ANIMAL IMPROVEMENT

Animal improvement refers to the ways of developing and breeding only those animals that show the greatest merit under consideration, such as good feed conversion, growth rate, disease resistance, egg size, etc.

It also involves the upgrading of existing (local) breeds as a result of some undesirable characteristics which they possess.

AIMS OF ANIMAL IMPROVEMENT

1. To produce animals that can give high yields or products in the form of meat, eggs, milk, etc.
2. To produce animals that can provide high-quality products, such as yolk size, shell hardness, etc.
3. To produce animals with high feed conversion efficiency.
4. To produce animals with a high growth rate.
5. To produce animals with early maturity.
6. To produce animals which can adapt to climatic/environmental conditions.
7. To produce animals that are resistant to parasites and diseases.

EVALUATION

1. What is animal improvement?
2. State five aims of animal improvement.

PROCESS OR METHODS OF ANIMAL IMPROVEMENT

There are three methods or processes of animal improvement. These are;

1. Introduction
2. Selection
3. Breeding

INTRODUCTION

Introduction is the bringing into the farm or a country, high-quality breeds of livestock with a high productive capacity and other good desirable characteristics from another farm or country.

Before the introduction of such animals from another country (exotic breeds), one must be sure breeds possess higher quality characteristics than the local breeds

Advantages of Introduction

1. Breeds which are not originally present in the home country are introduced
2. It enhances greater productivity
3. It leads to the absence of pests and diseases
4. Breeds may perform better in terms of quality and quantity if it is able to adapt to lthe ocal environment.

Disadvantages of the introduction

1. It may introduce new disease(s) to the new area.
2. It may introduce new pets (s) to the area.
3. It may have the problem of adaptation to the new area.
4. It may not perform maximally

GENERAL EVALUATION

1. Define introduction as a method of animal improvement.
2. State three advantages and three disadvantages of the introduction.

SELECTION

Selection is the process of picking or selecting from a mixed population those animals with breeding value as parents. \

Selection is undertaken to maximise genetic gain.

Selection is grouped into two main classes

1. Natural selection: This is the ability of the individual animal to survive unfavourable environmental weather conditions and reproduce. Those that are unable to survive die off.
2. Artificial selection: This selection is done by man using his intelligence and influence to select and mate animals to increase the number of animals.

There are four types of artificial selection:

1. Mass selection
2. Progeny selection
3. Family selection
4. Pedigree selection

Advantages of selection

1. It ensures that only the best naturally available animal is selected
2. Animals with desirable characteristics are selected.
3. Animals from the best breeds are bred for distribution.
4. Animals with undesirable characteristics are dejected and rejected.
5. Selection reduces the spread of diseases.
6. It also reduces the spread of parasites associated with breeding stocks.

Disadvantages of selection

1. Selection is tedious and time-consuming.
2. It is very costly in terms of time and money.
3. It requires expertise which may not be readily available.
4. It brings about the elimination or exclusion of some desirable trait of some parents’ stock.
5. No new desirable characteristics are introduced.

EVALUATION

1. Define selection as a method of animal improvement.
2. State three advantages and three disadvantages of selection.
3. Briefly explain the types of selection.

BREEDING

Breeding involves the development of animals by transferring inherited qualities from parents to offspring. This is achieved through mating.

Types of Breeding

1. Inbreeding: this involves the mating of more closely related animals than the average of the population from which they come, e.g. the mating of father to daughter, son to mother or brother to sister.
2. Line-breeding: It is closely related to or similar to inbreeding. It involves the mating of not too closely related animals, e.g. mating between cousins.
3. Crossbreeding: This is the mating of proven quality animals from different breeds. It may lead to an increase in hybrid vigour, e.g. the cross between muturu (resistance to trypanosomiasis) and white Fulani (less resistant to disease) to produce a hybrid which combines two good qualities of two breeds.
4. Outbreeding: This is the mating of unrelated individual animals within the same breed. Outbreeding is the opposite of inbreeding. It produces offspring with greater vigour and productivity.

Advantages of Breeding

1. The crossing or mating of superior animals from two different breeds produces an offspring that is superior to the average of either parent. This is called hybrid vigour or heterosis (cross-breeding)
2. Offspring grow more rapidly and are more economical to rear (cross-breeding).
3. It results in the production of pure breeds or pure lines (inbreeding).
4. It helps to concentrate and preserve specific qualities in an animal (inbreeding).
5. Offspring produced can withstand variations within the environment (cross-breeding)

Disadvantages of Breeding

1. It may result in inbreeding depression, i.e. a reduction in vigour performance (inbreeding).
2. It can also result in a drop in production, such as milk, egg, slow growth rate, and loss of fertility (inbreeding).
3. It may also result in poor resistance to diseases (inbreeding).

EVALUATION

1. Define selection as a method of animal improvement.
2. State three advantages and three disadvantages of selection.
3. Briefly explain the types of selection.

GENERAL EVALUATION

1. What is animal improvement?
2. State five aims of animal improvement.
3. Define selection as a method of animal improvement.
4. State three advantages and three disadvantages of selection.
5. Briefly explain the types of selection.
6. State four factors to consider while carrying out artificial insemination.

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT

1. All the following are aims of animal improvement except A. Fast growth rate, B. Egg size, C. Susceptibility to disease, D. High feed conversion
2. …is the process of picking or selecting from a mixed population, those animals with breeding value as parents. A. Introduction B. Selection C. Breeding D. Picking
3. The mating of unrelated individual animals within the same breed is called A. Outbreeding, B. Inbreeding, C. Line breeding, D. Crossbreeding
4. Sterility could occur during the practices of the following, except A. Artificial insemination, B. Castration, C. Bad hygiene, D. Balanced ration intake
5. ____ is the ability of individual animals to survive unfavourable environmental weather conditions and reproduce. A. Introduction B. Artificial selection C. Natural selection D. Selective breeding.

THEORY

1. (a) What is animal improvement? (b) State five aims of animal improvement. (WASSCE 2013 question 8a and b).

2. Write short notes on the four types of artificial selection.
3. Write a short note on the following system of breeding
4. In-breeding
5. Line breeding
6. Cross-breeding (WASSCE 2000 question 8a).
7. State four objectives of animal improvement programmes in West Africa. (WASSCE 2012 question 8c)

See also

FISH POND

FISH FARMING

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION

ANIMAL NUTRITION

LIVESTOCK MANAGEMENT