Considered a classic at the time of its publication in 1910, A Shepherd's Life is a rare account of the lives of those who lived on and worked the land in nineteenth-century rural Britain. A masterful work of prose, W. H. Hudson focuses on the story of one man, a Wiltshire shepherd named Caleb Bawcombe, whose tales of sheep dogs, farmer's wives, poachers and local fairs become a sublime account of a way of life that has largely disappeared from these shores.

Written by seventeen experts in the field of rangeland management, this compilation of essays brings to light the latent issues concerning this subject to readers all over the globe. Though technical approaches can address some issues, social processes ultimately prevent the balancing of these matters. Socio-economic and political institutions are often a stumbling block for improving rangeland management. Human intervention (such as burning and grazing) have been used as rehabilitation efforts to address reverse land degradation problems. It is also hoped that these methods will bring about ecological restoration for more than 30 percent of the world's land mass and provide living conditions for 1 billion people across every inhabited continent. Multiple-use has become an important factor in the last few decades, especially when discussing global climate change. The extensive bibliography we provide will give researchers, members of academia and policy makers' contemplative subject matter; they may access multi-lingual literature that give insight into the issues concerning rangeland situations.

In this book, the authors discuss the reproduction, nutritional management and diseases relating to dairy cows. Topics include strategies to improve the reproductive efficiency of dairy cattle; an illustrated classification system to define the causes of international bovine perinatal mortality; resetting the priorities for sustainable dairy farming under global change; and somatic cell count as a factor conditioning productivity of various breeds of cows and technological suitability of milk.

This book addresses select issues and management considerations relating to animal welfare. Topics discussed in this compilation include the background and legislation of the Animal Welfare Act; the International Whaling Convention (IWC) and legal issues concerning aboriginal rights; issues addressing the humane treatment of farm animals; table egg production and hen welfare; horse slaughter prevention bills and issues; and management of wild horses and burros.

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by specific filamentous fungi that infest agricultural commodities. They are known to contaminant crops and consequently animal feeds and animal products, causing significant economic losses associated with their impact on animal health and productivity in agribusiness. In animal production, dramatic acute mycotoxin poisoning with severe or fatal disease is of relatively low prevalence. However, uncertainty and controversy continue to plague livestock producers and health professionals based on real or potential damage to feed efficiency, immune system function, inefficient animal reproduction and possible residues in the human food supply. This book describes conditions that favour mycotoxin formation and consumption, suggesting preventive approaches.

This book shows that within the framework of EU, there has always been an ongoing struggle between two powers, food safety through feed hygiene and functioning of the market in financial terms. The direction of the outcome of this struggle depends on the balance of powers at a given time. For the question of "dilution principle" in the area of undesirable substances of feeds, this did work in favour of safety and the protection of the consumer. On the other hand, for the outstanding issues of "positive list" and "open declaration" in feed marketing, it is apparent that the outcome of the discussions so far supports the functioning of a "healthy" market rather, and the whole question is still pending.

Human-animal interactions have a profound effect on farm animals and stockpeople alike. Training of stockpeople can improve livestock welfare and in turn productivity, and is a principle area of focus after improvements in genetics, nutrition, reproduction, health and housing have been addressed extensively. This volume explores new information on human-livestock relationships, their effects on both animals and handlers and the application of this knowledge particularly in relation to dairy cows, veal calves and poultry. Developments in knowledge of the relationships and their effects post-farm gate are discussed, providing a practical guide that will be a valuable resource for farm managers, researchers in the animal sciences, psychologists, ethologists and veterinarians. It will also benefit students of veterinary and animal sciences. Praise for the previous edition: 'The book should take position in the libraries of people involved of animal production and especially in education and management of stockpersons' Livestock Production Science.

