Evolution of farm management, nitrogen efficiency and economic performance on Dutch dairy farms reducing external inputs

The implementation of the statutory Mineral Accounting System (MINAS) in the Netherlands in the period 1998–2003 required large reductions in nutrient inputs of dairy farms. Patterns in farm management adjustments throughout 6 years and their effectiveness in terms of nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and economic performance were evaluated for 45 commercial farms participating in a regional nutrient management project.

Six groups of farms were identified that differed in initial NUE and the change therein. Three groups of farms that were able to rapidly reduce fertilizer N input and establish a consistent farm management strategy were most successful in improving NUE. These farms had a higher gross margin per 100 kg milk than farms without a consistent strategy. The three effective strategies were primarily characterized by (i) continuous, gradual adjustment of the integrated farm management combined with a slight reduction in milk production per ha (re-balancing) versus increasing productivity per animal, thereby reducing maintenance N requirements, while (ii) maintaining or (iii) increasing the production intensity per ha. It was concluded that different approaches to improve NUE can be successful, also in economic terms, although a direct relationship between NUE and gross margin was not observed. The probably implicit choice for adoption of a strategy may be governed by farm endowment and the farmer's skills and objectives.     

财务信息对上市公司高层变动的影响分析

上市公司高层变动受多种因素的影响,经营业绩是其中一个重要因素,能有效反映公司经营绩效的财务信息,对高层变动的影响也是不容忽视的.通过对深市样本公司的高层变动与会计信息的实证分析,进一步证明了不同会计信息对高层变动的影响程度及二者的关系,从而为投资者和管理者及其他财务数据使用者提供有效的参考依据.     

壁饰草毯开发研究Ⅲ养护管理

综合管理技术对壁饰草毯的正常生长十分重要,当按3,6,9 g/m2施用保水剂时,根层饱和持水量分别提高89.2%,106.1%和114.3%,正常生长期延长6,10,13 d;当按0.3%,0.6%和0.9%的浓度喷施植物生长调节剂B9时,草地早熟禾Poa pratensis的叶量依次降低1.8%,9.2%和16.7%,根量相应增加4.4%,7.8%和19.1%.而匍匐翦股颖Agrostis stolonifera相应增加为8.3%,25.0%,41.7%和11.1%,50.0%,83.3%.营养供给以基本基质加菜籽饼水液为佳.其综合长势评价值分别比对照、1号营养液及CO(NH2)2 FeSO4提高42.5%,7.5%,92.5%(对于早熟禾)和131.0%,65.5%,181.0%(对于匍匐翦股颖).     

新西兰鹿的福利及实施措施

新西兰鹿业协会为加大鹿及鹿产品在国际市场上的竞争力,积极实施鹿福利制度。文中主要介绍了新西兰在鹿的运输、锯茸及饲养管理等方面所实施的具体福利措施。     

出口兔肉备案养殖场追溯体系的建立

从保证动物源性食品安全的角度论述了建立养殖场追溯体系的必要性,以出口兔肉备案养殖场为例,对建立追溯体系的步骤进行了四个方面的探讨。养殖场在设施合理、制度健全的前提下,确定追溯信息的深度、广度和精确度,并作好信息衔接和代码标识,才可使追溯体系有效实施。同时对追溯体系的应用和发展趋势做了基本论述。     

黄土丘陵区不同管理方式下草地优势种群的生态位

以吴起县杨青川流域草地为研究对象,对封育(Enclosure)、放牧(Grazing)、施肥(Fertilization)、刈割(Clipping)、灭鼠(Deratization)5种管理方式的草地群落进行调查,并运用Levins生态位宽度和Pianka生态位重叠指数对5种管理方式下主要植物种群生态位特征进行分析。结果表明,达乌里胡枝子(Lespedeza davurica)、铁杆蒿(Artemisia sacrorum)、赖草(Leymus secalinus)、猪毛蒿(Artemisia scoparia)和硬质早熟禾(Poa sphondylodes)的种群总生态位宽度较大,封育放牧施肥刈割灭鼠管理模式下,生态位宽度最大的分别是达乌里胡枝子、赖草、紫花地丁(Viola philippica)、达乌里胡枝子和猪毛蒿,生态位宽度值大于4的物种数分别为6、6、3、4和3种。不同管理方式下各种对间的重叠指数平均值由大到小依次封育放牧施肥刈割灭鼠。施肥管理中,种群间生态位宽度与生态位重叠之间存在线性关系,其它管理方式中种群生态位宽度与生态位重叠之间不存在线性关系。生态位分析表明,封育和放牧管理下种群间对资源的需求趋于相同,彼此间通过竞争共存,有利于群落演替,草地生态系统逐渐得到恢复,施肥、刈割、灭鼠管理使群落物种竞争排序发生变化,破坏了草地生态系统原有的竞争机制,导致群落向简单群落演替。从牧草发展角度出发,封育、施肥和刈割有利于优质牧草生长。     

Managing Grazing Intensity Linked to Forage Quantity and Quality Trade-off in Semiarid Rangelands

