Animal husbandry Books

Book SynopsisDairy herd health is an important and universal topic in large animal veterinary practice and farming, covering both preventive medicine and health promotion. With the move towards large-scale farming, the health of the herd is important as an economic unit and to promote the health of the individuals within it. This book focuses on diseases within herds, herd husbandry practices, youngstock management and environmental issues. Major diseases and conditions are covered, including mastitis, lameness, nutrition, metabolic and common infectious diseases from a herd health perspective. It is an essential resource for veterinary practitioners and students, researchers and dairy industry personnel.Table of Contents1: Concepts in Dairy Herd Health 2: Facilitating Change in Herd Health 3: Restoring the Dairy Herd: Rearing Young Stock and Replacing Cows 4: Managing Herd Reproduction 5: Control of Mastitis and Enhancement of Milk Quality 6: Control of Lameness 7: Control of Infectious Disease 8: Nutritional Management of Herd Health 9: Dairy Farming, Food Security and Environmental Issues 10: Appendices: Sample Sizes and Disease Prevalence Estimates; Genetic and Herd Health

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Book SynopsisRoaming Wild details the unconventional and pioneering lives of Anna and Peter Roberts, a British couple who were instrumental in making the animal welfare movement a respectable, highly-impactful and worldwide organisation. This book explores the paths that led Anna and Peter to found and steward what is now the world's largest and most successful animal welfare charity from a backroom of their own home, with few funds, and at a time when caring for animals and our planet was seen as 'crankish' and 'sentimental'. This is the story of their family, their era, influence, their rebellion and prophetic ideas and the development of Compassion in World Farming. It spans the period from the early 1920s when they were born, throughout the decades of their childhoods and World War II, to their highly romantic meeting and marriage in the 1950s, and then the next years of their lives as dairy and chicken farmers in rural Hampshire. This 'ordinary' part of their story preceded their move to change everything by making the 'extraordinary' decision during the tumultuous 1960s, of risking their livelihood, going vegetarian (as animal farmers), and losing the approval of their peers, to found their compassion-driven campaign. This personal transformation was at a time when the British countryside was also transforming, irrevocably and for the worse, when intensive, polluting farms were just taking root, the cruel battery and broiler system had recently been developed, and the countryside's biodiversity was being destroyed with the implementation of monoculture and the profligate spraying of lethal biocides, such as DDT. The Roberts were at first rejected by the popular animal charities of the day; believing that the public cared only about companion animals or those in circuses, rather than those animals who suffer the most at human hands - those in the food chain - and so the Roberts family went out alone and set up CIWF in the face of much public derision. Then followed the highs and lows of campaign life, a court battle with an order of veal-farming Catholic monks, famine campaigns in Ethiopia, work alongside comedian Spike Milligan, model Celia Hammond and philosopher Peter Singer, challenging EU legislation, and battles with agricultural and chemical giant Monsanto. Corporate giants like McDonald's were influenced to go free-range, even the British Royal family was challenged to go free-range, and animals were put on the agenda of every major political party in the 1970s and much more. The story interweaves the personal with the political and documents the highs and lows of family life, the judgement faced when they chose to raise their three daughters as vegetarians in the 1960s, their myriad spiritual quests, including the couple's time spent in the Indian ashram of Sathya Sai Baba, their rewilding of the land near their family home, and the story of their fifty-year love. This is a tale of an 'ordinary couple with an extraordinary vision'.

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Book SynopsisThis fully updated and comprehensive book covers how to acquire a healthy flock, routine procedures to keep them healthy, common diseases, how to identify problems, how to deal with them, and when to consult the vet. Written by two qualified Veterinary Surgeons, each with extensive experience of running their own flocks, the clear, easy-to-follow style will enable the book to be used by all sheep keepers, from novices or amateurs with small flocks, to those with larger or pedigree flocks.

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Book SynopsisBuilding Beehives For Dummies (9781119544388) was previously published as Building Beehives For Dummies (9781118312940). While this version features a new Dummies cover and design, the content is the same as the prior release and should not be considered a new or updated product. The easy way to build your own beehives and beekeeping equipment Building Beehives For Dummiesis the follow-up book to the bestsellingBeekeeping For Dummies. It provides everything you need to learn how to build some of the world's most popular hives and beekeeping accessories. For each design the book includes a detailed materials list (what lumber, hardware and fasteners you'll need), step-by-step building instructions, and illustrative drawings that show how the components all fit together. There are over a dozen plans in all, including the traditional Langstroth hive, the eight frame garden hive, designs for elevated hive stands, the Warre hive, screened bottom board, the Kenya top-bar hive, four-frameTable of ContentsIntroduction 1 About This Book 1 Conventions Used in This Book 2 What You’re Not to Read 3 Foolish Assumptions 3 How This Book Is Organized 3 Part 1: The Buzz on Beehives 4 Part 2: The World’s Most Popular Beehive Designs 4 Part 3: Sweet Beehive Accessories 4 Part 4: The Part of Tens 5 Icons Used in This Book 5 Beyond the Book 5 Where to Go from Here 6 Part 1: The Buzz On Beehives 7 Chapter 1: Getting Sweet on Building Your Own Beehives 9 Bee-ing in the Know about Bees 10 Honeybees’ most important job: Pollination 10 The products of the honeybee 11 The main players in a beehive 12 Appreciating the Benefits of Building a Beehive Rather than Buying One 14 Have fun and feel self-satisfaction 14 Enhance your commitment to beekeeping, and better understand your bees’ home 14 Modify designs to better meet your needs 14 Enjoy better quality than store-bought kits 15 Go green and recycle 15 Make building a family affair 15 Sell your handiwork 15 Making Plans for Your Own Beehive 15 Setting Up Your Workshop 16 Assembling Tools and Materials 16 Getting a Handle on Carpentry Skills 17 Constructing Hives and Accessories 17 Chapter 2: Comb Sweet Comb: Beehive Basics 21 Knowing What Bees Need in a Hive 21 Shelter and safety 21 The ability to expand 22 Dry and well-ventilated conditions 22 A nearby source of water 22 Understanding the Anatomy of a Beehive 23 Elevated hive stand 24 Bottom board 25 Entrance reducer 25 Deep hive bodies 25 Honey super 25 Frames 26 Inner cover 27 Outer cover 27 Looking at Locale 28 Following regional laws and requirements 28 Bee-ing sweet to your neighbors 28 Picking the perfect location 29 Making a Beeline to the Hive That’s Best for Your Needs 31 A hive for learning and teaching 32 Hives for pollinating your garden 32 A hive for harvesting honey 32 Hives to match your building skills 32 Hives for selling 33 A handy table to help you decide the hive to build 33 Chapter 3: Gathering Basic Tools and Materials 35 Bee-ing Safe Before You Begin 35 Protecting yourself with safety gear 36 Following safety practices 38 Oops! Planning for emergencies 38 Talking about Tools 39 A few essential hand tools 39 The right saws and blades 42 Gadgets that are nice to have but not essential 43 Looking at Lumber 45 Choosing lumber 45 Sizing up lumber 47 Getting the scoop on plywood 48 The Buzz on Other Building Materials 49 Fixating on fasteners 49 Rifling through roofing materials 50 Selecting screening materials 51 Protecting Your Beehives with Paint and More 51 Estimating the Amounts and Costs of Materials 52 Chapter 4: Fine-Tuning Your Carpentry Skills 55 Always Adhering to the “Bee Space” 55 Measuring and Marking Lumber 56 Cutting Lumber 58 What’s Up with This Joint? 59 Butt joints 59 Rabbet cuts and dado joints 60 Finger joints 61 Working with Flashing and Wire 63 Cutting and bending metal flashing 63 Cutting and shaping wire hardware cloth 64 Assembling the Parts of Your Hive 65 Going with glue 65 Being square 65 Nailing and screwing everything together 66 Part 2: The World’s Most Popular Beehive Designs 67 Chapter 5: The Kenya Top Bar Hive 69 Vital Stats 71 Materials List 72 Cut List 72 Elevated hive stand 73 Hive body 74 Top bars 75 Ventilated roof 76 Assembling the Hive 77 Chapter 6: The Five-Frame Nuc Hive 81 Vital Stats 82 Materials List 83 Cut List 83 Bottom board 84 Hive body 85 Inner hive cover 86 Outer hive cover 88 Assembling the Hive 89 Chapter 7: The Four-Frame Observation Hive 95 Vital Stats 97 Materials List 97 Cut List 98 Hive body and top 98 Bottom board 100 Assembling the Hive 100 Chapter 8: The Warré Hive 105 Vital Stats 107 Materials List 107 Cut List 108 Hive bottom and stand 109 Hive boxes 110 Top bars 111 Quilt box 112 Ventilated roof 112 Assembling the Hive 114 Chapter 9: The British National Hive 119 Vital Stats 120 Materials List 121 Cut List 122 Floor 122 Brood chamber 124 Shallow honey supers 125 Making tricky cuts for hand and drip rails 126 Deep and shallow frames 127 Making tricky cuts for side bars 130 Making tricky cuts for top bars 130 Crown board 131 Roof 132 Assembling the Hive 134 Chapter 10: The Langstroth Hive 141 Vital Stats 142 Materials List 143 Cut List 144 Bottom board (ten-frame version) 145 Bottom board (eight-frame version) 147 Deep hive bodies (ten-frame version) 147 Deep hive bodies (eight-frame version) 149 Medium super (ten-frame version) 149 Medium super (eight-frame version) 150 Inner hive cover (ten-frame version) 151 Inner hive cover (eight-frame version) 153 Outer hive cover (ten-frame version) 153 Outer hive cover (eight-frame version) 155 Assembling the Hive 156 Part 3: Sweet Beehive Accessories 161 Chapter 11: The Frame Jig 163 Vital Stats 164 Materials List 164 Cut List 165 Assembling the Frame Jig 166 Chapter 12: The Double Screened Inner Cover 169 Vital Stats 170 Materials List 171 Cut List 171 Double screened inner cover for the ten-frame Langstroth hive 172 Double screened inner cover for the eight-frame Langstroth hive 174 Double screened inner cover for the nuc hive 175 Double screened inner cover for the British National hive 175 Assembling the Inner Cover 176 Chapter 13: The Elevated Hive Stand 179 Vital Stats 180 Materials List 180 Cut List 181 Assembling the Elevated Hive Stand 182 Chapter 14: The IPM Screened Bottom Board 185 Vital Stats 186 Materials List 187 Cut List 188 Assembling the IPM Screened Bottom Board 190 Chapter 15: The Hive-Top Feeder 193 Vital Stats 194 Materials List 195 Cut List 195 Feeder for a ten-frame Langstroth hive 196 Feeder for an eight-frame Langstroth hive 198 Assembling the Hive-Top Feeder 199 Chapter 16: The Solar Wax Melter 203 Vital Stats 204 Materials List 204 Cut List 205 Floor assembly 205 Inclined side panels 206 Glazed top assembly 207 Assembling the Solar Wax Melter 208 Chapter 17: Langstroth Frames 213 Vital Stats 214 Materials List 215 Cut List 216 Deep frames 216 Medium frames 217 Shallow frames 217 Making tricky cuts for side bars 219 Making tricky cuts for top bars 220 Assembling Langstroth Frames 222 Part 4: The Part Of Tens 225 Chapter 18: Ten (Or So) Tips for Extending the Life of Your Equipment 227 Don’t Go Cheap on Materials 227 Keep a Build Log 228 Establish an Inspection Routine 228 Prepare Your Hives for Winter 229 Do Some Spring Cleaning 229 Make Yearly Exterior Touch-Ups 230 Repair the Roof 231 Replace Rotting Wood 231 Elevate Your Hives 231 Provide Proper Ventilation 232 Guard against Bears with an Electric Fence 233 Chapter 19: Ten (Or So) Ways to Trick Out Your Hives 235 Use Decorative Handles and Embellishments 236 Add Metal Frame Rests 237 Employ Exotic Woods 238 Paint Creatively 239 Shingle the Sides 240 Add a Front Porch 241 Make Your Inner Cover Transparent 241 Cut an Observation Window in the Hive Body 242 Use Alternate Roof Materials 243 Make Architectural Alterations to Your Roof 243 Mount a Webcam to Your Hive 243 Chapter 20: Ten Fun Facts about Beehives 245 Discovering the First Recorded Depiction of a Beehive 245 Unearthing the World’s Oldest Beehives 246 Recounting a Brief History of Beehives around the Globe 246 Bee-ing the Beehive State 247 Studying Beehives in Outer Space 247 Finding the Largest Beehive in the World 248 Using Beehives for Design Inspiration 248 Creating Beehives for Bumblebees 248 Moving a Beehive without Confusing Your Bees 249 Transporting Migratory Beehives 249 Index 251

