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Sakar ÇM, Koncagül S, Artut B, Aydın AA, Ünal İ, Özdemir A, Ünay E. Animal Welfare Investigation of Akkaraman Sheep Farms in Different Provinces of Türkiye. J APPL ANIM WELF SCI 2024:1-12. [PMID: 39042092 DOI: 10.1080/10888705.2024.2381472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
In this study, it was aimed to reveal the animal welfare levels in Akkaraman sheep breed in Türkiye. In this direction, welfare assessment was carried out at the farm level with the Animal Needs Index (ANI 35L/2000) method in a total of 71 Akkaraman sheep flock applications on animals were carried out on a total of 1525 sheep. According to the ANI score scale, the average score of all farms was determined as 39.52. In the study, welfare scores were found as 38.32, 41.47, and 38.78 in Çankırı, Çorum and Kırşehir provinces, respectively (p = 0.034); it was found as 39.70, 40.14, and 38.69 in small (≤100), medium (100-200) and large (>200) farms (p = 0.535), respectively. While the Famacha and Fecal scores of sheep were found to be low score in sheep raised in Çankırı than in sheep raised in other two cities, the differences were found to be statistically significant in both parameters (p = 0.007 and 0.021). As a result, it has been observed that having opportunity for animals to go out to yard and pasture has a positive effect on animal welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Çağrı Melikşah Sakar
- International Center for Livestock Research and Training, Mamak, Ankara, Türkiye
| | - Seyrani Koncagül
- Faculty of Agriculture, The Department of Animal Science, Ankara University, Ankara, Türkiye
| | - Burak Artut
- International Center for Livestock Research and Training, Mamak, Ankara, Türkiye
| | - Adil Akın Aydın
- International Center for Livestock Research and Training, Mamak, Ankara, Türkiye
| | - İlker Ünal
- International Center for Livestock Research and Training, Mamak, Ankara, Türkiye
| | - Arzu Özdemir
- International Center for Livestock Research and Training, Mamak, Ankara, Türkiye
| | - Engin Ünay
- International Center for Livestock Research and Training, Mamak, Ankara, Türkiye
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Caradus JR, Chapman DF, Rowarth JS. Improving Human Diets and Welfare through Using Herbivore-Based Foods: 1. Human and Animal Perspectives. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1077. [PMID: 38612316 PMCID: PMC11010820 DOI: 10.3390/ani14071077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Human health and diet are closely linked. The diversity of diets consumed by humans is remarkable, and most often incorporates both animal and plant-based foods. However, there has been a recent call for a reduced intake of animal-based foods due to concerns associated with human health in developed countries and perceived impacts on the environment. Yet, evidence for the superior nutritional quality of animal-sourced food such as meat, milk, and eggs, compared with plant-based foods, indicates that consumption of animal-sourced food should and will continue. This being the case, the aim here is to examine issues associated with animal-sourced foods in terms of both the quantification and mitigation of unintended consequences associated with environment, animal health, and herd management. Therefore, we examined the role of animal proteins in human societies with reference to the UN-FAO issues associated with animal-sourced foods. The emphasis is on dominant grazed pastoral-based systems, as used in New Zealand and Ireland, both with temperate moist climates and a similar reliance on global markets for generating net wealth from pastoral agricultural products. In conclusion, animal-sourced foods are shown to be an important part of the human diet. Production systems can result in unintended consequences associated with environment, animal health, and herd management, and there are technologies and systems to provide solutions to these that are available or under refinement.
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Affiliation(s)
- John R. Caradus
- Grasslanz Technology Ltd., PB 11008, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
| | | | - Jacqueline S. Rowarth
- Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science, Lincoln University, 85084 Ellesmere Junction Road, Lincoln 7647, New Zealand;
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Sun Y, Yu R, Cheng TCE. Incentives for promoting climate change adaptation technologies in agriculture: an evolutionary game approach. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:97025-97039. [PMID: 37587396 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-28896-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Climate change adaptation technologies (CCATs) have become increasingly important for farmers as they face the challenges of climate change and natural disasters. Despite this, many rural areas still rely on traditional agricultural techniques. To promote the adoption of CCATs in agriculture, it is necessary to explore the incentives and conditions for the effectiveness of the policy. We develop an evolutionary game model to analyze the behavior of local governments and farmers in promoting CCATs. Our findings indicate that, under certain conditions, the promotion of CCATs can achieve equilibrium. The incentive for farmers to adopt CCATs increases within a certain range when local governments provide risk subsidies and cost sharing. When subsidies are too high, however, local governments may choose not to promote CCATs, which reduces the incentives for farmers to adopt them. Publicity is also an important factor in promoting CCATs. Our study provides insight into the development of policies aimed at promoting CCATs in agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Sun
- School of Public Administration, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruihui Yu
- School of International Trade, Anhui University of Finance and Economics, Bengbu, 233030, People's Republic of China.
