A method for partitioning trends in genetic mean and variance to understand breeding practices

Quantifying the sources of genetic change is essential for optimising breeding programmes. However, breeding programmes are often complex because many breeding groups are subject to different breeding actions. Understanding the contribution of these groups to changes in genetic mean and variance is essential to understanding genetic change in breeding programmes. Here we extend the previously developed method for analysing the contribution of groups to changes in genetic mean to analysing changes in genetic variance. We, expectedly, show that the contribution of females and males to change in genetic variance can differ and are not independent, indicating we should not look at the contributions in isolation.

Involvement of Farm Women in Decision Making of Dairy Farm Activities in Krishna District of Andhra Pradesh

An investigation was conducted to study the involvement of farm women in decision making of different dairy farm activities in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh .A total of 225 farm women were selected based on their land holding capacity. The study revealed that majority of the women in the study area took part in decision making on most of the dairy farm activities such as choosing the breed of the animal (68%), taking loans (79.11), purchase/ sale of animals (81.33), insurance of animals (77.77%), culling of animals (69.33%), construction of sheds (70.22%), farm expansion (72%), feeding of animals (77.33%), breeding practices ( 66.22%) health care of animals (87.55%), management of new born calves ( 88%), pregnant (87.11%) and sick (86.22%) animals, utility of dung(59.11%), adoption of scientific management practices( 55.55%) and sale of milk(73.33%), whereas majority (69.33%) of the women in study area were taking self decision regarding preparation of milk products. The study showed that among the landless, small and medium farmer categories the participation in decision making regarding choosing the breed of animal(74.66%), purchase or sale of animals(86.66%),insurance of animals (86.65%), culling of uneconomic animals (81.33%), construction of sheds (82.66%), farm expansion (76%), purchase of roughages and feeding of animals (86.66%), breeding practices (81.33%), utility of dung (69.33%) and adoption of scientific management practices (62.66%) was more in landless women compared to small and medium farmer categories.

Indigenous Goat Selection and Breeding Practices in Pastoral areas of West Guji zone, Southern Oromia, Ethiopia

Placing relevant breeding objectives and identification of indigenous breeding practices is crucial to integrating modern development in animal breeding into purposeful industry programs. Hence, the objective of this study was to identify selection criteria and indigenous breeding practices of the goat in Abaya and Galan district southern Oromia, part of Ethiopia. Data were collected from 180 households through interview schedules and focus group discussions. The effective population size and inbreeding rate of the community were calculated using ΔF = 1/2Ne. Conformation, growth rate, coat color for buck and conformation, twining ability, age at sexual maturity, kidding interval, and color for females are selection criteria for replacement of stock in the study area. In both districts, farmers have relatively similar production and breeding objectives. Conformation is hub selection criteria for replacement of breeding flock. The study area has liable by inbreeding 0.22 in Abaya and 0.29 in Galan. Goat in the study area is prolific twinning birth (72.22%). Trait preferences of farmers in goats were conformation, growth rate, twinning, and kidding interval. Hence adopting a community-based goat breeding program that is suited to study areas which aimed at improving preferred traits is relevant.

Analysis of the USDA’s 2017 Cow-Calf Management Practices Results: Part 2—Breeding Practices/Reproductive Technologies

This paper discusses the use of breeding practices and reproductive technologies in cow-calf operations, and the ways they affect calf crop. Written by Mario Binelli, João Bittar, and Angela Gonella, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Animal Sciences, December 2021.

