Swedish research in organic farming and food systems

In Sweden research is mainly conducted by researchers at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). The SLU departments of Soil Science, Ecology and Crop Production Science (now Crop Production Ecology), Entomology, Animal Nutrition and Management, Animal Breeding and Genetics, Animal Environment and Health, Agricultural Biosystems and Technology, Crop Science and Agricultural Research for Northern Sweden are conducting research. This research is mainly financed by the Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning (Formas) through the national programme for organic agricultural research. Furthermore SLU research is funded under the programme for applied research for experimentation and development in organic farming, which is financed by the Swedish Board of Agriculture (SJV). Within the “Ekoforsk” Programme based at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) university scientists are commonly cooperating with advisors connected to private and public extension service institutions and organisations. Finally, the Swedish Farmers´Foundation for Agricultural Research (SLF), which is a levy board, funds a substantial part of research in organic farming, especially applied research in organic primary production systems

Hur förebygga att kor trampar sönder betet?

Upptrampade och leriga ytor på kornas bete kan påverka kotrafik, djurhälsa och mjölkkvalitet. En lösning kan vara att använda tramptåliga vallfröblandningar. En annan lösning kan vara att stabilisera markytan på särskilt hårt belastade ytor, exempelvis vid grindhål. Här rapporteras preliminära resultat från ett forskningssamarbete mellan SLU och RISE

Contents of α-tocopherol and β-carotene in grasses and legumes harvested at different maturities

Concentrations of α-tocopherol and β-carotene in forage species at various maturities were studied in Scandinavia. Red clover (RC)/timothy (TI), RC/meadow fescue (MF), and birdsfoot trefoil (BT)/TI mixtures were grown in Skara and Umeå, Sweden. RC/TI,RC/perennial ryegrass (PR), white clover/PR and BT/TI were grown in Foulum, Denmark. Forages in Sweden were cut one week before heading (BH), at heading and one week after heading of TI. The regrowth was cut six and eight weeks after each harvest in the spring growth cycle. In Denmark, one first harvest and three regrowths were taken. Results from Skara and Foulum are presented. Highest concentrations of α-tocopherol and β-carotene (mg kg-1 DM) in legumes were found in BT grown in Skara (49.8 and 69.6 in spring growth cycle,48.1 and 79.8 in regrowth) and in Foulum (81.3 and 89.2). MF had more α-tocopherol and β-carotene than TI in the spring growth cycle (73.5 and 54.2 vs. 46.9 and 43.0 mg kg-1 DM). Highest concentrations of vitamins in the regrowth were found six weeks after BH with 71.8 and 104.8 mg α-tocopherol and 99.6 and 73.1 mg β-carotene kg-1 DM in legumes and grasses,respectively

Establishing trampling-resistant mixed swards: a comparison of four seed mixtures

Increasing herd size often brings major challenges in maintaining dense swards, especially near cow houses. High-quality, trampling-resistant swards are crucial for grazing management, animal welfare and environmental protection. A field experiment initiated in July 2012 (triplicate plots) at Uppsala, Sweden, is comparing four seed mixtures with regard to establishment rate, resistance to trampling and grazing behaviour. The mixtures comprise forage and amenity cultivars of smooth meadow-grass (Poa pratensis) and red fescue (Festuca rubra), with/without inclusions of white clover (Trifolium repens), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea). Degree of ground cover was evaluated by spatial analysis of Unmanned Aircraft System photographs (taken May, July, Sept. 2013, April 2014) and field measurements (plants m-2) (August 2012, May 2013). Botanical composition was determined in May 2014. The seed mixture with tall fescue (35% cv. Borneo) established significantly more slowly than other mixtures (P<0.05), but by September 2013 had the highest ground cover (70%) due to a high proportion of white clover. In May 2014, all four mixtures had sufficient ground cover after winter (~86%). Next, the treatments will be intensively grazed and trampling resistance and grazing behaviour analysed

Variations an α-Tocopherol and β-Carotene Concentrations in Forage Legumes and Grasses Harvested at Different Sites and Maturity Stages

Forage is a major source of natural α-tocopherol and β-carotene for dairy cows. This study examined vitamin concentrations of birdsfoot trefoil (Bft), red clover (Rc), timothy (Ti) and meadow fescue (Mf) at different sites, years and cutting dates. Mixtures of Bft+Ti, Rc+Ti and Rc+Mf were established at Skara (58°21’N; 13°08’E) and Umeå (63°45’N; 20°17’E) in Sweden. First-year leys were cut on three occasions in spring (Umeå 2005, Skara 2005 and 2007); one week before heading of timothy, at heading and one week after heading. Birdsfoot trefoil had higher α-tocopherol concentration at Skara than at Umeå in the first two cuts in 2005 (66 vs. 27 and 50 vs. 36 mg/kg DM, respectively) and had generally higher concentration than Rc. α-Tocopherol concentrations of Bft and Rc were 32 vs. 17 and 50 vs. 25 mg/kg DM at Umeå and Skara 2005, respectively, averaged over cuts. At Skara, α-tocopherol concentration decreased with later cutting date of Bft and grasses (P \u3c 0.01). Birdsfoot trefoil had higher β-carotene concentration at Skara than at Umeå in 2005 (70 vs. 55 mg/kg DM) and higher concentration than Rc at Skara, when averaged over cuts (70 vs. 46 mg/kg DM in 2005 and 82 vs. 52 in 2007; P = 0.037). Grasses had higher α-tocopherol and β-carotene concentrations at Skara than at Umeå in 2005, when averaged over cuts (56 vs. 33 and 46 vs. 23 mg/kg DM; P \u3c 0.001). Interactions between site, species and cutting date affected α-tocopherol and β-carotene concentrations in forages