| | - Tai Chiu Edwin Cheng
- Faculty of Business, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong
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Rafalska A, Walkiewicz A, Osborne B, Klumpp K, Bieganowski A. Variation in methane uptake by grassland soils in the context of climate change - A review of effects and mechanisms. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 871:162127. [PMID: 36764535 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Grassland soils are climate-dependent ecosystems that have a significant greenhouse gas mitigating function through their ability to store large amounts of carbon (C). However, what is often not recognized is that they can also exhibit a high methane (CH4) uptake capacity that could be influenced by future increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration and variations in temperature and water availability. While there is a wealth of information on C sequestration in grasslands there is less consensus on how climate change impacts on CH4 uptake or the underlying mechanisms involved. To address this, we assessed existing knowledge on the impact of climate change components on CH4 uptake by grassland soils. Increases in precipitation associated with soils with a high background soil moisture content generally resulted in a reduction in CH4 uptake or even net emissions, while the effect was opposite in soils with a relatively low background moisture content. Initially wet grasslands subject to the combined effects of warming and water deficits may absorb more CH4, mainly due to increased gas diffusivity. However, in the longer-term heat and drought stress may reduce the activity of methanotrophs when the mean soil moisture content is below the optimum for their survival. Enhanced plant productivity and growth under elevated CO2, increased soil moisture and changed nutrient concentrations, can differentially affect methanotrophic activity, which is often reduced by increasing N deposition. Our estimations showed that CH4 uptake in grassland soils can change from -57.7 % to +6.1 % by increased precipitation, from -37.3 % to +85.3 % by elevated temperatures, from +0.87 % to +92.4 % by decreased precipitation, and from -66.7 % to +27.3 % by elevated CO2. In conclusion, the analysis suggests that grasslands under the influence of warming and drought may absorb even more CH4, mainly because of reduced soil water contents and increased gas diffusivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrianna Rafalska
- Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Doświadczalna 4, 20-290 Lublin, Poland
| | - Anna Walkiewicz
- Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Doświadczalna 4, 20-290 Lublin, Poland.
| | - Bruce Osborne
- UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science and UCD Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, 4 Dublin, Ireland
| | - Katja Klumpp
- INRAE, University of Clermont Auvergne, VetAgro Sup, UREP Unité de Recherche sur l'Ecosystème Prairial, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Andrzej Bieganowski
- Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Doświadczalna 4, 20-290 Lublin, Poland
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Tuladhar S, Hussain A, Baig S, Ali A, Soheb M, Angchuk T, Dimri AP, Shrestha AB. Climate change, water and agriculture linkages in the upper Indus basin: A field study from Gilgit-Baltistan and Leh-Ladakh. FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2022.1012363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The Indus is one of three largest river systems emerging from the Hindu-Kush Himalaya (HKH). In the Upper Indus Basin (UIB), water resources, agriculture and livelihoods are highly vulnerable to climate change induced hazards and risks. Present study investigates impacts of climate change on water availability, agriculture and livelihoods based on perception data collected through focus group discussions and key informant interviews from selected study sites in Gilgit-Baltistan and Leh-Ladakh subregions of the UIB. Findings revealed that climate change is inducing both direct and indirect impacts on water availability, agriculture, and livelihoods. Local people reported that changes in precipitations patterns, temperature and timing of seasons, and increased incidence of crop pest attacks are resulting in the decline of crop and livestock productivity (direct impacts). Climate change is also impacting productivity indirectly through degradation of rangelands/pastures and water variability in traditional irrigation systems. Local people are taking diverse adaptation measures to cope with climate change impacts. These measures include revival of less water intensive traditional crops, start of enterprises and value chain developments in Gilgit-Baltistan, and improvement in water management practices and integration of traditional agricultural products with tourism in Leh-Ladakh. Some adaptation measures are likely to have negative impacts on sustainability of local agriculture. For instance, inorganic agricultural practices in Gilgit-Baltistan, and unplanned shift to water intensive crops and improved breeds of livestock in both Gilgit-Baltistan and Leh-Ladakh. Based on findings, this study suggests establishing a learning mechanism for local communities through collaboration of local institutions from both sides of border and people to people connections.
