Animal Breeding
Selective breeding
Farmers have been breeding animals for years through selective breeding whereby desirable traits can be passed on to offspring. Selective breeding can result in healthier, more productive animals that have a reduced need for medication and require less care. Ever since animals were first domesticated, animal breeders have been using selective breeding to determine which animals will become parents of the next generation. Once an animal is born with a good trait, that trait can be passed on through breeding. Over time, more animals in the herd will be born with that good trait.
Genetic selection
Traits are passed on from parents to offspring in the form of genes and DNA, small bits of genetic information in cells. Techniques have been developed to identify and isolate DNA of genes for desirable traits such as meat production or disease resistance. These techniques provide animal breeders with the ability to identify animals with desirable genes.