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Konsumenten stehen beim Kauf von Lebensmitteln einer großen Anzahl an Produkten gegenüber. Eine hohe Dichte an Informationen bezüglich der Zutaten, Herkunft oder des Produktionsverfahrens sind verfügbar. Dadurch können Konsumenten nicht nur über Inhalts- und Nährstoffe der Produkte entscheiden, sondern auch über das System, in dem Nahrungsmittel produziert werden. Somit beeinflussen Entscheidungen rund um die Lebensmittelwahl nicht nur das individuelle Wohl, sondern auch das Gesellschaftliche. Primäres Ziel der Dissertation ist es, (i) einen Beitrag zum Wissen und der Erklärung von Verbraucherpräferenzen zu leisten, und (ii) Implikationen und Empfehlungen für Regierungen, Politiken und insbesondere die Wissenschaft abzuleiten. Am Beispiel von Schulmilch und der Tierhaltung werden Präferenzen für Produkte, Produktattribute und für Produktionssysteme der Landwirtschaft untersucht. Sowohl das Entscheidungsverhalten als auch Einstellungen von Verbrauchern werden betrachtet. Das Entscheidungsverhalten von Kindern und Jugendlichen bei Schulmilch ist deswegen von Interesse, da sich Ernährungsgewohnheiten in der Kindheit ausbilden bzw. diese erlernt werden. Die Einflussfaktoren auf die Nachfrage nach Schulmilch werden im ersten Beitrag untersucht. Das Nachfragemodell, welches auf der Methode der Multilevelanalyse beruht, berücksichtigt sowohl individuelle Merkmale der Kinder als auch Merkmale der Familie und des Schulkontextes. Dabei werden vier Level bzw. Ebenen unterschieden: die Preis-, Schüler-, Klassen- und Schulebene. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass der Produktpreis (d.h. die Verfügbarkeit einer Subvention) für die Nachfrage nach Schulmilch von Bedeutung ist. Der Anteil der Schüler, die bei einer stärkeren Subventionierung der Preise zusätzlich Schulmilch bestellen, ist jedoch relativ gering. Zudem haben individuelle Faktoren, wie Konsumgewohnheiten zuhause, sozio-demografische Merkmale oder Einstellungen gegenüber Milch einen signifikanten Einfluss. Die Ergebnisse liefern Hinweise auf Sozialisationseffekte und Rollenvorbilder (role modelling), da Einstellungen und Verhalten der Eltern und Lehrer die Entscheidungen der Kinder signifikant beeinflussen. Die Analyse der Präferenzen für Schulmilch in Abhängigkeit des Geschlechtes steht im zweiten Beitrag im Vordergrund. Die Ergebnisse der Multilevelanalyse bestätigen, dass identische und unterschiedliche Faktoren die Schulmilchnachfrage von Jungen und Mädchen bestimmen. Der dritte Beitrag analysiert, ob die am Markt existierenden Schulmilchprodukte (noch) den Präferenzen von jungen Erwachsenen entsprechen. Ergebnisse des Nested Logit-Modells zeigen, dass eine breitere Produktpalette präferiert wird. Weiterhin sind sich die Jugendlichen über den Fett- und Zuckergehalt und die Auswirkungen auf Gesundheit und Körpergewicht bewusst. Wie erwartet, hat der Preis einen signifikanten Einfluss auf die Entscheidung der Jugendlichen. In Bezug auf die Tierhaltung sind das Wissen und Verständnis der Verbraucherpräferenzen ebenfalls von großem Interesse, da die heutige Landwirtschaft und Lebensmittelproduktion häufig sehr kritisch in der Öffentlichkeit und den Medien diskutiert wird. Im vierten Beitrag werden daher am Beispiel der modernen Schweinehaltung die gesellschaftlichen Einstellungen für landwirtschaftliche Produktionssysteme untersucht. Der Hauptkritikpunkt der Diskutanten ist der zur Verfügung stehende Platz pro Tier. Obwohl die Wahrnehmungen und Einstellungen gegenüber der modernen Schweinehaltung generell negativ bzw. kritisch sind, ergibt sich ein differenziertes Bild in der deutschen Bevölkerung. Drei Gruppen mit sehr unterschiedlichen Einstellungen werden bestimmt. Insgesamt zeigen die Ergebnisse der Dissertation, dass durch die Kombination von methodischen Ansätzen detaillierte Erkenntnisse von Verbraucherpräferenzen gewonnen werden können. Bei der Analyse des Entscheidungsverhaltens werden auf Basis von revealed und stated preference-Daten eine Vielzahl an Einflussfaktoren, die das Nachfrageverhalten nach Schulmilch beeinflussen, identifiziert. Zudem werden durch die Kombination von qualitativen mit quantitativen Methoden die in der Gesellschaft vorherrschenden Einstellungen gegenüber der modernen Schweinehaltung detailliert erfasst. Letztendlich werden Konsumenten auch nicht nur in ihrer Rolle als Entscheider oder Käufer betrachtet, sondern auch in ihrer Rolle als Bürger oder als Teil der Gesellschaft.

