The science and practice of pig production has changed rapidly over recent decades; new husbandry practices, new understandings of growth, reproduction and health, new appreciations of welfare and environmental impact, new nutritional approaches, and modern reproductive and genetic techniques have all come into being, together with the emergence of new health challenges.

Now in its third edition, this long established reference book on the management, breeding, feeding, nutrition, health and welfare of pigs has been fully revised to provide clear and current information on both the practical and scientific aspects of the pig industry. With the help of a new panel of international experts and a senior editor, the overall structure now contains input from international centres across Europe and North America.

This edition includes:

Updated versions of existing chapters;

Completely revised and new sections on: Pig meat and carcass quality, Reproduction, The maintenance of health, Nutritional value of protein and amino acids in feed stuffs, Value of fats and oils in pig diets, Product marketing, Environmental management, Simulation modelling;

Input from international authorities;

Many tables, diagrams, photographs and figures.

"Within a day of receiving this book, I had consumed it... Absorbing, moving, and compulsively readable."-Lydia Davis In this affectionate, heart-warming chronicle, Rosamund Young distills a lifetime of organic farming wisdom, describing the surprising personalities of her cows and other animals At her famous Kite's Nest Farm in Worcestershire, England, the cows (as well as sheep, hens, and pigs) all roam free. They make their own choices about rearing, grazing, and housing. Left to be themselves, the cows exhibit temperaments and interests as diverse as our own. "Fat Hat" prefers men to women; "Chippy Minton" refuses to sleep with muddy legs and always reports to the barn for grooming before bed; "Jake" has a thing for sniffing the carbon monoxide fumes of the Land Rover exhaust pipe; and "Gemima" greets all humans with an angry shake of the head and is fiercely independent. An organic farmer for decades, Young has an unaffected and homely voice. Her prose brims with genuine devotion to the wellbeing of animals. Most of us never apprehend the various inner lives animals possess, least of all those that we might eat. But Young has spent countless hours observing how these creatures love, play games, and form life-long friendships. She imparts hard-won wisdom about the both moral and real-world benefits of organic farming. (If preserving the dignity of animals isn't a good enough reason for you, consider how badly factory farming stunts the growth of animals, producing unhealthy and tasteless food.) This gorgeously-illustrated book, which includes an original introduction by the legendary British playwright Alan Bennett, is the summation of a life's work, and a delightful and moving tribute to the deep richness of animal sentience.

Working cowboys live on as genuine legends who rode through a golden moment in American history. In the 1980s historian/ author Patrick Dearen went looking for the last of these fading icons.
The trail took him to dozens of onetime cowhands in their 80s, 90s, and even 100s whose aged eyes lit up and voices seemed young again as they spoke of their experiences on the trail. From these honest-to-goodness cowhands he collected priceless, spellbinding true stories of the incredible hardships of braving the elements, dealing with stampedes and runaways, and good-natured hoorawing with their companions.
These stories bear the unmistakable brand of an Old West that is now but a dusty grave on a long-lost trail. Dearen chronicles the tales and introduces the cowboys who tell them, with tender respect and love.

This book covers more than 40 indigenous goat breeds and several ecotypes around the globe and describes genotypic and phenotype traits related to species adaptation to harsh environments and climate change. It also addresses sustainable global farming of local goat breeds in different production systems and agro-ecosystems. Discussing three main global regions: Asia, Africa, and Europe, it particularly focuses on adverse environments such as mountain, semiarid and arid regions. The topic of this highly readable book includes the disciplines of animal physiology, breeding, sustainable agriculture, biodiversity and veterinary science, and as such it provides valuable information for academics, practitioners, and general readers with an interest in those fields.

The future role of dwarf honeybees in natural and agricultural systems provides multidisciplinary perspective about the different facets of dwarf honeybees. The role of dwarf honeybee Apis florea assumes utmost importance in the context of pollinator decline throughout the world threatening stability of ecosystems and global food security. Apis florea is a low land species of south Asia extending more to the west than other Asiatic Apis species. It is an important pollinator of crops in hot and dry agricultural plains. The book is first of its kind which deals in details on varied aspects of Apis florea biology, management, conservation strategies for protecting biodiversity and enhancing crop productivity. The book aims to promote a large, diverse, sustainable, and dependable bee pollinator workforce that can meet the challenge for optimizing food production well into the 21st century. Features: Apis florea provides source of livelihood in mountainous areas and marginal farmers. This book will for the first time present the beekeeping from the perspective of agricultural production and biodiversity conservation An excellent source of advanced study material for academics, researchers and students and programme planners Excellent pollinator of tropical and subtropical crops fruits vegetables etc less prone to diseases and enemies Covering the latest information on various aspects of Apis florea biology, this book brings the latest advances together in a single volume for researchers and advanced level students This book will be useful to pollination biologists, honeybee biologists in entomology departments, students, teachers, scientists of agriculture, animal behaviour, botany, conservation, biology, ecology, entomology, environmental biology, forestry, genetics, plant breeding, horticulture, toxicology, zoology, seed growers and seed agencies and shall serve as reference book for students, teachers, researchers, extension functionaries and policy planners.

