Legumes have diverse uses and roles in agriculture and environmental protection. They are particularly important in the tropics for a number of reasons. Browse or tree species are renowned for their drought resistance and their role in the prevention of desertification. All legumes can fix atmospheric nitrogen, thus reducing the cost of fertilizers to farmers who may not be able to afford them. While tropical grasses are often of poor nutritive value, both browse and pasture legumes may have a higher protein content, palatability and digestibility. This volume focuses on the use of tropical browse, pasture and grain legumes in animal nutrition. It is written by leading authorities from the UK, Australia, India and Malaysia.

Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly Dairy Farms presents an innovative environmental proposal. While chiefly focusing on dairy farms, the environmental solution it describes is applicable to the entire livestock sector. The book is divided into five chapters, the first of which addresses the carbon footprint of dairy farms. Chapter two provides an overview of the animal production system, focusing on the physiology of the ruminant stomach and the greenhouse gases emitted by dairy cows. In turn, the third chapter covers dairy farm systems, explaining both intensive and extensive husbandry systems. The book's final two chapters present the-state-of-art in CO2 capture, and describe a new and innovative CO2-RFP strategy. Given its scope, the book will be of interest to chemists, biologists, biotechnologists, and researchers active in agriculture and food-related areas, as well as those working in the food and dairy industry.

Effective management requires knowledge, dedication, and a sincere interest in the well-being of horses. In this thoroughly updated second edition of her best-selling classic, Cherry Hill explains how to be a responsible steward of the land while providing horses with the best care possible. Drawing on decades of personal experience and recommendations from hands-on Extension agents throughout North America, Hill provides detailed, practical information designed to help readers develop and refine their "horsekeeping consciousness."
A thorough understanding of horses is critical to good horsekeeping, so Hill begins by explaining the behavior and the physical and emotional needs of the horse. She encourages readers to choose a management method that fits their lifestyle and locale. She then explains how to maximize efficiency through careful planning of facilities and implementation of diligent management routines that keep horses happy, healthy, and safe.
Well organized and generously illustrated with color photographs and instructive plan drawings, Horsekeeping on a Small Acreage is packed with information that horse owners need. Acreage selection, layout design, and checklists for daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonal management routines are just a few of the essential topics covered in this invaluable reference.
Since it was first published in 1991, Horsekeeping on a Small Acreage has sold more than 160,000 copies. This new edition is full-color and has been thoroughly redesigned, revised, expanded, and updated.

Written by leading researchers from the USA, Canada and Europe, this is an essential reference tool for researchers and advanced students in animal nutrition. Farm livestock have evolved digestive systems that are capable of digesting fibrous materials and by-products unsuited for man. Throughout the world, production from farm livestock is concerned with providing food and clothing of animal origin for man. Animal production science underpins this goal and provides the scientific basis for livestock management practices. Feed evaluation concerns the use of methods to describe animal feedstuffs with respect to their ability to sustain different types and levels of animal performance. The main themes of the book are methods of feed evaluation, current feeding systems, and mechanistic mathematical modeling. No other title brings together methods, systems and models under one cover.

An immersive blend of chicken-keeping memoir and animal welfare reporting by a journalist who accidentally became obsessed with her flock. Since first domesticating the chicken thousands of years ago, humans have become exceptionally adept at raising them for food. Yet most people rarely interact with chickens or know much about them. In Under the Henfluence, Tove Danovich explores the lives of these quirky, mysterious birds who stole her heart the moment her first box of chicks arrived at the post office. From a hatchery in Iowa to a chicken show in Ohio to a rooster rescue in Minnesota, Danovich interviews the people breeding, training, healing and, most importantly, adoring chickens. With more than 60 billion chickens living on industrial farms around the world, they're easy to dismiss as just another dinner ingredient. Yet Danovich's reporting reveals the hidden cleverness, quiet sweetness and irresistible personalities of these birds, as well as the complex human-chicken relationship that has evolved over centuries. This glimpse into the lives of backyard chickens doesn't just help us to understand chickens better - it also casts light back on ourselves and what we've ignored throughout the explosive growth of industrial agriculture. Woven with delightful and sometimes heartbreaking anecdotes from Danovich's own henhouse, Under the Henfluence proves that chickens are so much more than what they bring to the table.

