Cattle ─ A Handbook to the Breeds of the World

This encyclopedic guide traces the domestication of cattle, looking at the evolution and eventual extinction of different types and breeds. Its later chapters also touch on the wild species of the cattle family and some of their unusual interesting domesticates. Each chapter is separated according to the breed's country of origin, setting the region's cattle in a cultural as well as an agricultural context. Their main roles are also explored both historically and currently, from the production of meat or milk to representing currency or social status.

Valerie Porter has written some 30 books on rural themes including Saving the Breeds, a history of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, written jointly with Lawrence Alderson. She has edited an extensive range of agricultural, veterinary and life sciences books.