The use of urban organic wastes in the control of erosion in a semiarid Mediterranean soil

Abstract. A two year field experiment was carried out in a semiarid Mediterranean area in order to evaluate, the effect on soil erosion of adding different urban organic wastes: a stabilized municipal waste (compost), an unstabilized municipal waste, and an aerobic sewage sludge. All the treatments significantly reduced soil erosion, compared to the control soil. The soil amended with compost was the most effective treatment, reducing soil loss by 94% and runoff by 54%.     

Nitrogen uptake by ryegrass from organic wastes applied to a sandy loam soil

Sandy‐textured Mediterranean soils are invariably depleted in organic matter and supply only small amounts of N to crops. To compensate for these deficiencies, we tested the N supply from six organic wastes applied to a Cambic Arenosol in pots growing ryegrass. The results showed that the behaviour of the wastes in supplying N to a ryegrass crop grown in this soil can be predicted by observing their performance in laboratory aerobic incubations. The N made available during these incubations fitted well to a one‐pool kinetic model.     

Genetic Engineering Approaches to Pig Production*

Modern biotechnology promises a number of new applications in animal breeding and production. Although conventional pig breeding has achieved a high level of efficiency and productivity numerous problems have been encountered with animal health and the loss of meat quality. Selection based on phenotypic performance data of individual animals does not take into account the importance of specific genes and their relevance within a complex regulatory system. In most cases it is therefore difficult to trace back the genetic origins of clinically important disorders. The application of genetic engineering techniques in pig production will facilitate diagnosis, improvement of productivity, and animal health by allowing direct genetic manipulation. Attention must be focussed on the physical and genetic analysis of the procine genome. The isolation and characterisation of genes, DNA-markers, polymorphic DNA-fragments, and their chromosomal assignment will be important prerequisites and tools for the elucidation of genetic disorders. Especially the detection of heterozygous carriers of recessive disorders and their elimination from the breeding stock will increase selection accuracy and decrease the generation intervals. But also the rapid and simple detection of infectious diseases, which is sometimes difficult if not impossible at present, will improve animal health and welfare. Although the production of transgenic animals either by DNA-microinjection into zygotes or the use of embryonal stem cells manipulated in vitro is less straightforward than DNA-based diagnosis it will play an important role in the direct manipulation of the porcine genome and genes. Breeding programmes including the use of transgenic livestock have already been developed. There is no doubt that genetic engineering has reached a degree of practical feasibility, allowing it to play an important role in pig breeding in particular and animal production in general.     

Changes in the MHC Class II+ Dendritic Cell Population of Ovine Skin In Response to Orf Virus Infection

