Almost all of our family members have participated in the 4-H program. We believe that it is so beneficial for youth and so we now volunteer with the program. This picture is from the Regional 4-H judging clinic, Brynn taught market swine judging.

Brynn and Faye went to AgriEd, where grade 4 students learn about Ag. Faye was on display at the beef booth, Brynn taught animal safety.

The bulls were taken into the vet to be semen tested. The test involves a scrotal circumference measurement and semen collection. To get a semen sample the vet inserts a probe into the bulls anus (pictured here), the probe gives electrical stimulation that causes the bull to ejaculate. The sample is then looked at under a microscope, they are looking for motility (movement), abnormalities of individual sperm cells, etc. The bulls are then given a score out of 100. We took 2 bulls in: Z2 and Z3, they tested 97 and 80 respectively. After the tests, Z3 went in with the non-AI cows for the breeding season.

This is a picture of Z3 (Ricky Bobby, second from the right) with his new girlfriends.

On Sunday we ran all of the cattle through for processing. Processing means vaccinations, brands, tatoos, tagging, castration and anything else the cattle need done to them before they leave for pasture. The AI group was also bred early Sunday morning. Here is a short video of Dairy cow’s being AI’ed, ours are not handled every day so they are restrained in a squeeze chute: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwURF4uZhpg

The cows that were not being AI’ed were given 2 vaccinations, Bovashield FP and 7-way. The calves were all given these vaccines as well. The purebred calves were given a tattoo, shown in the pictures below (it is too difficult to get a picture of a tatto in the calves ears).

The commercial calves were given a brand and the commercial males were castrated. This picture shows a calf being branded. We use a calf tipping table for the safety of the calves and people working on them. A brand is a permanent mark that is visible to the naked eye in the case of lost or stolen cattle.

Across the Universe by Beth Revis is a horrible, and horribly boring, book. Maybe it’s just me (because I’m not much of a sci-fi person), but I just could not get into this story.

The beginning isn’t completely horrible, when they describe cryogenically freezing the main character, Amy, and her parents. They are putting them on a spaceship named Godspeed, where they will remain asleep on the 300 year journey it will take to “the new Earth.” This new planet is called Centauri-Earth.

However, something goes mysteriously and terribly wrong, when fifty years prior to reaching Centauri-Earth, cryo chamber 42 (Amy’s chamber) is unplugged and she wakes up early. Refreezing her would be risking death, therefore, Amy’s only hope at survival is to remain awake and live upon the spaceship.

Elder is being trained to be Godspeed’s new leader by Eldest, the current leader. Elder is a bit rebellious, and not completely content to follow the ways of the ship, like a good little soldier, without asking questions. Elder is also enraptured by Amy. She is the only teenager on Godspeed aside from Elder.

The rules that keep the ship running are completely utilitarian. Every person aboard the ship performs an exact function. They basically are mindless slaves, who farm to provide food for the ship. And they ALL look alike from years of breeding (and inbreeding) aboard the ship—this is also why Elder finds Amy fascinating…she has an actual hair and eye color.

The way the people on the ship live completely repulsed me…it was way worse than in other dystopian tales, such as Matched, The Hunger Games, and The Pledge. They are pretty much cattle. The breeding was the worse…when it becomes a generation’s “season,” they basically put Viagra in the water supply, causing everyone to hump like rabbits ALL OVER THE SHIP, with no regard, whatsoever, to modesty. They literally just mount each other and go at it in the middle of the road.

Of course there is a whole “unveiling” of a deeper plot, but whatever. I was totally disinterested by that point and didn’t even care.

And all of the reviews called the book completely romantic and spicy…completely FALSE. I don’t how I even made it all the way through this book. I give it one out of five stars.

Most households at some point have includes (or want to include — especially among the kids) a dog at some point.  They are considered the most loyal and intelligent companions we can have and this may explain their popularity as pets, workers, and companions throughout history.  Today’s infographic walks through the history of the dog, from its grey wolf beginnings through the ways in which they were bred to display certain traits, and some of the more popular breeds today.  [VIA]

Click image to enlarge.

Learn how to butcher, cut up a whole rabbit and the MANY rabbit recipes, find your favorite recipes and grow some of the herbs and other ingredients in them. Learn how to freeze, smoke, and even pressure can your rabbit meat. When you have all this information and experience under your belt, then you can worry about high production!

