[Agricultural policies and farming systems: A case study of landscape changes in Shizuitou Village in the recent four decades].

PubMed

Wang, Xiao-jun; Zhou, Yang; Yan, Yan-bin; Li, Lei

2015-01-01

Agricultural policy in China's rural heartland is driving profound changes to traditional farming systems. A case study covering four decades mapped and recorded farming patterns and processes in Shizuitou Village, a rural village in northwest Shanxi. An integrated geospatial methodology from geography and anthropology was employed in the case study to record the changing dynamics of farming systems in Shizuitou Village to discover the long-term impacts of China's agricultural policies on village farming systems. Positive and negative impacts of agricultural policies on village farming systems were mapped, inventoried and evaluated using Participatory Geographic Information Systems (PGIS). The results revealed traditional polycultures are being gradually replaced by industrialized monocultures. The driving forces behind these farming changes come from a series of government agricultural policies aiming at modernization of farming systems in China. The goal of these policies was to spur rapid development of industrial agriculture under the guise of modernization but is leading to the decay of traditional farming systems in the village that maintained local food security with healthy land for hundreds of years. The paper concluded with a recommendation that in future, agricultural policy makers should strike a more reasonable balance between short-term agricultural profits and long-term farming sustainability based on the principles of ecological sustainable development under the context of global changes.

Organic farming enhances soil microbial abundance and activity—A meta-analysis and meta-regression

PubMed Central

Symnaczik, Sarah; Mäder, Paul; De Deyn, Gerlinde; Gattinger, Andreas

2017-01-01

Population growth and climate change challenge our food and farming systems and provide arguments for an increased intensification of agriculture. A promising option is eco-functional intensification through organic farming, an approach based on using and enhancing internal natural resources and processes to secure and improve agricultural productivity, while minimizing negative environmental impacts. In this concept an active soil microbiota plays an important role for various soil based ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling, erosion control and pest and disease regulation. Several studies have reported a positive effect of organic farming on soil health and quality including microbial community traits. However, so far no systematic quantification of whether organic farming systems comprise larger and more active soil microbial communities compared to conventional farming systems was performed on a global scale. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis on current literature to quantify possible differences in key indicators for soil microbial abundance and activity in organic and conventional cropping systems. All together we integrated data from 56 mainly peer-reviewed papers into our analysis, including 149 pairwise comparisons originating from different climatic zones and experimental duration ranging from 3 to more than 100 years. Overall, we found that organic systems had 32% to 84% greater microbial biomass carbon, microbial biomass nitrogen, total phospholipid fatty-acids, and dehydrogenase, urease and protease activities than conventional systems. Exclusively the metabolic quotient as an indicator for stresses on microbial communities remained unaffected by the farming systems. Categorical subgroup analysis revealed that crop rotation, the inclusion of legumes in the crop rotation and organic inputs are important farming practices affecting soil microbial community size and activity. Furthermore, we show that differences in microbial size and activity between organic and conventional farming systems vary as a function of land use (arable, orchards, and grassland), plant life cycle (annual and perennial) and climatic zone. In summary, this study shows that overall organic farming enhances total microbial abundance and activity in agricultural soils on a global scale. PMID:28700609

Using a whole farm model to determine the impacts of mating management on the profitability of pasture-based dairy farms.

PubMed

Beukes, P C; Burke, C R; Levy, G; Tiddy, R M

2010-08-01

An approach to assessing likely impacts of altering reproductive performance on productivity and profitability in pasture-based dairy farms is described. The basis is the development of a whole farm model (WFM) that simulates the entire farm system and holistically links multiple physical performance factors to profitability. The WFM consists of a framework that links a mechanistic cow model, a pasture model, a crop model, management policies and climate. It simulates individual cows and paddocks, and runs on a day time-step. The WFM was upgraded to include reproductive modeling capability using reference tables and empirical equations describing published relationships between cow factors, physiology and mating management. It predicts reproductive status at any time point for individual cows within a modeled herd. The performance of six commercial pasture-based dairy farms was simulated for the period of 12 months beginning 1 June 2005 (05/06 year) to evaluate the accuracy of the model by comparison with actual outcomes. The model predicted most key performance indicators within an acceptable range of error (residual<10% of observed). The evaluated WFM was then used for the six farms to estimate the profitability of changes in farm "set-up" (farm conditions at the start of the farming year on 1 June) and mating management from 05/06 to 06/07 year. Among the six farms simulated, the 4-week calving rate emerged as an important set-up factor influencing profitability, while reproductive performance during natural bull mating was identified as an area with the greatest opportunity for improvement. The WFM presents utility to explore alternative management strategies to predict likely outcomes to proposed changes to a pasture-based farm system. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of risk-based trading farm scoring system to assist with the control of bovine tuberculosis in cattle in England and Wales.

PubMed

Adkin, A; Brouwer, A; Simons, R R L; Smith, R P; Arnold, M E; Broughan, J; Kosmider, R; Downs, S H

2016-01-01

Identifying and ranking cattle herds with a higher risk of being or becoming infected on known risk factors can help target farm biosecurity, surveillance schemes and reduce spread through animal trading. This paper describes a quantitative approach to develop risk scores, based on the probability of infection in a herd with bovine tuberculosis (bTB), to be used in a risk-based trading (RBT) scheme in England and Wales. To produce a practical scoring system the risk factors included need to be simple and quick to understand, sufficiently informative and derived from centralised national databases to enable verification and assess compliance. A logistic regression identified herd history of bTB, local bTB prevalence, herd size and movements of animals onto farms in batches from high risk areas as being significantly associated with the probability of bTB infection on farm. Risk factors were assigned points using the estimated odds ratios to weight them. The farm risk score was defined as the sum of these individual points yielding a range from 1 to 5 and was calculated for each cattle farm that was trading animals in England and Wales at the start of a year. Within 12 months, of those farms tested, 30.3% of score 5 farms had a breakdown (sensitivity). Of farms scoring 1-4 only 5.4% incurred a breakdown (1-specificity). The use of this risk scoring system within RBT has the potential to reduce infected cattle movements; however, there are cost implications in ensuring that the information underpinning any system is accurate and up to date. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Regenerative agriculture: merging farming and natural resource conservation profitably.

PubMed

LaCanne, Claire E; Lundgren, Jonathan G

2018-01-01

Most cropland in the United States is characterized by large monocultures, whose productivity is maintained through a strong reliance on costly tillage, external fertilizers, and pesticides (Schipanski et al., 2016). Despite this, farmers have developed a regenerative model of farm production that promotes soil health and biodiversity, while producing nutrient-dense farm products profitably. Little work has focused on the relative costs and benefits of novel regenerative farming operations, which necessitates studying in situ , farmer-defined best management practices. Here, we evaluate the relative effects of regenerative and conventional corn production systems on pest management services, soil conservation, and farmer profitability and productivity throughout the Northern Plains of the United States. Regenerative farming systems provided greater ecosystem services and profitability for farmers than an input-intensive model of corn production. Pests were 10-fold more abundant in insecticide-treated corn fields than on insecticide-free regenerative farms, indicating that farmers who proactively design pest-resilient food systems outperform farmers that react to pests chemically. Regenerative fields had 29% lower grain production but 78% higher profits over traditional corn production systems. Profit was positively correlated with the particulate organic matter of the soil, not yield. These results provide the basis for dialogue on ecologically based farming systems that could be used to simultaneously produce food while conserving our natural resource base: two factors that are pitted against one another in simplified food production systems. To attain this requires a systems-level shift on the farm; simply applying individual regenerative practices within the current production model will not likely produce the documented results.

Whole Farm Net Greenhouse Gas Abatement from Establishing Kikuyu-Based Perennial Pastures in South-Western Australia

PubMed Central

Thomas, Dean T.; Sanderman, Jonathan; Eady, Sandra J.; Masters, David G.; Sanford, Paul

2012-01-01

Simple Summary Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ruminant livestock production (sheep, cattle and goats) have contributed to a common perception that a shift in the human diet from animal to plant-based products is environmentally responsible. In this study we found that the level of net emissions from livestock production systems is strongly influenced by the type of farming system that is used, and in fact GHG emission levels from some livestock production systems may be comparable with cropping systems. By introducing into farming systems ‘perennial’ pasture plants that are able to capture more atmospheric carbon, which is then stored in the soil, emission levels from livestock production can be substantially reduced. Abstract On-farm activities that reduce GHG emissions or sequester carbon from the atmosphere to compensate for anthropogenic emissions are currently being evaluated by the Australian Government as carbon offset opportunities. The aim of this study was to examine the implications of establishing and grazing Kikuyu pastures, integrated as part of a mixed Merino sheep and cropping system, as a carbon offset mechanism. For the assessment of changes in net greenhouse gas emissions, results from a combination of whole farm economic and livestock models were used (MIDAS and GrassGro). Net GHG emissions were determined by deducting increased emissions from introducing this practice change (increased methane and nitrous oxide emissions due to higher stocking rates) from the soil carbon sequestered from growing the Kikuyu pasture. Our results indicate that livestock systems using perennial pastures may have substantially lower net GHG emissions, and reduced GHG intensity of production, compared with annual plant-based production systems. Soil carbon accumulation by converting 45% of arable land within a farm enterprise to Kikuyu-based pasture was determined to be 0.80 t CO2-e farm ha−1 yr−1 and increased GHG emissions (leakage) was 0.19 t CO2-e farm ha−1 yr−1. The net benefit of this practice change was 0.61 t CO2-e farm ha−1 yr−1 while the rate of soil carbon accumulation remains constant. The use of perennial pastures improved the efficiency of animal production almost eight fold when expressed as carbon dioxide equivalent emissions per unit of animal product. The strategy of using perennial pasture to improve production levels and store additional carbon in the soil demonstrates how livestock should be considered in farming systems as both sources and sinks for GHG abatement. PMID:26487024

Drivers of land use change and household determinants of sustainability in smallholder farming systems of Eastern Uganda.

PubMed

Ebanyat, Peter; de Ridder, Nico; de Jager, Andre; Delve, Robert J; Bekunda, Mateete A; Giller, Ken E

2010-07-01

Smallholder farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa have undergone changes in land use, productivity and sustainability. Understanding of the drivers that have led to changes in land use in these systems and factors that influence the systems' sustainability is useful to guide appropriate targeting of intervention strategies for improvement. We studied low input Teso farming systems in eastern Uganda from 1960 to 2001 in a place-based analysis combined with a comparative analysis of similar low input systems in southern Mali. This study showed that policy-institutional factors next to population growth have driven land use changes in the Teso systems, and that nutrient balances of farm households are useful indicators to identify their sustainability. During the period of analysis, the fraction of land under cultivation increased from 46 to 78%, and communal grazing lands nearly completely disappeared. Cropping diversified over time; cassava overtook cotton and millet in importance, and rice emerged as an alternative cash crop. Impacts of political instability, such as the collapse of cotton marketing and land management institutions, of communal labour arrangements and aggravation of cattle rustling were linked to the changes. Crop productivity in the farming systems is poor and nutrient balances differed between farm types. Balances of N, P and K were all positive for larger farms (LF) that had more cattle and derived a larger proportion of their income from off-farm activities, whereas on the medium farms (MF), small farms with cattle (SF1) and without cattle (SF2) balances were mostly negative. Sustainability of the farming system is driven by livestock, crop production, labour and access to off-farm income. Building private public partnerships around market-oriented crops can be an entry point for encouraging investment in use of external nutrient inputs to boost productivity in such African farming systems. However, intervention strategies should recognise the diversity and heterogeneity between farms to ensure efficient use of these external inputs.

Simulating forage crop production in a northern climate with the Integrated Farm System Model

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Whole-farm simulation models are useful tools for evaluating the effect of management practices and climate variability on the agro-environmental and economic performance of farms. A few process-based farm-scale models have been developed, but none have been evaluated in a northern region with a sho...

Research on large-scale wind farm modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Longfei; Zhang, Baoqun; Gong, Cheng; Jiao, Ran; Shi, Rui; Chi, Zhongjun; Ding, Yifeng

2017-01-01

Due to intermittent and adulatory properties of wind energy, when large-scale wind farm connected to the grid, it will have much impact on the power system, which is different from traditional power plants. Therefore it is necessary to establish an effective wind farm model to simulate and analyze the influence wind farms have on the grid as well as the transient characteristics of the wind turbines when the grid is at fault. However we must first establish an effective WTGs model. As the doubly-fed VSCF wind turbine has become the mainstream wind turbine model currently, this article first investigates the research progress of doubly-fed VSCF wind turbine, and then describes the detailed building process of the model. After that investigating the common wind farm modeling methods and pointing out the problems encountered. As WAMS is widely used in the power system, which makes online parameter identification of the wind farm model based on off-output characteristics of wind farm be possible, with a focus on interpretation of the new idea of identification-based modeling of large wind farms, which can be realized by two concrete methods.

Multiperiod planning tool for multisite pig production systems.

PubMed

Nadal-Roig, E; Plà, L M

2014-09-01

This paper presents a multiperiod planning tool for multisite pig production systems based on Linear Programming (LP). The aim of the model is to help pig managers of multisite systems in making short-term decisions (mainly related to pig transfers between farms and batch management in fattening units) and mid-term or long-term decisions (according to company targets and expansion strategy). The model skeleton follows the structure of a three-site system that can be adapted to any multisite system present in the modern pig industry. There are three basic phases, namely, piglet production, rearing pigs, and fattening. Each phase involves a different set of farms; therefore, transportation between farms and delivering of pigs to the abattoir are under consideration. The model maximizes the total gross margin calculated from the income of sales to the abattoir and the production costs over the time horizon considered. Production cost depends on each type of farm involved in the process. Parameters like number of farms per phase and distance, farm capacity, reproduction management policies, feeding and veterinary expenses, and transportation costs are taken into account. The model also provides a schedule of transfers between farms in terms of animals to be transported and number of trucks involved. The use of the model is illustrated with a case study based on a real instance of a company located in Catalonia (Spain).

Drivers of land use change and household determinants of sustainability in smallholder farming systems of Eastern Uganda

PubMed Central

de Ridder, Nico; de Jager, Andre; Delve, Robert J.; Bekunda, Mateete A.; Giller, Ken E.

2010-01-01

Smallholder farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa have undergone changes in land use, productivity and sustainability. Understanding of the drivers that have led to changes in land use in these systems and factors that influence the systems’ sustainability is useful to guide appropriate targeting of intervention strategies for improvement. We studied low input Teso farming systems in eastern Uganda from 1960 to 2001 in a place-based analysis combined with a comparative analysis of similar low input systems in southern Mali. This study showed that policy-institutional factors next to population growth have driven land use changes in the Teso systems, and that nutrient balances of farm households are useful indicators to identify their sustainability. During the period of analysis, the fraction of land under cultivation increased from 46 to 78%, and communal grazing lands nearly completely disappeared. Cropping diversified over time; cassava overtook cotton and millet in importance, and rice emerged as an alternative cash crop. Impacts of political instability, such as the collapse of cotton marketing and land management institutions, of communal labour arrangements and aggravation of cattle rustling were linked to the changes. Crop productivity in the farming systems is poor and nutrient balances differed between farm types. Balances of N, P and K were all positive for larger farms (LF) that had more cattle and derived a larger proportion of their income from off-farm activities, whereas on the medium farms (MF), small farms with cattle (SF1) and without cattle (SF2) balances were mostly negative. Sustainability of the farming system is driven by livestock, crop production, labour and access to off-farm income. Building private public partnerships around market-oriented crops can be an entry point for encouraging investment in use of external nutrient inputs to boost productivity in such African farming systems. However, intervention strategies should recognise the diversity and heterogeneity between farms to ensure efficient use of these external inputs. PMID:20628448

Forage-based dairying in a water-limited future: use of models to investigate farming system adaptation in southern Australia.

PubMed

Chapman, D F; Dassanayake, K; Hill, J O; Cullen, B R; Lane, N

2012-07-01

The irrigated dairy industry in southern Australia has experienced significant restrictions in irrigation water allocations since 2005, consistent with climate change impact predictions for the region. Simulation models of pasture growth (DairyMod), crop yield (Agricultural Production Systems Simulator, APSIM), and dairy system management and production (UDDER) were used in combination to investigate a range of forage options that may be capable of sustaining dairy business profitability under restricted water-allocation scenarios in northern Victoria, Australia. A total of 23 scenarios were simulated and compared with a base farm system (100% of historical water allocations, grazed perennial ryegrass pasture with supplements; estimated operating surplus $A2,615/ha at a milk price of $A4.14/kg of milk solids). Nine simulations explored the response of the base farm to changes in stocking rate or the implementation of a double cropping rotation on 30% of farm area, or both. Five simulations explored the extreme scenario of dairying without any irrigation water. Two general responses to water restrictions were investigated in a further 9 simulations. Annual ryegrass grazed pasture, complemented by a double cropping rotation (maize grown in summer for silage, followed by either brassica forage crop and annual ryegrass for silage in winter and spring) on 30% of farm area, led to an estimated operating surplus of $A1746/ha at the same stocking rate as the base farm when calving was moved to autumn (instead of late winter, as in the base system). Estimated total irrigation water use was 2.7ML/ha compared with 5.4ML/ha for the base system. Summer-dormant perennial grass plus double cropping (30% of farm area) lifted operating surplus by a further $A100/ha if associated with autumn calving (estimated total irrigation water use 3.1ML/ha). Large shifts in the forage base of dairy farms could sustain profitability in the face of lower, and fluctuating, water allocations. However, changes in other strategic management policies, notably calving date and stocking rate, would be required, and these systems would be more complex to manage. The adaptation scenarios that resulted in the highest estimated operating surplus were those where at least 10 t of pasture or crop DM was grazed directly by cows per hectare per year, resulting in grazed pasture intake of at least 2 t of DM/cow, and at least 60% of all homegrown feed that was consumed was grazed directly. Copyright © 2012 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Productive and Reproductive Work on the Family Farm: Changes Among Ethnic Groups in Ellis County, Kansas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flora, Cornelia Butler; Stitz, John

This report is based on data obtained from historical documents, quantitative analysis of state agricultural censuses for 1885, 1895, and 1905, and interviews with farm women of Volga and German heritages, aged 14 to 87. The participation of women in wheat-based farming systems in Ellis County, Kansas, is examined as related to the ethnic…

Push-pull farming systems.

PubMed

Pickett, John A; Woodcock, Christine M; Midega, Charles A O; Khan, Zeyaur R

2014-04-01

Farming systems for pest control, based on the stimulo-deterrent diversionary strategy or push-pull system, have become an important target for sustainable intensification of food production. A prominent example is push-pull developed in sub-Saharan Africa using a combination of companion plants delivering semiochemicals, as plant secondary metabolites, for smallholder farming cereal production, initially against lepidopterous stem borers. Opportunities are being developed for other regions and farming ecosystems. New semiochemical tools and delivery systems, including GM, are being incorporated to exploit further opportunities for mainstream arable farming systems. By delivering the push and pull effects as secondary metabolites, for example, (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene repelling pests and attracting beneficial insects, problems of high volatility and instability are overcome and compounds are produced when and where required. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

An Adaptive Coordinated Control for an Offshore Wind Farm Connected VSC Based Multi-Terminal DC Transmission System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, M. Ajay; Srikanth, N. V.

2015-01-01

The voltage source converter (VSC) based multiterminal high voltage direct current (MTDC) transmission system is an interesting technical option to integrate offshore wind farms with the onshore grid due to its unique performance characteristics and reduced power loss via extruded DC cables. In order to enhance the reliability and stability of the MTDC system, an adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) based coordinated control design has been addressed in this paper. A four terminal VSC-MTDC system which consists of an offshore wind farm and oil platform is implemented in MATLAB/ SimPowerSystems software. The proposed model is tested under different fault scenarios along with the converter outage and simulation results show that the novel coordinated control design has great dynamic stabilities and also the VSC-MTDC system can supply AC voltage of good quality to offshore loads during the disturbances.

Evaluation of the sustainability of contrasted pig farming systems: development of a market conformity tool for pork products based on technological quality traits.

PubMed

Gonzàlez, J; Gispert, M; Gil, M; Hviid, M; Dourmad, J Y; de Greef, K H; Zimmer, C; Fàbrega, E

2014-12-01

A market conformity tool, based on technological meat quality parameters, was developed within the Q-PorkChains project, to be included in a global sustainability evaluation of pig farming systems. The specific objective of the market conformity tool was to define a scoring system based on the suitability of meat to elaborate the main pork products, according to their market shares based on industry requirements, in different pig farming systems. The tool was based on carcass and meat quality parameters that are commonly used for the assessment of technological quality, which provide representative and repeatable data and are easily measurable. They were the following: cold carcass weight; lean meat percentage; minimum subcutaneous back fat depth at m. gluteus medius level, 45 postmortem and ultimate pH (measured at 24-h postmortem) in m. longissimus lumborum and semimembranosus; meat colour; drip losses and intramuscular fat content in a m. longissimus sample. Five categories of pork products produced at large scale in Europe were considered in the study: fresh meat, cooked products, dry products, specialties and other meat products. For each of the studied farming systems, the technological meat quality requirements, as well as the market shares for each product category within farming system, were obtained from the literature and personal communications from experts. The tool resulted in an overall conformity score that enabled to discriminate among systems according to the degree of matching of the achieved carcass and meat quality with the requirements of the targeted market. In order to improve feasibility, the tool was simplified by selecting ultimate pH at m. longissimus or semimembranosus, minimum fat thickness measured at the left half carcass over m. gluteus medius and intramuscular fat content in a m. longissimus sample as iceberg indicators. The overall suitability scores calculated by using both the complete and the reduced tools presented good correlation and the results obtained were similar. The tool could be considered as robust enough to discriminate among different systems, since it was tested in a wide range of them. It also can be used to detect improvement opportunities to enhance sustainability of pig farming systems. The final objective of the study was achieved, since the market suitability tool could be used in an integrated sustainability analysis of pig farming systems.

Studies of Sub-Synchronous Oscillations in Large-Scale Wind Farm Integrated System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yue, Liu; Hang, Mend

2018-01-01

With the rapid development and construction of large-scale wind farms and grid-connected operation, the series compensation wind power AC transmission is gradually becoming the main way of power usage and improvement of wind power availability and grid stability, but the integration of wind farm will change the SSO (Sub-Synchronous oscillation) damping characteristics of synchronous generator system. Regarding the above SSO problem caused by integration of large-scale wind farms, this paper focusing on doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) based wind farms, aim to summarize the SSO mechanism in large-scale wind power integrated system with series compensation, which can be classified as three types: sub-synchronous control interaction (SSCI), sub-synchronous torsional interaction (SSTI), sub-synchronous resonance (SSR). Then, SSO modelling and analysis methods are categorized and compared by its applicable areas. Furthermore, this paper summarizes the suppression measures of actual SSO projects based on different control objectives. Finally, the research prospect on this field is explored.

Farm Animal Welfare and Human Health.

PubMed

Goldberg, Alan M

2016-09-01

The paper examines the relationship between farm animal welfare, industrial farm animal production, and human health consequences. The data suggest that when the animal welfare of land-based farm animals is compromised, there are resulting significant negative human health consequences due to environmental degradation, the use of non-therapeutic levels of antibiotics for growth promotion, and the consequences of intensification. This paper accepts that even if meat and fish consumption is reduced, meat and fish will be part of the diet of the future. Industrial production modified from the current intensified systems will still be required to feed the world in 2050 and beyond. This paper identifies the concept of sustainable intensification and suggests that if farm animal welfare is improved, many of the human health consequences of intensified industrial production can be eliminated or reduced. In water-based farm animal production, many new systems are resulting in a product that actually protects the environment and can be done at industrial levels without the use of antibiotics.

Centralization of dairy farming facilities for improved economics and environmental quality.

PubMed

Inaba, Rokuta; Furuichi, Tohru; Komatsu, Toshihiro; Tanikawa, Noboru; Ishii, Kazuei

2009-01-01

In Japan, most farm animal excreta has been stored directly on farmland. Runoff from this storage has often caused water pollution. Biogasification is anticipated as an important technology to manage excreta properly, but complex problems hinder its introduction. Economic aspects of management have been especially difficult for dairy farmers. For this study, structural problems regarding introduction of biogasification into dairy farming were identified. Subsequently, a desirable system of dairy farming including biogasification was suggested, and an evaluation model of the financial balance was constructed. A case study using current financial balances of several systems of dairy farming was evaluated using the constructed model and actual data. The systems were based on several policy alternatives including the suggested system mentioned above. Results show that a farmer can obtain sufficient income from a system featuring centralization of dairy housing and biogasification facilities and coordinated management by over six farmers.

Farm-level feasibility of bioenergy depends on variations across multiple sectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myhre, Mitchell; Barford, Carol

2013-03-01

The potential supply of bioenergy from farm-grown biomass is uncertain due to several poorly understood or volatile factors, including land availability, yield variability, and energy prices. Although biomass production for liquid fuel has received more attention, here we present a case study of biomass production for renewable heat and power in the state of Wisconsin (US), where heating constitutes at least 30% of total energy demand. Using three bioenergy systems (50 kW, 8.8 MW and 50 MW) and Wisconsin farm-level data, we determined the net farm income effect of producing switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) as a feedstock, either for on-farm use (50 kW system) or for sale to an off-farm energy system operator (8.8 and 50 MW systems). In southern counties, where switchgrass yields approach 10 Mg ha-1 yr-1, the main determinants of economic feasibility were the available land area per farm, the ability to utilize bioheat, and opportunity cost assumptions. Switchgrass yield temporal variability was less important. For the state median farm size and switchgrass yield, at least 25% (50 kW system) or 50% (8.8 MW system) bioheat utilization was required to economically offset propane or natural gas heat, respectively, and purchased electricity. Offsetting electricity only (50 MW system) did not generate enough revenue to meet switchgrass production expenses. Although the opportunity cost of small-scale (50 kW) on-farm bioenergy generation was higher, it also held greater opportunity for increasing farm net income, especially by replacing propane-based heat.

12 CFR 652.75 - Your responsibility for determining the risk-based capital level.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Your responsibility for determining the risk-based capital level. 652.75 Section 652.75 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM FEDERAL AGRICULTURAL MORTGAGE CORPORATION FUNDING AND FISCAL AFFAIRS Risk-Based Capital...

12 CFR 652.70 - Risk-based capital level.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... risk-based capital level is the sum of the following amounts: (a) Credit and interest rate risk. The... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Risk-based capital level. 652.70 Section 652.70 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM FEDERAL AGRICULTURAL MORTGAGE...

Yield and Economic Performance of Organic and Conventional Cotton-Based Farming Systems – Results from a Field Trial in India

PubMed Central

Forster, Dionys; Andres, Christian; Verma, Rajeev; Zundel, Christine; Messmer, Monika M.; Mäder, Paul

2013-01-01

The debate on the relative benefits of conventional and organic farming systems has in recent time gained significant interest. So far, global agricultural development has focused on increased productivity rather than on a holistic natural resource management for food security. Thus, developing more sustainable farming practices on a large scale is of utmost importance. However, information concerning the performance of farming systems under organic and conventional management in tropical and subtropical regions is scarce. This study presents agronomic and economic data from the conversion phase (2007–2010) of a farming systems comparison trial on a Vertisol soil in Madhya Pradesh, central India. A cotton-soybean-wheat crop rotation under biodynamic, organic and conventional (with and without Bt cotton) management was investigated. We observed a significant yield gap between organic and conventional farming systems in the 1st crop cycle (cycle 1: 2007–2008) for cotton (−29%) and wheat (−27%), whereas in the 2nd crop cycle (cycle 2: 2009–2010) cotton and wheat yields were similar in all farming systems due to lower yields in the conventional systems. In contrast, organic soybean (a nitrogen fixing leguminous plant) yields were marginally lower than conventional yields (−1% in cycle 1, −11% in cycle 2). Averaged across all crops, conventional farming systems achieved significantly higher gross margins in cycle 1 (+29%), whereas in cycle 2 gross margins in organic farming systems were significantly higher (+25%) due to lower variable production costs but similar yields. Soybean gross margin was significantly higher in the organic system (+11%) across the four harvest years compared to the conventional systems. Our results suggest that organic soybean production is a viable option for smallholder farmers under the prevailing semi-arid conditions in India. Future research needs to elucidate the long-term productivity and profitability, particularly of cotton and wheat, and the ecological impact of the different farming systems. PMID:24324659

Yield and economic performance of organic and conventional cotton-based farming systems--results from a field trial in India.

PubMed

Forster, Dionys; Andres, Christian; Verma, Rajeev; Zundel, Christine; Messmer, Monika M; Mäder, Paul

2013-01-01

The debate on the relative benefits of conventional and organic farming systems has in recent time gained significant interest. So far, global agricultural development has focused on increased productivity rather than on a holistic natural resource management for food security. Thus, developing more sustainable farming practices on a large scale is of utmost importance. However, information concerning the performance of farming systems under organic and conventional management in tropical and subtropical regions is scarce. This study presents agronomic and economic data from the conversion phase (2007-2010) of a farming systems comparison trial on a Vertisol soil in Madhya Pradesh, central India. A cotton-soybean-wheat crop rotation under biodynamic, organic and conventional (with and without Bt cotton) management was investigated. We observed a significant yield gap between organic and conventional farming systems in the 1(st) crop cycle (cycle 1: 2007-2008) for cotton (-29%) and wheat (-27%), whereas in the 2(nd) crop cycle (cycle 2: 2009-2010) cotton and wheat yields were similar in all farming systems due to lower yields in the conventional systems. In contrast, organic soybean (a nitrogen fixing leguminous plant) yields were marginally lower than conventional yields (-1% in cycle 1, -11% in cycle 2). Averaged across all crops, conventional farming systems achieved significantly higher gross margins in cycle 1 (+29%), whereas in cycle 2 gross margins in organic farming systems were significantly higher (+25%) due to lower variable production costs but similar yields. Soybean gross margin was significantly higher in the organic system (+11%) across the four harvest years compared to the conventional systems. Our results suggest that organic soybean production is a viable option for smallholder farmers under the prevailing semi-arid conditions in India. Future research needs to elucidate the long-term productivity and profitability, particularly of cotton and wheat, and the ecological impact of the different farming systems.

The effect of organic farming systems on species diversity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leksono, Amin Setyo

2017-11-01

Organic farming systems have been well known to support the diversity of a wide range of taxa, including microorganisms, arable flora, invertebrates, birds, and mammals, which benefit from organic management leading to increases in abundance and/or species richness. The objective of this paper is to review the effect of organic farming on species diversity reported in several articles and compare this with the current study in Gondanglegi, Malang. A review of several studies showed that organic farming systems have been reported to increase species diversity, including that of mammals, birds, arthropods, vascular plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. The researchers about arthropod groups consisted of carabid beetles, butterflies, wasps, predators, and bees. Agricultural landscape, habitat type, farming system, landscape composition and connectivity all contribute to explaining species biodiversity and richness. Moreover, based on current and relevant studies, the results showed that the application of refugia blocks has increased arthropod diversity and composition.

Environmental and economic comparisons of manure application methods in farming systems.

PubMed

Rotz, C A; Kleinman, P J A; Dell, C J; Veith, T L; Beegle, D B

2011-01-01

Alternative methods for applying livestock manure to no-till soils involve environmental and economic trade-offs. A process-level farm simulation model (Integrated Farm System Model) was used to evaluate methods for applying liquid dairy (Bos taurus L.) and swine (Sus scrofa L.) manure, including no application, broadcast spreading with and without incorporation by tillage, band application with soil aeration, and shallow disk injection. The model predicted ammonia emissions, nitrate leaching, and phosphorus (P) runoff losses similar to those measured over 4 yr of field trials. Each application method was simulated over 25 yr of weather on three Pennsylvania farms. On a swine and cow-calf beef operation under grass production, shallow disk injection increased profit by $340 yr(-1) while reducing ammonia nitrogen and soluble P losses by 48 and 70%, respectively. On a corn (Zea mays L.)-and-grass-based grazing dairy farm, shallow disk injection reduced ammonia loss by 21% and soluble P loss by 76% with little impact on farm profit. Incorporation by tillage and band application with aeration provided less environmental benefit with a net decrease in farm profit. On a large corn-and-alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)-based dairy farm where manure nutrients were available in excess of crop needs, incorporation methods were not economically beneficial, but they provided environmental benefits with relatively low annual net costs ($13 to $18 cow). In all farming systems, shallow disk injection provided the greatest environmental benefit at the least cost or greatest profit for the producer. With these results, producers are better informed when selecting manure application equipment.

Study of the ubiquitous hog farm system using wireless sensor networks for environmental monitoring and facilities control.

PubMed

Hwang, Jeonghwan; Yoe, Hyun

2010-01-01

Many hog farmers are now suffering from high pig mortality rates due to various wasting diseases and increased breeding costs, etc. It is therefore necessary for hog farms to implement systematic and scientific pig production technology to increase productivity and produce high quality pork in order to solve these problems. In this study, we describe such a technology by suggesting a ubiquitous hog farm system which applies WSN (Wireless Sensor Network) technology to the pig industry. We suggest that a WSN and CCTV (Closed-circuit television) should be installed on hog farms to collect environmental and image information which shall then help producers not only in monitoring the hog farm via the Web from outside the farm, but also facilitate the control of hog farm facilities in remote locations. In addition, facilities can be automatically controlled based on breeding environment parameters which are already set up and a SMS notice service to notify of deviations shall provide users with convenience. Hog farmers may increase production and improve pork quality through this ubiquitous hog farm system and prepare a database with information collected from environmental factors and the hog farm control devices, which is expected to provide information needed to design and implement suitable control strategies for hog farm operation.

Study of the Ubiquitous Hog Farm System Using Wireless Sensor Networks for Environmental Monitoring and Facilities Control

PubMed Central

Hwang, Jeonghwan; Yoe, Hyun

2010-01-01

Many hog farmers are now suffering from high pig mortality rates due to various wasting diseases and increased breeding costs, etc. It is therefore necessary for hog farms to implement systematic and scientific pig production technology to increase productivity and produce high quality pork in order to solve these problems. In this study, we describe such a technology by suggesting a ubiquitous hog farm system which applies WSN (Wireless Sensor Network) technology to the pig industry. We suggest that a WSN and CCTV (Closed-circuit television) should be installed on hog farms to collect environmental and image information which shall then help producers not only in monitoring the hog farm via the Web from outside the farm, but also facilitate the control of hog farm facilities in remote locations. In addition, facilities can be automatically controlled based on breeding environment parameters which are already set up and a SMS notice service to notify of deviations shall provide users with convenience. Hog farmers may increase production and improve pork quality through this ubiquitous hog farm system and prepare a database with information collected from environmental factors and the hog farm control devices, which is expected to provide information needed to design and implement suitable control strategies for hog farm operation. PMID:22163497

SIMS(DAIRY): a modelling framework to identify sustainable dairy farms in the UK. Framework description and test for organic systems and N fertiliser optimisation.

PubMed

Del Prado, A; Misselbrook, T; Chadwick, D; Hopkins, A; Dewhurst, R J; Davison, P; Butler, A; Schröder, J; Scholefield, D

2011-09-01

Multiple demands are placed on farming systems today. Society, national legislation and market forces seek what could be seen as conflicting outcomes from our agricultural systems, e.g. food quality, affordable prices, a healthy environmental, consideration of animal welfare, biodiversity etc., Many of these demands, or desirable outcomes, are interrelated, so reaching one goal may often compromise another and, importantly, pose a risk to the economic viability of the farm. SIMS(DAIRY), a farm-scale model, was used to explore this complexity for dairy farm systems. SIMS(DAIRY) integrates existing approaches to simulate the effect of interactions between farm management, climate and soil characteristics on losses of nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon. The effects on farm profitability and attributes of biodiversity, milk quality, soil quality and animal welfare are also included. SIMS(DAIRY) can also be used to optimise fertiliser N. In this paper we discuss some limitations and strengths of using SIMS(DAIRY) compared to other modelling approaches and propose some potential improvements. Using the model we evaluated the sustainability of organic dairy systems compared with conventional dairy farms under non-optimised and optimised fertiliser N use. Model outputs showed for example, that organic dairy systems based on grass-clover swards and maize silage resulted in much smaller total GHG emissions per l of milk and slightly smaller losses of NO(3) leaching and NO(x) emissions per l of milk compared with the grassland/maize-based conventional systems. These differences were essentially because the conventional systems rely on indirect energy use for 'fixing' N compared with biological N fixation for the organic systems. SIMS(DAIRY) runs also showed some other potential benefits from the organic systems compared with conventional systems in terms of financial performance and soil quality and biodiversity scores. Optimisation of fertiliser N timings and rates showed a considerable scope to reduce the (GHG emissions per l milk too). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

12 CFR 652.85 - When to report the risk-based capital level.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false When to report the risk-based capital level. 652.85 Section 652.85 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM FEDERAL AGRICULTURAL MORTGAGE CORPORATION FUNDING AND FISCAL AFFAIRS Risk-Based Capital Requirements § 652.85 When to...

12 CFR 652.90 - How to report your risk-based capital determination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false How to report your risk-based capital determination. 652.90 Section 652.90 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM FEDERAL AGRICULTURAL MORTGAGE CORPORATION FUNDING AND FISCAL AFFAIRS Risk-Based Capital Requirements § 652.90 How to...

A study of biohazard protection for farming modules of lunar base CELSS.

PubMed

Fujii, T; Midorikawa, Y; Shiba, M; Terai, M; Omasa, K; Nitta, K

1992-01-01

For the Closed Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) of a manned lunar base which is planned to be built on the moon early in the 21st century, several proposed programs exist to grow vegetables inside a farming module. At the 40th IAF (Malaga, 1989) the author et al presented a proposal for supplying food and nutrients to a crew of eight members, a basic concept which is based on growing four kinds of vegetables. This paper describes measures for biohazard protection in farming modules. In this study, biohazard protection means prevention of the dispersion of plant diseases to other plant species or other portions of farming beds.

Integration of ecosystem services into the carbon footprint of milk of South German dairy farms.

PubMed

Robert Kiefer, Lukas; Menzel, Friederike; Bahrs, Enno

2015-04-01

Allocation of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) is challenging especially when multi-functionality of dairy farms, which do not only produce milk but also meat is considered. Moreover, some farms fulfill a wide range of additional services for society such as management of renewable natural resources as well as preservation of biodiversity and cultural landscapes. Due to the increasing degradation of ecosystems many industrialized as well as developing countries designed payment systems for environmental services. This study examines different allocation methods of GHG for a comparatively large convenience sample of 113 dairy farms located in grassland-based areas of southern Germany. Results are carbon footprints of 1.99 kg CO2eq/kg of fat and protein corrected milk (FPCM) on average if "no allocation" for coupled products is performed. "Physical allocation" results in 1.53 kg CO2eq/kg FPCM and "conventional economic allocation" in 1.66 kg CO2eq/kg FPCM on average if emissions are apportioned between milk and meat. Economic allocation which includes ecosystem services for society based on the farm net income as a new aspect in this study results in a carbon footprint of 1.5 kg CO2eq/kg FPCM on average. System expansion that puts greater emphasis on coupled beef production accounts for a carbon footprint of 0.68 kg CO2eq/kg FPCM on average. Intense milk production systems with higher milk yields show better results based on "no allocation", "physical allocation" and "conventional economic allocation". By contrast, economic allocation, which takes into account ecosystem services favors extensive systems, especially in less favored areas. This shows that carbon footprints of dairy farms should not be examined one-dimensionally based on the amount of milk and meat that is produced on the farm. Rather, a broader perspective is necessary that takes into account the multi-functionality of dairy farms especially in countries where a wide range of ecosystem services is provided. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of inter-annual variability in pasture growth and irrigation response on farm productivity and profitability based on biophysical and farm systems modelling.

PubMed

Vogeler, Iris; Mackay, Alec; Vibart, Ronaldo; Rendel, John; Beautrais, Josef; Dennis, Samuel

2016-09-15

Farm system and nutrient budget models are increasingly being used in analysis to inform on farm decision making and evaluate land use policy options at regional scales. These analyses are generally based on the use of average annual pasture yields. In New Zealand (NZ), like in many countries, there is considerable inter-annual variation in pasture growth rates, due to climate. In this study a modelling approach was used to (i) include inter-annual variability as an integral part of the analysis and (ii) test the approach in an economic analysis of irrigation in a case study within the Hawkes Bay Region of New Zealand. The Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM) was used to generate pasture dry matter yields (DMY) for 20 different years and under both dryland and irrigation. The generated DMY were linked to outputs from farm-scale modelling for both Sheep and Beef Systems (Farmaxx Pro) and Dairy Systems (Farmax® Dairy Pro) to calculate farm production over 20 different years. Variation in DMY and associated livestock production due to inter-annual variation in climate was large, with a coefficient of variations up to 20%. Irrigation decreased this inter-annual variation. On average irrigation, with unlimited available water, increased income by $831 to 1195/ha, but when irrigation was limited to 250mm/ha/year income only increased by $525 to 883/ha. Using pasture responses in individual years to capturing the inter-annual variation, rather than the pasture response averaged over 20years resulted in lower financial benefits. In the case study income from irrigation based on an average year were 10 to >20% higher compared with those obtained from individual years. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

12 CFR 652.55 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false General. 652.55 Section 652.55 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM FEDERAL AGRICULTURAL MORTGAGE CORPORATION FUNDING AND FISCAL AFFAIRS Risk-Based Capital Requirements § 652.55 General. You must hold risk-based capital...

12 CFR 652.95 - Failure to meet capital requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Section 652.95 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM FEDERAL AGRICULTURAL MORTGAGE CORPORATION FUNDING AND FISCAL AFFAIRS Risk-Based Capital Requirements § 652.95 Failure to meet... your risk-based capital level calculated according to § 652.65, your minimum capital requirements...

Role of self-sufficiency, productivity and diversification on the economic sustainability of farming systems with autochthonous sheep breeds in less favoured areas in Southern Europe.

PubMed

Ripoll-Bosch, R; Joy, M; Bernués, A

2014-08-01

Traditional mixed livestock cereal- and pasture-based sheep farming systems in Europe are threatened by intensification and specialisation processes. However, the intensification process does not always yield improved economic results or efficiency. This study involved a group of farmers that raised an autochthonous sheep breed (Ojinegra de Teruel) in an unfavourable area of North-East Spain. This study aimed to typify the farms and elucidate the existing links between economic performance and certain sustainability indicators (i.e. productivity, self-sufficiency and diversification). Information was obtained through direct interviews with 30 farms (73% of the farmers belonging to the breeders association). Interviews were conducted in 2009 and involved 32 indicators regarding farm structure, management and economic performance. With a principal component analysis, three factors were obtained explaining 77.9% of the original variance. This factors were named as inputs/self-sufficiency, which included the use of on-farm feeds, the amount of variable costs per ewe and economic performance; productivity, which included lamb productivity and economic autonomy; and productive orientation, which included the degree of specialisation in production. A cluster analysis identified the following four groups of farms: high-input intensive system; low-input self-sufficient system; specialised livestock system; and diversified crops-livestock system. In conclusion, despite the large variability between and within groups, the following factors that explain the economic profitability of farms were identified: (i) high feed self-sufficiency and low variable costs enhance the economic performance (per labour unit) of the farms; (ii) animal productivity reduces subsidy dependence, but does not necessarily imply better economic performance; and (iii) diversity of production enhances farm flexibility, but is not related to economic performance.

Analysis and model on space-time characteristics of wind power output based on the measured wind speed data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Wenhui; Feng, Changyou; Qu, Jixian; Zha, Hao; Ke, Dan

2018-02-01

Most of the existing studies on wind power output focus on the fluctuation of wind farms and the spatial self-complementary of wind power output time series was ignored. Therefore the existing probability models can’t reflect the features of power system incorporating wind farms. This paper analyzed the spatial self-complementary of wind power and proposed a probability model which can reflect temporal characteristics of wind power on seasonal and diurnal timescales based on sufficient measured data and improved clustering method. This model could provide important reference for power system simulation incorporating wind farms.

Environmental performances of Sardinian dairy sheep production systems at different input levels.

PubMed

Vagnoni, E; Franca, A; Breedveld, L; Porqueddu, C; Ferrara, R; Duce, P

2015-01-01

Although sheep milk production is a significant sector for the European Mediterranean countries, it shows serious competitiveness gaps. Minimizing the ecological impacts of dairy sheep farming systems could represent a key factor for farmers to bridging the gaps in competitiveness of such systems and also obtaining public incentives. However, scarce is the knowledge about the environmental performance of Mediterranean dairy sheep farms. The main objectives of this paper were (i) to compare the environmental impacts of sheep milk production from three dairy farms in Sardinia (Italy), characterized by different input levels, and (ii) to identify the hotspots for improving the environmental performances of each farm, by using a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach. The LCA was conducted using two different assessment methods: Carbon Footprint-IPCC and ReCiPe end-point. The analysis, conducted "from cradle to gate", was based on the functional unit 1 kg of Fat and Protein Corrected Milk (FPCM). The observed trends of the environmental performances of the studied farming systems were similar for both evaluation methods. The GHG emissions revealed a little range of variation (from 2.0 to 2.3 kg CO2-eq per kg of FPCM) with differences between farming systems being not significant. The ReCiPe end-point analysis showed a larger range of values and environmental performances of the low-input farm were significantly different compared to the medium- and high-input farms. In general, enteric methane emissions, field operations, electricity and production of agricultural machineries were the most relevant processes in determining the overall environmental performances of farms. Future research will be dedicated to (i) explore and better define the environmental implications of the land use impact category in the Mediterranean sheep farming systems, and (ii) contribute to revising and improving the existing LCA dataset for Mediterranean farming systems. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Calculator for Grain and Biofuel Farming Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McSwiney, Claire P.; Bohm, Sven; Grace, Peter R.; Robertson, G. Philip

2010-01-01

Opportunities for farmers to participate in greenhouse gas (GHG) credit markets require that growers, students, extension educators, offset aggregators, and other stakeholders understand the impact of agricultural practices on GHG emissions. The Farming Systems Greenhouse Gas Emissions Calculator, a web-based tool linked to the SOCRATES soil…

Investment appraisal of automatic milking and conventional milking technologies in a pasture-based dairy system.

PubMed

Shortall, J; Shalloo, L; Foley, C; Sleator, R D; O'Brien, B

2016-09-01

The successful integration of automatic milking (AM) systems and grazing has resulted in AM becoming a feasible alternative to conventional milking (CM) in pasture-based systems. The objective of this study was to identify the profitability of AM in a pasture-based system, relative to CM herringbone parlors with 2 different levels of automation, across 2 farm sizes, over a 10-yr period following initial investment. The scenarios which were evaluated were (1) a medium farm milking 70 cows twice daily, with 1 AM unit, a 12-unit CM medium-specification (MS) parlor and a 12-unit CM high-specification (HS) parlor, and (2) a large farm milking 140 cows twice daily with 2 AM units, a 20-unit CM MS parlor and a 20-unit CM HS parlor. A stochastic whole-farm budgetary simulation model combined capital investment costs and annual labor and maintenance costs for each investment scenario, with each scenario evaluated using multiple financial metrics, such as annual net profit, annual net cash flow, total discounted net profitability, total discounted net cash flow, and return on investment. The capital required for each investment was financed from borrowings at an interest rate of 5% and repaid over 10-yr, whereas milking equipment and building infrastructure were depreciated over 10 and 20 yr, respectively. A supporting labor audit (conducted on both AM and CM farms) showed a 36% reduction in labor demand associated with AM. However, despite this reduction in labor, MS CM technologies consistently achieved greater profitability, irrespective of farm size. The AM system achieved intermediate profitability at medium farm size; it was 0.5% less profitable than HS technology at the large farm size. The difference in profitability was greatest in the years after the initial investment. This study indicated that although milking with AM was less profitable than MS technologies, it was competitive when compared with a CM parlor of similar technology. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

12 CFR 652.80 - When you must determine the risk-based capital level.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false When you must determine the risk-based capital level. 652.80 Section 652.80 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM FEDERAL AGRICULTURAL MORTGAGE CORPORATION FUNDING AND FISCAL AFFAIRS Risk-Based Capital Requirements § 652.80 When you...

Is agritourism eco-friendly? A comparison between agritourisms and other farms in Italy using farm accountancy data network dataset.

PubMed

Mastronardi, Luigi; Giaccio, Vincenzo; Giannelli, Agostino; Scardera, Alfonso

2015-01-01

This paper presents the results of research regarding the environmental performances of Italian farms with agritourism compared with farms without agritourism. In Italy, agritourism is considered an agricultural activity and can only be performed by a farmer. Moreover, Italian national legislation forces the farmer to dedicate himself mainly to traditional farming, rather than to tourism activities. For this reason, environmental performances have been highlighted by analyzing only features and production systems of the farms. By utilizing the most frequent indicators used in studies regarding sustainability, the authors show how Italian agritourisms tend to develop more environmentally friendly agricultural methods, which have a positive impact on biodiversity, landscape and natural resources. The empirical analysis is based on the Italian FADN (Farm Accountancy Data Network) dataset. The European FADN was created to represent farms' technical and economic operation in the European Union and on which it drafts the agricultural and rural policies. The dichotomous structure of the dependent variable (presence or absence of agritourism at the farm) has a propensity for an assessment method based on Binary Response Model Regression.

A Method for Semi-quantitative Assessment of Exposure to Pesticides of Applicators and Re-entry Workers: An Application in Three Farming Systems in Ethiopia.

PubMed

Negatu, Beyene; Vermeulen, Roel; Mekonnen, Yalemtshay; Kromhout, Hans

2016-07-01

To develop an inexpensive and easily adaptable semi-quantitative exposure assessment method to characterize exposure to pesticide in applicators and re-entry farmers and farm workers in Ethiopia. Two specific semi-quantitative exposure algorithms for pesticides applicators and re-entry workers were developed and applied to 601 farm workers employed in 3 distinctly different farming systems [small-scale irrigated, large-scale greenhouses (LSGH), and large-scale open (LSO)] in Ethiopia. The algorithm for applicators was based on exposure-modifying factors including application methods, farm layout (open or closed), pesticide mixing conditions, cleaning of spraying equipment, intensity of pesticide application per day, utilization of personal protective equipment (PPE), personal hygienic behavior, annual frequency of application, and duration of employment at the farm. The algorithm for re-entry work was based on an expert-based re-entry exposure intensity score, utilization of PPE, personal hygienic behavior, annual frequency of re-entry work, and duration of employment at the farm. The algorithms allowed estimation of daily, annual and cumulative lifetime exposure for applicators, and re-entry workers by farming system, by gender, and by age group. For all metrics, highest exposures occurred in LSGH for both applicators and female re-entry workers. For male re-entry workers, highest cumulative exposure occurred in LSO farms. Female re-entry workers appeared to be higher exposed on a daily or annual basis than male re-entry workers, but their cumulative exposures were similar due to the fact that on average males had longer tenure. Factors related to intensity of exposure (like application method and farm layout) were indicated as the main driving factors for estimated potential exposure. Use of personal protection, hygienic behavior, and duration of employment in surveyed farm workers contributed less to the contrast in exposure estimates. This study indicated that farmers' and farm workers' exposure to pesticides can be inexpensively characterized, ranked, and classified. Our method could be extended to assess exposure to specific active ingredients provided that detailed information on pesticides used is available. The resulting exposure estimates will consequently be used in occupational epidemiology studies in Ethiopia and other similar countries with few resources. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.

Customized recommendations for production management clusters of North American automatic milking systems.

PubMed

Tremblay, Marlène; Hess, Justin P; Christenson, Brock M; McIntyre, Kolby K; Smink, Ben; van der Kamp, Arjen J; de Jong, Lisanne G; Döpfer, Dörte

2016-07-01

Automatic milking systems (AMS) are implemented in a variety of situations and environments. Consequently, there is a need to characterize individual farming practices and regional challenges to streamline management advice and objectives for producers. Benchmarking is often used in the dairy industry to compare farms by computing percentile ranks of the production values of groups of farms. Grouping for conventional benchmarking is commonly limited to the use of a few factors such as farms' geographic region or breed of cattle. We hypothesized that herds' production data and management information could be clustered in a meaningful way using cluster analysis and that this clustering approach would yield better peer groups of farms than benchmarking methods based on criteria such as country, region, breed, or breed and region. By applying mixed latent-class model-based cluster analysis to 529 North American AMS dairy farms with respect to 18 significant risk factors, 6 clusters were identified. Each cluster (i.e., peer group) represented unique management styles, challenges, and production patterns. When compared with peer groups based on criteria similar to the conventional benchmarking standards, the 6 clusters better predicted milk produced (kilograms) per robot per day. Each cluster represented a unique management and production pattern that requires specialized advice. For example, cluster 1 farms were those that recently installed AMS robots, whereas cluster 3 farms (the most northern farms) fed high amounts of concentrates through the robot to compensate for low-energy feed in the bunk. In addition to general recommendations for farms within a cluster, individual farms can generate their own specific goals by comparing themselves to farms within their cluster. This is very comparable to benchmarking but adds the specific characteristics of the peer group, resulting in better farm management advice. The improvement that cluster analysis allows for is characterized by the multivariable approach and the fact that comparisons between production units can be accomplished within a cluster and between clusters as a choice. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Whole-farm models to quantify greenhouse gas emissions and their potential use for linking climate change mitigation and adaptation in temperate grassland ruminant-based farming systems.

PubMed

Del Prado, A; Crosson, P; Olesen, J E; Rotz, C A

2013-06-01

The farm level is the most appropriate scale for evaluating options for mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, because the farm represents the unit at which management decisions in livestock production are made. To date, a number of whole farm modelling approaches have been developed to quantify GHG emissions and explore climate change mitigation strategies for livestock systems. This paper analyses the limitations and strengths of the different existing approaches for modelling GHG mitigation by considering basic model structures, approaches for simulating GHG emissions from various farm components and the sensitivity of GHG outputs and mitigation measures to different approaches. Potential challenges for linking existing models with the simulation of impacts and adaptation measures under climate change are explored along with a brief discussion of the effects on other ecosystem services.

Impact of preceding crop on alfalfa competitiveness with weeds

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Organic producers would like to include no-till practices in their farming systems. We are seeking to develop a continuous no-till system for organic farming, based on a complex rotation that includes a 3-year sequence of alfalfa. In this study, we evaluated impact of preceding crop on weed infest...

Wind farm topology-finding algorithm considering performance, costs, and environmental impacts.

PubMed

Tazi, Nacef; Chatelet, Eric; Bouzidi, Youcef; Meziane, Rachid

2017-06-05

Optimal power in wind farms turns to be a modern problem for investors and decision makers; onshore wind farms are subject to performance and economic and environmental constraints. The aim of this work is to define the best installed capacity (best topology) with maximum performance and profits and consider environmental impacts as well. In this article, we continue the work recently done on wind farm topology-finding algorithm. The proposed resolution technique is based on finding the best topology of the system that maximizes the wind farm performance (availability) under the constraints of costs and capital investments. Global warming potential of wind farm is calculated and taken into account in the results. A case study is done using data and constraints similar to those collected from wind farm constructors, managers, and maintainers. Multi-state systems (MSS), universal generating function (UGF), wind, and load charge functions are applied. An economic study was conducted to assess the wind farm investment. Net present value (NPV) and levelized cost of energy (LCOE) were calculated for best topologies found.

Copula-based models of systemic risk in U.S

Treesearch

Barry K. Goodwin; Ashley Hungerford Hungerford

2015-01-01

The federal crop insurance program has been a major fixture of U.S. agricultural policy since the 1930s, and continues to grow in size and importance. Indeed, it now represents the most prominent farm policy instrument, accounting for more government spending than any other farm commodity program. The 2014 Farm Bill further expanded the crop insurance program and...

Water use on nonirrigated pasture-based dairy farms: Combining detailed monitoring and modeling to set benchmarks.

PubMed

Higham, C D; Horne, D; Singh, R; Kuhn-Sherlock, B; Scarsbrook, M R

2017-01-01

Water use in intensively managed, confinement dairy systems has been widely studied, but few reports exist regarding water use on pasture-based dairy farms. The objective of this study was to quantify the seasonal pattern of water use to develop a prediction model of water use for pasture-based dairy farms. Stock drinking, milking parlor, and total water use was measured on 35 pasture-based, seasonal calving dairy farms in New Zealand over 2 yr. Average stock drinking water was 60 L/cow per day, with peak use in summer. We estimated that, on average, 26% of stock drinking water was lost through leakage from water-distribution systems. Average corrected stock drinking water (equivalent to voluntary water intake) was 36 L/cow per day, and peak water consumption was 72 L/cow per day in summer. Milking parlor water use increased sharply at the start of lactation (July) and plateaued (August) until summer (February), after which it decreased with decreasing milk production. Average milking parlor water use was 58 L/cow per day (between September and February). Water requirements were affected by parlor type, with rotary milking parlor water use greater than herringbone parlor water use. Regression models were developed to predict stock drinking and milking parlor water use. The models included a range of climate, farm, and milk production variables. The main drivers of stock drinking water use were maximum daily temperature, potential evapotranspiration, radiation, and yield of milk and milk components. The main drivers for milking parlor water use were average per cow milk production and milking frequency. These models of water use are similar to those used in confinement dairy systems, where milk yield is commonly used as a variable. The models presented fit the measured data more accurately than other published models and are easier to use on pasture-based dairy farms, as they do not include feed and variables that are difficult to measure on pasture-based farms. Copyright © 2017 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dairy farming on permanent grassland: can it keep up?

PubMed

Kellermann, M; Salhofer, K

2014-10-01

Based on an extensive data set for southern Germany, we compared the productive performance of dairy farms that operate solely on permanent grassland and dairy farms using fodder crops from arable land. We allowed for heterogeneous production technologies and identified more intensive and extensive production systems for both types of farms, whereby we based our notion of intensive versus extensive dairy production on differences in stocking density and milk yield per cow and year. To be able to compare the productivity levels and productivity developments of the various groups of farms, we developed a group- and chain-linked multilateral productivity index. We also analyzed how technical change, technical efficiency change, and a scale change effect contribute to productivity growth between the years 2000 and 2008. Our results revealed that permanent grassland farms can generally keep up with fodder-crop farms, even in an intensive production setting. However, extensively operating farms, especially those on permanent grassland, significantly lag behind in productivity and productivity change and run the risk of losing ground. Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Simulation of Intra- or transboundary surface-water-rights hierarchies using the farm process for MODFLOW-2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schmid, W.; Hanson, R.T.

2007-01-01

Water-rights driven surface-water allocations for irrigated agriculture can be simulated using the farm process for MODFLOW-2000. This paper describes and develops a model, which simulates routed surface-water deliveries to farms limited by streamflow, equal-appropriation allotments, or a ranked prior-appropriation system. Simulated diversions account for deliveries to all farms along a canal according to their water-rights ranking and for conveyance losses and gains. Simulated minimum streamflow requirements on diversions help guarantee supplies to senior farms located on downstream diverting canals. Prior appropriation can be applied to individual farms or to groups of farms modeled as "virtual farms" representing irrigation districts, irrigated regions in transboundary settings, or natural vegetation habitats. The integrated approach of jointly simulating canal diversions, surface-water deliveries subject to water-rights constraints, and groundwater allocations is verified on numerical experiments based on a realistic, but hypothetical, system of ranked virtual farms. Results are discussed in light of transboundary water appropriation and demonstrate the approach's suitability for simulating effects of water-rights hierarchies represented by international treaties, interstate stream compacts, intrastate water rights, or ecological requirements. ?? 2007 ASCE.

The BaBar Data Reconstruction Control System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ceseracciu, A

2005-04-20

The BaBar experiment is characterized by extremely high luminosity and very large volume of data produced and stored, with increasing computing requirements each year. To fulfill these requirements a Control System has been designed and developed for the offline distributed data reconstruction system. The control system described in this paper provides the performance and flexibility needed to manage a large number of small computing farms, and takes full benefit of OO design. The infrastructure is well isolated from the processing layer, it is generic and flexible, based on a light framework providing message passing and cooperative multitasking. The system ismore » distributed in a hierarchical way: the top-level system is organized in farms, farms in services, and services in subservices or code modules. It provides a powerful Finite State Machine framework to describe custom processing models in a simple regular language. This paper describes the design and evolution of this control system, currently in use at SLAC and Padova on {approx}450 CPUs organized in 9 farms.« less

The BaBar Data Reconstruction Control System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ceseracciu, A.; Piemontese, M.; Tehrani, F. S.; Pulliam, T. M.; Galeazzi, F.

2005-08-01

The BaBar experiment is characterized by extremely high luminosity and very large volume of data produced and stored, with increasing computing requirements each year. To fulfill these requirements a control system has been designed and developed for the offline distributed data reconstruction system. The control system described in this paper provides the performance and flexibility needed to manage a large number of small computing farms, and takes full benefit of object oriented (OO) design. The infrastructure is well isolated from the processing layer, it is generic and flexible, based on a light framework providing message passing and cooperative multitasking. The system is distributed in a hierarchical way: the top-level system is organized in farms, farms in services, and services in subservices or code modules. It provides a powerful finite state machine framework to describe custom processing models in a simple regular language. This paper describes the design and evolution of this control system, currently in use at SLAC and Padova on /spl sim/450 CPUs organized in nine farms.

12 CFR 615.5360 - Reconsideration based on change in circumstances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... circumstances. 615.5360 Section 615.5360 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM FUNDING AND FISCAL AFFAIRS, LOAN POLICIES AND OPERATIONS, AND FUNDING OPERATIONS Issuance of a Capital... shall continue in full force and effect. ...

12 CFR 615.5360 - Reconsideration based on change in circumstances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... circumstances. 615.5360 Section 615.5360 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM FUNDING AND FISCAL AFFAIRS, LOAN POLICIES AND OPERATIONS, AND FUNDING OPERATIONS Issuance of a Capital... shall continue in full force and effect. ...

12 CFR 615.5360 - Reconsideration based on change in circumstances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... circumstances. 615.5360 Section 615.5360 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM FUNDING AND FISCAL AFFAIRS, LOAN POLICIES AND OPERATIONS, AND FUNDING OPERATIONS Issuance of a Capital... shall continue in full force and effect. ...

12 CFR 615.5360 - Reconsideration based on change in circumstances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... circumstances. 615.5360 Section 615.5360 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM FUNDING AND FISCAL AFFAIRS, LOAN POLICIES AND OPERATIONS, AND FUNDING OPERATIONS Issuance of a Capital... shall continue in full force and effect. ...

12 CFR 615.5360 - Reconsideration based on change in circumstances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... circumstances. 615.5360 Section 615.5360 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM FUNDING AND FISCAL AFFAIRS, LOAN POLICIES AND OPERATIONS, AND FUNDING OPERATIONS Issuance of a Capital... shall continue in full force and effect. ...

Application of Static Var Compensator (SVC) With PI Controller for Grid Integration of Wind Farm Using Harmony Search

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keshta, H. E.; Ali, A. A.; Saied, E. M.; Bendary, F. M.

2016-10-01

Large-scale integration of wind turbine generators (WTGs) may have significant impacts on power system operation with respect to system frequency and bus voltages. This paper studies the effect of Static Var Compensator (SVC) connected to wind energy conversion system (WECS) on voltage profile and the power generated from the induction generator (IG) in wind farm. Also paper presents, a dynamic reactive power compensation using Static Var Compensator (SVC) at the a point of interconnection of wind farm while static compensation (Fixed Capacitor Bank) is unable to prevent voltage collapse. Moreover, this paper shows that using advanced optimization techniques based on artificial intelligence (AI) such as Harmony Search Algorithm (HS) and Self-Adaptive Global Harmony Search Algorithm (SGHS) instead of a Conventional Control Method to tune the parameters of PI controller for SVC and pitch angle. Also paper illustrates that the performance of the system with controllers based on AI is improved under different operating conditions. MATLAB/Simulink based simulation is utilized to demonstrate the application of SVC in wind farm integration. It is also carried out to investigate the enhancement in performance of the WECS achieved with a PI Controller tuned by Harmony Search Algorithm as compared to a Conventional Control Method.

Assessing risk factors in the organic control system: evidence from inspection data in Italy.

PubMed

Zanoli, Raffaele; Gambelli, Danilo; Solfanelli, Francesco

2014-12-01

Certification is an essential feature in organic farming, and it is based on inspections to verify compliance with respect to European Council Regulation-EC Reg. No 834/2007. A risk-based approach to noncompliance that alerts the control bodies to activate planning inspections would contribute to a more efficient and cost-effective certification system. An analysis of factors that can affect the probability of noncompliance in organic farming has thus been developed. This article examines the application of zero-inflated count data models to farm-level panel data from inspection results and sanctions obtained from the Ethical and Environmental Certification Institute, one of the main control bodies in Italy. We tested many a priori hypotheses related to the risk of noncompliance. We find evidence of an important role for past noncompliant behavior in predicting future noncompliance, while farm size and the occurrence of livestock also have roles in an increased probability of noncompliance. We conclude the article proposing that an efficient risk-based inspection system should be designed, weighting up the known probability of occurrence of a given noncompliance according to the severity of its impact. © 2014 Society for Risk Analysis.

Antimicrobial usage and risk of retreatment for mild to moderate clinical mastitis cases on dairy farms following on-farm bacterial culture and selective therapy.

PubMed

McDougall, S; Niethammer, J; Graham, E M

2018-03-01

To assess antimicrobial usage for treatment of mild to moderate clinical mastitis, and risk of retreatment, following implementation of an on-farm bacterial culture system and selective therapy based on culture results, and to assess compliance with treatment decision tree protocols and the level of agreement between results from on-farm culture and laboratory-based microbiology methods. Herdowners from seven dairy herds were asked to collect milk samples from cases of mild to moderate clinical mastitis between July 2015 and May 2016. All samples were cultured on-farm using a commercially available selective media and were also submitted for laboratory-based culture. Within sequential pairs of cows with mastitis, half were assigned to be treated without regard to culture results (Blanket group), and half were treated based on the on-farm culture results (Selective group) according to decision tree diagrams provided to the farmers. Culture results, treatments, and retreatments for clinical mastitis were recorded. The sum of the daily doses of antimicrobials used per cow, the number of retreatments and interval to first retreatment were compared between treatment groups. The geometric mean sum of daily doses for quarters assigned to the Selective (1.72 (95% CI=1.55-1.90)) group was lower than for the Blanket (2.38 (95% CI=2.17-2.60)) group (p=0.005). The percentage of cows retreated for clinical mastitis did not differ between the Selective (21.7 (95% CI=10.5-25.9)%) and Blanket (26.1 (95% CI=20.9-31.3)%) groups (p=0.13), and there was no difference between groups in the hazard that cows would be retreated within 60 days of enrolment (hazard ratio=0.82 (95% CI=0.39-1.69); p=0.59). Compliance with the treatment protocols was higher amongst quarters assigned to the Selective (199/233; 85.4%) compared with the Blanket (171/249; 68.7%) group (p<0.001), and varied between farms from 64-94%. The overall agreement between results from on-farm and laboratory culture was 188/331 (56.9%; kappa=0.31; p<0.001), but varied between farms from 44.7-88.2% (p<0.001). Use of on-farm culture with selective antimicrobial therapy resulted in approximately 25% lower antimicrobial usage, but was not associated with an increase in the proportion of cows retreated for clinical mastitis. This study has demonstrated that on-farm culture and selective therapy based on culture results can be implemented on-farm. However, farms varied in their implementation of both the treatment protocols and microbiology procedures. Where such systems are to be used on-farm, specific training and on-going monitoring is required.

The effect of stocking rate on soil solution nitrate concentrations beneath a free-draining dairy production system in Ireland.

