DNA KIT FOR DOGS TO ANALYSE DISEASE RISK AND TRACE GENETIC TREE.

A startup is kicking off and its using dog's saliva in its tool to give dog owners the disease of their breeds and trace the pedigree.The startup called EMBARK is a DNA KIT that will give information to owners about disease risk and also trace ancestry. The company founders rolling out the product says the real objective is that the research will help to conduct various tests with the DNA samples and use the potential of dog genetics to deliver advancements in human health. Dogs and humans share many of the same kinds of conditions, hence by studying the genetics of diseases in dogs, scientists may be able to figure out how these originate in humans. The kit by engaging mass numbers of dog owners, will provide data that will unlock the potential of the dog as a model system and that is the real idea behind Embark. The founders have figured out that it’s a lot easier to fund research if study participants — or their owners — pay for the privilege of taking part in a study. Cornell University School of Veterinary Medicine has already agreed to be an Embark research partner, and the company intends to conduct its own studies, under the guidance of Adam Boyko, Embark's chief science officer, a dog geneticist at Cornell University, and Ryan’s brother. This kit will provide a framework for breeders and dog owners and will also be an important planning tool in terms of insurance.Client education about various diseases ,management and life expectancy of certain conditions will really help to address issues of breeding and animal welfare. The snag about this test will be the limiting of certain breeds and excessive breeding of other breeds which will over time phase out some breeds. # data bank #gene pool # gene bank # breeders # genetics.

Green entrepreneurs tackle Indonesia's growing trash mountains .

ng-trash-mountains/#iRKkEwXYmmRuW319.15">Green entrepreneurs tackle Indonesia's growing trash mountains | NewsDaily Some residents of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, frustrated by the mounting trash problem across the sprawling metropolis, have started taking matters into their own hands. Hamidi, a young “green entrepreneur” became so concerned by the overflowing Jakarta city dump that he began turning discarded plastic into fuel. “At the very beginning I just wanted to start a business,” said Hamidi, who started his waste-to-energy initiative a year ago in Tangerang, a satellite city about 25 km (15 miles) west of Jakarta. Read more at http://newsdaily.com/2016/03/green-entrepreneurs-tackle-indonesias-growing-trash-mountains/#5ZWsDpmC5ixi3cDx.99

Meat turns up the heat as livestock emit greenhouse gases.

Studies by Carnegie institution shows that eating meat contributes to climate change, due to greenhouse gasses emitted by livestock. The research shows that livestock emissions are on the rise and that beef cattle are responsible for far more greenhouse gas emissions than other types of animals. The tasty hamburger has been fingered as a major culprit and It might be better for the environment if meat consumption is cut down. The effect of eating pork or chicken instead of beef has a much positive impact on environment . Carbon dioxide is the most-prevalent gas when it comes to climate change. It is released by vehicles, industry, and forest removal and also comprises the greatest portion of greenhouse gas . The methane and nitrous oxide are also greenhouse gasses and account for approximately 28 percent of global warming activity. Methane and nitrous oxide are released, in part, by livestock. Animals release methane as a result of microorganisms that are involved in their digestive processes and nitrous oxide from decomposing manure. These two gasses are responsible for a quarter of these non-carbon dioxide gas emissions and 9 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions overall. The researchers found a difference between livestock-related emissions in the developing world, which accounts for most of this increase, and that released by developed countries. This is expected to increase further going forward, as demand for meat, dairy products, and eggs is predicted by some scientists to double by 2050. By contrast, developed countries reached maximum livestock emissions in the 1970s and have been in decline since that time. Feeding manipulation and different management methods have demonstrated changes in levels of gas released.Cows fed on hay and pasture burp more due to ruminal activity on the feed thus releasing more methane than other cows on grains and corn where there is less emission.

DUNG BEETLES AND GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS.

Cattle contributes to global warming by burping and farting large amounts of greenhouse gases and Some of the same gases are also emitted from cow pats on pastures. Researchers have found that beetles living in cow pats may reduce emissions of the greenhouse gas, methane. By digging around in their food, dung beetles like Aphodius pedellus may aerate cow pats and thereby modify methane emissions which will prevent climatic changes according to a study published in the journal PLoS ONE. Agriculture is one of the biggest sources of the greenhouse gases responsible for global warming and among these, cattle farming for meat and milk are major sources of methane, a gas with a potent warming effect. A large percentage of this methane comes from the guts of ruminating cattle, but some escapes from dung pats on pastures. Cow pats offer a prime food for a large number of organisms there are probably as many beetle species living in dung . The dung beetles live and spend most of their entire lives within the dung pats. The beetles exert much of their impact by simply digging around in the dung, and the tunneling by beetles seems to aerate the pats. This will have a major impact on how carbon escapes from cow pats into the atmosphere. This aeration prevents the production of methane,thus preventing the warming effect of the gas.

