| 1. |
|
|
| 2. |
|
|
| 3. |
- Bernes, Gun, et al.
(författare)
-
Bete på norrländska mjölkgårdar
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Svenska vallbrev. - 1653-8064. ; , s. 1-2
-
Tidskriftsartikel (populärvet., debatt m.m.)abstract
- Hur kan man mäta beteskvaliteten? Vilket bete erbjuds till de norrländska mjölkkorna? Vad kostar betet? Dessa och andra frågor har vi försökt besvara i ett projekt som har pågått i Västerbotten under 2021 och 2022.
|
|
| 4. |
|
|
| 5. |
|
|
| 6. |
- Bernes, Gun
(författare)
-
High work satisfaction despite high workload among European organic mixed livestock farmers: a mixed-method approach
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Agronomy for Sustainable Development. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1774-0746 .- 1773-0155. ; 43
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Organic mixed livestock farming offers a range of potential benefits for the environment. Due to the diversification of enterprises, this farming system can be associated with a high workload, which means that it could be socially unsustainable. The aim of this study was to understand and explain work satisfaction of farmers running an organic mixed livestock farm. Using a mixed-method approach, quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 102 farmers in seven European countries during face-to-face interviews. We showed for the first time that across Europe and different animal species and category combinations, organic mixed livestock farms can provide a high work satisfaction, despite a high workload. By using a mixed-method approach and a clear framework, we aimed at better understanding work satisfaction. Underlying reasons for work satisfaction included the diversity of tasks, opportunities to learn, autonomy in the work schedule, perceived acknowledgement by consumers, and the contribution to sustainable food production. Factors contributing to work satisfaction identified in the analysis of quantitative data included workload, number of livestock units, mental complexity, proportion of work peaks per year, and the match between wanted free time and time taken off work. The combination of qualitative and quantitative data allowed a deeper understanding of farmers’ work satisfaction and revealed consistent findings. Future research should investigate the relationship between farmers’ work satisfaction and capacity for innovation, flexibility, and adaptation potential.
|
|
| 7. |
- Bernes, Gun, et al.
(författare)
-
Interactions between animal enterprises and marketing strategies shape organic multispecies farming systems
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Agronomy for Sustainable Development. - 1774-0746 .- 1773-0155. ; 43
-
Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- One of the key ways to improve the sustainability of agricultural systems is through diversification, taking advantage of synergies between farm enterprises. Among diversified systems, multispecies livestock farms with at least two animal enterprises have rarely been studied. We explored 95 organic farms from six countries, accounting for the proportion of animal enterprises, sales management, workforce size, and work organization. The study reveals various types of interactions between animal enterprises. Complementarities were observed between ruminant and monogastric enterprises, particularly fertilizer transfer from monogastric manure to grasslands. Milk production was often associated with on-farm processing and short distribution channels, which enhanced farm viability and reduced its dependency on herd productivity. Eleven out of the 95 farms combined above-average production efficiency, on-farm processing, and the majority of sales in short distribution channels. Their labor productivity converged toward 22 livestock units per annual work unit, regardless of the number of workers. Combining farm structure; livestock production efficiency; social elements, such as the workforce; and sales management led us to distinguish four types of farms: (i) small and very autonomous grassland farms with on-farm processing and short distribution channels; (ii) dairy farms associated with a high-density pig or poultry enterprise, whose feed purchase contributes to high rates of cattle feeding self-sufficiency and stocking rate; (iii) large farms with an extensive, grassland beef enterprise associated with either sheep or monogastrics; and (iv) dairy sheep associated with goat or beef cattle on rangelands, with high added-value products enhancing salaries. This study highlights for the first time the diversity of organic multispecies livestock farms and how consistent patterns of interactions among farm structure, livestock management, sales management, and workforce management shape them. The results are a preliminary basis for designing policy interventions aiming to scale up organic farming and value social assets of diversified and small farms.
|
|
| 8. |
- Bernes, Gun, et al.
