The agricultural sector is characterized by larger crop Farms and more extensive livestockproduction. The efficiency improvement is partly a result from a stronger competition in theglobal market. The agricultural products need to be produced at a lower cost than competitorsin order to survive as a farmer. The solution is larger firms that benefit from economies ofscale. This brings large investments that create a greater need for leverage and closer relationto the credit agency.

In many European countries there is an increasing concern about the occasionally high concentrations of nitrate and pesticides in drinking water. The advent of the EU Water Framework Directive particularly highlights this. The directive states that all large drinking water sources should be identified and protected from pollution before 2009 and that by 2015 all water bodies should reach a 'good status'. In Sweden about 60 percent of the drinking water sources have protection areas. This means that about 700 new water protection areas need to be designated before 2009. This will affect many farmers, restricting their farming practices. The purpose of this study was to investigate which methods are used in other countries concerning nitrate and pesticide pollution from agriculture. From this, the expectation was to generate ideas on what could be undertaken in Sweden when designating new protection areas.

The world?s population reached more than 6.9 billion people in July 2011. It is expected that the population growth during the next 40 years will take place mostly in low-income countries and the population increase will be 2.3 billion people during 2011-2050. A rapid urbanization is also expected to result in 57.7 per cent of Africa?s population living in urban areas in 2050.

SUMMARY This pilot study tried to answer the question however the present animal welfare regulations for horses regarding lying hall area requirements are adequate for horses older than 24 months. The study was carried out at one of the largest stud Farms for standard bred horses in Sweden. Mares in late pregnancy with an initial mean age of 10 years was used in a behaviour study. The influence of varying space per animal in a loose-housing system on behaviours like the horses' lying hall use, standing, resting, moving behaviour and threats was studied. The behaviour at three different horse densities ? 18 mares, 13 mares and 8 mares (7.4 m2, 10.3 m2 and 16.7 m2 per mare, respectively) ? was recorded by use of video.

Summary The size of the Swedish dairy Farms increases and also the demands for rational manage-ment of the herd without affecting the animal welfare enhance. One way to handle the manure in the cow shed alleys is to have automatic scrapers. In this system the scraper has to get rid of the manure somewhere. The most common way of doing that today is to let the scraper deliver the manure under some kind of gate or covering over the manure culvert. When the scraper goes under the gate or the covering there is a risk of squeezing animals and farmer.

The goal of this work has been to search historical materials, to identify the park's historical development, to prepare proposals on measures and that work should be the basis for further research. The aim has been to train us in searching for and use of materials and to gain an understanding of the process of work with older plants. In the process we have sought and found materials in archives, through literary and oral sources, and email contacts. Because of its excellent location perched on an islet in the low landscape Näsbyholm was long a fortress. The old castle on Näsbyholm was from the late 1400s but the site was fortified much earlier. The islet was at this time completely surrounded by water and there was a drawbridge over the narrow waterline. The owners are liable since the late 1200s.