Search

The main objective of this study was to investigate and analyse the farmers’ perceptions on criteria and indicators for sustainable management of indigenous agroforestry systems in Uttarakhand state of India. The present study was conducted to document the traditional knowledge and considered five broad categories including agriculture management, livestock management, forest sustainability, social benefits, and policy inputs along with 16 criteria and 34 indicators were identified. Traditional uses of 48 agroforestry species were documented along an altitudinal gradient from 800 to 1800 ​m above sea level (m asl). Perceptions and responses of 150 farmers of three village clusters located at different agroclimatic zones viz., Saknidhar, Jakhand and Dagar based on their demographic characteristics were documented towards the possible factors for deterioration and viable options for sustainable management of indigenous agroforestry systems. The results of the present study are valuable to local farmers and policy planners to examine the current policies and improved for sustainable energy supply in the Himalayan context through utilization of indigenous agroforestry species. The findings will help to refine and enrich the knowledge among the stakeholders to provide an effective framework for decisions and policy making to sustain and maintain agroforestry strength and services. Keywords: Agroforestry, Farmers’ perception, Traditional knowledge, Criteria and indicators, Himalaya

The study of ancient herd-feeding systems is essential to investigate livestock management and the interactions of humans with domestic animals and past environments. This topic for historic periods has recently been investigated through dental microwear analyses. This approach, however, must be used with caution, as it is based on comparisons of established microwear patterns of modern wild animals. Here we present an experimental reference collection of dental microwear for domestic sheep (Ovis aries), created by a controlled-food trial to fill this methodological gap. Fifty sheep were split into five groups of ten, fed with four different types of vegetation potentially used by agropastoral societies (alfalfa, ray-grass, forage, and barley), and administrated following different techniques of processing (wet, dried and fresh). After being fed with a specific and controlled diet, the animals were slaughtered and the microwear patterns on the enamel surface of the lower molars were analysed via standard light stereomicroscopy. The differences found in our experiment between the different diets and processed plants have allowed us to characterize each dietary group and feeding management system. This information is extremely important to correctly interpret the archaeological record.

46 Pags.- 4 Figs. The definitive version is available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/03418162, A key problem in explaining the mountain landscapes of the Mediterranean region is the relationship between the development of transhumance (seasonal movement of livestock over long distances) and deforestation of the subalpine and upper montane belts at 1350–2200 m above sea level (m a.s.l.). We examined this relationship in the Central Southern Pyrenees using information from multiple proxies—archaeology, pollen analysis, lacustrine sedimentation patterns, historical documents, and geomorphology. Although there is evidence of forest clearing since the Neolithic, and we can infer the presence of shepherds and livestock in mountain areas based on archaeological sites and pollen analysis in some lacustrine records, there is no strong evidence for transhumance between the Ebro Depression and the Pyrenees during the Prehistory. Instead, we found evidence of transterminance (seasonal movement of livestock over short distances) during this time. Growth of human populations and the establishment of large-scale markets favored longer livestock movements during the Roman period, although we only have indirect information on this for other areas of the Iberian Peninsula and the Mediterranean region. A few documents indicate the occurrence of transhumance during the Early Middle Ages, whereas all other proxies indicate a general expansion of livestock and transhumance during the 12th and 13th centuries. This coincides with the Christian conquest of the Central Ebro Depression by the Aragon Kingdom, the organization of large wool markets in Western Europe, and the exemptions conferred by the kings of Aragon to herders in the city of Saragossa. This led to rapid deforestation, in that forests were rapidly logged or burned to expand the summer grasslands. During this period, written documents indicate many conflicts between people in the villages and valleys for control of summer grasslands, pollen analyses show a rapid decline of arboreal pollen, and geomorphology studies indicate greatly increased sedimentation rates following deforestation, suggesting intense erosion. Transhumance has declined since the end of the 18th century, and particularly throughout the 20th century, and this has led to tree re-colonization of less accessible and marginal areas. The hydrological and geomorphological consequences of these recent events are important topics for future studies., This research was supported by the ESPAS Project (CGL2015-65569-R) and the Gaps and Sites Project (HAR2017-85023-P), both funded by the MINECO-FEDER, and by the Research Group from the Aragon Government (H14_17R). R. Domingo is a Ramón y Cajal Research Fellow (RyC2013-12613, MINECO). P. Diarte-Blasco is an Atracción de Talento-CAM Research Fellow (2018-T1/HUM-10636).

Introduction E. coli is a ubiquitous bacterium commonly used as a sentinel in antimicrobial resistance studies. Here, E. coli was isolated from three groups (sick calves, healthy calves and bedding material), to assess the presence of antimicrobial resistance, describe resistance profiles, and compare these resistances among groups. Material and methods Samples were collected from calves and calving pens from 20 dairy farms. Using the disc diffusion method, E. coli isolates were screened for antimicrobial resistance against seven antimicrobials: Amoxicillin, Ceftiofur, Gentamicin, Enrofloxacin, Trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole, Florfenicol and Oxytetracycline. Isolates resistant to all these seven antimicrobials were tested again against an extended 19 antimicrobial drug panel and for the presence of the most common E. coli pathogenicity genes through PCR. Results & discussion Three hundred forty-nine E. coli isolates were obtained; most isolates were resistant to a single antimicrobial, but 2.3% (8) were resistant to 16 to 19 of the antimicrobials tested. The group with the highest percentage of multiresistant isolates was the calves with diarrhea group. Younger calves provided samples with higher antimicrobial resistance levels. Conclusions There is a high rate of antimicrobial resistance in dairy farms calving pens. These bacteria could not only be a resistance gene reservoir, but also could have the potential to spread these determinants through horizontal gene transfer to other susceptible bacteria. Measures should be taken to protect colonization of younger calves, based on hygienic measures and proper management., Agriculture; Microbiology; Animal science; Cattle; Livestock management; Veterinary medicine; Animal breeding; Ruminant; Antimicrobial resistance; Dairy; E. coli; Calf.