PubMed

McCarthy, J; Delaby, L; Hennessy, D; McCarthy, B; Ryan, W; Pierce, K M; Brennan, A; Horan, B

2015-06-01

Economically viable and productive farming systems are required to meet the growing worldwide need for agricultural produce while at the same time reducing environmental impact. Within grazing systems of animal production, increasing concern exists as to the effect of intensive farming on potential N losses to ground and surface waters, which demands an appraisal of N flows within complete grass-based dairy farming systems. A 3-yr (2011 to 2013) whole-farm system study was conducted on a free-draining soil type that is highly susceptible to N loss under temperate maritime conditions. Soil solution concentrations of N from 3 spring-calving, grass-based systems designed to represent 3 alternative whole-farm stocking rate (SR) treatments in a post-milk quota situation in the European Union were compared: low (2.51 cows/ha), medium (2.92 cows/ha), and high SR (3.28 cows/ha). Each SR had its own farmlet containing 18 paddocks and 23 cows. Nitrogen loss from each treatment was measured using ceramic cups installed to a depth of 1m to sample the soil water. The annual and monthly average nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, and total N concentrations in soil solution collected were analyzed for each year using a repeated measures analysis. Subsequently, and based on the biological data collated from each farm system treatment within each year, the efficiency of N use was evaluated using an N balance model. Based on similar N inputs, increasing SR resulted in increased grazing efficiency and milk production per hectare. Stocking rate had no significant effect on soil solution concentrations of nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, or total N (26.0, 0.2, 2.4, and 32.3 mg/L, respectively). An N balance model evaluation of each treatment incorporating input and output data indicated that the increased grass utilization and milk production per hectare at higher SR resulted in a reduction in N surplus and increased N use efficiency. The results highlight the possibility for the sustainable intensification of grass-based dairy systems and suggest that, at the same level of N inputs, increasing SR has little effect on N loss in pastoral systems with limited imported feed. These results suggest that greater emphasis should be attributed to increased grass production and utilization under grazing to further improve the environmental impact of grazing systems. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A mechanistic model for electricity consumption on dairy farms: definition, validation, and demonstration.

PubMed

Upton, J; Murphy, M; Shalloo, L; Groot Koerkamp, P W G; De Boer, I J M

2014-01-01

Our objective was to define and demonstrate a mechanistic model that enables dairy farmers to explore the impact of a technical or managerial innovation on electricity consumption, associated CO2 emissions, and electricity costs. We, therefore, (1) defined a model for electricity consumption on dairy farms (MECD) capable of simulating total electricity consumption along with related CO2 emissions and electricity costs on dairy farms on a monthly basis; (2) validated the MECD using empirical data of 1yr on commercial spring calving, grass-based dairy farms with 45, 88, and 195 milking cows; and (3) demonstrated the functionality of the model by applying 2 electricity tariffs to the electricity consumption data and examining the effect on total dairy farm electricity costs. The MECD was developed using a mechanistic modeling approach and required the key inputs of milk production, cow number, and details relating to the milk-cooling system, milking machine system, water-heating system, lighting systems, water pump systems, and the winter housing facilities as well as details relating to the management of the farm (e.g., season of calving). Model validation showed an overall relative prediction error (RPE) of less than 10% for total electricity consumption. More than 87% of the mean square prediction error of total electricity consumption was accounted for by random variation. The RPE values of the milk-cooling systems, water-heating systems, and milking machine systems were less than 20%. The RPE values for automatic scraper systems, lighting systems, and water pump systems varied from 18 to 113%, indicating a poor prediction for these metrics. However, automatic scrapers, lighting, and water pumps made up only 14% of total electricity consumption across all farms, reducing the overall impact of these poor predictions. Demonstration of the model showed that total farm electricity costs increased by between 29 and 38% by moving from a day and night tariff to a flat tariff. Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Family vs Village-Based: Intangible View on the Sustainable of Seaweed Farming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teniwut, Wellem A.; Teniwut, Yuliana K.; Teniwut, Roberto M. K.; Hasyim, Cawalinya L.

2017-10-01

Compare to other fishery activities for instance fish mariculture and catching fisheries, seaweed farming is considered easier. Also, the market for seaweed is wider and will keep growing. Thus, makes seaweed farming as one of the fastest commodity to improve the welfare of a coastal community. There are technical and non-technical factors in seaweed farming management, for non-technical on this intangible factors vary between family-based and village-based management, therefore aimed of this study was to simulate farmers decision to choose between family-based and village-based on seaweed managing system trigger by intangible factors. We conducted our study in Southeast Maluku, data collecting conducted from October to December 2016 by depth interview and questionnaires on seaweed farmers. We used logistic regression to compare each intangible factors on family and village-based seaweed farming management. The result showed that for family-based management farmers were willing to transfer their knowledge among each member in the household. For village-based revealed that farmers with higher education background tend to work on village-based, also, the result also stated that in village-based management member were those who have better capability and skill, at the same time village-based management had a small probability for conflict to occur compared to family-based.

Introducing annuals in grazed pastures

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Annual cover crops provide ecosystem benefits to perennial-based pasture systems by introducing quality forage at opportune times of the year, creating a more diverse farm habitat, and providing opportunities to renovate overused or underutilized areas of the farm. This workshop will cover opportun...

Opportunities of energy supply of farm holdings on the basis of small-scale renewable energy sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Efendiev, A. M.; Nikolaev, Yu. E.; Evstaf'ev, D. P.

2016-02-01

One of the major national economic problems of Russia is raising of agricultural production, which will provide strategic security and sustainable supply of the population with provisions. Creation of subsidiary small holdings, farm holdings, and peasant farm holdings will require addressing issues of energy supply. At considerable distance of small farms from centralized energy systems (by fuel, electricity and thermal energy) it is proposed to create a system of local energy networks on the basis of low-powered power plants using renewable energy sources (RES). There is economic unreasonableness of use of imported components of small power plants. Creation of new combined small power plants on renewable energy sources produced by domestic manufacturers is recommended. Schemes of arrangements of small power plants based on renewable energy sources are proposed, variants and characteristics of a basic source are provided—biogas plants developed by the authors. Calculations revealed that heat and power supply of self-contained farms distant from small power plants based on renewable energy sources is 2.5-2.6 times cheaper than from centralized networks. Production of biogas through anaerobic fermentation of organic waste of cattle complexes is considered as the basis. The analysis of biowaste output in various cattle farms is carried out, and the volume of biogas is determined to meet the requirements of these farms in electrical and thermal energy. The objective of the present article is to study the possibility of creating small combined power plants in Russia based on renewable sources of energy for independent consumers.

The ATLAS Data Acquisition System in LHC Run 2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panduro Vazquez, William; ATLAS Collaboration

2017-10-01

The LHC has been providing pp collisions with record luminosity and energy since the start of Run 2 in 2015. The Trigger and Data Acquisition system of the ATLAS experiment has been upgraded to deal with the increased performance required by this new operational mode. The dataflow system and associated network infrastructure have been reshaped in order to benefit from technological progress and to maximize the flexibility and efficiency of the data selection process. The new design is radically different from the previous implementation both in terms of architecture and performance, with the previous two-level structure merged into a single processing farm, performing incremental data collection and analysis. In addition, logical farm slicing, with each slice managed by a dedicated supervisor, has been dropped in favour of global management by a single farm master operating at 100 kHz. This farm master has also been integrated with a new software-based Region of Interest builder, replacing the previous VMEbus-based system. Finally, the Readout system has been completely refitted with new higher performance, lower footprint server machines housing a new custom front-end interface card. Here we will cover the overall design of the system, along with performance results from the start-up phase of LHC Run 2.

Pyrosequencing-based characterization of gastrointestinal bacteria of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) within a commercial mariculture system.

PubMed

Zarkasi, K Z; Abell, G C J; Taylor, R S; Neuman, C; Hatje, E; Tamplin, M L; Katouli, M; Bowman, J P

2014-07-01

The relationship of Atlantic salmon gastrointestinal (GI) tract bacteria to environmental factors, in particular water temperature within a commercial mariculture system, was investigated. Salmon GI tract bacterial communities commercially farmed in south-eastern Tasmania were analysed, over a 13-month period across a standard commercial production farm cycle, using 454 16S rRNA-based pyrosequencing. Faecal bacterial communities were highly dynamic but largely similar between randomly selected fish. In postsmolt, the faecal bacteria population was dominated by Gram-positive fermentative bacteria; however, by midsummer, members of the family Vibrionaceae predominated. As fish progressed towards harvest, a range of different bacterial genera became more prominent corresponding to a decline in Vibrionaceae. The sampled fish were fed two different commercial diet series with slightly different protein, lipid and digestible energy level; however, the effect of these differences was minimal. The overall data demonstrated dynamic hind gut communities in salmon that were related to season and fish growth phases but were less influenced by differences in commercial diets used routinely within the farm system studied. This study provides understanding of farmed salmon GI bacterial communities and describes the relative impact of diet, environmental and farm factors. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Molecular farming on the rise--GMO regulators still walking a tightrope.

PubMed

Spök, Armin

2007-02-01

Recent increases in EU commercial and academic activities in molecular farming, and the proximity to market-stage of the first plant-made pharmaceuticals, represent a call to action for EU regulators. Drawing on the North American debate on molecular farming, it will be argued that both the rationale and the risks of molecular farming will differ significantly from those of first generation GM crops. Based on these differences, the suitability of the existing regulatory frameworks, which were developed in response to the arrival of earlier products, is discussed, and specific options for adapting the already complex EU regulatory system to cater for molecular farming are examined.

Farm-level economics of innovative tillage technologies: the case of no-till in the Altai Krai in Russian Siberia.

PubMed

Bavorova, Miroslava; Imamverdiyev, Nizami; Ponkina, Elena

2018-01-01

In the agricultural Altai Krai in Russian Siberia, soil degradation problems are prevalent. Agronomists recommend "reduced tillage systems," especially no-till, as a sustainable way to cultivate land that is threatened by soil degradation. In the Altai Krai, less is known about the technologies in practice. In this paper, we provide information on plant cultivation technologies used in the Altai Krai and on selected factors preventing farm managers in this region from adopting no-till technology based on our own quantitative survey conducted across 107 farms in 2015 and 2016. The results of the quantitative survey show that farm managers have high uncertainty regarding the use of no-till technology including its economics. To close this gap, we provide systematic analysis of factors influencing the economy of the plant production systems by using a farm optimization model (linear programming) for a real farm, together with expert estimations. The farm-specific results of the optimization model show that under optimal management and climatic conditions, the expert Modern Canadian no-till technology outperforms the farm min-till technology, but this is not the case for suboptimal conditions with lower yields.

Spatial analysis and characteristics of pig farming in Thailand.

PubMed

Thanapongtharm, Weerapong; Linard, Catherine; Chinson, Pornpiroon; Kasemsuwan, Suwicha; Visser, Marjolein; Gaughan, Andrea E; Epprech, Michael; Robinson, Timothy P; Gilbert, Marius

2016-10-06

In Thailand, pig production intensified significantly during the last decade, with many economic, epidemiological and environmental implications. Strategies toward more sustainable future developments are currently investigated, and these could be informed by a detailed assessment of the main trends in the pig sector, and on how different production systems are geographically distributed. This study had two main objectives. First, we aimed to describe the main trends and geographic patterns of pig production systems in Thailand in terms of pig type (native, breeding, and fattening pigs), farm scales (smallholder and large-scale farming systems) and type of farming systems (farrow-to-finish, nursery, and finishing systems) based on a very detailed 2010 census. Second, we aimed to study the statistical spatial association between these different types of pig farming distribution and a set of spatial variables describing access to feed and markets. Over the last decades, pig population gradually increased, with a continuously increasing number of pigs per holder, suggesting a continuing intensification of the sector. The different pig-production systems showed very contrasted geographical distributions. The spatial distribution of large-scale pig farms corresponds with that of commercial pig breeds, and spatial analysis conducted using Random Forest distribution models indicated that these were concentrated in lowland urban or peri-urban areas, close to means of transportation, facilitating supply to major markets such as provincial capitals and the Bangkok Metropolitan region. Conversely the smallholders were distributed throughout the country, with higher densities located in highland, remote, and rural areas, where they supply local rural markets. A limitation of the study was that pig farming systems were defined from the number of animals per farm, resulting in their possible misclassification, but this should have a limited impact on the main patterns revealed by the analysis. The very contrasted distribution of different pig production systems present opportunities for future regionalization of pig production. More specifically, the detailed geographical analysis of the different production systems will be used to spatially-inform planning decisions for pig farming accounting for the specific health, environment and economical implications of the different pig production systems.

Factors associated with profitability in pasture-based systems of milk production.

PubMed

Hanrahan, L; McHugh, N; Hennessy, T; Moran, B; Kearney, R; Wallace, M; Shalloo, L

2018-06-01

The global dairy industry needs to reappraise the systems of milk production that are operated at farm level with specific focus on enhancing technical efficiency and competitiveness of the sector. The objective of this study was to quantify the factors associated with costs of production, profitability, and pasture use, and the effects of pasture use on financial performance of dairy farms using an internationally recognized representative database over an 8-yr period (2008 to 2015) on pasture-based systems. To examine the associated effects of several farm system and management variables on specific performance measures, a series of multiple regression models were developed. Factors evaluated included pasture use [kg of dry matter/ha and stocking rate (livestock units/ha)], grazing season length, breeding season length, milk recording, herd size, dairy farm size (ha), farmer age, discussion group membership, proportion of purchased feed, protein %, fat %, kg of milk fat and protein per cow, kg of milk fat and protein per hectare, and capital investment in machinery, livestock, and buildings. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated costs of production per hectare differed by year, geographical location, soil type, level of pasture use, proportion of purchased feed, protein %, kg of fat and protein per cow, dairy farm size, breeding season length, and capital investment in machinery, livestock, and buildings per cow. The results of the analysis revealed that farm net profit per hectare was associated with pasture use per hectare, year, location, soil type, grazing season length, proportion of purchased feed, protein %, kg of fat and protein per cow, dairy farm size, and capital investment in machinery and buildings per cow. Pasture use per hectare was associated with year, location, soil type, stocking rate, dairy farm size, fat %, protein %, kg of fat and protein per cow, farmer age, capital investment in machinery and buildings per cow, breeding season length, and discussion group membership. On average, over the 8-yr period, each additional tonne of pasture dry matter used increased gross profit by €278 and net profit by €173 on dairy farms. Conversely, a 10% increase in the proportion of purchased feed in the diet resulted in a reduction in net profit per hectare by €97 and net profit by €207 per tonne of fat and protein. Results from this study, albeit in a quota limited environment, have demonstrated that the profitability of pasture-based dairy systems is significantly associated with the proportion of pasture used at the farm level, being cognizant of the levels of purchased feed. The Authors. Published by FASS Inc. and Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/).

Epidemiological modelling for the assessment of bovine tuberculosis surveillance in the dairy farm network in Emilia-Romagna (Italy).

PubMed

Rossi, Gianluigi; De Leo, Giulio A; Pongolini, Stefano; Natalini, Silvano; Vincenzi, Simone; Bolzoni, Luca

2015-06-01

Assessing the performance of a surveillance system for infectious diseases of domestic animals is a challenging task for health authorities. Therefore, it is important to assess what strategy is the most effective in identifying the onset of an epidemic and in minimizing the number of infected farms. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the performance of the bovine tuberculosis (bTB) surveillance system in the network of dairy farms in the Emilia-Romagna (ER) Region, Italy. A bTB-free Region since 2007, ER implements an integrated surveillance strategy based on three components, namely routine on-farm tuberculin skin-testing performed every 3 years, tuberculin skin-testing of cattle exchanged between farms, and post-mortem inspection at slaughterhouses. We assessed the effectiveness of surveillance by means of a stochastic network model of both within-farm and between-farm bTB dynamics calibrated on data available for ER dairy farms. Epidemic dynamics were simulated for five scenarios: the current ER surveillance system, a no surveillance scenario that we used as the benchmark to characterize epidemic dynamics, three additional scenarios in which one of the surveillance components was removed at a time so as to outline its significance in detecting the infection. For each scenario we ran Monte Carlo simulations of bTB epidemics following the random introduction of an infected individual in the network. System performances were assessed through the comparative analysis of a number of statistics, including the time required for epidemic detection and the total number of infected farms during the epidemic. Our analysis showed that slaughterhouse inspection is the most effective surveillance component in reducing the time for disease detection, while routine surveillance in reducing the number of multi-farms epidemics. On the other hand, testing exchanged cattle improved the performance of the surveillance system only marginally. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Using activity-based monitoring systems to detect dairy cows in oestrus: a field evaluation.

PubMed

Dela Rue, B T; Kamphuis, C; Burke, C R; Jago, J G

2014-03-01

To assess the use and performance of activity-based oestrus detection systems (ODS) on two commercial dairy farms using a gold standard based on profiles of concentrations of progesterone in milk, artificial insemination (AI) records and pregnancy diagnosis results. Two activity-based ODS were evaluated in mature cows on two large pasture-grazed dairy farms (>500 cows) over the first 3 weeks of AI. Farm 1 (n=286 cows) used a leg-mounted device and cows were drafted automatically based on activity alerts. Decisions regarding AI were then made based on tail-paint and cow history for these cows. Farm 2 (n=345 cows) used a collar-mounted device and activity alerts were used in conjunction with other information, before the farmer manually selected cows for AI. The gold standard to define the timing of oestrus was based on profiles of concentrations of progesterone in milk measured twice-weekly, used in conjunction with AI records and pregnancy diagnosis results. Sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV) were calculated for the activity-based ODS data only, and then for AI decisions, against the gold standard. Farm 1 had 195 confirmed oestrus events and 209 activity alerts were generated. The sensitivity of the activity-based ODS was 89.2% with a PPV of 83.3%. Using tail-paint and cow history to confirm activity-based alerts 175 cows were inseminated, resulting in a sensitivity of 89.2% and an improved PPV of 99.4%. Farm 2 had 343 confirmed oestrus events, and 726 alerts were generated by the activity-based ODS, giving a sensitivity of 69.7% with a PPV of 32.9%. A total of 386 cows had AI records, giving a sensitivity of 81.3% and PPV of 72.3%. The two activity-based ODS were used differently on-farm; one automatically selecting cows and the other supporting the manual selection of cows in oestrus. Only one achieved a performance level suggested to be acceptable as a stand-alone ODS. Use of additional tools, such as observation of tail paint to confirm activity-based oestrus alerts before AI, substantially improved the PPV. A well performing activity-based ODS can be a valuable tool in identifying cows in oestrus prior to visual confirmation of oestrus status. However the performance of these ODS technologies varies considerably.

Organic dairy production systems in Pennsylvania: a case study evaluation.

PubMed

Rotz, C A; Kamphuis, G H; Karsten, H D; Weaver, R D

2007-08-01

The current market demand and price for organic milk is encouraging dairy producers, particularly those on smaller farms, to consider organic production as a means for improving the economic viability of their operations. Organic production systems vary widely in scale, in practices, and across agroclimatic settings. Within this context, case studies of 4 actual organic dairy farms were used to characterize existing systems in Pennsylvania. Based on data from these farms, a whole-farm simulation model (Integrated Farm System Model) was used to compare 4 production systems representing organic grass, organic crop, conventional crop with grazing, and conventional confinement production. The performance of each of these systems was simulated over each year of 25 yr of central Pennsylvania weather data. Simulation results indicated that farm level accumulation of soil P and K may be a concern on organic farms that use poultry manure as a primary crop nutrient source, and that erosion and runoff loss of P may be of concern on organic farms producing annual crops because more tillage is required for weed control. Whole-farm budgets with prices that reflect recent conditions showed an economic advantage for organic over conventional production. A sensitivity analysis showed that this economic advantage depended on a higher milk price for producers of organic milk and was influenced by the difference in milk production maintained by herds using organic and conventional systems. Factors found to have little effect on the relative profitability of organic over conventional production included the differences between organic and conventional prices for seed, chemicals, forage, and animals and the overall costs or prices assumed for organic certification, machinery, pasture fencing, fuel, and labor. Thus, at the current organic milk price, relative to other prices, the case study organic production systems seem to provide an option for improving the economic viability of dairy operations of the scale considered in Pennsylvania. To motivate transition to organic systems, the economic advantage found requires the persistence of a substantial difference between conventional and organic raw milk prices.

Review: Milking robot utilization, a successful precision livestock farming evolution.

PubMed

John, A J; Clark, C E F; Freeman, M J; Kerrisk, K L; Garcia, S C; Halachmi, I

2016-09-01

Automatic milking systems (AMS), one of the earliest precision livestock farming developments, have revolutionized dairy farming around the world. While robots control the milking process, there have also been numerous changes to how the whole farm system is managed. Milking is no longer performed in defined sessions; rather, the cow can now choose when to be milked in AMS, allowing milking to be distributed throughout a 24 h period. Despite this ability, there has been little attention given to milking robot utilization across 24 h. In order to formulate relevant research questions and improve farm AMS management there is a need to determine the current knowledge gaps regarding the distribution of robot utilization. Feed, animal and management factors and their interplay on levels of milking robot utilization across 24 h for both indoor and pasture-based systems are here reviewed. The impact of the timing, type and quantity of feed offered and their interaction with the distance of feed from the parlour; herd social dynamics, climate and various other management factors on robot utilization through 24 h are provided. This novel review draws together both the opportunities and challenges that exist for farm management to use these factors to improved system efficiency and those that exist for further research.

Contribution of milk production to global greenhouse gas emissions. An estimation based on typical farms.

PubMed

Hagemann, Martin; Ndambi, Asaah; Hemme, Torsten; Latacz-Lohmann, Uwe

2012-02-01

Studies on the contribution of milk production to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are rare (FAO 2010) and often based on crude data which do not appropriately reflect the heterogeneity of farming systems. This article estimates GHG emissions from milk production in different dairy regions of the world based on a harmonised farm data and assesses the contribution of milk production to global GHG emissions. The methodology comprises three elements: (1) the International Farm Comparison Network (IFCN) concept of typical farms and the related globally standardised dairy model farms representing 45 dairy regions in 38 countries; (2) a partial life cycle assessment model for estimating GHG emissions of the typical dairy farms; and (3) standard regression analysis to estimate GHG emissions from milk production in countries for which no typical farms are available in the IFCN database. Across the 117 typical farms in the 38 countries analysed, the average emission rate is 1.50 kg CO(2) equivalents (CO(2)-eq.)/kg milk. The contribution of milk production to the global anthropogenic emissions is estimated at 1.3 Gt CO(2)-eq./year, accounting for 2.65% of total global anthropogenic emissions (49 Gt; IPCC, Synthesis Report for Policy Maker, Valencia, Spain, 2007). We emphasise that our estimates of the contribution of milk production to global GHG emissions are subject to uncertainty. Part of the uncertainty stems from the choice of the appropriate methods for estimating emissions at the level of the individual animal.

[Using on-farm records to evaluate the reproductive performance in dairy herds].

PubMed

Iwersen, M; Klein, D; Drillich, M

2012-01-01

The designated abolition of the European milk quota system on April 1st 2015 is expected to have tremendous effects on the business environment on most dairy farms. Meanwhile farmers should use weak-point analyses to identify "bottlenecks" within their production and herd management system. As experts in herd health and herd performance, veterinarians should give advice to their clients based on sound analyses of production data. Therefore, accurate and reliable on-farm records are needed. This paper will focus on data management, especially data collection, and will address the concepts of evaluation of reproduction records.

Compatibility of switchgrass as an energy crop in farming systems of the southeastern USA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bransby, D.I.; Rodriguez-Kabana, R.; Sladden, S.E.

1993-12-31

The objective of this paper is to examine the compatibility of switchgrass as an energy crop in farming systems in the southeastern USA, relative to other regions. In particular, the issues addressed are (1) competition between switchgrass as an energy crop and existing farm enterprises, based primarily on economic returns, (2) complementarity between switchgrass and existing farm enterprises, and (3) environmental benefits. Because projected economic returns for switchgrass as an energy crop are highest in the Southeast, and returns from forestry and beef pastures (the major existing enterprises) are low, there is a very strong economic incentive in this region.more » In contrast, based on current information, economic viability of switchgrass as an energy crop in other regions appears doubtful. In addition, switchgrass in the southeastern USA would complement forage-livestock production, row crop production and wildlife and would provide several additional environmental benefits. It is concluded that the southeastern USA offers the greatest opportunity for developing switchgrass as an economically viable energy crop.« less

76 FR 34985 - Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation Board Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-15

... FARM CREDIT SYSTEM INSURANCE CORPORATION Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation Board Meeting AGENCY: Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation. SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the regular meeting of the Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation Board (Board). Date and Time: The meeting of the...

Metabolite profiling on wheat grain to enable a distinction of samples from organic and conventional farming systems.

PubMed

Bonte, Anja; Neuweger, Heiko; Goesmann, Alexander; Thonar, Cécile; Mäder, Paul; Langenkämper, Georg; Niehaus, Karsten

2014-10-01

Identification of biomarkers capable of distinguishing organic and conventional products would be highly welcome to improve the strength of food quality assurance. Metabolite profiling was used for biomarker search in organic and conventional wheat grain (Triticum aestivum L.) of 11 different old and new bread wheat cultivars grown in the DOK system comparison trial. Metabolites were extracted using methanol and analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Altogether 48 metabolites and 245 non-identified metabolites (TAGs) were detected in the cultivar Runal. Principal component analysis showed a sample clustering according to farming systems and significant differences in peak areas between the farming systems for 10 Runal metabolites. Results obtained from all 11 cultivars indicated a greater influence of the cultivar than the farming system on metabolite concentrations. Nevertheless, a t-test on data of all cultivars still detected 5 metabolites and 11 TAGs with significant differences between the farming systems. Based on individual cultivars, metabolite profiling showed promising results for the categorization of organic and conventional wheat. Further investigations are necessary with wheat from more growing seasons and locations before definite conclusions can be drawn concerning the feasibility to evolve a combined set of biomarkers for organically grown wheat using metabolite profiles. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

12 CFR 652.60 - Corporation board guidelines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Corporation board guidelines. 652.60 Section 652.60 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM FEDERAL AGRICULTURAL MORTGAGE CORPORATION FUNDING AND FISCAL AFFAIRS Risk-Based Capital Requirements § 652.60 Corporation board guidelines...

12 CFR 652.60 - Corporation board guidelines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Corporation board guidelines. 652.60 Section 652.60 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM FEDERAL AGRICULTURAL MORTGAGE CORPORATION FUNDING AND FISCAL AFFAIRS Risk-Based Capital Requirements § 652.60 Corporation board guidelines...

12 CFR 652.60 - Corporation board guidelines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Corporation board guidelines. 652.60 Section 652.60 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM FEDERAL AGRICULTURAL MORTGAGE CORPORATION FUNDING AND FISCAL AFFAIRS Risk-Based Capital Requirements § 652.60 Corporation board guidelines...

Transient stability enhancement of wind farms using power electronics and facts controllers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohammadpour, Hossein Ali

Nowadays, it is well-understood that the burning of fossil fuels in electric power station has a significant influence on the global climate due to greenhouse gases. In many countries, the use of cost-effective and reliable low-carbon electricity energy sources is becoming an important energy policy. Among different kinds of clean energy resources- such as solar power, hydro-power, ocean wave power and so on, wind power is the fastest-growing form of renewable energy at the present time. Moreover, adjustable speed generator wind turbines (ASGWT) has key advantages over the fixed-speed generator wind turbines (FSGWT) in terms of less mechanical stress, improved power quality, high system efficiency, and reduced acoustic noise. One important class of ASGWT is the doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG), which has gained a significant attention of the electric power industry due to their advantages over the other class of ASGWT, i.e. fully rated converter-based wind turbines. Because of increased integration of DFIG-based wind farms into electric power grids, it is necessary to transmit the generated power from wind farms to the existing grids via transmission networks without congestion. Series capacitive compensation of DFIG-based wind farm is an economical way to increase the power transfer capability of the transmission line connecting wind farm to the grid. For example, a study performed by ABB reveals that increasing the power transfer capability of an existing transmission line from 1300 MW to 2000 MW using series compensation is 90% less than the cost of building a new transmission line. However, a factor hindering the extensive use of series capacitive compensation is the potential risk of sub- synchronous resonance (SSR). The SSR is a condition where the wind farm exchanges energy with the electric network, to which it is connected, at one or more natural frequencies of the electric or mechanical part of the combined system, comprising the wind farm and the network, and the frequency of the exchanged energy is below the fundamental frequency of the system. This phenomenon may cause severe damage in the wind farm, if not prevented. Therefore, this dissertation deals with the SSR phenomena in a capacitive series compensated wind farm. A DFIG-based wind farm, which is connected to a series compensated transmission line, is considered as a case study. The small-signal stability analysis of the system is presented, and the eigenvalues of the system are obtained. Using both modal analysis and time-domain simulation, it is shown that the system is potentially unstable due to the SSR mode. Then, three different possibilities for the addition of SSR damping controller (SSRDC) are investigated. The SSRDC can be added to (1) gate-controlled series capacitor (GCSC), (2) thyristor-controlled series capacitor (TCSC), or (3) DFIG rotor-side converter (RSC) and grid-side converter (GSC) controllers. The first and second cases are related to the series flexible AC transmission systems (FACTS) family, and the third case uses the DFIG back-to-back converters to damp the SSR. The SSRDC is designed using residue-based analysis and root locus diagrams. Using residue-based analysis, the optimal input control signal (ICS) to the SSRDC is identified that can damp the SSR mode without destabilizing other modes, and using root-locus analysis, the required gain for the SSRDC is determined. Moreover, two methods are discussed in order to estimate the optimum input signal to the SSRDC, without measuring it directly. In this dissertation, MATLAB/Simulink is used as a tool for modeling and design of the SSRDC, and PSCAD/EMTDC is used to perform time-domain simulation in order to verify the design process.

Final Report DE-EE0005380: Assessment of Offshore Wind Farm Effects on Sea Surface, Subsurface and Airborne Electronic Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ling, Hao; Hamilton, Mark F.; Bhalla, Rajan

2013-09-30

Offshore wind energy is a valuable resource that can provide a significant boost to the US renewable energy portfolio. A current constraint to the development of offshore wind farms is the potential for interference to be caused by large wind farms on existing electronic and acoustical equipment such as radar and sonar systems for surveillance, navigation and communications. The US Department of Energy funded this study as an objective assessment of possible interference to various types of equipment operating in the marine environment where offshore wind farms could be installed. The objective of this project was to conduct a baselinemore » evaluation of electromagnetic and acoustical challenges to sea surface, subsurface and airborne electronic systems presented by offshore wind farms. To accomplish this goal, the following tasks were carried out: (1) survey electronic systems that can potentially be impacted by large offshore wind farms, and identify impact assessment studies and research and development activities both within and outside the US, (2) engage key stakeholders to identify their possible concerns and operating requirements, (3) conduct first-principle modeling on the interactions of electromagnetic signals with, and the radiation of underwater acoustic signals from, offshore wind farms to evaluate the effect of such interactions on electronic systems, and (4) provide impact assessments, recommend mitigation methods, prioritize future research directions, and disseminate project findings. This report provides a detailed description of the methodologies used to carry out the study, key findings of the study, and a list of recommendations derived based the findings.« less

Description of the pig production systems, biosecurity practices and herd health providers in two provinces with high swine density in the Philippines.

PubMed

Alawneh, J I; Barnes, T S; Parke, C; Lapuz, E; David, E; Basinang, V; Baluyut, A; Villar, E; Lopez, E L; Blackall, P J

2014-05-01

A cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2011 and March 2012 in two major pig producing provinces in the Philippines. Four hundred and seventy one pig farms slaughtering finisher pigs at government operated abattoirs participated in this study. The objectives of this study were to group: (a) smallholder (S) and commercial (C) production systems into patterns according to their herd health providers (HHPs), and obtain descriptive information about the grouped S and C production systems; and (b) identify key HHPs within each production system using social network analysis. On-farm veterinarians, private consultants, pharmaceutical company representatives, government veterinarians, livestock and agricultural technicians, and agricultural supply stores were found to be actively interacting with pig farmers. Four clusters were identified based on production system and their choice of HHPs. Differences in management and biosecurity practices were found between S and C clusters. Private HHPs provided a service to larger C and some larger S farms, and have little or no interaction with the other HHPs. Government HHPs provided herd health service mainly to S farms and small C farms. Agricultural supply stores were identified as a dominant solitary HHP and provided herd health services to the majority of farmers. Increased knowledge of the routine management and biosecurity practices of S and C farmers and the key HHPs that are likely to be associated with those practices would be of value as this information could be used to inform a risk-based approach to disease surveillance and control. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

77 FR 8179 - Disclosure to Investors in System-wide and Consolidated Bank Debt Obligations of the Farm Credit...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-14

... FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION 12 CFR Part 630 RIN 3052-AC77 Disclosure to Investors in System-wide and Consolidated Bank Debt Obligations of the Farm Credit System AGENCY: Farm Credit Administration...) System Audit Committee (SAC) and the Farm Credit System (System) annual report to investors. The proposed...

Performance analysis of different rice-based cropping systems in tropical region of Nepal.

PubMed

Pokhrel, Anil; Soni, Peeyush

2017-07-15

Energy inputs, environmental impacts and economic outputs are the main concerns in today's agricultural production systems. The current study investigated the energy, environmental and financial performances of different rice-based cropping systems (CSs). The CSs studied were: Rice-Wheat-Fallow (R-W-F), Rice-Wheat-Maize (R-W-M), Rice-Wheat-Mungbean (R-W-Mu), Rice-Lentil-Maize (R-L-M), Rice-Lentil-Mungbean (R-L-Mu), Rice-Garlic (R-G) and Rice-Onion (R-O). Primary data were collected from 210 randomly selected farms by using structured questionnaire. In this study, Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) was used to analyze the technical efficiencies of the farms in order to estimate their energy inputs saving potential, under different CSs. Among the studied systems, R-W-M, R-L-M and R-W-Mu were found energy efficient, R-L-Mu, R-W-F and R-W-Mu were efficient considering their greenhouse gas emissions, and R-G, R-O and R-L-M were more profitable systems. Based on the combined energy, environmental and economic criteria, we conclude that R-L-M, R-L-Mu and R-W-M are the most energy, environmentally and economically efficient CSs as compared to other systems in the study. The mean technical efficiency scores of farms indicated a considerable potential of reducing energy inputs (18-34%), without compromising the economic return of the majority farms under different CSs. The results of this study support eco-efficient CSs with modern production technologies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

12 CFR 615.5205 - Minimum permanent capital standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Minimum permanent capital standards. 615.5205 Section 615.5205 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM FUNDING AND FISCAL... least 7 percent of its risk-adjusted asset base. [62 FR 4446, Jan. 30, 1997] ...

Surprising yields with no-till cropping systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Producers using no-till practices have observed that crop yields can greatly exceed expectations based on nutrient and water supply. For example, Ralph Holzwarth, who farms near Gettysburg, SD, has averaged 150 bu/ac of corn on his farm for the past 6 years. We were surprised with this yield, as c...

SD simulation study on degraded farmland policy on farming-pastoral area under the constrains of water resources-Taking Tongliao City of Inner Mongolia as example

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, D. P.; Zhao, B.; Li, T. S.; Zhu, J. W.; Yu, M. M.

2017-08-01

Water resources are the primary factor in restricting the sustainable development of farming-pastoral regions. To support the sustainable development of water resources, whether or not the land uses patterns of farming-pastoral areas is a reasonably important issue. This paper takes Tongliao city as example for the purpose of sustainably developing the farming-pastoral area in the north. Several scientific preductions and evaluations were conducted to study the farming-pastoral landuse pattern, which is the key problem that effects sustainable development of farming-pastoral areas. The paper then proposes that 1:7 landuse pattern is suitable for the sustainable development of farming-pastotal area. Based on the analysis of the research findings on sustainable development of farming-pastoral area, the paper established a suitability evaluation indicators system of degraded farmland policies in Tongliao city, and used an Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method to determine the weight to run system dynamic (SD) model. The simulation results were then obtained on social economic ecological development in Tongliao city under different degraded farmland policies, and used the comprehensive evaluation model to optimize the results. It is concluded that stabilizing the policy of degraded farmland policy is the preferential policy in Tongliao, which provides useful theoretical research for the sustainable development of farming-pastoral area.

12 CFR 615.5560 - Book-entry Procedure for Farm Credit System Financial Assistance Corporation Securities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... OPERATIONS Farm Credit System Financial Assistance Corporation Securities § 615.5560 Book-entry Procedure for Farm Credit System Financial Assistance Corporation Securities. (a) The Farm Credit System Financial... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Book-entry Procedure for Farm Credit System...

Security, protection, and control of power systems with large-scale wind power penetration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acharya, Naresh

As the number of wind generation facilities in the utility system is fast increasing, many issues associated with their integration into the power system are beginning to emerge. Of the various issues, this dissertation deals with the development of new concepts and computational methods to handle the transmission issues and voltage issues caused by large-scale integration of wind turbines. This dissertation also formulates a probabilistic framework for the steady-state security assessment of wind power incorporating the forecast uncertainty and correlation. Transmission issues are mainly related to the overloading of transmission lines, when all the wind power generated cannot be delivered in full due to prior outage conditions. To deal with this problem, a method to curtail the wind turbine outputs through Energy Management System facilities in the on-line operational environment is proposed. The proposed method, which is based on linear optimization, sends the calculated control signals via the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system to wind farm controllers. The necessary ramping of the wind farm outputs is implemented either by the appropriate blade pitch angle control at the turbine level or by switching a certain number of turbines. The curtailment strategy is tested with an equivalent system model of MidAmerican Energy Company. The results show that the line overload in high wind areas can be alleviated by controlling the outputs of the wind farms step-by-step over an allowable period of time. A low voltage event during a system fault can cause a large number of wind turbines to trip, depending on voltages at the wind turbine terminals during the fault and the under-voltage protection setting of wind turbines. As a result, an N-1 contingency may evolve into an N-(K+1) contingency, where K is the number of wind farms tripped due to low voltage conditions. Losing a large amount of wind power following a line contingency might lead to system instabilities. It is important for the system operator to be aware of such limiting events during system operation and be prepared to take proper control actions. This can be achieved by incorporating the wind farm tripping status for each contingency as part of the static security assessment. A methodology to calculate voltages at the wind farm buses during a worst case line fault is proposed, which, along with the protection settings of wind turbines, can be used to determine the tripping of wind farms. The proposed algorithm is implemented in MATLAB and tested with MidAmerican Energy reduced network. The result shows that a large amount of wind capacity can be tripped due to a fault in the lines. Therefore, the technique will find its application in the static security assessment where each line fault can be associated with the tripping of wind farms as determined from the proposed method. A probabilistic framework to handle the uncertainty in day-ahead forecast error in order to correctly assess the steady-state security of the power system is presented. Stochastic simulations are conducted by means of Latin hypercube sampling along with the consideration of correlations. The correlation is calculated from the historical distribution of wind power forecast errors. The results from the deterministic simulation based on point forecast and the stochastic simulation show that security assessment based solely on deterministic simulations can lead to incorrect assessment of system security. With stochastic simulations, each outcome can be assigned a probability and the decision regarding control actions can be made based on the associated probability.

75 FR 27979 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-19

... it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Farm Service Agency Title: Web-Based Supply Chain System (WBSCM). OMB Control Number: 0560-0177. Summary of Collection: The Web-Based Supply Chain System...

The System Dynamics Model for Development of Organic Agriculture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rozman, Črtomir; Škraba, Andrej; Kljajić, Miroljub; Pažek, Karmen; Bavec, Martina; Bavec, Franci

2008-10-01

Organic agriculture is the highest environmentally valuable agricultural system, and has strategic importance at national level that goes beyond the interests of agricultural sector. In this paper we address development of organic farming simulation model based on a system dynamics methodology (SD). The system incorporates relevant variables, which affect the development of the organic farming. The group decision support system (GDSS) was used in order to identify most relevant variables for construction of causal loop diagram and further model development. The model seeks answers to strategic questions related to the level of organically utilized area, levels of production and crop selection in a long term dynamic context and will be used for simulation of different policy scenarios for organic farming and their impact on economic and environmental parameters of organic production at an aggregate level.

Characterization of Dutch dairy farms using sensor systems for cow management.

PubMed

Steeneveld, W; Hogeveen, H

2015-01-01

To improve cow management in large dairy herds, sensors have been developed that can measure physiological, behavioral, and production indicators on individual cows. Recently, the number of dairy farms using sensor systems has increased. It is not known, however, to what extent sensor systems are used on dairy farms, and the reasons why farmers invest or not in sensor systems are unclear. The first objective of this study was to give an overview of the sensor systems currently used in the Netherlands. The second objective was to investigate the reasons for investing or not investing in sensor systems. The third objective was to characterize farms with and without sensor systems. A survey was developed to investigate first, the reasons for investing or not in sensor systems and, then, how the sensor systems are used in daily cow management. The survey was sent to 1,672 Dutch dairy farmers. The final data set consisted of 512 dairy farms (response rate of 30.6%); 202 farms indicated that they had sensor systems and 310 farms indicated that they did not have sensor systems. A wide variety of sensor systems was used on Dutch dairy farms; those for mastitis detection and estrus detection were the most-used sensor systems. The use of sensor systems was different for farms using an automatic milking system (AMS) and a conventional milking system (CMS). Reasons for investing were different for different sensor systems. For sensor systems attached to the AMS, the farmers made no conscious decision to invest: they answered that the sensors were standard in the AMS or were bought for reduced cost with the AMS. The main reasons for investing in estrus detection sensor systems were improving detection rates, gaining insights into the fertility level of the herd, improving profitability of the farm, and reducing labor. Main reasons for not investing in sensor systems were economically related. It was very difficult to characterize farms with and without sensor systems. Farms with CMS and sensor systems had more cows than CMS farms without sensor systems. Furthermore, farms with sensor systems had fewer labor hours per cow compared with farms without sensor systems. Other farm characteristics (age of the farmer, availability of a successor, growth in herd size, milk production per cow, number of cows per hectare, and milk production per hectare) did not differ for farms with and without sensor systems. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

12 CFR 1400.1 - Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 9 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation. 1400.1 Section 1400.1 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT SYSTEM INSURANCE CORPORATION ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS Organization and Functions § 1400.1 Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation. The Farm Credit...

12 CFR 1400.1 - Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 9 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation. 1400.1 Section 1400.1 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT SYSTEM INSURANCE CORPORATION ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS Organization and Functions § 1400.1 Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation. The Farm Credit...

12 CFR 1400.1 - Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation. 1400.1 Section 1400.1 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT SYSTEM INSURANCE CORPORATION ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS Organization and Functions § 1400.1 Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation. The Farm Credit...

12 CFR 1400.1 - Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 10 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation. 1400.1 Section 1400.1 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT SYSTEM INSURANCE CORPORATION ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS Organization and Functions § 1400.1 Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation. The Farm Credit...

12 CFR 1400.1 - Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation. 1400.1 Section 1400.1 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT SYSTEM INSURANCE CORPORATION ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS Organization and Functions § 1400.1 Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation. The Farm Credit...

The CROPROTECT project and wider opportunities to improve farm productivity through web-based knowledge exchange.

PubMed

Bruce, Toby J A

2016-05-01

A key global 21st century challenge is to maximize agricultural production while minimizing use of resources such as land, water, and energy to meet rising demand for produce. To meet this challenge, while also adapting to climate change, agriculture will have to become more knowledge intensive and deploy smarter farming techniques. The intention of this study was to: (1) Highlight the opportunity for web-based knowledge exchange to increase farm productivity and thus contribute to achieving food and energy security, (2) Give some examples of online farming information services such as the "CROPROTECT" tool I am developing in the UK, the CABI "Plantwise" Knowledge Bank and the IRRI "Rice Doctor," and (3) Consider lessons learnt so far. There are huge opportunities to facilitate knowledge exchange through online systems for farmers and people who advise farmers. CROPROTECT is interacting with users to determine priorities in terms of the pests, weeds, and diseases covered and is providing key information to assist with their management. Knowledge is a critical input for farming systems. Crop protection in particular is becoming more difficult due to evolution of pest resistance and changes in legislation. Up to date information can be made rapidly available and shared online through websites and smartphone Apps. Agricultural extension no longer relies solely on physical meetings and printed documents. The capacity to share information via the Internet is tremendous with its potential to reach a wide audience in the farming community, to provide rapid updates and to interact more with the users. However, in an era of information deluge, accessing relevant information and ensuring reliability are essential considerations. There is also a need to bring science and farming communities together to turn information into relevant farming knowledge.

Farming systems and sanitary problems in mountain cattle farms.

PubMed

Bernúes, A; Manrique, E; Maza, M T

1994-01-01

On the basis of concepts established by ecopathology and the systems theory, certain aspects of the 'Ecosanitary System', which forms part of the 'Farming System', were studied. Multivariant statistical methods were used to analyze and classify 69 mountain cattle farms into different types and to establish relationships between variables relating to pathological problems and others relating to aspects of production and farm structure. Stable mastitis characterized farms with a higher milk production, more intensive farming and greater hygiene measures. The pattern of diarrhoea in the calves was similar. Problems relating to reproduction and calving were more characteristic of traditional, small farms.

Mobile Phone-Based Field Monitoring for Satsuma Mandarin and Its Application to Watering Advice System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamiya, Toshiyuki; Numano, Nagisa; Yagyu, Hiroyuki; Shimazu, Hideo

This paper describes a mobile phone-based data logging system for monitoring the growing status of Satsuma mandarin, a type of citrus fruit, in the field. The system can provide various feedback to the farm producers with collected data, such as visualization of related data as a timeline chart or advice on the necessity of watering crops. It is important to collect information on environment conditions, plant status and product quality, to analyze it and to provide it as feedback to the farm producers to aid their operations. This paper proposes a novel framework of field monitoring and feedback for open-field farming. For field monitoring, it combines a low-cost plant status monitoring method using a simple apparatus and a Field Server for environment condition monitoring. Each field worker has a simple apparatus to measure fruit firmness and records data with a mobile phone. The logged data are stored in the database of the system on the server. The system analyzes stored data for each field and is able to show the necessity of watering to the user in five levels. The system is also able to show various stored data in timeline chart form. The user and coach can compare or analyze these data via a web interface. A test site was built at a Satsuma mandarin field at Kumano in Mie Prefecture, Japan using the framework, and farm workers monitor in the area used and evaluated the system.

12 CFR 615.5175 - Investments in Farm Credit System institution preferred stock.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Investments in Farm Credit System institution preferred stock. 615.5175 Section 615.5175 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM... Capital, and Other Investments § 615.5175 Investments in Farm Credit System institution preferred stock...

Applying the ecosystem services framework to pasture-based livestock farming systems in Europe.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Ortega, T; Oteros-Rozas, E; Ripoll-Bosch, R; Tichit, M; Martín-López, B; Bernués, A

2014-08-01

The concept of 'Ecosystem Services' (ES) focuses on the linkages between ecosystems, including agroecosystems, and human well-being, referring to all the benefits, direct and indirect, that people obtain from ecosystems. In this paper, we review the application of the ES framework to pasture-based livestock farming systems, which allows (1) regulating, supporting and cultural ES to be integrated at the same level with provisioning ES, and (2) the multiple trade-offs and synergies that exist among ES to be considered. Research on livestock farming has focused mostly on provisioning ES (meat, milk and fibre production), despite the fact that provisioning ES strongly depends on regulating and supporting ES for their existence. We first present an inventory of the non-provisioning ES (regulating, supporting and cultural) provided by pasture-based livestock systems in Europe. Next, we review the trade-offs between provisioning and non-provisioning ES at multiple scales and present an overview of the methodologies for assessing biophysical trade-offs. Third, we present non-biophysical (economical and socio-cultural) methodologies and applications for ES valuation. We conclude with some recommendations for policy design.

Agricultural depopulation in Croatia.

PubMed

Stambuk, M

1991-01-01

Trends in urban depopulation since 1945 in Yugoslavia and specifically in Croatia are analyzed. Two phases are identified: the first involved the eradication of the peasant farm under the Communist system, which resulted in a large-scale exodus from agricultural to urban-based activities. The second phase, which has lasted until the present, has two features: one is the tendency of those staying on family farms to have other employment off the farm; the other involves the likelihood of seeking employment abroad. (SUMMARY IN FRE AND GER)

A case study of the carbon footprint of milk from high-performing confinement and grass-based dairy farms.

PubMed

O'Brien, D; Capper, J L; Garnsworthy, P C; Grainger, C; Shalloo, L

2014-03-01

Life-cycle assessment (LCA) is the preferred methodology to assess carbon footprint per unit of milk. The objective of this case study was to apply an LCA method to compare carbon footprints of high-performance confinement and grass-based dairy farms. Physical performance data from research herds were used to quantify carbon footprints of a high-performance Irish grass-based dairy system and a top-performing United Kingdom (UK) confinement dairy system. For the US confinement dairy system, data from the top 5% of herds of a national database were used. Life-cycle assessment was applied using the same dairy farm greenhouse gas (GHG) model for all dairy systems. The model estimated all on- and off-farm GHG sources associated with dairy production until milk is sold from the farm in kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2-eq) and allocated emissions between milk and meat. The carbon footprint of milk was calculated by expressing GHG emissions attributed to milk per tonne of energy-corrected milk (ECM). The comparison showed that when GHG emissions were only attributed to milk, the carbon footprint of milk from the Irish grass-based system (837 kg of CO2-eq/t of ECM) was 5% lower than the UK confinement system (884 kg of CO2-eq/t of ECM) and 7% lower than the US confinement system (898 kg of CO2-eq/t of ECM). However, without grassland carbon sequestration, the grass-based and confinement dairy systems had similar carbon footprints per tonne of ECM. Emission algorithms and allocation of GHG emissions between milk and meat also affected the relative difference and order of dairy system carbon footprints. For instance, depending on the method chosen to allocate emissions between milk and meat, the relative difference between the carbon footprints of grass-based and confinement dairy systems varied by 3 to 22%. This indicates that further harmonization of several aspects of the LCA methodology is required to compare carbon footprints of contrasting dairy systems. In comparison to recent reports that assess the carbon footprint of milk from average Irish, UK, and US dairy systems, this case study indicates that top-performing herds of the respective nations have carbon footprints 27 to 32% lower than average dairy systems. Although differences between studies are partly explained by methodological inconsistency, the comparison suggests that potential exists to reduce the carbon footprint of milk in each of the nations by implementing practices that improve productivity. Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of FAST.Farm: A New Multiphysics Engineering Tool for Wind Farm Design and Analysis: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jonkman, Jason; Annoni, Jennifer; Hayman, Greg

2017-01-01

This paper presents the development of FAST.Farm, a new multiphysics tool applicable to engineering problems in research and industry involving wind farm performance and cost optimization that is needed to address the current underperformance, failures, and expenses plaguing the wind industry. Achieving wind cost-of-energy targets - which requires improvements in wind farm performance and reliability, together with reduced uncertainty and expenditures - has been eluded by the complicated nature of the wind farm design problem, especially the sophisticated interaction between atmospheric phenomena and wake dynamics and array effects. FAST.Farm aims to balance the need for accurate modeling of the relevantmore » physics for predicting power performance and loads while maintaining low computational cost to support a highly iterative and probabilistic design process and system-wide optimization. FAST.Farm makes use of FAST to model the aero-hydro-servo-elastics of distinct turbines in the wind farm, and it is based on some of the principles of the Dynamic Wake Meandering (DWM) model, but avoids many of the limitations of existing DWM implementations.« less

Evaluating GPFARM Crop Growth, Soil Water, and Soil Nitrogen Components for Colorado Dryland Locations

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

GPFARM is a farm/ranch decision support system (DSS) designed to assist in strategic management planning for land units from the field to the whole-farm level. This study evaluated the regional applicability and efficacy of GPFARM based on simulation model performance for dry mass grain yield, tota...

Carbon footprint of dairy goat milk production in New Zealand.

PubMed

Robertson, Kimberly; Symes, Wymond; Garnham, Malcolm

2015-07-01

The aim of this study was to assess the cradle-to-farm gate carbon footprint of indoor and outdoor dairy goat farming systems in New Zealand, identifying hotspots and discussing variability and methodology. Our study was based on the International Organization for Standardization standards for life cycle assessment, although only results for greenhouse gas emissions are presented. Two functional units were included: tonnes of CO2-equivalents (CO2e) per hectare (ha) and kilograms of CO2e per kilogram of fat- and protein-corrected milk (FPCM). The study covered 5 farms, 2 farming systems, and 3yr. Two methods for the calculation of enteric methane emissions were assessed. The Lassey method, as used in the New Zealand greenhouse gas inventory, provided a more robust estimate of emissions from enteric fermentation and was used in the final calculations. The alternative dry matter intake method was shown to overestimate emissions due to use of anecdotal assumptions around actual consumption of feed. Economic allocation was applied to milk and co-products. Scenario analysis was performed on the allocation method, nitrogen content of manure, manure management, and supplementary feed choice. The average carbon footprint for the indoor farms (n=3) was 11.05 t of CO2e/ha and 0.81kg of CO2e/kg of FPCM. For the outdoor farms (n=2), the average was 5.38 t of CO2e/ha and 1.03kg of CO2e/kg of FPCM. The average for all 5 farms was 8.78 t of CO2e/ha and 0.90kg of CO2e/kg of FPCM. The results showed relatively high variability due to differences in management practices between farms. The 5 farms covered 10% of the total dairy goat farms but may not be representative of an average farm. Methane from enteric fermentation was a major emission source. The use of supplementary feed was highly variable but an important contributor to the carbon footprint. Nitrous oxide can contribute up to 18% of emissions. Indoor goat farming systems produced milk with a significantly higher carbon footprint per area of land farmed compared with outdoor farming systems, although the 2 systems were not significantly different when results were expressed per kilogram of FPCM, at 0.81kg CO2e and 1.03kg CO2e per kg of FPCM, respectively. Both systems had footprints less than other reported dairy goat carbon footprints and on par with those for New Zealand dairy cows. The methodology used to determine enteric methane is important for an accurate and meaningful assessment. The choice of manure management system and supplementary feed can substantially affect the carbon footprint. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Optimal feeding systems for small-scale dairy herds in the North West Province, South Africa.

PubMed

Manzana, N Patience; McCrindle, Cheryl M E; Sebei, P Julius; Prozesky, Leon

2014-07-09

Land redistribution was legislated in 1994; it was designed to resolve historical imbalances inland ownership in South Africa. Between 2002 and 2006, a longitudinal observational studywas conducted with 15 purposively selected small-scale dairy farmers in a land redistributionproject in Central North West Province. Four farmers left the project over the period. For thepurposes of this study, a small-scale dairy farm was defined as a farm that produces less than500 L of milk a day, irrespective of the number of cows or size of the farm. The study wasconducted in three phases. In the first phase, situational analysis using participatory ruralappraisal (PRA) and observation was used to outline the extent of the constraints and designappropriate interventions. Feeds that were used were tested and evaluated. In the secondphase, three different feeding systems were designed from the data obtained from PRA. Thesewere: (1) A semi-intensive farm-based ration using available crops, pastures and crop residueswith minimal rations purchased. (2) An intensive, zero-grazing dairy system using a totalmixed ration. (3) A traditional, extensive or dual-purpose system, where the calf drank fromthe cow until weaning and milking was done only once a day. In the third phase, adoptionwas monitored. By July 2006, all remaining farmers had changed to commercially formulatedrations or licks and the body condition score of the cows had improved. It was concluded thatveterinary extension based on PRA and a holistic systems approach was a good option forsuch complex problems. Mentoring by commercial dairy farmers, veterinary and extensionservices appeared to be viable. Further research should be done to optimise the traditionalmodel of dairy farming, as this was relatively profitable, had a lower risk and was less labourintensive.

Impact of water allocation strategies to manage groundwater resources in Western Australia: Equity and efficiency considerations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iftekhar, Md Sayed; Fogarty, James

2017-05-01

In many parts of the world groundwater is being depleting at an alarming rate. Where groundwater extraction is licenced, regulators often respond to resource depletion by reducing all individual licences by a fixed proportion. This approach can be effective in achieving a reduction in the volume of water extracted, but the approach is not efficient. In water resource management the issue of the equity-efficiency trade-off has been explored in a number of contexts, but not in the context of allocation from a groundwater system. To contribute to this knowledge gap we conduct an empirical case study for Western Australia's most important groundwater system: the Gnangara Groundwater System (GGS). Resource depletion is a serious issue for the GGS, and substantial reductions in groundwater extraction are required to stabilise the system. Using an individual-based farm optimization model we study both the overall impact and the distributional impact of a fixed percentage water allocation cut to horticulture sector licence holders. The model is parameterised using water licence specific data on farm area and water allocation. The modelling shows that much of the impact of water allocation reductions can be mitigated through changing the cropping mix and the irrigation technology used. The modelling also shows that the scope for gains through the aggregation of holdings into larger farms is much greater than the potential losses due to water allocation reductions. The impact of water allocation cuts is also shown to impact large farms more than small farms. For example, the expected loss in net revenue per ha for a 10-ha farm is around three times the expected loss per ha for a 1-ha farm; and the expected loss per ha for a 25-ha farm is around five times the expected loss per ha for a 1-ha farm.

Conducting On-Farm Animal Research: Procedures & Economic Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amir, Pervaiz; Knipscheer, Hendrik C.

This book is intended to give animal scientists elementary tools to perform on-farm livestock analysis and to provide crop-oriented farming systems researchers with methods for conducting animal research. Chapter 1 describes farming systems research as a systems approach to on-farm animal research. Chapter 2 outlines some important…

7 CFR 4290.720 - Enterprises that may be ineligible for Financing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... wells, wind farms, or power facilities (including solar, geothermal, hydroelectric, or biomass power... ineligible for Farm Credit System Assistance. If one or more Farm Credit System Institutions or their... that is not otherwise eligible to receive Financing from the Farm Credit System under the Farm Credit...

7 CFR 4290.720 - Enterprises that may be ineligible for Financing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... wells, wind farms, or power facilities (including solar, geothermal, hydroelectric, or biomass power... ineligible for Farm Credit System Assistance. If one or more Farm Credit System Institutions or their... that is not otherwise eligible to receive Financing from the Farm Credit System under the Farm Credit...

A process-based emission model of volatile organic compounds from silage sources on farms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonifacio, H. F.; Rotz, C. A.; Hafner, S. D.; Montes, F.; Cohen, M.; Mitloehner, F. M.

2017-03-01

Silage on dairy farms can emit large amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), a precursor in the formation of tropospheric ozone. Because of the challenges associated with direct measurements, process-based modeling is another approach for estimating emissions of air pollutants from sources such as those from dairy farms. A process-based model for predicting VOC emissions from silage was developed and incorporated into the Integrated Farm System Model (IFSM, v. 4.3), a whole-farm simulation of crop, dairy, and beef production systems. The performance of the IFSM silage VOC emission model was evaluated using ethanol and methanol emissions measured from conventional silage piles (CSP), silage bags (SB), total mixed rations (TMR), and loose corn silage (LCS) at a commercial dairy farm in central California. With transport coefficients for ethanol refined using experimental data from our previous studies, the model performed well in simulating ethanol emission from CSP, TMR, and LCS; its lower performance for SB could be attributed to possible changes in face conditions of SB after silage removal that are not represented in the current model. For methanol emission, lack of experimental data for refinement likely caused the underprediction for CSP and SB whereas the overprediction observed for TMR can be explained as uncertainty in measurements. Despite these limitations, the model is a valuable tool for comparing silage management options and evaluating their relative effects on the overall performance, economics, and environmental impacts of farm production. As a component of IFSM, the silage VOC emission model was used to simulate a representative dairy farm in central California. The simulation showed most silage VOC emissions were from feed lying in feed lanes and not from the exposed face of silage storages. This suggests that mitigation efforts, particularly in areas prone to ozone non-attainment status, should focus on reducing emissions during feeding. For the simulated dairy farm, a reduction of around 30% was found if cows were housed and fed in a barn rather than in an open lot, and 23% if feeds were delivered as four feedings per day rather than as one. Reducing the exposed face of storage can also be useful. Simulated use of silage bags resulted in 90% and 18% reductions in emissions from the storage face and whole farm, respectively.

Internet of Things Platform for Smart Farming: Experiences and Lessons Learnt.

PubMed

Jayaraman, Prem Prakash; Yavari, Ali; Georgakopoulos, Dimitrios; Morshed, Ahsan; Zaslavsky, Arkady

2016-11-09

Improving farm productivity is essential for increasing farm profitability and meeting the rapidly growing demand for food that is fuelled by rapid population growth across the world. Farm productivity can be increased by understanding and forecasting crop performance in a variety of environmental conditions. Crop recommendation is currently based on data collected in field-based agricultural studies that capture crop performance under a variety of conditions (e.g., soil quality and environmental conditions). However, crop performance data collection is currently slow, as such crop studies are often undertaken in remote and distributed locations, and such data are typically collected manually. Furthermore, the quality of manually collected crop performance data is very low, because it does not take into account earlier conditions that have not been observed by the human operators but is essential to filter out collected data that will lead to invalid conclusions (e.g., solar radiation readings in the afternoon after even a short rain or overcast in the morning are invalid, and should not be used in assessing crop performance). Emerging Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, such as IoT devices (e.g., wireless sensor networks, network-connected weather stations, cameras, and smart phones) can be used to collate vast amount of environmental and crop performance data, ranging from time series data from sensors, to spatial data from cameras, to human observations collected and recorded via mobile smart phone applications. Such data can then be analysed to filter out invalid data and compute personalised crop recommendations for any specific farm. In this paper, we present the design of SmartFarmNet, an IoT-based platform that can automate the collection of environmental, soil, fertilisation, and irrigation data; automatically correlate such data and filter-out invalid data from the perspective of assessing crop performance; and compute crop forecasts and personalised crop recommendations for any particular farm. SmartFarmNet can integrate virtually any IoT device, including commercially available sensors, cameras, weather stations, etc., and store their data in the cloud for performance analysis and recommendations. An evaluation of the SmartFarmNet platform and our experiences and lessons learnt in developing this system concludes the paper. SmartFarmNet is the first and currently largest system in the world (in terms of the number of sensors attached, crops assessed, and users it supports) that provides crop performance analysis and recommendations.

The impact of broiler production system practices on consumer perceptions of animal welfare.

PubMed

de Jonge, Janneke; van Trijp, Hans C M

2013-12-01

This research explores the extent to which different farm management practices influence the perceived animal friendliness of broiler production systems, and how this differs between individuals. Using a conjoint design with paired comparisons, respondents evaluated broiler production systems that were described on the basis of 7 animal welfare-related practices. It was found that practices in the area of outdoor access, stocking density, and day-night rhythm were overall perceived to have a larger impact on perceptions of animal friendliness than other practices, such as transport duration or the type of breed used. However, individuals differed regarding the extent to which they believed the different farm management practices influenced the animal friendliness of the production system. Differences between individuals regarding their knowledge about and familiarity with livestock farming, degree of anthropomorphism, and their moral beliefs regarding animal welfare partly explained the relative importance individuals attached to farm management practices. The obtained insight into which welfare-related farm management practices, in consumers' minds, most strongly contribute to animal welfare, and the existence of differences between consumers, can be helpful in the development of animal welfare-based certification schemes that are appealing to consumers, as well as the positioning of welfare concepts in the market.

Green Care: A Review of the Benefits and Potential of Animal-Assisted Care Farming Globally and in Rural America

PubMed Central

Artz, Brianna; Bitler Davis, Doris

2017-01-01

Simple Summary The term Green Care encompasses a number of therapeutic strategies that can include farm-animal-assisted therapy, horticultural therapy, and general, farm-based therapy. This review article provides an overview of how Green Care has been used as part of the therapeutic plan for a variety of psychological disorders and related physical disabilities in children, adolescents and adults. While many countries have embraced Green Care, and research-based evidence supports its efficacy in a variety of therapeutic models, it has not yet gained widespread popularity in the United States. We suggest that Green Care could prove to be an effective approach to providing mental health care in the U.S., particularly in rural areas that are typically underserved by more traditional mental health facilities, but have an abundance of farms, livestock, and green spaces where care might be effectively provided. Abstract The term Green Care includes therapeutic, social or educational interventions involving farming; farm animals; gardening or general contact with nature. Although Green Care can occur in any setting in which there is interaction with plants or animals, this review focuses on therapeutic practices occurring on farms. The efficacy of care farming is discussed and the broad utilization of care farming and farm care communities in Europe is reviewed. Though evidence from care farms in the United States is included in this review, the empirical evidence which could determine its efficacy is lacking. For example, the empirical evidence supporting or refuting the efficacy of therapeutic horseback riding in adults is minimal, while there is little non-equine care farming literature with children. The health care systems in Europe are also much different than those in the United States. In order for insurance companies to cover Green Care techniques in the United States, extensive research is necessary. This paper proposes community-based ways that Green Care methods can be utilized without insurance in the United States. Though Green Care can certainly be provided in urban areas, this paper focuses on ways rural areas can utilize existing farms to benefit the mental and physical health of their communities. PMID:28406428

Relative emissions intensity of dairy production systems: employing different functional units in life-cycle assessment.

PubMed

Ross, S A; Topp, C F E; Ennos, R A; Chagunda, M G G

2017-08-01

This study aimed to assess the merit and suitability of individual functional units (FU) in expressing greenhouse gas emissions intensity in different dairy production systems. An FU provides a clearly defined and measurable reference to which input and output data are normalised. This enables the results from life-cycle assessment (LCA) of different systems to be treated as functionally equivalent. Although the methodological framework of LCA has been standardised, selection of an appropriate FU remains ultimately at the discretion of the individual study. The aim of the present analysis was to examine the effect of different FU on the emissions intensities of different dairy production systems. Analysis was based on 7 years of data (2004 to 2010) from four Holstein-Friesian dairy systems at Scotland's Rural College's long-term genetic and management systems project, the Langhill herd. Implementation of LCA accounted for the environmental impacts of the whole-farm systems and their production of milk from 'cradle to farm gate'. Emissions intensity was determined as kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalents referenced to six FU: UK livestock units, energy-corrected milk yield, total combined milk solids yield, on-farm land used for production, total combined on- and off-farm land used for production, and the proposed new FU-energy-corrected milk yield per hectare of total land used. Energy-corrected milk was the FU most effective for reflecting differences between the systems. Functional unit that incorporated a land-related aspect did not find difference between systems which were managed under the same forage regime, despite their comprising different genetic lines. Employing on-farm land as the FU favoured grazing systems. The proposed dual FU combining both productivity and land use did not differentiate between emissions intensity of systems as effectively as the productivity-based units. However, this dual unit displayed potential to quantify in a simple way the positive or negative outcome of trade-offs between land and production efficiencies, in which improvement in emissions intensity using one FU may be accompanied by deterioration using another FU. The perceived environmental efficiencies of different dairy production systems in terms of their emissions intensities were susceptible to change based upon the FU employed, and hence the FU used in any study needs to be taken into account in the interpretation of results.

