A cross-sectional study was carried out in 2005 and 2006 in three geographical areas of Madagascar to investigate and differentiate swine farm management and biosecurity practices in smallholder farming communities. Questionnaire data from a total of 709 pig farms were analysed using multiple factor analysis (MFA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). Variables describing management and biosecurity practices were organised into five groups: structure of the farm, animal-contacts, person- and vehicle-contacts, feeding, and sanitary aspects. In general, few biosecurity measures were implemented in the pig farms included in the study. Regional differences in management and biosecurity practices emerged from the MFA and were mainly due to, in order of decreasing importance: structure of the farm, sanitary aspects, feeding and animal-contacts and, to a lesser extent, person- and vehicle-contacts. HCA resulted in the differentiation of four distinct types of farms in each of two study areas, Arivonimamo and Marovoay, while no grouping could be identified amongst farms in Ambatondrazaka area. The characterisation of the different types of smallholder pig farms will allow adapting recommendations on husbandry practices and control measures in pig farms of these regions of Madagascar. The development of tailored recommendations is essential for Malagasy smallholders who have limited resources and need to make evidence-based management changes to reduce the risk of contagious diseases in their herds.

– The objectives of this paper are to describe the fish assemblages in French reservoirs and to relate them to the sites' characteristics. The results of 43 fishing surveys were collected and completed with environmental descriptors. Fish assemblages differ between salmonids‐dominated mountain sites and lowland ones. The latter show higher species diversity and a distinction between rheophilic‐ and limnophilic‐type communities. This distinction can be explained by the reservoir age, location in the catchment and depth. The response of fish communities to these variables was investigated by canonical correspondence analysis. It shows that rheophilic species are typically abundant in upper basin, deep and recently created reservoirs. The fish community response to the aging process corresponds to an addition of lowland standing waters species and an extinction of the native riverine ones. The structuring role of the sites' depth, location and age is discussed, considering their relationship with the water body trophic status.

No abstract

No abstract

-In Kazakhstan, the cohabitation of Bactrian camels, dromedaries and their hybrids is a common feature even within farms. The physico-chemical composition of 147 milk samples from 57 Bactrians, 70 dromedaries and 20 hybrids was determined. The samples came from 4 different regions and were collected at 4 different seasons within a year. Compared with dromedary, Bactrian camel milk had significantly higher fat (6.67 vs. 5.94%), vitamin C (177 vs. 152 mg·L −1 ), calcium (1.30 vs. 1.16 g·L −1 ) and phosphorus (1.07 vs. 0.91 g·L −1 ). The iodine index value was significantly higher in dromedary (16.69) than in Bactrian milk (14.99). To distinguish Bactrian milk from dromedary milk, a discriminant analysis was carried out after discarding seasonal and regional variability. The discriminant parameters were phosphorus (linear discriminant coefficient = -1.00), pH (-0.408), vitamin C (-0.377) and fat content (-0.226), in higher concentrations in Bactrian than in dromedary milk. The iodine index (0.287) was higher in dromedary milk. After quadratic discriminant analysis, milk composition can predict species, with 75.4% well-classed. The milk composition of the hybrids was intermediary but with a low discriminant power. Bactriane (14,99). Afin de distinguer les deux types de lait, une analyse discriminante a été mise en oeuvre après avoir éliminé les effets liés à la variabilité saisonnière et régionale. Les paramètres discriminants sont le phosphore (coefficient linéaire discriminant = -1,00), le pH (-0,408), la vitamine C (-0,377) et la matière grasse (-0,226), en concentrations plus élevées dans le lait de Bactriane que dans celui de dromadaire. L'indice d'iode (0,287) était plus élevé dans le lait de dromadaire. Après une analyse discriminante quadratique, on peut prédire d'après la composition du lait, l'origine spécifique avec un pourcentage de bien classés de 75,4 %. La composition chimique du lait des hybrides s'est avérée intermédiaire mais avec un faible pouvoir discriminant.lait de dromadaire / hybride / Bactriane / analyse discriminante

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract