Browsing by department "Maataloustieteiden laitos"

The Finnish dairy cattle population has been subjected to systematic quantitative studies over decades. The Western Finncattle (WFC) has evolved over the last century with a production level comparable to other remaining local breeds in Europe. The heritability is used in designing the data collection and in predicting the changes expected from the selection and the variation parameters are used in constructing the economic selection indices genetic improvement scheme and in computing the bulls’ and cows’ breeding values. WFC has no recent studies on the genetic variation in milk production traits. The thesis research was set to estimate the heritability of milk, fat and protein yield, fat%, protein%, protein-fat ratio and somatic cell count (SCC) and the genetic correlation amongst them. Records from Western Finncattle primiparous cows calving in the period 2002–2016 were used for the genetic analyses. The raw data consisted of 5455 cows distributed across 2512 herds. The variance components were estimated with single and multi-trait animal model using a Bayesian approach and R studio package MCMCglmm. With requiring at least 5 cows in each herd-year subclass in the estimation, the data size was reduced to 1763 cows in 233 herds. The heritability of milk, protein and fat yield, protein%, fat% and SCC was in single (and in brackets for multi) trait analysis 0.36 (0.37), 027(0.30), 0.32 (0.30), 0.61(0.43), 0.52 (0.49) and 0.06 (0.15), respectively. Amongst yield traits and also between the content traits the genetic correlation was high, 0.73–0.94 and 0.43–0.59, respectively. The content traits (with milk yield in the denominator) had a negative genetic correlation with milk yield while no correlation with the protein and fat yield. There was an environmental correlation between content and yield traits for protein and fat. No correlations exist between SCC and other traits except an environmental correlation with milk yield and protein content. Despite the small population size of the WFC population, the effective population size is satisfactory and therefore no reduction in genetic variation is expected. Overall, the analysis on production traits and pedigree data shows that the Western Finncattle have much potential for genetic improvement.

Enterococci is a group of gram positive bacteria part of human intestinal flora. While generally harmless, several species of the group are known to cause severe infections in humans, including bloodstream infections leading to sepsis. Since Enterococci are naturally resistant to many antibiotics, the use of glycopeptides, considered a”last resort” drugs, is common in treatment of enterococcal infections. In recent years, however, the emergence of glycopeptide resistant Enterococci (GRE) has been an increasing concern for clinics and microbiology laboratories around the world, creating a need for fast and accurate screening tests differentiating the glycopeptide resistant Enterococcus strains from the non-resistant ones. In this study, a combined PCR and microarray hybridization based method for identification of the clinically most prevalent GRE was established as a part of commercial sepsis diagnostic test called Prove-it™ Sepsis. Already identifying the most common Enterococcus species (E.faecium and E.faecalis), the detection of glycopeptide resistance causing ligase genes vanA and vanB and species level identification of intrinsically glycopeptide resistant E.gallinarum and E.casseliflavus were added as part of the the test. Primers were designed for sequencing vanA and vanB genes and multiple strains, provided by a Finnish clinical laboratory Huslab, were sequenced. Sequence regions unique to these genes were identified according to sequence alignment data containing the sequenced gene regions and other relevant sequences found in public sequence databases. Based on these data, primers were designed for the amplification of the selected gene regions. For identification of the amplified gene regions, a set of hybridization probes were designed and printed on microarray. In addition, probes for identifying E.casseliflavus and E.gallinarum were designed based on sequence aligment data gathered from Mobidiag Ltd. private biobank. The identification of these species was based on topoisomerase encoding gyrB gene amplified by the Prove-it™ Sepsis broad range PCR. Several primers for the amplification of vanA and vanB genes were designed and one primer pair for each was selected to be integrated to the Prove-it™ Sepsis multiplex-PCR. Similarily, multiple hybridization probes were designed for detecting vanA, vanB, E.casseliflavus and E. gallinarum. Four probes for each target gene region were selected to be integrated to the commercial test. With this modified test, 12 pure culture samples of clinical origin were tested and the results were compared to the ones provided by the laboratory of clinical microbiology of Hôspital de bicêtre (Paris, France). Results provided by the modified PCR and microarray test were identical to the reference results in 11 out of 12 cases.

