Management Of Domestic Animals Research Articles

Histoplasma seropositivity and environmental risk factors for exposure in a general population in Upper River Region, The Gambia: A cross-sectional study

Robust surveillance of Histoplasma species is warranted in endemic regions, including investigation of community-level transmission dynamics. This cross-sectional study explored anti-Histoplasma antibody seroprevalence and risk factors for exposure in a general population in Upper River Region (URR), The Gambia.Study participants were recruited (December 2022–March 2023) by random household sampling across 12 Enumeration Areas (EAs) of URR. A questionnaire and clinical examination were performed; exploring demographic, clinical and environmental risk factors for Histoplasma exposure. One venous blood sample per participant was subject to IMMY Latex Agglutination Histoplasma test to determine presence of a recent IgM response to Histoplasma. Seropositivity risk factors were explored by multi-level, multivariable logistic regression analysis.The study population (n = 298) aged 5–83 years, demonstrated a positively skewed age distribution and comprised 55.4% females. An apparent seroprevalence of 18.8% (n = 56/298, 95% CI 14.5–23.7%) was measured using the LAT. A multivariable model demonstrated increased odds of Histoplasma seropositivity amongst female participants (OR = 2.41 95% CI 1.14–5.10); and participants reporting involvement in animal manure management (OR = 4.21 95% CI 1.38–12.90), and management of domestic animals inside the compound at night during the dry season (OR = 10.72 95% CI 2.02–56.83). Increasing age (OR = 0.96 95% CI 0.93–0.98) was associated with decreased odds of seropositivity. Clustering at EA level was responsible for 17.2% of seropositivity variance.The study indicates frequent recent Histoplasma exposure and presents plausible demographic and environmental risk factors for seropositivity. Histoplasma spp. characterisation at this human-animal-environment interface is warranted, to determine public health implications of environmental reservoirs in The Gambia.The study was supported by Wellcome Trust (206,638/Z/17/Z to CES) and a University of Liverpool-funded PhD studentship (to TRC).

Stepping stones to extirpation: Puma patch occupancy thresholds in an urban-wildland matrix.

Habitat loss and fragmentation are the leading causes of species range contraction and extirpation, worldwide. Factors that predict sensitivity to fragmentation include high trophic level, large body size, and extensive spatial requirements. Pumas (Puma concolor) exemplify these qualities, making them particularly susceptible to fragmentation and subsequent reductions in demographic connectivity. The chaparral-dominated ecosystems surrounding the greater San Francisco Bay Area encompass over 10,000 km2 of suitable puma habitat, but inland waterways, croplands, urban land uses, and extensive transportation infrastructure have resulted in widespread habitat fragmentation. Pumas in this region now exist as a metapopulation marked by loss of genetic diversity, collisions with vehicles, and extensive human-puma conflict. Given these trends, we conducted a photo survey from 2017 to 2021 across 19 patches of predicted habitat and compiled a dataset of >6584 puma images. We used a logistic regression analytical framework to evaluate the hypothesis that puma patch occupancy would exhibit a threshold response explained by patch size, isolation, and habitat quality. Contrary to predictions, only variables related to patch size demonstrated any power to explain occupancy. On average, occupied patches were 18× larger than those where they were not detected (825 ± 1238 vs. 46 ± 101 km2). Although we observed pumas in patches as small as 1 km2, logistic regression models indicated a threshold occupancy probability between 300 and 400 km2, which is remarkably close to the mean male puma home range size in coastal California (~381 km2). Puma populations dependent on habitats below this value may be susceptible to inbreeding depression and human-wildlife conflict, and therefore vulnerable to extirpation. For species conservation, we suggest conflicts might be ameliorated by identifying the largest, isolated patches for public education campaigns with respect to management of domestic animals, and remaining connective parcels be identified, mapped, and prioritized for targeted mitigation.