Temporal analysis shows relaxed genetic erosion following improved stocking practices in a subarctic transnational brown trout population

Maintaining standing genetic variation is a challenge in human-dominated landscapes. We used genetic (i.e., 16 short tandem repeats) and morphological (i.e., length and weight) measurements of 593 contemporary and historical brown trout (Salmo trutta) samples to study fine-scale and short-term impacts of different management practices. These had changed from traditional breeding practices, using the same broodstock for several years, to modern breeding practices, including annual broodstock replacement, in the transnational subarctic Pasvik River. Using population genetic structure analyses (i.e., Bayesian assignment tests, DAPCs, and PCAs), four historical genetic clusters (E2001A-D), likely representing family lineages resulting from different crosses, were found in zone E. These groups were characterized by consistently lower genetic diversity, higher within-group relatedness, lower effective population size, and significantly smaller body size than contemporary stocked (E2001E) and wild fish (E2001F). However, even current breeding practices are insufficient to prevent genetic diversity loss and morphological changes as demonstrated by on average smaller body sizes and recent genetic bottleneck signatures in the modern breeding stock compared to wild fish. Conservation management must evaluate breeding protocols for stocking programs and assess if these can preserve remaining natural genetic diversity and morphology in brown trout for long-term preservation of freshwater fauna.

Horse Tooth Enamel Ultrastructure: A Review of Evolutionary, Morphological, and Dentistry Approaches

This review searches for and analyzes existing knowledge on horse tooth anatomy in terms of evolutionary and morphological changes, feeding habits, breeding practices, and welfare. More than 150 articles from relevant databases were analyzed, taking into account the issues of our experimental research on the ultrastructure of Equidae tooth enamel. After our analysis, the knowledge on this subject accumulated up in the past, almost 50 years has been logically arranged into three basic directions: evolutionary-palaeontological, morpho-functional, and dentistic, which is also demonstrated by the latest trends in the study of enamel morphology and in the practice of equine dentistry. The obtained data show that in recent years we have observed a rapid increase in publications and a thematic expansion of the scope of research. It is caused by the need to deepen knowledge in theory and in the practice of feeding species in nature and in captivity as well as the possibility of using new technical resources to improve the excellence of such research. It is a summary of the knowledge of a certain stage of equine tooth enamel studies for this period of time, which serves as the basis for our experimental research (the materials are prepared for publication) and at the same time, defines research perspectives for the next stage of development.

Breeding Practices and Traits Preferences of Goat Keepers at Lepelle-Nkumpi Local Municipality, South Africa: Implication for the Design of Breeding Programs

Identification of breeding practices and traits preferences by farmers for selection of breeding animals to be parents of the next generations is the crucial step to the successful implementation of community-based breeding programs (CBBPs). The aim of the study was to detect breeding practices and traits preferences by farmers at Lepelle-Nkumpi Local Municipality, South Africa to determine their relevance in establishing a CBBPs. A structural questionnaire was designed and administered to 183 randomly selected goat keepers from 4 villages. Across the 4 communities, the majority of goat keepers were males with the traditional purposes, sales and meat production as their main reasons of keeping goats. Spring breeding season was practiced using natural mating system controlled mainly by means of castration and culling of poor reproductive or undesired goats for breeding. The most important common farmers’ preference traits among the four communities were twining ability, good mothering ability and body size in breeding does, and mating ability, growth rate and body size in breeding bucks. However, the selection of breeding stock might also include qualitative traits such as coat color of goats. The results from this study are useful for designing CBBPs for indigenous goats in Lepelle-Nkumpi Local Municipality.

From the Eurasian Steppes to the Roman Circuses: A Review of Early Development of Horse Breeding and Management

The domestication of the horse began about 5500 years ago in the Eurasian steppes. In the following millennia horses spread across the ancient world, and their role in transportation and warfare affected every ancient culture. Ownership of horses became an indicator of wealth and social status. The importance of horses led to a growing interest in their breeding and management. Many phenotypic traits, such as height, behavior, and speed potential, have been proven to be a subject of selection; however, the details of ancient breeding practices remain mostly unknown. From the fourth millennium BP, through the Iron Age, many literature sources thoroughly describe horse training systems, as well as various aspects of husbandry, many of which are still in use today. The striking resemblance of ancient and modern equine practices leaves us wondering how much was accomplished through four thousand years of horse breeding.