Livestock Production Science, 10 ( 1 9 8 3 ) 4 1 1 - - 4 1 5 411 Elsevier Science Publ i shers B.V. , A m s t e r d a m - - P r i n t ed in The N e t h e r l a n d s

Book Reviews

GOAT PRODUCTION

Goat Production. Edited by C. Gall, Academic Press, London/New York, 1981, xix + 619 pp., £ 41.00, U.S. $99.50, ISBN 0.12.273980.9.

Until recently little attention has been given to the goat in research programmes. This situation may be explained by the low status of the goat, which is often owned by people with limited resources and the fact that the vast majority of the world's goat population is found in the so-called devel- oping countries.

However, the 400 million goats in Africa, Asia and Latin America are an important source of food and income.

In the last decade, interest in the goat has increased considerably. In a number of western countries goat milk production gained importance from the high prices paid for goat cheese. Also the recognition of the importance of goat production as a source of food and income in many tropical coun- tries stimulated the interest both in developing and western countries. The increase in interest in the goat is reflected in a number of text books on goat husbandry in general, goat production in the tropics and on management and diseases of goats in the tropics. In addition, there are a rapidly increasing number of guide-books, booklets and extension bulletins, which give practical advice to goat keepers. Symposia were organized on dairy goats by the American Dairy Science Association in 1978 and 1980, the Latin American Association for Animal Production on goat breeding in marginal circum- stances and international conferences on goat production and diseases were organized in London (1964), Tours (1971) and recently in Tucson (1982). The extensive goat research efforts in France are reflected in annual meetings. The proceedings of these symposia and conferences show the rapid increase in knowledge about the goat.

The need has been felt to compile a comprehensive analysis of all the information collected to date and to make it available to a wider public. A number of leading authorities in goat research were invited to discuss what is known in their fields, using their own research experience and discussing the available literature, some of which has not been published before. This has resulted in an invaluable and useful book on many aspects of goat production.

The book contains 19 chapters, each with a comprehensive list of refer- ences. The first part of the book covers the biological basis of goat breeding (breeds and their origin, genetics and breeding, reproduction) and nutrition in temperate countries and under range management conditions. This is followed by an extensive description and analysis of the major production characteristics, such as growth and meat, milk and fibre production. At-

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tention is further given to goat husbandry and diseases, while the last part of the book is devoted to goats in different climatic conditions (temperate zones, dry tropics and humid tropics), the socio~economic importance of goat production and the needs and possibilities for further research.

The text is well illustrated by many pictures, tables and graphs throughout the book. The book is an interesting and important contribution to the literature on goats. Despite the fact that the price is high, it will be an essen- tial source of information to researchers, teachers, instructors, students, animal production specialists, veterinarians and practical breeders involved in goat production. It will also prove to be of great value to those involved in animal production development in tropical and sub-tropcial countries.

H. BAKKER (Vakgroep Tropische Veehouderij,

Postbus 338, 6700 AH Wageningen,

The Netherlands)

RUMINANT FEEDSTUFFS

Protein Contribution of Feedstuffs for Ruminants, by E.L. Miller, I.H. Pike and A.J.H. Van Es. Studies in the Agricultural and Food Sciences. Butter- worth, Kent, U.K., 1982, 160 pp., £15.00, ISBN 0-408-11151-8.

This book contains 10 papers presented at a symposium organized by the International Association of Fish Meal Manufacturers, held in Amsterdam in 1980. Main topics of the symposium were the problem of protein evaluation for ruminants and the consequences of newer knowledge about microbial degradation and biosynthesis of protein in the gut for feed formulation. (1) Recent advances in knowledge of protein evaluation for ruminants

(Orskov). Starting with Mitchell's definition of the biological value of proteins recent developments in protein evaluation for ruminants, which take into account the dynamics of protein degradation in the rumen and the energy supply due to carbohydrate fermentation are presented.

(2) Energy--protein relationships in ruminant feeding: similarities and dif- ferences between rumen fermentation and postruminal utilization (Tamminga). Degradation and biosynthesis of macromolecules in rumen fermentation are dependent on chemical composition and physical properties of the substrate, on the presence of the necessary precursors and on energy supply as ATP. Stoichiometric equations for the pro- duction of volatile fatty acids in rumen fermentation are given. The ratio in which energy and protein are absorbed, and maybe also the supply of certain essential amino acids (e.g., sulphur amino acids) can