Goldman, M., and Rosenberg, A. S. (1974)-Res. vet. Levine, N. D. (1961)-“Protozoan Parasites of Domes- Sci. 16: 351. tic Animals and of Man”. Burgess Publ. Co., Min-

Goldman, M., Pipano, E., and Rosenberg, A. S. (1972) neapolis, Minnesota. -Res. vet. Sci. 13: 77. Ludford, C. G. (1969jExpt. Parasit. 24: 327.

Hoyte, H. M. D. (1971)-AuSr. vet. J . 47: 248. Mahoney, D. F., and Sad, J. R. (1961)-Aust. vet. J. Johnston, L. A. Y., Pearson, R. D., and Leatch, G. 37: 44.

(1973a)-Aust. vet. J. 49: 373. Parker, R. (1971)-Res. vet. Sci. 12: 89. Johnston, L. A. Y., Pearson, R. D., and Leatch, G. Rygaard, J., and Olsen, W. (1969)-Acta. path.

(1973b)-Aust. vet. 1. 4 9 418. microbiol. Scand. 76: 146. Jghnston, L. A. Y., Pearson, R. D., and hatch, G.

(1973c)-Aust. vet. J. 49: 421. , (Received for publication 12 May 1975)

BOOK REVIEW

SOMETHING TO BEEF ABOUT Although the beef industry may not be as prosperous

as one would like cattle are still being produced and suffer disease. That the margin between profit and loss is very narrow emphasises the necessity for every kind of saving and for seeking maximum productivity with minimum outlay and care. However, if husbandry and health are neglected, productivity will also suffer. Some recent publications are helpful.

From the Bureau of Agricultural Economics, Indus- try Economics Monograph No. 13* has the submis- sions to the Industries Assistance Commission Inquiry on the Beef Cattle Industry. It presents the case for assistance, the industry situation and outlook, some relevant issues concerned with producer liquidity, cattle numbers and marketing and processing. Possible options and their relevance are discussed as stabillza- tion schemes and shorter-term measures. There are a number of attachments, supported with statistical data, concerned with income levels of beef producers, aspects of herd composition and growth, review of stabilisation scheme, world demand and supply, carcass classification, Japanese market, beef and veal situation in France, slaughter costs and marketing margins, and effective levels of protection.

The Bureau also has F’roduction Systems in the Aus- tralian Beef Cattle Industryt, which has discussions on production based on grazing, under headings; systems of production, market orientation, interdependence of pro- duction systems and beef cattle in the whole farm business. Dry lot feeding is discussed under develop- ment of the system, orientation to the Japanese market, system and scale of lot feeding and economic aspects.

A Course Manual in Tropical Beef Cattle Produc- tion$ is a most useful compilation which covers most aspects of the husbandry of raising cattle in a tropical environment. Nutrition and production is dealt. with by L. I. Lambourne, biometry and animal breeding - by

The Australian Beef Cattle Industry: Submissions to the Indus- tries Assistance Commission Inquiry. Industry Economics Monograph No. 13. Bureau of Agricultural Economics. Can- berra. 1975.

tProduction Systems in the Australian Beef Cattle Industry. Beef Research Report No. 18 Bureau of Agricultural Econo- mics. Canberra. 1976. Pp. 60.

$ A Course Manual in Tropical Beet Cattle hodnetion. J. S. F. Barker, D. J. Brett, D. F. de Fredrick and L. J. Lambourne. Australian Vicechancellors w t t e e . 1975. Dai Nippon Printing Co. (H.K.) Ltd., Hong Kong. Pp. 217.

J. S. F. Barker, handling, reproduction and veterinary hygiene by D. F. de Fredrick, and laboratory pro- cedures and standard methods by D. J. Brett. This manual is the second in a series arising from Short Courses held in Indonesia, sponsored by the Australian- Asian Universities’ Co-operation Scheme. The informa- tion presented tends to be of a basic form, essentially practical as far as possible. Mast veterinarians con- cerned with cattle husbandry and disease control will find much of value in this manual.

From the Department of Agriculture, Victoria, there is a report of a study group on the Genetic Improve- ment of Cattle for Beef Production§, another com- prehensive review and instruction manual; concerned basically with the Victorian environment, but with a genera1 relevance in all of cattle husbandry. The chap- ter headings are description of the Victorian environ- ment, present beef production, breeding structure, re- gearch results relevant to Victorian beef cattle, breed- ing objectives for genetic improvement, priorities amongst objectives, maximising production by choice of breed of crossbreed, genetic improvement within strains or breeds, strategies for influencing genetic im- provement in the beef industry; and in a final chapter research needs, summary and conclusions, recommenda- tions, references and appendices with statistical data.

