Soil Properties and their Influence on Grassland Production under Low Input and Organic Farming Conditions

End of project reportThis project set out to identify soil properties that most influence grassland production under low mineral nitrogen input conditions. Sixteen farms were selected in Counties Limerick and Clare and the soil sampled. Soil physical and chemical characteristics and soil biological aspects involved in the carbon and nitrogen cycles were studied in the laboratory. Nutrient additions to farms as well as the nature of grazing by livestock (numbers, types of grazing animals, grazing practices), grassland management, and production from the farms were recorded

Antecedentes a la investigación filosófico-historiográfica de la escolástica colonial. La contribución de Celina Lértora Mendoza

En este artículo pretendemos ofrecer, de manera objetiva, un levantamiento de la contribución realizada por la profesora argentina Celina Lértora Mendoza que trabajó la historia de la filosofía desarrollada en las colonias, muy especialmente en el Rio de la Plata a lo largo de 30 años y en estrecha colaboración con la FEPAI (Fundación para el Estudio del Pensamiento Argentino e Iberoamericano). Haremos referencia a sus principales fuentes y un breve análisis de su obra.In this article we intend to offer, in an objective way, the contribution that the argentine professor Celina Lértora Mendoza has made to the history of the philosophy developed in the colonies, especially in the Rio de la Plata for more than 30 years in a close collaboration with the FEPAI (“Fundación para el Estudio del Pensamiento Argentino e Iberoamericano” – Foundation for the Study of Argentine and Latin American Thought). We will refer to her main sources and make a brief analysis of her work

Duffy phenotype and plasmodium vivax infections in humans and Apes, Africa

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Dynamics of plasmodium falciparum selection after Artemether-Lumefantrine treatment in Africa

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A survey of fertilizer use from 2001-2003 for grassland and arable crops

End of project reportFarm management data for the years 2001-2003 from the Teagasc National Farm Survey (NFS) were used as the basis for this fertilizer use survey. The farms which took part in the survey were randomly selected to represent the major farm systems and sizes using information from the CSO Census of Agriculture 2000. Farms were classified into 6 main farm systems namely: dairying, dairying with other enterprises, cattle rearing, cattle with other systems, mainly sheep and tillage systems. These systems refer to the dominant enterprise in each group

The evaluation of environmental, agronomic and economic implications of high and low input dairy systems.

End of Project ReportThis report marks the end of the first phase of a long term systems trial on phosphorus. The objective of the work was to define the minimum soil P necessary to ensure optimum production in terms of milk. If phosphorus applications are minimised, the potential damage to the environment is minimised. Three herds (21 cows each) were managed on three separate farmlets. The objective was to have each herd graze on land with it’s own soil P level. The target soil P levels required for herds 1, 2 and 3, were Indices 1, 2 and 3, respectively. At the end of this phase of the work these soil P targets were achieved. These were achieved by using no P fertiliser on treatment 1, application of maintenance P on treatment 2 (14kg p/ha) and 28 kg P/ha on treatment 3. In the course of the four years, grass growth, silage yields, milk yields and composition, cow weights and body scores were recorded. Soil phosphorus levels changed slowly. It took between 20 and 40 kg P/ha to move Morgan’s P by one unit. Silage yields and grazing sward yields were not affected by phosphatic fertiliser treatments. The P status in silage was significantly reduced in the low P treatments in three out of the four years. This resulted in lower P levels in the slurry in the low P treatments. In the fourth year P status in the grazing swards was consistently reduced in the low P treatment. Milk yields and composition were not influenced by P treatment. There was some evidence that cow weight and body score of cows were adversely effected in the low P treatments towards the end of the trial. In the next phase of the work, phosphorus will be applied to all three treatments at similar rates, i.e. maintenance dressings of P will be applied to cows grazing on soils with Indices 1, 2 and 3, respectively. It is concluded at the end of this phase that there may be some scope for modifications to the index system as is currently recommended by Teagasc. It will be in 2001 before the extent of changes that can be made will be quantified and implemented.European Union Structural Funding (EAGGF

Maize silage for milk production - Part 2: Effect of concentrate quality and quantity fed withmaize silage based forages on milk production

End of Project ReportIn some of the studies outlined in Part 1 of this report, mixed forages containing grass silage and a high proportion (60%) of maize silages varying in maturity and starch content were supplemented with concentrates at different levels to compare the response in milk production with a maize silage based forage and with good quality grass silage as the sole forage. The most suitable type of energy ingredient in the concentrate, i.e. high starch or low starch, high fibre ingredients, as supplements to maize silage based forages or grass silage was investigated. A range of levels of crude protein in the concentrate were examined in one study to determine the optimum level of crude protein in the supplement for maize silage based forages compared with grass silage.European Union Structural Funds (FEOGA

Thirty years of phosphorus fertilizer on Irish Pastures.

End of Project ReportThirty years of research involving phosphorus (P) fertiliser rates (0, 15 and 30 kg/ha/yr) on pastures has been completed. Beef performance on pasture at relatively low and high stocking rates was determined by weighing beef animals (mean wt = 260kg) at the beginning and end of each grazing season for 18 years. Soil samples were taken at various times and at various depths. Live weight gain (LWG) was greatest at the high stocking rate (HSR) compared to the low stocking rate (LSR). LWG maximised at 15 kg P/ha. Maximum beef production took place with a soil test of 6 mg P/l using the Morgan’s procedure. Most of the soil P and fertiliser P, as measured by both the Morgan’s and Total P procedures, were in the top 10cm. However, a significant portion moved below that to the 10-20 cm layer, as determined by both Total and Morgan’s P in both P treatments. Soil P and fertiliser P as determined by the Morgan’s procedure moved into the 20-40 cm layer but no lower. Work done on the 30 kg/ha P treatment and on another site at Johnstown Castle showed that significant amounts of P moved off the plot with water in overland flow and the loss was related to the soil test (Morgan’s) for P. The amount of P lost per unit of Morgan’s was calculated to be 175g with a Morgan’s soil test of 4 mg P/l and 281g with a soil test of 17 mg P/l. A mass balance procedure was attempted for the 30 years’ work to determine how much P was exported in beef, lost in overland flow or retained in the soil. This showed that fertilising beyond 15 kg/ha gave no increase in beef production and that the extra P was found in the soil, or lost in overland flow. When 15kg P/ha was applied annually for 30 years it was estimated that 20% and 4% of P applied was removed in beef or lost in overland flow, respectively. It was calculated that 76% of the P applied stayed in the soil

Phosphorus Retention and sorption by constructed wetland soils.

End of Project ReportPhosphorus plays a major role in the eutrophication of freshwater systems. Wetland systems either natural or constructed have an inherent ability to cycle and retain P. Physical, chemical and biological processes regulate P retention in wetland soils and sediments. Of those processes, sorption and precipitation are important in retaining P. Sorption is typically greater under aerobic soil/sediment conditions than anaerobic conditions. Under anaerobic conditions, Fe plays a major role in P dynamics, whereas Al is not affected by changes in redox. Precipitation of P as insoluble Ca bound P is a dominant transformation at high pH. Long-term P retention by wetland systems includes accretion and decomposition of organic and detrital material, and its associated P content. Case studies reviewed illustrated that P retention in natural and constructed wetland systems can vary by several orders of 30 magnitude depending on site-specific factors. The literature reviewed also indicates that using wetlands to retain P from agricultural practices is significant and variable