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Preface
Weather and climate play an important role in animal husbandry and livestock production. While climate determines the adaptability of a particular animal in a given region, weather determines animal health and day-to-day performance. Polar bears and Penguins of polar and temperate zones and Kangaroo rats and camels of deserts are few examples of climate dependant. The temperate and tropical animals possess the optimum thermoregulatory mechanisms for adaptability in their respective environmental zones, though they are having more or less constant body temperature. When they are moved from their respective habitats the production performance is primarily compromised to cope up with change in weather conditions. Though the crossbred ofcattle rearedinthe tropical zones have partially inherited the genetic back up of high producing temperate cattle, the production is not up to the expected level in the tropical climate. Rise in global temperature is likely to be around 2-2.5°C by the end of this century with regional uncertainties in rainfall. It is a threat to the society linked sectors viz., Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Water Resources, Forestry, Biodiversity (both land and ocean), Infrastructure and Health. The adverse impact of climate change is already noticed across the World in the above society linked sectors due to weather related disasters in the form of cyclones, floods, droughts, cold and heat waves and sea level rise.
Livestock farmers are encountering new challenges in terms of shortage of labourers, rise in production costs, uncertain markets and more recently, increased weather / climate risks. Extreme weather events such as floods and droughts, heavy rainfall, avalanche, landslides, heat and cold waves, cyclonic storms, thunder storms, hail storms, sand storms and cloud bursts are not uncommon and likely to be frequentin ensuingdecades under projected climate change scenario. Deficit monsoon during 1965, 1966, 1972, 1984, 1987, 1997, 2002, 2004, 2009, 2012, 2014 and 2015 led to drought and adversely affected the national economy. The monsoon 2016 is no way different since northern regions of India experienced floods while drought in southern states due to deficit monsoon rainfall. Occurrence of sun burns, heat waves and heat bursts are not uncommon in recent years and such weather extremes are likely to be frequent in ensuing decades.Prolonged summerdrought,followed byheavy floodsduring the monsoon season aredetrimental todairy cattle, pig, goat and poultry farming directly or indirectly to a considerable extent. Climate change/variability is likely to influence animal reproduction cycles and diseases due to thermal stress and related issues. The human and wildlife conflicts due to deforestation and temperature rise across the HighRanges are likely to emergeunder the projected climate change scenario. The dynamics and interaction among animal insect pest species may vary and the scenario of major and minor animal diseases is likely to change. Therefore, it is important to understand the impact of climate variability or climate change on animal agriculture as a proactive measure to sustain animal health and livestock production in the event of climate change and global warming. Though the relevance of Livestock Meteorology is well recognised in the field of animal husbandry for sustenance of rural livelihoods long back it becomes predominant in recent years under the projected climate change scenario to tackle the issues related to climate change and animal agriculture. Realizing its importance, an attempt has been made to compile the work done from various partsof the Country to focus onimpacts of weather and climate on livestock and broadly abridged in this format as “Livestock Meteorology”.