Rotröta påverkar uthålligheten hos vallbaljväxter

Rödklöver, som är basen i närproducerat protein, har sviktande uthållighet orsakad av rotröta som utvecklas i roten och orsakas av flera patogena svampar som finns i jorden. Angreppens påverkan på vallens botaniska sammansättning, produktionsnivå och kvalitet jämfördes i två fältförsök under tre vallår. Fröblandningar med olika baljväxter jämfördes i två- och treskördesystem. Baljväxterna som undersöktes var rödklöver SW Fanny (med och utan cikoria) och SW Vivi, vitklöver, käringtand och blålusern. Rödklöver gav störst totalavkastning över tre vallår. Baljväxthalten var högst i rödklöver de första två åren, trots stora angrepp av rotröta i vall II. Vallår III minskade rödklöverhalten signifikant och blev jämförbar med andelen vitklöver. Vivi skördad två gånger gav större avkastning än Fanny+ cikoria med tre skördar. I övrigt fanns inga signifikanta avkastningsskillnader mellan fröblandningar eller skördesystem i slutet av försöksperioden. Angreppen av rotröta var signifikant större i rödklöver än i övriga baljväxter. Blålusern hade större angrepp av rotröta än käringtand och vitklöver som låg på en låg nivå. Foderkostnaden blev minst med rödklöver respektive vitklöver i treskördesystem. Uthålligheten i baljväxtvallar totalt sett kan sannolikt ökas genom att alternera artvalet i baljväxtdominerade växtföljder med vitklöver, käringtand och blålusern som lämpliga alternativ till rödklöver

Nitrogen metabolism and milk production in dairy cows fed semi-restricted amounts of ryegrass-legume silage with birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) or white clover (Trifolium repens L.)

In change-over trials, mid-lactation dairy cows were fed concentrate-supplemented, isonitrogenous and isofibrous perennial ryegrasslegume silage diets that satisfied energy requirements but were suboptimal with respect to metabolizable protein supply. Legumes were either birdsfoot trefoil with low levels of condensed tannins (typical for hemiboreal conditions), or white clover. Averaged over two experimental years, birdsfoot trefoilbased silage resulted in lower digestibility (P < 0.001) of dry matter (50 g kg(-1)), organic matter (52 g kg(-1)), neutral detergent fibre (120 g kg(-1)) and nitrogen (24 g kg(-1)) and lower rumen total volatile fatty acid concentration (7 mm; P = 0.009). Milk protein yield was 36 g d(-1) higher with birdsfoot trefoil silage (P = 0.002), while raw milk yield tended to be 0.8 kg d(-1) higher (P = 0.06). Rumen ammonia concentration was similar between diets, but milk urea concentration (P < 0.001), urinary urea excretion (P = 0.002) and faecal-N proportion (P = 0.001) were higher with birdsfoot trefoil silage. The results suggest that grassbirdsfoot trefoil silage produced in hemiboreal areas exhibits a protein-sparing effect in dairy rations, despite a low condensed tannin content that is further diluted by companion grasses and ration concentrate proportion

Käringtand i vallen förbättrar proteinförsörjningen

Käringtand odlas som vallväxt i stora delar av världen. Den har i utländska försök gett förbättrad proteinförsörjning och produktion hos mjölkkor och andra idisslare genom sitt innehåll av kondenserade tanniner som minskar proteinets våmnedbrytbarhet. Två år i följd gjordes mjölkkoförsök vid Kungsängens forskningscentrum för att undersöka om några sådana effekter finns under svenska förhållanden, där odlingsklimat, nödvändigheten av att odla käringtand i blandvallar och utspädning med en stor kraftfoderandel ger låg halt av kondenserade tanniner i foderstaten. Blandensilage med likvärdiga råprotein- och NDF-halter (161 respektive 385 g/kg ts) bestående av engelskt rajgräs och antingen käringtand eller vitklöver utfodrades tillsammans med kraftfoder på en nivå nära fri tillgång. Båda foderstaterna gav en positiv energibalans men var AATbegränsade enligt både AAT/PBV-systemet och systemet NorFor. Käringtandfoderstaten gav tendens ( P = 0,06) till 0,8 kg större mjölkproduktion per dag och både högre mjölkproteinhalt och 36 g större mjölkproteinproduktion per dag (P < 0,01 för båda). Den ökade mjölkproteinproduktionen var i samma storleksordning som den förbättrade AAT-tillförseln med käringtand (48 g/dag). Sänkt smältbarhet av råprotein med käringtand uppvägdes mer än väl av minskad våmnedbrytbarhet, så att slutresultatet blev ett nettotillskott av våmskyddat, smältbart råprotein. Resultaten visar att käringtand i svenska mjölkkofoderstater har positiva effekter på proteinförsörjningen