"Cows send out signals continuously about their health, well-being, nutrition, and production. The challenge for the dairy farmer is how to interpret these signals and use them. Dutch vet and cow enthusiast Jan Hulsen has drawn on his expertise and wide experience of cows and dairy farmers to write Cow Signals: a richly illustrated farmer's guide on how to interpret the behaviour, posture and physical characteristics of groups of cows and individual animals. When observing cows it is important not to jump to conclusions immediately, but instead always to ask yourself three questions: What do I see? Why has this happened? What does this mean? If you know what to look for, you can pick up the signals everywhere and any time. Cow Signals will show you how"--Back cover note.
Cows send out signals continuously about their health, well-being, nutrition and production. The challenge is to recognize and use these signals. Veterinarian and cow lover Jan Hulsen's well-illustrated book is the ideal practical guide for improving your observation of the behavior, posture and physical characteristics of cows, individually and in groups. --From publisher description.
The aim of this manual is to improve the welfare of dairy cattle in tropical developing countries, and by doing so, optimise cow and herd performance. It gives the stockmen and farmers directly concerned with the cattle a better understanding of animal behaviour and the ways cattle communicate their comfort or distress. The book discusses normal cattle behaviour and shows how domestication and breeding can affect behaviour to achieve high levels of production of milk, live weight gain and fertility. Animal welfare is important for producers because it can affect the health, production and contentment of cows. Animal welfare practices which adversely affect cow and herd performance on tropical small holder dairy farms are identified. Advice is then given to change the animal's environment or modify a handler's technique to ensure cattle have the degree of comfort needed to achieve more profitable and sustainable systems of livestock farming. Cow Talk will be a beneficial resource for farmers who want to improve animal welfare, farm advisers who can assist farmers to improve their welfare practices, educators who develop training programs for farmers and dairy advisers, and other stakeholders in tropical dairy production such as local agribusiness, policy makers and research scientists.
The success of robotic milking is based on the cows in the barn. This concerns housing, feed, care and working with the animals. Robotic Milking is a book about managing robotic dairy farms. It is full of practical information, management information and ideas. --From publisher description.
One of America's leading anthropolgists offers solutions to the perplexing question of why people behave the way they do. Why do Hindus worship cows? Why do Jews and Moslems refuse to eat pork? Why did so many people in post-medieval Europe believe in witches? Marvin Harris answers these and other perplexing questions about human behavior, showing that no matter how bizarre a people's behavior may seem, it always stems from identifiable and intelligble sources.
"Within a day of receiving this book, I had consumed it... Absorbing, moving, and compulsively readable."—Lydia Davis In this affectionate, heart-warming chronicle, Rosamund Young distills a lifetime of organic farming wisdom, describing the surprising personalities of her cows and other animals At her famous Kite's Nest Farm in Worcestershire, England, the cows (as well as sheep, hens, and pigs) all roam free. They make their own choices about rearing, grazing, and housing. Left to be themselves, the cows exhibit temperaments and interests as diverse as our own. "Fat Hat" prefers men to women; "Chippy Minton" refuses to sleep with muddy legs and always reports to the barn for grooming before bed; "Jake" has a thing for sniffing the carbon monoxide fumes of the Land Rover exhaust pipe; and "Gemima" greets all humans with an angry shake of the head and is fiercely independent. An organic farmer for decades, Young has an unaffected and homely voice. Her prose brims with genuine devotion to the wellbeing of animals. Most of us never apprehend the various inner lives animals possess, least of all those that we might eat. But Young has spent countless hours observing how these creatures love, play games, and form life-long friendships. She imparts hard-won wisdom about the both moral and real-world benefits of organic farming. (If preserving the dignity of animals isn't a good enough reason for you, consider how badly factory farming stunts the growth of animals, producing unhealthy and tasteless food.) This gorgeously-illustrated book, which includes an original introduction by the legendary British playwright Alan Bennett, is the summation of a life's work, and a delightful and moving tribute to the deep richness of animal sentience.
