Five experiments have been conducted to evaluate the effect of Calliandra calothyrsus leaves as a supplement to Napier grass on Indonesia Ettawah crossbred goats' perfonnance.

In order to meet increasing global demand for meat and animal by-products increasingly intensive animal production is necessary. Creating a sustainable system in animal agriculture that works in different production environments is a major challenge for animal scientists. This book draws together themes on sustainability that have emerged as the most pressing in recent years. Addressing practical topics such as air quality, manure management, animal feeds, production efficiency, environmental sustainability, biotechnology issues, animal welfare concerns, societal impacts and an analysis of the data used to assess the economic sustainability of farms.

Proper formulation of diets for small ruminants depends on adequate knowledge of their nutrient requirements.

The importance of grasslands. The classification and distribution of grasses. The world's major tropical grasslands. Performance and management of natural pasture. The case for improved pastures to replace indigenous species. Pasture improvement by introducing new species. Selection of pasture grass species, seed purchase and storage, and fertilizer needs. Pasture leys. Management of improved grassland in semi-intensive and intensive production systems. Reseeding the arid and semi-arid range. Handling difficult grasses. Grasses for special purposes. Utilization and conservation of forage. The chemical compostion and nutritive value of tropical grasses. The tropical grasses catalogue. Common names of tropical grasses. Common names of other plants. Index. Illustrations.

Agriculture and food systems, including organic agriculture, are undergoing a technological and structural modernization strongly influenced by growing globalization. Organic agricultural movements can be seen as a tangible effort towards more sustainable development. However, there are large differences between, on the one hand, industrialized farming and consumption based on global food chains and, on the other, smallholder farmers and resource poor people primarily linked in local food markets in low-income countries. This book provides an overview of the potential role of organic agriculture in a global perspective. The book discusses in-depth political ecology, ecological justice, ecological economics and free trade with new insights on the challenges for organic agriculture. This is followed by the potential role of organic agriculture for improving soil fertility, nutrient cycling and food security and reducing veterinary medicine use, together with discussions of research needs and the importance of non-certified organic agriculture.

Shrubs and Tree Fodders for Farm Animals

Papers presented at a conference held at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, UK, 5 March 1997.

The grasses. Classification and distribution. Environment in relation to some aspects of grass physiology. Day length. Light intensity. Temperature. Rainfall. Soils. The structure of the grass plant. Cultivation. Establishment. Management. Association with the legumes. Herbage yields. Conservation. Nutritive value. Reproduction. The structure of floral parts. Flowering and pollination. Fertilization. Apomixis. Seed. Seed germination. Seed production. The more important species. The legumes. Classification and distribution. The structure of the leguminous plant. Nitrogen fixation by the legumes. In mixture with the grasses. Cultivation. Pests and diseases. Yields, utilization. Chemical composition, nutritive value. Palatability, toxicity. Reproduction. The flowers. Flowring, pollination. Seed production and harvesting. Breeding. The more important species.