Book Description

GENETICS OF THE FOWL has been the indispensible companion of chicken breeders since it was first published in 1949. Chapters inlcude the genetics of plumage, egg production, body size, disease resistance, and much more. The readable style of the book is a refreshing change from modern tomes written for an audience of researchers. Long out of print, this book has been brought back by Norton Creek Press as part of its Norton Creek Classics line. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

This is a prodigiously documented textbook of scientific information concerning every aspect of management 'where the cow and grass meet'. Voisin's 'rational grazing' method maximizes productivity in both grass and cattle operations. ... Read more

Book Description

Four years ago, journalist Peter Lovenheim was standing in a long line at McDonald’s to buy a Happy Meal for his little daughter, which would come with a much-desired Teenie Beanie Baby—either a black-and-white cow named “Daisy” or an adorable red bull named “Snort.” Finding it rather strange that young children were being offered cuddly toy cows one minute and eating the grilled remains of real ones the next, Lovenheim suddenly saw clearly the great disconnect between what we eat and our knowledge of where it comes from. Determined to understand the process by which living animals become food, Lovenheim did the only thing he could think of: He bought a calf—make that twin calves, number 7 and number 8—from the dairy farm where they were born and asked for permission to spend as much time as necessary hanging around and observing everything that happened in the lives of these farm animals.

Portrait of a Burger as a Young Calf is the provocative true story of Peter Lovenheim’s hands-on journey into the dairy and beef industries as he follows his calves from conception to possible consumption. In the process, he gets to know the good, hard-working people who raise our cattle and make milk products, beef, and veal available to consumers like you and me. He supplies us with a “fly on the wall” view of how these animals are used to put food on America’s very abundant tables.

Constantly vigilant about wanting to be an observer who never interferes, Lovenheim allows the reader to see every aspect of a cow’s life, without passing judgment. Reading this book will forever change the way you think about food and the people and animals who provide it for us. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

From Conception to Consumption
Imagine that you are walking into a McDonalds restaurant with your child, who is all, excited because with every happy meal you get a teanie beanie baby. This is part of the Ty Beanie Baby promotion that is done every year, with different beanies to choose from each year. As you are standing in line you glance over at the toy display on the counter and notice that one of the beanies is a red bull named "snort" and another is a black and white cow named "Daisy". Do you think that when you saw this you would immediately think of the irony of it all? Standing in a restaurant that sold cow patties on a bun to, probably millions daily all over the world and here they are selling cute little stuffed cows with names.
This is how Peter Lovenheim came up with the idea for his book about watching a cow go from "conception to consumption." "
"It struck me as odd that a company selling ground beef would offer toys in the shape of cattle. Were children really expected to hug and play with a toy cow while eating the remains of a real one?"
In the process of producing this book Lovenheim meets many interesting people on his journey through farms, meat auctions, and a stud center in Ithaca, New York where the journey began.
In Ithaca there is an artificial insemination factory where they keep prime bulls for semen collection to sell to farms across the country. Lovenheim watches one bull in particular, Bonanza, as they collect semen from him and package it in a straw sized tube. It is then put into a container filled with liquid nitrogen to freeze it for shipping. This shipment is being sent to Lawnel Farm in York, New York. This farm is owned and run by Andrew and Sue Smith who raise dairy and beef cattle.
On their farm the cows are assigned numbers instead of names. One in particular is of interest to the journalist and that cow is number 4923. This is the cow that was artificially inseminated with the frozen semen from Bonanza. She gave birth to twins, a heifer and a steer, numbers seven and eight, both of which Lovenheim saw birthed and bought to raise and follow through the beef process.
Another farming family he meets is Shelly and Peter Vonglis who lived just five miles south of the Smith's. At this farm he boards his two calves, and gives strict instructions to Peter to raise the bull, number eight, as he would any other beef critter. Lovenheim visits each farm on a weekly basis, traveling half an hour from his home to the farms.On his visits he observes the cows, watches the milking process, accompanies Andrew on his harvester machine in the fields, and overall has basically free run of the Lawnel farm. At the Vonglis's he watches his calves grow bigger, and talks with Shelly and Peter about their daily lives and what goes on.
Throughout this book he goes over the ethics of raising cattle on farms, and gives descriptions on the various diseases and health problems that dairy cows face because of the standing and the overly large udders that are genetically bred into their genes for higher milk production. The cows that are not producing enough milk daily, below the percentage line of the daily milk productions are culled out of the herd and shipped away to the Pavilion where they are auctioned off as beef. After arrival the cows and calves are separated and then divided into "good cows" which are healthy, "slow cows" which are weak and somewhat sickly, and the "double-exes" which are the cows who are about to die anyway. Here big companies and some small businesses buy beef.This is the place where his calves will be auctioned off and bought either by Taylor Packing who buys, slaughters, and sells the meat for McDonalds food, where this all started.
As the ending of the book draws near Lovenheim is having second thoughts about selling his two calves for beef at the pavilion. He has done just what he didn't want to do in the first place and that was get attached to them.
I found this book to be a very interesting read. Before this class I never really gave any second thought about where my food came from. I knew it came from farms and slaughterhouses but I never had so much detail about what goes into the process raising beef and dairy cattle. As I read through the book it was easy to see the struggle that some farms go through while others are somewhat well off. It shows this in the difference between the Smith's farm and the Vonglis's farm. The Smith farm is a small farm that raises cattle to sell locally and for the family with Peter working full time at a larger farm, and Shelly is going to school to become a nurse. Sue and Andrew run their farm and have employees who help with the milking shifts and the cows.
I think that it is rough what these animals have to go through but it is also rough for the farmers who raise the animals and put them through "conception to consumption."

