Effect of management system and dietary seasonal variability on environmental efficiency and human net food supply of mountain dairy farming systems.

Mountain dairy cattle farming systems are pivotal for the economy, as well as for social and environmental aspects. They significantly contribute to rural development, which is currently strongly prioritized in the common European Union agricultural policy; at the same time, they are also increasingly criticized for having a relatively high environmental impact (such as greenhouse gas emissions) per kilogram of product. Consequently, the aim of this study was to assess and compare the environmental efficiency of 2 common alpine dairy farming systems, with a focus on the effects of grazing, considering the seasonal variability in feeding at the individual cow level and farm management over a 3-yr period.

Horizon scanning of potential environmental applications of terrestrial animals, fish, algae and microorganisms produced by genetic modification, including the use of new genomic techniques.

With scientific progress and the development of new genomic techniques (NGTs), the spectrum of organisms modified for various purposes is rapidly expanding and includes a wide range of taxonomic groups. An improved understanding of which newly developed products may be introduced into the market and released into the environment in the near and more distant future is of particular interest for policymakers, regulatory authorities, and risk assessors. To address this information need, we conducted a horizon scanning (HS) of potential environmental applications in four groups of organisms: terrestrial animals (excluding insects and applications with gene drives), fish, algae and microorganisms.

Ad libitum feeding systems for lactating sows: effects on productivity and welfare of sows and piglets.

The nutritional requirements of sows change during lactation and thus require adapted and dynamic feeding regimes that consider the sows' behavioral needs and production traits. The present study evaluated the effect of four different feeding systems on productivity and aspects of the welfare of 61 sows and their piglets during lactation. A non-ad libitum system (CON) was compared with two computer-monitored (COMP, COMP + ) ad libitum feeding systems, that allowed sows to access feed via displacement of an electronic sensor, as well as a third purely mechanical ad libitum feeding system (MECH).

Effects of particle size reduction of meadow hay on feed intake, performance, and apparent total tract nutrient digestibility in dairy cows.

Forage-based diets are encouraged in organic dairy cattle production as this can increase the net human food supply, but their voluminous nature can limit dry matter intake (DMI) and performance. This study investigates the effects of a substantial particle size reduction of hay on dairy cows' feed intake, performance, and body characteristics, as well as on apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD). Eighteen lactating Holstein cows were allocated to two balanced feeding groups.