Altogether twenty seven chapters are included in this textbook, covering basic aspects of atmospheric phenomena and its applications in the field of animal agriculture. Thefirst chapter covers the importance and scopeoflivestock meteorology includingweather abnormalities while basic concepts are covered in the second and third chapters. The third chapter also highlights definitions in relation to Bio-meteorology. The fourth chapter deals withmicroclimate and its effects in animal husbandry, highlighting the success of hatching Emu eggs with modification of microclimate. The chapter five dealswithroleof weather in animal husbandry, livestock production and management quoting various examples based on work done in various regions. The author attempted Temperature Humidity Index and its applications with modification of microclimate in enhancing dairy milk based on his own work in chapter six. Effect of heat stress on the productive performance of livestock and various weather extremes and multiple stresses are focussed in chapters seven and eight. Effect of temperature on milk production is highlighted in chapter nine while temperature regulation and heat exchange in chapter ten. The concepts in stress physiology are focussed in chapters 11 and 12 while the concepts in modelling and greenhouse gases in chapter 13. Ultra Violet radiation and sun burns are focussed in chapter 14. The impact of weather and climate is highlighted in the case of Foot and Mouth Disease in chapters 15 and 16 while climate and diseases in general covered inthe last chapter 27. Livestockadvisory based on weather forewarning is focused in chapter 17 while indigenous traditional knowledge focusing on behaviour of animals and birds in weather forewarning in chapter 18. The climate of India with seasons is covered in chapter19.Themeteorologicalinstruments inlivestockarehighlightedinchapter 20 and to some extent in chapter 17 also while chapter 21 deals with Automatic Weather Station and UV Bio-meter. Since units and computations are very important in the field of meteorological instrumentation, a separate chapter is included on units and computations in chapter 22. The statistical methods are very importantin the field of climatology and meteorology.Therefore, statistical methods in livestock meteorology are included in chapter 23. Chapters 24 again a sort of concept paper on effects of climate in livestock. Heat stress effect is felt directly on poultry sector and well known in poultry industry during summer in India and this subject is covered in chapter 25. Role of climate in reproductive pattern of small ruminants in the Humid Tropics is focussed in chapter 26.
In nutshell, the textbook revolves around basic concepts of livestock meteorology, effects of various weather elements and indices on animal physiology, relevance of modification of microclimate, livestock advisory based on weather forewarning, effects of weather and climate on diseases including UV radiation effects, meteorological instruments, units and computations, statistical methods in livestock meteorology and climatology of India.
This is unique publication in India and is of immense use to the students, faculty members, researchers, scientists and students of animal husbandry, livestock meteorology, climate science, climate change and animal agriculture. It will be a reference material to all those who are interested to understand the impact of weatherand climate on animal husbandry and livestock management. The Editors? earnest hope is that the textbook will be widely read and discussed among the scientific community in the field of climate change and animal agriculture.
Preface
Weather and climate play an important role in animal husbandry and livestock production. While climate determines the adaptability of a particular animal in a given region, weather determines animal health and day-to-day performance. Polar bears and Penguins of polar and temperate zones and Kangaroo rats and camels of deserts are few examples of climate dependant. The temperate and tropical animals possess the optimum thermoregulatory mechanisms for adaptability in their respective environmental zones, though they are having more or less constant body temperature. When they are moved from their respective habitats the production performance is primarily compromised to cope up with change in weather conditions. Though the crossbred ofcattle rearedinthe tropical zones have partially inherited the genetic back up of high producing temperate cattle, the production is not up to the expected level in the tropical climate. Rise in global temperature is likely to be around 2-2.5°C by the end of this century with regional uncertainties in rainfall. It is a threat to the society linked sectors viz., Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Water Resources, Forestry, Biodiversity (both land and ocean), Infrastructure and Health. The adverse impact of climate change is already noticed across the World in the above society linked sectors due to weather related disasters in the form of cyclones, floods, droughts, cold and heat waves and sea level rise.
