Download or read book New trends for innovation in the Mediterranean animal production written by R. Bouche and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-03-26 with total page 329 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Mediterranean area shows a great diversity of livestock systems, depending on local resources and traditions, but also on the networking space where informational resources are available for producers. During the last decades, a lot of innovations have been conceived or introduced in the Mediterranean area, allowing livestock systems to remain competitive. The book looks at two main issues: firstly, it gives an updated review on the main innovations that significantly changed the activities of livestock production in the Mediterranean area in the recent past. Secondly, the focus lies on the extent to which these innovations improve the efficiency, ensure the socio-cultural basis or reduce the environmental impact of livestock systems. One major finding is a new vision of innovating systems based on the distinction between regulated innovation (when aims are fixed) and innovative design (when aims are questioned). Innovations reported in the book are dealing with a set of concerns. They concern the production techniques, the work organization, the equipment and infrastructures, the collective features for selection, reproduction, feeding or sanitary devices. They also concern the local organization such as product labelling, new dynamics around local breeds, collective rules for supply basin or approaches of new products for new markets. More recently, some innovations focus on environmental impacts of livestock production, due to an increasing consciousness of those kinds of problems. In the final part of the book, a round table copes with a crucial question: are traditions in Mediterranean livestock activities to be considered an obstacle or a source of innovation? This book provides a set of updated information and knowledge useful for researchers, students, extension services and policy-makers in the field of animal science.

Download or read book Sustainable Goat Production in Adverse Environments Volume I written by João Simões and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-01-11 with total page 539 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores the current trends and challenges of sustainable goat meat and milk production in different global contexts, providing valuable insights into this industry in adverse environments like mountain, semiarid and arid regions. It also includes contributions from international experts discussing goat reproduction, genetic diversity and improvement, as well topics such as animal health, welfare, socioeconomic aspects, and many other issues regarding the environmentally friendly and economically viable exploitation of goats. This is a highly informative book providing scientific insight for readers with an interest in sustainable agriculture and socio-economic aspects, as well as goat breed conservation, genetic diversity, and veterinary care. These subjects are complemented in a second volume providing a detailed description of more than 40 indigenous goat breeds and several ecotypes found in Asia, Africa, Europe, and America.

Download or read book Grazing Communities written by Letizia Bindi and published by Berghahn Books. This book was released on 2022-05-13 with total page 326 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Pastoralism is a diffused and ancient form of human subsistence and probably one of the most studied by anthropologists at the crossroads between continuities and transformations. The present critical discourse on sustainable and responsible development implies a change of practices, a huge socio-economic transformation, and the return of new shepherds and herders in different European regions. Transhumance and extensive breeding are revitalized as a potential resource for inner and rural areas of Europe against depopulation and as an efficient form of farming deeply influencing landscape and functioning as a perfect eco-system service. This book is an occasion to reconsider grazing communities’ frictions in the new global heritage scenario.

Download or read book Precision livestock farming 09 written by C. Lokhorst and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2023-09-04 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Precision livestock farming is becoming ever more relevant as the agricultural industry struggles to come to terms with aspects such as animal welfare, animal disease, the environment, economics, traceability, robots and livestock management. Whilst some benefits have proved elusive, others contribute positively to today's agriculture. Research continues to be necessary and needs to be reported and disseminated to a wide audience. These proceedings contain the reviewed papers from the 4th European Conference on Precision Livestock Farming. The papers reflect the wide range of disciplines that impinge upon precision livestock farming including feeding dairy, data quality, poultry and pig applications, livestock environment, wireless sensing, dairy fertility and calving management, animal identification, mastitis detection and locomotion. The broad range of research topics reported are a valuable resource for researchers, advisors, teachers and professionals in agriculture. Also note that the reviewed papers from the 7th European Conference on Precision Agriculture are presented in a companion publication.