Knowledge of herbivory tolerance of dominant plant species and their responses to varying grazing intensity is required for sustainable grazing management in semiarid rangeland ecosystems. In a field experiment, we studied the effects of simulated grazing 0%, 30%, 50%, and 80% leaf removal (control, partial, intermediate, and heavy leaf removal) of three dominant perennial legumes: Astragalus cyclophyllon, Astragalus effuses, and Hedysarum criniferum in semiarid rangelands of southwestern Iran for 2 yr and tested 1) differential herbivory tolerance in terms of regrowth ability of belowground and aboveground biomass (AGB), fecundity, and nonstructural carbohydrate reserves; and 2) trade-off between forage quantity and quality—less defoliated plants produce larger amount of biomass with less forage quality and vice versa. The results showed a reduction in AGB and reproduction in each of the three plants. However, three forbs exhibited some sort of variations in shoot and root growth, reproduction and forage quality under intermediate and heavy leaf removal. Leaf removal in individuals of A. effusus and H. criniferum are more likely to compensate for tissue loss by allocating the available resources to the expansion of root biomass, at the cost of AGB and reproductive effort. Leaf removal also led to an increase in forage quality in each of the three forb species, depending on the level of height removal. The control plant had a higher amount of biomass production and lower amount of crude protein compared with heavy leaf removal treatments (i.e., 80%), by contrasting responses of acid detergent fiber and neutral detergent fiber, indicating a trade-off between forage quality and forage quantity. The results indicate that there is a balance among forage quantity, quality, and regrowth ability of belowground and aboveground tissues in intermediate leaf removal treatments of these forb species. This balance is used to develop principles for grazing management of steppe rangelands because such a regime meets different criteria including forage quantity, quality, and nonstructural carbohydrate reserves.     

Alcohol diluent provides the optimal formulation for calcium chloride non-surgical sterilization in dogs

Background

Surgical castration is widely used to sterilize male dogs, but has significant impacts on time to perform the operation, recovery of the animals as well as cost, which can limit population control programs. Previous research has shown intratesticular injection of calcium chloride dihydrate (CaCl₂) in saline to be a promising alternative to surgery. However, long-term azoospermia was not maintained at dosages low enough to avoid side effects. In the search for an optimized formulation, the current investigation is the first study on long-term sterilization effects of intratesticular injection of CaCl₂ in either lidocaine solution or alcohol in dogs. CaCl₂ at 20% concentration in lidocaine solution or alcohol was administered via intratesticular injection to groups of 21 dogs each. The treated animals were examined at 2, 6, and 12 months for sperm production, blood levels of testosterone, and side effects; at time zero and 12 months for testicular size and semen volume. The experimentally treated animals were compared to a control group receiving saline injection only.

Results

Testicles of dogs treated with CaCl₂ in either diluent significantly decreased in size. After administration of CaCl₂ in lidocaine solution, sterility was achieved for at least 12 months in 75% of treated dogs. However, optimal long-term contraceptive effectiveness was achieved with CaCl₂ in alcohol, which resulted in azoospermia over the 12-month study period. Testosterone levels significantly decreased following treatment with CaCl₂, and sexual activity disappeared. Although testosterone returned to baseline levels by 12 months for the group treated with CaCl₂ in lidocaine, dogs injected with CaCl₂ in alcohol had a 63.6% drop in testosterone level, which remained at the low end of physiological range throughout the study. No adverse effects were noted.

Conclusions

A single, bilateral intratesticular injection of 20% CaCl₂ in 95% ethanol was a reliable method for induction of sterilization in 18–28 kg male dogs in this study. The approach showed long-term efficacy and reduced sexual behavior. This chemical method of sterilization might provide an effective, efficient alternative to surgical castration that can have positive impacts on dog welfare.     

Practical aspects of genetic management of small populations – The Olkuska sheep example

Abstract

The study aimed to identify important factors threatening genetic diversity within small sheep populations, and to propose sustainable management strategies. Demographic evolution, genetic diversity and current genetic management practices were analyzed in a population of Polish Olkuska sheep. Unbalanced contributions of individual rams to the next generation were observed due to differences in the period of their utilization, the number of progeny and the number of daughters used in reproduction. Matings between closely related animals were common. Pedigree completeness was satisfactory and inbreeding coefficient was high, 11.71% for lambs born in 2012. Relatively high values of potential and realized coancestries within flocks showed the importance of keeping more than one ram. The genetic conservation index and average relatedness coefficient, and their comparison between regions was helpful in considering management options. The information on genetic relationships and genetic conservation parameters of rams should be provided to breeders with simple interpretations.     

新世纪保护区面临的挑战及其有效对策

道路、水库、建筑物、不断扩大的农田和土地退化正在使自然景观的完整性受到严重破坏。所保存的未经干扰或少受干扰的天然生态系统的面积日益缩小，犹如海洋中的孤岛。生物多样性受到严重的威胁。在自然保护区中，物种迁移和基因流动的可能性也在不断地降低。生物区域规划被认为是一种较好的选择，它力求把保护区和栽培地区视为一个有机整体，遵循保护和发展密切结合的方针，制定行动计划并予以实施。本文根据保护区的管理情况、工作条件和科研状况等，对保护区或区域的类型进行了划分，针对现实，提出了如何实施生物区域规划。