Re-identifying beef cattle using improved AlignedReID++

Accurate and continuous identification of individual cattle is crucial to precision farming in recent years.It is also the prerequisite to monitor the individual feed intake and feeding time of beef cattle at medium to long distances over different cameras.However,beef cattle can tend to frequently move and change their feeding position during feeding.Furthermore,the great variations in their head direction and complex environments(light,occlusion,and background)can also lead to some difficulties in the recognition,particularly for the bio-similarities among individual cattle.Among them,AlignedReID++model is characterized by both global and local information for image matching.In particular,the dynamically matching local information(DMLI)algorithm has been introduced into the local branch to automatically align the horizontal local information.In this research,the AlignedReID++model was utilized and improved to achieve the better performance in cattle re-identification(ReID).Initially,triplet attention(TA)modules were integrated into the BottleNecks of ResNet50 Backbone.The feature extraction was then enhanced through cross-dimensional interactions with the minimal computational overhead.Since the TA modules in AlignedReID++baseline model increased the model size and floating point operations(FLOPs)by 0.005 M and 0.05 G,the rank-1 accuracy and mean average precision(mAP)were improved by 1.0 percentage points and 2.94 percentage points,respectively.Specifically,the rank-1 accuracies were outperformed by 0.86 percentage points and 0.12 percentage points,respectively,compared with the convolution block attention module(CBAM)and efficient channel attention(ECA)modules,although 0.94 percentage points were lower than that of squeeze-and-excitation(SE)modules.The mAP metric values were exceeded by 0.22,0.86 and 0.12 percentage points,respectively,compared with the SE,CBAM,and ECA modules.Additionally,the Cross-Entropy Loss function was replaced with the CosFace Loss function in the global branch of baseline model.CosFace Loss and Hard Triplet Loss were jointly employed to train the baseline model for the better identification on the similar individuals.AlignedReID++with CosFace Loss was outperformed the baseline model by 0.24 and 0.92 percentage points in the rank-1 accuracy and mAP,respectively,whereas,AlignedReID++with ArcFace Loss was exceeded by 0.36 and 0.56 percentage points,respectively.The improved model with the TA modules and CosFace Loss was achieved in a rank-1 accuracy of 94.42%,rank-5 accuracy of 98.78%,rank-10 accuracy of 99.34%,mAP of 63.90%,FLOPs of 5.45 G,frames per second(FPS)of 5.64,and model size of 23.78 M.The rank-1 accuracies were exceeded by 1.84,4.72,0.76 and 5.36 percentage points,respectively,compared with the baseline model,part-based convolutional baseline(PCB),multiple granularity network(MGN),and relation-aware global attention(RGA),while the mAP metrics were surpassed 6.42,5.86,4.30 and 7.38 percentage points,respectively.Meanwhile,the rank-1 accuracy was 0.98 percentage points lower than TransReID,but the mAP metric was exceeded by 3.90 percentage points.Moreover,the FLOPs of improved model were only 0.05 G larger than that of baseline model,while smaller than those of PCB,MGN,RGA,and TransReID by 0.68,6.51,25.4,and 16.55 G,respectively.The model size of improved model was 23.78 M,which was smaller than those of the baseline model,PCB,MGN,RGA,and TransReID by 0.03,2.33,45.06,14.53 and 62.85 M,respectively.The inference speed of improved model on a CPU was lower than those of PCB,MGN,and baseline model,but higher than TransReID and RGA.The t-SNE feature embedding visualization demonstrated that the global and local features were achieve in the better intra-class compactness and inter-class variability.Therefore,the improved model can be expected to effectively re-identify the beef cattle in natural environments of breeding farm,in order to monitor the individual feed intake and feeding time.

