In this dissertation I have tried to figure out if it possible to make any money on acid grain to feed cows through a case study. The method is a case study combined with a documentary research. At present the farm sell all grain in connection with harvest and buy it back continuously in the neighbourhood, I have compared that with an alternative where I invest in a construction for to store acid grain on the current farm. I have delimit me to only have a look on acid grain because I think that is one of the cheapest way too store grain in smaller aplenty. Before beginning with acid grain is it important to be versed in how everything works and the risk to keep on with acid grain. One disadvantage is that the acid grain is not possible to store more than 12 months with out acid it once again. It is also easy to get mould in the pasture if it is not acid enough.

Abstract In order to make the modern agriculture less dependent on non-renewable external inputs, it has to rely more on ecosystem services. The agricultural system produce not only food, fiber and fuel, it also generates other ecosystem services such as e.g. photosynthesis, recycling of nutrients, influencing local microclimate, pollination, biological control and detoxification of noxious chemicals. This study is an attempt to get a better understanding about the interaction among different ecosystem services and different habitats capacity to generate them. An evaluation of eight different methods is done. The ecosystem services studied are the ability to absorb solar energy, biomass production, botanical diversity, decomposition and natural predation of aphids.

Weaning is a standard procedure at most studs, and the methods of weaning varies greatly. The method used at the stud in this particular study is supposed to decrease stress. The purpose of the study was to compare the behaviour of foals in group before and after stepwise removal of their mares. Standardbred foals with their mothers were kept in three different groups at pasture (12, 11 and 11 foals, respectively, mixed sexes). They had free access to silage and the foals were fed concentrate in a creep-feeding area. By the time the foals were 5 months old, the mares were stepwise removed from the pasture.

Heat stress negatively influences the performance of dairy cattle such as lactation and reproduction. Heat stress can cause production losses as well as welfare problems. Years of research have shown that heat stress is a huge problem for dairy cattle in both the tropics and temperate zones but no such research have so far been done in northern European countries. It seems like shade is an important tool when improving pasture conditions and therefore deserves more attention. The aim with this study was to investigate whether there is a need of providing shade for grazing dairy cows during the summer in Sweden. Two groups of lactating Swedish Red dairy cows (n=15 per group) were kept on pasture.

The use of fossil fuels such as coal and gas are a contributor to the global warming. The climate change is a worldwide problem with far reaching consequences that is believed to be very expensive. The United Nations has been introducing a framework convention on climate change. One component of the convention is the Kyoto protocol. The protocol is obligating the developed countries to decrease their emissions of greenhouse gases by 5.2 percent during the time period 2008-2012.

AbstractThe dependency of fossil fuels in the transport sector causes large emissions of carbondioxide. This problem can we reduce by using vehicle gas from digested solid manure and leftover of pasture. I have studied the potential for this in the county of Västernorrland. Thepurpose is to investigate how much vehicle gas that can be extracted.One central, large scale digestion and upgrade plant should be placed in Härnösand. Theamount of pasture and manure that is economical and practical available is enough to produce2,7-3,5 millions Nm3 vehicle gas.

Today, there are no regulations saying that cows must have access to some kind of shelter at pasture during the summer. In more tropical countries, it is well-known that dairy cows might suffer from heat stress when exposed to sun and high temperatures. The well-being of the cows is thereby reduced and the production may also decrease. In Sweden, no research has been done in the area and therefore it is now a clear need of improved knowledge.The purpose of this study was to investigate the importance of shade for dairy cows in Sweden. The behaviour of 30 cows was examined to see any differences between cows with access to shade and cows without access to shade.

The reindeer are kept in extensive pasture systems where the conditions are similar to thosefor wild reindeer. Since the reindeer have special demands on their pasture, it is difficult tokeep them in intensive production systems where they cannot graze selectively. Too manyreindeer on a small area will also facilitate spread of diseases. A selection program forreindeer needs special qualifications according to several different reasons. The purpose withthis literature review is to summarize the factors needed for a reindeer selection program andthe problems and possibilities included.Reindeer grazing right has a special meaning to the Sami and are reserved for them accordingto immemorial rights.

