Animal Breeding and Infertility book reviews   Farmers Guardian Pig Industry Animal Breeding Abstracts Go to main books menu     Return to menu FARMERS GUARDIAN - December 1,1995 Breeding and infertility Animal Breeding and Infertility is a new addition to the Veterinary Health Series from Blackwell Science. Edited by Michael J. Meredith, the book provides comprehensive coverage of all aspects of reproduction in farm animals and horses. Each chapter is dealt with by a subject specialist and takes a problem -orientated approach to issues such as infertility, diseases, and breeding management. Information is given in table form and text, with a clear, attractive layout making the book readily accessible. While the book strives to remain practical and easily understandable, much of the detail is highly scientific and technical and goes beyond the interest of those involved in day-to-day farming. In particular the final chapter on biotechnology deals strictly with the science and avoids any interpretation or comment on the ethics of this controversial subject. Suited to veterinary surgeons, specialist breeders and students as a reference book on a wide range of issues, Animal Breeding and Infertility is an excellent source of information on this diverse subject. Publisher: Blackwell Science, Osney Mead, Oxford, OX2 00L. Price £60 (hardback, 528 pages). EJF     Return to menu PIG INDUSTRY JULY 1996 Reading for breeding ANIMAL Breeding and Infertility is a new publication covering pigs, cattle, sheep, goats, horses and genetics. It will no doubt become recommended reading for all undergraduate vets and agriculturalists. A general chapter on 'Genetic Considerations in Animal Breeding' should provide 'switched-on' pig farmers with some insight into methods of identification of breeding stock and choice of breeding method. These days, pig farmers feel increasingly at the mercy of their breeding company boffins when it comes to the selection of replacement gilts and boars. A pertinent chapter in the book delves into Cytogenetics - the study of chromosomes. This applies particularly to the pig industry since breakthroughs like The White Duroc have arisen as a result of work at the gene and chromosome level. A chapter deals specifically with Biotechnology and delves into the science of subjects such as sperm sexing, embryo transfer and gene mapping. Dr Michael Meredith from Cambridge Vet School has contributed 75 pages specifically on Pig Breeding and Infertility. Dr Meredith who also edits the book is very much a 'farmer's man' and inevitably much of his contribution majors on the diseases associated with infertility - how to avoid reproductive diseases and what to do in the event of an outbreak. The book is supplied with simple check lists such as: Errors in oestrus detection Sources of oestrus detection problems Techniques for saving piglets Failure to farrow Seasonal infertility Bacterial infection of genital tracts Information about these topics is written in an easily understood form and would be sufficiently convincing to encourage a visit to the book-shelf rather than a panic attack on the medicine 'fridge' during testing times. The book is available at a price of £60.00 from Blackwell Science , the pub-lishers, its 'slap mark' is ISBN 0-632-04038-6.     Return to menu Animal Breeding Abstracts Vol. 63 No. 1, November 1995 Reading for breeding This new book in Blackwell's Veterinary Health Series aims to provide an up-to-date source of information on reproduction and infertility of farm livestock and horses, taking a practical, problem-orientated approach. It should be of particular interest to veterinarians, animal scientists working in the field of reproduction, and students of veterinary medicine and agriculture. Its 9 chapters are contributed by 10 authors. The opening chapter, which is entitled "Genetic considerations in animal breeding", summarises quantitative genetic considerations and their application in genetic improvement. This is followed by a chapter on cytogenetics, and another on reproductive endocrinology and pharmacology. The next 5 chapters cover breeding and infertility in cattle, goats, horses, pigs and sheep, and the final chapter, on biotechnology in animal breeding, deals mainly with embryo technologies, embryo stem cell manipulation, gene transfer and the use of transgenic livestock. There is a subject index. DE: quantitative genetics; cytogenetics; biotechnology; embryos; embryonic stem cells; gene transfer; transgenics; reproduction; infertility; livestock. Keywords animals; domestic-animals; vertebrates; Chordata; Equus; Equidae; Perissodactyla; mammals; ungulates Animal-Reproduction-and-Development; Animal-Genetics.       Go to top of this page