eChapters

Livestock production is an integral part of agriculture and plays a significant economic role in most developing countries. It contributes to poverty alleviation, food security and provides elements that are essential to the national economy. Livestock production accounts for 40% of the gross value of the agricultural production globally and this figure is likely to go up, as the demand of livestock products is increasing rapidly with the increase in income and urbanization (FAO, 2012). For poor farmers, animal ownership ensures varying degrees of sustainable development and economic stability. Livestock provide a stable cash reserve independent of inflation and are an important source of traction. Livestock are closely linked to the social and cultural lives of several million people. Quality and quantity of feed is essential for optimum animal productivity. Inadequacy of quality animal feed resources is most often the crucial factor for livestock production. The success of livestock is greatly dependent on continuous supply of good quality nutritious feed at competitive price. Poor nutrition of animals has been identified as the major constraints to animal production across the developing world (FAO, 2000). Feed is the major input cost in animal production system, accounting for 65-70% of the total rearing cost.

Tree tomato belongs to the family solanaceae, genus Cyphomandra and species betacea. The Cyphomandra genus is made up of about 30 species. Shaw (1996) has reported that Cyphomandra genus consists of 35 species confined to the New World tropics. They were earlier described under the genus Solanum. They can be separated from Solanum  by several characters, the most important being anther characters. In Cyphomandra in the anther the connective is thickened and expanded dorsally. As a result, it is clearly differentiated from the anther thecae, which is thin walled and papillose.

Economically important plant in this genus is Cyphomandra betacea. Other important related species are Cyphomandra casana (Casana), C. craccifolia (Mountain tomato) and C. fragrans (Guava tamarillo). It has got distant affinity with Lycopersicon esculentum (Tomato), Physalis ixocarpa (Tomatillo), P. peruviana (Cape gooseberry), Solanum muricatum (Pepino Dulce) and S. sessiliflorum (Cocona).

The ultrasonography is a technique which uses sound waves of very high frequency to scan the various organs of the body. The ultrasound waves of 2-10 mHz frequency are used in veterinary practice. A quartz crystal when stimulated by short pulse current ultrasound waves are emitted. The ultrasound waves emitted are directed towards a specific target organ are reflected back as echoes. The echoes are received by the same quartz crystal and are processed in the electronic circuit and finally displayed as image on the monitor.

ALL MATTER IS IN MOTION

Everything moves:

In the atom electrons rotate around the nucleus

In gases, liquids and even solids molecules move away from other molecules

An accumulation of matter (i.e., a baseball) can move as a unit

The average velocity of movement is the distance travelled divided by the time

Bodies in motion have energy; the faster the velocity the more energy

Soil- Soil is the upper most crust of earth surface which supports plant growth. It is defined as a three phase system in which plants grow. These phases are solid, liquid and gas and are essential. Solid part is frame which provides space for other two. This consists of minerals, clay minerals and organic matter. The soil is also a living system with millions of microbes that breakdown organic matter and builds it again.

Some points are following

Microbes are essential and survive only when soil is well aerated and rich in organic matter and devoid of waterlogged conditions.

Texture of soil depends on the size of solid particles and classified as gravel, coarse and fine sand, silt and clay.

Soils are classified according to relative distribution of these particles and there are 12 textural classes.

Likewise, arrangement of these particles is referred as structure, and both texture and structure lend soil physical properties like water holding capacity, aeration and bulk density.

Generally loamy soils and crumb structure are most preferred for fruit crops.

According to level of organic matter, soils are classified as mineral soil or organic soil and soil having more than 20% organic matter is organic soil like peat and muck.

The word soil is derived from the Latin word ‘Solum’ means soil. In general the top 15-20 cm cultivated layer is referred as soil. It is a loose and unconsolidated outer layer of the earth crust that is crumbly and powdery in nature. Soil below the plough layer is called subsoil.

Soil is formed by weathering of rocks. Weathering may be physical or chemical or both. Factors of soil formation are parent material, climate, living things-plants, animals and microorganisms, topography and time. Soil formation is a function of parent material (P), climate (C), topography (T_o), life (L) and time (T) which is represented by f(P C To L T).

Edmond Nocard (French veterinarian) first isolated filamentous aerobic bacteria from clinical cases of ‘bovine farcy’ in 1888. In 1889, the genus Nocardia was formed by Trevisan and the bacterium originally described by Nocard was named as Nocardia farcinica. In 1891, another similar bacterium (Nocardia asteroides) was isolated by Eppinger from a human brain abscess. Initially it was thought that they are the same bacteria. On the basis of the genetic differences the separate entity was established later.

