The treatment of surface run-off waters from an equine paddock area with ferric sulphate

The Finnish horse industry has been growing with about 1000 horses annually. It has been assessed that there are about 35 000 paddocks for 70 000 horses. The trampling of horses increases the risk for surface run-off from the paddocks and the faeces also make them critical source fo phosphorus. A chemical method for treatment of run-off water from a paddock was tested in Ypäjä (SW, Finland)

Hevonen kaipaa virikkeitä ulkoilualueellaan

Hevoset ovat laiduntavia laumaeläimiä. Niiden käyttäytymistä ohjaavat lauman jäsenten välillä vaikuttavat voimakkaat tunnesiteet ja hierarkkinen arvojärjestelmä. Alempiarvoisella hevosella tulee olla aina riittävästi tilaa väistää ylempiarvoista. Virikkeelliset, isot alueet, missä on vaihtelevaa maastoa ja kasvillisuutta, houkuttelevat hevosia liikkumaan. Liikkuminen on yksi ulkoilun tarkoitus. Kylmällä ja tuulisella säällä sekä paahtavalla helteellä hevosen on päästävä säänsuojaan.vo

Development of semi-natural horse pastures in Ypäjä

The purpose of the study is to assess the importance of natural pastures as a growing environment for horses and, at the same time, to evaluate the landscape value of such pastures. Another aim is to look at possible ways of conserving areas which have been in use as horse pastures for a long period of time as traditional biotopes belonging to the Finnish horse grazing culture, and to examine how their management and care could be improved

Hevostarhojen maassa runsaasti fosforia

Hevosten ulkoilualueilla fosforikuormitusta aiheuttavat pääasiassa ulosteet ja ruokintajätteet. Myös tiivistynyt maa ja maanpeitekasvien puuttuminen lisäävät pintavalumaa ja eroosiota. Ulosteet ja rehuntähteet olisi kerättävä pois ja alueen pintamateriaalia uusittava ajoittain, ettei pintamaahan kertynyt fosfori lisää valumavesien mukana kulkeutuvaa fosforikuormaa.vo

Phosphorus load from equine critical source areas and its reduction using ferric sulphate

The increasing number of horses, especially in urban areas has made the phosphorus (P) load of exercise areas (paddocks) more and more obvious but there has been a lack of information regarding how to assess this load and what can be done to lower it. In the surface soil (1-2 cm) of areas that are affected by horse manure, like paddocks, we measured very high extractable P contents. When testing soils from these areas using a rainfall simulator we found a close correlation between the extractable soil P in the surface soil and the dissolved reactive P in runoff water. In a runoff treatment test trial we used ferric sulphate to treat paddock runoff water. The chemical dosage was carried out using a tube doser placed in a well. After ferric sulphate treatment the runoff was discharged into a sedimentation pond and then filtered in a sandbed. The chemical treatment was performed during one year and the reduction of the dissolved P and total P in the runoff was 95 % and 81 %, respectively. Our Agri-Environmental Programme has not been successful in reducing the total P status in our agriculturally loaded lakes. We suggest that the cost-effective chemical treatment of waters from the high P equine areas should be included in the programme. Also in other countries in the Baltic Sea catchment area reductions of P contents in waters from equine areas should be carried out

Saostus puhdistaa hevosten juoksutarhojen valumavedet

Hevosten juoksutarhojen valumavesissä on usein runsaasti fosforia. Sen sijaan typpeä on saman verran kuin normaalisti peltoalueiden valumavesissä. MTT:ssä on selvitetty fosforin saostamista juoksutarhojen ja tallialueiden vesistä ferrisulfaatin avulla. Tulosten mukaan fosforipitoisuus aleni saostuksen ja selkeytyksen avulla. Fosforia oli enää saman verran kuin metsistä valuvissa vesissä keskimäärin.vo

Molecular adsorption in graphene with divacancy defects

We have investigated theoretically the adsorption of molecules onto graphene with divacancy defects. Using ab-initio density functional calculations, we have found that O2, CO, N2, B2 and H2O molecules all interact strongly with a divacancy in a graphene layer. Along with a complex geometry of the molecule-graphene bonding, metallic behavior of the graphene layer in presence of CO and N2 molecules have been found with a large density of states in the vicinity of the Fermi level suggesting an increase in the conductivity. The adsorption of N2 is particularly interesting since the N atoms dissociate in the vicinity of the defects, and take the place where the missing C atoms of the divacancy used to sit. In this way, the defected graphene structure is healed geometrically, and at the same time doped with electron states.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Carbon taxes and agriculture: the benefit of a multilateral agreement

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture is crucial to reach global and regional climate targets. However, the efficiency of unilateral climate policies aimed at taxing emissions might be hampered by carbon leakage. One way to eliminate leakage is to implement a global carbon tax. In this article, we study the effects of a carbon tax in agriculture on GHG emissions by simulating five policy scenarios using the CAPRI model; (i) an EU tax, (ii) an EU tax complemented with a border carbon adjustment mechanism (BCA), (iii) a global tax, (iv) a global tax scaled by GDP per capita, and (v) a low global tax at 1/10 of the tax level in the other scenarios. For the global scenarios, we also analyse the impact on food consumption and nutrient intake. We find that a global tax of EUR 120 per ton CO2-eq could reduce global agricultural emissions by 19%, but also jeopardizes food security in some parts of the world. A global tax at 1/10 of that rate (EUR 12) achieves a 3.2% reduction. In contrast, a unilateral EU tax of EUR 120 per ton CO2-eq, accompanied with a BCA, reduces global agricultural emissions by only 0.15%.Key policy insightsA unilateral carbon tax in the EU causes significant emission leakage. This result depends strongly on differences in emission intensities between regions and on consumer preferences.A EUR 12 global carbon tax achieves a considerably larger global emission reduction than a EUR 120 unilateral EU carbon tax accompanied with a border carbon adjustment.A global carbon tax differentiated by GDP per capita is less effective than a uniform global carbon tax, as producers with higher emission intensities tend to get lower tax rates. Other ways of taking equity into account should be sought when designing climate policies in the agricultural sector