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Book SynopsisLlamas and alpacas are a globally expanding area of interest in the farming world, and in the UK alone now number over 50,000. As such, there is an urgent need to provide up-to-date, specific information on these animals. Kept as pets, stud animals, livestock guardians, and farmed for fibre and meat, national herds continue to grow and are an increasingly frequent presentation for large animal vets. This book provides practical, everyday veterinary advice on common conditions and surgical procedures. This new edition:- Covers basic husbandry, nutrition, examination, vaccines, analgesia, anaesthesia, dermatology, and poisons;- Expands on previous zoonotic disease coverage, as well as other key issues such as biosecurity, handling, and management of these animals;- Updates advice throughout, including changes to legislation and advances in new treatments, surgical techniques, and medicines.With medical and surgical options arranged by body system for easy reference, this book is an important tool for any veterinarian to have at their disposal. It also provides an approachable and practical resource for students of veterinary medicine and animal production.

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Book Synopsis"Practical, well written, and comprehensive. . . . Read this book cover to cover, or keep it handy as a reference for all aspects of goat care."—Sarah Flack, author of The Art and Science of Grazing This one-of-a-kind guide will empower even novice goat owners, offering expert guidance on maintaining a healthy herd—whether they are dairy, meat, fiber, or pet goats Goats have provided humankind with essential products for centuries; indeed, they bear the noble distinction of being the first domesticated farm animal. From providing milk and meat for sustenance and fiber and hides for clothing and shelter to carrying packs and clearing brush, there isn’t much that goats cannot do. Managing goats successfully requires an understanding of how nature designed them to thrive, including nutritional and psychological needs, as well as how to identify a problem and intercede before it’s too late. For more than a decade, Gianaclis Caldwell and her family have operated Pholia Farm Creamery, an off-grid, raw milk goat cheese dairy. In Holistic Goat Care, Caldwell offers readers a comprehensive guide to maintaining a healthy herd of goats, whether they are dairy goats, meat goats, fiber goats, or pet goats. Holistic Goat Care will empower even novice goat owners to confidently diagnose and treat most of the ailments that goats might experience. For the experienced goat farmer, the book offers a depth of insight and approaches to treatment not found in any other book. Caldwell places special emphasis throughout on holistic, natural, and alternative approaches to caring for goats, including information on: Handling and managing goats using their natural instincts as an asset Developing good farm management practices such as appropriate housing and fencing systems and manure and mortality management Making feeding decisions based on understanding goats’ ruminant digestive system and their evolutionary needs Growing forage and garden crops as feed and utilizing wild browse Troubleshooting health problems based on assessing symptoms Implementing advanced health procedures such as pain control, fecal testing, and transplanting rumen microbes from healthy to sick goats Diagnosing, treating, and preventing more than 75 common goat ailments Whether your herd is two or two hundred, this first-of-its-kind, comprehensive book will help you keep your goats healthy, safe, and productive and give you a deep and enjoyable insight into the wondrous creature that is the goat.Trade Review“In Holistic Goat Care, Gianaclis Caldwell demonstrates that modern, practical, holistic, small-farm methods are the true state of the art. Her unique understanding of goat care—connecting science, real-world farming, and the healing arts—comes alive through her clear and inspiring writing. This much-needed book gifts goat owners with a ready, reliable reference for whatever nature sends their way.”—Fred Walters, editor, Acres U.S.A. magazine“Holistic Goat Care is a rare and refreshing synergy of commonsense goat lore and sound holistic principles—worthy of a place in every goat owner’s library. I am impressed with the book’s layout, as well as the content.”—Richard J. Holliday, DVM, holistic veterinarian; coauthor of A Holistic Vet’s Prescription for a Healthy Herd“Holistic Goat Care is practical, well written, and comprehensive. Giancalis Caldwell covers everything from browse to barns, breeding to birthing, vitamins to vaccination, and parasites to pizzle rot, in an easy-to-read format. The book reflects both her hands-on experience with goats and her extensive knowledge of their physiological needs and their sometimes idiosyncratic behavior. The examples of goat farms in various climates and countries make the information broadly applicable to many regions. With a light touch of humor and a hearty helping of practical advice, Gianaclis shares her depth of knowledge and her appreciation of the role and value of goats in agriculture both currently and historically. Read this book cover to cover, or keep it handy as a reference for all aspects of goat care.”—Sarah Flack, author of The Art and Science of Grazing“The next best thing to learning about goat keeping through years of experience is to read Holistic Goat Care. Gianaclis Caldwell not only provides all the essential details, she frankly describes unhappy events along with successes, to save readers the anguish of making similar mistakes and to demonstrate that sometimes bad things happen even to the most conscientious goat keeper. Rather than dictating a single rigid approach to holistic goat management, Caldwell offers numerous natural and alternative options to help you develop practices that best suit your goals and your herd’s specific needs.”—Gail Damerow, author of The Backyard Homestead Guide to Raising Farm Animals“Holistic Goat Care is far and away the most complete guide to goat keeping I’ve ever seen. Gianaclis Caldwell handles basic care and advanced subjects, such as on-farm necropsies, cud transplants, and scur removal, with equal aplomb. Whether you have two goats or two hundred, you need this book!”—Sue Weaver, author of The Backyard Goat“I wish this book had been around when I started raising goats. Gianaclis Caldwell has a friendly, clear style of writing that makes a huge subject much less daunting. I highly recommend that beginners read Holistic Goat Care before starting out on their own goat adventure. Experienced goat owners will definitely find this book a useful reference as well. As a firm believer in providing holistic and humane care for all my animals, I am pleased to finally find a book that covers this slant for goats.”—Molly Nolte, founder, Molly’s Herbals and FiasCoFarm.com“Holistic Goat Care is an excellent resource for raising healthy goats. Gianaclis Caldwell stresses the importance of preventative medicine, which is a critical aspect of raising goats. The information in this well-written book will be very beneficial for beginners, agriculture-oriented students, veterinary students, and veterinarians. The author stresses the importance of early recognition of conditions and diseases. She also discusses treatment through conventional medicine and alternative or integrative medicine, as well as the use of complementary therapies such as herbal and homeopathic if needed. All sixteen chapters are very informative, and the text is referenced to excellent resources in goat medicine. I believe this book will be an excellent source of information in raising goats.”—Lionel J. Dawson, BVSc, MS, DACT, professor, Center of Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University