(författare)
-
Mjölkkobete i praktiken – data från sju norrländska gårdar
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Report from the Department of Crop Production Ecology (VPE). - 1653-5375. ; , s. 129-132
-
Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Bete för mjölkkor studerades i ett tvåårigt projekt. Lantbrukare på sju västerbottniska gårdar intervjuades och registreringar gjordes på gårdarnas beten med flera olika metoder vid tre tillfällen per säsong. Ett tydligt resultat är den stora variation som finns i de beten som erbjuds till de mjölkande korna, beträffande mängd, botanisk sammansättning och näringsvärde. Skillnaderna är stora såväl inom varje fält som mellan gårdar och över säsongen. Detta påverkar hur mycket korna kan få i sig på betet och därmed hur mycket foder som behöver ges på stall. De strategier för betesdrift som gårdarna har påverkar kornas foderkonsumtion, mjölkavkastning samt kostnaden för betet. Våra beräkningar visar att med ett mjölkpris till lantbrukaren på 6 kr inklusive nationellt stöd skulle den lägre grovfoderkostnaden under betesperioden kunna kompensera för ca 2 kg mindre mjölk per dygn. De olika mätmetoder vi testade på betena visar att en enkel betesplatta kan ge en god uppfattning om mängden tillgängligt bete. Utvärderingen av de spektrala metoder som provats är ännu inte klar. Vår studie har gett en del svar men många frågor kvarstår och en del nya har uppstått, exempelvis hur och när putsning bör göras och hur ogräs påverkar näringsvärde och smaklighet.
|
|
| 9. |
- Bernes, Gun, et al.
(författare)
-
Positive deviant strategies implemented by organic multi-species livestock farms in Europe
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Agricultural Systems. - : Elsevier BV. - 0308-521X .- 1873-2267. ; 201
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- CONTEXT: Transitions to more sustainable livestock production systems are increasingly demanded by parts of society. Scientists suggest moving towards diversified farming systems due to their potential environmental and economic benefits, especially in the organic sector. However, empirical knowledge of multi-species livestock farms, i.e. farms keeping two or more animal species, is lacking.OBJECTIVE: Our objectives were to identify European organic multi-species livestock farms that outperform their peers despite having the same resources and constraints, and characterize their distinctive management principles.METHODS: We conducted surveys on 102 farms in seven European countries: Austria, Belgium, France, Ger-many, Italy, Sweden and Switzerland. We restricted the analysis to a sub-sample of 75 farms that had complete data and that covered 3 main livestock combinations (cattle and sheep, cattle and pigs, cattle and poultry) with similar number of farms. We implemented a positive deviant approach based on three indicators: land pro-ductivity, nitrogen input dependence and satisfaction regarding income.RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Five structurally diverse positive deviant farms were identified with 4 types of livestock combinations represented, and farmland area ranging from 25 to 273 ha, herd size from 33 to 146 livestock units (LU) and total workforce size from 1 to 24 annual worker units (AWU). These farms were located on a trade-off between land productivity and autonomy for feed, and all but one had high overall autonomy for feed (89-100% against a mean of 76% for the whole sample). Their diversity of pastures, crops and livestock species and their diversification beyond agricultural production were controlled (e.g. no agritourism) and below that of the other sample farms, to remain manageable by the farmers while still allowing to buffer shocks and hazards. Interactions among farm enterprises remained limited to matter (mainly grain, straw, hay, manure) flows, and practices requiring specific efforts and investments (e.g. for fencing), such as co-grazing of different livestock and crop residues grazing, were avoided.SIGNIFICANCE: We conducted the first integrated study on European organic multi-species livestock farms and identified key management principles implemented on positive deviant farms. We showed that whatever their size, farms outperforming their peers do not necessarily maximize diversity of agricultural productions and of non-agricultural activities, and interactions among farm enterprises but that they remain at a level of complexity manageable by the farmers. These principles will inform farmers running multi-species livestock farms or transitioning to this model.
|
|
| 10. |
|
|
| 11. |
|
|
| 12. |
|
|
| 13. |
|
|
| 14. |
|
|
| 15. |
- Parsons, David, et al.