Hevostallit ja naapurit voivat elää sulassa sovussa

Hevosliikenne, karanneet hevoset ja hevosen lanta koettiin suurimmiksi hevosista aiheutuviksi haitoiksi hevostallien naapurustossa. Muita haittoja olivat maa-alueiden luvaton käyttö, tallitoiminnasta aiheutuva melu, teiden kuluminen, esteettiset haitat ja vahinkoeläimet.vo

Evaluating a corporate strategy

The Swedish agricultural sector is currently undergoing a substantial structural change. The number of farm enterprises is continuously decreasing and the average farm size is increasing. In combination with increasing number of competitors in the insurance market, the competitive rivalry within this market has increased significantly. With this knowledge in mind, Länsförsäkringar Uppsala initiated this study, which aims to provide an understanding of customer’s view on customer value, related to agricultural insurance and financing. The intention is to investigate if Länsförsäkringar’s view on customer service corresponds with the customer’s view and whether there are any signs of strategic drift. The empirical data was collected in form of a case study. This was achieved by studying Länsförsäkringar’s strategic framework as well as performing three interviews within the company. Further, the customer’s view on customer value was collected in ten interviews carried out with current and former customers. The empirical data was then put in relation to theories and literature on strategy, resource-based theory on competitive advantage, and customer orientation. The results indicate that there are no immediate signs of strategic drift. The results also show that Länsförsäkringars strategy is well suited for the company’s characteristics and resources. However, even though the strategy corresponds well to the customer’s view on customer value, the empirical data indicate that the implementation of some parts of the strategy still needs attention. If more attention is not focused on these factors, there is an increasing risk of strategic drift in the future. The most important factors to focus on are; • Personal relation to the customers: One of the most important values for the customers is to have a personal relation to the company. To achieve this, it is of great importance that the customers are aware of who their contact person is. • Enhance synergies: It is of great importance to enhance the synergies between bank and insurance operations and to convince the customers that this is a service that is superior to the competitors’. The key factor to achieve this is to increase efficiency and collaboration in-house. • The local attachment: It is very important to communicate the benefits of Länsförsäkringars local attachment. It is also important to enhance these benefits. This can be achieved by mobilise the local representatives, and make them more active in the market. • High quality: Länsförsäkringar has chosen a differentiation strategy, that focus on high quality over low cost. In order to maintain credibility, it is of great importance to never fail in the delivery of this quality. Such a failure can in log run undermine the company’s reputation.Jordbrukssektorn i Sverige genomgår för närvarande en betydande omstrukturering. Antalet lantbruksföretag minskar kontinuerligt samtidigt som den genomsnittliga gårdsstorleken ökar. Denna omstrukturering har, i kombination med att antalet konkurrenter på marknaden för lantbruksförsäkringar ökar, lett till en kraftigt ökad konkurrens på denna marknad. Det är med detta i åtanke som Länsförsäkringar Uppsala tog initiativet till denna studie. Syftet med studien är att skapa en förståelse för kundernas syn på kundvärde när det gäller lantbruksförsäkring och finansiering av lantbruksföretag. Avsikten är att undersöka om Länsförsäkringars syn på kundservice överensstämmer med kundernas syn samt om det finns några tecken på strategisk drift. Det empiriska materialet samlades in genom en fallstudie. Detta genomfördes genom att studera Länsförsäkringars strategiska dokument, dessutom genomfördes tre intervjuer med anställda. För att erhålla kundernas syn på kundvärde genomfördes vidare tio intervjuer med nuvarande kunder samt kunder som har lämnat Länsförsäkringar. Det empiriska materialet sattes därefter i relation till teorier och litteratur inom området strategi, resursbaserad teori på konkurrnsfördelar samt kundorientering. Resultatet tyder inte på några uppenbara tecken på strategisk drift. Vidare visar resultatet att Länsförsäkringars strategi är väl lämpad för företagets egenskaper och resurser. Även om strategin stämmer väl överrens med kundernas syn på kundvärde, indikerar det empiriska resultatet dock att implementeringen av vissa delar av strategin kräver fortsatt fokus. Om Länsförsäkringar inte fokuserar på dessa delar ökar risken för strategisk drift i framtiden. De viktigaste faktorerna för Länsförsäkringar att fokusera på är; • Personlig relation till kunderna: Ett av de viktigaste värdena för kunden är den personliga relationen till företaget. För att uppnå detta är det viktigt att kunderna är medvetna om vem deras kotaktperson är. • Förbättrad synergi: Det är av stor vikt att arbeta för förbättrad synergi mellan bank och försäkring och därmed övertyga kunderna om att denna service är överlägsen konkurrenternas. Nyckelfaktorn för att uppnå detta är att öka effektiviteten och sammarbetet internt. • Lokal prägel: Det är mycket viktigt att kommunicera fördelarna med Länsförsäkringars lokala prägel. Det är också viktigt att förstärka dessa fördelar. Detta kan uppnås genom att mobilisera de lokala ombuden, samt göra dessa mer aktiva på marknaden. • Hög kvalitet: Länsförsäkringar har valt en differentieringsstrategi och fokuserar på hög kvalitet framför ett lågt pris. För att bibehålla trovärdigheten är det av stor vikt att aldrig misslyckas att leverera denna kvalitet. Om företaget misslyckas med detta kan det, på längre sikt, underminera företagets rykte