Biology of Hippo signaling pathway:Skeletal muscle development and beyond

Global demand for farm animals and their meat products i.e.,pork,chicken and other livestock meat,is steadily incresing.With the ongoing life science research and the rapid development of biotechnology,it is a great opportunity to develop advanced molecular breeding markers to efficiently improve animal meat production traits.Hippo is an important study subject because of its crucial role in the regulation of organ size.In recent years,with the increase of research on Hippo signaling pathway,the integrative application of multi-omics technologies such as genomics,transcriptomics,proteomics,and metabolomics can help promote the in-depth involvement of Hippo signaling pathway in skeletal muscle development research.The Hippo signaling pathway plays a key role in many biological events,including cell division,cell migration,cell proliferation,cell differentiation,cell apoptosis,as well as cell adhesion,cell polarity,homeostasis,maintenance of the face of mechanical overload,etc.Its influence on the development of skeletal muscle has important research value for enhancing the efficiency of animal husbandry production.In this study,we traced the origin of the Hippo pathway,comprehensively sorted out all the functional factors found in the pathway,deeply analyzed the molecular mechanism of its function,and classified it from a novel perspective based on its main functional domain and mode of action.Our aim is to systematically explore its regulatory role throughout skeletal muscle development.We specifically focus on the Hippo signaling pathway in embryonic stem cell development,muscle satellite cell fate determination,myogenesis,skeletal muscle meat production and organ size regulation,muscle hypertrophy and atrophy,muscle fiber formation and its transformation between different types,and cardiomyocytes.The roles in proliferation and regeneration are methodically summarized and analyzed comprehensively.The summary and prospect of the Hippo signaling pathway within this article will provide ideas for further improving meat production and muscle deposition and developing new molecular breeding technologies for livestock and poultry,which will be helpful for the development of animal molecular breeding.

Breakthrough of Carbon-Ash Recalcitrance in Hydrochar via Molten Carbonate:Engineering Mineral-Rich Biowaste Toward Sustainable Platform Carbon Materials

The function-led design of porous hydrochar from mineral-rich biowaste for environmental applications inevitably suffers from carbon-ash recalcitrance.However,a method to alter the original carbon skeleton with ash remains elusive and hinders the availability of hydrochar.Herein,we propose a facile strategy for breaking the rigid structure of carbon-ash coupled hydrochar using phase-tunable molten carbonates.A case system was designed in which livestock manure and NaHCO3 were used to prepare the activated hydrochar,and NH3 served as the target contaminant.Due to the redox effect,we found that organic fractions significantly advanced the melting temperature of Na2CO3 below 800℃.The Na species steadily broke the carbon-ash interaction as the thermal intensity increased and transformed inorganic constituents to facilitate ash dissolution,rebuilding the hydrochar skeleton with abundant hierarchical channels and active defect edges.The surface polarity and mesopore distribution collectively governed the five cycles NH3 adsorption attenuation process.Manure hydrochar delivered favorable potential for application with a maximum overall adsorption capacity of 100.49 mg·g^(-1).Integrated spectroscopic characterization and theoretical computations revealed that incorporating NH3 on the carbon surface could transfer electrons to chemisorbed oxygen,which promoted the oxidation of pyridine-N during adsorption.This work offers deep insight into the structure function correlation of hydrochar and inspires a more rational design of engineered hydrochar from high-ash biowaste.

3D genome organization and its study in livestock breeding

Eukaryotic genomes are hierarchically packaged into cell nucleus,affecting gene regulation.The genome is organized into multiscale structural units,including chromosome territories,compartments,topologically associating domains(TADs),and DNA loops.The identification of these hierarchical structures has benefited from the development of experimental approaches,such as 3C-based methods(Hi-C,ChIA-PET,etc.),imaging tools(2D-FISH,3D-FISH,Cryo-FISH,etc.)and ligation-free methods(GAM,SPRITE,etc.).In recent two decades,numerous studies have shown that the 3D organization of genome plays essential roles in multiple cellular processes via various mechanisms,such as regulating enhancer activity and promoter-enhancer interactions.However,there are relatively few studies about the 3D genome in livestock species.Therefore,studies for exploring the function of 3D genomes in livestock are urgently needed to provide a more comprehensive understanding of potential relationships between the genome and production traits.In this review,we summarize the recent advances of 3D genomics and its biological functions in human and mouse studies,drawing inspiration to explore the 3D genomics of livestock species.We then mainly focus on the biological functions of 3D genome organization in muscle development and its implications in animal breeding.