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Book SynopsisRuth Harrison's Animal Machines now a unique historical classic, had a profound impact on public opinion and the quality of life of farmed animals when it was published in 1964. * Reprinted in its entirety, gives an accurate, and sometimes shocking, account of intensive farming in the 1960's, still current in large parts of the world today. * Harrison's work greatly increased public awareness of animal welfare and led to legal reforms, shaping our closer understanding of farm conditions today. * Provides a fascinating insight into the system we continue to live with as the global population increases. * Includes foreword by Rachel Carson and new chapters by international experts in animal welfare including Marion Stamp Dawkins, discussing the book's significant legacy and impact today.Table of Contents1: Why We Still Need to Read Animal Machines 2: Ruth Harrison – Tribute To An Inspirational Friend 3: Animal Machines – Prophecy and Philosophy 4: Ruth Harrison – A Tribute 5: Ruth Harrison’s Later Writings and Animal Welfare Work Foreword: Foreword to 1964 Edition by Rachel Carson Acknowledgements: Acknowledgements I: Introduction II: Broiler Chickens III: Poultry Packing Stations IV: Battery Birds V: Veal Calves VI: Other Intensive Units A: The New Factory Farming – A Pictorial Summary VII: The Basis of Quality VIII: Quantity Versus Quality IX: Cruelty and Legislation X: Conclusion

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Book SynopsisA user-friendly guide to keeping happy and healthy pigs in your outdoor space, whether for produce, profit or pleasure.Table of Contents : 1. Why keep a pig? : 2. Can anyone keep a pig? : 3. What breed should you have? . : 4. What you need before your pig arrives : 5. Feeding : 6. Pig ailments : 7. How much will it cost to keep a pig? : 8. Pig Breeding : 9. Rearing for Meat : 10. Selling and Marketing : 11. The World of Pigkeepers : 12. Pig Behaviour

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"For the beginning practitioner of hierarchical models,...this is definitely worth the space and may actually be the first place to start developing a strong fundamental understanding of hierarchical modeling. For more seasoned quantitative ecologists, there are lots of useful modeling details for both the unmarked and BUGS/JAGS syntax,...there is value to having it all in one place. Finally, for professors looking to teach a class or short-course on hierarchical models in ecology,...an excellent text for the course." course." --Journal of Agricultural, Biological, and Environmental StatisticsTable of ContentsPreface Part 1: Prelude 1. Distribution, abundance and species richness in ecology 2. What are hierarchical models and how do we analyse them ? 3. Linear models, generalized linear models (GLMs), and random-effects: the components of hierarchical models 4. Introduction to data simulation 5. The Bayesian modeling software BUGS and JAGS Part 2: Models for static systems 6. Modeling abundance using binomial N-mixture models 7. Modeling abundance using multinomial N-mixture models 8. Modeling abundance using hierarchical distance sampling 9. Advanced hierarchical distance sampling 10. Modeling distribution and occurrence using site-occupancy models 11. Community models (incidence- and abundance-based)

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Book SynopsisTable of Contents1. Historical Perspectives of the Meat and Animal Industry and their Relationship to Animal Growth, body Composition, and Meat Technology 2. Prenatal Growth and its Relationship to Carcass and Meat Quality Traits 3. Bone Growth and Development with Relationships to Live Animal and Carcass Evaluation 4. Muscle Growth and Development and Relationships to Meat Quality and Composition 5. Fat Cells in Domestic Animals 6. Growth Curves and Growth Patterns 7. Harvest Processes for Meat 8. Methods to Measure Body Composition of Domestic Animals 9. Intrinsic Cues of Fresh Meat Quality 10. Conversion of Muscle to Meat 11. Muscle Structure and Function 12. Meat Microbiology and Safety 13. Fresh and Cured Meat Processing and Preservation 14. Sausage Processing and Production 15. Packaging for Meat and Meat Products

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Book SynopsisTable of Contents1. Elephants and Their Relationship with Humans2. Ethological Data Collection and Elephant Activity Budgets3. Elephant Social Structure, Behaviour, and Complexity4. Elephant Reproductive Biology5. Elephant Cognition, Communication and Tool Use6. Elephant Ecology and Genetics7. Elephant Welfare8. Housing and Handling Elephants9. Ethics, Pressure Groups and the Law10. The Conservation Value of Captive Elephants11. The Future of Elephants in Captivity

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Book SynopsisTable of Contents1. Of Cockroaches and Wolves: Framing Animal Behavior 2. Neurobiology and Endocrinology for Animal Behaviorists 3. Behavioral Genetics 4. Homeostasis and Time Budgets 5. Learning 6. Cognition 7. Communication 8. Movement 9. Foraging 10. Self-Defense 11. Mating Systems 12. Nesting, Parenting, and Territoriality 13. Social Behavior, Cooperation, and Kinship 14. Comparative Social Behavior 15. Conservation and Behavior

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Book SynopsisTable of Contents1. Introduction to honey bee foraging 2. Honey bee adaptations for foraging 3. Honey bee foraging behavior, navigation, communication, and search patterns of individual bees 4. Energetics of foraging 5. Pollination and foraging ecology of individual honey bees 6. Delivery of resources by returning foragers 7. Colony-level adaptations for foraging 8. Modeling of colony and bee behavior 9. Honey bees as livestock 10. Specialized foraging – robbing, swarming, absconding 11. Knowledge gaps and future directions

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Book SynopsisYour horses deserve a comfortable and well-kept stable. In this easy-to-use guide, Cherry Hill shows you how to design and maintain an efficient and safe stable environment. With clear instructions and more than 250 photographs, Hill provides in-depth advice on every aspect of stable management, including stalls, tack rooms, work and storage areas, sanitation, safety considerations, and more. Good stablekeeping is an essential element of every successfully equine operation; it ensures a pleasant workplace and creates a healthy and happy environment for your horses.

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Book SynopsisIn this practical guide, Heather Smith Thomas provides easy-to-execute solutions for a variety of common medical situations that can afflict your animals, including bacterial diseases, parasites, and nutritional deficiencies.

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Book Synopsis“If your garden fantasies involve chickens, Jessi Bloom is here to make those dreams come true.” —The New York Times Many gardeners fear chickens will peck away at their landscape. But you can keep chickens and have a beautiful garden, too! In this essential handbook, award-winning garden designer Jessi Bloom offers step-by-step instructions for creating a beautiful and functional space while maintaining a happy, healthy flock. Free-Range Chicken Gardens covers everything a gardener needs to know, from the basics of chicken keeping and creating the perfect chicken-friendly garden design to building innovative coops.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive forage-to-fork book on beef farming that delivers veterinary level information to farmers and farm-related information to vets. The Veterinary Book for Beef Farmers is a complete guide to farming cattle for protein emphasising good practice, herd health management and disease prevention. The book begins with an introduction to the beef industry, moving on to health management through cattle life stages – neonatal health, weaned calf health etc. The next section covers disease and production problems through the same life stage format – disease problems in the breeding bull for example. Section 4 covers the monitoring and measurement of disease on the farm and the final section presents the business management of beef farming employing the balanced scorecard method as a management measurement tool. The emphasis throughout is on health maintenance and long term sustainable farming.Table of ContentsSection 1- Introduction to the Beef Industry: 1.The principles of beef production; 2.The aims of beef production; 3.The limitations of beef production Section 2- Health and management: 4.Neonatal calf health and management; 5.Suckled calf health and management; 6.Weaned calf health and management; 7.Store cattle health and management; 8.Fattening cattle health and management; 9.Heifer replacement health and management; 10.Breeding bull health and management; 11.Suckler cow health and management Section 3- Disease and production failure: 12.Neonatal calf disease and production failure; 13.Suckled calf disease and production failure; 14.Weaned calf disease and production failure; 15.Store cattle disease and production failure; 16.Fattening cattle disease and production failure; 17.Heifer replacement disease and production failure; 18.Breeding bull disease and production failure; 19.Suckler cow disease and production failure Section 4- Health, Production and Efficiency Targets and Interventions: 20.Measuring Health; 21.Disease Incidence; 22.Production Data Section 5- Balanced Score Card for Beef Business: 23.People/lifestyle/education/development/business growth; 24.Business process; 25.Customer experience; 26. Finances

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Book SynopsisFood production, particularly animal protein production, is changing. While productivity, efficiency and food quality continue to be of vital importance, there is increasing pressure on producers to prioritize sustainability and animal health and welfare as well minimize food waste. Optimizing vitamin nutrition can help make animal production more sustainable by optimizing animal health and welfare and animal performance and food quality, while reducing food waste. Optimum Vitamin Nutrition for More Sustainable Swine Farming contains concise, up-to-date information on vitamin nutrition for swine. This book, which follows the authoritative Optimum Vitamin Nutrition in the Production of Quality Animal Foods (5m Books, 2013), is a reference for research and extension specialists who need the most current, research-based information on vitamins in swine. This book is part of a series covering Optimum Vitamin Nutrition in poultry, ruminants and aquaculture.