Thorough, scholarship, thought provoking, spiritual
When I started this book I imagined another informative expose reinforcing my concerns about the eating of beef. However, what I found was a thorough, thoughtful, and engaging study of the dairy and beef industries, in which the author went to painful lengths to give fair consideration to all sides on the issue.

Lovenheim's book is not sensationalist muckracking. While I think his observations would reinforce many of the worries of those concerned about eating beef, or drinking milk induced by bovine growth hormone, the most striking part of this work is the otherwise overlooked consideration of cows as living creatures. I was struck by his descriptions of the cows' actual sense of community, their adaption and response (or seeming lack thereof) in the face of continual danger; that in fact they aren't quite the dumb animals we have been raised to believe they are. Lovenheim makes you consider that these animals are different than plants, and that you are making a conscious decision to take a living feeling creature and choosing to process it as a commodity entirely out of your own dietary choice and convenience.

The author's sensitivity, compassion, and admiration for those engaged in the various aspects of the dairy and beef industries is admirable. He also gives ample consideration to the historical place of beef in our diets, frequently alluding to his own Jewish spiritual tradition.

This is a substantive, worthwhile, and quite "readable" work. I highly recommend it; I was pleased to have picked it up, and felt I had both learned and acquired greater sensitivity as a result of completing it.

A book which helped me decide to give up meat
This book first caught my eye when it was featured on BookTV, what struck me the most was that the author was not a vegetarian.Although at first glance this book might appear as a story of the dirty meat industry, it is instead unbiased truth.Yes, the meat industry is dirty and farmers don't have it easy, but it allows one to not feel pressed to give up meat, but presents the facts, or the story which allows the reader to become informed and go from there. From this story which I could hardly ever put down, I realized that I could not eat a cow. Furthermore, it also showed me that there was a lot more about the food I eat than I realized, which led me to other books.I encourage anyone and everyone to read this book and to understand where their meat comes from, and how they should go from there.

Real Issues for Real Farmers
I enjoyed this book because of the insight it provides to the life of farmers who produce beef for consumption in the US. I read Diet for a New America, years ago, and thought that this book added an important dimension to the whole vegetarian, organic debate.The author makes us realize that to change our diet from meat based to vegetarian, will require a major shift for American Farmers.The author has done a wonderful job of showing the differences between large farm economics and the sometimes harsh realities of the small farmer's finances.I'd recommend the book to anyone.

Disappointing
As a person who has embraced vegetarianism not for a few months in college, but for all of my adult life (27 years), I really wanted to find this the hard-hitting expose the cover suggests: "Recalling Upton Sinclair's 'The Jungle' " No, not quite. Not even close.