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Javaid MM, Florentine S, Mahmood A, Wasaya A, Javed T, Sattar A, Sarwar N, Kalaji HM, Ahmad HB, Worbel J, Ahmed MAA, Telesiński A, Mojski J. Interactive effect of elevated CO 2 and drought on physiological traits of Datura stramonium. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:929378. [PMID: 36388510 PMCID: PMC9644026 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.929378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations are known to influence the response of many plants under drought. This paper aimed to measure the leaf gas exchange, water use efficiency, carboxylation efficiency, and photosystem II (PS II) activity of Datura stramonium under progressive drought conditions, along with ambient conditions of 400 ppm (aCO2) and elevated conditions of 700 ppm (eCO2). Plants of D. stramonium were grown at 400 ppm and 700 ppm under 100 and 60% field capacity in a laboratory growth chamber. For 10 days at two-day intervals, photosynthesis rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, intercellular CO2 concentration, water use efficiency, intrinsic water use efficiency, instantaneous carboxylation efficiency, PSII activity, electron transport rate, and photochemical quenching were measured. While drought stress had generally negative effects on the aforementioned physiological traits of D. stramonium, it was found that eCO2 concentration mitigated the adverse effects of drought and most of the physiological parameters were sustained with increasing drought duration when compared to that with aCO2. D. stramonium, which was grown under drought conditions, was re-watered on day 8 and indicated a partial recovery in all the parameters except maximum fluorescence, with this recovery being higher with eCO2 compared to aCO2. These results suggest that elevated CO2 mitigates the adverse growth effects of drought, thereby enhancing the adaptive mechanism of this weed by improving its water use efficiency. It is concluded that this weed has the potential to take advantage of climate change by increasing its competitiveness with other plants in drought-prone areas, suggesting that it could expand into new localities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Singarayer Florentine
- Future Regions Research Centre, Federation University Australia, Mount Helen, VIC, Australia
| | - Athar Mahmood
- Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Allah Wasaya
- College of Agriculture, BZU, Bahadur Sub Campus, Layyah, Pakistan
| | - Talha Javed
- College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Abdul Sattar
- College of Agriculture, BZU, Bahadur Sub Campus, Layyah, Pakistan
| | - Naeem Sarwar
- Department of Agronomy, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Hazem M. Kalaji
- Department of Plant Physiology, Institute of Biology, Warsaw University of Life Sciences SGGW, Warsaw, Poland
- Institute of Technology and Life Sciences, National Research Institute, Raszyn, Poland
| | - Hafiz Bashir Ahmad
- Department of Forestry, College of Agriculture, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan
| | - Jacek Worbel
- Department of Bioenegineering, West Pomerania, University of Technology Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Mohammed A. A. Ahmed
- Plant Production Department (Horticulture-Medicinal and Aromatic Plants), Faculty of Agriculture (Saba Basha), Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Arkadiusz Telesiński
- Department of Bioenegineering, West Pomerania, University of Technology Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Jacek Mojski
- Twój Swiat Jacek Mojski, Lukow, Poland
- Fundacja Zielona Infrastruktura, Lukow, Poland
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Thomas DT, Beletse YG, Dominik S, Lehnert SA. Net protein contribution and enteric methane production of pasture and grain-finished beef cattle supply chains. Animal 2021; 15:100392. [PMID: 34844185 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2021.100392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Ruminant red meat production systems around the world often include a grain feeding phase. The role of red meat in the food system is therefore often discussed in terms of the food vs feed debate, as well as invoking the comparatively poor feed conversion efficiency of ruminants and climate impacts from enteric methane. The concept of net protein contribution (NPC) incorporates the quality attributes of protein produced by livestock systems into estimates of the efficiency of production systems. We applied the NPC method to two Australian beef supply chains, i) Grass-fed and ii) Grain-finished beef, using an established model of ruminant grazing systems (GrassGro®) and these are reflective of beef production systems in other countries. The beef supply chains evaluated did not compete with humans for protein. The Grain-finished beef supply chain, while positively contributing to human protein requirements (NPC value 1.96), had markedly lower NPC values than the Grass-fed system (NPC value 1 597). However, Grass-fed beef production systems have a higher methane intensity than the Grain-finished supply chain. The two examples of pasture-based beef production systems examined provide a positive net protein contribution to human food supply, even with extended periods of finishing on grain-based diets. This is achieved by ruminant grazing on pastures converting low-quality forage into high value human edible protein. The efficiency of protein production varies according to the system design, and other considerations such as land use and enteric methane production are elements that need consideration in the overall assessment of the production footprint.