Pig Management Strategies in the East Liao River Basin From the Bronze Age (c. 2000–256 BC) to the Liaojin Dynasties (907–1234 AD): Stable Isotope Analysis of Animals at the Changshan Site, Jilin Province, China

Pig domestication and management strategy has been increasingly discussed in recent years, focusing on the temporal-spatial differences of pig management strategies. The East Liao River Basin with diverse ecosystems, cultural exchanges, and collisions plays an important role in the cultural development, exchange, and integration processes between Northeast China and the Central Plains. Multiple studies have revealed that various forms of subsistence economy, such as nomadism, fishing and hunting, and farming, existed in this region. However, no report or discussion has been presented concerning the status of domestic animal management strategies over a long-term in the East Liao River Basin. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes analysis were performed on the fauna bones at the Changshan site in Siping, Jilin, China, from the Bronze Age (c. 2000–256 BC) to the Liaojin Dynasties (907–1234 AD), to reconstruct their dietary pattern and reveal the status of domestic animal management strategies, especially the diachronic changes in pig feeding strategies. The results showed that pigs (–19.3 ± 1.6%, 5.3 ± 0.9%, n = 27), horses (–18.4 ± 1.7%, 4.8 ± 1.4%, n = 7), and sheep (–19.8 ± 1.5%, 5.7 ± 0.5%, n = 6) primarily received their subsistence through C3-based food. Nevertheless, cattle (–16.4 ± 3.5%, 6.0 ± 2.1%, n = 2) and the past human (–13.9%, 10.3%, n = 1) lived on mixed C3/C4-based food. Notably, the stable isotope data for pigs from the Bronze Age (–19.1 ± 2.0%, 5.4 ± 1.0%, n = 9) to the Liaojin Dynasties (–19.8 ± 0.6%, 5.1 ± 0.7%, n = 15) were similar, indicating that the management and/or feeding strategy of domestic pigs were relatively stable with a free range in a wild ecosystem over a long period. Related studies have shown that pigs in captivity were mainly fed by millet-based food in the West Liao River Basin and the middle reaches of the Yellow River valley, where millet agriculture were adequately developed. Abundant natural resources, including plants, wild animals, and fishes, could provide sufficient food to the past population in the East Liao River Basin. Thus, the millet-based agriculture was just an auxiliary subsistence strategy in the Changshan site, leading to a gap in the driving force for long-term intensive management of pig.

Human-wildlife conflict in indigenous communities of the Nairi Awari Indigenous Territory of East Central Costa Rica

Abstract. Sáenz-Bolaños C, Fuller TK, Sievert L, Carrillo E. 2022. Human-wildlife conflict in indigenous communities of the Nairi Awari Indigenous Territory of East Central Costa Rica. Biodiversitas 23: 2238-2244. Human-wildlife conflict is essential for conservation because it is necessary to maintain the balance of requirements needed by humans and wildlife. Indigenous territories are not exempt from interactions with wildlife, and in this study, we focus on one indigenous territory of the Cabécar Indigenous Group of Costa Rica called Nairi Awari. We wanted to know which are the most common wildlife species, which interactions with these species the Nairi Awari consider negative, and what are the possible solutions to these interactions. To do this, we administered 24 semi-structured questionnaires to indigenous people from March-August 2019. The results showed 16 species as “problematic animals”, the jaguar (Panthera onca) being the most common, followed by hawks. Of the six problem categories identified, predation on poultry was the most cited category, but it raised fewer negative feelings among respondents than some other problems. Possible solutions to pig or cow predation, problems which most maddened respondents, included improved management (48%), scaring animals (12%), and killing big cats (16%). It is important to understand these perceptions in order to address future management to benefit conservation and human welfare. In particular, there is potential to work in the long term to improve the management of domestic animals.

Molecular Detection of Coxiella burnetii, Rickettsia africae and Anaplasma Species in Ticks from Domestic Animals in Lesotho.

Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) hamper the growth of the livestock sector and impose major constraints for the health and management of domestic animals in the tropic and subtropical regions globally. Currently, there is no scientific report on the presence of zoonotic pathogens transmitted by tick species in Lesotho. This study aimed to identify zoonotic tick-borne pathogens of economic importance from ticks infesting domestic animals in Lesotho using molecular techniques. A total of 322 tick DNA pools were subjected to PCR screening for the presence of zoonotic pathogens and sequenced. The overall prevalence of Anaplasma spp. was 35% (113/322), with a 100% infection rate in Rhipicephalus microplus, followed by R. evertsi evertsi (92%), Hyalomma rufipes and Otobius megnini sharing 50% and the lowest infection rate was observed in R. decoloratus with 40%. The prevalence of Coxiella burnetii, a gram-negative pleomorphic etiological agent of Query fever (Q fever), was 1% (2/322) for all screened samples, with 20% of R. decoloratus and 1% of R. e. evertsi infected. Rickettsia africae was detected from Hyalomma rufipes with a 70% prevalence. This study provides a baseline knowledge of tick-borne pathogens of medical and veterinary importance in Lesotho and raises awareness of the prevalence of such diseases within the tourism sector as they are mostly affected.