Exploration on the Integration of Curriculum Ideological and Political Concept into the Teaching Design of"Culinary Raw Materials":A Case Study of Livestock and Poultry Raw Materials

Comprehensively promoting curriculum ideological and political education is a strategic measure to implement the fundamental task of establishing moral integrity and educating people.Culinary raw materials is the core curriculum of culinary majors,which is rich in ideological and political elements.In this study,taking livestock and poultry raw materials as an example,the teaching design of integrating curriculum ideological and political education into culinary raw materials were investigated by sorting out its teaching contents and excavating its ideological and political elements.Taking livestock and poultry raw materials in Teochew Cuisine Raw Materials as an example,the teaching design of curriculum ideological and political education was conducted,aiming to provide some reference and guidance for curriculum ideological and political education of the curriculum.

Grassland Pasture Composition and Quality in the Communes of Ziguinchor and Kolda, Senegal

In Senegal, natural pasture plays a major role in feeding livestock. During the rainy season, herbaceous plants account for a large proportion of the fodder consumed by ruminants. In Casamance, the composition and quality of these grasses are poorly known and underexploited. In this context, the study aimed to improve the knowledge and valorisation of the herbaceous fodder of the South. Individual interviews were conducted and a questionnaire was sent to farmers living in Ziguinchor and Kolda. A floristic inventory with a phytosociological approach was also carried out. The data collected were processed using Excel and Sphinx software in order to differentiate and classify the herbaceous species eaten by the tail. The majority of respondents were Fulani (55.30%). most of whom ranged in age from 30 to 60. Livestock rearing came second (38.3%) after agriculture (40%) among the principal activities of the people surveyed. The floristic inventory identified 95 species in 68 genera and 22 families. Species of low and medium pastoral value dominate the herbaceous layer. The global rangeland quality index was 48.16% and the brute pastoral value was 54.77%. Thirteen species contributed 54.86% of the pastoral value of the grassland. The floristic composition of community rangelands showed the presence of a varied herbaceous fodder range. The combination of which will help to develop a table of nutritional values for the formation of equilibrated feed rations for farmed livestock.

THE SUMERIAN TERM u_(8)/ud_(5)/ab_(2)/eme_(3)/_(6)sila_(4)/maš_(2)/amar du_(3)(-a)

The aim of the present article is twofold:firstly,to prove that the expression animal+young du_(3)(-a),which is basically documented in texts from the 3rd millennium BC,refers to a dam that has just given birth,and secondly,to show the information concerning female animals and their newborns available in the texts.

Leveraging Geospatial Technologies for Resource Optimization in Livestock Management

Geospatial technologies can be leveraged to optimize the available resources for better productivity and sustainability. The resources can be human, software and hardware equipment and their effective management can enhance operational efficiency through better and informed decision making. This review article examines the application of geospatial technologies, including GPS, GIS, and remote sensing, for optimizing resource utilization in livestock management. It compares these technologies to traditional livestock management practices and highlights their potential to improve animal tracking, feed intake monitoring, disease monitoring, pasture selection, and rangeland management. Previously, animal management practices were labor-intensive, time-consuming, and required more precision for optimal animal health and productivity. Digital technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) have transformed the livestock sector through precision livestock management. However, major challenges such as high cost, availability and accessibility to these technologies have deterred their implementation. To fully realize the benefits and tremendous contribution of these digital technologies and to address the challenges associated with their widespread adoption, the review proposes a collaborative approach between different stakeholders in the livestock sector including livestock farmers, researchers, veterinarians, industry professionals, technology developers, the private sector, financial institutions and government to share knowledge and expertise. The collaboration would facilitate the integration of various strategies to ensure the effective and wide adoption of digital technologies in livestock management by supporting the development of user-friendly and accessible tools tailored to specific livestock management and production systems.

A Lifeline for Livestock

Chinese-invented Juncao grass is transforming dairy production in Kenya At his dairy farm in Kiambu County on the outskirts of the Kenyan capital Nairobi,Newton Mwangi anxiously takes off his boots and work suit after milking his cows.Mwangi is worried about the inability of the cows to hit the 80-litre target he needs to fulfil for his clients per day,due to a woeful fodder shortage in Kenya.

