Magnesium is one of the most important minerals in the body and it participates in many essential processes, such as energy metabolism and protein synthezis. Magnesium deficiency in cattle may occur when they are let out for pasture in the spring, and is associated with tetany, known as grass staggers. A high yielding dairy cow often loses more magnesium daily in the milk than she has available in the body, and magnesium thereby needs to be provided in the feed to prevent the cow from being affected by deficiency symptoms. The uptake of magnesium is mainly located to the rumen and is not regulated by hormones. The surplus is excreted in the urine by the kidneys.

It is estimated that 22 000 contaminated areas exist in Sweden today. In order to classify the risk of contaminant migration from these areas and to prioritize which of these contaminated areas should first be treated, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has designed a method, for the investigation of contaminated areas (MIFO). One of these contaminated areas is the landfill Gräsötippen outside Köping. The landfill has been used by both Yara AB and the Köping municipality between the years 1945 and 1975, and both industrial and household waste have been deposited there. The aim of this report is to survey which contaminants that can be found in the soil and water in the landfill Gräsötippen and to evaluate the migration of these contaminants.

Peritonitis is a potentially life-threatening disease in horses. With no published work from Sweden, the objective of the study was to describe the occurrence and demographics of horses with peritonitis and to evaluate the outcome of treatment in terms of short-term survival during a ten-year period in a large clinic in Sweden. Data were examined in a retrospective manner in 69 horses diagnosed with and treated for peritonitis at Universitetsdjursjukhuset (UDS) in Uppsala between 2002-2012. Demographic data examined included age, breed, gender, history, duration of illness before arriving at UDS, reason for seeking veterinary care, initial clinical findings (general state of health, heart rate, respiratory rate, mucous membrane appearance, rectal temperature, abdominal sounds, rectal examination, nasogastric tube results), abdominocentesis results (abdominal fluid analysis including visual inspection, leukocytes and protein, cytology, bacterial culture and sensitivity pattern), complete blood count (CBC), Serum amyloid-A (SAA) upon presentation and a follow up, plasma fibrinogen, plasma protein and albumin, treatments, length of hospitalisation and outcome. All medical records with the diagnosis of peritonitis were extracted from the medical records system Trofast. All records with any other diagnosis code referring to trauma such as rectal tear or ruptured uterus, recent abdominal surgery, external trauma or rupture in the gastrointestinal tract were excluded. To be included in the study, the peritoneal fluid should contain more than 20.000 cells/?L, have a peritoneal protein value of >30 g/L; or have a significantly changed peritoneal fluid sample (orange with increased turbidity or worse) in cases where no data on cells or protein were available. The horses were divided into two groups; one where the peritonitis was deemed to have an idiopathic aetiology (primary peritonitis) and the other group where the peritonitis had a possible aetiology such as intestinal parasites, impaction etc.

This essay is about a deserted medieval habitation called Skyttsie Hage which is located in the south of Sweden in the Scania province where it lies on a moor on the Falsterbopeninsula. Remains of five to six larger buildings have been found here with a surrounding earthwork, although it's not known for sure what kind of habitation they have been part of. Local folklore from the 17:th century states the area as a place where pirates lived, and that this was the reason for it's devastation. Another says that there once stood a breedingfarm belonging to the danish crown. Archaeologists have made several speculations which includes a deer park, a royal estate, an isolated farm or a smaller village.

The purpose of this essay is to analyze and show possibilities how a city can grow into the scenery of a oak dominated landscape and how this encounter can add values to the city. The city in focus is Linköping, a city that is approaching one of Sweden?s largest oak dominated cultural landscapes. To this landscape high ecological and cultural values are connected. The recreational values are also of importance especially because of its urban location also because the city is mainly surrounded by flat agricultural land.

BIOGAS POTENTIAL IN GRASSES FROM WETLANDSMarvin MartinsThe purpose of this study has been to survey wetlands that are suitable for mowing and to analyze the biogas potential in the harvested grasses. A preformed investigation showed that there are suitable wetlands, which can be harvestable, namely those mowed formerly in traditional haymaking. The practice of traditional haymaking is dying out in Sweden today but there are several good reasons why it should to be reconsidered. Nature- and cultural values are obvious, also the unutilized energy in the grass.The suitable types of wetland that were specifically studied were the productive wetlands; meadow marshes and wet meadows. These wetlands are represented in the Swedish meadow- and pasture inventory database; (TUVA) and the Swedish national wetland inventory (VMI).

Sigill Quality Systems has been certifying beef since the autumn of 2006 using the brand name label Swedish Sigill. IP Sigill (the certifying system for integrated production) encompasses the values: animal ethics, food safety, free range and environmental concerns. Product quality is not yet one of these values, and there is a variation in the quality of Swedish beef. Swedish Sigill wanted to investigate the factors that influence product quality, review which of the present regulations that have an influence on product quality and formulate new regulations with the purpose of enhancing the product quality (sensorial, technological and nutritional quality). A survey of quality parameters and factors that influence product quality was done in order to establish a scientific foundation to work from.

En beteendestudie med nötkreatur utfördes under maj-september 2014 på försöksytor sådda i juli 2012 med fyra vallfröblandningar (A-D). Fröblandning A och B innehöll båda 35 % ängsgröe (Poa pratensis), 10 % Rödsvingel (Festuca rubra) och 20 % vitklöver (Trifolium repens) men skilde sig genom att fröblandningen för vall A innehöll 35 % engelskt rajgräs (Lolium perenne) och B innehöll 35 % rörsvingel (Festuca arundinacea). Fröblandningarna C och D hade arter i samma proportioner men skilde sig med avseende på sorter där C bestod av grässorter av fodertyp medan D bestod av sorter för sport ändamål. Både C och D innehöll 44 % ängsgröe, 12 % rödsvingel och 44 % engelskt rajgräs och ingen vitklöver, men vall C syftade i övrigt till att ha likartad sammansättning som A. Syftet med beteendestudien var att studera om nötkreatur föredrar eller undviker någon av vallarna.

