Maize silage for dairy cows: mitigation of methane emissions can be offset bij and use change

Increasing the digestibility of cattle rations by feeding grains and whole plant silages from maize have been identified as effective options to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. The effect of ploughing grassland for maize crops have not been taken into account yet. A intensive dairy farm is used as an example to demonstrate the trade offs by this type of land use change when more maize silage is fed to dairy cows. The model DAIRY WISE has been used to calculate the mitigation by the changed ration, the Introductory Carbon Balance Model to calculate the changes in soil organic carbon and nitrogen caused by ploughing grassland for maize crops. The losses of soil carbon and the loss of sequestration potential are much larger than the annual mitigation by feeding more maize. The ecosystem carbon payback time defines the years of mitigation that are needed before the emissions due to land use change are compensated. For ploughing grassland on sandy soils, the carbon payback time is 60 years. A higher global warming potential for methane can reduce the carbon payback time with 30%. Ploughing clay soils with a higher equilibrium level of soil organic matter increases the payback time by maximally 70%. The payback times occur only in the case of permanent maize cropping, grass maize rotations cause annual losses of nitrous oxide that are larger than the mitigation by feeding more maize

Time requirements for administrative activities; an investigation into firm size effects

This paper examines the assumption that activity time is independent of firm size (measured by the number of employees). Existing theories on (dis)economies of scale and scope and wage differentials are unclear on what to expect. For relatively complex activities such as becoming familiar with information obligations or checking agreements and declarations, the activity time might be related to the number of employees. For activities such as receiving, copying and sending information and documents, no theoretical arguments have been identified that suggest a firm-size effect. For the empirical examination of the existence of a relationship between firm size and activity time, data is used that were gathered in two projects applying the MISTRAL approach. This results in a dataset with information on many different activities, with only a few observations for each activity. By using a relative measure for activity time, observations for different activities can be combined in the analysis. To this end, relative activity time is defined as the ratio between the measured activity time and the standardized activity time for a certain activity. The empirical results suggest that, within the examined policy areas, firm size has no noticeable relationship with activity times. First of all, there exists no significant difference in average relative activity time between firms of different size classes. There are also no significant correlations between these variables. Next, these results are confirmed by regression analysis, where relative activity time is estimated as a function of firm size and other variables that might be of influence on activity time (such as experience of employees, the presence of a specific department for administrative activities, and whether additional adaptations and/or computations are required for a specific activity). Relative activity time tends to be higher for activities that require additional adaptations, but is independent of the size of the firm.

Climate Research Wageningen UR : Projects, researchers and expertise

Wageningen UR focuses not only on the global climate system but also on regional and local climate phenomena, taking both scientific and social aspects into account in an integral way. Wageningen UR wants to play an effective role in the transition to a world that is both climate neutral and climate proof. Our strength is using the limited space available in our delta, in a climate-proof manner, thus providing opportunities for among others agriculture, horticulture, aquaculture, recreation and living

MISTRAL

This report outlines the MISTRAL model (Administrative Compliance Cost Assessment Tool), by emphasising the issues of when a model may be applied, why it will be applied, how the model works and why the model should be used. The report concludes by narrating several results obtained on the basis of MISTRAL.

Smakelijkheid van gras

Herbage palatability is affected by sward structure, herbage contents and fouling. A review provides information about existing knowledge. Improving herbage utilization in autumn can be achieved by reduction of supplemental feeding, reducing post grazing height and thoroughly removing grazing residual

'Klimaatneutraal vlees kan niet'

Reflectie van Pier Vellinga, hoogleraar Klimaatveranderingen en water aan Wageningen UR en leider van het nationale onderzoeksprogramma Kennis voor Klimaat. ‘Iedereen concentreert zich op CO2-uitstoot die ontstaat bij de verbranding van olie, gas en steenkool. Maar dat probleem is over twintig jaar vermoedelijk wel opgelost. Dan is de grootste uitdaging het tegengaan van het broeikaseffect in de landbouwsector. Energie kun je duurzaam opwekken, maar hoe je klimaatneutraal vlees kunt maken, weet ik echt niet.

Gedachten over de samenstelling van een zoekarchief voor de geohydrologische archieven van DGV-TNO, RGD en RID, een discussiestuk voor de Adviesgroep Standaardisatie Geohydrologische Archieven (ASGA)

Aan de hand van vergader- en discussiepunten van de Adviesgroep Standaardisatie Geohydrologische Archieven (ASGA) wordt een beeld gegeven van de noodzaak van en de eisen voor een zoekarchief, waarmee elk der geohydrologische archieven van de Dienst Grondwaterverkenning TNO (DGV/TNO), Rijks Geologische Dienst (RGD) en het Rijksinstituut voor Drinkwatervoorziening (RID) op de hoogte zullen zijn van hetgeen er in de andere aanwezig is

Expression of Interest ICES/KIS-3 : Thema 4: Hoogwaardig Ruimtegebruik Speerpunt 6

Hoofddoel van dit speerpunt is om zowel de Nederlandse overheid als het bedrijfsleven uit te rusten met een operationele kennisinfrastructuur die toegesneden is op de relatie tussen (antropogene en natuurlijke) klimaatverandering en meervoudig ruimtegebrui