About Book

Livestock have provided crucial contributions for the human wellbeing in social and economic terms since the time of civilisation and domestication of animals. Livestock systems have drastically evolved since then and in light of global challenges such as climate change, population growth and the urgency of ensuring the availability of nutritious and secure food for everybody, the optimisation of sustainable livestock production is more important than ever. Livestock are domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber, and labour. Originally, livestock were not confined by fences or enclosures, but these practices have largely shifted to intensive animal farming, sometimes referred to as factory farming. Livestock production continues to play a major economic and cultural role in numerous rural communities. This book elucidates new techniques and applications of livestock production in a multidisciplinary approach. It discusses this topic in detail and provides deep insights about the fundamentals of this subject. It focuses on livestock production systems, livestock wastewater, biochar adsorption treatment, giardiasis, livestock-wildlife interface, bovine livestock, tropical forage legumes and livestock feeds. It will also give detailed explanations about the practices of animal welfare and environmental impact. Some of the diverse topics covered in the book address the different branches that fall under this category. It presents this complex subject in the most comprehensible and easy to understand language. Those in search to broader their knowledge about livestock production will be greatly assisted by this book.

Preface............................................................................................................v

Chapter 1 Introductory Chapter: Applications of Stress Endocrinology in Wildlife Conservation and Livestock Science.....................................1

1. Introduction............................................................................................1

2. Stress endocrine response....................................................................2

3. Applications of stress hormone measurements..............................3

4. Conclusion..............................................................................................7

Chapter 2 Exploration of Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) By-Products as Valuable Potential Resources in Livestock Feeds and Feeding Systems.....10

Abstract.................................................................................................10

1. Introduction..........................................................................................11

2. Cocoa by-products used in ruminant feeding..............................12

3. Effects of cocoa by-products based diets on the performance of

ruminant animals................................................................................15

4. Effects on reproductive indices and health status of ruminant

animals..................................................................................................15

5. Improvement of nutritive value of cocoa by-products...............16

6. Cocoa by-products and its application in monogastric

nutrition................................................................................................16

7. Enzyme addition improves utilization of cocoa by-products in

poultry feed..........................................................................................19

8. Conclusion............................................................................................21

Chapter 3 Giardiasis: Livestock and Companion Animals................................28

Abstract ................................................................................................28

1. Introduction ........................................................................................28

2. Transmission and clinical disease ..................................................30

3. Giardiasis in livestock........................................................................31

4. Companion animals............................................................................35

5. Diagnosis...............................................................................................37

6. Treatment..............................................................................................39

7. Conclusions..........................................................................................40

Chapter 4 Biochar Adsorption Treatment for Typical Pollutants Removal in

Livestock Wastewater: A Review..........................................................55

Abstract.................................................................................................55

1. Introduction..........................................................................................56

2. Biochar preparation methods and characteristics.........................57

4. Biochar adsorption mechanism .......................................................61

5. Conclusion and prospect ..................................................................63

Chapter 5 Phosphorus Recovery by Struvite Crystallization from Livestock

Wastewater and Reuse as Fertilizer: A Review.................................70

Abstract ................................................................................................70

1. Introduction ........................................................................................71

2. Struvite characteristic ........................................................................72

3. Mechanism of struvite crystallization.............................................74

4. The factors influencing struvite crystallization.............................76

5. Crystallizer of struvite ......................................................................79

6. Application of struvite as a fertilizer..............................................82

7. Summary and outlook ......................................................................83

Chapter 6 Securing Sustainable Livestock Production Systems in an Uncertain

Economic Climate: Nurturing Flexibility and Resilience...............91

Abstract.................................................................................................91

1. Introduction..........................................................................................92

2. Flexibility in management sciences.................................................93

3. Social-ecological resilience: a kind of flexibility?..........................96

4. Leverages to enhance flexibility in livestock systems.................97

5. Discussion and conclusion..............................................................103

Acknowledgements...........................................................................105

Chapter 7 Livestock Methane Emission: Microbial Ecology and Mitigation

Strategies...................................................................................................111

Abstract...............................................................................................111

1. Introduction........................................................................................112

2. Livestock GHG emissions...............................................................113

3. Rumen environment.........................................................................115

4. Microbial diversity and abundance in rumen............................117

5. Methane mitigation strategies........................................................120

Chapter 8 Tropical Forage Legumes in India: Status and Scope for Sustaining

Livestock Production..............................................................................137

Abstract...............................................................................................137

1. Introduction........................................................................................138

2. Forage legumes in livestock production......................................138

3. Forage legumes in soil health and ecosystem services.............140

4. Genetic resources of tropical forage legumes.............................141

5. Problems associated with breeding of tropical forage

legumes...............................................................................................145

6. Major forage legumes of India.......................................................145

7. Conclusion..........................................................................................152

Chapter 9 Factors of Competitiveness for the Bovine Livestock in Yucatan,

Mexico........................................................................................................160

Abstract...............................................................................................160

1. Introduction........................................................................................160

2. Literature review, methodology and results...............................162

3. Conclusions and recommendations...............................................173

Chapter 10 Community-Based Conservation: An Emerging Land Use at the

Livestock-Wildlife Interface in Northern Kenya............................178

Abstract...............................................................................................178

1. Introduction........................................................................................179

2. Methods..............................................................................................181

3. Community-based conservation initiatives in Ewaso Nyiro

basin.....................................................................................................183

4. Discussions.........................................................................................189

5. Conclusions and recommendations...............................................195

Citation......................................................................................................203

Index...........................................................................................................205

About Author

Lucy Hu obtained her Ph.D. in Animal Science from Public University of Science, Chiba. She has all-inclusive areas of academic and research interests, which include animal husbandry, livestock management and livestock production. She serves as an Associate Lecturer at Community College, Copenhagen. Lucy has written several books and research papers on behavior of domestic animals, adaptation of domestic animals, and reproduction and breeding techniques for animals. She is also a member of several scientific and agricultural societies, where she continues to share her expertise and knowledge in the field of livestock production and its management.