This study provides the green (the share of rain water in crop production) and blue (the share of surface and groundwater in crop production) water footprint (WF) of four annual crops in Finland and five annual crops in Iran for the growing period 2007?2012. It aims to present more recent water footprint accounting on annual crops in this study. Due to the large scale water footprint accounting (country level), the calculation for grey water footprint was omitted from this study. The green and blue water footprints of barley, maize, oilseed rape, soybeans and wheat for Iran and barley, oats, oilseed rape, and wheat for Finland were calculated over the annual growing period 2007 to 2012. Crops were selected upon the availability of crop production in each country. WF values were estimated based on crop water use (CWU) and crop yield, where CWU was estimated upon the accumulative ET over the growing season of the crops. For daily evapotranspiration values AQUACROP model was used. For running the AQUACROP model, different parameters were needed such as climatic parameters (including minimum and maximum temperature, rainfall and potential evapotranspiration), soil type, land management, irrigation practice, groundwater and initial condition for sowing, sowing and harvesting dates. This data were mined from databases. Due to the fact that crop production in Finland is rain-fed, only green WF of the selected crops were calculated for Finland. In Finland oilseed rape had the highest average green water footprint per ton of production, which was 2471 m^3 t¯¹yr¯^1 and it was followed by oats (1036 m^3 t¯¹yr¯^1), wheat (944? m?^3 t¯¹yr¯^1), and barley (838? m?^3 t¯¹yr¯^1). Considering the annual crop production, the average total green water footprint of selected crops was 3669 Mm^3 yr¯^1 in Finland. Water saving through crop trade was estimated -294 Mm^3 yr¯^1. The negative saving water amount showed the virtual water loss through crop trade of selected crops in Finland. The highest export crop in Finland was oats during 2007?2012. In Iran the major share of annual crop production comes from irrigated crop lands and that shows the importance of blue water footprint accounting beside green water footprint. The sum of green and blue water footprints of the growing crops in Iran was considered as water footprint of the crops. Water footprint per ton of crops in Iran increased from maize (696 m^3 t¯¹yr¯^1), wheat (1235 m^3 t¯¹yr¯^1), barley (1350 m^3 t¯¹yr¯^1), soybeans (2210 m^3 t¯¹yr¯^1) to oilseed rape (3503 m^3 t¯¹yr¯^1). Total average water footprint of the selected crops in Iran considering their production in the country was estimated 22816? Mm?^3 yr¯^1. Regarding the crop trade balances in Iran, the country saved 8902? Mm?^3 yr¯^1 water by importing the crops. Wheat was the major import crop during 2007?2012. WF can be a strong tool for assessing the consumptive water use of the agricultural systems in place and time according to different agricultural and water managements. It can bring a ground for comparing the production sites for certain crops or products considering the lower WF of the produced items. This study aimed at producing recent calculations of water footprint of crops in Finland and Iran, using local data.

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of faba bean and pea based lactation diets on changes in weight and condition of gilts and sows and weight gain of piglets in organic production. In addition, the effects of phase-feeding on sow and piglet productiveness was surveyed. The study was conducted in experimental farm of MTT Agrifood Research Finland, in Hyvinkää. Experiment was carried out with 28 gilts and 46 sows, which were all divided into three test groups. The control feed was organic lactation feed containing 19,7 % of pea. Test diet 1 was organic lactation feed containing 19,7 % of pea and after 22 day of lactation additional 3,35 % of rapeseed expeller. Test diet 2 was organic lactation feed containing 16,4 % of faba bean and after 22 day of lactation additional 3,61 % of rapeseed expeller. Also the effect of parity on sow productivity was examined by comparing the results between gilts and sows. The sow weights were measured, fat measurements performed and condition scores evaluated during the experiment. Piglet weights were also measured. No differences between the sow groups occurred in feed intake during the first three weeks of lactation. However at the end of the lactation feed intake in test groups 1 and 2 (204,8 kg DM and 200,0 kg DM, respectively) was higher than in the control group (181,9 kg DM). The weight loss of sows in all groups was similar and no effect of feed was found. Parity had an effect on the sow feed intake and weights, as gilts consumed less feed and had smaller weights compared to older sows. In addition, the litters of the older sows were larger compared to the gilts, but no differences was found in piglet weights. In this study faba bean seemed to be comparable with pea as organic protein feed for sows, as there were no major differences between the test groups in feed intake, weight loss nor piglet production. Also, rapeseed expeller had no effect on the sow conditions after weaning.

