livestock research News
-
Open day on livestock research at CSIRO Armidale
To be held from 10am on Friday, 10 December 2010, the event is an opportunity for livestock producers and interested members of the general public to learn about CSIRO’s research on: Productivity and product quality in the Australian sheep and cattle industries Advanced reproductive technologies Parasite control Animal physiology, behaviour and welfare Technologies to measure ...
-
A decade of EU-funded animal production research - Impact from Wageningen University and Research Centre
The European Commission recently published the catalogue ‘a decade of EU-funded animal production research’ that brings together the fruits of European efforts during the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (FP7) – the main financial tool through which the European Union supports research and development activities. Wageningen UR Livestock Research, Central ...
-
West-African livestock farming offers opportunities for Dutch industry
By investing in livestock farming, Dutch industry can help improve food safety in West Africa. Taking a flexible and creative approach, and working alongside local partners, there is considerable potential in this respect. This is the conclusion of an analysis by Wageningen UR Livestock Research and La Ventana Consulting for the Ministries of Economic Affairs and Foreign Affairs. The analysis ...
-
Livestock surge may harm human health
Livestock intensification in developing countries, especially in Africa and Asia, may increase the incidence of epidemics that kill both humans and animals, the Vision 2020: Leveraging Agriculture for Improving Nutrition and Health conference, was told today. Livestock numbers are rising sharply due to both population growth — small-scale farmers depend on livestock for their livelihoods ...
By SciDev.Net
-
Cactus could feed East African livestock, say scientists
A succulent, wild-growing cactus that has been widely dismissed as a noxious weed could sustain African livestock during drought, according to scientists at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI). A paper by John Kang"ara and Josiah Gitari, animal nutritionists at KARI, concludes that Opuntia species — the prickly pear or paddle cacti — have extreme tolerance to drought and ...
By SciDev.Net
-
Innovative Solutions for Livestock Monitoring Using Axetris LGD F200
Ammonia monitoring of livestock requires new solutions Researchers at Harper Adams University, Shropshire, United Kingdom, built and tested a multi-channel ammonia monitoring system by integrating the Axetris LGD F200 with the goal of developing a system which would provide substantially higher measurement performance, while being cost-efficient and robust for real-world use. Extensive tests ...
By Axetris AG
-
Geneticists and smallholders in quest for perfect cattle
Dairy farmers in East Africa could soon benefit from superior, affordable cattle breeds through a US$1 million research project. The Dairy Genetics East Africa (DGEA) initiative aims to help smallholders take full advantage of the region's booming dairy sector and improve their incomes by giving them access to top quality breeds better suited to their local environments. The International ...
By SciDev.Net
-
Reduced phosphate excretion by dairy cattle by cutting at a later stage
The phosphorus content in grass is lower if the grass is cut at a later stage. This also means that the phosphate excretion of a dairy herd is reduced and farms that use BEX benefit from cutting later. But the energy and protein content of the grass is also less. In order to keep milk production at the same level, approx. 250 kg more concentrates are required per cow. Cutting at a later stage ...
-
Four degree rise `would scupper African farming`
A widespread farming catastrophe could hit Africa if global temperatures rose by four degrees Celsius or more, according to a study that calls for urgent planning for a much warmer future and investment in technology to avert disaster. In most of southern Africa the growing season could shrink by as much as a fifth, according to scientists at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) ...
By SciDev.Net
-
Africa could feed itself, says development expert
Africa could feed itself within a generation through the application of science-based techniques to agricultural production, according to the editor of a report on how to do this, which will be discussed by East African heads of state today. The continent has a window of opportunity in which to take decisions to increase food production that would enable it to feed itself, said the report, put ...
By SciDev.Net
-
Scientists warn of livestock greenhouse gas boom
Soaring international production of livestock could release enough carbon into the atmosphere by 2050 to single-handedly exceed 'safe' levels of climate change, says a study. Scientists combined figures for livestock production in 2000 with Food and Agriculture Organization projections for population growth and meat consumption by 2050. They found that the livestock sector's emissions alone ...
By SciDev.Net
-
Measuring how farm animals `feel`
The aim is to reduce stress and pain in livestock and increase not only their wellbeing but also their productivity. “With increased public concern about the welfare of animals, and consumers seeking ‘animal welfare-friendly’ products, Australia’s livestock industries are focused on improving farming practices to meet changing expectations,” CSIRO scientist Dr ...
-
Study finds gene clues to African cattle disease
Scientists studying the tsetse fly-borne disease "sleeping sickness" and a devastating version found in cattle say they have found two genes that may in future help rescue the livelihoods of millions of farmers in Africa. In a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) journal on Monday, the researchers said the genes should help cattle breeders identify animals that can ...
By SciDev.Net
-
Climate change could impact livestock production
Land used for livestock grazing; referred to range land in the western U.S. and pasture land in the eastern half of the country, encompasses over 584 million acres of non-Federal land and represents a very complex ecosystem. While the intensity of the management of these lands differs from parcel to parcel, there is no doubt they all play a vital role in livestock production. However, little ...
-
Improved internet access brings better mapping and spatial data to Kenya
Spatial information – including where different populations live and where natural resources are located – is essential for sound development planning and decision-making. A new website launched today, Virtual Kenya, opens up a wealth of maps and spatial data about the country for citizens and students to use. In 2007, the World Resources Institute published Nature’s Benefits ...
-
Root-imaging technology could improve crop resilience
Mexican researchers have welcomed a breakthrough in imaging plant roots, saying it could help breeders develop new varieties of crops that can thrive in harsh conditions. The technique uses X-ray computed tomography to build up a three-dimensional image by scanning through 360 degrees, a technology commonly used in hospitals to diagnose soft tissue damage. Scans of plant roots in soil show the ...
By SciDev.Net
-
Smartphone app offers cheap aflatoxin test for farmers
A smartphone application could offer a cheap way for African farming communities to manage cancer-causing toxins produced by a fungus that grows on crops while building a ‘big data’ set to assist research on outbreaks. The Lab-on-Mobile-Device (LMD) platform can detect aflatoxins as accurately as a laboratory test, but can be carried out anywhere at a fraction of the cost using a ...
By SciDev.Net
-
Farmers could cut emissions while boosting production
Farmers could earn more and protect the environment by using technologies and practices that reduce the global warming gases that livestock emit, according to a report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The report's five case studies suggest that the potential for mitigation is greatest among low-productivity ruminant producers in South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America ...
By SciDev.Net
-
New tool opens world of climate finance to dairy sector
The dairy sector will soon be able to participate in international carbon credit markets thanks to a new methodology that lets farmers and project designers reliably document how they are reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions - a step that will open up new sources of finance for the livestock industry and help promote investment in smallholder operations. FAO's new Smallholder dairy ...
-
Nepal sees potential in aquaponics
Nepal sees food security potential in aquaponics, a combination of aquaculture and hydroponics. Aquaculture efficiently farms fish species while hydroponics ensures controlled use of water and nutrients in plant cultivation. In aquaponics, water saturated with nutrient-rich fish excreta from aquaculture tanks is used in plant breeding before being circulated back. The technology produces fish ...
By SciDev.Net
Need help finding the right suppliers? Try XPRT Sourcing. Let the XPRTs do the work for you