[Reflections on 100 years of animal breeding as mirrored in the Deutsche Tierärztliche Wochenschrift].

In 1893 a major component of veterinary practice derived from 4 million horses and from farm animals, whereas thousands of dogs were even slaughtered every year, especially in Saxony and Silesia. Nowadays companion animals figure as an element of ever growing importance for the practitioner. Teaching and research adapted themselves to this altered situation, research funding and professional politics not yet so completely. In former days veterinarians even presided the licensing committees for breeder animals--today the animal breeding act merely mentions them in connection with institutions of AI and ET. Misdevelopments during the Nazi period are discussed as possible causes. In analogy to refugee problems after World War II, in this decade crowding effects again challenge the profession, resulting from increasing numbers of students and European migrations.