The Salado region of Argentina covers 9.5 million ha, is located in the centre-East of the Buenos Aires Province, and concentrates about 6.9 million cattle. Cow-calf systems are predominant in the area. A simulation model was developed with the purpose of assisting in the design and evaluation of cow-calf systems in the Salado Region. The model was designed to produce long term simulations of the dynamic interactions between herd structure, climatic variation and farm management over periods of several decades using daily weather data, real or simulated. Existing models were used to describe soil, pasture and animal components of the farm, linked with management actions in a dynamic framework. The model was driven by decision rules entered by the user, which allowed the representation of management options that respond to changing farm conditions according to a predetermined policy. An object-oriented approach (OOA) was used in the design and implementation of the model. In the OOA, objects in the real world (e.g. cows, paddocks) are represented as objects in the computer program. The simulation of individual cows and individual paddocks made it possible to distribute feed resources flexibly among animals and provided many other points of flexibility in management strategies. The management strategies simulated in trying to improve cow-calf systems in the Salado region were based on Reserva 6, an experimental cow-calf farm located at the INTA-Balcarce Experimental Station. Every spring-summer, 30% of the area is devoted to make low quality hay (by cutting at high herbage mass), most of which is destined to provide maintenance feed for pregnant adult cows in winter. Cows are kept on a small paddock from weaning (March) to calving (August-September), during which time they receive 6-9kg DM of hay per day. A set of decision rules was developed to represent (on a 100ha farm) the management applied in Reserva 6 and, using this as a base system, a series of simulation experiments was conducted. Firstly, three preliminary experiments, aimed at gaining insight into the system and testing the model, were carried out. In the first of these, the effect of delaying the breeding season 15 and 30 days was analysed. The model was run over 30 consecutive years using a real weather sequence, 1970-2000, from INTA-Balcarce, for each scenario. It was found that, when the appropriate management variables (i.e. weaning and sale dates) were adjusted accordingly, changing the calving period had little effect on the productivity of a cow-calf system. In the second experiment, the dynamic consequences of three different heifer replacement policies on the production outcomes of the system were explored. The policies produced different patterns of oscillations in key farm outputs as a result of periodic behaviour in the age structure of the herd, and the differences between strategies were shown to be dependent on the environmental variability being simulated. The third experiment analysed different policies for hay use during the autumn-winter period, including a control strategy in which no hay was harvested or used. The results suggested that, provided hay was utilized on the farm, the pattern of use did not make much difference to liveweight production. Secondly, the long term performance, in terms of annual liveweight sold, of a range of hay quantity-quality combinations was compared. Each policy was simulated across a range of cow numbers (170 to 350, cows plus heifers in a 100ha farm) and was replicated 20 times. Each replication consisted of 50 years of random weather sampled from the real sequence (1970-2000). The benefit of using hay and the contrasts between the effects of different haymaking strategies on animal outputs increased as the cow numbers increased. The long term analysis suggested that the liveweight production of cow-calf farms, under a calendar-based haymaking policy like that followed in Reserva 6, would be maximized by harvesting 40-50% (but not more) of the total farm area and aiming to harvest hay at medium herbage mass (therefore medium quality). Therefore, the policy currently followed in Reserva 6 of allocating 30% of the farm to haymaking could be considered as conservative, and its productivity might be increased by making hay at lower herbage mass. Thirdly, the possible advantages of incorporating flexibility into the haymaking policy used in Reserva 6 were evaluated using the same experimental design. The results indicated that controlling haymaking in a flexible fashion, basing the decisions of closing, releasing and cutting paddocks on a simple pasture budget, would give the system productive advantages (i.e. increases in productivity and reductions in variability) in relation to a calendar-based approach. Using a flexible haymaking policy allows the manager to make more hay than required for the next winter, providing a buffer for the system. A flexible haymaking policy permitted significantly greater levels of herbage utilization by making large amounts of hay without negative effects on the carrying capacity of the system. A preliminary analysis of risk and costs highlighted major advantages in using hay in cow-calf systems, especially when a flexible approach to haymaking is implemented.

An archaeozoological analysis of the assemblages of animal bones and teeth of Neolithic (Linear and Stroked Pottery cultures; approx. 5500-4200 BC)settlements in Bohemia, provide new elements on the way of life of early farmers. By means of study of animal bones and teeth we can specify the role of domestic and hunting animals in the Neolithic economy, define the herd management strategies for main domestic animals and focus on the environmental reconstruction and investigation of births distribution of domestic animals (for exemple of cattle in the case of this study) through the analysis of the carbon and oxygen isotopic compositions of fossil tooth enamel bioapatite. To achieve these objectives, we can use, except standard archaeozoological methods and stable isotope analysis, more specific procedures, e.g. determination of damaged bones of animals using the ELISA test.