If you have a crazy work schedule (like me) there are ways to help with this so your does will kindle on certain days of the week.

If you breed your does on the weekend (do not forget to mark that day on your calendar) 28 days later put in the nest boxes. The 28th day should fall on the weekend again, this works out well if the weekend is when you do your weekly rabbit chores (cleaning cages, emptying drop pans, bleaching crocks and bottles etc.) and since you are working in the rabbitry is also a good day to put in the nest boxes. The doe should have her litter during the week on day 30 or day 31 after breeding (remember you marked the breeding date on the calendar!). This should be on a Tuesday or a Wednesday. Rabbits will usually kindle at night so if you work days you should be home in time to check on the new litter. If doe doesn’t kindle by day 35 you should breed her again. This again should fall on a Saturday or a Sunday.

I breed my does on a Wednesday. This is because I work during the week and never know what time I will get home. This way the does will kindle on the weekend when I am home working on the homestead.

When I first started with rabbits feed was cheap and everyone was using pellets. I could breed some of my high production New Zealand’s to get 8 big litters a year. Now I am looking to be more self sufficient with my life and my rabbits. With this new change I raise less rabbits (easier to grow and harvest food for 10 rabbits than 50) and a more natural feeding program I am happy with 5 to 6 litters a year. The litters may be a little smaller but the cost and sustainability is priceless!

How many litters a year can I get from my rabbits? This question I get asked all the time. There are many factors including types of feed and hereditary factors. Here is a breeding schedule for the amount of litters a year you want. Remember raising rabbits is not perfect you many get a doe that misses, or loses a litter.

LITTERS A YEAR-
4 Kindle litter- Rebreed 60 days after kindling- Wean kits at 60 days- Kindle next litter 91 days
5 Kindle litter- Rebreed 42 days after kindling- Wean kits at 56 days- Kindle next litter 73 days
6 Kindle litter- Rebreed 28 days after kindling- Wean kits at 42 days- Kindle next litter 59 days
7 Kindle litter- Rebreed 21 days after kindling- Wean kits at 35 days- Kindle next litter 52 days
8 Kindle litter- Rebreed 14 days after kindling- Wean kits at 28 days- Kindle next litter 45 days

4 to 6 litters a year are more likely with a natural feeding program, 6 to 8 litters a year will require more management and the need for a high protein production pellet.

You should have a calendar in your rabbitry or a calendar in the house just for your rabbits, I have a large calendar hanging in my rabbitry so I can see when to put in a nest box, I put the cage numbers on the date when the nest box should go in and when they are due. Here is a gestation chart that I use all the time.

31 Day Gestation Chart

Jan—–Feb——-Mar——April——May——June——July——Aug——Sept——Oct——-Nov——-Dec——Jan
1———–1————–4———4—————-5———–5———6———6——–6———7———7———–8————-8
2———–2————–5———5—————-6———–6———7———7——–7———8———8———–9————-9
3———–3————–6———6—————-7———–7———8———8——–8———9———9———–10————10
4———–4————–7———7—————-8———–8———9———9——–9———10——–10———-11————11
5 5 8 8 9 9 10 10 10 11 11 12 12
6 6 9 9 10 10 11 11 11 12 12 13 13
7 7 10 10 11 11 12 12 12 13 13 14 14
8 8 11 11 12 12 13 13 13 14 14 15 15
9 9 12 12 13 13 14 14 14 15 15 16 16
10 10 13 13 14 14 15 15 15 16 16 17 17
11 11 14 14 15 15 16 16 16 17 17 18 18
12 12 15 15 16 16 17 17 17 18 18 19 19
13 13 16 16 17 17 18 18 18 19 19 20 20
14 14 17 17 18 18 19 19 19 20 20 21 21
15 15 18 18 19 19 20 20 20 21 21 22 22
16 16 19 19 20 20 21 21 21 22 22 23 23
17 17 20 20 21 21 22 22 22 23 23 24 24
18 18 21 21 22 22 23 23 23 24 24 25 25
19 19 22 22 23 23 24 24 24 25 25 26 26
20 20 23 23 24 24 25 25 25 26 26 27 27
21 21 24 24 25 25 26 26 26 27 27 28 28
22 22 25 25 26 26 27 27 27 28 28 29 29
23 23 26 26 27 27 28 28 28 29 29 30 30
24 24 27 27 28 28 29 29 29 30 30 31 31
25 25 28 28 29 29 30 30 30 31 1 1
26 26 29 29 30 30 31 31 1 1 2 2
27 27 30 30 31 1 1 1 2 2 3 3
28 28 31 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 4 4
29 1 1 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 5 5
30 2 2 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 6 6
31 3 3 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 7 7

