Figure 1: Papers submitted to LRRD in the period 2000-2008
Welcome to Volume 21, Number 5 of Livestock Research for Rural Development
Papers received and publishedNew developments
Associate_Editors:Editorial committeeEditorial ProceduresProof reading of papersReferences to LRRD on the WebOn Line Formats for LRRD
E-mail addresses of the Publishers and Editors of LRRDLRRD on CD ROMThe University of Tropical Agriculture FoundationThe MEKONG Basin Animal Research Network (MEKARN)Recycling livestock and human excretaRecent FAO Publications
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The numbers of papers submitted annually to LRRD continues to increase reaching 520 in 2008.(Figure 1).
Figure 1: Papers submitted to LRRD in the period 2000-2008
There are some changes in the origins of the papers in 2008 compared with 2007 (Figures 2 and 3). Nigeria is still at the head of the list with India almost at the same level, followed by Colombia, Ethiopia and Algeria. Papers were submitted from 57 countries in 2008, compared with 50 in 2007.
Figure 2: Papers submitted to LRRD during 2007 (n=411)
Figure 3: Papers submitted to LRRD during 2008 (n=530)
The number of papers published since the launch of LRRD in 1989 up to the end of 2008 is now 1,474. During the last 5 years the annual increase in numbers of papers published has averaged close to 30% (Figure 4).
Figure 4: Papers published in LRRD since it was launched in 1989
The average time to process the papers published in 2008 was 145 days, divided between the time taken in the review process (66 days) and in final editing and formatting in HTML (79days). Reviewing time was similar to to that in 2007 while the time for final editing and formatting was 14% longer. In part this reflects the greater number of paper being processed (10% higher) in 2008. The rate of rejection has been 29%, slightly higher that recorded in 2006 and 2007. Numbers rejected and published do not add up to the number received as some papers published in 2008 were received in 2007 and occasionally in 2006, and many papers received in 2008 are still in the review and editing process.
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Table 1: Papers received, rejected and published during 2006, 2007 and 2008 |
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2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
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Papers received |
406 |
434 | 530 |
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Papers rejected |
93 (26%) |
105 (24%) | 153 (29%) |
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Papers published |
180 |
195 | 214 |
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Reception to acceptance, days |
89 |
65 | 66 |
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Acceptance to publication, days |
51 |
62 | 79 |
|
Reception to publication, days |
140 |
127 | 145 |
The rapid growth in papers received and published during the last 5 years has put considerable pressure on the editorial team which, as we have often pointed out, is composed of professional scientists (most of them self-employed), who give their time freely to promote the mission of LRRD. The journal does not receive financial support from any quarter and does not employ secretaries or technical assistants. All activities are done online by electronic mail or through the Web pages of LRRD (http://www.lrrd.org) and utafoundation (www.utafoundation.org). In this medium, constantly under pressure from Spam and viruses, papers and communications to and from authors may be mislaid or lost permanently. The editorial team take all possible precautions to avoid disruption of the editorial process, but mistakes are inevitable.
Authors are therefore requested to:
- Ensure that the reference to their paper (first four letters of their surname and the date) is always typed on the subject line of any communication
- Send a message to the Chief Editor if there has been no response, within a period of 14 days, to their queries or communications. The editorial team welcomes such reminders, which facilitate the efficient processing of papers through the reviewing, editing and formatting stages.
- Read carefully the guide to authors, paying particular attention to the formatting of tables and references
- Send the original spreadsheet data when graphs are included in the papers.
LRRD now has its own domain "lrrd.org". It will continue to be published by CIPAV, but the independent web site is in keeping with its role as an international medium for research in sustainable live stock-based agriculture. The change will also facilitate the gathering of statistics on access to the site.
We regret that Dr Trevor Wilson, Associate Editor for Africa, is no longer able to participate in LRRD activities due to increasing pressure from other commitments. Dr Wilson had an unrivalled knowledge of live stock research and researchers in Africa. His capacity to work equally in French and in English was one of the reasons for the increasing participation in LRRD of French-speaking scientists from North Africa. He will be sorely missed by all researchers, contributors and editors of LRRD. We appreciate highly his contribution to LRRD over the past 5 years and wish him well in his future activities.
