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Holstein Friesian: A global breed. (1995)
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trends, the popularity of different systems of production, genetic types, size and weight of cattle, effciency measures, importance of non-biological factors such as geo-political realities of the EU and national policies and an attempt to predict future trends. The book gives a broad view of the state of cattle production and breeding in the Mediterranean basin. It is useful as an original attempt to document the role of cattle in a region where another domestic species, sheep, is generally the dominant livestock. John Hodges Editor, EAAP News. Holstein Friesian: A Global Breed. @95). Translation into English from the original German edition (1993). Paul Grothe. Published by Misset, Doetinchem, BA-7000, Netherlands. ISBN 905439-031 x. HB. 103 pp. This slim book by Paul Grothe, the former Secretary-General of the German Association of Holstein Breeders in Bonn, Germany, provides a concise picture of the growing importance of the Holstein Friesian cattle breed on the world stage. The book starts with the history of the breed in its home tract, the formation of herdbooks and the period of consolidation and development during the fast half of the twentieth century. Then the explosive spread of the breed over many continents from 19.50 to 1994 is documented region by region. The book concludes with a summary, maps and figures showing the size of the breed populations of registered cows in different countries. While the book does not deal with animal breeding and genetics at the scientific level, it is a valuable historic documentation of what happened in the spread of the breed and gives levels of milk production in different environments. The author acknowledges that the breed, being a high producing temperate type, does not have a positive experience in tropical and semi-tropical countries unless management and housing is also imported. The Holstein Friesian has been settled successfully in some of the more arid parts of the Middle East including Israel, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States with the use of relatively expensive, but economically justified, environmental modifications. The breed has also been introduced to some of the more temperate develop-
ing countries and to districts in the tropics with higher elevation. But it must be emphasised that, over the last fifty years, overwhelming evidence shows that the importation of Holstein Friesian cattle as pure-breds to typical tropical areas of Africa, Asia and Latin America is certain to fail. The reader should not expect to find these failures documented in this book. It would be wrong to describe the breed as global in the sense that it serves successfully for milk production everywhere. It is now well recognised that no more than 50-62.5% of temperate cattle genes can be included in crossbred animals in the tropics without loss of adaptation and production. Nevertheless the author writes in a straightforward way about the success of pure-bred Holstein Friesian cattle in moderate climates and, since these zones are found in each continent, the breed may in this sense be described as globally represented. John Hodges, Editor, EAAP News. The Hungarian Grey Cattle Breed: A Technical Publication (1996). Bodo, Imre; Geru, Mvan; and Koppany, Gabor. Published by The Association of the Hungarian Grey Cattle Breeders, Budapest, Hungary. Limited Edition. Colour and black and white photographs. 128 pp. This book, dealing with a significant breed of relatively small population size found almost entirely in one location, is able to embrace in one volume a competent scientific appraisal of the breed with an attractive description of the history and present state of the herds, breeders and cattle. The book provides a fascinating account of the origin of the breed passing through periods of turbulence and peace in Hungary over many centuries. A description of the present state is given with details of famous stock farms and breeding programmes. The relatives of Hungarian Grey Cattle are reviewed in nearby and distant countries. The economically important characteristics of the breed are studied and genetic objectives defined for ongoing improvement work. The herd-book registration system is given and management systems are mentioned. The book contains some very attractive photographs showing the breed in its natural environ-
trends, the popularity of different systems of production, genetic types, size and weight of cattle, effciency measures, importance of non-biological factors such as geo-political realities of the EU and national policies and an attempt to predict future trends. The book gives a broad view of the state of cattle production and breeding in the Mediterranean basin. It is useful as an original attempt to document the role of cattle in a region where another domestic species, sheep, is generally the dominant livestock. John Hodges Editor, EAAP News. Holstein Friesian: A Global Breed. @95). Translation into English from the original German edition (1993). Paul Grothe. Published by Misset, Doetinchem, BA-7000, Netherlands. ISBN 905439-031 x. HB. 103 pp. This slim book by Paul Grothe, the former Secretary-General of the German Association of Holstein Breeders in Bonn, Germany, provides a concise picture of the growing importance of the Holstein Friesian cattle breed on the world stage. The book starts with the history of the breed in its home tract, the formation of herdbooks and the period of consolidation and development during the fast half of the twentieth century. Then the explosive spread of the breed over many continents from 19.50 to 1994 is documented region by region. The book concludes with a summary, maps and figures showing the size of the breed populations of registered cows in different countries. While the book does not deal with animal breeding and genetics at the scientific level, it is a valuable historic documentation of what happened in the spread of the breed and gives levels of milk production in different environments. The author acknowledges that the breed, being a high producing temperate type, does not have a positive experience in tropical and semi-tropical countries unless management and housing is also imported. The Holstein Friesian has been settled successfully in some of the more arid parts of the Middle East including Israel, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States with the use of relatively expensive, but economically justified, environmental modifications. The breed has also been introduced to some of the more temperate develop-
ing countries and to districts in the tropics with higher elevation. But it must be emphasised that, over the last fifty years, overwhelming evidence shows that the importation of Holstein Friesian cattle as pure-breds to typical tropical areas of Africa, Asia and Latin America is certain to fail. The reader should not expect to find these failures documented in this book. It would be wrong to describe the breed as global in the sense that it serves successfully for milk production everywhere. It is now well recognised that no more than 50-62.5% of temperate cattle genes can be included in crossbred animals in the tropics without loss of adaptation and production. Nevertheless the author writes in a straightforward way about the success of pure-bred Holstein Friesian cattle in moderate climates and, since these zones are found in each continent, the breed may in this sense be described as globally represented. John Hodges, Editor, EAAP News. The Hungarian Grey Cattle Breed: A Technical Publication (1996). Bodo, Imre; Geru, Mvan; and Koppany, Gabor. Published by The Association of the Hungarian Grey Cattle Breeders, Budapest, Hungary. Limited Edition. Colour and black and white photographs. 128 pp. This book, dealing with a significant breed of relatively small population size found almost entirely in one location, is able to embrace in one volume a competent scientific appraisal of the breed with an attractive description of the history and present state of the herds, breeders and cattle. The book provides a fascinating account of the origin of the breed passing through periods of turbulence and peace in Hungary over many centuries. A description of the present state is given with details of famous stock farms and breeding programmes. The relatives of Hungarian Grey Cattle are reviewed in nearby and distant countries. The economically important characteristics of the breed are studied and genetic objectives defined for ongoing improvement work. The herd-book registration system is given and management systems are mentioned. The book contains some very attractive photographs showing the breed in its natural environ-