Feeding cattle with garlic reduces methane emission.

. Cattle produce a lot of methane which is a green house gas,thus contributing to global warming. The feeding pattern of the cattle results in series of burps/flatus generating a lot of methane,which in turn causes climatic changes. A school of thought suggests cutting down on beef production or totally stop the production,but the benefits of the cattle cannot be ignored and since there are no acceptable substitutes other options must be proposed.. The vegan group advocates more converts,but many people are unwillingly to rock the boat. The livestock industry accounts for over 15% of the total greenhouse emissions,even higher than that of the transport sector,thus adjustments must be made in livestock sector. These approaches will involve improved genetic selection through breeding, modification of dietary composition, rumen microbial manipulation and vaccines against the methanogenic bacteria that generate the methane in these animals and various other techniques. It is possible that among the approaches or with a combination of approaches there might be a way to reduce the global burden of methane emissions from livestock. The changes in nutrition and feed play a vital role on methane production by ruminants thus manipulating the diet of these animals to reduce absolute methane emissions is the key to reduce these emissions.There has been various modifications to feed/feeding pattern by various feed companies all with varying degrees of success such as DSM, a Dutch science firm, developed a powder that can be added to feed and inhibits the production of methane in the cow’s rumen. According to findings published in the National Academy of Sciences, researchers from DSM and Penn State University studied the effect of the supplement on 48 dairy cows over the course of 12 weeks and found promising results. They observed that cows whose feed contained the powder produced 30 percent less methane and gained weight compared to cows who ate typical diets and milk production was not changed. Feed intervention has also been done by German researchers who created a methane-reducing pill, and scientists in Wales found that cows who consumed garlic produced 50 percent less gas although the impact of garlic-based diet on the taste of milk or meat is largely unknown . Feed supplements,additives ,changes in diet and management of herd could hold answer to this climatic change without compromising the protein source and major source of milk and milk products in man.

GOAL SETTING.

Think yourself clear,set a course. Learn from the pro!!!

Man faces rabies risk after monkey bites in Bali .

A man who is getting rabies shots after a monkey bit him on the head in Bali has warned travellers against going near the creatures.Anthony Wallace, of East Gosford, was on a seven-day holiday with girlfriend Libby McManus when he was bitten at Ubud Monkey Forest. After the bite happened, Mr Wallace went to a first-aid centre at the monkey forest.

A Balinese doctor cleaned the wounds with salty water and antiseptic and administered a tetanus shot. He said the monkeys get tested for rabies once a year by an Australian doctor and the monkeys don't have rabies, but it was up to me if I wanted a rabies shot," Mr Wallace said. Mr Wallace, 46, sought advice from a Central Coast doctor when he returned home. 

"The doctor told him "if you get rabies you will die". Medical records showed rabies was almost always fatal after neurological symptoms had appeared.However, vaccination could prevent the disease even after exposure.Mr Wallace decided to undergo treatment, which included an immunoglobulin injection into the bite wounds."I had four injections into my scalp," he said."The right side of my head was puffed up like a balloon." 

 Additionally, Mr Wallace must have four shots of rabies vaccine over two weeks. Mr Wallace said the experience was "not something you'd like to see others go through".He and his girlfriend took precautions when visiting the monkeys, but had not realized the extent of the dangers they posed. They didn't take a backpack, sunglasses or hats to ensure the monkeys had nothing to grab."They had signs saying 'don't stare at or tease the monkeys'," Mr Wallace said. A lady was selling bunches of bananas to feed the monkeys, which they agreed to do.

"One of the big monkeys jumped on my shoulder – I thought that was pretty cool," he said."I gave the monkey the banana and it started to eat it." He didn't touch or provoke the monkey."Something dropped on my pants, I looked down and the monkey kind of freaked out." It dropped the banana, wrapped its arm around his eyes and took "a couple of big bites of my head", jumped off and ran away. 

Australia's smartraveller website strongly advised people to "avoid direct contact" with monkeys, dogs and other mammals in Indonesia because of rabies risk. BA World Health Organisation fact sheet said rabies infection "causes tens of thousands of deaths every year, mostly in Asia and Africa". 

 Rabies is a vaccine-preventable viral disease which occurs in more than 150 countries and territories. Dogs were the source of most human deaths from rabies. The disease was present "on all continents", except Antarctica. More than 15 million people a year receive a post-bite vaccination. Culled from Newcastle Herald.