The re-examination of Nocard’s original isolate revealed the existence of two different filamentous bacteria i.e. Mycobacterium and Nocardia. The cause of ‘bovine farcy’ has been subsequently attributed to Mycobacterium. Later, it is proved that Mycobacterium farcinogenes is the actual causative agent of ‘bovine farcy’.

Objective

1. To classify the various spices and condiments.

Types of classification: spices and condiments are classified on the following basis:

1. Classification on the basis of economic importance
2. Classification on the basis of parts used
3. Classification on the basis of climatic requirements
4. Classification on the basis of life cycle
5. Classification on the basis of taxonomy
6. Botanical classification

11.1 Introduction

More than 70% of Earth’s surface is covered by the ocean, the world’s largest solar energy collector and storage system. By utilizing only a small portion of this energy, we can meet all the energy needs around the world. As long as the sun shines and there are natural ocean currents, Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) energy source is free, abundant, and continually replenished. It is estimated that 3 to 5 terawatts (1 terawatt is 1012 watts) of baseload power generation can be practically harvested without affecting ocean temperatures or the environment of the planet. this is about the twice the global demand for electricity. Oceans are therefore an abundant renewable resource, offering a sustainable method for the production of electricity in the future. 

The mast cell tumors are focal or multicentric in nature in the skin and occasionally in the internal organs. It is more common in middle aged dogs without sex predilection.

Introduction

The dawn of the 21st century brings with it unprecedented challenges for agriculture - challenges that demand a departure from conventional practices and a harmonious integration of spirituality and sustainable methodologies. In this pursuit, Bio Dynamic Farming emerges as a beacon, guiding farmers to cultivate not only crops but also a deeper understanding of the spiritual dimensions intertwined with the earth's rhythms. Rooted in the visionary teachings of Rudolf Steiner and his anthroposophical principles, Bio Dynamic Farming transcends the mechanistic view of agriculture, offering a holistic paradigm where spirituality and sustainable agriculture dance in unison.

K ration: It is a lightweight packaged ration of emergency foods developed for the U.S. armed forces in World War II (Plate 371).

Kaiser rolls: A round crusty roll often used for sandwiches (Plate 372).

Kalamata /calamata: It is brine cured black olive grown in Greece.

Kamucha: Tea cider or fermented tea beverages is known as kamucha. The fermentation process take place by the presence of yeast and bacteria

Kanji: Clean, black coloured, crisp and sound product of characteristic flavor prepared by full fermentation (chiefly lactic acid fermentation) of black carrot with 2.5% salt, 1% powder mustard and some amount of water. It is fermented to make ready to serve drink which is known as Kanji. Each kilogram of the grated carrots yields just 7-8 litres of kanji.

Karl Fischer Titration: Karl Fischer Titration is used for estimation of moisture content of foods (low moisture products).

Kasseri cheese: The simple unpasteurized sheep’s milk cheese (sometimes mixed with goat’s milk) is called kasseri. It is popular in Greece. It is made in the shape of wheel, fairly firm and pale yellow (Plate 373). The word kasseri comes from the Turkish kasar which means that it has ability to hold its shape when heated.

Backyard farming is an unorganized sub sector of poultry industry. India has nearly 60 percent of its population living in rural areas. However, in the present scenario most of the commercial poultry production is concentrated in urban and semi urban areas due to high demand. Only 25 percent population living in urban area consumed about 75-80 percent of eggs and poultry meat. Nonavailability of poultry products and low purchasing power of the rural people devoid them of access to the highly nutritious products like egg and meat, thereby, resulting in malnutrition. Free range and small scale semi commercial
back-yard poultry production can be advantageously promoted in rural areas, as the large commercial poultry production continues to be concentrated in urban and semi-urban locations. It can be used as a powerful tool for alleviation of rural poverty, eradication of malnutrition and creation of gainful employment in vast rural areas (Sharma and Chatterjee, 2009; Rajkumar et al., 2010).
The most basic and simple backyard production system involves a few hens and a cockerel is essentially a closed system. Home-produced fertile eggs arehatched to provide replacements, birds feed by  scavenging or are provided with household scraps and crop by-products; there are virtually no veterinary inputs and the remaining eggs and meat produced are consumed within the household. Such very simple subsistence poultry production systems are probably quite rare. Producers with even slightly larger flocks, generate cash income from the sale of eggs and birds within the local community. Transactions may take place directly between producers and consumers, but traders and other market intermediaries may be involved, selling on to other sectors of the poultry industry. Village or backyard production systems are widely distributed and exist in both rural and urban areas. It is estimated that today in India, about 18 percent of total poultry output is derived from backyard production. 

