Unheated soil-grown winter vegetables in Austria: Greenhouse gas emissions and socio-economic factors of diffusion potential

The adaption of historic European cultivation techniques for unheated winter vegetable production has gained momentum during the last years in Austria. Studies that evaluate ecological and socio-economic sustainability-factors of these production techniques are scarce. In this study, we analyze the greenhouse gas emissions along vegetable supply chains based on a life cycle approach and investigate factors of the socio-economic system towards future market diffusion of these new-old technologies based on the Sustainability Assessment of Food and Agriculture Systems (SAFA) guidelines of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Data of the supply-chains of lettuce, spinach, scallions and red radish was collected from field trials in different climatic regions in Austria and compared to existing commercial systems in Austria and Italy. The results show, that unheated winter vegetable production is feasible. Greenhouse gas emissions of unheated vegetables are lower with 0.06e0.12 kg CO2 equivalent versus 0.61e0.64 kg CO2 equivalent per kg fresh product crops from heated systems. Due to small packaging units unheated vegetables show maxima of 0.58 kg CO2 equivalent per kg product. Heated products were outreached by two times when individual shopping trips to the farm were taken into account. Keeping salad frost-free was not found to contribute to a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional systems. The analysis reveals that a diffusion of unheated winter harvest systems depend primarily on 11 interdepending socio-economic factors. An innovative subsidy system and the creation of a positive image of winter harvest from unheated vegetables production together with an increased utilization rate of polytunnel areas and the consultancy for producers and processors are the most influential factors towards a sustainable market diffusion of winter harvest produce

A randomized controlled trial assessing the effect of intermittent and abrupt cessation of milking to end lactation on the well-being and intramammary infection risk of dairy cows

The objectives were to compare the effects of an intermittent milking schedule with a thrice daily milking schedule during the final week of lactation on the well-being, udder health, milk production, and risk of culling of dairy cows. We hypothesized that cows subjected to an intermittent milking schedule would experience less udder engorgement and pain, lower concentrations of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (11,17-dioxoandrostanes; 11,17-DOA concentration) after dry-off, lower risk of an intramammary infection during the dry period, higher milk production and lower somatic cell count in the subsequent lactation, and lower culling risk compared with herd mates milked 3 times daily and dried off by abrupt cessation. In a randomized controlled field study, Holstein cows (n = 398) with a thrice daily milking schedule were assigned to treatment and control groups. The treatment consisted of an intermittent milking schedule for 7 d before dry-off (gradual cessation of milking, GRAD). Gradual-cessation cows were milked once daily until the day of dry-off, whereas cows in the control group (abrupt cessation of milking, APT) were milked 3 times daily until the day of dry-off. Udder firmness and pain responses of the udder 3 d after dry-off, as well as the percentage change in fecal 11,17-DOA concentration (3 d after dry-off compared with the dry-off day), were used to assess the well-being of the animals. Compared with cows in the GRAD group, the odds [95% confidence interval (CI)] of udder firmness were 1.55 (0.99–2.42) for cows in the APT group, and the odds of a pain response were 1.48 (0.89–2.44) for cows in the APT group. The least squares means (95% CI) of the percentage change in 11,17-DOA concentration were 129.3% (111.1–150.4) for the APT group and 113.6% (97.5–132.4) for the GRAD group. Quarter-level culture results from the periods before dry-off and after calving were compared, to assess the likelihoods of microbiological cure and new infection. Cows in the APT group had lower odds of a new intramammary infection in the dry period [odds ratio, 95% CI: 0.63 (0.37–1.05)], whereas we observed no meaningful differences in the microbiological cure likelihood among groups. The least squares means (95% CI) for somatic cell counts (log10-transformed) were 4.9 (4.8–5.0) in the APT group and 4.9 (4.8–5.0) in the GRAD group. The odds (95% CI) of clinical mastitis in the first 30 d postcalving were 1.32 (0.53–3.30) in the APT group compared with the GRAD group. We observed no meaningful differences in milk production at the first test date postcalving or the culling risk among groups. We conclude that the gradual-cessation protocol tested herein failed to significantly improve animal well-being, udder health, milk production, and survival in the tested study cohort. However, the observed differences in udder firmness, as well as the numerical differences in udder pain and the percentage change in fecal 11,17-DOA concentrations suggest that this line of research may be useful. Future research is needed to develop drying-off strategies that are appropriate for lowering milk production at the end of the lactation and improve animal well-being without compromising udder health

