Co-Founders Rob Burleigh and Francis Dodds share their knowledge and insights into agricultural science, publishing and the latest news at Burleigh Dodds
Burleigh Dodds Crops Round Up
02 September 2021
Improving Current Practices for Measuring Soil Health
Scientists from the United States Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) have collaborated with a team from the world-renowned Soil Health Institute in North Carolina, USA to assess one of the most commonly used methods (carbon dioxide flush) to measure soil health in dryland cropping systems.
Instead of developing a new method to measure soil health in its entirety, the team of researchers worked to refine the carbon dioxide flush method to ensure a close association with the majority of known soil properties and successful future crop production.
With more farmers and producers paying close attention to the health of their soils and what the presence of particular soil properties can indicate, the importance of soil health assessments and testing is growing. However, to receive a comprehensive outlook, most farmers and producers rely on several different testing methods which generally amounts to an expensive investment.
Research similar to that carried out by scientists from the USDA-ARS and The Soil Health Institute is important to the future development and/or further refinement of existing soil health assessment methods.
Important Reference on the Advances Made in Measuring Soil Health
Edited by
Professor Wilfred Otten, Cranfield University, UK
About the Book
This book reviews the wealth of research on developing better analytical techniques for measuring the biological, physical and chemical properties of soils and their implications for better management of farm soils.
The collection also surveys developments in measuring soil physical properties through advances in visual, imaging and geophysical techniques, as well as the methods used to measure chemical properties such as soil organic carbon.
Brose the Full Soil Health Collection
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News
No-till farmers can reduce herbicide use
A team of researchers from Pennsylvania State University, USA have suggested that farmers partaking in no-till farming practices can reduce their current herbicide use, whilst still controlling weeds and maintaining crop yields. The new study emphasises how farmer implementation of integrated weed management strategies is key to achieving this, as well as reducing the environmental impact of crop production. [Read more here].
Field trial for genome edited wheat set to go ahead
Rothamsted Research - a renowned institute in the UK for their work on genetically modified (GM) crops - have been granted permission by the UK government to organise a series of field trials of GM wheat. Recognised as the first set of field trials of CRISPR edited wheat across the UK and Europe, the crop has been edited to reduce the natural production of asparagine. When used in cooking, asparagine converts into acrylamide which is suggested to be harmful for humans. [Read more here].
New initiative launched to promote sorghum
Researchers from an array of US institutions and organisations, including The United Sorghum Checkoff Program (USCP) and the University of California, have teamed up together on a five year partnership which will aim to promote the versatility of the sorghum crop and it's resilience to drought. Research efforts will also focus on increasing the demand for sorghum as a beneficial crop for use across the biofuel and bioproduct markets.
Offering fruit postharvest protection
A new partnership between Hazel Technologies Inc. and Valicoff Fruit Co. has shown great promise for the postharvest protection of apples and stone fruits, such as peaches, apricots and cherries. During last year's growing season, leading farmers working at Valicoff Fruit utilised Hazel 100™ bin sachets to ensure the quality of their harvest wasn't reduced upon transport from field to storage facility. [Read more here].
Title Insights
Burleigh Dodds Livestock Round Up
02 September 2021
EU Grants the Use of Processed Animal Proteins in Pig and Poultry Feed
The European Union (EU) Commission have authorised the use of processed animal proteins (PAPs) and insects as feed for non-ruminant farmed animals, including pigs and poultry.
This authorisation by the Commission has been hailed as another huge step towards developing and maintaining a more sustainable feed chain, something that was outlined previously in the Farm to Fork strategy.
Throughout the EU, the use of PAPs as primary or secondary feed ingredients for animals had been banned since 2001 - a direct result of the Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) outbreak in 2001. However, in 2013, the ban was lifted on the use of PAPs in fish feed.
Members from the EU Commissions have credited the importance of research and other forms of scientific knowledge in the creation of this proposal, as well as the eventual authorisation of it.
Key Reference on the Development of New Animal Feed Products and Ingredients
Edited by
Dr Navaratnam Partheeban, formerly Royal Agricultural University, UK
About the Book
This volume reviews key research and the challenges faced in developing new livestock feed products that promote growth whilst also enhancing both product quality and safety.
It also summarises recent key developments in the sector, including a better understanding of gut function and the need to replace antibiotics.
New Insights Into the Effect of Heat Stress on Calves
With rising concerns from both consumers and retailers about the welfare of all farmed animals, greater efforts are being made by farmers and producers to ensure good animal welfare standards are maintained.
Heat stress in dairy cows remain a huge welfare concern and researchers from the University of Florida, USA are the latest to detail the negative effects heat stress can have on a cow's health and lifespan, as well as the impact heat stress can have on a calf.
In a controlled study, researchers from the University of Florida exposed a herd of pregnant Holstein cows to extreme temperatures (made possible by the Floridian heat) and collected data on the health of the calves after birth. This data was then compared with data collected from pregnant Holstein cows who were provided with cooling measures towards the latter stages of their pregnancies.
Key findings show that calves born to heat-stressed cows had:
• Lower birth weights
• Reduced weight of major organs (heart, liver and kidneys)
• Higher rates of cell death in the intestine
BDS Related Book
Discover Heat stress in dairy cattle to improve your current knowledge on the wealth of recent research completed on the latest practices and techniques developed to offset the occurrence of heat stress in dairy cattle.
Price: £37.99
Publication Date: 8th December 2020
Pages: 92
News
Potential outbreak of avian influenza identified in Botswana
Local animal health authorities based in Botswana have been alerted to a potential case of avian influenza in a backyard poultry farm in Bokka - a village in the Kgatleng district. Since the notification, the country's Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security have halted the transportation of live poultry and poultry products in and out of the village until further notice.[Read more here].
Achieving high welfare standards in pig production
A new article has highlighted the relationship between animal welfare and performance, suggesting that when high welfare standards are met, animals respond with greater levels of productivity and performance. High welfare standards for piglets can be achieved through ensuring easy access to food and water, enabling movement in and around the housing environment, as well as a good relationship between human and animal.
Tackling ovine enzootic abortion in sheep
A team of researchers from the Moredun Research Institute, UK have developed a new vaccine which is claimed to be more effective than any previous vaccine against the threat of ovine enzootic abortion. The bacteria responsible for this disease can also be extremely harmful to humans, with the development of life-threatening illnesses and abortions a possibility if exposed for a certain amount of time. [Read more here].
Emissions from New Zealand's dairy farms continue to rise
New Zealand is home to just over 6 million cows and recent statistics from Stats NZ have declared that the country's population of dairy cows has increased greenhouse gas emissions by 3% in 2019 alone. Dairy farms across New Zealand recorded a total of 17,719 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere during 2019, an amount just shy of the total contribution of the whole agricultural sector. [Read more here].
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Download our New Titles Brochure to stay on top of our publication schedule* and bookmark which titles you're most looking forward to!
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