In sächsischen Schweinehaltungsbetrieben wurde ein objektives Bewertungssystem zur Tierhygiene und Tiergesundheit entwickelt und erprobt. Aus zahlreichen Untersuchungen in den Produktionseinheiten Ferkelerzeugung, Ferkelaufzucht, Jungsauenaufzucht und Mast resultieren Kennziffern zur Hygiene, Klinik und Gesundheit, die einen Vergleich verschiedener Bestände erlauben. Sie lassen stufenübergreifend auch eine Bewertung einzelner Produktionseinheiten zu. Mit regelmäßigen Untersuchungen ist zudem der zeitliche Verlauf der Kennziffern und damit des Hygiene- und Gesundheitsstatus möglich.

Die Haltung von Spezialgeflügel wie Fleischtaube, Mast- und Legewachtel, Perlhuhn, Fasan und Wildente stellt in Deutschland eine Nischenproduktion dar. Daher liegen vor allem zur Erzeugung von Spezialgeflügel in größeren Stückzahlen relativ wenige Forschungsergebnisse und Erfahrungen aus der Praxis vor. Die Broschüre stellt Untersuchungen des LfULG und aus der Literatur vor und gibt Hinweise zu Zucht, Haltung, Fütterung und Produktqualität.

Das neue Tieridentifikationssystem Agro SAW IDENT wurde gemeinsam mit Industriepartnern entwickelt. Den Kern bilden piezoelektrische Kristalle mit aufgedampften Metallstrukturen, die den internationalen Tiercode darstellen. Zum Auslesen des Tiercodes werden akustische Oberflächenwellen (Surface Acoustic Wave = SAW) ohne jegliche Energiequelle genutzt. Die SAW-Codierung und der Charakter der Funkübertragung im Mikrowellenbereich um 2,4 GHz unterscheiden sich grundlegend von der üblichen Tieridentifikation im Niederfrequenzbereich bei 134 kHz. Die Vorteile der passiven SAW-Identifikation liegen in der höheren Lesereichweite bis zu 10 m und der sehr kurzen Identifikationsdauer unter 10 ms bei hoher Erkennungssicherheit. In vier Betrieben wurde an 1.652 Milchkühen die Funktionssicherheit untersucht.

Mit Hilfe der Pansen-Beutel-Methode wurde an drei trockenstehenden Kühen der intraruminale Rohproteinabbau von Futtermitteln ermittelt. Daraus wurden folgende UDP-Gehalte (k = 5 %/h) abgeleitet: Sojaextraktionsschrot: 30 %, Rapsextraktionsschrot: 33 %, Rapskuchen: 15 %, Roggenpressschlempe: 43 %, Weizen/Gerste-Trockenschlempe: 25 %, Ackerbohnen: 22-26 %, Körnerfuttererbsen: 20-24 %, Blaue Lupinen: 27-35 %, Leguminosen-Gras-Gemenge: 18-35 %. Bei Körnermaisschrot (trocken bzw. feucht konserviert) wurde der intraruminale Stärkeabbau bestimmt: trocken 42 % Abbau, feucht 18 % Abbau. Außerdem wurde an vier hochleistenden Kühen die Wirkung von Einzelfuttermitteln im Rahmen von Mischrationen auf die Pansenfermentation untersucht (pH-Wert, NH 3 -Gehalt, Gehalt an FFS im Pansensaft). Trotz des höheren intraruminalen Stärkeabbaus führte Feuchtkornmais zu keinem erhöhten Acidoserisiko (etwa gleicher Pansen-pH-Wert-Verlauf wie bei Trockenmais). Anhand der NH 3 -Gehalte im Pansensaft wurde ein verringerter Rohproteinabbau bei Einsatz des pansengeschützten Sojaextraxtionsschrots Soypass 50 nachgewiesen. Durch mikronisierte Rapssaat in der TMR konnte der Rohfettgehalt in der Rationstrockenmasse auf > 6 % erhöht werden, ohne dass die Pansenfermentation nachteilig beeinflusst wurde. Die Broschüre fasst alle Untersuchungsergebnisse zusammen.