Ekoturism har utvecklats som ett alternativ till annan typ av turism, med inriktning på att undvika negativa effekter på lokala ekosystem. I Sverige finns ekoturism som bedrivs i relativt orörda naturmiljöer, men också ekoturism som bedrivs i miljöer som påverkats av människan på olika sätt och som rymmer både kulturvärden och naturvärden. På gården Sjögetorp i Östergötland bedrivs ekoturismverksamhet i familjeföretaget Urnatur. Mitt syfte med studien var att undersöka vilka kulturvärden och naturvärden som finns på gården idag, och hur dessa värden hänger ihop med ekoturismen. Jag genomförde en inventering av hela fastigheten där jag registrerade ägoslag och strukturer viktiga för kultur och naturvärden. För mer information om gårdens skötsel och ekoturismverksamheten intervjuade jag ägarna. Jag undersökte också historiskt kartmaterial för att kunna sätta gårdens skötsel idag i perspektiv till hur jordbrukslandskapet sett ut historiskt. I min inventering dokumenterade jag många olika typer av naturvärden, bland annat död ved i många former, hamlade träd, slåtterängar, betesängar och skog skött till förmån för lövträd. Kulturvärden som fanns var ofta kopplade till naturvärden, som till exempel slåtter, hamlade träd och skogsbete.

During the late 1800s fire suppression became increasingly effective in northern Sweden which led to decreased areas of fire-disturbed woodland and successive changes in the structure of forests. In the long run this can pose a serious threat to fire-dependent and fire-favored species. Today some fire-prone forest reserves are burned as a nature conservation act. Often partial cuttings are made before burning, with somewhat different motives. The purpose of the study in Långsidberget nature reserve was to give a general picture of forest history and its affect on today?s forest condition, and to show how partial cuttings affect burning conditions and results. Långsidberget is located close to areas that were colonized during the Middle Ages.

The travelling sector is expanding worldwide, which puts all destinations under pressure to have a functioning social system and good resources to manage the problems and take advantage of the opportunities that the tourism sector can offer a community. The area around Kisumu in Kenya, like much of Africa, tourism can simultaneously ensure a stable financial future while it removes, as a result of a growing population, more and more of the scenery that many tourists want to experience. Responsible travel to natural areas that promotes conservation of the environment and improves the welfare of local people is what defines ecotourism. A concept that implies a closed cycle, where visitor?s needs are met in balance with what can be given back, without risking creating imbalances in society. Along the coast of Lake Victoria, valuable papyrus wetlands provide Kisumu vital ecosystem services such as water purification, climate adaptation while it also serves as a reservoir for biodiversity.

Swedish farmers have the possibility to be subsidized by EU rural development programme for grazing animals on pastures to promote the biodiversity of flora and fauna. The environmental remedy sometimes does not allow supplementary feed and at the same time the Swedish Animal Welfare Act and the Swedish Agricultural Board?s regulations for animal welfare and protection states that animals, in this case horses, shall be fed with food of good quality and adapted for the species. The regulations also state that they should have an individual feeding regime that enables them to maintain a normal body condition. The aim with this master thesis has been to investigate if it is possible to keep Gotland ponies on extensive pastures, during late spring and summer and still maintain animal welfare. The horses were assessed every fourth week using a welfare assessment protocol developed in line with the Welfare Quality® project (submitted, Viksten et al) where physical, behavioural and resourcebased parameters were observed. Twelve one-year old stallions of the breed Gotland ponies purchased from different breeders were used in the study.

The last decades have shown increased nitrogen leeching from soil to water recipients. This is inSweden mainly due to over-manuring of agriculture land, effectivization of drainage systems and thedeclining extent of wetlands. The accumulated amount of nitrogen in water doesn?t only make itunsuitable for use by humans and cattle, but also decreases the biological diversity as well as negativelyaffect tourism and fish industry. In the most severe cases shallow maritime grounds can be completelydepleted of oxygen due to decomposition of the increased amount algae and plankton growth.This study have the aim to describe and quantify the nitrogen leeching from the Genevad drainagebasin, located in southern Halland, Sweden.

Horses are by nature herbivores, specialized on grass, and graze during the main part of the day. The horse has neither changed this basic behaviour nor the function of gastro-intestinal tract, when the horse was domesticated by man. A horse on pasture has an even production of saliva and gastric acids. The buffering effect of the saliva makes the pH in the stomach above four throughout most of the day. With abnormal long breaks of eating, the pH may decrease, causing an increased risk of gastric ulcer.

Sammanfattning Ensilerat vallfoder är ett av de absolut viktigaste fodermedlen för att förmå korna att producera en stor mängd högkvalitativ mjölk. En hake är dock att ensilaget ska vara av god kvalitet och med bästa möjliga näringsvärde, samtidigt som man även vill ha volymmängder. För att få detta gäller det att skörda vid rätt tidpunkt, vilket kan vara svårt att veta när det infaller. Till detta finns ett hjälpmedel som kallas skördetidsprognos. Detta går ut på att man klipper prover i vallen upp till tre gånger innan första skörden för att analysera gräset och därigenom kunna avgöra när bästa tiden är för att skörda för att få den mest optimala kombinationen av mängd och näringsvärde. Syftet med detta arbete är att undersöka hur bra hjälpmedel jordbrukare i norra Sverige tycker att skördetidsprognosen är för att få en ökad kvalitet på ensilaget, samt att jämföra variationen i näringsvärde och mängd biomassa inom och mellan olika fält.