Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element that is involved in several physiological functions in mammals. Mostly, Se is bound to proteins, many of them with enzymatic functions. A group of seleno-depending enzymes, glutathione peroxidases (GSH-Px?s), are important as antioxidants and protects against free radicals. The activity of GSH-Px is strongly regulated by Se storage in the liver.

The landscape with its associated historical tracks and remains are an important part of our cultural heritage that we consider important to conserve. The stone walls are an example of historical remains that helps to build up this cultural heritage. It is a landscape element that today usually is being associated with the old cultivated landscape, where they mainly functioned as boundary markings and fences. Today, the stone wall is a valuable element in the landscape with ecological, culture-historical and aesthetic values. Since the stone walls arose as elements in the landscape a lot has been changed within the agriculture.

Zambia is a country in Southern Africa where poverty is widespread and the traditional keeping of local poultry therefore plays a crucial role in improving nutrition. Meat and eggs from poultry are important sources of protein but also of income. Improving the poultry production is thereby a method to fight poverty. For poultry, the access to light is an important factor for both growth and egg production. In this paper, the focus is on the traditional village chickens used for both egg and meat production, how they are kept, their health and welfare and if the use of a solar lamp will influence their behaviour, growth and egg production. Three studies were conducted in Chibombo and Choma Districts in Zambia were 17 farmers were interviewed regarding the village chicken management of which six farmers participated in a solar lamp experiment.

Det finns en direkt koppling mellan den allt högre mjölkavkastningen hos våra mjölkraser SRB och SLB och vissa reproduktionsstörningar. Posten fruktsamhet är idag den största utslagsorsaken i kokontrollen. Högre produktionsnivåer leder till kortare och mer svårupptäckta brunster eller t o m till att brunst helt uteblir. Det tar också längre tid för kon att komma i brunst efter kalvning. Allra tydligast ses detta hos gruppen förstakalvare.

The problem with passive farmers has arised as an effect of the European Union´s common agricultural policy (CAP) and the decouplement from production-based payments. Payments to passive farmers contradict the purpose of the single payment scheme and constitute a great cost for the EU. The new contractual period after 2013 has given rise to discussions on the direction of the CAP with a purpose of increasing the efficiency of the single payment scheme, and reducing passive farming. The aim of the study is to increase the knowledge about a few factors? influence on passive farmers? attitudes towards land use and the CAP.

A diet based on a bigger part of locally produced vegetables can contribute to decreasing environmental impact and improved health. In Gotland horticulture has increased more than in Sweden in total during the last 15 years. To investigate possibilities for development of Gotland´s horticulture, the cultivation of potato, vegetables, fruits and berries was mapped through a questionnaire among growers. Interviews and a workshop with growers and reseller were conducted to investigate the interest and prerequisites for growing new crops. In total approximately 2340 hectares of potato, vegetables, fruits and berries were grown in Gotland in 2012.

The Effects of dietary biotin supplementation on hoof health in Swedish dairy cows - a controlled cohort field study. The aim of the present degree project was to investigate the effects of biotin supplementation on hoof health in dairy cows. The experiment was performed as a controlled cohort study in three commercial farms in western Sweden from January 2002 to October 2002. The cows were all housed in cubicle systems with transponder concentrate feeding systems. Within each farm the cows were allocated to either biotin or control treatment. The biotin groups received 20 mg of biotin per cow and day, starting 14 days before expected calving.

Among farmers in Sweden hedging of product prices is a relatively new way of thinking. A deregulated market and a more volatile price picture are consequences of the free market and the movements towards globalization. The effects of globalization are largely a demand- and supply driven market. These factors give the farmers incentives to stay informed and to act on their own in order to manage their price risk exposure.The overall purpose with this study is to analyze the farmers? attitudes and awareness of price hedging and to examine what type of decision processes that characterize hedging decisions.The study covers the period 2006 until 2008 and the crops oil seeds, barley (malt), milling wheat, feed wheat, oats and feed oats.

The mountainous Central Asian and former Soviet country Tajikistan is the least advantaged country economically among the former Soviet Union states. Approximately 6.5 % of the land is arable in a country where roughly 80 % of the households typically own small numbers of sheep and goats. Management practices and animal husbandry in the villages such as uncontrolled breeding, mixing of animals on pastures favor transmission of infectious diseases. Brucellosis is a zoonotic bacterial disease caused by Brucella spp. The disease is endemic in Tajikistan. B.

Jällaskolans upper secondary School is situated on a big farm just outside Uppsala. The School is focused on agriculture, forestry, gardening, animal care and science. Jällaskolans staff has whished for a school garden for educational purpose where students can practice their gardening skills and learn more about plants. But most important, a specially adapted outside environment such as a garden, would be a great advantage for the students with special needs. This garden could even be an asset for other visiting school classes in the region.

The dairy market will change importantly in the coming years. The quota system, which has regulated the European dairy production, will disappear in 2015 and the European dairy market will then be importantly affected by the volatility characterizing the dynamic of world prices. Besides this, the global demand of dairy products is expected to increase due to the growing world population. Farmers in countries such as the U.S. and New Zealand, when compared to Swedish farmers, show greater familiarity and experience with risk management tools.

During the last decade several cooperatives have struggled against many problems. Especiallyin North America several cooperatives have been forced to reconstruct, merge or have beenpurchased by other firms. There are many reasons behind these problems, but one observationmade on these cooperatives implies that they have one thing in common. The cooperatives areall very large and have a complex business structure.Lantmännen is one of the largest cooperatives in the Nordic Countries with its main office inSweden. In Nilsson et al.

Live exports of animals began during the late 19th century and are nowadays a valuable alternative to the slaughter industry in Australia. About four million sheep and half a million to one million cattle are exported annually from Australia to the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Most of these animals are exported for slaughter, but some cattle are exported with the purpose of breeding. One factor that has been the driving force for the live export industry is that countries through tariffs and other barriers have favored the import of live animals rather than the import of meat.The export means that animals with a great cognitive ability are exposed to a long chain of production from the farm to the market and there are many factors that can affect the welfare of the animals in a negative way. Some of the most serious are high temperatures and a high stocking density, although seasickness, noises and handling can also have a negative impact on the welfare of animals.

Haemonchus contortus is the most important bloodsucking gastrointestinal nematode in small ruminants worldwide. It is often controlled by anthelmintics. Even though other methods to control are available, the most efficient way to treat an animal with clinically manifested haemonchosis is to use one of the available broad spectrum anthelmintics: benzimidazoles (BZ), macrocyclic lactones (ML) or imidothiazoles-tetrahydropyromidines or the narrow spectrum drugs salisylanilides or nitrophenols. Anthelmintic resistance (AR) against all groups of anthelmintics in nematode parasites has been reported from many countries, and even multiple AR has been observed. In this study I have investigated the resistance levels to all major classes of broad spectrum anthelmintics in a naturally infected flock of sheep of Red Maasai sheep (RM), Dorper sheep (D) and their offsprings on a research farm in Kenya.

In the dairy production it is necessary to be able to sort cows. Dairy cows are sorted for many different reasons i.e. regrouping into production strings or for treatments i.e. inseminations, pregnancy and health checks, vaccinations or hoof trimmings. One labour saving way of conducting sorting is by using an automatic sort gate.