Lifestock refers to any animal breed kept by humans for commercial purposes. This book focuses on the effects of certain types of foods, such as prebiotics, on the physiology and performance of animals. Research is included on the digestibility and the nitrogen balance of diets containing different protein sources. A review of the effect of polyphenolics on animal productivity and health is also given, as well as a review of models based on milk fatty acid patterns to predict nutrient supply, methane emission, and metabolic disorders. Related to this, the Greenhouse Gas emissions from a Canadian dairy industry is examined. Finally, lifestock diseases compromise animal welfare, reduce productivity and in some cases, infect humans. A review on how to monitor a number of infectious diseases that are of particular economic importance to the dairy cattle industry are discussed. Disease management is also reviewed.

The number of hobby farmers in the United States is steadily rising. At the same time, predators are increasing in number and range. These predators pose a serious threat to both farm animals and the financial well-being of the farmers who raise them. Fortunately, there's a solution that is low cost, nonviolent, and highly effective: livestock guardian animals.
"Livestock Guardians," by Jan Dohner, is a comprehensive guide for farmers struggling to reduce predation of sheep, goats, and other livestock. Dohner, who has more than 26 years of experience with guardian animals, helps owners understand the keys to effective livestock protection: careful selection of the right guardian animal, proper guardian livestock bonding, dedicated training, and ongoing problem-solving.
Three chapters address the use of guardian dogs; collectively, these chapters explain how to evaluate, train, understand, and socialize these hardworking canines. A separate chapter provides detailed information on many guardian breeds from around the world. Additional chapters on livestock guardian donkeys and llamas help readers select and train these animals as well. The thorough coverage of livestock guardians includes health care information; breed profiles; case studies of real farmers effectively using guard animals; an appendix with resources, organizations, and Web sites; and a 16-page color photographic insert of guardian breeds.
Using Dohner's comprehensive, practical advice, farmers will be able to reduce predation, decrease the need for corralling be better aware of disturbances in flocks, effectively protect their family and property, and use pastures more efficiently.

Charismatic David Kennard lives a life most people can only dream about. Farming on a spectacularly beautiful part of the Devon coast he has an almost telepathic bond with nature and with his working sheepdogs. His is a life filled with daily challenges, from the battles with wild Atlantic weather to the dramas of clifftop rescue, but it is also a life full of the richness of rebirth, and the Herriotesque delight in a way of life that has remained almost untouched by the modern world. Part diary, part homage to the countryside and the canine family that is so much a part of his life, David Kennard's extraordinary book is designed to touch the hearts and minds of city and country dwellers alike.

Written in response to a growing demand on the part of pig farmers, here is a text-book which will provide a working manual to which reference can be readily made. Not all the diseases discussed in the text are of interest to pig producers in the United Kingdom but they have been included in the hope that they may be of interest to pig farmers in other countries. Also some of the diseases discussed are subject to the restrictions under the Diseases of Animals Acts and Orders, but they have been included in the hope that owners may recognise the cardinal symptoms of these diseases and take action accordingly.

For many outsiders, the word ""ranching"" conjures romantic images of riding on horseback through rolling grasslands while living and working against a backdrop of breathtaking mountain vistas. In this absorbing memoir of life in the Wyoming high country, Mary Budd Flitner offers a more authentic glimpse into the daily realities of ranch life - and what it takes to survive in the ranching world. Some of Flitner's recollections are humorous and lighthearted. Others take a darker turn. A modern-day rancher with decades of experience, Mary has dealt with the hardships and challenges that come with this way of life. She's survived harsh conditions like the ""winter of 50 below"" and economic downturns that threatened her family's livelihood. She's also wrestled with her role as a woman in a profession that doesn't always treat her as equal. But for all its challenges, Flitner has also savored ranching's joys, including the ties that bind multiple generations of families to the land. My Ranch, Too begins with the story of her great-grandfather, Daniel Budd, who in 1878 drove a herd of cattle into Wyoming Territory and settled his family in an area where conditions seemed favorable. Four generations later, Mary grew up on this same portion of land, learning how to ride horseback and take care of livestock. When she married Stan, she simply moved from one ranch to another, joining the Flitner family's Diamond Tail Ranch in Wyoming's Big Horn Basin. The Diamond Tail is not Mary's alone to run, as she is quick to acknowledge. Everybody pitches in, even the smallest of children. But when Mary takes the responsibility of gathering a herd of cattle or makes solo rounds at the crack of dawn to check on the livestock, we have no doubt that this is indeed her ranch, too.