Reiche Winterernte - Frisches Gemüse aus dem Kalthaus

Viele Gemüsekulturen und Kräuter vertragen starken Frost und bieten sich für das ungeheizte Gewächshaus an. In Österreich haben Wissenschaftler über viele Jahre positive Praxiserfahrungen gesammelt

Wintamines (Greenresilient Factsheet)

This handy guide containing 10 selected portraits of vegetables is meant to encourage you to try grow some of these vegetables in the winte

Gemüse für den Winter

Winterzeit ist verständlicherweise nicht Hauptwachstumszeit, aber sie ist Erntezeit. Und das scheinen wir vergessen zu haben. Damit wir rund um das Jahr Frischgemüse aus saisonalem, ressourcenschonenden Anbau anbieten können, gilt es, rechtzeitig Pflanzen für den Winter anzuziehen und auszusetzen

Taste of Winter (Greenresilient Factsheet)

Growing fresh winter vegetables in Central and Northern European Greenhouses without heating is a good example of low-input food production, with a small environmental footprint. It utilises the frost resistance leafy crops instead of wasting energy and resources through intensive greenhouse production with heating and artificial lighting or long transportation distances of imported greens. Winter crops can be grown either in open field or in protected areas such as unheated greenhouses or polytunnels

The effect of transdermal flunixin meglumine on blood cortisol levels in dairy calves after cautery disbudding with local anesthesia

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug transdermal flunixin meglumine (Finadyne Transdermal) on plasma cortisol, average daily weight gain, and standing and lying behavior of calves, when given at the time of disbudding combined with local anesthesia. A sedative was not used to minimize pharmacological interactions. Seventy-one female Holstein Friesian calves aged 13 ± 2 d, with an average weight of 48.9 ± 4.26 kg were enrolled in the study. All calves were randomly assigned to one of 3 treatment groups: (1) control group (CON, n = 27), (2) 1-flunixin group (1-FLU, n = 26) with a single administration of transdermal flunixin meglumine at disbudding, and (3) 2-flunixin group (2-FLU, n = 24) with 2 administrations of transdermal flunixin meglumine, the first treatment at disbudding and the second 6 h after disbudding. Although the CON group received a placebo, 1-FLU and 2-FLU received flunixin meglumine transdermally. To account for plasma cortisol changes due to manipulation and handling of the calves, a sham disbudding procedure was performed one week before disbudding took place. Sham disbudding was conducted by using a cold cautery dehorner applied to each horn bud for 10 s. Disbudding was performed in a similar way by using a hot cautery dehorner. Plasma samples were collected to measure the stress biomarker cortisol at 7 different time points. Body weights were measured 4 times in 2 wk. Standing and lying behavior was assessed via 3-dimensional accelerometer. During sham disbudding and disbudding mean plasma cortisol concentrations were 6.09 ± 2.5 ng/mL and 5.16 ± 2.8 ng/mL, respectively. Treatment tended to have an effect on plasma cortisol concentrations during sham disbudding and had an effect on plasma cortisol concentrations during disbudding. Plasma cortisol concentrations were affected by treatment 2 h after disbudding in comparison to CON group. Furthermore, there was a significant effect on plasma cortisol concentrations 6 h after disbudding in contrast to CON. A return to baseline plasma cortisol levels (initial concentrations) was not achieved in CON during disbudding. There was no statistical difference between average daily weight gain and the treatment procedure. Total lying time was not affected by treatment after disbudding. In conclusion, transdermal flunixin meglumine given at the time of disbudding combined with local anesthesia decreased concentrations of the stress biomarker cortisol, but a second dose 6 h after disbudding had no further effect on plasma cortisol levels

Flavonol-mediated stabilization of PIN efflux complexes regulates polar auxin transport

The transport of auxin controls the rate, direction and localization of plant growth and development. The course of auxin transport is defined by the polar subcellular localization of the PIN proteins, a family of auxin efflux transporters. However, little is known about the composition and regulation of the PIN protein complex. Here, using blue-native PAGE and quantitative mass spectrometry, we identify native PIN core transport units as homo- and heteromers assembled from PIN1, PIN2, PIN3, PIN4 and PIN7 subunits only. Furthermore, we show that endogenous flavonols stabilize PIN dimers to regulate auxin efflux in the same way as does the auxin transport inhibitor 1-naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA). This inhibitory mechanism is counteracted both by the natural auxin indole-3-acetic acid and by phosphomimetic amino acids introduced into the PIN1 cytoplasmic domain. Our results lend mechanistic insights into an endogenous control mechanism which regulates PIN function and opens the way for a deeper understanding of the protein environment and regulation of the polar auxin transport complex

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