While the book examines the dairy to beef story, it does so in a fairly innocuous way that seems to be how many carnivores think. Well, it's not that bad, the people are hard-working, the animals may be mistreated, but it's not for long blah blah. There is one hard-core vegetarian in the book, and he's a full-fledged kook.

The author performs the classic carnivorous cop-out at the end, preserving the animals he cares about but ignoring those he doesn't. (This after a lengthy phony suspenseful buildup--or at least felt pretty phony to me.) He acknowledges how simple it is when we see the animals as only members of a group, then drops it as if it is self-evident that one really has to do this.

Not a bad book, but not exceptional, provocative, or poetic. I did not feel compelled to read any of it aloud to my wife--my usual evaluative technique. I wonder who his audience is. Not I. ... Read more

Book Description

Fascinating volume shows how to recognize the varied letters, figures, numbers and other aspects of cattle brands and even how to design a brand of your own. An instructive and entertaining book that will appeal to Americana buffs as well as enthusiasts of Western lore and style.
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Reviews (2)

A nifty little book
I bought this book after getting reacquainted with western dinnerware, specificially Wallace China's Rodeo and Boots & Saddles series. I'd seen them in restaurants when my parents took me on vacation in the West in the 1950s and now I was rediscovering them through online auctions.
The plates, cups, saucers, bowls and platters are ringed with cattle brands and I turned to Amazon.com for a reference book to help me with this distinctively American form of communication.
The language of brands - and it is a language or sorts - is simple and follows logical rules, clearly laid out in The Cowboy's Own Brand Book. It's an easy read and a quick introduction to something that's part of our heritage.

Very Helpful
As a teacher this book is very helpful in discussing the different cattle brands in America. ... Read more

Book Description

Commercial Chicken Meat and Egg Production is the 5th edition of a highly successful book first authored by Dr. Mack O. North in 1972, updated in 1978 and 1984. The 4th edition was co-authored with Donald D. Bell in 1990. The book has achieved international success as a reference for students and commercial poultry and egg producers in every major poultry producing country in the world.The 5th edition is essential reading for students preparing to enter the poultry industry, for owners and managers of existing poultry companies and for scientists who need a major source of scientifically based material on poultry management.In earlier editions, the authors emphasized the chicken and its management. The 5th edition, with the emphasis shifted to the commercial business of managing poultry, contains over 75% new material. The contributions of 14 new authors make this new edition the most comprehensive such book available. Since extensive references are made to the international aspects of poultry management, all data are presented in both the Imperial and Metric form.Over 300 tables and 250 photos and figures support 62 chapters of text. New areas include processing of poultry and eggs with thorough discussions of food safety and further processing. The business of maintaining poultry is discussed in chapters on economics, model production firms, the use of computers, and record keeping. Updated topics include: breeders and hatchery operations; broiler and layer flock management; replacement programs and management of replacements; nutrition; and flock health. New chapters address flock behavior, ventilation, waste management, egg quality and egg breakage.Other new features include a list of more than 400 references and a Master List of the tables, figures, manufacturers of equipment and supplies, research institutions, books and periodicals, breeders, and trade associations.Commercial growers will find the tables of data of particular interest; scientists will be able to utilize the extensive references and to relate their areas of interest to the commercial industry's applications; and students will find that the division of the book into 11 distinct sections, with multiple chapters in each, will make the text especially useful. ... Read more

Book Description

Starting with one billy goat, 20 does, and a book about goats, author Susan Basquin began her foray into goat farming on Washington Island in Lake Michigan. Her herd grew to 100, and she found reserves of strength and determination to pull her through all sorts of dilemmas and near-disasters. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A fascinating chronicle of affection for animals
When Susan Basquin's brother suggested they join forces and develop an Angora goat farm on Lake Michigan's remote Washington Island, she jumped at the offer. The isolation and rural environment would offer her free time for writing and contemplation -- or so she thought. What Susan found out first hand is the sheer physical and mental effort that goes into raising a herd of temperamental goats. For the next six years she struggled, growing founder of her animals, and discovering unknown reserves of strength and energy within herself. Goat Song: My Island Angora Goat Farm is the riveting memoir of Susan's life on Washington Island, a fascinating chronicle of her affection for her animals, her determination to overcome feelings of insecurity, and her reflections on island life. Goat Song is ardently recommended reading for anyone who has ever felt the urge to get away from it all and take the rural life in some isolated Eden.