Kotimaassa viljellyt palkokasvit, joita pystytään hyödyntämään eläinten ruokinnassa, vähentävät riippuvuutta tuontivalkuaisesta. Biologisen typensidonnan ansiosta palkokasvit eivät tarvitse kalliita mineraalityppilannoitteita ja niillä on hyvä esikasviarvo. Tässä tutkimuksessa selvitettiin härkäpapu-kevätvehnäkokoviljasäilörehun ja ruokinnan valkuaistäydennyksen vaikutusta maidontuotantoon ja maidon koostumukseen, erityisesti rasvahappokoostumukseen, sekä typen hyväksikäyttöön. Nurmisäilörehuun pohjautuvaa ruokintaa verrattiin härkäpapu-kevätvehnänurmi-säilörehuruokintaan, jossa puolet karkearehun kuiva-aineesta korvattiin härkäpapu-kevätvehnäsäilörehulla. Väkirehutäydennyksen (13 kg/vrk) raakavalkuaispitoisuudet olivat joko 175 g/kg ka (rypsirouheen määrä 2 kg/vrk/lehmä) tai 200 g /kg ka (rypsirouheen määrä 3,5 kg/vrk/lehmä). Lehmät saivat säilörehua vapaasti. Ruokintakoe toteutettiin Helsingin yliopiston opetus- ja tutkimustilan navetassa Viikissä 1.2. – 26.4.2014. Koe-eläiminä oli kahdeksan ayrshire-rotuista lypsylehmää, joista neljä oli pötsifistelöityjä. Ruokintakokeen malli oli kaksinkertainen 4x4 latinalainen neliö. Koejakson pituus oli 21 vrk. Tämän tutkimuksen perusteella härkäpapu-kevätvehnäsäilörehulla voi korvata puolet nurmisäilörehusta kuiva-aineen syönnin ja maitotuotoksen kärsimättä, kun molemmat säilörehut ovat hyvälaatuisia. Rypsirouheen määrän lisääminen ei tuonut tässä tutkimuksessa lisämaitolitroja eikä lisännyt maidon pitoisuuksia. Maidon rasvapitoisuus väheni, kun rypsirouheen määrää lisättiin. Myös mikrobitypen muodostuminen oli vähäisempää. Pötsin valkuaistase (PVT) oli kaikilla koeruokinnoilla positiivinen, joten pötsissä hajoavan valkuaisen saanti ei ollut todennäköisesti rajoittava tekijä mikrobitypen synteesissä. Lehmät söivät vähemmän tärkkelystä ja mikrobien käytössä oli täten todennäköisesti vähemmän energiaa, kun rypsin annostaso oli korkea verrattuna matalaan tasoon. Rehutypen hyväksikäyttö maitovalkuaiseksi heikkeni, kun rypsirouheen määrä väkirehussa lisääntyi ja säilörehussa oli härkäpapu-kevätvehnäsäilörehua. Kun karkearehu sisälsi härkäpapu-kevätvehnäsäilörehua, rypsirouheen määrän lisääminen ruokinnassa lisäsi merkittävästi maidon ureapitoisuutta. Alfalinoleenihappo (18:3n-3) siirtyi tehokkaammin rehusta maitoon härkäpapu-kevätvehnäsäilörehua sisältäneissä ruokinnoissa kuin karkearehun ollessa puhdasta nurmisäilörehua. Suurempi osa härkäpapu-kevätvehnäsäilörehun kuin nurmisäilörehun pitkäketjuisista rasvahapoista, etenkin 18:3n-3, säästyi ilmeisesti pötsissä biohydrogenaatiolta. Kun rypsirouheen määrä väkirehussa lisääntyi, maidon rasvatuotos väheni johtuen todennäköisesti palmitiinihapon (16:0) vähäisemmästä de novo –synteesistä maitorauhasessa. Vähäisempää de novo -synteesiä saattaa selittää se, että rypsin annostason nosto lisäsi hieman pitkäketjuisten, tyydyttymättömien rasvahappojen saantia. Plasman etikka- ja voihappopitoisuuksissa ei ollut eroa koeruokintojen välillä, mutta plasman insuliinipitoisuudet suurenivat rypsin annostason noustessa (plasmadata esitetty Termosen tutkielmassa 2015), mistä johtuen maitorasvan esiaineet ovat voineet osin ohjautua maitorauhasen ohi. Härkäpapu-kevätvehnäsäilörehulla voitiin korvata puolet nurmisäilörehusta maitotuotoksen kärsimättä vaikka härkäpapurehun sulavuus oli nurmirehua huonompi. Rypsirouheen määrän lisääminen ei vaikuttanut maitotuotokseen. Se vähensi rasvatuotosta ja heikensi typen hyväksikäyttöä, minkä takia se ei ollut tämän tutkimuksen perusteella järkevää.

