Most research on biochar has focused either on the mechanistic or the biophysical aspects, and there has been relatively little research into the social applicability and acceptance of biochar as a soil enhancer in agriculture. However, whether to adopt biochar in their practice is ultimately the farmers' decision, and their willingness to do so is crucial. Here, we show the producer's perspective on adopting biochar, using Polish farmers as a case study. Poland is an interesting case study because biochar has only recently attracted the attention of researchers, entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders there. We performed standardized, semi-structured interviews with 161 Polish farmers to evaluate the socioeconomic potential of biochar application in practice. We found that 27% of the respondents claimed to be familiar with biochar. The respondents with a technical, non-agricultural level of education were most familiar with the term 'biochar' (36%), followed by the group of respondents with a higher-level agricultural education (31%). It was surprising that among the latter respondents, the majority (69%) did not know the term 'biochar', either in the context used for this study or in any other context. Twenty percent of the respondents expressed an interest in using biochar, while 43% were not willing to adopt it in their agricultural practice (37% 'did not know yet'). If a farmer was familiar with the concept of sustainable agriculture, the probability of familiarity with biochar increased by 16% (p < 0.05). In addition, farmers interested in using biochar indicated that sustainable agriculture might improve the financial situation of their farms (52%). The perceived benefits of biochar that drive the willingness to adopt it included improved soil quality and increased income due to increased yields, while the constraints on its adoption were associated mainly with high costs. Our results also point to the necessity of information flow as well as engaging farmers in participatory research to adjust the research to their needs. Furthermore, our results highlight the importance of transparency with the farmers and appropriate dissemination and presentation of both the positive and the negative aspects of biochar adoption. We urge those studying biochar to engage in more interdisciplinary research and to go beyond laboratory and field research. Many innovations, even those that work, will not be adopted if socioeconomic considerations are not incorporated into the research.

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of yeast culture (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) supplementation on ruminal fermentation in 20 Holstein dairy cows divided into control and experimental groups, each group of 10 cows. The animals received a diet based on maize silage (19 kg), alfalfa silage (15 kg), meadow hay (1.5 kg), extracted rapeseed meal (1 kg) and concentrate mixture (9.5 kg). The diets were fed as a total mixed ration. ) was added to the concentrate mixture in the ration fed to the experimental group of animals. The addition of yeast culture significantly (P < 0.01) increased ruminal pH but had no positive effects on the increased production of volatile fatty acids. The supplementation of yeast culture significantly (P < 0.01) increased numbers of protozoa in the rumen of dairy cows of the experimental group (361.3 ± 18.315) compared to the control group (308.3 ± 37.505). The addition of yeast culture significantly (P < 0.01) increased concentration of serum glucose, calcium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, magnesium and AST (P < 0.05). As compared to the control group (4.948 ± 0.0384 mmol·l -1 ), the level of urea in the blood serum was significantly decreased (P < 0.01) in the experimental group of cows.Our results show that the supplementation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae culture at recommended doses enhances ruminal fermentation which may have a positive effect on milk production and health status of Holstein dairy cows. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, cows, rumen fluid, blood serum indicatorsYeasts and yeast cultures are frequently used as additives in diets of dairy cows at present. They have a positive influence on fermentation in the rumen, which helps to improve production health and productivity of animals.Results from previous studies on the effect of yeasts on ruminal fermentation and productivity of dairy cows are often ambiguous. The most cited benefit of yeast cultures on ruminal digestion is support of the growth and activity of anaerobic, namely cellulolytic bacteria. Yeasts would utilize residual oxygen introduced into the rumen with feeds, thus contributing to maintain anaerobic environment (Calsamiglia et al. 2006). Moreover, by degrading lyotropic carbohydrates in the rumen, yeast cultures regulate the rate of fermentation, and also by stimulation of lactate-utilizing bacteria yeasts facilitate stabilization of the rumen pH and mitigate its frequent oscillations during the day (Williams et al. 1991). Stable rumen environment is a key factor for achieving optimum milk yields and a good health of animals. However, some authors did not observe any beneficial effects of yeast cultures on dry matter intake or on the milk production and its composition in dairy cows (Cooke et al. 2007). Neither the positive influence of yeast on the digestibility of feeds in the rumen was unambiguously corroborated.Recent studies indicate that yeasts produce also certain low-molecular peptides that simulate the activity of some bacteria species in the rumen (Denev et al. 2007). However, to achieve ...

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a yeast culture (Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I – 1077) addition in the diet of dairy cows on their rumen fermentation. Animals received a diet consisting of good maize silage with a higher dry matter content (18 kg), 6 kg of lucerne haylage, 5 kg of pea – silage, 3 kg of ensiled high moisture crimped corn, 1 kg of meadow hay, rape-cake 1 kg, ­brewer’s grain silage 4 kg, and 8.0 kg feed mixture. The yeast culture was added to the mixture in the dose 2.8*1010 cfu / day and cow. The supplement of yeast culture showed a positive effect on ruminal VFA production by experimental group cows in comparison with control, higher production (P < 0.01) of acetic acid (58.50 ± 1.2583b vs. 51.833 ± 2.409a %), and lower production of propionic and butyric acid (24.667 ± 1.3744a vs. 28.833 ± 1.863b %). The average utilisation of ammonia was higher by cows in treated group (12.267 ± 0.754 mmol / L), but difference was not significant. The difference in number of protozoa of cows in the control and experimental groups was significant (P < 0.05) different (308.333 ± 24.390a vs. 342.333 ± 10.9341b ths /1 ml of rumen fluid).

The paper presents an innovative method based on vision techniques for rapid assessment of contamination in the mass of stored maize grain. The research was carried out in a selected grain warehouse in the Opolskie Province. Maize grain was used in the studies, which was subjected to tests based on computer image analysis. To assess the state of maize grain contamination, a proprietary computer application based on the RGB model was used., 0

The study examined the effect of the choice of reference method on the functionality and reliability of calibrations in near-IR (NIR) spectroscopy intended for measuring the fat content in raw cow's milk. The fat content in the milk samples was evaluated using methods according to either Röse-Gottlieb or Gerber. The same samples were then subjected to analysis on an Antaris FT-NIR spectrometer. Using a partial least-squares algorithm, calibration models were created for both methods from the values measured. The calibration models show very good values of standard error of calibration: 0.133 for the Gerber method and 0.095 for the Röse-Gottlieb method. These calibrations were subsequently used to analyze 30 new samples of cow's milk of undefined fat content, and the differences in the values were evaluated using statistical paired t-test to a median value at a probability level of α = 0.05. No statistically significant differences were found. It was revealed that the reference method used for calibrating the device evaluating the fat content in raw cow's milk has no effect on the functionality and reliability of the calibration model.