Introduction to Animal Science
PrefaceWhen I first came to L.A. Pierce College, almost 30 years ago, the introduction to livestock production course, as it was called back then, was being taught by Professor Lindsay Boggess. Its major emphasis was introducing animal, dairy, and equine science students, general agriculture students, and those pursuing careers in veterinary medicine to the basic terminology and management procedures associated with the various production animal agriculture enterprises in the United States. Most students taking the course were production oriented at that time and most came from families either directly or indirectly connected to animal agriculture.In the early 1970s, the field of animal husbandry taught the art of raising livestock in a healthy, humane, and profitable manner. Today, it is animal science and not husbandry that is the main focus of introductory courses in livestock raising. A tremendous advancement in the use of chemistry, physiology, genetics, molecular biology, and nutrition, along with animal welfare, has changed the emphasis and interests in production agriculture. Although the art of animal production is still extremely important and is absolutely necessary for profitable and humane livestock enterprises, this text will concentrate primarily on the science. We suggest that students take additional laboratory hands-on courses to learn the art. It takes thousands of hours working with livestock and a trained master to really learn the art of animal husbandry.In 1976, when I began teaching in the animal science department at Pierce College, we were using Blakely and Bade's The Science of Animal Husbandry. For more than two decades, it proved to be an excellent text to introduce students to this field. I was very fortunate in being asked to help rewrite and edit the sixth edition, published in 1994. Its use throughout the world at many colleges, universities, and high schools indicates its popularity.This first edition of Introduction to Animal Science uses much the same format, photographs, and material that we included in our last edition of Blakely and Bade's text but adds additional emphasis on more modern husbandry, science, and welfare concerns of the twenty-first century. I would like to acknowledge and thank Drs. James Blakely and David H. Bade for their contributions to this text. We have included in this text some additional species that seem to have caught the interest of many new agricultural entrepreneurs around the United States.Fourteen chapters covering introductory animal reproduction, genetics, nutrition, breeds, animal health, and general management of the various common livestock species are included. Some of the chapters are quite large and are not meant to be covered in one classroom setting but are simply divided into units based on animal species. At the end of each chapter an evaluation section will assist students in preparing for exams and quizzes. A glossary is found at the end of the text to enable students to comprehend new terms throughout their reading.   Acknowledgements  I am greatly indebted to Drs. James Blakely and David Bade for their contribution to this text. Their original work, The Science of Animal Husbandry, formed the basic outline of this text. My longstanding collaborative relationship with the agriculture faculty at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, the University of California-Davis, and Oregon State University-Corvallis provided me with a clear understanding of the educational needs of undergraduate agriculture and veterinary students. It was this understanding that enabled me to recreate this first edition of Introduction to Animal Science. In particular, I want to acknowledge my former professors, the late Professor Harmon Toone, Dr. Herman Rickard, Dr. Joe Sabol, Professor Lindsay Boggess, Professor John Barlow, Professor Bernyl Sanden, Dr. Lloyd Swanson, Dr. Nancy East, Dr. Peter Cheeke, Dr. Dale Weber, and Dr. David Church.Industry organizations and representatives such as the National Pork Producers Council, Rex Sprietsma of Westfalia-Surge, Inc., Tom Majeau and Dr. Craig Barnett of Bayer Agriculture Division, Coe Ann Crawford of VetLife, and Lori Wagner of Sport Horses of Color provided me with invaluable information and photographs that were used in this book.Several of my colleagues provided meaningful criticism and added information from their areas of expertise. In particular I want to thank Professors Ronald Wechsler, Liz White, Rebecca Yates, Patrick O'Brien, Jana Smith, Russ Schrotenboer, and Bill Lander of L.A. Pierce College, Les Ferreira and Joe Sabol of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and Temple Grandin of Colorado State University, Fort Collins, for their encouragement and educational insight. I extend a special thank you to reviewers: John Mendes, Modesto Junior College; Mum Nippo, University of Rhode Island; and Brian J. Rude, Mississippi State University.I thank my students, 63 of whom are now practicing veterinary medicine. These graduates help me stay in tune with the fast-moving trends of the new millennium. It is their energy and enthusiasm that drive me and guide me each semester.I owe a tremendous appreciation to several individuals at Prentice-Hall who guided me through the development and editing stages of this text. I would like to especially thank Charles Stewart, Kate Linsner, and Debbie Yarnell for directing me through the various processes required in preparing this manuscript. Finally, I am particularly grateful to Lori Dalberg, my production editor, for catching all of my errors prior to publication. She has a tremendous amount of patience and talent.Dr. L. S. Shapiro