Category Archives: Animal Production

Africa / Animal Production / Ethiopia / ILRI / Indigenous Breeds / IPMS / Livestock / Markets / Poultry

Indigenous chicken production and marketing systems in Ethiopia

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This working paper by Fisseha Moges, Azage Tegegne and Tadelle Dessie on Indigenous chicken production and marketing systems in Ethiopia: Characteristics and opportunities for market-oriented development was released on 2 December, 2010. This working paper presents a synthesis of research findings undertaken in three woredas or districts  in Ethiopia. These woredas are Pilot Learning Woredas … Continue reading →

Africa / Animal Feeding / Animal Production / Geodata / GIS / Knowledge and Information / Livestock / South Africa / Southern Africa / Wildlife

South Africa: Satellite can help improve veld production estimates

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Satellite images could soon be used in South Africa to quantify veld production, estimate livestock carrying capacity and help farmers plan fodder flow, reports Roelof Bezuidenhout. Read more … (Meat Trade News) Continue reading →

Animal Production / Asia / Goats / India / Livestock / Small Ruminants / South Asia

India’s goat gamble

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It has been a slow and steady shift over decades. Forced by declining returns from farming in ecologically fragile areas, small farmers have been taking to goat rearing. Today, goats ensure income to five million households in India. It is now bonanza time, with demand for goat meat projected to shoot up. India will have … Continue reading →

Animal Production / Climate Change / Ethiopia / Food Security / Livestock

Climate, food security, and growth: Ethiopia’s complex relationship with livestock

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In a recent report, New York-based public policy action tank Brighter Green questions whether Ethiopia is not in fact constraining its chances of coping with expected increases in drought and erratic weather as a result of global warming by expanding its livestock population and intensive animal-agriculture sector. Brighter Green’s research examines whether Ethiopia can industrialize … Continue reading →

Africa / Agriculture / Animal Production / Climate Change / Crop-Livestock / Environment / ILRI / Livestock Systems / Poultry

Turkeys and spinach: Green foodies beware–the foods in our food systems are not always what they seem

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Seen at the Barrington Living History Farm (USA), this is most likely a Black-Spanish turkey, which was a common breed in the 19th century (photo credit: Big Grey Mare’s Photostream on Flickr / Carol Von Canon). Agricultural systems analyst Philip Thornton, of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), was interviewed last week by the American … Continue reading →

Africa / Animal Production / Climate Change / Goats / Livestock / Mozambique / Small Ruminants / Southern Africa

Mozambique adapting to climate change with goats

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People in the floodplains of Mozambique’s Zambezi Valley have always relied on the rains October and November so they could sow their seeds for a good harvest in the New Year. But, there are droughts and the rains are erratic, often coming very late and falling so heavily that everything is washed away. Crops fail, … Continue reading →

Animal Production / Climate Change / Livestock / Livestock Systems

Livestock-Climate Newsletter released

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The first issue of Chronicles, the quarterly newsletter of the Livestock-Climate Change Collaborative Research Support Program is now available on line and in paper formats. The Adapting Livestock Systems to Climate Change Collaborative Research Support Program (ALS-CC CRSP) was established in 2010. The goal of the Livestock-Climate CRSP is to to reduce vulnerability, increase adaptive … Continue reading →

Africa / Animal Production / East Africa / Fish / Kenya / Livestock / LIVESTOCKFISH / Poultry

How about integrating fish and chicken in a farm enterprise?

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In the lush green hilly countryside of Kirinyaga district, Central Kenya, a silent farming revolution is taking place. While tea is favoured crop mainly due to the cool weather in the areas close to the 5199 m snowcapped Mt Kenya, integrated chicken-fish farming is slowly taking root. Read more … (Kenya Agriculture Stories) Note: The … Continue reading →

Africa / Animal Production / Botswana / Insurance / Livestock / Livestock Systems / Southern Africa

Botswana welcomes livestock insurance

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The newly launched livestock insurance scheme will help improve business sustainability and productivity in the agricultural sub sector, the product promoters-Botswana Insurance Company-are confident. Read more: Midweek Sun (Botswana) Simbarashe Nembaware News blog More posts on livestock insurance Continue reading →

Animal Production / Asia / CGIAR / Markets / Pigs / Southeast Asia / Trade / Vietnam

Pork pathways out of poverty in Vietnam

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The UK Meat Trade News Daily reports on pork pathways out of poverty in Viet Nam. ‘Low labour costs and their ability to supply buyers with freshly slaughtered meat, a form most Vietnamese continue to prefer to the chilled or frozen meat from bigger piggeries. These are the conclusions of a three-year research project led … Continue reading →