Livestock farmers are encountering new challenges in terms of shortage of labourers, rise in production costs, uncertain markets and more recently, increased weather / climate risks. Extreme weather events such as floods and droughts, heavy rainfall, avalanche, landslides, heat and cold waves, cyclonic storms, thunder storms, hail storms, sand storms and cloud bursts are not uncommon and likely to be frequentin ensuingdecades under projected climate change scenario. Deficit monsoon during 1965, 1966, 1972, 1984, 1987, 1997, 2002, 2004, 2009, 2012, 2014 and 2015 led to drought and adversely affected the national economy. The monsoon 2016 is no way different since northern regions of India experienced floods while drought in southern states due to deficit monsoon rainfall. Occurrence of sun burns, heat waves and heat bursts are not uncommon in recent years and such weather extremes are likely to be frequent in ensuing decades.Prolonged summerdrought,followed byheavy floodsduring the monsoon season aredetrimental todairy cattle, pig, goat and poultry farming directly or indirectly to a considerable extent. Climate change/variability is likely to influence animal reproduction cycles and diseases due to thermal stress and related issues. The human and wildlife conflicts due to deforestation and temperature rise across the HighRanges are likely to emergeunder the projected climate change scenario. The dynamics and interaction among animal insect pest species may vary and the scenario of major and minor animal diseases is likely to change. Therefore, it is important to understand the impact of climate variability or climate change on animal agriculture as a proactive measure to sustain animal health and livestock production in the event of climate change and global warming. Though the relevance of Livestock Meteorology is well recognised in the field of animal husbandry for sustenance of rural livelihoods long back it becomes predominant in recent years under the projected climate change scenario to tackle the issues related to climate change and animal agriculture. Realizing its importance, an attempt has been made to compile the work done from various partsof the Country to focus onimpacts of weather and climate on livestock and broadly abridged in this format as “Livestock Meteorology”.
Altogether twenty seven chapters are included in this textbook, covering basic aspects of atmospheric phenomena and its applications in the field of animal agriculture. Thefirst chapter covers the importance and scopeoflivestock meteorology includingweather abnormalities while basic concepts are covered in the second and third chapters. The third chapter also highlights definitions in relation to Bio-meteorology. The fourth chapter deals withmicroclimate and its effects in animal husbandry, highlighting the success of hatching Emu eggs with modification of microclimate. The chapter five dealswithroleof weather in animal husbandry, livestock production and management quoting various examples based on work done in various regions. The author attempted Temperature Humidity Index and its applications with modification of microclimate in enhancing dairy milk based on his own work in chapter six. Effect of heat stress on the productive performance of livestock and various weather extremes and multiple stresses are focussed in chapters seven and eight. Effect of temperature on milk production is highlighted in chapter nine while temperature regulation and heat exchange in chapter ten. The concepts in stress physiology are focussed in chapters 11 and 12 while the concepts in modelling and greenhouse gases in chapter 13. Ultra Violet radiation and sun burns are focussed in chapter 14. The impact of weather and climate is highlighted in the case of Foot and Mouth Disease in chapters 15 and 16 while climate and diseases in general covered inthe last chapter 27. Livestockadvisory based on weather forewarning is focused in chapter 17 while indigenous traditional knowledge focusing on behaviour of animals and birds in weather forewarning in chapter 18. The climate of India with seasons is covered in chapter19.Themeteorologicalinstruments inlivestockarehighlightedinchapter 20 and to some extent in chapter 17 also while chapter 21 deals with Automatic Weather Station and UV Bio-meter. Since units and computations are very important in the field of meteorological instrumentation, a separate chapter is included on units and computations in chapter 22. The statistical methods are very importantin the field of climatology and meteorology.Therefore, statistical methods in livestock meteorology are included in chapter 23. Chapters 24 again a sort of concept paper on effects of climate in livestock. Heat stress effect is felt directly on poultry sector and well known in poultry industry during summer in India and this subject is covered in chapter 25. Role of climate in reproductive pattern of small ruminants in the Humid Tropics is focussed in chapter 26.
In nutshell, the textbook revolves around basic concepts of livestock meteorology, effects of various weather elements and indices on animal physiology, relevance of modification of microclimate, livestock advisory based on weather forewarning, effects of weather and climate on diseases including UV radiation effects, meteorological instruments, units and computations, statistical methods in livestock meteorology and climatology of India.
This is unique publication in India and is of immense use to the students, faculty members, researchers, scientists and students of animal husbandry, livestock meteorology, climate science, climate change and animal agriculture. It will be a reference material to all those who are interested to understand the impact of weatherand climate on animal husbandry and livestock management. The Editors? earnest hope is that the textbook will be widely read and discussed among the scientific community in the field of climate change and animal agriculture.