A stunning book from Amanda Owen - shepherdess, wife, mother of nine children, bestselling author and star of C5's Our Yorkshire Farm - that brings her world to life in glorious colour. In Celebrating the Seasons, Amanda shares funny and charming stories about life with her family and their many four-legged charges and describes their activities at Ravenseat, from lambing and shearing to haymaking and feeding the flock in midwinter. Her gorgeous photographs showcase the famous Swaledale landscape she writes about, from the sweeping moors to rare wildflowers and the elusive hares glimpsed in the field. She lives in tune with nature and Amanda's attitude to food is the same. She believes in buying good, seasonal ingredients when it comes to feeding her family and includes her favourite recipes here, from wild garlic lamb with hasselback roast potatoes to rhubarb and custard crumble cake and Yorkshire curd tart. As inspirational as Amanda herself, this book is a beautiful keepsake that will delight everyone who has followed her adventures so far.

This book is the final one in a set of four providing a series on controlled reproduction in farm animals. The aim of the series is to provide a general review of the literature dealing with the different ways in which reproduction in the major farm mammals can be controlled and manipulated. The four volumes are effectively an expanded and new edition of a previous work, "Controlled Breeding in Farm Animals" (Pergamon Press, 1983). However, the literature on this subject has expanded so rapidly since the time of the earlier volume, that it is now thought appropriate to publish it in four separate volumes.Buffaloes, goats, deer and camelids have been added to the species covered by the series compared to the previous book. All volumes provide comprehensive reference lists and are fully up-to-date. This final volume focuses on horses, deer and camelids (camels, llamas and alpacas). All of these animals are attracting increasing attention for either leisure pursuits, meat or fiber production. The book will appeal to reproductive physiologists and workers in animal production, animal breeding and veterinary medicine.

The best-selling animal advocate Temple Grandin offers the most exciting exploration of how animals feel since The Hidden Life of Dogs.
In her groundbreaking and best-selling book Animals in Translation, Temple Grandin drew on her own experience with autism as well as her distinguished career as an animal scientist to deliver extraordinary insights into how animals think, act, and feel. Now she builds on those insights to show us how to give our animals the best and happiest life--on their terms, not ours.
It's usually easy to pinpoint the cause of physical pain in animals, but to know what is causing them emotional distress is much harder. rawing on the latest research and her own work, Grandin identifies the core emotional needs of animals. Then she explains how to fulfill them for dogs and cats, horses, farm animals, and zoo animals.Whether it's how to make the healthiest environment for the dog you must leave alone most of the day, how to keep pigs from being bored, or how to know if the lion pacing in the zoo is miserable or just exercising, Grandin teaches us to challenge our assumptions about animal contentment and honor our bond with our fellow creatures.
Animals Make Us Human is the culmination of almost thirty years of research, experimentation, and experience.
This is essential reading for anyone who's ever owned, cared for, or simply cared about an animal.

In many tropical areas, the main constraint to increased output of livestock products is the inability of producers to feed animals adequately throughout the year. Yet opportunities exist to enhance ruminant livestock feed supplies by using crop residues, such as cereal straw and legume haulms. Greater emphasis is therefore now being placed on vegetative production in plant breeding research. Crop residues also play an important role in conserving soil moisture, preventing erosion and providing products such as fuel or thatch for smallholders. This book provides a multi-disciplinary perspective on crop residues, bringing together crop, animal and social scientists from six continents. It has been developed from papers presented at a workshop held in April 1996, at ICRISAT Asia Center, as part of the Systemwide Livestock Program of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) convened by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), based in Africa. It will appeal to a wide readership in disciplines as diverse as agronomy, soil science, plant breeding, animal nutrition and socio-economics.

Many advances have recently taken place in dairy science and this book provides timely reviews of a number of such key topics. The subject matter is divided into five sections, covering: nutrition and physiology; breeding and reproduction; health maintenance and control; milking and milk technology; and the environment and ethics. All chapters have been specially commissioned for this volume from international authorities from Europe, North America and Africa. The book represents an important update of the literature for research workers, lecturers, advisers and advanced students in many areas of animal science as well as veterinarians concerned with bovine medicine.

