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Books > Professional & Technical > Agriculture & farming > Animal husbandry > General
This book provides a concise and up to date review of current
knowledge on the biological processes affecting animal welfare, and
the implications emerging from our improved understanding of those
biological principles in terms of options available to assess and
manage the welfare status of individuals and populations.
Biological principles are embedded within wider consideration of
the ethical basis for our concern about animals and their welfare,
in recognition of the fact that concern and responsibility for
welfare is strongly affected by cultural and ethical norms. The
Biology and Management of Animal Welfare covers several topics not
addressed in other texts. Thus it pays attention to the difference
between animal welfare and animal rights and distinguishes between
welfare and evolutionary fitness (which often causes confusion).
The thorny problem of necessary versus unnecessary suffering is
considered; most legislation provides for the prevention of
unnecessary suffering but never defines it. In addition a box
feature explores how human psychological development can affect
attitudes to animals and how psychological dysfunctions (in terms
of attitudes to other humans) can often be detected in advance from
attitudes to animals. The book also includes consideration of
alternatives to animal experimentation with a chapter devoted to
the 3 Rs (Refine, Reduce, Replace). Written by authors who work in
the field and all regularly contribute to postgraduate courses in
animal welfare, in veterinary faculties and elsewhere, the text is
deliberately kept short and concise to emphasise the essential
principles, but is comprehensively referenced throughout in order
to guide the reader in their own wider background reading around
the framework provided by this overview. The book includes a number
of dedicated box features that offer more detailed illustration or
worked examples for some of the topics addressed in the text, or to
focus attention on additional special topics.
Dairy farming is one of the fastest growing and developing
subsectors in the agricultural industry. There has been
unprecedented growth in milk production attributed by proper
genetic selection, breeding, housing, and feeding programs in this
subsector. Dairy farming for milk production has been the primary
business for many people in different places around the world. Milk
has also been and still is a key animal product in most diets
consumed worldwide. With various advancements achieved in
preservation of techniques for dairy products, preference of
consumers for milk and milk products are higher than ever. Basic
information on the technology and science used in production and
processing this crucial food commodity is significant to the work
of academia, governments, and industry. Several good and
professionally prepared reference books are available, but the
preference for any specific book greatly depends on the needs for
the reader. Most of the dairy farming reference books are
single-volume books, and others only cover general topics whereas
other books cover specific dairy farming topics. This book has been
prepared to offer essential information about basic principles
involved in milk production, nutritional requirement for dairy
cattle, basic management practices involved in dairy farming and
health conditions that affect dairy cows in milk production to all
those student taking dairy farming management courses, veterinary
professionals, teachers, dairy management staffs, and even various
governmental staffs involved in agricultural sectors. The general
science and various production practices presently in use in dairy
industry have been characterised and well described so that the
reader can acquire insights into the industry. The book has been
divided into four sections. Section one deal with general
information and principles on dairy farming and it consist of only
one chapter. Section two deals with background information on
nutrition requirements in milk production and consists of four
chapters. Section three deals with general management practices
involved in dairy farming for maximum milk production and consist
of four chapters. Lastly, section four dealing with dairy farming
health problems consists of one chapter. More emphases have been
put in nutrition and management practices of dairy cow because
these are the two key areas where most breeders and producer focus
on in order to enhance milk production. Specific areas tailored
towards minimizing production costs and maximizing overall
production have also received much of the attention, specifically
on the second, third and fourth section of the book.
Globally, the way the animal production industry copes with
infectious diseases is changing. The (excessive) use of
antimicrobials is under debate and it is becoming standard practice
to implement thorough biosecurity plans on farms to prevent the
entry and spread of pathogenic micro-organisms. Not only in farm
animal production, but also in facilities where companion animals
are kept, including in veterinary practices and clinics, awareness
of the beneficial implications of a good biosecurity plan has
raised. The book Biosecurity in Animal Production and Veterinary
Medicine is the first compilation of both fundamental aspects of
biosecurity practices, and specific and practical information on
the application of the biosecurity measures in different animal
production and animal housing settings. The book starts with a
general introductory chapter on the epidemiology of infectious
diseases, followed by a chapter explaining the general principles
of biosecurity. Specific topics of biosecurity, including rodent
and insect control, cleaning and disinfection, hygiene and
decontamination of feed, drinking water and air, and measuring the
biosecurity status of farms, are detailed in dedicated chapters.
