10 Mrd. Menschen ernähren = Nourrir 10 milliards d’humains

Prof. Dr. Beat Reidy und sein Team von der Hochschule für Agrar-, Forst- und Lebensmittelwissenschaften HAFL haben Formeln zur Berechnung von Nahrungsmittel- und Flächenkonkurrenz zwischen Mensch und Tier erarbeitet. Das klingt abstrakt, ist aber wichtig für die Diskussionen zur Versorgungssicherheit – und soll konkret helfen, die Schweizer Milchwirtschaft klimafreundlicher und effizienter zu machen.Le Prof. Dr Beat Reidy et son équipe de la Haute école des sciences agronomiques, forestières et alimentaires HAFL ont développé des formules pour calculer la concurrence alimentaire et la concurrence pour l’utilisation des surfaces entre humains et animaux. Ces outils quelque peu abstraits sont précieux dans les débats sur la sécurité alimentaire. Concrètement, ils aident à rendre les exploitations laitières suisses plus efficientes et respectueuses du climat

Satellite-based estimation of herbage mass: comparison with destructive measurements and UAV model’s estimation

Regular estimation of herbage mass (HM) is a prerequisite for efficient pasture management. In addition to classical estimation using rising plate meters, remote-sensing methods using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) or satellites are available. Pasture.io has developed a model that estimates HM based on daily satellite data, herbage growth models and herbage-ingested input data recorded by farmers combined with artificial intelligence. This study compared the accuracy of Pasture.io HM estimations with UAV estimations and destructive measurements. Pastures from three Swiss farms were assessed regularly in May, June and July 2021. It was found that Pasture.io estimates HM with an error value RMSE 342 kg dry matter (DM) ha-1 while the UAV model’s estimation showed a higher RMSE of 447 kg DM ha-1. The results suggest that even in small pasture structures (mean paddock size: 1.2 ha), it is possible to estimate HM with reasonable accuracy based on satellite data and artificial intelligence

Genetic variability of forage grass cultivars: A comparison of Festuca pratensis Huds., Lolium perenne L., and Dactylis glomerata L.

Three widely used cultivars of each of the species Festuca pratensis Huds., Lolium perenne L., and Dactylis glomerata L. were investigated by means of randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers and vegetative growth traits in order to investigate genetic variability within each cultivar and to compare the level of diversity among cultivars and species. RAPD markers allowed a clear separation of the three species. Genetic variability based on RAPD markers was considerably lower for F. pratensis cultivars than for L. perenne and D. glomerata cultivars which showed similar levels of variability. The proportion of variability due to variation within cultivars, determined by an analysis of molecular variance, was lower in F. pratensis (64.6%) than in L. perenne (82.4%) and D. glomerata (85.1%). A comparison of F. pratensis and L. perenne, based on vegetative growth traits, confirmed the differences in genetic variability within cultivars. F. pratensis showed lower coefficients of genetic variation for eight of ten traits when compared to L. perenne. This study demonstrates considerable differences in genetic variability which may have consequences for the adaptability and persistency of individual cultivars

Differential expression of α- and β-expansin genes in the elongating leaf of Festuca pratensis

Grasses contain a number of genes encoding both α- and β-expansins. These cell wall proteins are predicted to play a role in cell wall modifications, particularly during tissue elongation. We report here on the characterisation of five α- and three vegetative β-expansins expressed in the leaf elongation zone (LEZ) of the forage grass, Festuca pratensis Huds. The expression of the predominant α-expansin (FpExp2) was localised to the vascular tissue, as was the β-expansin FpExpB3. Expression of another β-expansin (FpExpB2) was not localised to vascular tissue but was highly expressed in roots and initiating tillers. This is the first description of vegetative β-expansin gene expression at the organ and tissue level and also the first evidence of differential expression between members of this gene family. In addition, an analysis of both α- and β-expansin expression along the LEZ revealed no correlation with growth rate distribution, whereas we were able to identify a novel xyloglucan endotransglycosylase (FpXET1) whose expression profile closely mimicked leaf growth rate. These data suggest that α- and β-expansin activities in the grass leaf are associated with tissue differentiation, that expansins involved in leaf growth may represent more minor components of the spectrum of expansin genes expressed in this tissue, and that XETs may be useful markers for the analysis of grass leaf growth

Silagequalitäten im Berggebiet: eine Praxisuntersuchung

Silage ist im Berggebiet eine wichtige Konservierungsform für Raufutter. Um die Silierbarkeit verschiedener typischer Pflanzenbestände im Berggebiet zu bestimmen, wurden im Labormassstab Futter von vier Pflanzenbeständen einsiliert und untersucht. Gleichzeitig wurden Grassilagen von 31 Praxisbetrieben aus der Bergregion Ybrig-Einsiedeln gesammelt und auf die Qualität analysiert. Die vier untersuchten Pflanzenbestände erwiesen sich gemäss der Vergärbarkeitskoeffizienten aus den Grünfutterproben als leicht silierbar. Dennoch gab es Unterschiede bei der Silagequalität. Dabei erwies sich ein hoher Kräuteranteil für die Herstellung einer qualitativ hochwertigen Silage nicht als Nachteil. Die Qualität der Silagen aus den Praxisbetrieben variierte sehr stark. Neben sehr guten Silagen gab es auch Silagen von schlechter Qualität. Dies kann vor allem durch die erhöhten Buttersäuregehalte, die teilweise durch erhöhte Rohaschegehalte zustande kommen, erklärt werden. Im Durchschnitt erreichten die Silagen einen NEL-Gehalt von 5,5 MJ pro kg Trockensubstanz (TS). Hauptursache für diese tiefen Werte waren erhöhte Fasergehalte, die auf ein spätes Nutzungsstadium zurückzuführen waren

