Publications
NIBIOs employees contribute to several hundred scientific articles and research reports every year. You can browse or search in our collection which contains references and links to these publications as well as other research and dissemination activities. The collection is continously updated with new and historical material.
2018
Authors
Arne StensvandAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Solveig Marie Stubsjøen Kristin Sørheim Matteo Chincarini Jon Bohlin Emma Brunberg Boris Fuchs Rupert Palme Lise GrøvaAbstract
Tick-borne fever (TBF), caused by the bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum and transmitted by the tick Ixodes ricinus, has considerable consequences for animal welfare and economy in the sheep industry. Non-invasive, objective methods to quantify chronic stress are needed in order to evaluate the welfare impact of disease. The aim of this study was 1) to evaluate hair cortisol (HC) and hair cortisone (HCn) as biomarkers of chronic stress in sheep with TBF and 2) to test whether there was an association between the development of TBF and con- centrations of HC, HCn and faecal cortisol metabolites (FCM) and body weight. The experiment took place in an area with a high prevalence of TBF, and thirty lambs were used in the study. Wool samples were collected in Week 0, in Week 3 (before turn out on homeland spring pasture), in Week 6 (before turn out on summer rangeland pasture) and at the end of the summer (Week 15). Faecal samples were collected every week (ie. Week 0–6 and Week 15). Symptoms of TBF developed in 15 lambs, of which all recovered from the disease after treatment with antibiotics. HC levels decreased progressively, and significantly, between Week 0, 3, 6 and 15 (p < 0.001), while HCn only decreased from Week 0 to Week 3 (p < 0.001) and then remained stable between Week 3–15. FCM increased between Week 0 and 5 (p = 0.027), and a significant association was found between increased FCM levels in Week 5 and lambs developing clinical signs of TBF (p = 0.022). We also found an association between lambs developing clinical signs of TBF and elevated HCn levels in Week 6 (p = 0.013). A slightly lower weight gain at later time points (Week 6 and 15) were found in the affected lambs compared to clinically healthy lambs. Our results indicate local production and/or metabolism of glucocorticoids in the hair follicles. This study strengthens our previous finding of a potential merit of hair cortisone as a biomarker of chronic stress in sheep.
Authors
Tone Magnussen Anniken Førde Marit Aure Torill Nyseth Gregory TaffAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Misganu Debella-Gilo Svein Olav Krøgli Vibeke Stærkebye Nørstebø Wenche Dramstad Gerardo Alfredo Perez ValdesAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Emily Hill Sveinn Are Hanssen Bjørn Munro Jenssen Anette Fenstad Tomasz Maciej Ciesielski Syverin Lierhagen Jón Einar Jónsson Thordur Ôrn Kristjansson Thomas Holm Carlsen Geir W. Gabrielsen Børge MoeAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Daniel Mitchell Clare Heaviside Nathalie Schaller Myles Allen Kristie L. Ebi Erich M. Fischer Antonio Gasparrini Luke Harrington Viatcheslav Kharin Hideo Shiogama Jana Sillmann Sebastian Sippel Sotiris VardoulakisAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Anestis Karkanis Georgia Ntatsi Liga Lepse Juan A. Fernández Ingunn M. Vågen Boris Rewald Ina Alsina Arta Kronberga Astrit Balliu Margit Olle Gernot Bodner Laila Dubova Eduardo Rosa Dimitrios SavvasAbstract
Faba beans are highly nutritious because of their high protein content: they are a good source of mineral nutrients, vitamins, and numerous bioactive compounds. Equally important is the contribution of faba bean in maintaining the sustainability of agricultural systems, as it is highly efficient in the symbiotic fixation of atmospheric nitrogen. This article provides an overview of factors influencing faba bean yield and quality, and addresses the main biotic and abiotic constraints. It also reviews the factors relating to the availability of genetic material and the agronomic features of faba bean production that contribute to high yield and the improvement of European cropping systems. Emphasis is to the importance of using new high-yielding cultivars that are characterized by a high protein content, low antinutritional compound content, and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. New cultivars should combine several of these characteristics if an increased and more stable production of faba bean in specific agroecological zones is to be achieved. Considering that climate change is also gradually affecting many European regions, it is imperative to breed elite cultivars that feature a higher abiotic–biotic stress resistance and nutritional value than currently used cultivars. Improved agronomical practices for faba bean crops, such as crop establishment and plant density, fertilization and irrigation regime, weed, pest and disease management, harvesting time, and harvesting practices are also addressed, since they play a crucial role in both the production and quality of faba bean.
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Klaus Mittenzwei Hugo Storm Thomas HeckeleiAbstract
Seeking the answer to the question of how farmers allocate their limited labor resources has a long tradition in the agricultural economics literature (Schultz 1990, Benjamin 1992). The role of off-farm income to close the income gap between farm households and non-farm households has been emphasized by various scholars (e.g. Schmitt 1989, Gardner 1992, Mishra et al. 2002). Ahearn et al. (2006) focus on the role of government subsidies on the allocation decision. This chapter contributes to this literature. In particular, we investigate the relationship of farmers’ decisions to combine farm income with off-farm wage income and to what extent this affects their total household income. To this end, we combine taxpayer information and agricultural data at the farm household level to study labor decisions and the income of Norwegian farm households and compare with the income situation of all households. Using data of almost 40 000 farm households for the year 2009, we find that farm households obtain an income that is on average larger than that of all Norwegian households. However, there is a large variation. Descriptive statistical analysis looking at joint distributions of key structural variables, policy support and income at farm level provides unique information.