Genetics and Evolution of the Domestic Fowl

A concise and up-to-date account of all major areas of poultry genetics from Mendelian to the molecular level.

"...would serve as an excellent textbook for third or fourth year undergraduate students or for beginning graduate students in any of the animal or biological sciences lacking a background in genetics. It should serve well either as a textbook or as a valuable resource book...." Gerald B. Havenstein, Poultry Science"...a splendid little book that is the first devoted to the domestic fowl for many years....I really enjoyed this book, and will refer to it frequently. My interest in birds has not extended to their immunology or oncogenetics, and it fills that gap to perfection. I will also use the chapter on quantitative genetics in my teaching, so it will not gather dust on the shelf as so many other books do." David T. Parkin, TIG

The science of genetics has undergone a period of very rapid and significant development in recent years, and the area of poultry genetics has been no exception. This book provides a balanced and up-to-date account of the major areas of genetics and evolution in the domestic fowl, including transmission genetics, cytogenetics, molecular genetics and quantitative genetics. In each chapter, a brief explanation of the genetic principles is followed by a full discussion illustrated by key examples.

1. The history and evolution of the domestic fowl; 2. The cellular organisation of genetic material; 3. The transmission of inherited characters; 4. Sex determination and sex-linked inheritance in the domestic fowl; 5. Linkage and chromosome mapping; 6. Genes controlling feathering and plumage colour; 7. Muscle, nerve and skeleton; 8. Lethal genes in the domestic fowl; 9. Quantitative genetics; 10. Protein evolution and polymorphism; 11. Immunogenetics of the domestic fowl; 12. Gene cloning, sequencing and transfer; Appendices; Glossary; Index.