Insect-repelling behavior in goitered gazelles: responses to biting fly attack

Ungulates suffer greatly from a variety of biting flies, the results of which decrease their feeding and resting time and force them to move to lower-quality habitats and unvegetated areas. This in turn leads to weight loss in adults, lower milk production in mothers, and growth retardation in young. An ungulate’s first line of defense against blood-sucking flies is its insect-repelling behaviors that include head waving, ear flapping, tail flicking, and foot stamping. Ungulates also can respond to a biting fly attack by gathering into larger groups to lessen the number of flies per individual (dilution effect) and by finding microhabitats with lower temperatures and stronger winds, where fewer biting flies are found. In this paper, I considered the insect-repelling behaviors of goitered gazelles to better understand the protection strategies of wild ungulates against fly attacks to enhance the management of domestic animals. I found that (a) goitered gazelles demonstrated the highest rate of insect-repelling behavior during the hot and windless summer months, which was the most favorable time of year for biting fly activity; (b) smaller body-sized fawns and sub-adults performed fly defensive behaviors significantly less often than adults, while there were no differences in repelling behavior rates between adult males and females in spite of the discrepancy in their body sizes; (c) goitered gazelles increased their group sizes through the summer months of high biting fly activity; and (d) during summer, the gazelles used landscape features to find elevated and unvegetated sites with lower temperatures and higher wind speeds to lower fly activity. Blood-sucking fly activity is very likely a powerful environmental factor under which ungulate hosts significantly modify their behaviors in order to escape the pain and harassment—and lessen the costs—from biting fly attacks.

Biodiversity Conservation Requires Management of Feral Domestic Animals

The proliferation of feral domestic animals (FDAs) has been favored by human-induced landscape changes, a world population becoming increasingly urban, and by inappropriate management of domestic animals. Here, we describe the impact of FDAs and the opposing views in societies that affect the decision-making process and management actions. We provide general recommendations for the participatory management of this emerging threat to biodiversity and rural ecosystems.

Fetal and early postnatal development of the porcine tonsils of the soft palate

Tonsils are mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues located at the openings of the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts, which play a key role in the surveillance of inhaled or ingested pathogens and can concurrently be reservoirs of infectious agents. Therefore, tonsils are important for the immunology and hygiene management of domestic animals, including pigs. However, the process of their fetal developmental has been poorly described, at least in part, because rodents lack tonsils. Therefore, we performed a histological analysis of porcine tonsils of the soft palate from 60 to 100 days of gestation (DG) and from 2 to 14 days post partum (DP). This analysis showed that lymphoid aggregations first appear at DG65, gradually develop during the fetal stage, and expand after birth. In addition, the mRNA expression of chemokine genes involved in lymphoid aggregation and localization was analyzed. CCL19 expression showed the most marked increase and a sharp peak after birth. CCL21 expression changed moderately but showed an interesting bimodal pattern. CXCL13 expression steadily increased throughout the study period. Thus, we demonstrated the mRNA expression of chemokine characteristically changed accompanying tonsillar development.

Strategies to Reduce the Euthanasia of Impounded Dogs and Cats Used by Councils in Victoria, Australia.

Simple SummaryEuthanasia is used in developed countries as a method of population control for dogs and cats entering shelters and council pounds. This study analyzed all available dog and cat population, registration, intake and outcome data for the 79 Victorian councils. The majority (74%) of councils achieved euthanasia rates for dogs of ≤10%, but only one achieved that for cats, and mean cat euthanasia was 48%. Low euthanasia rates were associated with high rates of reclaim, and adoption of unclaimed animals. A telephone survey of 35 councils (44%) was undertaken to identify policies, practices and attitudes of staff to identify strategies that reduce euthanasia. It is envisaged this data could be used as a resource for councils to lower euthanasia rates.Using euthanasia to manage dog and cat overpopulation causes health issues and emotional stress in employees involved, increases staff turnover, and has financial, moral and ethical ramifications for communities. Welfare agencies and local government agencies (councils) share responsibility for managing companion animal populations. This study investigated Australian councils in the state of Victoria, to identify strategies used to reduce euthanasia. Statistics regarding animal populations, registration, intake, reclaim, rehome and euthanasia were obtained from the Domestic Animal Management Plan of each council. Of the 79 Victorian councils, 74% achieved ≤10% euthanasia of impounded dogs, which is widely quoted as zero euthanasia of adoptable and treatable animals. The mean euthanasia rates for cats by the councils was 48%, with only one council achieving a euthanasia rate of ≤10% for cats. Mean reclaim rates for dogs were higher (73%) than for cats (13%), as was the mean proportion of unclaimed dogs rehomed (71%), compared to cats (45%). Telephone questionnaires were conducted with animal management officers from 35 councils (44%). Those with low euthanasia rates had high reclaim rates and/or rehome rates. Reclaim, rehome and euthanasia rates for dogs and cats were not significantly different between councils that operated their own pound facilities and those that utilized the services of welfare organizations to operate pounds on behalf of the council. More council managers believed they would never achieve ≤10% euthanasia for cats (49%) than for dogs (11%). A variety of strategies were used by councils to achieve high reclaim and rehoming rates.

