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Dairy-cattle production
LivestockProductionScience,22 (1989) 367-368 Elsevier SciencePublishersB.V., Amsterdam-- Printed in The Netherlands
367
Book Review
DAIRY CATTLE PRODUCTION
Dairy-Cattle Production, by H.O. Gravert (Editor). In the series of World Animal Science (Vol. C:3), Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 1987, 309 pp., hardcover, U.S. $150/Dfl285, ISBN: 0-44442680-9. World Animal Science is a standard series edited by A. Neimann-SSrensen and D.E. Tribe. Volumes are published in: Subseries A, Basic information (5 published books); Subseries B, disciplinary approach (6 published books); Subseries C, production-system approach (3 published books). Dairy-Cattle Production is the third book in Series C (12 planned). The general idea is to present this major work as a global and interdisciplinary approach. This series is primarily written for use by people who have a specialist interest in animal production as students, teachers, extension officers and consultants, policy-makers, and research scientists. The information covers systems and principles of more than local or national interest. Dairy-Cattle Production is split into three sections: the basics of milk production; milk as a food; milk production systems. Individual chapters deal with a variety of subjects. (1) World Distribution (33 pp. ), by A. Horn. A general outline of the contribution of dairy cattle to world animal production is well documented {data up to 1980). There are 219 million cows nourishing on average 20 people per cow. However, 65% of the total cattle population occurs in the developing countries and they produce only 17% of the milk. Ecological and socio-economic influences are predominant in milk production. (2) Breeding of dairy cattle (42 pp. ), by H.O. Gravert. A general outline of breeds and breeding is presented. Breeding goals, milk recording and some remarks on breeding plans are given. (3) Feeding of dairy cattle (30 pp. ), by J.B. Owen, gives a very general approach on feed intake, roughages and concentrates. Several extensive tables, e.g. 3.2, 3.3 and 3.7, are printed across the pages, as occurs in other chapters as well. (4) Composition of milk (66 pp. ), by W. Kaufmann and H. Hagemeister, is a detailed contribution on proteins, fat, lactose, minerals and vitamins in milk with many references. (5) Sanitary and health aspects of milk (78 pp. ), by W.H. Heeschen, also gives detailed information on milk quality, keeping quality and health hazards including mastitis.
368 (6) Rearing calves and heifers (17 pp. ), by J.H.B. Roy and T. Smith, gives a short but well documented approach of calf rearing problems (health, growth). (7) Cattle production systems in practice (22 pp. ), by H.A. Jasiorowski and A.J. Quick, gives a short general description of socio-economic production systems. Herd management and labour organization in Israel, the U.K., the U.S.A. and New Zealand are described in more detail. (8) Cattle breeding in the tropics (10 pp. ), by O. Syrstad, presents a survey of some types of breeds and crosses. A production-system approach of dairy-cattle production is difficult to carry out in a balanced way and this is in fact a weak point of the book. The total amount of information in this field is considerable, but the integration of the different aspects could have been improved. In my opinion management aspects like milking, housing and more recent developments should have been included. On the other hand this is still a valuable book with a good deal of background information and many references. R.D. POLITIEK Leeuwetand 15 8445 RB Heerenveen The Netherlands
367
Book Review
DAIRY CATTLE PRODUCTION
Dairy-Cattle Production, by H.O. Gravert (Editor). In the series of World Animal Science (Vol. C:3), Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 1987, 309 pp., hardcover, U.S. $150/Dfl285, ISBN: 0-44442680-9. World Animal Science is a standard series edited by A. Neimann-SSrensen and D.E. Tribe. Volumes are published in: Subseries A, Basic information (5 published books); Subseries B, disciplinary approach (6 published books); Subseries C, production-system approach (3 published books). Dairy-Cattle Production is the third book in Series C (12 planned). The general idea is to present this major work as a global and interdisciplinary approach. This series is primarily written for use by people who have a specialist interest in animal production as students, teachers, extension officers and consultants, policy-makers, and research scientists. The information covers systems and principles of more than local or national interest. Dairy-Cattle Production is split into three sections: the basics of milk production; milk as a food; milk production systems. Individual chapters deal with a variety of subjects. (1) World Distribution (33 pp. ), by A. Horn. A general outline of the contribution of dairy cattle to world animal production is well documented {data up to 1980). There are 219 million cows nourishing on average 20 people per cow. However, 65% of the total cattle population occurs in the developing countries and they produce only 17% of the milk. Ecological and socio-economic influences are predominant in milk production. (2) Breeding of dairy cattle (42 pp. ), by H.O. Gravert. A general outline of breeds and breeding is presented. Breeding goals, milk recording and some remarks on breeding plans are given. (3) Feeding of dairy cattle (30 pp. ), by J.B. Owen, gives a very general approach on feed intake, roughages and concentrates. Several extensive tables, e.g. 3.2, 3.3 and 3.7, are printed across the pages, as occurs in other chapters as well. (4) Composition of milk (66 pp. ), by W. Kaufmann and H. Hagemeister, is a detailed contribution on proteins, fat, lactose, minerals and vitamins in milk with many references. (5) Sanitary and health aspects of milk (78 pp. ), by W.H. Heeschen, also gives detailed information on milk quality, keeping quality and health hazards including mastitis.
368 (6) Rearing calves and heifers (17 pp. ), by J.H.B. Roy and T. Smith, gives a short but well documented approach of calf rearing problems (health, growth). (7) Cattle production systems in practice (22 pp. ), by H.A. Jasiorowski and A.J. Quick, gives a short general description of socio-economic production systems. Herd management and labour organization in Israel, the U.K., the U.S.A. and New Zealand are described in more detail. (8) Cattle breeding in the tropics (10 pp. ), by O. Syrstad, presents a survey of some types of breeds and crosses. A production-system approach of dairy-cattle production is difficult to carry out in a balanced way and this is in fact a weak point of the book. The total amount of information in this field is considerable, but the integration of the different aspects could have been improved. In my opinion management aspects like milking, housing and more recent developments should have been included. On the other hand this is still a valuable book with a good deal of background information and many references. R.D. POLITIEK Leeuwetand 15 8445 RB Heerenveen The Netherlands