2,657 research outputs found
Feed quality of modern varieties of Festuca arundinacea and Phleum pratense as an alternative to Lolium perenne in intensively managed grassland with different defoliation schemes
No full textAbstract Grassland production based on cutting-only and an increasing frequency of prolonged periods of drought due to climate change could lead to decreased productivity in Lolium perenne . In field experiments, we tested whether Festuca arundinacea and Phleum pratense could be suitable alternatives to L. perenne on intensively managed grassland on clay, peat and sandy soil. The three grasses were sown in mixture with Poa pratensis and Trifolium repens and subjected to different frequencies of defoliation representing a cutting-only system, simulated grazing system and a mixed system. We found that in systems with at least six defoliations, F. arundinacea represented an acceptable compromise between feed quality (6.4 MJ net energy/kg dry matter (DM), 19.3% crude protein, CP), persistence (mass proportion >90%), and DM yield (12.7 Mg/ha). However, for dairy production based on intensive cutting-only systems, the quality of F. arundinacea was insufficient (5.9 MJ net energy/kg DM, 15.6% CP). Mixtures with P. pratense as the main sown species did not differ significantly in production of net energy and CP from L. perenne in cutting-only systems on sandy soil. On peat land, all sown mixtures were invaded by Holcus lanatus. We found that under frequent defoliation conditions, H. lanatus -rich swards had comparatively good DM yields (9.2 Mg/ha) and a feed quality that would be sufficient for dairy cow nutrition (net energy, 6.2–6.4 MJ/kg DM; 18.8–20.4% CP). We conclude that there is potential to adapt the choice of grasses and mixtures in different production systems to meet the challenges of climate change
How German dairy farmers perceive advantages and disadvantages of grazing and how it relates to their milk production systems
No full textDairy farming in Europe and in Germany in particular, is characterized by a growing trend towards all-year-housing. Along with that the proportion of grass products as sources of energy for dairy cows is decreasing. On the other hand, society and politics strongly advocate grazing resulting in the introduction of pasture-milk programs. Little is known of the dairy farmers\’ perception of grazing and it is not clear what role their attitude towards grazing plays in their decision-making and how this is related to farm structure. To investigate these questions, we conducted a survey with face-to-face interviews on three types of German dairy farms: i.) grazing farms (n = 17), ii) exercise-pasture farms (n = 19), and iii) all-year-housing farms (n = 18). On grazing farms, pasture contributes significantly to the ration of the cows (0.2 ha grassland with 0.1 ha as pasture per cow and year; at least 6 hours of grazing on 120 days per year). Exercise-pasture farms offer their cows a much more restricted access to rather small pastures. All-year-housing farms have no grazing for dairy at all but feed their cows grass silage and hay. Farmers from grazing farms expressed a high agreement with the positive aspects of grazing (low fodder costs, low labor input, benefits for animal health and fertility), while the all-year-housing farmers were more aware of the challenges and disadvantages of grazing and expressed a high agreement with its potential negative aspects (reduced milk yield, unsuitability for large herds, insufficient access of the herd to the pastures). The exercise-pasture farmers appreciated the advantages of better fertility and better animal health and saw fewer disadvantages of grazing than the all-year-housing farmers. Utilization of grass products also differed among the three groups: grass and grass silage made up 47% of the ration on grazing farms while on exercise-pasture farms and on all-year-housing farms, grass products amounted to only 28% and 23% of the ration, respectively. The grazing farms had fewer cows (n = 69) and smaller milk yields (8,270 kg milk per cow/year) than the exercise-pasture farms (n = 109; 9,524 kg milk per cow/year) and all-year-housing farms (n = 138; 9,404 kg milk per cow/year). We also discuss the influence of the human tendency to avoid cognitive dissonance on farmers\’ responses. We conclude that in developing concepts to promote grazing, the differing attitudes and perceptions of dairy farmers and the interaction with differing farm structures need to be considered
Performance of Modern Varieties of Festuca arundinacea and Phleum pratense as an Alternative to Lolium perenne in Intensively Managed Sown Grasslands
No full textIn future, grass swards need to be adapted to climate change and interactions of management and site are becoming more important. The persistence of Lolium perenne on peatland or during dry periods is limited and alternative forage species are required. We tested the performance of a modern variety of Festuca arundinacea and Phleum pratense as an alternative to Lolium perenne on clay, peat, and sandy soils. Each of these grasses was sown as main species in mixture with Poa pratensis and Trifolium repens and the mixtures were subjected to different frequencies of defoliation. Differences in yield proportions in the third year were significantly influenced by main species, site and their interaction. Remaining mass proportions of main species after three years were smallest on peat; on all sites Festuca arundinacea showed the highest persistence and largest yield, followed by Lolium perenne. Mass proportions of Phleum pratense were small on peat soils and Phleum had been replaced there by Holcus lanatus, and by Lolium perenne and Poa pratensis on the clay and sandy soils. We conclude that the choice of grass species in mixtures is a management tool to control stability and productivity of grass swards under specific site conditions
A union list of New Jersey annual publications in the library collections of the New Jersey Historical Society and Rutgers University
No full textA fully subject indexed guide to hundreds of annual publications held at the New Jersey Historical Society and Rutgers University Libraries.compiled by Ronald L. Becker, E. Richard McKinstr
Robin Becker, 16th Annual ODU Literary Festival