Download or read book Farming Systems Research into the 21st Century The New Dynamic written by Ika Darnhofer and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-05-30 with total page 488 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Farming Systems Research has three core characteristics: it builds on systems thinking, it depends on the close collaboration between social and biophysical sciences, and it relies on participation to build co-learning processes. Farming Systems Research posits that to contribute towards sustainable rural development, both interdisciplinary collaborations and local actor engagement are needed. Together, they allow for changes in understanding and changes in practices. This book gives an overview of the insights generated in 20 years of Farming Systems Research. It retraces the emergence and development of Farming Systems Research in Europe, summarises the state-of-the-art for key areas, and provides an outlook on new explorations, especially those tackling the dynamic nature of farming systems and their interaction with the natural environment and the context of action.

Download or read book Knowledge and experiences for the development of sustainable silvopastoral systems in heathlands in Asturias written by Raquel Benavides Calvo and published by Univ Santiago de Compostela. This book was released on with total page 253 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Forages and grazing in horse nutrition written by Markku Saastamoinen and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-08-17 with total page 513 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Forages should be the basis of all diets in horse feeding. Therefore it is of major importance to determine which parameters will influence their quality. Changes on chemical composition along the vegetative cycle, nutrient losses during harvesting, preservation and storage are factors that could have an effect on nutritive value, as well on digestibility and palatability. A specific grazing and ingesting behaviour, linked to plant preferences and the selection of feeding sites will have an impact on biodiversity. This will determine the options on plant species and varieties and further management of pastures for horses. This book highlights the role of forages and grazing in horse nutrition and also gathers information about related topics, such as the contribution of local breeds for the sustainability and development of rural areas, their impact on landscape and relationships with environmental preservation. This book is the 6th volume in a scientific series conceived through the European Workshop on Equine Nutrition (EWEN) which falls under the umbrella of the Horse Commission of the European Federation of Animal Science (EAAP). All these materials provide an interesting basis for further discussion, not only in specialized forums, but also for those involved in horse production.

Download or read book Lactation in Farm Animals written by and published by BoD – Books on Demand. This book was released on 2020-01-22 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Greater knowledge of lactation allows us to alter environmental, nutritional, and milking procedures, or general management to maximize production. This book, focusing on lactation in farm animals (biology, physiological basis, nutritional requirements, and modelization), presents invited papers from internationally recognized scientists. This volume contains seven chapters covering the key topics related to milk production and lactation biology and physiology. The authors show that animals raised on a well-controlled nutrition regimen may have significant enhancement of succeeding lactations. Furthermore, the usefulness of a milk yield prediction system depends upon how accurately it can predict daily milking patterns and its ability to adjust to factors affecting supply. Milk yield prediction models have proven helpful for genetic analysis and for bio-economic modeling. On the whole, this book serves as an inspirational basis for both scientists and farmers.

Download or read book International Perspectives on Global Environmental Change written by Stephen Young and published by BoD – Books on Demand. This book was released on 2012-02-03 with total page 491 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Environmental change is increasingly considered a critical topic for researchers across multiple disciplines, as well as policy makers throughout the world. Mounting evidence shows that environments in every part of the globe are undergoing tremendous human-induced change. Population growth, urbanization and the expansion of the global economy are putting increasing pressure on ecosystems around the planet. To understand the causes and consequences of environmental change, the contributors to this book employ spatial and non-spatial data, diverse theoretical perspectives and cutting edge research tools such as GIS, remote sensing and other relevant technologies. International Perspectives on Global Environmental Change brings together research from around the world to explore the complexities of contemporary, and historical environmental change. As an InTech open source publication current and cutting edge research methodologies and research results are quickly published for the academic policy-making communities. Dimensions of environmental change explored in this volume include: Climate change Historical environmental change Biological responses to environmental change Land use and land cover change Policy and management for environmental change

Download or read book The Digital Age in Agriculture written by Mehmet Metin Ozguven and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2023-02-23 with total page 307 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Digital Age in Agriculture presents information related to the digital age in the agriculture sector. Agriculture is an essential activity for the continuity of life, yet is very labor-intensive and faces a wide variety of challenges. In the struggle against these difficulties, the superior features offered by technology provide important benefits. These technologies require expertise in various technical disciplines, and The Digital Age in Agriculture provides information to readers allowing them to make more informed decisions and giving them the opportunity to improve agricultural productivity. Written by Mehmet Metin Özgüven, an expert who has conducted field studies and with a working technical knowledge of various topics pertaining to the agriculture age, this book covers many subjects important to the age of digital agriculture, including precision agriculture and livestock farming, using agricultural robots and unmanned arial vehicles in agriculture practices, and image processing and machine vision. It is an essential read for researchers, agriculture sector workers, and agricultural engineers.

