Extending the Grazing Season With Turnips

A comparison of the actual feeding costs on 86 typical Swiss dairy farms confirmed that the production of hay and grass silage is very expensive with costs from the field to intake in the range of 20-25 Euro cents/kg of dry matter (DM). Options to extend the grazing season for dairy cows in the late autumn and early winter, and hence reduce winter feeding costs, would therefore be welcome (Penrose et al., 1996). The aim of the study was to compare the DM production potential of summer-seeded turnips with other brassicas and Italian ryegrass and to test whether dairy cows can utilize the bulbs of turnips efficiently

Manipulation of Grass Growth Through Strategic Distribution of Nitrogen Fertilisation

The objective of this study was to evaluate possibilities and limits of manipulating the grass growth of pastures by different nitrogen (N) application strategies with the aim to better synchronise grass supply and feed demand. In Switzerland, the use of N is strongly restricted by legislation. An efficient and well allocated N fertilisation is therefore important

Milk Production Performance Based on Grazed Grassland in Switzerland

A common feature of profitable dairy systems is the use of large amounts of low cost feed. One approach to improve the competitive ability of the dairy production therefore is to promote grazing (Dillon et al., 1995). A comparison of the actual feeding costs on typical Swiss dairy farms showed that hay and grass silage were four times and concentrates seven times more expensive than grazed grass. A maximum utilisation of grazed grass can be achieved with a seasonal production system, which synchronises the cow’s feed requirements with pasture growth. This strategy was implemented and consistently optimised on an experimental farm. The aim was to focus more on the achieving of a high yield per hectare and high feed conversion efficiency rather than high yields per cow

Project Opti-Milk: Optimisation and Comparison of High Yield and Low Input Milk Production Strategies on Pilot Farms in the Lowlands of Switzerland

Compared to other European countries milk production costs in Switzerland are high. Therefore Swiss milk producers must drastically reduce their costs. The high yield strategy (HY) and the full grazing (FG) or low-cost strategy appear most promising, at least for the lowland regions. Although the basic knowledge is available for both strategies, they have been applied very little in Switzerland in a consistent and optimised form

Suitability of Small and Large Size Dairy Cows in a Pasture-Based Production System

Pasture-based dairy production with greatly reduced supplemental feeding and block-calving in spring is increasingly applied in Switzerland. The prevalent cow type has been selected mainly for high individual production in a barn feeding system with balanced diet. This cow type has continuously increased in size over the last 30 years. The question arises whether this type is suitable for the new system, and particularly if cow size is a critical factor. Theoretically a large, heavy type of cow has a higher intake capacity, while the nutrient requirements for a small, light type are easier to satisfy

Climate stories: enabling and sustaining arts interventions in climate science communication

This is the final version. Available from Copernicus Publications via the DOI in this record. Data availability. The research data used for this paper are not available in the public domain because of the ethical implications of making full transcripts available. The research was undertaken with a small sample of individuals from two institutions (University of Exeter and UK Met Office). The nature of the interview conversations held, which comprise the qualitative data in this paper, would enable individuals to be identified. Interviewees were specifically asked to discuss potentially sensitive issues related to their research training, experiences, emotions, feelings, and ethical positionality as part of the process of data collection. Because of this, publishing full interview transcripts would breach the ethical standard set for the research and approved by the Geography Ethics Committee at the University of Exeter, which stated that data would not be reported in a way that an individual could be identified. This was the basis for participants signing a consent form regarding how their data would be stored and used.The climate science community faces a major challenge with respect to communicating the risks associated with climate change within a heavily politicised landscape that is characterised by varying degrees of denial, scepticism, distrust in scientific enterprise, and an increased prevalence of misinformation (“fake news”). This issue is particularly significant given the reliance on conventional “deficit” communication approaches, which are based on the assumption that scientific information provision will necessarily lead to desired behavioural changes. Indeed, the constrained orthodoxy of scientific practices in seeking to maintain strict objectivity and political separation imposes very tangible limits on the potential effectiveness of climate scientists for communicating risk in many contemporary settings. To address these challenges, this paper uses insights from a collaboration between UK climate scientists and artist researchers to argue for a more creative and emotionally attentive approach to climate science engagement and advocacy. In so doing, the paper highlights innovative ways in which climate change communication can be reimagined through different art forms to enable complex concepts to become knowable. We suggest that in learning to express their work through forms of art, including print-making, theatre and performance, song-writing, and creative writing, researchers experienced not only a sense of liberation from the rigid communicative framework operating in their familiar scientific environment but also a growing self-confidence in their ability and willingness to engage in new ways of expressing their work. As such, we argue that scientific institutions and funding bodies should recognise the potential value of climate scientists engaging in advocacy through art–science collaborations and that these personal investments and contributions to science engagement by individuals should be rewarded and valued alongside conventional scientific outputs.Natural Environment Research Counci