Goat Song
I am/was interested in raising angora goats. This book provided valuable and informative information on that topic in a wonderful, well written story. I haven't decided if it talked me out of the dream or further embedded the dream but the story was great.

A story of gentle strength
A poetic narrative, this book reflects life on a large scale as it tells Susan's story of raising angora goats on a small Lake Michigan island. I was touched by the depth of feeling Susan expressed in vividly describing everything from learning to know and care for the goats to living in an isolated community which generously offered friendship and support to a new resident and her risky venture.

Goats and Life
This is a marvelous first time out for an author who took to heart the adage "Write about what you know." Yet what Susan Basquin came to know was something few women learn. Late in her 40s, after several years as a writer for a weekly newspaper in Santa Fe, New Mexico, she accepted an invitation from her brother to start a goat farm on an island in Lake michigan, off the tip of a peninsula in northeastern Wisconsin. She wanted to do something different--and different this book is.

It is full of life and death and the natural order of things--which, of course, is life and death. Knowing nothing about goats or farming or island life, or anything else that she had chosen, Basquin just did it. Starting with 21 angora goats, whose wool someday was supposed to bring a profit, she set about keeping them alive and growing the flock, which ultimately numbered 100. The emphasis soon centered on keeping them alive.

Disease, accident and injury were her companions, and she learned how to cope with each of them. With the help of the tight-knit island community, she became a farmer equal to anyone. But isolation--and sometimes loneliness--also became familiar to her. For six years she ran the farm. But then her brother decided to shut it down.

Basquin returned to Santa Fe, and now has written this memoir. it sings with a commitment to life, and the new life she found for herself, surrounded by goats on an island. This is not a life that most women, or men, would choose. But for anyone with an imagination, it is a compelling read. It will make you wish you had been there--and glad you were not. It will expand your concept of the possible. What is still waiting for us all? ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Disappointing
I followed the guidelines as outlined in this book and found that it only made brief mention the most important parts of raising sugar gliders. The dietary information is largely incorrect, and upon review of the book by my veteranarian I've decided this book is only good for the pictures. It is best to speak to a vet experienced with sugar gliders and NEVER rely on a book such as this one.

This book was not very helpful
This book i feel was not very helpful! It did not have a variety of pictures. All of the pictures were of the same animal and it was always relieving itself! The did not include most of the information I found that I really needed to tame and care for my two sugar gliders

Technical but helpful
I liked this book becuase it was very helpful, but it is har to understand. This book was a very intresting book to read but I think much of the information was way to scientic and hard to understand. The pictures are great! The book was very helpful taking care of "Joey." ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Understand poultry production in plain English
As a practicing Veterinary Surgeon I am often approached by clients about poultry diseases. Although I have a working knowledge of diagnosing and treating the diseases I felt that I had a lack of knowledge in how to manage poultry. After all, most poultry diseases are a physical manifestation of management mistakes. What stock densities are desirable? How far apart should the drinking points be? What mortality rate in broilers is considered average? How do you spot a poor ventilation system? Etc. Etc. This book has been an immense help in helping me understand the issues surrounding poultry management. It is easy and interesting to read and has been written in plain English without insulting the reader's intelligence. The section on diseases is concise and to the point since there are other books that deal with poultry diseases in more depth. At least now I can advise clients on how to avoid diseases or how to increase production by adjusting their management principles. A must read for student, vet and farmer.

science biology
helpfull studies in the poultry and other animals

science biology
helpfull studies in the poultry and other animals ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

Very special: an intimate look at a unique way of life
At first glance this appears to be a beautiful, elegant photography book. It is, but read on. Jill Brody's journalism background makes this unsentimental look at small-town cattle ranching in modern America ring particularly true. Her portraits of the very real people living this life -- and their own words as they reflect on the values they've learned from living off the land -- grab you. As you close the book you are left with a feeling that you've just experienced something very special -- and that you have in your hands a testimonial to a way of life that is uniquely American -- and probably destined to disappear in your own lifetime. Worth adding to your bookshelves as both a reference, and a piece of art. ... Read more

Book Description

Written for ranchers, landowners, 4-H-ers, veterinarians, and anyone interested in wild or ornamental plants, Toxic Plants of Texas is a complete, practical guide to 106 of the most common poisonous plants in Texas.