This master’s thesis is part of “Valkuaisfoorumi” project executed in co-operation with Häme University of Applied Sciences (HAMK) and Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke). Main goal of “Valkuais-foorumi” is to increase self-sufficiency of protein by increasing the cultivation area and to search possibili-ties to utilize protein plants in crop rotation and to increase the use of locally produced protein feeds for domestic animals, both ruminants and monogastric animals. There is a rising interest of using faba bean in food industry and as a feedstuff for domestic animals. Experiment 1: Optimizing harvesting time for whole-crop faba bean. Optimal harvesting time was determined by collecting samples from three different faba bean varieties five times at two-week intervals during growing period and analysing changes in nutritional value and crop yields. Optimal harvesting time is after the pods are starting to fill and the plant is still green, leafy and not rotten. Crop yield grows within time but harvesting is recommended before autumn rains as humid condi-tions increase risk of losses during harvesting and preservation. Experiment 2: Crimped faba beans were ensiled using different additives based on lactic acid bacteria or additives restricting fermentation. Nutritional value, microbiological and fermentation quality, aerobic stability and reduction of the antinutritional factors were determined. Additives improved quality of ensiled crimped faba bean. Amounts of vicin and convicin decreased during fermentation process. Amount of tannins varied among treatments and antimicrobial chemical addi-tive was the most efficient in reducing tannins compared to ensiling without additives. Aerobic stability was good with all additives and with antimicrobial chemical treatment the 2-degree temperature rise could not be reached during the measurement period of 210 h. Lactic acid bacteria based inoculant improved fermen-tation quality of feed by decreasing the number of harmful microbes. Chemical additive restricted the fer-mentation of feed and fermentation losses were minute. By ensiling crimped faba bean it is possible to harvest the crop in earlier stage of maturity and using adidtives improves the nutritional and microbial qual-ity. Avainsanat

Research has shown that the temperature sum or the average of daily mean temperature, together with the photoperiod and genotype, determines the progress of faba bean towards flowering. However, other environmental factors such as photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and humidity conditions (Sielianinow´s hydrothermal index K) have been found to have a secondary effect on the progress towards flowering. The timing of the development stages of faba bean growth is of great importance for its regional adaptation and the profitability of its cultivation in new and changing environments. Progress towards flowering and the environmental conditions during flowering strongly affect the yield of different cultivars. Identifying the environmental factors affecting initiation and induction of flowering enables the breeding of new, more sustainable cultivars of faba bean. Negative effects of stress factors to yield can be avoided using earlier flowering cultivars in cultivation. Changing climatic conditions are leading to long periods of dry and warm weather in Finland, the effect of which is particularly pronounced during flowering. The stage of flowering has been found to be the most sensitive stage of the development of faba bean, during which the amount and quality of the crop yield is determined. The aim of this study was to validate the functionality and suitability of the improved model for predicting the progress towards flowering in field conditions. The significance of PAR, K-index, the temperature mean and photoperiod was tested in the model predicting flowering, were the observations of flowering were from two growing seasons, 2016 and 2017, using 20 cultivars of faba bean. The impacts of these environmental factors on the model were also tested with broader observation data from six growing seasons: 2009 to 2012 together with 