We often consider dogs to be our enduring sidekicks but the truth is domestic pigs have played a role in our lives for nearly as long. Pigs are highly social and smart. They like to play. They're inventive, crafty and belligerent - and incredibly singleminded. Ultimately, we have far more in common with these creatures than we like to admit. Here is a charming ode to one of the most common, yet surprisingly intelligent, animals populating our landscapes. In this gentle and illuminating study, Matt Whyman embarks on a journey to uncover the heart and soul of an animal brimming with more energy, intelligence and playfulness than he could ever have imagined. In his bid to understand what makes a pig tick, having climbed a steep learning curve as a keeper himself, Whyman meets a veterinary professor and expert in pig emotion, as well as a spirited hill farmer whose world revolves around hogs and sows. Packed with fascinating research and delightful anecdotes, this entertaining and informative celebration of all things porcine covers everything from evolution, behaviour and communication to friendship, loyalty and broken hearts - uncovering a surprising notion of family along the way.

Pig meat is the most widely-consumed meat in the world. Previous growth in production has relied, in part, on more intensive systems. In meeting rising demand, these systems face challenges such as the ongoing threat of zoonotic diseases, the need to improve feed efficiency in the face of rising costs, the need to reduce the environmental impact of pig production and increasing concerns about animal welfare. This volume looks first at the main zoonoses affecting pigs and how they can be controlled. It then reviews the latest research on aspects of meat quality such as flavour, colour, texture and nutritional quality. Finally, it assesses ways of monitoring and reducing the environmental impact of pig production. With its distinguished editor and international team of expert authors, this will be a standard reference for researchers in swine science, producers, government and other organisations involved in supporting pig production. It is accompanied by two companion volumes which focus on animal breeding, nutrition, health and welfare.

More than ever, Americans care about the quality and safety of the food they eat. They're bringing back an American tradition: raising backyard chickens for eggs, meat, fun, or profit. Chickens in Your Backyard has been the go to guide of chicken care for over 40 years. This revised and updated edition covers all the basics to turn your backyard into a happy homestead-from incubating, raising, housing, and feeding, through treating disease and raising chickens for show. Given some freedom and attention, these birds can become much more than the egg-and-meat machines of commercial hatcheries and broiler factories. Chickens provide backyard farmers with enjoyable pastime, as well as a supply of good food. About Rodale Classics: The new Rodale Classics line is a revised and updated set of our most iconic and bestselling gardening titles. Rodale has been the category leader in organic methods for decades, and gardeners are consistently turning to our tried and true guides for reference. The company will continue to identify appropriate candidates for inclusion into the series in future seasons. The uniform branding and design on these covers will unite these books into a set, capitalizing on the strength and authority of the Rodale brand.

'One woman's gloriously lyrical account of life and love as a shepherdess' Mail on Sunday 'Janet White's unfailingly enjoyable book . . . taps into a widespread feeling that we have become cut off from the natural world' TLS 'A book to share or even fight over if necessary' Rosamund Young, author of The Secret Life of Cows 'An immensely enjoyable and heartfelt book: it makes you want to run for the hills' The Lady With an introduction by Colin Thubron As a child in wartime England, Janet White decided that she wanted to live somewhere wild and supremely beautiful, to inhabit and work the landscape. She imagined searching the whole world for a place, high and remote as a sheep stell, quiet as a monastery, challenging and virginal, untouched and unknown. Turning her back on convention, Janet's desire to carve out her own pastoral Eden has taken her from the Cheviot Hills to Sussex and Somerset, via the savage beauty of rural New Zealand. The Sheep Stell tells the tale of a woman before her time; a woman with incredible courage and determination, truly devoted to the land and its creatures. Evocative, unaffected and profound, it is a lost classic. 'An extraordinary memoir . . . The Sheep Stell is pure joy, one of the most moving books I've read in a long time' Philip Marsden, author of Rising Ground 'This is a strange and lovely book, and quiet as it is, it makes you gasp at the profoundly lived quality of the life it so modestly describes' Jenny Diski 'A hymn to country solitude, lyrical, unpretentious and deeply felt' Colin Thubron