Abstract— Class II+ dendritic cells were widely distributed throughout normal ovine skin in two main locations: a) in or immediately adjacent to the epidermis and epidermal appendages and b) in the vicinity of the blood vessels. They are unlikely to represent a homogeneous population particularly since Langerhans cells, which previously have been found throughout the epidermal appendages, were located only in the epidermis using acetylcholinesterase staining. Following infection with orf virus, a dense mass of closely associated class II+ dendritic cells develops in the exposed necrotising dermis, adjacent to infected hair follicles and under infected degenerating epidermis. These cells interact and appear to form a barrier to invasion, a framework for immune defence and a template for subsequent epidermal repair; they seem to provide the basis of a highly integrated local dermal defence system. Résumé— Des cellules dendritiques de classe II+étaient largement réparties dans la peau ovine normale dans deux principales zones a) dans l'épiderme et les annexes épidermiques ou dans leur voisnage immédiat b) au voisinage des vaisseaux sanguins. Il est peu probable qu'elles représentant une population homogène particulièrement parce que les cellules de Langerhaps, qui ont été découvertes précédemment dans l'ensemble des annexes épidermiques, furent localisées seulement dans l'épiderme en utilisant une coloration à l'acétylcholinesterase. Après une infection par le virus de l'ecthyma, il se forme une masse dense de cellules dendritiques de classe II+étroitement associées, dans le derme nécrotique atteint, adjacente aux follicules pileux infectés et sous l'épiderme dégénératif infecté. Ces cellules interagissent et apparaissent former une barrière à l'invasion, un cadre pour les défenses immunitaires et un patron pour la réparation épidermique ultérieure; elles semblent fournir les bases d'un système de défense dermique local hautement intégré. Zusammenfassung— Klasse II+-Dendritenzellen waren in der gesamten Haut von normalen Schafen in vorwiegend zwei Bereichen verbreitet: a) in oder unmittelbar neben der Epidermis und der epidermalen Anhangsgebiete und b) in dor Nähe dar Blutgefäße. Sie stellen wahrscheinlich keine homogène Population dar, da die Langerhanszellen, die früher übarall in den epidermalen Anhangsgebilden nachgewiesen wurden, bei Acetylcholinesterase-Färbung nur in der Epidermis zu finden waren. Nach einer Orf-Virus-Infektion formiert sich eine dichte Masse aus eng verbundenen Klasse II+-Dendritenzellen in der betroffenen nekrotisierenden Dermis unmittelbar neben den infizierten Haarfollikeln und unter der infizierten, degenerierenden Epidermis. Diese Zellen stehen untereinander in Verbindung und bilden anscheinend eine Barrière gegen die Invasion, ein Gorüst für die Immunabwehr und einen Ausgangs punkt für die anschließenden Reparaturvorgänge in der Epidermis. Sie scheinen als Basis eines hochentwickelten lokalen Abwehrsystems der Haut zu fungieren. Resumen Células dendríticas de class II+ se observaron en gran cantidad en la piel de la oveja especialmente en dos localizaciones: a) en la epidermis, en la dermis muy próxima a la epidermis y en anejos cutáneos y b) en las proximidades de los vasos sanguíneos. No parece tratarse de una población homogénea de células puesto que las células de Langerhans, que previamente se habían encontrado en los anejos epidérmicos, se encontraron únicamente en la epidermis utilizando técnicas de detección del acetilcol-inesterasa. Después de la infección con el virus del ectima contagioso ovino se observó una masa de células dendríticas de clase II, dispuestas de forma muy densa, en las proximidades de la dermis necrosada y de los folículos pilosos y de la epidermis infectada. Eatas células interaccionan entre si y parecen formar una barrera contra la invasión, una red inmunitaria de defensa y participar en la reparación de la epidermis; parece ser que esta población de células dendriticas son la base de un sistema de defensa dérmico local altamente integrado.     

An extension approach for the national grazing strategy based on farmer characteristics in the eastern cape 1

Abstract

The development of a sound communication programme for the National Grazing strategy should be based on an understanding of the characteristics of the farmer population of the area concerned. The social, socio‐demographic, socio‐economie, socio‐psychological, communication and agricultural production characteristics of the population must be identified, and then be used to formulate a communication programme. Information obtained from 153 farmers in six farming communities was used to develop an extension approach for the National Grazing Strategy.     

牧草-鹅-鲜食葡萄循环生态种养模式的构建与实践

为了提高葡萄园资源利用率和综合效益,构建了牧草-鹅-鲜食葡萄循环生态种养体系。实践表明,在设施葡萄园推广套种牧草养鹅、鹅粪生产有机肥料、有机肥料种植葡萄和牧草等高效配套技术,取得了良好的经济效益、生态效益和社会效益。实施牧草-鹅-鲜食葡萄循环生态种养是江苏沿海地区发展现代农业的一种有效生产模式。     

Comparison of Metabolic Energy Content of Organic Cereal Grains for Chickens and Turkeys

