especially unsaturated fatty acids, reported in different studies varies considerably. This variation depends mainly on differences in the examined varieties and in industrial processing treatments

Öljypellavan siemenen itävyydessä on ongelmia

Öljypellavan siemenistä valmistettujen tuotteiden kysyntä ylittää raaka-aineen tarjonnan. Viljelyala ei ole kasvanut, koska kylvösiementen itävyys ei ole ollut riittävän hyvä, vähintään 85 %. Itävyysongelmien vuoksi kylvöön on tarvittu poikkeuslupa. Itävyyteen vaikuttavat muun muassa puinti ja kosteus.vo

Management of investment processes on Finnish farms

Structural change in agriculture means a continuous need for investing in farm production. It is essential for the sustainable operations and the economy of the farm that such investments are successful. In this research, different stages of the investment process of farms were studied as well as the use of information and the success perceived during the investment process. The study was carried out with mail surveys and telephone interviews on the Finnish Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) farms. The most challenging investments were in animal husbandry buildings and, as to these investments, the comparison of alternatives was the most challenging stage. For most investments, the planning phase was considered more challenging than the implementation. Before making the decision, farmers acquired information from many sources, of which the opinion of the main customer and the experiences of fellow farmers were the most valued. Some of the products considered were so new on the market that it was not easy to get adequate information and, furthermore, the information given by suppliers was not always accurate. Decision-making was supported by calculations, but qualitative factors had a dominating role. Large basic decisions were made relatively quickly, while details needed a longer time to process. In general, farm managers were satisfied with their investments. Improvements in work quality and quantity were especially mentioned and generally qualitative factors were the ones first in mind when evaluating the successfulness of the investment

Well-being at work in agriculture

Special edition 2015201

Hyviä käytäntöjä tuorekasviksia pilkkoville yrityksille

201

Detection methods for cleanness in cattle barns

The suitability of microbiological dipslides and tests of general hygiene for examining cleanability of steel structures for use in cattle barns was investigated in a laboratory study. Steel is a commonly used material in barn equipment such as milk tanks and sinks. The cleanness of the steel was examined after soiling with seven typical cattle barn soils (four feeds, litter, manure and milk) and after cleaning with different detection methods including various microbiological dipslide types, protein tests, a glucose and lactose test and an ATP (adenosine triphosphate) bioluminescence method. The results were collected in a database and ranked into cleanliness classes. On surfaces, microbes were detected in the case of all other soils than milk, whereas sugars were detected only on surfaces after contamination with two of the feeds. Protein tests gave a response to all other soils than litter, and ATP was observed on all the surfaces. The clearest correlation was observed between the results of the three protein tests (r values ranging from 0.62 to 0.89, p<0.001). No correlations were observed between the results of aerobic microbes, protein tests and the ATP bioluminescence (r values ranged from 0.09 up to 0.47, p<0.001). The results of the study will help to select suitable hygiene monitoring methods for cattle barn environments

Quality characteristics of edible linseed oil

In this review the quality properties of linseed oil for food uses are discussed as well as factors affecting this quality. Linseed oil has a favourable fatty acid composition with a high linolenic acid content. Linseed oil contains nearly 60% á-linolenic acid, compared with 25% for plant oils generally. The content of linolenic acid and omega-3 fatty acids is reported to be high in linseed grown in northern latitudes. The composition of fatty acids, especially unsaturated fatty acids, reported in different studies varies considerably for linseed oil. This variation depends mainly on differences in the examined varieties and industrial processing treatments. The fatty acid composition leads also to some problems, rancidity probably being the most challenging. Some information has been published concerning oxidation and taste, whereas only a few studies have focused on colour or microbiological quality. Rancidity negatively affects the taste and odour of the oil. There are available a few studies on effects of storage on composition of linseed oil. In general, storage and heat promote auto-oxidation of fats, as well as decrease the amounts of tocopherols and vitamin E in linseed oil. Several methods are available to promote the quality of the oil, including agronomic methods and methods of breeding as well as chemical, biotechnological and microbiological methods. Time of harvesting and weather conditions affect the quality and yield of the oil

Women on Finnish dairy farms : Hard work in the midst of traditions and changes

This research focuses on the work, working conditions and role of women on dairy farms in the context of agricultural change and traditions. The qualitative, case study sample is comprised of work observations and interviews of women on ten dairy farms. The women typically worked on the farm as a consequence of marriage or courtship with a farmer, and most selected 'farm entrepreneurŽ as their professional title. Women were involved in a wide range of different work tasks, mainly in cattle barns and at home. It was observed that whereas men operated machinery in cattle barns, women performed physical, manual work tasks. One of women's tasks was to monitor and take care of the health and living conditions of farm animals. Nearly all the women considered work with animals and being 'close to nature' rewarding, but half assessed the workload as too heavy. General strategies used to avoid exhaustion were to employ salaried workers, utilise networks and/or use contractors. Nearly all respondents had experienced some kind of problems related to organising absence from farm work during sickness or holidays. To improve womenŽs work situation and facilitate their valuable contribution to agriculture, this article concludes by offering a number of suggestions to inform future research and practices. Keywordsv2012o

Hygiene of environmental surfaces in a cattle barn

Microbiological dipslides are widely used e.g. in food production facilities for HACCP (hazard analysis & critical control points) measurements and hygiene monitoring surveys, as well as for other cleanability studies.  In this study the suitability of microbiological dipslide methods to measure the hygiene level of the environmental surfaces in a cattle barn was tested.  A total of 1112 measurements were carried out during five measurement days.  When evaluating the rooms by combining the results of the individual sampling sites and different dipslide types (total microbes, enterobacteria and β-glucuronidase-positive organisms, yeasts and moulds), the corridor and personnel rooms had the highest hygiene status.  The office and personnel kitchen and the milk room were generally the next cleanest, depending on the evaluation criteria.  The poorest hygiene level was observed in the barn and the second dirtiest in the washing room.  It was demonstrated that the hygiene level of cattle barn surfaces with no excessive amounts of visible soil can be measured using microbiological dipslides.  The results provided preliminary reference values for future studies and constitute an information source for training and self-monitoring systems.   Keywords: cattle barn, bioenvironment, hygiene, microbiological dipslide