Quality of life in Maltese Adults with Congenital Heart Disease : a Second Look – An APPROACH-IS Substudy

Background A first quality of life (QOL) study among Maltese adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) in 2016 found no significant differences when compared to the general population. The aims of the present study were to (1) compare QOL between Maltese and other European ACHD patients and (2) investigate medical predictors (i.e. number of surgical/non-surgical interventions, heart failure, arrhythmias, pacemaker/implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, cardiac hospitalisation during preceding year, follow-up frequency, other medical conditions, mood/anxiety/psychiatric disorders) of QOL in Maltese patients. Methods Data collected during \u201cAssessment of Patterns of Patient-Reported Outcomes in Adults with Congenital Heart disease\u2013International Study\u201d (APPROACH-IS) was used. QOL was measured using linear analog scale (LAS) and Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). QOL in 109 Maltese and 1510 European participants was compared. Multivariable logistic regression was used to test the predictive value of medical factors on QOL in Maltese patients. Results There were no significant differences in QOL between the two cohorts [mean LAS Malta 80.51 (95% CI 77.96,83.07) vs. European 79.43 (95% CI 78.65,80.21) (p=0.776); mean SWLS Malta 26.00 (95% CI 24.94,27.06) vs. European 26.26 (95% CI 25.95,26.57) (p=0.288)] and no significant differences when cohorts were divided by gender and age. Only a mood/anxiety/other psychiatric disorder significantly predicted poorer QOL on both scales in Maltese patients (LAS ( f=-.389, p<0.001), SWLS ( f=-.352, p=0.001)). Conclusions Maltese ACHD patients have a good QOL comparable to that of European counterparts. Mood, anxiety and other psychiatric disorders can negatively impact Maltese patients\u2019 QOL. Better access to clinical psychology services should be ensured

Rationale, design and methodology of APPROACH-IS II: International study of patient-reported outcomes and frailty phenotyping in adults with congenital heart disease.

In recent years, patient-reported outcomes (PROs) have received increasing prominence in cardiovascular research and clinical care. An understanding of the variability and global experience of PROs in adults with congenital heart disease (CHD), however, is still lacking. Moreover, information on epidemiological characteristics and the frailty phenotype of older adults with CHD is minimal. The APPROACH-IS II study was established to address these knowledge gaps. This paper presents the design and methodology of APPROACH-IS II. APPROACH-IS II is a cross-sectional global multicentric study that includes Part 1 (assessing PROs) and Part 2 (investigating the frailty phenotype of older adults). With 53 participating centers, located in 32 countries across six continents, the aim is to enroll 8000 patients with CHD. In Part 1, self-report surveys are used to collect data on PROs (e.g., quality of life, perceived health, depressive symptoms, autonomy support), and explanatory variables (e.g., social support, stigma, illness identity, empowerment). In Part 2, the cognitive functioning and frailty phenotype of older adults are measured using validated assessments. APPROACH-IS II will generate a rich dataset representing the international experience of individuals in adult CHD care. The results of this project will provide a global view of PROs and the frailty phenotype of adults with CHD and will thereby address important knowledge gaps. Undoubtedly, the project will contribute to the overarching aim of improving optimal living and care provision for adults with CHD

Milchproduktion mit Wiesenfutter als alleinige Futtergrundlage: Futterbau- und Herdenmanagement eines Vollweidebetriebes

Dieser Beitrag soll illustrieren, wie der Vollweidebetrieb von Markus und Lucia Bühlmann aus Ro-thenburg bei Luzern mit rund 60 Kühen auf 32 ha Land inklusive eigener Aufzucht jährlich über 300 t Milch produziert und Durchschnittsleistungen von 6‘000 kg ECM/Kuh und Laktation erreicht. Eine Ergänzungsfütterung findet einzig in der Wintersaison bzw. im Frühling zu Beginn der Lakta-tion und im Herbst statt. Jedoch ausschliesslich mit konserviertem Wiesenfutter. Auf die Gabe von Kraftfutter und Mais wird vollständig verzichtet. Anhand dieses einzigartigen Betriebes kann aufgezeigt werden, welche Möglichkeiten im Rahmen einer graslandbasierten Milchproduktion im Schweizer Mittelland bestehen. Im Folgenden wird dokumentiert, wie über die Kopplung des Laktations- und des Graswachstumsverlaufs, einem kon-sequenten Weidemanagement und der Züchtung einer systemangepassten Kuh eine wirtschaftlich hohe Betriebsleistung erreicht werden kann