Abstract
THE Imperial Bureau of Animal Genetics has issued a bulletin of 47 pages by Dr. F. Fraser Darling on animal breeding in the British Empire, obtainable from Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh, or 33 Paternoster Row, E.C., at 1s. It summarises the present position and work in progress in the breeding of farm animals in all parts of the Empire. The first part deals with Great Britain and the Dominions, where conditions are mainly temperate; the second part with India and the Colonies, which are largely in the tropics. The more practical aspects of the breeding of horses, cattle, sheep, pigs and goats are considered. Reference is made to such recent developments as sperm storage for horse insemination, and the fact that breeds of pigs differ in the number of ribs and hence in their value for bacon. Useful information is given regarding sheep breeding in Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, and the varying problems each country has to face. We learn that the world's record for butter-fat production—1,614 Ib, in a year—is held by an Australian Shorthorn, that Rornney Marsh sheep are successful in New Zealand, and that camel breeding is developed by Government in the Sudan. Zebu cattle and buffaloes have been introduced from India into the West Indies, Tanganyika and British Guiana. Cattle suitable for the tropics can probably be produced by crosses between zebu and certain European breeds. Such crosses between zebu cows and Friesian bulls have produced a satisfactory breed in Trinidad, but Krislma Valley zebu in Tanganyika crossed with Devona or Aberdeen Angus give intractable animals unsuitable for domestic uses.
Article PDF
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Animal Breeding in the British Empire. Nature 133, 943–944 (1934). https://doi.org/10.1038/133943d0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/133943d0