The evaluation of environmental, agronomic and economic implications of high and low input dairy systems.

End of Project ReportThis report marks the end of the first phase of a long term systems trial on phosphorus. The objective of the work was to define the minimum soil P necessary to ensure optimum production in terms of milk. If phosphorus applications are minimised, the potential damage to the environment is minimised. Three herds (21 cows each) were managed on three separate farmlets. The objective was to have each herd graze on land with it’s own soil P level. The target soil P levels required for herds 1, 2 and 3, were Indices 1, 2 and 3, respectively. At the end of this phase of the work these soil P targets were achieved. These were achieved by using no P fertiliser on treatment 1, application of maintenance P on treatment 2 (14kg p/ha) and 28 kg P/ha on treatment 3. In the course of the four years, grass growth, silage yields, milk yields and composition, cow weights and body scores were recorded. Soil phosphorus levels changed slowly. It took between 20 and 40 kg P/ha to move Morgan’s P by one unit. Silage yields and grazing sward yields were not affected by phosphatic fertiliser treatments. The P status in silage was significantly reduced in the low P treatments in three out of the four years. This resulted in lower P levels in the slurry in the low P treatments. In the fourth year P status in the grazing swards was consistently reduced in the low P treatment. Milk yields and composition were not influenced by P treatment. There was some evidence that cow weight and body score of cows were adversely effected in the low P treatments towards the end of the trial. In the next phase of the work, phosphorus will be applied to all three treatments at similar rates, i.e. maintenance dressings of P will be applied to cows grazing on soils with Indices 1, 2 and 3, respectively. It is concluded at the end of this phase that there may be some scope for modifications to the index system as is currently recommended by Teagasc. It will be in 2001 before the extent of changes that can be made will be quantified and implemented.European Union Structural Funding (EAGGF

A survey of fertilizer use from 2001-2003 for grassland and arable crops

End of project reportFarm management data for the years 2001-2003 from the Teagasc National Farm Survey (NFS) were used as the basis for this fertilizer use survey. The farms which took part in the survey were randomly selected to represent the major farm systems and sizes using information from the CSO Census of Agriculture 2000. Farms were classified into 6 main farm systems namely: dairying, dairying with other enterprises, cattle rearing, cattle with other systems, mainly sheep and tillage systems. These systems refer to the dominant enterprise in each group

Visual Environmental Data on Soils and Land Use

End of Project ReportThis project was established to develop a computer based system to view, manipulate and store data on soils, environment and land use in electronic map form for environmental decision support. It was designed to produce new information, charts and maps by combining features from the captured data, and to develop networking systems to allow exchange of data with other Teagasc centres, local and national government and the EU. The current report presents maps and tabular data of particular relevance to the environment. It includes information and maps on the total stocking density of livestock in different parts of Ireland. This is relevant to the nutrient loadings that soils and the environment are subject to from normal farming operations. It also includes maps and tabular information on phosphorus and potassium levels in soils and the recommended manure and fertiliser application given by Teagasc for grassland and cropping on these soils. In addition, it also describes and illustrates with tables and maps, a computerised programming approach for mapping phosphorus and potassium levels in soils at a detailed level by using the farmer’s address to locate samples at townland or DED level.European Union Structural Funding (EAGGF

An assessment of the long-term effects of three phosphorus fertiliser regimes on soil phosphorus and sward condition.

End of Project ReportA grazing trial using beef animals (mean weight 260 kg) was used to determine optimum soil phosphorus levels for dry stock farming. · The trial commenced in 1968. There were three fertiliser P treatments, 0, 15 and 30 kg P/ha applied annually. There were two stocking rates, 3300 and 2400 kg liveweight at turn out, respectively. Animals were rotationally grazed around six paddocks per treatment and stocking rates were reduced in June and September to match feed supply. The trial continued until 1998. ¸ Nitrogen was applied at a rate of 220 kg/ha per year to all treatments. ¹ Liveweight gains/ha/year were monitored annually. Soil P levels were monitored by sampling to 10 cm depth. º The distribution of phosphorus in the soil was recorded by analysing P levels at various depths from 0-2 mm to 100 cm. Botanical composition was recorded at the commencement of the trial and again in 1997. Phosphorus levels in herbage were also recorded. » An analysis of the liveweight gain data showed that for optimum output a Soil Index of 3 (Morgans P between 6.1 and 10.0 mg/l) is the target Soil P Index. ¼ Phosphorus recovery (as expressed by percentage of P fertiliser recovered in product) in the P30 treatments was low and was better in the P15 treatments. ½ The vast bulk of P accumulated near the surface of the soil, but there was some evidence of movement down the profile in the P30 treatment over a 30 year period. The soil P status influenced both the botanical composition of the sward and the P content in the herbage. The perennial ryegrass content declined on the zero P treatment, while there were no significant differences between the P15 and P30 treatments. The P concentration in the herbage in the zero P treatments were not sufficient for healthy growth of plants or animals.E u ropean Union Structural Funding (EAGGF

Thirty years of phosphorus fertilizer on Irish Pastures.