The purpose of this thesis was to describe the transfer of genetic potential of sows in production sphere and evaluate concrete results in reproduction breeding sows Agricultural Society Kosova Hora. On large-scale farrowing sows were evaluated Doublovičky basic herd of sows, which consisted of 440 to 520 pieces. sows. The basic herd always has been about 35 nucleic sows (P 1065). The rest of the herd was an offspring of hybrids F1 (C 1023) program the PIC. The sows P 1065 were investigated causes selecting progeny namely: 1) For lack of development, which was evaluated from birth to breeding gilts adulthood. 2) The number and formation of the teats. For breeding were required to at least 12. They can not be crater, but well formed to have good piglets suck breast milk from them. 3) Reproduction in gilts were evaluated after conception periodic (cyclic) heat. The minimum requirement for the first 8 piglets which are born alive. For the basic herd was evaluated the age structure. It was incorporated into three groups and evaluated that, the largest selection of sows was for lack of milk production, limb injuries, poor breeding condition and the possibility of further embedding. The largest selection of sows takes place after the third to fifth lactation.

The aim of the work is to determine noise pollution of the urban area caused by a dairy farm in Tajanov. Three receiver locations that were chosen are located on the urban area border at which are crucial for the spreading of noise into this observed area. Nine time intervals were recorded in each receiver location. The length of each time interval was one hour. Equivalent continuous sound pressure levels were quantified for each day and night reference time interval. The levels were compared with the local noise law limits and the share of the dairy farm on the total amount of noise that has been identified.

The government of Ethiopia has initialized an investment in the agricultural sector in order to secure food production for a growing population. The Koga Irrigation and Water Management Project is a pilot project and hopes are that crop production will double. Water quality is an important factor to meet these expectations. The aim of this study is to assess the irrigation water’s biological and chemical quality by using locally available methods and compare the results with international water quality standards pertaining to agricultural use as well as human and animal consumption. The water was sampled and analyzed for biological, chemical and physical parameters. The most important parameters were thermotolerant coliforms, electrical conductivity and turbidity. The first part of the thesis was a literature study dealing with the Koga project and the water use in the area. The second part focuses on 17 water samples that were taken within an individual command area: irrigation canals, fish pond and drinking water well. The samples were then analyzed at the water quality and treatment lab at the University of Bahir Dar. The results were compared to guideline values for livestock, crop, fish and human use recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). All water samples, including the drinking water from the groundwater well, were contaminated with thermotolerant coliforms and had a relatively high turbidity. Additionally, the irrigation water contained levels of boron which were higher than recommended for crop production. Electrical conductivity values were overall satisfactory. These results give only an idea of the overall water quality within the Koga Irrigation Project. More samples need to be taken in order to draw any concrete conclusions and provide any recommendations.

Comparison of accounting concept of animal husbandry according to IAS 41 - Agriculture and Czech Accounting Standards in terms of valuation, accounting records, classification and reporting of biological assets. Practical usage of fair value as a mean of valuation decreased by estimated costs to sell and evaluation of classification according to IAS 41 requirements in case of particular agriculture organization.

Food systems are facing increasing pressure to adapt to the local, regional and global implications of the climate crisis while reducing the environmental impacts of food production and retaining their competitiveness on increasingly connected agri-food markets. Many suggested aspects of a more resilient, sustainable model of food production are directly linked to decisions made on individual farms. However, there are known social-ecological traps that limit farmers’ capacity to break away from unsustainable paths. This thesis investigates the impact of trap dynamics on the incidence of sustainability transitions on Finnish farms – for example, transitions from animal to plant agriculture, or from monoculture to crop diversity. I use national tax records and interviews with regenerative farmers to identify patterns and circumstances that preclude farmers’ ability to carry out sustainability transitions, and to describe strategies used by regenerative farmers to enhance their agency and avert traps. My findings indicate that rigid governance and market structures, an increasing burden of debt and intensifying ecological pressures converge to create, sustain and exacerbate social-ecological traps. Finally, this thesis suggests that the existence of farm-level traps may hamper attempts to address food system lock- ins across scales, diminishing the system’s capacity to respond to shocks and changing circumstances.

Diploma thesis Archaeozoology Klementinum in Prague studies the archaeozoological remains from the Klementinum in Prague dated between the late 11th and 15th century. The work is divided into two parts - the theoretical and the empirical part. The theoretical part focuses on the economic background of the medieval city and nutrition of its inhabitants. Other chapters focus on the historical context of Klementinum and characteristics of the archaeological research, which took place on its territory in 2012 - 2014. The research consists of material and methods and subsequent evaluation of the obtained data, which are discussed and compared with literature. The aim of this diploma thesis is to bring interpretation of human diet of people whom lived at the site of today's Klementinum in Prague, in different time periods (from the beginning of the peak to the late Middle Ages) through the analysis of animal bones. In conclusion this diploma thesis found the economic base of the territory and which animals have been consumed on the site. In different periods was observed increasing richness of species for documented animals. Also there was discussed the impact of arrival of the Dominican convent on the breding economy after a year 1232nd.