Stability analysis of offshore wind farm and marine current farm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shawon, Mohammad Hasanuzzaman

Renewable energy has been playing an important role to meet power demand and 'Green Energy' market is getting bigger platform all over the world in the last few years. Due to massive increase in the prices of fossil fuels along with global warming issues, energy harvesting from renewable energy sources has received considerable interest, nowadays, where extensive researches are going on to ensure optimum use of renewable sources. In order to meet the increasing demand of electricity and power, integration of renewable energy is getting highest priorities around the world. Wind is one of the most top growing renewable energy resources and wind power market penetration is expected to reach 3.35 percent by 2013 from its present market of about 240 GW. A wind energy system is the most environmental friendly, cost effective and safe among all renewable energy resources available. Another promising form of renewable energy is ocean energy which covers 70 % of the earth. Ocean energy can be tapped from waves, tides and thermal elements. Offshore Wind farm (OWF) has already become very popular for large scale wind power integration with the onshore grid. Recently, marine current farm (MCF) is also showing good potential to become mainstream energy sources and already successfully commissioned in United Kingdom. However, squirrel cage induction generator (SCIG) has the stability problem similar to synchronous generator especially during fault location to restore the electromagnetic torque. Series dynamic braking resistor (SDBR) has been known as a useful mean to stabilize fixed speed wind generator system. On the other hand, doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) has the capability of coupling the control of active and reactive power and to provide necessary reactive power demand during grid fault conditions. Series dynamic braking resistor (SDBR) can also be employed with DFIG to limit the rotor over current. An integration of wind and tidal energy represents a new-trend for large electric energy production using offshore wind generators and marine current generators, respectively. Thus DFIG based offshore wind farm can be an economic solution to stabilize squirrel cage induction generator based marine current farm without installing any addition FACTS devices. This thesis first focuses on the stabilization of fixed speed IG based marine current farm using SDBR. Also stabilization of DFIG based variable speed wind farm utilizing SDBR is studied in this work. Finally a co-operative control strategy is proposed where DFIG is controlled in such a way that it can even provide necessary reactive power demand of induction generator, so that additional cost of FACTS devices can be avoided. In that way, the DFIGs of the offshore wind farm (OWF) will actively compensate the reactive power demand of adjacent IGs of the marine current farm (MCF) during grid fault. Detailed modeling and control scheme for the proposed system are demonstrated considering some realistic scenarios. The power system small signal stability analysis is also carried out by eigenvalue analysis for marine current generator topology, wind turbine generator topology and integrated topology. The relation between the modes and state variables are discussed in light of modal and sensitivity analyses. The results of theoretical analyses are verified by MATLAB/SIMULINK and laboratory standard power system simulator PSCAD/EMTDC.

Opportunities and challenges for smallholder pig production systems in a mountainous region of Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, China.

PubMed

Riedel, Simon; Schiborra, Anne; Huelsebusch, Christian; Huanming, Mao; Schlecht, Eva

2012-12-01

China's small-scale pig keepers are the largest community of pork producers worldwide. About 56 % of the world's pigs originate from such systems, each producing 2-5 head per year. This study analyzes pig smallholders in Xishuangbanna, a prefecture of Yunnan Province. Categorical principal component analysis and two-step cluster analysis were used to identify three main production systems: livestock-corn-based (LB; 41 %), rubber based (RB; 39 %), and pig based (PB; 20 %) systems. RB farms earn high income from rubber and fatten cross-bred pigs, often using purchased feeds. PB farms own similar-sized rubber plantations and raise pigs, with fodder mainly being cultivated and collected in the forest. LB farms grow corn, rice, and tea while also raising pigs, fed with collected and cultivated fodder as well. About one third of pigs were marketed (LB, 20 %; RB, 42 %; PB, 25 %), and local pig meat is highly appreciated in the nearby town. High mortality, low reproductive performance, and widespread malnourishment are the systems' main constraints. Basic training in hygiene and reproduction management could significantly increase production; most effective measures would be counterbalancing seasonal malnourishment and exploration of locally available protein feeds. Through support by external expertise, farmers could more effectively trade their pigs at lucrative town markets.

A comparison of economic performance between high-yielding temperate breeds and zebu-crossbreds on smallholder dairy farms in Southern Malawi with particular focus on reproductive performance.

PubMed

Gazzarin, Christian; Banda, M C; Lips, M

2018-04-23

As in other sub-Saharan African countries, purebred dairy genetics such as Holsteins were imported to Malawi. The study investigated their economic performance by comparing them with local Zebu-crossbreds based on 131 smallholder dairy farm observations from Southern Malawi. High-yielding purebred cows and crossbred cows showed no significant differences in lactation yield and calving interval. Looking at the farms' actual costs, by-products such as maize bran clearly dominated the cost structure for both breeds, but crossbreeds showed significantly lower concentrate costs. While there was no statistically significant difference in income for both breed types, a substantial share (23%) of farms under investigation shows negative incomes. Based on survey data, two typical farms were established representing standard costs with homogenous assumptions such as identical milk price. The comparison of typical farms covering the full dairy system clearly indicated that crossbred dairy cows outperformed purebreds. In addition, a simulation of a shorter calving interval for both typical farms revealed a substantial positive impact on income for both breed types with more than 30% increase. We conclude that focusing on crossbreds in combination with improved feeding and fertility management offers a more promising strategy for smallholder dairy farms in Southern Malawi than just acquiring high-yielding purebreds.

76 FR 76409 - Meeting of the Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-07

... FARM CREDIT SYSTEM INSURANCE CORPORATION Meeting of the Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation... given of the regular meeting of the Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation Board (Board). DATE AND... Coverage and the Audit Committee Charter Closed Sesson Confidential Report on System Performance Audit Plan...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jonkman, Jason; Annoni, Jennifer; Hayman, Greg

This paper presents the development of FAST.Farm, a new multiphysics tool applicable to engineering problems in research and industry involving wind farm performance and cost optimization that is needed to address the current underperformance, failures, and expenses plaguing the wind industry. Achieving wind cost-of-energy targets - which requires improvements in wind farm performance and reliability, together with reduced uncertainty and expenditures - has been eluded by the complicated nature of the wind farm design problem, especially the sophisticated interaction between atmospheric phenomena and wake dynamics and array effects. FAST.Farm aims to balance the need for accurate modeling of the relevantmore » physics for predicting power performance and loads while maintaining low computational cost to support a highly iterative and probabilistic design process and system-wide optimization. FAST.Farm makes use of FAST to model the aero-hydro-servo-elastics of distinct turbines in the wind farm, and it is based on some of the principles of the Dynamic Wake Meandering (DWM) model, but avoids many of the limitations of existing DWM implementations.« less

Object view in spatial system dynamics: a grassland farming example

PubMed Central

Neuwirth, Christian; Hofer, Barbara; Schaumberger, Andreas

2016-01-01

Abstract Spatial system dynamics (SSD) models are typically implemented by linking stock variables to raster grids while the use of object representations of human artefacts such as buildings or ownership has been limited. This limitation is addressed by this article, which demonstrates the use of object representations in SSD. The objects are parcels of land that are attributed to grassland farms. The model simulates structural change in agriculture, i.e., change in the size of farms. The aim of the model is to reveal relations between structural change, farmland fragmentation and variable farmland quality. Results show that fragmented farms tend to become consolidated by structural change, whereas consolidated initial conditions result in a significant increase of fragmentation. Consolidation is reinforced by a dynamic land market and high transportation costs. The example demonstrates the capabilities of the object-based approach for integrating object geometries (parcel shapes) and relations between objects (distances between parcels) dynamically in SSD. PMID:28190972

Common Risk Criteria Standards for National Test Ranges

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-09-01

critical assets. Equipment and facilities that comprise part of an on- or off-base renewable energy system, such as wind turbine generation facilities...to be protected. As an example, for a wind turbine farm, the unit component would be a single wind turbine . A unit component can be considered...functionality of the larger system to which the unit component belongs. For example, a single wind turbine is a unit component of a wind turbine farm. A

Distributed Offline Data Reconstruction in BaBar

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pulliam, Teela M

The BaBar experiment at SLAC is in its fourth year of running. The data processing system has been continuously evolving to meet the challenges of higher luminosity running and the increasing bulk of data to re-process each year. To meet these goals a two-pass processing architecture has been adopted, where 'rolling calibrations' are quickly calculated on a small fraction of the events in the first pass and the bulk data reconstruction done in the second. This allows for quick detector feedback in the first pass and allows for the parallelization of the second pass over two or more separate farms.more » This two-pass system allows also for distribution of processing farms off-site. The first such site has been setup at INFN Padova. The challenges met here were many. The software was ported to a full Linux-based, commodity hardware system. The raw dataset, 90 TB, was imported from SLAC utilizing a 155 Mbps network link. A system for quality control and export of the processed data back to SLAC was developed. Between SLAC and Padova we are currently running three pass-one farms, with 32 CPUs each, and nine pass-two farms with 64 to 80 CPUs each. The pass-two farms can process between 2 and 4 million events per day. Details about the implementation and performance of the system will be presented.« less

Detecting and mitigating wind turbine clutter for airspace radar systems.

PubMed

Wang, Wen-Qin

2013-01-01

It is well recognized that a wind turbine has a large radar cross-section (RCS) and, due to the movement of the blades, the wind turbine will generate a Doppler frequency shift. This scattering behavior may cause severe interferences on existing radar systems including static ground-based radars and spaceborne or airborne radars. To resolve this problem, efficient techniques or algorithms should be developed to mitigate the effects of wind farms on radars. Herein, one transponder-based mitigation technique is presented. The transponder is not a new concept, which has been proposed for calibrating high-resolution imaging radars. It modulates the radar signal in a manner that the retransmitted signals can be separated from the scene echoes. As wind farms often occupy only a small area, mitigation processing in the whole radar operation will be redundant and cost inefficient. Hence, this paper uses a transponder to determine whether the radar is impacted by the wind farms. If so, the effects of wind farms are then mitigated with subsequent Kalman filtering or plot target extraction algorithms. Taking airborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and pulse Doppler radar as the examples, this paper provides the corresponding system configuration and processing algorithms. The effectiveness of the mitigation technique is validated by numerical simulation results.

Detecting and Mitigating Wind Turbine Clutter for Airspace Radar Systems

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

It is well recognized that a wind turbine has a large radar cross-section (RCS) and, due to the movement of the blades, the wind turbine will generate a Doppler frequency shift. This scattering behavior may cause severe interferences on existing radar systems including static ground-based radars and spaceborne or airborne radars. To resolve this problem, efficient techniques or algorithms should be developed to mitigate the effects of wind farms on radars. Herein, one transponder-based mitigation technique is presented. The transponder is not a new concept, which has been proposed for calibrating high-resolution imaging radars. It modulates the radar signal in a manner that the retransmitted signals can be separated from the scene echoes. As wind farms often occupy only a small area, mitigation processing in the whole radar operation will be redundant and cost inefficient. Hence, this paper uses a transponder to determine whether the radar is impacted by the wind farms. If so, the effects of wind farms are then mitigated with subsequent Kalman filtering or plot target extraction algorithms. Taking airborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and pulse Doppler radar as the examples, this paper provides the corresponding system configuration and processing algorithms. The effectiveness of the mitigation technique is validated by numerical simulation results. PMID:24385880

77 FR 45606 - Policy Statement Concerning Assistance to Troubled Farm Credit System Institutions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-01

... FARM CREDIT SYSTEM INSURANCE CORPORATION Policy Statement Concerning Assistance to Troubled Farm...) published for comment a draft Policy Statement Concerning Assistance to Troubled Farm Credit System (System) Institutions to replace the Corporation's present Policy Statement Concerning Stand- Alone Assistance. The...

77 FR 37399 - Policy Statement Concerning Assistance to Troubled Farm Credit System Institutions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-21

... FARM CREDIT SYSTEM INSURANCE CORPORATION Policy Statement Concerning Assistance to Troubled Farm... publishing for comment a draft Policy Statement Concerning Assistance to Troubled Farm Credit System (System) Institutions to replace the Corporation's present Policy Statement Concerning Stand- Alone Assistance. The...

Establishing treatment protocols for clinical mastitis.

PubMed

Roberson, Jerry R

2003-03-01

Each farm has a unique mix of mastitis pathogens and management procedures that have evolved over time. The herd veterinarian should work with the manager/owner to systematically develop treatment protocols that meet the needs and management of the farm. To establish a mastitis treatment protocol, it is necessary to develop a system to routinely identify clinical mastitis cases, develop a herd-specific severity level assessment system, manage the clinical mastitis cases based on severity level and culture result (when available), avoid antibiotic residues, and monitor the success of the system and alter the protocol as necessary.

Soil biota and agriculture production in conventional and organic farming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schrama, Maarten; de Haan, Joj; Carvalho, Sabrina; Kroonen, Mark; Verstegen, Harry; Van der Putten, Wim

2015-04-01

Sustainable food production for a growing world population requires a healthy soil that can buffer environmental extremes and minimize its losses. There are currently two views on how to achieve this: by intensifying conventional agriculture or by developing organically based agriculture. It has been established that yields of conventional agriculture can be 20% higher than of organic agriculture. However, high yields of intensified conventional agriculture trade off with loss of soil biodiversity, leaching of nutrients, and other unwanted ecosystem dis-services. One of the key explanations for the loss of nutrients and GHG from intensive agriculture is that it results in high dynamics of nutrient losses, and policy has aimed at reducing temporal variation. However, little is known about how different agricultural practices affect spatial variation, and it is unknown how soil fauna acts this. In this study we compare the spatial and temporal variation of physical, chemical and biological parameters in a long term (13-year) field experiment with two conventional farming systems (low and medium organic matter input) and one organic farming system (high organic matter input) and we evaluate the impact on ecosystem services that these farming systems provide. Soil chemical (N availability, N mineralization, pH) and soil biological parameters (nematode abundance, bacterial and fungal biomass) show considerably higher spatial variation under conventional farming than under organic farming. Higher variation in soil chemical and biological parameters coincides with the presence of 'leaky' spots (high nitrate leaching) in conventional farming systems, which shift unpredictably over the course of one season. Although variation in soil physical factors (soil organic matter, soil aggregation, soil moisture) was similar between treatments, but averages were higher under organic farming, indicating more buffered conditions for nutrient cycling. All these changes coincide with pronounced shifts in soil fauna composition (nematodes, earthworms) and an increase in earthworm activity. Hence, more buffered conditions and shifts in soil fauna composition under organic farming may underlie the observed reduction in spatial variation of soil chemical and biological parameters, which in turn correlates positively with a long-term increase in yield. Our study highlights the need for both policymakers and farmers alike to support spatial stability-increasing farming.

77 FR 76356 - Disclosure to Investors in System-wide and Consolidated Bank Debt Obligations of the Farm Credit...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-28

... FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION 12 CFR Part 630 RIN 3052-AC77 Disclosure to Investors in System-wide and Consolidated Bank Debt Obligations of the Farm Credit System; System Audit Committee; Effective... Corporation System Audit Committee and the Farm Credit System annual report to investors. In accordance with...

Quantifying risk factors of coccidiosis in broilers using on-farm data based on a veterinary practice.

PubMed

Graat, E A; van der Kooij, E; Frankena, K; Henken, A M; Smeets, J F; Hekerman, M T

1998-01-01

A study was done to find and quantify risk factors for coccidiosis. The study population consisted of 4774 broiler flocks kept on 177 farms. Flocks were considered a case when at least one bird in the flock showed microscopic presence of oocysts in intestinal scrapings in a grow-out cycle. Other flocks were defined as controls. This was done for three types of Eimeria: Eimeria acervulina, Eimeria tenella and Eimeria maxima. Logistic regression was used to assess variables that influence the occurrence of Eimeria species. There were 49 variables, based on animal, flock or farm level. There was an enhanced risk of coccidiosis due to environmental and management factors that increase the risk of introducing contamination or that are related to hygienic measures. These include lack of use of overalls by visitors, a farmyard which is difficult to clean, bad hygienic status, personnel who might also be working on other farms, presence of other animals on the farm, and feeding and drinking systems which are more difficult to clean. Also, the presence of other diseases on the farm and Eimeria species found in the previous flock increased the risk of coccidiosis.

Exploiting Co-Benefits of Increased Rice Production and Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emission through Optimized Crop and Soil Management.

PubMed

An, Ning; Fan, Mingsheng; Zhang, Fusuo; Christie, Peter; Yang, Jianchang; Huang, Jianliang; Guo, Shiwei; Shi, Xiaojun; Tang, Qiyuan; Peng, Jianwei; Zhong, Xuhua; Sun, Yixiang; Lv, Shihua; Jiang, Rongfeng; Dobermann, Achim

2015-01-01

Meeting the future food security challenge without further sacrificing environmental integrity requires transformative changes in managing the key biophysical determinants of increasing agronomic productivity and reducing the environmental footprint. Here, we focus on Chinese rice production and quantitatively address this concern by conducting 403 on-farm trials across diverse rice farming systems. Inherent soil productivity, management practices and rice farming type resulted in confounded and interactive effects on yield, yield gaps and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (N2O, CH4 and CO2-equivalent) with both trade-offs and compensating effects. Advances in nitrogen, water and crop management (Best Management Practices-BMPs) helped closing existing yield gaps and resulted in a substantial reduction in CO2-equivalent emission of rice farming despite a tradeoff of increase N2O emission. However, inherent soil properties limited rice yields to a larger extent than previously known. Cultivating inherently better soil also led to lower GHG intensity (GHG emissions per unit yield). Neither adopting BMPs only nor improving soils with low or moderate productivity alone can adequately address the challenge of substantially increasing rice production while reducing the environmental footprint. A combination of both represents the most efficient strategy to harness the combined-benefits of enhanced production and mitigating climate change. Extrapolating from our farm data, this strategy could increase rice production in China by 18%, which would meet the demand for direct human consumption of rice by 2030. It would also reduce fertilizer nitrogen consumption by 22% and decrease CO2-equivalent emissions during the rice growing period by 7% compared with current farming practice continues. Benefits vary by rice-based cropping systems. Single rice systems have the largest food provision benefits due to its wider yield gap and total cultivated area, whereas double-rice system (especially late rice) contributes primarily to reducing GHG emissions. The study therefore provides farm-based evidence for feasible, practical approaches towards achieving realistic food security and environmental quality targets at a national scale.

Exploiting Co-Benefits of Increased Rice Production and Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emission through Optimized Crop and Soil Management

PubMed Central

An, Ning; Fan, Mingsheng; Zhang, Fusuo; Christie, Peter; Yang, Jianchang; Huang, Jianliang; Guo, Shiwei; Shi, Xiaojun; Tang, Qiyuan; Peng, Jianwei; Zhong, Xuhua; Sun, Yixiang; Lv, Shihua; Jiang, Rongfeng; Dobermann, Achim

2015-01-01

Meeting the future food security challenge without further sacrificing environmental integrity requires transformative changes in managing the key biophysical determinants of increasing agronomic productivity and reducing the environmental footprint. Here, we focus on Chinese rice production and quantitatively address this concern by conducting 403 on-farm trials across diverse rice farming systems. Inherent soil productivity, management practices and rice farming type resulted in confounded and interactive effects on yield, yield gaps and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (N2O, CH4 and CO2-equivalent) with both trade-offs and compensating effects. Advances in nitrogen, water and crop management (Best Management Practices—BMPs) helped closing existing yield gaps and resulted in a substantial reduction in CO2-equivalent emission of rice farming despite a tradeoff of increase N2O emission. However, inherent soil properties limited rice yields to a larger extent than previously known. Cultivating inherently better soil also led to lower GHG intensity (GHG emissions per unit yield). Neither adopting BMPs only nor improving soils with low or moderate productivity alone can adequately address the challenge of substantially increasing rice production while reducing the environmental footprint. A combination of both represents the most efficient strategy to harness the combined-benefits of enhanced production and mitigating climate change. Extrapolating from our farm data, this strategy could increase rice production in China by 18%, which would meet the demand for direct human consumption of rice by 2030. It would also reduce fertilizer nitrogen consumption by 22% and decrease CO2-equivalent emissions during the rice growing period by 7% compared with current farming practice continues. Benefits vary by rice-based cropping systems. Single rice systems have the largest food provision benefits due to its wider yield gap and total cultivated area, whereas double-rice system (especially late rice) contributes primarily to reducing GHG emissions. The study therefore provides farm-based evidence for feasible, practical approaches towards achieving realistic food security and environmental quality targets at a national scale. PMID:26452155

Enhancing Ecoefficiency in Shrimp Farming through Interconnected Ponds

PubMed Central

Barraza-Guardado, Ramón Héctor; Arreola-Lizárraga, José Alfredo; Juárez-García, Manuel; Juvera-Hoyos, Antonio; Casillas-Hernández, Ramón

2015-01-01

The future development of shrimp farming needs to improve its ecoefficiency. The purpose of this study was to evaluate water quality, flows, and nitrogen balance and production parameters on a farm with interconnected pond design to improve the efficiency of the semi-intensive culture of Litopenaeus vannamei ponds. The study was conducted in 21 commercial culture ponds during 180 days at densities of 30–35 ind m−2 and daily water exchange <2%. Our study provides evidence that by interconnecting ponds nutrient recycling is favored by promoting the growth of primary producers of the pond as chlorophyll a. Based on the mass balance and flow of nutrients this culture system reduces the flow of solid, particulate organic matter, and nitrogen compounds to the environment and significantly increases the efficiency of water (5 to 6.5 m3 kg−1 cycle−1), when compared with traditional culture systems. With this culture system it is possible to recover up to 34% of the total nitrogen entering the system, with production in excess of 4,000 kg ha−1 shrimp. We believe that the production system with interconnected ponds is a technically feasible model to improve ecoefficiency production of shrimp farming. PMID:26525070

Pluri-energy analysis of livestock systems--a comparison of dairy systems in different territories.

PubMed

Vigne, Mathieu; Vayssières, Jonathan; Lecomte, Philippe; Peyraud, Jean-Louis

2013-09-15

This paper introduces a generic assessment method called pluri-energy analysis. It aims to assess the types of energy used in agricultural systems and their conversion efficiencies. Four types of energy are considered: fossil energy, gross energy contained in the biomass, energy from human and animal labor and solar energy. The method was applied to compare smallholder low-input dairy-production systems, which are common in developing countries, to the high-input systems encountered in OECD countries. The pluri-energy method is useful for analyzing the functioning of agricultural systems by highlighting their modes of energy management. Since most dairy systems in South Mali (SM) are low-input systems, they are primarily based on solar and labor energy types and do not require substantial fossil-energy inputs to produce milk. Farms in Poitou-Charentes (PC) and Bretagne (BR) show intermediate values of fossil-energy use for milk production, similar to that found in the literature for typical European systems. However, fossil-energy use for milk production is higher on PC than BR farms because of a higher proportion of maize silage in the forage area; grazing pastures are more common on BR farms. Farms on Reunion Island (RI) require a relatively large amount of fossil energy to produce milk, mainly because the island context limits the amount of arable land. Consequently, milk production is based on large imports of concentrated feed with a high fossil-energy cost. The method also enables assessment of fossil-energy-use efficiency in order to increase the performance of biological processes in agricultural systems. Comparing the low-input systems represented by SM to the high-input systems represented by RI, PC and BR, an increase in solar-energy conversion, and thus land productivity, was observed due to intensification via increased fossil-energy use. Conversely, though fossil-energy use at the herd level increased milk productivity, its effect on gross-energy conversion by the herd was less evident. Partitioning the total on-farm gross energy produced among animal co-products (milk, meat and manure) highlights the major functions of SM herds, which are managed to produce organic crop fertilizers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cost Analysis of Various Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza Surveillance Systems in the Dutch Egg Layer Sector

PubMed Central

Rutten, Niels; Gonzales, José L.; Elbers, Armin R. W.; Velthuis, Annet G. J.

2012-01-01

Background As low pathogenic avian influenza viruses can mutate into high pathogenic viruses the Dutch poultry sector implemented a surveillance system for low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) based on blood samples. It has been suggested that egg yolk samples could be sampled instead of blood samples to survey egg layer farms. To support future decision making about AI surveillance economic criteria are important. Therefore a cost analysis is performed on systems that use either blood or eggs as sampled material. Methodology/Principal Findings The effectiveness of surveillance using egg or blood samples was evaluated using scenario tree models. Then an economic model was developed that calculates the total costs for eight surveillance systems that have equal effectiveness. The model considers costs for sampling, sample preparation, sample transport, testing, communication of test results and for the confirmation test on false positive results. The surveillance systems varied in sampled material (eggs or blood), sampling location (farm or packing station) and location of sample preparation (laboratory or packing station). It is shown that a hypothetical system in which eggs are sampled at the packing station and samples prepared in a laboratory had the lowest total costs (i.e. € 273,393) a year. Compared to this a hypothetical system in which eggs are sampled at the farm and samples prepared at a laboratory, and the currently implemented system in which blood is sampled at the farm and samples prepared at a laboratory have 6% and 39% higher costs respectively. Conclusions/Significance This study shows that surveillance for avian influenza on egg yolk samples can be done at lower costs than surveillance based on blood samples. The model can be used in future comparison of surveillance systems for different pathogens and hazards. PMID:22523543

Power Performance Verification of a Wind Farm Using the Friedman's Test.

PubMed

Hernandez, Wilmar; López-Presa, José Luis; Maldonado-Correa, Jorge L

2016-06-03

In this paper, a method of verification of the power performance of a wind farm is presented. This method is based on the Friedman's test, which is a nonparametric statistical inference technique, and it uses the information that is collected by the SCADA system from the sensors embedded in the wind turbines in order to carry out the power performance verification of a wind farm. Here, the guaranteed power curve of the wind turbines is used as one more wind turbine of the wind farm under assessment, and a multiple comparison method is used to investigate differences between pairs of wind turbines with respect to their power performance. The proposed method says whether the power performance of the specific wind farm under assessment differs significantly from what would be expected, and it also allows wind farm owners to know whether their wind farm has either a perfect power performance or an acceptable power performance. Finally, the power performance verification of an actual wind farm is carried out. The results of the application of the proposed method showed that the power performance of the specific wind farm under assessment was acceptable.

Power Performance Verification of a Wind Farm Using the Friedman’s Test

PubMed Central

Hernandez, Wilmar; López-Presa, José Luis; Maldonado-Correa, Jorge L.

2016-01-01

In this paper, a method of verification of the power performance of a wind farm is presented. This method is based on the Friedman’s test, which is a nonparametric statistical inference technique, and it uses the information that is collected by the SCADA system from the sensors embedded in the wind turbines in order to carry out the power performance verification of a wind farm. Here, the guaranteed power curve of the wind turbines is used as one more wind turbine of the wind farm under assessment, and a multiple comparison method is used to investigate differences between pairs of wind turbines with respect to their power performance. The proposed method says whether the power performance of the specific wind farm under assessment differs significantly from what would be expected, and it also allows wind farm owners to know whether their wind farm has either a perfect power performance or an acceptable power performance. Finally, the power performance verification of an actual wind farm is carried out. The results of the application of the proposed method showed that the power performance of the specific wind farm under assessment was acceptable. PMID:27271628

Organic Farming: Biodiversity Impacts Can Depend on Dispersal Characteristics and Landscape Context

PubMed Central

Feber, Ruth E.; Johnson, Paul J.; Bell, James R.; Chamberlain, Dan E.; Firbank, Leslie G.; Fuller, Robert J.; Manley, Will; Mathews, Fiona; Norton, Lisa R.; Townsend, Martin; Macdonald, David W.

2015-01-01

Organic farming, a low intensity system, may offer benefits for a range of taxa, but what affects the extent of those benefits is imperfectly understood. We explored the effects of organic farming and landscape on the activity density and species density of spiders and carabid beetles, using a large sample of paired organic and conventional farms in the UK. Spider activity density and species density were influenced by both farming system and surrounding landscape. Hunting spiders, which tend to have lower dispersal capabilities, had higher activity density, and more species were captured, on organic compared to conventional farms. There was also evidence for an interaction, as the farming system effect was particularly marked in the cropped area before harvest and was more pronounced in complex landscapes (those with little arable land). There was no evidence for any effect of farming system or landscape on web-building spiders (which include the linyphiids, many of which have high dispersal capabilities). For carabid beetles, the farming system effects were inconsistent. Before harvest, higher activity densities were observed in the crops on organic farms compared with conventional farms. After harvest, no difference was detected in the cropped area, but more carabids were captured on conventional compared to organic boundaries. Carabids were more species-dense in complex landscapes, and farming system did not affect this. There was little evidence that non-cropped habitat differences explained the farming system effects for either spiders or carabid beetles. For spiders, the farming system effects in the cropped area were probably largely attributable to differences in crop management; reduced inputs of pesticides (herbicides and insecticides) and fertilisers are possible influences, and there was some evidence for an effect of non-crop plant species richness on hunting spider activity density. The benefits of organic farming may be greatest for taxa with lower dispersal abilities generally. The evidence for interactions among landscape and farming system in their effects on spiders highlights the importance of developing strategies for managing farmland at the landscape-scale for most effective conservation of biodiversity. PMID:26309040

Organic Farming: Biodiversity Impacts Can Depend on Dispersal Characteristics and Landscape Context.

PubMed

Feber, Ruth E; Johnson, Paul J; Bell, James R; Chamberlain, Dan E; Firbank, Leslie G; Fuller, Robert J; Manley, Will; Mathews, Fiona; Norton, Lisa R; Townsend, Martin; Macdonald, David W

2015-01-01

Organic farming, a low intensity system, may offer benefits for a range of taxa, but what affects the extent of those benefits is imperfectly understood. We explored the effects of organic farming and landscape on the activity density and species density of spiders and carabid beetles, using a large sample of paired organic and conventional farms in the UK. Spider activity density and species density were influenced by both farming system and surrounding landscape. Hunting spiders, which tend to have lower dispersal capabilities, had higher activity density, and more species were captured, on organic compared to conventional farms. There was also evidence for an interaction, as the farming system effect was particularly marked in the cropped area before harvest and was more pronounced in complex landscapes (those with little arable land). There was no evidence for any effect of farming system or landscape on web-building spiders (which include the linyphiids, many of which have high dispersal capabilities). For carabid beetles, the farming system effects were inconsistent. Before harvest, higher activity densities were observed in the crops on organic farms compared with conventional farms. After harvest, no difference was detected in the cropped area, but more carabids were captured on conventional compared to organic boundaries. Carabids were more species-dense in complex landscapes, and farming system did not affect this. There was little evidence that non-cropped habitat differences explained the farming system effects for either spiders or carabid beetles. For spiders, the farming system effects in the cropped area were probably largely attributable to differences in crop management; reduced inputs of pesticides (herbicides and insecticides) and fertilisers are possible influences, and there was some evidence for an effect of non-crop plant species richness on hunting spider activity density. The benefits of organic farming may be greatest for taxa with lower dispersal abilities generally. The evidence for interactions among landscape and farming system in their effects on spiders highlights the importance of developing strategies for managing farmland at the landscape-scale for most effective conservation of biodiversity.

Smoothing Control of Wind Farm Output by Using Kinetic Energy of Variable Speed Wind Power Generators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, Daiki; Saitoh, Hiroumi

This paper proposes a new control method for reducing fluctuation of power system frequency through smoothing active power output of wind farm. The proposal is based on the modulation of rotaional kinetic energy of variable speed wind power generators through power converters between permanent magnet synchronous generators (PMSG) and transmission lines. In this paper, the proposed control is called Fluctuation Absorption by Flywheel Characteristics control (FAFC). The FAFC can be easily implemented by adding wind farm output signal to Maximum Power Point Tracking control signal through a feedback control loop. In order to verify the effectiveness of the FAFC control, a simulation study was carried out. In the study, it was assumed that the wind farm consisting of PMSG type wind power generator and induction machine type wind power generaotors is connected with a power sysem. The results of the study show that the FAFC control is a useful method for reducing the impacts of wind farm output fluctuation on system frequency without additional devices such as secondary battery.

Co-existence of GM, conventional and organic crops in developing countries: Main debates and concerns.

PubMed

Azadi, Hossein; Taube, Friedhelm; Taheri, Fatemeh

2017-06-05

The co-existence approach of GM crops with conventional agriculture and organic farming as a feasible agricultural farming system has recently been placed in the center of hot debates at the EU-level and become a source of anxiety in developing countries. The main promises of this approach is to ensure "food security" and "food safety" on the one hand, and to avoid the adventitious presence of GM crops in conventional and organic farming on the other, as well as to present concerns in many debates on implementing the approach in developing countries. Here, we discuss the main debates on ("what," "why," "who," "where," "which," and "how") applying this approach in developing countries and review the main considerations and tradeoffs in this regard. The paper concludes that a peaceful co-existence between GM, conventional, and organic farming is not easy but is still possible. The goal should be to implement rules that are well-established proportionately, efficiently and cost-effectively, using crop-case, farming system-based and should be biodiversity-focused ending up with "codes of good agricultural practice" for co-existence.

Dairy Herd On-line Information System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takahashi, Satoshi

As the business circumstances have become worse, computational breeding management based on the scientific matters has been needed for dairy farming in our country. In this connection it was urgent to construct the system which provided data effectively used in the fields for dairy farmers. The Federation has executed to provide dairy farming technical data promptly through its own on-line network being composed of middle sized general-purpose computer (main memory : 5MB, and fixed disk : 1100MB) and 22 terminals.

Mass cultures of marine algae for energy farming in coastal deserts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagener, K.

1983-09-01

This paper provides a description of construction and subsequent operation of a seawater based system for biomass farming of micro-algae. Seawater was pumped through shallow artificial ponds located in coastal areas of Calabria, Italy. We describe pond construction, mixing procedure for micro algae mass cultures, optimization of the carbon and mineral nutrient budget, potential algal yields, methods for harvesting micro-algae, a source of energy to run the seawater pumps, and environmental variables of the pond system under subtropical conditions of Calabria, Italy.

Life cycle assessment of different sea cucumber ( Apostichopus japonicus Selenka) farming systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Guodong; Dong, Shuanglin; Tian, Xiangli; Gao, Qinfeng; Wang, Fang; Xu, Kefeng

2015-12-01

The life cycle assessment was employed to evaluate the environmental impacts of three farming systems (indoor intensive, semi-intensive and extensive systems) of sea cucumber living near Qingdao, China, which can effectively overcome the interference of inaccurate background parameters caused by the diversity of economic level and environment in different regions. Six indicators entailing global warming potential (1.86E + 04, 3.45E + 03, 2.36E + 02), eutrophication potential (6.65E + 01, -1.24E + 02, -1.65E + 02), acidification potential (1.93E + 02, 4.33E + 01, 1.30E + 00), photochemical oxidant formation potential (2.35E-01, 5.46E -02, 2.53E-03), human toxicity potential (2.47E + 00, 6.08E-01, 4.91E + 00) and energy use (3.36E + 05, 1.27E + 04, 1.48E + 03) were introduced in the current study. It was found that all environmental indicators in the indoor intensive farming system were much higher than those in semi-intensive and extensive farming systems because of the dominant role of energy input, while energy input also contributed as the leading cause factor for most of the indicators in the semi-intensive farming system. Yet in the extensive farming system, infrastructure materials played a major role. Through a comprehensive comparison of the three farming systems, it was concluded that income per unit area of indoor intensive farming system was much higher than those of semi-intensive and extensive farming systems. However, the extensive farming system was the most sustainable one. Moreover, adequate measures were proposed, respectively, to improve the environmental sustainability of each farming system in the present study.

Ammonia emission model for whole farm evaluation of dairy production systems.

PubMed

Rotz, C Alan; Montes, Felipe; Hafner, Sasha D; Heber, Albert J; Grant, Richard H

2014-07-01

Ammonia (NH) emissions vary considerably among farms as influenced by climate and management. Because emission measurement is difficult and expensive, process-based models provide an alternative for estimating whole farm emissions. A model that simulates the processes of NH formation, speciation, aqueous-gas partitioning, and mass transfer was developed and incorporated in a whole farm simulation model (the Integrated Farm System Model). Farm sources included manure on the floor of the housing facility, manure in storage (if used), field-applied manure, and deposits on pasture (if grazing is used). In a comprehensive evaluation of the model, simulated daily, seasonal, and annual emissions compared well with data measured over 2 yr for five free stall barns and two manure storages on dairy farms in the eastern United States. In a further comparison with published data, simulated and measured barn emissions were similar over differing barn designs, protein feeding levels, and seasons of the year. Simulated emissions from manure storage were also highly correlated with published emission data across locations, seasons, and different storage covers. For field applied manure, the range in simulated annual emissions normally bounded reported mean values for different manure dry matter contents and application methods. Emissions from pastures measured in northern Europe across seasons and fertilization levels were also represented well by the model. After this evaluation, simulations of a representative dairy farm in Pennsylvania illustrated the effects of animal housing and manure management on whole farm emissions and their interactions with greenhouse gas emissions, nitrate leaching, production costs, and farm profitability. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Defining "Sector 3" Poultry Layer Farms in Relation to H5N1-HPAI-An Example from Java, Indonesia.

PubMed

Durr, Peter A; Wibowo, Michael Haryadi; Tarigan, Simson; Artanto, Sidna; Rosyid, Murni Nurhasanah; Ignjatovic, Jagoda

2016-05-01

To help guide surveillance and control of highly pathogenic avian influenza subtype H5N1 (H5N1-HPAI), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 2004 devised a poultry farm classification system based on a combination of production and biosecurity practices. Four "Sectors" were defined, and this scheme has been widely adopted within Indonesia to guide national surveillance and control strategies. Nevertheless, little detailed research into the robustness of this classification system has been conducted, particularly as it relates to independent, small to medium-sized commercial poultry farms (Sector 3). Through an analysis of questionnaire data collected as part of a survey of layer farms in western and central Java, all of which were classified as Sector 3 by local veterinarians, we provide benchmark data on what defines this sector. A multivariate analysis of the dataset, using hierarchical cluster analysis, identified three groupings of the farms, which were defined by a combination of production-and biosecurity-related variables, particularly those related to farm size and (the lack of) washing and disinfection practices. Nevertheless, the relationship between production-related variables and positive biosecurity practices was poor, and larger farms did not have an overall higher total biosecurity score than small or medium-sized ones. Further research is required to define the properties of poultry farms in Indonesia that are most closely related to effective biosecurity and the prevention of H5N1-HPAI.

Green Care: A Review of the Benefits and Potential of Animal-Assisted Care Farming Globally and in Rural America.

PubMed

Artz, Brianna; Bitler Davis, Doris

2017-04-13

The term Green Care includes therapeutic, social or educational interventions involving farming; farm animals; gardening or general contact with nature. Although Green Care can occur in any setting in which there is interaction with plants or animals, this review focuses on therapeutic practices occurring on farms. The efficacy of care farming is discussed and the broad utilization of care farming and farm care communities in Europe is reviewed. Though evidence from care farms in the United States is included in this review, the empirical evidence which could determine its efficacy is lacking. For example, the empirical evidence supporting or refuting the efficacy of therapeutic horseback riding in adults is minimal, while there is little non-equine care farming literature with children. The health care systems in Europe are also much different than those in the United States. In order for insurance companies to cover Green Care techniques in the United States, extensive research is necessary. This paper proposes community-based ways that Green Care methods can be utilized without insurance in the United States. Though Green Care can certainly be provided in urban areas, this paper focuses on ways rural areas can utilize existing farms to benefit the mental and physical health of their communities.

Use patterns, excretion masses and contamination profiles of antibiotics in a typical swine farm, south China.

PubMed

Zhou, Li-Jun; Ying, Guang-Guo; Zhang, Rui-Quan; Liu, Shan; Lai, Hua-Jie; Chen, Zhi-Feng; Yang, Bin; Zhao, Jian-Liang

2013-04-01

The objective of this study was to screen the occurrence of 50 antibiotics in a typical swine farm in southern China, which includes animal feeds, waste collection and treatment systems (lagoons and anaerobic digesters), and receiving environments (vegetable fields, streams, and private wells). Nine antibiotics were found in the feeds for different stages of the development of pigs in the swine farm, at concentrations ranging from 2.37 ± 0.16 ng g(-1) (sulfamethazine) to 61 500 ± 11 900 ng g(-1) (bacitracin). 11, 17 and 15 target compounds were detected in feces, flush water, and suspended particles in the swine farm, respectively. Based on the survey of feeds and animal waste from the farm, chlortetracycline, tetracycline, bacitracin and florfenicol in the feces, flush water and suspended particles mainly originated from the feeds, while most sulfonamides, including doxycycline, oxytetracycline, fluoroquinolones, macrolides and trimethoprim, were mainly from injection and other oral routes. The daily excretion masses of antibiotics per pig calculated based on animal waste had the following order: sows (48.3 mg per day per pig), piglets (18.9 mg per day per pig), growing pigs (7.01 mg per day per pig) and finishing pigs (1.47 mg per day per pig), indicating that the usage of antibiotics (type and dosage) and excretion masses are related to the growth stage of pigs. Chlortetracycline and bacitracin are the main contributors to the total excretion mass of antibiotics from pigs at different stages of development in the farm. The waste treatment system (lagoons and anaerobic digesters) was found to be ineffective in the elimination of antibiotics. The detection of some antibiotics in the surrounding environments of the farm (the well water, stream water and vegetable field soil) was a reflection of pollution from the swine farm.

Indigenous knowledge, use and on-farm management of enset (Ensete ventricosum (Welw.) Cheesman) diversity in Wolaita, Southern Ethiopia

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Ensete ventricosum (Welw.) Cheesman is a major food security crop in Southern Ethiopia, where it was originally domesticated and during millennia became pivotal crop around which an entire farming system has developed. Although its cultivation is highly localized, the enset-based farming system provides sustenance to more than 20 million people. Precise ethnobotanical information of intra-specific enset diversity and local knowledge on how communities maintain, manage and benefit from enset genetic resources is imperative for the promotion, conservation and improvement of this crop and its farming system. Methods This study was conducted in Southern Ethiopia among the Wolaita 'enset culture' community. The research sample consisted of 270 households from 12 Kebeles (villages) representing three agro-ecological ranges. By establishing Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) based interactions and applying ethnobotanical interviewing methods of free-listing and open-ended questionnaires, information on the use and management of enset diversity, and its associated folk-biosystematics, food traditions and material culture was collected and analyzed. Results While enset agriculture is seen as cultural heritage and identity for the Wolaita, enset intra-specific diversity holds scenic, prestige and symbolic values for the household. In the present study we recorded 67 enset landraces under cultivation, and through a comprehensive literature review we identified 28 landraces reported from other areas of Wolaita, but not encountered in our survey. Landraces, identified using 11 descriptors primarily related to agro-morphological traits, are named after perceived places of origin, agro-morphological characteristics and cooking quality attributes. Folk classification of enset is based on its domestication status, 'gender', agro-ecological adaptability and landrace suitability for different food and other uses (fiber, feed, medicinal). Enset as a food crop is used to prepare 10 different dishes in Wolaita, 8 of which are exclusively prepared using enset, and their consumption ranges from daily staple to specialty food in festive occasions and ceremonies. On-farm landrace diversity and richness is guided by household needs; its dynamics is managed through regular propagation, harvesting restrain, control of landrace composition and arrangement in the enset homegardens. Conclusions This study reported on the knowledge system, socio-cultural process and community practices that drive the maintenance of intra-specific on-farm enset diversity in Wolaita, Southern Ethiopia. The information is crucial for developing community based complementary in situ and ex situ conservation strategies to foster conservation of enset genetic resources and associated indigenous knowledge system. PMID:24885715

Integrating Agent Models of Subsistence Farming With Dynamic Models of Water Distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bithell, M.; Brasington, J.

2004-12-01

Subsistence farming communities are dependent on the landscape to provide the resource base upon which their societies can be built. A key component of this is the role of climate, and the feedback between rainfall, crop growth and land clearance, and their coupling to the hydrological cycle. Temporal fluctuations in rainfall on timescales from annual through to decadal and longer, and the associated changes in in the spatial distribution of water availability mediated by the soil-type, slope and landcover determine the locations within the landscape that can support agriculture, and control sustainability of farming practices. We seek to make an integrated modelling system to represent land use change by coupling an agent based model of subsistence farming, and the associated exploitation of natural resources, to a realistic representation of the hydrology at the catchment scale, using TOPMODEL to map the spatial distribution of crop water stress for given time-series of rainfall. In this way we can, for example, investigate how demographic changes and associated removal of forest cover influence the possibilities for field locations within the catchment, through changes in ground water availability. The framework for this modelling exercise will be presented and preliminary results from this system will be discussed.

Wind farm optimization using evolutionary algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ituarte-Villarreal, Carlos M.

In recent years, the wind power industry has focused its efforts on solving the Wind Farm Layout Optimization (WFLO) problem. Wind resource assessment is a pivotal step in optimizing the wind-farm design and siting and, in determining whether a project is economically feasible or not. In the present work, three (3) different optimization methods are proposed for the solution of the WFLO: (i) A modified Viral System Algorithm applied to the optimization of the proper location of the components in a wind-farm to maximize the energy output given a stated wind environment of the site. The optimization problem is formulated as the minimization of energy cost per unit produced and applies a penalization for the lack of system reliability. The viral system algorithm utilized in this research solves three (3) well-known problems in the wind-energy literature; (ii) a new multiple objective evolutionary algorithm to obtain optimal placement of wind turbines while considering the power output, cost, and reliability of the system. The algorithm presented is based on evolutionary computation and the objective functions considered are the maximization of power output, the minimization of wind farm cost and the maximization of system reliability. The final solution to this multiple objective problem is presented as a set of Pareto solutions and, (iii) A hybrid viral-based optimization algorithm adapted to find the proper component configuration for a wind farm with the introduction of the universal generating function (UGF) analytical approach to discretize the different operating or mechanical levels of the wind turbines in addition to the various wind speed states. The proposed methodology considers the specific probability functions of the wind resource to describe their proper behaviors to account for the stochastic comportment of the renewable energy components, aiming to increase their power output and the reliability of these systems. The developed heuristic considers a variable number of system components and wind turbines with different operating characteristics and sizes, to have a more heterogeneous model that can deal with changes in the layout and in the power generation requirements over the time. Moreover, the approach evaluates the impact of the wind-wake effect of the wind turbines upon one another to describe and evaluate the power production capacity reduction of the system depending on the layout distribution of the wind turbines.

Farm-by-farm analysis of microsatellite, mtDNA and SNP genotype data reveals inbreeding and crossbreeding as threats to the survival of a native Spanish pig breed.

PubMed

Herrero-Medrano, J M; Megens, H J; Crooijmans, R P; Abellaneda, J M; Ramis, G

2013-06-01

The Chato Murciano (CM), a pig breed from the Murcia region in the southeastern region of Spain, is a good model for endangered livestock populations. The remaining populations are bred on approximately 15 small farms, and no herdbook exists. To assess the genetic threats to the integrity and survival of the CM breed, and to aid in designing a conservation program, three genetic marker systems - microsatellites, SNPs and mtDNA - were applied across the majority of the total breeding stock. In addition, mtDNA and SNPs were genotyped in breeds that likely contributed genetically to the current CM gene pool. The analyses revealed the levels of genetic diversity within the range of other European local breeds (H(e) = 0.53). However, when the eight farms that rear at least 10 CM pigs were independently analyzed, high levels of inbreeding were found in some. Despite the evidence for recent crossbreeding with commercial breeds on a few farms, the entire breeding stock remains readily identifiable as CM, facilitating the design of traceability assays. The genetic management of the breed is consistent with farm size, farm owner and presence of other pig breeds on the farm, demonstrating the highly ad hoc nature of current CM breeding. The results of genetic diversity and substructure of the entire breed, as well as admixture and crossbreeding obtained in the present study, provide a benchmark to develop future conservation strategies. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that identifying farm-based practices and farm-based breeding stocks can aid in the design of a sustainable breeding program for minority breeds. © 2012 The Authors, Animal Genetics © 2012 Stichting International Foundation for Animal Genetics.

Farming Systems Research: A Critical Appraisal. MSU Rural Development Paper No. 6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilbert, Elon H.; And Others

The objectives of the state-of-the-art paper, second in a series on farming systems research (FSR) in the Third World, are to: (1) review the literature on farming systems; (2) evaluate farming systems research in international institutes and in national agricultural research systems in the Third World; and (3) recommend what can be done to…

12 CFR 1402.13 - Request for records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT SYSTEM INSURANCE CORPORATION RELEASING INFORMATION Availability of Records of the Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation § 1402.13 Request for records. Requests for records... regular business day in the office of the Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation, 1501 Farm Credit Drive...

78 FR 4847 - Board Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-23

... FARM CREDIT SYSTEM INSURANCE CORPORATION Board Meeting AGENCY: Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation. SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the regular meeting of the Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation Board (Board). DATE AND TIME: The meeting of the Board will be held at the offices of the Farm...

Farm Safety - Time to Act.

PubMed

Lower, Tony; Temperley, John

2018-04-18

Agriculture is recognised as a highly dangerous sector worldwide, hence the use of evidence-based solutions to address injury related incidents are critical to prevention. The main of this paper is to determine the potential for prevention by use of existing controls based on deaths data from 2001-2016. This study assesses data from the National Coroner's Information System for the period 2001-2016 in regards to unintentional farm injury deaths in Australia (n = 1,271). The six leading causes of death (tractors, quads (ATVs), water/dams, farm utilities (pickups), motorcycles and horses: n=644), are reviewed against existing evidence-based practice recommendations to ascertain the potential capacity to prevent and/or ameliorate the severity of the fatal incidents. Projections of economic costs associated with these incidents in the past five years (2012-2016) are outlined. Of the cases involving the six leading agents (n=644), 36% (n=235) have the potential to be prevented with the use of designated evidence-based controls. Meanwhile the costs attributed to deaths involving the six leading agents in the 2012-2016 period, exceeded AU$313 million. Farm injury incidents and their related economic costs, can be reduced by enhanced adoption of the existing evidence-based controls. SO WHAT?: Farm safety efforts in Australia require re-invigoration and funding to focus on evidence-based controls supported by enforcement to attain maximum impact. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Comparative analysis of four commercial on-farm culture methods to identify bacteria associated with clinical mastitis in dairy cattle.

PubMed

Ferreira, Jair C; Gomes, Marilia S; Bonsaglia, Erika C R; Canisso, Igor F; Garrett, Edgar F; Stewart, Jamie L; Zhou, Ziyao; Lima, Fabio S

2018-01-01

Several multiple-media culture systems have become commercially available for on-farm identification of mastitis-associated pathogens. However, the accuracy of these systems has not been thoroughly and independently validated against microbiological evaluations performed by referral laboratories. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to evaluate the performance of commercially available culture plates (Accumast, Minnesota Easy System, SSGN and SSGNC Quad plates) to identify pathogens associated with clinical mastitis in dairy cows. Milk samples from the affected quarter with clinical mastitis were aerobically cultured with the on-farm culture systems and by two additional reference laboratories. Agreeing results from both standard laboratories were denoted as the reference standard (RS). Accuracy (Ac), sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp), positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV, respectively) and Cohen's kappa coefficient (k) of on-farm plates were determined based on the RS culture of 211 milk samples. All four plate-systems correctly identified ≥ 84.9% of milk samples with no bacterial growth. Accumast had greater values for all overall predictive factors (Ac, Se, Sp, PPV and NPV) and a substantial agreement (k = 0.79) with RS. The inter-rater agreements of Minnesota, SSGN, and SSGNC with RS were moderate (0.45 ≤ k ≤ 0.55). The effectiveness to categorize bacterial colonies at the genus and species was numerically different amongst the commercial plates. Our findings suggest that Accumast was the most accurate on-farm culture system for identification of mastitis-associated pathogens of the four systems included in the analysis.

Comparative analysis of four commercial on-farm culture methods to identify bacteria associated with clinical mastitis in dairy cattle

PubMed Central

Ferreira, Jair C.; Gomes, Marilia S.; Bonsaglia, Erika C. R.; Canisso, Igor F.; Garrett, Edgar F.; Stewart, Jamie L.; Zhou, Ziyao

2018-01-01

Several multiple-media culture systems have become commercially available for on-farm identification of mastitis-associated pathogens. However, the accuracy of these systems has not been thoroughly and independently validated against microbiological evaluations performed by referral laboratories. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to evaluate the performance of commercially available culture plates (Accumast, Minnesota Easy System, SSGN and SSGNC Quad plates) to identify pathogens associated with clinical mastitis in dairy cows. Milk samples from the affected quarter with clinical mastitis were aerobically cultured with the on-farm culture systems and by two additional reference laboratories. Agreeing results from both standard laboratories were denoted as the reference standard (RS). Accuracy (Ac), sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp), positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV, respectively) and Cohen’s kappa coefficient (k) of on-farm plates were determined based on the RS culture of 211 milk samples. All four plate-systems correctly identified ≥ 84.9% of milk samples with no bacterial growth. Accumast had greater values for all overall predictive factors (Ac, Se, Sp, PPV and NPV) and a substantial agreement (k = 0.79) with RS. The inter-rater agreements of Minnesota, SSGN, and SSGNC with RS were moderate (0.45 ≤ k ≤ 0.55). The effectiveness to categorize bacterial colonies at the genus and species was numerically different amongst the commercial plates. Our findings suggest that Accumast was the most accurate on-farm culture system for identification of mastitis-associated pathogens of the four systems included in the analysis. PMID:29543852

75 FR 53966 - Regular Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-02

... FARM CREDIT SYSTEM INSURANCE CORPORATION Regular Meeting AGENCY: Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation Board. SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the regular meeting of the Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation Board (Board). DATE AND TIME: The meeting of the Board will be held at the offices of the Farm...

Evaluation of the sustainability of contrasted pig farming systems: breeding programmes.

PubMed

Rydhmer, L; Gourdine, J L; de Greef, K; Bonneau, M

2014-12-01

The sustainability of breeding activities in 15 pig farming systems in five European countries was evaluated. One conventional and two differentiated systems per country were studied. The Conventional systems were the standard systems in their countries. The differentiated systems were of three categories: Adapted Conventional with focus on animal welfare, meat quality or environment (five systems); Traditional with local breeds in small-scale production (three systems) and Organic (two systems). Data were collected with a questionnaire from nine breeding organisations providing animals and semen to the studied farming systems and from, on average, five farmers per farming system. The sustainability assessment of breeding activities was performed in four dimensions. The first dimension described whether the market for the product was well defined, and whether the breeding goal reflected the farming system and the farmers' demands. The second dimension described recording and selection procedures, together with genetic change in traits that were important in the system. The third dimension described genetic variation, both within and between pig breeds. The fourth dimension described the management of the breeding organisation, including communication, transparency, and technical and human resources. The results show substantial differences in the sustainability of breeding activities, both between farming systems within the same category and between different categories of farming systems. The breeding activities are assessed to be more sustainable for conventional systems than for differentiated systems in three of the four dimensions. In most differentiated farming systems, breeding goals are not related to the system, as these systems use the same genetic material as conventional systems. The breeds used in Traditional farming systems are important for genetic biodiversity, but the small scale of these systems renders them vulnerable. It is hoped that, by reflecting on different aspects of sustainability, this study will encourage sustainable developments in pig production.

Optimal management of on-farm resources in small-scale dairy systems of Central Mexico: model development and evaluation.

PubMed

Castelán-Ortega, Octavio Alonso; Martínez-García, Carlos Galdino; Mould, Fergus L; Dorward, Peter; Rehman, Tahir; Rayas-Amor, Adolfo Armando

2016-06-01

This study evaluates the available on-farm resources of five case studies typified as small-scale dairy systems in central Mexico. A comprehensive mixed-integer linear programming model was developed and applied to two case studies. The optimal plan suggested the following: (1) instruction and utilization of maize silage, (2) alfalfa hay making that added US$140/ha/cut to the total net income, (3) allocation of land to cultivated pastures in a ratio of 27:41(cultivated pastures/maize crop) rather than at the current 14:69, and dairy cattle should graze 12 h/day, (4) to avoid grazing of communal pastures because this activity represented an opportunity cost of family labor that reduced the farm net income, and (5) that the highest farm net income was obtained when liquid milk and yogurt sales were included in the optimal plan. In the context of small-scale dairy systems of central Mexico, the optimal plan would need to be implemented gradually to enable farmers to develop required skills and to change management strategies from reliance on forage and purchased concentrate to pasture-based and conserved forage systems.

Internet of Things Platform for Smart Farming: Experiences and Lessons Learnt

PubMed Central

Jayaraman, Prem Prakash; Yavari, Ali; Georgakopoulos, Dimitrios; Morshed, Ahsan; Zaslavsky, Arkady

2016-01-01

Improving farm productivity is essential for increasing farm profitability and meeting the rapidly growing demand for food that is fuelled by rapid population growth across the world. Farm productivity can be increased by understanding and forecasting crop performance in a variety of environmental conditions. Crop recommendation is currently based on data collected in field-based agricultural studies that capture crop performance under a variety of conditions (e.g., soil quality and environmental conditions). However, crop performance data collection is currently slow, as such crop studies are often undertaken in remote and distributed locations, and such data are typically collected manually. Furthermore, the quality of manually collected crop performance data is very low, because it does not take into account earlier conditions that have not been observed by the human operators but is essential to filter out collected data that will lead to invalid conclusions (e.g., solar radiation readings in the afternoon after even a short rain or overcast in the morning are invalid, and should not be used in assessing crop performance). Emerging Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, such as IoT devices (e.g., wireless sensor networks, network-connected weather stations, cameras, and smart phones) can be used to collate vast amount of environmental and crop performance data, ranging from time series data from sensors, to spatial data from cameras, to human observations collected and recorded via mobile smart phone applications. Such data can then be analysed to filter out invalid data and compute personalised crop recommendations for any specific farm. In this paper, we present the design of SmartFarmNet, an IoT-based platform that can automate the collection of environmental, soil, fertilisation, and irrigation data; automatically correlate such data and filter-out invalid data from the perspective of assessing crop performance; and compute crop forecasts and personalised crop recommendations for any particular farm. SmartFarmNet can integrate virtually any IoT device, including commercially available sensors, cameras, weather stations, etc., and store their data in the cloud for performance analysis and recommendations. An evaluation of the SmartFarmNet platform and our experiences and lessons learnt in developing this system concludes the paper. SmartFarmNet is the first and currently largest system in the world (in terms of the number of sensors attached, crops assessed, and users it supports) that provides crop performance analysis and recommendations. PMID:27834862

7 CFR 1470.6 - Eligibility requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... producer must be the operator in the Farm Service Agency (FSA) farm records management system. Potential applicants that are not in the FSA farm records management system must establish records with FSA. Potential applicants whose records are not current in the FSA farm records management system must update those records...

7 CFR 1470.6 - Eligibility requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... producer must be the operator in the Farm Service Agency (FSA) farm records management system. Potential applicants that are not in the FSA farm records management system must establish records with FSA. Potential applicants whose records are not current in the FSA farm records management system must update those records...

7 CFR 1470.6 - Eligibility requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... producer must be the operator in the Farm Service Agency (FSA) farm records management system. Potential applicants that are not in the FSA farm records management system must establish records with FSA. Potential applicants whose records are not current in the FSA farm records management system must update those records...

7 CFR 1470.6 - Eligibility requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... producer must be the operator in the Farm Service Agency (FSA) farm records management system. Potential applicants that are not in the FSA farm records management system must establish records with FSA. Potential applicants whose records are not current in the FSA farm records management system must update those records...

Economic analysis of wind-powered farmhouse and farm building heating systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stafford, R. W.; Greeb, F. J.; Smith, M. H.; Deschenes, C.; Weaver, N. L.

1981-01-01

The break even values of wind energy for selected farmhouses and farm buildings focusing on the effects of thermal storage on the use of WECS production were evaluated. Farmhouse structural models include three types derived from a national survey: an older, a more modern, and a passive solar structure. The eight farm building applications include: (1) poultry layers; (2) poultry brooding/layers; (3) poultry broilers; (4) poultry turkeys; (5) swine farrowing; (6) swine growing/finishing; (7) dairy; and (8) lambing. The farm buildings represent the spectrum of animal types, heating energy use, and major contributions to national agricultural economic values. All energy analyses are based on hour by hour computations which allow for growth of animals, sensible and latent heat production, and ventilation requirements.

Dairy cows welfare quality in tie-stall housing system with or without access to exercise.

PubMed

Popescu, Silvana; Borda, Cristin; Diugan, Eva Andrea; Spinu, Marina; Groza, Ioan Stefan; Sandru, Carmen Dana

2013-06-01

Tie-stall housing of dairy cows is used extensively worldwide, despite of the welfare concerns regarding the restriction of voluntary movement and limitation of expression of the cows' natural behaviour. The aim of this study was to compare the welfare quality of dairy cows kept in two types of tie-stall housing systems: with regular outdoor exercise and without access to exercise. In addition, the study investigated the relationship between different welfare measures of dairy cows kept in tie-stalls. 3,192 lactating cows were assessed using the Welfare Quality® assessment protocol for cattle in 80 commercial dairy farms, half of the farms providing outdoor access for the animals to exercise. The descriptive statistical indicators were determined for the assessed measures and for the welfare criteria and principle scores. The data obtained in the two housing types were compared and the correlation coefficients were calculated between the different welfare measures. The significant differences found between the two housing systems for the majority of the animal based measures indicate the positive effect of exercise on the welfare of tethered cows. Many of the animal welfare parameters correlated with each other. For the farms allowing the cows' turnout in a paddock, pasture or both, the mean scores for the welfare criteria and principles were higher than for the farms with permanent tethering of the cows, except the criteria absence of prolonged hunger and expression of social behaviours. The lowest scores were obtained for the criterion positive emotional state, in both housing systems. With regard to the overall classification, none of the farms were considered excellent. In the not classified category were only farms with all-year-round tethering of the animals and in the enhanced category only farms where the cows had outdoor access. The welfare quality of the investigated dairy cows was significantly better in the tie-stall farms which allow exercise for cows (paddocks, pasture or both) than in those which do not. In the light of our results we consider that dairy cattle welfare is not necessarily poor in tie-stall housing systems, its quality depending on the management practices.

Dairy cows welfare quality in tie-stall housing system with or without access to exercise

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Tie-stall housing of dairy cows is used extensively worldwide, despite of the welfare concerns regarding the restriction of voluntary movement and limitation of expression of the cows’ natural behaviour. The aim of this study was to compare the welfare quality of dairy cows kept in two types of tie-stall housing systems: with regular outdoor exercise and without access to exercise. In addition, the study investigated the relationship between different welfare measures of dairy cows kept in tie-stalls. Methods 3,192 lactating cows were assessed using the Welfare Quality® assessment protocol for cattle in 80 commercial dairy farms, half of the farms providing outdoor access for the animals to exercise. The descriptive statistical indicators were determined for the assessed measures and for the welfare criteria and principle scores. The data obtained in the two housing types were compared and the correlation coefficients were calculated between the different welfare measures. Results The significant differences found between the two housing systems for the majority of the animal based measures indicate the positive effect of exercise on the welfare of tethered cows. Many of the animal welfare parameters correlated with each other. For the farms allowing the cows’ turnout in a paddock, pasture or both, the mean scores for the welfare criteria and principles were higher than for the farms with permanent tethering of the cows, except the criteria absence of prolonged hunger and expression of social behaviours. The lowest scores were obtained for the criterion positive emotional state, in both housing systems. With regard to the overall classification, none of the farms were considered excellent. In the not classified category were only farms with all-year-round tethering of the animals and in the enhanced category only farms where the cows had outdoor access. Conclusions The welfare quality of the investigated dairy cows was significantly better in the tie-stall farms which allow exercise for cows (paddocks, pasture or both) than in those which do not. In the light of our results we consider that dairy cattle welfare is not necessarily poor in tie-stall housing systems, its quality depending on the management practices. PMID:23724804

Data-Mining-Based Intelligent Differential Relaying for Transmission Lines Including UPFC and Wind Farms.

PubMed

Jena, Manas Kumar; Samantaray, Subhransu Ranjan

2016-01-01

This paper presents a data-mining-based intelligent differential relaying scheme for transmission lines, including flexible ac transmission system device, such as unified power flow controller (UPFC) and wind farms. Initially, the current and voltage signals are processed through extended Kalman filter phasor measurement unit for phasor estimation, and 21 potential features are computed at both ends of the line. Once the features are extracted at both ends, the corresponding differential features are derived. These differential features are fed to a data-mining model known as decision tree (DT) to provide the final relaying decision. The proposed technique has been extensively tested for single-circuit transmission line, including UPFC and wind farms with in-feed, double-circuit line with UPFC on one line and wind farm as one of the substations with wide variations in operating parameters. The test results obtained from simulation as well as in real-time digital simulator testing indicate that the DT-based intelligent differential relaying scheme is highly reliable and accurate with a response time of 2.25 cycles from the fault inception.

British Columbia's fish health regulatory framework's contribution to sustainability goals related to salmon aquaculture.

PubMed

Stephen, Craig; Dicicco, Emiliano; Munk, Brandon

2008-12-01

Salmon farming is a significant contribution to the global seafood market to which the goal of sustainability is often applied. Diseases related to farms are perhaps the most contentious issues associated with sustainable salmon farming. We reviewed literature and policies in British Columbia, Canada, as well as interviewed key informants to examine how fish health regulations do or could support sustainability goals. We found four main obstacles to the development and application of a sustainability-based health management system. First, salmon farming faced the same challenges as other industries when trying to establish an operational definition of sustainability that captures all stakeholders' interests. Second, there was no program responsible for integrating the various regulations, responsible departments, and monitoring efforts to develop a comprehensive view of sustainability. Third, there was inadequate research base and social consensus on the criteria that should be used to track health outcomes for sustainability purposes. Fourth, the regulatory and management paradigm for salmon farming has been focused on diseases and pathogens as opposed to embracing a more inclusive health promotion model that includes biotic, abiotic, and social determinants of health. A transparent and inclusive participatory process that effectively links expert views with community and industry concerns should serve as the foundation for the next generation of health management regulations for salmon farming.

12 CFR 620.4 - Preparing and providing the annual report.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

....4 Section 620.4 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM DISCLOSURE TO... institution of the Farm Credit System must: (1) Prepare and send to the Farm Credit Administration an... copy of its annual report on its Web site when it sends the report electronically to the Farm Credit...

Distributions of emissions intensity for individual beef cattle reared on pasture-based production systems.

PubMed

McAuliffe, G A; Takahashi, T; Orr, R J; Harris, P; Lee, M R F

2018-01-10

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of livestock production systems is often based on inventory data for farms typical of a study region. As information on individual animals is often unavailable, livestock data may already be aggregated at the time of inventory analysis, both across individual animals and across seasons. Even though various computational tools exist to consider the effect of genetic and seasonal variabilities in livestock-originated emissions intensity, the degree to which these methods can address the bias suffered by representative animal approaches is not well-understood. Using detailed on-farm data collected on the North Wyke Farm Platform (NWFP) in Devon, UK, this paper proposes a novel approach of life cycle impact assessment that complements the existing LCA methodology. Field data, such as forage quality and animal performance, were measured at high spatial and temporal resolutions and directly transferred into LCA processes. This approach has enabled derivation of emissions intensity for each individual animal and, by extension, its intra-farm distribution, providing a step towards reducing uncertainty related to agricultural production inherent in LCA studies for food. Depending on pasture management strategies, the total emissions intensity estimated by the proposed method was higher than the equivalent value recalculated using a representative animal approach by 0.9-1.7 kg CO 2 -eq/kg liveweight gain, or up to 10% of system-wide emissions. This finding suggests that emissions intensity values derived by the latter technique may be underestimated due to insufficient consideration given to poorly performing animals, whose emissions becomes exponentially greater as average daily gain decreases. Strategies to mitigate life-cycle environmental impacts of pasture-based beef productions systems are also discussed.

Modeling, analysis, control and design application guidelines of Doubly Fed Induction Generator (DFIG) for wind power applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masaud, Tarek

Double Fed Induction Generators (DFIG) has been widely used for the past two decades in large wind farms. However, there are many open-ended problems yet to be solved before they can be implemented in some specific applications. This dissertation deals with the general analysis, modeling, control and applications of the DFIG for large wind farm applications. A detailed "d-q" model of DFIG along with other applications is simulated using the MATLAB/Simulink platform. The simulation results have been discussed in detail in both sub-synchronous and super-synchronous mode of operation. An improved vector control strategy based on the rotor flux oriented vector control has been proposed to control the active power output of the DFIG. The new vector control strategy is compared with the stator flux oriented vector control which is commonly used. It is observed that the new improved vector control method provides a better active power tracking accuracy compare with the stator flux oriented vector control. The behavior of the DFIG -based wind farm under the various grid disturbances is also studied in this dissertation. The implementation of the Flexible AC Transmission System devices (FACTS) to overcome the voltage stability issue for such applications is investigated. The study includes the implementation of both a static synchronous compensator (STATCOM), and the static VAR compensator (SVC) as dynamic reactive power compensators at the point of common coupling to support DFIG-based wind farm during disturbances. Integrating FACTS protect the grid connected DFIG-based wind farm from going offline during and after the disturbances. It is found that the both devices improve the transient performance and therefore helps the wind turbine generator system to remain in service during grid faults. A comparison between the performance of the two devices in terms of the amount of reactive power injected, time response and the application cost has been discussed in this dissertation. Finally, the integration of the battery energy storage system (BESS) into a grid connected DFIG- based wind turbine as a proposed solution to smooth out the output power during wind speed variations is also addressed.