COVID-19 lockdown has indirect,non-equivalent effects on activity patterns of Reeves's Pheasant(Syrmaticus reevesii)and sympatric species

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has brought massive shifts in human activities through a global blockade,directly affecting wildlife survival.However,the indirect impacts of changes in human activities are often easily overlooked.We conducted surveys of Reeves's Pheasant(Syrmaticus reevesii)and its sympatric species by camera traps in forest-type nature reserves in three different scenarios:pre-lockdown,lockdown and postlockdown.An increase in livestock activities observed during the lockdown and post-lockdown period in our study area provided us an opportunity to investigate the indirect impact of the lockdown on wildlife.The prelockdown period was used as a baseline to compare any changes in trends of relative abundance index,activity patterns and temporal spacing of targeted species and livestock.During the lockdown period,the relative abundance index of livestock increased by 50%and there was an increase in daytime activity.Reeves's Pheasant showed avoidance responses to almost all sympatric species and livestock in three different periods,and the livestock avoidance level of Reeves's Pheasant during the lockdown period was significantly and positively correlated with the relative abundance index of livestock.Species-specific changes in activity patterns of study species were observed,with reduced daytime activities of Hog Badger and Raccoon Dog during and after the confinement periods.This study highlights the effect of the COVID-19 lockdown on the responses of wildlife by considering the changes in their temporal and spatial use before,during and after lockdown.The knowledge gained on wildlife during reduced human mobility because of the pandemic aids in understanding the effect of human disturbances and developing future conservation strategies in the shared space,to manage both wildlife and livestock.

Long-term light grazing does not change soil organic carbon stability and stock in biocrust layer in the hilly regions of drylands

Livestock grazing is the most extensive land use in global drylands and one of the most extensive stressors of biological soil crusts(biocrusts).Despite widespread concern about the importance of biocrusts for global carbon(C)cycling,little is known about whether and how long-term grazing alters soil organic carbon(SOC)stability and stock in the biocrust layer.To assess the responses of SOC stability and stock in the biocrust layer to grazing,from June to September 2020,we carried out a large scale field survey in the restored grasslands under long-term grazing with different grazing intensities(represented by the number of goat dung per square meter)and in the grasslands strictly excluded from grazing in four regions(Dingbian County,Shenmu City,Guyuan City and Ansai District)along precipitation gradient in the hilly Loess Plateau,China.In total,51 representative grassland sites were identified as the study sampling sites in this study,including 11 sites in Guyuan City,16 sites in Dingbian County,15 sites in Shenmu City and 9 sites in Ansai District.Combined with extensive laboratory analysis and statistical analysis,at each sampling site,we obtained data on biocrust attributes(cover,community structure,biomass and thickness),soil physical-chemical properties(soil porosity and soil carbon-to-nitrogen ratio(C/N ratio)),and environmental factors(mean annual precipitation,mean annual temperature,altitude,plant cover,litter cover,soil particle-size distribution(the ratio of soil clay and silt content to sand content)),SOC stability index(SI)and SOC stock(SOCS)in the biocrust layer,to conduct this study.Our results revealed that grazing did not change total biocrust cover but markedly altered biocrust community structure by reducing plant cover,with a considerable increase in the relative cover of cyanobacteria(23.1%)while a decrease in the relative cover of mosses(42.2%).Soil porosity and soil C/N ratio in the biocrust layer under grazing decreased significantly by 4.1%–7.2%and 7.2%–13.3%,respectively,compared with those under grazing exclusion.The shifted biocrust community structure ultimately resulted in an average reduction of 15.5%in SOCS in the biocrust layer under grazing.However,compared with higher grazing(intensity of more than 10.00 goat dung/m2),light grazing(intensity of 0.00–10.00 goat dung/m2 or approximately 1.20–2.60 goat/(hm2•a))had no adverse effect on SOCS.SOC stability in the biocrust layer remained unchanged under long-term grazing due to the offset between the positive effect of the decreased soil porosity and the negative effect of the decreased soil C/N ratio on the SOC resistance to decomposition.Mean annual precipitation and soil particle-size distribution also regulated SOC stability indirectly by influencing soil porosity through plant cover and biocrust community structure.These findings suggest that proper grazing might not increase the CO_(2) release potential or adversely affect SOCS in the biocrust layer.This research provides some guidance for proper grazing management in the sustainable utilization of grassland resources and C sequestration in biocrusts in the hilly regions of drylands.

