History of Animal Genetics

The study of genes and their influence on living organisms is termed genetics. Hereditary, reproduction, and variability are the three properties of any living organism that can be determined using genetics. In other words, the factors which influence the appearance, survival, and functions of organisms are decided by the information in their genes. 

In animals, genetics is a critical factor in influencing their health and production. Animal genetics is the study of hereditary and variation in animals. It is a branch of veterinary medicine and is based on genetic principles and concepts. The main aim of animal genetics is to find a correlation between animal genes and their fertility, productivity, and viability.

Genetics in the Nineteenth Century 

Charles Darwin, in 1859, discovered that individuals who are best fitted for an environment have higher chances of survival and reproduction. This theory is known as the survival of the fittest. It was also applied to domestic animals. 

Darwin stated that the key to producing perfect and useful breeds is man’s power of accumulative selection. However, Darwin was still not acquainted with the basic laws of inheritance. 

In 1865, studies on genetic inheritance were published by Monk Gregor Mendel. This study was based on garden peas. Mendel stated that genetic material was inherited from both parents individually. This further proved that two copies of the same gene are inherited by each individual. Only one of the two copies is passed onto the offspring. It is simply a result of chance, which one of the two copies is passed onto the offspring. 

Mendel also stated that the gene copies, also known as alleles, could be dominant, recessive, or additive. However, these findings were not recognised as important until the 1900s and did not prove to be of any immediate help in animal breeding.

Genetics in the Twentieth century 

The majority of the genetics used in animal breeding today were discovered in the first part of the 20th century. The discovery made by Mendel started gaining recognition during this period. R.A. Fisher, a statistician, discovered that the variation of expression of a character could be influenced by Mendelian factors, that is, genes. R.A. Fisher, jointly with J.B.S. Haldane and Sewall Wright established theoretical population genetics.

The chromosome theory of inheritance was founded by Thomas Hunt Morgan. This again was connected to the work of Mendel. Thomas Hunt Morgan gave the theory that genes are linked in a series of chromosomes. He also stated that the actual hereditary material was carried by the chromosome of cells. 

The title of ‘modern father of animal breeding’ is given to Jay L. Lush, who stated that the breeding of animals should be based on their genetic information and quantitative statistics instead of subjective appearance.

DNA in Animal Breeding

Before the introduction of genetics, predictions about inheritance were made using statistics and presumed mechanisms. However, in 1953, Watson and Crick founded the Double Helix structure of DNA. This discovery was based on research results from Franklin and Wilkins. 

With the introduction of genetics, the association between the performance of animals and their DNA could be estimated. This could add value to animal breeding. Before the introduction of genetics, animal breeding was based on the phenotype of the animals, that is, their physical properties. However, when the information associated with the DNA of an animal could be studied, animal selection for breeding could be done at an early age rather than waiting for the animal to reach maturity so that the phenotype could be measured. 

Genetics helped in recognising traits of animals that were difficult to identify, for example, disease-related traits. This also helped in preventing disease in animals. 

Modern Animal Genetics

At present, animal genetics plays an important role in the qualitative and quantitative improvement of the animal population and also helps in solving issues related to animal health. It also helps in understanding the changing genetic structures of animals and the process of inheritance throughout generations. 

In modern genetics, inheritance patterns in animals are determined by DNA, RNA, and proteins. The genetic materials in animals are represented by their DNA, which stores the genetic information. The information stored in DNA is transferred to mRNA, which is then transferred to the cytoplasm of the cells. The cytoplasm contains ribosomes where the stored information is translated into amino acids. The amino acids then form proteins by linking them together. The expression of inherited traits is determined by the diverse functions of proteins.  

Conclusion 

The study of hereditary and variation in animals is termed animal genetics. The base of genetics was laid by Mendel in the 19th century who discovered that inheritance was based on genes. In the 20th century, R.A. Fisher, a statistician, discovered that the variation of expression of a character could be influenced by genes. Thomas Hunt Morgan founded the chromosome inheritance theory. Jay L. Lush stated that the breeding of animals should be based on their genetic information and quantitative statistics. 

After the discovery of DNA, an association between the performance of an animal and their DNA was studied. DNA helped in recognising various traits in animals which helped inbreeding. In modern genetics, the inheritance patterns in animals are determined by DNA, RNA, and proteins.