Finding Spaces for Urban Food Production – Matching Spatial and Stakeholder Analysis with Urban Agriculture Approaches in the Urban Renewal Area of Dortmund-Hörde, Germany

Using the case of an economically declined neighbourhood in the post-industrial German Ruhr Area (sometimes characterized as Germany’s “Rust Belt”), we analyse, describe and conclude how urban agriculture can be used as a catalyst to stimulate and support urban renewal and regeneration, especially from a socio-cultural perspective. Using the methodological framework of participatory action research, and linking bottom-up and top-down planning approaches, a project path was developed to include the population affected and foster individual responsibility for their district, as well as to strengthen inhabitants and stakeholder groups in a permanent collective stewardship for the individual forms of urban agriculture developed and implemented. On a more abstract level, the research carried out can be characterized as a form of action research with an intended transgression of the boundaries between research, planning, design, and implementation. We conclude that by synchronously combining those four domains with intense feedback loops, synergies for the academic knowledge on the potential performance of urban agriculture in terms of sustainable development, as well as the benefits for the case-study area and the interests of individual urban gardeners can be achieved.

Analyse von unerwünschten Arzneimittelwirkungen antibiotikahaltiger Euterinjektoren von Mastitiden bei Kühen der Rasse Holstein- Friesian unter Berücksichtigung von Leistungsniveau, Genetik und Produktionsbedingungen

Das Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit bestand darin, detailliert Wechselwirkungen zwischen dem binären Gesundheitsmerkmal klinischer Mastitis auf der einen und Produktionsmerkmalen (z. B. Milch-kg) und funktionalen Merkmalen (z.B. somatischer Zellgehalt) auf der anderen Seite unter simultaner Berücksichtigung von Umwelt und genetisch bedingten Einflussgrößen auf phänotypischer und genetischer Ebene abzubilden. Die Studie fokussierte auf innovative Aspekte der genetisch-statistischen Modellierung bzgl. der Anwendung von rekursiver Pfadmodellmethodik und einer erstmalig durchgeführten detaillierten Beschreibung bzw. Aufteilung von Umwelteffekten im Kontext quantitativ genetischer Studien. Die Aufteilung der Umwelteffekte beinhaltete nicht nur herkömmliche bekannte Effekte wie den der Herde, des Herdentesttags oder der Laktationsnummer, sondern auch tierindividuelle antibiotische Applikationen. Diese antibiotischen Applikationen wurden als zusätzlicher Effekt in die statistische Modellierung integriert, um deren Einfluss auf Produktionsmerkmale und funktionale Merkmale im weiteren Laktationsverlauf abschätzen zu können. Unerwünschte Effekte einer antibiotischen Applikation auf andere Merkmale mit ökonomischer oder auch ethologischer Relevanz implizieren eine unerwünschte Nebenwirkung von antibiotischen Applikationen im weiteren Sinne, aber basierend auf einer objektiv erfassten und quantitativ und qualitativ hochwertigen Datengrundlage. Darüber hinausgehend erfolgte die direkte Evaluierung antibiotischer Applikationen zur Behandlung klinischer Mastitiden bzgl. etwaiger auftretender unerwünschter Arzneimittelwirkungen (UAW) im Sinne der klassischen Definition. Eine systematische Analyse mit der Definition einer UAW nicht als Effekt, sondern direkt als Merkmal, erfolgte basierend auf a) initiierter Versuchsdesigns b) der intensiven Zusammenarbeit mit kooperierenden externen Tierarztpraxen und c) bereits in Datenbanken elektronisch hinterlegter Information. Basis der direkten Analyse von UAW war die UAW Datenbank des Bundesamt für Verbraucherschutz und Lebensmittelsicherheit in Berlin, in der unerwünschte Arzneimittelwirkungen seit 2005 zentral erfasst werden. Die beiden weiteren Datensätze zur quantitativ genetischen Modellierung „zu indirekten UAW“ mittels Pfadmodellmethodik waren zum einen ein Datensatz von 19870 Holstein Friesian Kühen, die in 9 Testherden in Thüringen gehalten wurden (Datensatz II) sowie ein Datensatz von 1275 Braunviehkühen, die in 46 kleinstrukturierten Betrieben in der Schweiz gehalten wurden (Datensatz III). Insgesamt wurden in Rahmen der vorliegenden Arbeit sechs verschiedene wissenschaftliche Studien (siehe Kapitel III - Kapitel VIII) auf Grundlage von drei Datenbanken bzw. Datensätzen angefertigt. Diese Kapitel stehen im Gesamtkontext dieser Dissertationsschrift.