End of Project ReportThirty years of research involving phosphorus (P) fertiliser rates (0, 15 and 30 kg/ha/yr) on pastures has been completed. Beef performance on pasture at relatively low and high stocking rates was determined by weighing beef animals (mean wt = 260kg) at the beginning and end of each grazing season for 18 years. Soil samples were taken at various times and at various depths. Live weight gain (LWG) was greatest at the high stocking rate (HSR) compared to the low stocking rate (LSR). LWG maximised at 15 kg P/ha. Maximum beef production took place with a soil test of 6 mg P/l using the Morgan’s procedure. Most of the soil P and fertiliser P, as measured by both the Morgan’s and Total P procedures, were in the top 10cm. However, a significant portion moved below that to the 10-20 cm layer, as determined by both Total and Morgan’s P in both P treatments. Soil P and fertiliser P as determined by the Morgan’s procedure moved into the 20-40 cm layer but no lower. Work done on the 30 kg/ha P treatment and on another site at Johnstown Castle showed that significant amounts of P moved off the plot with water in overland flow and the loss was related to the soil test (Morgan’s) for P. The amount of P lost per unit of Morgan’s was calculated to be 175g with a Morgan’s soil test of 4 mg P/l and 281g with a soil test of 17 mg P/l. A mass balance procedure was attempted for the 30 years’ work to determine how much P was exported in beef, lost in overland flow or retained in the soil. This showed that fertilising beyond 15 kg/ha gave no increase in beef production and that the extra P was found in the soil, or lost in overland flow. When 15kg P/ha was applied annually for 30 years it was estimated that 20% and 4% of P applied was removed in beef or lost in overland flow, respectively. It was calculated that 76% of the P applied stayed in the soil

A survey of fertiliser use in 2000 for grassland and arable crops.

End of Project ReportThe national farm survey data for 2000 was used as the basis for a fertilizer use survey. The farms which took part in the survey were randomly selected to represent the major farm systems and sizes using information from the CSO Census of Agriculture. Farms were classified into 6 main farm systems namely: dairying, dairying with other enterprises, cattle rearing, cattle with other systems, mainly sheep and tillage systems. These systems refer to the dominant enterprise in each group

Assessing reproducibility for radiographic measurement of leg length inequality after total hip replacement

Leg length inequality (LLI) as a result of total hip replacement can cause considerable morbidity. Although LLI was described when the technique was popularised in the 1960s, it remains a significant challenge to arthroplasty surgeons. This study reviews the established practice for the measurement of LLI on plain antero-posterior radiograph, and compares these techniques to two methods used locally. The radiographs of 35 patients were measured using four techniques. All four methods yielded an interclass correlation co-efficient of ≥0.90 for inter reader reliability. This study shows that the four methods are comparable for reliability, while a composite method, measuring from the centre of femoral rotation to the inferior teardrop and then to the lesser trochanter, has the added advantage of providing extra information on component position as well as an overall measure of LLI

Impact of predicted precipitation scenarios on multitrophic interactions

1. Predicted changes in the frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall events in the UK have the potential to disrupt terrestrial ecosystem function. However, responses of different trophic levels to these changes in rainfall patterns, and the underlying mechanisms, are not well characterised. 2. This study aimed to investigate how changes in both the quantity and frequency of rainfall events will affect the outcome of interactions between plants, insect herbivores (above- and below- ground) and natural enemies. 3. Hordeum vulgare L. plants were grown in controlled conditions and in the field, and subjected to three precipitation scenarios: ambient (based on a local 10 year average rainfall); continuous drought (40% reduction compared to ambient); drought/ deluge (40% reduction compared to ambient at a reduced frequency). The effects of these watering regimes and wireworm (Agriotes species) root herbivory on the performance of the plants, aphid herbivores above-ground (Sitobion avenae, Metapolophium dirhodum and Rhopalosiphum padi), and natural enemies of aphids including ladybirds (Harmonia axyridis) were assessed from measurements of plant growth, insect abundance and mass, and assays of feeding behaviour. 4. Continuous drought decreased plant biomass, whereas reducing the frequency of watering events did not affect plant biomass but did alter plant chemical composition. In controlled conditions, continuous drought ameliorated the negative impact of wireworms on plant biomass. 5. Compared to the ambient treatment, aphid mass was increased by 15% when feeding on plants subjected to drought/ deluge; and ladybirds were 66% heavier when feeding on these aphids but this did not affect ladybird prey choice. In field conditions, wireworms feeding below-ground reduced the number of shoot-feeding aphids under ambient and continuous drought conditions but not under drought/ deluge. 6. Predicted changes in both the frequency and intensity of precipitation events under climate change have the potential to limit plant growth, but reduce wireworm herbivory, while simultaneously promoting above-ground aphid numbers and mass, with these effects transferring to the third trophic level. Understanding the effect of future changes in precipitation on species interactions is critical for determining their potential impact on ecosystem functioning and constructing accurate predictions under global change scenarios

Affect, Relationality and the 'Problem of Personality'

This peer-reviewed journal article sets out an argument regarding the importance of genealogical work for understanding concepts such as affect and suggestion