To use this chart, find the month and day that the breeding occurred and then straight across to the next column on the right to determine the due date, this is based on a 31 day gestation. Remember that 31 days is the normal gestation time for most rabbits, but it’s not uncommon for does to kindle their litters from day 28 to day 32. I always put my nest boxes in at day 27 or 28.

JOIN THE RABBIT REVOLUTION! Start raising rabbits today! LIKE US ON FACEBOOK and get daily information on rabbits and homesteading. I am looking for more ideas for posts please email us at riseandshinerabbitry@hotmail.com and let me know what you want to read about. Working on RABBIT REVOLUTION RADIO a weekly online radio show about rabbits and more! Thanks for reading! May your litters be large and grow fast!

ORB:
American Flag, Speed Boat, Galleon Gold, Judy O’ Grady, Coquelicot, Baton Rouge, Hostility, Free America (Columbiana & Firetop), Warrior Lass, War Woman, Mad Hatter, Friar Rock, Display, Oval, Mlle. Dazie, Striking, Busher, Misplay, Hour Glass, Iron Maiden, In Reality, Busanda, Bee Mac, Admiral’s Lady, Upset, Wildair, John P. Grier (more than once).

Honorable mentions to Colin and Shenanigans.

Presently, Noelle & Dalton have just produced their 3rd litter on 27 April, they are 6 classic Nutmeg/dark-eyed honey pups with dark eyes and dark points. The orange fur is just starting to show for some – the nutmeg pups, presumably. Sienna & Kit produced their 2nd litter TODAY, with 4 pups. Inna & Judd are late to the maternity party, and the mom Inna is not showing as yet but no worries, gerbils take their time about these things.

Those first two breeding pairs are really the e-colour producers, bringing Nutmeg, Dark-eyed Honey, and light Dark-eyed Honey pups to the brood. Inna & Judd give lovely spotted/pied blacks, as do Judy & Damian, and the rest produce varied colours of pups. I acquired the honey cream which I mentioned the last time was seen in a petshop, and it turns out to be Ron’s after all! As a result, I know the little guy’s pedigree and can plot pairings. He will be crucial to form a breeding pair producing honey creams – and I just need a spotted nutmeg or spotted DEH from either Bren&Toby or Sienna&Kit. Any other colour of mate will stack up the odds against a honey cream pup in the possible offspring.

Ever since I got my student exchange to Canada confirmed – and I’m departing in December and returning in May – I’ve been thinking of all the exciting possibilities we could achieve with the underwhite dense gene, the fading ef gene, the colourpoint gene and the dilute gene in Sinngapore. The varieties are confounding with the colourpoint gene alone, which could give us things like Siamese, Burmese, Colourpoint Nutmeg, etc.. and we could get Grey Agoutis from underwhite dense, which could make possible Silver Nutmegs, Polar Fox, etc.. the fading ef gene could give us Schimmels and Champagne.. the dilute gene gives us blue gerbils, of course! And that is the big news, because Johanne just got a batch of blue gerbils last week (motivated by my wanting to bring blue gerbils when I come, presumably).

Haha. You wonder that my work would be cut out for me. I had better quit school, lol. So I was thinking that in order to make things quick when I come back and start arranging pairings for all these colours, I should establish solid lines producing breedable Nutmegs, DEHs, Yellow Foxes, Pied Blacks and Agoutis etc, rather than try to find sturdy quality gerbils to breed one year later. I’m gonna discuss with Johanne some early strategems of the possible colours to bring back, once my exams are over next week (I cannot wait). At any rate, I am only allowed 5 pets under AVA personal import rules, so they would probably have to be a pair of blues, a pair of burmese with uwd, a schimmel or such.

