AGOUTI (Dasyprocta leporina) PRODUCTION MODEL Mohammed, Riyadh.; Garcia,Gary.;Jones, Kegan.; Khan,Natalie Abstract Factors Affecting Animal Production Production Units This paper serves to identify the potential of Agouti Production in the Tropics. Since these Neo-tropical animals have been neglected, much of the food sources of long ago has not been fully explored. There are gaps of knowledge in the production of such animals but food security can be strengthened by this type of production. Breeding Unit Growing Unit Replacement Male Unit Replacement Female Unit Maternity Unit Nutrition and feeding Breeding and Reproduction Health and Disease - Foot and Mouth Disease Mange Pasturellosis Housing and Environment Group Housing, Floor Pens Individual Housing, Caged System Socio Economic Considerations Animal Behaviour- Social Creatures and are Polygamous in nature Introduction The agouti is a mammal and is also a frugivore because of its diet. This small rodent is common to the tropical regions of the world and are located in both the CARICOM Countries and the Latin Americas. CARICOM: Cuba, Cayman Islands, Puerto Rico, The Virgin Islands, St.Kitts, Dominica, Monserrat, Guadeloupe, Martinique, St.Lucia , Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago. Latin America: Venezuela, Guyana, French Guina, Suriname, Amazonian and Eastern Brazil. Knowledge Gaps ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION ESTRUS SYNCHRONIZATION SUPER-OVULATION TECHNIQUES UNDERSTANDING THE NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS AT EACH PHYSIOLOGICAL STAGE AND USING LOCAL FEED RESOURCES/BYPRODUCTS TO MINIMIZE PRODUCTION COSTS (MOHAMMED 2015) Life Cycle Pregnant Female New Born Post Wean Adult Female Adolescent Adult Male Summary This poster serves as an introduction to Neo-tropical animal production. In any animal production system, there are factors of production which govern the output of the operation. These factors vary with different animal species. A key concept for animal production is to match the available animals with the available feed resources.   References 1.Chiarello, A.G., Density and Population Size of Mammals in Remnants of Brazilian Atlantic Forest Densidad y Tamaño Poblacional de Mamíferos en Remanentes del Bosque del Atlántico Brasileño. Conservation Biology, 2000. 14(6): p. 1649-1657. 2.Nanton, C. A Professorial Journey in Wild Meat and Neo-tropical Animal Production. 2013; Available from: http://sta.uwi.edu/uwitoday/archive/june_2013/article11.asp. 3.Zoological Society of Trinidad and Tobago. Rehabilitation and Release of Psittacines - Endangered Blue and Gold Macaw. 2009; Available from: http://www.zstt.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4&Itemid=45. 4. Jones K., Mohammed , R. (2015). Pictures of the Agouti at UFS. 5.Brown-Uddenberg, R.C.L., G.W. Garcia, Q.S. Baptiste, T.Counand, A. Adowga and Sampson.2004. The Agouti (Dasyprocta leporina, D.agouti) Booklet and Production Manual. St. Augustine, Trinidad: GWG Publications 6. Eisenberg, J. F. & Redford, K. H. 1999. Mammals of the Neotropics. Vol. 3. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press. 7. Mollineau, W., A. Adogwa, N.Jasper, K.Young, G.Garcia. 2006. " The Gross Anatomy of the Male Reproductive System of a Neotropical Rodent: the Agouti(Dasyprocta leporina)." Anatomy, Histology and Embryology no. 35:47-52. 8. Ramdial, B.S., Ramdial, B.P. . 1978. The Natural History and Ecology of the Agouti. (Dasyprocta Leporina). edited by Ministry of Agriculture Forestry Division. Trinidad and Tobago.