No full textRobin Becker is the author of Giacometti’s Dog, published in 1990 by the University of Pittsburgh Press. Her previous books are Backtalk and Personal Effects, both published by Alice James Books She has received fellowships in poetry from the Massachusetts Artists Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. Her poems appear in many journals including Agni, The American Poetry Review, The Kenyon Review, and Ploughshares. She has published book reviews in Belles Lettres, The Boston Globe, The Boston Review, Prairie Schooner and The Women’s Review of Books She teaches in the Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This year she is Visiting Poet at Pennsylvania State University. Robin Becker serves as Poetry Editor for The Women’s Review of Books and as a member of the board of directors of Associated Writing Programs
Who Is and Who Should Be a European? Cosmopolitan? Monika Wolting Talks with Artur Becker
No full textArtur Becker is a Polish-German author living in Germany. He has lived in Germany since 1985. and has written novels, short stories, poems and essays and also works as a translator. Becker was awarded the Adelbert von Chamisso Prize by the Robert Bosch Foundation in 2009, and the DIALOG Prize of the German-Polish Association in 2012.Artur Becker ist ein seit 1985 in Deutschland lebender polnisch-deutscher Autor. Becker schreibt Romane, Erzählungen, Gedichte und Aufsätze und ist als Übersetzer tätig. Becker wurde 2009 mit dem Adelbert-von-Chamisso-Preis der Robert Bosch Stiftung ausgezeichnet, 2012 erhielt er den DIALOG-Preis der Deutsch-Polnischen Gesellschaft Bundesverband.Artur Becker, polsko-niemiecki pisarz, prozaik, eseista i tłumacz, zajmuje stanowisko w kluczowych kwestiach trwale obecnych w jego twórczości prozatorskiej i eseistycznej: kraj pochodzenia (Warmia i Mazury), wielokulturowość (transkultura), Kosmopolak, emigracja, literatura polityczna, polskość, niemieckość
The (im)possibilities of teaching-learning freedom
No full textTwenty-one years after a free and democratic South Africa was constituted, it seems as if South Africans are still in limbo. In this article, the author explores the essence of freedom as conceptualised by Arendt (1958, 1966, 1900, 2006) and the (im)possibilities of teaching-learning freedom towards continual new beginnings. Freedom and new beginnings are actualised when humans speak and act in equal difference. The possibilities of teaching-learning freedom rely on the acknowledgement of both the burden and the power of freedom and in unexpected acts of compassion and forgiveness in the teacher:child relationship (Becker 2013, 26). Using a phenomenological approach, the author explores qualitative data from the research project Human rights literacy: A quest for meaning (Roux 2012) to explore the (im)possibilities of teaching-learning freedom
Letter of thanks for reciept of 25th Anniversary Library Booklet from Henry E. Becker of Florida to Judith Y. Lind, Director, Roseland Public Library, May 21, 1997
No full textTranscript of letter written by Henry E. Becker of Florida to Judith Y. Lind, Director, Roseland Free Public Library thanking her for the 25th Anniversary Library Booklet, written on May 21, 1999
Biomass for energy production in the context of selected European and international policy objectives
No full textBiomass based energy production has attained a significant market share within the developing renewable energy market. In comparison to alternative renewable energy sources, biomass has several special features: it is not inexhaustible in the short term (limitation of arable land) and it is not only an energy source. Other usages like food or feed compete with energy production for this resource. A number of problems arise which have a direct impact on the fulfillment of policy objectives which are connected with its promotion. Primarily, the production of bioenergy has significant impacts on coupled biomass markets. Further, a change in production intensity or arable land use increases the use of nutrient loads and agro - chemicals. When evaluating renewable energy production, the wide range of political objectives has to be considered. Therefore, the focus of the overall study will be on three objective areas: promotion of the agricultural sector, environmental protection (reduction of GHG emissions) and maintenance of food supply security. The objective of this study is to combine an analysis of selected economic and ecological impacts of an increased biomass based energy production (primarily biofuels) under the assumption of European and international quantity targets by adjusting and applying the agricultural sector model CAPRI (Common Agricultural Policy Regional Impact Analysis). This poster intends to display the methodical approach of the intended analysis.Bioenergy, Biofuels, Biomass production, Impact analysis., Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,
The Ethics of Providing Access
No full textArchivists today make some of the most difficult ethical and legal decisions at the public service desk. It has always been a difficult process to balance the archivist's legal and ethical obligations to the researcher, to the donors of collections, and to the institution served and, furthermore to factor in obligations to those who often are not even aware that archives hold materials that impact on their lives. Balancing equality of access for all patrons with institutional needs and requirements is at least as difficult. Despite sincere efforts to limit the acquisition of restricted material, many important and potentially useful collections are restricted. Indeed, some have never been used. Naturally, archivists would like to encourage the use of collections that reveal a wealth of information documenting social, economic, literary, and educational history.
With its "Code of Ethics for Archivists," the Society of American Archivists has clarified the areas of concern to consider in trying to resolve the conflicts faced in light of the law, institutional needs, the highest ethical standards and, of course, the desire to serve which led many archivists into the profession in the first place. It is the responsibility of the individual archivist, the unit in which that archivist works, and the employing institution to use and build upon this code in solving the often complex ethical issues encountered in public service.
This article demonstrates how the code, most particularly in those sections which deal with issues relating to access, can be used and amplified to deal with real, true-to-life, practical situations.Peer reviewe
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