Animal Genetics The Science Of Animal Breeding

First published in 1925, “Animal Genetics” is a vintage treatise on breeding animals, including fowl, sheep, pig, dog, horses, and cattle. Animal breeding is a branch of animal science that deals with evaluating the genetic value of livestock. The ability to select animals with superior EBV in growth rate, meat, milk, egg, or wool production has revolutionised livestock farming around the world, and this handy volume aims to present the livestock keeper with everything they might need to know. With a wealth of invaluable information and many handy tips, Animal Genetics” is not to be missed by those with a practical interest in breeding animals for profit or pleasure. Many vintage books such as this are increasingly scarce and expensive. It is with this in mind that we are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially-commissioned new introduction on farming.

This newly updated and revised volume of the Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology (ESST) details the role of Animal Breeding and Genetics in the sustainability of animal agriculture. The volume covers scientific principles and applications includes the current science used to advance cattle, poultry, swine,sheep, and equine populations, as well as the future role of techniques such as gene editing. International leaders in the field explain foundational concepts such as heritability, the covariance between relatives, statistical approaches to predicting the genetic merit of individuals, and the development and advancement of molecular techniques to elucidate changes in the DNA sequence that underly phenotypic variation. The use of genetic-based tools to improve animal agriculture and meet consumer demands across species is treated in detail. Readers will gain an understanding of how global livestock producers have implemented advanced genetic selection tools and used them to improve reproduction, production, efficiency, health, and sustainability. The interactions of genetics and production environments, and the genetic components of the complex interactions among animals are also discussed. The future of Animal Breeding and Genetics, including the challenges and opportunities that exist in feeding a growing world population, are addressed.

This book fills the gap between textbooks of quantitative genetic theory, and software manuals that provide details on analytical methods but little context or perspective on which methods may be most appropriate for a particular application. Accordingly this book is composed of two sections. The first section (Chapters 1 to 8) covers topics of classical phenotypic data analysis for prediction of breeding values in animal and plant breeding programs. In the second section (Chapters 9 to 13) we provide the concept and overall review of available tools for using DNA markers for predictions of genetic merits in breeding populations. With advances in DNA sequencing technologies, genomic data, especially single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers, have become available for animal and plant breeding programs in recent years. Analysis of DNA markers for prediction of genetic merit is a relatively new and active research area. The algorithms and software to implement these algorithms are changing rapidly. This section represents state-of-the-art knowledge on the tools and technologies available for genetic analysis of plants and animals. However, readers should be aware that the methods or statistical packages covered here may not be available or they might be out of date in a few years. Ultimately the book is intended for professional breeders interested in utilizing these tools and approaches in their breeding programs. Lastly, we anticipate the usage of this volume for advanced level graduate courses in agricultural and breeding courses.

Animal genetics is a foundational discipline in the fields of animal science, animal breeding, and veterinary sciences. While genetics underpins the healthy development and breeding of all living organisms, this is especially true in domestic animals, specifically with respect to breeding for key traits. Molecular and Quantitative Animal Genetics is a new textbook that takes an innovative approach, looking at both quantitative and molecular breeding approaches. The bookprovides a comprehensive introduction to genetic principles and their applications in animal breeding. This text provides a useful overview for those new to the field of animal genetics and breeding, covering a diverse array of topics ranging from population and quantitative genetics to epigenetics and biotechnology. Molecular and Quantitative Animal Genetics will be an important and invaluable educational resource for undergraduate and graduate students and animal agriculture professionals. Divided into six sections pairing fundamental principles with useful applications, the book's comprehensive coverage will make it an ideal fit for students studying animal breeding and genetics at any level.

The branch of biology that deals with the study of genes, heredity and genetic variation in living organisms is known as genetics. Animal breeding is the field of animal science that is concerned with the study of the estimated breeding value of livestock using methods like best linear unbiased prediction. It incorporates other disciplines such as quantitative statistics, molecular genetics and population genetics. This field can be majorly divided into two types of breeding practices. These are crossbreeding and purebred breeding. Crossbreeding is the mating of two different organisms to create an offspring that has traits of both the parents. Purebred breeding refers to the mating of similar organisms to maintain the stable traits of that particular organism. This book explores all the important aspects of animal genetics and breeding in the present day scenario. It is a valuable compilation of topics, ranging from the basic to the most complex theories and principles related to this field. As this discipline is emerging at a rapid pace, the contents of this book will help the readers understand the modern concepts and applications of the subject.