The science of animal production has recently become headline news. The cloning of sheep, the use of pig xenotransplants and bovine somatotrophin, as well as mad-cow disease, are all examples of how livestock production is related to food safety, human health, ethics and quality of life. The relationship between intensive developed-world animal production and third world development also raises ethical issues. These are just some of the topics addressed in this book, which has its origin in a special symposium held at the VIII World Congress on Animal Production held in June 1998 in Korea. Additional chapters have been specially commissioned for inclusion in the book.

More and more people are deciding to raise small animals for meat. This is the book that shows exactly how to handle the slaughter and butchering of small livestock in a humane and sustainable way. With step-by-step photographs of the farm to table process, it is destined to be the bible on the topic. It begins with general information about food safety, freezing and packaging, tools and equipment, butchering methods, and pre-slaughter conditions before moving into the specifics of slaughtering and butchering each type of smaller animal - chicken and other poultry, rabbits, sheep, pigs, and goats. It includes detailed descriptions of specialty cuts and how to make them.

This book is the first 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 published 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 first volume focuses on cattle and buffaloes. It will appeal to reproductive physiologists and workers in animal production, animal breeding and veterinary medicine.

This book is the second 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 second volume focuses on sheep and goats. It will appeal to reproductive physiologists and workers in animal production, animal breeding and veterinary medicine.

Livestock housing is a major determinant of animal health, welfare and productivity. This book presents the important principles and processes by which housing influences these outcomes, and shows how an understanding of these can be translated into specifications for housing designs. The emphasis is on the building as a means to an environmental end, focusing on the biological responses and welfare needs of animals in the context of commercial and economic considerations. The book provides a thorough literature review as well as practical guidance and is aimed at academics and professionals in animal production, veterinary science and agricultural engineering.

Beekeeping must rate as one of the most interesting and satisfying hobbies. The structure and hierarchy of a beehive and the behaviour of bees is fascinating, and the end product, honey, is a fitting reward for a beekeeper's care. This book gives information on the way the hive works, how to get your bees and transfer them to the hive and how to handle the bees. A useful calendar, packed with information, shows you at a glance when to inspect, maintain and repair the hive, and how to harvest the honey. It describes problems such as diseases and pests that can affect the bees, and suggests the best plants for a bee-friendly garden.

In order to meet increasing global demand for meat and animal by-products increasingly intensive animal production is necessary. Creating a sustainable system in animal agriculture that works in different production environments is a major challenge for animal scientists. This book draws together themes on sustainability that have emerged as the most pressing in recent years. Addressing practical topics such as air quality, manure management, animal feeds, production efficiency, environmental sustainability, biotechnology issues, animal welfare concerns, societal impacts and an analysis of the data used to assess the economic sustainability of farms.

This report is a comprehensive review of published information on the body composition and digestive physiology of temperate zone goats, the composition of their products, meat, milk and fiber, their voluntary feed intake, and their associated energy, protein, mineral and vitamin requirements. The systematic approach is similar to that of earlier reviews of ruminant nutrient requirements published by the Agricultural Research Council in 1980 and 1984, which are factorial in nature. In particular the energy and protein requirements are expressed in terms of Metabolisable Energy (ARC 1980, AFRC 1990) and Metabolisable Protein (AFRC1992), using the models for cattle and sheep as appropriate. The requirements for calcium and phosphorus have been calculated utilizing the factors specified in a separate AFRC report published in 1991. The report also identifies areas where there is a lack of research data specific to goats, recourse having to be made to published data for sheep (particularly for voluntary feed intake and the nutrient requirements of pregnancy) or cattle, as most appropriate. The review has 49 tables covering all aspects of the subject, and is fully referenced. It represents an authoritative review for advanced students, research workers and advisors in animal nutrition.