Download or read book Sustainability of European Food Quality Schemes written by Filippo Arfini and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2019-11-15 with total page 567 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This edited volume evaluates recent EU quality policy, focusing on the structure, governance, technical specifications and performances – economic, environmental and social – of Food Quality Schemes (FQS) in the European Union and South East Asia. The intended benefits of FQS include generating a fair return for farmers and producers, and enabling consumers to make better‐informed purchasing choices through effective labeling. In addition, policy makers now consider FQS as a means of guaranteeing not only quality in food production, but also sustainability. Despite these potential benefits, the economic performance of the FQS (e.g. PDO, PGI, organic) has been variable. While some support significant value‐added production, with substantial benefits to producers, consumers and wider economies, many others have failed to become economically sustainable. In addition, the environmental and social performance of FQS remains largely unexamined, with the exception of the environmental performance of organic products. The editors examine these discrepancies and offer a nuanced evaluation of the effectiveness of such policies. Several unique features make this volume a key resource for those interested in FQS and in the sustainability of food products. The editors provide a concise description of the value chain, the governance and the technical specifications of 27 FQS in Europe and South East Asia. The editors also provide a sustainability assessment of each of these FQS, and support or question the view that FQS are moving from “quality” to “sustainability.” Finally, the volume serves as a repository of key data on these FQS. Readers have access to the raw data necessary to compute the indicators used in the sustainability assessment (eg. value added, number of jobs, quantity of fertilizers, etc), allowing them to conduct novel re-analysis. The book is designed for an interdisciplinary audience of academics, policy makers, and stakeholders. The compilation of FQS case studies makes it a useful reference for researchers and students of food policy, geography, food anthropology, local and rural development, local agri-food systems and agri-food chains. Stakeholders such as national and European regulators, entities responsible for FQS technical specifications, and embassy staff will also find the information relevant. Additionally, individuals helping to implement food quality schemes, including auditors, producers, and consumer associates, as well as stakeholders in the sustainability of food products, including farmers, farmer's associations, and environmental NGOs, will also find the information relevant and important for their work.

Download or read book European Local Pig Breeds Diversity and Performance written by Marjeta Čandek-Potokar and published by BoD – Books on Demand. This book was released on 2019-02-06 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Local or autochthonous pig breeds represent a pool of genetic diversity of porcine species and a link with old-style traditional production systems and traditional pork products. These breeds were largely abandoned because they were not competitive in the concept of modern, industrial type of pig production. Despite an increased interest for local pig breeds in the past years, they remain largely untapped and the knowledge about their characteristics is limited, which was a challenge undertook in the project TREASURE in the frame of multicriteria evaluation of local pig breeds. The book represents a valuable compendium of data on census, breeding organisations, production systems, and performances with ambition to present their contemporary (preserved) phenotype. This work has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 634476 for project with acronym TREASURE. The content of this book reflects only the authors' view and the European Union Agency is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.

Download or read book Animal products from the Mediterranean area written by J.M.C. Ramalho Ribeiro and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2023-08-28 with total page 411 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book and its case studies focuses on typical local products and breeds, descriptions of the production systems and conservation techniques of endangered breeds/products in the Mediterranean area. Traditional and extensive systems, involving local breeds, which meet the needs of the population requiring safe foods at a reasonable costs, are validated for their specific meaning to the region. It is acknowledged that natural constraints of the Mediterranean area of climate and geography, make it unfavourable to mass production at low cost. Profit related aspects are discussed considering the different economic realities of the northern part of the basin compared to the southern part. Characteristics of typical animal production with consideration for positive and negative impacts on production systems and on the environment as well as the need to adjust to climate uncertainty and seasonal variability of feed resources, is also discussed. A focus is given to the following areas: animal production economy and social impact in the Mediterranean area; utilisation of natural resources and environmental impact of the animal production systems; possibilities for improving traditional systems; quality and traceability of typical products; moving from traditional to certified animal products.

