Book excerpt: Interest in environmental aspects of agriculture and in farm animal welfare has grown tremendously in recent years. Yet there are few books available which provide the relevant biological background to these issues, as well as describe the effects both of the environment on farm animals and of the animals on the environment. This book provides such a broad synthesis. It is divided into four parts covering: environmental factors influencing the production and welfare of farm animals; perception of the environment by farm animals; animal responses to the environment; and the effects of farm animals on the human environment. The authors include internationally-recognized scientists from the UK, USA, Canada, France, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Egypt. The book will interest a wide range of students and research workers concerned with animal physiology and production, animal behavior and welfare, veterinary medicine and environmental science.