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Book SynopsisBringing together international expertise in rabbit production, topics covered in this fully updated volume include digestive physiology, feed formulation and product quality, as well as feeding strategies, feed processing, feed management around weaning and the relationship between nutrition and intestinal health. Brand new to this edition, the chapters also discuss the development of immune response and the role of intestinal microbiota, new dietary sources and additives, and feeding behaviour in pasture and organic feeding. A valuable resource for researchers and students of animal nutrition and production, this book provides a comprehensive, research-based review of nutrition for these important animals.Table of Contents1: The Digestive System of the Rabbit 2: Digestion of Sugars and Starch 3: Protein Digestion 4: Fat Digestion 5: Fibre Digestion 6: Energy and Protein Metabolism and Requirements 7: Minerals, Vitamins and Additives 8: Feed Evaluation 9: Influence of Diet on Rabbit Meat Quality 10: Nutrition and Feeding Strategy: Impacts on Health Status 11: Feed Manufacturing 12: Feed Formulation 13: Feeding Behaviour of Rabbits 14: Feeding Systems for Intensive Production 15: Nutrition and Climatic Environment 16: Nutritional Recommendations and Feeding Management of Angora Rabbits 17: Pet Rabbit Feeding and Nutrition 18: Feeding and Nutrition of Laboratory Rabbits

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Book SynopsisGlobally, 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.Table of Contents1: Circles of Disease Transmission 2: General Principles of Biosecurity in Animal Production and Veterinary Medicine 3: Biosecurity and its Relationship with Health, Production and Antimicrobial Use 4: How to Motivate Farmers to Implement Biosecurity Measures 5: How to measure Biosecurity and the Hygiene Status of Farms 6: Cleaning and Disinfection 7: Hygienic Aspects of Air and Decontamination of Air 8: Feed Hygiene 9: Drinking Water Hygiene and Biosecurity 10: Promoting Biosecurity through Insect Management at Animal Facilities 11: Rodent Control in Animal Production 12: Transmission of Pig Diseases and Biosecurity in Pig Production 13: Transmission of Poultry Diseases and Biosecurity in Poultry Production 14: Transmission of Cattle Diseases and Biosecurity in Cattle Farms 15: Biosecurity for Horse Facilities 16: Biosecurity Measures for Dog Merchants and Canine Breeding Kennels 17: Biosecurity in Veterinary Practices and Clinics 18: Biosecurity in Laboratory Animal Research Facilities 19: Biosecurity in Aquaculture: Practical Veterinary Approaches for Aquatic Animal Disease Prevention, Control, and Potential Eradication

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Book SynopsisAnimal behaviour and, as a result, animal welfare are increasingly complex areas of study, with the diversity of the animal kingdom and new research findings ensuring there is no one, easy answer. Instead, we need to take a holistic approach, combining scientific principles with both philosophical and ethical considerations to develop all-inclusive policies and legislation that decide how society should interact with domestic, farm and native animals.With a focus on domestic animals, while also referring to wild species to reinforce the arguments, this book: promotes direct observation for those who claim to be interested in animals, their behaviour, and their welfare. considers the concept of consciousness, how it can be assessed, and how it relates to suffering and animal welfare more widely. emphasizes the need to understand better how animals behave both with humans and outside of human influence, considering the diversity of behaviour and sensorial capacities across species. includes author knowledge and expertise across a wide range of animal species, from primates to farm animals, and across animal living situations from intensive to free ranging.We are far from having all the answers, so this book also raises questions that require further research and focus, such as the way animals are likely to act based on their recent and whole-of-life experiences. Still, this review of the topic, an updated translation of the French language work Vivre parmi les animaux, mieux les comprendre, is an invaluable resource for everyone with an interest in animal behaviour and welfare.

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Book SynopsisAnimal behaviour and, as a result, animal welfare are increasingly complex areas of study, with the diversity of the animal kingdom and new research findings ensuring there is no one, easy answer. Instead, we need to take a holistic approach, combining scientific principles with both philosophical and ethical considerations to develop all-inclusive policies and legislation that decide how society should interact with domestic, farm and native animals.With a focus on domestic animals, while also referring to wild species to reinforce the arguments, this book: promotes direct observation for those who claim to be interested in animals, their behaviour, and their welfare. considers the concept of consciousness, how it can be assessed, and how it relates to suffering and animal welfare more widely. emphasizes the need to understand better how animals behave both with humans and outside of human influence, considering the diversity of behaviour and sensorial capacities across species. includes author knowledge and expertise across a wide range of animal species, from primates to farm animals, and across animal living situations from intensive to free ranging.We are far from having all the answers, so this book also raises questions that require further research and focus, such as the way animals are likely to act based on their recent and whole-of-life experiences. Still, this review of the topic, an updated translation of the French language work Vivre parmi les animaux, mieux les comprendre, is an invaluable resource for everyone with an interest in animal behaviour and welfare.