And because I have 9 breeding pairs at present (or something like 6 discounting the very old and very young), I would need foster homes for the 8 pairs I’m expecting to have at year’s end. I’ve found two parties already (willing, or at least looking like it) but would need more! No one at home knows how to handle the babies, etc.. Haha, if you think you can help out, please, PLEASE tell me! Maybe you can have a siamese pup or something in return, lol.

And a side note: Shire my blue lionhead rabbit, is turning 6 months and getting moody and territorial. I’m thinking of breeding her, but probably after I come back in May. Wondering how to go about this as I definitely do NOT want to get another rabbit, does anyone here have a lionhead rabbit I can breed her with?

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/2-Horses-Found-Dead-in-Field-at-Va-Farm-206094321.html

From: BNP calls on members to breed more after elections disaster

One of the recently opened quarry. © Gyorgy Szimuly

I arrived to Wolverton early in the morning shortly after 5AM. As there was no other option available I walked to the Manor Farm from the center of the village. It wasn’t that much fun as long as I reached the viaduct where birding has begun. First was a singing Grey Wagtail. OK, I could not immediately say, it was a Grey Wagtail. Not only because a Eurasian Wren tried to outsing the wagtail, and actually it did, but because I was not really familiar with the song of Grey Wagtail. Anyway I saw it singing and tried to remember it. This wasn’t the only head-scratching moment of today…

Some Northern Lapwings were already incubating. © Gyorgy Szimuly

Cloudless morning and the warm lights made Manor Farm magical. © Gyorgy Szimuly

The Manor Farm itself. © Gyorgy Szimuly

In the chilling morning I turned right to the northern path which directed me to the new quarry. The calls I heard there was I had been missing for a long time. Northern Lapwings and Little Ringed Plovers were chasing each other what rather looked to be a joyful game than a real territorial behaviour. At least one bird was sitting on a nest and another was scraping a nest hollow quite close to the footpath. Here I saw 5 Little Ringed Plovers and 7 Northern Lapwings. Besides of two fishing Great Crested Grebes there were no other bird species present in the quarry.

When I turned back towards the farm about 40 Sand Martins were flying over another quarry under development. The most frequent bird was the Common Whitethroat which sang in many part of the area. Its song always brings some Mediterranean feelings into the birding. At the Manor Farm birding checkpoint I met a birder with a scope, so it was obvious to me to stop by. We started to look for birds together and had some chat. When he was picking up a Common Greenshank, what I missed to spot, he started texting it to someone. In the next seconds I got it and I realized I am with Simon, who has kindly been offering this service to the local birders. We found a Lesser Whitethroat what, again, was quite differently sang than our birds in Hungary. The Common Greenshank didn’t show again. Just before Simon had to leave but just after Martyn arrived I spotted the bird which was flying from the very far corner of the pit. It flew again but sadly Martyn could not see it so we decided to move away and try it from the other side. After a long walk we found ourselves on the northern footpath where I could spot the Common Greenshank again. It offered a relatively good view through the scope.

Common Greenshank seemed to be uncommon here. © Gyorgy Szimuly

I estimated about 4 nesting pairs of Northern Lapwing, at least one incubating Little Ringed Plovers (several showed territorial behaviour) and one incubating Eurasian Oystercatcher. Common Redshank and Common Tern were seen mating.

Complete eBird list:

Greylag Goose 6
Canada Goose 14
Mute Swan 5
Gadwall 2
Mallard 8
Tufted Duck 7
Great Crested Grebe 5
Great Cormorant 1
Grey Heron 2
Little Egret 1
Common Buzzard 1
Common Moorhen 6
Eurasian Coot 9
Northern Lapwing 15
Common Ringed Plover 1
Little Ringed Plover 16
Eurasian Oystercatcher 2
Common Sandpiper 1
Common Greenshank 1
Common Redshank 2
Black-headed Gull 4
European Herring Gull 2
Common Tern 17
Common Wood Pigeon 9
Eurasian Collared-Dove 2
Green Woodpecker 5
Common Magpie 18
Eurasian Jackdaw 13
Carrion Crow 42
Eurasian Skylark 1
Sand Martin 40
Barn Swallow 3
Common House Martin 4
Great Tit 5
European Blue Tit 12
Eurasian Treecreeper 1
Eurasian Wren 5
Common Chiffchaff 1
Sedge Warbler 1
Eurasian Reed Warbler 1
European Blackcap 3
Common Whitethroat 10
Lesser Whitethroat 1
European Robin 3
Eurasian Blackbird 6
Song Thrush 2
European Starling 5
Dunnock 2
Western Yellow Wagtail (Yellow) (Motacilla flava flavissima) 4
Grey Wagtail 1
White Wagtail (Pied) (Motacilla alba yarellii) 2
Reed Bunting 1
Common Chaffinch 1
Eurasian Bullfinch 2
European Greenfinch 4
European Goldfinch 6
Common Linnet 1