Im Rahmen eines Projektes wurden Haltungs- und Fütterungsfaktoren für die Mast unkastrierter männlicher Schweine abgeleitet. Die Ebermast ist verfahrenstechnisch umsetzbar. Sie kann den Betrieben Kostenvorteile insbesondere durch Futterersparnis bringen, solange der Absatz gesichert ist. Je nach Schlachtgewicht und Abstammung realisieren die Eber etwas geringere Masttagszunahmen, aber eine deutlich bessere Futterverwertung und bilden Schlachtkörper mit weniger Fett und mehr Fleisch als die männlichen kastrierten Schweine. Die Verlustrate liegt bei den Ebern etwas höher. Das Problem des Ebergeruchs kann nur durch die Optimierung einer darauf ausgerichteten Zucht, Haltung und Fütterung gelöst werden. Dazu wurden einzelne Faktoren, wie z. B. die Aufstallungsform, die Buchtenhygiene und die Zunahmegeschwindigkeit identifiziert.

Submitted to the Faculty of Arts in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in the Department of African Languages at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2013. / Lolu cwaningo luveza ingonyuluka ngelingafelwa nkonyane kwaMhlabuyalingana, umnotho kanye namasiko ale ndawo. Kubuye kubhekwe nemfuyo nokudla okuchuma kule ndawo. = This research demonstrates the core idea of the fertile land of abundance of KwaMhlabuyalingana, economy, culture and values of this area. Furthermore it also looks at how livestock and crops flourish in this area. Chapter one introduces the entire research and its aims. It also introduces the motive behind the research itself. It also gives the research methods used to accomplish the aims of the research and its scope of study generally. It also looks at who is going to benefit out of the research. It also displays the division of chapters and the conclusion of the first chapter. Chapter two widely displays heritage and values found in this area: mountain ranges, indigenous forests and rivers that beautify the area. In addition, it also gives types of grass that easily adapt in the area which assist in curing ailments in people and help them creating jobs through hand crafts. It also tells more about the types of crops that are cultivated in the area of Makhathini like cotton, maize, beans, cane and vegetables etcetera. Chapter three explains more about indigenous fruits which are found in this place. Where and when are found? What are they used for and how people benefit out of these plants. Chapter four deals with livestock. It looks at which livestock that can survive and flourish in this area. How can it be used and its breeding and methods to care for so that it can increase more. How to prevent them from different diseases during winter. Farmers need to be advised and workshop as to how to take care of their livestock. Chapter five deals with the analysis, recommendations and conclusion of the entire research and winding up of the whole work done and recommendations to be taken into consideration.

This thesis reports the results of a project which identified differences in characteristics of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument user groups as they related to their perceptions of how they experience the Monument as recreationists. It explored opinions of four groups: hikers vs. hunters and pre-designation users vs. post-designation users. Responses of these groups were compared for attribution of perceived resource damage, feelings of crowding, acceptability of management action, and importance of identified monument values to their visit. In addition, characteristics of the users were examined to determine if demographic characteristics accounted for differences in perception toward the resources. Finally, how these groups perceived grazing livestock and multiple uses on the monument was examined. Significant differences were found between most categories in hunters and hikers. Predesignation visitors and post-designation visitors differed only in a few categories.

Elk (Cervus elaphus) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) density and foraging behavior were monitored in conjunction with disturbance by livestock (cattle and sheep) from 1991 to 1993 at Deseret Land and Livestock property near Woodruff, Utah. Elk and deer densities declined by as much as 92% in response to introduction of livestock, while associated areas where livestock were absent did not show this response. Biting rates and bite sizes were estimated and used to determine instantaneous intake rate. These measures were similar between pastures with cattle present or absent in 1992 but differed in 1993 for bite rate and marginally so for instantaneous intake rate. Bite rate and bite size but not instantaneous intake rate showed significant differences among years when the data for both treatments were combined. My results indicated that livestock locally displaced wild ungulates but displacement occurred only while the livestock were present. Differences in elk foraging behavior were greater between years than between treatments, and instantaneous intake rate alone was viewed as an inaccurate indicator of potential reductions in fitness.

