International training courses in poultry and pig husbandry and animal feed
Fifth International Rangeland Congress (IRC)
VI International Conference on Goats
International range news
Third global conference on conservation of domestic animal genetic resources
During 1994/95, the International Training Centre on Animal Husbandry and Milling Technology of Barneveld College in the Netherlands will be offering the following professional mid-career training courses for extension officers, agriculture teachers and managers in the field of small farm animal husbandry and animal feed and its manufacture, with emphasis on their roles in agricultural and rural development.
· 24th International Course on Poultry Husbandry (24 August 1994 to 24 February 1995). Apparently the most common type of livestock kept in rural areas, the importance of poultry is beyond dispute. Practical knowledge of poultry husbandry is obviously valuable for anyone involved in this sector, particularly for those working in education and extension.The course programme covers such subjects as economics, farmers' objectives, production costs, analysis of farm income, budgets and cost/benefits, as well as investment and finance. Further subjects included are genetics and breeding, knowledge of breeds, qualitative and quantitative genetics, breeding systems and random sample tests. There will also be programmes on hygiene and disease prevention and on the treatment and vaccination of special poultry diseases. Housing, management and nutrition will also be covered. In addition to discussions on practical subjects such as culling, egg quality, the hatching process, vaccination and financial/technical farm administration, there will be excursions to commercial poultry farms, hatcheries and research stations and to slaughtering and processing plants.
Participants, preferably between 25 and 40 years of age, are required to hold a diploma and/or a B.Sc. degree in agricultural science with a major in animal production. The language of the course will be English.
Examinations will be held in economics, genetics and breeding, hygiene and disease prevention, housing, management, nutrition and the hatching process. A diploma will be awarded on the successful completion of the course.
· International Course on Pig Husbandry (24 August 1994 to 24 February 1995). Pigs are a traditional source of high quality animal protein produced from agricultural byproducts not suitable for human consumption. In order to improve appropriate pig production systems, practice-oriented extensionists/trainers are important.
The programme of this course deals to a large extent with the same subjects as those listed under the course on poultry husbandry outlined above. The same applies for participants' qualifications. The language of this course will also be English.
· International Animal Feed Training Programme (27 February to 26 May 1995). The objective of this course is to train participants in providing good quality feeds when producing livestock, particularly pigs and poultry. It is for this reason that this optional three-month course immediately follows the ones previously mentioned. It will provide participants with practical knowledge and skills in the supply and preparation of animal feed, making optimum use of locally available nutrients.
Since this course is open to a limited number of participants only, preference will be given to those who have successfully passed the examinations of the previously mentioned courses and to those who are engaged in feed-processing activities.
The curriculum will cover the nutritional, technical and organizational aspects of feed processing. A pilot project will be arranged to apply the knowledge and skills gained during the training programme and, as with the other courses, field excursions are scheduled.
The Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries is the funding agency, covering a substantial part of the operating costs in order to keep tuition fees low. The total fees for the International Courses on Poultry and Pig Husbandry are -f.11 680 each, while the fee for the International Animal Feed Training Programme is -f.11 680 if immediately following one of the above courses or -f.13 700 in the case of direct entry.
Included in the fee are costs of registration, admission, participation, student insurance (limited coverage), study books and materials, field trips, full board and lodging and arrival and termination allowances, plus a daily allowance of -f.18 for moderate out-of-pocket expenses. All amounts are indicated on a preliminary basis.
For further information, contact Barneveld College, Department of International Studies and Projects, PO Box 64, 3770 AB Barneveld, the Netherlands. The deadline for application is 1 May 1994.
The following meetings were announced in International Range News, published by the Society for Range Management, Denver, Colorado, United States.
The Fifth IRC will convene in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, from 23 to 28 July 1995. Anyone interested in rangeland conservation and the sustainable utilization of the many products and amenities received from rangelands is invited to exchange ideas, experiences and technology to confront the continued degradation of rangelands and to promote improved land use and appreciation for these lands. The theme of the congress is "Rangelands in a sustainable biosphere". This theme was chosen to emphasize the role of individuals, landowners, land managers, administrators, research scientists, academic and policy-makers in the use and maintenance of rangelands around the world.
The goals of the congress are to understand better the plants and animals that coexist and interact in rangelands, to understand how humans affect rangeland ecosystems and contribute towards the development of strategies that mitigate any negative effects and to suggest ways that rangelands may be more fully utilized on a sustained basis. Increased demands on rangelands carry risks of erosion, pollution and reduced bio-diversity. Subjects to be covered include:
· Rangelands and global climatic change
· Environmental policy: development and implementation
· Multiple use of rangeland ecosystems
· Rangeland biodiversity and restoration ecology
· Ecological aspects of rangeland management
· Rangeland inventory and monitoring: theory and conceptual foundations
· Plant-animal interactions
· Hydrology and watershed management
· Education and training
· Extension and technology transfer
· Management of livestock and natural resources in traditional pastoral societies
· Emerging social and economic trends in commercial livestock enterprises
· Integrating the social sciences into rangeland management.
Of particular interest to the international development community is the management of livestock and natural resources in traditional pastoral societies. This session will include subjects such as incorporation of indigenous knowledge in development planning; unique aspects of herded livestock and communal lands in resource management; characteristics and restoration of traditional communal resource management mechanisms; trends in age and gender roles; competing demands for scarce rangeland resources - forage, fuelwood, wildlife habitat and manure; risk-aversion strategies; and trends and issues in commercialization. All voluntary papers will be presented as posters and submissions should correspond to the above themes. Applications to submit papers should be sent by 1 October -1993.
For a copy of the application, the first circular or further information, contact the General Secretary, Vth IRC, PO Box 11637, Salt Lake City, Utah 84147, USA. Tel: 801524-5054; Fax: 801-524-4403.
The People's Republic of China will host the sixth conference in Beijing from 13 to 18 May 1996. The theme for this conference is "Sustainable goat production and the environment". Tentative programme topics include production systems, genetics, breeding, feed resources, nutrition, reproduction, dairy production and milk products, meat production, fibre/skin/fur, diseases and environment adaption.
For further information contact: Mr Li Wei, No. 33 Nongfengli, Dongdaqiao, Cheo Yang District, Beijing 100020, China.
This newsletter aims to increase awareness of ongoing range management activities in developing countries. Through International Range News (IRN), a forum is established of professionals dedicated to the wise management of rangelands and to the well-being of people in developing nations dependent on rangelands. A subscription fee of US$10 should be sent to: IRN, 1839 York Street, Denver, CO, USA.
This conference,- organized by Rare Breeds International Canada '94, will be held from 1 to 5 August 1994 in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. The lectures will focus on the current status of conservation work around the world from grassroots to high-tech. Technical sessions on special topics such as rare breeds in crisis, conservation breeding techniques, feral animal studies and cryopreservation are planned. Field activities are also included in the programme. The conference will be conducted in English.
Further details can be obtained from RBI Canada '94 Conference Secretariat, c/o Dr J.N.B. Shrestha, Centre for Food and Animal Research, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0C6, Canada. Tel: (613) 9936002, ext. 7938; Fax: (613) 943-2352.
