This book offers the contributions of active researchers and leading experts in the field of grassland management and grass utilization. Coverage follows the food chain, moving from the big picture to basic principles of grassland management and effects on herbage quality, intake and nutrient flows. Rather than focus separately on soil-plant interactions, plant production, animal nutrition, animal production or product quality issues, this book takes a more integrated approach.

Product quality and a sustainable food chain of ruminant products are largely determined by animal nutrition, in which forage is the major feed source. Forages and grasslands play a unique role in agriculture because they contribute through animals to our food supply and to the abatement of environmental problems. Interest in grassland management and grass utilization for dairy production in temperate and subtropical regions has recently led to considerable research efforts. In the past this research often emphasized on plant and animal aspects separately. However, the interrelationship between pasture and the grazing ruminant is a dynamic, two-way process. Many people are not aware of these complex relations, and scientists often focus on either soil-plant interactions, plant production, animal nutrition, animal production or product quality issues.

This volume reports on excavations which grew from a desire to widen the scope of excavations at the town of Gardara of the Decapolis to investigate its surounding region. A trench was excavated at Tall Za'ra revealing occupation ranging from a late Bronze Age fortified city up to the Mamluk period. This report presents the stratigraphy and finds, including ceramics and Iron Age cooking pots.