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Book SynopsisDogs, Past and Present: An Interdisciplinary Perspective gathers contributions from scholars from a variety of disciplines to provide a comprehensive assessment of the importance of dogs through history. Over the last decades, countless studies have examined the lives of dogs and their current place in our societies as well as their crucial part in human life and history. Data and hypotheses have progressively increased, sometimes controversially, in each field of investigation. The domestication of dogs and its success during prehistory is a fascinating theme that scholars of various disciplines are involved with. However, there has not been a real exchange between those approaches and it is extremely complex to reach a complete view of the thousands of texts which are published every year. By contrast, this volume is entirely dedicated to dogs and it is focused on the necessity of an ‘interdisciplinary perspective’ to fully understand the fundamental role that dogs have played in our past. When, where, how and why were dogs domesticated? What is their story? What was their role in the history of humankind? What is their role in traditional and non-traditional societies today? The book originated from the conference ‘Dogs, Past and Present – an Interdisciplinary Perspective’ held at CNR (National Scientific Council) and at Sapienza University in Rome (14–17 November 2018), promoted by the Italian Association for Ethnoarchaeology and organised by the editors.Table of ContentsPresentation – Adriano V. Rossi Forewords – Alberto Cazzella, Simon JM Davis, Dulam Sendenjav Introduction – Ivana Fiore and Francesca Lugli Calling on a Favour from Human’s Best Friend: Public Outreach in Science – David Ian Howe Section 1. Dog Genetics, Microtomography and Morphometric Techniques 1.1 A Molecular View on the Domestication of Dogs – Carles Vilà and Jennifer A. Leonard 1.2 Mitochondrial DNA Variation among Dogs of Mongolian, Tuvinian and Altaic Nomads – Daria Sanna, Ilenia Azzena, Piero Cossu, Fabio Scarpa, Massimo Scandura, Marco Apollonio, Francesca Lugli, Paolo Francalacci, Paolo Mereu, and Marco Casu 1.3 Ancient and Recent Changes in Breeding Practices for Dogs – Grégoire Leroy, Shi-Zhi Wang, Tom Lewis, and Sophie Licari 1.4 Using X-ray Microtomography to Discriminate Between Dogs’ and Wolves’ Lower Carnassial Tooth – Francesco Boschin, Federico Bernardini, Clément Zanolli, Antonio Tagliacozzo, and Claudio Tuniz 1.5 The Skull Shape of Canis lupus. A Study of Wolf and Dog Cranial Morphology – Raquel Blázquez-Orta, Laura Rodríguez, María Ángeles Galindo-Pellicena, Ignacio De Gaspar, and Nuria García Section 2. Wolf Versus Dog 2.1 Size Variation of the Middle-Late Pleistocene Grey Wolf (Canis lupus) from the Italian Peninsula – Dawid Adam Iurino, Beniamino Mecozzi, Davide Persico, Lucia Maimone, and Raffaele Sardella 2.2 The Advantages of Owning a Palaeolithic Dog – Mietje Germonpré, Martina Lázničková-Galetová, Mikhail V. Sablin, and Hervé Bocherens 2.3 Why Wolves Became Dogs: Interdisciplinary Questions on Domestication – Juliane Bräuer and Blanca Vidal Orga 2.4 Vector-Borne Diseases as Possible Constraints on the Spread of Dogs into the Tropics and Beyond – Peter Mitchell Section 3. Dogs through Time: Role, Task and Position 3.1 Urban Nomads and their Dogs – Christophe Blanchard 3.2 ‘The Mayor is a Dog’: The Coming of Age of Contemporary American Pet Culture – Simona Bealcovschi 3.3 Wolves, Dogs and Water – Dogs and Fishing Boats – Francesca Lugli 3.4 Dogs, Nomads and Hunters in Southern Siberia – Francesca Lugli and Galina B. Sychenko 3.5 The Dog – Human Interrelations in the Lower Amur Rural Regions (the Far East of Russia): Past and Present – Olga V. Maltseva 3.6 The Mother of Dogs: Women, Power and Dogs in First Nations Societies in Northwest North America – Lanoue 3.7 Dogs through Time: An Ethno-Evolutionary Perspective – Tiziano Latini, Luca Pandolfi, and Saverio Bartolini Lucenti 3.8 Dogs and the Afterlife in Southern Italy between Ethnology and Archaeology – Claudio Giardino and Tiziana Zappatore 3.9 Faithful unto Death. Burial, Legends and Heroism of the Dog from Antiquity to the Contemporary Age – Jacopo De Grossi Mazzorin (†), Ivana Fiore, Claudia Minniti, and Antonio Tagliacozzo Section 4. Dogs: Archaeological and Archaeozoological Cases 4.1 Ur-gir and the Other Dogs from Abu Tberah (Southern Iraq): Considerations on the Role of Dogs in Sumer during the 3rd Millennium BCE – Francesca Alhaique, Licia Romano, and Franco D’Agostino 4.2 Ritual Use of Dogs in the Neolithic Cultures of China – Maria Kudinova 4.3 Neolithic Dogs in the Central Po Valley - A Review of Published Data and New Evidence – Fabio Bona, Daniela Castagna, and Raffaella Poggiani Keller 4.4 Evolution and Utilisation of Dogs in Austria: The Archaeozoological Record from the Neolithic to the Roman Period – Konstantina Saliari, Erich Pucher, and Martin Mosser 4.5 A Dog’s Head in a House Pit at the Early Iron Age Site of Verucchio. Butchery Waste or Ritual Sacrifice? – Marco Bertolini and Ursula Thun Hohenstein 4.6 The Dogs from the Cult Layers of the Ipogeo del Guardiano (Trinitapoli, Barletta-Andria-Trani, Italy) – Martina Di Matteo, Anna Maria Tunzi, Rachele Modesto, and Francesca Alhaique 4.7 Four Dogs in the Road and Other Canine Oddities from Gabii (Rome, Italy) – Francesca Alhaique 4.8 The Discovery of a Dog in the Excavations of the Rome Underground Line C in Largo Amba Aradam – Simona Morretta, Giovanni Ricci, and Francesca Santini (†) 4.9 Dog and Human Sepultures at Peltuinum (L’Aquila, Italy) – Ivana Fiore, Luisa Migliorati, Antonella Pansini, Tiziana Sgrulloni, and Alessandra Sperduti 4.10 The Dog as a Companion in Life and Death: The Case Study of Dog Burials in a Human Grave (VII - VI BC) Loc. Collina dei Gelsi - Poggio Sommavilla (RI) – Francesca Santini (†) 4.11 The Role of Dogs in the Xiongnu Society – Evgeniy S. Bogdanov 4.12 Dog Burial at the Ust-Voikarskoe-1 Settlement and its Interpretation Issues – Andrey V. Novikov and Yuri N. Garkusha 4.13 The Dog in the Castle: A Dog Skeleton from the Castle of Santa Severa (Latium, Italy) – Eugenio Cerilli and Marco Fatucci Section 5. Representation of Dogs in Different Cultures 5.1 Lupus in Fabula: The Representation of the Wolf (Canis lupus) in European Palaeolithic Art – Gianpiero Di Maida, Margherita Mussi, Alberto Lombo Montañés, and Manuel Bea 5.2 At the Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship. Canid Representations in Levantine Rock Art – Manuel Bea, Alberto Lombo, Gianpiero Di Maida, and Margherita Mussi 5.3 Dog Images in the Altai Rock Art – Dmitry V. Cheremisin 5.4 Representations of Dogs in Attic Funerary Monuments: A Question of Symbolism? – Francesco Tanganelli 5.5 ‘Do Not Laugh, I Beg of You, for This Is a Dog’s Grave’: The Human-Canine Bond in the Ancient Greek World – Liubov Eliseeva and Eugenia Andreeva 5.6 The Image of the Dog on Ancient Coins in the Mediterranean Area – Alessandra Bottari 5.7 The Numismatist’s Best Friend. Images of Dogs on Roman Coins – Alessandro Crispino 5.8 Dogs in Early Imperial China: Anthropo-Zoological Reading of Iconographic Sources from the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) – Frédéric Devienne 5.9 ‘Cobalt Greyhounds’. An Artistic Proof in Ceramics – Silvia Nutini and Marino Marini Section 6. Dogs: Myth and Symbolism 6.1 ‘Implore Me Not, Dog’. The Dog in the Classical World: An Apotropaic View – Marco Giuman and Miriam Napolitano 6.2 Dogs in Phoenician Culture – Giuseppe Minunno 6.3 Dog in War, Hunting, Livestock Work and Everyday Life of Greco-Roman Society – Ana Portillo Gómez 6.4 Dog in Philippine Life, Ritual and Creation Myths: In a Spirit of Hunting – Maria V. Stanyukovich 6.5 Demonic Dogs of Mongolian Stag Stones and their Chinese Counterparts – Andrey V. Varenov 6.6 A Few Days with Mongolian Dogs and their Herders – Graziano Capitini and Francesca Lugli 6.7 Dog and Wolf in the Non-Tale Prose of the Turkic Peoples of Siberia – Galina B. Sychenko

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Book SynopsisSmall-scale pig keeping is expanding, not only in the countryside but also in urban areas. However, at the outset the prospect of owning pigs can be frightening for the uninitiated. Pigs for the Freezer is aimed at the small-scale producer in a suburban or urban environment as well as smallholders who want to keep a few pigs for the first time. It guides the reader through the day-to-day routine of looking after pigs and provides essential information. Moreover, it touches on the emotional side of sending your pigs to slaughter and demonstrates how the carcasses should be butchered. Finally, the author provides a selection of delicious recipes using just about every part of the pig, including the ears. Subjects covered include: Choosing a breed to fit your environment and requirements Buying stock with the freezer in mind Urban pig keeping Housing, equipment and training courses Pig keeping on a small budget The daily routine procedures, pig health and welfare, and rules and regulations Sending your pigs to the abattoir Butchery, smoking and curing, sausage making and specialist meats Pigs as a tool for managing the land, forests, coppices and moorland

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Book SynopsisThe farming of animals for meat and milk confronts a stark dilemma. While world demand from a growing and more affluent human population is increasing rapidly, there are strong counter-arguments that we should eat less meat and pay more attention to environmental protection, animal welfare and human health and well-being. The aim of this book is to identify and explain the causes and contributors to current problems in animal husbandry, especially those related to 'factory farming', and advance arguments that may contribute to its successful re-orientation. Husbandry is considered in its broadest sense, namely the productive and sustainable use of the land for the good of all (plants, humans and other animals). The first part of the book outlines principles and arguments necessary to engage with current problems: depletion of natural resources and destruction of environment, animal welfare, food and health, fair trade and sharing resources. These arguments are illustrated by examples and sufficient evidence to justify the argument without obscuring the message. The second part presents a series of constructive proposals for change and development in animal husbandry, both in the developed world and subsistence agriculture. These include more integrated crop and livestock farming systems, the ethics of animal welfare and environmental management, and the evolution of a new social contract whereby the rights of the people to a fair share of good, safe food and a green and pleasant land are matched by a shared responsibility to preserve these things. Trade Review"[John Webster] has drawn from his considerable experience and knowledge of animal welfare to present a thought-provoking discussion of future challenges in meeting animal welfare needs ... This book will be worthwhile to a general readership and students, but will likely be of greatest importance to those directly involved in the animal production industries" – G. E. Aiken, Independent scholar, Choice"[John Webster] is someone who has always used his in-depth expertise and forensic analytical skills to build a bigger picture – indeed, a comprehensive and internally consistent worldview. And the three central elements in that worldview (efficiency in the use of resources; humanity in the management of farm animals; sustainability in the stewardship of the living environment) provide the anchor points for the abundance of ‘specific issues’ that John addresses in this text." – Jonathon Porritt, excerpt from the 'Animal Husbandry Regained' foreword "Both challenging and inspiring, Animal Husbandry Regained is surely John Webster’s magnum opus. Here he makes a convincing and lucid case for placing compassion – for people, animals and the environment – at the heart of global food and farming policy and practice." – Joyce D’Silva, Ambassador for Compassion in World Farming, UK "A timely and comprehensive book illustrating the central value of animals to agricultural systems and landscapes. Brim full of authoritative analysis and data that tie together the critical issues of justice, efficiency and sustainability in animal husbandry." – Professor Jules Pretty, University of Essex, UK and author of Agri-Culture (2002) and The Earth Only Endures (2007) "After decades of neglect, the educated public has turned its attention to many problematic aspects of the production of food, particularly food of animal origin. In this scholarly and stimulating book, John Webster treats the reader to the best discussions of animal husbandry, land stewardship, agricultural industrialization and related issues I have ever read, from a seamless perspective of science and ethics." – Bernard E. Rollin, University Distinguished Professor, Professor of Philosophy, of Animal Sciences and of Biomedical Sciences and University Bioethicist, Colorado State University, USA "John Webster belongs to a rare breed now desperately needed in agriculture – a hands-on scientist and vet who is also a broad thinker; versed in moral philosophy and in the philosophy of science; perceiving, therefore, that good husbandry like all human action must be rooted in compassion; that animals of the kind we keep on farms are sentient, conscious beings, demanding respect; and that rigorous science is vital and yet is limited and cannot be the ultimate arbiter of best practice. In this book he summarizes a lifetime of experience and contemplation. Immensely valuable." – Colin Tudge is co-founder of the Campaign for Real Farming, www. campaignforrealfarming.org, and author of Good Food for Everyone ForeverTable of ContentsPart 1: Engaging with the Problems. 1. Whatever Happened to Husbandry? 2. Audits of Animals in Agriculture. 3. Animal Husbandry, Health and Welfare. 4. Food from Animals. 5. Nature’s Social Union: Philosophy, Politics and Economics. Part 2: Embarking on Solutions. 6. Better, Kinder Food. 7. Futures for Animal Science and Technology. 8. Futures for Farm Animals in Planet Husbandry. 9. Animal Husbandry and Society: Substance and Shadows, Carrots and Sticks. Index.

