Adverse impact of industrial animal agriculture on the health and welfare of farmed animals

Industrial animal agriculture is grounded in the concept of maximizing productivity and profit. Selective breeding for maximum productivity in one characteristic of the animal (e.g. milk yield in cows, or breast meat in broiler chickens) has resulted in genotypes and phenotypes that may predispose the animals to poor health and welfare. The conditions in which these individuals are kept may also frustrate many inherited behaviors that they are strongly motivated to perform. In order to curb the resulting harmful aberrant behaviors, such as feather‐pecking in chickens, we sometimes resort to mutilating the animals. In many places chickens are routinely de‐beaked by means of a hot metal guillotine. Compassion in World Farming (an international organization that promotes the humane treatment of farm animals) believes that it is unethical to treat sentient beings in such ways. We have a duty to respect farm animals' sentience by providing them with housing conditions that take their needs and wants into account, and by reverting to the use of dual‐purpose, slower‐growing breeds that have the potential for good welfare. Alternatives to current farming practices are available, and we owe it to the animals, and to our consciences, to pursue them.     

大豆植株分杈数自动提取算法研究

根据大豆植株分杈个数可以预估大豆的产量。为了满足现代农业预测农产品产量的需要,本文提出一种大豆植株分杈数自动提取算法,即首先将采集到的大豆植株图片进行灰度变换、滤波、阈值分割得到二值图像,再进行形态学中的闭运算操作得到大豆植株的轮廓,然后基于Zhang并行快速细化算法提取骨架,最后借助改进的角点检测算法对大豆植株的所有分杈点进行标记并自动统计分杈数,仿真结果与大豆植株实际分杈点一致。     

山西省高速公路集约用地评价

对高速公路用地进行集约用地评价,可以为未来区域土地利用提供决策依据。从高速公路的用地结构、用地功能和与外部因素的协调性出发,对山西高速公路建设用地的集约利用程度作出评价。结果表明:2001~2010年,山西省高速公路用地数量有所增长,其结构不断调整,功能不断增强,与人口、社会经济的协调性也不断加强,集约度不断提高。未来10年,山西省高速公路将迅速发展,必须加大集约利用力度,以尽可能少的用地满足人类社会发展对公路交通运输的需求。     

Soil available potassium affected by rice straw incorporation and potassium fertilizer application under a rice–oilseed rape rotation system

Data from 147 field trials were collected to study the influence of straw incorporation on soil potassium (K) under an intensive rice–oilseed rape rotation system, while pot experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of rice straw incorporation on soil K availability. A significant correlation was observed between the soil available K and the relative yield (RRY) and the relative K uptake (RKU) of oilseed rape, with R² values ranging from 0.07 to 0.08 and from 0.10 to 0.11, respectively, when data were fitted to a logarithmic equation model. In approximately 30% of trials, RRY reached 90%, while soil test available K values were below the critical limit, indicating that soil K values at the time of sampling (within 1 week of rice harvest) underestimated the actual soil K supply capacity. The pot experiment results showed that soil available K was affected by straw incorporation and soil type in the fallow period. The NH₄OAc‐K and NaBPh₄‐K concentrations of soils increased at first, and then, plateaued after 28 days. Straw incorporation significantly influenced the critical soil K concentration, which is important for making accurate K fertilizer recommendation. These results suggested that straw K should be seriously considered in making K fertilizer recommendations. Extending the sampling time from 1 to 3 weeks after the harvesting of rice to stabilize the effects of straw incorporation may help achieve a more accurate evaluation of soil available K.     