In a handy, well-illustrated format, experts Charles R. Hart, John C. Reagor, Bruce B. Carpenter, A. Catherine Barr, and Tam Garland provide descriptions of each plant, explaining where it grows, what makes it toxic, and how much an animal must eat to be affected. They also offer a primer on different kinds of poisoning, lists of symptoms, and strategies for treatment and prevention. An overview of integrated toxic plant management summarizes an economical and environmentally sound approach to reducing livestock losses by controlling toxic plants. At the back of the book, a field key cross-references animal symptoms with plant species.

An abundance of excellent color photographs aid in the identification of each plant's toxic features, including the flowers, fruits, pods, and roots. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

where were the chickens?!
This book details, in a fully complete, and wholly incriminating fashion, the chicken's utter cowardice, and complete lack of political conscience, throughout the course of modern history.

- Why did chickens flock (no pun intended) to the Vichy government during Germany's WWII occupation of France?

- Where were the chickens during the delicate negotiations over the Panama Canal treaty? We all know that chickens held sensitive foreign appointments to the region over the course of the Carter administration...again I ask you - where were the chickens?

- Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, Milosevic, Pol Pot...vegetarians all. Why? This book will detail the role of the "Silent Claw" organization in these, and other oppressive and totalitarian regimes.

Everyone who cares in the slightest about modern world affairs should read this book immediately!

The History of the Ubiqutous Chicken...
This is a great book, detailed concise. It is wonderful from a Historical standpoint and for someone wanting simply to know the where and why of chickens. It is not light reading but it is the best fact filled book out there, most chicken books are too "ditzy". This is not the case here.Fact filled and entertaining, could use a few pictures but excellent just the same.

The Name Says It All
From egg to poult to hen to rooster to featherbed and deepfreeze, from the ancient Egyptians to neo-feudal Southeast Asia to the iconographic Petaluma chicken ranch to the modern industialized chicken culture, this book covers everything you could ever need, want or just happen upon with respect to the chicken---except for one thing: it totally ignores the Chicken MacNugget!! Nonetheless (or perhaps because of this), it is not just a manual for the chicken fancier, the cockfight afficionado or the backyard farmer. It is truly an examplary product of a "LIBERAL ARTS EDUCATION", and deserving of much wider appreciation than it has received to date. Page Smith, a well-known popular historian, co-taught an interdisciplinary seminar with a biologist named Charles Daniel entitiled "The Chicken" for undergraduates at the University of California, Santa Cruz, in the early 1970's. No doubt some initially perceived the course title as a joke, but they were wrong. Somewhere along the line, someone injected some intellectual rigor and real insight into the course syllabus. With the aid of their teachers, the students performed a tour de force of research, covering every facet of the chicken from cultural, historical, religious, biological, agricultural and even epistemological points of view. The professors took the student work and fashioned it into a book that is a classic in every sense of the word. "THE CHICKEN BOOK" is a beautifully written minor masterpiece of historic arcana, zoological detail, small-scale poultry management, veterinary medicine, cultural anthropology, blood-sport historiography and culinary arts. Long out of print and hard to find, the book well deserves this new edition. Whether or not you have a specific interest in chickens, this is well worth reading. As an example of what an active intelligence can do with a relatively commonplace and mundane topic, this book was way ahead of its time!!

