Sheep are the thread that runs through the history of the English countryside. Our fortunes were once founded on sheep, and this book tells a story of wool and money and history, of merchants and farmers and shepherds, of English yeomen and how they got their freedom, and above all, of the soil. Sheep have helped define our culture and topography, impacting on everything from accent and idiom, architecture, roads and waterways, to social progression and wealth. With his eye for the idiosyncratic, Philip meets the native breeds that thrive in this country; he tells stories about each breed, meets their shepherds and owners, learns about their past - and confronts the present realities of sheep farming. Along the way, Philip meets the people of the countryside and their many professions: the mole-catchers, the stick-makers, the tobacco-twisters and clog-wrights. He explores this artisan heritage as he re-discovers the countryside, and finds a lifestyle parallel to modern existence, struggling to remain unchanged - and at its heart, always sheep.

This is the only book available that provides an integrated picture of what starter cultures are and what they do. It gives an up-to-date discussion of the characteristics, metabolism, production, and role of starter cultures in the manufacture of fermented dairy products. It further integrates recent developments in starter culture genetics into different aspects of culture metabolism, to give a comprehensive treatment of the subject. The contributors of the book are internationally recognized experts in dairy microbiology.

"As a nutritionist I liked this book a lot. I like the setup of the book and how it starts with the gut microbiome and works through to the different ways to manipulate the gut bacteria, including enzymes and different kinds of fibre. I think this is a great book with a lot of advanced information." Dr Darlene Bloxham, Adisseo, USA The pig production sector faces many challenges, including the need to improve feed efficiency to reduce emissions from manure, finding alternative methods to prevent the onset of diseases affecting swine, as well as ensuring that the welfare of pigs is consistent with consumer and regulatory agencies' expectations. Understanding gut microbiomes as targets for improving gut health offers a comprehensive coverage on the wealth of research on the porcine gastrointestinal tract, its key role in pig health and nutrition, as well as its implications for improving feed efficiency and growth. This collection details how optimising the gut microbiome can contribute to an overall improvement in pig health. Edited by Professor Mick Bailey and Emeritus Professor Chris Stokes, University of Bristol, UK, Understanding gut microbiomes as targets for improving gut health will be a standard reference text for pig/swine scientists in universities and research centres, pig feed manufacturers, and government and private sector agencies advising pig farmers on health and nutrition.

Emerging Issues in Climate Smart Livestock Production: Biological Tools and Techniques furnishes a detailed reference on livestock sustainability and the role of biotechnology for creating more sustainable livestock production systems. The book is a collection of scientific techniques, including genetic engineering used to modify and improve animals, fishes, and microorganisms for human benefit. The book is particularly attractive for scientists, researchers, students, educators, and professionals in agriculture, veterinary, and biotechnology science. This book promotes several biotechnological approaches that can easily be evaluated in the field for quality assurance programs beneficial to producing livestock products and overall public health. Biotechnology has the potential to improve the productivity of animals via increased growth, carcass quality and reproduction, improved nutrition and feed utilization, improved food quality and safety, improved animal health and welfare, and reduced waste through more efficient utilization of resources.