Bsas Occasional Publication

The determination of when, how, how often and with whom an animal breeds is moving rapidly away from evolutionary pressures and towards human purposes: these include the breeding of around 50 billion mammals and birds for food production annually, the breeding of pedigree dogs and cats, racing dogs and horses, specialised laboratory animal strains and the use of reproductive science to conserve endangered species or breeds and to limit unwanted populations of pests and non-native species. But the ethics and sustainability of this takeover of animals' reproductive lives have been insufficiently examined by either professionals or the public. This book discusses the methods, the motivations and the consequences of human intervention in animal breeding in terms of animal health, behaviour and well-being. It explores where we are now and the choices ahead, and looks to a future where we have more respect for animals as sentient beings and where we could loosen the reins of reproductive control.

An understanding of sustainability in animal production is becoming increasingly necessary since the global demand for food is expected to dramatically increase in the coming decades. In this context, raising animals for the production of food will become increasingly challenging. Farm animals should not adversely compete with humans for their own sustenance, and food of animal origin should be safe and affordable. The production of healthy animals will therefore be a prerequisite. Such animals will efficiently convert their feed into food that can be certified as nutritive and safe. In addition there is growing evidence that there should be a focus on animal welfare, and environmental pollution related to animal farming must be minimized. Indeed the equation to resolve the constraints on animal production is complex and multifactorial. It is inarguable that the environment and the feed that is offered to animals, are key elements of sustainability in livestock and poultry production. This book addresses the major issues related to animal health and welfare maintenance in relation to their environment, as well as housing emissions and waste management. Experiments, reviews and expert opinions and scenarios for the future are presented. Each of the chapters has been written by scientists with international reputations. The language used, and the examples and the illustrations provided, make it easy to read. The book is of major and current interest to teachers and students in animal and veterinary sciences and to professionals: veterinarians, farm managers, agricultural advisers worldwide.

Dairy cow 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 will focus on diseases within herds, herd husbandry practices, youngstock management and environmental issues. Major diseases and conditions will be covered such as mastitis, lameness, nutrition, metabolic and common infectious diseases from a herd health perspective.

The objective of this book is to provide a single reference source for those working with dairy-based ingredients, offering a comprehensive and practical account of the various dairy ingredients commonly used in food processing operations. The Editors have assembled a team of 25 authors from the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, representing a full range of international expertise from academic, industrial, and government research backgrounds. After introductory chapters which present the chemical, physical, functional and microbiological characteristics of dairy ingredients, the book addresses the technology associated with the manufacture of the major dairy ingredients, focusing on those parameters that affect their performance and functionality in food systems. The popular applications of dairy ingredients in the manufacture of food products such as dairy foods, bakery products, processed cheeses, processed meats, chocolate as well as confectionery products, functional foods, and infant and adult nutritional products, are covered in some detail in subsequent chapters. Topics are presented in a logical and accessible style in order to enhance the usefulness of the book as a reference volume. It is hoped that Dairy Ingredients for Food Processing will be a valuable resource for members of academia engaged in teaching and research in food science; regulatory personnel; food equipment manufacturers; and technical specialists engaged in the manufacture and use of dairy ingredients. Special features: Contemporary description of dairy ingredients commonly used in food processing operations Focus on applications of dairy ingredients in various food products Aimed at food professionals in R&D, QA/QC, manufacturing and management World-wide expertise from over 20 noted experts in academe and industry

Cattle play a fundamental role in animal agriculture throughout the world. They not only provide us with a vital food source, but they also provide us with fertilizer and fuel. Keeping reproduction levels at an optimum level is therefore essential, but this is often a complicated process, especially with modern, high yielding cows. Written in a practical and user-friendly style, this book aims to help the reader understand cattle reproduction by explaining the underlying physiology of the reproductive process and the role and importance of pharmacology and technology, and showing how management techniques can improve reproductive efficiency. This edition includes: Recent research findings on the physiology of the oestrous cycle and its control; New techniques for monitoring and manipulating reproduction, including pregnancy diagnosis and embryo transfer; Advice on identifying common infertility problems and how to prevent and treat them. Reproduction Cattle 3e is essential reading for veterinary and agricultural students, as well as veterinarians and farmers involved in cattle reproduction.

This book is about resource allocation matters with the aim to further development thoughts and models on resource allocation applied to livestock production. It contains 18 chapters divided into 4 parts which discuss resources and resource allocation patterns, trade-offs, metabolic constraints to resource allocation and the process of homeorhesis with a special emphasis to homeorhesis during heat stress; the relationship between food intake and resources allocated to body maintenance, growth, reproduction and the immune response; the consequences of high production efficiency in pigs, poultry and dairy cattle and the consequences of improved production by means of biological engineering and options to include resource allocation matters in the breeding objective, animal welfare and in resource allocation modelling.