Developments in application technology for soil fumigation.

Developments in application technology for soil fumigation.Soil fumigants can be used to control plant pests pre-sowing or pre-planting. They aim to reduce very significantly the populations of nematodes (microscopic worms), soil-borne fungi and weeds whose development can cause major yield reduction or even the destruction of the crop. The application of these substances aims to provide a uniform treatment on a volume of soil in which these pests damage the crop. Very careful attention must be paid to the details of how the fumigation is done in order to guarantee excellent control of the targeted organisms and complete safety for workers and other persons close to the treated area, whilst also limiting the impact the product could have on our environment. Developments in application technology for soil fumigation.

Happy cows make more nutritious milk .

Happy cows make more nutritious milk. Daily infusions with a chemical commonly associated with feelings of happiness were shown to increase calcium levels in the blood of Holstein cows and the milk of Jersey cows that had just given birth. The results, published in the Journal of Endocrinology, could lead to a better understanding of how to improve the health of dairy cows, and keep the milk flowing. Demand is high for milk rich in calcium: there is more calcium in the human body than any other mineral, and in the West dairy products such as milk, cheese and yoghurt are primary sources of calcium. But this demand can take its toll on milk-producing cows: roughly 5-10% of the North American dairy cow population suffers from hypocalcaemia -- in which calcium levels are low. The risk of this disease is particularly high immediately before and after cows give birth.Happy cows make more nutritious milk .

Oregano may reduce methane in cow burps.

Oregano may reduce methane in cow burps.A new research project aims to reduce methane emissions from dairy cows by up to 25 per cent. This benefits not only the environment, but also arable farmers and milk producers, and it uses one key ingredient: oregano. It may sound pretty harmless, but methane emissions from cows are a large problem for the climate. When ruminants digest their feed, methane is formed as a natural by-product of the microbial process in the rumen, and since methane is a 25 times more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, there is a need to devise methods to reduce such emissions from cattle. Methane production can be reduced by, for example, adding fat or nitrate to the feed or by increasing the starch content and improve the feed quality. But for organic dairy farmers, these remedies are either not permissible or are already being used. There is therefore a need for other solutions. In a new research project, researchers from Aarhus University in cooperation with Organic Denmark and a number of commercial partners will be examining whether the addition of organic oregano to cattle feed can reduce the production of methane in the rumen and thus emissions of methane gas. Oregano may reduce methane in cow burps

'Organic' milk is poorer in iodine than conventional milk.

'Organic' milk is poorer in iodine than conventional milk.Milk from organic farms has a lower concentration of elements like zinc, iodine and selenium than milk produced by conventional farming methods. The discrepancy is due to the absence of mineral substances in the diets of the cows reared. According to researchers, animals on organic farms should have their diets supplemented with natural sources of iodine such as seaweed, because it is a very important element for children and pregnant women. The concentration of nutrients in animal food products is linked to the diets of the animals reared. Conventional production methods provide mineral diet supplements, while in organic farming animals depend on the mineral content in soil, which may not be sufficient. 'Organic' milk is poorer in iodine than conventional milk.

Milk-alternative drinks do not replace the iodine in cows' milk.

Milk-alternative drinks do not replace the iodine in cows' milk. Consumers of milk-alternative drinks may be at of risk iodine deficiency, according to the findings of a new study in the British Journal of Nutrition. In the first study of its kind in the United Kingdom, researchers from the University of Surrey examined the iodine content of 47 milk-alternative drinks (including soya, almond, coconut, oat, rice, hazelnut and hemp, but excluding those marketed specifically at infants and children) and compared it with that of cows' milk. Researchers discovered that the majority of milk-alternative drinks did not have adequate levels of iodine, with concentration levels found to be around 2% of that found in cows' milk. Cows' milk and dairy products are the main source of iodine in the UK diet however findings from the study show that most milk-alternative drinks are not an adequate substitute. Milk-alternative drinks do not replace the iodine in cows' milk.

Global methane emissions from agriculture larger than reported, according to new estimates.

Global methane emissions from agriculture larger than reported, according to new estimates.Global methane emissions from agriculture are larger than estimated due to the previous use of out-of-date data on carbon emissions generated by livestock, according to a new study. In a project sponsored by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Carbon Monitoring System research initiative, researchers from the Joint Global Change Research Institute (JGCRI) found that global livestock methane (CH4) emissions for 2011 are 11% higher than the estimates based on guidelines provided by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2006. This encompasses an 8.4% increase in CH4 from enteric fermentation (digestion) in dairy cows and other cattle and a 36.7% increase in manure management CH4 compared to IPCC-based estimates. Revised manure management CH4 emissions estimates for 2011 in the US from this study were 71.8% higher than IPPC-based estimates. Global methane emissions from agriculture larger than reported, according to new estimates.

Massive projected increase in use of antimicrobials in animals by 2030.

Massive projected increase in use of antimicrobials in animals by 2030. The amount of antimicrobials given to animals destined for human consumption is expected to rise by a staggering 52 percent and reach 200,000 tons by 2030 unless policies are implemented to limit their use, according to new research. 

 The researchers, from ETH Zürich, Princeton, and the University of Cambridge, conducted the first global assessment of different intervention policies that could help limit the projected increase of antimicrobial use in food production. 

Their results, reported in the journal Science, represent an alarming revision from already pessimistic estimates made in 2010, pushed up mostly by recent reports of high antimicrobial use in animals in China. In modern animal farming, large quantities of antimicrobials are used for disease prevention and for growth promotion. 

"Globally, animals receive almost three times as many antibiotics than people, although much of this use is not medically necessary, and many new strains of antibiotic-resistant infections are now common in people after originating in our livestock," said co-author Emma Glennon, a Gates Scholar and PhD student at Cambridge's Department of Veterinary Medicine.Massive projected increase in use of antimicrobials in animals by 2030.