Farms In Switzerland Research Articles

Simulation, prediction, and genetic analyses of daily methane emissions in dairy cattle

This study presents an approach combining phenotypes from novel traits, deterministic equations from cattle nutrition, and stochastic simulation techniques from animal breeding to generate test-day methane emissions (MEm) of dairy cows. Data included test-day production traits (milk yield, fat percentage, protein percentage, milk urea nitrogen), conformation traits (wither height, hip width, body condition score), female fertility traits (days open, calving interval, stillbirth), and health traits (clinical mastitis) from 961 first lactation Brown Swiss cows kept on 41 low-input farms in Switzerland. Test-day MEm were predicted based on the traits from the current data set and 2 deterministic prediction equations, resulting in the traits labeled MEm1 and MEm2. Stochastic simulations were used to assign individual concentrate intake in dependency of farm-type specifications (requirement when calculating MEm2). Genetic parameters for MEm1 and MEm2 were estimated using random regression models. Predicted MEm had moderate heritabilities over lactation and ranged from 0.15 to 0.37, with highest heritabilities around DIM 100. Genetic correlations between MEm1 and MEm2 ranged between 0.91 and 0.94. Antagonistic genetic correlations in the range from 0.70 to 0.92 were found for the associations between MEm2 and milk yield. Genetic correlations between MEm with days open and with calving interval increased from 0.10 at the beginning to 0.90 at the end of lactation. Genetic relationships between MEm2 and stillbirth were negative (0 to −0.24) from the beginning to the peak phase of lactation. Positive genetic relationships in the range from 0.02 to 0.49 were found between MEm2 with clinical mastitis. Interpretation of genetic (co)variance components should also consider the limitations when using data generated by prediction equations. Prediction functions only describe that part of MEm which is dependent on the factors and effects included in the function. With high probability, there are more important effects contributing to variations of MEm that are not explained or are independent from these functions. Furthermore, autocorrelations exist between indicator traits and predicted MEm. Nevertheless, this integrative approach, combining information from dairy cattle nutrition with dairy cattle genetics, generated novel traits which are difficult to record on a large scale. The simulated data basis for MEm was used to determine the size of a cow calibration group for genomic selection. A calibration group including 2,581 cows with MEm phenotypes was competitive with conventional breeding strategies.

Intake, feed conversion efficiency and grazing behaviour of two Holstein cow strains in a pasture-based production system under organic farming in Switzerland

Better efficiency of herbage utilisation by dairy cows even under organic condition needs more attention. Therefore, Holstein-Friesian dairy cows of New Zealand (HNZ) and Swiss origin (HCH) were compared in a pasture-based, seasonal calving system on an organic farm. During the 3-year investigation intake on pasture, feed conversion efficiency, grazing behaviour and physical activity of cows were compared. The HNZ were lighter (521 vs. 608 kg, P < 0.001) and showed a higher body condition score (2.9 vs. 2.6, P < 0.001) compared to HCH. Furthermore, the HNZ produced less energy-corrected milk (18.2 vs. 21.3 kg/day/cow, P < 0.001) and had a lower total intake than HCH (14.6 vs. 16.7 kg dry matter (DM)/day/cow, P < 0.001). No differences occurred between strains concerning herbage intake (13.0 vs. 12.8 kg DM/100 kg body weight (BW)0.75/day, P = 0.50) and total intake (13.4 vs. 13.6 kg DM/100 kg BW0.75/day, P = 0.52) relative to the metabolic body weight as well as for the short-term feed conversion efficiency (1.29 vs. 1.34 kg/kg, P = 0.22). Cows of both strains grazed equally long (571 vs. 582 min/day, P = 0.25). The HNZ ruminated longer (507 vs. 474 min day−1, P < 0.001) than HCH. No differences were found between strains regarding the number of rumination boli (577 vs. 556/day, P = 0.34) and of mastications per rumination bolus (60 vs. 59, P = 0.66). Further, no differences occurred concerning physical activity. Pertaining to grazing around dung patches, no differences were observed between strains. Striking differences in grazing behaviour were not observed, except prolonged rumination per day for HNZ, but this had no apparent effect on the feed conversion efficiency.

