The role of the veterinarian in animal breeding under Scandinavian conditions: A retrospective and prospective analysis

Veterinarians have always prayed a major role in selective animal breeding, because of their competence in the science and technology of animal reprod uction. However, the interest of the veterinarian in such work has fluctuat ed over the years. Broadly speaking, before 1960, there was a state of diss ension between veterinarians and animal-breeding organizations. This was fo llowed by a decade of more fruitful discussions, which from 1970 onwards bl ossomed into constructive co-operation. The livestock health schemes which have been since introduced are concrete evidence of this, examples of bridg e-building between different disciplines resulting in a "package" solution to the livestock farmer. Much water has indeed flowed under the bridge sinc e 1694, when scientists believed that each sperm housed the structure of a complete human being.