From a Place Where Chickens Know Why They Cross the Road
I live in a small, um, somewhat rustic village not far from Sacramento, California. In the sixties, there came to the town, so the local lore goes, artisans, who tended to live somewhat communally. They ultimately brought chickens to live with them, also communally. When the sixties were over, and the artisans moved on to state jobs and law school, the chickens remained. And were fruitful. And multiplied. And multiply still, as well as serving as mobile speed bumps, tourist attractions, points of political controversy (Chased and attacked chickens, particularly adults, especially roosters, have been known to retaliate in kind, to people who treat them fowlly: actions are afoot to collect ((nap?)) the current chickens and replace them with non-aggressive breeds ((Hey, it's California, after all))),and t-shirt and advertising icons. All in all, it's an idyllic little place that resembles nothing so much as say, the set for Murder She Wrote, if you happened to toss in some palm trees and some chickens along with the pines in the town square. Think Norman Rockwell. Think Norman Rockwell on nitrous oxide. It's a place where nobody sleeps very late, where nobody really has to go hungry, and where approximately every other resident is a chicken.

But I've lived there for a while, so I know these things. Paige Smith's book was out of print for a long while (But now thanks to U of Georgia P, the folks who brought back William Hedgepeth's The Hog Book--there's a pattern here), but now you can read and know these things as well.

The chickens will be grateful.

this is not in the dung pile with some of them
this book is a must for either the chicken fanatic, fancier, admirer, or those who think they are just neat. it is a wonderful compilation of mystery, fact, fiction, myth, and folklore. whether you have just a few chickens for pleasure or raise them for food, eggs, fighting or what have you this book is a real gem to add to your chicken library. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

How to groom your pet
Great tips on pet grooming.I think I want to have a career switch, and this book is helping me decide to head towards animal care. Thanks!

Purr-fect
I stumbled across this book in a library, right after needing to take my cat to the vet. I had a bad experience at my vet, and wanted to learn more about the field, and this helped me enormously. I feel armed with valuable information after reading this helpful guide. A must-have for any pet owner! Meow!

Top Dog
Aside from the fact that this is a voluminous source of information for pet care, I have found that the approach the author has taken is both informative and personal. This is a must read for new and veteran pet owners alike!

Good for Jr. High and H.S. Animal Lovers
This book is filled with information that's relevant for anyone who's considered working with animals. I learned something I definitely didn't know, that it's harder to get into Vet school than medical school for humans! There's also a wealth of information about less rigorous careers animal lovers can pursue, from Veterinary Technologist to groomer, including how much money these workers can earn. At book's end, there's a fairly comprehensive list of addresses and websites for those who want to do further reading/research. A good resource for those who'd like to make a living working with animals of all kinds. ... Read more

Book Description

The Essential Guides have all the facts that the new or experienced pet owner needs for a successful relationship with his or her pet. Packed with interesting sidebars, the books discuss the special characteristics of the pet; bringing your new pet home; the optimal way to feed your pet; and how to properly groom your pet. Also included are comprehensive chapters on health care and how to train your pet like an expert. The many vibrant and descriptive photos in the Essential Guides are taken by a professional photographer, and each book contains perforated fact cards with lots of helpful care tips. Consulting Editor Ian Dunbar, Ph.D., MRCVS, is the founder and an ongoing member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

"A bonanza of ferrets!"
In all my years of ferret farming never have i, or my ferret, been so satisfied with a good bedtime story as 'The Essential Ferret'. Although the Ancestory isnt quite correct as Brian pointed out, it is a thoroughly engaging read and personally i rate it alongside 'Middlemarch' and 'Crime and Punishment'. Brian is my ferret. If i was to give one criticism, it would be the lack of exciting ferret fun filled photos. Although a ferret in a photo aint no real ferret, its still mighty exciting to gaze at. 'The Essential Ferret' is somewhat reminiscant of 'The Secret Weasel' by Deborah Dingos in that it also is a book. Strange considering weasels and ferrets are so similar also! This masterpiece is truely...essential.

A Ferrety Good Book for Begining Ferret Owners ^_^
This was a really good book with good facts and great pictures.Its a great book for people thinking about getting a ferret or reseching on their new ferret.It has the basics as well as the fun and intresting thigs such as Ancestry,Getting to know Your Ferret,and colors of the Ferret. I recomend this book to begining ferret owners of all ages!!!