Genetic analyses of binary longitudinal health data in small low input dairy cattle herds using generalized linear mixed models

Genetic parameters were inferred for the health traits mastitis, metritis, retained placenta, ovarian cysts and acetonemia from 1247 Brown Swiss cows in first parity kept in 53 organic and low input farms in Switzerland. For genetic analyses, univariate animal and sire models, repeatability animal and sire models, and random regression sire models (RRM) in a “generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) context” were applied. The five health traits were defined as binary data, count data, and longitudinal binary data in the interval between −1 and 120d in milk (DIM). Firstly, binary data were analyzed by applying linear animal and sire models, and threshold animal and sire models with a probit link function. Secondly, data of total number of disease cases recorded within the defined time span were analyzed by using GLMM animal and sire models with a log link function for Poisson distributed count data. Thirdly, for longitudinal health data, linear repeatability animal and sire models, linear sire RRM, threshold animal and sire repeatability models, and threshold sire RRM with a probit link function were applied. Disease incidences of the five health disorders in organic farms were on a generally low level, with a highest incidence of 5.78% for mastitis within the time span of 120d. With regard to mastitis, moderate heritabilities with an average value of 0.15 were realized from univariate models and binary data, and from GLMM with the log link function and count data. Heritabilities for mastitis were smaller (<0.10) when using the longitudinal data structure in combination with repeatability models and RRM. Repeatabilities and heritabilities for longitudinal data as realized from repeatability models were on a quite similar level. Only for longitudinal ovarian cysts, heritabilities substantially differed from repeatabilities. Heritability was 0.02 from the animal model and 0.01 from the sire model, but repeatabilities were 0.14, which indicates a substantial permanent environmental effect. Daily heritabilities for all health traits from linear and threshold RRM at the beginning of lactation and at the end of the defined interval were three times higher than corresponding heritabilities in the middle of lactation. Bayesian information criterion (BIC) and heritabilities themselves favored threshold models over linear models. However, linear models converged more easily than threshold models, and genetic parameter estimates had smaller standard errors. Similar BIC values were found when comparing animal with sire models, although generally higher heritabilities were realized from sire models. For RRM applications, BIC was smaller and heritabilities were higher for linear sire compared to threshold sire models.

Quantification of the effectiveness of greenhouse gas mitigation measures in Swiss organic milk production using a life cycle assessment approach

Quantitative assessments of the effectiveness of GHG mitigation measures at farm level are scarce. Hence, the aim of this study was to quantify the GHG mitigation potential of selected measures on two typical organic farms in Switzerland. We built a single-farm model which enabled us to calculate the GHG emissions and energy consumption at farm level using a life cycle assessment approach. The model was used to calculate the effects of 13 different mitigation measures on a Swiss organic dairy and a Swiss organic mixed farm. At the dairy and mixed farm, respectively, 5.4% and 5.5% of mitigation in relation to the farms' total GHG emissions could be realized by technical means and 15.4% and 12.9% with agronomic measures. Technical measures include the use of photovoltaics and heat recovery from milk cooling devices. The agronomic measures include conversion to full-grazing systems, composting livestock manure, and the use of dual-purpose cattle breeds. The total mitigation potential of the analysed measures is 20.8% less GHG emissions for the dairy farm and 18.5% less for the mixed farm. However, some agronomic measures may result in yield decreases, which reduce the total mitigation effect of the analysed portfolio of measures from an LCA perspective.

Alpine Farming in Switzerland: Discerning a Lifestyle-Driven Labor Supply

This paper deals with the labor supply for alpine farming—a sector in which employees obtain at best seasonal employment and work extremely long hours for very little pay, but nevertheless often return year after year. Based on data obtained from 120 interviews carried out in 2011, we implemented a logistic regression model to discover which factors influence an employee's decision to return to an alpine summer pasture. Results are presented quantitatively, and their interpretation is also supported by a qualitative approach. Our findings indicate that occupational choice in this region is mainly driven by motivational values and quality of infrastructure, with pecuniary benefits playing a marginal role.