Soybean Meal Can Be Replaced by Faba Beans, Pumpkin Seed Cake, Spirulina or Be Completely Omitted in a Forage-Based Diet for Fattening Bulls to Achieve Comparable Performance, Carcass and Meat Quality

The aim of the study was to investigate the complete substitution of imported soybean meal in beef cattle diets and the consequences on performance, meat, and adipose tissue quality. Thirty growing crossbred Limousin bulls, with an initial bodyweight of 164 ± 13 kg and 4.3 ± 0.3 months of age, were fed a grass/maize-silage based diet with little additional concentrate (0.5:0.3:0.2). Concentrates contained either soybean meal (positive control), faba beans, pumpkin seed cake, or spirulina (Arthrospira platensis), resulting in about 226 g crude protein (CP)/kg concentrate dry matter (DM) and 158 g CP/kg total diet DM. A grain-based concentrate providing just 135 g CP/kg concentrate DM and 139 g CP/total diet DM served as a negative control. Bulls of all groups had comparable average daily gains (1.43 ± 0.1 kg) and feed intakes (6.92 ± 0.37 kg). Carcass and meat quality did not differ among groups. The fatty acid profile of meat lipids was hardly affected. These results indicate that soybean meal can be replaced by any of the tested protein sources without impairing performance or meat quality. Importantly, bulls fed the negative control achieved a fattening and slaughter performance comparable to that of the protein-supplemented groups without affecting meat and adipose tissue quality. Thus, the present findings suggest that feeding crossbred bulls a grass/maize-silage based diet does not require additional protein supplementation

Increased abundance of MTD1 and MTD2 mRNAs in nodules of decapitated Medicago truncatula.

To gain insight into the molecular processes occurring in root nodule metabolism after stress, we used a mRNA differential display (DDRT-PCR) approach to identify cDNAs corresponding to genes whose expression is enhanced in nodules of decapitated Medicago truncatula plants. Two full-length cDNAs of plant origin were isolated (MTD1 and MTD2). Sequence analysis revealed that MTD1 is identical to an EST clone (accession number AW559774) expressed in roots of M. truncatula upon infection with Phytophthora medicaginis, while MTD2 is highly homologous to an Arabidopsis thaliana gene (accession number AL133292) coding for a RNA binding-like protein. The two mRNAs started to accumulate in root nodules at 4 h after plant decapitation and reached even higher transcript levels at 24 h from the imposition of the treatment. MTD1 and MTD2 mRNAs were mainly induced in nodules, with very little induction in roots. The abundance of the two transcripts did not change in response to other perturbations known to decrease nitrogenase activity, such as nitrate and Ar/O2 treatments. Our results suggest that MTD1 and MTD2 represent transcripts that accumulate locally in nodules and may be involved in changes in nodule metabolism in response to decapitation

Effects on performance, carcass and meat quality of replacing maize silage and concentrate by grass silage and corn-cob mix in the diet of growing bulls

Grass silage is barely used in intensive beef production, but it is unclear if its lower energy supply compared to maize-silage feeding really impairs growth performance. Diets with 100, 300, 500 or 750 g grass silage/kg dry matter replacing maize silage and concentrate were tested with or without dried corn-cob mix (CCM). Performance, carcass and meat quality were studied in 30 Limousin-sired bulls. Feeding grass silage, CCM, and concentrate in a ratio of 500:300:200 allowed to maintain a similar animal performance, carcass and meat quality compared to a conventional maize silage/concentrate diet. Increasing the dietary grass silage proportion to 750 g/kg decreased the shear force of the meat. The proportion of n–3 fatty acids in intramuscular fat increased with dietary grass silage proportion. Consequently, a strategic combination of grass silage with energyrich forages may facilitate grassland-based feeding strategies in intensive beef production with favourable meat fatty acid profiles and a performance comparable to that with maize-silage based diets

Ökobilanzanalyse weide- und graslandbasierter Milchproduktionssysteme : Serie Systemvergleich Hohenrain II

Im Rahmen des Projekts «Optimierung von graslandbasierten Milchproduktionssystemen auf Basis von Eingrasen (Hohenrain II)» haben wir die Umweltwirkungen von drei Systemen anhand der Ökobilanzmethode SALCA miteinander verglichen: Vollweide mit saisonaler Abkalbung, sowie zwei Varianten von Eingrasen mit unterschiedlichem Kraftfuttereinsatz (< 500 kg/Kuh/ Jahr und 800–1200 kg/Kuh/Jahr). Systeme mit höherem Kraftfuttereinsatz weisen im Vergleich zu Systemen mit niedrigerem Kraftfuttereinsatz höhere und somit ungünstigere Werte in den Kategorien Kalium-Ressourcenbedarf und Ökotoxizität und teilweise in den Kategorien Phosphor- Ressourcenbedarf sowie Abholzung auf. Beim Treibhauspotenzial, bei der Ozonbildung und bei der Landschaftsästhetik weist das System mit höherem Kraftfuttereinsatz hingegen teilweise günstigere Werte auf als das Vollweide-System. In einigen weiteren Wirkungskategorien sind aufgrund der hohen Variabilität zwischen den untersuchten Betrieben und Jahren keine deutlichen Unterschiede zwischen den Systemen ersichtlich. Die wichtigsten Einflussfaktoren auf die Umweltwirkungen der Milch sind die Futterverwertung (kg Futter/kg energiekorrigierte Milch [ECM]), die Zusammensetzung der Futterration, die Zufuhr von Kraftfutter, die Remontierung von Kühen sowie die Düngung