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Affiliation(s)
- D T Thomas
- CSIRO Agriculture & Food, Perth, Western Australia 6014, Australia.
| | - Y G Beletse
- CSIRO Agriculture & Food, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - S Dominik
- CSIRO Agriculture & Food, Armidale, New South Wales 2350, Australia
| | - S A Lehnert
- CSIRO Agriculture & Food, Brisbane, Queensland 4067, Australia
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Verma S, Salminen JP, Taube F, Malisch CS. Large Inter- and Intraspecies Variability of Polyphenols and Proanthocyanidins in Eight Temperate Forage Species Indicates Potential for Their Exploitation as Nutraceuticals. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2021; 69:12445-12455. [PMID: 34662108 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.1c03898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Substantial efforts have been made in incorporating tannin-rich forages into grassland-based livestock production systems. However, the structural and functional diversity of tannins in different species limits their potential use at the field scale. We conducted a greenhouse experiment with 17 cultivars from 8 forage species and their cultivars. Ultraperformance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was used to analyze their polyphenolic profile and proanthocyanidin (PA) structural features in leaves. Our results highlight large inter- and intraspecies variability of plants in terms of polyphenol and tannin concentrations in the leaves. A concomitant and significant variation was also registered in the structural features of PA-rich forages such as the mean degree of polymerization and prodelphinidin percentage. The concentration of PA also varied within plant organs; the highest concentration was in flowers, but leaves had the highest contribution to harvestable PA biomass. Our research highlights that identifying these variations helps in identifying the representativeness of bioactivity and provides the basis for targeted breeding programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Supriya Verma
- Grass and Forage Science/Organic Agriculture, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Juha-Pekka Salminen
- Natural Chemistry Research Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Turku, Vatselankatu 2, FI-20014 Turku, Finland
| | - Friedhelm Taube
- Grass and Forage Science/Organic Agriculture, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, 24118 Kiel, Germany
- Grass Based Dairy Systems, Animal Production Systems Group, Wageningen University (WUR), 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Carsten S Malisch
- Grass and Forage Science/Organic Agriculture, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, 24118 Kiel, Germany
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Petersen K, Kraus D, Calanca P, Semenov MA, Butterbach-Bahl K, Kiese R. Dynamic simulation of management events for assessing impacts of climate change on pre-alpine grassland productivity. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF AGRONOMY : THE JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN SOCIETY FOR AGRONOMY 2021; 128:None. [PMID: 34345158 PMCID: PMC8209143 DOI: 10.1016/j.eja.2021.126306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The productivity of permanent temperate cut grasslands is mainly driven by weather, soil characteristics, botanical composition and management. To adapt management to climate change, adjusting the cutting dates to reflect earlier onset of growth and expansion of the vegetation period is particularly important. Simulations of cut grassland productivity under climate change scenarios demands management settings to be dynamically derived from actual plant development rather than using static values derived from current management operations. This is even more important in the alpine region, where the predicted temperature increase is twice as high as compared to the global or Northern Hemispheric average. For this purpose, we developed a dynamic management module that provides timing of cutting and manuring events when running the biogeochemical model LandscapeDNDC. We derived the dynamic management rules from long-term harvest measurements and monitoring data collected at pre-alpine grassland sites located in S-Germany and belonging to the TERENO monitoring network. We applied the management module for simulations of two grassland sites covering the period 2011-2100 and driven by scenarios that reflect the two representative concentration pathways (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5 and evaluated yield developments of different management regimes. The management module was able to represent timing of current management operations in high agreement with several years of field observations (r² > 0.88). Even more, the shift of the first cutting dates scaled to a +1 °C temperature increase simulated with the climate change scenarios (-9.1 to -17.1 days) compared well to the shift recorded by the German Weather Service (DWD) in the study area from 1991-2016 (-9.4 to -14.0 days). In total, the shift in cutting dates and expansion of the growing season resulted in 1-2 additional cuts per year until 2100. Thereby, climate change increased yields of up to 6 % and 15 % in the RCP 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios with highest increases mainly found for dynamically adapted grassland management going along with increasing fertilization rates. In contrast, no or only minor yield increases were associated with simulations restricted to fertilization rates of 170 kg N ha-1 yr-1 as required by national legislations. Our study also shows that yields significantly decreased in drought years, when soil moisture is limiting plant growth but due to comparable high precipitation and water holding capacity of soils, this was observed mainly in the RCP 8.5 scenario in the last decades of the century.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krischan Petersen
- Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kreuzeckbahnstraße 19, 82467, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
| | - David Kraus
- Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kreuzeckbahnstraße 19, 82467, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
| | - Pierluigi Calanca
- Agroscope Institute for Sustainability Sciences ISS, Reckenholzstrasse 191, P.O. Box 8046, Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - Klaus Butterbach-Bahl
- Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kreuzeckbahnstraße 19, 82467, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
| | - Ralf Kiese
- Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kreuzeckbahnstraße 19, 82467, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
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In Response to Abiotic Stress, DNA Methylation Confers EpiGenetic Changes in Plants. PLANTS 2021; 10:plants10061096. [PMID: 34070712 PMCID: PMC8227271 DOI: 10.3390/plants10061096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetics involves the heritable changes in patterns of gene expression determined by developmental and abiotic stresses, i.e., drought, cold, salinity, trace metals, and heat. Gene expression is driven by changes in DNA bases, histone proteins, the biogenesis of ncRNA, and changes in the nucleotide sequence. To cope with abiotic stresses, plants adopt certain changes driven by a sophisticated biological system. DNA methylation is a primary mechanism for epigenetic variation, which can induce phenotypic alterations in plants under stress. Some of the stress-driven changes in plants are temporary, while some modifications may be stable and inheritable to the next generations to allow them to cope with such extreme stress challenges in the future. In this review, we discuss the pivotal role of epigenetically developed phenotypic characteristics in plants as an evolutionary process participating in adaptation and tolerance responses to abiotic and biotic stresses that alter their growth and development. We emphasize the molecular process underlying changes in DNA methylation, differential variation for different species, the roles of non-coding RNAs in epigenetic modification, techniques for studying DNA methylation, and its role in crop improvement in tolerance to abiotic stress (drought, salinity, and heat). We summarize DNA methylation as a significant future research priority for tailoring crops according to various challenging environmental issues.
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Villalba JJ, Ates S, MacAdam JW. Non-fiber Carbohydrates in Forages and Their Influence on Beef Production Systems. FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2021.566338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Forages can provide a complete diet for ruminant animals, increasing the sustainability of beef production systems worldwide while reducing competition with humans for agricultural land or grain crops. Much of the emphasis on the nutritional characteristics of forages has been on the fiber, sugars, starch, and protein they supply to the rumen, despite the fact that other less-explored constituents, i.e., neutral detergent soluble fiber (NDSF) and other non-structural or non-fiber carbohydrates (NFC) also play a key role in the nutrition of ruminants. This paper explores the less investigated potential of temperate legumes to accumulate levels of NFC comparable to corn silage or beet pulp in cool, dry environments under irrigation, and its implications for forage-based beef production systems. We conclude that genetic or managerial interventions (i.e., breeding programs, defoliation frequency) or ecological conditions (i.e., climate, elevation) that increase concentrations of NFC in legumes can enhance beef production, meat quality, and the efficiency of nitrogen utilization by ruminants while reducing environmental impacts.