Leistungsminderung und hohe Zellzahlen in einer Milchviehherde nach Verfütterung von hohen Mengen an Biertreber

The present case report describes a herd problem on a Holstein Friesian dairy farm in Switzerland, which could be attributed to the feeding of high amounts of wet brewers' grain over several months. Apathy and reduced general appearance, reduced feed intake as well as a decline in milk yield could be observed. A strong increase in milk somatic cell counts as well as an increase in the incidence of mastitis could be found. The milk fat content was highly elevated in all cows, whereas the milk protein content was reduced. The exclusion of wet brewers' grain from the partial mixed ration resulted in a considerable improvement of the general appearance of the cows and a decrease of the milk somatic cell counts. Feed that is easily spoiled could be a health risk for animals, particularly under hot and humid weather conditions and if fed in high amounts.

The impact of climate and price risks on agricultural land use and crop management decisions

This article aims to investigate the impacts of climate change and of lower and more volatile crop price levels as currently observed in the European Union (EU) on optimal management decisions, average income and income risks in crop production in Western Switzerland. To this end, a bioeconomic whole-farm model has been developed that non-parametrically combines the crop growth model CropSyst with an economic decision model using a genetic algorithm. The analysis focuses on the farm level, which enables us to integrate a wide set of potential adaptation responses, comprising changes in agricultural land use as well as crop-specific fertilization and irrigation strategies. Furthermore, the farmer's certainty equivalent is employed as objective function, which enables the consideration of not only impacts on average income but also impacts on income variability.The study shows that that the effects of EU crop prices on the optimal management decisions as well as on the farmer's certainty equivalent are much stronger than the effects of climate change. Furthermore, our results indicate that the impacts of income risks on the crop farm's optimal management schemes are of rather low importance. This is due to two major reasons: first, direct payments make up a large percentage of the agricultural income in Switzerland which makes Swiss farmers less vulnerable to market and climate volatility. Second, arable crop farms in Switzerland have by law to cultivate at least four different crops. Due to these diverse cropping systems and high government direct payments risk does neither under climate change, market liberalization nor combinations thereof, play a very decisive role in arable farming in Switzerland.

Concentration of Airborne &lt;italic&gt;Staphylococcus aureus&lt;/italic&gt; (MRSA and MSSA), Total Bacteria, and Endotoxins in Pig Farms

Pigs are very often colonized by Staphylococcus aureus and transmission of such pig-associated S. aureus to humans can cause serious medical, hygiene, and economic problems. The transmission route of zoonotic pathogens colonizing farm animals to humans is not well established and bioaerosols could play an important role. The aim of this study was to assess the potential occupational risk of working with S. aureus-colonized pigs in Switzerland. We estimated the airborne contamination by S. aureus in 37 pig farms (20 nursery and 17 fattening units; 25 in summer, 12 in winter). Quantification of total airborne bacterial DNA, airborne Staphylococcus sp. DNA, fungi, and airborne endotoxins was also performed. In this experiment, the presence of cultivable airborne methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) CC398 in a pig farm in Switzerland was reported for the first time. Airborne methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) was found in ~30% of farms. The average airborne concentration of DNA copy number of total bacteria and Staphylococcus sp. measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction was very high, respectively reaching values of 75 (± 28) × 10(7) and 35 (± 9.8) × 10(5) copy numbers m(-3) in summer and 96 (± 19) × 10(8) and 40 (± 12) × 10(6) copy numbers m(-3) in winter. Total mean airborne concentrations of endotoxins (1298 units of endotoxin m(-3)) and fungi (5707 colony-forming units m(-3)) exceeded the Swiss recommended values and were higher in winter than in summer. In conclusion, Swiss pig farmers will have to tackle a new emerging occupational risk, which could also have a strong impact on public health. The need to inform pig farmers about biological occupational risks is therefore crucial.

