Animal breeding

People help animals have babies.

They pick the best moms and dads. This helps animals grow well. It helps them make more milk or wool. It can also help them make more meat.

Some people use animals for food. Other people breed pets. This includes cats, dogs, and birds. Some people even breed reptiles.

Some people mate animals of the same kind. This keeps their traits the same. This is called purebred breeding.

It is a very smart way to work with animals.

People use science to help animals have babies. This is called animal breeding.

Farmers want animals with good traits. A trait is a feature like color or size. They look for animals that grow fast. They want animals that make more milk, meat, or wool.

Some people use breeding for food. Others breed pets like dogs, cats, or birds. Some even breed reptiles.

There are two main ways to breed animals. One way is purebred breeding. This means mating animals of the same breed. It helps keep their traits the same for the next generation. People use a breed registry to keep records. This book tracks the family history of the animals.

Another way is crossbreeding. This means mating animals of different breeds. This can make new types of animals. These new animals might have even better skills. Scientists use math and study genes to help. Genes are the tiny parts that pass traits from parents to babies.

Meat Atlas 2014 shows facts about animals we eat.

Animal breeding is a special part of animal science. It helps people understand the genetic value of livestock. This value is often called an estimated breeding value, or EBV. Scientists use EBV to see which animals have the best traits. They look for animals with high growth rates. They also look for animals that produce more milk, meat, or wool. This work has changed how we raise animals all over the world.

There are different ways this work happens. One way is called purebred breeding. This means mating animals that are of the same breed. The goal is to keep traits stable for the next generation. People can use inbreeding or culling to reach this goal. Culling means choosing to remove certain animals from the group. They might also use a breed registry to keep track of family trees. These registries use stud books to record pedigrees.

Another way is called crossbreeding. This involves mating animals of different breeds. It can create a new type of stock. These new animals might have even better abilities. This is different from the idea of breed purity. It can lead to something called hybrid vigor. Some people also breed animals for pets. This includes cats, dogs, horses, and birds. Some people even breed reptiles or primates.

This science is based on the work of many people. Important names include Sewall Wright, Jay Lush, and Charles Henderson. They helped build the theory of animal breeding. This theory uses math and the study of genes. It uses population genetics and quantitative genetics. Recently, it has also used molecular genetics. These tools help scientists make very smart choices.

Think about the animals you see every day. You might see a dog with a specific look. That look came from careful breeding in the past. Farmers use these same ideas for meat and wool. For example, swine breeding focuses on fast growth. They want pigs that are muscular and lean. They also want them to be reproductively efficient. This helps ensure there is enough food for everyone.

Animal breeding is a specialized branch of animal science. It focuses on evaluating the genetic value of livestock. This value is known as the estimated breeding value, or EBV. Scientists use EBV to predict how an animal will pass traits to its offspring. This process has revolutionized livestock production across the entire world. It allows for more efficient food and material production.

To find the best animals, scientists use complex methods. One common method is called best linear unbiased prediction. This helps experts calculate the EBV of specific animals. They look for superior traits in growth rate and production. For example, they might select for more milk or better wool. They also look at meat or egg production levels. These measurements help ensure the next generation is even better.

The science of breeding relies on several different fields. It incorporates population genetics and quantitative genetics. It also uses statistics to analyze data. Recently, scientists have added molecular genetics to these tools. This scientific theory was built on the pioneering work of several people. Sewall Wright, Jay Lush, and Charles Henderson are key names in this history. Their work created the foundation for modern animal science.

There are two main ways to manage breeding stock. Breeding stock refers to a group of animals used for planned breeding. One method is purebred breeding. This involves mating animals of the same breed. The goal is to maintain stable traits in the next generation. Breeders may use inbreeding or culling to achieve this. Culling means removing certain animals from the breeding group. This helps focus on only the highest quality animals.

Another method is crossbreeding. This involves mating animals of different breeds. The goal is to produce a new type of stock. These animals may have superior abilities in specific areas. This method can lead to a phenomenon called hybrid vigor. Hybrid vigor is a contrast to the idea of breed purity. While purebreds focus on stability, crossbreeding focuses on new, improved combinations.

Breeders use special tools to keep track of these animals. A breed registry is an organization that maintains records. They use pedigrees and stud books to document family history. This helps ensure that purebred lines stay consistent. In some cases, animals are bred for very specific purposes. For example, swine breeding aims for muscular and lean meat. Breeders want pigs that are fast-growing and reproductively efficient.

Animal breeding is not just for large farm livestock. It is also common for animals meant to be pets. This includes cats, dogs, horses, and birds. Some people even breed reptiles or certain primates. In laboratory settings, the process is even more intense. For instance, the Jackson laboratory offers mice bred to 100% pure lines. This is very difficult because most populations carry recessive, deleterious gene variants. These are called alleles.