Molecular epidemiological study of animal rabies in Kazakhstan

Rabies is a serious public health issue in Kazakhstan, with high economic impact and social burden. As part of a routine surveillance, 31 rabies-positive brain specimens taken from livestock(cattle) and carnivores(dogs, foxes, and cats)during 2013–2021 were subject to viral sequencing. Phylogenetic and Bayesian analysis were performed using obtained rabies virus(RABV) sequences. All 31 strains of RABV candidate belonged to the Cosmopolitan clade, of which 30strains belonged to steppe-type subclade, and 1 dog strain belonged to Other subclade. The 31 strains did not diverge from RABV strains in Kazakhstan and neighboring countries, including Russia, Mongolia, and China, suggesting that animal rabies has close relationship and transmission between borders. Fox-originated strains and cattle strains shared similar sequence signature, and some animal rabies cases had space–time intersection, showing that infected foxes were a major transmission source of cattle rabies in different Kazakhstan regions. Besides, free-roaming dogs played a pivotal role in rabies epizootics of cattle in Kazakhstan. The recent spread of animal rabies presents an increasing threat to public health, and provides updated information for improving current control and prevention strategies at the source for Kazakhstan and neighboring countries.

Understanding human-leopard conflict in the ‘Mid-hill’ region of western Nepal

Livestock rearing and agriculture are the main sources of community-based livelihoods in western Nepal.Across the rural mid-hills region of Gandaki Province,leopards are the top predator and frequently depredate livestock and attack humans.Spatiotemporal patterns of human-leopard conflicts(HLC) in Nepal are poorly known at the provincial and national scales,which are essential to formulating effective conflict mitigation strategies and implementing them in the field.This study aims to analyze the spatiotemporal pattern of HLC by applying Maxent modeling to covariates relating to known and registered conflict cases(n=842) collected from Nepalese government offices.We found that cases of HLC have been increasing significantly over the past five years.We also concluded that mid-elevation,south-facing slopes were more susceptible to HLC,but that mean annual temperature was by far the most important predictor of HLC;overall livestock density and proximity to roads were also important,but secondarily so.Although we found the increase in human fatalities to 2.16/year was significant(p<0.05),overall human injuries were down slightly,though not significantly(5.16/year;p>0.05).However,we also found an increasing trend in livestock depredation rates for this same five-year period(p<0.05),which averaged 159.6 head/year among incidents reported.We also found that winter was the main season when depredations occurred,and that goats were the most depredated of all livestock.A total US $86,892.25($17,378.45/year) of economic losses were incurred by communities during this time,with 78.57% of the total value reimbursed as compensatory relief through the government’s relief fund.We recommend that the use of predator-proof livestock corrals,greater awareness in local communities about wildlife behavior,better animal husbandry and security practices,and a more efficient compensation program,can improve coexistence between leopard populations and human communities in western Nepal.

First molecular identification of multiple tick‑borne pathogens in livestock within Kassena‑Nankana,Ghana

The risk of pathogen transmission continues to increase significantly in the presence of tick vectors due to the trade of livestock across countries.In Ghana,there is a lack of data on the incidence of tick-borne pathogens that are of zoonotic and veterinary importance.This study,therefore,aimed to determine the prevalence of such pathogens in livestock using molecular approaches.A total of 276 dry blood spots were collected from cattle(100),sheep(95)and goats(81)in the Kassena-Nankana Districts.The samples were analyzed using Polymerase Chain Reaction(qPCR)and conventional assays and Sanger sequencing that targeted pathogens including Rickettsia,Coxiella,Babesia,Theileria,Ehrlichia and Anaplasma.An overall prevalence of 36.96%was recorded from the livestock DBS,with mixed infections seen in 7.97%samples.Furthermore,the prevalence of infections in livestock was recorded to be 19.21%in sheep,14.13%in cattle,and 3.62%in goats.The pathogens identified were Rickettsia spp.(3.26%),Babesia sp.Lintan(8.70%),Theileria orientalis(2.17%),Theileria parva(0.36%),Anaplasma capra(18.48%),Anaplasma phagocytophilum(1.81%),Anaplasma marginale(3.26%)and Anaplasma ovis(7.25%).This study reports the first molecular identification of the above-mentioned pathogens in livestock in Ghana and highlights the use of dry blood spots in resource-limited settings.In addition,this research provides an update on tick-borne pathogens in Ghana,suggesting risks to livestock production and human health.Further studies will be essential to establish the distribution and epidemiology of these pathogens in Ghana.