Risk assessment for the design of a risk-based surveillance programme for fish farms in Switzerland (in accordance with Council Directive 2006/88/EC of the European Union)

Swiss aquaculture farms were assessed according to their risk of acquiring or spreading viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS) and infectious haematopoietic necrosis (IHN). Risk factors for the introduction and spread of VHS and IHN were defined and assessed using published data and expert opinions. Among the 357 aquaculture farms identified in Switzerland, 49.3% were categorised as high risk, 49.0% as medium risk and 1.7% as low risk. According to the new Directive 2006/88/EC for aquaculture of the European Union, the frequency of farm inspections must be derived from their risk levels. A sensitivity analysis showed that water supply and fish movements were highly influential on the output of the risk assessment regarding the introduction of VHS and IHN. Fish movements were also highly influential on the risk assessment output regarding the spread of these diseases.

Soil and plant responses to controlled traffic farming in Switzerland

A long-term tillage experiment in Tänikon, Switzerland showed that compared to ploughed plots, untilled plots developed a compact soil structure with decreased porosity and a trend towards lower oxygen concentration in the soil air. All these factors resulted in lower plant yields. To investigate the influence of wheeling on these plots, the shallow-tilled plots were converted to controlled traffic farming (CTF) with no-tillage in 2008. The hypothesis is that a sustainable improvement in soil structure and plant development is achievable in areas with no traffic. In a field trial with four repeated blocks, ‘CTF no-tillage’ was compared with ‘random trafficked mouldboard ploughing’ and ‘random trafficked no-tillage’. The crop rotation was winter wheat – winter barley – meadow, established on luvisol (23% clay, 34% silt, 42% sand) with an annual rainfall of 1190mm and an average annual temperature of 8.4 °C. An intensive monitoring programme was set up for various parameters: Soil-surface-level changes, penetration resistance, macropore volume, soil-air composition, matric potential, volumetric soil-water content, emergence rate, intermediate harvests and harvest yield. Results for 2008 to 2011 show that traffic has a clearly negative impact on soil structure in all variants, even when wheelings are done with low tyre-inflation pressure. Traffic-induced soil-surface-level changes were small, but nonetheless affected the soil’s physical parameters. Soil penetration resistance is higher and soil oxygen content after precipitations lower in the trafficked areas than in traffic-free zones. Yield effects were not as pronounced as in other published field trials. CTF and no-tillage achieved approximately the same yield levels, but routine ploughing resulted in the highest yields. CTF leads to a certain improvement in the soil structure, but the plant response showed that more improvement is necessary to optimise yields.

Performance of commercial laying hen genotypes on free range and organic farms in Switzerland, France and The Netherlands

1. A total of 257 farmers with free ranging laying hens (organic and conventional) in Switzerland, France and The Netherlands with 273 flocks were interviewed to determine the relationships between the genotype of the hens, management conditions and performance. 2. Almost 20 different genotypes (brands) were present on the farms. In France, all birds were brown feathered hens laying brown eggs. In Switzerland and The Netherlands, there were brown, white (white feathered hens laying white eggs) and silver (white feathered hens laying brown eggs) hens. In Switzerland, mixed flocks were also present. 3. The overall effect of system (organic vs. conventional free range) on egg production and mortality was significant, with higher mortality and lower egg production among organic hens. In pair wise comparisons within country, the difference was highly significant in The Netherlands, and showed a non-significant tendency in the same direction in Switzerland and France. 4. White hens tended to perform better than brown hens. Silver hens appeared to have a higher mortality and lower production per hen housed at 60 weeks of age. 5. There were no significant relationships between production, mortality, feather condition and use of outside run or with flock size. 6. There was more variation in mortality and egg production among farms with a small flock size than among farms with a large flock size.