Explanations on the relevance of the implementation of biosecurity
plans in order to improve animal health and performance and reduce
antimicrobial usage are described, and a chapter on ways to
motivate farmers to implement a biosecurity plan has been included.
Practical chapters deal with biosecurity in the poultry, pig and
cattle industry, horse facilities, dog kennels, veterinary
practices and clinics and laboratory animal facilities. The book is
a practical guide that can be used by farm and animal facility
managers, consultants, veterinarians, animal caretakers, and people
with an interest in prevention of diseases in animals. Academics
and students will benefit from the book because it contains all
relevant information on animal biosecurity.
Designed for the mixed practice large animal veterinarian,
veterinary students, and camelid caretakers alike, Llama and Alpaca
Care covers all major body systems, herd health, physical
examination, nutrition, reproduction, surgery, anesthesia, and
multisystem diseases of llamas and alpacas. Written by
world-renowned camelid specialists and experts in the field, this
comprehensive and uniquely global text offers quick access to the
most current knowledge in this area. With coverage ranging from
basic maintenance such as restraint and handling to more complex
topics including anesthesia and surgery, this text provides the
full range of knowledge required for the management of llamas and
alpacas. "..an essential text for anyone working with South
American camelids." Reviewed by Claire E. Whitehead on behalf of
Veterinary Record, July 2015 Over 500 full-color images provide
detailed, highly illustrated coverage of all major body systems,
physical examination, nutrition, anesthesia, fluid therapy,
multisystem diseases, and surgical disorders. World-renowned
camelid experts and specialists in the field each bring a specific
area of expertise for a uniquely global text. Comprehensive herd
health content includes handling techniques, vaccinations,
biosecurity, and protecting the herd from predators. Coverage of
anesthesia and analgesia includes the latest information on
pharmacokinetics of anesthetic drugs, chemical restraint,
injectable and inhalation anesthesia, neuroanesthesia, and pain
management. Reproduction section contains information on breeding
management, lactation, infertility, and embryo transfer. Nutrition
information offers detailed nutritional requirements and discusses
feeding management systems and feeding behavior.
There has been a lot written about animal welfare in intensive
farming systems, but very little about animals reared in extensive
agricultural systems. Yet these animals make up a significant
proportion of the world's farm animal population, covering a
significant portion of the globe. Animals kept in extensive
conditions face their own unique set of challenges that are vital
for anyone with an interest in farm animal welfare to understand.
Animal Welfare in Extensive Production Systems presents those
challenges in a practical way, backed up with thoroughly referenced
research. Topics covered include heat stress, water quality and
availability, nutrition, predation, poisonous plants, transport,
human-animal interactions, and neonatal mortality. This book is
ideal for animal welfare academics, students and researchers. It
can also be beneficial to students in animal science, veterinary
science and agriculture and to farm industry producers and
personnel. The Farm Animal Welfare Education Centre (FAWEC) is
based at the School of Veterinary Science of the Autonomous
University of Barcelona (Spain). FAWEC works with farmers,
veterinarians and the livestock sector in general to improve farm
animal welfare. Its main activity is to provide practical,
science-based training and education on the welfare of farm
animals. Further information on FAWEC can be found at
www.fawec.org.
The fundamentals of abattoir establishments, slaughter procedures
for quality meat production, scientific evaluation of food animals
and carcasses are thus discussed in most effective manners. The
sustainability of meat industry and meat food sector is basically
dependant on abattoir by-products utilization. So different types
of by-products generated in abattoir i.e. blood, hide and skin,
intestines, bones, glandular by-products etc. are taken up in more
understandable way. The waste generated and sanitary requirement of
abattoir is also discussed in more realistic approach. All aspects
of wool technology starting from shearing, sampling, wool
structure, physico-chemical properties, processing and testing are
elaborated in best possible efforts. The book will be of great
value to serve the source of knowledge and information on these
aspects for the persons engaged in meat and wool profession,
business, planning and research.
Animal Agriculture: Sustainability, Challenges and Innovations
discusses the land-based production of high-quality protein by
livestock and poultry and how it plays an important role in
improving human nutrition, growth and health. With exponential
growth of the global population and marked rises in meat
consumption per capita, demands for animal-source protein are
expected to increase 72% between 2013 and 2050. This raises
concerns about the sustainability and environmental impacts of
animal agriculture. An attractive solution to meeting increasing
needs for animal products and mitigating undesirable effects of
agricultural practices is to enhance the efficiency of animal
growth, reproduction, and lactation. Currently, there is no
resource that offers specific knowledge of both animal science and
technology, including biotechnology for the sustainability of
animal agriculture for the expanding global demand of food in the
face of diminishing resources. This book fills that gap, giving
readers all the necessary information on important issues facing
modern animal agriculture, namely its sustainability, challenges
and innovative solutions.