Integrated Food-Energy Systems: Challenges and Opportunities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerst, M.; Cox, M. E.; Locke, K. A.; Laser, M.; Raker, M.; Gooch, C.; Kapuscinski, A. R.

2015-12-01

Predominant forms of food and energy systems pose multiple challenges to the environment as current configurations tend to be structured around centralized one-way through-put of materials and energy. One proposed form of system transformation involves locally integrating "unclosed" material and energy loops from food and energy systems. Such systems, which have been termed integrated food-energy systems (IFES), have existed in diverse niche forms but have not been systematically studied with respect to technological, governance, and environmental differences. This is likely because IFES can have widely different configurations, from co-located renewable energy production on cropland to agroforestry. As a first step in creating a synthesis of IFES, our research team constructed a taxonomy using exploratory data analysis of diverse IFES cases (Gerst et al., 2015, ES&T 49:734-741). It was found that IFES may be categorized by type of primary product produced (plant- or animal-based food or energy) and the degree and direction of vertical supply chain coordination. To further explore these implications, we have begun a study of a highly-coordinated, animal-driven IFES: dairy farms with biogas production from anaerobic digestion of manure. The objectives of the research are to understand the barriers to adoption and the potential benefits to the farms financial resilience and to the environment. To address these objectives, we are interviewing 50 farms across New York and Vermont, collecting information on farmer decision-making and farm operation. These results will be used to calibrate biophysical and economic models of the farm in order understand the future conditions under which adoption of an IFES is beneficial.

LCA and emergy accounting of aquaculture systems: towards ecological intensification.

PubMed

Wilfart, Aurélie; Prudhomme, Jehane; Blancheton, Jean-Paul; Aubin, Joël

2013-05-30

An integrated approach is required to optimise fish farming systems by maximising output while minimising their negative environmental impacts. We developed a holistic approach to assess the environmental performances by combining two methods based on energetic and physical flow analysis. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a normalised method that estimates resource use and potential impacts throughout a product's life cycle. Emergy Accounting (EA) refers the amount of energy directly or indirectly required by a product or a service. The combination of these two methods was used to evaluate the environmental impacts of three contrasting fish-farming systems: a farm producing salmon in a recirculating system (RSF), a semi-extensive polyculture pond (PF1) and an extensive polyculture pond (PF2). The RSF system, with a low feed-conversion ratio (FCR = 0.95), had lower environmental impacts per tonne of live fish produced than did the two pond farms, when the effects on climate change, acidification, total cumulative energy demand, land competition and water dependence were considered. However, RSF was clearly disconnected from the surrounding environment and depended highly on external resources (e.g. nutrients, energy). Ponds adequately incorporated renewable natural resources but had higher environmental impacts due to incomplete use of external inputs. This study highlighted key factors necessary for the successful ecological intensification of fish farming, i.e., minimise external inputs, lower the FCR, and increase the use of renewable resources from the surrounding environment. The combination of LCA and EA seems to be a practical approach to address the complexity of optimising biophysical efficiency in aquaculture systems. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental impacts of organic and conventional agricultural products--are the differences captured by life cycle assessment?

PubMed

Meier, Matthias S; Stoessel, Franziska; Jungbluth, Niels; Juraske, Ronnie; Schader, Christian; Stolze, Matthias

2015-02-01

Comprehensive assessment tools are needed that reliably describe environmental impacts of different agricultural systems in order to develop sustainable high yielding agricultural production systems with minimal impacts on the environment. Today, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is increasingly used to assess and compare the environmental sustainability of agricultural products from conventional and organic agriculture. However, LCA studies comparing agricultural products from conventional and organic farming systems report a wide variation in the resource efficiency of products from these systems. The studies show that impacts per area farmed land are usually less in organic systems, but related to the quantity produced impacts are often higher. We reviewed 34 comparative LCA studies of organic and conventional agricultural products to analyze whether this result is solely due to the usually lower yields in organic systems or also due to inaccurate modeling within LCA. Comparative LCAs on agricultural products from organic and conventional farming systems often do not adequately differentiate the specific characteristics of the respective farming system in the goal and scope definition and in the inventory analysis. Further, often only a limited number of impact categories are assessed within the impact assessment not allowing for a comprehensive environmental assessment. The most critical points we identified relate to the nitrogen (N) fluxes influencing acidification, eutrophication, and global warming potential, and biodiversity. Usually, N-emissions in LCA inventories of agricultural products are based on model calculations. Modeled N-emissions often do not correspond with the actual amount of N left in the system that may result in potential emissions. Reasons for this may be that N-models are not well adapted to the mode of action of organic fertilizers and that N-emission models often are built on assumptions from conventional agriculture leading to even greater deviances for organic systems between the amount of N calculated by emission models and the actual amount of N available for emissions. Improvements are needed regarding a more precise differentiation between farming systems and regarding the development of N emission models that better represent actual N-fluxes within different systems. We recommend adjusting N- and C-emissions during farmyard manure management and farmyard manure fertilization in plant production to the feed ration provided in the animal production of the respective farming system leading to different N- and C-compositions within the excrement. In the future, more representative background data on organic farming systems (e.g. N content of farmyard manure) should be generated and compiled so as to be available for use within LCA inventories. Finally, we recommend conducting consequential LCA - if possible - when using LCA for policy-making or strategic environmental planning to account for different functions of the analyzed farming systems. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment and quantification of post-weaning multi-systemic wasting syndrome severity at farm level.

PubMed

Alarcon, Pablo; Velasova, Martina; Werling, Dirk; Stärk, Katharina D C; Chang, Yu-Mei; Nevel, Amanda; Pfeiffer, Dirk U; Wieland, Barbara

2011-01-01

Post-weaning multi-systemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) causes major economic losses for the English pig industry and severity of clinical signs and economic impact vary considerably between affected farms. We present here a novel approach to quantify severity of PMWS based on morbidity and mortality data and presence of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2). In 2008-2009, 147 pig farms across England, non-vaccinating for PCV2, were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. Factor analysis was used to generate variables representing biologically meaningful aspects of variation among qualitative and quantitative morbidity variables. Together with other known variables linked to PMWS, the resulting factors were included in a principal component analysis (PCA) to derive an algorithm for PMWS severity. Factor analysis resulted in two factors: Morbidity Factor 1 (MF1) representing mainly weaner and grower morbidity, and Morbidity Factor 2 (MF2) which mainly reflects variation in finisher morbidity. This indicates that farms either had high morbidity mainly in weaners/growers or mainly in finishers. Subsequent PCA resulted in the extraction of one component representing variation in MF1, post-weaning mortality and percentage of PCV2 PCR positive animals. Component scores were normalised to a value range from 0 to 10 and farms classified into: non or slightly affected farms with a score <4, moderately affected farms with scores 4-6.5 and highly affected farms with a score >6.5. The identified farm level PMWS severities will be used to identify risk factors related to these, to assess the efficacy of PCV2 vaccination and investigating the economic impact of potential control measures. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bio Diesel Cellulosic Ethanol Research Project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hanlon, Edward A.; Capece, John C.; McAvoy, Eugene

The objective of the project is to create the Hendry County Sustainable Biofuels Center and initiate its research, development, and education programs. The mission is to develop engineering and economic assessment methods to evaluate the natural resources impacts of biomass farming and fuel conversion systems; provide sustainability assessments of specific biofuels productions proposals; develop biomass farming and fuel conversion systems that are compatible with south Florida ecosystem restoration priorities; create ecosystem services opportunities and structures to diversify farm income; monitor the range of research and development activities necessary to the creation of sutstainable biofuels production systems in south Florida, identifymore » gaps in the regional research, and assist in the development and coordination of additional projects to fill out the required knowledge base; prepare the workforce of southwest Florida for employment in biofuels related professions; and assist businesses & governmental design and realize sustainable biofuels projects.« less

Research on Collection System Optimal Design of Wind Farm with Obstacles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, W.; Yan, B. Y.; Tan, R. S.; Liu, L. F.

2017-05-01

To the collection system optimal design of offshore wind farm, the factors considered are not only the reasonable configuration of the cable and switch, but also the influence of the obstacles on the topology design of the offshore wind farm. This paper presents a concrete topology optimization algorithm with obstacles. The minimal area rectangle encasing box of the obstacle is obtained by using the method of minimal area encasing box. Then the optimization algorithm combining the advantages of Dijkstra algorithm and Prim algorithm is used to gain the scheme of avoidance obstacle path planning. Finally a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model based on the analytic hierarchy process is constructed to compare the performance of the different topologies. Case studies demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed algorithm and model.

Farm Mapping to Assist, Protect, and Prepare Emergency Responders: Farm MAPPER.

PubMed

Reyes, Iris; Rollins, Tami; Mahnke, Andrea; Kadolph, Christopher; Minor, Gerald; Keifer, Matthew

2014-01-01

Responders such as firefighters and emergency medical technicians who respond to farm emergencies often face complex and unknown environments. They may encounter hazards such as fuels, solvents, pesticides, caustics, and exploding gas storage cylinders. Responders may be unaware of dirt roads within the farm that can expedite their arrival at critical sites or snow-covered manure pits that act as hidden hazards. A response to a farm, unless guided by someone familiar with the operation, may present a risk to responders and post a challenge in locating the victim. This project explored the use of a Web-based farm-mapping application optimized for tablets and accessible via easily accessible on-site matrix barcodes, or quick response codes (QR codes), to provide emergency responders with hazard and resource information to agricultural operations. Secured portals were developed for both farmers and responders, allowing both parties to populate and customize farm maps with icons. Data were stored online and linked to QR codes attached to mailbox posts where emergency responders may read them with a mobile device. Mock responses were conducted on dairy farms to test QR code linking efficacy, Web site security, and field usability. Findings from farmer usability tests showed willingness to enter data as well as ease of Web site navigation and data entry even with farmers who had limited computer knowledge. Usability tests with emergency responders showed ease of QR code connectivity to the farm maps and ease of Web site navigation. Further research is needed to improve data security as well as assess the program's applicability to nonfarm environments and integration with existing emergency response systems. The next phases of this project will expand the program for regional and national use, develop QR code-linked, Web-based extrication guidance for farm machinery for victim entrapment rescue, and create QR code-linked online training videos and materials for limited English proficient immigrant farm workers.

Environmental, morphological, and productive characterization of Sardinian goats and use of latent explanatory factors for population analysis.

PubMed

Vacca, G M; Paschino, P; Dettori, M L; Bergamaschi, M; Cipolat-Gotet, C; Bittante, G; Pazzola, M

2016-09-01

Dairy goat farming is practiced worldwide, within a range of different farming systems. Here we investigated the effects of environmental factors and morphology on milk traits of the Sardinian goat population. Sardinian goats are currently reared in Sardinia (Italy) in a low-input context, similar to many goat farming systems, especially in developing countries. Milk and morphological traits from 1,050 Sardinian goats from 42 farms were recorded. We observed a high variability regarding morphological traits, such as coat color, ear length and direction, horn presence, and udder shape. Such variability derived partly from the unplanned repeated crossbreeding of the native Sardinian goats with exotic breeds, especially Maltese goats. The farms located in the mountains were characterized by the traditional farming system and the lowest percentage of crossbred goats. Explanatory factors analysis was used to summarize the interrelated measured milk variables. The explanatory factor related to fat, protein, and energy content of milk (the "Quality" latent variable) explained about 30% of the variance of the whole data set of measured milk traits followed by the "Hygiene" (19%), "Production" (19%), and "Acidity" (11%) factors. The "Quality" and "Hygiene" factors were not affected by any of the farm classification items, whereas "Production" and "Acidity" were affected only by altitude and size of herds, respectively, indicating the adaptation of the local goat population to different environmental conditions. The use of latent explanatory factor analysis allowed us to clearly explain the large variability of milk traits, revealing that the Sardinian goat population cannot be divided into subpopulations based on milk attitude The factors, properly integrated with genetic data, may be useful tools in future selection programs.

Near real time wind energy forecasting incorporating wind tunnel modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lubitz, William David

A series of experiments and investigations were carried out to inform the development of a day-ahead wind power forecasting system. An experimental near-real time wind power forecasting system was designed and constructed that operates on a desktop PC and forecasts 12--48 hours in advance. The system uses model output of the Eta regional scale forecast (RSF) to forecast the power production of a wind farm in the Altamont Pass, California, USA from 12 to 48 hours in advance. It is of modular construction and designed to also allow diagnostic forecasting using archived RSF data, thereby allowing different methods of completing each forecasting step to be tested and compared using the same input data. Wind-tunnel investigations of the effect of wind direction and hill geometry on wind speed-up above a hill were conducted. Field data from an Altamont Pass, California site was used to evaluate several speed-up prediction algorithms, both with and without wind direction adjustment. These algorithms were found to be of limited usefulness for the complex terrain case evaluated. Wind-tunnel and numerical simulation-based methods were developed for determining a wind farm power curve (the relation between meteorological conditions at a point in the wind farm and the power production of the wind farm). Both methods, as well as two methods based on fits to historical data, ultimately showed similar levels of accuracy: mean absolute errors predicting power production of 5 to 7 percent of the wind farm power capacity. The downscaling of RSF forecast data to the wind farm was found to be complicated by the presence of complex terrain. Poor results using the geostrophic drag law and regression methods motivated the development of a database search method that is capable of forecasting not only wind speeds but also power production with accuracy better than persistence.

SSU rRNA gene sequence reveals two genotypes of Spironucleus barkhanus (Diplomonadida) from farmed and wild Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus.

PubMed

Jørgensen, Anders; Sterud, Erik

2004-11-23

Spironucleus barkhanus isolated from the blood of Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus from a marine fish farm were genetically compared with S. barkhanus isolated from the gall bladder of wild Arctic charr. The wild Arctic charr were caught in the lake used as the water source for the hatchery from which the farmed fish originated. Sequencing of the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene (SSU rDNA) from these 2 populations showed that the isolates obtained from farmed and wild Arctic charr were only 92.7 % similar. Based on the sequence differences between these isolates, it is concluded that the parasites isolated from the farmed fish have not been transmitted from wild Arctic charr in the hatchery's fresh water source. It is therefore most likely that the farmed fish were infected by S. barkhanus after they were transferred to seawater. S. barkhanus isolated from diseased farmed Arctic charr were 99.7% similar to the isolates obtained from diseased farmed Chinook (Canada) and Atlantic salmon (Norway). The high degree of sequence similarity between S. barkhanus from farmed Arctic charr, Chinook and Atlantic salmon indicates that systemic spironucleosis may be caused by specific strains/variants of this parasite. The genetic differences between the isolates of farmed and wild fish are of such magnitude that their conspecificity should be questioned.

12 CFR 614.4590 - Equitable treatment of OFIs and Farm Credit System associations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... differences in credit risk and administrative costs to the Farm Credit Bank or agricultural credit bank. (c... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Equitable treatment of OFIs and Farm Credit System associations. 614.4590 Section 614.4590 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT...

Exposure to Inhalable Dust, Endotoxin, and Total Volatile Organic Carbons on Dairy Farms Using Manual and Automated Feeding Systems.

PubMed

Basinas, Ioannis; Cronin, Garvin; Hogan, Victoria; Sigsgaard, Torben; Hayes, James; Coggins, Ann Marie

2017-04-01

Agricultural workers tend to have high exposures to organic dusts which may induce or exacerbate respiratory disorders. Studies investigating the effect of work tasks and farm characteristics on organic dust exposures among farm workers suggest that handling of animal feed is an important exposure determinant; however, the effect of the animal feeding system has not been explored in any detail. To measure the exposure of Irish dairy farmers to inhalable dust, endotoxin, and total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) during parlour work and to explore whether levels of exposure to these agents depend on the applied feeding system in the farms. Thirty-eight personal exposure measurements were collected from farmers across seven dairy farms. The farms used manual, loft, or semi-automated feeding systems. Information on worker tasks and farm characteristics was collected during the surveys. Associations between exposure concentrations and feeding systems, worker tasks, and other farm characteristics were explored in linear mixed-effect regression models with farmer identity treated as a random effect. Exposure concentrations were variable and had a geometric mean (GM; geometric standard deviation) of 1.5 mg m-3 (1.8) for inhalable dust and 128 EU m-3 (2.5) for endotoxin. More than 50% of the exposure measurements for endotoxin, and organic dust exceeded recommended health-based occupational exposure limits. Endotoxin levels were somewhat lower in farms using semi-automatic feeding systems when compared to those using manual feeding systems but in multivariate regression analysis associations were not statistically significant (β = -0.54, P = 0.4). Performance of activities related to handling and spreading of hay or straw was the strongest determinant for both inhalable dust and endotoxin exposure (β = 0.78, P ≤ 0.001; β = 0.72, P = 0.02, respectively). The level of dust exposure increased also as a consequence of a lower outdoor temperature, and higher ratio of distributed feed per cow (P = 0.01). Stationary measurements of TVOC and CO2 concentrations inside the dairy parlours had a GM of 180 ppb (1.9) and 589 ppb (1.3), respectively. The use of cow teat disinfectants and building ventilation were both strong predictors of TVOC concentrations within parlours. Dairy farm workers can be exposed to high and variable levels of inhalable dust and endotoxin and may be at risk of respiratory disease. Results from this study suggest that exposure control strategies for organic dusts and TVOCs exposures should consider building ventilation and work tasks such as spreading of bedding material, using spray disinfectants and animal feeding. Until effective permanent engineering controls are established farm workers should be encouraged to wear respiratory protective equipment during these tasks. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.

Ships as future floating farm systems?

PubMed

Moustafa, Khaled

2018-04-03

Environmental and agriculture challenges such as severe drought, desertification, sprawling cities and shrinking arable lands in large regions in the world compel us to think about alternative and sustainable farming systems. Ongoing projects to build floating cities in the sea suggest that building specific ships for farming purposes (as farming ships or farming boats) would also be attainable to introduce new farming surfaces and boost food production worldwide to cope with food insecurity issues.

Method and system for spatially variable rate application of agricultural chemicals based on remotely sensed vegetation data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewis, Mark David (Inventor); Seal, Michael R. (Inventor); Hood, Kenneth Brown (Inventor); Johnson, James William (Inventor)

2007-01-01

Remotely sensed spectral image data are used to develop a Vegetation Index file which represents spatial variations of actual crop vigor throughout a field that is under cultivation. The latter information is processed to place it in a format that can be used by farm personnel to correlate and calibrate it with actually observed crop conditions existing at control points within the field. Based on the results, farm personnel formulate a prescription request, which is forwarded via email or FTP to a central processing site, where the prescription is prepared. The latter is returned via email or FTP to on-side farm personnel, who can load it into a controller on a spray rig that directly applies inputs to the field at a spatially variable rate.

From Invention to Innovation: Risk Analysis to Integrate One Health Technology in the Dairy Farm

PubMed Central

Lombardo, Andrea; Boselli, Carlo; Amatiste, Simonetta; Ninci, Simone; Frazzoli, Chiara; Dragone, Roberto; De Rossi, Alberto; Grasso, Gerardo; Mantovani, Alberto; Brajon, Giovanni

2017-01-01

Current Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) approaches mainly fit for food industry, while their application in primary food production is still rudimentary. The European food safety framework calls for science-based support to the primary producers’ mandate for legal, scientific, and ethical responsibility in food supply. The multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary project ALERT pivots on the development of the technological invention (BEST platform) and application of its measurable (bio)markers—as well as scientific advances in risk analysis—at strategic points of the milk chain for time and cost-effective early identification of unwanted and/or unexpected events of both microbiological and toxicological nature. Health-oriented innovation is complex and subject to multiple variables. Through field activities in a dairy farm in central Italy, we explored individual components of the dairy farm system to overcome concrete challenges for the application of translational science in real life and (veterinary) public health. Based on an HACCP-like approach in animal production, the farm characterization focused on points of particular attention (POPAs) and critical control points to draw a farm management decision tree under the One Health view (environment, animal health, food safety). The analysis was based on the integrated use of checklists (environment; agricultural and zootechnical practices; animal health and welfare) and laboratory analyses of well water, feed and silage, individual fecal samples, and bulk milk. The understanding of complex systems is a condition to accomplish true innovation through new technologies. BEST is a detection and monitoring system in support of production security, quality and safety: a grid of its (bio)markers can find direct application in critical points for early identification of potential hazards or anomalies. The HACCP-like self-monitoring in primary production is feasible, as well as the biomonitoring of live food producing animals as sentinel population for One Health. PMID:29218304

From Invention to Innovation: Risk Analysis to Integrate One Health Technology in the Dairy Farm.

PubMed

Lombardo, Andrea; Boselli, Carlo; Amatiste, Simonetta; Ninci, Simone; Frazzoli, Chiara; Dragone, Roberto; De Rossi, Alberto; Grasso, Gerardo; Mantovani, Alberto; Brajon, Giovanni

2017-01-01

Current Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) approaches mainly fit for food industry, while their application in primary food production is still rudimentary. The European food safety framework calls for science-based support to the primary producers' mandate for legal, scientific, and ethical responsibility in food supply. The multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary project ALERT pivots on the development of the technological invention (BEST platform) and application of its measurable (bio)markers-as well as scientific advances in risk analysis-at strategic points of the milk chain for time and cost-effective early identification of unwanted and/or unexpected events of both microbiological and toxicological nature. Health-oriented innovation is complex and subject to multiple variables. Through field activities in a dairy farm in central Italy, we explored individual components of the dairy farm system to overcome concrete challenges for the application of translational science in real life and (veterinary) public health. Based on an HACCP-like approach in animal production, the farm characterization focused on points of particular attention (POPAs) and critical control points to draw a farm management decision tree under the One Health view (environment, animal health, food safety). The analysis was based on the integrated use of checklists (environment; agricultural and zootechnical practices; animal health and welfare) and laboratory analyses of well water, feed and silage, individual fecal samples, and bulk milk. The understanding of complex systems is a condition to accomplish true innovation through new technologies. BEST is a detection and monitoring system in support of production security, quality and safety: a grid of its (bio)markers can find direct application in critical points for early identification of potential hazards or anomalies. The HACCP-like self-monitoring in primary production is feasible, as well as the biomonitoring of live food producing animals as sentinel population for One Health.

Sustainable development of smallholder crop-livestock farming in developing countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ates, S.; Cicek, H.; Bell, L. W.; Norman, H. C.; Mayberry, D. E.; Kassam, S.; Hannaway, D. B.; Louhaichi, M.

2018-03-01

Meeting the growing demand for animal-sourced food, prompted by population growth and increases in average per-capita income in low-income countries, is a major challenge. Yet, it also presents significant potential for agricultural growth, economic development, and reduction of poverty in rural areas. The main constraints to livestock producers taking advantage of growing markets include; lack of forage and feed gaps, communal land tenure, limited access to land and water resources, weak institutions, poor infrastructure and environmental degradation. To improve rural livelihood and food security in smallholder crop-livestock farming systems, concurrent work is required to address issues regarding efficiency of production, risk within systems and development of whole value chain systems. This paper provides a review of several forage based-studies in tropical and non-tropical dry areas of the developing countries. A central tenet of this paper is that forages have an essential role in agricultural productivity, environmental sustainability and livestock nutrition in smallholder mixed farming systems.

12 CFR 609.905 - Background.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... facilitates electronic commerce (E-commerce) and allows Farm Credit System (System) institutions and their customers to use new technologies. System institutions may use E-commerce but must establish good business... Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM ELECTRONIC COMMERCE General Rules § 609.905...

12 CFR 609.905 - Background.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... facilitates electronic commerce (E-commerce) and allows Farm Credit System (System) institutions and their customers to use new technologies. System institutions may use E-commerce but must establish good business... Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM ELECTRONIC COMMERCE General Rules § 609.905...

12 CFR 609.905 - Background.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... facilitates electronic commerce (E-commerce) and allows Farm Credit System (System) institutions and their customers to use new technologies. System institutions may use E-commerce but must establish good business... Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM ELECTRONIC COMMERCE General Rules § 609.905...

12 CFR 609.905 - Background.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... facilitates electronic commerce (E-commerce) and allows Farm Credit System (System) institutions and their customers to use new technologies. System institutions may use E-commerce but must establish good business... Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM ELECTRONIC COMMERCE General Rules § 609.905...

12 CFR 609.905 - Background.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... facilitates electronic commerce (E-commerce) and allows Farm Credit System (System) institutions and their customers to use new technologies. System institutions may use E-commerce but must establish good business... Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM ELECTRONIC COMMERCE General Rules § 609.905...

A Scalable Monitoring for the CMS Filter Farm Based on Elasticsearch

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Andre, J.M.; et al.

2015-12-23

A flexible monitoring system has been designed for the CMS File-based Filter Farm making use of modern data mining and analytics components. All the metadata and monitoring information concerning data flow and execution of the HLT are generated locally in the form of small documents using the JSON encoding. These documents are indexed into a hierarchy of elasticsearch (es) clusters along with process and system log information. Elasticsearch is a search server based on Apache Lucene. It provides a distributed, multitenant-capable search and aggregation engine. Since es is schema-free, any new information can be added seamlessly and the unstructured informationmore » can be queried in non-predetermined ways. The leaf es clusters consist of the very same nodes that form the Filter Farm thus providing natural horizontal scaling. A separate central” es cluster is used to collect and index aggregated information. The fine-grained information, all the way to individual processes, remains available in the leaf clusters. The central es cluster provides quasi-real-time high-level monitoring information to any kind of client. Historical data can be retrieved to analyse past problems or correlate them with external information. We discuss the design and performance of this system in the context of the CMS DAQ commissioning for LHC Run 2.« less

Whole-farm phosphorus loss from grazing-based dairy farms

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Phosphorus (P) loss from agricultural farms persists as a water quality impairment issue. For dairy farms, P can be lost from cropland, pastures, and open-air lots. We used interview surveys to document land use, cattle herd characteristics, and manure management for four grazing-based dairy farms i...

A game theory based framework for assessing incentives for local area collaboration with an application to Scottish salmon farming.

PubMed

Murray, Alexander G

2014-08-01

Movements of water that transport pathogens mean that in net-pen aquaculture diseases are often most effectively managed collaboratively among neighbours. Such area management is widely and explicitly applied for pathogen management in marine salmon farms. Effective area management requires the active support of farm managers and a simple game-theory based framework was developed to identify the conditions required under which collaboration is perceived to be in their own best interest. The model applied is based on area management as practiced for Scottish salmon farms, but its simplicity allows it to be generalised to other area-managed net-pen aquaculture systems. In this model managers choose between purchasing tested pathogen-free fish or cheaper, untested fish that might carry pathogens. Perceived pay-off depends on degree of confidence that neighbours will not buy untested fish, risking input of pathogens that spread between farms. For a given level of risk, confidence in neighbours is most important in control of moderate-impact moderate-probability diseases. Common low-impact diseases require high confidence since there is a high probability a neighbour will import, while testing for rare high-impact diseases may be cost-effective regardless of neighbours actions. In some cases testing may be beneficial at an area level, even if all individual farms are better off not testing. Higher confidence is required for areas with many farms and so focusing management on smaller, epidemiologically imperfect, areas may be more effective. The confidence required for collaboration can be enhanced by the development of formal agreements and the involvement of outside disinterested parties such as trade bodies or government. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Central FPGA-based destination and load control in the LHCb MHz event readout

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobsson, R.

2012-10-01

The readout strategy of the LHCb experiment is based on complete event readout at 1 MHz. A set of 320 sub-detector readout boards transmit event fragments at total rate of 24.6 MHz at a bandwidth usage of up to 70 GB/s over a commercial switching network based on Gigabit Ethernet to a distributed event building and high-level trigger processing farm with 1470 individual multi-core computer nodes. In the original specifications, the readout was based on a pure push protocol. This paper describes the proposal, implementation, and experience of a non-conventional mixture of a push and a pull protocol, akin to credit-based flow control. An FPGA-based central master module, partly operating at the LHC bunch clock frequency of 40.08 MHz and partly at a double clock speed, is in charge of the entire trigger and readout control from the front-end electronics up to the high-level trigger farm. One FPGA is dedicated to controlling the event fragment packing in the readout boards, the assignment of the farm node destination for each event, and controls the farm load based on an asynchronous pull mechanism from each farm node. This dynamic readout scheme relies on generic event requests and the concept of node credit allowing load control and trigger rate regulation as a function of the global farm load. It also allows the vital task of fast central monitoring and automatic recovery in-flight of failing nodes while maintaining dead-time and event loss at a minimum. This paper demonstrates the strength and suitability of implementing this real-time task for a very large distributed system in an FPGA where no random delays are introduced, and where extreme reliability and accurate event accounting are fundamental requirements. It was in use during the entire commissioning phase of LHCb and has been in faultless operation during the first two years of physics luminosity data taking.

Analysing reduced tillage practices within a bio-economic modelling framework.

PubMed

Townsend, Toby J; Ramsden, Stephen J; Wilson, Paul

2016-07-01

Sustainable intensification of agricultural production systems will require changes in farm practice. Within arable cropping systems, reducing the intensity of tillage practices (e.g. reduced tillage) potentially offers one such sustainable intensification approach. Previous researchers have tended to examine the impact of reduced tillage on specific factors such as yield or weed burden, whilst, by definition, sustainable intensification necessitates a system-based analysis approach. Drawing upon a bio-economic optimisation model, 'MEETA', we quantify trade-off implications between potential yield reductions, reduced cultivation costs and increased crop protection costs. We extend the MEETA model to quantify farm-level net margin, in addition to quantifying farm-level gross margin, net energy, and greenhouse gas emissions. For the lowest intensity tillage system, zero tillage, results demonstrate financial benefits over a conventional tillage system even when the zero tillage system includes yield penalties of 0-14.2% (across all crops). Average yield reductions from zero tillage literature range from 0 to 8.5%, demonstrating that reduced tillage offers a realistic and attainable sustainable intensification intervention, given the financial and environmental benefits, albeit that yield reductions will require more land to compensate for loss of calories produced, negating environmental benefits observed at farm-level. However, increasing uptake of reduced tillage from current levels will probably require policy intervention; an extension of the recent changes to the CAP ('Greening') provides an opportunity to do this.

Review of Recent Development of Dynamic Wind Farm Equivalent Models Based on Big Data Mining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Chenggen; Zhou, Qian; Han, Mingzhe; Lv, Zhan’ao; Hou, Xiao; Zhao, Haoran; Bu, Jing

2018-04-01

Recently, the big data mining method has been applied in dynamic wind farm equivalent modeling. In this paper, its recent development with present research both domestic and overseas is reviewed. Firstly, the studies of wind speed prediction, equivalence and its distribution in the wind farm are concluded. Secondly, two typical approaches used in the big data mining method is introduced, respectively. For single wind turbine equivalent modeling, it focuses on how to choose and identify equivalent parameters. For multiple wind turbine equivalent modeling, the following three aspects are concentrated, i.e. aggregation of different wind turbine clusters, the parameters in the same cluster, and equivalence of collector system. Thirdly, an outlook on the development of dynamic wind farm equivalent models in the future is discussed.

[Leptospirosis in animal reproduction: III. Role of the hardjo serovar in bovine leptospirosis in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil].

PubMed

Lilenbaum, W; Dos Santos, M R

1995-01-01

Four hundred and five serum samples were drawn from cows with reproductive problems which were not vaccinated against leptospirosis from 21 dairy farms. Three distinct geographic regions were determined and the farms were also classified considering the production system, based on technological, zootechnical and sanitary resources. A total of 277 positive reactions were observed, corresponding to 68.39% of the samples. The predominant serovar was hardjo, reactive on 85 samples (20.98%), predominant on nine farms and observed on 17 farms (80.95%). It was observed the predominance of hardjo in all studied regions and on properties classified as type "A" (22 samples) and type "B" (49 samples). The role of this serovar on bovine leptospirosis in Brazil compared with other countries is discussed.

A stochastic frontier approach to study the relationship between gastrointestinal nematode infections and technical efficiency of dairy farms.

PubMed

van der Voort, Mariska; Van Meensel, Jef; Lauwers, Ludwig; Vercruysse, Jozef; Van Huylenbroeck, Guido; Charlier, Johannes

2014-01-01

The impact of gastrointestinal (GI) nematode infections in dairy farming has traditionally been assessed using partial productivity indicators. But such approaches ignore the impact of infection on the performance of the whole farm. In this study, efficiency analysis was used to study the association of the GI nematode Ostertagia ostertagi on the technical efficiency of dairy farms. Five years of accountancy data were linked to GI nematode infection data gained from a longitudinal parasitic monitoring campaign. The level of exposure to GI nematodes was based on bulk-tank milk ELISA tests, which measure the antibodies to O. ostertagi and was expressed as an optical density ratio (ODR). Two unbalanced data panels were created for the period 2006 to 2010. The first data panel contained 198 observations from the Belgian Farm Accountancy Data Network (Brussels, Belgium) and the second contained 622 observations from the Boerenbond Flemish farmers' union (Leuven, Belgium) accountancy system (Tiber Farm Accounting System). We used the stochastic frontier analysis approach and defined inefficiency effect models specified with the Cobb-Douglas and transcendental logarithmic (Translog) functional form. To assess the efficiency scores, milk production was considered as the main output variable. Six input variables were used: concentrates, roughage, pasture, number of dairy cows, animal health costs, and labor. The ODR of each individual farm served as an explanatory variable of inefficiency. An increase in the level of exposure to GI nematodes was associated with a decrease in technical efficiency. Exposure to GI nematodes constrains the productivity of pasture, health, and labor but does not cause inefficiency in the use of concentrates, roughage, and dairy cows. Lowering the level of infection in the interquartile range (0.271 ODR) was associated with an average milk production increase of 27, 19, and 9L/cow per year for Farm Accountancy Data Network farms and 63, 49, and 23L/cow per year for Tiber Farm Accounting System farms in the low- (0-90), medium- (90-95), and high- (95-99) efficiency score groups, respectively. The potential milk increase associated with reducing the level of infection was higher for highly efficient farms (6.7% of the total possible milk increase when becoming fully technically efficient) than for less efficient farms (3.8% of the total possible milk increase when becoming fully technically efficient). Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Agroforestry versus farm mosaic systems - Comparing land-use efficiency, economic returns and risks under climate change effects.

PubMed

Paul, Carola; Weber, Michael; Knoke, Thomas

2017-06-01

Increasing land-use conflicts call for the development of land-use systems that reconcile agricultural production with the provisioning of multiple ecosystem services, including climate change mitigation. Agroforestry has been suggested as a global solution to increase land-use efficiency, while reducing environmental impacts and economic risks for farmers. Past research has often focused on comparing tree-crop combinations with agricultural monocultures, but agroforestry has seldom been systematically compared to other forms of land-use diversification, including a farm mosaic. This form of diversification mixes separate parcels of different land uses within the farm. The objective of this study was to develop a modelling approach to compare the performance of the agroforestry and farm mosaic diversification strategies, accounting for tree-crop interaction effects and economic and climate uncertainty. For this purpose, Modern Portfolio Theory and risk simulation were coupled with the process-based biophysical simulation model WaNuLCAS 4.0. For an example application, we used data from a field trial in Panama. The results show that the simulated agroforestry systems (Taungya, alley cropping and border planting) could outperform a farm mosaic approach in terms of cumulative production and return. Considering market and climate uncertainty, agroforestry showed an up to 21% higher economic return at the same risk level (i.e. standard deviation of economic returns). Farm compositions with large shares of land allocated to maize cultivation were also more severely affected by an increasing drought frequency in terms of both risks and returns. Our study demonstrates that agroforestry can be an economically efficient diversification strategy, but only if the design allows for economies of scope, beneficial interactions between trees and crops and higher income diversification compared to a farm mosaic. The modelling approach can make an important contribution to support land-use decisions at the farm level and reduce land-use conflicts at the landscape level. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

12 CFR 618.8040 - Authorized insurance services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 618.8040 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM GENERAL PROVISIONS Member Insurance § 618.8040 Authorized insurance services. (a) Farm Credit System banks (excluding banks for... member's or borrower's farm or aquatic unit is permitted, but limited to hail and multiple-peril crop...

12 CFR 618.8040 - Authorized insurance services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 618.8040 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM GENERAL PROVISIONS Member Insurance § 618.8040 Authorized insurance services. (a) Farm Credit System banks (excluding banks for... member's or borrower's farm or aquatic unit is permitted, but limited to hail and multiple-peril crop...

12 CFR 618.8040 - Authorized insurance services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 618.8040 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM GENERAL PROVISIONS Member Insurance § 618.8040 Authorized insurance services. (a) Farm Credit System banks (excluding banks for... member's or borrower's farm or aquatic unit is permitted, but limited to hail and multiple-peril crop...

Evaluation of the effect of accounting method, IPCC v. LCA, on grass-based and confinement dairy systems' greenhouse gas emissions.

PubMed

O'Brien, D; Shalloo, L; Patton, J; Buckley, F; Grainger, C; Wallace, M

2012-09-01

Life cycle assessment (LCA) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guideline methodology, which are the principal greenhouse gas (GHG) quantification methods, were evaluated in this study using a dairy farm GHG model. The model was applied to estimate GHG emissions from two contrasting dairy systems: a seasonal calving pasture-based dairy farm and a total confinement dairy system. Data used to quantify emissions from these systems originated from a research study carried out over a 1-year period in Ireland. The genetic merit of cows modelled was similar for both systems. Total mixed ration was fed in the Confinement system, whereas grazed grass was mainly fed in the grass-based system. GHG emissions from these systems were quantified per unit of product and area. The results of both methods showed that the dairy system that emitted the lowest GHG emissions per unit area did not necessarily emit the lowest GHG emissions possible for a given level of product. Consequently, a recommendation from this study is that GHG emissions be evaluated per unit of product given the growing affluent human population and increasing demand for dairy products. The IPCC and LCA methods ranked dairy systems' GHG emissions differently. For instance, the IPCC method quantified that the Confinement system reduced GHG emissions per unit of product by 8% compared with the grass-based system, but the LCA approach calculated that the Confinement system increased emissions by 16% when off-farm emissions associated with primary dairy production were included. Thus, GHG emissions should be quantified using approaches that quantify the total GHG emissions associated with the production system, so as to determine whether the dairy system was causing emissions displacement. The IPCC and LCA methods were also used in this study to simulate, through a dairy farm GHG model, what effect management changes within both production systems have on GHG emissions. The findings suggest that single changes have a small mitigating effect on GHG emissions (<5%), except for strategies used to control emissions from manure storage in the Confinement system (14% to 24%). However, when several management strategies were combined, GHG emissions per unit of product could be reduced significantly (15% to 30%). The LCA method was identified as the preferred approach to assess the effect of management changes on GHG emissions, but the analysis indicated that further standardisation of the approach is needed given the sensitivity of the approach to allocation decisions regarding milk and meat.

Evaluation of the use of an on-farm system for bacteriologic culture of milk from cows with low-grade mastitis.

PubMed

Neeser, Nicole L; Hueston, William D; Godden, Sandra M; Bey, Russell F

2006-01-15

To determine factors associated with implementation and use of an on-farm system for bacteriologic culture of milk from cows with lowgrade mastitis, including information on how producers used the on-farm bacteriologic culture system to guide antimicrobial selection practices and the resulting impact on patterns of antimicrobial use. Retrospective cohort study. Producers of 81 dairy farms. Farms that used an on-farm system for bacteriologic culture of milk from January 2001 to July 2003 were surveyed. Over half of those producers continuing to use the on-farm culture delayed antimicrobial treatment pending results of bacteriologic culture. Most other producers initiated empirical antimicrobial treatment while bacteriologic culture results were pending. Several barriers to the use of an on-farm system were identified. Significant reductions in rates of antimicrobial use were detected when comparing antimicrobial use rates before and during use of the on-farm system. Most producers chose to treat cows with mastitis caused by gram-positive pathogens with antimicrobials, whereas treatment choices for cows with mastitis caused by gram-negative bacteria and in cases in which no growth was detected varied. Readily available results permit antimicrobial selections to be made on the basis of the causative agent of mastitis. Adoption of an on-farm system for bacteriologic culture of milk may result in significant reductions in the percentage of cows treated with antimicrobials. Decreasing antimicrobial use may have several benefits including preventing unnecessary discarding of milk, decreasing the potential for drug residues in milk, and improving treatment outcomes as a result of targeted treatments.

7 CFR 4290.720 - Enterprises that may be ineligible for Financing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... wells, wind farms, or power facilities (including solar, geothermal, hydroelectric, or biomass power... the majority of the activities of the Enterprise. Examples include motion pictures. (e) Farm land... ineligible for Farm Credit System Assistance. If one or more Farm Credit System Institutions or their...

Using the Method of Water Poverty Index (WPI) to Evaluate the Region Water Security

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Q.; Kachanoski, G.

2008-12-01

Water security is a widely concerned issue in the world nowadays. A new method, water poverty index (WPI), has been used to evaluate the regional water security. Twelve state farms in Heilongjiang Province, Northeastern China were selected to evaluate water security status based on the data of 2006 by using WPI and mean deviation grading method. The method of WPI includes five key indexes, such as resources(R), access (A), capacity(C), utilization (U) and environment (E). Each key index includes several sub-indexes. According to the results of WPI, the grade of each farm has been calculated by using the method of mean deviation grading. Thus, the radar images can be protracted of each farm. From the radar images, the conclusions can be drawn that the WPI values of Farms 853 and Hongqiling were in very safe status, while that of Farm Raohe was in safe status, those of Farms Youyi, 597, 852, 291 and Jiangchuan were in moderate safe status, that of Farm Beixing was in low safe status and those of Farms Shuangyashan, Shuguang and Baoshan were in unsafe status. The results from this study can provide basic information for decision making on rational use of water resources and regulations for regional water safety guarantee system.

Energy balance in rainfed herbaceous crops in a semiarid environment for a 15-year experiment. 1. Impact of farming systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreno, M. M.; Moreno, C.; Lacasta, C.; Tarquis, A. M.; Meco, R.

2012-04-01

During the last years, agricultural practices have led to increase yields by means of the massive consumption on non-renewable fossil energy. However, the viability of a production system does not depend solely on crop yield, but also on its efficiency in the use of available resources. This work is part of a larger study assessing the effects of three farming systems (conventional, conservation with zero tillage, and organic) and four barley-based crop rotations (barley monoculture and in rotation with vetch, sunflower and fallow) on the energy balance of crop production under the semi-arid conditions over a 15 year period. However, the present work is focused on the farming system effect, so crop rotations and years are averaged. Experiments were conducted at "La Higueruela" Experimental Farm (4°26' W, 40°04' N, altitude 450 m) (Spanish National Research Council, Santa Olalla, Toledo, central Spain). The climate is semi-arid Mediterranean, with an average seasonal rainfall of 480 mm irregularly distributed and a 4-month summer drought period. Conventional farming included the use of moldboard plow for tillage, chemical fertilizers and herbicides. Conservation farming was developed with zero tillage, direct sowing and chemical fertilizers and herbicides. Organic farming included the use of cultivator and no chemical fertilizers or herbicides. The energy balance method used required the identification and quantification of all the inputs and outputs implied, and the conversion to energy values by corresponding coefficients. The parameters considered were (i) energy inputs (EI) (diesel, machines, fertilizers, herbicides, seeds) (ii) energy outputs (EO) (energy in the harvested biomass), (iii) net energy produced (NE) (EI - EO), (iv) the energy output/input ratio (O/I), and (v) energy productivity (EP) (Crop yield/EI). EI was 3.0 and 3.5 times higher in conservation (10.4 GJ ha-1 year-1) and conventional (11.7 GJ ha-1 year-1) than in organic farming (3.41 GJ ha-1 year-1). The difference between conservation and conventional systems was as result of the greater use of machinery and, consequently, of fuel in conventional, though the use of herbicides was slightly lower. In both systems, fertilizer was the most important energy input. EO was lower for organic (17.9 GJ ha-1 year-1) than for either conventional or conservation systems (25.7 and 23.4 GJ ha-1 year-1, respectively), a result of the lower barley grain and vetch hay yields. The highest NE was obtained in organic (14.5 GJ ha-1 year-1), and the lowest in conservation (13.0 GJ ha-1 year-1). In relation to O/I, organic farming were about 2.3 times more energetically efficient (5.36) than either the conventional or conservation systems (about 2.35). EP ranged from 400 kg GJ-1 in organic to 177 kg GJ-1 in conventional. No differences in all the energy variables considered were recorded between the conventional and conservation managements. As conclusions and in terms of energy efficiency, farming systems requiring agrochemicals in semi-arid Mediterranean conditions, whether conventional or conservation, appeared to be little efficient. Chemical fertilizer was the most important energy input in these two systems, but their use did not lead to an equivalent increase in yield because of the irregular distribution in many years. Organic farming would improve the energy efficiency in these environmental conditions, offering a sustainable production with minimal inputs.

Economic efficiency analysis of different strategies to control post-weaning multi-systemic wasting syndrome and porcine circovirus type 2 subclinical infection in 3-weekly batch system farms

PubMed Central

Alarcon, Pablo; Rushton, Jonathan; Nathues, Heiko; Wieland, Barbara

2013-01-01

The study assessed the economic efficiency of different strategies for the control of post-weaning multi-systemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) and porcine circovirus type 2 subclinical infection (PCV2SI), which have a major economic impact on the pig farming industry worldwide. The control strategies investigated consisted on the combination of up to 5 different control measures. The control measures considered were: (1) PCV2 vaccination of piglets (vac); (2) ensuring age adjusted diet for growers (diets); (3) reduction of stocking density (stock); (4) improvement of biosecurity measures (bios); and (5) total depopulation and repopulation of the farm for the elimination of other major pathogens (DPRP). A model was developed to simulate 5 years production of a pig farm with a 3-weekly batch system and with 100 sows. A PMWS/PCV2SI disease and economic model, based on PMWS severity scores, was linked to the production model in order to assess disease losses. This PMWS severity scores depends on the combination post-weaning mortality, PMWS morbidity in younger pigs and proportion of PCV2 infected pigs observed on farms. The economic analysis investigated eleven different farm scenarios, depending on the number of risk factors present before the intervention. For each strategy, an investment appraisal assessed the extra costs and benefits of reducing a given PMWS severity score to the average score of a slightly affected farm. The net present value obtained for each strategy was then multiplied by the corresponding probability of success to obtain an expected value. A stochastic simulation was performed to account for uncertainty and variability. For moderately affected farms PCV2 vaccination alone was the most cost-efficient strategy, but for highly affected farms it was either PCV2 vaccination alone or in combination with biosecurity measures, with the marginal profitability between ‘vac’ and ‘vac + bios’ being small. Other strategies such as ‘diets’, ‘vac + diets’ and ‘bios + diets’ were frequently identified as the second or third best strategy. The mean expected values of the best strategy for a moderately and a highly affected farm were £14,739 and £57,648 after 5 years, respectively. This is the first study to compare economic efficiency of control strategies for PMWS and PCV2SI. The results demonstrate the economic value of PCV2 vaccination, and highlight that on highly affected farms biosecurity measures are required to achieve optimal profitability. The model developed has potential as a farm-level decision support tool for the control of this economically important syndrome. PMID:23375866

ANEMOS: Development of a next generation wind power forecasting system for the large-scale integration of onshore and offshore wind farms.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kariniotakis, G.; Anemos Team

2003-04-01

Objectives: Accurate forecasting of the wind energy production up to two days ahead is recognized as a major contribution for reliable large-scale wind power integration. Especially, in a liberalized electricity market, prediction tools enhance the position of wind energy compared to other forms of dispatchable generation. ANEMOS, is a new 3.5 years R&D project supported by the European Commission, that resembles research organizations and end-users with an important experience on the domain. The project aims to develop advanced forecasting models that will substantially outperform current methods. Emphasis is given to situations like complex terrain, extreme weather conditions, as well as to offshore prediction for which no specific tools currently exist. The prediction models will be implemented in a software platform and installed for online operation at onshore and offshore wind farms by the end-users participating in the project. Approach: The paper presents the methodology of the project. Initially, the prediction requirements are identified according to the profiles of the end-users. The project develops prediction models based on both a physical and an alternative statistical approach. Research on physical models gives emphasis to techniques for use in complex terrain and the development of prediction tools based on CFD techniques, advanced model output statistics or high-resolution meteorological information. Statistical models (i.e. based on artificial intelligence) are developed for downscaling, power curve representation, upscaling for prediction at regional or national level, etc. A benchmarking process is set-up to evaluate the performance of the developed models and to compare them with existing ones using a number of case studies. The synergy between statistical and physical approaches is examined to identify promising areas for further improvement of forecasting accuracy. Appropriate physical and statistical prediction models are also developed for offshore wind farms taking into account advances in marine meteorology (interaction between wind and waves, coastal effects). The benefits from the use of satellite radar images for modeling local weather patterns are investigated. A next generation forecasting software, ANEMOS, will be developed to integrate the various models. The tool is enhanced by advanced Information Communication Technology (ICT) functionality and can operate both in stand alone, or remote mode, or be interfaced with standard Energy or Distribution Management Systems (EMS/DMS) systems. Contribution: The project provides an advanced technology for wind resource forecasting applicable in a large scale: at a single wind farm, regional or national level and for both interconnected and island systems. A major milestone is the on-line operation of the developed software by the participating utilities for onshore and offshore wind farms and the demonstration of the economic benefits. The outcome of the ANEMOS project will help consistently the increase of wind integration in two levels; in an operational level due to better management of wind farms, but also, it will contribute to increasing the installed capacity of wind farms. This is because accurate prediction of the resource reduces the risk of wind farm developers, who are then more willing to undertake new wind farm installations especially in a liberalized electricity market environment.

Comparing technical efficiency of farms with an automatic milking system and a conventional milking system.

PubMed

Steeneveld, W; Tauer, L W; Hogeveen, H; Oude Lansink, A G J M

2012-12-01

Changing from a conventional milking system (CMS) to an automatic milking system (AMS) necessitates a new management approach and a corresponding change in labor tasks. Together with labor savings, AMS farms have been found to have higher capital costs, primarily because of higher maintenance costs and depreciation. Therefore, it is hypothesized that AMS farms differ from CMS farms in capital:labor ratio and possibly their technical efficiency, at least during a transition learning period. The current study used actual farm accounting data from dairy farms in the Netherlands with an AMS and a CMS to investigate the empirical substitution of capital for labor in the AMS farms and to determine if the technical efficiency of the AMS farms differed from the CMS farms. The technical efficiency estimates were obtained with data envelopment analysis. The 63 AMS farms and the 337 CMS farms in the data set did not differ in general farm characteristics such as the number of cows, number of hectares, and the amount of milk quota. Farms with AMS have significantly higher capital costs (€12.71 per 100 kg of milk) than CMS farms (€10.10 per 100 kg of milk). Total labor costs and net outputs were not significantly different between AMS and CMS farms. A clear substitution of capital for labor with the adoption of an AMS could not be observed. Although the AMS farms have a slightly lower technical efficiency (0.76) than the CMS farms (0.78), a significant difference in these estimates was not observed. This indicates that the farms were not different in their ability to use inputs (capital, labor, cows, and land) to produce outputs (total farm revenues). The technical efficiency of farms invested in an AMS in 2008 or earlier was not different from the farms invested in 2009 or 2010, indicating that a learning effect during the transition period was not observed. The results indicate that the economic performance of AMS and CMS farms are similar. What these results show is that other than higher capital costs, the use of AMS rather than a CMS does not affect farm efficiency and that the learning costs to use an AMS are not present as measured by any fall in technical efficiency. Copyright © 2012 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multi-time scale energy management of wind farms based on comprehensive evaluation technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Y. P.; Huang, Y. H.; Liu, Z. J.; Wang, Y. F.; Li, Z. Y.; Guo, L.

2017-11-01

A novel energy management of wind farms is proposed in this paper. Firstly, a novel comprehensive evaluation system is proposed to quantify economic properties of each wind farm to make the energy management more economical and reasonable. Then, a combination of multi time-scale schedule method is proposed to develop a novel energy management. The day-ahead schedule optimizes unit commitment of thermal power generators. The intraday schedule is established to optimize power generation plan for all thermal power generating units, hydroelectric generating sets and wind power plants. At last, the power generation plan can be timely revised in the process of on-line schedule. The paper concludes with simulations conducted on a real provincial integrated energy system in northeast China. Simulation results have validated the proposed model and corresponding solving algorithms.

A participative approach to develop sustainability indicators for dehesa agroforestry farms.

PubMed

Escribano, M; Díaz-Caro, C; Mesias, F J

2018-05-29

This paper provides a list of specific indicators that will allow the managers of dehesa farms to assess their sustainability in an easy and reliable way. To this end a Delphi analysis has been carried out with a group of experts in agroforestry systems and sustainability. A total of 30 experts from public institutions, farming, research bodies, environmental and rural development associations, agricultural organizations and companies took part in the study which intended to design a set of sustainability indicators adapted to dehesa agroforestry systems. The experts scored 83 original indicators related to the basic pillars of sustainability (environmental, social and economic) through a two-round procedure. Finally, 24 indicators were selected based on their importance and the consensus achieved. From an environmental point of view, and in line with its significance for dehesa ecosystems, it has been observed that "Stocking rate" is the indicator with greater relevance. Within the economic pillar, "Farm profitability" is the most important indicator, while regarding the technical indicators "Percentage of animal diet based on grazing" is the one that got the highest score. Finally, the "Degree of job satisfaction" and the "Generational renewal" were the most relevant labor indicators. It is considered that the Delphi approach used in this research settles some of the flaws of other sustainability models, such as the adaptation to the system to be studied and the involvement of stakeholders in the design. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Marine environmental impact assessment of abalone, Haliotis discus hannai, cage farm in Wan-do, Republic of Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, Hyun-Taik; Jung, Rae-Hong; Cho, Yoon-Sik; Hwang, Dong-Woon; Yi, Yong-Min

2015-12-01

To assess the marine environmental impacts of abalone, Haliotis discus hannai, cage farms in Wan-do, we monitored the benthic environment on top of the sediment underneath cage farm stations and reference stations. We applied two methods for this assessment. One was the A- and B-investigation of the MOM system (Modeling-On fish farm-Monitoring) developed in Norway. The other was a general environmental monitoring method which is widely used. In this study, we found benthic animals in all samples that belonged to condition 1 which were based on group 1(presence of macrofauna) of the B-investigation method. The values of redox potential (group 2-pH, redox potential) in all samples were above +65 mV belonging to condition 1. Based on sensory results (group 3-gas, color, odor, thickness of deposits), five out of seven experiment samples showed condition 1 while stations 2 and 7 showed condition 2, which have been cultured for 10 years in semi-closed waters. As group 2 takes precedence over group 3, the level of the conditions for B-investigation results consequently showed condition 1 in all stations. We found that pollutants and trace metals in the sediment underneath cage farms were lower than the pollution standard. This led us to conclude that the environmental impacts of the cage farms in this study were not significant.

Impact of Offshore Wind Power Integrated by VSC-HVDC on Power Angle Stability of Power Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Haiyang; Tang, Xisheng

2017-05-01

Offshore wind farm connected to grid by VSC-HVDC loses frequency support for power system, so adding frequency control in wind farm and VSC-HVDC system is an effective measure, but it will change wind farm VSC-HVDC’s transient stability on power system. Through theoretical analysis, concluding the relationship between equivalent mechanical power and electromagnetic power of two-machine system with the active power of wind farm VSC-HVDC, then analyzing the impact of wind farm VSC-HVDC with or without frequency control and different frequency control parameters on angle stability of synchronous machine by EEAC. The validity of theoretical analysis has been demonstrated through simulation in PSCAD/EMTDC.

Development of Farming Diversification with Implementation Plant Patterns as a Strategy of Economic Strengthening

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anwar, S.; Setyohadi, D. P. S.; Utami, M. M. D.; Damanhuri; Hariono, B.

2018-01-01

Bojonegoro, Tulungagung, and Ponorogo districts are an agrarian area and become one of the leading food crops producers in East Java Province. Diversification of farming in this region is done by applying season-based cropping pattern, which is cultivating various commodities in rotation. Farmers need diversification programs wetland cannot provide an optimal contribution to the income of farmers caused because farmers are not able to cultivate high value-added commodities due to limited capital. This research is to identify the characteristics of farming and to analyse the farming system to know the pattern of planting suggestion and prospect. The research used descriptive method, profit farming analysis, and SWOT. The results showed that each region has a specific planting pattern with rice as the main commodity grown in the rainy season followed by crops and horticultural crops and a suggested planting pattern that needs to be implemented by farmers to increase their income. The prospect of diversification of farming development through the implementation of the proposed planting pattern is very suitable with the character of the region and the market demand.

Gis-Based Wind Farm Site Selection Model Offshore Abu Dhabi Emirate, Uae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saleous, N.; Issa, S.; Mazrouei, J. Al

2016-06-01

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) government has declared the increased use of alternative energy a strategic goal and has invested in identifying and developing various sources of such energy. This study aimed at assessing the viability of establishing wind farms offshore the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, UAE and to identify favourable sites for such farms using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) procedures and algorithms. Based on previous studies and on local requirements, a set of suitability criteria was developed including ocean currents, reserved areas, seabed topography, and wind speed. GIS layers were created and a weighted overlay GIS model based on the above mentioned criteria was built to identify suitable sites for hosting a new offshore wind energy farm. Results showed that most of Abu Dhabi offshore areas were unsuitable, largely due to the presence of restricted zones (marine protected areas, oil extraction platforms and oil pipelines in particular). However, some suitable sites could be identified, especially around Delma Island and North of Jabal Barakah in the Western Region. The environmental impact of potential wind farm locations and associated cables on the marine ecology was examined to ensure minimal disturbance to marine life. Further research is needed to specify wind mills characteristics that suit the study area especially with the presence of heavy traffic due to many oil production and shipping activities in the Arabian Gulf most of the year.

A rapid method for assessing the environmental performance of commercial farms in the Pampas of Argentina.

PubMed

Viglizzo, E F; Frank, F; Bernardos, J; Buschiazzo, D E; Cabo, S

2006-06-01

The generation of reliable updated information is critical to support the harmonization of socio-economic and environmental issues in a context of sustainable development. The agro-environmental assessment and management of agricultural systems often relies on indicators that are necessary to make sound decisions. This work aims to provide an approach to (a) assess the environmental performance of commercial farms in the Pampas of Argentina, and (b) propose a methodological framework to calculate environmental indicators that can rapidly be applied to practical farming. 120 commercial farms scattered across the Pampas were analyzed in this study during 2002 and 2003. Eleven basic indicators were identified and calculation methods described. Such indicators were fossil energy (FE) use, FE use efficiency, nitrogen (N) balance, phosphorus (P) balance, N contamination risk, P contamination risk, pesticide contamination risk, soil erosion risk, habitat intervention, changes in soil carbon stock, and balance of greenhouse gases. A model named Agro-Eco-Index was developed on a Microsoft-Excel support to incorporate on-farm collected data and facilitate the calculation of indicators by users. Different procedures were applied to validate the model and present the results to the users. Regression models (based on linear and non-linear models) were used to validate the comparative performance of the study farms across the Pampas. An environmental dashboard was provided to represent in a graphical way the behavior of farms. The method provides a tool to discriminate environmentally friendly farms from those that do not pay enough attention to environmental issues. Our procedure might be useful for implementing an ecological certification system to reward a good environmental behavior in society (e.g., through tax benefits) and generate a commercial advantage (e.g., through the allocation of green labels) for committed farmers.

Farming fit? Dispelling the Australian agrarian myth

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Rural Australians face a higher mental health and lifestyle disease burden (obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease) than their urban counterparts. Our ongoing research reveals that the Australian farming community has even poorer physical and mental health outcomes than rural averages. In particular, farm men and women have high rates of overweightness, obesity, abdominal adiposity, high blood pressure and psychological distress when compared against Australian averages. Within our farming cohort we observed a significant association between psychological distress and obesity, abdominal adiposity and body fat percentage in the farming population. Presentation of hypothesis This paper presents a hypothesis based on preliminary data obtained from an ongoing study that could potentially explain the complex correlation between obesity, psychological distress and physical activity among a farming population. We posit that spasmodic physical activity, changing farm practices and climate variability induce prolonged stress in farmers. This increases systemic cortisol that, in turn, promotes abdominal adiposity and weight gain. Testing the hypothesis The hypothesis will be tested by anthropometric, biochemical and psychological analysis matched against systemic cortisol levels and the physical activity of the subjects. Implications of the hypothesis tested Previous studies indicate that farming populations have elevated rates of psychological distress and high rates of suicide. Australian farmers have recently experienced challenging climatic conditions including prolonged drought, floods and cyclones. Through our interactions and through the media it is not uncommon for farmers to describe the effect of this long-term stress with feelings of 'defeat'. By gaining a greater understanding of the role cortisol and physical activity have on mental and physical health we may positively impact the current rates of psychological distress in farmers. Trial registration ACTRN12610000827033 PMID:21447192

Canadian National Dairy Study: Herd-level milk quality.

PubMed

Bauman, C A; Barkema, H W; Dubuc, J; Keefe, G P; Kelton, D F

2018-03-01

The objective of this study was to estimate Canadian national milk quality parameters and estimate the bulk tank milk (BTM) prevalence of 4 mastitis pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, Mycoplasma bovis, and Prototheca spp., on Canadian dairy farms. A questionnaire was sent to all Canadian dairy producers. Of the 1,062 producers who completed the questionnaire, 374 producers from across the country were visited and milking hygiene was assessed. Farm-level milk quality data for all Canadian dairy producers was collected from the provincial marketing boards and combined with the questionnaire and farm visit data. In addition, a BTM sample was collected either during the farm visit or by the marketing board in November of 2015 and was tested for 4 major mastitis pathogens using the PathoProof Mastitis Major 4 PCR Assay (Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Waltham, MA). Apparent herd-level prevalence was 46% for S. aureus, 6% for Prototheca spp., 0% for M. bovis, and 0% for Strep. agalactiae. Due to the low prevalence of M. bovis and Strep. agalactiae and a lack of significant factors associated with farms testing positive for Prototheca spp., an association analysis could only be carried out for Staph. aureus-positive farms. Factors associated with Staph. aureus-positive farms were not fore-stripping cows before milking (odds ratio = 1.87), milking with a pipeline system (odds ratio = 2.21), and stall bases made of a rubberized surface (mats and mattresses), whereas protective factors were using blanket dry cow therapy (odds ratio = 0.49) and applying a tag or visible mark on cows known to have chronic mastitis infections (odds ratio = 0.45). The Canadian national production-weighted geometric mean somatic cell count was determined to be 208,000 cells/mL. This is the first national dairy study conducted in Canada. Participating farms had higher milk yield; were more likely to have a loose housing system, parlor, or automated milking system; and had lower weighted mean BTM somatic cell count than the national level. Sampling larger farms with better milk quality means the apparent prevalence of the 4 mastitis pathogens likely underestimates the true levels. Copyright © 2018 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

12 CFR 619.9140 - Farm Credit bank(s).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Farm Credit bank(s). 619.9140 Section 619.9140 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM DEFINITIONS § 619.9140 Farm Credit bank(s). Except as otherwise defined, the term Farm Credit bank(s) includes Farm Credit Banks...

12 CFR 619.9140 - Farm Credit bank(s).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Farm Credit bank(s). 619.9140 Section 619.9140 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM DEFINITIONS § 619.9140 Farm Credit bank(s). Except as otherwise defined, the term Farm Credit bank(s) includes Farm Credit Banks...

76 FR 20668 - Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation Board; Regular Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-13

... Plan. C. New Business Presentation of 2010 Audits Results. Closed Sesson FCSIC Report on System... Meeting AGENCY: Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation. SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the regular meeting of the Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation Board (Board). Date and Time: The meeting of the...

Effect of farming system and cheesemaking technology on the physicochemical characteristics, fatty acid profile, and sensory properties of Caciocavallo Palermitano cheese.

PubMed

Bonanno, A; Tornambè, G; Bellina, V; De Pasquale, C; Mazza, F; Maniaci, G; Di Grigoli, A

2013-01-01

Caciocavallo Palermitano is a typical stretched-curd cheese that has been produced over the centuries in Sicily according to traditional cheesemaking technology and using raw milk from autochthonous cow breeds reared at pasture. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of the farming system and processing technology on the characteristics of Caciocavallo Palermitano cheese, with particular regard to the fatty acid profile. The farming system was either extensive, using autochthonous cows fed a pasture-based diet, or intensive, with specialized dairy cow breeds fed mainly hay and concentrate. The cheese-processing technology was either artisanal, using traditional wooden tools and endemic lactic bacteria, or advanced, using modern steel equipment and selected lactic bacteria. Twelve Caciocavallo Palermitano cheeses, 3 from each of the 4 experimental theses (2 farming systems × 2 cheesemaking technologies), were obtained and aged for 1, 30, 60, and 120 d. Milk of origin and cheeses were analyzed for the main chemical and rheological parameters. Fatty acids were methylated in lyophilized cheese and analyzed by gas chromatography. Sensory analysis was carried out by trained panelists. The PROC GLM of SAS 9.1.2 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NY) was used for the statistical analysis. The physical, chemical, and sensory characteristics of Caciocavallo Palermitano cheese were influenced more by the farming system than by the cheesemaking technology. Compared with cheese produced through intensive farming, cheese from extensive farming was richer in polyunsaturated, n-3, and odd- and branched-chain fatty acids, as well as in conjugated linoleic acid (cis-9,trans-11 C18:2), with accompanying improved human health benefits. The cheesemaking technology produced variation in the evolution of proteolysis during aging, due presumably to the different active microflora, which influenced the sensory profile of the resulting cheese. Indeed, cheese produced by artisanal manufacturing was described as less "bitter" and more "piquant" than cheese produced through the advanced process. Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multiscale effects of management, environmental conditions, and land use on nitrate leaching in dairy farms.

PubMed

Oenema, Jouke; Burgers, Saskia; Verloop, Koos; Hooijboer, Arno; Boumans, Leo; ten Berge, Hein

2010-01-01

Nitrate leaching in intensive grassland- and silage maize-based dairy farming systems on sandy soil is a main environmental concern. Here, statistical relationships are presented between management practices and environmental conditions and nitrate concentration in shallow groundwater (0.8 m depth) at farm, field, and point scales in The Netherlands, based on data collected in a participatory approach over a 7-yr period at one experimental and eight pilot commercial dairy farms on sandy soil. Farm milk production ranged from 10 to 24 Mg ha(-1). Soil and hydrological characteristics were derived from surveys and weather conditions from meteorological stations. Statistical analyses were performed with multiple regression models. Mean nitrate concentration at farm scale decreased from 79 mg L(-1) in 1999 to 63 in 2006, with average nitrate concentration in groundwater decreasing under grassland but increasing under maize land over the monitoring period. The effects of management practices on nitrate concentration varied with spatial scale. At farm scale, nitrogen surplus, grazing intensity, and the relative areas of grassland and maize land significantly contributed to explaining the variance in nitrate concentration in groundwater. Mean nitrate concentration was negatively correlated to the concentration of dissolved organic carbon in the shallow groundwater. At field scale, management practices and soil, hydrological, and climatic conditions significantly contributed to explaining the variance in nitrate concentration in groundwater under grassland and maize land. We conclude that, on these intensive dairy farms, additional measures are needed to comply with the European Union water quality standard in groundwater of 50 mg nitrate L(-1). The most promising measures are omitting fertilization of catch crops and reducing fertilization levels of first-year maize in the rotation.

Seasonality of parasitic helminths of Leporinus macrocephalus and their parasitism rates in farming systems in the Amazon.

