Reviewing the undergraduate veterinary curriculum in Finland for control tasks in veterinary public health

To review and develop the undergraduate veterinary curriculum on official control in veterinary public health, an electronic survey was sent to 204 Finnish veterinarians employed in the field of food hygiene in 2005. The response rate was 44%. Most frequently cited as strengths of the current curriculum were extensive education and good knowledge. Respondents considered the main challenges in their work to be a wide field of activity, organizational changes, financial resources, organization of substitutes, and collaboration with decision makers. Of the 23 items to be included in the undergraduate curriculum, therefore, respondents prioritized state and local decision making, the role of the public servant, and leadership and management in the area of social factors; in the field of practical control work, in-house control systems, organizations and responsibilities, control techniques, and planning and targeting of controls were prioritized. Of areas traditionally covered in the undergraduate curriculum, legislation; legal proceedings and implications of controls; risks to human, animal, and plant health; and hazards in feed, animal, and food production were stated to be the most important. Although respondents were generally content with their career choice, veterinary public health tasks were not their first choice of career path immediately after graduation. Based on these findings, more attention should be focused on social aspects and practical training in official control in the undergraduate veterinary curriculum. The survey results also highlight the contrasts between society's needs and veterinarians' motivations and career-path expectations, which pose a significant challenge for future curricula.     

Phytoestrogen Content of Birdsfoot Trefoil and Red Clover: Effects of Growth Stage and Ensiling Method

The phytoestrogen content of birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) and red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) was determined. In addition, the effects of growth stage, wilting and ensiling additives on content were studied. Birdsfoot trefoil raw material and silage contained only traces of phytoestrogens. In red clover raw material and silage, the phytoestrogen content varied from 0.8% to 1.1% of dry matter. Content was affected by growth stage of the plant and wilting. Formononetin concentration decreased as the plant matured from budding to flowering stage, and wilting from 25% to 40% of dry matter content decreased genistein and biochanin A content. The phytoestrogen content of red clover silage was 18% higher than that of raw material. Silage additives also affected the content. Silage ensiled with an additive containing Lactobacillus plantarum bacterial inoculate had higher concentrations of genistein and biochanin A than silage made with formic acid.     

Effect of clear-cutting and site preparation on the level and quality of groundwater in some headwater catchments in eastern Finland

The impact of forest management (clear-cutting and site preparation) on stream hydrology has been studied in five small catchments in eastern Finland from 1991 and on groundwater levels and quality from 1994. The period 1992–1996 was a calibration period and in the autumn of 1996, 10% and 30% of the area of two of these catchments were clear-cut according to the forest management plan. Regeneration was carried out by disc-plowing in the autumn of 1998 and planting with Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and Norway spruce (Picea abies) seedlings in the spring of 1999. The depth and quality of groundwater was monitored with four to nine groundwater wells installed in each catchment. There were 32 wells in all, 16 on upland mineral soils and 16 on peatlands (the perforated part of the pipe was totally put into the underlying mineral soil at eight sites). Sampling was made monthly during spring (March–May) and autumn (November–December) and bimonthly during summer (June–October). The samples were chemically analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity, and concentrations of total P and Fe (before filtration), and total N, NO₃⁻-N, NH₄⁺-N, total P, PO₄³⁻-P, SO₄²⁻-S, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, K⁺, Na⁺, Mn, Zn, Fe, Al³⁺, Cl⁻ (after filtration through 0.45 μm membrane filter). Data collected until the end of 2001 are reported. Groundwater was found in the down-slope wells in lower-lying areas, but not in those installed on the slopes with a thin (1–2 m) soil layer. Clear-cutting did not significantly affect groundwater levels in the wells. Nitrate N concentrations increased from 0.03 mg L⁻¹ level after clear-cutting and again after site preparation in the wells on upland soils and peatlands receiving water from the managed parts of the catchment. In one well at the lower edge of the managed area NO₃⁻-N concentrations reached 1–1.4 mg L⁻¹ in 2001 (fifth year after clear-cutting, third after disc-plowing), but mean concentrations remained <0.3 mg L⁻¹. Chloride concentrations also increased (50–100%) after treatments but the concentrations of other solutes showed no significant effect of treatment. It was concluded that changes in groundwater quality and quantity related to the clear-cutting were small and did not represent a danger to water quality or quantity.     

