Includes bibliographical references (pages 163-182) and index.
Preface -- Developing a modern method of purebred breeding --Shorthorns and animal improvement -- Producing beautiful dogs -- Patterns in Collie breeding and culture -- A world market for Arabians takes shape -- The Arabian Horse Registry of America: preserving purity -- Concluding Remarks -- Notes -- Essay on sources -- Index.
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In Bred for Perfection, Margaret Derry provides the most comprehensive and accessible book yet published on the human quest to improve and develop livestock. Derry, herself a breeder and trained historian of science, explores the "triangle" of genetics, eugenics, and practical breeding, focusing on Shorthorn cattle, show dogs and working dogs, and one type of purebred horse, the Arabian. By examining specific breeders and the animals they produced, she illuminates the role of technology, genetics, culture, and economics in the system of purebred breeding. Bred for Perfection also provides the historical context in which this system arose, adding to our understanding of how domestication works and how our welfare--since the dawn of time--has been intertwined with the lives of animals.
Arabian horse-- Breeding-- History-- 19th century.