Produce your own milk, cheese, meat, fiber, fertilizer, and more Incorporating dairy goats into a diversified homestead can be the key to greater self-sufficiency. Responding to questions and concerns from readers from all over North America and beyond, this fully revised and expanded edition of Raising Goats Naturally will help readers work with nature to raise dairy goats to produce milk, cheese, meat, fertilizer, leather, fiber, and soap - all without relying on drugs or following the factory farm model. By observing your own animals closely and educating yourself about their specific needs, you can create an individualized plan for keeping them healthy and maximizing their productivity. This unique, fully-illustrated guide will teach you to help your herd thrive with: Breed-specific descriptions to help you choose the right goats for your goals and lifestyle Detailed information on housing, fencing, breeding, health, milking, and nutrition Complete recipes and instructions for making your own cheese, dairy products, and soap, as well as cooking with goat meat. Packed with personal experiences and backed up by expert veterinary advice and scientific studies, Raising Goats Naturally brings together a wealth of practical information on raising goats for the love of it and using their milk and meat to become more self-reliant.

In recent years there has been an increasing interest in the topic of farm animal behaviour. This is partly an academic interest on the part of behavioural and animal scientists, but also stems from the more applied aspects of the subject as it relates to animal welfare. It is also now better appreciated that behaviour and welfare of animals have a significant impact on health and production. This book provides a thorough review of our knowledge of cattle behaviour and how this can contribute to improve the care, management and well-being of cattle. Examples are drawn from around the world, and while there is some emphasis on dairy cattle, mention is made of beef, dual-purpose or draught cattle where appropriate. All of the key topics such as social, reproductive and feeding behaviour are covered with thorough reviews of the research literature. The book represents a valuable work for advanced students and research workers in animal, dairy and veterinary sciences, as well as zoologists and psychologists in applied ethology.

Major changes have recently taken place in the value attached to components of milk. Although approximately half the energy in milk is contained in fat, fat is rapidly decreasing in value relative to protein. This has come about because of the increased availability of competitively-priced, plant-derived edible oils and because of the perceived health problems associated with animal fat in the human diet. Such changes have major implications for the dairy sector, particularly in developed countries. Against this background, this book presents a timely review of developments in milk production and consumption, of changes in milk component values, and of the opportunities that biotechnology provides to alter the composition of and add value to milk on the farm. The subject coverage is very broad, ranging from nutritional aspects of pastures and forages, to rumen microbiology, genetics and reproductive technologies, milk biochemistry and environmental implications. It is based on a conference held in Wellington, New Zealand, in February 1996, and sponsored by the OECD and AgResearch. Contributors include leading research workers from North America, Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. It provides an invaluable overview of the subject, suitable as a reference book for advanced students, researchers and advisers in dairy science as well as related disciplines such as grassland, nutritional and food sciences.

Imagine a weekend breakfast featuring eggs, bacon, and honey from your own chickens, pigs, and bees. Or a holiday meal with your own heritage-breed turkey as the main attraction. With "The Backyard Homestead Guide to Raising Farm Animals, " even urban and suburban residents can successfully raise chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, rabbits, goats, sheep, cows, pigs, and honey bees. It s easier than you think, and it can be done on small plots of land. This essential guide covers everything from selecting the right breeds to producing delicious fresh milk, cheese, honey, eggs, and meat. Whether you want to be more self-sufficient, save money, or just enjoy safer, healthier, more delicious animal products, you ll find all the information you need in "The Backyard Homestead Guide to Raising Farm Animals.""

This book describes the biological basis of reproduction in poultry and places this information in the context of poultry production. The author has collated and integrated recent information from a variety of sources in order to highlight the principles of the reproductive biology of poultry. This is achieved through a well-illustrated and tabulated text which emphasizes integration rather than comprehensive literature citations. The book begins by considering the egg, proceeds to a brief description of embryonic and chick development as they relate to poultry production, and describes the physiological processes that lead to formation of the fertile egg. It concludes with a discussion of the relationship between measurements of reproductive success that are commonly used in the poultry industry and their ability to reflect the physiological processes that contribute to successful reproduction. The book is aimed at advanced undergraduates or graduate students studying animal reproduction or agriculture, as well as scientists working in the poultry industry.

