This new reference work provides a comprehensive, critical review of literature and current practice in poultry breeding and genetics. The authors invited to contribute to the book have all been carefully chosen from the world community of poultry scientists and scholars to ensure that specialized topics were reviewed by those well-qualified to do so. In forty-two chapters, genetic knowledge on eight species of poultry, all of which have commercial importance, is reviewed. These species are: chicken, turkey, Japanese quail, guinea fowl, ring-necked pheasant, domestic duck, muscovy duck, and goose. Each chapter includes an extensive bibliography of technical literature, and author and subject indexes complete the work.