PubMed

Martins, Williane Maria de Oliveira; Justo, Márcia Cristina Nascimento; Cárdenas, Melissa Querido; Cohen, Simone Chinicz

2017-01-01

The objective of the present study was to analyze the seasonality of parasitic helminths of Leporinus macrocephalus from fish farms in the municipality of Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, Brazil, and their parasitism rates. Between June 2014 and March 2015, 200 specimens were sampled from two fish farms: one with a semi-intensive system and the other with an extensive system (100 fish from each farm: 50 during the dry season and 50 during the rainy season). Fifteen species of parasites were found, with seasonal variations of some according to the farming system. In the semi-intensive fish farm, there was greater prevalence of infection during the dry season. Also, Urocleidoides paradoxus, Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) inopinatus, Goezia leporini and Rhabdochona (Rhabdochona) acuminata presented differences in their parasitism rates between the seasons. In the extensive fish farm, no variation in the prevalence of infection was observed between the seasons and two species Tereancistrum parvus and G. leporini demonstrated differences only regarding the mean intensity of infection. The data presented here may help fish farmers to understand the parasite dynamics of L. macrocephalus in farming systems during the dry and rainy seasons in the state of Acre.

Development of pig welfare assessment protocol integrating animal-, environment-, and management-based measures.

PubMed

Renggaman, Anriansyah; Choi, Hong L; Sudiarto, Sartika Ia; Alasaarela, Laura; Nam, Ok S

2015-01-01

Due to increased interest in animal welfare, there is now a need for a comprehensive assessment protocol to be used in intensive pig farming systems. There are two current welfare assessment protocols for pigs: Welfare Quality® Assessment Protocols (applicable in the Europe Union), that mostly focuses on animal-based measures, and the Swine Welfare Assurance Program (applicable in the United States), that mostly focuses on management- and environment-based measures. In certain cases, however, animal-based measures might not be adequate for properly assessing pig welfare status. Similarly, welfare assessment that relies only on environment- and management-based measures might not represent the actual welfare status of pigs. Therefore, the objective of this paper was to develop a new welfare protocol by integrating animal-, environment-, and management-based measures. The background for selection of certain welfare criteria and modification of the scoring systems from existing welfare assessment protocols are described. The developed pig welfare assessment protocol consists of 17 criteria that are related to four main principles of welfare (good feeding, good housing, good health, and appropriate behavior). Good feeding, good housing, and good health were assessed using a 3-point scale: 0 (good welfare), 1 (moderate welfare), and 2 (poor welfare). In certain cases, only a 2-point scale was used: 0 (certain condition is present) or 2 (certain condition is absent). Appropriate behavior was assessed by scan sampling of positive and negative social behaviors based on qualitative behavior assessment and human-animal relationship tests. Modification of the body condition score into a 3-point scale revealed pigs with a moderate body condition (score 1). Moreover, additional criteria such as feed quality confirmed that farms had moderate (score 1) or poor feed quality (score 2), especially those farms located in a high relative humidity region. The developed protocol can be utilized to assess welfare status in an intensive pig farming system. Although further improvements are still needed, this study is a first step in developing a pig welfare assessment protocol that combines animal-, environment-, and management-based measures.

The use of a geographic information system to identify a dairy goat farm as the most likely source of an urban Q-fever outbreak.

PubMed

Schimmer, Barbara; Ter Schegget, Ronald; Wegdam, Marjolijn; Züchner, Lothar; de Bruin, Arnout; Schneeberger, Peter M; Veenstra, Thijs; Vellema, Piet; van der Hoek, Wim

2010-03-16

A Q-fever outbreak occurred in an urban area in the south of the Netherlands in May 2008. The distribution and timing of cases suggested a common source. We studied the spatial relationship between the residence locations of human cases and nearby small ruminant farms, of which one dairy goat farm had experienced abortions due to Q-fever since mid April 2008. A generic geographic information system (GIS) was used to develop a method for source detection in the still evolving major epidemic of Q-fever in the Netherlands. All notified Q-fever cases in the area were interviewed. Postal codes of cases and of small ruminant farms (size >40 animals) located within 5 kilometres of the cluster area were geo-referenced as point locations in a GIS-model. For each farm, attack rates and relative risks were calculated for 5 concentric zones adding 1 kilometre at a time, using the 5-10 kilometres zone as reference. These data were linked to the results of veterinary investigations. Persons living within 2 kilometres of an affected dairy goat farm (>400 animals) had a much higher risk for Q-fever than those living more than 5 kilometres away (Relative risk 31.1 [95% CI 16.4-59.1]). The study supported the hypothesis that a single dairy goat farm was the source of the human outbreak. GIS-based attack rate analysis is a promising tool for source detection in outbreaks of human Q-fever.

77 FR 55837 - Board Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-11

... FARM CREDIT SYSTEM INSURANCE CORPORATION Board Meeting AGENCY: Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation. ACTION: Regular meeting. SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the regular meeting of the Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation Board (Board). Date and Time: The meeting of the Board will be held...

Farm Women, Farming Systems, and Agricultural Structure: Suggestions for Scholarship.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flora, Cornelia Butler

1981-01-01

Suggests research agenda to analyze the class struggle occurring with farm women. Views the household as the unit of analysis, both internally from a farming-systems perspective and externally as responding to shifts in policy and technology. Available from: Rural Sociological Society, 325 Morgan Hall, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37916.…

Water footprinting of pasture-based farms; beef and sheep.

PubMed

Murphy, E; Curran, T P; Holden, N M; O'Brien, D; Upton, J

2018-05-01

In the context of water use for agricultural production, water footprints (WFs) have become an important sustainability indicator. To understand better the water demand for beef and sheep meat produced on pasture-based systems, a WF of individual farms is required. The main objective of this study was to determine the primary contributors to freshwater consumption up to the farm gate expressed as a volumetric WF and associated impacts for the production of 1 kg of beef and 1 kg of sheep meat from a selection of pasture-based farms for 2 consecutive years, 2014 and 2015. The WF included green water, from the consumption of soil moisture due to evapotranspiration, and blue water, from the consumption of ground and surface waters. The impact of freshwater consumption on global water stress from the production of beef and sheep meat in Ireland was also computed. The average WF of the beef farms was 8391 l/kg carcass weight (CW) of which 8222 l/kg CW was green water and 169 l/kg CW was blue water; water for the production of pasture (including silage and grass) contributed 88% to the WF, concentrate production - 10% and on-farm water use - 1%. The average stress-weighted WF of beef was 91 l H2O eq/kg CW, implying that each kg of beef produced in Ireland contributed to freshwater scarcity equivalent to the consumption of 91 l of freshwater by an average world citizen. The average WF of the sheep farms was 7672 l/kg CW of which 7635 l/kg CW was green water and 37 l/kg CW was blue water; water for the production of pasture contributed 87% to the WF, concentrate production - 12% and on-farm water use - 1%. The average stress-weighted WF was 2 l H2O eq/kg CW for sheep. This study also evaluated the sustainability of recent intensification initiatives in Ireland and found that increases in productivity were supported through an increase in green water use and higher grass yields per hectare on both beef and sheep farms.

Emergy analysis of a farm biogas project in China: A biophysical perspective of agricultural ecological engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, S. Y.; Zhang, B.; Cai, Z. F.

2010-05-01

This paper aims to present a biophysical understanding of the agricultural ecological engineering by emergy analysis for a farm biogas project in China as a representative case. Accounting for the resource inputs into and accumulation within the project, as well as the outputs to the social system, emergy analysis provides an empirical study in the biophysical dimension of the agricultural ecological engineering. Economic benefits and ecological economic benefits of the farm biogas project indicated by market value and emergy monetary value are discussed, respectively. Relative emergy-based indices such as renewability (R%), emergy yield ratio (EYR), environmental load ratio (ELR) and environmental sustainability index (ESI) are calculated to evaluate the environmental load and local sustainability of the concerned biogas project. The results show that the farm biogas project has more reliance on the local renewable resources input, less environmental pressure and higher sustainability compared with other typical agricultural systems. In addition, holistic evaluation and its policy implications for better operation and management of the biogas project are presented.

Next generation data systems and knowledge products to support agricultural producers and science-based policy decision making.

PubMed

Capalbo, Susan M; Antle, John M; Seavert, Clark

2017-07-01

Research on next generation agricultural systems models shows that the most important current limitation is data, both for on-farm decision support and for research investment and policy decision making. One of the greatest data challenges is to obtain reliable data on farm management decision making, both for current conditions and under scenarios of changed bio-physical and socio-economic conditions. This paper presents a framework for the use of farm-level and landscape-scale models and data to provide analysis that could be used in NextGen knowledge products, such as mobile applications or personal computer data analysis and visualization software. We describe two analytical tools - AgBiz Logic and TOA-MD - that demonstrate the current capability of farmlevel and landscape-scale models. The use of these tools is explored with a case study of an oilseed crop, Camelina sativa , which could be used to produce jet aviation fuel. We conclude with a discussion of innovations needed to facilitate the use of farm and policy-level models to generate data and analysis for improved knowledge products.

New parsimonious simulation methods and tools to assess future food and environmental security of farm populations

PubMed Central

Antle, John M.; Stoorvogel, Jetse J.; Valdivia, Roberto O.

2014-01-01

This article presents conceptual and empirical foundations for new parsimonious simulation models that are being used to assess future food and environmental security of farm populations. The conceptual framework integrates key features of the biophysical and economic processes on which the farming systems are based. The approach represents a methodological advance by coupling important behavioural processes, for example, self-selection in adaptive responses to technological and environmental change, with aggregate processes, such as changes in market supply and demand conditions or environmental conditions as climate. Suitable biophysical and economic data are a critical limiting factor in modelling these complex systems, particularly for the characterization of out-of-sample counterfactuals in ex ante analyses. Parsimonious, population-based simulation methods are described that exploit available observational, experimental, modelled and expert data. The analysis makes use of a new scenario design concept called representative agricultural pathways. A case study illustrates how these methods can be used to assess food and environmental security. The concluding section addresses generalizations of parametric forms and linkages of regional models to global models. PMID:24535388

New parsimonious simulation methods and tools to assess future food and environmental security of farm populations.

PubMed

Antle, John M; Stoorvogel, Jetse J; Valdivia, Roberto O

2014-04-05

This article presents conceptual and empirical foundations for new parsimonious simulation models that are being used to assess future food and environmental security of farm populations. The conceptual framework integrates key features of the biophysical and economic processes on which the farming systems are based. The approach represents a methodological advance by coupling important behavioural processes, for example, self-selection in adaptive responses to technological and environmental change, with aggregate processes, such as changes in market supply and demand conditions or environmental conditions as climate. Suitable biophysical and economic data are a critical limiting factor in modelling these complex systems, particularly for the characterization of out-of-sample counterfactuals in ex ante analyses. Parsimonious, population-based simulation methods are described that exploit available observational, experimental, modelled and expert data. The analysis makes use of a new scenario design concept called representative agricultural pathways. A case study illustrates how these methods can be used to assess food and environmental security. The concluding section addresses generalizations of parametric forms and linkages of regional models to global models.

Is the profitability of Canadian freestall farms associated with their performance on an animal welfare assessment?

PubMed

Villettaz Robichaud, M; Rushen, J; de Passillé, A M; Vasseur, E; Haley, D; Orsel, K; Pellerin, D

2018-03-01

Improving animal welfare on farm can sometimes require substantial financial investments. The Canadian dairy industry recently updated their Code of Practice for the care of dairy animals and created a mandatory on-farm animal care assessment (proAction Animal Care). Motivating dairy farmers to follow the recommendations of the Code of Practice and successfully meet the targets of the on-farm assessment can be enhanced by financial gain associated with improved animal welfare. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the association between meeting or not meeting several criteria from an on-farm animal welfare assessment and the farms' productivity and profitability indicators. Data from 130 freestall farms (20 using automatic milking systems) were used to calculate the results of the animal care assessment. Productivity and profitability indicators, including milk production, somatic cell count, reproduction, and longevity, were retrieved from the regional dairy herd improvement association databases. Economic margins over replacement costs were also calculated. Univariable and multivariable linear regression models were used to evaluate the associations between welfare and productivity and profitability indicators. The proportion of automatic milking system farms that met the proAction criterion for hock lesions was higher compared with parlor farms and lower for the neck lesion criterion. The proAction criterion for lameness prevalence was significantly associated with average corrected milk production per year. Average days in milk (DIM) at first breeding acted as an effect modifier for this association, resulting in a steeper increase of milk production in farms that met the criterion with increasing average DIM at first breeding. The reproduction and longevity indicators studied were not significantly associated with meeting or not meeting the proAction criteria investigated in this study. Meeting the proAction lameness prevalence parameter was associated with an increased profitability margin per cow over replacement cost by $236 compared with farms that did not. These results suggest that associations are present between meeting the lameness prevalence benchmark of the Animal Care proAction Initiative and freestall farms' productivity and profitability. Overall, meeting the animal-based criteria evaluated in this study was not detrimental to freestall farms' productivity and profitability. Copyright © 2018 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Organic fields sustain weed metacommunity dynamics in farmland landscapes.

PubMed

Henckel, Laura; Börger, Luca; Meiss, Helmut; Gaba, Sabrina; Bretagnolle, Vincent

2015-06-07

Agro-ecosystems constitute essential habitat for many organisms. Agricultural intensification, however, has caused a strong decline of farmland biodiversity. Organic farming (OF) is often presented as a more biodiversity-friendly practice, but the generality of the beneficial effects of OF is debated as the effects appear often species- and context-dependent, and current research has highlighted the need to quantify the relative effects of local- and landscape-scale management on farmland biodiversity. Yet very few studies have investigated the landscape-level effects of OF; that is to say, how the biodiversity of a field is affected by the presence or density of organically farmed fields in the surrounding landscape. We addressed this issue using the metacommunity framework, with weed species richness in winter wheat within an intensively farmed landscape in France as model system. Controlling for the effects of local and landscape structure, we showed that OF leads to higher local weed diversity and that the presence of OF in the landscape is associated with higher local weed biodiversity also for conventionally farmed fields, and may reach a similar biodiversity level to organic fields in field margins. Based on these results, we derive indications for improving the sustainable management of farming systems. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

7 CFR 1470.6 - Eligibility requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... operator in the Farm Service Agency (FSA) farm records management system for the agricultural operation... management system must establish records with FSA prior to application. Potential applicants whose records are not current in the FSA farm records management system must update those records with FSA prior to...

77 FR 2541 - Board Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-18

... FARM CREDIT SYSTEM INSURANCE CORPORATION Board Meeting AGENCY: Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation Board; Regular Meeting. SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the regular meeting of the Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation Board (Board). DATE AND TIME: The meeting of the Board will be held at the...

75 FR 1780 - Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-13

... FARM CREDIT SYSTEM INSURANCE CORPORATION Meetings AGENCY: Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation Board; Regular Meeting. SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the regular meeting of the Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation Board (Board). DATE AND TIME: The meeting of the Board will be held at the offices of...

Ecologically sound management: aspects of modern sustainable deer farming systems.

PubMed

Pearse, A J; Drew, K R

1998-01-01

Modern deer farming systems have become increasingly intensive allowing strategic feeding for production and genetic improvement programmes. Meeting feeding standards that account for changing nutritional demands related to seasonality and reproductive state is critical. As the industry matures there is a growing awareness of the balance between retaining natural behaviour in producing breeding stock on larger extensive holdings and intensification systems for performance in young stock. Stocking rates are critical determinants of success as land use and capability needs are matched with an increasing stratification of stock type and purpose. Food product safety and welfare considerations of farmed deer are being driven by consumer demands. Farm quality assurance and codes of practice are developing to ensure that deer farming meets and exceeds international expectations of land use and deer welfare in modern deer farming systems.

Automatic milking systems, farm size, and milk production.

PubMed

Rotz, C A; Coiner, C U; Soder, K J

2003-12-01

Automatic milking systems (AMS) offer relief from the demanding routine of milking. Although many AMS are in use in Europe and a few are used in the United States, the potential benefit for American farms is uncertain. A farm-simulation model was used to determine the long-term, whole-farm effect of implementing AMS on farm sizes of 30 to 270 cows. Highest farm net return to management and unpaid factors was when AMS were used at maximal milking capacity. Adding stalls to increase milking frequency and possibly increase production generally did not improve net return. Compared with new traditional milking systems, the greatest potential economic benefit was a single-stall AMS on a farm size of 60 cows at a moderate milk production level (8600 kg/cow). On other farm sizes using single-stall type robotic units, losses in annual net return of 0 dollars to 300 dollars/cow were projected, with the greatest losses on larger farms and at high milk production (10,900 kg/cow). Systems with one robot serving multiple stalls provided a greater net return than single-stall systems, and this net return was competitive with traditional parlors for 50- to 130-cow farm sizes. The potential benefit of AMS was improved by 100 dollars/cow per year if the AMS increased production an additional 5%. A 20% reduction in initial equipment cost or doubling milking labor cost also improved annual net return of an AMS by up to 100 dollars/cow. Annual net return was reduced by 110 dollars/cow, though, if the economic life of the AMS was reduced by 3 yr for a more rapid depreciation than that normally used with traditional milking systems. Thus, under current assumptions, the economic return for an AMS was similar to that of new parlor systems on smaller farms when the milking capacity of the AMS was well matched to herd size and milk production level.

No effect of the farming system (organic/conventional) on the bioavailability of apple (Malus domestica Bork., cultivar Golden Delicious) polyphenols in healthy men: a comparative study.

PubMed

Stracke, Berenike A; Rüfer, Corinna E; Bub, Achim; Seifert, Stephanie; Weibel, Franco P; Kunz, Clemens; Watzl, Bernhard

2010-08-01

The organic food sales have been increasing during the recent years. It has been hypothesised that organically grown fruits are healthier based on their higher content of phytochemicals. However, data on the bioavailability of phytochemicals from organically or conventionally produced plant foods are scarce. Two human intervention studies were performed to compare the bioavailability of polyphenols in healthy men after ingestion of apples from different farming systems. The administered apples were grown organically and conventionally under defined conditions and characterised regarding their polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity. No significant differences in the polyphenol content and the antioxidant capacity from the organic and conventional farming system were observed. In the short-term intervention study, six men consumed either organically or conventionally produced apples in a randomized cross-over study. After intake of 1 kg apples, phloretin (C (max) 13 + or - 5 nmol/l, t (max) 1.7 + or - 1.2 h) and coumaric acid (C (max )35 + or - 12 nmol/l, t (max) 3.0 + or - 0.8 h) plasma concentrations increased significantly (P < 0.0001) in both intervention groups, without differences between the two farming systems. In the long-term intervention study, 43 healthy volunteers consumed organically or conventionally produced apples (500 g/day; 4 weeks) or no apples in a double-blind, randomized intervention study. In this study, 24 h after the last dosing regime, the apple intake did not result in increasing polyphenol concentrations in plasma and urine compared to the control group suggesting no accumulation of apple polyphenols or degradation products in humans. Our study suggests that the two farming systems (organic/conventional) do not result in differences in the bioavailability of apple polyphenols.

Demographics, farm and reproductive management strategies used in Australian automatic milking systems compared with regionally proximal conventional milking systems.

PubMed

Keeper, D M; Kerrisk, K L; House, J K; Garcia, S C; Thomson, P

2017-09-01

To determine the management practices utilised in automatic milking systems (AMS) that affect reproductive management and performance and how these compare with the management practices used in regionally proximal conventional milking systems (CMS). This study examined demographic and management data from AMS and CMS dairy farms through a survey, with a specific focus on reproductive management procedures. Overall, responses from AMS and CMS dairy farms showed little difference in terms of respondent demographics, farm size, herd structure and most farm management strategies. AMS dairies were more likely to use activity meters or other electronic oestrus detection aids than CMS dairies (P < 0.001) and were also more likely to have changed to electronic recording systems (P = 0.007). Although many respondents indicated that they used key monitoring parameters to assess reproductive performance (e.g. days in milk, conception vs pregnancy rate etc.), the format of responses varied significantly, indicating a relatively widespread (among the respondents) lack of knowledge regarding the meaning and usage of some of these common parameters/terminology. Ultimately, reproductive management practices of AMS dairies were largely similar to those of CMS dairies, indicating that such practices can be implemented in a practical sense, even though the resultant reproductive performance is not yet understood. Understanding that the key reproductive management strategies do not need to change vastly is important to ensure that new adoptees are well informed. Further work is needed to objectively measure AMS performance to increase the knowledge base and generate the confidence that will facilitate further adoption of this innovation. © 2017 Australian Veterinary Association.

Investment appraisal of technology innovations on dairy farm electricity consumption.

PubMed

Upton, J; Murphy, M; De Boer, I J M; Groot Koerkamp, P W G; Berentsen, P B M; Shalloo, L

2015-02-01

The aim of this study was to conduct an investment appraisal for milk-cooling, water-heating, and milk-harvesting technologies on a range of farm sizes in 2 different electricity-pricing environments. This was achieved by using a model for electricity consumption on dairy farms. The model simulated the effect of 6 technology investment scenarios on the electricity consumption and electricity costs of the 3 largest electricity-consuming systems within the dairy farm (i.e., milk-cooling, water-heating, and milking machine systems). The technology investment scenarios were direct expansion milk-cooling, ice bank milk-cooling, milk precooling, solar water-heating, and variable speed drive vacuum pump-milking systems. A dairy farm profitability calculator was combined with the electricity consumption model to assess the effect of each investment scenario on the total discounted net income over a 10-yr period subsequent to the investment taking place. Included in the calculation were the initial investments, which were depreciated to zero over the 10-yr period. The return on additional investment for 5 investment scenarios compared with a base scenario was computed as the investment appraisal metric. The results of this study showed that the highest return on investment figures were realized by using a direct expansion milk-cooling system with precooling of milk to 15°C with water before milk entry to the storage tank, heating water with an electrical water-heating system, and using standard vacuum pump control on the milking system. Return on investment figures did not exceed the suggested hurdle rate of 10% for any of the ice bank scenarios, making the ice bank system reliant on a grant aid framework to reduce the initial capital investment and improve the return on investment. The solar water-heating and variable speed drive vacuum pump scenarios failed to produce positive return on investment figures on any of the 3 farm sizes considered on either the day and night tariff or the flat tariff, even when the technology costs were reduced by 40% in a sensitivity analysis of technology costs. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Productivity, fertilizer responses and nutrient balances of farming systems in central Tigray, Ethiopia: a multi-perspective view in relation to degradation.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kraaijvanger, Richard; Veldkamp, Tom; Nyssen, Jan

2014-05-01

In many rural livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa, crop productivity plays an important role since it links with food insecurity, which again is a major constraining factor in livelihood development. Sustainable livelihood development and land degradation are closely connected: lacking sustainability often results in land degradation, whereas the incidence of land degradation frequently frustrates sustainable development. Important forms of land degradation are soil erosion and nutrient depletion, both often being attributed to exhaustive land use practices and both having a direct and major impact on crop productivity. Application of nutrients is an important way to increase productivity. In our study area, central Tigray, development agents recommend the application of fertilizers at high rates in order to boost productivity and to deal with nutrient depletion. In the discussion about the use of fertilizers different perspectives can be taken, in which especially responses and nutrient balances are important issues, linking respectively with socio-economic and agro-ecological livelihood aspects. Ethiopian soils for example are, based on large scale nutrient balances, considered to be depleted, at field scale fertilizer responses are frequently disappointing and achieving sustainable nutrient balances at farm level seems difficult. At a temporal scale however, agricultural systems remained almost unchanged for over 2500 years, suggesting at least some degree of sustainability. With respect to productivity data resulting from on-farm experimentation with natural and artificial fertilizers in 26 sites, we took four perspectives, different in ownership and scale, on nutrient related land degradation and its assumed impact on crop productivity. Taking a farmer perspective we found no significant difference between responses to recommended and current farmer based practices. Taking a more scientific perspective highlighted that, based on the positive correlation between response and soil-P, phosphorus was limiting. A relatively short term farm-level perspective made clear that closing nutrient balances to achieve sustainability is difficult, only the use of manure seemed somewhat satisfactory in this. In case a long term perspective is taken, apparent historical sustainability seems to relate to the combination of relatively low yield levels and mixed farming. Depending on the perspective taken different interventions can be forwarded, all four perspectives however indicate that strengthening the existing mixed farming system provides a promising alternative, allowing the improvement of agro-ecological as well as socio-economic sustainability of involved livelihoods.

Mexican consumers' perceptions and attitudes towards farm animal welfare and willingness to pay for welfare friendly meat products.

PubMed

Miranda-de la Lama, G C; Estévez-Moreno, L X; Sepúlveda, W S; Estrada-Chavero, M C; Rayas-Amor, A A; Villarroel, M; María, G A

2017-03-01

Increasing concerns about farm animal welfare have led to an increase in the availability of welfare-friendly-products (WFP), but little is known about how much more consumers are willing-to-pay (WTP) for WFP or about their buying trends in Latin America. In this study, a survey was given to 843 meat consumers in the city of Toluca, Mexico. The results show that consumers were interested in farm animal welfare issues and their ethical, sociological and economic implications, as in Europe. The people surveyed also conveyed a high level of empathy with animal feelings and emotions, however they clearly demanded more information and regulations related to farm animal welfare. The majority of respondents expressed that they were WTP more for properly certified WFP, but mostly based on the benefits in terms of product quality and human health. If the demand for WFP begins to increase in Mexico, the supply chain should consider a certification system to guarantee product origin based on current conditions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Knowledge Integration to Make Decisions About Complex Systems: Sustainability of Energy Production from Agriculture

ScienceCinema

Danuso, Francesco

2017-12-22

A major bottleneck for improving the governance of complex systems, rely on our ability to integrate different forms of knowledge into a decision support system (DSS). Preliminary aspects are the classification of different types of knowledge (a priori or general, a posteriori or specific, with uncertainty, numerical, textual, algorithmic, complete/incomplete, etc.), the definition of ontologies for knowledge management and the availability of proper tools like continuous simulation models, event driven models, statistical approaches, computational methods (neural networks, evolutionary optimization, rule based systems etc.) and procedure for textual documentation. Following these views at University of Udine, a computer language (SEMoLa, Simple, Easy Modelling Language) for knowledge integration has been developed.  SEMoLa can handle models, data, metadata and textual knowledge; it implements and extends the system dynamics ontology (Forrester, 1968; Jørgensen, 1994) in which systems are modelled by the concepts of material, group, state, rate, parameter, internal and external events and driving variables. As an example, a SEMoLa model to improve management and sustainability (economical, energetic, environmental) of the agricultural farms is presented. The model (X-Farm) simulates a farm in which cereal and forage yield, oil seeds, milk, calves and wastes can be sold or reused. X-Farm is composed by integrated modules describing fields (crop and soil), feeds and materials storage, machinery management, manpower  management, animal husbandry, economic and energetic balances, seed oil extraction, manure and wastes management, biogas production from animal wastes and biomasses.

Life cycle energy use, costs, and greenhouse gas emission of broiler farms in different production systems in Iran-a case study of Alborz province.

PubMed

Pishgar-Komleh, Seyyed Hassan; Akram, Asadollah; Keyhani, Alireza; van Zelm, Rosalie

2017-07-01

In order to achieve sustainable development in agriculture, it is necessary to quantify and compare the energy, economic, and environmental aspects of products. This paper studied the energy, economic, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission patterns in broiler chicken farms in the Alborz province of Iran. We studied the effect of the broiler farm size as different production systems on the energy, economic, and environmental indices. Energy use efficiency (EUE) and benefit-cost ratio (BCR) were 0.16 and 1.11, respectively. Diesel fuel and feed contributed the most in total energy inputs, while feed and chicks were the most important inputs in economic analysis. GHG emission calculations showed that production of 1000 birds produces 19.13 t CO 2-eq and feed had the highest share in total GHG emission. Total GHG emissions based on different functional units were 8.5 t CO 2-eq per t of carcass and 6.83 kg CO 2-eq per kg live weight. Results of farm size effect on EUE revealed that large farms had better energy management. For BCR, there was no significant difference between farms. Lower total GHG emissions were reported for large farms, caused by better management of inputs and fewer bird losses. Large farms with more investment had more efficient equipment, resulting in a decrease of the input consumption. In view of our study, it is recommended to support the small-scale broiler industry by providing subsidies to promote the use of high-efficiency equipment. To decrease the amount of energy usage and GHG emissions, replacing heaters (which use diesel fuel) with natural gas heaters can be considered. In addition to the above recommendations, the use of energy saving light bulbs may reduce broiler farm electricity consumption.

Farmers and Bankers Are Interested in F.B.P.A. (Farm Business Planning and Analysis)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borton, John L.

1974-01-01

A successful Farm Business Planning and Analysis program is being taught by the Upper Sandusky, Ohio, Vocational Agriculture Department fo farm operators, farm couples, bankers, and vocational agriculture teachers and students. The F.B.P.A. program consists of developing a record system, summarizing and analyzing the system, and planning future…

An empirical analysis of farm vehicle crash injury severities on Iowa's public road system.

PubMed

Gkritza, Konstantina; Kinzenbaw, Caroline R; Hallmark, Shauna; Hawkins, Neal

2010-07-01

Farm vehicle crashes are a major safety concern for farmers as well as all other users of the public road system in agricultural states. Using data on farm vehicle crashes that occurred on Iowa's public roads between 2004 and 2006, we estimate a multinomial logit model to identify crash-, farm vehicle-, and driver-specific factors that determine farm vehicle crash injury severity outcomes. Estimation findings indicate that there are crash patterns (rear-end manner of collision; single-vehicle crash; farm vehicle crossed the centerline or median) and conditions (obstructed vision and crash in rural area; dry road, dark lighting, speed limit 55 mph or higher, and harvesting season), as well as farm vehicle and driver-contributing characteristics (old farm vehicle, young farm vehicle driver), where targeted intervention can help reduce the severity of crash outcomes. Determining these contributing factors and their effect is the first step to identifying countermeasures and safety strategies in a bid to improve transportation safety for all users on the public road system in Iowa as well as other agricultural states. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Event parallelism: Distributed memory parallel computing for high energy physics experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nash, Thomas

1989-12-01

This paper describes the present and expected future development of distributed memory parallel computers for high energy physics experiments. It covers the use of event parallel microprocessor farms, particularly at Fermilab, including both ACP multiprocessors and farms of MicroVAXES. These systems have proven very cost effective in the past. A case is made for moving to the more open environment of UNIX and RISC processors. The 2nd Generation ACP Multiprocessor System, which is based on powerful RISC system, is described. Given the promise of still more extraordinary increases in processor performance, a new emphasis on point to point, rather than bussed, communication will be required. Developments in this direction are described.

The Integrated Farm System Model: A Tool for Whole Farm Nutrient Management Analysis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

With tighter profit margins and increasing environmental constraints, strategic planning of farm production systems is becoming both more important and more difficult. This is especially true for integrated crop and animal production systems. Animal production is complex with a number of interacting...

Evaluation of ecofriendly management practices of french beanrust (Uromyces appendiculatus) in organic farming system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chhetry, G. K. N.; Mangang, H. C.

2012-09-01

Organic farming system emphasises on sustainable development of agriculture. The traditional agriculture system was much akin to the organic system but modernization of agriculture made a shift to this trend. The north east region of India is potential organic farming sites. Most of the farming systems are traditional and are organic by default; however crops in organic farming are prone to many fungal diseases. Hence for validation of the impact of organic practices on the disease development of plants, a study has been conducted for three years under natural environmental conditions on bean rust (Uromyces appendiculatus). Study includes ecofriendly practices like: plant extract treatment, intercropping of beans with maize, organic manure application, influence of cropping season and Trichoderma treatment. Rust is a major prevalent disease in the cultivation of beans as in other parts of the world. Detailed study of the disease in the organic environment and the impact of various treatments and agricultural agronomic practices would help in validation of the practices for the management of the disease in the organic farming system. In our study for three consecutive years it has been revealed that the practices of the traditional farmers likeplant extract application, intercropping, and manure application were found to have significant positive effects in reducing rust development in the bean fields. The treatment of farm yard manure resulted in development of lesser area under disease progress curve. The plant extract of Artemisia vulgaris has marked positive impact on reducing rust disease parameters. Foliar application of Trichoderma reduces the disease parameters of rust. This study would enhance information in understanding the impact of organic farming system on bean rust and would help in validitation of sustainable agricultural practices for use in organic farming system.

Farm and management variables linked to fecal shedding of Campylobacter and Salmonella in commercial squab production.

PubMed

Jeffrey, J S; Atwill, E R; Hunter, A

2001-01-01

A cross-sectional study was performed to determine the relationship of farm variables and management practices to fecal shedding of Campylobacter or Salmonella on commercial squab (young pigeon) farms. A detailed survey provided information on biosecurity, cleaning and disinfection, bird health, vector control, and loft and pen. Twenty pigeons on each of 12 farms were cultured before and after the producers completed a voluntary quality assurance training program (QAP), based on principles of hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP). The prevalence of positive samples for Salmonella and C. jejuni was 1/480 (0.21%) and 19/480 (3.96%), respectively. Campylobacter was present on one farm during both visits; three farms during the first visit, and three farms during the second visit. Analysis by fixed-effects logistic regression showed the probability of having a positive C. jejuni culture was increased by not using dry manure in the nesting material, not cleaning shipping crates, cleaning landing boards, and by increased frequency of chemical disinfection of water. Having a positive parent and higher numbers of squab per pen (density) were also associated with higher odds of being positive for C. jejuni. Factors not associated with a positive C. jejuni culture included, other avian species on the farm, type of shipping crate, covered drinkers, fly problems, bird age, level of nest box within the loft, and QAP training. Prevalence of food safety pathogens was extremely low on the squab facilities tested as compared with reports from commercial broiler or turkey flocks. This observation suggests that one or more farm variables or management practices were effectively reducing infection, or possibly a species-related difference existed in carriage rates and shedding of pathogens. These results emphasize critical control points for food safety pathogens may vary widely, and the formulation of effective QAP programs are dependent on science-based knowledge of diverse animal production systems.

Collembola Diversity between Chemical Pesticide and Bioinsecticide in Broccoli Farm (Brassica oleraceae var. italica)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanjaya, Y.; Suhara

2017-02-01

The existance of Collembola diversity was determined by how land system work. Farming systems with excessive pesticide application can reduce number of Collembola. On the other hand nowaday people aware of environment by using bioinsecticide. The Method were comparing two land system which use Chemical pestisice and Bioinsecticide. Procedure were using Trapping wells (PMS) in three plots; T0: control without treatment, T1: Chemical Insecticide, T2 : Bioinsecticide for 24 hours. The factors that measure are abiotic factors by taking 10 grams of soil planting Broccoli (Brassica oleraceae var Italica), after 24 hours of taking separates it with other land animals, then identifying Collembola species were using Microcam based on identification book of Collembola. The result showed that density and Biodiversity of land system bioinsecticide was the highest value and indic. It was found also that in Broccoli farm dicovered 3 Familia and 8 species of Collembola both litter and soil. Species found that Isotomurus sp, Seira sp, Lepidosira sp, Coecobrya sp, Callyntura sp, Homidia sp, Sallina sp and Ascocytrus sp, three Family is derived from Isotomidae, Entomobryidae and Paronellid.

Nitrogen food-print: N use and N cascade from livestock systems in relation to pork, beef and milk supply to Paris

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chatzimpiros, P.; Barles, S.

2012-02-01

A bottom-up approach is constructed to determine N losses from livestock farming systems and to relate these losses to the supply of fresh milk, pig and beef to Paris. First, the three products are expressed in terms of their nitrogen content; then, their fodder equivalent is determined by modelling feed formulas for swine, beef and dairy cows to meet their energy and protein requirements. Fodder deficits in livestock farms are determined by comparing the nutrient requirements of the livestock with the fodder production on the livestock farms. This allowed determining the geography of the livestock systems according to the imports of fodder to the livestock farms from external crop farms. Then we assessed the "farm-gate" N budgets in all crop and livestock farms of the entire livestock systems using data on total N fertilization, atmospheric deposition and manure management practices to finally derive N losses in relation to fodder cultivation and to manure management. Measured in N, the supply of milk, beef and pig to Paris sum 1.85 kg N/cap and the corresponding N losses from the farming systems total 8.9 kg N/cap. N losses per unit of product differ among the three livestock systems according to where and how the fodder is grown and to what densities the livestock is reared.

12 CFR 619.9145 - Farm Credit Bank.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Farm Credit Bank. 619.9145 Section 619.9145 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM DEFINITIONS § 619.9145 Farm Credit Bank. The term Farm Credit Bank refers to a bank resulting from the mandatory merger of the Federal land...

12 CFR 619.9145 - Farm Credit Bank.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Farm Credit Bank. 619.9145 Section 619.9145 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM DEFINITIONS § 619.9145 Farm Credit Bank. The term Farm Credit Bank refers to a bank resulting from the mandatory merger of the Federal land...

Assessing biodiversity on the farm scale as basis for ecosystem service payments.

PubMed

von Haaren, Christina; Kempa, Daniela; Vogel, Katrin; Rüter, Stefan

2012-12-30

Ecosystem services payments must be based on a standardised transparent assessment of the goods and services provided. This is especially relevant in the context of EU agri-environmental programs, but also for organic-food companies that foster environmental services on their contractor farms. Addressing the farm scale is important because land users/owners are major recipients of payments and they could be more involved in data generation and conservation management. A standardised system for measuring on-farm biodiversity does not yet exist that concentrates on performance indicators and includes farmers in generating information. A method is required that produces ordinal or metric scaled assessment results as well as management measures. Another requirement is the ease of application, which includes the ease of gathering input data and understandability. In order to respond to this need, we developed a method which is designed for automated application in an open source farm assessment system named MANUELA. The method produces an ordinal scale assessment of biodiversity that includes biotopes, species, biotope connectivity and the influence of land use. In addition, specific measures for biotope types are proposed. The open source geographical information system OpenJump is used for the implementation of MANUELA. The results of the trial applications and robustness tests show that the assessment can be implemented, for the most part, using existing information as well as data available from farmers or advisors. The results are more sensitive for showing on-farm achievements and changes than existing biotope-type classifications. Such a differentiated classification is needed as a basis for ecosystem service payments and for designing effective measures. The robustness of the results with respect to biotope connectivity is comparable to that of complex models, but it should be further improved. Interviews with the test farmers substantiate that the assessment methods can be implemented on farms and they are understood by farmers. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

77 FR 21099 - Farm Credit Administration Board; Sunshine Act; Regular Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-09

... Report on Farm Credit System Condition Farm Credit System Building Association Auditor's Report on 2011 Financial Audit Executive Session Meeting with Auditors \\1\\ \\1\\ Session Closed--Exempt pursuant to 5 U.S.C...

Wind power prediction based on genetic neural network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Suhan

2017-04-01

The scale of grid connected wind farms keeps increasing. To ensure the stability of power system operation, make a reasonable scheduling scheme and improve the competitiveness of wind farm in the electricity generation market, it's important to accurately forecast the short-term wind power. To reduce the influence of the nonlinear relationship between the disturbance factor and the wind power, the improved prediction model based on genetic algorithm and neural network method is established. To overcome the shortcomings of long training time of BP neural network and easy to fall into local minimum and improve the accuracy of the neural network, genetic algorithm is adopted to optimize the parameters and topology of neural network. The historical data is used as input to predict short-term wind power. The effectiveness and feasibility of the method is verified by the actual data of a certain wind farm as an example.

Risk factors associated with highly pathogenic avian influenza subtype H5N8 outbreaks on broiler duck farms in South Korea.

PubMed

Kim, W-H; An, J-U; Kim, J; Moon, O-K; Bae, S H; Bender, J B; Cho, S

2018-04-19

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) subtype H5N8 outbreaks occurred in poultry farms in South Korea in 2014 resulting in significant damage to the poultry industry. Between 2014 and 2016, the pandemic disease caused significant economic loss and social disruption. To evaluate the risk factors for HPAI infection in broiler duck farms, we conducted a retrospective case-control study on broiler duck farms. Forty-three farms with confirmed laboratories on premises were selected as the case group, and 43 HPAI-negative farms were designated as the control group. Control farms were matched based on farm location and were within a 3-km radius from the case premises. Spatial and environmental factors were characterized by site visit and plotted through a geographic information system (GIS). Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were developed to assess possible risk factors associated with HPAI broiler duck farm infection. Four final variables were identified as risk factors in a final multivariable logistic model: "Farms with ≥7 flocks" (odds ratio [OR] = 6.99, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.34-37.04), "Farm owner with ≥15 years of raising poultry career" (OR = 7.91, 95% CI 1.69-37.14), "Presence of any poultry farms located within 500 m of the farm" (OR = 6.30, 95% CI 1.08-36.93) and "Not using a faecal removal service" (OR = 27.78, 95% CI 3.89-198.80). This highlights that the HPAI H5N8 outbreaks in South Korea were associated with farm owner education, number of flocks and facilities and farm biosecurity. Awareness of these factors may help to reduce the spread of HPAI H5N8 across broiler duck farms in Korea during epidemics. Greater understanding of the risk factors for H5N8 may improve farm vulnerability to HPAI and other subtypes and help to establish policies to prevent re-occurrence. These findings are relevant to global prevention recommendations and intervention protocols. © 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Integrating sheep grazing into wheat-fallow systems: Crop yield and soil properties

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The two predominant systems for weed management in summer fallow are tillage with a field cultivator or multiple applications of broad spectrum herbicides with zero tillage. Both systems are based on substantial use of off farm resources. Strategic grazing of sheep may allow grain growers to more ...

Disease intelligence for highly pathogenic avian influenza.

PubMed

Domenech, J; Slingenbergh, J; Martin, V; McLeod, A; Lubroth, J; Sims, L D

2007-01-01

A comprehensive approach to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is crucial for identifying all the factors that contribute to its emergence, spread and persistence. Epidemiological understanding makes it possible to predict the evolution of the virus and to prevent and control the socioeconomic, environmental, institutional and policy consequences. At FAO, risk assessment and intelligence with regard to HPAI are based on lessons learnt from assisting countries to design strategies and on implementation of technical assistance programmes, which reveal important elements, such as the roles of ducks, live-bird markets and trade. Wild birds were found to contribute, by transporting the H5N1 virus over long distances. The contributions of different poultry farming systems and market chains in the epidemiology of HPAI are well recognized; however, the respective roles of smallholder systems and commercial farms are unclear. FAO considers that smallholders will continue to be an important factor and should be taken into account in control and prevention programmes. Changes in poultry farming are essentially driven by the private sector and market forces and could have negative consequences on the livelihoods of smallholders and on ecologically balanced production systems and agricultural biodiversity. Biosecurity can, however, be improved at the level of farms and markets. Institutional factors, such as the capacity of animal health systems to deliver control programmes, are also important, requiring strengthening and innovation in risk analysis and management.

Making the best of climatic variability: options for upgrading rainfed farming in water scarce regions.

PubMed

Rockström, J

2004-01-01

Coping with climatic variability for livelihood security is part of everyday life for rural communities in semi-arid and dry sub-humid savannas. Water scarcity caused by rainfall fluctuations is common, causing meteorological droughts and dry spells. However, this paper indicates, based on experiences in sub-Saharan Africa and India, that the social impact on rural societies of climatically induced droughts is exaggerated. Instead, water scarcity causing food deficits is more often caused by management induced droughts and dry spells. A conceptual framework to distinguish between manageable and unmanageable droughts is presented. It is suggested that climatic droughts require focus on social resilience building instead of land and water resource management. Focus is then set on the manageable part of climatic variability, namely the almost annual occurrence of dry spells, short 2-4 week periods of no rainfall, affecting farmer yields. On-farm experiences in savannas of sub-Saharan Africa of water harvesting systems for dry spell mitigation are presented. It is shown that bridging dry spells combined with soil fertility management can double and even triple on-farm yield levels. Combined with innovative systems to ensure maximum plant water availability and water uptake capacity, through adoption of soil fertility improvement and conservation tillage systems, there is a clear opportunity to upgrade rainfed farming systems in vulnerable savanna environments, through appropriate local management of climatic variability.

Initiative for Future Agricultural Food Systems (IFAFS) From Farm to School: Improving Small Farm Viability and School Meals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kish, Stacy

2008-01-01

Improving the nutritional value of school meals is a growing priority among school systems across the United States. To assist in this effort, the USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) funded a coalition, which developed a new program called "From Farm to School: Improving Small Farm Viability and School…

Mixed grazing systems benefit both upland biodiversity and livestock production.

PubMed

Fraser, Mariecia D; Moorby, Jon M; Vale, James E; Evans, Darren M

2014-01-01

With world food demand expected to double by 2050, identifying farming systems that benefit both agricultural production and biodiversity is a fundamentally important challenge for the 21(st) century, but this has to be achieved in a sustainable way. Livestock grazing management directly influences both economic outputs and biodiversity on upland farms while contributing to potentially damaging greenhouse gas emissions, yet no study has attempted to address these impacts simultaneously. Using a replicated, landscape-scale field experiment consisting of five management 'systems' we tested the effects of progressively altering elements within an upland farming system, viz i) incorporating cattle grazing into an upland sheep system, ii) integrating grazing of semi-natural rough grazing into a mixed grazing system based on improved pasture, iii) altering the stocking ratio within a mixed grazing system, and iv) replacing modern crossbred cattle with a traditional breed. We quantified the impacts on livestock productivity and numbers of birds and butterflies over four years. We found that management systems incorporating mixed grazing with cattle improve livestock productivity and reduce methane emissions relative to sheep only systems. Systems that also included semi-natural rough grazing consistently supported more species of birds and butterflies, and it was possible to incorporate bouts of summer grazing of these pastures by cattle to meet habitat management prescriptions without compromising cattle performance overall. We found no evidence that the system incorporating a cattle breed popular as a conservation grazer was any better for bird and butterfly species richness than those based on a mainstream breed, yet methane emissions from such a system were predicted to be higher. We have demonstrated that mixed upland grazing systems not only improve livestock production, but also benefit biodiversity, suggesting a 'win-win' solution for farmers and conservationists.

Antimicrobial Use and Resistance in Swine Waste Treatment Systems▿

PubMed Central

Jindal, Archana; Kocherginskaya, Svetlana; Mehboob, Asma; Robert, Matthew; Mackie, Roderick I.; Raskin, Lutgarde; Zilles, Julie L.

2006-01-01

Chlortetracycline and the macrolide tylosin were identified as commonly used antimicrobials for growth promotion and prophylaxis in swine production. Resistance to these antimicrobials was measured throughout the waste treatment processes at five swine farms by culture-based and molecular methods. Conventional farm samples had the highest levels of resistance with both culture-based and molecular methods and had similar levels of resistance despite differences in antimicrobial usage. The levels of resistance in organic farm samples, where no antimicrobials were used, were very low by a culture-based method targeting fecal streptococci. However, when the same samples were analyzed with a molecular method detecting methylation of a specific nucleotide in the 23S rRNA that results in resistance to macrolides, lincosamides, and streptogramin B (MLSB), an unexpectedly high level of resistant rRNA (approximately 50%) was observed, suggesting that the fecal streptococci were not an appropriate target group to evaluate resistance in the overall microbial community and that background levels of MLSB resistance may be substantial. All of the feed samples tested, including those from the organic farm, contained tetracycline resistance genes. Generally, the same tetracycline resistance genes and frequency of detection were found in the manure and lagoon samples for each commercial farm. The levels of tetracycline and MLSB resistance remained high throughout the waste treatment systems, suggesting that the potential impact of land application of treated wastes and waste treatment by-products on environmental levels of resistance should be investigated further. PMID:17041160

Analysis of winter weather conditions and their potential impact on wind farm operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Novakovskaia, E.; Treinish, L. A.; Praino, A.

2009-12-01

Severe weather conditions have two primary impacts on wind farm operations. The first relates to understanding potential damage to the turbines themselves and what actions are required to mitigate the effects. The second is recognizing what conditions may lead to a full or partial shutdown of the wind farm with sufficient lead time to determine the likely inability to meet energy generation committments. Ideally, wind forecasting suitable for wind farm operations should be of sufficient fidelity to resolve features within the boundary layer that lead to either damaging conditions or useful power generation. Given the complexity of the site-specific factors that effect the boundary layer at the scale of typical land-based wind farm locations such as topography, vegetation, land use, soil conditions, etc., which may vary with turbine design and layout within the farm, enabling reliable forecasts of too little or too much wind is challenging. A potential solution should involve continuous updates of alert triggering criteria through analysis of local wind patterns and probabilistic risk assessment for each location. To evaluate this idea, we utilize our operational mesoscale prediction system, dubbed “Deep Thunder”, developed at the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center. In particular, we analyze winter-time near-surface winds in upstate New York, where four similar winds farms are located. Each of these farms were built at roughly the same time and utilize similar turbines. Given the relative uncertainty associated with numerical weather prediction at this scale, and the difference in risk assessment due to the two primary impacts of severe weather, probabilistic forecasts are a prerequisite. Hence, we have employed ensembles of weather scenarios, which are based on the NCAR WRF-ARW modelling system. The set of ensemble members was composed with variations in the choices of physics and parameterization schemes, and source of background fields for initial conditions with horizontal grid resolutions in the one to two km range. In addition, the vertical grid structure was defined to ensure at least ten levels within the boundary layer and two from the bottom to the top of the turbine. This approach enables us to estimate the variability of winds at the farms and how it is distributed over the region. Further, we analyze the potential differences in structural risks at these farms during the 2009 winter season, and whether such differences in wind and weather patterns should be considered in choice of turbine design, installation and operations. We believe that this methodology can be extended to provide an estimate for mean annual energy production at a wind farm with the potential to improve the quality of siting and layout.

Potential of plant polyphenols to combat oxidative stress and inflammatory processes in farm animals.

PubMed

Gessner, D K; Ringseis, R; Eder, K

2017-08-01

Polyphenols are secondary plant metabolites which have been shown to exert antioxidative and antiinflamma tory effects in cell culture, rodent and human studies. Based on the fact that conditions of oxidative stress and inflammation are highly relevant in farm animals, polyphenols are considered as promising feed additives in the nutrition of farm animals. However, in contrast to many studies existing with model animals and humans, potential antioxidative and antiinflammatory effects of polyphenols have been less investigated in farm animals so far. This review aims to give an overview about potential antioxidative and antiinflammatory effects in farm animals. The first part of the review highlights the occurrence and the consequences of oxidative stress and inflammation on animal health and performance. The second part of the review deals with bioavailability and metabolism of polyphenols in farm animals. The third and main part of the review presents an overview of the findings from studies which investigated the effects of polyphenols of various plant sources in pigs, poultry and cattle, with particular consideration of effects on the antioxidant system and inflammation. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Soil ecology and agricultural technology; An integrated approach towards improved soil management for sustainable farming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pulleman, Mirjam; Pérès, Guénola; Crittenden, Stephen; Heddadj, Djilali; Sukkel, Wijnand

2014-05-01

Intensive arable food production systems are in need of smart solutions that combine ecological knowledge and farm technology to maximize yields while protecting natural resources. The huge diversity of soil organisms and their interactions is of crucial importance for soil functions and ecosystem services, such as organic matter incorporation and break down, nutrient mineralization, soil structure formation, water regulation and disease and pest control. Soil management decisions that take into account the soil biodiversity and associated functions are thus essential to (i) maintain soil productivity in the long term, (ii) reduce the dependency on external inputs and non-renewables such as fossil fuels, and (iii) make agroecosystems more resilient against biotic and abiotic stresses. Organic farming systems and reduced tillage systems are two approaches that aim to increase soil biodiversity and general soil quality, through improved management of organic matter but differ in their emphasis on the use of chemical inputs for crop protection or soil disturbance, respectively. In North-western Europe experience with and knowledge of reduced tillage systems is still scarce, both in conventional and organic farming. Our study targeted both conventional and organic farming and aimed at 1) documenting reduced tillage practices within different agroecological contexts in NW Europe; 2) evaluating the effects of reduced tillage systems on soil biodiversity and soil ecosystem services; 3) increase understanding of agroecological factors that determine trade-offs between different ecosystem services. Earthworm species and nematode taxa were selected as indicator organisms to be studied for their known response to soil management and effects on soil functions. Additionally, soil organic matter, physical soil parameters and processes, and crop yields have been measured across multiple sites. Data have been collected over several cropping seasons in long term field experiments and farmers field sites in France (Brittanny) and the Netherlands (Flevopolder, Hoeksche Waard). The observed diversity in earthworm communities in terms of species, abundance, and trait diversity could be related to soil quality and soil functioning. Data integration across sites allows for the evaluation of the impact of reduced tillage systems on the provision of ecosystem services via proxies such as crop yields, soil organic matter content, aggregate stability and water infiltration. We will present results of this collaborative work to shed light on some of the benefits and trade-offs associated with reduced tillage systems in NW Europe, and in particular on the role of soil organism groups for soil functioning and crop performance. Finally, scope for improvement of soil management based on novel farm technologies and farming system designs will be discussed.

Entrepreneurial Checklist Tool for Beginning Farm and Home-Based Businesses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rafie, A. R.; Nartea, Theresa

2012-01-01

Extension educators entertain frequent questions on beginning a farm or starting a home-based business. Retired, unemployed, and displaced workers consider starting a small farm or home-based business. Determining educational needs or individual business aptitude is time consuming. Lengthy and comprehensive skill-based checklists exist for…

The selective treatment of clinical mastitis based on on-farm culture results: I. Effects on antibiotic use, milk withholding time, and short-term clinical and bacteriological outcomes.

PubMed

Lago, A; Godden, S M; Bey, R; Ruegg, P L; Leslie, K

2011-09-01

The objective of this multi-state, multi-herd clinical trial was to evaluate the efficacy of using an on-farm culture system to guide strategic treatment decisions in cows with clinical mastitis. The study was conducted in 8 commercial dairy farms ranging in size from 144 to 1,795 cows from Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Ontario, Canada. A total of 422 cows affected with mild or moderate clinical mastitis in 449 quarters were randomly assigned to either (1) a positive-control treatment program or (2) an on-farm, culture-based treatment program. Quarter cases assigned to the positive-control group received immediate on-label intramammary treatment with cephapirin sodium. Quarters assigned to the culture-based treatment program were cultured on-farm and treated with cephapirin sodium after 18 to 24h of incubation if they had gram-positive growth or a mixed infection. Quarters with gram-negative or no growth did not receive intramammary therapy. The proportion of quarter cases assigned to positive-control and culture-based treatments that received intramammary antibiotic therapy because of study assignment was 100 and 44%, respectively; the proportion of cases that received secondary antibiotic therapy was 36 and 19%, respectively; and the proportion of cases that received intramammary antibiotic therapy because of study assignment or secondary therapy was 100 and 51%, respectively. A tendency existed for a decrease in the number of days in which milk was discarded from cows assigned to the culture-based treatment program versus cows assigned to the positive-control group (5.9 vs. 5.2 d). No statistically significant differences existed between cases assigned to the positive-control and cases assigned to the culture-based treatment program in days to clinical cure (2.7 vs. 3.2 d), bacteriological cure risk within 21 d of enrollment (71 vs. 60%), new intramammary infection risk within 21 d of enrollment (50 vs. 50%), and treatment failure risk (presence of infection, secondary treatment, clinical mastitis recurrence, or removal from herd within 21 d after enrollment; 81 vs. 78%). In summary, the use of an on-farm culture system to guide the strategic treatment of clinical mastitis reduced intramammary antibiotic use by half and tended to decrease milk withholding time by 1 d, without significant differences in days to clinical cure, bacteriological cure risk, new intramammary infection risk, and treatment failure risk within 21 d after the clinical mastitis event. Copyright © 2011 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessing Nutritional Diversity of Cropping Systems in African Villages

PubMed Central

DeClerck, Fabrice; Diru, Willy; Fanzo, Jessica; Gaynor, Kaitlyn; Lambrecht, Isabel; Mudiope, Joseph; Mutuo, Patrick K.; Nkhoma, Phelire; Siriri, David; Sullivan, Clare; Palm, Cheryl A.

2011-01-01

Background In Sub-Saharan Africa, 40% of children under five years in age are chronically undernourished. As new investments and attention galvanize action on African agriculture to reduce hunger, there is an urgent need for metrics that monitor agricultural progress beyond calories produced per capita and address nutritional diversity essential for human health. In this study we demonstrate how an ecological tool, functional diversity (FD), has potential to address this need and provide new insights on nutritional diversity of cropping systems in rural Africa. Methods and Findings Data on edible plant species diversity, food security and diet diversity were collected for 170 farms in three rural settings in Sub-Saharan Africa. Nutritional FD metrics were calculated based on farm species composition and species nutritional composition. Iron and vitamin A deficiency were determined from blood samples of 90 adult women. Nutritional FD metrics summarized the diversity of nutrients provided by the farm and showed variability between farms and villages. Regression of nutritional FD against species richness and expected FD enabled identification of key species that add nutrient diversity to the system and assessed the degree of redundancy for nutrient traits. Nutritional FD analysis demonstrated that depending on the original composition of species on farm or village, adding or removing individual species can have radically different outcomes for nutritional diversity. While correlations between nutritional FD, food and nutrition indicators were not significant at household level, associations between these variables were observed at village level. Conclusion This study provides novel metrics to address nutritional diversity in farming systems and examples of how these metrics can help guide agricultural interventions towards adequate nutrient diversity. New hypotheses on the link between agro-diversity, food security and human nutrition are generated and strategies for future research are suggested calling for integration of agriculture, ecology, nutrition, and socio-economics. PMID:21698127

A multivariate and stochastic approach to identify key variables to rank dairy farms on profitability.

PubMed

Atzori, A S; Tedeschi, L O; Cannas, A

2013-05-01

The economic efficiency of dairy farms is the main goal of farmers. The objective of this work was to use routinely available information at the dairy farm level to develop an index of profitability to rank dairy farms and to assist the decision-making process of farmers to increase the economic efficiency of the entire system. A stochastic modeling approach was used to study the relationships between inputs and profitability (i.e., income over feed cost; IOFC) of dairy cattle farms. The IOFC was calculated as: milk revenue + value of male calves + culling revenue - herd feed costs. Two databases were created. The first one was a development database, which was created from technical and economic variables collected in 135 dairy farms. The second one was a synthetic database (sDB) created from 5,000 synthetic dairy farms using the Monte Carlo technique and based on the characteristics of the development database data. The sDB was used to develop a ranking index as follows: (1) principal component analysis (PCA), excluding IOFC, was used to identify principal components (sPC); and (2) coefficient estimates of a multiple regression of the IOFC on the sPC were obtained. Then, the eigenvectors of the sPC were used to compute the principal component values for the original 135 dairy farms that were used with the multiple regression coefficient estimates to predict IOFC (dRI; ranking index from development database). The dRI was used to rank the original 135 dairy farms. The PCA explained 77.6% of the sDB variability and 4 sPC were selected. The sPC were associated with herd profile, milk quality and payment, poor management, and reproduction based on the significant variables of the sPC. The mean IOFC in the sDB was 0.1377 ± 0.0162 euros per liter of milk (€/L). The dRI explained 81% of the variability of the IOFC calculated for the 135 original farms. When the number of farms below and above 1 standard deviation (SD) of the dRI were calculated, we found that 21 farms had dRI<-1 SD, 32 farms were between -1 SD and 0, 67 farms were between 0 and +1 SD, and 15 farms had dRI>+1 SD. The top 10% of the farms had a dRI greater than 0.170 €/L, whereas the bottom 10% farms had a dRI lower than 0.116 €/L. This stochastic approach allowed us to understand the relationships among the inputs of the studied dairy farms and to develop a ranking index for comparison purposes. The developed methodology may be improved by using more inputs at the dairy farm level and considering the actual cost to measure profitability. Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mixed Grazing Systems Benefit both Upland Biodiversity and Livestock Production

PubMed Central

Fraser, Mariecia D.; Moorby, Jon M.; Vale, James E.; Evans, Darren M.

2014-01-01

Background With world food demand expected to double by 2050, identifying farming systems that benefit both agricultural production and biodiversity is a fundamentally important challenge for the 21st century, but this has to be achieved in a sustainable way. Livestock grazing management directly influences both economic outputs and biodiversity on upland farms while contributing to potentially damaging greenhouse gas emissions, yet no study has attempted to address these impacts simultaneously. Methods Using a replicated, landscape-scale field experiment consisting of five management ‘systems’ we tested the effects of progressively altering elements within an upland farming system, viz i) incorporating cattle grazing into an upland sheep system, ii) integrating grazing of semi-natural rough grazing into a mixed grazing system based on improved pasture, iii) altering the stocking ratio within a mixed grazing system, and iv) replacing modern crossbred cattle with a traditional breed. We quantified the impacts on livestock productivity and numbers of birds and butterflies over four years. Results, Conclusion and Significance We found that management systems incorporating mixed grazing with cattle improve livestock productivity and reduce methane emissions relative to sheep only systems. Systems that also included semi-natural rough grazing consistently supported more species of birds and butterflies, and it was possible to incorporate bouts of summer grazing of these pastures by cattle to meet habitat management prescriptions without compromising cattle performance overall. We found no evidence that the system incorporating a cattle breed popular as a conservation grazer was any better for bird and butterfly species richness than those based on a mainstream breed, yet methane emissions from such a system were predicted to be higher. We have demonstrated that mixed upland grazing systems not only improve livestock production, but also benefit biodiversity, suggesting a ‘win-win’ solution for farmers and conservationists. PMID:24551216

Feeding strategies and manure management for cost-effective mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions from dairy farms in Wisconsin.

PubMed

Dutreuil, M; Wattiaux, M; Hardie, C A; Cabrera, V E

2014-09-01

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from dairy farms are a major concern. Our objectives were to assess the effect of mitigation strategies on GHG emissions and net return to management on 3 distinct farm production systems of Wisconsin. A survey was conducted on 27 conventional farms, 30 grazing farms, and 69 organic farms. The data collected were used to characterize 3 feeding systems scaled to the average farm (85 cows and 127ha). The Integrated Farm System Model was used to simulate the economic and environmental impacts of altering feeding and manure management in those 3 farms. Results showed that incorporation of grazing practices for lactating cows in the conventional farm led to a 27.6% decrease in total GHG emissions [-0.16kg of CO2 equivalents (CO2eq)/kg of energy corrected milk (ECM)] and a 29.3% increase in net return to management (+$7,005/yr) when milk production was assumed constant. For the grazing and organic farms, decreasing the forage-to-concentrate ratio in the diet decreased GHG emissions when milk production was increased by 5 or 10%. The 5% increase in milk production was not sufficient to maintain the net return; however, the 10% increase in milk production increased net return in the organic farm but not on the grazing farm. A 13.7% decrease in GHG emissions (-0.08kg of CO2eq/kg of ECM) was observed on the conventional farm when incorporating manure the day of application and adding a 12-mo covered storage unit. However, those same changes led to a 6.1% (+0.04kg of CO2eq/kg of ECM) and a 6.9% (+0.06kg of CO2eq/kg of ECM) increase in GHG emissions in the grazing and the organic farms, respectively. For the 3 farms, manure management changes led to a decrease in net return to management. Simulation results suggested that the same feeding and manure management mitigation strategies led to different outcomes depending on the farm system, and furthermore, effective mitigation strategies were used to reduce GHG emissions while maintaining profitability within each farm. Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

12 CFR 630.40 - Contents of the quarterly report to investors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... the System Audit Committee. (1) An interim balance sheet as of the end of the most recent fiscal.... 630.40 Section 630.40 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM DISCLOSURE TO INVESTORS IN SYSTEMWIDE AND CONSOLIDATED BANK DEBT OBLIGATIONS OF THE FARM CREDIT SYSTEM Quarterly Reports...

Cost analysis of aquatic biomass systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1978-07-25

A cost analysis of aquatic biomass systems was conducted to provide the U.S. Department of Energy with engineering cost information on which to base decisions in the area of planning and executing research and development programs dealing with aquatic biomass as an alternative energy resource. Calculations show that several hundred 100 square mile aquatic biomass farms, the size selected by DOE staff for this analysis, would be needed to provide meaningful supplies of energy. With this background, specific engineering analyses were conducted on two original design concepts for 100 square mile aquatic biomass energy farms. These systems were an open-oceanmore » system and a land-based system; outstanding experts in all aspects of this project were called upon to participate and provide information in projecting the costs for harvested aquatic biomass for these systems. It was found that the projections of costs for harvested open-ocean biomass, utilizing optimistic assumptions of scientific and engineering design parameters, appear to be above any practical costs to be considered for energy. One of the major limitations is due to the need to provide upwelled sub-surface water containing needed nutrients, for which pumping energy is required. It is concluded from this analysis that large scale land-based aquatic biomass farms may merit development, but perhaps within a much narrower range than heretofore investigated. Aquatic plants which appear to have potential for development as an energy resource are the so-called emersed plants, or angiosperms, including many types of freshwater weeds such as duckweed, Hydrilla, and water hyacinths. It is recommended that substantially greater basic and applied knowledge on these aquatic biomass are needed, especially on growth rates and nutrient requirements.« less

Differences in Voluntary Cow Traffic between Holstein and Illawarra Breeds of Dairy Cattle in a Pasture-based Automatic Milking System

PubMed Central

Clark, C. E. F.; Kwinten, N. B. P.; van Gastel, D. A. J. M.; Kerrisk, K. L.; Lyons, N. A.; Garcia, S. C.

2014-01-01

Automatic milking systems (AMS) rely upon voluntary cow traffic (the voluntary movement of cattle around a farm) for milk harvesting and feed consumption. Previous research on conventional milking systems has shown differences between dairy cow breeds for intake and milk production, however, the ability to manipulate voluntary cow traffic and milking frequency on AMS farms through breed selection is unknown. This study investigated the effect of breed (Holstein Friesian versus Illawarra) on voluntary cow traffic as determined by gate passes at the Camden AMS research farm dairy facility. Daily data on days in milk, milk yield, gate passes and milking frequency for 158 Holstein Friesian cows and 24 Illawarra cows were collated by month for the 2007 and 2008 years. Illawarra cows had 9% more gate passes/day than Holstein cows over the duration of the study; however, the milking frequency and milk yield of both breeds were similar. Gate passes were greatest for both breeds in early lactation and in the winter (June to August) and summer (December to February) seasons. These findings highlight an opportunity to translate increased voluntary cow movement associated with breed selection into increased milking frequencies, milk production and overall pasture-based AMS performance. PMID:25049992

Differences in Voluntary Cow Traffic between Holstein and Illawarra Breeds of Dairy Cattle in a Pasture-based Automatic Milking System.

PubMed

Clark, C E F; Kwinten, N B P; van Gastel, D A J M; Kerrisk, K L; Lyons, N A; Garcia, S C

2014-04-01

Automatic milking systems (AMS) rely upon voluntary cow traffic (the voluntary movement of cattle around a farm) for milk harvesting and feed consumption. Previous research on conventional milking systems has shown differences between dairy cow breeds for intake and milk production, however, the ability to manipulate voluntary cow traffic and milking frequency on AMS farms through breed selection is unknown. This study investigated the effect of breed (Holstein Friesian versus Illawarra) on voluntary cow traffic as determined by gate passes at the Camden AMS research farm dairy facility. Daily data on days in milk, milk yield, gate passes and milking frequency for 158 Holstein Friesian cows and 24 Illawarra cows were collated by month for the 2007 and 2008 years. Illawarra cows had 9% more gate passes/day than Holstein cows over the duration of the study; however, the milking frequency and milk yield of both breeds were similar. Gate passes were greatest for both breeds in early lactation and in the winter (June to August) and summer (December to February) seasons. These findings highlight an opportunity to translate increased voluntary cow movement associated with breed selection into increased milking frequencies, milk production and overall pasture-based AMS performance.

Optimal supplementary frequency controller design using the wind farm frequency model and controller parameters stability region.

