How did animal breeding emerge as a movement? Who took part and for what reasons? How do the pedigree and market systems work? What light might the movement shed on the assumptions behind human eugenics?

In Bred for Perfection, Margaret Derry provides the most comprehensive and accessible book yet published on the human quest to improve and develop livestock. Derry, herself a breeder and trained historian of science, explores the "triangle" of genetics, eugenics, and practical breeding, focusing on Shorthorn cattle, show dogs and working dogs, and one type of purebred horse, the Arabian. By examining specific breeders and the animals they produced, she illuminates the role of technology, genetics, culture, and economics in the system of purebred breeding. Bred for Perfection also provides the historical context in which this system arose, adding to our understanding of how domestication works and how our welfare—since the dawn of time—has been intertwined with the lives of animals.

Franklin Wellington Wegenast was a third-generation German Canadian but intensely loyal to Britain. After an early career as a music teacher, he became a lawyer and the author of several books on Canadian law. Wegenast had broad interests that encompassed French architecture and the history of religion; he also kept wild ducks and bred sheep. He travelled many times throughout Europe before his last trip in 1938.

Margaret E. Derry is a historian, artist, and livestock breeder. She writes about the history of agricultural breeding and has given lectures on the subject around the world. Derry has also written about the history of Georgian Bay. Her work on the Wegenast papers has taken her into the field of German history.

Margaret E. Derry's profile page

"Derry details the intricacies of pedigree recording, which greatly influences breeding decisions, monetary values, and trade. Much of this book reviews the social factors that have impacted pedigreed breeding."

"In this engaging and carefully researched book... Derry admirably exposes the foibles and eccentricities of pedigree breeders and discusses the many factors motivating their activities... It is a detailed study of obsession, of the conflict between pedigree and commercial concerns and the unspoken belief among breeders that line breeding animals and line breeding people amounted to much the same thing!"

"This book... fills a substantial gap in scholarship."

British Journal for the History of Science

"An excellent book. In showing how animal improvement served both economic and social purposes, Derry tells much about the nature of human beings."

"Offers a succession of fascinating insights that will intrigue even historians with little previous interest in agriculture or sports... Essential reading for anyone interested in the human modification of nature."

"Derry's study of animal breeding since 1800 makes a valuable contribution to the series and to the growing field of animal history."