eChapters

This chapter introduces harvesting as the first major stage at which fleece quality can be preserved or lost. It discusses shearing methods, timing, hand and machine shearing and appropriate animal handling. Post-shearing operations including skirting, rolling, classing, pressing, baling, storage and transportation are examined. Particular emphasis is placed on contamination control, especially prevention of dark fibres and synthetic materials. Indian shearing practices and opportunities for improved training, hygiene and automated systems are also discussed.

Abstract

Jasmine production in coastal Karnataka was confined to only few farmers with some specified pockets of coasted belt. Only a hand full of farm women in Belman, Manchakal areas were cultivating jasmine successively. The scientists of Extension Education Unit (EEU), Mangalore Campus of University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore visited the area and conducted a Survey during September 2001 and gathered information about farmers practicing jasmine production in the area and came out with some success stories from the jasmine growing belt. The jasmine market was studied especially the demand for jasmine flowers (Udupi Mallige). It was observed that there was huge demand for Udupi Mallige. The extension specialists conducted training programmes in different locations in the coastal belt of Karnataka which are not traditional jasmine cultivated areas. As a result the technology has spread to the entire coastal belt. At present farm women are supporting themselves soley by cultivating jasmine in an area of 3-5 cents with a minimum of 20 bushes. Further, the KVK’s which are working in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts are also working in this direction through On Farm Testing, Frontline Demonstration, Off campus and On campus training.  Since it involves only women labourers, it is one of the most important and viable subsidiary as well as main occupation of the women folk in the district

Horticultral plants are grown for their produce like fruit, vegetable, flower, medicinal, aromatic, spices etc. Therefore, these plants should be managed in such a way that human desires for the purpose of growing them are fully satisfied in terms of quality and quantity of produce. This demands direct manipulation of plant growth itself or plant environment through various inputs. In manipulation of plant development, training and pruning are important for which our knowledge about plant development and its phenology has to be complete. These practices are important in fruit crops.

Training: Physical techniques that control the shape, size and direction of plant growth are known as training or in other words training in effect is orientation of plant in space through techniques like tying, fastening, staking, supporting over a trellis or pergola in a certain fashion or pruning of some parts.

Trees are an integral and indispensable constituents of our natural surroundings. The trees keep the environment clean, make the soil healthy and provide food, fibre and shelter to mankind and wild animals. Trees help in stabilizing the soil, a vital natural resource, prevention of soil and water erosion, control run off water in the catchment areas, acts as a shelter belt against wind erosion in arid zone, act as a wind breaker to protect the coastal region during storm and cyclone besides contributing substantially to economic development. The National Commission on Agriculture stress the need for afforestation of about 40 million ha of land presently lying barren because of salinity, sodicity, waterloggings, ravines, coastal sandy areas, stony and gravelly lands, high altitude and slopping lands. Several agencies in various parts of the country are engaged in afforestation of these degraded lands.

Introduction

A concept focused on crop and livestock production with minimal environmental impact has emerged as a result of the paradigm shift in Indian agriculture from traditional to sustainable agriculture. This concept also supports the farm economy and helps farmers improve their tactics and quality of life. This has sparked farmers’ interest in learning traditional technology skills that draw on local knowledge that people have acquired from their ancestors to address issues in agriculture and activities associated with natural processes. Indigenous Technical Knowledge (ITK), which is a component of using natural products to address agricultural problems and integrate activities, has attracted interest since the concept of sustainable agriculture began to emerge in the Indian state of agriculture in the late 1980s. ITK is regional knowledge unique to a particular culture or community.

At the beginning of the 21st century, the world is facing a number of major global challenges. On the development side one of these challenges is the establishment of sustainability. In the context of agricultural development, a new agenda has been set to achieve the goals of producing and disseminating economically viable, socially acceptable and environmentally sound technologies that are geographically sound. , even local agricultural schools cannot teach such knowledge because of its size and diversity (Pereira, 1993).

