The Development of Animal Reproductive Science: From James Herriot To Today

It’s not often that your average person spends time thinking about animal reproduction and the science behind it. If they are, it could be because they’ve been reading some James Herriot. Herriot, whose real name was Alfred Wight, was a legendary British veterinarian who wrote several semi-autobiographical books about his experiences working as a rural veterinarian in Yorkshire in the middle of the 20th century.

Changing Times

Wight lived and worked at a time when the veterinary industry was undergoing changes and transitioning to a form that we better recognize today. When he first began working in the 30’s, a vet would spend most of their time working with large animals like horses or cows, but as technology like mechanical tractors displaced the need for many of these animals, a vet’s job began to change. Today of course, vets spend most of their time treating dogs, cats, and other household pets.

It wasn’t just the type of animals being treated that has changing. The discovery and use of antibiotics removed the need for many traditional remedies and veterinarians’ knowledge of animals and how to treat them was growing. In one of his books, Wight describes his first attempt at a Caesarian section on a cow that nearly ended in disaster.

Where We Are Now

We’ve certainly come a long way since the 1930’s, and new technology, medicines, and innovation have played a huge role in that growth. Veterinary medicine and our knowledge of animal reproductive sciences owes a debt to the countless men and women who have worked in the field, like Wight, and in research labs around the world. Those labs are where new antibiotics and medicines are developed, gene therapies are tested, new theories are developed, and long-standing ideas are challenged.

The research and development of these new ideas and treatments is crucial to our ability to learn more about the animals that we love and in many cases, depend on for our livelihood. More than half a century after Alfred Wight wrote his first book, we’re still pushing forward to learn as much as we can about those animals and the world around us.

At Lifecycle Biotechnologies, we’re proud to say that our products and services are an essential part of what keeps those labs operating smoothly and continuing to increase our scientific knowledge across many fields, not the least of which is animal reproductive science.

When research labs outsource services to us to focus on their core competencies, the processes in their labs take on a more streamlined character. When they receive the products they need to keep their labs running efficiently, products like sheath fluid, water for embryo transfer, other reagents, or the containers to keep them in, they can stop worrying about whether or not they have what they need to operate from day to day.

That peace of mind is incredibly important to anyone involved with animal health. If you’re ready to find out how much simpler your operations could be, then contact us today. Our knowledgeable and experienced staff will listen to your needs and guide you to the perfect solution.