It is expected that IoT technology can make a breakthrough in livestock management by connecting biological information of livestock and environmental information obtained by IoT sensors to farmers who are in remote location from the farm via cloud. It will help to improve efficiency of livestock production and reduce physical labor and labor cost. There are some requirements for IoT sensors for smart livestock monitoring, which is a little different from the case of IoT sensors for humans. In this chapter, we explain these requirements. In addition, representative IoT sensors for livestock monitoring including commercialized sensors and prototypes in research stage are introduced and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed.

Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) applications in production agriculture include applications in soil and water, plant emergence, and plant growth and development. UAS imagery is also useful for livestock management. The high spatial, temporal, and spectral resolution of results in large quantities of data requiring significant computing power to process the data. Basic knowledge of remotes sensing is essential to make use of UAS imagery. Selecting UAS equipment includes acquiring knowledge of both unmanned aerial vehicles and cameras.

Graphical abstract, Highlights • 47 farmers in Botswana were trained to use targeted selective treatment for worms of small ruminants. • Goats from treated herds showed greater improvements in health than those from untreated herds. • The system was adopted successfully by farmers with a range of levels of literacy and education. • Mixed methods were used for evaluation and interpretation of the system within a cultural context., Due to the threat of anthelmintic resistance, livestock farmers worldwide are encouraged to selectively apply treatments against gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs). Targeted selective treatment (TST) of individual animals would be especially useful for smallholder farmers in low-income economies, where cost-effective and sustainable intervention strategies will improve livestock productivity and food security. Supporting research has focused mainly on refining technical indicators for treatment, and much less on factors influencing uptake and effectiveness. We used a mixed method approach, whereby qualitative and quantitative approaches are combined, to develop, implement and validate a TST system for GINs in small ruminants, most commonly goats, among smallholder farmers in the Makgadikgadi Pans region of Botswana, and to seek better understanding of system performance within a cultural context. After the first six months of the study, 42 out of 47 enrolled farmers were followed up; 52% had monitored their animals using the taught inspection criteria and 26% applied TST during this phase. Uptake level showed little correlation with farmer characteristics, such as literacy and size of farm. Herd health significantly improved in those herds where anthelmintic treatment was applied: anaemia, as assessed using the five-point FAMACHA© scale, was 0.44–0.69 points better (95% confidence interval) and body condition score was 0.18–0.36 points better (95% C.I., five-point scale) in treated compared with untreated herds. Only targeting individuals in greatest need led to similar health improvements compared to treating the entire herd, leading to dose savings ranging from 36% to 97%. This study demonstrates that TST against nematodes can be implemented effectively by resource-poor farmers using a community-led approach. The use of mixed methods provides a promising system to integrate technical and social aspects of TST programmes for maximum uptake and effect.

Precision approaches to farming are already having a big impact in many areas of agricultural production. Although dairy cattle farming has been at the forefront of developments in ruminant livestock production, technologies such as electronic identification, walk over weighing and automatic shedding gates are starting to have an impact in sheep production systems. A variety of new technologies are in development, and these have the potential to make a significant impact on sheep production systems in the future. These should not only improve the efficiency of production but also improve sheep welfare. Farmers need to be aware of both the limitations of these emerging technologies and also the fact they cannot replace good stockmanship.

Wood was originally harvested as a part of the hunting and gathering of traditional societies. Gradually, humans began managing natural resources. Although most food is now produced through cropping and livestock management systems, wood continues to be harvested largely through gathering. Planted forests, however, are providing an increasing portion of the world's wood requirements.

Forest and livestock management puts pressure on forests and the wildlife they support. Although many species may be negatively affected by these human activities, the abundance of other species may be promoted, although this has perhaps received less attention in livestock, logging, and conservation management plans. Wild boar and red fox, two common mammals distributed throughout Europe, occupy a wide variety of Mediterranean environments. Little is known about how increases in logging and livestock management have changed their status. This work models the response of wild boar and red fox to these pressures in the human-altered Mediterranean forest landscapes of the central Iberian Peninsula (NHR), where the predominant land uses in the last hundred years have focused on livestock and logging (thinning and selective cutting). We collapsed land use and habitat structure variables into independent habitat vectors using principle component analysis (PCA) and then used a general linear model (GLM) to explain the relationships between red fox and wild boar abundance and the independent habitat vectors observed in human-altered forests. Livestock and logging activity was positively correlated with wild boar abundance, and negatively correlated with red fox abundance, although red fox tolerated open scrubland that had been logged. Red fox abundance remained negatively correlated with the same variables when boar abundance was added as an environmental predictor in the model, but some additional variance was explained, demonstrating the need to include indirect interspecific relationships in the habitat-species models. The combined effects of wild boar, logging and livestock are indirectly important factors which modify habitat structure and negatively affect red fox. Therefore, common mammal species are influenced by livestock and logging in different ways which necessarily may be taken into account in management and conservation decisions in Mediterranean human-altered forests.