Albert Sundrum

Effect of cattle faeces with different microbial biomass content on soil properties, gaseous emissions and plant growth

A study was carried out to investigate the effects of different diets for heifers, low- and high-yielding cows on the microbial composition of their faeces and subsequently the impacts of these faeces on CO2 and N2O emissions, N mineralisation and plant N uptake. A diet low in N and high in acid detergent fibre offered to heifers resulted in faeces dominated by fungi. These faeces were characterised by a low content in microbial biomass C and N and a high ergosterol concentration in comparison to the faeces of high-yielding cows. Added to soil, faeces of heifers led to lower emission and stronger N immobilisation during a 14-day incubation in comparison to the faeces of high-yielding cows. Total N2O emission was significantly (P < 0.05) correlated with faecal microbial biomass N. Rye grass yield and N uptake were lowest in the soil supplemented with faeces from heifers in a 62-day pot experiment. Plant N uptake was influenced by the faecal microbial biomass C/N ratio and the fungal C to bacterial C ratio. In conclusion, the faecal microbial biomass was affected to a high degree by the feeding regime and faecal microbial characteristics revealed higher impacts on plant N uptake than soil microbial properties.

Description of organic pig production in Europe

With the aim to identify health and welfare strategies in organic pig production, a description of the different organic production systems was realized in eight European countries (Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland and UK). This description was based on the following features: numbers of organic farms and organic pigs, market shares, housing and management characteristics, feeding characteristics, main health problems and relevant differences to the EU regulation existing at the time of the project. The results were primarily based on statistics, country-specific regulations as well as on expert and stakeholder interviews. Organic farming and organic pig production are rapidly developing in European countries. The European country with the highest number of organic pigs is Germany. Organic pig production represents a minor part of the whole pig production in all surveyed countries. All features that were analysed varied greatly between countries with the most striking one being the housing of pigs that can be completely outdoors on pasture for most UK farms and always indoors with an access to an outdoor run, during part of their life, for most farms of German speaking countries.

Animal health, welfare and production problems in organic weaner pigs

This paper reviews the available information on the different health and animal welfare issues in organic pigs in relation to weaning. It addresses the most relevant health and welfare problems and reviews their potential hazards and associated risk factors. Regarding health, problems related to post weaning diarrhoea, cold stress, skin lesions, endoparasites and post weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome are described. Reasons for distress and frustration in weaned piglets are identified as mainly separation from the mother, a new environment, mixing and fear of humans. Finally, hazards and risk factors for health and welfare in organic weaners are related to animal characteristics, housing systems, feed/nutrition and management. Generally, it is concluded that diseases around weaning are multifactorial in nature, with several factors contributing simultaneously as stressors at the time of weaning. In order to solve problems around weaning, the complexity and the individuality of farm systems need to be taken into account.

Microbial biomass in faeces of dairy cows affected by a nitrogen deficient diet

Since more than half of the faecal nitrogen (N) originates from microbial N, the objective of the study was to develop a method for quantitatively detecting microbial biomass and portion of living microorganisms in dairy cattle faeces, including bacteria, fungi and archaea. Three techniques were tested: (1) the chloroform fumigation extraction (CFE) method, (2) detection of the fungal cell-membrane component ergosterol and (3) analysis of the cell wall components fungal glucosamine and bacterial muramic acid. In a second step, an N deficient (ND) and an N balanced (NB) diets were compared with respect to the impacts on faecal C and N fractions, microbial indices and digestibility. The mean values of microbial biomass C and N concentrations averaged around 37 and 4.9 mg g−1 DM, respectively. Ergosterol, together with fungal glucosamine and bacterial muramic acid, revealed a 25% fungal C in relation to the total microbial C content in dairy cattle faeces. Changes in ruminal N supply showed significant effects on faecal composition. Faecal concentrations of NDF, hemicelluloses and undigested dietary N and the total C/N ratio were significantly higher in ND treatment compared to the NB treatment. N deficiency was reflected also by a higher microbial biomass C/N ratio. It was concluded that the assessment of microbial indices provides valuable information with respect to diet effects on faecal composition and the successive decomposition. Further studies should be conducted to explore the potentials for minimising nutrient losses from faeces.

Klassische Homöopathie bei der Mastitis des Rindes

Vor dem Hintergrund den Einsatz von Antibiotika in der Nutztierhaltung zu reduzieren, gewinnt die Anwendung von Homoopathika als Alternative bei der Behandlung von bovinen Euterentzundungen an Bedeutung. Der vorliegende Ubersichtsartikel stellt Argumente fur und wider den Einsatz von Homoopathika dar. Weiterhin werden Studien zur homoopathischen Mastitistherapie vorgestellt, die Schlussfolgerungen in Bezug auf die Voraussetzungen erlauben, die vor der Anwendung von Homoopathika zu erfullen sind. Auf deren Basis wurde ein Entscheidungsbaum zur sachgerechten Vorgehensweise bei der Behandlung von klinischen Mastitiden unter Anwendung der klassischen Homoopathie erarbeitet, der eine konsequente Diagnostik in den Vordergrund stellt.