(författare)
-
Leys from a Nordic perspective : a knowledge compilation
- 2024
-
Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The project involved creating a popular scientific review of the cultivation and use of leys for livestock. Target groups are the agricultural sector and industry. The project had four work packages (WP): crop production, harvest and conservation, feed value for different animals, and economy. Within each work package, search strings were developed and inclusion criteria defined, and a database for each WP developed through searching in online databases. Each selected article was assessed first on the title (include or exclude), second based on reading the abstract, and third based on reading the article. The review provides an extensive list of literature related to ley production and use, a description of the most important findings, and suggestions for future research.
|
|
| 16. |
- Priyashantha, Hasitha, et al.
(författare)
-
Composition and properties of bovine milk: A study from dairy farms in northern Sweden; Part I. Effect of dairy farming system
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Journal of Dairy Science. - : Elsevier. - 0022-0302 .- 1525-3198. ; 104:8, s. 8582-8594
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study was part of a larger project that aimed to understand the causes for increasing variation in cheese ripening in a cheese-producing region in northern Sweden. The influence of different on-farm factors on raw milk composition and properties was investigated and is described in this paper, whereas the monthly variation in the milk quality traits during 1 yr is described in our companion paper. The dairy farming systems on a total of 42 dairy farms were characterized through a questionnaire and farm visits. Milk from farm tanks was sampled monthly over 1 yr and analyzed for quality attributes important for cheese making. On applying principal component analyses to evaluate the variation in on-farm factors, different types of farms were distinguished. Farms with loose housing and automatic milking system (AMS) or milking parlor had a higher number of lactating cows, and predominantly Swedish Holstein (SH) breed. Farms associated with tiestalls had a lower number of lactating cows and breeds other than SH. Applying principal component analyses to study the variation in composition and properties of tank milk samples from farms revealed a tendency for the formation of 2 clusters: milk from farms with AMS or a milking parlor, and milk from farms with tiestall milking. The interaction between the milking system, housing system, and breed probably contributed to this grouping. Other factors that were used in the characterization of the farming systems only showed a minor influence on raw milk quality. Despite the interaction, milk from tiestall farms with various cow breeds had higher concentrations (g/100 g of milk) of fat (4.74) and protein (3.63), and lower lactose concentrations (4.67) than milk from farms with predominantly SH cows and AMS (4.32, 3.47, and 4.74 g/100 g of milk, respectively) or a milking parlor (4.47, 3.54, and 4.79 g/100 g of milk, respectively). Higher somatic cell count (195 × 103/mL) and lower free fatty acid concentration (0.75 mmol/100 g of fat) were observed in milk from farms with AMS than in milk from tiestall systems (150 × 103/mL and 0.83 mmol/100 g of fat, respectively). Type of farm influenced milk gel strength, with milk from farms with predominantly SH cows showing the lowest gel strength (65.0 Pa), but not a longer rennet coagulation time. Effects of dairy farming system (e.g., dominant breed, milking system, housing, and herd size) on milk quality attributes indicate a need for further studies to evaluate the in-depth effects of farm-related factors on milk quality attributes.
|
|
| 17. |
- Priyashantha, Hasitha, et al.