This practical research text provides an invaluable resource for all animal and veterinary scientists designing, analysing and interpreting results from nutrition and feed experiments in pigs and poultry. The emphasis throughout is on practical aspects of designing nutrition experiments. The book builds on the basics and proceeds to describe the limitations of experiment design involving different ingredients. It goes on to describe the characterization of experimental diets including ingredient selection, composition and the minimum proximate analysis required. The text details measurements and the tools available for understanding diverse data sets, data analysis and eventual publication of the research. This fully balanced and extensively referenced, yet practical, text is an invaluable resource to all animal, veterinary and biomedical scientists involved in the designing of nutrition experiments in pigs and poultry, and the publication of their research.

A wide-ranging manual on sheep diseases which offers to increase productivity and profitability by improving the standard of husbandry and upgrading the health status of the flock. The book stresses the understanding of the causes and development of disease so that a full prevention programme can be planned. A major section describes the latest techniques for fertility control. Quick reference pages offer action checklists at key points in the shepherd's year. Appendices cover such basic but essential techniques as dipping procedures. David Henderson has experience of the practical side of raising sheep He qualified as a veterinary surgeon and has worked in a general veterinary practice. He has been an agricultural college lecturer and has worked in pharmaceutical research and development. This manual is for sheep farmers but has also been prepared with the needs of agricultural and veterinary students in mind.

The South African government has prioritized a reduction of poverty and increased food security in rural parts of South Africa through agrarian transformation. As the bearers and beneficiaries of rural development initiatives, smallholder farmers, including those keeping livestock, loom large in this arena. Likewise, on international development agendas steered by bodies such as the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization), smallholders are prioritized as the engines of national economies. This book, based on a pilot study of two livestock keeping communities along the Mpumalanga-Limpopo border, explores smallholder households in order to paint a picture of the challenges faced by smallholder livestock farmers, the practices and knowledge of primary animal healthcare (PAHC) among these farmers, relationships between the state and the smallholders, gendered issues, and the relationship between poor socioeconomic conditions and the keeping of livestock. This book opens up a variety of research and policy questions that encourage further exploration and study.

Global bee populations have been rapidly declining for years, and it's not just our honey supply that's at stake: bees' contribution to the pollination of various crops is essential to human survival. But even in industrial apiaries-the most common approach to facilitate the rebound of threatened bee populations-bees are in distress, hiving in synthetic and hostile environments. Enter idle beekeeping: the grassroots, low-intervention system of beekeeping that seeks to emulate the behavior and habitat of bees in the wild-and it only requires two active days of beekeeping per year. In The Idle Beekeeper, Bill Anderson calls upon his years of applied curiosity as an urban beekeeper to highlight the invaluable resources that these underappreciated insects provide and show how simple and rewarding beekeeping can be. In this entertaining, philosophical, and practical guide, Anderson teaches step-by-step how to build a hive system developed to allow maximum idleness, harvest honey and extract honeycomb, make mead and beeswax candles, and to closely observe and understand these most fascinating and productive of insects. Through his laissez-faire approach to maintaining a bee colony using the minimum-interference Warre hives-low-tech, low-maintenance, and bee-friendly hives that mimic the cavity of a tree, the bees' natural habitat-Anderson illustrates how little effort is actually required to raise and nurture a thriving bee community. In fact, his idle approach to beekeeping requires only two days of work per year-one day in the spring, and another in the fall. The Idle Beekeeper offers practical and philosophical advice for getting involved in conservation efforts, and Anderson's expertise will show just how easy it is to make an environmental impact. For anyone interested in keeping bees, The Idle Beekeeper is the definitive guide that teaches you everything you need to get started, even in a city, and without effort.

This Brief explains and discusses honey and its production from a chemical perspective. It outlines why honey is a special and unique food, being produced by bees from the nectar of plants or from secretions of living parts of plants. Although glucose and fructose are the main constituents of honey, its overall composition is far from being simple or uniform: other substances such as organic acids, enzymes, or minerals are found in varying amounts. In this Brief, the author addresses the factors that influence the composition of the honey as well as the consequences that the composition has on properties such as color, crystallization, density, viscosity, or the refractive index. This Brief also introduces some of the most commonly used quality parameters for the determination of ageing and/or overheating: 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and diastase. Other recently proposed constituents for quality parameters are also mentioned, e.g. 1,2 dicarbonyl compounds (3 deoxyglucosone, methylglyoxal, glyoxal) and furosine, also named 2-furoylmethyl lysine.