What to Know About Cat Vaccinations.

What to Know About Cat Vaccinations.Cats don’t actually have nine lives, so you need to do what you can to protect them. The key? is the right vaccinations. Shots protect your cat from diseases caused by viruses and bacteria. They can also strengthen her immune system. Whether you have a kitten or an adult cat, your vet can help you figure out which vaccines are best and how often your kitty should get shots. It usually depends on her age, overall health, and lifestyle. The vet will also think about how long vaccines are supposed to last and how likely your cat might be to come into contact with a certain disease. Also, many local and state governments have laws about vaccines like rabies. When to give vaccines. Kittens should start getting vaccinations when they are 6 to 8 weeks old. The shots come in a series every 3 to 4 weeks. Adult cats need shots less often, usually every year or every 3 years, depending on how long a vaccine is designed to last. Which shots they need. Some vaccines are recommended for all cats. They protect against: 1) rabies. 2) Panleukopenia(feline distemper). 3) Feline Calicivirus. 4)Feline viral rhinotracheitis. The feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, and panleukopenia vaccinations often come in a combination shot (FVRCP), which is sometimes called the “distemper shot.” Your cat may need extra shots depending on how much time she spends outside, how often she’s around other cats, and the diseases that are common in your area. They include: more

Nestlé Spain develops first infant formula with two breast milk oligosaccharides

Nestlé Spain develops first infant formula with two breast milk oligosaccharides: After a decade of research, Nestlé has developed the first formula for infants with two oligosaccharides identical to those found in breast milk.

Key elements of successful agribusiness job creation in Africa.

Key elements of successful agribusiness job creation in Africa.The myriad of opportunities in agricultural value chains and the existence of untapped resources, particularly young people, can provide the much needed impetus to drive the next wave of development in Africa. To bring about the development of new agribusinesses, it is imperative to change the mindset of young men and women. They must see agriculture as an attractive profession. Most young people in Africa still think agriculture is an unprofitable and outdated sector that requires much hard work. Agriculture needs their energy and skills to add value to the sector and turn it into a vibrant, successful and fully commercial enterprise. The experiences of the IITA Youth Agripreneurs show that changing the perception of agriculture can inspire young people to become agricultural entrepreneurs. It can lead a graduate of history to become the best maize grower in northern Nigeria and a graduate of communication and media studies to become one of the most lucrative catfish farmers in Ibadan, Nigeria. Given the right opportunities, this change in mindset can help to transform agriculture, driving productivity growth and job creation. Part of this involves providing young people with opportunities to see how agriculture can work for them through educational visits and tours to successful agribusiness enterprises. more

How to establish a tree fruit orchard.

How to establish a tree fruit orchard. Where to plant your fruit trees is an important consideration when starting your orchard. Ideally you want good drainage, good soil, plenty of sunshine (fruiting trees require a minimum of 6-8 hours of sun per day during the growing season), and good air flow. You want your trees to be wind protected and try to avoid low-lying sites. A slope is the best location, if you have one. Fertile soils with a depth of more than 1.5 meters and pH range of 5.8–6.6 are ideal for growing fruit trees. Dig large holes before planting fruit trees. The tree holes need to be large enough to accommodate the root system, a 2 feet diameter is a good measurement. Mix well with the existing soil and good quality compost. Mulching and composting are an important part of the orchard. The proposed orchard’s site has to be cleared as thoroughly as possible of perennial weeds, undergrowth, trees, stumps, roots, trash and debris. This should be followed by levelling of unwanted anthills and the elimination of their destructive inhabitants. more

How Smart Farming is Impacting Smart Cities.

How Smart Farming is Impacting Smart Cities.The smart city is meeting the smart farm, but the nature of technology necessitates this relationship will be symbiotic not unidirectional. Increasingly, the smart farm will be impacting the smart city. What could be a more significant impact than solving the problem of getting food to ever-growing urban centers which are increasingly dependent on transportation and logistics to feed their millions? Statistically, less than two percent of Californians feed the other 98%. In addition, those same Californians, those feeding the 98%, are also providing specialty items such as delicious strawberries, tasty almonds, and enchanting wines to a good chunk of consumers of those items around country and the world. One reason they are able to provide so much for so many is that California farmers have embraced technology to increase yields and conserve precious and expensive resources like water, energy and land. Yields have been increasing for decades due to the ingenuity of the growers and their partners in both industry and research institutions, who have helped make American farms, ranches and vineyards some of the most efficient and effective staple and luxury crop producers in the world. Today, as cities and their inhabitants become “smarter”, they will increasingly be fed by “smarter” farms. California is currently seeing a spillover of the newest technological innovations from Silicon Valley, into the Central, San Joaquin and Salinas Valleys; adding to the existing base of advancements in precision irrigation, spectral imaging, genomics, environmental, animal and plant sciences, and dozens of other areas of practice. Many of the applications in use in today’s cities will likely find their place on the farm or vineyard, especially when it comes to IoT (Internet of Things) technologies. more

How Ngirumugenga rose from a 'small' farmer to a millionaire.

How Ngirumugenga rose from a 'small' farmer to a millionaire. Farming is a lucrative venture that ensures good returns on investment if good farming practices are undertaken. That is the testimony of Peter Ngirumugenga, a 38-year-old farmer from Sibagire Cell in Rwamagana District who earns over Rwf 30 million from farming. The father of three has found a fortune in banana farming and piggery. At his farm in Sibagire Cell, the sight of over 700 pigs feeding is a spectacle to behold. With 22 permanent workers and 30 casual labourers Ngirumugenga is determined to make the best out of his farming activities. In 2010, he invested in banana growing, starting with one hectare which used to produce harvest of one tonne of bananas per month. Today, his farm has expanded to 12 hectares, and he gets about 20 tonnes of banana produce per month, earning him Rwf800,000 monthly. Previously, a bunch of bananas at his plantation would weigh about 20 kilogrammes but thanks to good farming practices, he now harvests bunches that weigh as much as 80 kilogrammes. more

Pressure cook’ food waste to make fuel faster.

Pressure cook’ food waste to make fuel faster.A two-step method that includes hydrothermal liquefaction and anaerobic digestion can speed up the process of making biofuel from food waste while reducing carbon use, new research suggests. “Food waste should have a high value. We’re treating it as a resource, and we’re making marketable products out of it,” says lead author Roy Posmanik, a postdoctoral researcher at Cornell University. “Food waste is still carbon—a lot of carbon.” The researchers show that by using hydrothermal liquefaction before anaerobic digestion, virtually all of the energy is extracted from the food waste. In hydrothermal liquefaction, the waste is basically pressure cooked to produce a crude bio-oil. That oil can be refined into biofuel. more