(författare)
-
Composition and properties of bovine milk: A study from dairy farms in northern Sweden; Part II. Effect of monthly variation
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Journal of Dairy Science. - : Elsevier. - 0022-0302 .- 1525-3198. ; 104:8, s. 8595-8609
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study investigated the influence of monthly variation on the composition and properties of raw farm milk collected as part of a full-scale cheese-making trial in a region in northern Sweden. In our companion paper, the contribution of on-farm factors to the variation in milk quality attributes is described. In total, 42 dairy farms were recruited for the study, and farm milk samples were collected monthly over 1 yr and characterized for quality attributes of importance for cheese making. Principal component analysis suggested that milk samples collected during the outdoor period (June–September) were different from milk samples collected during the indoor period. Despite the interaction with the milking system, the results showed that fat and protein concentrations were lower in milk collected during May through August, and lactose concentration was higher in milk collected during April through July than for the other months. Concentrations of free fatty acids were generally low, with the highest value (0.86 mmol/100 g of fat) observed in February and the lowest (0.70 mmol/100 g of fat) observed in June. Plasmin and plasminogen-derived activities varied with sampling month without a clear seasonal pattern. The pH of farm tank milk ranged from 6.60 to 6.82, with the lowest and highest values in September and February, respectively. The highest somatic cell count was observed in August (201 × 103 cells/mL) and the lowest in April (143 × 103 cells/mL). The highest value of gel strength, was recorded in December (88 Pa) and the lowest in July (64 Pa). Rennet coagulation time and gel strength were inversely correlated, with the lowest rennet coagulation time value observed in December. Orthogonal projections to latent structures (OPLS) and discriminant analysis adaptation of OPLS identified casein micelle size and total proteolysis as the milk quality attributes with major responses to sampling month, with smaller casein micelle size and higher total proteolysis associated with the outdoor months. Using discriminant analysis adaptation of OPLS to further investigate causes behind the variation in milk traits revealed that there were factors in addition to feeding on pasture that differed between outdoor and indoor months. Because fresh grass was seldom the primary feed in the region during the outdoor period, grazing was not considered the sole reason for the observed difference between outdoor and indoor periods in raw milk quality attributes.
|
|
| 18. |
- Priyashantha, Hasitha, et al.
(författare)
-
Determining the end-date of long-ripening cheese maturation using NIR hyperspectral image modelling: A feasibility study
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Food Control. - : Elsevier BV. - 0956-7135 .- 1873-7129. ; 130
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Near-infrared (874–1734 nm) hyperspectral (NIR-HS) imaging, coupled with chemometric tools, was used to explore the relationship between spectroscopic data and cheese maturation. A predictive tool to determine the end-date of cheese maturation (E-index, in days) was developed using a set of 425 NIR-HS images acquired during industrial-scale cheese production. The NIR-HS images were obtained by scanning the cheeses at 14, 16, 18 and 20 months of ripening, before a final sensorial assessment in which all cheeses were approved by 20 months. Regression modelling by partial least squares (PLS) was used to explore the relationship between average spectra and E-index. The best PLS model achieved 69.6% accuracy in the prediction of E-index when standard normal variate (SNV) correction and mean centring pre-processing were applied. Thus, NIR-HS image modelling can be useful as a complementary tool to optimise the logistics/efficiency of cheese ripening facilities by rapid and non-destructive prediction of the end-date of ripening for individual cheeses. However, the commercial application will require future improvements in the predictive capacity of the model, e.g. for larger datasets and repetitive scans of cheeses on random occasions.
|
|
| 19. |
- Priyashantha, Hasitha, et al.
(författare)
-
Impact of farm type and sampling month on the composition and properties of bovine milk in northern Sweden
- 2021
-
Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Dairy farms in Northern Sweden were characterized to investigate the effect of on-farm factors and season on the variation in milk quality. Based on principal component analyses (PCA), two major types of dairy farming systems were observed. Type-1: Larger farms with loose housing using automatic milking system or milking parlour with predominantly Swedish Holstein (SH) breed. Type-2: Farms with a lower number of cows in tie-stalls with breeds other than SH. PCA of variation in composition and properties of the milk samples showed a tendency for the formation of two clusters based on these farming systems. The interrelated effect of the milking system and breed is likely to contribute to this distribution. Type of farm influenced the gel strength, probably reflecting differences in milk composition. Total proteolysis and casein micelle size were mainly influenced by sampling month, with smaller micelles and slightly higher proteolysis in outdoor compared to the indoor period. Season associated differences in raw milk are not merely linked to the variation in the amoun
|
|
| 20. |
- Priyashantha, Hasitha, et al.