PubMed

Toulabi, Mohammadreza; Bahrami, Shahab; Ranjbar, Ali Mohammad

2018-03-01

In most of the existing studies, the frequency response in the variable speed wind turbines (VSWTs) is simply realized by changing the torque set-point via appropriate inputs such as frequency deviations signal. However, effective dynamics and systematic process design have not been comprehensively discussed yet. Accordingly, this paper proposes a proportional-derivative frequency controller and investigates its performance in a wind farm consisting of several VSWTs. A band-pass filter is deployed before the proposed controller to avoid responding to either steady state frequency deviations or high rate of change of frequency. To design the controller, the frequency model of the wind farm is first characterized. The proposed controller is then designed based on the obtained open loop system. The stability region associated with the controller parameters is analytically determined by decomposing the closed-loop system's characteristic polynomial into the odd and even parts. The performance of the proposed controller is evaluated through extensive simulations in MATLAB/Simulink environment in a power system comprising a high penetration of VSWTs equipped with the proposed controller. Finally, based on the obtained feasible area and appropriate objective function, the optimal values associated with the controller parameters are determined using the genetic algorithm (GA). Copyright © 2018 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

How best to geo-reference farms? A case study from Cornwall, England.

PubMed

Durr, P A; Froggatt, A E A

2002-11-29

The commonest way of geo-referencing farms as single points is using the location of the farmhouse as either read off a map or approximated by its postcode. While these two methods may be adequate for small farms, they are unlikely to be satisfactory for large ones, or alternatively when they are comprised of several discrete units or holdings. In order to investigate the best representation of the total farm polygon(s) by a single point, we undertook a study using nearly 500 actual farm boundaries in the county of Cornwall, England. For each farm, the farm boundaries were digitised, and its area and centroid determined using ArcView 3.2. A variety of point geo-referencing systems were tested to find the best single point location for a farm, as judged by the proportion of farm area captured. Whilst the centroid was found to capture the largest area, the main farm building was judged to be the best geo-referencing method for practical purposes. In contrast, the various systems of geo-coding using the farm postal address performed relatively poorly. Where there are separate parcels of land managed together in a single parish, they may be identified as a single unit, but if there are separate parcels in different parishes they should be identified as separate units.The implications of these results for Great Britain's national animal health information system (VETNET) are discussed.

12 CFR 614.4000 - Farm Credit Banks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... institutions. (3) Farm Credit Banks, in their capacity as certified agricultural mortgage marketing facilities... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Farm Credit Banks. 614.4000 Section 614.4000 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM LOAN POLICIES AND OPERATIONS Lending...

Dairy farm demographics and management factors that played a role in the re-emergence of brucellosis on dairy cattle farms in Fiji.

PubMed

Tukana, Andrew; Gummow, B

2017-08-01

Little is published on risk factors associated with bovine brucellosis in Pacific island communities. The 2009 re-emergence of bovine brucellosis in Fiji enabled us to do an interview-based questionnaire survey of 81 farms in the Wainivesi locality of the Tailevu province on the main island of Fiji to investigate what risk factors could have played a role in the re-emergence of the disease. The survey was conducted on 68 farms that had no positive cases of bovine brucellosis and on 13 farms in the same area where cattle had returned a positive result to the Brucella Rose Bengal test. Descriptive statistical methods were used to describe the demographic data while univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression were used to evaluate the association between the selected risk factors and the presence of brucellosis on the farms at the time of the outbreak. The demographics of Fijian dairy farms are presented in the article and the biosecurity implications of those farming systems are discussed. Two risk factors were strongly associated with farms having brucellosis, and these were history of reactor cattle to brucellosis and or bovine tuberculosis on the farm (OR = 29, P ≤ 0.01) and farms that practised sharing of water sources for cattle within and with outside farms (OR = 39, P ≤ 0.01). Possible reasons why these were risk factors are also discussed. The potential risks for human health was also high as the use of personal protective equipment was low (15%). A high proportion of farmers (62%) could not recognise brucellosis thus contributing to the low frequency of disease reports (44%) made. The article also highlights other important risk factors which could be attributed to farming practices in the region and which could contribute to public health risks and the re-emergence of diseases.

Microbial ecology, bacterial pathogens, and antibiotic resistant genes in swine manure wastewater as influenced by three swine management systems.

PubMed

Brooks, John P; Adeli, Ardeshir; McLaughlin, Michael R

2014-06-15

The environmental influence of farm management in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO) can yield vast changes to the microbial biota and ecological structure of both the pig and waste manure lagoon wastewater. While some of these changes may not be negative, it is possible that CAFOs can enrich antibiotic resistant bacteria or pathogens based on farm type, thereby influencing the impact imparted by the land application of its respective wastewater. The purpose of this study was to measure the microbial constituents of swine-sow, -nursery, and -finisher farm manure lagoon wastewater and determine the changes induced by farm management. A total of 37 farms were visited in the Mid-South USA and analyzed for the genes 16S rRNA, spaQ (Salmonella spp.), Camp-16S (Campylobacter spp.), tetA, tetB, ermF, ermA, mecA, and intI using quantitative PCR. Additionally, 16S rRNA sequence libraries were created. Overall, it appeared that finisher farms were significantly different from nursery and sow farms in nearly all genes measured and in 16S rRNA clone libraries. Nearly all antibiotic resistance genes were detected in all farms. Interestingly, the mecA resistance gene (e.g. methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus) was below detection limits on most farms, and decreased as the pigs aged. Finisher farms generally had fewer antibiotic resistance genes, which corroborated previous phenotypic data; additionally, finisher farms produced a less diverse 16S rRNA sequence library. Comparisons of Camp-16S and spaQ GU (genomic unit) values to previous culture data demonstrated ratios from 10 to 10,000:1 depending on farm type, indicating viable but not cultivatable bacteria were dominant. The current study indicated that swine farm management schemes positively and negatively affect microbial and antibiotic resistant populations in CAFO wastewater which has future "downstream" implications from both an environmental and public health perspective. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Sustainable management of agriculture activity on areas with soil vulnerability to compaction trough a developed decision support system (DSS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moretto, Johnny; Fantinato, Luciano; Rasera, Roberto

2017-04-01

One of the main environmental effects of agriculture is the negative impacts on areas with soil vulnerability to compaction and undersurface water derived from inputs and treatment distributions. A solution may represented from the "Precision Farming". Precision Farming refers to a management concept focusing on (near-real time) observation, measurement and responses to inter- and intra-variability in crops, fields and animals. Potential benefits may include increasing crop yields and animal performance, cost and labour reduction and optimisation of process inputs, all of which would increase profitability. At the same time, Precision Farming should increase work safety and reduce the environmental impacts of agriculture and farming practices, thus contributing to the sustainability of agricultural production. The concept has been made possible by the rapid development of ICT-based sensor technologies and procedures along with dedicated software that, in the case of arable farming, provides the link between spatially-distributed variables and appropriate farming practices such as tillage, seeding, fertilisation, herbicide and pesticide application, and harvesting. Much progress has been made in terms of technical solutions, but major steps are still required for the introduction of this approach over the common agricultural practices. There are currently a large number of sensors capable of collecting data for various applications (e.g. Index of vegetation vigor, soil moisture, Digital Elevation Models, meteorology, etc.). The resulting large volumes of data need to be standardised, processed and integrated using metadata analysis of spatial information, to generate useful input for decision-support systems. In this context, a user-friendly IT applications has been developed, for organizing and processing large volumes of data from different types of remote sensing and meteorological sensors, and for integrating these data into user-friendly farm management support systems able to support the farm manager. In this applications will be possible to implement numerical models to support the farm manager on the best time to work in field and/or the best trajectory to follow with a GPS navigation system on soil vulnerability to compaction. In addition to provide "as applied map" to indicate in each part of the field the exact needed quantity of inputs and treatments. This new working models for data management will allow to a most efficient resource usage contributing in a more sustainable agriculture both for a more economic benefits for the farmers and for reduction of environmental soil and undersurface water impacts.

Simulation of Long-Term Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics in Grassland-Based Dairy Farming Systems to Evaluate Mitigation Strategies for Nutrient Losses

PubMed Central

Shah, Ghulam Abbas; Groot, Jeroen C.J.; Shah, Ghulam Mustafa; Lantinga, Egbert A.

2013-01-01

Many measures have been proposed to mitigate gaseous emissions and other nutrient losses from agroecosystems, which can have large detrimental effects for the quality of soils, water and air, and contribute to eutrophication and global warming. Due to complexities in farm management, biological interactions and emission measurements, most experiments focus on analysis of short-term effects of isolated mitigation practices. Here we present a model that allows simulating long-term effects at the whole-farm level of combined measures related to grassland management, animal housing and manure handling after excretion, during storage and after field application. The model describes the dynamics of pools of organic carbon and nitrogen (N), and of inorganic N, as affected by farm management in grassland-based dairy systems. We assessed the long-term effects of delayed grass mowing, housing type (cubicle and sloping floor barns, resulting in production of slurry and solid cattle manure, respectively), manure additives, contrasting manure storage methods and irrigation after application of covered manure. Simulations demonstrated that individually applied practices often result in compensatory loss pathways. For instance, methods to reduce ammonia emissions during storage like roofing or covering of manure led to larger losses through ammonia volatilization, nitrate leaching or denitrification after application, unless extra measures like irrigation were used. A strategy of combined management practices of delayed mowing and fertilization with solid cattle manure that is treated with zeolite, stored under an impermeable sheet and irrigated after application was effective to increase soil carbon stocks, increase feed self-sufficiency and reduce losses by ammonia volatilization and soil N losses. Although long-term datasets (>25 years) of farm nutrient dynamics and loss flows are not available to validate the model, the model is firmly based on knowledge of processes and measured effects of individual practices, and allows the integrated exploration of effective emission mitigation strategies. PMID:23826255

Aquatic carbon export from peatland catchments recently undergone wind farm development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Ben; Waldron, Susan; Henderson, Andrew; Flowers, Hugh; Gilvear, David

2013-04-01

Scotland's peat landscapes are desirable locations for wind-based renewables due to high wind resources and low land use pressures in these areas. The environmental impact of sitting wind-based renewables on peats however, is unknown. Globally, peatlands are important terrestrial carbon stores. Given the topical nature of carbon-related issues, e.g. global warming and carbon footprints, it is imperative we help mitigate their degradation and maintain carbon sequestration. To do so, we need to better understand how peatland systems function with regards to their carbon balance (export versus sequestration) so we can assess their resilience and adaptation to hosting land-based renewable energy projects. Predicting carbon lost as a result of construction of wind farms built on peatland has not been fully characterised and this research will provide data that can supplement current 'carbon payback calculator' models for wind farms that aim to reinforce their 'green' credentials. Transfer of carbon from the terrestrial peatland systems to the aquatic freshwater and oceanic systems is most predominant during periods of high rainfall. It has been estimated that 50% of carbon is exported during only 10% of highest river flows, (Hinton et al., 1998). Furthermore, carbon export from peatlands is known to have a seasonal aspect with highest concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) found mostly in late summer months of August and September and lowest in December and January, (Dawson et al., 2004). Event sampling, where high intensity sample collection is carried out during high river flow periods, offers a better insight, understanding and estimation of carbon aquatic fluxes from peatland landscapes. The Gordonbush estate, near Brora, has an extensive peatland area where a wind farm development has recently been completed (April 2012). Investigations of aquatic carbon fluxes from this peatland system were started in July 2010, in conjunction with the start of construction of the 35-turbine wind farm, with a strong focus on event sampling. Fieldwork and sample collection is due to continue until at least September 2013 but data collated so far shows seasonal differences of carbon export from similar sized hydrological events. In addition, event sampling has highlighted the different characteristics between DOC and POC export as well as their contribution to the overall aquatic carbon flux. Phosphorous and nitrate concentrations have also been analysed and their export regimes and interactions with carbon export will also be discussed.

Direct and indirect impacts of crop-livestock organization on mixed crop-livestock systems sustainability: a model-based study.

PubMed

Sneessens, I; Veysset, P; Benoit, M; Lamadon, A; Brunschwig, G

2016-11-01

Crop-livestock production is claimed more sustainable than specialized production systems. However, the presence of controversial studies suggests that there must be conditions of mixing crop and livestock productions to allow for higher sustainable performances. Whereas previous studies focused on the impact of crop-livestock interactions on performances, we posit here that crop-livestock organization is a key determinant of farming system sustainability. Crop-livestock organization refers to the percentage of the agricultural area that is dedicated to each production. Our objective is to investigate if crop-livestock organization has both a direct and an indirect impact on mixed crop-livestock (MC-L) sustainability. In that objective, we build a whole-farm model parametrized on representative French sheep and crop farming systems in plain areas (Vienne, France). This model permits simulating contrasted MC-L systems and their subsequent sustainability through the following indicators of performance: farm income, production, N balance, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (/kg product) and MJ consumption (/kg product). Two MC-L systems were simulated with contrasted crop-livestock organizations (MC20-L80: 20% of crops; MC80-L20: 80% of crops). A first scenario - constraining no crop-livestock interactions in both MC-L systems - permits highlighting that crop-livestock organization has a significant direct impact on performances that implies trade-offs between objectives of sustainability. Indeed, the MC80-L20 system is showing higher performances for farm income (+44%), livestock production (+18%) and crop GHG emissions (-14%) whereas the MC20-L80 system has a better N balance (-53%) and a lower livestock MJ consumption (-9%). A second scenario - allowing for crop-livestock interactions in both MC20-L80 and MC80-L20 systems - stated that crop-livestock organization has a significant indirect impact on performances. Indeed, even if crop-livestock interactions permit improving performances, crop-livestock organization influences the capacity of MC-L systems to benefit from crop-livestock interactions. As a consequence, we observed a decreasing performance trade-off between MC-L systems for farm income (-4%) and crop GHG emissions (-10%) whereas the gap increases for nitrogen balance (+23%), livestock production (+6%) - MJ consumption (+16%) - GHG emissions (+5%) and crop MJ consumption (+5%). However, the indirect impact of crop-livestock organization doesn't reverse the trend of trade-offs between objectives of sustainability determined by the direct impact of crop-livestock organization. As a conclusion, crop-livestock organization is a key factor that has to be taken into account when studying the sustainability of mixed crop-livestock systems.

Nutritional and ecological evaluation of dairy farming systems based on concentrate feeding regimes in semi-arid environments of Jordan

PubMed Central

Alqaisi, Othman; Hemme, Torsten; Hagemann, Martin; Susenbeth, Andreas

2013-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional and ecological aspects of feeding systems practiced under semi-arid environments in Jordan. Nine dairy farms representing the different dairy farming systems were selected for this study. Feed samples (n = 58), fecal samples (n = 108), and milk samples (n = 78) were collected from the farms and analysed for chemical composition. Feed samples were also analysed for metabolisable energy (ME) contents and in vitro organic matter digestibility according to Hohenheim-Feed-Test. Furthermore, fecal nitrogen concentration was determined to estimate in vivo organic matter digestibility. ME and nutrient intakes were calculated based on the farmer’s estimate of dry matter intake and the analysed composition of the feed ingredients. ME and nutrient intakes were compared to recommended standard values for adequate supply of ME, utilizable crude protein, rumen undegradable crude protein (RUCP), phosphorus (P), and calcium (Ca). Technology Impact Policy Impact Calculation model complemented with a partial life cycle assessment model was used to estimate greenhouse gas emissions of milk production at farm gate. The model predicts CH4, N2O and CO2 gases emitted either directly or indirectly. Average daily energy corrected milk yield (ECM) was 19 kg and ranged between 11 and 27 kg. The mean of ME intake of all farms was 184 MJ/d with a range between 115 and 225 MJ/d. Intake of RUCP was lower than the standard requirements in six farms ranging between 19 and 137 g/d, was higher (32 and 93 g/d) in two farms, and matched the requirements in one farm. P intake was higher than the requirements in all farms (mean oversupply = 19 g/d) and ranged between 3 and 30 g/d. Ca intake was significantly below the requirements in small scale farms. Milk nitrogen efficiency N-eff (milk N/intake N) varied between 19% and 28% and was mainly driven by the level of milk yield. Total CO2 equivalent (CO2 equ) emission ranged between 0.90 and 1.88 kg CO2/kg ECM milk, where the enteric and manure CH4 contributed to 52% of the total CO2 equ emissions, followed by the indirect emissions of N2O and the direct emissions of CO2 gases which comprises 17% and 15%, respectively, from total CO2 equ emissions. Emissions per kg of milk were significantly driven by the level of milk production (r2 = 0.93) and of eDMI (r2 = 0.88), while the total emissions were not influenced by diet composition. A difference of 16 kg ECM/d in milk yield, 9% in N-eff and of 0.9 kg CO2 equ/kg in ECM milk observed between low and high yielding animals. To improve the nutritional status of the animals, protein requirements have to be met. Furthermore, low price by-products with a low carbon credit should be included in the diets to replace the high proportion of imported concentrate feeds and consequently improve the economic situation of dairy farms and mitigate CO2 equ emissions. PMID:24596499

12 CFR 614.4000 - Farm Credit Banks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Farm Credit Banks. 614.4000 Section 614.4000 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM LOAN POLICIES AND OPERATIONS Lending Authorities § 614.4000 Farm Credit Banks. (a) Long-term real estate lending. Except to the extent such...

Requirements Verification Report AN Farm to 200 E Waste Transfer System for Project W-314 Tank Farm Restoration & Safe Operations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

MCGREW, D.L.

2001-10-31

This Requirements Verification Report provides the traceability of how Project W-314 fulfilled the Project Development Specification requirements for the AN Farm to 200E Waste Transfer System Upgrade package.

Agrileisure: Exploring the "fun" of local food

Treesearch

Ben Amsden; Jesse McEntee

2012-01-01

Farm-based agri-tourism, home-based hobby farming, rural/urban farmers markets, and community-supported agriculture (CSA) are all examples of agriculturally themed activities that, for many, include a measure of leisure and recreation. While people once saw the farm primarily as a space for work and production, a new generation is beginning to see farms as family-...

Product environmental footprint of strawberries: Case studies in Estonia and Germany.

PubMed

Soode-Schimonsky, Eveli; Richter, Klaus; Weber-Blaschke, Gabriele

2017-12-01

The environmental impacts of strawberries have been assessed in several studies. However, these studies either present dissimilar results or only focus on single impact categories without offering a comprehensive overview of environmental impacts. We applied the product environmental footprint (PEF) methodology to broadly indicate the environmental impacts of various strawberry production systems in Germany and Estonia by 15 impact categories. Data for the 7 case studies were gathered from two farms with organic and two farms with conventional open field production systems in Estonia and from one farm with conventional open field and one farm with a polytunnel and greenhouse production system in Germany. The greenhouse production system had the highest environmental impact with a PEF of 0.0040. In the field organic production systems, the PEF was 0.0029 and 0.0028. The field conventional production systems resulted in a PEF of 0.0008, 0.0009 and 0.0002. Polytunnel PEF was 0.0006. Human toxicity cancer effects, particulate matter and human toxicity non-cancer effects resulted in the highest impact across all analysed production systems. The main contributors were electricity for cooling, heating the greenhouse and the use of agricultural machinery including fuel burning. While production stage contributed 85% of the total impact in the greenhouse, also other life cycle stages were important contributors: pre-chain resulted in 71% and 90% of impact in conventional and polytunnels, respectively, and cooling was 47% in one organic system. Environmental impact from strawberry cooling can be reduced by more efficient use of the cooling room, increasing the strawberry yield or switching from oil shale electricity to other energy sources. Greenhouse heating is the overall impact hotspot even if it based on renewable resources. A ranking of production systems based on the environmental impact is possible only if all relevant impacts are included. Future studies should aim for detailed results across a variety of impact categories and follow product category rules in defining the life cycle stages. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

77 FR 7558 - Withdrawal of Proposed Rule on Approval of Farm Credit System Lending Institutions in Federal...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-13

...-AI91 Withdrawal of Proposed Rule on Approval of Farm Credit System Lending Institutions in Federal... withdraws HUD's August 2011 rule that proposed to amend HUD's regulations to enable the direct lending... the direct lending institutions of the Farm Credit System to seek approval to participate in the FHA...

Sustainability assessment of greenhouse vegetable farming practices from environmental, economic, and socio-institutional perspectives in China.

PubMed

Yang, Lanqin; Huang, Biao; Mao, Mingcui; Yao, Lipeng; Niedermann, Silvana; Hu, Wenyou; Chen, Yong

2016-09-01

To provide growing population with sufficient food, greenhouse vegetable production has expanded rapidly in recent years in China and sustainability of its farming practices is a major concern. Therefore, this study assessed the sustainability of greenhouse vegetable farming practices from environmental, economic, and socio-institutional perspectives in China based on selected indicators. The empirical data were collected through a survey of 91 farm households from six typical greenhouse vegetable production bases and analysis of environmental material samples. The results showed that heavy fertilization in greenhouse vegetable bases of China resulted in an accumulation of N, P, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn in soil, nutrient eutrophication in irrigation water, and high Cd in some leaf vegetables cultivated in acidic soil. Economic factors including decreased crop yield in conventional farming bases, limited and site-dependent farmers' income, and lack of complete implementation of subsidy policies contributed a lot to adoption of heavy fertilization by farmers. Also, socio-institutional factors such as lack of unified management of agricultural supplies in the bases operated in cooperative and small family business models and low agricultural extension service efficiency intensified the unreasonable fertilization. The selection of cultivated vegetables was mainly based on farmers' own experience rather than site-dependent soil conditions. Thus, for sustainable development of greenhouse vegetable production systems in China, there are two key aspects. First, it is imperative to reduce environmental pollution and subsequent health risks through integrated nutrient management and the planting strategy of selected low metal accumulation vegetable species especially in acidic soil. Second, a conversion of cooperative and small family business models of greenhouse vegetable bases to enterprises should be extensively advocated in future for the unified agricultural supplies management and improved agricultural extension service efficiency, which in turn can stabilize vegetable yields and increase farmers' benefits.

Analysis of Energy Storage System with Distributed Hydrogen Production and Gas Turbine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kotowicz, Janusz; Bartela, Łukasz; Dubiel-Jurgaś, Klaudia

2017-12-01

Paper presents the concept of energy storage system based on power-to-gas-to-power (P2G2P) technology. The system consists of a gas turbine co-firing hydrogen, which is supplied from a distributed electrolysis installations, powered by the wind farms located a short distance from the potential construction site of the gas turbine. In the paper the location of this type of investment was selected. As part of the analyses, the area of wind farms covered by the storage system and the share of the electricity production which is subjected storage has been changed. The dependence of the changed quantities on the potential of the hydrogen production and the operating time of the gas turbine was analyzed. Additionally, preliminary economic analyses of the proposed energy storage system were carried out.

The selective treatment of clinical mastitis based on on-farm culture results: II. Effects on lactation performance, including clinical mastitis recurrence, somatic cell count, milk production, and cow survival.

PubMed

Lago, A; Godden, S M; Bey, R; Ruegg, P L; Leslie, K

2011-09-01

The objective of this multi-state, multi-herd clinical trial was to report on the efficacy of using an on-farm culture system to guide strategic treatment decisions in cows with clinical mastitis. The study was conducted in 8 commercial dairy farms ranging in size from 144 to 1,795 cows from Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Ontario, Canada. A total of 422 cows affected with mild or moderate clinical mastitis in 449 quarters were randomly assigned to either (1) a positive-control treatment program or (2) an on-farm culture-based treatment program. Quarter cases assigned to the positive-control group received immediate on-label intramammary treatment with cephapirin sodium. Quarters assigned to the culture-based treatment program were not treated until the results of on-farm culture were determined after 18 to 24h of incubation. Quarters in the culture-based treatment program that had gram-positive growth or a mixed infection were treated according to label instruction using intramammary cephapirin sodium. Quarters assigned to the culture-based treatment program that had gram-negative or no-growth did not receive intramammary therapy. It was already reported in a companion paper that the selective treatment of clinical mastitis based on on-farm culture results decreases antibiotic use by half and tends to decrease milk withholding time without affecting short-term clinical and bacteriological outcomes. The present article reports on long-term outcomes of the aforementioned study. No statistically significant differences existed between cases assigned to the positive-control program and cases assigned to the culture-based treatment program in risk and days for recurrence of clinical mastitis in the same quarter (35% and 78 d vs. 43% and 82 d), linear somatic cell count (4.2 vs. 4.4), daily milk production (30.0 vs. 30.7 kg), and risk and days for culling or death events (28% and 160 d vs. 32% and 137 d) for the rest of the lactation after enrollment of the clinical mastitis case. In summary, the selective treatment of clinical mastitis based on on-farm culture resulted in no differences in long-term outcomes, such as recurrence of clinical mastitis in the same quarter, somatic cell count, milk production, and cow survival for the rest of the lactation after clinical mastitis. Copyright © 2011 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A socio-hydrologic model of coupled water-agriculture dynamics with emphasis on farm size.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brugger, D. R.; Maneta, M. P.

2015-12-01

Agricultural land cover dynamics in the U.S. are dominated by two trends: 1) total agricultural land is decreasing and 2) average farm size is increasing. These trends have important implications for the future of water resources because 1) growing more food on less land is due in large part to increased groundwater withdrawal and 2) larger farms can better afford both more efficient irrigation and more groundwater access. However, these large-scale trends are due to individual farm operators responding to many factors including climate, economics, and policy. It is therefore difficult to incorporate the trends into watershed-scale hydrologic models. Traditional scenario-based approaches are valuable for many applications, but there is typically no feedback between the hydrologic model and the agricultural dynamics and so limited insight is gained into the how agriculture co-evolves with water resources. We present a socio-hydrologic model that couples simplified hydrologic and agricultural economic dynamics, accounting for many factors that depend on farm size such as irrigation efficiency and returns to scale. We introduce an "economic memory" (EM) state variable that is driven by agricultural revenue and affects whether farms are sold when land market values exceed expected returns from agriculture. The model uses a Generalized Mixture Model of Gaussians to approximate the distribution of farm sizes in a study area, effectively lumping farms into "small," "medium," and "large" groups that have independent parameterizations. We apply the model in a semi-arid watershed in the upper Columbia River Basin, calibrating to data on streamflow, total agricultural land cover, and farm size distribution. The model is used to investigate the sensitivity of the coupled system to various hydrologic and economic scenarios such as increasing market value of land, reduced surface water availability, and increased irrigation efficiency in small farms.

Environmental, Economic and Social Efficiencies of Irrigated Farming Systems: Using Water Footprint Indicators to Compare Farm Income and Labor Generated per Volume of Water Available in Irrigated Farming Systems in Campania, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Altobelli, F.; Meybeck, A.; Gitz, V.; Dalla Marta, A.; Cimino, O.

2014-12-01

Agriculture is not only producing food and other products. It is also a major economic sector, representing, especially in developing countries, an important part of GDP; and a major employer, with often more than half of the total workforce in many low income countries. In many of these countries irrigation plays a key role to increase and stabilize income, and it is likely to increase with climate change and increased variability of rain patterns. It is also a crucial mean to increase productivity of small holdings. In many countries, where holdings are small and even in some cases decreasing it is essential to enable farmers to ensure their food security and a decent income. In some countries, including India and many African countries, the workforce is expected to grow, with an important part of it to be employed in agriculture. At the same time many of the regions where agriculture is the most important from an economical and social point of view, are experiencing increasing water scarcity. In many cases, as has been noted for instance for the Mediterranean area, water availability is the main limiting factor to agricultural development. Increasingly agriculture is also in competition for water use with other economic activities. This calls for means to assess and compare agricultural productions systems and irrigation projects not only in terms of physical production of agricultural products but also in terms of income and jobs generated by the activity. In this study, we propose a methodology based on the blue water footprint for assessing and comparing different agricultural productions and farming systems in terms of economic and social outcomes for a given volume of blue water. Examples are drawn from the Campania region of Italy and based on data extracted from the Italian Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN). This database contains, among other, data on crop production, irrigation management (irrigated surface, length of irrigation season, volumes of water, etc.), as well as on income and labor.

12 CFR 614.4240 - Collateral definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

....4240 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM LOAN POLICIES AND OPERATIONS... income and/or other collateral, absent the real estate, and the decision to extend credit was, in fact... staff evaluator from another Farm Credit System institution only if the employing institution is not...

12 CFR 614.4240 - Collateral definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

....4240 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM LOAN POLICIES AND OPERATIONS... income and/or other collateral, absent the real estate, and the decision to extend credit was, in fact... staff evaluator from another Farm Credit System institution only if the employing institution is not...

12 CFR 614.4240 - Collateral definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

....4240 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM LOAN POLICIES AND OPERATIONS... income and/or other collateral, absent the real estate, and the decision to extend credit was, in fact... staff evaluator from another Farm Credit System institution only if the employing institution is not...

12 CFR 614.4350 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM LOAN POLICIES AND OPERATIONS Lending and... indirectly. Excluded are a Farm Credit System association or other financing institution that comply with the... commitment to make a lease. (b) Commitment means a legally binding obligation to extend credit, enter into...

12 CFR 615.5045 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM FUNDING AND FISCAL AFFAIRS, LOAN POLICIES AND OPERATIONS, AND FUNDING OPERATIONS Collateral § 615.5045 Definitions. (a) Cost means the actual... accrued interest owed. (d) Secured interbank loan means a loan from one Farm Credit System bank to another...

12 CFR 614.4240 - Collateral definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

....4240 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM LOAN POLICIES AND OPERATIONS... income and/or other collateral, absent the real estate, and the decision to extend credit was, in fact... staff evaluator from another Farm Credit System institution only if the employing institution is not...

Farm nitrogen balances in six European landscapes as an indicator for nitrogen losses and basis for improved management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dalgaard, T.; Bienkowski, J. F.; Bleeker, A.; Dragosits, U.; Drouet, J. L.; Durand, P.; Frumau, A.; Hutchings, N. J.; Kedziora, A.; Magliulo, V.; Olesen, J. E.; Theobald, M. R.; Maury, O.; Akkal, N.; Cellier, P.

2012-12-01

Improved management of nitrogen (N) in agriculture is necessary to achieve a sustainable balance between the production of food and other biomass, and the unwanted effects of N on water pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity deterioration and human health. To analyse farm N-losses and the complex interactions within farming systems, efficient methods for identifying emissions hotspots and evaluating mitigation measures are therefore needed. The present paper aims to fill this gap at the farm and landscape scales. Six agricultural landscapes in Poland (PL), the Netherlands (NL), France (FR), Italy (IT), Scotland (UK) and Denmark (DK) were studied, and a common method was developed for undertaking farm inventories and the derivation of farm N balances, N surpluses and for evaluating uncertainty for the 222 farms and 11 440 ha of farmland included in the study. In all landscapes, a large variation in the farm N surplus was found, and thereby a large potential for reductions. The highest average N surpluses were found in the most livestock-intensive landscapes of IT, FR, and NL; on average 202 ± 28, 179 ± 63 and 178 ± 20 kg N ha-1 yr-1, respectively. All landscapes showed hotspots, especially from livestock farms, including a special UK case with large-scale landless poultry farming. Overall, the average N surplus from the land-based UK farms dominated by extensive sheep and cattle grazing was only 31 ± 10 kg N ha-1 yr-1, but was similar to the N surplus of PL and DK (122 ± 20 and 146 ± 55 kg N ha-1 yr-1, respectively) when landless poultry farming was included. We found farm N balances to be a useful indicator for N losses and the potential for improving N management. Significant correlations to N surplus were found, both with ammonia air concentrations and nitrate concentrations in soils and groundwater, measured during the period of N management data collection in the landscapes from 2007-2009. This indicates that farm N surpluses may be used as an independent dataset for validation of measured and modelled N emissions in agricultural landscapes. No significant correlation was found with N measured in surface waters, probably because of spatial and temporal variations in groundwater buffering and biogeochemical reactions affecting N flows from farm to surface waters. A case study of the development in N surplus from the landscape in DK from 1998-2008 showed a 22% reduction related to measures targeted at N emissions from livestock farms. Based on the large differences in N surplus between average N management farms and the most modern and N-efficient farms, it was concluded that additional N-surplus reductions of 25-50%, as compared to the present level, were realistic in all landscapes. The implemented N-surplus method was thus effective for comparing and synthesizing results on farm N emissions and the potentials of mitigation options. It is recommended for use in combination with other methods for the assessment of landscape N emissions and farm N efficiency, including more detailed N source and N sink hotspot mapping, measurements and modelling.

Effect of sensor systems for cow management on milk production, somatic cell count, and reproduction.

PubMed

Steeneveld, W; Vernooij, J C M; Hogeveen, H

2015-06-01

To improve management on dairy herds, sensor systems have been developed that can measure physiological, behavioral, and production indicators on individual cows. It is not known whether using sensor systems also improves measures of health and production in dairy herds. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of using sensor systems on measures of health and production in dairy herds. Data of 414 Dutch dairy farms with (n=152) and without (n=262) sensor systems were available. For these herds, information on milk production per cow, days to first service, first calving age, and somatic cell count (SCC) was provided for the years 2003 to 2013. Moreover, year of investment in sensor systems was available. For every farm year, we determined whether that year was before or after the year of investment in sensor systems on farms with an automatic milking system (AMS) or a conventional milking system (CMS), or whether it was a year on a farm that never invested in sensor systems. Separate statistical analyses were performed to determine the effect of sensor systems for mastitis detection (color, SCC, electrical conductivity, and lactate dehydrogenase sensors), estrus detection for dairy cows, estrus detection for young stock, and other sensor systems (weighing platform, rumination time sensor, fat and protein sensor, temperature sensor, milk temperature sensor, urea sensor, β-hydroxybutyrate sensor, and other sensor systems). The AMS farms had a higher average SCC (by 12,000 cells/mL) after sensor investment, and CMS farms with a mastitis detection system had a lower average SCC (by 10,000 cells/mL) in the years after sensor investment. Having sensor systems was associated with a higher average production per cow on AMS farms, and with a lower average production per cow on CMS farms in the years after investment. The most likely reason for this lower milk production after investment was that on 96% of CMS farms, the sensor system investment occurred together with another major change at the farm, such as a new barn or a new milking system. Most likely, these other changes had led to a decrease in milk production that could not be compensated for by the use of sensor systems. Having estrus detection sensor systems did not improve reproduction performance. Labor reduction was an important reason for investing in sensor systems. Therefore, economic benefits from investments in sensor systems can be expected more from the reduction in labor costs than from improvements in measures of health and production in dairy herds. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A systems approach to assess farm-scale nutrient and trace element dynamics: a case study at the Ojebyn dairy farm.

PubMed

Oborn, Ingrid; Modin-Edman, Anna-Karin; Bengtsson, Helena; Gustafson, Gunnela M; Salomon, Eva; Nilsson, S Ingvar; Holmqvist, Johan; Jonsson, Simon; Sverdrup, Harald

2005-06-01

A systems analysis approach was used to assess farmscale nutrient and trace element sustainability by combining full-scale field experiments with specific studies of nutrient release from mineral weathering and trace-element cycling. At the Ojebyn dairy farm in northern Sweden, a farm-scale case study including phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and zinc (Zn) was run to compare organic and conventional agricultural management practices. By combining different element-balance approaches (at farmgate, barn, and field scales) and further adapting these to the FARMFLOW model, we were able to combine mass flows and pools within the subsystems and establish links between subsystems in order to make farm-scale predictions. It was found that internal element flows on the farm are large and that there are farm internal sources (Zn) and loss terms (K). The approaches developed and tested at the Ojebyn farm are promising and considered generally adaptable to any farm.

A social-ecological analysis of ecosystem services supply and trade-offs in European wood-pastures.

PubMed

Torralba, Mario; Fagerholm, Nora; Hartel, Tibor; Moreno, Gerardo; Plieninger, Tobias

2018-05-01

Wood-pastures are complex social-ecological systems (SES), which are the product of long-term interaction between society and its surrounding landscape. Traditionally characterized by multifunctional low-intensity management that enhanced a wide range of ecosystem services (ES), current farm management has shifted toward more intensive farm models. This study assesses the supply of ES in four study areas dominated by managed wood-pastures in Spain, Sweden, and Romania. On the basis of 144 farm surveys and the use of multivariate techniques, we characterize farm management and structure in the study areas and identify the trade-offs in ES supply associated with this management. We link these trade-offs to multiple factors that characterize the landholding: economic, social, environmental, technological, and governance. Finally, we analyze how landholders' values and perspectives have an effect on management decisions. Results show a differentiated pattern of ES supply in the four study areas. We identified four types of trade-offs in ES supply that appear depending on what is being promoted by the farm management and that are associated with different dimensions of wood-pasture management: productivity-related trade-offs, crop production-related trade-offs, multifunctionality-related trade-offs, and farm accessibility-related trade-offs. These trade-offs are influenced by complex interactions between the properties of the SES, which have a direct influence on landholders' perspectives and motivations. The findings of this paper advance the understanding of the dynamics between agroecosystems and society and can inform system-based agricultural and conservation policies.

A social-ecological analysis of ecosystem services supply and trade-offs in European wood-pastures

PubMed Central

Hartel, Tibor

2018-01-01

Wood-pastures are complex social-ecological systems (SES), which are the product of long-term interaction between society and its surrounding landscape. Traditionally characterized by multifunctional low-intensity management that enhanced a wide range of ecosystem services (ES), current farm management has shifted toward more intensive farm models. This study assesses the supply of ES in four study areas dominated by managed wood-pastures in Spain, Sweden, and Romania. On the basis of 144 farm surveys and the use of multivariate techniques, we characterize farm management and structure in the study areas and identify the trade-offs in ES supply associated with this management. We link these trade-offs to multiple factors that characterize the landholding: economic, social, environmental, technological, and governance. Finally, we analyze how landholders’ values and perspectives have an effect on management decisions. Results show a differentiated pattern of ES supply in the four study areas. We identified four types of trade-offs in ES supply that appear depending on what is being promoted by the farm management and that are associated with different dimensions of wood-pasture management: productivity-related trade-offs, crop production–related trade-offs, multifunctionality-related trade-offs, and farm accessibility–related trade-offs. These trade-offs are influenced by complex interactions between the properties of the SES, which have a direct influence on landholders’ perspectives and motivations. The findings of this paper advance the understanding of the dynamics between agroecosystems and society and can inform system-based agricultural and conservation policies. PMID:29732404

Evaluation model of wind energy resources and utilization efficiency of wind farm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Jie

2018-04-01

Due to the large amount of abandoned winds in wind farms, the establishment of a wind farm evaluation model is particularly important for the future development of wind farms In this essay, consider the wind farm's wind energy situation, Wind Energy Resource Model (WERM) and Wind Energy Utilization Efficiency Model(WEUEM) are established to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the wind farm. Wind Energy Resource Model (WERM) contains average wind speed, average wind power density and turbulence intensity, which assessed wind energy resources together. Based on our model, combined with the actual measurement data of a wind farm, calculate the indicators using the model, and the results are in line with the actual situation. We can plan the future development of the wind farm based on this result. Thus, the proposed establishment approach of wind farm assessment model has application value.

12 CFR 614.4352 - Farm Credit Banks and agricultural credit banks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Farm Credit Banks and agricultural credit banks. 614.4352 Section 614.4352 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM LOAN POLICIES AND OPERATIONS Lending and Leasing Limits § 614.4352 Farm Credit Banks and agricultural credit...

12 CFR 614.4352 - Farm Credit Banks and agricultural credit banks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Farm Credit Banks and agricultural credit banks. 614.4352 Section 614.4352 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM LOAN POLICIES AND OPERATIONS Lending and Leasing Limits § 614.4352 Farm Credit Banks and agricultural credit...

Understanding the Strategic Decisions Women Make in Farming Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farmar-Bowers, Quentin

2010-01-01

Decision-systems theory (DST) was developed from in-depth interviews with farming families and provides an interpretation of the processes farming families use in making strategic decisions in regard to the family members, the farm and the businesses the farming family run. Understanding the nature and justifications used for different decisions…

Graph-based impact analysis as a framework for incorporating practitioner knowledge in dairy herd health management.

PubMed

Krieger, M; Schwabenbauer, E-M; Hoischen-Taubner, S; Emanuelson, U; Sundrum, A

2018-03-01

Production diseases in dairy cows are multifactorial, which means they emerge from complex interactions between many different farm variables. Variables with a large impact on production diseases can be identified for groups of farms using statistical models, but these methods cannot be used to identify highly influential variables in individual farms. This, however, is necessary for herd health planning, because farm conditions and associated health problems vary largely between farms. The aim of this study was to rank variables according to their anticipated effect on production diseases on the farm level by applying a graph-based impact analysis on 192 European organic dairy farms. Direct impacts between 13 pre-defined variables were estimated for each farm during a round-table discussion attended by practitioners, that is farmer, veterinarian and herd advisor. Indirect impacts were elaborated through graph analysis taking into account impact strengths. Across farms, factors supposedly exerting the most influence on production diseases were 'feeding', 'hygiene' and 'treatment' (direct impacts), as well as 'knowledge and skills' and 'herd health monitoring' (indirect impacts). Factors strongly influenced by production diseases were 'milk performance', 'financial resources' and 'labour capacity' (directly and indirectly). Ranking of variables on the farm level revealed considerable differences between farms in terms of their most influential and most influenced farm factors. Consequently, very different strategies may be required to reduce production diseases in these farms. The method is based on perceptions and estimations and thus prone to errors. From our point of view, however, this weakness is clearly outweighed by the ability to assess and to analyse farm-specific relationships and thus to complement general knowledge with contextual knowledge. Therefore, we conclude that graph-based impact analysis represents a promising decision support tool for herd health planning. The next steps include testing the method using more specific and problem-oriented variables as well as evaluating its effectiveness.

On-Farm Forest Income in the United States, 2003-2012: Thoughts for Extension Programming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McConnell, T. Eric

2016-01-01

Forest-based production on U.S. farms totaled $653.2 million in 2012, admittedly a small portion of total farm wealth. However, despite the effects of the recent economic downturn, on-farm forest product revenues still approached the gate value of North Carolina timber in 2012, which was $730.6 million. Providing the research-based information,…

Value-Added Dairy Products from Grass-Based Dairy Farms: A Case Study in Vermont

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Qingbin; Parsons, Robert; Colby, Jennifer; Castle, Jeffrey

2016-01-01

On-farm processing of value-added dairy products can be a way for small dairy farms to diversify production and increase revenue. This article examines characteristics of three groups of Vermont farmers who have grass-based dairy farms--those producing value-added dairy products, those interested in such products, and those not interested in such…

Risk factors for lameness in freestall-housed dairy cows across two breeds, farming systems, and countries.

PubMed

Dippel, S; Dolezal, M; Brenninkmeyer, C; Brinkmann, J; March, S; Knierim, U; Winckler, C

2009-11-01

Lameness poses a considerable problem in modern dairy farming. Several new developments (e.g., herd health plans) strive to help farmers improve the health and welfare of their herd. It was thus our aim to identify lameness risk factors common across regions, breeds, and farming systems for freestall-housed dairy cows. We analyzed data from 103 nonorganic and organic dairy farms in Germany and Austria that kept 24 to 145 Holstein Friesian or Fleckvieh cows in the milking herd (mean = 48). Data on housing, management, behavior, and lameness scores for a total of 3,514 cows were collected through direct observations and an interview. Mean lameness prevalence was 34% (range = 0-81%). Data were analyzed applying logistic regression with generalized estimating equations in a split-sample design. The final model contained 1 animal-based parameter and 3 risk factors related to lying as well as 1 nutritional animal-based parameter, while correcting for the significant confounders parity and data subset. Risk for lameness increased with decreasing lying comfort, that is, more frequent abnormal lying behavior, mats or mattresses used as a stall base compared with deep-bedded stall bases, the presence of head lunge impediments, or neck rail-curb diagonals that were too short. Cows in the lowest body condition quartile (1.25-2.50 for Holstein Friesian and 2.50-3.50 for Fleckvieh) had the highest risk of being lame. In cross-validation the model correctly classified 71 and 70% of observations in the model-building and validation samples, respectively. Only 2 out of 15 significant odds ratios (including contrasts) changed direction. They pertained to the 2 variables with the highest P-values in the model. In conclusion, lying comfort and nutrition are key risk areas for lameness in freestall-housed dairy cows. Abnormal lying behavior in particular proved to be a good predictor of lameness risk and should thus be included in on-farm protocols. The study is part of the European Commission's Welfare Quality project.

Reanalysis of the start of the UK 1967 to 1968 foot-and-mouth disease epidemic to calculate airborne transmission probabilities.

PubMed

Sanson, R L; Gloster, J; Burgin, L

2011-09-24

The aims of this study were to statistically reassess the likelihood that windborne spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus (FMDV) occurred at the start of the UK 1967 to 1968 FMD epidemic at Oswestry, Shropshire, and to derive dose-response probability of infection curves for farms exposed to airborne FMDV. To enable this, data on all farms present in 1967 in the parishes near Oswestry were assembled. Cases were infected premises whose date of appearance of first clinical signs was within 14 days of the depopulation of the index farm. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between infection status and distance and direction from the index farm. The UK Met Office's NAME atmospheric dispersion model (ADM) was used to generate plumes for each day that FMDV was excreted from the index farm based on actual historical weather records from October 1967. Daily airborne FMDV exposure rates for all farms in the study area were calculated using a geographical information system. Probit analyses were used to calculate dose-response probability of infection curves to FMDV, using relative exposure rates on case and control farms. Both the logistic regression and probit analyses gave strong statistical support to the hypothesis that airborne spread occurred. There was some evidence that incubation period was inversely proportional to the exposure rate.

12 CFR 616.6700 - Stock purchase requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Stock purchase requirements. 616.6700 Section 616.6700 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM LEASING § 616.6700 Stock purchase requirements. (a) Each System institution, except the Farm Credit Leasing Services Corporation...

12 CFR 610.101 - Authority, purpose, and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 610.101 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM REGISTRATION OF MORTGAGE LOAN ORIGINATORS § 610.101 Authority, purpose, and scope. (a) Authority. This part is issued pursuant to the Secure.... This part applies to any Farm Credit System lending institution that actually originates residential...

Design Considerations and Economics of Water Harvesting System for Crop Production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pali, A. K.

2016-06-01

By and large, the design of water harvesting pond is generally based on thumb rules and needs to be upgraded on scientific and engineering principles. In this study, the design procedure of on-farm water harvesting pond has been discussed and two farm ponds of circular, rectangular and square shapes were designed for 50, 60, 75 and 80 % probability of occurrence of rainfall and runoff. Though, the circular shape resulted in the least mean water surface area, but due to not being practicable for agricultural operations, it was discarded. The square shaped ponds resulted in giving least water surface areas as 0.761 ha for the micro watershed of 8.19 ha and as 0.246 ha for the micro watershed of 1.7 ha at 80 % probability level of rainfall and runoff at 80 % level of probability. The storage capacity of the first pond was found as 32,314 m3 and it was 12,962 m3 for the second farm pond. The area to be occupied by the two ponds was worked out as about 11 % of the total land area (8.19 ha) of the first micro watershed and about 18-22 % of the area (1.7 ha) of second micro watershed. Results indicated that the designed size of the first farm pond can be acceptable for construction. The economics of farm pond based agricultural production showed that the highest B/C ratio of 2 and 1.9 were possible for the farm pond designed at 80 and 75 % probability of occurrence of rainfall and runoff respectively.

Mapping Farming Practices in Belgian Intensive Cropping Systems from Sentinel-1 SAR Time Series

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chome, G.; Baret, P. V.; Defourny, P.

2016-08-01

The environmental impact of the so-called conventional farming system calls for new farming practices reducing negative externalities. Emerging farming practices such as no-till and new inter-cropping management are promising tracks. The development of methods to characterize crop management across an entire region and to understand their spatial dimension offers opportunities to accompany the transition towards a more sustainable agriculture.This research takes advantage of the unmatched polarimetric and temporal resolutions of Sentinel-1 SAR C- band to develop a method to identify farming practices at the parcel level. To this end, the detection of changes in backscattering due to surface roughness modification (tillage, inter-crop cover destruction ...) is used to detect the farming management. The final results are compared to a reference dataset collected through an intensive field campaign. Finally, the performances are discussed in the perspective of practices monitoring of cropping systems through remote sensing.

Use of Chemical Pesticides in Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study on Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Farmers and Farm Workers in Three Farming Systems.

PubMed

Negatu, Beyene; Kromhout, Hans; Mekonnen, Yalemtshay; Vermeulen, Roel

2016-06-01

Chemical pesticides, regardless of their inherent hazard, are used intensively in the fast changing agricultural sector of Ethiopia. We conducted a cross-sectional pesticide Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) survey among 601 farmers and farm workers (applicators and re-entry workers) in three farming systems [large-scale closed greenhouses (LSGH), large-scale open farms (LSOF), and small-scale irrigated farms (SSIF)]. Main observations were that 85% of workers did not attain any pesticide-related training, 81% were not aware of modern alternatives for chemical pesticides, 10% used a full set of personal protective equipment, and 62% did not usually bath or shower after work. Among applicators pesticide training attendance was highest in LSGH (35%) and was lowest in SSIF (4%). None of the female re-entry farm workers had received pesticide-related training. Personal protective equipment use was twice as high among pesticide applicators as among re-entry workers (13 versus 7%), while none of the small-scale farm workers used personal protection equipment. Stockpiling and burial of empty pesticide containers and discarding empty pesticide containers in farming fields were reported in both LSOF and by 75% of the farm workers in SSIF. Considerable increment in chemical pesticide usage intensity, illegitimate usages of DDT and Endosulfan on food crops and direct import of pesticides without the formal Ethiopian registration process were also indicated. These results point out a general lack of training and knowledge regarding the safe use of pesticides in all farming systems but especially among small-scale farmers. This in combination with the increase in chemical pesticide usage in the past decade likely results in occupational and environmental health risks. Improved KAP that account for institutional difference among various farming systems and enforcement of regulatory measures including the available occupational and environmental proclamations in Ethiopia are urgently needed. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.

Reproductive research on farm animals for Australia--some long-distance goals.

PubMed

Martin, G B

1995-01-01

In Australia, much of the research on the reproduction of farm animals has emphasised the technological manipulation of the reproductive tract, gametes and embryos. However, most of the animal production in Australia is still based on sheep and beef cattle enterprises that are managed on an extensive scale; the managers need technologies that can be easily and cheaply implemented on a large scale, and that are aimed at extensive control rather than intensive manipulation. For example, for synchronizing oestrus in the wool flocks the "ram effect' has, and probably always will have, far more impact on extensive grazing systems than technologies based on exogenous prostaglandins or progestagens. This can also apply to the newer animal industries (such as emu farming), to human problems (such as population control), and to environmental problems (such as control of feral animals). Moreover, under the pressure of public opinion, the industries that are currently intensive are going 'free range'. In addition, surgical managerial tools (such as castration) will probably have to be abandoned or replaced. To cope with such profound influences, new types of reproductive management systems will be needed. This paper is an attempt to broaden our research horizons by developing the concept of 'control systems technologies', aimed at controlling reproductive performance rather than simply improving it. Ideas for such technologies already exist and are evident in the responses to environmental factors that our farm animals developed under the pressure of natural selection (before domestication). Stress, nutrition, photoperiod, lactation, and socio-sexual cues (e.g. pheromones) can all exert profound effects on reproductive activity. We already have a good grasp of the final common pathway through which the brain responses to these factors affect gonadal activity, namely the hypothalamic system that generates pulses of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone. All we need to do is learn how the major environmental cues exert their impact on the systems that control the final common pathway. When we understand them, we shall be able to manipulate them. This is not too speculative; we already have several technologies that take advantage of this approach, including steroid-based contraceptives, the "ram effect', a vaccine-based antifertility treatment for rangeland cattle and the melatonin formulation used to control seasonal breeding in sheep. These and the other pathways linking environmental inputs to reproductive output are waiting to be explored, explained and exploited.

12 CFR Appendix A to Part 630 - Supplemental Information Disclosure Guidelines

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Supplemental Information Disclosure Guidelines A Appendix A to Part 630 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM DISCLOSURE TO INVESTORS IN SYSTEMWIDE AND CONSOLIDATED BANK DEBT OBLIGATIONS OF THE FARM CREDIT SYSTEM Pt. 630...

12 CFR 615.5220 - Capitalization bylaws.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

....5220 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM FUNDING AND FISCAL AFFAIRS, LOAN POLICIES AND OPERATIONS, AND FUNDING OPERATIONS Issuance of Equities § 615.5220 Capitalization bylaws. (a) The board of directors of each System bank and association shall, pursuant to section 4.3A of the Farm...

76 FR 10581 - Settlers Trail Wind Farm, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-25

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. ER11-2904-000] Settlers Trail Wind Farm, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes Request for... Settlers Trail Wind Farm, LLC's application for market-based rate authority, with an accompanying rate...

76 FR 10581 - Pioneer Trail Wind Farm, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-25

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. ER11-2905-000] Pioneer Trail Wind Farm, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes Request for Blanket... Trail Wind Farm, LLC's application for market-based rate authority, with an accompanying rate tariff...

77 FR 62509 - Big Blue Wind Farm, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-15

... Wind Farm, LLC's application for market-based rate authority, with an accompanying rate schedule... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. ER13-18-000] Big Blue Wind Farm, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market- Based Rate Filing Includes Request for Blanket...

75 FR 63466 - Flat Water Wind Farm, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-15

... proceeding of Flat Water Wind Farm, LLC's application for market-based rate authority, with an accompanying... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. ER11-39-000] Flat Water Wind Farm, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes Request for Blanket...

75 FR 27339 - Blackstone Wind Farm II, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-14

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. ER10-1184-000] Blackstone Wind Farm II, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes Request for... proceeding of Blackstone Wind Farm, LLCs application for market-based rate authority, with an accompanying...

76 FR 23580 - Dempsey Ridge Wind Farm, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-27

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. ER11-3391-000] Dempsey Ridge Wind Farm, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes Request for Blanket... Ridge Wind Farm, LLC's application for market-based rate authority, with an accompanying rate tariff...

76 FR 72697 - Heritage Garden Wind Farm I, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-25

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. ER12-421-000] Heritage Garden Wind Farm I, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes Request for... Heritage Garden Wind Farm I, LLC's application for market-based rate authority, with an accompanying rate...

75 FR 48665 - Heritage Stoney Corners Wind Farm I, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-11

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. ER10-2108-000] Heritage Stoney Corners Wind Farm I, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes...-referenced proceeding, of Heritage Stoney Corners Wind Farm I, LLC's application for market- based rate...

76 FR 11774 - Paulding Wind Farm II LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-03

... Wind Farm II LLC's application for market-based rate authority, with an accompanying rate tariff... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. ER11-2935-000] Paulding Wind Farm II LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes Request for Blanket...

75 FR 71426 - Blue Creek Wind Farm, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-23

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. ER11-2112-000] Blue Creek Wind Farm, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes Request for Blanket... proceeding, of Blue Creek Wind Farm, LLC's application for market-based rate authority, with an accompanying...

76 FR 30935 - Long Island Solar Farm, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-27

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. ER11-3589-000] Long Island Solar Farm, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes Request for Blanket... Solar Farm, LLC's application for market-based rate authority, with an accompanying rate tariff, noting...

Non-hazardous pesticide concentrations in surface waters: An integrated approach simulating application thresholds and resulting farm income effects.

PubMed

Bannwarth, M A; Grovermann, C; Schreinemachers, P; Ingwersen, J; Lamers, M; Berger, T; Streck, T

2016-01-01

Pesticide application rates are high and increasing in upland agricultural systems in Thailand producing vegetables, fruits and ornamental crops, leading to the pollution of stream water with pesticide residues. The objective of this study was to determine the maximum per hectare application rates of two widely used pesticides that would achieve non-hazardous pesticide concentrations in the stream water and to evaluate how farm household incomes would be affected if farmers complied with these restricted application rates. For this purpose we perform an integrated modeling approach of a hydrological solute transport model (the Soil and Water Assessment Tool, SWAT) and an agent-based farm decision model (Mathematical Programming-based Multi-Agent Systems, MPMAS). SWAT was used to simulate the pesticide fate and behavior. The model was calibrated to a 77 km(2) watershed in northern Thailand. The results show that to stay under a pre-defined eco-toxicological threshold, the current average application of chlorothalonil (0.80 kg/ha) and cypermethrin (0.53 kg/ha) would have to be reduced by 80% and 99%, respectively. The income effect of such reductions was simulated using MPMAS. The results suggest that if farm households complied with the application thresholds then their income would reduce by 17.3% in the case of chlorothalonil and by 38.3% in the case of cypermethrin. Less drastic income effects can be expected if methods of integrated pest management were more widely available. The novelty of this study is to combine two models from distinctive disciplines to evaluate pesticide reduction scenarios based on real-world data from a single study site. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An AgMIP framework for improved agricultural representation in integrated assessment models

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ruane, Alex C.; Rosenzweig, Cynthia; Asseng, Senthold

Integrated assessment models (IAMs) hold great potential to assess how future agricultural systems will be shaped by socioeconomic development, technological innovation, and changing climate conditions. By coupling with climate and crop model emulators, IAMs have the potential to resolve important agricultural feedback loops and identify unintended consequences of socioeconomic development for agricultural systems. Here we propose a framework to develop robust representation of agricultural system responses within IAMs, linking downstream applications with model development and the coordinated evaluation of key climate responses from local to global scales. We survey the strengths and weaknesses of protocol-based assessments linked to the Agriculturalmore » Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project (AgMIP), each utilizing multiple sites and models to evaluate crop response to core climate changes including shifts in carbon dioxide concentration, temperature, and water availability, with some studies further exploring how climate responses are affected by nitrogen levels and adaptation in farm systems. Site-based studies with carefully calibrated models encompass the largest number of activities; however they are limited in their ability to capture the full range of global agricultural system diversity. Representative site networks provide more targeted response information than broadly-sampled networks, with limitations stemming from difficulties in covering the diversity of farming systems. Global gridded crop models provide comprehensive coverage, although with large challenges for calibration and quality control of inputs. Diversity in climate responses underscores that crop model emulators must distinguish between regions and farming system while recognizing model uncertainty. Finally, to bridge the gap between bottom-up and top-down approaches we recommend the deployment of a hybrid climate response system employing a representative network of sites to bias-correct comprehensive gridded simulations, opening the door to accelerated development and a broad range of applications.« less

An AgMIP framework for improved agricultural representation in integrated assessment models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruane, Alex C.; Rosenzweig, Cynthia; Asseng, Senthold; Boote, Kenneth J.; Elliott, Joshua; Ewert, Frank; Jones, James W.; Martre, Pierre; McDermid, Sonali P.; Müller, Christoph; Snyder, Abigail; Thorburn, Peter J.

2017-12-01

Integrated assessment models (IAMs) hold great potential to assess how future agricultural systems will be shaped by socioeconomic development, technological innovation, and changing climate conditions. By coupling with climate and crop model emulators, IAMs have the potential to resolve important agricultural feedback loops and identify unintended consequences of socioeconomic development for agricultural systems. Here we propose a framework to develop robust representation of agricultural system responses within IAMs, linking downstream applications with model development and the coordinated evaluation of key climate responses from local to global scales. We survey the strengths and weaknesses of protocol-based assessments linked to the Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project (AgMIP), each utilizing multiple sites and models to evaluate crop response to core climate changes including shifts in carbon dioxide concentration, temperature, and water availability, with some studies further exploring how climate responses are affected by nitrogen levels and adaptation in farm systems. Site-based studies with carefully calibrated models encompass the largest number of activities; however they are limited in their ability to capture the full range of global agricultural system diversity. Representative site networks provide more targeted response information than broadly-sampled networks, with limitations stemming from difficulties in covering the diversity of farming systems. Global gridded crop models provide comprehensive coverage, although with large challenges for calibration and quality control of inputs. Diversity in climate responses underscores that crop model emulators must distinguish between regions and farming system while recognizing model uncertainty. Finally, to bridge the gap between bottom-up and top-down approaches we recommend the deployment of a hybrid climate response system employing a representative network of sites to bias-correct comprehensive gridded simulations, opening the door to accelerated development and a broad range of applications.

Ecologically-based management improves soil health in an organic orchard production system

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Prairie Birthday Farm (PBF), a diversified, organic enterprise on the loess hill landscape in northwestern Missouri, was previously managed as a conventional corn-soybean production system. The soil (Sharpsburg silt loam; fine, montmorillonitic, mesic Typic Argiudolls) is mapped as an ‘eroded soil p...

e-Dairy: a dynamic and stochastic whole-farm model that predicts biophysical and economic performance of grazing dairy systems.

PubMed

Baudracco, J; Lopez-Villalobos, N; Holmes, C W; Comeron, E A; Macdonald, K A; Barry, T N

2013-05-01

A whole-farm, stochastic and dynamic simulation model was developed to predict biophysical and economic performance of grazing dairy systems. Several whole-farm models simulate grazing dairy systems, but most of them work at a herd level. This model, named e-Dairy, differs from the few models that work at an animal level, because it allows stochastic behaviour of the genetic merit of individual cows for several traits, namely, yields of milk, fat and protein, live weight (LW) and body condition score (BCS) within a whole-farm model. This model accounts for genetic differences between cows, is sensitive to genotype × environment interactions at an animal level and allows pasture growth, milk and supplements price to behave stochastically. The model includes an energy-based animal module that predicts intake at grazing, mammary gland functioning and body lipid change. This whole-farm model simulates a 365-day period for individual cows within a herd, with cow parameters randomly generated on the basis of the mean parameter values, defined as input and variance and co-variances from experimental data sets. The main inputs of e-Dairy are farm area, use of land, type of pasture, type of crops, monthly pasture growth rate, supplements offered, nutritional quality of feeds, herd description including herd size, age structure, calving pattern, BCS and LW at calving, probabilities of pregnancy, average genetic merit and economic values for items of income and costs. The model allows to set management policies to define: dry-off cows (ceasing of lactation), target pre- and post-grazing herbage mass and feed supplementation. The main outputs are herbage dry matter intake, annual pasture utilisation, milk yield, changes in BCS and LW, economic farm profit and return on assets. The model showed satisfactory accuracy of prediction when validated against two data sets from farmlet system experiments. Relative prediction errors were <10% for all variables, and concordance correlation coefficients over 0.80 for annual pasture utilisation, yields of milk and milk solids (MS; fat plus protein), and of 0.69 and 0.48 for LW and BCS, respectively. A simulation of two contrasting dairy systems is presented to show the practical use of the model. The model can be used to explore the effects of feeding level and genetic merit and their interactions for grazing dairy systems, evaluating the trade-offs between profit and the associated risk.

Gender Relations and the Family Farm in Western Europe.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blanc, Michel; MacKinnon, Niall

1990-01-01

Examines impact of changing relations between farmers and spouses in context of rural economic change and increasing female participation in labor market. Argues wives' off-farm work, and farm-based enterprises result from family power-relations negotiations. Examines family farming future, farming ideology, women's aspirations, and domestic…

7 CFR 718.201 - Farm constitution.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 7 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Farm constitution. 718.201 Section 718.201 Agriculture... Reconstitution of Farms, Allotments, Quotas, and Bases § 718.201 Farm constitution. (a) In order to implement... this section. The constitution and identification of land as a farm for the first time and the...

7 CFR 718.201 - Farm constitution.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 7 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Farm constitution. 718.201 Section 718.201 Agriculture... Reconstitution of Farms, Allotments, Quotas, and Bases § 718.201 Farm constitution. (a) In order to implement... this section. The constitution and identification of land as a farm for the first time and the...

7 CFR 718.201 - Farm constitution.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 7 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Farm constitution. 718.201 Section 718.201 Agriculture... Reconstitution of Farms, Allotments, Quotas, and Bases § 718.201 Farm constitution. (a) In order to implement... this section. The constitution and identification of land as a farm for the first time and the...

7 CFR 718.201 - Farm constitution.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 7 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Farm constitution. 718.201 Section 718.201 Agriculture... Reconstitution of Farms, Allotments, Quotas, and Bases § 718.201 Farm constitution. (a) In order to implement... this section. The constitution and identification of land as a farm for the first time and the...

7 CFR 718.201 - Farm constitution.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 7 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Farm constitution. 718.201 Section 718.201 Agriculture... Reconstitution of Farms, Allotments, Quotas, and Bases § 718.201 Farm constitution. (a) In order to implement... this section. The constitution and identification of land as a farm for the first time and the...

Soil quality and soil degradation in agricultural loess soils in Central Europe - impacts of traditional small-scale and modernized large-scale agriculture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, Christian

2017-04-01

The study analyzes the impact of different farming systems on soil quality and soil degradation in European loess landscapes. The analyses are based on geo-chemical soil properties, landscape metrics and geomorphological indicators. The German Middle Saxonian Loess Region represents loess landscapes whose ecological functions were shaped by land consolidation measures resulting in large-scale high-input farming systems. The Polish Proszowice Plateau is still characterized by a traditional small-scale peasant agriculture. The research areas were analyzed on different scale levels combining GIS, field, and laboratory methods. A digital terrain classification was used to identify representative catchment basins for detailed pedological studies which were focused on soil properties that responded to soil management within several years, like pH-value, total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN), inorganic carbon (IC), soil organic carbon (TOC=TC-IC), hot-water extractable carbon (HWC), hot-water extractable nitrogen (HWN), total phosphorus, plant-available phosphorus (P), plant-available potassium (K) and the potential cation exchange capacity (CEC). The study has shown that significant differences in major soil properties can be observed because of different fertilizer inputs and partly because of different cultivation techniques. Also the traditional system increases soil heterogeneity. Contrary to expectations the study has shown that the small-scale peasant farming system resulted in similar mean soil organic carbon and phosphorus contents like the industrialized high-input farming system. A further study could include investigations of the effects of soil amendments like herbicides and pesticide on soil degradation.

Accounting for uncertainty in the quantification of the environmental impacts of Canadian pig farming systems.

PubMed

Mackenzie, S G; Leinonen, I; Ferguson, N; Kyriazakis, I

2015-06-01

The objective of the study was to develop a life cycle assessment (LCA) for pig farming systems that would account for uncertainty and variability in input data and allow systematic environmental impact comparisons between production systems. The environmental impacts of commercial pig production for 2 regions in Canada (Eastern and Western) were compared using a cradle-to-farm gate LCA. These systems had important contrasting characteristics such as typical feed ingredients used, herd performance, and expected emission factors from manure management. The study used detailed production data supplied by the industry and incorporated uncertainty/variation in all major aspects of the system including life cycle inventory data for feed ingredients, animal performance, energy inputs, and emission factors. The impacts were defined using 5 metrics-global warming potential, acidification potential, eutrophication potential (EP), abiotic resource use, and nonrenewable energy use-and were expressed per kilogram carcass weight at farm gate. Eutrophication potential was further separated into marine EP (MEP) and freshwater EP (FEP). Uncertainties in the model inputs were separated into 2 types: uncertainty in the data used to describe the system (α uncertainties) and uncertainty in impact calculations or background data that affects all systems equally (β uncertainties). The impacts of pig production in the 2 regions were systematically compared based on the differences in the systems (α uncertainties). The method of ascribing uncertainty influenced the outcomes. In eastern systems, EP, MEP, and FEP were lower (P < 0.05) when assuming that all uncertainty in the emission factors for leaching from manure application was β. This was mainly due to increased EP resulting from field emissions for typical ingredients in western diets. When uncertainty in these emission factors was assumed to be α, only FEP was lower in eastern systems (P < 0.05). The environmental impacts for the other impact categories were not significantly different between the 2 systems, despite their aforementioned differences. In conclusion, a probabilistic approach was used to develop an LCA that systematically dealt with uncertainty in the data when comparing multiple environmental impacts measures in pig farming systems for the first time. The method was used to identify differences between Canadian pig production systems but can also be applied for comparisons between other agricultural systems that include inherent variation.