Download or read book Animal farming and environmental interactions in the Mediterranean region written by Isabel Casasús and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-03-26 with total page 255 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Livestock production systems are the result of an interaction between domestic animals and the environment, modulated by man, that dates back to Neolithic times. As a consequence of this interaction among the wide diversity of animal resources, natural habitats and population needs, very different farming systems have developed across the Mediterranean Basin. Understanding the mechanisms and effects of these relationships is key to design the farming systems best adapted to each condition, guaranteeing an adequate balance between target animal production and environmental outcomes provided by these systems. This is indeed a multidimensional topic, influenced by animal genetics, feeding resources, flock management, and economic and social aspects inside and outside the household. Therefore, this book focuses on the basis of the animal-environment interactions and the impact of human activities on the type and magnitude of these interactions. In this context, the issue of sustainability of livestock production is evaluated considering economic, social and environmental aspects. This book contributes to upgrade the state of the art in Mediterranean conditions, providing indicators and procedures of application across a wide range of systems, and hence of interest for researchers, students and professionals concerned with livestock production and the environment.

Download or read book Animal production and natural resources utilisation in the Mediterranean mountain areas written by A. Georgoudis and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2023-08-28 with total page 640 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mediterranean inhabitants depend on natural resources for their livelihoods. Livestock production and forestry are key sources of income yet are carried out under harsh conditions such as limited land resources, marginal agricultural conditions, isolation, and scant equipment and infrastructure. Livestock is of particular importance in mountain production systems as they convert plant biomass into useful products for humans such as milk, meat and draught power. These products are key to the regions' sustainability. The main topics discussed in this book are: Human geography of Mediterranean mountain territories. Livestock production and natural resources. Improving the efficiency of livestock systems in Mediterranean mountain areas. Applications of new technologies for environmentally sound management of livestock and natural resources. The role livestock plays in rural development and in safeguarding natural resources.

Download or read book Livestock production and society written by R. Geers and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2023-08-28 with total page 307 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The objective of this book is to provide a scientific-based, multidisciplinary perspective to the dialogue between society and the stakeholders within livestock production. Concerns and problems related to food safety, animal welfare and rural environment are discussed within a holistic approach. This unique approach has an added-value compared to other books which cover these topics from a specialist point of view. The different issues are developed by well-known experts in their field of work. They are dealing with the latest developments in livestock production in relation to social concerns (such as, regulations, risk communication, reduction of environmental impact, sustainability and economic and social impacts of alternative strategies) and production systems (including transport and slaughter, feeding strategies, waste management and future monitoring technology).Readers from various disciplines will find these ideas useful and complimentary to their own expertise, and may apply them to decision making, vocational training and other educational applications.

Download or read book Trends in Fisheries and Aquatic Animal Health written by Panagiotis Berillis and published by Bentham Science Publishers. This book was released on 2017-11-11 with total page 365 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fish and other seafood have always been considered as an important part of human diet and have also long been recognized as a health-promoting food for human nutrition. However, managing aquatic food resources remains a challenge as the human population is expanding and overfishing poses a threat to fishing reserves in several areas. Aquaculture is the alternative solution for food production from the sea. According to the FAO, aquaculture is probably the fastest growing food-producing sector and can be a sustainable solution for fish production. In order to maximize marine food production and achieving sustainable management of the aquatic environment, knowledge about aspects of fisheries and aquatic animal health is very important. Trends in Fisheries and Aquatic Animal Health covers some basic and applied topics in fishery management and fish health with a focus on European regions. The textbook is a combination of reviews and research articles. Topics covered in the book include challenges in fishery management, environmental impacts on fisheries, fish health (pharmacology, histopathology, stress response), telemetry techniques in fisheries research, and specific case studies of regional marine species in localized fisheries. This textbook is a useful resource for graduates and professionals involved in advanced training courses for aquaculture and fishery management.