Since 1944, the National Research Council (NRC) has published seven editions of the Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle. This reference has guided nutritionists and other professionals in academia and the cattle and feed industries in developing and implementing nutritional and feeding programs for beef cattle. The cattle industry has undergone considerable changes since the seventh revised edition was published in 2000 and some of the requirements and recommendations set forth at that time are no longer relevant or appropriate. The eighth revised edition of the Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle builds on the previous editions. A great deal of new research has been published during the past 14 years and there is a large amount of new information for many nutrients. In addition to a thorough and current evaluation of the literature on the energy and nutrient requirements of beef in all stages of life, this volume includes new information about phosphorus and sulfur contents; a review of nutritional and feeding strategies to minimize nutrient losses in manure and reduce greenhouse gas production; a discussion of the effect of feeding on the nutritional quality and food safety of beef; new information about nutrient metabolism and utilization; new information on feed additives that alter rumen metabolism and postabsorptive metabolism; and future areas of needed research. The tables of feed ingredient composition are significantly updated. Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle represents a comprehensive review of the most recent information available on beef cattle nutrition and ingredient composition that will allow efficient, profitable, and environmentally conscious beef production. Table of Contents Front Matter Summary

The pig is one of the earliest domesticated animals and plays an integral part in a number of peasant economies in the tropics, for example in Oceania and Southeast Asia. In several African countries and others such as Thailand, increasingly intensive pig production has played a significant role in the overall economic growth and the feeding of an expanding urgan population. Furthermore, although in some circumstances pigs do compete with humans for food resources, they are also very versatile at utilizing byproducts and wastes that are not suitable for human consumption. There is therefore considerable potential for developing pig production in the tropics, and this book provides an accessible guide to the subject for students, farmers and advisory workers. It is translated from an original French edition compiled by the Institut d'Elevage et de Medecine Veterinaire des Pays Tropicaux."

Cattle are one of our major domesticated animals, a higher mammal with complex mental and physical needs. The benefit of a knowledge of cattle behaviour means veterinarians and stockpeople can recognise abnormal behaviour signs for disease diagnosis and indication of an inadequate environment. This book replaces the book Cattle Behaviour, written by the same author and published by Farming Press in 1993. The text has been revised and updated and four new chapters on cattle welfare have been added. The main interest of many reading a book on behaviour is its relation to the welfare of the species, so the combination of welfare and behaviour is a logical one.

The updated bestselling guide to laid-back beekeeping for all, naturally! Are you a beginner beekeeper curious about bees or a practicing beekeeper looking for natural alternatives that work? Then this book is for you! In the second edition of the bestselling beekeeping guide Keeping Bees with a Smile, Fedor Lazutin, one of Europe's most successful natural beekeepers, shares the bee-friendly approach to apiculture that is fun, healthful, rewarding, and accessible to all. This new edition includes dozens of color photographs, new hive management techniques, and an updated version of "Lazutin hive" plans. Additional coverage includes: Keeping bees naturally without interfering in their lives Starting an apiary for free by attracting local bee swarms Building low-maintenance hives that mimic how bees live in nature Keeping colonies healthy and strong without any drugs, sugar, or gimmickry Helping bees to overwinter successfully even in harsh climates Enhancing local nectar plant resources Producing truly natural honey without robbing the bees Reversing the global bee decline... right in your backyard! Keeping Bees with a Smile is an invaluable resource for apiculture beginners and professionals alike, complete with plans for making bee-friendly, well-insulated horizontal hives with extra-deep frames, plus other fascinating beekeeping advice you won't find anywhere else.

This book brings together expert opinions from scientists to consider the evidence for climate change and its impacts on ticks and tick-borne infections. It considers what is meant by 'climate change', how effective climate models are in relation to ecosystems, and provides predictions for changes in climate at global, regional and local scales relevant for ticks and tick-borne infections. It examines changes to tick distribution and the evidence that climate change is responsible. The effect of climate on the physiology and behaviour of ticks is stressed, including potentially critical impacts on the tick microbiome. Given that the notoriety of ticks derives from pathogens they transmit, the book considers whether changes in climate affect vector capacity. Ticks transmit a remarkable range of micro- and macro-parasites many of which are pathogens of humans and domesticated animals. The intimacy between a tick-borne agent and a tick vector means that any impacts of climate on a tick vector will impact tick-borne pathogens. Most obviously, such impacts will be apparent as changes in disease incidence and prevalence. The evidence that climate change is affecting diseases caused by tick-borne pathogens is considered, along with the potential to make robust predictions of future events. This book contains: Expert opinions and predictions. Global coverage of trends in ticks and disease. In-depth examination of climate change and tick distribution links. This book is suitable for researchers and students studying zoology, biological sciences, medical entomology, animal health, veterinary medicine, epidemiology, parasitology, and climate change impacts; and for those concerned with public health planning or livestock management where ticks and tick-borne pathogens pose a threat.