This book provides stimulating and timely suggestions about
expanding the world food supply to include a variety of
minilivestock. It suggests a wide variety of small animals as
nutritious food. These animals include arthropods (insects,
earthworms, snails, frogs), and various rodents. The major
advantage of minilivestock is that they do not have to be fed on
grains thus saving many crop species for human consump-tion. The
book suggests technologies for harvesting these small livestock.
This volume provides a current look at how development of intensive
live stock production, particularly hogs, has affected human health
with respect to zoonotic diseases primarily transmitted by food but
also by water, air and oc cupational activity. While information
presented focuses on the development of increasing livestock
production in Canada, examples are given and compar isons are made
with other countries (Denmark, Taiwan, the Netherlands and the
United States) where the levels of livestock production are much
more intense and where the industry is more mature. Canada is also
searching for solutions to enable handling the growing volume of
its livestock waste properly. Lessons learned from the experience
of those who have gone before are invaluable and are drawn together
in this volume to serve as useful guidance for others in plot ting
the courses of action possible to avoid serious environmental
setbacks and negative human health effects through foodborne
illness. A significant portion of the text is devoted to a
discussion of enteric illness in humans caused by zoonotic
pathogens. The second chapter deals with sur vival of pathogens
(which cause foodborne illness) in manure environments. An
evaluation of the human health hazard likely to occur from the use
of ma nure as fertilizer is important because of the recent trend
toward an increase in foodborne illness from the consumption of
minimally processed fruits and vegetables that may have been
fertilized with animal-derived organic materials."
Prenatal life is the period of maximal development in animals,
and it is well recognised that factors that alter development can
have profound effects on the embryonic, fetal and postnatal animal.
Scientists involved in research on livestock productivity have for
decades studied postnatal consequences of fetal development on
productivity. Recently, however, there has been a surge in interest
in how to manage prenatal development to enhance livestock health
and productivity. This has occurred largely due to the studies that
show human health in later life can be influenced by events during
prenatal life, and establishment of the Fetal Origins and the
Thrifty Phenotype Hypotheses. This book, Managing the Prenatal
Environment to Enhance Livestock Productivity reviews phenotypic
consequences of prenatal development, and provides details of
mechanisms that underpin these effects in ruminants, pigs and
poultry. The chapters have been divided into three parts:
Quantification of prenatal effects on postnatal productivity,
mechanistic bases of postnatal consequences of prenatal development
and regulators of fetal and neonatal nutrient supply.
Managing the Prenatal Environment to Enhance Livestock
Productivity is a reference from which future research to improve
the level of understanding and capacity to enhance productivity,
health and efficiency of livestock in developing and developed
countries will evolve. It is particularly timely given the
development of molecular technologies that are providing new
insight into regulation and consequences of growth and development
of the embryo, fetus and neonate.
Understanding the processes that change the shape and composition
of farm animals is fundamental to all aspects of production.
Showing the progression from cell to tissue to entire animal, this
comprehensive textbook provides an essential broad base for animal
production, with key information on how animals grow and change in
shape and composition, and factors that affect these processes.
Illustrated with new photographs and focus boxes highlighting vital
points, this updated third edition includes a new chapter on avian
growth, an important source of protein for the expanding
population. Providing a thorough yet student-friendly approach to
the subject, this book continues to fill the important role of
helping readers to understand how the basics of growth must be
thoroughly understood if farm animals are to be used efficiently
and humanely in producing food for mankind.
The book is a new and important addition to Quranic Literature. It
gives comprehensive information about the plant and animal species
cited in the verses of Holy Quran with respect to their biological
status, specific characteristics, economic importance and their
roles played in evolution and development of human cultures. All
the respective verses citing the names of plants and animals or
their products have been mentioned in the book and commented upon.
The assigning of the proper biological status to them and their
specific description have in a better way clarified the events
associated with them and the messages and lessons conveyed through
them. The book shall prove very useful to the scholars of the Quran
and other religious scriptures who integrate science and religion.