Beef Production from Glassland )I is a slim book written by ‘two acknowledged experts on the subject in the light of recent developments in the United King- dom beef industry”. It emanates from the Grassland Research Institute at Hurley and is a concise presenta- tion which covers a wide swathe with commendable brevity and economy of words. Growth and nutrition has the basic elements, patterns of production deals with factors affecting output from beef herds, targets for production and some possibilities for increasing production and efficiency (including systems of finish-

Continued on page 235

0 The. Genetic Improvement of Cattle for Beef Production, Report nf a Committee eiven terms of reference bv the Director of Agrifukui, Dr. b. S. Wishart. Depanmek of Agriculture, Victoria. 1975. Pp. 71. (The Committee included A. H. Bishop, L. J. Cummins, I. R. Hopkins, J. H. L. Morgan, R! M. Carraill. P. D. Mullanev. L. P. Jones. I. M. Gunn. M. B. .. White ‘F V. Badham)

Taylor, Buttenvorths, London. 1973. Pp. 118. 11 Beef ’Pro&tion from Grassland. J. M. Wilkinson and J. C.

226 Australian Veterinary Journal, Vol. 53, May, 1977

the sheep. Possibly metabolism of these triter- penes in the sheep results in the formation of a common highly active intermediate which is itself responsible for the lesions produced. The chemi- cal structure-biological activity aspects of this group of verbenaceous icterogenic triterpene acids require re-examination in the light of the present findings.

Acknowledgment We are grateful to Dr J. A. Lamberton,

Division of Applied Organic Chemistry, CSIRO, Fisherman’s Bend, Victoria, for supplies of the pure lantana triterpene acids and to Mr H. Thompson, Department of Clinical Studies, Veterinary School, University of Queensland, for the plasma GOT and bilirubin estimations.

References Barton, D. H. R., and de Mayo, P. (1954)-J. chem.

Soc.. pp. 881, 900. Barton, D. H. R., de Mayo, P., Warnhoff, E. W..

Jeger, O., and Perold, G. W. (1954)-J. chem. Soc.. p. 3689.

Barton, D. H. R., de Mayo, P., and Orr, J. C. (1956) -J. chem. SOC., p. 4160.

Biava, C. (1964)-Lab. Invest. 13, 1099. Brown, J. M. M., Rimington, C., and Sawyer, B. C.

(1963)--Proc. roy. SOC. B., 157, 473. Brown, J. M. M., and Rimington, C. (1964)-Proc.

roy. SOC. B. 160, 246.

Brown, J. M. M. (1968)-J. Sth. Afr. vet. med. Ass.

Glauert, A. M., Rogers, G. E., and Glauert, R. H. (1956)-Nature 178, 803.

Gopinath, C., and Ford, E. J. H. (1969)-J. Path. 99, 7s.

Hart, N. K., Lamberton, J. A., Sioumis, A. A., and Suares, H. (1976a)-Aust. J . Chem. 29, 655.

Hart, N. K., Lamberton, J. A., Sioumis, A. A., Suares, H., and Seawright, A. A. (1976b)-Experientia 32: 412.

Heikel, T., Knight, B. C., Rimington, C., Ritchie, H. D., and Williams, E. J. (1960)--Proc. roy. SOC. B. 153, 47.

Louw, P. G. J. (1943)-0nderstepoort J. vet. Sci. 18, 197.

Louw, P. G. J. (1948)-0nderstepoort J. vet. Sci. 23, 233.

Powell, W. N. (1944)-Amer. J. din. Path. 24, 55. Reitman, S., and Frankel, S. (1957)-Am. J . clin.

Path. 28, 16. Reynolds, E. S. (1963)-J. Cell Biol. 17, 208. Sabatini, D. D., Bensch, K., and Barmett, R. J. (1963)

Seawright, A. A. (1963)-Aust. vet. 1. 39, 340. Seawright, A. A. (1964)-Path. vet. 1, 504. Seawright, A. A. (1965a)-Aust. vet. J. 41, 235. Seawright, A. A. (1965b)-in ‘The Toxicology and

Pathology of Lantana Poisoning”, Ph.D. Thesis, University of Queensland, p. 11.

Seawright, A. A. (1965c)-Path. vet. 2, 175. Seawright, A. A., and Allen, I. G. (1972)-Aust. vet.

J. 48, 323. Smith, D. A. (1976)-‘The Lantana carnara complex

in Eastern Australia”, Queensland Herbarium Tech- nical Bulletin, No. 2, in press.

(Received for publication 21 April 1975)

39, 35.

-1. Cell Biol. 17, 19.

BOOK REVIEW

Continued from page 226

ing suckled calves). Beef from the dairy herd notes that 40% of the beef produced in U.K. derives from calves born in dairy herds: and gives details of methods of production including seasonal differences in feed requirements. The chapter on The Product discusses dressing percentages, optimum slaughter weights, assessment of fatness, carcass values, attractiveness of meat, eating qualities, and has a note on meat analogues. The final chapter deals with new systems of beef pro-

duction with notes on systems based on animals of high growth potential, breed effects, sex effects; and under systems based on high quality forages discusses dried grass and maize silage. This is a very useful book, from the brief historical notes and comments - “Stockbreeding was the haphazard union of nobody’s son with everybody’s daughter” - through the details of breeding and feeding, and each chapter has an ample list of references to the literature.

H. McL. Gordon

Australian Veterinary Journal, Vol. 53, May, 1977 235