"All three volumes of Achieving sustainable production of milk should be considered as a whole...Over more than 1200 pages, the authors review all fields of milk production, beginning with milk composition, genetics and breeding, safety and milk quality, sustainability of milk production as well as dairy herd management, health, welfare and nutrition of dairy. All three volumes could be considered a standard reference for graduate students in the fields of dairy science and veterinary medicine, animal and dairy scientists at universities and other research centres, and also those in governments and companies involved or working in the field of milk production." Animal Feed Science and Technology In meeting rising demand, more intensive dairying systems face a range of challenges such as maintaining high standards of safety in the face of the continuing threat from zoonoses entering the food chain, whilst sustaining nutritional and sensory quality. At the same time farms need to become more efficient and sustainable. Finally, farming must also meet higher standards of animal health and welfare. Drawing on an international range of expertise, this book reviews research addressing the welfare, nutrition and health of dairy cattle. Part 1 begins by discussing key issues in welfare followed by topics such as genetic selection and welfare, housing and transportation. Part 2 looks at nutrition with chapters on rumen microbiology, feed evaluation and formulation, feed supplements and feed safety. The final part of the book covers aspects of health such as control of diseases and other disorders such as lameness as well as dairy herd health management. Achieving sustainable production of milk Volume 3: Dairy herd management and welfare will be a standard reference for animal and dairy scientists in universities, government and other research centres and companies involved in beef production. It is accompanied by two other volumes which review milk composition, genetics and breeding as well as safety, quality and sustainability.

A practical working handbook for both the beginner and the advanced aviculturist, Tarsnane draws on more than twenty years of experience to offer concise and informative data about all the water-fowl of the world. Describing modern management and breeding techniques, the book also surveys aspects of the natural history, ecology and conservation of several species. This impressive treatise is filled with spectacular colour photographs, often of rarely seen waterfowl. If you are just interested in finding out more about the common City Park Mallard or need to know the specifics about the nesting requirements of a Burmese Spotbill -- this is for you.

This is the ideal guide for anyone wanting to start beekeeping and a revered reference book for experienced beekeepers. It includes information on all you need to know, including how to avoid swarms, plan requeening, or provide the colony with winter stores. It features key information on Varroa. It is copiously illustrated throughout. Fully revised and updated, this new edition of "Guide to Bees and Honey" also presents expert advice for readers who plan to maintain a few hives for personal recreational use, as well as those who want to expand an existing colony into a commercial venture.

The magnitude of the food-waste disposal problem cannot be understated. Utilisation of food waste is of concern to the food processing industry, consumers, environmentalists, and regulators of handling and disposal systems. Food waste is not consistent in quality, is usually high in moisture content, and is only available locally. This book focuses on the challenges of utilising both wet and/or processed food waste. The regulatory environment relating to food waste, the perspective of the end-users, and practical use as animal feed is also discussed. One of the goals of this publication, other than to give a clear explanation of the subject of food waste and its uses as animal feed, is to stimulate a need for research.

Small-scale pig keeping is expanding, not only in the countryside but also in urban areas. However, at the outset the prospect of owning pigs can be frightening for the uninitiated. Pigs for the Freezer is aimed at the small-scale producer in a suburban or urban environment as well as smallholders who want to keep a few pigs for the first time. It guides the reader through the day-to-day routine of looking after pigs and provides essential information. Moreover, it touches on the emotional side of sending your pigs to slaughter and demonstrates how the carcasses should be butchered. Finally, the author provides a selection of delicious recipes using just about every part of the pig, including the ears. Subjects covered include: Choosing a breed to fit your environment and requirements Buying stock with the freezer in mind Urban pig keeping Housing, equipment and training courses Pig keeping on a small budget The daily routine procedures, pig health and welfare, and rules and regulations Sending your pigs to the abattoir Butchery, smoking and curing, sausage making and specialist meats Pigs as a tool for managing the land, forests, coppices and moorland

The book tells the story of the Secret Society of Horsemen who were the Original Horse Whisperers. The Societies were formed originally in Scotland about two hundred years ago but spread throughout Britain and then across to Canada, United States and Australia. The roots of the Society are obscure but many of the customs and oaths go back to pagan times. The horsemen who formed these groups exploited their membership much like a primitive trade union and tried to use their membership to improve conditions on the farm for themselves and their horses.