Although there is an extensive database on the nutrient content of conventionally produced feedstuffs, there is very little published research on the nutrient content of feedstuffs that are organically grown. Industrial and organic crop production differ in both crop and soil management. There are data to suggest that these differences may result in differences in the nutrient content of organic grown feedstuffs. The purpose of this study was to determine the ME content of organically grown amaranth, buckwheat, white corn, yellow corn, and wheat samples obtained from the University of Minnesota's organic research farm. Both chickens and turkeys were used in the assays to compare the ME content for these 2 species. The TME_n content, on an as-fed basis, of amaranth, buckwheat, yellow corn, white corn, and wheat for chickens were found to be 3,146, 3,072, 3,603, 3,324, and 3,592 kcal/kg, respectively. The TME_n content of the same samples, on an as-fed basis, determined with turkeys were found to be 2,748, 2,227, 2,810, 2,757, and 2,959 kcal/kg, respectively. True ME content of the organically grown feed ingredients was found to be greater when chickens were used in the bioassay as compared with turkeys and differed significantly from published values for the same cereals grown using conventional means.     

Economic effects of proposed changes in living conditions for laying hens under the National Organic Program

In this paper, we estimate the costs and benefits of implementing the proposed National Organic Program for laying hens compared with alternatives. For the regulatory proposals under option 2, the regulatory cost will be zero because most producers are already in compliance with the proposed regulation. The anticipated benefits of this regulation will be zero as well, because the current market prices already reflect consumers’ willingness to pay for the existing animal welfare conditions. For the regulatory proposals under option 3, before market adjustments, the average regulatory burden for the entire organic egg industry will amount to $0.09 per dozen eggs, with extreme variations between $0 for small operations and $2.30 per dozen for large operations. If we rely on the average price of organic eggs, $2.69 per dozen, and assume a maximum estimated benefit associated with improved animal welfare conditions, that consumers would be willing to pay of about 30% above the current market price, the estimated benefit of regulation amounts to $0.81 per dozen eggs. Based on the findings, we conclude that option 2 is welfare neutral and could be easily adopted because it already has been adopted by representative producers. For option 3, the benefit-cost ratio is larger than 1, which indicates that the proposal passes the benefit-cost ratio test. The obtained result, however, has to be interpreted with serious reservation because of the differential effect that the proposed regulation would have on different industry participants. Under option 3, the effect of the proposed changes on small organic egg producers is negligible because most small producers are operating under conditions similar to the proposed living standards. However, costs will increase substantially for large organic egg producers and likely cause a substantial number of producers to exit organic production and switch to conventional production, which would cause a substantial decline in the prices of conventional eggs and organic feed in the short run.     

Food animals as reservoirs and potential sources of multidrug-resistant diarrheagenic E. coli pathotypes: Focus on intensive pig farming in South Africa

BackgroundDiarrheagenic E. coli (DEC) strains are a major cause of diarrheal diseases in both developed and developing countries. Healthy asymptomatic animals may be reservoirs of zoonotic DEC, which may enter the food chain via the weak points in hygiene practices.AimWe investigated the prevalence of DEC along the pig production continuum from farm-to-fork.MethodsA total of 417 samples were collected from specific points along the pig production system, that is, farm, transport, abattoir and food. E. coli was isolated and enumerated using Colilert. Ten isolates from each Quanti-tray were selected randomly and phenotypically identified using eosin methylene blue agar selective media. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to confirm the species and to classify them into the various diarrheagenic pathotypes. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined against a panel of 20 antibiotics using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method and EUCAST guideline.ResultsThe final sample size consisted of 1044 isolates, of which 45.40% (474/1044) were DEC and 73% (762/1044) were multidrug-resistant. Enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) was the most predominant DEC at all the sampling sites.ConclusionThe presence of DEC in food animal production environments and food of animal origin could serve as reservoirs for transmitting these bacteria to humans, especially in occupationally exposed workers and via food. Adherence to good hygienic practices along the pig production continuum is essential for mitigating the risk of transmission and infection, and ensuring food safety.