1. Fix the organ or the animal in 5-10 % formalin preferably neutral buffered formalin. If the organ is an isolated thoracic limb, for example, then cannulate the axillary artery and perfuse the formalin. I find sometimes it is advantageous to pump some buffered saline solution to flush out any blood before pumping in the formalin. Organs, such as the heart, could be nicely flushed with water through major blood vessels, and immersed in formalin to fix. The same can be done with liver, kidney, etc. It takes a week for fixing a large structure (e.g., 10 kg) by immersing in formalin.
2. Dissect the specimen as needed. Remove all fat and clean as much as possible so the specimen looks nice.
3. If the specimen is dark brown, it can be lightened by leaving 1-2 days in 5% hydrogen peroxide. Check the specimen 1-2 times during the day to make sure desired light tone is achieved. Leaving it too long in the hydrogen peroxide may result in tissue degradation.
4. Drain the specimen well, and dehydrate in acetone. The dehydration should be thorough. To achieve this, use 100% acetone, at least 2-3 changes. The acetone can be recycled by repeated distillation. Acetone tends to evaporate, so use a container that has a tight lid. Acetone is also flammable, so use required precautions when handling acetone. If concentration of acetone remains up to 99% even after leaving organ for 4-5 days it is sure that dehydration is complete. If you are using any thin sheets of organ or Brain for dehydration keep slice between glass plates and then dehydrate.
5. Immerse the specimen in glycerin. Buy industrial glycerin, which may be cheaper. It may take 2-3 weeks for the glycerin to permeate into the tissues.

This chapter introduces the principles used to classify and grade wool according to fineness, length, colour, strength, purity and suitability for end use. It explains traditional count systems and modern micron-based classification, including the relationship between Bradford count and fibre diameter. The chapter discusses breed and fleece-type differences, objective measurement and the importance of representative sampling. It also explains how grading converts variable biological material into commercially meaningful categories that support fair pricing and appropriate processing decisions.

9.1 What are Natural Disasters?

The natural disasters are earthquakes, floods, droughts, famines, heat waves, cyclones, wild fire, volcanic, aerosols (small particles), and landslides.

9.2 Disaster Management

Both physical solutions and institutional strategies should be developed to manage natural disasters. For flood disaster control the water flow should be checked. Institutional strategies do not rely on physical barriers and include flood plain management, flood and disaster warning systems, education and preparedness programmes.

Growth represents overall performance of a plant under a particular environment. Generally, we restrict to the above ground plant parts for growth studies, however, a better understanding of plant growth and development would be achieved if total dry matter (including above ground shoot as well as underground root) were taken into consideration.

The basic principles behind growth analysis constitutes (i) data on plant height and (ii) leaf area. The quantitative analysis of growth is based upon several terms, which are described below (Hunt, 1978).

1. Growth

Growth is an irreversible increase in size which may or may not be accompanied by an increase in dry weight. It is the sum total of all the metabolic activities and normally results from the excess of anabolism over catabolism. In general, it refers to quantitative changes in the life cycle of plants. However, there are a few examples where growth is not accompanied by an increase in dry weight such as (i) germinating seeds and, (ii) etiolated plants.

It is believed that efforts to combat poverty and advance sustainable development must include both the development of livestock and energy-related activities The relationship between energy and livestock in alleviating poverty is less clear and has just recently grown increasingly significant, despite the fact that each of these issues has been identified separately(Steinfeld et al., 2006).

1. Introduction

Total population of India is estimated to cross 1.64 billion in 2050. Increasing population, decreasing economic status of Farmer, improper diet and nutrition, fixed farm land, degradation of cultivable land and malnutrition in Indian population is major key problem in 2 to 3 decades. More than 600000 children below 5 year age die due to improper nutrition each year in developing countries (White and Broadley, 1998). All the data provide a scary image about future. Almost 60% of the malnutrition children are iron deficient. Iron deficiency is very common among the girls; 30% each are deficient in zinc and iodine. The incomplete diet and malnutrition can lead to several disorder and degrade the human health (Shuman, 1998).

Introduction

In one or another way, agriculture is integral to the physical and economic survival of every human being. The United Nations forecasts that the global population will reach more than 9 billion by 2050. To feed everyone, food production will have to increase 70 per cent. Helping the world’s farmers to achieve this target is challenging in itself, but beyond providing food, agriculture sustains the economies of most countries in significant ways, especially in the developing world (Anonymous, 2018). To meet this challenge in a fast-changing world, new tools, processes and ways of organizing-i.e. innovations-are needed to make agriculture more efficient in economic, social and environmental terms (Hall, Mytelka and Oyeyinka, 2006). Past efforts have tended to focus solely on technology. Previous approaches to technological change in agriculture have been based around supplying technology in a simplistic, top-down manner. These approaches had some success for relatively simple innovations in conducive settings. However, these simplistic approaches are not adequate for the task of meeting the complicated challenges facing agriculture today. Historically, new agricultural technologies have been developed by public research organizations and then transferred to farmers by public extension services (Sulaiman, 2015).