Agricultural Industry Advanced Vehicle Technology: Benchmark Study for Reduction in Petroleum Use

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roger Hoy

2014-09-01

Diesel use on farms in the United States has remained relatively constant since 1985, decreasing slightly in 2009, which may be attributed to price increases and the economic recession. During this time, the United States’ harvested area also has remained relatively constant at roughly 300 million acres. In 2010, farm diesel use was 5.4% of the total United States diesel use. Crops accounting for an estimated 65% of United States farm diesel use include corn, soybean, wheat, hay, and alfalfa, respectively, based on harvested crop area and a recent analysis of estimated fuel use by crop. Diesel use in thesemore » cropping systems primarily is from tillage, harvest, and various other operations (e.g., planting and spraying) (Figure 3). Diesel efficiency is markedly variable due to machinery types, conditions of operation (e.g., soil type and moisture), and operator variability. Farm diesel use per acre has slightly decreased in the last two decades and diesel is now estimated to be less than 5% of farm costs per acre. This report will explore current trends in increasing diesel efficiency in the farm sector. The report combines a survey of industry representatives, a review of literature, and data analysis to identify nascent technologies for increasing diesel efficiency« less

12 CFR 615.5450 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM FUNDING AND FISCAL AFFAIRS, LOAN POLICIES AND OPERATIONS, AND FUNDING OPERATIONS Book-Entry Procedures for Farm Credit Securities § 615.5450... as agent for the Farm Credit banks and the Funding Corporation. (j) Federal Reserve Bank Operating...

Risk-based audit selection of dairy farms.

PubMed

van Asseldonk, M A P M; Velthuis, A G J

2014-02-01

Dairy farms are audited in the Netherlands on numerous process standards. Each farm is audited once every 2 years. Increasing demands for cost-effectiveness in farm audits can be met by introducing risk-based principles. This implies targeting subpopulations with a higher risk of poor process standards. To select farms for an audit that present higher risks, a statistical analysis was conducted to test the relationship between the outcome of farm audits and bulk milk laboratory results before the audit. The analysis comprised 28,358 farm audits and all conducted laboratory tests of bulk milk samples 12 mo before the audit. The overall outcome of each farm audit was classified as approved or rejected. Laboratory results included somatic cell count (SCC), total bacterial count (TBC), antimicrobial drug residues (ADR), level of butyric acid spores (BAB), freezing point depression (FPD), level of free fatty acids (FFA), and cleanliness of the milk (CLN). The bulk milk laboratory results were significantly related to audit outcomes. Rejected audits are likely to occur on dairy farms with higher mean levels of SCC, TBC, ADR, and BAB. Moreover, in a multivariable model, maxima for TBC, SCC, and FPD as well as standard deviations for TBC and FPD are risk factors for negative audit outcomes. The efficiency curve of a risk-based selection approach, on the basis of the derived regression results, dominated the current random selection approach. To capture 25, 50, or 75% of the population with poor process standards (i.e., audit outcome of rejected), respectively, only 8, 20, or 47% of the population had to be sampled based on a risk-based selection approach. Milk quality information can thus be used to preselect high-risk farms to be audited more frequently. Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Improving Environmental Management on Small-scale Farms: Perspectives of Extension Educators and Horse Farm Operators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rebecca, Perry-Hill; Linda, Prokopy

2015-01-01

Although the number of small-scale farms is increasing in North America and Europe, few studies have been conducted to better understand environmental management in this sector. We investigate this issue by examining environmental management on horse farms from both the perspective of the "expert" extension educator and horse farm operator. We conducted a Delphi survey and follow-up interviews with extension educators in Indiana and Kentucky. We also conducted interviews and farm assessments with 15 horse farm operators in the two states. Our results suggest a disconnection between the perceptions of extension educators and horse farm operators. Extension educators believed that operators of small horse farms are unfamiliar with conservation practices and their environmental benefits and they found it difficult to target outreach to this audience. In the interviews with horse farm operators, we found that the majority were somewhat familiar with conservation practices like rotational grazing, soil testing, heavy use area protection, and manure composting. It was not common, however, for practices to be implemented to generally recognized standards. The horse farm respondents perceived these practices as interrelated parts of a system of farm management that has developed over time to best deal with the physical features of the property, needs of the horses, and available resources. Because conservation practices must be incorporated into a complex farm management system, traditional models of extension (i.e., diffusion of innovations) may be inappropriate for promoting better environmental management on horse farms.

Improving environmental management on small-scale farms: perspectives of extension educators and horse farm operators.

PubMed

Rebecca, Perry-Hill; Linda, Prokopy

2015-01-01

Although the number of small-scale farms is increasing in North America and Europe, few studies have been conducted to better understand environmental management in this sector. We investigate this issue by examining environmental management on horse farms from both the perspective of the "expert" extension educator and horse farm operator. We conducted a Delphi survey and follow-up interviews with extension educators in Indiana and Kentucky. We also conducted interviews and farm assessments with 15 horse farm operators in the two states. Our results suggest a disconnection between the perceptions of extension educators and horse farm operators. Extension educators believed that operators of small horse farms are unfamiliar with conservation practices and their environmental benefits and they found it difficult to target outreach to this audience. In the interviews with horse farm operators, we found that the majority were somewhat familiar with conservation practices like rotational grazing, soil testing, heavy use area protection, and manure composting. It was not common, however, for practices to be implemented to generally recognized standards. The horse farm respondents perceived these practices as interrelated parts of a system of farm management that has developed over time to best deal with the physical features of the property, needs of the horses, and available resources. Because conservation practices must be incorporated into a complex farm management system, traditional models of extension (i.e., diffusion of innovations) may be inappropriate for promoting better environmental management on horse farms.

The Research of Computer Aided Farm Machinery Designing Method Based on Ergonomics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Xiyin; Li, Xinling; Song, Qiang; Zheng, Ying

Along with agricultural economy development, the farm machinery product type Increases gradually, the ergonomics question is also getting more and more prominent. The widespread application of computer aided machinery design makes it possible that farm machinery design is intuitive, flexible and convenient. At present, because the developed computer aided ergonomics software has not suitable human body database, which is needed in view of farm machinery design in China, the farm machinery design have deviation in ergonomics analysis. This article puts forward that using the open database interface procedure in CATIA to establish human body database which aims at the farm machinery design, and reading the human body data to ergonomics module of CATIA can product practical application virtual body, using human posture analysis and human activity analysis module to analysis the ergonomics in farm machinery, thus computer aided farm machinery designing method based on engineering can be realized.

An evaluation of oxygen-hydrogen propulsion systems for the Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klemetson, R. W.; Garrison, P. W.; Hannum, N. P.

1985-01-01

Conceptual designs for O2/H2 chemical and resistojet propulsion systems for the space station was developed and evaluated. The evolution of propulsion requirements was considered as the space station configuration and its utilization as a space transportation node change over the first decade of operation. The characteristics of candidate O2/H2 auxiliary propulsion systems are determined, and opportunities for integration with the OTV tank farm and the space station life support, power and thermal control subsystems are investigated. OTV tank farm boiloff can provide a major portion of the growth station impulse requirements and CO2 from the life support system can be a significant propellant resource, provided it is not denied by closure of that subsystem. Waste heat from the thermal control system is sufficient for many propellant conditioning requirements. It is concluded that the optimum level of subsystem integration must be based on higher level space station studies.

Development of an Upper Limb Power Assist System Using Pneumatic Actuators for Farming Lift-up Motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yagi, Eiichi; Harada, Daisuke; Kobayashi, Masaaki

A power assist system has lately attracted considerable attention to lifting-up an object without low back pain. We have been developing power assist systems with pneumatic actuators for the elbow and shoulder to farming support of lifting-up a bag of rice weighing 30kg. This paper describes the mechanism and control method of this power assist system. The pneumatic rotary actuator supports shoulder motion, and the air cylinder supports elbow motion. In this control method, the surface electromyogram(EMG) signals are used as input information of the controller. The joint support torques of human are calculated based on the antigravity term of necessary joint torques, which are estimated on the dynamics of a human approximated link model. The experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed mechanism and control method of the power assist system.

A time-series approach for clustering farms based on slaughterhouse health aberration data.

PubMed

Hulsegge, B; de Greef, K H

2018-05-01

A large amount of data is collected routinely in meat inspection in pig slaughterhouses. A time series clustering approach is presented and applied that groups farms based on similar statistical characteristics of meat inspection data over time. A three step characteristic-based clustering approach was used from the idea that the data contain more info than the incidence figures. A stratified subset containing 511,645 pigs was derived as a study set from 3.5 years of meat inspection data. The monthly averages of incidence of pleuritis and of pneumonia of 44 Dutch farms (delivering 5149 batches to 2 pig slaughterhouses) were subjected to 1) derivation of farm level data characteristics 2) factor analysis and 3) clustering into groups of farms. The characteristic-based clustering was able to cluster farms for both lung aberrations. Three groups of data characteristics were informative, describing incidence, time pattern and degree of autocorrelation. The consistency of clustering similar farms was confirmed by repetition of the analysis in a larger dataset. The robustness of the clustering was tested on a substantially extended dataset. This confirmed the earlier results, three data distribution aspects make up the majority of distinction between groups of farms and in these groups (clusters) the majority of the farms was allocated comparable to the earlier allocation (75% and 62% for pleuritis and pneumonia, respectively). The difference between pleuritis and pneumonia in their seasonal dependency was confirmed, supporting the biological relevance of the clustering. Comparison of the identified clusters of statistically comparable farms can be used to detect farm level risk factors causing the health aberrations beyond comparison on disease incidence and trend alone. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The U.S. Farm Sector in the Mid-1980's. Agricultural Economic Report Number 548.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reimund, Donn A.; And Others

This report compares several farm characteristics of the mid-1980s with those of a decade earlier to document the real amount of change in the farm sector. Farms are stratified into five groups based on their farm income: rural residence, small family, family, large family, and very large. Sources and levels of farm operator income and wealth are…

12 CFR 621.3 - Application of generally accepted accounting principles.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... principles. 621.3 Section 621.3 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM ACCOUNTING... reports to the Farm Credit Administration, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles... management and the Farm Credit Administration, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles...

Applying Customized Climate Advisory Information to Translate Extreme Rainfall Events into Farming Options in the Sudan-Sahel of West Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salack, S.; Worou, N. O.; Sanfo, S.; Nikiema, M. P.; Boubacar, I.; Paturel, J. E.; Tondoh, E. J.

2017-12-01

In West Africa, the risk of food insecurity linked to the low productivity of small holder farming increases as a result of rainfall extremes. In its recent evolution, the rainy season in the Sudan-Sahel zone presents mixed patterns of extreme climatic events. In addition to intense rain events, the distribution of events is associated with pockets of intra-seasonal long dry spells. The negative consequences of these mixed patterns are obvious on the farm: soil water logging, erosion of arable land, dwartness and dessication of crops, and loss in production. The capacity of local farming communities to respond accordingly to rainfall extreme events is often constrained by lack of access to climate information and advisory on smart crop management practices that can help translate extreme rainfall events into farming options. The objective of this work is to expose the framework and the pre-liminary results of a scheme that customizes climate-advisory information package delivery to subsistence farmers in Bakel (Senegal), Ouahigouya & Dano (Burkina Faso) and Bolgatanga (Ghana) for sustainable family agriculture. The package is based on the provision of timely climate information (48-hours, dekadal & seasonal) embedded with smart crop management practices to explore and exploite the potential advantage of intense rainfall and extreme dry spells in millet, maize, sorghum and cowpea farming communities. It is sent via mobile phones and used on selected farms (i.e agro-climatic farm schools) on which some small on-farm infrastructure were built to alleviate negative impacts of weather. Results provide prominent insight on how co-production of weather/climate information, customized access and guidiance on its use can induce fast learning (capacity building of actors), motivation for adaptation, sustainability, potential changes in cropping system, yields and family income in the face of a rainfall extremes at local scales of Sudan-Sahel of West Africa. Keywords: Climate Information, Smart Practices, Farming Options, Agro-Climatic Farm Schools, Sudan-Sahel

Improving farming practices reduces the carbon footprint of spring wheat production.

PubMed

Gan, Yantai; Liang, Chang; Chai, Qiang; Lemke, Reynald L; Campbell, Con A; Zentner, Robert P

2014-11-18

Wheat is one of the world's most favoured food sources, reaching millions of people on a daily basis. However, its production has climatic consequences. Fuel, inorganic fertilizers and pesticides used in wheat production emit greenhouse gases that can contribute negatively to climate change. It is unknown whether adopting alternative farming practices will increase crop yield while reducing carbon emissions. Here we quantify the carbon footprint of alternative wheat production systems suited to semiarid environments. We find that integrating improved farming practices (that is, fertilizing crops based on soil tests, reducing summerfallow frequencies and rotating cereals with grain legumes) lowers wheat carbon footprint effectively, averaging -256 kg CO2 eq ha(-1) per year. For each kg of wheat grain produced, a net 0.027-0.377 kg CO2 eq is sequestered into the soil. With the suite of improved farming practices, wheat takes up more CO2 from the atmosphere than is actually emitted during its production.

Improving farming practices reduces the carbon footprint of spring wheat production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gan, Yantai; Liang, Chang; Chai, Qiang; Lemke, Reynald L.; Campbell, Con A.; Zentner, Robert P.

2014-11-01

Wheat is one of the world’s most favoured food sources, reaching millions of people on a daily basis. However, its production has climatic consequences. Fuel, inorganic fertilizers and pesticides used in wheat production emit greenhouse gases that can contribute negatively to climate change. It is unknown whether adopting alternative farming practices will increase crop yield while reducing carbon emissions. Here we quantify the carbon footprint of alternative wheat production systems suited to semiarid environments. We find that integrating improved farming practices (that is, fertilizing crops based on soil tests, reducing summerfallow frequencies and rotating cereals with grain legumes) lowers wheat carbon footprint effectively, averaging -256 kg CO2 eq ha-1 per year. For each kg of wheat grain produced, a net 0.027-0.377 kg CO2 eq is sequestered into the soil. With the suite of improved farming practices, wheat takes up more CO2 from the atmosphere than is actually emitted during its production.

Improving farming practices reduces the carbon footprint of spring wheat production

PubMed Central

Gan, Yantai; Liang, Chang; Chai, Qiang; Lemke, Reynald L.; Campbell, Con A.; Zentner, Robert P.

2014-01-01

Wheat is one of the world’s most favoured food sources, reaching millions of people on a daily basis. However, its production has climatic consequences. Fuel, inorganic fertilizers and pesticides used in wheat production emit greenhouse gases that can contribute negatively to climate change. It is unknown whether adopting alternative farming practices will increase crop yield while reducing carbon emissions. Here we quantify the carbon footprint of alternative wheat production systems suited to semiarid environments. We find that integrating improved farming practices (that is, fertilizing crops based on soil tests, reducing summerfallow frequencies and rotating cereals with grain legumes) lowers wheat carbon footprint effectively, averaging −256 kg CO2 eq ha−1 per year. For each kg of wheat grain produced, a net 0.027–0.377 kg CO2 eq is sequestered into the soil. With the suite of improved farming practices, wheat takes up more CO2 from the atmosphere than is actually emitted during its production. PMID:25405548

Measuring and explaining multi-directional inefficiency in the Malaysian dairy industry.

PubMed

Mohd Suhaimi, Nurul Aisyah Binti; de Mey, Yann; Oude Lansink, Alfons

2017-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to measure the technical inefficiency of dairy farms and subsequently investigate the factors affecting technical inefficiency in the Malaysian dairy industry. This study uses multi-directional efficiency analysis to measure the technical inefficiency scores on a sample of 200 farm observations and single-bootstrap truncated regression model to define factors affecting technical inefficiency. Managerial and program inefficiency scores are presented for intensive and semi-intensive production systems. The results reveal marked differences in the inefficiency scores across inputs and between production systems. Intensive systems generally have lowest managerial and program inefficiency scores in the Malaysian dairy farming sector. Policy makers could use this information to advise dairy farmers to convert their farming system to the intensive system. The results suggest that the Malaysian Government should redefine its policy for providing farm finance and should target young farmers when designing training and extension programs in order to improve the performance of the dairy sector. The existing literature on Southeast Asian dairy farming has neither focused on investigating input-specific efficiency nor on comparing managerial and program efficiency. This paper aims to fill this gap.

Soil Microbiome Is More Heterogeneous in Organic Than in Conventional Farming System

PubMed Central

Lupatini, Manoeli; Korthals, Gerard W.; de Hollander, Mattias; Janssens, Thierry K. S.; Kuramae, Eiko E.

2017-01-01

Organic farming system and sustainable management of soil pathogens aim at reducing the use of agricultural chemicals in order to improve ecosystem health. Despite the essential role of microbial communities in agro-ecosystems, we still have limited understanding of the complex response of microbial diversity and composition to organic and conventional farming systems and to alternative methods for controlling plant pathogens. In this study we assessed the microbial community structure, diversity and richness using 16S rRNA gene next generation sequences and report that conventional and organic farming systems had major influence on soil microbial diversity and community composition while the effects of the soil health treatments (sustainable alternatives for chemical control) in both farming systems were of smaller magnitude. Organically managed system increased taxonomic and phylogenetic richness, diversity and heterogeneity of the soil microbiota when compared with conventional farming system. The composition of microbial communities, but not the diversity nor heterogeneity, were altered by soil health treatments. Soil health treatments exhibited an overrepresentation of specific microbial taxa which are known to be involved in soil suppressiveness to pathogens (plant-parasitic nematodes and soil-borne fungi). Our results provide a comprehensive survey on the response of microbial communities to different agricultural systems and to soil treatments for controlling plant pathogens and give novel insights to improve the sustainability of agro-ecosystems by means of beneficial microorganisms. PMID:28101080

Neither "Family" nor "Corporate" Farming: Australian Tomato Growers as Farm Family Entrepreneurs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pritchard, Bill; Burch, David; Lawrence, Geoffrey

2007-01-01

For the past two decades there has been much debate about the future of family farming. The basic question on which this debate has turned is whether current pressures on family farm systems should be understood as symptomatic of a terminal condition, in which farmers are replaced progressively by corporate ownership; or whether family farms will…

76 FR 75542 - Rail Splitter Wind Farm, LLC v. Ameren Services Company Midwest Independent Transmission, System...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-02

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EL12-11-000] Rail Splitter Wind Farm, LLC v. Ameren Services Company Midwest Independent Transmission, System Operator, Inc...) Rules of Practice and Procedures, 18 CFR 385.206, Rail Splitter Wind Farm, LLC (Rail Splitter or...

75 FR 68533 - Funding and Fiscal Affairs, Loan Policies and Operations, and Funding Operations; Capital...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-08

... banking regulators and with risks taken by Farm Credit System (FCS or System) institutions, taking into... FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION 12 CFR Part 615 RIN 3052-AC25 Funding and Fiscal Affairs, Loan Policies... Tier 2 AGENCY: Farm Credit Administration. ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM...

12 CFR 614.4125 - Funding and discount relationships between Farm Credit Banks or agricultural credit banks and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

..., Risk Management, Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation. (f) A direct lender association shall... Administration office that the Chief Examiner designates, and the Director, Risk Management, Farm Credit System... Credit Banks or agricultural credit banks and direct lender associations. 614.4125 Section 614.4125 Banks...

Assessing Local Knowledge Use in Agroforestry Management with Cognitive Maps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isaac, Marney E.; Dawoe, Evans; Sieciechowicz, Krystyna

2009-06-01

Small-holder farmers often develop adaptable agroforestry management techniques to improve and diversify crop production. In the cocoa growing region of Ghana, local knowledge on such farm management holds a noteworthy role in the overall farm development. The documentation and analysis of such knowledge use in cocoa agroforests may afford an applicable framework to determine mechanisms driving farmer preference and indicators in farm management. This study employed 12 in-depth farmer interviews regarding variables in farm management as a unit of analysis and utilized cognitive mapping as a qualitative method of analysis. Our objectives were (1) to illustrate and describe agroforestry management variables and associated farm practices, (2) to determine the scope of decision making of individual farmers, and (3) to investigate the suitability of cognitive mapping as a tool for assessing local knowledge use. Results from the cognitive maps revealed an average of 16 ± 3 variables and 19 ± 3 links between management variables in the farmer cognitive maps. Farmer use of advantageous ecological processes was highly central to farm management (48% of all variables), particularly manipulation of organic matter, shade and food crop establishment, and maintenance of a tree stratum as the most common, highly linked variables. Over 85% of variables included bidirectional arrows, interpreted as farm management practices dominated by controllable factors, insofar as farmers indicated an ability to alter most farm characteristics. Local knowledge use on cocoa production revealed detailed indicators for site evaluation, thus affecting farm preparation and management. Our findings suggest that amid multisourced information under conditions of uncertainty, strategies for adaptable agroforestry management should integrate existing and localized management frameworks and that cognitive mapping provides a tool-based approach to advance such a management support system.

Assessing local knowledge use in agroforestry management with cognitive maps.

PubMed

Isaac, Marney E; Dawoe, Evans; Sieciechowicz, Krystyna

2009-06-01

Small-holder farmers often develop adaptable agroforestry management techniques to improve and diversify crop production. In the cocoa growing region of Ghana, local knowledge on such farm management holds a noteworthy role in the overall farm development. The documentation and analysis of such knowledge use in cocoa agroforests may afford an applicable framework to determine mechanisms driving farmer preference and indicators in farm management. This study employed 12 in-depth farmer interviews regarding variables in farm management as a unit of analysis and utilized cognitive mapping as a qualitative method of analysis. Our objectives were (1) to illustrate and describe agroforestry management variables and associated farm practices, (2) to determine the scope of decision making of individual farmers, and (3) to investigate the suitability of cognitive mapping as a tool for assessing local knowledge use. Results from the cognitive maps revealed an average of 16 +/- 3 variables and 19 +/- 3 links between management variables in the farmer cognitive maps. Farmer use of advantageous ecological processes was highly central to farm management (48% of all variables), particularly manipulation of organic matter, shade and food crop establishment, and maintenance of a tree stratum as the most common, highly linked variables. Over 85% of variables included bidirectional arrows, interpreted as farm management practices dominated by controllable factors, insofar as farmers indicated an ability to alter most farm characteristics. Local knowledge use on cocoa production revealed detailed indicators for site evaluation, thus affecting farm preparation and management. Our findings suggest that amid multisourced information under conditions of uncertainty, strategies for adaptable agroforestry management should integrate existing and localized management frameworks and that cognitive mapping provides a tool-based approach to advance such a management support system.

Proposal of optical farming: development of several optical sensing instruments for agricultural use

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saito, Y.; Kobayashi, K.

2013-05-01

We propose the use of "Optical Farming," which is the leading application of all types of optical technologies, in agriculture and agriculture-related industries. This paper focuses on the optical sensing instruments named "Agriserver," "Agrigadget" and "LIFS Monitor" developed in our laboratory. They are considered major factors in utilizing Optical Farming. Agriserver is a sensor network system that uses the Internet to collect information on agricultural products growing in fields. Agrigadget contains several optical devices, such as a smartphone-based spectroscopic device and a hand framing camera. LIFS Monitor is an advanced monitoring instrument that makes it possible to obtain physiological information of living plants. They are strongly associated with information communication technology. Their field and data usage performance in agricultural industries are reported.

Brazilian Citizens’ Opinions and Attitudes about Farm Animal Production Systems

PubMed Central

Yunes, Maria C.; von Keyserlingk, Marina A. G.; Hötzel, Maria J.

2017-01-01

Simple Summary The inclusion of societal input is needed for food animal production industries to retain their “social license to operate”. Little is known about the knowledge and attitudes of Brazilian citizens regarding food animal production systems. The aim of this study was to explore the beliefs and attitudes of Brazilians not associated with livestock production towards farm animal production systems. Overall, our participants expressed a preference for free-range, cage-free, and more “natural” production systems. They also expressed concerns with livestock production systems that limited the movement or expression of natural behaviours, particularly those that they associated with animal suffering or distress. They recognized farm animals as deserving respect and dignity beyond the provision of basic needs. Our findings indicate that Brazil’s current farm animal housing practices that are associated with restriction of movement may not align with societal expectations. Abstract The inclusion of societal input is needed for food animal production industries to retain their “social license to operate”; failure to engage with the public on this topic risks the long-term sustainability of these industries. The primary aim of this study was to explore the beliefs and attitudes of Brazilians citizens not associated with livestock production towards farm animal production. A related secondary aim was to identify the specific beliefs and attitudes towards systems that are associated with restriction of movement. Each participant was shown pictures representing two of five possible major food animal industries (laying hens, beef cattle, pregnant sows, lactating sows, and poultry meat). Participants were presented a six pages survey that included demographic questions plus two sets of two pictures and a series of questions pertaining to the pictures. Each set of pictures represented a particular industry where one picture represented a housing type that is associated with behavioural restrictions and the other picture represented a system that allowed for a greater degree of movement. Participants were asked their perceptions on the prevalence of each system in Brazil, then their preference of one picture vs. the other, and the reasons justifying their preference. Immediately following, the participant repeated the same exercise with the second set of two pictures representing another industry followed by the same series of questions as described above. Quantitative data were analysed with mixed effects logistic regression, and qualitative responses were coded into themes. The proportion of participants that believed animals are reared in confinement varied by animal production type: 23% (beef cattle), 82% (poultry), 81% (laying hens), and 60% (swine). A large majority (79%) stated that farm animals are not well-treated in Brazil. Overall, participants preferred systems that were not associated with behavioural restriction. The preference for free-range or cage-free systems was justified based on the following reasons: naturalness, animals’ freedom to move, and ethics. A minority of participants indicated a preference for more restrictive systems, citing reasons associated with food security and food safety, increased productivity and hygiene. Our results suggest that the majority of our participants, preferred farm animal production systems that provide greater freedom of movement, which aligned with their perception that these systems are better for the animal. Our results provide some evidence that the current farm animal housing practices that are associated with restriction of movement, which are gaining traction in Brazil, may not align with societal expectations. PMID:28956861

Organic farming benefits local plant diversity in vineyard farms located in intensive agricultural landscapes.

PubMed

Nascimbene, Juri; Marini, Lorenzo; Paoletti, Maurizio G

2012-05-01

The majority of research on organic farming has considered arable and grassland farming systems in Central and Northern Europe, whilst only a few studies have been carried out in Mediterranean agro-systems, such as vineyards, despite their economic importance. The main aim of the study was to test whether organic farming enhances local plant species richness in both crop and non-crop areas of vineyard farms located in intensive conventional landscapes. Nine conventional and nine organic farms were selected in an intensively cultivated region (i.e. no gradient in landscape composition) in northern Italy. In each farm, vascular plants were sampled in one vineyard and in two non-crop linear habitats, grass strips and hedgerows, adjacent to vineyards and therefore potentially influenced by farming. We used linear mixed models to test the effect of farming, and species longevity (annual vs. perennial) separately for the three habitat types. In our intensive agricultural landscapes organic farming promoted local plant species richness in vineyard fields, and grassland strips while we found no effect for linear hedgerows. Differences in species richness were not associated to differences in species composition, indicating that similar plant communities were hosted in vineyard farms independently of the management type. This negative effect of conventional farming was probably due to the use of herbicides, while mechanical operations and mowing regime did not differ between organic and conventional farms. In grassland strips, and only marginally in vineyards, we found that the positive effect of organic farming was more pronounced for perennial than annual species.

75 FR 26747 - Meadow Lake Wind Farm IV LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-12

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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-12

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [ Docket No. ER10-1176-000] Meadow Lake Wind Farm III LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes Request for... proceeding of Meadow Lake Wind Farm III LLC's application for market-based rate authority, with an...

Exploring economically and environmentally viable northeastern US dairy farm strategies for coping with rising corn grain prices.

PubMed

Ghebremichael, L T; Veith, T L; Cerosaletti, P E; Dewing, D E; Rotz, C A

2009-08-01

In 2008, corn grain prices rose $115/t of DM above the 2005 average. Such an increase creates tight marginal profits for small (<100) and medium-sized (100 to 199) dairy farms in the northeastern United States importing corn grain as animal feed supplement. Particularly in New York State, dairy farmers are attempting to avoid or minimize profit losses by growing more corn silage and reducing corn grain purchases. This study applies the Integrated Farm Systems Model to 1 small and 1 medium-sized New York State dairy farm to predict 1) sediment and P loss impacts from expanding corn fields, 2) benefits of no-till or cover cropping on corn fields, and 3) alternatives to the economic challenge of the current farming system as the price ratio of milk to corn grain continues to decline. Based on the simulation results, expanding corn silage production by 3% of the cultivated farm area increased sediment and sediment-bound P losses by 41 and 18%, respectively. Implementing no-till controlled about 84% of the erosion and about 75% of the sediment-bound P that would have occurred from the conventionally tilled, expanded corn production scenario. Implementing a conventionally tilled cover crop with the conventionally tilled, expanded corn production scenario controlled both erosion and sediment-bound P, but to a lesser extent than no-till corn with no cover crop. However, annual farm net return using cover crops was slightly less than when using no-till. Increasing on-farm grass productivity while feeding cows a high-quality, high-forage diet and precise dietary P levels offered dual benefits: 1) improved farm profitability from reduced purchases of dietary protein and P supplements, and 2) decreased runoff P losses from reduced P-levels in applied manure. Moreover, alternatives such as growing additional small grains on marginal lands and increasing milk production levels demonstrated great potential in increasing farm profitability. Overall, it is crucial that conservation measures such as no-till and cover cropping be implemented on new or existing corn lands as these areas often pose the highest threat for P losses through runoff. Although alternatives that would likely provide the largest net profit were evaluated one at a time to better quantify their individual impacts, combinations of these strategies, such as no-till corn plus a minimum-till cover crop, are recommended whenever feasible.

eFarm: A Tool for Better Observing Agricultural Land Systems

PubMed Central

Yu, Qiangyi; Shi, Yun; Tang, Huajun; Yang, Peng; Xie, Ankun; Liu, Bin; Wu, Wenbin

2017-01-01

Currently, observations of an agricultural land system (ALS) largely depend on remotely-sensed images, focusing on its biophysical features. While social surveys capture the socioeconomic features, the information was inadequately integrated with the biophysical features of an ALS and the applications are limited due to the issues of cost and efficiency to carry out such detailed and comparable social surveys at a large spatial coverage. In this paper, we introduce a smartphone-based app, called eFarm: a crowdsourcing and human sensing tool to collect the geotagged ALS information at the land parcel level, based on the high resolution remotely-sensed images. We illustrate its main functionalities, including map visualization, data management, and data sensing. Results of the trial test suggest the system works well. We believe the tool is able to acquire the human–land integrated information which is broadly-covered and timely-updated, thus presenting great potential for improving sensing, mapping, and modeling of ALS studies. PMID:28245554

Organic Farming, Gender, and the Labor Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Alan; Mogyorody, Veronika

2007-01-01

This paper seeks to explain variations in gender participation in farm production and decision-making through an analysis of organic farm types, sizes, and orientations. Based on both survey and case study data, the analysis shows that female farmers on vegetable farms and mixed livestock/cash crop farms are more likely to be involved in farm…

Organic agriculture in the twenty-first century.

PubMed

Reganold, John P; Wachter, Jonathan M

2016-02-03

Organic agriculture has a history of being contentious and is considered by some as an inefficient approach to food production. Yet organic foods and beverages are a rapidly growing market segment in the global food industry. Here, we examine the performance of organic farming in light of four key sustainability metrics: productivity, environmental impact, economic viability and social wellbeing. Organic farming systems produce lower yields compared with conventional agriculture. However, they are more profitable and environmentally friendly, and deliver equally or more nutritious foods that contain less (or no) pesticide residues, compared with conventional farming. Moreover, initial evidence indicates that organic agricultural systems deliver greater ecosystem services and social benefits. Although organic agriculture has an untapped role to play when it comes to the establishment of sustainable farming systems, no single approach will safely feed the planet. Rather, a blend of organic and other innovative farming systems is needed. Significant barriers exist to adopting these systems, however, and a diversity of policy instruments will be required to facilitate their development and implementation.

Localising the nitrogen imprint of the Paris food supply: the potential of organic farming and changes in human diet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Billen, G.; Garnier, J.; Thieu, V.; Silvestre, M.; Barles, S.; Chatzimpiros, P.

2011-11-01

The Seine watershed has long been the food-supplying hinterland of Paris, providing most of the animal and vegetal protein consumed in the city. Nowadays, because of the land specialisation of agriculture made possible by the shift from manure-based to synthetic nitrogen fertilisation, the Seine watershed, although it exports 80% of its huge cereal production, still provides most of the cereal consumed by the Paris agglomeration. The meat and milk supply originate, however, mainly from regions in the North and West of France, specialised in animal farming and importing about 30% of their feed from South America. As it works today, this system is responsible for a severe nitrate contamination of surface groundwater resources. Herein two scenarios of re-localising Paris's food supply are explored, based on organic farming and local provision of animal feed. We show that for the Seine watershed it is technically possible to design an agricultural system able to provide all the plant- and animal-based food required by the population, to deliver sub-root water meeting the drinking water standards and still to export a significant proportion of its production to areas less suitable for cereal cultivation. Decreasing the share of animal products in the human diet has a strong impact on the nitrogen imprint of urban food supply.

Localising the nitrogen imprint of the Paris food supply: the potential of organic farming and changes in human diet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Billen, G.; Garnier, J.; Thieu, V.; Silvestre, M.; Barles, S.; Chatzimpiros, P.

2012-01-01

The Seine watershed has long been the food-supplying hinterland of Paris, providing most of the animal and vegetal protein consumed in the city. Nowadays, the shift from manure-based to synthetic nitrogen fertilisation, has made possible a strong land specialisation of agriculture in the Seine watershed: it still provides most of the cereal consumed by the Paris agglomeration, but exports 80% of its huge cereal production. On the other hand the meat and milk supply originates mainly from regions in the North and West of France, specialised in animal farming and importing about 30% of their feed from South America. As it works today, this system is responsible for a severe nitrate contamination of surface and groundwater resources. Herein two scenarios of re-localising Paris's food supply are explored, based on organic farming and local provision of animal feed. We show that for the Seine watershed it is technically possible to design an agricultural system able to provide all the plant- and animal-based food required by the population, to deliver sub-root water meeting the drinking water standards and still to export a significant proportion of its production to areas less suitable for cereal cultivation. Decreasing the share of animal products in the human diet has a strong impact on the nitrogen imprint of urban food supply.

High Bee and Wasp Diversity in a Heterogeneous Tropical Farming System Compared to Protected Forest

PubMed Central

Schüepp, Christof; Rittiner, Sarah; Entling, Martin H.

2012-01-01

It is a globally important challenge to meet increasing demands for resources and, at the same time, protect biodiversity and ecosystem services. Farming is usually regarded as a major threat to biodiversity due to its expansion into natural areas. We compared biodiversity of bees and wasps between heterogeneous small-scale farming areas and protected forest in northern coastal Belize, Central America. Malaise traps operated for three months during the transition from wet to dry season. Farming areas consisted of a mosaic of mixed crop types, open habitat, secondary forest, and agroforestry. Mean species richness per site (alpha diversity), as well as spatial and temporal community variation (beta diversity) of bees and wasps were equal or higher in farming areas compared to protected forest. The higher species richness and community variation in farmland was due to additional species that did not occur in the forest, whereas most species trapped in forest were also found in farming areas. The overall regional species richness (gamma diversity) increased by 70% with the inclusion of farming areas. Our results suggest that small-scale farming systems adjacent to protected forest may not only conserve, but even favour, biodiversity of some taxonomic groups. We can, however, not exclude possible declines of bee and wasp diversity in more intensified farmland or in landscapes completely covered by heterogeneous farming systems. PMID:23300598

Evaluation in Appalachian pasture systems of the 1996 (update 2000) National Research Council model for weaning cattle.

PubMed

Whetsell, M S; Rayburn, E B; Osborne, P I

2006-05-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the accuracy of the National Research Council's (2000) Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle computer model when used to predict calf performance during on-farm pasture or dry-lot weaning and backgrounding. Calf performance was measured on 22 farms in 2002 and 8 farms in 2003 that participated in West Virginia Beef Quality Assurance Sale marketing pools. Calves were weaned on pasture (25 farms) or dry-lot (5 farms) and fed supplemental hay, haylage, ground shell corn, soybean hulls, or a commercial concentrate. Concentrates were fed at a rate of 0.0 to 1.5% of BW. The National Research Council (2000) model was used to predict ADG of each group of calves observed on each farm. The model error was measured by calculating residuals (the difference between predicted ADG minus observed ADG). Predicted animal performance was determined using level 1 of the model. Results show that, when using normal on-farm pasture sampling and forage analysis methods, the model error for ADG is high and did not accurately predict the performance of steers or heifers fed high-forage pasture-based diets; the predicted ADG was lower (P < 0.05) than the observed ADG. The estimated intake of low-producing animals was similar to the expected DMI, but for the greater-producing animals it was not. The NRC (2000) beef model may more accurately predict on-farm animal performance in pastured situations if feed analysis values reflect the energy value of the feed, account for selective grazing, and relate empty BW and shrunk BW to NDF.

78 FR 37101 - Funding and Fiscal Affairs, Loan Policies and Operations, and Funding Operations; Liquidity and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-20

... amends its liquidity regulation to strengthen liquidity risk management at Farm Credit System (System... regulation to strengthen liquidity risk management at Farm Credit System (System) banks, improve the quality...

Energy balance in olive oil farms: comparison of organic and conventional farming systems.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreno, Marta M.; Meco, Ramón; Moreno, Carmen

2013-04-01

The viability of an agricultural production system not only depends on the crop yields, but especially on the efficient use of available resources. However, the current agricultural systems depend heavily on non-renewable energy consumption in the form of fertilizers, fossil fuels, pesticides and machinery. In developed countries, the economic profitability of different productive systems is dependent on the granting of subsidies of diverse origin that affect both production factors (or inputs) and the final product (or output). Leaving such external aids, energy balance analysis reveals the real and most efficient form of management for each agroclimatic region, and is also directly related to the economic activity and the environmental state. In this work we compare the energy balance resulting from organic and conventional olive oil farms under the semi-arid conditions of Central Spain. The results indicate that the mean energy supplied to the organic farms was sensitively lower (about 30%) in comparison with the conventional management, and these differences were more pronounced for the biggest farms (> 15 ha). Mean energy outputs were about 20% lower in the organic system, although organic small farms (< 15 ha) resulted more productive than the conventional small ones. However, these lower outputs were compensated by the major market value obtained from the organic products. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides reached about 60% of the total energy inputs in conventional farming; in the organic farms, however, this ratio scarcely reached 25%. Human labor item only represented a very small amount of the total energy input in both cases (less than 1%). As conclusions, both management systems were efficient from an energy point of view. The value of the organic production should be focused on the environmental benefits it provides, which are not usually considered in the conventional management on not valuing the damage it produces to the environment. Organic farming would improve the energy efficiency in these environmental conditions, offering a sustainable production with minimal inputs.

Technical- and environmental-efficiency analysis of irrigated cotton-cropping systems in Punjab, Pakistan using data envelopment analysis.

PubMed

Ullah, Asmat; Perret, Sylvain R

2014-08-01

Cotton cropping in Pakistan uses substantial quantities of resources and adversely affects the environment with pollutants from the inputs, particularly pesticides. A question remains regarding to what extent the reduction of such environmental impact is possible without compromising the farmers' income. This paper investigates the environmental, technical, and economic performances of selected irrigated cotton-cropping systems in Punjab to quantify the sustainability of cotton farming and reveal options for improvement. Using mostly primary data, our study quantifies the technical, cost, and environmental efficiencies of different farm sizes. A set of indicators has been computed to reflect these three domains of efficiency using the data envelopment analysis technique. The results indicate that farmers are broadly environmentally inefficient; which primarily results from poor technical inefficiency. Based on an improved input mix, the average potential environmental impact reduction for small, medium, and large farms is 9, 13, and 11 %, respectively, without compromising the economic return. Moreover, the differences in technical, cost, and environmental efficiencies between small and medium and small and large farm sizes were statistically significant. The second-stage regression analysis identifies that the entire farm size significantly affects the efficiencies, whereas exposure to extension and training has positive effects, and the sowing methods significantly affect the technical and environmental efficiencies. Paradoxically, the formal education level is determined to affect the efficiencies negatively. This paper discusses policy interventions that can improve the technical efficiency to ultimately increase the environmental efficiency and reduce the farmers' operating costs.

Feasibility and validity of animal-based indicators for on-farm welfare assessment of thermal stress in dairy goats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battini, Monica; Barbieri, Sara; Fioni, Luna; Mattiello, Silvana

2016-02-01

This investigation tested the feasibility and validity of indicators of cold and heat stress in dairy goats for on-farm welfare assessment protocols. The study was performed on two intensive dairy farms in Italy. Two different 3-point scale (0-2) scoring systems were applied to assess cold and heat stress. Cold and heat stress scores were visually assessed from outside the pen in the morning, afternoon and evening in January-February, April-May and July 2013 for a total of nine sessions of observations/farm. Temperature (°C), relative humidity (%) and wind speed (km/h) were recorded and Thermal Heat Index (THI) was calculated. The sessions were allocated to three climatic seasons, depending on THI ranges: cold (<50), neutral (50-65) and hot (>65). Score 2 was rarely assessed; therefore, scores 1 and 2 were aggregated for statistical analysis. The amount of goats suffering from cold stress was significantly higher in the cold season than in neutral ( P < 0.01) and hot ( P < 0.001) seasons. Signs of heat stress were recorded only in the hot season ( P < 0.001). The visual assessment from outside the pen confirms the on-farm feasibility of both indicators: No constraint was found and time required was less than 10 min. Our results show that cold and heat stress scores are valid indicators to detect thermal stress in intensively managed dairy goats. The use of a binary scoring system (presence/absence), merging scores 1 and 2, may be a further refinement to improve the feasibility. This study also allows the prediction of optimal ranges of THI for dairy goat breeds in intensive husbandry systems, setting a comfort zone included into 55 and 70.

How to measure the agroecological performance of farming in order to assist with the transition process.

PubMed

Trabelsi, Meriam; Mandart, Elisabeth; Le Grusse, Philippe; Bord, Jean-Paul

2016-01-01

The use of plant protection products enables farmers to maximize economic performance and yields, but in return, the environment and human health can be greatly affected because of their toxicity. There are currently strong calls for farmers to reduce the use of these toxic products for the preservation of the environment and the human health, and it has become urgent to invest in more sustainable models that help reduce these risks. One possible solution is the transition toward agroecological production systems. These new systems must be beneficial economically, socially, and environmentally in terms of human health. There are many tools available, based on a range of indicators, for assessing the sustainability of agricultural systems on conventional farm holdings. These methods are little suitable to agroecological farms and do not measure the performance of agroecological transition farms. In this article, we therefore develop a model for the strategic definition, guidance, and assistance for a transition to agroecological practices, capable of assessing performance of this transition and simulating the consequences of possible changes. This model was built by coupling (i) a decision-support tool and a technico-economic simulator with (ii) a conceptual model built from the dynamics of agroecological practices. This tool is currently being tested in the framework of a Compte d'Affectation Spéciale pour le Développement Agricole et Rural (CASDAR) project (CASDAR: project launched in 2013 by the French Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, on the theme "collective mobilisation for agroecology," http://agriculture.gouv.fr/Appel-a-projets-CASDAR ) using data from farms, most of which are engaged in agroenvironmental process and reducing plant protection treatments since 2008.

Greenhouse gas balance of mountain dairy farms as affected by grassland carbon sequestration.

PubMed

Salvador, Sara; Corazzin, Mirco; Romanzin, Alberto; Bovolenta, Stefano

2017-07-01

Recent studies on milk production have often focused on environmental impacts analysed using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach. In grassland-based livestock systems, soil carbon sequestration might be a potential sink to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) balance. Nevertheless, there is no commonly shared methodology. In this work, the GHG emissions of small-scale mountain dairy farms were assessed using the LCA approach. Two functional units, kg of Fat and Protein Corrected Milk (FPCM) and Utilizable Agricultural Land (UAL), and two different emissions allocations methods, no allocation and physical allocation, which accounts for the co-product beef, were considered. Two groups of small-scale dairy farms were identified based on the Livestock Units (LU) reared: <30 LU (LLU) and >30 LU (HLU). Before considering soil carbon sequestration in LCA, performing no allocation methods, LLU farms tended to have higher GHG emission than HLU farms per kg of FPCM (1.94 vs. 1.59 kg CO 2 -eq/kg FPCM, P ≤ 0.10), whereas the situation was reversed upon considering the m 2 of UAL as a functional unit (0.29 vs. 0.89 kg CO 2 -eq/m 2 , P ≤ 0.05). Conversely, considering physical allocation, the difference between the two groups became less noticeable. When the contribution from soil carbon sequestration was included in the LCA and no allocation method was performed, LLU farms registered higher values of GHG emission per kg of FPCM than HLU farms (1.38 vs. 1.10 kg CO 2 -eq/kg FPCM, P ≤ 0.05), and the situation was likewise reversed in this case upon considering the m 2 of UAL as a functional unit (0.22 vs. 0.73 kg CO 2 -eq/m 2 , P ≤ 0.05). To highlight how the presence of grasslands is crucial for the carbon footprint of small-scale farms, this study also applied a simulation for increasing the forage self-sufficiency of farms to 100%. In this case, an average reduction of GHG emission per kg of FPCM of farms was estimated both with no allocation and with physical allocation, reaching 27.0% and 28.8%, respectively. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using models to establish the financially optimum strategy for Irish dairy farms.

PubMed

Ruelle, E; Delaby, L; Wallace, M; Shalloo, L

2018-01-01

Determining the effect of a change in management on farm with differing characteristics is a significant challenge in the evaluation of dairy systems due to the interacting components of complex biological systems. In Ireland, milk production is increasing substantially following the abolition of the European Union milk quota regime in 2015. There are 2 main ways to increase the milk production on farm (within a fixed land base): either increase the number of animals (thus increasing the stocking rate) or increase the milk production per animal through increased feeding or increased lactation length. In this study, the effect of increased concentrate feeding or an increase in grazing intensity was simulated to determine the effect on the farm system and its economic performance. Four stocking rates (2.3, 2.6, 2.9, and 3.2 cow/ha) and 5 different concentrate supplementation strategies (0, 180, 360, 600, and 900 kg of dry matter/lactation) resulting in 20 different scenarios were evaluated across different milk, concentrate, and silage purchase prices. Each simulation was run across 10 yr of meteorological data, which had been recorded over the period 2004 to 2013. Three models-the Moorepark and St Gilles grass growth model, the pasture-based herd dynamic milk model, and the Moorepark dairy systems model-were integrated and applied to simulate the different scenarios. Overall, this study has demonstrated that the most profitable scenario was a stocking rate of 2.6 cow/ha with a concentrate supplementation of 600 kg of dry matter/cow. The factor that had the greatest influence on profitability was variability of milk price. The Authors. Published by the Federation of Animal Science Societies and Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/).

Validation of Individual-Based Markov-Like Stochastic Process Model of Insect Behavior and a "Virtual Farm" Concept for Enhancement of Site-Specific IPM.

PubMed

Lux, Slawomir A; Wnuk, Andrzej; Vogt, Heidrun; Belien, Tim; Spornberger, Andreas; Studnicki, Marcin

2016-01-01

The paper reports application of a Markov-like stochastic process agent-based model and a "virtual farm" concept for enhancement of site-specific Integrated Pest Management. Conceptually, the model represents a "bottom-up ethological" approach and emulates behavior of the "primary IPM actors"-large cohorts of individual insects-within seasonally changing mosaics of spatiotemporally complex faming landscape, under the challenge of the local IPM actions. Algorithms of the proprietary PESTonFARM model were adjusted to reflect behavior and ecology of R. cerasi. Model parametrization was based on compiled published information about R. cerasi and the results of auxiliary on-farm experiments. The experiments were conducted on sweet cherry farms located in Austria, Germany, and Belgium. For each farm, a customized model-module was prepared, reflecting its spatiotemporal features. Historical data about pest monitoring, IPM treatments and fruit infestation were used to specify the model assumptions and calibrate it further. Finally, for each of the farms, virtual IPM experiments were simulated and the model-generated results were compared with the results of the real experiments conducted on the same farms. Implications of the findings for broader applicability of the model and the "virtual farm" approach-were discussed.

Structure and performance of Awassi and Assaf dairy sheep farms in northwestern Spain.

PubMed

Milán, M J; Caja, G; González-González, R; Fernández-Pérez, A M; Such, X

2011-02-01

Data of 69 dairy sheep farms (70% Assaf and 30% Awassi crossbred), located in the Spanish Autonomous Community of Castilla y León and grouped for receiving technical advice, were used to study their structure and performance. Farm surface was 55.4ha, on average. Approximately 25% of the farms did not have cultivation land, and the other 75% had, on average, 73ha (from which 67% were devoted to forage). Farms used 2.1 annual work units (familiar, 90%), 493 ewes, and yielded 147,000 L/yr of milk. Farmers were tenant (84%), younger than 45 yr (70%), had new houses, and were grouped in cooperatives (83%). Sheep were fed indoors (occasional grazing only) in modern loose stalls and had machine milking. Planned mating (summer to fall) was done in 91% of farms (hormonal treatment, 54%) but artificial insemination was scarce (23%). Annual milk sales averaged 309 L/ewe (fat, 6.5%; protein, 5.3%; log(10) somatic cell count, 5.7), and milk was sent to local dairy industries for cheese production, and 1.35 lambs/ewe were harvested as milk-fed lambs (lechazo). Artificial lamb rearing was done in 38% of farms (automatic, 81%; manual, 19%). Total mixed rations were used in 33% of farms, and the rest used rationed concentrate (including self-produced cereals) according to physiological stage of the ewes (0.45 to 1.97 kg/d) and ad libitum forage (dehydrated, 70%; hay, 68%; fresh, 25%; silage, 12%). The concentrate-to-forage ratio ranged between 32 and 61%. In total, 68% of farms bought more than half of the forage, and 87% of them bought more than half of the required concentrates. According to structural, productive, and managerial traits, 4 types of farms were differentiated by using multiple correspondence analysis and cluster analysis. Type groups were: 1) large-surface farms, devoted to cereal and forage production, predominantly with Awassi crossbreed sheep and a high level of self-consumed commodities (12% of the farms); 2) large flocks with intermediate farm surfaces devoted to forage production and predominantly with Assaf sheep (30% of the farms); 3) high-yielding farms, with intermediate sized flocks of Assaf sheep and very intensive management (42% of the farms); and, 4) no-land farms predominantly with Assaf sheep (16% of the farms). In conclusion, the dairy sheep farms studied showed more adoption of intensive production systems than traditional farms, which resulted in higher milk and lamb yields. Despite all of them being based on familiar units, as traditional farms, they were highly dependent on external resources and became more vulnerable, faced with future uncertainties of the market. Copyright © 2011 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Process-based Modeling of Ammonia Emission from Beef Cattle Feedyards with the Integrated Farm Systems Model.

PubMed

Waldrip, Heidi M; Rotz, C Alan; Hafner, Sasha D; Todd, Richard W; Cole, N Andy

2014-07-01

Ammonia (NH) volatilization from manure in beef cattle feedyards results in loss of agronomically important nitrogen (N) and potentially leads to overfertilization and acidification of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. In addition, NH is involved in the formation of atmospheric fine particulate matter (PM), which can affect human health. Process-based models have been developed to estimate NH emissions from various livestock production systems; however, little work has been conducted to assess their accuracy for large, open-lot beef cattle feedyards. This work describes the extension of an existing process-based model, the Integrated Farm Systems Model (IFSM), to include simulation of N dynamics in this type of system. To evaluate the model, IFSM-simulated daily per capita NH emission rates were compared with emissions data collected from two commercial feedyards in the Texas High Plains from 2007 to 2009. Model predictions were in good agreement with observations and were sensitive to variations in air temperature and dietary crude protein concentration. Predicted mean daily NH emission rates for the two feedyards had 71 to 81% agreement with observations. In addition, IFSM estimates of annual feedyard emissions were within 11 to 24% of observations, whereas a constant emission factor currently in use by the USEPA underestimated feedyard emissions by as much as 79%. The results from this study indicate that IFSM can quantify average feedyard NH emissions, assist with emissions reporting, provide accurate information for legislators and policymakers, investigate methods to mitigate NH losses, and evaluate the effects of specific management practices on farm nutrient balances. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Constraints on Development of Wind Energy in Poland due to Environmental Objectives. Is There Space in Poland for Wind Farm Siting?

PubMed

Hajto, Małgorzata; Cichocki, Zdzisław; Bidłasik, Małgorzata; Borzyszkowski, Jan; Kuśmierz, Agnieszka

2017-02-01

The objective of the study was to evaluate spatial effects of adopting environmental criteria for wind farm siting, i.e., the criteria related to the settlement system and those with regards to landscape values. The set of criteria was elaborated on the basis of literature and experience-based knowledge. Some of the criteria selected are legally binding. The analyses were carried out with the use of GIS tools. Settlement areas with 1000 and 2000 m wide buffer zones, and the areas with the highest landscape values, were assumed as particularly sensitive receptors to wind farm impacts. The results show significant constraints on wind farm siting in Poland. Although the constraints are regionally diversified, they concern 93.9 % of the total country area (1000 m buffer zone) or 99.1 % (2000 m buffer zone). Presumably even greater constraints would be revealed by an additional detailed analysis at a local level. The constraints on wind farm siting in Poland cannot be decreased, because of both social attitudes and demand for appropriate environmental standards, which should be taken into account in spatial and energy policies at all decision making level.

The Environmental Impact of a Wave Dragon Array Operating in the Black Sea

PubMed Central

Rusu, Eugen

2013-01-01

The present work describes a study related to the influence on the shoreline dynamics of a wave farm consisting of Wave Dragon devices operating in the western side of the Black Sea. Based on historical data analysis of the wave climate, the most relevant environmental conditions that could occur were defined, and for these cases, simulations with SWAN spectral phase averaged wave model were performed. Two situations were considered for the most representative patterns: model simulations without any wave energy converter and simulations considering a wave farm consisting of six Wave Dragon devices. Comparisons of the wave model outputs have been carried out in both geographical and spectral spaces. The results show that although a significant influence appears near the wave farm, this gradually decreases to the coast line level. In order to evaluate the influence of the wave farm on the longshore currents, a nearshore circulation modeling system was used. In relative terms, the longshore current velocities appear to be more sensitive to the presence of the wave farm than the significant wave height. Finally, the possible impact on the marine flora and fauna specific to the target area was also considered and discussed. PMID:23844401

Differentiation and concordance in smallholder land use strategies in southern Mexico's conservation frontier.

PubMed

Roy Chowdhury, Rinku

2010-03-30

Forest cover transitions in the developing tropics are conditioned by agricultural change. The expansion, intensification, and diversification of agricultural land uses are tied to regional economic/environmental regimes and decisions of local farming households. Land change science and agrarian systems research share an interest in the drivers of household strategies, land use impacts, and typologies of those land uses/drivers. This study derives a typology of farming households in southern Mexico based on emergent patterns in their land use combinations and analyzes their household and policy drivers. The results reveal broadly diversified household land use portfolios as well as three emergent clusters of farmstead production orientation: (i) extensive subsistence-oriented conservationists, (ii), dual extensive-intensive farmers, and (iii) nonextensive diversified land users. Household membership in these clusters is uneven and strongly related to tenancy, land endowments, wage labor, and policy subsidies. Although most households are following a nonextensive agricultural strategy incorporating off-farm incomes, the likelihood of a regional forest transition remains debatable because of the disproportionate deforestation impacts of the less common strategies. Conservation development policies in the region need to accommodate diverse smallholder farming rationales, increase off-farm opportunities, and target sustainable development with the assistance of community conservation leaders.

The environmental impact of a Wave Dragon array operating in the Black Sea.

PubMed

Diaconu, Sorin; Rusu, Eugen

2013-01-01

The present work describes a study related to the influence on the shoreline dynamics of a wave farm consisting of Wave Dragon devices operating in the western side of the Black Sea. Based on historical data analysis of the wave climate, the most relevant environmental conditions that could occur were defined, and for these cases, simulations with SWAN spectral phase averaged wave model were performed. Two situations were considered for the most representative patterns: model simulations without any wave energy converter and simulations considering a wave farm consisting of six Wave Dragon devices. Comparisons of the wave model outputs have been carried out in both geographical and spectral spaces. The results show that although a significant influence appears near the wave farm, this gradually decreases to the coast line level. In order to evaluate the influence of the wave farm on the longshore currents, a nearshore circulation modeling system was used. In relative terms, the longshore current velocities appear to be more sensitive to the presence of the wave farm than the significant wave height. Finally, the possible impact on the marine flora and fauna specific to the target area was also considered and discussed.

The effect of lameness on the environmental performance of milk production by rotational grazing.

PubMed

Chen, Wenhao; White, Eoin; Holden, Nicholas M

2016-05-01

Dairy production leads to significant environmental impacts and increased production will only be feasible if the environmental performance at farm level permits a sustainable milk supply. Lameness is believed to become more prevalent and severe as herd sizes increase, and can significantly reduce milk output per cow while not influencing other attributes of the production system. The objective of this work was to quantify the effect of lameness on the environmental performance of a typical grazed grass dairy farm and evaluate the theoretical value of sensor-based real-time lameness management. Life cycle assessment was used to compare a typical baseline farm with scenarios assuming increased lameness severity and prevalence. It was found that lameness could increase the farm level global warming potential, acidification potential, eutrophication potential and fossil fuel depletion by 7-9%. As increased herd sizes will increase cow: handler ratio, this result was interpreted to suggest that the use of sensors and information and communication technology for lameness detection could improve management on dairy farms to reduce the adverse impact on environmental performance that is associated with lameness. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Soil management practices under organic farming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aly, Adel; Chami Ziad, Al; Hamdy, Atef

2015-04-01

Organic farming methods combine scientific knowledge of ecology and modern technology with traditional farming practices based on naturally occurring biological processes. Soil building practices such as crop rotations, intercropping, symbiotic associations, cover crops, organic fertilizers and minimum tillage are central to organic practices. Those practices encourage soil formation and structure and creating more stable systems. In farm nutrient and energy cycling is increased and the retentive abilities of the soil for nutrients and water are enhanced. Such management techniques also play an important role in soil erosion control. The length of time that the soil is exposed to erosive forces is decreased, soil biodiversity is increased, and nutrient losses are reduced, helping to maintain and enhance soil productivity. Organic farming as systematized and certifiable approach for agriculture, there is no surprise that it faces some challenges among both farmers and public sector. This can be clearly demonstrated particularly in the absence of the essential conditions needed to implement successfully the soil management practices like green manure and composting to improve soil fertility including crop rotation, cover cropping and reduced tillage. Those issues beside others will be fully discussed highlighting their beneficial impact on the environmental soil characteristics. Keywords: soil fertility, organic matter, plant nutrition

Economic and environmental feasibility of a perennial cow dairy farm.

PubMed

Rotz, C A; Zartman, D L; Crandall, K L

2005-08-01

More efficient and economical production systems are needed to improve the sustainability of dairy farms. One concept to consider is using perennial cows. Perennial cows are those that maintain a relatively high milk production for >or=2 yr without going through the typical dry period followed by calving. Farm records show that some cows have produced over 20 kg/d after 4 yr of continuous lactation. A farm simulation model was used to evaluate the long-term performance, environmental impact, and economics of a conceptual perennial cow production system on a typical dairy farm in Pennsylvania. Compared with a traditional 100-cow farm with replacement heifers produced on the farm, a perennial herd of 100 cows and purchased replacements provided environmental benefit but sustained a substantial economic loss. However, increasing the perennial herd to 128 cows better utilized the feed produced on the farm. Compared with the traditional 100-cow farm, use of the perennial 128-cow herd reduced supplemental protein and mineral feed purchases by 38%, increased annual milk sales by 21%, reduced nitrogen losses by 17%, maintained a phosphorus balance, and increased annual net return to farm management by 3200 dollars. A traditional 120-cow dairy farm with purchased replacements also used a similar amount of farm-produced feed. Compared with this option, the farm with 128 perennial cows reduced protein and mineral feed purchases by 36%, maintained similar annual milk sales, increased manure production by 7%, reduced N losses by 10%, and increased annual net return by 12,700 dollars. The economic feasibility of the perennial-cow dairy farm was very sensitive to the milk production maintained by the perennial herd and market prices for milk and perennial replacement animals. The analysis was relatively insensitive to the assumed useful life of perennial cows as long as they could be maintained in the herd for at least 3 yr. Thus, a perennial cow production system can improve the economic and environmental sustainability of a traditional dairy farm if a similar level in annual milk production per cow can be maintained.

Analysis of Food Safety and Security Challenges in Emerging African Food Producing Areas through a One Health Lens: The Dairy Chains in Mali.

PubMed

Cheng, Rachel; Mantovani, Alberto; Frazzoli, Chiara

2017-01-01

Challenges posed by changes in livestock production in emerging food producing areas and demographic development and climate change require new approaches and responsibilities in the management of food chains. The increasingly recognized role of primary food producers requires the support of the scientific community to instruct effective approaches based on scientific data, tools, and expertise. Mali is an emerging food producing area, and this review covers (i) the dairy farming scenario and its environment, (ii) the role of dairy production in food security, including the greatly different animal rearing systems in the Sahel and tropical regions, (iii) risk management pillars as modern infrastructures, effective farmer organizations, and institutional systems to guarantee animal health and safety of products, and (iv) feasible interventions based on good practices and risk assessment at the farm level (e.g., sustainable use of fertilizers, feeds, veterinary drugs, and pesticides) to protect consumers from food safety hazards. Social innovation based on the empowerment of the primary food producers emerges as crucial for sustainable and safe food production. Sustainable policies should be supported by the mobilization of stakeholders of One Health, which is a science-based approach to linking human health and nutrition with the health and management of food producing animals and environmental safety. In the context of the complex, multifaceted scenario of Mali dairy production, this article presents how a cost-effective animal health and food safety scheme could be established in the dairy production chain. Because milk is a major commodity in this country, benefits could be derived in food security, public health, the resilience of the farming system, animal husbandry, and international trade.

Notes on Methods for Studying Farm Women.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colman, Gould P.

1981-01-01

Supports several of Frances Hill's positions on research about farm women (RC 504 387). States that regarding farm and family as separate dynamic systems whose integration varies in differing situations provides a context for evaluating impacts on farm and family. Available from: Rural Sociological Society, 325 Morgan Hall, University of…

12 CFR 614.4570 - Recourse and security.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... shall be proportional to the level of risk that the OFI poses to the Farm Credit Bank or agricultural....4570 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM LOAN POLICIES AND OPERATIONS Farm Credit Bank and Agricultural Credit Bank Financing of Other Financing Institutions § 614.4570 Recourse...

1986 Agricultural Chartbook. Agriculture Handbook No. 663.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC.

This book contains 310 charts, tables, and graphs containing statistical information about agriculture-related commodities and services, primarily in the United States, in 1986. The book is organized in seven sections that cover the following topics: (1) the farm (farm income, farm population, farm workers, food and fiber system, agriculture and…

12 CFR 620.10 - Preparing the quarterly report.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 620.10 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM DISCLOSURE TO SHAREHOLDERS... must: (1) Prepare and send, to the Farm Credit Administration, an electronic copy of its quarterly...) Publish a copy of its quarterly report on its Web site when it electronically sends the report to the Farm...

Lessons Learned Developing an Extension-Based Training Program for Farm Labor Supervisors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roka, Fritz M.; Thissen, Carlene A.; Monaghan, Paul F.; Morera, Maria C.; Galindo-Gonzalez, Sebastian; Tovar-Aguilar, Jose Antonio

2017-01-01

This article outlines a four-step model for developing a training program for farm labor supervisors. The model draws on key lessons learned during the development of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Farm Labor Supervisor Training program. The program is designed to educate farm supervisors on farm labor laws…

Economic, ecological, and social performance of conventional and organic broiler production in the Netherlands.

PubMed

Bokkers, E A M; de Boer, I J M

2009-09-01

1. In this study, we compared a conventional broiler production system keeping fast growing broilers with an organic broiler production system keeping slow growing broilers in the Netherlands, both managed by one person working a full time year (Full Time Equivalent, FTE). This comparison was based on a quantification of economic, ecological and social indicators. Indicators were quantified using scientific literature and national data sets. 2. The organic system performed better for the economic indicator net farm income per FTE than the conventional system. 3. Regarding ecological indicators, calculations showed a higher on-farm emission of ammonia per kg live weight for the organic system. Moreover, an organic system includes a higher risk for eutrophication per ha due to outdoor access. Emission of green house gasses, use of fossil fuels and use of land required for the production of one kg of live weight is higher for an organic than for a conventional system. This is mainly due to a lower feed conversion in organic production and use of organic feed. 4. The organic system performed better than the conventional system for the social indicators related to animal welfare time spent on walking, footpad lesions, mortality, and sound legs. Regarding the social indicator food safety was found that meat from an organic system contained less antibiotic residues and Salmonella contaminations but more Campylobacter contaminations than meat from a conventional system. 5. Changing from a conventional to an organic broiler production system, therefore, not only affects animal welfare, but also affects economic, ecological and other social issues. In this study, we ran into the situation that some information needed was lacking in literature and quantifications had to be based upon several sources. Therefore, an integrated on-farm assessment is needed, which can be used to develop a broiler production system that is economically profitable, ecologically sound, and acceptable for society.

Land Use Change on Household Farms in the Ecuadorian Amazon: Design and Implementation of an Agent-Based Model.

PubMed

Mena, Carlos F; Walsh, Stephen J; Frizzelle, Brian G; Xiaozheng, Yao; Malanson, George P

2011-01-01

This paper describes the design and implementation of an Agent-Based Model (ABM) used to simulate land use change on household farms in the Northern Ecuadorian Amazon (NEA). The ABM simulates decision-making processes at the household level that is examined through a longitudinal, socio-economic and demographic survey that was conducted in 1990 and 1999. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are used to establish spatial relationships between farms and their environment, while classified Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) imagery is used to set initial land use/land cover conditions for the spatial simulation, assess from-to land use/land cover change patterns, and describe trajectories of land use change at the farm and landscape levels. Results from prior studies in the NEA provide insights into the key social and ecological variables, describe human behavioral functions, and examine population-environment interactions that are linked to deforestation and agricultural extensification, population migration, and demographic change. Within the architecture of the model, agents are classified as active or passive. The model comprises four modules, i.e., initialization, demography, agriculture, and migration that operate individually, but are linked through key household processes. The main outputs of the model include a spatially-explicit representation of the land use/land cover on survey and non-survey farms and at the landscape level for each annual time-step, as well as simulated socio-economic and demographic characteristics of households and communities. The work describes the design and implementation of the model and how population-environment interactions can be addressed in a frontier setting. The paper contributes to land change science by examining important pattern-process relations, advocating a spatial modeling approach that is capable of synthesizing fundamental relationships at the farm level, and links people and environment in complex ways.

Comparison of Greenhouse Gas Emissions between Two Dairy Farm Systems (Conventional vs. Organic Management) in New Hampshire Using the Manure DNDC Biogeochemical Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dorich, C.; Contosta, A.; Li, C.; Brito, A.; Varner, R. K.

2013-12-01

Agriculture contributes 20 to 25 % of the total anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally. These agricultural emissions are primarily in the form of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) with these GHG accounting for roughly 40 and 80 % of the total anthropogenic emissions of CH4 and N2O, respectively. Due to varied management and the complexities of agricultural ecosystems, it is difficult to estimate these CH4 and N2O emissions. The IPCC emission factors can be used to yield rough estimates of CH4 and N2O emissions but they are often based on limited data. Accurate modeling validated by measurements is needed in order to identify potential mitigation areas, reduce GHG emissions from agriculture, and improve sustainability of farming practices. The biogeochemical model Manure DNDC was validated using measurements from two dairy farms in New Hampshire, USA in order to quantify GHG emissions under different management systems. One organic and one conventional dairy farm operated by the University of New Hampshire's Agriculture Experiment Station were utilized as the study sites for validation of Manure DNDC. Compilation of management records started in 2011 to provide model inputs. Model results were then compared to field collected samples of soil carbon and nitrogen, above-ground biomass, and GHG fluxes. Fluxes were measured in crop, animal, housing, and waste management sites on the farms in order to examine the entire farm ecosystem and test the validity of the model. Fluxes were measured by static flux chambers, with enteric fermentation measurements being conducted by the SF6 tracer test as well as a new method called Greenfeeder. Our preliminary GHG flux analysis suggests higher emissions than predicted by IPCC emission factors and equations. Results suggest that emissions from manure management is a key concern at the conventional dairy farm while bedded housing at the organic dairy produced large quantities of GHG.