2016 to 2017. The best model was obtained with the combination of all parameters with the highest value of R2 (R2v2=0.999, R6v2= 0.964). In the model containing only photoperiod and temperature mean, values for R2 were too low. The parameters of PAR and K-index significantly (R2>0.90) increased the value of R2. When tested alone, PAR explained over 90 % of the flowering. However, the photoperiod and the temperature mean played an important role in the development and flowering and they are known to be critical for the induction of flowering of certain cultivars. With six years of observations, the coefficients for temperature mean in the model were negligible (p >0.05). Significant parameters were photoperiod, K-index and PAR. The cultivar ‘Kontu’ started to flower earlier than other cultivars and it had greatest variation between predicted and observed value in the model. Therefore, adding it to the function as extra parameter was important to bring its values closer to regression line and to improve the overall value of R2. The conditions in greenhouse are usually adjusted to the optimum for the plant, when normally varying humidity conditions are ignored. Effects of photoperiod and PAR on the development of faba bean cannot be distinguished in controlled light conditions. Field experiments lasting several growing seasons are required to be able to distinguish their effects. The model for predicting the progress towards flowering could be used to identify different qualities of various cultivars. The parameters in this model worked well in prediction of flower induction of faba bean in Finland.

The special forms of conifers have been a matter of interest due to their ornamental values for centuries all over the world. Special forms have traditionally been reproduced by vegetative means, mostly by cuttings or grafting methods. At present, the vast majority of ornamental coni-fers traded in Finland is imported from abroad. The winter hardiness of foreign taxa is often in-adequate, causing wasted work and expenses when plants have to be replaced after cold winters. The aim of this thesis was to find suitable propagation methods for special forms of our native conifers and in that way enhance their domestic production. The plant material used in this study included special forms of native Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karsten) and juniper (Juniperus communis L.), common Norway spruce and eight foreign conifer taxa. The methods studied were propagation by stem cuttings and by grafting. The aim of the grafting experiment was to compare the healing of graft union in different genotypes of Norway spruce. In the cutting experiment the effects of genotype, age of the mother plant, position of cutting and treatment with a growth regu-lator on the rooting of conifer cuttings were studied. All of the genotypes of Norway spruce studied were successfully grafted and formed a perfect graft union. For aesthetic reasons propagation by cuttings may still be more suitable for at least dwarf conifers. Genotype had a very significant effect on the rooting of coniferous cuttings. Cut-tings from a juvenile special form of Norway spruce rooted better than those taken from adult trees. Generally, the position of cutting did not significantly affect rooting of special forms of Norway spruce. In one colour form, however, cuttings obtained from the juvenile lower part of the stock tree rooted far better than cuttings taken from the top of the same tree. Treatment with in-dolebutyric acid had a negative effect on the rooting of Norway spruce and juniper, but no signifi-cant effect on the cuttings of foreign conifer taxa. Introducing special forms of native conifers would add to the diversity of home gardens and public parks in a sustainable way. To advance commercial production of native selections we need to pay regard to the rooting ability of the special forms, not only their appearance. It is cheaper to reproduce the special forms by cuttings than by grafting methods. Plants produced by cuttings also have more stable growth habit than grafts do, which is especially important for dwarf conifers.