Modelling the distribution of wood properties along the stems of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) as affected by silvicultural management

In this work, empirical ring-based models were developed to predict the distribution of early wood percentage, wood density and fibre length along the stems of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) as affected by silvicultural management. The performance of the ring-based models was also compared for Scots pine and Norway spruce with corresponding disc-based (cross-sectional) models. Moreover, both models were integrated with example simulations by a process-based growth and yield model to analyze how management, such as thinning, affects the growth and wood properties of Scots pine trees over a rotation as an average for the tree stem, but also along the stem.The ring-based models built for annual early wood percentage (explained by ring width), air dry wood density (explained by early wood percentage and cambial age) and fibre length (explained by radial growth percentage and cambial age) predicted reasonably well the wood properties both at an intra-ring level, but also at a cross-sectional level. These predictions were also reasonably well in line with corresponding cross-sectional predictions by the disc-based models (which predicted the properties based on the number of annual rings and diameter at breast height and/or the cross-section being considered and temperature sum). The example simulations also demonstrated that both models predicted slightly lower wood density for dominant trees compared to dominated ones grown in thinned and unthinned Scots pine stands over a rotation. Unlike the disc-based model, the ring-based model predicted, on average, higher early wood percentage in dominant trees than in dominated ones. However, fibre length was not significantly affected when the averages of the whole stems were predicted, and this held true for both ring- and disc-based models.In summary, the incorporation of empirical ring-based wood property models into a process-based growth and yield model, offers a means to study in detail how environmental conditions, forest structure and management affect the quantity and properties of stem wood produced over a rotation. The disc-based wood property models used in this work are based on data with large geographical and genetic variation, and therefore may turn out to be more applicable for predicting future wood and fibre resources at a regional and national level. This kind of integrated use of wood property models with a process-based growth and yield model could help us to evaluate the forest resources under current and changing climate.     

Effects of site preparation on soil properties and on morphology of Pinus sylvestris and Picea abies seedlings sown at different dates

The aims of the study are to find out the effects of site preparation on soil properties and on the morphology of three-year-old Pinus sylvestris L. and Picea abies (L.) Karst. seedlings sown at different dates along a slope with variation in soil texture, water, and fertility. Based on the hypothesis that soil texture affects soil water content, water retention capacity, and nutrient content, we studied site preparation of varying intensities: exposed C horizon, mounds (broken O/E/B horizons piled over undisturbed ground), and exposed E/B horizon. Though the growing time difference between sowings was about one month, after three growing seasons, spring-sown seedlings were larger than summer-sown seedlings. P. sylvestris seedlings were largest with mounds and smallest with exposed C horizon, but site preparation did not affect the morphology of P. abies seedlings.     

Impacts of changing climate on the productivity of Norway spruce dominant stands with a mixture of Scots pine and birch in relation to water availability in southern and northern Finland

