The Genetics of Sheep [Hardcover]

Laurie Piper (Author), Anatoly Ruvinsky (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0851992005 | ISBN-13: 978-0851992006 | Publication Date: January 6, 1997 | Edition: First

During the last two decades major advances have been made in mammalian genetics. New methods in molecular and cytogenetics, and in biotechnology have been developed. Many of these have been applied to investigating the genetics of sheep and to improving the production of wool, meat and milk. This book is a comprehensive reference work on sheep genetics. All relevant topics have been included, from fundamental genetic structure to the genetics of various production and other traits, to transgenic sheep and genetic conservation. Chapters have been specially commissioned for the volume and written by internationally recognized experts from Europe, USA, Australia and New Zealand. The book will be invaluable to advanced students and research workers in animal genetics, breeding and biotechnology.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A generation or more ago I was asked if I would be interested in exploring sheep genetics, then a neglected subject. . . . The variability within breeds puzzled me until a buyer told me he had selected a particular ram because "it had a strong face." The genetics of sheep reflected not just how they had adapted, historically, and their environments, but was the subject of 11,000 years of human fashion. It seemed unlikely that sheep would be good subjects for genetic research. Since then much has changed, as this encyclopedic volume records. . . . It starts, of course, with a (dubious) history of breeds; and there are detailed descriptions of cross-breeds. . . . There is an excellent, well-balanced article on scrapie, the prion disease that is so much in the news. Administrators should be compelled to read this chapter, if nothing else, since they might become more modest in their assertions."--The Quarterly Review of Biology


"A generation or more ago I was asked if I would be interested in exploring sheep genetics, then a neglected subject. . . . The variability within breeds puzzled me until a buyer told me he had selected a particular ram because "it had a strong face." The genetics of sheep reflected not just how they had adapted, historically, and their environments, but was the subject of 11,000 years of human fashion. It seemed unlikely that sheep would be good subjects for genetic research. Since then much has changed, as this encyclopedic volume records. . . . It starts, of course, with a (dubious) history of breeds; and there are detailed descriptions of cross-breeds. . . . There is an excellent, well-balanced article on scrapie, the prion disease that is so much in the news. Administrators should be compelled to read this chapter, if nothing else, since they might become more modest in their assertions." --The Quarterly Review of Biology

About the Author

Anatoly Ruvinsky, Department of Animal Science, both at University of New England, Armidale.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 608 pages
• Publisher: CABI; First edition (January 6, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0851992005
• ISBN-13: 978-0851992006
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.8 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,921,914 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)