(författare)
-
Use of near-infrared hyperspectral (NIR-HS) imaging to visualize and model the maturity of long-ripening hard cheeses
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Journal of Food Engineering. - : Elsevier BV. - 0260-8774. ; 264
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Spectroscopic measurements and imaging have great potential in rapid prediction of cheese maturity, replacing existing subjective evaluation techniques. In this study, 209 long-ripening hard cheeses were evaluated using a hyperspectral camera and also sensory evaluated by a tasting panel. A total of 425 NIR hyperspectral (NIR-HS) images were obtained during ripening at 14, 16, 18, and 20 months, until final sensorial approval of the cheese. The spectral data were interpreted as possible compositional changes between scanning occasions. Regression modelling by partial least squares (PLS) was used to explain the relationship between average spectra and cheese maturity. The PLS model was evaluated with whole cheeses (average spectrum), but also pixelwise, producing prediction images. Analysis of the images showed an increasing homogeneity of the cheese over the time of storage and ripening. It also suggested that maturation begins at the center and spreads to the outer periphery of the cheese.
|
|
| 21. |
- Ren, Keni, 1983-, et al.
(författare)
-
Tracking and analysing social interactions in dairy cattle with real-time locating system and machine learning
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Journal of systems architecture. - : Elsevier. - 1383-7621 .- 1873-6165. ; 116
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- There is a need for reliable and efficient methods for monitoring the activity and social behaviour in cows, in order to optimise management in modern dairy farms. This research presents an embedded system that could track individual cows using Ultra-wideband technology. At the same time, social interactions between individuals around the feeding area were analysed with a computer vision module. Detections of the dairy cows' negative and positive interactions were performed on foreground video stream using a Long-term Recurrent Convolution Networks model. The sensor fusion system was implemented and tested on seven dairy cows during 45 days in an experimental dairy farm. The system performance was evaluated at the feeding area. The real-time locating system based on Ultra-wideband technology reached an accuracy with mean error 0.39 m and standard deviation 0.62 m. The accuracy of detecting the affiliative and agonistic social interactions reached 93.2%. This study demonstrates a potential system for monitoring social interactions between dairy cows.
|
|
| 22. |
- Sun, Li, et al.
(författare)
-
Associations between the Bacterial Composition of Farm Bulk Milk and the Microbiota in the Resulting Swedish Long-Ripened Cheese
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Foods. - 2304-8158. ; 12
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The maturation of a traditional Swedish long-ripened cheese has shown increasing variation in recent years and the ripening time is now generally longer than in the past. While the cheese is reliant on non-starter lactic acid bacteria for the development of its characteristic flavour, we hypothesised that the observed changes could be due to variations in the microbiota composition and number of bacteria in the raw milk used for production of the cheese. To evaluate associations between microbiota in the raw milk and the resulting cheese, three clusters of commercial farms were created to increase variation in the microbiota of dairy silo milk used for cheese production. Cheese production was performed in three periods over one year. Within each period, milk from the three farm clusters was collected separately and transported to the cheese production facility. Following pasteurisation, the milk was processed into the granular-eyed cheese and matured at a dedicated cheese-ripening facility. For each cheese batch, farm bulk and dairy silo milk samples, a starter culture, early process samples and cheese samples from different stages of maturation (7-20 months) were collected and their microbiota characterised using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. The microbiota in the farm bulk milk differed significantly between periods and clusters. Differences in microbiota in dairy silo milk were observed between periods, but not between farm clusters, while the cheese microbiota differed between periods and clusters. The top 13 amplicon sequence variants were dominant in early process samples and the resulting cheese, making up at least 93.3% of the relative abundance (RA). Lactococcus was the dominant genus in the early process samples and, together with Leuconostoc, also dominated in the cheese samples. Contradicting expectations, the RA of the aroma-producing genus Lactobacillus was low in cheese during ripening and there was an unexpected dominance of starter lactic acid bacteria even at the later stages of cheese ripening. To identify factors behind the recent variations in ripening time of this cheese, future studies should address the effects of process variables and the dairy environment.
|
|
| 23. |
- Sun, Li, et al.