Questioning public perception, conservation policy, and recovery actions for honeybees in North America.

Global pollinator declines have resulted in an increasing number of policies and actions to help bee populations. In North America, there is strong public engagement, but also growing controversies over how to address declines. This is fueled by complex scientific evidence across species, habitat types, geographic regions, as well as intense lobbying by NGOs, beekeeping, agro-chemical and farming industries. Policy and conservation initiatives often focus on the Western Honeybee, Apis mellifera Linnaeus, a domesticated species not native to North America. Although losses of managed honeybee colonies are recorded annually, we argue that honeybee losses are not a conservation problem, but instead a domesticated animal management issue. By focusing attention on honeybees, policies and subsequent resources may undermine native bee conservation and have negative impacts ecologically and socially. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Constraints of Ruminant Rearing and Ethno-veterinary Practice Against African Animal Trypanosomosis in the Pastoral Area of Gaongho in Burkina Faso

In rural area of Burkina Faso, health management of domestic animals is a constant concern for low-income farmers. In this context, an ethno-veterinary survey was conducted among 62 farmers of ruminant in the pastoral area of Gaongho in Bazèga province to understand the rearing practice, to identify the main constraints of and the practices used against African trypanosomosis. For this, data were collected between March to June 2014 using a structured questionnaire and analyzed by descriptive statistics such as mean, frequency and percentages. The results showed that respondents were 48.3% literate and mainly of Fulani ethnic with an average age of 45 years. The main constraints of ruminant rearing for farmers are diseases (86.2%), particularly African Animal Trypanosomosis which is the most dominant (96.7%). To control this pathology, farmers practice modern (100%) and traditional (35.4%) medicine. Seventeen traditional herbal remedies are used to control trypanosomosis of ruminants in the area. Their modes of preparation and administration to ruminants are described according to surveyed farmers.

The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) plays a minor role in the epidemiology of the domestic cycle of Trichinella in Romania

Nematode worms of the genus Trichinella are zoonotic parasites with a worldwide distribution. The majority of the biomass of these nematodes circulates among wildlife, but when humans fail in the proper management of domestic animals and wildlife, Trichinella infections are transmitted from the sylvatic to the domestic environment. Such failures occur in Romania, where a high prevalence of Trichinella spiralis has been detected in domestic pigs. The aim of the present study was to provide data about the prevalence of Trichinella spp. infections in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) that are hunted in Romanian counties, in which the prevalences of Trichinella spp. infection in backyard and free-ranging pigs range from 0.17 to 2.5%, to determine the role played by this carnivore species in the transmission of the parasite to domestic cycle. A total of 121 animals from 45 hunting grounds of three counties were screened to detect Trichinella spp. larvae by the digestion method. Infections were detected in 26 (21.5%) foxes from 18 (40%) hunting grounds of the three counties (13/67 in Arad, 1/3 in Hunedoara, and 12/51 in Timiş). The mean larval density was 10.5 larvae per gram. Of the 25 successfully tested samples, the Trichinella larvae from 24 isolates were identified as T. britovi (96%), and the larvae from one isolate were identified as T. spiralis (4%). No mixed infections were recorded. The present results revealed that the red fox should be considered an important T. britovi reservoir in the sylvatic cycle; in contrast, the detection of only a single T. spiralis-positive isolate suggests that red foxes play a minor role in the epidemiology of the domestic cycle in the investigated area of western Romania.