Soil and plant responses to controlled traffic farming in Switzerland

A long-term tillage experiment in Tanikon, Switzerland showed that compared to ploughed plots, untilled plots developed a compact soil structure with decreased porosity and a trend towards lower oxygen concentration in the soil air. All these factors resulted in lower plant yields. To investigate the influence of wheeling on these plots, the shallow-tilled plots were converted to controlled traffic farming (CTF) with no-tillage in 2008. The hypothesis is that a sustainable improvement in soil structure and plant development is achievable in areas with no traffic. In a field trial with four repeated blocks, ‘CTF no-tillage’ was compared with ‘random trafficked mouldboard ploughing’ and ‘random trafficked no-tillage’. The crop rotation was winter wheat – winter barley – meadow, established on luvisol (23% clay, 34% silt, 42% sand) with an annual rainfall of 1190mm and an average annual temperature of 8.4 °C. An intensive monitoring programme was set up for various parameters: Soil-surface-level changes, penetration resistance, macropore volume, soil-air composition, matric potential, volumetric soil-water content, emergence rate, intermediate harvests and harvest yield. Results for 2008 to 2011 show that traffic has a clearly negative impact on soil structure in all variants, even when wheelings are done with low tyre-inflation pressure. Traffic-induced soil-surface-level changes were small, but nonetheless affected the soil’s physical parameters. Soil penetration resistance is higher and soil oxygen content after precipitations lower in the trafficked areas than in traffic-free zones. Yield effects were not as pronounced as in other published field trials. CTF and no-tillage achieved approximately the same yield levels, but routine ploughing resulted in the highest yields. CTF leads to a certain improvement in the soil structure, but the plant response showed that more improvement is necessary to optimise yields.

Ovarian activity in Fleckvieh, Brown Swiss and two strains of Holstein-Friesian cows in pasture-based, seasonal calving dairy systems

The objectives of the study were to compare the ovarian activity of Holstein-Friesian (CH HF), Fleckvieh (CH FV) and Brown Swiss (CH BS) dairy cows of Swiss origin with that of Holstein-Friesian (NZ HF) dairy cows of New Zealand origin, the latter being used as a reference for reproductive performance in pasture-based seasonal calving systems. Fifty, second-lactation NZ HF cows were each paired with a second-lactation Swiss cow (17, 15 and 18 CH HF, CH FV and CH BS respectively) in 13 pasture-based, seasonal-calving commercial dairy farms in Switzerland. Ovarian activity was monitored by progesterone profiling from calving to first breeding service. CH BS cows produced less energy-corrected milk (mean 22·8 kg/d) than the other breeds (26·0-26·5 kg/d) during the first 100 d of lactation. CH HF cows had the lowest body condition score (BCS) at calving and the greatest BCS loss from calving to 30 d post partum. Commencement of luteal activity (CLA) was later for NZ HF than for CH FV (51·5 v. 29·2 d; P <0·01), with CH HF and CH BS intermediate (43 d). On average, NZ HF and CH HF cows had one oestrous cycle before the onset of the seasonal breeding period; this was less (P<0·01) than either CH FV (1·7) or CH BS (1·6). There was a low prevalence of luteal persistency (3%) among the studied cows. First and second oestrous cycle inter-ovulatory intervals did not differ between breeds (20·5-22·6 d). The luteal phase length of CH BS during the second cycle was shorter (10·6 d) than that of the other breeds (13·8-16·0 d), but the inter-luteal interval was longer (9·8 d v. 7·0-8·0 d). The results suggest that the Swiss breeds investigated have a shorter interval from calving to CLA than NZ HF cows.

