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| Taking Stock The North American Livestock Census by Donald E. Bixby, Carolyn J. Christman, Cynthia J. Ehrman, D. Phillip Sponenberg Essays on a Changing Planet 1994, 6x9", 182 pages 13 tables, 5 graphs glossary, appendix, index Softcover $16.95 (0-939923-35-1) |
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Taking Stock describes the crisis of genetic erosion within the livestock species of North America. Coverage includes an overview of the continuing importance of genetic diversity among the livestock on which humans depend, results of the 1990-1992 North America Livestock Census, histories of some of the rarest breeds of livestock, discussion of extinct breeds and feral populations, and recommendations for conserving genetic diversity in livestock species. Taking Stock calls for changes in practice and policy that will provide for sustainable agriculture in the future. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
The authors are all affiliated with the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, a non-profit organization working to protect and preserve genetic diversity in American livestock. REVIEWS
"Attractively produced, this book can serve as a reference publication to all those involved in or interested by the conservation of farm animal genetic diversity but also as a good text book for university students." (Livestock Production Science, 42, 1995)
"Extremely well done." (Booklist, August 1994)
"Buy this book." (Small Farm Today, August 1995)
"Various contributors here make the same argument for livestock breeds that is often made for plant cultivars, that US industrial agriculture, concentrating on only a few animal breeds and ruthlessly engineering them to meet market demands and for efficient feed conversion, is using too many antibiotics and steroids, inviting the triumph of diseases, and endangering the gene pool. Thus the need for a census—the first of its kind in a long time for some breeds. Once can observe from the numbers, for instance, the increasing dominance of Holstein dairy cattle and the decline almost to extinction of the fabled Texas longhorn; besides cattle, the census covers asses, goats, horses, sheep, and swine. Finally, there’s a fascinating chapter on the census of feral livestock—mustangs and burros in the West, pigs in the Southeast, etc. Crisp line drawings and graphs break up the statistics nicely. Extremely well done." (John Mort, Booklist, 8/19/94)