Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing

This book features four peer-reviewed reviews on alternative sources of protein for pigs. The first chapter summarises the nutritional attributes of macroalgae in terms of macro and micronutrients as a source of protein and other compounds in pig nutrition. The chapter also discusses the benefits of macroalgae or macroalgal derived extracts in feed, as well as future trends and challenges in the development of effective feed formulations.

The second chapter describes the application of corn fermented protein (CFP) in feed formulations for pigs. The chapter also discusses the use of distillers dried grains and solubles, as well as the challenges associated with the production of CFP.

The third chapter provides an overview of the current state of global insect production for pig feed, focussing on insects such as black soldier flies, crickets and mealworms. The chapter also addresses the impact of using insects as feed on pig health, growth rates and meat quality.

The final chapter reviews current research on the use of black soldier flies (BSF) as an alternative source of protein in the diets of pigs. The chapter discusses the benefits and challenges of using BSF in pig diets, as well as what data is required to enable the widespread use of this novel protein.

What is an Instant Insight?
An Instant Insight gives you immediate access to key research on a topic, allowing you to get right to the heart of a subject in an instant and empowering you to contribute to sustainable agriculture.

This book features four peer-reviewed reviews on zero/no-till cultivation.

The first chapter assesses the effect of no-till (NT) practices on soil health. The chapter explores the wide range of research on the effects of NT on the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils, as well as continuing challenges to address in NT research and practice.

The second chapter reviews the role of no or minimum soil disturbance in Conservation Agriculture (CA) systems, focussing on the effects of soil tillage and tillage implements on the soil. The chapter also explores how soil disturbance can by minimised during farming activities such as land preparation, seeding, planting, pest, disease and weed management, and harvesting.

The third chapter provides a useful overview of the core principles of CA before moving onto examining the concepts of no-tillage agriculture, cover crops and crop residue management. The chapter also discusses the environmental benefits and ecosystem services linked to CA as well as economic benefits.

The final chapter considers the use of NT and the importance of a fully-integrated cropping and residue management system to maintain soil health and productivity. The chapter also reviews how NT can be used to reduce erosion risk, as well as its role in optimising soil functions.

What is an Instant Insight?
An Instant Insight gives you immediate access to key research on a topic, allowing you to get right to the heart of a subject in an instant and empowering you to contribute to sustainable agriculture.

This book features four peer-reviewed reviews on infertility and other reproductive disorders in pigs.

The first chapter highlights some of the main factors which are known to affect reproductive efficiency in pigs, including gilt development, litter size, control of the weaning to oestrus interval and season infertility. Management strategies designed to help producers continue to make a profit are also discussed.

The second chapter introduces the concept of artificial insemination and details its importance in mitigating future challenges encountered by the global pig industry. The chapter also considers a range of factors which can affect the reproductive efficiency of boars, including low sperm count and semen quality.

The third chapter reviews the advances and trade-offs of genetic selection for improved reproductive performance in modern sows, such as an increase in piglet mortality rates. The chapter also includes informed discussions on breeding for improved conception rate, litter size and maternal behaviour.

The final chapter summarises the basic physiology of porcine female reproduction, including ovarian structure and function, folliculogenesis and steroidogenesis. It also describes stages of the porcine oestrous cycle. Further, emerging exposures and alterations to ambient temperatures and how they affect porcine female reproductive function are included.

What is an Instant Insight?
An Instant Insight gives you immediate access to key research on a topic, allowing you to get right to the heart of a subject in an instant and empowering you to contribute to sustainable agriculture.

This book offers a unique insight into the recent research completed on achieving sustainable management of tropical forests. Chapters review the factors which determine tropical forests, the process of forest landscape restoration, as well as the interactions between forest ecosystems and the climate system.

This book features five peer-reviewed reviews on alternative sources of protein for poultry.

The first chapter reviews effects of supplemental full- or de-fatted microalgal biomass in diets for broiler chickens, laying hens, and other types of poultry on their production performance, meat and egg qualities, nutrient metabolism, and molecular responses.

The second chapter provides an overview of the effects of dietary inclusion levels of different types of black soldier fly larvae protein meal on the performance and health of broilers and laying hens.

The third chapter considers the use of yellow mealworm as an alternative and sustainable protein source in poultry diets. The chapter reviews the nutritional and environmental benefits of its use, processing and storage requirements, as well as its effect on poultry productivity.

The fourth chapter highlights the poultry sector's over-reliance on a limited number of feed ingredients and explores the recent emergence of non-conventional protein sources, such as insect meal, earthworms, localised oilseeds and algae.

The final chapter describes the application of corn fermented protein (CFP) in feed formulations for poultry. The chapter also discusses the use of distillers dried grains and solubles, as well as the challenges associated with the production of CFP.

What is an Instant Insight?
An Instant Insight gives you immediate access to key research on a topic, allowing you to get right to the heart of a subject in an instant and empowering you to contribute to sustainable agriculture

This book features five peer-reviewed reviews on biofertiliser use in agriculture.

The first chapter examines the role of biofertilisers and consortia of microorganisms to improve the effectiveness of organic fertilisation, before moving on to consider the use of animal excrement, including manures, slurry and guano.

