Animal Breeding:

A breed is a specific group of domestic animals having similar appearance, size and behavior. It can be done artificially by MOET or artificial insemination. It is further of two types:

1. Inbreeding:

Inbreeding refers to the mating between closely related individuals within the same breed for 4-6 generations. It involves:

• Selection of superior males and females.
• Mating between them in pairs.
• In cattle, superior female is cow/buffalo, that provide suitable milk and superior male is bull that is responsible for better progenies.
• Superior progenies are further mated.

 Its effects:

•  Inbreeding leads to a steady increase in pure species without variations.
• Close inbreeding usually results in reduction of fertility and productivity, called inbreeding depression.
•  Due to this biological fitness of a given species is reduced.
• Fertility and productivity can be restored by mating that species with unrelated superior animals of same breed.

 

 

2)   Out-breeding:

It refers to the breeding of unrelated animals either of the same breed but not having common ancestors. It is further of three types:

• Out-crossing: It is a practice of mating animals of the same breed that have no common ancestors on either side of their pedigree up to 4-6 generations. A single out-crossing can eliminate inbreeding depressions.

 Its use:

It is done to raise the milk production and growth rates of given species.

• Cross-breeding: Cross-breeding refers to the mating of superior males of one breed with superior females of another breed.  A new breed of sheep (Hisardale), is formed by breeding Bikaneri ewes and Mrino rams.

Its uses:

It is used to accumulate desirable genes of two species in a single progeny for commercial use.

• Inter specific hybridization: It refers to crossing between male and female animals of two different species. A mule was obtained by crossing a male donkey and a female horse.