The effect of stallions on social interactions in domestic and semi feral harems

Earlier research indicates that stallions may supress interactions of their harem members, leading to less stable hierarchies and friendship bonds in harems compared to non-stallion groups. In this paper, the effect of the presense of a stallion on the social behaviour of mares was studied by comparing six harems containing stallions to four mixed sex groups not containing stallions. Both temporary and permanent harems were studied, giving the possibility to investigate the effect of group stability on social interactions.A significant linear hierarchy was found in all non-stallion groups that were used for comparison, while the hierarchies were only found to be linear in three of the six harems containing stallions (Landaus h′, p<0.05). Aggression rate was lower (t-test, p<0.05) and fewer friendship bonds (G-test, p<0.0001) were found within the harems, compared to the groups without stallions. Stallions seldom intervene directly in interactions between harem members. Thus, our results give support to the hypothesis that stallions may suppress interactions of harem members, but in a more indirect way than with direct interference. In addition, our results give support for earlier findings that aggression rate may be affected by group stability. We found a higher aggression rate in the temporary harems compared to the permanent harems (Kruskal–Wallis, p<0.05) and in the temporary non-stallion group compared to the permanent non-stallion group. The results have significance for further research on social structure of mammals, and may be applied in management of domestic animals.

Controlling tick-borne diseases through domestic animal management: a theoretical approach

Vector-borne diseases are of global importance to human and animal health. Empirical trials of effective methods to control vectors and their pathogens can be difficult for practical, financial and ethical reasons. Here, therefore, we use a mathematical model to predict the effectiveness of a vector-borne disease control method. As a case study, we use the tick-louping ill virus system, where sheep are treated with acaricide in an attempt to control ticks and disease in red grouse , an economically important game bird. We ran the model under different scenarios of sheep flock sizes, alternative host (deer) densities, acaricide efficacies and tick burdens. The model predicted that, with very low deer densities, using sheep as tick mops can reduce the tick population and virus prevalence. However, treatment is ineffective above a certain threshold deer density, dependent on the comparative tick burden on sheep and deer. The model also predicted that high efficacy levels of acaricide must be maintained for effective tick control. This study suggests that benignly managing one host species to protect another host species from a vector and pathogen can be effective under certain conditions. It also highlights the importance of understanding the ecological complexity of a system, in order to target control methods only under certain circumstances for maximum effectiveness.

Quantification of Microbial Sources in Drinking-Water Catchments

A detailed literature review was undertaken of pathogen prevalence and concentration in fecal matrices and sewage effluent. Most of the reports described microbial prevalence rather than concentration and the majority of studies were from developed countries in Europe, the Americas, and Australasia. Prevalence varied from nondetected to up to 100% and reported values varied between studies for the same host and matrix. Juvenile animals typically had higher reported pathogen prevalence than adult animals. The reported prevalence of pathogens was usually higher in domestic animals than wildlife. Extensive variation in reported pathogen concentrations was observed covering up to four orders of magnitude for the same matrix. Similar to the trends in prevalence, the reported concentration of pathogens was higher among juvenile animals than among adults and generally higher in domestic animals than in wildlife. The source of variation was highest for reports of concentrations in feces and lowest for reports of the sewage effluent, presumably because the latter is effectively a pooled sample. Reported concentrations of pathogens in similarly treated sewage effluent were reasonably consistent between studies from different parts of the world, although it is noted that the countries from which the reports originated had similar socioeconomic characteristics. The priorities for reducing pathogen presence in water-supply catchments are to adequately treat domestic sewage before discharge and to improve the management of domestic animals to reduce levels of infection.

Unhealthy herds: Some epidemiological consequences of host heterogeneity in predator–host–parasite systems

Models in which all hosts respond in the same fashion to challenge by disease make a number of clear predictions regarding the ameliorating effect of predation on disease burden in prey populations. However, natural populations are typically exposed to a broad spectrum of stressors, some of which can induce changes in an individual's susceptibility to infection and transmission, as well as vulnerability to mortality once infected. When only a subset of the population is exposed to these other factors, host populations will express some heterogeneity in resistance to disease. Here I investigate the influence that such heterogeneity can have on the predicted beneficial epidemiological effect of predators on certain homogeneous prey populations. Results show that, under some conditions, predation can exacerbate disease burden in the heterogeneous prey population. I conclude that such a possibility might have implications for wild and domesticated animal management programs.