The second chapter presents the key issues in the optimum use of treated wastes in crop nutrition. The chapter also discusses technical processes such as precipitation of salts, incineration and post-treatment of ashes, as well as production of carbonaceous materials.

The third chapter discusses some common issues regarding the use of bio-based fertilisers, such as the concentration of nutrients leading to losses of reactive nitrogen and phosphorus into the environment.

The fourth chapter addresses the key issues of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and soil health, specifically focussing on improved soil structure and stability, soil contamination, carbon sequestration and nutrient retention.

The final chapter provides an overview on the use of plant growth-promoting bacteria/rhizobacteria (PGPB/PGPR) and its consequent effects on plant and soil health. The chapter also explores interactions between PGPB/PGPR and other components of the rhizosphere, such as AMF.

What is an Instant Insight?
An Instant Insight gives you immediate access to key research on a topic, allowing you to get right to the heart of a subject in an instant and empowering you to contribute to sustainable agriculture.

This book features five peer-reviewed reviews on the use of unmanned aircraft systems in an array of agricultural settings.

The first chapter provides an overview of unmanned aerial system (UAS) platforms and sensors, flight planning and imagery acquisition, before moving on to consider stitching and ortho-rectification in UAS image processing.

The second chapter discusses approaches to unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) remote sensing and data analysis for high-throughput field phenotyping and ecophysiological research. The chapter reviews the use of UAV remote sensing to measure key plant traits, such as canopy cover and leaf area index.

The third chapter presents a useful overview of the advantages and limitations of UAV remote sensing platforms and their applications in precision agriculture.

The fourth chapter discusses the quantification of plant water status and the various methods used to assess plant water stress. A section on optical remote sensing of plant water status is also provided, followed by sections on thermal infrared remote sensing and microwave remote sensing of plant water status.

The final chapter reviews the application of small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) and remote sensing technology in turfgrass systems. The chapter also highlights the various sUAS platforms and sensors necessary to measure and monitor the target of interest.

This book features five peer-reviewed reviews on the implementation of agroforestry practices.

The first chapter reviews the use of integrated crop-livestock systems, with a focus on agroforestry systems. The chapter discusses the potential environmental and economic benefits of agroforestry systems, as well as their contribution to animal health and welfare.

The second chapter considers the plantation and management of temperate agroforestry systems which combine timber trees and herbaceous crops. The chapter covers choice of tree species, techniques of tree planting, plantation maintenance and approaches to tree pruning and thinning.

The third chapter provides an overview of the implementation of alley cropping in agroforestry systems. The chapter explores the economic and ecological benefits of alley cropping, as well as the challenges and major considerations of implementing these practices within North America.

The fourth chapter addresses the challenges and key issues in the sustainable production and use of willow as feedstock for biofuel production in northern temperate regions, including the issues of feedstock quality for biofuel use.

The final chapter explores the contribution of agroforestry to meet global strategies to increase biodiversity while sustainably increasing agricultural systems resource

What is an Instant Insight?
An Instant Insight gives you immediate access to key research on a topic, allowing you to get right to the heart of a subject in an instant and empowering you to contribute to sustainable agriculture.efficiency.

This book features five peer-reviewed reviews on the development of regulatory frameworks for new agricultural products and technologies.

The first chapter provides a detailed overview of the Singapore Food Agency's regulatory framework for cultured meat, including considerations for safety assessment of cultured meat based on the concepts of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points, Good Manufacturing Practices and Good Cell Culture Practices.

The second chapter reviews the debate surrounding the regulation of genome-edited crops and considers how the Cartagena Biosafety Protocol could be applied to genome-edited products. The chapter also addresses the issues that can arise as a result of regulatory oversight.

The third chapter highlights key issues in the regulation of microbial bioprotectants in the European Union (EU), focussing on the need for new products to pass risk assessments and comply with particular risk management procedures.

The fourth chapter reviews the progress that has been made in adapting plant protection regulations to the specific needs of biopesticides in both a European and global context.

The final chapter considers the key steps required to compile a product dossier which is needed to gain regulatory approval for new animal feed products. As an example, the chapter details the process of developing a feed additive dossier in the EU.

This book features four peer-reviewed reviews on improving the welfare of growing and finishing pigs.

The first chapter begins by defining animal welfare in the context of pig production. The chapter discusses pig behaviour and how this can be affected by intensive production systems, group size, living conditions, as well as systems for monitoring animal health and care.

The second chapter explores the relationship between nutrition management and physical and social environments on the welfare of finishing pigs. The chapter also considers the use of environmental enrichment as a means of mitigating aggressive forms of behaviour, such as tail biting.

The third chapter provides a detailed overview of recent research findings on the effects of transport, handling and slaughter practices on the behavioural and physiological responses of pigs. The chapter also reviews how these pre-slaughter practices can impact carcass and meat quality and potentially result in loss of profits.

The final chapter discusses best practices for optimising the general management of growing finishing pigs to improve overall herd health. The chapter considers the impact of substandard herd management and the consequent increased risk of outbreaks of respiratory or digestive diseases, ulcers, lameness, prolapses, tail biting and other conditions.

This specially curated collection features five reviews of current and key research on vertical farming in horticulture.