Increasing Small Ruminant Productivity in Semi-arid Areas

Proceedings of a workshop held at the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, Aleppo, Syria, November 30 to December 3, 1987

I. Livestock Systems and Nutrition. - The Contribution of Livestock Products to Human Dietary Needs with Special Reference to North Africa and West Asia. - The Importance of Barley in Food Production and Demand in West Asia and North Africa. - Research Strategies for Development: Improving Sheep and Goat Production in Developing Countries. - Increasing Feed Resources for Small Ruminants in the Mediterranean Basin. - A Comparison of Grazing and Browsing Ruminants in the Use of Feed Resources. - Improving Livestock Production from Straw-Based Diets. - II. Breeding. - Breeding Strategies for Small Ruminants in Arid and Semi-Arid Areas. - A Strategy for the Exploitation of Sheep Genotypes for Improved Flock Performance. - Sheep and Goats: Their Relative Potential for Milk and Meat Production in Semi-Arid Environments. - New Technologies for Animal Improvement and Developing Countries. - Selection for Lamb Growth in Libyan Barbary Sheep. - The Awassi Sheep Breeding Project in Syria. - Past Experiences of Sheep Improvement in Egypt and Future Directions. - Genetic Improvement of Sheep in Turkey. - Sheep Breeding in Jordan and a Proposed Awassi Breed Improvement Programme. - Genetic Improvement of Sheep in Cyprus by Selection and/or Crossbreeding. - III. Health. - Studying Husbandry and Health of Awassi Sheep in Bedouin Flocks: Evaluation of Methodology Using Initial Results. - Emerging Bacterial Diseases that can Affect Small Ruminant Production. - The Economic Significance and Control of Small Ruminant Viruses in North Africa and West Asia. - Controlling Livestock Diseases in the Tropics by Breeding: A Perspective. - Impact on Productivity and Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal and Lungworm Parasites in Sheep in Morocco. - Resistance of Sheep and Goats to Helminth Infections: A Genetic Basis. - The Potential Use of Vaccines or Genetically Resistant Animals in the Control of Helminthiasis. - Mechanisms of Immunity to Gastrointestinal Nematodes of Sheep. - Recommendations. - List of Authors and Participants.