Botanically diverse pastures are commonly used in New Zealand to reduce the ruminant environmental impact by reducing the methane production from the rumen digestion. In order to evaluate the effects diverse pasture species have on the milk fatty acid profile seventy-two lactating Friesian-Jersey crossbred dairy cows were used in a randomised block design with two replicates of six treatments. Six different pasture mixtures were fed at a daily allowance of approximately 15 kg DM/cow/day. The mixtures were categorised as either a simple or a diverse pasture. The simple mixtures all contained white clover with the addition of either a standard diploid perennial ryegrass (RG), a diploid high sugar ryegrass (HS) or tall fescue (TF).

Sub-lethal doses of neonicotinoids have been shown to negatively impact the health of honeybees. However, most studies to date have exposed bees only artificially to these pesticides under laboratory conditions. There have been just a few well designed and replicated studies of the impacts of realistic neonicotinoid exposure on honeybees foraging under field conditions. In order to close this knowledge gap, and to test the influence of the neonicotinoid clothianidin on honeybees, we used a study system of 16 paired, spatially separated (>4 km) spring oilseed rape fields in the south of Sweden. The fields were paired according to land use, the surrounding landscape and geographical proximity, using GIS.

This literature review describes organic pig production in Sweden, its advantages and disadvantages, but also how its problems can be reduced or solved. Organic pigs have the possibility to a more natural behaviour than conventional pigs. With outdoor pigs comes problems, especially during wintertime, concerning water and feed supply, thermal environment and supervision. Parasites and leakage of plant nutrients are other difficulties that comes with outdoor pigs. All problems and difficulties can be reduced or put right through correct management.

Large amounts of phosphorus (P) are lost from the arable land due to water erosion. Both phosphorus attached to particles and dissolved phosphorus (mainly phosphate) are transported away with drainage-water and surface runoff. Good soil structure is important in minimizing these losses. In this study, soils from 50 fields were analysed with respect to aggregate stability as measured by dispersion of clay together with the content of total phosphorus (TotP), particulate phosphorus (PP) and phosphate phosphorus (PO4P) in the water phase. All soils were clay soils with clay content varying between 21 and 54%.

Organic rearing of broilers is not a large production in Sweden. In order to create a sustainable yet efficient production of organically produced poultry meat, at a price that the consumers are willing to pay, much more knowledge is needed. It is therefore important to do more research on organic broilers under Swedish conditions. This report is aimed to be a base for further studies. In the study 2000 broilers of the hybrid Ross 308 divided in to two equal groups. The broiler hybrids that are used in Sweden are selected for a high growth rate and are normally slaughtered at the age of 5 to 6 weeks, with a slaughter weight of 1.7-2 kg.

Animal welfare in Sweden has gone through major changes during the later years. In 2004, Swedish Animal Welfare Agency took over the central responsibility for the animal welfare from the Swedish Board of Agriculture, and in 2007 the board again became the central authority for animal welfare in Sweden.Even the practical supervision has changed, from the 1 of January 2009 the supervision is to be performed by the county administrative boards, instead of by the individual municipalities. Since 2006 every horse in the European Union has to have an identification card, in Sweden called a ?horse passport? which describes the color and markings of the horse as well as any veterinary treatments.The ELOF-project, a collaborative project between the Swedish Board of Agriculture and the county administrative boards, intends to make the animal welfare supervision effective, standardised, fair and risk-based. Because of the takeover of the supervision and of the ELOF-project the Örebro County Administrative Board has began to make an inventory of the number of horses and horsefarms in the county. Another Ethology and Animal Welfare-student and I did, in collaboration with the county administrative board created a checklist that in connection with the inventory will lead to a risk-based animal welfare supervision.

Several radioactive nuclides were deposited in Sweden after the Chernobyl accident in 1986. The greatest attention was given to 137Cs because of its relative long physical half life of about 30 years. 137Cs will be present in nature for more than 100 years before it has vanished completely. When radiocaesium decays to a stable end product ionizing radiation is emitted, which can cause cancer in humans that has been exposed to a high radiation dose. Radiocaesium behaves like potassium and is easily taken up into biological systems.