We welcome Dr Eliel González, INRA, Guadeloupe to the Editorial Committee of LRRD. Dr Gonzalez is originally from Cuba and is actively researching in the area of forage trees for live stock. His fluency in Spanish, English and French will be a special asset.
The list of Editors and Associate-editors is as follows:
- Reg Preston, UK (Senior Editor: preston@lrrd.org)
- Rene Sansoucy, France (Assistant Editor: rene-sansoucy@wanadoo.fr)
- Enrique Murgueitio, Colombia (Advisory Editor: enriquem@cipav.org.co)
- Alvaro Ocampo, Colombia (Associate-editor, Spanish-speaking Latin America, aocampoduran@gmail.com)
- Rogério Martins Mauricio (Associate-editor: Brazil, rogerio.mauricio@funed.mg.gov.br)
- Trevor Wilson, UK (Honorary member) (TrevorBart@aol.com)
- Julián Chara, Colombia (Associate-editor: julian@cipav.org.co)
- Raúl Botero, Costa Rica (Associate Editor: rbotero@earth.ac.cr)
- Eliel Gonzalez, Cuba (Associate-Editor) (gonzaleg@supagro.inra.fr)
The Scientific Committee, which acts in an advisory capacity, is:
Receipt of papers is usually confirmed the day they arrive and almost always they are sent to the associate-editors (or in some case direct to reviewers) the same day. We expect reviewers to send recommendations to the associate-editors (or Chief Editor), as to acceptance of papers for publication in LRRD, and comments, within two weeks of receiving the paper.
If authors do not receive confirmation of receipt of their papers within two weeks of submitting them, they should remind the chief editor on: preston@lrrd.org
It will also decrease our work load and speed up publication, if authors follow carefully the style and format of LRRD by consulting published papers in earlier issues. Attention is drawn to the style of references and tables which is where most mistakes are made.
Please read the section on "Norms for preparation of papers for LRRD" for details. Failure to observe the LRRD norms for editing papers will inevitably lead to delays in publication, because of the additional work load this causes for the Editors.
A paper written for LRRD in "html" has a number of supporting files including the "style" of headings and the images of graphs and photos. This creates some difficulties for editors and authors for the final "proof-reading" of the papers when these are sent by E-mail, as the editors have to ensure that the supporting files are attached along with the paper; and the author, when she / he receives the paper, has to put all the files in the same folder to be sure that when the paper is opened it will appear complete on the screen. To avoid these inconveniences, each paper as it is edited is being made available as a provisional "url" which is communicated to authors when the final version of their paper is ready in html format. Authors can then check the paper for possible errors or last minute corrections and inform the editors accordingly.
The correct citation for LRRD is now shown in the link "Citation of this paper" at the top of the first page of each article.
HTML is the native language for publishing documents on the World Wide Web and is understood by all Web browsing software. The journal, as the principal means of publication of developing world sustainable agriculture, needs to be easily available to the widest possible audience of interested people. Using HTML as the on online publishing format has three principal advantages. The first is that everybody who finds the journal can read it with their Internet browser (Microsoft Internet Explorer and Firefox, are amongst the most common). Secondly, the Internet search engines such as Google and Yahoo will index the pages. Thirdly, articles can be posted on the Web as soon as they are formatted in HTML, thus increasing tremendously the speed of communication of information.
All previous issues of the journal have now been converted to HTML format (thanks to CIPAV staff in Colombia), thus there is available on the Internet through the CIPAV web pages a library of over 20 years of research in the field of developing world sustainable agriculture.
The HTML version of LRRD is available on the Web at:
http://www.lrrd.org
preston@lrrd.org in Colombia
rene-sansoucy@wanadoo.fr in France
A CD-ROM with all issues of the journal up to the most recent issue can be obtained on request from the Editor preston@lrrd.org in Colombia. The price is USD 10.00 per copy, excluding air-mail postage.
