Dataset from the literature on the ingestive behaviour of grazing ruminants.

The dataset described in this paper was constructed from 90 publications available from bibliographic databases. It presents the values of various quantitative components of ingestive behaviour of grazing ruminants (bite weight, biting rate, intake rate, grazing time, etc.).

End-product quality of composts produced under tropical and temperate climates using different raw materials: A meta-analysis.

A meta-analysis on end-product quality of 442 composts was performed to assess the effects of climate and raw materials on compost quality. The analysis was performed using an ANOVA including a mixed model with nested factors (climate, raw material and publication effect). Tropical composts presented lower carbon, nitrogen, potassium and soluble-carbon contents, and higher electrical conductivity.

Tropical grasslands: A pivotal place for a more multi-functional agriculture.

Tropical grasslands represent a pivotal arena for the sustainable intensification of agriculture in the coming decades. The abundant ecosystem services provided by the grasslands, coupled with the aversion to further forest destruction, makes sustainable intensification of tropical grasslands a high policy priority. In this article, we provide an inventory of agricultural initiatives that would contribute to the sustainable intensification of the tropical grassland agro-ecosystem, and we recommend a shift in the scientific priorities of animal scientists that would contribute to realization of a more agro-ecological and multi-functional agriculture in the world's tropical grasslands.

LivestockPlus: Forages, sustainable intensification, and food security in the tropics.

The increased use of grain-based feed for livestock during the last two decades has contributed, along with other factors, to a rise in grain prices that has reduced human food security. This circumstance argues for feeding more forages to livestock, particularly in the tropics where many livestock are reared on small farms. Efforts to accomplish this end, referred to as the 'LivestockPlus' approach, intensify in sustainable ways the management of grasses, shrubs, trees, and animals.