These proceedings present the latest achievements and developments within the scientific community of fur animal research organised by the International Fur Animal Scientific Association (IFASA). The book contains papers on the following topics: nutrition, feeding and management, health and disease, breeding, genetics and reproduction, behaviour and welfare and a theme on 'WelFur for mink and foxes'. The scientific results presented do not only come from traditional mink producing countries, but also from countries with more recent developments in fur animal production.
The scientific community in the field of fur animal production is small, but the biologic diversity and thus the need for scientifically based knowledge in this area is similar to, or often exceeds, that of other farm animals. In this book, the most diverse and recent advancements in fur animal production were brought together in order to provide a clear overview for all those involved in the fur animal industry.
Game meat is consumed world-wide. In most regions, it contributes only a small part to the overall meat and food supply, but for reasons of animal welfare and sustainability it is sometimes considered an alternative to meat from farmed animals. Despite differences in game species, ante mortem conditions (free-range or fenced; wild or semi-domesticated), hunting or harvesting procedures and further handling of the carcass, there are common requirements as regards meat safety and quality. Whereas meat hygiene and safety have been an issue in game meat for export/import for a long time, primary production, domestic supply and direct supply to the consumer have recently been addressed by legislation and these sectors still present unresolved questions and challenges.
This book combines 24 contributions presenting the view of experts in game meat hygiene and quality. They address four main topics: i.e. 'hygiene and microbiology', 'epidemiology', 'risk assessment and management' and 'muscle biology and meat quality'. In addition to contributions on this topic by authors from eight European countries, a South African perspective is provided, thus representing the standpoint of a major game meat exporter.
This volume is the first in a series on safety and quality assurance along the game meat chain, following a 'from forest to fork' approach and is targeted at scientists in academia and industry, graduate students as well as at governmental officials in veterinary public health and food safety.
Wageningen Univerisity and Research Centre is known for its practical and societally relevant research in spatial development. Stakeholders currently put much emphasis on participatory processes in landscape planning procedures. This poses a special challenge for research. What role does research play in our present world characterised by complexity, competing claims and development needs, and an increased concern for climate change and environmental impact? In the book 'Knowledge in Action' we explore different types of transdisciplinary research that scientists engage in. Depending on the societal context and the interests of local citizens, researchers apply different research approaches to optimally incorporate the various points of view in their research and promote processes enhancing dialogue and shared results.
In the book authors present their research experiences: their theoretical inspiration, the research methodology applied to consult, share and collaborate with societal actors in order to create options for change. The book includes several striking examples from The Netherlands (both successful and less effective), and also innovative examples from communities in Africa and Asia. The authors reflect on opportunities, problems and dilemma's they had to deal with. They especially address how far the role and theoretical perspectives of collaborative researchers can lead them in action research. Can they limit themselves to joint knowledge production and learning processes or should they engage in strategic positioning, advocacy and entrepreneurship to make it happen? The book discusses the issues that researchers should consider when they position their research activities within ongoing developments at landscape level. Read the book and judge for yourself.
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.
The orange juice chain is unique, probably a sui generis commodity. Although several countries produce oranges and juices, two regions in the world are the responsible for around 80% of the production. These are the states of Sao Paulo in Brazil and Florida in the USA. Although the emerging countries are growing in production, the juice consumer is also concentrated in the USA and Europe where more than 90% of consumption takes place.
The characteristics of this chain are so unique, that it makes a nice laboratory for academics and business people to exercise strategies, since risk is spread. Orange is a very sensitive plant, and fluctuations in production are notorious. The logistics of this chain are fascinating. The product travels great distances to reach the consumer in a generally safe and efficient way. The industry assets such as vessels and tanks are specific.
By reading this book, business people, academics and chain practitioners have an opportunity to understand this chain. and can analyse all of its numbers and economics and exercise strategy building. This is needed since the orange juice market is a stable market in the world, growing only 1% per year, and the production costs of this chain are rising fast, due to structural changes faced by world food and agribusiness companies i.e. labour costs, energy costs, land costs, environmental costs and others. The book will be of interest to all those concerned with agri food chains.
Present-day society asks more from agriculture than just the production of food. Agriculture is now required to be concerned with the quality of food, ecosystem services, inclusion of marginalized populations, revitalization of rural territories, energy production, etc.
This opening up of the future of agriculture encourages rural actors to experiment with new farming systems, using imagination, creativity and determination to replace dominant models. At the same time, low-cost mass-production systems continue on their way, with promises of a future based on green technologies. In this discussion it is important to consider what kind of sustainable development societies really want. Which innovations will help in achieving these developments? What role can research and public policies play in supporting the emergence of these innovations?
This book takes the debate beyond the purely technical options and considers social and institutional innovations as well. It demonstrates that innovation is the result of a confrontation between visions of actors who often have divergent interests. There is no single path towards sustainable development and we must find ways to encourage the emergence and co-existence of different types of agriculture and food systems. The success of transitions will not only depend on our capacity to rethink existing models, but especially on our willingness to embark on a creative learning process from which we will inevitably emerge transformed.
Proteomics may be defined as the large-scale study of the proteome, i.e. a set of proteins being expressed in a certain fluid, tissue, organ or organism. Although still of limited and restricted use in most areas of farm animal and veterinary research, proteomics potential is unequivocal holding a significant promise in applications such as vaccine and drug development, animal product quality, physiology or toxicology. Nevertheless, proteomics use has been growing steadily during the last 2-3 years and, as time goes by; proteomics-based studies are more and more common, not just to scientists but to the general public, unraveling their full potential.
This book reflects the will of a group of scientists that merge innovation with excellence of research and to whom the dissemination of knowledge and innovation through cooperation is a key essential point. It will be of interest to scientists at the early stages of their careers as well as to researchers well established in the field and to whom proteomics may be the necessary next step towards more in-depth research activities. By providing a collection of diverse scientific interests, Farm Animal Proteomics 2013 is also a witness to the vitality of the area and the importance it holds to animal and food research, to science, industry, government agencies, the consumer and ultimately the society as a whole.
This book assesses the institutional, technical and market constraints as well as opportunities for smallholders, notably, emerging farmers in disadvantaged areas such as the former homelands of South Africa. Emerging farmers are previously disadvantaged black people who started or will start their business with the support of special government programs. Public support programs have been developed as part of the Black Economic Empowerment strategy of the South African government. These programs aim to improve the performance of emerging farmers. This requires, first and foremost, upgrading the emerging farmers skills by providing access to knowledge about agricultural and entrepreneurial practices. To become or to remain good farmers they also need access to suitable agricultural land and sufficient water for irrigation and for feeding their cattle. Finally, for emerging farmers to be engaged in viable farming operations, various factors need to be in place such as marketing and service institutions to give credit for agricultural inputs and investments; input markets for farm machinery, farm implements, fertilizers and quality seeds; and accessible output markets for their end products. This book develops a policy framework and potential institutional responses to unlock the relevant markets for smallholders.
