Animal Breeding Abstracts, Vol. 63 No. 1, November 1995
This new book in Blackwell's Veterinary Health Series provides 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.
PIG INDUSTRY July, 1996
Recommended reading for all undergraduate vets and agriculturalists. The chapter on 'Genetics in Animal Breeding' provides 'switched-on' farmers with insight into methods of identification of good breeding stock and choice of breeding method. The Cytogenetics chapter delves into study of chromosomes. The Biotechnology chapter deals with the science sperm sexing, embryo transfer and gene mapping. The editor, Dr Meredithis very much a 'farmer's man' and inevitably much of his contribution majors on diseases associated with infertility - how to avoid reproductive diseases and what to do in the event of outbreaks. Useful simple check lists such as: Errors in oestrus detection, Sources of estrus detection problems, Techniques for saving piglets, Failure to farrow, Seasonal infertility, Bacterial infection of genital tracts. Information is written in an easily understood form and is sufficiently convincing to encourage a book-shelf referral rather than a panic attack on the medicine 'fridge' during testing times.