Compared to the Manor Farm, the Willen Lake was rather boring. There were just a few notable birds there. I heard the first Common Cuckoo, saw the first Eurasian Hobby and finally had a glimpse on a singing Cetti’s Warbler which song I wasn’t familiar either. Thanks to xeno-canto I found out quickly what that powerful song was. On the north lake island several pair of Grey Herons and possibly Little Egrets started to breed. No waders have been found despite water level was low.

The start of the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies, part of the Breeders Cup World Thoroughbred Championships, on October 30, 2004 at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas. (credit: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

AUSTIN (AP) — Jurors in the trial of five men charged with using a horse racing and breeding operation to launder drug money for a Mexican cartel will return to court on Wednesday to hear closing arguments.

A federal judge in Austin gave jurors a three day break after both sides rested in the case linked to an Oklahoma ranch horse racing operation that allegedly fronted the Zetas cartel. All five men are charged with money laundering conspiracy.

Lawyers for Jose Trevino Morales, Francisco Antonio Colorado Cessa and Fernando Solis Garcia declined to call any witnesses.

Among those in custody is Jose Trevino Morales, the younger brother of reputed top Zetas founders and leaders Miguel Angel and Oscar Omar Trevino Morales.

Also on trial are horse trainer Eusevio Maldonado Huitron and his older brother Jesus Maldonado Huitron, who’s in the construction business. Witnesses for the brothers testified Thursday about their limited education but said both were hard workers.

A total of 15 people have been charged in what federal prosecutors said was a money-laundering operation centered at the Oklahoma horse ranch that quietly spent millions in drug profits on racehorses for Mexican cartel. Eight of the suspects have been arrested; the rest remain at large.

Prosecutor Douglas Gardner told jurors at the start of the trial that the scheme went through $16 million in horse-related expenses in 30 months.

Gardner painted a picture of a conspiracy in which horse owners, trainers and others crafted bank deposits to hide the true source of the operation’s funding. He said they created companies that bought horses with the cartel’s money and even fixed the outcome of horse races.

Trevino Morales’ attorney David Finn said prosecutors have tried to “tar and feather” his client because of his brothers’ alleged illegal actions.

Prosecutors said that Eusevio Maldonado, the trainer for the horses, was also involved in racing violations, like doping the horses, ignoring track rules, bribing track officials, putting the horses under his daughter’s name when he had been suspended and even shocking a horse with electricity to make it run faster.

(© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Also Check Out:

• I-Team: Website Allows Users To Rate Prostitutes
• Fort Worth Teen Arrested With Pressure Cooker, Fertilizer In Trunk
• Keller ISD Alum Among 4 Killed In Crash
• Police Searching For Missing North Richland Hills Teen
• West Fertilizer Plant Explosion Cause Could Take Weeks

[cbs-olapic gallery_id="1657920245"][/cbs-olapic]

MOST VIEWED GALLERIES

• PHOTOS: Your Pet Pictures
• PHOTOS: Dallas St. Patrick’s Day Parade
• PHOTOS: Pope Francis I

———————————————

I like to write a lot about strange cases, anomalies, and sick animals. Though they are the biggest headache, I also find them the most intriguing. Today I will write about one of the rest: all of the perfectly normal, perfectly boring sheep which are noteworthy for capturing none of my attention at all.

This is number seven. Her green eartag starting with number zero reminds me that she is three. Her robust, twin ewelambs are standing to her right in the photo. She is not particularly eye-catching. She is a very modest size, probably no more than 120 pounds. She has some orange spots here and there, but is a very plain color. She sheds properly. She is rather cobby, perhaps even a bit stuffy in body type. She would not win at a show, though she is physically sound. She has a bland personality, not friendly, not standoffish.

