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Animal Production and Animal
Science Worldwide, WAAP Book of the Year
Edited by A. Rosati, A. Tewolde,
C. Mosconi
Wageningen Academic Publishers, 2005
(cloth binding, 372 pp., price €99/US$120, ISBN 907 699 8671).
After 2004, the World Association for
Animal Production (WAAP) published for the second time the Book of
the Year. WAAP considers the Book of the Year series for the benefit
of animal scientists and policy makers in the field of livestock
systems.
A total of 59 authors contributed to
this year book, writing 31 manuscripts representing competent
scientists from each of the six continents. The objective of most
contributions was to compile some of the current research work
observed in the specific area during 2004.
The book is divided into four
sections and should reflect news from the last year. This structure
is in adequacy with the format of last year.
Section 1 includes four contributions
and deals with the development of livestock systems in North
America, South America, Europe and Asia.
Section 2 covers, in 19 papers,
achievements of research in animal science including animal breeding,
molecular genetics, reproduction science, ruminant and monogastric
nutrition, research in growth and development, biology of lactation,
immunology and endocrinology, research in the field of livestock
systems, environment and waste management as well as research in the
field of ruminant, non ruminants and companion animals.
Section 3 includes eight
contributions and deals with contemporary issues including food
prices and animal welfare, management of farm animal genetic,
grazing livestock and the environment, the role of ethnoveterinary
medicine, economic relevance of animal diversity conservation,
poverty and livestock agriculture, changes in livestock management
in the former Soviet Union and the use of antibiotic in animal
production and consequences on food safety.
The volume is completed in Section 4
with relevant statistics on livestock population, livestock
production, human population and supplies per caput/per year.
Of course there is a certain
variation in length (between 3 and 25 pages) and quality of the
contributions.
Most papers contain valuable
information for students, scientists, decision makers, politicians
and people involved in extension service in all parts of the world.
Furthermore the book is essential for libraries.
I hope that the WAAP may continue
this short series and wish the WAAP Book of the year 2005 much
success and an interested and large audience.
Gerhard Flachowsky
Institute of Animal Nutrition, Federal Agricultural Research Centre
(FAL), Bundesallee 50, D 38116 Braunschweig, Germany
Tel.: +49 531 596 3102; fax: +49 531 596 3199.
E mail address:
gerhard.flachowsky@fal.de
Utilisation and conservation of
animal genetic resources
Edited by: Kor Oldenbroek
2007 – 232 pages – paperback –
ISBN-13: 978-90-8686-032-6 (€ 36 – US$ 48)
The genetic diversity comprised in
farm animal species and breeds is an important resource in livestock
systems. For several reasons, within the different species used for
food production, only a few breeds are developed towards high-output
breeds fitting in high-input systems. In this process many breeds
are set aside from the food producing livestock systems. These
breeds will be faced with extinction unless new functions for them
are found. This is a real threat for the genetic diversity within
species.
This book is intended to give insight
into the issues of the utilisation and conservation of farm animal
genetic resources towards a broad group of readers interested in
these subjects. The insight is presented as applications of
population, molecular and quantitative genetics that can be used to
take appropriate decisions in utilisation and conservation
programmes. A previous edition of this book is a key resource in
courses worldwide and cited in many scientific publications.
The first two chapters discuss the
decisions to be made in utilisation and conservation. Chapter 3
surveys the different ways in which the diversity we observe within
a species can be characterised. Chapter 4 illustrates recent results
using this theory for utilisation and conservation purposes.
Chapters 5, 6 and 7 give theoretical backgrounds necessary to make
decisions and chapters 8 and 9 present the operation and practical
implications of selection and conservation schemes.
For table of contents see:
www.WageningenAcademic.com/geneticresources
Wageningen Academic Publishers, P.O. Box 220
6700 AE Wageningen
The Netherlands
www.wageningenacademic.com
Applied Nutrition for Young Pigs.
(2006)
Edited by Ioannis Mavromichalis CABI,
Wellingford Oxfordshire OX 10 DE, United Kingdom, 297 pp.