Great Book to Start You Out With The New Ferret
This book was highly informative and I am a veteran ferret owner and consider myself knowledgeable. It's not a complete Bible on ferrets or ferret owning, but if you only choose one book, let this be it. :)

An "Essential" rip-off of "The Ferret" by M. Shefferman
Betsy Siino's book is an edited-down copy of "The Ferret: An Owner's Guide to a Happy Healthy Pet" by Mary Shefferman. I can find NO new material in this book; indeed, except for the removal of parts (i.e. "editing"), it is word-for-word the same. The use of a new title and the publication under an editor's name (Siino) is a shallow and greedy attempt to confuse the consumer and steal their money by suggesting they are purchasing a new book about ferrets from a new author. The lack of clear reference to the original author, Mary Shefferman, is unethical and repugnant (although apparently legal). While I highly recommend Shefferman's book, I suggest that people refuse to purchase this volume--not because of the content--but because of the unethical marketing strategy. How would you feel if someone took YOUR book, edited out parts, stripped off your name, then published it under an editor's name? The only motivation I can find for this is pure greed. Please, if you want a book on ferrets, buy a different title. Boycott this book.

I thought this book was pretty good
This book was good but i found it to leave out some important things. It had great pictures and a lot of information. I would reccomend the book ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Excellent Resource for All
This book is a very thorough, comprehensive resource to South American Camelids. The book reads nicel. Besides being applicable to llama-medicine, many extrapolations can be made to non-domestic hoofstock and wildlife.

A MUST book for all lama owners and lama vets.
The second edition of this publication has: > Two new chapters: Conformation and Gaits, and > Disaster and Emergency Management. > A new chapter on reproduction, co-authored with Dr. P. Walter Bravo > Addtional information on nutrition and forage grasses. > More camparative data on Old World camels. The incorporation of research conducted over the past 10 years. > More than 750 illustrations and tables > 2300 references to world literature

The only vet oriented lama book available.
Although the book can be a dificult read for the layman, it is THE book for medical information on lamas. Dr. Fowler has been in the forefront of the llama industry since its inception in this country. This is a must have for your veterinarian if you have a lama of any kind. The only new best thing will be his new edition due to be out soon. (Lama is the genus, such as alpaca, vicuna, llama is the particular animal) ... Read more

Book Description

A fascinating behind-the-scenes look at what zoo animals eat, and why.

How do you feed a hungry crocodile without becoming dinner yourself?
What do you feed a baby porcupine?
Do elephants need vitamin pills?

In the wild, animals can usually find the foods they need to eat. But zoo animals can't go out and search for their own meals. Instead, nutritionists must discover what foods each animal needs to stay healthy and happy. Whether serving lunch to poisonous snakes, making dinner for a thousand animals at once, or caring for babies who have lost their mothers, life for the zoo staff is never dull.

This fascinating and informative book looks behind the scenes at some of the largest zoos in the country to discover what--and how--they feed their animals.
... Read more

Reviews (1)

Clear, fun, and informative text
In the wild, animals can usually find the right things to eat. But zoo animals can't search for their own meals; they must rely on the people who care for them. Nutritionists and zookeepers must discover what foods each animal needs to stay healthy and happy within the confines of the modern zoo. And they have to know how to serve lunch to a poisonous snake, make dinner for a thousand animals at once, feed babies who have lost their mothers, provide the nutrients rare animals need to successfully procreate and nurse their offspring, and more. Very highly recommended for school and community library pet/wildlife collections, Lunch At The Zoo: What Zoo Animals Eat And Why is a splendid introduction to this complex subject as it takes young readers behind the scenes at some of the largest zoos in the country to discover what (and how) their animals are fed. Joyce Altman's clear, fun, and informative text is nicely illustrated throughout by black and white photography, and illustrations by Rick Chrustowski. ... Read more

Book Description

Reports from interdisciplinary areas including microbiology, biochemistry, animal nutrition, agricultural engineering and economics are integrated in this proceedings.

The major theme of this book is environmental preservation by controlling release of undesirable greenhouse gases to realize the sustainable development of animal agriculture. Technology exists for the effective collection of methane generated from anaerobic fermentation of animal effluent and its use as a biomass energy source. Fossil fuel consumption can be reduced and there can be increased use of locally available energy sources. In addition, promoting environmentally-conscious agriculture which does not rely on the chemical fertilizer can be realized by effective use of animal manure and compost products. ... Read more