When I look at her, absolutely nothing at all comes to mind. I have to look at my records to jog my memory. I’ve de-wormed her twice in her lifetime. I’ve trimmed her hooves five times, and always noted them as scoring well. I’ve done fecal tests on her twice, and both times the counts were low. She has never needed any medication or other aid. I have vaccinated her so she will pass immunity on to her lambs. That’s about it.

She’s had five lambs in her three years. Three butcher lambs prior and twin ewes this year. I gave her first lamb a slight assist in birthing, but he may have delivered fine if I hadn’t been there. Other than that, all I’ve done with her lambs is tag and weigh them at birth.

She is a very responsible mother. During the weeks of lambing, I always do one last check in the pasture before I go to bed. I look to see if newer lambs are bedded down with their mothers. Any that I’m annoyed to find separated, I return them to their dams, to make sure they are pairing properly. But with number seven, that is never necessary. Her lambs are always with her, even now, she keeps very good track of them. She produces good milk and her lambs grow well. Her udder is healthy with no signs of mastitis lumps.

She is not one of my top ewes, but she is solid producer.  I call ewes like this bread-and-butter ewes, because they are the ones in the flock that reliably produce income with the least amount of inputs or complication. She is not a lard-butt 180 pound ewe that eats a ton. She doesn’t grow thin from worm load, or have an udder that goes to hell upon weaning. Thus far, she has not had tricky triplets or any questionable mothering incidents. With very modest feed, and very little work from me, she will likely be a steady producer of twins for many years to come. She’s really very boring, which is precisely what one wants in a flock of pasture ewes.

Dare I look?

Heads. Tails.

It doesn’t matter.

According to the MSU Equine Reproductive Laboratory, Melody has a 20-50% chance of carrying a foal to term in her current state.

Gambling is for fools.

I can’t fall in love again with a foal who may die the second it begins to live.

I can’t bear the odds.

I’m fortunate to be working with a wonderful stallion and owner at Autumn Breeze Acres in Howell. They’re online at http://www.autumnbreezeacres.weebly.com.

Tuffs Frosted Image is still our boy.

However, another mare must stand in for Melody.

They’re best friends and rivals.

They love each other and love to tease.

They’re both mine.

Little Honey Bear will be a mommy.

The chances of Honey conceiving are far better than Melody. We’re checking her sometime in the next few days to make sure she’s ready to take the first steps into motherhood.

No coins necessary. The odds are in her favor.

Another nice moment was to listen a very long beautiful song of a Garden Warbler. I just loved to stay next to the bush and listen it.

Kea and the Greylag Goose. © Gyorgy Szimuly

The footpath with geese and goslings. © Gyorgy Szimuly

One of the Greylag Goose families. © Gyorgy Szimuly

Grouped Canada Goose families with cute goslings. © Gyorgy Szimuly

Protecting behaviour of adult Canada Geese. © Gyorgy Szimuly

This brings me to question whether the eggs were ever fertilized. Sometimes, a female goose will lay unfertilized eggs but still incubate them. It is possible these eggs were never going to bring new life into the park and after the 28 days were up, she realized that and left. I will never know the truth behind this nest and that bothers me.

The eggs pictured above are 3.3 inches by 2.2 inches. They are naturally a creamy white color, but these appear to have dried dirt on them after laying. The mother can lay about one egg a day, but does not begin the actual incubation until all eggs are laid so they all hatch within a 24 hour period. This strategy actually helps with predation because there are not growing goslings in the nest with unhatched eggs. After 25-28 days the goslings hatch. They come out of the egg covered in a yellowish down and their eyes are open. Their yolk sac, which has absorbed into their body, still has enough energy remaining to survive 2 days before they go out and feed on their own. When they are 1-2 days old, they leave the nest with their siblings and parents, and are able to walk, swim, feed, and even dive. They typically live with their parents until their fourth year, in which they find their mate and begin their lifelong journey together.

The picture above came from the first clutch that hatched this season at 10 days old. No, there isn’t anything wrong with his leg. Goslings find some of the strangest positions to be comfortable!

