Nowadays the development of information systems and technologies secures an effective solution of the production process. The implementation of a qualitative software solution is a competitive advantage for agricultural companies as well. In this article, we pay our attention to problematic fields which need to be respected in the process of automated management of agricultural production. We consider as the most important part the creation of adequate information infrastructure which respects the company organization structure and manager's requirements for information accessibility; data monitoring in terms of environmental economy (nitrate directive) and we suggest selected aspects for automated company information system.

In this study, fish offal silage meal (FOSM) was supplemented in broilers' diets at levels of 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 percent during 0-6 weeks of age. The results showed that increasing levels of FOSM gave higher performance in broilers, especially live weight and weight gain. Feed intake of broilers were in creased while feed efficiency were decreased with increasing levels of FOSM. Digestibility of protein, fat, carbohydrate and calcium were significantly different at P LT 0.01 and digestibility of ash was significantly different at P LT 0.05 due to levels of FOSM. Levels of FOSM did not have significant affect to the digestibility of dry matter, fiber, energy and phosphorus. However, the optimum levels of FOSM in broilers' diets should be 15 percent or 20 percent.

Seeds of Ischaemum afrum were collected from fields in the Rahad Scheme; Central Sudan and were stored for six months at 20 _ 30 deg C. These were placed in Petri dishes, lined with filter paper, moistened with deionized water and incubated at various temperatures for varying periods. Treatments were replicated four times and germination recorded. Ungerminated seeds were transferred to 30/20 deg C (12/12 hrs light/dark) for 7 days and seed germination recorded. The viability of ungerminated seeds was determined by 1% Triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC). The results indicated that exposing unimbibed Ischaemum afrum seeds to 60 deg C for 24 hrs had no adverse effect on their germination and viability. However, both germination and viability were reduced under moist conditions in the incubator or in the water bath at 45-60 deg C. At these temperatures, it was observed that the higher the temperature and/or the longer the exposure period, the greater were the reductions in seed viability. Viability of seeds without glumes followed the same trend but was apparently more sensitive to heat stress compared to seeds with glumes. Indisciminately, 7 days of heat stress at 50 deg C under moist conditions killed all the seeds. At 55 and 60 deg C, exposure period required to reduce viability of glumed seeds by 90% was 24 hrs and 6 hrs, respectively. Seeds that were previously imbibed at 30 deg C were more susceptible to a 60 min exposure at 60 deg C in a water bath than previously unimbibed ones. A 60 min exposure at 60 deg C in a water bath had no adverse effect on seed viability. In contrast, the reduction in viability amounted to 70% following 20 min exposure periods made daily for 3 consecutive days. The first indication of seed damage by heat stress was a delay in germination. The results are briefly discussed in relation to solarization

Providing a comprehensive and highly practical exploration of the subject, Biodiversity in Agricultural Production Systems examines abiotic ecosystem diversity and biological complexity at every relevant level. Leading researchers detail subspecies diversity, covering ecotypes, lifecycles, genes, physiology, and behavior. They also discuss species richness and supraspecies diversity, which includes food web interactions and nontrophic relationships, as well as above- and below-ground relationships.--COVER.

This study was aimed to investigate effects of fattening period, slaughter age and slaughter weight on carcass quality of feedlot steers. Ninety-five steers were raised under production system of Kamphaengsaen Beef Cooperative and slaughtered. The data were analysed using GLM procedure of SAS programme. The results showed that Steers, fattened for 300-500 d had higher hot and cold carcass percentages than those fattened for LT 300 d (P LT 0.05) but has no difference with those fattened for GT 500 d. Steers aged 2 yr at slaughter had higher hot and cold carcass percentages than steers aged GT 2 yr (P LT 0.05) but had no difference with those aged LT 2 yr at slaughter. It was found that loin eye area and back fat thickness increased as slaughter weight increased (P LT 0.05). The result showed that there was the effect of slaughter age under effects of fattening period and slaughter weight on hot carcass percentage. To get high hot carcass percentage (60 percent), steer aged LT 2 yr at slaughter had to be fattened for 300-500 d to achieve 500-550 kg of slaughter weight. For slaughter weight GT 550 kg, steers aged 2 yr had to be fattened for 300-500 d to achieve the similar carcass percentage (P LT 0.05).