The One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) scheme is a cornerstone of India’s ambition to become a self reliant and developed nation by 2047 envisaged by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji. The initiative is a significant step to enhance access to scientific and academic resources across the country. This initiative can positively impact Indian journal ratings and boost subscriptions by addressing several challenges listed below:
• Increased Access to Global Resources
• Enhanced Research Quality 118 | Promoting Excellence in Agricultural Sciences
• Support for Smaller Institutions
• Boost to Indian Journals
• Fostering Interdisciplinary Collaboration
By bridging gaps in resource accessibility and improving research output, ONOS can play a pivotal role in elevating the status of Indian journals on global platforms. While evaluating Indian Journals of Agricultural and Allied Sciences, comprehensive and inclusive databases with many characteristics listed below should be adopted so as to ensure equal focus and benefit from international exposure:
• The database should have regional and multi-lingual journals with proper translation or abstracting, interdisciplinary research output, more and new journals/technical reports/official scientific documents/conference proceedings etc, open access for smaller journals to ensure readily accessible cutting-edge research in agriculture
• The database should provide more nuanced metrics that value realistic impact and localized research contributions considering immediate practical applications
• The database should include a wide range of journals across diverse disciplines, including agriculture, forestry, veterinary sciences, and environmental science with more inclusion of regional and specialized journals, providing access to a broader spectrum of agricultural research
• The database should emphasis on journals from developing regions, which often publish research addressing local agricultural challenges. This diversity helps in showcasing research contributions from regions/countries with significant agricultural economies
• The database of agriculture-related journals should overlap with other related fields viz., environmental science, biology, and social sciences, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of agriculture. This helps researchers access a more comprehensive set of resources
• The database have detailed subject areas, allowing researchers to pinpoint agricultural science journals within relevant subfields like:

Silage is the material produced by controlled fermentation of forages or crop residues with high moisture content. The objective of silage making is to preserve the harvested forages by anaerobic fermentation in which soluble carbohydrates are converted into acids. Due to acid produced, pH of a well-ensiled product becomes so low that all life processes come to a halt and the material remain preserved so long as it remains in airtight storage. Soluble carbohydrate present in forage is converted to lactic acid which drops the pH to a level sufficient to inhibit any further biological activity in the ensiled forage mass (McDonald, 1991). Fresh forage crops, such as maize, grasses, legumes, wheat and Lucerne, can be preserved by ensiling. It is essential to have a good microbial fermentation process to produce high quality silage. Good silage is achieved by discouraging the activity of plant enzymes and undesirable micro-organisms and encouraging the dominance of lactic acid bacteria. A good fermentation process is not only dependent on the type and quality of the forage crop, but also on the harvesting and ensiling technique. Silage-making is a managemental tool that allows producers to match feed resources (forages, crop residues, agro-industrial byproducts, etc.) with feed demand for a dairy herd.

Water

Water is one of the most important inputs essential for the production of crops. Plants need it continuously during their life and in huge quantities. It profoundly influences photosynthesis, respiration, absorption, translocation and utilization of mineral nutrients etc. Both its shortage and excess affects the growth and development of a plant directly and consequently its yield and quality.

Soil needs the application of water to:

Remove stress condition.

Release nutrients in the soil solution for absorption by plants.

Leach or wash out injurious salts from the soil.

Preparation of land for raising crops.

To maintain the temperature and humidity of the soil micro-climate and the activity of soil microbes at optimum level.

For the normal aeration and functioning of roots and shoots of the plants.

Excess water needs to be removed for the normal aeration and functioning of roots and shoots of the plants

Excess water creates unworkable soil condition.

Soil fertility is the ability of the soil to supply all the essential nutrients in optimum amount in balanced proportion in a form readily available to plants under conditions favourable for plant growth and should be free from toxic substances.

Soil productivity: Soil productivity is defined as the capability of soil for producing a specified crop or sequence of crops under defined set of management practices. It is measured in terms of outputs or harvests in relation to the inputs of production factors for specific kinds of soils under a physically defined system of management according to USDA (1957).

Objectives

1. To know the botanical and other names of spices and condiments.
2. To identify the family, plant habit and plant part used of spices and condiments.

Background and Technology Intervention

Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) describes planned storage and treatment of water in aquifers which can provide cheapest form of new safe water supply for towns and small communities (British Geological Survey, 2006). It is a part of a groundwater manager’s tool which is useful for replenishing and re-pressurising depleted aquifers, controlling saline intrusion or land subsidence as well as improving water quality through filtration and chemical and biological processes. MAR can enhance volumes of groundwater abstracted through different package of measures and restore groundwater balance. It also plays a vital role in smoothing out supply and demand fluctuations, stabilizing over-exploited groundwater levels, reducing evaporation losses and runoff, maintaining environmental flows in streams and rivers, improving water quality and augmenting the reuse of waste and storm water. In recent times, MAR uptake has been very limited.