Catalytic Naphtha Reforming, Second Edition presents modern,
crystal-clear explanations of every aspect of this critical process
for generating high-octane reformate products for gasoline blending
and production of benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX) aromatics. The
book details the chemistry of naphtha reforming, the preparation
and characterization of catalysts, and the very latest commercial
technologies and industrial applications. With more than 300 tables
and figures, it addresses the development of new catalysts and
revamp process improvements propelled by regulations on sulfur,
benzene, and oxygenate content in gasoline and refinery pressure to
maximize utilization of existing assets.
Over 400 recent finds associated with horses and excavated in
London, from the utilitarian to the highly decorated, illustrated
and discussed. Whether knight's charger or beast of burden, horses
played a vital role in medieval life. The wealth of medieval finds
excavated in London in recent years has, not surprisingly, included
many objects associated with horses. This catalogue illustrates and
discusses over four hundred such objects, among them harness,
horseshoes, spurs and curry combs, from the utilitarian to highly
decorative pieces. London served by horse traffic comes vividly in
view. The introductory chapter draws on historical as well as
archaeological sources to consider the role of the horse in
medieval London. It looks at the price of horses and the costs of
maintaining them, the hiring of 'hackneys' forriding, the use of
carts in and around London, and the work of the 'marshal' or
farrier. It discusses the evidence for the size of medieval horses
and includes a survey of finds of medieval horse skeletons from
London. It answersthe key questions, how large a 'Great Horse' was,
and why it took three horses to pull a cart. This is a basic work
of reference for archaeologists and those studying medieval
artefacts, and absorbing reading for everyone interested in the
history of the horse and its use by humankind. JOHN CLARK is
Curator (Medieval) at the Museum of London.
"The book not only has distinguished scientists at its helm but
also in the list of contributing authors from Europe, Australasia,
North and South America...Compiling the newest grassland science,
key features of the book are that it: assesses latest research on
how grasslands function; surveys best sustainable grassland
management; and considers wider aspects of sustainability such as
ecosystem services and biodiversity." Grass and Forage Manager -
British Grassland Society "The comprehensiveness of the book will
make it extremely useful for grassland and pasture students. In
addition, it has value for anyone interested in a wide range of
aspects of cultivated grasslands...it is a valuable source of
information on cultivated grasslands in a single book with a good
balance between detail and subjects covered." African Journal of
Range and Forage Science The shift to more intensive livestock
system has put more pressure on grasslands used for pasture. At the
same time, there is a greater understanding of the role of
grasslands in delivering a range of ecosystems services. This
volume reviews the range of research on more sustainable use of
grasslands to optimise livestock nutrition whilst protecting
biodiversity and delivering a range of broader environmental
benefits. Part 1 assesses grassland functions and dynamics,
including plant-soil and plant-animal interactions. Part 2 reviews
key aspects of grassland management, including sowing, soil health,
irrigation and weed control as well as monitoring. The final part
of the book considers wider aspects of sustainability such as
protecting biodiversity as well as silage processing. With its
distinguished editors and international team of subject experts,
this will be a standard reference for grassland and rangeland
scientists, livestock producers, government and non-governmental
organisations responsible for grassland management.
Examines how the lives of pastoralists in northern Kenya and
southern Ethiopia are deeply affected by the creation of mutually
exclusive ethnic territories and proposes ways to reverse this
trend. This study, based on anthropological field research over a
period of thirty-four years, focuses on pastoralism, politics,
policies and development in northern Kenya and southern Ethiopia.
The authors present a detailed ethnographic view of recent events
of ethnic violence in Kenya and analyse how local patterns of
conflict among pastoralists were influenced by both national and
regional politics, which have encouraged an increased tendency of
territorialized ethnicity. They propose ways of getting out of the
ethnic trap and revitalizing a mobile livestock economy in a region
where other forms of land use are impossible or much less
effective. A companion volume to Islam andEthnicity in Northern
Kenya and Southern Ethiopia, it will be of particular interest to
political anthropologists, students of nomadism, pastoral economy
ecology, and globalization. Gunther Schlee is director of the
Department of 'Integration and Conflict', Max Planck Institute for
Social Anthropology, Halle, Germany; Abdullahi Shongolo is an
independent scholar based in Kenya.
Illustrated with review studies on animal health economics, this
book presents information on the most important economic tools
applied to livestock, covering both theory and practical
applications. Topics covered include gross margin analysis, partial
budgeting, investment and financial appraisal and cost-benefit
analysis. There are also sections on decision tree analysis,
optimization methods, value chain analysis, new institutional
economics, DALYs and a range of policy analysis tools.
International experts contribute on important theoretical and
practical aspects of animal health and production economics, with
global themes on livestock and poverty.
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