UTA has moved it's international base of activities from Cambodia to Colombia,
to a recently purchased farm in the Department of Santander, which is being
developed as an "ecofarm" for research, demonstration and learning. The UTA Home page is being updated to reflect these changes.
http://www.utafoundation.org
Details of this network, financed by SidaSAREC, and involving
research and training institutions in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, can
be found on the Web site:
http://www.mekarn.org
Copies of the MSc theses of the most recent group of graduates (2007) are published as a "Supplement" in LRRD (http://www.lrrd.org/lrrd20/supplement/cont2005sup.htm)
Much interest has been generated in the low-cost plastic biodigesters and the
duckweed ponds which are an integral feature of ecological farming. A
manual giving practical details of these technologies has been prepared for FAO
and is available at:
http://www.fao.org/WAICENT/FAOINFO/AGRICULT/AGA/AGAP/FRG/recycle/default.htm
In addition to this manual which uses "still" pictures, more detailed guides on the Biodigesters and the Duckweed ponds are available on CD-ROMs in combined Video and Text format:
1. Productive use of livestock wastes: a manual for installation of low-cost plastic biodigesters
2. Productive use of livestock wastes: a manual for the use of biodigester effluent and ponds for duckweed production
Prices are USD10.00 for each CD-ROM disk plus freight. Details can be had from
Lylian Rodriguez at:
lylianr@utafoundation.org
This is an electronic edition of the book `Tropical Feeds', originally written by
Dr Bo Göhl, and published by FAO in 1971. The database (program prepared by Dr A W Speedy and Nick Waltham) is available on CD-ROM from: The Senior Officer (Feed Resources),
Animal Production and Health Division, FAO, Via della terme di Caracalla, 00100-Rome,
Italy.
andrew.speedy@fao.org
The most recent version (version 8) is available on:
http://www.fao.org/ag/AGA/AGAP/FRG/afris/default.htm
No 126, Tropical animal feeding: A manual for research workers
(T R Preston)
1995, pp 305 (English)
http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/v9327e/v9327e00.htm
No 132, Feeding pigs in the tropics (Rena Perez) 1997, pp 185 (English):
http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/w3647e/w3647e00.htm
No 134, Tratamiento y utilización de residuos de origen animal, pesquero y alimenticio en la alimentación animal (Editors: Vilda Figueroa y Manuel Sánchez) 1997, pp 255 (Castellano) [Not yet available on Internet]
No 135, Roughage utilization in warm climates (Michel Chenost and Chedly Kayouli)
1997, pp 226 (English et Français)
English version:
http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/w4988e/w4988e00.htm
Version française :
http://www.fao.org/docrep/W4988F/W4988F00.htm
No 139, Tree foliage in ruminant nutrition (Ronald A Leng) 1997, pp 100 (English)
http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/w7448e/w7448e00.htm
Duckweed; a tiny aquatic plant with enormous potential for
agriculture and environment (Ronald A Leng) 1999, pp 108 (English)
No 42, Using fodder from trees and shrubs to feed livestock in the tropics (O B Smith), pp 52 (English, Français, Castellano)
http://www.fao.org/ag/AGA/AGAP/FRG/Facts/bfs42/bfs42.htm
No 43, Feeding animals on straw (F Dolberg), pp30 (English)
http://www.fao.org/ag/AGA/AGAP/FRG/Facts/bfs43/bfs43.htm
No 44, Processing of cassava and sweet potatoes for animal feeding (V Ravindran), pp 49 (English) http://www.fao.org/ag/AGA/Facts/bfs44/1.htm
No 45, Multinutrient block handbook (L O Garcia and J I Restrepo), pp 28 (English) http://www.fao.org/ag/AGA/AGAP/FRG/Facts/bfs45/bl1.pdf
No 46, Use of cassava and sweet potatoes in animal feeding (V Ravindran), pp 47(English)
http://www.fao.org/ag/AGA/AGAP/FRG/bfs46m.jpg
Hard copies can be obtained from: The Senior Officer, Feed Resources Group, AGA, FAO, 00100
Rome Italy
andrew.speedy@fao.org