Dr Ijaz Rasool Noorka, University of Sargodha, Pakistan

Dr Ijaz Rasool Noorka has broad interests in the development of productive and sustainable agriculture for Pakistan and developing countries. His interests complement those of the Molecular Cytogenetics Group, and have enabled us to extend our consideration of the outcomes and impact of our work on exploitation of biodiversity by chromosome engineering.

Ijaz has been a Visiting Research Fellow in the University of Leicester for a year ending in May 2013, holding a highly competitive and prestigious fellowship from the Higher Education Commission, Islamabad, Pakistan. While in Leicester, his practical work included a range of molecular and cytogenetics approaches with wheat, maize and linseed: measuring diversity using IRAP and other markers in Pakistani and control accessions, crossing wheat lines, and in situ hybridization. He was involved in many discussions and the development of concepts and projects related to sustainable agriculture, bringing a wide range of insight into the challenges facing agriculture and food production worldwide. What are the genetic requirements of crops now and in the future to meet the need for more food without trashing the planet? How do we address the challenges of increasing food production in the face of reducing water availability for agriculture and climate change or instability? He was tremendously productive during his Fellowship in completing and publishing many manuscripts based on previous research and on new thoughts and research carried out, and making two visits to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with including a high-profile presentation for World Water Day in March, along with other useful visits and conferences.

At the University of Sargodha, Pakistan, Assistant Professor Ijaz Noorka is growing trials of various species, in particular wheats, and working with water management projects integrated with genetic resources. He combines his research and teaching with being Editor of the International Journal of Agriculture and Applied Sciences (IJAAS), Secretary General, Pakistan Agricultural Scientist Society (PASS), and President of the World Forum on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (WFCCAFS). Previously, he served at the On-Farm Water Management Wing, Department of Agriculture, Government of the Punjab, Pakistan for World Bank, Asian Development Bank Funded Projects. He has delivered International lectures and presented research papers at International conferences at Egypt, China, Morocco, South Africa, Iran, Abu Dhabi, Japan, Sudan, Kuwait, India, Malaysia, France, Italy, Singapore, UK, Dubai, Turkey and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. As well as more than 60 academic publications in Journals, Ijaz has published over 100 articles in Agricultural magazines, newspapers, and through agricultural awareness campaigns at Radio and TV shows.

At the farewell party in Leicester, Dr Noorka noted that he wants to divert his attention towards the improvement and upgrading of Pakistani agriculture and the rural people’s life: to extract all of his experience from field, laser levelling and water course improvement to wide hybridization, new germplasm, molecular markers and fluorescent in situ hybridization, translating to increase the poor people farm income. He also noted Pat Heslop-Harrison’s kindness and international exposure, Dr Trude Schwarzacher’s guidance, and discussions with other groups including Professor David Twell with gene transformation techniques and Prof Sir Alec Jeffery with expert discussions and seminars, as well as the University facilities, extra-curricular activities and Leicester life in a beautiful atmosphere. Pat Heslop-Harrison discussed the commitment of his laboratory to the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), and particularly how the use of biodiversity has both short and long term impacts on 1, eradicating extreme poverty and hunger; 7, ensuring environmental sustainability; and 8, building a global partnership for development (and our work can impact on the remaining goals by improving livelihoods and health).

We look forward to ongoing and productive collaborations.

Last month, a story circulated worldwide about a man in Argentina who had purchased what he thought was two toy poodles from a local market for a bargain price.  The poodles turned out to be ferrets that had been loaded with steroids to plump them up and make them appear more like a poodle than a ferret.

I have two things that concern me:

1.  While some people focused on debates about ‘how dumb could the guy be….?’, my thoughts were – ‘what a shocking case of abuse.’

These ferrets were loaded with damaging steroids to make money.  There was no thought given to their welfare and the impacts on their health from the steroids.

2.  There is no such thing as a free lunch.  If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is…

When dealing with animals, people really need to think about quality.  Are they buying quality?  Is it a cheap product that could damage animal health (how many cases have we seen with cheap, spot-on flea treatments and the damage that they cause?)

In this case, the buyer should have questioned the bargain price.  At a minimum, he was probably purchasing a poodle with health problems resulting from poor breeding practice.  What he got was even worse, a different species of animal that had been altered to deceive…

So, in summary, I think it is good that this story was circulated.  However, I am disappointed the track that many media took about the story.    We need to put animals first.  Welfare of the animals is top priority.

What do you think?