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Mayberry D, Hatcher S, Cowley F. New skills, networks and challenges: the changing face of animal production science in Australia. ANIMAL PRODUCTION SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.1071/an20115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Livestock producers are facing increasing pressure to reduce the environmental and animal-welfare impacts of production, while also managing the challenge of an increasingly variable climate and diminishing resources. This perspective paper highlights the role for animal scientists to contribute to the sustainability of future livestock systems. We argue the need for a broader, more inclusive and more integrated concept of animal science, better connections among scientists, producers, consumers and policy makers, and more support for the next generation of animal scientists. Animal scientists have an important role to play in providing the evidence to support the social licence of livestock production and inform decisions made by policy makers and consumers regarding the production and consumption of livestock products. Animal scientists can also assist producers to adapt to social, environmental and political challenges that affect their livelihoods and the way they farm. Traditionally, animal science has focussed on species- and discipline-specific areas of research such as ruminant nutrition, genetics or reproductive physiology. While this fundamental research remains essential to understand the underlying biology of livestock production and improve production efficiency, it needs to be better integrated into research applied at and beyond the herd or flock level. Systems thinkers who can apply this knowledge across farm, regional and national scales also have an important role in providing information to key decision makers, from farmers to national government. Better engagement with the social and economic sciences can inform how animal scientists and extension services interact with producers to understand constraints to production as well as adoption of new technology and co-develop evidence-based solutions. Underlying this, the demographics of those who study and work in animal science are changing. Australian animal industries require the best and brightest minds to overcome future challenges and engaging these students as the new face of Australian animal science is an essential step towards sustainable future livestock systems.
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Peterson CA, Bell LW, Carvalho PCDF, Gaudin ACM. Resilience of an Integrated Crop–Livestock System to Climate Change: A Simulation Analysis of Cover Crop Grazing in Southern Brazil. FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2020.604099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Integrated crop–livestock systems are a form of sustainable intensification of agriculture that rely on synergistic relationships between plant and animal system elements to bolster critical agroecosystem processes, with potential impacts on resilience to weather anomalies. We simulated productivity dynamics in an integrated cover crop grazing agroecosystem typical of southern Brazil to gain a better understanding of the impacts of livestock integration on system performance, including future productivity and resilience under climate change. Long-term historical simulations in APSIM showed that the integrated system resulted in greater system-wide productivity than a specialized control system in 77% of simulated years. Although soybean yields were typically lower in the integrated system, the additional forage and livestock production increased total system outputs. Under simulated future climate conditions [representative concentration pathway 8.5 (RCP8.5) scenario from 2020 to 2060], integrated system productivity exceeded specialized system productivity in 95% of years despite declines in average soybean yield and aboveground cover crop biomass production. While the integrated system provided a productivity buffer against chronic climate stress, its resilience to annual weather anomalies depended on disturbance type and timing. This study demonstrates the utility of process-based models for exploring biophysical proxies for resilience, as well as the potential advantages of livestock integration into cropland as a sustainable intensification strategy.