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisIn the ongoing effort to combat global climate catastrophe, animal agriculture has long been a subject of contention. On the one hand, most agree that across the world increasing meat and dairy consumption are accelerating anthropogenic climate change. On the other hand, proponents of the livestock industry argue that modern advancements reduce greenhouse gas emissions from efficient livestock production to negligible quantities. Some even maintain that grass-based livestock production has a net positive impact on the environment, due to the carbon sequestration caused by grazing. Whom are we to believe? This book shows us that the answer is not so clear-cut. Beginning with the implications of the UN’s Livestock’s Long Shadow report, it breaks down the blind spots and highlights the insights of the most prominent pro-meat arguments, as well as of the push for a global switch to vegetarianism. While advances in efficiency might reduce greenhouse gas emissions per unit of meat or milk produced, attendant decreases in cost can enable overconsumption and thus produce more waste. And while carbon sequestration is beneficial, it is not a reliable cure-all for the industry. Due to the economics of farming, however, eliminating meat consumption may not even reduce emissions at all. The truth about livestock production is much more nuanced but, luckily, also far more holistic. The future of agricultural policy will have to take into consideration factors such as human health and economics, as well as climate. Eschewing ideology for empirical rigor, this book paves an actionable path forward for both consumers and producers, offering unique solutions for each livestock system and simple, everyday adjustments for the average omnivore.Table of ContentsPrefaceChapter 1. How we got here, and where we need to go: The bitter fight about meat and climate The UN’s Livestock’s Long Shadow report and its impact in the popular press and in farm country Chapter 2. The consequences for climate of meat consumption The argument for reducing meat consumption to slow climate change. Chapter 3. The Limits of Vegetarianism Critiques of the excesses of the vegetarian argument. In developed nations livestock production contributes relatively little to global warming. It is important to not exaggerate the impact of reduced meat consumption on greenhouse gas emissions. Also, livestock play an important role in sustainable agriculture. Chapter 4. The Benefits of Modern Efficiency The argument that conventional modern techniques of producing meat are highly efficient and thus have a relatively low greenhouse gas footprint (or hoofprint). Chapter 5. The Limits of Efficiency Even with gains in efficiency, meat and especially beef, still has outsized greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, efficient production also translates to low cost, which in turn enables overconsumption and waste. Chapter 6. The Miracle of Grass The argument that grass-based livestock production can result in significant carbon sequestration. Chapter 7. The Limits of Grass Grazing does not always result in carbon sequestration, let alone net sequestration of greenhouse gases after accounting for methane emissions from manure and ruminant digestion and nitrous oxide emissions from soils. Sometimes this is due to poor management, but sometimes it is due to soil and climate factors. In many cases we still don’t fully understand what factors result in carbon storage or loss in soils. We need to be more realistic about what grazing can accomplish in terms of climate change mitigation. Chapter 8. Lightening our Carbon Hoofprint We have spent too much time trying to justify a simplistic response to the challenge posed by the greenhouse gas emissions of livestock. The truth is more nuanced. In fact, greenhouse gas emissions in the US are pretty similar for grazed and conventionally raised animals, but there is wide variation within each system depending on details of manure management and feed production. And although on average meat production generates more greenhouse gases than raising vegetable protein sources, due to the economics of farming it is not clear that eliminating meat consumption would actually reduce greenhouse gas emissions. While this complexity does not support the claim of any of the three viewpoints, it does allow farmers and eaters to reduce their greenhouse gas footprints without completely changing their way of life. Chapter 9. Policy Pathways While climate is a critical challenge for our planet, humans do not and should not make decisions based on climate alone. As we consider what to eat and how to structure agricultural policy we also need to look at other environmental impacts such as water quality and biodiversity, as well as human health, cultural factors, and economics.

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Book SynopsisThis timely book describes and analyses a neglected area of the history of concern for animal welfare, discussing the ends and means of the capture, transport, housing and training of performing animals, as well as the role of pressure groups, politics, the press and vested interests. It examines primary source material of considerable interdisciplinary interest, and addresses the influence of scientific and veterinary opinion and the effectiveness of proposals for supervisory legislation, noting the current international status and characteristics of present-day practice within the commercial sector.Animal performance has a long history, and at the beginning of the twentieth century this aspect of popular entertainment became the subject not just of a major public controversy but also of prolonged British parliamentary attention to animal welfare.Following an assessment of the use of trained animals in the more distant historical past, the book charts the emergence of criticism and analyses the arguments and evidence used by the opponents and proponents in Britain from the early twentieth century to the present, noting comparable events in the United States and elsewhere.Trade Review“This book makes a valuable contribution to animal studies. It investigates the social and political processes concerned with the welfare of performing animals in Britain from the nineteenth century into the twentieth century. … Drawing on highly detailed research, this book provides a comprehensive account of the individuals and organisations that campaigned against animal performance and its cruelties and, in turn, those who campaigned for its continuation.” (Peta Tait, Animal Studies Journal, Vol. 5 (1), 2016)“A comprehensive history of human attitudes and actions in relation to the welfare of performing animals from Roman times to the present day. As such, it reveals a great deal about human behavior; attitudes that evolve, attitudes that never change and the motivations that lie behind what we say, write and do. … It has been meticulously researched and it is very well written. It is also thought-provoking.” (John Webster, Animal Welfare, Vol. 24 (3), August, 2015)Table of ContentsIntroduction.- The Legacy of Animal Performance.- Open Debate in the British Parliament and Beyond.- Means and Ends.- Unfinished Business.- Agitation After the Act.- Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisThis book attempts to describe applied breeding methods for different domestic animal species as currently implemented. In this book, brief history of population genetics, domestication of livestock species, classification of breeds, economic characteristics of different livestock species & poultry and their importance, basic statistics, qualitative and quantitative inheritance, gene and genotype frequency and factors influencing gene frequency, values and means of population, methods of estimation and uses of heritability and repeatability, correlations, selection, response to selection, basis of selection, progeny testing, open nucleus breeding system, sire evaluation, methods of selection, breeding or mating systems, heterosis or hybrid vigor definitions and current livestock and poultry breeding programmes have been discussed in different s. The subject matter has been dealt with in a logical sequence so that the reader is conveyed from simple to more complex interpretation with relative ease. It is felt that the reader which are likely to comprise mostly of graduate and post graduate student of animal breeding and researcher will be able to get a deeper insight and better perceptions into the realm of the dynamic science of animal breeding.Table of Contents01 Brief History of Population Genetics 02 Domestication of Livestock Species 03 Classification of Livestock Breeds 04 Economic Characters of Livestock and Poultry 05 Basic Statistics 06 Qualitative and Quantitative Inheritance 07 Gene and Genotype Frequency and Factors Influencing Gene Frequency 08 Variation and Measurements 09 Values and Means of Population 10 Heritability - Methods of Estimation and Use 11 Correlations 12 Selection - Natural Vs Artificial Selection 13 Response to Selection 14 Basis of Selection15 Methods of Selection 16 Open Nucleus Breeding System 17 Methods of Sire Evaluation 18 Breeding or Mating Systems 19 Heterosis or Hybrid Vigor 20 Selection of Dairy Cattle & Buffaloes 21 Current Livestock and Poultry Breeding Programmes 22 Conservation of Genetic Resources in India