REBHUN'S DISEASES OF DAIRY CATTLE, 2nd Edition is your all-in-one guide to bovine disease management. With thorough, up-to-date coverage of differential diagnosis methods, surgical and therapeutic treatment options, and prevention strategies, it provides vital information for battling bovine diseases in both dairy and non-dairy cattle. The book is organized by body system for quick, convenient reference, and this new edition meets the growing need for management of both diseases of individual cows and problems affecting whole herds. - Individual case presentations provide a valuable tool for differential diagnosis. - Practical overviews for procedures such as blood transfusion, abdominal paracentesis, and ECG give you reliable support for some of the most common procedures in bovine care. - Body systems organization makes diagnosis easier and more effective by isolating system-specific diseases and conditions. - Full-color design and over 200 new photographs depict disease processes in realistic clarity and ensure the most accurate diagnosis and treatment. - Emphasis on herd health addresses the dairy industry's increased concern over population medicine. - Expanded coverage of lameness highlights key problem areas in bovine feet. - Revised drug usage recommendations and legal considerations present the most current information in these critical areas to help you prevent dangerous or costly errors. - Additional public health/safety considerations identify diseases that pose a substantial public threat and detail special measures for related care of dairy cattle. - New, innovative DVD features real-time videos of neurologic case studies, ultrasound and endoscopy procedures, and imaging techniques that familiarize you with the latest technological equipment and protocols. - Features coverage of the latest treatment innovations including antibiotic residue testing, care of individual metabolic disease, troubleshooting, and much more.
Intraspecific communication involves the activation of chemoreceptors and subsequent activation of different central areas that coordinate the responses of the entire organism—ranging from behavioral modification to modulation of hormones release. Animals emit intraspecific chemical signals, often referred to as pheromones, to advertise their presence to members of the same species and to regulate interactions aimed at establishing and regulating social and reproductive bonds. In the last two decades, scientists have developed a greater understanding of the neural processing of these chemical signals. Neurobiology of Chemical Communication explores the role of the chemical senses in mediating intraspecific communication. Providing an up-to-date outline of the most recent advances in the field, it presents data from laboratory and wild species, ranging from invertebrates to vertebrates, from insects to humans. The book examines the structure, anatomy, electrophysiology, and molecular biology of pheromones. It discusses how chemical signals work on different mammalian and non-mammalian species and includes chapters on insects, Drosophila, honey bees, amphibians, mice, tigers, and cattle. It also explores the controversial topic of human pheromones. An essential reference for students and researchers in the field of pheromones, this is also an ideal resource for those working on behavioral phenotyping of animal models and persons interested in the biology/ecology of wild and domestic species.
Large Animal Internal Medicine, 4th Edition features a problem-based approach with discussions of over 150 clinical signs. This is the first internal medicine reference that enables you to efficiently diagnose horses, cattle, sheep, and goats based on clinical observation and laboratory and diagnostic testing. With this user-friendly format, you can find essential information about specific diseases and reach a diagnosis by simply identifying the signs. - A unique problem-based approach with discussions of over 150 clinical signs and manifestations helps you quickly reach a diagnosis based on observations and laboratory tests. - Causes of Presenting Signs boxes provide easy access to complete lists of common, less common, and uncommon diseases associated with manifestations or signs of disease. - Complete lists of diseases associated with a given lab abnormality in Causes of Abnormal Laboratory Values boxes help you easily interpret abnormalities in clinical chemistry, hematology, blood proteins, and clotting tests. - An expert team of over 180 authors contributing information in their areas of expertise ensures you are using the most accurate and up-to-date information available. - Color plates accompanying Diseases of the Eye and Diseases of the Alimentary Tract enable you to visually recognize the clinical appearance of ophthalmologic conditions and alimentary tract disorders for quick and easy diagnosis and treatment. - NEW! Extensively updated content from expert authors clarifies the latest research and clinical findings on pain, the nervous system, toxicology, BVD, malignant catarrhal fever, bluetongue, and strong ions. - NEW! Vaccines and vaccination protocols keep you up-to-date with the information you need to prevent newly emerging diseases in large animals. - NEW! Expanded coverage of the veterinarian's role in animal welfare; equine abdominal ultrasound; DNA, genetic, and PCR testing; and colostrum supplements and replacers supplies you with the most current large animal internal medicine information. - NEW! Current information on foreign animal diseases dangerous to large animals in the US, including coverage of rinderpest, keeps you aware of diseases that can be transmitted from other countries.