Searching for gene flow from cultivated to wild strawberries in Central Europe

Experimental crosses between the diploid woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca L.) and the octoploid garden strawberry (F. × ananassa Duch.) can lead to the formation of viable hybrids. However, the extent of such hybrid formation under natural conditions is unknown, but is of fundamental interest and importance in the light of the potential future cultivation of transgenic strawberries. A hybrid survey was therefore conducted in the surroundings of ten farms in Switzerland and southern Germany, where strawberries have been cultivated for at least 10 years and where wild strawberries occur in the close vicinity. In 2007 and 2008, 370 wild F. vesca plants were sampled at natural populations around farms and analysed with microsatellite markers. In 2010, natural populations were revisited and morphological traits of 3050 F. vesca plants were inspected. DNA contents of cell nuclei of morphologically deviating plants were estimated by flow cytometry to identify hybrids. As controls, 50 hybrid plants from interspecific hand-crosses were analysed using microsatellite analysis and DNA contents of cell nuclei were estimated by flow cytometry. None of the wild samples collected in 2007 and 2008 contained F. × ananassa microsatellite markers, while all hybrids from hand-crosses clearly contained markers of both parent species. Morphological inspection of wild populations carried out in 2010 and subsequent flow cytometry of ten morphologically deviating plants revealed no hybrids. Hybrid formation or hybrid establishment in natural populations in the survey area is at best a rare event.

First report of naturally acquired clinical sarcocystosis in a pig breeding stock

A two-year-old Large White boar from a pig breeding stock in an indoor farm in Switzerland presented anorexia, reduced general condition and fever. Despite antibiotic and anti-inflammatory treatment, the boar developed severe dyspnoea and cyanosis, and died after 4 days. At necropsy, no gross lesions were observed. Histopathologically, multifocal degeneration and necrosis of myocardial fibers with interstitial edema, severe multifocal non-suppurative myocarditis and hepatitis, and non-suppurative interstitial nephritis were observed. In heart samples, groups of organisms resembling apicomplexan tachyzoites were seen associated with the lesions. A PCR using the primers COC1–COC2 that target a conserved region of the small-subunit rRNA gene of Apicomplexa was performed with DNA from paraffin-embedded tissues. An amplification product of about 350bp was obtained from heart samples. A sequence analysis showed 100% identities with GenBank sequences reported for Sarcocystis miescheriana. The histopathological observations and molecular findings in combination with the clinical signs, and absence of other pathologic agents highly suggested that an acute infection with S. miescheriana was the cause of death in this boar. To our knowledge, this the first report of fatal acute sarcocystosis after natural infection in a pig breeding herd.

A field study on characteristics and diversity of gene expression in the liver of dairy cows during the transition period

Metabolic and endocrine adaptations to support milk production during the transition period vary between individual cows. This variation between cows to adapt to lactation may have a genetic basis. The present field study was carried out to determine hepatic adaptations occurring from late pregnancy through early lactation by measuring mRNA abundance of candidate genes in dairy cows on-farm. Additionally, the objective was to observe the diversity in inter-individual variation for the candidate genes that may give indications where individual adaptations at a molecular level can be found. This study was carried out on-farm including 232 dairy cows (parity >3) from 64 farms in Switzerland. Blood and liver samples were collected on d 20±7 before parturition, on d 24±2, and on d 89±4 after parturition. Blood plasma was assayed for concentrations of glucose, nonesterified fatty acids, β-hydroxybutyrate, cholesterol, triglycerides, urea, albumin, protein, insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1, leptin, 3,5,3′-triiodothyronine, and thyroxine. Liver samples were obtained at the same time points and were measured for mRNA abundance of 26 candidate genes encoding enzymes and nuclear receptors involved in gluconeogenesis, fatty acid β-oxidation, fatty acid and triglyceride synthesis, ketogenesis, citric acid cycle, cholesterol synthesis, and the urea cycle. The cows in the present study experienced a marked metabolic load in early lactation, as presented by changes in plasma metabolites and hormones, and responded accordingly with upregulation and downregulation of almost all candidate genes involved in metabolic processes in the liver. The observed inter-individual variation for the candidate genes, which was highest for acetyl-CoA-carboxylase and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase 2, should be further investigated to unravel the regulation at molecular level for optimal adaptive performance in dairy cows.

PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVING FACTORS AND STRATEGIES OF THE ORGANIC APPLE FARMERS IN SWITZERLAND

Various factors and strategies have been identified that help lead to successful organic apple farming in Switzerland. Production, input and technical strategies that farmers have implemented over the past ten years are analyzed. Other factors investigated with regard to successful organic apple production include forms of grower cooperation and their effects, orchard size, farm size, and operational and technical management. A logit model is used to identify which factors and strategies are effective. The results show that productivity is a crucial success factor which explains the difference between the successful and the less successful groups in the model. The hypothesis of a significant relationship between productivity and orchard size or farm size is rejected, while the model confirms the importance of the operational and technical management for successful organic apple farming.

Contacts between poultry farms, their spatial dimension and their relevance for avian influenza preparedness

Ongoing economic losses by and exposure of humans to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in poultry flocks across Asia and parts of Africa and Europe motivate also outbreak-free countries such as Switzerland to invest in preparedness planning. Country-specific population data on between-farm contacts are required to anticipate probable patterns of pathogen spread. Information is scarce; in particular on how strongly small, non-commercial poultry farms are involved in between-farm contacts. We aimed to identify between-farm contacts of interest for HPAI spread at both commercial and non-commercial farms in a non-outbreak situation: whether or not commercial and non-commercial farms were involved in poultry and person movements and shared resources by company integration. Focus was on poultry movements for the purpose of purchase, sale and poultry show visits, their spatial dimension, their frequencies and the farm types they connected. Of the total 49,437 recorded poultry farms in Switzerland, 95% had less than 500 birds. The farm number resulted in densities of up to 8 poultry farms per km2 and a median number of 47 neighbour farms within a 3 km radius around the farms. Person movements and shared resources were identified in 78% of the surveyed farms (93% among commercials, 67% among non-commercials). Poultry trading movements over extensive spatial ranges were stated at 65% (79% among commercials, 55% among non-commercials). Movement frequencies depended on farm specialization and were higher for commercial than for non-commercial farms except for poultry show visits. Estimates however for the entire population revealed 3.5 times higher chances of a poultry purchase, and 14.6 times higher chances of exhibiting birds at poultry shows occurring in a given time by a farm smaller than 500 birds (non-commercial farm) than by a larger (commercial) farm. These findings indicate that both commercial and non-commercial farms are involved in neighbourhood and remote between-farm contacts relevant to HPAI spread. It is necessary to include all poultry farms, irrespective of their size and purpose in both livestock registration and disease surveillance systems, as well as in transmission models for poultry and zoonotic diseases.

Reactivation of Bovine Tuberculosis in Patient Treated with Infliximab, Switzerland

Reactivation of Bovine Tuberculosis in Patient Treated with Infliximab, Switzerland

Environmental-friendly farming in Switzerland is not hornwort-friendly

Traditionally managed arable fields host a specialised flora adapted to regular disturbance through tillage. Agricultural intensification during the 20th century resulted in a pronounced biodiversity decline in European agroecosystems. Anthoceros agrestis and Phaeoceros carolinianus, both largely confined to cultivated land in Central Europe and the only representatives of hornworts in northern Switzerland, are examples of species that decreased in Central Europe during the last century. A repeated survey of 28 arable fields in the Swiss Plateau from 1989 to 1995 demonstrated that crop type and associated farming routines were critical in determining hornwort occurrences. During the 10 years following the completion of this survey, agri-environment schemes were introduced aiming at a more environmental-friendly agricultural production. We re-investigated the selected sites in 2005–2007 to examine whether these programmes favoured hornworts. We found a significant decrease of untilled autumn stubble-fields, which accounted for a decline of hornworts. High relative summer air humidity positively affected hornwort occurrence. Gametophytic populations of both taxa regenerated from the persistent diaspore bank after years of unfavourable conditions. To ensure the long-term persistence of hornworts in the Swiss Plateau, we recommend three alternative modifications of current Swiss agri-environment schemes to be implemented in cereal fields with known hornwort occurrences: (1) Tailored conservation headlands, (2) Autumn stubble-fields and (3) Field margin strips sown with arable flora but without crop plants. The proposed practices will promote other typically ephemeral arable bryophytes and seed plants and are likely to be advantageous also for other organisms, such as farmland birds.