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Wilson RL, Bionaz M, MacAdam JW, Beauchemin KA, Naumann HD, Ates S. Milk production, nitrogen utilization, and methane emissions of dairy cows grazing grass, forb, and legume-based pastures. J Anim Sci 2020; 98:skaa220. [PMID: 32674157 PMCID: PMC7455276 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skaa220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Achieving high animal productivity without degrading the environment is the primary target in pasture-based dairy farming. This study investigated the effects of changing the forage base in spring from grass-clover pastures to forb or legume-based pastures on milk yield, N utilization, and methane emissions of Jersey cows in Western Oregon. Twenty-seven mid-lactation dairy cows were randomly assigned to one of three pasture treatments: grass-clover-based pasture composed of festulolium, tall fescue, orchardgrass, and white clover (Grass); forb-based pasture composed of chicory, plantain, and white clover (Forb); and legume-based pasture composed of red clover, bird's-foot trefoil, berseem clover, and balansa clover (Legume). Pastures were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replicates (i.e., blocks) with each replicate grazed by a group of three cows. Production and nutritive quality of the forages, animal performance, milk components, nitrogen partitioning, and methane emissions were measured. Feed quality and dry matter intake (DMI) of cows were greater (P ≤ 0.05) for Legume and Forb vs. Grass, with consequent greater milk and milk solids yields (P < 0.01). Cows grazing Forb also had more (P < 0.01) lactose and linoleic acid in milk compared with cows grazing the other pastures, and less (P = 0.04) somatic cell counts compared with Grass. Cows grazing Forb had substantially less (P < 0.01) N in urine, milk, and blood compared with cows grazing the other pastures, with not only a greater (P < 0.01) efficiency of N utilization for milk synthesis calculated using milk urea nitrogen but also a larger (P < 0.01) fecal N content, indicating a shift of N from urine to feces. Both Forb and Legume had a diuretic effect on cows, as indicated by the lower (P < 0.01) creatinine concentration in urine compared with Grass. Methane emissions tended to be less (P = 0.07) in cows grazed on Forb vs. the other pastures. The results indicate that Forb pasture can support animal performance, milk quality, and health comparable to Legume pasture; however, Forb pasture provides the additional benefit of reduced environmental impact of pasture-based dairy production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randi L Wilson
- Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
| | - Massimo Bionaz
- Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
| | - Jennifer W MacAdam
- Department of Plants, Soils, and Climate, Utah State University, Logan, UT
| | - Karen A Beauchemin
- Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
| | - Harley D Naumann
- Division of Plant Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
| | - Serkan Ates
- Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
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The Impact of Agricultural Production and Policy on Water Quality during the Dry Year 2018, a Case Study from Germany. WATER 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/w12061519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The hot summer of 2018 posed many challenges with regard to water shortages and yield losses, especially for agricultural production. These agricultural impacts might further pose consequent threats for the environment. In this paper, we deduce the impact of droughts on agricultural land management and on water quality owing to nitrate pollution. Using national statistics, we calculate a Germany-wide soil surface nitrogen budget for 2018 and deduce the additional N surplus owing to the dry weather conditions. Using a model farm approach, we compare fertilization practices and legal restrictions for arable and pig breeding farms. The results show that, nationwide, at least 464 kt of nitrogen were not transferred to plant biomass in 2018, which equals an additional average nitrogen surplus of 30 kg/ha. The surplus would even have amounted to 43 kg/ha, if farmers had continued their fertilization practice from preceding years, but German farmers applied 161 kt less nitrogen in 2018 than in the year before, presumably as a result of the new implications of the Nitrates Directive, and, especially on grassland, owing to the drought. As nitrogen surplus is regarded as an “agri-drinking water indicator” (ADWI), an increase of the surplus entails water pollution with nitrates. The examples of the model farms show that fertilization regimes with high shares of organic fertilizers produce higher nitrogen surpluses. Owing to the elevated concentrations on residual nitrogen in soils, the fertilization needs of crops in spring 2019 were less pronounced than in preceding years. Thus, the quantity of the continuously produced manure in livestock farms puts additional pressure on existing storage capacities. This may particularly be the case in the hot-spot regions of animal breeding in the north-west of Germany, where manure production, biogas plants, and manure imports are accumulating. The paper concludes that water shortages under climate change not only impact agricultural production and yields, but also place further challenges and threats to nutrient management and the environment. The paper discusses preventive and emergency management options for agriculture to support farmers in extremely dry and hot conditions.
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Abstract
In temperate regions of Europe where grass grows for most of the year, grazed pasture is the lowest cost feed for milk production. Grazed pasture can make a contribution to dairy cow feeding systems in other parts of Europe, but is less important. While there are many challenges to maintaining or increasing the proportion of grazed grass in dairy cow diets, there are also opportunities to increase its contribution. Grass use and quality can be challenging for several reasons, including the cow and sward interaction, and factors influencing dry matter intake. Adapting grazing management strategies can provide opportunities for incorporating grazing and perhaps increase grazing in dairy cow milk production systems. Pasture management tools and techniques offer the opportunity to increase herbage use at grazing. While there are many benefits of grazing including economic, environmental, animal welfare and social, there are also the challenges to maintaining grazed pasture in dairy cow diets. The objective of this paper is to present an overview of the challenges and opportunities for grazing in dairy milk production systems.
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