Epidemiological study on Clonorchis sinensis infection in Shenzhen area of Zhujiang delta in China

To study the transmission route and epidemiological features of Clonorchis sinensis infection in Shenzhen area, which is the biggest immigration city in the south of China, we examined 1,473 individuals (710 males and 763 females) to assess the current status of C. sinensis infection among the people in a village of Shenzhen in Zhujiang delta of Guangdong province, China. Freshwater snails, 630, of different species known as the first intermediate host of C. sinensis were collected and examined for cercaria infection, and 430 freshwater fishes of different species as the second intermediate host were examined for metacercaria infection. Among 1,473 people examined, 70 (4.75%) were found infected with C. sinensis. By counting eggs per gram feces (EPG), it was found that the intensity of infection in males was stronger than that of females, and the average EPG was 41.87 in all population. Snails, 1.15%, were infected with cercariae of C. sinensis. The average infection rate of freshwater fishes of 15 species with metacercariae of C. sinensis was 16.97%, and the carps reached the highest infection rate (40.74%). A questionnaire was designed with 12 questions covering socioeconomic conditions and human behavior, contamination of the environment, and fishponds. Of 1,473 interviewees, 54% did not know about fluke disease or its transmission route, 12% of those who knew about the fluke believed that the infection causes no harm or only slight harm to their health. Of the interviewees, 27%, ate raw fish at least one to two times per month. Of families, 5% used the same utensils for both raw fish and cooked food. Of the fishpond owners, 40% fed their fishes with feces of domestic animals and humans. All these factors of unhealthy behaviors, poor knowledge, inappropriate farming/fishery practices, and eating raw fish have made the prevalence of clonorchiasis increase in humans in the Shenzhen area. It is urgent to perform a control program, including health education, environmental modification, reform of traditional farming/fishery practice, mass screening, and chemotherapy for humans, and the management of domestic animals to decrease C. sinensis infection in the human population in Shenzhen.

Applications of GnRH in the control and management of fertility in female animals

Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) has long been recognized as a potential target for the control and management of fertility in female animals. Attempts to apply GnRH-based technology to manage fertility have focussed on the development of GnRH agonists, antagonists and vaccines. All of these methods have potential, but the widespread application of these technologies has been limited to date. The greatest advance in the use of GnRH-based technology for long-term fertility control in recent years has been the development and commercialization of depot formulations that release GnRH agonists for periods of up to 1 year. These products have a broad range of potential applications in production and domestic animal management. The further development and commercialization of GnRH vaccines has been hampered by the variability of response between individual animals. The need to use adjuvant and multiple boosters also make this a less attractive option than the current GnRH agonist technology. However, GnRH vaccines have the advantage that they do not induce the initial stimulatory response that follows GnRH agonist administration. GnRH antagonists and GnRH-toxin conjugates show promise but are in an earlier phase of development. To date, no depot or long-acting formulations of antagonists have been developed. GnRH-toxin conjugates have yet to achieve permanent sterilization, but further dose-response trials may advance this approach.

Pastoral Nomadism, a Sustainable System for Grazing Land Management in Arid Areas

ABSTRACT Pastoralism is reviewed as a sustainable means of natural resource use and management in dryland areas. Rather than its normal view as the aimless wandering in search of water and pasture, pastoral nomadism is presented in this paper as a complex set of practices and knowledge that has permitted the long-term maintenance of a sophisticated “triangle of sustainability” that includes plants, animals, and people. Pastoralism is presented as the integration of cropping systems, domestic animal management, natural resource conservation, and sociocultural organization. A strong case is made for the importance of such systems in the sustainable management of fragile dry or arid lands. Examples of such systems range from complex crop/animal rotations or interactions, to extensive forage and fodder systems in areas where agriculture without animals would otherwise be extremely difficult. A case is made for placing greater value on such agroecosystems as a viable and practical alternative for sustaining the landscape and the people who occupy it in strongly water-limited parts of the world.

Animal Husbandry

No phase of agriculture has made more distinct advance within the last century than that which relates to the care and management of domestic animals. Certainly no other makes quite so attractive an appeal to human nature. This may explain the numerous text-books on this subject which appear from time to time. In one of the latest of these, by means of a judicious interweaving of theoretical principles and sound practical instruction, Messrs. Waters and King have succeeded in promoting that degree of co-ordination which should exist between the science and practice of stock farming.