Supplemental feeding on rangelands:new dynamics of the livestock in the El Ouara rangelands in southern Tunisia

Fodder production in arid rangelands has been traditionally considered as the main source of nutrition for livestock.However,the production of these fodder may be influenced by some socio-economic and climatic factors.This study aims to identify the various rangeland use forms and determine the types of livestock feeding system in the El Ouara rangelands of Ben guarden District in southern Tunisia by analysing the importance of supplemental feeding and main determinants of this practice.Data were collected by a survey that targeted a sample of 50 breeders in the El Ouara rangelands.Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression were used to analyse the data.The results showed that there are two types of association practiced by breeders:“Cherka”association practiced by 10.00% of breeders and cash payment association practiced by 53.00% of breeders.Then,transhumance,sedentary,and semi-urban forms are the main ways in which breeders use the rangelands.There are four livestock feeding systems in the El Ouara rangelands being used to feed livestock:natural rangeland,rangeland-based,mixed,and concentrate-based feeding systems.Supplemental feeding has become fundamental for the livestock feeding system in the El Ouara rangelands.The breeders with the largest camel size still use the natural rangeland feeding system,while the breeders who have the largest herd size practice the mixed feeding system.The logistic regression results reveal that breeder age,cereal area,herd size,migrant remittance,second activity,and agricultural development group membership can significantly impact the supplemental feeding.In summary,this study can help policy-makers plan innovative practices based on climatic change,ensure the sustainability of livestock feeding system,and make effective decisions for local development.

Role and Effects of Eucommia ulmoides Leaves in the Growth Process of Livestock and Poultry

Substitutes of feed antibiotics have been a key research topic in the new stage of animal husbandry.Chinese veterinary medicine refers to decoction pieces and their preparations processed from natural plants,animals,and minerals and used for animal disease prevention and improvement of animal production performance under the guidance of Chinese veterinary pharmacy theory.Eucommia ulmoides leaf extract has many active functional components such as chlorogenic acid,E.ulmoides polysaccharides and flavonoids,which have many biological properties such as antibacterial,antioxidant,immune-regulation,sugar ester-and bone metabolism-regulation effects.This paper explored active ingredients and biological properties of E.ulmoides leaf extract,as well as its role and effects in livestock and poultry breeding,providing a scientific basis for the use of E.ulmoides leaves in livestock and poultry breeding.

Small ruminant value chain in Al-Ruwaished District,Jordan

This study aims to assess the small ruminant value chain in Al-Ruwaished District,Jordan,to identify the potential intervention areas that could improve the production efficiency and guarantee the sustainability of the small ruminant sector in this area.Sheep breeding is the source of livelihood for most of the people in Al-Ruwaished District,which is characterized by the large number of sheep and goats.We surveyed 5.0% of the small ruminant holders in the study area and conducted individual interviews and surveys with the potential actors in the value chain to undertake a small ruminant value chain analysis.From the survey,we found that the small ruminant value chain consists of five core functions,namely,input supply,production management,marketing,processing,and consumption.Despite the stable impression given by the large number of holdings in the small ruminant sector,the surveyed results show a clear fragility in the value chain of small ruminants in this area.The small ruminant production system is negatively impacted by climate change,especially continuous drought.In addition,the high prices of feed that the farmer cannot afford with clear and real absence of the governmental and non-governmental support activities also impact the development of the value chain.The results of strengths,weaknesses,opportunities,and threats(SWOT)analysis reveal that the major constraints faced by this value chain could be divided into external and internal threats.Specifically,the most prominent external threats are the nature of the desert land and continuous drought,while the major internal threats are the absence of appropriate infrastructure,shortage of inputs,and weakness in the production management and marketing.We proposed solutions to these challenges to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of the sector,such as the formulation of emergency response plans to severe weather,qualifying farmers’skills,and establishment of agricultural cooperative societies.

