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.

In this book on Indian cattle ranching, Peter Iverson describes a way of life that has been both economically viable and socially and culturally rewarding. Thus an Indian rancher can demonstrate his generosity and his concern for the well-being of others by giving cattle or beef to relatives, or by feeding people at a celebration. An expert rider possesses a skill appreciated by others. A rancher who raises prime cattle demonstrates that Indians can compete in an activity that dominates the surrounding non-Indian society.

Focusing on the northern plains and the Southwest, Iverson traces the rise and fall of individual and tribal cattle industries against the backdrop of changing federal Indian policies. He describes the Indian Bureau's inability to recognize that most nineteenth-century reservations were better suited to ranching than farming. Even though allotment and leasing stifled ranching, livestock became symbols and ranching a new means of resisting, adapting, and living--for remaining Native.

In the twentieth century, allotment, leasing, non-Indian competition, and a changing regional economy have limited the long-term economic success of Indian ranching. Although the New Deal era saw some marked improvements in Native ranching operations, Iverson suggests that since the 1960s, Indian and non-Indian ranchers alike have faced the same dilemma that confronted Indians in the nineteenth century: they are surrounded by a society that does not understand them and has different priorities for their land. Cattle ranching is no more likely to disappear than are the Indian communities themselves, but cowboys and Indians, who share a common sense of place and tradition, also share an uncertain future.

This report investigates the situation of pastoralism, highlighting its current context of vulnerability. It outlines policy interventions, resilience programming, and research areas that could enhance the resilience of pastoral livelihoods systems. Pastoral livestock production is practised in an area representing 43 percent of Africa's land mass, and in some regions it represents the dominant livelihood system. It covers 36 countries, stretching from the Sahelian West to the rangelands of Eastern Africa and the Horn and the nomadic populations of Southern Africa, with an estimated 268 million pastoralists. Pastoralism developed 7000 years ago and spread throughout Northern Africa as an adaptation to a rapidly changing and increasingly unpredictable arid climate. It remains an important solution, as it allows pastoral herds to use drier areas during the wet season and more humid areas during the dry season. It thereby ensures access for pastoral livestock to sufficient high-quality grazing and creates economic value.

Animal acupuncturist. Zoo designer. Wildlife rehabilitator.
Working with animals can involve much more than helping at an animal shelter or grooming dogs. There are lots of different jobs out there for people who share a deep concern for the welfare of animals. Authors Michele C. Hollow and Dr. William P. Rives give you the inside scoop on all of them, including:

• Veterinarian and veterinary technician
• Zoo worker
• Animal trainer for movies and TV
• Beekeeper
• Guide dog trainer

This unique career guide features personal stories from experts in the field, including a large-animal surgeon, a professional dog trainer, an animal behaviorist, and the former president and CEO of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. This guide gives you everything you need to find a job that fits your animal-loving personality.