Abstract

Genetics is the study of inheritance, and animal breeding is the application of knowledge in genetics to achieve improvement. In the context of animal breeding, a systematic framework (Harris et al., 1984) is typically employed to design improved breeding programmes. The steps involved in this systematic framework include the following. 1.Define the goal of the business. 2. Identify the list of traits that influence the goal. 3.Determine the relative (economic) importance of the traits in the list. 4.Measure those characteristics that allow individuals to be ranked then selected (or culled) in terms of their contribution to progress towards the goal. 5.Make preferential use of superior individuals as parents of the next generation

DJ, Garrick

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 59, , 1-5, 1999