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Differences in enteric methane emissions across four dairy production systems in the urbanizing environment of an Indian megacity
(2024-01-17)
Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are rapidly urbanizing, leading to a high demand for high-quality animal products. Production increase is seen as a key to meeting this demand and reducing the global environmental impact of low-yielding dairy production system (DPS) often found in LMICs. Therefore, the present study assesses the relationship between enteric methane emissions and different dairy production strategies, taking DPS in the rural–urban interface of Bengaluru, an Indian megacity, as a case study. ...
Aufsatz
Labour relations and working conditions of workers on smallholder cocoa farms in Ghana
(2023-06-16)
The millions of farm workers in the Global South are an important resource for smallholder producers. However, research on their labour organisation is limited. This article focuses on smallholder farm workers in Ghana’s cocoa sector, drawing on insights from qualitative interviews and the concept of bargaining power. We review the labour relations and working conditions of two historical and informally identified labour supply setups (LSSs) in Ghana’s cocoa sector, namely, hired labour and Abusa, a form of ...
Aufsatz
Relationships between feeding and microbial faeces indices in dairy cows at different milk yield levels
(2019-08-20)
A study was carried out to gain quantitative information on the diet-dependent faecal microbial biomass of dairy cows, especially on the biomass fractions of fungi, Gram-positive (G+) and Gram-negative (G-) bacteria. Groups of high-yield, low-yield and non-lactating cows were investigated at four different farms. A mean faecal microbial biomass C (MBC) concentration of 33.5 mg g-1 DM was obtained by the chloroform fumigation extraction method. This is similar to a mean microbial C concentration of 31.8 mg g-1 DM, ...
Aufsatz
Characterization of charcoal and firewood ash for use in African peri-urban agriculture
(2020-03-05)
Background
Ample quantities of ashes generated from domestic biomass energy combustion in Ghanaian kitchens are currently disposed of despite their potential agricultural value. This study aimed to investigate the potential agricultural value of charcoal and firewood ashes in terms of differences in the chemical and mineralogical compositions, and to identify the suitability of aqua regia, H2SO4, vinegar and distilled water to extract plant nutrients (Ca, Mg, K, Na, and P). The chemical compositions were determined ...
Aufsatz
Peanut monoculture-induced decline in fertility of Andosols in Nicaragua
(2022-08-23)
Background: Andosols are generally characterized by strong resilience to degradation and high soil fertility. This may decline during long-term peanut (Arachis hypogea) monoculture, as indicated by soil chemical and biological properties. Aims: The study investigated the monoculture-induced changes in soil chemical environment as driver for the decline in soil fertility. Methods: In this on-farm study, soils from seven sites cropped with peanut monoculture for different periods between 1 and 20 years were analyzed ...
Aufsatz
Showcasing the multifaceted aspects of agricultural transformation: The example of mountain oases in Oman
(2022-11-11)
In the Anthropocene the consequences of land-use transformation on ecosystem services are of growing concern, particularly in fragile areas of mountain agriculture that often represent high nature-value farmland. This study uses a decadal repeated survey approach to analyse the effects of modernisation on oasis systems in the Jabal Al Akhdar region of northern Oman. This rugged mountain region at the north-eastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula experiences a growing influx of regional and international tourists since ...
Aufsatz
Cover crops and compost prevent weed seed bank buildup in herbicide‐free wheat-potato rotations under conservation tillage
(2019-02-07)
Weeds are a major constraint affecting crop yields in organic farming and weed seed bank analysis can be an important tool for predicting weed infestation and assessing farming system sustainability.
We compared the weed seed banks two and four years after transition from conventional to reduced tillage in organically managed winter wheat–potato cropping sequences in two replicated field trials. Experimental factors were either conventional (CT) with moldboard (25 cm) or reduced tillage (RT) with chisel ploughing ...
Aufsatz
Improving Animal Health on Organic Dairy Farms: Stakeholder Views on Policy Options
(2020-04-09)
Although ensuring good animal health is a stated aim of organic livestock farming and an important reason why consumers purchase organic products, the health states actually achieved are comparable to those in conventional farming. Unfortunately, there have been no studies to date that have assessed stakeholder views on different policy options for improving animal health on organic dairy farms. To address this deficit, stakeholder consultations were conducted in four European countries, involving 39 supply-chain ...
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Performance, carcass quality and meat quality of the endangered German Angler Saddleback pig
(2024-04-30)
The Angler Saddleback pig is an endangered local breed originating from Germany. The breed is said to have low demands in terms of husbandry and feeding, and an excellent meat quality. To date, there is a lack of more recent scientific investigations of the breed. Therefore, 58 Angler Saddleback pigs were fattened in two consecutive trials whereby performance, carcass quality and meat quality were assessed. At an average age of 324 days, the pigs reached an average final live weight of 143 kg, an intramuscular fat ...
Aufsatz
Drought threatens agroforestry landscapes and dryland livelihoods in a North African hotspot of environmental change
(2024-02-08)
Dryland agroforestry is often hailed as a nature-based solution for rural people’s water- and climate-related struggles, yet appraisals of traditional agroforestry practices and interventions in Maghreb countries are scant. In this study, we appraise whether and how agroforestry delivers as a solution to Moroccan farmers’ plight with drought. Through an analysis of landscape observations, 75 qualitative interviews, and six group discussions, we show that the region’s mountain residents risk losing their livelihoods ...