Statistics for Veterinary and Animal Science

Statistics is a subject that many veterinary and other animal science students approach with foreboding, but it is essential for them to grasp the basics in order to understand their subject and play a contributive part in it. This is true whether they be practitioners, research scientists, diagnosticians, or run commercial pathology services, work in research and development of veterinary drugs, or simply care for healthy animals in performance and production. The increasing need to keep up with the literature and to evaluate the competitive promotions for animal systems and health products requires that students have a sound foundation in biological statistics applied to animal care. The emergence of new diseases requires that risk factors associated with them are carefully evaluated.

This introductory book will lead the reader through the basics and form a bridge to more complicated statistical procedures found in advanced texts. Written in a non-mathematical way, it contains numerous worked examples helping the reader to develop understanding of the procedures rather than simply the mechanical abilities to perform them.

Ms Petrie is a Senior Lecturer in Statistics at University College, London, UK.

Professor Watson is Professor of Reproductive Cyrobiology at the Royal Veterinary College, London, UK.