Analysis of the Identification of Local Agriculture Products in the Municipality of Aileu, Manufahi, and Ainaro That Have Potential for Export and Attract Foreign Investments in Agricultural Sector

The objective of this study is to identify and collect information on local agriculture products and identify local potential agriculture and livestock that can attract foreign investments. Used Stratified Random Sampling and data was collected from both primary and secondary data (both quantitative and qualitative data. The data analyzed used qualitative and quantitative analysis. The supply chain analysis was carried out to develop a description of the value chain to identify potential high-value market areas and current and potential products in the domestic and export markets. The results of the study revealed that most farmers in the research location grow different types of crops and livestock. In particular for Aileu and Ainaro where most of the areas are up-land, therefore, horticulture crops (mustard, cabbage, carrots, and tomato) and coffee are dominated in these areas. For Manufahi, some parts are lowland areas, where most crops grown are maize, cassava, and paddy rice. The study reveals that local potential agriculture products and livestock in the municipalities of Aileu, Ainaro, and Manufahi are vegetable, coffee, maize, and paddy rice, banana, shallot, tangerine, cabbage, carrot, cattle, mung-bean, and banana. To accelerate economic growth, in these municipalities, there is a need to modernize agricultural production, requiring markets for both inputs supply and for the sale of output products. Opportunities to increase the productivity of these products are feasible and this can be done through the use of high-variety seeds and better farm management, and the government and private sector can play an important role in improving productivity as this will have a further implication in improving food security.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Poultry Farmers on Antimicrobial Use and Resistance in Kitwe, Zambia: Implications on Antimicrobial Stewardship

Introduction: The inappropriate antimicrobial usage (AMU) in chicken production has led to an increase in the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In Zambia, there is little information documented regarding the knowledge, attitude, and practices of poultry farmers on AMU and AMR. Therefore, this study assessed the knowledge, attitude and practices regarding AMU and AMR among poultry farmers in Kitwe, Zambia. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted among 106 poultry farmers from November to December 2021 using a structured questionnaire. Data analysis was done using IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26. Results: Overall, of the 106 participants, 90.6% knew what antimicrobials were, but only 29.2% were aware of AMR. The study showed that 46.2% of the participants had low knowledge, 71.7% had negative attitudes, and 61.3% had poor practices regarding AMR. The prevalence of antibiotic use in poultry production was 83%. The most used antimicrobials were tetracycline (84%) and gentamicin (35.2%). The commonly reported reason for the use of antimicrobials was for the treatment (93.2%) and prevention (89.8%) of diseases. Further, 76.9% of the administered antimicrobials were usually done without veterinarian consultation or prescription. Conclusion: The study shows that there was high AMU in poultry farms in Kitwe. However, there was low knowledge, negative attitude, and poor practices towards AMU and AMR. Therefore, there is a need for educational and sensitisation programmes regarding AMU and AMR among poultry farmers in Kitwe, Zambia. Alongside this, antimicrobial stewardship and surveillance systems should be strengthened in the livestock production sector. This will ensure food safety and public health.

Characterisation of Smallholder Multiple Livestock Species Production Systems in Parts of Lake Victoria Crescent of Central Uganda

A cross-sectional study of 150 purposively selected multiple livestock species farmers was conducted in Central Uganda aimed at distinguishing between mixed and integrated livestock systems. Performance and operational-based challenges misconstrued to cause incorrect comparison between the two systems were considered. Ten multiple-livestock species system with five ruminant species-based and five monogastric species-based combinations were categorised. Poultry, pig, fish, goats and sheep kept in both the 3 and 4-species combinations were considered. Over 80% of the families are male dominated, smallholder and occupying > 1.0 Ha of land. Exotic and crossbred breeds were adopted away from less productive and noncommercial local species. Mixed monogastric-fish systems with monogastric species dominated (P 1000) stock per farm. Stalls dominate pig management systems with 15% of the farmers upgraded to commercial level with (>50) stock per farm. Ineffective livestock policies contribute to inefficient performance of 55% of livestock farmers. In conclusion, mixed livestock systems should be upgraded to integrated livestock systems with input resource synergy for improved production and sustainability.