This encyclopedic dictionary is the comprehensive resource for veterinary knowledge in livestock medicine, farm animal diseases and production management. It comprises the main domesticated species (cattle, sheep, goats, swine, poultry, and rabbits) in their production systems and covers the related fields of animal welfare, public health, as well as food inspection and processing.
Several hundred entries are richly illustrated and thoroughly prepared, tailored to species and cross-referencing them. Readers will find information on comparative animal anatomy and physiology, diseases and disorders, reproduction and obstetrics, nutrition, food safety and food processing for both monogastric and ruminant species. Every contribution was meticulously chosen to condense the current state-of-the-art, consistently applied to the specific contexts in medicine and animal husbandry.
Incorporating the concepts of good veterinary practices, one health, and sustainable development of livestock and poultry industries, this major reference work is a complete, evidence-based, and useful guide for veterinary medicine and animal production management serving students, veterinary practitioners, and academics alike.
João Simðes (Editor-in-Chief) is a Professor of Large Animal Medicine and Reproduction at the University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD). As a clinician and academic, he has dedicated more than 30 years of his professional career to veterinary students and producers and collaborated with national and European animal production associations. Based on this work and research experience, he has written, mainly as first or last author, approximately 100 publications indexed in Scopus/SCI, as well as more than 70 in other journals and proceedings. In recent years, he has also edited six books indexed in Scopus and two large special issues (Scopus/SCI) on animal production and veterinary medicine. He has also contributed to the scientific community with approximately 500 WoS-certified peer-reviews.
Susana Astiz Blanco (Editor) is Senior Researcher at the Animal Reproduction Department (CSIC-INIA) in Madrid, Spain, since 2010. Dip. ECBHM, with professional experience in the Animal Production Sector as practitioner and livestock farmer consultant (Germany and Spain) for >10 years. Technical Manager for pharmaceutical companies; Research activities with private and public; national and international funding sources. Teaching collaboration in master's degrees and training seminars at different institutions. Research lines: Animal Production, Reproductive Physiology, Farm Simulation, Livestock, and Prenatal Programming. Published books, monographs, >110 SCI-articles, >100 popular articles, and >200 participations at National and International Scientific Conferences (communications and invited lectures).
Aitor Fernández-Novo (Editor) is Professor of Bovine Production and Reproduction and is the Manager of the Veterinary Department at Universidad Europea de Madrid (UEM). Previously, he has worked as first opinion and reproduction consultant in dairy and beef cattle farms, combining his field work with research and teaching at university. He contributed to some books, >50 national and international scientific conferences, >20 SCI-articles, and >50 popular articles.
Sonia S. Pérez Garnelo (Editor) (Deceased) has been a Senior Researcher at the Animal Reproduction Department (CSIC-INIA) in Madrid, Spain, since 2006, principal investigator responsible for the INIA zoogenetic resources bank since 2004 and coordinator of the 'Animal Production and Sustainability' research group of the Animal Reproduction Department since 2018. She has participated in 47 research projects, contracts and agreements, with private and public funding related to sperm collection (including difficult-to-handle animals and postmortem epididymal sperm recovery); semenquality evaluation and freezing; estrus synchronization, artificial inseminations (AI) programs; embryo transfer (ET) and in vitro embryo production (IVP) in both, domestic breeds (sheep, swine, cattle and poultry), and wild species in danger of extinction. Her research activity has resulted in 78 publications in national and international journals (32 from the Web of Science Core Collection; 23 SCI), and book chapters; more than 100 contributions presented at national and international conferences and co-edition of 3 books. Sonia passed away unexpectedly in September 2025, before she could see her work published in print. She approached every project with passion and was an extraordinary colleague. Her kindness and dedication will always be remembered. May she rest in peace.
Delia Lacasta Lozano (Editor) graduated from the Veterinary School of Zaragoza, Spain, in 1995. She began her professional career working full-time with small ruminants, initially managing a sheep farm with 2,500 animals for 2 years. She then joined an Association for the Sanitary Defense of Sheep and Goats in southern Huesca, Spain, where she provided veterinary care and health management for over 20,000 sheep annually for more than 13 years. During this period, she also pursued a Ph.D. focused on respiratory disorders in lambs, which
she completed in 2006 with the highest distinction (Cum Laude). In 2005, she began teaching as a part-time associate lecturer at the Veterinary School of Zaragoza, transitioning to a full-time lecturer role in 2010. Since then, she has been responsible for the Ruminant Clinical Service (SCRUM) at the Veterinary School of Zaragoza, where more than 450 ruminants are examined and treated annually. Her academic achievements include over 100 publications in journals indexed in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) and more than 90 articles
in other national and international journals. Additionally, she has presented over 200 papers at national and international scientific conferences. She became a Diplomate of the European College of Small Ruminant Health and Management (ECSRHM) in 2011 and has been actively involved in its management since 2013, currently serving as Past President. Her main research interests focus on respiratory diseases in small ruminants, including both upper and lower respiratory tract disorders. In recent years, she has also conducted extensive research on ovine anaplasmosis.
Carlos Alberto e Silva Venâncio (Editor) is Professor of Animal Anatomy at Animal Science Department, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), and is Head of Anatomical Technical Service in the same department. Since 2013, he is a full member researcher at the Centre for Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB) working in Animal House Lab and Ecotoxicology Lab with scientific interests on understanding the role of oxidative stress in the mechanisms
of cell death and monitoring the behavior effects of substances (anesthetics) that can preserve animal welfare in stressful situations. He has worked in his academic and research career with several animal species: laboratory models, wild/exotic/zoo, pets, and production. In his research lines he seeks to use anatomical knowledge to preserve animal welfare and more sustainable production. His publication record contains several chapters in books and >50 SCI-articles; he was member of organizing committees of several international conferences and outreach activities for stakeholders.
Maria da Conceição Medeiros de Castro Fontes (Editor) graduated in Veterinary Medicine in 1997 from the University of Trá-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD) and holds a Ph.D. in Veterinary Sciences from the same University since 2010. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Veterinary Sciences of UTAD since 2010, teaching the Curricular Units (CU) of Sanitary Inspection I and II, Introduction to Quality and Food Safety, and Veterinary Legislation and Regulation of the Integrated Master in Veterinary Medicine. She collaborates in the teaching of the CU of Biological and Chemical Hazards in Food of the Master in Food Engineering. She became a member of the Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV) in 2010 and has developed her research in the field of food quality and safety, and also emerging and
reemerging zoonoses. She has authored or co-authored book chapters, research papers, and several communications at national and international meetings.
Pramila Umaraw (Editor) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Livestock Products Technology and is presently engaged in teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students at the University. She worked on nutritive profiling of edible by-products of Barbari Goat kid during her master's at DUVASU, Mathura. Recipient of Department of Science &Technology-India INSPIRE fellowship for doctorate, she developed fiber-enriched chicken meat bread with phytopreservatives at Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly. With a keen interest in research, she has been working in the field of Livestock Products such as milk, dairy products, meat, meat products eggs, etc., for the past 10 years, and has successfully published her work in reputed international and national journals.