A process-based ecosystem model was used to assess the impacts of changing climate on net photosynthesis and total stem wood growth in relation to water availability in two unmanaged Norway spruce (Picea abies) dominant stands with a mixture of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and birch (Betula sp.). The mixed stands were grown over a 100-year rotation (2000-99) in southern and northern Finland with initial species shares of 50, 25 and 25% for Norway spruce, Scots pine and birch, respectively. In addition, pure Norway spruce, Scots pine and birch stands were used as a comparison to identify whether species' response is different in mixed and pure stands. Soil type and moisture conditions (moderate drought) were expected to be the same at the beginning of the simulations irrespective of site location. Regardless of tree species, both annual net canopy photosynthesis (P(nc)) and total stem wood growth (V(s)) were, on average, lower on the southern site under the changing climate compared with the current climate (difference increasing toward the end of the rotation); the opposite was the case for the northern site. Regarding the stand water budget, evapotranspiration (E(T)) was higher under the changing climate regardless of site location. Transpiration and evaporation from the canopy affected water depletion the most. Norway spruce and birch accounted for most of the water depletion in mixed stands on both sites regardless of climatic condition. The annual soil water deficit (W(d)) was higher on the southern site under the changing climate. On the northern site, the situation was the opposite. According to our results, the growth of pure Norway spruce stands in southern Finland could be even lower than the growth of Norway spruce in mixed stands under the changing climate. The opposite was found for pure Scots pine and birch stands due to lower water depletion. This indicates that in the future the management should be properly adapted to climate change in order to sustain the productivity of mixed stands dominated by Norway spruce.     

Natural regeneration after gap cutting in Scots pine stands in northern Finland

The objective of the study was to examine the success of regeneration in gaps of variable size in pine-dominated stands in terms of seedling density. It was based on an experiment in central Lapland containing circular clear-cut gaps of 20, 40 and 80 m in diameter on typical sub-xeric and xeric pine sites with site preparation (patch scarification). The observation period covered the first five years after cutting. The average number of seedlings that had emerged after gap cutting was about 22 000?ha^?1 for pine and 7 000?ha^?1 for birch. The proportion of regeneration sample plots without any pine seedlings was less than 10%. The seedling density diminished constantly with greater distance from the edge stand but indicating sufficient density up to the largest gap size in the study (diameter 80 m, area ca. 0.5?ha). Site preparation promoted regeneration remarkably, and we conclude that successful regeneration would be achieved in most cases with soil scarification exposing just 10–20% of the soil surface.     

Toward harmonization of the European food hygiene/veterinary public health curriculum

Prompted by developments in the agri-food industry and associated recent changes in European legislation, the responsibilities of veterinarians professionally active in veterinary public health (VPH), and particularly in food hygiene (FH), have increasingly shifted from the traditional end-product control toward longitudinally integrated safety assurance. This necessitates the restructuring of university training programs to provide starting competence in this area for veterinary graduates or a sub-population of them. To date, there are substantial differences in Europe in the way in which graduate programs in FH/VPH are structured and in the time allocated to this important curricular group of subjects. Having recognized this, the European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education (EAEVE) recently instituted a working group to analyze the current situation, with a view to produce standard operating procedures allowing fair and transparent evaluations of universities/faculties constituting its membership and in concurrence with explicit European legislation on the professional qualifications deemed necessary for this veterinary discipline. This article summarizes the main conclusions and recommendations of the working group and seeks to contribute to the international efforts to optimize veterinary training in FH/VPH.     

The development of skin,claw and teat lesions in sows and piglets in farrowing crates with two concrete flooring materials

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate lesions in sows and their piglets kept on two flooring materials – bare concrete and concrete coated with polyurethane containing sand. In total, 13 lactations on concrete and 11 on polyurethane were evaluated. The severity of skin lesions was scored and teat and claw lesions were recorded. The sand-filled coating was rougher compared to the concrete floor. Larger litter sizes were associated with a higher proportion of wounded teats in sows. Only seven of the 230 piglets had no skin lesions. The piglet skin lesions generally healed, since the number of more severe lesions decreased (p<0.001) and the number of less severe lesions (p<0.001) increased over time. Piglet lesions were associated with daily weight gain and litter size. The number of skin lesions on sows and piglets did not differ between animals kept on concrete and polyurethane-covered flooring. However, piglets kept on the latter flooring had more frequent claw lesions. On both types of flooring the majority of the piglets had skin lesions. Piglets had more claw lesions on polyurethane coating due to its roughness. In addition to the possibility of lower weight gains in piglets due to severe lesions, pig skin lesions are themselves a severe welfare problem in this type of housing system.