Animal Breeding

Introduction

Animal breeding is a branch of animal science that focuses on evaluating the genetic worth of animals (estimated breeding value or EBV) (using best linear unbiased prediction and other approaches). Animals with greater EBV in terms of growth rate, egg, meat, milk, wool output or other desirable traits have altered livestock production all over the world. The pioneering work of Jay Lush, Sewall Wright,and Charles Henderson laid the groundwork for the scientific theory of animal breeding. Population genetics, quantitative genetics, statistics and more recently, molecular genetics are all part of this field.

Types of breeding

In essence, there are two types of breeding methods:

• Inbreeding: Inbreeding is defined as the breeding of related animals as the sire (male) and dam (female)

• Outbreeding: Outbreeding is the practice of breeding unrelated animals as females and males

Inbreeding

• Inbreeding, or the mating of related individuals, usually causes a shift in the trait

• Inbred animals’ performance reduces reproductive efficiency and can cause various problems

• Inbreeding is done on purpose to ensure genetic constancy in laboratory populations and to produce crosses (animal and plant breeding)

However, inbreeding occurs unintentionally when tiny populations are kept for breeding and selection.

Inbreeding can be divided into two categories:

• Close breeding: When animals are closely related and can be traced back to more than one common ancestor. This is the most intensive breeding method. Sire to daughter, brother to sister and son to the dam are some examples

• Linebreeding: Mating more distantly related animals and can be traced down to a single common ancestor is known as line breeding. Cousins, Grandparents to grandchildren, Half-brother to half-sister are a few examples. Linebreeding improves the genetic integrity of progeny generations’ animals

Outbreeding

There are two types of outbreeding systems, i.e., breeding of unrelated animals:

• Crossbreeding is the breeding of two animals that are of different breeds. Hybrid vigour or heterosis refers to the superior qualities of crossbred progeny due to crossbreeding

• Grading up is the pairing of animals from two different breeds, in which animals from an indigenous breed/genetic group are mated with animals from an enhanced pure breed for numerous generations to achieve the improved breed’s superior features

In a grade herd, grading up refers to regularly employing purebred sires of the same breed. The graded animals may attain practically purebred standards by the fifth generation.

Following our breeding strategy, which includes crossbreeding, selective breeding, and grading up according to need, results in improved crossbred/graded production performance and improved growth rate, reproduction and production.

Breeding styles

• Stock for breeding

A cluster of animals used for deliberate breeding is referred to as breeding stock. When people look to raise animals, they look for specific features in purebred animals. Alternatively, they may use crossbreeding to create a new stock with unique and extraordinary powers in a particular field. “Breeding stock should be rapidly growing, sound, muscular, reproductively efficient and lean,” for example, when breeding pigs for meat. In horses, “subjective selection of breeding stock” has resulted in various breeds with distinct performance characteristics. While animal breeding is prevalent in agricultural settings, it is also common for selling pets like dogs, cats, birds and birds and less common creatures like reptiles and primates.

• Breeding of purebred animals

Purebred breeding is the practice of mating same breed animals to preserve the breed. In contrast to the practice of marrying animals of diverse breeds, Purebred breeding strives to establish and retain stable qualities in animals that will be passed down to the next generation. One could establish a bloodline or “breed” superior in certain ways to the original base stock by “breeding the best to the best,” employing a certain degree of inbreeding, significant culling and selection for “superior” qualities.

Breed registries, which keep track of pedigrees and stud books, can keep track of such creatures. The phenomenon of hybrid vigour is in direct opposition to breed purity.

• Breeding in the backyard

A backyard breeder breeds animals for profit, generally without certification. In certain circumstances, animals are inbred only for their appearance, with little consideration for their health. The phrase has a negative connotation. Puppy mills are related to backyard dog breeders who have many breeding animals.

Breeding Goals for Animals

A breeding objective identifies the traits that have the greatest impact on profit, as well as the relative importance of each attribute. An animal breeding goal should be clear, measurable and achievable.

Consider the following factors while creating breeding goals:

• Because a breeding goal is usually exclusive to a particular market, it is critical to comprehend client and market requirements

• Some traits or attributes are more economically important than others depending on the target market, such as growth rate influencing live weight at the sale

• Monitoring current herd or flock performance compared to customer or market requirements and how this performance and requirements may change over time

• Some characteristics are highly heritable and easily passed down from generation to generation. Targeting highly heritable features can help breeders make faster progress toward their goals

• Focus on features that have more to do with ‘tradition’ or ‘personal preference’ rather than traits more about ‘tradition’ or ‘personal preference’

Method of Selection

• Mass selection

Animals with superior qualities (particularly heritable breeds) are chosen at random from a herd and allowed to mate with one another. The offspring will outperform their parents in terms of performance, and this is because mass selection raises the frequency of favourable genes in a population.

• Testing of progeny

It is the offspring of two parents who have been carefully chosen ( Family selection). In this strategy, a group of progeny (offspring) is utilised as a tool to improve the precision of breeding stock selection. When the character to be chosen has a low heritability and is expressed by only one sex, this strategy is applied. The outcomes of this approach can take up to nine years to appear.

A Comparison to the Present Day

Other heifers in the herd sired by the same bull are contemporaries. This is a progeny tasting method that compares each bull’s daughters (Heifers) to that of other heifers known as contemporaries. These methods assume that non-genetic factors cause differences between herds of the same breed.

Advantages

• Heifers of various ages can be compared in many regions across the world

• It eliminates the effects of the environment on differences

• Direct comparisons of stud bulls at various artificial insemination centres are conceivable

• It’s accurate because we’re working with a vast herd of animals

Conclusion 

Protecting, housing and animal breeding for our livelihood are what constitute animal husbandry. Animal husbandry is quite essential in our country, especially in rural areas. Cattle rearing is a traditional technique that goes hand in hand with agriculture to provide milk, meat, eggs and other products.Milk, meat and other items are produced daily in our country.