Goat

• The Interprofessional Organization for Sheep and Goat Meat in Spain, INTEROVIC, in collaboration with the Hungarian Sheep Meat Producers Organization, is proud to introduce the Exclusive Lamb&Goat from Europe program.
• The event, attended by press representatives from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Hong Kong, and Spain, provided a platform for INTEROVIC members to elucidate the campaign's objectives.
• Tomás Rodríguez Serrano, Director of INTEROVIC, commenced the event by illuminating the current status of the European sheep and goat sector.
• For more information about the Exclusive Lamb&Goat program and its alignment with Saudi Vision 2030, please visit https://exclusivelambandgoat.eu/ .

• While some alien species actually benefit humans, the UN organisation estimates 10% threaten nature and people.
• Alien species are plants, animals or other organisms that are introduced to new regions by human activities.

Growing threat

• Most impacts are reported on land (75%), with fewer in freshwater (14%) and marine (10%) habitats.
• More than 2,300 invasive alien species occur in indigenous territories, threatening the quality of life and cultural identities of millions of people.
• The threat of invasive alien species will loom larger in future due to increasing trade and travel.

Taking control

• An effective response to each invasive species will depend on where it is happening and how it is spreading.
• Although 80% of countries have targets for managing invasive alien species, only 17% have specific national laws or regulations.

Invasive aliens can be beneficial

• The recent assessment acknowledged that perceptions of their threat can vary depending on who you ask, which can complicate their management.
• The report does not offer guidance for these cases, but assessing the benefits and costs of each alien species is a good place to start.
• For example, feral cattle, sheep, goats and pigs on the Caribbean island of Montserrat provide meat for local cuisines.

• Rumours that there are big cats in Britain stubbornly keep cropping up.
• The most recent widely published claim of a big black cat in the UK does actually show a photo of a big cat species, which can be identified by the small ears relative to the size of the head.
• First, it didn’t become illegal to keep big cats as pets.
• I’ve always been sceptical about these claims that big cats live in the British countryside.

Large cats leave their traces

• I’ve worked with large carnivores in Africa since 2007 and it’s obvious if big cats are around.
• Wild prey, such as our large deer populations, wouldn’t completely protect livestock from big cats.
• There are many studies and reports of livestock being killed by large cats in areas where there also is a lot of wild prey.
• A camera trap is automatically triggered by movement within its view, like that from an animal or a human being.
• Cats often mark their territory using faeces, so they put it in places where they think other animals will notice it, which also makes it easier to find for researchers.

The big giveaway

• If there truly was a big cat on the prowl, the tell-tale sign would be repeated attacks on sheep.
• Big cats are no different and if sheep run away when seeing a big cat, they would chase them, and grab them.
• So any such big cats would have been born in captivity and with no hunting experience.
• But it’s the absence of attacks on sheep in such cases that is remarkable, and a tell-tale sign there isn’t a big cat out there roaming the UK countryside.

• Jeb Burchick brings extensive experience in communications and media relations to new role with Maryland Farm Bureau.
• DAVIDSONVILLE, Md., Aug. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Maryland Farm Bureau (MDFB) welcomes Jeb Burchick as its new Director of Communications.
• MARYLAND FARM BUREAU®, INC. is a 501(c)(5) federation that serves as the united voice of Maryland farm families.
• Maryland Farm Bureau is a proud member of the American Farm Bureau® Federation.