The aftermath of war is a reality faced by millions of rural poor around the world, and re-establishing agricultural production, for both subsistence and trade, is an essential part of the rehabilitation process. This edition of New Agriculturist looks at some of the ways in which formerly war-torn countries have emerged from the shadows of conflict and embarked upon the rocky road to recovery. <br /><br />The edition includes the following six articles, which describe diverse experiences of rebuilding agriculture after conflict: Blast from the past: clearing Cambodia's landmines: how the painstaking work of mine clearance teams is helping the country harness its agricultural potential<br /> Rehabilitating coffee in Angola: a pilot project in Angola is reviving the coffee sector by sub-dividing abandoned plantations in order to resettle displaced families and provide them with support to improve yields of this vital export crop<br /> Land security leading to food security in Guatemala: how a land ownership registry is allowing Guatemalans to have security over their land; whilst export of certified crops such as coffee, cocoa and bananas is boosting income for farmers and lessening agricultural impact on the environment<br /> Settling for a future in Sierra Leone: why innovation research in key areas could make a difference in rehabilitating agricultural production<br /> Livestock for survival in Sudan: livestock animal health initiatives around Darfur and in southern Sudan are providing a lifeline to thousands of families, particularly displaced households only now returning to their communities<br /> Separating the wheat from the chaff in Afghanistan: a scheme to introduce high quality seed to the country has provided some rural communites with a route out of poverty <br /> Reaping the fruits of labour: describes a programme in Uganda that teaches sustainable agriculture. <br /><br /><br />

This study was aimed to investigate the effect of carcass weight on retail cuts percentage and effect of ageing period on meat quality of feedlot steers under beef production system of Kamphaengsaen Beef Cooperative. Two hundred and thirty-seven left carcasses were weighted, cut into retail cuts and recorded as percentage according to 3 groups of carcass weight of LT 143, 143-155 and GT 155 kg. For meat quality, 30 samples of longissimus dorsi muscle (between 6th-12th rib) were aged for 1, 5, 7, 14 and 20 days at 2-4 deg C. All data was analysed by using GLM procedure in SAS program. The results showed that carcass weight of GT 155 kg had significant higher percentages of chuck, chuck eye and short rib+plate but had lower percentages of sirloin, bottom round+eye round and top round (P LT 0.05). In addition, steers with lower carcass weight (LT 143 kg) had higher percentage of T-bone than those with 143-155 kg and had higher percentage of flank than those with higher carcass weight (GT 155 kg) (P LT 0.05). As carcass weight increased, percentage of bone significantly increased (PLT 0.05). For ageing periods of 1, 5, 7, 14, and 20 days, it was found that the b* value of meat increased as ageing period was longer while there was no change in the L* and a* values. However, percent chilling loss increased as longer ageing period (P LT 0.01). In contrast, shear force values decreased shown as 7.39, 5.99, 4.99, 4.46 and 3.82 kg for 1, 5, 7, 14 and 20 days of ageing, respectively (P LT 0.001).

In term of legal forms, the business structure in agricultural primary production created in the process of the agriculture transformation has been retained (trade companies, agricultural co-operatives, farms of natural persons). However, the number and agency of farms (legal and natural persons) on the acreage under cultivation and also farms size structure is floating. The contribution includes relevant data on business structure development in the period of 2001-2005, namely on the agency of individual legal forms of farming, the farm size structure (according to sorting criteria) and the farm typology (a type of economic size and production orientation). Moreover, it presents the state and development of ownership structure in agricultural primary production with emphasis on agricultural co-operatives transformation. The SO SR data (census and running structural farms finding) and Information Sheets of the MA SR create the crucial and starting data base for business structure development analysis.

The article looks into the population, agricultural labour force, agricultural productivity and overall economic activities in Libya between 1990 and 2004. In addition study analyses growth in agricultural productivity. The agricultural labour force in 1990 was 13.7 percent of total labour force, however, in 2004 it had dropped to 4.6 percent. This occurred because of people migration from villages to cities, looking for jobs in other economic sectors, since income from other sectors was higher. Other factors included: drop in rain fall, decrease in income reinvestment, and lack of qualifi ed labour force. The growth in agricultural labour productivity in 2004 by 12.7 percent was observed due to use of new technologies in the agricultural sector