http://www.physorg.com/ en-us Physorg.com internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. The castration of pigs prevents the "boar taint" smell in the meat and allows them to contain more fat. However in practice this can be very different. Now, for the first time, a scientific team has collected information on the conditions of castration on European pigs. The main conclusion of the study, that forms part of the PIGCAS project, is that these animals are castrated directly by the livestock farmers, without anaesthetic and in some cases, without respecting the European legislation. http://www.physorg.com/news179581930.html Biology Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:20:02 EST news179581930 (PhysOrg.com) -- Simon Fraser University archeologists Mark Collard and Kevan Edinborough and colleagues from University College London have uncovered evidence that French farmers introduced agriculture to Britain some 60 centuries ago. http://www.physorg.com/news179515605.html Other Sciences Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:27:49 EST news179515605 The estimated 4.6 million Americans involved in the equine industry may be at risk of developing respiratory symptoms due to poor air quality in horse barns, according to a questionnaire study undertaken earlier this year by investigators at Tufts University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. http://www.physorg.com/news177945473.html Medicine & Health Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:30:13 EST news177945473 (PhysOrg.com) -- Climate forecasts are becoming more useful to farmers and ranchers, thanks to research by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists and their cooperators. http://www.physorg.com/news177009006.html Space & Earth Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:40:01 EST news177009006 A team of academic, government and industry researchers has completed a first draft of the cassava (Manihot esculenta) genome. The project is an important first step in accelerating the pace of research on this subsistence crop and addressing some of the many limitations that face cassava farmers around the world. http://www.physorg.com/news176992201.html Biology Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:30:53 EST news176992201 Family can be a blessing and a curse, and never more so than in the case of crop plants and their wild relatives. These wild and weedy relatives harbor unique and beneficial genes that may no longer be found in their cultivated siblings, but they also harbor genetic traits that farmers have intentionally selected against in their domesticated brethren. The close genetic relationships between some crop species and their wild relatives allow them to readily hybridize, sharing both the beneficial and problematic genes with each other. http://www.physorg.com/news174064961.html Biology Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:50:23 EST news174064961 (PhysOrg.com) -- Recent increases in organic and hormone-free milk labeling might negatively affect sales of milk without such labels, and could lead to a decreased demand for all milk types, according to a new economic study to be published in the November issue of the American Journal of Agricultural Economics. http://www.physorg.com/news173713315.html Other Sciences Fri, 02 Oct 2009 20:20:01 EST news173713315 (PhysOrg.com) -- Historically, crop rotation has worked to keep the western corn rootworm in check in Wisconsin. http://www.physorg.com/news172239429.html Biology Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:19:33 EST news172239429 Genetically modified crops are being grown in Britain for the first time in 12 months after controversial trials were resumed without alerting the public, a newspaper reported Monday. http://www.physorg.com/news167905842.html Biology Mon, 27 Jul 2009 10:00:01 EST news167905842 A new report issued by The Access Project and Brandeis University found that the costs of dental care represent more of a financial burden on families and individuals than has been previously recognized. In a survey of family farm and ranch operators in seven Great Plains states, three-quarters of households reported having dental out-of-pocket costs. The report, The Cost of Dental Care and the Impact of Dental Insurance Coverage, found that families on average spent $873 out-of-pocket annually on dental care, exceeding their $700 average out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs. The amount spent on dental care constituted more than a quarter (27%) of families' overall out-of-pocket health care costs. http://www.physorg.com/news160223980.html Medicine & Health Wed, 29 Apr 2009 11:40:08 EST news160223980 This science may literally be outside the box: A briefcase-sized kit is carried to a field where thousands of tons of food are growing. The search is for microorganisms that could infect and kill the plants, wreaking havoc on the food supply and market. http://www.physorg.com/news154628642.html Chemistry Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:24:24 EST news154628642 (PhysOrg.com) -- A cow with a name produces more milk than one without, scientists at Newcastle University have found. Drs Catherine Douglas and Peter Rowlinson have shown that by giving a cow a name and treating her as an individual, farmers can increase their annual milk yield by almost 500 pints. http://www.physorg.com/news152379845.html Other Sciences Wed, 28 Jan 2009 15:44:27 EST news152379845 Beijing, China - January 7, 2009 - One of the most significant changes in China's agricultural economy over the past fifteen years has been the rise of horticulture. During this same time period, modern supply chains have also emerged. A new study in the Review of Agricultural Economics reveals that the recent changes in China 's food economy have contributed to an improvement in poverty reduction and betterment of small farmers. However, there exists a great challenge to ensure delivery of a safe product. http://www.physorg.com/news150558837.html Other Sciences Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:53:57 EST news150558837 "Waterproof" versions of popular varieties of rice, which can withstand 2 weeks of complete submergence, have passed tests in farmers' fields with flying colors. Several of these varieties are now close to official release by national and state seed certification agencies in Bangladesh and India, where farmers suffer major crop losses because of flooding of up to 4 million tons of rice per year. This is enough rice to feed 30 million people. http://www.physorg.com/news146488570.html Biology Fri, 21 Nov 2008 11:16:10 EST news146488570 New research from the University of Warwick published today in the journal BMC Veterinary Research suggests that a simple cheap individual approach to the care of sheep could slash the incidence of lameness in sheep saving 1.3 million sheep from lameness in the UK alone. http://www.physorg.com/news143198380.html Other Sciences Tue, 14 Oct 2008 10:19:40 EST news143198380 Sheep farmers are highly able to spot even mildly lame sheep, but many do not take steps to prevent the spread of lameness in their flocks by catching and treating these animals. A study in the open access journal BMC Veterinary Research is the first to provide evidence for the accuracy of farmers' reporting of lameness, suggesting that farmers have one of the skills required to minimise footrot and other infectious foot conditions in their flocks. http://www.physorg.com/news143172099.html Other Sciences Tue, 14 Oct 2008 03:01:39 EST news143172099 A little-used grain-drying technique can help farmers control energy costs, according to an Ohio State University agricultural engineer. http://www.physorg.com/news141484731.html Biology Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:18:51 EST news141484731 Scientists at the BBSRC-funded Institute for Animal Health (IAH) are stepping up the battle against the devastating and economically damaging bluetongue virus. By combining ingenious ways to trap and monitor midges with cutting edge computer modelling and weather predictions the IAH team are gaining an understanding of how the insects spread the disease so that they can improve surveillance methods and advise farmers how and when to protect their animals. http://www.physorg.com/news137324874.html Medicine & Health Thu, 07 Aug 2008 10:47:54 EST news137324874 Farmers' markets are rapidly growing in number in Oregon and throughout the United States and a key to their potential success can be found in how they approach growth and management, according to new research at Oregon State University. http://www.physorg.com/news136045546.html Other Sciences Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:25:46 EST news136045546 Soaring energy prices will yield sharp increases for corn and soybean production next year, cutting into farmers' profits and stretching already high food costs, according to a new University of Illinois study. http://www.physorg.com/news136031914.html Other Sciences Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:38:34 EST news136031914