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Book SynopsisTechniques and theory for processing otoliths from tropical marine fish have developed only recently due to an historic misconception that these organisms could not be aged. Otoliths are the most commonly used structures from which daily, seasonal or annual records of a fish’s environmental history are inferred, and are also used as indicators of migration patterns, home range, spatial distribution, stock structure and life history events. A large proportion of projects undertaken on tropical marine organisms involve removal and processing of calcified structures such as otoliths, statoliths or vertebrae to retrieve biological, biochemical or genetic information. Current techniques and principles have evolved rapidly and are under constant modification and these differ among laboratories, and more particularly among species and within life history stages. Tropical fish otoliths: Information for assessment, management and ecology is a comprehensive description of the current status of knowledge about otoliths in the tropics. This book has contributions from leading experts in the field, encompassing a tropical perspective on daily and annual ageing in fish and invertebrates, microchemistry, interpreting otolith microstructure and using it to back-calculate life history events, and includes a treatise on the significance of validating periodicity in otoliths.Table of Contentsto Otoliths and Fisheries in the Tropics.- Ageing in Coral Reef Fishes: Do we Need to Validate the Periodicity of Increment Formation for every species of Fish for which we collect age-based Demographic Data?.- Age in Years from Otoliths of Adult Tropical Fish.- Daily Otolith Increments in the Early Stages of Tropical Fish.- Alternatives to Sectioned Otoliths: The use of other Structures and Chemical Techniques to Estimate Age and Growth for Marine Vertebrates and Invertebrates.- The Back-Calculation of Fish Growth From Otoliths.- Otolith Microstructure in Tropical Fish.- Otolith Chemistry.- Tropical Otoliths – Where to Next?.- Alternatives to Sectioned Otoliths: The use of other Structures and Chemical Techniques to Estimate Age and Growth for Marine Vertebrates and Invertebrates.

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Book SynopsisThe space, setup, and equipment required to raise and process poultry are minimal when compared to other types of livestock, which is part of what makes chickens such an appealing choice for small-scale meat producers. Expert butcher and teacher Adam Danforth covers the entire slaughtering and butchering process in this photographic guide specifically geared toward backyard chicken keepers and small-farm operations invested in raising meat responsibly. With step-by-step photos, detailed instructions, and chapters dedicated to necessary tools and equipment, essential food safety measures, how to prepare for slaughter and process the birds quickly and humanely, how to break down the carcasses into cuts, and how to package and freeze the cuts to ensure freshness, this comprehensive handbook gives poultry raisers the information they need to make the most of their meat.

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Book SynopsisTeach yourself the lost arts of blacksmithing, tool design, and tool repair.   Design, forge, and fix your own tools, hardware, and household accessories with master craftsman and teacher Alexander G. Weygers. The Complete Modern Blacksmith contains clear, step-by-step instructions and hundreds of the author’s own detailed drawings, bringing scores of time-honored techniques to modern artisans – experienced craftsmen and beginners alike.   This unique resource brings together three popular but long-out-of-print classics: • The Modern Blacksmith, which covers everything from developing the correct hammer and body motions for forging and creating tools such as pliers, shovels, and hinges. • The Recycling, Use, and Repair of Tools, which stresses the reuse of old materials, featuring easy-to-follow processes. • The Making of Tools, which explores how to design, sharpen, and temper whichever tool you need, using only basic shop equipment and scrap steel.   A truly invaluable resource, The Complete Modern Blacksmith is an essential volume in any craftman''s library.

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Book SynopsisThe pioneer of herbal veterinary medicine has again thoroughly revised, updated and expanded her book on natural and organic cures and farming methods, first published in 1952 and now a classic in its field. Juliette de Baïracli Levy''s The Complete Herbal Handbook for Farm and Stable contains everything farmers need to know about farm management and animal husbandry. Levy''s groundbreaking work in this insightful guide provides an invaluable resource for farmers and anyone interested in holistic veterinary medicine.

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Book SynopsisThe subjects of stress and animal welfare are currently attracting immense interest. This book brings together a range of perspectives from biomedical research (including human health and animal models of human stress) on stress and welfare, and assesses new approaches to conceptualising and alleviating stress.Table of Contents1: Biological Response to Stress: Implications for Animal Welfare, G P Moberg, University of California, USA 2: Some Issues in the Interpretation of Behavioural Responses to Stress, J Rushen, Dairy and Swine Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, Canada 3: Neoroendocrine Responses to Stress, R L Matteri, J A Carroll and C J Dyer, University of Missouri, USA 4: The Metabolic Consequences of Stress: Targets for Stress and Priority of Nutrient Use, T H Elsasser et al., USDA, Agricultural Research Service, USA 5: Immune System Response to Stress, F Blecha, Kansas State University, USA 6: Hands-on and Hands-off Measurement of Stress, C J Cook et al., Horticultural and Food Research Institute of New Zealand, New Zealand 7: Accumulation and Long-Term Effects of Stress in Fish, C B Schreck, Oregon State University, USA 8: Chronic Intermittent Stress: A Model for the Study of Long Term Stressors, J Ladewig, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Denmark 9: Quantifying Some Responses to Pain as a Stressor, D J Mellor, Massey University, New Zealand, C J Cook and K J Stafford, Horticultural and Food Research Institute of New Zealand, New Zealand 10: Multiple Factors Controlling Behaviour: Implications for Stress and Welfare, F Toates, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK 11: Chronic Social Stress: Studies in Nonhuman Primates, S P Mendoza, J P Capitanio and W A Mason, University of California, USA 12: Consequences of Stress During Development, D C Lay Jr., Iowa State University, USA 13: Early Developmental Influences of Experience on Behaviour, Temperament, and Stress, W A Mason, University of California, USA 14: Genetic Selection to Reduce Stress in Animals, T G Pottinger, NERC Institute of Freshwater Ecology, Windermere Laboratory, Cumbria, UK 15: Human-Animal Interactions and Animal Stress, P H Hemsworth and J L Barnett, Agriculture Victoria, Australia 16: Alleviating Stress in Zoo Animals with Environmental Enrichment, K Carlstead, National Zoological Park, Washington, USA and D Shepherdson, Oregon Zoo, USA 17: Understanding the Role of Stress in Animal Welfare: Practical Considerations, T L Wolfle, formerly of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences, USA

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Book SynopsisThe welfare of egg-producing poultry is a topic of great concern to the poultry industry and to researchers in applied animal behaviour. It is also subject to increased legislation. Issues such as battery cages, space requirements, access to daylight and free-range eggs have attracted public interest. This book brings together edited papers from the 27th Poultry Science Symposium of the World's Poultry Science Association (UK Branch), held in Bristol in July 2003. Topics covered include: welfare issues, perception and cognition, behaviour, health and diseases, stockmanship and the environment, handling, slaughter and transport, and perspectives of consumers and producers.Table of Contents1: The importance of welfare, J K Kirkwood, Universities Federation for Animal Welfare and Human Slaughter Association, UK Part I: THE STAKEHOLDERS 2: Hen welfare: consumer perspective, P A W Parrott, Harper Adams University College, UK 3: Government views on the welfare of laying hens, D G Pritchard, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, UK 4: Politics of hen welfare, D Wilkins, Eurogroup for Animal Welfare, Belgium 5: Implications of the World Trade Organization on hen welfare, D Bowles, RSPCA, UK 6: The retailer-consumer relationship with particular reference to animal welfare, R Layton, rlconsulting, UK 7: Quality assurance, J Gittins, ADAS, UK 8: The producer and hen welfare, A Jorêt, Deans Foods Ltd, UK PART II: OVERVIEWS 9: The laying hen: systems of production, A Elson, ADAS Gleadthorpe, UK 10: Stress and the welfare of laying hens, J P Thaxton, Mississippi State University, USA PART III: WELFARE ISSUES 11: Genetic influences on resource use, fear and sociality, J-M Faure, Station de Reserches Avicoles, France, and R B Jones, Roslin Institute (Edinburgh), UK 12: The genetics of feather pecking and cannibalism, J Kjaer, Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Denmark, and P M Hocking, Roslin Institute (Edinburgh), UK 13: Breeding for productivity and welfare, W M Muir, Pardue University, USA, and H-W Cheng, USDA-ARS, USA 14: Sensory perception : chemoreception, D E F McKeegan, Roslin Institute (Edinburgh), UK 15: Vision in the laying hen, N B Prescott, J R Jarvis, and C M Wathes, Silcoe Research Institute, UK 16: Pain and the laying hen, M Gentle and S Wilson, Roslin Institute (Edinburgh), UK 17: Chicken cognition, C J Nicol, University of Bristol, UK 18: Social space for laying hens, J J Cooper and M J Albentosa, University of Lincoln, UK 19: Nesting, perching and dust-bathing, L Keeling, Swedish University of Agricultural Science, Sweden 20: Environmental enrichment: the need for practical strategies to improve poultry welfare, R B Jones, Roslin Institute (Edinburgh), UK 21: Feather pecking and feather loss, B Rodenburg and P Koene, Wageningen University, The Netherlands 22: Cannibalism, R Newberry, Washington State University, USA 23: Skeletal disorders in laying hens: the problem of osteoporosis and bone fractures, C C Whitehead, Roslin Institute (Edinburgh), UK 24: Disease control, D Shingleton, Waterman Farm, UK 25: Environmental management for laying hens, J-M Aerts, Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium, C M Wathes and D Berckmans, Silsoe Research Institute, UK 26: Lighting, G C Perry, University of Bristol, UK 27: Nutrition, feedstuffs and feeding, M G MacLeod, Roslin Institute (Edinburgh), UK 28: Human – animal interactions, P H Hemsworth, Victorian Institute of Animal Science, Australia 29: Handling and catching of hens during depopulation, D Tinker and P S Berry, Silsoe Research Institute, UK, J A Rycroft, Unilever, UK, and N H Sparks, Avian Science Research Centre, UK 30: Transport of chicks, pullets and spent hens, M A Mitchell, Roslin Institute (Edinburgh), UK, and PJ Kettlewell, Silsoe Research Institute, UK 31: Stunning and slaughter, M Raj, University of Bristol, UK PART IV: OUTCOMES 32: Overview, M C Appleby, The Humane Society of the United States, USA PART V: Posters