Nest predation is a major factor impacting duck production and recruitment on breeding areas in North America. I surveyed waterfowl managers employed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. state wildlife agencies to determine their beliefs about nest predation and its management. Over 64% of respondents believed that rates of nest success on their management units averaged <30% between 1996-2000. Managers believed habitat management and direct predator control were the most effective techniques to reduce nest predation. The construction of predator exclosures around nesting habitat also has been recommended to reduce nest predation. Between 1999-2001, I evaluated the effectiveness of 4 predator exclosures to enhance duck nest success at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Utah. During this period, rates of nest success in the exclosures were slightly higher than that within control plots, but still <15%. Although published guidelines commonly recommended predator fences ≤ 117 cm in height, I observed red foxes jump the 114-cm-high fences. Additional research is needed to identify effective predator fence designs. Wildlife managers have argued that periodic disturbance of vegetation should be a component of management on waterfowl breeding areas. Although many techniques are available to manipulate vegetation, grazing by domestic livestock has been controversial. Some researchers have reported that livestock grazing is detrimental to nesting ducks whereas others have argued that it can be beneficial. I evaluated the impact of a short-duration, high-intensity winter livestock grazing program on duck nesting at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. Following a winter grazing treatment, I measured visual obstruction on both grazed and ungrazed plots during the spring nesting season. Although visual obstruction readings on grazed plots were lower than those on rested sites early in the nesting season, those differences diminished as the season progressed. Winter grazing may impact early-nesting ducks like mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), but not late-nesting species like cinnamon teal (Anas cyanoptera) and gadwall (Anas strepera). In designing grazing programs to manage nesting cover, managers should consider their waterfowl production goals, the composition of breeding duck populations, type of grazing system, and climatic conditions.

A field survey and a metabolism experiment were conducted to study livestock watering practices in the Moroccan Pre-Sahara and their changes with drought extent, season, ecological zone, pastoral system, and herd size. The metabolism experiment was designed to determine effects of once per 2 days (ID), once daily and twice daily drinking frequencies, and high and low body conditions on water and nutrient utilization by sheep fed high- and low-quality diets. The way herds are managed in this region exposes all sex and age categories of animals to food and water shortages during annual dry seasons and occasional droughts. Livestock are commonly watered once daily in warm seasons, but in the winter they are dominantly watered once every other day. Distance of herders' headquarters from water averaged 4.6 km, but 27 .6% of herders reside farther than the 5 km recommended distance from water sources. The proportion of herds not able to satisfy their complete requirements attains 28% in summer. Out-of-pocket cost of water hauling averaged 0.0270 Dirham, but was higher when water was trucked instead of transported by equines. A careful water development associated with adequate range management is recommended. Results of the metabolism experiment showed that thin rams had higher dry matter (DM) intake and nitrogen retention than did fat rams, but the digestive capacity of fat and thin rams was similar. ID did not affect Beni Guil sheep's water-to-OM-intake ratio, but induced a drop in DM intake of both diets. ID improved nitrogen balance by 40% as compared to daily drinking. When compared with fat rams, thin rams were more efficient in water utilization, but had higher water turnover, which allowed them to excrete excess waste coming from their higher feed intake. ID is undesirable when production or compensatory growth is the goal, but when animals are thin and feed quality is low, it has the advantage of improving nitrogen retention and allowing animals to graze at least two days walking distance from the water point without need for water transportation. Twice-daily drinking proved to be of a limited effect on all measured parameters.