Microlivestock Little-Known Small Animals with a Promising Economic Future (1991) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
Part IV Rodents
Part IV Rodents
Pages 193-198
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 193... ...
Many convert vegetation into meat efficiently, digesting some fiber, even though their stomach, like man's, is a simple one. It seems probable, therefore, that some species would make suitable microlivestock a notion supported by the previous domestication of the guinea pig, laboratory rat and mouse, gerbil, and hamster.
|
From page 194... ...
Others may soon follow the same dismal route, including the beautiful cloud rat of the Philippines, the hare-like mare of Argentina, the vizcacha of southern South America, and the gentle hutias of the Caribbean. The guinea pig is described in a later chapter, but as it is the epitome of a rodent microlivestock species, some historical background is given here.
|
From page 195... ...
Moreover, rodents are not usually fastidious feeders, and being essentially vegetarian will readily accept a wide variety of commonly available foodstuffs. LIMITATIONS As with most animals with which man is in close contact, rodents can transmit human diseases.4 With care, however, managed rodents need not be any more dangerous to care for or to eat than pigs or horses both of which are worldwide food resources.
|
From page 196... ...
We present the findings of one of them here to show that, using modem techniques, even species that normally fight each other to the death on sight are potential pa`,,` animals. Through years of studying paces in Panama, Smithsonian biologist Nicholas Smythe has found that with care and planning the aggressive behavior can be so radically altered that the animals become calm.
|
From page 197... ...
"Technically speaking they are behaviorally indistinguishable from traditional domestic animals." As of this writing Smythe has three generations totalling about 50 individuals, and has several "families" of gentle paces living together in harmony. Ile has absented that they lose their nocturnal habit and, although they live mainly on fruits in the wild, they readily eat leafy vegetables and other foods in captivity.
|
From page 198... ...
- : A : ~ ~ ~ -~% a, -it ~Vi r`'' · Add, ~ .
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.