Rapid and knowledge-based agricultural origins and plant domestication in the Neolithic Near East gave rise to Western civilizations.

Humanity's history is closely linked to those of camels. Without these remarkable animals we could not have inhabited the arid zones of Asia and North Africa, nor could we cope with today's challenges of increasing desertification. Researching interactions between humans and camels therefore has been established at the Austrian Academy of Sciences ever since its foundation more than 160 years ago. The present publication is committed to this research tradition. This book assembles insights upon current and historical interactions between humans and camels. Thereby it is international and interdisciplinary from the outset and aims at intensifying a camel-related knowledge exchange between the natural sciences and the humanities. The here presented discussions of Old World camels (dromedary, Bactrian, wild camel) include such diverse topics as camel origin, domestication, breeding, raising and commerce. Moreover, camels' significance is also discussed regarding socio-cultural and economic factors, music, folk medicine and veterinary medicine, as well as saving the last remaining wild camels. With an afterword by Richard W. Bulliet (New York), one of the world's leading authorities on the camels' history.

This book, Tropical Animal Health, describes the problems of animal diseases in the tropics, in the tropical environment, and in relation to particular production systems. In Part I, those basic scientific facts of the special host defence mechanism and of the host-pathogen relationship in the tropics, which hardly play any part in animal husbandry in temperate climates, are explained. Of special importance are the resistance mechanisms of autochthonous breeds and in contrast to them, the high susceptibility of exotic breeds in the tropics. It is explained how immuno- and chemoprophylaxis can be used as instruments for animal health measures if they are adapted to the socio-economic and ecological conditions of both the tropics and developing countries. Scientific details of immunology are presented as far as they are necessary to understand the epizo otiology of tropical diseases and diagnostic techniques for recognizing tropical diseases as well as the execution of prophylactic measures. Vector-borne diseases are the disease complexes most difficult to control since they are bound to the tropical environment, thanks to the biology of their vectors. Therefore, a special chapter has been dedicated to the description of biology and eradication of vectors of vector-borne diseases. The extent of the description varies according to the importance of the specific vector. The acaricides, insecticides and alternative methods used to control vectors are dis cussed in detail. The author has tried to present a world-wide picture, but it is not possible to cover every aspect completely.

Although much has been said about livestock's role in achieving food security in reality, the subject has been only partially addressed and no current document fully covers the topic. Recognizing that food security is central to international development - and to the mandate of FAO - this report tells story of livestock and food security from three perspectives. It begins by presenting a global overview, examining the role that livestock play in human nutrition, the world food supply access to food particularly for poor families. Next it moves from the global level to a human perspective, examining the way in which livestock contributes to the food security of three different human populations-livestock-dependent societies, small-scale mixed farmers and urban dwellers. The final part of the report looks to the future. It discusses the expected demand for livestock source food and the way that increased demand can be met with ever more limited resources. It reviews the drivers that led to the livestock revolution, how these have changed and what the implications will be for livestock contributing to resilient food systems of the future. Book jacket.

Building on the successful structure of the first edition, the second edition of Reproductive Technologies in Farm Animals has been totally updated and revised to provide an up to date account of the key techniques employed in manipulating reproduction in farm animals, including beef and dairy cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, buffaloes, camelids, horses and poultry. A classic introductory text to the subject, the book is based on a comprehensive review of the current literature. This text remains key reading for students in animal science, agriculture, veterinary medicine and biology, and veterinary practitioners and farmers who wish to keep updated on developments in techniques that may be useful in their daily practice.