Sheep farming, whether for meat or wool, has always been an essential component in diversifying farming systems, particularly in exploiting land unsuitable for arable crops. The sector faces a range of challenges in meeting rising demand. There is an ongoing threat both from endemic and more exotic diseases. Consumer expectations about nutritional and sensory quality have never been higher. There is also greater concern about the environmental impact of animal production and animal welfare issues. Drawing on an international range of expertise, this book reviews research addressing these challenges. The first part of the book addresses quality issues affecting meat, wool and dairy products from sheep. The book then goes on to discuss advances in breeding before reviewing ways of improving sheep nutrition, health and welfare. The collection concludes by assessing the environmental impact of sheep production and ways it can be more effectively managed. Achieving sustainable production of sheep will be a standard reference for animal and food scientists in universities, government and other research centres and companies involved in supporting sheep farming.

"What sets this book apart is its provision of such a comprehensive review of developments in pig nutrition as well as breeding. To do this it brings together some of the world's leading experts in this field of research to produce an unbiased, accurate and accessible guide to a critical part of pig production." The Pig Site Pig meat is the most widely-consumed meat in the world. Previous growth in production has relied, in part, on more intensive systems. In meeting rising demand, these systems face challenges such as the ongoing threat of zoonotic diseases, the need to improve feed efficiency in the face of rising costs, the need to reduce the environmental impact of pig production and increasing concerns about animal welfare. These challenges are addressed in the three volumes of Achieving sustainable production of pig meat. Volume 2 looks at pig breeding and nutrition. Part 1 starts by reviewing advances and constraints in conventional breeding, the development and use of molecular breeding techniques, as well as factors affecting functional traits such as reproductive and feed efficiency. The second part of the book looks at current research on meeting pig nutritional requirements, including understanding and modelling pig nutritional requirements to optimise feeding, as well as the role of vitamins, exogenous enzymes, growth promoters, prebiotics and probiotics. With its distinguished editor and international team of expert authors, this will be a standard reference for researchers in swine science as well as producers, government and other organisations involved in supporting pig production. It is accompanied by two companion volumes which focus on safety, quality and sustainability as well as animal health and welfare.

Everything an amateur pigkeeper needs for success Get Started in Pig Keeping offers amateur pigkeepers everything they need to make a success of this increasingly popular pursuit. Whether you are interested in breeding pigs, in meat production, or just want the pleasure of their company, this book covers legalities, basic equipment, picking breeds, understanding behaviour and how to raise and slaughter pigs. You'll get all of the advice you need on daily maintenance of your animal, from feeding to cleaning, and find ample resources if you wish to produce your own meat - or even market and sell it at a local level. Get Started in Pig Keeping includes: Chapter 1: The starting point Chapter 2: Preparation and knowing the rules Chapter 3: Before your pig arrives Chapter 4: Can keeping pigs be cost effective? Chapter 5: Getting your first pig Chapter 6: Feeding your pig Chapter 7: The health of your pig Chapter 8: Breeding from your own stock Chapter 9: Meat for the freezer Chapter 10: Sales and Marketing Chapter 11: Who's who in the pig world ABOUT THE SERIES People have been learning with Teach Yourself since 1938. With a vast range of practical how-to guides covering language learning, lifestyle, hobbies, business, psychology, and self-help, there's a Teach Yourself book for everything you want to do. Join more than 60 million people who have reached their goals with Teach Yourself, and never stop learning.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press's mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1958.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press's mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1958.