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Book SynopsisEggs, meat, milk, wool, fur, feathers, and some priceless bucolic bliss. No hobby farm is complete without critters...possibly a small herd peppering the field or a microflock flapping around the hen house or pond. A single information-packed volume with everything a hobby farmer needs to know about farm animals, this new comprehensive manual to selecting, caring for, and breeding livestock brings forth the expertise of six hobby farmers, each of whom has real-life on-the-farm experience with the animals she discusses. Whether you're contemplating adding a small herd of sheep or goats to your existing hobby farm or you've always wondered about the benefits of raising angora rabbits or Muscovy ducks, Livestock for Your Hobby Farm provides the kind of guidance you need to begin a herd or flock and expand your pens and fencing. With exhaustive detail, the authors offer complete coverage of chickens, ducks, goats, sheep, cattle, pigs, and rabbits, including the housing, health-care, special needs, advantages and challenges of each. -Extensive sections devoted to the seven major farm animals, including profiles of the most popular breeds and varieties -Detailed how-to chapters on the care, handling, feeding, health, and safety of each animal -Special chapters devoted to the breeding and raising of young animals -Recommendations for ways of capitalizing on your livestock's output, from selling eggs, milk, fiber, and so forth -Tips for troubleshooting potential problems and warding off diseases, parasites, and predators

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Book SynopsisPulling carts around the farm or serving as loyal pack animals, goats are naturally hardworking and make for friendly companions. This straightforward guide teaches you how to choose, house, feed, train, and breed the best goats for your space and needs. Whether you want to churn out fresh dairy products, harvest soft cashmere for knitting, or keep goats as playful pets, The Backyard Goat makes it easy to enjoy the benefits of owning goats, with no experience necessary.

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Book SynopsisCreate a safe, sanitary, and efficient home for your rabbits. In this informative guide, Bob Bennett provides clear step-by-step instructions for building attractive all-wire hutches of all sizes, with additional tips for adding the necessary accessories like feeders, watering systems, nest boxes, and fencing. From the direction a hutch door should swing to proper ventilation and protection from predators, Bennett covers everything you need to know to create a housing structure that will help promote a healthy and productive rabbit-raising operation.

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Book SynopsisDairy goats have long been considered an important source of income for rural populations, providing the opportunity for profitable and sustainable diversity for small farms. Their importance is also increasing in intensive feeding systems and in large farms. They are highly adaptable due to their unique feeding habits and have become popular livestock animals in a range of environments, from temperate grasslands to subtropical, semi-arid and mountainous areas. Moreover, goat milk products are finding a growing acceptance in the world market and research has increased in feeding strategies for improved productivity and quality. Examining all aspects of dairy goat feeding and nutrition, this book represents a long awaited review of recent scientific research and updated techniques. Chapters discuss aspects such as the modelling and production of goat's milk as well as the estimation of nutrient requirements and food intake of goats.Table of Contents1: Nutrition and Quality of Goat Milk 2: Mathematical Modelling of Goat Lactation Curves 3: Lipids of Goats Milk: Origin, Composition and Main Sources of Variation 4: Protein Components of Goat Milk 5: Aromatic and Nutritonal Quality of Goat Milk 6: Energy and Protein Requirements of Goats 7: Feed Intake 8: Feeding Behaviour and Intake of Goats Browsing on Mediterranean Shrublands 9: Grazing Management of Dairy Goats on Mediterranean Herbaceous Pastures 10: Feeding Management of Dairy Goats in Intensive Systems 11: Goat Nutrition for Fibre Production 12: Metabolic and Nutritional diseases

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Book Synopsis“A work of real comic genius. . . . A wonderful, funny, warm, honest book, and, to use a much overused word, a classic.” -Michael Korda, author of Country MattersWhen Betty MacDonald married a marine and moved to a small chicken farm on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State, she was largely unprepared for the rigors of life in the wild. With no running water, no electricity, a house in need of constant repair, and days that ran from four in the morning to nine at night, the MacDonalds had barely a moment to put their feet up and relax. And then came the children. Yet through every trial and pitfall—through chaos and catastrophe—this indomitable family somehow, mercifully, never lost its sense of humor. A beloved literary treasure for more than half a century, Betty MacDonald''s The Egg and I is a heartwarming and uproarious account of adventure and survival on an American front

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Missouri grazier Greg Judy has written a textbook of how to build a sizeable ranch starting with absolutely no capital. No Risk Ranching should be ready by every young grazier dreaming of having a big place someday. Judy will show you that you can have it very fast if you will just ask for it."–Allan Nation The Stockman Grass Farmer

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Book SynopsisThis is the first volume in a series of course books for career students and exam candidates preparing for the Stage 1 exam of the British Horse Society.

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Book SynopsisAn accessible, practical resource for pasture-based rabbit production-complete with rabbit husbandry basics, enterprise budgets, and guidelines for growing, processing and selling rabbits commercially. In recent years, there has been talk in the food world that rabbits make more sense than chicken. In a country with a $41 billion broiler chicken industry, this might seem like a pretty bold statement, but it’s hardly unsubstantiated. And yet while media has been abuzz about the supposed super protein, very few farmers are stepping up to meet the rapidly increasing interest in sustainably raised rabbit meat. This is partly due to the lack of available resources in the field of rabbit husbandry. Raising Pastured Rabbits for Meat is the first book to address the growing trend of ecological rabbit husbandry for the beginning to market-scale farmer. Inspired by Daniel Salatin, who has long been considered the pioneer in integrated rabbit farming, Nichki Carangelo proves that a viable pasture-based rabbitry is not only possible and user-friendly, it’s also profitable. In Carangelo’s approach, happy, healthy rabbits are seasonally raised outside on pasture, using a pasture and wire hybrid system that promotes natural behaviors and a diverse diet, while effectively managing the associated risks. Raising Pastured Rabbits for Meat offers valuable information on how farmers can build their own rabbit enterprise from scratch and includes tips on breed selection, breeding techniques, nutrition guidelines, record keeping tools, slaughtering and butchering instructions, marketing advice, and enterprise guides to help farmers plan for profitability. This is an essential guide for anyone interested in integrating rabbits onto a diversified farm or homestead.Trade Review“Nichki Carangelo’s Raising Pastured Rabbits for Meat is like a long chat with a warm and generous friend who’s sharing advice based on her own experience, hard won from both her successes and her mistakes (which you won’t have to repeat). Her approach is pragmatic and flexible, never doctrinaire. Perhaps her best advice is to avoid rabbit ‘monoculturing,’ which is only likely to succeed at an unattainably large scale, and instead to make your rabbit marketing venture an integral part of a diverse and adaptable small farm.”—Harvey Ussery, author of The Small-Scale Poultry Flock“Raising Pastured Rabbits for Meat covers some of the ups and downs of a rabbit-raising start-up, as well as the emotions and real-life mistakes tied to starting a farm. Overall it’s a well thought out introduction to pasture-based rabbit production for beginners.”—Daniel Salatin, Polyface Farm“They’re cute, fluffy, and one of the world’s most sustainable sources of meat. Yes, rabbits can make an excellent food source and income stream for a diversified family farm or homestead. Farmer and author Nichki Carangelo clearly lays out the essentials you need to start, manage, and grow a meat rabbit business in a way that not only generates income but also treats the animals humanely. There isn’t another book out there like this on the subject.”—Rebecca Thistlethwaite, author of The New Livestock Farmer“As a rabbit farmer and chef who prizes rabbit as a heritage ingredient, I’ve been encouraged to see more farmers, cooks, and consumers rediscovering the benefits of pastured rabbit in recent years. With this book Carangelo provides a growing community of small-scale producers with an essential road map for the journey of launching a small rabbitry into a successful business and long-lasting, nourishing resource.”—Mike Costello, chef and farmer, Lost Creek Farm

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Book Synopsis

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