(författare)
-
Milking system and premilking routines have strong effect on the microbial community in bulk tank milk
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Journal of Dairy Science. - : Elsevier. - 0022-0302 .- 1525-3198. ; 105:1, s. 123-139
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this study, we investigated the variation in the microbial community present in bulk tank milk samples and the potential effect of different farm management factors. Bulk tank milk samples were collected repeatedly over one year from 42 farms located in northern Sweden. Total and thermoresistant bacteria counts and 16S rRNA gene-based amplicon sequencing were used to characterize microbial community composition. The microbial community was in general heterogeneous both within and between different farms and the community composition in the bulk tank milk was commonly dominated by Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Streptococcus, unclassified Peptostreptococcaceae, and Staphylococcus. Principal component analysis including farm factor variables and microbial taxa data revealed that the microbial community in milk was affected by type of milking system. Milk from farms using an automatic (robot) milking system (AMS) and loose housing showed different microbial community composition compared with milk from tiestall farms. A discriminant analysis model revealed that this difference was dependent on several microbial taxa. Among farms using an automatic milking system, there were further differences in the microbial community composition depending on the brand of the milking robot used. On tiestall farms, routines for teat preparation and cleaning of the milking equipment affected the microbial community composition in milk. Total bacteria count (TBC) in milk differed between the farm types, and TBC were higher on AMS than tiestall farms (log 4.05 vs. log 3.79 TBC/mL for AMS and tiestalls, respectively). Among tiestall farms, milk from farms using a chemical agent in connection to teat preparation and a more frequent use of acid to clean the milking equipment had lower TBC in milk, than milk from farms using water for teat preparation and a less frequent use of acid to clean the milking equipment (log 3.68 vs. 4.02 TBC/mL). There were no significant differences in the number of thermoresistant bacteria between farm types. The evaluated factors explained only a small proportion of total variation in the microbiota data, however, despite this, the study highlights the effect of routines associated with teat preparation and cleaning of the milking equipment on raw milk microbiota, irrespective of type of milking system used.
|
|
| 24. |
- Åkerfeldt, Magdalena, et al.
(författare)
-
Health and welfare in organic livestock production systems—a systematic mapping of current knowledge
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Organic Agriculture. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1879-4238 .- 1879-4246. ; 11, s. 105-132
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- This review aimed to systematically map and summarize the status of animal health and welfare in organic production. The prevalence of diseases and behavioural effects in organic dairy cow, beef cattle, sheep, pig, laying hen and broiler chicken were discussed in the context of the organic values and current knowledge on animal health and welfare. In total 166 peer-reviewed scientific publications between 2008 and 2020 were included. No strong evidence for neither inferior nor distinctly higher animal welfare in organic compared with conventional production could be supported. The welfare status of organic livestock is in general good in relation to the OIE definition of animal health and welfare. However, organic systems are still facing several challenges related to animal health and the arising of goal conflicts due to management and practical implications. Greater possibilities to perform species-specific behaviours in organic production systems, however, indicate that the organic standards offer a good framework for high animal welfare management. For organic dairy farmers, the main health problems are similar to those of non-organic farms; especially mastitis and lameness need improvement. Parasites, together with mastitis and lamb mortality, are important welfare issues in organic sheep production. Piglet mortality, leg problems, parasite load and increasing respiratory problems are of major relevance in organic pig production. For organic laying hens, major health challenges relate to feather pecking and cannibalism, parasites and possibilities to express species-specific behaviours. For organic broilers, dermatitis of footpads, hocks and breast are reported as main health issues.
|
|
