The complicated nature of beef cattle farming necessitated the development of an effective computerised cattle management system (cattle farm planning system). This system was developed and programmed to be a planning and optimising model for maximum profit for the farmer. Farming systems in South Africa differ markedly, and the emerging farmers as well as small-farming communities depend either entirely or partly on agricultural activities for their survival and income generation. The design was mainly focussed on the new group of emerging farmers as well as small-farming communities. Improving the productivity of agriculture has exercised the ingenuity of politicians, planners, researchers, and extension or development agency staff over the last 30 to 40 years (Norman, 1993). For this study the focus was mainly on medium framed cattle (utilised mainly by the emerging farmers). A mathematical model was developed with the use of data from previous researchers, on growth, fertility, mating and calving percentages and data on the dressing percentages, average producer prices as well as other expenses. Growth curves for animals with three different condition score's was used in conjunction with the expected meat prices and dressing percentages to calculate expected market prices on the hoof. Sales and marketing costs could be viewed on screen in order to show the farmer his profit margin. Using the information in the tables the system also determined the running costs for all cattle on the specific farm. The output of the program worked as follow. First, the marketing strategy was displayed. For each season the number of cattle recommended for sale was graphically displayed, together with the corresponding gross and net income. The user could also select the marketing strategy for a cattle group for the coming two years in each of eight seasons. The herd composition can also be displayed with financial information. The system was developed in order to give the farmer valuable information to help with the management of the farm.

Trends in smallholder livestock enterprises; The impact of the introduction of exotic cattle in East and southern Africa; Intensive animal feeding practices for optimum feed utilisation; Importance of strong research-extension linkages in increasing livestock production in sub-Saharan Africa; Research on smallholder dairy research programmes in subhumid areas; Dairy/beef production systems research programme in Malawi; Research on smallholder dairy production in coastal lowland Kenya; Smallholder dairy on-farm research in Burundi; Smallholder dairy in Ethiopia; Dual-purpose goat research in western Kenya; Contribution of crossbred goats to milk production and social welfare in Burundi; Dairy goat research and extension at Sokoine University of Agriculture (lowlands) and Mgeta (hithlands) areas of Tanzania; Dual-purpose cattle in central Tanzania; Peri-urban small-scale dairy research programme in Botswana; Research on small ruminant production systems in Zimbabwe; Disease control approaches; Economic implications of the control of East Coast fever in eastern, central and southern Africa; Immunisation of cattle against East Coast fever: experiences in Zanzibar; Sustainable control methods for ticks and tick-borne diseases in Africa; New vaccine strategies against heartwater; Economics of trypanosomiasis control: research implications; Development of smallholder dairying; Smallholder dairy production in Zambia; Smallholder dairy development in Malawi; Kenya National Dairy development project; Dairy development programme in Tanga, Tanzania; Smallholder dairy development programme in resettled and communal areas in Zimbabwe; Development of smallholder dairying in Zanzibar; Marketing options for livestock products: a total systems cum-managerial perspective; Other production systems; Group ranch concept and practice in Kenya with special emphasis on Kajiado District; Introduction of dairy cattle production systems in soil conservation areas; Wool and mohair production in Lesotho; Synthesis of constraints to livestock research and development and recommendations.

This publication constitutes a practical development tool, which implements the sustainable food value chain framework with a focus on small-scale livestock producers, targeting an audience of project design teams and policymakers. Small-scale livestock producers are important actors in food production, human health and management of landscapes and animal genetic resources. However, they face a number of challenges, which hamper their productivity, access to market, and competitiveness vis-à-vis their larger counterparts. By integrating the concepts of value addition and the three dimensions of sustainability, the sustainable food value chain framework not only addresses questions concerning the competitiveness, inclusion and empowerment of small-scale producers, but also incorporates the cross-cutting issues that are increasingly embedded in development projects. These guidelines take the user through the different steps of value chain development, highlighting the particularities of the smallholder livestock sector, such as multi-functionality, specific production cycles or food safety issues, through concrete examples.

A joint FAO and World Bank study which shows how the farming systems approach can be used to identify priorities for the reduction of hunger and poverty in the main farming systems of the six major developing regions of the world.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) produced a 2011 report on women in agriculture with a clear and urgent message: agriculture underperforms because half of all farmers—women—lack equal access to the resources and opportunities they need to be more productive. This book builds on the report’s conclusions by providing, for a non-specialist audience, a compendium of what we know now about gender gaps in agriculture.

Goat science covers quite a wide range and varieties of topics, from genetics and breeding, via nutrition, production systems, reproduction, milk and meat production, animal health and parasitism, etc., up to the effects of goat products on human health. In this book, several parts of them are presented within 18 different chapters. Molecular genetics and genetic improvement of goats are the new approaches of goat development. Several factors affect the passage rate of digesta in goats, but for diet properties, goats are similar to other ruminants. Iodine deficiency in goats could be dangerous. Assisted reproduction techniques have similar importance in goats like in other ruminants. Milk and meat production traits of goats are almost equally important and have significant positive impacts on human health. Many factors affect the health of goats, heat stress being of increasing importance. Production systems could modify all of the abovementioned characteristics of goats.