Risk factors for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome outbreaks in Vietnamese small stock farms.

PubMed

Truong, V M; Gummow, B

2014-07-01

To examine risk factors that could have played a role in the 2010 porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) outbreak in Yenhung district, Quangninh province, North-Vietnam, with the purpose of establishing why existing control measures implemented after previous outbreaks had failed to prevent further outbreaks. A case-control study was carried out in Yenhung district. Data were obtained by an interview-based questionnaire survey. The sampling unit was households, which equated to small-scale pig farms. A total of 150 case and 150 control households were selected at communes affected by the 2010 PRRS epidemic during April to June. Risk factors were analysed using binary logistic regression and unconditional multiple logistic regression. Households infected with PRRS were significantly associated with multiple variables belonging to three main groups: (1) location of the farms: i.e. farms positioned <1,000 m from a pig abattoir or within 500 m of local markets or 100 m of main roads; (2) farm management: i.e. where there was non-application of weekly farm disinfection, feeding uncooked swill, new introduction of purchased pigs without isolation, or usage of water from irrigation systems for raising pigs; (3) people and animal contact: i.e. where households kept animals with either no confinement or partial confinement, had visits by family members to other affected farms or had frequent visits by neighbours. The use of water from irrigation systems was found to be the risk factor most strongly associated with infected households in the 2010 outbreak (OR=22; 95% CI=12-42). The results show that the epidemiology of PRRS in Quangninh province was linked to sociological and cultural practices, and that effective PRRS control needs an integrated approach coupled with behavioural changes in the pig raising practices of the general public. Failure to recognise this could explain why further outbreaks have occurred.

Monitoring and remediation of on-farm and off-farm ground current measured as step potential on a Wisconsin dairy farm: A case study.

PubMed

Stetzer, Dave; Leavitt, Adam M; Goeke, Charles L; Havas, Magda

2016-01-01

Ground current commonly referred to as "stray voltage" has been an issue on dairy farms since electricity was first brought to rural America. Equipment that generates high-frequency voltage transients on electrical wires combined with a multigrounded (electrical distribution) system and inadequate neutral returns all contribute to ground current. Despite decades of problems, we are no closer to resolving this issue, in part, due to three misconceptions that are addressed in this study. Misconception 1. The current standard of 1 V at cow contact is adequate to protect dairy cows; Misconception 2. Frequencies higher than 60 Hz do not need to be considered; and Misconception 3. All sources of ground current originate on the farm that has a ground current problem. This case study of a Wisconsin dairy farm documents, 1. how to establish permanent monitoring of ground current (step potential) on a dairy farm; 2. how to determine and remediate both on-farm and off-farm sources contributing to step potential; 3. which step-potential metrics relate to cow comfort and milk production; and 4. how these metrics relate to established standards. On-farm sources include lighting, variable speed frequency drives on motors, radio frequency identification system and off-farm sources are due to a poor primary neutral return on the utility side of the distribution system. A step-potential threshold of 1 V root mean square (RMS) at 60 Hz is inadequate to protect dairy cows as decreases of a few mV peak-peak at higher frequencies increases milk production, reduces milking time and improves cow comfort.

Phosphorus (P) balances and P availability in a field trial comparing organic and conventional farming systems since 35 years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jarosch, Klaus; Oberson, Astrid; Emmanuel, Frossard; Gunst, Lucie; Dubois, David; Mäder, Paul; Mayer, Jochen

2017-04-01

Background: The adequate supply with phosphorus (P) is crucial to maintain constant yields in all cropping systems. It remains yet unclear whether P in organic farming systems may become a limiting factor for plant nutrition in the long term. Material and Methods: The DOK long-term field trial was established in 1978 to compare different farming systems. The trial consists of two organic (biodynamic (DYN), bioorganic (ORG)) and two conventional treatments (using farmyard manure plus mineral fertilizer (KON) and mineral fertilizer only (MIN, established in 1985)). In a control treatment (NON) no fertilizer is applied. The fertilization for the organic treatments DYN and ORG is defined on manure production of 1.4 livestock units (since 1992), while before that 1.2 livestock units were used as reference. Fertilization on the conventional treatments KON and MIN is defined by Swiss fertilization guidelines. Treatments DYN, ORG and KON are maintained at full fertilization level (2) as well as halved fertilization level (1) while treatment MIN is only maintained at fertilization level 2. All treatments are maintained with the same crop rotation with a period of 7 years. An annual P-balance was calculated, based on the input factors 1) fertilization, 2) seeds and 3) deposition and the output factors 4) removal with crop yields and 5) leaching. The factors fertilization and removal with crop yields were based on documentation since trial establishment. Factor seeds was estimated based on documented quantity of used seeds per treatment and factors deposition and leaching were estimated by values available in literature. Additionally, P availability was determined via isotopic exchange kinetics (IEK) experiments after each crop rotation period (7 years). The IEK experiments allow to estimate the rate of P exchange from soil into soil solution and thus to estimate plant P availability over a cropping period. Results and Conclusions: Main influencing parameters of the P-balance were the factors fertilization and the removal with cropping products. Other inputs (deposition, seeds) and outputs (leaching) were of minor importance for the outcome of the balance for all treatments. For the treatments KON2 and M we observed a slightly positive P-balance of 3 and 6 kg ha-1 year-1, respectively. All other treatments showed a negative P-balance, even in the systems with high fertilization levels (DYN2 and ORG2). The deficit in the P-balance was even more pronounced in the farming systems with reduced fertilizer application rates DYN1, ORG1 and KON1 (-11 to -13 kg ha-1 year-1). The unfertilized control (NON) showed the highest deficit with -19 kg ha-1 year-1. The calculated P-balance suggests that the full fertilization level in treatments DYN2 and ORG2 is not sufficient to mitigate the entire P removal. This deficit is even more pronounced on treatments with less fertilization. In the long term, this fertilization practice may lead to P limitation, especially in the organic treatments. Phosphorus availability determined by IEK in the top soil (0-20 cm) declined with time in all treatments. This decline may currently already limit crop yield in some farming systems, yet, a redistribution of P from deeper soil layers seems to mitigate this limitation. Additionally, the relatively high P-status in the soil prior to initiation of the DOK trial may currently still buffer against P-limitation for plants. The results of this study will be discussed in regard to sustainable P use in different farming systems.

Animal Health and Welfare Issues Facing Organic Production Systems.

PubMed

Sutherland, Mhairi A; Webster, Jim; Sutherland, Ian

2013-10-31

The demand for organically-grown produce is increasing worldwide, with one of the drivers being an expectation among consumers that animals have been farmed to a high standard of animal welfare. This review evaluates whether this expectation is in fact being met, by describing the current level of science-based knowledge of animal health and welfare in organic systems. The primary welfare risk in organic production systems appears to be related to animal health. Organic farms use a combination of management practices, alternative and complementary remedies and convenional medicines to manage the health of their animals and in many cases these are at least as effective as management practices employed by non-organic producers. However, in contrast to non-organic systems, there is still a lack of scientifically evaluated, organically acceptable therapeutic treatments that organic animal producers can use when current management practices are not sufficient to maintain the health of their animals. The development of such treatments are necessary to assure consumers that organic animal-based food and fibre has not only been produced with minimal or no chemical input, but under high standards of animal welfare.

Effect of feed-related farm characteristics on relative values of genetic traits in dairy cows to reduce greenhouse gas emissions along the chain.

PubMed

Van Middelaar, C E; Berentsen, P B M; Dijkstra, J; Van Arendonk, J A M; De Boer, I J M

2015-07-01

Breeding has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from dairy farming. Evaluating the effect of a 1-unit change (i.e., 1 genetic standard deviation improvement) in genetic traits on GHG emissions along the chain provides insight into the relative importance of genetic traits to reduce GHG emissions. Relative GHG values of genetic traits, however, might depend on feed-related farm characteristics. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of feed-related farm characteristics on GHG values by comparing the values of milk yield and longevity for an efficient farm and a less efficient farm. The less efficient farm did not apply precision feeding and had lower feed production per hectare than the efficient farm. Greenhouse gas values of milk yield and longevity were calculated by using a whole-farm model and 2 different optimization methods. Method 1 optimized farm management before and after a change in genetic trait by maximizing labor income; the effect on GHG emissions (i.e., from production of farm inputs up to the farm gate) was considered a side effect. Method 2 optimized farm management after a change in genetic trait by minimizing GHG emissions per kilogram of milk while maintaining labor income and milk production at least at the level before the change in trait; the effect on labor income was considered a side effect. Based on maximizing labor income (method 1), GHG values of milk yield and longevity were, respectively, 279 and 143kg of CO2 equivalents (CO2e)/unit change per cow per year on the less efficient farm, and 247 and 210kg of CO2e/unit change per cow per year on the efficient farm. Based on minimizing GHG emissions (method 2), GHG values of milk yield and longevity were, respectively, 538 and 563kg of CO2e/unit change per cow per year on the less efficient farm, and 453 and 441kg of CO2e/unit change per cow per year on the efficient farm. Sensitivity analysis showed that, for both methods, the absolute effect of a change in genetic trait depends on model inputs, including prices and emission factors. Substantial changes in relative importance between traits due to a change in model inputs occurred only in case of maximizing labor income. We concluded that assumptions regarding feed-related farm characteristics affect the absolute level of GHG values, as well as the relative importance of traits to reduce emissions when using a method based on maximizing labor income. This is because optimizing farm management based on maximizing labor income does not give any incentive for lowering GHG emissions. When using a method based on minimizing GHG emissions, feed-related farm characteristics affected the absolute level of the GHG values, but the relative importance of the traits scarcely changed: at each level of efficiency, milk yield and longevity were equally important. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Non-Compliance and Follow-Up in Swedish Official and Private Animal Welfare Control of Dairy Cows

PubMed Central

Hultgren, Jan; Röcklinsberg, Helena; Wahlberg, Birgitta

2018-01-01

Simple Summary In many cases, different animal welfare inspections are taking place at an animal farm over time, as the farmer has to comply with both the legislation and with various private standards. In this study, we compared official inspections carried out by CAB (the County Administrative Board, a governmental agency) with private inspections carried out by Arla Foods (a private company) on dairy farms in one Swedish county. For example, we looked at seasonal effects and compared the incidence of different non-compliances. This study shows that long time periods were sometimes allowed for correction, that follow-up systems are diverse, and that there were differences in the inspection result between CAB and Arla due to different focuses during the inspections. Dirty dairy cattle were, however, a common non-compliance found by both CAB and Arla. Tie-stall housing and winter season (Dec–Feb) were risk factors for non-compliance, while the risk was lower for both CAB and Arla to find non-compliances at organic farms compared to conventional farms. We conclude that the presence of both similarities and differences between different control systems underlines the need for transparency, predictability, and clarity of inspections. Abstract Farmers often have to comply with several sets of animal welfare regulations, since private standards have been developed in addition to legislation. Using an epidemiological approach, we analysed protocols from animal welfare inspections carried out in Swedish dairy herds by the County Administrative Board (CAB; official control of legislation) and by the dairy company Arla Foods (private control of Arlagården standard) during 2010–2013 in the county of Västra Götaland. CAB and Arla inspections were not carried out simultaneously. We aimed to identify common non-compliances, quantify risk factors of non-compliance, and investigate if non-compliances were based on animal-, resource-, or management-based requirements, as well as determining the time period allowed for achieving compliance. Non-compliance was found in 58% of CAB cases, and 51% of Arla cases (each case comprising a sequence of one or several inspections). Dirty dairy cattle was one of the most frequent non-compliances in both control systems. However, the differences in control results were large, suggesting a difference in focus between the two systems. Tie-stall housing and winter season (Dec–Feb) were common risk factors for non-compliance, and overall organic farms had a lower predicted number of non-compliances compared to conventional farms. The presence of both similarities and differences between the systems underlines the need for transparency, predictability, and clarity of inspections. PMID:29738491

Grazing: the whole picture

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Environmental concerns for our farms include nutrient leaching to ground water, runoff in surface water, gaseous emissions, and the carbon footprint of our production systems. Recent reports have labeled grazing-based dairies as less environmentally sustainable compared to year around confinement sy...

Sensors and Clinical Mastitis—The Quest for the Perfect Alert

PubMed Central

Hogeveen, Henk; Kamphuis, Claudia; Steeneveld, Wilma; Mollenhorst, Herman

2010-01-01

When cows on dairy farms are milked with an automatic milking system or in high capacity milking parlors, clinical mastitis (CM) cannot be adequately detected without sensors. The objective of this paper is to describe the performance demands of sensor systems to detect CM and evaluats the current performance of these sensor systems. Several detection models based on different sensors were studied in the past. When evaluating these models, three factors are important: performance (in terms of sensitivity and specificity), the time window and the similarity of the study data with real farm data. A CM detection system should offer at least a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 99%. The time window should not be longer than 48 hours and study circumstances should be as similar to practical farm circumstances as possible. The study design should comprise more than one farm for data collection. Since 1992, 16 peer-reviewed papers have been published with a description and evaluation of CM detection models. There is a large variation in the use of sensors and algorithms. All this makes these results not very comparable. There is a also large difference in performance between the detection models and also a large variation in time windows used and little similarity between study data. Therefore, it is difficult to compare the overall performance of the different CM detection models. The sensitivity and specificity found in the different studies could, for a large part, be explained in differences in the used time window. None of the described studies satisfied the demands for CM detection models. PMID:22163637

Sensors and clinical mastitis--the quest for the perfect alert.

PubMed

Hogeveen, Henk; Kamphuis, Claudia; Steeneveld, Wilma; Mollenhorst, Herman

2010-01-01

When cows on dairy farms are milked with an automatic milking system or in high capacity milking parlors, clinical mastitis (CM) cannot be adequately detected without sensors. The objective of this paper is to describe the performance demands of sensor systems to detect CM and evaluats the current performance of these sensor systems. Several detection models based on different sensors were studied in the past. When evaluating these models, three factors are important: performance (in terms of sensitivity and specificity), the time window and the similarity of the study data with real farm data. A CM detection system should offer at least a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 99%. The time window should not be longer than 48 hours and study circumstances should be as similar to practical farm circumstances as possible. The study design should comprise more than one farm for data collection. Since 1992, 16 peer-reviewed papers have been published with a description and evaluation of CM detection models. There is a large variation in the use of sensors and algorithms. All this makes these results not very comparable. There is a also large difference in performance between the detection models and also a large variation in time windows used and little similarity between study data. Therefore, it is difficult to compare the overall performance of the different CM detection models. The sensitivity and specificity found in the different studies could, for a large part, be explained in differences in the used time window. None of the described studies satisfied the demands for CM detection models.

Towards a sustainable livestock production in developing countries and the importance of animal health strategy therein.

PubMed

Kaasschieter, G A; de Jong, R; Schiere, J B; Zwart, D

1992-04-01

Livestock and animal health development projects have not always led to substantial increases in animal productivity or in farmers' welfare. Some have even resulted in unsustainable systems, when they were not based on an understanding of (livestock) production systems. The multipurpose functions of livestock and complex relationships between the biological, technical and social components require a systems approach, whereby nutrition, animal health, breeding, biotechnology knowhow, inputs and technologies are used to optimise resource use. The challenge for developed and developing countries is to reverse the current degradation of the environment, and arrive at sustainable increases in crop and livestock production to secure present and future food supplies. For rural development, governments should show long term commitment and political will to support the rural population in development programmes, because smallholders (including women and landless livestock keepers) represent a large labour force in developing countries. Different systems need different approaches. Pastoral systems must focus on effective management of grazing pressure of the rangelands. Communal rangelands management involves not only the development and application of technologies (e.g. feedlots, vaccination campaigns), but also land tenure policies, institutional development, economic return and a reduction in the number of people depending upon livestock. Smallholder mixed farms must aim at intensification of the total production system, in which external inputs are indispensable, but with the emphasis on optimum input-output relationships by reducing resource losses due to poor management. Resource-poor farming systems must aim at the improved management of the various livestock species in backyards and very small farms, and proper packages for cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats, rabbits and poultry should be developed. Specialised commercial livestock farming systems (poultry, pigs, dairy or meat) can only be sustainable with adequate marketing, supply of quality feed, veterinary services, labour, management and control of pollution. Animal health programmes play a keyrole in the proposed system approach.

Is farm-related job title an adequate surrogate for pesticide exposure in occupational cancer epidemiology?

PubMed

MacFarlane, E; Glass, D; Fritschi, L

2009-08-01

Accurate assessment of exposure is a key factor in occupational epidemiology but can be problematic, particularly where exposures of interest may be many decades removed from relevant health outcomes. Studies have traditionally relied on crude surrogates of exposure based on job title only, for instance farm-related job title as a surrogate for pesticide exposure. This analysis was based on data collected in Western Australia in 2000-2001. Using a multivariate regression model, we compared expert-assessed likelihood of pesticide exposure based on detailed, individual-specific questionnaire and job specific module interview information with reported farm-related job titles as a surrogate for pesticide exposure. Most (68.8%) jobs with likely pesticide exposure were farm jobs, but 78.3% of farm jobs were assessed as having no likelihood of pesticide exposure. Likely pesticide exposure was more frequent among jobs on crop farms than on livestock farms. Likely pesticide exposure was also more frequent among jobs commenced in more recent decades and jobs of longer duration. Our results suggest that very little misclassification would have resulted from the inverse assumption that all non-farming jobs are not pesticide exposed since only a very small fraction of non-agricultural jobs were likely to have had pesticide exposure. Classification of all farm jobs as pesticide exposed is likely to substantially over-estimate the number of individuals exposed. Our results also suggest that researchers should pay special attention to farm type, length of service and historical period of employment when assessing the likelihood of pesticide exposure in farming jobs.

Incidence rate of pathogen-specific clinical mastitis on conventional and organic Canadian dairy farms.

PubMed

Levison, L J; Miller-Cushon, E K; Tucker, A L; Bergeron, R; Leslie, K E; Barkema, H W; DeVries, T J

2016-02-01

Mastitis is a common and costly production disease on dairy farms. In Canada, the incidence rate of clinical mastitis (IRCM) has been determined for conventionally managed dairy farms; however, no studies to date have assessed rates in organically managed systems. The objectives of this observational study were (1) to determine the producer-reported IRCM and predominant pathogen types on conventional and organic dairy farms in Southern Ontario, Canada, and (2) to evaluate the association of both mean overall IRCM and pathogen-specific IRCM with management system, housing type, and pasture access. Data from 59 dairy farms in Southern Ontario, Canada, distributed across conventional (n=41) and organic management (n=18) systems, were collected from April 2011 to May 2012. In addition to management system, farms were categorized by housing method (loose or tie-stall) and pasture access for lactating cows. Participating producers identified and collected samples from 936 cases of clinical mastitis. The most frequently isolated mastitis pathogens were coagulase-negative staphylococci, Bacillus spp., Streptococcus spp., Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli. The IRCM was higher on conventional farms than organic (23.7 vs. 13.2 cases per 100 cow-years) and was not associated with housing type (loose or tie-stall), pasture access, or herd-average milk yield. Bulk tank somatic cell count tended to be lower on conventional farms than organic (222,000 vs. 272,000 cells/mL). Pathogen-specific IRCM attributed to Staph. aureus, Bacillus spp., and E. coli was greater on conventional than organic farms, but was not associated with housing or any other factors. In conclusion, organic management was associated with reduced overall and pathogen-specific IRCM. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Collection Scheme for Tracing Information of Pig Safety Production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Qingyao; Xiong, Benhai; Yang, Liang

This study takes one main production pattern of smallhold pig farming in Tianjin as a study prototype, deeply analyzes characters of informations about tracing inputs including vaccines,feeds,veterinary drugs and supervision test in pig farming, proposesinputs metadata, criteria for integrating inputs event and interface norms for data transmision, developes and completes identification of 2D ear tags and traceability information collection system of pig safety production based on mobile PDA. The system has implemented functions including setting and invalidate of 2D ear tags, collection of tracing inputs and supervision in the mobile PDA and finally integration of tracing events (the epidemic event,feed event,drug event and supervision event) on the traceability data center (server). The PDA information collection system has been applied for demonstration in Tianjin, the collection is simple, convenient and feasible. It could meet with requirements of traceability information system of pig safety production

Effect of dairy farming system, herd, season, parity, and days in milk on modeling of the coagulation, curd firming, and syneresis of bovine milk.

PubMed

Bittante, G; Cipolat-Gotet, C; Malchiodi, F; Sturaro, E; Tagliapietra, F; Schiavon, S; Cecchinato, A

2015-04-01

The objectives of this study were to characterize the variation in curd firmness model parameters obtained from coagulating bovine milk samples, and to investigate the effects of the dairy system, season, individual farm, and factors related to individual cows (days in milk and parity). Individual milk samples (n = 1,264) were collected during the evening milking of 85 farms representing different environments and farming systems in the northeastern Italian Alps. The dairy herds were classified into 4 farming system categories: traditional system with tied animals (29 herds), modern dairy systems with traditional feeding based on hay and compound feed (30 herds), modern dairy system with total mixed ration (TMR) that included silage as a large proportion of the diet (9 herds), and modern dairy system with silage-free TMR (17 herds). Milk samples were analyzed for milk composition and coagulation properties, and parameters were modeled using curd firmness measures (CFt) collected every 15 s from a lacto-dynamographic analysis of 90 min. When compared with traditional milk coagulation properties (MCP), the curd firming measures showed greater variability and yielded a more accurate description of the milk coagulation process: the model converged for 93.1% of the milk samples, allowing estimation of 4 CFt parameters and 2 derived traits [maximum CF (CF(max)) and time from rennet addition to CF(max) (t(max))] for each sample. The milk samples whose CFt equations did not converge showed longer rennet coagulation times obtained from the model (RCT(eq)) and higher somatic cell score, and came from less-productive cows. Among the sources of variation tested for the CFt parameters, dairy herd system yielded the greatest differences for the contrast between the traditional farm and the 3 modern farms, with the latter showing earlier coagulation and greater instant syneresis rate constant (k(SR)). The use of TMR yielded a greater tmax because of a higher instant curd-firming rate constant (k(CF)). Season of sampling was found to be very important, yielding higher values during winter for all traits except k(CF) and k(SR). All CFt traits were affected by individual cow factors. For parity, milk produced by first-lactation cows showed higher k(CF) and k(SR), but delays in achieving CF(max). With respect to stage of lactation, RCT(eq) and potential asymptotic CF increased during the middle of lactation and stabilized thereafter, whereas the 2 instant rate constants presented the opposite pattern, with the lowest (k(CF)) and highest (k(SR)) values occurring in mid lactation. The new challenge offered by prolonging the test interval and individual modeling of milk technological properties allowed us to study the effects of parameters related to the environment and to individual cows. This novel strategy may be useful for investigating the genetic variability of these new coagulation traits. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Utility of specific biomarkers to assess safety of swine manure for biofertilizing purposes.

PubMed

Fongaro, G; Viancelli, A; Magri, M E; Elmahdy, E M; Biesus, L L; Kich, J D; Kunz, A; Barardi, C R M

2014-05-01

Swine production is an important economic activity in Brazil, and there is interest in the development of clean production mechanisms to support sustainable agro-industrial activities. The biomass derived from swine manure has good potential to be used as a biofertilizer due to its high nutrient concentration. However, the land application of manure should be based on safety parameters such as the presence of pathogens that can potentially infect animals and people. This study was designed to assess the presence of porcine circovirus-2 (PCV2), porcine adenovirus (PAdV), rotavirus-A (RV-A) and Salmonella spp. in liquid manure, as well the infectivity of two genotypes of circovirus-2 (PCV2a and PCV2b) present in liquid manure. Three swine farms were evaluated: 1) a nursery production farm (manure analyzed before and after anaerobic biodigestion), 2) a grow-finish production farm (analyzed before and after anaerobic biodigestion), and 3) a second grow-finish production farm (raw manure-affluent). PCV2, PAdV and RV-A were present before and after anaerobic biodigestion (either affluent or effluent) at all farms. Salmonella spp. were detected at farm 1 (affluent and effluent) and farm 3 (raw manure-affluent) but not farm 2 (affluent and effluent). When the ability of the anaerobic biodigestion process to reduce viral concentration was evaluated, no significant reduction was observed (P>0.05). Both the PCV2a and PCV2b genotypes were detected, suggesting viral co-infection in swine production. The results revealed infectious PCV2 even after anaerobic biodigestion treatment. The presence of Salmonella spp. and enteric viruses, especially infectious PCV2, in the final effluent from the anaerobic biodigester system suggests that the process is inefficient for pathogen inactivation. Due to the prevalence and infectivity of PCV2 and considering the successful use of molecular methods coupled to cell culture for detecting infectious PCV2, we suggest that this virus can be used as a bioindicator in swine manure treatment systems to check the efficiency of pathogen inactivation and ensure the production of safe biofertilizers from swine manure. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identifying, monitoring and implementing "sustainable" agricultural practices for smallholder farmers over large geographic areas in India and Vietnam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kritee, K.; Ahuja, R.; Nair, D.; Esteves, T.; Rudek, J.; Thu Ha, T.

2015-12-01

Industrial agriculture systems, mostly in developed and some emerging economies, are far different from the small-holder farms (size <1 acre) in Asia and Africa. Along with our partners from non-governmental, corporate, academic and government sectors and tens of thousands of farming families, we have worked actively in five states in India and two provinces in Vietnam for the last five years to understand how sustainable and climate smart farming practices can be monitored at small-holder farms. Here, any approach to monitor farming must begin by accounting for the tremendous management variability from farm to farm and also the current inability to ground-truth remote sensing data due to lack of relaible basic parameters (e.g., yields, N use, farm boundaries) which are necessary for calibrating empirical/biogeochemical models. While we continue to learn from new research, we have found that it is crucial to follow some steps if sustainable farming programs are to succeed at small-holder farms Demographic data collection and GPS plot demarcation to establish farm size and ownership Baseline nutrient, water & energy use and crop yield determination via surveys and self-reporting which are verifiable through farmer networks given the importance of peer to peer learning in the dissemination of new techniques in such landscapes "Sustainable" practice determination in consultation with local universities/NGO experts Measurements on representative plots for 3-4 years to help calibrate biogeochemical models and/or empirical equations and establish which practices are truly "sustainable" (e.g., GHG emission reduction varies from 0-7 tCO2e/acre for different sustainable practices). Propagation of sustainable practices across the landscape via local NGOs/governments after analyzing the replicability of identified farming practices in the light of local financial, cultural or socio-political barriers. We will present results from representative plots (including soil and weather parameters, GHG emissions, yields, inputs, economic and environmental savings), farmer surveys and diary data; and discuss our key conclusions based on our approach and the analysis of the collected data which was enabled by use of a commercially available comprehensive agricultural data collection software.

Differences in sheep and goats milk fatty acid profile between conventional and organic farming systems.

PubMed

Tsiplakou, Eleni; Kotrotsios, Vaios; Hadjigeorgiou, Ioannis; Zervas, George

2010-08-01

The objective of this study was to investigate whether there is a difference in chemical composition and particularly in fatty acid (FA) profile, with emphasis on cis-9, trans-11 CLA, of milk obtained from conventional and organic dairy sheep and goats farms under the farming conditions practiced in Greece. Four dairy sheep and four dairy goat farms, representing common conventional production systems and another four dairy sheep and four dairy goat farms, organically certified, representing organic production and feeding systems were selected from all over Greece. One hundred and sixty two individual milk samples were collected from those farms in January-February 2009, about three months after parturition. The milk samples were analyzed for their main chemical constituents and their FA profile. The results showed that the production system affected milk chemical composition: in particular fat content was lower in the organic sheep and goats milk compared with the corresponding conventional. Milk from organic sheep had higher content in MUFA, PUFA, alpha-LNA, cis-9, trans-11 CLA, and omega-3 FA, whereas in milk from organic goats alpha-LNA and omega-3 FA content was higher than that in conventional one. These differences are, mainly, attributed to different feeding practices used by the two production systems. The results of this study show that the organic milk produced under the farming conditions practiced in Greece has higher nutritional value, due to its FA profile, compared with the respective conventional milk.

Farm Population of the United States: 1971. Current Population Reports: Farm Population.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bureau of the Census (DOC), Suitland, MD. Population Div.

Based on data derived from the Current Population Survey of the Bureau of the Census, this statistical report presents demographic and labor force characteristics of the U.S. farm population and comparisons of the farm and nonfarm populations. Tabular data are presented as follows: (1) U.S. Population, Total and Farm: April 1960 and 1971; (2)…

Farm Population of the United States: 1972. Current Population Reports: Farm Population.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bureau of the Census (DOC), Suitland, MD. Population Div.

Based on data derived from the Current Population Survey of the Bureau of Census, this statistical report presents demographic and labor force characteristics of the U.S. farm population and comparisons of the farm and nonfarm populations. Tabular data are presented as follows: (1) U.S. Population, Total and Farm: April 1960 to 1972; (2) Persons…

Research trends in outdoor pig production — A review

PubMed Central

Park, Hyun-Suk; Min, Byungrok; Oh, Sang-Hyon

2017-01-01

Since the industrialization of swine production in the late 1900s, swine farms in the United States, as well as in Europe, have largely become consolidated. Pig farms became larger in size but fewer in number, with 91% of market pigs being produced by large operations with 5,000 or more pigs on-site in the US, and only 3% of the total utilized agricultural land representing organic farming. Such change in the market made it difficult for small farmers to stay competitive, forcing them to find alternative ways to reduce the cost of production and increase profit using the outdoor production system. In contrast to the indoor confinement system, outdoor production system uses pasture-based units and/or deep-bedded hoop structures that promote animal welfare and environmental sustainability with a lower capital investment. In accord with the growing concern for animal and environmental welfare and food safety by the consumers, small farmers practicing an outdoor production system are seeing increased opportunities for marketing their products in the pork niche market. Unlike the general belief that the reproductive and growth performance measures of the outdoor sows and piglets are poorer in comparison with the animals reared indoors, studies showed that there was no significant difference in the performance measures, and some traits were even better in outdoor animals. Improved reproductive and production traits can increase the sustainability of outdoor farming. Present study reviewed the recent studies comparing the performance measures, meat quality and health of indoor and outdoor animals, as well as the efforts to improve the outdoor production system through changes in management such as hut types and breed of animals. PMID:28728401

Online data monitoring in the LHCb experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Callot, O.; Cherukuwada, S.; Frank, M.; Gaspar, C.; Graziani, G.; Herwijnen, E. v.; Jost, B.; Neufeld, N.; P-Altarelli, M.; Somogyi, P.; Stoica, R.

2008-07-01

The High Level Trigger and Data Acquisition system selects about 2 kHz of events out of the 40 MHz of beam crossings. The selected events are sent to permanent storage for subsequent analysis. In order to ensure the quality of the collected data, identify possible malfunctions of the detector and perform calibration and alignment checks, a small fraction of the accepted events is sent to a monitoring farm, which consists of a few tens of general purpose processors. This contribution introduces the architecture of the data stream splitting mechanism from the storage system to the monitoring farm, where the raw data are analyzed by dedicated tasks. It describes the collaborating software components that are all based on the Gaudi event processing framework.

Gradient-Based Optimization of Wind Farms with Different Turbine Heights: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stanley, Andrew P. J.; Thomas, Jared; Ning, Andrew

Turbine wakes reduce power production in a wind farm. Current wind farms are generally built with turbines that are all the same height, but if wind farms included turbines with different tower heights, the cost of energy (COE) may be reduced. We used gradient-based optimization to demonstrate a method to optimize wind farms with varied hub heights. Our study includes a modified version of the FLORIS wake model that accommodates three-dimensional wakes integrated with a tower structural model. Our purpose was to design a process to minimize the COE of a wind farm through layout optimization and varying turbine hubmore » heights. Results indicate that when a farm is optimized for layout and height with two separate height groups, COE can be lowered by as much as 5%-9%, compared to a similar layout and height optimization where all the towers are the same. The COE has the best improvement in farms with high turbine density and a low wind shear exponent.« less

Gradient-Based Optimization of Wind Farms with Different Turbine Heights

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stanley, Andrew P. J.; Thomas, Jared; Ning, Andrew

Turbine wakes reduce power production in a wind farm. Current wind farms are generally built with turbines that are all the same height, but if wind farms included turbines with different tower heights, the cost of energy (COE) may be reduced. We used gradient-based optimization to demonstrate a method to optimize wind farms with varied hub heights. Our study includes a modified version of the FLORIS wake model that accommodates three-dimensional wakes integrated with a tower structural model. Our purpose was to design a process to minimize the COE of a wind farm through layout optimization and varying turbine hubmore » heights. Results indicate that when a farm is optimized for layout and height with two separate height groups, COE can be lowered by as much as 5%-9%, compared to a similar layout and height optimization where all the towers are the same. The COE has the best improvement in farms with high turbine density and a low wind shear exponent.« less

75 FR 23666 - Huron-Manistee National Forests, White Pines Wind Farm Project, Mason County, MI

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-04

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Huron-Manistee National Forests, White Pines Wind Farm... environmental impact statement for the White Pines Wind Farm Project on National Forest System (NFS) lands... terminates the environmental analysis process for the White Pines Wind Farm Project. DATES: The Notice of...

Agriculture Education SimFarm(TM). Technology Learning Activity. Teacher Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oklahoma State Dept. of Vocational and Technical Education, Stillwater. Curriculum and Instructional Materials Center.

This Technology Learning Activity (TLA) for agriculture education in grades 6-10 is designed to help students learn the basic terminology of a farm system while they experience the responsibility of keeping a profitable farm in operation through use of the interactive SimFarm software. Introductory materials provide an overview of technology…

Evaluation of a whole-farm model for pasture-based dairy systems.

PubMed

Beukes, P C; Palliser, C C; Macdonald, K A; Lancaster, J A S; Levy, G; Thorrold, B S; Wastney, M E

2008-06-01

In the temperate climate of New Zealand, animals can be grazed outdoors all year round. The pasture is supplemented with conserved feed, with the amount being determined by seasonal pasture growth, genetics of the herd, and stocking rate. The large number of factors that affect production makes it impractical and expensive to use field trials to explore all the farm system options. A model of an in situ-grazed pasture system has been developed to provide a tool for developing and testing novel farm systems; for example, different levels of bought-in supplements and different levels of nitrogen fertilizer application, to maintain sustainability or environmental integrity and profitability. It consists of a software framework that links climate information, on a daily basis, with dynamic, mechanistic component-models for pasture growth and animal metabolism, as well as management policies. A unique feature is that the component models were developed and published by other groups, and are retained in their original software language. The aim of this study was to compare the model, called the whole-farm model (WFM) with a farm trial that was conducted over 3 yr and in which data were collected specifically for evaluating the WFM. Data were used from the first year to develop the WFM and data from the second and third year to evaluate the model. The model predicted annual pasture production, end-of-season cow liveweight, cow body condition score, and pasture cover across season with relative prediction error <20%. Milk yield and milksolids (fat + protein) were overpredicted by approximately 30% even though both annual and monthly pasture and supplement intake were predicted with acceptable accuracy, suggesting that the metabolic conversion of feed to fat, protein, and lactose in the mammary gland needs to be refined. Because feed growth and intake predictions were acceptable, economic predictions can be made using the WFM, with an adjustment for milk yield, to test different management policies, alterations in climate, or the use of genetically improved animals, pastures, or crops.

Temporal and spatial water use on irrigated and nonirrigated pasture-based dairy farms.

PubMed

Higham, C D; Horne, D; Singh, R; Kuhn-Sherlock, B; Scarsbrook, M R

2017-08-01

Robust information for water use on pasture-based dairy farms is critical to farmers' attempts to use water more efficiently and the improved allocation of freshwater resources to dairy farmers. To quantify the water requirements of dairy farms across regions in a practicable manner, it will be necessary to develop predictive models. The objectives of this study were to compare water use on a group of irrigated and nonirrigated farms, validate existing water use models using the data measured on the group of nonirrigated farms, and modify the model so that it can be used to predict water use on irrigated dairy farms. Water use data were collected on a group of irrigated dairy farms located in the Canterbury, New Zealand, region with the largest area under irrigation. The nonirrigated farms were located in the Manawatu region. The amount of water used for irrigation was almost 52-fold greater than the amount of all other forms of water use combined. There were large differences in measured milking parlor water use, stock drinking water, and leakage rates between the irrigated and nonirrigated farms. As expected, stock drinking water was lower on irrigated dairy farms. Irrigation lowers the dry matter percentage of pasture, ensuring that the amount of water ingested from pasture remains high throughout the year, thereby reducing the demand for drinking water. Leakage rates were different between the 2 groups of farms; 47% of stock drinking water was lost as leakage on nonirrigated farms, whereas leakage on the irrigated farms equated to only 13% of stock drinking water. These differences in leakage were thought to be related to regional differences rather than differences in irrigated versus nonirrigated farms. Existing models developed to predict milking parlor, corrected stock drinking water, and total water use on nonirrigated pasture-based dairy farms in a previous related study were tested on the data measured in the present research. As expected, these models performed well for nonirrigated dairy farms but provided poor predictive power for irrigated farms. Partial least squares regression models were developed specifically to simulate corrected stock drinking water, milking parlor water, and total water use on irrigated dairy farms. Copyright © 2017 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Integrated Farm System Model Version 4.1 and Dairy Gas Emissions Model Version 3.1 software release and distribution

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Animal facilities are significant contributors of gaseous emissions including ammonia (NH3) and nitrous oxide (N2O). Previous versions of the Integrated Farm System Model (IFSM version 4.0) and Dairy Gas Emissions Model (DairyGEM version 3.0), two whole-farm simulation models developed by USDA-ARS, ...

Integrated Farm System Model Version 4.3 and Dairy Gas Emissions Model Version 3.3 Software development and distribution

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Modeling routines of the Integrated Farm System Model (IFSM version 4.2) and Dairy Gas Emission Model (DairyGEM version 3.2), two whole-farm simulation models developed and maintained by USDA-ARS, were revised with new components for: (1) simulation of ammonia (NH3) and greenhouse gas emissions gene...

Agricultural Innovation Systems and Farm Technology Adoption: Findings from a Study of the Ghanaian Plantain Sector

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weyori, Alirah Emmanuel; Amare, Mulubrhan; Garming, Hildegard; Waibel, Hermann

2018-01-01

Purpose: We assess farm technology adoption in an integrated analysis of social networks and innovation in plantain production in Ghana. The paper explores the strength of social networks in the agricultural innovation systems (AISs) and the effect of AISs on adoption of improved farm technology. Methodology/Approach: The paper uses social network…

Assessing eco-efficiency: A metafrontier directional distance function approach using life cycle analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Beltrán-Esteve, Mercedes, E-mail: mercedes.beltran@uv.es; Reig-Martínez, Ernest; Estruch-Guitart, Vicent

Sustainability analysis requires a joint assessment of environmental, social and economic aspects of production processes. Here we propose the use of Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), a metafrontier (MF) directional distance function (DDF) approach, and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), to assess technological and managerial differences in eco-efficiency between production systems. We use LCA to compute six environmental and health impacts associated with the production processes of nearly 200 Spanish citrus farms belonging to organic and conventional farming systems. DEA is then employed to obtain joint economic-environmental farm's scores that we refer to as eco-efficiency. DDF allows us to determine farms' globalmore » eco-efficiency scores, as well as eco-efficiency scores with respect to specific environmental impacts. Furthermore, the use of an MF helps us to disentangle technological and managerial eco-inefficiencies by comparing the eco-efficiency of both farming systems with regards to a common benchmark. Our core results suggest that the shift from conventional to organic farming technology would allow a potential reduction in environmental impacts of 80% without resulting in any decline in economic performance. In contrast, as regards farmers' managerial capacities, both systems display quite similar mean scores.« less

Review of transmission routes of 24 infectious diseases preventable by biosecurity measures and comparison of the implementation of these measures in pig herds in six European countries.

PubMed

Filippitzi, M E; Brinch Kruse, A; Postma, M; Sarrazin, S; Maes, D; Alban, L; Nielsen, L R; Dewulf, J

2018-04-01

This study aimed to review the transmission routes of important infectious pig diseases and to translate these into biosecurity measures preventing or reducing the transmission between and within pig herds. Furthermore, it aimed to identify the level of implementation of these measures in different European countries and discuss the observed variations to identify potentials for improvement. First, a literature review was performed to show which direct and indirect transmission routes of 24 infectious pig diseases can be prevented through different biosecurity measures. Second, a quantitative analysis was performed using the Biocheck.UGent™, a risk-based scoring system to evaluate biosecurity in pig herds, to obtain an insight into the implementation of these biosecurity measures. The database contained farm-specific biosecurity data from 574 pig farms in Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden, entered between January 2014 and January 2016. Third, a qualitative analysis based on a review of literature and other relevant information resources was performed for every subcategory of internal and external biosecurity in the Biocheck.UGent™ questionnaire. The quantitative analysis indicated that at the level of internal, external and overall biosecurity, Denmark had a significantly distinct profile with higher external biosecurity scores and less variation than the rest of the countries. This is likely due to a widely used specific pathogen-free (SPF) system with extensive focus on biosecurity since 1971 in Denmark. However, the observed pattern may also be attributed to differences in data collection methods. The qualitative analysis identified differences in applied policies, legislation, disease status, pig farm density, farming culture and habits between countries that can be used for shaping country-specific biosecurity advice to attain improved prevention and control of important pig diseases in European pig farms. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Evaluation of an On-Farm Culture System (Accumast) for Fast Identification of Milk Pathogens Associated with Clinical Mastitis in Dairy Cows.

PubMed

Ganda, Erika Korzune; Bisinotto, Rafael Sisconeto; Decter, Dean Harrison; Bicalho, Rodrigo Carvalho

2016-01-01

The present study aimed evaluate an on-farm culture system for identification of milk pathogens associated with clinical mastitis in dairy cows using two different gold standard approaches: standard laboratory culture in study 1 and 16S rRNA sequencing in study 2. In study 1, milk from mastitic quarters (i.e. presence of flakes, clots, or serous milk; n = 538) was cultured on-farm using a single plate containing three selective chromogenic media (Accumast-FERA Animal Health LCC, Ithaca, NY) and in a reference laboratory using standard culture methods, which was considered the gold standard. In study 2, mastitic milk was cultured on-farm and analyzed through 16S rRNA sequencing (n = 214). In both studies, plates were cultured aerobically at 37°C for 24 h and read by a single technician masked to gold standard results. Accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated based on standard laboratory culture in study 1, and PPV was calculated based on sequencing results in study 2. Overall accuracy of Accumast was 84.9%. Likewise, accuracy for identification of Gram-negative bacteria, Staphylococcus sp., and Streptococcus sp. was 96.4%, 93.8%, and 91.5%, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV were 75.0%, 97.9%, 79.6%, and 97.3% for identification of E. coli, 100.0%, 99.8%, 87.5%, and 100.0% for S. aureus, 70.0%, 95.0%, 45.7%, and 98.1% for other Staphylococcus sp., and 90.0%, 92.9%, 91.8%, and 91.2% for Streptococcus sp. In study 2, Accumast PPV was 96.7% for E. coli, 100.0% for Enterococcus sp., 100.0% for Other Gram-negatives, 88.2% for Staphylococcus sp., and 95.0% for Streptococcus sp., respectively. In conclusion, Accumast is a unique approach for on-farm identification pathogens associated with mastitis, presenting overall sensitivity and specificity of 82.3% and 89.9% respectively.

Evaluation of an On-Farm Culture System (Accumast) for Fast Identification of Milk Pathogens Associated with Clinical Mastitis in Dairy Cows

PubMed Central

Ganda, Erika Korzune; Bisinotto, Rafael Sisconeto; Decter, Dean Harrison; Bicalho, Rodrigo Carvalho

2016-01-01

The present study aimed evaluate an on-farm culture system for identification of milk pathogens associated with clinical mastitis in dairy cows using two different gold standard approaches: standard laboratory culture in study 1 and 16S rRNA sequencing in study 2. In study 1, milk from mastitic quarters (i.e. presence of flakes, clots, or serous milk; n = 538) was cultured on-farm using a single plate containing three selective chromogenic media (Accumast—FERA Animal Health LCC, Ithaca, NY) and in a reference laboratory using standard culture methods, which was considered the gold standard. In study 2, mastitic milk was cultured on-farm and analyzed through 16S rRNA sequencing (n = 214). In both studies, plates were cultured aerobically at 37°C for 24 h and read by a single technician masked to gold standard results. Accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated based on standard laboratory culture in study 1, and PPV was calculated based on sequencing results in study 2. Overall accuracy of Accumast was 84.9%. Likewise, accuracy for identification of Gram-negative bacteria, Staphylococcus sp., and Streptococcus sp. was 96.4%, 93.8%, and 91.5%, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV were 75.0%, 97.9%, 79.6%, and 97.3% for identification of E. coli, 100.0%, 99.8%, 87.5%, and 100.0% for S. aureus, 70.0%, 95.0%, 45.7%, and 98.1% for other Staphylococcus sp., and 90.0%, 92.9%, 91.8%, and 91.2% for Streptococcus sp. In study 2, Accumast PPV was 96.7% for E. coli, 100.0% for Enterococcus sp., 100.0% for Other Gram-negatives, 88.2% for Staphylococcus sp., and 95.0% for Streptococcus sp., respectively. In conclusion, Accumast is a unique approach for on-farm identification pathogens associated with mastitis, presenting overall sensitivity and specificity of 82.3% and 89.9% respectively. PMID:27176216

Estimating the sensitivity of passive surveillance for HPAI H5N1 in Bayelsa state, Nigeria.

PubMed

Ojimelukwe, Agatha E; Prakarnkamanant, Apisit; Rushton, Jonathan

2016-07-01

This study identified characteristics of poultry farming with a focus on practices that affect the detection of HPAI; and estimated the system sensitivity of passive surveillance for HPAI H5N1 in commercial and backyard chicken farms in Bayelsa-State, Nigeria. Field studies were carried out in Yenegoa and Ogbia local government areas in Bayelsa state. Willingness to report HPAI was highest in commercial poultry farms (13/13) than in Backyard farms (8/13). Poor means of dead bird disposal was common to both commercial and backyard farms. Administering some form of treatment to sick birds without prior consultation with a professional was higher in backyard farms (8/13) than in commercial farms (4/13). Consumption of sick birds was reported in 4/13 backyard farms and sale of dead birds was recorded in one commercial farm. The sensitivity of passive surveillance for HPAI was assessed using scenario tree modelling. A scenario tree model was developed and applied to estimate the sensitivity, i.e. the probability of detecting one or more infected chicken farms in Bayelsa state at different levels of disease prevalence. The model showed a median sensitivity of 100%, 67% and 23% for detecting HPAI by passive surveillance at a disease prevalence of 0.1%, a minimum of 10 and 3 infected poultry farms respectively. Passive surveillance system sensitivity at a design prevalence of 10 infected farms is increasable up to 86% when the disease detection in backyard chicken farms is enhanced. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of postural load during tasks related to milking cows-a case study.

PubMed

Groborz, Anna; Tokarski, Tomasz; Roman-Liu, Danuta

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to analyse postural load during tasks related to milking cows of 2 farmers on 2 different farms (one with a manual milk transport system, the other with a fully automated milk transport system) as a case study. The participants were full-time farmers, they were both healthy and experienced in their job. The Ovako Working Posture Analyzing System (OWAS) was used to evaluate postural load and postural risk. Postural load was medium for the farmer on the farm with a manual milk transport system and high for the farmer working on the farm with a fully automated milk transport system. Thus, it can be concluded that a higher level of farm mechanization not always mean that the farmer's postural load is lower, but limitation of OWAS should be considered.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Capece, John; Hanlon, Ed A.

The public purchase of farmlands in the EAA provides an opportunity for transforming farming systems into truly sustainable systems and these can support the Everglades restoration efforts. The concept proposed in this presentation is that by reducing the yield intensity of farms and adding ecosystem services, public farm lands can serve both restoration and the economy more effectively and more efficiently. This working hypothesis will be evaluated by applying systems analysis approaches including life cycle analysis and embodied energy analysis. The rationale for pursuing new approaches ranges from the fact that climate change threats are global, not local, to themore » fact that eliminating Florida farms and moving production elsewhere yields no net ecological benefit. Historic water flow from Lake Okeechobee to Everglades is shown and the current concept of moving water explained. Southern Flow Way Plan 6 is explained and sustainable farming system in this newly acquired land presented. To determine if an EAA pulse-way strategy would work and meet the sustainability criteria requires integrated analysis of several systems - water budget, soil & water nutrient dynamics, prospects for new sugarcane varieties, soil subsidence and overall energy and carbon budget.« less

Health and Welfare in Dutch Organic Laying Hens.

PubMed

Bestman, Monique; Wagenaar, Jan-Paul

2014-06-20

From 2007-2008, data on animal health and welfare and farm management during rearing and laying periods were collected from 49 flocks of organic laying hens in the Netherlands. Our aim was to investigate how organic egg farms performed in terms of animal health and welfare and which farm factors affected this performance. The flocks in our study were kept on farms with 34 to 25,000 hens (average 9,300 hens). Seventy-one percent of the flocks consisted of 'silver hybrids': white hens that lay brown eggs. Fifty-five percent of the flocks were kept in floor-based housing and 45% of the flocks in aviaries. No relation was found between the amount of time spent outdoors during the laying period and mortality at 60 weeks. Flocks that used their outdoor run more intensively had better feather scores. In 40% of the flocks there was mortality caused by predators. The average feed intake was 129 g/day at 30 weeks and 133 g/day at 60 weeks of age. The average percentage of mislaid eggs decreased from three at 30 weeks to two at 60 weeks. The average mortality was 7.8% at 60 weeks. Twenty-five percent of the flocks were not treated for worms in their first 50 weeks. Flubenol(©) was applied to the flocks that were treated. Ten percent of the flocks followed Flubenol(©) instructions for use and were wormed five or more times. The other 65% percent were treated irregularly between one and four times. Sixty-eight percent of the flocks showed little or no feather damage, 24% showed moderate damage and 8% showed severe damage. The feather score was better if the hens used the free-range area more intensely, the laying percentage at 60 weeks was higher, and if they were allowed to go outside sooner after arrival on the laying farm. In 69% of the flocks, hens had peck wounds in the vent area: on average this was 18% of the hens. Keel bone deformations were found in all flocks, on average in 21% of the birds. In 78% of the flocks, an average of 13% of the hens had foot-sole wounds, mostly a small crust. Combs were darker in flocks that used the range area more intensively. More fearful flocks had lighter combs. We conclude that organic farms are potentially more animal friendly than other poultry systems based on the animal welfare benefits of the free range areas. However, we also observed mortality rates, internal parasites, keel bone deformities, and foot sole lesions on organic farms that were comparable to or worse than in other husbandry systems. It is unclear whether these 'remaining' problems can be attributed to housing or if they are the result of keeping high productive genotypes in an artificial environment. Organic farms use the same high productive genotypes as other husbandry systems.

Evaluation of 'best practice' (SCOPS) guidelines for nematode control on commercial sheep farms in England and Wales.

PubMed

Learmount, Jane; Gettinby, George; Boughtflower, Valerie; Stephens, Nathalie; Hartley, Kayleigh; Allanson, Peter; Gutierrez, Alba Barrecheguren; Perez, David; Taylor, Mike

2015-01-30

Parasitic diseases are a major constraint to optimum livestock production and are the major cause of economic loss in UK sheep flocks, with farmers remaining dependant on anthelmintics for control. In the UK, research and evidence based, "best practice" guidelines for sustainable control of parasites in sheep (SCOPS) were first produced in 2004 and have been regularly updated since. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of these best practice guidelines for worm control on lamb production and infection levels, compared with more traditional management. Sixteen farms were selected based on a 2 cube factorial design with 3 factors known to affect worm epidemiology: control regimen; farm type; and climatic region. A formalised plan for worm control using 7 potential resistance-delaying practices was prepared for each of the 8 best practice (SCOPS) farms, in conjunction with the farms veterinarians. The 8 farms in the traditional management group (CONTROL farms) were selected based on ongoing evidence of them using worm control strategies deemed to be "higher-risk". A cohort of 40-50 study lambs at each farm was monitored from birth to finishing, allowing evaluation of lamb productivity, worm infection levels and for comparison of numbers of anthelmintic treatments. Birth and mid-season weights were used to calculate daily live-weight gain. Birth and finish dates were used to calculate time to finish and finish weights were also compared. Faecal egg counts, larval culture and species differentiation were undertaken throughout the year to assess the impact of the control strategies on worm burdens. There was no significant difference in results for any of the 3 production responses when comparing predicted means accounting for the differences in birth weight. In fact SCOPS farms had, on average, a higher daily weight gain and finish weight than CONTROL farms when comparing observed means. Statistical analysis of infection levels clearly showed no significant effect according to farm type (p=0.71) or treatment (p=0.81). In contrast the effect of region (p=0.08), although not significant, had a much larger effect size (standardised mean difference) with lower parasite burdens based on faecal egg counts on Northern farms compared to Southern farms. For both ewes and lambs, significantly fewer treatments were carried out on the SCOPS farms. The data collected from this study suggests that farms implementing SCOPS principles use less anthelmintic than other farms, without loss of animal performance or increased worm burden. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Local irrigation management institutions mediate changes driven by external policy and market pressures in Nepal and Thailand.

PubMed

Bastakoti, Ram C; Shivakoti, Ganesh P; Lebel, Louis

2010-09-01

This article assesses the role of local institutions in managing irrigation water use. Fifty irrigation systems in each country were studied in Nepal and Thailand to compare the influence of local institutions on performance of irrigation systems amid changes in external policy and market pressures. Nepal's new irrigation policy after the re-instatement of multiparty democracy in 1990 emphasized participatory irrigation management transferring the management responsibility from state authorities to water users. The water user associations of traditional farmer-managed irrigation systems were formally recognized by requiring registration with related state authorities. In Thailand also government policies encouraged people's participation in irrigation management. Today water users are directly involved in management of even some large irrigation systems at the level of tertiary canals. Traditional communal irrigation systems in northern Thailand received support for system infrastructure improvement but have faced increased interference from government. In Thailand market development supported diversification in farming practices resulting in increased areas under high water-demanding commercial crops in the dry season. In contrast, the command areas of most irrigation systems in Nepal include cereal-based subsistence farming with only one-third having commercial farming. Cropping intensities are higher in Nepal than in Thailand reflecting, in part, differences in availability of land and management. In both countries local institutions play an important role in maintaining the performance of irrigation systems as external drivers and local contexts change. Local institutions have provided alternative options for irrigation water use by mediating external pressures.

Analysis to develop a program for energy-integrated farm systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eakin, D. E.; Clark, M. A.; Inaba, L. K.; Johnson, K. I.

1981-09-01

A program to use renewable energy resources and possibly develop decentralization of energy systems for agriculture is discussed. The program's objective is determined by: (1) an analysis of the technologies that could be utilized to transform renewable farm resources to energy by the year 2000, (2) the quantity of renewable farm resources that are available, and (3) current energy-use patterns. Individual research, development, and demonstration projects are fit into a national program of energy-integrated farm systems on the basis of market need, conversion potential, technological opportunities, and acceptability. Quantification of these factors for the purpose of establishing program guidelines is conducted using the following four precepts: (1) market need is identified by current use of energy for agricultural production; (2) conversion potential is determined by the availability of renewable resources; and (3) technological opportunities are determined by the state-of-the-art methods, techniques, and processes that can convert renewable resources into farm energy.

An on-farm investigation of beef suckler herds using an animal welfare index (AWI).

PubMed

Mazurek, Mickael; Prendiville, Daniel J; Crowe, Mark A; Veissier, Isabelle; Earley, Bernadette

2010-12-13

Beef suckler farms (194 farms throughout 13 counties) were assessed once with housed cattle and once with cattle at grass using an animal welfare index (AWI). Twenty-three of the 194 farms were revisited a year later and re-evaluated using the AWI and the Tier-Gerechtheits-Index 35L/2000 (TGI35L/2000). Thirty-three indicators were collected in five categories: locomotion (5 indicators); social interactions (between animals) (7), flooring (5), environment (7) and Stockpersonship (9). Three indicators relating to the size of the farm were also collected.Improving animal welfare is an increasingly important aspect of livestock production systems predominantly due to increased consumer concern about the source of animal products. The objectives were (i) to evaluate animal welfare of Irish beef suckler herds using an animal welfare index (AWI), (ii) to examine correlations between parameters, how they influence the AWI and investigate the applicability of the parameters used, (iii) to investigate the impact of the activity of the farmer (full-time or part-time), the interest of the farmer and the number of animals on the AWI. The mean AWI was 65% and ranged from 54% to 83%. The grazing period represented 16.5% of the total points of the AWI. Seventy percent of the farms were rated as "Very Good" or "Excellent". There was no difference (P > 0.05) in AWI between full-time and part-time farmers. Part-time farmers had greater (P = 0.01) "social interactions": calving (P = 0.03) and weaning (P < 0.001) scores. Full-time farmers had cleaner animals (P = 0.03) and their animals had less lameness (P = 0.01). The number of animals on-farm and the interest of the Stockperson were negatively and positively correlated (P = 0.001), respectively, with the AWI. A hierarchical classification was performed to examine how the indicators influenced the AWI. The AWI was easily applicable for an on-farm evaluation of welfare. The Stockpersonship was an important factor in determining the AWI (11% of the total variation) more specifically, the interest of the farmer. Part and full-time farming did not differ (P > 0.05) in AWI scores. This method could, with further development, be used in countries with both intensive and/or extensive production systems and would require substantially less resources than animal-based methods.

A farm platform approach to optimizing temperate grazing-livestock systems: metrics for trade-off assessments and future innovations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harris, Paul; Takahashi, Taro; Blackwell, Martin; Cardenas, Laura; Collins, Adrian; Dungait, Jennifer; Eisler, Mark; Hawkins, Jane; Misselbrook, Tom; Mcauliffe, Graham; Mcfadzean, Jamie; Murray, Phil; Orr, Robert; Jordana Rivero, M.; Wu, Lianhai; Lee, Michael

2017-04-01

Global agriculture is at a critical juncture when competing requirements for maximal production and minimal pollution have led to the concept of sustainable intensification. Livestock production, especially ruminant livestock is central to this debate. Ruminants make an important contribution to global food security by converting feed that is unsuitable for human consumption to high value protein, demand for which is currently increasing at an unprecedented rate. Sustainable intensification of ruminant livestock production may be applied to pastoral grazing, mixed-cropping, feedlot and housed production systems. All these systems have associated environmental risks such as water and air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and soil degradation, as well as issues affecting production efficiency, product quality and consumer acceptability, such as reduced animal fertility, health and welfare, reflected in the development of agricultural sustainability policies. Further, in many societies livestock represent a resource far greater than just food, e.g. fibre, draught, fertiliser, fuel, bank and social. These challenges necessitate multidisciplinary solutions that can only be properly researched, implemented and tested in real-world production systems which are suited to their geographical and climatic production practice, e.g. temperate grassland. The North Wyke Farm Platform (http://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/farmplatform) was established during 2010 as a UK national capability for collaborative research, training and knowledge exchange in agro-environmental sciences. Its remit is to research agricultural productivity and ecosystem responses to different management practices for beef and sheep production in lowland temperate grasslands. Following construction, a typical beef and sheep system based on permanent pasture receiving chemical fertilisers on first grade pasture (>60% perennial ryegrass) was implemented across the 67.2 ha farm platform in order to obtain baseline data on hydrology, emissions, nutrient cycling, biodiversity, productivity and livestock welfare/health for 2 years (April 2011 to March 2013). Since April 2013, the platform has been progressively modified across three distinct ca. 22 ha farmlets with the underlying principle being to improve the sustainability (economic, social and environmental) by comparing contrasting pasture-based systems (permanent pasture, grass and clover swards, and reseeding of high quality germplasm on a regular cycle). This modification or transitional period ended in July 2015, when the platform assumed full post-baseline status. In this paper, we summarise the sustainability trade-off metrics developed to compare the three systems, together with the farm platform data collections used to create them; collections that can be viewed as 'big data' when considered in their entirety. We concentrate on the baseline and transitional periods and discuss the potential innovations to optimise grazing livestock systems utilising an experimental farm platform approach.

The New BaBar Data Reconstruction Control System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ceseracciu, Antonio

2003-06-02

The BaBar experiment is characterized by extremely high luminosity, a complex detector, and a huge data volume, with increasing requirements each year. To fulfill these requirements a new control system has been designed and developed for the offline data reconstruction system. The new control system described in this paper provides the performance and flexibility needed to manage a large number of small computing farms, and takes full benefit of OO design. The infrastructure is well isolated from the processing layer, it is generic and flexible, based on a light framework providing message passing and cooperative multitasking. The system is activelymore » distributed, enforces the separation between different processing tiers by using different naming domains, and glues them together by dedicated brokers. It provides a powerful Finite State Machine framework to describe custom processing models in a simple regular language. This paper describes this new control system, currently in use at SLAC and Padova on {approx}450 CPUs organized in 12 farms.« less

Applying animal-based welfare assessments on New Zealand dairy farms: feasibility and a comparison with United Kingdom data.

PubMed

Laven, R A; Fabian, J

2016-07-01

To assess the feasibility of applying animal-based welfare assessments developed for use in Europe on New Zealand dairy farms; in particular, to identify measures which could be evaluated during a single visit at milking time alongside whole herd locomotion scoring. A protocol for animal welfare assessment, developed in the United Kingdom (UK), was evaluated. Measures that were suitable for use on pasture-based dairy farms in New Zealand were then assessed for practicability on 59 farms across New Zealand, during and immediately after milking, alongside whole herd locomotion scoring. Where data were collected the results were compared to those from a UK study of 53 dairy farms. Thirteen observations of the physical condition of cows were considered suitable for measurement, excluding observations related to hock lesions as they are rarely observed on pasture-based farms. Five of these measures were not assessed as there was not time to do so during milking alongside whole herd locomotion scoring. Thus, the prevalence of dirty flanks, hind limbs and udders, dull coat, thick hairy coat, significant hair loss, very fat cows (body condition score (BCS) ≥7 on 1-10 scale) and very thin cows (BCS≤3), were recorded. Three measures of behaviour were considered suitable for measurement on-farm, but only locomotion score was practicable and was measured. Farmer-estimates for the incidence of mastitis, lameness, sudden death, milk fever and other diseases were also obtained.Overall, dirty flanks, dirty udders and estimated milk fever incidence were more prevalent in this study than in the UK. The prevalence of thin and fat cows, lame cows and estimated mastitis incidence were much lower in the present study than on UK farms. Animal-based assessments can be used on dairy farms in New Zealand, but need to be modified from those developed for housed cows.Welfare on these farms was generally good compared to those in the UK, but these results need to be confirmed on more farms using a wider range of assessments than proved practicable in this study.

76 FR 67440 - Market Access Agreement

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-01

... the Farm Credit System (System or FCS) and the Federal Farm Credit Banks Funding Corporation (Funding...-4020, TTY (703) 883-4020. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: System banks and the Funding Corporation entered... of each System bank by outlining each party's respective rights and responsibilities in the event the...

Life cycle assessment of manure management and nutrient recycling from a Chinese pig farm.

PubMed

Luo, Yiming; Stichnothe, Heinz; Schuchardt, Frank; Li, Guoxue; Huaitalla, Roxana Mendoza; Xu, Wen

2014-01-01

Driven by the growing numbers of intensified pig farms around cities in China, there are problems of nutrient surplus and shortage of arable land for utilising the manure. Hence, sustainable livestock systems with effective manure management are needed. The objective of this study is to compare the existing manure treatment of a typical pig farm in Beijing area (separate collection of faeces; 'Gan qing fen' system) with an alternative system and to identify the nutrients flow of the whole farm in order to quantify environmental burdens and to estimate the arable land required for sustainable nutrients recycling. Life cycle assessment is used for this purpose. Acidification potential (AP), eutrophication potential (EP) and global warming potential (GWP) are analysed in detail; the functional unit is the annual production of the pig farm. The results show that the cropland area demand for sustainable land application of the effluent can be reduced from 238 to 139 ha with the alternative system. It is possible to transfer 29% of total nitrogen, 87% of phosphorus, 34% of potassium and 75% of magnesium to the compost, and to reduce the total AP, EP and GWP of manure management on the farm by 64.1%, 96.7% and 22%, respectively, compared with the current system. Besides an effective manure management system, a full inventory of the regional nutrients flow is needed for sustainable development of livestock systems around big cities in China.

Assessing the impacts of the changes in farming systems on food security and environmental sustainability of a Chinese rural region under different policy scenarios: an agent-based model.

PubMed

Yuan, Chengcheng; Liu, Liming; Qi, Xiaoxing; Fu, Yonghu; Ye, Jinwei

2017-07-01

Since China has undergone a series of economic reforms and implemented opening up policies, its farming systems have significantly changed and have dramatically influenced the society, economy, and environment of China. To assess the comprehensive impacts of these changes on food security and environmental sustainability, and establish effective and environment-friendly subsidy policies, this research constructed an agent-based model (ABM). Daligang Town, which is located in the two-season rice region of Southern China, was selected as the case study site. Four different policy scenarios, i.e., "sharply increasing" (SI), "no-increase" (NI), "adjusted-method" (AM), and "trend" (TD) scenarios were investigated from 2015 to 2029. The validation result shows that the relative prediction errors between the simulated and actual values annually ranged from -20 to 20%, indicating the reliability of the proposed model. The scenario analysis revealed that the four scenarios generated different variations in cropping systems, rice yield, and fertilizer and pesticide inputs when the purchase price of rice and the non-agricultural income were assumed to increase annually by 0.1 RMB per kg and 10% per person, respectively. Among the four different policy scenarios in Daligang, the TD scenario was considered the best, because it had a relatively high rice yield, fairly minimal use of fertilizers and pesticides, and a lower level of subsidy. Despite its limitations, ABM could be considered a useful tool in analyzing, exploring, and discussing the comprehensive effects of the changes in farming system on food security and environmental sustainability.

76 FR 10578 - Combined Notice of Filings # 1

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-25

... Numbers: ER11-2904-000. Applicants: Settlers Trail Wind Farm, LLC. Description: Settlers Trail Wind Farm, LLC submits tariff filing per 35.12: Settlers Trail Wind Farm, LLC, Market-Based Rate Tariff to be... Time on Thursday, March 10, 2011. Docket Numbers: ER11-2905-000. Applicants: Pioneer Trail Wind Farm...

Modularized and water-cooled photo-catalyst cleaning devices for aquaponics based on ultraviolet light-emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Henglong; Lung, Louis; Wei, Yu-Chien; Huang, Yi-Bo; Chen, Zi-Yu; Chou, Yu-Yang; Lin, Anne-Chin

2017-08-01

The feasibility of applying ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LED's) as triggering sources of photo-catalyst based on titanium dioxide (TiO2) nano-coating specifically for water-cleaning process in an aquaponics system was designed and proposed. The aquaponics system is a modern farming system to integrate aquaculture and hydroponics into a single system to establish an environmental-friendly and lower-cost method for farming fish and vegetable all together in urban area. Water treatment in an aquaponics system is crucial to avoid mutual contamination. we proposed a modularized watercleaning device composed of all commercially available components and parts to eliminate organic contaminants by using UV-LED's for TiO2 photo-catalyst reaction. This water-cleaning module consisted of two coaxial hollowed cylindrical pipes can be submerged completely in water for water treatment and cooling UV-LED's. The temperature of the UV-LED after proper thermal management can be reduced about 16% to maintain the optimal operation condition. Our preliminary experimental result by using Methylene Blue solution to simulate organic contaminants indicated that TiO2 photo-catalyst triggered by UV-LED's can effectively decompose organic compound and decolor Methylene Blue solution.