Nutrition plays a vital role in the health, well-being and longevity of animals. The science behind nutrition encompasses the dietary needs of animals and how these needs are met through various forms of food/ feed, supplements and feed additives. A well-balanced diet is fundamental to the health of both domesticated and wild animals. Veterinary nutrition takes into account the physiology, biology and pathology of animals, aiming to optimize their health, performance and longevity through the right nutritional approaches. Proper nutritional management is crucial not only for growth and reproduction but also for disease prevention and recovery. Veterinary nutrition encompasses understanding metabolic and nutritional disorders, gastrointestinal disturbances, metabolic imbalances and systemic conditions. It focuses on providing animals with balanced diets to meet their physiological needs. The right blend of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals supports growth, immune function and production. Deficiencies or excesses in nutrition can lead to disorders such as metabolic imbalances, gastrointestinal disturbances, and organ dysfunction. Understanding nutritional science enables veterinarians to address and prevent conditions like ketosis, fatty liver, and etabolic acidosis. Veterinary nutrition and the understanding of associated metabolic and systemic disorders are essential for ensuring animal health and productivity. From preventing nutritional deficiencies to managing complex metabolic conditions, veterinarians play a critical role in maintaining the wellbeing of animals and poultry. By addressing these challenges through research, innovation, and education, we can ensure sustainable animal husbandry and improved welfare.

• In male animals, endocrine regulation of reproduction is mainly controlled by pituitary gonadotrophins and gonadal androgens. It is not the same as in females as there is only negative feedback controls in case of male while it is positively as well as negatively feedback control in females. In other words, the synchrony of pituitary gonadotrophins with gonads in male is non cyclic while in female it is cyclic i.e. even after castration (absence of androgen) the pulse frequency of LH and FSH is retained. • Sex Hormones are sex specific e.g. estrogen and progesterone work primarily in females and testosterone in males but sex specificity is limited as far as sexual behaviour is concerned. As estrogen injection in castrated ram recovers the maleness while testosterone injection in ovariectomized female maintain the receptivity for male up to a certain extent.

Extension workers are required to visit farm homes as a fundamental aspect of effective Extension work. These visits are essential for building trust and securing the cooperation and friendship of farm families, especially in areas where the value of educational programs is not fully understood, where group meetings are uncommon, or where cultural norms prevent women from meeting publicly. As an Extension worker, reaching all members of the community involves employing various methods. While individual visits may not reach as many people as other approaches, there are occasions where only a personal visit will suffice. Words can be misunderstood, but a friendly smile, genuine empathy, or practical assistance are universally understood. It is crucial for Extension workers to be liked by families, as this acceptance is necessary for the families to accept their recommendations. Establishing rapport takes time; understanding local customs and observing social niceties during visits can significantly impact their success. For example, sharing tea with a family can be a critical gesture.

This chapter introduces the natural, acquired and processing contaminants found in greasy wool and examines defects that reduce fibre value. Wool grease and suint, dirt, dust, sand, vegetable matter, branding materials and synthetic contaminants are considered. The chapter discusses kemp, medullated fibres, pigmented fibres, tender wool and other defects and explains their effects on processing and end use. Clean wool yield is introduced as an important quantitative measure for determining the amount of usable fibre recovered from greasy wool.

GENERAL CHARACTERS

• The Mastigomycotina includes all eumycota fungi which produce flagellated cells during their life cycle.
• Majority of them are with filamentous hyaline coenocytic mycelium.
• Cell wall contains cellulose.
• They show centric nuclear divison.
• The mode of nutrition is typically absorptive, because a majority of mastigomycotina contains some or other type of haustoria.
• They produce asexual spores called zoospores.
• Oospore is the sexual spores.
• Members of the class oomycetes are mostly aquatic but some are facultative or obligate parasites of vascular plants.

(International/Robinson’s Pipette Method)

Principle

This method is based on Stoke’s law. According to this law, the rate of fall of a particle in liquid is directly proportional to the square of its radius.

• To identity the normal fertile, infertile (Temporary loss of fertility), subfertile (reduced fertility), or sterile (no fertility) male animals makes the requirement of breeding soundness evaluation necessary. Infertile and sterile animals prove to be harmful for the economic survival of the dairy industry and should be eliminated from the breeding management system. • The breeding soundness examination is very necessary for the breeding management system as the ultimate goal is the achievement of healthy pregnancies. It is also useful for successful artificial insemination (AI) programs that involve the collection and cryo-processing of quality semen.