Chapter 1 animal agriculture as Science --
Early legislation --
The Scientific method --
Advances in production of food from animals --
Animal immunization --
Refrigeration --
Artificial insemination --
Embryo transfer --
The use of computers --
Chapter 2 the classification of agricultural animals --
Scientific classification --
Classification by breeds --
Classification according to use --
Chapter 3 the beef industry --
Beef in the American diet --
The beef industry in the United States --
Breeds of beef cattle --
Segments of the beef industry --
Chapter 4 the dairy industry --
Feeding --
Gestation --
Milk production --
Dairy goats and sheep --
Cheese manufacturing --
Chapter 5 the swine industry --
History of the industry --
Breeds of swine --
Production methods --
Environmental concerns --
Chapter 6 the poultry industry --
The breeder industry --
The broiler industry --
Broiler production --
The layer industry --
The turkey industry --
Other poultry --
Chapter 7 the sheep industry --
The wool industry --
Chapter 8 the goat industry --
History --
Goat industry in the United States --
Production in the United States --
Breeds of goats --
Anatomy and physiology --
Management of goats --
Chapter 9 the horse industry --
Classification --
Mules --
Anatomy of the horse --
Raising horses --
Chapter 10 the aquaculture industry --
Fish production --
Sport fishing --
Bullfrogs --
Crayfish --
Alligator farming --
Chapter 11 the small animal industry --
The history of pets --
Dogs --
Cats --
Exotic animals as pets --
Reptiles --
Health benefits --
Service animals --
Pet food --
Animal health --
Chapter 12 alternative animal agriculture --
Rabbit production --
Llama production --
Fish bait production --
large game production --
Laboratory animal production --
Production of natural and certified animal products --
Hunting preserves --
Chapter 13 the honeybee industry --
The importance of honeybees --
Bees as social insects --
Commercial honey production --
Breeding bees --
Producing new queens --
Diseases and parasites --
Chapter 14 animal behavior --
Social behavior --
Sexual and reproductive behavior --
Ingestive behavior --
Animal communication --
Chapter 15 animal cells: the building blocks --
The importance of cells --
Cell production --
Animal stem cells --
Chapter 16 animal genetics --
Gene transfer --
The determination of the animal's sex --
Using genetics in the selection process --
Performance data --
Chapter 17 the scientific selection of agricultural animals --
The selection of swine --
The selection of breeding hogs --
The selection of market beef animals --
The selection of breeding cattle --
The selection of sheep --
Chapter 18 the reproduction process --
Reproduction in animals --
The male reproductive system --
The female reproductive system --
Fertilization --
Animal insemination --
Embryo transfer --
Chapter 19 cloning animals --
Reasons for cloning --
Development of the cloning process --
Perfecting the process --
Differences in clones --
Chapter 20 animal growth and development --
Prenatal growth --
Postnatal growth and development --
The effects of hormones on growth --
The aging process in animals --
Chapter 21 animal nutrition --
Water --
Protein --
Carbohydrates --
Fats --
Minerals --
Vitamins --
The digestion process --
Chapter 22 meat science --
Meat industry --
The slaughter process --
Factors affecting palatability --
Poultry processing --
Grading --
The wholesale cuts --
Preservation and storage of meat --
Chapter 23 parasites of agricultural animals --
Internal parasites --
External parasites --
Parasite control --
Chapter 24 animal diseases --
Infectious diseases --
The immune system --
Noninfectious diseases --
Poisoining --
Disease prevention --
Chapter 25 the issue of animal welfare --
Confinement --
The use of drugs --
Management practices --
Research --
Chapter 26 consumer concerns --
Country of origin --
Animal medications --
Hormones --
Cholesterol --
Genetic engineering --
Environmental concerns --
The overgrazing of public lands --
Global warming --
Chapter 27 careers in animal science --
Career options --
Developing personal and leadership skills --
Interview preparation.

"Now in its fifth edition, The Science of Animal Agriculture is directed toward teaching the basic science concepts involved in the production of agricultural animals while remaining current to the latest scientific advancements and trends in the industry. All facets of modern agriculture are based on science. From the most rudimentary cultural practices to the most complicated biotechnology techniques, scientific research has produced the phenomenon known as American agriculture. The science of agriculture has brought humans from the stage of wandering and gathering food to modern civilization. Much of what we know about how living organisms reproduce and grow has come about through our quest to be more efficient in the production of food and fiber. The Science of Animal Agriculture contains chapters dealing with the latest concepts in animal biotechnology. Topics include animal behavior, classification, consumer concerns, animal welfare, genetics, scientific selection, reproduction, cloning, growth and development, nutrition, meat science, parasites, and disease. In addition, the scientific basis for the production of the different types of agricultural animals is presented."
- Preface