ISBN 10: 1 84593 067 3. ( £ 65)
This book is a wonderful up to date
review of the scientific and technical knowledge concerning the
young pig from birth to 25 kg of live weight. The author has
combined his own experience with that of numerous research
scientists acknowledged in 42 pages of international references. It
is abundantly illustrated by 53 figures and 59 tables. The author
graduated in the United States, where he is known in research and
teaching, he is presently active in a major international feed
company in Madrid, Spain. He has used his knowledge and the
scientific literature to bridge the European and the American ways
of management recommended for raising young pigs.
The scientific background has been
summarized in 4 chapters concerning growth and development,
digestive physiology, milk and feed intake. In feed intake and
management, the attention is drawn to the crucial periods such as
the initiation of creep feeding, the first week post weaning,
disease stress of the animal. Formulating and balancing the diet
according to the digestive capacities of the animal are particularly
documented in order to enhance feed intake. The chapters presenting
dietary specifications are the heart of the book. Almost all
countries frequently produced a reviewed version of the requirements
with a safety margin. The coexistence of energy systems in the pig
species is discussed. Opposed to that, the expression of the true
ideal digestible amino acids is proposed as well as the concept of
ideal protein and the expression of amino acid requirement relative
to that for lysine. Requirements for minerals, trace elements are
also specifically developed. The nutritional composition of
feedstuffs and the description of the numerous feed additives up to
plant extracts are presented and discussed in agreement with the
specific requirements of the young animals. Feeding without
antimicrobials is intensively discussed on several occasions. The
last chapters concerning feeding programme, are devoted to the
importance of creep feeding, liquid feeding and water nutrition.
They give a series of recommendations for the production of healthy
and “profitable” piglets with an excellent potential for meat
production.
Besides his extensive experience in
research, teaching, extension and advice in raising piglets, the
author is conscious that there are several opinions on how to “best”
feed piglets. He has nevertheless explored the many ways to update
the knowledge on the nutrition of the young animal for the benefit
of researchers in animal nutrition, the feed industry as well as of
the pig production industry to engage them for a successful
operation. An extended index from acetic acid to zinc oxide is very
helpful for those who require immediately specific information. In
this respect as usual CABI has realised an attractive hard cover for
presenting this new book.
Aime Aumaitre
Lyon and Rome for EAAP
Avian Gut Function in Health and
Disease
Poultry Science Symposium Series, No.
28
Edited by G. Perry, University of
Bristol, UK
CABI www.cabi.org, December 2006 417
pages Hardback
ISBN: 978 1 84593 180 3
(£70.00 US$140:00 €110.00 - Save 10% on line).
As reported in the preface, this book
was derived from the 28th Poultry Science Symposium organized by the
UK branch of the World’s Poultry Science Association.
Since the mid-1990s, several antibiotics have been banned and
withdrawn from the poultry market in the European Union to avoid
drug resistance and possible carry-over to consumers of poultry
products. However, little consideration has been given to the
consequences of this decision as for poultry health and performance.
Renowned scientists present in this volume a comprehensive record of
avian gut function. The history of feed additives, the development
of the gastro-intestinal tract and its function related to growth,
uptake of nutrients and immune development are thoroughly discussed.
The analysis of the microbial ecosystem of the gut and mechanisms of
pathogen control are also presented in the section dedicated to
intestinal flora. The effect of nutrients, anti-nutrients,
non-nutrients or toxins is explained with the role of feed
processing on gut function (relationship between micronutrient
supply and immunity). The pathology section is focused on the role
of the gastrointestinal tract as a port of entry for infections in
poultry. Moreover, the volume goes through the immunological control
of pathogens with emphasis on feed acidification, competitive
exclusion, and breeding for disease resistance. Monitoring and
practical experience (“what does it mean to the farmer?”) conclude
the topic, with a description of the legislative role of the EU in
monitoring zoonoses.
Researchers in poultry science, food
science and veterinary medicine will found in this book very
interesting aspects regarding the challenges of the poultry industry
of tomorrow.
Daniele Gallazzi
Dipartimento di Patologia Animale, Igiene e Sanità Pubblica
Veterinaria,
Sezione di Anatomia Patologica Veterinaria e Patologia Aviare -
Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria
Via Celoria 10 - 20133 Milano
daniele.gallazzi@unimi.it
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