Biohiili on hiilipitoinen maanparannusaine, joka on valmistettu eloperäisestä aineesta pyrolyysimenetelmällä. Biohiilen sisältämä hiili on erittäin pysyvässä muodossa, mikä mahdollistaa hiilen sitomisen maaperään pitkäksi ajaksi. Joidenkin biohiilten on osoitettu parantavan maaperän rakennetta sekä veden ja ravinteiden saatavuutta tietyissä olosuhteissa, erityisesti tropiikin vähähiilipitoisilla ja happamilla mailla. Tässä tutkimuksessa selvitettiin kuusipohjaisen biohiilen vaikutuksia maaperän veden ja ravinteiden saatavuuteen sekä niiden vaikutuksia kauran (Avena sativa L.) satokomponentteihin viisi vuotta biohiililisäyksen jälkeen. Tutkimuksessa oli mukana biohiilen lisäksi lannoituskäsittelyiden vaikutus ja näiden kahden yhdysvaikutus. Biohiiltä oli lisätty koeruuduille vuonna 2011 tasoilla 0, 5, 10, 20 ja 30 t ha-1. Lannoituskäsittelyinä toimivat lannoittamaton kontrolli, mineraalilannoitus ja lihaluujauholannoitus. Biohiili vaikutti korkeimmalla lisäystasolla maaperän hiilen määrään tilastollisesti merkitsevästi. Biohiili ei vaikuttanut merkitsevästi maaperän kosteus- ja ravinneolosuhteisiin tai kauran satokomponentteihin. Lannoituskäsittelyllä oli merkitsevä vaikutus maaperän kosteuteen, ravinnepitoisuuksiin, johtolukuun, pH-arvoon, kasvuston lehtialaindeksiin, hiili/typpisuhteeseen, biomassaan sekä tuhannen jyvän painoon. Biohiili- ja lannoituskäsittelyillä ei havaittu olevan merkitseviä yhdysvaikutuksia mitattujen parametrien osalta. Tulokset voivat johtua maaperän lähtökohtaisesta korkeasta hiilipitoisuudesta, ja viisi vuotta sitten lisätyn biohiilen siirtymästä syvemmälle maahan, jolloin sen vaikutukset maaperän ominaisuuksiin ja kauran sadontuotantokykyyn ovat pienet. Lisäksi alkukevään 2016 runsaan tuomikirvaesiintymän levittämä kääpiökasvuviroosi heikensi kauran kasvua, minkä vuoksi mitattava sato jäi vähäiseksi. Biohiilen edut tulevat parhaiten esille kuivilla, ravinneköyhillä, huonorakenteisilla ja alhaisen luontaisen hiilipitoisuuden vaivaamilla mailla. Biohiilellä ei todettu olevan negatiivisia vaikutuksia maaperän kosteusolosuhteisiin, ravinnemääriin tai kauran sadon määrään tässä tutkimuksessa. Biohiilen pitkäaikaisten vaikutusten tutkimusta maaperään ja viljelykasvien satokomponentteihin on tärkeää jatkaa edelleen.

Genetic and phenotypic parameters and relationships for fertility traits, body type traits and production were estimated. The data analyzed included 21,450 Ayrshires. Animals were reared in 2,647 herds, born from 1994 to 2005 and were progeny of 1652 sires. Analyzed fertility traits were days from first service to last insemination and number of inseminations to conception for heifers, and days from calving to first insemination for first parity cows. Production traits were first lactation milk and lifetime milk and body type traits were stature, body depth, chest width, angularity, top line, rump width and rump angle. Variance components and the heritability estimates were calculated by restricted maximum likelihood (REML) method using the DMU software. The heritability estimates of first lactation milk yield and lifetime milk yield were 0.28 and 0.08, re-spectively. The heritabilities for fertility traits in virgin heifers and first lactation cows were low (0.02 – 0.03). Heritability estimates for the type traits varied from 0.10 to 0.43. The largest heritability was found for stature (0.43) and rump width (0.27). The highest positive genetic correlations were angularity with first lactation milk (0.41) and lifetime milk (0.45), and the highest negative genetic correlation was between top line and first lactation milk (-0.33). Chest width and rump angle had a positive genetic correlation to days from calving to first insemination. The significant genetic correlations were heifer fertility with body depth, rump width and rump angle. Estimated correlations between heifer fertility traits and lifetime milk yield were positive and moderate. First parity cow fertility was not related to production traits. Fertility traits and lifetime milk have a low heritability. Progress can be made relatively fast in body traits and first lactation milk by breeding, because of the moderate heritabilities. Selection for some body type traits may cause improvement in production but deterioration in fertility. Declined heifer fertility is associated with high lifetime production. However is not reasonable to put emphasis on poor heifer fertility in selection.