Times Past in the Countryside

Porter, Valerie

READER\'S DIGEST

BEAUTIFUL COWS /ANGLAIS

Frances Lincoln

This book describes in detail nearly every variety and breed of cattle in the world, both domesticated and wild. It includes most of the newest breeds (especially the zebu/taurine crosses and bison/cattle of yak/cattle hybrids) and many important extinct breeds. The early chapters trace the domestication of cattle, looking more closely at the now extinct ancestral aurochs, and how different types and breeds gradually evolved, while later chapters study wild species of the cattle family and some of their unusual interesting domesticants, especially in Asia. Yak, for example, are locally important and there is a section describing wild and domesticated varieties and the many roles they play. There is also a major section devoted to the world's water buffalo, which are of such great economic importance in many parts of Asia and are increasing rapidly in Australia and Latin America; the section gives a country-by-country guide. There is a special chapter describing how tropical cattle have adapted to the environmental challenges they face - the zebu and the sanga in particular. The breed entries are gathered in geographical sections according to the breed's country of origin. Each section has an introduction which sets the region's cattle in a cultural as well as an agricultural context. The development of each breed is traced, with ample reference to influential breeds which no longer exist or are rare today. The animals' physical characteristics are described (including typical coat colouring and markings, horns, sizes and conformation) along with their main roles historically and currently (for the production of meat or milk, as a work animal or as a form of currency or status symbol) and their special characteristics. There are detailed histories of the major or particularly interesting breeds or groups. The author also wrote "Cows for Smallholder","Keeping a Cow", "Practical Breeds" and "Enterprises for the Smallholder".

Cattle: a Guide to the Breeds of the World

Tebbit, Jake

Reference

A C Black Publishers Ltd

The woodlanders' traditional way of life is increasingly under pressure from the modern world, and this book provides a record of the lives and work of a range of people who are part of Britain's rural heritage: chestnut coppicers; craftsmen who made sheep hurdles, wattle panels, walking sticks, roofing shingles and a host of other traditional products; those who worked with horses and those who produced charcoal; naturalists who simply loved the woodlands for their flora and fauna; and women who worked in the woods, such as the Timber Corps in World War II. There are those who worked alone, and those who were employed on great estates, or by the Crown or the Forestry Commission.

Tales of the Old Woodlanders

Biographies & Memoirs

David&Charles

A collection of tales from vets who have worked all over the country including tips and remedies which have been passed down from father to son. The book captures the skill and devotion that veterinary surgeons dedicate to the creatures brought into their care.

Tales Old Country Vets

Travel

Europe

A compilation of the most fascinating, unusual and entertaining material from 'The Countryman' magazine's long and prestigious history.

Words from the Countryman

David & Charles Publishers

ENGLISH VILLAGERS: LIFE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE.

History

Bounty Books

The first full-color, illustrated pocket guide to North American cattle, this handy book profiles more than 60 breeds of beef, dairy, and draft cattle. Whether you are farming 50 head of cattle or raising one cow--or simply want to learn about where your milk and meat come from--this invaluable resource will tell you everything you need to know. The field guide offers a wealth of information, from practical tips for communicating with bulls and reading a cows body language to the history and science behind crossbreeding and herd instincts. Mooing, milking, and calving; horns, bovine digestion, and the difference between dairy wedge, beef block, and draft shoulders--these topics and many more are covered in depth for breeds as familiar as Holstein, Hereford, Angus, and Jersey and as rare as Florida Cracker and Randall Lineback. With its interesting facts, 150 color photographs, glossary, breed classification table, and resource list, The Field Guide to Cattle is the essential guidebook to North Americas cattle breeds.

The Field Guide to Cattle

Science & Math

Biological Sciences

Voyageur Pr

Far beyond providing meat, fertilizer, and leather, the pig has played an essential role in the evolution of many different cultures. The ability - or inability - of a culture to domesticate the pig has been a crucial factor in the development of its mores, taboos, prejudices, social customs, and agricultural practices.This profusely illustrated book includes an amazing amount of information about pigs from all over the world. Valerie Porter studies every breed, type, and variety of pigs; their ancesors and relatives; and their wild, domestic, or feral habitats. She begins with the pig's origin in the wild state, and moves on to its biology, domestication, and hybridization. Grouping the species accounts by continent - Europe, Asia, Australasia, Africa, and America - and country of origin, Porter places the pigs of each region in a cultural as well as an agricultural context.The author shows how different countries developed their own breeds, and includes ample references to influential breeds that are rare or extinct. In her discussion of basic genetics, we learn that the preservation of ancient breeds, both European and oriental, is vital today because the search for the perfect animal requires as varied a genetic pool as possible.Porter describes natural environments to which pigs of all kinds have adapted, as well as other factors that have influenced their development. We learn about the historic movements of pig-keeping cultures and hence the spread of pig domestication - for instance, the arrival of domesticated pigs that were taken to unlikely places by navigators and explorers. Along the way, she includes other complicated and intriguing stories about the history of different breeds, and she describes pig industries in different countries, past and present.How large is the world's pig population? Which part of the world has the most pigs and why? Many readers will enjoy learning about the pig and its place in the development of societies and cultures, and the book will be an invalubale reference for professional agriculturalists, particularly those in developing countries, teachers and students of veterinary science and animal science, and commercial pig-breeding companies.Valerie Porter is the author of numerous books on livestock, including the highly acclaimed Cattle: A Handbook to the Breeds of the World. Jake Tebbit is an animal illustrator who works extensively in the agricultural industry.

Pigs: A Handbook to the Breeds of the World

Engineering & Transportation

Engineering

NCROL

This encyclopedic guide traces the domestication of cattle, looking at the evolution and eventual extinction of different types and breeds. Its later chapters also touch on the wild species of the cattle family and some of their unusual interesting domesticates. Each chapter is separated according to the breed's country of origin, setting the region's cattle in a cultural as well as an agricultural context. Their main roles are also explored both historically and currently, from the production of meat or milk to representing currency or social status.

Cattle: A Handbook to the Breeds of the World

Crafts, Hobbies & Home

Pets & Animal Care

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Books by Porter, Valerie