Pigs: A Handbook to the Breeds of the World - Hardcover

Porter, Valerie

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 080142920X ISBN 13: 9780801429200

Publisher: NCROL, 1993

Synopsis

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.

About this title

From Booklist

The body of this book is arranged by continent, then country or region, and then by individual breed. The characteristics and history of each breed are given. The scope of the book is international, with special emphasis on Europe and the United Kingdom.

The geographic sections are preceded by chapters on wild pigs, the taming of pigs, and the breeding of pigs. Appendixes list pig-breeding companies in the U.K., extinct breeds, synonyms, and a bibliography. There is an extensive index set in type that is so small as to be difficult to read. The British author has written numerous books on livestock, including Cattle: A Handbook to Breeds of the World (Cornell, 1992). The illustrator also works extensively with agricultural subjects, researching and painting more than 200 breeds for this work.

Black-and-white maps and illustrations are placed at appropriate places in the text; colorplates are grouped together in a separate section. The illustrations add much to the value of the book. However, using the plates is rendered a three-step process by the combination of putting them together in one section and using silhouettes on facing pages to label the plates rather than labeling them directly on the colored pages.

Libraries serving agricultural communities will find this readable book useful.

Edition details

• Publisher: NCROL
• Publication date: 1993
• ISBN 10: 080142920X
• ISBN 13: 9780801429200
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 272