提升犊牛日增重的方法研究

犊牛阶段的生长状况对牛只的生产性能具有重要影响,为提高牧场效益,牧场越来越追求犊牛阶段生长的最大化。通过饲喂代乳粉达到犊牛断奶前1.0 kg日增重,对牛只生产性能的提升具有重要意义。本文主要介绍增加犊牛日增重对牛只生产性能的积极影响,同时根据荷兰Schils的试验对代乳粉的选择和饲喂流程提出建议,以期对牧场合理使用代乳粉,实现犊牛阶段生长最大化提供参考。     

基于宗地尺度的土地集约利用潜力评价及存量用地挖潜研究——以重庆市渝北区为例

为探究渝北区未来存量用地的挖潜方向,通过构建商服圈,并利用建筑、人口经济、交通和公共服务设施数据,从功能、强度和区位潜力3方面选取评价指标,结合层次分析法和熵权法确定其权重,计算渝北区城镇建设用地集约利用潜力,并依此识别可用于二次开发的宗地.结果表明:①渝北区划定商服圈总面积15 827.25 hm~2,因受地形、政策和城市双核心发展因素影响商服圈呈不规则形状;②用于潜力评价的宗地因城市开发过程中各类用地并存且未实现更新而未呈现同心圆模式;③渝北区可用于二次开发的城镇建设用地总面积为1 178.88 hm~2,主要布局于两路老城区南部、龙山—龙溪—龙塔街道西北部和创新经济走廊中部等区域.④渝北区公共管理与公共服务用地和商业服务业设施用地土地集约利用潜力较大,是未来改造盘活的主要用地类型.     

农业用地土壤重金属样本点数据精化方法——以北京市顺义区为例

样本点空间分布是样点数据检测评价和挖掘分析的关键因素。以北京市顺义区为例,研发了一种农业用地土壤重金属样本点数据精化方法：首先构建样本点均匀变异指数和均匀因子离散图来共同检测样本点数据均匀性,进一步将样本点类型划分为均匀样本点、聚集样本点和稀疏样本点并确定其数量;其次删除聚集样本点,基于研究区历史数据加密稀疏样本点;最后基于地理空间样本点均匀变异指数、特征空间偏离指数和插值误差共同评价数据精化效果。结果表明,研究区样本点的均匀变异指数为0.429,存在一个聚集样本点和一个稀疏样本点,空间偏离指数为0.327,空间属性插值误差为6.538;冗余数据精化后进行均匀性检测没有发现聚集样本点和稀疏样本点,均匀变异指数下降到0.406,特征空间偏离指数微弱下降,空间属性插值误差下降到6.357。研究表明该方法可以对提高采样数据的均匀性和代表性提供理论指导,可以服务于土壤污染防治行动计划（土十条）、土壤污染状况详查等,为更加精确研究土壤空间信息变化提供一定的基础条件。     

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.     

耕地集约利用与新型城镇化的耦合关联研究 ——以福建省为例

耕地集约利用与新型城镇化的协调发展对于推动乡村振兴和城乡统筹发展具有重要意义。以福建省9个设区市为研究对象,构建耕地集约利用与新型城镇化耦合协调发展评价指标体系,基于灰色关联度模型,定量评价2008—2018年两系统各要素间的耦合关联程度。同时运用熵权TOPSIS模型和耦合协调发展度模型,研究二者的综合发展水平及其耦合协调发展水平时空特征。结果表明:耕地集约利用与新型城镇化的关联度为0.761,达到较高关联,耕地集约利用为新型城镇化提供发展动力,新型城镇化为耕地集约利用提供要素支持;新型城镇化水平呈逐年上升趋势,而耕地集约利用水平保持稳定;两系统的耦合度先上升后下降,耦合度阶段总体上由中度耦合进入高度耦合,空间分布上呈现出由东西高南北低到南北高中间低演变的特点;二者的协调发展水平总体呈上升态势,协调发展等级由轻度失调衰退过渡为勉强协调发展,空间上主要表现为东高西低的分布格局;相对发展程度状况呈现出耕地集约利用滞后的发展态势。因此,福建省应在现有的资源禀赋上科学投入,以提高耕地集约利用水平,均衡新型城镇化发展差异,完善制度配套,推动协调发展。