Heat stress response for physiological traits in dairy and dual purpose cattle populations on phenotypic and genetic scales

The main objective of this thesis was to determine the potential impact of heat stress (HS) on physiological traits of lactating cows and semen quality of bulls kept in a temperate climate. The thesis is comprised of three studies. An innovative statistical modeling aspect common to all three studies was the application of random regression methodology (RRM) to study the phenotypic and genetic trajectory of traits in dependency of a continuous temperature humidity index (THI). In the first study, semen quality and quantity traits of 562 Holstein sires kept on an AI station in northwestern Germany were analyzed in the course of THI calculated from data obtained from the nearest weather station. Heat stress was identified based on a decline in semen quality and quantity parameters. The identified general HS threshold (THI = 60) and the thermoneutal zone (THI in the range from 50 to 60) for semen production were lower than detected in studies conducted in tropical and subtropical climates. Even though adult bulls were characterized by higher semen productivity compared to younger bulls, they responded with a stronger semen production loss during harsh environments. Heritabilities (low to moderate range) and additive genetic variances of semen characteristics varied with different levels of THI. Also, based on genetic correlations genotype, by environment interactions were detected. Taken together, these findings suggest the application of specific selection strategies for specific climate conditions. In the second study, the effect of the continuous environmental descriptor THI as measured inside the barns on rectal temperatures (RT), skin temperatures (ST), vaginal temperatures (VT), respiration rates (RR), and pulse rate (PR) of lactating Holstein Friesian (HF) and dual-purpose German black pied cattle (DSN) was analyzed. Increasing HS from THI 65 (threshold) to THI 86 (maximal THI) resulted in an increase of RT by 0.6 °C (DSN) and 1 °C (HF), ST by 3.5 °C (HF) and 8 °C (DSN), VT by 0.3 °C (DSN), and RR by 47 breaths / minute (DSN), and decreased PR by 7 beats / minute (DSN). The undesired effects of rising THI on physiological traits were most pronounced for cows with high levels of milk yield and milk constituents, cows in early days in milk and later parities, and during summer seasons in the year 2014. In the third study of this dissertation, the genetic components of the cow’s physiological responses to HS were investigated. Heat stress was deduced from indoor THI measurements, and physiological traits were recorded on native DSN cows and their genetically upgraded crosses with Holstein Friesian sires in two experimental herds from pasture-based production systems reflecting a harsh environment of the northern part of Germany. Although heritabilities were in a low range (from 0.018 to 0.072), alterations of heritabilities, repeatabilities, and genetic components in the course of THI justify the implementation of genetic evaluations including heat stress components. However, low repeatabilities indicate the necessity of using repeated records for measuring physiological traits in German cattle. Moderate EBV correlations between different trait combinations indicate the potential of selection for one trait to simultaneously improve the other physiological attributes. In conclusion, bulls of AI centers and lactating cows suffer from HS during more extreme weather conditions also in the temperate climate of Northern Germany. Monitoring physiological traits during warm and humid conditions could provide precious information for detection of appropriate times for implementation of cooling systems and changes in feeding and management strategies. Subsequently, the inclusion of these physiological traits with THI specific breeding values into overall breeding goals could contribute to improving cattle adaptability by selecting the optimal animal for extreme hot and humid conditions. Furthermore, the recording of meteorological data in close distance to the cow and visualizing the surface body temperature by infrared thermography techniques might be helpful for recognizing heat tolerance and adaptability in cattle.